#but the only way to combat that is to Actually Engage with the media I'm afraid. being behind on thing is not a bad thing

[shiraishi--kanade]

I remember hearing a video essayist for a different fandom saying a lot of people are having wild takes on the media in question because it's becoming more common to get information about the books second-hand than to actually read the books. And I think something like this happened with pjsk. Except worse because we don't even have video essays we have tiktoks. And that's why We're Like This

[transformersconfessions]

I think tf one is a lot worse than the fandom is willing to admit and it makes me feel disappointed that people can't criticise it without being attacked .

I don't think it's a bad movie to introduce new people to the fandom or that it's the worst piece of media Hasbro has released. But it has many weak points that few talk about and the rest are blinded by the fact that we're getting new Transformers content.

Aside from the graphics (which is one of its redeeming qualities), it lacks depth in world-building. (Everything happens in Iacon (not counting the surface). What's 50 cycles in this continuity? How are transformers born that makes it so easy for Sentinel to take their cogs?? There's more examples, but these are the ones at the top of my head).

The characters are hardly fleshed out. Especially for Orion, it's weird that we don't really get a good explanation as to why he's the way he is or how his motivations came to be. And why is he so different to everyone else?? Surely not everyone is just happy to play along with the system?? We never got to know why Bee was in the sublevel 50 or how long he was down there. Elita could've been a much more appealing character if she was allowed to break from the angry and strong woman persona for longer than a few seconds. I have less complaints with D-16, but that's still a few things that bother me about his character. (This is more about personal taste, but I think the name "Megatron" has a lot less impact when Dee was more of a fanboy of Megatronus rather than someone who respected and aimed to be more like the old Prime. Imagine you kill the president and become the leader of an army and the first thing you do is change your name to one inspired by your celebrity crush. How can I take you seriously???)

The pacing was not the worst, but it could've been better. Thing after thing after thing— basically no breaks for you to process everything that happened. More quiet moments, pauses and suspense would've been nice.

The villain trope for Sentinel was a bit too cartoony for my taste. Evil guy whose motivation is power but is also a pathetic coward who bends his will to those stronger than him, and is defeated by the hero after his evil monologue exposing all his crimes gets recorded and forecasted for the whole world to see.

Not exactly what I would call an engaging and intimidating villain.

And speaking of Sentinel, how did he defeat the thirteen Primes that are supposed to be strong and almighty?? Sure, he was aided by the Quintessons, but surely it would've taken more than that?? It's like a case of telling instead of showing except they're showing without telling you how any of that is possible.

The movie was full of conveniences, too. Orion being known by the guards in the Hall of Records yet he was never arrested by them. They literally know how he looks and what his designation is??? Elita happens to be in the right place at the right time. What a coincidence. Bee knows a way out of sublevel 50 yet only could go out after all this time when Orion and Dee arrived? Why not. Gotta wait for the mc's. Bee has a recording from Alpha Trion that we have no idea how it even got there in the first place?? Alpha Trion somehow survived but not the rest of his siblings? The Royal Guard decides to help Orion because Elita is "scary"? That was one of my least favourite scenes because they could've come up with a much better reasoning. How remarkably good all these cogless bots happen to be at fighting? I'll take Orion's agility for his escapades. I'll take the strength for the long hours of work in a harsh environment with heavy compartment to carry. But you're telling me they actually know real combat moves when there's no reason for them to?? Unless Cybertronians come programmed with it (or their borrowed cogs provide them with those skills), I'm not buying it.

This and many more things could be said if we weren't afraid of admitting this film wasn't perfect. I really liked it because of the concept and the new ideas it brought with it, but that's why I'm sad the fandom doesn't do more than just settle for what we have.

I won't claim all my criticism is objective or that it's all correct (I haven't rewatched it recently to assure that I remember all the details), but that's why I invite to be more open to different opinions (even if they're negative), so we can expand on this idea the movie offers.

(I apologize for any typos or grammatical errors. I wrote this in a rush and I have no time to edit it)

*

[readerattheend]

I'm fascinated by the media that Alien Stage is. It's so saturated with meaning, but that meaning is so ambiguous. There are things that are certain and cannot be refuted, but then…

Every panel is load-bearing, so it's understandable that it would be difficult to fully grasp these characters who have so few speaking lines (those interviews and comics help, but they are fundamentally limited). I love how the 'unreliable narrator' role is played with characters whose main way of communicating to the audience is through a rehearsed performance that is intended to play to their strengths and pander to (or combat) the entertainment industry.

We can't fully trust the lines in their songs to paint a full picture of the characters, but we can see the color pallet of their minds in the lyrics. We can't rely on only their faces and body language to illustrate their emotional landscape--they are actors, for goodness' sake--but we can see the outlines sketched out of who they are. We can't put weight on their actions that are so restricted by their captivity, but those actions are the only speech they have to start filling in the details.

Then, with colors, outlines, and scattered details, we piece together who these characters are. We have to make guesses for some things ("he looked there at that time, so does that mean he …?" "her smile seemed more ____ this time, so surely she …").

This stroke goes here, no I think the eyes should be drawn a little higher, oh yes wouldn't it be interesting if this color showed up here? Oh wait, oh wait, but in that flashback I saw them… so actually, I think I got the shading all wrong. What if I turn the figure two degrees to the left? No, no, it looks more correct if I…

Stumbling along, getting things wrong, getting things right, looking over our shoulders to see if the picture on the next person's page looks like the one we made, we diverge and approach the intent of the creator and our own needs as the viewer.

Every time I look, I learn something new, so I don't expect myself or anyone else to have a completely accurate, nuanced view of all ALNST characters at any given moment. By telling the story this way, the creator creates so much value. Rewatch value, psychological value.

As the audience we have to be willing to second guess, triple guess, toss out our assumptions and start from scratch, and when we do, we learn how to use our minds and engage with stories.

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

Why would a battle fought 54 years ago provide key insight on what Hamas' strategy is today?

Asymmetric Warfare. It's a term that most people don't really understand. Before I did this, I was a United States Army Green Beret and I did a couple of combat tours in Iraq. And needless to say, asymmetric warfare was kind of our thing.

So, in practical terms, it is a type of war between belligerents whose relative military power, strategy or tactics differ significantly. And as a result of this, the weaker opponent will use unconventional tactics in order to maximize one's strengths against a stronger opponent's weaknesses or vulnerabilities.

For instance, an Insurgent force does not have the freedom of movement or firepower necessary to attack a forward operating base or a heavily armed column. So instead, they focus on softer logistical targets. They may choose to use a remotely activated roadside bomb instead of engaging in direct fire.

In many situations, the weaker adversary has fewer personnel and resources. And so, a significant part of their strategy is to preserve those limited resources and use the munitions that they have to the greatest possible advantage.

But here's the thing. To pull this off long term, you generally need a consistent means of supply combined with enough territory to hit, run and then hide. And Hamas doesn't have these things, at least not in sufficient supply to win against the IDF.

So, what's their strategy? What can Hamas leverage that will allow them to conduct offensive operations against a much stronger opponent and then avoid getting destroyed by the IDF's vastly superior military capability?

And the answer to that question as horrific, as it is, is civilian casualties, but probably not the ones you're thinking.

To understand this, let's discuss that example 54 years ago. The Tet Offensive in the Vietnam War virtually wiped out the Viet Kong. It was by every objective measure, a complete tactical failure. But strategically, it was invaluable. Because while achieving none of its military objectives, the Tet Offensive shattered Americans' perspective on the situation on the ground.

Opponents of the war were able to effectively use the offensive as a demonstration of the futility of American involvement. Hollywood, Academia and many in the mainstream media went to work convincing the American people that the war couldn't be won. Or perhaps just shouldn't even be fought. And in a representative government, when the electorate decides that a war is lost, it is, regardless of the situation on the ground.

