#video games are kinda like toys in a sandbox to me

[superchat]

quote of the day that i rlly liked when watching an anyaustin vid was "games are impressionist pieces of art"

[kanansdume]

I don't know if you wanted a legit answer to this since it's in the tags, but the answer is "It depends on whether you consider the books canon or not" I guess.

For me, I tend not to. Books are, at best, supplementary material that things like the films and even the TV shows often ignore. I know Lucas certainly did. More often than not, especially pre-Disney, the books worked like officially licensed fanfiction. They played in the same sandbox with some of the same toys, but the real story was whatever Lucas decided it was (even if he pulled something out of Legends and into canon, he often never included all of it and/or changed it to suit his own purposes because he didn't feel an obligation to fitting his story into the continuity established in the books). The books themselves don't even try that hard to keep to the same continuity with EACH OTHER, and Disney's newer content definitely doesn't care all that much about any of the books that came before the buy-out.

So, with all that in mind, what I consider "canon" tends to be the first six films and the first six seasons of TCW (and even TCW is on thin ice some days). The highest level of DISNEY canon would include all of their films and generally all of the shows released on Disney Plus (while Disney kinda tries harder to keep more of a coherent continuity between the films/shows and books/video games, there's still a clear hierarchy between them). And you can make a solid argument that everything produced by Disney at all is just more officially licensed fanfiction since it's no longer being made by the original author/creator. The Jedi Apprentice novels, which someone else mentioned in the tags as well, have never actually been canon. They were written between TPM and AOTC and several things within that series have already been overridden by higher canon stuff anyway (the aging out at 13 thing got overridden by Ahsoka in TCW, the idea of a lightsaber shorting out in water got overridden immediately in AOTC, etc etc).

So when I consider whether the concept of the Jedi walking silently is "canon" or not, I am NOT looking at the books at all. I am looking at the films, I am looking at TCW, and I might even be willing to look at some of the films and shows in Disney canon to see if they're choosing to bring it in anywhere. As far as I can recall, the Jedi can certainly walk QUIETLY if they want to, when they're sneaking around, but there hasn't been an indication that they walk silently so often that they regularly sneak up on other people without even meaning to. There's DEFINITELY no indication that this is something they've actually trained in.

This is why I called it a headcanon, although since I'd forgotten it had shown up in the Jedi Apprentice novels somewhere, you could argue that it's not really a headcanon but more accurately a piece of Legends canon. However, it's a piece of Legends that still works within the more official canons. Just because it's never actually showed up within canon doesn't mean it's been contradicted there entirely (there never seems to be any indication that the Jedi are regularly accidentally sneaking up on non-Jedi, like the clones, the way you see happen in fics sometimes, but it doesn't mean it couldn't have happened occasionally off-screen).

One of my favorite Jedi headcanons is that Jedi walk so quietly that they basically don't make any sound. Whether it's intentionally trained to the point that it's become a habit and they never think about it, it's intentionally trained and they're DOING it intentionally (either for practical reasons or just to fuck with someone), or it's some weird side effect of being Force sensitive that they can't control and everyone just has to figure out how to deal with it, I don't care, I love it all.

10/10 headcanon, 5 stars, no notes.

[twixtandshout]

Tagged by @pidgeonpostal! And not tagging anyone else because I have SOILED the original template (soiled it!!) in deference to my [brushes off skirt] mostly clean public-facing appearance.

...I’ve been making a lot of Spongebob memes lately for someone who has not seen Spongebob.

How many works do you have on AO3?

71!

What’s your total AO3 wordcount?

...306,834. Jesus.

How many fandoms have you written for and what are they?

Uh. Many! I do a lot of one-offs (and/or start long things I never finish) in many different places. My top three fandoms by fics written are RWBY (29), Undertale (25), Gravity Falls/Transcendence AU (4).

Bet you can’t tell where my hyperfixations have fallen. 

I’ve also got some Pokémon and Sonic the Hedgehog fics back on my ff.net account, or I think I still do, anyway, but let’s never go back there pls

What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

1. Sweeter Than Honey (Undertale): Taking a Completely unsurprising first place, with over 600 more kudos than the runner-up, the haphazard Underswap fic featuring a post-college self-insert I wrote just after high school! I shake my head some at how overblown and ridiculous the gap between this and all my other stuff is (c’mon, guys, I’ve written way better fics), but this is also the fic which prompted me (and at least one other person!) to start using they/them pronouns. I’ve gotten a lot of really sweet comments about how seen and appreciated it’s made people feel, so I can’t get down too far about it.

2. To Be A Hero (BNHA): I don’t count myself as part of the BNHA fandom, for a number of reasons, but for something that’s arguably the main motivation for the entire plot, Midoriya’s quirklessness is something I’ve never thought has been handled well. This fic marked the first time I (somewhat tentatively) claimed the disability label (thanks again to Sweeter Than for prompting that realization) to hold that lens over canon. It also really shot up my chart, dang! It’s the only thing here I’d consider “recent.”

3. Three-Sentence Shipping (Undertale): Self-explanatory.

4. Brothers Beyond Bonedaries (Undertale): Ah, the way-overcomplicated AU³ I got nowhere close to finishing. One of the things I really like about Undertale is the interface screw, how Toby Fox uses the medium of the video game to pull off crazy things and enhance his game, but most of the fic written for the fandom seems dedicated to explaining it away, grounding it, rather than taking it to the next step and messing with the medium of fanfiction when you keep the story going. I tried to do something cool like that here, playing with questions like narrator and authorship and breaking the fourth wall, even taking the “final boss” fight to a “totally separate” fic reached through the first by link – but, well, then I never finished it, which probably didn’t make anything less confusing for the poor folks who missed the intent.

5. Spirit and Such (Gravity Falls: Transcendence AU): A whole fic written to line out a particular image I had, which, naturally, never made it to the page. I consider it a bit of a cautionary tale for myself when it comes to writing (near-)original content; there’s a lot I look back on and cringe. I still love the characters, though – well, the important ones – and I think just stepping away from the tried-and-true Mizar formula nets it a star sticker here.

Do you respond to comments, why or why not?

