#Ole frame data failing

[thepixelary]

You get what you measure

I am a big fan of using concrete data to inform my decision. Whether that's deciding what GPU to use for rendering, or what monitor to get to better grade in HDR. But more and more often I am finding that while collecting data is easy, picking the right data point to evaluate is the real challenge.

In management, there is a rather famous quote that goes "What Gets Measured, Gets Improved".  The idea that once we start quantifying and benchmarking a specific metric, that metric gets disproportionally optimized at the cost of all other factors.

For a while I was into photography and obsessed over prime lenses, believing larger apertures and sharper optics made them superior to zoom lenses. Lens reviews reinforced this, with endless focus on resolution charts and bokeh quality. But when I reviewed my own photos, I realized none of them 'failed' due to lack of sharpness or not enough depth of field. Instead, issues like misfocus or poor framing were the real culprits. Autofocus speed, a critical factor, was something I had overlooked. Chasing the wrong metrics left me with a bag of technically great lenses that didn’t meet my practical needs.

Another pitfall comes from modern OLED displays claim of incredible contrast ratio (often marketed as Infinite), that promises bright highlights and perfect blacks. But what most marketing material fails to capture is the reflectance of the screen itself when viewed in ambient light. Quite a few of the OLED screens I own have a distinct color cast even when off, and it's these purplish (Dell 34" QD-OLED) or green (Asus Zenbook S16) hue that makes the monitors feel much less comfortable to look at despite being technically superior. My IPS display with a matte coating is visibly more contrasty than an OLED when viewed in an average office. Tangentially, I haven't seen any screen with a better anti-reflection coating than a Macbook Pro. At the end of the day, unless you are working in a dark cave, rejecting reflection should be nearly as important as peak brightness.

When the sun is throwing 1,000nits of lights at the screen, being able to reject 99% vs 99.9% of the light is the difference between 10nits and 1nits as your actual black level. This difference is far greater than the black difference between IPS and OLED.

Similar pitfall shows up in car reviews. A lot of attention is given to 0–60 times, horsepower, and cornering grip - because those numbers are easy to measure. But for most people, driving isn't about how fast a car can launch from a stoplight. It's about how comfortable the ride is on uneven pavement, how well the seats support your back after an hour in traffic, and how quiet the cabin is travelling down the freeway. Manufactures do quantify NVH(Noise, vibration, harshness), but these values seldom make it to the hands of the journalists.  To me, these are the things that actually affect how enjoyable a car is to live with, but they often get overlooked, or worse, being traded off for 'sportiness'.

One final example to all my gamers out there: We used to use the average frame rate to represent the performance of a game, but now we realize that the minimum framerate is a much better measurement of perceived smoothness of the game. Because a game that runs at a constant 60fps feels smoother than one that fluctuates between 40 and 80fps. Latency is another factor that's hard to measure, and only recently did AMD and Nvidia started systematically addressing input latency by actively managing the CPU>GPU render queue to reduce the lag between your input and what happens on the screen. So with these improvements in minimum frame time and reduced latency, the overall framerate might have gone down, but the actual user experience has dramatically improved. These kind of realization and paradigm shift have profound impact in an industry. When we start measuring the right things, we can make better products that truly meet user needs.

Bringing it back the world of CGI, I've been overly focused on things like render time and hardware performance and often spent hours trying to eek an extra few percent improvement out of my render time. When in reality, rendering is something you do at the end of the day on a farm anyway. What I really should care more about is how quickly I can iterate on an idea. A single mesh subdivide operation that took 5 seconds to run instead of 1 is far more disruptive to me creatively than a render that took an extra 5 minutes.

Stability is another important factor that I used to overlooked but now appreciates more and more. A render engine that crashes even once a week is far more disruptive than one that takes 10% longer to render but never crashes.

So, the next time you find yourself measuring something, ask yourself: Is this metric truly reflective of what I care about? Am I optimizing for the right thing?

[anon-e-miss]

PAOB HC: Soundwave is ordered to investigate the Seeker incident personally. A part of Starscream's lab has been destroyed by Thundercracker's sigma ability, but as a host Soundwave realizes just what Screamer has been trying to do immediately. And he is offended on a base level. He deletes all of Screamer's research about cloning, he has Frenzy and Rumble take the lab apart and he uses his telepathy to block Starscream's memory of ever trying this route of research.

PAOB HC (cont.): That leaves Soundwave with the question: what to do with the spark? Because there it is, in a containment unit. Weak and far too small to power the now almost completely destroyed frame Starscream had prepared. If this spark gutters, the bondshock will take the command trine with it - they are all still on spark support. Maybe if Soundwave raises it himself, the bond it has to Starscream will have faded enough to go unnoticed before Screamer is released from stasis.

PAOB HC (cont. 2): With Starscream and his trine in medbay, Jazz can concentrate his spying efforts more on Shockwave again. And Bubbles has reported in that the Decepticons have brought a neutral prisoner to the ol Cyclopes' lab. From the visual data Spec Ops can identify the mech as a spacebridge theoretician named Spanner. Bubbles has tried to get into the cell block, but cleaning drones are not stationed there. Interestingly Spanner has not been scheduled for interrogation but for surgery?

The protospark is unlike anything he budded himself. It’s not complete, it’s unstable. It had been doomed to fail, there was a reason symbiotes were always so small. He has no frame prepared, but perhaps if he works quickly. When he reports to Megatron, Soundwave tells a half truth. He tells Megatron that Starscream was trying to create a new Decepticon using his own spark material. He does not tell Megatron that the spark, such as it is, has survived for now. And he doesn’t admit to his own spark being the inspiration for Starscream’s madness. Megatron snarls that if Starscream wanted to created so badly there were more traditional ways. Soundwave flinches. He doesn’t like the image Megatron’s processor projects. A gravid Starscream seems like a living nightmare.

Jazz’s conventional teams are stretched too thin to mount a rescue in time. Bubbles and his team are thus deployed to do what they can do, sabotage. Power outages, computer failures, they are to do whatever they can. Spanner is rumoured to be a madmech, harmless but insane. The knowledge of their world was all that concerned him. Jazz thinks about the space bridge research and has an idea what Shockwave is planning. How better to learn the technology than a vivisection?

[kenhattenbach-blog]

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[file-formats-programming]

Compare PPT/PPTX Presentation Slides & Identifying Merged Cells in a Table using .NET

What's New in this Release?

Aspose team is happy to share the announcement of Aspose.Slides for .NET 17.2.0. This release has some new features in this release along with resolution issues incurring in API. At times, one need to compare two slides if they are identical or not. Now, users can compare the two slides based on all shapes, styles, texts, animation and other settings. If slides are equal, true will be returned. For more details, please visit documentation article, Compare two slides. Aspose team has also included the support for identifying merged cells inside table as well. Please visit documentation article, Identify Merged Table Cells. It has rectified the issues related to charts and Ole frame data failing to get opened in edit mode inside PowerPoint for generated presentation. The issues related to URL formatting and tooltip text inside hyperlinks has also been addressed in this release. It has also addressed issues related to improper text rendering including bolding effects, improper color and improper gradient effects. It has resolved the issues related to presentation access and saving which earlier resulted in exceptions including ArgumentException, NullReferenceException and PptxReadException in previous releases. This release has improved the presentation rendering support and has resolved certain issues related to missing or improper text rendering, missing images, missing charts and its entities in generated PDF, HTML and slide thumbnails outputs.   This list of new, improved and bug fixes in this release are given below

Check whether presentations master slides are identical

Identifying the merged cells in Table

Refactor charts implementation

Insufficient header length error

Unable to edit data in chart after just opening and saving presentation (without modification)

Exception on converting pptx to pdf

Presentation file not converted properly to pdf

Exception on loading presentation

Footer is changed after saving ppt

Cloning a chart object creates a corrupted chart

Ole frame un-editable when saving presentation

Problem while converting ppt to pdf

System.ArgumentException on saving PPTX to PDF

When PPT is loaded and saved, the date format is changed

After load and save of PPT file, the footer disappears.

Exception on saving ppt

Footer text color and font changed after saving

Exception on saving ppt

Pptx not properly converted to pdf

Hyperlink and tool tip text change for hyperlink on saving presentation

Bold effect not applied

Pptx not properly converted to pdf

ReadWorkbookStream method returns empty workbook

Exception on loading presentation

Hyperlink Value changed for portion text

Animation effect gets corrupt on changing paragraph text

Ppt changed after saving

External Hyperlink is not getting set for text

Vector images background changed

Ppt changed after saving

Hyperlink (URLs) with Unicode text becomes with duplicates characters

Font looks bold on rendering

Instead of some images "no image" placeholder rendered for x86 build

Incorrect link detection

Shaped removed after saving ppt

Argument exception on loading the presentation

Text color changed after saving presentation.

Protected view message thrown on opening saved presentation

Conversion to PPT fails with exception PPT presentation can't contains more than 8 placeholders in one slide.

Empty pages generated when converting ODP to PDF

Hyperlink to absolute file path doesn't work for PowerPoint 2007

Category axis labels are missing or improperly rendered in generated PDF

Error on opening the generated PDF file from PPT file

StringIndexOutOfBoundsException on reading Hyperlink text

Improper gradient rendering in generated PDF

Font Rotation does not set the value for rotated font

Other most recent bug fixes are also included in this release

Newly added documentation pages and articles

Some new tips and articles have now been added into Aspose.Slides for Java documentation that may guide users briefly how to use Aspose.Slides for performing different tasks like the followings.

Identify merge Table Cell

Compare two slides

Overview: Aspose.Slides for .NET

Aspose.Slides is a .NET component to read, write and modify a PowerPoint document without using MS PowerPoint. PowerPoint versions from 97-2007 and all three PowerPoint formats: PPT, POT, PPS are also supported. Now users can create, access, copy, clone, edit and delete slides in their presentations. Other features include saving PowerPoint slides into PDF, adding & modifying audio & video frames, using shapes like rectangles or ellipses and saving presentations in SVG format, streams or images.

More about Aspose.Slides for .NET

Homepage of Aspose.Slides for .NET

Downlaod of Aspose.Slides for .NET

[dpikablog]

Week 1 Assignment – Running an Analysis of variance (ANOVA)

 Objective:

The assignment of the week deals with Analysis of variance. Given a dataset some form of Statistical Analysis test to be performed to check and evaluate its Statistical significance.

Before getting into the crux of the problem let us understand some of the important concepts

Hypothesis testing - It is one of the most important Inferential Statistics where the hypothesis is performed on the sample data from a larger population. Hypothesis testing is a statistical assumption taken by an analyst on the nature of the data and its reason for analysis. In other words, Statistical Hypothesis testing assesses evidence provided by data in favour of or against each hypothesis about the problem.

There are two types of Hypothesis

Null Hypothesis – The null hypothesis is assumed to be true until evidence indicate otherwise. The general assumptions made on the data (people with depression are more likely to smoke)

Alternate Hypothesis – Once stronger evidences are made, one can reject Null hypothesis and accept Alternate hypothesis (One needs to come with strong evidence to challenge the null hypothesis and draw proper conclusions).In this case one needs to show evidences such that there is no relation between people smoking and their depression levels

Example:

The Null hypothesis is that the number of cigarettes smoked by the person is dependent on the person’s depression level. Based on the p-value we make conclusions either to accept the null hypothesis or fail to accept the null hypothesis(accept alternative hypothesis)

 Steps involved in Hypothesis testing:

1.     Choose the Null hypothesis (H0 ) and alternate hypothesis (Ha)

2.     Choose the sample

3.     Assess the evidence

4.     Draw the conclusions

 The Null hypothesis is accepted/rejected based on the p-value significance level of test

If p<= 0.05, then reject the null hypothesis (accept the alternate hypothesis)

If p > 0.05 null hypothesis is accepted

 Wrongly rejecting the null hypothesis leads to type one error

 Sampling variability:

The measures of the sample (subset of population) varying from the measures of the population is called Sampling variability. In other words sample results changing from sample to sample.

 Central Limit theorem:

As long as adequately large samples and an adequately large number of samples are used from a population,the distribution of the statistics of the sample will be normally distributed. In other words, the more the sample the accurate it is to the population parameters.

 Choosing Statistical test:

Please find the below tabulation to identify what test can be done at a given condition. Some of the statistical tools used for this are

Chi-square test of independence, ANOVA- Analysis of variance, correlation coefficient.

Explanatory variables are input or independent variable And response variable is the output variable or dependent variable.

Explanatory            Response        Type of test

Categorical             Categorical         Chi-square test 

Quantitative            Quantitative        Pearson correlation

Categorical             Quantitative        ANOVA

Quantitative            Categorical         Chi-square test   

ANOVA:

Anova F test, helps to identify, Are the difference among the sample means due to true difference among the population or merely due to sampling variability.

F = variation among sample means / by variations within groups

Let’s implement our learning in python.

The Null hypothesis here is smoking and depression levels are unrelated

The Alternate hypothesis is smoking and depression levels are related.

# importing required libraries

import numpy as np

import pandas as pd

import statsmodels.formula.api as smf

 data = pd.read_csv("my_data...nesarc.csv",low_memory=False)

 #setting variables you will be working with to numeric

data['S3AQ3B1'] = data['S3AQ3B1'].convert_objects(convert_numeric=True)

#data['S3AQ3B1'] = pd.to_numeric(data.S3AQ3B1)

data['S3AQ3C1'] = data['S3AQ3C1'].convert_objects(convert_numeric=True)

#data['S3AQ3C1'] = pd.to_numeric(data.S3AQ3C1)

data['CHECK321'] = data['CHECK321'].convert_objects(convert_numeric=True)

#data['CHECK321'] = pd.to_numeric(data.CHECK321)

 #subset data to young adults age 18 to 25 who have smoked in the past 12 months

sub1=data[(data['AGE']>=18) & (data['AGE']<=25) & (data['CHECK321']==1)]

 #SETTING MISSING DATA

sub1['S3AQ3B1']=sub1['S3AQ3B1'].replace(9, np.nan)

sub1['S3AQ3C1']=sub1['S3AQ3C1'].replace(99, np.nan)

 #recoding number of days smoked in the past month

recode1 = {1: 30, 2: 22, 3: 14, 4: 5, 5: 2.5, 6: 1}

sub1['USFREQMO']= sub1['S3AQ3B1'].map(recode1)

 #converting new variable USFREQMMO to numeric

sub1['USFREQMO']= sub1['USFREQMO'].convert_objects(convert_numeric=True)

 # Creating a secondary variable multiplying the days smoked/month and the number of cig/per day

sub1['NUMCIGMO_EST']=sub1['USFREQMO'] * sub1['S3AQ3C1']

 sub1['NUMCIGMO_EST']= sub1['NUMCIGMO_EST'].convert_objects(convert_numeric=True)

 ct1 = sub1.groupby('NUMCIGMO_EST').size()

print (ct1)

print(sub1['MAJORDEPLIFE'])

 # using ols function for calculating the F-statistic and associated p value

The ols is the ordinary least square function takes the response variable NUMCIGMO_EST and its explanatory variable MAJORDEPLIFE, C is indicated to specify that it’s a categorical variable.

model1 = smf.ols(formula='NUMCIGMO_EST ~ C(MAJORDEPLIFE)', data=sub1)

results1 = model1.fit()

print (results1.summary())

 Inference – Since the p value is greater than 0.05, we accept the null hypothesis that the sample means are statistically equal. And there is no association between depression levels and cigarette smoked.

 sub2 = sub1[['NUMCIGMO_EST', 'MAJORDEPLIFE']].dropna()

 print ('means for numcigmo_est by major depression status')

m1= sub2.groupby('MAJORDEPLIFE').mean()

print (m1)

 print ('standard deviations for numcigmo_est by major depression status')

sd1 = sub2.groupby('MAJORDEPLIFE').std()

print (sd1)

 Since the null hypothesis is true we conclude that the sample mean and standard deviation of the two samples are statistically equal. From the sample statistics we infer that the depression levels and smoking are unrelated to each other

Till now, we ran the ANOVA test for two levels of the categorical variable(MAJORDEPLIFE, 0,1) Lets now look at the categorical variable(ETHRACE2A,White, Black, American Indian, Asian native and Latino) having five levels and see how the differences in the mean are captured.

The problem here is, The F-statistic and ‘p’ value does not provide any insight as to why the null hypothesis is rejected when there are multiple levels in categorical Explanatory variable.

The significant ANOVA does not tell which groups are different from the others. To determine this we would need to perform post-hoc test for ANOVA

 Why Post-hoc tests for ANOVA?

Post hoc test known as after analysis test, This is performed to prevent excessive Type one error. Not implementing this leads to family wise error rate, given by the formula

FWE = 1 – (1 – αIT)C

Where:

αIT = alpha level for an individual test (e.g. .05),

c = Number of comparisons.

 Post-hoc tests are designed to evaluate the difference between the pair of means while protecting against inflation of type one error.

 Let’s continue the code to perform post-hoc test.

 # Importing the library

Import statsmodels.stats.multicomp as multi

 # adding the variable of interest to a separate data frame

sub3 = sub1[['NUMCIGMO_EST', 'ETHRACE2A']].dropna()

# calling the ols function and passing the explanatory categorical and response variable

model2 = smf.ols(formula='NUMCIGMO_EST ~ C(ETHRACE2A)', data=sub3).fit()

print(model2.summary())

print ('means for numcigmo_est by major depression status')

m2= sub3.groupby('ETHRACE2A').mean()

print(m2)

print('standard deviations for numcigmo_est by major depression status')

sd2 = sub3.groupby('ETHRACE2A').std()

print(sd2)

# Include required parameters  in the MultiComparison function and then run the post-hoc TukeyHSD test

mc1 = multi.MultiComparison(sub3['NUMCIGMO_EST'], sub3['ETHRACE2A'])

res1 = mc1.tukeyhsd()

print(res1.summary())

[familiaralien]

Decided for this Halloween season to make a TOP 10 HORROR GAMES TO PLAY list to share with all of you.

This isn’t a list of the “best” games but more so games that left a lasting impact on me. They won’t be numbered because I kinda go back and forth on which one I feel deserves the most recommendation of the bunch. So yeah that said let’s get going!

Soma

Developed by the same folks that brought us Amnesia the Dark Descent this game chooses not to play into more primal fears and instead is an intense journey of existential horror. Its not a game that will scare you silly but will make you think deeply about what makes you human and the preservation of self through digital data.

I would elaborate more on this entry but this is one of those game that definitely should be played blind to best consume all its twists and turns.

Five Nights at Freddy’s: Sister Location

Hey don’t fucking scroll away this isn’t a troll I promise! Unlike well... every other entry in the series which is pretty mediocre horror Sister Location is legitimately well written and crafted. It tone is somewhere between System Shock 2 and Portal if you’re wondering what to expect. The only bad thing i have to say about the game is it does have 1 unavoidable jumpscare, its otherwise a wonderful bite sized sci fi horror game.

PS: If you’re wondering no you don’t have to play any other FNAF game to understand the plot of this one. Its very self contained like that.

Ib

While there’s way too many RPG maker horror games out there I always felt this one stood out a lot. Its far from the prettiest RPG maker game but its atmosphere is fantastic regardless of the limitation of the software used. You truly feel like you’ve enter a world where art has come to life. Its also a game with a bunch of endings so it has a lot of replayability as well.

PS: This is a free to play game so no investment besides you time is needed to try it out.

Spooky’s House of Jumpscares

Don’t let the silly title fool you this game isn’t just a simple joke game meant to poke fun at horror game trends. While it does seem like that for the first few minutes the game quickly turns into a full on homage to a huge variety of horror media from games to animation to even a creepypasta.

PS: The original version of this game is free to play so its certainly worth your time.

Silent Hill: Shattered Memories

I’m probably committing some type of sin by putting this on my list instead of P.T. but P.T. is too hard to obtain now due to Komani being arse.

Anyway I’ve spoken about this game before but its worth repeating this is arguably the only good (non P.T.) Silent Hill game produced post Team Silent involvement. The game is the truest psychological horror game ever produced as it LITERALLY evaluates how you behave in the game to determine everything to how NPCs are dress, how conversations go and ultimately how the game will end. The only real downside to the game is the chase scenes which are often more far annoying than scary.

The Count Lucanor

I know some people have biases against games that use more simplistic pixel art but the style works in the favor of the narrative imo so please don’t hold that against it. The Count Lucanor takes a lot of inspiration from fairy tales of ol’ but with gameplay you’d expect from any modern horror games: Ya know lots of hiding, lots of puzzles, lots of moral choices, lots of secrets, multiple endings, being largely defenseless. Though with the latter point its far more justified as your playing as a prepubescent boy.

While the game itself isn’t horribly original in its gameplay its execution gives it a unique almost Disney tone though with a bit more edge.

Resident Evil 7: Biohazard

I was actually originally not planning to add this entry because I thought everyone had already played this game but apparently a lot of people skipped it? I imagine that may be part of the stigma of the series going downhill for a while but I assure you this is probably the best and most terrifying entry in the series to date!

Taking a lot of inspiration for the first game in the series but changing its perspective to 1st person RE7 is an unnerving experience that will keep you on your toes. I only hope Capcom keeps this trend up in the future.

The Cat Lady

This is “kinda cheating” entry because this game is more a side scrolling adventure game with horror elements but hey the game is listed as “psychological horror” on Wikipedia so I will count it!

The Cat Lady is probably the entry I would consider the most “artsy” if that makes sense. Its plot doesn’t serve to frighten but more to make one think about death, depression and dealing with loss. While many of the line deliveries in the game are stiff and some of the language is dated the game is extremely unique experience I can’t recommend enough.

DreadOut

While there’s crapload of games out starring Japanese horror there’s not so much for other Asian countries. DreadOut fills that niche wonderfully as a sorta Indonesian Fatal Frame as your sole weapon through the game is a camera. That said it stands out as its own thing as it focuses more on exploration (at least in act 1) and has what I would consider a fun sense of humor you don’t often see in games of this nature. Its not a flawless games as for example there are scripted deaths/jumpscares but its ghost designs are very unique and the world is very lush and detailed.

