#designing the ghost kids with their own unique features like this is so cool

[chloesimaginationthings]

Your Cassidy design gives me life, exactly how I envisioned her.

I’m so glad y’all liked my Cassidy design!!

[inventors-fair]

Partner Commentary: It Takes Two

I don't play politics, I don't play 2HG—this contest really was for the gimmick, wasn't it? Not that there's anything wrong with that but my goodness do I not know how to evaluate anything past individual cards... Or not, like, I get how cards are supposed to come together. But that's different than how we all come together here as designers to share our love of the game! Sort of. Maybe I'm trying not to let this metaphor go out of whack. Maybe I should just take my lumps.

One of those lumps is the fact that most the cards this week were really darn good. Like, I had a hard time really choosing a favorite, and there's something that I liked about each and every submission. It's a shame when there's a huge discrepancy in design strengths, and a unique gift when there's strength everywhere. Not too many entries, but I ain't gonna complain. This wasn't the easiest contest, after all.

As my partners do their own things in this office, I'm typing away here, and shall remind folks: Judge Picks are cards that have a specific feature I wanna showcase and/or they were just cool and I wanted to gush about them. Let's skip off into the sunset together and read some commentary!

@deg99 — Famed Poet & Ghost Writer (JUDGE PICK)

Poetry, my lifeblood! So there's the implicit team-versus-you issue to be handled (that's not really an issue at all I suppose) where this feels like a singleton card more than a team card at first glance, but the more that you read the more that you can actually work with these cards quite well. I think that I'd've worded the Poet's trigger to say "from graveyards" instead of "from a graveyard" because then you can both hose your opponents' cards AND help the Ghost Writer. These cards work oddly well, actually.

And as for the flavor, Lorehold and Silverquill (...those were the names, right?) do indeed come together for a neat little flavor package. I actually expected the ghost to have flying, but that's up to you, and the spirits not having flying was kind of on par for Strixhaven. These are an odd flavor couple, and I think I'd want to hear more about it—is the writer writing for the poet, or is the ghostwriting pun just a pun? What's their relationship in-universe? I would also understand if they're just buddy-buddy but you've made, again, an implicit link that's mildly frustrating to puzzle out—frustrating in a fun way though! Am I overthinking? [Editor's note: always.]

~

@horsecrash — Ruin Explorer & Ruin Hulk

I wouldn't call these these the most unique mechanical pair. It also follows that with team stuff, these cards don't necessarily help in any 2HG play. For single-player, though, this is a limited slam. The Ruin Explorer is a great build-around-me card for an archetype, and the Hulk can go into any deck without really worrying about what else you need. Big constructs are big. Or rather, not a construct, but a golem. I was wondering, and constructs/golems do indeed have different vibes. I like the vibe of Golem here, good choice.

Does every card need to have teammates in mind? I know I didn't say it was 100% necessary, but there are some benefits to it. Putting counters on creatures that aren't your own could matter, as could having other players make treasure tokens. But just to end on a strength, the Zendikar feel resonates with me strongly here and the relationship makes sense. One more thing that's cool is that the colorless golem, as I mentioned could go into any kind of deck that needs it. That's still a cool concept for the team implication, that one player can just have it in without forcing color.

~

@i-am-the-one-who-wololoes — Inspired Scholar & Muse of Magic

It's cute! It's quite cute, actually, and I think there's almost a throwback to Dominaria, old-school Tolarian kids, where the humor hits for me. I did chuckle at Inspired Scholar's line—is it a bit sitcomesque? Well, yeah, but it's still funny. And the reply on the Muse's card is heartwarming! The relationship between the pair of them on the cards comes across as well, so you've nailed that aspect.

Mechanically, I'm stumbling on the fact that, without the other, these are basically dead cards. Like, literally vanilla. It's a flavorful win that they need each other. We have to keep the mechanics in mind as well. So, how would we go about fixing this? Not too hard—just have a mechanic that's kinda-decent but gets better if you have a card of a certain type. What if the wizard reduced the costs a little, but by 2 instead of 1 if you control a Spirit? Something like that. BTW, for the muse, red's ward costs have been pretty centered in life instead of mana, but I don't know if that's a standard. Might wanna check up on that because I don't have an answer.

~

@jestingmaniac — Reckless Roustabout & Dogged Detective

[Sorry about the lack of @/tagging, Tumblr is acting up!]

Perhaps typing your art direction into your submission when you send it in can make things a little more legible? Also, uh, did the flavor texts get reversed? There's a lot happening here, and it's not the least of your worries that Dogged Detective is already a card name. Let's slow down, ease up, and be more methodical and less Roustabouty. I really do like this relationship you've built between cards! Genuinely love it. These two have that cat-and-mouse feeling you wrote about and I can see that playing out great on the battlefield as well.

For the Reckless Roustabout: Haste and the can't-block line should be separate lines. I actually didn't see the haste part of it, and thought it would give itself haste. Regardless—for multiplayer shenanigans, perhaps it could just give up to one target creature haste, to help out a friend in need. For the Dogged Detective: aside from a name change, this card's pretty awesome. If you wanted to up the team side, the ability could be: "When ~ enters the battlefield, target player may return up to one creature they control to its owner's hand." Win-win all around. Again, lots of awesome ideas, friendly flavor, but we gotta work on presentation as well. I want to read all the stuff you're sending in!

~

@just--a--penguin — Disrupting Geist & Demanding Fiend

This is an odd little grouping, isn't it. Double flying creatures is pretty crazy, but not the strangest thing in the world. I particularly enjoy the parts where you have opposing goals for different deck types, or at least you can slow-roll one and aggro the other. Kind of. I don't know for sure; these do feel like they want to be part of the same deck, less team-based and more eat-your-face-off in a single UB flash deck. If both teammates are playing flash decks, that's even worse, but I'm not opposed.

Not sure how the AD is supposed to be depicted here, TBH? Maybe from different angles, but these both feel Innistradian quite comfortably by themselves. I wonder what the true relationship is between spirits and demons on the plane. There's some kind of partnership being forged, yeah, and I don't know if I'm necessarily sold. Again, each card works great individually and both feel like they can inhabit the same space. The sense of togetherness isn't quite hitting me.

~

@misterstingyjack — Bonded Lifeweaver & Fanged Lifegorger

Make the lifelinkers even lifelinkier, and make the vampires even more vampyrical! I am hesitant to point out: there are no vampires on Ikoria. I checked, and as best I can tell, yeah, no, not a single one. Nightmares might have been the better option to go for. All the same, yeah, the cards are still good together. If the Lifeweaver had had an "up to one" clause without "you control," might've been better for the team side of things, but that's about all the mechanical and flavorful quibbles I have. They're big gameplay quibbles; that'll only come out on the battlefield, though.

Paying the life for the card advantage can get absolutely bonkers but the restriction is fine. How much life does one person need to gain before it becomes negligible? I'd play that card in my Kambal deck for sure, and following that, in a limited format where you can perhaps buff it with cards like the Lifeweaver, well, then you're all set to jam. Very powerful all around, and I like that you pushed the power level there! Some of these cards feel like folks were holding back, but I might be used to FIRE design...

~

@sombramainexe — Tenth District Insurgent & Tenth District Assassin

So strange how two different upbringings can result in two different mindsets, with the same kind of goal on the same street. These cards have quite a dichotomy between them, and the deckbuilding reflects that in sensible ways. Small attackers meets a lose-lose situation and all. I think that either one of them going down can be still strong for your team. If you wanna go for team-based stuff, you can replace "you control" with a similar clause that's "during your turn" and it'll be the same result.

I'm a little curious about the assassin, actually. What's up with the vivacity of the flavor text? They both feel rebellious, but the assassin feels like they need a little bit more, like, survival instinct. What ever happened to the covert side of it? The Massacre Girl may be more inspirational than we could've hoped for... What I mean is that it feels a bit off-flavor, personally, to have an assassin use a rebel's line. The Insurgent feels on-point, so that's all good, and I get how the flavor's trope reflects the mechanical aspect. Feels like it could've been a bit skewed towards the subtleties of contract killing, that's all. 

~

@sparkyyoungupstart — Displaced Orchid & Nyxborn Pollinator (JUDGE PICK)

I'm so sorry to start with this, but both the "it's" in your orchid's flavor text should've been "its." Anyway, this kind of relationship is fascinating and I'm actually kind of floored that you brought back this analog—yes, I'm familiar—in a manner that works so perfectly. Mechanics critique: I don't think you needed the Inspired action on the Pollinator, but I like what the card is doing. (And I know it's an uncommon, lol, small tweak.) The Orchid is fine, too, perhaps a little single-player coded, but whatever, you gotta have your own garden. The Pollinator could make plants for you and each person on your team if need be.

Still, the Pollinator has to sow in order for the orchid to reap. That's perfect! If the pollinator dies, the Orchid only has itself to work with, until the plants die out. That's perfectly anguish-inducing! But that's just their relationship, isn't it... And the fact that the Nyxborn of Theros have the connection to the underworld, or at least they can be and they come across as such here, is a joyful throwback that shows an acute knowledge of how to connect MTG worlds and real-world ideas in an thoughtful and impactful manner. I'm truly impressed. What I wonder is for the worldbuilding, if the Orchid could've perhaps been a Dryad instead? Or a Caryatid, because Caryatids are the only plant-types on Theros that I can find. "She sings ardently in the grove, but her petals fall in silence." I dunno. Something schmaltzy. 

~

@tavi-en-astra — Sweetheartist & Maestros Heart Thief

This is a card that I'm really not sure works in the rules. Honestly, it's also far too narrow unless the whole set is based around soulbond, and I'm not convinced that that's reasonable. The amount of text on these cards is already pushing it with partner there. Conceptually, there's a lot to like about the relationship you've build. What I feel happened, and correct me if I'm wrong, is that the strength of the relationship turned into a story where every part felt like it had to be captured, and following that the cards ended up with the amount of text that they do to get those niche details.

Sweetheartist is honestly fine, if narrow. Most of the baggage falls to the Heart Thief. Put simply, soulbond doesn't allow you to pair with your opponents' creatures, and even if it did, soulbond reflects shared abilities; there's no mechanical resonance with how soulbond is supposed to work and what it's doing on the Heart Thief. If you want to make creatures attack, that's all fine and good. Firkraag is actually a card you could look at! If creatures had to attack, there's a bonus to be had, and that's basically what the Sweetheartist wants. So, there's a lot happening here... I think the killers' connection is nice, the multicolor cards are daring, and the flavor text is well-written. Narrowing your focus allows for the mechanics to do what they're supposed to do.

~

@wildcardgamez — Prodigy Gemcrafter & Filigree Firefox (JUDGE PICK)

Where does this pair live? I'm going to assume Kaladesh, because I wanna. Kamigawa was my first thought because of Reconfigure but I'm flexible. Either way, I love the manner in which these cards feels like they belong to and with each other, and the joy of crafting that comes with one and the other. Treasures abound, which is nice, and continuing to give double strike is going to be wonderful if you can get the pinging off the Fox. Now, I had to reread Simian Sling, but that "it" in the text box is so frustrating to me, and I know how it's supposed to work and I hate how it's just barely getting there in my brain.

