#video game botany

[lycomorpha]

It's Friday. Please enjoy this brittlegill fungus sketch from my mailing list zine. And this page of associated fungi sketchbook carnage 🍄✏️ (The ink drawing from my AC Valhalla video game botany illustrations is on that sheet too)

[autumnsaesthetics]

🍁 Cozy Video Games For Autumn 🍁

Part Two!

(Row One) 🍁

Costume Quest

Costume Quest 2

Lemon Cake

(Row Two) 🍂

Mail Time

Witchy Life Story

Strange Horticulture

(Row Three) 🍁

Garden Story

Kynseed

Botany Manor

(Whether the games themselves are Autumnal is up to you but these are just cozy games where you can curl up and (hopefully) you're not on edge while playing 😂)

[amatobrooklyn]

a typical day for a botanist on Space Station 13. It's funny, but only in the game. remember this, kittens

[mercisnm]

I was already having my moon cake (green tea paste, double salted egg yolk, thank you for asking) when this idea struck. It is a bit late now but here's modern!Tissaia and Yennefer with their paper lanterns on Mid autumn festival night.

Said moon cake:

[solar-powered-potato]

It's Botany Manor release day but I live in stupid Scotland which is several (idk how many, what do I look like, a clock?) hours ahead of any part of the US.

I've pre-installed the game but the PLAY button just tells me "oh no no, you're too early!". Aaaaargh. If anyone knows the actual release time please let me know. I'm absolutely rabid for this concept and NEED to play it ASAP.

[lupinus-bicolor]

someone please. please. you have to look at video game plants with me. its important

[gardenfractals]

Have you ever wondered why in modern video games, you never see the same tree twice? It's thanks to L-systems, named after Hungarian botanist Aristid Lindenmayer. L-systems are a very simple recipe for making branching structures that look like real plants, with different tweaks to parameters and a dash of randomness added in to bring to life that natural chaos we all know and love 🌳 Why do real plants follow this pattern? It has to do with the physics of how branches break off, how water moves through the structure, and also maximizing the amount of sunlight that can be absorbed by all the leaves 🌞

[defconprime]

Botany Bay from Star Trek Fleet Command

[littlemxhoney]

Want to be a botanist? Solve puzzles? Explore a gorgeous manor with SO MANY beautiful gardens?

Check out Botany Manor! I love this new cozy puzzle game from Whitethorn Games & getting to play as Arabella Green in the 1800s.

Check out my let's play video here! Let's Play Botany Manor

[lycomorpha]

Dusty's field notes and sketchbook

Flora of Kreet: Dust root

Found in volcanic habitat nr research outpost on Kreet, moon of Anselon, Narion system

Largest plant species in area, 2-2.5m tall, other small scrubby plants/grasses visible, all appear red

Single stem forms a loop - emerges, puts out aerial roots leaning in direction of growth, reconnects to ground

Small needle-like cauline leaves arranged in threes at intervals along whole of stem

Incongruously colourful pod (could be to attract seed-spreading wildlife?) in cerise pink and turquoise

Pod is source of fibre, intricate tiered surface texture

Stem and roots have a rough, peeling or wrinkled texture

Are these huge looping stems individual plants, or is each part of an even larger underground whole? Is the structure we see above ground only there to spread seeds from its pod, or is it perennial? So many questions, no time to dig for answers.

Video game botany: the flora of Starfield

Alternative title: "People got me games and now here I am with even more botany nonsense lol." I have many video game botany things I want to do, and not enough time. So for BG3 and Starfield, I'm just sketching as I go and making field notes as if I was out with the botanists IRL. Dusty's field sketches for Starfield, notes from druid Tav in BG3. First up...

~

Dust root

The first plant I came across in Starfield. I wonder whether the dust root plants we see above ground are many individuals or each parts of a mostly-subterranean whole. Some plants on earth rarely emerge above ground and most of their life cycle happens out of sight. I've read about at least one plant that even flowers underground. So maybe dust root is like that and just puts up these loops when it's time to go to seed? Their brightly coloured seed pods seem so incongruous compared to every other plant around. So maybe the colour attracts fauna that eat and spread seeds.

~

There are things I love in Starfield (botany, Andreja, ship-building) and things I do not (why TF can I not give Cora Coe books??, needing to run soooo many mods, the persuasion omfgs.) But it's game with botanical/entomological opportunities, so I'm in.

Dusty and dust root. They'd probably smile if they weren't about to be jumped by a Kreet stalker, little baskets won't let people botanise in peace FFS

[elitheaceofalltrades]

Botany Manor Demo Review

Continuing with reviewing games I played from Nextfest, we have Botany Manor!