Now, understand something. I'm not making an argument for the pros or cons of fighting the Vietnam War. I'm merely illustrating a point about modern Asymmetric Warfare. The lesson of the Tet Offensive is when fighting the West, you don't defeat their military. You win their electorate. And the way to do that is through the institutions which shape culture in the West, namely Hollywood, the Media and Academia.

If Hamas had decided to engage in a conventional military attack directed at only legitimate military targets, the IDF would have effectively destroyed their war fighting capability within days, and Hamas knows it. So, they engaged in asymmetric strategy.

Once we understand this, their actions on October 7th, as horrific as they are, begin to make more sense. Hamas didn't just target civilians because they were easy targets or because they despise Jews, although both of those things are true. The attack and the subsequent taking of hostages was actually designed to elicit a major response from the IDF.

But why? Well, maybe it's because to achieve their strategic objectives, Hamas needs civilian casualties. And more specifically they need Palestinian civilian casualties. And this is why.

The two entities in this conflict that lose the most from a greater peace agreement in the Middle East are Iran and the terrorist organizations they support. Upsetting this process requires much more than the random launching of rockets into Israel or strikes against legitimate military targets. The IDF is more than capable of handling such incursions, and the Israeli people have become all too accustomed to weathering such attacks without demanding an overwhelming military response. something more significant was required.

And October 7th created the kind of conditions that demanded a significant and sustained response. They needed something so obscene that Israel would have no choice but to hit back hard.

And this is where the second component of Hamas' strategy plays out. How to get Palestinian casualties. Any government actually worried about civilian casualties dedicates resources to evacuating their own civilians from hostile areas and attempts to separate the civilian population from legitimate military targets. So what conclusion should we come to when a governing body decides to do the exact opposite?

In this asymmetric environment, Hamas is not only incentivized to kill Israeli civilians, they're incentivized to maximize their own civilian casualties in the short run in order to elicit Western intervention on their behalf. As easy as it might be to explain Hamas's strategy away as nothing but mindless bloodlust, it is actually more sinister than that.

Hamas is responding to the incentive structures certain elements within the West have created. Hamas understand that the real Battlefield is not in Gaza but in the streets, University halls and newsrooms of the West. And so that is their target. And while a ceasefire seems like a humanitarian response to the tragic death of civilians, leaving Hamas intact as an operational and governing body will ultimately just reinforce that the perverse incentive structure remains the same.

And that while the West may claim to "not negotiate with terrorists," they always seem to force Israel to as soon as it becomes politically inconvenient for them.

So here's the hard reality. If you actually want to achieve anything resembling a lasting peace in this part of the world, you're never going to achieve it by creating conditions where terrorists are incentivized to hurt both the civilians of their enemies, and their own in order to achieve their political objectives.

==

This, of course, was completely obvious from the moment of the al-Ahli Hospital hoax, where Western outlets worked overtime to spread Hamas propaganda without regard for truth, all the way through to the present-day "protests" which are anything but organic or grass-roots.

[linka-from-captain-planet]

How would you rank the Dragon Age games?

my ranking is DAV > DA2 > DAI > DAO based on my personal taste. More/explanation below the cut if you're interested!

(if I were ranking my favorite DA media I've consumed, The Masked Empire would be #1 with 100/10)

Possibly important context: I played the DA series for the first time in 2024, and I played DAI -> DA2 -> DAO -> DAV in that order. So I have no nostalgia factor at play, and haven't had a decade to ruminate about any particular game in this series.

Veilguard (8/10) This is the Dragon Age game for Me. I think this is largely due to some really competent game design decisions; the quality of life playing this game is amazing, and the way the companions and quests are structured just really worked. It's polished and sleek. The progression worked, the way companions are integrated into the story so none can be fully ignored (I'm guilty of this) worked, the story worked, the whole vibe and spirit worked. It also accomplished what I never thought would be possible: fun DA combat. I actually have saves for the Siege of Weisshaupt and Fire and Ice and the endgame just so I can go back and do these big kickass battles. There's no one part of the game that makes me hesitate to fire up a new file. It takes a few hours to ramp up, but once shit gets real, it stays real. I don't feel compelled to mod it at all (I could nitpick, but I only mod for QOL). This is the game I want to play when it feels like the real world is more fucked than Southern Thedas. It drew out feelings I hadn't felt since Feb 2020. There are a few things I think could have been better (e.g. I think Faction was a weak way to frame the player's allies). After playing, I don't mind the lack of worldstate, but I really only wanted easter eggs and codex entries to begin with.

Dragon Age 2 (7.5/10) I would rather read a short story or novella than a big ass 500-page honkin novel so in this way - impact-per-hour - DA2 is my #1 always. I love the scope limited to one fraught city. I love the personal-political integration. On easy mode, the janky combat doesn't bother me (it's over fast enough) and I find a kitschy charm in the reused maps. It's impressive and also designed very competently for what resources they were given (i've said before - DA2 would never work with a dignified, sweeping story like DAO or DAI with its level of jank - giving the player one shithole city and a small group of dirtbags as companions is the only way its cracks wouldn't become canyons). Hawke is the best DA protagonist due to feeling very defined in their own right (I don't care to create OCs - Default Marian all the way. The drama and chaos of the finale - including having to fight-kill companions I couldn't sway - was top tier. Being pretty contained, I don't feel a big drive to keep playing DA2, like it's not really that "fun" to play for me. It feels like a very immersive book. It's pretty neck and neck with DAV, but DAV just being more *fun* edges it out.

Inquisition (7/10) My first DA! Drops below DA2 based mainly on quality of life. This game is a true slog - I don't think I'd be able to play it without mods when I return to it; the looting animation alone makes me want to rip my teeth out. I find it very impressive for the time it was developed (this game made me like 50% *less* impressed with BG3 actually), but it's very much a more-is-less situation for my taste. That said I love "the Inquisition" as a concept. My first play, I went in completely cold and had no idea what anyone was talking about ever (e.g. no clue what a Warden was, no clue about "circles" or why mages and "templars" were beefing) but still had a blast, and it was some of the most thrilling video game play I'd ever experienced. I felt engaged the whole first run. I also appreciate the variety in quests, companions, and locations. It was a great introduction to Thedas as a whole. The companions were hit or miss; I didn't swap them out much, and running around the ginormous Skyhold base to talk to them for 20 hours each was a colossal bore.

Origins (6.5/10) I hesitated to play DAO basically because of the broodmother, and I would not have played this game if I didn't find a way to skip it entirely with console commands/debugging menu. I also skipped all combat and can guarantee I wouldn't have made it through the prologue if i couldn't. I do find it very impressive for its time, and I try to give it some grace on the extremely mid-00s edgelord aura that makes a lot of the dialogue/dialogue options excruciating to me (note: I also despise Purple Hawke). The story was engaging and while I didn't really care about many of the companions (I never switched out my team of Alistair, Morrigan, and Leliana), I loved the supporting cast and antagonists. The power struggle aspect of the story was incredible, mixed in with the darkspawn threat - it felt very immersive and the stakes felt high. I didn't particularly care for the "gather your allies" part of the story, but this probably would have been cooler if I didn't killallhostiles everything in every battle including the endgame. While this is a very competent (for its time) and engaging game, there's just nothing about it that makes me feel insane. The closest it comes is how sick the Warden Lore is, but there are no characters or story beats that make me want to write a fic or play over and over. Ultimately, DAO comes last because of its grossness about women, being unplayable (to me) without skipping like 30% of the game between the end of the Deep Roads and combat, and just not having anything that makes me feel insane.

