#backend basics

[olivergisttv]

How to Create Your First API in Minutes

Introduction Whether you’re a budding developer or an entrepreneur with a brilliant product idea, understanding how to build an API (Application Programming Interface) can unlock a whole new level of power and integration for your app or website. Sounds intimidating? Don’t worry—this guide breaks it down step by step and shows you how to create your first API in minutes, even if you’re new to…

[sysig]

What your fave says about you: Sona/Undertale edition (Patreon)

[simknowsstuff]

Eeaaaoughhh

i just fucking

Did so much rearangement in programing

In ASYNCHRONOUS PROGRAMMING

AND IT WORKED

this is like my magnum opus as a programmer, i made decisions that weren't fatally wrong and was able to move stuff around for neatness and hoaly shit

Tmmrw im gonna work on mostly blobs and higher order sql data (i somehow gotta store messages between users and like other stuff and aaaaaaaaadhhfjdjd ) so that I can finally make the website part exist

[noonmutter]

My WoW Pipe Dream: RP Mode

Because I was directly asked earlier this evening what I would want to see in an RP mode, and I've talked about this off and on for years ever since War Mode was implemented, I shall now lay out my list of things that I want to see in a RP Mode for World of Warcraft.

Same idea as War Mode, just with alternate effects. It's a switch you toggle from a capital city and can disable anywhere in the world, and it will take you into a different instance of the game where the new rules are in effect. In keeping with the same rules as war mode, turning it off keeps you flagged as RP-only and functionally unable to gain loot or gold for five minutes, so you can't use it to make a way easier path to a rare and pop out to steal the kill and the goodies.

1: Removes a LARGE swath of NPCs from the game. All elite mobs, anything that has voice lines, most wandering NPCs in cities, the overwhelming majority of wandering critters, gone. Much emptier except for other players and NPCs that add life to the setting, but don't interfere with it.

2: Gold and loot cannot be earned or spent (outside of specific RP-related vendors perhaps. Things like bartenders, snack sellers, selling tickets to make instances within the RP mode overall instance, that sort of thing. debatable whether these things would remain necessary)

3: XP and renown cannot be gained in any way. Items that affect this are either disabled, or get consumed with no effect and wasted

4: /say, /yell and /emote distances massively increased

5: raid size increased, or if code prevents that from working, raids can be linked together in a similar way to various servers being linked together

6: look I just want housing okay make empty buildings in RP mode into player-usable/customizable housing plots I don't care how this one works just give it to us blizzard

7: transmog, barber, etc are free at all times. toys have no or extremely minimal cooldown, effects last longer

8: massively expanded list of playable races so the reflecting prism thingie is no longer required. again, if code prevents this, reflecting prism is given no cooldown and lasts until you intentionally click it off

9: all languages usable by anyone. Yes, All Of Them. all languages also understandable by anyone. Yes, All Of Them.

10: no mog restrictions. If it can be displayed on the model in question, it's moggable. (even if it causes clipping errors. sometimes especially if it does.)

11: Options for raid leaders to change visual effects for raid members, like inky black potions, weather machines, etc. (PLAY D&D. DO A SHOW. IMMERSE PEOPLE. DO IT.)

12: Various wierd crap that's never been resolved is resolved. The Westfall tornado is gone, Suramar isn't full of demon commanders anymore, etc.

13: All cities are neutral cities. Yes, All Of Them. if you can get there, you can be there

14: summoning stones added to lots and lots and LOTS of new locations. cities, interesting landmarks, etc

15: one person can summon by themselves. nobody cares just let us do this if they're in the party

16: dungeons and raids are accessible either directly on the world map or via their standard portals. undecided, not sure which would be less resource-intensive to sustain when the entire setup is already liable to have a fuckload of instances within instances

17: if you are in a raid or party, YOU CANNOT BE SHARDED OUT OF IT. it's the one really major thing I wanna fix super bad across the entire game but especially for RPers

Feel free to toss your thoughts at this one. I know there's other ideas that have gone on this list as I've thought of it over the years, but I'm drawing a blank on anything else right this second

[bogleech]

Going to put all this in its own post too by popular request: here's how you make your own website with no understanding of HTML code at all, no software, no backend, absolutely nothing but a text file and image files! First get website server space of your own, like at NEOCITIES. The free version has enough room to host a whole fan page, your art, a simple comic series, whatever! The link I've provided goes to a silly comic that will tell you how to save the page as an html file and make it into a page for your own site. The bare minimum of all you need to do with it is JUST THIS:

Change the titles, text, and image url's to whatever you want them to be, upload your image files and the html file together to your free website (or the same subfolder in that website), and now you have a webpage with those pictures on it. That's it!!!!! .....But if you want to change some more super basic things about it, here's additional tips from the same terrible little guy:

That last code by itself is: <meta HTTP-EQUIV="REFRESH" content="0; url=001.html"> Change "001.html" to wherever you want that link to take people. THIS IS THE REASON WHY when you go to bogleech.com/pokemon/ you are taken instantly to the newest Pokemon review, because the /pokemon/ directory of my website has an "index.html" page with this single line of code. Every pokemon review has its own permanent link, but I change that single line in the index file so it points to the newest page whenever I need it to! While I catered these instructions to updating a webcomic, you can use the same template to make blog type posts, articles or just image galleries. Anything you want! You can delete the navigational links entirely, you can make your site's index.html into a simple list of text links OR fun little image links to your different content, whatever! Your website can be nothing but a big ugly deep fried JPEG of goku with a recipe for potato salad on it, no other content ever, who cares! We did that kind of nonsense all the time in the 1990's and thought it was the pinnacle of comedy!! Maybe it still can be?!?! Or maybe you just want a place to put some artwork and thoughts of yours that doesn't come with the same baggage as big social media? Make a webpage this way and it will look the same in any browser, any operating system for years and years to come, because it's the same kind of basic raw code most of the internet depends upon!

[storiesconsumemysoul]

Stupidly Long Incoherent Ramblings on Lanfear, Rand, and Egwene

I feel like we are only discussing the Lanfear play with Egwene and Rand as jealous vindictiveness but we are truly not giving her enough credit. Every action she's taken so far this season has strategically resulted in, once again, slowly isolating Rand from his support system. Required conditions to secure her hooks - that have been rudely slightly dislodged - back in him. And in her eyes, Egwene is pretty much the last major obstacle.

By end of S1, Rand was alone, pretty much resigned to going mad and dying in the near future, cut off from all that he has ever known and loved, and terrified of his own mind and body. Selene makes herself a place of safety, companionship, trust, but most importantly, strength. She was the second relationship he'd ever had. With an older worldly woman who still wanted him, a clueless country bumkin. As he put it perfectly, she made him feel like a man (2x4). While he is extremely vulnerable, isolated, and terrified out of his mind, she made him feel stable and capable. That is an incredibly potent connection that does not get dissolved by the reveal of who she is. Especially since all of the reasons why he was vulnerable and isolated are still factors at play. He's still the Dragon. With all that that entails.

In the backend of S2 Lanfear has to resort to explicit forceful methods and make deals and transactions because the relationship has been damaged. But after she gets to be his big savior (2x7) she now gets to go back to building their dynamic again with more subtlety. Namely, by recreating the conditions that got them together in the first place.

We start S3 with explicit acknowledgment that 1) Lanfear is invading his dreams and trying to interfere in his decisions, 2) He is not being swayed and is instead working with friends again, and most importantly, 3) He told Moiraine about it! And what does Lanfear do? Bubble of evil that kicks every member of his entire support system exactly where it hurts them most -> makes them all splinter in different directions -> makes Moiraine (and Lan) her accomplice in that act of betrayal and cruelty establishing some real mutual destruction leverage over Moiraine where Rand's trust and compliance is concerned. Even though he still chooses to not go after the sword, that's still impressive work. And of course, continuously torturing Egwene in her dreams every night since she is the last holdout staying with him.

The scene in (3x5) when Rand says that he and Egwene haven't had a moment alone to talk since Rhuidean really stood out to me since the last we saw of Egwene in (3x4), she was desperately trying to catch his eye. To connect. Of course, since it's clear that Lan and Moiraine hadn't talked either (until settling in from their travels) that tells me that there just wasn't a chance for heart to hearts on the way from Rhuidean. But Lan gets to it basically the moment there is an opportunity because babygirl came out of Rhuidean in absolute shambles and he needed to get on that ASAP. But Rand (who's doing a great job pretending he's not going through it) and Egwene can't work towards reconnecting and really processing the shitshow that is their lives together because ... oh yeah ... Egwene is slightly preoccupied by being tortured nightly by a goddamn forsaken. Lanfear actively and materially benefits from keeping Egwene strung out and preoccupied. I really don't think it's the simple petty satisfaction of it all that she's really after. And The Wise Ones, wisely, prioritize teaching Egwene how to defend herself as quickly as possible over having heart to hearts with her dubious-status-boyfriend. Which means Rand, who is totally Fine(TM) and in no urgent need of a heart to heart, once again only finds real refuge with one person.

