#Unreal Tournament Related

[namedafterflowerstournament]

Welcome to the next part of this tournament : the Honorary Mentions ! You can see underneath the match ups for Round 1.

Which characters are part of the "honorary mentions" ?

Short answer : Unvalidated submissions from the original spreadsheet that didn't made the cut for any of the brackets for diverse reasons, including joke submissions

Long answer :

Unvalidated submissions because :

- the relationship between the name of the characters and the name of a plant was a bit of a stretch (wrong kanji, unlikely relationship etc.)

- I allowed mushrooms at one point as honorary plants (mushrooms, indeed, aren't plants) before the bracket became enormous and I decided to exclude them. This is why there are a lot of shroom related submissions

- there might be here and there characters that should have been in the main bracket but that I've forgotten to add

- there probably are other reasons and I'll add possible explanations when the submitters left none

You don't have to vote for "the most valid" submission, except if you want to. You can also vote for the one you like best, the one with the most absurd propaganda, the one against the one you hate or whatever. Enjoy yourself

No antipropaganda, please

However, you can go wild with your propaganda (but if you sound serious while you're spreading untrue propaganda, please use the unreality tag). Of course the initials C.R. (fake example) stands for Chlorophyllia Renonculus

[bettsfic]

Hi,

Do you write fight scenes if so, how do you go about executing them in a realistic fashion?

hmm it's interesting to use the word "realistic" in relation to fight scenes, because fight scenes are kind of inherently unreal. like if you get into an actual fight with someone, the police get involved, somebody gets charged with assault, and so on. and in my experience (as a witness) they are very short and messy, not to mention awkward. movie fight scenes are choreographed and moreover no one is supposed to get hurt while filming them.

but! there's boxing, tournament fighting, etc., definitely. in day to day life, however, fighting doesn't (and shouldn't) really happen.

so i'm taking realistic here to mean physically plausible, and my advice in that case is to keep the fight concise by summarizing movements, like in this example from gideon the ninth:

"flurry of blades" is a good example of what i mean: a succinct description of many actions rather than attempting to choreograph a fight. you're writing prose, not directing a film, so that's not a task you have to give yourself.

here's a fight scene i wrote recently (note that it's only a draft):

In the middle of the night she heard the splintering of wood along with raucous drunken laughter. She ran out into the courtyard to find that the dojo had been broken into by a dozen bandits who were pillaging her food stores and tearing through her father’s things. She grabbed a bokken and cracked one of them across the back of the head. He went down, and in doing so, attracted the attention of the others who immediately turned on her. They circled her; she could barely see them in the dark, and she was groggy from being awoken in the middle of dreaming.  One attacked, and she managed to hit him but it did nothing, and the next moment she was on her back in the dirt, covering her head with her arms as they began to kick her and tear at her clothes. The one pulling her hair was suddenly lifted into the air and thrown into a wall. Another followed, and another, and the bandits inched away from her. She lowered her arms and risked a glance around the courtyard. All she could see was a blur as someone proceeded to incapacitate her assailants. Soon half of them had been knocked unconscious and the other half fled in such a hurry that they got jammed at the gate and had to shove each other through. 

mostly my goal was to get to the point of things: the POV character is attacked by bandits and gets saved by an unexpected guest. my goal here isn't to be realistic, though. if i were trying for realism, i'd be focusing on the physical pain and terror of violence, because unless you're a professional fighter, experiencing serious violence can be a traumatizing thing. but most fiction that aims to entertain us asks for the suspension of disbelief that allows us to temporarily forget things like that.

so tl;dr, don't focus too much on positioning bodies in space, summarize movements, and focus on reaching the conclusion (who wins and what's the damage).

[synbunny]

Kinda annoyed how people expect you to interact with family members who are toxic as fuck. If there wasn't blood relation nobody would have issue with me cutting them out but because they spawned one of the people who spawned me I must interact with them and not interacting with them must have an explanation that is "valid."

Of course me being a part of a group of people that said relative hates and thinks should burn for eternity is not a valid explanation. Neither is not wanting to deal with her manipulation. Whatever, my decision is my decision and nobody can take that away from me. I don't need to justify shit.

Otherwise today was a fun day. Had something happen at work that was very exciting to me and is making me reconsider my career path. For now though, I need to continue with my currently-planned trajectory and go for my Security+ certification since it will benefit my career either way.

Wondering when I should tell my family about my boyfriend. I worry that I got into a relationship too soon after my (much needed) breakup and some of my family will probably agree that it's too soon.

Also realized that I'll be able to upgrade my computer much sooner than I expected. Will likely be able to upgrade later this year rather than early next year. Going to go all-out for an upgrade despite only have 1080p 75Hz monitors lol. I feel like going to 120+Hz would spoil me though. I'm already able to feel the difference between 60Hz and 75Hz... The high specs with the low refresh rate monitors are future-proofing so I don't have to upgrade as often...yeah, that's what I'll say. Going to be real hard to use that excuse though when I'm playing Unreal Tournament though. I'm already maintaining a 150 FPS cap with my old-ass computer.

[lewa358]

Game Retrospective: Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy (2021)

Note: This post contains vague spoilers.

Video games are an incredibly diverse medium. You can have multiplayer-only experiences like Unreal Tournament or Counter-Strike that are mostly devoid of any narrative context, and are meant to be played for hundreds of hours or more, focusing almost exclusively on slowly improving a player’s skill at the game. But on the other hand, there are games like this Guardians of the Galaxy game, that are basically just really long movies that let you shoot things and walk around the sets every now and then—games that can have really unique experiences, but those experiences are heavily scripted and simply stop existing after a few dozen hours, if that.

Generally, I prefer the latter. Fortunately Guardians is a fantastic example of that.

In this game, you play as Star-Lord (and only Star-Lord), as you lead the recently-founded Guardians of the Galaxy (specifically Groot, Rocket, Drax, and Gamora) on a Job that slowly unravels itself into a galactic threat. In terms of mechanics, this means controlling Peter Quill as he slowly pokes around cramped, extremely linear environments, solving (pretty excellent) puzzles and occasionally finding consumables that can be used at specific points to craft upgrades.

Occasionally, there’s also combat, which is very fun if not particularly deep. You shoot bad guys with your Element Gun, which has infinite ammo but can overheat and also has several unlockable elemental powers that can be used to freeze or stun opponents. You can also direct each of members of the Guardians (including Quill himself) to perform up to four specific, unlockable attacks that do everything from attack enemies in a line to pin them to the ground with vines. There’s also a “huddle” super move that you can activate after charging it up that requires you to make a dialogue choice to activate correctly. In a way, it feels like a mix between Mass Effect and Kingdom Hearts' battle systems---you shoot with your gun and you order your squadmates around, but there’s a lock-on camera and no cover system (you’re supposed to dodge attacks).

But when it comes down to it, the “meat” of the game—and the main reason I had such a blast with it—isn’t the exploration, or the combat, or the puzzles. It’s the story, which is just…fantastic.

All of the Guardians are multi-dimensional, brilliantly interesting characters with their own meaningful arcs and unique character quirks. Rocket is crass but always comes through in a pinch. Gamora earns her place as the Most Dangerous Woman in the Galaxy, but still happily bickers and jokes with the rest of the team and shamelessly enjoys “Girly” things like dolls. Drax is still an alien (meh) with no relation to Moondragon (meh) but he’s far from the bland “doesn’t get sarcasm” joke you might know from the films; here, he’s easily the most heartfelt and caring member of the team, all of whom respect and at times participate in his native culture.  Groot is…well, Groot. And Star-Lord himself strikes a beautiful balance between the “80s loser who never grew up” from the films and the “Battle-weary war veteran” from the comics.

These characters’ personalities are reflected in the seemingly constant dialogue they have with each other—while you’re squeezing through a tight gap to the next story beat, while you’re briefly abandoning the story to find goodies, while in combat, while you’re just standing still, whenever. The amount of dialogue in this game is insane, and the overwhelming majority of it is brilliantly written, and often very funny, and even at times heart wrenching. I actually felt sad that I frequently missed some lines because I answered a dialogue prompt too quickly, or moved forward with the story a touch too eagerly.

