#rather than make reasonable changes to their course design for accessibility

[clonerightsagenda]

The thing with my latest review title is that it is not perfect on a craft level, it in fact does several things that particularly annoy me about the current SFF zeitgeist, but it was also designed for me personally.

[the-100-days-of-junkan]

Day 58

Hey remember when randomly a couple days ago in the event I mentioned that one of these days makes me irrationally angry??? Yeah this is the one. 

So context for this one is that in the danganronpa section of a server I’m in someone asked a question around the lines of-

“Who is your favorite character for a Mastermind AU?”

Nowadays if you asked me, I’m very fond of the Mastermind AU I drew for Toko and Komaru during Tokomaru Week this year, and it’d probably be my answer nowadays.

However if you asked Jem from several months ago, who was brainrotted to absolute hell over these two to the point that she could barely form an opinion on other characters (don’t worry I fixed that issue in my brain, kinda), you know damn well her instant response was Mikan.

At first it was kind of a non-serious filler answer because I didn’t have anyone else who piqued my interest for that at the time. Arguably at first I wasn’t even interested in Mastermind Mikan initially. And then my brain saw I was apathetic to it and was like “Hold my drink” before it spiraled into an AU, which I of course would then use for Day 58 at the time. 

I drew up a character design and some basic details in a total rush, and then drew a really basic but cute enough image of the two alongside various headcanons for this version of the relationship. I actually intended to draw a bonus image of the two on their own just because I felt like I was kinda scamming ya’ll if I didn’t. However I have like, none of the time for that on my hands right now, I’m JUST starting to learn Web Design at the time of writing this. If people like this enough I might try and actually draw some proper art of this AU again though.

As for why this day makes me angry, uhhhh yeah no it’s completely irrational. I have no justification in the slightest I just know that every time i scroll past this  one while looking through the folder of Junkan art for the project I just get annoyed.

I’m actually really happy with the Mastermind Mikan design, might be a biiiit overdesigned? But let’s be real if we’ve learned anything over the course of whatever the hell you’d call this project, it’d be that I am nothing if not a woman of pure excess, especially within the small realm of this ship. 

Okay so hi this is Jem from like, slightly in the future. And when I say slightly I mean like 20 minutes ahead of the previous paragraph. 

So I drew a Monokuma for this AU. Something I didn’t do for my Mastermind Tokomaru AU. I kind of had the idea for a Mikan version of Monokuma in my head for a decent amount of time, partially because I also want to do some art of Mikan and Junko in Shiro/Kurokuma cosplays later (yeah sorry spoilers there is no shiro or kurokuma representation in this project. But worry not, UDG does have representation, muuuuuch later). That made me think about how Shirokuma does kind of have similarities to Mikan (i think, it’s been awhile), which made me realize that monokuma but purple sounded neat. So there’s this now.

I imagine that Junko would still be voicing this version from behind the scenes. Partially because unless it’s literally an Ultimate Voice Actor Mikan AU there’s no way she can do that for a whole killing game. The other reason is I just kind of imagine that Mikan would take a similar role to Tsumugi, being both a member of the killing game and the mastermind, rather than what Junko did where she faked her death and orchestrated from behind the scenes without suspicions. Also yes this would mean that Junko is behind the scenes as normal, just that this time she’s solely focused on managing Monokuma. The Control Room is directly connected to Mikan’s room for easy, non-suspicious access to all the mechanisms. And also so the two of them can cuddle at night, obviously. 

Oh yeah with this Monokuma Redesign I would probably also change Mikan’s hair pin to reflect the same color scheme, even if I do like the way it looks with normal Monokuma colors. I would also probably make a “normal” Mikan design for this version. Just tone back certain parts of it to give the illusion that she isn’t the mastermind. Y’know, for the game that will totally exist based off this au, definitely. 

Honestly I think rambling about it has made me soften up on this one a bit, for now at least. So for real I might try and draw more of this AU regardless of whether people want it or not. That said y’know, if you DO want more of it feel free to say so cause that will in fact give me some mild motivation lol.

Oh I guess last thing. When I first showed the initial Reference image of this Mikan to friends one of them pointed out that I accidentally made her plan into, what is essentially the American Healthcare System. I swear to god that wasn’t intentional but it did make me laugh. 

As always, Reblogs, Comments, and Little Notes in the Tags are appreciated!~ They always make my day!~

[fanbun]

This quote from Variety's new Dan Harmon interview is concerning to me as a Rick and Morty fan… but it also explains a lot of the problems I have with the show’s writing...

“I think a reset is a good way of looking at it. We had so much behind the scenes drama that I think we didn't need a lot of irony and challenge on the screen narratively. I think the experiment became, can we accomplish the show moving forward? Can the fans not lose their favorite show, not be distracted by any of the turbulence? There was also another important reason to reset, which is we're anticipating doing a lot more of these. This was always designed to be a show that could last thousands of episodes. And you can't last thousands of episodes if you're simply going to tell a serialized story about how your protagonist stops being the protagonist. I've always been obsessively focused on maintaining modularity, so that the more popular your show gets, the more accessible it is to a hopefully increasing freeway of traffic.” (source)

I really don’t like this business-minded approach that sacrifices story in exchange for an endless stream of content.

You could argue the show was always supposed to last forever, but the problem is that the writers set up major overarching storylines and focused their attention on Rick’s development as a character. Things in the show are changing and therefore a reset comes across as a forced decision to keep the show from coming to an end.

It seemed like in season 6 the younger writers in the room were allowed to experiment with larger narratives, but from this quote I think it’s clear that Harmon’s stubbornness really prevents Rick and Morty from evolving naturally and reaching its full potential.

What I find most concerning though is that he admits that they are playing it safe with the narrative because of all their behind the scenes drama. That sounds like the final nail in the coffin to me. Why expect anything truly interesting to come out of these characters when the goal is to be unchanging and marketable? Why hope for writing that is reflective of real life when the people working on it are trying to hide the chaos that spawned it?

Unlike Solar Opposites, the Rick and Morty showrunners said they wouldn’t even be referencing the behind the scenes drama for jokes. And it’s not like Rick and Morty hasn’t done those sort of meta references before either. They did it in season 3, a time where the writing felt like it had way more effort put into it.

So not only is the writing itself disjointed and detached from reality but the jokes also tend to feel forced and generic when there are topics that are off-limits to them. And yeah, this kind of downfall is par for the course when a cartoon has been running for a long time. But Rick and Morty didn’t need to become that kind of cartoon. It didn’t need to be a Simpsons or a SpongeBob.

Honestly this is why I vastly prefer what I have read fans come up with for the show. The creatively engaged fans like to dig deep and talk seriously about character development, make theories about the show's world-building, and create art from a place of emotion. There's something really engaging there that the show occasionally touches on, but whatever hopes we have as those type of fans are sure to be dashed. At the end of the day, the showrunners would rather make some casual viewers chuckle with a half-assed pun or movie reference than risk the death of their cash cow.

[seeyouonsaturn]

Finally got around to making a proper TFA version for my girl Trixie!

Her primary verse is Transformers One, and you can find its introductory post here (and all Trixie content in the tag #oc: i'll be your animal on my blog, this is my beloved freak baby!). But she's shipped with Sentinel Prime, and he must be bothered in every universe, especially TFA. We all agree he's got a very repressed thing for organics, right?

Well, here it is! TFA!Trixie [she/it]. Fucked up critter, professional menace.

I kept its design mostly as-is, only changing some minor markings, making its snout a teensy bit shorter, gave it whiskers and ear tufts (I'm not 100% sold on the ear tufts). And, of course, she doesn't have her collar, because she's not a pet in this verse.

Why is its name still Trixie if TF1!Sentinel specifically named it that, as a nickname for Matrix? I don't know. Don't think too hard about it. I'm too attached to Trixie being its name, I don't want to give her another one, so just go with it lmao.

Though she's similar in personality to TF1!Trixie – it's still Trixie after all – TFA!Trixie is not nearly as evil as her counterpart. TFA!Sentinel may be a jerkwad, but he's still a good guy, and would never be okay with the kind of shit TF1!Trixie pulls (affectionate). So she's, at least on a technicality, a good guy, and allies herself with the Autobots. That said though, she's by all means still an utter menace of a creature.

Backstory under the cut!

Trixie came to Earth on the Nemesis, but she's not, and has never truly been, a Decepticon. Rather, it was on the run from her home planet (she's still a wanted criminal, just... not quite as bad), and chose to stowaway on the wrong ship. The Decepticons were not happy to discover they had a hitchhiker, but, possibly feeling kinship to a fellow organic, or perhaps simply sensing her plot-relevancy, Blackarachnia took enough pity on her to convince Megatron to allow her to live. Trixie had no choice but to swear fealty to him, living as little more than a slave on the Nemesis for the next months, barely avoiding several sessions of being experimented on (well, there was some experimenting, but nothing that left lasting damage).

As time went by though, she sort of grew on the Decepticon crew enough for them to treat her as more of a tolerated pet rather than a captive. Her personality does mesh with them rather well, and once it felt secure enough they wouldn't kill it for speaking out of turn, and dared to diss them back whenever they insulted her, they wound up getting along, by Decepticon standards. Luckily, Blackarachnia had already outfitted the ship to support the survival of organic beings – meaning, herself – which gave Trixie access to food and water, and anything else it may need, and the two of them especially formed an unexpected bond, although they can hardly be considered close.