[txttletale]

shadowrun: hong kong is one of my favorite games! what do you like most about it?

oh thank you for asking me this there is so much to like about it! first of all i really really love how much the game accomodates for build diversity. for a game that is ultimately still very much focused on combat, they make every skill incredibly rewarding -- biotech unlocks some of the best and most interesting quest resolutions in the game. you really feel able to roleplay as a decker or an adept when making these character choices unlock not only the obvious combat advantages but also really cool dialogue options and ways to entirely circumvent problems. it just rewards you for building and playing a character in the way the best CRPGs do

oh, and the characters are incredible. each party member's arc is so easy to get invested in and their personal questline rule so much. racter is (in my opinion) a really wonderfully nuanced and careful depiction of someone with low empathy. i saw a lot of the ways i thought and felt in him, i like how the game really doesn't judge him for it but presents him on his own terms. gobbet and is0bel are so fucking cool and interesting and i love their dynamic--i love in CRPGs when you can tell that some party members have a long history together. they should have kissed. two of my favourite video game characters ever written. although gaichu unfortunately falls victim to the very overwhelming and specific weirdness that cyberpunk has about japan specifically in, like, his whole concept, he's still otherwise a really well-written and likeable character--he's charming, he's funny, he has a quiet melancholy to him that's really moving.

not to mention the side characters! jomo, auntie cheng, crafty, fucking. MAXIMUM LAW--all really memorable. duncan is there

the player character, too, gets to be interesting--i really like the way that the game threads the needle between having a prewritten plot to slot your character into while also still letting you decide who they are. the broad strokes of your backstory are painted for you but you get handed the brush to fill in all the details inside that--the flashback scene where you get different dialogue options to tell duncan why you're leaving and some of them are identical except for the indication that one is honest and the other is a lie is incredible storytelling work. it's a really really good compromise between the CRPG blank slate tradition and the desire to integrate the PC's past into the plot in a way that is Cool and not Dumb (i'm looking at you fnv dlcs).

i also find it really really refreshing for a piece of cyberpunk media to ditch the weird fetishised Yellow Peril 'oh what if the usa became more scary and asian' shit, cut the middleman, and just actually set itself in asia and be about asian characters. obviously i can't personally speak to whether or not it provides an accurate representation of hong kong, but it definitely feels like it's interested in engaging with hong kong as a setting and what makes it unique as a place and culture rather than just as set dressing.

and finally i like that you can go on the computer and read BBS posts. nice time on the computer simulator :)

[cosmicjoke]

As a Levi x Erwin shipper myself. I think it's very crazy to think Levi would follow Erwin no matter what. Mikasa who was actually attached and canonically in love with Eren didn't follow him no matter what. She killed him at the end and even before that she didn't become a jeagerist.

Those who think Levi would follow Erwin no matter what are only around for the shipping and a tragic shipping plotline and some admit to this while others try to make it sound factual.

I also think some eruris like to troll people by repeating things they've said that people don't agree with. Most of them repeat these takes to piss people off because they believe they're the only Levi shippers who get criticized a lot when there's other Levi ships claiming crazier things. I have seen levihans say Levi only cried in the end for Hange because they never cried any other time for any other comrade until Hange died and Levi said his final goodbye but that take never really gets criticized or talked about.

At the end of the day, and as someone who also occasionally trolls people. A lot of eruris know Levi wouldn't follow Erwin no matter what lol. We're trolling. It's just to piss of people who deny how important Erwin was to Levi and vise versa.

I'm sure there's normal shippers like yourself who know it's absurd to claim Levi would have followed Erwin no matter what. But I've seen plenty of shippers who claim this in earnest, and without any sort of sarcasm or irony, and I've been viciously attacked by these same shippers, accusing me of all kinds of horrible things, saying things like I'm homophobic simply for stating the canon fact that Levi and Erwin aren't romantically together, or harassing me, actually creating multiple accounts to harass me over my refusal to accept their takes. That goes beyond trolling, and trolling in and of itself is, imo, an ugly thing to engage in. I've seen that take also spread around by Levi haters, and used as one of the main points of criticism against Levi by haters, and I have to think they likely picked it up from shippers spreading around that trash. Whether done in earnest or to troll people, it's harmful to people's understanding of Levi's character, and has created a perception about his character that simply isn't true, and shouldn't be tolerated. That's why I make it a point to counter these takes with actual, serious analysis. Levi's character gets wildly misunderstood, particularly because of shipping and ship wars and all the stupidity that goes on there, and if you care about Levi's character, I think the best way to show that is by actively combating the misconceptions about him, rather than spreading them. As you said, those who think Levi would follow Erwin blindly have a clear agenda, projecting their desire for Levi and Erwin to fit into whatever mold of doomed and tragic romance they envision onto their words and actions, twisting their characters to fit what they want, rather than just accepting them for who they are.

On the other hand, I doubt there's anyone with any, actual understanding of Levi's or Erwin's character that doesn't know or understand how important they are to each other. Anyone with even an ounce of media literacy should be able to pick up on that. The problem is, is when people extrapolate that out into Levi only caring about Erwin, or caring more about Erwin than anyone else. It's just simply not true.

Levi's relationship with Erwin is more complex than his relationship with Hange, and so given to more complex and nuanced discussion. I think that's why you see some of the more absurd takes of Levihan shippers get ignored, because their friendship wasn't as impactful, philosophically speaking, as Erwin's and Levi's was on each other. There's little room, when looking at Levi's relationship with Hange, to twist it into something it's not, because it's fairly straight forward. But again, Levi's relationship with Erwin isn't so simple, and so you see a lot of brain-dead takes regarding it that require more push back because those takes can easily be misconstrued as canonical fact.

At the end of the day, Levi and Erwin aren't romantically involved, there's no, concrete evidence to support that they are, or that Levi acted out of romantic feelings when he made the choice he did in Shinganshina, or in his decision to follow Erwin at all, and trying to filter their relationship and Levi's actions through that lens will, inevitably, lead to a horrible misinterpretation of his and Erwin's characters both. It creates a fundamentally flawed perception of who they are.

I just wish more people actually tried to treat these characters and this story with some level of seriousness.

Shipping and discussions of shipping is a waste of time to me, and has literally zero to do with the story of AoT or it's characters beyond actual, canon pairs, like Mikasa and Eren, and even then, the romance is largely unfulfilled. AoT isn't a story about romantic love. For Levi and Erwin, it doesn't apply at all. It's fine to explore ideas of romance between them in fanfiction and fan art, but it should never enter serious discussions about the actual canon story or characters.

[nashcandream]

Hey starshines <333

I haven't really been around the last month it feels like. Life is just...chaotic and busy.

I was supposed to meet Tim Downie at a comic con this weekend but his appearance was rescheduled. I have a mixed bag of feelings and am grateful the meet and greet was gifted to me. If I was out that kind of money, I would probably be losing it right now. But even the person who gifted the experience shrugged it off as "well, these things happen, it's just money". I am thankful for their reaction. <3

I really wanted to meet Gale's actor/voice actor and I'm so bummed it wont happen. But at the same time, I was so nervous. Like...so insanely nervous. And I don't really get nervous around famous people. But I kept thinking "what am I going to say?" and "what am I going to do with my hands"?

It doesn't help that I haven't actually finished a damn playthrough of BG3 yet. Part of me kind of felt like a fraud because of this and that was raising my anxiety.

Honestly, the last month I've taken a huge step back from BG3 because of how overwhelmed I was by the game and content. I ended up diving into Dragon Age: Veilguard and I am literally so close to the end of the game, I can taste it. And I feel so good! Aaaaah!!! Like I can't wait to see how it ends.

Is Veilguard perfect? No. Maker no. But is Dragon Age still my absolute comfort universe? Yes. It honestly is. I always say Dragon Age replaced HP for me. The safety I used to find in that world...well, it has long since gone. But I found refuge in Dragon Age. And I waited 10 years for this final chapter. I'm thankful for it. I wish some things were different and I wonder what the game looked like at the beginning of development versus the final product.