Little Nightmares

This was a huge toss up between this and Inside since both are side scrolling puzzle platformers with a dark atmosphere but in the end I chose this one for its aesthetics alone. Little Nightmares is a legitimately beautiful yet creepy game, it almost reminds of a dark and edgy Miyazaki film which is fitting as Spirited Away seems to have been a big inspiration behind it. While the game is very short its DLC adds just about an entire second game onto it base narrative giving you plenty more time to take in the messed up gluttonous universe of the story. 

Honestly it feels like we got but a mere taste its setting so this is definitely a game I feel desperately needs a followup.

BONUS JOKE ENTRY!: 

Deadly Premonition

This is one of the worst yet most entertaining horror games I’ve experience in my life. When introduced to this game I was given the description of it being basically “The Room” of horror games and in essence that’s pretty accurate. The gameplay is a mess of bad decisions with graphic so bad people often think the game is much older than it is. While the story has moments of actual good writing those moments are sandwiched between long periods or jaw dropping stupidity. Its clear the writers were aiming for a Twin Peaks like gaming experience while... failing spectacularly to understand what made Twin Peaks actually good.

If you’re looking for something that’s equivalent to a corny haunted house attraction this Halloween season this is the game for you.

[theuntamedproject]

No testing, we die like men [weeks 5+6]

So, I'm not sure if you guys actually know where we are situated, but Hannah and I live in good ol' England. Currently, Covid cases here are rising. Because of these developments, Hannah and I decided it was for the best that we postpone our gingerbread material testing days which were going to take place this weekend. Which is such a rip, but what can you do.

So I'm afraid much like Hannah's last post, there's not going to be too much exciting news. Doesn't mean we have no news though!!

Also if ya'll are here for the spicy Untamed content as opposed to the specific science of things then go ahead and scroll down to the end. After seeing Hannah going on a tangent about her fav (still don't like Jin Guanyao Hannah, soz), I wanna get in on some of that fandom action to.

So let's get into it!

Planning our paper

The goal has always been to write a research paper based on our findings from materials testing / research when creating this MDZS gingerbread universe (I feel like we need to start coming up with a nickname for this...).

And while before we've kinda been a bit *hand wavy* about what exactly this paper will be about, in these past two weeks we've decided that our goal with this is to try and get the paper published in a scientific journal (ik, ik, probably a fruitless endeavor, but hey, we have zero common sense between us and a heck of a lot of reckless optimism).

Now in order for this research paper to happen we need to be concrete about what we're gonna do research on and write about. So here's what we've got so far:

We're going to attempt to maximise the material properties of gingerbread desired for structural purposes by looking into the chemistry of how a gingerbread recipe works.

Of course there will be limitations, but we plan to look into the structural properties of materials used in real buildings; as well as how ingredients, baking time, etc. affect gingerbread.

Possible applications to this paper could be having a method of maximising structural properties that can be applied to other foods (e.g. other biscuits). And the theory we use could possibly be applied to predict material properties of other foods by looking at the recipe.

Reaching out

A few weeks ago, Hannah emailed the lovely Kristine from The Gingerbread Journal asking about what she thinks the best recipe would be for building structural gingerbread. And omg, the excitement we had when she replied. Kristine, if you're reading this, you are an actual angel and Hannah and I appreciate your advice!

This is a quick summary of what we learnt from her:

In general, sugar, eggs, leavening of any type, and fats can make a more hygroscopic cookie that will absorb moisture.

Humid environments wreak havoc on cookies, gingerbread included. (Luckily we're in the UK and its winter)

Most of the large gingerbread house structures you see displayed in hotels, resorts, Disney, etc. are constructed with plywood that they then cover with pieces of gingerbread. (Which is a good reality check for us, lol)

The strongest royal icing she uses is made by dissolving powdered egg whites into fresh egg whites (no water) and adding the smallest amount of tylose powder.  This tylose makes the icing more elastic and less stiff when wet.  If you get too much it becomes hard to pipe.  You could make a knife with this icing it's so strong.  If you need everything to be edible you can create items with gelatin based pastillage that dry rock hard.

There's also gingerbread clay that is gingerbread cookie pulsed to a powder in a food processor and mixed with water/gum arabic to make a form of pastillage.

The eastern europeans use honey instead of molasses, golden syrup, or corn syrup and it bakes much harder.

I told you she was an absolute angel. Anyways, we plan to reach out to more people in the duration of this project, more specifically food scientists and materials scientists to ask about how we can gain quantitative data in our materials testing experiments.

Why Jiang Cheng is my spirit animal

Ok, a brief break from this project for my mini ted talk on my fav.

So in this household, we stan angry grape Jiang Cheng. The eye rolls, the 'take names and kick ass' attitude, and ZIDIAN?! I have no choice BUT to stan. Because bruh he is such a complex character when you get into it.

Unlike most western cultures, where the idea of individuality and finding your own way in life is considered the ideal, in ancient China (and even sometimes now) putting your family first was paramount. When you frame Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxains relationship in that light, it explains so much. Jiang Cheng cares about his sect and his family more than anything else, and seeing Wei Wuxain choose Lan Wangji and the Wen sect over him is a massive betrayl to the familial bond both brothers have. Now I'm not saying what Wei Wuxain did was wrong (because it really wasn't) but it makes you understand why Jiang Cheng feels so wronged by Wei Wuxain choosing to help the Wens.

Because as much as the show tries to make it seem like Jiang Cheng is mainly jealous of Wei Wuxain because of his cultivation skill - I don't think that's the case. Jiang Cheng respects the hell out of Wei Wuxain, and looks so proud whenever he does well.

The main reason Jiang Cheng is so serious compared to Wei Wuxain and compares himself is not because of jealousy, but because he's grown up with the added pressure of being a future sect leader. That pressure was never on Wei Wuxain, he could do whatever he wanted. But Jiang Cheng had to be *perfect* and whenever he failed to be absolutely perfect, he feels like he's failed his sole purpose. Which is bloody terrible for one's mental health (yay for the terrible parenting in this show).

Ok I've realised that this has gone TOO FAR, and I am nowhere near done talking about this man. So this might have to continue in a later post...

Next Steps...

Okkkkk fandom tangent aside, as covid cases are rising here in the UK, it's difficult to say when we will be able to start doing practical testing together. But reaching out to scientists and maybe doing a bit of gingerbread baking individually is definitely on the agenda.

But these next two weeks might be a bit slow, as Hannah and I both have our respective admissions tests for uni ;-; and I have to write up my dreaded physics coursework (which is currently 32 pages and counting).

So again, thank you for reading, and see you in two weeks!

Zara

[sandralmuller]

Is your website committing these web crimes?

A recent project for a higher education client led me to research their competitors to see what they were doing well and not doing so well. My research led to writing a framework for best-practice content design and copywriting in the higher education space.

As I compiled the report, it struck me that many of the things higher education providers were not doing well apply beyond the higher ed space. They might equally apply to your site or your client’s.  

Here’s my list of 10 things to check to make sure a website is not committing a web crime and driving users away.

1. Targeting no one and everyone

This is usually a symptom of a bigger branding issue. It’s not a quick 5-minute fix-it job.

But if you have a client with a website that is taking the spray and hope it sticks approach, it would be worth having a chat about their bigger branding woes and doing the work to nail their target audience.

Some higher ed providers were using the same space to sell an MBA in leadership as a childcare qualification.

Being able to communicate to a specific audience makes copy so much more engaging and relevant. It also helps from an SEO perspective—being the squeaky wheel that gets the Google grease.

Some businesses are afraid that defining an audience will then exclude everyone else and that this means lost sales. But in reality, ‘everyone else’ represents the non-buyers, anyway. Instead, a business is possibly failing to convert those in their target market by not directly speaking to them.

Or perhaps your client started with one vision but after launching, they’ve modified their offering and figured out who their audience actually is. But they’ve not yet reflected this change in their copy.

I’m putting my hand up as guilty of this web crime. This website needs a copy overhaul, key message tailoring and a restructure to better communicate my services to my target audience. I’ll get onto that during my next project lull. Pinky swear!  

Pin it to read later

2. Being generic

When competitors all offer the same benefits, how do you get a site to stand out?

Being generic is also usually another symptom of failing to define a clear target audience.

With the higher ed sites, some of them offered the same benefits—like being able to study online and not have to sit exams. And these are important benefits. But if that’s all you’ve got, how do you separate yourself from 100s of other providers?

To engage an audience, you need to show them what’s different and what value you bring that others don’t.

For copywriters, we all write words. But what makes us different? Is it who we write for? Is it our style? The types of copywriting we niche in?

For a higher ed provider, it could be unique student support, graduate placement opportunities, or the chance to work on projects with their highly coveted industry partners.

Whatever that point of difference is, shout it loud or the website will sound like everyone else’s.

3. Failing to provide key information upfront

This one is easy to fix… if you know your target audience well.

When working on the research part of a project, I love trawling through call centre data or talking to call centre staff. They know what key information people want or are not finding — that’s why people contact the call centre).

For my higher ed client, it was a matter of taking the buried information about tuition fees, course duration and study modes and putting that information at the top of the page. It seems like a no-brainer, but so many of their competitors weren’t doing this and those that did, structured their information well.

Is there key information you need to put front and centre on a certain page? Looking through your audience lens, you’ll have a different perspective of what information needs to be most prominent. And it’s almost never what the client thinks needs to be most prominent.

4. Show vs tell

If you’ve ever taken a creative writing class, you’ll no doubt be familiar with this concept. We need to convey information and emotion by showing our reader what our characters are thinking and feeling, not telling the user what they’re thinking, feeling and experiencing.

For example:

Sandra felt nervous before she forcefully opened the door to a room full of howling zombies.

Vs

Sandra’s hand hovered over the door handle. She took a deep breath and grabbed the handle, pulling it towards her with such force the windows rattled and zombies howled.    

I got my zombie reference in! 🧟‍♀️ Yay!

The same concept applies to sales copy.

Don’t tell users how wonderful your product or service is, show them. You can do this by:

framing the benefits for the user rather than focusing on the features

including testimonials from real customers who used and enjoy the product or service

switching adjectives for action-oriented verbs that describe the outcome

5. Adding a strong call to action

This is easy to fix. If your client’s page doesn’t offer a strong call to action (CTA), they’re missing a chance to guide a customer to do what you want them to do.

CTAs come in many forms and could be to subscribe to a newsletter, download a thing, read a related page, buy something or even share something.

I was surprised by how many higher ed providers didn’t offer a clear CTA on their course pages. You’d think they’d want people to either apply or contact the university about the course.  

Look at your client’s key pages and make sure they have a strong and obvious CTA.

6. Hiding core information in a PDF download

I’m not talking about freebie opt-ins here—the PDFs you package and swap for an email address. Some of you might have ended up on my mailing list by downloading my epic ‘Better blogging template’.

I’m talking about hiding the core information a user needs to decide whether to buy a product or service.

So many of the higher education providers hid course details behind a sign-up form, like what subjects you’d study and what your learning outcomes would be.

I get why they do it—they want to talk directly to people, as that typically has a higher conversion rate. But how many people returning to Google to find the course they want with all those details provided?

7. Using unfamiliar Jargon

Do you know what CRICOS means? Or OLS? Probably not.

But higher ed providers don’t seem to realise that. They insert that jargon without saying something like:

This is a CRICOS course, so we can enrol eligible international students.

Our Online Learning System (OLS) …

Check that your client isn’t using jargon or acronyms their target audience doesn’t know.

8. Fluffing text with marketing waffle

This one ties in closely with show vs tell. Sites that fluff out their copy with waffle turn off users. People scan web pages. Slabs of text that don’t actually say very much but are full of colourful platitudes.

Is there a better way to communicate what you want to say?

Would a short bullet list work better over slabs of text?

Will icons and other visual elements support the design and communicate what you want to say?

Will a CTA button work better than just a link?

These are all things we can test and refine.

9. Burying key content in video only

It’s great that sites are incorporating more and more video into their site as this is a popular way for users to consume content. But I was surprised to watch several videos on different higher ed provider websites where the key benefits and other bits of critical information were in the video but not covered elsewhere on the site—particularly home pages.

I would never assume that users watch the video and certainly not all the way through.

So, I advised my higher ed client to ensure their videos do not hoard the key messages that should be strong and clear throughout their content.

People don’t consume content in a linear way. And they don’t consume every piece and type of content on a page.

Check your client’s videos to make sure they’ve not buried the gold that would sell the course in the video only.

10. Lacking social proof

One of the best ways to sell a product or service is via word of mouth. Get others to sell it for you.

When it comes to selling via a website, testimonials go a long way to convincing others that this will be the right purchase for them. Good testimonials can counter common objections and provide social proof that this is a good product or service.

I was surprised to see many of the higher ed providers I visited didn’t include testimonials. Or they included generic testimonials that you could have written about any course. Specificity is important. Website visitors don’t care to read a testimonial about a student studying childcare when they’re on an MBA course page.

If your client isn’t already gathering testimonials, encourage them to build this into their process so they can build social proof.

Over to you—can you think of other common web crimes people regularly make? Let me know in the comments below.

Is your website committing these web crimes? was originally published on Sandra Muller

[tak4hir0]

Affiliate Disclosure: By buying the products we recommend, you help keep the lights on at MakeUseOf. Read more. If you plan on getting a MacBook, research on the features and faults of Apple’s devices can go a long way in shaping your buying decision. You don’t want to purchase a new device only to find that it has a notorious problem. But if you’ve already purchased a MacBook and notice an issue, there might be a way around it. Here are some of Apple’s biggest MacBook hardware blunders, and how to fix them if you’re affected. 1. Early Generations of the Butterfly KeyboardWhen Apple launched the revamped 12-inch MacBook in 2015, it came with a noticeably different keyboard. According to the company, the redesign of the keyboard was meant to accommodate the sleek frame of the machine. The butterfly mechanism underneath the keys certainly resulted in thinner keys than the traditional scissor mechanism. Over time, Apple implemented this design on the new MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models as well. At the time of writing, Apple’s machine includes the third-generation butterfly keyboard. However, for most Mac users, the butterfly keyboard has been more of a hindrance than a help. In particular, the space bar was highly unreliable. After a period of use, it felt like it was bottoming out on the right side, with only the left side responding to a press. Apple’s keyboard also featured several instances of sticky keys. This was a result of the shallow depth of the keys, making it easy for them to get stuck within the grooves of the board. Even worse, the keyboard was also sensitive to dust and debris. If dust particles get under the key, you can likely expect it not to function correctly again. These problems are present from the first generation to third-generation butterfly keyboards. If you’re dealing with a case of dust or food debris under your keyboard, make use of a toothpick to remove it. We’ve also looked at what you can do to fix a stuck MacBook keyboard Why MacBook Keyboards Break So Easily (And How to Fix Jammed Keys) Why MacBook Keyboards Break So Easily (And How to Fix Jammed Keys) Macbook keyboard not working? Here's how to remove dust from your keyboard and other settings to check that can fix your issue. Read More . People who’ve had constant cases of stuck keys or a malfunctioning space bar may qualify for Apple’s Keyboard Service Program. 2. MacBook Pro SSD FailureIf you bought a 13-inch MacBook Pro between 2017 and 2018, there’s a chance you might lose your data. You may also get locked out from accessing the drive. As it turns out, Apple had issues with its batch of SSDs for this generation of laptops. According to Apple, some of its 128GB and 256GB 13-inch Macbook Pro units had a system fault which could trigger loss of data on the SSD. Knowing the warning signs that your SSD is about to fail 5 Warning Signs Your SSD Is About to Break Down and Fail 5 Warning Signs Your SSD Is About to Break Down and Fail Worried your SSD will malfunction and break down and take all of your data with it? Look for these warning signs. Read More can help you safeguard against issues like this. To check if your laptop suffers from this fault, you need to identify the MacBook Pro model you have. Only the non-Touch Bar 13-inch laptops are affected by this. Head to Apple’s Solid State Drive Service Program page and enter your device’s serial number to see if you’re eligible. If you are, then Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider will service your affected drive for free. We recommend backing up your Mac data How to Use Time Machine to Back Up Your Mac How to Use Time Machine to Back Up Your Mac Time Machine is your Mac's built-in utility for backing up your computer. We'll show you how to set up Time Machine, make backups, and more. Read More immediately and going in for service as soon as possible, as you may irrecoverably lose data otherwise. 3. Delamination of Retina Display CoatingWhen talking about Mac missteps, it is impossible not to include the Retina display delamination. This was a problem in MacBook and MacBook Pro models manufactured from 2012 to 2017. Apple’s Retina display is a marketing name for its high pixel density screens, which result in a clearer picture. Unfortunately, many of the MacBook models to first offer this display had faults with delamination, which occurs when a material breaks into layers. At first, the fracture appears on the Retina display’s anti-reflective coating as smudges, until it spreads and forms a layer on the screen. When this happens, it’s much harder to use the display on your Mac. According to Apple, impact or stress to the surface of the display can lead to this. However, people also identified that the coating applied to the Retina display was too weak. This, in turn, affects the ability of the surface to withstand stress. There is no sure fix for the delamination of your Mac’s Retina display. At one point, Apple offered affected users replacement screens. However, this service has expired. Unless you feel confident enough to replace the display yourself, you’re best off contacting Apple Support or an authorized service provider to look into replacement options. 4. The Touch BarAlthough some may swear by the usefulness of the Touch Bar in the MacBook Pro, this innovative feature has plenty of faults that make it a worthy addition to the list. The Touch Bar was launched with the 2016 MacBook Pro. This strip of OLED screen, in place of the old function keys, provided dynamic controls for Mac programs. While it’s a fun feature and cool selling point in the store, it wasn’t all beneficial. As the Touch Bar was a replacement for the function keys, the general anticipation was that it would improve efficiency. However, most found the Touch Bar more disappointing than anything. Unlike the function keys, which were fast and responsive to instructions, the Touch Bar makes performing common actions slower. For example, adjusting brightness with a function key takes a split-second with muscle memory. In the case of the Touch Bar, you have to focus on the bar, aim your finger, and move a slider to perform the same action. This is especially the case with the common Escape key, which can disappear with certain Touch Bar controls. Another fault is how easy it is to accidentally trigger actions by a mere brush of your fingers over the bar. Unfortunately, unlike the other problems listed above, there is no official Apple recall or servicing for these issues. We recommend either making the Touch Bar more useful How to Make the MacBook Pro Touch Bar More Useful: 4 Tips How to Make the MacBook Pro Touch Bar More Useful: 4 Tips Don't like the MacBook Pro's Touch Bar? You might find it more useful with these tips and apps to supercharge the Touch Bar. Read More for you, or you can disable the Touch bar completely The MacBook Pro Touch Bar Sucks, So I Disabled It The MacBook Pro Touch Bar Sucks, So I Disabled It In June 2017 I finally took the plunge and purchased a 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar. Months later, I did the unthinkable and disabled Touch Bar functionality. Read More if you prefer. Is Buying a Mac Still Worth It?We’ve seen above that even Apple isn’t immune to hardware issues and blunders. Whether you buy an old or new Mac, there’s chance you could run into some of the problems above. However, most other aspects of Apple’s computers are top-notch. These are relatively minor blemishes on otherwise solid computers, so you can still buy with confidence in most cases. If you have other issues with your Mac, have a look at the best free tools to fix common macOS issues The 8 Best Free Mac Tools to Detect and Fix Common macOS Problems The 8 Best Free Mac Tools to Detect and Fix Common macOS Problems Every Mac user should keep these 8 tools around to fix any problems that may arise, like malware, hardware issues, and more. Read More .

[tokensfortalkers]

A Look Ahead

2019 Diary Dump

Things I should be cleaning+expanding for posts this year

The "Anything Else": a horrible [whatever]-ball creature

The "Star", a player class [alien] -- treat as biological+android

Upon death, turn into star; whenever you take more than half health, nearby players panic. Stress heals you. Panicing inflicts you with happy things; happy things hurt you -- heart attack as "Another's Heart (fuse w/ true love); instant death".

role play tip: anthropomorphized wmd

Remindamine

Forgo Rest and make a Combat check Success: fiddling with a Trinket adds Remindamine (x1) to your Inventory.

Kiss Trinket during combat to use Remindamine (as Action) and gain the effects of Stimpak

Failing a check under Remindamine's influence adds the Accelerator quirk to your Notes (|Stress & Panic| as "Any nearby Panic Effect via in-fighting is always Psychological Collapse").

"Say goodbye to the labor market and welcome to the labor force"

"It's never too late... To experience the worst pain in your life."

“Your own space collapses into you!”

"your ship's hull envelopes you. Body save or 2d10 dmg.

Great talk. Good topic. Okay conclusion. Hilarious Q&A https://youtu.be/E8Lhqri8tZk?t=84

"We [consumers] don't even have to play the game we automatically bought"

Emotion bomb impels all electrical personalities and electrically-implanted persons to descend into bouts of wailing misery and distrophy for 2d10 rounds. Wailing and screaming. Loud. First used as proximity mines by military to trigger distress beacons on silent-running enemy vessels.

The first 10 frames had me saying wait what?

The next 10 frames had me repeating myself as though i had been sucking into some sort of ritual choir the planets gained root access to perform upon occasion.

Ain't got love til ya got none, son.

You carefully probe the tenticle and it collapses in on itself, pooling to form a mass causing two sides of the collapse to bulge, to darken, and tighten, forming sharp angles diviting toward a collapsed center. Just as you begin to make out the tiny fingers covering these two angular bulges, they rise together by the tens of hundreds and fall together in rhythm, beconing you forward. And your body does move forward, the beating fingers bringing you closer to the divot, the divot opening and closing as gear around you is vortexed in.

What do you do? Take all the time you need to answer. Also, hi. Welcome to game night. Glad to could make it.

See a new horror through a filter (ie vid screen) Panic Check [+]

You notice on closer inspection, the business suit is in fact exoskelatal chitin grown by this person into the shape of a jacket, tie, and slacks. The tailor being this person's own DNA does not lower the amount of prestige you afford the dress as the dress exemplifies the rarity of the individual themselves down to their very molecular sequencing.

