#monetisation is a good idea

[s0fter-sin]

last thing i’ll say; people aren’t owed free content but creatives aren’t owed financial compensation either

[mothmvn]

im just continuously baffled that people believe(d) in digital property and in having any control over what you put on the internet

[speedycoffeedelight]

Hello! I've returned with more 'Reader helps get everyone a job' scenarios! And this time, not anon ✨️

Also, so happy to see you referenced my first ask, really made my day!

Anyway, scenarios begin.

~

Reader: Velvette, this is the second job you've been fired from since you got here. There isn't exactly many clothing store in town and if you keep getting fired, you'll be deemed 'unhireable'.

Velvette: *Rolling her eyes on her phone* I don't see why you're so bothered by that, I'm already a small time influencer and with the way I'm manipulating the algorithm, I'll be monetised in no time. Besides, the clothes they sold there weren't even good enough for a dumpster fire.

Reader: Anyway... There's atleast 2 more clothing stores available before we have to start looking elsewhere, a sports clothes store and a thrift shop.

Velvette: Pfft, thrift shop? You can't in your right mind think I'd be touching second han- wait. *Types on her phone* Thifting is in, sign me up! And then call Princess in here, her little lamb form is guaranteed to get me more likes then that bitch Geraldine's yappy mutt in socks and sunglasses.

~

Reader: Lute, I don't mean to be insulting or anything but I'm not sure if you could handle being a supermarket security guard. It can be a very dangerous job.

Lute: I understand you're concerns but allow me to lay them to rest with a quick demonstration of my capabilities.

*Lute quickly tackles Sir Pentious to the ground and pins him as he shouts a quick 'Why me?!'*

~

Adam: Listen Babe, I don't see what the issue is.

Reader: Adam, the bar is looking for a live band to there regularly, not a solo guitarist. Now I'm sure you are a wonderful singer-songwriter but they're not looking for a solo musician.

Adam: *Crossing arms* Fine. What other jobs are there.

Reader: Plenty, and almost all of them are places we've already got someone in so they can recommend you and you're pretty much guaranteed to be hired.

Adam: Okay Babe, fire away.

Reader: Well, the local cafés looking for another waiter (Charlies workplace).

Adam: Uh, pass.

Reader: The fast food joint needs another cashier. (Vaggies workplace)

Adam: Next.

Reader: The restaurant-dinner is willing to train up a sous-chef with no prior experience or qualifications (Angels/Husks workplace).

Adam: Eh, I don't cook.

Reader: The council is hiring more trash collectors, it sounds bad but has incredibly good pay (Niftys workplace).

Adam: As much as I'm down for driving a massive truck, somethings telling me to stay away from that little freak. She might stab me in the back or something.

Reader: You also don't have a driving license. Anyway, the radio station is hiring a files clerk (Alastors workplace).

Adam: They play rock or metal?

Alastor: *From another room* Nope!

Adam: Then, nah.

Reader: *Muttering to self* And I don't think you can work for the mechanics without a driving license either (Cherris workplace).

Reader: The florist is hiring. (Lucifers workplace).

Adam: *Fake gags*

Reader: What about working at that bowling alley and arcade pizzeria? (Voxs workplace)

Adam: *Sticks out tongue*

Reader: The clothing store? (Velvettes workplace)

Adam: *Raises eyebrow*

Reader: The local supermarket? (Lutes workplace)

Adam: *Pours slightly*

Reader: *Sighs and starts rubbing temple* Well, the only other places available is the post office and that steakhouse on the outskirts of town.

Adam: Steakhouse? Now that's what I'm talking about! Sign me up straight away.

Reader: I thought you said you don't cook.

Adam: Listen Babe, it's grilling, not cooking. Big difference. Besides, I literally invented the grill, you know? It's like 1 of the top 5 best ideas I ever had, you know, right next to naming a bunch of birds 'tits'.

Reader: You invented the grill? That's actually kinda impressive.

Lucifer: Don't flatter him, love. He had to invent a whole new way of cooking meat or else he'd have starved everytime Eve made him sleep on the coach.

Adam: HEY!

HEYYY!! Good to see you back again!! <⁠(⁠￣⁠︶⁠￣⁠)⁠>

Yeah , velvette gonna be a real bitch(HAH-) working at stores. She won't settle for anything that's not up to her taste.