Aside from the ambient dialogue, the story is quite good, excellently utilizing some of my favorite narrative tropes, and frequently exclaiming in joy when they brought in a character I loved from the comics. Everyone, even outside of the Guardians themselves, has a meaningful character arc and engaging quirks, and the twists are all just…fantastic, and well-presented (though admittedly the game’s attempts at making some of the emotional beats playable feels a bit more awkward than, when, say, Undertale does it).

There’s also dialogue choices, most of which seemingly don’t influence anything, but every now and then you have the chance to subtly change the progression (if not outcome) of the story, complete with a Telltalle-esque prompt in the upper right letting you know when you’ve succeeded or failed to influence another character (somewhat ironic, considering that the only other Guardians game is, in fact, a Telltale game). Regardless if whether your interactions actually do anything, it's still fun to be an active participant in the banter.

My only other real complaint is that the ending (or really, endings, given that the game does a poor job of faking you out) is kind of weak. It fits, for the most part, and is a blast to play through, but it falls a bit short of the otherwise brilliantly-written rest of the game. It almost feels like the game’s own medium is working against itself, demanding a cool, flashy boss fight when the game’s central conflict was already resolved excellently with a quiet moment of dialogue. Though that last post-credit scene where Star Lord talks to himself in a mirror is a perfect note to end on.

Oh, and one more thing—this game is gorgeous. After so many “Realistic” sci-fi games like Mass Effect and Halo that feature earth-like biomes and an endless supply of gray metal corridors, I am so damn happy that Guardians is not afraid to get colorful and weird, with incomprehensible geometry and anomalous organic matter populating skyboxes, spaceships that don’t look like dicks, and a constant devotion to surrealist or just unnecessary creative touches. This is a game that is not afraid to go as weird and nonsensical as the comics can be, and it excels because of it.

The game’s only real flaw is that it is, at times, plenty buggy and all-around clunky. Multiple times, I had to reload a save because a character would not move to where they needed to, softlocking my game. Other times, the game would throw a literally endless horde of really weak enemies at me, expecting me to do something else in a way that wasn’t clear, even with the prompt in the corner. Sometimes the animation is gorgeous, but other times it feels really uncanny. But these were all minor, quickly-resolved issues, that didn’t impact the impact of the game’s frequent and plentiful strong moments.

If you play games because of mechanics and gameplay loops, then I fear you might be disappointed. But if you are happy with a game that can show you a good time for a few hours and then can be freely uninstalled, I could not recommend it highly enough.

Notes:

Publisher: Square Enix

Developer: Eidos-Montréal

Release date: October 26, 2021

Played on PS5 via PS4 physical disc

Image source: Steam Store page for Marvel's Guardian's of the Galaxy

[argusdreamer]

Story time the year is 1999: Pov of a Belgian 7y kid

Unreal tournament.... there it was a computer game...not just any computer game, fast paced... action packed, full of blood, space, full of lights, full of darkness, full off everything and so much more than any 7 year old could contend with all of his heart.

This game blew my mind and to this day still does, when I got that first campaign clear as a kid, I felt a sense of accomplishment. (LOL, cringe line but true)

The first double kill, the guttural splatter sounds of mashed bodies as you blasted them with an arsenal of futuristic weaponry.

"M-mmmmmonsterkill!"

It made Star wars look like it was out of date... Like I couldn't understand why video games were so much cooler and movies didn't get it... Or so that's what naive little 7yr old me was thinking.

From that point on every other video game just blew my mind more... but I always looked back in tinted nostalgia goggles towards Unreal Tournament, because to me it had everything... This premise of futuristic warfare of the future... Like the Colloseum's and the gladiators that roamed the arena's for this idea of combat zones is a myth.

We humans fight for the spoils, to have the last man standing or team standing, so beautifully unsophisticated it naturalized the dream for more fiction and lust for video game satisfaction. To find all the puzzles, the secrets, the ending of a game... the money I'd need to acquire all the games in the world...the foolish gambit of a boy who grew up too fast.

The music is incredible..., i've listened many times, don't get me wrong many older games have some very cute listenable tracks or even entire soundtracks..., but it wasn't like Unreal Tournament.

That bitch had mf'ing flames as sound lets be f'king real

Electronic synth waves to clatter your mind in preparation for the next move... the dash, the jump , what ammo or weapon do I need to go for next?, where did my opponents go? Can i hear any of them?

The vibes were always on point, the bots would trash talk you, the pathing was extremely well done for this time and age

No other game came close for several years except quake 3(worse pathing though in my opinion)

I remember my cousin came over one day and he had downloaded some extra mods onto the game for me a year or 2 later, so the year would of been 2001. The year of 9/11 totally unrelated for you but related for me.

This mod pack had extra weapons /maps even containing a big 2-handed sword.. and well there's everything I remember about the spacey sports genocide game, things I forgot to mention..It has multiplayer and a lot of custom settings, tutorial and many different game modes

Thank you Unreal Tournament for making me imagine everything I could dream of being able to think about. Imagination unravels but reason expands faster, I've tested this.

Trick is keep testing, games are for fun and reality is more important.

That isn't to say you couldn't make it to space one day or make a video game or be an artist, or do science or do anything you wanna do. Stranger things have happened to less cool people. Don't be a stranger to yourself. The darkness is not as vast as we think.

[paulgribov]

Here is my last model. It,s a modern recreation of ut 2004 assault convoy train in Blender. This is one of my few, unreal tournament related models. The bad thing is that there are any contemporary ut titles out there. My final goal is to export final model into UE5 but there will be any game at the end. I can,t develop a whole fps game alone and it,s questionable if there will be any official ut tile soon or at all. 

[3pattiblue9]

3Patti Blue Game APK: A Step-by-Step Guide

Introduction

In recent years, card games have gained immense popularity in the gaming world, and 3Patti, also known as Teen Patti, is one such game that has captured the interest of players globally. Developing a 3Patti Blue game APK can be a rewarding endeavor for game developers looking to create an engaging experience for their audience. This article will guide you through the process of creating, testing, and distributing your 3Patti Blue game APK.

Step 1: Planning Your Game

Before diving into development, it’s essential to plan your game thoroughly:

Game Concept: Define the theme and unique features of your 3Patti Blue game. Consider adding elements like multiplayer modes, tournaments, and in-game chat to enhance player interaction.

Target Audience: Identify your target audience and understand their preferences to tailor your game accordingly.

Monetization Strategy: Decide how you will generate revenue from your game, whether through in-app purchases, ads, or premium versions.

Step 2: Designing the Game

The design phase is crucial in making your game visually appealing and user-friendly:

UI/UX Design: Create an intuitive and attractive user interface. Use colors and graphics that resonate with your theme and audience.

Game Graphics: Develop high-quality graphics and animations to make the game more engaging.

Step 3: Development

Now, let’s move on to the development phase:

Choose a Development Platform: Select a game engine like Unity or Unreal Engine to build your game. These platforms provide a range of tools to simplify the development process.

Programming: Write the code for your game. Focus on implementing the game logic, multiplayer functionality, and integration of social features.

Testing: Rigorously test your game for bugs and glitches. Ensure it runs smoothly on various devices and screen sizes.

Step 4: Creating the APK

Once your game is developed and tested, you can create the APK:

Build the APK: Use your development platform to build the APK file for your game. Make sure to sign the APK with a secure key.

Optimize Performance: Optimize the APK for better performance by reducing file size and improving load times.

Step 5: Distributing Your APK

With your APK ready, it’s time to distribute your game:

Google Play Store: Publish your game on the Google Play Store for easy access. Create an attractive store listing with screenshots, descriptions, and keywords to increase visibility.

Alternative App Stores: Consider distributing your APK on other platforms like Amazon Appstore or Samsung Galaxy Store to reach a wider audience.

Direct Download: Offer a direct download link on your website or through social media channels. Ensure the download process is straightforward and secure.

Step 6: Marketing and Promotion

Promote your game to attract more players:

Social Media Marketing: Utilize platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to create buzz around your game.

Influencer Collaborations: Partner with influencers in the gaming community to reach a larger audience.

Online Communities: Engage with online forums and communities related to card games to gather feedback and promote your game.

Conclusion

Creating a 3Patti Blue game APK involves careful planning, design, development, and marketing. By following this step-by-step guide, you can successfully develop and distribute a captivating 3Patti game that resonates with players and stands out in the competitive gaming market. Remember, continuous updates and player engagement are key to the long-term success of your game.

