#extended gamer moments here
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A pair of senior partners at the California-based mega-law firm Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith split from the company last month to build their own “compassionate” firm, but internal emails show they used wildly offensive and demeaning language — repeatedly referring to women as “c–ts” and a judge as “sugar t-ts.”
Many of the shocking missives — exchanged between John Barber, 55, and Jeff Ranen, 45, and obtained by The Post from the pair’s former firm — were also racist or anti-LGBTQ.
Before the two labor lawyers suddenly defected in May and took more than 100 Lewis Brisbois employees with them, Barber spent more than 25 years with the firm and Ranen worked there for 20.
Their rationale for leaving was to “build something that’s reflective of our values and our beliefs,” Barber told Above The Law.
“We wanted to lead with empathy, collaboration and compassion, to do it our way and not have any baggage,” Ranen told the Los Angeles Business Journal about the formation of Barber Ranen.
But emails from their time at Lewis Brisbois – which were redacted to remove any specific client information before being viewed by the Post – raise serious questions about the virtue-signaling.
“Kill her by anal penetration,” Barber emailed Ranen in June 2012, reacting to an overtime request from another Lewis Brisbois attorney.On at least three occasions, Ranen described female attorneys as “c–ts.”
In a March 2022 missive, a Los Angeles judge was described as “sugar t-ts.” when Barber joked about how the judge liked to be addressed.
In a November 2012 note, Ranen noted to Barber that another partner has “huge t–s.” That female partner has since decamped to Ranen and Barber’s new firm.
In November 2013, Barber was told by a Lewis Brisbois partner that people were upset during a mediation because of a witness’ frequent use of the N-word.
“She doesn’t want the word n—-r used in her presence. She claims it was used with great liberality, unnecessarily so… and she found it very offensive,” the partner emailed him.
Barber responded snidely. “Got it. N—r. Don’t use.” He spelled the slur out in full.
In October 2012 Barber responded to an email about attending a baby shower with the subject line “N—r” — again spelled out in full.
On May 31, 2020 — just days after the death of George Floyd — Ranen emailed Barber, “F–king looters came within a mile and a half. I can’t even imagine what it was like living in Larchmont [Los Angeles] in 1992 when the savages decimated Koreatown.”
Barber responded: “Just to illustrate my enlightenment . . . As buildings burned within a mile or so that night, we had a party, got wasted, and yelled inappropriate things from the balcony.”
In June 2012, Ranen wrote to Barber, “Gypsy is my new word to describe about half of the minorities in California.”
The partners made frequent use of the word f—-t and other anti-LGBTQ slurs as well.
“Don’t be a f—t,” Ranen responded to a partner testily in April 2015. “What’s this f—t’s problem,” he emailed another colleague in November 2014, asking of a rival attorney.
Barber and Ranen went on a crude back and forth about an unnamed attorney from Mintz, another law-firm, in March 2008. In their exchange they mocked his past service in the Israeli Defense Forces.
“He’s a f-g. Israeli Defense Force hand-to-hand combat instructor? Yawn. I’ll kick his ass,” Barber wrote to Ranen.
Ranan replied, “his bio gave me a stiffy. Does that make me a homo?”
Later on Ranen made fun of Barber for using the expression “oh snap” — noting that he wasn’t sure if “that makes you more akin to a tween or a fudgepacker.”
Critics ripped the two men’s behavior and the firm’s hypocrisy.
“Though they may pretend to have founded their new firm in pursuit of ‘empathy and compassion,’ it is beyond any doubt that they are incapable of doing so,” civil rights activist Al Sharpton told The Post. “I am calling on The State Bar of California to conduct a full review of their character and licenses to practice law. Though these emails alone are beyond sufficient to question Barber and Ranen’s integrity, it is easy to imagine they are just the tip of the iceberg of their intolerance toward communities of color, women and the LGBT community.”
Lewis Brisbois has more than 1,600 attorneys working in offices around the world including one on Water Street in downtown Manhattan.
A Diversity, Equity and Inclusion mission statement on their website touts the firm’s commitment to diversity hires.
In a statement to The Post, the company said they were “shocked” by the behavior of the former partners and promised a probe:
“Following their departure from our firm, a complaint was lodged against John Barber and Jeff Ranen to a member of our management committee. In keeping with our firm’s policies and our responsibility to our personnel, an investigation was undertaken and the firm was shocked to find dozens of emails between John Barber and Jeff Ranen containing highly inappropriate and offensive content.
“The firm is continuing to conduct a broader review of the behavior and conduct of John Barber and Jeff Ranen. We are deeply troubled by their use of prejudiced language and racial and cultural slurs aimed at colleagues, clients, attorneys from other firms, and even Judges,” the company said.
Barber and Ranen did not return multiple messages seeking comment.
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(part one here) (part three here)
(CW: character experiences a severe derealization episode)
“D’you want me to order pizza?” Oli asks, somewhat redundantly, because Martyn is twenty-two (according to the police report) and a gamer, of course he’s not gonna turn down free pizza.
“Oh, god, yeah,” says Martyn. And, a second later - “Please.”
He fires up the Domino’s website obediently, pulls up the deals and picks one that’ll leave him some leftovers for when Martyn’s long gone tomorrow. Meateor for himself, as usual, and then he spins the laptop round on his knees to present Martyn with the options. “What are you having?”
Martyn stares at the screen, unblinking, for a few too many seconds.
“... Something wrong?”
He clears his throat. “Yeah, no, just. Um. Been a while.”
“D’you just want a margherita, then? Keep it easy?”
“No, I don’t - I was -” he grimaces, shakes his head roughly, and thumbs at the fabric of his shirt where the tea stain sits “- trying to remember what I liked.”
“Vegetarian?”
“No,” Martyn responds immediately.
“Olives? Mushrooms?”
“I’m not picky -”
“Pineapple on pizza?”
Martyn snorts. “Okay, yeah, I don’t much like pineapple on anything, I’ll give you that.”
“But as a concept.”
“No problem with it.”
“Then, Marty, my friend, you’ve lost the plot.”
He sits another moment, deliberating. Then - “Sweetcorn.”
“Yeah?”
“I like sweetcorn on pizza.”
“Alright,” says Oli, and spins the laptop round again to check the options. “Vegi Supreme or Chicken Feast?”
“I’ll take the chicken,” Martyn says, resolute.
Oli sends the order through, with potato wedges on the side, because it’s his money and he’s gonna pick the extra items for the deal. Then, once the little order tracker with the fake AI has popped up and started telling him stupid jokes to amuse him for the next 25 minutes or so, he turns back to look at Martyn. “Can I ask something?”
He raises his eyebrows. “Ask what?”
“And you don’t need to tell me if it’s, like, personal or whatever, just… what were you eating? If you haven’t seen pizza in however long?”
Martyn makes a face. “Whatever, honestly. It wasn’t a big worry for me - I mean, not like I could - yeah, it was just whatever. Not dead yet, so I’m clearly not malnourished.”
Oli cocks his head. “Whatever like whatever you were given, or whatever like you were scavenging?”
“Like - uh - like - I mean, I wouldn’t say scavenging, that’s - like whatever I could find? I know I’m not explaining this very clearly, it’s -”
“No, no, I said you didn’t need to tell me! Don’t have to say anything you don’t want to.” (It’s not like Oli doesn’t want to know, but he doesn’t need to know if it’s going to make Martyn uncomfortable to explain it.)
“Anyway. It wasn’t bad, it was just… y’know how Covid makes it so you can’t taste anything? Little bit like that.”
“Original Covid did. I don’t know about all the new variants.”
“Ah, yeah, heard about those! Did they ever run out of Greek letters?”
“Don’t think so, thank goodness.”
“Yeah,” Martyn nods.
Beside Oli, the little Domino’s robot lets him know that their pizzas are now going in the oven.
It feels odd, to be sitting here on the sofa, taking an extended lunch break with somebody who he’s only known from Minecraft servers and scratchy in-game prox chat. It feels odd to know that he’s doing hospitality for a man six or seven years younger than him, a friend who’s never answered out-of-character about himself before today. It feels odd to know that he’s actually looking at the real Martyn - not some rat, not some pirate, just… some guy.
Oli swallows and steels himself for what he’s about to say. “Erm - again. Don’t have to tell me anything you don’t want to. But… besides this whole Doc thing, what was your life like? Your normal life?”
Martyn’s expression flips into something unreadable for a second, then mellows again into neutrality. “Yeah, uh - nothing special, really. Born and raised in Nottingham, did alright at school, got the grades for uni but I ended up deferring. I was trying to get a job in my gap year but I didn’t really wanna end up behind the counter at GAME or McDonald’s or anything, and nowhere else ever got back to my applications, so… spent a lot of time at home, playing video games. No girlfriend, no mates who really stuck after college; not much worth writing home about. I wasn’t much of anything, really, not then.”
Oli is, he decides, going to ignore the implications of that comment. “Family?”