* Reader sighing in the corner trying to find more shops.*

Poor Pentious, he had to be the example 🤣🤣

*the cast and reader giving Pentious concerned glances*

And there's Adam, the first man who can't settle on one job( just like girls- *gets shot in the head*). I can definitely see him inventing grilling like this 😂😂

Thank you yet again for your creative and unique headcannons! I truly enjoy reading them!! ✧⁠◝⁠(⁠⁰⁠▿⁠⁰⁠)⁠◜⁠✧

[obitoslay]

absolutely obsessed with how the strongest beings in orv are constellations, literally the oldest form of story telling and the more memorised/impactful the more important they are, from historical (more recent so weaker) to narrative to myth grade. and like i know this is all obvious to everyone but for the oldest form of story telling from religion to mythology and oldest fables to turn against people once the scenarios begin when they are so ingrained in what makes you human and what people turn to in times of desperation and and moral guidance makes this so much . more chilling and twisted to me

humans are the ones who named these stars and created constellations, we created a story out of nothing, kinda like how od birthed wos into existence, i think feeding into the idea that stories have both the capability to harm and save people. i’m sure we know constellations are a huge symbol for those who are content with monetising and consuming stories without care for others and how this sustains capitalist greed right down to what makes u human….. but i think it’s just. soooo good. but then what makes kdj so special as a constellation is that while reading is also a means for survival for him just like how it is for constellations consuming stories, he is so unbelievably selfless and full of love as he reads and gives his lives up for the characters he reads about rather than completely discard them like other constellations. in a world where the star stream has monetised even survival, kdj is in the end driven by hope and love and devotion . ach… a reader who gives back to the story as much as the story has helped him.

[retrogradepermaculture]

The Sun Aesthetics, Predictions, Observations ★ Dark Academia

Our sun sign is one of the first things we learn in our birth chart so it is easy to take the nature of the sun for granted 🌞 however, the sun in it's aspects can contribute so much to our personalities and tastes. NB this is just for fun, both some suspected predictions and observations I have seen.

The sun aspect jupiter - magnanimous personalities, larger than life, theatrical. That eccentric professor you have always wanted to know more about. The actress who can't seem to stay out of the spotlight. Sun jupiter places have large ceilings, gothic, rococco or otherwise impressive architecture, and lots of colors.

Aspect mars - dominant, military, martial, without the flamboyance of jupiter aspects. modern buildings, skyscrapers, old laboratories, roman ruins. people with this chart aspect may be hot headed and dominant

Sun uranus - change their identity a lot. multiple phases or concepts e.g. experimentkng with nee and alternative fashions. if you have any aspects here in your chart whether opposition or trine either way they can manifest in the sort of study packed with pspers, overflowing with ideas, and on need of a clear out.

Sun neptune - bohemians, poets, drifters, beatniks, but nay struggle with output. hiding awsy behind the walls of your college to write love poetry. skipping assignments because you're too busy working on your own creative projects.

sun pluto - one of the most intriguing sets of aspects. can represent your relationship to secret and hidden knowledge. In a harmonious aspect like a trine or conjunction can show someone who is comfortable with shadow work. a public position in investigating lost musteries and secret knowledge. an investugative journalist or privste eye, a srudent who digs deep into the srchives of your university or college and uncovers something buried from a century ago that didn't want to be found.

In a disharmonious aspect - can indicate discomfort with the unknown or occult. or can indicate biting off more thsn you can chew. maybe you don't like whst you discover. can be people who are more comfortable with the present than the past. may take a science or liberal arts major but will avoid any history or soft science life sociology or psychology.

sun venus - carefully protective of your dtudy area and seeks to express thenselves through both their work and their tools. great at monetising their creativity. may want expensive pens and stationary. old parchments, dried inks, and lesther bound books. grows up to have a study of their own at the university brimming with antiquarian manuscripts and beautifully illustrated maps of the world.

sun mercury - you are known for your deeds, not your aesthetic, and especially the company you keep. In a dark academia context nay get involved with the closest secret society. solar energy drives your communications, if harmonious, the full force of your personality is in your work and writings. may invent something amazing or game changing in their field. if disharmonious, may come to blows with coworkers. may be ego involved. alternatively can be an eccentric genius who takes some time to get to know but makes good company once you see past their single focus on their work.

NB Just for fun, take what resonates and leave the rest! Also check out my pluto observations post here.

[dukestewart]

I actually have a question, I'm wanting to start a webcomic at some point in the future myself, do you have any recommendations or advice for me?

Okay, I have a million things to say on the subject but to save you a lot of scrolling I’ll cut it down to the main things I wish I knew when starting my webcomic.

Don’t overprepare

It’s easy to fall into the trap of perfecting your art style or developing your character arcs before you actually, like, make the thing. The truth is you get diminishing returns on the pre-production phase, and too much planning will just waste your time. I once wrote an entire script and sketched out 200 pages for a graphic novel version of my webcomic Roundhouse, 90% of which is now redundant or contradictory. Probably took me hundreds of hours. Whoops. Make a basic plot line and some concept pictures by all means, you gotta start with something, but you’ll be much more motivated to make the comic when you’re already making it.

Collect references

This might sound kind of contradictory to my previous advice but bear with me. It’s important to prioritise creation over planning but gathering a compendium of your favourite artworks and writing techniques will save you time in the long run. If I’m ever stuck on how to draw a certain expression for example I know I have a folder full of expertly drawn faces to remind me how nostrils work. Personally I keep separate reference folders for colour, anatomy and character designs. Fantastic cure for artist’s block, swear by it.

