#its from the unreal engine getting started page

[blushyplushiegirl]

being forced to use unreal rn and the c++ experience is absolutely miserable

intellisense doesnt work a solid 70% of the time, debug messages take way too much effort to write, Im still not particularly a fan of header files, creating a c++ class sometimes doesnt update the in-editor file browser AND IT DOESNT HAVE A REFRESH BUTTON??? you need to find a specific python console command to avoid restarting the entire editor????

[ddlcbrainrot]

screaming crying throwing up bc Little Dark Age is so ddlc coded it makes me SICKKKK so ur gonna see my entire analysis now

Breathing in the dark, lying on its side (SAYORI!?! BC SHE CANT GET OUT OF BED?!?!)

The ruins of the day painted with a scar (YURI!?!?!? BC SELF HARM?!?!)

And the more I straighten out, the less it wants to try (NATSUKI?!?!?! BC SHE CANT STOP BEING A JERK TO COMMUNICATE?)

The feelings start to rot, one wink at a time (MONIKA>!?!?!?!? BECAUSE WITH EVERY SECOND SHE KNOWS HER FRIENDS ARE NOT REAL THE LESS SHE SEES THEM AS REAL)

Oh-oh, forgiving who you are, for what you stand to gain Monika forcing herself to get past 'killing' the codes she considered her loved ones her whole life in order to find a connection with an actual sentient being.

Just know that if you hide, it doesn't go away Yuri's the introverted reticent one- hiding from society because society is cruel to her, hiding her self harm, hiding her true self... but everything is still there.

When you get out of bed, don't end up stranded Sayori eventually DOES have to get out of bed every day, but at some point she becomes "stranded" and unable to mask anymore and then we gently open the door

Horrified with each stone on the stage, my little dark age Natsuki was the only one other than monika who didn't die by her own hand, and she was also the last to die before monika herself. She was the one who had to see each stone on the stage build up, culminating till the end.

Picking through the cards, knowing what's nearby Monika knows everything that goes on in the game, she reads the script, she has access to everything- nothing is a surprise to her, really. But she still picks through it to distract herself from her unreality.

The carvings on the face say they find it hard However, in the end, she's still just an anime girl sprite with a clipart face, and she can't run away from that.

And the engine's failed again, all limits of disguise This one's pretty cut and dry- it's when the game breaks, essentially, and everything starts to glitch.

The humor's not the same, coming from denial "You kinda left her hanging there."

Oh-oh, I grieve in stereo, the stereo sounds strange Your reality. I know that if you hide, it doesn't go away Monika's still there if you exit the game. If you get out of bed and find me standing all alone Just Monika... OR, it could be when Sayori talks to Monika, since I'm associating "getting out of bed" with Sayori in this song. Open-eyed, burn the page, my little dark age Open eyed?? Third Eye??? PORTRAIT OF MARKOV?!?!? "Burn the page" DELETING THE FILES. AHGRYGRHRGRH

I grieve in stereo, the stereo sounds strange You know that if it hides, it doesn't go away YOU know that if IT hides. In the end, the player only sees Monika as an "It." A game character, just like the others. Even when the player KNOWS you're sentient and you 'don't go away.' If I get out of bed, you'll see me standing all alone Horrified on the stage, my little dark age WHEN SAYORI BECOMES THE SENTIENT ONE AND FREAKS OUT

Giddy with delight, seeing what's to come We're back to Just Monika this ain't linear she's like omg huzz loves me

The image of the dead, dead ends in my mind SHES STILL REMEMBERING HER DEAD FRIEND SPRITES OR WTV

Policemen swear to God, love seeping from their guns I know my friends and I would probably turn and run There is no happiness to be found in this literature club. Knowing its what her friends would do to, she ends it. If you get out of bed, come find us heading for the bridge Bring a stone, all the rage, my little dark age Project Libitina hidden messages. Monika's coming to rescue the other girls remember KYAAAA

I grieve in stereo, the stereo sounds strange I know that if you hide, it doesn't go away If you get out of bed and find me standing all alone Open-eyed, burn the page, my little dark age

All alone, open-eyed, burn the page, my little dark age

TYPE SHIIIIII-

gonna post this to my tumblr too but ur gonna get it too heh

little dark age is like, the one sing that somehow fits every fandom. how. how is it possible.

anyway someone make an animatic of this 🙏🙏🙏

[asaraviapt]

[EN] Video Game Writing Resources!

Hello! My name is Andrea--I have been writing for games since 2018, and even worked as a writer at Firaxis Games from 2022 until April of 2023. So, I knew a few things about narrative design--but what the fuck is it? Recently, I gave a talk about the fundamentals and history of the field of narrative design. In Spanish. So, let's talk about it in English--the "what," "why," "how," "when," and "who," of narrative design! What is narrative design? Narrative design is not just writing--it's a huge part of it, but designing a narrative system involves implementing narrative content into the build of the game. So there is a technical learning curve to it. Personally, I watched and obtained certifications in Unreal Engine 5 and Unity in order to be aware of the limitations of each engine. I used the free trial of LinkedIn Learning, but courses about this engine are available in these websites: - https://platzi.com/ - https://www.arkde.com/ - https://www.domestika.org/?query=unity - https://www.coursera.org/ Why do we need narrative design? In order to create an interactive story that the player feels a part of, narrative designers are mandatory. It's not a responsibility that can be placed on other designers (then we would be entering crunch territory) rather someone who specifically specializes in both creative writing and game design is needed to explain within the context of the game's story why the mechanics work in a certain way. Imagine if a Telltale game did not have dialogue, for example--what would we be left with? Or if The Last Of Us did not convey a narrative through its environments.

Narrative designers are needed so that all of the departments are in sync and understand the story that they are trying to tell. For example, if a game takes place in a haunted house that was abandoned, we need all hands on deck. The narrative designer can explain to the environment artists why there are so many holes in the living room--perhaps the last tenants of the house were a rowdy bunch. Or, they can tell the sound designers which planks of wood are the most rotten and need a loud sound effect to highlight how it has been abandoned. How do I become a narrative designer? There is no one way to become a narrative designer. Some people start in QA and transition into the field, I have also witnessed engineers and doctors wanting to get into narrative design. I do recommend having the following (at least): - A passion for storytelling. - Deep understanding of the mechanics of the game and the player experience. - Communication skills are incredibly important--can you describe your story in a concise way to your peers in a Confluence page?

Documentation skills are also a massive plus.

Very basic understanding of game engines and limitations. You don't have to be a computer science major, but know what your requests will entail. If you have an idea of a cutscene, can the engine handle it? Will the animators have enough time? Is it within scope?

If you can, attend game jams! They are an amazing way to network with amazing people and get a feel of what the game production pipeline is like.

Additionally, I highly recommend the following resources: First, the free resources! ~It's free real estate~

Look up Twinery tutorials. (https://twinery.org/) Not only is it free, but you can use it on your browser. More importantly, you will learn about branching narratives and can create your own games within a few minutes--the interface, though it requires a bit of coding, is incredibly easy to use and there are a lot of tutorials available online.

Download Ren'Py (https://www.renpy.org/) and watch tutorials. It's free, and there is a huge community of visual novel developers who may need help with narrative designers, writers, editors and even translators. An amazing resource that a colleague shared was this Discord with visual novel developers--if you have an idea, feel free to connect with artists and voice actors here! https://discord.gg/nW5yn4FE

Network, network, network! Follow narrative design and game writer groups on Discord, Facebook and even LinkedIn. -- An amazing convention that is online, free and accessible regarding narrative design is LudoNarraCon.

If you go to itch.io you will see a list of game jams that you can attend to for free! Some game jams that I have attended and had a positive experience are the following: - Woman Game Jam. I encourage folks from marginalized genders to attend this game jam, as we have a large pool of mentors willing to help in every single discipline at any time due to the global nature of it. It is a safe and inclusive space for women and nonbinary folx who want to get into the gaming industry! - Global Game Jam. Self explanatory, it has some in-person opportunities but you can also attend remotely. - Greenlight Jam. Do you have an idea that can not be done in only 48 hours? The Greenlight Jam is amazing, as it lasts four weeks--which allows narrative designers to develop complex narrative systems and even record voice lines for a more complex project. Side Note: Even though most game jams have a time limit, I do encourage narrative designers to develop and polish the prototypes and levels created during game jams to have portfolios and writing samples that stand out!

Work With Indies is a job site that publishes job opportunities--including ones in writing and narrative design. Additionally, their Discord has some networking events with writers so you can connect with them.