>w>; I try, but a lot of the time I just don’t have anything to say? Like, oh, you liked it? Neat. There’s not much to respond to in comments like that, and then I’m weighing falling down on an ~obligation~ to respond to every message in my inbox vs annoying people with copy-paste fluff responses all down the page. Plus I know I make more of an effort to comment on things that didn’t get the attention I feel they deserve, so if I’m driving up my own comment count with nonsense, am I preventing myself from being in a position to receive more comments later? And then if I do comment, am I being too effusive or running people’s ears off explaining things they don’t actually need to know? Sometimes people just want to express interest or admiration and don’t necessarily want a whole peek and guided tour behind the curtain.

Can you tell I have anxiety? x3;

Anyway, I do respond when I can. And I keep most of the comments I’ve gotten to go back and reread. 

What’s the fic you’ve written with the angstiest ending?

Hm, hmm. Lots of stuff in the TQ Nonsense series would probably qualify! I’m thinking of Unfixable, Wolfsong, and Ethanol. And there’s Bursting Through A Blood-Red Sky (I Can Live, I Can Breathe), of course, but that was always intended to have a fix-it epilogue. It’s just that I wrote it in a couple of hours day-of, stared at it, and decided I didn’t wanna just then. But now that’s As Long As You’re Still Burning Bright (I’m Still Awake), and that’s probably the best romance I’ve written, so that one worked out.

Do you write crossovers? If so what is the craziest one you’ve ever written?

Now and then! When the urge strikes. Uhhh, I’ve got a series of Doctor Who x Undertale crossovers I actually made a whole dang verse for that never made it to print. Get a couple great comments on that every few months or so. I think the World Trigger x Undertale crossover is probably weirder, though, by virtue of WT being a very small fandom. My enthusiasm kinda sputtered out on that one.

Mostly I just daydream crossovers with whatever happens to catch my eye at any given moment. I have a lot!!!! Though odds are out on whether I manage to remember any of them once the initial thought’s passed, lol.

Have you ever received hate on a fic?

Gotten a couple eyebrow-raising comments, but I think mostly I’m just too small a writer to draw that kind of attention.

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

I don’t? think so? Think my tastes are a little niche for most people to bother ^^;

Have you ever had a fic translated?

I had someone apologize once for any language mistakes in their comment cause they had to run it through a translator! That’s not what you asked (the answer is no), but it’s very flattering to think that someone liked my fic enough to read and comment despite the language barrier.

Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Yes! :D @pidgeonpostal was gracious enough to agree to co-write Five Nights at Denny’s with me off an idea about shoes. This has fulfilled a long-held dream of mine (collabing with someone, not the shoes) and also introduced me to some lovely people.

What’s your all time favorite ship?

Who has time for just one? ;3c Honestly, I care more about the characters and how the relationship – any relationship – between them changes them than I do about ~A Ship~ as a solid, bounded noun-object. I’ve got characters I like more and less and feelings about who does and doesn’t have chemistry in which directions with whom, but finding anything that agrees with those preferences is hard, harder when you take alloromanticism into account. I’ll play in any sandbox with cool toys, especially if other folks have already built sick sandcastles there.

What’s a WIP that you want to finish but don’t think you ever will?

[kicks every single unfinished fic further under the bed] What nooo no WIPs here, everything on my account is either finished or does not exist

I’ve got a couple extra chapters of Sweeter Than floating around unposted, but 1. that fic’s a mess 2. high school Twixt and post-college Twixt are different people and trying to contort myself into three other me-shapes just cause people Like this fic is not something I’m super interested in 3. it’s headed for an emotional dip and I’d rather leave it where it is than post two chapters, stall out again, and leave folks with a bad end.

As for other fics... it’s looking more and more likely that v7 of my Yellow Brick Road AU will never actually make it out. >w>; I’ve got some really great ideas, but not enough to make me feel like I know what I’m doing, and that’s a big roadblock. Plus trying to engage with RT’s Atlas-Mantle worldbuilding in any serious capacity is... a headache. I can’t recommend the Happy Huntress Cinematic Universe enough, but it leaves some pretty big shoes to follow! And I’ve got small feet. <w<;

What are your writing strengths?

Dialogue’s fun, probably as an extension of characterization. I love tearing into what makes people tick, especially against the backdrop of their environment, the story they’re in, and the people they’re up against. Voice is a double-edged sword; I’ve been told my writing is really recognizable and individual, but on the other hand, I’ve been growing frustrated with with the limits of my narrative ability. There’s a strong rhythm I keep when I write (you might notice it here, even) but that leaves me feeling predictable and stale. I’m not sure I’m great at setting as a matter of course, but I’m pretty good at describing setpieces where the need comes up; that comes from my background in poetry, as does the fun I have with sublimating and abstracting complex imagery. And I think I bring some needed nuance to the universal. For good or ill, I don’t do what “everyone else” is doing.

What are your writing weaknesses?

Well, writing, for one thing. If I don’t know how something’s going to go and don’t have the urge to write it, it isn’t getting done, which means there’s a billion things that will never see the page and a few hundred more that are never getting finished. I lose momentum easily and have a hard time getting started, and I put way too much standing on finding a foothold with other people; as critical as I am of my work, I have high expectations for the stuff that passes muster, and it never seems to measure up. I’m also really uncreative. Yeah, I can mix up elements and extrapolate events, but coming up with things wholesale is really hard, which is why I avoid it wherever possible and steal/reskin stuff from other places instead.

What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic?

Something along the lines of “Hoo boy, I am Not qualified for this but hopefully it’s decent anyway.” Maria’s Spanish lines haven’t been a big deal – I’ve used it sparingly and, as a Latin language, it should be easy for English-speaking audiences to pick up on the gist – but I’ve had a harder time with Tai’s Chinese, both because I have Even Less background there and because it is, of course, an entirely different language system. If I write it out in English or Romanized italics, am I colonizing it or changing the meaning? If I write it out in the presumed-original characters (presumed because it’s Google Translate and who knows if I’m even barking in the right forest), am I confusing or alienating my presumed-majority-English-speaking audience? Where should I put the translations? Should I put the translations? And for Frisk’s sign language, thinking back, are the brackets I used instead of quotes alienating/infantilizing? I like that different characters give the text between a different feel, but I’m not an ASL speaker – and I’m pretty sure the word is “speaker,” which would only reinforce that that demographic would rather I didn’t do that. It’s important for all these characters, I think, that they use non-English language where it makes sense; it’s part of who they are. But as a white monolingual English-speaker, I don’t think I can really weigh in.