Hardly matters, though, because the rules say what they say and what can I do about it. Uniquely, this is the only monocolor pairing that we have! I think that in a team game, the ability to fetch something up for yourself will be useful, and if you're playing casual/EDH/whatever by yourself, you'll be fine, so that's all set. What would it be like if two players on a team each had a single color? That would be quiet interesting indeed, not impossible, but certainly hard to pull off. Splashing is fun, too. Who knows? Either way, the whole shebang feels neat enough to point out as being, well, neat enough.

That's all! Tune in tomorrow for cards, cards, and more cards. @abelzumi

[sanchoyo]

danny phantom 14-20 thoughts!! I finished up s1 :D these last few eps were actually really really good!!!

-did. did tucker really just say esperanto was a dead language only spoken as a secret code between geeks. google says around 100,000 people actively speak it. oh my god...it being an auxiliary language doesn't mean its 'just for geeks to speak in code' ...it helps bridge gaps between people who don't have a language in common...

-danny really isn't pulling punches when it comes to fighting the ghost-cop possessed people huh. like he SLAMMED KWAN INTO THE CONCRETE SO HARD. HE THREW PAULINA INTO A BILLBOARD. will that...I mean it WOULD carry over to their bodies non-possessed, right? like if the ghost piloting their bodies gets hurt?? itd be so upsetting to be possessed, lose time, then wake up covered in bruises (and possibly, broken bones??) real horror movie stuff im sure wont be addressed in any way

-tuckers parents seem nice! I like them :)

-WULF IS CUTE AND I FEEL BAD. im so glad the gang realized he was only causing trouble bc of the shock collar walker put on him and helped. also, him wearing that big hoodie with the hood on, and thinking its subtle. we can tell youre still a giant wolfie :) THEN GETTING SUCKED INTO THE PORTAL AAAAH :( anxiously waiting to see Him Again....

-DANNY BLASTING HIS PARENTS THINKING THEY WERE OVERSHADOWED LMFAO GET THEIR ASSES. maddie marking how many ghosts she gets with lipstick tallies on the side of her portal gun? kindaaa iconic tho. (ALSO, SHE WAS LIKE, 2 FT AWAY FROM HIM RIGHT AFTER SHE TRIED TO SHOOT HIM. HOW DO YOU NOT RECONINZE YOUR OWN SON??? like sure, he might have diff hair/eye colors. but like, if one of my family members dyed their hair, and was wearing contacts, its not like id be like 'wHO IS THIS STRANGER!!!' ...he still has all his facial features!! same everything!!! I hate it here)

-paulina being #1 girl realizing danny's a friendly ghost immediately. smart queen. lancer and kwan ran away right after he made this sweet baby face at them:

which is hilarious.

-ok. im not saying his bullying is JUSTIFIED, but. dash looked so pleased with the (cute!) poster he just painted, and danny comes thru the wall and spills paint on his nice letterman jacket. his anger is justified maybe 65% of the time so far...(not the way he handles it, but STILL.) at least lancer is stepping in!! and them making a silly little bet was...cute?? until dash pulled out his GROSS UNDERWEAR AND SAID DANNY WOULD HAVE TO EAT THEM???? WHAT THE FUCK MAN. TUCKER WAS SO RIGHT ITS FUCKING WEIRD TO CARRY THOSE AROUND EWWW. THIS KID IS UNWELL. lancer was right, his animatronic setup was SUPER IMPRESSIVE?? hes actually pretty creative. danny meanwhile is stealing the fright knight's design...I hope dash is taking art classes or smth with his sports

-fright knight is the most bestest ghost so far i LOVE THAT DESIGN. I am biased towards knights, and characters with swords, but he fucks so severely. and should sue danny for copyright infringement for stealing his design for his haunted house. if some 14 yr old broke into MY house and stole MY sword, id also be pissed. his evil winged unicorn rules too with its FANGS. and he just CAN SHOVE THE PORTAL OPEN WITH HIS HANDS??? is he the strongest ghost weve seen so far? idk but hes my fav. SOUL SHREDDER IS SUCH A COOL SWORD NAME TOO. ANY NAMED SWORD ALSO FUCKS. 'flaming bedsheets of DEATH' funny king. ALSO he was polite to dash and tucker when just asking for directions and telling tucker 'oh maybe, just a suggestion, maybe be nicer to me and be more respectful :)' I LOOOVE HIM.

-I noticed this in the Ember ep, but jazz has an electric guitar in her room!! talent musical queen!! its cool to see hobbies just in the bg.

-fright knight's murder castle reminds me of the booby trapped murder castle in zexal!! another supposedly 'for kids' show with murder/trap castles! we love that. if you are a dp fan reading this, give yugioh zexal a try. its also got 13-14 year old protags and involves (alien) ghosts. the cardgame is just a vessel for the plot, which is really good. (I just want more people to watch my fav yugioh, man)

-danny. with a SWORD.

-danny doesnt NEED TO WIN this contest, dash didnt STEAL HIS DESIGNS AND STEAL A SWORD. he also got excited to hear lancer got sent to a dimension with his worst fears too just so he could win the contest? DANNY WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU!!! BRO MAYBE YOURE 14 AND HAVENT FULLY DEVOLPED YOUR WHOLE BRAIN YET, BUT...THATS FUCKED. this kid casually says the most deranged things, I do worry for my spooky son. once again, therapy needed. that judo toss was great tho. I wonder if he actually did pick up some martial arts stuff from his mom?

-danny can fly 112 mph!!! thats so fast! I love the lil montage of him and his friends testing his abilities and stuff, very cute and a good way to showcase what he can do by now and how much more proficient he's gotten from ep 1!!! I'm sure he's going to get more abilities :)

-im glad...maddie's at least TRYING this ep. I do feel for her because her husband is a man baby. but the fact it took 16 episodes to get a kinda semblance of any kind of real concern or attempts at bonding. hmm. jack's 'BACK OFF SHES A MINOR' @ the ghost trying to attack jazz. also was very funny. and him wanting to make an action figure of her? are the parents redeeming themselves to me? slightly. they gotta Work Harder

-THE GHOST. IS FLYING. THE PLANE.

-fenton machete. but she doesnt carry a PHONE??? ???

-I mean I expected vlad when you namedrop him earlier in the ep, and also the title card picture, and dalv corp being fucking vlad backwards. but seeing him just pull up on a golf cart made me bust out laughing. WITH the gift baskets prepared. why wouldnt you at least be suspicious. also, if he wants danny to be his lil sonboy, why is he so fucking malicious?? dude you are going about this in such a bad way. stop it. get some help.

-maddie not even hesitating to drag danny out. fucking good. danny is so right, go on the internet to date. get a cat. how do you spend...how many years?? has it been since college?? at least 20, right, since the parents/vlad are in their 40s? hung up on ONE girl. my god, man. incel drama queen. her kung fu IS impressive, but dude. 'we both know hes a creep' SO right. it sucks but they do need a phone and shit being in the middle of NOWHERE. also, just stealing his helicopter was great. <3

-'you must be exhausted carrying the weight of that mistake you made years ago' 'well we all make mistakes. maybe I'll make one now!' WHY DID THIS EXHCHANGE SEND ME. AND VLAD WITH THE BREATH SPRAY EWWW BITCH. 'OLD BAIT BREATH' SOO RIGHT. both danny and his mom playing him HAHAH hes so dumb. or rather, I think he thinks with his emotions too too much and is...actually pretty gullible? lmao he believed danny was ready to give in SO fast. (which is sad hes that hopeful, like you have SO MUCH MONEY YOU COULD EASILY GET ANOTHER GIRL WHO HAS A KID. AND WOULD WANT TO BE WITH YOU AND BE SUPPORTED. GET OVER THIS (1) WOMAN ALREADY IM GETTING SECONDHAND EMBARRASSMENT AAAAH)

-GHOST BEAR GHOST BEAR GHOST BEAR. it was also in the title card, but I still got very excited. we love bears here

-SAM'S BAT SWIMSUIT COVERUP!!! her outfits are simply iconic.

-'i'd tell you to go to the mens room, but I don't think you qualify' top paulina transphobic moments. :( and him wearing a tanktop to the swim park? hmmm! (actually I think she was overshadowed by then, so, KITTY top 10 transphobic moments??)

-kitty just piloting paulina around makes me feel SO bad tho, paulina's gonna wake up and be like 'wtf do you mean I was dating this rando' like youre leading danny on to make johnny jealous, and also just POSSESSING POOR PAULINA. dude take your relationship problems ELSEWHERE. last time we saw them, they seemed like such a cute couple!! wtf johnny!! I mean, she sucks for trying to make him jealous, he sucks for looking at other girls...maybe they need a break, but Not Like This. or, you know, just. better communication...

-and the A-listers having a full packet and a stamp system. who organizes this. kwan fucking owning being the new danny though, this is hysterical. THE TUCKER/KWAN FLOWER FIELD TWIRL. UNIRONICALLY ADORABLE. and him giving it his all for the poetry slam. bless his HEARTTTT.

-Star owns. actually, all of the extra characters are shining this ep and I love it.

-INVISO-BILL??? NOOOO THEY DID HIM SOO DIRTY. DANNY SWEETIE IM SO SORRY.

-johnny and danny bein friends and staging a fake fight (which danny takes too seriously, once again this child has aggression he NEEDS TO WORK OUT) I hope these three stay friends, I said it before but danny needs more friendly ghosts to hang with.

-at this point, Danny's ghost enemies are a lot like, I dunno, batman's rouge gallery is the first thing that comes to mind. they all have their own gimmick and unique designs, but most of them are easy to beat after learning the Moral Lesson. I still get excited when any of them show up again, though. 18 is another valerie episode!!!! :D skulker really said you two will get along if I have to handcuff you together <3 and the gym teacher really said, youre married now, have a flour baby! ngl, I'm not really watching this show for the shipping stuff (which I am very scared to look at the fandom for after I finish this watch through- I feel like there's probably discourse/arguing about ships...) but. I'm gonna put my opinion out there. valerie/danny > sam/danny. maybe I just really love the enemies to lovers trope. And the secret identity stuff adds Extra Flavor.

-SKULKER JUST HAVING THE BOX GHOST AND DANGLING HIM BY A STRING. HILARIOUS. and him watching them with binoculars and making his silly little commentary. AND MAKING THE SACK BABY CRY. LMAO. THIS DUDE IS A BABY KIDNAPPER. skulker is super fun

-danny, you just...collapsed the water tower. and then attacked the nasty burger machine...mascot thingy...out of anger..I KEEP SAYING HE'S GOT ANGER ISSUES BUT. HE REALLY NEEDS A LESSON IN MANAGING COLLATERAL DAMAGE!!! So does valerie!! They're both pretty focused on each other. I mean it's good of Danny to say he's trying to make sure PEOPLE don't get hurt, but... (I mean I guess it's not something 14 year olds WOULD worry about, but as an adult im like, who's going to fix that? how much money will that take??)