“Mum, dad, sister who’s been moved out for a few years. Dog. Oh, I hope he’s still alive, that’d suck if I never see my dog again.”
“Fingers crossed,” says Oli.
“What about you? What’s the home life of OrionSound like, when he’s not at the computer?”
“Oh, Marty, my entire life is at the computer,” he quips. “I work in software development. I actually did my degree in psychology, but you’d be surprised, there’s not a lot of room in the market unless you’ve done a load of other certifications as well. I guess I could have got a therapy licence, but as it turned out, I’d spent enough time in first year making terrible visual novels that by the time I got into the workforce I technically knew how to code. AI snapping at our heels now, of course, but it’s probably gonna eat itself by Christmas, so I’m not too worried about that.”
“I dunno,” says Martyn, “I’ve seen some pretty advanced AI.”
“So, yeah. I spent a few years freelancing, contracting for one place or another - I’m quick, which people seem to like, although that’s mostly so I can get back to gaming as soon as possible. And then… like two and a bit years ago? Yeah, would’ve been two years this past July… then I got a really nice position at CHESTCorp, it’s mostly remote work, I drive down to London every few months so they can “review my performance in a controlled environment”, whatever that means, and they pay well enough that I can afford this place on my own, which is -”
Oli stops talking when he notices Martyn’s face has gone white as a sheet.
“What’s wrong?”
“I knew it,” Martyn murmurs.
“What?”
“I knew it,” he says again, stronger, “I knew I shouldn’t have trusted you, I knew you - I thought - he told me this would happen, I’ve seen it happen, I should’ve just learned from my mistakes the fucking first time, but clearly I’m stupid.”
“Marty, what are you -”
“Didn’t wanna believe this shit could follow me out here, but evidently it - oh. Oh, no, no, you fucking - it’s not over, is it? I’m still - that’s why nobody picked up the phone, it wasn’t real, you couldn’t synthesise my mother’s voice, I’d know! You’re CHEST, of course you’re CHEST, the one person I thought - I mean, I hoped - you’re fucking cruel, is what this is, it’s cruel, and you’re not fooling me twice. Don’t know how you got the food this realistic, but -”
“Martyn,” Oli tries to interrupt, “are you okay?”
“Shut the fuck up,” Martyn says through gritted teeth. “You’ve given the game away now, CHEST agent. Should’ve known it wasn’t real. Should’ve known I couldn’t get out that easy. Or you caught up before I got out, one of you fuckers, planted something, or - I don’t know, made me think I was finally out of this stupid place. Made me think it was fine so I’d start giving up secrets. Well, you’re not getting another word out of me, you fucking idiot. Some interrogation room you’ve got here, huh? This your best simulation? Get a better model for your TV, I’ll tell you that for free, the reflection’s too smooth.”
Well. Er. “Martyn,” he tries again, “I think you might be having a flashback?”
“Nothing back about it, you bastard. Giving me false hope like that. Thank god I don’t actually know Doc’s name, or you’d have been able to track him too, wouldn’t you? Fuck you. Don’t ever bring my family into this again, any of you.”
“Okay,” Oli says slowly, rifling through his psychology knowledge for grounding techniques, “you think this isn’t real, right now?”
“I know it isn’t real,” Martyn spits, “and it’s getting worse the more I’m poking at it. See, look -” he stomps a foot at the floor “- you’re losing resolution trying to keep it running.”
The carpet, which has not changed and is certainly not lower resolution than it was when they got here, endures being scuffed at. Oli doesn’t want to actually lay a hand on Martyn right now, though; he’s got a bad feeling that’ll end in something much worse than being kicked. Instead he dips into the kitchen across the room, pops an ice cube out of the tray faster than he’s ever needed to, and brings it back over to the sofa. “Here,” he says, chucking it at Martyn’s lap, “that real enough for you?”
Martyn catches the projectile reflexively. He stills, silent, both hands cupped around the ice cube, staying in the air.
Then, gradually, his eyes unfocused… his arms lower.
He opens them and stares down at the piece of ice in his palm, and, slowly and almost imperceptibly, begins to rock forward.
The Domino’s tracker chimes again. Their food has finished cooking, and it’s being delivered by Amal. Oli almost wants to laugh at the absurdity of it.
Whatever Martyn’s running from, it must go a lot deeper than he thought.
(part five here)
#reverse isekai au#itlwlore#martyn itlw#oli theorionsound#pirates smp#scurvyblr#vtuber martyn#ilexworks#cw derealization
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minors do not interact!
18+ only
warning tags: nipple play
relationship: shigaraki x reader
summary: shigaraki gives his subscribers a nice show
reminder this is purely for entertainment purposes!
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
✧ a nice live show ✧
Shigaraki was a gamer. He played live and he had a decent amount of subscribers and tonight he had decided to do his first Q and A. Something he has never done before.
His subscribes asked him many question. Such as…
what’s your favorite video game?
how did you get into gaming?
what game are you playing next?
Those were some question that came and Shigaraki answered them. Some other questions that were just plain weird he even answered. That was until a question came that caught his eye and interest.
are you in a relationship?
Some of his subscribers started to reply to the question, such as…
No way dude is in a relationship
I’ll be surprised if he is in one
You really think he’s in a relationship
You really think a guy who looks like him is in a relationship
Shigaraki didn’t mind these answers. He could understand why those answers were said. Shigaraki wasn’t the best looking guy. He always wore a simple black hoodie, his hair a blue-ish white color, his eyes red, his neck horribly scratched, along with other things.
“Yes, I am in a relationship.” Shigaraki answered.
The chat was going crazy at Shigaraki’s answer. Shigaraki at that very moment had gotten beaten by another player and sighed. He looked into the camera and gave his subscribers a grin. “Would you like to see her?”
Yes
Bet he’s lying
Bring her out
Show us proof
“BABY CAN YOU COME HERE!” Shigaraki called out for you. You slowly opened the door and poked your head into the room. “Yes?” You answered.
Shigaraki extended his arms out, “Come here.” You walked into the room and walked towards Shigaraki standing next to him.
His subscribers saw nothing but your smooth legs and a long shirt that stopped at your mid thigh. “Yes babe?”
Shigaraki grabbed your hips and pulled you down onto his lap. Your back against his chest and he quickly wrapped his arms around your waist. “Say hi to all my subscribers watching.”
You got flustered quickly when knowing you were being watched. “Umm… hello everyone.” You gave a small wave and shy smile.
“See I’m not lying.” Shigaraki happily said. You turned around to face him, “Can I go now?” You didn’t want to be here anymore.
Shigaraki was going to let you go but he quickly thought of an idea. A sinister idea. “Stay with me for a while. Be my lucky charm.”
“But you’re good at games you don’t need me besides I’m not to comfortable especially with what I’m wearing.”
Shigaraki placed his hands on your thighs both his pinkies up in the air avoiding your skin. “You’re perfect besides they can’t see your lower half.”
“I don’t know Shiggy.”
His hands spread your legs apart and one of his index fingers found your clit slowly rubbing circles. “Come on baby. Be my lucky charm.”
You were a massive sucker when Shigaraki would play with your clit. You would fall at his mercy. You obeyed and agreed to any thing and all things. “Ok just a few games and then I’m leaving.”
Shigaraki smirked and kissed the back of your neck. “Just a few games. You can occupy yourself by talking to my subscribers and answering a few of their questions.” And he quickly went back to play another game.
And you did. You occupied yourself by answering a few questions that is until Shigaraki decided to put pause and he placed the controller in your hands. “My hands are getting tired why don’t you play for a while. Show them that you’re good at games.”
“But I haven’t played this game. I’ll lose.”
“I’ll walk you through it. Just relax and focus on the game.” Shigaraki wrapped his arms around your waist placed his head on your shoulder.
“Ok.”
Shigaraki walked you through the game showing and telling you which buttons to press. You were doing a decent job and when you passed the level you couldn’t help but happily jump on Shigaraki’s lap. “I did it! I passed it!”
Shigaraki nodded and gave you a kiss on the cheek. “I knew you’ll make it.”
“Can I play another one?” You asked to which Shigaraki agreed.
You started to play another level while Shigaraki decided to see the chat. And then Shigaraki saw something and couldn’t help but grin.
Those jiggle quite nicely
Shigaraki knew that this certain subscriber was talking about your boobs. And suddenly Shigaraki grabbed the hem of your long shirt and pulled it all the way up your breast coming into view. “Aren’t they nice? Just look how they bounce.”
Shigaraki started to bounce you on his lap making your breast bounce. You quickly dropped the controller and covered your breast with your hands. “Shigaraki let my shirt go. This isn’t something your subscribers are here to watch.”
Shigaraki looked over at the chat and it was blowing up. Shigaraki grinned and he acted quickly he shoved the shirt into your mouth, pulled your hands away from your breast and placed them behind your back trapping them as he pressed his chest against your back.
