Hello, so I’m 23 and I just got diagnosed with endometriosis via diagnostic laparoscopic surgery. I was diagnosed two years ago with 3 small uterine fibroids and I’ve been having severe pain since I was 15. This is my second surgery (first surgery they only found adhesions), I’ve tried 4 different pills, I’ve had the mirana, and the ring (I can’t get nexplanon or the shot due to mental health and other physical health issues) but I’ve never felt relief. It’s been a month since my surgery and they found endo on my uterus, both ovaries (one ovary actually had an adhesion that connected to my abdominal wall) and my bladder which they couldn’t remove. My doctor didn’t give me a stage of endo or even take good pictures during my surgery. I’ve been to the er so many times and have had to get morphine to subdue the pain over the years. When I go to the er they don’t run tests other than blood work because they know what my issues are so they just give me pain meds. Because of my over use of Tylenol and NSAIDs I now have stomach ulcers and can’t even take them to help with the pain. Not like they really even helped. Now after surgery I’m still having severe pain that radiates down my legs and into my back. I’m at a loss. My doctor just wants me to get pregnant or go on birth control and I don’t want to do either because I’m not ready to be a mom and birth control has always had horrible side effects for me. I’m at a loss and I don’t know where to go. My doctor won’t help me and even after getting a second opinion they suggested the same (get preggo or go on the pill) I feel so alone and I don’t know what more I can do. I’ve even tried lupron which exacerbated my pain. I wish I had more options and I don’t know if maybe anyone has some advice or have undergone other treatments that work (I have also tried diet adjustment, exercise, yoga, and meditation) I also feel it’s important to mention that I’ve had three referrals to pain management and they advised me that they don’t treat chronic pelvic pain. So if anyone has advice or some kind words I would appreciate it whole heartedly

There is a common misunderstanding here that the Hard Problem is, somehow, scientific...it's just that we haven't yet figured out how to solve it. Another misunderstanding is that the problem concerns consciousness itself – that there is “no way to explain it” or “it just doesn't make sense”.
The truth is that hard problem is purely conceptual. It arises purely from a contradiction between two different concepts, represented by words, and the reason it is “hard” is because it is impossible to resolve the contradiction without breaking the concepts. So it is the same sort of problem as “How is it possible for a triangle to have four sides?” This isn't just hard; it is impossible. When Chalmers called it “hard”, he was contrasting it to “easy” – it might have been better to call them the “impossible problem” and contrast it with “possible problems”.
The two concepts which mutually contradict are materialism and consciousness, and they arise directly from the only reasonable definitions of the words that refer to them.
“Consciousness” refers to experiences – both ours and those of any other conscious entities, which presumably includes most animals.
“Materialism” means “the belief that reality is made only of material entities, and nothing else” (which obviously includes what they are doing). This concept in its modern form is directly connected to science, but it goes all the way back to two pre-Socratic philosophers (Ancient Atomism (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)). The concept of a material world is derived from the material world we directly experience, but that isn't the material world of materialism. It can't be, because that “material world” is dependent on our senses and our brain. The real Sun – the Sun of materialism – isn't the one we experience shining down on us. It is necessarily entirely independent of anything we experience, and would exist even if life on Earth had never evolved.
Once we have established that these are two valid concepts, and that the words in question do indeed refer to those concepts, then the hard problem is unavoidable and impossible to solve. If we try to define the word “consciousness” to mean anything other than subjective experiences then it doesn't make the actual thing disappear. That's just an empty word game, and forces people to define something like “qualia” to explicitly prevent any further word games. It doesn't solve the problem. So the only option left is to try to change the definition of “materialism”. But how could we possibly do that? The material world of mainstream science really is completely independent of any consciousness – it is an inherent part of that concept that it would exist even if the cosmos contained no life or no conscious animals. So materialists are left with two options of how to try to escape from the contradiction. The first is to deny that there is any such thing as consciousness – either that “it is an illusion”, or that it simply doesn't exist (which is eliminative materialism). Neither of these approaches works. If it is an illusion then you still have to explain how the illusion is possible, which just leads straight back to the hard problem, and claiming it doesn't exist convinces almost nobody, for very obvious reasons. The second is to accept that exists, and then try to find a way to eliminate the contradiction, which is impossible, because the contradiction has arisen from mutually contradictory concepts. Materialism logically entails that consciousness doesn't exist.
The reason materialists can't get their heads around this is that the belief that science is true – or the closest thing to truth that we can ever get – forms the foundation of their belief system. Everything else they believe is built on top of this foundation, which they believe to be unassailable. Therefore, when presented with the above contradiction they have a choice between:
(a) Denying the contradiction, even though they have no idea how to back up the denial with a rational argument.
(b) Accepting that the foundation of their belief system is fundamentally broken, which means they are going to have to go back to square one and rethink everything they believe.
The reason this argument won't go away is that there will always be materialists who choose they easy option of denying logic instead of the much harder option of accepting the logic and rethinking their belief system. The irony is that the very same people are usually very scathing of other people who refuse to rethink their belief system when some scientific or logical problem in its foundation is exposed.
Accepting materialism is false may seem like it shatters the whole of science, but this is not actually the case. Some specific areas of science may need a rethink – especially the evolution of consciousness and some aspects of cosmology – but the overwhelming majority of science is left untouched. The only other area of science that is directly relevant is quantum mechanics (which is why I said "mainstream science" above). QM throws serious doubt on the question about whether the material world really is independent of our experiences of it. This is another materialistic taboo – one is not even allowed to consider that consciousness might have something to do with quantum mechanics, even though the act of observation – what a “measurement” means in QM – is causing as much conceptual confusion as the hard problem. In fact, these two problems are directly related, and it is only because of the ongoing prevalence of materialism that people refuse to consider that it is possible they are related. In both cases, what is missing is a Participating Observer.

On top of the new emotional, physical and mental trauma I will likely never fully get over, he has ruined my life in just about every way possible.
He destroyed my living situation and convinced me to move somewhere he approved of, which forced me to move further from work, away from my friends/family, and overall a place where I am not only unhappy, but don’t feel safe.
I genuinely believed him, that we would have a happily ever after together. He seemed so amazing and I believed everything he said. I am so angry he sold me a future with him that was never going to happen. I made all of my choices around what would be best for “us”. No it was what’s best for him. I think that’s what I am angriest about. I did everything to work towards solidifying our future together. He lied to me, there was never going to a future together.
Every time I would do something that he didn’t like, or we had an argument. He would tell me he was looking at rings, or had bought a ring for me, but now he has to punish me and I won’t be getting it and he’s not sure about me anymore. I used to believe it. Now I just know that he knows getting engaged is important to me and he will weaponize that any chance he gets.
Before him, I had countless friends, a home I loved and felt safe in, and overall loved my life. And my life was just beginning. Now I am the loneliest I have ever been-I am completely isolated from everyone, just like he wanted.
I wish he hadn’t wasted years of my life, only to leave me so much worse off than before I met him. It makes me angry to think I could have been how I was before him, or building a future with someone who actually wanted to build one with me.
I could go on forever about he destroyed me, but at the end of the day I am just so upset I let someone control me.