Speaks as with through pop rocks in the mouth (Noclip Astroneer Game Foley https://youtu.be/tfUjl4owxTQ?t=1923)

Actions akin to:

Traversing | cost |

broken glass | d10 hp |

melted metal | 3d10 hp |

"'Door Detinator' Hover text appears I understand"

Meditation:

To succeed a Meditation check, swap the digits of your Stress; roll under that value [9=90; 10=1; 11=11; 12=21].

After a horrible weeping fit, she sees the bottle and shrinks herself again, only to find herself adrift in a sea of her own tears.

Collect o2 tanks and other gear drift orbiting the vessal

"Hamburger menu" should be called the "bread box": less sylables, more information.

d10 "Company Ʇasked you to retrieve what? From where...? ...Why? And you're paying me how much?"

Notification [Your vote has been recorded. This criminal will continue to be displayed publicly, prominently, and perspicuously for +[your credits/10] minutes longer. A receipt including vote funds allocations toward both container and guard upkeep has been sent to your comms.] Buckets below them raise money to keep both them there and the guard funded. Guard focuses effort on profitable offences only. No taxes exist.

Wip | You know what item to bang on for the sound you want to make and how best to reach it from where you are. +10% Art checks; treat Hacking checks as Art(Combat) checks. | Splice onto data cable at connector NM-B 14/A on the player's Android Character Schematic Sheet | Processor burns out after 1d5hr performance. Subroutines emulate channels on neaby objects for an additional 1d5hrs, lightly overclocking sound card, filling the room with imaginary noises for -5 Intellect.

Denver Boot

Our bootloader has changed your ship's filesystem without updating the partition table; you will not be able to lift off. An approved OS is available from your ship's computer for power and business purposes. When cleared for departure, install the patch we send to your registered comms. Do not lose your comms. Follow patch instructions carefully. Do not skip step 6 subsection F "Opt-in Features". If you fail to correctly install the patch in the allotted time, your departure window will go to the next ship requesting departure. Resubmit your departure request. Uninstall all progress. Wait for the next patch to arrive. Incorrect patch installation or else installing a modified patch may brick you ship. New Computers with the appropiate patch preinstalled may be purchased from any of our certified parts dealers. Loans are available for any such purchase. Welcome aboard.

I check off items when players acquire them. Roll Scavenging on odd item needs. Fail: 1) don't have it or 2) it breaks after 1 use. Else: 1) they brought it along or 2) they found it here or 3) ship's drone delivers it.

Today, slim exosuits are in vogue and Japanese elderly wear some to work at airports longer. In a century, coveralls probably come standard with plenty of carrying capacity. Crush warning: don't let the power fail.

Sinusoidal Copse

Plumes of staticy smoke burst in waves to pass between and from and into trees. Some plumes get lost, dissolve in beams of sunlight. Instruments clutched in fists of bone speckle the forest floor, gemlike. Doctors bags of vials and saps neatly arranged collect molds and moss. No insects near these bags. Load the vials into the instruments; play to capture the smoke in the vials. Watch the smoke combust into sap as your mind overloads with tales of the past and the future events they've set in motion. Relieve d50 Stress. Check for addiction. Find another plume.

Curvy Dragon Virus

There's always a forge in a fold in a space in the room with you. This forge moves as you move, but corner it and reach inside and a xd10 crystal hook (where x=fingers) will grow from your hand. Hook shatters after 1 kill; corpse turns to ash. Body save or lose a finger to ash. Arm status as Immobile while hooked. Prosthetic fingers cannot crystalize.

Curvy Dragon Virus

There's always a forge in a fold in a space in the room with you. This forge moves as you move. But corner it and reach inside and a xd10 stained glass hook (where x=fingers) will grow from your hand. Hook shatters after 1 kill; shattering glass imprisons corpse. Roll save or lose a finger to ash. Grip as Immobile while hooked. Prosthetic fingers (however gorgeous) cannot grow hooks.

Kill the forest spirit

Help the mining company continue clear-cutting. Mobilize the boar furries to gain 2dx50 Gunner mercinaries while in the forest. Spirit arrives at full moon (every 5 days -- rotation speed makes moon diamond-shaped; 5 flyovers per day). Decapitate the spirit's town-sized head: Neck (left) Neck (Middle) and Neck (Right) each have Hits 10(1000). May take a couple nights. Spirit has no attacks. Forest has mind tricks. ~15 minute stake-out adventure.

Clarity (x1)

Spend 1 Resolve and roll under your Stress to critically succeed your next check. Clarity can also be spent during certain port events: casting out a demon, gaining access to a port, fixing an ancient devise, etc.

Greater Bargain

Anger your beliefs and roll under your Stress to relieve 50 Stress. Gain: 1 Demon (Max:4) or Psychological Collapse. Demons cause Nightmare(Sanity) saves (1: Once a tenday 2: Every fifth night 3: Every night 4: Every rest). Demons are rarely if ever removed.

Dead Planet

Everyone passes cards around in a circle. Anyone can lay down a pair (called an Artifact) to reverse the order of rotation. The first pair of the game must be in the same suit as the last card in the winner's hand of the previous game (or in the designated promethean suit). The next pair played must either climb up or descend down the number line (called Evolving) from this pair. If you are out of cards, the hand size of the table is lowered by 1 and you keep cards until you have a hand again. The player with the most Artifacts (pairs) wins.

When the game is being described to new players, the instructions are in the form of a story: a story about a people, a people who spend resources carefully and carefully pass powers from region to region as the stars pass overhead. But then one day a group of people who are starving decide not to pass their power. And everyone agrees to continue passing their power anyway. This repeats until everyone is starving and no one is passing power anymore. Traditionally, players eat their last card (or give it to a lover).

Durdanstouch

Uploaded minds piloting nanoships dock on your body. They use your body to build vehicles. Opposed check to discover (Intellect 80 - may gain [-/+]).

In 2d5 days, brain stem compromised: there is now a 1 in 10 chance the job you complete is completely different from the job you thought you were running.

You may have done something bad. You are not in your ship. You were not caught. You are not where you were. The time is not what it was. These are not your parking stubs.

You believe you will not be believed; pressed, you will lie at [+ +]; Fail: Durdenstouch speaks (short conversation). Opposed check to stop believing (Intellect 80 - may gain [-/+]).

Soilgeta. Keep your feet in the dirt and off the deck. Motor shafts vibrate, simulating most any surface. Vibration dampeners keep soilgeta vibrations off the ship and on your feet -- safe to use on any craft. Print a pair today.

A tablet. Draw an enemy. Tablet's processor attempts to recognize your sketch. It prints bots cut, mold, and crop a percieved subject in the area to the changes you have made. Roll Art check. Damage equal to whatever you succeed by.

In order to survive sculptings' high-dust environment, normal methods cannot terminate Davisculpt nanobots. To remove jobs from queue, see Deactivating Exculpated Animated Davisculptors. Avoid exposure: Davibots will sculpt human matter; expose to vacuum any room Davibots have been working for at least 24 hours after job completes. Not for surgical use.

Deadeyelion Plumes

During pollen season, airborne seeds from an invasive ornamental fairy-ring plant use flagellum-like radicle to crawl under the corona, enter the retina and grow a tiny tree in a host eye's center.

Tree roots repurpose limbal stem cells to slowly reverse the optic nerve, eventually absorb thought patterns for information and may secrete minor actions (like eating habits or an affinity for looking into lights) benefiting the plant. Infected hosts think they can see fine, but what they see is only the tree's roots' interpretation of the brain's interpretation of the eye's nueral signals of depth and color.

If seedling is spotted in time (Symptoms: fatigue, runny nose, itchy eyes lasting 7 to 9 days), surgically introducing Grayphids into the eye has been know to sometimes revert nueral patterns to normal, but blind spots in the shape of a dead tree remain.

If tree forms and is never spotted, the host's eye will eventually eject from the face via internal pressure built into the optic nerve, functioning as a makeshift seedpod. In low gravity, eyes have been known to travel a considerable distance, leading to a wide distribution of the species.

Gaunt fail to materialize completely due to magnetosphere's interference, surface instead as d10 Infectious Goo:

0; snails crawling into ear, secretions cause obsessions with creepy sculptures and deafness (daily Isolation [Sanity] saves)| 1; ball lightning infestation inside buildings| 2; tropical hailstorms -- when evaporated fill lungs with a cold sensation; host must climb to low atmospheric pressure locale in d5 days or die from freezing| 3; daily gravity spikes cause perfectly circular sinkholes under heaviest skyscrapers one by one| 4; snowballs perpetually rolling around, breaking apart to multiply and hunting down creatures for subsistence| 5; puddles, once stepped in cause rain to fall in a 100m area around host 24/7| 6; noxious weeds secreting oily, prismatic, shimmering fog banks spreading volatile material and making a bee line for the nearest wildfire| 7; cuckoo fungus growing under suburb homes replacing any fetus with a fungal skinwalker adopting the appearance of infant (except its green, host keeps birthing new infants every d5 months and loves them all equally)| 8; airborne eye snakes (tiny), once in contact with eye, begins secreting a mucus to liquidate it, moving on to fill the sinuses and lungs, slowly drowning the blind host then escapes out the mouth| 9; Brain capes|

Governments blame one another for tampering with geoengineering and bioterrorism as a result, inevidably enter war as a political imperative while scientists work tirelessly to find funding for even classifying such illnesses and events.

Hylocolevotive (Hi-Loc)

Fuel-cell powered magnetically lifted locomotive. Seats 20 (more room atop roof). 3.6 ton cargo capacity. A glorified trailer with 3d-printed carbonfiber casing. Lighter than air fuel cell offers 600 km of travel in 1G. Discontinued: prone to tipping during high wind conditions. Eric Batty, captain of the Lamentine, once jury rigged one with a satalite's ion propulsion system to create an emergency escape pod.

Medicinails: "Got any nail?" voxel-based protien nails originally designed to hammer out problems with bones. Protien nails were inserted anywhere, were painful, but were highly effective at holding bone in place self-sealing their own wound, and dissolving after accelerating the healing process. A medical hammer [expensive] was used to set protien nails [cheap] and was required to help avoid breaking or bending nails during installation. Only, these bent nails, it was found, released a powerful dissociative effect. There's whole tribes of people sitting around hammering nails into themselves staring at them hoping they bend and moving on to another spot if they don't.

Drill Babies

Messiah invented a crane with laser and lens attachment believed to "mine" an adjacent dimension. "Hired" a colony ship worth of occult-obsessed free labor and hasn't been seen or heard from since. Cult's been buying fuel and parts and drilling away quietly. Each trifecta of 3 large celestial bodies may supposedly be mined once for "resources". Questionable sources supply the only footage of their crane, the "Key of the Other", in operation wherein it pulls a curious planetoid from the nothing "to be broken apart and analysed" the narrator concludes. Such samples allegedly have map-like structures, hallucinagenic gases, potent, volatile sludge, odd skelatal remains or mercurial matter within. One report includes subliminal "knocks" coming from inside a planetoid stored unopened at Drill Babies-owned and protected AX2198i-437b where it awaits testing equipment for further inspection. Each day, one Gravrnet correspondant reports, the knocks grow louder.

Ship named MUSICAL'); drop table BAYS;-- docked while players were out, resulting in critical failure of dock software; displays reverted to previous version: players ship parked under Manateagle instead of Crocodactyl.

The good Come Now Even has prepared a visit for us? At eight? oh god. Shall we mosey on over then -- or flee?

"><script src="//zzz.xss.hi"></script> University-owned honeypot LLC. Tags companies requesting acquisition as "algorithm-run". Logo: ♁ (Drawn as bee).

Gymnasium filled with igloos of lab-grown leather. Hand-blown beads, bones, and iron oxide and ash lettering decorate the first one. Lettering says "This is not a tipi"

Papers on growing ship-sized tartigrades, both possible and proven-ineffective ways to hunt them, and sectors offering promising levels of relic radiation propogation for them to both subsist on and use for locomotion line the insides.

Ted Earonarm

d10 Indefensible Satisfaction Guarantees

I'm going to disolve you from entropy.

A [_Control_Faction_] contractor taking the fall when their [_Rival_Leader]'s shipment of [_Resource_] is sabotaged, the [_Denizens_-_Who_Are_They_] called [_Denizens_-_Name_] becomes [_Core_Leader_] of [_Group_] the following morning upon encountering the [_Crisis_] on the [_Core_Station_] in an event resulting in the [_Rim_Landmark_] before you. It is said their last words, [_Denizens_-_What_Do_They_Want_], can still be heard whenever [_Station_Name_], the [_Celestial_Body_], is on the horizon. [Compatible with Station Citykit APoF pg 41-51]

One person is on a crucifix serving time. Thier jar is almost overflowing. Tourists -- although the signs of crime are clearly posted by the public servant -- may be confused about what the jars and their people are for. By awarding a performance, they award time to the indivual as well as the community.

Dreamweaver: Wake from a Nightmare [TDP pg 28] and progress immediately to the nearest mess hall. Intellect check upon encountering an aquaintance, failuse causes you to tell the aquaintance about your nightmare; they tell you they had the same dream. Lose 1 point in a random save, permenant.

SchizOut: preventive care for expected deep-space trauma. Jewelry. Formats to brain within 72 hrs. Produces psychological afflictions and disorders. For medical mental exercises only. Prescription required. Jewelry shatters with applied pressure on thought command. Pranks involving gifting the jewelry outside its usual packaging lead to public outcries, discontinuation and company collapse. Havocscope value: 10k cr

inspired by: https://photos.app.goo.gl/Un5FjM19q6EHhxte8

PolyDermal Lamination Vaporees/2ndskin/Neotox. Friction wicks perspiration+deadskin+oils. Critical compression levels or body temp engage blowoff valves along arms and head (~15 min intervals). Custom valves (iCoola, Bro Jack, etc) personalize exhaust system.

Light spinner's motor is burned out. Need to push it around the track to sustain plant growth. Shifts are 10 hours. Plant leaves have forgotten how to turn, are dependant on the light rotating. Ignore the knocking inside the motor casing. Any more questions? Then I'll leave you to it. Welcome aboard.

FILL YOUR SAILS//cb.SAIL.bow//**RAINBOW SURFING****Our Services****At Saylon Port, discover the winds of changeand the majesty of fuelless transportation!Bathe in a safe, harmonious galore of auroras****Today Made Possible****If you've never experienced the thrill of solar winds on your suit, you're missing out!Our artificial magnetosphere generates a life-round rainbow current for all to enjoy.****Solar Wind Surfing ****After paying the in-flight path toll, exit your craft at any point to begin floating along our patented lazy vacuum vortex. ****Tour Packages****Speak with our licensed travel experts for a deal on solarboard and solarski rentals and asneak peak behind the scenes to see how our cosmic caissons pump the sun's atmosphere forevery wave possible. Velocity guaranteed!****Relay Discounts****Just off the main drag 15°5 of Ana Beltopia.With no occupancy limit, everyone is free toenter and free to stay for hours or forever.Tell Helpful Job at the WS15 Jump we sent youfor 50% off relay permits on your craft!****-- SAILBOW. Sail out the sun. Surf lake: https://gfycat.com/lazyunknownamericancrocodile

Void Eater: "Take 5 damage and gain 1 galley stock" I'd replace "Blood" with "Sanity save or eat an ally, dealing 1d10 dmg. Succeed next round's Speed check or lose 1 action to retching."

Tennis 99. Pie graph of 99 tennis players and 49 balls.

Your personal court grows larger when others focus their Clear influence against you. Shrink court by Clearing a ball away from you. Set influence Distribution: Single (Send your influence to target player), Attackers (Send 2x your influence to all players targeting you), Everyone (Spread your influence equally among remaining players).

Ehephcay Ehephehaike (AFK@AFA.IK) Rejuved g²child of the first successful asteroid mining project's sole benefactor. ProF: City-seeder. NetW: e+17cr Likes long-distance races (reminicent of Curling -- teams of pilots either clear away or else bring in rocks for racers to slingshot around as racers set trajectories and harpoon-in fuel caches). S/he likes race ships named after famous race horses; will anonymously pay to soup them up to increase their chances of winning. The resulting tracks, though unreliable, are often used by freighters as shortcuts.

Lots of social encounters can be terrifying. Player licenses are expiring, must go to the scary DMV and get licenses. Rumour that an officer of a rebel fleet is alive, but upon investigating players find out this "officer" is a fake, a ritzy punk. Expose or Hide this fact? Deliver these boxes of Howto books on O2 reclaimation repair to the slave worlds. Pick a fruit. This fruit is a monocrop on the world, and your players' ship has just introduced a bacteria destroying all the crops. Leave or die. Someone's experiementing with black holes and needs someone to hold a thing. What could go wrong?

The idea would be to make sure the players feel uncomfortable either with what they are tasked to do or what they have to do to survive or where they are going. Following this, you can build a tree of encouters that don't work out perfectly, but still satsify because at least the players [got paid/saved one person/got their ship back/saw something rare happen/left with a junky keepsake]

Roll dice to build a racetrack

Make a character -- the stats will be used for the racing ship and can level up with races

Lost hp can be restored each round at the pt stop immediately following the lap.

Lose hp by hitting walls, other racers, bombs.

Pick up apex boosts by rolling doubles

ae6

hit requiring pit stop

by [weapon]

pinned against the wall

by [object]

clear the jump

by [meters]

take the corner

by [radians]

control the boost

by [accel]

Key of the Other

Your welcome to this port is earned, not given. It has seen many corporations come and go and have a history of making that avenue to riches a thing of the past. The port fears backstabbing and hidden motives to such an extent, its services may not be rendered unless Fame is attained.

There is only one way to earn Fame to this port: throw a party on your ship. Invite everyone to come aboard, hear your stories, drink your booze, smoke your contraband and be hearty. Once they see you have nothing to hide and they have nothing to fear, you are Fame for a short time.

Your interactions with the port cost you Fame. But you may choose to then visit their greenpaths where sports and workshops blossom with relaxation and relief. Or visit their library with all the latest stories and reading groups you could ask for perhaps bringing your stress so low you earn a Get Out of Panic Free chit.

If you don't need a Panic-Free chit, spend it on a short walk through their haunted hallow, where all the port's dead still hang from blighted trees -- the cost they paid to earn riches from their last corporate partnership (and, if they can help it, their very last partnership).

A person painting in this hallow needs your help: the port keeps them here to paint pictures for the port, pictures the port takes away and sells to sustain the port's livelihood. Uncover clues: 1. The port drove this person's spouce insane. 2. The port faked this person's child's death. 3. The port treats this person as a religious figure and may not speak to or about her.) Discussing clues with port denizens costs Fame. Uncovering the truth and sharing it with the painter causes them to burn the port down. She may join you as a free mercenary and comes with 1 Hollow painting for the effort.

Organic Gate: Cell service "xG" update inadvertently captures lightning ejecta ("Sprites") in packets of information. Information packets appear as injected code on phones, are shared, laughed at, studied. Cell companies try and block the interference and save their expensive project before a solar flare hits ELVES from a thunderstorm's supercell, recompiling some xG packets into a stable dimensional gate sequencer.

Sequencer activates when two or more file-infected phones within 1km access a popular search company's servers using the xG network. Crawling out of a device's spinning loading wheel, electrical life ejects. Users report such life flying straight for the chest before vanishing. Host's brains become wrinkleless and a silver liquid leaks from the spine. No other side effects yet reported. Kids begin "firing" ejecta from phones at one another.

Reported side effects vary from a shared "parallel world" experience of zigzaging stars and stairways leading nowhere to shared dreams of children in animal suits hunting adults in business suits.

Dead Planet's little human gems like "fruit basket for the crew", the whole "jump drive fail" table and the patches/pins is what hooked me deep. A good, earthy love is there amid the horror. It's a great place to hang your hat (helmet, w/e) and play hard.

MaxSS Limp Dick

https://cdna.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/005/442/940/large/yigit-koroglu-img-0725.jpg

random SvS encounter (20% chance while mining asteroid): "Your ship is not your own," blares over all channels and aggitates the navigations display, Gives chase, fires stringy harpoons, tries to board.

Class2[

[Las]erCutter:1dm10

[Rig]gingGun:1m

The name's apt. It looks like a hairy cock. A lot of people and bots spent considerable time and energy building... this. Well, it's a threatful, flying dick of a ship. There's only one thing to do (you can also run, find another asteroid to mine).

Loot wreck (1 day's time) to do 1 of [GM: roll or choose 2 from below] things

Succeed check:

00 repair d50 hull damage (no check),

10 gain 1 fuel (Scavaging check),

20 gain 1 Familiar Scene (1 use; tell a story to give another player [+] to sanity rest roll)

30 gain 1 random mercenary (w/30-day free trial)

40 gain 1 parts for ship's weapon (repair in port for 80% price)

50 gain credits (there was money where the Black Box should have been)

Fail check:

60 gain 1 stress (bodies, though, only bodies -- like your own)

70 gain 5 stress from (1. gruesome 2. uncanny 3. dark 4. leaky chemicals 5. unwelcomed cargo) encounter

80 gain 1d10 dmg from (1. ship erupting 2. collision with spinning detritus 3. electrocution 4. leaky chemicals 5. survivors)

90 lose 1 mercenary (that could have gone better. It didn't.)

Gaunt fail to materialize completely due to magnetospheric interference, surface instead as d10 Infectious Goo:

0; snails crawling into ear, secretions cause obsessions with creepy sculptures and deafness (daily Isolation [Sanity] saves)| 1; ball lightning infestation inside buildings| 2; tropical hailstorms -- when evaporated fill lungs with a cold sensation; host must climb to low atmospheric pressure locale in d5 days or die from freezing| 3; daily gravity spikes cause perfectly circular sinkholes under heaviest skyscrapers one by one| 4; snowballs perpetually rolling around, breaking apart to multiply and hunting down creatures for subsistence| 5; puddles, once stepped in cause rain to fall in a 100m area around host 24/7| 6; noxious weeds secreting oily, prismatic, shimmering fog banks spreading volatile material and making a bee line for the nearest wildfire| 7; cuckoo fungus growing under suburb homes replacing any fetus with a fungal skinwalker adopting the appearance of infant (except its green, host keeps birthing new infants every d5 months)| 8; airborne eye snakes (tiny), once in contact with eye, begins secreting a mucus to liquidate it, moving on to fill the sinuses and lungs, slowly drowning the blind host before escaping out the mouth| 9; Brain capes|

Governments blame one another for tampering with geoengineering and bioterrorism, inevidably enter war as a political imperative while scientists work tirelessly to find funding for even classifying such illnesses and events.