What was the first fandom you ever wrote for?

Thaaaat’d be Pokémon, followed closely with Sonic the Hedgehog. Whether those fics are still on my ff.net account or not (pretty sure I’ve purged them, but you never know) I’ve still got a couple saved to a folder on my current laptop, ostensibly so I can look back and see how far I’ve come and more practically to allow for the possibility of furthering group cohesion through public shaming.

What’s your favorite fic you’ve written?

I still like the idea behind The Man Who Is Atlas, and Burning Bright (Still Awake) gets props for being my current fic, though it’s currently in that spot where I’m excited to get new chapters posted but also quietly marking everything up in red pen. I think Harbinger gets the crown here, at least for now.

[waezi2okko]

Top Ten OK KO episodes

In the "Incredibles" movie, the bad guy Syndrome plans on staging a fight to become a famous superhero. And when he eventually becomes too old for that, he plans on selling his technology so anyone can become super, arguing that if EVERYONE is super... no one is.

"OK KO, Let's Be Heroes" has a different view on this. In the show, EVERYONE is super, so everyone are AWESOME!

"OK KO" is one of those shows that are so wholesome and fun that you stop thinking about logic and just accept this strange world of heroes and villains who takes inspiration from video games, comicbooks, action movies, mangas and more stuff hero-related. It has a feel of a game being played in a sandbox by kids who brought their random toys and are just going with it.

In the show, our main character is KO, a 6-11 year old kid who wants to become a hero. In order to get experience and be more familiar with the world of heroes, KO takes a job in a bodega run by his idol Mr. Gar. KO befriends Enid and Rad, the teens who works in the store as well, and assists them in running the bodega as well as defending it from destruction whenever the evil scientist Lord Boxman(who lives at the other side of the street) attacks the bodega with his evil robot children.

Yeah, it's kinda silly:P But in an awesome way.

Besides the humor, the creative character designs and the many references that will make you feel old if you get them, it is also the modern cartoon show that I think does the best relationships as well developing said relationships(sorry Steven Universe). Anyways, made this blog because I feel my main one has too much OK KO stuff, so I will start of this one with a top ten of the best episodes of the series.

Number 10: We Messed Up.

I HAVE to include this episode on the list since it was the first I watched.

Mr. Gar is out, and he has SPECIFICALLY told his employees to stay away from his office.

... So they go to his office. And breaks his stuff. The three friends must figure out how to stall their boss as well as how to replace the picture of KO's mom(that he for some reason has) so Mr. Gar won't be... disappointed!

I HAD to include this episode on the list since it was the first OK KO ep I watched. Also, a lot of lore was revealed in this episode, leading up to future episodes and storylines as we learn that Mr. Gar used to be on a superhero team with KO's mom Carol AND that Mr. Gar apparently used to be a masked wrestler. That, and the episode is just plain funny, mostly because of Mr. Gar being extra as heck!

Number 9: Whacky Jaxxyz

When KO gets introduced to the game and toy Whacky Jaxxyz by his cool classmate Nanini, KO jumps aboard the trend and even enters a tournament with Nanini.

Buuuut then they meet other people who play Whacky Jaxxyz as well and realize that the game's fandom is rather toxic.

And by "rather", I mean "VERY".

As a kid from the late 90s and early 00s, I can relate to this episode since I collected stuff such as Bayblades, Yugioh cards and such. I still feel cheated sometimes by the Yugioh franchise as well as being irritated by the fans of it who can sometimes ruin it for me. This episode shows how something fun can get ruined by both the people who provides it as well as the people who obsess over it.

Also, famous YouTuber ProZD is guest star:)

Number 8: Let's Watch the Boxmore Show

When KO and his friends are about to defend the bodega against another robot attack from Boxmore, they realize that they don't have to lift a finger since the robots are fighting EACH OTHER. Wanting to know what is going on, Mr. gar gives his employees permission to use his monitor room since he has hacked the surveillance cameras of Boxmore, allowing them to see what is going on in the robot factory. Our heroes realize that there is a competition in Boxmore, EXTREMELY similar to a reality TV-show. KO, Rad and Enid ends up getting addicted to watching the "show", even rooting for their favorite robot and ends up quarreling about who deserves to win or lose.

I grew up in the golden age of reality TV-show and can recognize the stereotypes WAY too well, both the contestants as well as the fans who obsess over the shows. This was just such a stupidly hilarious episode to watch. And Christopher Niosi who voices minor characters was on the top of his game in this episode.

Also, if you don't know Christopher Niosi, you should check out his YouTube channel.

Number 7: My Dad Can Beat Up Your Dad

KO gets in an insult contest with another kid named Chameleon Junior. And like all kids, Chameleon Junior argues that his dad could beat up KO's dad. And this specific insult gets to KO since... well, he DOESN'T have a dad. So he tells CJ that he might not have a dad, but that his mom Carol can beat anyone up. The two boys part ways to get their parents to fight to prove who has the stronger dad/mom. Carol tries to teach KO a lesson about talking things out, and... yeah, things escalate when a godzilla-sized chameleon dad is involved.

I was tempted to place this episode on the number one spot imply because watching a very angry hand-to-hand fighter mom beat up a giant lizard was amazing. But the ending twist that is a reference to old Godzilla movies was clever as heck. Chameleon Senior is revealed to actually being a giant man in a lizard costume, kinda like how old Godzilla movies had a man in such a costume.

Number 6: T.K.O.

KO is frustrated since he still doesn't have powers like Rad and Enid and worries that he will never become a true hero.

But then he meets a shadowy figure who tells him that he can help him reach his true potential.

... Yeah, KO shouldn't have trusted the guy.

I kinda knew from the start that KO would end up having an evil side that made him powerful, especially since he looks so much like Ryu from Street Fighter. But the way his dark side(AKA Turbo KO) is introduced is actually rather creative. It isn't anger that makes KO go dark, it is a combination of a whole lot of negative emotions that appears when he feels insignificant. That means that TKO has much more potential than just being a little angry monster, he is all of KO's negative emotions, including sadness, frustration and depression.

