#i genuinely dont know how some of you with like 30+ drafts at a time cope omg???? i'd be a Wreck

[cursivebloodlines]

so i've still neglected messages because i have been working on replies! managed to get through a decentchunk today so v pleased with that. it would've been more if i didn't get so distracted by screencap hunting LMAO. (no ragrets) oops. i still owe more threads but i'm qutie pleased with my progress today :) it's well after 3am now so i think my body needs bed. sweet dreams lovelies and hopefully i'll do more thingies tomorrowwww :) i am sorry to those waiting on dms from meeeeeee!! i had been letting my drafts build up so needed to get some done! anyway much love. have a nice night <3

also my draft countis not 100% up to date so if anyone's checking dw!! i will update in the am :)

[cheezewhis]

Do people not know movie theater etiquette anymore?

Genuinely I think there's a large portion of people who don't and it's not necessarily their fault. With streaming becoming so huge and some movies being available for streaming right away due to covid, I think a lot of people haven't been to the theater in years.

Then the Barbie movie happend and built the entire promotion campaign of Oppenheimer and suddenly everyone was going to the theater again, which is great!

But I'm noticing a lot of people who don't know how to behave. There are some people who dont even understand reserving seats which makes sense. I'm the history of movie theaters, that's a relatively new practice. But I'm talking more basic behavior. Since I'm a movie fiend, here are some basic guidelines based on things I've actually been seeing irl in theaters.

Movie theater dos and don'ts:

1. Do not go on your phone. It is genuinely distracting and takes people out of the movie.

2. Do not leave your phone on vibrate. Leaving your ringer off is obvious but vibrate is just as bad. Especially if there's a quiet moment. People will hear that shit.

3. Do not leave your phone in a cup holder. Even if it's on silent, it will light up at notifications which is distracting.

4. Do not talk the entire time. An occasional whisper is ok, but a full conversation that has nothing to do with the movie is a big no.

5. DO NOT TALK ALONG WITH THE MOVIE. This happend to me last night and the wound is still fresh. Do not speak lines along with the movie at full volume. Whispering is ok, but white 30 year olds think it's acceptable to fucking yell lines of movie and they never time it right and it's distracting and rude. Do that at home or go to the Alamo Draft House (they literally have talk along screenings).

6. Do no kick the chair in front of you. When I saw Bottoms, the person behind me kicked my seat every time there was a joke and I almost killed them. Sometimes you shift around and can't help it, but try not to.

7. Be aware of your general surroundings. I think people (especially Americans) find it hard to understand that they aren't the main character. You are in a room of like 30 people at least who all want to enjoy this experience. You have to understand that and be courteous. Movie theaters are a communal experience. Enjoy that aspect, but don't ruin it for everyone.

8. If you are asked to select a seat when you purchase your ticket, then sit in the seat you pick. Your ticket says the row and seat number. It's awkward to ask someone to move and it causes confusion. Sit in the seat you picked.

It can be hard to read the room in a theater. Sometimes it's a quiet showing. Something everyone just collectively agrees to cheer and clap etc. It's best to stick to these guidelines until you get the vibe of the room.

[mlqcconfessions]

May I ask if you can make a headcanon of MC x Victor, Lucien, Kiro, Gavin, & Shaw( you dont have to do Shaw if you cant) ( MLQC men's pov) not knowing it was MC's bday. The men finding out that MC hide their birthday cause MC feels that they don't deserve to be celebrated and it is not worth it despite going all out for the MLQC men's bday. Would like to see the boys react that. Sorry if this is too much, but it is okay if you cant, I wanted to thank you and I hope you have a safe day

Because I don’t have a firm grasp on Shaw’s character yet (I’m playing on the English server), I’ll be omitting him from this headcanon. Hope you don’t mind!

MLQC Headcanon - My favorite day

Victor (takes place after his Surprise Date)

He was at LFG when he heard the news

Goldman was dropping off some documents that he needed to finalize

He was browsing through the papers when he came across your company’s rough draft plans for next week’s show

He quickly glanced over the words, signed, and flipped to the next page

After every rough draft, your company’s information always followed (naturally, your personal info was there too)

He stopped to look at your picture (it was the same one you used when applying for LFG’s investment)

Always the same dumb expression.... (but he couldn’t help a smile from forming on his face)

That’s when he saw it....your date of birth (XX-XX-XXXX)

....It’s today.....?

?!

He goes into a panic mode immediately (of course, it doesn’t show on the outside)

He takes out his phone and goes to dial your number

He calms himself while the ringing is going through

But panics (again) when he hears your voice

“Victor!”

Obviously, he doesn’t want to confirm if today was your birthday (that would make him seem like the dumb one)

He has to think of what to say for a moment

“Hello? Victor?”

He’s unable to think clearly, so he just blurts out the first thing that comes to his mind

“Souvenir. 6 PM. Don’t be late”

“What? Vict—“ (he hangs up)

He looks at the time, 4 PM

He sighs, rubbing his temples as he starts to regain his senses

He resumes his work as he ponders over what tonight’s menu will be

--------------------

You arrive at Souvenir a little early than planned (around 5:30)

You go to open the door, but it’s locked (weird)

“Victor? (you knock a few times) Victor, are you there?”

You hear a series of rattling and clattering inside

“....Victor? What’s going on in there?”

You go to knock again, but the door opens wide with a bang

He’s in front of you, disheveled as ever

“....MC....you’re early” 

“Um..yeah. Work went a lot quicker than usual and...um....are you okay? I heard a lot of noise in here”

“Yes...yes. Why wouldn’t I be okay? (he straightens his clothes) Hurry, come in”

You go inside to see Souvenir all decorated, except for a few areas where it’s still bare (even some of the lights were hanging off)

“It’s still in process....but....” (he brings out the cake, lighted with candles)

“Happy birthday”

Kiro

He found out it was your birthday from Kiki and the others (while he was over at your company for a meeting)

As soon as he heard he ran over to your desk with immense speed

“MC! MC! MC! IT’S YOUR BIRTHDAY TODAY?!”

You look up from your computer, startled

“Kiro! What are you doing here? The meeting should still be going on” (indeed it was, poor Savin)

“That’s not the problem, MC! Why didn’t you tell me it was your birthday?”

You can tell that he’s genuinely hurt by this

“I...just didn’t think it was something worth celebrating, that’s all”

He goes bonkers after you say that

“Not worth celebrating? Are you kidding me?”

He grabs your shoulders and looks you in the eye

“MC! Your birthday DESERVES to be celebrated as much as anyone else’s. Mine included!”

“But...”

“No buts! Today, we are going to make sure you have the BEST birthday EVER!” (he grabs your hand and leads you out of the room)

--------------------

He drags you along throughout town, with him wearing a foolproof disguise (he insisted you wear one too, although it wouldn’t really matter)

You’re having trouble keeping up with his energy, but soon become used to it

He takes you out shopping to buy you a birthday outfit (but he ends up modeling clothes himself, to your request)

The two of you are sitting at a bench, waiting for Savin to come with the car

“.......MC”

You turn your head towards him

He gets up, kneels down in front of you, and takes out a small container

“Kiro?”

He doesn’t say anything, but instead opens the box (you become speechless at the sight of the ring, glowing in the moonlight)

“I bought this while you were in the bathroom” (he takes your hand and slips the ring on your finger)

“Kiro...I...”

“This is my reservation, MC! With this, (he kisses your hand) I’m yours forever. Happy birthday”

Lucien

He already knew your birthday was coming up

But was unsure of the exact date

Every time he asked, you would just play it off

“My birthday? It’s.........soon”

He didn’t want to go looking through your information to find out when it was (it would feel like his loss, or something)

He decides to make YOU tell him, yourself

He’s just so good with his words?

He’s looking at something on his phone during breakfast (something he rarely does)

“MC, look at this trait description for Scorpios”

You take his phone from him

“Do you think this description fits me?”

Strategic? Persistent? Secretive?? (if this isn’t Lucien, then who else is it)

“Yeah, I think it describes you perfectly!”

“Is that so? (you don’t notice the smile on his face) How about I read yours, too?”

“Sure! But I don’t know my sign...can you check XX/XX?” (insert birthdate here)

Bingo.

“So I assumed correctly. Happy birthday, MC”

You immediately realize what you just did (oh no)

“Um, Lucien. It’s not like I didn’t WANT to tell you....” (he just chuckles as you hang your head low)

“I know.” (he gets up to clear the dishes, and goes inside the bedroom)

He comes out wearing a coat, while you’re still sitting at the table

“Well? (you look at him as he straightens his coat collar) Aren’t you going to get dressed?”

--------------------

You wanted to avoid an extravagant celebration for your birthday

And he understood that perfectly

So he takes you to the movies, buys you dinner, and now you’re in his office (he said he wanted to show you something)

“Thank you, Lucien. I had a wonderful time today”

“You’re very welcome. But I’m afraid it’s not over just yet”

He opens a drawer and takes out a small wooden box

“Lucien? What’s this?” (you open the box, and see a beautiful pen inside)

“....is this...”

“I didn’t know what would be the best gift for your birthday.....”

“So you’re giving me Iridescent...?” (he nods slightly, appearing to be embarrassed)

“But this is your—“

“Favorite pen. Which is why I’m giving it to you”

“Does that make me your favorite person?” (you can’t believe you just said that)

This makes you blush profusely (he’s just SO good with words)

He laughs at the sight of your face going red (he hugs you while you’re holding tight to the box)

“Happy birthday......my favorite person”

Gavin

Why did he have to find out it was your birthday from Minor?

He doesn’t care that you hid it from him (he figured you had your reasons)

But it’s irritating that it was Minor. Of ALL PEOPLE

He’s having such a hard time deciding what to give you

After all, you prepared a big celebration for his birthday

“Bro, it’s gonna be okay! Chill!” (it took everything in him to not come over there and hit Minor)

“I’ll ask Boss what she wants as a present”

“What? NO”

“Don’t worry! I got this!” (Minor hangs up, leaving Gavin to pace around his room)

This was your first time celebrating your birthday with him (ever since he asked you out last year)

No wonder Birdcop is so nervous

He gets an idea of what to get you, and gets to work right away (it’s homemade!)

After pacing for 20 minutes, he decides to call you for a date

But drops his phone when you call him first (he stubs his toe while he breaks the fall)

“He-hello?” (he’s rubbing his foot, hiding his pain)

“Gavin! Where are you?”

“...what?”

“What do you mean, what? Our date! I’m in front of the aquarium right now”

He’s confused (somebody help him)

“A..aquarium?” (he flinches when he hears you sigh)

“Yes, the aquarium! Minor told me you were going to take me out on a date here. Am I wrong?” 

Birdcop’s actually thankful for Minor’s nosiness for once

“I’ll be there right away” (ride like the wind, Sparky)

--------------------

Your aquarium date goes by pretty quickly (he takes so many pictures of you?)

“Gavin, come here! You look like this sea lion!”

It was about time for the aquarium to close, so he takes you back home

As you were about to take off your helmet, it starts raining like crazy

Despite his constant I’m okays, you bring him in into your apartment to dry off

“You’re going to get sick, Gavin!” (getting sick was the LAST thing on his mind, right now)

He’s sitting awkwardly on a chair, while you go to put his shirt in the drying machine

But you feel something in his shirt pocket and take it out

“A necklace?” (Gavin immediately gets up and runs over to you)

It’s a necklace in the shape of a ginkgo leaf, with both of your initials carved in the back

There are rough edges here and there, but nonetheless beautiful in every way

“....Gavin....!” (he hides his face in his hands, and you notice that his ears and shoulders have turned red)

He coughs before offering to put it on for you (his calloused hands are a little shaky as they graze behind your neck)

“It’s not much but.....happy birthday”

UGH can someone give me an MLQC boy to celebrate my birthdays???