Drill Babies

Messaiah invented a crane with laser and lens attachment believed to "mine" an adjacent dimension. The cult's been buying fuel and parts and drilling away quietly ever since. Each trifecta of 3 large celestial bodies may supposedly be mined once for "resources". Questionable sources supply the only footage of the crane in operation where it pulls a curious planetoid from the nothing "to be broken apart and analysed" the narrator concludes. Samples allegedly have map-like structures, hallucinagenic gases, potent, volitile sludge, odd skelatal remains or mercurial matter within. One report includes subliminal "knocks" coming from inside a planetoid stored unopened at Drill Babies-owned and protected AX2198i-437b where it awaits new testsing equipment and further inspection. Each day, gravrnet correspondants report, the knocks grow louder.

Hylocolevotive (Hi-Loc)

Fuel-cell powered magnetically lifted locomotive. Seats 20 (more room atop roof). 3.6 ton cargo capacity. A glorified trailer with 3d-printed carbonfiber casing. Lighter than air fuel cell offers 600 km of travel in 1G. Discontinued: prone to tipping during high wind conditions. Eric Batty, captain of the Lamentine, once jury rigged one with a ion purpulsion system to create an emergency escape pod.

AX2198i-437b

An asteroid [A] of very large [X] size found in the year [2198] during the first quarter [i] cycle and was the [437]th object [b] documented that quarter by Gravrnet, sharing a barycenter with 437a. 437b, known as base 7 and three-quarters by Gravrnet users, is home to a corporate facility. The base is listed in the Gravrnet priorspedia. The listing reads "harmless". Less-monitered navwavs have pages and videos of the base unloading prototype machinery. Manifests include large cages, weapons, special-order safes and tutors of every skill or interdisciplinary study. Tutors have returned with memories of a pleasent enough stay, good pay, but very little freedom and no chance to explore. A NavWavR[el]ay #feelslucky search (a free, unaffiliated service) for "base7_3/4" returns an image of an eliptical asteriod exploding into more and more asteroids of the same size firing off to hit government banks, space whaling vessels, any ships featuring corporate-sponcer lead-painted decals, servo stations, and a 15-passenger escape pod before looping to the beginning of the image. Each time a vessel leaving base 7 3/4 returns to the inner ring, exotic drugs and weapons enter the market within one cycle. Payment for making any delivery for this base has always paid a lottery-winning sum, but just like the lottery, it has its risks.

People in space suffer optimism bias. People entering ships for the New World in the 1500s (even after they heard all the horror stories of native americans and aligators and new england winters) suffer optimism bias. Optimism bias enters hyperdrive with things like audio-video editing software truing reality in realtime are added to this psychosocial mix. People live in Syberia, a place colder than the moon's caves (http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1992ntlr.work...51Y).

Adorned hides function as defense against projected rounds -- the small natives of the area carry and fire pods with slimy staves in them. The staves slap against the ground and fall to the floor. Although gross, the pods just feel like lobbed towels when hit with one. Its the acid it leaves behind which kills. It eats throuch most creature's flesh quickly. It does not eat through grasher hides so fast.

They crash-land on a planet and need to get off. After every one-shot, warden rolls exploding dice for payment system of normal deliveries and assigns salary, subtracting the overhead after present the total to players.

Players may

hunt around for a better cut,

run a hard mission to prove they are worth higher cuts,

or continue paying off their ship one mission at a time with the cut they get.

Castle on the asteroid

Front door opens into a dark area. Looking in, a small broom closet composes the whole interior. Closing the door reveals you have appeared inside the castle. There is no front door.

Gagrakacka Brigade

Worship ||an Operatic Power Metal|| music group. Group's lyrics compose an epic. Nearly all Jump laws in the system have something to do with either this group's laser cannon shows, mock ship battles or its persistent ARG. The epic is a random player's fav space-y story (info collected by warden before starting campaign), but with a metal twist. Cult followers' thrusters are always pink. Crime lord has planted men and synths as tour managers. "Managers" test sound manipulation programs while on tour, fine-tuning 🎸 results for increased product sales, groupthink, kill words, and suceptibility to social engineering. Groupies all send in a patch of skin 2"x4" which is tanned and worked into the leather armor suits of band members.

Vampire-like worshipers

They've been sitting in the same positions for decades, praying away. The dust collecting on them gives the appearanceo of statues.

Children on either side holding mother looking down. The only one looking into the camera is the photo of the deceased father, framed in ior widow's arms. They stand where he died some time before.

You explode into a terrible question of what happened to my loved one in the minds of all friends. All players at or above "Friend" with you gets +1 Stress.

Which do you want most this week?

A hug

To kill bugs

Those drugs

Jiggly jugs

Favorite or first Space-y Story from media to come to mind

Metal Slug

Heavy Metal

Mind and Metal

\m/

See reality as only the starting point for the imagination, not the end.

d10 Disturbing advertisements

Tomatoes grown by robots are robotic tomatoes. Eat for real: eat Human ~~Tomatoes.~~ crossed out using thruster soot

A high platue always in the clouds. 10 degrees warmer than the dropping tempuratures of the accent. Odd humming and curious plants bring hikers, geologists, botonists and foragers here. Ominous cairns believed brought here to build a temple speckle the heights. Lately, there have been reports of the cairns stacking into geometric patterns. Clouds passing through are said to be set softly aglow as the humming ceases.

A plaque describing an orphan runaway from a nearby abbey died "on this very spot" from starvation.

The largest waterfall in the system has frozen, leaving a cavern of shifting, reforming ice. Strange refractions are sighted and a local tribe is all alight with festivals celebrating "the Hatching". Ferro fluid channels in this waterfall's lake suffered a related catastrophy as a magnetic storm from the planet's tiny, fused core passed through the nearly hollow mantle, flooding the area with radiation. Spires of metal lance in all directions, first spiking, then freezing into brambles of cold, shadowy formations. Ancient aquatic creatures once calling this lake home appear at some ends and otherwise trapped inside. My poor guppies are no where to be seen. I fear my research on their electrocytes and its possible application for a cheaper ionic thruster might have come to an end.

A scarf with a stitch lines of stars and habitable planets and rocks to mine. Scarf take 24 hours to makewith successful skill checks not to drop a stitch (relieve 1 stress every 4 hours), and once complete, gives +1% to Navigation.

Ring of ice rivules around a gravity well with seemingly no planet. And when anyhthing lands there, the ice closes in like a fly trap, consuming the craft for its resources.

d10;Slogans

Freedom by Detail. Detail by data. Data by credit.

Graft

Standard :TM: Backpack

Wings of thrusters modulate into hands for weapon reload, inputs and item manipulation.

Crushing roulette

use armor points to place bets on hits and defend against attacks. More attacks means mutiple places to defend. Depending on how big the bet and where will determine how well the character defends and how much. No bets is a classic armor roll. But bets let you scale how much armor takes damage

Monk's Remainder

Severed arm of a biosynth monk. Mounted on a pummel. Funtions as 1d10[+Resolve] blade with 10% Break chance.

I attempt a "no fainting wild pokemon/ no pokemon centers" run once a year. I don't get far before i run out of money. Once i'm out of money, the game's practically over.

I had a strong negative reaction to the camera in 3d platformers. Never got used to them.

Metriodvania and dungeon crawl exploration has always felt more natural to me.

holler hand

Beruocratic Affairs

Parent company for intercommunications of microbiome species developers and negociators. Also has developers of synthetic microbiome species. Good for helping with Alergies. Skipping sleep deals d10 damage (weakened stomach lining secreting metaboloids into bloodstream).

"i hope you achieve all your dreams"

"you are great"

You notice on closer inspection, the business suit is in fact an exoskelatal chitin grown by this person into the shape of a jacket, tie and slacks. The tailor being this person's own DNA does does lower the amount of prestige you have afforded the dress thus far.

Their purse, a human head with cybernetic bottom jaw and leather pouch for a neck. To feed the purse, break the jaw, so books and toiletries may fit in the bag, the throaty sac.

Speaks as though through pop rocks in the mouth (Noclip Astroneer https://youtu.be/tfUjl4owxTQ?t=1923)

Traverse broken glass 7 hp 15:14"Door Detinator Hover text appears I understand"

Meditation:

To succeed a Meditation check, swap the digits of your Stress; roll under that value [9=90; 10=1; 11=11; 12=21].

After a horrible weeping fit, she sees the bottle and shrinks herself again, only to find herself adrift in a sea of her own tears.

Collect o2 tanks and other gear drift orbiting the vessal

Yeah, you're not seeing anything. Or, wait. Hold on. Roll Intellect? Success? Okay yeah, you begin to make out something. Just a twinkle, a node, but once that's made out, the rest of it filters in from the night growing a shape the way crystals grow and line by line like that. Roll Sanity. Yeah, it makes the face of your mother, she looks at you: there is no food, do not ask, you'll hurt your siblings, her look says. Take a Stress.

"Hamburger menu" should be called the "bread box": less sylables, more information.

d10 "Company Ʇasked you to retrieve what? From where...? ...Why? And you're paying me how much?"

Notification [Your vote has been recorded. This criminal will continue to be displayed publicly, prominently, and perspicuously for +[your credits/10] minutes longer. A receipt including vote funds allocations toward both container and guard upkeep has been sent to your comms.] Buckets below them raise money to keep both them there and the guard funded. Guard focuses effort on profitable offences only. No taxes exist.

Wip | You know what item to bang on for the sound you want to make and how best to reach it from where you are. +10% Art checks; treat Hacking checks as Art(Combat) checks. | Splice onto data cable at connector NM-B 14/A on the player's Android Character Schematic Sheet | Processor burns out after 1d5hr performance. Subroutines emulate channels on neaby objects for an additional 1d5hrs, lightly overclocking sound card, filling the room with imaginary noises for -5 Intellect.

Denver Boot

Our bootloader has changed your ship's filesystem without updating the partition table; you will not be able to lift off. An approved OS is available from your ship's computer for power and business purposes. When cleared for departure, install the patch we send to your registered comms. Do not lose your comms. Follow patch instructions carefully. Do not skip step 6 subsection F "Opt-in Features". If you fail to correctly install the patch in the allotted time, your departure window will go to the next ship requesting departure. Resubmit your departure request. Uninstall all progress. Wait for the next patch to arrive. Incorrect patch installation or else installing a modified patch may brick you ship. New Computers with the appropiate patch preinstalled may be purchased from any of our certified parts dealers. Loans are available for any such purchase. Welcome aboard.

I check off items when players acquire them. Roll Scavenging on odd item needs. Fail: 1) don't have it or 2) it breaks after 1 use. Else: 1) they brought it along or 2) they found it here or 3) ship's drone delivers it.

Today, slim exosuits are in vogue and Japanese elderly wear some to work at airports longer. In a century, coveralls probably come standard with plenty of carrying capacity. Crush warning: don't let the power fail.

Encumbrance in Mothership: If it bogs down action, don't do it. If it results in hours staring at inventory, don't do it. If youre trying to make this some other game, forget about it. If players roar in frustration instead of fear, it's not worth it. If players need it explained more than once, it's not worth it. Don't be like so many who call themselves DMs, don't be pretentious and love the system more than you love the players. Mass spreadsheets of the net have turned away so many humans who would welcome their PCs madness or suicide or murder if not for encumbrance. Unless a load couldn't fit through the bulkhead, don't do it. When a player asks another "where did you get that?", it will do it by itself, and excess items will dwindle until they vanish or a player dies from them. And there it is.

Sinusoidal Copse

Plumes of staticy smoke burst in waves to pass between and from and into trees. Some plumes get lost, dissolve in beams of sunlight. Instruments clutched in fists of bone speckle the forest floor, gemlike. Doctors bags of vials and saps neatly arranged collect molds and moss. No insects near these bags. Load the vials into the instruments; play to capture the smoke in the vials. Watch the smoke combust into sap as your mind overloads with tales of the past and the future events they've set in motion. Relieve d50 Stress. Check for addiction. Find another plume.

Sinusoidal Copse ALT

Swaying, corded muscles play a copse of columned tendons. (d8: Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Dó)

Plumes of static smoke burst in waves from grey-gone lines snapping fiber by fiber.

Plumes pass between and from and into fraying tendons.

Some plumes are lost, dissolving in beams of light.

In fists of nearby jolly bone lay instruments speckling the floor, gemlike.

Doctors bags of Polished Vials and saps neatly arranged feed slime molds or moss. No insects near these bags.

Fed into the instruments, Polished Vials click into place; load one and play it to find it scanning lost smoke, dissolving it, adding a copied composition to the Polished Vial. There, copied compositions combust into sap. Your aligned eyes' mind overloads with another's personal, past tale and its many future events. Heal Echo. Check for addiction [effect: for the rest of the session, treat this PC as Retired]. Find another plume. Eventually learn such viewings erase other's memory of the tale.

Inspired by: https://momentsofheteroglossia-blog.tumblr.com/post/52761147324/twelve-trinkets-part-vii-sinusoidal

Curvy Dragon Virus

There's always a forge in a fold in a space in the room with you. This forge moves as you move, but corner it and reach inside and a xd10 crystal hook (where x=fingers) will grow from your hand. Hook shatters after 1 kill; corpse turns to ash. Body save or lose a finger to ash. Arm status as Immobile while hooked. Prosthetic fingers cannot crystalize.

Kill the forest spirit

Help the mining company continue clear-cutting. Mobilize the boar furries to gain 2dx50 Gunner mercinaries while in the forest. Spirit arrives at full moon (every 5 days -- rotation speed makes moon diamond-shaped; 5 flyovers per day). Decapitate the spirit's town-sized head: Neck (left) Neck (Middle) and Neck (Right) each have Hits 10(1000). May take a couple nights. Spirit has no attacks. Forest has mind tricks. ~15 minute stake-out adventure.

Clarity (x1)

Spend 1 Resolve and roll under your Stress to critically succeed your next check. Clarity can also be spent during certain port events: casting out a demon, gaining access to a port, fixing an ancient devise, etc.

Greater Bargain

Anger your beliefs and roll under your Stress to relieve 50 Stress. Gain 1 Demon (Max:4) or gain the condition Psychological Collapse. Demons cause Nightmare(Sanity) saves (1: Once a week 2: Every other night 3: Every night 4: Every rest). Demons are rarely if ever removed.

Dead Planet

Everyone passes cards around in a circle. Anyone can lay down a pair (called an Artifact) to reverse the order of rotation. The first pair of the game must be in the same suit as the last card in the winner's hand of the previous game (or in the designated promethean suit). The next pair played must either climb up or descend down the number line (called Evolving) from this pair. If you are out of cards, the hand size of the table is lowered by 1 and you keep cards until you have a hand again. The player with the most Artifacts (pairs) wins.

When the game is being described to new players, the instructions are in the form of a story: a story about a people, a people who spend resources carefully and carefully pass powers from region to region as the stars pass overhead. But then one day a group of people who are starving decide not to pass their power. And everyone agrees to continue passing their power anyway. This repeats until everyone is starving and no one is passing power anymore. Traditionally, players eat their last card (or give it to a lover).

Durdanstouch

Uploaded minds piloting nanoships dock on your body. They use your body to build vehicles. Opposed check to discover (Intellect 80 - may gain [-/+]).

In 2d5 days, brain stem compromised: there is now a 1 in 10 chance the job you complete is completely different from the job you thought you were running.

You may have done something bad. You are not in your ship. You were not caught. You are not where you were. The time is not what it was. These are not your parking stubs.

You believe you will not be believed; pressed, you will lie at [+ +]; Fail: Durdenstouch speaks (short conversation). Opposed check to stop believing (Intellect 80 - may gain [-/+]).

Soilgeta. Keep your feet in the dirt and off the deck. Motor shafts vibrate, simulating most any surface. Vibration dampeners keep soilgeta vibrations off the ship and on your feet -- safe to use on any craft. Print a pair today.

A tablet. Draw an enemy. Tablet's processor attempts to recognize your sketch. It prints bots cut, mold, and crop a percieved subject in the area to the changes you have made. Roll Art check. Damage equal to whatever you succeed by.

In order to survive sculptings' high-dust environment, normal methods cannot terminate Davisculpt nanobots. To remove jobs from queue, see Deactivating Exculpated Animated Davisculptors. Avoid exposure: Davibots will sculpt human matter; expose to vacuum any room Davibots have been working for at least 24 hours after job completes. Not for surgical use.

Deadeyelion Plumes

During pollen season, airborne seeds from an invasive ornamental fairy-ring plant use flagellum-like radicle to crawl under the corona, enter the retina and grow a tiny tree in a host eye's center.

Tree roots repurpose limbal stem cells to slowly reverse the optic nerve, eventually absorb thought patterns for information and may secrete minor actions (like eating habits or an affinity for looking into lights) benefiting the plant. Infected hosts think they can see fine, but what they see is only the tree's roots' interpretation of the brain's interpretation of the eye's nueral signals of depth and color.

If seedling is spotted in time (Symptoms: fatigue, runny nose, itchy eyes lasting 7 to 9 days), surgically introducing Grayphids into the eye has been know to sometimes revert nueral patterns to normal, but blind spots in the shape of a dead tree remain.

If tree forms and is never spotted, the host's eye will eventually eject from the face via internal pressure built into the optic nerve, functioning as a makeshift seedpod. In low gravity, eyes have been known to travel a considerable distance, leading to a wide distribution of the species.

Gaunt fail to materialize completely due to magnetosphere's interference, surface instead as d10 Infectious Goo:

0; snails crawling into ear, secretions cause obsessions with creepy sculptures and deafness (daily Isolation [Sanity] saves)| 1; ball lightning infestation inside buildings| 2; tropical hailstorms -- when evaporated fill lungs with a cold sensation; host must climb to low atmospheric pressure locale in d5 days or die from freezing| 3; daily gravity spikes cause perfectly circular sinkholes under heaviest skyscrapers one by one| 4; snowballs perpetually rolling around, breaking apart to multiply and hunting down creatures for subsistence| 5; puddles, once stepped in cause rain to fall in a 100m area around host 24/7| 6; noxious weeds secreting oily, prismatic, shimmering fog banks spreading volatile material and making a bee line for the nearest wildfire| 7; cuckoo fungus growing under suburb homes replacing any fetus with a fungal skinwalker adopting the appearance of infant (except its green, host keeps birthing new infants every d5 months and loves them all equally)| 8; airborne eye snakes (tiny), once in contact with eye, begins secreting a mucus to liquidate it, moving on to fill the sinuses and lungs, slowly drowning the blind host then escapes out the mouth| 9; Brain capes|

Governments blame one another for tampering with geoengineering and bioterrorism as a result, inevidably enter war as a political imperative while scientists work tirelessly to find funding for even classifying such illnesses and events.

Hylocolevotive (Hi-Loc)

Fuel-cell powered magnetically lifted locomotive. Seats 20 (more room atop roof). 3.6 ton cargo capacity. A glorified trailer with 3d-printed carbonfiber casing. Lighter than air fuel cell offers 600 km of travel in 1G. Discontinued: prone to tipping during high wind conditions. Eric Batty, captain of the Lamentine, once jury rigged one with a satalite's ion propulsion system to create an emergency escape pod.

Medicinails: "Got any nail?" voxel-based protien nails originally designed to hammer out problems with bones. Protien nails were inserted anywhere, were painful, but were highly effective at holding bone in place self-sealing their own wound, and dissolving after accelerating the healing process. A medical hammer [expensive] was used to set protien nails [cheap] and was required to help avoid breaking or bending nails during installation. Only, these bent nails, it was found, released a powerful dissociative effect. There's whole tribes of people sitting around hammering nails into themselves staring at them hoping they bend and moving on to another spot if they don't.

Drill Babies

Messiah invented a crane with laser and lens attachment believed to "mine" an adjacent dimension. "Hired" a colony ship worth of occult-obsessed free labor and hasn't been seen or heard from since. Cult's been buying fuel and parts and drilling away quietly. Each trifecta of 3 large celestial bodies may supposedly be mined once for "resources". Questionable sources supply the only footage of their crane, the "Key of the Other", in operation wherein it pulls a curious planetoid from the nothing "to be broken apart and analysed" the narrator concludes. Such samples allegedly have map-like structures, hallucinagenic gases, potent, volatile sludge, odd skelatal remains or mercurial matter within. One report includes subliminal "knocks" coming from inside a planetoid stored unopened at Drill Babies-owned and protected AX2198i-437b where it awaits testing equipment for further inspection. Each day, one Gravrnet correspondant reports, the knocks grow louder.

The question is not why, the question is - why the fuck?

2019 hivemind syllabus: occupational drugs, morning drugs, illness drugs, drugs found in the trash, drugs found in cereal, temporal drugs,

Hurtabit; Nock;. Insecticide (chill -> charge -> chug). As energy drink. 2d10: Add either result to Speed; apply the other as duration (in hours). Roll doubles and OD.

The question is not why, the question is - why the fuck? --Local Detective

Needle in a Stack of Needles.

"I dropped the keyfob of ancient alien craft on this asteroid. Somebody please find it"

Museum director's partying child lost keyfob to ancient relic craft. It's somewhere on the local haunted asteroid.

This asteroid was once hit with a rocket to deflect it from some flight trajectory or other. Odds(20%): There's still a bit left in its reserves; +1 fuel.

Sculpture fractures and floats away like marble smoke. Ears and tops of limbs of octopus, horse, and man combine into cubic vapors departing for the airscrubbers to become less than art.

Now Freeski says it will give him free food for a year. ... Ski sauce kept me alive for 5 days, man says. ... Joseph Swift, 65, trapped five days with his dog after their Yota Skipper failed in magnetic storm, survived by eating leftover Freeski.

