#natisplaying

[vole-mon-amour]

I can't stop thinking about how different your companions react when you tell them to stay in the camp. The way and the tone you can tell them about it.

When it comes to Lae'zel, you go, "I'm not arguing. Stay here." As always, she's annoyed, but you talk to her in a stern tone of voice. Who's the kid here, me or you who throws a tantrum when you're told to stay at the camp? Lol.

When you ask Astarion to stay at the camp, you go, "Please stay here." You treat him with gentleness. He goes on about heavy labor and how unfair it sounds that you'll do all the work. And his first response, "Darling, I'm hurt. I thought we had something special." He IS special.

Halsin doesn't mind at ALL. When you tell him to remain in the the camp, he goes, "Wherever you need me." Like, he's soooo chill, I adore that quality in him. He's willing to obey, he's willing to share you with others. If you romance him, he talks to you like you're THE love of his entire 300 year old life, "My heart. You don't know how truly extraordinary you are." The least problematic dude to tell to stay at the camp or take with you. "I'll be at your side whenever you need me."

Gale's reaction is funny. When you tell him to remain at the camp, he goes, "I doubt the wisdom of that decision." Sorry bubba, you gotta stay.

#gale #astarion #halsin #anti lae'zel #bg3 #natisplaying

[vole-mon-amour]

listen.

is Halsin physically hot? yes.

you know what's hotter though? his personality. his manners, his voice, the way he speaks, his thinking process. the man doesn't judge, and he's humble, and he's experienced, and he's a loving nature druid, and—

i was a goner even before I met him in the game, but the moment he started talking? and then the teiflings' party?

I need him irl for real.

#halsin #bg3 #natisplaying #I NEED HIM #he'd be like: kids #and i be like: yes babe now get back to bed #no but for real #he'd be so nice to talk with

[vole-mon-amour]

"I will slit [goblins'] throats if they are as much as try [to hurt you]." —> Astarion approves (twice, actually: once when we reassure the hyena that we'll help & second when we persuade him to leave—which I'm sure speaks to Astarion's trauma and enslavement.)

Also, the in game realism of this hyena is basically the same as that live action Lion King, if not better. The best looking animal in this game for real.

And of course I couldn't walk past him. "They hurt me because I'm soft." No, no, no, my dude. The goblin that tried to kill you is dead and you're free. <3 (That sounds suspiciously like Astarion's story, too, in a way. Cazador, I'm coming for your ass.)

This entire scene also reminds me of this dialogue. He's the one who craves freedom and reaches for it every time he can.

#natisplaying #astarion #bg3

[vole-mon-amour]

I don't think I ever gave a name to that, which results in me never truly pinpointing that, but Johnny is such an incredibly resilient and adaptive, quick thinking person.

I just did that mission with an old Samurai fan that refuses to give you the tape of the first concert(s) unless you prove to him you're also a big fan, and the way Johnny reacts combined with what we know about him? Amazing.

The game starts with Johnny wanting to kill V, but then he very quickly thinks it over and decides he has to work with V. "Changed my mind, made it pretty clear." & "I got a free ticket out of this prison, would be a fool not to take/use it."

Then, while he's still getting used to V, he says out loud that he's been watching her, been trying to understand how she works and in whose brain he's stuck with. When she asks what he wants, he says, "Help me settle my score with Arasaka." He has a clear goal, but he's constantly analyzing the world around him and adjusts if needed.

During the Samurai old tapes mission, Johnny says something like, "That's why you never bring old war heroes back. They might see that everything they fought for been turned to shit/been for nothing." Not the exact quote, but the point is the same.

After the conversation with that old fan, V asks, "The guys is your biggest fan. Not happy to meet him?" And to the entire situation Johnny basically reacts that the guys is stuck in the past. The Arasaka tower has been blown to bits by Johnny, but it's still standing, so nothing changes/changed. And V insists that "been fifty years, something must've changed and still changes, we just don't see it." Johnny says that the only thing that (truly) changed is that people (a person) used to be more than a bag of meat full of implants.

When Kerry is angry (as he should be) about his manager screwing him over and wants to attack Us Cracks backstage, upon seeing the girls, Johnny says something like, "They have potential. Kerry must be an idiot if he doesn't see that." Johnny probably saw/heard them during the first V's body takeover while he was partying, plus, he probably saw the footage that Kerry showed V at the diner while they were drinking coffee, so in theory he had time to think it through. However, it also seems like Johnny saw the band for the first time ever, heard what they were saying and how they wanted to help (that they're Kerry's fans, have multimillion contracts and are touring right here and now), so he immediately adapted—take the opportunity, don't be an idiot. While Kerry is insecure and is driven by that and emotions, and he wants to make it on his own.

