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#the title of the series finale kms
enluv · 8 months
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010: I <3 MY GIRLFRIEND! — THAT’S THE THING!
– warnings: dark humor (kms, die, etc jokes!), profanity, simp soobin, lmk if I missed anything!
a/n #1: this chapter is set in the future – when y/n goes on tour!
a/n #2: under the images you'll find a section titled "behind the album" this is where you can find out facts about the characters! make sure to check it out after the chapter.
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MASTERLIST / PREV / end!
˚ ༘✶ ⋆。˚ behind the album:
– y/n’s tour lasted six months, it was extended by two and yeji went with her on it! many of her friends flew to visit her on tour :)
– yeonjun doesnt actually have a crush on y/n but they keep up the gag to mess with soobin!!
– soobin did ask y/n to be his girlfriend in person when he saw her
– sunwoo, soobin, keeho, and the rest of the boys are all very good friends, you can often catch the models of the group booking shoots together and the youtubers of the group have series with them all called “saturdays are for the boys” where they go out on dates together
– lotus (the duo group consisting of y/n and yeji) are rumored to have a comeback soon!
coco’s ♡︎ note: I feel like I have so much to say but no words to say it all!! After a month long, that’s the thing has finally come to an end. I started this series with no thought to it, I’d planned it all in one night when I couldn’t sleep and I’m honestly so surprised at what it grew to be. Thank you to everyone who had helped me write it when I was stuck and thank you to those who have continued to support it!! I hope this smau has made you happy as much as it has made me. This may be the end for Y/N and Soobin but it’s not the end for me! Please look out for more to come from me :) Thank you all so much!! As always, feedback and reblogs are always appreciated!
TTT TAGLIST! - @jmin-s @stealanity @iijwon @invuwrld @igotkpoops @telesvng @whippedforbeomgyu @l0ve-joy @envirae @neozon3nha @meiiiwa @kangtaehyunfan029 @chaerybae @ch2won @cinnikoi @wccycc @run2seob @stariszn @nhularin @neoculturewhat @hyuk4ngel @ddeonubaby @oulspvs @sullystraw @liliyaaaaas-library @rainbowszi @fanfangying1304 @tocupid —TAGLIST IS CLOSED!
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goldryush · 2 years
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Sweeter Than Fiction : a mark lee smau
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pairing : mark x fem!reader
side pairings : jeno x oc👀, renmin
summary : where you have grown a certain liking towards the boy who sits behind you in literature class, but here's a thing, you've never talked to him face to face. chaos unfolds when you try to befriend him in your own unique way!!
themes : social media au, university au, fluff, crack, mutual pining, strangers to friends to lovers, literature major!mark, SLOWburn, references to songs and different medias (musicals👀), hannah montana-ish au, LOTS amd i mean lotss!!! of taylor swift and pop culture references, mark talks like he's on stan twitter
warnings : swearing, stan twitter jokes, de@th jokes, some kys/kms jokes😔💔, my attempt at humor🫶, food!! (graphics) ++tba as the story progresses!!
(chapters/parts under the cut😁!!)
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started: sept 4, 2022!!
status: ongoing
ended: tba
update schedule : there IS no schedule. bsjkdaooraobs, I'm a uni student, and i might not be able to stick to a schedule, so it's gonna be updated, NOT according to a schedule, but definitely frequently!!😋
note : the timestamps are intentional unless stated otherwise☺️💘even i can't believe that my story actually follows a timeline
taglist: open! feel free to send an ask or comment on this post to be added :))
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☆ Profiles :: yn(s) & their emotional support squad
1. y/n's guide on how to embarass yourself
2. the problem solvers
3. rivals!!
4. heyyyyy
5. call him maybe?
6. bro,, we got too impulsive😰
7. we don't talk about hyuck
8. failed talking stage 😟 or a prank call 😣
9.1 . closure⁉️
9.2 . ladies(and mark) have a free pass
10. i want to write you a song
11 . rapper gf
12 . dumb conversations😮‍💨
13. forg_tful😞
14. laying the groundwork🫣🤭
15.1 a little break
15.2 a familiar place‽
16. in the lakes
17 . so this is what they call as cutting one's own throat ‽
18. the music industry meet up
19. *taps mic*
20. alexa play traitor
21 . so this is why jeno stays quiet
++more to be added as the series progresses
[BONUS]
1. the start of the infamous rivalry
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a/n: hihi!! I'm back with another smau :D when i have one going on already, that too is a mark one. But i just had this idea for the longest time, and now that I'm done with all of my exams, i couldn't wait to post the masterlist finally ;-; . s/o to @njmverse for coming up with the best title ever😠‼️
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© 2022 goldryush on tumblr [all rights reserved]
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rannahela · 1 year
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Men of the harem.A rant (more like a total slander):
Disclaimer:I dropped the series around chaliter 75 and I barely dived into the novel.
So, first of all, is the series worth reading?
Sort answer is NO.It had potential, it had great premise and great art but it did not deliver any of the things it promises it will.And the fandom is toxic af, I should've know it's a problem when reading the coments made my vein nearly explode.
But why?
First of all there is NO harem romance and by that I mean barely a few kisses.You keep reading and reading and waiting for Latil to finally spend time with her consorts and every single time she needs to go to solve some imperial shit.And that's a HUGE problem when you have "harem" in your title, no matter how good the storry is, if you don't give the readers what they came here for failed at your job.
Second huge problem:The plot
Men of the harem did something I'd warn any writer no matter their niche not to do, add to manny plot points and/or sublots.
We didn't need undeads rising, we didn't need supernatural shit going on, we didn't need 69 political problems.What we needed was Latil solving the misunderstanding with Hyachint, her moving on from that,her past, the harem plot and how she solves the mistery of her father's death.
And when the story doesn't go with 300 km/h we stop at a consort who gave another consort impotents drugs.As if Latil ever slept with any of them.
I think I lost track of what's going on after 50 chapiters and that's by no means good.So please, by all means don't do what this series did and don't worry if you think your storry has to little things to say or show, sometimes less is more.
Another major problem:The main character
Latrasil Valentine Tarium is a toxic, petty, ville and remorseless bitch.That's it, I said it and I'm not taking it back!
Where to start, well she decided to make a harem to ger revenge of her ex, it would be pretty coll if Hyacinth WASN'T BLACKMAILED I TO MARRING AINI TO WIN THE WAR.And before you say something, would you expect Latil to give up and quit the war? I don't think so.
Like girl, if he left you for another I'd understand, I don't have anyhting against you getting multiple men, but to get revenge of a man who had no choice and the fate of his nation was on his shoulders? It's not like you didn't have to fight against your own brother to take the throne that was rightfully yours and you said you understand (she understood ,my ass).Plus it turns out he sended her letters and gifts every week but they where stolen.
Like who's the petty one here? Not to mention the when she sended a letter to Karisen to ask for a consort.How the fuck was that letter aproved, no one in her office was like "Umm Your Majesty I understand he broke your heart but you should think twice before talking shit about the emperor". And in the end when he refuses (with is both understandable and a bad idea) she does some fake girlboss shit that made me cringe so hard, cuz no you ain't shit for acting like you didn't just sended an offensive full of venom letter to a foreing monarh.
And once the harem is made, she does nothing with them, she just shuts them down and treats the poorly.Especialy poor Klein say what you want about him but he didn't deserve to be mistreated like that.It made sense at first since she has an empire to rule but it got old pretty fast.Like girl you wanted a harem don't pretend you don't know how it works.
In the end I'm pretty sure getting your consorts drunk and run your soldiers to exhaustion just so you can read their minds is power abuse, how comes Sonaight allowed that to happen?
And yeah she made him miserable multiple times albeit without that being her intention.But not informing him about who Zaicin is and why she took him as a consort is a big red flag.
Their entire relationship rubs me the wrong way, there's no way she would'n figure out he has feelins for her.And considering both his dad and her maid (or nanny I forgot) told him to let it go mkles it even more clear whatever it is, it's unhealthy.I'm sorry to say it (I'm not) but the ship sank before even sailing.
Sonaught dear, you should let it go, for your own good.
I know I pissed off like half of the fandom with what I said about Latil, but remove the girlboos, strong independent woman from her character and look what's left, it won't be pleasant but it is what it is.
Also not sure if the series wanted itself to be feminist but you can't do that when there are only a handful of female characters and only one of them is consistent in the storry.
I won't ramble to much about how the fandom constantly badmouths Hyacint and magically forgets pretty important plot aspects just to hate on his since my sanity would be damaged.
In the end it's sad the series it's such a disapointment considering it was writen by the author of Remarried Empress, but sometimes people fail and that's fine. (I said that like I didn't just wipe the floor with the series)
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salonduthe · 2 years
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The Tripitaka Koreana
This is really something.
Source: incunabula
+++
The Tripitaka Koreana - carved on 81258 woodblocks in the 13th century - is the most successful large data transfer over time yet achieved by humankind. 52 million characters of information, transmitted over nearly 8 centuries with zero data loss - an unequalled achievement.
The Tripitaka Koreana, stored in Haeinsa, a Buddhist temple in Gayasan National Park, South Korea, is the most comprehensive and oldest version of the Buddhist canon, with no known errors in its 52 330 152 characters which are organized in over 1496 titles and 6568 volumes.
Serendipitous data transmission over centuries occurs of course in libraries, but the Tripitaka Koreana is a single uniformly produced series of texts, and the obsessive levels of care taken in its production and storage leave no doubt it was created with eternity in mind.
Each wood block measures 24 centimeters in height and 70 centimeters in length. The thickness of the blocks ranges from 2.6 to 4 centimeters and each weighs about three to four kilograms. The woodblocks are in pristine condition despite being created more than 750 years ago.
Each block was made of birch wood from the southern islands of Korea and treated to prevent the decay of the wood. The blocks were soaked in sea water for three years, then cut and then boiled in salt water.
Next, the blocks were placed in the shade and exposed to the wind for three years, at which point they were finally ready to be carved. After each block was carved, it was covered in a poisonous lacquer to keep insects away and then framed with metal to prevent warping.
The woodblocks would form a pile 2.74 km high if stacked, measure 60 km long when lined up, and weigh 280 tons in total.
There's no fixed way to calculate this, but 52 million carved Chinese characters is around two gigabytes of information. So the Tripitaka Koreana has transmitted two gigabytes of data over nearly 8 centuries with no corruption or loss: nothing else created by man comes close.
Not only does the Tripitaka Koreana preserve gigabytes of data, it allows this data to be freely retrieved as needed: by reading from the blocks directly, or by printing from them. The books below were printed directly from the blocks in 1914, when they were 650 years old.
Work on the first Tripiṭaka Koreana began in 1011 during the Goryeo–Khitan War and was completed in 1087. The act of carving the 6000 woodblocks was considered to be a way of bringing about a change in fortune by invoking the Buddha's help.
This original set of woodblocks was destroyed by fire during the Mongol invasions of Korea in 1232, although scattered volumes printed from these blocks still remain - an example printed in the 11th century is shown here.
To once again implore divine assistance with combating the Mongol threat, King Gojong ordered the revision and re-creation of the Tripiṭaka. The carving began in 1237 and was completed in 12 years, involving monks from both the Seon and Gyo schools.
This second version is usually what is meant by the Tripiṭaka Koreana today. In 1398, it was moved to the Buddhist temple at Haeinsa on Mount Gaya, South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea, where it has remained housed to the present day in four purpose built buildings.
The production of the Tripiṭaka Koreana was an enormous national commitment of money and manpower, perhaps comparable to the US missions to the Moon in the 1960s. Thousands of scholars and craftsmen were employed in this massive project.
The historical value of the Tripiṭaka Koreana comes from the fact that it is the most complete and accurate extant collection of Buddhist treatises, laws, and scriptures. The compilers of the Korean version incorporated older Northern Song Chinese and Khitan versions.
The quality of the wood blocks is attributed to Sugi, the Buddhist monk in charge of the project, who carefully checked the Korean version for errors. Upon completing the Tripiṭaka Koreana, Sugi published 30 volumes of Additional Records which recorded errors, and omissions.
Because of the supreme accuracy of the Tripiṭaka Koreana, the Japanese, Chinese, and Taiwanese versions of the Tripiṭaka are ALL based on this Korean version.
