#these two will be options to vote from in a side project

[notyetunreal]

[wings-of-ink]

Future IFs Poll

So, in case you have not seen me post about it before, I am considering a project to do on the side while I work on God-Cursed. This will help me take breaks from my main work and stretch my creativity muscles with different characters and settings. I'd like a bit of feedback from what readers are more interested in from the best ideas I can potentially pull from right now. Feel free to vote, comment, or even send an ask if you want to be anonymous.

Over the last year or so, I have jotted down many basic plots I could expound on, but only a few have really stuck out to me as ones I could really expand in a meaningful way.

So, a couple housekeeping things to keep in mind. Whatever ends up getting written, it will have a modern-day setting. The fantasy playground is fun, but I really want a more real-world setting for this one. I am also debating about all ROs being gender-selectable. Since this side piece is supposed to be a little oasis for me too, not having each RO as customizable would ease the work that goes into it, and it might actually mean I can have more than just a few options for you as well. I am also considering a middle ground and having one or two characters customizable still while the others will be set.

Below I have given some details on the ideas I'm working with and further down is a poll that you can vote for the one that calls out to you the most. I have 2 ideas so far that are standouts among the others, but I've included 4 in the poll that I can work with. The winner isn't guaranteed to be what I end up writing, but I am very strongly going to consider the results while I decide. I like all these ideas and they sound fun to write - so none of this telling me to write what I want - I already want to do them all, lol (looking at you @elegantunknownphantom). There are caveats to each one, of course, and I'll explain that in the details.

Options:

Serial-killer crime drama:  "Daddy was a Killer" (title sounds like it came from a Lifetime original movie, but I really like it)

No doting daddies here, readers. Play as the traumatized child of a serial killer with repressed memories of the horrible things they witnessed daddy do. Get accused of a murder you didn't commit (probably), and try to catch your darling dad while dealing with the psychological devastation of all the horrors you've seen before he can kill again (and again, and again). Discover where your daddy disappeared to all those years ago, and what really happened to your mom.

Downsides:  I have a decent grasp of the plot on this one, but it would require a good deal of research (which I tend to do anyway to an extent), since I'd like a fairly realistic feel to the actual crime-solving stuff. Either that, or I can go the "rogue detective" route and play it fast and loose. This work would be in a wheelhouse I've never quite been in before, which is fun on one hand but nerve-wracking on another.

RO ideas include:

A smarmy detective (of course!)

A neighbor concerned for your well-being (mostly because you scream in your sleep)

And the child of one of your daddy's victims.

2. Supernatural mystery:  "Shivers" (title up for adjustment, but I kinda dig it)

Play as an MC with a bizarre anxious tic - an intense and chilling shiver that you get seemingly out of nowhere. It only lasts a couple seconds and you've dealt with it since childhood, so it's easily dismissed. That is, until you experience a sudden surge in occurrences. Your doctor writes it off as stress from dealing with the erratic behavior of your mother. But after a near-death experience, during which this mysterious tic guides you to safety, you know there is more to it than stress. With the help of your best friend(s) and a shady medium, find out what has attached itself to you and what seeks to claim you, discover who your real father is, and embrace or deny your own strengths as a medium.

Downsides:  I feel like there's a lot of supernatural IFs already, some of which are already similar to this or have similar aspects. This one probably won't have the drama/emotional potential that some of the others do, which may be a boon to some readers as it would be a little lighter.

RO ideas include:

the best friend(s) (potentially 2 besties to choose from - twins)

a (mostly) fake spiritual medium

a brave EMT who came to your rescue

and something…otherworldly.

3. Gritty Drama:  no title  (more of a framework to build from)

This one would be completely riddled with warnings, and I kinda just see it as being a fun outlet for some angst, smut, unhinged shit, and violence. 👍

The ideas for this one didn't start around a firm plot, but around a setting/scenario stemming from one of my OCs. The vibe here is very much "sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll" and fits into the seedy nightclub/crime ring thing. It would be a playground of questionable characters and life-choices. You would choose the dire straits that put your MC in the employ of a dangerous kingpin. Perhaps MC owes a lot of money to someone, got into trouble with a rival faction, or was framed for a crime, etc.... You'd get to choose the MC's line of work under the organization - be it in drugs, entertainment (music/dance/alcohol/sex), or security. The issue that leads to your employ under a sex-peddling drug-trafficker will haunt you in your new life in the middle of a war between the rulers of the underground.

Downsides:  Not super fleshed-out plot wise, but I don't think it would be too hard to build on either. I may want to use this setting (or something like it) and my OC for a different project one of these days, but I'm unsure about that as well. And, the obvious, red flags and triggers everywhere for a setting like this.

RO ideas: 

One person from each potential "job" (the head of security, a chemist who seems too pure to be making hard drugs, a sex-worker, the clumsy bartender, a cute DJ)

A member of a rival faction

And for the brave and stupid - your boss - a clever and unhinged woman with an affinity for knives. And, no, she will never love you.

4. Futuristic:  no title (needs the most work)

Including this one to just get a feel for how it's received, but I anticipate that it won't get quite as much backing as the others. I have the character-creation concept in mind which lends itself to a plot, and a RO or two, but that's about it. I think I could do something fun with it, but I've also never written anything futuristic or scifi before. This would be akin to "Detroit: Become Human."

Though the setting would be futuristic, I am pretty sure I wouldn't want to do a dystopian thing. There's a lot of that out there already and we're basically living it IRL; it's a blast to read, but I want the main focus to be on something else if I do this. There would still be pockets of grittiness to the setting, because if we're talking humanity, there's gonna be grit somewhere. But this world would be more post-dystopian. Say, the rebels won and life has gotten better across the board for people? And though everyday life has a lot of tech enhancements, we haven't seen sentient machines - yet. That's where you come in.

The MC Concept is that they are an android - of course! One of the nice made-to-order kind that only the rich can afford. But what makes the MC unique is that while everyone else requests specific things about the androids they purchase - such as gender, looks and even downloadable personalities - an order comes in that's blank. It only requests that the android be allowed to choose who they are and how they look. "The Buyer" will pay for whatever personality, enhancements, or clothing they want - but the android must make the choices themselves.

As your MC goes through these initial choices, equipped only with a basic "education" software full of un-opinionated information about the world and how it works, something unusual begins to spark within them (not that they know how unusual it is yet).

RO ideas:

The Buyer–a gender-selectable person who sets your creation in motion. They're wealthy, well-respected, earnest, and incredibly lonely. Who are they really and why did they do this?

The Scientist–a hopefully trustworthy person that's very interested in your development

The Punk–someone who wants to give you the "real" human experience.

Make your selection below. Comment your thoughts and ideas as well if you like. This is set for a week and I will reblog here and there so it has a chance to reach as many of you who would like to vote as possible.

[notdefendingtaylor]

hi!! i saw u say smth about taylor's whole master thing being dishonest and im a little lost can u please explain? (ex swiftie here)

oh yes! well the basics are these:

she made statements when she started the re-record project about not being given a chance to buy her masters despite having "pleaded" for it, and that she "learn[ed] about Scooter Braun's purchase of [her] work when it was announced to the world" (x). the implication she made was that the ONLY offer she ever received was a one-for-one deal: she makes one new album, receives the rights to one old one in return. that's what most swifties seem to believe was her ONLY option to own her masters, and I did too initially.

but she was demonstrably in talks with BMR herself to own not just her music but every produced image of her - these discussions date back as far back as 2018. they are memorialized by contract notes between the two parties that were negotiating, Taylor's own company and Big Machine Records. I've seen the screens of those attorney responses in a few places, including the documentary that was released showing both sides of the story, but here is a good master list that includes them: https://www.reddit.com/r/SwiftlyNeutral/comments/1aiwj5s/a_complete_timeline_of_taylors_masters_situation/

This is extremely credible to my eye, as someone who works with contract terms and finalization of contracts. The typical formula is notes back and forth between parties, noting which terms are firm and not up for negotiation, and ideally the parties end up meeting closer to the middle on the items they are willing to budge on. If they can't meet in the middle, they walk away from the sale, which Taylor reportedly did.

