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Post by RielCZ on Nov 12, 2021 21:40:42 GMT -5
ArticlesPutting the "Non-Fun" in Non-Fungible by RielCZ Navigating Neopia: Journey of a Non-Native Speaker by emilyhunter5034 and atta_de_heerser Tons of Fun With Birthday Wearables by _brainchild_ Kiko Lake: The Worst Altador Cup Team by domdee17 Avatar Hunting In The Times of Post Flash by daisyandblackberry Short StoriesCathton's Birthday Wish by Kat Into the Mists - An Interview with Mirsha Grelinek by skatabo Tales of Neopia: Two Against One by Gray ComicsBlossoms~ Heart to Heart Part 11 by Twillie 3D Peophin Pop-up Card (Printable Craft) by jaylahcat Bad Idea, Dude: Halloween Part 2 by fluffy_bumbkin Annual Gormball Championships: The Crossword by coconut_rat and theguy2020 A Really Great Joke by kathleen_a_b and stargirl089 Crumbeard's Ship Log by Holly Boochi, stop failing by nico_andresss Soy Sauce by black_kisa Heads up! by memorerro Better Luck Next Time, Kad! by neomystress, cisko116, and emilyhunter5034 Winter is coming! by chefcheeto The Insanity Clause by xmasplush and o_babypet4me_o It's Their Birthday Too! by preksolanx, corrina404, and theguy2020 Super Happy Fun Birthday Crossword! by riparu and mikurubeam297 Random Oddness by mistyqee Continued SeriesA Hero's Ballad: The Knightmare by Carolyn For the Love of the Game by 77thbigby Rosalina and the Way-Weird Beast by downrightdude And don't forget The Editorial. All reviews of all pieces are welcome! However, if you would really like your piece to be reviewed, post and let others know!  We hop straight from Halloween to Birthday -- though, a part of the change to a semi-monthly NT will be a lower ratio of normal to special NT issues, I suppose.
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Post by June Scarlet on Nov 12, 2021 21:52:55 GMT -5
Haha, I nearly posted a thread too, Riel, good thing I noticed your thread first!
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Post by RielCZ on Nov 12, 2021 21:55:06 GMT -5
Sorry to be an accidental ninja.  |
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Post by Twillie on Nov 12, 2021 21:59:59 GMT -5
We hop straight from Halloween to Birthday -- though, a part of the change to a semi-monthly NT will be a lower ratio of normal to special NT issues, I suppose. Halloween, Birthday, Issue 950, and Christmas all back to back xD; A fun time for Aesop, I'm sure. |
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Post by Ian Wolf-Park on Nov 12, 2021 23:08:12 GMT -5
RielCZ- Wow, that was quite the biting (satirical) article that you wrote, even though it has some basis with 'ahem', recent events.
