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intrepidguardian · 5 years

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How Design Miscues are Failing Portrayals of Relationships in MTG

Discourse? Discourse.

Love is a difficult topic to discuss because it can encompass so many things that aren’t “love” - you know what I mean, the kind of stuff that would get a fanfic tagged as “fluff.” My wife’s and my third anniversary is coming up, and more and more I find myself still learning about what love is. I love the study, but I know that I could fill hundreds of external hard drives with epitaphs and musings about every interaction my wife and I have had, each exemplifying a different aspect of our love and still not get the point across of just how much I love her.

(Btw I love you Ash and thank you for helping me edit this)

So how could you get an idea as complex as love across in the 25 words you’re allowed on your average Magic card? More to the point, why bother portraying love in Magic: The Gathering?

"Players won’t care until they are cards.” - Matt Cavotta, Senior Art Director for Wizards of the Coast, discussing the motivation for implementing Planeswalkers as a card type.

A few years back, and I’m sorry that I can’t find the actual post, someone asked Mark Rosewater something to the effect of “Red is supposed to be the ‘emotional color,’ yet the only emotion we tend to see out of Red is anger. WTF?”

Mark responded that R&D was working towards showing different aspects of the emotional spectrum in Red, but was hampered by the fact that Magic: The Gathering is a game about fighting and it was difficult to portray anything other than MAD RED in a game about fighting.

“No, my battlefield only has room for more Goblin Chainwhirlers.” - Solid Snake, probably.

A little while later, they apparently cracked the love code and printed Cathartic Reunion in Kaladesh, which was meant to portray Chandra finally reuniting with her mother Pia Nalaar, when both thought that the other had died years ago.

Shoutout to all my Dredge opponents that keep beating me with four-card hands thanks to this card.

Like yeah, it’s a nice moment and a nice piece of art. It’s not romantic love, but it’s familial love. You can see the love between Chandra and Pia in their embrace, and I think this might be one of the first portrayals of a hug in Magic: The Gathering [someone prove me wrong]. When you only have 25 words to explain love, the art and flavor text can pick up the slack. But mechanically, what is this saying about maternal love, or love in general? Is love just more inherent deck consistency? Is drawing cards the greatest display of love in Magic: The Gathering? Artistically and flavorfully, this card is trying to say a lot. Mechanically, this card could have easily been called “Super Rummage” or “Elicit the Dredge” and no one would be able to tell the difference. This card is trying to show what love is, but without any sort of mechanical tie-in, Cathartic Reunion just tells you what love is.

Wow, my opponent loves me A WHOLE LOT!

I would say that the best way to explain love is to show love. And I think the best way to show love is to show people who love each other interact positively with one another. Like, love is hard to explain but is easy to see. When you see two people who love each other interact, you can just tell. Maybe it’s small physical gestures or communication purely through facial expressions, but when love is there, it’s obvious. Yes, the art of Cathartic Reunion clearly shows a tender love between Chandra and Pia, but both Chandra and Pia Nalaar were given cards in Kaladesh! Show us how they interact where we are most likely to see both of them: on the battlefield!

What are these cards doing for one another when both are on the battlefield? Not a lot. Chandra’s second +1 makes enough mana to use Pia’s first activated ability one additional time.

That’s cool, I guess.

Pia has a tag-along flying creature that can block for Chandra once, so Pia is essentially two blockers for a planeswalkers.

Yeah, but Whirler Rogue can make a bunch of Thopters to block for Chandra, so what does that mean? There’s no love between Chandra and some random Vedalken just because the three-drop blocks real good.

</3

There isn’t any mechanical unity here. Chandra doesn’t care about artifacts, and Pia doesn’t care about card advantage or incidental damage. They can do some things for each other, yes, but there isn’t anything for a deck builder to go “Hmm, how can I maximize this?” It’s the mechanical equivalent of Pia and Chandra getting Amazon gift cards for each other for their birthday - a display of love, but not a particularly meaningful one.

Well, here you go. -Chandra

But maybe this isn’t fair. Pia Nalaar’s card maybe wasn’t supposed to work well with Chandra, it was supposed to convey a sense of emptiness from missing Kiran, her husband who had actually been killed. They had been shown on their own card in Magic Origins, which is powerful enough that it hovers around Modern whenever Jund or Grixis are good. Pia’s card is cheaper, but comparatively weaker, and even when you look at the art, Pia Nalaar is significantly dimmer and emptier than the card Pia and Kiran Nalaar.

“What does Kiran bring to this relationship? DO THE MATH!” -My Grandmother-in-Law, maybe

Maybe before we can show a good example of familial love in card mechanics, we need to show people in love working together on the battlefield!

So let’s grab some examples. Three couples right now in Magic that people are really talking about are Jace x Vraska, Tomik x Ral Zarek, and Chandra x Nissa. If you wanted to show some cozy couples, what’s cozier than being in a deckbox with your significant other?

Jace x Vraska

Well, these cards could maybe work together? Not a lot of decks can make two blue mana on turn three and then turn around and make black and green mana on turn six.

Mana problems aside, they kind of work well together. Jace is looking for creatures to get through combat damage and Vraska makes difficult to block creature tokens thanks to Menace. However, there’s also a cost problem here, which is that Jace wants to come down turn three and Vraska, the muscle of this relationship with all the free blockers, doesn’t come down for another three turns, so Jace has to try and hide behind a Bird that goes away if you look at it too long while Vraska’s trying to get mana together. If you can find a way to get both on the battlefield in the same deck, maybe it works, but it’s a lot of work without a lot of payoff.

Okay, what about a more recent example? Chandra and Nissa both got new cards in War of the Spark and they’re supposed to be canon, so they probably have something going on between their two cards.

Chandra x Nissa

This is a pretty symbiotic relationship - Chandra finds extra cards to cast, and Nissa makes a lot of mana to cast those extra cards and creates blockers so the player has time to do so. It’s the RG formula we see in a lot of ramp decks in this color combination - Green makes the mana, red makes the otherwise-unwieldy payoffs. But much like Chandra’s mechanical relationship with Pia, this doesn’t feel special or unique. Yeah, Chandra finds extra cards, but she also comes into play before Nissa, so there’s a turn of vulnerability where Nissa might arrive too late to actually help Chandra. And anyone could do that “find extra cards” job. See, look:

It’s like the dating game, but for really, really sad people

They all can do the same “get extra cards” thing for the player the way Chandra can, and all benefit from the blockers and extra mana that Nissa produces.. Mechanically, there is some synergy between Chandra and Nissa, but there’s nothing that speaks to the relationship between the two characters - it feels more like a convenient coincidence that these two cards work together rather than two people who finally came together when it mattered most.

Maybe what we need is a mix-up - people represented on different card types could have more design space for synergistic effects.

Tomik x Ral

So the last pairing is Tomik x Ral. I don’t know if any of you have bought a “Planeswalker Deck,” but a big selling point to those cards for beginners is that there is usually a creature in the deck that benefits from having that deck’s planeswalker in play. They’re flavorful and fun to get out ahead when when you find your planeswalker, but they’ve never been really viable for tournament play. A planeswalker like Ral being in a relationship with a non-planeswalker seems like the perfect fit for creating a competitive-level combination of creature and planeswalker and could really highlight the relationship between Tomik and Ral.

Yeah, they didn’t even try with this one. Double white on turn 2 into Red and Blue on turn 4 is already a tall order, but these two cards have entirely separate goals. Tomik, a card designed for Legacy, really wants to hate on his opponents trying to manipulate their lands.

Ral doesn’t have the word “land” on his card, and is a card designed with card advantage and maybe some combos in mind.

They’re two totally different cards designed for two totally different decks. I get that. My point is that they shouldn’t be. Wizards clearly knows how to design “planeswalkers matter” creatures, had an opportunity to do so, and instead opted to design a Legacy card to hate out cards that don’t exist in Legacy anymore.

You barely even deserve this, WotC.

That last bit was a little dense. I get it, it’s hard to read without caring a lot about flavorful mechanics, but I am trying to get my point across that Wizards had so many opportunities to make cards that could work together and mechanically create a sense of a relationship between characters and repeatedly chose not to, instead prioritizing other design goals. If I’m coming on a little strongly, it is because I know Wizards knows how to do this. In fact, Wizards had the opposite problem to the Chandra x Nissa issue, waaaay back in Battle for Zendikar.

“...and the Lord of the Multiverse said to Gideon, “It is not good for a planeswalker to be alone,” and so the Lord created Nissa and brought her to Gideon who jubilantly exclaimed: ‘Voice of my voice! Planeswalker of my heart! I shall call you Nissa, Voice of Zendikar! Together we shall grow plants and make Ally offspring and they shall have dominion over the entire plane of Zendikar!’ And the Lord of the Multiverse saw that it was very good...” -A very tongue-in-cheek quote by Craig Wescoe discussing Nissa, Voice of Zendikar in the upcoming Oath of the Gatewatch set.

Do you see this? Do you get it?

These two cards were made for each other.

There are a lot of similarities between these cards, and because they’re similar, they work well together in a lot of ways, all of which scream “PLAY US IN THE SAME DECK.”

1. Both Planeswalkers make tokens without losing loyalty. 2. Both Planeswalkers have an ability that gets better with more tokens, and can boost each other’s tokens. 3. Nissa curves into Gideon and can help make a safe battlefield for him. 4. Nissa coming down late is still good for Gideon, and she can even boost him with a +1/+1 counter when he’s a creature. 5. Both Planeswalkers have the same naming convention: Planeswalker, Whatever of Zendikar. We’re battling for Zendikar, of course I want Zendikar’s Ally and Zendikar’s Voice!

“But wait!” somebody wanting to say something said. “Two green mana on Turn 3 could be tough, and needing two white mana on turn 4 is even tougher!”

Well, hold on there buckaroo, because have I got the love note in a Magic card for you:

We didn’t see it, but Gideon planeswalked to a high school on Theros and had a popular girl fold this card up into a little triangle before giving it to Nissa.

This card is the perfect mechanical tie-in for a Nissa x Gideon deck. Card selection has rarely ever been afforded to white decks, and GW token decks have often struggled with getting their mana right to cast their white payoff cards without making room for superfluous mana decks, and even then that might not fix it (just ask Richard Bland about his GW Tokens deck in the Worlds 2011 finals). And as a little bonus, this card can get either Nissa or Gideon or, you know, whatever creatures you wanted, and what color combination was going to have more efficient creatures AND planeswalkers than Green and White Mechanically, these cards work so well together and they look like they’re supposed to work together.

In fact, this was the core of an incredibly powerful GW Tokens deck that won Pro Tour Shadows over Innistrad in the hands of Steve Rubin.

And when I was younger and looking at this deck for the first time, I thought Wizards would leap at the opportunity to pair these two up. Two reasonably popular planeswalkers paired up together to save a plane and worked really well together when I sleeved them up together? For a time, I was locked in - I thought Nissa x Gideon was going to be canon, and the lead-up to Kaladesh was where we’d see a little fluff between the two, or at the very least some genuine bonding between the flagship planeswalkers of the two colors most-interested in community. Instead, we got this:

Nissa: You’re being a little extra for me.