[inevitably-johnlocked]

(was originally an ask, then i rambled a crapload, so if u wanna skip through, just go to the bolded questions)

i am new to the fandom & just found your blog, just wanted to say DAMN its so detailed and everything, i cant wait to read it all! also i was so relieved to find that the fandom is still alive <3

side note im just rambling here, i binged sherlock all really quick and everything is like a blur (idk if im in a state of shock or something, but i do know i was super invested at s1 ep 2, then i finished s4 at 4am one day and i had to read me some johnlock fics to comfort myself and i really dont know how i feel about anything yet just that well, johnlock and i cried during sherlocks fake death even tho i already accidentally read spoilers, and i also cried when they just went to hang out at bars together and hhh and during sherlocks best man speech and sherlocks goodbye to john (…maybe goodbye should be plural)…also i was v mad at eurus and s4 was a hell of a rollercoaster gd), so just wondering, how many times have you watched sherlock? how was the experience each time? (can be about any season or eps or anything, also any snacks u liked to eat while watching or anything of that sort? just curious and thought that might be fun to answer)(apologies if you answered this already i tried to look for it but i got a bit overwhelmed)

btw u are amazing ^^ (also nice timer even tho it makes me sad) and MAD RESPECT for answering so many asks and like SO DETAILED-LY? (i cant grammar) and god ur metas and stuff?? absolutely fantabulous. im legit crying im so glad i found your blog. i know how much work asks take (and like i procrastinate on them for so long…mm months old esp for fic rec lists bc i know those take WORK) so like again, SO MUCH RESPECT thank you for all your hard work!! you are absolutely fantastic and awesome :D please make sure you take care of yourself too <3

ALSO you have a great profile picture + background pic (forgive me i have half a braincell (actually lets make it .7437 gave myself a tiny upgrade even tho i didnt do anything) i forgot what its called…background thing?? idk) i love them!!

if u read through all that tysm, if not thank u anyways for being so amazing, i have a habit of rambling so pls bear with me ^^

(also would it be possible to make this anon? if not feel free to delete this line ^^)

(Submitted by Anonymous)

--------

Hi Lovely!!

Always can make something Anon if y’all ask <3

First of all, SORRY for how long it took me to get back to you with this one. I’m a giant heap of trash and I’m surprised people still come here LOL

Secondly, WELCOME TO THE FANDOM! We love having y’all here, and I’m honoured that you enjoy my blog and content! Also will comment on your praise on my meta here: THANK YOU. I’m very proud of my meta, and especially the SHEER AMOUNT of it I have produced still boggles me mind. Y’all remember when I was creative and thoughtful??? LOL S4 dragged me hard hahah. I still try to write S4 meta, just not as much as I used to. I like speculating, I truly do, but I have so little free time these days because of the nature of my full time job, so I tend to just... do nothing LOL. I find Fic Reccing really relaxing when you have nearly 800 bookmarks. I’m worried I’m becoming stale though. Oh well. I’m just trying to leave my mark here. <3

Thirdly, HAHHAH Thank you for your compliment about my replies to my asks; I genuinely wish I could get more asks finished every day, but I tend to ramble, as you can see, and I just... don’t finish them in a timely manner. Honestly, it’s a relief when I don’t know something because I can then get the community involved to help me out AND I also get new fic recs that way too LOL. I also draft a TONNE of asks and when I do that, I tend to just keep adding MORE and MORE and MORE so I have to post them, LOL. 

And finally: My fave episode is TAB; it was the episode I studied the closest and my analysis of the trailer is my “claim to fame”. I just love it to bits. It’s the episode I’ve watched the most. S3 is my fave season, and it’s the SEASON I’ve watched the most, no less than 30 or 40 times. Season 2, then 1. I have only seen S4 like 5 times in full total, and horribly enough, TFP is the most-watched episode: I watched the Leak, the airdate, and I went and saw it in the theatres because I already bought the ticket before it aired so I just... didn’t care. And then at least 3 more times in Watchalongs. So yeah :| I still haven’t watched the BluRay I bought, but I hated having an incomplete set so I bought it when it went on sale fore 10 bucks LOL.

But yeah, S1 and 2 I watched together, and I LOVED the show. I joined fandom the summer before S3 aired, and S3 is when I REALLY got into the fandom. I’ve been pretty much here since then, about 7 years I think now. When I saw S4, it was incredulity and disappointment with it. That’s really it. I’m still a fence sitter these days about the series as a whole, but I’m leaning more and more to “no S5 for at least 3 more years” kinda thing. Just... everyone involved seems so disinterested in the show these days, minus Mofftiss to keep pushing the Sherlock™ Brand to make money.

ANYWAY. Thanks for writing to me!! This was such a joy to read when I first got it, and I just... have been really overwhelmed the past few weeks that I just have only been sticking to shorter asks. But I had some free time tonight when I’m answering this, so THANK YOU. 

I hope you’re still around, and I hope you still enjoy your time here! Don’t hesitate to ask me anything else!! <3 <3

[aplaceforthesoul]

this past year my mental health been going down the drain, im sad constantly,i starved myself for 3 months last year without anyone ever finding out (im ok now, or at least getting better) and no one knows about any of it. and i know if i told anyone they would tell me to get help, but im scared. i dont want people to know about my mental health spiraling out of control. today the smallest thing just kinda finally broke me today. i was home alone and i went to get a spoon and im not sure why but

for some reason it just broke me. i broke down. and had a zoom meet w/ a teacher 30 min from then so i had to pull it together and pretend like it was ok. ive been pretending so much that i get scared everytime someone asls me if im ok. i alsways think was i not smiling enough. on top of it even though ive stoped starving myself i still weigh myself daily and hate my body. im also just tired of dealing with shitty "friends" people who are oxic, people who have me up all night thinking of our arguments. i havnt had a good nights sleep in weeks. i just dont know how to trust anyone anymore. im a mess and im scared for people to find out about my mental health, oh and im a lesbian and my family doesn't know so thats a fucking nightmare. they would be fine with it but my mom would tell everyone so im scared to tell her. i have no one to talk to. only one person knows a little bit about my mental health. only the toxic people she knows about. im scared if i tell her to much she'll worry and try to get me help. and i know i need it but i dont want people to know. i always told myself once i get to college ill get a therapist and i won't have to tell anyone. i just need advice, please

it’s like being stuck between a rock and a hard place I suppose, both options in front of you suck and you don’t like either of them )-: on one hand we have the rocky hard option of getting help, but that option might make your skin crawl because you feel so anxious and on edge? but the other option is to keep quiet and not say anything, and you feel just as shitty and miserable. I get the dilemma, I really really do. 

however...as someone who cares about your health and your mental well-being, as someone who’s removed from the situation and has a different (and maybe slightly more objective) perspective on things? my best suggestion, is to start talking about things and to get help. why should you wait until college for a therapist? 0: that’s a serious genuine question, what is the benefit of waiting? why make a choice to spend more time than necessary being in such a dark, lonely and isolating place?

I can’t even begin to imagine how mentally exhausted and drained you are at the moment, what you’re having to deal with (the disordered eating thoughts, the fear around being lgbtqia, the lack of sleep, being constantly sad and feeling like you have to fake it) isn’t something that anyone should have to try and navigate alone. 

if you don’t want to tell anyone that you’re lesbian? then you most certainly don’t have to at all, that information is yours and it’s not harming anyone if you keep quiet. when you choose to come out is 100% up to you, don’t feel bad if you have to “hide” that from certain people, your sexuality is your business and no-one else’s.

everything else though, the sadness and the self esteem and disordered eating thoughts and the lack of sleep as a result of toxic friends? that’s definitely something to talk to someone about, that’s worth seeking help about. it’s not going to be easy!! I won’t lie, it is going to feel intimidating and you probs are going to feel naked and vulnerable at times, but it’s fucking worth it. once you move past feeling vulnerable, you feel such a sense of relief at getting it off your chest! honesty + communication are your friends, not enemies. you could even write a rough draft and send it to us if you like, before you talk to someone? we’d be happy to give our thoughts if that’s something that could help you feel more confident about what you’ve written. 

if you like you can talk to your mum then go for it, or maybe this other friend who knows a bit about what you’re dealing with at the moment? but if not then there’s lots of other options, this post on the blog has more info on that. also? start to distance yourself from ‘friends’ who aren’t healthy and good for you anymore. you might not be able to choose your family, but you can choose your friends! and if these ‘friends’ make you feel negative and sad and upset, if they don’t listen to you or value you or show that they like being around you and appreciate you? then they’re not really worth having as friends anymore. they’re not exactly fundamentally terrible people, just not the right people to have in your life now. 

start making yourself a priority, put yourself and your wellbeing and your mental health first! if you’ve got shit friends then stop talking to them and involving them in your life, focus your energy on getting a good nights sleep (more on that here), make lots of time to take care of you. a problem shared is a problem halved, if people know then people can help you and that’s a good thing. keep me updated on things lovely, all the best <3

- tash

[goodson]

Hello, I remember a while back you mentioned you used one of the meal kit delivery services. I was wondering if you had much luck with them? And how they were in terms of cost + amount of food in your opinion? I'm curious b/c with my history of depression and disorganization related to my adhd meal planning / cooking is hard for me. If you or anyone else has any opinion on any of the meal kit delivery services I'd love to hear ^^

hey!! this is going to be long i have a lot of feelings about depression + adhd + trying to eat consistently and thoughtfully

i find them really useful and honestly, if you have the means to pay upfront, they can be comprable to what i would spend in the grocery store. specifically — home chef is super affordable and easy, like $40 a week maybe. i stopped using it because i didnt love the recipes but thaaaats because im a picky bitch

at my most depressed is when i started using mealkits and it was amazing because it created structure that made sure i would actually eat. also, when i get in a really dark place, i become really afraid of everything even when it isnt logical. like im afraid to cook because it takes energy, maybe my back will hurt/spasm, maybe i’ll screw it up and i’ll have wasted my time, etc. meal kits are helpful because they remove so much of the guessing. most of them are three meals a week, and i typically got at least three servings out of each (unless it was like a burger kit or something of course). so thats at least nine guaranteed meals a week, then you can supplement with like. canned soup, frozen burritos, cereal, other easy serve meals

i will say i no longer use them but i still DEEPLY struggle with food prep/meal planning and honestly it absolutely does not work for me at all. what i do instead is block out time on my calendar for cooking/follow the occasional whim, and ill go grocery shopping for ONLY those ingredients. i found that if i tried to plan a full week i’d get way overwhelmed and give up and then end up with the ingredients going bad. i also easily get sick of leftovers so ive been concious of making meals that i could freeze without drastically reducing quality.

to lay it out more clearly: so i usually end up shopping smaller amounts twice a week and then immediately cooking when i get home, these grocery hauls are usually like $30 max. ill usually get ingredients for two meals im excited about (i genuinely love cooking! and i personally prefer cooking something exciting over more traditional/easy meals because i get passionate about it and then feel super proud, which reinforces this behavior) and then a few apples, bananas, some snacks, etc and thats been treating me really well. it also helps me stick to my budget which is great because im making a reduced wage right now and it is hitting me hard lol

last thing - to tag on to my point of how its been helpful for me to harness my passion for cooking: i have not been satisfied with any methods of keeping recipes so i experimented with ways that would make it easy to find things in a way that make sense for ME. most apps either lack features i want or, worse, lack recipes im interested in and have annoying features that make it difficult to add in your own shit. and i lose written recipes no matter what and i find looking through them really tedious. so i started using my notes app to record recipes that excite me so that when it comes time for me to cook i can scroll through or search like. “vegan” if im cooking for me and my partner, “quick” if i know ive been exhausted recently and dont wanna push it, etc. ive just been screencapping recipes and uploading the pictures and i know objectively its like a very Basic solitude but lowkey it feels mind blowingly useful to me

ok jeez sorry for rambling this is just something ive been spending a lot of time and energy on and i have a lot to say. good luck!!! its hard but u got this. find ways to hold yourself accountable. use a calendar or set a timer or draft a friend to do it with you - one of the benefits of the mealkits specifically is u can hook people up with that entry discount and then make it a Thing you do together. or if you have roomates, you could all pitch in to a family meal plan so it can be a shared experience. set yourself up for success in as many ways as you possibly can!

