#multi-utility features

[lvebug]

TIPS FOR INTERACTING WITH MULTI-MUSE BLOGS:

it's okay to just write with one or two muses! especially when there are a lot of muses, it can be overwhelming. pick one or two that you and your writing partner will focus on developing more. these will be your Main Guys. it doesn't mean you'll ignore everyone else, but it will help give some focus. nobody is expecting you to write with every single muse on a multi

send in headcanon question asks for characters that you are not writing/plotting with as well. pick a character that the mun writes frequently, or one that you know NOTHING about and send in random questions for headcanon memes when they come up. they don't have to be characters that you want to/plan on writing with, but branch out and give the mun a chance to write about their less-loved muses

give options. if you haven't plotted yet or aren't sure who you want to write with, or just can't decide, list a few possible character options that you may want a meme or starter to be for. meet your writing partner halfway

utilize your drafts as a bookmark. see a memes list on your dash but don't have the time/energy to pick different muses to send prompts for? save the memes to your drafts and come back to it in a few hours or days when you have more spoons

be open to learning! multi-muses give the chance to discover all new characters and dynamics that you might not otherwise consider or know about. learning about new muses is one of the best things about the rpc and shifting your attitude to just be not only open to, but also excited about, learning about your friends' creations can make the rpc a much more fun place

remember that multis overall get less attention. so put in extra effort interacting with their posts so that they know they're loved just as much as solo blogs!

multi-muses have and always will be a staple part of the rpc and it's past time that we start focusing on them as we should. yes it can be difficult and overwhelming at times, but it's also worth the effort to interact and to learn about the muses featured on multi-muses. don't ignore our friends in the rpc just because you have to spend a few extra words to specify a muse.

[deepdreamnights]

Using Vidu to Make Character Turnarounds

Disclosure: I am in the Vidu Artist Program.

Having (at the very least) front and back reference greatly improves the quality of character image prompting. And very often, one finds that they were lazy and only got a couple of bits of character reference. Or they have tons of it in the wrong art style.

A character like Wally Manmoth requires some good reference to work right.

Now, it's not that hard to prompt up something that matches close enough and then modifying the stuff manually until it works, such as I did with TriceraBruce and DeinoSteve:

You can tell Steve's the bad boy because he's got a cool rip in the back of his jacket.

But for Wally, I decided to try out Vidu as a means of getting turnaround frames.

So I loaded Wally's front-view pic (above) into the image-to-video feature, and prompted with:

vintage traditional animation scene (1985) humanoid mammoth/furry elephant wearing a red hawaiian shirt and blue shorts, by filmation and sunbow productions, 90s colors, friendly on green background, streamlined black line art with cel shaded vintage cartoon color, official media, character design fullbody shot on green background. The mammoth-anthro starts facing the camera, turning around to face away from the viewer, providing a view of his back.

I gave it two shots at the 720x quality setting (12 points per, total of 24), and got:

Huh. Weird it happened twice, etc.

This demonstrates both that the tech is viable for this use, and the reason you'd want to have that multi-view reference. The robot clearly assumes that a luau shirt would have a large print on the back, whereas wally's is a more basic print. That's ultra easy to fix, though.

I started by exporting the last frame of each (or close to it, picking the one that looks cleanest)

While its image editing features and often touch-and-go, one thing the Midjourney edit feature has going for it is it's utility as an upscaler. You load the image in, make your tweaks (just a little bit of background if you're just upscaling) and then upscale and at the very least you have 2048x2048 worth of resolution.

I used the midjourney edit process, that got those two images to the following state, as a test.

The results are good, but getting the large trees to erase-and-replace out took several attempts, and just doing it in photoshop then using the editor to upscale would have been faster.

This is why we do tests.

I went with the slightly-at-an-angle one for the main reference sheet. I'll be keeping the straight-on-back-shot in case it winds up being useful for specific scenes down the line.

In photoshop, I touched up the shirt print, made sure the colors where consistent, and simplified the hair coloration to something more period-plausible.

No more giant trees on the back! On the other hand, I think the feet sprouting toes on the heel is going to be something I'll be fixing frame-by-frame until there's another revision.

Human characters will induce these issues less often. I just stick with my genre of choice.

Midjourney was not cooperating with TyrannoMax (it really doesn't like giving him the proportions I like, preferring to make him a weird big-head salamander), so I went the same direction, resulting in this stage 1 front/back:

Only Midjourney refused to work with it, at all. Declaring everything that came out of it too lewd for its internal censor. Apparently, this hunky relative of cheesasaurus rex is too sexy for general consumption. Nevermind that it's a cartoon lizard in a shade tangello orange.

The workaround is too dumb for words.

Slam the hue slider until it's off anything that could be perceived as a human skintone.

Then make the modifications. Here I had to rework the leg several times, and do a lot of tweaking to remove-overinking. Then I popped it back out, droped it back into lineart, re-colored it, and and composited it back together:

And voila, a front and back for Max. I shortened his tail, as the longer tails have been causing problems with confusing the image prompting systems. The armor skirt has scallops to accommodate the tail, which looked better more consistently than the flaps folding around the tail.

The results are, thus far, encouraging.

Of course, if the back of your character has any unexpected details, you're going to have to add those in after the fact or include them in the prompting, and you're going to be making a lot of edits regardless (as you should).

Oh, and Max has a sword now.

A blade of amber crystal with a fossilized femur grip and a faceted dino-eye that should be far enough away from the Eye of Thundera for safety. A roleplay-toy friendly trademark weapon, usually a sword, was a must-have for 80s action-adventure lines despite the fact that you'd never see it used on anything that wasn't a robot, living statue, or skeleton.

Thus the sword's gimmick is it cleaves through non-living matter with ease but anything BS&P doesn't want subjected to a stabbin's is encased in amber crystal: locked in place if partially encased, put into suspended animation if fully encased. A nice, nonlethal use for a magic sword.

It's proportioned like a gladius, but is generally interpreted as larger, approaching a broadsword, in keeping with the generally ridiculous blade sizes of kidvid fantasy. They're just more fun when they're stupidly huge.

Is "Sword of Eons" too on the nose?

[eeriepromis]

LADS | SURVEY SUGGESTIONS

Feel free to pick and choose from these suggestions and copy & paste them into your in-game surveys. These are ideas a few girlies and I gathered, and I've restructured and condensed them into categories.

✦ GENERAL GAMEPLAY & EVENTS

Please increase permanent mini-game options to diversify gameplay beyond Kitty Cards and Claw Machine. A “My Room” or “Co-op Mode” (for mini-games or Orbit battles) would be amazing.

Add more long-term goals to Abyssal Chaos. Reset the reward track monthly so rewards can be re-earned. This would make it a consistent and reliable resource instead of a dead-end system.

Banner durations are too short. 7–10 days is not enough time to plan pulls or save. Please extend banners to 2–3 weeks like other gacha games.

Stop oversaturating multi-banners. Too many banners per month is overwhelming and discouraging for both F2P and spenders.

✦ RESOURCES & BALANCING

Add more consistent ways to earn diamonds, especially for endgame players. Increase rewards for Orbits, Abyssal Chaos, Bounty Hunts, and 5★ Memory upgrades. Plus better rewards for higher Orbit levels.

Improve drop rates for plushies (especially shiny & wanderer) and Bottle of Wishes/Crystals from Stage 9 Bounty Hunts. SSR bottles should also be obtainable on the last stage.

Allow trading in duplicate plushies (e.g. with friends) or refreshing plushie placement in Claw Machine.

Add pity system to Galaxy Explorer. The randomness makes ranking up 4★ cards frustrating.

Add more affinity-based rewards (Heartfelt Gift frequency, better poses for Rafayel and Sylus).

A way to initiate calls and video calls with the male leads.

Make Illusio permanent/bring it back with the ability to change MC's outfit too.

✦ CHARACTER & STORY CONTENT

Please give Sylus and Caleb more content to match the card counts, anecdotes, and bonds of Zayne/Xavier/Rafayel.

Release main story updates more regularly and provide a roadmap of upcoming content.

Let us decorate and use our own home as a meeting place with LIs, instead of being limited to the café.

Let us choose backgrounds like LI’s homes in the Café based on affinity.

Please include more voiced lines for the female lead. We would love to hear her voice more frequently, especially in 5-star memories and events. Also, please give us the option to mute her voice if desired.

Add bond scene choices (accept/decline date offers from LIs) and more romantic poses for underrepresented LIs.

✦ CUSTOMIZATION & UI QUALITY OF LIFE

Allow MC’s custom avatar to appear in battle, story, and mini-games. Currently the black-haired default breaks immersion.

Include a feature to turn back time inside a memory scene.

Add more customization options: curly hair, more skin tones, eye/hair color wheel, voice toggle in cutscenes.

Add wardrobe lock for outfits and accessories.

Include more outfits and poses in the chocolate shop (especially past banner content).

Increase the MC’s memory/photo showcase limit on profile beyond 6.

✦ TECHNICAL IMPROVEMENTS & ACCESSIBILITY

Game storage size is getting too large. Please optimize file size and fix long loading times and lag since 3.0.

Please address bugs more consistently. Many issues are reported after major updates and go unacknowledged.

Increase daily stamina cap (standard + Aurum Pass), or allow catch-up collection for missed Aurum rewards.

Make missed event shop items (e.g., BGM, stickers) available during reruns for newer players. Bring back the special store events that accompanied previous reruns.

Add landscape mode during kindles.

Make the pause button and photo button available in the Spring Banner memories especially. MC’s phone overlay is blocking them.

Allow claiming past daily stamina / Aurum rewards retroactively.

Adjust the lighting in animated scenes to properly represent Black characters and people of color.

Utilize crit rate for probability of DMG than RNG. (e.g. 100% crit rate should crit all the time)

We want to be able to see our MC's face clearly

PC Version of the game, because it will just keep growing and take more storage space. (Include better graphics and landscape mode for PC)

Controller Support

Settings for reducing motion sickness

Communicate how much GB free space a new update is going to require.