Throughout the series, we’ve been treated to a lot of great matches, and lots of key moments from the Karasuno players. Today I ask, what do you view as the best and worst performances from each of the starters over the course of the series?
Here’s my list, with a disclaimer that picking the worst for some of these guys was pretty hard. It’s not too often the manga has a player being actively bad, and usually when they do they end up making one hell of a comeback and being key to the Karasuno victory. So some of the picks for worst are admittedly less that they played bad, and more that they had a poor stretch, or that they were below their usual standards in the match. Anyway, without further ado, let’s proceed,
Hinata
Best Game: Kamomedai
I think this is one that clearly goes without saying. Hinata was absolutely on fire in this game, playing like a kid possessed and just constantly upping the ante against what was easily the best blocking team he had ever faced. It was almost poetic, really. When we started with him, he wondered what it looked like behind the wall of blockers. And in this game, they couldn’t do a thing against him.
Worst Game: Nekoma
This is an interesting pick, because this was Hinata’s first game having a really solid grasp of receiving (to the point where it won them a set), and it’s where he first started to get the hang of his “Dun” jump, which was key to the win over Nekoma. That being said, that jump came near the end of the second set, and it was something that he needed Kageyama’s four set in order to accomplish. Before then, while he wasn’t playing bad, and had still got some nice kills, he wasn’t nearly as effective as he usually was, with Nekoma’s strategy doing an absolutely number to slow him down
Kageyama
Best Game: Inarizaki
It was acknowledged within the manga that Kageyama was on one during this game. Be it his serving, his setting, his blocking, he was constantly able to rise to the task. Be it his running under the net to still set the ball, his block against Aran, or his long set towards Tanaka + his service ace to force a deuce, Kageyama was the best player Karasuno had that day, and evolved constantly within the game to begin reaching his full potential.
I will say I also considered Nekoma here, just because I really liked the way he managed to free Hinata from the shackles that Nekoma’s gameplay had put him in.
Worst Game: Seijoh 1
Not much needs ti be said here, really. For the entire first set he was in his own head which pit Karasuno in a hole, and though he did great after he came back from being subbed out, it was still clear he had a long way to go before he could truly become the King of the Court.
Tsukishima
Best Game: Shiratorizawa
It shouldn’t go without much surprise that this is Tsukishima’s best game, as it was this game that got him hooked on volleyball. Tsukishima stayed consistently on top of his game with his blocking and funneling, working in tandem with Nishinoya to make things much harder for Ushijima and the rest of Shiratorizawa. He was no slouch on offense either, with his delayed spike and his bluffed slide attack providing very key points for the team in clutch moments. Though his final plan against Ushijima didn’t work, it was still an excellent display of his analytical mind.
Worst Game: Wakutani
Honestly, I don’t think Tsukishima necessarily played bad either. However, Nakashima was simply a mad matchup for him, with his ability to tool blocks. This wasn’t the first time Tsukishima would face hitters who blatantly countered his blocking, but with Suna and Hoshiumi, Tsukishima was able to at least utilize larger strategies to neutralize them even a little.
Tanaka
Best Game: Inarizaki
Tanaka had a rough start to this game. Inarizaki were doing a great job blocking him, and his precision line and cut shots were still a work in progress. To make matters worse, he hit a bad mental block that only built up as he continued to struggle offensively. However, he got himself out of it, nailing an insane angle on a cut shot to win them the first set. Later on, down 24-22 in the third set, he was trusted to make the kill, and he did so while going the complete opposite way, saving his team with a sharp line shot. Tanaka came out of this match a much better player than before, clearly showing why he was Karasuno’s next ace
Worst Game: Date Tech 2
Full honesty? It was hard to pick a worst match for Tanaka. He was targeted early in the first Seijoh, but got himself out of it quickly enough and was back to his normal self before long so the damage was minimal. Instead, I had to just kind of raise my hands and point to the Date Tech match. it wasn’t even that he was bad, but with the focus on Asahi and Hinata, Tanaka was mostly left to the side and wasn’t as present. This is easily my weakest pick though, so I won’t fault anyone for completely disagreeing.
Nishinoya
Best Game: Shiratorizawa
Similar to Tsukishima, this should go without saying. Faced with the best ace in Japan, Nishinoya made constant digs that almost no one else could. Not only that, but they were fantastic passes too, allowing Karasuno’s offense to still shine. Furthermore, his strong mentality meant that even as Karasuno came out weak in the first set, he was able to inject them with enough energy to keep them going, slowly building momentum towards a win.
Worst Game: Inarizaki
Inarizaki marks the only time Nishinoya was outright picked on. His weakness in overhands was exploited to its limit by Atsumu, and was something that troubled the team for all three sets. He gave up constant service aces, and made poor bumps that compromised Karasuno’s ability to control the fistfight. He was eventually able to work himself out of it thanks to Kinoshita’s help, but the damage that was done got very close to being too much.
Asahi
Best Game: Kamomedai
Similar to Tanaka, Asahi had a rough early go against Kamomedai. They were like a superior version of Date Tech, the team that gave him absolute fits the previous year and almost broke him completely. He was in danger of falling into the same hole in this game but, backed by his team, he came out stronger than ever, breaking down the forest and opening the way for Karasuno to begin picking apart Kamomedai’s blocking.
Worst Game: Date Tech 1
Admittedly a cop out answer given this game wasn’t shown in full, but Asahi was pretty great in every full match we saw, which is fitting for an ace. So instead we point to the game where we’re explicitly told he was shut down, and even quit the club for a while.
Daichi
Best Game: Inarizaki
I actually had Johzenji initially when I was typing this up. He proved to be a backbone for Kageyama and Hinata, preventing them from getting swept up in Johzenji’s rhythm and saving them from a few mistakes. He proved his role as captain there. But he does that again in Inarizaki, and contributes even more so with his scoring. In addition to being the solid foundation, he shows here how he embraces the team’s philosophy of scoring, which was noticed by Kita. Always a steady rock for Karasuno, Daichi went above and beyond in this game, showing that he too is just as capable at scoring.
Worst Game: Kamomedai
Similar to Tanaka, it’s hard to pick a bad game for Daichi because one of his main strengths is just how consistent and fundamental he is. While he isn’t a fantastic player able to control everything, his digs have saved Karasuno constant times to the point they took it for granted, as evidenced by the Wakutani match. So I choose the Kamomedai match solely on the concept that Daichi wasn’t as much of an offensive threat as he usually was. It’s still a pretty good game from him, though.

Inspired by u/WakeMeU, i decided to do this on this sub. Full credit goes to them
This is the fifth track from Aesop Rock's twelfth album and fourteenth project "The Impossible Kid". What do you think of this song? How do you think it compares to the rest of the discography? How would you rate it out of 10 (decimals allowed).
The song
The lyrics
SUGGESTED SCALE: 1-4: Not good. Regularly skip. 5: Its ok, but i might have to be in the right mood to listen to it. 6: Slightly better than average. I wont skip it, but i wouldnt choose to put it on. 7: This is a good song. I enjoy it quite a bit. 8-9: Really enjoyable songs. I rank them pretty high overall. 10: Masterpiece, magnum opus or similar terminology.
Result of the rankings:
Music For Earthworms - 7.9
Appleseed - 8.2
Float - 8.4
Labor Days - 9.2
Daylight - 8.9
Bazooka Tooth - 8.7
Fast Cars, Danger, Fire and Knives - 9
None Shall Pass - 9
None Shall Pass (Bonus Edition) - 9
Are You Gonna Eat That? - 8.8
Skelethon - 9.2
Skelethon (Deluxe Edition) - 9.2
Hokey Fright - 8.5
Hokey Fright (Deluxe Version - 8.5
Bestiary - 8.8
Bestiary (Bonus Track Version) - 8.8
Lice - 8.8
Mystery Fish - 9.6
Rings - 9.6
Lotta Years - 8.8
Rabies - 8.8

