#if i forgot anyone by name its because i have swiss cheese brain and like 2 braincells

[tricitymonsters]

This is mostly taken from my kickstarter update but I wanted to post it here for yall too.

Tri City Monsters has funded at 141% with the help of 273 backers!  The total raised was $7,064!!

Firstly, I want to say thank you from the absolute bottom of my heart for helping me make this game. For backers to trust and believe in the project to make pledges literally just makes my stupid little goblin heart swell. I had someone pledge over $300. I had an ARMY of $2 and $5 pledges that did so much heavy lifting together and everything in between. I had snipers down at the last second putting pledges in. It's insane!

Beyond pledges though, I want to specifically thank everyone who took time to play the game on itch, who wishlisted on steam, who talked about it on socials, who drew or made posts or wrote about it. Your effort to get the game seen was fucking HUGE. And it WORKED. TCM doesn't have a formal marketing budget- while I did save up and set aside some specific money this month for blaze posts and some other ad runs, the fact of the matter is that you guys did a ton of heavy lifting and I don't make the kind of money it would take to buy those numbers. (Not a lot of indies do, that's how much you guys pushed).

I want to cringe call out/ profusely thank @booket-png as the game's lead artist but also as a huge and wonderful help in all the design work that's constantly being done with this thing, @epoch-smog for tolerating me posting their drawings constantly, plus @coyoxxtl, @rainmonarch, @mineshaft-birdie, @gedankenmoon ALL of whom are a constant support team and also blorbo crucible who tell me to keep making Kazu taller and his tits bigger like a little pack of shoulder devils when I waffle.

Sometimes they say raising a kid takes a village and I'd like to add that making indie games takes a community.  So! Not to belabor the point but THANK YOU!

To business:

As mentioned in during the campaign, I will be using Pledgebox to help me organize orders and move ahead with logistics way later down the line when we get to that point.  To reiterate some important dates, here's what the immediate future is kinda going to look like:

I'm happy to report that I've already got a head start on some of the digital rewards

Backer surveys will go out towards the end of July at the earliest, I may push it back a little bit depending but I want to give Kickstarter the full 14 days to collect payments with some buffer.

These surveys will be where you can choose variants for what products you purchased.  So if you backed for a daki, you'll be able to choose your character at this point.

Digital rewards will begin filling in July as well.  I hope to have the discord space ready for you within a week or two (the tcm server is chill to hang out in anyway but a backer dedicated space will give you instant updates and banter with me as I'm working plus you'll be able to talk about love letter contents and pinups and stuff like that without a lot of worry about spoilers or anything.  I hope to see yall there soon!)

The wallpaper pack will be quick to follow this.

I would like to finish all the love letters before I begin releasing them, right now that's also looking to be a late July delivery, possibly early August delivery.  I've gotten a couple done already and they're very fun to work on, I think yall will enjoy them a lot! >:3c

Pinups will be on a longer time scale.  I have one of three artists confirmed (Atlas will be doing Mori's!) and we're going to go through their schedule to see what their timeframe looks like.   Regardless, you can expect updates on that as I make progress.

As far as the physical merch, remember that fulfillment is slated to begin Q1 2024.  The process to produce physical goods is long and I want to have plenty of time to carefully go over samples and get through packing and shipping. 

Also slated for Q1 is the prologue release!  The prologue will be one long introductory chapter featuring all three ROs and will segue into the route of your choosing.

And then, my goal is to update the game each subsequent month with a chapter update to one character's route, cycling through all of them in turn until we can wrap them up.

SO this is my plan for the latter half of 2023 now that the Kickstarter is over but I'm going to pull a Nintendo Direct because I have one final announcement to make.  

The Pledgebox will continue to sell TCM merch, including digital stretch goal access, for the next few months while I prepare all of this stuff.  