The Tripiṭaka Koreana was one of the most coveted items among Japanese Buddhists in the Edo period. Japan never managed to create a woodblock Tripiṭaka, and made constant requests and attempts to acquire the Tripiṭaka Koreana from Korea since 1388.
45 complete printings of the Tripiṭaka Koreana were given to Japan since the Muromachi period, mostly as diplomatic gifts, and sometimes under duress. The Tripiṭaka Koreana was used as the basis for the modern Japanese Taishō Tripiṭaka.
The Tripiṭaka Koreana was designated a National Treasure of South Korea in 1962, and inscribed in the UNESCO Memory of the World Register in 2007. It's importance to the Korean people is incalculable - it's an integral part of the national cultural identity.
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KM-07
Warper (3rd party Hearts of Steel Skywarp)
I pre-ordered Warper  for a little over $45 off of BigBadToyStore, and he arrived in October 2020.
This is a 3rd party toy based on IDW Comics Transformers comic book series titled, ‘Hearts of Steel’ where the Transformers awakened on Earth during the industrial revolution, so several well-known Autobots and Decepticons have pretty much gone steam punk. I can dig it.
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Accessories:
The accessories packaged with Warper are few.
1. A section of rail road track
2. Alternate head and gray hands
3. Instruction manual/comicbook.
4. Lastly a sprue of...purple stars? I might have to check the instructions again, and see what that’s about...I’m not sure what that’s for.
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The extra head is a decent sculpt with a neutral face and it’s got a lot of cool detail, and the gray hands are open/relaxed, similar in style of the Reveal The Shield line of Transformers of the 2010s.
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The railroad track is unpainted black plastic, and can be used on Warper’s vehicle mode. It simple for what it is; it seems sturdy enough.
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Vehicle Mode:
Warper’s vehicle mode is a steampunk flying machine with some design elements of that of Leonardo Da Vinci.
It’s a tri-prop plane with 3 pairs of bat-like wings, and it’s a very odd shape, but it looks steampunk, and turn of the century-ish. 
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The vehicle mode is covered with a lot of cool details, like vents, pipes, rivets, exposed engine details in the back; there’s a lot to see.
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Transformation:
Transformation to either mode isn’t that difficult, but it’s very fiddly. Aside from the head and the hands nothing much else is hidden away. You’re folding up the arms, bending the legs, and being very careful to not accidentally break the thin plastic of the propellers. 
Robot Mode:
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Robot mode is fun. You get a lot of the same details as the vehicle mode, but it’s an impressive figure with a unique looks.
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(Below) This was the best pose I could pull off for Warper, alas his feet and heels are both on ball joints, and it puts stability into question.
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Warper also has moving gears in his leg, and they turn whenever you bend the leg at the knee, much like the mech alive feature of the ‘Revenge of the Fallen’ toys.
It’s a really cool feature, and nice engineering.
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Yea, watch yourself with all those pointy wing tips. They are sharp.
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The railroad tracks also works very well for Knight Morpher (Optimus Prime)
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Final Thoughts:
Warper is an okay figure.
I really like the look of the toy; I’m digging the idea of steampunk Transformers.
In my opinion design-wise, and detail Warper surpasses Knight Morpher, which is looking old by comparison. However in spite of Warper’s improvements the plastic feels lighter, and more flexible than your average retail toy which makes me feel uncomfortable converting it.
This is a collector's item only; not a toy I’d give to a kid; he feels too delicate, but I love the look!
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womeninmotorsport · 2 years
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Weekend Guide #1-2 - Miami International Autodrome 2022 - 06-08 May
The waiting is finally over and, 195 days since the nail-biting finale to W Series’ second season, the international single-seater motor racing championship for women drivers’ 2022 campaign begins this weekend with a double-header in support of Formula 1’s inaugural Miami Grand Prix. W Series’ third on-track season starts where the second left off in October 2021 – in the USA. But, where the Circuit of the Americas, Austin, Texas, was the stage when Jamie Chadwick (UK, 23) became a two-time W Series champion in front of a record 400,000 fans, the Briton will begin her title defence 1,326 miles (2,134km) away in Florida at the brand-new Miami International Autodrome. The atmosphere will be as electric as it was that day more than six months ago, with a capacity crowd expected to attend the first F1 race in the country’s southeastern most state since Bruce McLaren won the 1959 United States Grand Prix at Sebring.
Track Info:
First GP: 2022
Length: 5.41 KM
Turns: 19
Race Length: 30 Min + 1 Lap
Schedule: (Local Time EDT/GMT-4):
06 May - Practice 1 16:00 - 16:30
7 May - Qualifying 09:10 - 09:40
7 May - Race 1 14:30 - 15:05
8 May - Race 2 10:35 - 11:10
Chloe Chambers said:
“I’m loving the W Series experience so far. I’ve been impressed by the professionalism and organisation of whole team – it’s so well run, and the cars are incredible to drive. I can’t wait to get started in Miami, the first of two home races for me this year. The series is making great strides in the USA and I’m excited to be part of such a spectacular event at the Miami Grand Prix.”
“I feel really comfortable in the car, and I’ve got used to the speed already. For this season, I’m going in with a clear mind and willing to learn. With Caitlyn Jenner as a team boss and two-time W Series champion Jamie Chadwick as a team-mate, I couldn’t have two better people in my team to learn from. Both have a wealth of knowledge about sport and racing, and I’m looking forward to working with them, and the entire Jenner Racing Team, as the season progresses.” 
Abbi Pulling said:
“I’m quite confident going to Miami. It feels like when we went to Austin last year – none of us had driven the circuit before and that’s where I had my best result so, if I adapt quickly to the circuit, it should be a good weekend. I think I can challenge at the front this season, but I’m just taking it one race at a time. With more races this year, I need to be consistent.”
“I’ve had a look at the Miami circuit on the simulator and I love it. The corners are fast-flowing and lots of them will be taken flat-out. There are bumps and subtle undulations, and clusters of corners where it’s easy to fall over yourself as they come thick and fast with the walls really close. So, it’s a proper street circuit and, although I’ve never driven one before, it reminds me of circuits in the UK in the sense that there is no room for error, which I hope stands me in good stead.”  
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nba-history · 1 year
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NBA history
The NBA is a 70-year-old organization born from innovation. It was June 1946 in New York City when Boston Garden owner Walter Brown realized that major ice hockey arenas, which were vacant most nights, could be used to host basketball games.
“Never say never, because limits, like fears, are often just an illusion”, “It’s not about any one person”, “You always have to be on edge”, these lines are some of the famous NBA Michael Jordan. In fact there is ongoing season in NBA the 2022  - 2023 is the 76th season of National Basketball Association, begaon on October 18, 2022 and is scheduled to end on April 9, 2023. The 2023 NBA All-Star Game was played on February 19, 2023 at the Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City. Lists of   best NBA player of all season in NBA is Michael Jordan Team: Chicago Bulls (1984-1993, 1995-1998) and Washington Wizards (2001-2003).Michael Jordan is the man who led the Chicago Bulls to 6 series of NBA Finals. Michael Jordan was a 6-time NBA champion. He also “carried” 6-time Finals MVP awards. Michael Jordan also gained the Defensive Player of the Year in 1988. In addition, during the regular season, “Mr. Air” has five more MVP awards, and he deserves to be an icon both on and off the basketball court. Jordan averaged 20 points per game in 2-year Washington’s jersey. Besides impressive titles and achievements, the leader of best NBA players of all time is also a model of competitive spirit. He excelled in attack and was passionate in defense. Whether training or competing, Michael Jordan does his best to help himself and his teammates reach the top. Thanks to the above achievement, Michael Jordan has become a measure of success in NBA history. Every NBA player wants to become like Michael Jordan. But so far, no one has passed the level of MJ. Second on the line is LeBron James has won 2 NBA Championship rings and an NBA Finals MVP award. Both times played for the Miami Heat team in 2012 and 2013. LeBron is one of the most leading NBA players in basketball history, with his ability to score goals is undeniable. From the very beginning, Lebron James stunned fans and encouraged everyone to follow their dreams. Lebron James helped both the Heat and the Cavaliers to win several championships. LeBron James is often “compared” to Michael Jordan – the greatest basketball player ever.
In addition to his wealth and ability to play football, Lebron James is also active in charity activities. It has made James one of the legendary basketball players in NBA history, both on and off the court. Number 3 is areem Abdul-Jabbar, number 4 is Magic Johnson and number 5 Kobe Bryant.  https://www.scottfujita.com/best-nba-players-of-all-time/#:~:text=baseball%20team%20names-,1.,basketball%20players%20of%20all%20time
 On January 26, 2020, a Sikorsky S-76B helicopter crashed in the city of Calabasas, California, around 30 mi (48 km) northwest of Downtown Los Angeles, while en route from John Wayne Airport to Camarillo Airport. All nine people on board were killed: retired professional basketball player Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna; baseball coach John Altobelli, his wife Keri and daughter Alyssa; Payton Chester and her mother Sara; basketball coach Christina Mauser; and the pilot, Ara Zobayan. The accident was investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) which concluded that it was caused by continued VFR into IMC: the helicopter entered low cloud cover, which caused the pilot to lose his sense of orientation, and thence lose control.[2] A number of video recordings of the crash area were available, and although none showed the crash itself, the sound of the helicopter and the crash was recorded. In particular, surveillance cameras installed at the Agoura Pony Baseball Fields provided overlapping coverage of the final parts of the flight path. The FAA conducted a visibility study which used frequency analysis to determine when the aircraft made the closest approach to each camera, ground-speed, engine RPM and determine likely inflight visibility by comparing video recorded during the accident period to clear-sky imageryThe report concluded that, at the moment of the accident, the estimated. The world has silenced because of the death of one of the legendary player of NBA. And If you are a fan of Simpson there’s a theory that simpson predict the death of Kobe Bryant and how he died. Here's a look at the offensive masterpieces that make up the NBA's top individual scoring games. 1. Wilt Chamberlain, 100 points - March 2, 1962. We've all seen the photo of Wilt Chamberlain holding up the piece of paper with a "100" written on it. That's about the only visual that exists from that triple-digit, record-setting performance. Chamberlain shot 36-for-63 from the field, setting the record for most shots made and attempted in a single game, and went 28-for-32 from the free throw line in the Philadelphia Warriors' 169-147 win over the New York Knicks. He scored 59 points in the second half, which remains a record for points in a half, en route to setting a record that is unlikely to be broken. 2. Kobe Bryant, 81 points - Jan. 22, 2006
Only one other NBA player has surpassed the 80-point milestone: Kobe Bryant. He scored 81 points in the Los Angeles Lakers' 122-104 win over the Toronto Raptors, at the time becoming just the fourth player not named Wilt Chamberlain, and the second guard, to score more than 70 in a game. Bryant shot 28-for-46 from the field, including 7 of 13 from three, and went 18-for-20 from the free throw line, knocking down his final two attempts with 43.4 seconds remaining. Bryant scored 27 points in the third quarter and 28 in the fourth, accounting for all but 18 of the Lakers' second-half points. 3. Wilt Chamberlain, 78 points - Dec. 8, 1961 - When Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points in a game, he broke the previous scoring record held by...Wilt Chamberlain. He first set the record in 1961 by scoring 78 points in the Warriors' 151-147 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. Chamberlain shot 31-for-62 and went 16 of 31 from the stripe to top the single-game scoring record of 71 points held by Elgin Baylor. Chamberlain also grabbed 43 rebounds in the loss.  4. David Thompson, 73 points - April 9, 1978 - Alongside Wilt Chamberlain and Kobe Bryant in the 73-point club is David Thompson of the Denver Nuggets. The Hall of Famer got the green light during a 139-137 loss to the Detroit Pistons in the final game of the regular season while in a scoring race with George Gervin of the San Antonio Spurs. Thompson, who averaged 22.7 points per game during his career, went 28 of 38 from the field and 17 of 20 from the line for what at the time was the NBA's second non-Chamberlain 70-plus point game. Thompson and Gervin both finished at 27.2 per game, with the scoring title tiebreaker of total points going to Gervin. https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/bulls/looking-back-highest-scoring-games-nba-history#:~:text=Wilt%20Chamberlain%2C%20100%20points%20%2D%20March%202%2C%201962&text=Chamberlain%20shot%2036%2Dfor%2D63,over%20the%20New%20York%20Knicks
Those are the historical NBA information for now, and just to let you know here in the Philippines they organize a PBA which is Philippine Basketballl Association The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) is a men's professional basketball league in the Philippines composed of twelve company-branded franchised teams. Founded in 1975, it is the first professional basketball league in Asia and is the second oldest continuously professional basketball league existing in the world after the NBA,[1] established before the "open era" of basketball in 1990 where FIBA allowed longstanding domestic leagues, which mostly had predated the PBA, to become professional. The league's regulations are a hybrid of rules from the NBA and FIBA.The league played its first game at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City on April 9, 1975. Its main office is located along Eulogio Rodriguez Jr. Avenue (C-5 road), Eastwood City, Bagumbayan, Quezon City.The San Miguel Beermen have the most PBA championships with 28 titles. After the 2022–23 Commissioner's Cup, the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, who defeated guest team Bay Area Dragons 4–3 in the 2022–23 Commissioner's Cup Finals, are thedefending Commissioner's Cup champions.
