#and is so easy to find really fun new stories and creators

[lookinlikeaking]

( cover by @jean-wei ) I've seen a lot of posts on Tumblr from individual comic authors about their comics in the fair, but I haven't seen any main posts about the fair itself, so it's time to create one I guess!! But I'm not good at copy, so I'm just gonna steal words and assets from the site to make the post. Please check it out, it's really cool and I am worried it's not getting as much attention as it should thanks to how killed the ex-bird-site is now. <3

ShortBox Comics Fair is an innovative and pioneering digital comics fair, with participating artists from around the world all debuting new, original comics!

The aim of the fair is to serve as both a creative impetus for artists to make something new, and to provide a platform for fresh and unique independent comics, gathered in one place.

ShortBox Comics Fair is an accessible, comics-focused event: artists and comics readers can participate from anywhere in the world (no travel, no con-crud, no lugging suitcases full of comics back and forth!).

The fair takes place annually throughout October. Exhibiting artists retain full ownership/rights of their comics and receive 100% of sales (minus payment processing fees).

[54625]

You wake up from a very long and exhausting dream. It's late November, 2023. QSMP is alive and well, it seems. The server is full of life every single day, at least 15 separate people logging in per week. Mariana, Rubius, Felps, Lenay, German, Carre and Kameto all play often if not full time. Wilbur and Forever were never even part of the server, and Lullah was only added because the admins thought it would be funny to make Phil take care of two children instead of one. Cellbit's murdering fed workers arc is in full swing, perfectly incorporating the storylines of so many people like Bagi, Roier, Pac, and Foolish, tying them all together. Slimecicle's code corruption arc is building too, and it looks like the story will be having its climax soon. There are cultural events all the time still, and so many more that are planned for the future have already been announced. Fit and Pac are still in slow burn mode, and really hard selling it.

"What?" You say, lost. "What happened to purgatory, wasn't that in November?" You ask.

"What are you talking about? Do you mean the competitive QSMP adjacent series that happens every couple of months, involving tons of international creators, completely unrelated to QSMP lore, that QSMP creators can choose to take part in if they want to?" Says the community.

Well that's strange. Not quite how I remember it, you think. "What about the workers? Their mistreatment?" You worry.

"Mistreatment? Of workers?" The QSMP fans laugh, "most of the QSMP admins have come out on their public social media accounts that they're allowed to have about how fun it is to work for Quackity Studios; how easy the workload is, how reasonable the pay is, and how appreciated they feel! Communication between all admins, CCs, and management is apparently really streamlined, and they address all problems so efficiently! Did you know that recently they realised that they didn't have enough French speaking admins, and so immediately went and sought more to hire?"

"Okay..." You're more than a little confused, "what about the eggs?"

"The eggs? You mean the dragons?" You get a figurative nudge and a wink. "Did you really never see? It was big news and happened a couple of months back; the eggs all went missing for a short while - about a fortnight - but it was then revealed that they went away to find somewhere to hide so they could hatch! The players all went to find them and they had all hatched into little dragons (unique models and all) and it was quite emotional. Now there are no tasks and they can't die, and they aren't around all of the time, but they visit often!"

Huh, you think. Maybe it was all just a bad dream.

[phantomarine]

Hey what were you trying to say in your “it gets good at page 1001” post

Was it more of a comment directed at yourself ( self degradation), is it satire about perfectionism,

Is it supposed to be inspirational for Beginners webcomic creators, or we’re you just in a bad mood?

More of a warning against self-sabotage, because I see it so much. Sometimes it's tied to perfectionism, sometimes it's the opposite - people surrendering to imperfection when they don't really have to.

Creator chat incoming. I'll put it under the deelybob for anyone who wants to read it 👇

I've been in the webcomic sphere for several years now and I've seen so many people introduce their comic with 'I know it's very long and not easy to read, and I won't be going back and changing anything about what I've already made - but please critique it so I can make the rest of the pages better and attract a bigger audience from now on.'

And that's a hard thing to respond to. If a reader can't get through all those existing pages without being confused or bored, then how can they get to the good stuff that lies past them?

So much of gaining an audience is about actively making it easy to 'fall into' a work. Without that easy entry point, it's always going to be an uphill battle to build an audience, no matter how good the later chapters get. There are outliers, but most webcomics won't be those outliers, especially with thousands of them available nowadays. Some people love the grind, but most people will jump to a new tab and try to find something less frustrating.

And webcomic creation is particularly cursed by its very nature. Creators are hesitant to go back and edit pages, even once they've figured out more details about their craft or story structure. It's mostly because of the seeming permanence of it all - the art takes ages and the words feel unchangeable if even one other person has read them. To go back and edit is to publicly admit your failings, right? That's how it feels. What do you MEAN you didn't get it right the first time? You were supposed to do it live, and do it PERFECTLY!

But ideally it shouldn't be any different than prose writing, which is ALL ABOUT finding the story in those edits. And because your story is digital, you can go back and change things whenever you feel like it. A webcomic is fluid.

And if you're thinking 'I should just redraw my whole first chapter' - NO! Hell no, old art can be a part of the appeal! It's far more about finding little tricks to convey your story/characters more clearly. I have read some first chapters with janky art that made me fall completely in love with the story and cast. It's not about the art - as with all things comic-related, it's about conveyance.

Examples I've seen and some I've used myself: A single extra page with a meaningful interaction can solidify the theme of a character's arc. One additional 5-to-10-page scene can help add visual context for an offscreen event where there was none before. Adding a map can tell people where the characters currently are. Changing a character design can help if they get often confused with another character. Redoing your lettering to make it more legible is a huge one too.

In the end, I just don't want people to be afraid of small edits. When I got feedback about the bad clarity of my own work, I knew it would take some time to fix those problems. It wasn't fun to think about or to do, but I'm glad I did it in the end - because it would have limited my audience tremendously. With just a bit of extra effort, I opened a door that wasn't there before, and it now leads more people even more easily to 'the good stuff.'

tl;dr You started your webcomic for a reason, and you're learning more things about its characters, story, and craft every day. Don't be afraid to go back to old pages and inject some of that wisdom through editing. Even a little can go a long way.

***Caveat: If your goal is to just create chaotically, with no goal of gaining an audience, you are a wild and free little thing, and I am in awe of you. This whole rant doesn't apply to you, and you are stronger than me.

[crustaceousfaggot]

Why you should give Text Adventure games a try (and how to do so)

There is not nearly enough love for Text Adventure Games here on Tumblr. Or anywhere really. But especially here, I feel like you guys would really get a kick out of them. Here's why:

(quick note, I'm gonna be using the words Text Adventure and Interactive Fiction pretty interchangeably here. Technically that's not perfectly accurate, they are technically different things, but I don't care to explain the difference Just roll with it.)

So

Do you like weird short stories told through unconventional mediums? That's most of what Interactive Fiction is

You like story based video games but hate the finicky combat? Congrats, there is literally no combat skill required beyond the ability to type "hit guard with crowbar"

Blind or visually impaired? Since these games are (with a few exceptions) entirely text based, they work great with a screen reader!

Sick of profit motivated AAA titles with no creative integrity? Well, these games are almost always produced by a single nerd (usually a horrid amalgamation of computer geek and literature geek) with no budget and no responsibilities of the product they're making. And they're usually not paid, since these games are free. Text Adventure is a labour of love, and in most games you can feel the care and effort the creator has put into the game.

