in theory, i adore reincarnation stories. there’s so much potential and heartbreak in them, and there’s always the promise that this life—this life will be better, we will get our happy ending. one day. i swear to you. 

but ALSO, i have rarely seen a good iteration of a reincarnation story in practice. i am looking DIRECTLY at the book that had the reincarnated lovers be adopted cousins in their next life btw.

R3nzSkin | Skin changer for League of Legends (LOL)

💾 ►►► DOWNLOAD FILE 🔥🔥🔥 Not only will the heroes seem best, but a new MOD skin will make your battles versus a Challenger champ more intense and engaging. Time needed: 5 minutes. Once the app launches, use Garena for easier access and open the LoL client. On the preview page of your chosen Champion, select your desired skin on the left column. There are many deceiving MOD skins everywhere, and we advise you to take caution, especially those who offer additional enhancement other than visuals. We can guarantee that what you get from our MOD skins is what you expected. The MOD skins that we offer solely focus on visual enhancements and cosmetic modification of your champions. But since these are third-party tools, every LoL c lient update may cause some incompatibility issues. You may want to make an impression to your opponents that they may feel like battling against a Mastery level champ. Ranging from Challenger Leagues in big arenas up to salaried professional gamers, League of Legends has indeed become a legend in the gaming industry. It takes coordination, level-up skills, and strategy to successfully defeat the enemy — working as another edge for LoL. Summoners will be very keen to up-skill in trying to beat the opponent. A gamer called summoner chooses his character known as Champion or heroes. The brilliance behind each champion is it has its own personality starting from killing strategies and skills. So if a summoner finds a champ that matches his personality, victory comes next, and consequently, skins will play their role. This includes cosplay, comic conventions, and creative art designs like avatars. Avatar is an icon or figure that represents a person in video games. LoL fans are putting much interest in setting a good gaming presence through avatars. Other formats are through social media sites and Youtube commentaries. Click on the download button, and the file will automatically save to your device. Just look for the saved file in your Download folder and click it to install instantly. Once installed, you can get LoL skins. The file should download to your device automatically. Just click on the download button. We hope you enjoy reading and getting your new skin. I really want to try custom skins but a friend told me that he use custom skins and after some months an error appear. When i am using skin mod, does other players seee me with that skin or just my champ without skin? I really like the app! Her human form looks fine but he cat form is base skin. Hello Guys, when can expect a new version for the new patch. This one is not working anymore. Thanks for your mods. Is it my problem or you have to fix it? Chinese server! Hello i would like to know when the custom skins and maps would be available again. Thanks for your time! I have use this but now lol have new patch and this skins cant be used after i want he say go for last version and there is no where the last version so ……. Al instalar la app, todo normal pero selecciono la skin, la activo y cuando inicio la partida no me aparece nada ni el marco, nada, como puedo solucionar este problema, ya he reinstalado varias veces. Any fix? Could you look at it when you can? How can i uniinstall mod pack? After patch I deleted it and downloaded it again but still nothing. My friend download it for tge first time after patch How do i fix that problem? Hey for some reason it stoped working. Download Modskin v How do I get LoL skins? How do I download LoL skins? Where do I get LoL skins? Where do I download free LoL Skin? Sorry, the link fixed now. Please try downloading now. Latest update Her human form looks fine but he cat form is base skin Reply. Battle queen katarina is working? Rell yok malesef Reply. Can we get updated link pls? New patch was today Reply. After starting the program, it gets information that it has downloaded the latest version. The same message is displayed after downloading from the page provided with the info. After new patch my lol skin pro not working Reply. GUYS update mod skin Reply. God King Garen E bug fixed now? Thanks Reply. New version is not available, please update Reply. Hi, Thanks for your mods. Is there a Mac version of this? If so, please link it too! Le daghe di katarina regina guerriera sono invisibili Reply. U can update this skin mod? With the new patch , the program stop working … do i have to wait the new update? I have use this but now lol have new patch and this skins cant be used after i want he say go for last version and there is no where the last version so …… Reply. Do it have virus? When will be updated to Al instalar la app, todo normal pero selecciono la skin, la activo y cuando inicio la partida no me aparece nada ni el marco, nada, como puedo solucionar este problema, ya he reinstalado varias veces Reply. Galaxy Slayer Zed Chroma skin please? How do you update the software after new patch Reply. Please fix Nidalee skins, the R form is not working on every single nida skin. The skin mod is not working, I am not able to apply the skins to my champion. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Close Privacy Overview This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. 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3 & 5

Fic Writer Ask Game

Number 3: Are there any fics that inspired you to write what you do?

Oooh that’s tough. Most of my inspiration for my series came from the actual canon or real life personalities. And I’ve loved making crossovers ever since I watched the Jimmy Neutron & Timmy Turner crossover shows. However, there are a few fics that I read that helped with how I wanted to plan and plot the FLMCU series.

Lead Me Home by riots is one of the early Jackbeom fics that I read (that’s still available to read) and absolutely loved. Jackson’s turned into a werewolf and now has to deal with keeping that under wraps while still being an idol. The transformation into a mythical creature and the pining were really good references.

The SHIELD Codex series  by KhamanV is absolutely phenomenal and really helped me visualize a longer narrative where the Avengers and the Agents of SHIELD are working together. The author pulled from the marvel comics for different stories (I even learned about the darkhold from this fic BEFORE it was mentioned in AOS s4) and that was a game changer for me. 

Number 5: What are your fanfic pet peeves? Do they have a huge effect on whether or not you decide to read something?

So my pet peeves split into three categories: writing, plot, and characterization. For writing, I’m on the fence on whether or not I’ll read first person. Which is hilarious to me because my first fanfic was in first POV. 

SPACING. FOR. PARAGRAPHS. AND. DIALOGUE. If there’s errors in words and mispelling I don’t have too much of a problem, as I make those mistakes as well. But I swear to Thor, I need spacing for when you change scenes, are starting/ending dialogue, or just to make it easier to read versus a mass block of text. I have dropped fics fast for this.

I can gather what your plot is about based on tags and summary, but if it’s not moving at a proper pace then I’ll end up dropping it. And I don’t mean it’s too slow. You can have a slow paced plot but the scenes in it have to mean something to what you’ve laid out at the beginning of your fic. The same can be said if it’s really fast paced. We can jump straight into the action, but if everything isn’t established yet then it can get confusing.

Also if the climax is, well, anticlimactic then it feels like a let down and I won’t finish the rest of the fic.

As far as characterization goes: anyone is entitled to their interpretation for their work. But, if I feel like you’re way off about a character and it’s not intentional (or because it’ based on their setting) then I’ll drop a fic for it. 

Assignment 2

Student ID: 119917

Number of Words: 1,438

Date: May 31, 2020

___________________

Introduction:

Communication have always been an essence of living. Now with technology and media, it is amazing to see how things are advancing rapidly. What is even more remarkable is seeing how some strategies in communication were used hundreds of years ago and are still being used to this day. Throughout this course, we have learned about many issues in media, and I had better understanding on how to deal with each issue.

Analysis:

Issues in media are becoming more and more complicated and complex each day, that is because of the fast pace of technology. One of the best way to face any issue is by growing the skill of critical thinking. Without critical thinking, we will not be able to approach any topic with the right judgment. This skill helps us evaluate information. That is very important for media students, as it will make us much more aware values, biases, and beliefs that are within the content of media.

Disinformation is spreading widely in media. That is the price that comes with technology, because without social media, disinformation would not be spreading as much. Disinformation is spreading false news with a certain intention; and it was very interesting to see these intentions and the agendas behind it. Main intentions were to deceive and mislead people.

Learning about Cognitive Strategies in media was very essential to me. It opened my eyes to how we can accurately deliver an idea or a message through content in media. Cognitive Strategies have major influential powers to the targeted audience.

Communication was a key factor in many historical wars, such as WW1, WW2, The Cold War, and The American Invasion of Iraq. Aspects like confidentiality and anonymity were important. However, we cannot ignore other aspects, which had a deeper impact on these wars, changed the dynamic and the approach of these wars, things such as propaganda. It was used visually in TV and film, and also through radio, songs, posters, and newspapers. It is fascinating to see how propaganda can shape people’s opinions, emotions, attitudes, and behaviors, hence why governments relied heavily on propaganda; it was a way to manipulate their people. What was also interesting is seeing how different the communication tools were in different wars. In WW1, they used things such as pigeons, but then in WW2 communication tools became more advanced. The cold war was the most interesting one, because it was not an actual physical war, it was essentially who can project better propaganda to the world. The American coalition invasion of Iraq was also based on propaganda and many false rumors. Disinformation was spread widely to the world by the USA, which caused fear to many countries and therefore various countries were not against this invasion and some took part in it.

The media always tends to draw stereotypes within the content they publish. Nevertheless, only few people are aware of these stereotypes. This can have a negative impact on the minds of society, because portraying precise ideologies on certain races, genders, and classes can increase racism and discrimination. It was interesting to see how media outlets are being forced nowadays to stay unbiased towards genders and races in their published content. With social media and technology more people are aware of this, which means if a media company started publishing content against a certain race or gender they might face a wave of criticism and anger from their followers, and that can obviously harm their image and possibly financially. This topic was mind opening to see how social media plays a big role in giving those individuals who feel that the media is not doing their gender, race, class, and sexuality justice. For example in Oman, there are few people who want to talk about their sexuality and the easiest way for them was through social media, but you can never find the topics they speak about on public media sources.

The invention the selfie was revolutionary in many ways, as it generated multiple ways people an project their lifestyles in an attracting way. Researching when the selfie first started appearing and its link to narcissistic behaviors was very important. I did not think that selfies and narcissism actually had a direct impact on the receiving end of people but after more research it was surprising to see how these selfies can actually affect the self-esteem of users and how it has a negative effect in peoples lifestyles. Looking up way to counter narcissism was to always keep in mind that social media does not always reflect the truth of the people sharing those selfies and their lifestyles. I concluded that fame, social media, and selfies all play a part in narcissism.

The most interesting topic in this course to me was the hate speech versus free speech. I related to this topic a lot because of the amount of people who comfortably practice hate speech and never admit to it, as they just consider it free speech. Therefore, they never see the damage they are causing to the targeted people. It was very interesting relating this topic to the coronavirus, and how Asian and Chinese people were being victims of hate speech, and what was crazy to me is seeing people like Donald Trump using hate speech freely and neglecting the fact that he is causing harm to the people of China. I thought it would be hard to distinguish between hate and free speech, but after looking into it, it turns out that it is not as hard as I imagined. I had to develop and accurate awareness of my surroundings, which was done by looking at different types of tweets, messages, articles that relate to this topic. To sum it up, hate speech is any form of speech that targets sensitive topics such as religion, race, gender, disability, etc. It usually attacks or threatens the receiving end.

 It was really amusing researching about the role of media in health education during this pandemic. Many people might underestimate the power of media in educating people during pandemics, but now with the coronavirus, we can clearly see that raising awareness and focusing on educating people really helped in preventing the spread of this virus.

The topic related to comics really broadened my views on how affective they are, and what message they hold within them. Comics are more than just visuals used to entertain readers. As much as we want to think of comics as a way to enlighten the reader and a way for the author to be creative and original through visuals. Comics tend to have many different types of stereotypes within them, such as racism. Comics have certain characteristics to them which makes them influential, such as catchy and emotional. Some of these visuals portray presidents for example as clowns, fat, and stupid (Catchy and Emotional). That is a way that the author/ artists can share his point and where he stands on the topic/ issue.

The topic discussing whether the citizens have the right to know everything or not was interesting, mainly because many might think that hiding certain information from citizens is always negative. It turns out that there are indeed some positives to that. One of the positives is that by limiting media’s freedom it can have a positive impact of the peace and stability of the country, which also keeps everyone on the same page and not many different contradicting news pop up. However, balancing between transparency and obscurity will possibly bring out the best results.

  Personally, the final topic about ethical challenges in media was the one that connects every topic together. No matter how far technology reaches, we must keep in mind that society is now heavily depending on media. That itself is a reason why media ethics should be practice without any exceptions.

Conclusion:

In referral to all the topic and materials we took throughout this course, we can conclude that the media has a significant role in keeping everybody updated with all the issues around the world. However, the usage of media can negative by certain groups or individuals, and since we know how powerful the media is, these groups or individuals can affect many people by using certain tactics and ways. The media is a double-ended weapon, when used properly we can maximize the benefits, these benefits can be things such as awareness, education, and freedom of expression. Following ethical practices in media will make it easier to achieve all these positive things, but since media is practiced worldwide, it is very hard to have everyone do good and have good intentions.

Submitted Material:

1.      Disinformation

2.      Use of Cognitive Strategies in Media

3.      Communication Used in WW1, WW2, Cold War, and The American Coalition Invasion of Iraq

4.      How Do Media Outside Oman Present Race, Gender (Male, Female, and 3rds) and Class

5.      Selfie and Narcissism – Fame Online

6.      Free Speech or Hate Speech in Media

7.      The Role of Media in Health Education

8.      Comics in the Time of COVID-19

9.      Discussion of Hypothesis in Media

Perspectives About Media Ethics Challenges  

Drafts: How the hell do they work? While I brainstorm and mess around a fair bit pre-writing, once I've got the Thing fully put down it feels like throwing large chunks into or out of it would cause it to break. Any advice?

Starting the day with this. Excuse me if I’m rusty.

This question is making me muse about how Hemingway’s “Writing is rewriting” interlinks with Vonnegut’s Bashers versus Swoopers. I suppose it would make Hemingway a swooper, but I can’t picture him as one. I digress.

Like most things in writing, there’s various modes and various scales. Let’s go from biggest to smallest.

(I immediately question my order, of course.)

Biggest is just throwing it all out and doing it again. Total rewrite. This avoids structural problems by simply rebuilding from scratch. This is a lot of work, but occasionally necessary. 

Then there’s localised throwing out and doing it again. What purpose does this scene serve? If your write a scene that serves the same purpose, you don’t need to touch the rest. I talked about an example of this in The Wicked + the Divine 24. My first draft had Persephone leave a fancy party, then Amaterasu followed and a kiss. The core information was identical. It was dead and terrible. I came back to it later and re-did it, and worked out more connective tissue. Persephone’s already outside the party (remains the same) on a ledge (obviously loaded, but also adds to the aura of otherworldliness) smoking (back to the worldy) watching a display of fireworks shaped like her dead friends (theme and visuals). Amaterasu leaves the party, we have a similar conversation, and a kiss in a much more interesting sort of situation. Structurally, these are the same scene.