If there's something you missed, you'll be able to add it to pick it up through TCM's Preorder Page

Please be sure to contact me if you have any questions or need clarification regarding the Pledgebox page, you can find me on discord 99% of the time (i'm pockatuck) or message me here!

As always, transparency is a huge priority for me so please expect more updates as all of these tasks get underway!

in TOTAL gratitude,

cloud

#SORRY I'M LONG WINDED I'M A WRITER #i'm SO FUCKING TIRED #if i forgot anyone by name its because i have swiss cheese brain and like 2 braincells #the coffee did not help this morning #but know that i love you

[lostboysoflondon]

Storm Chaser AU

It’s nearing two in the afternoon and Harry’s waiting in the radar room for the telltale sign of another NOAA suicide mission. It’s inevitable-any time the sky darkens to a grey gloom, the NOAA team plus Niall come barreling through the back door of Studio 99. It’s inevitable that whenever the clouds begin drifting in peculiar ways and the radar indicates full scale thunderstorms ahead, Harry will play the waiting game.

With his focus completely shot, he sits in his own personalized black spinning chair. His initials H.S embezzle the back of the leather padding, a bit gaudy for workplace furniture, but Perrie insisted he use it when she bought it for his fifth anniversary as anchor meteorologist at Studio 99. Now, Harry’s sure she regrets it.

“Styles, you’re going to dig yourself a hole at the rate you’re spinning.”

Her blue acrylic nails clack on her computer keyboard as she finalizes her weather report for the four o’clock news.

Harry hasn’t checked his radar in over ten minutes. The bright red and green squiggly lines would surely make him nauseous now that his stomach’s been catapulting in his body for this long. He hasn’t always been like this before a storm; unproductive, and anxious, and crazy.. He’s just…distracted.

It’s only a matter of minutes before Niall appears with his camera equipment, all smiles and endless excitement. Seconds later, the NOAA team will follow, one man jumpy and cautious with trembling fingers and an expression almost as pained as a constipated toddler. The other man, his polar opposite, all buzzing with anticipation, adrenaline rushing quicker than the whirring speed of an F5 tornado. Completely reckless, completely mad, and the one true source of Harry’s spiral towards insanity.

Louis Tomlinson, one of the many NOAA researchers leading the suicide crusade across the Great Plains in search of one fundamental truth: why do Tornadoes form? Harry doesn’t care much about answering impossible questions, and he doesn’t think Louis does either. For Louis, it’s about the thrill, the chase, the endless possibilities to see the world in its most vicious natural state. For Harry, it’s a death wish and he wants no part in it.

So when Niall, Liam, and Louis burst into Studio 99 with the gracelessness of a beginner ballet squad, Harry finally stops spinning.

“We need keys for the Twirly Whirly! Stat,” Niall hollers without a single glance towards Harry or Perrie, or anyone in the studio, for that matter.

“Jesus, stop calling it that,” Liam says, embarrassment clouding his already pale features as he rushes after Niall, referring to the renowned Studio 99 Storm Chaser van, so dented and worn from the constant abuse of harsh winds and hail that it resembles a round of Swiss cheese

Harry grants himself a brief moment of peace when he realizes Louis isn’t anywhere in sight, but the illusion shatters when bronzed arms reach over his shoulders from behind and a warm breath melts into his neck.

“Hey sunshine,” Louis says, “talk weather patterns to me.” It’s a perfect display of the relentless teasing Harry’s dealt with from the moment Louis arrived at Studio 99 three weeks ago. Harry’s simultaneously grateful for the attention and nervous about what it means. But then again, Harry isn’t interested in pondering impossible questions, like the reasons behind Louis’ endearments. He’s not interested in unraveling the impossibility of Louis.

“Um, according to the ensemble forecasting from NOAA we should be due for severe thunderstorms as early as four with high winds developing into the evening,” Harry rambles, feeling out of breath from the way Louis’ body feels wrapped around his.