Sick of spending $20-70 on a video game? Lucky you, I've been playing TA for years and I have not spent a cent in doing so (Fallen Londen will try to make you pay. But Fallen Londen sucks and is run by bigots. Fuck Fallen London.) Games are either available free on a browser, or as free, small downloadable files (most of which can be played using the Parchment Interpreter)

Wish you read more, but reliant on the quick dopamine of digital media? Well now you can read while also being an active participant in the narrative.

Bad at puzzles? Me too! Games from the 80s and 90s, as well as more famous newer games, have walkthroughs and hints easily available online. Newer games tend to either have a "hint" command, or come with a walkthrough file.

Do you like weird surrealist horror? Well there's... A lot of it.

Okay, but where do I start?

So there are two types of text adventure. The one you might be more accustomed to, and which sees more modern use, is called Hypertext Interactive Fiction. The other is called Parser Interactive Fiction, it's generally seen in older games, as well as games that are larger, feature more puzzles, or involve more exploration.

Hypertext games

Basically, the game will give you a scenario, and then a list of options (hypertext links) to click on to decide what to do next. These are usually more beginner friendly since you don't need to fiddle around with parsers, but personally I find them a bit limiting. Nonetheless, if you're new to Text Adventure, they're a good place to start.

Some of my favourites hypertext games (summaries in green)

My Father's Long, Long Legs is an interactive horror story about family, unease, and loss. Really more of a story than a game, but still good. Very nice use of sound. It does have some visual aspects, so this one might not work with screen readers

Scene Kid Simulator is pretty much what it says on the tin. A cute, nostalgic, coming-of-age slice of life story from the POV of a 2000s scene preteen. Nothing special, but a fun time.

The Uncle Who Works at Nintendo is a strange, unconventional, witty, and heartfelt horror game. Your friend has an uncle who he says works for Nintendo. You're about to meet him, or so he says. A fun and spooky look at childhood, childhood friendships, and childhood lies.

16 Ways to Kill a Vampire at McDonald's is... A joy to play. The name says it all honestly. Witty, charming, tense, engaging, and emotional when it wants to be. I actually found this one through a lucky Tumblr Blaze, which makes sense since this is perfectly suited to Tumblr sensibilities. This one has more puzzle aspects than most hypertext games, but it's still relatively easy and beginner friendly. You're a vampire hunter. It's your night off, and you go to McDonald's. But there's something wrong with the customer sitting beside you...

Toadstools is a game about hunting mushrooms. You have trespassed in a national park and you are wandering blindly through the woods looking for rare fungi. Good luck :)

Parser games

Okay these fuckers are where I really get excited. These games have the classic flashing cursor line where you input text like "go north", "search bookshelf", or "kiss my husband", and the game's rudimentary AI parses your input to decide what happens next. These are my favourites. They really allow you the feeling of exploring the game world, immerse you in the protagonist and the story, using just text on a screen and simple inputs. This does make them considerably more difficult, since a) you need to decide the right way to phrase what you want to do, otherwise it won't work, and b) more possibilities means more chances to mess up and miss things. Unlike video games, your cursor won't light up when you see something important, you'll have to search stuff and work things out on your own But, in my opinion, it is so, so worth it. Summaries in red

The first text adventure game I ever played was One Eye Open. It's an extremely graphic and gory medical horror game (although I would consider it tasteful medical horror, in that it never derives horror from medical procedures, disability, or ooOoHh gross scary sick people) You play as a volunteer test subject for a medical research facility, having to unravel the mystery of the hospital's bloody past. It's good. It's fun. It's tense. It has some really dumb mechanics. Don't play if you're sensitive to descriptions of gore, death, or corpses. This one doesn't have a walkthrough, but I've played it enough times to know the puzzles by heart, DM me if you need help.

Anchorhead is possibly my favourite piece of interactive fiction I've ever played. It's incredible. You play as a newlywed woman, moving to the small seaside town of Anchorhead after your husband Michael inherited a mansion from some distant relatives. There's something wrong with the town though. There's definitely something wrong with your husband's mysterious ancestors. And you're starting to think that there might be something strange happening to Michael. Get ready for some wonderfully atmospheric and immersive Lovecraftian horror, action sequences that are incredibly vibrant for Text Adventure, and a super compelling mystery that the game lets you work out on your own. The puzzles here are hard. I'm not gonna lie, I used a walkthrough at several points during this game. But my god it's worth it. Big massive huge content warning here for mentions of incest, sexual assault, and pedophilia. Not in excess, and nothing explicit, but it will be mentioned as part of the story.

Little Blue Men is a short, strange, sci-fi-ish horror-ish comedy-ish game by the same author as Anchorhead, though the two games are wildly different. You are an office worker. Cope with it. Take The Stanley Parable, Stella Firma, and Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, mash 'em together, and you have Little Blue Men. It's bizarre. It's evocative. It's pretty darn good.

Coloratura is a strangely beautiful sci-fi story. You're a weird little alien blob. You've been separated from your home and are trapped aboard a human spaceship. You need to get home, need to make the humans understand in the only ways you can: color and song.

Slouching Towards Bedlam is a brilliant little steampunk game about language, choice, cults, Armageddon, and triangles. This game has multiple endings. It's neat in that none of the endings are really "good" or "bad". Rather, you need to decide where you stand, and act in the way you think is best.

The Lurking Horror is the grandparent of horror interactive fiction, released in the late 80s. You're a tech student in university. Something more than electricity is powering the school's computers. Find it, but don't die along the way. Besides the comically archaic descriptions of computers, this game doesn't feel all that dated. It's tricky, puzzle-heavy, and charmingly surreal. (Fun fact, this game and another old TA game called Zork inspired the "darkness kills you" mechanic which would later be popularized in Don't Starve!)

Nine Lives is a very short, very weird, very cartoony game where you play a cat that is very bad at staying alive. Cw for non-graphic but repeated cat death.

Spider and Web is one of the most ingenious uses of Text Adventure as a medium I've ever seen. It's famous for having one of, if not the singular best puzzles in video game history. It's tense, it's fast-paced, it introduces you to mechanics slowly and then lets you test them out on your own. I won't spoil too much, but you play as a very badass spy, reliving your brilliant heist during an interrogation. This game even features a character destined to be a Tumblr Sexyman. It really has it all.

If anyone actually read through all this, and has even considered playing any of these games, I'll be a little surprised. This post turned out a lot longer than I wanted it to be. It was meant to just be "hey interactive fiction is a cool and underappreciated medium, go check it out", but this is my special interest, and not one I often get to talk about. I guess this was me infodumping to the only place that will listen, the empty void of the internet. But these games are fun. And they do not get enough love. Text games are a dying genre, if they're not dead already. Give them a chance, show them some love.

[deadpresidents]

What do you make of some of the tumblr presidential fan accounts and their activities? Shitposting, fanart, bizarre headcanons, etc?

