#blur tools take the wheel

[oofthwoods]

THE BRAWN GP GARAGE GRAND PRIX! ── ˙ ̟ the echo !!

𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲 :: jenson button had always been a great commentator, especially when it came to narrating the wild world of imaginary races, where the only challenger was none other than the daughter of his teammate.

𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫'𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞 :: part of the "it takes a paddock" miniseries, that explores moments of echo!reader's childhood in the paddock.

𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭 :: 1.2k (just a sweet little story)

The Brawn garage buzzed with activity as the team prepared for another day of testing at the Circuit de Catalunya. Mechanics hurried back and forth, checking and double-checking every detail of the sleek white cars that lined the garage. The air was thick with the smell of rubber and gasoline, and the sound of engines revving filled the space, creating an atmosphere of anticipation and excitement.

Amidst the chaos, a quieter corner of the garage served as a sanctuary from the frenzy. There, sitting on a stack of tires, was Rubens Barrichello's daughter, her hair falling in loose curls around her shoulders as she concentrated intently on her coloring book. Her small fingers gripped a crayon with determination, carefully filling in the lines of a picture with vibrant colors.

Suddenly, a familiar voice broke through her concentration, and she looked up to see Jenson Button, her father's teammate, approaching with a warm smile. Her face lit up with excitement at the sight of the man, and she jumped off the tires to greet him with a hug.

"Uncle Jen!" she exclaimed, her voice bubbling with enthusiasm. "Are you here to race today too?"

Jenson chuckled, his blue eyes twinkling with amusement as he ruffled her hair affectionately. "Not today, sweetheart," he replied. "Your dad's the one doing the racing. But I'm here to keep you company while he's busy out on track."

The girl's eyes sparkled with delight as she listened to Jenson's words. She admired him greatly, not just because of his talent, but because he always took the time to interact with her whenever they crossed paths in the garage.

"Can we do something fun?" she asked eagerly, bouncing on the balls of her feet with excitement.

Jenson nodded enthusiastically, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. "Of course! How about we have a little race of our own? I'll be the commentator, and you can be the driver."

The girl's face lit up with excitement as she eagerly agreed to the idea. Jenson wasted no time, quickly scurrying around the garage to gather up cones and spare parts to create a makeshift race track. With deft hands, he arranged the obstacles into a winding course that snaked its way around the various tools and equipment scattered about.

"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the inaugural Brawn Garage Grand Prix!" Jenson announced with theatrical flair, holding up a makeshift microphone fashioned out of an old wrench. "On pole position, we have the one and only… Y/N Barrichello! And alongside her, it's me, Jenson Button, your trusty commentator for today's race."

The girl giggled with delight as she took her position at the starting line, her tiny hands gripping the imaginary steering wheel with determination. Jenson, playing his part to perfection, took up his position as the announcer, adopting a dramatic tone befitting the occasion.

"Get ready, folks! The tension is palpable as our fearless competitors prepare to battle it out on the treacherous Brawn Garage circuit!" Jenson proclaimed, his voice echoing off the walls of the garage.

With a flourish, he counted down from three, his arm slicing through the air like a conductor leading an orchestra. As his hand dropped, signaling the start of the race, the girl stomped on the imaginary accelerator, her make-believe engine roaring to life as she shot off the line in a blur of excitement.

The garage was transformed into a miniature racetrack, the sound of imaginary engines filling the air as the girl and Jenson darted and weaved their way through the makeshift obstacles. Cones became chicane markers, and toolboxes served as hairpin bends, each turn and straightaway presenting a new challenge for the intrepid racers.

Jenson, ever the entertainer, provided colorful commentary as they raced, his voice rising and falling with the ebb and flow of the action. He cheered the girl on with infectious enthusiasm, his words spurring her on to greater feats of daring as she navigated the course with the skill and precision of a seasoned pro (if there ever was a pro of fake racing).

As they crossed the makeshift finish line, Jenson scooped up the girl in one swift motion, lifting her onto his shoulders. Her laughter filled the garage, bubbling over with unrestrained joy as she clung to him, her tiny hands gripping his shoulder.

"Congratulations, champ!" Jenson announced, his voice booming with theatrical flair. "You've just won the first-ever Brawn Garage Grand Prix!"

The mechanics, who had been watching the impromptu race with amused smiles, erupted into cheers and applause. They clapped their hands enthusiastically, their cheers mingling with the sound of engines revving in the distance.

"Way to go, kiddo!" one of the mechanics shouted, giving the girl a thumbs-up.

Some of the mechanics rushed forward to offer high-fives to the victorious little girl, their faces alight with excitement. Others pulled out their phones, eager to capture the moment for posterity. Flashbulbs popped as they snapped photos of Jenson and the young girl, their bond evident for all to see in the warmth of their smiles.

Jenson, his own grin infectious, basked in the attention, reveling in the joy of the moment. "Looks like we've got ourselves a world champion in the making!" he declared, beaming down at the girl perched on his shoulders.

The girl giggled, her cheeks flushed with happiness. "Thanks, Uncle Jen! That was so much fun!"

Rubens, returning to the garage after his stint on track, couldn't help but smile at the heartwarming scene unfolding before him. His daughter, flushed with excitement and clinging tightly to Jenson's shoulders, looked happier than he had seen her in weeks. And Jenson, with his infectious grin and easy charm, seemed to have cast a spell over the entire garage, filling it with an atmosphere of camaraderie and joy.

Walking over to join the celebration, Rubens wrapped an arm around his daughter's shoulders, pulling her into a warm embrace. "Looks like you had quite the race, huh?" he teased, ruffling her hair affectionately.

The girl nodded enthusiastically, her eyes shining with pride. "It was the best race ever, Dad! Uncle Jen said I was the fastest driver in the whole garage!"

Rubens chuckled, shooting a grateful smile in Jenson's direction. "Well, I have no doubt about that. You've got quite the talent behind the wheel, just like your old man."

Jenson grinned, giving Rubens a playful punch on the arm. "Hey now, don't go giving her all the credit. She may have won the race, but I was the one providing the commentary! And let me tell you, it was a masterpiece of sports broadcasting."

The three of them laughed, the sound echoing off the walls of the garage, mingling with the hum of activity as the team prepared for the next session. For a brief moment, all the stresses and pressures of life in the fast lane melted away.

With Jenson by her side, Rubens knew that his daughter was in good hands – and that was a comforting thought indeed.

taglist (tell me if you want to be added or removed <3) :: @studioreader, @fanficweasley , @stinkyjax , @namgification , @judespoision , @cha-hot , @disneyprincemuke , @itsjustkhaos , @trouble-sistar , @ihateyougunthersteiner , @treehouse-mouse , @cherry-piee , @fangirl125reader , @cassie0sstuff, @be-your-coffee-pot , @elijahslover , @flannelforthetoads , @m0cha-bunny , @ironmaiden1313 , @glitterquadricorn , @spideybv28 , @celesteblack08 , @thatgirlthatreadswattpad , @itscrzy, @canihavemyhoodieback , @eugene-emt-roe, @weirdshinji, @woozarts, @marshmummy, @80sloverry

#f1 imagine #f1 imagines #f1 scenarios #f1 x reader #fem!driver reader #formula 1 imagine #formula 1 scenarios #formula 1 imagines #f1 fic #f1 fanfic #formula one imagines #formula one imagine #f1 x fem!driver #fem!driver #formula 1 x reader #x reader #driver reader #jenson button X platonic!reader #⋆⠀᰷ ֹ 🍙 ˓ the echo ﹗

[chaosandthe-deadblog]

Sunny's unnofficial rendering tutorial because idk why but people say they like how I color

Hey kid. So you got your drawing, right? And you have your flat colors, now you gotta render 'em, right? Then you find that BAM, you have no idea how to make it look cool? Neither do I! But here's what I do (I've been told that my coloring is cool)

1. Place your flat colors

Imagine these are your flats. A few things: you want your base colors to be all around the same hue, that way they look better together. See how all the blacks, greys and whites are purple/blue-ish? That's on purpose babey! But how do you acheive this? idfk. jk, you have to stay on one (or two) areas of a hue wheel.