I somehow forgot to post an update for April and when I realized my mistake, it was already almost the end of May, so I decided to lump the two together. These two months were mostly the months of Pathfinder. I spent whole April and most of the May playing Kingmaker and brainstorming my character for Wrath of the Righteous. I think my friends, who decided to play alongside me helped that a lot. And we even started talking about trying Pathfinder tabletop game just few hours ago, which I'll DM for. It's nice when videogames have this kind of effect on people. Other than that, I finished Hero's Hour and while I had fun with it as Heroes clone, it was lacking some depth that would hook me on it. I also played forgotten adventure A Vampyre Story, which I wish got a sequel. I finally finished Heidi: The Game. Took me like an hour in total. It was mindless 2D platformer and I still don't regret playing it. Then in May, I opened Itch.io and a small game called Fridge Floppers caught my attention. It was fun in-and-out action to complete during my break. I also finally got around to play Frog Detective 3 and it was magnificent ending to the whole trilogy. I played Five Dates, which is well-made interactive movie about dating in the time of corona. And I also played the Mafia: Definitive Edition, a remake of my childhood game. At the end of the month, I started playing Total War: Three Kingdoms. Last Total War game I played was Napoleon, so it has been a while. It's fun so far. On Switch, I made some progress in Xenoblade Chronicles 3, but I'm close to just dropping it. I'm not feeling it. On the other hand, I bought Fire Emblem: Engage and I'm having fun with it so far. I also played LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, which is really boring and doesn't live up to the original LEGO games. I'm currently at Episode VIII, so I think I'll just quickly get past the story mode and end it there. So, let's talk about these games. This will be long update. And as always, beware of spoilers...
Hero's Hour
Well, this journey finally ended. I had to make it my secondary go-for game to break a gameplay stereotype a little bit, but I think I'm finally done with it.
I appreciate what the devs decided to do. A Heroes clone that combines stuff from 3rd and 4th entry sounds crazy, but it works. I felt like at home right from the start. The inspiration is sometimes way too obvious, for example there are structures with 1:1 design taken straight from Heroes. I don't mind it that much, I took it as a nod to the legendary series. I would say the inspiration helped me get "in" the game and understand some of the deeper mechanics faster.
The fractions in this game are a combination of Heroes 3 and 4 fractions mixed with something new. Each fraction had its own gimmick that made it unique. For example undead fraction could rise dead enemies, the barbarians could only level up their units by combat, sea fraction could dig up pearls and trade them for more units, lovecraftian fraction had powerful heroes, who could be on multiple places at once, but had to sacrifice some cultists to be able to recruit stronger units and so on... I've played about a half of maps with random fraction to try them all, but later rotated between 3-4 fractions based on my current mood. I think my favourites were undeads and seafolks.
Each fractions had multiple heroes, each one with unique skill tree. But some skills were shared by multiple characters. And with it comes one of my biggest gripes with the game. These skill trees are so unbalanced. There is OP skill that let's you fill a bar after each battle and when you fill it up, it will spawn a Red Dragon on your team. Red Dragon is one of the strongest units in the game. And that is not all. When level up, this skill also let's you upgrade Red Dragons into Black Dragons, who are even more broken than their Heroes 4 counterpart. And some characters can get this skill as early as level 2. Meaning that you can get extreme push in power within first few turns of the game and can completely steamroll your opponents. But it's not the only skill that is unbalanced. While heroes take active part in the battle, their damage is minimal and there are barely any skills that would make them better. Meaning that heroes' main purpose is to cast spells. And the problem is that some heroes only get spell skills at the top of their skill tree. While there are some good pasive skills, the ability to completely wreck your enemies with spells is just better. I mean there are spells that will basically take your opponent's units and make them yours. And once again, some characters can get these spells super early in the game or even start with them.
Which slowly brings me to battles. I had love-hate relationship with them throughout the whole game. Your units move and attack on their own and your only interaction with the battlefield are your heroes' spells. Well, you can also tell your units to retreat or move somewhere else, but it usually had no effect on the battle. So your only way to affect the battle stands on the ability of your hero to cast spells. And having enough mana to do so. As I said, some spells were crazy. There were multiple times, when I got in the battle with just my hero and small army of troops against huge army. And I won just because my hero could cast overpowered spells the whole time. Be it summoning spells or spells that make some of your opponent's unit instantly disappear or change the team or just good old meteorite rain. On the other hand, when my hero had no spells or couldn't cast them, I had to sit through multiple minutes of automatic battle, which got boring pretty fast, because each unit has one animation for movement and one for attack. Because the battlemaps were flat with nothing interesting on them, I also could strategize in any meaningful way. And it was the worst during battles I knew I'll win, just based on power and numbers of my units, but still had to sit through them. Also in most games, there was usually one huge clash with each opponent, after which my opponent could never get enough momentum again to be any threat.
Final point I would to gather my thoughts on are maps themselves. There is no campaign, only few skirmishes. Well, there are over 40 of them. Each map is randomly generated, but you always see the general skeleton the map will follow. It will show you if you and your enemies are connected by land or sea and if there are any neutral towns. But while each map was randomly generated, most of them felt the same. All of them was divided into same areas. Your starting area, where you could get the starting resources. This area was locked away from the neutral area and your opponents by either a guarded tunnel or guarded fortress. This made most of the maps look the same. I was also missing some better motivation than just "beat all of your enemies." I think a campaign would be fun.
Overall, it was unbalanced fun. It was nice watching my army completely wrecks my opponent. But I wish there was more to it. It felt a little bit shallow. 6.5/10.
A Vampyre Story
It's crazy and a little bit eerie, how many games, good games, get forgotten so quickly. Especially today, when we get hundreds upon hundreds of games daily. It's sad that there isn't enough time to play every interesting title. Or that some cool series never really sees an ending. It wouldn't happen to games I play, right? There is no way. I'm denying any possibility that this could happen to me.
Which is exactly what happened to A Vampyre Story. This P&C adventure game was planned as a whole trilogy. And they really wanted to make you want it. So you can imagine my surprise, when the game just suddenly ended with a cliffhanger. And when I wanted to get the closure the game owned me, I found out the sequel never came out. There is a prequel, but I want to know what happened to Mona! I need to know! It's my right to know! That makes me angry!
I just spent 4 hours getting to know all the characters. I wish I could do anything to experience at least a bit of what happens next. There is even a trailer for a sequel still available on YouTube. Maybe we could bargain a deal?
Is there even a point in playing games anymore? If all we get is uncertainty after enjoying a good game, isn't it depressing that there will never be a sequel?
Bur it's all gone, isn't it? I'll never meet A Vampyre Story's characters again. They will forever be locked in a cycle of escaping that cursed castle again and again. They will always end up on their way to a crazy scientist. Poor Mona. It's depressing.
But you know what? I had fun with it. I loved its art style and humour. I enjoyed exploring the castle and the town and solving the puzzles. I liked that you could use your bat companion as an item, which meant you could combine him with other items. In the end, nothing can take my enjoyment back. So, I think the only thing to do is to accept that this was one-off experience and move on.
Overall, I hope you enjoyed my [s]stages of grief[/s] review of A Vampyre Story. 8/10.
Heidi: The Game
It's strange. I got this game alongside my Game Boy Micro and bunch of other (and arguably better) games, but this one stayed in my mind and from time to time, I noticed I'm thinking about it. So it's only natural for me to pick it up again and play it.
It's a game based on a children book. I remember I read the book in primary school during classes. And I was lucky to be familiar with the story, because the game barely tell you anything about it. It don't even bother to be consistent. For example Heidi mentions Klara once out of nowhere at the end of the game, while completely ignoring her existence up until that point. Other characters are pretty much non-existing, only one of them has dialogue and that's only at the start of the game.
The gameplay is simple. It's 2D platformer, where you go from left to right. And about 70 % of the levels really felt like I was just holding a forward button and just beat the level by jumping at the right time to avoid pits and enemies. The rest had me sometimes going up or down and very rarely (in like 2 levels), I actually had to navigate through a complex layout. It's a game for small kids, I get it, but some levels could be finished in under a minute with minimal input.
Overall, for a game that lasted me for about an hour, it was fun and quick, but didn't really leave an impression. It would be cool flash game. Nothing more, nothing less. 6/10.
Pathfinder: Kingmaker
"It takes 500 hours to complete, " that was an ad for a game I was a little bit interested in. Up until that moment. After I read this ad, I moved the game to the "probably will never play" category. "An epic adventure that will take you 100s of hours to finish, " says another ad for another game. But it fails to address that that game has enough content for about 20 hours and the rest is just a boring filler.
One view, when it comes to value of games is how long it is. And it's honestly something I can't really understand. Time spent in the game is weird variable to measure the value of the game with. For example, when I finally decided to play The Witcher 3 (as someone, who played previous entries on launch, I was turned down by the switch to more traditional open-world and the promise of 100s of hours of content), I spent over 100 hours in it on one playthrougth. But, and also because of this, I think it's mediocre game with great dialogues and cinematography. I experienced everything the game has to offer in about 20 hours. But the game never built up on that, so the final 80 hours of my gameplay were really bland and boring and felt like a filler for most parts. I really only kept up playing because the general consensus about it is that it's one of the best RPG of all time and I just didn't get to the good parts yet. Which is a lot weirder, since it isn't really a RPG, but that's probably a topic for another time. On the other hand, Smile For Me is a game I've finished in one sitting one evening. It knew exactly what it wants to do, executed it perfectly and ended right when it was suppose to. And it's a game I still fondly remember to this day. The art of ending the game at the right time is really hard to master and it doesn't always apply that longer games don't know when to end. For example, Divinity: Original Sin 2, that I've played last month is long game. But it's exactly as long as it needs to be. It barely has any filler in it and leaves me wanting more. On the other side, SUPERHOT is about 2 hours long, but even that is way too much and feels like a slog and just doesn't know when to end.
Which slowly gets me to Pathfinder: Kingmaker. Kingmaker puts you in a shoes of a (future) monarch. As you progress the game, you gain the ability to manage your kingdom. And with it comes the biggest problem. The game has awful pacing. It starts good. Kill a bandit king and claim good lands. You have few days to do it. But then, you quickly get another, more personal quest. And suddenly, you have to choose. Which one will your pursue first. Will you take out your competitor and risk that the only trail you have to the bandit king will go cold? It adds so much to the game and you question whatever you've done the right thing.
But as the game goes on and you get your kingdom, these choices slowly disappear and all you're left with is "you have X days to finish this quest," which the game sometimes doesn't even tell you and then will just say you failed the objective after some time. While this adds to the overall feeling of alive world, it also introduces few more problems.
But let's talk about the kingdom management for now. You get special quests that can be resolved by you or your advisors and take some time. You basically just click, who will solve which quest and then wait. Some of the quests will lock-in your character for few in-game days. Which means if you don't finish all your personal quests first, you risk failing them. It's really a weird design choice, especially since you still can use you companions normally, while they are solving a kingdom quest, just not your main character.
Then, there is the pacing issue. When you finish a chapter, you have some time to manage your kingdom and explore. Exploring is, like in many exploring-focused games, useful only at the start. After that, you'll encounter the same looking maps, same enemies and same loot. The loot was so weirdly distributed that I've used some weapons all the way from the first dungeon to the end of the game, because there just weren't better weapons of that kind for my characters. After a while, I didn't even bother with exploring everything, because what I got during the main game was enough. So, that's one part of the game that I don't really want to participate in during this time. The second is kingdom management. As I said before, there isn't really much substance to it too. You just click and wait. Sometimes, you don't have anything to click on. So you'll have to click "Skip a day" button. Yeah, there is a button that will skip one in-game day. That's just an atrocious idea. Instead of giving you any meaningful activities to spend your time in, the game let's you click one button until it allows you to continue. And it really is an issue. In one instance, I had to skip over 400 days until the game let me continue with the main story. For the final two chapters, I had to turn kingdom management on auto, because I would have to spend another in-game year clicking skipping button.
It's really a shame, because I think the story was fun. Not something world breaking, but nice little tabletop adventure. Same goes for characters, which I enjoyed quite a lot. I even managed to swap my party members a lot, not really having a set team of 6. I was afraid some of them will be annoying, like overly optimistic Linzi or her polar opposite Jaethal. But even them managed to convince me to like them. My favourites are Harrim, Valerie and Nok-Nok. Harrim had nice twist on the typical dwarf character, Nok-Nok was fun comedic relief and Valerie was one of the best Lawful Neutral character I've ever seen. The final dungeon forced me to shuffle the party one more time, so there was no time for stereotype to settle in. I've played as Wizard, an illusionist, and it worked fairly well. Illusionists are usually RP-heavy characters and doesn't work well in these linear environments, but I had fun with it. Especially illusions on higher levels were something I never tried before.
Which brings me to the pacing issue #2. The battle system. I hate the real-time-with-pause system of cRPGs. Who's idea was it? Who likes to watch two parties missing each other for 10 minutes, while they as player has 0 input in the game? It's not how battles in tabletop RPGs work. Luckily, I was able to switch to turn-based system and it was a little bit better, but I still encountered moment, where no hit would land for 10+ rounds. And especially by the end of the game, it was tiresome to fight low-level enemies in this mode, so I kept switching in and out of it. I'm the end, it was the best idea. I let the game solve easy fights for me, while I kept the harder fights and bossfights for myself. And it was great. I enjoyed most of the chapters and their respective bosses. The final bosses were a little bit predictable, but I don't think the game was aiming at some big shocking revelation, when it comes to them.
Overall, this game has a lot of good ideas and mechanics. But it will shove them down your throat to the point that you'll actively avoid them. When I turned down/ignored all side activities, I had a lot of fun with the game. Which is weird, but it's the result of your 25 hours long game taking 70 hours to finish. 8/10.
Fridge Floppers
Fridge Floppers is a 15 minutes physics-based game made in 48 hours. Which is impressive. The main goal is to move a fridge to a van, while controlling two movers carrying it. You can move them both at the same time or let one of them jump. But the fridge can't fall off.
There were about 5 levels of varying difficulty, just scratching the edge of all the possibilities. You barely get to experience the pain of climbing up and down a set of stairs before the game ends.
And there isn't really anything else to say. The art style is simple, yet nice and feels like a good fit for this game. The controls are easy to understand and hard(-ish) to master.
Overall, I wish there were more levels added to the game, because as I already said, I love the concept. 8/10.
Frog Detective 3
You might remember me excitingly talking about the previous two entries in this series. Ever since then, I was eagerly waiting for the final part of the trilogy. Only to completely miss the release. I only recently learned about it, while browsing Itch.io. I have no idea how could I miss it, but made sure to play it as soon as possible.
Frog Detective is the worthy finale of the series. It picks up exactly where the previous entry ended, but you're also served quick recap of previous games. The game plays exactly like the previous two games. You're let loose in a small area and have to solve a crime. This time, you're in Wild West-themed town and you're trying to find everyone's stolen hats. You're aided by Lobster Cop, who is supposedly #1 detective in this world. But is he really? The story is extremely silly and full of plot twists and surprises. I would never expect this game to surprise with its story.
The gameplay is simple and follows the same structure as the previous games. You talk with characters, find out what they need and what can they offer and then you start exchanging items with them until you get what you need. It's always clear what to do and especially after you talk with all characters, you're just following a linear path.
Overall, this is great way to end the series. I'll be looking forward next game from these devs. 9/10.
Mafia: Definitive Edition
While I've played the original Mafia (and its sequel) when I was younger, I never really joined in the cult that worship this game and its creator as second coming of christ. It was a great game, but the fanbase and its creator are a little bit crazy. And I think that's what turned me off the series for so long. I think the last time I've played Mafia was 10 years ago and it took me so long to get to this remake. Now, while I'm writing this, I know I had some kind of point to make in this paragraph, but I forgot what it was...
So, let's move on to the actual remake. I think it does a lot of things right. I like the re-imagining of the cutscenes, the added details and dialogues. The city looks amazing. It looks like it did in my imagination back in 2002. But it also introduced some not so great changes. It completely kills "Just for Relaxation" mission. It was one of the best mission in the original game, which let you tackle the problem your own way. It also made sense from narrative perspective and was grounded in reality like the rest of the game. Now, it's stupid boring forced linear stealth mission, that betrays Salieri's character and just makes everyone so unlikable and makes them act out of character. Plus, for some reason, there is still dialogue from the original that doesn't make sense in this new scenario. Luckily it's almost final mission of the game and it has no consequences on the rest of the missions.
The gameplay is pretty much the same as the original, only tweaked a little bit to match the modern standard. I like it. The original had more opened areas and let you handle missions your own way, but I didn't mind the more linear approach. It was annoying few times, because I was so used to completing certain mission certain way, but nothing to be mad about. Unlike the mission I talked above.
Overall, I think this remake is nice alternative to the original, but scratches completely different itches, so I don't think it's something to replace the original. 7.5/10.
Five Dates
Five Dates is interactive movie about dating during the time of corona.
And to be honest, there isn't really much to talk about. The gameplay is simple. You watch a movie and sometimes pick, where to take the story. There are 5 woman to date and each of them has really captivating personality and story. They didn't feel one-dimensional at all. I didn't expect it, but the game had great writing and was full of surprises. I decided to first tackle Saffron's storyline and when the credits started to roll, I was left with my mouth opened. I had to take few minutes to really grasp what just happened in the last few minutes. It was fun and it left me wanting more, so I returned and finish all storylines. The acting was enjoyable and I'll make sure to check more games from this studio. I've actually played their Late Shift back in 2017 and it's amazing how much they improved since then. I think it was from them.
And... that's pretty much it. It was cool short game, the acting was great, the dialogues, the characters and writing was fun, there was really big attention to details, despite each shot being just a character standing/sitting in front of webcam. 8/10.
For June, I'm playing Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous. I couldn't get enough of Kingmaker, despite it sometimes feeling really dragged out. But I know what settings to turn off or on to make the game more fun. The full version of HROT, Czech Boomer Shooter, was released, so I hope to get around to play it. And I hope to finish Total War: Three Kingdoms. And maybe make some progress with my Switch games. And I'll also try to put Call of the Sea somewhere in between them.

