June Update
Breaking the chain of not updating to talk about what I've been working on. As the absence of Poppin & Jupa here can tell, I switched projects back in April, to an older one I worked on for about 8 months in 2022. Main reason was feeling dejected a bit after the animation didn't do as well as I was expecting; been getting the impression that Tiera is more popular than them with folks lol.
Again I won't be cancelling it, or never working on PnJ, just switching focus so I can stay productive and make something that feels fun for me, which this has.
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As a refresher, here's the game I've been picking at:
The game's current design can be broken down into:
intro sequence to introduce Tiera and the setting
initial puzzle + encounter to introduce the main mechanics
large hub in the form of Fragaria Park where you avoid the main threat, collect items, interact with side attractions, and access the 4 side areas
4 side areas, which have their own puzzles/challenges within with a primary goal at the end that progresses you towards the final escape
optional collectibles
Since April I've worked on a part of the large hub, 3 of the 4 side areas, and the optional collectibles.
"Who works on optional stuff before the main game is done" well they play off of the main mechanics but mainly it's an excuse to draw something cute instead of programming.
These are Anna Banana and The Fruit Friends (Also Strawberry), characters from a cartoon show that Tiera likes (Except Strawberry).
They don't play any significant role/impact in the game (Besides Strawberry), but they reveal part of Tiera's interests, they form a small bit of the world's background, they make for fun type of collectible that gives something to do besides the main puzzles, and, again, I just felt like drawing cute shit.
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For the hub, I worked on a themed side area dedicated to a playground. This does have puzzle elements in it, but a lot of it are silly interactions, and a reference to that cartoon I did a while back. Maybe you can recognize it here.
It's one of those "makes the setting feel more realized/fleshed out" deals.
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For the side areas, what I've mainly been doing is settling on their exact design, blocking out the areas, and working on their puzzle sequence, obstacles, and any single screens that are tied to it.
Here's what I mean by "single screen":
Something that cuts away from the main game to it's own puzzle. This one here is for the performance theater. All graphics are placeholders just to get the logic in and see if it might work.
Making these type of puzzles is fun cause it reminds me the most of Resident Evil 1 and various flash adventure games I've played.
As for obstacles, a significant one I'm playing with for the theater is darkness, making use of Tiera's sonar to detect a safe path around deep pits.
She won't fall off right away, but it's tied to the same stamina system.
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Another side area are the sewers, everyone's favorite video game setting. That obviously involves water, but the trickiest thing about it has been dealing with really complicated patterns of depth changing.
What that means is Tiera climbing up and falling down a lot, and trying to keep track of that. Here's what that looks like without proper graphics:
I'm very happy with how the area is turning out so far though, it's something you'd get to later and I think the puzzles do a good job of reflecting that progression.
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The last side area I've poked at was the final sequence of the game. I've had a lot of different ideas of how to go about it but I think I'm happy with the set of them I have planned, something that builds up towards the climax and building off of what was set up in the rest of the game.
I wanna be careful about spoiling it, but here's one effect from it I've started work on:
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I'm trying not to overshare here, though there's a lot more I've thrown into my server that I couldn't here. One of the side areas I haven't gotten to really pinning down is the Hedge Maze. I have a basic outline, but the main obstacle involved requires more dynamic logic. It's hard to settle on what that logic should be without set level design, and it's hard to settle on level design without knowing the limitations of that logic.
It's a similar issue with the main challenge of the game, both for the player and for designing: the ghosts.
What's intimidating is the feeling that they need to be very deliberate in this type of game, to balance between adding tension without veering into frustration. I'm hoping tackling everything surrounding them will make me more confident, but odds are I'll have to start with something simple and half-broken just to break the ice. And accepting I'll have to make something that gets thrown away, which I'm not used to doing... I really prefer thinking through stuff first before making it.
Anyway, thank you for reading.
