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Aerik

@botanistroegadyn.bsky.social

410 followers 260 following 1.7K posts

FFXIV 1.0 Veteran. 🏳️‍🌈. White. 40. He/him. Video games, social justice, and queer things. Unapologetic Stormblood Fan. No Minors. — Aerik Tirel on Mateus —

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Aerik @botanistroegadyn.bsky.social · Dec 28

Patch 1.23 (Approx. Jul 2012) -> Patch 7.15 (December 2024)

Over a decade with him and he still means the world to me.

Aerik @botanistroegadyn.bsky.social · 6h

I WILL stand by the fact that this is the single *best* introduction to a zone we have ever gotten in the entire game.

The music is perfect and subdued, Joe Dempsie's voiceover work is phenomenal, the lines are wonderfully poetic and evocative, and the camerawork is excellent. 10/10 no notes.

FF14 - Kholusia Intro (Shadowbringers Zone)

YouTube video by Nyx Lunari

www.youtube.com

Aerik @botanistroegadyn.bsky.social · 6h

The game definitely has a couple tracks where they pulled it off somewhat! Someone else pointed out the Ahm Araeng theme as a good example, which I agree with.

I also think "Unmatching Pieces" from Kholusia during the Everlasting Light weather is another good example.

Aerik @botanistroegadyn.bsky.social · 6h

Its one of the reasons I liked big chunks of the OST for FFXII - there's large parts of that soundtrack that are entirely designed to work as counterparts to the visuals where they meld into the background to enhance rather than draw focus.

And that makes it rather unusual for an FF game OST!

Aerik @botanistroegadyn.bsky.social · 6h

Yeah - he does really well with tracks that are designed to command your attention, which makes sense - he's essentially Uematsu's contemporary. And I think its common for Japanese developed games to do a lot of "foreground music" because they like it!

But I do like when the music takes a backseat.

Aerik @botanistroegadyn.bsky.social · 6h

That isn't necessarily always a bad thing - but it can get VERY exhausting when everything tries to push for your attention in a given moment and there's only so much you can give to any one thing.

I like having music that enhances the experience by blending well into the whole picture.

Aerik @botanistroegadyn.bsky.social · 6h

Also, the more that I play WoW - the more I really appreciate the game's soundtrack and score design. How it seeks to be cinematic and blend in immersively with the various areas you visit and explore.

The FFXIV OST is great, but it is VERY intrusive. It is ALWAYS fighting to be the main character.

Aerik @botanistroegadyn.bsky.social · 6h

I finally got around to making myself a Moo in WoW.

I figured since we're Timerunning in Legion, I'd finally pick the race I've always WANTED to play but never wanted to because I don't really like the Horde lol.

So this is Lugh - he's a Paladin and has cute Highland cow bangs.

Aerik @botanistroegadyn.bsky.social · 22h

It’s because it’s a mobile title and Square has generally had a really horrible track record with their mobile games.

It’s also possibly a gacha, which a lot of folks really don’t like.

Aerik @botanistroegadyn.bsky.social · 1d

I saw the hairstyle and how 1980s it looked and I just couldn't resist lmao

Aerik @botanistroegadyn.bsky.social · 1d

I get very frustrated with the community refrain of “well MY WoL wouldn’t do that!”

Maybe not!! But YOUR WoL isn’t the same character as the main character of the canon story. So can write as much fanon or headcanon as you want, but you at least have to acknowledge that that is what it is!

Aerik @botanistroegadyn.bsky.social · 1d

Exactly. At the end of the day the Warrior of Light is a person that we create an outer shell for. The story is for all intents and purposes an “on rails” narrative.

Aerik @botanistroegadyn.bsky.social · 2d

Still the best adaptation of the Dark Kingdom arc.

(I love the 90s anime and Crystal versions too but I really enjoy the choices they went for with PGSM.)

Tokusatsu GIFs @tokugifs.bsky.social · 2d

Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon (2003)
Episode 12

Reposted by Aerik

Caldatelier @caldatelier10.bsky.social · 4d

You just picked the wrong victim.

Reposted by Aerik

Alison Fisk @alisonfisk.bsky.social · 5d

The Royal Game of Ur is the world’s oldest playable boardgame!

Played by Sumerians in ancient Mesopotamia about 4,500 years ago!

It is a two-player race game, the rules of which have been deciphered from a cuneiform tablet.