Planned Release Date: 9th April, 2024

Botany manor first got on my radar after watching Kennedy play a demo of it on Youtube last year. I immediately wanted it and I grabbed the demo myself the first chance I got😂😂

Botany manor is a first person exploration-puzzle game where you play as a retired botanist. The demo is the first two puzzles and a small area of the map but even just that gave you a lot to explore. I was originally interested in this game because I like puzzles, I like flowers and I like good artstyles. Botany manor delivered on all of that and more and I'm really glad I played it and super excited for it to come out in just under 2 months!! Now to my thoughts.

Pros

The puzzles were interesting. I like that they're in the form of how to grow the particular plant and that you get a coloured drawing of the plant once you complete the puzzle.

I like that as you find clues you can log them in your journal and that it tells you how many clues each puzzle has. Sometimes in games, you forget what a particular clue said or you're not sure if you found all or not and this gives you a more organised method without making the game feel too easy

I liked that all the rooms were labelled because I am a person that gets turned around and lost quite easy in video games😆😆

I think the story is going to be amazing. Obviously in the demo, we didn't really get to see much of the storyline but there were a lot of background clues that flesh out the plot and makes Botany Manor feel like it was a real place and Arabella feel like a real person. I only saw small stuff like the letter from her sister and the family tree but even from those, I learnt a lot about Arabella already!

These next two don't pertain as much to me but...

If 1st person games make you motion sick, they have options in the settings to help with that. This isn't something I've ever experienced but I know a lot of people do

following on from the above, i found there were a lot of accessiblity options which I thought was nice. I used them to make the crosshair a bit bigger but I know they can be useful for a lot of people.

Cons

Not much if I'm being honest. I really liked the game. My only complaint, and this is me nitpicking, is that I felt like my controller was a bit janky, as in movement wasn't as smooth as I would like. However, I do want to note that I did not mess with the settings at all, so that could have 100% been a me problem.

Overall, it was a fun game and I'm excited for the full release. I'm not sure how much this game will cost or exactly how many puzzles this game will have, though from the demo I think the map will be quite large. From what I think it will have I think that with enough puzzles this game could easily be worth US$20/GBP£15. If it's released higher than that, I would honestly say to still wishlist it and wait for a sale cause I think it's a worthwhile game to have!

Final Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

~Eli

Ace of All Trades, Pro at None😆

[joshbadwriter]

Steam Next Fest began earlier this week and a tidal wave of incredible demos! Here are some of the hidden gems you need to keep an eye on!

[aradhalia]

Yellow Flowers from FF7 <3

[hamspamandjamsandwich]

Kurama is such a complex character, god love him. The way I see him is: I mean he’s literally actually only Yoko Kurama.

“Oh he’s here. He’s me.”

So we have three personas here: Kurama, Yoko Kurama, and Shuuichi Minamino. While he has these three identities, he doesn’t have three personalities. That is to say, he’s one being, two different pieces that merged.

That’s where shit gets really interesting. My interpretation of this is that the merger came packaged with a human soul and body, and that the human parts are what gives him a conscience and a heart and a moral compass, and things such as. I doubt this is an original idea I just wanted to muse lol.

Shuuichi doesn’t bring a different personality. I think Shuuichi provided the things that make us human and a body. Those things are part of the human soul. Empathy, guilt, love. Yoko was always still himself, it’s how Kurama remembers everything, it’s literally just him. He’s simply changed as a person due to being plagued with humanity.

And that’s such a fun idea to me. Yoko Kurama, the legendary bandit, king of thieves—having personality rehab via the human experience. I think it just changed him the way anyone can change, sorta. He begins to feel pretty shitty about the things he’s done and feels guilty about everything with regards to his mother. All this comes together and makes him…a better version of himself? A better person? And I like that.

there is no Shuuichi outside of an adopted persona/identity for Kurama—like I don’t think he brought anything outside of what comes with nature, genetics, and a human soul (which I personally don’t think is the sum of someone’s personality, just what gives them spiritual life? If that makes sense).

But man, it makes me love Kurama so much more when I don’t think of Yoko as a different self or something that can be abandoned, it’s simply a previous version of himself. The past. So I think his 15 years as semi-human simply gave Yoko some insane character development.

Experiencing being unconditionally loved—the very idea that a relationship need not be transactional—being loved beyond what you can do for them. Being loved for existing, and nothing else. I truly think that his humanity responded well to being loved during the “early childhood development” stage and it gives him a way more stable sense of self than he should have tbh

And much like actual prison (or maybe more accurately rehab or inpatient etc), he has nothing but time and passes it by taking up interests and hobbies. He got to find stuff he enjoys about being human and ningenkai. He already liked plants obviously, but it’s so sweet to imagine him really developing an interest in botany and gardening and keeping houseplants etc. Learning to cook with Shiori and actually really liking it—I mean hey he gets to use some of those plants he’s been growing.