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Gray
Occasional Commenter
you're alive, so alive
Posts: 20 
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Post by Gray on Nov 13, 2021 14:10:17 GMT -5
shappy birthday to neo! articlesPutting the "Non-Fun" in Non-Fungible - kind of cutthroat and very well written! also, I just love the idea of Aesop reading and approving this like wow they really are on our side a little haha. this is the first Anti-NFT thing I've seen in the Times so that's pretty cool too! Navigating Neopia: Journey of a Non-Native Speaker - this is SUCH a good idea for an article! It made me a weird kind of sad for the people that struggle to connect with the site and the community due to language or other barriers! Tons of Fun With Birthday Wearables - I really liked this! I have a similar article coming out soon too so I'm glad to see I'm not the only item curator haha. Kiko Lake: The Worst Altador Cup Team - lolololol Kiko Lake is the worst everything honestly and they don't deserve one neopoint of our money. Avatar Hunting In The Times of Post Flash - another fantastic idea for an article! in the Neoquest section it says NQII twice but that's no biggie! short stories
Cathton's Birthday Wish - I loved this! the tone was so calm and somber, it felt very winter-y if that makes sense at all. also, everyone had excellent names. Into the Mists - An Interview with Mirsha Grelinek - I really like this little series of interviews. I'm not a sporty boy or even an AC person but these are cute. Tales of Neopia: Two Against One -
I was under the impression if we included the tags that Aesop would format the text appropriately but I guess not? Idk. The second "Why?" of Siyana is meant to be italicized it looks a little odd without it. 'She opened her mouth to speak and instead let out another sharp cry of agony. The light Faerie dropped from the sky, her blonde hair whipped around her light frame as she fell.' sigh this was a silly mistake and one I make too often, I edited this in my head and not in real life lol. there's no attack here? Siyana just... falls. which is fine i guess. idk. then immediately after that I missed capitalizing a 'Faerie'. smh. someday i'll get it together lol. I wrote this out of frustration with NANO/myself and it's only alright but I'm glad I got into the birthday editon. I hope to continue this Tales of Neopia thing with other stories but I really have always wondered why Siyana and Psellia didn't fight The Darkest Faerie (good lord can she please have a name I love her but I hate typing that) comicsBlossoms~ Heart to Heart Part 11 - i really liked this! i'm glad they made up and that Jonathan is going to (presumably) confess that he hasn't told Fyora about the training! I'm excited for the next issue Boochi, stop failing - I miss color changing RE's you should be able to opt in or out of them!! This is cute! Better Luck Next Time, Kad! - I personally found this hilarious and true to the site but I know that Kad people are very passionate about their hobby and I can't imagine this went over well on the games board lololol. Winter is coming! - an old but good joke and I love this art style so much! Crumbeard's Ship Log - another anti NFT piece! This was really good also! I'm not caught up with any series so I'm sorry! Have a great weekend everyone! |
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Post by Twillie on Nov 13, 2021 14:35:46 GMT -5
Bad Idea, Dude: Halloween Part 2 The intrigue escalates! And even more characters added to the mix  This Acara seems to be going a long way for this Shoyru who is supposedly just a "snack" to them, and I wonder if something deeper is going on there. At the very least, that portal they came from is definitely a big question, and I've got a feeling the Acara has more motivation than just food here. It's also cool to see a male protagonist with a visible crush on another male character! Character crushes aren't new to NT comics regardless of romance rules, but I've always just seen M/F ones before. I love seeing users jump on the rule change allowing LGBT+ content on the site  Also as someone who also makes exceedingly long comics, that image compression is so very familiar to me xD Has me wonder if there's a full quality version available to read somewhere, as I'd be curious to see the original lighting effect on the Acara. I really like how this artist conveys special effects, so I'm sure it'd be cool to see :3
A Really Great Joke Haha, it's a simple but solid joke, and it feels quite in character for Skarl. I also like how the joke the Blumaroo told was foreshadowing their own fate lol.
Crumbeard's Ship Log Holly Oh gosh, I CACKLED when I first read this xD I'm very glad this got in, which I know you said you were surprised by haha. I was already laughing at the thinly veiled references to NFT's at the start, but that last panel is what really got me. Not only the spontaneous act by Crumbeard, but the Kacheek's "CRUMBEARD NO," are just a perfect way to top off the satire xD
Boochi, stop failing Haha, I feel like it's been a minute since I read a Boochi comic, and this one made me laugh from the inversion of the usual joke. I'm so used to seeing comics that bemoan Boochi zaps, so to see one where the owner wishes they could actually get one is not what I was expecting.
Soy Sauce I'm guessing this is a Jojo reference? xD Either way, I like that last panel, both Eschueta's face and how it looks like the owner is being incinerated by their radiating confidence xD
Random Oddness
Haha, this is great xD Such a great combo of facial expressions and framing in the last panel without needing any dialogue. I wonder where Tangeriiine acquired such a sweater.