Other websites that not only publish jobs but include networking events are Hitmarker.net (this is their Discord), IndieGameAcademy (link to Discord),

Newsletters! A lot of experienced game writers have newsletters dedicated to the craft, to name a few that I highly recommend: -- Greg Buchanan's newsletter. Rounds up game writing news every Tuesday, and includes job opportunities. -- Bright Whitney's newsletter. A studio founder with amazing insights regarding game design and thoughtful narrative, Whitney's threads are extremely insightful. -- Susan O'Connor's blog on The Narrative Department. In addition to providing free knowledge regarding world building, narrative design, game writing and other specifics of the craft Susan interviews industry professionals and alumni who offer testimonials that have amazing advice. -- GDC talks about narrative design. Though I recommend the GDC vault as well in the next section, I highly recommend the GDC talks regarding not only narrative design but the development of your favorite titles!

Now, for resources that may not be free--but I highly recommend, as someone who used them first hand. - The Narrative Department. This post is not sponsored by them at all, however it is rare to find an instructor as kind and hard-working as Susan O'Connor who has been a narrative designer in historic AAA, AA and independent titles. Known for her contributions in Tomb Raider, Batman: The Enemy Within, and BioShock to name a few (imdb is: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1897248/) her Game Writing Masterclass offers a certification in everything related to game writing. A few subjects she touches on are: -- Characters and how to make them compelling. -- Barks and ambience writing. -- Dialogue, backstories and scripts. -- How to work with other departments. And more! Additionally, you would obtain access to a huge alumni network full of game writing professionals working in independent, AA and AAA studios! Not to mention that all of the assignments completed in the class will look amazing in a portfolio as game writing samples. - GDC Vault. Though I have an opinion on the price tag of GDC tickets and the vault, I would definitely include it as it has resources from several studios, writers, narrative designers and more! When was narrative design formed? When can I become a narrative designer?

That's a wonderful question. Narrative design, as a term, was first used around the 90s but became more established between the 2000s and 2010s. So, although the field is relatively new, and there are not a lot educational resources available, consider yourself part of an innovative field that is exponentially growing! Recently, a game developer asked when was the best time to keep an eye out for job openings. And a harsh truth about the gaming industry is that it is extremely volatile--layoffs, downsizings and startups rise and fall. This is not meant to deter anyone from pursuing a career in narrative design, but rather I am including it for the sake of transparency. We cannot predict when a studio is going to layoff their employees, or when they cancel unannounced projects. Unlike most industries where we know for a fact that recruiters keep a sharp eye for candidates in Q1 and Q3, a piece of advice I received from a mentor of mine was to try to predict when projects are going to need more stories. There's the release of a game, and then there is the addition of additional narrative content--and for this, they will more than likely need associate/entry/junior level narrative designers, writers and quest designers. But--this is related to searching for a job as a narrative designer, and I can write a novel about that (and will edit this article to redirect folx into it.) So, keep an eye out for huge game announcements. Then, cater your resume to what the studio is looking for in a narrative designer. Now, to finish off this article: Who is a narrative designer? If you have a passion for storytelling and games, and have participated in game jams, congratulations you are a wonderful narrative designer! Make sure you always include that you are a narrative designer, and not an aspiring narrative designer--it makes you stand out amongst applicants. That's all I have for now--feel free to interact, comment and share! Let me know if I missed something and I will be sure to add it.

[wainwrightjakobshammerlock]

the borderlands artist's guide

(this was originally posted on Cohost but I believe it merits reposting here)

hello! are you a fanartist who's into Borderlands or considering getting into Borderlands? do you find the characters difficult to draw? then do I have the solution for you: references! ...however, it might be difficult to find said references, or at least accurate ones. so here's my guide to such things. i will be going through the 3 big options of finding accurate references in ascending order of difficulty, but don't worry, none of these are too difficult to do.

option 1: artstation

artstation is probably the most straightforward way to get references, as gearbox employees post their official work there. you're pretty much guaranteed to find whatever you need. as a bonus, you might even find concept art that didn't get into the game proper, as well as environments, enemies and props. yes, artstation does also host fanart, but you can easily tell what's official and what's not by the game logo: if it's there, it's official.

while this is easy, it doesn't really let you rotate the character as you please or look at their raw textures. for that, we'll need the second option.

option 2: umodel

umodel is a program that lets you view and export assets of most unreal engine games, borderlands included. however, it works differently for different unreal engine versions. i will only be talking about Borderlands 3 models in this section, as they are easier to access and view. in order to do so, simply install umodel and extract it from its zip, then start the executable. this will bring up a gui. in the top bar, select/write the localization of your game files, which should be a folder obviously named Borderlands 3. check the override game selection box, pick unreal engine 4 from the left dropdown and Borderlands 3 from the right dropdown. leave everything else intact. click ok to start the file extraction process. the files are encrypted, however, and umodel will ask you for the key, which is 0x115EE4F8C625C792F37A503308048E79726E512F0BF8D2AD7C4C87BC5947CBA7. simply paste this string into the box and confirm, and umodel will work its magic. when it's done extracting the files, it will present you with a file browser of basically every game asset. models are located in the Game folder, with NPCs in the NonPlayerCharacters folder and playable characters in the PlayerCharacters folder. navigate to the folder of whatever character's model you want to view, open it, select the folder named Model, right click it and select open folder content. this finally will open the viewer, which you look through by using the page down and up keys.

this method allows us to look at the models with greater detail, and even view the raw textures. but it doesn't let us zoom in to see even finer details. for that, we'll need the third option.

option 3: deviantart + blender

this option has a few steps. first, go to user kabalstein's deviantart page of Borderlands models. it's full of models ripped straight from the games, converted and made for the xnalara program... but we're not going to be using it. download the models of the characters you want, and unzip them into a folder named appropriately (make sure all the model data is in one folder!) instead, download blender and xpstools. DO NOT UNPACK THE ZIP THE LATTER COMES IN!!!!!!!! open blender, go to edit -> preferences, and you'll find the add-ons section. click install, which will open a file dialog. select the xpstools zip. refresh the add-on list, and you should find the addon, which allows you to import and export xnalara files in blender. then, go to file -> import -> xnalara/xps -> xnalara/xps model, which again will bring up the dialog. select the model folder of the character you want to view, and bam, you can now view them any way you please, thanks to blender's advanced camera controls. you can even turn off all lighting effects and pose them if you need.

i hope this guide was helpful to at least someone, and i eased the fears of at least one Borderlands artist. see you!

[syrinq]

bearer of the curse in a way i forget all coding syntax despite having it done more than the average person by the following:

baby's first code is delving into tumblr themes and tweaking it to your liking the more you switch themes. also the ancient old custom boxes from deviantart. i miss you so babygirl

whatever the fuck tweaking c++ values is with the dumpster fire of (bethesda) games

idk how tf i made a relatively good first ever attempt at a game with fucking unreal engine blueprint in uni but somehow i did

tweaked to fully modified a toyhouse premium template (css/html/bootstrap) to my tastes, to the point i might as well have written it myself

converted/merged above code into other languages multiple times to make it a) work without premium (no css), b) work on a walmart wiki (tumblr blog), c) work on neocities by splitting & writing new css/html/jscript files albeit briefly because d) building it with templates and an SSG like astro fits my needs better

i Get why layout builders like weebly and carrd exist but fuck me neocities is so fucking good i'm going to pass away. i love customisation and i'm going to jork it violently

crash course into several pyramid schemes of frameworks and proceed to lose my mind and die

also die because x program is better for y language and z framework. then you proceed to install 3920282 programs you use for about 2 weeks and then forget again. but hey i guess i can start up localhost now instead of horribly failing at editing neocities pages

i just really like layouts. i love importing a template and then tweaking individual fucking values the way i need em to so i can make my oc world in the microwave radiate its signals outside the kitchen

wrote several own profile/folder/mockup codes inspired by toyhouse codes <- what can i say. i am fascinated by the humble button and the carousel

yayyy i love responsive ui i looove mobile friendly webbed sites i looove beating the shit out of bootstrap code by giving recurring elements their own fucking style.css and thus shortening justify-content-xl-between and rounded-circle border-0 background-faded to a single word class yayyy yippee ^_^

slightly delved into java for hypothetical entertaining thought of minecraft modding & i guess i can read it better now alongside python. but object programming stinks ass in the way to tell everything you're x and you have sexual relations with files y, z & the rest of the alphabet. webdev import is so sexy actually

[linuxgamenews]

Explore Slavic Mythology in Code Alkonost: Awakening of Evil

Code Alkonost: Awakening of Evil first-person survival horror game is due to evolve onto Linux with Windows PC. Thanks to the brilliant minds at Alkonost Team for bringing this vision to life. With the base game released on Steam. On January 21, Code Alkonost: Awakening of Evil officially launched, and it’s bringing Slavic mythology to life in the most haunting and epic way possible. To sweeten the deal, there’s also a free demo releasing alongside the full release which you can brave on Linux via Proton. That means you can dive into the dark, mystical vibes of this survival horror without spending a dime upfront. But a native build is also in progress.