✦ COMMUNITY & ENGAGEMENT

Add a Golden Saucer-style area (Final Fantasy) where we can enjoy fun, live events and minigame challenges with other players.

Introduce a pseudo-open world area with major key locations where players can run around as their MC, meet LIs or friends, and play mini-games together.

Start regular Q&A or dev notes to engage with player feedback more transparently.

Let us gift premium items (Aurum Pass, Heartfelt Promise) to friends.

Add options for player-to-player interaction: co-op mini-games, voice chat links, or room visits.

The pity seems to get harder, increase the probability of soft pity.

[misscammiedawn]

Ange Ushiromiya's Recontextualized Memory and Unprocessed Trauma in Umineko No Naku Kori Ni

CW: Full spoilers for Umineko, a mystery visual novel game which is best enjoyed without knowing spoilers in advance. The game and thus this essay will feature discussion of child abuse and suicide.

For those unfamiliar with my blog I have a tag called Media, Myself and I where I talk about positive/accurate representation of dissociative disorders in media.

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Today I want to talk about Umineko No Naku Kori Ni the third and fourth titles in 07th Expansion's "When They Cry" franchise. The game is a multi-layered fiction that starts off as an Agatha Christie inspired closed circle murder mystery taking place during the weekend of October 4th 1986. The murder mystery displayed has no more than 18 humans stranded on an island in the middle of a storm and the audience is invited to try to work out the mystery of what happened.

As the story progresses the audience are presented with a number of different possibilities, each an in-universe attempt to rationalize the tragedy that took place and killed all but two members of the Ushiromiya family.

It is eventually revealed that to the eyes of the world, no more than 18 humans were on the island that weekend and only one returned to their life afterwards. Some in the world have been quite focused on working out what happened during that weekend.

It's a complicated narrative that has multiple layers and each layer communicates not only with the audience reading the game but an audience of people in-universe trying to solve the mystery as well. When we first experienced the game we had joked that it was sold to us as Anime Homestuck but it ended up being Anime House of Leaves.

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The easiest way to describe the narrative structure is that the first 7 episodes of the game, each containing about 20 hours of narrative, have within them a fictionalized version of events written in-universe by people who may or may not have been present at the event with episode 8 is mostly its own thing. To explain in further detail would distract. The point is Umineko is a complicated narrative and there is too much to cover a play-by-play.

The narrative is intentionally convoluted and contradictory with part of the fun of playing the game being to work out what events are true and what the rules are for discerning "magic" from "truth".

Even with a concept as seemingly opaque as Truth, there is the often quoted "Without love it cannot be seen" motif, that our emotional connection to events will always color how we interpret events.

The story is remarkably long. How Long To Beat puts each half of the game up at about 60 hours. So that's 120 hours of pure reading with very little gameplay.

There are multiple plural characters ("Oh, I am one yet many", indeed) and we shall discuss them in due course, but for clarity I wish to focus my discussion today upon the relationship between a survivor and their histories. The novel has much to say on the topic.

The above image discussing the nature of truth is from Episode 4, the chapter where the protagonist is Ange Ushiromiya. Younger sister of the protagonist of the first Episodes, Battler Ushiromiya.

Ange, 6 years old at the time, was sick on the weekend of October 4th 1986 and was not present on the island for the massacre. One weekend she had a full and lively family and then in the span of a single week everyone she had a connection to was killed in unknowable circumstances, she was whisked away to live with her aunt, the sole survivor of the tragedy, and would live the life of a cursed child, forever haunted by the tragedy that stole away her life.

Ange's story takes place in "The World of 1998" where she seeks The Truth. She states multiple times how she is incapable of going on with her life until she knows The Truth.

The events of 1986 are presented via "forgeries", published stories which tell the story of the 1986 tragedy utilizing facts that are known about the family. Ange pours through them, attempting to uncover the truth. She suspects her aunt may be responsible. Why wouldn't she harbor suspicions? Aunt Eva was the only one of the no more than 18 humans to leave the island and became the sole inheritor of the Ushiromiya family fortune.

Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is formed when an individual endures long-lasting and repeated bouts of ongoing trauma, typically in childhood. Survivors often find themselves caught in an inescapable cycle of grieving that lasts months and years beyond the loss and remains fresh and raw in spite of the time and changes that have occurred since the event. The individual is tethered to the past by an inability to move on from their loss. In psychology this is referred to as Complicated Grief and though it is most commonly discussed with death, it can present itself for grieving lost time, stolen youth and lives unlived.

Ange is riddled with Complicated Grief. Her story takes place 12 years after the events on the island of Rokkenjima and yet she constantly tells those around her that she is unable to live without knowing the truth. Ange's unprocessed grief is unearthed when her aunt, the only survivor of the massacre, passes away while maliciously refusing to give Ange any insight into the truth that she alone knew, twisting the knife as she turned over the family fortune to a child that was not her own beloved George.

Ange's sole reason for existing is to make peace with the tragedy of her past and Eva's final act was to tell her she would never have it and would instead live a cursed life of a victim in the public's eye. Eternally scrutinized and criticized.

Ange, now knowing that the only chance she had to be given the truth and still feeling that she needs it in order to live her life, runs away and starts a journey to either make peace with her tortured past or end her own life.

Ange's suicidal tendencies are played up dramatically and much of the final episode is the conflict between Ange's inability to live with her grief being played out in hyperbolic fiction. The stakes of the story amounting to "will she be able to live after learning The Truth."

But what is Truth? Would learning who is responsible for her family's death truly give her peace or would it only serve to trap her further in her endless cycle of grief?

Trauma therapy tends not to focus on Talk Therapy for the most part as such therapy indulges a survivor to dwell on their unprocessed traumas and will only serve to retraumatize the client. In many cases it is detrimental to perform Motivational Interviewing (reflective statements designed to display to a client that the clinician is listening and interpreting their words without offering direct guidance or intervention) or Rogerian "person centered" (a similar tactic designed to keep a client talking without engaging in a back-and-forth, every reply should be a prompt that inspires the client to continue sharing without boundaries and reach their own conclusions) techniques.

The reason why is that these forms of therapy have a belief that "the client holds all of the answers" and the clinician's job is to let the client get out of their own way and walk towards the answer. It is a solutions based therapy where the client is trusted to clear cognitive distortions and navigate around mental blocks between themselves and what they need.

Ange's stated goals are far from healthy.

In survivors their Core Beliefs are informed by their trauma. Those who were raised in a house of neglect may have an unresolved core belief that they are unworthy of love, those who feel shame and guilt for what happened/how they were treated may have a belief that "I should have..." - A helpful list of common negative core beliefs and positive beliefs that can be instilled, click here.

Trauma therapy contains an element of identifying these beliefs and where they originated and working to overcome them. There are many different therapies in the world that attempt to do this but they all include some element of processing trauma, accepting trauma and committing to the future.

In Ange's case she does not need to know what happened in order to live. She has to accept what happened and live.

To make this clear, should Ange learn what is presented to be The Truth it will break her and she will be unable to accept it and in doing so ends up unable to live.

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All of this is a prologue to talk about acceptance and our emotional connection to memory.

Prior to Eva's death, Ange was raised in a boarding school where she was ruthlessly bullied by the other students. Both Ange and her aunt are in the public eye for the scandal associated with the Rokkenjima massacre and Eva actively despises Ange and refuses to give her the care, nurture and privilege that the other students of the rich academy enjoy.

She lives a lonely and cursed life. Her one solace is getting to find time alone to sit and read her cousin Maria's "Grimoire", her journal. When she reads the journal she can clearly picture her cousin in her mind and interact with her. A form of "magic" that Maria taught Ange back when the two of them were friends, prior to the massacre in which Maria lost her life. In the past Maria had created a magical society called Mariage Sorciere and Ange was one of the members before being excommunicated.

We'll discuss it further in a while however while introducing Maria I wish to note that she was most likely forming a dissociative disorder prior to the massacre. The series writer Ryukishi07 was a social worker prior to his career in visual novels. He does a remarkably good job of displaying how abusive and neglectful family dynamics can impact a young mind. Maria, despite being 9 years old, has speech patterns linked to an infant's maturity, she often switches into a "witch" persona and she will hold up her stuffed animals and voice out their speech, treating them like separate individuals. She is bullied at school and her mother hits her when she does this but she is incapable of acting any other way. It's who she is.

A small portion of the second chapter even having some of the cousins stop to discuss the possibility that her overactive imagination and play-acting may contain elements of dissociative identity disorder. It's never fully confirmed and she dies at age 9, but Ryukishi07 displays a convincing depiction of extreme childhood neglect that would lead to a severe dissociative disorder had she have grown up.

We learn throughout the story that her journal contains sketches of many magical entities impressed upon the servants of the island and toys that Maria has. These entities becoming the magical cast of the "Gameboard".

Though not the focus of this particular essay, each episode of the game is depicted as a chess match between a game master (representing the author of a murder mystery) and an opponent (representing the reader trying to solve the mystery) and these matches take place in a world of purgatory. This world is populated by a magical cast of characters each of whom is paired with a member of the mundane cast on the island.

The game often repeats that it takes "two to create a universe". There needs to be one to imagine it and one to perceive it and mark it as real. This is displayed on the gameboard but it is also displayed with the way that for every imagined character who exists as part of the magical cast, there is the one who imagines and then there is one who their imagination is displayed onto.

Maria is a child of extreme neglect, as we will discuss soon, she had no one to displace her imagination upon (spare for her mother who she imagined as being possessed by an evil witch when she became violently abusive) and so she imbued life into her toys. Bringing Sakutarou, her stuffed lion doll, and her band of toy rabbits to life. This earned her the title "Witch of origins".

The magic in the game's universe operates on a rule that "it takes two to create a universe" logic. The concepts of Magic and Love being intertwined. "Without love it cannot be seen" has many meanings but in terms of creation it means that anyone can apply "the anti-magic toxin" of mistrust/disbelief by simply rejecting another person's reality.

