Unsafe space

Killing 3 birds with one stone. (Not really, no birds were harmed :) A writing assignment for Coursera, a game development assignment for Coursera, and a submission to Creative Court on DW.

Author/Team: Catness/Winter
Title: Escape Directive
Fandom: n/a (it's a background story for my own video game, the playthrough video is included)
Characters/Pairings: n/a
Rating: G
Word Count: 833
Summary: A corporate cleanup android enters a sealed disaster zone to erase the evidence, but finds something that changes her purpose forever.

( click here to read )

Member/Team: Catness/Winter
Number and Type of Works: 1 video
Warnings/Spoilers: It's a full playthrough of my game (which only has 1 level so far), so technically, it's all spoilers...

In preparation for moving, I unearthed my old mini laptop (Dell Inspiron Mini) I totally forgot about. It got a lot of action back in the good old days, but now, with the discontinued Ubuntu 14.04, it couldn't be let out on the big bad Internet. Sadly, upgrade options are very limited, because it's 32-bit, and only has 1Gb of memory, and some CPU idiosyncrasies, so most of the distros do not even boot.

I found a super-lightweight Debian-based distro AntiX. It settled comfortably on the laptop, with IceWM window manager. It's minimalistic (didn't even support the desktop backgrounds by default, but I found a workaround), but reasonably easy to configure, and the laptop really flies (it was rather sluggish with Ubuntu). I installed Palemoon (a lightweight version of Firefox) and Lucid Emacs (a lightweight version of Emacs). With Lucid Emacs, it was a battle, as it requires a systemd dependency, and AntiX are anti-systemd out of principle. But Gemini assured me this dependency is not actually needed, and showed me how to create a FAKE systemd package, and a FAKE EMPTY libsystemd.so and it worked! LMAO, so crazy and unhinged.

The keyboard is really comfortable, but the question is, what I can actually use the laptop for, besides writing? Web browsing is a nope, because most sites use sophisticated Javascript, not supported by Palemoon (and neither by old Firefox). Then I had a bright idea to use it for gamedev prototyping, and generally messing around. So I installed:

1. Aseprite - there is a 32-bit version in the package, but it's compiled against newer GlibC so it doesn't run. Gemini showed me how to unpack a .deb package, and to get a standalone GlibC package and to bundle it together with Aseprite binaries, and it's mindboggling but it works! 

2. LÖVE 2D, a simple 2d Lua-based gamedev framework, always wanted to try it out. Worked out of the box, just needed a Mesa env variable override. 

3. Allegro, a low-level framework in C, I recalled the name from symbioid's posts. Most of the packages worked, except for the audio, which depends on pulseaudio which depends on systemd. Gemini assured me that Allegro works fine with pure ALSA, and showed me how to create a fake libpulse package, and the tutorial game works fine, sprites and sfx and all. (I'm becoming an expert package counterfeiter ;)

LibSDL didn't work, required too many dependencies besides systemd, and I didn't feel like encumbering my little beast with all this crap, but I might try to untangle the mess someday.

Still not convinced how usable is the Mini in the long run. Surely it makes much more sense to bring a proper laptop on vacation, or an iPad...  But I have LOADS of fun tinkering with it, much more than expected... and this alone justifies the waste of time ;)

Against my better judgement, signed up for a Coursera creative writing course. This is the 1st assignment, which had to follow some very specific requirements, but discussing the scaffolding is boring for anyone but the author, so here's just the raw result. Seriously, it was too much fun, just being silly and spontaneous without worrying that you might fail... (Heh, maybe my attitude to homework is fundamentally wrong ;) but you can't argue with something that works ;)

( Read more... )

For the_creative_court challenge of this month. Whimsical and cozy Major Arcana cards using stock cat photos, mostly from Pexels. Frame border is from Vecteezy, and the font is Cozy Space from Dafont.

( Hygge Cat Tarot, Major Arcana: 22 images, 300x430 )

The Hidden World by kalium is a browser-based hypertext adventure combined with adopting virtual pets, which you encounter during your travels. It's a relaxing experience, focused not on puzzles but on exploration. Writing style is very classic and gives off retro text adventure vibes.

Here are two of the cute creatures I found and adopted; there are many more, click on them to find your own :)




Thank you, kalium, for creating this whole world from scratch, and sharing it!