Big reader, obviously. He wants to know everything, and he knows so much already, yet humans keep inventing new shit to learn about, so that works out well. School and education get to be competitive sports that he’s the best at, again obviously. All manner of puzzles, games (tabletop and video of course), mystery books and films; if you can analyze it or crack a code somehow, he’s good with it. A real people-watcher, the disdain for humanity begins to fade over time and observation—they’re not so bad after all.

I like that he grows very comfortable in his human form. He’s pretty and appears to really own that (he lucked out there, huh? Incubated in a human that will be so attractive in the future lol), and I think that being raised by his mother (and perhaps this is some of that aforementioned Shuuichi nature) has him “in touch with his feminine side.” So I imagine he doesn’t miss his Yoko body too much, until he suddenly gets it back for a moment and is reminded of how good it felt to be himself. Good in a sinful, hedonistic way, that is. He clearly doesn’t want to be that way, but 1000+ year old habits die hard, right?

Idk I love Yoko Kurama that’s all folks that’s one of my headcanons or maybe it’s actually canon who knows. I just wanted to muse about my favorite kitsune.

[dualityvn]

I'm sorry Tenebris, but I am suuuuuper monogamous and only romantically interested in Keith. I still think you're really cool and I hope we can still be friends! I look forward to binging anime with you, eating more sweets than what's considered healthy with you, going stargazing together, watching you play guitar, enlisting your help for beating video games because I am awful at gaming, and more! I really like you, so I hope you don't mind a platonic relationship while I pursue a romantic one with Keith!

Keith, I look forward to nerding out about our interests, learning more about botany from you (I am descended from serial plant killers and I certainly have no green thumb, so I hope I can learn a thing or two from you lol), sharing book suggestions and talking about what we've read, sharing recipes and cooking together, and potentially doing couple-ly stuff together

(Have been seeing a lot of comments stating the opposite, so I figured I put in my thoughts because Keith deserves some romantic attention <3)

Keith is swooning at your words and already considering asking for your hand in marriage.

Tenebris is giving you a shrug and a thumbs up. He can live with that.

[well-liked-but-ineffectual]

I was bored, so here are some NPMD headcanons

Steph -AFAB, she/they -biromantic, bisexual, and polyamorous -She can pull anyone and everyone -she dyes her hair a lot -They do really good makeup and put makeup on the rest of the nerdy prudes -She kinda smells like nutmeg? -She plays a lot of video games -Lowkey a twitter comedian -Allergic to cats and pollen -Likes sweet foods more than salty -Their favourite movie is Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

Pete -AMAB, he/they + neos -biromantic and bisexual -the most responsible out of the group -not when it comes to Steph though, he would do anything for her -he would jump off a bridge if they did -Steph sometimes puts makeup on them and no one wants to admit it but they would make a really pretty girl -He reads a lot of classic novels and writes like dissertations on that shit for fun -most likely out of the nerdy prudes to join the smoke club -Spends like 75% of his time day dreaming but also somehow takes impeccable notes in school -They like the spring but get major allergies -falls in love super easily -enjoys gardening -Left handed and has pretty handwriting -favourite colour is green

Ruth -she/they/he + neos -She could be trans or cis i honestly don't know -biromantic and bisexual they will take anyone who will have them -Charlotte’s younger half-sister -Theatre kid till the day she dies (literally) -Knows a lot about mushrooms -can read tarot cards -Listens to old weird music like Kate Bush, showtunes, or like......fucking Hazbin Hotel music -Bo Burnham liker -Changes her name a lot but never sticks with it -Knows a lot of obscure plays -also falls in love super easily

Richie -AFAB he/him -bisexual and demibiromantic -He’s really not all that concerned with romance -He kind of has a thing for Steph though (everyone does) -tries to get his friends into anime but none of them really understand it -he’s an anime guy, ruth's a theatre guy. they may be besties but they just don't quite understand each other -Reada a ton of comic books -plays Pokémon -beats everyone at Super Smash Bros and Mario Kart EXCEPT Steph -one time he beat Paul (his uncle) at Mario Kart and Paul had a midlife crisis -he makes kandi and gives them to all his friends -Gets gender envy from anime characters

Grace -AFAB, she/her -lesbian -Okay she's the other most likely nerdy prude to join the smoke club -i have this idea in my head of her and Pete becoming stoners together -her and Pete are besties kind of -Really just a bundle of anxiety -knows a lot about botany -has like six versions of the same exact outfit -rides her bike everywhere -Has the shakiest hands of all time -Gets really nervous around Steph -stress baker

Max -AMAB, he/him -biromantic and bisexual because I said so. bi rights. -Unironically down kind of bad for Grace. She sort of hates him and is sort of just scared of him -possibly the worst cook known to man -okay so in my head he tries to impress Grace all the time but it never works -also has a lowkey massive crush on Kyle.....why else would he be so adamant that he can't date Brenda -Chronically offline. He won't STOP touching grass. He doesn't own a phone -has no concept of personal boundaries -Kind of a theatre kid. Secretly.