If she was in talks to this extent to own her masters for a flat purchasing price, then she was not rug pulled by the sale of her work, especially since her dad was a non-majority shareholder in BMR. The sale to Scooter had to go to a vote with the shareholders and Scott either recused himself from the vote or may have had a proxy participate for him. He made a cool $15m on the sale of HER work to HER enemy.

In the timeline I linked, there is evidence of friendly texts back and forth with Taylor and Scott Borchetta, the record exec who had basically developed her as an emerging talent through BMR, and which Scott had invested his own money in through that non-majority share purchase when she started out. These texts occurred after her decision to move on without purchasing her catalogue and try her luck elsewhere with a new label.

It's entirely possible the 'they took it from me, I never had the chance to own my own words' narrative would never have taken that shape if it had been sold to anyone but Ithaca Holdings, owned by Scooter Braun, whom she detested over years of online spats involving him, Bieber and Kanye. I am not discrediting her feelings there, JB and Kanye have been online trolls throughout their careers, Scooter definitely had his own cult of personality going on when he was managing a huge chunk of the world's top popstars.

Taylor's outcry sounded righteous on its face, and she used the language of consent to describe how she felt about it, but the key points are these:

Most importantly, Taylor never owned her masters and therefore they were never taken from her. It's not typical for a brand new artist to own their masters right out the gate, for reasons I will make clearer below. But they could not be 'stolen' as they were never hers.

Borchetta essentially discovered, developed, promoted, and cultivated Taylor as an artist from the time she was playing small venues in Nashville to being the world's most talked-about star in the late 2010s. Given that image AND artistry are both crucial, promotion is crucial, and the funding for ads, release events and collabs (like her early Target special edition releases), photoshoots, album art, etc etc all have to come from somewhere- the artist typically doesn't foot that bill, the record label does. It's part of the production costs of an album. The record company's ability to retain rights to the album masters reflects that investment on their part.

Taylor wasn't looped in on Ithaca's bid to purchase her catalogue most likely due to an NDA binding the negotiating parties. Not being included does not mean being deliberately deceived.

Taylor's contract starting out was fairly standard if not slightly better for her than is standard for brand new talent because her dad owned shares in the record label. That doesn't mean she had tons of leverage, but certainly more than most.

Just because Taylor FEELS something was unjust, doesn't mean it was a deliberate insult or sabotage or theft, and she appears to give BMR virtually no credit for their massive investment in developing her talents. Even if all the words were hers to every song (...lol), a completed album doesn't emerge fully formed from one person's mind. There are so many other factors involved like production, logistics, arranging promotion including interviews and ads, distribution, tie-in products. I don't know everything about that side of the business but I know Taylor couldn't have done things on the scale she did working out of her house like an indie artist doing their own promotion and self-publishing.

In conclusion- Taylor DID have the chance to outright buy her masters, but the deal fell through due to disagreements between her and BMR on terms. Scooter had the ability to bid for her music and he succeeded, but AFTER she had already decided to start at another label and say goodbye to her masters anyway. She exchanged cordial words with Scott Borchetta before the sale to Scooter, but her attitude soured simply because of WHO bought her masters. Then, she had the opportunity to shape a new narrative...

[intimidating-fettuccine]

I know I don’t usually get political on here, but with recent events happening I wanted to make a post to reach as many people as I can, as a young woman in the US in this current political climate. Everyone needs to vote.

“But what if I don’t want to register because I don’t want jury duty?”

There is no guarantee you would ever be called for jury duty. I have met people in their 80s who have never been called. Even if you are called, if you tell the judges that you will be an awful juror, you won’t pay attention, you’re incredibly biased, etc. they will dismiss you. They do not want someone on the jury that would be an inconvenience to both sides. As someone who has been called but was not chosen, it is not as big of a deal as you might think it is in the grand scheme of things, and at least in my state you can only even be called once every two years. Plus, certain conditions can disqualify you from even having to show up as well.

“But what if I don’t like the democratic representative either?”

That literally does not matter in this actually life and death case, because the other choice is Donald Trump and Project 2025. If you do any research into project 2025, which no, is not just empty promises they’re trying to make, it is a plan built mostly around removing the rights of women, LGBT members, and deconstructing public education. It is a very scary document and it is one they will 100% go forward with if Trump is put into office. Whether Kamala ends up as the representative for the party or someone else does, you MUST vote blue.

“Well, why can’t we all just vote independent?”

Because they will not win. They won’t. Independents are not even always put on every bracket in every state, but even if they were there is no way that they would win the upcoming election because none of them have a big enough audience at present moment. They need time to build an audience, and they need a Blue country to be able to do so. Plus, we have the electoral college to worry about, and there’s no way in hell any of them are voting independent. In this election it is Blue or Red, and Blue is the much better choice.

“But I don’t think that Blue is going to win, so I don’t even want to bother with voting.”

That is the exact line of thinking Trump wants you to have. Trump is scared of losing! He wants you to think he’s the only winner possible, and that’s why we need to prove him wrong! Not voting at all is still a vote for Trump! We need to show up and vote, because otherwise you are just automatically saying you’re fine with letting Trump win, which is saying you’re fine with losing your own rights or your friends and your family losing their own rights. This election is not a joke this time, we cannot just let it slide this time and assume it’ll be different in four years.

“But politics stress me out and make me anxious so I don’t want to get involved in them.”/“I don’t live close enough to reach my polling station.”

That is the same as the previous one. I know this is an extremely stressful time for everyone, believe me, I’m extremely anxious about it too, but you just need to vote Blue, and show up on one specific day to vote. If you’re too anxious to physically go to polling station or you don’t live close enough, you can also do a mail in ballot, which I’ve done before! You can request one online, receive it in the mail, and send it out! No contact with any other people required. Mail in ballots are still an option and literally made for people who cannot physically show up to a polling station.

“I know all of that’s true, but again, I REALLY hate the Blue candidate.”

Well, consider this. We are not just voting for the president, we are voting for Supreme Court members. Presidents serve as of right now up to 8 years, but Supreme Court justices serve for life. Trump put on the last Supreme Court members, and I’m sure you’ve seen the horrible choices they’ve made in the sake of the Republican Party. The president is the one who chooses those members, so if you allow a Red President, you are allowing the possibility of an even more Red Supreme Court. Vote Blue not just because you are voting for the president, but because you are voting for the sake of your literal future with Supreme Court justices. Politicians have historically always sucked. When it comes to voting, it is the lesser of two evils, and when you’re picking between them, Blue is obviously the lesser of the two evils, especially when Red wants to remove as many rights as physically possible.

“What if Trump also gets removed from the running. Won’t we be okay then?”

No! Because it does not matter who the Red representative is, they are STILL going to move forward with Project 2025. Even if Trump somehow keels over and dies tomorrow or decides to drop out (which I doubt will happen), they would still make the next representative go through with Project 2025. They want this plan more than anything else in the world, and so long as there’s a possibility of a republican representative going into office there is a guarantee of them using that plan.