This way, all the colors look like, nicer around each other. You're not FORBIDDEN from going outside an area you picked, but you should still try to make sure everything is in the same hue so you have to do less overlay layers later.

(FYI: I do this because it saves me time on rendering. I don't think it's mandatory, there's no rules to art. Go crazy!)

2. Shading

I think shading makes or breaks a drawing. Personally I don't have a lot of rules about it, but there are still tips I can give.

So here's what you gonna do. You're gonna pick a color that's somewhere on the opposite of your main hue, alright? Here, my hue is mostly cold colors, so I'm going to pick a warm tone. You're gonna make sure it's dark enough so it's like, a shade, but not enough so it becomes black when you set the shading layer to multiply.

(Note: I never get this right on the first try)

(Another note: as you can see, I have the entire drawing, including the lines, inside a group. Don't worry! I'll explain this later)

Personally I like to use a paintbrush-esque brush because I like the look of it being hand-painted that it gives my art. Mine is the default paint tool sai brush, but I'll leave the settings down here just in case.

I don't. Really know how to explain the way I shade, I mostly follow the lines I already placed in the lineart phase, and give them depth. I guess my biggest tip would be to FOLLOW THE CLOTHING FOLDS!!!

Idk how to explain this. But people always tell me that they like how I shade the clothes, it's because I follow the fold lines I place on the lineart phase! Not only does this give the clothes depth, it also makes shading a lot easier. Follow your lineart, idk what else to tell ya.

Now you're gonna set the layer to multiply...

And lower the opacity as much as you want until it looks good. No real rules to this, it's kind of depending on the vibe you want your piece to have.

Now, and stay with me here, grab a blending tool, okay? This is the one I use, I have a textured version for when I'm feeling brave, and a regular, flat version (the one I use the most) Here I'll use the flat version.

And. Stay with me here. I want you to blend the FUCK out of this. Just absolutely destroy those borders. Okay? Trust me. If it looks messy you're doing it right. You're gonna want to follow the shape of the shadows tho, this way you don't lose the shape of the objects you're shading.

Woah! Suddenly everything has depth! Let me go back to the clothing folds, because holy shit, the clothing folds.

See how I'm adding depth to the shadows I placed by kinda. Following the line I drew and blending the outside? Idk how to explain this. You blend whatever isn't touching the line, okay? Trust me.

3. Lighting

Ok. I'm holding your hand gently. You have to do lighting on your art, okay? You have to. It adds depth to the shapes and also is sososoososo easy. Here's how. It's so easy.

Grab your airbrush tool. Yes, that one. Hear me out okay?

Pick a light, warm color between yellow and orange.

Stay with me. Make a new layer, set it to whatever lighting mode you prefer. I use luminosity because I live dangerously.

Now.

Airbrush everything that the shadows aren't touching. Yes. I'm serious.

It's gonna look ugly as shit. DON'T BE ALARMED. This is part of the process. I want you to take the blur tool. And blur the ever loving fuck out of this. Just go fucking ham.

Good. You're doing so well. You're being so brave. Now lower the opacity as much as you want, until you like the way it looks.

Like so. I also like to add a few brush strokes and blend them on an up-and-down motion for the hair and certain details, but this is optional. Same as before, you're gonna take a (slightly warmer, but still bright color) and make a new layer on luminosity mode.

Take the blending tool and make it small, only slightly bigger than the brush strokes, and blend these lines until they look nice. Adjust the opacity, and voila!

Now, I could stop here. But I'm extra so I keep going.

4. The pizzazz

AKA, "Ah fuck the colors don't look the way I wanted them to!"

Do not worry! I have a solution that's almost never failed me.

Overlays. Just a whole fuckton of them. I don't really have a method to this, I just kinda try colors and layer modes until something looks good.

For this one, I felt like I wanted the colors to be warmer, so I picked a warm color and overlayed it on multiply. Then, I noticed that the darker colors came out darker than planned, and you couldn't really tell them apart, so I picked a light warm color and overlayed it on screen.

Voila! We're not done! There's one more thing I like to do, and here's where the layer folder comes in!

Remember how I said I keep everything, including the lines in a folder? This is why!

Make a layer that's on top of everything, like this. Pick whatever color you want, make sure it's bright. (Personally I like using pink). Take the airbrush tool again and airbrush whatever edges you want to give a little more pizzazz to.

Blur it as much as you'd like...

And adjust the opacity and layer mode however you like!

5. And done!

Sometimes I add white highlights. Sometimes I add more shading, or more lighting. It depends! But this is the method I use in a nutshell.

Hope you enjoyed it, or at the very least realized idk what the fuck I'm doing!

#sol.art #art tutorial #sol's art tutorials #god this was so hard to explain. idk what im doing guys

[ace-or-yuri]

The Surgeon's Lovely Subject

A horror story I wrote for a competition

The surgeon is basically fandom Trafalgar Law

Alice slowly awakens. All she can hear is the soft beeping and whirring of machines. The smell of medical grade disinfectant fills the air and every breath she takes. She slowly opens her eyes to see she's in a dark, dimly lit room. As her blurry vision begins to clear, she realizes that she has been hooked up to all sorts of machines and strapped down to an operating table. Her wrists and ankles are secured with thick leather straps, pinned down limiting her movement. Her clothing nowhere to be seen, replaced by a flimsy blue hospital gown. Alice notices that an IV is inserted into her arm and steadily having some kind of unknown fluid dripping into her veins. "Where am I?" she mutters trying to look around. She hears a soft chuckle from the darkness. "Why, my love, you're in my operating room." A man in blood stained surgical scrubs steps out of the shadows. "The place where I can keep you away from prying eyes. All to myself." He says as he steps into Alice's peripheral vision, standing above her with a sick smile, his eyes flashing in a horrifying mix of pleasure and excitement. "Y-your in-insane," Alice says, her eyes winding in fear and horror. "L-let me go" "My love, it seems like you don't understand." He says looking excited and pleased. "You're not going anywhere darling, you're mine, all mine."Alice starts frantically trying to break free. “l-let me go. I don't be-belong to you, I don't belong to an-anyone" she says her voice full of terror.The surgeon slowly caresses Alice's cheek, a twisted smile continuing to spread across his features "Now, my dear. There's no need for such behaviour. You're only going to hurt yourself and I wouldn't want that. " He says, stepping out of Alice's view and towards a wheeled table filled with surgical tools and supplies. He picks up a syringe filled with a milky white liquid and slowly walks back to Alice with it, his footsteps echoing in the cold dark theater. Alice struggles and flails around, trying to break the leather straps restraining her.

“Help Someone, please help me." She cries in fear and horror. "Please. I don't want to die like this"“My dear… You are not going to die. I won't let you.” The surgeon says walking closer, his steps echoing through the theater. “You're mine forever. I will never let you leave me.”Alice screams in terror as the surgeon injects the liquid into Alice's arm. As she screams she feels herself going limp, slowly getting quieter and more still. "Good." The surgeon says walking back to the table full of tools and rolls it over. "Soon my darling you will pass out and I will be able to begin." He walks back into Alice's view and Alice just watches, unable to move or scream as her vision starts to blur. Is this how she is going to die, Alice thinks so. As everything fades to black, she sees the surgeon picking up a scalpel and feels an excruciating burning sensation on her chest. She passes out, hoping to never wake up.

