#advent of indies

[moodboard-d]

[rollplusbond]

Mechs! Magic! More Goblins!

Could a theme for this stream be emerging? "Armour Astir" by Briar Sovereign is our next game. Using a custom setting, our goblin heroes are fighting the good fight against the mighty Shrike Syndicate. Join us for a story of rebellion against injustice and evil authority! If you like to check out Armour Astir Advent, you can find it here: https://weregazelle.itch.io/armour-astir Join Emily, Bob, Ani, Grace, and Sean until 12am EST (Midnight)! https://www.twitch.tv/rollplusbond

[jupiterovprsten]

Zagreb, Hrvatska

[incorrectvtuberwho]

Matara: I hate to interrupt... But can one of you explain what is going on? Chloe:(smirking) Shiori, be my guest. Shiori: Matara, that orca there is one of the biggest perverts that Hololive has ever hired. Chloe: Ooh, ho ho! Flattered.

[shyroism]

【NEXT STREAM】 8/8 - 22:00 JST

Time for an ADVENT-ture! Get it?

ahahahahahahehahehehahahahahehelpme

[indiesellersguild]

Happy holidays from the Indie Sellers Guild!

Still looking for presents to give your loved ones for this month's beloved gift-giving holidays? Shop indie by browsing our new Member Directory.

And if you're looking for something more specific, our Showcase allows verified sellers to highlight their products in a searchable database. Take a look!

[cloudshoregames]

If you're ever curious what other projects I'm working on. I was featured in an interview for the Strategy RPG I'm script writing for today:

Be sure to check out the project, as the characters have been a blast to write for and I can't wait to enjoy the Fire Emblem-esque gameplay I've seen!

[antique-lamplight]

to everyone worried that the strikes rn will affect their viewing experience or whatever: please take this opportunity to look into indie projects!!!!!!!!

[andresbravo2003]

Day 20 as Sonic 3 hits in Theaters, We might know that today is the 20th Anniversary of the Popular Indie Game, Cave Story!

[magicrainbowkitties]

In the advent of Unity's new bullshit, I remind you:

MOST COLLEGE VIDEO GAME DESIGN CLASSES TEACH UNITY AND UNITY *ONLY.*

A GREAT DEAL OF THE GAMES YOU AND I PLAY EVERY SINGLE DAY ARE UNITY GAMES.

THE VIDEO GAME INDUSTRY *IS NOT UNIONIZED* AND THEREFORE DEVS HAVE VERY LITTLE ABILITY TO FIGHT THIS.

If you see your favorite games vanish suddenly, it's NOT bc the devs don't want you to play them. It's because Unity is a dick.

If I see you get mad at the indie devs that are being forced to either delete their work forever or cough up money they don't have, I'm biting you and your arm is coming with me.

[wei-ying-kexing-apologist]

Bengiyo's Queer Cinema Syllabus

I've been doing this self imposed challenge where I watch all the films on @bengiyo's Queer Cinema Syllabus. Last month I start Unit 6: Gems which includes the following films: Big Eden, Shelter, Weekend, Private Romeo, Were the World Mine, The Birdcage, Make the Yuletide Gay, The Sum of Us, Boy Erased, Boys, Summer Storm, C.R.A.Z.Y., North Sea Texas, Saturday Church, Boy Meets Girl, The Adventers of Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Too Wong Foo Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar.

Today I watched

Shelter (2007) dir. Jonah Markowitz

[Run Time: 1 hour, 37 minutes, Language: English]

Summary: When his college dreams are sidelined by family obligations, a young man finds comfort in surfing with his best friend's brother.

Cast: - Trevor Wright as Zach - Brad Rowe as Shawn

___

Shelter was such a lovely little film. Another good example of how a film does not have to be ridiculously expensive in order to be good. It’s definitely an indie film, the video quality and the acting is not top tier but the performances are still compelling and the story is able to fit quite a bit of complexity in to a rather short run time. (Especially considering this movie was filmed in 21 days). 