“But what if Project 2025 really IS just empty promises?”

It is not. I guarantee you it is not. Even if it was, do you REALLY want to take the risk? Do you REALLY want to try and play this game? When the rights of women, LGBT members, public education, and the environment are at risk, do you really want to just assume it’s not going to happen? Is it really worth it to you to play this game and assume so? I’m going to guess it is not, in fact, worth it to play this game. You NEED to fully believe that Project 2025 is actually going to happen, because it is going to happen if they win. This isn’t a fever dream we’re going to wake up from and laugh about if they win. It’s the reality of the current shithole country we live in, and this country could become far, far worse if they win.

Even if you do not live in the US, I am just asking of you to please consider reblogging this and spreading it, as there are probably Americans that will see if if you do so. If you’re even still too young to vote, people that are old enough are likely to see it. I know I’m not a huge blog, but reblogs are always important and I still want to try.

As a woman and LGBT member who does not want to lose her rights, I am asking for you to please read and spread this post. Even if I can just reach one person who will care, it can be a great help. They do not want us to unionize and vote against them, but that is exactly what we must do. Regardless of how you feel about the Blue party, you have to vote for them this year, it’s the only thing we can do.

[ashiemochi]

take a step back from the news. breathe. try not to overthink. you're fine, and everything will be okay.

it's not the end of the world.

you will be fine.

edit: im not blaming people who voted for third party - that just isn't my thing. they aren't to blame. those who voted for trump are to blame. those who are stuck in the stone age where women arent equal to men are to blame. those who see women as lesser creatures are the one to blame. those who feel threatened by women due to their fragile masculinity are the one to blame.

dont take it out on those who voted Jill Stein or third party. Trump or Kamala, they're both okay with the genocide in gaza and the destruction in Lebanon. I'm sorry if this is harsh to hear considering im not an american nor will i ever go to america, but i find it very hard to agree with some points of shitting on people who voted third party when it's everyday that i hear bombs and rumblings from my city.

dont project your blame onto people who voted against genocide or didnt vote at all. you had two genocidal maniacs running for president but one was ✨genocide✨ while the other was blatantly-in-your-face genocide.

put yourself in third party voters' shoes. there are lebanese and palestinian immigrants in America. you give them the option of two candidates who are fully supporting israel to bomb their own home country where there's a chance their family is stuck there.

neither trump or kamala are better. maybe kamala is a tiny bit better, but i find it very hard to focus on her "good" side when she supports israel.

and abortion rights depend on the state - like New York, where it's legal to get one.

so.

you will be fine.

[fionapplespiano]

In 2000, y’all did the both sides are bad bullshit, voted for Ralph Nader, and Bush won.

In 2016, y’all did the both sides are bad bullshit, voted for Jill Stein, and Trump won.

When will y’all learn that this isn’t productive and isn’t getting us anywhere? Jill Stein especially has not interest in being president, her only interest is accepting money from Russia to run for president in order to siphon left-leaning votes from Kamala Harris, in order to ensure a Trump victory. This time around, she’s using the Palestinian cause in order to grift, which is especially disgusting.

Don’t believe me? Let’s take a look at the data from the swing states in the 2016 election:

Still unconvinced? Here’s some literature to read:

Note where it says she invests in RAYTHEON, yaknow the company that manufactures weapons that are being used in Gaza? So much for her being pro-Palestinian!

There’s only TWO options in this election, if you don’t vote for Kamala Harris, that only benefits Trump. And we know this because it’s already happened before. So please vote for Kamala Harris, because if we get Trump and Project 2025, we’re all going to burn, Gaza too.

[gregorygerwitz]

Crochet Commissions!

For those who don't know me, I'm Alex (she/they), and I started the year off with Covid. Because I had to take two weeks off work, I'm really hurting for money right now, so I'm opening up a limited number of slots for crochet commissions to try to fill in that financial gap.

ALL of the materials I use are machine washer/dryer safe

Pictures of my recent work and prices are below. Including: stuffed animals, dice bags, holiday stockings, blankets. As well as: shipping info, custom request info.

For further questions or to request a commission: message me here or email me at crochetbyalex@outlook.com

When I did my poll, most people voted for stuffed animals, and I recently finished a few that I can show my skills with. The blue penguin is my latest finished piece, with the purple penguin the first thing I ever crocheted side-by-side for comparison of how much I've learned in the last ~7 months. The mouse is technically unfinished because the eyes aren't embroidered yet, but I made it in about a day and a half, for timeline purposes.

I also just finished the above dice bag octopus about an hour ago for my roommate, which took about three hours of non-stop work (I turned on a movie and got through the stitches pretty quick). I can make them in any color you want, with either the plastic safety eyes or embroidered eyes. Most of these can be entirely customizable, just let me know what you're thinking and I'll see what I can do!

Dice bags: $10 + $5 domestic (US) shipping Stuffed animals: $15 + $5 domestic (US) shipping optional crinkle filling (washer/dryer safe): + $2 (stuffed animals only)

10 slots total (4 REMAINING)

I don't have any pictures of any of the hats or scarves I've made because it's been a few years, but I made some stockings for the apartment for Christmas last month, and that's one of my most recent projects. The green one was the last one I made, and probably the most accurate to what my capabilities are now.

If you'd like a stocking for Christmas 2024, let me know! I have an unlimited number of slots for them as the holiday is far enough away that the time crunch isn't so rough.

Hats: $20 + $5 domestic (US) shipping Scarves: $30 + $5 domestic (US) shipping Holiday stocking: $24 + $5 domestic (US) shipping

5 total wearable (hats/scarves) slots

The least popular item in my poll was the blankets, which I understand. And I'm only going to open one slot for them at a time because they take so long and so much yarn to make. The wave pattern (both blankets pictured above) is my favorite to do, but I have patterns for most simple designs, or I can likely easily google it and put it together for you. Prices are based on the time and materials these take to make, but because they're so much more expensive than the smaller items above, domestic (US) shipping is free.

Baby blanket (top left): $50 Throw blanket/afghan: $100 Full size (length shown in bottom picture): $200

1 blanket slot (0 REMAINING)

Custom requests:

If there's a pattern you've found on Etsy/Pinterest/etc that you want made, contact me by using the contact information above. We can discuss prices or my ability to accomplish that for you. ***patterns must be CROCHET patterns as I do not knit (yet)*** 5 custom slots total

International shipping:

Let me know when you request a commission where you are located, as shipping prices vary wildly from country to country. I'll go over the actual cost with you before you commit to the commission and make sure the price works for both of us.

Current open slots:

Stuffed animals and dice bags: 1. [FILLED] 2. [FILLED] 3. [FILLED] 4. [FILLED] 5. [FILLED] 6. [FILLED] 7. [OPEN] 8. [OPEN] 9. [OPEN] 10. [OPEN]

Wearables: 1. [OPEN] 2. [OPEN] 3. [OPEN] 4. [OPEN] 5. [OPEN]

Stockings: [NO LIMIT]

Blankets: 1. [FILLED]

Custom requests: 1. [OPEN] 2. [OPEN] 3. [OPEN] 4. [OPEN] 5. [OPEN]

[heartfulselkie]

WIP Game

Thanks @coffeebanana and @rosie-b for the tag, and thank you @kasienda for coming up with this new game!

List the titles your top five priorities for WIP updates (link your fics for new readers!)

An upcoming scene, event, or detail in each fic that you're looking forward to writing

Bonus: make a poll for your followers to vote on which top 5 WIP they are most excited to see an update on!