#trafalgar law #body horro tw #stockholm #maybe

[the-trinket-witch]

Peaceful Shadows (Pentergeist)

(Original Prompt and Artwork via Piraticus Dorm)

Content warnings: Vehicle accident, parental death, dead-naming, angst??)

The Winter Festival. RSA had let out for the winter break; it was a fantastic feeling being home after this first semester being away. He had been bundled in his long coat and scarf alongside his mom, sharing similar shades of copper in their hair. The wool sweater he wore was a great tool for his decreasing dysphoria. His mom had been so quick to accepting Albert as the name of Her son, in lieu of his previous name. He could always count on Her being on top of that kind of thing. His father, notably absent from the holiday as usual, likely either forgot about the transition or wouldn’t bother putting it to memory. At least, that’s what Albert had assumed. 

Altus, for all its brassy glow and warm lights across the city, still found pockets of snow collecting on street corners and sitting undisturbed in grass. It served as a nice backdrop for all the lights strung up across the city. Street vendors and shops stayed open well into the night. Why close when half of the traffic comes out once the sun sets to gander at the light displays? 

He always trusted his Mother to drive. He wasn’t yet completely comfortable; she might have been a side-seat driver with the best of intentions, but he was definitely not yet confident driving in the cold slick. He remembers clearly what they were talking about: since his father, John, wasn’t able to make it for the holiday, it’d be a relaxed Celebration-eve. He quipped a small joke which made Her laugh. Her laughter distracted just enough to miss an oncoming light-runner. He gasped at the anticipated crash. His arm flew to the door, the other yanked to tighten the seat-belt. She cranked the steering wheel which sent the car spinning, skating in the ice towards the other car. A horn blared, as if it would have mattered. Headlights flashed across the dashboard only to retreat and return as the car spun. His skin prickled with adrenaline. Eyes slammed shut waiting for impact. 

Once it came, and the car finally stilled, did he finally attempt to open his eyes. Glass, glass and twisted steel filled his doubling vision. The now broken horn blared, the smell of burning rubber and petrol assaulted his nose. His head throbbed, blood rushing to distribute adrenaline. His lap and chest ached, no doubt later he would be gifted a seat-belt shaped bruise. Safety bags had deployed and since deflated. Everything ached, from unclasping the seat-belt, to craning his head to see his Mother unconscious. 

The rest was a blur. A whirlwind of lights from emergency vehicles, sirens blaring, questions hurled left and right. 

“Where does it hurt? Do you know where you are? Can I have you lean back for me?”

His consciousness flickered in and out for what he would later learn was a couple of hours. In that time both She and he were sent to the hospital. He sustained only the aforementioned bruise along with a quickly-remedied dislocated shoulder. His Mother, on the other hand…

It had been 3 days. John finally found a reason to wrench himself from work. She had been in critical condition those 3 days, having taken the brunt of the impact. Albert hadn’t left Her side for anything outside of absolute necessity. He had just come back from grabbing water, supposedly his Father was supposed to keep watch. Instead, he had met him in the hallway, trying to mask a grave look on his face. 

“Alic-Al. You seem tired. I’ll keep an eye here. I have things set up and I’ll call you if something changes.” He said. Not surprising he got his names mixed up.

“I’m fine. I still have a few days left for break. You probably have work to catch up on, anyway.”

“I can take time off for this. Go home and get some rest.”

It was more of an order than suggestion. Albert wanted to slap him, for bold-face lying to him after this. He knew he was going to make some Pie-crust Promise that She was going to be fine. A phone call to completely dash his hope. He knew it was coming, it had happened almost every night, like clockwork. And it was about time he woke up from this recurring nightmare. He could already feel the dark blanket of the waking world frame his sleeping visions. 

He woke up with a sigh. 5:00AM. His alarm was for 5:30, but at this point he might as well have gotten up. This wasn’t a new phenomenon for Albert Eastwind, Pentergeist Dorm Leader, and ‘Practically Perfect’ student. Nightmares have been his companion since the crash, and with it has come the baggage of dread it fills him when it’s time for sleep. There’s a crashing weightlessness that jostles him back into the side seat of that car, when his eyes close. Until transferring to Night Raven College, he didn’t realize that mind-compelling magic had a similar effect. He hated it. A professional would say dreaming so quickly is the body’s attempt to recapture lost sleep, but then, Albert wasn’t a professional. All he understood is that Sleep brought Nightmares, and Nightmares brought back memories. He wanted to ‘get over’ all of it, it hurt too much. It made him overthinking, controlling, paranoid. 

As he dressed, he tried shaking the last flecks of the nightmare from his mind. It was enough to occupy him instead of noticing a dark green glow under his pillow. 

“Well, Time to start the day.”

#peaceful shadows #my writing #twst fanfic #twisted wonderland #piraticus dorm #twst oc #twst #albert eastwind

[niennanir]

Hurricane Ian did a number on my neighborhood. We had over 24 hours of heavy rain, more than I’ve ever seen from a hurricane in 40 years. Houses a few streets over were under water a couple of inches. We lost a truly distressing amount of grand trees and both of my trees suffered a lot of damage. The storm, technically, didn’t ‘hit’ here and wasn’t forecast to be even half as strong as it was and also didn’t behave in any way it was predicted to which is how you know that what we actually know about meteorology as a science is basically nothing and I’d do well to remember that when these morons start throwing darts at the wall to make their guesses. 

Telling the story of a hurricane is a little like telling the story of a party at which you had probably slightly more alcohol than was good for you and then some bozo roofied your drink. Everything is a blur and when you come back to reality there’s this vague sense of unease because you know things went sideways but you’re 200% unsure exactly how.

I need to regrade my lawn, this became apparent when, about hour nine of the hurricane, my pump and french drain could no longer stay ahead of the water pooling in the low spot of the back yard and water got into my lanai and then into my laundry room and studio.

 It wasn’t a distressing amount of water, except for the distress of having to mop everything three times. I hope it’s three, I haven’t got as far as three yet but everything’s still dirty.

My neighbor, bless his brilliant working class heart, declared that he’d thought of a way to dig some trenches in my lawn to divert the water out to the street and would I be upset if he tore up my grass? Not nearly as upset as I would be if the water got any higher in my house, go for it, ‘A’. He came back 5 minutes later with a 4 wheel drive pickup and spun the tires out the entire length of my yard. There is mud splattered everywhere but A has proven well over that he’s a good guy to have on hand in a crisis because the water started going down immediately.

Shortly after this my generator conked out. 

Somewhere around hour 15 most of the branches blew off my maple tree, A’s tool shed blew down the block and one of the grand trees on the corner blew out by it’s roots, blocking the entire street and also one of the storm drain.

I feel like the folks in charge of our storm sewers maybe need to look at capacity. This wasn’t storm surge. This was flat out more rain than the sewers could handle. The water could have run off, neither the creek nor the canal broke their banks and that means we would have had less damages to both people and plants with better drainage, something to take up with the local government I think.

At about hour twenty two I completely freaked out because that’s when the cell phones went down. The power had been out for a few hours by this point but the idea of not even being able to see where the hurricane currently was and how much longer it planned on hanging around sent me right over the deep end. I’m generally really good with the contingencies but I’m not really good when plans A through G go completely FUBAR. I do not have any ideas for a plan H, I’m currently taking suggestions. 