Linux and Xbox versions are in work.

Alkonost Team is diving deeper into Unreal Engine 5, and a Linux build is due to happen. There’s also a chance Steam Deck support will follow. Fingers crossed — it’s a wait-and-see right now

Why This Game Deserves a Spot on Your Wishlist

This isn’t just another survival horror. Code Alkonost: Awakening of Evil plunges you into a story soaked in ancient Slavic folklore. While myths, monsters, and mystery collide. You'll explore eerie landscapes, solve puzzles, while facing off against some seriously terrifying creatures. Here’s what’s coming your way:

Full Game Release: The entire experience is yours to explore, from start to finish.

Free Demo: Get a taste of the action, no strings attached.

Updated Steam Page: Fresh visuals and all the juicy details you need to see what this title is all about.

What Makes Code Alkonost: Awakening of Evil Special?

This isn’t just about survival; it’s about immersion. You’ll traverse two realms — Jawia, the mortal world, and Nawia, the underworld of Slavic myth. Along the way, you’ll also meet legendary creatures, fulfill divine quests, and uncover secrets that’ll keep you glued to the screen.

Code Alkonost: Awakening of Evil - Official Launch Trailer

The fear factor in this release? You're due to feel the tension in every shadow and hear it in every haunting sound effect. The gameplay makes you think outside the box while you battle the unknown. And then there’s the Lada Star, a unique tool that helps you fend off enemies and solve puzzles in creative ways.

A Journey of Growth and Survival

At its heart, Code Alkonost: Awakening of Evil tells a coming of age story with a dark side. While you follow a young girl on a journey of self-discovery as she grapples with her newfound powers and battles forces trying to claim her soul. It’s a psychological and emotional quest that blends personal growth with mythological danger.

Don’t Miss Out!

Mark your calendars now. Add Code Alkonost: Awakening of Evil to your Steam Wishlist and get ready to experience something truly unique. Don’t forget to try the free demo and let the devs know what you think. Follow them on social media for behind-the-scenes updates and teasers. Dark myths, gripping puzzles, and heart-pounding first-person survival horror coming to Linux with Windows PC. Are you ready to face the awakening of evil? It's priced at $9.89 USD / £8.36 / 9,71€ with the 10% discount on Steam.

[tl2dplatformer]

Adding the Tile Map

What is a Tile Map?

A tile map is a technique of designing a 2D game, which involves creating the game's world, levels or details out of small images called tiles.

I've made my tile map in photoshop, using a grid to get the correct measurements of 32x32 for each tile, which is the scale I made my character.

This is my level before I started making my tile map. I wanted top change things about it, so when creating my tile map I kept in mind different platforms and obstacles.

I've made some platforms and a couple other details in my tile map, but I haven't completed it yet. However, I need to add a base design for my level, so I'm going to update it after I have added all the current details and designs I have into my level.

These are the only things I have right now, and I think they are alright, but I wanted to achieve a nature style that didn't look like another games. However, that is difficult as I'm restricted to pixel art only.

Now I need to add this into my level and make it so they are the main platforms and are across the whole level. So the first thing I did was export this as a PNG, so there isn't a background on it when imported in my level, and then saved it in my files. From there, I opened up my project in Unreal Engine and opened up the content drawer, and then imported my tile map in.

Once my tile map was in the content drawer, I right clicked on it, pressed on sprite actions and applied paper 2D texture settings to it, this was to make sure it had a PNG background instead of a white one. After I applied that, I right clicked on it again, went back into sprite actions and then created a tile set.

This would then create tile set in the content drawer that I could click on and it would open up a page that would allow me to apply hitboxes onto the objects that I made.

This page had a few options of collisions I could add, such as box, polygon and circle. These options are enough for what I was making and were easy to use, as you just click on an object and click add box, and it would add a collision.

So I started to add a few hitboxes on my objects in prep for adding them into my level.

Before I added this tile set into my level though, I had enough time to add more to it in photoshop, so I decided to add a lot. I added rocks, stone blocks, caves, flowers, benches etc. I wanted to achieve a level that was like a park with a calm atmosphere, which is why I added these things that are commonly found in parks. I also changed the colours around a bit, most recognizably in the soil, making it more brown.

After I had finished my tile map and I imported it into the the content drawer, I right clicked on it and I clicked on the option, create tile set. This then opened up a page that would let , me design my level by adding in the blocks in my tile map. So now that I've fully finished a level 1 tile map, and its the only level that I'll have time to do before this project is over and our work will be assessed. So I added it into my game, just using the same method as I did for my one before.

I did change my map around quite a lot, but I'm happier with this version and I think it was a better choice to have the first level simple, as that's what most sides scroller games would be like.

[mehak-9999]

SOCIAL MEDIA APPS:

Social media is a digital platform which gives the opportunity of sharing of ideas and thoughts within the community .It is being preferred for spread of information and knowledge ;whereas it is hated for providing wrong information and circulation of negative comments by some people of the society. Anyhow, let’s talk about some of the shared benefits and loopholes of all social media apps.

ADVANTAGES :

Social media initially served as a platform for communication between friends and family, but it quickly grew to be used for a wide range of activities.

INFORMATIVE: Social media apps have been succeeding in giving information and news about various topics and queries of people. According to research 40% of internet users get the needed information and news only from the social apps like facebook ,instagram , whatsapp etc.

BUSINESS GROWTH: Social media plays a significant role in the growth and promotion of businesses as digital marketing and social media marketing is an important function of social media apps.

SIMPLE BRAND DEVELOPMENT: Ultimately, all of the work being done and the actions made are aimed at improving the brand and boosting consumer loyalty.

MORE OPTIONS FOR CONTENT MEDIUM: If any individual does not like or is not satisfied with any particular piece of information on a social networking app ,he or she can choose another app for the same purpose. Moreover, the person could get better options from the previous app.

DISADVANTAGES:

HARASSMENT: Children and teenagers are the most frequent targets of cyberbullying.. Individuals who are the targets of cyberbullying feel hopeless, nervous, and extremely stressed out.

HACKING: Social media hackers frequently use hacking as a means of gaining easy access to user accounts and data. It has led to significant issues in one’s life.

NEGATIVITY IN FEEDBACK AND COMMENTS: People often use social media to condemn one’s brand or product. It would be bad if the reviews are not genuine and are out of personal frustration. This can drastically affect the conversion rate.

Disseminating unreal news: Another negative aspect worth noting in our list of advantages & disadvantages of social media is that fake news spreads quickly. False social media posts are frequently made by individuals, who then distribute them to spread fake news on newsgroups and other social networks.

TOP 4 MOSTLY USED SOCIAL MEDIA APPS:

1.FACEBOOK

According to Statista, Facebook is the most popular social networking site, with over 3 billion monthly users. This indicates that 37% of people on the planet use Facebook. Not only this, Facebook Messenger, a spin-off app for direct messaging, has 931 million active monthly users.

Almost all content formats, including text, photos, videos, and stories, function flawlessly on Facebook, making it simple to get started with. However, content that encourages meaningful interactions and conversations between users — especially those who are family or friends — is given priority by the Facebook algorithm.

What makes Facebook so popular and in use?

Facebook offers many features, but it’s Newsfeed — where users can view content from friends and pages they follow — is one of its most important ones. Furthermore, Messenger for instant messaging. Besides this, TimeLine displaying user data and shared or posted content; Wall showcasing user content.

2. YOUTUBE

One billion hours of media is watched daily by users of the YouTube video-sharing platform. In addition to being the second-biggest social media platform, YouTube — whose parent company is Google — is frequently referred to as the second-biggest search engine.

#Reasons of you tube’s influence and popularity:

. Lean Into The Massive Traffic On YouTube- Using YouTube as a component of a marketing plan. With over 4 billion views per day, online video is expanding rapidly. You can easily reach your audience by using YouTube for business purposes, both to create your own videos and to advertise on other people’s videos.

YouTube Marketing Can Help You Rank Higher on Google

YouTube can help you appear in Google searches. Google Universal Search combines local searches, news, books, videos, and images into one search result to give users the most relevant information possible. It’s possible that you’ve noticed an increase in the frequency of videos in Google search results. This indicates that video is just as important to Google as text-only pages.

Educational and social impact to be considered-

YouTube has made it easier for organizations and people to interact, including between employers and employees and universities and potential students. Additionally, some YouTube videos dispel stereotypes about minorities and minority viewpoints, promote greater social interaction — which is crucial for the elderly and those with limited mobility — and raise awareness of social issues like bullying, suicide, and LGBT issues.