When the ship crashed, Trixie managed to snag an escape pod and get out of there with everyone else (except Starscream). It even brought her straight to Earth, crashing not too far from Detroit. However, the pod – another one of Blackarachnia's works, outfitted for organic life – put her in stasis, knocking her out and burying itself in the ground, never to be found by any humans. 50 years later, the dispersal of the Allspark sent a pulse through the air, finally bringing the downed pod back to life, awakening Trixie from its prolonged nap.

It crawled out, disoriented and with a headache, but otherwise not worse for wear. Once it had managed to get at least the most basic idea of what was going on, she tracked down the bots in Detroit, if only because they were the only species on the planet she knew. But it was well aware, and reasonably terrified, that Megatron would likely kill it for deserting, or being gone so long, or simply for existing – and even if not, it did not want to go back to the Decepticons either way – so she decided the Autobots were her best bet. Out of necessity, not want. For protection.

Trixie managed to befriend Sari, who has the sort of plot armor allure that makes everyone love her, even Trixie; and Sari convinced Optimus and the others to let it stay. Considering it's behaving itself at least somewhat decently, and has inside information on the Decepticons it's more than happy to share, he agreed. The citizens of Detroit barely even care at this point. What's one more alien?

And then the Elite Guard shows up, bringing Sentinel with it, and Trixie catches on very quickly that he's fun. Fun to mess with, that is. His utter disgust for organics causes him to be repelled by it even when it's not doing anything, and when it touches him he screams like a little girl, so Trixie immediately latches onto him and delights in clambering up to sit on his shoulder and licking his face. She can't help herself; his reactions are too funny. Optimus does not feel inclined to help the poor mech either.

(Un)fortunately for Sentinel, though, he comes to find that he really does not hate it nearly as much as he acts like he does. And once Trixie figures that out, it'll never leave him alone again. Rip.

Yeah, good luck with that.

[heinousactszx]

In your opinion how did the open world format work for pokemon legends of arceus? Is there anything you would have changed about it?

TLDR, i think it worked fantastically. but in order to get into why, i think i need to get into why the open world of SV (and to a lesser extent swsh) did NOT work.

It's practically one of my mantras at this point, but an open world game can have an explorable space as big as the real world itself; it's not going to be fun to play if it's not worth exploring. that means having interesting locales, secrets and new abilities to find, and exciting challenges to seek out.

Scarlet and violet... Don't really have that. the only thing you can really find in the game are, well, pokemon. Yeah yeah I know there's trainers and the treasures of ruin and maybe a raid battle, but overwhelmingly what you're finding in that big open world is pokemon. And the fun of discovering them sort of pales when really all you can do with that discovery is add them to your team or your dex. Plus, unlike classic pokemon games, the removal of random encounters means there's no real reason to even engage with the pokemon you see once you're at a high enough level and have them in the dex. seriously, once you realize how much of SV is just walking around pokemon in the open world, you'll never unsee it

you could argue that having the choice to complete the 3 stories in any order you like is one of the things you can find. But when all of those events are tied to a structured level scale that doesn't change, your "choice" comes down to either running into fights that are way too hard and then abruptly way too easy, or playing in the exact order they want you to. not exactly enticing either way. Scarlet and violet probably would have just been better off as a more linear pokemon with typical hallway routes instead of spending all this time on an open world that rarely enhances any part of the experience (though i will admit running around with a friend in union circle is really fun)

ANYWAY to get back to what you actually asked, Legends arceus sidestepped this issue by making interacting with pokemon the entire gameplay loop. it was a stroke of genius to make completing the pokedex the main goal of the game, because unlike in the regular series, catching a pokemon does not tie the bow on it. No, in order to advance in the game and truly fill out the dex, you have to complete research tasks related to that pokemon. Hitting it with certain attacks, using items, number caught, number stunned, using certain moves, and so many more. some of them even have side-quests associated with them!

all of this encourages you to do more with the entirety of the world you're exploring than SV offered. switching up your team and trying new things to fill out dex entries is encouraged and gives so much variety to the actual experience of playing the game like you usually would. While there's actually less pokemon to find than in SV or swsh, improving the way you actually engage with all of them makes legends much more exciting to run around in.

not to mention, the game feel in legends is just better, flat out. walking around feels better, the ride pokemon are more fun, pokemon running from you or attacking you feels more immersive than the way they mostly just exist waddling around in the other switch games. It helps that legends, while having some performance issues, is nowhere near as bad as SV has it.

of course, the truth of the matter is that legends arceus is not truly an open world game. It's a series of large and open but disconnected areas accessible from a main hub, rather than one large contiguous gamespace. remoraid to my head, i think i'd pick the former every time. it gives the game more focused central game design and cuts out a lot of extra transient elements that don't really add that much. Running around a true open world is fun and all, but legends arceus would not have been a better game just because you could walk directly from one area to another, much in the same way that Scarlet and violet really aren't better games for it either

as for what i'd change? honestly? nothing. the gameplay loop of legends was so addicting that i did almost nothing but play it for weeks when it first came out. it was and is the best pokemon game in over a decade. in some ways i can't believe it's actually as good as it is. i remember being so anxious with a friend that it was going to be a disaster when it ended up being a masterpiece.

no, wait, what i'd change is game freak's awful habit of adding cool new features, like this entire game, and then never touching them again. make a sequel. pokemon legends kyurem. call me mr iwao i can make this work

[thatneilj]

Game of the Year 2024

Hey everyone! 2024 sure was a year, huh? Alright let’s be honest, not a great one. At least not outside of video games. The fucking world is a giant mess. Anyway, the couple of small highlights in my life this year were:

Finally reading books regularly again

Finally got back into Netrunner

Finally finished Jump King

Onward to the Game of the Year list!

Honorables

Shelved by Genre

For the last couple years I’ve been putting some non-video game stuff into the honorable and this year we’re tossing in a podcast. Shelved by Genre is a bit of a book club diving into a bunch of fantasy and sci-fi stories. While they weren’t exactly the reason I managed to pick a bunch of books up again this year, the hosts have been really fun to listen to talk about novels I’ve read – and some I haven’t – throughout this last year.

Shadow of the Erdtree

I know I’m that weirdo Fromsoft fan who didn’t like Elden Ring as much as the rest of the world seemed to. The thing is, my issues were never about the mechanical improvements to the game, it was more the structure and design that seemed, frankly, bad at actually giving meaningful direction in the open world. Now years later jumping into the DLC was great because it basically corrected on almost all the issues of the base game I had and ended up being one of my favorite experiences of the whole year. Unfortunately you do still need to play most of the base game to access it and I feel weird about putting DLC onto my list in an official capacity.

Nine Sols

I feel like I’ve only gotten maybe 20% through Nine Sols and it’s already something that would be competing for my game of the year. Some of that might be recency bias, but the general pacing, movement, and exploration gives me a lot of the feelings I last got from Hollow Knight. While that perpetually delayed sequel continues to tease us all, this game is doing for me the same thing the protagonist seems to get from that life giving pipe-weed or whatever he is smoking.

5. UFO 50

UFO 50 is a weird game to put onto this list since it is more like a launcher for 50 other small games. I love the commitment to the collection being the works of a fictional development team making games spanning all the way back to the early 80. However this does lead to, especially with some of the earlier titles, a recreation of some of the more annoying parts of returning to older games. Luckily with so many games when I don’t find one particularly enjoyable I can just move on to the next one!

Even now I haven’t touched all the games in the collection, but I have really enjoyed a handful already that is well worth the price of admission. Some of my favorites I have engaged with include; Camouflage – a navigational puzzle game, House Party – a deck building game, and Vainger – a mixture of Metroid and VVVVVV. I know there is a meta layer to engage with which I just haven’t been driven to do (shocking given my love for games like Tunic), but this ends up on my list more as a value proposition. Do I love every game in this collection? No. Is there at least 2-3 games I think any person would have fun with? Yes.

4. Balatro

When you find run based games they tend to fall into two main flavors – Games like Hades where the choices you make will change how your skills work to make you feel powerful, and games like Balatro that dare you break them and make you feel good as hell while you do it. The basic structure of Balatro is so simple, play hands poker hands to get points and get enough points in a limited number of hands to move to the next stage. The big twist here being that you can start changing the cards in your deck, start making specific hands much more powerful, and of course modify every hand with your jokers.

Maybe you’ll strip out all your face cards or end up with only 2 suits rather than 4. Maybe you’ll make that one Queen worth a ton of extra points, but only if you keep her in your hand instead of playing her. Or maybe you’ll find some jokers that make a lowly Two-of-a-Kind feel like a better hand than a Royal Flush. There are not many feelings this year more enjoyable than playing a hand that’s point value catches fire to indicate you beat the threshold in a single hand.

3. Zenless Zone Zero

I am honestly pretty torn on my feelings about ZZZ and yet I’m putting it all the way up here at Number 3. The first few nights I played it right on release I found the initial cast of characters you get to interact with generally more annoying than fun, I found the strange TV Array mission navigation overly simplistic, and I started getting overwhelmed with how many different items existed to level up all the different pieces of any given character. But I had said over a year ago than then ZZZ came out I would give my first Hoyoverse game a full month for me to try and see why these games seem to be so popular. Luckily the basic action game combat felt good and it had great style.