[daisywattson]

Staying Ahead of the Tide: Adapting to Trends in Poker Game Development 2024–25

As the poker game development industry continues to evolve, it’s more important than ever for developers to stay ahead of the curve. With new technologies, trends, and player preferences emerging all the time, it’s crucial to be adaptable and responsive to changing market demands.

In this article, we’ll explore the top trends that will shape the future of poker game development in 2024–25. From competitive play to social responsibility and blockchain integration, we’ll dive into the key areas that developers should focus on to stay ahead of the tide.

Trend 1: Competitive Poker Game

Competitive poker has been on the rise in recent years, with the growth of online tournaments and streaming platforms. As a result, poker game developers are increasingly incorporating competitive features into their games to attract enthusiasts. Some key developments include:

Multi-table tournaments: Allowing players to compete against multiple opponents at once, increasing the excitement and challenge of competitive play.

Leaderboards and ranking systems: Providing a clear measure of player performance and encouraging competition among players.

Cash prizes and rewards: Offering real-world rewards for top-performing players to incentivize competition.

Trend 2: Social Responsibility and Player Welfare

The poker industry has faced increasing scrutiny in recent years regarding responsible gaming and player protection. To stay ahead of the curve, developers must prioritize social responsibility and player welfare by implementing features such as:

Deposit limits and self-exclusion tools: Allowing players to set limits on their spending and exclude themselves from games if needed.

Player tracking and monitoring: Providing tools for players to track their progress and receive alerts for potentially problematic behavior.

Mental health resources: Offering resources and support for players struggling with mental health issues related to gaming.

Trend 3: Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Integration

Blockchain technology has revolutionized the way we think about online transactions and security. Poker game developers are increasingly exploring blockchain-based solutions to enhance their games. Some key applications include:

Secure transactions: Using blockchain to ensure secure and transparent transactions.

Decentralized gaming platforms: Creating decentralized platforms that allow players to participate without intermediaries.

Cryptocurrency rewards: Offering rewards in cryptocurrency, such as Bitcoin or Ethereum, for in-game achievements.

Trend 4: Virtual and Augmented Reality Poker

Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technology is rapidly advancing, offering new opportunities for immersive gaming experiences. Poker game developers can leverage these technologies to create unique experiences that simulate real-world casino environments:

Immersive environments: Creating realistic casino settings that transport players to a virtual world.

Interactive gameplay: Allowing players to interact with virtual dealers, chips, and cards in a realistic way.

Social features: Enabling multiplayer interactions, such as chatting with fellow players or competing in virtual tournaments.

Rising Demand for Specialized Poker Game Developers: A Growing Opportunity

The poker game development industry is experiencing a surge in demand for specialized professionals. With the increasing popularity of online poker, companies are seeking developers who are well-versed in the latest technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality, Blockchain, and data analytics.

Key Skills in High Demand:

1. HTML5 and Cross-Platform Development: Developers who are familiar with HTML5, Unity, and Unreal Engine are in high demand to create visually stunning and functional poker platforms. 2. Payment Gateway Integration: Secure payment gateways are essential for seamless transactions, and developers who can integrate these systems effectively are highly sought after. 3. Random Number Generation (RNG) Algorithms: Ensuring fair play is crucial, and developers who can implement RNG algorithms to guarantee fair outcomes are highly valued. 4. Data Analytics and Statistics: With the increasing importance of data-driven decision-making, developers who can analyze and interpret poker game data are highly sought after.

PairBytes Software: A Leader in Poker Game Development

Pairbytes Software has established itself as a leader in the poker game development industry by combining technical expertise with creative vision. Our team of skilled poker game developers creates games that are rich in features, scalable, and easy to use. With a focus on innovation and quality, we deliver customized solutions that meet the unique needs of each client.

If you’re looking for a reliable and experienced partner for your poker game development needs, look no further than Pairbytes Software. Contact us today to learn more about our services and how we can help you achieve your goals.

Conclusion

The future of poker game development is all about adaptation and innovation. By embracing trends like social responsibility, blockchain integration, and VR/AR technology, developers can stay ahead of the curve and attract new players. As the industry continues to evolve, it’s essential to prioritize player welfare, security, and innovation to create engaging experiences that meet changing player demands.

By following these trends and staying ahead of the tide, poker game developers can ensure a bright future for the industry.

[thetoxicgamer]

Canceled Duke Nukem 3d Remake is the Latest Duke Project to Leak

In 2010 it was announced that Interceptor Entertainment was working on a remake of Duke Nukem 3D, the classic game of shooting, booting, and polluting children's minds. What had begun as a fan project to bring into the then-modern Unreal Engine 3 was given Gearbox's blessing and renamed from Duke Nukem: Next Gen to Duke Nukem 3D: Reloaded. A year later, the Duke remake was put "on hold". The project's lead, Frederik Schreiber, wrote in a blog post(opens in new tab) that Gearbox's product manager and legal counsel had told him the remake was "getting too much attention from the press and the fans" and that "We were required to pull all media related to Reloaded, from our website and Facebook. We were also told, not to talk about it anymore." At the time, Duke Nukem Forever had been released to what could generously be called a mixed reception. Gearbox was focusing on DLC in an attempt at rehabilitating the unloved game. When Schreiber asked whether Duke Nukem 3D: Reloaded would still have Gearbox's blessing be published at a later date, he claimed he was told, "we can't tell you if we will allow the game to be released." Schreiber and his team cut their losses and moved on. Duke Nukem 3D: Reloaded was largely forgotten, until the group called x0r_jmp, who previously leaked an E3 build of Duke Nukem Forever from 2001, put a build from September of 2011 up on anonfiles(opens in new tab) on December 31. It's labeled "test-version 0.001" and includes a handful of maps, like Hollywood Holocaust, and you can try some extremely Unreal Tournament-esque multiplayer with bots. Back in the day, one of the best things about Duke Nukem 3D was exploring levels full of secrets and interactivity, and seeing the city skyline and cinema made shiny and new is a delight. But if you really want to replay the classic FPS now but with some graphical updates and modernization, thanks to modders you can. Here's our guide to the best way to play Duke Nukem 3D today. As well as the leaks relating to Duke's more famous outings, x0r_jmp was responsible for a leak of canceled 2D platformer Duke Nukem 4Ever, which you can play in your browser at the Internet Archive(opens in new tab), a downloadable prototype of a big-game hunting shooter called Duke Nukem: Endangered Species(opens in new tab), and a pitch for a Duke Nukem movie(opens in new tab). Apparently we haven't heard the last of them, as the group says(opens in new tab), "We have several new releases lined up for 2023, so watch this space for updates!" As for the team who worked on Duke Nukem 3D: Reloaded, they eventually had a happy ending. As Interceptor Entertainment they made a 2013 remake of Rise of the Triad that helped inspire the retro shooter renaissance, then renamed themselves Slipgate Ironworks and went on to co-develop Ghostrunner. Currently they're working on Phantom Fury, the sequel to Ion Fury. Frederik Schreiber, who kicked off the Duke Nukem remake, became CEO of 3D Realms. Read the full article

[meeedeee]

[VID] AS-Rig

Fandoms: The Sentinel (TV), Unreal (Video Games)

No Archive Warnings Apply

Jim Ellison/Blair Sandburg

Jim Ellison

Blair Sandburg

Red Leader Satin (Maggie Bryce)

Blue Leader Archon (Ben Curly)

Xan Kreigor (Truck Brower)

Dessloch (Captain)

Humor

Beefstick & Lambchop

Episode Related

UT99 OST & dubbing

ChaosUT sounds

Rated T for mild language & off-color humor

gunfire but no gore

Fanvids

Crackvid

A humorous retelling of The Rig (2x08) as an Unreal Tournament match, dubbed with UT99 voices, and with Unreal/UT99 soundtracks & sound effects.

Jim & Blair enter the Tournament Assault Ladder. But someone's trying to kill them for real and steal Jim's gold! Meanwhile, Jim works up the nerve to pop the question to Blair, who discovers the power of an ancient alien language. Habouji!