There are A LOT of those fan sites about the Presidents and the Presidency on Tumblr! I'm shocked at the sheer number of them that have been popping up over the past few years. I don't follow very many other Tumblrs, but they are frequently recommended to me on my dashboard and I often see my stuff being reblogged by them, so I do notice them and know what you are referencing. I usually don't follow them, but it's not because I'm some sort of history snob. I've just never followed all that many blogs here on Tumblr. Some of those Presidential fan sites on Tumblr can be weird and seem to have some goofy posts and reblogs that I just don't "get", but that's normally just due to the fact that I'm old and boring and socially incompetent. Even though I'm probably one of the OGs of Presidential history blogs on Tumblr because I started Dead Presidents in 2008 (!!!), my site has always been pretty normal, straightforward history for those 15+ years. For the first few years, I even tried to steer away from being too political because I worried it would interfere with the credibility of the history writing I was publishing on Tumblr. That all changed in 2015 when I couldn't stay on the sidelines as Trumpism started taking over. But my Tumblr has always been mostly conventional, and a lot of those Presidential fan sites are very much unconventional.

I think because of that the assumption would be that I'm annoyed or dismissive of the Presidential fan Tumblrs that you mentioned because of how unconventional they can be. However, that's not the case at all. I actually think it's really fucking cool that so many young people -- and most of those Presidential fandom Tumblrs belong to really young people -- are into history, especially Presidential history, so much that they've shaped their own little universe about it. There's some really creative stuff that I've seen when sites are recommended and pop up on my dashboard. I'm particularly impressed by the Presidential fan art that a lot of these kids are posting. They are having fun and they are finding unique ways to expand history literacy, which has always been one of my main goals for creating Dead Presidents in the first place, posting original writing, and answering questions over the years.

Again, some of the stuff goes completely over my head and I don't understand the memes because I'm old, but I still think it's really cool that people are finding their own path into the field of Presidential history -- a subject I've spent most of my life interested in and hopeful that I might be able to interest others in. And, despite what a lot of those fan sites might look like at first-glance or appear to be while quickly skimming through dashboard recommendations, a lot of these kids who are curating the sites genuinely know their shit! It's great and I'm excited by the idea that there are creators finding new ways to introduce these subjects and these endlessly fascinating stories to diverse new audiences.

At its core, history is always just a collection of connected stories about people, and with so many talented young folks finding and creating original ways of telling those stories I want to support and encourage those efforts. From what I can tell, there are a lot of these Presidential fan sites that follow me on Tumblr because I've been around forever and it's pretty easy to remember that I write about the Presidency because of my blog's name. This might make me sound even more ancient than I already am and nobody needs my validation to keep doing what they are already doing well and successfully, but I'm proud to see the work that those young people are doing to further their own interests in Presidential history and inspire history literacy through their own creativity. Those memes and fan art can animate and energize far different -- and newer -- audiences than my 3,000-word essays about Presidential history and that's so important. They are appealing to demographics that I can't reach as easily and in ways that I never would have thought of, and I'm always going to be an advocate for that (even if I never understand the memes!). And the most important part is that they are having fun exploring history and making history fun for new explorers.

[violet-fire-cat]

👀

Hehe I'm so glad I got sent a few of these! I'm gonna have fun rambling about aus now! Lots of rambling. I'm not kidding. This one at least is uh- long. Oops.

As I said before, a lot of my AUs are Ethubs focused, but hopefully you guys don't mind that! 😅

Soooo, let's see, which one should I start with, hmmmmmm. Let's go with one I was talking about with a friend a lot a few weeks ago!

And that would be -

Assassin Creed AU 🗡️ Well- it's inspired by Assassin's Creed anyway. I am not well versed enough on the series lore to do anything that sticks to it too closely. I wanted to play around with ideas a bit anyway. But I started playing one of the games again a while ago and that's where the ideas came from.

Assassin AUs have been done before, yes. But this one is mine!

Etho is an assassin, somewhere in the 18th/19th century, and has been with the Assassin's Brotherhood for most of his life. He's very good at what he does. He's smart, quick, and stealthy. Like a ghost with a knife. You won't know he's there until his blade has found it's way into your throat.

The Brotherhood consists of various other Hermits, including; Doc - retired assassin now serving as the groups main medic Tango - his targets often go out with a bang. or with fire. Grian - death from above Cleo - master of poisons and deadly concoctions Impulse - weaponsmith, where you go for a new knife or gun Zedaph - creator of gadgets and nifty tools and Mumbo - the spymaster. Kinda. Not really. Far too squeamish for assassin work. So he handles information gathering, sorting out jobs and targets, etc

They work together to take out criminals and other bad people who are causing issues in the area. As well as probably aiming to solve some sort of ancient mystery like in the games. (Though I haven't figured that part out yet.)

The story is mostly focused on Etho, a lot of what I have is about his and Bdubs' relationship too, but there's other stuff as well. Rambling continues under the cut ~

Etho doesn't interact with civillians much. But then he meets Bdubs. Bdubs is not affiliated with the Brotherhood. He's a craftsman. He works with wood, leather, and sometimes metal, making tools and clothes mostly, but weaopns too, and selling them in his little shop. Etho goes there on a whim looking for quick repairs or a replacement.

Bdubs is a pretty ordinary guy just going about his life. He has no idea what's in store for him when he meets Etho that day.

Etho is- odd. Tall and mysterious, and dressed in strange clothes. Bdubs doesn't know what to make of him. But treats him like any other customer. He does what's asked of him, Etho pays well. And he finds himself with a regular visitor.

Etho isn't entirely sure why he keeps going back there. He knows other people with the same skillset that he could go to instead. But there's something about Bdubs... There's something drawing Etho to him in a way he's never really experienced before.

Gradually, they become friends. And with time, that friendship progresses. Etho slowly falls in love with Bdubs, and realises that he's so screwed. He's never been in love before. And these- these- emotions. Are not easy to deal with! He doesn't know how to handle Bdubs being so gentle with him, so kind and smiling so sweetly.

And. Yeah. Things develop. A very touch starved Etho craves the gentleness and kindness that Bdubs gives him so easily. Etho has friends, sure, but this is different. Someone detatched from the violence of his work. Someone willing to care for him and love him despite all that he is. It's like nothing he's ever experienced before.

Bdubs never expected to get tangled up with someone like Etho. Danger surrounds him. Etho could leave one day and just. Never come back. But behind all that. Behind the layers of Trained Killer. There's a sweet, slightly shy guy that Bdubs can't help but love.

It's not all plain sailing though. No no. There's drama and chaos too of course. The nature of Etho's work kind of requires it. One time Etho returns to base badly hurt, and in a state of 'I thought I was going to die and all I wanted was to see you again,' he's asking Doc, who's looking after him, for Bdubs. Another time, Bdubs gets captured by the bad guys and Etho and the other assassin's have to rescue him. There's heartbreak as events leave Etho thinking that Bdubs doesn't want to see him anymore. And the difficulty of tracking down an assassin who doesn't want to be found. Etho becomes over protective at times, which Bdubs isn't fond of. But panic ensues when that protectiveness leads to Etho hurting Bdubs accidentally. Bdubs doesn't know what to think of seeing Etho kill someone. Knowing it happens is one thing, actually seeing it happen is another.

There's ups and downs, and I want there to be some overarching mission that Etho and the rest of the Assassin's are working towards. But I don't know what that is yet. I need to brainstorm and play the games more I think.