-TUCKER MAKING BANK. and sam and tucker being super emotionally attached to their flour baby and being pretty good parents. that's cute...also him just straight kissing her and being like. WAIT. O_O JDSKAFHD. his mom baking them into cookies was the funniest possible result. tbh I dont feel like this is on tucker, if anything the other kid's shouldve been more responsible! He was just taking an opportunity to get that $$ which I respect

-Danny being more understanding of Valerie's situation in the end (helping her at her job, too, and trying to keep that a secret for her!!!) And seeing them work together this ep, and also her letting phantom get her out of the ghost zone...was very sweet. LOVE that. more valerie eps pls

-me when I realize vlad's big stupid house exploded because of his own carelessness with changing the ghost portal ectofiltrator or whatever: *pointing and laughing*

-me when I realize it means he's gonna go make danny's life hell for it somehow: >:(

-SCOOBY PARODY!!! I feel like there's gotta be some scooby doo/danny phantom crossover stuff, right? also, 'guys in white' men in black wishes

-'oh, that's right! dad married the love of your life! you're bitter and alone!' DANNNNNYY GET HIS ASS ONCE AGAIN WE ARE POINTING AND LAUGHING AT VLAD

-'jack, you captured the ghost boy!!' UMM. he did nothing <3 'we have a weapon's vault??' YOU HAVE A WEAPONS VAULT??? and jack didnt put a handle on the inside. of fucking course he didnt! why would you leave that to your son!! or expect him to clean YOUR LAB when its where you work with probably dangerous chemicals and weapons and hes 14!! give him normal chores, like, I dunno, vacuuming, laundry, dishes...CMON. I hate it here. But I'm glad Jack is more chill about danny while he's a ghost, and willing to work with him for this ep. AND. I DID ENJOY JACK PUNCHING VLAD IN THE FACE. AND GENERALLY JUST OWNING HIM. the ghost punchy fists are actually amazing. like yeah, just punch a ghost in the face. that rules.

-ep 20 opens with the coolest fucking ghost lady design. her tattoos can come off and fight. MA'AM. I like ur nose ring and your cape maam hello 👉👈😳

-sam's grandma is hilarious and the most valid member of her family and I love her. thats my grandma now. and tucker covering for sam by dressing as her. thats true friendship <3 also skipping school to go to a goth circus. just bestie things! sam's parents are haters but for all the wrong reasons.

-'my family has controlled ghosts with this for generations!' WAIT. WAIT FREAKSHOW /ISNT/ A GHOST? I didn't expect that...he's just a fucked up guy controlling ghosts? anyway watching danny shoot at police cars and rob banks while mind controlled. its like, the most stereotypical 'bad' things lmao. (tbh an evil ghost circus troupe is a sick concept)

this gives off big deviantart emo edit vibes

(I'm going to assume evil circus reaper danny has a lot of fan content. people love an edgy au, except this one is canon (even tho its via mind control...having the protag go evil otherwise might be hard, I guess?) but au where he stays with the troupe...that has to exist, right?)

ANYWAY. excited to start s2!! lowkey surprised by how many notes some of these posts have gotten. I've gone back and tagged them all with 'dp thoughts' so they're easier to find on my blog! ^^ and I will probably possibly do (more) fanart on my art blog after I finish the watch of the whole show, so like. @sanchoyodraws follow my art blog :)

[1863-project]

I’m at the end of my first-ever Omega Ruby run, and I’ve honestly had a great time getting to know Hoenn. I just have to evolve some Pokemon and catch the Regis and Deoxys before I move along (I’m waiting to trade with folks to finish the Dex properly, but I can do that at any point), but I think it’s worth doing a retrospective on the characters and Pokemon I met along the way.

As a region, Hoenn is unique in that it has a LOT of water routes. You spend a large portion of the second half of the game traveling via Surf. The Azumarill in my party, Pikablue, ended the game knowing Waterfall, Surf, and Dive (it also carries Play Rough), and it was one of the most crucial members of my party for transport purposes.

When I won the Hoenn League, the team May (named ‘Hatshepsut’ in my playthrough because we love cool historical figures in this house) had with her was her evolved starter, a Blaziken named Cluck You, along with Pikablue the Azumarill, Pangaea the Groudon, Charles II the Shiftry, Friendo the Latios, and the team anchor, Bastet the overleveled Skitty. I beat Steven because Bastet dodged a Zen Headbutt from Metagross and gave me the time I needed to revive both Blaziken and Groudon in the back, and their fire moves handled the rest. Bastet went on to become the first party member to reach level 100, way ahead of everyone else. She was absolutely incredible and I love her. Her final moveset: Heal Bell (surprisingly useful, especially in Doubles), Thunder, Ice Beam, and Play Rough. She’s a Dragon Slayer.

As soon as I got my hands on the Eon Flute I started running around to check every Mirage location that came up in the hopes that it would be a Mirage Cave. I knew that was where Tynamo was, and I needed Eelektross to complete the Submas team I was building (the other nine members are in SwSh at the moment; Eelektross will hopefully someday join them). On November 30th, my persistence paid off, and I went and caught three Tynamos so I could have the entire evolutionary line in my National Dex in Pokemon HOME. As it turns out, Eelektross still hasn’t been added to HOME because Third Rail has become a vital member of my party in postgame and I love him and he loves me. (I’m just Emmet, really.) The Eon Flute is also really nice in that using it allows you to literally fly in real time over the entire region, and I prefer doing that to using Fly because it’s just so aesthetically nice. Friendo just swoops down and picks me up, and we have a nice time exploring together. It’s especially pretty at night when everything is all lit up. It’s a lovely little feature exclusive to Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, and it’s so great.

Character-wise, Hoenn has produced some notables. Magma and Aqua are two of the most beloved villain teams in the entire franchise, and the reboots gave them so much more personality and gave the leaders and admins some excellent updated designs. (Years ago, when the remakes were first released, my dash was filled to the brim with Hardenshipping.) I had OR, so I had Magma to contend with, and one of the single most entertaining things in the entire game is Maxie’s losing animation. It’s perfect, it suits his character so well, and it’s just really funny. Also, shout-out to the Team Magma grunt that I met in the Extremely Obvious Hideout who told me how proud he was of kicking his soda habit whilst standing next to the vending machines. I love that guy. In terms of reformation, Magma and Aqua come around very easily when they realize that they’ve had a very bad idea - they ultimately were well-intentioned but made a really horrible mistake and set out to set things right (with the player’s help, of course). It ultimately makes both teams very likeable.

In terms of other characters, not every Gym Leader from Hoenn is a complete standout, but a few are very, very popular. Flannery is a perfect time capsule of 2003 fashion and I love that so much, and I don’t think I need to say much about Wallace. He’s just Wallace. He’s so freaking entertaining. Steven is also a very popular Champion, and he plays a pretty big role in the plot, so you see a lot of him throughout the game. (He and Wallace are also a very popular ship, with Originshipping - named for the Cave of Origin which Wallace has to grant you access to - actually being referenced in Pokemon Masters on, of all days, Valentine’s Day. Make of this what you will, but I’m here for it.) The Gym Leaders all received redesigns as well, with a lot of them benefiting greatly from it - I like Roxanne’s new school uniform so much better than her old one, for example, and once again, Wallace outshines everyone with an ensemble that would go wonderfully at the Coney Island Mermaid Parade. I wish we got to know the Gym Leaders a bit more as people, because they don’t get to stand out as characters as much. Galar actually did this very well by allowing us a lot of interactions with the Leaders outside the Gyms and as teammates and rivals in the Galarian Star Tournament. A big part of the reason Wallace is so popular as a Gym Leader here is that you see him outside the Gym multiple times and can even compete with him in Contests. You get to know him as a person more and not just as the eighth Gym Leader, and it makes him a much more interesting character.

In short, here’s how the League stacks up for me:

Roxanne: Benefited massively from her character redesign, which gives her a lot more personality. Would like to see her and Steven interact since they’re apparently friends, which I imagine revolves around going out and licking rocks together or whatever geologists do with their geologist friends.

Brawly: He still isn’t very distinct. He’s a surfer who trains Fighting-types, which is a bit of a subversion since you’d expect Water-types from someone like that, but nothing about him really pops for me.

Wattson: Gives off Grandpa Vibes. Wattson actually gets a lot of expository development via his work on New Mauville and Sea Mauville, where you find out he halted the projects to protect the Pokemon ecosystems in both locations. A lot of employees were angry about this and he was even investigated briefly for stopping the projects, even being called a traitor to the company (which appeared to overwork its employees and prevent them from unionizing), but it was apparently evidently clear that he did things out of environmental concerns, and the employees were able to find work on other projects elsewhere. This actually slots nicely into the themes of the game involving environmentalism and how to ensure the livelihoods of people and nature both.

Flannery: Time capsule from 2003! I was, of course, around in 2003 (I turned 14), and Flannery was at the peak of fashion back then. Flares were in, and I miss that trend so much. For that alone, she’s one of my favorite Gym Leaders in this generation, but I also appreciate that she’s shown trying to find her footing and figure out who she is instead of pretending to be someone else. There’s a certain performative aspect to being a Gym Leader, but it needs to come naturally from them and be an extension of their own personality, not be artificial. I would, however, love to know who her grandfather is. It’s still never been confirmed. (As a side note, a lot of people headcanon her to be Kabu’s niece, since he’s from Hoenn, which is cute.)

Norman: A Dad. More specifically, the player character’s dad. There’s really nothing that stands out about him except for that damn Slaking, which gives a lot of people trouble. I did, however, appreciate the conversation he had with Wally’s father as Wally and the player character departed together, because I’m actually pretty close to my own father (who I’m very similar to in many aspects). I’m 31 years old and I still get emotional every time my parents tell me they’re proud of me. Notably, Norman is the only player character father we have ever seen in Pokemon, though, which is odd.

Winona: In-game, she doesn’t feel like she has much of a personality, although she goes off on aesthetics pretty well. It just weirds me out that that’s her hair coming out from under the helmet and not wings attached to it. She could have been really cool but she gets the short end of the development stick.

Tate and Liza: The two of them intentionally playing up the ‘weird twins’ angle by completing each other’s sentences actually comes across really cutely because they’re kids. You can also run into them in the Lilycove Department Store being children and buying toys, a good reminder that they’re still very young and evidently very skilled for their ages. Battle-wise, my Azumarill knew Surf by this point so I ended things quickly because I’m into Doubles as it is and like using spread moves when I can.

Wallace: I’ve discussed him a lot above, so I don’t need to say much else, but he really is the most notable Gym Leader in the region, and not just because he’s the last one you face. He has a lot of personality and development, you meet him outside the Gym several times, his niece Lisia is also out and about in the game and the family resemblance is notable, and you find an old magazine in Sea Mauville featuring a woman on the cover who looks like Lisia - likely Wallace’s older sister, Lisia’s mother. The entire family gets more development than a lot of the other Gym Leaders in this region.

Sidney: The first member of the Elite Four you face...I’d actually like to know more about him. He seems like an interesting person, and I personally enjoy Dark-types myself so I always appreciate seeing Dark-type users not being portrayed as evil. His upbeat nature is nice, and it’s a pleasant surprise to run into him at the Battle Resort, even if he was only there to track down Steven.

Phoebe: I love how much her appearance contrasts with her Pokemon typing. She’s a Ghost-type trainer and you’d never guess that from her outfit! Her grandmother is the old woman on Mt. Pyre, which is why Phoebe has an affinity for Ghost-Types, and I’d love to see more interactions involving them together. You can run into Phoebe on Mt. Pyre after you beat the League and talk to her briefly - she was likely visiting her grandmother - but sadly she doesn’t get much development outside of that.