The entire thing with Johnny first hoping to get out of V's brain and keep on living that resolves into him taking V to Pistis Sophia and promising her that "When it comes to my life for yours, I'll agree to get wiped." He sees what V is going through, he gets real, he thinks it over, he makes a quick decision and he sticks to his word.

There's probably more I could add, but jumping to the Temperance ending: how Johnny doesn't bother telling Kerry about V (which is both a shitty and a necessary thing to do), how he only reaches out to Rogue and updates her on the situation because it's something HE needs to do for himself. When she insults him, however, he a) he's still grieving the loss of V b) he doesn't start defending himself, nor does he bother to even reply to her messages. He told her all she needed to know, the rest doesn't (or at least shouldn't) bother him. It's a post factum to Johnny: this happened. He has to live with it & it doesn't matter what anybody says about that. And while he basically says to Steve. that Kerry is good, that he's happy for him and his success, he knows he has to get out of Night City. And who knows what happens if he calls Kerry or, God forbid, meets up with him and tells him that his partner/good pal (gn) is dead and Johnny took her place? It's like poking a beehive. Like adding salt to the wound while the wound is still bleeding. Johnny doesn't need that.

So what does Johnny say when he gets on the bus? "Didn't forget a thing. Will never forget." Johnny recognizes that everything that has happened has ALREADY happened and he should leave it in the past. He even tells to V's necklace that he can't keep on living like this, he has to move on—while the time after her death has barely passed (two weeks or two months, when you lose a loved one, it barely makes any difference. It's still an open wound.) He even tells Steve that he used to miss her, but not so much now. Which I think he tries to convince himself in order to move on and "man up" (which is a problem in itself, but that's not what the post is about), or be nice to the kid without burdening him because Steve already has lots of problems with his family, but maybe Johnny truly believes (or thinks that he does) that it's OK now. Just like with that old Samurai fan, he tells to himself not be get stuck in the past (while it's still his present, but again, that's another topic). The time to grieve has ended, gotta get on.

Again, combined with Johnny's horrible childhood, his dad selling him for a pack of cigs, Johnny losing his best friend at war and being experimented on with the new cyberware that made such an awful and lasting damage on him (and the entire untreated PTSD) that, when he emerged, everyone around him noticed that he's not quite himself, it's incredible that Johnny managed to not lose his mind and sanity completely. With drugs, alcohol, depression, but he kept being functional, managed to write songs, tour and perform.

And THEN the entire thing with V happens & he still finds enough of mental strength and energy to keep fighting for this body and this life that V gifted him. Make himself worthy of this body. Make V proud.

Johnny is such an amazing character. If there wasn't anyone and anything in this game that I liked, he and his character development alone would've kept me in the fandom. He and his story are a big part of why I keep calling Cyberpunk 2077 one of my favorite games and have around 380 hours put into the game (and it's still raising).

#johnny silverhand #cyberpunk 2077 #cb2077 #natiswriting #natisplaying #long post #cp2077 #silverv #tooke an hour to write and edit this? #okay then #If I don't write this down #I'll literally forget this observation

[vole-mon-amour]

I often think about Borderlands & it's wild to me that so many people (apparently) haven't even heard of Handsome Jack? One of the absolute greatest VA jobs ever? Dameon absolutely fucking nailed it? And it's one of the greatest writing for a hero/villain?

I understand that not everyone is into first person shooters, but I got introduced to Jack through Telltale's Tales from the Borderlands (and I was against shooters at the time.) It wasn't even real Jack, but his AI, and his charisma was through the roof.

And then I played Borderlands 2 and Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel and there was no going back. Absolutely in love with him. Absolutely in love with Rhack.

Murder husbands/boyfriends, my beloved. Also, Maya. And Angel. Like, the sirens in this universe? Ahhh!!

If you're into anti heroes and villains, do yourself a favor and play Borderlands 2. And TFTBL. And B:TPS. Preferrably in the order of: B:TPS, BL2, and then TFTBL.

Forever in my heart. One of the best crazy bastards ever.