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So... hannibal the series has been on my mind a lot the last few days and I have some thoughts and maybe had a small epiphany lol
Sorry if this is something said/understood by everyone else. I'm always a bit late to the game
I don't remember if it's explicit in the series, but there seems to be an understood headcanon maybe, that Hannibal doesn't think of what he does as cannibalism. Further, he treats the majority of his victims flippantly and grotesquely like they are less than human. As if what he is committing is not really murder because his victims aren't fully human.
Its sociopathic/psychotic. Yeah, we get that. I get that.
Yet, we see a certain level of vulnerability in Hannibals interactions with the group of people he chooses to associate with on the regular, like Alana and sometimes Jack, but especially Will.
I've always struggled with the why of that. If Hannibal believes himself to be above humanity, at least to a certain extent, his group of friends included, then how could he be vulnerable with them. Why bother being vulnerable with your next potential meal. And even more so when he gives them an out. Like Alana. He offers her an out. To forget what she saw and turn around and even more, to live a life where she wouldn't have to live looking over her shoulder. I believe he was honest there. Mads does an incredible job of letting us know that this is a real offer. Hannibals disappointment and sadness when she refuses is visceral. But why?
Why offer at all? If Alana isn't fully human, why bother giving her an out.
And I think, hence, minor epiphany time, it's because he doesn't consider her another potential victim, at least not the way he considers the people he eats. He considers her human. Considers her an equal even. To kill her would be murder in his eyes, and it bothers him in a way his other victims don't bother him. You could even argue that at least in mizumono, he doesn't kill her. He's willing to, sure, to keep himself, to keep his found family safe, but in the end, he doesn't, at least not directly.
In comparison, he does not treat Beverly the same. He does not give her a chance to walk away. As far as we know, he doesn't say a word to her. And realistically, these two interactions are insanely similar except for how Hannibal reacts.
Both times, Hannibal has been revealed. Both times, Hannibals way of life is put in danger. Maybe even more so in mizumono because Will has betrayed him and he is literally flinging himself at a door to try and finish Jack. Yet, he gives Alana a choice that he did not make to Beverly.
It's because he considers Alana human, where Beverly is just another cut of meat. In his mind, what he does to Beverly is not murder. He would be murdering Alana and so he gives her a chance to walk away and only lashes out when she refuses.
And it's interesting too that after Mizumono, how Hannibal treats Alana is still not quite how he treats other victims. He steals the coat that offered her comfort, he reminds her every chance he gets that he will keep his promise and that she is a dead woman walking. Yet, he still listens to her. Still is willing to compromise with her when needed. She is still an equal, but he was vulnerable with her and she hurt him in response, so he hurts her in whatever way he can get away with when it's prudent and doesn't risk the life of Will.
It just... it's so... Mads is so incredible for this. The writers are so incredible for this.
I started by reading the books and watching Anthony Hopkins and my circe those things are insanely good. But Anthony Hopkins portrayal is of a man who believes himself a g-d. A boy with his Ant farm. Curious and viscous in equal measure. There is no person suit, there is no humanity in him there.
But Mads. My darling Mads. He makes Hannibal human. He forces us to remember that he is human. That Hannibal is a someone who hurts, who loves, who hates, who is petty and playful and of course is absolutely still a child with his Ant farm who at any minute can reach into his pocket and pull out a magnifying glass to set the world he enjoys watching aflame.
Thank you for sticking with me if you have, and I hope this makes some kind of lick of sense. I probably have more to say, but my break is over lol
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tbh, as a woman who hangs out in communities where alot of middle aged men are guaranteed to gather around, you really hit the nail on the head. i've yet to find a tf2 fic that actually captures that male camaraderie that i've seen from the men around me.
Also, knowing this is the queer website and that much of the TF2 fandom is transmasc, I'm gonna address this so these kids can't go "I don't do that!! I'm a man!! I know what men act like because I-"
Men in queer spaces don't act the same way in the queer space as they do outside of it. I know I don't, cuz people get judgy. Queer community does not like men or masculinity. If you look too much like a man, or act too manly/boyish, or engage in male behaviours even with other men, they will look down on you. The only acceptable men are behaviorally effeminate, androgynous white twinks. If you divert from this in any way—too masculine, too POC, too physically male, too tall or fat or broad—they will treat you like a predator.