When the storm finally passed there was water almost knee deep in the street. There were actual schools of minnows in my driveway

My least favorite part of any hurricane isn’t the hurricane, it’s the cleanup after the hurricane. Cleaning up with no electric and way more mud than is healthy isn’t fun. But on the up side I live in an awesome neighborhood and as soon as the wind died down everyone was out starting in on the worst of it. One of A’s kids cleared the small debris from my front lawn and I cleaned out another neighbor’s fridge so it wouldn’t form sentient life. And one of the neighbors farther down the street brought his skid steer down and pulled the tree out of the street and away from the sewer. We do a decent job of looking out for each other. The Pub on the corner didn’t have power but they fired up the gas griddle and made $10 dinners to clear out their fridges before everything spoiled. 

This wasn’t actually the worst storm I’ve ever done. (That was the blizzard of ‘78) It’s not even second place. It was the longest and I found myself at several points wishing for storms more like Hurricane Charlie. It’s been a week and a day, I got electric back last night and internet restored today and right now I’m sitting on my couch in the A/C watching Mythbusters reruns. So I guess I can’t complain.

A few places around town are going to have to work hard to get back to normal, including the Venice Theater.

but we’ll do what we always do. Another week of cleaning and the fundraisers will start. I’m told several groups out of state are already hosting fundraising events for us. I have a list on my fridge of all the things I can do better for next time, so I guess that’s the next step.

#hurricane ian #hurricane nienna

[lurkerwithcomputer]

(This is an expanded version of something I posted quite a while ago. A canon-divergence from the Auction Arc, possibly earlier, in which Saiko is driving a lot of the plot.)

The air is cool on her back, from the gaping hole in the back of her clothes - she hasn't even had time to get a spare coat after using her kagune earlier. That coolness is the only nice sensation right now. The torn scraps of her clothing are itchy and scratchy on her back, the chilled sweat makes her under-layers stick to her skin. The crime-scene lights make her eyes ache, the noise and commotion drills into her ears. The smell of blood is still all around her, filling her nose with salt, iron, and something heavier that sticks in her mind, despite the cleanup crews already pressure-washing the pavement. She still feels cold, more than physically, after...

...after seeing all of that. That other one-eyed ghoul who fought Maman, the torture, the screaming - the one they called OWL screaming too, beating his head on the walls, on the pillars. The way Maman changed, became... Other Maman. Herself standing frozen, staring at the screens, only doing something, saying something, until it was too late. Or, maybe not. They did get away, Yotsume and OWL. Because of me.

She looks up at Akira, trying to keep her shaky hands still. She needs to put her best foot forwards here. Akira turns to her and looks... Pale. Stressed-out. She looks like hell, honestly. Still, Akira's grimly blank expression warms a little bit.

"Yonebayashi-chan?"

"Akira-mama. I want to help Maman - Haise - like I couldn't in there."

It's not a lie. It's not. But it kinda is. Sorry, Akira. She does have regrets about not helping Maman until after. The thing about that is, telling the truth can cover her motives just as well.

"I see. How about you ride in the van with Sasaki-kun then? You'll have to give him his medicine, but it's not complicated. Just a pressure syringe into his arm or leg muscle," Akira takes a deep breath, "Can you do that for me? For Sasaki-kun?"

"I'll do it, Akira-mama. For Maman."

Akira presses a keycard and an injector into her palm. She can smell the mixture from here, the sickly chemical stink of what's inside it.

Now, the code for Sasaki-kun's recovery room is," Akira leans in close while Saiko boosts herself up on the hood of a car, cupping her ear to hide the whisper, "18-02-09"

She tilts her head up to Akira's ear, repeats it back. Akira nods and grips her shoulder, firmly.

She didn't need to repeat it back. She didn't need to hear it, either. She's already overheard Arima telling Akira, and she knows how often the code changes, roughly - which means, code hasn't changed yet. It's just that she can't reveal knowing that. Have to play the game to break the rules.

The injector feels heavy in her pocket as the van growls along, shaking and bumping. It's probably the weight of tricking Akira - she's got no plans to use Maman's medicine just yet. This is a chance to talk to the Other Maman, The Maman who knew Serpent, who knew Yotsume, who knew things about ghouls, what it's like to be one. To become one.. She might not get another chance to talk to him.

She jolts out of her thoughts as the van stops, roughly. It's not exactly fitting for a van carrying someone battered and semi-coherent.

But then, they don't care that much about Haise. Or Not-Haise, the Other Maman. A favorite tool is still a tool. That goes for all of us - Shiragin, Mucchan, grumpy Oreo Cookie. And me, too.

She's working on that. She's not quite sure how she'll get there, but asking Other Maman is a start, and acts of defiance have to start somewhere. She's been sleeping on all this for long enough.

The walk to the elevator passes in a blur that's somehow too slow and too fast, all at once, like the consequences of exploring alcohol. It's a familiar sensation - she more-or-less grew up in a bar. She looks up at the staff wheeling the gurney - entry-level CCG staff who look deeply uncomfortable around her and Maman. Because people have heard of Haise and the Quinx Squad. And they're scared. That's... sad. But, it's convenient for me.

"I'll take it from here," she says.

The two new hires - she recognizes neither the faces nor the scents - look relieved as they hurry away, awkwardly adjusting their collars and ties. There was nothing crooked about their ties in the first place. Cowards. She's not the type to call someone that, not usually - she's been scared of fighting, herself - but their unease around her and Maman just really, really rubs her nerves raw.

The cold metal of the gurney is grounding as she holds the keycard to the reader in the elevator. It beeps and the floor-number buttons turn from green-lit to yellow. She punches in "180209". Then does a double take. Because no elevator has a floor zero, she knows that - she's used the elevators in the CCG head office every day since Shiragin first dragged her to work.

Except for this elevator.

The floor buttons are backlit green once more, and the elevator descends, with a little moment of a floating feeling in her stomach. It goes down, and down, going past any of the basement floors that are actually marked, and the display that shows what floor she's on reads "0". She wonders if characters in spy movies feel this tense while using their secret elevators. Probably not - they're usually not lying to one authority figure while another squirms and groans on a hospital gurney beside them. But she's not them - she shakes herself out of her wandering thoughts, because she's here and she has a plan to pull off - at least, part one of a plan.

The force of the elevator tugs at her belly and makes her legs feel twice as heavy as it stops. It also jolts Maman awake. Or more awake than he was. A red-and-black eye looks straight at her.

"Ah... You are..." he says, voice pitched differently than the Maman she knows.

This is him. Not-Haise. The Other Maman.

Her heart is racing, but she can feel the corners of her mouth pull up, despite the situation, and now, her discomfort. The screeching of the gurney wheels as she pushes it along drills into her ears, the scent of disinfectant clogs her nose. There's only one room in this hallway that's open, and Maman points to it. The door looks like it should be heavy, metal plates just barely covered by the appearance of an ordinary door. It moves easily, with just a one-handed push, as she shuts it behind them, so maybe it's lighter than it looks. Or maybe I'm just strong.

Dead cut flowers droop from the vase on the bedside table, dry and browning, making the bottled water look like a sad reminder instead of a welcome gesture. It's a miserable place to call a "recovery room" - more like "prison", if she's right about the armored door. There's a calculating expression on Not-Haise's face now, kakugan eye still fixed on her. He gestures stiffly to the room.

"No camera... no mic-r-phone," he croaks, voice scraping in his throat.

He sounds like the old men who sit outside her mother's bar, throats gone raspy from chain-smoking.