Glacia: An Ice-type trainer who we learn next to nothing about. Glacia is mentioned outside of the context of the Elite Four by an NPC in the Mauville Food Court who says she was slurping down ramen so intensely that she broke a sweat, but that’s all we know about her aside from that she’s originally from a different region, and she tells us that herself. Not very memorable.

Drake: Yet another Dragon trainer late in the game, and not one of the more notable ones. Lance and Clair are remembered for being cousins and for being the first Dragon trainers you really come across in the series, and later Dragon-type trainers like Iris (who becomes Champion of Unova in B2W2) and Raihan are carried by their personalities and distinct looks. Drake is just an old sea captain with Dragon-types, and he doesn’t really jump out at me much either.

Steven: A major player in the plot - one of the most active Champions we’ve had in the franchise - and a perpetually popular character. I never minded running into Steven out and about in Hoenn, even if it meant I’d have to listen to an infodump about rocks, and his Champion battle was actually fairly difficult for the team I brought in despite having two team members with Fire-type attacks to handle the Steel. As I mentioned above, it was my Skitty that made the decisive dodge to allow me to bring in the team member I needed to deliver the final blow, meaning this is now the second time in my life I’ve beaten the Champion with an unevolved house cat. (Rick Pratt the Purrloin is a vital member of my beloved Young Ones Galar Championship Team.) Overall, Steven’s a very likeable Champion, and I did enjoy the little detail of the rocks on display in his home - he has them labeled so you can see where he found them, and they’re from every region featured in the games up to that point.

Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire also have the Delta Episode, which features Rayquaza (which you’re forced to catch) and a character named Zinnia, who isn’t in RSE at all and is new to ORAS. Besides being named after my favorite flower, Zinnia’s personality is actually very interesting because although she comes across as cheery it’s clear she feels the weight of a massive responsibility and that the cheeriness is covering a lot of pain. Her Whismur named Aster is evidently named after someone important to her who is no longer around, and it’s never revealed in-game who the original Aster was. Whoever Aster was, though, Zinnia misses her deeply. In a 2015 interview, Ohmori Shigeru stated that the original Aster was the person who held the position of Lorekeeper before Zinnia, but we don’t know anything more than that - a shame, really, because that makes for some interesting backstory.

Overall, I had a lovely time in Hoenn, and I’ll be moving on to Kalos in the next few weeks once I finish up this Dex business first. I just wish I got to get to know so many of the characters I’ve met a little better, but I adore the team I put together and I’m super proud of them and all they’ve accomplished.

[inikavulpixelreviews]

Let’s Talk About Pokemon - Galarian Corsola and Cursola

Galarian Corsola:

Everything's been fun and games so far, but then comes the alarming reveal of Galarian Corsola. Oh nooooo!! Who made the baby sad?!?

At first glance, it's not much other than a white, mopey looking Corsola. I've dunked on Regional Variants before for being recolors, but it works here because that's exactly what it is. Galar USED to have regular Corsola. But then they all died. Hence its mono-Ghost typing. Not even Water/Ghost, just Ghost! Poor Corsola, first they introduce a Pokemon that preys on Corsola and now they're DEAD. (Funnily enough, it's stated in the Galardex that Mareanie from Galar have no idea that Corsola tastes good.)

But it's not a surplus of Mareanie population or anything that caused Corsola in Galar to go extinct. It was MAN. As I've said, Pokemon's not shy about having heavy-handed environmentalist messages in the games. And unless you've been living under a rock, you would know that over the course of the past handful of years, tons of coral reefs have suddenly all turned white and died out due to pollution and climate change. In fact, an entire 19% of the world's coral reefs have turned white and died just in the past 30 years alone. With a predicted additional 17% up to die off as well within the next 20.

Pokemon ain't pulling any punches this time, oh no. They're just out here outright stating that aggressive industrialism is killing the entire Corsola population. They just drop climate change by name into a Pokedex entry to state precisely why the Corsola in Galar have all died out. Why Galar specifically though? Well, of course I've brought it up enough times, but since England was the head of the Industrial Revolution and all, it of course means their reefs in particular were the first to die.

Corsola itself here is so dead, it's little more than just a hollow white ball with a stressed out face with sunken-in eyes and little eyebags. It doesn't even have its branches! It has to form its own branches with ghostly ectoplasm. Even this is in reference to the very damaging practice that's become the standard in industrial fishing. Beforehand, fishing boats usually kept away from reefs because the rough surface of the reef is a good way to ruin a net as quickly as possible. But now that nets are a lot more sturdy, they just roll nets straight over reefs, breaking off branches and even rendering rock surfaces completely bare.

I'm just alarmed a take this hot on climate change is not only so prevalent on a Pokemon like this but in such a unashamedly doom and gloom sort of way. Usually when Pokemon's done some Pollution Hot Takes™ it's mostly been in the form of saying that the Pokemon world has a pollution problem just the same as the real world does, and in this fantastical setting that means that smog, sludge, and trash monsters have come to life. This time though, they're just going “okay but no this is a serious problem. Coral reefs are dying and it will become irreparable if we don't do something about it soon.” Seems to be a running theme with these Galar Pokemon that I can only imagine will get more intense the further into this climate crisis we get with nothing being done about it.

But Corsola itself is conceptually an improvement on the normal form. Normal Corsona is just kinda sold as “an animal made of coral, I guess.” Galarian Corsola turns a normally kinda generic coral critter into something with an ongoing narrative throughout the franchise. It's just so adorably glum, I wanna comfort it! And who's to say these regional variants won't just become more widespread subspecies of these Pokemon in the future? Perhaps one day, we'll find Bleached Corsola native to yet another region. With a scarily increasing population compared to normal Corsola.

864: Cursola

And then it turns out it comes with another of those newfangled regional evolutions. Presented as a broken open Corsola body with a ghostly coral monster bursting out of it, with the “soul” of Corsola sitting inside its ectoplasmic body's mouth. All things aside, this is a wicked cool way to evolve a ghostly Corsola. Even its ecto-body has a face of awful agony on it.

Interestingly, Cursola goes from being a defensive Pokemon in its base form to a stationary but powerful Special Attacker. Featuring animations where it shoots out its spooky branches like missiles. How cool! It's like its weaponizing the way it was killed as an offensive measure, much like a vengeful coral spirit might do.

And of course, I love the visual of Cursola's soul lying inside its ghostly body with its face peering out of the mouth. It loses some of its sad-sappiness but is more or less the same face as Galarian Corsola. The haunting visage of its “fake” body definitely helps though. So spooky yet saddening. It's even “drooling” as if it craves sustenance from its photosynthesized algae buddies.

Ironically enough, this evolution has helped it turn a lot more coral-like in appearance. Its body looks a lot more rough and jagged, with more branches poking out and having a much more vertical design. Pretty much just like a traditional tree-like coral. I would love to see a happy ending version of Cursola though. Hopefully, if our planet doesn't die due to our overindustrialized planet run by capitalist overlords, we can see that kind of future. Maybe even in real life!

All the more thematic that it has the unique ability, Perish Body. It functions like you'd think based on the name. If an attacker hits it, it'll initiate a Perish Song-like effect where both Pokemon will instantly faint in 3 turns. Almost poetic, that. Almost as if to say that since we have brutally ravaged the reefs with our flagrant disregard to the ecosystem, Earth itself now has a strict time limit where everything will come crashing down because we couldn't respect nature enough. Just as the coral dies, so too dies the coral's killer.

Like, I'm not even kidding when I say reviewing these two has been genuinely emotionally exhausting. Surprising I'm sure that someone that cares about nature as much as I do would get a little upset about the subject of the climate crisis happening right now. I really can say that this Pokemon has gotten a reaction out of me that nothing else in this series has. This franchise features a child-abducting balloon. A ghost forever haunted by its former face. A murderous Pikachu cosplayer. A little dinosaur that wears its own mother's skull. But Galarian Corsola and Cursola here are quite possibly the single darkest and single most depressing line of Pokemon to date. All because the phenomenon that inspired them is hauntingly too real.

For kids!

Personal Score: 10/10

[dizzydennis]

I translated Nintendo Dream Web’s Team Sonic Racing Article - an interview with Team Sonic!

Under the cut, I translated the entire article that was an in-character interview with Team Sonic! I hope you enjoy it. Lots of cool stuff in here!

Team Sonic is the first team for this unique car racing game, Team Sonic Racing. The characters are inherently drawn to each other.  So we interviewed the Sonic racers "directly"!

Team Sonic Racing has adopted a novel gimmick, in which teams of three work together to gain points and to also finish first. These factors will determine who is the winner of these races. There is also the fact that the team members cooperate with each other. During the race, they have conversations that are dynamic and lively! In addition, many characters who have had few opportunities to show their faces in recent years are also participating in the game. Moreover, they are all active in "Adventure Mode" where you can enjoy the story that challenges a "Grand Prix Race" sponsored by the mysterious "Dodonpa".

Therefore, we have conducted “direct” Q&A interviews with the characters who are taking part in the “Grand Prix Race.” Here, we will deliver the interview every Tuesday on a team-by-team basis for all 5 teams.

We hope that Sonic fans and newcomers who are not very familiar with these characters will enjoy this Q&A!

By the way, this is an interlocking project with the Nintendo Dream’s June issue. There are also questions published only in this journal, so don't miss out on anything.

The guest this time is “Team Sonic.” It consists of Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles.

Sonic the Hedgehog (Speed ​​Type) A blue hedgehog who moves at the speed of sound. Usually he’s in good spirits. While often carefree, he gets serious when he witnesses something crooked. He’ll be in a car this time to race with his friends in the “Grand Prix Race!”

Miles Tails Prower (Technique Type) A kind-hearted young fox with two tails.  He loves tinkering with machines, and has developed a variety of mechanisms to support Sonic on his adventures. Of course, he’s the one who’s behind these racing cars.

Knuckles the Echidna (Power Type) The long time rival and friend of Sonic.  He is proud of his power and he’s a good fighter, but he often works well in a team with Sonic and Tails.

Q) What do you think about this unusual rule of racing as a team?

Tails: The only condition specified by Dodonpa was that it was a competition for teams of three. I thought something was curious about that, but now we can cooperate as a driving team and I’m grateful to him!

Sonic: If it was all about speed then these races wouldn’t be interesting. Looks like I’ll have to give myself a handicap to make it fair. (laughs)

Knuckles: Watch yourself, Sonic!  You better not be saying that I am a handicap to you!

Sonic: (chuckles) I'm kidding, Knuckles (laughs).  If it’s about teamwork then we are the best! We won’t lose to any team!

Q) What’s your favorite part of your machine?

Sonic: The sleek blue body, red wheels, and a lightweight high-power engine specializing in high-speed performance are the features of my car. Doesn’t it resemble me when I’m zooming down the track?

Tails: I like my car’s simple design that pursues function over beauty and with all of that it makes it look like a classic race car. Contrary to the appearance, the high power engine works well on bad road surfaces; so my performance shouldn’t be hindered. Knuckles: Sonic may have said he likes the colors, but my car’s strength is it’s... strength! Even rocks and ice are nothing when I pound them down!