Gideon: My bad lol.

I was a little salty about that interaction (mostly because it felt like every color combination in the Gatewatch has had a good or at least interesting interaction, except green and white), but I was down with Nissa x Chandra. It seemed like they had some chemistry in the story, and I was excited to see that chemistry reflected in the cards. Instead, we got a whole lot of nothing, which is infuriating because Wizards knows how to mechanically tie-in planeswalkers.

Okay Wizards, here’s your second fifth chance...

So why is all this important? Why go into this deep dive about card mechanics trying to convey something that is decidedly not a mechanic in Magic: the Gathering?

It’s because love can be expressed in this game’s mechanics, which is really hard in a game about fighting, but also a very unique opportunity. A card can care about what another card is doing, can subtly emulate what another card is doing or how it is presenting, and other cards can tie the two together. That kind of mechanical interlinking has a real-world analogue: a genuine, deep love for another person. Wizards has clearly struggled with the problem of portraying relationships in a way that its multiple player bases will care about and want to play with. The solution to that problem is creating powerful cards that mechanically care about one other and attributing those cards and mechanics to characters that emotionally care about each other in its stories.

Wizards, you clearly know how to do that, so...

#mtg #magic the gathering #mtgcommunity #mtg discourse #discourse

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littlemisssquiggles · 5 years

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Another question that has been floating in my mind for quite some time now: what do you think is Oscar's Semblance (aside from Magic since I consider that one something different - I mean, Raven is able to wield Magic and a Semblance after all) or in which direction could it go? And another question on top of that: since Oscar's soul should be the combination of many different souls after the merge, do you think he might be able to wield multiple Semblances? ... Okay, that was long, sorry :x

Hello Mizu! Believe it or not, another FNDM fam member asked me this type ofquestion before and I created a Pinehead headcanon from it. For the sake of not repeating the same answers (since it was a long answer XD), I’m going to link you to that response post right here.

But if you’re looking for the nutshell version:

What do you think is Oscar’s semblance?

For a while, my main choice for Oscar’s semblance was Nullification—the ability to cancel out the effects of another’s semblance and/or prevent them from using their semblance for a period of time. I had based this theory on information shared about Princess Ozma from the Wizard of Oz series in ThatKaitoDan’s RWBY video essay on Oscar’s Great and Powerful Semblance. It was stated in Dan’s theory video that Princess Ozma, being a powerful magician and rightful ruler of Oz, possessed the ability to relinquish abilities from others.

Going off of that, I came up with the theory of Oscar possessing a similar type of power. The power to stop another from using their semblance for a short period of time and/or in more serious cases, even take away their ability to use their semblance permanently via doing something with their soul or something to that liking. I figured this would’ve been a cool power for Oscar to have, not to mention a very powerful one.

And as highlighted back in V6, it is possible for a semblance use to wield that kind of power. Mercury mentioned that his father was able to ‘steal’ his semblance away. If it’s possible for others to share the same type of semblance then it would be great for this to be something Oscar can do. Another reason why I think this power could work well for Oscar is because I have this theory where Oscar would be the one to restore Mercury’s semblance. And in exchange for helping him, Mercury will become an ally of Oscar’s. After all, if Oscar has the power to take away one’s semblance then surely, with practice, the reverse could be possible too. I dunno. If I had to pick an actual ‘semblance’ for Oscar, nullification is my top choice.

However, as you’re already aware of, this squiggle meister has moved away from the idea of Oscar eveb having a semblance. This ties into my answer to the next question.

Do you think Oscar might be able to wield multiple semblances since he is a combination of many different souls?

On the contrary, my answer is the opposite. I think Oscar CAN’T have a semblance BECAUSE he is a combination of multiple souls. One’s semblance is described as the projection of their aura into a more tangible form. One’s semblance is said to be unique to them since it’s a power that is a reflection of their soul. Their very being.

To me, I now think it might be impossible for someone in Oscar’s predicament to possess a semblance. Semblances are abilities born from one’s soul basically and is meant to represent who they are, so to speak (according to what Ren said back in V4).

But in Oscar’s case, how could that be probable? He’s NOT just onesoul. He’s one soul plus many more. He’s another life in a culmination of many different lives destined to serve humanity.

Ozpin himself mentioned that both his and Oscar’s souls are currently combined. So…how would Oscar be able to have his own unique power that isprojection of his very soul when he doesn’t have one soul. Not anymore.

As sad as it is to say, Oscar isn’t his own person. He’s not just one person. Not one soul.

I actually dislike the thought of Oscar wielding more than one semblance due to his many lives. As OP as that sounds, I feel like that’s a bit of cheating. Sure it’ll be a power unique to Oscar and it’ll surely make him powerful, yes. However, I find that to be boring and honestly not what I pictured for Oscar.

I mean…if the show manages to take that and run it in some kind of heavy plot-driven way where Oscar is some kind of human semblance storage device. Like he’s basically One For All from My Hero Academia. He’s able to possess and control multiple semblances.

Like if the show did it in a way where Atlas has been illegally using their auraexperiments to steal and traffic semblances—steal the powers of viable candidates to be sold to the highest bidder on the black market for those seeking high powered semblances or something like that.

And Oscar is seen like some major key to that since he can hold more than one semblance so he’s tricked and kidnapped by whoever is running this semblance-trafficking circle among Ironwood’s ranks without his knowledge to be used in continuing their operations. This actually makes me think of an old thought I once hand about RWBY making a homage to Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood by introducing a subplot where Oscar is abducted and used for his aura as the Boy with More than One Soul. So he’s basically turned into a human aura battery by some rogue Atlesian scientist to create an army of solders bent on taking over Atlas. Like the Mannequin Soldiers.

If this idea is used like that…then…okay? I guess it could be kinda cool. Still not what I want to be Oscar’s true power, though. Sorry. No.

I want something that symbolizes Oscar possessing a power that only he can wield masterfully while simultaneously being something that was shared by the other Wizards of Light to give Oscar an incentive to be more fully accepting of his role in this fight against Salem. If that makes sense. I don’t buy Oscar being completely complacent with the Merge. As a matter of fact, Oscar is behaving just as nonchalant about his true feelings as Ruby was in V5 and I honestly pray she is the one to call him out on that in a similar way he did with her.

This is why I like the idea of Oscar having no semblance at all with his true strength coming from the power he shared with his fellow wizarding brothers. This is why I really want Oscar’s power to be magic.

When you think about it, Oscar may be the one character in RWBY who I think doesn’t need to have a semblance. Someone once made a point about semblances being only a remnant of magic. They are meant to resemblemagic but never come as close to being what it truly was. The gift of the Gods.

They didn’t say it in those exact words but this is what I derived from that analogy because I agree with it. Semblances are a by-product of ModernRemnant while magic was the original— its more powerful predecessor used by the First People of Remnant during the Era of the Gods.

You can almost even say that one’s semblance may be limited by its wielder. Magic, on the other hand, is the power of the Gods. It is a power of infinitepossibilities. With magic, Oscar would be able to do more than anyone else on the team especially it he learns to master control of it.

I really think magic is going to be Oscar’s thing. It’s a power that’s his and is destined to be only his since it’s an intricate part of his legacy.

Out of the three fairy tale characters who influence Oscar’s story, two of them were powerful magic users including one who was practically the embodiment of magic in her world. From the get-go, magic has always been a power unique to Wizards since it represents their origins. Their past with First Remnant. It is what connects them to the Gods, Salem and all other magical things still retained in Remnant.

I cannot see Oscar having a more fitting power than magic.

And do you what’s also great about that? Even if Oscar has magic, he’d still be able to perform all those feats that folks were speculating to be his semblance. To the folks who believed Oscar’s power to be something to do with plants—Oscar can do that in the form of earth elemental magic. To the fans speculating that Oscar’s power would be some kind of teleportation ability, Oscar would be able to fly using magic as demonstrated by the Maidens and Salem and Ozma during the Lost Fable.

And to folks like me who thought Oscar’s semblance could be Nullification—Oscar would still be able to do that with magic. There is so much that can be done with magic. If Ozma was able to create the Maidens from magic while the King of Vale allegedly used it to create the Vaults to house the Relics while Ozpin blessed the Branwen Twins with avian shapeshifting through magic, then imagine what Oscar could do should he tap into that same power.

And if Oscar is anything like his inspirations, both in RWBY and in fairy tale, then only greatness is to be expected of this budding young farm boy. Semblance ornot, I strongly think Oscar is destined to become a great and powerful magic user. Even more powerful than Salem. That’s my theory.

With that thought in mind, it makes me consider something interesting. Here we all are thinking that Ruby Rose is going to be the saviour who finally defeats Salem when the possibility of the show making her the one destined to protect and/or fight alongside the actual ‘chosen one’ to stop Salem is also in the cards.

After all, not all protagonists in stories have to be the hero of the story or saviorof the world within the story. Nomad of Nowhere sort of did something like this in its first season where the Nomad, our main hero, is revealed to truly be the protector of our key player—the last magic user and probably the one person besides the Nomad with the power to put an end to El Rey. A little leeway to theorize about Nomad but the idea still remains.

It’d be interesting if the one or ones destined to defeat Salem as our two smaller, more honest souls— Ruby and Oscar working together to put an end to Salem’s dark reign. And they’ll succeed together, not by destroying Salem, but by cleansing her of her darkness, reverting her back to her former form before she dove into the Grimm Pools through the combined light of Ruby’s Silver Eyes and Oscar’s magic.

Salem would still be immortal. And she would still be bitter and wanting revenge against the Gods. However this time Ruby and Oscar would sever her ties to the Grimm Pools entirely by getting rid of them all, practically relinquishing the Land of Darkness. A feat once thought impossible since only the God of Light could repel his brother’s power. But Ruby and Oscar would be able to do it together since they share the God of Light’s power running through their veins.

That could be so cool if turned canon. Again, it’s just another theory in my plethora of headcanons. Buuuut…y’know it’s one I’ve come to really like in recent days. And with that, that concludes my answer.

Whelp…so much for the nutshell version XD Oh wellll….I hope these answers were satisfactory to your liking Mizu. I guess you’ll let me know.

~LittleMissSquiggles (2019)

#squiggles answers: rwby #oscar pine #ruby rose #rwby salem #rwby theories #ruby and oscar #mizuike #squiggles answers #pinehead headcanons #squiggles pinehead headcanons

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clumsyprophet · 6 years

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Cinderella Phenomenon as Tarots

Welcome, welcome!

So, as the title said, this is an analysis that attempts to link each Arcana to someone (or something) from Cinderella Phenomenon. Why? Well...I like tarots, I like Cinderella Phenomenon and I like rambling, in no particular order. It's not an original idea by any stretch of the word 'original': pretty much every fandom has done it, but it's still an interesting analysis to make! The Arcana are archetypes, something ancient and universal...and their message can be found basically everywhere, assuming you are willing to reflect a bit to notice the links.

