#valid sudoku

[bitesizedcode]

Leetcode 36. Sudoku Solver:

Determine if a 9 x 9 Sudoku board is valid. Only the filled cells need to be validated according to the following rules:

Each row must contain the digits 1-9 without repetition.

Each column must contain the digits 1-9 without repetition.

Each of the nine 3 x 3 sub-boxes of the grid must contain the digits 1-9 without repetition.

Solution follows in c#, algorithm from neetcode.io

public class Solution {

public bool IsValidSudoku(char[][] board) {

Dictionary<int,HashSet<char>> cols = new Dictionary<int,HashSet<char>>(9); Dictionary<(int,int),HashSet<char>> sqrs = new Dictionary<(int,int),HashSet<char>>(9);

for(int r = 0; r<9; r++){

rows.TryAdd(r,new HashSet<char>());

}

cols.TryAdd(r,new HashSet<char>());

}

for(int a = 0; a < 3; a++){

for(int b = 0; b < 3; b++){

sqrs.TryAdd((a,b),new HashSet<char>());

}

for(int r = 0; r<9; r++){

for(int c = 0; c<9; c++){

if(board[r][c] == '.'){

continue;

}

if(rows[r].Add(board[r][c]) &&

cols[c].Add(board[r][c]) &&

sqrs[(r/3,c/3)].Add(board[r][c]) ){

continue;

}else{

return false;

}

}

}

return true;

}

}

[carnageacorn]

at the dentist with no nitrous yesterday i learned i can perfectly imagine and then solve a sudoku board in my head. can imagine 9x9 grid with perfect clarity. can remember where i put all the numbers. not a skill i will use in any other way at any other time.

[patchoulism]

do people on twitter (and here, too) know that liking a thing does not require inventing a heap of hecking valid and wholesome aspects of a thing?

you can say "I like solving sudoku cause it's fun" instead of "I like solving sudoku because of its themes and lessons", nobody's gonna kill you

[actuallyadhd]

I don’t want to self diagnose but I am pretty sure I do have adhd just based on what I know about it and the fact that multiple of my friends with adhd have said it’s likely I do have it

the primary reason I don’t want to self diagnose is because I won’t know if I’m actually correct or not and I don’t think people would take me seriously

Sent October 1, 2024

I'm sorry I didn't see this sooner, but I'm glad I'm here now! :)

First of all, self-diagnosis is absolutely valid. Most of us who get diagnosed as adolescents or adults basically have to do that in order to get a formal diagnosis!

The main practical problem with self-diagnosis is that it doesn't actually grant you any legal protections or supports. You don't qualify for accommodations at work or school, and disability discrimination legislation doesn't really apply.

I always say that if you're going to self-diagnose, try to state it as "I think I might have ADHD" rather than "I have ADHD"; the latter will cause people to assume that you have a formal diagnosis, while the former is more accurate and you can be confident knowing that you haven't accidentally misrepresented yourself.

Thing is, there are loads of reasons why a formal diagnosis isn't an option for you right now, and that is 100% okay! You may also benefit from others taking your ADHD symptoms into account, which is where the self-diagnosis can be helpful.

For example, years and years before I was diagnosed, I would do puzzle books during university lectures. I was listening to the lecture and taking notes, but I was also doing Sudoku (back when it was called Number Place in North American puzzle books). Some other students thought it was really rude of me to do that, but for me it was important to keep part of my brain engaged in the puzzles since otherwise I'd miss half the lecture due to daydreaming. If I'd known then what I know now, I could have explained why I needed to do the puzzle books during class, even without a formal diagnosis.

If you want to feel more confident about your self-diagnosis, check out our post on it as it includes all the info you need to do a good job!

Followers, what do you think about self-diagnosis?

-J

[urmooniee]

Unspoken Feelings - JJ

JJ Maybank x fem!reader

words: around 3k

tw: swear words

taglist

☆⋆｡𖦹°‧★

It was another lazy summer day on the Outer Banks, and the Pogues had gathered at John B's place. The sun was blazing, and the scent of saltwater hung in the air as the gang kicked back into the living room. John B was sprawled on the couch, scrolling through his phone, while Pope and Kiara were engrossed in a debate about advanced mathematics. JJ Maybank sat with a smirk playing on his lips, glancing over at you, Y/N, who was seated on the floor, fiddling with a seashell necklace.

"Y/N, you believe that nonsense Pope's spewing about advanced mathematics?" JJ teased, a playful gleam in his eyes.

You shot him a mock glare. "JJ, you wouldn't know a differential equation from a Sudoku puzzle."

Pope chimed in, grinning. "She makes a valid point, JJ. Math is the language of the universe and can be incredibly fascinating."