Number 5: Red Action To The Future

One of Enid's friends is a timetraveler called Red Action. When Red is getting a call from her Power-Ranger like team that tells her to return to the future, Enid is too proud to tell her not to go, fearing that Red would think less of her for being "clingy." But all Enid gets out of it is that Red is busy fighting a war in the future, and whenever she sees her again, it is only for short visits, and Red has aged months and years every time Enid sees her. Red ends up having lived a whole life in what was minutes for Enid.

With a show like OK KO where timetravel is a thing, you can have episodes that tackles with friends who doesn't say things to each other due to a mix of pride and shame, then realize that they missed their chance and a lifetime has passed. Enid gets to experience this much faster since Red is in the future, so time is relative.

Number 4: Rad Likes Robots

After an intense battle between the bogeda workers and the evil robots, one of the robots named Shannon gets hit by lighting and then falls in love with Rad who quickly becomes infatuated with the robot as well.

So, yeah. This is the Romeo and Juliet episode. But unlike other cartoon shows, this one does Romeo and Juliet right, if you ask me.

I actually mad e a whole blog about the episode that you can read RIGHT HERE.

Number 3: Know your Mom

KO's mom Carol is one of the strongest people in Lakewood next to Mr Gar. So it is sort of weird that she isn't a big-time superhero and instead just runs a fitness center.

When KO does research on his mom for Mother's Day, he finds out that she actually USED to be a big-time superhero. She was known as Silver Spark and was a member of the world's greatest superhero team POINT(Powerful Operatives Investigating and Neutralizing Trouble). But then she decided to quit the team 6-11 years ago. KO is horrified since HE is 6-11 years old, so he believes that he might be the reason to why Carol left POINT. So KO decides to call her archenemy and make him come fight her as the perfect gift.

What really sells this episode is Carol's old enemy Succulentus who is voiced by Jonathan Davis, the leading vocalist of the nu-metal band Korn. Most of his dialog has references to nu-metal songs, most of them I actually caught, making me feel old, especially since Succulentus is an old fart. Sure, he is old because he is a cactus, but it is still funny to be reminded of music you grew up with that is now considered "old".

Number 2: You're in Control

This was an awesome season one finale! Not only did it have an epic battle, it had been built up to through the whole season, making it that much more satisfying to watch. And it even had one heck of a cliffhanger that made me even more hyped about season two.

Number 1: Special Delivery

Enid and Rad are KO's best friends and pseudo older sibling. But they are also each others' best friend. So "Special Delivery" is an interesting episode since it focuses on Enid and Rad relationship without KO involved.

Someone has ordered a package from Mr. Gar's bodega, so Rad and Enid have been given the task of delivering it while KO stays in the store. The one who ordered it is in a town far away, so it is roadtrip time!

Rad and Enid actually has fun being together while driving to Neo Riot City... But Enid ends up having too much fun on Rad's expense.

Best friendship episode of the whole series since it focuses on communication and what the lack of it can cause since you can end up unintentionally hurt someone who is important to you. Also has the awesome and cliche song "I Wanna Get Out of Here" written by William Gibbons who is songwriter for the band Kara's Walk Home.

[lovemesomesurveys]

the good ol’ days...

When you were a kid…

Were you happy or sad when you found out your babysitter was coming? Yeah, my babysitters were my aunt or my older brother, both of which were fun. My aunt liked to do fun activities, like arts and crafts, play games, and watch movies. My brother liked making silly home videos. Like, we’d have our own talk show and pretend to be the host and guests and all that. I had a keyboard and he used it to make the theme song for our show and when we’d go to commercial break, which consisted of actual commercials on the TV lmao. It was fun.

Did you have a boyfriend in kindergarten? No.

Did you ever play hopscotch at school? No. That would be hard to do in a wheelchair. Did you refuse to eat your vegetables? I was very picky (still am).

What did you usually dress up as on Halloween? I was a witch and a vampire a lot.