I'm not an expert Tarot reader (or scholar) by all means, so I'm more than willing to hear critiques, suggestions and whatever you think might improve my analysis. Also, I would definitely not object if someone wanted to use this as a base to draw the deck/an Arcana: if you want to go ahead, this is not private property, it’s just something I made for fun and then decided to share.

With that being said, some final notes:

I am only considering the Major Arcana...it would be nice to have a full deck, but I'm afraid there's not enough material to fill 56 cards in addition to the 22 described below.

I tried to include all named characters without repeating them. Lucette is an exception, since she appears from 2 to 4 cards...but she's the protagonist, so that's kinda expected. Another exception is Rumpel's ex (which doesn’t appear), a bit because I forgot about her and a bit because when I remembered she still didn't fit anywhere. Village man #2, Child #1 and their faceless friends are also not included, for rather obvious reasons.

This will contain SPOILERS, no way around that. So, if you haven’t finished the VN what are you waiting for, go and finish it read at your own risk.

So, without further ado, let’s start!

THE FOOL

Lucette (riches to rags version) / Lucette (w/ Mr Broom)

Ah, the Fool, number 0 (or XXII) of the deck, the child, the wanderer, the...well, fool. This card is a card of beginnings, of a journey that is about to start with all the wonders and perils (often dictated by inexperience) that such an adventure brings by default. So, who else other than the Ice princess, who has just woken up having lost everything, can represent this card? While she lacks the enthusiasm the fool usually overflows with there's no denying that she has a long journey in front of her, one full with danger but promising a shining happy ending. Hopefully...have you seen how easy is to get bad ends?! *Ahem* Anyway...another option would be having the scene where Lucette is swept away by Mr Broom...same reasoning (journey just started) with an emphasis on the 'Fool' part of the Arcana.

THE MAGICIAN

Waltz

...I swear not all the cards I chose are this literal. Ahem...either way, the Magician is a card of potential applied, will shaping reality as the Magician desires, the male (or active) principle of creation, the Yang to the High Priestess Yin. Also, even if I'm rather reluctant to bind powerful cards such as the Major Arcana to rather mundane elements (but hey, someone does) the Magician can represent a young, willful man. So...well, Waltz. He's even a witch, what more can you wish for.

THE HIGH PRIESTESS

Delora

As I mentioned above, the High Priestess is the counterpart to the Magician: where the Magician is a willful, active force of reshaping reality the High Priestess is an intuitive caretaker of hidden secrets and intimate knowledge of the universe. So, why Delora, you ask? The High Priestess knows, but she will reveal only when the time is right, when you are ready to accept the truth she is offering. I considered Parfait for this card, but I believe Delora fits better (and we have the nice symmetry of two witches, one male and one female, holding the complementary positions of Magician and High Priestess).

THE EMPRESS

Ophelia

The Empress is a feminine card like the High Priestess but, unlike the third Arcana, the aspect she focuses on is not intimate, intuitive knowledge but rather 'motherhood': creation and nurturing. She is Mother Earth, offering to her children endless affection and sustenance, forgiving their slights when they hurt her because her love is just so deep. So, well, Ophelia might be a Queen and not an Empress, but she has all the other characteristics of this Arcana.

THE EMPEROR

King Genaro

...Okay, maybe quite a lot of cards are rather literal, but it's not my fault they fit so well. The Emperor is the Father to the Empress Mother, to no one's surprise: he loves his children no less than the Empress, but the gift he gives are rather different. The Emperor is a card of unbreakable will, like the Magician, but this time applied not through creation but through laws. He is strict and can appear, at times, rational and cold, but that's his way of protecting his children...and have no doubt, he will protect them. He wields power, but he will never be corrupted by it. So, well, here we are, our beloved King.

THE HIEROPHANT

Alcaster

The Hierophant, much like the Emperor, is an Arcana of law and order. Unlike the Emperor, however, his domain is far more focused on the society as a whole, his objective being upholding a system of belief and/or traditions. If that system is fair, just and peaceful then good, if it's not...well, you get Alcaster and his plans for a 'better' Angielle.

THE LOVERS

...Too many to count, TBH

Aight, this is one easy card to explain, since it's exactly what it says on the tin: an union (90% of the time a romantic one) between two persons, working harmoniously together towards a goal. Said goal can be living together, bettering themselves...you name it. Sometimes it's a reminder to choose between two persons, but the usual meaning it's the first one I explained. The problem with this card it's that there are simply too many couples that can fit even discarding my first idea, Garlan and Jurien, since they are already taken for another Arcana. Candidates are Viorica and her fiancee, or Lucette in her Evermore outfit framed in a way that makes ambiguous who the LI is. No shipping wars, thank you.

THE CHARIOT

Rod

The Chariot is an Arcana of emotional control. Much like the driver depicted in all decks is guiding the horses in front of them to lead them to their destination, a person blessed by the Chariot will (ideally) guide their emotions without suppressing them but instead using their tumultuous strength to reach their goals. Of course, this card could also means that you are controlling your emotions too much...don't look at me like that, I never said the Arcana have only a favourable meaning. So...well, Prince Rod, case closed.

STRENGTH

Fritz

Much like the Chariot, the Strength is a card dealing with controlling oneself. With quiet determination and unwavering patience most cards depicts a maiden taming a lion, animal representing the wildest, darkest side of her. If you aren't getting what I'm implying go back playing the game, because seriously, just replace the lion with a wolf and the symbolism becomes as subtle as a punch on the nose. Fritz, full stop.

THE HERMIT

Hans Grimm

I'll admit it, this was an hard Arcana to assign, but I believe I found a rather nice match. The Hermit represents, unsurprisingly, the need for a withdrawal from the world. Maybe it's because you need to reflect alone on your life...or maybe because you feel extremely guilty because your stories (unwillingly) caused a war and countless death, who can say!

THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE

You

Yes, you read that right: you (the player) are the Wheel of Fortune. Chances, situations shifting, choices with uncertain outcome: all are the domain of the Wheel. You are fate, you are the force that sways the path of the Fool, you are, in the end, the difference between a bad and a happy ending. Sadly, it's a bit hard to represent 'the player' in a tarot, so I'm proposing the closer thing that can be easily put down in visual terms: a stained glass wheel (or, well, circular window if you want) with all the routes' symbols (referencing the main menu), maybe with Lucette's slippers in the middle, to represent the biggest choice a player makes while playing (that is, which route will they follow).

JUSTICE

Jurien and Garlan

Remember when I said that I considered our favourite knight couple for the Lovers, but in the end I changed my mind? That's because they equally fit the Justice...and no one else does fit this Arcana like them. Justice is the herald of Judgment, a reminder that Karma (not, not him) exists and will reward you as you deserve. Alcaster, dear, thought you could get away with your coup? Bitch, please! Also, the Justice can represent a fair and just attitude, doing the right thing no matter what...well, I don't need to say anything else, right? That's our noble knights, right there.

THE HANGED MAN

Rumpel

The Hanged Man, like everybody who has some knowledge of Tarots symbolism will tell you, is Odin, hanging upside down from the branches of Yggrdrasil so he could gain the knowledge of Runes. Rumpel and his quest for knowledge (well, memory, but it's still some form of knowledge) fit nicely. The Hanged Man also warns us that in order to gain something it's often necessary to give up something else: in our case, give away his old habits that ruined him so he can gain a true happy ending.

DEATH

Parfait (end of Waltz' route)

Death is, probably, the most misunderstood card of the whole deck, though I have to admit lately its true meaning has become more and more known. Death is a card of endings and change (and, unlike the Hanged Man, this change is often forced instead of voluntary), but with the promise of a new beginning. Death is winter, with the implicit promise of a new spring. While Parfait dies at the end of Waltz' route, hope is still alive: her niece will uphold her legacy and a new era will be born, one hopefully devoid of the hate that destroyed the last one. It's sad, to see her go, but she has no more regrets, her story ended: now it's time for a new tale to be told.

TEMPERANCE

Annice

Temperance is, by definition, a card about balance and restraint. What does that mean, you ask? Well...other than the obvious meanings, it's a card that encourages solving conflicts with grace and diplomacy. Life will slap you hard in the face (life, and people), but it's (usually) not a good reason to fly off the handle. Keep your wits with you, stay calm, breathe: you will find a way to go on. Don't bend backwards, of course, but do try to let hatred flow away like water in a stream. I have to admit, I had a lot of trouble with this card...then I thought about Annice. True, she can't remember Lucette firing her for something she didn't do (thus she has no reasons to 'fly off the handle'), but she is still a composed, hard working girl. Also, I considered the Lucis and the Tenebrarum for this card (emphasizing the whole 'balance' aspect)...but, in the end, they got roped as candidates for another Arcana (more about that later!) and besides, I wanted Annice to be somewhere in the deck, too.

THE DEVIL

Varg

The Devil is, in short, a powerful reminder of our dark side. Our inner desires, our negative: the Devil appearing in a reading often means that, right now, your worst enemy is none other than yourself. With that being said, this is still part of you and you have to accept it: both stubbornly ignoring your dark side or being completely dominated by it are harmful; that's the message of the Devil. So...that's literally our wolf man, here.

THE TOWER

Hildyr

The Tower is known as the card of ruin and, to be honest, this reputation is often well deserved: like a lighting bolt striking a previously (apparently) intact tower, this Arcana warns about sudden, violent changes often revealing flawed bases. Death can be seen as the natural conclusion of a situation: maybe the ending itself was rather sudden, but there were very clear signals about the outcome...not the Tower. Mind you, this change can be a positive one (and since it tends to let everyone see how flawed the previous status quo was it's not entirely harmful), but it's sure shocking! Now, with that being said, if Hildyr and her resurrection is not a lightning bolt destroying the apparent peace in Angielle I don't know what that is!

THE STAR

Emelaigne

The Star is one timid Arcana, it's message one of quiet optimism but boy how much strength can the maiden of the Star bring! Thanks to her strong heart and her unwavering hope she can walk through the night unharmed: maybe she will stumble, from time to time, but she will never give up. She will face darkness both external and internal but she will still go forward, her heart unwilling to even just consider the idea of giving up. Even if Emelaigne's trust in herself is far lower than the Star would suggest her heart and faith in others make her an almost perfect fit for this Arcana.

THE MOON

Mythros

The Moon is a card of illusions. Things aren't like they appear, maybe because someone is pulling wool over your eyes or even because you are doing it, unwilling to see the truth. Still...never trust what you are seeing in the light of the Moon, because it's distorting reality. Of all the character, Mythros immediately comes to mind: he fooled the entire court for years and played Lucette like a fiddle in Fritz' route...with disastrous results (for Angielle. His plan was rather successful). He's not the only manipulative character, but he's surely the one who has 'deception' as his whole modus operandi.

