Bones Rattling

“I hate you so much that sometimes I can’t think of anything else.”

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This piece has been rotting in my art folder for months now and I finally figured out how I Wanted to color/render Dinraal.

liveplay ttrpg shows are not 'professional gaming', that's the whole problem I'm talking about. they're entertainment products which make format, content and form choices that would be nonsensical or obstructive at an ordinary table. it's not just "oh if only 'hobbyist' gaming groups (🤮) could pay for all that kit and lighting and professional writers and voice actors".

liveplay production involves story meetings aimed at making the narrative maximally entertaining to a watching audience (not the players, who are also professionals who are there to entertain that audience!). It involves editing (trimming out downtime, uninteresting mistakes, technical issues, moments where the vibe is wrong or there's friction in the room). it involves a room full of production crew watching every move the GM and players make, sensitive to wastage of their time and effort if things don't go to plan. and not for nothing, it involves an entire team of people who need to keep game publishers happy by playing and displaying their products correctly and certainly never criticising them or openly adapting around their shortcomings for the sake of the group's enjoyment.

I've played at tables where we've been lucky enough to have fun props and miniatures and printed maps and sound systems and even a bit of lighting, and where everyone in the group was a seasoned player with writing and performance backgrounds, and the experience was still full of normal natural constructive frictions that are largely if not completely absent from entertainment liveplay shows. player disagreement is normal. stopping mid flow to argue about a rule and look it up and help each other with system technicalities is normal. the music just not working today is normal. the party choosing a direction the GM didn't prepare for and having to adjust their in-character choices a little and tolerate some hastily cobbled together fluff to meet them halfway is so normal it's a running joke. someone finding a scene a little too much and asking for a break or redirection is normal. someone saying something a little ill judged in the moment and having to walk it back with as much grace as possible is normal. storylines not going to plan and petering out without major dramatic resolution, or npcs being ignored and cast off with a shrug is normal. all this shit and more is normal because a normal table is structured around the organic decision-making of a bunch of players who are primarily in it for their own fun and sense of transport, not for an invisible imaginary fandom slash consumer market. which are all the things that make ttrpg play inherently a pretty bad vehicle for storytelling, incidentally!

*doom music starts to play* I actually kindof like scheduling these kinds of appointments now...

but seriously Fellas, don't forget to schedule a pap smear every couple of years just in case. If you still have a cervix you can still get cervical cancer. ilu

it'd be a shame if this...

Patron Saints of One Way Trips

There aren’t enough LGBTQ-friendly Chinese fantasy games, so we’re making one!!

Fly passengers around town on your giant pet crane

Unravel a mystery with 5 endings and wild twists

Fall in love??

There's been a massive amount of innovation in the lower end of DAPs, and you can get a lot for under $100. Here are the main ones I recommend:

Snowsky Echo Mini - This is the most affordable one, at only $65 CAD (I think it's even less in the US) and the one that I ended up buying. Designed to look like a cassette player. The main drawback is that the interface is slightly unintuitive and it doesn't have a touch screen, but I've been delighted with mine.

Hiby R1 - This goes for $85 USD, and is the most widely recommended of the bunch for its friendly UI and wide range of utilities. Has a touchscreen and buttons.

Tempotec V1 - Similar to the Hiby R1, although the specific features are slightly different. Also has a touchscreen and buttons. Price is comparable with the Hiby.

Innioasis R1 (honourable mention) - Designed to look nearly identical to an iPod Classic, including a fully functional clickwheel. The sound quality on this is notably worse than the other DAPs I listed above, and the Bluetooth is widely reported to be unreliable, but I have to include it for people who want an iPod again (and don't want to shell out $300+ for a modernized Classic) and because it has an extremely active modding scene. Price is comparable with the Echo Mini.

I ended up giving it away as a gift and getting a Hiby R1 instead, which has been a much smoother experience, with far more basic functions than the Echo Mini - so I’m going to add my voice to the chorus saying that it’s the best low budget/starter DAP for anyone who wants to get into them.