However, meanwhile, in the present day. Another young man, funnily enough also known as 'Etho', has somehow gotten himself roped into an investigation being done on his ansestor. A- distant cousin. Or something. He thinks. But the guy was an assassin. Which is cool. Fancy technology he'd never heard of allows him to relive the 'genetic memories' of the assassin. See what he experienced and learn about his life. About the things he did, the people he knew, and the events he was a part of. Hoping it'll help them find answers to something that's going on now.

This Etho, nerdy computer science graduate Etho, is very confused but overall rather fascinated by it all. Though he realises quickly there's a lot more at stake here than facts and figures about centuries old history. He learns a lot about his assassin ancestor and the life he lived. Maybe... Maybe too much. He's not sure that he wanted to know about the more- private parts of the guys life. It's interesting that the man the assassin was in love with looked a lot like one of the technicians working on this investigation, though. It's probably just a coincidence. The odds of it being anything else are far, far too small. But he is rather handsome, so surely you can't blame Etho for having a bit of a crush on him...

And- I am going to stop there or I could ramble all night dfghj. I love this AU a lot, if you couldn't tell. I'm probably forgetting things, but this is already more than enough to get an idea of how things go! There's assassins! And drama! And romance! And it's so much fun!

Thank you Anon for giving me an excuse to ramble endlessly about my AU! If you want to ask more about this au though then please do! Aaand maybe I'll draw something for it at some point too, I've been wanting to for a while hehe!

[matt0044]

Disney's Wish: A Simple Meal Well Made.

As somebody who enjoys all sorts of animation that hits that sweet spot for me, I agree with the general consensus of fellow cartoon fans that animation is NOT just for kids nor should it only enjoyable to kids.

I also agree that while some are made with kids in mind, that doesn't mean that they are bereft of thought put into them. Avatar might be overdone as the go-to example but that it is does speak to its quality and all those it had inspired.

Even so, even wacky comedies like Billy & Mandy have a lot of thought put into them in terms of what the creators think will bust a gut. They don't just settle for wacky comedies because it's what the kids want but more what they wanna show. Even if some are strongarmed into being more comical, most will at least roll up their sleeves and have bit of fun.

However, I feel like this need to highlight animation's appeal across generations can often have a lot of fans put pressure on certain projects from certain studios of significant recognition. That is to say, there's little room to be just "mid" as the kids call it.

Like... we all know the Oscars are bull, right? Like many even admit as much. However, this dismissal of animation each year gets to use largely because there are those who by their hype. We feel our medium has a lot to prove so each movie has to be go big or go home.

Especially after big name companies put out projects that go GIANT between Spider-Verse and The Last Wish.

Of course, as it pertains to Wish, many would consider Disney not going big was unbefitting of their centenary film. I'm not here to advocate for expecting less or that one can't feel more meat could've been added to what they feel is a bit bare bones. I mean, 100 years of movie making is nothing to sneeze at.

But baring that and all else I've discussed above, it can be REALLY easy to fall into the pit trap of seeing Wish far less for what it is and a lot more for what it isn't.

For me?

I found the pacing fairly brisk from start to finish with the songs rarely ever feeling like non sequiturs. Rarely did any moment truly drag out with or was there just because of marketing or comic relief.

I love how we had less of a mystery around King Magnifico being a very selfish behind the scene from Act 1 and only getting worse when he perceives a threat to his power. It very much reads like a fantastical take on Walt Disney's rise in power and shadiness behind the charming facade.

While the heroine was archetypical, I found Asha's story and her friends getting swept up in facing the king more true to life than you think. Especially when viewed through the lens of being analogous to Disney:

King Magnifico as this benevolent ruler who harbors many wishes he promised he might grant. Many of which either come down to how they may not serve him or even threaten him like Saba's. That is, anything new or off-beat that could undermine what he's accomplished or feels entitled to.

Asha being this castle worker who tries to get the position of working with the big man himself and does... only to learn his shady side. Much like how Disney fans find any position in the company to not be the dream job they thought it'd be before learning how deep the rabbit hole goes.

Asha finds another source of magic that grants wishes and unintentionally threatens Magnifico. Given the indie animation boom, it's hard to not see this as creators taking IPs into their own hands without the backing of big megacorps.

Magnifico delves into dark magic that depreive him more and more of whatever scruples he had left in order to quash this rebellion. I think we've seen too many examples of bigger companies trying to outdo the little guys via unethical means of increasing production for money.

The King utilizes the wishes to get more power. Gee, where have I heard the creation of others being stolen/locked away for personal greed? Know anything, Davey-boy?

Asha rounds up her friend to expose the truth. Many of them organize a way to stop this injustice while the King buy out one of their own to try and undermine them. Hmmmm. Anybody hear of any strikes that went on recently?

The climax involves the king's people collectively embracing their inner stars to stand up to the tyrant he's become. Again, strikes?

Hell, I can't help but feel like the Easter Eggs were as lowkey as they could if only so these elements could be highlighted. Surprising considering how nostalgia baiting has been en vogue lately.

But that's a grand chunk of my disorganized thoughts on a movie that I feel many will get worked up now but look back on with a touch more of appreciation. It's hardly the best movie ever and maybe a "Go Giant" ambitious film would have been a crowd pleaser.

But the movie is what it is. And I like it for what it is.

[jeremywhitley]

Official NEW GRAPHIC NOVEL announcement! THE DOG KNIGHT from @mackidsbooks and Feiwel and Friends is the first in a brand new series from @jeremywhitley, Bre Indigo & Melissa Capriglioni and it's coming in May!

You can pre-order the book right here: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250756725/thedogknight

When non-binary middle schooler Frankie Bryant saved a dog from a couple of bullies, they had no idea it would change their life. They were offered a chance to become The Dog Knight, the protector of the sacred pact between humans and dogs.

Now they have the ability to hear and understand dogs, to see the invisible forces threatening the world that only dogs can see, and the assistance of The Pawtheon, a council of super dogs, representing the best of all values dogs hold most dear.

But before Frankie can take the job officially, they must complete a series of trials to show that they have these traits dogs value: Loyalty, Kindness, Honestly, Justice, Stubbornness, and an impeccable sense of smell.  But the forces of chaos want Frankie to fail, so it won't be easy! But it will be fun and entertaining for all ages from middle grades on up!

Check out what other comics creators had to say about The Dog Knight: "A delightful story of fate-of-the-world friendship and adventure, filled with a ton of heart... and tails too." -- Unbeatable Squirrel Girl author Ryan North @ryannorth

"The Dog Knight is a classic hero's journey with a unique, relatable hero wearing a very silly hat. I mean helm. And a lot of very charming dogs. I really like it, and I am saying that as an avowed cat person." - Dana Simpson, Phoebe and her Unicorn

"A well crafted story about the struggles of children who identify as nonbinary. The Dog Knight shows us that when we are true to ourselves and stand up for what’s right, everybody wins; A powerful lesson in leading by example, illustrated in spectacular fashion." --Andrew Aydin, coauthor of MARCH and RUN

We know this book is undoubtedly going to get push back in the current political climate, so if this is something you want to read, we really encourage you to pre-order the book, share this post, and tell all your friends, family, librarians, book sellers, comic book sellers, followers, and even random strangers. 

We’re so excited to share this with you!

Find out more and preorder here: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250756725/thedogknight

[chibi-tsukiko]

How do you write and draw so well?