I also think of one of my very early gigs at Marvel where Warren Simons got me to rewrite the first scene of my Beta Ray Bill comic for him three times. First time basically Bill turned up to Thor and tried to talk him into hunting down Galactus. Second time Bill turned up to Thor and tried to talk him into hunting down Galactus, except this time it’s on some kind of thunderound mountain. Third time Bill turned up to Thor and tried to talk him into hunting down Galactus, during them saving a coastline by punching a tidal wave (which as well as being obviously a superheroic beat, also set up the theme of What To Do About Natural Disasters and as they saved a whaling vessel What About Unintended Consequences Of Good Acts). I don’t think Warren asked me to do a rewrite that like after that. I kind of got the point of the genre I was working in.

I would also note if you’re thinking structurally, you can both collapse and expand scenes. If the point of the scene is “they go somewhere and have an argument on the way:” you could do that as a whole scene or you could do that as a panel of them driving and a single caption, and a single expression. Less can be more, especially if you’re working in a form (like 20 page comics) where space is a zero sum game. To have one scene longer, you need another to be shorter. Choose your poison.

(If I were to guess, It sounds like that you’re having trouble separating your specific execution of a scene from the structural purpose of a scene. I may be wrong, but this may be a useful line for you thin to think along)

The use of the word “break” is also interesting. There’s no problem in breaking things. Broke things can be fixed. Rewrite a scene? What needs to be reworked to do what the story requires. And, just as importantly, you can decided to change what the story requires. Maybe the element you liked is actually a darling that has to die for the better purpose of the movie.

(DIE 5 had a rewrite where I inserted a thematic scene at the opening at the cost of some detail about a different part of the backstory. Both scenes actually the same purpose in the issue, but coming from completely different and contradictory angles. I decided that the information in the original take could come to the reader down the line, and saved it for the second arc.)

You know people say “film is made on the editing table”? Basically the argument is that it’s only be selecting and arranging the specific shots that the specific movie you’re watching exists. It’s also worth noting that shots can be taken from whenever, re-arranged whenever. Hell, record new dialogue. Hell, in the modern say, you can fix it in post, tweaking lips, etc.

By which I mean, if they can do that in film with a medium far less mutable than the prose we write stories or scripts in, clearly that sort of editing is much easier for us too. Tweak a panel. Does this increase the meaning I want? Great. If not, don’t. 

Your first draft is your most obvious draft. A second draft can tweak to make it less obvious.

And, finally there’s just a basic second draft which is just a surface polish. Punching up dialogue. Increasing clarity or whatever.  Shine the script!

Oh - it’s also worth noting that comics have a unique advantage as a medium. As in, you can do a lettering draft after the comic has finished. If a panel is clear just via expressions, you can cut dialogue. If it’s not, you can add them. If an artist adds something in the art (or inspires in another way) you can add something that nods towards it. Put it like this: all comics are dubbed.

(It’s also worth noting some artists object to rewriting after the pages have drawn. Check in with them before you do it.)

That’ll do. I’ll post now, in first draft state, as I am, SHAMELESS.

Food Wars! Shokugeki no Soma Chapter 281 Review

“Soma and other Elite Ten members did a great job for making a great comeback; even surpassing the expected number of $27,000. While that’s all nice and all, it’s sad to know the arc will go to another serious threatening arc that will probably use the ladder routine like one hero will say, ‘You guys go ahead and save Erina. I will take him on!’ Oh well, it was fun while lasted.”

That quote was my early intention to write. I was certain that it was going to be the case. I was wrong. I was so happy to be wrong. This chapter is an example of what if you wait for a little longer and see what this arc is truly capable of. By no means, it did start fishy with the Noirs and the Underworld concept, but this chapter is what I would like to think the one that pulled 180 for the greater good. Needless to say, I am excited.

The chapter begins with Soma and others celebrating for passing the exam. I was beginning to wonder when we will get to see Erina, but in due time. Polar Star Dorm also passed the exam, which is expected but good to know. Elite Ten is being heavily praised by Yuki because it’s in their title. I love Alice taking it all in and gloat about friendship power, even though Nikumi knows that’s not completely true.

I like the fact Hayama and others elaborate Megumi’s accomplishments in the exam. If you thought she was only greeting them, think again because she was everyone’s waitress. That’s incredible; hospitality at its finest. It shows how great she has improved. I can’t say she can do Shadow Clone now, but give her time. She will soon enough.

Always the charming Alice thought she can go on a vacation, but because she’s an Elite Ten member, there’s no time for that. She got all pouty about it, which is always adorable. If she wants freedom, got to drop the title then. Not that I want her, I’m just saying. It is now that Soma realizes Erina has been missing for a while. Judging by the chapter’s title, I thought it will mean he will suffer the blue for her disappearance.

Megumi suggests that she could have gone to the Mountain Course and it appears that they buy into that story. Now I get why we have a small mention of Hisako at a different location. That being said it dismiss the idea of Soma feeling the blue, let alone anyone. It’s as if the writing wants everyone to take time before realizing her disappearance, and then engage the rescue mission. After reading this whole chapter, it doesn’t appear to be the case. In fact, it’s far better than I expected.

Most of the chapter is technically a flashback, where Erina was locked up a day ago. Erina gathers all the information from the past and quickly discovers the identity of the group. I know Saiba exposed himself, but Le Cuisiners Noirs was something she learned from her grandfather, Senzaemon, so she is very aware of their capabilities. What’s hilariously cute is the fact she learned about them when she was a grade-schooler. He told her stories in a most haunting and disturbing way possible; so much so, she couldn’t sleep for a while. And you thought Azami was evil.

Seriously, why would you tell her stories so violent at a young age? I know we all eventually learn outside world isn’t all sunshine and rainbow, but goodness gracious, talk about traumatizing a kid to her sleep. Poor little Erina. It is comical how her visual of Noirs being cliché criminals seem to be accurate with drugs and deadly weapons on the floor like no one’s business. What a friendly home.

Saiba finally speaks up to advance the plot or exploit the reason behind the kidnapping. He wanted to settle the point that he’s a bad dude and what better way to do so than a place filled with bad stuff. Plus it does make conversation easier for him. In case you’re wondering, the guy with black hair and glasses was the kidnapper. I know it because Saiba flat out said it. This series is so self-aware. The guy sounds very loyal to him; I’ll bet he’ll be shouting, “Boss!” So now come to the real meat of the chapter.

Saiba challenges Erina. Oh no, that means he’s going to derail her hype. That means for the time being she will suffer a disorder where she was once showed greatness, but once she becomes hostage, all of her “power” will be wiped out and cry someone for help. It looks like it was starting already with Erina asking him for why he did all of this mess. I got to admit, I do like how Saiba is self-aware that there are things that can’t work the way he wanted, so he’s just like, “Yeah…I’m just going to kidnap you and demand a challenge.” Way to go, guy…

It’s like what he said, he truly wants to marry Erina for supremacy. His bet is if he wins, she will marry him. The whole reason why the Noirs spread out earlier was to test her; uncovering her prowess to be legit and not a rumor. If it’s Erina, anything incredible is true. Once he confirms the truth, that’s where he begins to go after her at Tootsuki Academy. It doesn’t explain the ordeal with him and Joichiro, but in due time, especially with that ending.

Apparently, the members he sent out weren’t their best, rather their worst. Who said they’re the true pillars? I assume the ones in the room are among the best. It’s expected Shounen formula to hype the real threat. So what Erina can do about this? Surely, she has to stay and feel helpless; unable to do anything. This is what fans feared the most: unable to stand up for herself.

Well thank God, she broke the so-called code of WSJ Heroine of remaining hopeless as a damsel in distress, because she does stand up for herself, literally!

This is what fans was hoping for, myself included. Not only she exploded with rage, but she wants to slaughter the hell out of him. He wants challenge? He sure damn got it. Keep in mind, she didn’t know he was Saiba back then, so there was no reason for her to take in charge. Now that she knows, she won’t let him get the best of her. She was ready to throw down a face down (yeah, I said it). Hell, it’s even better that she mocks his agenda as a foolish act, which we can all agree on.

She didn’t back away one iota. I thought she will just break free and win; I can buy into that. I don’t know why but when she asks for a knife, I can’t help but vision in my head, thinking she said it like, “Give me that f*****g knifc!” Talk about close call before making her return to the state during Azami’s reign of terror, which was understandable at the time. It’s good to see some series in WSJ not succumb to the so-called “Heroine doesn’t matter” law. I don’t need to be SJW to know that’s nonsense. That’s nice and all from her, but she’s going to lose to him right now, right? Not exactly.

As much as I enjoy the characters, the arc could have been rough if it was following the Shounen law of escalation or tower of doom system. Plus, it would have been less believable to buy in characters taking on one enemy at a time where everyone could just barge in and rescue Erina altogether. It’s like some form of Yu-Gi-Oh! Why let card games stop you? Punch him. The world literally depends on you. Ahem. Bottom line, it would have been odd. Thankfully, not only there’s another (better) way, but it’s at this moment where my interest increased tenfold.

Saiba challenges Erina, but not in a form of Shokugeki. Instead, he actually has a good idea for once. It goes through a slow hype build to the revelation, starting with the mention of The Blue. How foolish I was that I didn’t think of the grand competition, The Blue, rather the mood. It’s one of the fans’ most anticipated tourney, so when he brought it up, he got my full attention. In case you don’t know it, it’s a tournament that gathers the top-tier chefs from around the world; as long as he/she is younger than 35 years. Sorry, no Joichiro.

This begs one question: why would Saiba brought it up if it’s a tourney for legal chefs only. This year however is different because Chief Executive changed the policy to go beyond. The rules no longer has a limitation, which means Noirs can in fact enter the tournament. That Chief has gone mad. What does this all means? Saiba will challenge her through a genuine match at The Blue, and everyone will be at the tourney to claim the best of the best title. This is surprisingly a great move.

This removes the idea of rescuing Erina at the Tower of Doom system, because everyone, including Noirs, will be at The Blue. It’s like Tsukuda takes the best aspect of “serious” arc and tournament arc. The serious side is the personal bet between the two and the tournament side is self-explanatory. We don’t have to worry about the world ending stake or anything too dramatic. It’s inserted within The Blue. It’s more of character’s subplot than the main plot.

The best part is the tournament. We’re going to see plenty of new/old characters across the world, so we can expect plenty of new style/type of dishes. Another good part is it removes the complete predictability as there will be other characters to worry about. As long as it doesn’t format the predictable straightforward Noirs versus Elite Ten. It could mix up with some other character(s). There are tons of possibilities. I got to hand in to Tsukuda to pull a 180. First the pairing moment, now this. Well done. Of course, Saiba really believes he’s going to win and marry her. Haha. Okay. Maybe if she was in another manga, she would easily lose, but here, well, we’ll see, buddy.

If that whole revelation wasn’t good enough, the chapter ends with Joichiro arriving to the beach to meet Soma at the shop. He looks rather happy after losing his knife to Saiba, let alone losing. This is a great time to clear out some confusions with his ordeal with Saiba. There’s a good chance that he will avoid it, but I’d prefer to clear it out now. Either way, I look forward to the next chapter.

This was one of the best chapter that involves with Saiba and Noirs. While I didn’t mind so much back then, it wouldn’t be my ideal of introducing a new arc involving with another dark storyline. Instead, it’s more of a personal grudge manner and that’s how it should remain. What better way to settle it than at the Blue. And some people thought it wouldn’t happen at all, because “it’s Soma lol.” I suppose so. Still waiting on that “moon mission” in that other series.

Hm. I feel bad for that shot fired; I apologize.

Anyway, Erina remains great as I was expecting. I told you, fans. Don’t let mainstream series get to you. She is above that, believe it or not. The artwork is solid and comical with Erina exploding like a volcano. Seriously, I think she can kill them by herself. With Joichiro arriving, this arc is looking very promising. Let’s hope Tsukuda can keep this momentum strong. We’re counting on you.

Fuck Elvis

I used to play this terrible game with some monstrous friends at karaoke shows. It was all based on how Michael Jackson died at the right time and if he molested just one more kid we’d be screwed out of decades of music and nostalgia.

We’d then apply other artists to this molestation scale. Like if MJ set the standard at say 7 known kids we’re pretty sure he finger banged, how many could say Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler get away with?

Turns out - it’s one. One for sure, but I’m pretty sure there would have to be at least three before we as a society are willing to let go of Dream On or Bruce Willis’s meteor sacrifice.

Bob Dylan? So hard. Old white NPR people would blame the motorcycle accident and give up everything after to protect his earlier legacy, but comparing Michael Jackson to Bob Dylan’s importance? He’s got to be able to molest as many - if not three more kids - than the King of Pop, right? I mean Jewish or not, he is still white so that has to give him the edge over Jacko in what he can get away with.

Anyhoo

Comics have been acting like comedy has been bringing “truth to power!” and patting themselves on the back, but thirty years of Michael Jackson jokes couldn’t do what one documentary has done.

Proving if you really want any justice these days, you need to first invest in some production value and an editor who knows how to make criminal acts look especially bad.

The reactions are pouring in and people are very conflicted. Many questioning whether or not it’s ok to like an artist because of their lurid personal life.

Look, can we come to a consensus on just one thing?

Human beings have been giant flesh bags of hot garbage since the very beginning of our upright existence. We started out so bad, we’re not even sure of what are real beginnings were actually like.

And its not even people that are the worst either. Look at life itself.

Nature is gruesome and horrifying! Every nature documentary is inherently a horror movie missing the scary cello mood music. If you knew how much ducks gang-raped in real life you would burn any remanence of all those duck-themed shows from the 90’s.

Even the creation of space and time was the result of a destructive explosion that shit us out into the nothingness of space.

Disagree? Thinks humans are great? Cool. Keep in mind a lot of people watched a movie about a guy who sexually abused children and their first thought was “Can I still grab my dick and effeminately scream ‘ohhhhh’ whenever it gets super windy? Because I don’t want to live in a world where I can’t do that!”