THE SUN

Karma

You survived Death, the Devil, the Tower, you endured the deception of the Moon...but you have won. This is a card of victory, and surely not a quiet one! Forget the timid light of the Star...the Sun is full of life and confidence (someone may say full of himself...not entirely wrong, I'd respond), blazing in the sky for all to see. Even reversed this card promises that setbacks are only temporary, no matter how bad things look. After all the night seemed to be dark and full of terrors (cit.), but look at the sky now! So, Karma. Yep.

JUDGMENT

Lucette (breaking the curse)

The Justice warned you that a reckoning would not be postponed indefinitely (cit.)...and now the moment has come. You are about to reap what you have sown, buddy. So, if you are a bad guy Karma is about to kick your ass (no, not that Karma. ...Maybe? I mean, Karma kicks a lot of ass)...but what if your efforts were put into, say, being a better person? Well, your reward is going to be great indeed! Lucette is no longer the Fool she was at the beginning of the journey: through sacrifice and pain she has earned an happy ending.

THE WORLD

The Lucis and the Tenebrarum, in harmony / Lucette (Queen)

The World is, like the Sun, a card of victory. The journey has ended and you have found whatever you were searching for: sure, you will probably depart again soon, but for now you are complete. This equilibrium is not the unstable one we saw being destroyed in the Tower: it's an hard fought victory that is destined to last. Bask in the joy of the World, accept its message of harmony: you deserve the prize, after all you did to obtain it. With that being said...I can't still decide which one of the two proposals I like more: both are the symbol of the end of Hildyr's reign of terror and generally a big fat 'CONGRATULATIONS, YOU ARE GREAT', but other than that...eh. I'm slightly leaning towards the Crystal, to represent in the deck that important part of the story, but I would not object to either choice.

#Cinderella Phenomenon #Tarots #Clumsy rambles

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subtle-sims · 7 years

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Character Traits Legacy Challenge

Character Traits Challenge

by wreckognitionsims

Our character traits are what define us, and our Sims are no different. In this challenge, a defining character trait will determine multiple aspects of your Sims life.

Rules:

Start off with one Sim of either gender.

Play on normal lifespan. If you have MC Command Center, make sure you have the age durations set to the default times that are set in game.

Each heir must be a child of the previous heir.

Basic cheats are allowed (ie, freerealestate) unless otherwise stated. Any cheats that allow you to edit the amount of money your Sim has is not allowed. Job and skill cheats are not allowed. MC Command Center IS allowed, but you cannot use it for the above reasons. You cannot use it for child support.

In any case where a job is listed as “player’s choice,” you may choose any career SO LONG AS it is not listed as a requirement for any other generation.

You must complete the aspiration and job for each generation unless otherwise stated.

You can live anywhere you want unless otherwise stated.

Generation One: Cheerful

Your Sim is the light of everyone’s life. They can put a smile on the faces of the gloomiest of Sims. They’re rarely sad themselves, and when they are, they bounce back quickly. The glass is always half full for this Sim, and their personal philosophy is to always pick oneself back up and keep putting one foot in front of the other.

Traits: Cheerful, Good, Outgoing

Aspiration: Friend of the World

Job: Political – Charity Organizer

Rules:

Complete the Charity Organizer career track and complete the Friend of the World aspiration

Master the charisma skill

Have at least two kids

Each of your children must age up to young adulthood in range to receive the Empathy character value

Generation Two: Funny

You grew up with two wonderful parents who showed you how important it was to make everyone smile. You want to take it one step further – make everyone laugh. You’ve always been a joker. Your mother said that when she gave birth to you, you came out laughing instead of crying. The sound of laughter is the most beautiful to you.

Traits: Goofball, Clumsy, Self-Assured

Aspiration: Joke Star

Job: Entertainer – Comedian

Rules:

Master the Comedian career track and complete the Joke Star aspiration

Master the comedy skill

Have only one child

The one child you have must be given the gloomy trait upon aging up to a teenager.

Generation Three: Pessimistic

You don’t know what happened. You were such a happy kid. But then one day, everything started to look dark. You’re constantly angry and can’t help but snap at people, even when they may mean well. What can you say? It’s a harsh world.

Traits: Gloomy, Hot Headed, Kleptomaniac

Aspiration: Public Enemy

Job: Criminal – Boss

Rules:

Master the Boss career track and complete the Public Enemy aspiration

Master the mischief skill

Get married as a young adult and divorced as an adult due to constant arguing. Never remarry.

Must be enemies with at least five people. One of these enemies must be your ex-spouse.

Have two kids – a boy and a girl – prior to divorce.

One of your kids must move out with your ex-spouse in the divorce. The one who remains MUST be the heir. You should remain an acquaintance with the one who moves out – never friends.

Generation Four: Affectionate

All your parents ever did was argue. You hated it, the constant screaming. You just want to spread the love. Is that such a bad thing?

Traits: Romantic, Non-committal, Jealous

Aspiration: Serial Romantic

Job: Player’s choice

Rules:

Must complete the Serial Romantic aspiration

Master the charisma skill

Get at least a silver on every date

Woohoo with every first date

Must have at least 10 different partners

You may marry, but you cannot cheat on your spouse. Your Sim likes to spread the love, but they would never go so far as to cheat while married. They can cheat on a boyfriend/girlfriend.

Have at least three children by at least two different fathers.

Generation Five: Ambitious

Every time you turned around, it seemed like your parent had a different partner. Don’t get anything wrong here, you understand the need for companionship, you are a Sim after all, and Sims are social creatures. But relationships have never come easy for you, at least not the romantic kind. You prefer to focus on academic pursuits and learning how things work.

Traits: Unflirty, Genius, Ambitious

Aspiration: Nerd Brain

Job: Scientist

Rules:

Master the Scientist career and complete Renaissance Sim aspiration

Master the logic and handiness skills

Have at least three friends and maintain these friendships through elderhood

Go on one date for each lifespan starting with teenhood – they never pan out. You never marry.

Adopt at least one child

Live with the next heir until death

Generation Six: Family-Oriented

You grew up in a single parent household, and your parent gave you the greatest gift you could ever receive: unconditional love. They chose to raise you as their own even though they didn’t have to. You aspire to be just a great a parent to your own children as they were to you.

Traits: Family Oriented, Childish, Neat

Aspiration: Big Happy Family

Job: None

Rules:

Complete the Big Happy Family aspiration

Master the parenting skill

Live in Willow Creek

Get married as a young adult

Have five children

Be a stay at home parent

Be best friends with one of your children. Spend a lot of time with this child. This child must be the next heir.

Generation Seven: Natural Chef

You were lucky enough to be best friends with one of your parents. They taught you everything they knew. Two of your favorite past-times were baking and cooking with them. Grilled cheese is one of your absolute favorites.

Traits: Foodie, Creative, Slob

Aspiration: Grilled Cheese (Hidden Aspiration)

Job: Open your own bakery

Rules:

Your only source of income is the bakery. If you marry, your spouse must run the bakery with you. They cannot have another job. No other form of income is allowed.

Master the baking, cooking, and gourmet cooking skills.

Master the Grilled Cheese aspiration and own a five-star bakery.

You must live in the same world as your bakery. You cannot live AT the bakery.

Have at least two children

The next generation heir must be at least a little bit fat

Die at the bakery

Generation Eight – Active

My God, does your family know how to cook. All that good food… well, you got a little chubby. That’s all about to change.

Traits: Active, Bro, Perfectionist

Aspiration: Bodybuilder

Job: Athletic – Bodybuilder

Rules:

Your Sim must start out fat.

Master the Bodybuilder aspiration and complete the Bodybuilder career track

Master fitness skill

Have a home gym – one of each piece of equipment by the start of adulthood

Have two kids

Generation Nine – Hedonistic

Growing up with a bodybuilder parent isn’t easy. Their diet and lifestyle becomes your diet and lifestyle. You couldn’t have everything then – but you can now.

Traits: Materialistic, Snob, Glutton

Aspiration: Mansion Baron

Job: Business – Investor

Rules:

Master the Mansion Baron aspiration and complete the Investor career track

Have $50,000 in cash

Master the charisma skill

Marry someone conventionally attractive. You can make this Sim yourself if no townies are suitable.

Have only one child

Your child must earn an A in elementary and high school

Give your child the most expensive of everything

Generation Ten: Humble

You came from money, but you’ve never been proud of it. All of those expensive things your parents bought you? You’d have been perfectly happy with a minimalistic lifestyle. The fancy life isn’t the one for you.

Traits: Loner, Loves Outdoors, Bookworm

Aspiration: Outdoor Enthusiast

Job: Self-employed author

Rules:

Master the Outdoor Enthusiast aspiration

Go to Granite Falls once a week.

Master the writing, fishing, and herbalism skills

Marry as an adult

Have at least one child

Never own a TV

Have at least three bookshelves

Do not use the computer unless it is for writing/practicing writing

I hope you enjoy this challenge! It’s something I’ve been thinking about doing for at least a month now and I finally decided to take the plunge and write it. If you decide to take a whack at this, let me know! I’d love to see your posts - tag them with #charactertraitschallenge.

Special thanks to @astropxel for reading over the whole challenge for me and making sure everything looked okay. =)

#the sims 4 #ts4 #sims 4 #s4 #ts4 legacy #ts4 legacy challenge #sims 4 legacy #sims 4 legacy challenge #charactertraitschallenge

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the-record-columns · 4 years

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Feb. 12, 2020: Columns

A friend first, then a banker…

(Editor’s note: This column was written by Ken Welborn shortly after the death in 2010 of his longtime friend, Ronald “Ron” Shoemaker.)

By KEN WELBORN

Record Publisher

I simply do not know to express the sadness I feel as I write today about my friend, Ron Shoemaker.

For my entire adult life, Ron was there whenever I needed him with wise counsel, patience and understanding. Anytime I had the opportunity to introduce Ron, I would always do so as “…my friend, Ron,” and the fact that he was my banker would only come up if appropriate or necessary. While he made his entire career in the realm of finance, his true legacy is that of an honest man, a good family man, a brother like no other — and a trusted friend.

Ron Shoemaker was what I like to refer to as an old-line banker, one who could read people as well as financial statements, and who would place character ahead of collateral when circumstances called for it. Ron truly cared about his customers, never more clearly evidenced to me than the time, back in the old NCNB days, when he didn’t loan me the money.

I had gotten myself involved in a circumstance (the proverbial good cause) that had gone south and I had been convinced by the gentleman in charge that I had no choice but to ante up $10,000 as my part to clean up the mess. I went to see Ron, explained what had transpired to him, and asked to borrow the money.

He then asked me several questions about my involvement in the deal, studied about it a minute or two and then leaned forward and said, “I’ll loan you the money, I promise, but I want you to do something for me first.”

He then went on to tell me that he didn’t think what was going on was fair to me; that I was being scammed, and that I should see an attorney before I agreed to pay a dime. I kind of hesitated, so, without another word, he picked up his phone and called Jim Moore, asking him if he could see Ken Welborn for a few minutes.

About an hour later, as I left Jim’s law office in the old Northwestern Bank Building, he told me I was fortunate to have a friend like Ron looking out for me, because I had no liability whatever in this deal, and if anyone argued with me to simply tell them “…you’ll see them in court.”