As I unlocked more of the systems they started doing more with the TV Array stuff putting some puzzles into those missions that acted like breaks from the usual action gameplay and I started to appreciate them. I unlocked the systems for daily energy that lets you farm some of the leveling materials more easily. And maybe most importantly, I got to story content that had characters I found more interesting to engage with and to use. It all started to click.

Here we are some 6 months after release and there is no doubt in my mind that ZZZ is my most played game of the whole year. I am still logging in every day, enjoying the new story chapters, and rolling for more characters. That there is the big elephant in the room though. This game IS a free-to-play gatcha game and they sure do have some predatory hooks in there to try and squeeze money out of you. I will admit to putting a few bucks into the game for the battle passes, but I’m not precious about making sure to get every single character so I haven’t really run into any walls that make me feel like I NEED to spend more money. But all those hooks are there, in my face, and do make me pretty uncomfortable suggesting anyone try to get into it.

2. Dragon’s Dogma 2

I am kind of shocked at how much I enjoyed Dragon’s Dogma 2. We all know that I tend to fall off open world games even when I think they are generally good (looking at you Witcher 3). While I finally gave the original Dragon’s Dogma a playthrough at the start of the year, it was an old enough game that the open world still felt very constrained and it was the class systems and streaming that really got me through it. I did have a good enough time that I thought the sequel would be worth a shot and I am so glad I played it.

The game rewarded me for paying attention to the characters giving me quests, letting me know I should find a guard disguise before visiting the jail to investigate one of the prisoners. It made every little trip across the world feel like its own little adventure where I might be ambushed by a griffon or suddenly see a ghostly carriage. Though perhaps most importantly, the expanded pawn system granting them abilities beyond their classes helped me become much more attached to pawns beyond just my own. Running around successfully gave me a feeling closer to the tabletop experience of adventuring with my friends than any other RPG has gotten. And that is to say nothing of the excellent variance and fun I had playing all the different classes providing a great action experience on top of everything else.

1. Animal Well

A puzzle game with some extra layers has made it into my top 5 many times in the past. We did discover some of my limits for that kind of game at the start of this year with Void Stranger unfortunately, and coming off that there was a small part of me worried my patience for that kind of game had depleted. Animal Well was a breath of fresh air with its moody visuals, 2d platforming traversal, and Metroid-style ability gated map design. What really made it stand out was how well it managed to communicate small goals without directing you through text.

It is hard not to notice that the ghosts you meet so early in the game always seem to be in rooms with candles in them. And once you find your first match to light a candle you discover that the ghost doesn’t come back. Even more importantly though, a candle also lights up in that weird wall full on candles near the very start of the game! Once you add the interesting ways in which the game gives you so many alternate ways to use so many of the items and suddenly the game feels like you can break your way into places only to discover they thought of it too and reward you for it! Though perhaps just with another puzzle piece.

While I don’t think the bigger second ending puzzle hits the same kind of highs that the instruction manual from Tunic does, it is still an extremely satisfying achievement. Knowing how much more there is after that and the ways that the game was built not just to encourage community puzzle solving but actually require it for many of puzzles beyond that ending is impressive. But more than anything I’m just happy to see I still like the sense of discovery in this kind of puzzle game.

[gainprincess]

"BWAH?!"

"Sorry, would you rather I use proper terminology? It's been a while, but I'll try."

She clears her throat, and sweetens her tone.

"Master, won't you please let me suckle from your obscenely fat breasts so that I may outshine all these pigs lesser than me with my flab? I'd be really grateful. I wish to become a most bloated and greedy cow of a woman, with a body that may put even Avenger to shame."

She's stepping towards Passionlip now, and the Alter Ego's face heats up. Medusa's words are sultry and genuine, and each step she makes shows off her toned legs, flexing with muscle.

Passionlip is very confused on how to feel about this. On one hand, this lady DID just break into her office, started calling her by her and her sisters' designation, not her NAME, and is now staring her down asking for some of her thick fucking titmilk.

She has every right to be horrified.

But something about the way Medusa's manic grin and glowing eyes flash makes her also REALLY, REALLY turned on all of a sudden.

"W-Well, i-if you wanna have some that bad, there's always the ho-"

"W-Wait, no, that's a really bad idea! I-I can't let you do that, even if you ARE the prettiest lady I've ever seen in my life! Also, my name's Passionlip!"

Confessions aside, Passionlip's words cause Medusa to halt in her tracks, eyebrow furrowing in confusion as she twitches.

"I...cannot?"

At first, she's calm. Passionlip exhales in relief. Calm is good.

Then, the anger.

"Why in Olympus not, Sakura?! Am I not worthy? Have I erred in some way?!"

Her teeth gnash in frustration as Passionlip quivers...but the Alter-Ego stands her ground. She's grown a lot since coming to Chaldea in many different ways.

Medusa's just angry. She's not making threatening movements, and her voice isn't that threatening, despite increase in volume. She's just having an outburst.

She can do this.

"I-I just can't! I don't let anyone have my milk straight from the tap, it's too much! J-Just look at the pudding formula thing everyone else gets with breakfast that makes them bloat! My milk is the main ingredient!"

And it all comes together, for those acting as observers. Passionlip is Raikou and Boudica's third conspirator in the duo's goal to fatten all of Chaldea in their own special way, though it seems that she, unlike the other two, has some semblance of...limitations.

"...Mh. I...I see. That...is reasonable. For such a thing to be only PARTLY comprised of your milk...It must be truly potent indeed. Twould be a waste to get so fat so quickly...I must show the others my superiority slowly, make them realize over time..."

She's in her own self-absorbed logic loop, of course, but Passionlip's words have halted her. She's calming down, coming down from the high that is her lust, if slightly. It's a sudden change, a violent swap, and if Passionlip had not been blessed with a face that brought Medusa's submissive nature to the front like a boomerang, it's doubtful such logic would've occurred.

But Passionlip does get her feelings on the topic. Being small in Chaldea is both a blessing and a curse.

Sure, you can maneuever easier, and you'll be granted a lot of convenient privileges the larger Servants just don't have access to at their size...but you won't feel like you belong. At least, Lip didn't when she was 'small'.

Sure, she was a weight everyone WANTED to be, but she didn't look it. They treated her with respect, but not with friendship. That's why SHE got big. So she could be useful, and have friends.

So she can empathize with Medusa, even if their reasons are different.

"I'm sorry for bothering you, in that case. I hope you will forgive me for this, Sa-"

She bites her tongue.

A-Ah...Your name is not...Sakura, yes? Passionlip, you said...please forgive me. You just looked so much like my Master that I..."

This change in personality is entire genuine. It is true feeling, and it occured at the drop of a hat. Perhaps it is this one moment that best encapsulates her insanity after all.

'Oh, I'm gonna get so fired for this...'

Passionlip's empathy overwhelms her better judgement for a split-second. She's too caring, and that face Medusa's pulling is way too much.

'Fuck it.'

"U-Um! P-Please don't say sorry! I-I think I actually CAN help...! Sort of..."

"...Eh?"

Medusa was about to turn on her heel and leave, to go find another venue in which she can gain quickly. Harassing someone with Sakura's face is a good way to give herself and the harassee a lot of uncomfortable feelings. Medusa dislikes the idea of that.

But now...Passionlip is offering something. So she stays...and she stares.

"I-I can't...give you fresh stuff from the t-tap. Full blast like that'd ruin our entire base. B-But, um...there's a unique property, to my milk...M-My...uh...fat content..."

She squirms a little, embarrassed.

"I-If the stuff goes directly to a fridge instead of a bowl or glass, and it stays there long enough to cool down...the extra-fattening effects are d-dulled a bit...O-Only problem is..."

She sighs.

"Can you move back just a f-few steps...? I need to activate something you're on top of."

"A-Ah. Yes. Certainly. Sorry."

Medusa snaps out of her titty-ogling at the request, wiping drool from her lip as her face flushes red. For some reason, the fact that Lip isn't Sakura kind of makes her more embarrassed to have been that greedy in front of her.

She takes a step back, glancing down on the floor. There doesn't SEEM to be anything there; just a normal oaken floor, beautifully pristine despite all the pressure that is applied to it daily with Lip's mere existence...

"A-Alter Ego Gamma...R-Requesting funneling hose connected to refrigeration storage...code 7929 Blossom Sunrise."

Passionlip rattles off a series of phrases, eyes closed as if concentrating, and for a moment, Medusa thinks nothing will happen.

Then the floor shifts, and Medusa's core grows hot as something rises out of it.

A feeding tube.

"N-Nh...I see...~"

She's only ever seen it used once, on a day where Sei Shonagon (Berserker) was feeling particularly lazy, and demanded her lover fill her up with 'the good stuff' (likely just cake batter)...but just recalling that memory gets her even hotter.

She knows what's about to happen. It's such a thick tube, too...There's going to be so much.

"Um...y-you can just p-put your lips over it...It's sensor-activated, so it'll start pumping whatever's in there into your tummy...I'm only allowing you to have three bottles, though, okay..?"