If you have insurance/can afford it, you can get on PEP. Every hour counts, so even if you’re unsure of your partners status or they didn’t finish or whatever the case may be, if you are unsure this is the safest bet.
Plus it beats six weeks of stress. I’ve had two scares, in one I waited to get tested and it was terrible as I’m sure you know. I stressed myself out so much I actually exhibited the acute symptoms which made me freak out more. I got on PrEP right after. This time my pharmacy couldn’t get my prescription to me in time and the condom broke. I wasted no time getting to the ER and immediately I feel 100x better.
Next, if you have a scare and you end up negative, don’t forget how it feels. Get on PrEP, use condoms, do what you have to. If not, it’s not the end of the world, you still can live a long and healthy life. HIV is not a death sentence anymore.
Lastly, if you’re posting about a scare, PLEASE consider where you are posting. People who have been diagnosed with this are members on here and lately I’m seeing more scare posts than not. I know how scared you are, but try not to say things like “my life is over” or “I’m gonna kms” because the truth is for a lot of people the stigma is worse than the disease. Remember many people are living healthy normal lives with HIV and you saying that kind of stuff, while it might be your truth, is not appropriate in this sub. Because however you’re feeling now, I promise it’s much harder for those with an actual diagnosis. Thank you for reading if you got this far.
tldr: odds are you’re gonna be fine. Just make sure you know what steps you need to take. And BE RESPECTFUL

When we think of relationships, we usually think of other people: family, friends, partners, co-workers, that f*cker that keeps playing the organ at midnight next door, the dog, etc.
Relationships are super duper important to living at least a somewhat decent life. I doubt many people will disagree.
Yet the most important relationship is the one that is commonly most overlooked:
Your relationship with yourself!

Your relationship with yourself

Don't worry, I'm not going to come out with some hoo-hah "love yourself" bullshit. I promise.
Not long ago there was only one person I hated in life. One person that I thought was the most pathetic, weak, lacking, and bruh-inducing human that I knew. And who was that?
Me!
Was thinking this healthy? No. Did it benefit me in any way? No. Did it benefit others? No. Was it conducive to my goals? No. Did it make me feel any better? No.
But my past depressed self made this a reality. Whether it was true or not, I believed it, so it became true to me.
My past self rationalised this thought pattern. I made it appear reasonable to talk to myself like this - to have this I'm-such-a-loser-all-I-do-is-lose internal dialogue. Compared to so many people around me, I felt behind in life. Really behind.
My mental health was in a laughable state. I was physically as fit as my 70yr old neighbour (the one that plays that f*cking organ), lonely, depressed, hopeless, and didn't have much going for me. And to put the cherry on top, I habitually played the comparison game with people online.
Now that is a loser's game.
After a while, I'd had enough. I said, "f*ck this, I'm sick of myself for hating myself, and I've got to do something about this". I took the plunge into rekindling my relationship with myself.
Why Is This Important?
If your goal is improvement, you must be someone that wants to improve.
When I treated myself like a foe:

• I kept regressing to old standards after a very short time.
• I had no motivation to improve and achieve worthwhile goals.
• I quickly gave up on anything that took effort.
• I overindulged in vices and bad habits.
• And I just didn't care much if I won or lost.

And other people are going to notice this. It is reflected in everything: posture, work ethic, body language, etc. You will never be able to subconsciously rationalise improving someone you hate.
And to add, not many people will want to be around you either.
To try to be a better person yet speak to yourself as a problem is counter-intuitive. Don't you think? It's bound to create a form of mental incongruence. And as long as your actions for yourself do not align with your thoughts about yourself, you will always feel a kind of dissonance. And this shit isn't what we want.
Oh wow, this is cool and all, but how tf do I start liking myself a little more?
Firstly, you've got to be aware of the problem. How do you speak to yourself regularly? Like you would to a friend? How about when you do something well or badly?
Start to develop a perception of your thoughts about yourself more and assess them. This could be some of the most beneficial introspection you do. Take note of how much is positive and how much is negative. And don't just skip this shit - it's important.
For example, here were some of mine that used to be all too common: "I'm pathetic", "I'm stupid", "I'm weak", "I'm a sorry excuse for a man", "Why would anyone ever like me?", and "Why should I bother?"
Pretty rough, huh?
​
Next, you have to want to become someone that you like.
Perhaps you don't want to. Perhaps this seems a bit lovey-dovey.
Make no mistake, I'm not saying you should love yourself all of a sudden. That obviously won't work. Not a single cringe "love yourself" affirmation or quote changed shit when I was a doomer.
If you're suffering right now, why should you love the person who's put you there? It's more about thinking positively and reshaping your identity so it aligns with your goals.
You should find a nice balance between loving and hating yourself - too much hate, and you'll never get shit done; too much love and you'll get too comfortable with where you currently are.
Your beliefs should be as self-serving as possible. Ones that aren't will compound and weaken your mind. Because ultimately, your beliefs become your reality.
Here are some next steps you can take:

1. Only compare yourself to yourself. Easier said than done, I know. But it's a biggie. Deleting - or at least distancing - yourself from social media will help. All these "successful" nerds will make everything you do seem futile. Instead, compare your progress to where you were in the past.
2. Look after yourself. But take it gradually, step by step. Overwhelming yourself will cause a reset, or prevent you from starting altogether. Do some simple things: take a shower, drink some water, meditate for 2 minutes, journal 1 thing you're grateful for, go for a walk, etc. Do these little things, let them compound, and see how you feel after a week or two.
3. Envision the person you want to become - the dream version of yourself. How would they treat and speak to themselves? Really use your imagination and paint as vivid a picture as possible. The more detail, the more emotion you can tie to it, and the more powerful it will be. Now act and think in alignment with how they would.
4. Intercept negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones. Unfortunately, emotions are addictive, so many people get stuck thinking negatively. This will take practice, but you can get there. One tip is to write a reminder on the wall to think good thoughts. The less tolerance you have for non-serving thoughts, the easier it will be.