When I went by to thank Ron, he smiled broadly and said, “I have heard your daddy the preacher say many times that there is no right way to do the wrong thing, and this is plainly wrong.”

That was my friend Ron talking — clearly the banker Ron took a back seat that day.

I followed him when he went to Southern National Bank (now BB&T), and was as happy as anyone in the county when, some years later, he told me he and a group of directors were forming what came to be Wilkes National Bank and then Northwestern National Bank. They made a great success of that company, catering particularly to small businesses and individuals; and by understanding just how personal folks take a banking relationship. Simply put, they treated their customers the way they would want to be treated.

That attitude came from the top down, from Ron Shoemaker.

After his retirement, I mostly saw him when he was out to eat with his wife, Jane — who always looked as though she just left the beauty shop. I would tease him about still dressing up like a banker, even after retirement, and he would remind me he needed the coat pockets to hold the fifty or so pictures he always carried of his grandson; his newest pride and joy.

Ron’s health had been failing for the past few years, and I cannot even imagine what he went through, but clearly he didn’t have to go it alone — his family stood by him steadfastly. He remained positive and upbeat, always finding the best in whatever circumstance he was facing.

He was a man at peace with himself, with his family, and with God.

I am a better man for having known him.

Ron Shoemaker May 1, 1940—February 12, 2010 Rest in Peace

The Perfect Valentines Gift Does Exist

By HEATHER DEAN

Record Reporter

Disclaimer: I’m that girl.

I would rather spend the day curled up with a good book and a warm beverage instead of going out in public.

Contrary to popular belief, people like us do exist outside of fairy tales and movies, and there’s nothing supernatural about it. Think about it: Books are so much better than the blasé “flowers, chocolates, and promises you don’t intend to keep” on the most commercialized day of the year, posing as a holiday.

Last summer, my two daughters and I spent the day at Biltmore. We toured the house and gardens, and then went to the shops. They made a bee line for the candy store and I perused for a bit at the other treasures before going into the bookstore. (Side note: If I ever win the lottery, I will have a library that puts Mr. Vanderbilt’s to shame.) After about 30 minutes I heard a familiar voice echo in the hallway. It was my youngest. “TOLD you mom would be in the bookshop!” They came in and we looked over books together, discussing the history, language and Edwardian clothing surrounding the primary books in the shop, as well as swooning over the calligraphy sets. As I made my purchase the shopkeeper said “I couldn’t help but overhear your conversations. You have such well behaved and intelligent children. Thank you for that.”

I told her it was generational- my mom instilled that same love for history and leaning in her children, and I am grateful that my kids have inherited that as well. Of course they have inherited my tenaciousness as well and more than once a letter has been sent home about them debating in the class when the information about something historical has been inaccurate. (Guess the administration wasn’t ready for a first grader to know about the Celts, or a third grader to know her Greek gods.)

I say all this because there is an invaluable opportunity here in Wilkes next week to get that perfect Valentines Day gift. The Friends of the Library Used Book Sale is Thursday, Feb. 13, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Friday and Saturday, Feb. 14 and Feb. 15, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

So go ahead and lay out a candlelit table, with favored beverage and lots of candy, but don’t miss this opportunity to wow and amaze your significant other by placing a book they would love at the table setting.

Collusion in disguise?

By AMBASSADOR EARL COX and KATHLEEN COX

Special to The Record

On March 2, Israelis will go to the polls again for the third time in one year to elect, or re-elect, their prime minister. One week ago, MSNBC audiences were told by Bill Kristol, a NeverTrump propagandist, that if Prime Minister Netanyahu is defeated, then the Democrats have a better chance of winning the White House. Given the Democrat’s deep-in-the-gut hatred for Donald Trump, is it beyond the realm of possibility to think their operatives could have a hand in helping to swing the election against Netanyahu? On this we must keep a close watch for even a hint of collusion. It’s interesting to note the players on Team Gantz, better known as the Blue and White party - Netanyahu’s major opposition. More on this later.

With Trump’s newly unveiled peace plan, Netanyahu is in an awkward and difficult position. Attached to that plan was a map. After the peace plan was published, Israelis noticed problems with the attached map. Large sections of Highway 60 which crosses Judea and Samaria from north to south, is placed outside of Israeli jurisdiction. Without correction, entire Israeli communities, equaling approximately 700,000 individual Israelis, will be isolated outside of Israeli jurisdiction.

Israel has always insisted that any viable peace plan must make clear provision for defensible borders. As unbelievable as it is, the map was crafted in error. Netanyahu’s team is now working on the corrections. If not completed before the March 2nd elections, Netanyahu will be in political trouble.

Last Monday, Gantz, along with two of his senior campaign advisors and strategists, traveled to Washington to meet with President Trump. Prior to Gantz’s arrival, light was shed on his two traveling companions, Ronen Tzur and Joel Benenson. Both have Tweeted numerous vicious attacks on President Trump even going so far as to compare him to Hitler. After meeting with President Trump, Gantz left Washington with Trump’s peace plan tucked underarm and knowing of the errors on the map. As Israel’s former Chief of Staff for the Israel Defense Forces, Gantz is a superb strategist. As such, he returned to Israel and announced that he intended to present the plan to the Knesset for approval. Knowing that Netanyahu’s base of support, which are the Likud, right-wing lawmakers and the right-religious bloc, could not pass the plan with errors, even though they support it overall. Forcing them to publicly oppose the plan would serve the best interests of both Gantz’s party and the Democrats. With Netanyahu supporters opposing the plan, both the plan and Netanyahu would be discredited in the eyes of voters. This would force many to simply stay away from the polls on March 2nd.All of this, the defeat of the plan and the defeat of Netanyahu, would bode well for the Democrats.

Now, a word about the players. Who are Joel Benenson and Ronen Tzur of Team Gantz? Both are currently serving as senior campaign advisors to Gantz. As it turns out, Benenson helped shape the policies and positions of the Democrat Party. He served as Obama’s senior political strategist in the 2008 and 2012 elections and he also served as Hillary Clinton’s senior political strategist in 2016. The Israeli left is clearly intertwined with the Democrat Party. Gantz’s announcement that he intended to present the plan to the Knesset for approval, along with the faulty map, was not a sign of his support for the peace plan but rather a cleverly disguised attempt to discredit Trump and Netanyahu. It seems foul play may be underway. Dare I suggest collusion?

Leather Britches and a good talk

By CARL WHITE

Life in the Carolinas

I think it’s safe to say that food has the unique capacity to nourish the body as well as relationships of all sorts.

During lunch with a friend not long ago, our lunch included among other things a tasty Amish potato salad which was made with chunks of potato with easy blending to leave good amounts of the potato structure intact. Based on its flavor profile, I do believe that the traditional Amish recipe was followed.

As the meal progressed, my friend looked up and said, “While this is a good potato salad, my mama made the best I have ever eaten. Hers was creamy and had a yellow tent to it.” He went on to share memories about his sweet mother and how well she treated him. He is confident that he was her favorite child.

The stories progressed to when he was invited to a Homecoming at the Hinshaw Baptist Church. As is tradition, there were all sorts of good foods to enjoy, including a potato salad that appeared to be creamy and had a familiar yellow tent to it.

With modest expectations, he spooned out a good helping and when he set down to eat, was instantly flooded with memories of his mama’s potato salad. He could not believe what he was tasting. He immediately went on a search to find the maker of the dish that had stirred so many memories.

He found her and to his delight she not only knew his mother but had learned from her how to make that creamy potato salad that featured a hint of yellow mustard for flavor and color.

The maker could not have been more pleased to know that a recipe learned long ago, brought forward such wonderful and meaningful memories on that day.

I attended an event not long ago where the Appalachian Song Writer, Singer and Storyteller William Ritter presented a program titled “Songs, Stories and Seeds.”

I had met Will several years prior during a gathering of the storyteller’s series “Liars Bench” which was being hosted at Western Carolina University. The series was produced by the renowned and colorful storyteller Gary Carden. We had cameras rolling for the evening and it was a great event.

On this day, however, he shared stories about Appalachian inspired music and the not so talked about seed sharing system of the Appalachian Region.

Much of Will’s talk was around the culture of seed sharing and some of the music was about the same thing. I loved his story about “Leather Britches” and the song he penned titled “Greasy Beans.”

I liked the “Leathers Britches” because they brought back memories of my grandparents stringing the beans on a thread and hanging them to dry. In the cooler months when fresh beans were not growing, they were rehydrated and cooked. The have a very different flavor; some folks like them and some do not. I like them because of the memory. They are hard to find these days because it’s easy to get fresh food year-round. However, there are some folks who still make them.

Will’s song about “Greasy Beans” talks about the love people have for the unique aspects of the bean. The plants run long, and the beans are best eaten big and plump.

After Will’s program, we set and talked about music, heirloom seed sharing, and good mountain stories for about three hours. It was a good time and it all started around food memories.

When I think about all the great conversations I have had around food, I am confident that if food or a good beverage were not involved, the visits would have been much shorter. Sometimes a quick visit is good, but often, a little lingering is much better.

Carl White is the Executive Producer and Host of the award-winning syndicated TV show Carl White’s Life In The Carolinas. The weekly show is now in its 11th year of syndication and can be seen in the Charlotte market on WJZY Fox 46 Saturday’s at noon and My 12. The show also streams on Amazon Prime. For more information visit www.lifeinthecarolinas.com. You can email Carl at [email protected].

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hermanwatts · 4 years

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Sensor Sweep: Hammett, Hernstrom, Heinlein, Haggard

Comic Books (Paint Monk): Copyright. Public Domain. Cease & Desist. Not the words one would normally think to associate with a battle featuring Conan of Cimmeria and yet here we are. Now that the smoke has cleared, Ablaze is finally able to deliver translated versions of French Glénat’s Conan comics. Let me see if I can sum it up succinctly. In Europe, most of Robert E. Howard’s works are in the public domain. In the United States?

Publishing (Kairos): There’s a shortage of paper, because it comes from China. The two largest printers of magazines and books in the U.S., Quad/Graphics and LSC Communications were going to merge last summer, but something got in the way. Now, LSC Communications has filed for bankruptcy. The second largest printer, Quad, has shut its book printing facilities entirely. In some regions, major distributors have shut down or disappeared, while although others, like Ingram, are still operating, although with reduced staff.

New Releases (DMR Books): The next DMR Books release is The Eye of Sounnu, the long-awaited collection of Schuyler Hernstrom’s stories from Cirsova magazine. Today we reveal the incredible cover by Brian LeBlanc (who also did the cover for Renegade Swords.) The title of the collection is taken from the cover story, “Gift of the Ob-Men,” which previously appeared in the first issue of Cirsova, as well as the free anthology The Infernal Bargain and Other Stories.