Do you have any tips for both?

I am a beginner artist and I am considering starting to write

Thank you for your kindness, you are always so lovely!

Akdjdjskjd first, dear anon you flatter me 🙈🙈

Second, I think as creators, we’re constantly learning which makes us all “beginners” really 😘

Now, as for tips, my biggest one is to:

Just do it.

As cliché as it sounds, I feel it’s the best one. Just dive straight into it - write that story or draw that pic. And if you find that you enjoy it, keep doing it - even on the days you feel less than spectacular. 🩵

Some other tips:

There’s a lot of content and creators out there so it’s easy to fall down the rabbit hole of comparison, but try your best to focus on the joy you get from creating. Because at the end of the day, that’s the most important thing. (Also self-indulgent content pieces are the best ones 😆)

Experiment! I’m constantly downloading different brushes to Procreate (since I’m a digital artist) and watching tutorials from artist I enjoy and messing around with styles. Doesn’t always turn out the best and I tend to stick to my style, but it’s fun to dip into something new.

Writing is the same way. Experiment with different POVs, platforms, genres, etc. There are many ways to go about writing say a novel, so don’t be afraid to play around with different methods (outlining, sticky notes, etc) to find what works best for you!

Something I like to do when I want to expand my details/ descriptions or even to just get the juices flowing is “Show don’t Tell.” Pick an emotion and write a short excerpt/ scene that portrays that emotion without actually saying what the emotion is.

I also write script-style sometimes when doing dialogue for a scene, as if I’m writing a play. It helps me focus more on the conversation exchange. Then I can go in and flush out the details and descriptions for the scene afterwards.

My last tip that I’ll give you so I stop rambling forever is share your work.

It doesn’t have to be right away, and it doesn’t have to be every single thing you create. It can be done privately between you and a close friend, or publicly on some sort of media platform, but sharing your creations -while nerve wracking at times-can be so fulfilling when you find others that share your interests and appreciate the work and passion you put into your projects.

It can also be a great way to get feedback, if that’s something you’re looking for/ ask for.

ANYWAY! I hope this was helpful! I’d love to see your creations if you ever feel like sharing them!

Have an amazing day my sweet Anon! And Happy creating!! ✨🩷

[bonesandthebees]

Internship is certainly going. I want to say going okay… I could be doing better but I kinda got unlucky with my internship spot and workload. This would be much easier to explain if I could just say what kinda of internship it is, but that kinda feels like too much details both for my current degree and the job I’ll be doing after. (Internet safety and all that). Anyway, what I can say is that anyone in the field irl pulls a face when they hear about my internship. The workload feels impossible, but somehow I’m doing it and I’m about half way through so *aggressively knocks on wood* it should be fine.

I do have a different internship in like a month or so and some other projects but those feel like child’s play compared to the current hell incarnate. So moral of the story: sometimes you just get to have a few mental breakdowns, pick yourself back up and go again the next day (again and again and again and again). It’s like that quote: [“It gets a little bit easier every day, but you have to keep doing it.”] or what’s the other one? [the only way out is through]. And then take plenty of breaks and do fun things even if it feels like you don’t have the time because that’s the only thing that’ll keep you going. The world is always more manageable after a good meal or a power nam or a 15 minute music break.

I’ve been blasting a lot of music based on moods, getting back into Dutch music because girl, I need to learn how to spell properly and every internship I have a song that gets me through. This one it’s ‘secret for the mad’ by Dodie. I’ve had to loop it over and over to get the motivation to try at times, to really let the words sink in, but it helps. So find a song to get you through when you need it.

Lastly, I’ve been meaning to say something about Him, but I just haven’t had the time and energy to write something coherent (aka I’m not using my 30 minutes of evening downtime that are just for me for this negative energy). Best thing is can say is that this is a good opportunity to get into new creators. Just have fun with it (hermitcraft season 10 has been getting be through this). Listen to new music. Try new things to fill the void. I’ve pruned all my playlists and social media follows and such and it felt like a fresh start. (Oh and learned your red flags people. People who don’t respect your boundaries (no matter how small) can be(come) very dangerous.)

My only issue now is that I can play since I saw Vienna and La Jolla on guitar (the picking patterns always smooth me), but now I’m not sure if I can keep doing that. I haven’t tried playing them. I feel like I should look at the lyrics first then decide. But I haven’t found any picking songs with the same soothing vibe, so I’ve been playing a bunch of my classical pieces and I really like playing the ‘romantic’ ones and for some reason the polkas and the blues? So again filling the void.

Anyway, thanks for all the well wishes. I’ve been missing you guys. This has been chaotic life updates with Spruce. I really need to start being productive now. So, bye!

-🌲

yeah of course don't say any details that would reveal too much info about you, but man that sounds stressful :( at least you'll switch to something else in a month?? I'm so sorry you're stuck in hell rn I hope you get through it alright!! make sure to take it easy when you can!! you're so right the world is so much easier to deal with after a power nap or a snack

oooo I haven't heard secret for the mad in a long time but I used to listen to dodie from time to time. I used to think of such angsty scenarios with my ships while listening to 'sick of losing soulmates'

also it's so real to have a song to help you get through shit like that. I'd say rn for me one of those songs is all american bitch by olivia rodrigo because I just have a lot of fun screaming it in the car. tested waters by loupe is a calmer one I've been listening to on repeat lately

you're right this is a great opportunity to get into new creators. I was already drifting to watching qsmp creators more often besides just phil and tubbo, but now I've been trying to tune into bagi and tina's streams if I have the time

definitely look at the lyrics first, but I feel like out of most of the ycgma songs since I saw vienna and la jolla are two of the 'safest' options you could pick for something like that. at least compared to your sister was right and losing face...

la jolla and since i saw vienna are both such pretty songs though. there's nothing wrong with playing those on your own guitar I'd say? it's not giving any money to him. but of course it's up to your own personal comfort.

good luck spruce!!! ty for checking in we all miss you over here!! <33

[thefirstknife]

can we please. go one (1) week without the PVP obsessed people going off about how PVP is the only thing that matters in the game. im so very tired. "PVE people are probably about to find out that PVE can't carry the game because PVP is ruined and we're all gonna quit and play better games" please just can they shut up and go already instead of threatening us with a good time they never follow through on??

I saw that stuff as well, I know exactly what you're talking about. It's incredibly disingenuous and deliberately incendiary to cause more people to bitch about the game being doomed or whatever.

They are constantly using "steam numbers" to show that this is the lowest population count that Destiny 2 ever had and how that's proof that the game is being ruined and dying, that pvp bros and content creators are more important than we think they are, that Bungie needs to make Destiny 3 (yes, that is unironically stuff that people are saying) and other really incredibly tiring things.

Not to mention the vitriol towards the devs. Every time they bitch, more and more people show up in the comments saying awful shit about devs and how they are lazy, they don't work, they don't care, they are bad at development and so on. This is what eventually fuels harassment.

These "steam numbers" are disingenuous because they are taken out of context and they strip all other external reasons from the "low player count."

Is there a low player count? Yes! That is correct. Even when we account for console players, it's still low.

This is nothing new. This is a constant trend. Last month of the season ALWAYS has low numbers. People finished their story and their pinnacle grind and their seals and are doing other things.