To me anytime a person does something exceptional - THAT should be the thing that is celebrated. Like “Wow, you overcame being a piece of shit and had a moment of triumph for our species, well done ya piece of shit!”

Thomas Jefferson and the Declaration of Independence, Gandhi and Civil Disobedience, Beethoven’s 9th have all stood the test of time and those acts are worthy of praise.

Are we going to really miss Ignition (remix)?

I’m not saying any of these people’s flaws should be ignored, but seriously - there were plenty of slave fuckers, wife abusers, and piss-on-tweeners out there who not only did that shit - but didn’t even have the decency to form an experimental democratic republic placing power in the hands of the people, much less write a catchy tune.

We have got to start holding a higher standard for what we consider legit and meaningful art.

Is Trapped in the Closet really an achievement for humanity? Is the cinematic legacy of Space Jam ruined by the tainting of I Believe I Can Fly?

Was American Beauty and House of Cards our civilization’s finest cinematic moments? Has there been nothing else to watch?

Can we no longer backwards slide dance at house parties because a guy who dressed like a sequined private eye slept with kids?

I’m not saying you can’t still enjoy those things, or even question your feelings about them. I’m saying don’t make those things more important than they actually are. You can both think an actor should be castrated and get lost in visualized fiction.

Just as easily as you can decide to never watch again. It’s all disposable.

To me the real crime is needing a movie like American Beauty to be the pinnacle of human achievement because you got your first handy in the theater when it came out or whatever.

Not that anyone is exactly saying that, but you big bad wolves get my straw house point.

What is the value of achievement? How do we measure what’s important? I’m not sure. Maybe it’s what the consensus decides should stay. Maybe it’s the individual.

Sometimes it feels like a lot of our general arguments are between the perspectives of group thinking socialists versus self-motivated libertarians. Maybe they’re both right, I guess it depends on the situation.

Personally I think most the arguments about entertainers matters most to the people who have a vested interest in brands and making it in the ‘look at me’ industry.

I don’t know if it’s because I’m in the thick of it having done music and standup most of my life and have the same guttural need for a stranger’s approval, but sometimes I feel surrounded by people who treat every moment of their lives like a biopic. Selling themselves on social media as if they’re the subject of their own Rolling Stone exposé.

People who define themselves by the most disposable of expressions and since trying to be good and known is so difficult, decided it’s easier to just simulate success instead of working harder on the mediums.

You know, frauds.

I’m surrounded by a generation of ‘fake it til you make it’ personalities who thrive on all the shit I find utterly useless, meaningless and the worst crime - boring.

Entrepreneurs in narcissism who communicate through gossip and trade in brand expression, littering the artistic landscape with recycled lateral thinking dog turds.

It’s exhausting,debilitating, and absolutely the future as AI replaces our normal careers, forcing all of us into becoming Instagram models and Influencers.

And everyday I have to have deep sobering introspection trying to figure out if I’m not equally culpable in this terrible trap of meaningless thinking.

Not that there’s anything wrong with meaningless. Not everything has to have as everlasting an impact as Ode to Joy.

I mean really, what actually matters if we all die and whatever impact we had becomes erased regardless of whether or not it takes years, months, days or even minutes after we are laid into the ground?

Most of everyone who has been born has meant nothing and left no trace or measurement that they even existed at all. Think of all the stillborn babies who didn’t even get the chance.

Nature the cold hearted bitch strikes again!

People call me jaded and bitter for these thoughts, but I promise you - I hold no anger or selfish need to compensate my own lacking by exclaiming ‘people are mostly shit and none of this will stand the test of time’. I’m very fun at parties.

It’s just the people desperate to matter that think reality is inherently mean.

Celebrate the achievement not the person, but also - let’s not over inflate the achievement to validate our own petty need for someone to hear our folk song about getting a handy while watching American Beauty or whatever.

A quick story.

One of the most talented people I ever met was a dude from Philly named Perone.

Perone played bass and was known across the city as being this incredible player who for some reason just never found a project he clicked with.

I met him when I was 18 and homeless, living in a 24 hour diner he waited tables at. Everyone loved this dude and for some reason he took care of me. Hooking up free salads, sodas, bread. He was the coolest dude I ever met.

I was learning guitar and we both loved 70’s soul and blues music so we’d jam together which in hindsight was wild.

I had no fucking idea what I was doing and yet here was this genius jamming patiently along.

Teaching me without putting in a show that he was actually teaching me, if that makes sense?

Was he perfect? No. Not at all. He was charismatic as fuck, but obviously weighted down with some demons.

The weirdest thing I could say about him - and I don’t know how to even properly frame this was - he used to draw on bed sheets.

For years he had a dream about a woman he never met and would paint her face on the bed sheets and attach lyrics to songs he was writing next to her face. These sheets hung all over his walls.

Keep in mind he was living with a girl at the time. He had a kid, yet here were all these sheets dedicated to a fictional white woman he was obsessed with, hung like championship banners across his entire two bedroom apartment.

My last conversation with Perone was perfect. I sat strumming his guitar while he smoked meth out of a can of Pepsi, telling me how Michael Jackson was the King.

Every click of the lighter, every inhale and exhale would punctuate just how much Michael Jackson meant to the world and music.

How Motown celebrated their 25th anniversary with a tv special and Michael Jackson came out and destroyed with the moonwalk.

“Dude, (click) black people loved Michael (inhale). White people loved Michael. (exhale)Young people loved Michael. (cough) Old people loved Michael. (click) None of this race or generation shit mattered. (inhale) It was because of the music and HE did that. (exhale) He bridged everything together in that one moment. (violent cough) Michael Jackson is and will always be the King. (click) Fuck Elvis.”

That was twenty years ago. I have no idea if he’s still alive, earned a living with his music or met the woman he’d dreamt and painted for years. Or if instead he succumbed to meth, took his own life and or manages an Olive Garden.

I don’t know and I don’t have to. I miss him and appreciate the things we shared that mattered and helped me grow as a person, but that’s all it ever will be.

Let justice be done and handled by those involved in their situation and value only the things and constructs that have some permanence or growth in your own life.

Either way you will still die, and wether it’s alone and forgotten or if it takes centuries for people to forget you were a miserable deaf cunt who wrote some sweet jams - you’ll eventually be nothing.

Fuck Elvis.

ARcde Statement

Contextual Statement

“The bystander effect is the somewhat controversial name given to a social psychological phenomenon in cases where individuals do not offer help in an emergency situation when other people are present.” (Listversestaff, 2009)

The discussion around the bystander effect has been a controversial topic in an array of academic articles. However we first stumbled upon this term through a TED talk presented by Ken Brown, The bystander effect is complicated: and here’s why (2015). He references the Kitty Genovese case where she was murdered outside of her apartment, the police report said that “37 who saw murder didn’t call the police” - The New York Times 1964. One of first cases where the bystander effect was first recognised.

Evidence tends to suggest that “individuals intervene less frequently in emergency situations as soon as the number of passive bystanders around increased did not operate.” (Gueguen, Dupre, Georget, Senemeaud, 2015). A part of our natural human nature is blending in, to be one of the many in a crowd. Commonly referred to as being a sheep in society. It makes sense that when people are in a crowd they are more likely to follow what the crowd does. It brings to light the question of “am I doing the correct thing?” which is an insecurity in all of us. One main point stands out from these studies, “that bystanders’ perceived responsibility to act is an important factor of their own willingness to help the victim of an emergency” (Gueguen, Dupre, Georget, Senemeaud 2015). In some cases when there is one or few people, they are more inclined to help because the responsibility is less shared amongst a crowd, more so targeting at individuals. Seemingly “the presence of other people serves to inhibit the impulse to help.” (Fischer, Greitemeryer, Pollozek, Frey, 2006).

However in low risk evaluations in “the bystander condition, 85% of the male participants intervened, whereas in the alone condition only 65% of the participants intervened.” (Fischer, Greitemeryer, Pollozek, Frey, 2006), but “the present study revealed that in the context of highly dangerous emergencies, this bystander effect does not occur.” (Fischer, Greitemeryer, Pollozek, Frey, 2006).

 Dangerous situations increase the risk versus the reward factor for helping a victim, studies find that people were more ready to take on that risk for the sake of helping, than those people in low risk situations (Fischer, Greitemeryer, Pollozek, Frey, 2006). So “the decision of helping a person in need is based on the relative weight of costs versus benefits.” (Bommel, Willemvan, Henkelffers, Van Lange, 2012). When it comes down to it, there is evidence suggesting that the more danger the victim is in, the more risk the people in the crowd will take on. When it is a low risk situation people are less inclined to think the responsibility to help is necessary.

Ken Brown in his TED talk furthermore goes on to mention “there is no evidence for the presence of 38 witnesses, or that witnesses observed the murder, or that witnesses remained inactive” (2015). In many studies we can see that the argument is reversed because what is shown is that “Dangerous situations faced in the bystanders are recognized faster and less ambiguously as real emergency situations than harmless situations.” (Fischer, Greitemeryer, Pollozek, Frey, 2006).

All of this shows studies about situations evaluated in real life. Throughout the years however, as technology and social media becomes more advanced, Bommel, Willemvan, Henkelffers and Van Lange make some increasingly relevant points. That “On the one hand, one could argue that the complete visual anonymity and safety of a virtual environment differs in important ways from real-world bystander situations.” (Bommel, Willemvan, Henkelffers, Van Lange, 2012)”. This we believe stands very true, a virtual environment, in particular social media, removes you from the immediate reaction response you would have in real life. “For instance, there is no threat of physical harm by intervening online, thus the potential costs of online-intervention are severely reduced.” Cyber bullying for example, you are protected by your screen at home, it is a place where you can be anonymous; you are not putting yourself in any risk, therefore it is easier to stand out.

“At the same time, in our modern era, real-life and online interaction have become very much entwined. A substantial part of our everyday social interactions, including helping, now takes place online” (Bommel, Willemvan, Henkelffers, Van Lange, 2012)

This poses the question, is our way of ‘helping’ online actually as effective as doing it in real life? What we are trying to address is the fact that trends in particular hashtags on social media, “#bringourgirlsback” or “#prayforparis” may not have any real impact other than making yourself look like a ‘good person’ online. It also seems more and more that people use these easy hashtags as way to acquire social approval, without actually participating practically. When asked if the “#bringbackourgirls” campaign has been a success Hewitt said: “the girls are still missing ... that is the ultimate measure of success and we are not there yet.” (Maeve Shearlaw, 2015). You also see this ‘online bystander effect’ on facebook, with posts saying things like “1 like = 1 prayer,” or “1 share = 10 prayers”. Although it now turned into something comical to reference to, it does prove our point further, that the extension of the bystander effect does exist within social media. Our initial takeaway is that these likes, shares and hashtags majority of time contribute to nothing.  

References: Badalge, K. N. (2017) Our phones make us feel like social-media activists, but they’re actually turning us into bystanders [Article]. Retrieved from https://qz.com/991167/our-phones-make-us-feel-like-social-media-activists-but-theyre-actually-turning-us-into-bystander

LISTVERSE STAFF  (2009) Listverse : 10 Notorious Cases of the Bystander Effect

http://listverse.com/2009/11/02/10-notorious-cases-of-the-bystander-effect/

 Nicolas Gueguen, Mickale Dupre, Patrice Georget, Cecile Senemeaud (2015) Phycology, Crime and Law: Commitment, crime, and the responsive bystander: effect of the commitment form and conformism

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/267875713_Commitment_crime_and_the_responsive_bystander_effect_of_the_commitment_form_and_conformism

 PETER FISCHER, TOBIAS GREITEMEYER, FABIAN POLLOZEK AND DIETER FREY (2006) European Journal of Social Psychology:  The unresponsive bystander: Are bystanders more responsive in

dangerous emergencies?

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ejsp.297

 Marcovan Bommel, Jan-Willemvan, Prooijen HenkElffers, Paul A.M.Van Lange (2012) Journal of Experimental Social Psychology : Be aware to care: Public self-awareness leads to a reversal of the bystander effect

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022103112000236

Stephen M. Garcia, Kim Weaver, John M. Darley, Gordon B. Moskowitz (2002) Journal of Personality and Social Psychology: Crowded Minds: The Implicit Bystander Effect

http://www-personal.umich.edu/~smgarcia/pubs/crowded_minds.pdf

Schwartz, S. H., & Clausen, G. T. (1970). Responsibility, norms, and helping in an emergency. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 16, 299–310.

Latane´, B., & Rodin, J. (1969). A lady in distress: Inhibiting effects of friends and strangers on bystander intervention. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 5, 189–202.

Ken Brown (2015) TEDxUIowa: The bystander effect is complicated – here’s why | Ken Brown https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ufs8cKyzLvg

M.Heene, M.Wicher, M. Kainbacher, P.Fischer, J.I.Krueger, T.Greitemeyer, C.Vogrincic, A.Kastenmuller, D.Frey (2011)  American Psychological Association: The Bystander-Effect: A Meta-Analytic Review on Bystander Intervention in Dangerous and Non-Dangerous Emergencies https://www.uni muenster.de/imperia/md/content/psyifp/aeechterhoff/sommersemester2012/schluesselstudiendersozialpsychologiea/fischerkruegergreitem_bystandermetaana_psybull2011.pdf

Kassin, S. M. (2017). The killing of Kitty Genovese: what else does this case tell us?. Perspectives on psychological science, 12(3), 374-381.

Maeve Shearlaw (2015) The guardian Did the #bringbackourgirls campaign make a difference in Nigeria? https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/apr/14/nigeria-bringbackourgirls-campaign-one-year-on

Visual Aid: 14 PHAN-TASTIC Facts About Danny Phantom!

Edit: I have no idea why tumblr is flipping out. If you click to Keep Reading, the punctuation is fixed. ???

Hey Hart Phans! I'm going ghost! Or it's "goin’" without the "g". Goin' Ghost. I'm goin’ ghost! You guys like this? Is this is a cool hoodie or what? Check this out. This is based on my Danny Phantom 10 Years Later design. And if you're good, if you're really nice and leave a nice comment in the comment section below and give me a like or subscribe, I just might leave a link in the description below so you can get one of these yourself.