So much of the magic and love in this world is built on trust and being able to believe in that which is shared. The concept is explored from many angles throughout the game, Episode 6 focusing on love in the form of trust between a writer and a reader and the contract between them requiring a murder mystery to be solvable and for a reader to earnestly engage with the fiction and accept it as it is written.

Within Mariage Sorciere, this love is to accept that the characters and imaginings of its members. To be a member is to accept all as it is presented. Sakutarou is a magical lion boy who speaks. To doubt this is to be excommunicated from the order, which is why Ange was kicked out of the witches alliance. To say Sakutarou wasn't real was tantamount to trying to kill him.

Maria's love is without doubt. In Episode 7 we learn that she is not capable of viewing people as anything more than how they present to the world. Her imagination paints how she perceives the world. When her mother's behavior drastically shifts when she enters a violent and abusive rage she firmly believes that her mother has been possessed by a cruel witch.

When a familiar adult approaches her speaking as the Golden Witch Beatrice, she does not see the adult. She only sees Beato. This is vital to her testimony throughout the game regarding the murder mysteries.

One last thing I wish to go over during this analysis of Ange and Maria and their relationship to their traumatic childhoods. That is the title of witch.

By now I hope it's been made clear that magic is imagination and love is trust. Whether it be testimony being believed, the contract between author and reader or the inner reality of one being seen and regarded and acknowledged by another.

As someone with DID, I like this concept a lot. It would be so easy to simply dismiss our condition and the presentations. But with love it can be seen.

The game shows a number of different types of witch. From the witch of origins who can make new imaginings that do not require another person to validate them to the Golden witch who has enough money to make reality via sheer financial coercion or the witch of truth who can make reality by asserting it to be so or witch of resurrection who can keep those who died alive in their memory.

Each witch is using their magical ability to "create" by taking their imagination and moving it out into the world. The Witch of Truth is a detective whose deductions are believed to be fact even if the accused disagrees. The Golden Witch can take any scheme or desire and pay people to make it a reality.

And Ange, the Witch of Resurrections, can bring back the dead by remembering them and keeping their voices in her heart. They live on in her writing. In her words. In her memory. So when she reads Maria's journal she can bring the Maria of 1986 into the world of 1998. When she reads of Maria's magical companions they can accompany her.

With this context, we return to Ange in her teen years.

Lonely and consumed by grief she is only able to find solace in imagining Maria with her, imagining Maria having forgiven her for saying Sakutarou wasn't real.

As she accepts the role of apprentice witch she is allowed to perceive Maria and her menagerie of imaginary friends.

Though there's a certain amount of strain and physical discomfort in maintaining the thought process of so many at once. Maria is able to do it remarkably easy but Ange has to struggle.

It's okay, Ange, dissociation headaches are an absolute bitch. They get better after a certain amount of stabilizing and communication work.

All the while she reads about Maria's home life.

To break the essay structure and be real for a moment. This segment hit me hard. I choked up crying and needed to take a break from the game for a while. The depiction of child neglect and abuse was too real and I feel it serves the fiction to depict it as such but it is a hard read. Please be kind to yourself as you read on.

Rosa Ushiromiya is the youngest of the Ushiromiya children, furthest from the inheritance and least respected of Kinzo's progeny. She likely suffered a large amount of abuse and neglect in her own childhood both physical from the eldest sibling, Kraus, emotional/psychological from her sister Eva and a combination of both from her other brother Rudolf.

Children raised in abusive households are more likely to develop personality disorders born from attachment trauma. A typical display of this is dichotomous thinking, praising and devaluing the same subject in waves based on stimulus. Within Borderline Personality Disorder, for instance, this is where the concept of Splitting and Black and White Thinking come from.

For Rosa, this manifests with her mood swings that have her violently scream and hit her daughter before lavishing her with apologies, affection and attention.

Every character in Umineko is burdened with a painful past. Each character feels the need to displace that pain outwards and project it onto other people. For instance Rosa displaces her pain onto Maria. Both of Ange's aunts displace theirs onto her. Kyrie displaces hers onto Battler.

Generational trauma is a heavy theme of this game.

Rosa makes her way as the head of a small fashion design label though she does not see a lot of success in her role. Early in adulthood she had a relationship that ended with her pregnant with Maria. Maria's father, upon learning of the pregnancy, left.

Rosa is young, lonely and feels that having a child makes it difficult for her to find love; in the time and culture of 1980s Japan being a single mother was seen as shameful. She finds that the best way she is able to date is to act like she does not have a daughter and take extended vacations across the country on weekends with her dates.

Leaving her daughter home alone.

Rosa has a number of hang-ups about the optics of leaving Maria in someone else's care, she is shown on multiple occasions in the story to fly into a rage when her ability to be a parent is put into question and she has massive cognitive dissonance in that she cannot bare to be seen as a bad mother and so she acts like a horrible mother to avoid looking bad.

I have seen a lot of debate on the logic here and first off, anyone who approaches this story with a view of "it does not make sense that a character acted this way" lacks the Love required to enjoy this story in full. The author enters a firm agreement with the audience to work within the confines of the fiction and not to disrespect the fiction by rejecting that which is offered. He will deceive us but never lie. In that we have to believe in the story.

But it's also a sign of those who have grown up with a proud optics obsessed parent and those who did not. Sad to say, I have experienced a few of the things which happen in this chapter and I have no doubt that Ryukishi07 saw some of it in his social worker career.

When Rosa leaves Maria alone at home, for days at a time, she orders her to never make anyone aware of her situation. More important than anything else never speak to the police about what goes on in this house.

That. I have lived that one.

What Ange reads and what Maria shows us in this episode is a weekend where Maria is home alone, her mother having forgotten a promise that was made to her and Maria is locked out of her house. She spends an entire evening searching for the lost key and eventually needs to seek a friendly store worker who recognizes her to get help.

This leads to police intervention, a social worker showing up at Rosa's house and...

I glossed over a lot. This is a dense book and this story takes up much of Episode 4. Suffice to say, Maria's friend Sakutarou was murdered in retaliation for Maria summoning attention of Rosa's bad parenting. Rosa abandoned her daughter for a full weekend after breaking a promise and when she was locked out and defenseless she asked for help and was violently punished for doing so.

Another function of the witch of origins is the ability to break the cycle of generational abuse. She does not take her pain and push it into someone else, she creates an imagined evil mother to hate and fear while continuing to love her 'real' mother. This way she never has to doubt the love she has for the mother who she has happy memories of and who custom crafted a lovely plush lion just for her.

Which leads to the discussion of trauma, memory and processing.

Ange, upon reading this story is crestfallen. She views Maria as a pitiable child, only to be confronted by MARIA who defends Rosa. Arguing that she legitimately forgot her promise, rather than deciding that her daughter was not worth the time or effort.

She claims constantly that Rosa is a good mother and that she is happy.

Maria, a being who can only view the world with love, despite being abused and hurt; chose to be happy and so through her magic it was so. She was happy.

There's a misconception I have seen and I will admit I held for myself upon reading Episode 4 that Maria was preaching to deceive ones own self in order to be happy. That it was enabling and accepting of her own abuse.

But this is actually one of the deepest things Umineko has to say about generational trauma...

Chapter 8 revisits the idea with a version of the gameboard where the Ange of 1986 is allowed to be on the island, something which was impossible because in truth she was not. Not even the witch of miracles could change that which is certain.

In this game, set by Ange's older brother BATTLER, the 6 year old Ange is treated to a fun halloween party with her aunt Eva run by her loving family. Throughout the entire story Grandfather Kinzo was made out to be the source of all evil and in this episode he is displayed as a kind and loving grandfather.

The entire reason I wanted to write this post and include it in my Media, Myself and I series (in lieu of discussing the overt plurality in the game, even) was due to a conversation Ange has with Battler about this deception.

Source: LP Archives - The full conversation can be found on this page for anyone who wants the full breakdown.

The entire story of Umineko is a struggle for those who experienced horrors to be able to come to terms with their memories and process them. This is true for Ange, it is true for Maria and it is true for the other members of the cast also.

Memory is malleable and uncertain and can and does become distorted due to understandings and contexts gained at a later stage, particularly when bias is in play.

For a graphic of how this works please look at this:

Source

The more a memory is reactivated the more it is eroded of its initial context and additional contexts bleed in. For Ange's circumstance she remembers her parents through the lens of knowing that her father was embroiled in legal troubles from his womanizing behavior. It is unlikely a 6 year old Ange remembers Rudolf in this light but her view of her father is painted through this lens and thus when she retrieves these memories the present context forces itself into the past.

This is just how the human mind works.

EMDR and other trauma treatments are focused on hijacking this system. When a traumatic memory plays out the amygdala processes the emotions and sense of danger which activates the nervous system. This process does not even require a conscious recollection; should a trauma memory be associated with a certain scent the nervous system will activate upon smelling it even if the survivor does not recall the event attached to the stimulus, the amygdala most certainly does.

I have spent too much of my life considering which of our memories had lavender scenting…

For EMDR the process involves retrieving the traumatic memory without allowing the client to reexperience it while ensuring they do so within the context of the present while highlighting safety and security. This allows the memory to be filtered through without the activating the nervous system. In some therapies this can be a process of re-parenting in which the emotional absence is provided either by the self or via a proxy. The idea is to allow the memory to break association with the trauma and be decontextualize until the memory no longer has negative associations.

Where I had assumed Maria's choice to be happy and think the best of her abuser was an act of enabling and self-deception, I now see was an attempt to stop dwelling on the negatives of the situation and allowing the past trauma to become a defining point within the present.

Maria cannot choose what happened to her. She can choose how she intends to live with what happened with her. She cannot know for certain what Rosa's motivation was in her actions. In fact as we go through the game the audience comes to be given some sympathetic information which though can never redeem Rosa's terrible parenting, can allow one inclined to feel sympathy for her. Like everyone else in the game, she's a victim too. Quite literally in 1986.