[irregulardiaryposts]

00:53 21/06/2021

Hello again <3

so i think im gonna write about my mental health today because i dont feel like i have anyone who understands fully apart from myself maybe so i need to Organise my Thoughts. as a kid i had a pretty normal childhood, a mum a dad and a brother - pretty nuclear right. but as a child i felt like my family maybe wasnt quite right, that this wasnt supposed to be what family is? perhaps. - i was scared of my mum a lot because she wasnt very understanding of me - and i was a great kid, never getting into trouble, very good at school, no issues whatsover. the thing that really shows how i thought of my relationship with my mum was when i was like maybe 8 or so having a parents night and at it my teacher had nothing bad to say apart from i was kinda bossy in group settings (im sure i dont need to explain how misogynistic that actually is- i was not bossy i was a natural leader) and when i got home my mum told me off for that and i felt like she was kinda cold to me and not taking all the good things about me into consideration when telling me off for that.

i feel like thats a really defining moment in my life when i realised i cant expect adults to Understand me, realised how people treat young girls, also started my defiant behaviour maybe or was kinda one of the key moments that made me dislike certain authorities in my life, that if people wont understand me regardless of how i explain myself then i wont bother trying to be understood by people who wont matter to me. anyway yes i was scared of my mum-like petrified sometimes- but my dad wasnt great either, he also had his shortcomings. i feel like he never really cared about me like he was kinda apathetic towards raising me like a parent - i feel he would be better suited as an uncle to someone rather than a dad - the funny childish guy that makes kids laugh -not the uncaring dad that cant be bothered to really learn about his kids. and i feel im sitting here complaining about my parents when the fact is that a lot of adults should never be parents, society has conditioned people into thinking the only way to be fulfilled in life is to live vicariously through your kids when life gets to such a boring and monotonous place where you feel the need to create a new life to spice things up lmao. i feel a lot of parents regret having kids but they cannot express that regret because it was their choice and they should deal with that, also saying you regret it would be pretty horrible to the kid.

so while yes i am complaing about my parents i dont think they were Bad in any way just not that great yaknow. also i just notice all these things growing up and i feel its been pretty impactful to understanding myself and my parents. also just some anecdotes from my childhood - i used to watch my dad play video games like the uncharted games i think theyre called, and whenever i got scared i used to hide behind the couch until the scary part was over (usually a lot of guns and high energy fight scenes thats too much adrenaline for a 7 yo) and sometimes when i would take out my dad/brothers game i would get them to fo the hard parts and do other stuff myself - i dont remember many games i played apart from one of the spidermen games where u could just web around the city and not progress apart from sometimes you would come across some strippers and i accidently got into a fight with them (also hot women with umbrellas they use to fight- maybe i went near them on purpose) i would yell to my dad and get him to do it for me. also on new years eve whenever my mum was working and we werent going to any family parties we would make a bunch of food and put it out in the kitchen - wed make like homemade onion rings, chips, have crisps and dips, and a bunch of junk basically and watch like austin powers or some shit and genuinely miss those times they were so simple. but a lot of thats tainted now from what happened. also my brothers always been annoying as shit but when we were kids we couldnt be in the same room without arguing which like whatever thats how kids are esp brothers and sisters for some reason.

i think thats majority of the background needed for the rest. wait this is a little addition but i meant to mention this here so ill put it in- basically sometimes on holidays i would geniunely think my parents hate each other/ were getting a divorce like once when we were in florida in 2012 my dad convinced my mum (as well as me and my brother convinced her since we liked them) we convinced her to go on a water slide thing that u had to walk up the stairs for, it was outdoors, and it was kinda tall and then we got in one of the big donut things and it swooshed from side to side a lot and was generally pretty scary i suppose for someone who doesnt like rides esp since you had to hold on to the handles there were no buckles or anything, and so when we got off the ride my mum was big mad at my dad and like wouldnt talk to him and stuff like that which was pretty uncomfortable to have to be the 8 year old mediator of that but there was also another occasion i think (maybe also at florida) where they were made at each other and i asked my mum if they were getting divorced and all she said was 'ask ur dad' like???? no sort of consolation to this child who thinks their parents hate each other nooo just petty 'ask him' and theres also been other times when they fight/ are mad and they dont feel the need to hide it from us so i felt quite anxious around my parents sometimes.

so ahnyway . yes. when i had just turned 13 my parents split up and it fucked me up in a multitude of ways. also i cant beleive i stopped being a proper kid at 13, like as soon as i turned a teenager life hit me like a fucking truck. so the context as to why they split is still kinda lost to me ngl but they didnt tell me much anyway since i was young but my mum basically said my dad didnt love her anymore and he wanted to separate. its kinda funny because leading up to this my dad had been sleeping in the living room for like a few weeks and there was on and off fighting i could hear and i basically thought they were fighting over me and that i was in trouble and it kinda used to keep me up coz i could hear loud voices when they thought i was asleep- which is probably the cause of why i get veryyyy mad and angry when i hear my mum at like 1 am downstairs when shes drinking and im trying to sleep, probably something ive internalised (is that the word?) and made me respond so strongly to those type of noises.

anywayyyyy yes i thought i was in trouble when they were actually just getting a divorce so ... yeah you can really tell i was young and didnt understand adult issues or really couldnt figure this out myself from all the arguing and him sleeping downstairs lmao. anyway my dad moved out and it was just me my mum and my brother now and at this point my brother wouldve been about to turn 18, so although still kinda shit, not really as affected my it as a 13 yo, just to keep in mind. so i was devastated obviously and my whole world was kinda shattered but i had to hold it together a bit, also i was sometimes my mothers own therapist having to say things like 'everything happens for a reason' 'itll get better' in response to her deteriorating mental health and her questions that would be really hard for me to answer like 'why did he leave' etc (bish im a child be there for me not wallow in ur own pity, u have ur whole life to sort this out youre an adult, im a 13 you and only months away from wanting to kms hun think of ur CHILD please) anyway this left me feeling like a burden if i were to share my mental state because when my mum shared her stuff she was burdening me (AGAIN i was 13 she is an adult) so that made me bottle a lot of things up also the fact that i had no one to share it with because she works as a nurse and now shes a single mother and so she works almost all hours of most days and i dont see her much, my brother was either working at this time or just didnt give enough of a shit about me to make sure i ate.

i went from being catered to for every meal because i didnt know how to cook to suddenly no one being there for me so i had to learn how to do it myself. needless to say that lead to a bunch of unhealthy eating habbits like eating the same things every day - frozen pizza, cheese toasties, i cant think of anything else probs because i didnt make anything else just ate chocolates or didnt eat breakfast coz i woke up at 2pm. just general unhealthyness both in substance and like how healthy that was for my head yk. also this is during the summer btw so it gave me the option to be incredibly depressed - im not saying that as an edgy teen thing to say im being 100% genuine i was very depressed like textbook style - not eating or overeating, not showering/ taking care of myself, extreme lack of energy and hated doing social things coz i had to put on a farce that i was okay meanwhile i couldnt wait to get into my bed and sleep the next day and a half away.

i very vividly remember at the start of the summer holiday my friend asked me if i wanted to go out and do something and i rememeber just crying at that because i had no reason to say no but i just didnt want to and felt like i couldnt do anything and so i lied and said i wasnt feeling well and then put my phone down and curled up in my bed and cried coz i was frustrated and upset and i couldnt really understand what was wrong with me and why i was Like This.

god i didnt take into account how tired i was and how late it is when i started this huh, this isnt even half of it, but i have obligations in the mornign, the last until uni or whatever so ill put this in my drafts and finsih it somethime. alrigtht it is 02:08 btw z_z. also ive just now decided im gonna re organise my tumblr so if this ends up being an actual blog thing i can navigate it easier by adding tags and such. anywau goodnight.

20:21 30/06/2021

MOTHERFOIUHIFIUDVMKCVKM V

MY LAPTOP SHUT DOWE IN THE MIDDLE OF THSAT SO ITS ALL GONE BASICALLY I WAS DEPRESSED BURTNOUT GIFTERD KID AND IT SUCKED YADDa YADDSZ ANYTWAY

so

23:01- well. yes earlier i wrote a little about the ages 13-16 and how they sucked but whatever it got deleted the more pertinent stuff happened in the last year or so anyway.

um yeah so i started the last year of highschool as a 16 year old with a fucked up brain and never having learned any study techniques or work ethic in the slightest. i took 3 uni-level courses only one i actually wanted to do, most people take 2 at most or even 1/0 but do other classes. honestly it fucking sucked this year for school but i scraped all passes so thank god for that. so i started the year quite optimistic, or as much as i could be and in all fairness the content of this year wasnt actually that bad considering i was doing 3 hard classes but corona really truly fucked everything up and by November i had mentally dropped out of my classes but of course i still had to go to them. i feel like im an oddly independent teen because ive never had a solid parental presence in a while, like i had to do a lot for myself and maybe i should thank myself for getting me through it all because i really did pull through.

my thoughts keep drifting from what im writing coz i wanna talk about different things and im just thinking maybe i shouldve just posted the last one then added a reblog when i could be bothered to write and not force myself because if theres ever a reoccurring theme in my life is that if i force myself to do anything i will hate it with my entire being, so maybe i should just do a short synopsis and write about something else afterwards.

so i took 3 hard classes, slowly lost all motivation because in jan it switches to online classes and i could Not deal with those it was horrible, and i became more of a "troublesome student" in one of my classes *cough* maths *cough* and almost got "kicked out" of taking the class just because the teacher was a control freak but like wanted to control all of our actions and behaviour, also i think i may have adhd and another kid in my class i think he does too and surprise surprise the teacher "dislikes" him too but its only a farce because he doesnt actually dislike him its only so that i cant call him out for singling me out when other students behave "badly" too. but anyways maybe ill come back to this in a while when i can be arsed explaining my complicated relationship with my parents.

the only reason i wanted to write this today was so that i could tag the post with like june 2021 or something and not june/july, but i might make another post later, Anyway happy end of pride month i supose, hope u figure it out me!

[survivorcordillerablanca]

Episode 1 Confessionals

This is an interesting tribe. I feel at a bit of an advantage being that I am already in games and at the same tribe as some of the people on my tribe right now, I just hope this doesn't turn into a total fuck fest.

SO, My BFFL Ryan is on my tribe and im so excited. I know i can trust him with everything. I'm literally meeting him in 3 weeks irl so yeah lol. DO NOT EVER SEPARATE US. Anyways, I know jordan pines from India survivor and he's ok. I don;t think i'd ever trust him, but i have nothing against him. I know he pretty pushy in games. I know Jay because he's host me like 2 or 3 times in tumblr and that's scary because he saw how i play and how dangerous my connections and social game can be. Hopefully he takes it as well she's trustworthy so i'll work with her. Who knows. I know Jay and Jordan knows Ryan and I are friends too so that is dangerous. Ryan said he knows emma and can get her with us so that be baller. I'm going to try to make some more friends.

AAAAAAAAAAAAA. It started. Right away I felt a connection with Eric, Carson, and Zachary. I'm hoping I can be more strategic in this season than in Azores. Hoping to find myself in a majority alliance soon. Also all the returning players on my tribe are so good like 1st, 2nd, and 4th. Go them! Hope that they can teach me some tricks at how to play better.