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stubobnumbers · 1 year
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College Football Rivalries
College Football Rivalries. Rivalry: The Battle Of The Domes. Trophy: The Battle Of The Domes Trophy. Teams Involved: Idaho and Idaho State.
The first meeting was in 1916. Their latest meeting was this past season. There have been 44 total meetings. Idaho leads the series, 31-13.
The series was played annually for 31 seasons from 1965 through 1995, until Idaho’s move to the Football Bowl Subdivision (with Boise State), leaving Idaho State without an intrastate rival. Annual play has resumed since Idaho’s move back to the Football Championship Subdivision in 2018. The rivalry was at its most competitive in the 1970s and 1980s, with neither team three-peating; Idaho has won thirteen of the last sixteen and leads the overall series at 31–13 (.705). Since Idaho’s return to the FCS, the Vandals lead the trophy series at 3–2.
A notable game of the series was not even played. In the conference finale for both teams in 1978, a night game was scheduled for Moscow on November 11, and ISU planned to fly up to the Palouse that Saturday afternoon in two vintage airplanes. One developed engine trouble shortly after takeoff from Pocatello and returned. Both teams were at the bottom of the Big Sky standings and the game was not rescheduled; Idaho was granted a 1–0 forfeit win.
The "Battle of the Domes" theme began in 2017, and is applied to multiple sports. In opposite regions of Idaho and in different time zones, the driving distance between the campuses is over 530 miles (855 km) through Boise, and over 610 miles (980 km) if routed through western Montana and Coeur d’Alene, a popular choice as it is mostly interstate. The Battle of the Domes is currently sponsored by Idaho Central Credit Union.
Idaho State was the first of the pair to play its home games indoors, opening Holt Arena (originally ASISU Minidome) in 1970. The Kibbie Dome in Moscow was enclosed in 1975, after four years as an outdoor venue; the last two outdoor games in this series were played there in 1971 (debut) and 1973, then known as new Idaho Stadium.
Under accomplishments: Idaho State has a NC. Playoff Appearances – Idaho (11) and Idaho State (2). Bowl appearances – Idaho (3) and Idaho State (2). (Both teams are undefeated in bowl games.) Conference titles – Idaho (10) and Idaho State (8). Big Sky Conference titles – Idaho (9) and Idaho State (3).
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architectnews · 2 years
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Factory Face Lift in Waregem, West Flanders
Factory Face Lift Waregem, West Flanders Building, Belgium Property Interior Design, Belgian Architecture
Factory Face Lift in Waregem Building
31 May 2022
Architectural intervention in Belgian ice making factory
Location: Waregem, West Flanders, Belgium
Design: Enter Projects Asia
Photos by Edward Sumner
Factory Face Lift in Waregem, West Flanders, Belgium
In April 2020, only weeks into the global pandemic, Enter Projects Asia based in Thailand, received an unexpected phone enquiry from Waregem, outside Brussels, Belgium.
The prospective client had a 300sqm mix-use project that needed ‘balance and calm’. EPA were given what felt like a ‘wellness’ brief for the space, inviting nature and creativity into an industrial setting. As the curtains came down on the world, EPA came up with a clear concept to meet the client brief. The site was an ice making factory so the design was to be fluid and liquid, like the properties of pure spring water crystallizing, incorporating raw and sustainable materials wherever possible. A highly innovative logistics program was essential if the vision was to be realized 9,000+km later at the final destination.
Relying heavily on Zoom for all client meetings & virtual site visits, the EPA team prepared for remote working. The Project Manager was operating out of Japan, the designers in Phuket & Sydney, the fabricators in Northern Thailand. The team never met. They remotely made templates, exchanged digital files and ultimately manufactured a series of sculptural elements in natural, sustainable rattan ready for Belgium.
The sculptural segments were designed in accordance with the functionality: lighting, seating and directional flow, all culminating in a large 8 meter high sculptural statement piece which illuminates the lobby and compliments the image of the brand. As an overseas project, we had to come up with a highly innovative logistics strategy: every segment was then digitally deconstructed, so the shipping containers could be optimally filled.
Like a 3d jigsaw, the segments were assembled on site in Belgium – with little to no room for error. “The detail and precision with which the client approached this task was incredible to witness, even from a distance”, remarks EPA Director, Patrick Keane.
“Working across two continents always has its challenges” states Keane, “but this was on another level, nobody knew each other or exactly what the other was doing. It was a blank sheet of paper so given the result, I believe it’s the biggest and best challenge which often starts from zero”.
He also solemnly notes that “as a byproduct of this project, rattan factories were able to stay afloat during the darkest days: people were struggling to eat, supplies cut and shops closed. This project became a lifeline for many craftsmen who otherwise would have been without work. Maintaining these factories ensured local, sustainable arts & crafts production could continue”.
In April 2022, with the project complete, the client & Architect finally met in person at the site. In a post pandemic economy these changing work practices have become the future as we learn to adapt, to reinvent what it means to lead from a distance. This project is not only a pioneer of the new work philosophy but also gives a new face to the factory as an innovative & creative workspace.
Waregem Property in West Flanders, Belgium – Building Information
Title: A Factory Face Lift Location: Waregem, Belgium Client: 528 Size: 300sqm
Photographer: Edward Sumner
Sustainable Design by Enter Projects Asia
SUSTAINABILITY AT A GRASSROOTS LEVEL
At Enter Projects Asia, we have defined sustainability as a grassroots approach: to us, this means that sustainability is multithreaded. Often, we hear of “sustainability” as a term used in a product or a technology specified in a building. Often it gets added later and often that is too late. True sustainability needs to start at the very beginning, and that is with concept design.
EPA have defined a 3-tier approach:
1. Performance Sustainability 2. Environmental Sustainability 3. Material Sustainability
Using Belgium: ‘A Factory Facelift’ as a case study we will highlight the following:
Performance Sustainability
Performance criteria include a review of all structural and building principles from defining materials to management of light, air, ventilation, heating, cooling and overall power management. Here are a few examples from the factory:
• the roof is fully installed with solar power, 610 panels total.
• the use of low-E glass for the highest insulation value to prevent heat escaping but to allow light in
• heating the building is done with the extra heat that comes off the freezing units and production water.
• office area and swimming pool are 100% heated by power generated from running the factory equipment
• rain water reserve of 60.000L to catch the rain and use it all summer for growing vegetables, washing cars, flushing toilets and so on.
• LED lighting is used extensively throughout
• the concrete walls have an airgap reducing unnecessary material usage and adding to high insulation value
Environmental Sustainability
Environmental criteria focus on ‘going local’ and low waste. Arts & crafts in Asia are experiencing a revival. At EPA, we have reopened 3 factories and the artisans who work here have 5 generations of invaluable skill.
• As Covid shut down businesses worldwide, we were able to save a rattan factory on the brink of extinction, thanks to the project in Belgium. Without the work opportunities we provide to the factories, these highly skilled craftsmen (and women) find themselves relegated to taxi drivers or roadworkers.
• low waste approach. The product had virtually no wastage on the job site. As the construction industry becomes more wasteful, we are reversing the trend.
• dovetailing ‘Design & Sustainability’ as being inseparable for the future. We showed the client how to integrate arts & crafts in an industrial setting, at a large architectural scale so that they have impact and are integral to the design.
• storytelling: provenance and stories are more important now than ever; they help to ‘connect’ us in a world of disconnection. Where things are from and how they are made. Our contribution to this global initiative is to keep it local and shine a light on the talented craftspeople of Thailand.
• Low Carbon footprint: no travel, all work was completed remotely, mostly using Zoom.
Material Sustainability
Use of natural materials prevents our biggest competition……plastic. The importation of inferior and often toxic plastic products is truly catastrophic to the environment. For interiors and furnishings especially on large scale hospitality & commercial projects, this is now at reckless levels.
• we encouraged a sustainable upgrade policy for this project using rattan on the interiors rather than synthetics
• rattan is grown in major abundance all over South East Asia. It has texture, tactility, warmth and all of the great qualities natural woods have with no threat or shortage.
• rattan is locally grown
• rattan is 100% biodegradable
Aside from our architecture business, we have an initiative called “Project Rattan” : https://ift.tt/UFVEJbf launched during the first lockdown in 2020 and focuses on sustainable upgrades. Using the latest technologies and readily available materials, the initiative offers a modern pairing to our already creative design business. Project Rattan deploys local craft dovetailed with international design – this we classify as “sustainable upgrades”. These designs are currently being shipped to Belgium, HK and the USA.
EnterProjects 49/15 Boat Avenue (2nd Floor) Cherngtalay Thalang, Phuket, Thailand Tel: +66 62 820 1936 Head office :TAX ID 0835562004251 www.enterprojects.net
Factory Face Lift in Waregem, West Flanders images / information received 310522 from Enter Projects, Thailand
Location: Flanders, Belgium, western Europe
Belgian Buildings
Belgian Architectural Designs – chronological list
Brussels Architecture Tours
Belgian Architecture News
Belgian Architect
New Architecture in Belgium
Recent Architecture in Belgium
Agrotopia, Roeselare, West Flanders Design: van Bergen Kolpa Architects and META architectuurbureau photo © Filip Dujardin Rooftop Greenhouse Agrotopia, West Flanders
Belle-île, province of Liège, Wallonia Architects: JDS Architects image courtesy of architects practice Belle-île Shopping Center Building
World first: Kamp C is first to print a complete house in one piece image © Kamp C 3D-printed model home, Kamp C Westerlo
Botanic Center Bloom Brussels Design: Vincent Callebaut Architectures image from architect Botanic Center Building Design
Le Toison d’Or Design: UNStudio, Architects photography © Hufton+Crow © Eva Bloem Le Toison d’Or Building
Belgian Architecture
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Comments / photos for the Factory Face Lift in Waregem, West Flanders interior design by Enter Projects Asia page welcome
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maraczeks · 3 years
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community s6 thread pt 4
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yegarts · 2 years
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Speaking to diversity through “A Pattern Language”
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The Valley Line Southeast LRT project is adding a splash of colour and texture to communities along the route thanks to the City’s Percent for Art Policy, managed by the Edmonton Arts Council. 
The Valley Line Southeast LRT project public art collection includes art glass, sculptures, a mosaic and a series of paintings. Additional opportunities for artists to get involved in the Valley Line Public Art are yet to be announced.
Individual artists, organizations and collectives sent in 260 submissions for the public art opportunities along the 13-km LRT route. Each submission was reviewed by selection committees made up of community members, local artist representatives, project personnel and City of Edmonton staff. The commissions were awarded to four Edmonton-based artists, three Alberta-based artists, one international artist, one Indigenous artist team and one Métis artist.
Alberta-based artist Karen Ho Fatt Lee was selected to create the canopy art at the Grey Nuns Stop in Mill Woods. Titled A Pattern Language, the structure was inspired by the patterns in cultural textiles, reflecting the cultural diversity of the surrounding community. 
Like many of the artworks we’ve featured, community engagement helped refine the concept of A Pattern Language to build a strong connection between the community and this eye-catching piece.
Let’s take a closer look at the patterned canopy structure.
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Various cultural motifs laser cut into aluminum.
Throughout history, cultures have traded and borrowed from each other, assimilating techniques and motifs into new norms. A motif is a singular design element that makes up a pattern.
To engage with the local community, Karen hosted a workshop and invited community members to bring samples of fabrics that represented their heritage. These fabrics were used as the starting point for further historical research into the motifs that appear on the canopy sculpture. After cultural experts verified fabric details, motifs from traditional textiles were woven into the final design of the Grey Nuns Stop canopy artwork.