If anyone has the link to the 10YL hoodie, I’ll leave it here.

Fourteen years ago, this week, Danny Phantom premiered on Nickelodeon. So we're gonna do 14 awesome things about Danny Phantom.

Number one, it's a show about teenagers. Danny, Sam, and Tucker - all teenagers in a high school. A lot of shows centered around kids in elementary school, kids in preschool, but not a lot centered around a high school. And I think a lot of kids in their teenage years when they first encounter Danny Phantom really responded to it really well because Danny was going through the same things they were going through, you know? Dealing with girls, dealing with boys, the high school dance, bullies, all those sorts of things. Danny Fenton was going through the same things a lot of the audience was going through. I think that's really why Danny Phantom resonated with a lot of kids and why it still resonated with a lot of teenagers today.

Number two, relationships. Danny Phantom is an awesome show chock full of relationships. And what's cool about that is, you know, everybody loves great characters who have great relationships because that makes it easier for the audience to relate to them. Danny's relationship to Jazz. She loves him but treats him like a little brother until she finds out he's got ghost powers and then she wants to be part of his super team. Danny's nerd relationship with Tucker. They're the best of friends. Danny's relationship to his bumbling, ghost-fighting parents who don't realize that their son is the ultimate ghost prize they've been searching for. And finally, Danny's relationship to Sam. I mean, Sam and Danny start off as really good, close friends and as the show builds, their relationship builds as well. And it finally ends in Phantom Planted where they fly off into the sunset and we're all left wondering, do they get married? Does this relationship continue? What happens to Danny and Sam? And that's awesome. Cause people want to know. Do you want to know? Let me know in the comment section below.

Number three, ghost powers! I mean, how many cool characters you can think of have ghost powers? I can name a few. There's Deadman, from DC Comics, he could sort of take over people's bodies, and he was dead. There's The Spectre from DC Comics who's a big, huge, otherworldly ghost no one can really relate to, but he's kind of cool, I guess. There's Phantom Girl from Legion of Superheroes who... no one's really ever heard of. There's Casper the Friendly Ghost, who... is friendly. And then there's Ghost Rider who rides a motorcycle and isn't really a ghost. He's got, like, a flaming skull head and a chain, so anyway. But Danny had all these cool powers. He had plasma blasts, he had a ghostly chill, and could shoot cold out of his hands because ghosts give you a chill up your spine. He could turn intangible and go through walls, he could grab you and turn you intangible and pull you through walls. All these really cool things and not a lot of other characters have had powers as cool as Danny Phantom.

And in Danny Phantom, we had a rule. We were writing the show that none of the ghosts would be dead people. We never wanted to be the ghost of a dead person. We wanted the ghosts to be creatures from another dimension that could take the shape of a human, could take the shape of something, but they would never be a deceased person's spirit. Like, you'll never see Danny Phantom fighting the ghost of Elvis Presley or the ghost of Abraham Lincoln. I should, we should make a cartoon where Lincoln fights Elvis. Let's write that down! Let's do that!

Number four, Danny's parents. And the fact that they don't know that their own son is the ultimate ghost prize they've been looking for. I mean, let's face it. Jack and Maddie Fenton are awesome. They love each other, they're people of action, they, they kick ghost butt all the time, they got amazing weapons. But the one thing they can't seem to figure out is how to catch a ghost and, number two, that their own son is the ultimate ghost that they've been looking for.

Number five, the Box Ghost! I am the Box Ghost! Actually, not just the Box Ghost, but all of the Danny Phantom ghost villains. Let's face it, without a good group of villains, a hero and a show, or comic or whatever, doesn't have a really great chance to shine, and Danny Phantom's villains really give him a lot to play off of. From the comedy of the Box Ghost, to the sultriness and the musicality of Ember, to the sinisterness of the ultimately deadly Vlad Plasmius, and the action and edginess of Skulker. All of these villains really, really gave Danny Phantom this ultimate ability to become an awesome hero and to give the audience something to really, really be excited about and someone to root for.

Number six, the songs. From the opening notes of the Danny Phantom theme song *hums*, you knew that was Danny Phantom. The end credit music is amazing. The music inside the show, where Danny's fighting a ghost, or when a relationship gets really tender, there's a tender moment. The music there is amazing, too. Plus, to top it all off, the amazing song by Ember "Remember" was a great song. People just loved that song and have really responded to it really well. So I think Danny Phantom didn't old have some of the best music in cartoons, but in all of television.

Number seven, the costume. Starting off with just a black jumpsuit, white boots, white gloves, white belt. We ended up adding a logo into the costume, and I think adding that awesome cool D with the ghostly tail and the P inside of it, elevated that simple, normal costume of Danny's in the first season to one of the most iconic superhero costumes of all time.

Number eight, the Ghost Zone. The Ghost Zone gave Danny a whole other dimension, pardon the pun. I mean, not only does Danny Phantom have to fight ghosts in our world, but then we have him the Ghost Zone where he's got to go fight ghosts there are well. And the awesome thing about the Ghost Zone was that we could give Danny pretty much anything we wanted to in the Ghost Zone. It was really a world with no rules. There were some rules. But what was cool about it, we could have anything we wanted to in there. We could have Frostbite's frozen home world, we could have the Ghostwriter's Library, we could have Skulker's island where he chased Danny and Valerie Grey. We could have doors that opened up into any dimension, in any time period that we wanted to. It just really expanded Danny Phantom from being a city-based superhero show to a dimensionally-based superhero show.

Number nine, superhero ideas. Now, Danny Phantom was one of those shows that took a lot of the classic superhero ideas and kind of turned them a little bit inside out and used them in their own way. For example, the secret identity. Danny Phantom had a secret identity like Clark Kent, or Bruce Wayne, or Peter Parker, but the interesting thing is all of Danny's villains pretty much knew his secret identity. And none of Danny's family did. Also, comedic versus sinister moments. Danny Phantom was a great show, had examples of being funny one second and then being ultimately scary and having lives at stake the next. For example, in The Ultimate Enemy, Danny fights Box Lunch, who is the daughter of the Box Ghost and the Lunch Lady one minute, And then the next minute, he's fighting the ultimate bad, evil future version of himself, Dark Danny, from the future. It was a great show and taking those sort of classic superhero ideas and using it in its own way, keeping those ideas pure, but making it it's very own.

Number ten, story length. We watch a half-hour cartoon show, you can tell one one story, have a commercial, and tell another story. Two eleven minutes in the half hour because we did eight minutes for commercials. Little behind the scenes stuff there. But Danny Phantom was one of the first shows ever that told its stories in 22 minutes. We had a long time to tell our story so we'd have the first part of the story, and then an act break, and then the last part of the story. Danny Phantom even had a cold open before the titles. I don't think I've seen a cartoon like that ever since.

Number eleven, the serialized storytelling in Danny Phantom. What does that mean? Well, basically what it means is you'd watch one episode of Danny Phantom, no problem. It made sense. Watch another one, that one makes sense too. But if you watch all the episodes of Danny Phantom in order, they're all connected in some way. Each episode ties into the next because we're always constantly building the story, the characters, and the world as the show goes on. And that was unique back then, that wasn't really done a lot back then. So I think Danny Phantom really paved the way for a lot more serialized cartoons to come out after it.

Number twelve, the voice acting on Danny Phantom. I mean, not only did Danny Phantom have amazing character concepts, and amazing character designs, but the voice acting, I think, brought the characters up to a whole new level. Like, David Kaufman as Danny Phantom, Rob Paulson as Jack Fenton and Technus, Ricky D'Shon Collins as Tucker, Colleen O'Shaughnessy as Jazz Fenton, Tara Strong as Ember McLean, Martin Mull as Vlad Plasmius, Eric Roberts as the Ultimate Enemy Dark Danny from the future, Jon Cryer as Freakshow, and the list goes on and on and on. These characters not only look great, not only written great, but the voice acting brought them up to an incredible level that, I think, that audience still responds to today. And that's why people love the characters of Danny Phantom.

Number thirteen, the awesome phans - P-H-A-N-S. The Dany Phantom phans are legion. They are unbelievable. you're all awesome, and you're the reason this show still lives on and on and on and on. From the original episodes of Danny Phantom on Nickelodeon to my videos, Danny Phantom 10 Years Later, all the stuff I do with Danny Phantom here on the channel. You guys are what makes Danny Phantom special because you will not let the show go away. And I'm here with you 100%. I want Danny Phantom to live on as long as you do. So keep sending me requests, keep letting me know what you want to see as far as Danny Phantom goes. We'll keep doing amazing stuff and keep making you guys happy because Danny Phantom deserves to go on, and you guys deserve to see more.

Ok, and the fourteenth awesome thing about Danny Phantom is... Young Danny Fenton, he was just fourteen. What? Did I say young? That's right, I said "young". A lot of you think it's "Yo Danny Fenton". It's not. It's "young". How do I know this? Cause I wrote the theme song. So I know, and I wrote "Young Danny Fenton", that's what it is. It is "Young Danny Fenton, he was just fourteen". Did I blow your mind? I blew your mind, didn't I? I didn't mean to.

Hey, I'm so glad you guys are phans - P-H-A-N-S - happy 14th Danaversary, to Danny Phantom

‘Costume Design Is Character Creation,’ Edurne Fernandez On Superhero Getup

Superhero costumes have come a long way. From rubber onesies to Batman armor, things have taken a swift turn since Ruth E. Carter’s Oscar-nominated Black Panther costumes helped changed the game, as have costume design for Wonder Woman to Birds of Prey.

Next to dazzle the screen are the costumes for the forthcoming Cinestudios fan series Impulse, which is slated to have a September release on YouTube, after it’s completed in Australia.

The film, directed by Joshua Hoareau, follows Bart Allen, son of The Flash, who is a boy with super speed powers and the ability to time travel. Since Impulse made his debut in DC Comics in 1994, we’ve known him as a sprightly kid with zing—and zig zags.

Impulse’s costume designer Edurne Fernandez shares exclusive drawings, photos and stills from the forthcoming production, which tells the story of one untold superhero. Though the costumes have been built in Los Angeles and shipped to Melbourne for production (which has been put on hold because of the pandemic), Fernandez speaks from her L.A. studio about 3D printing masks, fabric hunting and Hollywood’s greatest lesson.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PflHgyFRN9o

From Impulse to Perfectly Natural and FLOTUS, you have worked on a lot of sci-fi film sets, where do you start with this kind of costume design?

Edurne Fernandez: Doing sci-fi has always been fun for me. I see it as a mixture of styles and elements we know and recognize with things that are totally new and made up from the imagination. The key is to keep close communication with the director and, with the production designer, come up with a world that resembles as much of the original idea as possible. Research and mood boards are helpful because they are a great way of visualizing what we are trying to accomplish.

How different is it designing contemporary style in a film or TV series versus costumes for a sci-fi or fantasy superhero series?

People always say that designing contemporary style projects is easier, but I don’t necessarily agree with that. When something has a contemporary style, of course you relate to it because it is something that is happening right now or happened in the near past but costume design is much more than just going to the most popular clothing store and buying the new style of jeans and t-shirts. Costume design is more of a character creation and comes from figuring out deep down who this character is. It is almost as if you and the director were building the personality of the character and that is going to determine what they are going to wear. We sit down to analyze what aspects make each character different from the rest.

What kinds of things do you talk about?

We talk about personality, likes, dislikes, background, among other things that influence what the actor’s costume is going to be when he or she is portraying the character. We talk about the background and baggage of these characters, what makes them who they are, and this background is influenced by the situation or the time period they are living in. So designing for contemporary or sci-fi features requires deep understanding of who the person is, even if you are bringing back someone from World War II, using Barack Obama as a reference or making up a character for 50 years in the future – who they are and how they are living is going to determine what they wear and what they look like.

What was it like working on Impulse, and what did you want to achieve with the costumes?

I am so lucky I got connected with this amazing group of filmmakers and that they trusted me from the beginning with their vision. Even though we have been working long distance because they are based in Melbourne, we are in close communication. Since Impulse characters are based on the DC Comics, we had to keep a close eye on who they were, with and without the superhero costumes. Joshua Hoareau, the director, and creator of the production company Cinestudios wanted to stick as close to the original DC Comics costumes as possible

Where did you begin?

After doing a lot of research on this acclaimed comic, and following Josh’s intuition and expertise, I started digitally sketching each costume. Then, I started searching for the right materials to create these costumes. I sourced a great variety of fabrics and textures here in Los Angeles that fit the needs of each character. I also had to keep in mind while looking for the fabrics that because the actors are portraying superheroes, they are going to perform their own stunts, so I had to make sure the materials were not going to restrict their movements in any way and were as comfortable and practical as possible.

How did you realize your designs?

With specific silhouettes and designs, we decided to build the costumes with the help of a tailor. I had to draw a series of technical sketches to help the seamstress get the correct details of the design. We are also using a 3D printer to mold and create all the accessories such as masks, visors and belt buckles. For the moment, we had to pause the work because of the pandemic. For now, the only costume that has been completed and sent to Australia is the main Impulse costume. The other three superheroes will have to wait until everything goes back to normal.

What has working in Hollywood taught you?

Hollywood has taught me that there is no small project, job or task; and that there is a place for everyone, if you have the passion and drive to do it. I’ve always been a person who doesn’t give up and works hard to achieve what she wants and, while being in Los Angeles, out of my comfort zone, I’ve come to realize that it is never easy, but it can be done.

What else?

Hollywood has also taught me that there is no small story and that every story is worth telling, if it is told right. It has also made me realize that we are in charge of giving a voice to those who don’t have one and that it is our duty to use this amazing vehicle of expression to bring these voices to the front of the line and let them speak. When I am working on a project, it is not about me, it is about the character I am designing and bringing to life, to tell their stories, their pain and their successes. Every single late night, extra hour or early call is worth it if you have the passion for it.

