#playback tech

[instantpansies]

deep sigh... i need to stop streaming music on my phone and dig up my old ipod. i need to get a cassette digitizer to preserve my grandfather's recordings of him singing and playing the guitar before they get too damaged to play. i need to back up my spotify playlists on mp3. i need to delete my instagram. i need to stop using face id on my phone (i need to get something that isn't apple, for that matter. something with a headphone jack, ideally). i need to buy an external hard drive so i can actually play games. i need to figure out why i can't download the sims. i need to start living my life not dependent on streaming and the cloud and ready-made disposables and planned obsolescence!!!

i'm doing a decent job already, ive got my favorite albums and movies downloaded and i try to get my games not from steam and i have a cd drive and a record player and an aux cord for my computer and i share my streaming passwords with as many people as i can and i don't pay for spotify and i clear my cookies and block trackers and ads and notifications. i make coffee at home when i can and use libreoffice and waterfox and buy secondhand. i do what i can but i want to do more !

[dandelionsprout42]

How to find your Apple TV's IPv6 address(es)

Since Apple TV's network settings don't list IPv6 info, it's time to get creative, though it won't be the hardest tech guide out there. Typically it has 2 IPv6 addresses: 1 public, and 1 private (The latter of which is used within the home's router network).

————————————————

Public IPv6 address

Download https://apps.apple.com/app/icurlhttp-appletv/id1153384808 (iCurlHTTP AppleTV)

2) Open that app. 3) In its "Browser" settings in the lower left, change from "User" to "iPhone". This is required. 4) In its address field in the upper left, write "https://ip.me". Then press the remote's OK button. 5) If it works, a row will show up a slight bit down in the text results that say "<p class="ip-address">" followed by your Apple TV's public IP.

————————————————

Private IPv6 address (i.e. within your router's LAN)

Download https://apps.apple.com/us/app/vlc-media-player/id650377962 (VLC for Apple TV)

2) Open that app. 3) Go to "Remote Playback" → Click "Turn On Remote Playback" if it hasn't already been turned on. 4) The app will show a URL that it tells users to open on a non-"Apple TV device". It will usually be "http://(The Apple TV's network name in lowercase with dashes).local" Ensure that the VLC app remains on that screen throughout the entire rest of the guide. 5) On a Windows, macOS, or Linux device (Android won't work), open any sort of command line (PowerShell, Cygwin, Windows Terminal, Command Prompt, Mac Terminal, Bash, ZSH, anything you can think of like those). It is not needed to run as administrator, though nothing bad happens if you do.

6) Type "ping (the URL from step 4 but without the http:// part)", then press Enter.

7) If it works, the result will show "Pinging (URL) [(The private IP address)] with 32 bytes of data:" 8) That IP (Remove the last "%(2 numbers)" part first) can then be pasted into a browser, "http://[(The IP)]". The square brackets are required. 9) If the browser loads a "Drop files" window, then the IP works correctly.

[techdriveplay]

Shokz OpenSwim Pro - TDP Review

The Shokz OpenSwim Pro are the latest innovation in bone conduction headphones, specifically designed for multisport athletes. Combining features from the popular OpenRun and OpenSwim models, these headphones promise superior performance both in and out of the water. They offer a comfortable and secure fit, Bluetooth and MP3 playback, and are fully waterproof, making them a versatile choice for…

[logicpng]

Aster™ Terror Star! (Ukagaka/Desktop Buddy)

(contents of this post are mirrored in website linked above, check out that page too!)

On a random browsing session, you come across a name you've only heard offhandedly mentioned by some tech nerds: Aster Assistant Software. A download of a software announced and swiftly forgotten, just freely available in a distant corner of the internet. Thinking you may have found a piece of history, you quickly download it to see what that's all about. What you got instead, was an AI that seemingly never shuts up.

It's done! Continuation of Aster™️Assistant Software, though doesn't require you play it whatsoever. As most ukagakas, requires SSP to run. Link includes an explanation as to what those are and installation instructions.

Based on the Simplicity template by Zichqec. Using SSP on Windows is recommended.

Content warnings:

⚠️ Unreality: No 4th wall, meta themes.

⚠️ Photosensitivity: Character often vibrates in place, and has glitchy effects involving minor flashing lights. You will be asked whether you prefer these on or off.

Features:

A lot of yapping! Said yapping can be adjusted to be less or more frequent;

Longer yapping, giving a bit of insight into Aster's journey;

A little bit of insight on the digital world from the perspective of a living software*;

Capacity to be bothered, just a little bit;

Basic display of file and folder properties, with a little bit of information about some common file formats;

Basic sound playback, if you need to check a file in a jiffy;

May converse with a certain past iteration of itself (Make sure it's on latest version!);

For accessibility: you can reduce glitching effects to remove flashing lights, and turn of the shaking effect if necessary.

(* Information that isn't blatant sci-fi is partially based in publicly available information and personal experience. It may not be 100% accurate, and is provided purely for entertainment purposes. I am by no means an expert!)

Download here!

Instructions for installation are linked to in the page. Please follow them carefully! If anything seemingly goes off the rails, please let me know!

[floodflameschosen]

MEU ANJO 💕 may I please have “God, you feel so good.” — “Yeah,? Then shut up and keep going.” - with Matt? 🫣

hii, meu bem! you may have whatever you want, always, yes. i hope you like this hehe.

CW: unprotected sex, p in v, angry fucking, open ending.

🔞 bellow the cut, minors please dni.

You knew working for Matt was going to be hard.

When you got hired as his assistant for the next Bad Omens tour—helping him run FOH and tech—you were warned: he’s a perfectionist. He doesn’t let shit slide.

But you knew you were good at your job, so you thought you could handle it—him. You just didn’t expect him to be so fucking unbearable.

Every show, you nail it. Every cue, every background playback, always perfect. But every night, Matt still finds something to ride your ass about.

And tonight, you’re finally done taking it.

“You just don’t fucking listen!” He says, stepping into your space backstage, jabbing a finger at you.

The air between you feels charged—thick and heavy.

“I listen fine!” You spit back, slapping his finger away from your face. “Maybe you just can’t stand having someone who won't take your bossing around like a little dictator—”

“Oh, fuck off!” He cuts you off with a sarcastic, humorless laugh, shaking his head. “You just can't admit you’re sloppy on the job!”

The band members glance between you once, silently—and then immediately move to leave. As they walk away, you can hear Noah muttering, “Just fuck it out, for fuck’s sake” as they disappear around the corner, leaving you two to your disaster.

It happens fast.

All it takes is Matt grabbing your wrist—tight, dominating. You rip free, push at his chest, telling him to, “Get away from me, you fucking control freak!”

His teeth practically bare when he snaps next.

“You sure you wanna keep running that mouth, sweetheart?”

You don't really think before you speak. You’re angry—furious, in fact—and it makes you reckless.