So a lot of these people, if they are interacting with men, are often interacting with other young transmascs who aren't socialised in male behaviour yet (usually online), or with men in queer spaces only—men who are masking. And they think men are just like this all the time.
And any man who doesn't play up the effeminate harmless uwu-shyboy persona is now scary or being toxically masculine because he's engaging in friendly ribbing with another man while being in a queer space.
I noticed it especially when me and an older bear went to a queer event (separately, we didn't come together) and he was practically ostracised because he's tall and bearded and bald and hairy and fat and very obviously male. And it turns out he was a trans man and he felt he didn't have a place in this event because everyone shunned him, or somehow managed to bring up toxic masculinity and how they don't feel safe with men in certain spaces, all in front of him while very obviously targeting him. The younger transmascs, of which there was quite a few, agreed with this. They ALSO didn't feel comfortable with him there because he was TOO male despite being just as queer as the rest of them (if not more—he was in his 50s and the oldest person there and had been out since his early 20s, so he defo had the most life experience of everyone there as far as the trans folk were concerned).
So naturally he and I hit it off. We separated off from the group, got drinks, and spent the afternoon in the corner, just us, discussing boats and fishing and lightly ribbing each other and laughing to ourselves while everyone else kept giving us glares and side-glances. Men are not welcome in queer spaces. Masculinity is not welcome in queer spaces. People treat ANY instance of masculinity as toxic. And so these young transmascs lost out on a perfect opportunity to see how men actually interact with each other, because the only other men they're actually interacting with are other trans men who don't know how men socialised as male act either.
It's kinda sad, in a way. Cuz they're gonna continue not knowing, and when the day comes they're gonna be blindsided and not know a fucken thing about how to be men in social environments because they don't wanna listen to or observe other men, not even the transmascs what came before them. Masculinity scary or some shit. And this is why it's SO IMPORTANT to have people outside of your familiar circle or your social group or your echo chamber as friends. It's why you should befriend your elders and learn from them, not shrink in fear cuz beards are scary or something. Not everyone can be a skinny white transmasc twink and not everyone WANTS to be. Masculinity is NOT a bad thing.
Anyway rant over. Point is these people don't know what male comraderie looks like cuz they don't actually put themselves out there to experience or observe it. Or even just engage in media where it's plainly showcased. 🤷♂️
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How about Adam x reader who were dating before the trap, maybe got into a fight, but Adam lives because that’s definitely what happened and they find each other.
Also ur NSFW hcs were good so feel free to sprinkle some spice if you see fit :)
Lost and found
Adam Faulkner-Stanheight x gn!reader
Fic type: angst, fluff
Warnings: missing person, medically induced coma
A/n: hello!! Thank you for your request, it was such a cute idea!! There's no nsfw because I couldn't find a way for it to fit into this story, but while we're on the topic I just wanna give a message to anyone who saw my Adam nsfw hcs!! I originally posted the unfinished version by accident, but I've gone back and added more to them since! So make sure you're all caught up on those, in my very biased opinion they're extremely canon teehee :^) all can be found in my masterlist as usual
You and Adam had dated for two years before finally ending it about a month ago. The relationship was tumultuous to say the least, epic highs followed by epic lows. Being with Adam could be so wonderful at times, the way he kissed you like you were the only person in the world, the way he would have you folded in on yourself laughing. Your memory was filled with long nights spent talking and falling deeper and deeper in love. Adam was good with his words, which was a blessing and a curse- he could make your heart flutter just as easily as he could crush it. Arguments were frequent, and volatile, he always took things too far. Deciding that this was no way to live, with heavy hearts, the two of you called it quits.