The most important thing
The one thing that gave me the most progress was changing my beliefs about myself. It seemed stupid to have beliefs about myself that made life harder.
So, I removed all tolerance for negative beliefs and replaced them with positive ones. I would constantly reaffirm these beliefs, no matter how arduous it seemed. This is some biohacking, neuroplasticity, and reprogramming your mind-type shit.
I found results the most, however, when I proved these beliefs. That is the key. Because then you get a nice feedback loop and a positive memory to add credence to the belief.
The idea goes: Form a serving belief -> Act in accordance -> See the Result -> Get mental feedback.
Then the feedback either strengthens the belief or weakens it. It's these feedback loops that can be the difference between feeling on top of the world and like a fat sack of shit. This is why it's paramount that you understand this! These beliefs can make or break you.
Don't worry if at first you don't act correctly or get the desired results. Remind yourself that you are evolving into the person who believes x about themselves, and with time it will come true.
​
Some concluding notes and stuff
Speak to yourself like a friend. Behave how you would want your child to.
There is a lot more to cover on this topic, such as affirmations (which can help immensely but are almost always incorrectly done and misunderstood), identity and the ego, belief, victim mentality, feedback loops, etc. But I think these deserve their own posts.
One of the biggest determinants of success for most things in life is how much you believe in yourself. Be someone that you can believe in.
Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Thx for reading.

It's Thursday. I got wrapped up in playing Diablo and forgot to take a nap before work. I'm on an egg fast(6 eggs with 6 tbsp of butter and an ounce of cheese twice a day) so I can't buy a bit of ice cream to power through the night. And the hotel is filled with a bunch of kids who were apparently given coffee or something, because they won't go the hell to sleep.
So my night hasn't been great. How about you?
But this tale isn't about tonight. Not my part in it, anyway. The fallout happened today though. But for now, a musical interlude.

There are those who think that life
Has nothing left to chance
With a host of holy horrors
To direct our aimless dance

Our cast includes Me, Booking Agent(BA), Coworkers(CW1/2) and the star of our little tale, Karen, Mistress of the Self Frag(K).
Last night was fairly slow. I'm working on figuring out what my PC in our tabletop campaign is gonna do next session(she failed really hard in some combats due to bad dice after a kid she's kinda looking out for asked for her to teach him to fight better, so that's gonna be a morose conversation later). And then I get a call and give my Standard Hotel Greeting.
K: "Hi, yeah. So I have a reservation under Karen McCustomer for arriving tonight, but due to some issues, I won't be making it in tonight. I still need the room for Thursday night though. Any way I can cancel the first night but keep the second?"
Me: "Let me take a look at that for you."
I load up her reservation and... uh oh. I have to give her some bad news.
Me: "Unfortunately, it looks like you checked in via the mobile app. Due to that, I can no longer remove the first night of the stay for you. However, your second night is definitely held for you."
K: "There's nothing you can do? I'm a tier 1 shiny(lowest level above basic member)."
Me: "Unfortunately not, sorry."
K: "Well, that sucks. Okay then. Thanks for trying."
If it had ended there, I wouldn't be telling this tale. And she definitely wouldn't have been given the moniker of "Karen". So anyone reading this probably isn't terribly surprised with what comes next. About twenty minutes later, the phone rings again. I give the Standard Hotel Greeting.
BA: "Hello, yes, I'm calling from about a reservation for Ms. Karen McCustomer."
Me, internally: "Of course you are."
Me: "Okay, what can I do for you regarding that reservation?"
BA: "So, Karen has had an issue and is unable to make her first night. Is there any way to cancel the first night but keep the second one?"
Me: "As I told her when she called me a bit ago, since she checked in online through the mobile app, I can't cancel her first night."
I mean, I could have. But it would have both required me to violate hotel policy and engage in extra work. I might do one or the other when I truly feel it warranted, but not at the same time.
BA: "Oh. That makes sense. I'll let her know. Just to confirm, she will have her reservation for the second night, right? We can't risk her having her reservation no showed and her losing the second night."
Me: "That's not an issue at all. She's good to go for her second night."
BA: "That's the important part. Thanks for your help."
Me: "Thank you for calling. Have a good night."
BA: "You as well."
Again, if it had ended there, this wouldn't have been a story worth posting. Guest is told no, tries to get travel agent to talk me into saying yes. Very common tale. However, this is where my involvement in the story ends. The following interactions have been dramatized based on being recounted to me by CW2.

A planet of playthings
We dance on the strings
Of powers we cannot perceive
“The stars aren’t aligned –
Or the gods are malign”
Blame is better to give than receive

It is daytime. Late afternoon. The birds are singing. The machinery of a road crew working just down the street is singing the song of its people. The giant ball of fire is up in the sky doing...things.
Just remember kids: When has a giant ball of fire ever been good? I rest my case.
Anyway, the phone rings. It's busy, so our FOM, CW, gives the Standard Hotel Greeting as he's helping out with the desk
K: "Hi, so I had an issue with my flight, and I only needed one night of my stay."
CW: "Oh, I can fix that for you. What's the name on the reservation?"
K: "Finally, someone who can help. Karen McCustomer."
CW: "Okay, I've fixed that reservation for you."
K: "That sounded really easy. I wonder why the guy last night wouldn't fix it."
CW: "Don't know. But you're good now."
K: "Thank you."
If you've been paying attention, I'm sure you see what has happened. But CW was unwitting. And Karen thought she'd gotten what she wanted. Meanwhile CW sends up someone to make sure the room is cleaned since he just processed a really late checkout.

There are those who think that
They were dealt a losing hand
The cards were stacked against them
They weren’t born in Lotus-Land.

A couple hours later. The giant ball of fire is dipping down along the horizon. I'm at home, wondering to myself why the hell I'm playing the second lowest DPS spec in the game. And why some people keep dying to avoidable mechanics. Oh well, I'm not leading this circus. I just get to be one of the clowns.
Karen arrives, expecting to check into her room. Which has been sold. In fact, it was snapped up within moments, as CW checked the reservations screen after he hung up and we were booked solid again.
K: "What do you mean I don't have a reservation?!"
CW2: "It looks like you were checked out a couple hours ago."
K: "No! I called to cancel the first night, not tonight!"
CW2: "That wouldn't have been possible, as it was already checked in, looks like through the mobile app."
K: "That's what the guy said last night. But the guy I spoke to a couple hours ago said he could."
CW2: "He said he could cancel the first night but keep the second night?"
K, realization dawning: "...he should have known that's what I wanted!"
It devolved from there. Karens gonna Karen. But this Karen got to go Karen somewhere else. All because she chose a path that was clear. She chose free will. Next time, maybe she'll listen to the ready guide in the celestial voice of the auditor.
Who am I kidding? We all know she didn't learn a damn thing here.
I just hope you all have learned to distrust the giant ball of fire.

"Well, today I felt like I had enough. So I had to write this just to get it out of my head. Before that, lemme predict some of your comments, and reply back:
1: "skill issue"
Okay, I may or may not have to say I have a skill issue, but somehow that only applies to Sharkos. I can somewhat take on a stone golem at level ~5, a stone knight at level ~8 and cheese threshers by just holding S.
2: "Just do trial of 1 it's not that hard"
Trial of 1 IS the reason why I'm making this.
3: "Stat check them then."
Well, apparently EVERYTHING I READ ON THE WIKI AND THE ADVICES MY FRIEND GAVE ME ARE ALL FAKE. Tank the swipes, dodge the kicks? Yea no shot I'm dying almost instantly. The kick has a narrow hitbox? The sharko kicked me from 100 STUDS AWAY.
4: "Are you okay?"
No, I am not. I am at the verge of quitting the game and the community as a whole as to how the toxic side (98%) treats others as "metamancers or free loot". The game's dry as hell as it's more because of how meta overshadows anything else creative and I get punished wildly for the SMALLEST mistakes like blocking a sharko kick (We'll get to that later).
Okay, now the discouragement comments are out of the way (Aside from 100 more I don't have time to talk about), brace and listen to my rant.
Part 1: Deepwoken Devs, gimme some of your marijuana you're smoking rn.
So, this is ages ago, but I just want to question WHY THE HELL DID YOU GUYS MAKE SHARKOS MOVE AROUND? At first it's said as a "Starter monster" but I feel like nowdays these little bitches are nothing but nuisances. I go mining at Vipers Jaw, they appear. I go hiking at Songseekers (Impossible), they appear. I DO LAYER 2, THEY STILL APPEAR AND COULD AND WILL FUCK ME OVER. JUST, MAKE THEM STAND STILL, PLEASE, LIKE THE OTHER MONSTERS WE FACE. IT'S A STARTER MONSTER, WHY THE FUCK DO YOU WANT TO MAKE THEM SO UNIQUE?
Part 2: The moveset of the apparent "Starter monster"
So, lets revise what the sharko could do when you're close to it:

• Swipe: A simple, parriable swipe that could be followed up with a swipe or a kick
• Kick: A hard, punishing unparriable kick that launches whoever hit sky high.