I think overall my favorite part of Shelter was the way the film used Zach’s graffiti as a way to show him working through his own feelings. Zach’s life is chaotic even though he is stuck in the same cycles, trapped in the same town and his artwork mimics that. I loved watching the graffiti on the side of the building grow in to something that was chaotic, in to something tangible, something legible, something that was no longer abstract but was a picture of home and of love. To watch Zach build this for himself, to watch him sit and ponder it, to watch him stare miserably at his graffiti disappearing back behind beige paint when he’s adrift after dumping Shawn and trying to wrestle all his dreams back to the pit where he stored them the first time he undermined his own desires for the sake of his family. 

gif by @brittany

My second favorite part was watching the relationship between Zach and Shawn unfold. The way that Zach kept going for the intimacy between him and Shawn and then retreating the second that his sister would ask him questions. The second she would call him out for putting himself before others. She didn’t want to deal with the possibility that he was a fag so he internalized that homophobia and started lashing out at Shawn, started getting worried about leaving Shawn alone with Cody because his sister was worried about Shawn being gay and alone with her child. But there was such a hunger and desperation there, you could feel it in the scene where Zach initiates physical intimacy.

gif by @zanephillips

And you know that Shawn is going to be really good for Zach because even as Zach was lashing out at him, even after Zach dumped him, and he got some (imo) necessary correction about the class differences between them and why it is harder for Zach to actually go for what he wants, he still submitted Zach’s portfolio to Cal Arts. Shawn wanted to make sure that Zach had the opportunity to choose for himself what he wanted. 

There were a lot of things that I hated about Jeanne, but she was a complex character who did the right thing in the end, and so I have to give her some props for that. I appreciate that the film made sure that we all knew that there was love there between Jeanne and Zach because so many of Jeanne’s behaviors throughout the film feel selfish and detached from genuine care for her family. 

And finally, I am so glad that Cody ended up with Zach and Shawn. The kid broke my heart open when he turned to Zach early on in the film and said “you’re my dad” to his uncle, especially when he continued to claim Zach as his father even after Zach explained the nature of their relationship. But jokes on Zach cause Cody was right all along. Zach is his Dad now, and so is Shawn, and that is the best possible outcome for Cody that could exist. I loved that we ended the film on all of them playing together on the beach. 

gifs by @deanseyes

Favorite Moment

I was going to initially claim Cody calling Zach his father as my favorite moment of the film, then it was going to be the introduction to the sex scene. But after completing the movie I have actually landed on the moment where Shawn and Zach are in bed together talking about the future and Shawn tells Zach he’s so beautiful and Zach responds with “shut up” and Shawn’s voice goes soft and quiet and asks him why he can’t take a compliment and Zach just goes silent and small under the weight of that. His little “thanks”? Ohhhhhhhhh it killed me. What a wonderful scene!

can't find a gif of the actual scene, so please have this beautiful gif by @indigomood instead

Favorite Quote

“What changed?”  “I did.” 

Final Score: 

9/10 

I understand why it has been so high up on the list of the Top 100 Gay Films for so long.

[maliktomlinson]

🪻The Anticipation Of Knowing You by toastnbeans [13k]

After Louis overhears his next door neighbor having sex, he doesn’t really expect anything but awkward hallway encounters to come from it. Instead, he’s surprised to find himself in a whirlwind pen pal relationship with the sweet, albeit loud, baker next door.

🪻Home For The Holiday by @larrysmomfics [86k]

A "The Holiday" inspired AU where Harry meets Louis after agreeing to swap houses with a stranger on the internet for three weeks over the holidays.

🪻However Do You Want Me, However Do You Need Me by @moonshinelouis [7k]

Louis loves Harry—he loves being his boyfriend, loves being soft and gentle with the person he cares for the most. But there must be something seriously wrong with him; why would he crave to be rough in a moment so delicate, with a person he’d never otherwise dream of hurting?

🪻Just Hear This And Then I'll Go by @allwaswell16 [44k]

Former boy band member Louis Tomlinson can’t stand pompous indie artist Harry Styles, but with a new record label to launch he is going to have to endure his pretensions to snag up and coming new artist Liam Payne, who happens to be Harry’s oldest friend. Luckily, Liam seems to be very interested in 78 Records and maybe a little more than interested in Louis’ best friend. Too bad Harry won’t be making this easy on any of them.