The final design of A Pattern Language includes 22 traditional folk and tribal motifs with cultural significance to ethnic groups from Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas. The aligned motifs resemble a cloth border and are harmoniously arranged across a 53-foot-long aluminum structure. The repetition of various geometric and curvilinear motifs reflects the balance and diversity in the community.
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Fresh new artwork installed atop the Grey Nuns Stop canopy.
The visual language of fabrics depicted in the canopy artwork breaks down barriers that spoken and written language may create. From Polish floral folk embroidery and a German eagle motif stitch, to an Arabic pointed star and a Vietnamese Hmong tribal pattern, there’s a reflection of many cultures. The result is an integrated and timeless design that unites members of the Mill Woods community.
Karen hopes this piece will inspire passengers and local communities alike. The airy artwork raised on the canopy will uplift those taking the train and turn an everyday activity into a joyful experience.
“Art is meant to inspire,” Karen shared. “I hope that people can see themselves in the motifs as we are more alike than different. There is unity in diversity in this ‘cloth border.’”
Heading to Mill Woods? Take a walk by the Grey Nuns Stop at 31 Avenue and 66 Street to find the motif that speaks most to you. Share your photos with us on social media using #YEGPublicArt. 
About Karen Ho Fatt Lee
Karen Ho Fatt Lee is a Canadian visual artist, designer creating two- and three-dimensional art in a variety of media. She has a number of colourful functional and artistic public art pieces within various jurisdictions in Alberta. Karen lives in the beautiful foothills of the Rocky Mountains, which provides an endless source of inspiration.
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nahumgarcia · 3 years
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Tinder y el patetismo
Este post fue publicado primero en mi blog de www.nahumgarcia.com.
Tinder, como cualquier red social de los últimos años, nació con una idea muy sencilla: era una app para ligar donde la base de todo era un simple pasar de tarjetas con fotos de usuario para decir si “yay” or “nay” a cada una. La idea en sí no era novedosa, páginas como Hot or not que surgieron en el año 2000 ya se basaban en una simple valoración del atractivo de los usuarios en base a sus fotos, y rápidamente vieron un filón de negocio en la posibilidad de añadir un sistema de “matchmaking” de pago (Wikipedia lo traduce al español como casamentera y ahora solo quiero usar esa palabra en el entorno tecnológico en vez de “app de citas”).
Tinder fue una de esas niñas bonitas de Silicon Valley: una propuesta de valor clara, un uso interesante de la tecnología GPS, una interacción molona (aunque el swipe no estuvo desde el inicio) y sólo en móvil. Lanzada en 2012, fue un hit, y la primera app de citas que se volvió mainstream. Antes de Tinder, el mundo de las citas estaba dominado por Match.com y sus filiales (siendo OK Cupid la más innovadora en el momento), aunque Badoo, surgida en 2007, ya estaba redefiniendo el juego con una oferta freemium potente, y una comunicación descarada. También haciendo cosas poco éticas por el camino pero eso es otra historia. Tinder, por su lado, acabó formando parte del grupo que controlaba ya Match, Meetic y OK Cupid: Match Group. Los usuarios que usaban estas redes sociales antes de la llegada de Tinder, principalmente buscaban pareja, o al menos esa era la premisa inicial tanto en el contenido de las comunicaciones publicitarias como en el tipo de funcionalidades que se desarrollaban. Tinder, sin embargo, triunfó por lo casual de la propuesta, por un diseño 100% móvil, y por una comunicación mucho más desenfadada y sexualizada. Mientras las apps de encontrar pareja aún estaban rodeadas del halo de la agencia matrimonial del pasado, de ser una cosa seria o para gente solitaria, Tinder era fresca y encajaba en el nuevo mundo del social media e Instagram. Además el sistema de emparejado se aseguraba que la gente hablaba solo con personas con las que en principio había interés mutuo, algo novedoso entonces.
Tinder hoy en día me parece un caso de estudio interesante por varios motivos. El primero es el interfaz, y en este sentido le pasa algo parecido a Instagram. Una interfaz extremadamente sencilla fue parte de su éxito, pero las plataformas necesitan cambiar para evolucionar y monetizar. Y así, llegaron los súper likes, los rewinds, los top profiles etc. Más funciones por las que cobrar, más formas de interacción con las tarjetas, y obviamente más complejidad. Añadieron conexión con Instagram, con Spotify... y poco a poco el paradigma de las tarjetas que inicialmente era una de las decisiones de diseño más importantes hizo que tuvieran que tomar decisiones muy creativas para incorporar las nuevas funciones manteniendo la sencillez en el funcionamiento. Si lo consiguieron o no, supongo que habrá opiniones variadas pero en mi opinión, han caído en una de las cosas que más me ha dado que pensar estos años: la forma de solucionar los problemas es seguramente perfectamente coherente desde un punto de vista de diseño, pero en el uso en el mundo real, hace la experiencia inconveniente. Porque al usuario le importa un pimiento la coherencia si para ver una foto que me estás mostrando en minuatura tengo que hacer dos taps: uno para ver el perfil, al que se accede pulsando en la parte inferior de la tarjeta, y otro para ver ese contenido en grande. Además, tener swipe a izquierda, derecha, y arriba, a veces produce super likes sin querer, y la app da la sensación de que se basa demasiado en gestos y que un movimiento en falso puede generar una interacción no deseada.
El segundo de los temas que me interesan de la plataforma tiene que ver con el título del post. Hoy en día, y con el nivel de popularidad que ha cogido la plataforma, la sencillez que fue parte del éxito, ¿sirve a los usuarios o les perjudica? Al final, Tinder es básicamente un torrente aparentemente infinito de gente para que el usuario diga si le gustan o no, uno a uno. Y lo es de un modo tan brutalmente básico que aquí viene uno de los primeros problemas que veo.
Tinder no permite filtrar mínimamente los resultados, más allá de decir si le interesan hombres o mujeres, y de poder definir un área en km alrededor del usuario. De este modo se genera una sensación artificial de abundancia que engancha, propiciando la sensación de juego y pervirtiendo el propio objetivo de la app. Esto es algo que se reflejó muy bien en episodio de la serie de Netflix Hot Girls Wanted dedicado a Tinder. Cuando los usuarios tienen la percepción de que los posibles ligues no se acaban, ¿por qué van a dedicar tiempo a las personas que van conociendo? La sencillez de la plataforma manipula la percepción para que sigan usándola. Quizás haya alguien mejor esperando en la siguiente tarjeta. Se propicia la ansiedad de la adicción y los intercambios entre las personas que se conocen a través del servicio se vuelven más superficiales, de consumo rápido. El ghosting ya existía antes de Tinder, pero éste enseñó a la masa lo que significaba el término. Además, esa falta de funciones de filtrado, aumenta las interacciones fallidas entre los usuarios. Estos tienen que hablar con más gente para ver si conectan, para ver si buscan lo mismo, y el ritmo que impone la plataforma y el tipo de conexiones que se generan llevan en muchos casos a la frustración. Esto se ve claramente en los textos que muchos usuarios añaden a sus perfiles, que se quejan de la gente que han conocido y suplican por encontrar gente afín culpando a la gente en vez de a la plataforma que les acoge de una manera tan brutal, y esto tiene relación también con el segundo problema que comentaré más adelante.
Cómo el diseño de la plataforma influye a los usuarios se ve también en el caso de Twitter, donde por su diseño se propicia que las reacciones de odio se extiendan fácilmente. Tener este aspecto de la humanidad tan terrible tan a la vista hace que muchos usuarios dejen de usar la red social por salud mental. En el lado opuesto tenemos redes sociales que mediante algoritmos crean el efecto contrario, el de estar en una cámara de eco donde aparentemente uno vive en un pequeño mundo que refleja y amplifica la propia forma de ver las cosas, lo que también tiene sus peligros como la radicalización de las posturas políticas, desinformación, desconexión con el mundo real, etc. Hasta donde yo sé, Tinder también tiene un algoritmo, pero desconozco el funcionamiento y por lo que he leído, se basta en una medición del nivel de atractivo de los usuarios.
Y es que si vas a diseñar cualquier tipo de sistema donde interactúan personas, has de pensar en cómo van a ser estas interacciones y diseñar en consecuencia. Hace unos años fue muy conocido el caso de un juego maravilloso de Thatgamecompany llamado Journey. Journey, que no incluye prácticamente ningún tipo de indicación de cómo se juega ni qué hay que hacer, hizo del descubrimiento de unas mecánicas sencillas y una historia contada con imágenes un hito de la historia de los videojuegos. Es una experiencia sensorial preciosista y emocionante con una sensibilidad tremenda. Y uno de los ingredientes del juego era un modo online muy peculiar. Durante el viaje te encontrabas con otros jugadores, y podías interactuar mínimamente con ellos, mediante gestos. Nada más, la idea era descubrir juntos el camino. Una interacción tan sencilla que eliminaba cualquier tipo de negatividad y aumentaba el sentimiento de hermandad entre los jugadores. Una tontería, en apariencia, pero los usuarios tienen la sensación de que el mundo quizás no está tan mal.
Alguien dibujó esta viñeta que me encanta y con la que me identifico tras haber jugado el juego varias veces:
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En Tinder el problema es el inverso, nunca pusieron los medios para reducir la fricción intrínseca al problema que quieren resolver, ni tampoco pusieron las herramientas para que los usuarios pudieran crearse un perfil que les defina mínimamente. Y este es otro de los problemas que veo, que se acompaña muy poco a los usuarios a la hora de crear sus perfiles, quedando estos sin contenido apenas, con textos demasiado iguales los unos de los otros que no dicen nada de la persona, o relegando la bio al lugar donde se quejan de las experiencias vividas y escribiendo una especie de carta a los reyes magos de lo que quieren que sea su próximo match. Esto al final genera una sensación de, como dice la letra del tango de Discépolo, que todos los usuarios están “en el mismo lodo, todos manoseaos”, en un lugar donde al final triunfan los que saben adaptarse a las reglas del juego en una competición desequilibrada, donde los que son más carismáticos o tienen un fotógrafo mejor tienen más posibilidades de triunfar, creando indirectamente una red social elitista y frustrante para una gran cantidad de sus usuarios, una frustración que como decía antes, se acaba filtrando en sus biografías. Los paralelismos con el liberalismo económico ya mejor en otro post que me desvío demasiado.
Y no es que estos problemas de la plataforma no tengan soluciones definidas y puestas en práctica por otras plataformas hace años. El problema de los perfiles, por ejemplo, Couchsurfing o ahora Bumble lo solucionan muy bien, ya que introducen una serie de preguntas que estandarizan y reducen la tensión que supone hablar de uno mismo en un espacio web público o semi público. Y el filtrado, como comentaba antes, es algo que también ha estado ahí desde hace mucho en las plataformas anteriores a Tinder. OK Cupid propone multitud de tests a los usuarios que permiten que el algoritmo recomiende a otros usuarios en en base a un porcentaje de compatibilidad. Y por encima de esto, el usuario además puede filtrar por varias características y reducir el número de resultados a unos pocos relevantes. Bumble permite poner qué es lo que están buscando los usuarios, algo casual, una relación, o incluso "no sé aún". Y separa directamente los que buscan amistad de los que buscan citas.
¿Por qué Tinder no cambia estos problemas? Por lo que comentaba antes, porque no le interesa, porque esa sencillez aparentemente inocente mantiene a los usuarios enganchados a su plataforma con su torrente infinito de gente. Y en un mundo cada vez más consciente del daño que pueden suponer los servicios que se aprovechan de la adicción para generar beneficio, quizá deberíamos plantearnos más en serio si queremos volver a usar una red que nos hace sentir patéticos en el sentido más absoluto de la palabra.
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iamwhoiamtmblr · 4 years
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Title: Remember Who You Are
Story Rating: Chapter 14  18+ ONLY!!
Warnings:  Oral Sex (Both partners), Intercourse swearing. 