Simple, right? WRONG. Apparently it's this two SIMPLE ENOUGH MOVESETS THAT BREAK MY ADHD BRAIN CAPABLE OF ONLY MEMORIZING 1+1=2. People often times say to "memorize its pattern", but when the sharko's main method of attacking you can be mixed up so much I don't think memorizing is a good idea anymore.
One main reason why this moveset is so busted is because of the lack of its obviousness, or rather, how much you'd notice it when you're focused on attacking it. Sure, some people suggest hitting it 2-4 times after parrying or dodging its attacks, but to me it just doesn't work as it just starts attacking when I throw my 3rd/4th hit in and I forgot that feinting is a thing and I can just do that. Its swings are fast, it throws out kicks so unpredictably, and the fact that YOU CANNOT ROLL SHORTLY AFTER A FAILED PARRY (what) JUST MAKES THIS EVEN MORE BULLSHIT.
Part 2.5: THE KICK
If all Sharkos did was kick I swear to god it'd be the easiest monster to fight against. But hell, put an entirely different move that acts drastically different to the kick and suddenly Sharko becomes from attention seeking to FUCKING STRESSING. Just knowing the fact you getting kicked means you're gonna fly so far out the stratosphere you can't fight back and that dying means losing days if not months (Yes I am this bad) of progress just DISCOURAGES ME from learning to fight Sharko. What's the reward for defeating that beast you may ask? Its hide, small chance for it to be a jacket and even smaller chance for it to be shadow poop. It's just not worth it man, it's just not.
Part 3: PLEASE STOP MAKING VARIANTS OF THIS GUY
So far, we have:

• The normal, unbearable variant
• The previous but now it can Tacet
• The previous but now it can rain swords of flame
• The one that's actually worth fighting (and is fun against)
• Idk if this is a variant but Frog in Layer 2

Sharko by itself is already annoying. Unless you can stat check it, fighting it is always a chore rather than a fun interaction. However then, something weird makes these sharko variants different from the normal sharko:
They have gimmicks.
The Tacet sneak attack is a pretty good (but obviously obvious) attack that makes the Sharko fight trivial to fight against. Just stay a decent distance from it, wait for it to Tacet to you, dodge it and slam it continously for 2 seconds.
Ooh, the Mechasharko. The one that I actually like fighting. Sure it still has the swipes and kicks, but the extra attacks make it more of a live being than the normal sharko. (That's said when sharko is BIOLOGICAL while Mechasharko is just a bunch of cogs and an AI) These extra attacks are also the reason why I like fighting against them, as I don't need to focus too hard on these two punishing attacks and actually have fun. (Except for the flaming kick. I hate you)(I don't hate you as much as you don't really send me THAT far)
All these variants of the sharko, yet the normal one is the HARDEST to fight against. I'm starting to wonder what the fuck the devs are up to after this.
Part 4: Toxic fanbase
Do you know why the devs don't know that the normal sharko is hard to fight against?
Yea, the fanbase is so toxic to newcomers, that they LAUGH AT THEM for not being able to kill a sharko. (Remember the times when you got your asses kicked by them and learnt them in excruciating pain) This one thing, THIS ONE THING is enough to make the devs realize they gotta nerf the Sharko. Instead, they BUFFED THEM, because APPARENTLY THE TOXIC PEOPLE MAKES UP 98% OF THE PLAYERBASE.
I'm speaking of this as a return player, for the 3 times I've came back (First is when Layer 2 dropped, second was when a friend of mine persuaded me to, and the third and last is when I still had feelings for making builds and eventually got around to making a Minos prime build. (Still in the works)), never once have I actually skill checked a Sharko. Idk if it's because of me unwilling to learn, or that I have ADHD and cannot focus for long periods of time, but this alone should be a reason to nerf Sharkos as a whole.
Part 5: How I would nerf sharko (and buff other monsters)
So since the devs are so negligent on their newcomefreshie playerbases, I think it might be a good time to nerf that guy into the ground and make it easy to fight, as well as buffing others that could be potential candidates to replace the sharko as the "Starter monster".

• Swipe: Make it so it will never incorporate the kick. Newbies shouldn't be tortured to be able to learn multitasking. BUT, it will throw in another move to further enforce the idea of parrying this attack.
• New attack, Slam: The sharko raises its claw before slamming down in an attack to crush the player. This creates an undodgeable AoE that MUST be parried, and sometimes would be thrown out on its own albeit with a larger windup. A sound cue also plays when the sharko uses it as its own attack rather than in a combo.
• Kick: Longer wind-up, make it groan before kicking. This adds an extra obvious factor to dodging the kick. Alongside this, make it deal only 99% of a player's posture if blocked instead. This much posture damage would tell players that this attack is not meant to be blocked so they'd be more careful later on fighting the same thing. Ah right, lets also reward players by making it stun itself shortly if it misses its kick so its less time spent on this thing.
• Command grab attack? Sure why not: Lets say we also add a new attack to the sharko that also incorporates the lesser used Ritual Casting. The sharko would swing forward for an undodgeable. This grab doesn't deal damage on its own, but the player gets 3 seconds to gather ether by inputting 4 ritual casting keys (5-6 for the harder types) to escape, should they not want to get eaten by the sharko and take grave damage.

Of course of course most you guys would think I'm malding. But just think about this, fighting the new sharko of above text. You'd be actually having fun and you know what's what and not get punished too hard for making a mistake.
Oh, and did I mention the stone knight? Apparently Tankfish flawlessed it first attempt so lets buff this guy.

• Firstly, lets add an undodgeable Shockwave attack. The Stone Knight would swing their blade downwards, creating a shockwave that trips anyone that isn't standing their ground (Those that roll would slam their faces on the rumbling ground, tripping them).
• Next, make the Swings slightly faster? Not to the Sharko point of speed but still fast enough to be a challenge and punish the impatient.
• Also, the pillar move. I was thinking if there could be an alternate variant where it launches you right at where it is if you start running. This variant would also attempt to predict where the player would be.
• Lastly, I'm thinking of having the Stone Knight be able to feint (and only feint) their stone pillar move. Yep, you heard me. I'm gonna make Stone Knights unbearable. It should be, though. Considering that you meet it at Starswept Valley which is a Level 15+ zone.

And that's it. This is the only monster I want to buff. Also, if the devs are reading this, please add the red flash/audio cues to other unblockable moves of other monsters. (Golem's swing, almost all the possible monster kicks, DREAD SERPENT'S ICE BREATH)
Well, I'm feeling much better now, though I do have an extra idea to share. So if this post gets good enough reception, I may as well release this idea same day. So uh...
Thanks for listening to my rant.
I'm just, gonna go.
Gl on whatever you guys are gonna do, ig." - Kuduro "Lapiz" Cairo

Hi all, it feels a bit like a generic question, but I have the feeling it may be to do with my piano. However, it for sure can be my skill as well (so don’t be afraid to tell me).
I have a hard time playing soft.
I have played various pianos, but on my own (a baby W Hoffmann grand), I find it hard to play softer than others.
A couple of things I tried already to improve: - My piano teacher mentioned to strengthen my downforce by doing a specific scale exercises. That for sure works already, but I don’t think it’s just this. - My room acoustics are terrible. The piano is under a tilted roof, so all the sound is projected back at me. I now did some sound proofing, and that works (it becomes dead quite fast, but need to use diffusers still and balance that). It for sure became a bit more quiet. (A rug under it already helped a bit too).
I am playing since 2007, and only made real progress last year, so I consider myself still a beginner.
I personally think it may have to do with the action. When I try to play soft, either no sound comes out, or it’ll be too loud. The escapement feels heavy. When I put my fingers and press down until the escapement, then press with more force, it becomes gentle the way I want it. But if I just go from the initial position (just lay my finger on top and then press gentle), I can’t seem to get a soft sound.
I hope you have an answer for me where to pay attention too. If it’s my lack of skill, I would be happy to hear that too. I just really want to improve. I don’t have this problem at my piano teacher’s upright (grotrian steinweg), so it’s a but harder to explain/show. (Thinking of that, a grand’s action should be able to play more controlled I think, altho his piano is for sure upper-class)
Thank you!

and yes, people will poke a bit of fun if you use your phone instead of the recording function every device has nowadays, but it's better than nothing. If all you have is text, it'll be so much harder to diagnose your issues.

• If you're having trouble with inputs, go into training mode or combo trials and turn on input history to go with the video
  
• Having issues with a matchup? Send a replay
  

Trust me, it'll be massively more helpful if you can do so, both for you and whoever is helping you. And hey, if you get in the habit of watching yourself do things, all the better.