🪻Lonely Cards Club by @hellolovers13 [25k]

Harry's life in Cardiff is rather uneventful. Until he receives a strange Christmas postcard. It gets even stranger when he finds another one the next day. An Advent story about missed opportunities and second chances.

🪻Take My Breath Away by @realitybetterthanfiction [153k]

Lt. Harry Styles, call sign Sparrow, is a prodigy when it comes to flying. The owner of an unrivaled Naval pedigree, being a pilot was always written in the stars for Harry. With his trusty RIO, Lt. Niall Horan, Harry has made an unprecedented ascension in the ranks of the Naval aerial combat elite, and has been recruited to the esteemed Premier Delta flight school, carrying on his family’s legacy. What he finds there are unexpected friendships, perilous challenges, and something beyond what he ever thought possible. Because as his father had always told him, before the great Captain Styles went tragically missing in combat, you don’t fall in love with the sky, you fall in love with what keeps you on the ground.

🪻The Oldest Magic Word by @kingsofeverything [18k]

Louis gets called up to play Seeker for the English National Team and when he gets there, he finds out that Harry Styles, his old school crush, is the Team Healer.

🪻After All This Time by lovelarry10 @chloehl10 [36k]

Louis and Harry have been best friends since a fateful meeting on the Hogwarts Express seven years ago. With their time at Hogwarts coming to an end, their friends are determined to make them see that perhaps they've always destined to be more than just friends. Prompted into reliving some of their most vivid moments at Hogwarts, Louis and Harry come to a startling realisation... that just maybe, after all this time, they're meant to be each others. Always.

🪻You're All I Dreamed Of by staybeautiful @harruandlou [53k]

Harry sank lower until his chin was hovering just above the water line. He had his mug balancing precariously against the lip of the bath. It had to be cooling already, but he still looked serene, like there was nowhere else he’d rather be.

“I could live here,” Harry said, smiling with his eyes closed.

It was as if the words sprung from Louis’ mind, his mouth, and twisted into Harry’s. His heart picked up and before he could stop them they were tumbling out.

“Okay, you should,” he stuttered and Harry turned to look at him. “You should move in with me.”

Or after a Monday lunch with Zayn, Louis finds himself reevaluating what "too soon" means, especially when it comes to Harry.

🪻Temporary Tattoos, Hotel Hearts, Horizon Homes by teumessian [17k]

Louis is just 18 and ends up in 2015 for one day at Harry’s request, one day to make sure his spirit is strong and hopeful enough to take him to the X Factor and end him up where he’s supposed to be. Aka, the one where Harry makes sure Louis knows how amazing he is.

🪻Making The Grade by hachimanskitsune [151k]

His last Dom/boyfriend outed him to his entire graduate school faculty leaving Harry to flee Glasgow. Some tough love from his mum sees him moving to London to room with his best mate. With a bit of luck he gets into graduate school to finish his Masters Degree and managed to score an assistantship position for a professor to cover his tuition.

Things were finally coming together, but he missed submitting. When his best mate decides to drag him to a local kink club, Harry thinks it's a mistake, but he needs the relief. A chance encounter with a fantastic Dom at the club leads to an intense scene that rebalances him emotionally -- until Harry shows up to meet his new mentor the following week and finds himself face-to-face with the same blue eyes that dropped him to his knees two nights before.

Harry curses his luck of finding the perfect Dom, only to have him be the one man he couldn't ethically have. Can they find a balance between desire and duty?

🪻Relaxed Daddy, Tamed Bratty by @somedovesfly [9k]

Established d/s Larry. Louis has a stressful day at work and asks subby Harry to give him sensory deprivation to relax and decompress. However, the brat in him can't resist playing with his tied up Dom and Louis is more than happy to give him some fun-ishment for misbehaving.

or A realistic BDSM story about how couples use kink for not just sex, but also stress relief.

Total Fics Read: 12

[mothyandthesquid]

All the remaining yarn from the British Birds series. How many species can you recognise from the yarn? If you’d like any of these, now is a good time as I’ll be discontinuing most of them and just keeping a few favourites as repeatables.

