BAFTA pulling a trailer for an autobiographical game about surviving sexual assault only hours before it was said to be a part of a showcase is an exceptionally bad look.

Happy Birthday April Ryan! April was named after a month of her birth. The start of spring and the season of new beginnings. It's spring again and we want to take a moment to celebrate the girl who started it all. The very first protagonist of the series back in 1999.

I'm so tired of Trek plots that are instigated by "we love learning about new cultures but not enough to learn if they have any stupid laws" lmao

Okay CTA. This is a good sign.

This post inspired by “wait, did I ever talk to Jens about that military propaganda episode?”

It goes the other way too!! I’m trying to remember but there was a Voyager (I think) episode where we both agreed it was near perfection. Strong premise exploring humanity the way Star Trek does best. Excellent writing and resolution and the silly review website gave it a 2.

Going to speak for Kabanaw and say he wants to go on record as a Drumhead hater.

I would like to go on record as a Blood Fever defender.

Podcast in which @kabanaw.bsky.social and I watch Star Trek and review episodes, but we only record when we have an opinion that differs from the general consensus.

I think it hits the same parts of your brain as telling someone you plan to go to the gym. You haven’t done anything but you’ve tricked your brain into giving up the good chemicals for your very good and correct thoughts.

I’ve got an idea: reading fiction is frivolous. Why would you seek out media this dour? But reading *memoirs,* now this is hard work but it’s *meaningful.* This actual person had to live it, the least you can do is listen. Then you get to feel good about yourself for doing the Hard Work of reading.

Screenshot of Elmo next to his pet's fishbowl in Elmo's World. The subtitles say "We. Dorothy's been thinking abou and down to what’s her daughter."

four birds in a cartoon from Sesame Street, with the caption reading "Oh, shit"

Another Sesame Street cartoon saying "Oh shit"

Screenshot of Big Bird in Hooper’s Store with live human Alan and a flying red bird. The subtitles read: "Time for the birth of terror. Me"

Do not watch Sesame Street on Tubi with the subtitles on 😭. I swear, I didn't edit or add anything. Is it hilarious? Yes, but also, they need to fix this immediately. Absolutely incomprehensible and bad

I think if I were to start with a spiritual successor, I'd start with the world. Create a world worth exploring, then populate it with people worth getting to know. Design a narrative to help guide you through that world, and *only then* do we actually start making a video game.

The problem, of course, is that I will not do that. The only financially viable indie studio is one where a single person works in their spare time for 10 years and then either hits the lottery (great!) or doesn't (no harm, no foul). This requires so many different skills that I do not have!!

But EVEN WITH ALL THAT, I'd love a more one-to-one spiritual successor. I think there's a lot of untapped potential here. If I ever start my own indie studio this is what I'm doing. This is the hole in the world I need to see filled.

Trails in the Sky is the closest I've found by far. Similar irreverent but genuine tone, similar depth of world-building. the NPCs are all people you can learn and care about, similar mission-based system, and, in fact, the same female lead (lol). I don't know how more recent Trails games compare.

Radiata Stories is a game I'd love a spiritual sequel to. It doesn't really fit into the modern game landscape. It's too small, too dense. This is the least open world game possible. Every room is here because it matters, at least a little.

5) The President of the magic guild is an owl. This is not commented on at any point; you just learn it if you head to the president's office and talk to him. I love it.

4) The mechanical framework of "you're part of a team and you take on missions" is so simple but so satisfying. It's just nice to pick up quests and help people with stuff! It's a great vector for flavor, goofy side missions and major undertakings alike.

3) The music, art style, and writing all fit together beautifully. It's all loud and full of personality and irreverent charm. Nothing is solemn until it's really earned it, but neither is anything ironic. You can get armor that turns Jack into a salaryman or a robot. It's silly, but genuine.

2) Exploring Radiata feels so enriching. There's a pure joy to wandering around the magic institute and seeing what experiments people are running, or finding a literal back alley where back alley deals are happening. The whole city tells a story.

And *nothing* matches the joy of talking to someone and getting a whole little conversation with Jack instead of "just" area-specific NPC dialogue.

I love Radiata Stories so much. Let me count the ways:
1) Detailed NPC schedules. It's not just the fact that they all have a schedule and are in different places all day, but the fact that they have different dialogue depending on what they're doing. It makes the characters feel alive.

It took me 20 minutes to get out of the pet store.

Was trying to stay very focused while shopping at the pet store but I locked eyes with a Jack Russell Terrier in the daycare and he looked so excited to see me and I couldn't possibly ignore my boy.

I know in my heart that this is the correct answer but I hate it.

I’m fine following the script I just literally do not know how the script goes in this instance.

I propose that if folks are moving, we limit the phatic communication to “hi”s only. I may have *barely* enough time to respond to your question but asking you one in return is ludicrous. Not asking feels rude. Leaving your question unanswered feels rude. I’m put in an impossible situation.

That’s fine. My problem isn’t with the phatic communication, is that I don’t know where the script is supposed to go when you are walking the opposite direction as me so we don’t have time to do the whole thing. Do I yell “good, and you??” behind my back as I’ve walked past?

Honestly, how dare you. You created this problem and laid it at my feet.