Repeatedly triggering and retraumatizing Egwene, who is still stubbornly sticking by Rand, ensures that she continues to have a hard time with intimacy of any kind anyways. Which is in turn also somewhat triggering for Rand since his biggest fear is hurting those he loves. And Egwene tensing up, flinching away, and distancing herself from him - as much as he understands isn't actually about him - well ... still is a particularly rough experience for him too. Their bubble event was truly perfectly calibrated to severely mess both of them up. Add on to that both of their nightmares, the arches, and Rhidean? Yeah. So, naturally, the distance between them grows and grows because Lanfear is pushing all the right buttons at such a crucially vulnerable time for both of them. Egwene needs her own refuge in order to protect herself from even more trauma, and Rand finds relief in the only familiar place of comfort still being eagerly (against his will) offered to him.

And it is so important that he finds his refuge in dreams instead of clandestine real world meetings. For one, it allows him legitimate deniability. He's not like ... seeking her out and he doesn't have control of this space so ... you know? Is it so wrong to soak in whatever comfort he can from the continued invasion of his mind by a near all-powerful being? And I really don't want this to be misconstrued as "oh he secretly wanted it so Lanfear is doing nothing wrong there actually" type of argument. What I'm trying to get at is this: making your target feel complicit in their own abuse because you put them in a position to "enjoy" some part of it is very much so an abuser tactic (the cult dude ritualistically performing oral sex on his victims as part of their initiation into his inner circle comes to mind).

Two, his dreams without her are nightmares where he commits his worst fears. And taking the alternative of having a nice little chat with his ex(?) in their "love cabin of simpler times" sure is a no brainer. The waking world and his dreams are terrifying and painful, but Lanfear can give him refuge in a safe little warm bubble. All for the cheap cheap price of indulging her advances a little. Three, seeing Lanfear in Rhuidean reinforced a thing we have seen him kind of realize but not really confront. Which is that Lanfear (and Ishamael) have a real meaningful connection with some version of him. And he can say all he likes that he's not Lews Therin but it doesn't make the grain of truth there go away (I often think about the strange lovely tenderness he shows Ishamael in his last moments). But like ... the hell is he meant to make of all that anyways? Nothing realistically. Except when he's in this strange liminal "unreal" space ... who can blame him for trying to feel out the shape of that connection?

And four, in controlling the setting of his dreams, Lanfear gets to naturally invoke Selene and all the ways Selene made him feel, all the warm fuzzy feelings associated with that place, and time, and lover. Even while he actively distrusts Lanfear. It's why her "there is a way for me to escape the dark one ... oh what am I saying let me dramatically dip real quick" thing is so effective. She's sitting on their bed, in the warm glow of their cabin, vulnerable and allowing him the opportunity to step into the role of a stable and safe version of himself. The opportunity to be in a place of safety and strength again for his own sake AND be a place of safety and strength for her. Again, that quote about making him feel like a man is so important, especially when he's vulnerable and so terrified of himself. So when he meets Mierin, of course he's going to latch on to her goodness. It's everything he saw in Selene. And everything Lanfear had been subtly priming him into keeping at the forefront of his mind and heart throughout their interactions. She has slowly but surely positioned herself back where Selene was. As a place of respite, comfort, and strength. Of course, of course, he would be tempted by the idea that that version of her can be saved. Can be made real again.

Now the real risk with her shenanigans in (3x5) is that, surely, Egwene is going to tell him that Lanfear has been the one hurting her this whole time. Which could be a massive blow that ruins the fruits of all her work. But I think Lanfear is taking that calculated risk now because she feels secure in her position. Secure enough to forcefully sever the connection between him and the last person in his support system close enough for him to seek in them what he found in Selene. She's betting on his anger being mitigated by growing more desperate for comfort when isolated fully again.

I don't know if this play is gonna work out for her the way she wants. But I can't deny that I respect the hustle. Truly villain-ing at the highest messiest degree.