Relationships:  Nomad Steve Rogers x Reader; Steve Rogers x Reader; Dark Steve Rogers x Reader
Master List - Link to Other Chapters
New Mood-board for the series. (Captain America photos property of Marvel)
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Chapter Note: This chapter was originally 600 words. It’s now over 2200. I wanted to make sure I captured the moment properly. Feedback and Re-blogs are welcome. 😃
***My work is to not be posted on any other site without my permission. If you see it anywhere other than Tumblr please inform me*** 
Steve can’t stop thinking about you, one particular though crossed his mind. He remembers the one of the most special days of your relationship at the Cabin.  He smiles...
You and Steve have now been seeing each other for almost 3 months. You tried to hide your relationship from everyone but somehow they all knew; after all they worked for a spy agency. For the first time since you started working for SHIELD, you finally had a whole weekend off. Steve told you to prepare for a short trip but he wouldn’t tell you where you were going. As a surprise, Steve showed up in a SUV instead of his bike, picking you up at the door of your apartment building.
“Where are we going?” (You) “For a drive.” He smiles. He takes your luggage.
After about 5 hour trip, you enter what looks like a logging road. About a ½ hr drive on the dirt road, you end up at a cabin in the middle of nowhere. It looks rundown.
“Huh, who owns this cabin?” “I do. It’s my retreat, a place of solitude when I need to be alone and recharge.” Getting out of the SUV, you walk around outside. “Ha, solar panels.” You laugh. He snorts, “Yes, I do need to have electricity; I still have to be available if anything happens; you know emergencies, that sort of thing. I have cell service as there is a new tower about 40 km’s away and the ability to use my laptop.” Upon entering the cabin, it’s only 1 huge room. You were surprised at the inside. Mini fridge, sink, table, fireplace, comfy chair and a king size bed in the corner. “Wow, I love it.” You smile. “I’ll be back shortly; I need to get some firewood.” (Steve)
Smiling, you run and jump on the bed, nice and soft. “Ooommmpppfff!!” You look around the cabin, you feel at home here. Now you know why Steve likes this place. It feels cozy and comfy. You decide to go outside to help Steve. Steve continues to chop some wood and you help lugging it into the cabin. After lugging awhile, you need to go… number #1.
“Potty break! Where’s the bathroom?” “Behind the cabin.” he smirks. “Oh well… can’t have everything.” (You)
Steve laughs... 
Steve brings some more firewood into the cabin and then unloads the groceries and the luggage. He starts the fireplace, generating some heat in the cold cabin.
“It’s nice outside, do you want to go for a walk?” (You) “No, later.” (Steve, serious tone) “Awww….” (You pout)  “What do you want to do?”
He turns and intensely stares at you with no emotion on his face. He approaches you slowly, taking off his sweater and shirt throwing them on the chair. You see his broad, magnificent and sculpted chest. You see the scars from all of the missions and fights telling tales of battles. You lightly trace them with your fingers, resulting in Steve getting goose bumps from your touch.
“Wow….” You look at him with awe; handsome chiseled features, dark blonde hair and beard, broad shoulders and lots of muscles.
He wraps his arms around you and starts kissing you tenderly, then passionately. “I’ve been waiting for this for a long time.” (Steve) He kisses your tenderly on neck and face. “What are your intentions Captain America?” “Naughty ones.” he whispers. He takes off your sweater and starts to unbutton your blouse and jeans. Steve kisses your shoulder and the nape of your neck. You give a soft moan. “I want you (Y/N). I’ve wanted you for so long”.
His eyes have changed; they are filled with pure lust and raw hunger. You close your eyes as he removes your blouse and jeans. He gives a smile seeing your matching purple lacy bra and thong. His hands roam all over your back and bottom. He continues to kiss you passionately, angling your head to get deeper kisses. He holds his forehead against the top of yours  looking down at you. His breathing is ragged. He scoops you up and places you on the side of the bed. You sit up and unbutton his jeans. He smiles down at you. His erection springs from his underwear, already hard as a rock. Whoa, you think. You marvel at the size of it; will it fit?
Smiling at him, you take the initiative; you begin to lick the length of it. Steve moans. “Baby-girl.” (Baby-girl was his nickname he called you) He puts his hands on your head. “Put it in your mouth please.” “Well, since you said please.” You tease.
You lick the pre-cum off the top. You smile at him. You try to put as much it in your mouth as you can. You gently tease it with your tongue. Steve closes his eyes and groans loudly. You continue licking and sucking on it, using your hand to sheath it, moving your hand up and down. Steve continues to moan, his hands never leaving the back of your head.
“That feels so fucking awesome!”  After a few minutes - “STOP!!!” (Steve)
The volume of his voice startles you “What?” You jump and back off right away. “Did I do something wrong?” “No, you didn’t; you’re too good in fact. I don’t want to cum this way, not for our first time together. I’m too close, I need to come back down.” Steve is breathing very hard now.
Steve pushes you back on the bed, lying on your back. Moving you to the middle of the bed, he sits in front of your legs. He opens your thighs with his leg, making it very hard not to notice his erection is still there and for him, he can see the wetness in your thong. He place kisses down your body as he removes your underwear.  He takes a finger and touches your wetness between your legs, then licks your juices off his finger. “Sweet.”
He kisses your stomach down to your warm spot. He gently starts to lick your folds. You giggle. “What are you giggling for?” (Steve’s a little annoyed) “Your beard tickles”. You smile. “Tickles huh? Un huh, we’ll see about that.” Steve dives into your pussy and attacks your clit. “Aaahhh!”
His tongue starts to hit your clit hard, sucking on it. He plays with your vagina with his tongue as if it was his shaft . You moan, “Oh Steve”.
He inserts two fingers, looking for your g-spot. Your orgasm begins to swell. Three fingers… He continues his assault on your clit. You let go of his hair for fear of ripping his hair out of his head. You grasp the bed covers as it your life depended on it. You scream his name out loud. You experience your first orgasm with him and you’re already out of breath.
He moves up to you again, wiping your wetness from his beard, he begins to kiss you tenderly. You taste yourself off of his lips. You put your arms around him and lift yourself right up to his face so you can see eye to eye.
You have never wanted him badly as you do right now. You thought about having sex with him before and wondered what it would be like with a super soldier. He acted like a gentleman this entire time but little did you know he was holding back. He didn’t want to scare you off. He’s been patient, waiting for the right time. You didn’t know this animal side of Steve even existed. You want him…. you finally have the nerve to say it.
“Please Steve.” “Please what?” he looks into your eyes. “I want you inside me!” you whisper. “You want me?” You nod.
Your request was music to his ears. He was wishing/hoping you would say it; it meant to him that you want him, you need him. You lay back down and he covers you entire body with his; leaving very little room for you to move. He grasps your wrists and holds them beside your head. “Ready?” he whispers in your ear. You nod.
He lines himself up with your entrance. In one swift thrust he bottoms out. “Ooooohhhhh Steve!!” He pauses for a moment; he’s scared he hurt you. “You ok?” You nod. Your core is stretching to accommodate him. It hurt for a brief moment, buy now your body is overcome with pleasure; it’s like electricity running through your body.
He thrusts are slow and tender at first; teasing you. He smiles down at you watching the pleasure in your face. You’re eyes are closed. He’s never felt the emotions he feels right now. Watching you, he’s giving you the love and pleasure you desire, what you crave, your body craves, what you need from him and only him. Seeing your body react to him gives him the greatest joy. He knows you’re the one for him and he’s the one for you. He wants to hold onto you forever; never leaving his bed…..our bed.
You feel so full. He pulls almost all the way and back in again. But he begins thrusting in you faster and harder. You squeal. He found your sweet spot and he makes that his target. He let go of your wrists, he pulls you into him with one of his arms, lifting you from the bed. You immediately grab a hold of him. You started moving your hips to meet his, wrapping your legs around his hips. You try to pull him inside you as far as you can. Steve moans deeply. You want him, all of him. You open your eyes, looking up at Steve, he’s staring down at you, his face full of delight smiling. You can’t stop squirming and you can’t keep your eyes open. You cling to him tightly and feel lost in the moment; your head is swirling. You put your head in the crook of his neck moaning softly. He feels your hot breath on him.
He stops suddenly. In surprise, you drop you head and open your eyes. He eyes are filled with love this time. He begins to kiss your passionately.  You open your mouth and Steve probes your mouth with his tongue. He lays you back down on the bed. He begins to play with your breasts; nipping at them; teasing them, sucking on your nipples. He slips his hand between the two of you and plays with your tender clit. He begins to thrust again, this time faster. Closer and stronger, your orgasm begins to build again. You core is beginning to tighten. Steve is now  you like an animal, hard and relentless. He pulls you up to him again, holding you skin to skin. “Oh god, OMG” your 2nd orgasm hits you hard. You let go of Steve and collapse on the bed. You’re out of breath again and this time you almost pass out. The room is spinning. You’re filled with bliss. You look at Steve with love in your eyes. You think he’s all done but then you realize that he didn’t cum; OH NO….he’s not done with you yet! You gasp.
He flips you over so now you are on your hands and knees. Steve begins to take you from behind, softly and slowly. He knows you’re tender from all that he has done to you so far.
“Baby-girl! Love this so much!”  He’s panting into your ear. He starts to pound you with more vigor. “One more time…. Please Y/N.”
You feel like you can’t, your energy is spent and you’re overcome with tiredness. He continues the assault! Fingering your clit, massaging your breasts and nipping at your neck and shoulders to heighten your arousal. Harder and faster! More and more…. He wants to ensure you come again. You feel you orgasm building. Less than 1 minute later, you come again for the 3rd time. You moan softly as you have no more voice.
Steve screams your name! You walls grabs his shaft, squeezing him. His orgasm is just as powerful as yours. You feel his cum inside, warming you. He holds you for a minute as your body begins to relax.
He then lets go and you collapse on the bed. Steve falls on top of you but you don’t mind, you like his weight on you. It makes you feel safe, protected. After a few seconds, he lightly kisses your back, shoulders and your neck. He rolls over onto his back, gently pulling you towards him. “Come here baby-girl.” He covers you both with the comforter. “You ok?” “uh hmm.” “You want to go for that walk now?” “No. I want to stay right here.” You sigh, content as can be. 
You said the words he wants to hear. He feels the same way as you; he doesn’t want to leave the cabin either.  By now, you’re fast asleep in his arms.  He holds you tightly. He places soft kisses on the top of your head. You’re snuggled into him; your head on his chest and your arm draped across him. You fit in that spot exactly. He feels like you belong there, that you were meant to be there. It was for you and only you. Patience wasn’t his strong suit, but to him, everything you both experienced today was worth the wait.
“I love you” he whispers into your hair.
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mysmashplaythroughs · 3 years
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F-Zero GP Legend Playthrough
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Fighter: Captain Falcon
Game: F-Zero GP Legend, Wii U virtual console (GBA). First Released on November 28th 2003.
Fighter Bio.
Captain Douglas Jay Falcon is a famous bounty hunter considered one of, if not the best in the galaxy. His fame as a bounty hunter is only overshadowed by his fame as an F-Zero racer. F-Zero is a future form of racing that’s the next stage on from Formula One, with Falcon’s own machine, the Blue Falcon for example being able to reach speeds of 457 km/h. With these ridiculously high speeds it stands to reason that the sport is considered incredibly dangerous and is only attempted by those with the best skill and reflexes. Captain Falcon is known as one of the best F-Zero racers in the history of the sport, winning multiple Grands Prix and the prize money to go with them. Beyond his fame for these professions however, Captain Falcon lives a reclusive life on a chain of islands he owns off the coast of Port Town. Part of the reason for this is that with his position as one of the galaxy’s most accomplished bounty hunters comes many enemies looking to take him down, and as such for his own safety he lives in his highly secure retreat, only venturing into the public for bounties and to race.
Following his victories in earlier Grands Prix, Captain Falcon found himself involved in one of the most infamous events of F-Zero’s history, a massive accident which resulted in the sport being banned for several years and Falcon being hospitalised. Whilst he was hospitalised, Black Shadow, known as the King of Evil and feared by all saw to it that some of Falcon’s blood was taken, to be used in creating Blood Falcon, an evil clone under his command. With the F-Zero Grand Prix returning under new regulations following the accident, Captain Falcon is there and ready to take on the challenge once again, which he does, winning despite many of his enemies such as Black Shadow and criminals like Zoda taking part. A year later Captain Falcon is training for the next GP but ends up having to face off against various rivals and antagonists beforehand, including Black Shadow and an evil being beyond him known as Deathborn, then finally all-powerful beings known as the Creators. Falcon manages to defeat them all not only remaining the F-Zero champion but also keeping the galaxy safe from Black Shadow and Deathborn. The final events of the main series are set 25 years after the very first F-Zero game, after Captain Falcon has seemingly retired. There is a racer called Kent Akechi who claims to be Falcon’s son and drives the Falcon MK-2, a seemingly improved version of the original Blue Falcon, however whether his claims are true or not is never confirmed.