There's no way of knowing if she maliciously lied to her child and went off on vacation abandoning her or if she legitimately forgot her promise. No one is arguing that what Rosa did was forgivable. But it helps Maria continue living a happy existence knowing that she was loved and that the good memories she has of her mother are true, even if the bad ones are also true.

Maria, filled with love as she is, elected to see The Good Mommy and The Bad Mommy. Is this right or wrong? It's unimportant. What matters is if Maria can be happy.

Sakutarou was a stuffed lion said to be handcrafted by Rosa. Given as a gift and beloved above all things for Maria. When Rosa destroyed the Sakutarou doll the lion cub boy died and could not be resurrected by Beatrice because it was a unique item created by Rosa.

In Chapter 4's conclusion, Ange does the impossible and resurrects Sakutarou. She does this because Sakutarou was never a custom made doll crafed with love. He was a mass produced toy sold in travel gift stores that Rosa happened to pick up on her way home. She lied. Ange never tells Maria this. The miracle of Sakutarou's rebirth is enough. Knowing that the beloved handmade toy was not hand-crafted would not make Maria's life any better. Sometimes believing in magic is the best thing for someone living in a world painted by despair.

Funny that Ange understood that much for Maria and yet still sought after the One Truth up until the very end.

The finale of the game comes down to presenting this option to the player and by proxy Ange herself.

In a world where you cannot change the past and you cannot fully accept what happened, is it better to continue digging up the past and re-experiencing the trauma in hopes that there lays a truth that will make it all finally make sense or to try to make peace with the past and find moments of peace to hold onto. Holding to hate and pain only serves to bring the pain of the past into the present.

Ange, the witch of resurrection, has the ability to keep her family with her long after their death. Should she be haunted by the family that she was deprived or be happy for the limited memories she had and not be tethered to a world of the past she could never have possibly been part of.

Healing in Umineko is accepting love and making peace with loss. It is learning to live unburdened by tragedy and do the best with what was done to us.

If we cannot let go then we'll continue living in the world of the past turning over the events over and over trying to make sense of it and even if we are somehow granted the magical context, the one and only shining truth... it will only serve to make things worse. You can keep the past alive without letting the past control your future.

And Umineko does a remarkably good job of showing that.

-

Gosh... that took far longer than I'd hoped. Umineko is a difficult piece of fiction to type about because so much of it is subjective and hard to present to a broad audience without providing ample context.

I'd hoped to talk about Yasu's DID but I suppose that shall have to await another update. My original draft for this discussion was to discuss the different forms of dissociative amnesia with Ange's story serving as an example of how recontextualizing memory works. I may yet go back and do a full amnesia based ramble in the coming months. I just needed to get at least one aspect of Umineko drafted as it's been living rent free in my brain since December.

If you enjoyed this breakdown and found it interesting, please check out some of my other Media, Myself and I essays.

Derealization in Night in the Woods and Metal gear Solid 2 - Describing the sensation of derealization where the brain stops connecting associations between the self and the things one perceives in their surroundings. One example displaying how this impacts a person living with DPDR and the other showing an example of a game attempting to make a player share the experience with the player character.

DID and the healing process in Mr. Robot - A run down of the experiences of discovery, exploration, rejection and healing within DID as displayed in each season of Mr. Robot, along with a disappointed rundown of why the final episode fumbled the ball.

Bruce Banner and the roles of his alters - A breakdown of the formation of The Incredible Hulk's DID and what roles his many alters play.

Romantic relationships with systems - A look at the marriage between Bruce Banner and Betty Talbot-Ross Banner in Hulk comics and a frank discussion between Betty and one of Bruce's alters about how relationships function in a system.

Personality Play in Penlight - A review of one of the routes for a hypnokink visual novel called Penlight in which the protagonist hypnotizes a woman to have an alter personality, along with some descriptions of how dangerous play like that works in real life and what the consequences could be.

[olderthannetfic]

https://www.tumblr.com/olderthannetfic/768602942216552448/the-fans-of-charactership-are-a-literal-cult?source=share Idk, i'm usually on board with how people need to stop misusing words like "gaslighting" and "grooming" in ways that dilute their true meaning, but the overly expansive use of "cult" shot the moon a long time ago. It predates the internet. It's even long been a joke in religious studies circles that religions are just cults plus time. We have widely-used terms like "cult classic" and "cargo cult" that have very little to do with "cults" in the vein of Jonestown or Heaven's Gate, the classic super-high-control mass suicide types of cults, not to mention something still clearly cultish but a level down from those like Scientology. Even the specific horrifying things they did - "drink the koolaid" for instance - have become colloquialisms. And despite this, I just don't think there's really a cultural problem with people confusing everyday cliques with the Branch Davidians. There's a pretty good book called "Cultish" by Amanda Montell that makes a good argument for why identifying broader "cultish" behaviors, ways of thinking, and rhetoric is useful even when it's not specifically a classic "cult" doing it - but something that has aspects of what makes cults bad. Think multi-level marketing schemes, for instance, or online hate movements like TERFs or the alt-right or MRAs. And I would say a lot of "anti" culture, and some specific insular fandom communities I've seen that featured overly controlling mods, or abusive community norms you can't question, headcanons that were treated like strict dogma everyone must adhere to, etc. are good examples of the utility of that. Something doesn't have to be a full-blown "cult" for it to have some parts of what makes cults harmful, and it to be useful to see that and identify it and therefore identify the group/person as harmful. (or even just specific elements of it as harmful, because sometimes overall benign groups adopt one or two harmful practices.) Like I remember my friend told me about leaving a fandom Discord server that was full of white people except for one POC who was also like the "head" of the group and people worshiped her as their anti-racism fandom guru, and anyone who ever questioned anything she said had to deal with the entire rest of the server coming down on them like the wrath of God. And that she used this position to constantly harangue people for minor things, for which they were expected to do public performative apologies in front of the whole server. I could tell my most offline, fandom-ignorant friend or family member about that and I know exactly what they would compare it to, and that is a cult! And there's a reason for that! That high-control stuff is messed up even when the goal isn't mass suicide. Personally, I've never seen like an entire ship's fandom be a cult, but I could definitely buy like a particular clique dedicated to it being cultish. But unless it's some super cracky rarepair that no one else would think of other than this little group that is desperate to speak it into existence, there are usually normie disconnected people shipping whatever it is, too. That would be the point I would make before "fandom groups can never be like cults."

--

Fandom has spawned multiple full on cults, but I don't think any were the majority of shippers of some particular thing.

[is-the-battlemech-cool-or-not]

Verlangen (pistol)

Type: Semi-automatic heavy pistol

Place of origin: Merdengard, Lyran Commonwealth

Designer: ???

Designed: c. ???

Manufacturer: Custom / One-off

Produced: 1 unit

Users: Dieter Marten-Steiner

Overview: Verlangen is a custom-engineered heavy handgun designed as a personal sidearm for Dieter Marten-Steiner of the Merdengard-based Marten-Steiner family. It combines elements from both revolver and semi-automatic pistol designs and is optimized for armor penetration and high stopping power.

Feeding system: An 8-round detachable magazine feeding a dual-chambered rotary cylinder.

Action: The weapon utilizes a toggle-lock action similar to the ancient Luger P08. Upon firing, the toggle-lock actuates under recoil, extracting and ejecting spent casings while the rest of the action cycles the next round into place.

Recoil System: Recoil is partially mitigated through a multi-port muzzle brake and an internal magnetorheological balanced recoil system.

Materials: The main frame is machined from a titanium-vanadium alloy for strength and thermal resistance. The grips are made from inlaid wood, reinforced internally for durability. Despite its complexity, Verlangen is designed for field reliability under limited conditions, with the assumption of regular expert maintenance.

Caliber: .46 (11.68 mm)

Case Length: 46 mm

Bullet Mass: 23 grams

Muzzle Velocity: ~945–975 m/s

Muzzle Energy: ~4,100 joules

Chamber Pressure: up to 65,000 psi

Feed System: 8-round detachable box magazine

Ammunition: Verlangen fires a proprietary cartridge, combining a polymer-metal foam hybrid casing with an armor-piercing high-explosive hollow-point (APHE-HP) projectile. The standard projectiles, all being fully custom-manufactured, are designed to achieve penetration against high-grade personal and light vehicle armor, while also ensuring devastating performance against soft targets. The standard projectile combines a "Clan copper" expanding jacket with a sub-caliber armor-piercing explosive penetrator fused to detonate several micro-seconds post-impact. In organic targets, detonation often occurs after jacket expansion is complete.

Appearance and Finish: Verlangen is highly customized. It features hand-engraved, platinum/germanium-filigree inlay detailing along the frame, including the Marten-Steiner family crest. The grips are made from the bark of Merdengard's native Bluteispflaume tree, engraved and lacquered, secured with custom-forged grip screws.

[germanpostwarmodern]

In view of the irreversible advent of electric vehicles filling stations face an uncertain future: for more than a century they have woven themselves into the urban fabric, underwent changes in terms of size, design and utility and occupy prominent, conveniently located sites. Accordingly their future has to be evaluated and their potential re-use, adaptation or transformation needs to be discussed. For or a critical discussion of filling stations and their future the creation of inventories and types is a prerequisite and serves as inevitable point of departure. The EAST - Laboratory of Elementary Architecture and

Studies of Types of EPFL Lausanne followed this approach in their survey of Lausanne filling stations, research that has recently been published by Triest Verlag in the present volume „Filling Stations - Studies on Types“.

But before the book gets to the local examples of filling stations the researchers around Anja and Martin Fröhlich dig deep into the history of filling stations and provide a summary of the historical development of this building type, beginning with the petrol pump and ending with contemporary combinations of canopied petrol pumps and separate convenience store. This development history is illustrated by a large number of examples that demonstrate the gradual stylistic decline of the filling station into a simple bearer of corporate identities. Interestingly, the EAST’s perspective on the filling station doesn’t focus on the building alone but also includes the global petroleumscape and thus offers a comprehensive overview of the multi-layered production of space in the name of petrol.