[arimiadev]

Steam's 2025 Visual Novel Fest is abysmal.

for the past few years, perhaps as a way to appease the thousands of visual novel developers for the poor search abilities on Steam or perhaps to get more money from the thousands of porn games on the platform, Valve has hosted an annual Visual Novel Fest, a week-long event "promoting" visual novels on Steam. this event has always been questionably helpful to developers, but this year I believe takes the cake.

context: I'm a visual novel developer. I also help other VN studios with steam stuff. so I interface with steam's backend and these sorts of things.

first off, the requirements. if we go to their publicly available steamworks documentation, we can see the eligibility requirements here:

basically:

Reading is the primary gameplay

The player cannot walk around, and can typically only look around from a static position

There is no combat - if there is fighting, the gameplay loop is a small portion of the game. Multiple outcomes leading to different plot events is allowed.

makes sense, right? except some fantastic visual novels like of the Devil, Date Time, and others were rejected from the festival.

okay, so maybe they're being incredibly strict with their definition of a visual novel—

as usual from previous years, some games that are wildly not visual novels are included in the festival. well, there's probably a thousand or so games in the festival, so some will always slip through the cracks, but at least the rest of the festival is alright, right?

the main tabs for the festival up top are:

Featured

Browse Games

Browse Adult Only Games

Free to Play

Free Demos

Upcoming

every tab except for Free to Play and Upcoming only feature games that are for sale AND discounted. if your game is released and in the festival but not discounted, it is shown nowhere unless a steam user scrolls through the giant wall of "All" games (which is mostly filtered by popularity).

Free Demos? no, that only shows discounted games as well. (a lot of the games in this fest are daz 3d "visual novels")

well, at least there's an "Upcoming" tab to share visual novels that haven't been released, right? no. that big, main tab only has 1 widget - Popular Upcoming. for some reason, they didn't populate the tab with any other widgets like the others, which have sections for Horror, Otome, LGBT+, etc.

this also means that only 22 unreleased games are actually getting space in the entire festival.

now, there is one exception to this - if users scroll all the way down on any of the tabs, there's a "Browse Games" widget that lets them filter and see every game in the festival. but this is just the Steam search section, nothing groundbreaking.

but it does allows users to see all of the visual novels in the festival and not just the featured few - mine can only be seen if you do some filtering in this search section.

so this VN Fest has become nothing more than a VN Sale - I don't know why they don't just call it that. nowhere in the documentation did it say you have to discount games in order to be actually featured in it, and as usual indie devs are given the shortest end of the stick from Valve.

...all of this is to say....

go play visual novels on itchio

35k+ visual novels on itchio!! can you imagine playing even half that many? and so many of them are free and made lovingly by sickos. go find some wonderfully weird or creatively romantic visual novels to play today.

[lady-raziel]

It's time...we're edging the sleep

Link to the full pdf document HERE (includes links)

What This Is:

A collaborative, grassroots initiative for fans of Markiplier and The Edge of Sleep to promote the newly released TV show on Amazon Prime Video to raise awareness and generate attention that will drive supporters and casual viewers alike to watch the show.

Why This Exists:

Fans of the hit podcast and followers of Markiplier (Mark Fischbach) have been anticipating the TV adaptation for years since it was announced in 2021 and have been waiting to watch the show since then. However, after radio silence since nearly after filming completed, the long-awaited show is now being dropped on Amazon Prime early—before any official promotion starts.

Many fans disagree with the confusing treatment of an adaptation they have been wanting to watch for years, the haphazard amount of pre-release promotion for the show, and the increasingly high benchmarks of instant success placed on creative material, regardless of origin, that challenges the ability of new ideas and stories to thrive and grow.

This collection of suggested guiding materials is intended to serve as a starting point for fans and advocates in taking matters into our own hands and promoting the show we want to succeed, to open doors for future creative projects for all sorts of innovators, and to bring attention to the current challenging creative environment that stifles new projects before they have a chance to shine.

CRITICAL TAKEAWAY (if you read nothing else):

Stream The Edge of Sleep on Amazon Prime Video if you can and TALK ABOUT THE SHOW. Talk about it and anything else covered in this guide as much as you can, because every bit of chatter matters in allowing this project to succeed.

(More info on steps you can take to help under the page break, or check out the full doc linked above for everything!)

Most Important Steps To Take:

Stream The Edge of Sleep on Amazon Prime Video, as well as add it to your watchlist and like the show on the platform to enhance performance metrics.