The series would end there, however there is a second version of the F-Zero universe, which appears in two games which are now the final two games in the series, F-Zero GP Legend and F-Zero Climax, the second of which was never released outside of Japan. This series was also based on an anime of the same name which only had fifteen episodes dubbed in English but had a run of 51 episodes in Japan reaching a conclusion at the end of them. The games do not strictly follow the anime’s plot but in most cases match it in comparison to the original series, especially when it comes to many of the characters. Some neutral or good characters from the original series are part of Black Shadow’s organisation in this series, such as Octoman. Captain Falcon similarly has some differences, mainly being his true identity and his relationship with Jody Summers, however his characterization as a mysterious bounty hunter who only appears for races and bounties remains in this series. Another difference between the series is a new character called Rick Wheeler. Captain Falcon becomes a mentor to him and he eventually takes on the title of Captain Falcon when Bart Lemming (Falcon’s true identity in this series) perishes in the finale defeating Black Shadow. This doesn’t happen in the game’s story, but Rick Wheeler still has his Captain Falcon outfit and Blue Falcon GP available as an unlockable option in Climax. For this post I will not count the anime’s story as whilst this series is based on it, it doesn’t follow the events of it exactly.
Overall, Captain Falcon is a mysterious individual who is willing to fight against the evil and criminals of the galaxy, however he is still a mercenary who mostly gets involved for the bounties these targets have on their heads. He is also proud of his racing skills, often boasting to rivals how they won’t beat him. It has not really been shown in the series, but he is considered a very good fighter which is useful in his job as a bounty hunter, however the main aspect of him shown in the series is his driving skills, with which he not only wins races but is able to engage in vehicular combat with enemies such as Michael Chain’s gang who try to run him off the road at one point. His vehicle the Blue Falcon is considered a good choice for beginners with decent speed, acceleration and handling, however it also doesn’t excel in any area, unlike other racers vehicles which tend to. Regardless, canonically Captain Falcon is considered one of the best racers in the series and a living legend being capable of making his Blue Falcon perform beyond expectations.
Friends: When it comes to the main series, due to his enigmatic personality Captain Falcon isn’t really shown to have many friends. Falcon due to his willingness to take on Black Shadow however has worked with a few other characters opposing him and has protected Jody Summers a couple of times when she’s fighting against his forces. In the GP Legend series Captain Falcon’s true identity is Bart Lemming, Jody Summer’s missing brother. Jody is the head of a task force who take on Black Shadow’s organisation and as such many members often find Captain Falcon working alongside them, although he never officially joins the group, remaining an independent bounty hunter. Falcon does however develop a mentor relationship with Rick Wheeler, a young man who was brought to this era from the past and as such has a lot to learn about the world of this time as well as F-Zero racing. Captain Falcon grows to respect Wheeler enough that he is willing to pass the title of Captain Falcon on to him.
Enemies/Rivals: Due to both of his professions, Captain Falcon is not short on enemies and rivals. His arch enemy is Black Shadow, the King of Evil whom Falcon has caused many problems for by repeatedly capturing his henchmen for bounties. This has led to Black Shadow taking part in F-Zero Grands Prix, which are Extraterritorial with his aim being to kill Falcon himself with his powerful racer the Black Bull. Despite this, Black Shadow also seems to simply enjoy causing destruction in the races regardless and as such he’s one of the few threats where Falcon’s primary concern isn’t simply the bounty on his head. Zoda is the leader of the Zolorkian Coalition from planet Uma-41 who seeks to conquer the planet Earth and use it for things such as mining, refuelling and gambling. He has come into conflict due to this many times with the hero Super Arrow, and also has had dealings with Captain Falcon. Following Falcon rounding up 26 of his henchmen and him narrowly escaping he is even more determined to get revenge on him. Deathborn is the only being who makes Black Shadow feel fear, punishing him when he fails to defeat Captain Falcon in the F-Zero Grand Prix and challenging him himself. He doesn’t personally see Captain Falcon as an enemy so much as a problem that needs to be dealt with in order for him to gain control of the universe. Following Deathborn’s defeat he’s seemingly destroyed for good and is revealed to have been possibly cursed by the Creators into being under their control as they threaten to do the same to Falcon should he lose in a race against them. The Creators are said to have created Earth and are supremely powerful, however it seems when they are beaten in a challenge, in this case a race, they lose their chance to take control of their opponent as Captain Falcon winning in a race with them left them screaming before disappearing. Finally, Michael Chain doesn’t have that much of a connection to Captain Falcon beyond him and his gang the Bloody Chain antagonising him as he drives through what they consider their turf. After Falcon takes down most of them, they abandon Michael before he also flees.
When it comes to rivals arguably every racer on the circuit is one to Falcon, however his fiercest rival is always Samurai Goroh. A bandit who is also a skilled bounty hunter and F-Zero Racer, one thing that drives Goroh is always being considered second best to Captain Falcon. As such, he has a perfect attendance record of F-Zero Grands Prix, possibly due to his obsessive need to beat Captain Falcon at them. He and his gang reside on Red Canyon, a desert planet which they claim as their turf. As such, whenever Captain Falcon has to pick up a bounty on the planet Goroh will make it his business to try and take it from Falcon claiming the bounty is rightfully his as it’s on his turf. He often is unsuccessful in these attempts which ends up fuelling his rivalry even further. This rivalry is pretty similar in the F-Zero GP series, although his main issue with Falcon in the story is that he believes he’s poisoned him, but realises after racing and most likely losing it wasn’t Falcon who had done so. Finally, although he is an enemy, Blood Falcon being a clone of Captain Falcon is also a very fierce rival for him. Blood Falcon is far less stoic than Captain Falcon as well as being blood thirsty and dedicated to his creator Black Shadow’s will. He has a different vehicle to the Blue Falcon, the Blood Hawk which is designed to have an edge over it, however he has yet to achieve a victory over the original. In the GP series Blood Falcon is one of many Falcon clones, all of which don’t really measure up to the original but due to their numbers can cause problems for him, especially when impersonating him. For the enemies in the GP series, they mostly stay the same, although some neutral or good characters do become part of Black Shadow’s villain group in this version of events, however they are mostly simply henchmen who have little to do personally with Captain Falcon beyond being occasionally beaten by him.  
Crossovers with other Smash characters: Captain Falcon is a somewhat unique example when it comes to characters in Smash which I will outline more in a later section, however for this reason, this time along with Captain Falcon himself, I will also mention cameos of his vehicle the Blue Falcon. Falcon himself has only had two cameos in other series, the first was his helmet being a treasure that could be found in Kirby Super Star in the Great Cave Offensive. The second is that he appears on screens in Mario Kart 8’s Mute City course. Neither of these appearances are directly Captain Falcon however but they’re the closest there is to a direct appearance. The Blue Falcon on the other hand has appeared in small cameo roles a few times. In both Mario Kart Wii and Mario Kart 8 the Blue Falcon appears as a Kart body part, although it is a much smaller replica with an open top. Interestingly the version in Mario Kart Wii is based on its appearance in F-Zero GX, but the one in Mario Kart 8 is based more on its appearance in the original SNES game with it most notably having green glass for the cockpit as well as a more rounded design. Notably this replica kart has exhaust ports similar to the original Blue Falcon’s and there is a Mii costume available in the game based on Captain Falcon. The Blue Falcon has also appeared as furniture in the Animal Crossing series being a replica that can be placed inside a Villager’s house. Finally, in Super Mario RPG the Blue Falcon appears as a small figurine in Hinopio’s shop sitting alongside other toys of the Fire Stingray (Samurai Goroh’s racer) and Star Fox’s Arwing.
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Why this game?
When it comes to why I chose F-Zero GP Legend over other games in the series there were a couple of reasons. At the time one of the bigger ones was that this was available on the Wii U Virtual Console, which meant I could get screenshots through Miiverse of it. Also unlike F-Zero and F-Zero X this game had a story mode which when I can I prefer to play through as one of my purposes with these playthroughs is to go through each characters story where possible. (With that said, being playable is the priority overall.) F-Zero GX also has a story mode, however in that case I knew due to the stages in Super Smash Bros I would cover that game eventually so I wanted to go with this one instead, even if it is arguably a different continuity to the one Captain Falcon in Smash is based on. The final aspect that helped me make my decision is just a personal preference one, which is that the game also contains tracks from the original SNES game which form the final GP cup, which I just personally find cool which is why I wanted to go with this game.
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My past with this game.
I first remember hearing of F-Zero surprisingly (for me) before Super Smash Bros, as I remember it being talked about in old Nintendo magazines I would read. Back then, I didn’t really pay that much attention to it, but the characters stood out mostly to me back then because with the masked faces and eyes that were sort of white triangles on a black vizor or mask, they looked like Batman. It’s funny because I realise now Captain Falcon’s earliest design looks a lot more similar to Judge Dredd, but this was long before I heard of him really, so Batman was who I thought of then. I remember vaguely looking at the artwork of various characters as well as screenshots of the game and thinking it looked cool but not really my sort of thing back then. The game I was seeing at this time was F-Zero X rather than the original on the SNES, which I think I didn’t hear of till later. Another thing which I remember at the time was that there was another game series which was somewhat similar that saw a release on the N64. Whilst I never confused it for F-Zero X, I tended to heavily associate it with Wipeout 64. What’s funny is, I had a poster of Wipeout 64 up in my room (one of the first posters I ever put up) yet I never played or had any interest in the game, I don’t even remember why I put it up, it might have simply been I thought it looked cool and wanted to have a poster in my room. Beyond this however, I didn’t have a whole lot more experience of F-Zero, but probably the best thing about this was unlike Ness and even Samus, I actually recognised Captain Falcon when I unlocked him in the original Super Smash Bros due to these magazines.
Before I go on to the Gamecube era where I actually started looking more into the series, there was one big thing that happened during the N64 era that’s somewhat important for me personally relating to this series. In 1999 a movie came out, one which at the time as a 9-year-old I didn’t realise would be pretty disliked and personally enjoyed a lot, that being Star Wars Episode 1 The Phantom Menace. Without going too much into Star Wars, the important part here is in this movie there was a part involving a large race, with all sorts of aliens and Anakin Skywalker, the only human, using extremely fast dangerous vehicles and going through a dangerous race course. For Christmas that year, being a huge Star Wars fan, I asked for a game many consider the only good thing to come out of Episode 1, that being Star Wars Episode 1 Racer. I loved the game and even now with its rerelease on the Nintendo Switch I’ve been having fun with it. What I’ve always liked most is how there’s so many different characters with their unique vehicles, and going further than that as I’m a Star Wars nerd, their own background reasons for being in the race. Of course, I had played Mario Kart games before this and I love that series, but this was different mostly as the only story to this game were the races, rather than being characters I knew from other games competing with each other. The reason this is important and relevant to any of this is because, other than being a similar game when it comes down to it of high speed dangerous futuristic racing taking place on various planets, this series has always had the same appeal for me of having a large cast with their own background reasons for taking part.
So that was the groundwork that was laid down in my mind for the series, but I still so far had only really seen Captain Falcon and a few screenshots in old magazines at this point. Coming up was the next Super Smash Bros game, Melee, which was the first game I’d seen where I really thought it looked incredible, looking to me at the time like an actual movie like Toy Story. I’d only seen screenshots at this point, but a magazine I got contained a small mini CD with trailers for games on it. I don’t really remember what others were on there, but Super Smash Bros Melee was the big one and it showed off lots of very quick shots of the game in action (a lot of it being from the intro but there was also gameplay mixed in as well) all with the Mute City theme in the background. Not having played any F-Zero games then I thought this was an amazing theme and the main theme for Melee as a whole. I only realised having gotten the game later it was in fact for the Mute City stage and from F-Zero. Now, with how I liked Episode 1 Racer and its vast array of characters, I was of course really interested to see the trophies there were for a couple of F-Zero racers, along with one of all the vehicles together. It reminded me a lot of Episode 1 Racer reading their bios and so I got more curious about the series. I didn’t really try it however since I was mostly sticking to Gamecube at this time and F-Zero X was on N64, however, when a new game was announced I was very much looking forward to it. The game came out and, of course I didn’t get it. I can’t remember very clearly, but it was only after some time I finally decided to get the game and I loved it, F-Zero GX was tons of fun, being really challenging and also a lot of fun to play in multiplayer.  I didn’t manage to beat the story mode back then as I remember years later some of the cutscenes at a certain point being brand new to me, but I believe I did beat all the Grand Prix races (at what difficulty I don’t know.)
