So today I started Traum and it looks promising. Mostly I like what they did with the enemy designs haha clever. But it does look fun, and while my thoughts are mostly "Omggg Roland content" I am excited to see how this plays out with a certain character being involved. And, as always, just to figure out what's going on with the story lol. Now for this one I think I am completely unspoiled so it's going to be fun to see what happens, so ye. Plus I haven't really gotten any recs on youtube so I do wonder if this section of the story is unremarkable for the fandom or something (though people really do speed through content and then cry for more content so idk lol). Anyways yeah.
I also went to try getting Roland and in the first 10-pull I got Kriemhild, which probably means I have to unarchive Siegfried and level him up. I love her design I think it might be a sort of mourning dress or something but it just looks sososo good (haven't seen the other ascensions yet) and yeah I'm probably going to level her up eventually as well.
Thennn, well. I got Charlemagne in the second multi roll. I really want to say I'm not thrilled about this because I got the golden Saber card and I was like ROLAND and nooo it was the 5* unit on rate up instead... but yk, I would be lying if I said that. Because, yes, it was a disappointment for like the first 5 seconds, but Charlie introduced himself in such a cheerful way that he really won me over just with a greeting lol. He looks like a good unit and 5*s are always welcome anyways, so overall I'm happy. And he literally goes like "yahoo!" when you level him up so what's not to love?? I'll just wait to see his part in the story and then I'll be satisfied, so gj Fate for making me instalike a character I literally said I didn't care much for before.
Now I'm facing a dilemma because I could get enough SQ for another multi and have a slim chance to get Roland but also I already got 2 out of the 3 Servants in this banner (with one being a 5* and this is good luck) so it might be stretching my luck. But I also want to save up for the next banner, so, hmm. Gacha player problemas as always lol. Maybe I'll think about it when I get more SQ, but as disappointed as I am to not have Roland I also can't be sad because I got Charlie and Kriemhild.
For now...farming time let's gooo (*crying*).

I keep reading my location as YoNotsu instead of YoMotsu over and over and every time I have to blink and sqint and make sure it wasn't changed for some hilarious reason

The feeling of not being understood by anyone else is something I used to experience a lot in past years although logically speaking I knew it was extremely unlikely for that to happen. Now knowing that such a feeling is shared by pretty much everyone at some point feels interestingly comforting. 
I guess in some way it's impossible to match to a 100% with why someone is feeling a certain way especially with circumstances and all, but I think talking it out with others is part of the reason humans need to have some sort of social interaction with close ones. Healthy relationships.
Anyways just thinking about this because I got new info and I recently used a character who is kind of selfish with his emotions in this way.

Time in his philosopher arc fr.

Hmm, how do I put this? I think the "selfishness" in Valère (same dude I last posted on my art thread) isn't really a defining trait but something I think would be more normal to find in people. 
He is the character I used in DRPU's last season "Perfection Quest" which just ended so I'm kind of thinking about how his character changed through the roleplay. I think part of what I really like about him is that while users generally make their characters to stand out or have some really strong defining traits or really traumatizing backstories, Valère is just some guy who happens to be really good at what is his talent (percussionist). He does have a lot of merit considering that he's deaf and all but the main point is that I created him with the premise of being a normal teen. And, somehow, this dude became like the second most liked character in all this season which I am very proud of. But that's beside the point.

I'm not sure I'd say Val is self-centered, but he is not really an altruistic person and he does not jump at the first opportunity to empathize with others. Especially at the start of the roleplay as he was grouped in with a bunch of strangers (plus some celebrities) and he couldn't care less about any of them. Now here I had the chance to show one of my favorite concepts: it takes time to build a relationship with others.
A part of Val's inner conflict while starting out is that he was previously "betrayed" by his friends and it led him to be extremely wary of trusting others with his true thoughts and all that. But it also increased the concept I mentioned in my previous post. He felt like what he had gone through years before was absolutely world-shattering for himself (and it really was, you can't minimize something like that) and that nobody would even come close to just knowing what feelings stemmed from that. His self-inflicted loneliness in that he couldn't be sure if others, and he viewed others as being lucky that they could have "friends" and all because they didn't know what he knew.
But mind you, he did NOT torture himself mentally with this idea of being eternally misunderstood. I think it mostly just showed in his thoughts, when he showed some stronger reactions and certain characters would try to console him with "oh I know what that feels like" or "you should just talk it out" his inner voice was all "You would NEVER understand" and he would either decline the offer or just listen but without internalizing anything. Because he, unwittingly, was very self-centered in that way. I don't know I'm making myself clear in that definition.
Another point I think is interesting is that he prioritized his thoughts over others'. A character might feel forgiveness towards other, but when it didn't match up with what Val thought, he treated his own point of view as the absolute truth. 

I think I could talk more about Valère tbh but rn my thoughts are a bit scattered. There were definitely a lot of interesting things in his development to the point in which he actually made one or two friends, and maybe i can touch on that but idk if this is what you want @Time haha, sorry if I went off topic.

Best cookie bar recipe ever (just make sure your mixer doesn't explode or that you're strong enough to mix the batter by hand)
I haven't done baking in a while and there were still some walmark chocochips left over from earlier this year so it was like the perfect thing to do. Plus the weather has gotten colder all of a sudden (although they say it might get warm again next week idk) so it's like the perfect time to have hot milky and baked goods and all that nice stuff. Feeling very Aisline right now in terms of what I want to eat although her aesthetic isn't really mine. But I'm just thinking about her.
Anyways yeah up there's a good recipe. I honestly don't know (or don't remember) if there's anyone else in this forum who is into baking or preparing food but if you like it do give the recipe a check !!