“Yeah, yeah, sure, but what about supercells?” Somehow Louis manages to lean in closer, peering at Harry’s computer screen with intense scrutiny and focus. “What are the chances we��ll see mesocyclone formation?”

“Hopefully, none.”

“Harry.” Louis pulls away and slaps him hard on the shoulder, “where’s your sense of adventure? Where’s your unconditional support for my ongoing research?”

“Locked in the first aid kit that you’re going to take with you when you leave on your suicide mission,” Harry replies, rubbing his shoulder to relieve the brief sting of pain from Louis’ unnecessary assault. Despite his reservations about humouring Louis, Harry turns to face him and instantly regrets it. See, Louis’ inability to settle down, along with the constant longing he harbors for his blood to rush through his veins like kryptonite, aren’t the only reasons for his impossible nature. His beauty is unfathomable and Harry is tired.

“I’d prefer it if you didn’t insult my career choices, thanks.”

And Harry is most definitely, one hundred percent tired of the way Louis’ lips curl into a satisfied smirk any time Harry plays along with his game. He’s even more exhausted by the way Louis looks so effortless at two in the afternoon, when Harry’s curls have already gathered a hint of frizz.

“Tommo! Stop flirtin’ and get over here!” Niall beckons from the entrance to the home of the Twirly Whirly, also known as The Den, that’s located on the far side of the radar room. It’s actually just…a garage, but Liam wanted it to be called The Bat Cave, so Louis was forced to compromise to avoid “professional mockery”, and now there’s a regular argument about who actually named it The Den in the first place.

Harry thinks it might’ve been Niall’s idea.

“Alright, I’m coming,” Louis yells back, earning a few shushes from Harry’s coworkers in the radar room.

“See ya later, Sunshine.” Louis reaches out to pull a strand of hair from Harry’s face, pat his cheek lightly with his fingertips, and saunter off to where Niall’s making gagging noises like the true best friend he is.

Once Louis is gone it’s quiet again, but only for a moment before the shouting ensues.

“Goddammit Niall, how could you forget your camera charger?” Louis yells, his voice echoing from The Den in a way that makes Harry wish he hadn’t forgotten to pack his earplugs when he left his house this morning. Although, a tiny, annoying part of Harry’s brain is satisfied when Louis spirals into panic mode. It’s kind of hot and Harry doesn’t feel bad for enjoying Louis in every possible way.

Liam’s voice pops up next, most likely trying to calm Louis’ inner fury, but what he says never fails to put Harry even farther on edge than he was before, if that’s even possible.

“Are we good on fuel?” Liam’s voice exerts a professional tone, probably the most professional of anyone in Studio 99. And he doesn’t even officially work here.

“Yes, Liam,” Louis says blankly, and Harry knows this is Louis’ least favorite part of storm chasing: the dreaded checklist.

“Laptop?”

“Check,” Louis replies.

“Radios?”

“Obviously.”

Harry chuckles, earning him a stare from Murphy, the camera guy. Murphy doesn’t like Harry much, if his snide comments about shooting Harry’s Sweaterman segments are anything to go by. But then again, Murphy doesn’t really like anyone, and he definitely doesn’t like Louis.

“Never stops talkin’ that one. Can never get any peace ‘round ‘ere,” Murphy whines beneath his unruly mustache. Harry doesn’t ever recall seeing the man’s lips, with the way his mustache resembles a drooping pair of drapes.

“Harry, did you hear something?” Perrie asks, eyes still glued to her computer screen, once again reminding Harry that he’s getting paid to work, not to sit here, wondering what kind of snacks Louis packed today. He’s definitely not getting paid to think about mustaches.

“Hmm, no. I didn’t,” Harry replies, and Murphy’s eyes contort into small black beads that look a lot like dust mites, which could probably be found in drapes.

Harry decides enough is enough, it’s time to get something done. He can’t worry about Louis, he’s an adult, he can take care of himself, right?