There's a bone-dry laugh, that cuts off in a cough. Not-Haise licks his lips, as if seeking moisture in the blood still on his face. She grabs the water bottle and twists the cap, frail plastic snapping. The action feels almost violent, in this moment where she's about to twist her own world off its foundations. She offers it to Not-Haise, who hunches upwards off the bed, with a wheezing groan. He takes the bottle in a shaky grasp that gets firmer as he grips the cool plastic, and it leaves her hand.

He drinks, still staring at her with his single kakugan, face more alert now. He coughs one more time as he moves to put the bottle back. His movments look steadier. He sits up fully in bed, shoving the thin hospital pillow up behind him.

"You're... strange. No needle? No medicine for me?"

"I want to talk to you. This you, not Haise."

There's that dry, not all there laugh again. Not-Haise gives her a strained, sharp smile, filled with teeth.

"And what do you want to know?" he rasps. It sounds so bitter, her chest twists.

She takes a deep breath.

"You. Your story."

#yonebayashi saiko #canon divergence #sasaki haise #but not really because it's #kaneki ken #that saiko's talking to #tokyo ghoul re #tg

[cpt-robert-terwilliger]

[Captain Terwilliger had intended to go for a walk to clear his head. The pain meds weren't helping him much, and his splitting headache was not getting any better. His superiors were getting concerned, and told him to report to the Infirmary by the end of the day, or he'd be carried there.] [His stroll carried him out by the front gate, where an old tank was on display near the sign that read "Fort Arnold." Landscapers were working on the front entryway, and a small UTV full of gardening tools was pulling up.] [Dizziness.]

[Splitting pain.]

[It was all a blur.]

[Confusion. Dizziness. Disorientation. A falling sensation, but his feet were firmly on the ground.... Why was he at the front gate? What was he doing here? Savage claws built to rip flesh to ribbons, great teeth set in a gaping maw....all dripping with gore. They must be sated...]

[Shouts. So disorienting. What's that face? Why was everything on fire? He screamed.]

[The world shifted under his feet, and he looked up.]

[No, there WAS no fire. ]

[There is no face.]

[He shook his head. It was all chaos and disarray. The UTV had taken too sharp a turn. What had happened? Did it try to dodge him? It had overturned, scattering its cargo of gardening tools across the front lawn. Men were shouting....something.....was he okay?]

[No...]

[The Captain stood. A shooting pain across his temples. He staggered.]

[Hunger.]

[No... Fight it.]

[He turned to walk back toward the main portion of the base.]

[He halted as another pain shot through him. His face...hurt. This was different. The ground -- it had rocked under his foot just before the pain. He groaned, and realized a long wooden handle had struck him, just beside his nose. He stepped back, and watched as one of the landscapers' garden rakes fell back onto the grass where the overturned UTV had thrown it.]

[Someone was saying something to him. The Captain looked over into a concerned, kindly face - perfect eyebrows, gentle brown eyes, a nicely defined jawline, and a strong, virile nose. He knew this face. He felt a firmly muscled arm close around his waist to steady him. A familiar voice - deep, and calming - sounded near his ear.]

"Sir! Sir, are you okay?" asked the voice, attached to this concerned face.

[What was his name.... Oh. Well, that's handy. It's right there, embroidered on his clothes. What a clever idea.... And...sergeant's stripes. Good. Always nice to be helped by a soldier who knows what he's doing. Someone has to....]

Ziskey? [He watched relief wash over that face, those perfect brows rising together, as a smile broke over his lips.]

"Yeah, sir. That's me," replied the Sergeant. "I'm glad I found you, Sir. We've been worried. Come on. I've got a Jeep waiting. I'm taking you to the Infirmary. But, first I have some questions, if you're up to them. Are you, sir?"

[Was he? It was a good question.]

[He looked around. The landscapers were gathering up their spilled tools, and placing them in the bed of the now-righted UTV. On the road beyond, he saw the Jeep. He knew why he was at the gate now. It was a walk. He was hoping a walk would clear his head, but it didn't. It was clearing, now. A little. His head still throbbed from the headache, but he could feel his senses returning to him as his trusted sergeant walked him to the waiting Jeep. He climbed into the passenger seat, and watched Ziskey swing in behind the steering wheel. ]

Yes, I think so, Ziskey. I'll answer any questions you might have. And...you're right. Taking me to the Infirmary is a good idea. I should have gone earlier. I appreciate you looking out for me, soldier.

[A worried look washed across Captain Terwilliger's features, and his voice dropped to a confidential whisper.]

Help me. There's something wrong with me. Terribly wrong. I'm fighting a war with something. And, I think I'm losing....

#closed rp #roleplay blog #cpt robert terwilliger #russell ziskey #non-contemporaneous plotline #tw: horror

[gertlushgaming]

Expeditions: A MudRunner Game Review (Steam)

Expeditions: A MudRunner Game Review, Embark on scientific expeditions with this new off-road adventure from the creators of MudRunner and SnowRunner. Lead research missions as you drive a variety of all-terrain vehicles, using high-tech tools and managing your camp and crew to ensure your success in the wild.

Expeditions: A MudRunner Game Review Pros:

- Decent graphics. - 18.73GB Download size. - Steam achievements. - Full controller support. - Graphics settings - display mode, resolution, target display, v-sync, fps limit, limit fps when in the background, anti-aliasing, FXAA, motion blur, sharpening, film grain, first-person fov, third person fov, Legacy camera, and visual quality preset. - Advanced video settings - terrain draw distance, grass density, object quality, effects quality, shadow quality, texture quality, texture filtering, ambient occlusion, water quality, volume fog, light shafts, and mirrors. - Steering wheel support. - Controller settings - vibration, swap shoulder button options, Invert axis, and sensitivity slider. - Keyboard settings - Invert the axis and sensitivity slider for the mouse, keyboard bindings can be remapped. - Steering wheel presets for custom, Logitech G29, Logitech G920, Logitech G923 PS4 layout, Logitech G923 Xbox layout, Thrustmaster T GT, Thrustmaster T80, Thrustmaster T150, Thrustmaster T300, Thrustmaster TX, Thrustmaster TX with clutch pedal, Fanatec DD1 Xbox layout, and Fanatec DD1. - Mod browser with Mod.io integration. - Four save slots. - Opening tutorial section getting you to learn about tire pressure, gears, movement, and taking and making deliveries. - Change gear types on the fly like auto, high, AWD (all-wheel drive), and low. Gear choice affects petrol consumption and how you interact with the terrain. - Tyre pressure can be changed on the fly, which affects petrol consumption but gives more or less grip. - Full damage model and you have a repairs shortcut to quickly repair parts like engine, tyre, drive train, etc. - Full 3D World with 360-degree camera control. - Offer both first and third-person views. - Three regions - Little Colorado, Arizona, and the Carpathians. (Little Colorado is the only one unlocked initially) - Locations will have set missions that progress the story, and free roam is exactly that. - Echo sounders help tell you the depth of the water. - Jack screws have a limited use but they can flip your vehicle when upturned. - Winch is back, pick a winch spot on your vehicle and then attach it to a tree or winch point, you can pull or push your vehicle. - Day and night cycle. - At any time you can recover to the headquarters or base for a charge. - Find hidden climbs, Ford's, and pickups and upgrades. - End of expedition breakdown showing cash earned cash spent on repairs, damage, rewards, and any loot you found. - You are free to play how you want. - The physics and movement of the vehicles are some of the best. - You can freely jump between locations once unlocked. (they unlock after the tutorial) - Find airdrops and trade inventory with your available space. - Jobs can range from scouting an area out to rescuing stuck trucks and checking seismic vibrations and much more. - Each vehicle has a rating for PWR, strength, and fuel consumption along with the usual different lock choices, recovery cost, compatible devices, and fuel tank size and liveries. - Massive open world areas. - Fully customize your vehicles from cosmetics to new wheels, gearboxes, engines, etc. - You have a team and sometimes you have to take a particular team with you. These guys get hired and unlocked along with unique buffs for your equipment. - Six types of team members - mechanics, logisticians, hydrologists, Jaegers, Operators, and managers. - Adjusting things like tire pressure will temporarily change the stats of your vehicle so letting down tires on a certain terrain will improve the grip stat. - Find optional tasks and missions for unique rewards. - Three types of vehicles - scout (small vehicles usually cars and used to check out areas), Off-road (big rig-style multi-wheeled behemoths that can scale mountains and carry huge loads), and Heavy vehicles (carry the biggest loads and require tons of upgrades to just function). - The Codex houses all the info and the game manual available from the pause menu. - Clear checkpointing in missions, newly discovered points of interest fill in and show icons when discovered. - Hills are like puzzles and you have to work it out. - Binoculars are key to scanning areas and getting new icons marked on the map, plus it's really good for looking at possible routes. - Visual searches and inspections trigger a time-based mini-game. Expeditions: A MudRunner Game Review Cons: - Outside of the opening tutorial, the rest of it is bad as it doesn't help guide you through the menus and procedures and you could do with that. - A lot of shortcuts to remember for all the gadgets and tools. - It feels like you take damage way too easy. - The camera is not always ideal to help with judgment calls and is a nightmare in any wooded area. - The music is almost nonexistent and you don't seem to have a radio. - Cannot remap the controller buttons. - The whole game doesn't feel connected, it is just a checklist of events and missions, and it all feels self-contained. - Takes a lot of getting used to what you can and cannot climb and drive over. - Hitting any obstacle whether it's a terrain or hill climb scenario, it all comes down to just cycling through the same loop of tools to try and it becomes more a rhythm than feeling like an achievement of brains. - Trees just feel invincible, Only small shrub-looking trees actually react to your weight in a winch situation. Related Post: GOLAZO! 2 Deluxe Edition Review (PlayStation 5) Expeditions: A MudRunner Game. Official website. Developer: Saber Interactive Publisher: Focus Entertainment Store Links - Steam Read the full article