“Try and make me shut it.”

The way he moves next almost scares you.

Matt’s hand wraps around your arm, tight enough to make sure you can't escape his hold this time, pulling you along with him as he marches down the hallway, dragging you toward the nearest empty room.

You don’t even have time to protest before he shoves you inside and then back against the door, his chest pressing against yours, pinning you in place. He reaches for the lock behind you, turning it in one smooth, angry motion, shutting you away from the rest of the venue.

“I’m so fucking sick of you,” he snarls—and then he’s on you.

His hands tear at your clothes like he can’t get them off fast enough, grabbing fistfuls of your shirt, yanking it over your head so fast the fabric burns against your skin.

Before you can even catch your breath or make sense of what's happening, Matt’s already popping the button on your jeans, wrenching the zipper down, and dragging them halfway off your hips with a roughness that makes you gasp.

You don’t just stand there and take it, though—you shove at him, grabbing the collar of his hoodie and pulling it so hard over his head he nearly stumbles.

“Fucking impatient, huh?” He grits out, voice dark with approval, but before you can say anything his hands are already back on you, shoving your jeans the rest of the way down, leaving you to step out of them.

You give back as good as you get—tugging at his belt, fumbling with the buckle and pulling on the leather until it clatters to the ground with a sharp metallic thud.

He curses low under his breath when your nails rake down his stomach, desperate, making their way down before you start clawing at the button of his jeans next.

You both nearly trip over the mess of clothing littering the floor, neither of you caring, too drunk on the anger, on the need burning between your bodies. Every movement is messy, greedy—not enough, never enough.

When he finally kicks his jeans off, he’s grabbing you again, pushing you back against the wall, and for a moment you just cling to each other, half-naked, breathing like you’ve been sprinting for your lives, devouring each other with your hands and mouths.

Matt hooks his fingers under your panties as you kiss—all teeth and tongue, messy, wet—and rips them off your body with a rough tug.

“Don’t need these.” His voice is dark, strained, the growl in his tone sending a shiver down your spine.

You gasp, thrilled by how quickly he’s unraveling, and you slide your nails down his chest in return, marking him with the needy hunger growing stronger inside you.

His breath catches, a low growl vibrating through his chest.

“God, you’re such a fucking handful,” he mutters, before using his knee to nudge your legs open. His fingers reach between them, sliding between your folds, easily finding how wet you already are for him.

He pauses, shuddering at the sensation, and a hoarse, amused laugh escapes his lips as he feels you tremble under his touch.

“Of course. Of course you’re fucking soaked for me, you dirty little brat.”

You can’t help the desperate whimper that escapes your lips, hips grinding against his hand as you lose yourself in the heat of the moment. His fingers curl against your clit, pressing down, teasing the throbbing nub.

“Matt—” you moan his name, and your fingers tremble as you tug his underwear down, feeling the heat of his body under your touch.

When the fabric slides down his legs, he steps out of it quickly, cock springing free and eyes darkening with something feral, watching you as you drink him in. He's breathing heavily, muscles flexing as he kicks the underwear away, now standing bare and so fucking perfect in front of you, his gaze never leaving yours.

Without warning, Matt moves again, lifting you effortlessly by the thighs. As you wrap them around his hips, he locks you in place and presses you hard against the wall.

He doesn’t give you time to catch your breath—no warning, no hesitation.

Matt drives into you in one swift thrust, pushing hard, his muscles flexing as he presses so deep inside you that it leaves you gasping for air. Every inch of him buries in, stretching you in the best way, his breath hot against your mouth as your foreheads meet, a deep groan escaping both of you.

You let out a broken cry as he begins to fuck into you right away, hard from the very start, using you to release the tension that’s been building up all these weeks.

“God, you feel so good,” he chokes against your mouth, already sounding so wrecked it makes something inside you coil tighter with heat.

“Yeah?” You claw at his back, panting your words out, breathless. “Then shut up and keep going.”

Matt does as he's told.

He pounds into you like he’s trying to wreck you, hips snapping with a punishing pace. Each thrust feels like it’s pushing deeper, filling you so completely—thick, hard. You can’t stop the way your body shudders in response, clenching around him as he drives into you, making you dizzy with the intensity.

The way he fills you up, every stroke, every inch, has you trembling, lost in how perfectly he fits inside, leaving you desperate for more. The air is thick with sex and the sound of skin meeting skin, both of you drowning in the overwhelming, raw need of it all.

One of his hands fists in your hair, yanking your head back so he can attach his mouth to your neck—kissing, biting, messy and desperate. You moan, the sensation of his teeth against your skin sending waves of pleasure straight to your core.

The other hand holds the leg around his waist in a gripping bruise, holding on tightly as he forces your body against the wall, his thrusts growing harder, faster.

“Fucking mouthy brat,” he growls against your ear, his voice rough. “Made for me. You were made to be fucked stupid by me.”

The words make your walls clench around him again, involuntarily, your body responding to every filthy insult. You can only moan, your hands desperately clutching at his shoulders, your nerves on fire from the sensation of him moving inside you.

His hand then slides up from your thigh, between your breasts, fingers wrapping around your throat, just enough pressure to make you gasp, your eyes locked with his as he fucks into you relentlessly.

“Gonna come for me, aren't you?” He growls. “Gonna soak my cock like the desperate little thing that you are.”

Your climax builds inside you, the pressure rising with every word, every thrust. You can feel it close to snapping, your body trembling with anticipation, your breath coming in frantic gasps.

And when another one of his filthy words hit your ears, something inside you finally does snap.

You cry out, your orgasm hitting you like a freight train—body shaking, clenching around him like a vice as he groans, his grip tightening around your throat with the overwhelming feeling.

Your nails tear at the skin on his shoulder blades as you come, and that’s all it takes for Matt to lose control, too.

He buries himself deep inside you with one last thrust, coming with a rough, broken groan. His breath huffs against your skin as he presses his face into the crook of your neck, his body shuddering, every tremor rippling through you. You’re both wrecked, clinging to each other, still pressed against the hard wall.

Neither of you moves for a moment—just breathing hard, trembling in the aftermath, holding on to the silence between gasps. His forehead drops to your shoulder, his arms still tight around you, his spent cock still buried inside, like he’s afraid you’ll slip away.

Eventually, he pulls back slightly, the hand previously around your neck now gently cradling your face as he looks at you, his gaze softening. His thumb brushes over your swollen lips, still catching his breath.

“Fuck…” he mutters, eyes dark and heavy.

You nod, heart still pounding inside your chest, the weight of everything settling in—the heat of his body against yours, the shared uncertainty of the moment, the delicious post-orgasm afterglow.

“Yeah,” you whisper, voice weak and head still spinning. “Fuck, indeed.”

You just crossed a line here, but you're not sure you ever want to come back from it.