What was your favorite television show? As a real little kid I was obsessed with Barney. As I got a little older I was into Arthur, NickJr, WB Kids, and Saturday morning cartoons that came on ABC (stuff like Recess and Pepperann).  Did you have D.E.A.R. time in school? (Drop Everything and Read) I remember silent reading and accelerated reading... I don’t remember having something like that specifically, but it’s possible. Or at least something like it. Did you ever read the ‘Magic Treehouse’ series? Yes. How about the 'Bailey School Kids’ series? Yep. Do you remember the first movie you ever saw in theaters? Not the first, but one that comes to mind is The Rugrats Movie.  Who was your best friend in elementary school? Angela was my best friend in some grades, but you know how kids are…once they vibe with someone else, they’ll hang out with them 24/7. Angela was a way more sociable kid so she got close with everyone, while I remained terrible at making friends. If she wasn’t my best friend at the time, I had no one. <<< Yeah, I definitely can relate to that. Friends changed all the time, one day you’re best friends with so and so and then the next you’re not and they’re playing with someone else. I had a few different best friends. It wasn’t until 5th grade that I made more permanent, real friends. Did they continue to be your best friend in middle school? Yes. I made a couple others as well. Did you ever watch 'The Land Before Time’ movies? Yes. Did you ever watch the show 'Arthur’? I loved Arthur. Did the tooth fairy give you a lot of money? It was a lot to me.  How often did you visit your nearest grandparents? I spent a lot of time at both sets of grandparents as a kid. My paternal grandparents moved out of state; though, when I was like 10, so we only saw them when they came to visit every summer for a couple months (they had an RV). My cousins and I were at my maternal grandparents’ house all the time. That was the family hangout spot. Did you ever play with 'Little People’ toys? Yes. How about Polly Pockets? Yes. Did you collect anything when you were a kid? Barbie dolls and clothes/accessories, Pokemon cards, stuffed animals, and rocks. My paternal grandparents did a lot of traveling and it became a thing between my Nana and I where she brought me back a rock from various places they went to. It started when she and I would go on walks together and I’d pick up pretty or cool looking rock. She’d write the place and date on it, so it’s pretty neat to look back on. Did you get an allowance? Yes. What was your favorite sport to play? What is it now? I never enjoyed sports. What foods did you not like then that you do like now? Spinach is one that comes to mind. I think it’s creamed spinach that I wasn’t a fan of (I don’t know if I’d like it now, haven’t tried it since then). I love regular spinach now with my scrambled eggs and sandwiches.  Were you into American Girl dolls? Nah. I loved played Barbies, but dolls like that weren’t my thing. What was your first pet and what did you name it? We had a dog named Buster when I was like 3 years old, so I don’t remember him much. However, we got a dog when I was 5 and I named him, Scruffy. He was with us until I was 18 years old.  Did you ever read the 'Junie B. Jones’ books? Yesss, I loved those. What did you want to be when you were a kid? A teacher. I loved playing school. What was your first word? Your first sentence? (If you remember) I’m not sure. Have you moved into a new house since you were a kid? We moved a few times when I was really little, but the house we moved into when I was about 5 we lived in until my early 20s. Were you friends with your neighbors? Yeah, I was really close to these 3 girls that lived next door. Did you enjoy exploring your backyard? I played out in the front yard more. Did you bake cookies with your grandparents? Yeah. What was your biggest fear when you were a kid? Bugs! That’s definitely still one of them. Who did you look up to most? My mom and grandma.  Did you ever play the 'Reader Rabbit’ computer games? Yes. Did you have a swing set in your backyard? I did. How about a sandbox? No. How old were you when you learned how to ride a bike? I didn’t ride a bike. Did you ever spy on your neighbors through the window? No... Were you a teacher’s pet in kindergarten? Haha yeah. I kinda always was. Teachers loved me. Did you ever build a treehouse or a fort in your yard? No. My cousins and I built blanket forts in the house, though. Did you ever find anything interesting in your yard? *shrug* Possibly. Did you ever have 'themed birthdays’? Yes. Did your parents let you drink soda? Yes.  Did you ever watch 'The Powerpuff Girls’ or 'Dexter’s Laboratory’? Yep yep. Did you sleep with a blanket or stuffed animal? Well, yeah, I slept with a blanket lol. I had stuffed animals on my bed with me as well. Did you ever have a night light? Yeah. My TV was also like my nightlight. I still have to sleep with my TV on. I need to have some light and sound. Did you watch 'Winnie the Pooh’? Yesss, the movies and the animated series on the Disney Channel. I loved Winnie the Pooh. Still do. Not too long ago I watched a few episodes on Disney+. Did you ever have an imaginary friend? What was their name? No. The only thing I did was make up other people that were there whenever my cousins and I played school or house. We’d make up other friends and give them names, as well as describe what they looked like and what they were wearing.  What kinds of games did you play with your friends during Recess? I remember 4-square and tag. I couldn’t go on the playground, so I don’t really remember what else we did to be honest. I guess just hung out or I watched them play on the playground.  Did you dream of being a princess or did you not really care about that? Nah, that wasn’t really my thing. Did you have a special name for your pacifier? What was it? Not that I can recall. Did you watch 'Blues Clues’? Yeppp. What kind of car did your parents have? I can picture a few of them, but I don’t recall what kind they were, exactly.  Did you ever flush anything down the toilet by mistake? I don’t think so. Were you afraid to sleep by yourself? I had to sleep with the door closed, I remember that. I still do that. I think I was okay by myself cause I had a TV.  What was your favorite subject in elementary school? English. Or Language Arts as it was called. How often did you go to the park? Not that often. We had some family get togethers/BBQs at parks when I was younger. I could also go on the playground then cause I had someone to help me. What was your favorite kind of cake as a kid? White cake with buttercream frosting. Yum. Did you ever want to grow up? Nooo. I wasn’t the kid who couldn’t wait to grow up, I very much enjoyed being a kid. Waaaah, take me back. D:

[starbright-cobweb]

I always feel like playing the Elder Scrolls at 11 ruined me for video games, because now I can't get through even 20 minutes of a Bioware game without being like "...oh wait, restrictions? restrictions which reveal character? What authoritarian dystopia is this?!" haha But yeah, I'm very much in the "no sexualities for NPCs" camp, because I like more of a sandbox mood: a sense of a story unfolding in my mind over time, just like when I play with my playmobil knights; they are my toys, and I participate in sculpting the narrative as a slower process. "Oh yeah and what if -!" might come up at any part of the participation; and it doesn't block off the possibility of NPCs having a sexuality (in my head), but it does give me more agency to participate in defining them. Games are participatory by nature: getting to participate in assigning a headcanon to a character is a freedom a game can offer which static media can't. I suppose like fandom, in a way: the fun of coupling up the protagonists in any old combination that appeals to you. And it gives the player more power in a media landscape where the gay characters are, realistically, going to be a mixed and stereotypical bag: what if the romance that interests you is with a character that no mainstream studio would ever permit for a person of your gender? Especially, I think, because "choose your gender and race and class" comes up as the first thing you do in a game, but it's often hours into the game when I feel attached enough to the world to really care about my character. Perhaps encountering a particular NPC I want to romance is the thing that gives my sense of belonging in a world a definite form? And that my character then shapes itself around. And because I tend to be a "play a game once" sort of person; so encountering content that's been locked by a decision I made 30 hours ago (and which was kinda arbitrary at the time) is an irritant. There are regular calls for the Sims to implement a clear, fixed sexuality system, instead of "everyone's theoretically bi" - but I like that, it means I can leave options open for characters until I'm ready to make some decisions. (as well as the game's ability to fly under censorship radars: "implementing sexuality is more hard work than just letting everyone date everyone so idgaf" game dev decisions have been the queer awakening of many a teen who suddenly discovers, right under their parents nose, that this is a thing that Exists) I'm OK with the idea of a NPC turning you down because of choices made throughout the narrative, so maybe there's also a queer resistance to the idea of "this first choice, and existing in a world with a rigid gender system, defines everything about you". Is this a game where my gender is regularly a barrier or advantage, where gender is constantly marked by the narrative? That makes it a key theme - and potentially, a very interesting game. or is the only NPC romances? Maybe I'm just bugged by the idea of thinking about the rigidity of gender in my leisure time. So yeah, the Elder Scrolls playstyle has kinda messed me up for other games. (It's also possible that I'm the kind of old gay who feels quite comfy with "none of these people have sexualities it's all a blank slate!" as a route to carving my own representation, and slightly more on-edge about the idea of there being a person like me? just canonically in the game??) I think the point is that if computer games are a medium you participate in, what is your role? & I think your preferred model is like, Player Character with a Dungeonmaster, whereas mine is like, Child with Toybox? Which parts are predetermined, and which parts are yours to play around with? I have a better time with as many choices as possible.