Get someone to proofread

You have no idea how important it is to get a second opinion. No one in the history of media has ever been better off without a different pair of eyes to catch a mistake. They’ll see the obvious things you missed, a typo, a pacing issue, a joke that makes no sense… if you’re embarrassed to show it to anyone in your life then get an internet friend to have a look. Hell, I’ll have a look. Send me a message, I’m easy.

Even the most talented creators struggle to be seen

A good comic will always have a better chance of success than a crap one but that’s only a part of the equation. We’re forgetting our two troublesome neighbours, Monsieur Marketing and Lady Luck. It stinks, but we operate in an algorithm-based economy, and getting things out there takes a lot of hard research. I hate the marketing side of things, personally. I’d much rather make a page every week and not care whether it’s seen or not but such is the nature of capitalism that I have to try and monetise my work any way I can. Knowing someone in the business can’t hurt either.

Look, I’ll never be able to condense everything I know about webcomics in a single post so consider this my declaration to give advice to anyone who asks for it. Got a specific question about comics? Message me.

[anxieteeeaa]

Mixing Business With Pleasure

“Pleasing is an online platform and app created by Harry Edward Styles. With it, people can pay for content (photos, videos and live streams) via a monthly membership. Content is mainly created by YouTubers, models, content creators and public figures in order to monetise their profession.”

Meet Harry, the founder and CEO of “Pleasing”. His goal is to create a social media platform for sex workers, performers, porn artists and other content creators to expand their platforms. With “Pleasing” you can choose different subscription tiers, each tier provides different things such as free commissions, one on one time with the performer via video-chat and more!

Meet Lauren, the face of “Pleasing”

Lauren is a 24 year old performer at the strip club “Pleasure Point” which is also run by Harry. Lauren has been a performer for 3 years now, being one of the top rated performers in the sex industry. With her streaming platform she has over 7.8 million followers and is known as “A force to be reckoned with”.

Harry’s the one who helped Lauren rise to fame, why has he changed his mind all of a sudden??

moodboard xx

playlist-

i see red - everybody loves an outlaw

i don’t do drugs - doja cat ft. ariana grande

call out my name- the weekend

bad idea- dove cameron

side to side- ariana grande

treat me- chlöe

need to know- doja cat

another man’s jeans- ashe

sucker- jonas brothers

if i had you- adam lambert

she- harry styles

hope you’re not happy- ashe

expectations- lauren jauregui

inferno- sun urban, bella poarch

often- the weeknd

god is a woman- ariana grande

hrs and hrs- muni long

material girl- saucy santana

u are my high- dj snake, future

you right- doja cat, the weeknd

angels like you- miley cyrus

freak- doja cat

megan’s piano- megan thee stallion

smokin’ out the window- silk sonic

HIIII! i got a request and added a bit of a twist to it!! so so excited to get this started!! i hope you like it!! there’s been so much going on in my life (good and bad but mainly bad LOL) so i’m really sorry i haven’t been on here that often! but i’m working on new blurbs!

[iciousill]

Fragaria Memories Fanwork Guidelines

This is an unofficial translation of the guidelines for Fragaria Memories fanworks/ fanart/ doujin works.

I thought I saw conflicting translations/interpretations from shared posts about the guidelines that I came across recently, so I decided to translate them myself to (hopefully) avoid misinterpreting the actual guidelines. I do not track the official site for updates so there may be future changes not reflected here.

Last updated: 2023/10/23

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Definition of 'fan content activities'

'Fan content activities' refers to works based on Fragaria Memories that either contain creative additions or are wholly new creations. These guidelines exclude copying as-is or activities* that can be treated as such.

*Examples of activities not covered in the guidelines: cropping official character illustrations, filtering/recolouring official art and so on, and making such images public

(T/N: I'll just use 'fanwork' in the main text from here on)

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Applicable scope for these guidelines

The moment you upload your fanwork publicly, you're assumed to have agreed to the guidelines fully. Whether a fanwork is considered to have violated the stated guidelines or not is determined at Sanrio's discretion.

Sanrio may update the content of the guidelines anytime without advance notice.

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Terms of Use

Terms of use regarding fanworks

(1) Not for commercial purposes (such as advertisements, promotions, sales) regardless of whether the work is made free or paid. *However, doujinshi distribution, video monetisation, paid membership perks and livestreams are allowed subject to fulfilling certain conditions mentioned later.

(2) Do not use Fragaria Memories' assets (illustrations, logos, marks/labels, scenarios, videos, voices, music, etc.) in the creation of your fanwork. Tracing is also not allowed even if you do it yourself.

(3) Do not misrepresent yourself as being related to or having the approval of Sanrio or Fragaria Memories.

(4) Do not deviate extremely from the worldview of the series or tarnish the image of the series. Inserting certain ideas/beliefs, or content of political or religious nature in fanworks is not allowed.

(5) Do not harm the reputation or status of others, and do not slander or libel others or commit other acts beyond public order and morals.

(6) Do not use content which third parties have rights to in your fanworks, such as content from collaboration events between Sanrio and its partners.