A challenge by Dreamersdare.

Challenge 4:

Make a Top Ten list for your favourite relationships in media and tell everyone what you love about them. This covers all kinds of relationships - romantic, sexual, platonic, professional, rivals, acrimonious, family, found family, something else not mentioned here. So, bring out your friends, lovers or enemies, whether canon or fanon. If it involves two or more people interacting in some way, it counts, so go wild!

Here is a link with more details, and to post the link to your answers.

I went with relationships between video game characters. Not romantic, but friends, coworkers, family, reluctant allies, chaotic duos. Not necessarily the best of the best (who has time for analysing and sorting all the games you ever played?), but each of these dynamics stuck in my head and it warms my heart in some way. The games are loosely sorted by most recently played.

1. Pokémon GO: Arlo and Candela
Okay, I lied. I totally perceive this as romantic, even though canon only mentions they went from friends and colleagues to enemies, and it's probably one-sided. But Arlo definitely cannot get Candela out of his head. There is tension, the unresolved rivalry, the bittersweet memories. I even wrote a poem about it for my Pokémon GO bingo challenge, based on Arlo's message to Candela.

2. Nine Noir Lives: PI Cuddles and his assistant Tabby
They routinely insult, mock, and prank each other. But when things get dangerous, they don't hesitate for a moment, but jump straight into trouble to save one another. Beneath all the snark, there's unwavering loyalty. I'm always into "we bicker constantly but I would die for you" dynamic.

3. OneShot: Niko and the Player
This one goes beyond characters. It's between the protagonist and YOU, the player. The game is heavily meta and breaks the fourth wall in a way that makes the connection feel intimate and personal. You're not just guiding Niko, but are responsible for her, and she's aware of you, relies on you and believes in you.

4. Randal’s Monday: Randal and Matt
Randal is rude, obnoxious, and openly kleptomaniac (like most adventure game protagonists, except he doesn’t even hide it ;) But behind the sarcasm and selfishness, he genuinely cares about his only friend. Watching him struggle through increasingly absurd and difficult challenges just to fix his mess and save Matt reveals the feelings of true friendship.

5. Rusty Lake: The Past Within: Albert and Rose
Albert is not a good person by any stretch. That's what makes this relationship so striking. His daughter Rose dedicates herself to bringing him back to life through elaborate and deeply unsettling rituals. And he trusts her with this impossibly sensitive task. It's disturbing and emotionally complicated.

6. Chicken Police: PIs Sonny and Marty
Two cynical former friends and partners with unresolved history. There's tension, sarcasm, and old resentment simmering under the surface. But when the case gets dangerous, they reconnect, and once again they're working in sync. The bickering never stops, yet the trust is still there.

7. Lair of the Clockwork God: Ben and Dan
A friendship built into the game mechanics. Ben is a point&click adventure character, while Dan is an action platformer character. They literally operate under different genres, yet they have to cooperate constantly to progress. I'd never believe it could work, but it works brilliantly. Watching them cooperate and compensate for each other's weaknesses feels both clever and wholesome.

8. LIMBO: The unnamed Boy and his sister
We don't actually see their relationship, but it's implied through purpose. The boy silently endures a terrifying, hostile world and countless gruesome deaths to reach his sister. He is incredibly determined, and his almost mystical journey is a message of love and devotion.

9. Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons: the two brothers
They are inseparable. The player controls both of them, and they physically cannot stray far apart. Their bond is embedded in the game controls. Without spoilers, the ending is one of the most emotionally powerful and brilliant uses of game design I've ever experienced.

10. Portal: Chell and GLaDOS
They begin as enemies. GLaDOS taunts, manipulates, and repeatedly tries to kill Chell. (Not for personal reasons, but following her programming.) But over time, their dynamic evolves. There’s sarcasm, grudging respect, shared survival, and eventually, not exactly friendship but partnership and trust.

Stolen from my f/l. Not sure what's its purpose - collecting statistics? developing the feeling of gratitude? but I suppose it proves that my childhood was not as crappy as I imagine. And it's a lot of nice questions, not depressing / invasive like most of the Friday Five questions.