By her estimate, that should be enough to get Medusa...satisfied.

"O-Of course, Lady Passionlip...my everlasting thanks...Fuck...~"

She's gyrating her hips again, trying to relieve herself through the denim of her white pants...

'The pants I'll be rendering useless before long..!~'

She's soaked even more now. It's self-defeating. She can't help it.

She opens her mouth. The tube sits at mouth-level, just waiting, begging, pleading for a worthy pair of plump lips to sliiiide down it and embrace their fate.

For once, Medusa loves her fate.

She doesn't even consciously shove herself forward. It's almost like she's falling. Falling, falling, down and down...just a puppet for her inevitable victory.

Her mouth takes it in without hesitation as she sliiides onto it like it's the most delicious shaft she's tasted in her life, eyes rolling backwards as it slides into her throat. That's the lovely thing about not having a gag reflex...no interruptions.

The world around her blurs to nothingness as the grrrlggglleee and glllrrrrooopppp... of heavy, thick, creamy titcream pushing up the tube enters her ear. It's close. She can almost see it bloating the tube with sheer mass, the chilled dairy getting closer and closer to her soft lips...!~

It passes her mouth, and starts tracing down her maw to the opening halfway down her throat.

That alone makes Medusa flood.

Then?

Impact.

"NNNNNNH!~"

The dull realization that she's throwing her dignity away like this IN FRONT OF someone hardly occurs to her when the first deluge hits her throat.

It's so fucking creamy.

The chill is evident and transparent, and Medusa bucks when she feels her throat cool down. She can already feel it working, and her shirt groans as her chest swells.

"HHUNNNHHH...~"

But there's a problem with being so good at deepthroating you can deepthroat a two-inch wide feeding tube.

She can't taste it. She's feeling it deposit in her belly, bringing an end to her thin nature for good (Finally. Worthless.), but she can't taste it. She wants to taste it.

In the only moment of rational clarity she'll have for the next few hours, Medusa manages to push the tube upward with her throat muscles, far enough that she can at least taste it on the back of her tongue.

It drives her further into ecstasy.

Lip's milk is somehow both sweet and not at the same time, like a creamy glaze that goes on cinnamon rolls. She drools as it pours down her gullet, the substance flooding her stomach like it owes the stuff rent.

Its effects are instantaneous too. Her hips are swaying involuntarily at the feeling, and she thinks she may go cross-eyed. It's too good. Her hands are palmed against the floor, because if they aren't, she won't be able to stay upright.

Speaking of her hips, they continue to swell as she gulps, and they go from birthing hips worthy of a goddess to the most obscenely perfect set of love-handles one could ever witness, straining her pants already as the softness gathers and pads it all, concentrated like it only cares about ensuring the fabric suffers as cellulite forms on Medusa's fat rear.

"Mmmph...~"

"Nnghh...~"

She's eternally grateful to Passionlip.

Even though only one bottle has finished, her breasts are already double the size they were when she started. Even though only one bottle has finished, her face has softened, and a second chin has started to form beneath her first. Even though only one bottle has finished, her legs are causing tears in the fabric of her pants, exposing her new, flabby thighs to the world (or, well, to the starstruck Alter Ego bolted in place before her) like a cow's ought.

But her belly's not big enough. She wants more. Sure, it's swelling into a gut. Sure, the more and more she lets drain into her stomach from this second bottle, she feels it swell and gurgle and groan and churn, but she's not there yet.

She's so close, she feels like she just needs an inch more. She's so close to the greatest moment of her second life. She's so, so close to...to...!

PING!~

She freezes. One of the buttons on her pants, one of the things that keep it up on her hips alongside the buckle, has pinged harmlessly off Passionlip's metal claw, clattering to the ground between them.

She stares.

Lip stares.

PING!~

Another flies off, smashing into her claws and falling to earth once more.

Medusa can hear her pants creaking under her swelling gut. Can hear them yearning to snap, to give her the edge she desperately craves...She pants into the tube, attempting to gulp faster and faster so it comes sooner and sooner...

"MMmh...!"

PING! Another button. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.

"MMMH!!!~"

She bucks her hips, eyes fully rolling back in her skull as she goes over the edge.

A CRRRREEEAAAAKKKKKK from her belt buckle. Followed by a GRRRNNGNNNNNNNN from her straining leather belt.

She takes a breath. She readies herself. She steadies her hands. And, when it finally, finally...

SNNNNNNNAPPPPPPPPP!~

Medusa lets go.

"HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP!!!!!~~"

The belch shatters plates in the cafeteria. She's a mile away from it and she's causing glass to EXPLODE in the dish rack. Windows aren't safe either. Anything not reinforced by magic is dust in the wake of that rippling belch, and the sound is like a fucking monstrosity's bellow no matter where you are in Chaldea.

It's a message. For all to hear.

Look. At. ME.

[codeandcanvas]

A process, a person, maybe a designer?

Around every first Saturday of the month, the following happens between me and my computer—some step repeat on other days, too, but rarely all:

encrypting local files

syncing encrypted local files with a remote cloud

copying notebooks from my notetaking programme into an archival section, named like this: year, month, and notebook name, like so: the notebook called “Projects” has its content moved to “2024-09-projects”, before the next step

exporting notebooks from my notetaking programme into various formats, then using an archiving programme to make an archival copy of these files

a certain analysis takes place, knowing I have my projects and ideas in one place: when I get around to them, I will do them

these exports and archives get synced from one local drive to another local drive, which itself is the decrypted representation of the encrypted local files I keep in sync with the remote cloud

While this is not exactly a pleasurable process, it does provide a certain comfort: all is not lost. And while physical archives are rarely easy to access or a joy to use (my SO might have the one exception I am aware of: a suspension filing system by Leitz, which I find really neat absolutely glorious), this is one of the systems whose only tedium comes from the redundancy in exporting.

As I work my way down my list of notebooks concerning topics like my projects and ideas, personal diary entries, changes to my workshop and its tools, social content, I take notice of why I do this process. Of course, there is that thing about being German and loving archives, sure, check that stereotype, sure, yes, sure.

But why I do this is at all, is this: my existence is meaningful to me. What I do is meaningful to me. My observations and experiments have value to me. Maybe there is a little bit of becoming older playing into this, but I have always found computers to be a delight for one simple reason: I can search all of my files. And with interesting new tools like AI, I can even analyze my own files in meaningful ways, looking for patterns, and most often: for tone.

If I would allow all of this to disappear into the obscurity of whatever social media does to a few people’s capacity to become involved in their own perception and processes, then all I would have done, is to allow my own words, my own life, to disappear.

I rather uphold structure. I rather write about what I have done.

Maybe you are into that sort of thing. Maybe you have read some of this, wondering about me and what I do. Maybe this is all very obvious and clear to you. All the same, I believe that knowing what we do, what we write, is of value to us.

And most of what I am currently doing, is writing. I haven’t done that for years, and I am still struggling to get away from any kind of promotional tone: not because I was ever any good at that, hell no, but because the idea of having to market what I do and why I do it, has basically poisoned joy.

Imagine doing work like this, and then having to satisfy some imaginary person you have in your head, because someone said something somewhere to get under your skin.

For most of us, creative or not, that is a sad truth of existence: that only with time we can find joy in what we do, rather than looking for joy given to us by satisfying what others demand of us.

And like I have said up there, doing this archival work is not exactly on a par with eating vanilla ice cream—but it satisfies something, which does not even need a fancy name. Maybe being your own person is about that: to neither be able to be understood by others easily, nor putting any effort into neither being understood nor being misunderstood.

In a way, I am alone with my thoughts, in the company of a few hundred people. Imagine. I actually can’t. I just do these things, and write about them. Some of it in private, some of it like this, in the privacy of a few hundred mutuals, friends, and family.

I think I will finish up reading Maeda’s Creative Code now.

Maybe I will switch on some sort of archiving for my Threads account, too.

I think I want to blog like this. I think I just did.

[colorfuldreamsmkg]

General App Review

Hello! We wanted to give a brief general app review giving some trends we noticed in the apps we rejected compared to what we personally look for in apps. Do take this with a grain of salt, however, as this heavily revolves around what THIS mod team looks for rather than what every mod team seeks out! However, some of these notes might be useful to take with you in the future, or even if you opt to try to apply for a Churin game again someday.

As an additional note, many of the things noted on this list aren’t things that inherently fail an app! We can and have accepted apps that have done these things before. If your app had any of these things in it, that doesn’t necessarily make it bad! We had MANY apps we loved that we couldn’t fit into the game for one reason or another.

That said, here’s the list!

Ease of Read - As mods, we often have to read 40+ apps in a short span of time when picking a roster! Therefore, we often end up favoring apps that are easier for us to read, rather than requiring us to read the same paragraph over and over while trying to understand what’s trying to be said. Remember: An application isn’t a published novel, nor is it a scientific journal. At times, straying away from flowery prose and jargon can help the reader. Additionally, extremely long paragraphs that span half a page by themselves or series of events that are confusing and lack points of connection are much harder for us to get through in a timely manner. Poetic tools and technical jargon are better suited to the prompts section than the backstory, as those give us an excellent view of how we can expect you to write posts within the game.