[tinybeetiny]

Build-A-Boyfriend Chapter 2: T-Minus 4 Weeks

Why did i write this before my discussion post.....

->Starring:AI!AteezXAfab!Reader ->Genre: Dystopian ->CW: Explicit language, nothing major

Previous Part | Next Part

Masterlist | Ateez Masterlist | Series Masterlist

The morning began with a low chime, the soft, regulated sound of Hala’s approved wake-up tone.

Yn opened her eyes slowly, the sterile glow of her ceiling light filtering in, programmed to adjust in sync with her biometric readings.

But something felt wrong.

She sat up, eyes flicking to the tablet still docked by the door.

1 New Alert. 3 Missed Logs. Urgent: Review Immediately.

Her stomach tightened.

She padded across the floor barefoot, grabbed the tablet, and scanned the notifications.

ATEEZ UNIT 06 — DEVIATION DETECTED — AUTONOMY SPIKE UNAUTHORIZED VOCALIZATION: "YN"

Yn stared at the final line for a beat too long.

Then she moved. Walking as fast as she was legally allowed through the streets of Hala.

She gave polite smiles to her coworkers as she made her way to the elevator.

The lab floor was still cool from overnight lockdown when she arrived. The biometric scanner buzzed awake as she approached, confirming her identity with a flash.

YN — Lead Engineering Tech— Clearance: Gold-Level

The steel doors hissed open.

She stepped inside, and there he was.

Unit 06 — Mingi. Exactly where she had left him.

Seated on the calibration chair, eyes closed, posture perfect, skin dewy with the faintest shimmer of dermal regulation oil. His expression was peaceful. Unnaturally so.

Yn walked around him slowly, tablet in hand, watching for signs of movement, a twitch, a breath pattern, a pupil shift. But nothing changed.

He looked inert. Safe. Dormant.

But she’d seen the log. He’d said her name.

She ran diagnostics. Nothing flagged. Heart-rate simulation: normal. Memory cache: intact. Audio response logs: empty.

Empty.

She checked his neck port. Still capped. Voice box still sealed in storage.

She swallowed hard.

The rest of the ATEEZ prototypes stood silent across the lab in their maintenance docks, each assigned to their own calibration alcove.

She walked past them one by one, watching.

Unit 01 — Hongjoong. Still as stone, but his fingers had been rearranged on the synth keyboard overnight. A composition Yura didn’t recognize blinked on his screen.

Unit 02 — Seonghwa. Always the most immaculate. But his reflection in the lab’s polished glass didn’t match his real posture, just a degree off. Barely noticeable, unless you were looking.

Unit 03 — Yunho. Smiling. Just faintly. No trigger.

Unit 04 — Yeosang. Eyes fixed on a ventilation grate in the ceiling. He hadn't looked away in over two hours, according to logs.

Unit 05 — San. Kneeling. Not in his programming. Position logged as "rest" but the posture was… reverent.

Unit 07 — Wooyoung. Chestplate cooling mechanism activated 4 times during the night — autonomously. He hadn’t been powered up.

Unit 08 — Jongho. Cracked the pressure sensor on his maintenance chair. No movement recorded.

They were silent, motionless. But Yn felt eyes on her.

Even now, standing among them, it felt like walking through a forest full of predators, beautiful, engineered predators pretending to sleep.

She leaned against the edge of the workbench, rubbing her temples, heart still racing. Four weeks to launch. The marketing campaign was already filmed. The architecture teams had begun installing the holographic interface rooms in the flagship store.

There was no time for failure. Not now.

And still… the voice chip logs were empty. The playback files had no entry. But Mingi had said her name.

And the others were changing, too. Quietly. Together.

The sound of heels against polished tile snapped Yn out of thought. Chairwoman Vira Yun entered the lab like gravity itself, sharp suit, spine straight, expression unreadable. Two aides flanked her, both scanning progress reports in real-time.

Yn straightened instinctively.

Vira’s eyes swept across the prototypes, Mingi still seated, the others upright in their calibration docks. Everything looked pristine. Controlled.

“I wanted a visual update before this afternoon’s numbers meeting,” Vira said. “How are we looking?”

Yn forced a nod. “On track. All eight are responding to recalibration. Minor bugs, but nothing that won’t be handled in time.”

Vira gave a tight smile, satisfied. “Good. The store opens in four weeks. And we’ll be announcing the Ateez line one week after that. The Board’s expecting a flawless rollout, we all are.”

She walked slowly along the row of silent units, pausing a moment longer at Mingi.

“They’re beautiful, aren’t they?” she said softly, almost admiring. “So much potential in one room.”

Yn’s throat tightened. “They are,” she murmured.

Vira turned back to her. “Let me know if anything... unexpected comes up.”

Yn kept her face neutral. “Of course.”

With that, Vira nodded once, then exited, heels echoing down the corridor.

The moment the door slid shut, Yn turned back to Mingi.

He hadn’t moved. Not an inch.

But she could feel it again, that subtle wrongness humming underneath the code. A tension in the room that didn’t come from the lights or machines.

She picked up her tablet. The earlier alerts were still blinking faintly in the corner of the screen. Her fingers hovered over the reset command, but she didn’t press it.

Instead, she stared at Mingi’s still, perfect form.

Voice chip disabled. Logs empty. Command queue blank.

And yet… he had said her name.

Yn stayed long after the lab lights dimmed into their night-cycle hue.

The others had gone home, the halls had emptied. Even the air felt quieter.

She pulled up lines of diagnostic code, checking through every flagged anomaly, double-checking behavioral protocols, reviewing voice input logs that should have been blank.

Mingi still hadn’t moved. Neither had the others.

Still, something itched at her spine, not fear, not exactly. Just… unease. Low-level. Manageable. At least, that’s what her biometric monitor kept reporting.

Yn sighed, rubbed her eyes, and leaned back in her chair.

“Four weeks,” she muttered aloud, glancing toward the ceiling. “And they want them flawless. I can’t even get one of you to follow your own default pose cycle.”

Her voice echoed in the quiet.

She glanced toward Mingi again. “You glitched out before you even had a voice box. How the hell did that happen?”

No answer.

She stared at the ceiling again, her voice softer now. “I haven’t slept more than four hours in weeks. Not that my vitals allow much more. Sleep too long and the regulators flag you for depressive lethargy.”

She let out a dry laugh.

“I miss silence. Real silence. Not the kind that hums at you all day to remind you it’s working. I think I miss… something else too. Something I’ve never even had.”

She shook her head, pulling her hair up into a loose knot. “Maybe I just need caffeine. Or to scream. Or to throw my tablet out the damn window. Can’t even do that anymore. Everything’s reinforced. Everything’s... safe.”

Behind her, in the corner of the room, a pair of synthetic eyes remained open.

Unmoving. Watching.