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Terms of use regarding fanwork involving monetary/paid benefits

Notwithstanding (1) above, the distribution (sales) or publishing of fanworks may be allowed to a reasonable extent for the enjoyment of fans.

♦ Sales of doujinshi

Physical/paper forms, digital forms, illustrations, manga/comics, novels, cosplay photobooks and so on must adhere to the below terms.

(1) They must be sold approximately at cost price (the cost of your materials and production tools)

(2) The below links to a QR code that you can place somewhere easily visible to viewers (to avoid issues arising from being misidentified as official goods).

Fan Contents Nijigen Code (QR Code)

♦ Monetisation on video sharing sites

Monetisation of videos containing official instrumental music for cover songs (utattemita) is limited to the below video sharing sites:

YouTube

Nico Nico Douga *Please refer to these guidelines (the guidelines on the official site) if the video sharing site asks about usage rights when you monetise your video.

♦ Fanwork in paid membership perks and livestreams

Only for non-age restricted platforms (pixivFANBOX, Fantia, YouTube Live, Nico Nico Live Broadcast [Nico Nico Namahousou], TikTok)

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Regarding goods/merch

Please refrain from distributing merchandise (clothing accessories, image accessories, plushies, etc.) regardless of whether they're free or paid to avoid issues of the items being misidentified as official goods.

You may still create items for personal use, but if you're uploading them to social media, it would be appreciated if you tag them clearly as fanwork/fan content.

Even for items for personal use, please refrain from using or tracing Fragaria Memories assets (illustrations, logos, marks/labels, scenarios, videos, voices, music, etc.)

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Recommended hashtags on social media

Sanrio recommends using the hashtag #Fragari_Art when you upload fanwork to social media platforms.

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Miscellanous Terms & Conditions

Fan content activities by official illustrators

Official illustrators (contracted by Sanrio or its business partners) may still make fanworks.

Official illustrators have to follow both their contracts as well as the fanwork guidelines so as to avoid having their fanworks misidentified as official.

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Other conditions

(1) If your fanwork is determined by Sanrio as having violated their guidelines, Sanrio can demand you to immediately cease conducting fan activities, as well as completely scrap and delete the offending fanworks.

(2) There may be times when official projects/adaptations by Sanrio and its partners overlap with or seem similar to fanworks. In such cases, Sanrio and its partners reserve the rights to conduct their projects anywhere, anytime, and in any form without consideration for payment.

(3) In the case that Sanrio or its partners contact creators to make Fragaria Memories content, it will be done with a fixed contract from Sanrio or its partners.

(4) As Sanrio continually fixes and adds new content to Fragaria Memories, there may be times when Sanrio's projects, goods or services unintentionally seem similar to your fanwork. Sanrio and its partners reserve the rights to continue with their project plans and you may not assert legal claims against them on the grounds of copyrights or moral rights.

(5) Even with these guidelines, Sanrio reserves the rights to suspend fanworks to protect their copyrights and moral rights.

(6) Sanrio makes no guarantees of non-infringement on third party rights regarding the use of Fragaria Memories by these guidelines or of Fragaria Memories itself.

(7) You may not simplify/abridge, paraphrase or distort/misinterpret these guidelines through any method when posting on any third party platforms including social media. (T/N: I hope I'm not lol)

(8) Sanrio takes no responsibility for damages or disputes with third parties resulting from fanworks made by these guidelines and will not provide compensation in such cases.

(9) As these guidelines may be updated without notice, Sanrio takes no responsibility for any issues resulting from such changes.

(10) Sanrio reserves the right to take legal actions against fanworks that violate these guidelines.

(11) Sanrio will not respond to individual inquiries on these guidelines.

(12) These guidelines were written in Japanese and follow Japanese laws.

(13) Any disputes between Sanrio and others regarding fanworks or other uses of Fragaria Memories will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Tokyo District Court (東京地方裁判所) or Tokyo Summary Court (東京簡易裁判所) in the first instance.

[onesunofagun]

You know, I'm going to put a thought down because I'm thinking about this again because of the post earlier.

It might be a vent? I think it's more just me trying to describe a feeling so it's outside me and I can look at it.

I've seen a lotta discourse and a lot of theories and different takes out there. There's always gonna be some stuff that's frustrating because it's something Sus being widely normalised, but generally speaking, I think the varied perspective and ideas are always good thing in a fandom.

I've seen all sorts of ideas be explored-- in fics, in doujins and art, in roleplay, in lore essays-- over the years. I like to think I have a pretty good map on the fandoms I've been online and present in since the early 00s. I can usually remember context about how certain stuff came about, like what tropes or ideas got popular when and how, whether through shipping or fanon or mangas or general knowledge about the development process.

When you've been in a fandom a long time-- especially if you have made a lot of contributions to it, at any point-- sometimes you even have a part in shaping certain idea flows within it, yourself.