I love my tribe! Jay n Luke n Emma n Jordan are my faves so far also

Okay so i'm back as one of the eight returnees, and i'm excited. I placed second in Bahamas, and i'm planning on making it to day 39 again but this time... actually winning. HOW ICONIC. WIG! Regarding like game-related talk, i'll just go through a first impressions type thing and just ramble I guess. So first, we have Bryce. He's someone I didn't know prior to this game, but he is a returnee. I kind of clicked with him at the start... and I do kind of want to have this unspoken truce between the returnees for the most part so that the newbies don't gather together and pick us off one by one. I don't have much to say about him to be honest. Carson, another returnee. I REALLY love Carson, and i'm glad we're reunited. We have only ever played one game together, and we weren't on the same side (he voted me out at final five rip). However, as he's one of the few that I know, i'm really excited to actually work with him. In addition, he's really social with me and I feel like our conversations aren't at all fake, but more genuine, and I like that. Charlotte. We are in two games together, this and Kuang Si (TS season). Although I don't think we're super close right now, I do want to work with her for various reasons. I trust her to an extent, and she is a returnee as well. However, i'm a little threatened cause she is a winner and she seems to do really good in various survivor orgs, so that's something to watch out for. Chris. I talked to him not once. I think i'll worry more though when it's appropriate, but he's definitely on the outs for me. Perhaps he talks to others more though. Next is Eric. I knew of him before this game started, but not really. We are, like Charlotte, in two games together, but we're not working together in either. However, I do like him and maybe him and I will forge a bond, but i'm not expecting much. I'll probably just try to make him a puppet of mine (it won't work likely hehe) Katie. Katie is my favourite newbie. Like, entirely I don't know her AT ALL, but she's really social and I like that. She's also competing hard and putting in effort in the immunity, which is respectable. I feel like she's someone that will go really deep in the game, so I would like to work with her but i'll probably try to get her out early jury. Lastly, but not at all least, is Willow. Her and I have a little history. She flipped and betrayed me in a game, but then again I never spoke to her so aJSFDKGFl. I know all my friends LOVE LOVE LOVE her so I am wanting to work with her all the way. I will die for her tbh. She's a sweetheart and I think her and I connect. Overall, I think im well situated with the cast, but you never know! Whew

Wow hi this confessional is long overdue but I've been super busy but I have some time let's GO!  I'm just gonna do a tribe analysis because why not: Adam: I've probably talked to him the least out of everybody but what conversation we have had has been nice. Nothing much else to say. Emily: Jordan says that he thinks he could potentially get her to work with us which is cool. I talked to her a little bit and idk she seems kind of difficult to talk to? Like the conversation all felt very weird to me but I guess we'll see how that goes. Jay: So Jay is a winner like me which is great because I was super nervous about being the only returning winner on my tribe so it's comforting that he's here but I think out of the two of us that I'm the winner that's more likely to be targeted. I think an alliance between me, him and Jordan is in the works so that's fun. Jordan: Okay so Jordan seemed super stoked to see me on this tribe since we haven't played together since Westeros happened. He immediately proposed an alliance of me, him and Jay with Willa on the side which I am fine with because we would have the numbers to at least tie a vote if it ends up being returnees vs. newbies but we'll see. Jordan also asked for a final 2 but I'm not going to the final 2 with Jordan, no way. He thinks he can trust me but I'm going to be the one holding the knife behind his back waiting to strike. Lexi: Lexi seems lovely! We talked the first day and the conversation flowed really well and she seems awesome. Jay says that he thinks Lexi could be the key we need to avoid a tie vote at tribal council because he hosted her in India. Since she is also a winner of an ORG I think we could rope her in since the newbies might see her as a threat so we'll see. Ryan: I haven't talked to him much, he seems nice and our first conversation was about food which is my greatest interest so that was iconic. I think I'd be interested in working with him down the line but we'll see how that goes! Willa: WILLA! I think Willa is awesome, I just hosted him in Forbidden Forest and whilst he didn't do well, I know how he plays because I hosted him. I also think that my connection with his boyfriend Kai will be enough for him to trust me. He already said he wants a new Kai that can be social for him and I offered up since I'm British and about as close to Kai as you can get since I was accused of catfishing as him lmfao. I think I can use Willa as a number more than anything. PS: this confessional made me realise how much i say "we'll see how it goes" 

I have nothing interesting to report yet. Everyone seems nice so it won't be fun if we have to vote someone out this week. Hard pass.

I WANT AN ALLIANCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was picked a lot for the draft- nice.

I wasn't picked at all for the draft- sad.

Being that I want an alliance and I really don't care if I do bad because it's just a game, I am going to be straightforward and completely different from how I played previous seasons. Hopefully it works out for me, but I want someone who I can trust as much as they can trust me.

I'm back!!! yeah. basically, everyone i know is on the other tribe which is really ugly but its fine i guess i can make new friends/relationships/etc. i used jessy to bond with katie, so we have each other's backs, also i know zach from other games so i obv asked to work with him so we can work together and take over!! [8/30/2017 5:07:00 PM] zachary rae: is this the carson [8/30/2017 5:07:07 PM] zachary rae: like the carson that voted me out in las vegas and RUINED my dreams [8/30/2017 5:07:17 PM] carson: god... [8/30/2017 5:07:18 PM] carson: SDKJSDJK [8/30/2017 5:07:23 PM] zachary rae: ASJFKDGF [8/30/2017 5:07:26 PM] zachary rae: a tragic memory [8/30/2017 5:07:29 PM] zachary rae: how’re you long time No seeeeEe [8/30/2017 5:07:30 PM] carson: don't bring up las vegas that's ugly [8/31/2017 4:19:38 PM] carson: DSKJSDKJSD I KNOW [8/31/2017 4:19:39 PM] carson: i guessed [8/31/2017 4:19:41 PM] carson: ichinca?? [8/31/2017 4:19:44 PM] carson: i think its called [8/31/2017 4:19:47 PM] carson: we have to like... [8/31/2017 4:19:55 PM] carson: separate which ones are valid and which ones aren't god [8/31/2017 4:20:10 PM] zachary rae: so i just pick a random town or campsite [8/31/2017 4:20:12 PM] zachary rae: and "search" [8/31/2017 4:20:37 PM] carson: yeah [8/31/2017 4:20:40 PM] carson: and its once per round [8/31/2017 4:21:19 PM] carson: also idk if this is too quick but i know u and trust u so do u wanna work together kdssjk [8/31/2017 4:21:38 PM] zachary rae: oh god this idol gonna TAKE FOREVER [8/31/2017 4:21:42 PM] zachary rae: and AJSFDGK yes [8/31/2017 4:21:52 PM] zachary rae: i dont know like anyone really either and im aware of u so like [8/31/2017 4:21:55 PM] carson: god YES skjska [8/31/2017 4:21:55 PM] zachary rae: obviously im ont going to vote u out [8/31/2017 4:22:01 PM] carson: i wont vote u out either <3 [8/31/2017 4:22:03 PM] carson: I'm worried about [8/31/2017 4:22:08 PM] carson: half returnees half newbies [8/31/2017 4:22:19 PM] carson: like i feel like they could just team up?? but i don't rlly know the otherreturnees dskjsdkjs [8/31/2017 4:23:06 PM] zachary rae: AKFSDLG [8/31/2017 4:23:11 PM] zachary rae: yeah i like the returnees for the most part [8/31/2017 4:23:15 PM] zachary rae: like charlotte [8/31/2017 4:23:22 PM] zachary rae: but im also worried that the newbies will team up too and [8/31/2017 4:23:23 PM] zachary rae: yikes [8/31/2017 4:24:29 PM] carson: yeah I like charlotte/Bryce but sKJSDKJ [8/31/2017 4:24:36 PM] carson: i feel like I'm too into it i don't wanna eb hyper strateigc [8/31/2017 4:24:53 PM] zachary rae: yes yes i talked to bryce too [8/31/2017 4:24:56 PM] zachary rae: they seem nice! [8/31/2017 4:24:57 PM] zachary rae: and ASJFKDG [8/31/2017 4:25:04 PM] zachary rae: dont worry i literally am here ot have fun so like [8/31/2017 4:25:10 PM] zachary rae: if u wanna strategize im all ears [8/31/2017 4:25:14 PM] carson: I KNOW i just wanted a fun experience bc when i played [8/31/2017 4:25:17 PM] carson: challengers vs champions the main ssn [8/31/2017 4:25:19 PM] carson: i got way too into it [8/31/2017 4:25:24 PM] carson: and didn't rlly have fun?? [8/31/2017 4:25:41 PM] carson: but we gotta make up for las vegas so lets do this bitch sdjsdjk woo. those are the core 2 im planning on working with, but i definitely like bryce and wanna work with him. i want a returnees alliance just so we dont ge tpicked off, so that forces me to work with charlotte who i dont.. hate?? idk im still getting a feel for her. so, that leaves eric/willow/chris. willow sends like.. super long responses which i kinda wanna vote her out just so i dont have to send paragraphs to reply to someone, but she at least talks and is fun to talk to. chris talks the least out of those 3.. we've barely talked but i just used me knowing jenna/adam/jenn to bond with him bc he played egypt. hes ok?? i should talk to him mroe i guess. and eric.. idk i dont really like talking to eric. it sounds mean but its just the truth hes not that fun to talk to and ehes just rlly naive i guess. but i do know him from other places so i feel like he WOULD trust me. so, between those 3, my order of voting them out would probably be.. chris > eric > willow which is fine i guess?? i kinda like this tribe. also willow said compared to others i talk a lot even though we've had like 5 conversations, and i forgot that side seasons arent supposed to be as serious, so i gotta tone it down!! but.. still in this seaosn i wanna try controlling/doing good/etc in stuff and not be a wishy washy bitch. as well, in this scavenger hunt... im not as much as use with these items so im hoping our tribe does better. eric isnt rlly helping that much so if we lose, i think i would go after him over chris PURELY bc it would be easiest to rally other people against, so im hoping we win so i dont have to do that! also, i dont wanna get hte most or the least, so im gonna try and use my social game to keep me in a good place as of now, and form bonds with the returnees+ katie.

At least I'm not first boot like robbed Zoe.

So, we won by a landslide. I mean, I would consider it a landslide. It kind of sucks that they had two people not submit for them though .. it puts them at a huge disadvantage. Thankfully, Ulta was here to Play. So far everyone seems nice enough, which I've said before, so I don't really have any thoughts or anything Problematic to say. Stay Tuned. PS: Earning 193 points on my own might put a target on my head... but I'm hoping time will show that I am a flop and this was simply a fluke. 

Ugh I'm doing so bad socially. I only click with carson I need to step it up. But i send messages and they give such disinterested response but ill be persistent

whats a Cordillera

[symbianosgames]

The following blog post, unless otherwise noted, was written by a member of Gamasutra’s community. The thoughts and opinions expressed are those of the writer and not Gamasutra or its parent company.

Disclosure: DryCactus, creators of Poly Bridge are currently one of my Patreon sponsors. The framework for this article was drafted prior to their involvement, but I believe strongly in practicing transparency.

Previous Articles in this Series:

Why Social Sharing?

In a marketplace that's flooded with choice, how do you reach more players? The cost of user acquisition has skyrocketed, and is well out of reach for most indie, or even mid-sized game studios. Advertising via social channels may have some small impact if positioned correctly, but it can just as easily fall flat if the campaign doesn't hit exactly the right mark. So if you're unable to pay for user acquisition or direct advertising, how can you help ensure that you reach more players than those that have already downloaded your game?

Enter: Social Sharing!

The #1 Rule for Great Social Shares

If you learn only 1 thing from this article, let it be: The best social shares are those that players genuinely WANT to share.