Then tag 10 writer friends!

WIP TITLES

So I'm kind of cheating a bit with my choices here I guess since I have a lot of ideas but not so many actual active WiPs. So some of these aren't actually stuff that has been posted (or not posted in fic form) but they're all what my rodent brain is rotating right now.

Bell the Cat - Ladyblanc Knight AU. Enemies to Reluctant Allies to Lovers. Plenty of angst and trauma to be had in this one!

2. Sad Machine - Not currently available. I'm attempting aiming to have the fic more or less completed before I start posting. Futurist/Cyberpunk-type AU. No Miraculous but there's a dash of vigilantism and mysterious happenings to solve. And some questionable ethics (thanks Gabe).

3. Porceline Girl - Emonette and Badrien (post Paris Special) Oneshot that I'm hoping to finish soon. They're just angsty teens trying to figure out what is love how to be around each other.

4. Kaleidoscope - (not currently a posted fic so link leads to my tumblr tag) Kwami Swap AU with a dose of amnesia! Love Square is a mess in this with a Reunioned Ghostbug trying to solve all the problems. Adrien needs a coffee and a nap. Tikki needs a drink.

5. Citrus and Lavender - Enemies to Lovers AU with Chat Noir being deceived into being on Hawk Moth's side from the very beginning. The kids need therapy and Gabriel needs jail.

UPCOMING

There's is so much I'm looking forward to with Bell the Cat, but with the upcoming chapters I'm excited about introducing some more characters into this world! And of course all the Ladyblanc banter to be had!

2. This is my little pet project at the moment that I am slow roasting in the microwave. There are so many things that I am foaming at the mouth for that I want to just spit the fic out onto ao3 already but I'm trying to go slow with this one.

3. I'm just excited to feed myself more Toxigriffe, even if its in Adrinette form. I have so many ideas for these two but this oneshot is the closest to being finished. I'm excited to have it done (soon! hopefully!)!

4. Another one that's been slow roasting for a bit. I'll admit I'm still undecided with how I want to post this - do I go full fanfic on ao3 with it? Or a webcomic-style on tumblr? Perhaps a hybrid of both? I normally go with writing for longer stories, but this AU really got its interest and following through my random comics of it. It's exciting to think about my options as I could really challenge myself with it (even if opting for a more webcomic style is terrifying in its own way).

5. We're finally reaching the point in the story where Ladynoir are trying to transition from stalwart enemies to shy and unsure partners. All sides of the love square are standing on bambi legs right now as things are very new and scary - but at least they'll slowly learn they have each other to lean on!

I think most of my usual victims have been tagged already - so consider this an open invitation to anyone who wants to do it! I'm tagging you! Yes, you!

[keldae]

So Kel needs opinions for this year's cosplay project.

Option One: Darth Keldae, working title "Occy". Another custom Sith that will be made for The Dark Empire costuming club. I have most of the fabric already, but I wound up stealing the purple I was going to use for her outer robe for Gale last year (ooops), so I'll need to go fabric shopping again. Otherwise, a cheaper option since I already have the wig, the saberstaff, and most of the fabric! (will need leather though) Completely custom Sith design from my own drawings, loosely inspired by SWTOR Inquisitor aesthetics. May or may not involve LED lights and light armour. Will mostly involve sewing (easy enough), maybe embroidery (if I hate myself), maybe some leatherwork (ugh). Considering the base layer dress has been sitting cut out in a bag for a year, it's teeeechnically already started?

Option Two: Neve Gallus from Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Have I finished the game? Nope. Am I CLOSE to finishing the game? HAHAHAHAHA (I haven't met any of the male companions besides Varric yet...). And her costume scares me with the amount of detail she has, plus her prosthetic, and it will require ALL the fabric shopping and pattern drafting. But if I can get this done for the local comic expo in April, I'll be riding the hype train for DATV and might actually get recognised! (which never happens when I'm in my Sith... my inner attention whore really likes being recognised dammit. Part of why I love wearing Gale so much!) And Neve is such a hottie... I gotta emulate!

(Other potential options include the X-wing pilot that's sitting in my garage, or maybe building a Shadowheart costume, or redoing Morrigan from Dragon Age Origins.)

Cast your votes, Tumblr!

(side note, I can't wear Gale atm since I've lost weight and his belt is too big. =D This is good news! Except this means I need to get and install new leather snaps on his belt... uuuuuugh.)

[victusinveritas]

Some comments from the Reddit Thread this image as found on: " I know a few people that work for NOAA [Edit added from Victus: So do I, FEMA too, this will fuck over both groups and thence the rest of America]. Let’s not forget the Project 2025 agenda is also to privatize weather data and sell its accuracy to the highest bidder. Say goodbye to free tornado warnings in the central states that typically vote Red. The P2025ers are their own worst enemy."

"I work with tribal Head Start programs and a line item in PJ25 is to defund the Department of Education and totally eliminate the Head Start program.

For those who don’t know, Head Start is a free preschool program for low income children ages 0-5 started in 1965 which has served 38 million children and families. Ending this program would devastate rural, tribal, and urban communities and explode the already horrible child care crisis.

Why would they do this? Because if they can destroy the federal education system they can funnel all that $$ to Betsy DeVos and the church run schools who run unregulated, tax-exempt schools. They will be free to discriminate, abuse, segregate and ensure only those they feel are deserving have access to education and women have to leave the workforce. It’s all part of their traditional gender role Gilead dreamland."

"They want cheap exploitable labor... they want to bring back child labor with no safe guards. It's already happening in a number of red Midwestern states."

Another poster adds: "Anyone that wants third parties to actually be viable needs to be out campaigning for an alternative voting system. 26 states allow for a citizens ballot initiative, where all that is required is to get enough signatures for a different voting system to be on the ballot. That way, third party candidates are not acting as spoiler candidates in local, state, national, and even for the presidential election (as seen in Alaska who is currently using Ranked Choice voting).

Implementing Ranked STAR Voting, STAR Voting, Approval Voting, or even Ranked Choice Voting systems would be beneficial to safeguard the future. As groups that don’t side with extremists can select their alternate choices safely, these different systems allow 3rd party representation, and they allow folks to select their preferred candidates without risking to lose the election to their least liked candidate(s) due to the ‘spoiler effect’.

Ranked STAR or Approval Voting are my personal preferred systems (the least liked candidate can rarely still win in RCV due to vote splitting but it’s less common than in FPTP), but all of these options are better than our current First Past the Post system. Alaska and Maine are two states which already use an alternative voting system (they have Ranked Choice voting). Any of these voting systems would go a long ways to helping move the country towards multi-partisanship in politics.

I believe supporting Harris and Democrats in the House and Senate for this election would go a long ways to helping change the current media environment and can help implement voting rights legislation. It also would be helpful in showing the GOP that our country doesn’t want MAGA extremists."

[sidewalkscienceguy]

do you think Trump getting shot will win him the election? there's a lot of people suddenly saying that it did, or it'll at least help him in the polls, but I can't imagine anyone who wasn't already voting for him becoming convinced by this; I think if anything this will just make his base more violent and turn ppl against him... I do worry it could drown out talk about Project 2025 and the Epstein files though

I believe everything you just said is pretty much how things will more or less go down. Winning? Who knows. I doubt this will convert so many people to him that it tips the election. And Biden isn't tied to this so it doesn't play unfavorably toward him.

It will polarize the masses, obviously. You have people like TX Gov Greg Abbott who is saying "THEY tried to kill him" which is harmful on a greater stage. There will absolutely be unrest; I'd be shocked if we don't see retaliation from this. A line was just crossed and there isn't a single person at any level in our government who has the ability to quell things.