Check out the website of Edurne Fernandez and check out Impulse on Patreon.

i really do like making my life harder and idk if it’s just because i can’t focus... so i have to just keep switching things up... or because i’m a chronic need-to-overachieve and need-to-perfect what i’m doing so i find out Everything and then hopelessly try to get to learning All of it (knowing that is functionally impossible weeeeee!)

ok so i kind of. basically determined i’m learning at least some of the traditional characters regardless of whether that was my original intent or not. My main resources, and learning plan, is all geared toward simplified characters. But... I watch a lot of Taiwanese shows (and therefore see a lot of traditional character subs), I accidentally found myself reading a couple novels in their traditional character versions (because mtlnovel.com just uses traditional character for it’s raws, and i ordered some novels from hong kong knowing they were gonna be traditional). Also I... am a mega nerd when it comes to historical textbooks/learning books, and since half my textbooks are from 1900-1960 I have books in a variety of character-formats! I’ve got pre-simplified character books, books published after one wave of simplification but before the currently used modern simplified changes were made, I’ve got books written before the modern standard pinyin was invented (and some without any kind of recognizably-modern pinyin). And... do you think that stopped me from reading any of them? No, no it did not. Of course I still read them. Of course I just chugged along anyway. So now I’ve got a vague recognition of a lot of the real commonly used characters in their multiple formats through the past century. And oh... I also got two books on Ancient Chinese... because WHY NOT learn how to read ancient Chinese right??? 

Right...?

Anyway there was absolutely no reason necessary For me to be constantly exposing myself to multiple sets of the characters, full well KNOWING I’m confusing myself and making it more difficult then it needs to be. Full well knowing my life would have been significantly easier if I had just... waited until I felt relatively confident in recognizing the 2000 some most common simplified characters, BEFORE making the effort to recognize the traditional ones.

The ONLY thing going for me, in all this, is I’m a very visual learner and my memory is quite visual. When I needed to memorize a script once... I literally DREW a comic for the entire script. Once I drew it, I remembered it (which is a remembering method I don’t wanna do again it took a long time - i guess the benefit is you get a Comic along with a nicely acted scene lol!). Bascially though, what this means for me is - I am very good at recognizing the radicals, both simplified and traditional, and recognizing the components that build up to make characters. So it’s pretty easy for me to see a traditional and simplified character, and note to myself the parts that were modified - which for radicals like ‘speech/words’ simplified, is quite easy to blanket apply that simplification with the traditional character equivalents that just use the original unsimplified version of that radical. Same with ‘fly’ fei, and ji ‘several/how many’ radical, and the ‘silk’ radical - if you remember what the traditional and simplified version of that radical looks like, its easy to recognize both the traditional and simplified versions of characters with their only difference being that radical’s appearance, as the same thing. So in the end... the only traditional characters that become difficult, are the ones that actually CHANGED the radical they used in a character for the sake of simplicity. 

However, if a character is reasonably common, even if the traditional and simplified forms DO USE DIFFERENT radicals to create the character... you see them enough to realize it’s the same character. (’Zhe’ for ‘this’ is a major character that’s like this, and i’m not sure if ‘hui’ does BUT the traditional character for ‘hui’/to be able looks A Lot Different then it’s simplified counterpart). 

So, like, because I’m good with visual memory and breaking images down into parts, the differences aren’t really that confusing for me for most characters... once I realize which radicals are simplified/were changed. The main difficulty then, is in just having the capacity to remember them all - cause remembering even JUST one set of the characters is a very long-game task that’s gonna take years period. And even though I shouldn’t have... I doubled that task for myself. Just because. I’m reading both character types regularly so like... its something I need to recognize. (Which is how I get my brain to learn anything, honestly... i need to make my brain Need something for understanding, and then that Need seems to be the only thing that gets things to stick...)

---

And today I actually bothered to look up the differences in Taiwan pronunciation so... there’s an entirely separate whole spew of thoughts concerning all that...

Literally... on the standard Mandarin pronunciation alone... I already think it’s a considerable task to: first recognize basic tones decently. 

Second, realize that tones do change behavior in certain situations (and typed pinyin will Rarely reflect those spoken changes and just assumes you’ll know to do it - like how the 4th tone in ‘bu’ changes based on what follows it, how the 3rd tone changes regardless based on what follows it). I JUST read, today, a tip that I think is BRILLIANT and explains So Freaking Much and I wish I’d heard sooner. The tip was that, a 3rd tone sound ‘shortens’ when followed by certain other tones. So this is NOT about how the sound will go up into a ‘2nd tone’ when followed by another 3rd tone. No, instead the tip was: if a 3rd tone is followed by a 4th tone, it shortens and only sort of half rises after the dip. 

I am not wording it exactly but... that explanation makes So much sense in retrospect. Because like... just listening to words like ‘wo’ and ‘ni’ where you can clearly hear the sound dip then rise at length, then comparing them to 3rd tones in the beginning of words like ‘shouji’/cellphone. You don’t say shhh-o-oh jii. You say sh-ohjii. Excuse my very bad attempt at trying to explain it. But like... when you say shou/hand on it’s own, the sound is a bit more drawn out/dips a bit more obviously. But when you say it at the beginning of a word like ‘shouji’. If you look up the words on a site like BaiduTranslate, you can clearly hear the difference in pronunciation between the shou in “shou”/hand and “shouji”/cellphone. The third tone sounds a bit different. It still dips a little, but its less something - elongated?

Anyway a tip like that seems small. But it makes a difference when you’re literally just sounding words out based on pinyin. One pronunciation is going to sound more naturally paced. 

There’s a common advice that in learning/pronouncing most any language, written language is a tool to give some kind of framework to explain the pronunciation/word but it is not necessarily exact. Just like “know” and “now” are not pronounced quite the same, even though if you sounded them out and did not know them, you might end up pronouncing them the same. Or words like “cough” and “dough” - the ‘ough’ are pronounced MUCH differently in the correct pronunciations of the words. But if you’d never spoken or heard them before, and tried to sound them out, they may both come out sounding the same from your mouth. This kind of difference in pronunciation from spelling, is why it’s good to look up native pronunciations of words when learning new ones if at all possible. And why it’s good to listen to a lot of native content and speech - because real people’s pronunciations and the real words are not going to line up one-for-one with the written pronunciation guides we try our best to have as helpful guides.

Third, now recognize that, beyond the real pronunciation of tones actually not always matching up to ‘pinyin’ spelling, and best learned in context with each new word - that also entire syllables basic initials and finals will sound somewhat different depending on dialect. So what dialect are you even aiming to speak like? which ones do you want to understand? Is it important to you to recognize the more subtle was ‘ng’ versus ‘n’ finals sound depending on different dialects? Or z versus zh, etc? Like some areas adding ‘er’ to words and that ‘er’ being pronounced differently depending on which final its attached to? Are any dialects that have different pronunciations for certain words significant for you to learn (like Taiwan using ‘han’ instead of ‘he’ for with/and)? This whole bit is... a lot. And from what I’ve noticed... at least in my own studies... even if you’re aiming for just the standard-mandarin that’s usually beijing-like, that a lot of learning materials use, there’s huge variance in if the ‘er’ thing gets mentioned. Along with other little things... its like. Its like trying to figure out if you’re going to study british english versus american english. But then you decide and you’re like using midwestern american english as the base, but some learning materials include that Milwalkee maaalk for ‘milk’ paaallow for ‘pee-low’ pillow accent, and then like what if someone uses y’all or some light southern parts of accent cause they’re from the south/family is from the south or its like kentucky or tennessee and accents vary depending on what part of the state/cities ur in? 

Galaxy Con 2020 Convention Review

Galaxy Con 2020 was a smashing hit from last year, 2019. Richmond, VA was the first Galaxy Con of the year and as such will carry lots of for the rest of Galaxy Cons. Galaxy Con’s trademark came from SuperCon before their events were sold to ReedPOP and GalaxyCon was born. It is just a change in ownership and the only SuperCon left is the original in Florida. I came to the friends the Reynolds Anime Club and treated volunteering as the community service project for the club. I would have come even without the community service aspect. I was assigned to the Audio and Visual department for Galaxy Con. I went on Saturday, February 209th, 2020 and had two shifts of ten hours with a break in between.

I arrived at the event around 8:45 A.M. and was waiting to enter with staff personnel for my shift. Apparently, the Greater Richmond Convention Center Security was very picky who came on the restricted areas before 10 A.M. I had to go with a staff member even though I had the volunteer shirt for my shift from 9 am to 2 pm. This reassured that the event would be safe and there would be no external threats for the remainder of my time there. I went to the second floor and it felt deserted with all the guests downstairs. Luckily, the volunteer coordinator put a list of numbers for the supervisors of each department and I called mine. The only sense of direction for finding everyone was what I thought was the Viewing rooms. However, AV’s home base was on the other side of the building which was interesting for walking back and forth from. I met Anthony and he directed to headquarters (HQ) and that is where I began my wait for something to do.

It took about 10:30 where the waiting around was followed by briefly moving the equipment around and such. Though during this time, it was quiet because most of the preparations were done beforehand. Basically, it was fine-tuning and watching AV staff getting the transcribing software eady on TVs and connected to tablets. The transcribing software was to help those with hearing impairments a chance to understand what was said in the Main, Super, and Hero Stages. After some time, I had a chance to do the main activities for AV which was checking on panelists and seeing their requirements for the panels.

Since I was new to AV, I had someone named Tim, who every chance he got to help AV at Galaxy Con. He showed them things to ask and look out for like projectors, microphones, audio from an external device to speaker, and other important factors for the panel sections. My favorite part was meeting the panelists and asking the same questions to make it easier for them. A majority of the time, the panels did not need the project much and mainly used the microphones in the rooms. While I was making my strolls to the panels, I ran into a panelist that I met last year who hosted Who wants to be a Nerd? (geek trivia) and Conversation Menu (a list of ice breakers for talking).

Though my first shift was busy, I still managed to enjoy the AV segment so far and it provided a groundwork for other conventions to come. The last activity that I was assigned was to help a special guest who had a signing and Q&A activity which had a lot of preparation for it. We had to organize the room where people would line up in the hallway and slowly present their ticket for the autographs. There were two tables lined up on the autographs and the Galaxy Con banner had to be moved in front of the platforms so no one would step on those platforms. The people attending the panel were ecstatic at them getting a small picture and a large poster as a gift. This was the last task I did before going on my hour hiatus and then have to go back.

During the two hour break, I met up with a member of the club whose shift ended on the same shift. Actually, I ended up a couple of minutes early and decided to go to the Anime Viewing Room to wait on Reggie. He could not leave the pile of DVDs, so I waited with him for confirmation when Anthony would be able to open the storage room. We went to AV HQ and sat in the room for about 20 minutes. Reggie did not eat for a while so pizza was his option in the office and waiting around was pretty relaxing. The shift prior to this was taxing and my feet were aching for walking the 3 blocks of a convention center. Reggie and I went downstairs to meet up with the former club president and his brother. Apparently, there was confusion about which cafe he was and it ended up being Concessions B in Exhibit Hall B. I thought the Food Court and Cyber Cafe were the only places but I was severely wrong when I found out about the concessions in the vendor's area.

When I met Irvin, the plans that I discussed with Reggie were changed. Originally, Irvin decided to go to the Video Games room for the Dragon Ball Z Fighters Tournament but soon joined me in watching the Super Smash Bros. Tournament. I liked the Smash Bros. and my favorite was discussing with guests about Melee versus Ultimate. Melee is the second generation of Smash Bros. on the GameCube while Super Smash Ultimate is the new version on the Nintendo Switch. I was trying to see people’s opinions on HungryBox (who is the top champion in Melee) and if Ultimate was better than Melee. However, my two hours of rest would have come to an end and so my second shift began 4 to 9.

My second shift was literally doing Reggie’s shift which was the Anime Viewing Room and later the Nostalgia Viewing Room. I checked with Brian after the break and found there was not much to do at the moment. I proposed to assist in the viewing room and Brian suggested to go check. I arrived at the viewing room and found out that people were anxious for My Hero Academia that should have started at 4 pm. I went back for a second time to retrieve the DVDs that were scheduled and put on MHA: Tale of Two Heroes. I am telling you MHA was too crazy for their respective panels and their photoshoot. I was really excited after I put Sailor Moon Crystal at 6 pm since it was my first time watching any Sailor Moon.

I met really cool fans of the anime and had many conversations with them. The one conservation that stood apart was a Queen Ramonda cosplayer from Black Panther and how she made the costume. The Nostalgia room started at 7 pm with Batman: The Animated Series and at first had a small screen since the cord was really short on the projector. I played Space Dandy at 8 pm and the first episode that was on was “I Can't Be the Only One, Baby” which introduced the multiverse concept in the episode. The most exciting thing I watched was The Transformers: The Movie which started at 8:30. This movie is an American icon and should be watched at all costs!

In conclusion, I learned a lot in AV operations, the importance of permission to screen media in public, and how to go through crowds effectively. The AV was like a second choice for me since Video Production was not available for volunteers. I understand the process of sound and technology crew at an event more clearly now. I also stumbled across why you need to ask permission from licensing companies for public screening. The viewing rooms were screening events in public and you need to get permission and possibly pay the creators prior to showing the DVDs for the particular copyrighted franchise. Finally, I learned how to not be people’s ways while waiting in between panels. Going to crowds is essential as well for you are considerate for the guests walking by you just like not being in the middle of the path for walking. I hope to volunteer again for AV in the near future and possibly be better at it. According to their description, “GalaxyCon Richmond is More Than a Comic-Con! It’s a 3-Day FESTIVAL OF FANDOM…” and as a result, I hope to see you there.

It's a big day for the Warcraft franchise, as Blizzard has officially released Warcraft III: Reforged, which is billed as a "full-scale modernization" of the RTS classic.

The PC title features the base game, Reign of Chaos, as well as The Frozen Throne expansion. The graphics and sound have been given an modern update, while there are new and improved social and matchmaking elements through Battle.net and user-generated content tool through the improved world editor.

In addition to the base game, you can pick up the Spoils of War version that includes new skins for Arthas, Cenarius, Jaina, and Thrall, as well as in-game bonuses for titles like World of Warcraft, Hearthstone, and Diablo III.

To learn more about the origins and specific details of Warcraft III: Reforged, we spoke with lead producer Pete Stilwell. In a wide-ranging interview, Stilwell talks about topics like why Blizzard chose Warcaft III for a remaster over some of its other titles, how the team at Blizzard is honoring the original design while revamping the story and other elements, and what the studio has done to make Warcraft III: Reforged stand out as more than a nostalgia-grab.