Why is that distinction important?

The core reason behind this is simple: Genuine word of mouth recommendations from people you know have a much greater impact than other advertising options. (Source) Think about it, which do you trust more: Billboard after billboard for the next big game, or 'omg this game is so awesome!' from several of your close friends?

Not much you can do as a creator to promote your game will mean as much as people who love your game sharing and talking about it in a positive fashion, of their own volition. If you give them the right tools to do so, make it easy and fun, they can be some of your biggest advocates!

Alphabear

One of my favorite recent examples of well designed social sharing is the simple, yet powerful implementation in Alphabear.

I follow the developers (Spry Fox) on Twitter and once worked with one of the founders, and yet I still heard of this game through other people long before I saw the official announcement. Why? Because of hilarious Mad-Libs style bear shares. Shortly after the release, my Twitter feed was a flood of adorable bears saying often dubious things.

Now, that doesn't mean that all of the shares are adorable bears saying obscenities or otherwise adult things. Some of the most entertaining are those that are perfectly SFW, but just work so well. Such as this one from Susan Arendt, which I've been referring to as Hannibal Bear.

The share feature is a fun extension to the core game.  The words used in the image are pulled directly from the session that preceded it. Players are able to cycle through a variety of options, and share the one that they think is the funniest / weirdest / most dirty.

This feature wasn't free: It required design, planning, development, testing and more. In exchange, Spry Fox has received over 2100 player initiated shares in the past 30 days (as of Nov 7th, 2015) (Source). When you consider how many people may be following each of those players that have shared, you can start to get a better idea of the potential impact.

Poly Bridge

While social sharing mechanics are more prevalent in mobile & casual game titles, don't disregard the power of a well designed social mechanic in a more traditional PC game release. Developer Dry Cactus has created a very effective sharing mechanic in their Steam Early Access game: Poly Bridge.

The core gameplay is pretty straightforward: Build a bridge so that it fulfills the conditions to solve a puzzle.

It gets a bit more... hilarious when you are able to see how other players have solved the same puzzle. By including a GIF sharing option, Poly Bridge has created a way for players to share their brilliant and/or entertaining solutions with the world. This can be done through the official Online Gallery, or through sharing GIFs on Twitter, Reddit, or elsewhere!

The Online Gallery contains over 46,000 replays, as of 7th November 2015:

Note: Anyone can share from the Online Gallery, increasing the potential for the the content to be seen by more people.

On Twitter:

There's even a dedicated subreddit for Poly Bridge with over 2k users where players share their solutions: http://ift.tt/2mos29h

Solutions like this one, from Reddit user Violets-Are-Blue:

Source: http://ift.tt/2moCtcO

By giving players the ability to share their solutions through both a centralized hub, Twitter, and on the platforms of their choice, Poly Bridge has managed an impressive level of visibility out to a larger audience while still in Early Access.

Considerations for Great Social Shares

Every game is going to require individual consideration for what would be the most impactful in terms of their social share design. The following are intended to serve as more general guidelines when designing your social sharing feature(s).

#1: Is this something players want to share?

If your players don't genuinely want to share it, they likely won't. Consider player motivations: What sort of player do you think will be playing your game? What are things or experiences that they'll want to share? Why?

For example: If you create a sharing mechanic that's centered around sharing high scores, but your players aren't particularly competitive or motivated by boasting, you're unlikely to see great results. What other types of sharing might appeal to those players, and how can it be integrated into your experience?

#2: Does this extend the experience?

In some cases, you may decide that social shares don't quite fit the theme or player type of your game. That's okay! Don't try to shove in a social sharing feature just for the sake of having one. If it doesn't make sense, and doesn't add to the experience, you may be better off cutting it and investing your time elsewhere.

However, if you have the opportunity to extend your experience through sharing and conversation, absolutely look at what would work best for your game. You have a golden opportunity to leverage word of mouth recommendations, and create a better experience for your players. Don't think of social sharing as something that is tacked onto the end of your experience, but rather as an extension. What's the watercooler moment from your game? What will people want to share and talk about with their friends?

#3: Is this Unique or Personal?

If the visuals, content, and experience of social sharing in your game is the same every time the player attempts to share, why would they do it more than once? The best social shares provide a unique, or otherwised personalized sharing experience. While the framework may be the same for each share, if the content itself is unique or personalized, there's a much greater chance the player will share more than once.

In Alphabear, the bear & the associated words in the share change with each share. In the case of Poly Bridge, the GIF is a unique look at that player's approach to solving the puzzle. As a result, players are motivated to share their experiences on an ongoing basis.

#4: Is it easy to find & use?

If you make it hard for people to find and use your social sharing option, don't be surprised if it's seldom used. Don't bury it away or make it confusing. Use the standard icons for each platform wherever you can, and make the user experience of sharing as easy as possible.

#5: Is it Interesting?

To be successful, your social sharing content needs to be interesting to those viewers of the existing player. After all, your social sharing content serves as an advertisement for your game. You have just a few seconds to capture someone's attention and communicate why they should download the game.

What does someone who is not already playing the game get out of the content? What message are you sending with it? When scrolling through a feed filled with content, what makes yours stand out?

Note: Humor is almost always a big win if you can do it well, and it fits with your content & audience.

#6: Is this the right content for the right platform(s)?

In general, the effectiveness of social content is as follows:

Short Video > Long Video > GIF > Personalized Image > Standard Image > Text only

However, not all content types work on all social platforms or with all player types. For example, longer videos are a great option if your players are heavily engaged and primarily going to be sharing to YouTube. However, that same video will be shortened into a tiny sliver of the full experience when shared to Twitter. If your players are more likely to be on the latter, focusing on longer form video is likely to be ineffective. In that instance, focusing on great GIF sharing could prove to be a much better option.

Before you dive into developing your social sharing feature, determine what content will work best for your players and the experience that you're building. Your content may be shared in multiple places, but optimizing for what you think will be the primary use case is always wise.

 #7: Have I included Download Info? Your download info can be as simple as including the name of your game, a brief tagline, and which platforms the game is available on in the accompanying visuals. However, that still requires a bit of initiative on the part of the prospective player, which will result in fewer downloads. Ideally you want to include a smart redirect link to download the game directly in the shared text. That way potential players can simply click on a link and be directed into the appropriate store based on their current device type. You want to make it as easy as possible for interested parties to download your game. Optimize for less steps or complications whenever possible!

#8: How will I measure effectiveness?

Understanding your return on investment for your social sharing features can be incredibly useful in evaluating your success and where you can improve upon in the future.

Some areas to consider:

How many shares have been completed?

On what platforms?

What percentage of my players are using the feature?

How many times has the unique hashtag been used?

How many times has someone clicked on the download link?

How many downloads have resulted from those shares?*

What's the retention look like for players who share vs players who don't?

*To the best of your ability. It can be hard to measure the direct download impact when some downloads will be from people who've seen the game, but go to download it later rather than directly from a social share link.

Getting Started

If you're not familiar with social sharing: Research first!

Play other social games, see how their sharing features work. Look at what works, what doesn't, and how it could be improved upon. If you really don't understand social sharing motivations, find people who do! Ask questions, do user testing against your ideas, and be open to feedback on what might not be working.

Before developing your social share feature, ask:

How can this extend the experience of my game?

Why would my players want to share? What would they want to share?

How will the shared content encourage non-players to download?

Is there a better option that I'm not considering?

How much time and effort is required to include this feature?

How will I track the success of this feature?

What's my unique hashtag? (Note: ALWAYS check if it's already being used first)

From there, treat your social sharing feature like any other feature in your game. Budget time for design, dev, testing and polish. Iterate, solicit feedback, measure effectiveness, and improve where possible.

In Closing

To create an effective social sharing feature, you can't just slap on a 'post to FB/Twitter/etc' button on your high score or end screen. However, if you're willing to put in the effort to create something that players actively want to use, you may find yourself with an outpouring of support and downloads that might not otherwise have been possible!

Have an example of a great use of social sharing? Questions, comments, something to add? Leave a comment, or drop me a line @boopsocial!

Next in this series: Connecting With Your Fans

Want to support my writing? Consider backing me on Patreon!

[sungrcwn]

📱

( my muse’s five last sent texts yours )

( sent to ❝ kit-kat + vinny ❞ — 4:17 PM ) do u think lil dude would like it if i planted some nepeta cataria in the garden?? i know somethin like thirty to fifty percent of cats arent really into it thats why i ask because i dont want to get super excited about it just to have him look at me like

( sent to ❝ kit-kat + vinny ❞ — 4:18 PM ) what do u expect me to do w/ this??

( sent to ❝ kit-kat + vinny ❞ — 4:20 PM ) u know exactly which face im talking about too that cat can be so sassy when he wants to be its ridiculous but idk i just thought maybe he would like it and figured id ask u first bc i dunno if nepetalactone counts as a drug but hes ur kiddo

( sent to ❝ kit-kat + vinny ❞ — 5:13 PM ) i propose an impromptu field trip off campus for some froyo. i will chaperone and also buy said froyo but i just want something sweet and the kitchen pantry is lettin me down an i dont feel like making that trip alone so im recruiting u an vin

( sent to ❝ kit-kat + vinny ❞ — 5:19 PM ) as many toppings as ur wonderful heart desires. or yknow. as many as will fit into the bowl w/ minimum spillage. wouldnt gummy worms get hard tho because its so cold?? 

BONUS ( sent to ❝ kit-kat + vinny ❞ — 5:23 PM ) why dont u see if rory wants to come or something?? i feel like she could use some cheering up 

( my muse’s five last unsent texts yours )

( drafted — 2:17 PM )  is a bird landing in my hair with a mouthful of twigs a sign that im doing something right or that its time to get a haircut bc i genuinely cant tell

( drafted — 2:19 PM ) but it feels like im doing something right 

( drafted — 6:17 PM ) a student just came up to me and told me that ❝ as a member of the faculty and a grown ass man ❞ i shouldnt be singing disney songs in the gardens and i wasnt sure what to say bc first of all disney is classic and ur never too old to enjoy the soundtracks to their movies but also its not my fault that my flowers love colors of the wind?? its a beautiful song 

( drafted — 6:24 PM ) i went ahead and stopped anyway but just as like a side thought?? idk how u go through those classes year after year and stay so sweet and kind and genuinely caring because some of these kids are actually kinda really mean and basically what im saying is u are a ray of light on this school pls dont ever change u beautiful soul

( drafted — 7:30 PM ) you wanna come watch pocahontas? 

( my muse’s last snapchat to yours )

( x ) followed by a string of both crying and laughing emojis with the caption ❝ and vinny just tried to eat her ❞

( what my muse saved your number as )

❝ kit-kat + vinny ❞ although it should be mentioned that her nickname changes quite frequently in his phone because he’s come up with several over the years. ( before ❝ kit-kat ❞ it was ❝ katnip ❞ and before that ❝ kat + kitten ❞ and❝ my two favorite felines ❞ among other ridiculous — and usually cat-related — puns idk pls forgive him he can’t help it. ) 

( what contact photo my muse has set for yours )

( x ) from one of their walks through the orchard. it’s one of his favorite pictures??

( what ringtone my muse has set for yours )

okay look almost e v e r y o n e in his contacts has a specific ringtone he’s picked out with a birdsong he’s recorded somewhere on the property but kat?? is slightly different bc if you think for one minute he doesn’t have an audio clip of vinny’s precious lil kitten meow saved to his phone — you’re right. ( he actually has SEVERAL, most of which are taken from videos he’s sent to kat of him romping around in the garden while topher is babysitting. ) 

( how many times my muse has called your this week? )

a couple of times. usually it happens when vinny’s in the middle of doing something outrageously cute ( like chasing after butterflies or curling up in a bed of wildflowers for a nap ) and topher facetimes kat so she can enjoy how adorable it is too before realizing that the only reason he’s got vinny and  she’s NOT there to enjoy it with him is because she’s in class and he probably shouldn’t be calling her whOOPS

( how many calls has my muse missed from yours? )

none! unless, of course, he’s napping or something and doesn’t hear his phone ring.  they don’t call as often as they simply seek each other out for face-to-face communication, but when she does call, he doesn’t hesitate to answer in case it’s an emergency.