Just saw a post about how you should be able to romance every character and personally I think the correct approach would be to let you try to romance every character but also allow for those characters to have agency enough that it's not just a power fantasy where anyone and everyone will fall in love with you if you flirt with them. There should be aro characters who turn you down, people already in relationships who turn you down, people who aren't into your gender who turn you down, and imo also people who turn you down just simply because they don't like you.

I want these interactions to be rich, too, not just the succesful romances. I think one of the wonderful things about interactive storytelling is, or should be, the ability to have interactions with a wide variety of outcomes, including less "succesful" ones. Unrequited crushes aren't a lesser story if they're treated like a story rather than just implied by your inability to pursue it in the first place.

I don't want to have complete power over my companions in a game, I want them to act with their own will, their own mind, their own preferences. IMO while it wasn't super well implemented in Dragon Age 2, they were on to something with the friendship/rivalry idea. I don't want every character in a game to blindly like me and I don't want every character to be willing to date me and I don't want every character I can date to be the perfect boyfriend/girlfriend. I want them to be shitty sometimes and then I want to be able to roleplay a reaction to that. Hell, I want the option to break up with them and then get back together again, bc The Drama. I don't want every romance, particularly not in a roleplaying game, to be an escapist fantasy. And not because there's anything wrong with those, just because I want that variety. I think there is a place for games where every romance is an escapist fantasy (eg, lower difficulty dating sims) but I think for a lot of things, this would be far more interesting.

TL;DR I want the option to try to pursue a relationship with any character in a game, but I don't want that to always lead to a "succesful" romance.

[theisbifamilyisbi]

TIFI Chapter 1.7 Coup de Legacy

I think that’s a fitting title. 

In this chapter, I go on a roller coaster. 

This is an ominous beginning. And don’t be fooled, the household is so big it can’t handle a thumbnail.

Reeses cares more about the kids than their own parents. 

Reeses: “If I kill this child, would I be the next in line for heir?”

Lollipop: “Try me bitch.” 

For whatever reason, Twix is always geting in trouble and I never actually see her do anything. Although there was a trap in the bathroom for like two chapters that no one has hit yet (These gross peons don’t wash their hands after they use the toilet!) that I think she put there. 

Twix: “Watcher, why do I have to stand in the GROSS TOILET AREA?”

Yes, I am making the watcher from Sims Medieval their god.

Someone left their smol animal in the snow and it might be dying. I’m not sure.

Pocky: “If it’s a dog can I has it?”

Pocky has the dog lover trait and I don’t know if my game can handle the size of this household and pets at the same time.

Someone used the toy chest Issy wished for! Wow. I think that’s Twix? 

ISSY FOR THE LOVE OF-

Abraham is questioning his life choices. Most notably: the one where he married the baby factory. 

Issy wanted a party, so I did a party. This was actually a lot of fun. 

I DIDN’T INVITE YOU GET LOST.

Beau: “THE VOICES, THEY SPEAK! I LISTEN NOT TO THEIR CRIES”

MOCHI.

Don’t be fooled, Reeses peed himself at the same exact time as Mochi. -10 for me.

Reeses: “Who is this Reeses fellow who peed himself? I know no such candy man.”

This is the fun part where everyone gets presents, and Twix gets about ten because she just kept grabbing. 

Screenshots to prove it. 

Twix received three of the bee things, three toy ovens, three or four bears, and potentially a few more things I forgot about. Reeses got the video game, Mochi the easel, and I think Pocky got the fishbowl. 

Pretty fairy girl is pretty. I hope she makes nice kids to outgrow the ugly townies. Like Connor there. Connor married Tori Kimura in this chapter, somewhere, since Fiona McOld died and Iqbal Aldied.

I don’t know how I feel about this.

Lollipop: “Strange human, release me.”

Also, I think that’s the Langerak boy crushing on KitKat. 

Connor tell your son to STOP.

You know, Claire’s daughter hasn’t had much luck with her face these last few games I’ve played. Claire died this chapter. Actually, a lot of old people died.

I wonder if the graves slow my game?

WHERE ARE YOU TAKING MY HEIR. 

Yeah, that better be as far as you go. 

Even in the winter, people still enjoy the sandbox. That’s the Langerak kid who likes KitKat. 

Right, Snickers still exists by the way. This is him. He aged up. I forgot about him. 

Snickers: “If not for my good trait, I may have snapped and killed everyone here.”

o-O

This is the kid of the guy who Issy tried to flirt with when Abraham was playing hard to stalk get. I think he also liked one of the girls. Dunno. 

Look, here’s Twix getting in trouble again! I don’t know why. 

Snickers: *Snickering* “You’re in the way of the garbage.”

Twix: “Don’t you forget. I’m mean-spirited. I will make you c r y.”

I realized KitKat was missing. Here she is, on a random lawn doing homework. 

Here is a kid who looks like he might break his neck. I don’t know whose kid this is. Sorry. 

Abraham might burn down the house. 

Abraham did not burn the house down. However he has like a level 6 or 7 logic skill and is still level 2 in the medical career. Abraham pls. 

Also, that bush. That is the murder bush. 

I don’t care about the points I’ll lose: SOMEONE DIE.

Ah, our first victim.

Snickers: “This seems like an unsafe bush that I should not touch, as I am a precious u n k i l l a b l e child.”

KitKat got caught by the police for being out after curfew. Whoops.

KitKat: “I swear, wasn’t my fault officer.”

KitKat is grounded, among other upset moodlets. This means you can pretty much assume she’s entirely red for the rest of the chapter. 

I mean, that’s okay, it’s just not what you’re supposed to wear. 

Considering the fact KitKat has the natural cook trait and not Pocky, Pocky really likes cooking whereas KitKat has never touched the stove. 

All I’m saying is Reeses likes the kids more than anyone else. Skittles likes them when they’re in the other room, but Reeses takes care of them and stuff. 