So I have had the chance to see and contribute to a lot of conversations that have happened over and over and over again, in a kind of generational way. I have seen certain discussions from old forums, translate to fics. I've seen them pop up on tumblr, then tumble to Reddit, then YouTube. I have watched the spread through the general sphere of things, get added to and turned over and re-examined.

For the record: I love watching that process, and I like being part of that process! Mentally tracking the grandfathered in fandom history has also become its own kinda hobby for me.

I've always found it interesting mapping where new fans come in, seeing how they orient themselves and what they pick up-- how and why and what they do with it, whether I appreciate it or not (I highlight biases that are related to harmful ideas when I see them to illuminate them).

Seeing certain concepts be repeatedly rediscovered and watching how certain waves of fans digest them is fascinating. Sometimes with surprising results, sometimes with disappointing results, but it's fascinating either way. That's kind of part of the appeal having been here so long and why I came back into (mild) activity-- I get to study and dissect the fandom behaviours as well.

But despite all of that, I've found I don't really appreciate a good number of the popular YouTubers who focus on Zelda as their channel topic.

I think I've developed a bit of a distaste for a few of them in particular, actually--the big number Zeldatuber channels. Mostly the ones that seem to be the theorycrafters that kinda followed on from a MatPat style format. All of my love to well researched videos analysing the themes and meta, and all the silly boundary breaks and speedruns, mind. But I found I got really disillusioned with the handful of channels that rose to prominence and how their content shifted with that growth.

With the potential to monetise their discussions and discords worth of people and patrons driving this kinda content, I do think a lot about things that have been discussed in the fandom in the past that get taken up and regurgitated as part of that grind. I have lost track of how many videos that have come out of a few big Zeldatubers of this vein gave me a really weird slimy feeling and I am trying to work out what it is.

I'm not super invested in watching much of Zeldatube at large, mostly because I've seen most popular subjects covered in many variations. I'm a lot more personally interested in analysis, rather than theorycraft, so take it with a grain of salt that I may have a bias too (The popular Zonai fixation really doesn't interest me at all, and Zeldatube burnt out on that hard).

A lot of the channels like this seem to present their stuff like it is brand new and never been seen before, and like it's a great achievement in sleuthing or that they've cracked a code-- but not in a fun feeling way. Not in an exciting personal discovery way, but in a way that feels like it's propping up an exclusivity around that channel, and its validity as a leading authority on Zeldadom. There's something vaguely newsfeed-like, or sensationalist about it to me, with tight knit associations to other big channels making the same type of content (and about the same types of subjects as far as I ever noticed, and widely overlapping perspectives).

I wonder if that's a cynical feeling that I have where I'm just being an old man yelling at clouds, but there's really something that rubs me wrong about the handful of top channels like this. Something about the way they generate and present, and potentially profit from, often long running fandom concepts and otherwise freely shared ideas that have had many contributions feels off.

Maybe it's also me struggling to understand the closed off nature of how a lot of people just absorb the series secondhand now, and how normal it is to have the most popular Zeldatube channels setting the tones and assumptions around lore for large swatches of the newer fans. And not because old guard gatekeeping, but because there's an obvious chasm there between new and old fans of the same media that now exists that's seemingly getting wider.

I do sometimes worry about the trend of recycled old fanon staples presented as brand new takes, because of that-- or worse, sold as the definitive take, especially when a lot of people do just accept them and then go off and start arguments because 'big Zeldatube said so' and they must know best.

Sometimes I wonder if the trend is actually adding to issues with consumption vs engagement, in terms of media literacy and fandom interaction. There's certainly some theories, because of these channels, widely taken as a kind of gospel from the 'zelda experts' like the discussion is already closed; mystery solved. I've legit seen smaller youtubers be accused of stealing or copying theories from the larger channels, when making detailed and well researched videos about canon lore. I have had multiple interactions with fans who just link to a popular video and be like 'here watch this, it'll explain it' like they can't even be bothered to have their own take, but they're also not interested in yours.

The way big Zeldatube presents itself and gets consumed at large, though, I guess I just don't recognise that as the same as seeing a new fan have a joyful discovery of something from their own interactions with the franchise and fandom. I realise that the channel runners are fans themselves, but I suppose I mean that the platform feels more like a degree of professional separation that's very closed. It's become 'Zelda is my job now' thing that's focused on interest trends and news.

Something something, decades of fandom interaction and discussion and archiving getting scraped and haphazardly slapped together again for the content grind because clout and profit??

That feels mean to say but--

"Like and subscribe and join my patreon for more content, often mined from various thoughts around the fandom to make up a new video to schedule" is how it often tastes to me and that's not a flavour I enjoy.

Again, by all means, not applicable to the whole of Zeldatube or many fans who do watch the big channels. But this kinda thing does feel like a pervasive and popular part of the theorycrafter channels. Commodification of theory, and exploitative platforms built off a community's back, leave a lot of the big Zeldatubers without my support or endearment. I feel incredibly conflicted about them.

Is that anything?