Stilwell also speaks about how it is a "blessing and a curse" to have such a dedicated and passionate fanbase, and how Reforged aims to appeal to World of Warcraft fans who want to know more about the origins of the Warcraft universe. "Most of them probably don't know the origin story," Stilwell said of the millions of World of Warcraft players.

Check out GameSpot's full interview with Stilwell below.

Going back to the start, why did you choose Warcraft III instead of some of your other properties for a remaster?

There were a few factors here. We had just come off of StarCraft: Remastered, so we'd put together a very RTS-focused team – so this was a natural transition. It almost followed Blizzard's own transition of making one into the other. We already had the right team for the job.

Then there's also the fact that we wanted to, first and foremost, do service to the largest communities that still existed with our older games. There's plenty of games in the deeper catalogue that we probably could have gone to that would be easier. If you were doing it from a timeline perspective, it might be more logical to start with the first Warcraft or something like that.

But Warcraft III still has a massive community in both the competitive and the creative scene, especially with custom games. One of the other fortunate things I've gotten to do in the leadership of this team is travel the globe and talk to our players. And while we were in Korea, talking about StarCraft, it made us more aware of how strong the custom scene still was, especially with Warcraft III there.

And then it's just a hop, skip and a jump and suddenly you're in Shanghai talking to people there and they're saying, "Yeah, StarCraft's great, but what we're really all about is this Warcraft III." And I think it was just a natural progression on many fronts.

What are you doing to honour the original design while also revamping the story and art and other elements?

From a gameplay perspective, it's largely the same.

From a visual perspective, Warcraft has continued to evolve since the original, and since the Third War was released. So, we drew on elements of Sylvanas and Jaina and all these other strong characters who have continued to evolve for their models in Warcraft III: Reforged. For a lot of them, it was their debut moment in Warcraft III and because they had all of 200 triangles to work with, there wasn't much definition of what people looked like or how they behaved.

We looked around at all the amazing stuff other folks have done – be it the books or the comics or the games, all of the cool stuff that's out there, and tried to draw inspiration from that to pull the strands together.

As far as other elements, again the custom game community is so strong and does so much cool stuff. We did a lot of research into what they wanted, and we looked at the creative ways they've found over the years to solve problems.

We've done a lot of things under the hood that the average player may not directly benefit from, but hopefully when a map maker gets hold of it, they'll be able to make a cooler map with more performance, or can support more people. A ton of effort has gone into the fact that this community is really what has given this game legs and we want to re-energise them for the next marathon, if you will.

What kind of technical work was required for this? It looks extensive!

This was Blizzard's first 3D game. That's one of the things that we undervalued going into this. StarCraft was Blizzard's last major 2D game and they'd been doing it for years. They knew the technology and they were super good at it.

Warcraft III was the result of a lot of experimentation. We have engineers like Jay Patel and Colin Murray, who helped build the original game, come in and help us with Warcraft III: Reforged, and they look at their code and go: "Oh, what was my young self thinking? We know better now."

In terms of the gameplay, are you making any changes compared to the original?

The fact of the matter is there's a good abstraction between game logic and game rendering. Most of our efforts went into game rendering and trying to get modern 3D standards in there, versus the game logic, which largely remains untouched. “Gameplay First,” one of Blizzard's best core values, is still really about, "How does this feel? Does it read as Warcraft III?"

If you've played Warcraft III before, you're going to loosely remember the way units moved and things like that. And if you're a hardcore player, you're going to have it ingrained in your DNA at this point.

Authenticity is really in that gameplay logic, which we tried not to touch. Whenever there's risk there we do a lot of testing and get it in the hands of pros or get it in the hands of folks on our team who are advanced players to make sure gameplay is intact.

Part of what makes Warcraft III so enduringly popular is its passionate and communicative fanbase--what can you say about your fans and what their support means to you?

The short answer is that our fans are why we do it. The fans and the fact that they're still playing this game and are voracious about what it represents is what gave life to this team. It's also our compass. It's a blessing and a curse sometimes, but it's mostly a blessing to have people who know the game so well and have such an expectation. It does make it more difficult to change and to evolve.

"Our fans are why we do it." -- Stilwell

But that's also part of the conversation of what our agenda is as a dev team and as a group. And first and foremost, it's to preserve these games. The cool thing with Warcraft III is because we can extend the editor and keep the original game the way it was for all intents and purposes, we get to put the tools back into the hands of the community where they can help navigate that next chapter.

The game is now updated with Battle.net functionality and support--what kind of work did this require and what does it allow for that you couldn't have all those years ago?

The original games on Battle.net were very different – there wasn’t much functionality beyond the social aspect of Battle.net. Modern Battle.net now has even better social interaction because we can now be in a group chat together. You can be in one game and I can be in another and we never lose contact. That's awesome.

Additionally, it means that your multiplayer experience tends to be more in league with other games that Blizzard makes, for example, matchmaking.

Do you envision Reforged to appeal mainly to fans of the original game? Or to new players who might have played WoW and now want to learn more about some of the lore origins?

We hope it's both. You can go boot this game up, choose to play in what we're calling “Classic” inside of the client, and you'll see all the original models, and play the original campaign. You can have that experience, and we even have guys on the team like that who believe the only thing we needed to do is get this inside of Battle.net so you can install it more easily. And then there's the rest of us that are like, 'Wait, look at the size of World of Warcraft's player base”. Most of them probably don't know the origin story.

That's what this is, the kick-off to World of Warcraft. For example, seeing Eastern Plaguelands come out of Andorhal is just one of the core moments that are part of the story of Warcraft III. With WoW Classic last year showing the passion around this IP, the hope is those same folks will want to experience the “prequel” that is Warcraft III.

Because if you missed it, there's over 60 missions, there's hours and hours of cutscenes. There's so much story and getting to see some of those characters who are giving you quests in their origins is really powerful if you're a fan of Warcraft.

As I understand it, the voice acting remains the same in Reforged. Can you explain the decision to keep the voice acting the same?

Part of this has been galvanising our identity of what our team was going to be.

When we went to BlizzCon 2018 with the Warcraft III: Reforged demo and showed off what we could do, we were actually taken aback by a lot of the community's response to it. Some asked, “what are you doing messing with this thing?”

If we're saying that we’re using the community as a lodestar, as a guiding light, then we need to actually own that. We decided as a group that it isn't our job to take it that far.

We as Blizzard should own our experience and we decided as a team, that means it should be more in concert with that classic experience.

Remasters and re-releases seem to play on the appeal of nostalgia. Longing for a time gone by. So how have you gone about creating Warcraft III: Reforged to be more than a simple push at people's feelings of nostalgia and instead something that stands on its own in 2020?

To me, the real modernisations have gone in that direction of handing the tools to the community. A lot of that is in the editor, with new art, new triggers and new Lua support, for example.

Obviously, the visual facelift and the integration of the game back inside of modern Battle.net is important, but there is no doubt there is a nostalgia play here and that is why we kept the original VO and things like that. We hope it's a bit of both ultimately.

Reforged has been available for some time now in a testing phase--what kinds of feedback have you received and how are you going about changing the final game?

With the multiplayer beta, a big part of what we've done is changed this game to a new server infrastructure and again, get it onto modern Battle.net. There's a lot of risk there. Somebody playing in a different part of the world can't necessarily be emulated without a beta because the backbone they connect to that reaches our servers might have some weird switching station that we don't understand and can't test for adequately here. We have to get this out into the hands of the players to really know the state of an online experience.

That was the focus of the beta – to find those weak spots and shore them up. Especially with the custom games, we've got somewhere in the neighbourhood of one billion custom games that have been published in the past 15 years. We are well aware not all of them will work day one and that some old bugs and exploits have been fixed. Because the custom online experience is such a hub of this game, creators could have time to see their maps breaking and start to make fixes and things like that.

One of the big pieces of feedback from the reveal was that the art style look sort of mishmashed from the new HD character models and how other parts of the game stayed old. What's your reaction to that, and have you updated the game now for its final release?

When we went to BlizzCon with the demo, we wanted to get feedback and first impressions. It was very work in progress. I think every single thing we showed at BlizzCon has undergone some iteration and that's natural. One of the things that we were having difficulties with at that point was the lighting. We had overblown it and that's why there's these really stark shadows.

If you saw the entirety of the game, you'd realise that really bright light works well on Lordaeron Summer, but as soon as you start getting into the caves or all these other tilesets that are important parts of this game, you find out quickly that it doesn’t work. Once we figured out those values and level set, the most important thing at this point is if you put the original colours of the original tilesets next to the new ones, they match. They're very in concert in the right way, in that it's got higher fidelity and it looks great and it's benefitting from these new systems we brought in with physics-based rendering. It is not exactly what we showed that very first time, but most of us in the community and on the team agree that it's where it should be to be Warcraft III.

What can fans expect as it relates to custom games and the map editor?

The things that will help beyond what I've already talked about inside of the editor itself, is that we made unique assets for everything. One thing we understood with the campaign was that when you're looking at the same Dreadlords or the same Paladins, all standing there side by side, they are identical except the little glow around their feet is a different colour. We thought “we could do better than that," especially when the custom community is sitting over here thirsty for assets.

They can't necessarily hire a group of artists to make assets at this fidelity and giving them more was going to be beneficial for everyone who plays custom games. So, we dogfooded ourselves by adding a lot more to the campaign in order to feed back into the custom game community. Then for the online experience, we revamped the lobby system, so getting in and out and finding the right game is a much better experience.

from GameSpot - All Content https://ift.tt/2S0xWgO

Graphic Novel Creators Kenny Porter & Zach Wilcox

Kenny Porter is a professional writer living in West Michigan. He's most known for content development, writing comics, copy, blogs, and fiction. He graduated from Grand Valley State University with a BA in Writing. The writing program at GVSU allowed him to create his own curriculum, which he used to focus on fiction, writing for the web, genre studies, and manuscript development. He started his career in writing during high school and has since gone on to publish short stories, write articles for online magazines, and has won the first Top Cow Talent Hunt for Writing.

Zach Wilcox is a cartoonist based in Philadelphia. He holds an MFA in Sequential Art from the Savannah College of Art and Design and a BS in Digital media from Drexel University. The goal of his work is to encourage young readers to get excited about art as a narrative tool and inspire future creators. When he isn't working on comics he enjoys time with his dog Finn and his three nephews.

Porter and Wilcox are the co-creators of the forthcoming graphic novel from Scholastic/Graphix, The Fearless Rider, in which a young girl and her pet ferret run away from home on their tricked-out bicycle on the first day of school to find her best friend who moved away and recapture her life before everything went wrong—pitched as a slice-of-life story with tone and setting of a Miyazaki film.

What do you enjoy about the comic book arts medium and what do you feel the graphic novel form of storytelling affords authors and creators?

KP: Comics have always been a part of my life and what I love most about them is that there are no limits to the kinds of visual stories you can tell. The great thing about original graphic novels is it allows you to break away from the single issue format of monthly comics to develop a pace that’s unique to the story. That’s something that Zach Wilcox and I are enjoying a lot with The Fearless Rider.

ZW: Graphic novels afford the reader a sense of control that you don’t get anywhere else. Being able to dwell on a panel or moment, or absorb a whole page at once, is such a unique and intimate experience. When you’re making something like that it’s sort of fun to imagine how the reader is going to interact with the work.

“I wanted to bring that same love of anime, manga, and live-action shows to Kara’s character.”

Have any anime/manga or comic book creators influenced The Fearless Rider, your forthcoming graphic novel? For instance, Hayao Miyazaki and Osamu Tezuka seem to come to mind.

KP: Miyazaki is definitely a huge influence on the tone of The Fearless Rider. I initially pitched it to Zach that way, as if it were a lost Miyazaki film about a girl who sets out to find her missing best friend. There’s also some influence of my love of Super Sentai and tokusatsu shows with the fake magical girl character Shinpi Rider that the main character adores. I grew up in a generation where Toonami was broadcasting these amazing shows from Japan that we had never heard of before, and I wanted to bring that same love of anime, manga, and live-action shows to Kara’s character.

ZW: Absolutely. I’m always finding new inspiration from other artists and people like Miyazaki really ignited my love for visual storytelling when I was young. The expressive nature of his work is something I’ll always be chasing.

“He lets the comic breathe and trusts the reader to immerse themselves in the story.”

The art of The Fearless Rider seems to be a mixture of manga influences, such as the gekiga or "dramatic" style of storytelling, often seen in the work of Tezuka. Your graphic novel also has many western influences, with inklings of ligne claire, the Belgium style of bold line comic illustration, often seen in Hergé's The Adventures of Tintin. How did you arrive at this style of art? Is it simply in vogue right now in comics, or has comic book illustration and storytelling been further globalized?

KP: From the start I wanted The Fearless Rider to have this kind of feel. I read a lot of manga and Franco-Belgian comics, so I’m always using those as an influence in terms of pacing and style. Also, Zach’s artwork completely fit the tone I was going for. I didn’t even consider anyone else for the project and called him right away with the idea.

ZW: The way Kenny addresses pacing and dialogue is something I really love. He lets the comic breathe and trusts the reader to immerse themselves in the story. I don’t know exactly how the style for the comic came about but I’m sure a lot of it has to do with his narrative structure and the world we’re building. Also, I love older comics like Tintin and Little Nemo!

Why a young girl's pet ferret as a character in The Fearless Rider...why not something more common, such as a cat or dog? Is there something more interesting or special there?

KP: I think it honestly has to do with my love of the movie The Beastmaster as a kid. He had a pair of ferrets named Kodo and Podo. I watched a lot of genre movies in elementary school and middle school, so I always thought that ferrets would make great adventure companions.

ZW: I always wanted a ferret when I was younger but that was a no-go from my parents, because apparently they have a bit of a smell. They are just so cute, who could care! I think it also fits Kara as she isn’t the type to have a basic pet. She’s unique in a lot of ways.

“...I’m still learning the ins and outs of the publishing world. It’s been a really exciting journey so far!”

How did you find your current literary agency and go on to get published with Graphix/Scholastic? What was the submissions process like?

KP: I found my current literary agency, Trident Media Group, after doing a Kickstarter for my original graphic novel Barnstormers!, which I created with artist Renny Castellani. I was contacted by you, Mark Gottlieb, during the Kickstarter and started developing a new project for the book market. From there, it was putting together the pitch with Zach and sending it out into the world. Graphix/Scholastic contacted us about the initial pitch and we fine-tuned the project from there.