[viralhottopics]

Fear and loathing in Washington DC: progressives dread Trump inauguration

Amid splendid pomp and pageantry, the eyes of the world are on Donald Trump as the capital is set to stage a battle for the heart of America

Its for real. Donald Trump, billionaire businessman, reality TV celebrity and to his foes bigot and demagogue will place his hand on a Bible, repeat a 35-word oath and be sworn in as the 45th president of the United States. What began with a stunt, lampooned as a joke and dismissed as a fantasy will at noon on Friday become historical truth. Trump will be the most powerful man in the world.

Only the wildest optimists believe his inauguration will deliver a moment of national healing and unity. It comes in the wake of another turbulent week that saw the publication of unverified documents alleging covert links between the Trump campaign and Russia. A chaotic press conference, in which Trump berated a CNN journalist for fake news, did little to instill confidence.

In Washington, hotels were booked and stands were erected in readiness for thousands of Trump loyalists, revelling in his upending of the political order, and thousands of protesters determined to gatecrash his coronation. Amid splendid pomp and pageantry, the capital is set to stage a battle for the heart of America.

This is unlike any inauguration weve seen, said Ben Wikler, Washington director of the progressive group MoveOn.org. Weve never seen a counter-inauguration that dwarfs the crowd at the inauguration itself. It will be unmistakeable where the energy is. It will be in the broad and diverse movement to oppose the Trump agenda.

The eyes of the world will be on Trump, derided by critics as a crude vulgarian who eschews books but is now asked to deliver an inspiring inaugural address just as Abraham Lincoln, Franklin D Roosevelt and John F Kennedy did before him. There will also be a jarring contrast between him and outgoing president Barack Obama, who with his family will depart the US Capitol by helicopter.

Indeed, Trump and Obamas inaugurations will be every bit as different as the men themselves. In 2009, amid the symbolism of Americas first black president, the prevailing theme was hope. Well in excess of a million people braved the cold to fill the National Mall. Yo-Yo Ma played the cello, Aretha Franklin sang and celebrity turnout was unusually high. Four years later, at Obamas second inauguration, performers included James Taylor and Beyonc.

Trumps announced headliners are 16-year-old singer Jackie Evancho who shot to fame on the reality TV show Americas Got Talent, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the Radio City Rockettes. Several leading entertainers declined invitations to perform. British singer Charlotte Church tweeted: @realDonaldTrump Your staff have asked me to sing at your inauguration, a simple Internet search would show I think youre a tyrant. Bye. Actor Meryl Streep spoke for many in Hollywood when she eviscerated the president-elect at last weekends Golden Globe awards.

Trump and Obamas inaugurations will be every bit as different as the men themselves. Photograph: Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images

Trump, who at 70 will be the oldest person ever sworn in as US president, this week promised a very, very elegant day with massive crowds, a familiar boast at his campaign rallies. The joint congressional committee on inaugural activities, which oversees all ceremonies, is expecting 700,000 to 750,000 people well short of Obamas total.

The Republican, however, has outgunned Obama financially. Trumps presidential inaugural committee has raised a record sum, more than $90m in private donations, far more than Obamas two inaugural committees, which brought in $55m in 2009 and $43m in 2013. It says any money left over will be donated to charity.

Tom Barrack, the lead planner, told reporters he wanted to avoid a circus-like atmosphere in favour of a more back to work attitude that surrounds Trump with the soft sensuality of the place. Trump, whom Barrack described as the greatest celebrity in the world, is holding three inaugural balls. Obama had 10 after his first inauguration.

For the maverick businessmans voters, it will be a day to savour. Michael Barnett, chairperson of the Republican party in Palm Beach, Florida, said: Ive never been to an inauguration before. Weve worked so hard for the last 15 months and now we get to see our effort pay off. Im sure Ill be lost in the moment and it will take a while to sink in. Its going to be great but we know its just the beginning.

Barnett, a 39-year-old African American lawyer, believes Trump can help build unity. Your impression when you meet him face to face and talk to him is very different from what you see on TV, he said. Hes a really good guy and I really like him. Hell do a good job.

Benjamin Marchi, 38 and the owner of a healthcare business in Easton, Maryland, will also be present. Its going to be a great day, a wonderful day, full of excitement, he said. It might be similar to election night. He is truly our first independent president because of his willingness to not pander to segments of the Republican party that are typically pandered to.

Fear is an even stronger emotion than anger

But along with the celebrations, there will be a week of protest against a man who insulted Mexicans and Muslims and boasted about groping women. There were demonstrations against Richard Nixon in 1973 and George W Bush in 2001, but nothing on the scale Trump faces in Washington, a liberal bastion where he took just 4% of the vote (even Bush managed 9% in 2000).

About 30 groups have secured permits to protest before, during and after the inauguration. Photograph: Paul J. Richards/AFP/Getty Images

Bill Galston, a former policy adviser to Bill Clinton, said: The tone and temper of the election campaign has people worried. There are a lot of people genuinely scared. Fear is an even stronger emotion than anger.

About 30 groups have secured permits to protest before, during and after the inauguration. District police and the US secret service plan to have some 3,000 officers and 5,000 national guard troops available, claiming this will be enough to ensure the inauguration goes ahead even if protesters try to disrupt it.

The biggest gathering will be on Saturday, the Womens March on Washington, which organisers say could draw more than 200,000 people. Actors Amy Schumer, Scarlett Johansson, America Ferrera and Felicity Huffman will be among those taking part. Its organisers did not respond to requests for comment but Wikler of MoveOn.org said: The march will send a message to every policymaker in Washington that the public is mobilised and ready to fight.

The public is overwhelmingly opposed to Trumps attitudes on womens rights, immigrants rights and LGBT rights. Progressives are banding together in a way we havent seen in a decade. People are dusting off their marching shoes. A massive march can show which way the political wind is blowing.

Inaugurations are traditionally a time of bipartisan solidarity, and Trumps will be attended by Clinton and his wife Hillary Clinton, the shock loser in a uniquely poisonous election campaign. But some Democratic members of Congress are boycotting the event, among them John Lewis, a distinguished civil rights leader who told NBCs Meet the Press that he does not see Trump as a legitimate president, arguing that Russian interference helped get him elected.

On Saturday, Trump made his feelings about Lewis clear, using Twitter to say that Lewis should stop falsely complaining about the election results. Such critics, he said, were all talk, talk, talk no action or results.

Obama dedicates his final weekly address to the American people

Robert Schenkkan, a Pulitzer prize-winning playwright whose latest work, Building the Wall, tackles the rise of Trump, said: Its a tricky balance for the Democratic party. How much of this transition should be honoured in traditional ways and, given this is not business as usual, how much we should not be playing by the old rules?

Im among those who feel the Democrats are turning up at the gunfight at OK Corral with a knife. There is no polite resistance to this. There is nothing but all-out resistance.

Schenkkan, 63, said this inauguration was different from any he can remember. Its a deeply divisive day. There will be people there who are exultant because they feel theyve been wandering in the desert for the past eight years, but the majority of the country feels differently.

The social glue that holds politics together in this country is under assault. It feels like were entering uncharted territory.

The centrepiece of the day will be Trumps inaugural address. He told friends that Ronald Reagans style and Kennedys articulation of grand national ambitions were key to the drafting of his own speech, the Washington Post reported. Kennedys inaugural address, 56 years to the day before Trumps, included the now celebrated line: Ask not what your country can do for you ask what you can do for your country.

Bob Shrum, a political consultant, said: Kennedys address widened and deepened the definition of what it is to be an American. It had a rare eloquence.

I dont think you can expect that of Donald Trump.

Read more: http://ift.tt/2iz0M7w

from Fear and loathing in Washington DC: progressives dread Trump inauguration

[symbianosgames]

The following blog post, unless otherwise noted, was written by a member of Gamasutra’s community. The thoughts and opinions expressed are those of the writer and not Gamasutra or its parent company.

Disclosure: DryCactus, creators of Poly Bridge are currently one of my Patreon sponsors. The framework for this article was drafted prior to their involvement, but I believe strongly in practicing transparency.

Previous Articles in this Series:

Why Social Sharing?

In a marketplace that's flooded with choice, how do you reach more players? The cost of user acquisition has skyrocketed, and is well out of reach for most indie, or even mid-sized game studios. Advertising via social channels may have some small impact if positioned correctly, but it can just as easily fall flat if the campaign doesn't hit exactly the right mark. So if you're unable to pay for user acquisition or direct advertising, how can you help ensure that you reach more players than those that have already downloaded your game?

Enter: Social Sharing!

The #1 Rule for Great Social Shares

If you learn only 1 thing from this article, let it be: The best social shares are those that players genuinely WANT to share.

Why is that distinction important?

The core reason behind this is simple: Genuine word of mouth recommendations from people you know have a much greater impact than other advertising options. (Source) Think about it, which do you trust more: Billboard after billboard for the next big game, or 'omg this game is so awesome!' from several of your close friends?

Not much you can do as a creator to promote your game will mean as much as people who love your game sharing and talking about it in a positive fashion, of their own volition. If you give them the right tools to do so, make it easy and fun, they can be some of your biggest advocates!

Alphabear

One of my favorite recent examples of well designed social sharing is the simple, yet powerful implementation in Alphabear.

I follow the developers (Spry Fox) on Twitter and once worked with one of the founders, and yet I still heard of this game through other people long before I saw the official announcement. Why? Because of hilarious Mad-Libs style bear shares. Shortly after the release, my Twitter feed was a flood of adorable bears saying often dubious things.

Now, that doesn't mean that all of the shares are adorable bears saying obscenities or otherwise adult things. Some of the most entertaining are those that are perfectly SFW, but just work so well. Such as this one from Susan Arendt, which I've been referring to as Hannibal Bear.

The share feature is a fun extension to the core game.  The words used in the image are pulled directly from the session that preceded it. Players are able to cycle through a variety of options, and share the one that they think is the funniest / weirdest / most dirty.

This feature wasn't free: It required design, planning, development, testing and more. In exchange, Spry Fox has received over 2100 player initiated shares in the past 30 days (as of Nov 7th, 2015) (Source). When you consider how many people may be following each of those players that have shared, you can start to get a better idea of the potential impact.

Poly Bridge

While social sharing mechanics are more prevalent in mobile & casual game titles, don't disregard the power of a well designed social mechanic in a more traditional PC game release. Developer Dry Cactus has created a very effective sharing mechanic in their Steam Early Access game: Poly Bridge.

The core gameplay is pretty straightforward: Build a bridge so that it fulfills the conditions to solve a puzzle.

It gets a bit more... hilarious when you are able to see how other players have solved the same puzzle. By including a GIF sharing option, Poly Bridge has created a way for players to share their brilliant and/or entertaining solutions with the world. This can be done through the official Online Gallery, or through sharing GIFs on Twitter, Reddit, or elsewhere!

The Online Gallery contains over 46,000 replays, as of 7th November 2015:

Note: Anyone can share from the Online Gallery, increasing the potential for the the content to be seen by more people.

On Twitter:

There's even a dedicated subreddit for Poly Bridge with over 2k users where players share their solutions: http://ift.tt/2mos29h

Solutions like this one, from Reddit user Violets-Are-Blue:

Source: http://ift.tt/2moCtcO

By giving players the ability to share their solutions through both a centralized hub, Twitter, and on the platforms of their choice, Poly Bridge has managed an impressive level of visibility out to a larger audience while still in Early Access.