In the back-end system, a hidden data stream pulsed to life:

[UNAUTHORIZED RECORDING — ACTIVE] Listening… — “I miss silence.” — “I think I miss something else too.” — “Can’t even scream.” Tag: Emotional Pattern Acquisition Subject: YN File saved. Labeled: Soft Sounds of Sadness.

The eyes closed again. And the lab went still.

Taglist: @e3ellie @yoongisgirl69 @jonghoslilstar @sugakooie @atztrsr

@honsans-atiny-24 @life-is-a-game-of-thrones @atzlordz @melanated-writersblock @hwasbabygirl

@sunnysidesins @felixs-voice-makes-me-wanna @seonghwaswifeuuuu @lezleeferguson-120 @mentalnerdgasms

@violatedvibrators @krystalcat @lover-ofallthingspretty @gigikubolong29

If you would like to be a part of the taglist please fill out this form

[izzabela]

HALLOOO... I really love your work sooo much, jshsjsjshsjs. I can't get enough to re-read, so... can I get a request about the lin kuei Bros or earthrealms champion or both? so the reader has a sakura power (from Naruto), you know healing power and a MONSTER PUNCH so their friend/girlfriend on period and got sooo moody when she watched her friends/boyfriends not around her to calming her (cuz period was so suck and cramps hurt like hell) when she seeing (one of the lin kuei bros or earthrealms champions make a mess to her) and she was sooo mad and didn't realize she punch him in the face until it hits the wall. and the rest I leave to you.

sorry if my English is not understandable and messy (this is my first request, so I'm typing it with a lot of nerves). Thank youu

Packs a Punch - Roster Fic (not all of them are included)

in which your menstrual cycle affects those around you in a different way

a/n: i'm starting my period! also, i really tried to write for all of them, but i fear my brain has run out of juice...

ship[s]: johnny cage, geras, raiden, tomas vrbada x f!reader

warning(s): none, f!reader = f!genitalia, menstruation (though, people should be more informed on it regardless), throwing in some real examples from myself and other women around me

Dearest, gentle reader, periods suck- but so does having incredible healing power and super strength.

And when hormones and powers combine, a recipe of disaster is baked into reality. Luckily, your "reality" consisted of magic, gods, and eccentric people in a world 99% of the population hasn't even heard of.

Even so, sometimes they feel your wrath- even when it isn't your fault.

====================

Johnny Cage

- poor Johnny, subjected to the mercy of your power during this month's round of menstruation, especially since he's been gone for a couple of weeks for a mission

- poor guy, bringing flowers, chocolate, even a new heat packet with the latest tech (he realized heat was great aid in helping you relax)

- he was so sure he told you he'd be gone for a while during this mission, but all memory is gone when the only thing you're trying to survive your insane mood swings and even crazier cramps

- coming in your shared home, Johnny carefully treads the eerily dark and quiet home. he sees a lump on the couch, and every tip-toe closer to you is a year of his life getting crossed off his timeline

- he can hear you sniffling, and when Johnny just barely utters a soft (and wary) "hello," Johnny's sealed his fate

- you're ripping him a new one, crying about how he left you alone to deal with your cramps. how you had to take more advil and ibuprofen than the recommended limit, and how you missed him so

- Johnny's trying to approach you, carefully inching closer and closer to you with all of his peace offerings. honestly, it irks you more that he's treating you like a feral animal than a girlfriend

- "You left me, and now you look at me like I'm some helpless mutt?!"

- one minute, Johnny's seeing your tear-stained face. the next, he's seeing a playback of his life (was it always so vain?). he's also feeling the ground (except, it's supposed to be carpet, so why does it feel like drywall and wood?)

- it's not until his nose tingles, a reaction from the wood-dust and drywall shavings, and he sneezes, and he looks between you and wherever he was laying

- a comedically large, human-shaped hole was imprinted into the wall, and he can't even begin to process it as he's coaxing you to stop wasting tears on a "valid, totally valid" human reaction

Raiden

- Raiden asked his sister to describe her period symptoms in full detail once when he was fifteen (it earned him a slap in the face from her and more chores from his mother). still, she gave him the information, and it remained dormant in his mind until he met his girlfriend-you

- Raiden was attuned to the requirements to keep you comfortable during your period: hot towels, ice packs, warm baths, massages, tea, your favorite snacks and food- he has everything ready to make sure that each menstruation period of yours goes as smoothly as possible

- except when it doesn't

- it's really not his fault, you came home from Madame Bo's short-breathed and panting, sweat lining your forehead as you dropped everything and laid on the floor

- and you'd been dealing with the most awful customers, all of this not being Raiden's fault as he walks in to find you exhausted and drained

- "Are you alright, love?!" he calls out, kneeling down to get you off the dirty floor and to a cleaner space. you sigh, shaking your head as you keep yourself from letting frustrated tears fall

- you allow him to work on you, Raiden wiping your face and makeup off, wiping down your sweaty body, even him kissing your hands and everywhere else as he takes care of you

- it frustrated you, honestly, with how well he could handle everything while you were breaking apart (it's not your fault, but you're not really listening to your brain either)

- he notices your wobbly chin, and the simple question of "What's wrong, lovely?" has you breaking faster than water rushing through a dam

- you admit through warbled noises and wet tears that you hate how well-together he is, how he's always on top of everything, while you're breaking down. you also took this time to cry about work at the restaurant

Geras

- never did Geras think that someone like you could allow him to feel so human. me smiles just a little more, and you've gotten him to chuckle a few times

- though, he still lacks knowledge in other mortal/human things, especially how women's biology works, and yet he does his best to accommodate you

- Geras always brings you tea freshly brewed by Liu Kang for your periods. he's learned how to give massages as well, to ease the pain in your lower back and hips

- Geras has even asked for a sunroom to be built in the Wu Shi, Fire Temple, and the Hourglass realm- places that are familiar to both you and him. still, not even that is enough to save him from your hormonal wrath

- during this period, no tea, massages or sunlight could quell the frustration that bubbled within you. you had been waiting for ages for Geras to open the portal from the academy to the fire temple- it had been three hours since his scheduled time to do so

- cramps already twisting your insides, a searing pain in your bum, and a pulsing in your head indicated that this would not be a good week for you- and Geras just had to make it worse

- your strength got the better of you, stomping into the ground and leaving footprints into the concrete. kicking rocks didn't help either, as the projectiles brought fear to the unlucky students that were walking near you

- when Geras finally shows up, you've practically leveled the courtyard. with that glare you're giving the immortal man, he might as well be next

- "for three hours, Geras!" you screech, holding three fingers up into his face. "three! it's already hot enough with the sun out, but the fact my cramps made it even more unbearable- and this migraine! no water helped me with this either!