A very interesting concrete example for the repurposing of a filling station featured is Carmody Groarke’s „The Filling Station“ restaurant in London that reused the existing structure and reimagined the building’s relationship with the surroundings. In line with the latter the architects shielded the canopied space off from the street and opened it towards the adjacent canal in an act of scenic change.

The book ends with the examination of 22 filling stations in the Lausanne region that takes into account not only the station alone but also the urban context as well as adjacent buildings and programs, important information for the evaluation of the future potential of a particular structure. It is this potential that is of pivotal importance in the EAST’s research and opens creative perspectives on a building type that needn’t disappear but offers considerable adaptive potential.

[cliperry]

Here is the full, accurate translation, keeping it as close as possible to the original Japanese text:

ONE DIRECTION in JAPAN!!

February 21 – March 4, 2015

“We Love Japan!”

Tracking the members’ activities on Twitter & Instagram

Liam: "So different here."

Niall: "Driving in Osaka today and seeing our faces on the Docomo posters was the craziest feeling! Surreal!"

That excitement is back—JAPAN!!!

Complete Report on the Japan Tour

90 Minutes of Heat, Excitement, and Emotion REPORT: YUKO KATO | PHOTO BY KAZUKI WATANABE

Kyocera Dome, Osaka

One Direction’s (hereinafter referred to as 1D) concerts continue to evolve. From the first time I saw them in a theater in Auckland two and a half years ago, to now, they have grown so much, and the anticipation only keeps building.

After passing through AEON Mall Osaka Dome City, where nearly every single person seemed to be a 1D fan, I arrived at Kyocera Dome.

I was lucky enough to get a shockingly good seat—so good, I almost felt guilty. Most people around me were industry professionals, like record label executives and social media staff.

The dome’s stage was huge, fully utilizing the massive venue. The backdrop featured a giant screen, and the multi-level stage design had ramps and platforms, allowing the members to move freely.

A long runway extended into the arena, leading to a sub-stage, bringing the boys closer to fans seated far from the main stage. Even fans in the second and third levels could get a good view.

This stage layout was similar to their last tour in Boston, with few major changes in visuals. However, for most of the audience, this was their first time seeing 1D live, so to them, everything was new and thrilling.

The Concert Begins!

At 7:40 PM, the pre-show visuals—a mix of fun videos and colorful lighting—built excitement. The top of the set opened, and one by one, the members appeared.

The opening song? "Clouds."

And the first person to shout "OSAKA~!"? Harry Styles.

Outfits & Stage Presence

Harry’s outfit featured bold prints, a rare style for men, but of course, Harry pulled it off effortlessly. His face, shown in close-up on the big screen, looked intensely captivating.

(I know writing things like this makes people call me a “Harry fan,” but oh well!)

Niall Horan entered playing his guitar.

One thing that became very clear? Niall's overwhelming popularity.

Some fans wore Niall masks

Others held up signs with his name

Is it because he’s the only single member of the group?

That said, most 1D fans love the group as a whole, rather than just one member.

As usual, the five of them spread out across the wide stage, ensuring that every fan could see them.

When Harry blew a kiss to the audience, screams erupted throughout the arena. (He did this in every venue, and it suits him so well!)

Highlights from the Setlist & Member Interactions

"Steal My Girl" →

Before starting, Liam greeted the audience in Japanese: "Konnichiwa, Osaka~!"

The big screen zoomed in on fans, and Niall swapped his guitar for a mic, skipping down the runway playfully.

Harry shouted: "Osaka, I love youuuu!" "Nice to meet you!" "Ganbarimasu!" (I'll do my best!)

"Midnight Memories" →

Huge sing-along during the chorus

Harry hyped up the crowd

"Kiss You" →

The boys waved and walked down the runway to the sub-stage

Louis Tomlinson took over MC duties, praising Japan

"Little Things" →

Fans instinctively turned on their phone lights, creating a beautiful wave of lights

One of the most intimate moments of the night

"Night Changes" →

Zayn Malik’s voice was especially mesmerizing, sending chills through the arena

Many fans were in tears

Encore: "Best Song Ever" →

The entire stadium exploded with energy

The perfect closing song

SETLIST - Saitama Super Arena (Feb 27th Show)

REPORT: YUKO KATO | PHOTOS: TAKASHI SEKINE

The setlist was mostly the same, with a notable change:

"Happily" (played in Osaka) was swapped for "Stockholm Syndrome" in Saitama.

Louis even joked: "Maybe this show is even better than Osaka?"

Harry was especially playful, dancing and moving more than usual, likely feeding off the Tokyo crowd’s energy.

Fans left beyond satisfied, many hoping for a DVD release.

ONE DIRECTION'S SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS FROM JAPAN

HARRY STYLES

"さいたま、がんばります!" (Saitama, I'll do my best!)

"おおさか、がんばります!" (Osaka, I'll do my best!)

"日本だいすき。" (I love Japan.)

"Thou shalt have a fishy, when the boat comes in."

"My Winding Wheel." (likely a reference to Ryan Adams' song)

NIALL HORAN

"Watching City v Newcastle in Osaka!"

"Did Stockholm Syndrome tonight for the first time! Really enjoyed it."

"Off to the gym, then heading to the stadium for one last show in Japan!"

"Japan, it was a blast! Had an amazing time. Thanks for having us!"

LIAM PAYNE

"Great show, Tokyo!"

"Really enjoyed adding Stockholm Syndrome tonight!"

"Hope you're ready for a great show, Osaka!"

LOUIS TOMLINSON

"Can't wait for tonight’s show! Always fun in Japan! BIG LOVE!!! X"

Final Thoughts

One Direction’s Japan Tour was an unforgettable experience.

Harry’s adorable attempts at speaking Japanese

Niall’s overwhelming fan love

Zayn’s mesmerizing vocals

Liam & Louis keeping the crowd engaged

With record-breaking energy, emotional performances, and a deep connection to Japanese fans, it’s no wonder the boys loved their time in Japan just as much as their fans did.

Until next time… arigatou, One Direction! 🎤💙! 😊

ID Gossip! Gossip!

Check out the latest 1D gossip from our UK correspondent!

Did Harry Get His Rumored Girlfriend’s Initials Tattooed?

Did Harry Styles get a tattoo of Victoria’s Secret model Nadine Leopold’s name? Maybe.

There have been rumors that the two are very close, and their relationship seems serious enough that Harry allegedly got her initials tattooed on a very personal place for his 21st birthday.

It’s unlikely he would visit a tattoo shop in Los Angeles, as that would attract too much unwanted attention. Instead, it's said that he had a tattoo artist come to his home to do it in private.

Since the contract with the tattoo artist was leaked, no further details have emerged.

Another rumor is that Nadine has moved closer to Harry’s place in Los Angeles.

However, she frequently travels between New York and LA for work, so no one knows for sure if they are truly living together.

One thing is certain—unless Harry himself reveals the tattoo, we may never see it.

Harry Doll Coming Soon?

A new satirical puppet show, Spitting Image, is reportedly in development, and Harry Styles will be one of the celebrities featured.

If true, expect hilarious (and possibly ruthless) parodies of Harry on British TV.

Beware: Selfie Sticks!

Selfie sticks are starting to be banned at concerts in Australia!

While One Direction’s Australian concerts were a big success, there’s a new concert rule that 1D fans should know:

Several venues have begun restricting selfie sticks due to safety concerns.

Interestingly, the ban only applies to fans, not the band themselves, which some may find unfair.

Meanwhile, Louis Tomlinson was spotted in Australia with his girlfriend Eleanor Calder, enjoying a relaxing day at Bondi Beach.

A Latin Version of 1D?

Rumors are swirling that Simon Cowell is creating a Latin version of One Direction.

The new group is said to be called “Salaam” and will have a more intense style than 1D.

However, fans are skeptical, believing no group can replace 1D.

Liam’s Side Projects

According to Marvin Humes, Liam Payne may soon collaborate with a mix of artists.

Liam has already been working on house music remixes in LA, and now he’s exploring hip-hop and other genres.

Could a solo project be in the works?

Harry × Leo?

Rumors of Harry Styles and Leonardo DiCaprio’s connection have resurfaced.

Hollywood producer Brian Grazer reportedly wants Harry to star in an upcoming project in Norway, alongside A-list actors.

Harry and Leo have known each other for a while, and speculation about them working together on a film has been around for some time.

Whether this new project will fit into 1D’s schedule remains to be seen, but Harry seems interested.

What Are the Other Members Up To?

Liam → Exploring DJ and production work

Louis → Getting involved in management and business

Zayn → Continuing his collaboration with Naughty Boy

Niall → Unclear for now, but fans are waiting to see what he does next

Stay tuned for more 1D gossip! 🎤✨

[theoutcastrogue]

8 Fancy Pocket Knives

Etched pocket knife from Eskilstuna, Sweden

Silver / mother of pearl Victorian fruit knife, England

Damascene Toledo knife, Spain

Inlaid Toledo knife, Germany

Silver-plated fruit knife, USA

Damascene Toledo knife, Spain

Etched pocket knife from Eskilstuna, Sweden

Mother of pearl pocket knife from Eskilstuna, Sweden

@victoriansword [details after the cut]

1) Swedish pocket knife by EKA (Eskilstuna Kniffabriks AB), c. 1980-2000. Model 6 GS (1967-2010), with main blade, bottle opener/screwdriver, pen blade, and nail file. Tang stamp "EKA / SWEDEN" (from 1967), etched handle, 7 cm closed.

These were very popular in the 2nd half of the 20th century as gift knives or advertising knives. They were manufactured by many cutlers in Eskilstuna, and widely exported. The decorative pattern appears, with variations, on Swedish knives from at least the 19th century, and is inspired by Norse / Viking art, which often features twisted serpents/dragons. The interlacing perhaps also borrows from Celtic knots.