Q) Among the many items that can be used in the race, which do you like?

Sonic: Items in the race?  Ah ... you mean the Wisps?  A lot of wisps help us in our race, but I like the White Wisp the most.  You can seriously speed up with a strong "boost"! Tails: Yeah! I like Orange Rocket Wisp.  It’s really fun to shoot it forward and I love it when I get a hit!  I'm sorry for the person I hit, though... (worried smile) Knuckles: I like Black Bomb Wisp.  It's hard to land a shot, but when you blow up several cars together in a big explosion, it feels awesome!

Q) What’s your favorite course?

Sonic: Courses, huh... Every course has a great flow and is interesting, but the first course,  The Wisp Circuit is entirely paved and I can enjoy my full speed! I like it. Though... only half of the whole track is actually paved (laughs). Tails: Yeah, I like the Wisp Circuit too because it’s easy to go through. My machine can handle the grass on the sides of the road! No slow down at all! So I can dominate the course unlike anybody else! Knuckles: On the contrary, I can’t say I’m a fan of "Boo’s House"  within the pyramid.  King Boom Boo and the other ghosts he makes are stupid and bring back bad memories!

Q) Which racers or teams do you consider your rivals?

Sonic: Rivals, hmmm ... if we’re talking about rivals in this race, it's definitely Shadow.  That guy is known as the  "Ultimate Life Form" and is said to be the "fastest.” So I'm going to step up to the challenge and take him on!  Oh, but I'm always confident about my racing, so it's just good to have a “playmate” (laughs). Knuckles: There’s one racer that I have in mind.  If it’s about strength then I better be on my toes when taking on Eggman! Tails: Really? Don’t you think you should be more focused on Team Dark’s Rouge? Knuckles: Wh-wh- uh, shut up!  Well, I  guess I have to worry about her too!  (sweat) Tails: Oh yeah, sorry about that.  I wonder if Amy’s team is worth worry about.  I'm sure the race will be more aggressive if she’s involved.

Please share your words of enthusiasm about the race!

Tails: It's still a mystery as to why Dodonpa is holding this race. However, I’m interested in the fact that teams are working together. For everybody reading this article, please experience the very best in team racing! Knuckles: You have to be sure to win the race. Otherwise, you might forfeit your ride! If you stick with me, you can use my car, “The Land Breaker!” Sonic: Well, seems like everybody is in the race for their own reasons, but I am happy to team up. This time the other teams will also have strong rivalries, but we will show they can’t beat the three of us and our power of teamwork!

Last, but not least

This is “Team Sonic Racing” where Sonic and his friends work in teams in high speed races! A variety of courses composed of new and past stages, music that’s a must-hear for fans, customization options for cars with dozens of colors, and more! All Sonic fans and racing fans in general will enjoy this wild ride. It will be released on May 21 (Tuesday)!

[emberprince]

Answer ALL of those in the ask meme you reblogged (or just cocoa if you're a coward)

oh you have no idea how badly I wanted to do this already I was just waiting for the opportunity... and you have given it to me you FOOL! now I have a reason to continue procrastinating on my homework

lantern - how did you meet your best friend? What were your first impressions of each other?

‣ I had just joined my first ‘good’ RP guild on World of Warcraft. She was sitting in the same building as me when my character was interviewed. I thought she was very cool but also very intimidating... I wanted to be friends with her but I was also an IDIOT and very new to roleplay so I kind of hope she remembers little of that time... We sort of fell out of contact for like 5 years but I followed her deviantart account and always added her art to my favorites because it was very CUTE and GOOD... anyway by sheer coincidence we ended up in a guild together again after many years and got to know each other more and now I think I would die if my best friend was anyone else

frost - if you could give some advice to your younger self, what would you say?

‣ man, high school doesnt matter. literally nothing matters as much as you think it does. it’s OKAY. stop caring what people think of you because it’s only going to give you depression and no one likes that. it’s okay. trust me. just chill. skip school once in a while

maple - is there a hobby / skill that you’ve always wanted to try but never did?

‣ I’ve always wanted to learn sign language... I’ve also wanted to learn like, blacksmithing or woodworking but I’ve never had the opportunity or tools to do so :(

harvest - what fictional character do you most identify with? Why?

‣ normally I would list one of my OCs but that’s cheating. I’d have to say Luna Lovegood from Harry Potter, she seems the most like me. I’d LIKE to identify as a cool protagonist but I don’t have the protagonist personality

fireside - if you had your dream wardrobe, what would it look like?

‣ cloaks and cool leather jackets and long flowing coats that make me look cool as FUCK. also dresses with pockets PLEASE I just want a semi-casual dress with functioning POCKETS PLEASE also I would love to have some nice boots and leggings that are a little thicker and don’t show as much as the flimsy ones. Coats/leggings/boots are just nice. I like shirts that are flowy and breathable, kind of like tunics

cider - a food that you disliked as a child but now enjoy?

‣ onions, mustard, peppers, broccoli, guacamole. basically no one ever cooked them for me when I was a kid then I grew up and realized that cooked vegetables are delicious as FUCK

amber - share an unpopular opinion that you may have.

‣ I’m really tired of seeing all the anti-cop posts. My dad is a wildlife law enforcement officer and one of the best people I know, and this whole new view on police has made his job a lot more dangerous. I understand that some cops are horrible people but the majority of them are really kind and unique individuals once you get to know them. Most of them dedicated their entire career to helping others, even if it means getting into dangerous situations. you can unfollow me for this if you want

fog - how well do you think you’d do in a zombie apocalypse scenario?

‣ I wouldn’t die instantly because I’d immediately run into the wilderness and hide instead of raiding stores where the outbreak is literally happening, but I’m not great at living off the land so I’d probably eat something poisonous and die of a disease or starvation a couple weeks later. If I somehow found a good food source or had something to hunt with I’d be alright.

jack-o-lantern - if you could look like any celebrity, who would you choose?

‣ jameela jamil...

spice - have you ever encountered a house that you believed to be haunted?

‣ no

orchard - share one thing that you’d like to happen this autumn.

‣ I’d like to pass all my classes and maybe get A’s and B’s... I’d also like to just be happy for a little while. Maybe get the hell out of my dorm but I don’t think that’s likely to happen. Most other years I’d say ‘fall in love’ but I really just am not ready for that right now. OH wait I’d like to receive 1 million dollars please

crow - which school subject do you wish you had an aptitude for?

‣ CHEMISTRY. holy shit

bonfire - describe your dream house.

‣ a few minutes outside a town with everything I need like a grocery store, hospital, etc. A BIG spacious house in the middle of the woods near a waterfall with a rustic cabin design. Pine forest, one big window in the living room so I can look out at the mountains and watch it snow in the winter. Lots of comfortable furniture, a sectional couch, a big kitchen so I can do a lot of cooking and a big bedroom with a king sized bed. A jacuzzi. One room is like a giant playroom for Zuko with lots of perches and toys and ropes so he can just have the time of his life. My large bedroom also has a nice window with a view of the mountains and a windowseat in front of it. The living room has an electric fireplace. I have a couple guest rooms so I can host people and the basement has a bar where we can have little get-togethers.

cinnamon - if you had to live in a time period different than the present, which would you choose and where?

‣ idk I kind of like the present. we have all these nice things we don’t normally have. I’d say like 10-20 years into the future maybe but I have no idea what the world is going to be like then sooo... maybe not. I wouldn’t want to live without the internet and running water and all the comforts I have now, though

cobweb - (if you’ve graduated) do you miss high school?

‣ I... miss parts of it. I miss the drama club in the high school I went to before I transferred. I had a lot of great memories there and sometimes I wish I could go back. And I miss the friends I made there that I don’t really talk to anymore. I don’t miss ANYTHING about the school I actually graduated from, that place was hellllllllllllll

cranberry - what’s one physical feature that you get complimented on?

‣ I think... hair? Usually when I get compliments it’s just general about my appearance but I think I’ve heard hair mentioned before

maize - share the weirdest encounter you’ve had with a stranger on the street.

‣ I haven’t really had street encounters since I don’t talk to anyone when I’m walking, but I have a few wild stories from when I worked at mcdonalds. One person came through the drive thru with 2 monkeys that tried to climb into the restaurant. Another person raved to me about how Google was taking over the world (they were right). Another person pulled up and I was about to hand them their food and the conversation went like this:

him: [grinning at me] you see the person in the line behind me?

me: yeah haha why? [hands him his food]

him: she looks like madam mim from the sword in the stone [laughs and drives away]

there are truly some cryptids out there.

quilt - how do you take your tea (or coffee)?

‣ I like iced tea in the summer and hot tea in the winter. With coffee, I prefer frappes in the summer and in the winter I drink a lot of mochas or regular coffee with just. so much creamer

pumpkin - do you think that humans are inherently good or bad?

‣ I think humans are inherently good, or at least neutral. We’re very social animals and for society to survive we have to be kind to one another so that we stick around, I think. Bad behavior seems to be learned.

moonlit - are you a neat or messy person? Is your room / house orderly?

‣ I am... neutral. I used to be VERY messy but now I’m mostly clean. My own area can get a little disorganized but I never encroach on anyone else’s space.

flannel - have you ever gone on a bad date?

‣ One. I met up with this guy and he talked about himself the entire time. Other dates have been pretty neutral, I wouldn’t say I’ve had many ‘good’ dates either.

cocoa - if you could have any type of hair, what colour and cut would you have?

‣ I used to want really long red anime hair, and I still kind of want that. I haven’t dyed my hair in a while because I want to see what my natural color looks like before I dye it again. Lately I’ve considered cutting it to shoulder-length but I think I probably won’t. I like red hair (dark red, not the natural red) but I’ve always REALLY wanted to try silver hair. If I couldn’t do silver, I’d do rose gold. For those colors I have to get it professionally dyed though, and I’m really cheap... so if I can’t walmart dye it, it’s gonna be a while until I get what I want.

ghost - is there someone that you miss having in your life?

‣ I guess my cat and bird are still in my life, but I can’t have them in my dorm, and that sucks. I miss a few of my old friends, but not that much because I have better friends now. It’s really weird not having my grandpa around anymore. He wasn’t a great person but I’ve never gone to a family gathering without him. I think that’s going to be weird to get used to. I wish I had a supportive significant other that I just click with but usually my luck is awful with relationships so I’m not going to try anything like that for a while.

[simplymakkari]

it's a brave new world dawning

[Jack x Clark]

“It wasn't your fault,” Clark says. His voice is unsure, yet gentle and kind.

He's not sure what to make of this kid. Sure, he's weird -- super weird -- and showed up completely out of the blue naked, but he's nice, innocent and naive in a way (and possibly amnesiac.) But it doesn't excuse the fact that he has magical freaking powers. Which is absolutely fucking cool.

“There’s no such thing as ‘weird.’ Everyone is normal in their own way.”

And plus, he's seen weirder things than this.

or

A study into Jack Kline [featuring Clark Barker. Set during and after 13x01 | Coda]

__

it's a brave new world dawning

CLARK

“It wasn't your fault,” Clark says. His voice is unsure, yet gentle and kind.