( TL;DR: I'm privileged, I suppose )

I came across a Divergent faction quiz on Wikihow and got Dauntless. It's very flattering, of course, but totally incorrect - I'm definitely Erudite. But most Erudite-related answers in this quiz are either too uninspiring or too impractical. Like, what goal would you have rather accomplished 5 years in the future: climbed Kilimanjaro or read all of the classics? Would you rather have to complete a new terrifying challenge (shark diving, sky diving, etc.) on every birthday, or be forced to read 200 nonfiction books per year for the rest of your life? (I think the quiz author slipped their own opinion here, using the word "forced" ;) And this one is hilarious: what would you bring to a deserted island? a weapon so I can fight off predators, or an encyclopedia set to keep me entertained? LMAO!

So I think this quiz is rigged in favour of Dauntless... but maybe I do have a hidden aptitude towards it? Tris also could never imagine herself in Dauntless until it happened... Also, that's what I would choose if it was only a matter of choice and not personal qualities.

Btw I wonder if anyone would ever want Abnegation or Candor. They seem to be such crappy options. I can imagine some people would enjoy Amity.

A challenge by Dreamersdare. 

Challenge 2:
Make a Top Ten list for your favourite series and tell people exactly why you love it. This can be in any format - tv series, book series, radio plays, movie sequels, something else not mentioned here.

Here is a link with more details, and to post the link to your answers. 

I went with TV shows, starting with a few newer ones. 

* Squid Game

A Korean drama about a secret contest involving children's games, except these versions are deadly, and the last surviving player is supposed to receive a huge prize. In a cramped dormitory-like environment controlled by merciless masked guards, there's a lot of tension, intrigues, alliances and conflicts between the players. 

* Alice in Borderland

Based on a Japanese manga series (loosely inspired by Alice in Wonderland). It's also about deadly games, but the action happens in an alternate reality. The games are represented by playing cards, they're more varied and dynamic, and the atmosphere is more relaxed overall, as the characters are not confined to a single area but wander all around alternate Tokyo, with its gorgeous abandoned urbanscapes. (I just started the 3rd season, which is said to be the final one.)

* Wednesday

The newest addition to the Addams Family lore. Wednesday (and later, Pugsley) attends a high school for students with special abities. While not exactly a magic school and not focused on lessons, it fits the "magic school" trope for me. Nevermore has this lovely Dark Academia vibe, and Wednesday herself is perfect, with her extraordinary abilities, skills and willpower, and relentlessly morbid attitude. 

* Black Mirror

A sci-fi series emphasizing and extrapolating the possible dangers of computer technologies, resulting in dystopias of varying degrees of horror. Episodes are mostly unrelated, although several episodes mention the same technologies. As a fan of cyberpunk and dystopia, I enjoy these creepy glimpses into our possible futures. (I saw seasons 1-5, will continue with 6 and 7 after I'm done with Alice.)

* Westworld

A sci-fi series about a Wild West theme park featuring AI-powered androids created for the entertainment of rich guests who are free to abuse and murder the "hosts" any way they want. It raises many questions about AI, ethics, consciousness and reality. "Have you ever questioned the nature of your reality?" (I admit I quit during the 3rd season because the quality of the show declined dramatically, but the first season was amazing, and the 2nd was still good.)

* Death Note

An anime based on a Japanese manga series. A high-school student finds a notebook belonging to a God of Death, which allows to kill people by writing down their name and cause of death. He realizes it's a great opportunity to rid the world of bad people. Somehow, the police are not amused, and assign the smartest detective to track this secret vigilante. Following the mind games between two brilliant Chessmasters, Light and L, is incredibly exciting. (Note: there's also a Netflix film but it mangles the story and characters beyond recognition, and is a shame.) 

* Breaking Bad

One man's journey from a timid and shy school teacher to a ruthless crime boss. Despite the story taking place in the real world, no magic and no puzzles, it's somehow extremely engaging. Watching Walter White's transformation, step by step, makes you wonder where the boundary between good and evil lies, and how far someone can go even when starting with the best intentions. There are several strong and alluring characters (especially Gus Fring: a quiet,  perfectly composed villain with impecable style) and a lot of humour.