Ch 5: Proposal! and spooky noises (6:00)

(Feed generated with FetchRSS) source https://archiveofourown.org/works/34644232

[showfullpac]

Segasoft lose your marbles

The game also packs a few backgrounds, which will cycle as you progress and your high scores are recorded. Also, with later levels, the speed of the marbles increases, so you have to react quickly as well. The drill thus, is to keep an eye on the way you arrange them, as you can't always count on the PC throwing marbles your way that can immediately be discarded. The idea is to arrange the falling marbles in such a manner as to keep them in short numbers, so as to allow others to come. Each falling set has three marbles and if you manage to match three vertically, horizontally or diagonally, they disappear. This is a marble color matching game, where you have marbles coming your way in vertical rows from above, and you have to try and match them in color. Use your mouse to navigate through the maze. Unfortunately, after losing your marbles for a while, it becomes apparent that the game AI isn't all that tough. Partial list of games supported on Heat.The game is divided into five levels and each level has five rounds. In June 2008, CNET hailed as one of the greatest defunct websites in history. In an attempt to save, the value of degrees were cut by 80 percent, however at this point the damage had been irreversible.Īlso an issue which saw the end of was that new games had their own built-in browsers and no longer were using matchmaking sites like, Quake III Arena being one such game at the time. Many players would simply launch the game launcher and let it hang, thus no game was run but no staff could tell if they were playing or not. However players who were smart would go to the lobby which allowed players to play such games as StarCraft over a fake LAN while still being logged into. In an attempt to stop this behavior created a "parking police" which would go around looking for such rooms. Numerous players would set up Quake II games where you could see 30 or more players at night, simply logged in and no-one playing. Players could easily make $4 or more a day from to spend online. At the current time the average player had $10 worth of degrees or more in their account, however was only paying $5 a month as premium membership fee.Ībuse of was rampant near the end as players would leave their computers logged into all day and night even when not at the computer themselves. This was due in large part to financial difficulties. In September 2000, it was announced that and HeatCIGL would be shutting down on October 31, 2000.

Later partnered with a large web site Chips & Bits' online game superstore which allowed players a vast selection of games, hardware and even magazine subscriptions. Degrees could be spent online first at a run store where players had a small selection of games and computer related items to pick from. All players would accumulate degrees however only players who were premium members could spend them and not have their degree count reset at the end of the month. 's degree system would pay players to play, one would receive degrees per hour spent online playing. The league also gave away a $5,000 "Excellence in Gaming" College Scholarship and $600 for each player in their All Star Tournament. Students from 1,100 registered schools would play Quake II or Unreal Tournament in teams representing their colleges, with play-offs at the end of the season. was also the home a collegiate gaming league called HeatCIGL (College Internet Game League). had a loyalty program, in which members, known as "Foot Soldiers", received shirts and dog tags. The "currency" in the gaming system was "degrees", earned through playing games, game-related or general trivia contests, viewing ads, or other actions (like hosting enough game rooms in a time period). was based on a licensed version of the MPlayer Internet multiplayer gaming system, which itself later became GameSpy.

hosted both Sega-published first- and second-party games, as well as popular third-party games of the era, such as Quake II or Baldur's Gate. was an online PC gaming system produced by SegaSoft, Sega's PC game division.

3 Partial list of games supported on Heat.Net.

[scanmains]

Nexuiz classic servers

#Nexuiz classic servers code#

An attacker can also send malicious, fragmented packets from a client to crash or compromise the servers. Denial-of-service flaws can be exploited to crash servers at regular intervals for large gaming communities. Download a new map from the server? Bam! An attacker might have maliciously “customized” the map.

#Nexuiz classic servers code#

If you joined that server, it “ would allow him to compromise the computers of any players that join his rogue server by exploiting one of the remote code execution vulnerabilities present in the game engine.” Other times, just querying that server would allow an attacker to exploit vulnerabilities. “There are four different issues affecting the Hydrogen Engine,” they wrote, before discussing flaws to exploit Breach.Īn attacker could setup a rogue server that shows up in the database of available game servers. The research paper states, “There are two vulnerabilities in CryEngine 3 due to improper handling of fragmented packets via CryEngine.” And Atomic Games Hydrogen Engine ironically runs games such as Breach. The presentation slides dived into zero-day vulnerabilities to exploit CryEngine 3, which runs games like Crysis (2 & 3). It also showed a code example that could exploit Nexuiz Classic that “uses DarkPlaces engine, a significantly modified Quake engine." “In Quake Wars, the function is called in a bad way on the client-side,” but “in Brink the function is called in a bad way on the server-side.” The Id Tech 4 game engine for Doom 4 could allow a server-side stack-based overflow. According to the research paper, Doom 3 is not affected by the same id Tech 4 engine issues that allow customized versions for Enemy Territory: Quake Wars and Brink. Id Tech 4, better known as the Doom 3 engine, runs games such as Quake 4, Prey 2, Doom 3 and Brink. In ReVuln’s Game Engines: A 0-Day’s Tale, the researchers wrote, “Monday Night Combat is based on Unreal Engine 3, and like other games supporting the Steam platform, this game supports some custom Steam related commands via Unreal Engine Control channel.” It also looked at Homefront, The Haunted: Hells Reach and Sanctum, all of which do not use the standard Unreal Engine 3 protocol before exploring attacks on them. Games that run on the Unreal Engine 3 include titles like Unreal Tournament 3, Gears of War, Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas and EndWar, Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Conspiracy, Mortal Kombat, Mass Effect, Lost Planet 3, BioShock Infinite, and various Batman Arkham titles. “Any attacker can exploit them without any user interaction or additional requirements.” ReVuln even wrote cross-game zero-day exploits. “It’s a matter of how many other games share the same engine.” Some of ReVuln’s exploits go after the game servers and other go after game clients. ReVuln doesn’t report security holes to affected vendors instead the company “sells the newly discovered vulnerabilities to third-party companies and government agencies.” They warned that before you assume your game has no game engine, realize that every game, even PONG has a game engine. These vulnerabilities were not previously disclosed before the presentation at NoSuchCon, meaning there are no current patches for protection. The researchers found zero-day vulnerabilities to exploit game engines such as CryEngine 3, Unreal Engine 3, id Tech 4 and Hydrogen Engine. At NoSuchCon, they presented “Exploiting Game Engines For Fun & Profit”. “Thousands of potential attack vectors” in game engines, open the way to “millions of potential targets” aka players, explained ReVuln Security researchers Luigi Auriemma and Donato Ferrante. Are you are gamer? If the answer is also “yes” to playing first-person shooters, then listen up.

[stormx49]