3.WHTASAPP

Users of WhatsApp use the messaging app in more than 180 countries. Originally, WhatsApp was primarily used by users to text friends and family. People gradually began utilizing WhatsApp to communicate with businesses.

Businesses can offer customer service and notify customers about their purchases through WhatsApp’s business platform. Enterprise organizations can utilize the WhatsApp Business API, while small businesses can use the WhatsApp Business app.

WHAT MAKES WHATSAPP A PREFERENCE FOR USERS?

1.INTERNATIONAL USE- One of the most popular messaging apps worldwide is WhatsApp. It is particularly well-known in Europe, India, and other continents. WhatsApp is an essential app for anyone who wants to text or call family and friends overseas without having to pay international fees, even though it may not be as popular in the United States.

2.END TO END ENCRYPTION — Compared to SMS, WhatsApp provides higher security and privacy. One of WhatsApp’s most notable features is its end-to-end encryption, which is why so many people prefer it to traditional SMS. Signal is one of the few apps that provides users with comparable online safety.

3.CELLULAR DATA IS NOT REQUIRED- WhatsApp allows you to use Wi-Fi to make calls and send messages. Unlike traditional phone calls, which frequently require a data plan, WhatsApp allows you to call and message people even when you don’t have a data connection. This only needs to be a basic Wi-Fi connection.

4.INSTAGRAM

VISUAL NETWORKING SITE:

Instagram is a visual social networking site where you can use images or videos to highlight your goods or services. You can share a lot of different types of content on the app, including images, videos, stories, reels, and live videos.

USER GENERATED CONTENT :

You can set up an Instagram business profile as a brand, which gives you access to detailed analytics about your posts and profile as well as the option to plan your posts in advance using external tools. Because users frequently share content and tag brands, it’s also an excellent place to obtain user-generated content from your audience.

REASONS OF POPULARITY OF INSTAGRAM IN TODAY’S WORLD:

The Interface of Instagram Is Easy to Use-

Instagram’s user interface is both visually appealing and easy to use. Instagram’s user interface displays posts according to your preferences. Your saved, commented on, and liked posts serve as the basis for Instagram designs.

2.Anybody Can Become Popular On Instagram-

The only platform that allows users to gain popularity in a practical way is Instagram. It gives users the chance to succeed instantly and become well-known in a matter of hours. Instagram is a fantastic platform for people to show off their skills and become well-known.

3.Filters on Instagram -

It’s often said that Instagram has the power to either elevate or degrade your image. Therefore, Instagram offers a large selection of free filters that users can use to keep their profiles looking decent. Anyone can use its collection of the coolest and most inventive filters for their reels, photos, or videos.

4.Instagram Works on Mobile Devices

On mobile devices, a lot of apps typically take a long time to open or load. However, Instagram is very easy to use and compatible with mobile devices. Instead of opening a laptop or tablet, people would rather browse Instagram on their phones.

5.HASHTAGS ON INSTAGRAM-

Hashtags are used by people to connect with a variety of audiences. The hashtag trend was brought about by the app Instagram. No doubt, reading lengthy captions can be challenging for some individuals. Hashtags were therefore introduced to address that problem, and lengthy captions were subsequently condensed into one-liners with hashtags. After a while, hashtags started to appear with no space between the words to give viewers more of an impact.

Choose your social media presence carefully.

It’s not necessary to be extremely far away at all (Buffer is sporadically active on Facebook). Therefore, regardless of the social media point’s magnitude, take into account whether the target audience for your brand is active on those channels. Selecting two or three platforms and excelling at them is preferable to creating mediocre content for five or more.

[lovebillyhargrove]

Okay, pulling it here from the comments because i need to keep it closer to my brain.

So Steve sees this new model guy and he's like yeah i want to fuck him. At first, Steve is Mr. Charming, expensive gifts, yachts, picking billy up to go to a restaurant by frigging helicopter, unreal level of cajoling this beautiful man steve just wants to get his hands on. He's also not rushing it, not trying to jump his bones on the first date, cause steve wants to relish the chase. Steve's never been so fixated, there's just something about Hargrove, he's too beautiful, he's also too good. But Billy's like .. no thanks, goes on three or four dates with Steve, but feels like something's wrong there, despite being pretty and sweet, steve is dangerous and rotten, and Billy's really busy with his life, and he says no one time, then the second time and the third. No-one ever said no to steve. He's used to getting what he wants, there's no other way, the whole point of this world is to work in his favour, make his every wish and whim possible. Steve just wants to fuck a beautiful guy, what's the big deal. And it's not like Billy's playing hard to get, he simply doesn't want it. When Steve hears the first no, he thinks, it's a game. When he hears the second no, he considers it a joke. Billy doesn't know what he's saying. Steve tries again, nicely, very nicely, anger just starting to simmer somewhere in the background. Rejection. It can't be. He tries again, comes to Billy's photo shoot/fashion show. There's a limo waiting outside, and a private jet has already started running its engine. Let's take a couple of days off, fly to one of the best secluded beaches in .. wherever you want. Any destination, whatever you want, beautiful thing. But Billy's like sorry, not interested, busy, blah blah. Steve returns to his villa, livid, blood running cold in his veins. No-one ever dared to reject him like that. What the hell. Who does billy think he is. Steve smashes a glass of expensive alcohol against the wall. Crumples the pages of the magazine that has Billy's photos in it. And the obsession begins. Steve has his favourite pictures of Billy painted on the huge walls of his every room. Attends every show/event where Billy is. Pays to a magazine to organise a slightly sexy photoshoot (billy doesn't do nudes or anything), just maybe jeans going a bit more down than usual, revealing Hargrove's ass crack just a hint, torso naked. Steve watches the whole process unfold from behind a one-way mirror, palming himself in his pants, hating on this beautiful bitch who for some reason didn't say yes, making it so difficult, everything would've been so much easier. Steve is completely, utterly obsessed. Hires a private detective to learn everything about Hargrove. Learns that Billy actually leads a pretty quiet and modest life, career focused, helps out a step-sister who's in college, goes surfing when he's not working, meets up with a couple of friends. Runaway mother, abusive father. Single. Steve starts planning. Maybe meddles with a couple of Billy's contracts. Maybe meddles with Max's life. The levels of darkness and toxicity, the lengths Steve's willing to go to. At some point he plain kidnaps Billy

- I just want to fuck your ass. Once.

Billy's like what the hell is wrong with this maniac

- Don't feel like it.

Steve could've drugged billy, problem solved, but at this point he wants billy to say fucking yes, to break him, break his stupid will.

Throw in a little twist - like some high-rank cop is also in love with Hargrove, used to be his boyfriend, but not any more, still has feelings for Billy though, so it's like full war between the police and the drug empire Steve's the prince of.

And, like, let Steve end up in jail. A fancy jail. Drinking champagne and watching whatever the fuck he wants a-la penthouse jail.

Then, one day, he gets a visitor.

Thank you @adelacreations and @dragonflylady77 for encouraging it❤️❤️ you're the best!

Steve Harrington, son of the most notorious drug lord in North America, spoiled, rowdy and ruthless gets acquainted with an upcoming model Billy Hargrove who comes from the slums and knows the value of money and still something good in the world

Billy is not interested, but you can't say no to Steve Harrington himself, or he'll throw a tantrum. Kidnapping? On the list of options.

[davidmann95]

here we go here we go here we go

* I want you all to know I had the Square Enix Youtube page loaded up and I went to that first thing in the morning, and then physically blocked the screen with my hands and slowly uncovered it one calculated sliver at a time until I saw a runtime on a video that seemed right and looked to see it was indeed 'Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary Announcement Trailer' without seeing any potential individual trailers, so I got to go into this totally cold. Even up until the last second I didn't know if it was gonna pull a fast one and technically be some kind of interquel.

* Damn this is crisp, especially since it's running on Unreal Engine 4 when the finished product will be 5.

* "Your options are endless" suggests this could go well beyond Quadratum, but I hope they commit (at least on Sora's end) to this being a full-fledged open world game.

* That does indeed look like a Star Wars AT-AT foot! That'd make that gorgeous landscape Endor, and I do like to think of Sora escaping Quadratum, thinking "oh thank god it's funny animals and generic bad guys, the world makes sense again", and then a dad is trying to murder his son with a sword while a spooky old freak cackles in the background and Sora just breaks down. With the franchise's degree of influence on Nomura I'd be fascinated to see how this plays out, and also being extremely real Kingdom Hearts > Star Wars so I'd be happy to see the material elevated.

* I thought using The Caribbean's style engine in the Yozora fight was a very deliberate choice, and following that up here by giving Sora a relatively realistic 'do rather than his classic Goku hair is tripling down on that.

* I bet I would be extremely excited about Strelitzia if I had played the mobile games.