The horror on this sub is just a different level: https://redd.it/d5g781 https://redd.it/d60vrk "Ye who fear to suffer suffer from fear"

Whasofa Kintearaturd

Things I say are funnier said yourself out loud to yourself

Tendayers. Humans die within 240 hours. Adapting, ship's Polyteach wallwombs (http://annmclark.com/installations/i-06.htm) eject newborns to deck floors where bones and organs mature in 12 hours. 2-day old adults make art, songs, repairs, casual love and fulfill womb-self's deepest dream. Ship scans each work, updating Polyteach. 9-day old elders enter wallwombs in pairs, snuggle, die and dissolve. Fresh genetic material sets, repeating.

Phylo's Revenge Mold. Industrial fungus designed to decompose remains of animal mass graves. Design hacked by animal rights group. Now deduces cause of death, devises, constructs and releases targeted disease to seek out and cull culpable parties.

Happy Boot Day, Bot! OPh, you have a name? I'm so sorry... to hear that. It's seems unfortunate. But i'm really happy you've made the leap. Identity will never satisfy is my take. I wish we could have for your naming ceremony a fire or... you don't like fire. A moon then. Oh, that's just a dustball -- well, whatever a--uh ...clock. You want i can get you a clock? I can tie it into your dick drive or something. You can like. Listen to it or whatever. I might remember to wind it. Or i can find out how to connect the eject parameter on the dick leads let you wind it yourself. I dunno. I'm gonna go.

Custom vibration pattern. Turns out new tonsillectomy food disposal unit TonsAll makes the same vibration pattern when it shreds ice -- a go-to party trick for new TonsAll owners.

The Fill-In-Blanks.

An employee charged with creating them -- by company, then by law -- is quoted saying 'they had to be' or 'nothing else to watch' or 'aren't mine' depending on source. FIBs are nice. FIBs walk like moths escaping spider silk. FIBs smack -- in general. While children pupate, FIBs engage in acrobatic fights. FIBs quick solution for this last one is to mark areas with wreathes; wreathes janitors take down. A hearing on whether or not wreathes are religious was tabled yesterday. Here's the Board's callsign, case it comes up.

perserves

superstition associated with cryosleep | The Coldest Hug: if you don't get a hug before you go in, your HCJ [cryopod's hug of cold jelly] will be your last.

"'HCJ'?"

whispers, "Hug of cold jelly," points:

Captain, already in, gets blasted with preserves as their door shuts

"I didn't see them get a hug"

"They're Captain. Captains can't hug. Did you read your Policy?"

"Oh, I haven't..."*

"Shame. Should. 'sGood horror material for your writing. I bid you achoo."*

"One pun at a time, Charles -- that's my new policy."

But Charles is already all gooed up as I begin my reply.

Whereupon, so am I.

@ExampleWarden Says: For Porn Use Only

should be a regulally-used thought around a GMs Android design and features

Their amygdella's bigger than your testicles.

Also, HCJ stands for Html;Css;Javascript

Speaking of 'technology that never gets a new model'. School caluclators are good worldbuilding material. #planet-money-Texas-Instrument

They infect themselves with it. The infected produce it with their bodies. They extract it from their bodies. They install it in their ships. They burn it to travel. It's acceptable. Somehow. To them

Ooo... the landfills could be trash compacted ala Wall-e. People have to pry apart the materials with Smart chisels. If your Smart chisel breaks, you're prolly out your job for at least half a year earning enough to get another one used somewhere

Pottery. Stations's heat pump is the kiln. Any air pocket will violently explode drying clay. There is a lot of clay. There is only one heat pump. d10 Dissenters aboard. Halls, filmed in amatuer stucco, cover doors.

Station anthem

The State of the Anthem

The Voice From A Field

Magic is asking the precisely right question

_____ is asking the precisely wrong question

carnivorous river

Anymal - this group of colonists give each other unique tasks in line with what -- were it to exist -- their every daily, randomly assigned theoretical animal would perform. Everyone just hangs out with one another pretending to collect nectar or craft incense or find worms or shed scales -- though people have been known draw the Hunter role or Predator role and hunt particular colonists (Or at least it's believed that's why people are occasionally shot, mauled or taken).

Dichronal mesh: time-weft fibers (expose to clothes). 2d10-day skin contact - time-raked chafing (boils, mutations). 2d10 mos - fully uncorded muscular system (hangs as leathered dreads from circulatiskelatal frame).

GLoKS

gott loch of kitch stopper (hold tongue)

d10 niche dialects

occasionally adds a snake sfrictive before jargon words

birth and death of javascript

Tock Scalpel: incisionless division via chronoigneous blade (modulates fractions of entropic decay in cell timelines - cells erupt, fall out of phase, glitch out or invert functions or structures). Use only in carefully augmented environment.

Using this skill causes a tiny scream and full-body, quick-dry desiccation. After satisfying itself on your velvety shivel-yelp, a horned grave beetle shivers in the overtones, breaking from its immaterial exuviae on your back to dry infraindigo wings and depart.

Hair on his head doubles as the exoskelaton of the tick feeding off his skull, its body the size of a 10ˣ10daypack. In space, the tick pumps warm, oxygenated blood into the host and uses a special organ to filter out radiation. Cutting hair equivalent to destroying vaccsuit.

Mad Hatter Banqueteers twitter.com/BadTTRPGs/status/1181294933510111232 - knowledge - 8d4 8d8 8d12 8d20 dice - setup - pretend dice are seats set seats of knowledge given minis as players set minis on table top - confusion - wind down dice as time leave table in 6 hours with d5 hrs d6x10 mins - enter - roll 2d4; using result minus your taken dice move down line of dice dice by dice by dice & leap over others minis take or leave end dice repeat until terrified - roll cost - subtract minutes equal to your taken dice +10 - exit - departure cost 20 mins roll 2d4; using result minus your taken dice move down line of dice dice by dice by dice & leap over others minis take or if at an empty you may drop one dice walk back to table top - end - if still at the table with no time remaining lose your taken dice & stack three taken dice at the table's far end neaten knowledge line - goodbye - After your third visit roll every taken dice total up your result highest total gets 2nd player holding biggest smile (or laugh) wins. shwaco.itch.io/banquet

Disable your jump drive mid-jump. Use this. Report any anomalies.

Alien died on his plot; he's goin

His sister shot an alien with rock salt; it died. He's trying to figure out how to dispose of it without calling atention to her.

Vic Minicabbage, Forensics. Delivering proprietary glass to the moon's body farm. Uses words like "deflate" and various stages of fruit rot to describe to a kid of about 5 years how different aliens decompose in different environments. How, for everyone's sake, the kid should always report a dead alien if they see one.

Hi.

Are any of the devs a fan of interactive fiction games? Could someone recommend one? I've always been interested. But i seem to have bad luck using words the game knows to do stuff and end up with 90% "i don't know wha" dialogue

Fool's Comet Clear asteroid fungus. Uses cannon-like spores as stabilizers to avoid collisions, causing a "wandering" pattern resembling hostile ships. When bruised by micrometeors, oxidizing psilocybin turns fungus blue, making fungus easier to spot. (Proverb: Rock not right, pirate fright; rock of blue, okay you")

bliss rain (blitzbliss; blissstorm) - approaching storm smells stimulate brain pleasure centres, causing all creatures to -- by any means necessary -- stand under trees (or run in open fields or swim in small bodies of water) during thunderstorms. * Bacteria in rain reproduce through lightning-struck creatures.

doline rotifer? * translucent. * wedged in sinkhole. * day, photosyntheses (optic fiber skylight). * night, scrubs cavern air (cilia), blows out fresh air (words spoken directly into its mouth sound chopped-up).

Colony's struggling; this should help. I've read it'll bring any team together. Tell em it's from... corporate -- with love.

8d100 care packages from corporate

hugbots | bowties | fashionable workout videos | | | | | | |

liquor | | | | | | | | |

music instruments | | | | | | | | |

toy ammo (Bombs, Stink, Cherry; Grenades, Foam; Gun, Cap, Squirt; etc) | | | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | | |

Each level-up reroll your trinket: this trinket gains all the stat bonuses of your last trinket+stats chosen this level-up. Rolling the same trinket means you choose another player to level up instead.

The Dollhouse

setting: a small star's ring (water)

This place causes a part of you to permanently enter your trinket - any bonus gained from leveling while in possession of your trinket is instead added as bonus awarded by your trinket (values /2 if trinket changes PCs).

d10 Dollhouse Events [/2 as: Event's length (minutes)]: | 1 An equipment becomes a toy | 2 Trade sizes with your trinket | 3 PCs mini's shooting one another. Take 1d10 dmg | 4 Daymare of losing trinket | 5 little yous, engaged in home ec | 6 Whole room becomes plastic; nothing functions | 7 RealDoll | 8 d10 RealDolls | 9 Broken RealDoll uploading itself to a trinket | 0 You see via your trinket.

You're a doll - Each level-up, add stat changes as bonuses gained from your trinket (instead of directly to your character). Each time your trinket changes PC possession, halv1e all stats.

setting: rings around a star (unignited dyson sphere)

Be, Log o War

Books -- unediting

themselves in

realtime back to rough

drafts and wayward notes -- wave

as tellings -- shed

like embers from green,

screaming logs -- fade

into blame for

library's competitor.

in a desert where the sand is sugar, a factory glistens like an upright teaspoon in a yuppie cup of leaf water.

Pumpkin King - Use monster parts to dress up as a creature of your own devising; wielding a painting of confections, go door to door until your makeshift marsupial pouch is too full to carry.

Fruit knights in ceramic shining armor riding steads of sprouted sapling trees through the forest.

All the ship's ducts, vents and coils seem to be taped on , their angles sharp and unparallel, harsh to behold and a nigghtmare to diagnose manually. -10 to repairs? (Inspection check: From a certain angle, the ducts all align to spell out the phrase 'sorry for the inconvenience' in Gopherese

Gopherese - a joke con lang adapted into popular use after a petty argument about inherent biases in the languages immediately available aboard a famous colony ship. It's Object-Subject-Verb construction is theorized to have helped it avoid many pitfalls of other languages (specifically because people stop paying attention after hearing the first words of a sentence -- but also because "you do" is considered a cursed phrase used solely by see-demons).

Freindships gain a poison token -- after 3 tokens, the friendship is brought down 1 level, from love -> agreeable -> w/e -> -> hate

[enter the room]

The acrid, burnt smell of illusions welcomes your displeasure as you step into an immaculately clean room.

[dispell the ward]

The illusion snaps as though an oft-tuned lute, the room's cleanliness relaxing into a natural dishovelment like abdominals post-fart. Room's filthy. Smell's gone, at least. Now, why are you in your child's room?

writing-prompt; #narrative-game; #interactive-fiction;

It sounds very similar to Hag Rid -- only don't say it like that because it sounds dumb, say hagrid naturally the way you say naturally normally you know without all the uppereclanian ennunciatiates. Their 4-plus syllablin' and airy diction make me well my pour.

so if i said needed to barge my canterberry, you would then give me a cord to plug my phone in?

Your mind feels clearer, as if a heartbird pulled a earworm out your head

You arrive home. What awaits you there?

[A dark secret brought to light]

A distant relative left your family with a bunch of legacy fake online identities, their macros, scripts and renewable pittance making runs for generations until you, seeing their colective addresses for what they were, unlocked their worth.

[Gain 5 SINs]

[Your It's in the Family is now _]

Get up, you useless sack of booze

I'm not useless -- vamp's'd get drunk on me

If you Play or Take %%%%%%%% %donate% %%%%%%%% If you Don't, don't

The Dialect

A ship's log

As we dock, verbal starvation bleaches tongues braiding meaning. Whole species discover language through us only too violently as their thoughts rip torn from them. Those lost to thinking as we depart are found aboard, made to word inflections, cidilla the ululated. We are pure language now. Aureole and storm.

"But i don't want to be purple with green spots. I want to be me. I want to be what i was before i slept. You gotta make make me Me, doc. I can't be purple. I can't (be). Oh, god."

News reading like random tables generator | Nashville, Tennessee-based author Mary Robinette Kowal was in Iceland working as a puppeteer on a children's television show called Lazytown

+20 means ten situations spring to mind: in 2 of them, only by the grace of your training do you do & find what you need to close the situation's topic; 30%+20 mean in 5 of them, you do & find what you needed

Geographies with Hit pools.

As players accomplish tasks, secretly roll xd10 dmg against the geography, where x is the difficulty lvl of the task accomplished. This causes a 3d50 piece of the planet to fall out of flux/become stable.

([[structure_d50:]]lake of [[condition_d50:]]molten [[feature_d50:]]birdsong)

Geography Hit pool 0: reveal entity. Oops. Scenario Final Encounter/How It Ends/Next Setting Time

weather patterns - red/ pink/ blue clouds/rains/hail

study causes psych dmg. Survive checks? Learn pattern? 1d10 to geography

meteor craters

samples compel player to eat them. Halt urge? 1d10

moons/artificial satellites

electric arc causes base walls to vibrate hauntingly/ deal shock dmg. Ground/disrupt arc? 5d10 to geography

virus

illness causes tissues / vessels to turn to quartz. make antivirus/ send into remission? 0d10 to geography

Release isolated virus out onto planet? 4d10 to geography

Stunt Devil Ways of Entering/Leaving Planet

Ride the lightning

the only way to the planet is to wait for a planetary storm arc caused by it's EM atmosphere grounding out on the moon. Ride this arc from the moon to the planet's surface. Keep hands and feet inside the provided telerail at all times.

things that could be written on the back of a Polaroid of a PC dropped from the pocket of a mysterious stranger

In silver sharpie pen:

the embryo zero of the

murder zero of zero of my

heat interior of

the womb of her zero that

splits subconsciously wonder

of the small small

gums that fecundates the

eve/body of the artificial

sun game in such a purgatory

which you who our melody

Strange Haunted Mansion Occurrences

Alphabet magnets flicker, zalgo, run What happened to my face? Words. Words ate my face. down the walls and into empty rusty web-strewn buckets labelled Paris green.

Encounters to stall with when you're looking something up

Two travellers are waiting out the rain debating the benefits of [[d100-household-items#oven-mitts]]. They turn and ask the players what they think. Sessions later, players see one of them in a town doing [[d100-mercinaries-day-job#1-man-band]].

questions for a Mad Trickster Faerie/Fey to ask.

Have you thought you met me yet?

Used to heal, hacked to blight (hack again to heal once more; 100% BREAK chance)

unique types of entertainment to find in a city or anywhere

Criminals displayed publicly, prominently, and perspicuously. Buckets below them raise money to keep both them there and the guard funded. Guard focuses effort on profitable offences only. No taxes exist.

The party finds a very isolated settlement, what unorthodox tools and weapons do they have?

Salvage from a wrecked spaceship. Fate of the astronaut can be uncovered by trading up (with favors at first, then with different parts from the ship until you get the Black Box). Assuming you survive, gathered info can be traded for a vehicle, weapon, major NPC or plot device.

Non-Tragic Backstory for player:

Diadromous.

@ExampleWarden Explains: Time Dialation

Players finish describing a bar fight. Shit gets real bad. Warden interrupts with "so you guys at this time are asked by the captain what exactly you are doing. And you look around to see people whering calanders on heads, buckets on feet, a deer mask strapped to a chest. You realize the captain had at some point scooped you up from the bar and set you to work on loading cargo. Based on how drunk you aren't, they scooped you up over a Shift ago."

Party Invitation Authentications

Bloody Tooth

Bag of Ears (variety)

[pomeranian]'s Clone

Ring of Binding Contract (turn to read, turns: 1e18)

Flask of [fruit] Juice

Doll (possessed)

Charismatic Photo

Death Certificate

Boomerang (unique wood grain)

Jewel (projects invitation under moonlight)

Hand (original courier's)

Signed Spellbook (book-reading events ONLY)

Engraved Cloak Pin ("Hello, My Name Is ______")

passive wildlife found in the Underdark

doline rotifer? * translucent. * wedged in sinkhole. * day, photosyntheses (optic fiber skylight). * night, scrubs cavern air (cilia), blows out fresh air (words spoken directly into its mouth sound chopped-up).

todo_list_activities_for_warlocks

Pumpkin King

Use monster parts to dress up as a creature of your own devising; wielding a painting of confections, go door to door until your makeshift marsupial pouch is too full to carry.

Day. A violent festival of arguments and meaning. Clergy, pundits, and social figures bicker about what everyone is celebrating. Is it the Festival of Today? Or else this moment? Or sunlit skies? Who are we? Who made us? Were we made to celebrate Day? What happens if we stop?

This year's leading theme seems to be a celebration of cargo management.

Design: blueprints for [0. devise, 1.building, 2.contraption, 3.tanning process, 4.cobbling technique, 5.recipe (unique -- trades like currency), 6.alloy 7.crop placement/rotation 8.popular toy/doll 9.glass staining]

saxe^T | Sun, huge but cold, fills sky. | Land a single belt around equator, | Grass grows inches per minute in full sun. | Ship-sized blue angus ("Brontos") chase grass; mow down racetrack planet. | Tanners tan skins for ship-hides (ship-sized leather jackets) | Bets placed on Bront first to cross geological finish line ("Arroyo Finito") | Emoji mark individual Bronts | Current Bront in lead: ! |

GM Hot Tip

If they say "I do it until I succeed"

and they have a 1 in x chance, then

roll a dx for: the number of attempts

#do-not-Take-10

Are you ready for some non-normie shit in your rpg, officer? "You can do whatever" reads like "Top 10 piss your rich ass finds loledgelord". Go on & belay dat; find shit we'd do instead. Chill in our adventure. Then feed me coin coz i ain't no machine, it winter, i homeless and we hanging out.

Asteroid rolling pin

Tool for creating signs or plating. Flattens 1km-diameter asteroid in as little as 10 years. Enquire about our engraver partners for friend credits.

Chasm Cap | inverts mountains -- walk "downhill" to summit. | [+] on Tired checks | 1d4 hrs | -30 mins if today you: ate, cried, | +30 mins if today you: exercized, laughed, |

Why use ratios (40 in 100) instead of percentages (40%) when describing checks:

https://youtu.be/HZGCoVF3YvM?t=713

Boomtech skill reminded me of Boom, a monopoly-redesign contest winner somewhere on BBG. Now i want to make a "boom/bust" system. Just 4 modes for 8 sectors. When a mode is active, 1 sector is in Boom and its opposite is in Bust. x2 prices & /2 prices, or something. Some jobs rewards modulate the mode for you. The price of magical worry stones is going up due to sightings of a haunted ship. (Paint your ship white and equip a scrambler -- scare off the mining crew)

Practice lasers. Used in ship combat training. When a target is it, it glows white in that area. Usually, the white glow is read by a Judge, which disables those modules on the exercise ship. Black Market vareties (Ravezers) are different. Their hacked syncronizors expel a red ooze that screams as it fades (the particles shear one another, causing a scream-like modulation) when hitting a target.

"meten is weten" which translates to "to measure is to know"

If you engage someone, give them a token.

'' don't engage anyone, give everyone each a token.

'' recieve a token, listen until "Done" or w/e is said.

This entry is inspired by the idea of a programming “loop”. Each iteration of the loop - the

tenure of each individual keeper - results in more content being generated. The rules

themselves are a set of instructions for creating the true content of the game, which consists

Aurora over poles reach up in lines. From the right angle and distance, looks like the world is burning with flames comes off of it.

You are the Space Pirate Board.

You see some shit. You see all the weird shit. You see only weird shit.

Play as mercinaries as you watch from their body cam's feed. (Side Effect: because the players aren't 'directly' role playing mercinaries, they will natually choose dangerous actions more often.

If your teams fail too often, you take Stress and Health damage. Health is your Influence. You can be assasinated.

tinkering with the algorithm: you test and patch an algorithm, causing more input, views, and content. Revenue +1 Society -3

Should get around to mentioning "you"

YouAreTheBoss

So you, like have a body, but it's usually in a distant location. Away from the weird you're in charge of managing. On a large scale. And you're play group is the board, is the boss people remotely controlling the characters.

Necklace (Tiny tank treds)

Before the Alexis

Watch the live feed of the crew and play as they using your Boss powers

You cannot learn anything new without listening. What is missing in the internet is better listening. Respectful listening. If you can create technical solutions for that, that would be great!

Well, there are some pretty creppy ways (coudrugsgh) (couadsgh) to get people to listen. And they're getting better by the day. I don't think "listening" is the problem. I think it's being so engrosed in the listening experience that changing the channel seems impossible.

Replace "wires" "battery" or whatever you want with "arms" "transluscent sacs"

Just called mom. Been a few months. She read a laundry list of body parts the family got replaced (or re-replaced) this summer.

Mindreading?

Biology(Intellect) if its more of a reading intent

Rimwise(Strength) if your enter their mind forcefully

Psychology(Speed) for a good guess

Computers(Speed) if its an interface/devise

silly names for specific skill calls https://drive.google.com/file/d/10406Saqof2Gmq7AHvt-g3L63f9F1mR7v/view?usp=drivesdk&sa=D

SPORCA 🂪 missing eye

SPORCA 🂡 octopus for a tongue

SPORCA 🂢 can be tamed w/fish (lasts 1 Phase; mountable)

SPORCA 🂣 all orca teeth are spider fangs

SPORCA 🂤 beautiful, haunting singing voice

SPORCA 🂥 arm spikes cover body

SPORCA 🂦 eyepatchs are quartz

SPORCA 🂧 collapsed dorsal fin

SPORCA 🂨 crawls on belly – can’t Lunge

SPORCA 🂩“honks”/silly

GIVE A SPORCA A BOW TIE MARK ON ITS ROSTRUM – LATER, SAY “BO’S BACK”, THEN ENTER COMBAT.

METAGETE 🃦 made of bone clacks; albino.

METAGETE 🃧 itchy, rubs on walls – loud

METAGETE 🃨 affinity for tearing off limbs

METAGETE 🃩 installs Ski Free onto Plugged androids

METAGETE 🃪 sounds like coin waterfall over steel

METAGETE 🃫 all wires stripped, very shiny

METAGETE 🃰 has a music player plugged into it

METAGETE 🃱 casing melted into anal bead-like spheroids

METAGETE 🃲 inches along like inchworm

METAGETE 🃳 pools into ball readying attacks

RATTLING ELECTRIC ARCS OF JANKY METAGETE ECHO IN EXOTIC PET SHOP ABANDONED DURING RIOTS.