Modern Demons

Sot System, Planet Dessara: 2100 Hours. For once on this barren planet, rain falls from the darkened clouds; something that I've never seen the time I spent here. With red lightning flashing in the distance and the sound of thunder following soon after. "KRA-KOOOOOM!" Roaring wild like an untamed beast, the thunder made its presence known. But I won't back down, not until I confronted the past once and for all.  I've come back to Dessara, and I want to see what changed over the last few decades or so, and while I could walk through the sands, I decided to take a different form of transportation. I cruised across the sea of sand using a hoverbike, leaving behind a trail of dust behind me as I looked around, seeing nothing more than droplets of rain splattering on the lens of my biker goggles and the occasional streak of lightning arcing across the murky skies. Can't complain about the temperature, it felt cool for once, preventing my snow leopard fur from poofing up from the usual intense humidity. I also felt the black hair flowing behind me, along with the bristles that covered my body. As I drove onwards, going at speeds up to 100 miles per hour, I saw more than the weather, but neon glows in the distance where Ciudad de Polvo used to be. Metal spires ascending above the Earth, how the times changed indeed.   Wanting to see it for myself, I made my way closer to the City of Dust... guess that title's not fitting anymore but it's what I called it during my days here. And once I had arrived, I saw a toll booth at the entrance of the city; so I slowed down and stopped at the toll booth, looking at the man stationed there. His blue eyes matched my own as he looked at me, his expression conveyed his lack of passion for this job of his. "Please present your ID or pay credits to enter Cráter de neón." The Neon Crater huh? So that's what it's called these days...   "Sorry sir, I don't have any credits, I have American dollars on me, will that do?" I asked the guard, and he shrugged at me in response. "Sure, we take dollars, that'll be 25 U.S Dollars to enter the city." Lordy is that an expensive toll... but I had to see what's going inside; so I dug into my right pants pocket and pulled out a twenty and a five, giving it up to the man. "Here you go, sir." I replied. Quickly swiping the cash from my hand, he opened the gate. "Thank you, enjoy your stay at Cráter de neón." I nodded and rode on into the city with the gate closing behind me slowly. I rode on the paved roads and looked at the surroundings around me;  Feeling quite dystopian with holographic advertisements, promoting sex, drugs, and guns.   Scents of smoke and rain filled my nostrils as rode on, soon heading up a holographic path, glowing red as I saw people on the curbs, either begging for money or waiting to jump someone and murder innocent people for whatever they had in their pockets.  Ciudad de Polvo was always a seedy cesspool, it just looks like the city got a facelift to me, without any actual changes made. Though it was kinda disorienting to find the old places I used to visit, there used to a be a watering hole I went to, now it's just a stand where they sell cheap porn magazines.  Then I looked towards the sky, seeing a red bolt of lightning hit a skyscraper; but in actuality it was an electric collector, powering up this city. I kept driving, keeping my eyes towards the road... should've kept my eyes on the camera as well though now that I look back on this escapade. At the time it didn't matter when in reality it should've.  Finally, I got off the road and found what to be a nightclub, looking like it would belong in the 1980's. "Hellhole." That's the name of the club? Charming. Still, it was good as any place to stop and I needed a pick me up. So I parked near the entrance, near the glowing orange neon sign and turned the bike off. Pocketing the key in the right pocket of my black jeans, I hopped off the bike and got my paws wet on the pavement, not even the black gauze wrapped around my feet protected them. My leopard tail wagged a bit to become limber while I straightened out the green plaid cover on my left side, it was hiding something for self-defense. I didn't need my goggles, for now anyways, so I took them off and let them hang above my onyx colored sleeveless combat armor. Then I walked towards the door, but the bald bouncer man stopped me before I got a paw in the door. "Sorry, you're not on the list." He grunted at me. "I'm a paying patron, I need a drink." I replied, telling him the truth. "It'll cost you to get in then." Glad to see bribery hasn't been changed since the last time I wasn't here. Sighing, shaking my head, I'd rather comply then start something. "How much?" I asked. "60 credits, or 80 bucks." Oh for heaven's sake that's expensive. So I dug into my pocket yet again, pulling out four 20 dollar bills and gave it to him, in return he opened the door for me with a poo-eating grin on his visage. "Welcome to the Hole." He greeted as I walked inside. 105 dollars spent so far, out of 200 I brought with me, so that left me with 95 bucks. Hopefully, I have enough for a drink and my way back home later. My first step in and already I could hear synthetic music blaring above the levels of 11, it was an assault on the audio senses. I think the track was called Fakheet if memory serves correctly. Once I got inside, it was mostly shrouded in the dark; save for a few orange and red lights flashing about. People were dancing, at least, I assume they're dancing and not just flopping about the place like a fish out of water. It was like a rave, a normal sight during the '80s. I wanted no part of that, all I want is a drink and be gone. So I headed to the bar, where there were a few customers getting drunk off the gourd; I sat on one of the black stools and looked at the bartender, he too looked bored to death like the tollbooth operator. "Got anything non-alcoholic!?" I asked, raising my voice so that I can be heard. He nodded then went to the fridge and grabbed a cold bottle of Coca-Cola, sliding it towards me. I grabbed it and pulled out my other 5 and gave it to him. "Keep the change!" For once on this planet, I got a smile, one that was actually genuine.  I smiled back and popped the lid open by smacking the bottle against the corner of the bar top and began to drink it. Looking around as I listened to the beating of the bass, the lights were quite bright in the dark, I also the name of the club pulsating yellow. Despite being a high tech city, this wouldn't look out of place from the Terminator movie.  As I drink, I wasn't aware of 2 guys coming in, but they weren't dressed in casual clothes; oh no. Clad in armor with glowing blue lights and gear insignias on their chests, it seems some things haven't changed since last I was here. Those cameras I passed by earlier, turns out they belonged to my mortal nemeses... The Blue Gears. Anthro hating scum, they were when I was stationed here on Dessara, and back home on Earth... looks like they never left Dessara and when they spotted me, they pulled out their guns; one being a Pharo SMG, the other being a sawn off shotgun. Looking at the mirror above me, things were going to become chaotic. When I saw the Gear soldier aim his SMG at me, I spat out my drink and leapt over the counter as the bullets began to fly, causing some innocent bystanders to be perforated by bullets, others fled the nightclub. Luckily I avoided being shredded (although the bottles of liquor got shattered), now it was time to go on the counter-offensive. Brushing the kilt aside, I grabbed my version of Storm's latest firearm: the Cicitar SMG. Pulling it from the sling, I loaded a 30 round mag filled with 9x19mm rounds into the grip, put the weapon on full auto and grabbed the charging handle, pulling it back and letting it go to put a bullet in the chamber. "SHHHICK-CLICK!" Time to let the bullets fly.  Once the gunfire stopped, I felt alcohol pour onto my fur and my armor as I popped up, shoulder against the wire stock, aiming down the sights and putting the green glowing front post onto the SMG wielding Gear, then I pulled the trigger. "RAT-TAT-TAT-TATA!" Firing at a rate of fire at 650RPM, bullets exited the barrel while spent cartridges were ejecting from the front, and the Gear in front of me was gunned down, staggering backward with blood splattering against the wall.  He won't be getting back up anytime soon.  However, his partner in crime was still standing. In response, he unloaded both barrels into me, right at center mass. I was knocked back against the wall and felt a pounding in my head, but my armor took the pellets well, keeping my flesh from being penetrated, though one of the plates fell off, exposing the left cup of my green frilly bra. Down, but not out. I put my SMG over the counter, slightly tilting the weapon to the left and emptied the remainder of my magazine. Blind firing paid off it seems because the shotgunner got outgunned.  Taking out the Gear caused him to collapse in a pool of blood. Panting, I got to my feet and looked at the corpses of the Gears. My gut told me that this was only the beginning, it was time to get the heck out of Dodge, so they say. As I walked over to their corpses to search for any extra supplies, I dropped the empty mag from my Cicitar and grabbed the spare mag from my right pocket, inserted into the grip and primed the gun before holstering it again. Once I got to the corpses, I pilfered both of them; and while the shotgunner didn't have anything, the SMG soldier had something interesting: a BP-02 "Pup" Grenade Launcher. A single shot, break open grenade launching pistol. I grabbed it and opened it, finding there was only one shot, but it was all I need. I closed the pistol, holstered it in the right hip of my jeans and headed out of the club, putting my goggles on the way.  I quickly got on my bike, grabbed the key and revved it up, then dashing out of there. There was no way I can go back the way I came, if my hunches were correct, they barricaded the way out. However I knew a back route out of the City of dust, and towards the village I stayed at.  So I drove towards the electric collector.  