#tftbl #handsome jack #bl2 #borderlands #rhack #video games #tassiter can't come to the phone sweet cheeks :') #natisplaying #there is a gif i really wanted to use #but it's very spoilery #and tps is worth exploring on your own #to think it was so long ago #and how i progressed on my journey #and I'm still just as feral about him as when i just played for the first time #there's some familiarity now #but i love him just the same

[vole-mon-amour]

they.

#bg3 #halstarion #halsin #astarion #natisplaying #gale #he's sending me with that hat #karlach

[vole-mon-amour]

oh hard shelter, we're really in it now

#planet zoo #video games #dailygaming #vpedit #vp #virtual photography #vgedit #gamingnetwork #mikaeled #memes #planetzooedit #natisplaying #this is myers sunshine happiness zoo #and it's a very accurate representation of what's going on there

[vole-mon-amour]

Halsin becoming a companion after EA because people were so thirsty for him?? The bear sex scene at the presentation going viral and probably boosting sales???? Now he’s the most hated guy????? Make it make sense.

It's actually incredibly sad because many people either forget he's at the camp ('too boring, too dull' & i've seen takes on YT community pages like "I forget he's even at the camp". Halsin also leads there as the least likeable companion) or treat him like a joke. Oh but bear scene, haha, so funny.

Man. I agree that they completely rushed his romance and development, they weren't ready for people wanting him to be a companion so badly, and they're not making it easy to know more of his backstory and trauma (how the hell do we learn about his sex slavery by a couple of drow ONLY if we take him with us when romancing Astarion and fucking drow twins? Why is Astarion's trauma out in the open, but with Halsin we need to dig so so deeply?)

At the same time, I don't think people are willing to learn things about him and his struggles? Bear (that he has trouble containing, mind you), big, muscular, dumb and boring. Never take him with them anywhere. Never listen to his opinions. Consider his wisdom and experience as something to disregard completely.

I do think the bear sex scene boosted the sales (i'm one of those people, hi), but his personality either felt flat for those people (???? he's AMAZING. he's open-minded. he's so experienced and non-judgy.) or it was a joke from the beginning as well.

Idk. I'm honestly so tired and upset about this. I wish Larian did a much better job at making him a companion, telling his story and backstory, and at interacting with him and letting him expressing himself and his opinions. It always makes me think back to his pipe and the journal, but how we can never gift him anything, ask about his pipe (or ask about all sorts of things for that matter). Let me truly BE with him, Larian. Let me play AS him since his choices and personality so close to Tav's. (Let me romance him as Astarion, just like it was presented at the con, and have their romance be FULL with unique dialogues and interactions.)

Lastly, I wish more people send feedback on this to Larian. Maybe then something would change for the better.

P.S.: I have a doc where I write more on that & describe more problems and how Larian could improve that. I *think* I sent it to them, but I got no reply whatsoever (when I did the same for Astarion, I did), so I'm not sure. If you'd like to read that, hit me up with your email (my messages are open) & I'll add you to that doc.

#ask #halsin #halstarion #natisplaying #bg3 #astarion #larian studios #idk why but #larian.com isn't loading for me anymore without my vpn being turned on

[vole-mon-amour]

is it just me or the way Wyll blushes and hides the pic of Mizora in that xbox ad doesn't sit well with you as well?

so Mizora traps him in a contract, owns him via contract, can boss him around, yank his invisible leash, and, if he disobeyed or if she dies, he either dies as well or immediately goes to hell for an eternity. I'm a way, he's her slave. as far as he knows, he can get out out of the contract by sacrificing himself (or he can sacrifice himself to save his dad).

sure, you can go behind Mizora's back and save Ravengard, buy we'll go with Wyll Doesn't Know That for the sake of my point.

and canonically Wyll dislikes Mizora and her company. he wants to get rid of her. he hates that she turns him into a devil. he hates how he looks. he hates everything about that.

and what Larian say in that xbox ad? oh, Wyll actually blushes and keeps the implied sexy pic of Mizora and it's implied that he has a crush on her/would have sex with her.