[blackinquisitors]

basically I don't get much enjoyment out of art and I don't feel much creative drive for it. I have some amount of skill, and dare I say I'm pretty damn good when copying something. but my technique is curtailed by the lack of practice I put in because every drawing I do has to be Good. it has to be Good so I can Post it and get Attention and then the Attention will generate people that with Commission me. I have no real love for drawing so I don't do it for fun. I have an appreciation for art but half the time it ends up being a competition for me. I dont know. this has sort of always been the case because I started drawing at 13 years old to be Good and get Attention. it wasn't for the love of the craft and I don't know if I can suddenly generate the love after years of it being result-based.

writing on the other hand is completely a labor of love. I have only monetised it when people have directly inquired about it. every part about it I enjoy and showing it to other people is essentially like showing my belly. I do it purely for my own benefit and if other people happen to like it, then that's a bonus. I love the doing more than the end result

it's a blow to me and my ego when a drawing only gets X amount of notes. but then something like my pervvy disco elysium fic only having a handful of kudos really doesn't bother me at all. cus i didn't make it for an audience, I made it cus I got possessed by an idea and had to get it out of my system. a couple other weirdos liked it so that's great but not a necessity. and then my most popular work, bloom, is my baby simply bc I worked on it for a year and put a lot of myself into it. and I'm able to look at it critically and see where my writing has developed and improved. zero of my opinion of bloom is tied to other people's opinions. it's a nice feeling

I'm doing oil paintings for cash currently which is a nice gig bc I do enjoy the process of oil painting because I'm good at it. but I am incredibly slow and I get bored of it. I think I'll keep doing these for the income but as for fanart and stuff I'll probably stop for a long while. put it all on the back burner until I can learn to love the process as much as I do writing

and rn I'm chipping away at my black sails fic and I'm considering it to be my magnum opus. not even close to being done but I'm enjoying writing it immensely. not a single bit of this is a chore, which it occasionally was with bloom because I was updating it chapter by chapter and felt the pressure of a waiting audience. with this black sails one I'm happily writing away and making it all perfect. lalalala the art of creation is wonderful. let's not poison my relationship with art anymore

[floatyhands]

I think the premise of Disney's Wish being "powerful ruler cyncially monopolizes all young people's wishes and decides whose wishes get to be granted in order to hold on to power" COULD have been a powerful metacommentary on how Disney's entire brand is built upon monetising the dreams and self-actualisation of young people, and through their cultural power, dictate whose dreams are considered valid and deserving.

There's so much potential to work with here! Since Magnifico apparently founded Rosas, imagine him leaning into the idea of being a brilliant visionary who does grant wishes to make a beautiful world, but his perfect nostalgic utopia is an egotistical repressive nightmare and anyone who doesn't fit his vision is crushed, which wasn't too far from Walt Disney's initial vision for EPCOT. Hell, Magnifco as he is with only minor tweaks could easily act as a metaphor for the Disney boardroom execs, who inherited a beautiful kingdom but is so cynical and preoccupied with preserving power that the kingdom is a joyless repetitive husk, which is kind of what's already happening (and might explain why most the characters are so soulless lmao). Or imagine a KING AND QUEEN VILLAIN POWER COUPLE, a subversion of the classic Disney formula tradition where the good guys couple up and triumph through the power of (either heterosexual romantic, or just platonic) love while villains despise love as a concept! There's so many things they could have done!

IF ONLY THEY ACTUALLY DID ANYTHING WITH THIS.

All these neat concepts were never meant to be, because Wish is an example OF that sort of cynical exploitation of dreams. With creative freedom and vision, and some ACTUAL FUCKING HEART, this could have been a brilliant deconstruction/reconstruction of Disney's brand and legacy.

[definitelymaybeahuman]

Fallout TV spoilers and rant under the cut:

My issue with the decision to have Vault Tec definitively drop the bombs isn't just that it "shouldn't" matter, but that it takes the bite out of Vault Tec as a criticism of anything.

The series actually starts off pretty strong in that department: Fiduciary responsibility means that privatising a public service will reduce it to it's most profitable state and that's unlikely to be in the public interest. Any innovation that disrupts an industry but can't be monetised will never see the light of day. Vault Tec is both of these taken to the extreme, a business selling the solution to nuclear armageddon is of course going to be more concerned about maintaining demand for tickets than actually delivering anything to customers who can no longer pay.

Where it falls apart is introducing the idea of a secretive cabal with a nuclear arsenal and goals of world domination. That's no longer a criticism of anything. It's cartoon supervillainy. The end of the world doesn't come when a CEO gets ambitious, it comes about when a CEO decides that the potential end of the world next financial quarter will make this finance quarter's reports look good and keeps deciding that until one day they look at the window and are shocked to see the horizon is gone.

I suspect the show makers decided to try and establish Vault Tec as a singular villain connecting all the plots, which worked well. It just wound up doing the same thing all commercially successful criticisms of capitalism do: Not actually criticise anything.

[fantasyfactorxx]

Are gaming communities becoming less about play and more about monetisation?