Hard-boiled Fiction (Elgin Bleeker): The Hammett novel, which I posted about (here), is a complicated yarn of murder and political corruption. Nick Beaumont is an advisor and right-hand man to Paul Madvig, a political power broker. In the book, Hammett showed the strong ties between the men who were long-time friends. A lot of that was lost in the 1942 movie starring Alan Ladd as Nick and Brian Donlevy as Paul because the story needed to be trimmed down to fit a movie’s normal running time. (There is also a 1935 version starring George Raft and Edward Arnold, but I have not seen it.)

Pulp Science-Fiction (Adventures Fantastic): OK, I’m gonna do it. With the exception of some of the novels, I’ll be looking at the nominees for the 1945 Retro Hugos, which are awarded for stories published in 1944. I’m going to start with the novelettes. I read “The Children’s Hour” earlier this week as a possibility Henry Kuttner birthday post before the Retro Hugo shortlist was announced. Might as well tackle it while it’s fresh on my mind.

Pulp Fiction (Dark Worlds Quarterly): Edmond Hamilton was a Science Fiction writer who is loved for his Captain Future novels, his Star Kings and any number of other Pulp stories. He was an important innovator of the 1920s and early 30s, as well as one of the best writers of Superman comics in the 1940s, 50s and 60s. But there was this time when Ed wrote Mystery stories for money…Hamilton was one of the first SF writers who tried to make a living writing only Science Fiction and Fantasy. He succeeded for the most part but there were lean years in the Great Depression when he turned to Mystery fiction.

Fiction (Jon Mollison): Is now really the best time to write a post-apocalyptic novel? It is if you know what you are doing. And as a writer, let me assure you – I know what I’m doing. The sad fact is that we already live in a post-apocalyptic world. Sooner than expected, we’ll be tasked with finding a path out of the relative doom that follows the American Empire. And fiction can help us do that. If it is the right kind of fiction.

Fiction (Track of Words): Black Library’s Siege of Terra series reaches its halfway point with Saturnine by Dan Abnett, a 500+ page beast of a book in which secrets are revealed, big names start to fall, and the stakes – somehow – get even higher. Having taken Lion’s Gate spaceport, the traitor host marches on the fortifications of the Lion’s Gate itself while simultaneously driving at the Eternity Gate spaceport, stretching the loyalist defenders to breaking point. With battles raging on multiple fronts and resources dwindling, Dorn faces impossible questions of compromise and sacrifice, as he searches for a strategy that might tip the balance in his battle of wills and wits with Perturabo.

Warhammer (Warhammer Community): This is Warhammer’s biggest plastic monster yet… it towers over a regular gargant and easily stares Archaon and his three-headed mount in their many faces. It’s festooned with details that mark it as a creature of the Mortal Realms, including trinkets from across the various factions and bits of monster – presumably to snack on after battle.

D&D (Boggswood): Both before D&D was written, and long afterward, Dave Arneson stocked his dungeons randomly and he devised different methods and applied different ways to do this. Monsters, for example, he stocked through a random “Protection Point: system. Gold he rolled dice for and items he created random tables for. The best early example is his The Loch Gloomen stocking list from 1972, reprinted in his First Fantasy Campaign booklet.

History and Writers (Frontier Partisans): H. Rider Haggard, an Englishman who had worked for several years in Natal in southern Africa, created one of the the quintessential Frontier Partisan heroes of fiction — white hunter and adventurer Allan Quatermain, hero of King Solomon’s Mines and a whole series of what Deuce Richardson calls “exotic adventure fiction.” A hunter of wild game and hidden treasures; a “Man Who Knows Indians” (or, rather, African tribesmen); an English gentleman by heritage and termperament, yet one who sought out the wild places of the earth to wander.

Fiction (NC Register): The unmistakable features of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle looked down upon me from an impressive Victorian town house. Below a larger than life portrait there was a sign; it announced: “The Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Centre.” I made a mental note, intending to visit what I assumed was a place dedicated to the memory and literary legacy of the creator of one of literature’s most famous figures: Sherlock Holmes. It was then that I noticed another sign. It offered “services” and other activities: the building was a center for spiritualism — necromancy by another name.

D&D (Jeffro’s Space Gaming Blog): I just had no interest in running a game featuring kobolds and goblins like happens so often when you run Keep on the Borderlands by the book. But you know, with three healing spells at first level for each cleric, high powered rangers and paladins holding things down, and with enough money in the game that the fighting-men can afford plate armor now… hoo boy, they can hold their own up against some pretty tough opposition. Tougher opposition means bigger payoffs– a tradeoff that seems quite satisfactory, at least when the players are winning.

New Release (Amazon): A resurrected sorcerer grants the wishes of the desperate men who have returned him to life—but in ways none of them anticipates. A prince makes a bargain with a barbarian criminal to travel into a lost world of violence and sorcery to save the life of a woman who may already be dead. Marauders who attack a city devoted to a great goddess suffer her strange curse when she answers the pleas of her dying priestess. The last survivors of an ancient continent confront evil at every step as they march beneath skies of endless darkness to reach the haven they hope will lead them to safety.

Art (DMR Books): “Legacy Circle members of the Robert E. Howard Foundation have something to look forward to: The Challenge from Beyond Drafts. In 1935, fan publisher and future DC Comics editor Julius Schwartz wanted to celebrate the third anniversary of his Fantasy Magazine. He asked five prominent science fiction authors and five prominent fantasy authors to collaborate on two stories, both to be titled ‘The Challenge from Beyond.’

Louis L’Amour (Paperback Warrior): Deemed “America’s Favorite Frontier Writer”, Louis L’Amour’s chronicle of the fictional Sackett family was a bestselling series. Beginning in 1960, the 17-book series is still held in high regard with fans of the western genre. While Barnabas’ son Jubal is mentioned in these books, it is explained to readers that he was a loner and distanced himself from his family. Jubal was obsessed with exploring the far west and walking “where no white-man had ever wandered”.

Fiction (Fantasy Literature): Of the nine books that I have read over the last year or so from Armchair Fiction’s current Lost World/Lost Race series, which runs to 24 volumes, no fewer than three of them have involved the discoveries of hitherto unknown civilizations far beneath the Earth’s surface. In Rex Stout’s truly thrilling Under the Andes (1914), three unfortunate Americans go through a hellacious experience at the hands of a lost race of Incas beneath the mountains of Peru. In S. P. Meek’s The Drums of Tapajos (1930), a quartet of American adventurers discovers the descendants of both the 10 Lost Tribes and Atlantis, uneasily coexisting both inside and beneath a mountain in the Brazilian wilderness.

Heinlein (Pulp Net): As a young science-fiction fan, I read several authors, and would often gravitate to a particular author at a time, reading almost everything they did, before I moved on. Often I wouldn’t follow on their later works. One of these authors was Robert A. Heinlein (1907-88), one of the “grandmasters” of science fiction, and sometimes referred to as the “dean of science fiction.” Like many SF authors of the time, he got his start in the pulps, and was successful in leaving the “pulp ghetto” for better-paying markets, such as The Saturday Evening Post, and original books.

Sensor Sweep: Hammett, Hernstrom, Heinlein, Haggard published first on https://sixchexus.weebly.com/

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recentanimenews · 6 years

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Crunchyroll Favorites 2017: Video Games

What a wild year it's been for gaming. Nintendo has thrown down the gauntlet with the Switch and its unbelievable roster of exclusives but they're far from the only company mixing things up and putting out some astounding exclusives. Following Part One about our favorite anime and manga, Part Two will cover our favorite video games from the plethora of hit releases in 2017!

PETER FOBIAN (@PeterFobian)

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild: The obvious choice (get used to seeing it on this list). Breath of the Wild probably impressed me more than any other game this year, taking Zelda and the open world platform to new heights in the most clever, brave way imaginable. This game lets you do whatever you want, giving you access to an immense number of tools to drive you to solve problems in ways the designers probably never thought of. Or, at least, you might believe they hadn’t if the world wasn’t brimming with small interactions we’re still discovering to this day. Even the story is a clever take on the usual defeating Ganon formula. I felt Nintendo was slipping during the Wii U days but they easily dominated this years releases.

NieR: Automata: Or, at least, I say that, but now I’m gonna talk about a bunch of PS4 titles. NieR was quite the narrative journey and did some immensely cool things with its story you could only see in a video game, replaying the same events from different perspectives then building upon them into brand new arcs. The game had its aesthetic sense on lock, complete with one of the best soundtracks I’ve ever heard. The glimmer of hope residing at the end of such an oppressively sad world was a tremendous conclusion. I just wish there had been more. There are elements in the game where I feel Yoko Taro teasing DLC content that he knew would never come. That asshole.

Horizon Zero Dawn: Another open-world game that was willing to invest in its setting. The world of HZD is awesome, aesthetically, functionally, and narratively. It also feels complete. Rather than the usual fetch quests you can expect in this sort of title, every mission has its own story and serves to expand your understanding of the various cultures of the world. The main plot is a wonderful dive into the history that brought this world about featuring a partnership of convenience between two characters whose arguments I could listen to for hours. The relationship between Aloy and Sylens is fantastic. The gameplay is fantastic. The world is fantastic.

Nioh: This game got a lot of flak out of the gate for being a Souls-like but it’s risen to that challenge and done some great things all its own with a deeper combat system featuring a variety of stances, combos, tools and unlockable techniques. The aesthetic is also spot on and, while it doesn’t have the same cinematic approach, delivers a cool environment with enemies just as frustratingly hard. If I have one complaint, it’s that the game went for a more numbers-heavy approach featuring RNG drops and complex crafting system that kept me in menus while I’d rather be exploring. All-in-all the game felt great to play and never felt like it was slowing down. You could even collect pokemon!

ECHO: I feel like I’ve been waiting for the release announcement for this game for an eternity since I first played a demo at PAX two years ago. This game touches on all my favorite aesthetic hallmarks, taking place in a nightmarish superstructure that is equal parts Giger and Blame!, alternating between immaculate palaces and criss crossing walkways over a dark abyss. The story is a particularly satisfying space opera and includes a unique gameplay mechanic controlling the enemy AI that feeds right into the horror of the setting. It’s a horrifically beautiful achievement and a MUST. PLAY.

Persona 5: My first experience with the Persona series has been memorable and I definitely now understand the obsessive following these games have earned. P5 has a crazy awesome sense of style and a great cast of characters with individual stories that build up to some seriously anime cathartic moments. Pretty much every characters unmasking was a memorable highlight and synced up nicely with the games through line of defying oppressive authority. I wish they’d gone a bit further, done a few things better, and loosed up a but on what players can do in the game. All the same I’ll be right there with everyone else in 2117 when Persona 6 comes out.

Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice: I love this game not only for what it is but what it represents. Long time fan of Ninja Theory and this game makes me a diehard. Hellblade's aim to release an “independent AAA game” is just what the industry needs right now with franchises and studios falling victim to microtransaction based monetization and getting gutted by major publishers. I hope to see a ton more of these in the year to come. The game itself was well-worth the price tag, a fascinating descent into hell that had a few clever tricks and an interesting representation of auditory hallucination that added to the atmosphere. More of this, more Ninja Theory.