“You’re wrong doll, they definitely want to see this.” Shigaraki grabbed ahold of your nipples with his index finger and thumb and pulled and squeezed them. Whimpers came from you. You never liked when Shigaraki played with your nipples. It always hurt you.
You dropped the shirt and spoke, “Shigaraki stop. You know I hate it when you play with my nipples. It hurts.”
The chat was going crazy and Shigaraki didn’t care about the chat or even how he knew you were hurting. “Be good for daddy or else your sweet cunt will be next thing that will show up on my live stream. So open that little mouth and don’t you dare drop your shirt.”
You opened your mouth and Shigaraki shoved the shirt back in and you bit it keeping it in place. You definitely didn’t want your cunt on live stream for people to see.
Shigaraki abused your nipples, tears streamed down your face as your nipples were getting abused. Finally Shigaraki stopped and repositioned you. Your front facing him and he gave you an apologetic look. “Shh… I’ll take care of you Baby.”
Shigaraki pushed you down against the gaming desk your teared up face showing for the whole live to see you. Shigaraki leaned down and placed his tongue against your very red and swollen nipples. You couldn’t handle it anymore. You let go of your shirt and spoke, “Shiggy stop. It hurts.”
Shigaraki stopped and looked at you. “I know Baby. I know. So let me take care of you.”
Shigaraki looked at the camera and spoke, “Duty calls.” Shigaraki cut and turned off the live stream. Shigaraki picked you up and walked towards the bedroom. “Let me take care of you.” Shigaraki slowly placed you down and he took very good care of you and your swollen nipples.
#shigaraki tomura#shigaraki tenko#shigaraki x you#shigaraki x reader#shigaraki tomura x you#shigaraki tenko x you#shigaraki tomura x reader#shigaraki tenko x reader
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Inspired by such blogs as @haveyouheardthisband, @haveyoueatenthis, @haveyouseenthismovie-poll, and many more of the like, this blog asks: hey, have you played this video game?
>>> SEND SUGGESTIONS HERE (closed for the moment!) <<<
List of responses and future non-response queued posts
Similar to such blogs, this is about seeing what games are most well known and most played by the tumblr gamer population (which i must legally state i am a member of). My aim is for this to also be a kind of repository for suggesting games to other people bc I know what it's like absolutely adoring a game that people know piss abt dick abt.
My list will come from the Wikipedia list of the top selling games of all time, Metacritic's list of top rated games of all time, my own personal game collection, as well as suggestions (link above). Hopefully this will give that mix of seeing what well known games people have played on tumblr as well as more obscure favorites of the community (and also just that. Repository of games other people want people to play really badly)
May or may not extend to board games and tabletop games and such! Idk I'm thinkin of it
Also, "played" in the context of these polls counts for any amount of playtime (played once, never finished, 100%, whatever). If you have opened this game and hit start, that counts as having played a game here
(Also the Wii theme is just for show, suggested games don't have to be just wii/nintendo/console games loool)
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Genshin Impact x Reader - Being an absolute Genius Invocation TCG nerd
Feat. Itto, Cyno (of course), and Kaeya because those are the ones I know who are into the game. Can be seen as mostly platonic but I added a bit of optional romance headcanons at the end for each character. Reader here is gender-neutral.
Ok so I’m getting some brain worms today in the form of the genius invocation tcg event like bruh
As someone who loves the card game and gets REALLY into it, can you imagine a reader agt the genshin cast while playing? Reader who’s such a dedicated player that they know the strats, the meta, and different deck playstyles. Reader who goes to the Cat’s Tail to hang out with fellow players and duels them on the daily enough that they have a reputation for being a pro.
It would be even more hilarious if they don’t exactly advertise this hobby (cough obsession) at all to anyone else outside the game, but the moment someone engages them in a duel or they go into places like the Cat’s Tail where many other players gather, or they attend any tcg related event? They go hardcore mode.
Itto sees you buying the latest tcg cards and he saunters up to you, bragging about how good he is at the game in an attempt to impress you lmao. Your curiosity is piqued and thus decide to challenge Itto for the funsies. At that, the oni is all “ho ho ho sure but don’t get too upset when I win, alright?”
Except you wipe his deck off the floor and Itto is. Flabbergasted while you try not to laugh too hard at his reaction. Like bruh even his gang spectating the duel had lost their hopes of their boss winning at all when they witness how outmatched Itto is against you the whole game. Itto’s character cards are all gone and yet only ONE of your character cards has taken some damage. That’s how skewed the matchup was.
Of course, as it is with Itto, expect him to challenge you again and again until he gets a win. In the meantime, you start coaching Itto about the game more, help to optimise his deck, and point out his mistakes and what he could have done better. Itto is an eager student and is in awe when you explain the strats and reasoning behind them. Itto isn’t exactly the brightest but damn even he can see that you know what the fuck you’re doing (if he’s crushing on you he’ll think that’s hot af. You’re so amazing?? And he gets to learn and spend time with you hehe totally not part of his master plan to get closer to you).
The moment Cyno notices you have a tcg deck, he’s going to immediately challenge you. Cyno goes all out and dramatic in calling out his challenge, as how it’s done in those card game medias. He absolutely HAS to battle any fellow tcg player since he’s that hardcore of a tcg nerd. The two of you will eventually engage in a duel (if you’re in a public place, expect to attract a LOT of attention because Cyno is too well known as the general mahamatra AND a proud tcg gamer). The man even narrates some of his actions while playing since he’s that much of a fucking dork. How adorable.
It’s a tense yet action-packed match. Cyno is a very good player, but evidently so are you. Spectators (if you guys are somewhere public) are starting to exchange bets on who would win. No one knows who’s going to come out on top because the two of you are so evenly matched that it could go either way. Cyno has that determined glint in his eyes as he figures out ways to beat you, yet somehow you anticipate his strategy and neutralise it, and vice versa.
Regardless of who wins though, it’s by a close margin. Cyno extends an invitation to play more matches with you whenever he’s free. How could he not when he just had the most thrilling duel of his life? You take up on his offer, since there are few players who can go toe-to-toe with you, and you can recognise that Cyno is a fellow tcg nerd like you. Boy, you two are going to get along so well. I can imagine both of you having conversations about the card metas and deckbuilding, which can sound like absolute nonsense to anyone who isn’t as hardcore abt the game. (And if Cyno has a crush on you, rip Tighnari because he has to witness the man blunders about in trying to earn your affections - keyword: TRY - and the fennec fox hybrid facepalms when Cyno keeps using tcg as a incredibly convenient excuse to hang out with you. For love of Lesser Lord Kusanali-)
Kaeya somehow picks up the fact that you’re into tcg (even if you don’t bring it up to him at all, he will know thanks to his ability to get others to share info with him, and some ppl might have mentioned you being an absolute BEAST at the game). So what does he do about it? Bring it up to you, of course, and ask if you wanna play a round or two.
Note that Kaeya isn’t a full-on hardcore nerd about the game. That’s not his thing. He doesn’t exactly know the ins and outs of the cards, but he has an incredibly strategic mindset that helps him beat most players. How else do you think he got to the final round in the tcg event competition? Still, Kaeya is absolutely intrigued when you match up against him, and said intrigue increases when you’re clearly winning. Seems like it’s true when he heard those rumors of you being an expert in tcg. He’s full on smirking when you beat him, and he claps slowly while congratulating you on your win and complimenting your skills (yet with the way he’s acting, it seems like he’s won somehow).
After that match, Kaeya will occasionally play a few rounds of tcg with you in his free time. I mean, he gets to sharpen his mind, hang out with you, gain information and be entertained. An all-round plus in his book. (And if somehow Kaeya has feelings that a biit more than platonic towards you, he’s going to use tcg as a way to get closer to you. Heck, he might even start paying closer attention to your tips and strategies to formulate a game plan. Be wary if he makes a bet with you through tcg, cus that means he’s got something planned. And if he happens to win the game and the bet? Well, hope you don’t mind doing a favor for him in the form of a kiss, maybe even a dinner date.
#genshin impact x reader#itto x reader#kaeya x reader#cyno x reader#arataki itto x reader#genius invokation tcg#if u cant tell I made this cus I realised there arent many posts whereby reader is a dedicated tcg player#and in those fics when reader plays agt the characters they lose lol#i mean thats fine cus some ppl do relate to that and dont play the card game well#but this is for my fellow tcg addicts who love the card game#yes im one of those who loves the big update cus NOW I GET TO CHALLENGE MORE CHARACTERS MWAHHAHAHAHAH#i am one of those bitches who uses a freeze deck sorry#if only I can play agt the genshin characters rather than their ai :(((( like I wanna see how i compare#ai sucks cus I have seen too many occasions where they fuck up#ah whelp
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Relapsing (Extended analysis).
tw: depression, mental and physical deterioration
I was here over-thinking (again) and remembered the small but powerful details with which q!Roier expresses his feelings through his appearance and actions:
After the betrayal he suffered he threw away his red hoddie, which was in tatters just like his heart, exchanging it for a black one, neglected his appearance by growing a stubble, unkempt hair and started wearing black eyeliner. All these signs of, in his own words, a deep sadness combined with his desire to take revenge on those who had wronged him.