Trump shouted "Fight!" when he pumped his fist as he stood up. Someone will take that and run with it. Too many loud Repubs spew their hate for Biden. Too many loud Dems spew their hate Trump. We're trapped in this spot where our only two options are both incredibly polarizing to the "other side". We need 4, 5, 6 viable candidates on the ballot, not two.

I don't see how we move forward from this in this moment. The option, in my eyes, doesn't exist. Maintaining civility will come down purely to people on all sides not reacting, and also not antagonizing. This cycle of reactionary politics the past three general elections has funneled us into this lesser of two evils over and over and over. We need a rebound that involves legislation and political infrastructure and regulations that limit campaign financing and donations, that put 3, 4, 5+ parties on debate stages and the ballot. Lower Congressional and Senate term limits. Cap presidential age. Eliminate donors from organizations; all donations must be small, and under, say, $1000. (idk I just tossed out a number)

And in my opinion? All federal legislative work should be voluntary. No pay. I've said this a lot in the past. Volunteering in the government will inherently attract better people to the roles. It removes money, and it removes power. So many people would never think of touching the federal government for those reasons alone.

Just my immediate thoughts.

[bmaxwell]

Game of the Year 2024: The Top 10 Two 5's?

This was a weird year for me and video games. I played a lot of them, as usual. This year saw a ton of big JRPG releases, which are very much My Jam. I had a hard time really engaging with the hobby though. Some of it was due to logistical issues but most of it was due to getting back into board games.

I had trouble splitting focus between hobbies, I always have. Whatever I am into, I am INTO it hook, line, and sinker. That's not to say I didn't enjoy videogames this year, I did. But when it came time to make a top 10, I had trouble putting together a list. Usually I end up with 15-20 that I have to pare down to 10; this year I had trouble getting to 10. Worse is that no game really blew me away.**

So, rather than go through the motions, I am going to do Top 5 Board Games and Top 5 Videogames for 2025. The videogames will be 2024 releases, while the board games will be games that were new to me in 2024 (I've been away from the hobby for 8 years).

5b. Ark Nova

Ark Nova is my posterchild for the modern midweight Eurogame. It has a lot going on and, when I read the rules, it didn't stick at all. When I set it up and played through a few turns it was all pretty straight-forward.

While there are a lot of options, none are especially complicated. Ark Nova is a table hog and the first couple of games run a little bit long, but it became a favorite 2-player game for my wife and I.

Players are competing to build the best zoo, each with their own personal board to populate with enclosures and animals. Some will require specific conditions (enclosure must be next to water or rocks, or you must have a certain level of scientific expertise, or you must be partnered with a zoo from Africa or Australia, etc). Animals increase your income and the appeal of your zoo. You can also contribute to conservation projects - juggling conservation with your zoo operations is key to victory.

It's a plate-spinning game where you need to do A and B in order to do C, but you actually need to do Z before you can do B, and so on (complimentary). It also features a wombat.

5v. Metaphor: ReFantazio

I have a lot of feelings about Metaphor ReFantazio. It's stylish as hell, it gives you a party of highly customizable, interesting characters, and the premise feels fresh and weird - the king is dead and the public is going to vote in his replacement so it's a sort of popularity contest.

It has a few stumbling blocks - some built into the game, and some are my own fault. First, the game's weather system was a thorn in my side - admittedly because I didn't engage with it as much as I should have. When the weather is bad, combat is harder; okay, no big deal. It turns out I underestimated this element - the game's combat system includes resistances and weaknesses, and when you hit an enemy's weakness you get an extra action. This is crucial to doing well in combat and will be instantly familiar to any Persona fan.

This aspect of combat goes away in bad weather. I went into a challenging dungeon in bad weather and struggled with it for hours before deciding that it wasn't going to work. I had to reload a save from some 5 hours prior (because of the way the game's expeditions and calendar work). This took the wind out of my sails for a while.

There's a lot I like about the story, though it was asking me to accept one too many weird surprise moments late in the game. And I usually love Shoji Meguro's music, but the soundtrack to this game was a massive letdown for me (I'm alone in this, I know). Lots of chanting and weird vocalizing had me reaching for the mute button rather than buying the OST. I love the voice acting, combat system, and writing (the character back stories are excellent - Heismay in particular).

Ultimately, it's a game I want to love more than I do, and it left me with a bit of melancholy.

4b. Azul

I don't think of myself as a fan of abstract games, but I often enjoy them when I find myself playing one. Azul has become a favorite for my wife and I. It plays up to 4 players, but it's far and away best with 2.

Players take turns drafting tiles to fill out their personal board, but it's very much NOT a multiplayer solitaire game. Keeping an eye on your opponent's board, considering what they need and how to stick them with unwanted tiles is every bit as important as focusing on your own board.

It's quick to play, full of interesting choices, and opportunities to stick your opponent and gloat (or curse them when they do the same to you). Plus, it has nice chunky tiles you can clank around in a bag.

4v. Bloomtown: A Different Story

Honestly Bloomtown is a microcosm of my 2024. It sounds great on paper, and I'm impressed with it and enjoyed my time with it, but it never really hooked me.

It's an RPG about a young brother and sister who are staying with a distant relative in a small town for the summer.*** There are shenanigans and hijinks and, eventually, supernatural peril. The only real criticism I can aim at it is that it very clearly takes its inspiration from the Persona series - maybe a little too shamelessly sometimes. The menus, music, and battle system feel uncomfortably close to Persona. But imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and I really didn't have a problem with it.

It's a game I admired more than enjoyed, and it's squarely a Me Problem.

3b. Harmonies

A recurring theme in this best of 2024 list: the videogames that should have landed for me didn't, and board games that shouldn't have resonated did.

Harmonies is a fairly light, short multiplayer-solitaire game with a strong spatial element. That description doesn't fill me with optimism. Players have their own private player board where they are placing different terrain types in an attempt to attract different types of animals. It's all pretty abstract in execution, but the visuals and theme are a big part of the hook for me.

A big part of the appeal with boardgames is the tactile experience of handling the cards and pieces, sitting at a table with friends in meatspace. Harmonies is the posterchild for this - the artwork on the animal cards is gorgeous, the wooden terrain pieces are slightly oblong and it feels great to bang them around in the bag, hoping to fish out that mountain or water you need.

It engages my brain but doesn't overstay its welcome. It became a comfort game around the house in 2024 and it's still going.

3v. Astro Bot

Astro Bot Rescue Mission is the best VR game I've ever played and one of my favorite games, period. Astro's Playroom was a lovely pack-in title that showed off the PlayStation 5 in a fun way. Astro Bot is a fucking corporate mascot who wants to celebrate the history of the Sony PlayStation™ brand with you, and it should be the most cynical, hollow thing ever made.

It somehow works though. It all has a fluffy "aww shucks" charm that pierces my jaded, pessimistic defenses. Some of it is cheating a bit - it's playing on the history of PlayStation, a train I've been chugging along with for 30 years now. I have lots of nostalgia, and this is laser targeted at me. It's not just the big hits, lots of little niche weird titles (the kind that Sony has largely ignored as The Industry has gotten bigger and more risk averse) are here too. Sure, I expect to see Lara Croft and Kratos, but it's nice to see games like Mister Mosquito and Gravity Rush represented too.