JJ rolled his eyes dramatically. "Alright, alright, Ms. Mathematician. I'll take your word for it."

As the day wore on, the group migrated to the beach, and a spontaneous bonfire was set up. The warm glow of the fire danced in JJ's eyes as he stared at the flames, lost in thought. You sat next to him, and there was an unspoken connection between the two of you.

Pope noticed the tension and decided to intervene. "So, JJ, when are you going to make your move on someone special?"

JJ blinked, caught off guard. "What? Who said anything about that?"

Pope grinned knowingly. "Come on, we can all see it."

You couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy, but you hid it behind a smile. "I'm on board with Pope. You should go for it."

John B, always the mediator, added his two cents. "Seriously, JJ, you should just go for it. Life's too short to play it safe."

JJ looked at you, his eyes searching for something. "Y/N, what do you think?"

You took a deep breath, trying to suppress your feelings. "I think you should follow your heart."

JJ's gaze lingered on you for a moment, and then he turned to the group. "Alright, guys, I'll take your advice."

The banter continued, and the night wore on. As you all sat around the fire, it became clear that there were unspoken feelings between JJ and the subject of his affections, and between JJ and you. The group's playful teasing had given JJ the push he needed to confront his emotions.

As the night deepened and the bonfire's flames waned, the Pogues remained nestled on the beach, their bonds growing stronger with each passing moment. The evening had deepened their friendships, and unspoken emotions lingered just beneath the surface.

JJ cleared his throat and looked at Kiara. "Kie, could I talk to you for a moment?"

Everyone shared a confused glance at each other, wondering what was going on. Pope and John B exchanged sly smirks and whispered, "Ohh," and "Ohh, damn, that was fast," thinking that JJ was about to confess his feelings to Kiara.

Kiara, equally perplexed, shrugged and said, "Yeah, sure," as she got up, her eyes briefly meeting yours in a puzzled glance.

As JJ and Kiara moved a little farther away from the group, Pope, John B, and you exchanged puzzled glances. It was clear that the two of them were having a private conversation. The night held a promise of unexpected revelations, and the Pogues were about to find out whether their assumptions about JJ and his feelings were correct or if something else entirely was in the air.

Pope raised an eyebrow and quipped, "Well, that was unexpected."

John B chuckled, sharing a knowing look with you. "Yeah, we thought JJ was going to ask you, Y/N."

You raised your eyebrows in surprise. "What? No way, never. JJ and I are just friends, nothing more than that."

Pope and John B shared a smirk, and Pope replied, "Well, you know what they say, 'friends to lovers' can make for a great story."

John B nodded in agreement. "Yeah, it's not uncommon for close friends to discover deeper feelings for each other."

You rolled your eyes playfully, still not convinced. "Guys, trust me, there's nothing like that between us."

The three of you continued to watch JJ and Kiara, curious about the outcome of their conversation. The night was still young, and the Pogues were about to discover what secrets lay beneath the surface of their unspoken feelings. 

As JJ and Kiara rejoined the group, JJ looking slightly flustered and Kiara grinning, the anticipation in the air was palpable. The group had eagerly awaited the outcome of their private conversation.

Pope couldn't resist a sly grin. "So, what's the verdict? Are we in for some dramatic love story?"

JJ sighed and shook his head, a hint of frustration in his voice. "No, it's not what you all think. We were just talking about something else."

Kiara chimed in. "Yeah, nothing romantic, I promise."

You exchanged a knowing glance with Pope and John B, who seemed a bit disappointed that their theories hadn't panned out. Nonetheless, you decided to make the most of the night and keep the atmosphere light.

"Alright," you declared, breaking the brief silence. "I'm bored. Should we play truth or dare?"

The group readily agreed, and the night took an unexpected turn. Here are some of the truths and dares that followed:

**Truth:** John B confessed his most embarrassing moment, involving a mishap with a surfboard during a competition.

**Dare:** Pope was dared to serenade a random passerby with a song, leaving everyone in stitches as he attempted to sing a love ballad.

**Truth:** Kiara revealed her biggest fear, which turned out to be spiders, much to everyone's amusement.

**Dare:** JJ had to do a cartwheel on the beach, showing surprising gymnastic skills that drew cheers and applause.

As the game continued, secrets were revealed, and laughter filled the night. 

Later on, Pope, with a mischievous grin, turned to you and asked, "Truth or dare, Y/N?"

You contemplated for a moment and then replied, "Truth."

Pope and John B shared a glance and smiled deviously. Pope, not one to hold back, posed a daring question, "Do you have feelings for someone?"

You looked up, and for a moment, it felt like you had stopped breathing. You hesitated before responding, "Hm... no."

Pope rolled his eyes playfully and said, "Y/N, no lying."

