The State of the Gamer: 8/11/22

/ The Shameful Narcissist / 6 Comments

<–The State of the Gamer: 7/28/22           The State of the Gamer: 8/25/22–>

A weekly post updated every other Thursday detailing my current gaming projects.  I have an account at Grouvee, which is a site you can use to keep track of your backlog, so please feel free to friend me there!

Games Demoed: 0

Games Purchased: 3

  • The House of Da Vinci III (The House of Da Vinci) – $5.99 @ iTunes Store
  • Voice of Cards: The Forsaken Maiden (Voice of Cards) – $26.59 @ Nintendo eShop
  • Cris Tales – $13.99 @ Nintendo eShop
Total: $46.57

Games Finished: 0

Games DNF’d: 0

Currently Playing: 1

Title: The House of Da Vinci III
Series: The House of Da Vinci
System: iOS (iPhone)

Cover of The House of Da Vinci IIIDate Started:  July 29, 2022

These devs don’t get nearly enough credit.  This is honestly one of the best point-and-click puzzle games ever, and I’m so happy I found it after playing The Room series.  It’s only available on iOS or Android (I think this one is on Android; I played the others on my Kindle), and it’s also only around $5, which isn’t remotely what it’s worth.  They’re selling themselves short.  I’d pay at least three times as much for this game.  The puzzles are actually intuitive.  You’re not unlocking a door with a feather or baseball et al.  They’re also just hard enough to hold your attention but not frustrate you.  Also there’s a clue system that works in stages, and it will literally tell you the solution if you get too stuck.  It’s up to you whether or not to use it, and you can turn it off if you don’t even want the temptation.

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The State of the Reader: 8/10/22

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<–The State of the Reader: 7/27/22         The State of the Reader: 8/24/22–>

A biweekly post updated every other Wednesday detailing my current reading projects and what new titles I’ve added to my to-read list.  Title links go to Goodreads, and if you have an account there feel free to friend me!  I’d love to see what you’re reading and/or planning to read.

Books Purchased: 2

Total: $3.98

Books Finished: 0

Books DNF: 0

Books On Hold: 1

Title: Belly of the Beast: The Politics of Anti-Fatness as Anti-Blackness
Author: Da’Shaun L. Harrison
Date Added: February 11, 2022
Date Started: May 2, 2022
Date On Hold: August 1, 2022

Cover of Belly of the Beast by Da'Shaun HarrisonMedia: Paperback
Progress: 13%

This book is too heavy for me right now.  I’ve been struggling with what to watch lately, too.  I know those two sentences don’t seem to fit together, but they do.  There’s been this awkward balance of me needing something that will hold my attention but not be too intense.  Anyway, I’m going to shelve this for a bit and come back to it later.

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The State of the Writer: 8/7/22

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<–The State of the Writer: 7/24/22         The State of the Writer: 8/21/22–>

A post updated every other Sunday discussing my current writing projects and any completed the prior two weeks.

Finished Projects: 0

Project: Story/Series
Working Title: The High Archon (The Truth Seeker Chronicles)
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Type: Original
Length: Novel
Current Word Count: 11,282
Status: Reorganizing & Worldbuilding
Progress: Updating character pages on Scrivener

This might be a bit bare bones this week because you have a grumpy TSN.  I stayed up until six this morning watching small animal vlogs and I didn’t wake up until seven so I’m cranky, hungry, sore, and out of sorts.  Anyway, let’s get this done.

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The State of the Gamer: 7/28/22

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<–The State of the Gamer: 7/14/22           The State of the Gamer: 8/11/22–>

A weekly post updated every other Thursday detailing my current gaming projects.  I have an account at Grouvee, which is a site you can use to keep track of your backlog, so please feel free to friend me there!

What I Demoed

Nothing.

What I Purchased

Nothing.

What I Finished

Title: Voice of Cards: The Isle Dragon Roars
Series: Voice of Cards
System: Nintendo Switch

Cover of Voice of Cards: The Isle Dragon RoarsDate Started: July 11, 2022
Date Finished: July 25, 2022

This game ended so abruptly, or maybe I just expected more?  It’s funny because the end was clearly advertised.  A guy who used to be a good person merges with a monster and you fight them in multiple stages with epic music in the background.  Standard Squeenix stuff.  I don’t know why I didn’t realize that was the end.  I might have been waiting for a part I recalled from the demo to show up but it didn’t?  Either way I made the wrong choice and got the bad ending lol.  So I went back and picked up everything I missed.  I have to do the final battle gain and make the choice I know I should’ve made.