More under for length:

Is this the lowest it's been so far? It seems to be, though the final month on steam charts isn't over so we can't fully tell yet, but it seems to be one of the lowest. However, there's been similar numbers before during seasonal end. It's quite literally nothing new. We go through this every season, except this season it's slightly lower than usual.

Why is that? Well, the chart Aztecross put to prove there's not many people playing happened on a Monday before the final Tuesday reset of the final week of the season. Yeah bro, very few people have things left to do in the season. They're not bothering. Unlike you, other people have other hobbies and games to play. I haven't played in days, I only got on on Saturday to finish my King's Fall seal and that took 10 minutes. This is what I mean by "disingenuous." It's a cheap bait tactic. Find the lowest number and ship it for cheap outrage engagement.

Others are constantly also posting the cummulative steam chart for every month of Destiny since the game came to steam and they're pointing out that we have lowest numbers now. Which is, again, posted for cheap outrage. They look at the number and see it's low and their conclusion is "game is dying." They don't care about the trend (every season end is "dying"), they don't care about external reasons (other game releases), they don't care about overall how some seasons are just weaker and have less interest (not the first time), they don't care about anything.

They just want people to be mad enough to harass the devs. Because like, what do they think is going to happen when they spend 2 months blogging to hundreds of thousands of people about the game being ruined by evil devs who don't do their job? When they constantly talk about how everything in the game is bad, pvp is bad, pve is boring and easy, story is bad, seasons are bad, events made for fun are bad, small community event is bad. What's going to happen is thousands of people are going to harass the devs. That's what going to happen.

I took the "steam numbers" chart that people are throwing around and I went into it in-depth to explain what the numbers mean and add context to them. You can see it here. It's a big image but you can zoom in and explore. It makes more sense when you see it separated by seasons; you can CLEARLY see the main trend of "low population at season end."

Another thing to consider with these numbers is the scheduling pattern. Shadowkeep released in October, Beyond Light released in November after a delay. October-November are usually months with a lot of other game releases and holidays. In 2019 and 2020, Bungie had an expansion themselves to cover that time. In 2021, there was no expansion in Oct-Nov; and that was the last time the game had the lowest population record ever. WHAT A SURPRISE. In this period, if Destiny doesn't have an expansion, people move on to play other games!!!! WOW! We have the technology to decipher the low numbers!

It's important to also note that back in 2021, that was the first time a game was delayed properly and significantly, so the year was without an expansion and there was a lull in Oct-Nov period. However, at that time, it was the first time this schedule happened and people generally didn't know how will it go. We were also kept in the dark about the seasonal story end (the infamous When Is Exorcism incident) so people had to keep coming back. Now, we're in the same situation; no new expansion in Oct-Nov, seasonal lull, nothing is happening. However, now, we know how this goes. People know how this schedule works AND we're not dealing with an extended season. We know when this season ends and there's nothing to wait for. People are more comfortable taking a break. So there's less people in Oct-Nov 2022 than there were in the previous lowest point, Oct-Nov 2021. It's almost as if there are reasons for this that go beyond "game is obviously dying."

These people also seem to be incapable of understanding that some players just... stop playing. For no specific reason. The game isn't dying, some people just lose interest. Content creators are especially guilty of this, because THEY can't stop playing, because they tied their income to a single live service game. To them, quitting the game is losing a job. Curious, maybe that influences their views about the game and about burnout and taking breaks and the quality of the content?

They simultaneously want Bungie to drop FOMO and reduce burnout, but they ALSO want for there to never be "content droughts." Which one is it? Because these two things cannot both be gone. If you want less FOMO and less burnout, then there will be less content. If you want more content, then you have to get on that burnout grindset.

It's the end of the god damn season. Yeah, nothing is happening. Yeah, fewer people are playing. Players finished their grind in the Destiny mines and are doing other things before the new season drops. Stop catastrophising it for cheap outrage bait. You not being able to take a break and having to keep making new content even when the season is ending and there no new content is your problem. Not Bungie's, not the other players'.

Bungie is not going to force their devs to crunch 80 hours per week so you can have brand new content every Tuesday that no regular player can catch up with. As it currently is, I want MORE downtime. I want seasons to be 4 months and to have less time and more downtime to catch up with stuff. Imagine the outrage though. Genuinely, society if these people would actually deliver on their promise and leave. Someone else will take your place, bro.

Also, as a final note before a dissertation in the tags: these pvp mains are weak. They whine about only having 2 new maps in 2 years. Gambit got -2 new maps. Like, literally we had 6 maps and now we have 4. LMAO. Crucible has a total of 24 maps and 8+ modes, constant updates, Iron Banner rework, multiple Trials reworks, incoming competitive rework, Crucible labs, three different sets of armour, prestige weapon loot, three different seals, entire twabs dedicated just to it. And they whine about not enough attention for the Crucible?

It's getting more attention than any other core playlist. Their problem is that they're not the ones being catered to. An update doesn't count if it doesn't satisfy mister Crucible Main #37. Fuck everyone else I guess! They are the most entitled selfish childish little pricks I've ever seen. They do not deserve Bungie talking the players at all.

[wildnya]

hey hey my lovelies i have something to share~

i’m playing a new gatcha game that released last week on tuesday called cat fantasy: isekai adventure and i’m addicted!

i love all the characters designs, the battle system is nice and simple, and best of all the story has me in a chokehold alongside honkai star rail. i highly recommend you guys at least check it out, i want the community to grow and go big!

so if you like pretty anime catgirls, interesting and lovely characters, immersive stories, and most of all cats take a look under the cut!~

quick fyi’s

there are both humans and catboys/girls, the later has a normal cat form too

i can’t find much info about the developer (i didn’t look very much) but from the quick search and what i’ve witnessed in game i believe the developer is from Japan

common anime tropes will be present. a few examples: walking in on opposite gender naked, oh no i’m late for my first day! (literally opens on this one), and classic character stereotypes such as teasing older anne-san, tsundere, and kuudere

your squad (as of now) is all catgirls but you get to choose your gender and so far the only person that has shown romantic interest is a side character who just happens to live nearby. from what i’ve seen it doesn’t look like the story will have any romantic subplots and your squad won’t have any squabbles over your attention or anything like that in case that’s a turn off for you

catgirls are the only battle units available you can pull enemies to fight with (unfortunately no catboys so far 🥲)

also no i am not sponsored

quick story intro:

the story opens up with you (the mc) having a reoccurring nightmare about a doomsday. you later discover you have a year (might be a few days off) to stop it from happening. then you wake up and realize you’ve been hit by the classic anime ‘oh no i’m late!’ trope and from there get a rundown on your job is and lore.

battling is easy peasy for the most part, there might be some terms you’ll have to look up if you don’t know what terms outside the normal attack, defense, crit rate, etc mean. (i still need to look up what what armor PEN means-) just be careful to not make a full team of four that doesn’t have any characters that can’t do damage-

the gatcha system has a pity rate of 80, (hoyoverse could never) and similar to hsr if you are pulling for on the limited banner if you don’t get it the first time you’re guaranteed next time. they also have a fated summon that lets you choose 5 standard SSR’s for you to pull for.

i love 99.4% the catgirls and catboys we’ve met so far. what i love most about them is that the creators did a fantastic job of incorporating their breeds into their designs and personalities. my favorite character Triss happens to be my favorite breed of cat (ragdoll) and i think they did an absolutely fantastic job with her.

fun fact of the post! ragdoll cats get their name from how they will go limp when picked up. they’re a very friendly and loving breed. Triss’ personality reflects this very well. she gives off gentle n’ sweet older sister vibes. ragdolls are also known for having very soft and fluffy fur. Triss has well kept hair and (though you can’t really see it in the pics above) her tail looks so fluffy and soft i would sell a kidney for a chance to cuddle with it for 10 minutes. Triss is my first official wifu i have never loved a female character as much as i do her all hail lady Triss a goddess bestowed upon us by the heavens.