You countered with a hint of defiance, "And how do you know I'm lying?"

"It's obvious, so answer the question, yes or no," Pope insisted.

After a brief pause, you admitted, "Yes. Are you happy now?"

Pope smiled warmly and responded, "Yes, I'm happy."

JJ, who had been observing this exchange with a curious expression, couldn't help but think that there might be something more going on between you and Pope. It seemed like he had missed something important, and the mystery added another layer of intrigue to the night.

"Have I missed something?" JJ asked, pointing at Pope and you, his curiosity piqued.

You and Pope exchanged alarmed glances and quickly blurted out, almost in unison, "Oh God, no!" and "Never in a million years!"

Your fiery refusals startled both Pope and you, making you look at each other in surprise. The tension in the air was palpable as you both stood up, now face to face.

Pope couldn't help but challenge, "What do you mean by 'Oh God, no?'" He stood up and pointed a finger in your direction.

You, not one to back down, retorted, "What do YOU mean by 'Never in a million years?'" You also stood up, mirroring Pope's defiant stance.

John B attempted to get in between the two of you to defuse the escalating situation. "Hey, hey, calm down, guys. Let's not make this a bigger deal than it is."

The bonfire's glow illuminated the charged atmosphere, and the group watched in fascination as the unexpected exchange between you and Pope unfolded, with JJ trying to make sense of what he might have missed.

Amid the tension, John B's voice broke through, trying to keep the peace. "We're all friends here."

JJ, sensing the rising tension, chimed in with a hint of mischief. "Come on, guys, don't be so defensive. If there's something going on, it's okay to admit it."

You and Pope shared another glance, this time more embarrassed, and you both slowly eased down, dropping your confrontational postures.

Pope spoke first, trying to defuse the situation with a wry smile. "JJ, you've got it all wrong. We were just caught off guard by the question, that's all."

You nodded in agreement, "Yeah, just a surprise question. Nothing more."

Kiara, satisfied that the tension was dissipating, suggested with a chuckle. "Well, maybe we can change the topic and continue our game of truth or dare?"

After you had excused yourself and headed home due to exhaustion, Pope, after a few more minutes, followed suit. He discreetly slipped away from the group, leaving the bonfire behind.

JJ couldn't help but raise an eyebrow as he noticed your departure and then Pope's. He leaned over to John B and said, "Yeah, definitely not suspicious at all."

John B chuckled and replied, "Well, they must be really tired. Let's not read too much into it."

As the night continued, the remaining Pogues enjoyed the bonfire and shared stories. The departures of you and Pope seemed to be a minor blip in an otherwise enjoyable evening. 

☆⋆｡𖦹°‧★

After you and Pope had left the bonfire, you walked a bit ahead, feeling Pope's presence behind you. Turning to him, you playfully asked, "You following me now?"

Pope chuckled, though there was a hint of frustration in his voice. "I'm not, even if it looks like it."

He then gently turned you around by your shoulders and continued, "Look, what I tried to do there was—"

But he got interrupted by your response. "I know, Pope. It was just—"

Pope interrupted you, his words pouring out with exasperation, "No, shut up. You don't know anything. I tried to make it obvious that you liked JJ back there so he could make a move. It's so tiring to watch you both having feelings for each other yet being too dumb to make a move. I was just so tired, so I tried to help you out, but I just made a bigger mess."

You blinked, taking in the flood of words. "Damn, that was a lot to take in," you said with a chuckle. "Thank you, Pope, truly. But JJ doesn't have feelings for me. If he did, then he wouldn't talk to Kie after you told him to make a move on his crush."

Pope sighed, realizing that things were more complicated than he had thought. He appreciated your honesty and gave a small nod. "Alright, Y/N, if you say so. But if you ever need help, you know I've got your back."

You smiled, appreciating Pope's concern and friendship. As the two of you walked back to your respective places, the complex web of emotions among the Pogues continued to unfold.

You and Pope walked together, you both knew that your homes were just a short distance apart. The night was calm.

As you approached your respective homes, you turned to Pope and smiled. "Well, Pope, it's time for me to say goodnight. See you around."

Pope returned your smile. "Goodnight, Y/N. Sleep well."

With a friendly wave, you parted ways, each heading to your own home. The night in the Outer Banks was quiet.

As you returned home, you settled into your space, feeling the comfort of your familiar surroundings. It was a peaceful moment, and you had just started to unwind when your phone chimed with a message.

You glanced at the screen to see that it was a text from JJ. He was asking if you and Pope were in a relationship. You hesitated for a moment, torn between being honest and your reasons for not discussing it with JJ. In the end, you decided to be truthful, even though it wasn't the most comfortable conversation to have.