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The State of the Reader: 7/27/22

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<–The State of the Reader: 7/13/22         The State of the Reader: 8/10/22–>

A biweekly post updated every other Wednesday detailing my current reading projects and what new titles I’ve added to my to-read list.  Title links go to Goodreads, and if you have an account there feel free to friend me!  I’d love to see what you’re reading and/or planning to read.

Books Purchased: 2

Total: $2.98

Books Finished: 0

Books DNF: 1

Title: The Darkest Part of the Forest
Author: Holly Black
Date Added: June 21, 2016
Date Started: June 28, 2022

Cover of The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly BlackMedia: eBook/Kindle

I called it quits, and I think I understand why it has the lower rating.  It’s one of those intriguing at the outset stories that can’t keep up its momentum, and this one is more egregious because the author presents a thing we know has to happen (coffin boy waking up) and she has to maintain interest once that happens.  That can be accomplished by keeping some mystery about him or making him appealing in some other way.  Unfortunately, she does neither.  He’s…kind of a jackass lol, and the only reason either of the characters are interested in him romantically is for the sake of the plot.

I’m also not a big fan of the “fairies vs. humans” motif especially since the Fair Folk are indigenous to the land and, well, yeah, it’s their land.  Not that I think the tourists who wind up on their bad side deserve their fate, but if you’re going to ask me to pick sides in a land war, I’m siding with who was there first.

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The State of the Writer: 7/24/22

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<–The State of the Writer: 7/10/22         The State of the Writer: 8/7/22–>

A post updated every other Sunday discussing my current writing projects and any completed the prior two weeks.

Finished Projects: 1

Project: Story/Series
Working Title: The High Archon (The Truth Seeker Chronicles)
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Type: Original
Length: Novel
Current Word Count: 11,282
Status: Reorganizing & Worldbuilding
Progress: Updating character pages on Scrivener

Ysmay by Evniki (Alinor Avae)

What’s a story with an antagonist?  Well…she’s not the antagonist of the WIP but rather the first novel The Serpent’s Tale, and she doesn’t show up until the second half of the duology.  I need to do a lot of work on my first novel to get it up to my current standards, but re-reading it, it definitely has good bones and I’m still proud of a lot of the lines in it.  That either means I’m still substandard as a writer and haven’t grown at all if I think some of my crap sounds good, or it actually is pretty good and just needs a clean up. I’m trying to side with the latter.

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The State of the Gamer: 7/14/22

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<–The State of the Gamer: 6/30/22           The State of the Gamer: 7/28/22–>

A weekly post updated every other Thursday detailing my current gaming projects.  I have an account at Grouvee, which is a site you can use to keep track of your backlog, so please feel free to friend me there!

What I Demoed

  • Live A Live – This game was apparently the precursor/inspiration for Octopath Traveler.  Like OT you have eight characters to choose from in a 2D and a half world, though I think LAL was remastered that way.   I played the shinobi character, and I’m pretty sure you’re supposed to stealth your way through the whole mission because every one I battled with handed me my ass.  I’m not sure about the game, but I may give the demo another try with another character.  I found out about this through Olizandri’s channel update, and I just can’t resist at least trying out any JRPG.
  • Yurikill: The Calumniation Games – This is definitely not the game for me.  It’s a combination shoot-em-up and visual novel/mystery(?).  I’m honestly not sure, but the novely parts weren’t holding my attention either.  Pass.
  • Klonoa: Phantasy Reverie Series – Omfg I am so stoked for this game.  It would’ve been a buy even without the demo.  I have been trying to find Klonoa 2: Lunatea’s Veal for YEARS and now that and the first one have been ported to the Switch.  It’s kind of 2D and half like, too, but a platformer where it looks 3D but you play in 2D.

What I Purchased

Nothing this time.

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The State of the Reader: 7/13/22

/ The Shameful Narcissist / 2 Comments

<–The State of the Reader: 6/29/22         The State of the Reader: 7/27/22–>

A biweekly post updated every other Wednesday detailing my current reading projects and what new titles I’ve added to my to-read list.  Title links go to Goodreads, and if you have an account there feel free to friend me!  I’d love to see what you’re reading and/or planning to read.