The full pdf document has information later on detailing how to access Amazon Prime Video as well as information on low-cost pricing and deals for gaining access to Prime Video, and how to use “Watch Party” mode to stream with others.

You can “like” the show even if you don’t have Prime Video and just have a basic Amazon account! Even small metrics like this impact both the front and backend impressions viewed by corporate employees.

Use the hashtags #TheEdgeofSleep and #TheEdgeofSleeponPrime on social media sites where hashtags are applicable in sharing material about the show. Share or make anything you can—memes, art, discussions of the story, pictures, edits, or even just posts saying you’re watching the show. Truly, it all matters and helps!

It’s important to use both tags or at the very least, the second one indicating the streaming platform. It identifies WHAT the show is and WHERE to find it, which is helpful information for those stumbling across The Edge of Sleep for the first time. Additionally, using the name of the platform frequently attracts attention for Prime Video, which can reflect back positively on the show in the eyes of the company if The Edge of Sleep is the source of the discussion.

Although it can be laborious to type out “The Edge of Sleep” every time and thus impulse says to abbreviate in both discussion and hashtags to “TEOS/teos,” this can hinder effectiveness as it is not a recognizable acronym to non-fans and might impact the potential of the full “The Edge of Sleep” title to trend on any social platform.

Share the show with anyone and everyone you think would like it, offline and in person. A personal recommendation will always be more impactful than any ad—everyone is an “influencer” to someone! Also, be sure to rate the show or add it to your watchlist anywhere you can—including on Amazon Prime Video itself through the like function on the show page, as well as on third-party sites like IMDB or TV Guide.

Not sure how to recommend the show to someone? The brief synopsis, “fast facts,” and “pitch” suggestions in the HELPFUL REFERENCE section of the full pdf document might help, along with thoughts of enthusiasm for the show, original podcast, or any of Mark’s other projects mixed in!

Sites like IMDB allow you to rate shows and films for free, even if you haven’t gotten the chance to watch them yet.

Most Important Thing To Remember:

JUST HAVE FUN!!! This is about promoting the show we’ve waited for and want to succeed, opening the door for more projects we want to see, but also just about getting together as a community and making cool stuff!

Again, you can find all this info and more resources in the full Strategy doc linked here. Go forth and sleedge △

[honey-bitch]

୨⎯ Lameia in the Signs ⎯୧

In Ancient greco myth, Lameia(248) was the daughter of one of the Egyptian kings. Unfortunately Zeus couldn't take his eyes of her and impreganted her. As a result she succumbed to the wrath of Hera (Juno), and suffered from insomnia and ate children. In her delete she pulled out her eyes. Lameia could bring more awareness to the shadow side of our traumas. I have to specify this is a general interpretation and unless you have planets tightly conjunct this asteroid I wouldn't worry about it. Dm for Paid Readings

For 0° - it doesn't have a delegated sign and therefore it will take the qualities of the sign it's in.

Aries (1,13 ,25°): Here you could potentially be seen as the idiot or the irrational and aggressive one. You may be prone to sudden outbursts of anger, which will be highly critiqued by others.

Taurus( 2,14,26° ): Here Lameia could bring about you being criticised for being a glutton or holding things. Or you may struggle with consumption and being too overly possessive.

Gemini (3,15,27° ) : In Gemini, this energy plays out through curiosity and communication. You could be drawn to exploring life’s dualities and unspoken truths, using your words to uncover secrets or understand the hidden sides of things.

Cancer(4,16,28° ): Lameia in Cancer touches the heart. It might stir up old memories or emotional patterns related to family and home. The challenge here is to heal past wounds and nurture yourself in ways that feel safe and transformative.

Leo (5,17,29° ): Your desire for attention and fame will be at your backend. You may have a tendency to only want the best for yourself and scorn and look down of others for their successes.

Virgo (6,18°): This placement can make you a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to your inner world. Lameia in Virgo invites you to look closely at your self-criticism and worries and especially others. Your downfall is basically not accepting that you're not perfect and so are others.

Libra(7,19°): Relationships take center stage. You might feel pulled between attraction and repulsion in your partnerships. The lesson here is about finding balance—embracing both the beauty and the complexity of your connections.

Scorpio(8,20°):A natural home for Lameia, Scorpio intensifies the energy. Here, you’re invited to dive deep into the mysteries of power, sexuality, and rebirth.You may have fears around joint partnership and intimacy an you may be scorned for such issues.