Game from the Royal Cemetery of Ur. 📷 British Museum

#Archaeology

British Museum photo showing a two-player board game with gaming counters known as the Royal Game of Ur. Dated c. 2,500 BC.

The game board is composed of a hollow box made of wood adorned with shell plaques. There is a drawer at one end for storing game pieces and dice. The top of the board is covered with twenty square-shaped off-white shell plaques, each bordered with dark-blue lapis lazuli. The shell squares are intricately decorated with blue inlaid patterns including dots inside circles and eye-shapes. Five squares are inlaid with flower-shaped rosettes with red limestone and blue lapis lazuli petals.

The game board is roughly rectangular in shape. Viewed from above in the photo, on the left side of the board is a block of 12 squares made up of 4 across by 3 down. On the right side of the board is a block of 6 squares made up of 2 across by 3 down. The two blocks are joined by two squares extending between the second square down on the end row of the left block and the second square down on the first row of the second block.

Dimensions H: 2.40 cm, L: 30.10 cm, W: 11 cm, (W 5.70 cm at narrowest part)

Beneath the board are 14 disc-shaped gaming counters. On the left are 7 white pieces, inlaid with 5 spots of blue lapis lazuli. On the right are 7 black pieces inlaid with five white spots.

Between the game pieces are three tetrahedron-shaped dice. L to R: Dark blue, brown, cream.

Aerik @botanistroegadyn.bsky.social · 5d

I need people running higher floors of Pilgrim’s Traverse with matched parties to understand the concept of SLOWING DOWN AND STICKING TOGETHER.

It isn’t a fucking race you all — and if you want it to be, run it SOLO.

Aerik @botanistroegadyn.bsky.social · 5d

Even if you remove the prongs, there are screws left behind that are very visible and stick out. This just happens to be the non-shock variant of the same collar - it only vibrates and makes a noise.

Aerik @botanistroegadyn.bsky.social · 5d

I'm not mad about this result lol

Reposted by Aerik

Zoë “Baddie Proctor” Quinn @unburntwitch.com · 7d

someone call the etsy witches this is a fucking emergency

Phil Lewis @phillewis.bsky.social · 7d

Dolly Parton's sister is asking fans to "pray with me" amid the country music icon's health issues

Dolly Parton’s Sister Says ‘I Was Up All Night Praying’ Amid Country Icon’s Health Issues and Asks Fans to ‘Pray With Me’

Dolly Parton's sister Frieda is asking fans of the Queen of Country to "pray with me" amid Dolly's continued health struggles.

Aerik @botanistroegadyn.bsky.social · 7d

Listen, I understand this sentiment but it feels pretty crappy to say this in response to a rant post about people being jerks within the community. It doesn't matter if they're saying it there or saying it here.

Reposted by Aerik

Danielle Froom 🏳️‍🌈 @danifroom.bsky.social · 17d

nice argument, unfortunately I have already depicted myself as the victorious Lina Inverse from the hit game Slayers PC 98 and you as an exploding loser mountain

Lina Inverse from the game Slayers PC 98, jumping away from an exploding mountaintop.

Aerik @botanistroegadyn.bsky.social · 7d

Like if you wanna bitch about it, just bitch about it in private!! You don't need to take to social media to go "OH MY GOD THERE'S SO MANY FUCKING UNEMPLOYED PEOPLE PLAYING FFXIV."

Like bitch have you PAID ATTENTION to the economy AT ALL lately? Why are you surprised people are unemployed!!!!

Aerik @botanistroegadyn.bsky.social · 7d

If it bothers you THAT MUCH to see people posting "Oh my sub is gonna run out" or "beg to get their bills paid":

1) Don't fucking follow them?

2) Don't give them any money?

3) Fucking move on with your life and understand you don't have to bitch about it?

Aerik @botanistroegadyn.bsky.social · 7d

Seeing people on Twitter mock FFXIV players for being unemployed and talking on their OWN ACCOUNTS about how they're struggling financially and act like everyone doing it is some sort of underhanded snake trying to get free handouts.

Like Jesus Christ do you all not have better things to do?

Aerik @botanistroegadyn.bsky.social · 7d

I'M SORRY FFXIV BUT THAT WAS A LOT OF FUCKING LORE I WASN'T EXPECTING. EXCUSE YOU.

Aerik @botanistroegadyn.bsky.social · 7d

Seems like it, things were fine, I refreshed and now nothing image related is loading.