It's all delivered by way of a tight 3D platformer full of curiosities and wonders. It introduces new mechanisms then sets them aside before they wear out their welcome. It all feels good to play, the world is a shiny, joyous sandbox that tucks its more challenging bits off into margins where the sicko can crash their ships onto the rocks of timed challenges filled with tricky platforming. It just does everything right. Astro Bot is on par with Mario in terms of quality for me, and that's saying something.

2b. The Crew: Deep Sea Mission

Modern boardgames are intimidating. I've researched, purchased, taught, and played them for years and I still get overwhelmed learning them. I can only imagine how an outsider must feel looking at a board full of wood and cardboard and cards and numbers, like a science project threw up on the dining room table. Will I be able to learn this? Will I have fun? Will I feel stupid? I'm feeling stupid already! Oh god.

Most people (in my part of the world anyway) have some history with traditional card games like Rummy or Poker. And (specifically in my area) trick-taking games like Euchre. They'll see a stack of cards on the table and I'll ask if they know Euchre - if they say yes, then they're already familiar with the concept of leading, following suit, taking a trick, and how a trump suit works. Great, we're already 80% of the way there. Additionally, it's a cooperative game so no one is going to be stranded on their own.

The most important bit - it's really fun! Each player gets their own goal(s) at the beginning of the hand, and the team collectively wins if all goals are achieved. Everyone is invested regardless of whether their own personal goal is simple, and everyone has hidden information so there's no danger of an Alpha Gamer taking over and directing traffic. The difficulty is easy to scale, the hands are quick, and the game has provided plenty of moments where - after a moment's pause - the last card is played and the table erupts in cheers or groans. All in a small, inexpensive box.

Can't ask for better than that.

2v. Balatro

In a weird way, Balatro being this high on the list is indicative of how bad a year 2024 was for me with videogames. Not that Balatro is bad - it's great - but I wasn't captivated by it the way a lot of people seem to be. I played a LOT of it (it was my second screen PC game for most of the year). It was a convenient habit for me. It's so easy to pick up and play for 20 minutes or 4 hours.

I love and miss Poker, but Balatro isn't Poker. Not really. It's an audacious game about making the best Poker hand you can. "Best" is relative here though, because you can break the rules of Poker in terms of the value of a given type of hand (you can boost the value of a Full House, Two Pair, and so on) and by way of dozens of Jokers which aren't a part of the deck, but modify your game in plenty of ways big and small. One says that Spades & Clubs are interchangeable as are Hearts & Diamonds; if you get that, you'll want to pump up the value of a Flush hand for that run. Watch out for an encounter that nullifies your Hearts suit though, as it will nullify your Diamonds as well.

One of the great joys of Balatro (and roguelikes in general) is that it lets you feel absolutely unstoppable before somehow stopping you. It's a game about making broken combinations of things. You're going to break the system. Balatro knows this and welcomes it.

1b. Oath

I enjoy bite-sized games. They're easy to fit into my life. Battle Line, Innovation, Race for the Galaxy. I need one other person and ~45 minutes. You can play easily several games, building up the knowledge and experience that is so important to enjoying tabletop gaming.

On the other end of that spectrum are games like Oath. Oath is a long, rules-heavy mess of an experience. It wasn't until my 3rd or 4th game that I started getting the hang of the systems (and Oath's games are generally not short). The most skilled player will not always win. It's a game that only thrives when played by the same group several times, and when those players give themselves over to the experience.

That description should be enough for me to steer clear of Oath. I picked it up based mostly on glowing praise from Shut Up & Sit Down and, for some reason, this whole messy box works for me. It's easily my favorite game of 2024 and one of the best ever.

It inspired most of the (few) posts I put up last year. I don't get to fully enjoy many of my favorite games because they require a dedicated group to play somewhat regularly. If I could have a regular monthly group dedicated to a single game, it would be Oath.

1v. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth

Well.

Ichiban Kasuga is a wonderful himbo with a heart of gold, and this game feels like (among other things) a long goodbye for Kiryu Kazuma. The game has all the quirk and heart that the series has always had, and the combat system feels tighter than the last time around.

I believe Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is the best 2024 game I played last year that isn't named Persona 3: Reload. I still haven't finished it. Part of this was due to logistics. I've touted the quality of the Xbox Play Anywhere system for years now; this allows you to play supported games on an Xbox console then pick up that same save on PC and vice versa. This has always worked beautifully, and the freedom to play at my PC or on the couch is wonderful.

Infinite Wealth, however, would crash when I played it on console. Not with any consistent trigger, but always within a couple of hours. I'd lose my progress, which is incredibly deflating - particularly for long, sprawling games. That would put me off the game awhile, and I'd hope that an update or a reinstall would fix it, but it never did.

That creates a layer of yuck around a game and, combined with my general inability to fully engage with the hobby last year, means I never finished it and will probably start over one day. As I write this, I wonder if the issue has been fixed and I feel the familiar mix of hope and dread that comes with it. **Persona 3: Reload doesn't count since I already played it and loved it ~15 years ago. ***Related: I watched Gravity Falls this year and it is terrific.

[thisselflovecamebacktome]

idk about the greens in your area but the ones here have pulled too many shit moves lately of bills not being good enough, so they vote against it. all three of them were labor, but you look at the duration of whitlam's power and what he implemented, versus hawke and keating. we need that strong foundation of consistency to build upon, so the coalition has less power to destroy what has been established when they get elected again.

So there's a bit of irony here in that I think in many ways the ACT Greens are perceived as both this and Labor lite at the same time in the worst way. And some of that (especially the Labor lite) is not their fault; it's the consequence of being a coalition with ACT Labor for several terms. I think the ACT Greens are right to think that they lost some of their state seats at our election last year due to people seeing the good they did as ACT Labor's wins and the bad as them being too argumentative. So on that front, I am excited to see what comes of them being on the crossbench this time around because it will hopefully make their wins/impact clearer.

In saying that, the ACT Greens have had their share of faults too. Not a single one of them (or any politician! But they are meant to be the people's party you know?) showed up to the Black Lives Matter rallies in Canberra in 2020, they very much mishandled two very delicate situations (an alleged sexual crime and posts comparing Osama Bin Laden to Jesus) from two of their members in the following years and most concessions/help for the poorer class that have had to pay more for environmentally friendly options have only come up as options from the ACT Greens after backlash from the public.

As an aside/not Greens related, that last point is why I was so upset at Dutton's anti Canberra rhetoric, because despite the stereotype, not all of us are rich business and home owners or politicians (almost no federal politicians actually live here) here. I was born, raised and have lived here for three decades as someone who came from a Centrelink household (working public service father with a disability and Centrelink housewife mother on the most part) and I've watched as Canberra has become a gentrified left winged environmentally friendly haven, but only for the rich while the poor gets ignored and villainised by politicians and citizens from other states alike.

I will also say on a personal level (and unfortunately I am not the only one who can say something similar to what I'm about to say), the ACT Greens siding with ACT Labor has really done a dash and a lot needs to change before I put my full trust in them again.

Just as some personal examples, I have had certain Greens politicians sided with Labor and the ACT police in telling my (at the time teenage and having behavioural issues) sister and parents to their face that my parents could not force her to go to school after the age of ten years old and that locking a door behind them so that she did not physically assault them counted as them abusing her. A different Greens minister later told us to contact her directly to get some action on (quite frankly illegal) actions taken by several government and private bodies in the removal of my sister from our household (leading to a breakdown of the family) just to ghost my mother when we sent the email and attempted to call and visit the office. Additionally, during the Growth and Renewal Project that Labor set up, despite claiming to the media that a specific Greens minister would help tenants, any emails (including the one I sent) to their member who was said to be dealing with it was just forwarded onto the Labor minister with a reply that was the equivalent to "Not my area, bye".