#PC #steam

[digital-b3]

Gazing into the crystal ball: Emerging trends in digital marketing for 2024!

Hold onto your virtual hats, marketing mavericks! 2024 is shaping up to be a wild ride, with exciting new trends emerging across the digital landscape. But fear not, intrepid marketers, for I'm here to guide you through the digital jungle:

1. The Metaverse Beckons: Brace yourselves, folks, the metaverse is no longer science fiction. Brands are already experimenting with immersive experiences, virtual stores, and even NFT-based marketing campaigns. Are you ready to build your virtual storefront?

2. AI Takes the Wheel (But Don't Panic): Artificial intelligence is no longer just a buzzword. From content creation to ad targeting, AI is poised to revolutionize how we approach marketing. But remember, AI is a tool, not a replacement for human creativity and strategy.

3. Privacy Takes Center Stage: Consumers are increasingly concerned about data privacy. Get ready for stricter regulations and a shift towards building trust through transparency and user-centric marketing practices.

4. The Rise of Social Commerce: Forget browsing, 2024 is all about buying directly within social media platforms. Streamlined checkout processes and influencer-driven marketing will make social commerce a major force.

5. Voice Search Takes the Spotlight: People are increasingly using voice assistants like Siri and Alexa to search for information and products. Optimize your content for voice search to stay ahead of the curve.

6. Micro-Moments Matter More Than Ever: Attention spans are shrinking, so focus on creating impactful, bite-sized content that resonates in the fleeting moments of user attention.

7. Augmented Reality Reimagines the World: From trying on clothes virtually to exploring products in 3D, augmented reality is blurring the lines between the physical and digital. Get ready to integrate AR into your marketing mix.

8. Sustainability Takes Root: Consumers are demanding more eco-conscious brands. Integrate sustainability into your message, packaging, and practices to resonate with this growing movement.

Remember, these are just a glimpse into the future of digital marketing. The key is to stay adaptable, embrace innovation, and keep your audience at the heart of every strategy. So, what are you waiting for? Start exploring these trends and chart your course for a successful 2024!

#digitalmarketing #trends2024 #metaverse #AI #privacy #socialcommerce #voicearch #micromoments #AR #sustainability #Youtube

[appsonstaffaugmentation]

From Metaverse to Mobile Mastery: Top Tech Trends to Watch in 2024

Buckle up, tech enthusiasts! As 2023 draws to a close, the winds of innovation are already swirling, whispering secrets of what's to come in 2024. From the mind-bending realms of the Metaverse to the ever-evolving landscape of mobile and web development, exciting trends are emerging, poised to reshape the technological landscape. Join us as we delve into the hottest tech trends of 2024, predicting what's bound to captivate and disrupt.

Hot Tech Trends:

Metaverse Mania: The Metaverse isn't just a buzzword anymore; it's a burgeoning reality. Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are shedding their gimmicky skin, transforming into powerful tools for immersive experiences, from gaming and social interaction to education and healthcare. Expect to see a surge in Metaverse-focused development, with businesses scrambling to carve their niche in this virtual frontier.

Mobile-First Mindset: The mobile revolution isn't slowing down. With smartphone penetration reaching new heights, businesses must prioritize mobile-first experiences. Think intuitive interfaces, lightning-fast performance, and seamless omnichannel integration. App development will remain a crucial battleground, and businesses that master the art of mobile engagement will stand out.

AI Takes the Wheel: Artificial intelligence is no longer science fiction; it's infiltrating every facet of our lives. From chatbots that understand your needs to algorithms that predict your next move, AI is transforming industries and streamlining processes. Expect to see AI-powered solutions become increasingly sophisticated, blurring the lines between human and machine intelligence.

Cybersecurity in the Spotlight: As our reliance on technology grows, so does the threat of cyberattacks. Businesses will need to prioritize robust cybersecurity measures, from data encryption to multi-factor authentication. Expect to see increased investment in cybersecurity solutions and a rise in awareness about online threats.

Sustainability Steals the Show: In a world grappling with climate change, tech has a crucial role to play in promoting sustainability. Expect to see a surge in green technologies, from renewable energy solutions to eco-friendly software development practices. Businesses that embrace sustainability will not only benefit the planet but also attract environmentally conscious consumers.

The Appson Advantage:

Now, let's talk about how YOU can harness the power of these trends and stay ahead of the curve. At Appson Technologies, we're not just tech trend watchers; we're tech trendsetters. Our team of skilled developers, designers, and strategists are equipped to help you navigate the ever-changing tech landscape.

Staff Augmentation & Developer Hire: Need a crack team of developers to bring your vision to life? Our staff augmentation services connect you with top-notch talent, on-demand, allowing you to scale your team seamlessly and tackle any project with confidence.

Mobile & Web Development Expertise: From sleek native apps to user-friendly web interfaces, we craft digital experiences that captivate and convert. Whether you're building a groundbreaking Metaverse platform or a simple yet effective mobile app, our expertise ensures your success.

Conclusion:

As the new year dawns, the tech world is brimming with possibilities. By embracing the hottest trends and partnering with the right tech experts, you can unlock your full potential and thrive in the ever-evolving digital landscape. At Appson Technologies, we're your trusted guide on this exciting journey. Let's build the future, together.