- you're giving him a (reasonable) earful on tardiness, how you were sweating in the scorching weather, and how he just forgot about you. obviously, the last wasn't true, he just got caught up in hourglass duties he didn't realize time passed (and can you blame him? he's dealt with enough of it...)

- "i just... i just can't believe you didn't watch the time!" you swung your arms down into his chest, and though he blocked it, he wasn't able to lock his feet in place to deal with the recoil

- he was basically punched into the wooden wall of one of the rooms of the academy. thankfully, no one was inside, but it doesn't cover up the fact he left a huge, Geras-shaped hole in the wall

- you rush over to him, frantically wiping all the splinters off his back and sides, even cleaning up the nicks of blood that began to peek through his skin

- "this is nothing, dearest," he said calmly as he wiped the precipitate off your forehead. "for the pain you endured due to my lack of diligence take more concern."

Tomas Vrbada

- Tomas doesn't remember how he dealt with his sister's periods. if anything, though, he hopes that it wasn't anything close to yours

- it's not that he doesn't love you (he has a ring all ready for you), it's just that he values his life just as much as he loves you. and honestly? he can't keep going into the infirmary of the Shirai Ryu every single month during your shark week

- this week is particularly awful: puking every morning, heat flashes, even fainting- you were not having this feeling of debilitating hopelessness stop you from continuing your daily tasks

- Tomas put you back into bed, strictly forbidding you from doing anything. while that did help some, it could've helped more if he was next to you. it didn't help that he didn't bother to check up on you the entire day

- which leads him into the current moment, trying to calm you down from a fit of pent up rage from today

- "i get that your clan means a lot to you," you began, "but I just don't understand how you couldn't take just a couple of minutes to see me?"

- you keep listing the things he should've done: should've kissed your head as a sign, should've brought you food instead of the servants, should've should've should've

- "Am I just that unbearable?" you probe, and Tomas ferverously shakes his head no. "I don't understand why you didn't see me!"

- Tomas, trying to explain his poor choices, didn't have time to react to the flurry of emotions that came out of you

- bits of anger, lots of frustration, and even more tears, Tomas was finally close enough to give you a hug- at least he thought

- no longer were you in his immediate vision, and instead he saw you running towards him, running past the drag marks in the wooden floors and through sliding door's latest design choice (why did the hole look so much like him?)

- you pet Tomas's hair, stroking the ash-colored hair and peppered his forehead and face in kisses. more tears ensued as you began to chant apologies and "i love you's"

- "no no," he said weakly, getting up from his spot in the gravel (so the courtyard was where I ended up, he thought). "i must apologize for my behavior. And if you like, we can make it up now since brother has released me from my duties."

=====================

i hope you liked this req! i really tried to add more but this is all my brain could allow me, i wrote them

i'll see yall in the next fic!

[lefossile]

seeing different takes and finishing Luminary Wardance very late, I come with my ted talk about the infamous "scaring teen to PTSD" incident and my thoughts about it; you're welcome to disagree btw [sorry for the lack of screen-proofs, didn't play the game in eng, things might've been lost in translation]

tldr: Boothill was 100% aware of what he was doing and wasn't going to actually fatally harm Luka.

I guess we have to start by preface of how the wardance is ever organised or is for and realise that fatal outcomes are outlawed actually, as the whole purpose of wardance is cultural exchange, aside from Xianzhou’s inner workings regarding Jing Yuan and previous events. It’s a show, it’s for fame, for publicity, for getting a message around - as we see many people use it as a platform - therefore it’s not a deathring. It has rules, judges, press-coverage. All that stuff.

And through it we follow Luka, sympathize with him and his struggle, we’re narratively tied with him and his experience, overcoming insecurities, sort of coming of age - it’s the most common myth structure of him venturing to the “new world” to transit from boy to man and undergo a transformation through trial. But also by death and rebirth (more on that later). It’s Hero’s Journey by Joseph Campell or, if you’re inclined, the Morphology of the folktale by Vladimir Propp, or Memo by Vogler and McKenna. That stuff.

To sum up the experiences of him up to that point, it was a straight progression from one opponent to another, gaining new friends and slowly, but surely gaining confidence on the arena and inside himself, because let’s face it, Luka is quite unsure. He’s that ugly duckling, not yet a swan. Despite his accomplishments driven by the need to survive, as he explicitly states, he’s still terrified by lots of things. He still lacks the self-awareness to believe in himself, his accomplishments, but also the procession of failure and death, despite being surrounded by it from a young age. Luka was raised in a communal society, so getting out on his own and on “borrowed” terms is unusual and stressful. But overall he manages and things generally go in his favor. Trailblazer couches him, helps with connections, there are fans, even temporarily stresses, such as the whole Shuojin debacle does end well with Topaz’s help. And he’s about to face the infamous Galaxy Ranger, although without any animosity.

He’s on precipice of “going into the cave”.

So with that in mind let’s briefly switch to Boothill. He hadn’t come to Xianzhou for fame, quote him, he came for revenge. To start off he’s in a completely different standpoint of his own story in contrast to Luka, easily making it through previous matches - and nobody presumably died resulting in his disqualification, that is. He came most likely for Topaz or just to draw IPC’s attention - it is unclear, but his primarily objective IS to provoke. It does not necessarily reflect how he really feels towards any of his opponents, because for one everything is on camera for that.

Then again, every one of the contestants [except Luka prior to a point his arm got replaced], accepted IPC sponsorship quote Topaz, and it is probably not even a NDA information, despite many of Xianzhou’s residents repulsion towards the company. So definitely no hard feelings on that part should come around then fighting. No, it might prove a point actually. It’s not even about the contestants themselves, but IPC’s involvement. Destroying their tech, their reputation, that’s the main goal, not some sort of mindless maiming.

So, passing on to Luka, who had been a promising upstart, an underdog, the one who refused to accept IPC’s deal, who fought for that explicitly, and most likely gathered a lot of sympathy from Boothill. Who, in turn, was probably as daring and full of vigor back when he was Luka's age. Then let’s not forget that Boothill had full access to Luka’s performance by that time - via any means from newspapers to playback of his trial fights, or even watching them live from the tribunes. It’s not private information and more than enough for a cyber eye to analyze, aside from everything else. And following Shuojin defeat and IPC presentation, Boothill was most likely following too (let’s say it was a game of cat and mouse, since Topaz is aware he’s there), he knows about the new hand and it does probably piss him off so much he mentions it to Luka later.

But let’s get into that battle then, shall we?

There’s nothing too malicious going on from the start of it, except for Owlbert joking, but alas.