But honestly....getting back into Dragon Age was a lot like returning home in some ways. I missed the lore. I missed the characters. I missed all the ideas I came up with for fanfic. I also forgot there are books and now, I really want to read them. I just feel...re-energized. And my soul missed Solas in such a deep way. Like...I can't tell you how long I sobbed during/after Inquisition. A piece of me finally feels like it will see relief and that sounds like such a strange thing to say. But its the truth.

I am also hoping that, by finishing Veilguard, I will finally have the mental fortitude to get through BG3. Which probably sounds insane lol But, seriously. Folks who even have one complete playthrough of BG3 have my awe. You folks are an inspiration. Because I have a disgusting amount of hours invested in a game where I have only left Act 1 ONCE. I get so...overwhelmed and panicked about my decisions. I get wrapped up in my headcanon. And, honestly, sometimes the turn-based combat is a little too much for me (using the cheater ring/spells are the only way I can slog through it sometimes, I'm embarrassed to say...and I play on storyteller mode...).

Soooooo yeah. That's me. A little burned out from BG3. A little bummed, but overall relieved, I won't be meeting Tim this weekend as planned. A little overwhelmed at work, especially as the end of the fiscal year creeps closer.

But also...back in love with my favorite series, excited that my entire family (sans older sister because she doesn't live local) is going to the con on Saturday (we aren't that kind of family and the fact that my parents and brother are going...look, I could cry. when we talk about healing our inner child, this is that).

I just want to say sorry that I haven't been around. Because I always feel immensely guilty for engaging with people and then pulling away. And then asking to re-engage. But I guess that's kind of what spaces like Tumblr are for. Which is why I prefer here to other social media platforms.

I even tried to make a different/alt account. I tried making a community and engaging with folks. But it was just too much. And I literally did that to avoid coming back to this blog. Where I actually chatted with folks and enjoyed their content. But I just felt so oddly guilty about coming back here. I don't even fully understand why. Almost like imposter syndrome in some ways? I dont know.

Im just rambling at this point. But. Yeah. Thats me and my weirdness and my update. <3

Hope you are keeping well, friends. (Scratch love is the best love)

[archivalofsins]

It's probably not something many people want to hear or even attempt to internalize.

However, if the way a person engages with any media is making people actively fearful, afraid, or anxious to engage with said media that's not good. If a good deal of people's response to trial two coming to a close is like they're clocking out of a long work shift, finally getting that vacation they've been hoping for. That's not healthy or fun.

I want it to be known that if someone cannot personally handle being around others with different opinions than them, if someone is asking why these people can't just see this how they see it- It's not even an issue of Milgram not being a healthy series for them to engage in anymore. At that point being a part of big fandom spaces may not be a healthy thing for that person in general.

Look I know that throughout trial two a vocal minority of fans have made Milgram a completely horrid experience for a good deal of people. Mostly fucking twitter users. Some of which are here now and like to bring their drama with them. I don't even use the fucking thing anymore. This ceased to be just a western fan problem and turned into a global one a long time ago.

Fans on twitter to my personal memory,

Complained about other countries being allowed to vote at all stating that Milgram should only let people who live in Japan vote, the same person who said this on twitter made a poll after the end of Amane's trial to figure out if it was just western fans that wanted her innocent. Consistently gave inaccurate information about dissociative identity disorder (focused primarily upon one person's individual experience with it multiple times in various spaces). Resulting in presenting the disorder as a monolith in order to push their own theories setting back progress for the millions of people who actually have it. Literally the western audience heavily headcanoned Mu's victim as half black while making fun of her death/how she died during her second trial. Along with using racist rhetoric/dogwhistles in order to push for an innocent verdict for the girl. Made a Kazui guilty shrine. Directly incentivizing people to vote the man guilty by giving them stuff each day they did-

Bitch I'm not paid for this. Hell I would like to be- Incentivize me real quick. Honestly, since they got paid just saying where's mine? People on tumblr write elaborate theories and analysis for free. Because they genuinely enjoy the media. Twitter is the fucking platform that's telling people how they should fucking vote and trying to decide who has the right to since trial two started. Then fucking whining when their piss poor behavior doesn't get them the verdicts they want. It's so bad that eastern fans have actively sought help from western fans to combat some of these problems on multiple occassions.

There are people in the east who wanted Amane innocent and celebrated when she was innocent just like there are people in the west who wanted her guilty. Whether the fandom on twitter believes it or not. This part of the fandom is so detached from the rest of it that they only dream about knowing what the fuck we do over here. They've created a fucking echochamber. Yet the people literally going think for yourself, this is my opinion what's yours are getting the most flack because the vocal minority doesn't like the fact the logic they share makes their feelings hurt.

That in the face of the actual facts of the situations presented to us none of the prisoners look completely good or completely bad. Yet, they're definitely not looking that good either. That some of the facts directly conflict with the squeaky clean always right image they've created of the prisoner they like in their head. Then they go online and make that the issue of whoever's take they like the least that day instead of I don't know not bothering others. Then the worst part is these people whine and play victim harder than the prisoners in their interrogations as soon as consequences present themself for their behavior usually as tangible trial results in Milgram.

Because they've continually thrown these fits publically just to have the verdict they didn't want happen over and over this trial.

Pushed for Mu innocent-

Pushed for Kazui Guilty-

Pushed for Amane Guilty-

I don't even give a fuck what Twitter is pushing for with Kotoko at this point because she's pushing up daises from the bottom of hell-

By audience choice. Literally by audience choice. Fuck the only thing I've heard about Kotoko's trial from twitter was from Star about how they're once again attempting voting fraud in an attempt to get her innocent. Though even I can admit this is fucking embarrassing. This is like really fucking sad. Everything Twitter has fucking pushed for this trial has not won. Meawhile I think maybe tumblr took one loss with Haruka this trial and just vowed never again.

I think everyone can realize how fucking wild that is. Can you fucking imagine how at your wits end you would be if you kept publicly losing like this? How dejected? It's only reasonable to think why isn't anyone listening to what I have to say or how I feel in this sort of situation. Yet, at the same time some of the fans on twitter have actively alienated the other fans on there they have no fandom unity. Which makes sense given they do the shit up there. They are literally eatting eachother over there for sport.

Because it's fucking twitter. That's how it's always been.

Hell, I fucking wouldn't even know these were losses for them if they didn't announce on every verdict post on twitter that's what happened. Or even go back to the comments of Purge March where they're still complaining about Amane's innocent verdict primarily blaming you guessed it the west.

Then they want to go I'm just trying to have fun why are people so mean- Without ever asking who their fun is at the expense of. What it says when they blame everything on overseas fans, state they shouldn't be allowed to vote, and Milgram is different now. This is the platform people are letting impact their experience and encite them into bothering people on other platforms?! People who are actually just trying to have fun in a way that is unique and personal to them? This is the platform running the milgram fandom narrative?

This is what people want the history of the fandom to be when all is said and done? I don't because I know the fandom is better than this. I know it can be better than this. The worst part of trial two is the fact that we let people with no intention to understand make us believe it couldn't be better than this. People who most of the time actively sought out someone who's privately enjoying themselves in the fandom to just go "um, actually you're doing that wrong" or picked someone from the tag to have bad faith discourse with.

Newsflash nobody asked, nobody fucking asked for a Milgram referee, nobody asked who's watching the watchmen, who's guarding the guard. If anyone's fandom hobby is trying to micromanage how others engage with media they're in a different book now and they deserve to stay in it alone or with people like them. Because the only thing people who act in this way want is for others to shut up. For them to stop saying the things that make their favorite look bad and there's only one thing to respond to that with after a while.