He's not sure what to make of this kid. Sure, he's weird -- super weird -- and showed up completely out of the blue naked, but he's nice, innocent and naive in a way (and possibly amnesiac.) But it doesn't excuse the fact that he has magical freaking powers. Which is absolutely fucking cool.

“There’s no such thing as ‘weird.’ Everyone is normal in their own way.”

And plus, he's seen weirder things than this.

Jack grins like a kid at Christmas at this news, tousled dark blonde hair falling in front of his blue eyes, before his smile slides off his lips slowly. “I wanted to . . . apologize,” he begins, face scrunching up briefly as if he's not sure if it's the right word, “Sam drove me over here. I had to beg him.”

That's the thing about he likes about Jack, he thinks. He's . . . refreshing, a new cool drop in the ocean, ready to be explored and unique than any other fish in the sea. “Well, tell your dad thanks.”

“He's not my father,” Jack says quietly and Clark wonders if he's said the wrong thing. The lights above them flicker briefly in response before returning to normal. “None of them are.”

Clark hesitates. He wonders what could happen to him for bringing up a potentially sore subject for him. But he's curious and the words rush through before he can stop it. “Where's your dad, then?”

Jack frowns. “It's--”

“Complicated?” The Hispanic boy finishes for him, shifting forward on his bed. Jack nods. He tries not to wince at the pain in his side and coughs a hoarse laugh. “Guess we both got daddy issues then.”

“Humans are complicated,” Jack replies as if agreeing with him. “They are but a ball of emotions and life. You hold grand design and many possibilities before yourselves. Your father . . .  just didn't follow the right path. Like mine.”

A small smile can't help but tug at the corners of his lips. “Right.”

“I got you a Nougat.” And sure enough, the Nougat bar materializes from his jacket pocket and he hands it happily to Clark. Their fingers overlap for a moment and Clark’s breath hitches. His heart begins to beat frantically and he struggles to calm himself down.

“Thanks, man. So, uh, are you by any chance, a science experiment?”

Jack looks almost offended as he greedily bites down into the bar. “I am of grace. I am of blood. I am my father's son. I am my mother's son. I have gestated in my mother's womb and she gave me life. I live and breathe and now walk the Earth. And the whole world fears my being and what I can do. They fear . . . I will end them.”

God help Clark Barker for liking this strange, magical boy. He'll be the death of him, he's sure of it. And he doesn't give a fuck.

JACK

He is Nephilim, the last of his kind, son to Kelly Kline, her humanity surging through his blood and his father, his father is Casti-- no, Luc-- Castiel, and is an Angel, the last of his Grace flowing through his body and heart.

He can remember his mother's face and grips it tight in his mind before it can fade away. That's the thing about being human, Sam says, your memory won't stay intact forever. The mind will deteriorate over time. But he wonders if that's the same case for him.

Where is my father?

He's dead.

He mourns Kelly and Castiel because they were him and he was them, they raised him themselves and yet they died, while he breathed; he mourns others he does not know personally, their names rattling off off his tongue wordlessly: Mary, Jess, John, Bobby, Adam, Jo, Ellen, Kevin, Benny, Charlie, Eileen, and Crowley among countless others.

He's never known them but he's felt loss, and it engulfs him, Sam and Dean, and it claws at his insides.

Dead.

Dead.

Dead.

All dead.

All gone.

And for a moment he considers sinking into the dark abyss and joining his other father over in the other world, never to resurface again. But then he remembers and understands that there's other sides to humanity and embraces those so-called flaws and he promises to bring them peace, once and for all.

Clark is in pain. He tries his damnedest to hide it but it fails. Jack can see it etched in his eyes -- oh, those eyes, oh yes that beautiful shade of blue taken from the sky and melting in his dreams -- and the white bone from clenched knuckles. He doesn't need to see it, but he knows.

He can feel the ghost of kisses remnants that he's never had, never tasted but it stays with him and never leaves and he wants -- he so desperately craves it oh the temptation -- and then he wonders, is this what you do to help take away the pain? Is this what the ghosts of the dead, of the past, of the universe is trying to tell him?

Read the full fic here: [x]

[kolbisneat]

MONTHLY MEDIA: September 2017

We’re leaving behind beaches and boogie boards for ghosts and goblins and I couldn’t be more stoked! Here’s all that I consumed over the month of September.

……….FILM……….

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) After watching this video exploring why the film is so great, I’d decided to check it out and OH WHOA IT”S SO GOOD! It had well-written characters, a great sense of history, a compelling villain, and even a love story that I could get behind (I generally prefer platonic relationships). If you’ve never seen it, go check it out.

It (2017) So I’m not a diehard Stephen King fan and I didn’t really grow up in the 80s so this movie just didn’t do it for me. The stuff between the kids was great but I suppose I was expecting…more? Maybe some cool psychological shapeshifting stuff to separate the kids in the sewers? Or more of the library scene where you’re not sure if it’s IT or the librarian? Instead we got “okay we’re stronger together…let’s separate” and that just didn’t cut it. 

The Girl With All the Gifts (2016) Probably the artsiest zombie movie I’ve ever seen and it was great. Fairly faithful to the book but of course can’t go into the same sort of character nuance. Whether you’ve read the book or not I’d still recommend it.

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004) You know I’d never seen this all the way through and there are way more gunfights with pirates than I would’ve expected. Anderson’s films seem to always feature 8-15 men and 2 woman as (one as voice of reason and one as love interest) and it’s kinda bumming me out. Visuals, as always, are some of my favourite in cinema.

……….TELEVISION……….

Terrace House: Aloha State (Episode 1.01 to 1.20) Definitely a shift in tone from Boys & Girls in the City but it’s still very kind television. The panel will never not be the best part of this show and I can’t recommend it enough for anyone who likes chill, feel-good reality tv.

Rick & Morty (Episode 3.07 to 3.09) The show seems to be keeping its bleak tone but at least they’re not just focusing on Rick being a dick. The serialized direction is really serving the characters but I’d love an occasionally contained episode as a bit of a break. 

……….READING……….

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss (Complete) Just fantastic. I had a bit of trouble with the fact that every woman in the story is described as beautiful until a friend pointed out that this is the main character’s perspective and that’s how he sees the world. So I spent the rest of the book with the knowledge that this was a biased recounting of events and it changed everything for the better! I think the nature of the story would lend itself to be a great audio book so I can’t recommend it enough.

The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami (Page 56 of 607) I’ve only just started but I already get a vibe I’m onto something special. I remember seeing something about one of Murakami’s books spending time in a spirit world and I can’t remember if it’s this one (and don’t want to spoil myself by finding out). I’m just gonna roll with it and see where it goes.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The IDW Collection Volume 4 by Kevin Eastman, Tom Waltz, Paul Allor, Sophie Campbell, Mateus Santolouco, and more (Complete) The plot in this volume was really focused on setting up the next big conflict so it didn’t hook me the same as the swifter pacing of earlier chapters. With that said, I love Campbell’s take on April and the Turtles, and there were a couple cool character introductions. I still can’t recommend this series enough to any turtle fan.

Cave Carson Has a Cybernetic Eye Vol. 1 by Jon Rivera, Gerard Way, Michael Avon Oeming, and Nick Filardi (Complete) I really wanted to like this. It has a pulpy premise, it’s written by Gerard Way, and the cover looked appropriately engaging, but it just didn’t work for me. I appreciate the art style but tonally, it didn’t fit (except in the more psychedelic scenes) and has a real 90s aesthetic. I was also super bummed that the trade ends in a cliffhanger but I don’t think I’m going to keep with it. 

Sandman Vol. 10 - The Wake by Neil Gaiman + countless excellent artists (Complete) This was a fitting end to such a unique story. The funeral plot was fantastic and the last chapter was a great reflection on the series, but there were bits in the middle that felt like filler. And the idea that Morpheus looks to others for their stories since he doesn’t have his own seems…off. Weren’t the first couple trades focusing on his recovery and return to power? The later instalments definitely put him in the supporting character role but that wasn’t always so. I dunno it just weakened the ending for me. Still great.

DEATH Deluxe Edition by Neil Gaiman + countless excellent artists (Complete) Reading a Death-centric anthology made me realize how much more interesting of a character she is. Morpheus was always a little too gloom for me (especially given that he’s the personification of something so imaginative and sporadic as dreams) so spending more time with Death was a treat.

……….AUDIO……….

Perpetual Touch by DIANA (2016) My bestie recommended them since it has everything I love: synthesizer, female vocals, and an upbeat tempo. I caught the last 2 songs of their set at a show (the gig poster’s design was misleading on what band was playing when) and their vocals were SO ON POINT! If you dig the album and have the chance to see them live, do it.

Hounds of Love by Kate Bush (1985) This is what happens when you watch a VOX video on gated reverb.

……….GAMING……….

Dungeons & Dragons Hexcrawl Campaign (Wizards of the Coast) The party discovered that a wizard has been enchanting dolls to pull off a string of local robberies and the tower was a veritable column of chaos! Basically I really liked that one scene in IT with all the clowns and went from there. Now that the mystery of the crimes have been solved, it looks like the party is on their way to investigate a cursed mansion.

Octopath Traveller (Demo) (Square Enix) It’s been a while since I’ve delved into an RPG but the Switch is making that so so easy! I love the mechanics and while it’s a little chatty at the beginning, it’s well-paced when it gets going. I’m looking forward to the full release next year.

And that’s it! As always, let me know if you have any recommendations for things to play, read, watch, or hear!

Happy Saturday.

[ramajmedia]

Harry Potter: 5 Best Wizarding Schools (& 5 Worst) | ScreenRant

While the Harry Potter books and movies are mostly set at Hogwarts in Great Britain, it isn’t the only Wizarding School.  For instance, the first mention of other Wizarding Schools came with Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire where Harry finds himself participating in the Triwizard Tournament alongside representatives from France’s Beauxbatons Academy and Eastern Europe’s Durmstrang Institute.

RELATED: HARRY POTTER: 10 THINGS YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT WIZARDING SCHOOLS (THAT AREN'T HOGWARTS)

Then in the Fantastic Beasts films, America was revealed to have its own Wizarding School called Ilvermorny.  Additionally, J. K. Rowling announced that there are 11 Wizarding Schools in the entire world.  Of course, not all of them are the best.

10 Best - Mahoutokoro School of Magic

Despite having the “Smallest student body of the eleven great wizarding schools” in the Harry Potter world as Pottermore states, Japan’s Mahoutokoro School does make up for it by having some really amazing features that are up there with the best.  For instance, students get to fly on the backs of giant birds (specifically Storm Petrels) to the school itself which resides on a volcanic island as well as receive enchanted robes that change size and color overtime.

Additionally, the school’s Quidditch players are said to be incredibly good which carries over into the national team known as the Toyohashi Tengu.  The main reason for this is the intense training that involves flying over stormy seas.

9 Worst - Bothwell School of Witchcraft

Though this school is technically not part of the Harry Potter world, it does bear mentioning among the worst due to how much it derives from Harry Potter.  Located at the real-life Herstmonceux Castle in East Sussex, England, Bothwell is an annual live-action roleplaying experience where one can go to a fictional magic school as a student and attend magic-related classes while solving mysteries on the side.