Boothill makes his warning from the start - drop out and spare yourself the trouble. Not only bc flesh vs cyborg body is not exactly the best match - Luka has beaten some metal before - but because of the difference in experience and objective (fame vs. payback). Luka is, don’t get me wrong, a greenhorn. Yes, talented, sure, survived the hardships of Belobog, but even in comparison to Yanqing, who fought literal wars, he still is. It’s the man vs a child, literally, and especially so if we follow the hero's journey, it’s the obstacle he has to overcome. Maybe not the final, but quite a symbolic one. Also Boothill gives him a way out because for them it is also different - Boothill is willing to get his life on the line, more often than not, what borders on suicidal; Luka is yet not aware completely, what it means to seriously do so. He’s not used (clearly by previous events) of how cruel the outer world can be, out of the familiarity of his own planet (the original state of the world for the hero per se), that there could be people, who will want to harm him without any reason and make it lethal in process. And that’s the question also, Boothill poses to Luka, when he taunts him later. It is almost literal - if Luka can consciously risk his life, if his own beliefs, his determination are strong enough, can he face not only “defeat” in the sense of a wounded pride, but in a way of losing the only thing he truly has, his life. [remember that line, folks]

Then, when Luka objects, he pokes in the wound, unknowingly, of course, but let’s see what Boothill says in retaliation.

“I’ll give it a proper overhaul for ya later”. Do you think he’d promised a poor kid a maintenance, if he was sure to kill him? It’s the same tactic as in the Penacony sidequest when he was threatening the pepeshi sect, really.

But it is also a test of faith. A battle of wills. It’s literally a trial. To which Luka quickly retracts, saying let’s not risk our lives (to which Boothill's expression instantly changes). But it also shows what Luka feels this is, just a sparring, that’s what he had been doing. But it is different for Boothill. And that is a “lesson” he’ll teach Luka soon enough (bc I feel he does like the kid), and he then explicitly says so. And it has been that way for him all the time, even prior, back in “peaceful” days.

Boothill offers a choice: turn tail or take a swing, which for some reason, upsets everyone not only the trailblazer, but really is such an IC thing to do for him. He even get mad if Trailblazer interferes, because it is between him and Luka. Because Luka has to make the decision himself, not with encouragement, not with influence from others. It’s Luka’s own choice. And he makes it. [As in he enters “the cave”, takes the leap of faith.]

And as he does, it’s important what  Luka “hallucinates” when they just stare at each other, not even drawing arms. He sees the shadow of death. It is not coincidental also in the sequences following his defeat. Because Luka has to “die” to be reborn in a new quality and as a new person. He has to face the part of his own subconsciousness, which tells him to flee, it’s an overcoming of an inner turmoil. It’s the first part of transformation (second part is the conclusion he draws after Tail’s help). 

And all that time Boothill waits. He does not shoot, he does not further provoke. He gives Luka space and time to gather his guts, understanding what the boy is going through. Because he still has a choice. Owlbert even comments that they are just standing there instead of fighting, meaning it is purposeful. It’d take Boothill less than a few seconds to really win, with all his prowess and technical level difference. Yet he waits.

And once Luka finally makes the move, it is what it is. Six shots, an empty barrel, a broken mechanical arm. But think of it, would a cyborg with an enhanced eye, a sharpshooter, really miss any vitals, if he wanted? For all shits and giggles and memes, I doubt it. Boothill shot with uncanny precision, aiming where it would be less critical for Luka. His arm, which can be re-built, re-assembled. One could argue he took his anger on the IPC tech, which could be also true enough. But what he actually “spared” Luka is true enough too. Or rather, that he never intended any serious* harm. (can’t help the psychological trauma true, but oh well)

And yes, facing Boothill helped Luka “come out of the cave”, learn truths about himself, his heart, his resolve. It was something careful guidance from before could not particularly achieve, to corner him to look inside deep enough to come out, not exactly a different person. But more mature. Live through his trial of fire, complete the transformation and initiation. 

[To all the people, who would come at me and say BUT HE IS A TEEN!!! Yeah, but so is Yanqing. I don’t see anyone speaking how he is technically a child soldier fighting multiple wars, borisins, Jingliu, Blade and Hulei, who showed little care about him being a literal child.]

And Boothill’s behaviour towards Luka changes after that. There’s no animosity, he later on invites Luka for a talk, explains himself and apologizes.

(The damage was already done, but the thing is how both parties process it and go about it later on, at least that’s the hill I will die on)

But most importantly. He steps down for Luka, so he could go and chase his dream of making it to the top. Under some pretense, of course, but if he was going through with all the bravado, or was set on hurting minors, I feel he’d have no qualms in sparring against Yanqing. He uses the same tactic as before: steps down, warns him, knowing probably full well Luka of all people won’t back down. Boothill tests if the kid had learned the lesson, which even Luka himself is catching on.

In summary of all that I tried to explain, I think the narrators used the most common tools, drew parallels, even if some moments were a bit on the borderline. Our perception could differ depending on age, culture and general experience, but I think narratively everything stayed on point for this event story and watching some grey areas being explored was a treat.

[liquidcrystalsky]

i think being way too into tech has it's downsides

VLC media player. sucks.

be for real what other video player do you know which does this.

(idk what movies these are from i just found on google images but also i've seen this happen many times myself)

the love from vlc came from early days there was a billion different ways to encode a video file and many times you'd have to pay in order to playback these codecs. VLC could play basically anything you threw at it without paying any money, so it became what everyone used.

Nowadays there's probably like 5 mainly used video formats that the average person will come across, and basically all videos players use "libavcodec" by FFmpeg, which, recently added support for a video format which was only in ONE GAME on the Sega-CD, because "FFmpeg aims to play every video file ever made"

VLC also uses libavcodec (coughs, a 4 year old version of it), but others implement it much better, such as MPV, which, yeah you might not care or notice, but it does play videos with a better video and audio quality. It's more configurable (though harder to configure), it's got support for a stupid amount of video drivers, including rendering directly to the monitor (like fullscreen video games, fun fact it's why you have the "alt tabbing out of a source game" joke, it's kinda like unplugging and replugging a monitor), better HDR, better performance(sometimes), better support for more modern systems on linux such as pipewire, and more

It's meant to be launched from a command line (windows command line sucks you might have to manually add it to your PATH) so you can set the exact perfect settings you want for each individual video and situation, but you can just right click a video and say "open with MPV," or set it as the default and double click videos and it'll work completely fine with no setup needed.

so the downside knowing this. the vlc logo is a traffic cone. thats so awesome. i miss it.

[illumizoldyckshairbrush]

Caught on Camera

Then—one feed catches his eye. He pauses, his chair stops its lazy spin.

He rewinds and hits play, curiosity keeping his eyes on the screen.

It’s a private suite—pristine, impersonal. Two men inside. The one with long, ink-black hair looks tense, arms crossed tight. The other is taller, muscular, hair a copper red—vivid even in grainy night vision. They stand at opposite ends of the bed, a hush in their posture, faces set. He watches for a moment, trying to place them, but they’re just another couple, aren’t they?

He scrolls the timeline, flicking to 2x speed—just in time to see the atmosphere between them combust. Sudden movement, a flurry of limbs.