Prompt Character Voice - Speaking of prompts, we noticed a trend of muns turning in prompts that didn’t give us a good view of your character’s voice! At times, a personality section only tells us so much, so the prompts are also designed with the hope that we can learn about your character’s behavior and mannerisms in practice. We received quite a few prompts that spent more time discussing the surroundings and unflavored actions that didn’t give us a good view into your character’s mind. We’d really like to see that!

Backstory Focus - We also ran into an issue where some people spent more time talking about their character’s backstory characters rather than their OC themselves. We WANT to know about your character’s life! We want to know how THEY viewed the world. While learning about other characters and how they shaped your own is valuable, it’s important that we get to the meat of what your OC’s own experience is, as well.

Missing Information - For the most part, the short answers section is like a quick review. It’s for the mods to have easy access to quick information we can look at during the course of the game for things like motives and such. We’d rather not go into a short answers section and be surprised by a secret that is completely life-changing written in one sentence that could’ve been described in detail in the backstory. Those are the kinds of facts we want to know more about! Details on those kinds of things are valuable to us.

Research - It’s important to research technology and illnesses, mental or physical, you’re less familiar with when you want to apply them to a character’s backstory! It’s important to us that real-world illnesses are respectfully-presented, and that technology that exists in modern day works the way it should.

Compatibility with the Game Concept - This game is all about characters’ strong feelings towards music bringing an entire magical world to life based on THEIR FEELINGS towards the craft! Therefore, we really needed OCs that felt passionately about music in one way or another. Characters who only had one afterthought paragraph dedicated to music or only had throwaway lines here and there about it didn’t really work with what we needed. And the same goes for characters who didn’t really care about the music they were making, nor had the capability to come to care about it later. They just didn’t work for this game! There’s a good chance they’d work well for others, however.

Duos - This is no fault to duos as a concept, nor to those who applied them, but we quickly discovered that duos were INCREDIBLY difficult to sort into units in ways that made sense for the duos themselves and the rest of the cast. Unfortunately, duos didn’t really work as well as we thought they might in practice. We genuinely apologize for that, as it was an oversight on our part! As a general tip, when submitting a duo, we highly recommend you also submit a solo app as a back-up. Duos tend to be popular as a whole and there's a generally limited amount of them any given game can accept.

Overlap and Cast Diversity - This is another one that’s not really anyone’s fault, and there's only so much you can plan for. To make a healthy and fun game, mods need to pick out a cast with a wide variety of characters. There were characters we REALLY wanted to take, but simply couldn’t because we received too many apps that did this one thing, or too many that did the other. The best advice we can give to avoid this, even though it doesn't ALWAYS solve the problem, is to make sure your character isn't solely an archetype. While taking inspiration from a trope is just fine, be sure that the character has individuality and personality beyond it, as well.

[phantompeaches]

Persona 3 Reload!

.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆

So since the Persona 3 Reload trailer was released early, I have So Many thoughts on it! I'm both super excited for a lot of it, and a little disappointed about other parts?

Firstly, the graphics are gorgeous. Of course there's going to be improvements, the original game came out like 17 years ago now, the technology, skills and software that go into this have improved massively over the years, as well as consoles being able to handle and display much higher quality graphics.

The environment just feels so much more alive. They've put so much little detail into the areas of this game already, and I do really wish people claiming that they're Just Money Grabbing and dragging out the franchise (although usually referring to Persona 5 more) would take a minute to look at all the care that they put into these games. It's such small things, like the individual brickwork on the floor, and the faint scenes behind the windows. Even just the detailing on the fountain and how the water falls, every little detail comes together to make the environment alive. I'm also a massive fan of blue tint implying darkness, so much modern media sacrifices visibility for darkness sake, and although a small detail it feels very important to mention, as well as how it creates such a great contrast to the light sources? It's a method that was used a lot in film making specifically, although now, again, they seem to prefer to make it impossible to see rather than create an implication and more enjoyable and accessible experience.

Even the menu is incredible. It's visually stunning whilst also being well designed from a UI perspective. Seeing them side by side really gives an indication of how far the games have come. Although two very small changes, Persona 4 switched the Equip and Persona options, and Persona 5 switched the Quests (Missions in P5) and Social Link options. Both of these changes, whilst minor, do show an improvement in UI. The Equip option is going to be more used than checking your Persona is, as theoretically you will be switching out equipment regularily as you gain better gear (although I will admit I am awful at changing my gear around), and you'll (once again, theoretically) be keeping more tabs on your quests than your social links, as social links often inform you in game their level and when they're close to improving, as quests are something you will be checking perhaps even daily as you progress through the game. Moving your currency out from the bottom of the menu makes it easier to find as well, as there's not really any reason to have it there to begin with?

The character models are absolutely incredible as well! Of course, again, 17 years improvement, but what improvement it is! Aigis, my beloved, she looks stunning. I cannot get over the lighting, although this does lead a bit into the things I'm disappointed with.

The sprite art is amazing as well. They've brightened the characters' palettes, and with the higher quality graphics, it's allowed them to add subtler details (like the stitching on Yukari's choker). However, it feels like this was at the expense of some of the character the Persona 3 sprites had. The range of facial shapes seems to have been lost, and even details such as Aigis being the only character with larger pupils is no longer as clear.

A lot of the emotion in the Persona 3 sprites has been sacrificed as well, which is disappointing seeing as it's one of, in my opinion, the best features in the Persona 3 sprites. This is really present in Junpei, as along with losing his distinct chin and little beard, his sprite lacks the personality of the original.

Even in his voicelines and such, they lack the energy and personality Junpei has? Something as simple as the implication of an accent in text can give a character so much personality, can tell you about the kind of person they are or how they grew up. With Junpei, he uses 'lazy speech', where he pronounces the word in an easier way rather than the 'proper' way (using ya instead of you). It instantly gives the vibe that he's more laid back and that he isn't as strict as somebody like Mitsuru who uses full sentences with consistent, proper pronunciation. Although you could argue that him telling the player to refer to him by his first name tells you this as well, this requires prior knowledge of Japanese culture and honorifics, and how these are used in a day to day life, and therefore just doesn't have the same effect in the English localisation as a written accent.

Looking deeper at the sprites, the main reason they had so much more emotion and character was the range of motion. Although some sprites are reused with different expressions, there is a range of poses. This allows for emotion through body language, which not only helps express emotion but personality as well. Once again, the pose used most frequently tells us Junpei is this laid-back guy, and simply having such a range of head placements creates more character and emotion in these sprites.

Persona 4 was when they changed to a static base sprite with a range of emotions, rather than the differing pose and head placements in Persona 3. Looking at Yosuke's sprites, it's very clear they're one sprite with varying expressions. Although this already removes some of that character and emotion from Persona 3, the Persona 4 characters at least have a great deal of different expressions.

Looking at Ryuji's sprite in Persona 5, there's much more animation within it. Having options for eyes open and closed, and mouth movements. However, he has a total of 6 emotions, with the same base for all. Persona 5 uses cut ins for stronger emotions, however this only works for those strong emotions.

The dynamic sprites in Persona 3 really added to the game, so seeing that it seems they're carrying on with the trend of the previous two games is kind of disappointing. It is for sure something that could have been achieved with the current style of Persona, and although I understand its easier for them to go off of one base for both time and consistencies sake, it is something I wish they had, or maybe even will, adapt into this game.

.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆

In general, I'm really excited about this game? Although the sprites really are something that disappoints me, the fact that my biggest grievance is something so small really does leave me excited about the game itself. With the only switch port we have not having any of the cutscenes, I'm really excited to be able to fully experience the game on a modern console, and one that is to me much more accessible than the PlayStation is. I do have high hopes for this game being good!

[silverpetrichor]

How It Started

(MLB Chaotic Duo Series Part 1)

Summary: Adrien finally has enough, Marinette is so done already and the new Guardian of the Miraculous Box is ready to quit already.

AO3

A/N: I forgot to post this on Tumblr, but as always likes, constructive criticism, and reblogs are appreciated! Enjoy!!

*****

Esper Fu liked to think she was a fairly reasonable person, that after being raised and taught by her great uncle, nothing could truly phase her. But her great uncle suddenly reappearing in her life again after almost a decade of radio silence to pass guardianship of the Miraculous Box to her then promptly dying can really fuck with your mental. Especially when you consider the fact that the only reason she came back to Paris was to open up the bookstore cafe that she’d always dreamed of with her wife. Not recruiting children to fight some whack job with delusions of grandeur.

Naturally, as a sane adult she was against dragging literal children into this inevitably trying and dragged out battle and was willing to take on this burden herself with the help of a close friend with combat experience. Ya know, adults who know how to fight and shit. Not some lanky fashion designer’s kid who fences and models or a clumsy bakers’ daughter with a passion for fashion. She’d rather not regularly endanger two CHILDREN because some asshole wanted to play supervillain.

But apparently that’s “just not how this works” because they’ve “been deemed worthy” and “you know better than to try and change the fates of others”. That last one was a low blow. The only one on her side was Plagg but considering he loves stirring the pot that doesn’t really mean much.