Good evening, u/redco_moderncallout. I am going to put this out there first: This is a GOOD update, though many people will disagree because of the new business model with Shanix and in-app purchases, and the new crate system. The transition from Apple Arcade to App Store immediately opens up the doors for more people to play, but the game is still exclusive to Apple devices, which is a shame and will hopefully expand even further soon so that Android and other phone users can join us. The transition was hard on the game though, and it seems less optimized now. Before we get into that, let's first list some pros and cons of the new update:
Pros:
The new cards - Hands down the best part of the update, just like any other update.
• Galvatron opens up the possibilities for the addition of other Unicron minions such as Scourge and Cyclonus. He operates interestingly, approaching a structure while firing at any units in his path, transforming into a Fusion Beam Turret cannon that chips away a structure's health. I wish the beam of Galvatron's cannon mode built up damage over time just like the Fusion Beam Turret and damaged any units in its trajectory as well.
• Blackarachnia seems more practical on paper than in game, stunning 3 units at once but not doing much else. However, it is her appearance that is more interesting, notably the fact that her design is inspired by Animated Blackarachnia. Does this mean we might get more characters from Transformers: Animated in the future? Does this mean we might get Lugnut from Animated as a proper Mega Knight from Clash Royale (Optimal Optimus does not count), like proposed before? Does this mean we might see Blitzwing with three modes (and personalities), or Bulkhead added to this game? The possibilities are endless. But for Blackarachnia, I would consider lowering her Energon cost to 3 from 4.
• Jetfire is an interesting concept and was my most hyped card to see added to this game, but unfortunately, he does not do much. He's pretty squishy, doesn't deal any damage (no rocket or laser attacks), and deploys squishy Autobot Elite Infantry that I fail to see how elite it is compared to regular Auobot Infantry. I would have loved to see some kind of Stun attack added to the electrical gauntlets the Autobot Elite Infantry units wear, which would immediately make the card better. However, his 5 Energon cost and ability to deploy units from anywhere in the Arena actually makes him a viable card.
• Rhinox is exciting to see added to this game, especially considering how much I love his design in Rise of the Beasts. For 5 Energon, he is basically a better version of Bumblebee, but after all the running and smashing, his regular attack seems slow and underwhelming. I think Rhinox should have a ranged and a melee attack for his Chainguns. After smashing into a structure, instead of shooting at it, Rhinox would drill like Bonecrusher using his Chainguns. Once the structure is destroyed, Rhinox would use his Chainguns to shoot from a range of 4 or 5 at any threats or any other structures in range. Rhinox would again switch to his drilling melee attack if a melee-based enemy unit would run up to him.
The new interface - It is obvious that the new interface is designed with the idea of adding more content in future updates, which is always a win. The current white frame could be customized into an orange or red Autobot version, a purple or black Decepticon version, an Earth/human version (inspired by the Terran interface from StarCraft), or a green Quintesson version, and so on. The menu is different and yet easy to navigate. More options could be added to the main menu, like more proposed game modes and Battle Log. The new leaderboard system only took a minute to adjust to. The only negative is the 3 crate slots, but that is coming up, believe it. No other complaints in this department.
All other new content - It's also nice to see the additions of a new Earth City arena, a new banger Music track (is the title 5KYL1N3 supposed to be a reference to Sky Lynx?), new Emotes, etc. The new Shanix currency is interesting. The graphics options in the Settings seem to be working properly now (hint: Turn your fps from 30 to 60, it will make the gameplay much smoother). There’s not much else to say, new content is always good.
Cons:
I understand crate hoarding was bound to be nerfed, but to only 3 crate slots? That is simply not enough. And players have to unlock each crate individually, with a Common one taking 3 HOURS to open, and a Mega one taking 15 HOURS to open? Most players probably do what I do and play until they win 5 games a day, at which point they stop for the day. AT LEAST increase the total number of crate slots from 3 to 5 and make it an option to start opening ALL crates at once, with their respective timers, instead of one at a time. The way crates are implemented right now is hurting both new players and returning players who have not maxed out before the transition by setting boundaries that weren’t there before, and that is not good for the game. Add more crate slots and implement simultaneous crate opening or bring crate hoarding back.
No balance changes - Not a single card was reworked in this update, and I don't know how to feel about that. On one hand, I'm glad my deck will remain the same with no necessary modifications. On the other, the stale Chaser meta remains for us to continue suffering through.
Connection issues: I NEVER had this game crash on me before, but just today, after playing for 30 minutes, the game crashed 3 times, all 3 resulting in defeats, tanking my ranking.
Optimization issues: This game is harder on my battery now. I play on low graphics settings with 30 fps. Before the transition, one game would cost 1% of battery life. Playing three games took me down from fully charged at 100% down to 93%. That doesn’t seem like a lot, but the game wasn’t like this, which made it playable for hours. Now it overheats the phone, which leads to lagging and crashes. There are also weird visual bugs that happen whenever a unit is deployed. A Chaser plays an explosion animation but doesn't actually explode when deployed, Autobot Infantry explode like they die but don't actually die when deployed, Wheeljack's Graviton Grenade floats above his head when first deployed, weird bugs like that which didn't exist before the update.
Sudden lack of indicators: Drop Squad and Neutron Bomb now have no indicators of where they are going to drop. This is a big deal especially for Drop Squad, because if you have your volume off, you will not see a Drop Squad approaching until they are on top of your turret, beating the scrap out of it. Return the indicators.
Also, it seems like there were a bunch of "ghost" nerfs and buffs to cards that weren't announced in the Patch Notes. For example, Prowl's rockets sometimes do not deal knockback damage (happened to me twice after the update), Drop Squad does not have an indicator of where the Autobot Infantry units will land now, which causes major confusion and does not allow for immediate countering, and Chasers appear to deal more knockback now (for example, the Sharkticons scatter more on hit now). There may be more I have not encountered yet. I don't know if these are just glitches or not, but the Drop Squad is now OP because of the lack of indicators. I remember this was an issue in the first version of the game, and wonder if Red Games Co. made the same mistake two years later when re-releasing the game.
There is also a misspelling in the Shop in the ORE-13 section. The titles go “Mountain of ORE-13”, “Mouthful of ORE-13”, and “Mountain of ORE-13”, but they don’t match their respective pictures, the first one showing a mouthful, the second showing a truckload, and the third showing a mountain. That’s an issue that is easy to fix.
There are other issues I have not encountered but am sure others have. My biggest complaint is how long it took to deliver this update. It has been 5 months since the January update when Prowl and the Battlechargers were added. 5 months later, and the Battlechargers still cost 5 Energon and have their massive alt modes. With time leaps like this, it’s almost impossible to actually fix this game and implement any changes to fix broken cards and make older cards useful again. Not every update needs a ton of new content to be added, sometimes we just need a balance patch to literally “patch” some things up. People have been complaining about the Chasers for almost a year now, why haven’t they been nerfed yet? Why is Blurr still 4 Energon? Why is Airazor still useless? It’s subtle things like this that ruin the game more than game-breaking glitches do. I told u/picopede a long time ago that the best way to update this game would be to publish small, frequent updates that would always spice things up. New cards would continue to be added, but it feels like with every new content update, the game itself is getting worse. Focus on fixing the game before adding anything new and do it quickly before the game dies.
In the end, what I'm getting out of all of this is that the transition from Apple Arcade to regular App Store was hard on the game and the community. It was definitely worth it, but, as expected, there is a lot of adapting that needs to happen on the players’ side and a lot of work/fixing that needs to happen on Red’s part. There are major game-breaking issues present in the game right now that prevent me from recommending it to anyone, and the new monetization strategy is insulting. Please consider implementing the changes proposed in this post, especially when it comes to crates and progression.