I love too how the Beauty Contest is portrayed as some high end party in an art gallery, complete with drinks in champagne glasses lol. Makes it even better when imagining the partygoers still trying to frantically advertise like on the actual boards.
I also got curious if that newspaper headline in the first panel was referencing anything, and it turns out to be the opening line to the Space Jam theme song ("Come on and slam and welcome to the...") xD
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Post by Twillie on Nov 13, 2021 16:08:03 GMT -5
(I wanna get reviews out for at least the rest of the NTWF entries, which I'll be working on over the weekend! :3)
Cathton's Birthday Wish Kat Aw, Cathton backstory! Poor guy, the things he's been told and had to do just at the age of ten. The articulate way he tries to reason with his parents and the amount of research he's done behind the scenes to support his argument come across to me very much like a kid forced to behave like a small adult due to harsh circumstances. He wants to be a kid and grow up seeing the outside world so bad that he's resorted to maturing faster than he should to try and achieve it.
I also like the subtle characterization of his parents, that they're not so explicitly vicious or nasty towards him, but have a outward appearance of loving parents that I'm sure they're convinced of as well. They don't deliberately choose to make Cathton miserable, but instead they have such a skewed view of the world and priorities that they're blind to the mistreatment they're actually putting upon him. Also helps convey the uphill battle Cathton has to fight, since his parents' hyper focus on their riches make it feel impossible for them to change views to what he sees and wants. You can sympathize with his frustration and understand how he's come to be so desperate for a seemingly simple wish. That was a nice scene at the end detailing his brief time outdoors! The descriptions of the sky, breeze, and land all come together for a very serene, private moment that leaves a real impact on Cathton and the reader. I kind of wish we'd have gotten more of the scene where he opens the locked door on his own, perhaps describing his process of figuring out how to open it, maybe the stress or tension he feels in fear of getting caught or the growing anticipation of finally being out on his own for the first time. This moment is like the emotional climax, his first moment of rebellion that's been built up the rest of the story, so it could've been interesting as well to get more insight on his emotional state during that as well. I think that'd be my one suggestion if any, paired alongside perhaps cutting down the flashback between Cathton and his mother as that establishes about the same thing as Cathon's argument with his parents at the table. Even still, this final part of the story still has a good impact following the buildup from everything before it. It's a brief moment from an outside perspective, but after seeing the restrictive environment Cathton has lived in his entire life, that small moment feels a lot greater for him and the readers. I like that it wasn't a huge action scene or anything, or that it wasn't a full scale escape from the manor. Even though he has to go back to his house after that, you can still tell that a seed has been planted and it makes you wonder what will come of it.
Tales of Neopia: Two Against One Gray For the formatting, what brackets did you use? Because I believe carrot brackets <> will get eaten by the submission form, and instead you need to use square brackets [] (I referenced from this thread, which is all about unspoken NT rules). If you'd like, I believe you could message the Editor about formatting issues in the chances of getting it fixed! And augh, typos will happen to the best of us, it's no worry! Can be maddening knowing there are mistakes in your own writing and there being no edit function on the NT, but you're at least not alone in that regard xD I had a good time reading this story! I think my favorite aspect of it was the visceral feeling conveyed through the action. It very much felt like a high stakes, high emotion battle, and you can feel the rawness of the betrayal while the characters struggle for their own lives and those of their friends. One scene that sticks out in my mind is the beginning of the battle, when members of the council are trying to escape and avoid TDF's attacks. Torakor attempting to ram down the door barricade immediately sets the desperate tone of their fight, as well as the futility of it. Fauna cradling and crying over an injured Jerdana is also impactful, making for a harsh mental image of the moment. Another scene I really enjoyed was the buildup to Psellia's high speed wind spell. Having her conjure memories to build the power of her spell is a neat idea, as it helps show the work behind it and also makes the action feel a lot more personal and emotionally invested. Psellia needs to fight to control her emotions and remember happier times in the middle of a betrayal, and we the readers simultaneously feel the stakes of the moment and get to learn about and sympathize with her character more. The paragraphs that follow also make for a cool mental image of just how powerful all these Faeries are.