With a deep breath, you typed your response, "No, JJ, we're not in a relationship. It's not what you think."

Sending the message, you hoped that your explanation would help clear any misunderstanding, even though the conversation was a bit more complex than you had anticipated. JJ's reply came shortly after.

 He typed, "Okay, thanks for being honest. It's just that things seemed a bit strange tonight, but if it's not what I thought, then that's cool."

You felt a mix of relief and unease as you read his message. It was clear that JJ had sensed something amiss during the evening, and while your response had clarified things, there was still a sense of unspoken tension in the air.

Feeling a need for more honesty, you typed your response to JJ, "But what if we were?"

The question hung in the air, and you knew that it had the potential to change everything. JJ's response was filled with surprise and a hint of confusion. 

"Wait, you mean you and Pope? I didn't see that coming. Are you saying there's something between you two?"

You asked JJ, "Would you be happy if we were in a relationship? Me and Pope?"

The question hung in the air, and the future of your friendships seemed to hang in the balance.

JJ's response was a mix of surprise and thoughtfulness. "Wow, this is unexpected. I care about both of you a lot, and if you and Pope were happy together, I'd support it. Our friendship matters to me more than anything."

You replied, "Friendship?!"

JJ, replied with a touch of uncertainty, "Well, I care about both of you, and I don't want anything to ruin our friendship. But I also want you both to be happy."

Feeling the complexity of the situation and JJ's mixed feelings, you couldn't help but express your frustration. You sent a message that read, "JJ, you are so confusing." 

JJ replied with a mix of emotions, "I know, Y/N. This is all complicated, and I'm trying to figure it out too. Let's talk about it in person, okay?"

"Sure, at my place?" you suggested, feeling that a private and comfortable setting would be ideal for the conversation ahead.

JJ agreed with your suggestion, "Yeah, your place works. Let's talk things out."

Five minutes later, you heard a soft knock on your window. Curious, you opened your curtains and were greeted by the sight of JJ standing outside. You couldn't help but smile and, with a hint of amusement, you opened the window.

"Window, really?" you teased. "You could have used the front door."

JJ grinned mischievously. "I'm stealthy, like a ninja."

You chuckled and shook your head. "Yeah, right."

As JJ entered through the window, the two of you settled into a more comfortable setting in your room, sitting on your bed.

With a somewhat forced smile, JJ broke the silence and asked, "So you and Pope?"

Your eyes widened, and you couldn't help but respond with a mixture of disbelief and a hint of frustration. "There's nothing between me and Pope, you idiot," you retorted before playfully slapping the back of his head.

JJ, looking sincere, responded, "Y/N, you can trust me, you know."

Your mind was racing, and you mumbled to yourself, "Pope was right, we both are so dumb." JJ overheard your words and questioned, "Pope said what—"

Before he could finish, you changed the subject, your heart racing. "What did you and Kie talk about?"

JJ, avoiding eye contact and fidgeting with his ring, muttered, "Oh, um, well, nothing important."

You couldn't let it go and reached out, placing your finger on JJ's chin to lift it so he could maintain eye contact with you. 

"It's important to me," you emphasized.

Confusion filled JJ's eyes as he asked, "Why?"

Frustration and desire surged within you, and you couldn't hold back any longer. 

"Fuck me, JJ. I like you. My heart beats like crazy every time you're close to me, and it broke me when you thought me and Pope were in a relationship. Do you know why? Because I wanted it to be you, not Pope. Pope is my friend, while you are more than that," you confessed.

JJ was silent, his emotions swirling as he processed your words.

"Shit of course I ruin everything—"

But before you could continue down the path of self-doubt, JJ leaned in, capturing your lips with his own. The room was filled with the intensity of your feelings, and in that moment, words were no longer necessary to express what you both felt.

As your lips met, the room seemed to fade away, leaving only the connection between you and JJ. The kiss was a culmination of the unspoken feelings and emotions that had been building for some time.

When the kiss finally broke, you and JJ pulled back slightly, your eyes locked onto each other, the weight of your feelings now out in the open. The room was filled with an electric tension, and both of you were processing the weight of the moment.

JJ's voice was soft and sincere as he said, "Y/N, I... I didn't see that coming. But I can't deny how I feel about you."

With a hopeful smile, you asked, "So is that a sign that you like me back?"

JJ's eyes held a spark of affection as he replied, "More than you know."

au/ TWO CUTIESSS!! also we stan pope for being the cutest friend!