* Someone immediately doxxed Sora and apparently the flat he's in is $1.2 million in the real world, our boy's living in style. If he has a permanent living space in this game, might there be a day-night cycle ala Final Fantasy XV? Jesus, would rather than camping out like Noctis' crew the lost boy in the city with no way home literally have to sleep under bridges or on benches if he can't make it back to the apartment safe haven?

* THE REAL WORLD IS KINGDOM HEARTS HELL

* This thing seems to have as much in common with the Invisibles or to my eye even the Dark Inferno as much as the old Darksides.

* The little shot of the guy falling out of his car is the bit that truly brings it home for me as 'holy crap, this is basically the real world'; I had wondered why they put Big Hero 6 in the game before this when it'd potentially undercut the impact, but the contrast is a stark one.

* Getting a full look at it in motion, while it can't beat the iconic power of II, this might be my favorite look for Sora after that - that was the peak of what it was doing, this is the next step in an entirely new direction that III only started on the road towards. Pour one out though, I now assume Sora injured his feet as a kid and slowly gained courage throughout his adventures to tone down the padding:

* I don't read many Kingdom Hearts fanfic these days, but I'm still following @kitsoa's IV[or]y Wall, and the beginning of the trailer so closely mirrored the opening of that that I legitimately wondered for a second if Sora wouldn't be able to summon his Keyblade.

* I only recently started paying attention to Yoko Taro's work - one of the mandatory multiple playthroughs of Nier Automata, and watching one of the Drakengard endings - but that's enough to see he's had influence on Nomura, especially with Quadratum. In that regard, the fight on the freeway and especially this Heartless seemingly draining most color from its surroundings (pay attention to the cars it's hefting) definitely gave me Copied City vibes.

* Crushed that the move to a new saga isn't met with the restoration of the Command Deck, but apparently the last COMMAND option below items is now 'Build'?

* A lot of Sora's moves here are clearly previz fakery in the same way as the reveal trailer for III, but that this is even suggestive of what they have in mind is pretty stunning.

* I know it's a drill which I understand has some Gureren Lagann vibes (another show I want to watch someday), but let it not be overlooked that before it forms Sora fully does a Kamehameha.

* Even just that pan up the building emphasizes how different the visual storytelling is here than anything we've seen in Kingdom Hearts before.

* New logo slick, and the triumphant horns accompanying it? Magnifique.

* Glad to see the boys and glad to hear the sound effect to emphasize that there's at least a slice of this that still plays by the old rules; their destination makes sense but boy, they really gonna bring James Woods back again?

* If Kairi is not journeying with Donald and Goofy I will be incensed.

* I have spent 13 years (13, damn you Nomura) obsessed with the vibe of this old fanmade Kingdom Hearts IV boxart, and it is shockingly close to the vibe here.

* There have been different translations/interpretations regarding a key comment: one that Nomura chose between making Kingdom Hearts IV or a Verum Rex game first and chose IV because folks were worried about Sora, the other which I find more plausible is that the debate was which of those two to name this game and he chose IV out of concern that players wouldn't associate it as a mainline Sora game otherwise (and presumably because Disney wouldn't be having any of that) - I've seen other comments supposedly from him elaborating on both, one saying he didn't want to develop two games at once, the other that they still call this Verum Rex around the office, but barring a crash course in Japanese I'm pretty sure which take I believe for now. In any case, that they considered naming this after their Final Fantasy self-parody if not in fact literally making that is beautiful to me.

* I assume I will be in my 30s by the time this comes out but that it won't be a 6 year wait like last time.

* I was worried that the success of III would lead to Disney clamping down on Nomura, but instead they seem to have really decided to let the mad freak to whatever he wants, and I couldn't be happier.

[recentanimenews]

Bookshelf Briefs 8/26/21

Captivated, By You | By Yama Wayama | Yen Press – A collection of short stories that originally ran in the magazine Comic Beam, they all take place around the same school and feature some of the same cast intermingling with each other, but each can also be read as a standalone. This is not a BL title, but I’d say it’s BL-adjacent, and there are several relationships that you could see going that way. My favorites included a social media relationship done via cut-out “kidnapper” letters, a man trying to reinvent himself in high school… as the creepy dude everyone avoids, and a bullied kid trying to get petty revenge on his bully but being unable to because he’s too decent a person at heart. The stories vary in quality, but the collection overall is very nice. – Sean Gaffney

Days on Fes, Vol. 2 | By Kanato Oka | Yen Press This continues to hit at what it does best, showing off how awesome it can be to go to a music festival. You can hear things you’d never even knew existed, and you might even run into the singer of your favorite band incognito inside the crowd. Will romantic sparks fly?? Well, probably not, because honestly our two girls seem to be really into each other—as with Captivated, By You, this is not yuri or BL but it is yuri and BL-adjacent, as each pair of leads makes an awesome couple but isn’t actually one. If there’s one complaint it’s that so far this is almost entirely on the fan side of things. There’s a suggestion that might change, as we do get a few pages of one band, but I’d like to see more actual music—and more struggles. -Sean Gaffney

Happy Kanako’s Killer Life, Vol. 1 | By Toshiya Wakabayashi | Seven Seas – This is a black, black comedy, and if you find the idea of a happy-go-lucky girl killing people appalling, best to skip it. That said, if you do like black comedy, it’s wonderful. Kanako is an OL who just quit her job and finds that the new one she answered the ad for… is a hit man. Her first target… is her old boss. And she’s really good at killing people. Plus, it’s got great pay, and you get to go out and have meat and alcohol afterwards. Oh yes, and the book is filled with weird animal puns—and the animals appear behind Kanako as she says them, so the translation must have been FUN. This isn’t for everyone, but it’s gleefully silly and dark as hell, as you watch Kanako sink further and further to the dark side. – Sean Gaffney

Kaguya-sama: Love Is War, Vol. 20 | By Aka Akasaka | Viz Media – It’s Valentine’s Day, and as you can imagine that means different things to different people in this book. We also find out that Maki is actually one of the most respected students on campus… it’s just we’ve only ever seen her reflected through her hilarious unrequited love, so we don’t get it (and neither do the main cast). Also, exam results are out, which means that Ishigami gets to show off the results of Kaguya’s tutoring… and Shirogane, who’s dropped to twelfth because he’s narrowing his focus to studying English for Stanford. Believe me, there’s still plenty of silliness, mostly from Fujiwara, but the characters are beginning to grow up and throw off the shackles of the past… or have it done for them. – Sean Gaffney

Komi Can’t Communicate, Vol. 14 | By Tomohito Oda | Viz Media – Sometimes this series has a long-running arc, and sometimes it just coasts along on pure cute. This volume is one of the latter, and it is very, very cute indeed, which is the main reason people are reading the title, but does make things a bit difficult to pick out to review. Komi and Tadano remain the best couple who aren’t one, and everyone can see it. Manbagi is also clearly very much in denial about her own crush on Tadano, and I anticipate the next arc will be dealing with that. Najimi remains obnoxious but fun, Yamai remains obnoxious and not fun. If you’ve enjoyed other volumes, this is an obvious one to get. And it sure is cute, isn’t it? – Sean Gaffney

Medalist, Vols. 1-2 | By Tsurumaikada | Kodansha Comics (digital only) – Even if the story in this series weren’t great, I’d likely still be recommending it solely based on the art, which is frequently stunning, and has beautifully characterized expressions. Fortunately, the story is also excellent. A former ice dancer who was never quite able to go pro discovers a young girl who is trying desperately, despite her mother’s misgivings, to be an Olympic figure skater. Like a lot of lead girls in this sort of series, she’s not got a lot of knowledge but has a great deal of raw talent and iron will. Together, the two of them try to pull each other out of the depression they were in. The girl being eight years old means there’s a lack of mentor-mentee romance you might get if she were a teen. This is just sweet. – Sean Gaffney

Night Bus | By Zuo Ma | Drawn & Quarterly – Finding independent Chinese comics translated into English is something of a rarity, so I was very excited to see that Zuo Ma’s Night Bus was being released. I had previously encountered Zuo Ma’s work in the underground Chinese comic anthology Naked Body published by Paradise Systems. Drawn & Quarterly’s edition of Night Bus, translated and with ending notes by Orion Martin (founder of Paradise Systems), actually gathers stories from two of Zuo Ma’s books: Walk, a collection of ten short works, and an updated and expanded version of the long-form comic Night Bus. In these stories, Zuo Ma frequently incorporates semi-autobiography, fantastical dreamscapes, and the supernatural, working and reworking themes and ideas throughout the volume. Elements of reality and unreality are interwoven and fused in powerful, visceral ways, capturing intense emotions of anxiety and dread, but also evoking a sense of nostalgia. Night Bus is an unsettling, riveting, and compelling collection. – Ash Brown