AND Karlach, who was also a slave with no means to get out, who was sold to slavery by a person she trusted and protected, elbows Wyll and goes, "what, you don't want it?" Karlach who KNOWS how it feels and who wants to kill Gortash for what he did to her, and Mizora is Wyll's Gortash in a way.

so first we have Halsin being a sex slave for three entire years and he feared for his life every single day. yet, that info is hidden very deeply and is easily misseable, and its written in the manner of him victim blaming himself with "i was a young druid" and he chuckles as he says that and it's presented in a way way as if he had fun? as if he was there willingly? as if it's all a big joke and not a big deal?

like, i know it's a big topic, but why is only Astarion's trauma taken seriously? why is Astarion's story written and loudly told in a way that we know that Cazador tortured him in every way, including rape, and not once it's treated like a joke? but when it comes to other's slavery, abuse, and trauma, it's suddenly treated like a joke?

Halsin's story is generally badly written/portrayed & he deserves way better, and maybe I'm reaching with this because neither Shadowheart's or Gale's stories show their captors as something good (still not as detailed as Astarion's though), but somehow that slips/gets dismissed when it comes to others.

I think Larian should stop with memes and hehe haha teeheee and be serious when it comes to others' trauma, not just Astarion's.

#wyll #halsin #mizora #astarion #bg3 #karlach #baldur's gate 3 #natisplaying #i should edit that feedback i wrote on halsin #and send them #well forgive me for caring about halsin so much #and for his trauma being written like it's a joke to brush past #meta #bg3 meta #i guess #merry crisis! #larian studios

[vole-mon-amour]

"whether you hc Kerry as bisexual or—" Kerry is originally a character from a tabletop role-playing game that's been made into a videogame by CDPR. I don't need to hc him as bisexual because he's canonically bisexual, thank you very much.

even in Cyberpunk 2077 he has an ex wife and two kids that he definitely didn't aquire by jerking off into a cup. he did love her. he did want kids. the trauma his ex wife caused is another, unexplored thing that the devs just avoid completely and refuse to talk about his bisexuality.

so if you harass real people for modding Kerry to be with a female V to the point that people feel afraid to post their trans feminine looking men and feel like they have to state immediately something like, "it's not like I ship him with a woman, it's a man!", then the problem is within you.

they're all fictional characters, but again: Kerry is a canonical bisexual character, whether you like that or not. and I, personally, will not apologize for wanting to see him with a woman in the game, whether she's cis or trans. Kerry would go for either. the way his preference is portrayed in the game, zero explanation and reason, making it look like he's gay and always has been, is the developers' fault.

(should I remind y'all again that bisexuality is a spectrum?)

#kerry eurodyne #cyberpunk 2077 #cb2077 #'you don't love him' dude.... #natisplaying #and to be clear: #I do both want kerry with a female #I do want kerry with Johnny #and I do want Johnny with V #the fact that I have my otp that I'll always choose over other ships #won't stop me for advocating for bisexual kerry #you guys should cure your biphobia tbh

[vole-mon-amour]

Do you ever just think of Halsin?

Do you ever just think of him and get sad because of how many people don't understand him? Because of how many people don't even TRY to get to know him and just leave him at camp and never interact with him? Because of how many people call him boring? Because of how people forget he exists?

I just... I love him so??? Much??? He both makes me sad and smile and laugh. He's just so so so good. He's such a great character. My heart becomes heavy when I think of him and his trauma, but my chest also fills with so much love and warmth for him & I just can't get enough of him.

We should spam Larian way more about him. We need more in game Halsin content.

#halsin #bg3 #natisplaying

[vole-mon-amour]

Corpo V being best friends with Jackie at the beginning of the game. How, when she almost passed out after the attack, Jackie helps her to get up off the floor with "Your new life starts now."

How, when V panics and goes, "Johnny... I'm....", Johnny goes, "You ain't dying yet. I got you."and he looks at V the same way Jackie does. And Johnny takes V to Pistis Sophia.

How, when you unlock the secret ending, Johnny goes, "You just discovered what it takes to become the legend of Night City. Let's mobilize." grabs her arm the same way Jackie does at the beginning of the game. Her other new life starts there, right before the attack on Arasaka, huh? Or is it Johnny's new life because of the Temperance ending? Either way, it shows you really well how that's a new chapter in their lives.

I love this game so much.

#jackie welles #johnny silverhand #silverv #cyberpunk 2077 #cb2077 #natisplaying

[vole-mon-amour]

Is Astarion traumatized because of all the abuse he endured? Yes. He needs a LOT of healing.

Does Astarion still love sex and the feelings it brings when it's on his terms and with a partner he trusts? Absolutely. No doubt about it.