So, here she is entrusting continuing her uncle’s work at the behest of her wife and giving two of the most powerful miraculouses to two teenagers. Though, to be clear she doesn’t doubt that they can rise to the challenge (given some non negotiable training by her) but they shouldn’t have to. They’re kids, they should get to enjoy their childhoods. But honestly how much trouble could they be?

*****

~Later That Same Morning~

Adrien Agreste considered himself to be a fairly decent person. Now you may be wondering why he didn't say good. Most people consider themselves to be good regardless of the truth. Hell, the public considered him to be good. The radiant, dreamy, and carefree model and heir of the Agreste Fashion Company. His mother used to tell him how good he was all the time.

But, he has a hard time believing that when most good people wouldn't threaten to burn their father's company to the ground. (Even if his father was asking for it)

It's not so much about his father. He couldn't care less about him. It's more about the thousands of employees he has. (Not including Nathalie of course, she can rot too)

But until he can get access to the savings account his mother set up it is what it is.

Or so he thought. But Chloe, his best (and only) friend that he's finally been able to get into contact with, can help him.

She's always had a good poker face and with the hard drive copies & clouds she made to store the child labor law violations and verbal abuse (in addition to his own). Now, he can finally get some freedom from this monochromatic nightmare of a house. In addition to access to all the money he’s earned over the past few years modeling. Two thirds going into the aforementioned savings account made by his mother and the rest into his personal account.

So, with a sour look on his face Gabriel Agreste has no choice but to allow him to go to Duponté with Chloe and have Nathalie hand over the card to Adrien’s personal account.

Now, Adrien practically skips out the house in a maximalist outfit with questionable accessories that would make Ms. Frizzle proud. His new school satchel is personalized much the same way with an atom keychain and whale shark coin purse. His Pop Tart wallet in hand (seriously where and when did this boy manage to get these clothes and that atrocious wallet? Gabriel wondered to himself) as he declared he was getting a McGriddle and hash browns from McDonald’s before school. Ignoring Gabriel’s shouts of ruining his diet as the boy merely put on his aviator sunglasses from his loud bomber jacket’s inner pocket.

As the door slammed shut, Gabriel shook his head, “He really is like his mother,” Nathalie muttered under her breath as she shuddered.

*****

All Marinette wanted was to have a normal mundane day, not whatever the hell was happening right now. . .

But she’d apparently “been chosen to aid in the fight against evil” or something like that. She honestly wasn’t really listening as she was too busy freaking out over the talking bug thing, a . . .kwami? She and her new partner apparently also couldn’t know one another's identity for the “sake of safety and the greater good”. And while it was pretty cool and ripped straight out of a comic book, that also meant that the villains were too. And honestly, who could be afraid of someone who unironically wore a bald cap? She hoped the akuma’s outfits would look better over time, though she doubted it. Seriously, who wears a bald cap at all let alone like that?

But after she had purified the akuma after everything, she soon found that she apparently had a time limit? Now she knew how Cinderella felt as she crash landed in her bedroom before de-transforming. She winced at the sound and the feeling of bouncing onto the floor face first, sprawled on the floor. Luckily it seemed her parents were still downstairs in the pasturiere boulaganse baking and attending to customers.

Of course though, before Marinette could get up she heard the sound of one of her precious plant babies pots breaking before something, or more like someone, landed on her. Groaning to herself she sat up in alarm and annoyance at her intruder. Hearing the bell of her new partner’s super suit and feeling the “tail” brush her, her brows furrowed into confusion. A momentary flash of green somewhat blinded her and next think she knew, her new supermodel classmate Adrien Agreste sat grinning at her in his quite frankly somewhat of an eyesore outfit. (Not that it was terrible, it was well coordinated, just so bright that it literally made her eyes sore if she looked for too long)

“Hello m’lady! Got any cheese and sweets? We have much to discuss,” he grinned at her.

Marinette sighed a deep bone weary sigh. There was just one rule we had to abide by for this whole superhero thing.

“It hasn’t even been a full day yet and you’ve already broken the one rule the kwami said we have. What if this gets back to Madame?” She asked him after she had gathered the snacks for the four of them.

Plagg and Tikki giggled with one another. Plagg had not felt this proud of a kitten in a while. Tikki giggled at their budding dynamic and at the fact that her chosen was so put upon and exasperated already. But if Madame thought she’d leave Marinette, she had another thing coming, she literally lived above a bakery!

*****

And somewhere across the city, Esper Fu felt a headache coming on as she pinched her bridge before sighing deeply.

“What’s wrong darling?” Her wife of three almost four years, Florence Thibodeaux asked her. Florence came up behind her where she was leaning against the table of new arrivals, hugging her from behind.

“I don’t know what caused this sudden headache, but I have a feeling those kids are behind it somehow,” Esper stated, brows furrowed and eyes narrowed.

Her beloved, the love of her life, her sweet angel! Merely laughed at her pain and suffering before giving her a chaste kiss and said, “I’m sure those kids will do great things, even with the added challenge of their youth and inexperience. You needn’t worry yourself my love.”

Esper tried to relax the rest of the night but couldn’t shake the feeling that the duo would be the most troublesome challenge she faced yet. Call it a hunch, or superstition or whatever you want but she just knew. After all, teenagers are unruly beasts and even the quiet and seemingly well behaved ones were the most feral and chaotic just beneath the surface. . .

*****

A/N: Thank you for reading!! I hope you enjoyed this, more to come!!

[changingmindsmentalhealthcar]

Understanding Psychometric Testing: How It Helps in Career Counseling

Choosing the right career path can be a challenging decision. With countless options, a rapidly changing job market, and increasing pressure to succeed, it's easy to feel overwhelmed. Psychometric testing offers a scientific and structured way to explore career options that align with your skills, interests, and personality traits.

At Changing Minds Mental Health Care in Varanasi, under the expert guidance of Dr. Laxman Yadav, we provide comprehensive career counseling services supported by advanced psychometric assessments designed to help you make confident, informed career decisions.

What is Psychometric Testing?

Psychometric testing refers to a set of standardized assessments that evaluate an individual's cognitive abilities, personality traits, aptitudes, and interests. These tests generate objective data that help career counselors understand an individual’s strengths and preferences to suggest suitable career paths.

Types of psychometric tests include:

Aptitude Tests: Measure logical reasoning, numerical ability, verbal skills, and problem-solving capacity.

Personality Tests: Evaluate behavioral traits, emotional stability, and work styles.

Interest Inventories: Identify the kind of activities and fields that naturally attract you.

Why is Psychometric Testing Important in Career Counseling?

Effective career counseling is not just about suggesting job roles. It’s about aligning an individual’s internal potential with external opportunities. Psychometric testing plays a vital role in this process by offering deep insights into your mental and emotional framework.

Key benefits include:

Self-awareness: Understand your strengths, limitations, and personal traits.

Informed Decision-Making: Make career choices based on evidence rather than assumptions.

Better Job Fit: Choose career options that naturally suit your abilities and personality.

Career Transition Guidance: Identify suitable new paths if you are planning a shift.

Greater Confidence: Gain clarity and direction to move forward with certainty.

How Psychometric Testing Works at Changing Minds – Varanasi

At Changing Minds, psychometric testing is a core part of the personalized career counseling process. Here’s what you can expect:

Initial Consultation: A one-on-one session to understand your academic background, interests, and future aspirations.

Test Administration: Completion of relevant psychometric tests under expert supervision.

Detailed Analysis: In-depth interpretation of your test results by Dr. Laxman Yadav.

Customized Career Guidance: Recommendations for career paths, courses, and skill-building tailored to your profile.

Follow-up Support: Continued guidance through application processes, interviews, and career transitions.

Who Can Benefit from Psychometric Career Counseling?

Students in Classes 9 to 12 choosing streams or subjects

College students and fresh graduates exploring job opportunities

Professionals considering a career switch

Individuals experiencing confusion or dissatisfaction with their current career path

Why Choose Changing Minds in Varanasi?

Changing Minds Mental Health Care stands out for offering a blend of traditional counseling expertise and modern scientific tools. Led by Dr. Laxman Yadav, the center ensures every client receives practical, culturally sensitive, and actionable career guidance.

Expert counseling backed by years of mental health and behavioral psychology experience

Use of reliable, validated psychometric testing tools

Holistic approach focused on long-term personal and professional growth

Flexible consultation modes including both online and offline options

Final Thoughts

Choosing a career should never be a random decision. With psychometric testing, you gain access to a structured framework that helps you understand yourself better and make decisions that can lead to a fulfilling and successful career.

[techit-rp]

The Golden Shift: How India’s Gold Boom Is Redefining Modern Investment Portfolios

Gold has always held a deep-rooted significance in Indian culture. From weddings to religious festivals, it is more than just a metal — it is a symbol of wealth, security, and tradition. But in 2025, gold is also making headlines for another reason: its price. The value of gold in India has skyrocketed, surpassing previous records and capturing the attention of both seasoned investors and first-time buyers.

This price surge is not just a number. It is triggering a shift in the way Indians are investing their money, reconsidering asset allocation, and even reshaping the curriculum and focus areas in financial education programs such as the investment banking course in Mumbai. This blog explores what is driving the gold rush, how it is affecting investment patterns, and what risks and opportunities lie ahead.