You'd heard around from mutual acquaintances that he'd gotten into a pretty rough spot after the breakup, apparently he'd become some kind of stalker for hire? Like a private investigator but with absolutely no credentials or regard for his or anyone else's safety. It didn't exactly surprise you that he'd gone into a somewhat shady line of work, considering his lack of high school diploma there weren't really many options for him, you wished you could help, but you'd both agreed to keep your distance and move on.
One day however, you couldn't help but break the promise you'd made to yourself, and you asked about him. You'd run into his best friend, Scott at a video store, and despite all your restraint, the words tumbled out of your mouth:
"How's Adam been lately?"
"Pfft how should I know? I haven't spoken to that asshole since he totally bailed on my band photoshoot" Scott scoffed, rolling his eyes disinterestedly.
It wasn't like Adam to turn down paid work of any kind, so you decided to pry deeper,
"What do you mean? He just didn't show up?"
"Yeah, no call, no nothing. He hasn't spoken to anyone. Probably thinks he's too good for me and the guys now with his investigator bullshit, but lemme tell y-"
"Wait, he's actually doing that?! That's so dangerous, you don't think he's gotten himself into trouble do you?"
"I don't know, I got my own shit to worry about. Besides, no one bails on me and gets my sympathy. Scott Tibbs don't chase, baby." He said, all too loudly. You could practically see his ego bulging out of his head.
As you left the video store, the interaction played on your mind. After you and Adam had broken up, Scott was pretty much the only person in his life, and he didn't seem to give two hoots about Adam's wellbeing. Essentially, there wasn't a single person on earth who'd heard anything from Adam in the last week, and no one seemed to be trying to find him. You knew his family were estranged, and pretty much everyone else in his life were all acquaintances at best. If he was in trouble, it was up to you to help.
You headed to his apartment, just to see if he was home. Best case scenario he was, and you got some of your cds back, worst case.. well, you didn't wanna think about that.
You crept up the creaky mildewy staircase of his apartment complex until you reached his floor. Something in your gut felt wrong as you got closer to his door, something that you couldn't quite understand. It wasn't fear, it was overwhelming dread. You always thought there was a big difference between those two feelings; fear was wondering if something bad would happen, and dread was knowing in your heart that it would.
You knocked on his door and waited a beat. Nothing. For whatever reason, a voice in your head told you to try the door handle, and to your surprise, it was unlocked. Adam's apartment looked frozen in time, a half eaten bowl of mouldy noodles sat on his coffee table, an empty beer bottle next to it. Everything looked untouched. That was until your eyes made their way to the floor next to his closet- his camera. Smashed to pieces, and left strewn all over the floor. Your eyes darted up toward his redroom, which appeared to have been ransacked.
Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck fuck. You repeated over and over in your head like a mantra.
Your first thought was that someone he'd been stalking had caught him, followed him home to destroy any damning evidence, then deal with Adam.
Panic set in at this moment, as you rushed through his apartment, desperately hoping he was just passed out somewhere.
"Adam?! Adam?!" You cried out, to no avail.
Of course, the second you had regained enough composure to remember to do so, you called the police and filed a missing person's report. The next few days were filled with police interviews, cutting out and sticking the few pictures of Adam you had onto missing person's posters and plastering them all over the city. You handed them out to anyone who would take them, you gave them to all the venues and corner shops that Adam often went to, and you hounded the police relentlessly.
Sure, Adam was your ex, but my god how you had loved him, how you still loved him. You were the only person in his life who loved him, and you refused to give up.
After 6 never ending days, your phone rang. It was a call from the police.
"We've found a young man fitting Adam's description on the outskirts of the city. He's currently in the hospital in a medically induced coma while the staff tend to his injuries. As he is unable to identify himself at this time, we would greatly appreciate it if you could come down and identify him for us" the voice from the phone said.
This was like music to your ears, you tried not to get your hopes up, but you just knew it was him. It had to be, you could feel it in your heart.
As you stood by the bed of the man, you fell to your knees and wept. He was far skinner, his skin pale and almost translucent, his hair tangled and dirty- but there was no doubt about it, that was your Adam.
"That's him! That's my baby! Oh my god, that's my Adam!" You sobbed, clutching into the police office for support. He looked happy for you.