And when you don't ask for sex even once, he initiates it even when he knows he doesn't have to (the cemetery scene). The after tieflings party scene can be debated because, even though he says he looks for fun, he still thinks of seducing the player because it ensures his safety in the future. The cemetery? Cazador is dead. Astarion gets to keep his soul and not worry about the future. He doesn't have to have sex, but he wants to have it, and he does consider sex a fun activity. The act itself feels good to him.

I'll stand my ground with "Astarion is not asexual, but a trauma survivor."

P.S.: If anything, I think I could go with demisexual Astarion (not sure, needs more thought). Sex in his life is something he was forced to do, therefore he's used to it & trained himself to be used. "Seduce them=ensure their trust=I'm safe."

In my experience in the game, though, he really opens up when trust and understanding enters the stage. And there's that genuine attraction and arousal and him initiating sex and asking for it.

Though there are drow twins and with approval high enough and after Cazador is dead, Astarion happily goes for it.

But yeah. Astarion is not asexual, full stop.

(oh, and when you go watch Neil's youtube channel? that's anything but asexual lol)

Upd:

T H I S. He wants to, he just doesn't know how. Which, once again, screams a trauma survivor to me.

#astarion #bg3 #natisplaying #baldur's gate 3

[vole-mon-amour]

Correct me if I'm wrong (maybe it's some kind of reference), but the fact that Johnny literally has a tattoo on his body that says Injustuce for all?

Usually punks and anarchists fight for Justice For Everyone. Equality and destroying the government. You know, something meaningful but in a positive way. Johnny, though? That really gives you a glimpse into the life he's had and what life did to him.

When Spider asks Rogue about the manifesto during Love Like Fire and learns that it's Johnny's? How she says he's gone way too deep, and that it's too dark even for him? Yeah.

#johnny silverhand #cyberpunk 2077 #cb2077 #natisplaying #always gets me man

[vole-mon-amour]

Rogue: "[Johnny's] idea of a romantic night was blowing up Arasaka HQ."

Yet, you agreed.

Rogue: "Just taking it all in. Selfless Johnny Silverhand. Apparently, you're a positive influence on him."

There were SO. MANY. SIGNS. The way Johnny and V love each other.

And then. AND THEN. And then you take on Arasaka together, just you and Johnny. I'm feeling.

#rogue amendiares #cyberpunk 2077 #cb2077 #johnny silverhand #natisplaying #silverv

[vole-mon-amour]

Every time I think of Halsin's personality and how insecure he is about the ones who tell him that they love him, I can't wrap my head around that. It both breaks my heart and makes me mad in a way—because how many times has he been insulted and disrespected to believe that others can't genuinely care about him? And maybe sometimes he recognizes the signs and believes that they care, but to want to stay with him? That they are serious about their intentions?

It seems that, judging by devs notes in the future content, Halsin thinks it's impossible. Sure, he'll play along, it's a nice dream, but surely that can't last for long? Surely they can't be serious?

And I need this to change. I need to be able to insure that he knows that the player has serious intents. I need to be able to tell him how absolutely amazing he is. Judging by his answers, he WANTS to have the player for himself. He realizes that he shouldn't, but what if that's what the player wants? Just because he's poly doesn't mean he can't be with one partner for a while and that it can't be called a relationship—in all its seriousness.

It seems like he's afraid to believe that it's real and of a possible heartbreak, and I seriously need Larian to maybe not change him, but to make sure he KNOWS how much this relationship means to the player. That means leaving with him if he wants to leave or asking him to stay with us (I'm thinking about Astarion right now, who will have to live in the shadows and who still considers the city his home.)

Once again, I'm asking you to tell Larian how much more you want from romance with Halsin. Let us talk to him. Let us love him. Let us BE with him. He's not a toy, not some thing to pass time with. It doesn't have to start and end with sex and a possibility of maybe leaving with him and maybe seeing each other in the future.

GIVE ME MORE HALSIN, LARIAN. And change your freaking writer for the same who created and wrote Astarion. Who writes human trafficking and sex slavery like it's some fun in the past? Oak Father damn you for that. FIX IT, LARIAN.

And for them to fix it it need to be popular. Go write on their forum. Go send them a report with all the ideas you have. If you need links, I'll give you links when I'm on pc, just ask.

#halsin #halstarion #astarion #bg3 #natisplaying #idk if I'm rambling #baldur's gate 3