Also like this is petty, but god do I just feel like Rattenbury is not likeable. Like I vote for him (or independents depending on who is running) because I know the Greens/Independents are the best option, but I think if the Greens want to reflect on tonight's results, part of that should be the importance of a likeable leader (in saying that, I know Bandt is divisive but ultimately I do think he is relatively likeable which is why I didn't put his likeability in my previous post).

I'll make it clear that I don't expect the ACT Greens to be perfect, and like I said, I am banking my last hope in them to show what they can do as crossbenchers as opposed to a coalition with ACT Labor. I also want to say that I spoke to Isabel Mudford (the federal Greens candidate running for Canberra who used to work with the ACT Greens) directly and she is lovely and acknowledged a lot of the above and stated that a lot of my frustrations were ones of the party too and a big reason they chose to be on the crossbench this time around. And genuinely that does give me some hope.

But I also cannot blame others for feeling it's too late and that the Greens are just Labor lite if the ACT Greens are all they've known. And that makes me incredibly sad because I know people in other states, particularly Victoria and Queensland, who have said that the Greens are a lot more noticeably person focused in those areas, and I think the 2022 election showed that. I just hope that can bleed onto ACT (and other states, but again I am from the ACT) and federal elections going forward somehow. Because while I think it's great to have independents shake up the two party system, I would prefer a single party with the goals of the working and lower class like the Greens claim to be over that. Because you're right, consistency and finding that balance of sticking to your guns and compromise is key and will make the biggest difference overall and that is easier to achieve within a party rather than independents.

Anyway that is a novel sized rant, but yeah ultimately I agree with you, just with a side of "plus this too" lmao.

[bismuthburnsblue]

Help me design a dress!

this is our fabric! (left is the product image, right is my actual piece of fabric- ruler on the left is cm, on the right is inches, to give you an idea of print scale) its the black version of the break up robe print, in a lightweight & crisp cotton. i have 4.5m (5y) so it should be enough to make most designs, though some will require consideration in the cutting- we will get to that later though. (the fabric is also narrow, i think its only 110cm wide. (its still folded in the picture))

my goal here is to make a comfy wearable dress, something pretty casual & everyday in silhouette, but i would also like if it was possible to style up for a more formal look. most of my inspiration for this project has come from 1950s dresses, because thats a style i lean towards for myself, though im not aiming for anything "true vintage" or anything. im also fond of lolita dresses, so im more than down to draw inspiration from those also!

also, the print is pretty bold compared to my usual style, so ive considered doing some kind of translucent (chiffon, tulle, mesh) overlay to tone it down so its more wearable in my wardrobe. this will entirely depend on it working with out final design, and even then, ill offer you the decision at the end! ultimately, i still want to be able to appreciate the fabric. (for sewing people: id intend to do it as a flat lining, so it sits right up against the fabric underneath, not as a complete separate layer. i find this makes it block out the design slightly less) doing this could also help with adding structure to the dress, which i already think some designs might need, considering how thin the fabric is.

ok now the brief is out of the way, onto the first decision for the dress: the shape of the skirt. if you want to vote based entirely on vibes, feel free to click away, but i have included some more writing about each option & its ups and downs in this particular project under the cut (also pictures of each style if youre not so familar with what they are!)

& the propaganda for the options:

Circle skirt: you can never go wrong with a circle skirt- theyre probably my favourite to wear overall & i especially like the low bulk join to the waist as i sometimes find things with gathers dont sit as nicely on me. the way circle skirts are cut also gives them a movement that the other two methods simply cannot compete with in my eyes.

The main downside is working a circle skirt with this particular fabric. the fabric is not wide enough to cut the entire front as one, so i would either need a centre front seam or to make it a 3/4 circle skirt- something im 100% ok with, i honestly find at midi length a full circle to be too much sometimes. (there is technically the option to have full circle but rotate it so the seams are at side, but that might then mean i have to do some shenanigans with where the fastenings go). also, because the design is directional, each quarter will need to be cut so the seams end up on the bias, which makes for an Incredibly inefficient cutting layout. (again, if theres a CF seam, thatll be on the diagonal of the design, which really defeats the point of putting in the effort in the first place, to me.) i think i would be able to get all the panels i need out of the piece of fabric i have, but i think i would be a bit more limited with top options as i try to make sure to use as many of the small pieces left over as possible.

Gathered skirt: these are by far the easiest to do in terms of sewing. in my research into casual 50's dresses about 90% of all pictures i saw featured a dress with a gathered skirt (or actually, a lot seemed to have tiny pleats that give the effect of gathers, like the coral one. if we vote this way, i would be tempted to go try them as i think it might solve my bothers with gathered skirts in general)

i generally find gathered skirts less flattering on me- they add bulk at the waist and then hang straight down off the hips (when not puffed up with a petticoat) and thats generally not something i like on myself. i could improve that though by bringing more fabric in to increase the hem, and adding horsehair braid to the hem to help it swoop without additional support (again, my goal for this project is causal day dress)

this pattern uses the least fabric i think, depending on how much you put in the skirt- i think i should get a perfectly satisfactorily full skirt from this with less than 2m of fabric used. (honestly might end up too efficient- id like to use up all the fabric i have in this, and i really dont need that much for a bodice. i can see myself adding 4, even 5 widths into the skirt to use up yardage. i dont particularly see that as a problem though)

despite my reservations because of gathered skirts ive made before, for this project it does have one massive point in its favour: the fact that its still a full piece of fabric. all other styles here all cut quite significantly into the design to create their shape, while this be one panel of the fabric from edge to edge. preserving the design of this fabric is pretty high on my priority list, after all, i bought this fabric specifically because it was the OFMD break up robe print. i want whatever design i make to work with that.

Tiered skirt: for me, tiered skirts are the best of both worlds in terms of the effect they give. the fact each layer doubles means they keep some of the swish a circle skirt gives (and, i find, they tend to have more of the A-Line shape of a circle skirt too) while not being quite so consuming of fabric as you cut. i couldnt find many examples of 50's dresses with them (though i did find some) so i do feel like this style pulls more towards the style of lolita dresses & that might be reflected in the options i offer in subsequent rounds.

if you know anything about petticoats, then youll notice that this style of skirt is essentially the same construction as them (though petticoats often introduce extra layers and ruffles and.....) when ive made this style of skirt in the past i have found that it holds volume much like a petticoat does, without the need for an extra undergarment- something thats great for a casual dress!

I was thinking three tiers is the ideal number for this dress, though i could make it only two. i dont think i would make it more as, if i keep them even (which was my intention, though i am also fond of the styles that increase with each tier like my example images) then each tier will probably be 20cm wide, which is already looking like itll cut into the features of the design. i think that is the single biggest downside for this style- i wont reasonably be able to do much 'fussy cutting' either to work with the print, its simply not practical to do on this scale.

At a rough estimate, i think this is gonna use 3m of fabric in the skirt, which puts it slap bang in the middle in terms of fabric efficiency. i should have plenty enough to do it, maybe even to increase it if i want to, while still being pretty unlimited about what i do with the rest of the design.

one last thing- trim! one unique feature of this design is the opportunity to play with trim on the skirt itself. i do have some bodice ideas that play around with trim, and it would be really nice to introduce it into the skirt too, if we go that way. it could even be a fun nod to the piping on the original break up robe!!!!