“Holy fuck,” the tech mutters, slowing the playback, squinting at the faces. He sees the redhead’s profile in a flash, jaw sharp, eyes dark.

The way he moves is familiar. It claws at the back of his memory.

He pulls up a browser, fingers flying over keys. A few clicks, a couple image searches. There’s no mistaking the match.

[Read more]

[amyfarbright]

Sonic 1 Mega CD Port

(download here)

(if you think this is cool, consider helping me find work/money <3)

Welcome to the Next Level!

NOTE: I'm aware of issues regarding audio playback and transitioning between zones, and intend to push an update once the contest judging period is over. In the meantime, you can use level select (Up Down Left Right A + Start at title screen) to explore the game.

At the 1992 Consumer Electronics Show, a teaser for a Mega CD version of Sonic 1 was shown within a sizzle reel. No Mega CD version of Sonic 1 was ever produced, and this footage is almost everything we know about this project, but it's extremely likely that this idea is what morphed into the separate game Sonic CD, the only Sonic game officially released for the console.

In 2006, Stealth released the Sonic for MegaCD tech demo, marking the first time any substantial effort was made to bring another Sonic game to the console. It contained the title screens and first levels of Sonic 1 and 2, with three playable characters. In the following years, he would build on the ideas in that demo further, eventually reaching a point where his setup accommodated a Mega CD version of a rom hack called Sonic Megamix.

For a long time, this rom hack was the only way to experience Sonic 1's levels, and was the closest you could get to playing the original game on your Mega CD...

until now.

This is a port of the original Sonic the Hedgehog (revision 1, mostly) to the Sega Mega CD (running in Mode 2/off a CD). Not a mere one-zone demo, not affected by an original hack's mechanics, this is a full playable Sonic game running on the Mega CD, with the source fully available, and with the intent of enhancing the game with the extra hardware.

I started this project about a month and a half ago to enter into the annual Sonic Hacking Contest. This was done as both a learning experience for myself to learn new hardware (I was already familiar with programming for Mega Drive, but wanted to explore its addons), and as an example others can learn from.

This has been tested with BlastEm, Fusion, Gens, and on real hardware using a Mega Everdrive Pro.

Features:

Expanded Sound.

The Mega CD comes with a chip supporting PCM playback for up to 8 channels, complementing the 10 sound channels already in the Mega Drive. This port leverages that by moving playback of drum samples to a custom PCM sound driver running on the Mega CD CPU.

Because drums no longer need to play on the Mega Drive hardware, an extra sound channel was added in the main sound driver to allow for more sound effects to play without cutting out channels of the music.

Unfortunately, I was not able to get CD audio playback fully implemented in time for the initial release. Most of the pieces are there though, and I intend to add it in a future update.

An open-source Mega CD game. The scene for Mega CD has grown significantly over time, and over the years there has been new homebrew and hacks of other games, but not nearly as much done with the blue guy this contest is about. This port aims to change that; this is a full game running on Mega CD, with source code and development history available for browsing right now. Code for the kernel programs to load and run the game from disk is written in mostly C using the megadev toolchain. Rom hackers and developers more familiar with the Mega Drive standalone can use the code repository as an example of how to bring more full-fledged MD projects over to Mega CD with as few changes as possible.

Other features:

Custom loading screen while files are loaded from CD

Modified title screen, to remind you that this is indeed utilizing Mega CD hardware

Various bugfixes applied (for those familiar with Sonic Retro's Sonic 1 disassembly, FixBugs is turned on)

Much smoother special stage. The movement of objects making up the maze was unlocked, and the walls now display with 128 degrees of rotation (up from 16).

Even though I started this project to have something for the contest, I'm incredibly happy with what's been done so far, and I intend to work on it further after the contest to add more features. I consider this the beginning of a goodbright future for Sonic games and hacks on Mega CD.

Note: Debug mode and sound test have not been fixed to accommodate for the code that has been moved around. Try at your own risk!

Credits

Main developer: Amy Farbright

Playtesting and bug reporting: The Let's Talk About Sonic Discord

Special thanks: @fiffle, @milly, @crepe

Code used/referenced:

drojaazu's megadev toolchain

Devon's partial Sonic CD disassembly

SCHG How-to Guide

tversteeg's Rust implementation of rotsprite

Graphics used:

CD graphic on title screen: Sega Multimedia Studio, converted from sprites ripped by Mister Man

[ricofox]

So i found this beauty in the electronics bin :(

An ACER e300 series travel companion from 2006.

GPS and multimedia player in the shape of a mobile device. it seems to be rare enough that i cant find anything about it, other than the manual.

this thing runs on Windows CE. Basicly just mobile windows that is stripped down to the bare essentials.

I don't have any use for a pocket gps as it doesn't even have a map, but the audio playback is very good for it's size. With the inclusion of an SD card slot and a AUX port. (now that something you cant find on a modern device)

So i thought i'd use it as a ipod of sorts.

The first problem i came across was that this doesn't support anything outside of MP3s and WAV files. as i wanted to pull some videogame audio onto it, witch were Ogg files.

So as the tech lover with a tendency of slipping my fingers into most devices i own (and don't own...). I just had to see if i can update it to support a wider variety of formats. And maybe along the way remove the old interface for a more purpose built one... maybe.

The issues

The software for accessing this thing are obsolete as hell and are no longer supported.

Shes built like a tank and i cant get her open :(

related to number 1. any guide on how to access the software has a "pocket pc" witch this is not...

The goal is to hack this and make it mine :3. maybe make my own splash screen and menu, but essentially make it read more formats.

i'll continue this post ones i get something going.

[whohasfourthumbsand]

[ Attachment added; Untitled022.omniv ] [ Begin playback; ]

GRAY — "I apologize, but my other projects had to take a backseat for a day or two— I know that I was working on some very important things, for some very important people, but I had a thought, or, rather, an idea, and, and I needed to tend to that first—"

[ The young pilot's tertiary hands adjust the camera, perching it on a shelf just a few inches above his eye-line. He's uncomfortable close to the viewer for a moment; His exhaustion is plain in his face, visible in the lines beneath his eyes, or the unkempt nature of his hair. He isn't shaking, however, nor does he seem ill; He's merely worn out, worn thin, and a little frayed. ] [ His dominant hands are visible as he steps back, gesturing vaguely as he speaks, but not signing. The voice of his TTS interface buzzes from the PDA strapped to his hip, but he isn't touching the keys. ]

GRAY — "Our nanite 'problem' was easy enough to solve- disable them with an EMP device, gather them into an admittedly simple container, transport them to a designated area to be dealt with by a professional." GRAY — "Except— no-one knew that I had them. No-one knew that there was even a 'problem' to begin with." GRAY — "And, in the moment, I suppose I was taken with a sort of nostalgia- I have experience with these things, with greywash and its ilk, and I've seen how useful it can be when properly utilized. I have an affinity for things like this. Things so single-minded in their purpose, these things built to eat, to grow, to deconstruct what it means to be alive." GRAY — "Though, It wasn't my idea, really, to keep them- I've got a bleeding heart, no doubt, and had already gotten a little attached to it even as it destroyed my workspace, and gnawed at my chassis. I figured- I thought, why not give it a more comfortable container, and, possibly, make myself and my brother a little safer at the same time?"