Guilty Gear Xrd 2: Everyone has their fighting game and mine is Guilty Gear. The franchise went through a notable low point releasing Guilty Gear Xrd without Baiken, but thankfully ArkSys recovered and is back with part 2 and the good content. They’ve tightened some of the bolts from the previous releases along with character specific changes. I’m loving the new kits on all my main. ArkSys’s 3D/2D style continues to set the visual standard for 2D fighters. The only thing I’m not crazy about is Millia’s hat. If they add ABA then this will truly be the perfect game.

Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus: Although I’d never played Wolfenstein before this year, I was understandably attracted to the marketing efforts of Bethesda to promote this title. I was wholly unprepared for the over-the-top narrative experience it provided, coming closer to Saints Row levels of ludicrous plot twists and characterization without compromising it’s blood-in-the-dirt aesthetic. The writing walks a razor's edge between horrific and hilarious while fearlessly drawing similarities between the Wolfenstein world and modern day America. It’s wild that Blazkowicz feels so real, even melancholic, with everything that surrounds him.

Uncharted 4: The Lost Legacy DLC: Lost Legacy solved what was incontrovertibly the biggest problem with Uncharted 4. No Chloe. It pulled one better by bringing back the best new character from the main title, Nadine in an unexpected partnership that worked better than I could have imagined. Rather than a fun side mission, Naughty Dog spent a lot of time using past events to build a compelling narrative around both characters and their unlikely partnership with all the same cinematic highlights as the main title. It wasn’t quite the unforgettable experience as Uncharted 4, but it was quality DLC that barely exists in a industry chopping up IPs to sell them in pieces.

RENE KAYSER (@kayserlein)

Persona 5: There are three titles that I carry as the triumvirate of “Games that changed me in who I am”. One of these three is Persona 4 which helped me get through the worst part of my youth. And while never got tired of Atlus’ spin-offs of that title like some people did, I certainly was hyped for the new entry in the series. It didn’t quite hit the mark for me that 3 and 4 did but it gave me an absolutely fantastic 99 hours of thievery and intrigue. I just wish they’d given us more Social Events to hang out with the entire group …

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NieR: Automata: It’s quite something to not only get one but two sequels to life-changing games in a single year (Number Three in my triumvirate is Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII which introduced me to Japanese games in general). The original Nier broadened the horizon of what you can do with videogame storytelling for young 16-year-old me and while Automata didn’t hit me that hard, it still managed to let me reflect a lot on my actions as a gamer (I still feel bad for getting *that* trophy). I just hope that Square remasters the first game one day so I can reunite with its characters once more.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild: No franchise in the world means as much to me as Zelda. I went through every single entry (not counting the CDI ones - I’m no maniac!) and know almost every dungeon by heart. BOTW has recaptured that old magic of (re-)conquering an entire kingdom and sucked a whopping 120 hours out of me before I knew it. It may have certain weaknesses (mainly in the story department) but that doesn’t take away from the utter magnificence Nintendo has gifted us with. I only wish they’d tell us something definite about its timeline placement (My money’s on the Convergence theory).

Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony: Kazutaka Kodaka is a goddamn genius. He, Kotaro Uchikoshi and Ryukishi07 are probably some of my favorite writers ever and in the newest entry of his murdery series, he once again presents us with this unique mix of comedy and horror only he can concoct. Its second and third case slow the game down a bit but the final two will turn anyone’s brain upside down and put it through the blender in a way you’ll never forgot. To write anything more, would delve into spoilers but if you haven’t gotten into this franchise until now, you’re definitely missing out!

Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus: I have a long-standing love for fictional (!) nazis. Part of it is certainly due to the gruesome part of German history which lets you easily villainize them without any need for characterization but also a remaining excitement of of the forbidden (all nazi content is stripped out in the German version of the franchise, so I have to resort to imports). Shooting nazis itself would be fun enough but Machine Games’ reboot trilogy somehow still gives it one of the best and most moving video game narratives in years which leaves me yearning for its final chapter. The cherry on top of the already delicious cake is the German dialogue which was voiced by fantastic German actors (who were sadly replaced by less fitting ones in the local version) which enhances the atmosphere tremendously by not copping out with using American actors with a funny accent and no actual dialogue like every other game with nazis. Even if you’re not into shooters, you should give the Wolfenstein reboot a try - it might really surprise you with its story.

Super Mario Odyssey: Here I go thinking that Nintendo just put out something that they can hardly match again for at least half a decade … and they do it within the same year! BOTW was already great but Mario Odyssey cemented 2017 as the year Nintendo returned to form. Not since Mario 64 did it bring me this much fun to play as our favorite plumber (though he did quit that job) and I find it highly possible that his newest game might even go down in history as being superior to his first 3D outing.

The Nintendo Switch and basically everything on it: This list of mine already carries two Switch games on it - but I could easily put down everything else on the system. While its portability might seem like a gimmick to outsiders, it opens up every system you play on it incredibly. Even if you’re mostly at home and work from there (like me), the comfort to pick it up and play another 30 minutes in bed before you’re sleeping adds so much to the experience that I can hardly put it into words. Skyrim, Doom, Xenoblade, Stardew Valley, Splatoon 2, Resident Evil - the list goes on and on and each week I’m overwhelmed by new announcements of both indie games I’ve been meaning to check out for a long time but also ports of bigger titles on this hardware. Not since my PS One have I been so in love with a system itself and with how things are going, the Switch might easily become my favorite gaming console ever created.

KARA DENNISON (@rubycosmos)

Resident Evil VII: This game messed me up something fierce -- in all the best ways, of course. I can understand why opinion is divided in some cases, but it’s so atmospheric and so entrenched in its own lore that it’s just fascinating to get lost in. And I love a game that blurs the line between gameplay and cutscenes to the point that you’re not even sure what’s under your control anymore. That’s some good horror.

Doki Doki Literature Club: The first release from indie studio Team Salvato, an OEL dating sim with a poetry-driven storyline. And -- funny story -- it just magically appeared in my Steam gifts. I still don’t know who sent it to me. But whoever it was, I owe them big thanks because it was just the kind of VN I love. The art is absolutely gorgeous, and it’s got a great story you’ll want to explore multiple times. High points of the game: hanging out with Sayori, a long weekend with Yuri, and finally getting some time alone with club president Monika!

Fate/Grand Order (US release): Of course this was going to make my list: I can build an army of nothing but different female King Arthurs. The story is entertaining for history and folklore buffs, and it’s also a great (read: inescapable) entry point to the Fate franchise.

NICK CREAMER (@b0bduh)

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild: From the first moments I started playing Breath of the Wild, I realized this game signaled the end of one era and the beginning of another. Through its gorgeous world, incredibly rewarding base gameplay, and infinite secrets to discover, Breath of the Wild redefines what we can expect from open world games, solving the issue of vast yet unsatisfying worlds in one definitive strike. I can only hope that future games steal as much as they can from Breath of the Wild’s bountiful innovations.

Nioh: Nioh’s appeal is pretty simple: place the satisfying, skill-intensive combat of a Dark Souls-style game in the circular loot-grind context of a Diablo-like, speed everything up by about thirty percent, and let it fly. The end result is likely the most successful riff yet on the Souls/Bloodborne subgenre, a game that can happily stand beside its spiritual inspiration.

Nier: Automata: Automata is undoubtedly the messiest game on this list, containing a vast number of minor gameplay failings and larger issues of overarching pacing and structure. And yet, no other game I played this year can match Automata’s narrative ambitions, or its soaring dramatic heights. Automata brings you to your lowest possible point in order to drive home that even at the end of everything, hope survives. Technical issues aside, a message told this creatively and well deserves all the accolades it can get.

Persona 5: Persona 5 was also messy in a variety of ways, like its occasionally unsatisfying dungeons, and especially its frustratingly conditional perspective on society’s “outsiders.” But from its endlessly endearing cast to its utterly best-in-class art design, Persona 5 also offers a vast array of astonishing strengths. I’ll still be thinking fondly of my time with the Phantom Thieves for a long time to come.

Resident Evil VII: Sometimes saving a franchise means going back to the drawing board. So it was with Resident Evil VII, which ditched all the bloated excess of the franchise’s recent entries in order to zero in on the fundamentals of horror: intimacy, isolation, implication, and, uh, insects. Lots of gross insects. Vast segments of Resident Evil VII play out as a horror experience so tightly composed that it really feels like you’re trapped in a beloved horror movie. It’s like twelve straight hours of opening a door that you really, really, really don’t want to open.

THOMAS ZOTH (@ABCBTom)

NieR: Automata: Nier: Automata isn’t my favorite Yoko Taro game, but it’s the one that has established him as a creative voice and given him the tools and funding to keep delivering punishing Drakengard games for me, so I am beyond thrilled by its reception. Taro is truly a gaming auteur who enjoys playing with the expectations about what videogames must do and must be, frustrating and infuriating players with his obtuse cruelty and making them love him for it. Once you’ve finished Automata, play Drakengard 3 and the original Nier as well.

Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Xenoblade sneaks in just under the line, and I haven’t made it very far, but both Xenoblade and Xenoblade X were my favorite games of their respective years, so it’s safe to say I will love this one all the way through. Not as big a fan of this game’s more kawaii artstyle, but the story is still willing to go unexpected places and allow you to explore gigantic, overwhelming worlds. Plus, the game’s awful map system is getting a patch so I have no real complaints. Xenoblade is my favorite modern RPG series and one that’s not to be missed.

Super Mario Odyssey: A game that feels like the direct sequel to Mario 64, allowing for the feeling of exploration Sunshine and Galaxy lost. I love the possession mechanic, I love the bizarre uncanny valley situations where Mario interacts with humans, and I love New Donk City’s Festival. I’ve cooled on Mario platformers a lot in recent years but this reminded me why I spent so much time collecting 120 stars in Mario 64.

Persona 5: I know all of the problems with Persona 5, gameplay-wise, narrative-wise, and character-wise, and I agree with all of it. The game is massively flawed, and could have been so much better. AND YET… AND YET the fundamentals of Persona 5 are so strong that even with this burden it’s still one of my favorite games of the year. The gang of misfits that made up the Phantom Thieves are my family and the music is divine. I hope the game spawns all of the 100 spinoff cash-ins that Persona 4 did, because I will probably get them all.

The Legeond of Zelda: Breath of the Wild: I hate open world games, because they always present a procedurally generated landscape of vacant mountains and palette swapped ninjas. You are free to go anywhere, but there is nothing to do. Until Breath of the Wild, that is, which has a marvelous curated world made with the help of the wizards at Monolith Soft. The game has three problems. When it rains, you can’t climb. Running depletes stamina, making it hard to fast travel. There are horses, but riding a horse is pointless, because you have to leave it behind to go exploring. That’s it: Everything else is perfect. Play it.

JOSEPH LUSTER (@Moldilox)

Super Mario Odyssey: Odyssey is the ultimate fulfillment of the promise Super Mario 64 made over 20 years ago. As much as I loved the Galaxy games, Nintendo went even further on Switch, providing the ideal playground for Mario and his absurdly athletic abilities. Taking control of enemies is always a pleasure, and I still haven’t uncovered half of what’s hidden within Odyssey’s jam-packed worlds.