I hope you grow up someday~

Think about what makes people who do this more entitled to having fun discussing the things they enjoy than the person(s) that they're currently behaving in this way to? What makes them different from the others that they look down on and treat as an enemy from square one. All because they read a post and decided to define whether a fan was a good or bad person based on that alone. It's not different from coming to that conclusion from just listening to a song or watching a music video really.

Plus, I promise anyone who is doing stuff like this nobody is going to magically change their mind because someone behaves this way towards them. Because the people who do this shit are usually no different from the people who do the same shit listed above. Now everyone is not like this. This is why I said the vocal minority. It's still bad that people are behaving in this manner and treating others like this regardless of how little people are doing it.

At a point the Milgram fandom globally is going to have to reckon with how the way many have treated other fans in this space has been harmful and sown division. The solution to this hostility should not have to be disavowing an entire part of the fandom on a different platform and going we don't do that shit here. However, at a point that becomes the only correct response. Because at the point the behavior being exhibited by some fans is making others feel unsafe and anxious about enjoying the things they enjoy it is only right to go-

We don't do that shit here. We don't engage with people who do that shit here. I have no respect for anyone who mistreats real people over Milgram. If people want to have fun and not have these serious discussions the door is right there go out of it. Communication is a two way street and if you come to someone else with disrespect and hostility you should expect right back. The time of having both while some have none is fucking over. People who behave in this way, whining and bitching about how we don't need nuance it's not that serious one instance just to pivot into how can you not take this seriously are disngenuous and ultimately driven by serving only theirselves.

I myself am sick of pretending like they don't fucking realize that. Because the biggest kicker here is they treat themselves like prisoners but unlike them no one is forcing them to be here or engage at all. People who enjoy anlayzing these things and asking these questions aren't forcing them to fucking do that too. So, no one who enjoys Milgram that way is responsible for the feelings of those who do not enjoy engaging with the series in that way.

Every individual is responsible for currating their own fandom experience. Anyone entitled enough to bother another person into currating their personal fandom experience around them and only saying things that they like is the one being the issue. It's probably disappointing to hear but if the ways up there are how fans want to enjoy Milgram on Twitter and I don't like that I stay away from fucking twitter. Like I said I stopped going in the milgram tag on here and I don't go on twitter either.

I'm not going to act like the tumblr part of the fandom doesn't have problems or even a lot of the same ones as twitter. It spreads misinformation as though it's fact, the fans here can be just as hostile, a lot of fans on tumblr are from twitter as well or use it too. More fans from twitter are coming to tumblr. I can't imagine why-

On tumblr I've personally been messaged some of the rudest most guilt trippy shit by multiple people in this fandom and then blocked immediately. One of the reasons I made that post explaining what grooming is by definition was because someone condescendingly direct messaged me stating I had misused the term. Then when it boiled down to it they're entire issue was simply I don't think Kotoko is that and I don't like how you're stating that she is.

If people keep making they're interpretations your responsibility that's a personal issue not a failing on you the person they happen to be taking that out on today. Because if they feel emboldened to do it once they'll do it twice- Hell, they'll do it as many times as they can get away with doing it until someone stands firm and goes I'm not engaging in this anymore if this is the behavior that brings you joy fine go have fun. However, this isn't what I want my fandom experience to be and I'd appreciate if you respected that and if you can't we just won't talk.

Engaging with your own personal interests is meant to be fun. It's meant to be honest to how you feel and what you personally believe. Anyone making you feel bad about that for no reason by centering themselves and their enjoyment first and foremost in a shared space, regardless of how understanding you want to be, is taking advantage of you. They're saying you have to pay for my fun by giving up your own and being less of yourself publicly because the way you have fun is messing up mine. That's not fair to you and anyone who wants you to respect their fun by dampening your own fucking knows that and doesn't care.

Because if they did they would respect what you enjoy as something that makes you happy first and foremost and talk to you about like a person instead of a problem. Yet if others can't do that if they can't give you the good faith back that you extend to them. You just have to cut them off at a point. Because I'm not cutting off my own hands to put a smile on a strangers face. I'm not silencing myself just so others can applaud. That's not how this works and no one should ever think it is. Fandom while it can be personalized to one's own needs is about community and no community can be good when anyone in it is being mistreated.

Sadly we can't control others the only thing we as individuals can do is try to be kind and understanding of the other fans that share this space with us. And- when people do the things above extend the benefit of the doubt say they're having a tough time and then extend consideration towards yourself and ask is this something I want to see or engage with in any capacity. That's all. The prisoners may have to go through hell by the end of this but that doesn't mean we have to make this hell on each other.

[tippistrick]

Media Thread Part 1: Every Kingdom Hearts Game on Steam

I have literally never done anything like this on tumblr and I dunno how much of this works but yknow what! That's fine! I'll figure it out

So late last year, I decided on a whim to get the Kingdom Hearts Integrum Masterpiece bundle on Steam. My experience with this series beforehand was basically nothing but what I had learned through osmosis on the internet, and even though I was kinda turned off by the heavy Disney association, I decided to say screw it and check em out anyway.

The next like. Two-to-three months give or take were completely dominated by this series as I kinda got hooked. I ended up finding (almost) all of them super engaging to play and all around just really fun! It was something I wasn't expecting to be so engaged with, but I kinda get it now.

I don't wanna go over every little thing here because this is almost like two decades worth of games and I wanna keep it to just this post, but I wanna do a brief lightning round of thoughts before talking about some overall thoughts.

Kingdom Hearts the First

This one gave me an astonishingly good first impression. The combat hooked me in hard and I enjoyed the focus on platforming this one had. The general system in place for abilities and AP also really resonated with me. One of my favorites in the series even after experiencing everything.

Kingdom Hearts 2: Chain of Memories

This is where the original plot stuff really gains its legs I feel. The main setting and concept was interesting and the new original characters from The Organization are fun to watch and get to know. I quite liked Riku's story in particular and how he grapples with what happened in the first game. The card system was very fun, but I gotta admit I was just bad at it. I sucked hard and it took me a long time to really get the hang of it. I don't feel like that's the game's fault; that's on me. Vexen is funny

Kingdom Hearts 3: Kingdom Hearts 2

Ooughh this one's real good. Although there's a drop off in terms of level design, the plot and combat are pushed wayyyy farther and it works for me. The form changes can be hit-or-miss for me with how the drive gauge works, but overall the experience felt much more refined and in-depth. It gets real hard too!! KH1 did as well but there's a specific lingering elephant in the room that decimated me. I get why people were so obsessed with the organization and its members, I like a good group of bad guys! Xigbar is funny

Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days (Movie)

Okay I'm stopping with the numbers bit I feel like I'd get confused and get something wrong. Anyways more good stuff!! I kinda wish I played the actual game but there's always a change to in the future. Roxas and Xion have such tragic existences and they really Go Through It. Axel and Saïx being bitter exes is awesome. By this point they definitely knew the original characters can just carry whatever it is they're doing, it's fun.

Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep

It's messed up but I've actually got some grievances with this one. The story is fine and all, but the way the game handles multiple characters got really REALLY draining for me. This concept can work in a game like sonic adventure I feel that's snappier and shorter, but for an action rpg, it wore me down especially with the worlds and their designs.. It was the only one of these games where I was exhausted by the end and just wanted it to be over. Braig is funny at least so hey it's obviously not all bad

Kingdom Hearts Re:Coded (Movie)

This one also kinda wore me down, even just for being a cutscene compilation. It retreads so much we've already seen and just wasn't that engaging until like the very very end. But hey... they DID put bugs in him.

Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance

Yknow it's funny. From what I've seen, this one's actually kind of disliked, and while I get why people do, I couldn't help but actually really enjoy my time with it. Yes the drop system isn't well thought out and can be annoying, yes I can see the dream eaters and how they work turning people off, yes the story jumps some big sharks in this one, but.... I dunno I just think it's neat!! I can like a mid game sometimes as a treat. Xigbar continues to be funny.

Kingdom Hearts χ Back Cover

This one ruled imo. It's basically just characters talking and it's so so engaging... the Master of Masters is one of my favorite characters in this whole series his voice acting goes crazy. Maybe the real imposter was the friends we lost along the way

Kingdom Hearts 0.2: Birth by Sleep - A Fragmentary Passage

First up this is the funniest name for one of these games it's insane. Outside of that, it's a neat little tech demo and bridge into Kingdom Hearts 3 and it sure issss neat. I quite like Aqua and she sure goes through it. A lot.

Kingdom Hearts 3 + Re Mind

Okay I know folks were disappointed with this one at the time of release, but as someone who didn't grow up with the series and has access to this game in its most complete state, it's my favorite one. It takes the best elements from 1 and 2 and whatever else and brings it together into something even greater. I'm satisfied with how the story ended up (mostly) and it made me feel excited for wherever we're going next!

Overall Thoughts

..okay so I still took my sweet time talking about everything. I think it's very easy to rag on this series from an outside perspective- hell even from an inside perspective, but I can't say I didn't really enjoy myself here. It's melodramatic and earnest and convoluted at times but dangit I needed something like this. I'm probably leaving out some things here and there, but I wanna emphasize that I'm glad that I gave this series a chance. Definitely understand not liking it, but it was absolutely worth my time by the end of it.

Tippi Ranking: Thundaga/10

[ariannadi]

A Kinda Halfway Review of Veilguard:

It's not Origins.

Okay, now that that's out of the way, I can honestly say this game is very good. I had my (warranted) skepticism after it was in development hell forever but you can tell that the team really did work hard to create a new and enjoyable experience that still has some nods to its original source material.

That being said,

The Things I Like:

The game is extremely polished and runs amazingly, even with my last gen computer. I haven't had any glitches or bugs of any kind, which is like, amazing. Not even BG3 was bugless upon release.

On that note, the graphics are beautiful, and the kinda cartoony look everyone was turned off by actually looks decent enough when in constant motion. Even still I know the art design isn't gonna be everyone's cup of tea.

The world building is great, I'm constantly on the edge of my seat as to what I'm going to find out next and while I initially was like "spoilers w/e" now I'm like I DON'T WANT TO KNOW *ANYTHING* PREMATURELY

The gameplay is actually really fun! It took me a bit to get used to but the combat is very engaging and only having two companions at your side kinda works in this instance since you can give them commands in real time. The abilities are flashy and I like the ability tree, there's a lot of different branches to experiment with.

Alongside combat, I like that the companions are actively a part of the battle and give you pointers as to where enemies are located. It's saved my ass more than a couple times lol

The music and sound design is very satisfying. I'm not in love with the ost, I think Hans Zimmer could've gone a bit harder with the scores, but it's enjoyable enough.

Character Creation is very good, I love how my Rook turned out! (ALSO THEM HAIR PHYSICS MMMMMPH)

I only have 6/7 companions currently, but 3/7 are really interesting and have good voice acting. We'll see how I feel about them all by endgame.

I like that they shrunk down maps from Inquisition, they feel just big enough to do some poking around for hidden things but not so big that you're running through an endless desert with nothing in it (Hissing Wastes *cough*)

The Things I Don't Like:

The dialogue could be better, it does feel very exposition-y and elementary at times.

A valid complaint I've seen is that the words the dialogue tree show aren't the ones that come out of your character's mouth. And yeah, none of that stuff matches up.

The beginning parts, though I understand it was tutorial-esque, had a lot of unnecessary hand holding. Eventually I turned off hints cause like, I'm not a child I can figure out stuff after the first time doing it.

I find some of the characters very flat, and I'm not sure if this is just voice direction or what but they could be a little more enthusiastic with their acting.

I HATE that there's so much shit from the books and extra media that a lot of people (including me) don't know as we likely didn't buy that stuff and are just kinda expected to know it all going into this. Thankfully a character will say one or two sentences alluding to something that happened cause otherwise I would have no flipping clue. Like what happened to Leliana? Why is Charter Spymaster for the Inquisition now? Another reason only having three choices from the previous games kinda ruins some things.

On that note, only three choices from the previous games?? Really??

Overall, I'd give it a 7/10 as it stands. Not amazing or anything groundbreaking, but it's enjoyable enough, and personally I'm having fun with it.

[kitkatopinions]

Jaune gaining muscle weight and lean physique was kind of inevitable, he's a huntsman. They engage in combat with giant monsters and moved from place to place all the time. Yes, he's a strategist and a leader, but what if his team encounters a strong grim/opponent? What if he himself gets assaulted? What is he supposed to do? Stay away from the fight, hide elsewhere in the side coming up with a plan while his teammates risk their lives? He should be able to do both to survive. Not saying one can't become a huntsman if they're not a good fighter, I'm saying with the route they have chosen for him, he had it coming one way or another.

But yeah his new haircut was a huge downgrade. Not only is it ugly, looking like peeled bananas💀, but also resembles Cardin's. Of all the designs for his hair they could've chosen, why did they choose that specifically? His long hair looked amazing.

So I really wouldn't say that Jaune getting muscle was inevitable, for a number of reasons.

Number 1: in fictional cartoons, people don't always change their appearance over the course of their media. It's not always a foregone conclusion that everybody's going to go through drastic changes if they're in a combat based field.

Number 2: It's specifically not a RWBY thing that people who are hunters get muscly. Not only do we have examples of characters who are thin and gangly like Qrow and Vine, or just have the same body type as our teenage protagonists like Winter and Harriet... We also have the other people training around Jaune. Ren doesn't get buff, Ruby growing muscles is not inevitable, and even tank characters who have the whole point of being strength based fighters in their team haven't yet gotten any muscle in the main series. Jaune is the only exception. His field has nothing to do with it when the people who are also in the same field don't have to have muscular designs.

Number 3: If we say that everyone HAD to have muscle growth throughout the course of the show and if it was something that the others like Ruby, Ren, and Yang also had... I don't see why Jaune needed bulk instead of like, wiry toned muscles. His whole body type changed. Again, we have Qrow as an example of a gangly hunter, so I don't see why even if everyone had to grow muscles why Jaune would have to be all bulked up with broad shoulders and a thick neck instead of getting lean and toned but still being thin and gangly himself.

But also I feel like my point was sort of missed here, which is that I don't understand why they did feel the need to take Jaune in the route of a 'traditional hunter' who is super brave and monster fighting and fearless and all that. I'm disappointed they ever decided to take that route in the first place. Jaune could've been a character used to explain how not all hunters needed to be the same, or that some people aren't suited for that work and can be helpful doing other things. Jaune rushing around a battlefield to heal his comrades while dodging attacks is pretty good if you ask me. And then we could've had Ruby taking a stronger combat lead. My point was kind of that I didn't want the route they took Jaune at all. To me it's a disappointing route, and his extra muscley design - which was unnecessary even within that disappointing route - is like a big sign of it.

But... That hair was just icing on a badly made cake imo. Like it wasn't enough that they took Jaune into the worst direction possible (one that backed up some of the toxic masculinity I was supposed to think they were commentating on,) and it wasn't enough that Jaune is the only one of the mains that undergoes actually noticeable changes in their body and gets muscle growth where characters like Nora and Yang stay stick-thin Bratz dolls. No, they also have to give him a haircut similar to Cardin's that takes away the vibes he did have entirely.