Sagittarius (9,21°): Here Lameia encourages you to look beyond the ordinary. Whether through travel, philosophy, or unconventional ideas, you’re nudged to explore truths that challenge the norm and expand your understanding of life, however you may go a bit overboard, think about cults etc etc.

Capricorn (10,22°): Lameia in Capricorn may push you to rethink your relationship with authority and structure. Abuse of power could be definitely a thing here and thoughts about dominating others could be prevalent.

Aquarius (11,23°) : Lamia here could be that you were outcasted a lot growing up and have fears about being alone. Could also indicate that you perhaps struggle with authority because when you're authentic you get attacked.

Pisces(12,24°): Lameia in pisces can make you have struggles with alcohol and fantasise about saving others and having others save you. Could be a indicator of being easily manipulated.

©️ 2024 honey-bitch All Rights Reserved

DISCLAIMER: this post is a great generalisation and may not resonate with you. I would recommend buying a reading from a professional astrologer to get more insight

Dm for Paid Readings

[fanfenomenon]

hyperfixated on this game so hard i tried to recreate ac syndicate's animus database using html css and js👍

i will make this responsive though, i've only started doing the frontend but i'll also start doing the backend as soon as i finish this

basically this is gonna be a website that will allow you to create a database of your assassin's creed OCs (btw this was inspired by @gwen-the-assassin's idea <33) and help you with worldbuilding and making AUs (i know the ac fanon wiki already exists for that but i wanted to make the experience of keeping a database more immersive u know....)

this might take a while to be completed, but I'll try to post updates on it as much as possible! if there are any programmers/web developers in the ac fandom that want to contribute to this project plsplspls DM me!!

actual pic of the database for comparison:

ik it's not entirely accurate but this is the simplest database in the game that i could recreate lmao

also code snippets just cuz (+ me crashing out)

[indiaalphawhiskey]

Hello India, I hope you're doing well. I don't know if you're still answering questions, but I have one:

Don’t you feel even a little bit resentful toward harry for choosing to go solo, distancing himself from the boys, and basically taking the easy route?

I know a lot of people try to justify it by saying he was groomed by his current manager and his family, because of his age, etc., but I feel like sometimes they victimize him way too much :/ I don’t know… He was the chosen one from the start and always had the benefits. He had important people on his side, and I feel like he prioritized less important things over what truly mattered. And you can say he always enjoyed the attention and benefits he had.

Truth be told, I know this question isn’t sent it good faith, but I’m going to answer it in good faith, if only to break someone’s echo chamber, if not yours.

I don’t resent Harry at all for going solo. Which, btw, they all went solo — it wasn’t his decision. If you do a little research, you’ll realize the full circumstances of the hiatus, and the fact that the working situation they were in was completely abusive and untenable, the way most boybands were, but even more exceptionally so because of how much money they were making/how popular they were. Everyone was begging for them to be given a break, but many in this fandom need to find someone to blame when they don’t have the patience to do research and consider context, and Harry’s an easy target because by most objective metrics, his solo career has skyrocketed.

He hasn’t distanced himself from the boys. He was at Niall’s show, dancing and singing. He’s referenced the boys on stage several times and in his BRITs acceptance speech. He constantly collects (and wears) One Direction paraphernalia. Not to mention, he was at Louis’ show after Jay’s death and Liam’s wake. But I’m sure all of this is convenient to omit when you’re pedaling your own narrative of events. That’s your choice.

He hasn’t taken the easy way, though I don’t know how you define that. I suppose you mean because his struggles are less obvious and less relatable. To that, I say, I think your view of what consists as struggle is extremely narrow, but that doesn’t surprise me because I know from the language of your ask that you have no intention of being generous towards Harry as a person, so why on earth would you view him with the nuance and kindness you view whoever is your favorite? Why would you allow him the same grace as any of the other boys?

Neither do I resent him for being “chosen” or for enjoying attention/benefits that he, himself, has worked hard for. I know this is a tough thing to hear because many of you have lost touch with the reality of how capitalist industries work, but making music is, by and large, about making money. The people on the backend of music are not recruiting artists to entertain or because they believe in their voice, they do it because the artists they choose are those that will make the most money.