However, I wasn't out of the woods yet, not by a long shot. More Gears were coming up behind me, riding their sleeker hoverbikes and armed with various firearms, they were out for my blood and fur, but I won't give either to their grubby, racist hands. "Let's bust this ghost!" I heard one of them cry out, the rest cheered in unison. ...Really? That's what they got? I swear this is like a really bad '80's action flick; cheap quips and all. I think they got a futuristic version of the lever action shotgun from the Terminator 2 movie, at least 2 of them for sure. They aimed their guns at me and fired buckshot at my way and they even did the one handed flip cock thingy. Now's not the time to nitpick at my current premise, I swerved to the side, avoiding the buckshot and tried to lose them, however, it proved futile quick, so I pulled out my SMG, and when one felt brave to get to the left side of my bike to blast me, I retaliated with full auto fire. Annihilating both the driver and the gunner, their sleek hoverbike began to wobble out of control and flipped over me, I barely avoided being decapitated by ducking, and watched the bike crash into one the gun shops. An explosion rang out, sending fire and glass everywhere. But this chase scene kept going on, and soon there was a tunnel up ahead, I turned the headlights on and jetted inside, with the Gear bikers following close behind. With only one light illuminating my way forward along with the darkness surrounding me, I needed to be on top of my game. Once more I had to swerve to avoid the oncoming gunfire, and one biker got up too close and blasted his shotgun at me from the right, my armor taking the blow with chunks of armor falling to the wayside.  Wincing, the sound of tinnitus entered my ear; drowning out the sound temporarily. For his action, I gave the Gear Gunner a hard elbow to his face, causing him to fall off the bike and his lever action to fly up into the air. I pulled hard to the left, rode up the wall of the tunnel while holstering my SMG and once I was upside down, grabbed the shotgun with my left hand, flip cocked it and pointed it down at the driver.  They can make their quips all they want, but as for me? "BLAM!" Actions speak louder than words. The Gear got a faceful of buckshot from above and he fell off his hoverbike, and as it rolled away, I rode back down towards the right, once again right side up. 2 down, I think 2 more to go if I recall. Maybe 3. Soon my hearing went back to normal, the ringing faded away as another hoverbike came up towards my right, rather than trying to gun me down, they tried to knock my vehicle off course.  I felt the jolt of their bike running into mine, losing speed briefly. I threw the shotgun right at the rider, causing him to fall off and the bike veered out of control. With plenty of fuel in the tank, I pushed ahead, soon seeing a light at the end of the tunnel and felt a cool breeze where the exposed parts of my armor were; though I'm used to the cold.  Exiting the tunnel put me near what looked to be flood control tunnels, with some stagnant water underneath the bike. It splashed up water on both sides of the bike, drenching my fur a bit but I could see a ramp quite a ways away, that was my ticket out of this place.   But before I could escape, there was an ambush I had to contend with; some of the Blue Gears had some XMV-850 Miniguns set up, barrels spinning and ready to unleash a flurry of bullets at me. With a wall of lead coming at me, I had to react, I swerved left and right, avoiding turned into leopard carpaccio. No way can I deal with them all, only 17 rounds left in my SMG, and I was holding onto my 'pup' grenade launcher until I absolutely needed it. I had to get out fast, already I felt a bullet graze my left cheek, the burning sting caused me to grimace with crimson blood trickling down. Desperate times called for desperate measures. This hoverbike model I'm riding had some turbo boosters installed, in case I really needed to go fast. Might sound like a deus ex machina, but as I mentioned, had to do something to stay alive.  I flipped open the panel on the right side and pushed the red button and twisted it forward. Responding to my action, the thrusters began to glow white hot, causing the boosters to turn on and accelerate my speed to over 250mph, allowing me to evade the oncoming fire with precision. Winds were blowing in my face, thank goodness my eyes were protected as I was heading for the ramp leaving a white trail behind me. I could barely hear one of the Gears shout at the other troops. "Get mobilized, Erika's going to escape!" He cried out my name, barking like a dog to his minions. It didn't matter, I rode up and off the ramp, heading over the laser grid fence and landed back onto the dusty roads with a thud. Thinking I was in the clear, I ventured forth, but I should've known they won't quit, not for one bit. Following the long, winding path, I began to make my way towards the Azures Village, I haven't seen it in forever and I wanted to see if the rumors were true. I eased off the turbo and the bike began to slow back down to its normal speeds. A brief moment peace help calmed my nerves, but it was just that; brief.  Sounds of gunfire behind me and bullets whizzing past my ears kicked the adrenaline back up.  There were at least 4 behind me, unloading their machine pistols; it was time to end these fun and games once and for all.   With my grenade launching pistol tucked away in my pocket, I knew an old ambush point towards the northwest, so I veered off road towards a narrow chokepoint.  The sandstone walls grew taller and the path growing thinner, I had to be careful to not let the bike scrape against the wall. Testing my navigation and driving skills in one, I was about half a mile out when I saw an uphill path towards the right, that's where I needed to go,  Easily turning into the path, I climbed up the hill and onto the flat top above. From there I put the hoverbike on park. Pulling out the grenade pistol, I waited, that choke point was a dead end and knowing the Gears, they went right down into the trench, lined up like ants at a picnic.  Normally I don't like killing others, but I did this for two reasons. One: The Blue Gears attacked me, and Two: they've taken so many innocent anthro lives, justice had to be done. I had to take it into my own hands... the last few years I avoided conflict, feared to face the Gears after what they did so long ago. But hiding wouldn't do anything then, and it won't do a thing now. Soon I can hear the Gears coming down the line, as predicted, they were bumper to bumper and going slow, in fact, I can hear them cursing about me. "Where'd the little bitch go!?" A female Gear whined. "Keep your eyes open, Erika can be anywhere..." Another Gear warned, but it wouldn't help. I aimed the barrel down towards them... I knew I said I don't make epic one-liners earlier, but I couldn't help myself in this case. I whistled loud down towards them, causing them to stop and look around. "Hey, Gears!" I called down to them, left index finger wrapping around the trigger. "Catch!"  With a sharp pull of the trigger, I fired the 40mm High Explosive grenade downwards. "TIIIIING!" The high explosive rapidly descended into the trench, landing right in the center of the line of hover bikes, once the grenade impacted with a bike, it exploded with immense force. "BROOOOOOOOOM!" A plume of smoke and orange fire, along with shrapnel ascended high into the air, it was bright and temporarily blinded me, but once my vision came back, I looked down and saw embers flutter up towards the night sky. No one could've survived that, so I chucked the grenade pistol down into the trench and into the wreckage. With the deed done, I revved up the bike and resumed the ride towards the Azures Village, uninterrupted this time. Once upon a time, the Azures Village was a place of peace, tranquility, and love; with clean waters coming from the waterfalls up the cliffside, fresh fruit growing every day, it was home.  The tribe who resided there were all anthros, and their elder, Thom Radmus, took me in like he was my father... my actual father.   But of course the Gears had to try and eradicate the village, thinking this was an easy job; but they underestimated us. We may be timid on to the outside world, when we were provoked, however, we were viciously territorial and defended our village at all costs. There were times we nearly lost the Azures to the Gears... no thanks to my sister, Ayala. Regardless we prevailed time after time, but that was before the time Storm came to my village, it was a reunion, both good... and not so good. I was supposed to take Storm to the COABEL unit stationed there to be teleported home... turned out the Gears occupied the base and it was supposed to be an easy job. Turned out it didn't go that way, my sister lead them and succeeded in defeating me... putting me in a situation where Storm had to mercy kill me... It's still something that haunts both of us to this day. Though I've been resurrected since that day, I still have nightmares about what happened then.  In order to silence the demons once and for all, I needed to go back to the Azures. However, since then... things changed. Liandri found the village and ordered genocide on the village, and while my kind bravely fought them off... they perished. Now the village is used for their Deathmatch arena, where millions watch the blood sport on live holovision.   While the area's usually closed off to visitors, there was one spot that Liandri had opened up to me personally, it took a lot of convincing to the president of Liandri, but he eventually agreed to open the spot up. That spot is the mass grave up by the bridge over the waterfall, where the roars drowned out the sound the rainfall, at least the lightning finally stopped I made my way towards the graveyard. Along the way, I took off my goggles, tried to think of a speech to say to the fallen, and grabbed some flowers growing from the bush, being white roses that were blooming in full. The thorns may dig into my fur, but I didn't care at the time. Following the glow of the blue fireflies, they lead me to the graves. Carved in stone and standing tall with their names etched into their tombstones, there were at least 30 of them, some men, some women... and even some of them children, all massacred at the hands of the soulless, corrupt Liandri.  Walking over to each and one of them, I dropped a rose over the mound of dirt, trying to hold back the tears. Once I got to the last tombstone, my knees grew weak and I collapsed, weeping with tears of sorrow flowing down my face; the rose slipped from my grip and onto the patch of the dirt. This was the grave of the man who took me in as his own, taught me to be strong, to believe in myself, helped me when I had PTSD induced nightmares... "Here lies Elder Thomus Radmus: 1945-2015 Leader of the Azures Village, Guardian of Peace And beloved father to those who loved him May he be free of the Hells on Dessara And reunite with our Captain: Erika Kinderington." It hurt... it still hurts...   But I have to remain strong, for I am the last of the Nakotans... and now the last member of the Azures Village. I carry their memories with them, and I will fight for them, for Elder Thom, for Storm, for Phoibe... For them. Til now. Til the end of time.