And it was a look that stayed with him for a long time, it is interesting that not even the arrival of q!Jaiden and Bobby in his life managed to completely appease that painful feeling in his heart enough for q!Roier to think about mending his red hoddie and return to being completely happy. Because, as important as they are to him and as undoubtedly happy as Bobby was in his life, the pain of being betrayed by someone he had deep feelings for hurt him far more than he could handle. It was a feeling that, as much as he didn't want to guard, he simply couldn't shake.
And when Bobby died, it just got worse. q!Roier spent entire days without eating or sleeping submerged inside the pool he had built for his son, letting his clothes become water-eaten and moldy, he not only neglected his appearance this time but many other aspects of his life: he stopped farming resources, he used to try to have them so Bobby wouldn't need anything, and all his inventories became so disorganized that he became unable to find the things he needed for himself. In his own words, he had lost everything, even his will.
Then the Brown family adopted him, making him Leonarda's brother, after which he married q!Cellbit and was officially named Richarlyson's father. The red Hoddie was also back, the love of his husband and knowing he had a family again had gladdened his heart again. It was a new beginning to get closer to the children of the island who were left alive, and yet it was such a difficult process that you could tell he still kept his distance.
Not only was it that he didn't do Richas' daily tasks (unless he was accompanying q!Cellbit) another detail that I remember very well (because of how painful it was for me) was when he agreed to do Leo's daily tasks, the day they both spent the morning with their father q!Vegetta, but he almost regretted it immediately afterwards because he didn't want Leo to die "because of him" just like he feels it happened with Bobby, Tilin and JuanaFlippa (even though we all know it was his fault at all). That day with Leo was the first time since Bobby's passing that an egg was alone in his care and it paralyzed him for a moment.
In the end he didn't back out but did Leonarda's chores as fast and safe as he could, until it was time to read her a story and they ended up in his castle: he wouldn't let Leo go up to the top of the tower (with the excuse that it had a bad smell) and when they entered his old cabin he wouldn't let Leo go up to the third floor, to Bobby's room. GOD he wasn't even able to go up himself, if you watch the VOD you can tell that he climbs up a couple of steps of the stairs but in the end he regrets it and runs back down to the first floor.
But he did it, it was a breakthrough and it gave him more confidence to deal with Richas alone, he faced his fears and gave himself the opportunity to love again not only one but two eggs, to protect and care for them. Roier was finally healing. A dangerous dungeon did not allow him to save Bobby but he did with Richas that time he accompanied him to take care of q!Quackity, Leo might miss q!Vegetta and q!Foolish but there was q!Roier there as his adopted relative, just as he was for Tilin. Now he could allow his son Richas to not only come up to his son Bobby's room, but he allowed him to take a bath in his tub and use his old gamer pc. It was slow but sure and, above all, healthy progress.
But now all the eggs were gone. They all vanished in one fell swoop. And everything fell apart.
The terror of losing his children again paralyzed q!Roier, forcing him into a coping mechanism that made him joke about the situation. "They're dead, very dead" he repeated over and over again. Making it seem cruel to anyone who didn't know him or like he was simply resigned to the situation or didn't care, but that wasn't the case.
He was only hiding his fear while facing his past traumas. A past in which he held out hope that his son would be returned to him only to crash with the cruelty of only seeing him again for ten minutes and then saying goodbye forever. He didn't want false hopes again, he preferred simply not to have them but deep down, deep down, he wished he was wrong. He wished that his jokes were just that and that all the children would return safe and sound.
But days have passed, even weeks, and they have nothing. Only signs that make him believe that he was right all along: the eggs are dead. It is no longer a joke, it is slowly materializing into a reality.
Then he stays up all night without sleeping. Just repeating over and over again that joke that turned against him:
"They are dead".
Once again Roier expresses himself through his appearance and actions: The bags under his eyes are getting darker as the days go by, his skin has paled (a sign that he hasn't eaten well either) and his hair looks more disheveled every day. He doesn't care about combing it. He doesn't care about looking good.
He is lonely again. Even with the certainty that his husband is with him, by misfortune of fate they have not been able to coincide. That only makes him even more isolated.
His mouth repeats over and over again that he is fine, but his whole body screams that it is not true. Those who saw him yesterday have realized: Roier is not fine.
And it terrifies me to think that soon his body won't be able to take it anymore.
#someone hug my cubito please#if today he wears the black hoddie i'm going to cry really hard#roier qsmp#qsmp#qsmp roier#q!roier#qsmp richarlyson#qsmp bobby#qsmp leonarda#qsmp eggs
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If the request is open,can you make ouran high school host club members react haruhi has a brother(male Y/n),personality is Chiaki Nanami and go to Hope's Peak Academy
My first OHSHC request! New set of tags! Also, my first time writing for Male!Y/N. Depending on how this goes, I will be opening requests for Male!Y/N as well. In addition to that, I dropped the twins because I ran out of motivation for this and it's been in my drafts for a while
Haruhi goes by both masculine and feminine pronouns in the anime, so I just resorted to using they/them.
“Hey, Haruhi! Hope’s Peak Academy is visiting Ouran and…” Everyone in the music room was staring at you. You couldn’t help but think you walked in at the exact wrong moment. Could this be any more embarrassing?!
“Haruhi, who is this?” The tall blonde man asked your sibling. Who were you? Who was he? Or any of the other guys in the room? And how do they know your sibling?
“Hey, Y/N! Guys, this is my brother.” Cue all the gasps.
Tamaki Suoh
“Good evening, sir. Would you care for some tea?” The tall blonde man asked you.
“No. I’m here to see my sibling, not you.” You bluntly stated. Cue the waterworks, and now Tamaki is sulking in the corner.
“Y/N, I just got Tamaki-senpai to stop sulking. Anyways, how long will Hope’s Peak be visiting?”
“About a week. I bet our father’s glad that we get some sibling bonding time.”
Tamaki seemed to snap out of his depression and walk over. Then, music started playing and rose petals came from nowhere as he said, “I’d love to show you around, my prince.”
“I guess. See ya, Haruhi.” Were you not affected by his flirting? [DO YOU GET DEJA VU WHEN HE’S WITH YOU, TAMAKI?] Anyways…
Honestly, you’re kind of like a second Haruhi. You’re unaffected by all of Tamaki’s advances. This troubles him because you also tell him that you didn’t really know how love worked and wanted to know more about it.
The fact that you give backhanded compliments all the time is hilarious to the rest of the Host Club besides Tamaki. Mans will make another hamster home in the corner because he is now sad. You just insulted him!
He does get slightly concerned whenever you fall asleep while standing up, or when you randomly stop talking mid-sentence. He freaks out whenever you forget to breathe while gaming as well. Mans is in the middle of mourning your not-loss when you snap back to reality.
Kyoya Ootori
“I didn’t know you had a brother, Haruhi.” A tall man with black hair said to your sibling.
“You never asked.” They shrugged. “How are you, Y/N?”
“I’m good. Who is everyone?”
“This is Kyoya-senpai…” Haruhi went on to introduce everyone, but there was something about Kyoya that captured your attention. Then you noticed that he extended his hand out to you.
“Mr. Fujioka, I’d be more than willing to show you around the school.” He said.
“Thanks… I guess.” You said.
Not gonna lie, he’s glad someone can finally tell Tamaki that he is being ridiculous. The way you say it so bluntly is humorous even. Don’t get him started on your back-handed compliments. You’re not afraid to speak your mind
He’s never been truly involved with the romance aspect of the Host Club, but he has charmed a few people during his time in the club. Usually, he handles the financial aspect of it all. He doesn’t understand why you’re so curious about love.
He probably finds it adorable whenever you fall asleep while standing. It just means that he gets to pick you up and carry you to the nearest couch. With being Hope Peak’s Ultimate Gamer, he knows that you probably don’t get a lot of sleep due to gaming a lot.
Mitsukuni “Honey” Haninozuka
“Haruhi-chan? You have a brother?” He asked.
“Yes. Y/N, this is Honey-Senpai.” Haruhi answered, then turned to you.
“You look so handsome! You would be great for the Host Club!” Honey exclaimed.
“Sorry, kid. I’m only here for a week. Plus, if you didn’t hear me, I go to a whole other school.” You said. This made him a bit sad, but he perked up at the chance to make a new friend.
He will try and teach you to be a bit less blunt and maybe consider what you are going to say before you say it. “Think like someone would say it to you. Would it hurt your feelings if someone said that to you, Y/N-chan?”
He’s adorable and that’s why everyone requests him. He would do his best to make you seem a bit more approachable so that you would be able to experience love for yourself (secretly hopes you choose him to show you). Love is a feeling everyone should experience, you included!
Naps. Welcome to my TedTalk. Nah but seriously. Naps with Honey-senpai are amazing. The entirety of the Host Club have gotten a few pictures of the both of you cuddling in your sleep. They even added some of the photos to some of the catalogs and magazines the HC has to offer.