2) English fruit knife by Martin Bros & Co, 1848. Silver blade with 4 hallmarks (for Queen Victoria, the year, sterling silver, and Sheffield) and maker's mark, mother of pearl scales, 9.5 cm closed.

This is the posh version of what used to be an incredibly useful tool, a knife (and sometimes a multi-tool knife and fork) for eating on the road. The fancier ones were also status symbols, and very popular gifts – millions of silver fruit knives were manufactured in Britain from the 18th to the 20th century, mostly in Sheffield, Birmingham, and Edinburgh.

3) Spanish Toledo knife, as it's sometimes called, a damascened penknife of recent manufacture. Two pen blades, tang stamp "TOLEDO", 6.7 cm closed.

Not to be confused with Damascus blades! The handle is damascened – decorated with gold inlaid into oxidized steel (see here for details). Reminder that gold is a highly ductile metal (you can stretch it real thin before it breaks), so that impressive aesthetic result comes from a tiny amount of gold. It's a cheap knife, is what I'm saying, for tourists basically.

4) German pocket knife, confusingly also called Toledo, by Hartkopf. With main blade, pen blade and nail file. Brass handle inlaid with oxidised steel. Tang stamp "Hartkopf&Co / Solingen", 8cm closed.

It's "damascened" in the broad sense of inlaying, hence the name "Toledo": it supposedly emulates the Spanish style, and perhaps pretends to be Spanish, but both the metals and the geometric patterns are different. Knives of this type were popular in Germany all through the 20th century as gifts and advertising knives.

5) American fruit knife by William Rogers Mfg, made in Hartford, Connecticut c.1865-1898. Main blade, seedpick [also called nut-pick or nut-picker *snickers*], silver-plated nickel silver, decorated with flowers and apples. Tang stamp: an anchor logo and "Wm ROGERS & SON AA", 8.2 cm closed.

Sometimes fruit knives like this were bought by fruit shops/groceries (relatively fancy ones, presumably) in bulk, and sold or given to customers as gifts.

6) Spanish Toledo penknife (another one). With pen blade and damascened handle, different pattern, probably a bit older. Tang stamp again "TOLEDO", 6.8 cm closed.

7) Swedish pocket knife by Emil Olsson, c. 1920-1950. Blade, pen blade and corkscrew. Tang stamp "EMIL OLSSON / [star logo] / ESKILSTUNA", 9.2 cm closed.

Another etched serpent pattern on the handle, though by now you have to squint to see it. This knife has seen some shit. Until ~1940, pocket knives were widely sold and used in Sweden because they came with corkscrews, and all the bottles had corks, and everyone needed to open bottles. After the war, bottle caps replaced corks for everything except wine, and the pocket knife's utility plummeted, and cutleries started closing. There used to be hundreds, and by now only EKA's left. So statistically, if it's from before ~1950 it saw a lot of use, and if it's after ~1950 it did not, it was a gift or something.

8) Swedish pocket knife by EKA, c.1935-1965. Model 38 PB, with blade, pen blade, flat screwdriver, and corkscrew. Handle with mother of pearl scales and nickel silver bolsters, tang stamp "E.K.A. / ESKILSTUNA / SWEDEN", 8.3 cm closed.

The corkscrew is a quirky one, known as Gottlieb Hammesfahr patent: it pivots on the pin and opens perpendicular to the handle, not pulled downwards as in most pocket knives.

[howlsofbloodhounds]

So I was thinking about character design with Delta and how he shares his body with a child, and how that might effect his appearance, especially as Beta and Delta get better at sharing control or giving away control.

And maybe also Delta allows them to modify the body somewhat to be able to express themself and also as a way to have some control/be able to have some proof of existence. As recommended by their therapist maybe.

Like, Beta might add vibrant and playful accessories to their shared attire. This could include items like colorful wristbands, bright shoelaces, or even fun stickers on Delta's gear.

Beta could influence the choice of clothing to include more playful elements. This might manifest as patches or badges on Delta's jackets or pants that represent Beta's interests, such as animals, favorite characters, or symbols of bravery and adventure.

Beta might personalize their shared items with small, personal touches. For instance, they could draw or embroider small designs on their clothing or equipment, adding a sense of individuality and creativity.

Since Beta is a child, they might introduce comfort items into their wardrobe, like a favorite scarf, a beanie, or even a small, soft toy that can be tucked into a pocket or backpack for a sense of security and familiarity.

While Delta's color scheme might be predominantly black and orange, Beta could influence the incorporation of more vibrant colors into their shared outfits. This could be through colorful socks, a bright undershirt, or a vividly patterned bandana.

Beta's influence could also be seen in the choice of patterns and designs on their clothing. They might prefer more whimsical and youthful patterns, such as stars, stripes, or cartoon characters, adding a lighter and more playful touch to their attire.

Given their resourcefulness, Beta might enjoy making DIY modifications to their clothing and gear. This could include painting designs on their sneakers, adding homemade friendship bracelets, or creating custom patches for their jacket.

Beta's interests and hobbies could be reflected in their shared fashion. If Beta is interested in certain games, shows, or hobbies, they might incorporate related items or symbols into their wardrobe, such as a hat with a favorite character or a shirt with a fun graphic.

I was thinking, given Delta's hyperfixations in mechanical and technological engineering, how he could incorporate various items and symbols that reflect these interests into his outfits.

Like he might wear clothing with gear, circuit, or schematic patterns. This could include shirts, jackets, or even accessories like hats and scarves featuring these designs.

He could have accessories that resemble or are made from actual tech components. For instance, a necklace made from a small gear or a circuit board, bracelets with resistor beads, or even a watch with visible mechanical parts.

Delta might wear a utility belt or tool holster that holds small tools and gadgets. This could include a mini screwdriver set, pliers, a multi-tool, or even a small soldering kit, emphasizing his readiness to tinker with things on the go.

Pins or badges with tech symbols, such as a wrench, a gear, or even a microchip, could be added to his clothing. These could be attached to his jacket, hat, or backpack.

A pair of protective goggles, either worn on his head or around his neck, would signify his readiness for mechanical work. The goggles might have a futuristic design or modifications that reflect his engineering skills.

Delta might modify his clothing and accessories to include practical tech elements. For example, a jacket with built-in LED lights, a backpack with solar panels for charging devices, or shoes with hidden compartments for small tools.

He could have clothing items that feature blueprints or diagrams of machines and devices. This could include graphic tees or hoodies with printed designs that look like detailed engineering sketches.

Delta might wear rings, bracelets, or necklaces that have mechanical elements, such as tiny moving parts, gears, or pieces of hardware like nuts and bolts.

Clothing with patches made from different materials, including fabrics that resemble or are inspired by tech components (like kevlar or mesh), could add a unique touch to his style.

Delta might prefer boots or shoes with a rugged, utilitarian design, possibly with extra pockets or compartments for storing small items or tools.

He might carry around small, portable gadgets that reflect his interests, such as a mini drone, a handheld gaming device, or a small robotic companion that he can interact with.

And like. Imagine Beta putting little doggy stickers that look like Zorox all on Delta’s utility belt and the shoes with the colorful laces and the LED light jacket maybe. Or maybe instead of a LED light jacket, Beta just put glow in the dark stars all over it.

And like. Delta needs some convincing to go outside in that, because it is distinctly not manly. But he can feel Beta’s upset, and they start crying, and he doesn’t want them to be upset so he prepares to face the embarrassment.

Only no one really notices, or if they do, they compliment him on his cool as fuck stickers or stars and dog patches.

[sugarytulips]

Technically WDL x RWBY AU??

(Part II, Continuation,)

So ik it's ONLY three characters, but at that point do I call it an AU or a timeline???

Difficult decisions, really :/

Anyways!! Yeah I actually suck at writing backstories for these fuckers bc I keep writing them out of character, I feel bad for not writing more about her in this AU but I'M TRYINGGG😭😭😭

(2/3, Skye Larsen,)

Next one up is Skye Larsen! Cold, calculative, self-serving, morally grey/sort leaning on the evil side, it's a wonder she hasn't been expelled from Beacon Academy. But she has her good moments! Well, not morally good, but... You get what I mean.

She treats her brother well enough, considering she helped treat his epilepsy early on. Despite being unsentimental, she does care for Bradley... In her own complex way.

Skye Larsen's weapon is called Kronos Array, a multi-tool sniper rifle and melee apparatus designed to match her precise and tactical combat style.

-

Primary Form: Sniper Rifle

A long-range precision rifle built for deadly accuracy.

Uses high-impact Dust rounds, which can be modified for different effects (piercing, explosive, freezing, etc.).

Features advanced targeting optics that sync with her HUD for calculated shots.

Secondary Form: Scythe-like Blade

The rifle reconfigures into a sleek, curved scythe-like melee weapon.

The blade is infused with Dust, allowing for energy-based slashes.

While Skye prefers ranged combat, she can fight up close when necessary.

Tertiary Function: Deployable Turret

Parts of the rifle detach and transform into a small automated turret.

The turret can provide covering fire or lock down an area while Skye repositions.

Can be controlled remotely for strategic placement.

Utility & Combat Style

Precision & Calculation: Skye uses Kronos Array strategically, taking advantage of her Semblance (Stasis Field) to freeze targets and line up perfect shots.

Adaptability: The combination of sniper, scythe, and turret makes her a threat at any range.

Control of the Battlefield: By using traps, precision shots, and calculated movement, she forces enemies into no-win scenarios.

∆

Her Semblance is called Stasis Field. It allows her to temporarily freeze objects or enemies in place, suspending them in time.

How It Works:

Skye can target a specific object or enemy and put them into a stasis-like state for a few seconds.

The affected target is completely frozen in place, unable to move or react.

Works on both living and non-living targets but has a limited duration.

Drawbacks & Limitations:

Precise Targeting Required: She must accurately aim at her target for the effect to work.

Limited Duration: The stasis only lasts for a few seconds, and stronger opponents can resist or break free faster.

Size Matters: Larger or stronger targets require more Aura to freeze, making it difficult to use on massive Grimm or experienced Huntsmen.