ZW: I sort of let Kenny take the lead on this. The Fearless Rider will be my first published book, so I’m still learning the ins and outs of the publishing world. It’s been a really exciting journey so far!

Writing a graphic novel is so different from writing a miniseries or ongoing monthly title.

What do you feel the comic book publishing experience has been like with a larger independent book publisher like Scholastic, versus a direct-to-market comic book publisher such as IDW? Is the direct market holding comic books back?

KP: I’d say the pace is what’s mostly different. Writing a graphic novel is so different from writing a miniseries or ongoing monthly title. I enjoy both the traditional comic book publishing side and the larger independent book publishing side. Each has their own challenges and format that let me experiment with comic book storytelling.

ZW: I’m excited to work on a project I'm so passionate about for a long period of time. The struggle of smaller projects is tough because you spend so much time looking for work that you may not get as much done. I can’t wait to really sink my teeth into something more substantial.

“...I always let whoever I’m working with have their input in the storytelling process. It’s collaboration at every stage of the game.”

It is hard enough writing a story. Does also illustrating a story present its own set of challenges, or do you find that it is liberating in some way?

KP: Writing visually is a whole different skill set, so I always try to think like an artist (as best as I can) and I always let whoever I’m working with have their input in the storytelling process. It’s collaboration at every stage of the game. I’m just lucky to be working with someone as talented as Zach.

ZW: Kenny has been a blast to work with. He has a clear vision here and helping him to craft it is easier because of that. It’s always hard to bring a world to life but the back and forth of working with a writer takes a huge weight off my shoulders.

You get to be any comic book/manga/anime/video game character from whichever world of your choosing. Who do you choose to be and why?

KP: I would almost always choose to be a Green Lantern. Having that power ring and being able to fly through space and create insane constructs would just be too much fun. I recently wrote a Guy Gardner story for DC Comics and it was a dream come true to be able to play in that pocket of the DC Universe.

ZW: I’d say Link from The Legend of Zelda. The design of those game worlds are so immersive and surreal. Plus that outfit is tops!

“If you do great work and put yourself into your stories then people will resonate with that and will want to share them as well.”

Might you be able to share any advice with those still hoping to get their graphic novels published?

KP: I would say find a collaborator that you really gel with creatively, put your heart and soul into the book, and worry about making a great comic before worrying about publishing. If you do great work and put yourself into your stories then people will resonate with that and will want to share them as well.

ZW: Just create. As much as you can, as often as you can. Keep putting your creative energy out there and don’t be afraid to make connections. Rejection is a huge part of life so don’t let that stop you! Also, try to keep your stories small at first. Short sixteen page chunks are a great way to work and create a varied portfolio.

What can we expect next from the world of The Fearless Rider?

KP: I definitely have ideas for follow-ups and spin-off stories, even if they don’t directly connect with the main thread. The road is always wide open for more adventures.

ZW: I really want a one-shot of the Shinpi Rider character from the book. A fictional super sentai warrior with over the top action and drama! A guy can dream, can’t he?

Framing Statements

Contextual Statement

“The bystander effect is the somewhat controversial name given to a social psychological phenomenon in cases where individuals do not offer help in an emergency situation when other people are present.” (Listversestaff, 2009)

The discussion around the bystander effect has been a controversial topic in an array of academic articles. However we first stumbled upon this term through a TED talk presented by Ken Brown, The bystander effect is complicated: and here’s why (2015). He references the Kitty Genovese case where she was murdered outside of her apartment, the police report said that “37 who saw murder didn’t call the police” - The New York Times 1964. One of first cases where the bystander effect was first recognised.

Evidence tends to suggest that “individuals intervene less frequently in emergency situations as soon as the number of passive bystanders around increased did not operate.” (Gueguen, Dupre, Georget, Senemeaud, 2015). A part of our natural human nature is blending in, to be one of the many in a crowd. Commonly referred to as being a sheep in society. It makes sense that when people are in a crowd they are more likely to follow what the crowd does. It brings to light the question of “am I doing the correct thing?” which is an insecurity in all of us. One main point stands out from these studies, “that bystanders’ perceived responsibility to act is an important factor of their own willingness to help the victim of an emergency” (Gueguen, Dupre, Georget, Senemeaud 2015). In some cases when there is one or few people, they are more inclined to help because the responsibility is less shared amongst a crowd, more so targeting at individuals. Seemingly “the presence of other people serves to inhibit the impulse to help.” (Fischer, Greitemeryer, Pollozek, Frey, 2006).

However in low risk evaluations in “the bystander condition, 85% of the male participants intervened, whereas in the alone condition only 65% of the participants intervened.” (Fischer, Greitemeryer, Pollozek, Frey, 2006), but “the present study revealed that in the context of highly dangerous emergencies, this bystander effect does not occur.” (Fischer, Greitemeryer, Pollozek, Frey, 2006).

 Dangerous situations increase the risk versus the reward factor for helping a victim, studies find that people were more ready to take on that risk for the sake of helping, than those people in low risk situations (Fischer, Greitemeryer, Pollozek, Frey, 2006). So “the decision of helping a person in need is based on the relative weight of costs versus benefits.” (Bommel, Willemvan, Henkelffers, Van Lange, 2012). When it comes down to it, there is evidence suggesting that the more danger the victim is in, the more risk the people in the crowd will take on. When it is a low risk situation people are less inclined to think the responsibility to help is necessary.

Ken Brown in his TED talk furthermore goes on to mention “there is no evidence for the presence of 38 witnesses, or that witnesses observed the murder, or that witnesses remained inactive” (2015). In many studies we can see that the argument is reversed because what is shown is that “Dangerous situations faced in the bystanders are recognized faster and less ambiguously as real emergency situations than harmless situations.” (Fischer, Greitemeryer, Pollozek, Frey, 2006).

All of this shows studies about situations evaluated in real life. Throughout the years however, as technology and social media becomes more advanced, Bommel, Willemvan, Henkelffers and Van Lange make some increasingly relevant points. That “On the one hand, one could argue that the complete visual anonymity and safety of a virtual environment differs in important ways from real-world bystander situations.” (Bommel, Willemvan, Henkelffers, Van Lange, 2012)”. This we believe stands very true, a virtual environment, in particular social media, removes you from the immediate reaction response you would have in real life. “For instance, there is no threat of physical harm by intervening online, thus the potential costs of online-intervention are severely reduced.” Cyber bullying for example, you are protected by your screen at home, it is a place where you can be anonymous; you are not putting yourself in any risk, therefore it is easier to stand out.

“At the same time, in our modern era, real-life and online interaction have become very much entwined. A substantial part of our everyday social interactions, including helping, now takes place online” (Bommel, Willemvan, Henkelffers, Van Lange, 2012)

This poses the question, is our way of ‘helping’ online actually as effective as doing it in real life? What we are trying to address is the fact that trends in particular hashtags on social media, “#bringourgirlsback” or “#prayforparis” may not have any real impact other than making yourself look like a ‘good person’ online. It also seems more and more that people use these easy hashtags as way to acquire social approval, without actually participating practically. When asked if the “#bringbackourgirls” campaign has been a success Hewitt said: “the girls are still missing ... that is the ultimate measure of success and we are not there yet.” (Maeve Shearlaw, 2015). You also see this ‘online bystander effect’ on facebook, with posts saying things like “1 like = 1 prayer,” or “1 share = 10 prayers”. Although it now turned into something comical to reference to, it does prove our point further, that the extension of the bystander effect does exist within social media. Our initial takeaway is that these likes, shares and hashtags majority of time contribute to nothing.  

Our findings presented that the presence of bystanders is known to reduce the helping responses, however the bystander inclination is less dominant in more dangerous situations. Also in large crowds, if one person steps out to help, then others will follow. The statement of no one will help is not as bleak as initially thought. (Heene, Wicher, Kainbacher, Fischer, Krueger, Greitemeyer, Vogrincic, Kastenmuller, Frey, 2011). Our approach furthermore attempts to reverse the bystander effect by creating something that cues self-awareness in social settings. (Bommel, Willemvan, Henkelffers, Van Lange, 2012). Ultimately we want to have an artistic comical interpretation of scientific studies.

Conceptual Statement

“A satirical commentary of the bystander effect through the extension of social media”

The goal was to bring awareness to a subconscious act society takes part in. We wanted to present a dramatised, silly, non-serious, exaggerated interpretation of a bystander situation. Using this technology to also represent the involvement and impact social media has had on the bystander effect.

The Experience

The user holds the iPad over the large detectable image of black boxes and white figure outline, this relates to the whole area giving the sense of a crime scene with a chalk outline of a figure seemingly placed to match the aesthetic of the black boxes and white outline. The black boxes further hold an underlying theme of city blocks, as well as notifications on your phone. When holding the iPad over the image it is then augmented to show the scene of the Auckland library. Strengths of this was that the image was highly detectable by the AR system, this could be replicated again and cut vinyl to give a more clean effect. However the messy chalk look worked in our favour in the end as it almost could have been a real murder chalk outline.

The user experience plays out the scene in the Lorne Street area to provide a familiar location to peak their interest and garner commitment from the user. It is a well known area, having high foot traffic gives in to the idea that individuals are known to become victim to the bystander effect in the Auckland CBD. Locations such as Queen Street and Karangahape Road we believe have this same effect. We modeled using Fusion 360 to represent this location, so far with our play testing people do seem to see it as the library. The only thing about these buildings is that if over done it could diminish the effect as its hard to see the figure with so much else going on in the surrounding area.

The camera on the iPad picks up on the recognisable image and brings up the city scene in AR, along with a tap to start button. Using unity to create this scene, the reason being that Augmented Reality provided a real life context literally. Have the scene take place through a device further exaggerated our point of social media playing a role. Our approach was to display this connection to the public, as social media is now such a huge part of our lives. Through the lens of Augmented Reality, ARcde crosses between our own perception of the environment around us and what is perceived through technology to allow us to see a situation in a different perspective as we would in the real world.

Once tapped it pops up with an enter your name where users can type their name and press enter. The buttons mentioned were a way to add an arcade aesthetic to the scene, as well as clear instruction for user. Done in a similar style of purple and red to match and compliment the AR environment. Using Unity brought about challenges along the way proving to be a timely process, time already being the biggest restraint definity was a risk. Overall the outcome is what we wanted, the use of AR technology turned out to be a great strength in making our point.

The scene starts playing out as small slightly grey transparent figures walk up and down the street imitating pedestrians and bystanders whilst a recognisable arcade wii song from the “mii channel music” plays emulating a light hearted take on the satirical construct that ARcde has created. The colour aesthetic is dual colour with two different shades of purple, the ground being a light purple and all buildings having a darker shade keeping the aesthetic theme of the presentation of the leaderboard. The grey figures are almost meant to blend in and be part of the scene, they actively are doing to help, further playing in our theory that people want to blend in.  

A black silhouetted figure walks out of the library's front door and makes his way down the stairs. We wanted the main character to be distinctive amongst the many grey figures. As well as making the black figure specific to no gender or race, this can allow the user to put themselves in their shoes and identify the figure how they see fit. The figure then falls over in a dramatised, fake looking fashion, and cracks it’s head open on the pavement. This is all whilst people walk past the black figure lying on the ground. Approaching this through a satirical commentary helps create a conversation that moves towards a positive outcome. We aimed for it to be cheesy and a little silly. We didn’t want to condemn the audience for witnessing or being apart of such situations. Ensuring the outcome is a comedic take on the serious topic allows the talking points of this project to be lighthearted, helping individuals make conscious decisions to help this. Taking a comedic take on such a serious topic allows ARcde to breakthrough and curate conversation to individuals to promote their conscious decisions to prevent this.  

An issue with this is that humor is completely subjective that a minority may not get the punch line when a statement of “#liketosavealife” pops up on screen, along with a like button. Mainly because the point being, that nothing happens at all when you like the scene. As a way to represent the fact that nothing actually happens when you like a good cause on Facebook or other social medias. While the blood is spreading out you have approximately 20 seconds to press the like button. The like symbol pops above his head when you press this button, showing again that you really have no effect.

After the alloted time plays out, a leaderboard pops up and a loser sounding arcade song plays, presenting the top six people who had the most likes. Having the loser sound play further emphasises our point of are you actually doing anything? Gets the user to ask themselves, “why am I losing?”. The board in large font says TOP KILLERS, above that in smaller font subtitled, did your likes really help? To further dramatise our message. We want it to come across as kind of silly take on this situation.

Sum up

Our approach to this idea was to be over dramatic, exaggerated and not take ourselves too seriously. We had an enormous amount of challenges, not only when coming up with the concept, but during the development stages. Not having any prior knowledge of the programs used (Fusion 360, Unity, Blender). We did however have some knowledge of Adobe software but this wasn’t the main aspect carrying our project. However throughout this project this turned into one of our strengths, as this gave us an outsider approach to how we could shape the outcome. The ability/motivation/drive to learn from what we are doing and constantly looking outside of our own work for existing models and iterations of what has been done within the realm of our project (AR technology, Bystander effect etc) was exceedingly more driving for the final outcome. Though this does mean that our final product was weak in the sense we couldn’t make it look as impressive as practitioners in the field of Augmented Reality do it, we did have a rich field of learning to do and ultimately that was more important to us. Taking this as an opportunity to branch beyond our normal approaches.

We were extremely iterative throughout the first stages of our project, this posed a major threat. We spent the first half of the semester rolling through ideas rather quickly. Deadlines were becoming increasingly crucial. This meant that we had a lack of iterations on our final idea. For us though, those first weeks of exploration proved more useful than initially thought. By the time we came to our final idea, the concept was formulated enough to be carried out rather smoothly. We learnt about what we as individuals didn’t want to focus and produce. This produced many restrictions, however this also allowed us to develop a rich idea that we were all on board with; essentially saving energy for the main event. Time being the biggest restriction, this further shaped the outcome of ARcde, prioritizing the necessities to meet the timeframe required.

Method

We started with an idea of annoyance and anti-design, from this we were thinking of how we could annoy individuals and what small things grind peoples gears. We moved on from this idea as we felt the concept was bleak and was lacking depth. We moved onto the concept of waves, sound and pollution. This was mainly drawn together with our common interest in mixing sounds, photography and the environment.