Takashi “Mori” Morinozuka
“Nice to meet you all. I don’t know any of your names, and - just being frank - will probably not remember them through the week.” You greeted.
This caught Mori’s attention because no one would actually talk to the host club that way.
It’s like a second Haruhi! Everyone thought.
“Takashi, can we show him around the school, please? Then we can go get some cake from that bakery!” Honey asked.
“Fine. Y/N, would you care to come along?”
“Sure. Got nothing better to do.”
You both are the analytical type, usually only saying things when they need to be said. However, when you do speak you tend to be more blunt and to-the-point. He commends you for it, because someone had to say these things and it wasn’t gonna be him.
Mori is more of that mysterious type that some people love. He’s usually quiet individually, but when he’s requested with Honey then they do their usual act. He doesn’t really understand what’s so appealing to you about love, if he’s being honest.
He’s the kind of guy to throw you over his shoulder when you fall asleep standing up. Whether you wake up from that or not, he doesn’t care. He will gently place you down onto a safe and comfortable spot, though.
#ohshc x reader#ouran high school host club#ouran high school host club x reader#tamaki suoh x reader#kyoya ootori x reader#tamaki suoh#kyoya ootori#takashi morinozuka#takashi morinozuka x reader#mitsukuni haninozuka#mitskuni haninozuka x reader
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Gaming with Autism: My Journey to Independence
Introduction:
In a world where video games serve as a powerful form of escape and connection, I have found my own unique path as a gamer living with autism. My story is not just about gaming; it's about carving out an independent life while embracing the virtual realms that have always been a source of solace and joy. Join me on this journey as I share the challenges and triumphs of being a gamer with autism living on my own.
The Power of Gaming:
For as long as I can remember, gaming has been a constant companion in my life. From the moment I picked up a controller, I felt an immediate connection with the virtual worlds that allowed me to express myself freely and without judgment. Gaming became more than just a hobby; it became a lifeline, a way for me to navigate the complexities of the world.
Living with Autism:
Autism is a part of who I am, shaping the way I perceive and interact with the world. It comes with its unique challenges, such as sensory sensitivities and difficulty with social interactions. As I ventured into adulthood and made the choice to live on my own, these challenges became more pronounced.
Independence and Gaming:
Living independently as an autistic individual is an endeavor that requires patience, self-awareness, and adaptation. For me, gaming played a significant role in developing essential life skills. Here are some ways in which gaming has contributed to my journey of independence:
1. **Problem-Solving:** Video games often present complex puzzles and challenges that encourage critical thinking and problem-solving. These skills have translated into my everyday life, helping me navigate obstacles and make informed decisions.
2. **Routine and Structure:** Autistic individuals thrive on routine and structure. Gaming provided a structured environment where I could set goals, plan strategies, and measure progress. This structure extended to other aspects of my life, including time management and daily routines.
3. **Community and Connection:** Despite my challenges with face-to-face interactions, gaming allowed me to connect with people who shared my interests. Online gaming communities became a safe space where I could communicate and build friendships on my terms.
4. **Emotional Regulation:** Managing emotions can be challenging for autistic individuals. Gaming served as a healthy outlet for processing emotions, providing a controlled environment to express myself without judgment.
Challenges Along the Way:
While gaming has been a powerful ally in my quest for independence, it hasn't been without its challenges. Balancing gaming with real-world responsibilities, managing sensory overload, and learning to communicate my needs effectively were all hurdles I faced. However, these challenges have ultimately strengthened my resilience and determination.
Conclusion:
My journey as a gamer living with autism on my own has been a testament to the transformative power of video games. Through perseverance and adaptability, I've harnessed the skills honed in virtual worlds to navigate the complexities of adulthood. I hope that my story serves as a source of inspiration and understanding for others who embark on similar journeys. Gaming has not only been a lifeline for me but a pathway to independence, self-discovery, and a community of like-minded individuals who appreciate the beauty of virtual adventures.
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Summers 🍓 Vol. 1
The two of you sat quietly on the outside bench, looking somberly in the distance.
“Is it good?” you asked, hoping to strike up a conversation.
“Yeah,” he nodded, taking in another spoonful. “Is yours?"
“Mhm.”
Back to silence.
You didn’t want to be the one starting all of our conversations, but it was beginning to seem like you didn’t have a choice.
He inhaled as if he had something to say, but just shook his head and spooned more frozen yogurt into his mouth.
“I like your shoes,” you whispered.
“Oh, thank you. I like your shirt.”
“Really?”
“Yeah! Coryxkenshin, W gamer.”
“Exactly!” you giggled.
More silence.
“Do you want some?” he extended his hand toward you, motioning for you to scoop some fro-yo out of the cup.
“Depends… what flavor did you get?”
“Strawberry. It’s the best.”
You raised a brow, hesitantly taking a scoop.
“It’s a such a cliché flavor,” you shook your head, slowly licking the front part of the spoon. “But it’s good…”
“I told you,” he grinned. “Maybe you should try listening to me more often?”
“Nah, I don’t think so.”
He laughed and shook his head, his eyes still on you. You guys talked for a while, or… you talked, but he had no problem listening. You’d just ramble quietly and sometimes loudly enough to grab the attention of other customers, but he’d never take his eyes off you.
“She really did that?”
“Yes! And then expected me to forget about it after.”
He laughed at your adorable antics, his eyes constantly wandering around your face.
“You’ve got some right there.”
“And I- Where?”
He leaned over and lifted your chin with his finger, his lips so close to your face that you could feel his cold breath on your nose.
“Right…” he paused, leaning in some more. “Here.” His soft rosy lips gently touched the side of your mouth. It seemed too close to your lips to not be a kiss.
He pulled back for a moment, examining your confused expression.
“I-Is it gone?” Your pitiful whisper made his heart jump, the corners of his lips curling up in amusement.
“I think I missed a spot.”
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Film Friday: Summer Wars
The Favorite Film Train continues chugging along. Today, I'm going to talk a bit about a movie that never fails to make me emotional. I was going to say "cry" because there's also a bit of that, but it feels like too general of a word since this film takes me on a cathartic journey that most films can't even do on first viewing. What's weird about all of this is that all of this is from a romantic comedy that also features a plot about an evil AI taking over "The Metaverse if it actually worked and was popular and interfaced with everything" I am of course talking about Mamuro Hosoda's Summer Wars.
After narrowly losing out on being the Japanese representative in the international Math Olympics, it looks like Kenji's summer is going to be largely uneventful as he does low-level moderation on the social media/metaverse Leviathan OZ. This all changes when a classmate of his Natsuki hires him for an untraditional summer job.
Natsuki wants Kenji to pretend to be her fiance as she goes home to meet and celebrate the birthday of her aging grandmother, a strong-willed matriarch of an old family rendered penniless by her deceased husband. As it turns out, Natsuki has been telling some slight mistruths about her love life to her family, and now wants to lend some credence to her swarm of white lies with an actual appearance just in case this celebration is her grandmother's last. Surely, no shenanigans of a personal or international nature will come to interfere with this plan.
To make matters worse, in a quiet moment between meeting Natsuki's robust, and more than a little kooky, extended family, Kenji solves what he believes to be a number puzzle that turns out to be encrypted with the OZ security algorithm. This allows a mysterious entity going by the name Love Machine to start a takeover of the whole platform that in good old-fashioned over-featuring tradition, holds everything from bank and card details to access codes to public and private systems for its many, many users. What follows is an honestly pretty impressive balancing act as Kenji has to try to undo his mistake in OZ through whatever limited means he has by outsmarting the increasingly unlimited and unhinged Love Machine, while also dodging whole generations worth of shenanigans when the cat comes out of the bag about Natsukis plan and his possible involvement in the OZ hacking scandal.
Where the film goes from good to great though, is when the two storylines start merging. Kenji seeks help from the young pro gamer Kazuma almost immediately, but as the problem with Love Machine escalates, he finds himself involving larger and larger parts of Natsuki's family to help. Natsuki herself does go through a somewhat more limited arc, but her untangling the relationships and loyalties around her half-uncle Wabisuke and his involvement in this sorry business, as well as standing up to her older and more skeptical relatives in order to buy Kenji some breathing room, and eventually even support, is also pretty impressive although it lacks the heft of the Kenji plot.
Where Natsuki really shines though is in the third act, where the plot, for reasons I will not spoil here, pivots on the most important game of Koi-Koi the world has ever seen, and Natsuki is good at Koi-Koi. The game is such a picture-perfect example of climactic pacing and plays with both hope and despair so effectively that I kind of want to do a shot-by-shot breakdown of the whole thing just to capture the sheer dramatic majesty of the thing. Watch this space for that whenever I feel up to it, I suppose. For now, though, suffice to say that it gets pretty intense.