Me whenever I see v7-onwards Jaune

[clockwise-works]

🔥, ❓: how did legend of Zelda and/or rather the community changed ur life

🔥 What’s your favorite part of Zelda games? (Adventuring, Characters, Dungeons, Combat, etc.)

hmmm, this is a little tricky to answer. Since I've only made it through the Wild Trilogy (And AoC is already a very different game style from the others) I'm well aware that BotW and TotK are very different from the other games in the series in a gameplay sense. However, the one thing I think all the Zelda games share between each other, at least for the 3D installments, are the world building and emotion, which is what made it stand out to me compared to other really fun Nintendo developed games. Like, Mario is really fun and genius in how its designed for the most part. But Zelda? It's got that, sure, but it's also got the heart. You have OoT Link's story where yes, he does save the day, but no one can remember him, leading to him losing every person he cares for. He can't really return home because he's not a Kokori. He loses Navi, a close companion. All the connections he made, were sacrificed for the greater good. And this all leads to him becoming the Hero's Shade, a genuinely sad story where this once hero is now a forgotten soul, yet there is some heart there too. He's given the chance to train his successor, TP Link, to pass down his techniques to ensure Hyrule continues to thrive. TP itself has the whole growing bond between Midna and Link, and so when the two must seal off their worlds from one another, it's no doubt saddening. BotW, the one I'm most familiar with, has this in spades as well. The world is nearly a wasteland, with destroyed villages lost to time. Most of Link and Zelda's friends, their loved ones, are killed. And yet, hope shines through in the end, there is still a beauty to be found in this world.

And I think that's what I look for in a Zelda game. I know the gameplay will be fun, even if it varies from title to title, I know most of the stories will be engaging and well written (...TotK), I know the music and the characters will be great, I know all of that. But I expect that from most games now. Nintendo, for the most part (...TotK) know how to make games. But what makes Zelda unique compared to Mario, to Kirby, to Donkey Kong, is the emotion and heart.

❓how did legend of Zelda and/or rather the community changed your life?

Now THIS is a really interesting question! There's... actually a good amount to say, too, so I'll try to go through them one by one.

This is gonna be a weird one to explain, but Zelda... made me care for romance and love in media. Funny, I know, but hear me out. I guess this is a result of growing up in the late 2000's/early 2010's, where pretty much every action, comedy, superhero movie, etc, has a forced and contrived romance storyline, but I never cared for love in my youth. I was a kid, and I wanted to watch action and comedy, so when watching that and seeing these bland love stories where the lead guy and girl end up together because reasons, it made me just not want to see it at all. And this caried with me for many years, up until roughly 2022.

In 2022, I graduated from High School, and with this being in the middle of Covid, where 2 and a half years of my high school years were spent in online classes, disconnected from the rest of my peers, ... wasn't doing the best, mentally. So, I started playing games that I knew for years I would love but didn't have the time or proper headspace to truly appreciate it. I started with GoW 2018, and my god was that game amazing! The gameplay was excellent, the story was masterfully written, and oh my god the beauty of that game. No "pause the gameplay" load screens, no cuts in shots, just one long take for the ENTIRE journey. The game was amazing... but really got me was the story between Kratos and Faye. It, just like the story, was beautifully written, and was the first time I ever truly cared for a love story. I loved the way Kratos and Atreus were broken by her death, how they proccessed their respective traumas, and learned to understand one another and grew closer. I loved how the whole story was essentially a trip to spread her ashes at the tip of all the realms, how far Kratos would go to do good by his wife. I... liked a love story? Weird. (I swear this is important)

I think this is why Miphlink had such an impact on me. Right after GoW, I jumped straight into BotW, and I so much fun! The world was so well designed, I had an insane amount of fun and entertainment just running around in the world, seeing what I could do. During the summer after each day of work, I'd grab my switch, and just have fun for a few hours. This continued for about a week, maybe two, but while the game was fun, it hadn't exactly hooked me. I loved running around, exploring, fighting, puzzles, all that! ...But, I had little incentive to do the story quests. In my mind, that was kinda like going to the Nether and the End in Minecraft. It signaled the end of the game, and I didn't want that. But after two-ish weeks, I eventually decided to make my way to Kakariko, in which I was then directed to go to one of the main four Divine Beasts.

I saw that there was one relatively close to Kakariko, so I was off! It took some time, and after getting frustrated during the Zora River pathway to the Domain by all the enemies and putting the game down for two days, I finally made it to Zora's Domain! And... hey, wait a moment. This guy... knows me. Whoa... so does this guy. And he... blames me? For all of this? Weird. I run around, talk to some people, see a cool statue, and then make my way to the throne room. And then it happens.

I'm told all about Mipha, how the Zora are long lived and how Link had an impact on the Domain 100 years prior, I go through it all. And then the memory plays, my very first memory in fact. And it all clicks. The framing of the memory, the music, her voice acting, knowing that she had loved Link, enough to make an armor, and now was most likely dead, leaving her people to mourn her, broke me. In that moment, the game changed. It had hooked me. It was no longer just a fun sandbox to run in, it became a world I cared for, one I wanted to see safe, to see better. BotW doesn't exactly have a gripping narrative or anything, but the worldbuilding and tone were brilliant. The whole Domain arc was the peak for me, and Mipha's death, her impact on the whole Domain, how Link had specific dialogue options showing he mourned her too now, how they allude that he cared for her a good amount, hit me like a truck. That was now twice, back-to-back, where I played a game following a man with a dead wife/potential fiancé, learning to see the beauty in the world. I grew to love, well, love in stories. I wanted to see the Champions, to see Mipha, her family, all of them, happy. And part of her happiness... was Link. She loved him, and I believed Link loved, loves her too. So, I wanted that, I found myself WANTING stories of the two together. I wanted art showing them before the Calamity, when they were at their most happy and comfortable. And then, I found myself in the community.

I had never been part of a "community" before. Never. Honestly, I was afraid to be one. I've seen how toxic communities can be, the discourse, the debates, the hot takes, all that. I grew up a Sonic fan, we didn't exactly have the best reputation. So... I was afraid to "join the Miphlink" community, in a sense. I wouldn't say I'm all that involved in the Zelda Community, to be honest. I haven't played many of the games, and I only really engage with the Miphlink shipping side. It's a subsection, I guess. But shadow following-then-joining the Miphlink community was probably one of the best things to happen to me. I don't think it couldn't have been a better community, truth be told.

In my time here, I have begun to share my own art and writing, for the first time at the good ol' age of 19. I'v been drawing for years, but never had the confidence to put it online. And then, after joining the Miphlink discord server and essentially getting a "oh my god so many of the writers and artists I love are here" high, I drew my first ever piece of Zelda Fanart.

And it was... not good 💀. I plan to redraw it as a one-year blog post, but regardless. This was a post I was in the moment happy with, but quickly grew disappointed. And then, people liked it. They left nice things in the reblogs, I shared it in the server and all those people I respected immensely, artists who are leagues better than me in every way, writers who painted beautiful scenes with just their words, left some of the nicest compliments about it. And that gave me a newfound confidence. I started drawing a lot more after a near two-year break, to the point I can see a real improvement over the course of these last few months. I've made incredible connections with so many of these insanely talented and nice people in the community, who all have had a genuinely positive impact on my life. I know no fandom is perfect, I know there are people in the Miphlink community who "give it a bad name", but all the people I've engaged with, who have engaged with my stuff in return and have helped with art/writing tips, good conversations, ideas and jokes, have made this one hell of a year.

I guess this was a little all over the place. But mainly, playing BotW had led me to better understand love and emotion in storytelling and how to appreciate it, and joining the Miphlink community has given me the courage to share my works online and gave me the opportunity to improve my craft. Ya'll are incredible, I don't think I say it enough.