Through this process the development started with more ideas of how photos tend to pollute our social media feeds. More specifically how similar images are taken of popular areas with no originality (i.e paris Eiffel tower). Idea generation originally focused on the pollution of the ocean, contrasting between the pollution of the physical and virtual space became a point of interest to iterate upon. Furthering the exploration of both originality of sharing content such as photographs to how it relates physically of persons sharing similar photographs of their journey through countries and wonders of the world.

This had us stepping back to investigate about perspective, how one person sees the same thing as another. We thought about tourists taking photos of the same item or object and how this contributed to the idea of unoriginality. Especially in certain locations. We noticed trends on instagram as people in the same location tend to take photos in the exact composition. This lead us to thinking of infographics and peoples reaction to certain spaces.

All this thinking took longer than first anticipation, however it did lead us to our final idea. Not to look back on it as wasted time, reflecting on our journey as part of our process. The rapid iteration cultivated this bystander idea.

The similarities between the need to document your own life through social media and the way people react in different environments brought us to the conclusion of the bystander effect and how this contributes to the reactions of people in the public eye. Things in our society are developing so incredibly fast, we think it is important to address interesting trends and human nature as technology develops.

Technology and methodology

Adobe Photoshop and illustrator was used to prototype, creating textures, texts and stylistic components for the artefact. Fusion 360 to model the scene and blender to explore new processes. Unity was used for the main AR program and animation.

When we finally reached a final verdict, the roles started to form themselves. Gianni took on the responsibility of learning Unity to incorporate AR. Learning everything from scratch was a trial and error experience. Of course never having used this type of program before did limit the possibilities, however this allowed us to think outside of the box as we didn’t know exactly was achievable in the remaining time. It was an intense learning and exploration journey. The main responsibilities was learning Unity which involved, animation, creating buttons and responses of the AR development. Gianni was the main AR visualiser and co-ordinator, incorporating work from Eden and Daniel and combining all the components together.

Gianni also took on the role of developing the back end system of the Like button and leaderboard. This involved learning new skills in programming in both the Python language and C#. The biggest undertaking here was working through it to get the C# scripts to make requests to a Flask server hosted by a Python script. The incorporation of a network aspect elevated the complexity of the challenge as it was no longer a single device based system.

Eden took on the role of the stylistic components and design, as well as 3D modeling the buildings and co-ordinating back and forth with Gianni to get the overall visual aesthetic working to the best of their abilities.  Learning Fusion 360, Blender and using previous knowledge of Adobe software. Eden was the main director of the visual outcome, making the design for the UI elements, 3D modeling buildings with detail and the layout of the environment to be  cohesive with our theme.

Daniel further took on the role of modeling the roads and background structures for the scene. Learning Fusion 360 to coordinate with Eden on the layout of the environment. Creating main base structures allowed Eden to see some of the main buildings before designing the others. Also creating the final video of our project.

The work flow worked in an iterative circle. Daniel working on road bases, coordinating with Eden to create details and building structures, Eden then coordinating with Gianni on how it should come together, Gianni applying changes and functions. Then back to the beginning again, applying new feedback as we went along. It was interesting because first we envisioned our outcome to project a scene in a box, then we moved on to an approach more logical, the AR system. Without this circle of iteration, it would have taken much longer to reach our final outcome.

Relying on the completion of each other's work under a strict timeline gave us the learning experience of quality control between designing, modeling and visualising the Augmented Reality that ARcde wanted to project to the user at a high level in all elements.

ARcde presents its AR artefact using a square metre mdf board of a chalk outline at a crime scene backed with 2D squares representing the virtual environment created in Unity a 3D game engine. CAD programs such as Fusion 360 and Blender have been utilized to model life-like structures recreating a similar environment of Lorne Street in an effort to help provoke commitment due to the familiarities of the environment. All modeling and stylisation has been imported into Unity creating a platform that can be seen through the lens of an iPad displaying an Augmented Reality to displace the trigger image that is the painted mdf board.

References:

LISTVERSE STAFF  (2009) Listverse : 10 Notorious Cases of the Bystander Effect

http://listverse.com/2009/11/02/10-notorious-cases-of-the-bystander-effect/

 Nicolas Gueguen, Mickale Dupre, Patrice Georget, Cecile Senemeaud (2015) Phycology, Crime and Law: Commitment, crime, and the responsive bystander: effect of the commitment form and conformism

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/267875713_Commitment_crime_and_the_responsive_bystander_effect_of_the_commitment_form_and_conformism

 PETER FISCHER, TOBIAS GREITEMEYER, FABIAN POLLOZEK AND DIETER FREY (2006) European Journal of Social Psychology:  The unresponsive bystander: Are bystanders more responsive in

dangerous emergencies?

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ejsp.297

 Marcovan Bommel, Jan-Willemvan, Prooijen HenkElffers, Paul A.M.Van Lange (2012) Journal of Experimental Social Psychology : Be aware to care: Public self-awareness leads to a reversal of the bystander effect

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022103112000236

Stephen M. Garcia, Kim Weaver, John M. Darley, Gordon B. Moskowitz (2002) Journal of Personality and Social Psychology: Crowded Minds: The Implicit Bystander Effect

http://www-personal.umich.edu/~smgarcia/pubs/crowded_minds.pdf

Schwartz, S. H., & Clausen, G. T. (1970). Responsibility, norms, and helping in an emergency. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 16, 299–310.

Latane´, B., & Rodin, J. (1969). A lady in distress: Inhibiting effects of friends and strangers on bystander intervention. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 5, 189–202.

Ken Brown (2015) TEDxUIowa: The bystander effect is complicated – here’s why | Ken Brown https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ufs8cKyzLvg

M.Heene, M.Wicher, M. Kainbacher, P.Fischer, J.I.Krueger, T.Greitemeyer, C.Vogrincic, A.Kastenmuller, D.Frey (2011)  American Psychological Association: The Bystander-Effect: A Meta-Analytic Review on Bystander Intervention in Dangerous and Non-Dangerous Emergencies https://www.uni muenster.de/imperia/md/content/psyifp/aeechterhoff/sommersemester2012/schluesselstudiendersozialpsychologiea/fischerkruegergreitem_bystandermetaana_psybull2011.pdf

Kassin, S. M. (2017). The killing of Kitty Genovese: what else does this case tell us?. Perspectives on psychological science, 12(3), 374-381.

Maeve Shearlaw (2015) The guardian Did the #bringbackourgirls campaign make a difference in Nigeria? https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/apr/14/nigeria-bringbackourgirls-campaign-one-year-on

Badalge, K. N. (2017) Our phones make us feel like social-media activists, but they’re actually turning us into bystanders [Article]. Retrieved from https://qz.com/991167/our-phones-make-us-feel-like-social-media-activists-but-theyre-actually-turning-us-into-bystander

g&p readings 2:

Keeping in theme with the themed readings, this week’s theme brought semiotics to the table. I am almost 100% sure we covered this in Studio last year and so my understanding of the topic should be covered in a previous blog.

As a foreword though, I’ll begin my reflection by redefining the concept at hand: semiotics, at its core, refers to the study of signs and symbols and the significance that stems from these. This communication can retain the form of language, an object or even a dynamic relationship between entities. As such, semiotics can undertake both physical and abstract presence.

Blood in the Gutters

by McCloud

I feel as if this reading is important to begin critiques with as it overflows ideas into the following text. Blood In the Gutters is a unique medium detailing a sub-genre of semiotics in that it is presented in comic form. Not only is it fun to read, but proposes interesting ideas as well.

The premise of this particular chapter ideates the term ‘closure’, or rather, the act of observing the parts, but perceiving the whole. As a wider metaphor, McCloud uses the space between comic panels as a prevalent form of closure. In a transition scene between an axe above someone’s head, to a bloodcurdling scream in the night, who really becomes the killer in the situation? While we are presented with heavy evidence that person X is about to be murdered, we are never explicitly told that they have died. Yet, in the centimetre space between pictures, we have written them off almost immediately. We, the viewers, are responsible for person X’s death as much as person Y simply through the power of assumption, also known as closure.

A ‘gutter’ in comic lingo is the space between panels that create a sense of mystery, a limbo of ideas if you will. Preceding panels create notions in our head that we expect to see in the next, which we then pour into the gutter; think, the automatic animation generation between keyframes in Adobe Flash. McCloud proposes that the reconstruction of the gutter is merely a byproduct of the human sense to commit closure, since we naturally fill gaps in unfinished concepts.

Closure is an extremely vital component of semiotics. When we see a red sign, do we not start to analyse everything that it stands for? Picture a three panel comic: the first is of someone driving a car, the second a stop symbol, the third a grave. Here, the application of semiotics aids the concept of closure. A panel two indicates the need to stop as the road ahead may be dangerous, while panel three implies the death of the protagonist. Here, closure allows the gutter to be flooded with assumptions about the person’s inability to react appropriately to the sign, leading to their death.

In comic media, closure exists in six variations (named transition scales).

Moment to moment - sequential movement

Action to action - actions lead to a reaction

Subject to subject - similar subjects within the same scene

Scene to scene - similar subjects across space and time

aspect to aspect - similar places/ideas/moods

non-sequitur - no relationship of subjects

Interestingly enough, Western storytelling tends to use scales two-four, while Eastern stories cover a wide range of the transition scales. McCloud attributes this quirk to the Eastern’s fondness over silence amongst panels, where the West requires action. Silence however allows for the phenomenon of fragmentation to occur, in which the viewer is given pieces of the puzzle without actual context. In this way, closure, along with natural imagination, is more easily performed as they have more room to ‘fill in the gaps’ and create an internal narrative.

Other supporting evidence McCloud brings to the previous point is the realism versus stylistic art styles of the West and East respectively. Western comics love to edge close to human like appearance due to their typical hero-idol role in society. Meanwhile, the East with, let’s say manga, use exaggerations of the human form which are idealised versions of their society. Because the reader is able to detach themselves from reality due to the art style being less realistic, Eastern manga leaves more to the imagination and thus forms more closure. The concept is similar to the uncanny valley.

Overall, I found this reading to bring up extremely important points, particularly in relation to semiotics. The wider metaphor of the comics and their gutters leave closure a much easier concept to understand. The same thought processes can be applied to the rest of the readings.

Proteus (Podcast)

by Cane and Rinse

With a name like that, I was half-expecting a slither.io clone, or a Mass Effect remake. To my pleasant surprise, neither case was true. An exploration sonic game developed by Ed Key and David Kanaga, Proteus is procedurally-generated, “non-tradtional and nonviolent,” where interactions with flora and fauna are placed to the utmost importance.

The player awakens in the sea with an island before them. This plot of land can be explored throughout day and night, as well as through the seasons. As winter passes, the game ends. Truly, as the commentary podcast describes it, Proteus is minimal to its core. Even as the player is thrown into a foreign landscape, no controls - including how to open the menu - are provided. It is a game entirely about exploring both in the virtual sense, as well as the real world.

Here, fragmentation (as explained in the previous reading) becomes a core mechanic towards the actual enjoyment of the game. This metaphorical ‘silence’ forces the player to create a narrative in their head. “What happened at point A to get me to point B?” Only you can make assumptions and create closure.

Ironically enough, this silence is only magnified by the exquisite soundtrack of this game. Imagine a Minecraft world, stripped of everything but a synth remix of the Ocarina of Time playing. Seriously, it was that relaxing, and I only watched a playthrough of it. Comparisons aside, the use of sonics in this game is another key example of semiotic use. Sounds vary depending on actions taken (e.g. chasing animals), phenomena appearing (e.g. stars lining up), or seasons changing. Each note trains the user to associate the coming and passing of an event; each note becomes symbolic, acting like a ‘sign vehicle’ (see: semiotics papers).

The pixelated nature of the game also ties into McCloud’s analysis of visuals. Proteus, in theory, is so ugly and basic that it actually presents like a beautiful landscape. Everything about this game is outdated and boring, but playing it generates an entirely different experience. Again, because it does not slip into the uncanny valley of realism, nor into the abstract of weird visuals, /Proteus/ becomes a medium able to receive closure, and thus, be a port of interest.

The associated podcast felt more like commentary on the mechanical aspects of the game than anything else, although did serve useful providing insightful thoughts and game hacks.

Problem Attic

By Ella Guro

Again with the name expectations, though this time, the assumption is completely atticurate. Get it.

Excusing the bad puns, I would like to begin by mentioning that I am a sucker for psychological games, ones that make you think because they don’t fit the mould of traditional styles. This understandably left me torn.

On one hand I hate the art style. It falls exactly into McCloud’s trap of ‘too abstract’ because the sprites are not craftily made interpretive pieces, but instead form a cacophony of pixels inelegantly rendered. Proteus made use of a low-fi ambience, but Problem Attic is more jarring, a sight for sore eyes so to speak. However, in this regard, I also appreciate what the game has to bring to the table.

From a semiotic standpoint, it bodes a wealth of mineable information; /Problem Attic/ is riddled with signs and symbols. The only problem is that we have no idea what they mean. In semiotics, a successful sign delivers itself to its interpreter, or at least indicates ideas when picked apart.

Closure becomes particularly key in the latter because it allows spectators to view the whole from the sum of its parts. Proteus is successful in its silence because we are able to understand the direction of the game from the get-go. We wake in the water, an island before us. The logical mind - forming closure, by the way - exhibits the desire to walk towards that land. Thus, a ‘journey’ status quo is established. Meanwhile, Problem Attic throws the player into a hideous green environment dotted with questionable tilesheets. What is the context behind the protagonist’s arrival? What direction must he go? Are there any indications of goals? Yes, Problem Attic establishes a narrative through the otherworldly teleportation levels, it almost becomes a chore for one to find closure the wider existence of this game.

Stated earlier, semiotics aids closure in its ability to create assumptions from one event to another, Problem Attic does this, but struggles in forming the final panel of where limbo ends. Perhaps had Problem Attic had slightly more finesse behind it, would it be more enjoyable for players.

Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed this game and appreciate the symbolism behind the ominous facade, I simply think that it is too difficult to boil it down to a ‘good game’ in a theoretical sense

-m