Pros of having noise-cancelling earbuds: You can't hear your surroundings
Cons of having noise-cancelling earbuds: You can't hear your surroundings

62 guests online... the return of the guest invasion...

I don't know your motivations or anything but I'd assume that's just part of the natural curiosity to understand more about the world around. 
Huh it's the first time I hear the term "loser design". I was just thinking about how an angsty backstory doesn't necessarily mean yoru character is going to be all epic just like a more "ordinary" backstory doesn't mean your character will be boring. I am a big fan of people having more average daily lives because their motivation is sourced from smaller things instead of being like "oh my parents died, I am to marry a wealthy person I don't love" which isn't bad either (most of my characters have non-ordinary backstories actually lol). I think I could say I like variety. But please do tell me about this term you mention.

SpecterTheGreat wrote:

I don't know your motivations or anything but I'd assume that's just part of the natural curiosity to understand more about the world around. 
Huh it's the first time I hear the term "loser design". I was just thinking about how an angsty backstory doesn't necessarily mean yoru character is going to be all epic just like a more "ordinary" backstory doesn't mean your character will be boring. I am a big fan of people having more average daily lives because their motivation is sourced from smaller things instead of being like "oh my parents died, I am to marry a wealthy person I don't love" which isn't bad either (most of my characters have non-ordinary backstories actually lol). I think I could say I like variety. But please do tell me about this term you mention.

Oh because I lowkey made the term up lol. Or I took it from another person that made it up.
So initially when I first read it, it was used to apply to the characters of Chainsaw Man. Literally everyone in that story is some form or flavor of a "loser". I would give examples, but I'm not too sure you would get them since I don't think you've ever looked into CSM. There are alcoholics, brutes, deadbeats, awkward antisocials, people that try to act cool only to look stupid (this happens a few times I'm pretty sure), and more. Even if they're depicted as cool people when you first meet them or have cool moments, they have just another scene where they look pretty foolish. Nobody is a 100% spotless badass.
The original writer of this little essay said that they read another essay on the term "loser". In which it states that you're a loser if someone can call you a loser, which is nearly everyone, but not exactly everyone.
You and I have done many embarrassing things, things we regret, things that make you cringe on instinct. That sorta stuff doesn't ever really get depicted in stories. But CSM really makes sure that it's in the spotlight to see. To show that yes, these characters are losers. They mess up and look stupid. Just like you. To increase relatability (and also for comedic relief at times).

I suppose this relates to what you're saying not exactly because of "ordinary" backstories or anything like that, but more that characters can feel more relatable based upon interactions that they have in the world. That they're not invincible people that will always look good for the camera.

Bro just one page left but I literally can't focus anymore I will do this early tomorrow instead

Time wrote:

I suppose this relates to what you're saying not exactly because of "ordinary" backstories or anything like that, but more that characters can feel more relatable based upon interactions that they have in the world. That they're not invincible people that will always look good for the camera.

I see, so essentially making the characters relatable my emphasizing their flaws instead of focusing on their virtues. I can definitely see why that'd work (and especially so for people who are more into the morally gray category of characters) and also I guess it's kind of unique in that not too many works do that? I could be wrong, but that's just my impression. 
Well in personal opinion I think I can say in general I like that take but at the same time it doesn't really attract me. I do think it's important for flaws to stand out, or be subtle in a way that you can tell they exist, but just from pesonal preference I don't think I'd like to see a work in which all characters are losers : P Then again I haven't looked much into CSM aside from comments from friends, but at the same time it's this specific thing about the characters being like this that turned me away from the series. 
I didn't mean to extend this post a lot bc in summary I get what you mean. Just voicing out my thoughts a lil. I like heroic characters quite a lot, and I particularly admire it when the character has to overcome their own flaws to do something good. 

Oh well I mean, I think everyone enjoys seeing a character overcome their flaws to achieve their goals or do the right thing or something like that.

Though I also do get that it doesn't really attract you. Tbh, I don't exactly think relatability a big drawing point for me? That was me parroting the original post. Though I do think the fact that they're morally gray characters that are far from perfect, and even can be considered as actually horrible people is a draw for me. But tbh, you can find morally gray characters in nearly anything now. Antiheros are super popular.

Plus not everyone in CSM is a loser. There is one guy that the original post argues is morally good, albeit rough around the edges. But the fact that he's a good person makes him somewhat of a loser, as he's alienated from the rest of the cast by the fact he has morality.

Editing sidenote: you mentioned you liked heroic characters... did you like Emiya?

Last edited by Time (June 2, 2024 23:43:01)

Yeah for sure I mean a singular trope will not draw me to any character, no matter how much I like that singular trope. Multiple traits and features have to work together to make them appealing to me. I'd never watch a show just because the MC is an antihero or morally gray or whatever.

Oh no the other Emiya my bad lol. I mean Shirou. In my eyes he appears much more of the "heroic" type does he not?

I agree you two guys seem like you might like to share character analyses or something xD

Tuti wrote:

Hey! I think your taste in characters may be similar to mine. I resonate a lot with you everytime you talk about these topics. 

Letss goo good to hear 👌

SpecterTheGreat wrote:

But uhhh trying to recall, I think I don't really like Shirou that much? He's okay, he's a main character and he has his reactions to things but I didn't really find his concept of justice to be too appealing. I feel like I remember thinking of him being kinda dumb.

Oh ok cool then, I was just wondering if my thoughts on him were a bit off from others.
I'll just go flat out with that I didn't like him as a character. At least in UBW. Idk if he's better represented in other timelines better, but it was like, one of the few times I was actually annoyed by a character whenever he was on screen.

Though I did like his adoptive father for sure. Especially learning his life story. I think those were some of my favorite episodes in Zero