Books Purchased: 0

Books Finished: 0

Books DNF: 0

Books On Hold: 0

Books Reading: 6

Title: The Ippos King
Series: Wraith Kings
Author: Grace Draven
Date Added: May 25, 2017
Date Started: June 29, 2022

Cover of The Ippos King by Grace Draven (Wraith Kings #3)Media: eBook/Kindle
Progress: 16%

Even though it’s not about the original characters, I’m still totally into it.  Draven knows how to write slow burn romance.  It’s not so much enemies to lovers as it is “I’m repulsed yet somehow drawn to you” dynamics and I’m here for it as someone whose attraction to people can change (for good or ill) based on their personality/mien.

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The Broken Rose: Chapter 10 – A General Transition

/ The Shameful Narcissist / 11 Comments

Update: We have another illustration from the wonderful artist Bethany Funnell.  She hasn’t updated her sites yet with the work, but I’ll drop the direct links to it once she does.  Until then you can find her on Artstation (linked above), Deviant Art, and Twitter!

Update #2: Here’s the direct links to Deviant Art!

The Broken Rose Page

<–Chapter 9                                                                                                  Chapter 11–>

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy VII, its characters, and settings are all property of Square Enix so I can take no credit nor claim any ownership of that. I do take some credit for the story’s plot.
Banner Artwork Disclaimer:  The featured artwork for the banner is entitled White rose I and was created by the very talented Deviant Artist RemusSirion who was gracious enough to grant me permission to use it here.  The picture has been slightly altered from the original. All rights belong to the artist, and links are included for both the artist page and the work.
Chapter Artwork Disclaimer: The featured artwork for this chapter is entitled Sephy and was created by the very talented and gracious Deviant Artist Eeveetachi.  The picture has been slightly altered in appearance and to include the chapter number and title.  All rights belong to the artist, and the image is used here with their permission.  Links are included for both the artist’s page and the work.

*******MAJOR CONTENT WARNING*******

Consistent and sustained graphic descriptions and mentions of rape/ sexual assault, sexual slavery/bondage, slavery, human trafficking, physical abuse, graphic descriptions of violence, mental abuse, emotional abuse, psychological abuse, body shaming, starvation, torture, forced pregnancy, forced childbirth, miscarriage, forced miscarriage, abortion, and other potential disturbing and triggering topics.

Aeris finds comfort in Sephiroth’s protection while soothing his heart made for war, and despite the reasons for his “creation,” the term “general” is sweet from her lips.  Though the past still haunts both and not even he can shield her from all its affects.

A picture of Sephiroth sitting in an amorphous, neutrally colored background facing right with his knees up and both arms wrapped around his abdomen. His long, silver hair sweeps off to the right, and his one black wing curls around his body, the top above his head and the bottom partially covering one leg. He has a pained and forlorn expression, and several black feathers float around him. “Chapter 10 A General Transition” in black letters sits to the right of the wing with the word “General” in a different font from the rest.

He put Aeris down and fell to his knees, covering his face to silver in spill.  It shimmered upon the fine wood floor beyond the door of Heaven’s Gate.  The great black wing was lowered behind, swallowing darkness and giving it back.

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The State of the Writer: 7/10/22

/ The Shameful Narcissist / 4 Comments

<–The State of the Writer: 6/26/22         The State of the Writer: 7/24/22–>

A post updated every other Sunday discussing my current writing projects and any completed the prior two weeks.

Finished Projects: 0

Project: Story/Series
Working Title: The High Archon (The Truth Seeker Chronicles)
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Type: Original
Length: Novel
Current Word Count: 11,282
Status: Reorganizing & Worldbuilding
Progress: Dimension details

What’s a fantasy universe without some mythic creatures?  I had to figure out which ones were “sentient” vs not, but that’s such a weird question you know?  Like even though my cats can’t speak English they still know plenty of stuff I don’t.  So I started thinking more of “which ones can talk to humans/humanoids” vs not and that made more sense.  Then I created another planet called Astrid that’s a gigantic forest with “doorways/portals” to the main world of the story filled with both.   There are “regular” animals that inhabit the world of the winged humanoids I’ve talked about before, though they still have a fantastic appearance and the “regular” means “similar to earth animals in terms of the speech thing” like this little guy below

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