[honkbird]

boring ahh webdev class today, we're gunna talk about Wanderhome -- not the system but the worldbuilding behind Wanderhome

By and large I see Wanderhome as a great epitome of these more 'lax' settings. Cozy, gone from a time of war, woodsy, furry, etc. It's what I wish Humblewood was more of. Don't get me wrong, Humblewood is a great setting, but one is much more Epic and Fantastical than the other. Sometimes I don't to go on a horrific war to the barren wildfire wastes. Sometimes, a small pilgrimage sounds really entertaining. Explore the world /after/ that war. And of course, any system can do some level of that, but Wanderhome presents it in such an immutable way. I've never seen a system so deeply. Maybe it's the season in the real world right now, but I'd love a jaunt through nature during Firetop season. My favorite parallel would be Over the Garden Wall, which I'm quite sure everyone knows this media-- but it's such a good frame! Wirt and Greg go along everywhere, briefly being tangled in the lives of others but never becoming fully incorporated. Everyone in Wanderhome is the same, going along the road to a goal of their own. You'll come across residences, but it's doubtful you'd live there like the locals.

A great fantasy of mine would be hosting a combat focused system, engaging the players in a war with an air far above the commoner. Then, after such a campaign, having the group explore among those invisible actors who never played a part in the war -- but were affected just as much as the soldiers who came home.

But past the flights of fancy I'm having-- the book itself is wonderful! The first bunches of pages are focused on immersing you rather than what the rules are. Not how you play but how you play. Learn to mesh with the group, play off eachother, build and listen to one another.

AND THE ART IS JUST WONDERFUL, I'm a huge sucker for these ink and hashed pieces that mark every section of the book.

Especially the seasons one--

This comes before any actual rules, mind you. They're so focused on pinpointing the mood of the setting. The rules in question are so fluid that you might need some direction -- especially in character creation, so it's vital to get this sense of space and be inspired to write out your character.

Did you know there's no dice used at all in this system? It's all narrative-- infact, the only semblance of traditional 'balance' is the token system. Rather, you're attempting to build a story with other people. Suggestions for repercussions come from others too, if you need a sense of 'I don't want control in this moment'. If you really wanted you could break out the d6's like with other playbook/PbtA systems, but I think it's more enticing to write the story as a group instead. The dice aren't a member-- they don't have stake in this game-- but everyone else at the table does. Every player wants to see this be something wonderful! Every now and then, the dice aren't exactly unfair as they are... lacking. I should probably wrap here because it's getting egregiously long, but wonderful setting. The system works to give you storytelling ideas rather than a game.

[etrosgate]

best thing about ffxiii???

this is like asking a parent to pick their favorite child.

i'm so serious when i say that ffxiii is my favorite game because almost every aspect about it feels like it was built precisely to suit MY tastes.

the combat system is the best. the main party's dynamics and character arcs are the best. the level design is the best (i HATE typical jrpg level design). the way you can read narrative depth into almost every aspect of the game's design is the best. (i've legitimately teared up reading the stat analysis section of the guidebook because of how character's aptitudes+the abilities they learn in each role are so reflective of who they are). the female characters actually being important and interesting and heavily flawed without being demonized is the best.

the simplified stats is the best. the lack of walking around talking to every npc in town is the best. the way the "tutorial" section of the game forced a casual like me to actually engage in the combat system fully and become so familiar with every aspect of it that by the time it fully unlocks i regularly used every role and constantly swapped party configurations...that's the best. playing the game without auto-battle is THE BEST, its' so fucking fun.

and i'm ALWAYS gonna be a sucker for narratives about suicide that handle the topic well. the way every single major character (protag and antag) is suicidal, but in completely distinct ways. how they managed to deliver the message that killing yourself won't make up for your sins in a nuanced way. just in general giving reason to stay alive in a way that will actually reach suicidal people (and not the shallow platitudes that only comfort the people delivering them)

and there's more im forgetting about, i guarantee it

it's way easier to single out the things i dislike: the minor antagonists being super underutilized, the instant death spell in the final boss rush (should not be a thing in a game where player k-o is a game over), the upgrade system (thankfully easily half-assed/ ignored), sazh's suicide attempt being a cliffhanger (it's cheap and tasteless, which is extra disappointing considering how well the game handles the subject overall), and the racism/orientalism (which are sadly pretty typical of ff, and media in general).

and yeah the opening chapter is very confusing on a first playthrough lol.

[joshhhhhhhhhhhhhhh]

At the end of this manga there was an author's note wherein the mangaka detailed how they felt they'd never be able to respectfully capture the tone and feeling of the anime that its director was able to capture, so they tried to go more original instead and were grateful that Pravda ended up with more of its own flair because of it. That's a decision I can respect. However. I really didn't enjoy it as much as really any other GuP thing I've engaged with so far.

There's a lot of good here - most evidently how Katyusha and Nonna are fleshed out beyond their relative bit character status in the main series entries, but there's also the strongest artwork yet as well as senshado matches feeling closest to capturing the energy they have in the anime, which is something everything else I've read up to this point has struggled with. Unfortunately those are kind of where my praises stop, and honestly the Katyusha Nonna stuff has a big asterisk beside it. And like I'll be upfront and say that most of what I'm about to mention bothers me because it doesn't fit in with my vision of Girls und Panzer as has been built by every single other bit of GuP media I've watched or read or whatever, but that's as valid a reason as any to not really like a thing so I'll just like, go.

This manga is really edgy. There's infighting in every year group in every school. Miho has a bodyguard that threatens people so Miho can sit down, which yeah she doesn't like predictably. There's actual hand to hand combat. Blood, bullying, violence, the improbable safety of senshado in all other spinoff media is replaced with hey this shit can really seriously endanger people in any condition.

It's also really horny. There's a new St Glorianna girl who just constantly tries to pants Darjeeling. Nonna and later Klara are both lolicons for Katyusha and rip her shoes off to place her feet on their heads. There is a chapter dedicated to Katyusha struggling to sleep so Nonna takes her top off and rests Katyusha's head in her tits, following which Katyusha sucks Nonna's breasts and they comment on the hickies the next morning. Pardon?

It also feels as though it has the like fuckin, Disney Solo 12 parsecs thing where every significant detail needs to be explained. This is why Katyusha takes naps in fights. This is why they made Ooarai surrender. This is why she's called Snowstorm Katyusha. This is where Klara came from in Das Finale. They kind of do that throughout the entire manga, and it just felt kind of annoying. But you can respect it as an attempt to respect canon and continuity and stuff but then they'll just retcon stuff that ends up making the series worse off if you take them as canon. Especially like most things to do with the Nishizumi family kinda really bother me, the final chapter outright changes some really fundamental details of Miho's mother and why she transferred schools in a way that I really just didn't enjoy, or shit like fuckin. God this is a different thing now they have Maho be so ludicrously strong that it takes me out of the setting but then also have it be that the PTA forced every Kuromorimine 3rd year to retire so Maho could get commander position. Reading this after Phase Erika as well was wild because it ignores everything from that. The tl;dr of this entire paragraph is just that most of Girls und Panzer comes together very holistically but this just feels like a completely different thing that also isn't even consistent in its own standards. And that just bothered me.

I think that's all I've got tbf. The only other thing to mention is that I didn't like even a single one of the original characters made for this manga. And you know I clearly wasn't loving what they were doing with the pre-established characters either. I had more fun reading this than I'm getting across, it's just kinda like. You know the minutiae of reading panel to panel is gonna be generally well done enough to keep you enjoying yourself, it's just lots of weird individual moments and looking back at the manga as a whole I really just never felt quite sure what to make of it.

I understand Ribbon Warrior is even more of its own thing so hopefully I can at least take that one on its own terms, because yeah I like my vision of Girls und Panzer as informed by the anime and the manga spinoffs I did like but I don't want to mentally box in what the series can be, you know? We'll see when I get there I suppose.