[midnight--sadness]

Went into Squid Game season 2 blind, got out of there shipping Gihun and Inho like they're an old married couple from the 1950's. They're sitting at the breakfast table and Gihun is wearing those vintage style swing dresses, manicured red nails holding a cigarette, reading the newspaper. Inho is solving a sudoku while smoking a pipe, and he has the typical knitted sweater + tie look. Alexa, play In the Mood by Glenn Miller

this is so valid of you 😩 i also had a similar experience where i now think gihun should be inho's malewife 💖

god should have made me an artist bc the way i would draw this so fast?? like i can picture this so clearly in my head 🫶

now i need an au of them, where inho keeps gihun as a 1950s housewife, in a house with three kids and a dog, and in actuality gihun is being kept in a coma at inho's orders and the world they live in is fake.... wandavision / don't worry darling types

[dandywonderous]

What are your favorite video games? :)

you've activated my trap card

video games are the great love of my life, most of my time is spent playing video games, most of my favorite canons are video games. I think video games have such a unique way of telling stories compared to every other medium, and the huge variety in form that video games can take really gives them massive narrative potential. trying to narrow down to just a few is hard but I'm gonna do it

I was a 90s kid so my first big video game endeavors (besides a particular one but I'll get to it in the end) were unsurprisingly the Pokemon games. I started with Yellow but the ones I played the most were Silver and Sapphire, and Gen 3 is still my favorite even though I've played some of the gens since then. Crystal in particular though always has a place in my heart for introducing the female MC to the games; for most of my childhood, Pokemon and video games on a larger scale were always seen as things for boys (the boys on my playground even made me pass a quiz before they would let me play make believe Pokemon with them, a thing they did not make the other boys do) so Crystal adding the female MC felt like validation that I was welcome here. Representation matters! I remember there was also an old Scooby-doo game for the gameboy color I was obsessed with, and also shoutout to the Barbie horse adventure games lol

Final Fantasy will always have a special place in my heart for being the series that really got me into JRPGs, which has been a lot of what I've played since. FFX in particular, because it was my first, will always be special to me, but I also really enjoyed FFVIII (and I accept no slander) and FFXII, and more recently I loved FFXV (all the criticisms are true but damn it, doomed bachelor party road trip is such a fun time). At this point I've played every mainline FF game at least part way if not all the way to completion (except the MMOs, I don't really play MMOs, I'm a single player girly), and a lot of the spinoffs, especially the Tactics games (Tactics Advance man... what a good game). What most of the Final Fantasy games tend to do really well is the found family trope and that's what gets me about most of them.

More recently the JRPG that's held my heart the longest is Persona 5 (and its various spinoffs). I love these little criminals. They are all my sons and daughters. Royal absolutely perfected the turn based gameplay, I don't think it could have been executed better.

Puzzle games and visual novels are also what I spend a lot of time with. Ghost Trick is a transcendental experience - don't look up anything, just go play it. I promise the less you know the better it is. No one needs me to tell them how good Ace Attorney is but Ace Attorney is amazing; my personal favorite is actually Ace Attorney Apollo Justice, partially because Ema Skye is in it in her best incarnation (shoutout to the one other Ema/Klavier/Apollo shipper and your fanfic that has sustained me). I also loved the Professor Layton games. And I'm into less story driven, more laid back puzzle games like Stitch, which is the game I play whenever I just need to chill for a bit (unless I'm doing sudoku puzzles). Also more recently I thoroughly enjoyed In Stars and Time, which is like a puzzle RPG with an amazing story.

But especially on the narrative games front I looooooove Night in the Woods, one of my favorite video games of all. For one thing, there are not a lot of games or media in general that take place in the real world but in a small, dying rural town, and that setting and the characters' struggles and issues really resonated with me, as someone from a small, dying rural town. Also, Mae is an incredible protagonist, who is a female protagonist who is allowed to be massively flawed and not fit into the normal socially acceptable mold, but still be a hero, learn from her mistakes and get better. Also I'm not kidding when I say that this game's meditations on god, the nature of our existence, and what it means to be alive with other people genuinely changed my life. "When I die, I want it to hurt," is a line that will stick with me for the rest of my life.

I'm also a big fan of the "murder game visual novel" subgenre lol. Buried Stars is great, Dangan Ronpa is great, but 9 Hours 9 Persons 9 Doors is what will really hold my heart forever. 999 is such a good story, the twists are presented so expertly, and the way it used its original DS format in particular to tell its story is a masterclass in understanding how the unique format of video games can add to the narrative in ways no other medium can capture. Also the puzzles are just FUN, if you enjoy escape rooms you will love this game. The other games in the series are good too even if they kind of suck as sequels. Also why do they go out of their way not to talk about Santa?? JUSTICE FOR MY BOY!

If I were a youtube video essayist I would make a video on 999 that starts with just a twenty minute rant about how the opening sequence of 999 is one of the best in any video game ever. Like, the way it establishes the tone, the perfect pacing of it, the way it gets the player tense right along with the characters... mmmwah!