...
After a few days, Adam woke up. He was by no means in good shape, but he was alert, he was safe, and he was asking for you. He'd had to speak to police before he could have any visitors, but they'd assured him that you had done a great deal to help them find him, and he was touched.
"I thought I was gonna die in that room.."
"You probably would have, if y/n hadn't tried to find you"
"No one else reported me?"
The cop shook his head solemnly.
"Damn... I gotta see her, i- I gotta thank her, i-"
He rambled like this for a while, until he was assured that you were able to come visit him.
...
"Hey, sugar" Adam smiled cockily, despite how weak he was.
You approached the chair next to his bed and reached down to stroke his face lovingly.
"That didn't sound very ex boyfriend of you" You teased.
"Aw come onnnn, I nearly die and you still don't want me back?" He whined, giving you a playful pout.
You chuckled and kissed his forehead,
"I basically saved your life, don't get greedy"
Adam's eyes narrowed, and he looked uncertain, "wait.. are you saying you actually don't wanna get back together?"
You rolled your eyes and pinched his cheek,
"Of course not dummy, I just like watching you squirm"
Adam mustered all of his strength to lift his arms and place his hands on your cheeks, pulling your face towards his.
"You're such a bitch" he mumbled against your lips with a smile
"You're a bitch" you giggled back.
The playful teasing went on for a while, until you were sat in a love filled silence, just holding eachother's hands. Adam was the first to break the silence.
"I'm a changed man, you know, y/n"
"Huh?"
"While I was in that room, you were all I could think about. I kept thinking about all the times I hurt you and I knew I needed to make it right. I made a vow to myself that i was gonna get out of there, and I was gonna get you back... and I was gonna love you the way you deserve to be loved. I'm gonna do that, y/n. I'm gonna prove I deserve to be with you, even if it takes a lifetime... which it probably will now that you basically saved my life"
"Yeah, it's gonna be pretty difficult to level that playing field" you smiled jokingly.
"I mean it, y/n," Adam said, his voice serious, "I promise I'm going to devote the rest of my life to loving you, it's the least I could do".
And several happy years later, he's kept that promise.
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Can we get some OW New Blood headcanons? Whether it be some type of angst, heartfelt, or lighthearted interactions between the group.
Ask and you shall receive!! It's been awhile since I've done some New Blood stuff so let's see what I can do. Let's start off with some head canons first.
The New Bloods are the biggest human help in getting Zarya to unlearn her prejudices against omnics, it's mostly by telling her their own experiences with the Crisis (and with Hana it's her experiences with the Gwishi). They also call her out if she does or says something in line with her prejudice.
Cassidy is giving them all stealth training cause holy shit he cannot be the only person on that team who knows how to stealth, Baptiste is close but Cassidy knows that Talon stealth training is not going to cut it.
On top of that Cassidy is also giving specific training to D.Va so if she has to fight outside of her Mech he knows he can handle herself.
All of them know about Pharah's crush on Angela, either being told by Pharah herself or from Cassidy complaining that Genji and Pharah are hopeless at romance (he's been dealing with this for a max of 14 years at this point, he's allowed to complain)
They are all in agreement that if they are on a mission in a Talon base, they need to steal as much equipment as possible, mainly focusing on medical supplies.
They all make strategies on how to best use their skills together. They also sometimes include other agents abilities as well.
Pharah is the least foul mouthed of the group, only really swearing outside of missions, the rest? Not so much. By far the people who swear most often are Cassidy and D.Va.
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Cassidy: So I hear you you and Angie where around each other a lot while she was in Cairo, anything happened?
Pharah: We just... hang out, spent time together, nothing other then what we would usually do before.
Cassidy: ....Fareeha it's been fourteen years, for the love of god please make a move that isn't just flirty banter.
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Zarya: I don't understand how you have so many fans. Why do people like to watch you play games that they can play themselves?
D.Va: The same reason why people play the Olympics and other sports, cause they like to see other doing something they love!