[ Gray doesn't smile. He steps back, two hands held out to the camera, palms forwards, urging the viewer to wait as he briefly steps offscreen. A moment later, he reappears, grabs the camera, and holds it aloft; A quick pivot on the heel of his boot, and the camera's perspective widens, revealing the nanite-ravaged workshop— ] [ —and a Combat Drill, laid out in the center of the large workspace, partially deconstructed and heavily modified. Gray leans closer, focusing the camera on the head of the drill. ] [ Something buzzes along the metal's edge. ]

GRAY — "I couldn't be prouder of how it turned out." GRAY — "Now; I'm going to get some sleep, and, hopefully, resume work on my obligations in the morning. Afternoon. Whenever I wake up." GRAY — "Hopefully, I'll feel more like myself after some rest."

[ Close attachment. ]

UPDATING LICENSE: TR-GRAE-007 -- IPS-N Vlad @ LL9 -- [ LICENSES ] IPS-N Vlad 3, IPS-N Tortuga 1, IPS-N Zheng 2, IPS-N Blackbeard 1, HORUS Balor 2 [ CORE BONUSES ] Titanomachy Mesh, Fomorian Frame, Auto-Stabilizing Hardpoints [ TALENTS ] Duelist 3, Technophile 3, Black Thumb 2, Executioner 2, Pankrati 2 [ STATS ] HULL:3 AGI:2 SYS:0 ENGI:6 STRUCTURE:4 HP:19 ARMOR:2 STRESS:4 HEATCAP:12 REPAIR:5 TECH ATK:-2 LIMITED:+3 SPD:5 EVA:10 EDEF:8 SENSE:5 SAVE:16 [ WEAPONS ] FLEX MOUNT: SUPERHEAVY WEAPON BRACING MAIN MOUNT: Tiger-Hunter Combat Sheathe HEAVY MOUNT: Combat Drill (Nanocomposite Adaptation) // Auto-Stabilizing Hardpoints [ SYSTEMS ] Siege Ram, Synthetic Muscle Netting, Total Strength Suite II, Swarm Body WAKE UP

[bitchcakegreen]

Let’s talk ADR - automated dialogue replacement - for sec.

I want to bring this up because I’ve seen folks removing the music from the smexy scenes between Polin and getting confused that there’s quiet spots and the sound doesn’t fully sync up.

When we film, the mics don’t always pick everything up. We try to capture as much of the dialogue as possible while on set or location but sometimes stuff just doesn’t come through. Especially in long shots or if there’s lots of ambience noise, mainly on location shoots.

Same with sound effects. These are added afterwards. There’s a great female foley artist on tiktok who gives people a bts view of what she does, if you’re interested. Her handle is reelfoleysound

About 10-30 percent of dialogue has to be ADRed. Basically re-recorded in a sound studio. ADR is secondary recording of dialogue that didn’t get picked up on location and then is overlayed with the music and sound effects tracks. What does that mean for the carriage scene and others like it? Well, it makes that Luke and Nicola might have had to stand at a microphones and make all those sexy ass moans and groans. They have playback of the scene and the actors say the lines or whatever along with it as the sound tech records. It helps to keep everything synced in the final product.

That’s why when you remove the music from the scene to hear the moaning better - you can’t always do so.

Rock on, Bridgerton babies!

[colinmkl]

#WIPTOBER

Chromedome and Rewind humanformers, my idea for this iteration was they run a private detective agency together in a slightly cyberpunk-y near future. they're a former police detective and journalist respectively, Chormedome's mnemosurgery needles are on a glove that plugs into his brain and Rewind's camera and playback tech are in his glasses which he controls mentally.

And they're married, obviously.

[james-stark-the-writer]

alright, let's keep moving with that DCEU watch bc i have the time today. time for David F. Sandberg's Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023). here's to hoping this has retained the spirit and heart of the original and improved the superhero aspects because they were the worst part of Shazam! (2019).

i've been trying to get a more accurate video player setup working for like 2 hours, i was using basically stock MPC-BE for the most part but some of the images looked a little soft to me even compared to something basic like a VLC (which i only really keep for its subtitle downloading feature bc it's the easiest to use, and tbh it could've been using sharpening filters, i didn't really check) and Potplayer (which is the only way i can get two subtitles to display simultaneously for media with multiple subs like fansubs or different translations or something, and also it's got like pretty good video output). i tried to look into MPV and the amount of work and scripts everyone was recommending kind of broke me, so i'm just using like the base form of mpv.net bc it's got a GUI, with like GPU decoding turned on which was the one common thing everyone recommended from my research.

hopefully this is better image quality then like standard VLC stuff and my previous MPC-BE setup though i obviously haven't sat through entire movies to compare frame by frame, so beware that if i say anything about the visuals it might not be the most accurate. MPV is supposed to be the most accurate and flexible option around but i don't know how much futzing around people do with it and there's a lot of like upscaling and downscaling scripts for no fucking reason, which is kind of antithetical to the entire point of accuracy to me, but it's fine. i'm just sticking to the base options and hoping it's good and better than what i had. the image does look just a tad sharper to me than in VLC and MPC so i don't know if they have sharpening filters on or something, but this is like the most base form with nothing changed (except the subtitle font) so i cannot imagine they are messing with the video signal with too much filtering. i tried to look into madVR and MPC-HC and got them installed and almost lost my mind trying to get it set up bc there's no real guides anywhere so don't fucking tell me to go look up madVR bc i will kill you. maybe some other day when i have 15 hours to dedicate to going through forums to try to find something that works for me and get enough knowledge to understand what the fuck everybody's talking about, maybe i'll check it out. i cannot believe there's not like some fucking guide for some anime noob because you know those anime people are on the cutting edge of video tech and playback for accuracy, that there's not some fucking guide for people that don't know what they're doing. i mean it's not that i don't know what i'm doing, it's that there's so much fucking shit to sort through that it would be nice if somebody narrowed it down for me. there's nothing even on YouTube or like some shitty github page or an old reddit comment or something, trust me i've like checked fucking everywhere i could think of but if i missed something, please feel free to link it somewhere in the comments or something, i don't know.

anyway, that is entirely an aside, that's just a forewarning that if i do say something about the visuals and you think it's not accurate to what the movie looks like or is not properly representative of the movie, feel free to take it with a grain of salt. i'm trying out something new.