Combat Style with Stasis Field:

Perfect Sniper Kills: She freezes enemies in place, ensuring flawless headshots with Kronos Array(Ouch :'/)

Trapping Opponents: She locks enemies in stasis, setting them up for attacks from her teammates.

Tactical Control: She can stop projectiles, disrupt enemy movement, or delay threats while planning her next move.

∆∆[2/3]∆∆

[itsjunetime]

tier list of rust std modules let's go

Rationale below the break

S

clone: It’s so important. You gotta be able to clone data around, and you gotta be able to restrict that ability. Crucial

collections: I use this every-fucking-where. Gotta have my HashSet, gotta have by BTreeMap. You know it

future: Love writing futures, love constraining futures, love all of that. And I gotta have that Future trait.

iter: Literally #1 - fucking love my iterations, wish I could write literally everything as an Iterator

option: Option is so fundamental. So many helper methods on it as well, beautiful functionality

ptr: If you’ve ever written complex ffi bindings or collections replacements, you know what I mean. The documentation is phenomenal and only getting better, the provenance projects are making it even even better.

result: Same rationale as option

sync: Arc my beloved. Also channels, mutexes, RwLocks, Atomics, etc, are all so important. Can’t do anything in multi-threaded code without using at least one of them.

vec: We all love Vec. I don’t think I need to explain myself.

A

alloc: Pretty cool and good, would love to see the allocator API stablized and then this would easily be an S tier

array: Manipulating arrays is very nice and good and useful, I just don’t don’t do it enough to put this in S

boxed: Love Box! Really nice and useful. Not something you’ll use in your every-day rust app, though, you only start using it once you’re really getting into the weeds or interacting with futures outside of async/await

cell: Very important to a lot of underlying abstractions in Rust, but just not something most people will really ever use (at least in my experience)

cmp: Useful utilities. Love the way they’re integrated with the langauge operators. V cool.

convert: Also useful! Love my (Try)?(From|Into)

default: Useful sometimes, but I feel like it’s abused occasionally. Also not a fan of seeing Default::default() where someone could’ve used the type name

fs: Gotta interact with a filesystem. Just feel like most rust apps spend most of their time not interacting with a filesystem.

marker: Very important, but most people won’t be interacting with these again.

mem: Love these, very useful, but mostly only useful for specific scenarios.

ops: Hugely important as well, obviously, but most people won’t ever actually manually access this module.

slice: Love manipulating slices - getting chunks, windows

B

borrow: Love Cow, but the whole Borrow vs AsRef thing still confuses me. I understand how they’re different, but I don’t quite understand the historical and tehcnical reasons for it, and feel like there could’ve been a better solution found to avoid this.

arch: Cool and such, but rarely used and a lot of the coolest stuff (portable simd) is still experimental and I rely on it a lot for performance reasons and really want it to stabilize soon.

error: std::error::Error. Woohoo

fmt: Nifty and such. It’s just kinda boring in comparison to all the other cool language features that exist in the standard library.

io: Cool, I guess. I just rarely every use it directly, I guess. And I am also kinda annoyed that AsyncRead and AsyncWrite aren’t things but also I think that the Async variants of traits could be avoided if people wrote more libraries in the sans-io style, so idk

panic: Mmm. I’m glad that the language provides a way for you to clean up during a panic, but I am personally really annoyed that panics are, in the end, recoverable. Irks me.

path: Path and PathBuf woohoo. Also tho such a pity that this module has to be a lot more complex due to windows backwards path separator bullshit. ugh

rc: Rc. Woohoo. I don’t like Rc much personally, I’ve written a lot of code in Rust and I’ve yet to encounter a scenario where I think “This situation could be solved or even helped by an Rc!”. But I understand its uses I guess.

str and String: Useful, yeah, but I’ll always be a bit pissed that they didn’t call them String and StringBuf instead (like they did with Path and PathBuf). Causes way too much confusion to early-on rust users

task: Useful, but I don’t get why they aren’t in future instead. Like, I guess they are used for streams and such, but still.

time: Fine… I guess it’s useful for people to be able to measure elapsed durations for logging and such and easy benchmarking but I just have a natural, deep-seated fear of any computer code that tries to interact with time as a concept so I’m very leery of this.

C

any: Mmmmmm I know it’s useful but I kinda hate that dyn Any is a thing you can do. It should (hopefully) become somewhat less prevalent now that trait upcasting is stabilized, though.

env: Used to be higher, but the whole ‘Linux makes no guarantees about accessing the environment from multiple threads’ thing irks me. I know it’s not Rust’s fault, but I’m still punishing them for it.

ffi: Confuses me that there’s so much duplication between this and os::raw - don’t like it. I know it doesn’t really matter which one you use, but whatever.

hash: Rarely actually interact with it directly. I know that it has to exist to facilitate (Hash|BTree)(Map|Set) but I don’t know what other use it has

net: Nearly all the time that I want to interact with stuff like TcpStream, I would rather use some async-specific net structs, such as are found in tokio.

num: Useful and cool, but I really think that this is seriously missing the traits from the num crate. There’s probably some specific reason why they don’t want to provide this, but the ability to reason around numeric attributes would be so useful.

os: OsStr and OsString suffer from the same sin as str vs String, but also are just inherently confusing due to the complexity that surrounds file paths in different OSes. I know that rust just surfaces all this complexity that hides beneath the surface but that doesn’t keep me from feeling like there was probably some better way to set up these structs

process: std::process::exit. woohoo

thread: Rarely do I spawn a thread manually - generally I want to use tokio or rayon or crossbeam or something like that. Good and useful, just rarely reached to and generally you’d be better off touching something else

D

backtrace: Good for one thing alone, which can be nice for quick and easy debugging, but if you just want a backtrace, a panic!() is easier, and if you can’t do that for whatever reason, you should probably just reach for a full debugger at that point

hint: Just like compiler fuckery. Love it, I do, but rarely do people interact with it, if ever, and really only useful for benchmarks and low-level atomic stuff (which, when I’ve done that, idk if I’ve even seen any sort of performance gains from spin_loop() sooo)

pin: Yes it’s important, but the constant struggle to make it not horrible to use for library developers really irks me. Still no way to (safely) match on pinned enums, no built-in pin projection without macros, etc. Ugh.

prelude: Yeah sure, whatever. You’ll never touch this.

primitive: This does need to exist, but if you’re reaching for this, you’ve fucked up. What are you doing.

F

ascii: I feel like this was a mistake. There are 4 things in it and 2 of them are deprecated. What are we doing.

char: Too many weird things here. Why does to_lowercase return an iterator? Why are these constants not in the primitive type instead? The whole escape stuff also feels arbitrary, and that’s part of the sin of the ascii mod.

f32 and f64: Everything here should be relegated to the primitive types. No need for these. Why are the integer types deprecated while this one isn’t? idk

(I also posted basically this exact same thing on my blog, june.cat, if that sort of thing interests you :))

[satoshi-mochida]

NanoApostle coming to PS5, Xbox Series, PS4, and Xbox One on April 24 - Gematsu

Publisher PQube and developer 18Light Game will release PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One versions of dark science-fiction boss rush action game NanoApostle on April 24, the companies announced.

NanoApostle first launched for Switch and PC via Steam on September 12, 2024.

Here is an overview of the game, via its Steam page:

About

NanoApostle is a dark science-fiction boss rush action game featuring intense reaction-based combat and the unique “Destruction Point” system. Play as Anita, a child augmented with lethal nanomachines, as she battles against twisted cybernetic experiments to escape a top-secret facility. Deep within the bowels of a shadowy research facility, Anita, a girl birthed from experimental procedures, is implanted with the sentient nanomechanical entity known as “Apostle.” Working together with her nanite allies Anita must defeat a series of dangerous prototype bio-weapons as she searches for a way to break free from her nightmarish prison.

Key Features

Battle Against Merciless Adversaries – Face axe-wielding mechs, fire-spewing behemoths, and psychokinetic terrors, in vicious encounters culminating in the brutal execution of your foes.

Evolving Multi-Stage Battles – When threatened, the destructive bio-weapons feature a failsafe causing them to become more ferocious, and often warping environments to enhance their onslaught.

More Than a Weapon – The symbiotic relationship between Anita and Apostle grants her numerous abilities such as dodge, parry, a series of slashing attacks, and a deadly Projectile.

Master the Destruction Point System – Utilize Apostle’s nanites to identify structural weaknesses known as “Destruction Points,” and exploit your opponent’s vulnerabilities to land devastating blows.

Experiment With Skills – Earn skill points through combat and challenge stages. Whether you favor a tactical or reckless approach, create unique skill combinations that resonate with your style.

Take on the Challenge System – Earn skill points by completing various tasks from defeating hordes of minions to demonstrating dexterity in the parkour challenges.

Watch a new trailer below.

PlayStation and Xbox Release Date Trailer

[nareshkumartech]

How Canadian Licensing Systems Protect Against Identity Fraud

Identity fraud is a growing concern worldwide, and Canada is no exception. As licenses increasingly serve as key forms of identification for banking, travel, and government services, Canadian licensing systems have had to evolve with robust security measures to protect against identity fraud. Whether you are applying for your first license or renewing an existing one, it’s important to understand how these systems work to safeguard your personal information.

1. Advanced Physical Security Features

Modern Canadian driver’s licenses are embedded with multiple physical security features designed to make them extremely difficult to forge or tamper with. These include:

Holographic overlays: Special images that appear when the license is tilted, making duplication extremely difficult.

Microprinting: Very tiny text that is not visible to the naked eye but detectable under magnification, preventing easy reproduction.

Ghost images: A faint second image of the license holder that helps prevent photo swapping.

Raised lettering: Some jurisdictions use raised text that you can feel, adding another layer of protection against fakes.

These built-in technologies make it easy for authorities and businesses to quickly spot a fraudulent license during routine checks.