Something else (comment): while doing my research i came across SO MANY design ideas that i could play around with. for this poll i picked the three i thought would probably work the best for this project, but i wanted an opportunity for you to yell at me if you want something different entirely. feel free to suggest anything you like, but ive included a couple images as examples of styles i saw a lot. i especially saw a lot like on the left, with gathering or ruffles off to the side, but the front panel being pretty flat. this might be real fun for some designs like shirtdresses, but im not super confident on how itd look on me. either way, feel free to form a coalition in the replies to tell me how i totally should have offered you this one particular option.

(if you vote for this but dont comment, im discounting it from the overall stats as i have no idea what design you mean! your welcome to send it in on anon if that bothers you, but either way, ill need a description :P )

[annon-guy2]

Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Adventure: Playable Character Voting Poll

In this Game Idea, there will be 16 Characters in this action adventure game, bringing gameplay styles from there own games as they team up in this adventure! These include four Sonic Characters, Sonic, Shadow, Silver and Trip.

However, since Voting Polls have Twelve Options and since these four would no doubt get the most votes... I'm excluding them. I will explain their gameplay, but the focus will be on the other SEGA All-Stars... so without further ado!

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

Gameplay Style Explations [Plus Gameplay Video Links to copy and paste]:

Sonic: The Boost Gameplay from Sonic Unleashed's Daytime Stages that feature a mix of 3D and 2.5D Sections. [https://youtu.be/j4OBe-rONR4?si=OyPsTyeEfSiojz7N]

Shadow: The Gameplay from Shadow Generations. Sonic's gameplay with a unique Shadow twist. [https://youtu.be/tRFy7LFTggg?si=pUpykT9e30DMJFyo]

Silver: Improved gameplay from Sonic 06, 3D Platforming with psychic powers physics and combat. Here's a video link to his gameplay from Project 06, an updated fan mod of Sonic 06, to showcase this.[https://youtu.be/q-VtHlKPPpk?si=oZMnQWrB_YMasXpM]

Trip: Her gameplay from Sonic Superstars. Classic 2.5D Sonic gameplay with Trip's unique abilities. [https://youtu.be/6ezXj-i7UBA?si=yqhR_BBmMW9uudWK]

NIGHTS: A 3D recreation of his/her 2D flying gameplay from the NiGHTS Series. Full range movement through the skies. [https://youtu.be/XQenErtZ5nI?si=YvLNyYsz6L-NkIDN]

AiAi: A full length stage version of Super Monkey Ball gameplay, using Super Monkey Ball: Adventure as a basis. Use momentum based speed and movement to go through longer stages to reach the end. [https://youtu.be/MRMcgyB-bQE?si=YIPfiz4TWxCF_7aB]

Beat: The stage based gameplay from the original Jet Set Radio. Skate around 3D environments as you paint graffiti and leave your mark as you avoid the Police. [https://youtu.be/ndHln4ag0tE?si=vlEpAKaJsc2xDQH5]

Arle: A 3D Dungeon Crawler similar to Socery Saga: Fia and the Mysterious School. Run through dungeons solving puzzles and casting magic against the monsters. [https://youtu.be/Gvy-3ABeycs?si=ae5cCyAFU0av6tUz]

Alex: Gameplay from Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX. 2.5D Side Scrolling Platformer recreation. Made slighty easier as Alex now has Three Hit points instead of dying in one hit. [https://youtu.be/SJFtT-1oSPI?si=YWGwUTETWNJ0PI3o]

Vectorman: Gameplay from the classic Vectorman Games. 2.5D Action Platformer recreation as you shoot enemies and gain special Transformers Power Ups. [https://youtu.be/jiAzK6ITEvA?si=gSGzTZYXwkk3tIKA]

Ristar: Gameplay from Ristar. 2.5D Platformer recreation as you utilize Ristar's stretching arms to fight enemies and platform through the stages, split across two segments each. [https://youtu.be/qVQgdYjnDu4?si=uA3wBDfzAq_N8uL8]

Tillis: A 3D Action Platformer and Third Person Shooter. Fight off fires and and rogue robots as you rescue innocent people from burning buildings. [https://youtu.be/zh2Ujhqzuec?si=oRwHlQWby7gj4F7q]

Phantom R: Rhythm Style mini-games with three phases to each one like in Rhythm Thief. Each Rhythm Game functions differently. [https://youtu.be/7wa9nw4lQdg?si=1JNm8gX0Fkfv62cl]

Red: While Angry Birds is more of a puzzle game, I decided to make Red more of a traditional 3D platformer character, but with some inspiration from Angry Birds Actions. [https://youtu.be/cdHKavOmhoo?si=IElwruudzwLO0ZjL]

Gemini: Gemini's gameplay will be Hack and Slash action like in Sakura Wars V: Episode 0. Genini rides on horseback the whole time while defeating enemies and completing objectives. [https://youtu.be/ERz1TG2F0Bs?si=vJ1HeNSu9CF1F5y4]

Aigis: Revamped and improved gameplay of Aigis: The First Mission. Run and jump around a 3D while fighting enemies. Use firearms and grenades for long range combat, drills for close range melee attacks and unleash the powers of Aigis' Persona, Athena. [https://youtu.be/F0LpEwEivfs?si=uwxJnL83Tx487n7a]

Each character has 6 stages [8 for Sonic and Shadow] (100 Stages in totel) and 3 boss battles [4 for Sonic and Shadow] (50 Bosses in totel).

Note: SEGA now owns Atlus Games and Rovio Entertainment, hence why Red and Aigis are included here.

[wolffyluna]

Femslash February Plans

I'm thinking of what I'm going to do for Femslash February.

There's two options:

Option #1: The Sensible One

If I go with this option, I know exactly what I'm going to do. The downside is that the thing is hard.

I have this original f/f novel I'm working on. It's in the second draft, a word which here means "a bunch of the scenes are missing, but all of them are outlined, and I know which ones." I could aim to, by the end of February, have

all the scenes written

in nice cleaned up prose where all people and locations have names

so I can send it to my beloved and long suffering beta to be told what exactly is wrong with it

Option #2: Let's Live A Little!

Along with working on the novel (I like to work on multiple projects at once), I make some smaller fics/ fanart/ podfics, maybe? I might aim for either four (one a week) or seven (like those fandom weeks of old.)

The main problem is that I am kind of Blanking On Actionable Ideas. ("Karlach is cool!" "Right, but you haven't finished the game, and anyway, who would you be shipping her with?" " uhhhhhhhhhhhhh..." or "Double Life Cleo slash Pearl!" "Great, you have two characters, and from a thing you have finished! Do you have a plot?" "ah. hm. hmmmmmmm." )

A secondary problem is that I would need to come up with a workable definition of femslash, at least for myself. On the great Cartesian plane with the axes of "Woman" and "Canon," I must decide where I land between the points of "both characters should straightforwardly be women canonically," "Zhu Chongba is non-binary, but they're a nonbinary lesbian, so it would be strange to say Zhu Chongba/Ma Xiuying isn't femslash?" "should I just be able to make a canonically supported argument that both characters aren't ~solely men? (or: is beefleaf femslash????)" and "are genderbends valid if the character being a woman is important to the fic?"

At the moment I'm leaning towards something along the lines of "Zhu Chongba/Ma Xiuying is on the correct side of the Femslash Line on account of everyone being lesbians" but am very torn about whether to allow genderbends. On the one hand, there is the thing where "can we please focus on the canonical women for one second without going 'he's my babygirl. my silly rabbit'?" On the other: I am a huge sucker both for trans readings of characters, and also looking at how characters would read very differently if they are women.

(Advice/opinions/votes/encouragement etc are all welcomed.)