In an age where entertainment and technology are developing at a neck-breaking pace, gaming communities have seen a metamorphosis that goes beyond conventional play. What was once a large leisure activity has developed into a vibrant hub of entertainment and business, posing fascinating queries about how these digital communities are changing. The entire foundation of gaming communities finds itself at a crossroads as the industry observes the integration of monetization tactics, from in-game purchases to the thriving sphere of esports and content production. In exploring the changing dynamics, we dive further into the topic of whether these communities are becoming less about the pure joy of play and more about the complex web of commercialization that now permeates virtual worlds. 

These days, microtransactions and on-game purchases are common in contemporary games, enabling users to purchase in-game cosmetics, virtual goods, or other upgrades. Both platform providers and game creators will benefit from these transactions. Older generations can now afford more expensive games on different digital distribution platforms and can afford to pay for in-game microtransactions or to support their favourite streamer or online celebrity, playing video games has become an increasingly important social activity for young people (Bankov 2019). Through the streamer, gamers would be more likely to purchase the in-game item due to how good it looks on the streamer’s interface so they get an idea of how it works. As an example, in a simple mobile game like, ‘Subway Surfers’, most of the characters require the user to spend the in-game currency to buy the characters. Most of the time people would not be pros at the game and would end up buying the in-game currency to buy the character. Even though it is a free game, players would spend extra money to purchase the extra things in the game.

There is a heated argument about how these trades affect what play is really about. While some contend that these transactions provide gamers a way to customize and enhance their gaming experience, others are worried that they might lead to an unfair playing field where those with larger wallets have a clear edge. The problem of commercialization in AAA games is one that both consumers and developers must consider equally as regardless of how well a game is designed, the financial influence that players believe they may have on creators supports the continued use of monetization strategies (Ahmadu 2023). 

The growth of esports is another aspect of the trend toward commercialization. What started out as amicable buddy competitions has grown into a multibillion-dollar business. Esports competitions draw enormous viewership, and their financial appeal is bolstered by lucrative sponsorship and advertising partnerships. One topic that comes up is whether the competitive scene or gaming communities are more important to the spirit of play, or if money is the primary motivator. According to (Rauth 2023), esports are now so popular that they compete with regular sports for price money and viewership that professional gamers can compete in competitions for millions of dollars, or they can broadcast content on websites like Twitch. Similar to conventional professional sports, esports teams are valued at a total of $1 billion because of their owners, franchises, endorsement deals, cash rewards from tournament wins, and other factors (Shalabi, 2023).

For gaming communities, the emergence of game streaming websites like Twitch and YouTube has opened up new horizons. These days, gamers may create their content by sharing their gameplay experiences with hundreds, perhaps millions, of viewers. This phenomenon has elevated gaming to a new level of popularity among internet users, but it also begs the question of how monetization affects the process of creating original content. A major factor in opening up Esports to a worldwide audience has been the emergence of internet streaming services like Twitch and YouTube gaming (Sponsored Post, 2023). Most gamers earn a large sum of cash from competing in esports competitions while others would livestream their pro-gaming on media sites such as Twitch and YouTube.

It’s important to understand that there is a positive link between play and monetization even as gaming communities struggle with these changes. Many contend that revenue generation gives game creators the means to produce and support top-notch games. The money made may go towards further content development, enhancements, and upgrades, which will enhance their entire game experience. Finding the ideal mix is crucial. People run a risk of offending the same people who helped to make the game popular in the first place when you tilt the balance too much in favour of commercialization. It is a challenge for developers and the gaming community to carefully traverse this terrain while maintaining the primary focus of the enjoyment of play.

List of references

Admadu, J 2023, ‘Consumer perspectives towards monetization and its impact on AAA game designs’, Master Thesis in Game Design, Uppsala University, Sweden, <https://uu.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1769625/FULLTEXT01.pdf>.

Bankov, B 2019, ‘The impact of social media on video game communities and the gaming industry’,  Information and Communication Technologies in Business and Education, viewed 13 November 2023, <https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2018/07/03/the-positives-of-digital-life/>.

Rauth, R 2023, ‘The rising popularity of competitive esports’, Job Skills, 21 February, viewed 15 November 2023, <https://www.jobskills.org/the-rising-popularity-of-competitive-esports/>.

Shalabi, C 2023, ‘Esports: what is it and how it benefits marketers’, Insider Intelligence, 11 October, viewed 15 November 2023, <https://www.insiderintelligence.com/insights/esports-ecosystem-market-report/>.Sponsored Post 2023, ‘The rise of esports: a digital revolution in competitive gaming’, Channel Television, 28 July, viewed 15 November 2023, <https://www.channelstv.com/2023/07/28/the-rise-of-esports-a-digital-revolution-in-competitive-gaming/#:~:text=The%20rise%20of%20online%20streaming,analysis%2C%20enhancing%20the%20spectator%20experience.>.