Queen’s Quality, Vol. 12 | By Kyousuke Motomi | Viz Media – The series works best when it’s equating the stresses and paranoia of the inner mind with outer monsters to match. Sometimes, though, it’s just a bunch of fighting, and the monsters seem to be there just to be antagonists. Fortunately, there’s still our two leads, who remain the best thing about this series. Kyutaro is trying his best to retain his sense of self, and fortunately he has Fumi to help, who is happy to go all the way with him, although perhaps not with the snake inside him. They don’t, however, and Fumi ends up getting her best moments when she shows off what a vicious badass she’s become. That said, the danger of this series is it doesn’t come out often enough, so I forget the plot a lot. – Sean Gaffney

Sacrificial Princess and the King of Beasts, Vol. 13 | By Yu Tomofuji | Yen Press – The start of this volume is a lot of fun, as Sariphi ends up dealing with a tsundere female version of his highness, a woman who is said to have beast ancestry in her past and thus is accused of being evil. Given that this series tends to run on pure Fruits Basket, it’s no surprise that Sariphi is able to help with the pure power of shininess. All is not well back home, though, and it’s becoming pretty clear that endgame is going to be revealing the King’s other form as an excuse for executing him… and I would not be surprised if they blame Sariphi for it. This is still very good, and remains a wonderful reminder of the days when we always got piles of Hana to Yume manga like it. – Sean Gaffney

Sazan & Comet Girl | By Yuriko Akase | Seven Seas – Perhaps the most striking aspect of Sazan & Comet Girl is that the all of the artwork is in full color. Akase’s watercolor illustrations of planetary and interstellar backgrounds in particular are simply gorgeous. Story-wise, however, Sazan & Comet Girl isn’t particularly innovative, primarily revisiting and combining familiar tropes and character types of its genre. Even so, the volume is still great fun, coming across as a nostalgic, loving homage to older science fiction media. The entire series has been released as a single omnibus volume in English and doesn’t have obvious chapter breaks, so once the story gets going it just goes and keeps going, shifting from romantic comedy into action adventure before returning fully to its underlying love story. Sazan is goofball of a lead and Mina, the titular comet girl, is an endearing heroine—apart from the artwork, the manga is at its best when focusing on them. – Ash Brown

This Wonderful Season with You | By Atsuko Yusen | TOKYOPOP – Junpei Enoki is a bespectacled nerd who belongs to the electronic engineering club. Ryousuke Shirataki, a “normie” with a reputation for being cool and manly, is searching for something after an injury ruined his baseball prospects. After Shirataki joins the club, they get to know each other and, ultimately, fall in love. The tone is mostly comedic, with an art style that reminds me a bit of vintage shounen, and I really liked that some characters who seem like comic relief end up being important. I also loved how each boy has an unexpected side to him that the other sees immediately while others fail to notice. Shirataki appeared aloof, but he was actually suffering, and it’s so nice at the end to see him goofy and happy. I could’ve done without the final sex chapter, but aside from that, this was great. – Michelle Smith

By: Ash Brown

[khhcfi]

KH: Melody of Memory [In-Depth Review]

Here’s the Tumblr version of my website post at Weebly, where I give an in-n-depth review of my thoughts and ideas for Melody of Memory.

You can also view this at my website:

https://dreamywrites.weebly.com/

Warning; very long post

News Update Review The past couple of days have been busy with updates on the new installments in the Kingdom Hearts series. We first have Kingdom Hearts: Dark Road confirmed to be released on June 22, 2020 as a mobile game. We will finally know what happened in the past to have Xehanort become a Keyblade Master of Darkness, not light. With five new characters confirmed to be present in the game in addition to Eqarues and Xehanort, we're super excited for the story.

The second news has everyone on the edge with Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory, especially as it's confirmed to be a rhythm game. Before the confirmation on June 16, a lot of people and myself included were curious yet dreading if it was going to a rhythm game using the same or similar mechanics like in Atlantica (KH2) and/or the Melody Catcher Reality Shift in Symphony of Sorcery (KH: DDD). I looked on the brighter side of things and thought of how the game would work involving interacting with music. The use of Unreal Engines for the graphics, Yoko Shimomura compositions as either classics or varied renditions of the classics, including the Kingdom Hearts: Orchestra Concert music, and the story revolving (mostly) around Kairi on her journey to find Sora. The 2020 Trailer showcased what Melody of Memory will look like and how it will function, better - maybe beyond better- than I and other fans initially theorized.

[Source: Google Images]

When I first read the word "melody" in the title, I thought it had relations to music; thus a rhythm game. It reminds me the Fantasia (1940) world called "Symphony of Sorcery" in Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance. The concept of "Sound Idea" to "dispel the darkness" (Mickey, KH:DDD) from the tainted musical score inspired another idea that I will explain later in the post. ​[Idea 4]

The mechanics are vastly different than the previous games, which makes it more exciting! The story of the game remained unknown until the trailer released today. Fans theorized Kairi would finally get her own game where she traverses inside her Heart to find any clue on how and where to find Sora. That seems to be the case as she has more screen time in the trailer.

Flashbacks This brings up the next and most important news. After confirming Melody of Memory as a rhythm game, it transitions into a static disruption that leads to cinematic cutscenes of what to expect and flashbacks. Fans already guessed the flashbacks belong to Kairi because her memories of Radiant Garden in Birth by Sleep were hazy.

[Screenshot Source: YouTube SQUARE ENIX]

The following 4 screenshots are most talked about because it visualizes what both the Kingdom Hearts Light Novel and Ansem Report 11 talked about.

In the Light Novel, there's a few pages where Apprentice Xehanort (really Terranort) asked where "the girl" was. Aeleus, one of the Apprentices of Ansem the Wise and a Palace Guard, told him she's sleeping in the "pod".

Personal Note: I thought the "pod" was referred to the Memory Pods in The Old Mansion in Twilight Town. The same pods that Sora. Donald, and Goofy slept for a year for Namine to completely restore the damage she caused in their memories in Kingdom Hearts Re: Chain of Memories. Sora's pod was bigger, resembling a white flower that when open, it's a blossomed flower. Since Terranort was examining her, I thought they used a pod like Sora's. Donald and Goofy pods are simpler and smaller. That would make sense for them to use since she was a child at the time of these experiments.

[Source: Google Images]

In the Report: “I have chosen one special girl. I do not know if she possesses a power like that of the Princesses. But, there is a chance, and this is an experiment. She may lead me to the place where the one holding the key is… I shall send her off to the ocean of other worlds.” ​ [source: Kingdom Hearts Wiki - Ansem Reports] Kairi was a child, 4 years old in Birth by Sleep. One year later after Terranort was given refuge in Radiant Garden under the Answem the Wise's apprenticeship, Darkness took over the world. Kairi, 5 years old, was sent to Destiny Islands. There was a meteor shower happening and Kairi fell from the sky onto the shores, where she was discovered by Sora [depicted in Kingdom Hearts Manga]. When she awoke, she had amnesia. With only her name remember, she didn't know where she came from, how she arrived on the Islands, what happened to her home and family. Five years worth of memory were "gone". In the KH universe, the memories are hidden than forgotten. Kairi claims to not know about her past in the original Kingdom Hearts game, but later states those memories are hazy for her when Aqua brought up their meeting in the Radiant Garden. My personal thought is that Kairi did have amnesia for awhile with the exception of her name. It's likely that over time she has flashbacks or visions or dreams so muddled and hazy that she can't find the truth. Another personal thought revolves around the ability of her Nobody, Namine, aka "The Witch". She's a unique Nobody born from both Sora and Kairi's Hearts after the events of the original Kingdom Hearts game. She has the ability to alter, destroy, and restore memories of Sora and those around him. Considering her abilities, I suspect she could uncover hidden memories buried deep within one's Heart. In Re:Mind, Riku states she's currently with the Twilight Gang - Lea, Isa, Roxas, Xion, Hayner, Pence, and Olette - looking for clues in Roxas's and Xion's memories. If given a chance, perhaps she can work with Kairi to fully unlock her hidden memories even though the latter is experiencing some flashbacks.

The Ark ​ Speaking of flashbacks, the picture below is also the talk in the fandom

[Sceenshot taken from YouTube SQUARE ENIX] It's machine that has made its appearance before.

[Image found on Google Images] This is the machine Sora and gang finds in a room in Hollow Bastion. At the time, we couldn't interact with it. We just entered this room and see this machine, fight enemies that appeared, and get a chest.

