#mage's thoughts

First: If you wanna play the game, play it. Does this make you a bad person with bad morals? No.

Second: No AI was used. This was a rumor with zero proof. The CEO mentioned his interest in AI at some point or AI was used on OTHER projects but not on Palworld.

Third: Did they steal models from Pokémon? I believe it was heavily inspired to a point where they toed a line, yes, but that's Nintendo's battle to fight, not yours. This game showed trailers 2 years ago. If Nintendo wanted to stop it, they would've already. Plus, Pokémon ripped their designs off Dragon Quest, so no one is innocent here. The multi-billion dollar corporation will be alright, I promise.

Fourth: You can be both a Pokémon fan AND a Palworld fan. The games are actually insanely different in gameplay and story. Palworld is actually more similar to ARK or Rust than it is Pokémon. If I'm honest, Palworld is built better.

Fifth: Pokémon fans should see this as a good competition for Nintendo. Competition means Nintendo might take the next game a little more seriously, allowing for a better product than what was initially received with Violet/Scarlet.

And lastly, if I had to take a guess, the Palworld devs probably (and this is just my opinion!) hired a lawyer to tell them how far they could toe the line which means what they've done is legal. People might not like that but that might just be how it is.

That being said, yes I've played the game, yes I love it and yes, I will continue playing it and I don't feel bad about it.

And I just wanted you to know to all those who have been here for so long, since I do see you, that I appreciate you a lot. We're just like this one big happy friend group of silent friends in my head. I know that might be silly but maybe it gave you a smile!

I dunno what made me think of this but... did you all know I'm non-binary? I use and prefer they/them pronouns and prefer look as androgynous as I can. Sometimes that can be tough but I do my best to be happy with my body and how I look! I'm really proud to be non-binary and I know there are a lot of people out there who think it's not real but I know who I am and how I feel.

Always be you. Always be yourself and don't ever apologize for being you. There's nothing wrong with you, you're not faking it, or going through a phase. You're just you and that's wonderful.

Sometimes, I wonder if people would actually miss me if I stopped posting any content. I don't know how I always end up the bad guy when I'm told not to talk to the other person or explain my thoughts or emotions on a particular situation.

It's one of those days. Why my thoughts still go to this even though it occurred in the summer baffles me. There's more to my life than what goes on online, and yet, I still find myself in a panic attack every now and then because a friend dumped me over a disagreement regarding something I personally believe was incredibly minor.

I know what you're thinking. Just because it was minor to me, doesn't mean it was minor to them and that could be true but at the end of the day, I can't fix anything or even apologize if I don't know what they’re thinking or feeling, if the other person just outright ignores me. Maybe they just don't want that, though. They don't want it fixed, they just want to never talk to me ever again which is also valid but it would be nice to know that so I don't panic every time I think about it.

Emotions are complicated. Understanding a situation but still being hurt leaves things muddy in my brain.

As my classmate likes to say, "Life is tough, so wear a helmet."

Hey Everyone,

Just a small update from me since I know I've been really quiet as of recent. I've transitioned from my summer job to school, but this first month has really kicked my ass. It's my second year, so it's understandable since it's a two-year program, but I've basically had 1-2 tests every week since going back to school, plus assignments and such. I've been busy!

Not only that but my motivation has been super low in regards to writing and art, especially since I had a not-so-stellar summer with the Undertale Community. It's 100% nothing any of you Mageling's have done, and I'm not going to get into the specifics of anything but suffice to say, I won't be participating, moderating, or hosting any more events like Halfway to Gyftmas, Gyftmas, or Skelemonth. It was just an experience that left me hurt in a lot of ways with specific individuals and I'd rather just stay away from those kinds of events from now on. (There's still also a ton of individuals that were involved that I have a ton of love for though!)

However, I will still do events like the Q&A here with you guys! I love doing that stuff.

BUT that's where I'm at. Motivation is a smidge low but I'm working on building it back. I am FAR from done with the Undertale community, I love this game, the art, the stories and you'll be seeing me for a long time yet.

Basically, thank you for your patience with me and thank you for your continued support! Please remember to practice self-care and go easy on yourselves!

With Love,

Life throws you curveballs sometimes!