Speaking of Skittles, I have no idea where she goes. She doesn’t do anything interesting which is why there are so few pictures of her. 

Issy: “WAFFLES!”

I had to remind you she was here. And that she’s pregnant. Again.

Were trying for a good portrait picture this time. Preferably brighter than the other one. 

Mochi was also painting at the easel she got for snowflake day. Pocky looked like they were about to fight as she walked past.

Also I thought this was a good shot to show off Mochi’s face. She has Abraham’s nose. 

Twix is in trouble yet again. Haha. 

Clearly the best place to bond. 

Mochi has finished her first painting! 

Prom overload coming. 

Mochi actually looks so good in her formal attire. 

Pocky looking freeesh. 

I mean, okay. I expected like, KitKat or Pocky. But that works. 

Helmut, is an incredibly average dude. But he’s sweet. He’s called her daily looking to chat. 

It’s kinda weird brother and sister are prom king and queen but I guess they don’t look too related.

Pocky didn’t really have much of a good night. 

EXCEPT FOR THIS. HAHAHA I APPROVE.

That’s the first time I’ve seen this message for prom, but WHAT THE HELL THAT’S SO MEAN.

Mochi found a dude, which is cool.

There was honestly so much more. SO MUCH MORE. But I figured it’s kind of boring to see the same messages so. 

Look at dem crowns. 

I am determined to get a decent painting of her. 

And then she went into labor. Snickers is concerned. 

Skittles does not care. 

Skittles: “Mother, you have had so many of us you should no longer feel pain.”

You would think Abraham would be kind of used to his wife having children by now. 

Issy: “Glow my child, shine!”

Sugar Daddy Isbi is actually very pretty when she grows up and I’m not sure what traits she has. I’ll remember them for the next update. 

So, KitKat was off on a date while Issy was giving birth. 

That’s the Langerak kid I think. They talked for like seconds. 

He left and went into the spa. KitKat didn’t seem to mind though.

KitKat: “I don’t do blondes.”

FUCK THESE LAMPS. THEY RUIN MY SHOTS.

Twix: “Isn’t that picture older than I am?”

SHE FINISHED IT TOO. WOOO.

Lollipop: “I don’t trust you to hold me, old man.”

Abraham: *Traumatized for life*

Sometime later, I forgot Twix existed and she aged up.

I don’t remember what trait she got either, since she’s not important and my game is closed and takes twenty minutes to open. Like Twix is so unimportant I always forget her name, I forgot to put her in my family memo where I keep track of traits and etc, and I keep think she’s Mochi.

The llama mascot is back. Abraham and he are ready to brawl. 

Issy: “Chicken legs, Daddy.”

Daddy: *Does not realize her nickname yet*

These two blocked the door for awhile. 

Why is your artistic ability regressing!? 

Skittles: “Mom I swear if you even THINK of having another baby-”

Snickers: “This house is already trash!”

KitKat: “Ooh, another date? Wait, what do you mean you’re not the blonde guy.”

Issy: “Waffles!” (:

KitKat: “Weren’t you into my sister?”

Rudolph: *sweating* “I’m tired okay.”

This child is not ready for what is going to be coming. 

Tanning at night, that makes sense. What, are you paling instead? 

Well, this was to be expected. 

KitKat: “If I date you can we not?”

Issy: “WHY WERE YOU TANNING AT NIGHT?”

KitKat: “MOM STAHP!”

Rekt.

Mother daughter bonding. Exactly what I want to see! 

And no fucking lamp in the way 

Shit. I get points off for this, because this is just sad. How do you get a toddler to pass out like this. 

I’m not sure where these ramen noodles came from. How do you even get ramen in this game? 

I updated the graveyard. It’s getting pretty full. 

Well damn, Mochi survived. 

I thought this was a nice shot, even if he’s out breaking curfew. 

Did I mention Issy decided she wanted another baby?

Other than this being a good movie, that’s me right now. 

Hooray! Lollipop’s birthday! She got the Perfectionist trait. I don’t know why I don’t have a screenshot of her.

Oh. I know why. 

Twix isn’t that ugly from the side like this.

Pocky: “It’s my birthday bitch and I’m going to fuck everything up.”

Yeah. 

She fucked it up.

Issy: “MY DAUGHTER IS LIKE ME!”

Well fuck, you rolled the insane trait.

Pocky: “What the fuck mom wasn’t talking to herself all these years!?”

Pocky: “I can feel it coming. The stupidity. The insanity.”

Please stop.

Pocky: “You can’t make me, Voice.”

Pls. Pls no. 

On that abrupt note, bye Reeses. 

Bye KitKat.

Onwards to PURPLE BABIES. 

Well this is awkward, Issy is literally still pregnant and I now need her to auto finish the Abraham portrait. 

Scoreboard:

Births: (9) +45 100K Simoleons: (1) +40 Honor Roll: (2) + 10

Bladder Fail: (5) -25 Passing Out: (2) -10

Total: 65

I went down :(

Previous: 1.6 Bc Heir Vote No Longer Matters

Next:      Pocky’s first chapter as heir!

[darkarm66]

Xenoblade Chronicles X review

Hundreds of ship are leaving the planet and then, the Earth explodes. Right off the bat, Xenoblade Chronicles X is filled with wonderful sights. This game is not only one of the best RPGS, it also a blueprint on how to do open world games that aren't just inefficient ways to select quests. As much as Nintendo's consoles has gotten shit for its lack of hardware muscle, the amount of content that the player can seamlessly access and just how much gameplay is actually there.

First off, this one of the biggest and best worlds ever. Actual worlds where people work, show up on schedules, creatures have their own biology: there are a million moving parts, all in front of the player. In fact, this game can overwhelm when control is giving to the player. Mainly due to the fact at no point, the player is ever forced to do anything. Xenoblade Chronicles broke JRPGs for its unprecedented lack of linearity and XCX follows suit for open worlds.

And it's beautiful! You see sights that are legitimately breathtaking in real life: waterfalls, active volcanoes, snow-capped caverns, isolated islands, sandstorms, lightning storms, caverns, and sky high islands. People gush over real life open worlds but this is one of the best looking video game worlds ever. It's like Nintendo keeps it a trademarked secret that more than 8 colors can be used. 