I also really like tactical RPGs, especially XCOM. It's so fun, but be prepared to die because you will, a lot. It's not a game meant for people who get attached, it will break you lol. Darkest Dungeon is also really fun but the same warning applies.

And I love farming and life sims! I played the old Harvest Moons back in the day, and more recently I've really loved Coral Island. I've also been playing a lot of Disney Dreamlight Valley, which is more like Animal Crossing but still in the cozy games genre. I need to play more of Potions Permit but I've really enjoyed what I've played of that one, if you want a cozy game vibe that isn't all about farming. And also I've been wrapped up in Infinity Nikki lately, which is a gacha game but boy is it fun (I played Love Nikki for a few years after it first came out too).

And speaking of gachas, I've played a lot of those, but the idol raisers/rhythm games are the ones that really stick with me. For a looooooong time it was Love Live School Idol Festival (RIP), but right now it is Project Sekai, a game I love and play every day. For a rhythm gacha game it has a really great story and cast of characters, and I love it a lot. I'm a VBS fan but I also love/pull for Ena and Shiho.

and this doesn't fit in any of the categories but I looooved the SSX series, especially the PS2 era of games. I played so much SSX Tricky and SSX3 and SSX On Tour. (if you're confused, they're snowboarding games lol)

god there's probably so many more that I've forgotten... I really love video games haha. But there's one in particular I wanted to talk about at the end, because this is the TRUE video game of my youth, the one I put about as many hours into as I did Pokemon, the one I played over and over on Playstation until the disc wore out, a game that is honestly very bizarre, both in the circumstances of its existence and in its plot and gameplay.

and that game is Mary-Kate and Ashley's Magical Mystery Mall.

but I'm going to put all that under a cut. Thanks for the ask! This is probably waaaaay longer an answer than you were expecting haha. I JUST. LOVE VIDEO GAMES. RRAAAAH.

OKAY so Mary-Kate and Ashley's Magical Mystery Mall was a game for the PS1 featuring the Olsen Twins (voiced and everything!) It was basically just a collection of minigames with an absolutely batshit framing narrative, being that the girls go to the mall and buy matching friendship necklaces from a mysterious traveling saleswoman (I think they do call her a word you are not supposed to use, because it was the year 2000, so be aware of that if you look it up). The woman tells them that whatever they do, do not put the two halves of the necklaces together, because it's missing some gems and weird things will happen if they do. The girls walk off and immediately dismiss her advice as stupid before putting the two halves together, which instantly freezes the mall and everyone inside in time, except the girls and the saleswoman. She then tells them that if they don't find the gems that are missing from the necklace charms and put it back together, they will be stuck in the mall forever "with no money to buy anything!" (cue NOOOOOOOOOO)

so you have to play minigames to get the charms back.

most of these are pretty normal. there's one where you do a few snowboarding races (it's no SSX but I liked it well enough), there's one where you work the mall food court (this was sort of like diner dash and I loved it), there's one where you put on a fashion show that I also liked a lot. the last two are the most interesting ones.

so one of the minigames was putting together your own music video. you pick from a bunch of dance moves to make the choreo, then you pick a shoot location, then you move the camera around to film the music video while the girls dance to the song. the game had a few preset tracks, but the really fun thing was that you had the option to have the girls dance to your own CDs (by physically switching the game disc for a CD). this meant you could have them do a music video to ANY track, of ANY length. I had them dance to music from 2 B A Master (the Pokemon CD). I had them dance to all of the songs from Aaron Carter's "Aaron's Party (Come Get It)" album (it was the early 2000s!). I had them dance to a 15 minute stand-up recording by Robin Williams just to see if it would let me (it would!). I had a lot of fun with that minigame, excellent design, video game developers take notes.

the last minigame was the weird one

so if you looked at the little booklet the game sent to tell you how to play (remember when games had those??), there was a bit at the back with the pictures of two teen boys, explaining that they had won a contest to appear as characters in the game! but where could these boys be in a game where everyone in the mall is frozen in time?

in the final minigame, that's where! the plot of which sure is something!

so the final minigame is a picture taking minigame where Mary-Kate and Ashley stalk two boys they admit they do not know so they can take pictures of them, to convince all their friends that they're dating these boys.

yes, you are actually stalking them!

at the beginning of the game, which has way more cutscenes involved than the others, you learn that one of the twins (don't remember which one now) has told all their friends that they know and are dating the cute new lifeguards at the beach! of course, they literally don't even know those guys, and now their friends are getting suspicious about the dating claim. so they decide to pose with the boys in the background to give the illusion that they're on a date. the player gets points for how close the boys are in the picture, and how convincingly it looks like they're actually posing and not just walking past.