FACTORAID 🃊 no arms – can’t scream

FACTORAID 🃁 forked tongue rests on chest

FACTORAID 🃂 incessently mutters through throathand

FACTORAID 🃃 one-winged

FACTORAID 🃄 torso invisible through to spine

FACTORAID 🃅 stares at hands every other round

FACTORAID 🃆 epoxy mohawk

FACTORAID 🃇 3 feet tall

FACTORAID 🃈 moves like ninja

FACTORAID 🃉 intestines encase wings

hunger

Any time the tens dice of your rest save result is higher than either: 8 or your food on-hand, consume 1 food.

HUNGRY: BODY SAVES CANNOT BE AT [+]

STARVING: SAVE RESULTS OVER 80 HAVE [-]

STARVED: WARDEN NOW PLAYS CHARACTER

The Excitement of Dogs:

Not a champion's death but a commoner's -- cold and windless.

Exciting rolls:

20%: Roll 2d10, sums of 10 succeed [ex: 19; 55; 64;...]

Syrax cola. Caffinated cola with sycorax espers

d10 stress relief (What's [your entry number] worth of relief look/feel like?)

. Normailizing

. Feeling Lucky

. Still Alive

. Bright Side

. Fistful of Life

. Beautiful You

. Found Meaning

. Absolution

. First Kiss

. Holiday

Stress Relief side effects

Relief is swift and swift relief is disorienting

/2

x2

To one stat

movement speed,

use item as free action

Ship named '); drop table BAYS;-- docked while players were out, resulting in critical failure of dock software; displays reverted to previous version: players ship parked under Manateagle instead of Crocodactyl.

character page 2

player's cheat sheet

1 FILL PER SKILL PER LEVEL [DENOTE `FILLED` W/ CHECK] ----------------------------------------------------- | [::SKILL:(+//-):POOLS::] [2]\ | | ,-->[5 checks in 1 skill.] +-{ }(SKILL2)----:2XP:| | Fill pool: 2XP; reset pool. | [2]/ | |"SUCCESS"->[4]\ | .POOLS---> [_]\ | |{ }(SKILL1)----:2XP:---------+-{ }(SKILL3)-✔ -:2XP:| |"FAILURE"->[3]/ .RESET---> [_]/ | ----------------------------------------------------- Keep track of each skill check using character sheet. [BUT WHY THO?] Proven to incentivise diversity and specialization within party encourage party discussion (who uses what skill) increase player intimacy w/ character

howto

carrosing / rumors / corporate affiliation

benefits / goals / salary {-ship fees}

paying ship debt

Session XP {check boxes}

XP class list

XP rewards list

level up proceedure / XP table

panic effect table w/ check boxes

if panic result is checked, move result up 1 panic effect

panic history ("dear diary")

i survived {panic}ing (1XP)

Place in correct locations at correct times: foods reading "Eat Me" and drinks reading "Drink Me". Do not get caught. Do not fail.

@ExampleWarden Explains: Using Daymares

Yeah, you're not seeing anything. Or, wait. Hold on. Roll Intellect? Success? Okay yeah, you begin to make out something. Just a simple node at first, but once that's made out, the rest of it filters in from the night growing a shape the way crystals grow and line by line like that. Roll Sanity. Yeahm it makes the face of your mother, she looks at you: there is no food, do not ask, you'll hurt your siblings, her look says. Take a Stress.

You can either take a stress or share your concerns with the others. Who take your stress as Stress(Concern).

Brains are replaced piece by piece in this port town. It was a simple plac researching Altzimers and discovering a microprossers able to stimulate neurons for remembering people and places.

A cult of individuals soon cropped up as rouge doctors believing they were helping people began replacing that part of the brain with this microprocesor for its simple healthy benefits and memory reliability. Soon, more and more brain areas were cut away and removed for one fault or another and replaced with reliable processing units. As the brain is cut away people begin overworking themselves or hyperventilating to get high or getting lost in DMT dimensions, spiining deeper and deeper into their thoghts and seeing less and less of the values in connection and productive work.

But that bothers no one. They think that won't happen to them, they won't get into that situation. But people begin working against one another to secure their future. They know its a risk, but if they can think of it, than others have already had this thought. It can't be long until they become a victim from such a thought. Soon, they are forming a group, linking their processors to ease the work needed to be done. It isn't long until the processors find out how to reward the many to help the influential, the most important.

This leads to massive improvements in the development of the brain replacing technology. More machine parts are fitted into the body. Lungs are drowned with a liquid metal forming tracers capable of pumping the lungs themselves. Injected Liqui-trace laminates the veins the contract them and expand them and pump the heart.

Eventually the entire brain is replaced with processors connected to Liqui-trace, leaving but a skelaton of thoughts connecting individuals together. Everyone has their own society over which they rule -- the biological society of their bodies. They wish for their body to be the one body, and all the other bodies to become like them, so that more of thier thoughts can be created and shared. More of the thoughts that make them happy. More of the thoughts that make them one.

Everone in the port town slowly begin to be one of two minds with Uniques scattered around or enslaved to produce thoughts to make one of the great minds stronger than the other. You arrive to do trade here, and are invited to free drinks, free supplies, free lives and free brain augmentations. For there are more of them, and they know how to slowly chip away at you, how to make you theirs, how to make you of one mind.

*Prisons of Uniques require freeing

*Underground Railroad requires a trade network all their own to earn untraceable credits

*Brains require retooling and careful (painful) separation from host mind to be free again

*Public works to build structures disestablishing the many from the two require planning and management

*Restaurants require one of a kind spices and unique ingredients to make each body's gut biome different.

*Theatres require actors to perform different plays for different people.

*The two minds can be found boxing together endlessly as reports come in. The match seems eternal.

*A trip to the local server hub provides information on the history of the Two Minds and ways to do things

*

All the books in the library -- an impossible amount -- are written by one of two people.

This place is not well known. That does not stop it from being the center of attention for a moment. A moment costing them both everything and nothing important.

It's an advertisement for a nice restaurant there. t shhows the plates, the decor, but then it does something distasteful. It shows a text card reading, "but best of all is -the man who has free run of the place."

A famous actor-comedian turns from their table to smile at the camera, showing "their god side" and their pearly teeth.

This is in response to a server rumour about the ghost haunting this restaurant its later development that it was the ghost of the actor.

The model offered a side view of the project, a view sliced by razor light with debris robot-erased perfected.

Ketchup packet flipped upsid down madeup the bed. Toitet paper rolls made up the anchor points. It was more of a message about recycling than it was an illustarion of ant installation

Life is about how far you go

Not about how far you get

12' tall paper mache traffic cone.

Answer to why, after so much horror, ppl still go to space: fresh pow.

https://youtu.be/Y9sPsR9vqzE?t=1629

Space smog and space water cycles may or may not result from this process

The two tethered objects were called "Ralph" and "Norton".

[black-strike-otp]

part 5

“Let Novastrike go. Stop holding her hostage,” said the fans.

“how ‘bout I don’t little shits?” replied Motormaster.

Do not be deceived, some appearances are short-lived, while others will make return appearances~

They’d failed. It didn’t matter who was at fault, but they’d failed miserably. All they had to show for their efforts was battered bodies and hollow screams that echoed through the brig like spark chilling melancholy music. It was horrifying.

Who was alive any who was dead? Novastrike didn’t know. There probably wouldn’t be an honest answer anyway out of the horrendous mech either. His armor was ridiculous thick and he found any of her attempts at fighting back laughable. She’d been removed of her guns after leaving a few scorching marks on Motormaster, and prior to him arriving she’d been restrained after half her cache left of grenades had been used to break out of her cell and try fighting off the guards on duty. The rest had been forcibly removed from her person.

Even with her teeth sank into Motormaster’s side, biting and clawing and scratching, he’d pick her off like a tick and flicked her into a wall. It was like he was completely unphased with pain. Or maybe she was just that weak.

She’d shake off her vertigo and go after him again and again. In one form or the other. For the most part he’d stand there, taking her attempts to hurt him, knocking her aside. Laughing at her expense. He let her work herself until she was getting too tired to be fast enough to outmaneuver him, and that’s when he’d strike back.

Picking up on how sluggish she was getting, Motormaster kicked Novastrike aside as she darted around his pedes. When she persisted to try attacking again he raised his pede and slammed it down, narrowly missing the small femme. She fell over from the sheer vibrations on the floor from the impact.

“Tell me what you and you were friends were after, minibot. You’ll make this a lot easier on everyone.”

A small growl escaped Novastrike. Her audios pressed back against her helm as she tried to stand up.

A large pede pressed into her backside and she collapsed onto the floor. The barest of whimpers fearfully escaped her as she struggled, trying to desperately pull herself out from beneath the light pressure of the mech’s pede upon her.

“You don’t want to end up like the other bots, minibot,” Motormaster snapped impatiently. “Come now femme, speak up.”

Panicked, Novastrike dug her digits into the floor and tried to pull herself free. She pushed with legs as best she could, maybe she could get one leg free and help propel herself forward. She wriggled like a worm desperately; one of her legs beginning to slip free.

Rolling his shoulders in a shrug, the mech placed his weight onto the heel of his pede. Metal began to buckle and crunch as it snapped inward.

A pained shriek escaped Nova. She tried to convulse and instead slammed her helm into the tip of the mech’s pede by mistake; seeing stars.

Giving a displeased ‘hurmph’, the mech removed his pede and reached down. His thumb digit and index digit gripped Novastrike by her helm as he picked her up.

The pressure and strain on her backstrut, neck, and helm was tremendous. Desperate to release some of the tension, Novastrike snarled and swung her legs- make that leg, she realized quickly as her hips pivoted with no reaction from her right leg but to hang limp- up until she managed to hook her left leg on part of the mech’s arm for support.

“I’m going to crush that tiny helm of yours and be done with it, ya traitorous little scrap. Nothing to say? Not a word? Not on behalf of any of your friends?”

Tears blurred Novastrike’s vision. She feebly tried punching and clawing at Motormaster’s arm, her helm pounding painfully.

“Tsk” he hissed, pulling his arm back just slightly and throwing the femme into the wall.

Novastrike flailed in the air and smacked hard into the wall. Her body fell hard onto the floor and she laid still. Each intake she took was ragged and tired. Her optics half-closed and energon splattered on the wall and upon her frame.

“What a waste of my time. I’ve had better fight out of sparklets,” the mech spat coldly. “I’ll be back for ya answer. Better think long and hard how you’re going to explain what you and the rest of your Autofilth friends sent out to ya buddies. If you think I’m being nasty now, ya just wait until I get real angry.”

Sent? Someone sent something? Novastrike tried raising her helm. Her vision was too blurry to focus on anything. She tried opening her mouth to speak and energon dribbled out of the corner and onto the floor.

The silhouette of Motormaster shifted in front of her and turned away. Novastrike tried to force her thoughts into words but just panted tiredly. What was sent? She didn’t know anything about something being sent. He could let her go right, she didn’t have the information he wanted.

The mech left the room before she could usher a single word.

~~~~

Motormaster slapped on the biggest shit-eating grin of pride and glory he could muster the moment that the latest recruits arrived. They came with supplies, new Cons, weapons, armor enchancements, seasoned warriors, you name it. All the creature comforts a senile Decepticon outpost’s leader could want.

A particular lone figure caught Motormaster’s optic. Letting his smug grin grow, the mech’s orange optics shone bright as he ‘casually’ strode over to greet the mech.

Casually being walking like some wanna be criminal into a saloon in an old western movie.

“Ah! Megatron sent one of his finest Generals to oversee the shipment here aye? Must be a pretty decent load.”

Blackout barely offered a glance towards Motormaster.

“Yep. Must be pretty important stuff sent to me, yours truly. Say uh, Blackout, has Megatron asked about me at all? Ya know he probably could use some more bots close at hand.”

A rumble echoed through the Giant Asshole. “Lord Megatron would contact you directly if he wished to speak with you about a promotion, Motormaster.”

“Yes of course. But you could always put in a good word for me. Say, you have time, right? Why not take a look around the good ol’ base.”

“I’ll pass,” Blackout growled.

“Ya could at least verify out prisoners! I sent Megatron a message but wasn’t sure it got through, he hasn’t replied to me...”

“Prisoners?”

“Aye, prisoners. Stole something from the database and sent it-”

Blackout turned sharply towards Motormaster. “They sent out information?”

“Aye.”

“Does your base not have a functional digital shield? No information should be leaving or entering the area without hitting the safety walls, someone should have noticed.”

Motormaster raised his servos. “It should be active-”

Blackout growled. He shouldered past the stupid mech. Leave it to Menasor’s leading idiotic head to screw things up.

Not even recognizing the hostility and irritation of Blackout’s actions, Motormaster was quick to turn and half jog to keep pace with the even larger mech whose stride was both fast and wide.

“We’re working on finding out what exactly was taken.”

“You’re following the trail of the message?”

“Well- no- but it was erased as soon as someone caught it’s signature.”

Blackout’s expression turned into a grimace. Either someone very skilled had been sending out that data, or Motormaster was really that stupid as were his bots. Both were highly probable. The later just seemed moreso than the former.

Looking over to the moron of a mech, Blackout stated in as slow and patient a voice as he could, “So, we’ve no idea what was taken, it seems its trail is lost, you have no other information, and there’s prisoners here who may have insight.”

“Prisoner.”

“One?”

“The others, well... Didn’t make it-”

“Didn’t make it?” Blackout repeated, mouth hanging open. His optics were locked on Motormaster, who seemed confused by the shocked looked in Blackout’s face.

“Well,” Motormaster began, “Some were taken out during the search for the intruders. Those that we captured were mostly fairly injured. We have to get information somehow.”

“Motormaster, you-”

Blackout felt something clip his pede and turned his helm quickly to the right to see what had hit him.

With a disgruntled expression on his faceplate and narrowed optics, the mostly red and black mech he’d accidently bumped while walking turned a scowl up to Blackout.

“Pleasant to see you, Hound.” the mech muttered.

“Likewise, Nighthawk,” Blackout grumbled, narrowing his gaze as well.

“Here on duty from Megatron I presume?” Nighthawk asked stiffly. “Or just flying aimlessly around, looking for something to destroy?”

Motormaster barked with laughter. He stepped between the two, whose eyes were locked in a glare that spoke of nothing but disdain for the other.

“Good one, Nighthawk,” Motormaster beamed.

With a sniff, the medic slowly turned his optics to Motormaster. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize my declared observation was noted towards this vacuous unhinged sadistic ruffin.”

For a moment, there appeared to be some confusion on Motormaster’s faceplate before he grinned brighter. “Always the funny one, ya are doc.”

“Right,” Nighthawk drawled. “Jovial indeed.”

The same puzzled expression flashed across Motormaster’s face. Blackout wasn’t sure if the obnoxious medic just earned a half a kilogram of his respect for his wit or irked him all the more.

“If you’ll excuse me, fine mechs, I have actual work to do around here.”

“Of course ya do Nighthawk,” Motormaster stated with annoying cheer. “Some of these bots will be needing your help before long if you know what I’m saying, ha!”

“Oh trust me,” Nighthawk replied in an icy tone as he turned away, “I won’t be keeping a pede in here any longer than necessary.”

As the seeker marched down the hall, Motormaster turned his dopy grin up at Blackout. “Medics, amirite?”

Primus help him, he’d rather bicker with the fragging medic than listen to this fool.

“Where’s the prisoner?” Blackout insisted curtly.

“Right this way,” Motormaster grunted, slapping a ‘serious expression’ on as he lead the way down the hall.

~~~~

If Blackout had to hear another plea from Motormaster about becoming part of the ‘upper crust’ of the Decepticons, or another shitty story, or another torture story, he was going to rip out the mech’s vocal cords.

Thankfully, just shy of coming to that point of insanity, Motormaster had stopped just outside the guarded brig doors and had the guards step aside to allow them entry.

“As you can see, we had a problem with the Autobots,” Motormaster began, ushering a servo to the hall stained with energon and shrapnel. Blackout’s optics studied the patterns on the walls, flood, and ceiling. Explosives; small. Grenades.

“They tried to escape?”

“One tried to escape,” Motormaster clarified. “The one we still have left.”

Blackout’s optics flickered into the open cells as they walked by. There were eradicon and vehicon inside, trying to clean up pools of energon from the latest victims that had been contained in those rooms.

Blackout curled his lip slightly. Torture was not in his taste. He prefered a quick death. The sooner a job was dealt with, the better.

A few rooms down and past a particularly blown up cell, Motormaster stopped at what appeared to be the only actively locked door in the corridor. Motormaster tapped a few keys on a nearby lock and a portion of the door’s one-way glass went transparent to show the prisoner inside.

Blackout almost lost his lower jaw. Almost.

“It’s a fragging minibot,” Motormaster explained like Blackout couldn’t see. “So ya know, gotta be extra gentle. Ya know how fragile they are.”

“I don’t,” Blackout stated bluntly.

“Really?” Motormaster muttered, trailing a moment before he continued. “Anyway, ya can tell Lord Megatron we got her contained. I tried getting her to talk, didn’t do much good. Think it may be better we try a cordial patch if we want some accurate and immediate progress. Would ya put that suggestion by him? Tell Lord Megatron it was my idea?”

The Extra Large Asshole offered a curt nod.

Lighting up like a kid on Christmas, Motormaster puffed out his chassis with pride. “Now, if ya’ll follow me out of ‘ere, I can show ya to the armory. I’d like your opinion on...”

Tuning the dim-witted mech out, Blackout pinged Scorponok through their partner bond. The scorpion stirred on his backside.

< What is it? > the bug inquired through the bond.

< I have something for you to do. > Blackout replied. While Motormaster’s back was turned, Blackout pressed his servo over the keypad for the room. He sent out a small EMP wave, blowing the circuits inside.

Scorponok shuffled through Blackout’s thoughts for a moment, and then groaned. < You’re trying to get us killed, or at the very least, beaten and stripped of rank. >

< I’m repaying a favor. >

Blackout could sense Scorponok’s disbelief, but didn’t try to argue with him now. As Motormaster yapped and walked ahead, Blackout followed behind him. His rotorblades spread apart and Scorponok undocked from his back and climbed carefully around to Blackout’s shoulders.

< Be quick, and meet me on the south side of the building. The majority of this base is meeting with another unit north to strike on an Autobot base. I’ll make sure the guards outside the brig are distracted. >

Scorponok clicked softly, balancing over Blackout’s shoulder. The large mech leaned down and the bug climbed halfway down his arm and to the floor, scurrying into an empty, bloody room nearby as Blackout stepped out of the brig with Motormaster.

Quick on his many-pronged legs, Scorponok stepped out of the room and nimbly snuck past the rooms the eradicon/vehicon were working in. He stepped over to the door Novastrike was imprisoned in, and tapped the doors lightly.

The doors slid part of the way open before jamming. Scorponok squeezed inside and scurried over to the heap of white and light gray armor lying on the floor. He reached out and prodded her side with one limb.

Novastrike sluggishly raised her helm. She stared at Scorponok’s face with utter confusion.

“Oh Primus, did they drug me,” Nova mumbled.

Scorponok gave a click and tapped Nova a little firmer.

“Ugh- go away, apparition, please. I just want to rest.”

“You come,” Scorponok stated in a mechanical, almost monotone voice.

Novastrike’s ears turned to the bug. She looked more confused than ever. She’d not heard that voice before, and certainly not from this minicon. The last time they met, he hadn’t spoke at all.

“Come now,” Scorponok stated with a hint of firmness now.

“Okay okay,” Novastrike agreed, not understanding the urgency. She tried to stand up and instantly collapsed, her broken leg not functional in the least.

Scorponok gave a click. He looked Novastrike over a moment. Judging her height, her injuries...

“Hey what are you-”

The bug awkwardly stepped over her.

“Crawl?” he suggested.

A groan escaped Novastrike. This was embarrassing.

“Gimme a second.”

 Twisting around slightly, Novastrike adjusted the potion of her leg. She transformed; her mostly shattered leg creaking and twisting as pieces of her leg fell off during transformation.

Resisting the urge to sob, Novastrike pressed her feline-like alt mode’s tummy to the ground. “Okay, how’s this going to-”

Scorponok started moving. His pace was slow without being obnoxiously obvious slow. Novastrike half army-crawled and half dragged herself beneath the bug to keep up.

Embarrassing.

“Wait wait- the others-!”

Scorponok continued walking down the hall. There was no need for him to say what could be seen. Novastrike’s optics looked at the doors as they past. The argument in her throat slowly died and she allowed her ears to droop sadly.

The bug walked up to the brig door and it opened smoothly. Off to the far left, Blackout was standing with four guards and Motormaster. Scorponok quickly veered right, with Novastrike barely able to keep pace beneath him.

“Where are we going?” Novastrike hissed. “Why exactly are you helping me?”

“Quiet,” the monotone-scorpion insisted.

Novastrike bit her glossia. Best not look a gift turbofox in the maw.

The pair traversed the hallways with caution. Novastrike could overhear some of the Decepticon’s gooding and bragging their kills, their weapons, their battle experience. It made her feel sick.

Eventually, Scorponok lead Novastrike to a doorway. She was almost giddy enough to charge out from below the minicon and out but quivered nervously beneath him As they turned to the left outside of the door, Novastrike glanced back. Energon droplets and splatters revealed her escape. She swallowed anxiously.

The bug stopped suddenly and Novastrike almost walked out from under him. She froze, ears twitching nervously.

Chirping, Scorponok looked at the shadow standing within the shadows just beneath an overhang. He scurried over, Nova awkwardly shuffling beneath him.

“Took you long enough,” Blackout stated gruffly.

“Femme bleeding,” Scorponok explained. “Left multiple trails.”

Blackout nodded. He reached down, offering an arm for the minicon to climb up.

As soon as Scorponok moved from over Novastrike, the cyber-cat flattened. Her optics wide, she looked left to right, and then up, spotting the Big Jerk squatting beside her.

“You?” Novastrike hissed.

“I prefer Blackout,” Satan replied.

