#and I do think this book very much fills a niche that didn't really exist previously

[alliluyevas]

I've been reading the newly released American Zion: A New History of Mormonism by Benjamin Park, which I would definitely recommend. I had a bit of a hard time connecting with it at first because it's a historical overview and especially when it comes to 19th century Mormon history I already had read about most of what it covers in more depth, but a) I think the target audience of this book is someone with less historical knowledge about Mormonism than I have b) I think it does provide a very solid and nuanced overview of the material for that person who is not willing or able to read 20 different books about 19th century Mormonism c) now that we're in the 20th century, which overall I know much less about in terms of Mormon history, a lot of this is new to me or has details or analysis I didn't know.

[purplekoop]

So Marvel Rivals, that's an interesting surprise from nowhere! A new hero shooter with emphasis on the "Hero", but with a 6v6 format... huh. Interesting.

I'd do a full breakdown of everything shown so far but that feels like a job for someone with a usable computer. For now I'll just give my quick thoughts as a fan of both the genre and the IP.

On the Marvel side of things there's a good bit to be excited for already, with an interesting roster of picks already. Got a lot of obvious staples along plenty of choices that don't feel like cheap MCU tie-ins. Glad there's already a few X-men in, and genuinely very happy to see some characters I've literally never heard of. Again this mostly feels great because of how the MCU dominance has been overtly a hindrance to games like Marvel vs Capcom Infinite, where if a character didn't have a movie already out or in the works then they had a fat chance of getting in, even for series staples like Doctor Doom and literally any X-men characters.

On the gameplay side I can't say too much on the finer details, but it looks like individual characters bring a lot of interesting mechanics to the game. Doctor Strange can make portals, Hulk has his iconic leap and even has a transformation mechanic where he seems to need to spend some time as Banner before he can do the real work, and Loki has some sort of copycat technique. So... teleporting teammates, leaping and getting angry, duplication... yeah maybe these aren't as unique as they sound when tied to characters with a history of using those abilities outside of games.

There does also seem to be some sort of unique "team up" mechanic, like Hulk can lend Iron Man some gamma energy to power up his big laser blasts, or Rocket can scamper onto Groot's back in classic fashion. Not sure if these are unique interactions based on specific synergies, or if it's a more modular system, like first example coming to mind, Kirby Star Allies. Either has some balance or mechanical concerns, but it certainly sounds interesting.

The third person camera is also unique for a hero shooter, which makes me anticipate a less aim-intensive game and one more about movement, ability usage, and team play. Definitely a fair choice given the cast, plus I imagine it's compelling to actually see the iconic character you're controlling.

Now a big point I wanna address:

Will this be the Overwatch killer??

...no, probably not, sorry.

I think regardless of how much this game succeeds or OW2 fails, I don't think it's going to be much of a competition. Not as in Overwatch is gonna curb stomp it, but I just don't see the two games butting heads that much. Marvel Rivals seems to be going in its own direction with the finer details, even something as simple as first versus third person camera seems to inform pretty sweeping differences.

Plus, in the past I think calling any game the "killer" of the previous big thing in the genre. Looking to Overwatch specifically, people tried to call it the TF2 killer, which... I mean TF2 kinda killed itself trying to be like Overwatch, so bad example, but even with Valve's shortsighted incompetence TF2 never totally died, it's still got a solid playerbase and plenty of fans in spite of its rough post-2016 history, and with Overwatch existing completely fine alongside it. And "Overwatch killers" have come in the past, but never really meant much to OW besides some players deciding they preferred the other game more. Apex and Valorant are more just other subgenres with a "Hero" twist and not quite the same kind of game as OW, but Paladins was undoubtedly trying to fill that more specific niche. And... it didn't totally fail. No seriously, any game that still has its fans and active players, however few, is worth respect in my book.

I think that's the beauty of it, that multiple teams are willing and able to make their own approach to the same concept! That's how we get interesting new ideas, and move the subgenre forward in cool ways! To be blunt, ideally for me OW2 AND Marvel Rivals go on to coexist and both be great! If people prefer one over the other then that's fantastic, but the fact multiple options exist with their own ideas and approaches is so cool to me.

It's like with a similar subgenre developing over the past few years: platform fighters, or "Smash clones" for the outdated term. In the release downtime after the three most recent Smash games, we saw more and more teams try their hand at that uniquely accessible and interesting subgenre of fighting games, and it's been so exciting to see progress over time. We saw a good number of indie attempts after Smash 4, but after Ultimate we've been seeing bigger and bolder teams take serious attempts at a quality contender to challenge Smash. And while each new one garnering the title of "Smash Killer" is more and more of a meme, we're now seeing games that genuinely reach that level of polish and quality. Rivals of Aether 2 is personally the one I'm SO excited about in this respect. But I also can't help but think of the one platform fighter in recent memory that genuinely did Fail, at least in temporary dramatic fashion:

...Multiversus.