The hardest part about writing about this movie is honestly how easy it is to forget all the really good quiet moments between the visual fireworks of Oz and the charged emotions and very human shenanigans of the real-world portion. Hell, I arguably forgot about mentioning how the "fake dating" scenario ends, as these things so often do, in an actually cute romance as Natsuki and Kenji grow to trust and depend on each other.
This movie has some fantastic moments of quiet, though, from the beats of rest after moments of high emotion that are almost painterly in their composition, to absolutely heart-rending visual storytelling in pivotal moments of character development, it's just hard to remember them when contrasted with the abovementioned spectacle or an 80-year-old woman swinging a naginata at a family member who has displeased her. Still, I believe these small quiet moments are part of why this movie gets to me. Every time the plot slows down even a little, it isn't just to rest, but to deepen the stakes and make us care for the characters.
There are also some historical parallels going on in this movie, the chief one being comparing the relative unimportance of Natsuki's family now compared to their relative glory days during the Warring States period, although their lot was still relatively humble even at that zenith. What is a bit spicier though are some parallels with WW2 history, although I haven't done quite enough research to be comfortable to say much more about those parallels other than that they're there. Chalk this one up to another one I'll get into if I have time and energy at a later date I suppose.
When all is said and done, writing about Summer Wars feels a lot like dancing about cooking. It's a deeply emotional journey for two characters that embody the best of the broad characterization I often criticize anime storytelling for using, and it pulls the viewer along. It's a beautiful, messy, chaotic movie about the beautiful chaotic mess that is family in both direct traditional form and the expanded "we are all one family" sense of the word. Check it out if you have the chance. Maybe bring some tissues just in case though.
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Thirain's affection quest as a male character is so funny to me...
You know, in the way that if you're not laughing you'll start crying
Smilegate went out of their way to kind of rewrite the progression of the questline in a few minor ways depending on what character you're doing the quest on. I knew what I was getting into ahead of time XD but still wanted to see how things translated for the English version.
I didn't get a screenshot of the end, but he extends his hand instead of going in for the kiss. Part of me knows WHY they were scared to keep the more explicit romance bits out for male characters, but it is still disappointing. If it isn't to avoid upsetting a certain type of gamer, I can also get that maaaybe they don't think it makes sense for a monarch to get with a guy with the whole system being about bloodlines etc. But man.
That being said... I think it's so interesting that smilegate basically created a world state where Thirain has no intention of marrying you/is just not in love with you, but is also not considering marrying anyone else and is so consumed by how much he cares for you. When playing a female character and doing his rapport, it's very clear you will be the future queen if you want to be. For male characters the current queen candidate is... no one? At least for now. Wanting to be with you instead of all the other suitors on the balcony, mirroring his parents meeting and falling in love, and ending it with a firm handshake is so so funny.
The changes for specialists I can understand though, that can get real weird real fast if they leave things as is. And the headpat is really cute (I wish Thirain would give my paladin a head pat at least T-T ).
I'm still not sure how much actual dialogue changes in the questline itself. I know they started early by giving you different ending dialogue in his previous quests, where for ladies he hints at a future confession and for the bros he's glad you'll be around to take care of future generations.
But at the very least, the highlights are still there: the chaste hand-touch, the rumors being spread about you two, and the cinderella moment when you enter the ball. I'm at least grateful for that. What are you going to do now Meehan?? Thirain doesn't want to marry he wants to exchange high fives with me in the corner.
Of course Amazon borked up and forgot the characters whose hair color was changed.
which is something they tend to do in events and stuff that bring back older characters. I hope they don't mess up poor Jederico in the upcoming story continents he's featured in, I really like his new look in our version.
I'll end it here, but if I had to nominate a queen that isn't our adventurer, I pick Adeline from your stronghold. She already knows how to basically run a town all on her own (sorry Adeline), and they can chat about how well they know the Adventurer. If I didn't camp exclusively at the pier in my stronghold I would chat with her more (sorry Adeline!)
#lost ark#thirain#lost ark spoilers#lost ark rapport#at the end of the day we are multiple characters of varying gender identity who are all the main hero#who can jump in and out of the timeline at will without question
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“Surreal characters, simple controls and a catchy soundtrack turned the 2004 PlayStation 2 title into a masterpiece. Last month its sequel, We Love Katamari, which arguably perfected those qualities, was rereleased with improved graphics and new levels.
But Takahashi ended his involvement with the franchise and its publisher, Bandai Namco, long ago. He continues to live in the shadow of the katamari, experiencing the strange conditions of an industry where artistic creations become valuable intellectual property for companies. He says he does not receive any royalties from the sales of Katamari games.
“That is the nature of the business,” Takahashi said. “I am not important. The game is important. But myself? Who cares?”
Takahashi, 48, never intended to become a game designer; he originally trained as a sculptor at Musashino Art University in Tokyo. However, the young artist became disillusioned as classmates disposed of their creations after each assignment. “I realized that making art was not exactly useful,” he said.
That is why when a professor asked him to create a goat sculpture, he decided to turn the animal into a flower pot that drained excess water from its udders.
“I cannot forget that moment when everyone started laughing,” Takahashi recalled from his office in the garage of the San Francisco home where he lives with his wife, Asuka Sakai, a composer, and their two children. “That was when I realized what I should do, and I believed video games could provide joy and fun to people.”
(…)
A demo at the 2003 Game Developers Conference in San Jose caught the attention of industry leaders at a time when the market was mostly focused on multiplayer shooters like Medal of Honor and Halo. Here was something new and unusual for American audiences, invariably described as a “dung beetle” game or a “snowball simulator.”
(…)
“It feels like Katamari Damacy escaped Japan by accident,” said Paul Galloway, a collection specialist at the Museum of Modern Art who helped establish its video game program, which includes Takahashi’s debut. He added that “it presages a lot of aesthetics found during the 2010 indie gamer boom.”
(…)
But by 2009, Takahashi announced he was leaving video games, saying he would help design a playground in England.
“He is a very singular creator,” said Laura E. Hall, a game designer based in Portland, Ore., who wrote a book about Katamari Damacy. “And that is often at odds with the need to move units in the video game industry.”
Takahashi was coming off the self-described “beautiful failure” of a project called Noby Noby Boy, the one with the alien caterpillar, which received tepid reviews and had lackluster sales. The playground was also doomed; city commissioners were not too keen on the designer’s circular doughnut slide or the giant climbing frame that seemed to extend five stories in the air.
He returned to the gaming industry, but this time wanted more control over the creative process. He had left Bandai Namco because he did not think its other engineers were passionate enough.
“They were making games for the money,” he said. “And if I wanted to make a new project, I would need to hire staff from the company, which was super limiting.”
(…)
By the time Takahashi released Wattam, featuring the green cube, in 2019, Bandai Namco was already remastering his katamari games without his input.
(…)
Galloway said it was normal in the gaming industry, as in other design fields, that individual creators don’t own their creations. After all, games are a collaborative art form, typically requiring dozens of people to make.
“Someone can take Katamari and do something wildly different,” Galloway said. “But there is something that can be lost. Keita’s unique vision for Katamari was lightning in a bottle, and after a while it becomes a bit diluted when you milk the same formula over and over again.”
Takahashi does not want to repeat himself. “Recently, I realized that I don’t really know what a video game is,” he said, explaining his attempts to shed his preconceptions about what defines a good game.
His new definition is much simpler: Bring joy back into people’s lives.
(…)
“I know our lives are not so fun. They are boring. We do the same things over and over,” Takahashi said. “But we should be celebrating the good things in life. Then we can become better people. That’s my thing right now.””
“Katamari Damacy is a special sort of game. So special in fact, that it sidetracked me from writing this several times, playing the game in an absent-minded daze, marvelling at how 塊,the Kanji for katamari, already looks like a small prince rolling stuff up. It worms itself inside your brain by giving the mundane a unique sort of whimsy.
Whimsy, silliness and fun on first glance seem like something unrestrained and purposefully difficult to capture, but Katamari's game director Keita Takahashi made these feelings into substantial pillars of the design philosophy that informs all of his games. Katamari is meant to convey novelty, ease of understanding, enjoyment, and humour, all in a neat little package.
(…)
Yet most of the motivation comes from how you receive encouragement much more frequently than punishment. You're not told to hurry, all items you pick up are equally valid to build your clump with. The consequences of bumping into something are never catastrophic. The King of all Cosmos often reacts enthusiastically to your efforts and the nature of the things you roll up, which is understandable, given I'm generally just as overjoyed whenever I find a spare pound between the couch cushions. The wrath of your father the king is severe, but easily soothed by success. The knowledge that it was his drunken debauchery that nearly caused the collapse of the entire cosmos in the first place makes it difficult to take him seriously in his anger. This way, the king is a quintessential dad - a stern, occasionally threatening force on one hand, the guy who falls asleep with his mouth open at a rerun of "I'm a celebrity" on the other. (I'm absolutely not drawing on personal experience here.)