What makes these visuals more hypnotic is the lush soundtrack from Hiroyuki Sawano. Looking around the sky and looking at that night sky and hearing a lot of these overworld themes is powerful. It swells up more emotion than any cutscene can do, even if it lacked some of the variety of its predecessor. But what makes this world of Mira more beautiful: all of it is interactive. There are no invisible gates, no waist barriers blocking off access. Anything visible can be walked on and explored. And this is the truly beautiful part: all of it affects gameplay.

XCX has some of the deepest linking systems in gaming. Every and any thing done feeds into on another system that is needed to progress though the game. Any battle, no matter how quick or long? Of course you get XP to level up but you also get affinity points between your party members that allows for battles to go smoother. Random doodad you picked up walking around? Boom: side quest completed. Side quest completed? You just leveled up your online affiliation and have bonus items waiting for you. Those items? Yeah, just completed another quest. That quest you completed? Just gave you some Miranium to use to level up stores, now you have access to better weapons and gems but what if you want higher level gems? Keep getting into battles and gain the materials needed, which still gives you more player specific missions which unlock tougher sidequests and expands more materials. Point is: nothing you do in this game is wasted or just busywork to fill a marketing bullet point. Everything leads to something to unlock and use. Everything is a constant build to better and better gear. This was a great way to stimulate player agency. Can it be too much? Kind of leading to one sticking point.

XCX has no time to explain how a lot of it works together. You will spend hours wandering around these gorgeous continents, doing whatever, wanting to know the purpose of why something was done. And fighting yourself to do something more directed. And its mainly due to trying to reach a ledge or cave you know leads to better loot but can't reach in the meantime. So while XCX does a good job of letting you play in a sandbox, you have no ideas why some of the toys are there.  But the truth is, a lot of it is there to test your battle mettle.

While the game isn't a direct sequel to the incredible Xenoblade Chronicles, the battle system (and sidequest logic) returns with a lot of tweaks. While its still auto attacks/special arts/cooldown based with your party being handled by the A.I., the affinity system comes into bigger play as the your party members, expanded to four, actually call out which arts they need to stay in the battle, which not only increases affinity, but has the player tinkering which class and skill set is needed to be effective at every battle.  Then, half way (or a quarter: story/chapter progress isn't the same for every player), the Overdrive system is introduced and allows for more bonuses and status effects, as well as some nifty visual effects. And now arts can be chained together for more bonuses, but finding the right chains will take some experimentation. Sometimes you'll miss the way more effective chain attacks, but due to the online elements, the battles had to seemingly be tuned for balance but to make the player work a bit harder. That was the only element from Xenoblade which I missed the most. This is a severely challenging game, make no mistake. As easy as Xenoblade was and as much the high level enemies exist to 'conveniently' gate off other areas of the world, this game will hand you your ass if you never paid attention to how buffs and statuses work, which is which makes the sidequest grinding described a few paragraphs earlier so important. Truthfully, this game is gauntlet to gamers who crave gameplay. 

This game will be as easy or hard as you want it to be, depending on how much time you attempt to put into it. A straight romp through the story, which is still gonna ask the player to explore, will still take a bit of commitment but the beauty of the game's depth reveals itself the more the player puts into it on their own accord. It's like Monolith Soft heard how easy Nintendo games and just went 'Uh huh, try this on for size.'

And again, when it comes to sidequests, XCX will drown players in actual content. Many of the same 'collect this and kill that.' This can drive people insane due to the game's inability to explain stuff. Especially affinity, which is a just a vague bar where you never know how much is being added to it. While many of them are optional, it just becomes chances to actually get some challenging gameplay for their selves. Despite this, too much good stuff is hidden behind some quests and bars. I never minded because it was still a chance to keep exploring the world itself. And then you get Skells....

And its when you get Skells, you kinda get why a good chunk of the content was locked off. One reason was to justify its size but the main reason: they're fucking awesome! It's not just a super mode for combat, skell combat and exploration becomes a game on its own and one can appreciate the size and diversity of Mira. As mentioned earlier, despite how huge this game is, nothing is wasted. And even Skells unlock more and more challenging gameplay to experience. I'll go on record and say that Skells are the best video game mechs ever, even if they never fight. It flies, transforms, and when it fights, it curbstomps and can be customized to an absurd degree. 

And the online elements, which are that elements, not huge blockers or impediments to gameplay. They can only enchance your time, but yet: it's not a requirement.

For all this gameplay that makes XCX a worthy successor to the original Xenoblade and it many elements, surpass it, there was one key element not mentioned: the story. Chris Kluwe's dumbassery be damned, Xenoblade's story was epic, masterfully told, thematically tight, and above all: complete. XCX's opening scene of an exploding planet couldn't be better of a set up. And yet, to find any kind of theme, emotional resonance or connecting thread, it's all in the sidequests. The plot never got going and only until its final chapter are players getting answers that turn into more questions, just like all previous games in the Xeno series. 

While I applaud any game developer that chooses more gameplay over more cutscenes and linearity, what disheartened me about it is that Xenoblade proved that could tell a story completely. And I was fine for the plot staying away from the most part and when it revs up: the end! Maybe it was gonna be left to DLC or  a Switch port, but either way a bigger story was going to be told and there's no definitive conclusion. All the threads have to be found on the player's on accord with the evidence they have left. But still, themes of genocide, diversity, racism, extinction, rebirth, insanity (you can't be part of surviving race in a new planet without losing your mind) are touched on with neatly.

So, while the story didn't conclude, what we're left is still an amazing game that continues to delight and expand. A sprawling open world that puts more emphasis on the world actually being open and not inhibiting the player's own natural curiosity. It takes some doing and some time, but Xenoblade Chronicles X is an instantly rewarding time sink and one of the very best games of this console generations.

CAVEATS!!!!: I try to review games as a way for how I feel about to make sense to me, so I try to look at the the mechanics of a game, which may or may not work, regardless of how I feel about them. Also, I hate the release date rush to get a review because you have to rush before you truly understand a piece of art. Sometimes, its only when you get away from the hype and first week cycle can you see a game on its own merits. Plus, hindsight really, really helps prevent a review from sounding like an unofficial circle jerk.