Harry said it himself in his Grammys speech: he’s aware of how lucky he is because he knows there are other people out there who are more talented than him who will never get the opportunities he has. That is the reality of the world we live in: you cannot take everyone with you, even the people you love the most. Even the people who also deserve it.

What Harry has done, however, is prove he was worth the investment and that he’s grateful for every opportunity he has, which is all any one human can do. He cancelled a show once in three years. He toured during a global pandemic. He constantly gives 500% in and out of his shows (exercise, eating habits, therapy, healthy boundaries with fans). Everything he does is aligned with the longevity of his career, which is as much for his real fans as it is for him.

So, no, I don’t resent a person who’s dedicated his life to providing me with art that has pulled me out of my lowest and most lonely. No, I don’t resent him for working harder than any of us can possibly conceive, personally and professionally. No, I don’t resent him for giving up his privacy and safety and his right to have a quiet personal life in the name of entertaining us. No, I don’t resent him for being rich or privileged, because I can name fifty people who have done so much less for so much more.

The bottom line is, you resent him because you don’t think he deserves it. Thats why you think he’s taken the “easy” way, that’s why you omit his connection to the boys, that’s why you want to characterize his choices as “things that don’t truly matter”, that’s why you want to blame him for “going solo” even if the hiatus was thrust upon them as a collective after Zayn left first. And that’s totally fine. Just say that with your whole chest, because it’s what you believe is true.

I, however, completely disagree with you and truly, earnestly hope no one in your life ever holds your character and ethics to the same standard to which you hold Harry’s. You’d fail, by each and every single one of your own metrics. We all would.

[toastiest-mittens]

ALEXANDER J. NEWALL, DID YOU BUILD AN ALCHEMICAL JESUS CHRIST AND NAME IT FUCKING

MR. BONZO.

Give me a minute I can explain.

So the theory I am building this off of is the Tria Prima Theory (@magnus-marmot is whom I first heard about it from), basically defining three alchemical primes (salt, sulfur, and mercury) as the basis for Protocol’s classifications of terrors. What strikes me is that the symbol “W” is a symbol for water, is also affiliated with “The Son” in the Christian Holy Trinity as it pertains to solidity, the physical presence, and the body (all fall under the prime of salt). And “W” is directly fucking related to Mr. Bonzo in Freddie’s backend code. Furthermore, I would bring to light MAGP 35’s Terrence Menke and his deification of Mr. Bonzo, literally stating he, “used to be everywhere growing up, like God. He was like God in a lot of ways really.”

So, alchemically linked by a particular alchemical symbol to The Son, Jesus Christ, deified and made manifest in an actual flesh, blood, and bone body (but there are multiple references to him being “wet” and his teeth being “not soft” in the transcripts as you might expect from a mascot suit), and main focus of the series; they made Mr. Bonzo The Anointed One, only much more so anointed in blood than in oil it would appear.

So this begs the question; who are the Father and the Holy Ghost? While I do not have definite evidence for this yet, there is a strong case to be made for Freddie and The Archivist, however I am not confident in which is which. If we follow the trend of “Father begets, Son is begotten, Ghost proceeds,” then in chronological terms the Archivist is the Father (presides over alchemical processes and the stories of them, presumably created in 1999 when the Magnus Institute was razed), the Son is Mr. Bonzo (presumably made manifest through some alchemical process of fear and reverence in February of 2000 by Terrence Menke) and the Holy Ghost is Freddie (classifies the fears and the newest entity*, it basically acts as a receptacle for prayer via the statements. One is meant to pray “In the Spirit” after all [Ephesians 6:18]).

*newest by virtue of Johnathan Sims, Martin Blackwood, and Jonah Magnus being inside Freddie, yet another “Three Entities in One Being,” reference I might add.

[failbettergames]

hello mr fail! Question: when you say ‘us’ how many people is that referring to?

You'd think this would have a short answer! But it's fun to illuminate a little about how this works, because basically nobody knows how game development happens (even other people in the industry would be surprised by our team's composition, because every game has different demands). :D

The the Fallen London team: Bruno heads up the creative side, with James and Luke on Fallen London design and writing (with a little bit of George and a crumb of Chris), Stuart heads up Fallen London business/production with Jim on the backend, and Paul, Toby and Erion on art (Toby and Erion are mostly on our unannounced project but do the occasional Exceptional Story poster or icon).

This is the current makeup of the team, and doesn't include the stable of freelancers we've worked with over the last 14.5 years or the team members who've come and gone during that time. The credits are extensive!