NieR: Automata: Yoko Taro is a genius, and NieR: Automata deserves all the success and acclaim it has received since launch. There may be moments where some things don’t click just right—including the fairly repetitive combat and some dull locales—but the whole is so delightful that it’s tough to really care about those faults. The immense soundtrack is icing on this introspective, humanity-questioning cake.

Resident Evil VII: The latest entry in Capcom’s storied franchise is a return to form in many ways. Despite the perspective switch and an ever-so-slightly more grounded setup, things get buckwild pretty fast. Throw in classically stupid objectives like finding three dog heads to open an old rural house’s door and you have exactly what I want from survival horror.

Nioh: Team Ninja is back! Nioh gave me the first good taste of their sweet, sweet take on action games since Ninja Gaiden II, all with a heaping helping of FromSoftware inspiration on top. Nioh is much more complex than it appears on its surface, so even the most dedicated of players should have their hands full unraveling the various systems and making them work in each increasingly challenging scenario.

Horizon Zero Dawn: Guerrilla Games’ PS4 hit is hands-down the most gorgeous game I played all year. While the main story is worth pursuing, the thrill of the hunt is at the core of Horizon Zero Dawn. It’s always exciting, and occasionally frustrating, to run into a mechanical beast you have no hope of toppling… only to emerge triumphant! Those moments never get old, and the variety of locations makes this one the poster child for Photo Mode.

ISAAC AKERS (@iblessall)

Atelier Firis: The Alchemist and the Mysterious Journey: My pick for game of the year isn’t one of the big JRPG titles, but the second in a trio of understated games from Gust commemorating the Atelier series’ 20th anniversary. I was inspired to pick up the game thanks to a beautiful article written by a friend of mind, and I was delighted to find one of the most expansive, relaxing, engaging, and rewarding game worlds I’ve ever experienced. Firis isn’t the flashiest game of the year, but the way it allows you to just sink into its comfortable rhythms astounded me.

NieR: Automata: I’ve got my reservations about Automata as a story, but one thing I can give it uninhibited praise for is its ability to create vivid experiential pockets within its world. Automata is not just rich in its colorful conceptualization of its world, but also in ideas, and the blend of themes, incredible music, beautiful locals, and its tendency to bat for the emotional stands resulted in some moments that stand out as truly stunning amongst my gaming experiences of the year. The ability to create those moments, whether they last a few seconds or a few minutes, ought not to be overlooked amongst Automata’s other strengths and flaws.

Uta Macross: To balance out my unusual engagement with actual console games, I must of course return to the place I spend most of my gaming time: mobage (which I found out this year is pronounced “mo-ba-ge” and not “mob-age”). A Macross rhythm game has been a wish near to my heart for years, and with the 35th anniversary providing a clear justification for it, it finally happened. At last, I can tap my phone screen to the rhythm of “Ikenai Borderline,” “POWER TO THE DREAM,” and “Universal Bunny.” It actually wound up being a little less exciting than expected since I already listen to Macross music constantly, but a long-standing wish fulfilled is nothing to sneeze at.

Tokyo 7th Sisters: On the other side of the spectrum is a mobile game I’ve been playing for longer than I can remember – Tokyo 7th Sisters. Although I played quite a bit during the year (it was my game of choice in my hotel room during long work trips), the most rewarding part of being a fan of the game came with a wholesale update of the whole thing, from the actual rhythm game to the way gacha points are handled. All those changes have gotten me back into the game in a big way, and excited for what mobage BS the game will give me in 2018.

CALLUM MAY (@CanipaShow)

Persona 5: In 2014, I bought a custom t-shirt based on the original teaser trailer of Persona 5. It had 4 chairs on it with balls and chain attached to the legs and one white chair in the middle. It was a bit of cool symbolism for the game’s eventual themes and I was so impatient that I didn’t want to wait for the official merchandise, I wanted to make my own. When the game was released in 2017, that t-shirt had faded beyond recognition and is now just a red t-shirt with a white chair on it. Everything I love about Persona 5 has probably already been written above, but despite how many times the game was delayed and despite how much that shirt faded, it still became my favourite game ever.

Danganronpa V3: Never have I wanted a game creator to kick me in the shins more than Kazutaka Kodaka. He wouldn’t do it upon prompt, instead he’d kick me down at the most ironic and heartbreaking of times. He never does anything in halves. It’s always better, crazier and more dramatic than ever. I often promise to myself that I will pace things out, that I will try to balance work and playing through the trials of Danganronpa. But in the end, I always end up engrossed in an ever expanding spiral of mystery that delights, confuses and surprises me, sometimes even up to the early hours of the morning.

Xenoblade Chronicles 2: I’ve steadily been warming to the Xenoblade Chronicles combat and world design over the past two entries, but Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is the first time I’ve felt like I really need to see this through to the end. With a large, but manageable diverse world set atop titans wading through a sea of clouds, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 exists and strives with its own set of distinctive rules. The sea is made of clouds, the cloud level rises and dips because the Titans are always moving and if you’re a main character, your outfit is ridiculous. All very important rules that Xenoblade Chronicles 2 sticks to. Existing as a more streamlined version of previous iterations, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is a brilliant adventure that succeeds more than it fails at keeping you on track.

NATASHA H (@illegenes)

NieR: Automata: What to say about a game where already so much has been said? Nier: Gestalt was one of my favorite games of all time, so I had big expectations for the sequel, and it easily surpassed them. Haunting, nihilistic, melancholic, and searingly human, Nier: Automata encompasses so much of what I love in a good post-apocalyptic story about androids and robots. And yet it’s so much more than that, constantly evolving on nearly every structural level possible and delivering an emotionally exhausting but satisfying game about empathy, violence, and what it means to be human. Aided by a stunning soundtrack, beautiful visuals, and fantastic voice acting, this game will hold a special place in my heart for years to come.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild: I’ve always liked Zelda games, but BOTW surpassed all of my expectations for what the game could be like. Rarely has a game felt like it was tailored for me while also respecting me. The amount of things there are to explore, to experiment with, and to interact with are beyond me, and yet, 70 hours in, I feel like I’ve barely scratched the surface. The game invites curiosity in ways I’ve never seen, and I’ve got plans that may take up months, if not even years, of gameplay. There is something so delicately beautiful in Breath of the Wild - a world worth exploring and saving, and I can assuredly say that it’s my favorite game of the year (if not many years) alongside NieR: Automata.

Final Fantasy XV: I wasn’t sure what to expect of a game that’s been in developmental hell for almost a decade - at one point I was fairly convinced it was never going to happen. But happen it did, and while Final Fantasy XV is filled with flaws, technical and story-wise, it also has some of the most emotionally intense highs I’ve seen in a Final Fantasy game. Square Enix easily sold me on these four boys and their friendship, and I shed many tears along the way of their tumultuous and strange journey. They’re good boys, Brent.

Cuphead: I have only two things to say about Cuphead. One: The animation is sublime. Two: It is absolutely infuriating(ly addictive).

SAM WOLFE (@_Samtaro)

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild: I know that just about everyone else contributing to this article is going to write about this game, and rightly so; The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was spellbinding. After being delayed from 2015, to 2016, to “when it’s ready”, Breath of the Wild had a lot to live up to and yet still surpassed almost everyone’s expectations. Nintendo took a very big risk in deviating from their standard Zelda formula to give players a game that trusts them to be competent. In the first few weeks of release, I kept hearing the same thing from my colleagues playing the game “this one is really hard”, “the combat is like a puzzle,” “it’s so difficult!” Breath of the Wild doesn’t pull any punches, it expects players to meet it at its level. It allows you to get lost, it allows you to make mistakes, it allows you to wander around Hyrule for hours doing whatever you want, yet still somehow results in you having made progress.

Breath of the Wild’s bleak setting is also fresh to the Zelda series. You, Link, the hero of whatever timeline this game takes place in, have woken up one hundred years too late; the party’s over, and the bad guys won. While the NPCs you encounter still have the same Zelda charm you’d come to expect, they’re all a little fatigued. Almost no one believes you are the hero you say you are, and nobody expects things to get any better. It’s a cynical world that only you have the power to fill with hope again.

More than anything else though, Breath of the Wild rewards players for how much time they spend in the world. I think the simplicity of the final scene is brilliant, calling out players who may have sprinted towards the ending. I won’t spoil it, but I will say that when you get to the final cutscene, it’s short, it’s simple, and if you’ve spent enough time in Hyrule to remember why you started this crazy quest in the first place, it’s satisfying.

Hearthstone: Kobolds and Catacombs: Hearthstone dropped three big expansions this year, but none were as impactful and fun as Kobolds and Catacombs. A love letter to Dungeons & Dragons, Kobolds and Catacombs introduced the Dungeon Run, a solo experience where players get to build a deck out of the coolest cards the game has to offer as they progress through the kobold empire. In addition to a slew of new cards, this new way to play was made available for free, meaning you can download the game and start playing with some of the most exciting cards the Hearthstone team has ever created, all without spending a dime. Thank you, little kobold, I will take that candle.

Sonic Mania: Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is one of my favorite video games. Period. The bullies who say there are no good Sonic games have simply forgotten the glory days, and who can blame them? Sonic hasn’t been doing what he does best in several years. Sonic Team themselves even forgot, throwing a bone to fans of the original games, effectively saying “if you think our Sonic games are no good, why don’t you do it?”

So they did. And it blew everyone away.

Sonic Mania is a love letter to Sonic’s Genesis era. Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles returned in spectacular fashion, reminding everyone of a simple truth: it’s fun to go fast. With exceptional level design and music you’ll bop your head to, Sonic Mania succeeds where almost every Sonic game in recent memory fails: it’s fast, it’s fun, and it keeps you coming back for more. I’m not sure if a Sonic Mania 2 is in our future, but if it takes us another 13 years to get there, I’ll still lace up my running shoes when the time comes.

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That's it for Part Two of our three-part series! Be sure to check out Part One and stay tuned for PART THREE: EVERYTHING ELSE! If you're still in the mood for past CR Favorites, check out the previous years' features here:

Crunchyroll Favorites 2016 Part One Part Two Part Three

Crunchyroll Favorites 2015 Part One Part Two Part Three

Crunchyroll Favorites 2014 Part One Part Two Part Three

Crunchyroll Favorites 2013 Part One Part Two Part Three

Crunchyroll Favorites 2012 Part One Part Two Part Three

Crunchyroll News' Best of 2011 Part One Part Two

What were your favorite video games of 2017? Comment below and share with us! Remember, this is a FAVORITES list, not a BEST OF list, so there's no wrong answers!

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Peter Fobian is an Associate Features Editor for Crunchyroll, author of Monthly Mangaka Spotlight, writer for Anime Academy, and contributor at Anime Feminist. You can follow him on Twitter @PeterFobian.

By: [email protected]

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