Considerations for Great Social Shares

Every game is going to require individual consideration for what would be the most impactful in terms of their social share design. The following are intended to serve as more general guidelines when designing your social sharing feature(s).

#1: Is this something players want to share?

If your players don't genuinely want to share it, they likely won't. Consider player motivations: What sort of player do you think will be playing your game? What are things or experiences that they'll want to share? Why?

For example: If you create a sharing mechanic that's centered around sharing high scores, but your players aren't particularly competitive or motivated by boasting, you're unlikely to see great results. What other types of sharing might appeal to those players, and how can it be integrated into your experience?

#2: Does this extend the experience?

In some cases, you may decide that social shares don't quite fit the theme or player type of your game. That's okay! Don't try to shove in a social sharing feature just for the sake of having one. If it doesn't make sense, and doesn't add to the experience, you may be better off cutting it and investing your time elsewhere.

However, if you have the opportunity to extend your experience through sharing and conversation, absolutely look at what would work best for your game. You have a golden opportunity to leverage word of mouth recommendations, and create a better experience for your players. Don't think of social sharing as something that is tacked onto the end of your experience, but rather as an extension. What's the watercooler moment from your game? What will people want to share and talk about with their friends?

#3: Is this Unique or Personal?

If the visuals, content, and experience of social sharing in your game is the same every time the player attempts to share, why would they do it more than once? The best social shares provide a unique, or otherwised personalized sharing experience. While the framework may be the same for each share, if the content itself is unique or personalized, there's a much greater chance the player will share more than once.

In Alphabear, the bear & the associated words in the share change with each share. In the case of Poly Bridge, the GIF is a unique look at that player's approach to solving the puzzle. As a result, players are motivated to share their experiences on an ongoing basis.

#4: Is it easy to find & use?

If you make it hard for people to find and use your social sharing option, don't be surprised if it's seldom used. Don't bury it away or make it confusing. Use the standard icons for each platform wherever you can, and make the user experience of sharing as easy as possible.

#5: Is it Interesting?

To be successful, your social sharing content needs to be interesting to those viewers of the existing player. After all, your social sharing content serves as an advertisement for your game. You have just a few seconds to capture someone's attention and communicate why they should download the game.

What does someone who is not already playing the game get out of the content? What message are you sending with it? When scrolling through a feed filled with content, what makes yours stand out?

Note: Humor is almost always a big win if you can do it well, and it fits with your content & audience.

#6: Is this the right content for the right platform(s)?

In general, the effectiveness of social content is as follows:

Short Video > Long Video > GIF > Personalized Image > Standard Image > Text only

However, not all content types work on all social platforms or with all player types. For example, longer videos are a great option if your players are heavily engaged and primarily going to be sharing to YouTube. However, that same video will be shortened into a tiny sliver of the full experience when shared to Twitter. If your players are more likely to be on the latter, focusing on longer form video is likely to be ineffective. In that instance, focusing on great GIF sharing could prove to be a much better option.

Before you dive into developing your social sharing feature, determine what content will work best for your players and the experience that you're building. Your content may be shared in multiple places, but optimizing for what you think will be the primary use case is always wise.

 #7: Have I included Download Info? Your download info can be as simple as including the name of your game, a brief tagline, and which platforms the game is available on in the accompanying visuals. However, that still requires a bit of initiative on the part of the prospective player, which will result in fewer downloads. Ideally you want to include a smart redirect link to download the game directly in the shared text. That way potential players can simply click on a link and be directed into the appropriate store based on their current device type. You want to make it as easy as possible for interested parties to download your game. Optimize for less steps or complications whenever possible!

#8: How will I measure effectiveness?

Understanding your return on investment for your social sharing features can be incredibly useful in evaluating your success and where you can improve upon in the future.

Some areas to consider:

How many shares have been completed?

On what platforms?

What percentage of my players are using the feature?

How many times has the unique hashtag been used?

How many times has someone clicked on the download link?

How many downloads have resulted from those shares?*

What's the retention look like for players who share vs players who don't?

*To the best of your ability. It can be hard to measure the direct download impact when some downloads will be from people who've seen the game, but go to download it later rather than directly from a social share link.

Getting Started

If you're not familiar with social sharing: Research first!

Play other social games, see how their sharing features work. Look at what works, what doesn't, and how it could be improved upon. If you really don't understand social sharing motivations, find people who do! Ask questions, do user testing against your ideas, and be open to feedback on what might not be working.

Before developing your social share feature, ask:

How can this extend the experience of my game?

Why would my players want to share? What would they want to share?

How will the shared content encourage non-players to download?

Is there a better option that I'm not considering?

How much time and effort is required to include this feature?

How will I track the success of this feature?

What's my unique hashtag? (Note: ALWAYS check if it's already being used first)

From there, treat your social sharing feature like any other feature in your game. Budget time for design, dev, testing and polish. Iterate, solicit feedback, measure effectiveness, and improve where possible.

In Closing

To create an effective social sharing feature, you can't just slap on a 'post to FB/Twitter/etc' button on your high score or end screen. However, if you're willing to put in the effort to create something that players actively want to use, you may find yourself with an outpouring of support and downloads that might not otherwise have been possible!

Have an example of a great use of social sharing? Questions, comments, something to add? Leave a comment, or drop me a line @boopsocial!

Next in this series: Connecting With Your Fans

Want to support my writing? Consider backing me on Patreon!

[symbianosgames]

The following blog post, unless otherwise noted, was written by a member of Gamasutra’s community. The thoughts and opinions expressed are those of the writer and not Gamasutra or its parent company.

Disclosure: DryCactus, creators of Poly Bridge are currently one of my Patreon sponsors. The framework for this article was drafted prior to their involvement, but I believe strongly in practicing transparency.

Previous Articles in this Series:

Why Social Sharing?

In a marketplace that's flooded with choice, how do you reach more players? The cost of user acquisition has skyrocketed, and is well out of reach for most indie, or even mid-sized game studios. Advertising via social channels may have some small impact if positioned correctly, but it can just as easily fall flat if the campaign doesn't hit exactly the right mark. So if you're unable to pay for user acquisition or direct advertising, how can you help ensure that you reach more players than those that have already downloaded your game?

Enter: Social Sharing!

The #1 Rule for Great Social Shares

If you learn only 1 thing from this article, let it be: The best social shares are those that players genuinely WANT to share.

Why is that distinction important?

The core reason behind this is simple: Genuine word of mouth recommendations from people you know have a much greater impact than other advertising options. (Source) Think about it, which do you trust more: Billboard after billboard for the next big game, or 'omg this game is so awesome!' from several of your close friends?

Not much you can do as a creator to promote your game will mean as much as people who love your game sharing and talking about it in a positive fashion, of their own volition. If you give them the right tools to do so, make it easy and fun, they can be some of your biggest advocates!

Alphabear

One of my favorite recent examples of well designed social sharing is the simple, yet powerful implementation in Alphabear.

I follow the developers (Spry Fox) on Twitter and once worked with one of the founders, and yet I still heard of this game through other people long before I saw the official announcement. Why? Because of hilarious Mad-Libs style bear shares. Shortly after the release, my Twitter feed was a flood of adorable bears saying often dubious things.

Now, that doesn't mean that all of the shares are adorable bears saying obscenities or otherwise adult things. Some of the most entertaining are those that are perfectly SFW, but just work so well. Such as this one from Susan Arendt, which I've been referring to as Hannibal Bear.

The share feature is a fun extension to the core game.  The words used in the image are pulled directly from the session that preceded it. Players are able to cycle through a variety of options, and share the one that they think is the funniest / weirdest / most dirty.

This feature wasn't free: It required design, planning, development, testing and more. In exchange, Spry Fox has received over 2100 player initiated shares in the past 30 days (as of Nov 7th, 2015) (Source). When you consider how many people may be following each of those players that have shared, you can start to get a better idea of the potential impact.

Poly Bridge

While social sharing mechanics are more prevalent in mobile & casual game titles, don't disregard the power of a well designed social mechanic in a more traditional PC game release. Developer Dry Cactus has created a very effective sharing mechanic in their Steam Early Access game: Poly Bridge.

The core gameplay is pretty straightforward: Build a bridge so that it fulfills the conditions to solve a puzzle.

It gets a bit more... hilarious when you are able to see how other players have solved the same puzzle. By including a GIF sharing option, Poly Bridge has created a way for players to share their brilliant and/or entertaining solutions with the world. This can be done through the official Online Gallery, or through sharing GIFs on Twitter, Reddit, or elsewhere!

The Online Gallery contains over 46,000 replays, as of 7th November 2015:

Note: Anyone can share from the Online Gallery, increasing the potential for the the content to be seen by more people.

On Twitter:

There's even a dedicated subreddit for Poly Bridge with over 2k users where players share their solutions: http://ift.tt/2mos29h

Solutions like this one, from Reddit user Violets-Are-Blue:

Source: http://ift.tt/2moCtcO

By giving players the ability to share their solutions through both a centralized hub, Twitter, and on the platforms of their choice, Poly Bridge has managed an impressive level of visibility out to a larger audience while still in Early Access.

Considerations for Great Social Shares

Every game is going to require individual consideration for what would be the most impactful in terms of their social share design. The following are intended to serve as more general guidelines when designing your social sharing feature(s).

#1: Is this something players want to share?

If your players don't genuinely want to share it, they likely won't. Consider player motivations: What sort of player do you think will be playing your game? What are things or experiences that they'll want to share? Why?

For example: If you create a sharing mechanic that's centered around sharing high scores, but your players aren't particularly competitive or motivated by boasting, you're unlikely to see great results. What other types of sharing might appeal to those players, and how can it be integrated into your experience?

#2: Does this extend the experience?

In some cases, you may decide that social shares don't quite fit the theme or player type of your game. That's okay! Don't try to shove in a social sharing feature just for the sake of having one. If it doesn't make sense, and doesn't add to the experience, you may be better off cutting it and investing your time elsewhere.

However, if you have the opportunity to extend your experience through sharing and conversation, absolutely look at what would work best for your game. You have a golden opportunity to leverage word of mouth recommendations, and create a better experience for your players. Don't think of social sharing as something that is tacked onto the end of your experience, but rather as an extension. What's the watercooler moment from your game? What will people want to share and talk about with their friends?

#3: Is this Unique or Personal?

If the visuals, content, and experience of social sharing in your game is the same every time the player attempts to share, why would they do it more than once? The best social shares provide a unique, or otherwised personalized sharing experience. While the framework may be the same for each share, if the content itself is unique or personalized, there's a much greater chance the player will share more than once.

In Alphabear, the bear & the associated words in the share change with each share. In the case of Poly Bridge, the GIF is a unique look at that player's approach to solving the puzzle. As a result, players are motivated to share their experiences on an ongoing basis.

#4: Is it easy to find & use?

If you make it hard for people to find and use your social sharing option, don't be surprised if it's seldom used. Don't bury it away or make it confusing. Use the standard icons for each platform wherever you can, and make the user experience of sharing as easy as possible.

#5: Is it Interesting?

To be successful, your social sharing content needs to be interesting to those viewers of the existing player. After all, your social sharing content serves as an advertisement for your game. You have just a few seconds to capture someone's attention and communicate why they should download the game.

What does someone who is not already playing the game get out of the content? What message are you sending with it? When scrolling through a feed filled with content, what makes yours stand out?

Note: Humor is almost always a big win if you can do it well, and it fits with your content & audience.

#6: Is this the right content for the right platform(s)?