On the unannounced game we have Adam as game director (who is also CEO), Olatz and Séamus on programming, Toby leading art with Paul and Erion, Chris and George on story and writing, Stuart on production, Les on QA (who is leaving! We love you Les!).

Last but not at all least we have Helena who looks after all of our operations, and me, Hannah, on comms for everything.

So there are 16 of us, sort-of divided in half but with lots of moving around from project to project. :)

[zapperrr]

How to Do Web Development

Introduction to Web Development

Web development is the process of creating websites or web applications that are accessible over the internet. In today's digital age, having a strong online presence is crucial for businesses and individuals alike. Whether you're building a personal blog, an e-commerce platform, or a corporate website, understanding the fundamentals of web development is essential.

Understanding the Basics

HTML: The Backbone of Web Development

HTML, or Hypertext Markup Language, is the standard markup language used to create the structure of web pages. It provides the basic building blocks for organizing content on the web. With HTML, you can define headings, paragraphs, lists, images, and other elements that make up a webpage.

CSS: Adding Style to Your Website

CSS, or Cascading Style Sheets, is used to enhance the presentation of HTML elements. It allows you to control the layout, colors, fonts, and other visual aspects of your website. CSS enables you to create responsive designs that adapt to different screen sizes and devices.

JavaScript: Making Your Website Interactive

JavaScript is a programming language that adds interactivity and dynamic behavior to web pages. With JavaScript, you can create interactive forms, animations, and user-friendly interfaces. It is widely used in frontend development to enhance the user experience.

Choosing the Right Tools and Technologies

Before starting a web development project, it's essential to choose the right tools and technologies based on your requirements and preferences.

Frontend Frameworks

Frontend frameworks like React, Angular, and Vue.js provide pre-built components and libraries to streamline the development process. They offer features like state management, routing, and data binding, making it easier to build complex web applications.

Backend Technologies

For server-side development, you can choose from a variety of backend technologies such as Node.js, Ruby on Rails, Django, and Laravel. These frameworks provide tools for handling database operations, authentication, and server-side logic.

Planning Your Web Development Project

Defining Goals and Objectives

Before diving into development, it's essential to define clear goals and objectives for your website. Whether it's increasing brand awareness, driving sales, or providing valuable content, having a clear vision will guide the development process.

Creating a Wireframe and Mockup

A wireframe is a visual representation of the layout and structure of your website. It outlines the placement of content, navigation elements, and user interface components. Mockups, on the other hand, provide a more detailed visual design, including colors, typography, and imagery.

Writing Clean and Maintainable Code

Importance of Clean Code

Writing clean and maintainable code is essential for the long-term success of your web development project. Clean code is easy to understand, modify, and debug, reducing the likelihood of errors and technical debt.

Best Practices for Writing Maintainable Code

Follow coding standards and best practices to ensure consistency and readability in your codebase. Use meaningful variable names, comment your code, and modularize your code into reusable components or functions.

Testing Your Website

Importance of Testing

Testing is a critical part of the web development process to ensure that your website functions correctly and meets the intended requirements. It helps identify bugs, performance issues, and compatibility issues across different browsers and devices.

Types of Testing in Web Development

There are various types of testing in web development, including unit testing, integration testing, regression testing, and usability testing. Each type serves a specific purpose in validating different aspects of your website.

Launching Your Website

Deployment Process

Once your website is developed and tested, it's time to deploy it to a web server and make it accessible to the public. The deployment process involves configuring the server, uploading files, and configuring domain settings.

Post-Launch Considerations

After launching your website, it's essential to monitor its performance, security, and user feedback continuously. Regular updates and maintenance are necessary to keep your website running smoothly and securely.

Continuous Learning and Improvement

Keeping Up with Industry Trends

Web development is a constantly evolving field, with new technologies and trends emerging regularly. Stay updated with industry news, attend conferences, and participate in online communities to keep abreast of the latest developments.

Expanding Your Skillset

To stay competitive in the job market, continuously expand your skillset by learning new programming languages, frameworks, and tools. Invest in online courses, tutorials, and hands-on projects to enhance your expertise in web development.

Web development is an exciting and dynamic field that offers endless opportunities for creativity and innovation. By mastering the fundamentals, choosing the right tools, and adopting best practices, you can build high-quality websites that engage users and achieve your objectives. Click Here