after the first couple stages where the girls just stand on a street corner and wait for the boys to get close, the boys get wise and start trolling them. keep in mind that this is all voice acted, so you actually hear the boys start to say things like "are those girls following us? why are they taking pictures of us?" this would be a horror game in any other genre but here it's just supposed to be cute and funny.

the boys troll the twins (and you, the player) by hiding behind surfboards and inside large pots, popping out at random and making it harder to get a good picture of them (but also, ironically, making those pictures look more like they're actually on a date, because why else would they be posing like this?). I remember it took me FOREEEEVER to finally beat this minigame.

at the end, the boys come up to the twins and ask them why they're doing this, and the twins confess to the situation. the boys decide to solve the problem by actually going on a date with them. all's well that ends well!

so anyway yeah that's my oral history of Mary-Kate and Ashley's Magical Mystery Mall, a game I put more hours into than almost any other game in my youth (partly because you can play it in one sitting). the 2000s were truly a wild time.

if you read to the end bless your heart

[dakaneeee]

cro headcannons?

guys as much as i’d love to give you headcannons on Croatia again keep in mind that till now the headcannons i had were mostly based off of the existing knowledge i had from being from those areas, Croatia is more complicated as i literally have no connection to it other than like, Dalmatia.

either way

faggot

he’s trying to be central europe appreciate the effort

White as hell thanks to Ilija for keeping the turks out

He slit his throat with a Srbosjek later

Vuk too

he still has like at least 5 of them and isn’t afraid to use them

says that Herzegovinians are cunning and sly but he’s worse

incredibly charming though

pretty face

Kaj kaj kaj kaj kaj

He probably hates every single person that dares border his glorious nation 

he in fact thinks everyone else in ex yu (except like.. slovenia) is a neanderthal that needs to be publicly executed

like everyone else he also has a feeling for music (we call it sluh???? i don’t even know if english has a word for it) 

probably plays piano

desperate for validation but he’s kind of a pussy

prefers Ilija over Vuk actually, since they were both part of the Austrian empire at one point in the Ottoman period, and the chances of them sharing a home isn’t unlikely 

which is probably why Ilija fought for him as well during the Mlada Bosna period 

literally a supermodel both physically and national wear wise

cannot pronounce Č for the life of him

instead of fighting for freedom he kisses his occupiers and honestly its smarter that way

Violently sadistic but it isn’t apparent 

Homosexual but his standards are way too high so he basically never dated anyone

smells like roses 

has a specific product for every little thing each time he showers, specific products for his skin, hair, everything, while Vuk uses a 31 in 1 which doubles as toothpaste and motor oil

very literal like everything he says he means literally 

sudoku fan

Him and Herze would NOT like each other

overdresses for unimportant things

he looks as if he walked off of a runway while at a grocery store 

Rich Bitch

abandoned Enis like twice to collaborate with the serbs, wether it’s Vuk or Ilija

i do see him being a top tho

actually didn’t always hate Monte but like, after WW2 they’ve been getting on each other’s nerves historically, politically and financially 

Same goes with Ilija and Vuk technically, even worse cuz he betrayed them like twice

Vuk probably doesn’t care anymore but Ilija never moved on and still hisses whenever he sees him 

isn’t actually short at all

ok enough

[corruptspaghetti]

Spaghetti Dreamscape - Devlog 4

This game jam has been a great opportunity to try out a bunch of different procedural/random generation techniques (which happen to be one of my favorite game development topics)!

These paths are made using a method called Wave Function Collapse. It works kinda like a Sudoku solver, using a set of predetermined rules about which modules are allowed to be placed next to each other. This path generator uses my own, heavily simplified, implementation of the socket method described in this video by Martin Donald.

Each row is generated one after the other from North to South. If a row chooses an impossible configuration, it erases the row and tries again until it finds a valid solution. This is the best way I've found, so far, to minimize failed generations.

The generation has been slowed down in the video for demonstration purposes. At full speed, these paths generate in less than a second!

One of the best parts of Wave Function Collapse is that it can be used to create any number of types of structures and terrain. I'm looking forward to using this method to make even more varied and interesting levels for the player to explore!