#it staff augmentation #meta #mobilemastery #toptrendstowatch #2024

[infradapt]

Can Technology Bring You Joy?

The world has become reliant on technology for countless tasks, even to the point where businesses and individuals alike depend on technology just to go about their daily tasks. The big question, though, is whether people are happier with all this technology in their lives. Let’s go over how technology has impacted society as a whole in relation to people’s feelings.

  Technology Is, and Always Has Been, Present In Some Capacity

When discussing technology, it’s critical that we frame the term correctly. Technology includes far more than just circuits and motherboards; it also includes such rudimentary (and revolutionary) tools such as the spoon and the wheel. Technology, in its most basic sense, is the result of innovation and progress, and without such discoveries and creations as modern electricity, microprocessors, and networking, society would not be where it is today.

But Does This Technology Create Happiness?

The answer to this question is not clear, but what is clear is that the Internet has made people quite happy. Around 90% of respondents to a survey found that their lives were made better due to the Internet. We’re not surprised; people depend on it to look up information, stay connected with others, and run their businesses and livelihoods. In fact, the Internet has made it so that people can live their lives without leaving their homes, if they so choose.

  While the answer to the above question is impossible to find, we can look at various parts of someone’s life and look at how technology has impacted it. Let’s examine work, leisure, relationships, and other social interactions.

Work

Most people use technology to do their jobs, but some jobs wouldn’t even exist without technology. Employees entering the workforce want to know that their employers are committed to embracing new technologies, but for some older folks who are not quite as willing to embrace change, this adoption is a challenge to the status quo. There is a learning curve, and it can be frustrating for a seasoned veteran to have their world turned upside-down by a new technology because it’s supposed to make things better for everyone. Furthermore, technology has blurred the lines of work-life balance. Technology is not without its cons, but it has made most workers’ lives happier, or at least better.

Leisure

Technology has changed the way people spend their leisure time. Activities like going to the park, going to the mall, or taking a drive are still present, but not to the extent they once were. There are countless pieces of technology to distract us at any given time, and with technology, there is usually some sort of end goal in mind, whether it’s getting to the end of a level in a video game or making it through the end credits of your favorite movie. Technology has, simply put, taken the leisure out of leisure time, and with benchmarks to meet whenever it is used, it can lead to a certain amount of monotony.

Relationships

Technology and its impact on relationships is a topic that we could cover for ages, but one of the better ways to look at it is how it has affected personal relationships. For example, users who grew up with technology might suffer from what psychologists call “technoference,” or technology interfering with a user’s ability to communicate. Young people these days always have their phones on them with their notifications on so they don’t miss a beat. Young people also aren’t terribly bothered when someone pulls out their phone in the middle of a conversation. Older folks might consider both of the above rude, and it could put a strain on their relationships accordingly. In comparison, however, relationships are more accessible, as people can communicate better and engage with each other much more easily than they could have in the past.

Social Interactions

The most notable impact that technology has had is most certainly on the social aspect of life. Social media has completely changed the way people interact with each other, whether it’s friends in a friend group, local businesses trying to sell products or services, or communities trying to deliver information to their residents in an effective way. Sure, you get the crazies out there who take social media way too far, but most people are not in that category. On the downside, social media can cause people to compare themselves to others, and you know what they say; comparison is the thief of joy.

https://www.infradapt.com/news/can-technology-bring-you-joy/

#Computers #Happiness #Innovation #Remote Work #Technology #Work #Work-life balance

[leam1983]

Sonic Frontiers - Impressions

I follow a certain someone on here who's known in the Sonic fandom for being, well, rather passionate about Doctor Eggman. Watching their reaction, their bigger takeaway seemed to amount to not caring about the environment, the core gameplay loop or the base concept of Frontiers, so long as Mike Pollock gets to land Big Evil Laughs and so long as Sonic Team adds the right amount of belly-jiggle physics to the big lug. I don't really believe there is such a thing as a wrong interpretation of a given product, but, well - I'm fucking biased. One of my friends since my teens has worked for EA and Ubisoft as a Lead Animator, and I've been lucky enough to get a fairly good look into what turns a basic, bare-bones dev document into a working and suitably-polished experience you'd consider market-ready.

Non-gamers tend to consider that designing a game somehow has to be easy; that all you need is a goal, a direction, a prompt that says Tilt Stick to Move and you're basically good to go. If you're familiar with the work of insider journalists like Tom Bissell or kept up with Danny O'Dwyer's Noclip Studios, then you know that even in their garage-band years, most studios can slave away at a core design doc for months before so much as rendering anything. Concepts are tested, working components are crudely assembled to see if you really can "find the fun" in there, and you slowly watch as a coherent project emerges. I'm reminded of Myst, for instance, and its dozens of abortive extrusion tests and early rendering passes designed just so the Millers would have the vaguest idea of their landmass' ideal topography.

Sonic Frontiers, in comparison, feels like Sonic Team once again missed the hoop, but had the balls to turn to the camera mid-swing, to lob a fairly cringeworthy "swoosh!" joke in front of an audience of millions. Their designers rightfully identified one of Sonic's primary design pillars - going fast - figured out what would best accomodate said need for speed - open spaces - and then shat the bed in trying to discern just what, exactly, these open spaces could be filled with.

Let's just set a primary point, first: not every game needs to have diegetic elements. I know that, you know that, every gamer knows that. Eggman's pie-in-the-sky tech just works, like a Bethesda Softworks engine, and you're not expected or even asked to figure out what it is that Eggman gets out of isolating Sonic, when he's tried for a similar tactic several times before. Still, despite all this, Frontiers is the exact sort of game where everything you do would make so much more sense if things were properly anchored in the narrative - starting with the main levels' ridiculous size and depth.

There is obviously some sort of plot - Eggers trapping Sonic's buds in Cyberspace (don't ask) and the Blue Blur needing McGuffins to free them; but the exposition tends to come at the worst of times, as has always been the problem with 3D Sonic games. Sound mixing has improved since the days of Sonic Boom, but there's still a few cutscenes where subtitles are an absolute necessity. It doesn't really help to establish the mostly sparse plot, and really doesn't flatter the core design.

So what is said design, exactly? Imagine a cross between The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey, but lacking in both games' unique points of articulation. BOTW had several "stroke of genius" moments where you're effectively left to reconsider your tools and the level design that surrounds you, and to organically come up with the solution to an overarching problem. Odyssey starts out extremely hand-holdy and then gradually eases off on the brakes, designed as it is in order to underline the fact that almost every single Mario game could very well be someone's first Mario game. Before catering to the hardcore, Mario caters to the kindergarteners, and arms them with the tools needed to eventually take off their own training wheels.

Sonic looks at this and plops standard linear platforming rails in the 3D space, in the exact same shape and form you might've seen since at least Sonic Generations. You're not really left to piece things or treated to any sort of tuned escalation - things are instead extremely consistent - and you're left with doing more and more of them. You'll run in hamster wheels, kick and punch obstacles to reach point totals, grind on rails, jump between said rails, and collect a shit-ton of Rings while you're at it. The backdrops look nice, but the platforming elements pop in without much fanfare and only haphazardly fill in an empty space that's probably more worthy of a Gilson B. Pontes game.

Who's this guy, you might ask? You need only ask James Stephanie Sterling.

To wit, Sonic Frontiers is to the platforming genre what the FarCry series has become to shooters: it's very, very shiny, quite obviously polished to a mirror-sheen, and has the depth of your average unattended kiddie pool in the middle of a heat wave. It's bland, uninspired, and showcases just how, after all these years, it might be time to either retire Sega's halcyon-days mascot, or to simply grandfather him to a team that actually has their finger on the needs of a specifically Sonic-oriented design doc.