RELATED: HARRY POTTER: 10 FACTS YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THE DURMSTRANG INSTITUTE SCHOOL

Sound familiar? While it’s not officially related to Harry Potter nor uses actual names and lore from the franchise, the similarities pile on as one not only receives a letter once accepted by the school but also students get sorted into one of four Houses represented by different colors and animals.  Students even receive robes and neckties with the latter relating to the colors of their designated House.

8 Best - Uagadou School of Magic

Pronounced ‘Wag-a-doo,’ this Wizarding School located in Uganda within the African continent is considered to be “The largest of all wizarding schools” in the Harry Potter world according to Pottermore making it arguably one of the best.  Instead of getting a letter via owl, future Uagadou students receive inscribed stones from Dream Messengers (though what they look like is unknown) sent by the Headmaster/Headmistress which sounds incredibly convenient. 

Then while Uagadou students do use wands, Pottermore claims most spells are cast using hand gestures or finger pointing which makes getting out of an International Statute of Secrecy violation easier (which is the law that keeps the presence of the Wizarding World hidden from Muggles).  Among the subjects that are specialized in Uagadou include useful ones like Self-Transfiguration Alchemy and Astronomy.

7 Worst - Castelobruxo

Now this Wizarding School in the Harry Potter world isn’t bad for the things it offers, including exchange programs for European students as well as specialization in subjects like Magizoology and Herbology, but it’s arguably among the worst in terms of its environment.  Appearing as an ancient ruin to Muggles, Castelobruxo (which is pronounced as ‘Cass - tell - o - broo - shoo’) resides within a Brazilian rainforest and is protected by mischievous creatures called Caipora that are said to resemble small dark-skinned humans with red hair though their description varies mythology-wise.

Aside from the recent fire that’s been affecting Brazil’s rainforests as of late, which would certainly pose an environmental hazard if this school existed to this day, rainforests are generally humid hot and full of poisonous creatures that are even parasitic in some cases.  Now Pottermore says the students at Castelobruxo wear “Bright green robes” that wouldn’t feel great in contrast to the heat and humidity, plus one wouldn’t be able to go anywhere outside of the school without considering the natural dangers of the rainforest both big and small.

6 Best - Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Much like Hogwarts, Ilvermorny is known for being more democratic than most Wizarding Schools within the Harry Potter world in terms of admitting students of Muggle-Born and Pure-Blooded heritage.  Though the school’s early history was plagued with tragedy, it grew in popularity during the early Twentieth Century particularly in the 1920s when the first Fantastic Beasts movie takes place making it one of the best.

RELATED: HARRY POTTER: 10 THINGS THAT NEED TO HAPPEN BEFORE THE FANTASTIC BEASTS SERIES ENDS

While new students are sorted into different Houses, they are also given their first wands at the school as well.  The reason for this is that until 1965 “No child was allowed a wand until they arrived at Ilvermorny” as stated by Pottermore.  The school even teaches unique subjects, including Xylomancy (a type of Divination that uses twigs).

5 Worst - Wizarding Academy of Dramatic Arts

Given the wide variety of topics and career options that are present in most Wizarding Schools in the Harry Potter world, who would go to one that offers a singular topic and career path? Well, apparently some as there is a Wizarding Academy of Dramatic Arts available in Great Britain.

As the name implies, it’s a school where wizards and witches can study theatre or performance arts in general for a career in it.  While magic and theatrics certainly can go in hand, given the history of stage magicians and illusionists, it seems like a limitation of one’s magical abilities.  For this reason, it is arguably one of the worst schools to go to for general education.

4 Best - Beauxbatons Academy of Magic

Compared to the other Wizarding Schools discussed so far, this one gets top marks for being one of the prettiest schools in the Harry Potter world.  Situated in the Pyrenees Mountains along the border between France and Spain, Beauxbatons (pronounced ‘Bo - batton’) is described by Pottermore as being “A chateau surrounded by formal gardens and lawns created out of the mountainous landscape by magic”.

RELATED: HARRY POTTER: 10 FACTS YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT BEAUXBATONS ACADEMY OF MAGIC

It is even said to have a beautiful fountain with water that has magical properties in healing and beauty, named after the famous alchemist Nicholas Flamel and his wife Perenelle.  With famous alumni like that, it’s certainly one of the best Wizarding Schools there is.

3 Worst - Koldovstoretz

Though not much is known about this school situated somewhere in Russia, Koldovstoretz does offer a more extreme version of Quidditch where the participants “Fly on entire, uprooted trees instead of broomsticks” according to Harry Potter Wiki.  Despite sounding more cool, it doesn’t seem very comfortable from a practical perspective.

Another factor to consider is the environment, which would be far from pleasant given how cold it typically gets in Russia.  So it doesn’t sound like an interesting school to go to, unless one enjoys living in extreme environments and being tough for the sake of it, which would put Koldovstoretz as one of the worst schools to attend in the Harry Potter world.

2 Best - Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Despite all the times this school has been proven to be unsafe for kids, from having trapdoors guarded by three-headed dogs to chambers with giant snakes in them, it is the most widely recognized school in the Harry Potter world and therefore the best.  Located in Scotland, the environment is lush and green while being consistently cold though not uncomfortably so.

Plus, it’s got a rich history with so many parts that are unexplored.  Then there are the ghosts, whose presence certainly makes things more interesting on a daily basis, and the most likable teachers that are present at Hogwarts where there’s always something exciting to witness.

1 Worst - Durmstrang Institute

In spite of being one of the three largest schools on the European continent, with Hogwarts and Beauxbatons being the other two as claimed by Harry Potter Wiki, Durmstrang has a dark legacy that arguably makes it the worst in the Harry Potter world.  Pronounced as ‘Doorm - strang’ despite what the spelling implies, this Eastern European school is so secretive that no one actually knows where it is.

This is largely due to the fact that those who visit Durmstrang “Must comply with memory charms to erase their knowledge of how they got there” Pottermore says.  Durmstrang is also known for not admitting Muggle-Borns and having Dark Arts taught as a subject-matter, which ties into its history of being run by notorious wizards including a former Death Eater and having former students like Gellert Grindelwald.

NEXT: HARRY POTTER: 10 CHARACTERS WHO WERE FORGOTTEN AS THE MOVIES WENT ON

source https://screenrant.com/harry-potter-best-wizarding-schools-worst/

[inikavulpixelreviews]

Let’s Talk About Pokemon - The Steel Type

I didn’t even do this on purpose, but I suppose we might as well cover the Steel type after Rock and Ground to get this “geology” trio of types out of the way. While Rock and Ground have lots of overlap in terms of thematic, you'd think Steel might come across the same issue but it does manage to stay thematically consistent and distinct enough from the other types. Usually referring to things strictly made of metal or plated with metal-like skin or carapace. Even when it does have its moments of overlap with the other two types, it's usually because they're hybrid Steel/Ground or Steel/Rock types.

And it's only fitting the type is one of, if not the best solo defensive typing in the game, making up for it by being fairly lacking in offensive capabilities. Steel used to resist a whopping ELEVEN types! That's more than HALF of them, sheesh! But in Gen 6, they got nerfed down to only resist nine, losing their resistance to Ghost and Dark. Which is fine by me, those were the two types I was wondering why Steel resisted. Ghost can just go through metal like anything else, and I don't see how being an asshole makes metal and more resilient to you. Besides, that number gets bumped back up to ten with Fairy being introduced, which Steel also resists.

To balance it out, Steel's not too great on the offensive, only beating three types, Ice, Rock, and Fairy. Plus, their three weaknesses are Fire, Fighting, and Ground, three of the types that are already the strongest in terms of offensive use. 

Other than Grass, I do like Steel type the most out of the types covered so far. You wouldn’t think it, but the Steel type is pretty willing to get weird and out there. If not just plain badass. With Magnemite and Magneton getting retconned into the type, and having other stars of the type like Mawile, the Aggron line, Magnezone, and Brozong as early as Gen 4, the type has quickly set itself up as one for some metal weirdos and some good, if rather simple, cool-factor monsters. It’s a trend that’s more or less continued to this day, all managing to top off with the newest addition to the mythical lineup being the absolute CUTIE Meltan. Gen 8 is even sporting some cool new additions to the type so far, and I’ll be glad to talk about when the time comes.

Top 10 Favorite Steel Types:

Hah, Meltan just sneaking into the top at the very end of Gen 7. It's just... too cute!!

Bottom 10 Least Favorites:

I suppose it’s nothing surprising. Though Empoleon and Alolan-Sandslash are cool. They just don’t entirely fit in with the Steel type.

The Cutest:

The Coolest:

The Prettiest:

Weirdest/Most Unique:

Most Inventive Use of the Type:

Another hard one, considering almost all of the Steel type are Steel because they're made of or covered in metal. But at least some of them are Steel type in unexpected ways!

STEEL TYPE WISHLIST:

NOTE: These Type Wishlists were written out before any news on new Pokemon from Sword and Shield. The Pokemon revealed over time will not affect these wishlists. Just to present them unaltered despite spoilers and in the interest of getting the wishlist out there, and to see which items on said wishlists get fulfilled by Sword and Shield!

This is where I would've said “molten/liquid metal monster”:

But then we got one. :)

Something Rusty:

Just like the wilted flower, I’m just generally surprised this isn’t an aesthetic Pokemon has tried to go after just yet.

A Locomotive:

This seems like an aesthetic sorely missing from Pokemon in general, right now. There’s just something so pleasing about the aesthetics of vintage trains that I used to be really infatuated with as a kid. Had we gotten a train Pokemon while I was still younger, I probably would’ve been all over that as one of my faves.

An Iron Maiden:

You would think that’s a bit much for Pokemon, but then again we have living coffins that eat people, and a ragged Pikachu wannabe that’ll murder you at night if you accidentally catch a glimpse of its true form. I think an iron maiden would fit right in with the other nightmare-fuel inducing mons as a Steel/Ghost type!

A Toy Robot:

Okay, let’s lighten it up a bit. A friendly toy robot is something that has been CRIMINALLY missing from the Steel type lineup for years now. A robot buddy that’s also a Pokemon that you buy for your kid like they’re a friggin Pio-chi. This stuff writes its own Pokedex entries!!

What’s extra-annoying about this one is that they had a design RIGHT THERE. RIGHT THERE in Gen 5, which TOTALLY would’ve fit in just fine with all the other Pokemon, but sadly just wound up being a prop in the Pokestar Studios feature. DANGIT!

A Clock:

I still feel like Klinklang was a bit of wasted potential. I would’ve loved it if the Klink evolved into something all clockworky, but we were kinda just left with more gears. I also feel like in general, we have quite a few Pokemon that are “an ancient artifact, but alive” and yet very few, if any “vintage stuff you’d find in an antique shop, but alive.” Pokemon. Klefki and Chandelure KINDA fit that aesthetic? Kinda. Besides, grandfather clocks and wall clocks like this one are like, THE item you’d most expect to see in an antique store.

[Archive]

[concettolabs]

iOS 12 Features- The ultimate beginning of a new feature

We have noticed since last few days that iOS 12 is designed in a way to bring a couple of notable changes in its current features and functionalities. We can say in a better way that from now onwards iPhone and iPad will provide a faster, more delightful and responsive experience. Let’s take a look at the upcoming iOS 12 features and improvements in the upgraded version of the iOS operating system.