Yes, the hellish concept of a free to play fighting game, which prided itself on its grind culture. Now the utterly bizarre mess that is/was/will be Multiversus is sort of a unique disaster, but I can't help but imagine the worst for Marvel Rivals just because it shares that dreaded "f2p" label. Maybe it won't be too bad, but considering early screenshots imply characters need to be unlocked makes me assume the worst.

Frankly my biggest hope, however unlikely it is, is that these two games pressure each other to fix their individual shortcomings. Have OW2 Season 10 making heroes free make Marvel want to do the same, and have Marvel's 6v6 format make OW2 bite the bullet and revert to the same to fix its otherwise impossible to solve balance mess.

...no that's a lie, my biggest hope is actually that Wasp makes it in as a support and gets a skin based on her Earth's Mightiest Heroes look. Or better yet make that the basis for her default design, the designs are another promising point for this game so I have hope they can recognize quality.

[reidscanehand]

“if i loved you less, i might be able to talk about it more” for spencer please?

i’m not sure if this counts as a dialogue prompt bc it’s a book quote so feel free to ignore it !! but i know you love austen so thought it’d be cute (if it’s too much pressure bc you love the books, no worries !!)

x

Spencer Reid never thought he'd have something like this. The years of loneliness piled onto his pre-existent trauma made him feel as though there was never enough good about him to make up for the bad.

But then he'd met you. Beautiful, wonderful, and oh-so-very-kind you. Falling in love with you had been stupidly simple. Cliche, even. From the moment he'd met you, your kindness had enveloped him in an almost caress-like warmth, filling in the cracks in his heart and soul from the inside out.

You'd nodded sweetly in understanding when he'd admitted he didn't want to shake your hand the day you'd joined the team. You'd asked him to explain geographical profiling to the most minute of details when you'd realized he needed a breather from the complexity of your first case. You'd played chess with him on the jet, smiling as he explained the game and losing to him every single time with the biggest grin on your face. You'd noticed his insecurity, of course, it was difficult not to notice, but you were one of the first new people in Spencer's life to do something about it. There was an awkward tilt of your head in his periphery as he made a self-deprecating comment, someone taking him up on his offers of oddball festivals and niche film festivals. Someone who took the time to call him and check on him after cases. Someone who made sure he was eating and drinking water in between sugary sweet coffees.

Someone for whom his feelings only grew stronger and yet more tender as they progressed. And someone who - thankfully - felt the same way about him. Then it wasn't a cliche anymore - it was a joyous reality.

And now it's just the two of you. The two of you living together in his apartment. The two of you sprawled out on his sofa. His head is in your lap and you're gently combing through his hair with your fingers, reading a book out loud. He'd been doing the same for you until about an hour ago, but then you'd insisted on switching when he'd yawned. You encouraged him to sleep, and when he'd pouted playfully about missing out on the chapter (even though he definitely already knows the entire book from memory), you'd rolled your eyes, but sweetly agreed to "catch him up" at another time.

Happier than he's ever been, he's sure, he's almost lulled to sleep - almost - when he hears you reach his favorite part:

“'My dearest Emma,' said he, 'for dearest you will always be, whatever the event of this hour’s conversation, my dearest, most beloved Emma⁠—tell me at once. Say ‘No,’ if it is to be said.'—She could really say nothing.⁠—'You are silent,' he cried, with great animation; 'absolutely silent! at present I ask no more,'" you read in your quiet, soothing timbre. "Emma was almost ready to sink under the agitation of this moment. The dread of being awakened from the happiest dream, was perhaps the most prominent feeling.

'I cannot make speeches, Emma,' he soon resumed; and in a tone of such sincere, decided, intelligible tenderness as was tolerably convincing-"

“If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more," Spencer whispers with you. You stop abruptly, smiling down at him with such adoration that he's sure his heart, his brain stops for just a moment, just to let him live in the moment a little longer. You lean down, pressing a quick kiss to his lips, cupping his jaw and running your thumb over his nose and cheekbones.

You clear your throat a bit, sitting back up and pulling the book back into your eye line, "And so we go on."

So we do, Spencer thinks as he begins to fall asleep, forevermore.

~~~

Thank you for the request - I hope you like it! xx