[redworld96]

Nakaba Suzuki's interview from “Pair Sin: King & Diane Guidebook” talking about King, Diane and Howzer. (November 2018).

1. How did King and Diane come to be a couple?

Nakaba: Unlike Meliodas and Ban, I came up with King and Diane without planning to make them a couple from the beginning. The same Diane, for example, was at first unrequitedly in love with Meliodas. Then King appeared, and I decided that let him be unrequitedly in love with Diane, because it is interesting to look at the development of the relationship between the couple "fairy and giant". Well, that's what we came up with in the end. As you can see, these two are slightly different from the couples of previous guidebooks.

2. King is the king of the fairies, but compared to Meliodas and Ban, he acts cowardly and looks rather childish.

Nakaba: In a good way, he "didn't come out of childhood." Something like the lead of the seventh-eighth class: he seems to be responsible, and strives for leadership, but still a child inside.

3.He often suffers from doubts, I must say.

Nakaba: Of all the Seven Deadly Sins, he has perhaps the finest mental organization. Take, for example, the same Meliodas: his attitude towards his beloved and the strength of his feelings for her far exceed all reasonable limits. Well, maybe the point is that the rest of the "Sins" are just too arrogant, ha-ha!

4.Why is King showed as a fat man on the wanted list?

Nakaba: Apparently he was very nervous at first when he was in the Seven Deadly Sins. (King turns into a fat man when he's nervous)

5.These transitions from the appearance of an old man to a sweet boy are also not devoid of their charm.

Nakaba: Actually, my original idea was to make the "Sins" posters completely different from their real faces. During a discussion with the editor, there was a proposal to make his second look younger, but still settled on a fat man, because the contrast was stronger.

6.What about Diane? When I first saw her, I wondered if she was too big?

Nakaba: I decided to make her so big that she looked absolutely fantastic and unreal.

7.Her size is very noticeable when there are other characters nearby. What difficulties do you have to face while drawing her?

Nakaba: Usually, the camera angles are when Diane is looking at someone from above or when someone is looking at her from below, but there is no particular difficulty. Although it happens that another character is in the frame as a whole, and only a face from Diane, ha ha! But the same angles quickly become boring, so I introduced the shrinking pills into history. Well, a serious calm giantess would look intimidating, so I purposely gave her girly features and details in the costumes.

8.She hides her mouth with her hair very cute when she is embarrassed.

Nakaba: I remember that at school girls did the same when they were embarrassed. Perhaps, somehow unconsciously, I drew Diane with such habit.

9.Initially, Diane was unrequitedly in love with Meliodas, but were you going to make her a rival for Elizabeth?

Nakaba: The rivalry would have been if Meliodas reacted (or didn't) the same to both Elizabeth and Diane. Therefore, from the very beginning, I was not going to force Diane to get in between them - this is not a love comedy. But the unrequited love Diane turned out to be so touching and really liked the readers.

10.But Meliodas is still dear to Diane, right?

Nakaba: Yes, because he was the first person to treat her like a girl, and unfeminine girls like Diane are especially happy about that. Plus, he saved her.

11.Now tell us how Howzer came to be.

Nakaba: His best friend Gilthunder is exemplary handsome, so I wanted to do his complete opposite and gave Howzer a pompadour hairstyle and a bully personality.

12. Howzer is quite closely related to Diane, but he does not seem to show such obvious romantic sympathies ...

Nakaba: Right. Some people misinterpret his attitude. Howzer finds Diane very sweet, but even in his thoughts he has no intention of meeting her. Sometimes, looking at the merciful King and Diane, he will think something in the spirit of “Oh, lovebirds, eh!”. But his case is not at all the same as, for example, Jericho's towards Ban.

13. Recently, Howzer's pompadour has become more pronounced, it seems to me.

Nakaba: At first I drew him a pompadour-like hairstyle, but then there was a moment when Howzer appeared after a long break, and it was clearly in my memory that he had a full-fledged pompadour, and that's how it happened. But now it has become easier to draw it.

14. Howzer is surprisingly judicious in emergencies.

Nakaba: This is also in contrast to Gilthunder, who is usually reserved, but is noticeably aroused in battle. As you can see, this trait was appreciated by Howzer, since he was promoted right up to the Great Holy Knight.

15.Which of the three is easiest for you to draw, and who is more difficult?

Nakaba: Not that difficult, but I'm especially careful when painting King because he chooses who to talk to. Even in the group of The Seven Deadly Sins, he hardly interacts with anyone other than Diane. He's quite secretive and introverted, so I make sure these traits persist.

16.And in terms of drawing?

Nakaba: King is the most difficult. It all falls on the shoulders of my wife, ha ha!

17.What do you think is the beauty of King and Diane as a couple?

Nakaba: I think it’s their inexperience in this regard. There is no feeling of "family" among fairies and giants, which makes their relationship special; and many people like it, as far as I can tell.

18.And the proof is the number of scenes with an embarrassed and blushing King!

Nakaba: Well, yes, Meliodas harasses like some kind of pervert old man, and Ban cannot be embarrassed at all. But King has a pure and innocent heart, like the hero of a love comedy. His kiss’ scenes in general would be more suitable for any schoolboy, ha ha!

19. Diane sometimes puts King in her cleavage, without even thinking, and this makes him embarrassed even more often ...

Nakaba: Diane just doesn't think about men's opinions. I drew her keeping in mind the image of a sort of athletic elementary school girl. And for King I chose an eighth-grader boy, because it is in high school that they begin to have an active interest in the opposite sex. I think this difference creates the desired effect.

20.And Diane, meanwhile, had to endure twice the loss of memory.

Nakaba: After the battle in the capital, Diane began to slowly regain her memories of the past. At this rate, she would remember her feelings for King, and they would become a happy couple. But with their school-level love story, they would have stood out unfavorably against the background of Meliodas and Ban, and I didn't want that. Fortunately, I was just thinking of using Gowther in the plot, so I made him erase Diane's memory.

21.Gowther's act surprised many then!

Nakaba: Gowther's moves on Diane are the most effective. If he tried to use them on Meliodas, not only would he break off, but he would also get change in addition, haha! Well, then, when original Gowther returned her memory, it was Diane who best suited the role of the character who said the right words to him. In spite of everything, I think after the events of Volume 27, Diane, King and Gowther have developed a strong bond.

22.So, then everything will be smooth for them?

Nakaba: Somehow it’s not very satisfying to mock them even more, so I don’t think you should worry.

23.Which chapters with King and Diane do you like the most?

Nakaba: Probably the scene from Volume 27 when their feelings became mutual. I was finally able to breathe easy and stop worrying about this couple, which I have been drawing for so long.

24.The scenes where King rescues Diane are also pretty good.

Nakaba: In such scenes, he is always late, and someone already becomes a victim ... I myself, while drawing him, I think "Yes, hurry up, nice!"

25.Fukuyama Jun-san and Yuki Aoi-san (voice of King and Diane) noted in their interviews that they liked how Diane made one of her golems look like King during the Grand Tournament.

Nakaba: I think it was a manifestation of her love for King, which still remained in her despite her lost memory. Diane is honest, therefore she expresses her sympathy directly and openly. And King, on the contrary, monitors the reaction of the interlocutor and behaves accordingly. There is a little humanly ugly side on him, hehe. But that's what I like about him. Meliodas and Ban don't have that, so it's pretty interesting to draw.

26.If King and Diane get married, what kind of family life will they have?

Nakaba: I think they will always be that way and will be the same innocent and homely warm. Nobody will try to take a leading position. King is the king of the fairies, so he won't become henpecked either and at the right time he will be able to take matters into his own hands. But both will respect and take into account each other's opinions. Well, King will sometimes show off in front of Diane.

27.I can't wait to find out what kind of children they will have!

Nakaba: Well, you'll have to wait a little longer here ...

28.Any future wishes for King, Diane and Howzer?

Nakaba: My advice to King is not to be late anymore and protect Diane properly. To Diane, she can safely rely on King in everything. Well, good luck to Howzer as Great Holy Knight, ha ha! He is popular among readers, but in the story itself he does not have much success with girls. Hopefully he can find his lover. Personally, I think Guila would be good for him ... but I don't even know. Let him take his time in this search.

29.And finally, a few words to the readers!