*ahem* i did not mean to go on a tangent like that but i’ve already typed it so it’s here to stay.

anyway

since the game has just been released there’s a huge campaign going on. there’s a 30(?) day login that will give you 3000 free pulls along side a free outfit and extremely SSR character that’s perfect for beginners. i was lucky and pulled her in one of my first handful of pulls and she’s been a huge help with her ability to make shields and her ultimate taking all damage from enemies for 1(?) turn. i got to star her up for free~

you can ascend characters rarities (i’m not sure if it’s possible for you to do it more than once for lower ones) so even low rarity cards can be used in harder levels. i’m not sure if it’s possible to make “bad” characters good if you give them the right equipment and support like you can genshin and HSR but i think it’ll probably be possible as more updates release.

if any of this has you interested please click the link below and check it out! i get rewards for it

cat fantasy: isekai adventure

[kiwiana-writes]

for the ask game, if I'm allowed to be greedy: 1, 3, 38 & 39... and also because you're absolutely one of the most talented writers I've read, 41

?????? That's so fucking kind??? 😭 🥹

1. Do you listen to music when you write?

It's less that I listen to music when I write and more that I listen to music literally all day every day. I don't have, like, Writing Playlists or anything like that. Whatever mood I'm in more generally, that's what's playing, and sometimes it's quite different to the vibe of whatever I'm writing (though if I'm writing something particularly horny I might switch to Songs To Bang To or something lmao).

3. Computer or pen and paper?

Computer. A fun fact about me is that I'm naturally left-handed but burnt my palm when I was a teenager in a way that makes it really hard to hold a pen in that hand, so I taught myself to write right-handed but it's not FUN and I avoid handwriting as much as humanly possible. Which sucks, because I lowkey like my handwriting haha.

38. Weirdest story idea you’ve ever had

...pankakke? 🤣

39. Weirdest character concept you’ve ever had

This one's interesting! I don't know if I have had any particularly weird character concepts either in original writing or fic. Maybe I'm just boring idk 🤣

41. Any advice for new/beginning/young writers?

Write what you want to write. It is so, so easy to fall into the trap of writing what you think people want to read and like... I get it! God knows I do it! But I think, particularly when you're starting out but also always, there's a whole heap of value in writing the tropes/characters/pairings/whatever that spark joy for YOU.

Trope is not a dirty word. If you find yourself thinking "oh, I shouldn't write a soulmate fic/there was only one bed/a coffee shop AU because lots of those already exist in this fandom", your brain is lying to you and it should feel bad. The reason so many already exist is because people LOVE THEM and are greedy little gremlins for more cake.

You are not a content creator. You do not owe anybody anything. It's okay to take breaks, to switch gears, to do whatever you need to in order to keep writing enjoyable FOR YOU.

God it's so fucking cliche but just keep writing. Whether you share it or not, whether you finish it or not. I've never consciously set out to change the way I write but I just keep writing and writing and writing and I have improved so much over time just from finding what works, what feels good, what lands right.

[A Writer's Ask Game]

[fandomshatepeopleofcolor]

If anon is looking for western AAA games there’s like red dead redemption assassin’s creed fallout franchise mass effect tomb raider watch dogs deus ex etc. most of those are already open world RPGs of different genres. Most rpgs published by major companies go for open world nowadays.

I still suggest sailing the high seas for AAA though unless you’re supporting them for their diverse content or wait until they go like 50-70% sale. In this economy those prices are not worth it for the amount of content they give and the increase in sales doesn’t even really go to the dev teams anyway its more direct to the company. For me its just a metric to tell the companies I want more diverse content. Support Indie devs steam has its own indie tag to make it easy to find!

or if AAA isn’t a necessity open up steam and search by tag. I got 1200 results checking fantasy open world and rpgs on steam.

Some particular suggestions that I haven’t seen though I guess its because its been like 4 years since their release?:

- The Outer Worlds open world rpg scifi shooter is made by a AA company which is known for Fallout New Vegas Pillars of Eternity and SWTOR KOTOR II. The player character doesn’t get a romance but you do get a companion who is a sapphic asexual and you can help her get a girlfriend. Its has choices and relationships in a similar style to FNV

- Tell Me Why is a narrative adventure game by Dontnod who made Life is Strange. It features a trans man as one of the leads and Dontnod had this on their FAQ https://www.tellmewhygame.com/faq/ : “Trans, nonbinary and gender non-conforming staff at both DONTNOD and Xbox have made countless key creative contributions to Tell Me Why, including in character design, narrative and dialogue, building inclusive online spaces for the game, and much more. To ensure that Tyler’s character would resonate with a wide and diverse audience of trans people, the Tell Me Why team worked closely with two of GLAAD’s transgender staff: Nick Adams, Director of Transgender Representation; and Blair Durkee, Special Consultant for Gaming. For over two years, Nick offered foundational guidance on story and character, consulted on casting, and reviewed scripts at all phases of production. Importantly, August Black, Tyler’s voice actor [who is trans], also made significant contributions to Tell Me Why’s dialogue. During recording sessions, August provided edits to the script if he felt a certain line or moment did not do justice to Tyler’s story, making him an invaluable part of the creative process. August’s personal experiences also inspired key moments and lines of dialogue.”

I say why go for a game who names a trans character in the same ignorant way it named Cho and Kingsley when you could go for games that have creators who genuinely care for and listen to the perspectives and rights of the people they’re trying to represent right? In addition to all the other issues.

if magical systems in particular are a need aside from open world rpgs:

- Tiny Tina’s Wonderland – if you’re more familiar with borderlands this is a spinoff but spellcasting instead of guns

- Pillars of Eternity is fantasy from the same studio as outer worlds and is really good. Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire was the latest release

the TES games have been mentioned but I wanted to reiterate that there are 5-6 magic schools and 100+ spells for those games. Worldbuilding and roleplaying is very fun and makes it quite repeatable so worth the money. They all also have quite a prolific modding community especially oblivion and skyrim and it isn’t that hard to download mods to personalize the game. But even without mods its still fun to replay and go on sale along with ESO often enough

Most JRPGs in general have magic systems and are largely open world. All of the final fantasy games have magic. Adjacent is kingdom hearts. I’ll just add the Shin Megami Tensei series which is related to Persona. The Atelier series brand is alchemical magic. The “Tales of ____” of bandai namco series allows you to main the magical casting characters if you wish. Ni No Kuni is again fantasy setting. Valkyrie Elysium was recently released. Xenoblade Chronicles 3 too was released last year.