Like, um, I don't know - Christian Whitehead and Headcannon, the pairing responsible for 2017's wildly popular retread of well-honed design principles, in the form of Sonic Mania...

#sonic frontiers #not a review

[longrogue]

Fun filters for photos

#FUN FILTERS FOR PHOTOS FOR ANDROID#

#FUN FILTERS FOR PHOTOS ANDROID#

#FUN FILTERS FOR PHOTOS FREE#

#FUN FILTERS FOR PHOTOS ANDROID#

It can also be used to import pictures from the photo gallery of your Android device.

You can also use it to stretch, warp, and distort the overall appearance of your face with the help of your fingers.

Use it to add a huge smile to your face.

#FUN FILTERS FOR PHOTOS FREE#

The app is fully compatible with the Android platform and can make you look fat, ugly, bald in a matter of seconds.Īlso See: Free Android Cleaner Apps to Optimize & Speed Up Your Android Phone Our first pick on the list of funny faces apps is this superb application. Pick a picture and make them funny with below-mentioned crazy face apps. FaceOver Lite Best Funny Faces Apps For iPhone and Android in 2021 There are also plenty of eye-catching filters, borders, stickers and fonts for to explore, along with a double exposure feature that is all kinds of cool.11. This awesome app will help your aspiring photographer take their snapshots to the next level by introducing them to more advanced editing tools like cropping, sharpening, blurring and adjusting exposure. The app also lets kids add filters, quotes and doodles to their photos. For example, the prompt “circle” will have kids thinking about “the wheels on a bus, the clock on a wall… anything round.” It’s a great way to help your kids look more closely at their surroundings, and interpret each prompt in their own creative way. Older kids who are fans of the photo challenges on Snapshots will love this free app that offers a new photo prompt and instruction every day of the month.

#FUN FILTERS FOR PHOTOS FOR ANDROID#

Be sure to have a discussion about safe online habits before downloading this one.Īvailable for iOS (Free!) *Original Pic Collage also available for Android And while the app doesn’t post directly to social channels like Facebook or Instagram, there is a “copy link” feature that will let kids share their work using a URL. One caveat for parents - the app includes a search function to import photos from around the web, as well as an option to “print and ship” photo creations. With colourful backgrounds, bright stickers and plenty of layouts to choose from, this app is sure to be a big hit. Now kids can use the junior version of the popular Pic Collage app to put together cool collages with just a few taps on their smartphone screen. Gone are the days of magazines, glue sticks and bristol board for creating photo collages. Once kids are done editing their photo, they’ll be prompted to get an adult’s help to answer a mathematical equation before they can save or share their photo via email or social channels. It’s designed for kids ages 9 to 11 and is easy to navigate with the swipe of a finger. This colourful app lets kids play around with basic photo editing features like cropping and adding filters, in addition to offering fun extras like frames, text and stickers. The app is refreshingly simple-with no complicated menus or flashy bells and whistles kids can focus on honing their point-and-snap skills. For example, the nature quest will have kids looking for a cloud, an animal, and “something smooth,” among other things. Within each quest your child will find a list of items to photograph in order to complete their hunt. The app features 12 “quests,” each with a different theme or location. Send your shutterbug on a photo scavenger hunt with SnapQuest, a free app designed for kids ages 6 to 8. Your budding photographer can even take part in special Snapshots photo challenges over on KidsCBC2.ca! If your kids need a little inspiration or a few pointers, be sure to check out the Snapshots playlist on the Kids’ CBC YouTube channel. If your kiddo is constantly trying to steal your phone to snap artistic photos of the family dog or capture shots of colourful flowers in the garden, encourage their creativity with these fun apps that will help build their blossoming photography skills. How do your kids see the world around them? Give them a camera and find out! After all, as the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words.

#Fun filters for photos

[truthshield]

Innovation Through Problem Solving An Interview With Head Of Materials At On

On When the world shutdown and working from home became the norm — so did working out. We have a no shoes rule in our home and constantly standing on hardwood was killing my feet. Initially, I wore Nikes indoors to help with the support until my friend introduced me to On, a performance running shoe and apparel brand born in the Swiss alps over a decade ago. Once you see On shoes, you cannot unsee them. And once you wear them, you cannot forget how they feel. On is based on the radical idea that while running, soft landings should be followed by explosive take-offs, or what they call running on clouds. “I knew On as the shoes with the holes in them,” said James Thompson, Global Head of Materials at On. On was founded by former professional athlete Olivier Bernhard and his friends David Allemann and Caspar Coppetti. “We’re not necessarily trying to compete with anyone. Olivier was a world class athlete who saw a problem and he tried to fix it. That’s an attitude we have about all of our products. We’re less concerned about what Nike is releasing and more concerned about solving a problem that hasn’t been fixed,” James explained during our interview. Make no mistake, On makes a high performance shoe founded by a multiple Ironman winner (in Olivier) and invested by arguably the greatest tennis champion of all-time, in Roger Federer. Federer’s title is co-entrepreneur and his unique experience lends itself to product development. On In addition to the Nikes I’ve also worn multiple Allbirds and Brooks. On’s Cloudswift model struck the balance of support and performance without suffocating my feet. In addition to wearing them in-doors on hardwood I also use them for high intensity workouts in the garage and short distance runs on pavement. I was explaining to James how I’ve also worn them to run errands with these unique running pants that look like layered material. “They’re literally called The Running Pants. There’s no frills, its the ultimate running pants. You’ll notice the different paneling and mesh inserts for breathability. We’ve inserted panels to have different material compositions where you need it. That’s a real pinnacle piece for us we’ll build on and everything we do with the apparel is in collaboration with our sports science team who focuses on biometric data and athlete feedback to help inform how we should engineer our products,” he explained. After earning is education at the London College of Fashion, James obtained an internship in New York at what he coined the king fabrics, Marc Jacobs. Since he couldn’t afford to make the move, he wrote a handwritten letter to his grandmother telling her about the opportunity which proved to be a great lesson. “The internship allowed me to observe how design and production teams work. It wasn’t that I necessarily learned how to sew there, I was able to learn how a business really works and it was invaluable. Imagine if I didn’t apply for the internship because I didn’t have the money? The best advice I can give is that you can find money anywhere. Have a vision for yourself and don’t say no.” James went on to work at brands like Hunter and Puma. Most recently, he parlayed his experience at Jaguar Land Rover. His friends thought he was crazy because he didn’t have automotive experience. “A car is just a shoe with four wheels,” he explained. Learning about James’ experience and his excitement for the future of On was truly inspiring — as was the work they’ve done with world-class athletes like Tim Don (documentary below). While I won’t be entering an Ironman anytime soon, the Cloudswift’s have been one of the most comfortable shoes I’ve worn and I’m thrilled I can wear them all day. As the future of work and life continue to blur — this is one tool I can include in my “work from home” essentials. https://ift.tt/yXQMzro https://ift.tt/sE7oGwN

#Saas #softwaresystems #productdevelopment #software #practice #optimization #accuracy #efficiency #productivity #softwareprojects #cracksthecode

[slaughtergutz]

two thots enter, only one will remain

I needed to draw @the-thot-clown ‘s Pumpkin and my slasher oc Eddie having a himbo fight 

specifically this one 

#slasher #slasher oc #slashersona #horror #horror oc #ocs #pumpkin #mozg #eddie #thank god for low res videos it makes drawing over them and hiding the bodies so much easier #blur tools take the wheel #eddie humbucker #tdm