Narratively, Katamari could make a dire point about the dangers of consumerism and the fact that there really is quite a lot of stuff on earth, but as with every other aspect, it's lenient and careful not to hamper your enjoyment. There is a joy in collecting, after all, preserved all the way from collecting shells from the beach, shiny buttons or stickers as children. Why not virtual thumbtacks and cucumbers?
Nothing about Katamari Damacy would work quite as well, however, if it weren't for its laid-back visual aesthetic. With his background in art, Keita Takahashi isn't so much interested in games as he is in playfulness. You can immediately see influences like Taro Okamoto or Yayoi Kusama in the way he uses colours and shapes.
(…)
By not taking itself too seriously, Katamari allows you to do something that may not serve a distinct purpose. It invites you to look at something visually pleasing and hum a happy tune, to unite what by all accounts shouldn't be united into a satisfying shape. Takahashi's games are different to us because we already have an idea in our minds of how games work, how fun is facilitated and how you maximise engagement. Takahashi found his own answers to all of these questions and instead drew on ideas that are equally familiar to his players from other aspects of life.
Katamari Damacy is designed to appear mostly unconcerned with design, at least the right kind of design. Instead, it's something that simply feels good, and that feeling never goes out of style.”
“Katamari Damacy achieves all of its emotional weight without any complex story or characters, without surmounting any gameplay challenges. This simple game only occasionally deviates from your goal of making your Katamari as large as possible under a time limit.
(…)
Just like any mythology, this simple plot and characters themselves express a deeper network of meanings and associations. In Steven Reale’s Chaos in the Cosmos: The Play of Contradictions in the Music of Katamari Damacy, he notes that the King often dashes the Prince’s attempts to live up to his approval throughout the game. The King towers over the tiny Prince, and even when a level is successfully completed, the King still asks that next time, “we want a bigger one” (Reale, 2011). At its heart, Reale suggests the story of Katamari is that of the frustrations of childhood.
(…)
Katamari Damacy was often referenced by game content producers on YouTube, and its praise by some of my favourite reviewers is what initially piqued my interest. It was through the nostalgic lens that drives so many classic game enthusiasts that I learned an important lesson: the games that I played during these developmental years will have an unrivaled amount of cultivated memories associated with them. More importantly, this is worth celebrating and sharing with others.
(…)
Katamari Damacy captured everything that made childhood special, and more precisely, why it was so joyous to reclaim “play time” all to the tune of “Cherry Blossom Color Season”, one of the most powerful and serene tracks on the soundtrack. The game’s composer, Yuu Miyake even cited it as his favourite song from the whole series, a simple but powerful showcase of his ability to compose a song only with simple chords and melody (Napolitano, 2009).
The moment was pure bliss. I have never felt so completely and holistically happy playing a game, and I think Katamari Damacy achieves this moment by virtue of its simplicity, which consistently evokes a sense of childhood, imagination and free play. Miyake’s simple song was coupled with straightforward gameplay and tactile controls. Together, these elements created the sense of pure joy and discovery that comes with exploring levels and discovering hundreds of new objects.
(…)
In a 2009 Game Developers Conference talk, Takahashi confirmed that Katamari Damacy was about consumption society. This presented a problem: his goal to make things light-hearted, silly, and fun was wrapped up in work that expressed a cynical stance towards society. He stated, “I wanted to make more objects. If there are few objects, I feel lonely. If there are more objects, they will make things more colourful. But when they’re rolled up, they’re gone. I felt empty” (Welsh, 2009).
Takahashi’s dilemma was that the game presented his signature simple, soft, and colourful aesthetic, but it came from a place that was fundamentally cynical. He wanted to critique our desire to collect, consume, and progress. The gameplay necessitated that we participate in that consumption.
But even before this confirmation, critical commentators were already reading the game as an anti-capitalist, Marxist text. In Ryan Stanci’s Katamari Damacy – A Critique he argues that if the Marxist critique of art links that work to enforce or challenge the values of consumer society, then Katamari specifically comments on a culture obsessed with collecting and archiving (2006).
(…)
Despite Stanci’s conclusion that our desire to collect is what hits the right buttons for consumers, and our innate desire to collect it all, perhaps there is something inherently innocent about that desire, even if it can result in destruction. Stanci quotes Joseph Lewandowski’s Unpacking: Walter Benjamin and His Library, where he says the following about the children and collecting:
“They collect forgotten and ignored phenomena, they name “dead” objects. According to Benjamin, such an alternative world-view accomplishes a kind of renewal and rescue – children retrieve objects and stimulate life in a frozen cultural modernity; they re-enchant, albeit momentarily, a disenchanted world […] It is precisely in collecting as a child-like ‘mode of acquisition’ that a genuine collector emerges” (1999).
I believe that the childlike practice of collecting to re-enchant the disenchanted word is the ultimate achievement of Katamari Damacy.
(…)
While it is clear that Takahashi is critical of his own work, ultimately, I don’t think our experiences with his work are in conflict. Takahashi designs works to make people happy, even if it’s only for a brief moment. Katamari, to me, perfectly encapsulated the joy and the silliness of childhood, however brief that experience may be.”
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𝕾𝖔𝖚𝖗
Hello, I'm Pea, and I extend a warm welcome to my page. I'm a passionate writer, artist, and gamer, dedicated to creating captivating stories that delight and engage my readers. While I primarily specialize in crafting intriguing one-shots featuring various characters from different fandoms, my repertoire encompasses more than just smut; I also take pleasure in writing heartwarming fluff and heart-wrenching angst.
Moreover, I'm always open to commissions, where I pour my creativity into crafting full, immersive stories and headcanons. I take great joy in my work, and my ultimate goal is to bring joy to those who read my stories. I hope you find enjoyment in exploring my creations as well.
While you're here, take a moment to explore my master list, where you'll find an extensive collection of the fandoms I'm currently writing for, along with their intriguing characters. Rest assured, I'll continue to expand this list with even more exciting additions in the future, but for now, let's dive into the existing ones
Lastly, I encourage you to engage with me and my friend Val on our page, @wildandsmile .There, we share delightful stories you won't find on our main pages. Well that’s all hope to see again soon.
Pea out😼
Masterlist
#fiction#smut#writing#anime smut#anime fanfic#anime#fanfic#tr smut#black clover smut#blue lock smut#small artist#gamming#genshin smut#into the spider verse#mha#haikyū!!#hxh
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Did you ever watch much XPlay? What did you think of it?
XPlay was (almost) always bad. It started out as a show called "Extended Play", which was a pretty normal game news/reviews show on TechTV.
It was still Adam Sessler, but this was before Morgan Webb -- his cohost here was Kate Botello. Again, things were pretty normal and average. When TechTV got bought and converted to G4, "Extended Play" was changed to become "XPlay" and over the course of a year or two, got retooled to be "funny."
This meant a lot of long, pointless, annoying comedy skits between the game coverage, and a lot of reviews often contained "jokes" as well.
I liked to catch the occasional episode of Extended Play, but XPlay quickly became totally unwatchable. And since it was the early 2000's, a lot of that humor was intentionally very smug and offensive. This was the peak "boys will be boys" era of, like, EGM dedicating pages to swimsuit centerfolds, the stink of endless men's cologne sampler ads, and Playboy featuring CG renders of a topless Bloodrayne. Things were dire.
It's easy to forget that, given how long ago that original run of XPlay was. Rose-tinted nostalgia sets in because it was basically one of the only TV shows dedicated to games and industry news at that time. But it was foul. When I stop and actually think about it in-depth, I have no fond memories of XPlay whatsoever, because I have no actual memories of XPlay at all. It became something I avoided whenever possible. The show was insufferable.
Hearing that Adam Sessler has been having a perpetual, ongoing meltdown for months is really depressing, too. I used to try and take the dude's side, because he seems completely fried by "toxic gamers" coming after him, but he's also like... not stopping? At some point you'd expect the guy to walk away, but lately it seems like every few weeks he's going on another rant about how he hates video games now and is glad he "left." Except he never actually leaves. He just quote-tweets the next guy in line and goes on another 25 tweet rant about how everyone else is the worst. He seems completely broken.
His latest meltdown is because somebody called out one of these XPlay "comedy skits" -- and all he would have to do is spare a moment of reason, say "it was a different time, and a lot of things have changed since then, including me." But it's just another platform for him to scream and vomit about gamers again while the audience pelts him with peanuts. The dude has given up in every way except the ones that actually matter.
Everybody --you, me, Adam Sessler-- just need to walk away. Clearly nobody is happy with this outcome.
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Finished ex aid today, still have many, many thoughts to simmer and develop the words for but there are some things I can say (Spoilers)
So right off the bat, I think this is Takahashi's strongest writing I've seen. Haven't seen Zero One so I can't judge it, nor can I judge any supplemental material for ex aid that comes afterwards that he wrote.
I enjoy Geats tremendously, but his writing in Ex Aid feels stronger to me in ways I cannot articulate at the moment. (Also Geats is still ongoing, I don't wanna completely compare something that isn't finished yet.) Anyways, this is not the focus here though.