The Spark Behind the Surge

In April 2025, gold prices in India crossed ₹70,000 per 10 grams, marking a historic high. The rise has not been sudden but rather a consistent climb over the past year. Several economic forces are at play here.

Globally, investors are grappling with uncertainty. Recession fears in the United States, slowing growth in China, and geopolitical tensions in Eastern Europe have driven global capital toward safer assets. Gold, often considered a hedge against uncertainty, has benefited from this trend.

Domestically, the weakening of the Indian rupee has also contributed to rising gold prices. Since gold is priced in dollars, a weaker rupee makes it costlier in Indian terms. Add inflationary pressures and rising interest rates, and the conditions are ripe for gold to become an attractive investment once again.

The Investment Shift

For decades, Indian investors have had a strong emotional and financial connection to gold. However, in the last few years, especially after the pandemic, there was a shift toward equities and mutual funds, driven by digital investing platforms and higher awareness. That trend is now experiencing a partial reversal.

Gold is once again being viewed not just as a cultural asset but as a strategic investment. Retail investors are buying more gold ETFs, sovereign gold bonds, and digital gold. Wealth managers are advising clients to increase their gold exposure to hedge against market volatility and inflation.

This shift has also caught the attention of financial institutions. Portfolio managers are reevaluating their asset allocation models, and gold is making its way back into strategic asset classes. Financial education institutions are also updating their curriculum to reflect this changing investment landscape.

Opportunities for Investors

1. Portfolio Diversification

Rising gold prices highlight the importance of diversification. Investors who had gold as part of their portfolio over the last few years have seen better stability compared to those heavily invested in equities or real estate. In uncertain times, gold often helps reduce overall portfolio risk.

2. Alternative Investment Channels

The growth of digital platforms has made gold more accessible than ever. Investors no longer need to buy physical gold to benefit from price movements. Gold ETFs and sovereign gold bonds offer liquidity, safety, and potential returns without the storage risks.

3. Educational and Career Prospects

As gold reclaims its position as a critical financial asset, professionals with a deep understanding of commodities, market analysis, and investment trends are in high demand. Courses such as an investment banking course in Mumbai are designed to equip students with these analytical and strategic skills. These programs now include modules on commodities trading, portfolio diversification strategies, and macroeconomic analysis, all of which are relevant to the current gold boom.

Risks Investors Must Consider

1. Market Volatility

While gold is traditionally seen as a safe investment, it is not immune to price corrections. A sudden easing of geopolitical tensions or a rebound in the rupee could lead to a drop in prices. Investors must be cautious not to overexpose themselves.

2. Lack of Yield

Unlike stocks or bonds, gold does not generate interest or dividends. This means that in a high-interest-rate environment, gold can become less attractive compared to other fixed-income assets. Investors must weigh the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding assets.

3. Over-Reliance on Gold

Gold should be a part of an investment strategy, not the entire strategy. A portfolio heavily tilted toward gold may miss out on higher returns from equities or real estate over the long term. Striking the right balance is key.

The Bigger Picture: What It Means for India’s Financial Landscape

The rising price of gold is not just influencing individual investment choices. It is also reshaping broader financial and economic trends in the country. Banks and NBFCs are seeing an increase in demand for gold loans. Wealth management firms are tweaking their models. Regulatory bodies are looking at ways to enhance the transparency of digital gold transactions.

More importantly, the education sector is adapting. Institutions offering an investment banking course in Mumbai and other major cities are integrating real-world market trends into their teaching. Students are learning how to assess the role of commodities in asset management, interpret global economic signals, and advise clients on gold-related financial products.

This practical approach not only prepares students for dynamic roles in investment banking but also helps them understand the intricate connections between global events and domestic markets. In a world where data-driven decisions and agile strategies are the norm, having a strong foundation in macroeconomic analysis and investment behavior is a valuable asset.

Conclusion

The rise in gold prices in India in 2025 is more than a temporary market fluctuation. It is a reflection of shifting global dynamics, evolving investor sentiment, and the need for greater financial literacy. For investors, the surge presents both opportunities and risks. For finance professionals and students, it is a case study in market behavior and strategic decision-making.

As gold continues to play a pivotal role in India’s financial ecosystem, staying informed and educated becomes essential. If you are looking to build a career that allows you to analyze trends, manage portfolios, and make impactful investment decisions, enrolling in an investment banking course in Mumbai could be the first step toward your goal.

[maxlearnllc]

MaxLearn: Revolutionizing Compliance Training with Smart, Engaging Solutions

Compliance training is essential for any business to navigate the complex landscape of legal requirements, safety standards, and ethical practices. Yet, for many organizations, compliance training is often treated as a tedious and repetitive task that employees complete merely to fulfill a requirement. This outdated approach fails to engage employees or help them internalize the knowledge needed to effectively prevent compliance violations.

MaxLearn is changing the game by offering an innovative platform that makes compliance training smarter, more engaging, and more effective. As highlighted in The MaxLearn Way for Compliance Training, MaxLearn’s platform is designed to break away from the limitations of traditional training models and provide businesses with a cutting-edge, continuous learning experience.

In this article, we’ll explore how MaxLearn transforms compliance training into an engaging and dynamic process, fostering a culture of compliance and reducing organizational risks.

Why Traditional Compliance Training Falls Short

For years, compliance training has been synonymous with lengthy, one-time courses that employees complete in isolation. The result? Compliance training becomes a check-the-box exercise that doesn’t engage employees or encourage meaningful learning. Here are some of the reasons why traditional compliance training fails to meet today’s needs:

One-Off Training: Training is typically conducted once or twice a year, leaving employees with little to no reinforcement until the next session. As a result, compliance knowledge is quickly forgotten.

Passive Learning: Traditional training often involves reading through lengthy policy manuals or watching long, unengaging videos. This type of passive learning doesn’t encourage employees to think critically about the material or how it applies to their work.

Lack of Personalization: Traditional training often takes a one-size-fits-all approach, offering the same material to every employee, regardless of their role, experience, or knowledge level.

Limited Engagement: Because compliance training is often perceived as a chore, employees may complete it just to get it over with, rather than fully engaging with the content.

These outdated methods do little to change behavior or encourage employees to make ethical decisions in real-world situations. This is where MaxLearn offers a fresh perspective, transforming compliance training into a dynamic, ongoing process that leads to measurable results.

MaxLearn: Transforming Compliance Training

MaxLearn takes a learner-centric approach, focusing on engagement, personalization, and continuous learning to ensure that employees not only understand compliance concepts but are also motivated to apply them in their daily work. Here’s how MaxLearn revolutionizes compliance training:

1. Continuous Learning with Microlearning

MaxLearn understands that learning doesn’t happen in one sitting. Instead of overwhelming employees with long, one-time training sessions, MaxLearn utilizes microlearning—short, focused training modules that employees can complete in just a few minutes. These bite-sized lessons are designed to be easily consumed during short breaks or between tasks, making learning more accessible and less time-consuming.

The continuous, small learning sessions keep compliance top of mind, preventing employees from forgetting important concepts and helping them retain information long-term.

2. Personalized Learning Paths for Each Employee

Compliance is not a one-size-fits-all concept. Different roles within an organization have different risks and responsibilities, and MaxLearn’s platform takes this into account by offering personalized learning journeys. Each employee receives tailored training based on their role, department, and individual knowledge gaps.

By focusing on the specific needs of each employee, MaxLearn ensures that compliance training is relevant, targeted, and actionable. Personalized learning increases engagement and helps employees understand exactly how compliance applies to their day-to-day responsibilities.

3. Gamified Training for Better Engagement

MaxLearn recognizes that traditional compliance training can be boring and disengaging. That’s why it incorporates gamification into its platform. Employees can earn points, badges, and progress through levels as they complete training modules, creating a fun and competitive environment that motivates them to stay on track.

By turning compliance training into a game, MaxLearn increases participation, encourages employees to complete training on time, and fosters a culture of friendly competition. This approach also enhances retention, as employees are more likely to engage with content they find enjoyable.

4. Scenario-Based Learning for Real-World Application

MaxLearn understands that compliance knowledge is only valuable if it can be applied in real-world situations. That’s why its training modules include scenario-based learning—interactive simulations that place employees in realistic situations where they must make decisions based on the compliance principles they’ve learned.

These scenarios help employees connect abstract policies to practical situations they might face in their work. The hands-on nature of this approach boosts critical thinking skills, allowing employees to internalize compliance guidelines and respond appropriately when faced with challenges.

5. Spaced Repetition for Long-Term Retention

Compliance training is not something employees should learn once and forget. To ensure that key concepts stick, MaxLearn uses spaced repetition—a learning technique that revisits topics at intervals over time. This method is scientifically proven to improve retention by reinforcing material before it’s forgotten.

By revisiting key concepts regularly, MaxLearn ensures that employees keep their compliance knowledge fresh, reducing the risk of compliance violations due to forgetfulness or lack of understanding.

6. Mobile-Friendly and Flexible Learning

In today’s fast-paced work environment, employees are often on the move, whether they’re traveling, working remotely, or transitioning between tasks. MaxLearn’s mobile-first platform ensures that employees can access training content whenever and wherever they need it, making it easy for them to learn on the go.