He looks at the information gathering second by second on his computer, doppler radars and NOAA reports, and the Studio 99 twitter feed where Harry’s most devoted Sweaterman fans upload pictures of the sky in hopes that Harry will include them on his evening segment.

Harry’s eyes roam over the screen aimlessly, not seeing anything now except for those Ritz peanut butter crackers that he always makes sure to stock in the break room because Louis mentioned liking them one day in passing.

He sees them because Louis just updated Liam on his snack choices for the day and he just said peanut butter crackers, and Harry can’t pretend his heart hasn’t just burst through the fucking clouds.

It’s only when he hears Liam ask “First Aid Kit?” obnoxiously loudly that Harry drops down from the clouds into full blown panic mode again.

“I dunno, Liam, do we really need the first aid kit?”

Yes, you do, dammit. Harry’s brain keeps telling him to move, to grab the first aid kit from the bottom drawer of his desk. He’s trying so so hard to not give in. He doesn’t need to do this, Louis is a big boy. He can decide if bandages deserve to join him on his suicide mission.

“Louis, are you absolutely sure we don’t need those tiny disinfectant wipes?” Niall asks, after a suspiciously long pause. Harry suspects it’s because he forgot his Imax charger, and even though he doesn’t care much about what people think of him, he cares what Louis thinks, and Louis thinks he’s an idiot for forgetting anything essential to surviving a death trap

“Absolutely,” Louis replies, even louder than before. .

Except, Harry doesn’t have the heart to care if Niall’s feeling sad right now, considering he’s playing the victim for Louis’ cheap thrills and Niall’s helping him.

Harry gets up from his spinning chair. He doesn’t even have to open his bottom desk drawer because Perrie’s already doing it, with a small smirk and a shake of her head, because Harry’s so unbelievably predictable that he feels even more pathetic than Murphy right now.

Harry walks, head bowed, with the tightest of grips on the stupid first aid kit, an unmistakable force compelling him to head to The Den, despite the warning sounds blaring in his head about losing his pride again, for the third week in a row.

When he enters the dimly lit room, he’s met with three glorious smiles, one of them more striking than the others, and all Harry knows is that Louis looks beautiful when he smiles, all white teeth and crinkly skin and eyes brighter than the sun at midday. It’s a bit overwhelming when Harry places the first aid kit into Louis’ outstretched hands and their fingers brush, and Harry realizes he doesn’t mind the teasing or Murphy’s gross comments, or the gagging sounds Niall always makes whenever Harry so much as looks at Louis, Harry would gladly give Louis the first aid kit for the rest of his life if he asked him to.

“Thanks, Harry,” Louis says, throwing the first aid kit into the back of the Twirly Whirly before heading to the passenger door.

“No problem,” Harry replies dumbly, like always, because he can’t help how he reacts to Louis.

“Dress nice tonight, babe. You know I love you in those suits,” Louis adds before winking and disappearing into the Twirly Whirly, ready for whatever mother nature throws at him.

With a final pat on the back from Niall and a short wave from Liam, the Studio 99 storm chaser van starts up, careening through the open garage door like a fire truck rushing towards a collapsing building. The only difference between firemen and Louis is the fact that firemen don’t go looking for fires, but Louis goes looking for storms.

With the van disappearing into the distance, Harry finally looks towards the sky. It’s a lot darker than it was when Harry woke up this morning. It’s ten times darker than the picture @weatherGary sent him on twitter. It’s not as dark as the pit in Harry stomach but he guesses it’ll get there soon enough.

Harry leaves The Den with empty hands and a beating heart, but when he settles back into his chair, it’s only a matter of seconds before he starts spinning again.

It’s business as usual. Harry won’t be sleeping tonight.

#mine #this is part of something i'm writing #feedback is always appreciated #if you read it cool if you dont thats also cool #actually its not you should read it and reblog so my confidence boosts bc thats what all writers and creative people want deep down #i hope there's no typos in this woops #drabble