Though If there is one gripe I do have with Ex Aid I can name right now (again, thoughts still simmering) it's that the restart felt a bit contrived? I get how they needed to extend time for the last bit of episodes, but I felt there could have been a different way to go about it.
I really enjoyed this entire cast of characters. Parad especially got me with his arc and developments which I did not see coming. I love when a character smacks me emotionally and grips my heart out of the blue.
I loved Poppy, she is a delight. Kiriya felt tailor made for me. Kuroto is so much and is fun to see because of that. Nico is my daughter. And Hiiro and Taiga... AUGH
The big thing though, and the reason why I'm making this post in the first place:
Is that the ending arc of this show felt... Kinda weird to watch since the pandemic started? I don't even know if weird is the word that best describes what I felt. It just really hits different after 2020, and this ongoing pandemic.
This is not the fault of the show though. Takahashi couldn't see 3-4 years into the future.
That being said though, it is why the ending to Ex Aid hit me so hard. Emu's speech to the press, and his hope and optimism for the future as the world continues to deal with the gamer virus into the future... I needed that.
Man, I really fucking needed that.
Without getting into detail here, the state of things since the pandemic began and continues to go on has broken me in a lot of ways and still continues to devastate me.
So seeing Emu's speech at the end there made me bawl. I think it made me cry more than any other scene in the show. It gave me a bit of some really needed hope.
Emu is a rider i really appreciate. His hope and optimism that he has is just so important to me.
So I can say that Ex Aid will be a very special series in my heart, not only for how the ending affected me positively, but other reasons as well too.
#even though i didnt make a liveblog tag as i watched it ill just start it now#this is a stream of thoughts and i really hope it makes some sense#i dont know where it is in my rankings of what ive seen yet#both because my thoughts are still simmering but also I just suck at making rankings and lists for things#but ex aid is definitely gonna have a special place in my heart#god finishing blade and ex aid almost back to back is A TRIP#linky posts#linky watches ex aid
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what does using a vpn in warzone do
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what does using a vpn in warzone do
VPN benefits in Warzone
In the world of online gaming, where competition is fierce and skill is key, ensuring a stable and secure internet connection is crucial. This is where VPNs, or Virtual Private Networks, come into play, offering a wide range of benefits for gamers, especially for those playing Warzone.
One of the main benefits of using a VPN while playing Warzone is the ability to bypass geo-restrictions. By connecting to a VPN server located in a different region, players can access game servers that may have been blocked in their own country, providing them with more options for matchmaking and reducing lag.
Furthermore, VPNs offer an added layer of security by encrypting the user's internet connection, protecting them from potential cyber threats such as DDoS attacks or hacking attempts. This not only keeps personal information safe but also ensures a smooth and uninterrupted gaming experience.
Another advantage of using a VPN in Warzone is the ability to reduce ping and improve connection stability. By connecting to a server with lower latency, players can experience less lag and latency issues, giving them a competitive edge in fast-paced battles and crucial moments.
Overall, VPNs can greatly enhance the online gaming experience in Warzone by providing players with increased security, access to geo-restricted content, and improved connection stability. Whether you're a casual gamer or a serious competitor, using a VPN can help level up your gameplay and ensure you stay ahead in the virtual battlegrounds.
VPN effects on Warzone gameplay
Title: Enhancing Warzone Gameplay: The Impact of VPNs
In the world of online gaming, especially in highly competitive environments like Call of Duty: Warzone, every advantage matters. One tool gaining traction among gamers is the Virtual Private Network (VPN), typically used for privacy and security reasons. However, its impact on Warzone gameplay extends beyond just safeguarding personal data.
One significant effect of using a VPN in Warzone is reducing latency, or ping. By routing your connection through servers closer to the game's server location, VPNs can potentially decrease the time it takes for data to travel back and forth. This can result in smoother gameplay, quicker response times, and an overall better gaming experience, especially for players located far from the game servers.
Moreover, VPNs can bypass geo-restrictions imposed by some internet service providers or regional blocks implemented by game developers. This means players can access servers and content from regions where the game might not be officially available or where certain content is restricted. It opens up opportunities for connecting with a wider player base and accessing exclusive events or updates.
Additionally, VPNs can enhance security by encrypting data transmitted between the player's device and the game server, protecting against potential DDoS attacks or unauthorized access. This added layer of security can provide peace of mind for players concerned about their online safety.
However, it's essential to choose a reputable VPN provider to ensure reliability and performance. Some VPNs may introduce their own latency or connectivity issues, negating the benefits they're supposed to provide.
In conclusion, VPNs can have a positive impact on Warzone gameplay by reducing latency, bypassing geo-restrictions, and enhancing security. By leveraging this technology, players can potentially gain a competitive edge and enjoy a smoother, more secure gaming experience in the adrenaline-fueled world of Warzone.
VPN advantages for Warzone players
For avid Warzone players, using a VPN can offer several advantages that enhance their gaming experience. A Virtual Private Network (VPN) can provide increased security, reduce latency, and access region-locked content while playing Warzone.
One of the primary benefits of using a VPN for Warzone players is the added layer of security it offers. By encrypting your internet connection, a VPN can protect your personal information, such as your IP address, from potential cyber threats. This is crucial when playing online games like Warzone, where hackers may attempt to target players for various reasons.
Furthermore, a VPN can help reduce latency and improve your gaming performance in Warzone. By connecting to servers closer to the game's servers, players can experience faster connection speeds and lower ping times. This can make a significant difference in gameplay, especially during intense battles where every millisecond counts.
Additionally, a VPN can allow Warzone players to bypass region restrictions and access content that may be blocked in their area. This means that players can connect to servers in different countries to play with friends or access exclusive in-game content that may not be available in their region.
In conclusion, using a VPN can provide various advantages for Warzone players, including increased security, reduced latency, and access to region-locked content. By taking advantage of these benefits, players can enjoy a more secure and improved gaming experience while playing Warzone.
VPN impact on Warzone performance
Title: Maximizing Performance: How VPNs Impact Warzone Gaming Experience
As online gaming continues to gain popularity worldwide, players are constantly seeking ways to enhance their experience and maximize their performance. One tool that has gained attention in this quest is the Virtual Private Network (VPN). However, when it comes to games like Warzone, understanding the impact of VPNs on performance is crucial for players looking to gain an edge.
Firstly, let’s delve into the primary function of a VPN. A VPN encrypts internet traffic and routes it through servers located in different regions, effectively masking the user’s IP address and providing anonymity online. While this added layer of security is beneficial for many online activities, its impact on gaming performance, particularly in fast-paced games like Warzone, can vary.
One potential benefit of using a VPN is reducing latency by connecting to servers closer to the game server, thus optimizing the connection route. However, this improvement is highly dependent on the VPN provider and server location. In some cases, using a VPN may actually increase latency if the chosen server is further away or experiencing high traffic.
Furthermore, VPNs can sometimes lead to reduced network speeds, which can negatively affect gameplay, causing lag, stuttering, and even disconnections. This is especially problematic in competitive gaming scenarios where split-second reactions can determine the outcome of a match.
It’s essential for Warzone players to weigh the benefits and drawbacks of using a VPN before integrating it into their gaming setup. Conducting thorough research, including testing different VPN providers and server locations, is crucial to finding the optimal configuration that minimizes latency and maximizes performance.
In conclusion, while VPNs offer benefits such as enhanced security and the potential for reduced latency, their impact on Warzone performance can be variable. Players should carefully consider their individual needs and conduct testing to determine whether integrating a VPN into their gaming setup improves or hinders their gaming experience.
VPN role in Warzone strategy
In the high-stakes world of online gaming, Call of Duty: Warzone has become immensely popular among gamers worldwide. With its intense gameplay and competitive nature, players are constantly seeking ways to gain an advantage over their opponents. One key tool that many players are utilizing in their Warzone strategy is a Virtual Private Network (VPN).
A VPN can play a crucial role in enhancing a player's gaming experience in Warzone. By using a VPN, players can mask their IP address and encrypt their internet connection. This not only provides an additional layer of security and privacy but also allows players to bypass geographical restrictions and access game servers from different regions.
Moreover, a VPN can help reduce lag and improve connection speeds by providing a more direct route to the game server. This can be particularly beneficial in fast-paced games like Warzone, where split-second decisions can mean the difference between victory and defeat. Additionally, a VPN can help protect against DDoS attacks, a common tactic used by some players to gain an unfair advantage by disrupting their opponents' internet connection.
Furthermore, using a VPN in Warzone can help players avoid potential IP bans or restrictions imposed by game developers for various reasons. By masking their IP address, players can protect their online identity and continue playing without interruptions.
Overall, incorporating a VPN into one's Warzone strategy can provide a competitive edge and enhance the overall gaming experience. With its ability to improve security, reduce lag, and bypass restrictions, a VPN has become an essential tool for many players looking to dominate the battlefield in Call of Duty: Warzone.
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