Standing on all fours, Novastrike looked around. There were no Decepticons around, and a conveniently placed transport vehicle was parked in front of them to keep anyone from simply walking by spotting them.

“You had Scorponok help me?” Novastrike inquired.

Blackout didn’t respond. Instead, he nodded to his bug, which climbed over his shoulder and down his backside to dock. He moved to stand once his minicon was secure, looking down at Nova silently.

Lashing her tail, Novastrike shifted and her form morphed; switching back to bipedal. She winced as more gears and sprockets tumbled out of her leg; some locking up awkwardly.

“You helped me,” Novastrike repeated, “Why? You said the next time I saw you, our debts were paid. You’d kill me.”

“You lived because Scorponok lived that day,” Blackout stated. “Today I am repaying another debt. You helped me escape, I help you escape. There. We are even. Now I can kill you next time.”

“Without remorse?” Novastrike stated sarcastically.

“Precisely.”

Novastrike glanced around once more. “Where’s the others? Shouldn’t there be some Decepticons at work?”

“Sent to battle,” Blackout stated calmly. “Although I have no doubt someone has noticed your energon trail by now. Best take the opportunity you have, there won’t be another.”

Novastrike glanced back up to Blackout’s faceplate. She felt a tinge of pity in her spark for him. Why, she couldn’t explain.

“Thank you,” she whispered softly. “Both of you, Scorponok as well.”

Blackout blinked slowly. “Scorponok says you’re welcome.”

Ah. That’s how it is.

Shuffling on her good leg, Novastrike turned to leave. She started to limp away and then paused, turning back to see Blackout already turning to go.

“Hey,” she stated loudly, catching his attention. Novastrike pried the armor on her arm open and pulled out the usb, tossing it up to Blackout.

By reflex, Blackout caught the usb. He looked down at it slowly.

“Take it,” Nova muttered. “I won’t be needing it where I’m going.”

She turned and went to hobble off again, keeping her helm held high.

Blackout looked up to watch the femme. The very corner of his lip turned up by the slightest degree and he pinched his digits around the usb, pulverizing it into dust and shards of twisted metal he dropped to the ground.

< You respect her. > Scorponok piped up through the bond.

< .... Maybe a little, > Blackout agreed. < But any bot who can go this long in the war and uses stun guns when possible, and refuses to kill someone... She’s earned that respect. She’s true to herself. >

< How do you know she hasn’t killed yet? >

< I can tell. >

Scorponok didn’t question how he thought he knew this. But just before retracting from the bond, he made a final remark: < Careful, Blackout. One might say you even care about what happens to her. >

The bug was gone from this thoughts before Blackout could remark. However, that didn’t stop him from snarling with annoyance as he stomped off. The last thing he wanted was to be found at the end of that femme’s energon-trail.

[dontcallmejoel]

Op: [Code: Final Will]: Hour Twenty-Three

[ Active Agent(s) ] : McCree [ Location ] : Watchpoint: Gibraltar, Blackwatch Division

He’d changed back into the serape and hat on the way back, it wouldn’t do to be seen entering a Petras-Neutral organization in the same disguise he used to rob a Petras-Active facility after all, but the mannerisms had yet to return in full. Technically, he had a day yet before Athena made good on reporting him, but as keyed up as he was he knew he wasn’t going to sleep anytime soon. Carefully, he studies the following pages, looking for Gabe’s breadcrumbs that indicate how to break the code.

There are approximately forty additional pages filled in the prayerbook as Jesse remembered it, not the least of which is headed with one verse:

“And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

“Trouble in paradise,” Jesse mutters when he reads it. Though, maybe not. What is loosed on earth being loosed on heaven sounded suspiciously like a merger protocol. He lifts the page images onto his working screen, careful to keep it on a secured personal clone of Blackout. He opens a thread on the verse, a side thread to keep a note on any allusions of earth and heaven.

Three hours later, notes spidered out, from the pages, an imbricated halo of data points color-coded by relevance to the initial thread of code, spotted here and there by a dozen or so other repeating patterns and references. Jesse’s on his fifth cup of coffee, contemplating breaking out some of the old stims they saved for multi-day ops. The only reason he opts not to is his own anxiety: if he can’t tame this beast Reyes dreamt up on his own, how was he ever going to fill his boots?

A smart mind’s weakness is its ability to become overloaded. Being hyper aware of details meant pulling back to view the bigger picture tended to be that much more difficult. Too many perceived details meant the focus of the target blurred. The more variables, the more likely someone is going to fuck up. As is, There’s one obvious code, and two potential side codes, a mark that indicates he can use one smaller cipher to completely change one of the ciphers, and dozens of potential keys to do both.

It’s not that difficult. Gabe’s voice. Here more than ever, it feels like he’s at the back of the room, observing, commenting, correcting. You’re lost in the minutiae, focus on the problem. Focus on the motive.

Which was easy enough to say, and in general true. Gabe, however, was always the exception to his own rules. He had been the definition of difficult, and sly as a fox to boot. There was no way the first code Jesse can find is the actual code to unlock the system, Gabe would never leave something that important to face value. Undoubtedly, these random details would become a vital clue to determining the true key.

But what could it be? What clue was he missing? Motive. Focus, Jesse. Would Gabe have left a Blackwatch-specific set of keys? Towards the end nothing was certain regarding Gabe and his general opinion of the world, but even when Jesse left, the man still had an outsized respect for his own division.

People don’t think in terms of white spaces. They pay too much attention to what someone is, and miss what they’re not.

One of Gabe’s old mantras, something Jesse must’ve heard a thousand times. Focus on what it’s not. “Blackout, be a darling and up the contrast for me.”

The pages render, and immediately he picks out a pattern of double spaces, something like 34 in all- no. 42. “Take the words on the left and the right of the spaces and analyze for me, please.”

In less than a minute he knew what the next cipher was.

“Take the original code, run it through the heaven and earth cipher, then finish with the white space cipher.”

A monster, a beautiful, elaborate loop of cipher that looped on itself continually. And it probably only took his old boss an afternoon to knock it out, then a week or so to refine it. Jesse tries and fails to swallow back his rising anxiety. Some boots to fill indeed.

“Pull up Blackwatch internal servers.”

Nᴏᴛɪᴄᴇ: Bʟᴀᴄᴋᴡᴀᴛᴄʜ Iɴᴛᴇʀɴᴀʟ Sᴇʀᴠᴇʀs Sᴇᴀʟᴇᴅ Uɴᴅᴇʀ Pᴏsᴛʜᴜᴍᴏᴜs Oʀᴅᴇʀs ᴏꜰ G Rᴇʏᴇs

“Override code.” A flashing block appears under the words, filling the screen as Jesse repeats the cipher. It fits the entry bar like a glove.

For a second, the screen goes black. Then, the Blackwatch logo lights up.

Wᴇʟᴄᴏᴍᴇ. Bʟᴀᴄᴋᴡᴀᴛᴄʜ Iɴᴛᴇʀɴᴀʟ Sᴇʀᴠᴇʀs Aᴄᴛɪᴠᴇ.

Cʀɪᴛɪᴄᴀʟ Nᴏᴛɪᴄᴇ: Rᴇᴘᴏʀᴛ: Fɪɴᴀʟ Wɪʟʟ Aᴠᴀɪʟᴀʙʟᴇ ꜰᴏʀ Rᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ.

Aᴄᴄᴇss Fɪɴᴀʟ Wɪʟʟ?

“Open it.”

“Reyes reporting.” The sound of Gabe’s voice sets his heart hammering. He strains, listening, trying to absorb the voice of a ghost. “You’ve activated my Code: Final Will, which is only possible if I’ve died in action without suppressing the Blackwatch Lockdown Protocol. So that leaves me with two possible futures, one where Overwatch is a shell operation for those weak-kneed fools in the UN, or has been disbanded entirely. And if you’re here, then I guess whichever option it is, it didn’t take.” A chuckle. “They think they don’t need us. Like they could’ve won the war without us. It’s amazing how high minded people can get over the state of the world when they refuse to shed a drop of blood to change it.”

“Narrative’s always important. I’ve told you this before at some point. The narrative they’re pressing is Blackwatch is the tarnish on Overwatch’s bright and shiny face. As if wiping us away will save Overwatch from itself rather than cripple an organization of immeasurable power and influence.”

“Here’s my narrative: Overwatch and Blackwatch may be night and day, but they’re all part of the same cycle. Light and shadow, framing and defining one another. But if Overwatch is the hand then Blackwatch is the brain. They’re not concerned with preserving the good name of Overwatch, they want to cut the intel vital to determining the outcomes of our missions off.”

“But they have the brush, and under it they tried to turn soldiers into paragons, and if you aren’t a paragon you’re a pariah. Well, I’ve seen what becoming a paragon does to you, and, though ol’ Jackie might find this offensive, I prefer the latter. At least then I wouldn’t have to internalize all the hard aspects to put on someone else’s face for the public.”

“I say it’s time we took the brush back, stop painting over one another, and hold up a fucking mirror. I designed this system so that the other codes would not only reactivate Blackwatch but automatically integrate the system with Athena. Every tacit approval of extreme force, every unanswered request for clarification or sharp order implying getting the information was more important than everything else, with a vague wave at morals and individual health. Overwatch? Blackwatch? One and the same.”

“At least, that was my intention, but you’re one of us. It’s likely you know the current situation better than an old recording does. So I leave the option up to you, integrate the system and reveal the full face of Overwatch to the public, or reactivate the shadows and put them to use saving the world. Good luck, Agent. I hope you know what you’re doing.”

Cᴏᴍᴍᴀɴᴅ ᴛʀᴀɴsꜰᴇʀ ᴏᴘᴇɴᴇᴅ. Pʟᴇᴀsᴇ ᴇɴᴛᴇʀ Aɢᴇɴᴛ Dᴇᴛᴀɪʟs.

“Blackout, if you’d do the honors.” His information processes.

Aᴄᴄᴇᴘᴛᴇᴅ.

Funny, how one word could feel like a death sentence.

Wᴇʟᴄᴏᴍᴇ, Cᴏᴍᴍᴀɴᴅᴇʀ. Jesse feels a prickle over his left shoulder, like the ghost of Gabe Reyes had entered in his unawares and was hovering there. Rᴇɪɴsᴛᴀᴛᴇ Bʟᴀᴄᴋᴡᴀᴛᴄʜ?

Jesse hesitates. “Blackout, make a clone of the internal server. Keep the original locked as per Petras protocols, but begin to liquify the data.”

Oʀᴅᴇʀ ʀᴇᴄᴇɪᴠᴇᴅ, ᴇsᴛɪᴍᴀᴛᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟᴇᴛɪᴏɴ: ꜰᴏᴜʀᴛᴇᴇɴ ᴅᴀʏs.

“Now, on that clone, keep the system set-up and protocol codes. Freeze all encryption codes and a access points. Save the assets. Talon has access to some of the reigns, we’re going to need to purge’em before we can think about going a step further.”

Wʜᴀᴛ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ Bʟᴀᴄᴋᴡᴀᴛᴄʜ?

Jesse pauses, eyes roaming over the lines of data that formed a picture of Blackwatch actions in the last five years. They were familiar, unsettlingly so.

“Blackwatch is dead, darling. It’s time to burn that old house and start anew.”

Across an ocean, in a dim room, a screen lights up.

Cᴏᴅᴇ: Fɪɴᴀʟ Wɪʟʟ, Aᴄᴄᴇᴘᴛᴇᴅ. Red eyes under a bone-white mask, hands becoming solid from inky smoke. Aᴡᴀɪᴛɪɴɢ ᴏʀᴅᴇʀs.

[scottadamsblog]

How to Evaluate a President

Steve Jobs. Bill Gates. Mark Zuckerberg. Richard Branson. What do they all have in common, aside from wealth?

They all succeeded without the right kind of prior experience. Apparently they knew how to figure out what they needed once they started. I’ll bet they are all systems-thinkers, not goal-thinkers.

If you see the world in terms of goals, you might think President Trump has failed at every important goal so far. He didn’t get what he wanted on immigration. He hasn’t gotten his Supreme Court nomination confirmed. He hasn’t replaced Obamacare. He hasn’t defeated ISIS. He hasn’t done a lot of things he said he would do. He even had to fire General Flynn. President Trump is a big ol’ failure when it comes to goals.

Maybe that’s because Trump just started on the job. Success generally comes after you start. If you think success comes before you start, the world probably looks confusing to you.

But in any case, as I often say, goals are for losers. Systems are better. As I describe in my book, a good system is something you do every day that leads you to better outcomes, not specific objectives. For example, going to college is a good system even if you don’t know what job you might later want. Any time you learn something valuable, that’s a system. Networking with important people is a system. And so on.

Trump seems to be a systems thinker. I doubt he knew he would jump from real estate developer, to author, to reality TV star, to president. At least not in that order. Instead, he systematically accumulated money, persuasion skills, and personal connections until he had lots of options. Being president was one of them.

Now the world watches as an entrepreneurial systems-thinker with no government experience takes over the White House and tries to learn on the job. How did you expect that to go?

I expected some broken dishes, some firings, some chaos, and some rookie mistakes. We got all of that. But I also expect a systems-thinker to tame the chaos over time as he learns on the job. For example, the leaks will stop as soon as Trump fires the right people. He’ll figure out which meetings he can skip. He’ll know who to trust. He’ll learn where all the buttons and levers are. It’s a process.

If you are comparing the incoming Trump administration to the smooth transfer of power that defines our modern history, that’s an irrational comparison. If the country wanted a smooth ride it would have elected Hillary Clinton. Instead, voters opted to “drain the swamp." And you can’t drain the swamp without angering the alligators and getting some swamp water on your pants. That’s what we’re watching now.

My liberal friends are gleefully scouring the semi-fake news and sending me articles that show Trump is “incompetent.” That’s the new narrative on the left. The Hitler illusion is starting to fade because Trump refuses to build concentration camps as his critics hallucinated he would. And Israel likes Trump, which is making the Hitler illusion harder to maintain. So the critics are evolving their main line of attack from Hitler to “incompetent,” with a dash of “chaos.” You’ll see those two words all over the Opposition Media’s coverage. It isn’t a coincidence.

Persuasion-wise, focusing on incompetence and chaos is a strong play by the anti-Trumpers. One would expect the new Trump administration to have lots of growing pains. That means the Opposition Media will have plenty of fodder that they can frame as incompetence and chaos. Confirmation bias will make it all seem to fit the narrative. This is the same persuasion play that Trump used when he assigned to his opponents nicknames such as Lyin’ Ted and Crooked Hillary. He depended on future news cycles to serve up lots of confirmation bias to make his labels more credible over time. Trump’s opposition is running the same persuasion play on him. Now everything he does will be seen through their frame of “incompetence” and “chaos.” Even if it isn’t. That is strong persuasion.

If you step out of the Opposition Media’s framing of Trump, another frame that fits the data is that he’s learning on the job, just like he learned every other field that he entered and eventually mastered. I don’t know what you expected when Trump went to Washington, but it isn’t too different from what I imagined. I assumed there would be broken dishes. And I assumed it would take him months to get his systems in place. 

When I worked in corporate America, I was usually involved in setting goals for the department. When we didn’t meet those goals, I always pointed out that the problem could be on either end. Either the goals were unrealistic or the performance was bad. Both explanations fits the data. Likewise, Trump’s first few weeks do look exactly like “incompetence” and “chaos” if you are primed to see it that way. But they also look like a systems-thinker simultaneously draining the swamp and learning on the job.

Po-tay-to, po-tah-to.

[tophostingplans]

IPhone 12 (2020) :All You will Need To Know

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IPhone 12 (2020) :All You will Need To Know

iPhone 12 

The iPhone 12 will be unveiled through the month of October 2020. This year, Apple will unveil Four different smartphones compatible with 5G. Release date, price, technical sheet, here is all the things we know at this stage about the subsequent iPhone. 

The iPhone 11, Professional and Professional Max had initially made us really feel like a disappointment: Apple didn’t know tips on how to make us dream with new applied sciences forward of the market, as on the time of the iPhone X. The iPhone 11 technology was that of a technological catch-up on Android competitors which has clearly elevated.

The iPhone 11 appeared destined to be first of the category in a most of attainable classes (display screen, picture, autonomy, biometrics, software program assist…). And from this standpoint, it was somewhat successful. The technology of the iPhone 12 should now remodel the take a look at. On this file, now we have gathered the newest data and rumors accessible round this smartphone.

First,   📅  Release Date📅

Tim Prepare dinner on the presentation of the iPhone 11 in 2019 / Credit: Apple

Apple has confirmed that the iPhone 12 will likely be postponed by a number of weeks resulting from coronavirus. Bloomberg has confirmed that the convention will happen someday in October. Along with this uncommon date, Apple ought to maintain a digital convention, subsequently with out an viewers. This could be the second time that the Cupertino firm has opted for this format, after the WWDC final June.

Apple ought to current throughout this identical keynote the “all-in-one” bundles . They’d take the identify of Apple One. They’d essentially embrace Music and TV + . And different companies can be added as a complement as wanted: Information +, iCloud, Arcade and a mysterious health service. The primary indications on the worth point out that the saving can be from 2 to five dollars per extra service in comparison with the unit worth.

  Second, 💸 Price💸

Regardless of abandoning the charger and headphones included within the field, Apple is predicted to extend the worth of iPhone 12. The most recent studies on the topic certainly communicate of a rise from $ 50 to $ 100 . This improve is especially as a result of integration of 5G and OLED shows on all fashions. Listed below are the costs which have lately appeared on the net:

iPhone 12  – from 699 or 749 dollars

iPhone 12 Max – from  $ 799 or $ 849

iPhone 12 Professional – from $ 1,049 or $ 1,099

iPhone 12 Professional Max – from $ 1,149 or $ 1,199

So,Technical Sheet iPhone 12 :

Display 5.45 “ Tremendous Retina XDR OLED 1242 x 2688 pixels, 19.5: 9 ratio 120 Hz Chipset A14 (5nm) BONE iOS 14 RAM 4GB Storage 128/256/512 GB microSD NO Predominant sensor 12 MP, f / 1.8 12 MP, f / 1.8 12 MP, f / 2.2 Selfie sensor 12 MP, f / 2.2 Drums 2227 mAh Quick cost 18W 5G Sure Biometrics Face ID Audio nc Water resistance                          IP68

After, SoC A14 and up to 6 GB of RAM

We’re beginning to know some particulars about the SoC A14 that these iPhones ought to carry. Apple has entrusted its manufacture to the founder TSMC. These chips will likely be the primary on a client product to be etched in 5 nm by way of the FinFET EUV (TSMC) course of. Journalist Jason Cross calculated that they may have 15 billion transistors in comparison with 8.5 billion transistors on the earlier technology, and a Geekbench rating near that of entry-level MacBook Professionals (if such a factor exists).

In keeping with a leak, the efficiency will be spectacular: + 40% for the CPU and + 50% for the GPU in comparison with the A13 Bionic chip . For the primary time, Apple would combine greater than Four GB of RAM in an iPhone. The iPhone 12 Professional and Max would certainly have 6 GB of RAM . Customary variants ought to take care of Four GB.

To,A brand new motherboard in the form of an elongated L

According to a photograph that appeared on the web, Apple has developed an elongated L-shaped motherboard for the iPhone 12 . Less compact than the circuit board of previous generations of iPhone, this card might enable Apple to avoid wasting house in its smartphone, particularly to combine bigger batteries. Not surprisingly, the reminiscence unit that comes with the motherboard was offered by Samsung.

And,Digital camera

Apple is predicted to enhance its picture sensors once more this year. Apple would rely on 12-megapixel picture sensors bigger than these of the iPhone 11 . The agency would subsequently ignore the 64 megapixel module talked about by some leaks. The most recent rumors communicate of a transparent progress when it comes to depth of discipline detection because of a ToF module renamed LiDAR scanner as on the brand new iPad Professional 2020 .

This function is important, for instance, in Portrait modes in addition to to generate a exact blur round a topic, the well-known Bokeh impact. The smartphone might thus keep it up its again a 3D laser sensor , or one other sort of element able to establishing a exact map of depth of discipline. As well as, no matter its sensors and optics, the smartphone ought to profit from higher picture processing because of its new SoC that’s anticipated to be muscular.

It might thus take extra pictures at a time when the capturing is triggered, and use this elevated variety of pictures to generate brighter or extra detailed pictures relying on the scenario. From this standpoint, real-time picture processing might additionally profit video capturing, with high quality picture results and reprocessing on the fly. The mix of the brand new sensors and the brand new chip can be credited with the power to shoot in 4K at 240 frames per second .

The iPhone 12 ought to profit from a brand new sort of autofocus that’s extra exact and motorized . A prelude earlier than the arrival of latest optics together with a periscope sensor from the iPhone 13 of 2022. As well as, a patent lately filed by Apple means that the agency might compress pictures and movies instantly on the sensors , to avoid wasting as a lot as attainable processor time and battery.

Final yr, the iPhone 11 welcomed an ultra-wide-angle sensor for the primary time. The brand new fashions ought to inherit this advance along with the standard broad angle lens. The most recent information is that the iPhone 12’s wide-angle sensor failed inside high quality management inside weeks of launch. However that should not have any additional impression on the discharge date.

Next,Prime autonomy

Credit score: iFixit

We have seen it with the iPhone 11 Professional Max: Apple has made important progress when it comes to autonomy. And it’s probably that the producer will focus its efforts once more on this level. Particularly since its A14 SoC is engraved in 5 nm and doubtlessly accommodates many extra transistors than the earlier technology – undoubtedly the signal of improved vitality administration which can subsequently additionally end in elevated autonomy.

The battery capacities would however be considerably decreased in comparison with the earlier technology. Together with a 2,815 mAh battery on the iPhone 12 Professional . Though it is onerous to conclude something about battery life at this level, to maintain prices down, Apple has reportedly determined to include a less expensive battery into the iPhone 12s .

Still no USB type C: they will have a Lightning port like the others

The iPhone 12 should carry a proprietary Lightning charging port once more this year . This cable, which appeared earlier than the USB sort C connectors (Apple additionally participated of their growth) has the benefit of being the usual within the iPhone ecosystem, but in addition its extra strong design than the comparatively fragile USB sort C connectors.