* Hannibal

The early years of Hannibal Lecter, the serial killer, cannibal and psychiatrist, before he became famous in Silence of the Lambs. It's fascinating to watch the development of a close bond between Hannibal and a man who's supposed to be his mortal enemy: FBI agent Will Graham. I'm not a shipper but this is one relationship where the chemistry shoots through the roof. Hannibal is so quietly menacing and sexy. Also, food porn.

* Game of Thrones

The epic history of a medieval-like fantasy world. Not something I'd usually watch, as there are so many plot threads, the story is extremely complicated and there are too many characters to keep track of. But it's so atmospheric and beautifully depicted and dynamic, and so much weird shit keeps happening, that it just draws you in, I guess... 

* Star Trek

Doesn't need an introduction ;) Actually, I'm only familiar with the first 4 series: TOS, TNG, DS9 and Voyager. I tried watching the next one but couldn't stick with it for some reason. My favourite is DS9, because it's darker and has more continuity in its story arcs (or maybe just because it was my first one...) Honestly, TOS feels so cheesy in comparison. Even so, I especially enjoy episodes like Mirror Universe, where the characters behave in atypically evil ways.

A challenge by Dreamersdare. 

Challenge 1:
Make a Top Ten list for your favourite standalone media and tell people exactly why you love it. This can be in any format - movies, one shot dramas, novels, short stories, plays, something else not mentioned here. Whatever you like!

Here is a link with more details, and to post the link to your answers. 

I don’t watch a lot of movies, so this list is pretty random. In no particular order, 10 movies that stayed in my memory, chosen specifically because I’ve rewatched each of them more than once, and I can remember the details without consulting the Internet ;)

* The Prestige – a mystery/drama about the feud between two stage magicians, each of them inventing brilliant tricks using really unconventional methods. The ending horrified me, and I spent many hours pondering how that trick worked and felt for everyone involved.

* eXistenZ – a pre-Matrix movie featuring virtual reality. A game developer and her sidekick get trapped in a fully immersive VR game. The technology is biologically based and looks very creepy. A kind of motivational movie for me because hey, it’s about game development ;)

* Mulholland Drive – a mystery/drama with a dreamlike atmosphere, where the same events and details repeat and recombine in different ways. The story has a puzzle-like feel to it, with the pieces slowly matching together by the end. But even after you know what it’s all about, there are still new details to notice on a rewatch.

* Cabin in the Woods – a comedy/parody of horror movies, incorporating many genre clichés and combining them in dark, weird and hilarious ways. I like how we get a bigger view of the story several times (i.e., this is not what is really happening…).

* The Truman Show – a comedy/psychological drama about a man who is the star of a reality show but is completely unaware that every detail of his daily life is broadcast to the world. His environment is artificial, and all his friends and family are actually actors. When he starts noticing weird things that don’t quite add up, it’s eerie and relatable. (Warning: may exacerbate paranoia... ;) Amazing soundtrack by Philip Glass.

* Memento – a detective story in which the main character, who investigates the murder of his wife, suffers from short-term memory loss. He has to leave himself notes to retain the clues. The story is told in reverse. Even though we start at the end and move toward the beginning, the mystery works just like in a regular story, and it ends with a twist that changes everything... so you immediately need to rewatch.

* Alice in Wonderland (by Tim Burton) – an adult version of the famous children’s tale, so everything is darker and edgier, with more angst and sadness and gorgeous scenery. I was especially taken by the menacing, long-suffering Knave of Hearts.

* Galaxy Quest – a comedy/parody of Star Trek, very smart and meta. It’s about a group of actors from a sci-fi TV show who are suddenly forced to relive their screen adventures IRL. It's funny and witty but also has some genuinely touching moments. Plus, a brilliant performance by Alan Rickman.

* The Usual Suspects – a crime thriller focused on the mysterious and terrifying criminal mastermind Keyser Söze. The action alternates between a police interrogation and flashbacks. TBF, the crime stuff was a bit boring, but the ending was so shockingly unexpected that I immediately went to rewatch the whole thing (and not just once!) to check all the details I had missed.

* Idiocracy – a comedy/satire that provides a bleak but hilarious view of a dystopian future, where humankind becomes so drastically dumb that an average Joe from our time appears to be a genius. There are so many funny moments. I really liked the character of President Camacho, a former wrestler - an attractive, reasonably smart and an overall cool guy.