2. Digital Data Encryption

Canadian licensing systems now store driver data in encrypted databases, making unauthorized access to personal information extremely difficult. When information is transferred — such as when police scan your license or when you renew online — the data is encrypted both in transit and at rest. This ensures that even if someone intercepts the data, it remains useless without the decryption keys.

3. Stringent Identity Verification at Issuance

Before issuing a license, provincial and territorial licensing authorities conduct rigorous identity verification checks. Applicants must present multiple pieces of identification, including:

Proof of legal status in Canada (passport, PR card, visa).

Proof of residency within the province.

Secondary documents such as a birth certificate, citizenship card, or utility bill.

In many cases, cross-checks with federal databases (like immigration records or citizenship status) ensure that the applicant is who they claim to be. Newcomers may also face additional document checks to confirm their eligibility before a license is issued.

4. Real-Time Photo Comparison and Biometrics

When you renew your license or apply for a new one, your photograph is compared with existing photos on record using facial recognition software. This system helps detect cases where someone might be trying to fraudulently assume another person’s identity. In the future, more provinces are planning to expand the use of biometrics, such as fingerprints or iris scans, to further strengthen identification measures.

5. Ongoing Monitoring and Alerts

Canadian licensing systems do not just verify identities at the point of issuance — they continue monitoring afterward. If a license is reported stolen, lost, or involved in suspicious activity, it can be flagged in the system. Law enforcement agencies and border officials have real-time access to these databases, making it harder for stolen or fraudulent licenses to be used undetected.

Additionally, provinces encourage drivers to immediately report lost or stolen licenses to prevent identity theft and ensure the system remains secure.

Canadian licensing authorities are committed to staying ahead of fraudsters by continually updating security features and identity verification processes. Thanks to multi-layered protection — from physical security measures to real-time monitoring — Canadians can trust that their licenses remain a strong line of defense against identity fraud.

For step-by-step guidance on obtaining your driver’s license safely and staying informed about new ID requirements, visit LicensePrep.ca. Their resources make navigating the licensing process simple and secure!

[chicanoartmovement]

CHICANO ART MOVEMENT visits: “Rasquachismo” 2024

On Saturday 05/11/24, we visited Huntington Beach Art Center to view “Rasquachismo” in the city of Huntington Beach, California.

(“Beyond Timeless” by Justin Favela, 2022)

We learned from the mission statement that: “‘Rasquachismo,’ [is] a multi-media exhibition celebrating the aesthetics and transformative power of Lowriders. Featuring work by William Camargo with Alkaid Ramirez, Justin Favela, Stephanie Mercado, Arturo Meza Il, Aaron Moctezuma, Jose Manuel Flores Nava, Alicia Villegas-Rolon, and Cora J. Quiroz.”

(“Anaheim in Flux” by William Camargo with Alkaid Ramirez, 2024)

“Emerging from the barrios of Southern California, lowriding brought forth a long resistance against the American Dream and dominant idealist norms that attempted to anglicize the young Chicanx individual. Forces of the Anglo-American culture did all it could to disrupt and omit the lowrider. From individual traffic stops to passing county-wide laws, all were attempts to take the lowrider off the streets. Low and slow, their metallic bodies transfigured in response. Now, unapologetically visible, lowriders glisten in candy-colored paint and dance with the aid of hydraulics. The power of lowriding extends beyond the car's aesthetics, however. It has become a rasquachismo expression of Mexican-American, and, eventually, Chicanx identity.”

(“Highland Park” by Stephanie Mercado, 2023)

A favorite of Robert’s at the “Rasquachismo” exhibit was Stephanie Mercado’s “Highland Park.” Through a little research, we learned that “‘Highland Park’ honors the cultural richness of the area including its history, diversity, and its valuable contributions to the broader arts and culture sector of Los Angeles. Utilizing imagery and icons sourced from the neighborhood, this piece celebrates the enduring local landmarks and showcases the architectural diversity that defines the area. Simultaneously, it pays homage to the artists and art spaces that have played a vital role in making Highland Park a vibrant and lively neighborhood for generations.” 

(Detailed view of “We Can Dream” by Cora J. Quiroz, 2022)

From the museum ephemera, we learned that this painting entitled “We Can Dream” by Cora J. Quiroz is part of a series called “Not Your Typical Rosie.” 

The artist states: “I paint women in a way that removes them from being acquiescent muses in typical artworks. From action, body language, and clothing, to expression, I ensure the women I paint have active roles of inspiration, movement, and storytelling. Raised by my mother, I learned about my family’s history through oral tradition. Rather than beng inspred by male-dominated stories in media, I became inspired by the Indigenous and Mexican women of my family, taking spaces where they were not expected.

The simplest acts typical for a man to perform, can often be taboo for women, such as working in the car industry. Despite this, for many years there have been women who have gone against the grain to become whoever they pleased to be, going beyond the WWII icon associated with strong women. These are the stories that inspire my work.” 

(“El Cuento de los Panes: A Community Installation Inspired by Dr. Tomás Ybarra-Frausto” organized by the Exhibition Design students at Laguna College of Art and Design, 2024) 

The exhibition statement shares that the term rasquachismo was “coined by Chicano scholar and art critic Tomás Ybarra-Frausto to describe ‘an underdog perspective, a view from los de abajo’ (from below) in working class Chicanx communities which uses elements of ‘hybridization, juxtaposition, and integration’ as a means of empowerment and resistance.”

The Huntington Beach Art Center presents “Rasquachismo” curated by Laura Black until June 1st, 2024 with their last programming event of an artist discussion is set for Saturday May 25th, 2024 from 1pm to 2:30pm.

[motorspexx]

Ford Mustang GTD 2025 - Full Tech Specs and Performance

The 2025 Ford Mustang GTD is a track-focused, street-legal performance vehicle engineered as a homologation-style special. Developed alongside the Mustang GT3 race car, the GTD integrates motorsport-derived technology into a road car format.

At the core is a supercharged 5.2-liter V8 engine, targeting over 800 horsepower. It utilizes a dry sump oiling system, enabling consistent lubrication during high-G cornering and reducing engine height for improved center of gravity. The redline exceeds 7,500 RPM. Power is sent to the rear wheels via an 8-speed rear-mounted dual-clutch transaxle, contributing to a near 50:50 front-to-rear weight distribution.

The Mustang GTD rides on a semi-active suspension with adaptive spool-valve dampers developed by Multimatic. The system features hydraulically adjustable ride height. In Track Mode, the car lowers by approximately 40 millimeters, enhancing aerodynamic efficiency and handling precision. The front suspension uses unequal-length control arms, while the rear features an integral link design, both tuned for high-performance cornering loads.

Aerodynamically, the car employs an active rear wing, integrated with a hydraulically controlled Drag Reduction System. Underbody components include a full carbon fiber belly pan with venturi tunnels to generate downforce. Optional aerodynamic enhancements include carbon fiber front splitters, dive planes, and rear diffusers. At speed, the car produces significant downforce, improving lateral grip and high-speed stability.

Braking is managed by carbon ceramic rotors—400 millimeters in front with six-piston Brembo calipers. The system is designed for repeated high-speed deceleration with minimal fade. The wheels are forged magnesium, available in 20-inch diameter, reducing unsprung mass and improving responsiveness. Tire specification includes Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R, sized 325 in front and 345 in rear, mounted on 11.5 and 12.5 inch-wide wheels respectively.

The GTD also includes a titanium active-valve exhaust system, a front trunk due to the transaxle configuration, and extensive use of carbon fiber for the body panels, contributing to a targeted curb weight below 3,900 pounds.

Performance figures include a projected Nürburgring lap time under 7 minutes, and 0–60 mph acceleration estimated in the low 3-second range. Top speed is electronically limited but expected to exceed 190 mph.

Pricing starts at approximately $300,000 USD. Production will be limited, with availability beginning in late 2024. Given its motorsport pedigree, carbon composite materials, and performance engineering, the GTD positions itself as a high-value offering relative to exotic track-focused vehicles in the same price category.

2025 Ford Mustang GTD – Technical Specifications Powertrain Engine: 5.2-liter V8, supercharged

Horsepower: Targeting over 800 hp

Redline: over 7,500 RPM

Lubrication: Dry sump oil system

Exhaust: Titanium active-valve exhaust

Transmission Type: 8-speed dual-clutch transaxle (rear-mounted)

Drivetrain: Rear-wheel drive - RWD

Weight Distribution: Near 50:50

Chassis & Suspension Front Suspension: Unequal-length double wishbone

Rear Suspension: Integral link, independent

Damping: Multimatic adaptive spool-valve semi-active dampers

Ride Height Adjustment: Hydraulic, lowers ~40 mm in Track Mode

Brakes Front Brakes: Carbon-ceramic, ~400 mm rotors, 6-piston Brembo calipers

Rear Brakes: Carbon-ceramic, multi-piston calipers

Brake Cooling: Integrated ducts, track-optimized airflow

Wheels & Tires Wheels: 20-inch forged magnesium

Front Tires: 325 mm width – Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R

Rear Tires: 345 mm width – Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R

Wheel Widths: Front: 11.5 in | Rear: 12.5 in

Aerodynamics Rear Wing: Active, hydraulically adjustable

Drag Reduction System DRS: Integrated

Underbody: Carbon fiber venturi tunnels, full-length belly pan

Front Aero: Carbon splitter, dive planes optional

Rear Aero: Carbon fiber diffuser optional

Body & Dimensions Body Material: Carbon fiber hood, fenders, roof, rear cover, doors optional

Chassis: Based on Mustang GT3 architecture

Estimated Curb Weight: Under 3,900 lbs (targeted)

Performance 0–60 mph: Low 3-second range est.

Top Speed: over 190 mph electronically limited

Nürburgring Target Time: Sub-7 minutes

Interior & Features Seats: Track-oriented, Recaro-style racing seats

Storage: Front trunk (due to rear transaxle)

Infotainment & Tech: TBD – focused on performance, not luxury

Production & Pricing Production Start: Late 2024

Availability: Limited-run, application-based allocation

Base Price: around $300,000 USD (estimated)