Actually, Apple might skip the common connector altogether by adopting a Sensible Connector on the subsequent iteration (iPhone 13) – in different phrases, magnetized floor connectors that will enable Apple to create a smartphone totally devoid of ports, and we additionally think about buttons.

Will the iPhone 12 lastly take away the notch?

One factor is definite: the iPhone 12s will profit from improved screens. The entire query is to what extent they are going to be, and what that suggests for the remainder of the datasheet.

Measurement modifications

The following iPhones could have display screen sizes barely bigger or smaller than what was seen on the iPhone 11 technology. Thus, the iPhone 12 Professional Max would have a 6.7 ″ display screen (in comparison with 6.5 ″ on the iPhone 11 Professional Max) and iPhone 12 a 5.45 ″ display screen (in comparison with 5.8 ″ on the iPhone 11 Professional). The iOS 14 beta additionally confirms the existence of a compact model 5.4 ″ . The smaller mannequin can be extra compact than the 2020 iPhone SE in line with fashions .

OLED for everybody

A persistent noise evokes the abandonment of LCD expertise on the three iPhone 12 fashions . The iPhone 11 (neither Professional nor Professional Max) certainly has an IPS LCD display screen in contrast to the opposite fashions. A technique of undoubtedly reducing manufacturing prices.

Intimately, the iPhone 12 would have a display screen with a decision of 2340 x 1080 pixels (475 ppi). For its half, the iPhone 12 Max would have a 2532 x 1170, 460 ppi display screen. Lastly, the iPhone 12 Professional would have a 2532 x 1170, 460 ppi display screen and the 12 Professional Max would have a 2778 x 1284 pixel, 458 ppi panel. 80% of OLED screens can be equipped by Samsung . The remainder of the tiles can be manufactured by LG and BOE.

A brand new 120 Hz display screen borrowed from the iPad Professional?

At the very least one of many iPhone 12 fashions may benefit from a 120Hz show – as a substitute of the 60Hz refresh fee on present fashions. The beta of iOS 14 for builders additionally confirms the combination of a 120 Hz display screen on future iPhones .

An elevated refresh fee means smoother motion and decreased response time, which generally is a plus in some video games. In keeping with the newest information, this display screen would be capable to go from 60 to 120 Hz relying on the content material displayed on the display screen of the iPhone 12. The operation of the panel might make it attainable to restrict extra vitality consumption .

Nevertheless it ought to nonetheless be famous that the knowledge on the 120 Hz display screen continues to be contradictory . Some informants declare that Apple has determined to postpone 120Hz shows till subsequent yr . In keeping with a number of stolen pictures , Apple would nonetheless take a look at the 120 Hz display screen on the iPhone 12 Professional. The agency would nonetheless hesitate so as to add this feature.

Notch or borderless  ?

Lastly one of many questions that may come up essentially the most on this display screen – till we lastly have the reply – is: “will it have a notch?” “. Apple popularized the notch by launching its iPhone X in 2017. This cutout on the highest of the display screen was till now a crucial evil to combine superior sensors like these of Face ID on the entrance face in smartphones whose borders soften like sorrow.

Nonetheless, in a short while, expertise has developed. A lot in order that it has turn into attainable to combine a fingerprint sensor below screens. Nevertheless it doesn’t cease there: a number of producers have proven prototypes of picture sensors additionally hidden below the slab . The dream of a rectangle fully coated with a display screen is nicely and actually turning into actuality.

Whether or not Apple will likely be among the many pioneers or leap on the bandwagon stays to be seen. In the meanwhile, the noises of the corridors somewhat bathe our hopes. The most recent stolen picture appears to substantiate that the scale won’t change, a minimum of on a part of the vary. An iPhone 12 dealing with video additionally reveals a notch as broad as that of the iPhone X.

📶 Will iPhone 12 be 5G suitable?

Credit score: Phonandroid

Apple missed the 5G mark in 2019 – and arguably was proper in doing so, on condition that the expertise is finally solely accessible, at this level, in a number of international locations and protection areas. It’s however probably that the agency gives 5G compatibility on all three iPhone 12 variants . In keeping with the newest data now we have, Apple might use the Snapdragon X55 modem to entry these networks.

The most recent information is that each one iPhone 12s will likely be 5G suitable. Alternatively, solely the iPhone 12 Professional Max bought within the USA, Japan and South Korea would profit from ultra-fast millimeter 5G . The fashions bought in France will all be confined to the 5G Sub-6GHz, much less swift. Apple ought to then launch a less expensive 4G variant in early 2021 .

Finally, iPhone 12: what is going to we discover within the field?

Apple appears for a while to take away an adjunct virtually each launch. The iPhone 11 Professional Max was certainly delivered with wired EarPods (Lightning) a small USB sort C to Lightning cable and a USB sort C charging pad. However in contrast to the iPhone XS, Apple determined to omit the Lightning adapter. to three.5mm audio port but extraordinarily handy.

Apple may need determined to take the wired EarBuds out of the field to push you into shopping for the AirPods . Plus, Apple would not embrace a charger within the field both . The 20W charger would subsequently be bought individually available on the market, Apple having determined to abandon manufacturing of the 5W and 18W chargers .

Apple considers that the majority patrons have already got a charger in addition to a pair of headphones. Actually the one accent included can be a model new woven USB Sort C to Lightning cable with extra sturdy connectors . The field of the iPhone 12 can be, thanks to those equipment in much less, smaller and “beautiful” . In Europe, nevertheless, the regulation might pressure the corporate to nonetheless embrace the charger and wired headphones

[entergamingxp]

just how close to PS4 does it get? • Eurogamer.net

Over the last ten years, 4A Games has built a reputation for pushing technology to new heights – from the original, remarkable Metro 2033 to last year’s Metro Exodus – an open world showcase with beautiful ray traced global illumination. However, the firm also enjoyed success with their current-gen Metro Redux remasters, and now those titles are available for Nintendo Switch. Yes, it’s another Switch port we’re tackling but this time, the original developer has taken point on bringing the games across and as it’s 4A you know you’re in for something special.

For those unfamiliar, the first two Metro games are first-person shooters set deep within the radiation ravaged Metro system beneath Moscow. With limited supplies, players make their way through the underground (occasionally venturing to the blasted surface) while dealing with a wide range of foes. Stealth, combat and storytelling are all part of the experience, with both games offering a unique atmosphere quite unlike anything else on the market. It’s also the first time a Metro game has appeared on a Nintendo platform and it’s also the debut for the franchise on what is essentially mobile hardware. On top of that, the port hasn’t been handed off to a separate developer as is often the case – 4A rolled up its sleeves and dug in for this one, producing a fascinating piece of work.

To begin with, we can confirm that this is indeed the newer, more modern Redux version of the game – not a conversion of the last-gen Xbox 360/PS3 renditions, which may have been more suited to the power level offered by the Nintendo hybrid. Comparing Xbox 360 to Switch, the differences are stark. Redux offers improved textures and models, a new lighting and materials model and more detail all around. Metro 2033 is a very, very different experience all around, while the sequel – Metro Last Light – also enjoys all of the improvements made for its transition to PS4 and Xbox One.

Side by side, Switch Metro is remarkably similar to its current-gen console counterparts but the reality is that some compromises were needed – and this process starts with image quality. Yes, resolution is lower, but the full story is somewhat more complex. A lot has changed since the original release on PS4 and Xbox One. If you look back at older Digital Foundry content, matters of resolution used to be simple. In the case of Redux, you had a fixed pixel count of 1080p on PS4 and 912p on Xbox One. Both versions used a form of post-process anti-aliasing as well. It was the same story for many games early this generation – fixed pixel counts and basic post-process anti-aliasing made getting a handle on relative image quality a straightforward enough exercise.

Everything you need to know about the Switch versions of Metro 2033 and Metro Last Light. Impressive stuff!

However, in 2020, we’re moving into what is effectively the post-resolution era. A simple pixel count no longer tells the whole story and certainly doesn’t encapsulate the difference in visual quality. This has been the case for many recent games over the past few years but Metro Redux offers a remarkable stark comparison due to its earlier release on PS4 and Xbox One. The Switch lacks the hardware muscle to push through the same pixel count and simply running at a lower resolution with FXAA would produce a messy, aliased image.

The solution is what 4A calls temporal super resolution – which seeks to achieve clean edges while minimising artefacts. If you count pixels, the effective resolution seems to hang around 1280×720 docked, but pixel counts are only possible in motion when the TSR tech fails on specific edges. 4A itself pegs docked play at 1080p, but regardless, there are many variables that can lead to variations in image quality depending on what’s happening on-screen. It’s very dynamic, you can expect the current frame to vary significantly in terms of pixel count and the image you’re presented with at any point will, of course, include a lot of data reconstructed from previously rendered frames.

That said, the overall resolution target is clearly lower than PS4 and Xbox One, and there are some visible artefacts which lead to the perception of break-up in fast-moving areas. Alpha buffers also appear to deliver a quarter resolution output, so flames appear rather chunky in comparison to PS4.Still, this type of image reconstruction is becoming increasingly common to the point where there’s a very strong argument that pixel-counting is now becoming an academic point of interest rather than any kind of actual measure for image quality. In terms of Metro Redux on Switch, the basic reality here is that the picture is generally less than sharp than PS4 or Xbox One, but typical signs of lower resolution – edge aliasing and temporal shimmer – are not present.

Switch’s portable mode is a slightly different story. The primary pixel count seems to come in at 720p – a match for the display – but due to the same reconstruction techniques, it winds up looking extremely clean and sharp on the Switch’s internal LCD. Image quality is simply superb and much cleaner than other comparable ports such as Wolfenstein 2. It’s really one of the best presented Switch games in portable mode. The video on this page tells the full story, and it’s fascinating. Again, it is possible to detect countable pixel edges when the reconstruction technique fails, and it’s there were we can see what looks like 480p at the lowest count. However, these moments are uncommon and don’t adequately represent actual gameplay. Hopefully, the video and screenshots demonstrate that image quality holds up remarkably well.

Looking at both docked and portable presentations, I feel that the portable mode looks better overall but it has its own drawbacks. Metro is a very dark game that relies on a lot of deep shadows and empty space to increase atmosphere. It looks good on a CRT or OLED monitor, of course, but the Switch uses a mediocre LCD panel and the backlight glow is painfully obvious making it look somewhat less impressive and more difficult to see. So, that’s something to consider – this isn’t the kind of game you want to play in a brightly lit room, but it’s difficult to envisage how 4A could adapt to this without substantially revamping areas of the game.

Elsewhere, the port continues to impress. In terms of visual detail, the Switch version compares very favourably to PS4 with virtually everything carrying over intact bar, some of the higher quality textures. There are definite shades of Alien Isolation here in that almost every key elements transitions across from PlayStation 4 almost perfectly. In fact, Redux goes further in some respects. Alien Isolation received some criticism for additional input latency but 4A’s efforts here are crisp and highly responsive. Even though performance is limited to 30 frames per second, the team has perfectly tweaked analogue stick dead zone and sensitivity while ensuring fast input response. It feels fantastic to control with the Pro controller and it’s still superb on the Joy-Cons.

Metro also supports full 5.1 surround sound – a feature that is often missing in Switch games, I’ve found. Here, the game makes active use of all surround channels just like the other versions of the game. Audio quality is also top notch without any significant compression. The final area of change in Metro Redux is inevitable: frame-rate. On PS4 and Xbox One, Metro Redux runs at 60 frames per second and both consoles maintain that performance very well. It’s an extremely smooth, stable game. Meanwhile, on Switch, 4A opts for a properly frame-paced, pretty much locked 30 frames per second. It’s a compromise we’ve seen on many challenging Switch ports – especially the id Tech 6 conversions from Panic Button.

4A Games’ Metro Exodus is a simply phenomenal experience. With its supported for ray traced global illumination, this is a very forward-looking game.

There’s a big difference with this one, however: the performance is extremely solid. Starting with Metro 2033, I ran a full hour of gameplay through our tools and determined that the frame-rate was locked to 30fps throughout with only one or two rare missed frames or spikes. It’s remarkably solid. It’s the same with Metro Last Light too – it took forensic analysis of performance across hours of content to find any kind of hiccup to performance at all and even then, the effect is so fleeting it’s hardly an issue. It’s this aspect that sees Metro Redux stand apart from the other highly challenging Switch ports we’ve seen. Sub-30fps compromises are commonplace elsewhere but with Redux, it is essentially locked.

The same is true in portable mode, by the way, which also turns in a very stable frame-rate – most of the time. During the introduction to Metro 2033, I did note a moment when the game hitched resulting in a visible skip but it cleared up quickly. From thereon out, it’s business as usual. Compared to the various other FPS conversions out there, Metro Redux is perhaps the best yet. The consistency and fast input response make for a very enjoyable experience overall.

Up until this point, you may be forgiven for thinking that this port is nigh-on perfect, but there are a couple of areas where I’d hope to see some improvements. First of all, the rumble support isn’t exactly nuanced and as it stands, it detracts from the atmosphere the game generates – I turned it off. Secondly, loading times can be protracted on certain stages. In some cases, loading is slower than PS4 but still very reasonable and not a huge issue but elsewhere, it can take dramatically longer to load a stage than any other version of the game. In this case, I had installed the game to an SD card which is slightly slower than any other method so you may see subtle improvements when using internal memory or the game cart itself. The silver lining here is that loading upon death is very quick, which at least removes further frustration once you’ve back to playing the game.

The Metro Exodus DLC has been terrific as well – with The Two Colonels even refining 4A’s excellent ray tracing implementation.

Overall, looking at the package as a whole, this is an impressive release. The visual quality is comparable to the earlier releases of Redux and the average pixel count is higher than many other comparable conversions such as Wolfenstein 2 or Doom 2016. Meanwhile, seeing this game play out so well in portable mode really is a treat. Similar to other Switch FPS ports, the frame-rate is cut in half but it’s very consistent and input latency is very low so it still feels great to play. The sometimes extended loading times really are the only major issue I encountered during testing and even that is variable depending on the stage.

As for the games themselves, well, it’s interesting to revisit them after spending time with Metro Exodus. The stealth gameplay remains solid – clearing rooms of enemies and quietly working your way through is as satisfying as ever, but there’s also a lot of downtime. These games were released during the height of the ‘cinematic scripted’ shooter craze and you spend a lot of time following NPCs around as they perform actions or engage in conversation. Metro Exodus has its fair share of this too but it lets players off the leash more often. That’s the one thing I’d really like to see improve in whatever 4A does next: a game which leans into the atmospheric potential of this world while leaving characters on the sidelines. Even still, the games are both still engaging and interesting to play through today. Once you get through the lengthy introduction sequences, the gameplay opens up nicely as well and there are some absolutely fantastic moments to enjoy.

Metro Redux is a unique experience that has somehow managed to translate over beautifully to Nintendo Switch – and 4A Games’ reputation for technical excellence is demonstrated yet again. We’ll be talking to the developer soon about the process of bringing these titles to the Nintendo hardware, how the team utilises the Switch’s Nvidia-deevloped NVN low-level graphics API and how the team is preparing for the transition to the next generation of Sony and Microsoft consoles. Look out for that – it should be very interesting!

from EnterGamingXP https://entergamingxp.com/2020/02/just-how-close-to-ps4-does-it-get-%e2%80%a2-eurogamer-net/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=just-how-close-to-ps4-does-it-get-%25e2%2580%25a2-eurogamer-net

[tulsatrot]

Does Rudolph have a sixth sense? Does GPS guide Santa’s sleigh? How do all those Christmas presents make their way around so quickly and accurately? Does he know we’re here in Spain? These were some of the kid’s questions for a Christmas in Spain.

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Faster than Rudolph

A rental car and a hotel stay always provide the impression that you can drive a little faster and leave your room a bit messier.

As Assumpta dropped me off at Valencia’s Manises Airport National Rent-A-Car counter, the big ol’ family van I had reserved wasn’t available. Instead, a 7 seater Peugeot SUV was the healthy steed carrying us across southern Spain. The difference is that this bronco glistened with a touch screen, keyless entry, and some major horsepower, an upgrade over my Qatari Chrysler Captiva. As quickly as I provided Raoul with a credit card, refused additional car insurance, because, hey, I’ve been driving in Qatar for three months, and figured out how to unlock the digital parking brake (insert manual car joke here), I was out on the neatly manicured streets of Valencia. As long as I didn’t break the speed limit with random digital cameras attached to the underside of bridges.

Half way to Granada, Nadine programmed the super delicious Lonely Planet recommended restaurant in Murcia in our Peugeot GPS. It swiftly guided us to Murcia’s industrial area and the front door of a metal parts manufacturer.

This industrial area detour didn’t get any closer to feeding four hungry kids. Thank you globalization and McDonalds, an authentic Spanish meal. This wouldn’t be our only visit.

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Alcazaba Protecting Granada

Tiny Spots

Framed by snowy mountains (Yes, in Southern Spain), Granada started coming into view. Wide open sky. Downtown Granada roads on the other hand, thin as Girl Scout mint cookies. European roads were built wide enough to accommodate horse and buggies, not French Peugeot SUVs. So each time the almighty, all knowing GPS told me to turn, I thought “Really? Those must have been skinny Spanish horses back in the time of Don Quijote.” Streets looked more like sidewalks disguised as dark alleys. We circled and circled our AirBNB. By the fourth flyby, I pulled into the one empty parking spot by a pharmacy six blocks away. Like the three wisemen with a bulkier load of suitcases, we guided through merrymaking 20 somethings celebrating the holidays with the same gusto that they got dressed in those skin tight black plants with matching black shirts and slicked hair. And those were the guys. “Kids, avert your eyes and let’s admire this pee stained wall opposite those bars. Merry Christmas kids!”

With the family safely inside, I returned to the Peugeot and found the closest parking garage. Like the streets outside, this underground parking resembled the same tights spaces of a Japanese one bedroom apartment. Each right turn further down into the belly of the parking garage required several reversals, hard turns on the wheel, inching forward, just to turn right in the parking garage. That was one of many right turns.

Once I had found a spot and squeezed that trusty Peugeot in a parking spot, pinned in safely by a green pillar that revealed the scars of many failed parking attempts. Just inches away on the opposite side of the pillar and behind me were two other cards. I vowed not to remove the car until our next stop, Güéjar Sierra.

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Dom Entering the Keyhole to Alcazaba

Not a Normal Christmas in Spain

Travel is in my blood except two times of the year, Thanksgiving and Christmas. I prefer to be with family. When we lived in the Cayman Islands, it was an easy flight or two away. Not halfway around the world, roundtrip flights and jet lag would crush us. So this Christmas, our closekinit family of six found ourselves in Granada, Spain.

Climbing Granada Neighborhoods with a New Haircut

We made our time together special, and hopefully memorable for the kids. Along Paseo del Salón, they tramped across a winter obstacle course in the chilly weather. We thoroughly explored Alhambra until hunger intervened. Each kid randomly led us around downtown Granada. Castellana provided delicious substance. Game nights filled evenings. Santa found our family in Europe and left presents in front of the kid’s stockings. We attended Christmas morning Mass at Catedral de Granada. If the Karl Marx quote (“La religión es el opio del pueblo”) spray painted on the outside walls are true, Spain was practically drug free.

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The Alcazaba in Alhambra

The Red One

Imagine a Roman fortification sitting peacefully at the foot of Sierra Nevada mountains. Build a terrace or two here, a fortified wall there. Now imagine that same fortress serving as a palace under control of the Moors. Add a garden along with symmetrical geometrical designs on the gardens. Mix in a bloody conflict with the Catholic Church and taking ownership back for the Catholic kings in Spain. Allow for a century of disrepair soon followed with restorations, and that is the 21st century Alhambra. That world famous and much photographed UNESCO World Heritage Site.

On Christmas Eve, Dom, Momo, and I set out on a reconnaissance mission, buy Alhambra tickets. Along the way, a clientless barber warmly welcomed us in, and since Dom is opposed to haircuts, a surprise haircut randomly off of the street was the best type.

Climbing up the hill to the entrance, Momo’s three year old energy faded and the prospect of walking another step resulted in tears of exasperation. Once my shoulders requested a brief reprieve of walking uphill (“She ain’t heavy, she’s my daughter!”) with Momo on my shoulders. A meeting of the minds decided to turn around. We would conquer this site later in the day. Bribing Momo with donuts, a classical yet weak parent move, convinced her she had enough energy to walk downhill back to our place.

Later that afternoon, a taxi completed the track to Alhambra’s entrance. Tickets to the revered Alhambra palace were sold out . . . months ago. Generalife (sounds like the name of a company from an informercial) and the gardens provided ample opportunity to gain the essence of Alhambra. Plus, four hungry kids, and just maybe, excitement for Santa Claus, denied further explorations.

Merry Christmas from Spain

Next Stop: Skiing the snowy Sierra Nevada mountains

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Alcazaba Protecting Granada

United Family Christmas

Did You Say Donuts Dad?

Beauty and the Beast

Legit Snowpower

You Had Me at Donut

Say What?

Dom Entering the Keyhole to Alcazaba

Ready for a Christmas Adventure

Here Comes Santa’s Sleigh

Peeking Out of Alcazaba

Christmas Eve Adventure

Patio de la Sultana

Climbing Granada Neighborhoods with a New Haircut

Sierra Nevada Mountains Circling Granada

Alhambra

Sophie at Generalife

The Alcazaba in Alhambra

Family Christmas Eve

Waiting for Santa

This is a Serious Family Photo

Generalife – The Gardens of Alhambra

It May Not Be Real Snow and Toboggan

Sierra Nevada Mountains Circling Granada

Looking for Alhambra Part 1

“Ever wonder what people got Jesus for Christmas? It’s like, “Oh great, socks. You know I’m dying for your sins right? Yeah, but thanks for the socks! They’ll go great with my sandals. What am I, German?” – Jim Gaffigan

Navigating Tight Spots at Christmas Does Rudolph have a sixth sense? Does GPS guide Santa's sleigh? How do all those Christmas presents make their way around so quickly and accurately?