[blubberquark]

Blog Meta vs Tumblr Meta

When I started this tumblr, I wanted to post about game development and game design. I followed other game developers, and I posted about game design, WiP screenshots and art assets, and links to finished games. Later I started an aesthetic sideblog (reblub.tumblr.com), and posted some programming tutorials to this tumblr. Programming is not really something that interests followers who want to know when I have released a new game, or who want to reblog WiP pixel art. Then I stopped worrying and broadened the range of topics on this main blog to opinions on computer literacy, teaching programming, and contributing open source. It's my blog and you can't stop me. I might post some cooking recipes. Maybe it even helps promote my games.

If I wanted to go all-out on promoting my games, I would post a lot more visually interesting WiP stuff, and game design ideas that are directly related to games I am promoting, broken down so players who don't design their own games understand them. I would have to manually cross-post everything on mastodon, twitter, instagram, tiktok, and so on.

If I wanted to go all-out about programming tutorials, I should probably host them somewhere else. The NPF tumblr post editor does not do code blocks, or maths. I could make a series of hyperlinked pages and host them on my own domain, or I could record some screencasts and sell a course, but not on tumblr.

I don't want to do either of those anyway. I want to keep this tumblr relatively noise-free, I don't want to be my own full time social media manager posting gifs every day, and I don't want to sell webinars or online courses. I just want to keep making games, occasionally.

When tumblr enabled ads on blogs, and not just on the dashboard, I noted the lack of kickbacks for blog posters.

When Posts+ was announced, I thought about posting more gamedev tutorials. There is probably a small audience out there who would want to learn GameDev from me, but they might not be enough people to make it financially viable, and they are probably not willing and able to pay me enough. The people who are on tumblr already don't want to buy gamedev tutorial content, and when they do, they don't want to do so on tumblr.

With every new tumblr feature, I noted that it doesn't really help me write one or two posts a month. It doesn't help me publish or monetise the kind of content I want to write. The tip jar is more compatible with the way content spreads through tumblr than posts+, but it's not what I need.

The only way I can monetise a gamedev tumblr is by posting viral gifs of my game, and directing them to other platforms:

getting people to wishlist the game on Steam

promoting my itch.io page

promoting a Patreon

promoting a podcast

promoting a KickStarter

selling branded t-shirts

funnelling them into my Discord

There is no good way to monetise devlog content, game development tutorials, or long-form blog posts on tumblr.

This feels mildly concerning, but maybe it's okay. I know that many game developers started a Patreon for their podcast, a YouTube channel, a twitch stream, or a TikTok, only for that to become a larger source of revenue than their game sales. As they work on their next title, and try to drum up hype for Steam wish lists, cross-promote other games, appear on podcasts, the sales from their last game dwindle, and the revenue from YouTube ads and twitch donations grows. They are basically professional YouTubers at that point, or professional programming coaches, but without the actual game in the end, it doesn't work.

On the other hand, tumblr can still monetise me. I could decide to blaze some pretty screenshots, some .gifs, and gain followers and wishlists.

I don't know where this leaves artists on tumblr though. Tumblr is full of pixel artists who take commissions. Tumblr is full of old school oil on canvas artists. Their interests aren't aligned with the platform. Tumblr doesn't earn anything when they do commissions, and the artists don't earn anything when ads are shown on the dash next to their reblogged original content.

With all this in mind, tumblr live makes some sense.

In the mean time, I'll have a look at cohost, and I might re-work some of my drafts that require elaborate formatting into a longer-lived web site. And maybe I'll write some games!

[csuitebitches]

I related so much about monetising a hobby is like doing chores. I've done this error in my past because of the insistence of my mother, useless to say I totally lost genuine interest in my hobby, to the point I was annoyed by anything related to it. Even, some people tell me to monetize my hobbies, and I'm obviously reluctant about this idea. Usually it's people who lack hobbies or not being good at them, that suggest this. They don't understand how oppressive can become something you enjoy, once you put capitalism in it. We do some things, as a way to relax and express ourselves. Anyway keep going, I love your work. ~K🌹

Exactly. It also puts pressure on you to be “the best.” Sometimes I don’t want to be the best! I want to enjoy my reading and writing, my watercolour painting just for the sake of enjoyment. Not everything has to be an achievement or an extra curricular on my CV. Some things are meant to be for your mind and heart only.

I hope you have a new hobby to enjoy, anon! It would be a shame to give up something that you once loved.

[sapphia]

badges are an example of how tumblr failed to monetise an otherwise good idea becase they are targeting the new market and not the existing userbase. i won't even put them on my blog because they are pointless. i've been here over a decade and i reblog like crazy. i've made over 150,000 posts -- why would tumblr think I care about a badge saying i've made 100 of them? imagine if they'd given us a free badge that actually had any status or meaning. we could have got post count badges with different levels of accomplishment, like gold, silver, and bronze: amounts that aren't unreasonably high but that even regular users may have to still work towards. if they'd done 1k, 10k, and 50k badges, they would have meant something, and much of the userbase would still have to work towards them while it not being entirely discouraging for new users.