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D.Va: Ok so what if I initiate Self Destruct and you shoot them when they get behind cover! That way no matter what we're still hitting them.
Cassidy: I don't know, might be able to hit some of them but I doubt it would be worth riskin' the Mech.
D.Va: Oh, OH! What about if Niran launches you into the air and you shoot them from above!
Cassidy: Hey...That ain't half bad!
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Baptiste: You know, you should really get some rest, it's not good to overwork yourself.
Pharah: Have you been talking with my mum? Cause if she did you should tell her to take her own advise.
Baptiste: No, no, I noticed it myself. Though I do think it's funny that both Ana and Cole seem to have the same issue as you.
Pharah: Well, it kinda runs if the family.
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Pharah: Hey Cole, did I tell you that Jean thought we were dating?
Cassidy: Ew, what?! What made you think that?!
Baptiste: You two just seemed to have a lot of history! I was curious!
Pharah: Yeah, it was our history that made you curious, nothing else more personal.
Baptiste: Fareeha, I swear to god-
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Pharah: You know, you and Brigitte remind me of Cole and Angela when they were younger.
D.Va: Ugh, Cass said the same thing, but I know I'm way cooler then he is!
Pharah: HA! He would have said the same but trust me, it's a compliment.
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if you're still taking them- checklist for Jules
Send “checklist” and my muse will fill out the list below with their thoughts about yours!
"Man, you're one nasty old son of a bitch..."
I find you to be:
[X] interesting (Anyone chowing down on bodies is the dictionary definition of 'interesting')
[ ] cute (In a sad old hobo way? Maybe??)
[ ] attractive (Not to my tastes)
[ ] sexy (hell mother effing no!)
[ ] reassuring (Nothing about you is reassuring)
[X] intimidating (With the whole 'weirdo eating the rotting flesh of your past kills' type deal situation? The fuck do you think?)
[ ] annoying
[ ] tedious
[X] terrifying (Well, you terrified David into puking up dinner so...)
I think we should:
[X] talk more (Maybe I can use as my personal body disposal unit? Croc can only eat so much and sometimes he gets caught)
[ ] hang out more (At a distance)
[ ] date (I ain't into dating old feral cannibalistic hobos)
[ ] adopt each other as found family (Maybe you can be a pet or gang mascot, I don't know)
[ ] fight (friendly)
[X] fight (hostile)
[ ] avoid each other if at all possible
If we spent an evening together we would:
[X] just hang out
[X] talk about deep stuff (You. You work for me now)
[ ] cuddle (No thanks lol)
[ ] go to bed together (to sleep)
[ ] go to bed together (to… not sleep)
[ ] go out and party till sunrise (Could happen if all goes well)
[ ] both get arrested (That's a possibility. I'm pretty sure cannibalism of corpses is still a crime even in Gotham)
[ ] probably wind up killing each other (Also a possibility. I ain't letting you snack on me though)
If we kissed it would be:
[ ] a chaste press of lips (no thanks lol)
[ ] a playful smooch (ew)
[ ] swift and stolen (ew)
[ ] deep, sweet, and sincerely meant (ew)
[ ] all teeth and tongue and hot as heck (fucking ew)
[X] not happening
If we had sex it would be:
[ ] romantic and luxurious (Hell naw)
[ ] fast, rough and hard (You can't handle what I got, old man)
[ ] against the nearest wall (The only thing I'm doing here is throwing you at the wall maybe)
[ ] fantastic (Somehow I doubt that)
[ ] awkward (Too awkward lmao)
[ ] a really bad idea (Ya think??)
[X] an all-around disaster
[X] not happening
If I woke up and found you unexpectedly in my bed I would:
[ ] cuddle you (Gross)
[ ] offer you breakfast (Fuck you, I'm not on the menu!)
[ ] attempt to seduce you (Nasty)
[X] kick you the fuck out (then I'd give your ass a royal beatdown)
[X] demand to know how you got there (Umm yes??)
[X] scream (Wouldn't you??)
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