[Image found on Google Images] Later in Kingdom Hearts Union X (KHUx), we see Malificent in a room where the machine is. The name of machine is called The Ark. Next, we see Lauriam, who is the original person of Marluxio (Nobody), enter and tells her to leave. When she refused, he summons his keyblade and proceeds to attack her. In a different cutscene, Lauriam wakes up in a now damaged room, including the machine. Injured, he proceeds to exit the room with a limp. Given The Ark was damaged and later made its appearance in Kingdom Hearts and in the Trailer, I wonder if they're exactly the same machine? If so, that means that Radiant Garden is a section of the once Daybreak Town. Scala ad Caelum was built on top of Daybreak Town, as seen when Sora and the gang fought Armored Xehanort underwater. Or were two machines made - 1 in Daybreak Town (KHUx) and 1 in Radiant Garden (KH, Trailer)? Could it have been the Master of Masters who built them? Who knows?

Stars and Ideas

[Screenshots taken from YouTube SQUARE ENIX]

The following photos bring up other ideas I have.

Here we see Kairi and Riku in The Final World.

Idea 1: What if this portion is at the start of Melody of Memory like in KH3 as the opening cinematic cutscenes?

Tetsuya Nomura told the public the Final World and Dive to the Heart takes place at the end of the game's plot. So what if these screenshot are actually scenes that happen at the end or towards the end of the game, but are brought to the start of the game as an opening?

Idea 2: What if Kairi and Riku go to The Final World in the middle of the game because it's the hardest place to reach? Chirithy explained in KH3 that in order for someone to reach this place, they would have to either enter a very deep sleep that's near Death or actually die. Since Kairi has been sleeping for a year an Riku has been having strange dreams, they both enter the world by going under a very deep slumber that it takes there. Sora has done it countless times before, but he didn't realize it until Chirithy explained it to him.

Idea 3: After the duo arrives, they're encountered by a group of Stars

I have two options for this idea:

Option 1: The Stars gathered because they were drawn towards Kairi, a Princess of Heart.

Option 2: The Stars were waiting for them because Sora told about them. In the Secret Ending, Sora defeated Yozora (Good Ending) and was brought back to The Final World with him looking up at the sky then walking away. A year has passed, which leads to the events in Re:Mind, so Sora has been there all that time. I'm sure the Stars were there to unintentionally give him company and a sense of comfort inspite of the situation. He'd tell them about himself, friends, and journey to pass the time as well as training. Maybe some of the Stars made a promise to keep an eye for his friends should they arrive. Sora went off somewhere in the World.

Idea 4: This supports my “Personal Note” from earlier. Remembering this is a confirmed rhythm game and I mentioned the concept of "Sound Idea" being used, what if the Stars are gathered as a guide to help the duo through Kairi's Heart Memories that resided in Sora's Heart during the events of the original Kingdom Hearts game?

Remembering the gameplay screenshots and action in the Trailer, we play as Sora. If this is a Kairi game, or a Kairi-focused game, why are we playing as Sora with his original appearance from KH? I suspect it's because when Kairi's Heart resided in Sora's during the first game, her Heart contains Memories that Sora endured in his original clothing.

If that's the case, then it makes why we're playing as Sora accompanied with other characters to assist him. I'm sure we'll play as Kairi and the other characters soon after, but it's an interesting observation.

Similar to how Riku basically contolled Data Sora to fight against Data Organization  XIII in Re:Mind, I theorized it's similar for Kairi. The rhythm "game" could serve as a memory guidance for Kairi and the others. Bringing in the KHDDD Sound Idea from Symphony of Sorcery, what if they need to collect multiple Sound Ideas like from each world the rhythm has to offer to find Sora? If that's the case, then I wonder what song will be played if they harmonized all of the Sound Ideas together?

What if the clues she looking for is somewhere in the worlds Sora visited while she was inside his heart? I know Mickey, Donald, and Goofy are searching every world Sora's visited in reality but what if the clues are only something that can be seen or uncovered through the Heart...like through Princess of Heart?

@phoenixmiko: "The sound idea combined could form the Dearly Beloved for KHMoM or KH3's version."

A very good plausible! I can imagine Yoko Shimomura and her team playing a new rendition of the song!

Mentioned in: 

https://khhcfi.tumblr.com/post/621112208886284288

https://khhcfi.tumblr.com/post/621112566752690176

Kairi's Heart Fragments

Mentioned in my earlier tumblr posts: 

https://khhcfi.tumblr.com/post/621128405097775104/kairis-heart-fragments-in-kh3-remind-sora-had

[Screenshot Source: YouTube SQUARE ENIX]

One thing I’d like to add is that you can see Sora’s smile as he’s holding one of Kairi’s Pink Lights. I suppose he’s nostalgic of his brief quest to find all 7 Fragments and/or he’s comforted by the familiar presence.

 Other Observations

Something struck me when I looked back at The Secret Reports in Kingdom Hearts 3.

KH3 secret report 3:

Experiments of the Heart Notes on Subject X, Excerpt 1--

Subject was found in the central square shortly after dawn. Female, approximately fifteen years old. After seven days' observation, she spoke her first words, but could not provide a name. Subject exhibits signs of profound amnesia, and displays concern about which world this is. Her words suggest that she departed her home world with others, though she cannot recall the names of her erstwhile companions. All efforts to explore those memories have met with a rejection response.

After his initial experiments on me, Ansem the Wise ceased his research into the heart, his hand stayed by some fear I cannot fathom. Yet this new subject is like me: devoid of memories. She is the perfect sample upon which to continue my master's work. She, too, could benefit from it: by traversing the heart, we have a direct path into memory. I myself have begun to reclaim my lost past thanks to these very experiments.

Who is she? Whence has she come? These are questions no scientist could ignore. And the words she muttered, "May your heart be your guiding key"...

—Xehanort

[Source: Kingdom Hearts Wiki - The Secret Reports (KH3)]

Yes, I'm very aware that Xehanort is referring to Subject X - Skuld.

However, the bold section of the report really struck me odd in an interesting way.

"devoid of memories" = Subject X had amnesia upon arriving this world. The same thing that happened to Terra- Xehanort hybrid (Terranort) after Aqua saved him from falling into the Realm of Darkness. The same thing happened to Kairi upon arriving to Destiny Islands.

I don't know what Xehanort meant by "my master's work" specifically, though it may have to do with studying the Hearts, Light and Darkness, and unlocking The Door (Radiant Garden's Door)

"traversing the heart, we have a direct path into memory" = this is the most interesting aspect because we've seen this before. Recall the events of Re:CoM, Namine's first display of memory alteration to Sora and Riku by interfering with the chains in their Hearts. In KH2, Namine is restoring Sora's memories by correcting the chain links that greatly affect the others connected to him.

Xehanort reclaimed his "lost past thanks to these very experiments". As to which lost past he's referring to is most likely Master Xehanort's. Terra's memories may be (relatively) from his body-roommate after they merged.

Kairi is asleep for a year with Ansem the Wise and his Apprentices overseeing the process while using their knowledge about the Heart.

She believes her Heart holds clues to finding Sora. In doing so, it appears the memories hidden from her are resurfacing as flashbacks, bit-by-bit.

She's traversing her Heart to not only have a direct path to Sora, but also a path to her hidden memories.

She's traversing the memories stored in her Heart during her time spent in Sora's Heart.

Perhaps a reason why Terranort didn't recall much after waking up except for Xehanort's name is because the amount of memories the old master had was overwhelming Terra's mind. Paired with the strong powerful Darkness that amplified his own, it overpowered him to have amnesia for a while.

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Wolfsgamingblog.com Internet site. Wolf's Gaming Blog Xbox 1 & Computer Gaming, And Board Games.

No matter if you happen to be a initial-time gamer or a person who has been gaming because the golden age, there is no denying that the business has grown. These numbers can certainly differ per study, but it does appear like the quantity of female severe gamers are on a downward trend. The final time we checked in females had been closer to 45%-48% of gamers. We can speculate as to why this is. Possibly females are much less fond of the emergence of the eSports trend. Probably females are feeling significantly less incorporated in gaming forums and on the web communities right after the harassment accusations of the last handful of years. Perhaps they're just more drawn to other entertainment industries, but this is absolutely a trend to continue watching.

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Jacob Stempniewicz serves as Andovar's VP of Marketing and advertising. He speaks Polish, English and Spanish fluently and continues to function on his Thai language capabilities. He holds an M.A. in Organizational Psychology, as properly as an undergraduate degree in Common Psychology, each from University of Gdańsk (Poland). Jacob has an especially robust interest in localization of multimedia, gaming and eLearning.

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Preserve in thoughts that while a lot of ladies gamers are simply casual players, numerous extra are involved in the gaming planet beyond just choosing up a mobile game or two. Females are interested in each games and gaming influencers, and have a tendency to take suggestions from said influencers relatively seriously. In truth, they account for 30% of YouTube gaming video views alone, and the number is only expanding. In addition, 39% of female gamers appear to the advice of pals and family when thinking about a new game, so word-of-mouth is essential as properly, even if the games they are playing tend to be a lot more of a solo endeavour.