Forspoken is a recent game published by SquareEnix so its technically jrpg but its setting is western with a black main character that was rendered based off the VA who is half black caribbean. The main character is based in New York then gets transported to a fantasy world where she gains magic and mixes that up with parkour style movement. if you can’t afford it yet wait for a sale.

Check out golden week for sales since they tend to really go low for JRPGs during that time more than any other sale

Some indie games that have witchy elements:

Flying Neko delivery – if you like studio ghibli and kiki’s delivery service why not fly around on a broom as a cat making deliviries?

Little witch nobeta – you play as a little witch to explore ancient castles. The magical system is a bit limited but at the price you’re getting it I think its a good deal

Little Witch in the woods – 2d pixel art in the style of old school rpgs you play as a witch and make potions and cast spells, help people and refurbish your house.

Potion craft – not an rpg but its an alchemy simulator

Kena: bridge of spirits – not witchy but it has magic and exploration. Not quite open world in that you tend to travel linearly but you’re free to go back to places you’ve explored before. The gaming company partnered with a vietnamese animation studio and they based the animation on the environment of SEA/East Asia so if you’re from there and find the environmental aspects familiar in a fantastical way like buildings and the way the characters were conceptualized that’s why. from where im frm Kena costs the equivalent of $15 but it seems like its still expensive on steam US though as it costs $40? it tends to get 50% off on epic stores though so you can wait for its sale there

some upcoming indie games aside from witchbrook:

kitori academy – should be coming out this year. You’re a magical apprentice going to school to learn magic.

Lawmage academy – 2d pixel art old school style where you go to an academy to learn spells and craft potions

[miichan-loves-shunin-a-lot]

Playing House with a Doll | TRACK 1 - Little Bunny and... | Amami Mio Character Novel

Mii always loved how people can make a cute, happy family through dolls. Like how two bigger teddy bears can be the mama and papa of a smaller teddy bear.

It’s cute and easy to do, and Mii loves doing it!

Today, Mii was on a date with their favorite person, Shunin! Well, Shunin was just helping Mii buy some materials for their job though… But when Shunin and Mii are together, it’s basically a date, isn’t it!? 

Hehe, they had so much fun looking for cute things! Mii hopes Shunin had fun too though…

Since he was smiling, that means he enjoyed it, right? If that’s true, Mii would be very happy!

Mii also got a new set of dolls! It’s a teddy bear, a fox doll, and a cat doll. They’re not the same species but they were all made by the same creator so…

…That means they’re a family!

It cost a lot though but Mii makes plenty of money to afford it. Shunin had wanted to pay for it but since it’s not an “official” date, Mii wants to buy it with their own money. He did ask why Mii always gets the whole set instead of just one though…

Silly, Shunin! Wasn’t it obvious?

It’s so that they would never be lonely!

Shunin liked that answer a lot because he smiled at Mii brightly. Mii thought they were going to go blind because of how bright it is… But they wouldn’t mind because that means Shunin is really happy~

When Mii and Shunin came home, Mii wanted to make a place for the new doll family they bought. They deserve a place where they’re warm and comfy after all.

Shunin helped Mii out since he wasn’t busy. They both worked hard on clearing up some space for the dolls. Shunin did trip over a lot of Mii’s dolls however. But he wasn’t hurt or anything so Mii finds it funny!

Eventually, they finished arranging the dolls!

Tada~

Now they’re one happy family!

Mii and Shunin did a really great job at it! Fufu, Mii made sure to show it off to Neru-kun when he came back.

Shunin was tired so he stayed in Mii’s room for a while. It was the perfect chance to cuddle and read some books Mii has!

They decided to read a storybook titled “Goldilocks and the Three Bears”.

It was a cute, funny story with a girl named Goldilocks accidentally entering the home of a bear family and making a mess out of things

Shunin and Mii laughed a lot reading it! 

Though, it seemed like that story reminded Shunin of something.

Shunin asked Mii about their family.

He asked if Mii misses their parents, since they mentioned not having seen them for so long. It made Mii think…

Mii… couldn’t remember much about their parents anymore.

They couldn’t remember their names or what they looked like. It was all blurry in Mii’s mind. But they do remember how they acted towards Mii, remember some of the words they told Mii.

Mii remembers loving them.

That means… they must’ve been nice people, right? They must be. After all, they took care of Mii until…

Until Mii became useless to them.

[bloodykanary]

I am so done with Forever.

I was very interested in an arc where he would become a villain. But between the fact that he apparently can't pull it off and his attitude, I don't really want to watch him, it brings no fun at all. Last night felt like watching someone get bullied, and that was even before seeing anything else on Twitter.

There are ways to play a villain without being toxic, I assure you. I made a deliberate choice here to exclude the RP choices I disagree with or don't find good, because that is not what makes me angry.

When a creator uses the picture of another character and insult the picture to entertain, I have a problem.

When a creator chooses to mock the character (and creator) who is actively trying to explain something to them at length, I have a problem.

When a creator's community affects other creators' roleplay, I have a problem.

Forever is an adult, he also knows this is RP. You can't have your CC start a villain arc and be mad when there are consequences in other people's roleplay.

Now about Forever's own behaviour. It's easy to hide behind "but guys don't be mad like this, this is RP", but some things are not RP. I could handle my dislike of RP aspects if I didn't have to read that every creator and Pomme gets shit as soon as they don't act like his community wants them to. Or that the streamers I follow don't do what they would like to do in a given situation because they don't want to deal with the reactions from "the communities". Don't get me wrong, all communities have their part of shitheads, but we know those conversations do not happen when they meet, say, Roier or Foolish.

The way Forever behaves with/in front of his chat directly affects how they interact with other creators and other fans. It's fostering an environment where his viewers think what they're doing is okay, and this is also his responsibility as a creator. It was nice when he said a few months ago that he wanted to be careful about that and have more moderators and new rules etc. But committing to this takes effort that he doesn't seem to put in.

He seemed to talk about the situation with his viewers like he's The Victim and I find this is dishonest from him, at best. He's not the only one getting shit, he chose a path for his character that's definitely going to get q!him less liked, and he's definitely not the one who's the most affected currently. So I don't think bringing back the Leo incident is relevant.

"It's RP", "he doesn't understand the language", please understand that it doesn't excuse what he's doing and even less what his viewers are doing.

Pranks and banter have limits, and I know this a problem much bigger in streaming than just the QSMP, but one of the reasons I appreciate the QSMP so much is that it rarely goes onto bullying territory. Watching a streamer mock another one for half an hour is not entertaining to me whether it's RP or not, and frankly, I don't think it should be entertaining to anyone. It's fun when it's balanced. Last night and Saturday night were everything but balanced. And again, treating this kind of situation as pure entertainment is part of the problem. If your character is a bad person or is in a bad phase, it's all fine to play this out like this, but that means understanding that it's actually bad behaviour, which is clearly not the case here.

I will add one slight remark about the RP specifically, because in my opinion, this is the root of the problem. (q!)Forever doesn't seem fully committed to being a villain. He still wants most people to like him, which makes his "teasing" not really appear as deep RP. And from that, most of the other characters than q!Bad don't care that much about the emerging conflict (which could also be used in a good villain arc, but that's another conversation).

Now the creators get along, and while we're all in our right to dislike some of them in and/or beyond RP, us watching a story should NOT affect what they do to make the story live. It's NOT OUR PLACE.