Overall I enjoyed reading it, and I hope in writing it helped with some of that frustration you were feeling! <3 |
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Gray
Occasional Commenter
you're alive, so alive
Posts: 20
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Post by Gray on Nov 13, 2021 17:35:35 GMT -5
Tales of Neopia: Two Against One Gray For the formatting, what brackets did you use? Because I believe carrot brackets <> will get eaten by the submission form, and instead you need to use square brackets [] (I referenced from this thread, which is all about unspoken NT rules). If you'd like, I believe you could message the Editor about formatting issues in the chances of getting it fixed! And augh, typos will happen to the best of us, it's no worry! Can be maddening knowing there are mistakes in your own writing and there being no edit function on the NT, but you're at least not alone in that regard xD
By Fyora, thank you SO much for this advice haha. I have an upcoming collaborative article that would be wrecked without the formatting. I sent nt_editor a neomail so fingers crossed! And thank you so much for the review as well! I'm glad Fauna's little bit shone bc she's my fav council member lololol |
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Post by Kat on Nov 14, 2021 0:05:09 GMT -5
Cathton's Birthday Wish - I loved this! the tone was so calm and somber, it felt very winter-y if that makes sense at all. also, everyone had excellent names. Thanks, Boyd! I think I get what you mean - it must be the chill in the household, haha. Though your comment got me thinking that Cathton's character may have been inspired by Weiss Schnee from RWBY, whose name is literally translated as "white snow", whose motif is also based on snow, and who is a rich kid trying to break away from the image and persona her father has crafted for her. (I wanna get reviews out for at least the rest of the NTWF entries, which I'll be working on over the weekend! :3)
Cathton's Birthday Wish Kat Aw, Cathton backstory! Poor guy, the things he's been told and had to do just at the age of ten. The articulate way he tries to reason with his parents and the amount of research he's done behind the scenes to support his argument come across to me very much like a kid forced to behave like a small adult due to harsh circumstances. He wants to be a kid and grow up seeing the outside world so bad that he's resorted to maturing faster than he should to try and achieve it.
I also like the subtle characterization of his parents, that they're not so explicitly vicious or nasty towards him, but have a outward appearance of loving parents that I'm sure they're convinced of as well. They don't deliberately choose to make Cathton miserable, but instead they have such a skewed view of the world and priorities that they're blind to the mistreatment they're actually putting upon him. Also helps convey the uphill battle Cathton has to fight, since his parents' hyper focus on their riches make it feel impossible for them to change views to what he sees and wants. You can sympathize with his frustration and understand how he's come to be so desperate for a seemingly simple wish. That was a nice scene at the end detailing his brief time outdoors! The descriptions of the sky, breeze, and land all come together for a very serene, private moment that leaves a real impact on Cathton and the reader. I kind of wish we'd have gotten more of the scene where he opens the locked door on his own, perhaps describing his process of figuring out how to open it, maybe the stress or tension he feels in fear of getting caught or the growing anticipation of finally being out on his own for the first time. This moment is like the emotional climax, his first moment of rebellion that's been built up the rest of the story, so it could've been interesting as well to get more insight on his emotional state during that as well. I think that'd be my one suggestion if any, paired alongside perhaps cutting down the flashback between Cathton and his mother as that establishes about the same thing as Cathon's argument with his parents at the table. Even still, this final part of the story still has a good impact following the buildup from everything before it. It's a brief moment from an outside perspective, but after seeing the restrictive environment Cathton has lived in his entire life, that small moment feels a lot greater for him and the readers. I like that it wasn't a huge action scene or anything, or that it wasn't a full scale escape from the manor. Even though he has to go back to his house after that, you can still tell that a seed has been planted and it makes you wonder what will come of it.