Nakaba: The ending is approaching, the relationship is finally stabilizing. Well, you don't have to worry about King and Diane, they will be fine!

Sources: thesevendeadlysins-boarhat .com & Nanatsu no Taizai | Семь Смертных Грехов

[randomvarious]

Jega - “Whore” 0161 1997 Breakbeat / IDM

Manchester, UK’s Jega is one of the maddest IDM producers to have ever created the music. His very unique style is known to mix IDM, breakbeats, electro, and drum and bass, sometimes through the use of lo-fi equipment, which has produced some absolutely wild sound experiments. Throughout his career, he has released four albums, three solo 12-inches, and three split-release 12-inches. One of Jega’s songs can be heard in a BBC Radio mix by Radiohead’s Thom Yorke, which consisted of music that influenced the sound and direction of Kid A.

Jega’s career dates back to 1996, when he landed on the Manchester-based Skam label, a very small outfit at the time that was known for releasing Autechre-related projects like Gescom and Lego Feet, as well as Freeform (if these names are foreign to you, then you’re missing out, friend). The following year, Jega released an EP, Card Hore, and also placed an exclusive track called “Whore” on a compilation called 0161, a release that pooled together some of the best abstract electronic Mancunian talent out there, and was co-released by Skam. The compilation’s title alludes to Manchester’s dialing code and its grainy album cover is taken from stills that capture the 1996 I.R.A. bombing of Manchester City Centre. It was the biggest detonated bomb in Great Britain since World War II, and luckily killed no one, but did injure hundreds. 0161 was released on the one-year anniversary of that attack.

Okay, now onto “Whore”. First off, Jega is definitively an IDM guy, but this track sees him doing something that’s primarily breakbeat instead, with only a dash of IDM. 

So, let’s go ahead and sample some of the few YouTube comments on this video, shall we? 

One user writes,

This is the most insane thing I've ever listened to

Another user claims,

now THIS is IDM  it sounds like Autechre or Aphex Twin 

And a third user begs the question,

unreal tournament?

A very good synthesis of the song in those three comments there. “Whore” is utterly insane, it does sound something like Autechre or Aphex Twin, and it also sounds like something you might hear in a video game like Unreal Tournament. On this track, Jega combines a few layers of acid that burble and grumble and squelch to varying degrees, a series of uptempo drum breaks, rapid and subtle IDM rhythms made to sound very similar to drum breaks, and soaring, lo-fi string melodies from an old and shitty synthesizer that manage to evoke images of a low-budget 70s sci-fi flick that’s either set in space or on another planet. And at certain points, it all just plays at the same time, and you just sit there, befuddled, wondering to yourself, “how the fuck is any of this possible? How could anyone of sound mind ever come up with this shit? What in the ever-loving fuck am I listening to and how does this jumbled mess sound this good?”

Amazing. Salute to you, Jega, for making something that sounds so fucking ridiculous slap so hard.

[lies]

I liked “The Queen’s Gambit” a lot. It reminded me of the movie 42 (which I also liked a lot) for a particular reason: In each case I had a strong positive response to the movie/show that I subsequently came to question due to my realizing the problematic nature of things I at first glossed over.

In the end I still liked it a lot, even loved it. But it’s a love colored by questions I have about the sources of my own appreciation.

Is my personal take on this something you’re actually interested in knowing more about? Read on after the cut!

Note: spoilers.

What I liked most about “The Queen’s Gambit”:

* The treatment of chess. They obviously cared deeply about getting it right, and went to obsessive lengths to do so. Most of their audience (including me) would have no real way to tell the difference without being at least decent chess players, but as far as I can tell (from the reactions of people way more into chess than I am) they met that standard. That kind of over-the-top attention to detail is something I care about. That the chess was (mostly) anatomically correct, down to the level of being based on actual grandmaster-level games that were reflected accurately in the characters’ emotions and actions was awesome. Idiot lectures were minimal. The depiction of tournaments was mostly accurate (albeit with some story-serving anomalies like players occasionally addressing each other directly). Besides that realism, the presentation of the games was really well done, in the sense that they didn’t repeat themselves stylistically. We saw lots of different perspectives on the games. There were medium shots of players and boards. Tight close-ups of the player’s hands, or their faces. The audience watching. Tournament staff repeating the moves on a big board. It was always interesting, even absorbing, and I’d blink and realize whoa; they’re actually showing a chess game. And it’s intense.

* The way Beth’s substance abuse was portrayed. There were points in the series where I grew concerned that we were going to trope-land, where the troubled genius spirals down into pills and alcohol, and it would have been boring. Trite/easy/exploitative. And then... they didn’t do that. When young Beth pulls off the big pill heist I was concerned that’s where we were going. And then the way they resolve that, with an over-the-top bravura climax to the whole young-Beth arc, it was breathtakingly good. The same with the latter parts of the series, as she deals with her addiction issues during the tournaments in Paris and Moscow. There was a trite version of that story, and they very much did not tell that version. Instead they gave us something that felt true, as Beth deals with her issues the best she can, with help from others at key moments. It was a positive story that nevertheless didn’t minimize the problem.

* The basic narrative structure, of the young orphan, the weird kid beaten down by the world, learning and growing and eventually triumphing, worked really well for me. I related to Beth, and especially as the show goes on it was exciting to see her become more capable and self-assured. In the scene with her adoptive father when he reneges on the house arrangement you realize that oh; Beth is approaching it as a chess match. She sees the board, is way ahead of her opponent, and is ruthless about pressing her advantage. The look her lawyer gives her at the end of that scene was great.  

* The deeper theme of her found family was beautifully realized, right up to the final scene in the park. Taylor-Joy sold all the key moments in that journey so well, and it made that conclusion completely satisfying and earned.

* There was more that I loved: The period details, the clothes, the cars. Though with the cars, there was a specific thing that was bugging me until I figured out what it was. I grew up watching period pieces from times before I was actually around. But this show, set in the U.S. of the late 1960s, is showing a place and time I actually lived in. So details matter. And with the cars, there was a subtle artifact of unreality: Everyone was driving cars that weren’t actually accurate depictions of what they would have been driving. Instead they were driving cars of that era lovingly restored (and beautifully shot), but still recognizably 21st-century cars. When Beth and Benny drive to New York in Benny’s car, it was the right car (a 1966 VW bug; actually the first car I owned). But it was a ‘66 bug as it looks today when restored by a collector. It wasn’t the version of a ‘66 bug that Benny would have been driving. It should have been scruffier (just like him and his apartment). That was a cheap car at the time, and the right car for his character to have, but it didn’t look like a cheap car. I guess it would be asking too much for them to have gone to the level of not just getting the right car, but of distressing it to look appropriate. I don’t know; as with Beth’s journey toward glamour the cars (and clothes) were treated as eye candy. And on some level I’m sure that was working for me, so maybe I shouldn’t complain.

But that brings me to the thing that I realize was problematic:

* The series at times was super male-gaze-y. The depiction of Beth’s relationships was good, and realistic to who she was. But at a certain point in a series created, written, and directed by a dude, the dude-specific viewpoint was bothersome. And I get that this was part of the story being told: Beth is operating in a world dominated by men, and her reactions to that were interesting. But is that really worthy of elevating as the default frame? The exceptions to that (her relationships with her friend Jolene, and with her adoptive mother) were good, but at times felt peripheral to the main focus, which was on the men dealing with/reacting to Beth. And that’s where it reminded me of 42, with its white-savior narrative that at times seems to focus more on the white characters around Jackie Robinson like Dodgers owner Branch Rickey and shortstop Pee Wee Reese than it does on Robinson himself. And I get that that’s probably a significant part of why the movie (and “The Queen’s Gambit”) worked so well for me in particular: I’m a straight, white, heterosexual dude. So I invest in the drama of the white people around Jackie Robinson, or of a male chess nerd staring slack-jawed at Beth Harmon dancing in her underwear. It works for me because it’s designed to appeal to my perspective. And in each case it’s also a good story with transcendent performances from Chadwick Boseman and Anya Taylor-Joy. What they (and the rest of the people who made these creations) are doing is great, and rises above the limitations of the framing. But I can’t stop myself from wondering: Is it really as good as it seems to me? Or does it just seem that good to me because of who I am?