Around this time, was the first time where, inspired by a youtube channel I’ve mentioned in a previous post called Crappycapturedevice that went over the history of things in Super Smash Bros Melee, I started to want to play the original games of each character in Super Smash Bros rather than just reading about them. Again, I’d really enjoyed F-Zero GX, but my initial idea at the time was to try and stick with the more retro games for characters, partially as I’d gained a fascination for sprites at the time, so I wanted to where possible go for a sprite-based game rather than 3D ones. This led to me getting a lot of GBA games and at that point there was an F-Zero game with Captain Falcon on GBA, so I naturally decided to get it. Because of my stringent measures of trying to solely go for sprite-based games, my plan to play a game from each series in Smash at that point failed pretty quickly, but regardless I loved F-Zero GP Legend. There was the story of course which I enjoyed playing through, but despite its simplicity being clearly more based on the original SNES game than the later 3D ones, there was a lot of content in there, with all the racers from GX (barring ones exclusive to that game) being playable with a couple of new ones as well. Also, whilst I do like the soundtrack for GX, this was the first game I played that had a lot of the tracks I’d heard in Super Smash Bros, such as the classic Mute City and Big Blue versions. It was a somewhat challenging game, but as it was handheld it was one I found very easy to just keep retrying, meaning eventually I’d manage to power through it.
Beyond this, any long time Nintendo fan knows how things have gone for this series, there was one more game, F-Zero Climax which was never released outside of Japan, being a sequel to GP Legend and that’s pretty much it. Captain Falcon still appears in Super Smash Bros and F-Zero has had big references as the theme of a minigame in Nintendo Land on the Wii U and having two courses based on it in Mario Kart 8, but beyond that, the series has yet to have any sort of new entry. I don’t believe there’s that much of a demand for a new game, even if there is a lot of noise from fans who want to see a new entry in the series and to be clear, I myself would love to see it. I also however don’t think Nintendo are ones to shy away from series entirely just because they’re not a hugely demanded best seller. Over the years, Punch-out got a sequel seemingly out of nowhere on the Wii, Kid Icarus got a sequel on the 3DS which was a pretty huge reinvention of the series and Metroid, despite how vocal that fanbase are about it being ‘ignored’ have gotten a remake of a Game Boy game (which was practically a brand new game given just how different it was) as well as Metroid Prime 4 being in development. My main point is, I’ve learnt over the years, if Nintendo want to make an F-Zero sequel, they will make it, regardless of if “Fans are crying out for it!” or “The reality is the series isn’t a best seller even if there’s people yelling for it, so it’s not worth their time.” Here’s hoping for the Switch we might finally see the franchise make a great return, I’d love to see what they could do with it.
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My Smash Playthrough.
I played this game somewhat differently to most others and there’s a key reason why. This game has eight characters who each get their own story to play through, however to start with only one character, Rick Wheeler is available. By beating the second stage of his story Captain Falcon’s story mode will be unlocked. Since I am planning on getting to other characters later down the line, such as Samurai Goroh for his assist trophy who has a story in this game, I decided to focus solely on Captain Falcon’s story for this run. It is not long overall and as the Blue Falcon is fairly easy to control it is one of the easier story modes to complete, however there were a couple of missions that gave me some trouble. The first two missions are fairly simple with you just having to overtake your opponent before reaching the goal. The next mission is actually the same as Rick Wheeler’s second mission, as it is an event where Captain Falcon and Wheeler’s stories overlap. This is an aspect of the game I like and it reminds me of an aspect of some other games like Sonic Adventure I really enjoyed, with you unlocking a new character’s story and getting to see what led them to the part in the previous character’s story where they met them. The third mission is probably the first challenge as such in Captain Falcon’s story, with you having to race Samurai Goroh who believes Falcon has poisoned him, with no ability to boost this time. I’d like to note that I believe the courses in this story mode whilst based on courses from the Grand Prix are unique to this, often being long tracks that have to be travelled down once rather than tracks that need to be gone around in laps.
These next stages from what I remember were the ones I had more trouble with. First is a race with Blood Falcon which isn’t too difficult, however there are some irritating jumps, and mistiming them can lead to a crash and instant loss. I believe it took me a couple of attempts to beat, especially as Blood Falcon is pretty fast and you need to boost as wisely as you can to keep up with him whilst avoiding crashing. Next up comes a point in the story where there’s an optional mission or the final mission. On your first playthrough only one will be open to you, but provided you manage to get enough money you can unlock the alternate mission. The original final mission is of course a race with Black Shadow on the Lightning stage. This stage isn’t too difficult, it has a jump that will lead to a giant fall if taken, but otherwise it’s more like a standard race in the GP mode. It’s been too long now to remember it in detail, but I believe I had quite a hard time with it, replaying it now however I found it fairly easy. The alternate mission is more irritating because it requires you to help Jody Summers beat Blood Falcon, so the objective isn’t to win the race, but to come second behind Jody. Once this mission is beaten Captain Falcon’s story is complete and you get the credits, which are the same for all stories. These credits aren’t particularly memorable, just images of the racers from cutscenes slowly drift by over a space background. The music’s nice enough for it. That’s pretty much it for Captain Falcon’s story, I liked having a side mode with the standard overdramatic story, with that wonderful plot of every conflict being solved with a race. I also enjoyed the cutscenes since, as a fan of the Ace Attorney series I like seeing various characters with talking sprites. It provides some scenarios that are different from the Grand Prix mode and unique challenges which aren’t overly easy. Of course, as this playthrough was to represent a fighter rather than just an assist trophy or background character, I realised just doing the story alone wasn’t really going to cut it, so the next challenge was of course beating the Grand Prix mode.
There are a lot of courses in the Grand Prix, and given I played this so long ago now, I can’t really go into detail over a lot of them. I love the game, but admittedly other than a couple of features you might see more often in one stage, for this a lot of the stages are fairly similar. There’ll be a few aspects specific to some courses, for example mines being more common I believe on Fire Field and Lightning having a fair few more jumps. With that said the basic setup of the tracks, having barriers on the sides which cause damage when touched and repair tracks are fairly uniform in most cases, except for Illusion, a track unique to this game which has no barriers so therefore falling off the track is an instant loss. Needless to say, whilst I do not have specific memories of playing these tracks, I do remember having a lot of frustration and many crashes. One thing about this game which is good for me however, is that it’s one of the games where I feel I can play it whilst listening to other things without really missing out. It was frustrating losing a fair few times, but listening to videos or podcasts as I played really helped me stick with it and eventually finally beat the game. Despite the frustration, it was still a lot of fun and I’m glad I’ve chosen to hold off beating the whole story first time as I look forward to revisiting it later when I get to other racers on my list.
Before I conclude, I would like to also say the music is great, a lot of classic versions of the track themes are here and the only real let down is that it’s GBA quality, but if you’re fine with that they’re still nice enough to listen to. When it comes to how it ranks with the rest of the series, it obviously is inferior to F-Zero X and F-Zero GX, which both provide a lot more variety in their tracks due to the capabilities of the platforms they’re on. However, this game in my opinion does a great job of improving upon the original SNES game and is available in handheld form, so overall I’d say it’s a fun game that packs quite a fair bit of content and still provides a challenge.
Specific aspects about the game relating to Captain Falcon in Smash.
Now, Captain Falcon is unique in Super Smash Bros as in fact none of his moves, attacks or anything else beyond his look are from his base game. The reason for this is in the game, Captain Falcon is solely ever playable in his Blue Falcon, therefore things like the Falcon Punch or Falcon Kick were entirely invented for Super Smash Bros, which is why I decided to include Blue Falcon when it came to Captain Falcon’s crossovers with other characters, as it is essentially the actual ‘character’ you play as when it comes down to it. What’s interesting is it is often believed that Captain Falcon’s moves were actually based on the original concept for Super Smash Bros, a game known as Dragon King: The Fighting Game. This was an early concept for Super Smash Bros and involved generic fighters who proportionally matched Captain Falcon, which possibly is what led to this belief. When it comes to aspects of Captain Falcon which may reference his original game, the first is that his attacks often have Falcon in the name, which matches with his vehicles such as the Blue Falcon and Falcon Flyer. The second is that he had the fastest running speed until Sonic joined the roster in Brawl, which is most likely a reference to him being from a racing game. In Brawl, with the introduction of Final Smashes, Captain Falcon was finally able to use the Blue Falcon in battle, with him calling it to him. If the Blue Falcon hits an opponent, they’re thrown to part of the track in Port Town, which Captain Falcon then drives his racer along before smashing at top speed into them. The Blue Falcon appears to match its design from F-Zero GX in all appearances of the Final Smash. The Blue Falcon also appeared in Captain Falcon’s entrance in the original Super Smash Bros, with him jumping out of it before starting a match where it matched its design from F-Zero X. Finally, in Super Smash Bros Melee, it appeared in stages looking like it’s N64 model, but it’s appearance in the opening cutscene for Melee has it looking like a higher definition version of the classic design from the very first game. Honestly, I’m surprised looking at this how much I was able to say about Captain Falcon when it comes to his translation to Smash as so much of it was basically invented. Needless to say, overall in order to play GP Legend in a way that’s closest to his portrayal in Super Smash Bros, you really don’t have to do anything as he’ll be in his Blue Falcon regardless.
Credits.
For information on this game including dates of releases I must give credit to mutecity.org F-Zero Wiki.
The screenshots in this post are taken by me using Miiverse before it shut down.
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anushreesp · 4 years
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Rajasthan- Jodhpur, Osian
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{Better get published now than sit in the draft forever and here goes the last post from my Rajasthan trip of December 2018.}
Stories from Day 6, 7 and 8.
I had booked a cab on makemytrip to travel from Udaipur to Jodhpur. The cab driver arrived on time and we started as early as 6:30 AM. The plan was to reach Jodhpur by noon.
Jodhpur Stories
We knew we had reached Jodhpur when we were welcomed by blue buildings everywhere. The city spoke highly of its title Blue city. I was most excited to visit Jodhpur as I was looking forward to stay in a Haweli. Haweli’s are the older houses of Jodhpur dating back to 200 years.
Jewel Palace Haweli The owner of the Haweli rightly said no Google maps will help you to reach my place as the roads are so narrow that no cabs can enter the circuit of old Jodhpur. With getting stuck at few gallis’s, I realised it was best to stop the cab and opt for an auto to reach the place. We reached the place after going through a series of blue buildings. First thing I did after reaching the place was to go to terrace. The Haweli had a spectacular view of the Asia’s biggest fort; Mehrangarh fort.
The haweli also has a cozy cafe serving continental and Indian cuisine. There also is a rooftop service with view of the majestic Mehrangarh fort.
The owner and the staff were super courteous. We ended up teaching them how to make buttermilk the south indian way and they aced it! When we were going through old Jodhpur, what I noticed was there was hardly any space between buildings and the houses. They all looked like a powerful maze from the top. All the houses are connected by common walls and can jump across terraces.
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Places Visited: Mehrangarh Fort Fort that will take you back in time, one of the largest fort in Asia.
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Mandore Garden Mandore garden was unique with huge temples with intricate ceiling and pillar work and with lots of monkeys in the area.
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Umaid Bhavan A quarter of the palace is open to public which is converted to a museum. I did not enjoy this place much as I was overloaded with museums at rest of the places.
Jaswanth Tada A white structure, a tomb built in the memory of Jaswanth Singh II, that overlooks the blue city. The place is well maintained and peaceful.
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Rock Garden If visited end to end, this will demand half a day. We walked for a kilometer and headed back as we were running out of time. The place is deserted and a path is carved out of huge rocks. One can also spot lot of cactus plants.
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Jodhpur Markets Best place to visit is in the evening for shopping of all kinds of Rajasthani items.