I’m also thinking about what my next big project will be. Not birds, as I think I’ll make either Eurasian birds next year’s subscription (or maybe birds of the Americas, I’m not sure yet). Any suggestions are welcome.

In the interim, I’m going to do a Summer Garden mini collection before we go to Norway next month. There will be floral colours and speckles, in contrast to the Birds and Cats I’ve created so far this year. When we return I’ll be dyeing Advent Calendars and then the next series.

If you’d like yarn for summer, please get it this month. I’m going to be out of the country for a couple of weeks at the beginning of July and when I return the English schools will have finished and it will be too late to get anything for your holiday projects. Thank you for your understanding.

[jupiterovprsten]

winter door

[shyroism]

Art stream to celebrate the new Hololive English members! I'm super excited to draw them and to see their debuts in few days. Starts in about 2 hours!

[ltwilliammowett]

The East India Company ships

The East and West India Company ships were not ship types in the usual sense. They were generic terms for a series of merchant ship types that travelled between Europe and the overseas colonies in the East and West. Common features of these ships were three masts, several cannons and a high bulwark to make it more difficult for attackers to board them. Their valuable cargo made the ships attractive targets, so they often travelled in convoys, accompanied by medium-armed merchant ships or frigates for protection. But let's go into more detail.

The East Indiaman 'Earl of Abergavenny', off Southsea, by Thomas Luny 1801

The ships of the East India Company were the ships of the English East India Company, a public limited company (shipowners at the early time of the East India Company contributed their ships to the company and received a certain share in the company in return. They received a proportionate share of the company's overall profits and received a dividend even if their own ship was lost, since the 18th century the company build their own ones as well.) which traded with Asia from 1600 to 1834. The company had a monopoly on trade with the East Indies, China and other regions, and its ships carried goods such as spices, tea, silk, cotton, porcelain and opium. The company also played an important role in the colonisation and administration of India and other territories.

East India Company ships at Deptford, by English School, c. 1660

The ships of the East India Company were known as East Indiamen or as Indiamen and were among the largest and most modern of their time. They were designed to withstand long voyages, carry heavy cargoes and defend themselves against pirates and enemy ships. They were also equipped with cannons and muskets and had a crew of sailors, soldiers, officers and passengers. Because of the need to carry heavy cannons, the hull of the East Indiamen - like most warships of the time - was much wider at the waterline than on the upper deck, so the guns on the upper deck were closer to the centreline to increase stability. This is known as a tumblehome. The ships usually had two complete decks for accommodation within the hull and a raised aft deck. The aft deck and the deck below were lit by galleries with square windows at the stern. To support the weight of the galleries, the hull lines were full towards the stern. As mentioned above, the ships were armed and painted to look like a warship and an attacker could not be sure if the embrasures were real or just painted, and some Indiamen carried a substantial armament.

Two views of an East Indiaman of the time of King William III, by Issac Sailmaker, 1685

The Royal Navy acquired several East Indiamen during the Napoleonic Wars and made them fourth rate ships (e.g. HMS Weymouth and HMS Madras), perpetuating the confusion of military ships with merchant vessels as prizes. In some cases, the East Indiamen successfully fended off attacks by the French. One of the most famous incidents occurred in 1804 when a fleet of East India ships and other merchant vessels under Commodore Nathaniel Dance successfully fought off a squadron commanded by Admiral Linois at the Battle of Pulo Aura in the Indian Ocean. And during this time, some of the ships were even travelling under the protection of a Letter of Marque, which allowed them to make their own prizes.

The East Indiaman 'Prince of Wales' disembarking troops off Gravesend, 1845, by John Lynn, 1845 or later - She was built by Green's of Blackwall in 1842 to a design known as that of the "Blackwall Frigates" - Indiamen with the single-decked appearance of frigates.

The ships of the India Companies were not only involved in trade, but also in exploration, diplomacy, warfare and scientific research. They visited many harbours and islands, built factories and forts, fought in battles and wars, negotiated treaties and alliances and collected samples and data. With the advent of the smaller and faster Blackwall Frigates in 1834 came the end of the great Indiamen as these small frigates sailed much faster.