Whether they’re using a smartphone, tablet, or desktop, employees can complete training modules at their own pace, making compliance learning more flexible and convenient.

7. Data-Driven Insights for Continuous Improvement

MaxLearn doesn’t just provide training—it also provides valuable insights. The platform includes real-time analytics that track employee progress, engagement, and performance. These analytics allow HR and compliance teams to identify knowledge gaps, monitor compliance levels across departments, and make data-driven decisions to improve training programs.

By providing actionable insights, MaxLearn helps organizations stay ahead of compliance challenges and ensures that their employees are well-equipped to handle regulatory requirements.

Real-World Impact of MaxLearn

Organizations that have adopted MaxLearn have seen significant improvements in their compliance training programs. For example:

A technology company reduced employee compliance violations by 50% within the first six months of using MaxLearn, thanks to the platform’s personalized learning paths and scenario-based training.

A healthcare provider increased training completion rates by 40%, thanks to MaxLearn’s mobile-friendly platform and gamified learning experience.

A financial institution saw a 30% improvement in employee retention of compliance material, thanks to the platform’s spaced repetition and microlearning techniques.

These success stories demonstrate that MaxLearn’s approach leads to better-trained employees, fewer compliance violations, and a stronger organizational culture.

The Future of Compliance Training

The future of compliance training lies in continuous, personalized, and engaging learning. MaxLearn is at the forefront of this transformation, offering businesses a solution that empowers employees to not only meet regulatory requirements but also embrace a culture of compliance and integrity.

By incorporating microlearning, gamification, personalized content, and real-time analytics, MaxLearn ensures that employees are always prepared to meet the challenges of an ever-evolving regulatory environment. As businesses continue to adapt to changing regulations, platforms like MaxLearn will be essential in maintaining compliance and reducing organizational risk.

Conclusion: Elevating Compliance Training with MaxLearn

MaxLearn has taken compliance training to the next level by offering a dynamic, learner-centered platform that fosters engagement, retention, and application. Its innovative approach ensures that compliance training isn’t just a mandatory task, but a continuous, meaningful part of employees’ professional development.

To learn more about how MaxLearn can transform your compliance training programs, explore The MaxLearn Way for Compliance Training and discover how this powerful platform can help your organization build a stronger, more compliant future.

[yildizsanem]

How the IB Diploma Curriculum Supports Critical Thinking and International Perspectives 

Chatrabhuj Narsee School's approach to international business is the most accessible gateway to high achievers helping them transform into skilled thinkers with a global outlook on the constantly evolving world. In any advanced institution around the world, the IBDP serves as an integrated system of education designed for the purpose of enabling querying, knowledge-gathering, and iterative growth.  

Let’s take a closer look at how this dynamic curriculum cultivates analytical skills, independent research, and a deep appreciation for global perspectives. 

Fostering Analytical Skills 

One of the attributes that set the IBDP apart from other curriculums is its distinct focus on detailed critical thinking. Instead of passively absorbing knowledge through rote learning as practised in conventional education systems, IB relies on active management of working: reasoning, formulating hypotheses, and intellectually battling with ideas and associations.  

At its core is the Theory of Knowledge. The course gives learners the opportunity to think more about the knowledge itself, inviting students to reflect deeper.  

Interdisciplinary Approach and Inquiry-Based Learning 

In an IB curriculum, inquiry-based learning is integrated into the classroom activities encouraging students to generate questions, conduct research, and come up with factual conclusions. Subjects in the IBDP curriculum are designed to blend knowledge from various fields to show that real-life problems are interconnected rather than isolated. For instance, a classroom talk on climate change may include discussions on science, economics, and ethics so that students learn to consider problems in a more holistic manner. 

Independent Research and Analytical Skills: The Extended Essay  

An additional fundamental component of the IB Diploma Curriculum is the Extended Essay. It aims to teach basic research and analytical skills. Students learn to advance their arguments and construct them step-by-step as well as formulate sound counterarguments. They combine all gathered evidence and present it in an orderly manner. Such multi-research training prepares students for university-level research and an analytical mindset towards problem-solving. 

Fostering International Understanding and a Curriculum with No Borders 

Having understood integration and interdependence, it is essential to know and recognise the different cultures, opinions, and global problems. The International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Curriculum is designed particularly to aim at understanding international issues and to ensure that learners become global citizens who will make meaningful contributions to society.  

The IBDP subjects such as History, Global Politics, and Environmental Systems & Societies stimulate students to recognize global problems, analyze historical happenings from multiple perspectives, and participate in current discussions fostering appreciation of multiculturalism and international collaboration.  

Creativity, Activity, and Service (CAS): Learning Outside the Classroom   

The other area of the IB curriculum is the Creativity, Activity, and Service (CAS) component, which aims to teach students how to participate in community service and artistic or sporting projects. The students gain an understanding of compassion through helping in local and global initiatives, as well as learning leadership and environmental responsibility.  

Languages and Culture Studies  

The IBDP framework requires the students to learn at least two languages which facilitate both linguistic and cross-cultural integration. The process of acquiring a language goes beyond learning its grammar and vocabulary and includes cultural sensitivity and respect as it involves literature, history, and customs of foreign cultures.   

Students Preparing for a Global Future   

International Baccalaureate Diploma Program graduates are well equipped for tertiary education and other endeavours. Due to the fact that the IBDP curriculum is very demanding, it improves independent thought processes which is why it is appreciated by so many universities around the world. Such skills as critical thinking analysis, research skills, flexibility of mind, and e-culture awareness that were acquired throughout the program enables these students to cope with the challenges developing in a rapid pace around them. 

Conclusion:  

Internationally minded, research-oriented, and inquiry-based, the IB Diploma Curriculum is aimed at creating an environment in which students are empowered to go beyond merely acquiring knowledge, to think critically about what they learn, and to establish meaningful engagements with the world. Thus, at Chatrabhuj Narsee School Mumbai, going through the IBDP curriculum becomes an exploration, growth, and preparation for their future of global connectivity.

[savidesai]

Top 5 Reasons to Choose SkillonIT for Your Career Development

Introduction

Choosing the right platform for career development can be a turning point in your professional life. SkillonIT provides practical courses and strong support to help learners achieve their goals. Whether you are starting fresh or looking to upgrade your skills, SkillonIT makes learning accessible and effective.

What Makes SkillonIT a Great Choice?

SkillonIT stands out by offering courses that match industry needs. The focus is on real-world applications, ensuring that learners gain skills that employers look for. The learning process is engaging, guided by experts, and structured to provide a smooth learning experience.

How SkillonIT Support Career Growth?

SkillonIT helps learners build a strong foundation and advance in their careers with well-structured courses. The platform ensures that students get hands-on experience, making them job-ready. Additionally, career support services provide guidance to help students confidently step into the workforce.

Top 5 Reasons to Choose SkillonIT

Industry-Relevant Training

*SkillonIT designs its courses to match job market demands. This ensures that learners acquire skills that companies actively seek. *Learn Skills That Employers Need. The courses cover essential topics that are in demand. This makes learners more competitive and prepared for real job roles. *Stay Updated with Current Trends Technology and business practices change constantly. SkillonIT updates its courses regularly so students always learn the latest methods and tools.

Experienced Instructors

*SkillonIT’s trainers bring valuable knowledge from their respective fields. Their teaching methods focus on practical applications, helping students understand complex concepts easily. *Learn from Knowledgeable Trainers Instructors have industry experience and provide clear explanations. Their insights help students grasp concepts faster and apply them in real-world situations. *Get Practical Insights Rather than just theory, trainers share real-world examples and case studies. This approach prepares students to handle job challenges effectively.

Interactive Learning Approach

*SkillonIT provides an engaging and hands-on learning experience, making it easier for students to understand and retain information. *Hand-On Practice Courses include exercises and projects that let students apply what they learn. This helps build confidence and improves skill development. *Engaging Course Material Lessons are designed to be interesting and easy to follow. Interactive content keeps students involved and motivated throughout the course.

Flexible Learning Options

*SkillonIT offers multiple learning formats, allowing students to choose what works best for them. *Study at Your Own Pace With self-paced courses, learners can study whenever they have time, making it easier to balance learning with other responsibilities. *Choose from Various Course Formats Live classes, recorded sessions, and blended learning options provide flexibility. This ensures that every student can find a suitable learning method.

Career Support Services

*SkillonIT goes beyond training by helping students prepare for the job market. *Resume Building Tips Students receive guidance on crafting strong resumes that highlight their skills effectively. *Interview Preparation Help Mock interviews and expert advice give students the confidence they need to succeed in job interviews.

Why Choose SkillonIT?

Supportive Learning Environment Students get access to a friendly and encouraging space where they can ask questions and get the help they need.

Affordable Course Options SkillonIT offers cost-effective learning programs, making career development accessible to a wide range of learners.

Student-Centered Approach Courses are designed with student needs in mind, focusing on practical skills and career growth.

Conclusion

SkillonIT provides valuable learning opportunities for anyone looking to develop their career. With industry-relevant training, expert instructors, flexible options, and career support, it helps students gain the skills they need for success. Join SkillonIT and Learn In-Demand Skills.

#SkillonIT #CareerDevelopment #InDemandSkills #LearningOpportunities #ExpertTraining