Osian ka Pyaar This was special. We got to stay with a local family and experience the authentic culture of Rajasthan. The owner of the house picked us from Jodhpur city in a Jeep and drove us first to Osian temple; a temple which is more than 3000 years old with Shri Osiya Mataji as a diety. The architecture was simply marvelous.
As we hit the roadway leading to Osian village, the view of mustard fields with yellow flowers on either side of the road was a pleasant thing to watch. We had finally entered the Thar desert region. We spotted lot of camels that were decorated with colourful artifacts.
After a rough drive of 10 kms, we had reached the home of our host. It was 7 acres of land with desert everywhere! At their home, we were greeted by his family members; his wife, 3 little sons and mother. We then freshened up and ate a heavy Rajasthani lunch of Dal Baati Choorma, lasang ka pyaaz, sarson ka saang and more.
Around the house, there were very few trees called Kejri trees grown in the area. The house had few goats and 2 camels. I took a look at goat shed which were like tiny huts and camel shed. Around 4PM, owner climbed on one of the Kejri trees and cut the twigs. The goats raced to eat them. He told the trees help in improving the quality of goat’s milk.
Goat’s milk was fetched by the house lady and fresh tea was made from the milk. We savoured the tea watching the infinite dunes of sand.
The camels were brought in for a ride now. Just as it was the time for sunset, we went on a camel ride on the sand dunes. It was my first camel ride ever! Hold the camel tight else you will get toppled as the camel stands. I was remembering the stills from SLB’s movies watching the horizon. I walked a lot on the desert till I felt tired. This was surely my best memory of endless walking on the sand dunes trapped in the silence with an occasional screaming of peacocks in the background. Sunset on desert was the best sipping chai again. Moon rise was perfect just after. I laid down on the meshed cot gazing at the full moon and the star lit sky enjoying the chill breeze in the moonlit land of golden sand.
The house had a small flour mill where Bajra was freshly ground and rotis were made using firewood for dinner. With barren land, tourism is sort of like the only business to run the family.
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For direct bookings, you can contact: Nainsukh Osian(9660436875)
Happy Travelling!
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adelth · 5 years
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Signs of Life
It’s mermay! I love me some mermay! (But honestly I’ve got too many WIPs to start another one) Luckily, I remembered I had a 2k ficlet that technically qualifies sitting around on my drive. I don’t think this will ever be a full story, maybe a series of one-shots once I finally wrap up some of my other projects. If that doesn’t scare you off, here’s my very sci-fi contribution to the fine tradition of writing about mermaids in may.
Title: Signs of Life Rating: T Warnings: one vicious swear? Relationship: Yuuri Katsuki/Victor Nikiforov Summary: Victor Nikiforov just needed a place to repair his ship, but landing on a long-abandoned planet leads to discovering the mystery of its sole remaining inhabitant.
“No,” said Victor, eyeing the warning that flashed across his center console with dismay. “No, no, no. Don’t do this right now.” The console responded by chiming out a stall warning, in contradiction to the overspeed alarm that was still active, and the fact that a stall was impossible outside of an atmosphere anyway.
Already suspecting the source of the error, Victor turned off the autopilot. The alarms silenced themselves, but his brow didn’t unknit. He reached up to flip the switch for his secondary autopilot to take over, a partitioned backup to the system that was currently failing. The alarms immediately started up again, this time including a particularly shrill siren that warned of a hull breach. He’d only just managed to slap it into silence when a truly dire dangerous terrain message came blinking across his viewport, though apparently only the midship attitude control sensors could tell he was about to slam into some catastrophic obstacle.
Victor growled a credible impression of a Hexxii curse his favorite techmonger was fond of. The language wasn’t particularly friendly to human vocal cords, but Victor had a bit more leeway than most in what he could pronounce. He wasn’t entirely sure what the expletive meant, truthfully, but based on usage he’d gathered that it was more or less equivalent to “motherfucker.”
Perhaps due to the circumstances of his exposure, it had become Victor’s customary reprimand when hardware failed him at inconvenient moments. Inconvenient but not disastrous he reminded himself. At least it was one of the sensory control modules that had gone haywire, and he wasn’t actually at risk of sudden decompression or crashing into a non-existent terrain feature.
Theoretically Victor could still finish his journey if he was willing to pilot the whole way manually, but that would make for a very long trip. He was flying single-handed, as was his preference, and even he could only go so long without sleep. He’d lose time looking for a safe place to berth, on top of the time he actually spent sleeping. He also wouldn’t be able to travel through the most convenient spaceports, where traffic control mandated the use of autopilot to prevent accidents.
He slouched back in his seat, blowing his bangs out of his face as he stretched his legs. He wasn’t stiff, neither he nor the pilot’s station were designed for that, but the stretch still felt good.
Taking a long moment to gaze through his viewport, he let himself be entranced by distant pinpricks of light while he reminded himself why he traveled this way, instead of in one of his parent’s well-staffed schooners.
He reached across the small flight deck and tapped his fingers against the hull of his ship, a reinforced strut just within reach. Titanium alloy over a high carbon nano-ceramic, warm fingers against cold metal. Withdrawing the hand, he set a finger against his own mouth; the texture was soft and giving this time, warmth against warmth.
He discarded the thought of calling his family for help.
On balance, these were his options: he could take the long way home, he could suit up for an EVA, or he could find a place to land and do this the easy way. There’d been a similar failure not long after he’d purchased the cruiser, and he’d replaced the entire module not five years ago. Aware that the three other modules were still original, he made a point of carrying a mostly built spare, ready to be modified as a replacement as needed.
Still, although he had an electron beam gun on board, he wasn’t eager to try welding in a hard vacuum. He’d much rather land somewhere with enough of an atmosphere to make a more conventional arc weld viable. Better yet, he’d like a garage where he could just pay someone else to do the work, but he was a long way from that kind of amenity.
There wasn’t a planet chartered for habitation within several days travel, he knew that already. Humans hadn’t claimed so very many worlds that they were hard to keep track of just yet. There was a siderophilic asteroid mining operation, but unless they were feeling very accommodating, they weren’t going to help him. It was more than likely a fully automated enterprise anyway, without even disgruntled employees he could bribe. His techmonger had opinions about the kind of law-skirting that happened on the far edges of civilization, where obscure businesses might avoid either decommissioning or emancipating the almost-AIs they relied on for decades.
Changing his parameters as he flipped through the ship’s directory, Victor started looking for any nearby planet that might suit his needs. His new search brought up Proxima-b, a rocky planet with a breathable atmosphere, which looked to have gone uncolonized due to the 200 km deep ocean that covered the entirety of its surface. It was tidally locked, one face continually scorched by close proximity to its sun, so tight was its orbit around the small red dwarf.
His cruiser was reasonably versatile, but it didn’t have pontoons. If Proxima-b was entirely undeveloped, he would have to move on. That said, there was a long expired commercial exploration charter attached to the planet. Very long expired, Victor realized, hunching forward with interest. The project had been abandoned almost 200 years ago, and given where they’re located…
Scanning through the registry, Victor sought out the corporation that had filed the charter, and cross checked the dates. He whistled in appreciation. Proxima-b had been claimed for exploration by interests located on Earth, back when it would have taken 20 years for a spacecraft to travel between the two. It must have been one of the first commercial planetary charters on record. They’d gone all that way… to harvest semiconductors and dopants?
And here Victor had been under the impression that platinum group metals had been the elements sought out by space’s first prospectors.
The now defunct venture seemed to have been focused on boron in particular, which was downright odd. Chemically uncombined, elemental boron was only found on Earth in small amounts deposited by meteoroids, and might well have been worth mining. What could have been extracted from the waters of Proxima-b, however, seemed unlikely to differ all that much from what could have been extracted from Earth’s own oceans.
Astrobiologists, on the other hand, had a decided interest in extraterrestrial boron. When combined with water it became borate, which stabilized ribose in a way that made the formation of RNA, and therefore the storage and replication of genetic information, possible.
It was, in short, a sign of life.
Victor hesitated to assign motives to people who lived centuries ago, but a for-profit enterprise secretly seeking out proto-life seemed dubious. Maybe it was easier to do so as a resource management company than a research firm for some reason? Victor had little knowledge of contemporaneous space travel policy, only lingering disquiet.
Why Proxima-b had been abandoned, at least, wasn’t mysterious at all; intense solar flares were eating through the atmosphere. That wasn’t entirely surprising behavior from a red dwarf like Proxima Centauri, but having the brightness of the star suddenly increase by a factor of 1000 during a massive flare certainly was. For a span of seconds Proxima-b had a sun 10 times brighter than Earth’s own, and that had been enough to scare the prospectors away. They’d been planning to build their operation on the dark side on the planet, but no one wanted to be exposed to that kind of radiation.
Happily, they looked to have left a landing platform and maintenance facilities behind, the bare beginnings of a testing site. They’d be ancient, but all Victor needed was somewhere to land. Repairs would only take an hour or two, and the chances of Proxima Centauri happening to do something unfortunate during that time were minimal. Cautiously optimistic, Victor charted a course and engaged his thrusters.
~
Victor had been prepared, been half expecting even, to have to scupper his plan. There was every chance the centuries-old facilities on Proxima-b would be unusable, left to the seaworld’s irradiating flares and briny fathoms.
Instead, they looked pristine. They weren’t modern, they didn’t look like they’ve been updated in 200 years, but they’d been assiduously maintained.
Victor almost forwent landing, worried he was about to drop into a very cleanly smugglers nest. His sensors weren’t detecting any lifeforms, but he wasn’t entirely confident they were to be trusted given his current troubles. The landing pad was right there though, and truthfully Victor was loath to leave the mystery unprobed.
The landing itself was uneventful, save for the moment the platform lit up to welcome his arrival. He’d nearly pulled up in shock, but the process seemed automatic, rather than a herald of hostile intent.
He armed himself before leaving the ship, taking time to poke around the floating base before beginning his repair. There wasn’t much to it, besides the landing pad, there was a combined hanger and workroom, along with a barebones office and washroom. There weren’t even bunks, though he supposed cots might be stored somewhere. The whole structure rolled with the waves below, nearly sending Victor tumbling more than once.
He was testing the shower, which somehow still ran fresh water, when a loud creak from the workroom made him snap to attention. It was followed by a heavy clang, which sent shivers snaking up Victor’s spine. There was nowhere to hide - the shower didn’t even have a curtain - and he couldn’t go for his gun without being terribly obvious. Caught out, he raised his hands and turned slowly around.
Whatever he’d been expecting, it wasn’t an equally stunned man half protruding through a hatch in the floor, dark hair wet and chest naked. They both stared for moment, then the stranger nearly sent himself back down the hatch he flinched so hard.
“I’m sorry! I wasn’t…I didn’t.” He stopped, looking up at Victor as if he was the inexplicable element in the room. “I didn’t think anyone was coming.”
Without giving Victor a chance to come to terms with his own confusion, the stranger began hoisting himself onto the platform. Victor got a brief view of skin moving over flexing muscle, before being entirely distracted by the black tentacle that infiltrated through the hatch to grip a handhold on the wall and help pull the…man…through.
He didn’t have legs. What came through the hatch after the man’s torso was a mess of thick, black, prehensile coils. Victor had a hard time keeping track of what they were all doing, but one reached out to close the hatch behind the man as he moved away, familiar with the space and how to navigate it.
He bustled around - opened a locker here, replaced something in a drawer there - incredibly industrious with his many limbs. It had the distinct air of nervous busy-work, which alleviated some of Victor’s fear, if not his shock.
“I tried to keep everything running, but I’ve had to prioritize essential systems. I ran out of containers for samples, so it made sense to cannibalize the testing equipment for parts. I know it was expensive, but not even my batteries can be recharged indefinitely, and I’ve lost more than half the solar panels to weather and wear.” The man didn’t look at Victor as he spoke, half facing away to monitor his tentacles working.
“What are you?” Victor asked, perhaps insensitively, but unable to parse through his confusion to find any other question.
The man slowly put down the screwdriver he’d been holding, transferring it from hand to tentacle to workbench. He turned his head, one eye meeting Victor’s over his bare shoulder. His eye was brown and normal, but the pupil rapidly swelled and shrunk twice, dilating in a way that was thoroughly artificial. His torso sagged, even the tentacles seemed to wilt.
Then he was gone, back down the hatch in a rush of black, without even saying a word.
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