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Discover the World of ARDEM: Open Alpha Playtest Now

ARDEM immersive open-world survival game now has a playtest for both Linux and Windows PC. Thanks to the creative minds at Techtive Games. Now available for all to play on Steam. Heads up, survival fans. Techtive, a fresh indie studio founded by a team of ex-Skyrim modders, is eager to kick off the open alpha playtest for their newest game, ARDEM. From now through November 16, you can jump in, due to test the title, and help shape its future. No key — just sign up on the Steam page so you can get into gameplay on Linux. ARDEM is built by a small group of hardcore developers at Techtive, all with a serious love for open-world survival titles. This one also has influences from some heavy hitters — think Rust, DayZ, and Fallout. The idea? A rugged, brutal experience where you’re in a massive handcrafted world that’s as dangerous as it is beautiful. Your mission? Gather supplies, build up your defenses, while fighting off both hostile players. Doing so in a relentless setting. This title has been in the works for over three years, and also has the power of Unreal Engine 5 behind it. While offering the look and depth to match the challenge. Expect a hardcore experience where every decision counts, and every play session feels intense.

ARDEM- Alpha Test 03 Story Trailer

ARDEM Key Features:

Powered by Unreal Engine 5 Dive into jaw-dropping visuals and realistic environments that’ll pull you right into the open-world survival action.

Advanced Base-Building The base-building goes beyond just slapping walls together. Customize, upgrade, and even electrify your base, setting up defenses and creating a home that reflects your playstyle.

Handcrafted World to Explore Get ready to explore an expansive map packed with hidden locations, valuable resources, and plenty of secrets to uncover.

Different Ways to Play Whether you’re all about PvP, prefer co-op PvE, or want to tackle the wild solo, ARDEM’s got you covered. And for all the roleplay fans out there, dedicated servers are on the horizon.

Open Alpha Playtest Details:

When? November 8-16, 2024

Where? Available on Linux and Windows PC via Steam

How to Join? Just head to the Steam page, sign up for notifications, and you’re in! No need to grab a key or jump through hoops.

Whether you’re new to open-world survival games or a seasoned veteran, this playtest is the perfect chance to get a feel for what Techtive’s been cooking up. ARDEM all about creating your own story in a hostile world. This is also a chance for you to be a part of its evolution. Get in there, start exploring, and let us know what you think. We’ll see you out in the wilds of ARDEM

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‘Mortal Kombat 11' Director Shares Shaggy ‘Mortal Kombat 11' Meme TWO BEARD GAMING

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Gematsu recently had the chance to chat with Falcom president Toshihiro Kondo regarding the upcoming The Legend of Heroes: Hajimari no Kiseki, the PlayStation 4 versions of The Legend of Heroes: Zero no Kiseki and The Legend of Heroes: Ao no Kiseki, Falcom’s expanding presence in the west, and more. Kondo also confirmed that Ys IX: Monstrum Nox is being prepared for release in the west.

Get the full interview below, with questions by Kirsten Miller.

—When did the planning for The Legend of Heroes: Hajimari no Kiseki‘s scenario begin?

Toshihiro Kondo: “We started thinking about it little by little during the development of Trails of Cold Steel IV. As we started to think about the next installment in the Trails series, Hajimari no Kiseki took shape from the desire to make a game in which Crossbell—the setting of Zero no Kiseki—has achieved independence.”

—Hajimari no Kiseki is looking to be similar to The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky the 3rd. Is this being seen as an opportunity to bring in content that may have been cut from it, or is the game going to focus primarily on content based on topics that have come up in more recent titles?

Kondo: “While this is certainly a fan service aspect, the volume of the main story is quite hefty compared to the 3rd. The amount of text in the main scenario for Hajimari no Kiseki is about 80 percent of Trails of Cold Steel IV, so rather than identical to the 3rd, we want you to think of it as something more like ‘a new title with the 3rd-like components.’ New characters that are planned to appear in future titles in the Trails series will also debut in Hajimari no Kiseki.”

—We’ve heard that the in-game book series “3 and 9” will have ties to Hajimari no Kiseki. Are there other books in the Trails series that players should brush up on before Hajimari no Kiseki releases?

Kondo: “While you definitely want to go over ‘3 and 9,’ you may also want to review ‘Carnelia.'”

—It sounds like Hajimari no Kiseki is going to have a monster-sized cast. What has coordination been like with a cast this large, both in terms of game development and in terms of planning with voice actors?

Kondo: “With the many characters that have already appeared in the series, casting didn’t present much in the way of issues. However, working the characters into the script was difficult. Since over 50 characters can join the party, there is a very large number of characters at any rate. By the way, the dialogue between party members after a linked battle victory changes depending on the members, and quite a few specific member-only dialogue is also being prepared. We’re doing it all with both stress and enjoyment, so please look forward to it.”

—The series is expected to move eastward to Calvard and beyond after Hajimari no Kiseki, but will some of the currently unseen regions in the northwest, such as Jurai, North Ambria, and Remiferia be left to side or parallel content as seen in The Legend of Heroes: Akatsuki no Kiseki?

Kondo: “We’ve not yet decided. Since the stage is set to extend to the east of the continent, many new areas will be introduced. We’ll figure out how to depict and handle each in time, but we think an Akatsuki-like approach is interesting and something to think about in the future.”

—Falcom games are notorious for their delayed releases in the west. Zero no Kiseki and Ao no Kiseki, for example, never made it out in English. With the PlayStation 4 versions on the way, are there any plans to release those titles in the west? How about Ys IX: Monstrum Nox?

Kondo: “I very much regret that we were unable to release Zero and Ao [in the west]. I think that releasing on PlayStation 4 will lead to an opportunity to release these games in North America and Europe. As for Ys IX, preparations are currently underway for release [in the west].”

—With the release of Zero no Kiseki and Ao no Kiseki for PlayStation 4, the Trails in the Sky series will be the only games in the mainline Trails series not playable on PlayStation 4. Given that they were re-released for PlayStation 3, do you plan on making these titles available for PlayStation 4 as well? Is there any hope of playing the PSP-only Nayuta no Kiseki on a modern console?

Kondo: “Both users who own modern consoles and platform holders often request Trails in the Sky, so I have some homework to do. Personally, I’d like to recreate everything in 3D. Nayuta‘s gameplay is also extremely well received, so I think it would be a waste to bury it as a PSP-only title.”

—During the shareholder meeting in December, you brought up working on an in-house game engine. What was behind the decision to make a new engine entirely instead of using something like Unreal Engine 4?

Kondo: “We considered Unreal Engine as an option at first. For the Trails of Cold Steel series, we used an external engine, and it was good enough when we just started working on the series, but as development and the series advanced, there were some incompatibilities with our game plan. For example, in the Trails of Cold Steel series, a large number of unique models are displayed during events, but the engine isn’t suitable for that sort of thing. The staff proposed that, if we move forward on that condition in the future, we would be better off with our own engine. Each [engine route] comes with its own benefits and inconveniences, I don’t think it’s a discussion of which one is superior.”

—The staff interview page on Falcom’s official website has a new sound creator listed on it that has joined the company in 2019. Have we heard any of the music he’s been involved with in any of the company’s releases yet?

Kondo: “A good observation, but his work has yet to show up.”

—Fans of Falcom games have been growing immensely in the west in the past few years. What kind of effort has there been to get the feedback of English-speaking fans, and how much has this growing audience impacted business decisions within the company?

Kondo: “I have actually had more opportunities to exchange information with distributors, media, and users in North America and Europe over the past few years. I’m happily surprised because we haven’t had these opportunities in the past. These days, sales in North America and Europe are extremely important to Falcom, and are often brought up on the agenda when discussing possible title selection and content. I think it’s a very good thing.”

—Before we go, is there anything else you would like to say to our audience or to fans of Falcom games in the west?

Kondo: “Thank you for your interest in Nihon Falcom games. Falcom will celebrate its 40th anniversary next year. Falcom has been carefully crafting game content for 40 years, and we believe that’s what has led us to today. You all may have only learned about our content recently, but we want to keep delivering carefully crafted game content as we always have been in the future, so we hope you’re in it with us for the long run.”

—Thank you for your time, Mr. Kondo!

The Legend of Heroes: Hajimari no Kiseki is due out for PlayStation 4 this summer in Japan. The Legend of Heroes: Zero no Kiseki and The Legend of Heroes: Ao no Kiseki are due out for PlayStation 4 on April 23 and May 28, respectively. Ys IX: Monstrum Nox launched for PlayStation 4 in November 2019.