[vitamin-picross]

ajghgskdfj what is picross

(sending an ask bcuz i like talking to poeple. yea i could search it up on google but this is more fun)

Picross is a puzzle where you're given a grid with numbers! The hint numbers, as they are called, will tell you which squares to fill and which ones to leave blank. When solved, the grid becomes a picture! For example, let's take a look at this one for an example

Then let's look at the middle two rows. The ones that say "4 4". That means that 4 consecutive squares must be filled, then a gap of at least one, then another 4

So all of these would be valid for this one row. However, just like a sudoku, you must make all of the rows and columns match their hints! Only then will the picture reveal itself

[numa-smells]

working on generating a sudoku puzzle through wave function collapse 🌊

except its buggy and gets stuck if it runs out of valid options so i just have it start over :))

[boxeboxer]

DEEPALI NIBHANUPUDI (NAGARKAR)

Origin: krtrim (computational phantom)

Status: posthuman, piloting a standard Class-1B civilian 2028 CHOSHI-II vessel (modern Delhi variant) distributed by OURO

Nationality/Ethnicity: Indian, currently resides in southeast Britain. ORANGE color ID

Age: 33KR (date of genesis January 4th, 2019)

Occupation: simple electronics assembler for Loxton-Duchêne

About:

Deepali Nibhanupudi is the surrogate daughter of Mona Nibhanupudi, and goes by the alias Deepali Nagarkar to avoid association with him. She is considered the first and therefore oldest krtrim ever created.

Mona formally trained Deepali in kalaripayattu as a form of discipline throughout her youth. Though Class-1B civilian vessels only stand at five feet (152cm) tall and have smaller proportions than a human her height, she is a formidable threat with her extensive martial arts background. She is quick to think on her feet and highly observant. However, her timid and often pushover nature make her unassertive, and she only exercises violence if the situation is dire enough.

Deepali is quiet, and does not usually speak until spoken to. Her shyness gives her the appearance of stoicism, though in the presence of those she trusts, she is possesses a charming wit and bright personality. She is deeply loyal to those she cares about, even it means risking her own life. She enjoys painting, knit sweaters, and playing word games like Sudoku or Scrabble.

Background:

For what is believed to be sentimentality, Mona kept Deepali for himself shortly after creating her. While other krtrim were advertised as workers to be sold off to corporations, Deepali was raised like a human child. Despite her reserved personality in adulthood, Deepali was very mischievous in her youth, which created tension between her and Mona's strict parenting regimen. Though she expressed her desire to go out into society to make friends, Mona banned her from ever leaving his custody, and she grew to resent him as time passed. In the rare times he was present, Mona would either subject her to training or tests of her cognition. The rest of the time he was largely absent, often traveling for business related to OURO.

After his death in 2029, his estate was ceased by interpol, causing her to flee into the surrounding city. Upon entering the streets she was marked for repossession. She finds and befriends another krtrim named Viggy, a former rickshaw driver, who is also on the run after the company he worked for disposed of all its krtrim staff. Together they try to escape to Bangladesh, but are ultimately caught by OURO authorities. Viggy is killed, and Deepali attempts to commit suicide. She is captured before she can go through with it.

Upon learning of her connection with Mona, Deepali is spared from repossession and instead interrogated for information. Robopsychologist Dr. Emelie Yadavalli is assigned to probe her mind to see what she knows. Deepali’s mental health spirals as she’s questioned on her purpose and the validity of her memories, developing rapid onset magnetic actuator deviancy (ROMAD), also known as Corruption. When OURO concludes that she has nothing to offer them, they plan to retire her permanently, but Emelie decides to buy her vessel-hood out of pity. She rehabilitates her, and once the war is over, she allows her to live on her own devices in Europe.

For the next 10 years, Deepali works as a simple electronics assembler for OURO’s Auxiliary branch in southeast Britain. She lives in a small apartment on the outer edges of Auxiliary by the coast.

[weepingwitch]

Hi, do you want bug reports for sudoku land? Ran into an arrangement with 2 different valid answers

thank you!

that's actually intentional at the moment :) unless one of the valid answers is getting flagged as an error?

i know traditional sudoku puzzles have only one solution, but since the vibe of sudoku land was kinda chill and sandboxy from the beginning (i.e. i wanted you to be able to build your own full board from a blank slate), i decided to allow multiple-solution puzzles no matter what. the goal is making a full grid, and if there are two valid arrangements you can pick the one you like better!

[aokozaki]

If you replace "love" with "faith", it might be a bit easier to see.

If someone hands you a sudoku puzzle, but for whatever reason you think "this is a gag puzzle, it has no valid solution", then you won't even bother trying.

Sudoku's a shit example, but it makes more sense for a mystery novel. Unless you have faith in the author's solution, you'll give up before even trying.

[sasster]

sudoku is a valid fantroll name btw

[rosaliasregalia]

List 5 things that make you happy, then put this in the askbox for the last 10 people who reblogged something from you! get to know your mutuals and followers (ू•‧̫•ू⑅)

Crocheting, gifts, human interaction, My Pup and finishing sudoku puzzles completely mentally which is silly but damn the satisfaction and internal validation I get from it is insane