Let’s go through some ios 12 design guidelines that help us to understand the overview of functionality. It could give better clarification to the Apple iPhone 12 developers to implement advanced ios 12 development features.

Image source: Apple.comPrivacy

iOS has extended their safety features for the purpose of data security.

We all know that privacy is the mandatory part for human data security. iOS believes in such privacy terms and they have designed the new version accordingly. In the previous version, everyone has used it for the security purpose that iOS provides on-device like intelligence, encryption methodology, and many other tools. However, in iOS 12 they have extended the security features. Let’s say, Safari prevents share buttons and comment widgets on the web page without someone’s permission. Added, it prevents you from unwanted advertisements that can collect your browser’s unique characteristics.

Facetime

Facetime with many people at the same time.

Do you think that it is really possible to connect with more than 30 people at the same time? Yes, it’s true. Through, iOS 12 you can create a group conversation. Even, from the message conversation, you can find your active partner and do quick face time with as many as you want.

Camera Effects

Connect with your partner by adding quick funny and attractive camera effects.

Would you like to add personality to your messages and facetime? It is possible through the new camera effects that have been added in iOS 12. You can create Animoji, Memoji, and other cool filters and share it with your communication partner.

Siri Shortcuts

With the Siri, shortcuts streamline the things you do often.

Now Siri Shortcuts direct from the Lock screen can pair up with regular apps whenever you need them. You can also create your own shortcuts with the help of shortcuts app or run it with your voice as well.

Amplified Reality

Now in a great size and value that you can easily share it among the friends.

Just by locating your camera on the object through the iOS 12 developer features, you can view measurement of real-world objects. Also, AR made it possible for developers that they can easily create more attentive AR experiences and at a time that experiences could be done simultaneously by multiple users or people.

Animoji

Express your words with Animoji

To add up more value and attractive text into your Facetime or Messages just simply stick out your tongue and use different Animoji – tiger, ghost, koala, and T.rex to express your words and emotions.DND

To avoid or forgot about, just simply turn on Do Not Disturb.

Manage notifications in many ways becomes easier with this feature. By this, you can activate manually DND at a location and it auto turns off as soon as the event gets ends or you left that location.

Performance

The word itself inspires us to improve the speed.

Routine usage like typing with the keyboard, use of camera now happens faster just in seconds. Also not just this, a lot more remarkable enhancements are there when you are doing multiple things with your device at a time. You will also experience a faster launch process of different applications under the heavy workload. This all enhancements speed up the performance on all supported devices.

Screen Time

Track the activity done by your kids with the devices.

Screen Time feature helps to keep the track of your device activities and also improves superior understanding of the time estimation spend on visited websites, apps, and all other activities so that you can bifurcate or see how much time has been spent to your iPad or iPhone.

Notifications

It can easily control your notifications.

iOS 12 allows you to manage your notification in real-time from the Lock-screen, sent the notification to notification center and turn-off it whenever you want to. Through Siri you can continuously be in touch with the event you have created. It will give you alerts on the basis of you have created the notifications. From your lock screen, you can see what is important and what is not.

Photo Search

Now search your photos with smart techniques

This feature will provide auto-suggestions before you start searching. The auto suggestions of recent events, place, and people. You can type the answers that are more powerful or easier to understand by adding up different keywords. This helps you to get back to the forgotten photos as well.

Originally Published by Concetto Labs > iOS 12 Features- The ultimate beginning of a new feature

[mbtizone]

Marshall Eriksen (How I Met Your Mother): ENFP

Dominant Extroverted Intuition [Ne]: The mysterious and the unknown are very exciting to Marshall. He believes in ghosts, Bigfoot, the Loch Ness monster, and the cockamouse. Marshall loves to theorize and speculate. He’s thrilled when anything seemingly paranormal happens, and readily accepts the existence of the supernatural. Marshall’s gift of objectivity comes in handy in his career as a lawyer. He often wins arguments against his friends because of his ability to see many different perspectives. Marshall is always entertaining possibilities, though sometimes those possibilities are negative ones, leading to anxiety. Marshall is very creative and uses his Ne to make ordinary tasks fun.

Auxiliary Introverted Feeling [Fi]: Marshall is an extremely ethical, emotional person. He has a strong sense of right and wrong and can often act as the group’s moral compass. He feels strongly about waiting until you’re in love to have sex and doesn’t care what his friends think of him for it. Marshall will fight for what’s important to him. He wants to make a difference in the world. He takes jobs practicing law at firms, but feels unfulfilled because he wants to save the planet. Marshall knows that he wants to be an environmental lawyer and do good. He is faithful to his code of ethics and doesn’t waver in his devotion to his values. If he believes something is wrong, it’s wrong, and he can be quite inflexible when somebody violates his personal beliefs. Marshall is unafraid to take a stand and call things as he sees them when necessary (Fi-Te).

Tertiary Extroverted Thinking [Te]: Although it goes against all that Marshall stands for, he is willing to take jobs for the money in order to provide for his family. He realizes that he has to work his way up within the system, and even though he dislikes it, he’s willing to deal with it (to a certain point). He knows that it won’t be forever, and he understands that he has to be able to put food on the table until he’s able to achieve his dreams. Though Marshall typically has a gentle, kind nature, he can utilize his Te in arguments when he needs to. For Marshall, it’s enjoyable to create graphs and charts. They’re humorous, however and serve his Ne. Marshall keeps track of facts and data. When he’s able to reference his accumulated knowledge in disagreements with his friends, he gets very excited about his victory (“Lawyered!”). Though it doesn’t happen often, Marshall can sometimes become authoritative and direct, such as when he coached children’s basketball. He also likes to utilize his Ne to create tangible things. He uses his imagination and creativity to develop games for his friends to play. He puts his thoughts into action. He designs the game and comes up with a set of rules. If he needs to make an important decision, he employs his Ne to come up with a fun way to do it. Hey, Lily and I should choose one of our friends to be Marvin’s godparent. But how do we decide? Oh, I know! We create a giant wheel, get Lily a Vanna White-esque ensemble, and have our friends compete game show style!

Inferior Introverted Sensing [Si]: When Marshall is under stress, he tends to fall prey to “grip” experiences. Following his father’s funeral, Marshall opts to remain in Minnesota. He stays in his childhood bedroom, has his mother cooking for him and doing his laundry, and plays video games. He regresses to what is comforting and familiar. When he moves to New York, he finds a Minnesota-themed bar to spend time in. Marshall values his own personalized traditions, particularly the ones he has created with Lily. They’re important to him because they created them (Ne/Fi/Si), and they’re unique, belonging to just the two of them. When he tries to let go of one their airport tradition, he ends up not being able to and shows up anyway.

Note: Many people seem to consider Marshall’s type to be a no-brainer, but he’s actually pretty difficult to pin down if you think about it. I spent a lot of time going back and forth between xNFP and xSFJ. Marshall’s Si/Ne use is obvious. But which is higher? Marshall likes to be able to feel connected to his past and enjoys reminders of where he comes from. However, his Si seems to be childish, often consuming him during times of stress, which indicates that it’s probably not very well developed. His Ne is effortless. I can see an argument for Ti in Marshall. He believes in what he believes in and has a personalized logical framework for a lot of things… but what do those things have in common? They’re all related to his Ne love of the unknown. He gets excited by ideas and speculation. Marshall sees himself as a person who “believes.” I argue that this is part of his Fi, not Ti. This is why he doesn’t listen to people who argue against his fantastical beliefs. Marshall Eriksen is a believer and there’s nothing you can say that will change that. His Fi is very strong, and though his Te is pretty weak, this was enough information for me to favor xNFP over xSFJ.

Enneagram: 9w1 So/Sx

Quotes:

Marshall: [about the game he invented] It’s called, “Marshgammon”. It combines all the best features of all the best games: Candyland, I Never, Pictionary… Robin: Backgammon, obviously. Marshall: No, backgammon sucks. I took the only good part of backgammon, the “gammon”, and I left the rest of it in the trash where it belongs.

Marshall: So, I was trying to think how to best express how sexy you are to me. A song? A poem? And then it hit me: a board game! Lily: You just get women. Marshall: No, no, no! You’ll like this. We ask risque questions and spicy dares to slowly move up your shapely legs. I call it “Shoots and Lilies.” Lily: I would have guessed “Monopo-Lily” Marshall: Yeah, that would have been better.

Marshall:Marshall: [Explaining the rules of Marsh-gammon] … But if you roll an even number while adjacent to the Peppermint Forest, then you “Marshall out,” and all your chips go into the pot, and remember, if you ever ask the question “What?”, then… you got to drink. Got it?

Ted: Hey, don’t you have a paper to write? Marshall: Dude, you’re talking to The Kid. I’m gonna knock back this beer. I’m gonna knock back one more beer. I’m gonna go home. I’m gonna write a 25-page paper. I’m gonna hand it in and I’m gonna get an A. My name is Rufus and that’s the Trufus. Narrator: He got a B-, but still. 25 pages in one night? B-? The Kid was good.

Marshall: Speaking of waiting, I signed an abstinence pledge in high school. It’s totally cool to wait. And stay away from drugs… other than pot.

Marshall: All right. We threw two parties. Everybody had fun. Everybody “wanged,” everybody “chunged.” Now The Kid has gotta get to work, and The Kid is not to be disturbed. Repeat after me: I will not have sex with Marshall. Ted, Lily: I will not have sex with Marshall.

Barney: Dude, I can’t believe you cried in front of your boss. Marshall: I don’t know what happened. There is just something about been yelled like that, like I was being spurred by my dad, suddenly… suddenly I was a little boy. Robin: Is boy the right word?

Marshall: Ted, you know how at some point in the future, Machines will rise up against us? Ted: Sure. Marshall: So, the machines – they’ve killed everybody, And all that’s left Is you, me… And Barney. Which one of us would you, like get with? Ted: Why do I have to get with one of you? Barney: The machines are forcing you. They want to watch. That’s just how they get down.

Narrator: When your Uncle Marshall was ten years old, he read a book called Life Among the Gorillas. It was written by an anthropologist named Dr. Aurelia Birnholz-Vazquez, it told the story of the year she spent living among the Western Lowland Gorillas of Cameroon. When Dr. Birnholz-Vazquez came to the local community college to give a lecture, Marshall, the youngest member of the audience, raised his hand with a question. Young Marshall: What advice do you have for a budding anthropologist? Dr. Aurelia Birnholz-Vazquez: So you want to be an anthropologist? Young Marshall: Yep. When I grow up, I want to go live with the gorillas, just like you did. Narrator: What she said next changed his life. Dr. Aurelia Birnholz-Vazquez: Oh, that’s wonderful, but I’m afraid you can’t. They’ll all be dead by then.

Marshall: This is a pie chart describing my favorite bars. And this is a bar graph describing my favorite pies.

Marshall: After law school, I’m going to work for the NRDC. They’re gonna stop global warming. Narrator: [In 2030] Well… I mean… they did their best.

Marshall Eriksen (How I Met Your Mother): ENFP was originally published on MBTI Zone