AT LAST, THE BACKSTORY. Thanks for the review, Twillie! Yeah, I imagine that with all the pressure on him, Cathton is now like an old jaded man in a little Cybunny body. I had intended to base his parents on Mother Gothel from Tangled ("you want to go outside?"), but I wanted them to still have some love for him, even if it's misdirected or skewed, unlike Gothel who only had love for Rapunzel's magic hair. I did also want to write more for the final scene, honestly, but I felt like cutting it short there and leaving it up to the reader to imagine how long he stayed out there would be better. (That, and I thought the story was starting to drag, but that may have been because of the flashback you mentioned.) I was also going for that effect - the reality that his moment outside won't last for long, coupled with the fact that his birthday was also about to end. The flashback with his mother was actually my way of plugging up a span of time that I didn't think needed to be elaborated on, haha. Looking back, I probably should have just used the line break or a different flashback. Anyway, I really enjoyed writing this story, so I'm going drop a ramble that literally no one asked for: - This is only a prequel to the main series I will be writing about Cathton in the future, where he seizes an opportunity to break away from his family and claim this life as his own and even takes on a new name (Cavall, after the Cybunny hero briefly mentioned in the story). Since the series would begin in medias res with a lot of flashbacks and would ultimately be set within my NQII universe as another "A Hero's Journey" story, I thought it would be good to have one story that only revolves around Cathton, Lotham, and Elesia. I'm considering maybe writing another one about them, perhaps with Cathton and one of the very few other folks who know he exists.
- The King Terask Plushie and the White Blumaroo Plushie are both hints that this story will eventually be tied to the NQIIverse. Initially I was supposed to have Cathton pick up a Rohane Plushie but I felt that that reference would be a little too on the nose (Blumaroo pun intended). Though thinking about it, it might make more sense to have Cathton pick up a White Blumaroo Plushie since Reuben will play a role in the series as well.
- I actually like how Cathton does have a lot of similarities with Weiss Schnee. Apart from what I mentioned, both of them will break free from what their parents want them to be, and I've mentioned on discord that Cathton's weapon of choice will become a light rapier, fitting for his small Cybunny frame. Although unlike Weiss, who undergoes character development from a privileged, pretentious girl to someone more understanding and more of a team player, Cathton's development would be more of a wallflower slowly learning to bloom. Because of his sheltered life and how his parents have placed so much pressure on him, Cathton has retreated so far into his shell that it will take a lot to pry him out, and his self-esteem has taken a beating in the process. He knows he's privileged as heck, but in the series I will write about him, he will try to place as much distance as he can between himself and his old life.
- So as Twillie put it, I'm excited to have that seed planted within him grow to the point that Cathton one day finally gets to call out his parents on their mistakes and on everything they put him through. |
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Post by downrightdude on Nov 14, 2021 0:32:55 GMT -5
I love the birthday issue! Such pretty colours! |
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Post by charming thievery on Nov 14, 2021 23:31:03 GMT -5
RielCZ - Excellent write-up of the whole NFT NFS controversy in a way that incorporates it into in-universe Neo. A lot of the connections were quite clever. Also, the sheer length of the article is just...a really sad reflection of just how many... issues (for lack of a better word) came out of this whole thing. OTZ You pretty much addressed every point that has been made about this (and very well at that), and I agree with the others who have commented: it's quite scathing, and I very much enjoyed reading it. >:3 In addition, if I were TNT reading this and also against NFTs and everything that's happened, I'd appreciate the quote from the "low-level employee of the Post Office" as like, a vicarious voicing of their own sentiments because they can't talk about what they really think themselves. I laughed at this. xD (As well as other things in the article, haha.) Great title for the article too. :3
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This Acara seems to be going a long way for this Shoyru who is supposedly just a "snack" to them, and I wonder if something deeper is going on there. At the very least, that portal they came from is definitely a big question, and I've got a feeling the Acara has more motivation than just food here.