In general, the effectiveness of social content is as follows:

Short Video > Long Video > GIF > Personalized Image > Standard Image > Text only

However, not all content types work on all social platforms or with all player types. For example, longer videos are a great option if your players are heavily engaged and primarily going to be sharing to YouTube. However, that same video will be shortened into a tiny sliver of the full experience when shared to Twitter. If your players are more likely to be on the latter, focusing on longer form video is likely to be ineffective. In that instance, focusing on great GIF sharing could prove to be a much better option.

Before you dive into developing your social sharing feature, determine what content will work best for your players and the experience that you're building. Your content may be shared in multiple places, but optimizing for what you think will be the primary use case is always wise.

 #7: Have I included Download Info? Your download info can be as simple as including the name of your game, a brief tagline, and which platforms the game is available on in the accompanying visuals. However, that still requires a bit of initiative on the part of the prospective player, which will result in fewer downloads. Ideally you want to include a smart redirect link to download the game directly in the shared text. That way potential players can simply click on a link and be directed into the appropriate store based on their current device type. You want to make it as easy as possible for interested parties to download your game. Optimize for less steps or complications whenever possible!

#8: How will I measure effectiveness?

Understanding your return on investment for your social sharing features can be incredibly useful in evaluating your success and where you can improve upon in the future.

Some areas to consider:

How many shares have been completed?

On what platforms?

What percentage of my players are using the feature?

How many times has the unique hashtag been used?

How many times has someone clicked on the download link?

How many downloads have resulted from those shares?*

What's the retention look like for players who share vs players who don't?

*To the best of your ability. It can be hard to measure the direct download impact when some downloads will be from people who've seen the game, but go to download it later rather than directly from a social share link.

Getting Started

If you're not familiar with social sharing: Research first!

Play other social games, see how their sharing features work. Look at what works, what doesn't, and how it could be improved upon. If you really don't understand social sharing motivations, find people who do! Ask questions, do user testing against your ideas, and be open to feedback on what might not be working.

Before developing your social share feature, ask:

How can this extend the experience of my game?

Why would my players want to share? What would they want to share?

How will the shared content encourage non-players to download?

Is there a better option that I'm not considering?

How much time and effort is required to include this feature?

How will I track the success of this feature?

What's my unique hashtag? (Note: ALWAYS check if it's already being used first)

From there, treat your social sharing feature like any other feature in your game. Budget time for design, dev, testing and polish. Iterate, solicit feedback, measure effectiveness, and improve where possible.

In Closing

To create an effective social sharing feature, you can't just slap on a 'post to FB/Twitter/etc' button on your high score or end screen. However, if you're willing to put in the effort to create something that players actively want to use, you may find yourself with an outpouring of support and downloads that might not otherwise have been possible!

Have an example of a great use of social sharing? Questions, comments, something to add? Leave a comment, or drop me a line @boopsocial!

Next in this series: Connecting With Your Fans

Want to support my writing? Consider backing me on Patreon!

[symbianosgames]

The following blog post, unless otherwise noted, was written by a member of Gamasutra’s community. The thoughts and opinions expressed are those of the writer and not Gamasutra or its parent company.

Disclosure: DryCactus, creators of Poly Bridge are currently one of my Patreon sponsors. The framework for this article was drafted prior to their involvement, but I believe strongly in practicing transparency.

Previous Articles in this Series:

Why Social Sharing?

In a marketplace that's flooded with choice, how do you reach more players? The cost of user acquisition has skyrocketed, and is well out of reach for most indie, or even mid-sized game studios. Advertising via social channels may have some small impact if positioned correctly, but it can just as easily fall flat if the campaign doesn't hit exactly the right mark. So if you're unable to pay for user acquisition or direct advertising, how can you help ensure that you reach more players than those that have already downloaded your game?

Enter: Social Sharing!

The #1 Rule for Great Social Shares

If you learn only 1 thing from this article, let it be: The best social shares are those that players genuinely WANT to share.

Why is that distinction important?

The core reason behind this is simple: Genuine word of mouth recommendations from people you know have a much greater impact than other advertising options. (Source) Think about it, which do you trust more: Billboard after billboard for the next big game, or 'omg this game is so awesome!' from several of your close friends?

Not much you can do as a creator to promote your game will mean as much as people who love your game sharing and talking about it in a positive fashion, of their own volition. If you give them the right tools to do so, make it easy and fun, they can be some of your biggest advocates!

Alphabear

One of my favorite recent examples of well designed social sharing is the simple, yet powerful implementation in Alphabear.

I follow the developers (Spry Fox) on Twitter and once worked with one of the founders, and yet I still heard of this game through other people long before I saw the official announcement. Why? Because of hilarious Mad-Libs style bear shares. Shortly after the release, my Twitter feed was a flood of adorable bears saying often dubious things.

Now, that doesn't mean that all of the shares are adorable bears saying obscenities or otherwise adult things. Some of the most entertaining are those that are perfectly SFW, but just work so well. Such as this one from Susan Arendt, which I've been referring to as Hannibal Bear.

The share feature is a fun extension to the core game.  The words used in the image are pulled directly from the session that preceded it. Players are able to cycle through a variety of options, and share the one that they think is the funniest / weirdest / most dirty.

This feature wasn't free: It required design, planning, development, testing and more. In exchange, Spry Fox has received over 2100 player initiated shares in the past 30 days (as of Nov 7th, 2015) (Source). When you consider how many people may be following each of those players that have shared, you can start to get a better idea of the potential impact.

Poly Bridge

While social sharing mechanics are more prevalent in mobile & casual game titles, don't disregard the power of a well designed social mechanic in a more traditional PC game release. Developer Dry Cactus has created a very effective sharing mechanic in their Steam Early Access game: Poly Bridge.

The core gameplay is pretty straightforward: Build a bridge so that it fulfills the conditions to solve a puzzle.

It gets a bit more... hilarious when you are able to see how other players have solved the same puzzle. By including a GIF sharing option, Poly Bridge has created a way for players to share their brilliant and/or entertaining solutions with the world. This can be done through the official Online Gallery, or through sharing GIFs on Twitter, Reddit, or elsewhere!

The Online Gallery contains over 46,000 replays, as of 7th November 2015:

Note: Anyone can share from the Online Gallery, increasing the potential for the the content to be seen by more people.

On Twitter:

There's even a dedicated subreddit for Poly Bridge with over 2k users where players share their solutions: http://ift.tt/2mos29h

Solutions like this one, from Reddit user Violets-Are-Blue:

Source: http://ift.tt/2moCtcO

By giving players the ability to share their solutions through both a centralized hub, Twitter, and on the platforms of their choice, Poly Bridge has managed an impressive level of visibility out to a larger audience while still in Early Access.

Considerations for Great Social Shares

Every game is going to require individual consideration for what would be the most impactful in terms of their social share design. The following are intended to serve as more general guidelines when designing your social sharing feature(s).

#1: Is this something players want to share?

If your players don't genuinely want to share it, they likely won't. Consider player motivations: What sort of player do you think will be playing your game? What are things or experiences that they'll want to share? Why?

For example: If you create a sharing mechanic that's centered around sharing high scores, but your players aren't particularly competitive or motivated by boasting, you're unlikely to see great results. What other types of sharing might appeal to those players, and how can it be integrated into your experience?

#2: Does this extend the experience?

In some cases, you may decide that social shares don't quite fit the theme or player type of your game. That's okay! Don't try to shove in a social sharing feature just for the sake of having one. If it doesn't make sense, and doesn't add to the experience, you may be better off cutting it and investing your time elsewhere.

However, if you have the opportunity to extend your experience through sharing and conversation, absolutely look at what would work best for your game. You have a golden opportunity to leverage word of mouth recommendations, and create a better experience for your players. Don't think of social sharing as something that is tacked onto the end of your experience, but rather as an extension. What's the watercooler moment from your game? What will people want to share and talk about with their friends?

#3: Is this Unique or Personal?

If the visuals, content, and experience of social sharing in your game is the same every time the player attempts to share, why would they do it more than once? The best social shares provide a unique, or otherwised personalized sharing experience. While the framework may be the same for each share, if the content itself is unique or personalized, there's a much greater chance the player will share more than once.

In Alphabear, the bear & the associated words in the share change with each share. In the case of Poly Bridge, the GIF is a unique look at that player's approach to solving the puzzle. As a result, players are motivated to share their experiences on an ongoing basis.

#4: Is it easy to find & use?

If you make it hard for people to find and use your social sharing option, don't be surprised if it's seldom used. Don't bury it away or make it confusing. Use the standard icons for each platform wherever you can, and make the user experience of sharing as easy as possible.

#5: Is it Interesting?

To be successful, your social sharing content needs to be interesting to those viewers of the existing player. After all, your social sharing content serves as an advertisement for your game. You have just a few seconds to capture someone's attention and communicate why they should download the game.

What does someone who is not already playing the game get out of the content? What message are you sending with it? When scrolling through a feed filled with content, what makes yours stand out?

Note: Humor is almost always a big win if you can do it well, and it fits with your content & audience.

#6: Is this the right content for the right platform(s)?

In general, the effectiveness of social content is as follows:

Short Video > Long Video > GIF > Personalized Image > Standard Image > Text only

However, not all content types work on all social platforms or with all player types. For example, longer videos are a great option if your players are heavily engaged and primarily going to be sharing to YouTube. However, that same video will be shortened into a tiny sliver of the full experience when shared to Twitter. If your players are more likely to be on the latter, focusing on longer form video is likely to be ineffective. In that instance, focusing on great GIF sharing could prove to be a much better option.

Before you dive into developing your social sharing feature, determine what content will work best for your players and the experience that you're building. Your content may be shared in multiple places, but optimizing for what you think will be the primary use case is always wise.

 #7: Have I included Download Info? Your download info can be as simple as including the name of your game, a brief tagline, and which platforms the game is available on in the accompanying visuals. However, that still requires a bit of initiative on the part of the prospective player, which will result in fewer downloads. Ideally you want to include a smart redirect link to download the game directly in the shared text. That way potential players can simply click on a link and be directed into the appropriate store based on their current device type. You want to make it as easy as possible for interested parties to download your game. Optimize for less steps or complications whenever possible!

#8: How will I measure effectiveness?

Understanding your return on investment for your social sharing features can be incredibly useful in evaluating your success and where you can improve upon in the future.

Some areas to consider:

How many shares have been completed?

On what platforms?

What percentage of my players are using the feature?

How many times has the unique hashtag been used?

How many times has someone clicked on the download link?

How many downloads have resulted from those shares?*

What's the retention look like for players who share vs players who don't?

*To the best of your ability. It can be hard to measure the direct download impact when some downloads will be from people who've seen the game, but go to download it later rather than directly from a social share link.

Getting Started

If you're not familiar with social sharing: Research first!

Play other social games, see how their sharing features work. Look at what works, what doesn't, and how it could be improved upon. If you really don't understand social sharing motivations, find people who do! Ask questions, do user testing against your ideas, and be open to feedback on what might not be working.

Before developing your social share feature, ask:

How can this extend the experience of my game?

Why would my players want to share? What would they want to share?

How will the shared content encourage non-players to download?

Is there a better option that I'm not considering?

How much time and effort is required to include this feature?

How will I track the success of this feature?

What's my unique hashtag? (Note: ALWAYS check if it's already being used first)

From there, treat your social sharing feature like any other feature in your game. Budget time for design, dev, testing and polish. Iterate, solicit feedback, measure effectiveness, and improve where possible.

In Closing

To create an effective social sharing feature, you can't just slap on a 'post to FB/Twitter/etc' button on your high score or end screen. However, if you're willing to put in the effort to create something that players actively want to use, you may find yourself with an outpouring of support and downloads that might not otherwise have been possible!

Have an example of a great use of social sharing? Questions, comments, something to add? Leave a comment, or drop me a line @boopsocial!

Next in this series: Connecting With Your Fans

Want to support my writing? Consider backing me on Patreon!