Good evening, u/redco_moderncallout. I am going to put this out there first: This is a GOOD update, though many people will disagree because of the new business model with Shanix and in-app purchases, and the new crate system. The transition from Apple Arcade to App Store immediately opens up the doors for more people to play, but the game is still exclusive to Apple devices, which is a shame and will hopefully expand even further soon so that Android and other phone users can join us. The transition was hard on the game though, and it seems less optimized now. Before we get into that, let's first list some pros and cons of the new update:
Pros:
The new cards - Hands down the best part of the update, just like any other update.
• Galvatron opens up the possibilities for the addition of other Unicron minions such as Scourge and Cyclonus. He operates interestingly, approaching a structure while firing at any units in his path, transforming into a Fusion Beam Turret cannon that chips away a structure's health. I wish the beam of Galvatron's cannon mode built up damage over time just like the Fusion Beam Turret and damaged any units in its trajectory as well.
• Blackarachnia seems more practical on paper than in game, stunning 3 units at once but not doing much else. However, it is her appearance that is more interesting, notably the fact that her design is inspired by Animated Blackarachnia. Does this mean we might get more characters from Transformers: Animated in the future? Does this mean we might get Lugnut from Animated as a proper Mega Knight from Clash Royale (Optimal Optimus does not count), like proposed before? Does this mean we might see Blitzwing with three modes (and personalities), or Bulkhead added to this game? The possibilities are endless. But for Blackarachnia, I would consider lowering her Energon cost to 3 from 4.
• Jetfire is an interesting concept and was my most hyped card to see added to this game, but unfortunately, he does not do much. He's pretty squishy, doesn't deal any damage (no rocket or laser attacks), and deploys squishy Autobot Elite Infantry that I fail to see how elite it is compared to regular Auobot Infantry. I would have loved to see some kind of Stun attack added to the electrical gauntlets the Autobot Elite Infantry units wear, which would immediately make the card better. However, his 5 Energon cost and ability to deploy units from anywhere in the Arena actually makes him a viable card.
• Rhinox is exciting to see added to this game, especially considering how much I love his design in Rise of the Beasts. For 5 Energon, he is basically a better version of Bumblebee, but after all the running and smashing, his regular attack seems slow and underwhelming. I think Rhinox should have a ranged and a melee attack for his Chainguns. After smashing into a structure, instead of shooting at it, Rhinox would drill like Bonecrusher using his Chainguns. Once the structure is destroyed, Rhinox would use his Chainguns to shoot from a range of 4 or 5 at any threats or any other structures in range. Rhinox would again switch to his drilling melee attack if a melee-based enemy unit would run up to him.
The new interface - It is obvious that the new interface is designed with the idea of adding more content in future updates, which is always a win. The current white frame could be customized into an orange or red Autobot version, a purple or black Decepticon version, an Earth/human version (inspired by the Terran interface from StarCraft), or a green Quintesson version, and so on. The menu is different and yet easy to navigate. More options could be added to the main menu, like more proposed game modes and Battle Log. The new leaderboard system only took a minute to adjust to. The only negative is the 3 crate slots, but that is coming up, believe it. No other complaints in this department.
All other new content - It's also nice to see the additions of a new Earth City arena, a new banger Music track (is the title 5KYL1N3 supposed to be a reference to Sky Lynx?), new Emotes, etc. The new Shanix currency is interesting. The graphics options in the Settings seem to be working properly now (hint: Turn your fps from 30 to 60, it will make the gameplay much smoother). There’s not much else to say, new content is always good.
Cons:
I understand crate hoarding was bound to be nerfed, but to only 3 crate slots? That is simply not enough. And players have to unlock each crate individually, with a Common one taking 3 HOURS to open, and a Mega one taking 15 HOURS to open? Most players probably do what I do and play until they win 5 games a day, at which point they stop for the day. AT LEAST increase the total number of crate slots from 3 to 5 and make it an option to start opening ALL crates at once, with their respective timers, instead of one at a time. The way crates are implemented right now is hurting both new players and returning players who have not maxed out before the transition by setting boundaries that weren’t there before, and that is not good for the game. Add more crate slots and implement simultaneous crate opening or bring crate hoarding back.
No balance changes - Not a single card was reworked in this update, and I don't know how to feel about that. On one hand, I'm glad my deck will remain the same with no necessary modifications. On the other, the stale Chaser meta remains for us to continue suffering through.
Connection issues: I NEVER had this game crash on me before, but just today, after playing for 30 minutes, the game crashed 3 times, all 3 resulting in defeats, tanking my ranking.
Optimization issues: This game is harder on my battery now. I play on low graphics settings with 30 fps. Before the transition, one game would cost 1% of battery life. Playing three games took me down from fully charged at 100% down to 93%. That doesn’t seem like a lot, but the game wasn’t like this, which made it playable for hours. Now it overheats the phone, which leads to lagging and crashes. There are also weird visual bugs that happen whenever a unit is deployed. A Chaser plays an explosion animation but doesn't actually explode when deployed, Autobot Infantry explode like they die but don't actually die when deployed, Wheeljack's Graviton Grenade floats above his head when first deployed, weird bugs like that which didn't exist before the update.
Sudden lack of indicators: Drop Squad and Neutron Bomb now have no indicators of where they are going to drop. This is a big deal especially for Drop Squad, because if you have your volume off, you will not see a Drop Squad approaching until they are on top of your turret, beating the scrap out of it. Return the indicators.
Also, it seems like there were a bunch of "ghost" nerfs and buffs to cards that weren't announced in the Patch Notes. For example, Prowl's rockets sometimes do not deal knockback damage (happened to me twice after the update), Drop Squad does not have an indicator of where the Autobot Infantry units will land now, which causes major confusion and does not allow for immediate countering, and Chasers appear to deal more knockback now (for example, the Sharkticons scatter more on hit now). There may be more I have not encountered yet. I don't know if these are just glitches or not, but the Drop Squad is now OP because of the lack of indicators. I remember this was an issue in the first version of the game, and wonder if Red Games Co. made the same mistake two years later when re-releasing the game.
There is also a misspelling in the Shop in the ORE-13 section. The titles go “Mountain of ORE-13”, “Mouthful of ORE-13”, and “Mountain of ORE-13”, but they don’t match their respective pictures, the first one showing a mouthful, the second showing a truckload, and the third showing a mountain. That’s an issue that is easy to fix.
There are other issues I have not encountered but am sure others have. My biggest complaint is how long it took to deliver this update. It has been 5 months since the January update when Prowl and the Battlechargers were added. 5 months later, and the Battlechargers still cost 5 Energon and have their massive alt modes. With time leaps like this, it’s almost impossible to actually fix this game and implement any changes to fix broken cards and make older cards useful again. Not every update needs a ton of new content to be added, sometimes we just need a balance patch to literally “patch” some things up. People have been complaining about the Chasers for almost a year now, why haven’t they been nerfed yet? Why is Blurr still 4 Energon? Why is Airazor still useless? It’s subtle things like this that ruin the game more than game-breaking glitches do. I told u/picopede a long time ago that the best way to update this game would be to publish small, frequent updates that would always spice things up. New cards would continue to be added, but it feels like with every new content update, the game itself is getting worse. Focus on fixing the game before adding anything new and do it quickly before the game dies.
In the end, what I'm getting out of all of this is that the transition from Apple Arcade to regular App Store was hard on the game and the community. It was definitely worth it, but, as expected, there is a lot of adapting that needs to happen on the players’ side and a lot of work/fixing that needs to happen on Red’s part. There are major game-breaking issues present in the game right now that prevent me from recommending it to anyone, and the new monetization strategy is insulting. Please consider implementing the changes proposed in this post, especially when it comes to crates and progression.

So I'm 150 years into my current game and compared to my previous, the research options I'm getting are useless.
I'm getting the upgrade rolls a lot now, as if I've done all of the other tech trees but in reality, I've been sitting waiting for numerous research trees for absolutely ages.
For example, it was only in the last couple of years I received the mineral purification hubs as an option. Thats usually popped up really early! The galaxy is colonised and after being boxed in by 2 rapidly expansive hive minds I've been forced to go tall (a much more viable option than it used to be!), So I'm pushing for the mega-engineering for a ring world.
I've got all but one tradition unlocked (saving it for cybernetics or synthetics if they ever unlock) and about 5 ascendancies just sitting waiting but just isn't happening.
Any ideas how to encourage the issue? It's an Ironman playthrougu so rather not use codes, after 500 hours it's time I actually completed a game 😂

I'm from EU,so GAMES SHOULD work pretty much anywhere
NOT BUYING GAMES,ONLY TRADES - games for games or selling for paypal
No interest in TF2 keys,CSGO cases or ANY other virtual currency
BUYER covers the FEES (if outside EU,EU F&F only)
My Steam account so you don't offer me something I own
My Wishlist
My SGSRep
My IGSRep
​
​
Only looking for Steam games - so don't offer origin,uplay,rockstar,bnet or ANY other launcher
100% of my games keys are bought by me from official stores & I expect the same in return,so don't offer me keyshop games or game keys you got in a trade as I will decline
I retain the right to ask for proof of ownership for ANY game I want - just like YOU have the right to ask me the same
​
​
List of games I have:
Also have the Earthquake Relief bundle but reddit wont let me write all the games cause my topic would be too big - just ask
7 Billion Humans
8Doors Arum's Afterlife Adventure
10 Second Ninja X
60 Seconds!
112 Operator
140
198X
911 Operator
A Case Of Distrust
A Year Of Rain
Absolver
Aeolis Tournament
Age Of Wonders III
Ageless
Airport CEO
AI War 2
Alien Spidy
Aliens Vs Predator Collection
All You Can Eat
Almost There The Platformer
American Fugitive
Amnesia A Machine For Pigs + The Dark Descent (1 key for both games)
Amnesia Fortnight 2012
Amnesia Fortnight 2014
Amnesia Fortnight 2017
Amnesia Rebirth (X2)
Among Us (X2)
Ancestors The Humankind Odyssey (EU & Africa lock)
Aragami (X2)
Archamon
Army Men RTS
Attack Of The Earthlings
Automobilista
Aven Colony
Avernum 3 Ruined World
Azkend 2 The World Beneath
Back 4 Blood (EU region lock)
Backbone
Band Of Defenders
Banished
Baseball Riot
Batora Lost Haven
Battlestar Galactica Deadlock
Behind The Frame Finest Scenery NEW
Beholder 2
Bendy And The Dark Revival (X2)
Bendy And The Ink Machine
Betrayer (delisted)
Between The Stars (X2)
Beyond Eyes
Beyond The Wire
Bionic Commando
Bionic Commando Rearmed
Bird Of Light
Black Paradox
Bohemian Killing
Book Of Demons
Bomber Crew Deluxe
Borderlands 3 + Director's Cut (ask about region locks)
Borderlands 3 Super Deluxe Edition NEW (ask about region locks)
Boreal Blade
Broken Age (X2)
Brothers A Tale Of Two Sons (X2)
Builder Simulator NEW
Butcher
Call Of Juarez
Call Of The Sea (X2)
Call To Arms Basic Edition
Call To Arms Gates Of Hell Ostfront
Car Mechanic Simulator 2018
Chenso Club
Chernobylite Enhanced Edition
Cities In Motion 2
CivCity Rome
Clone Drone In The Danger Zone
Clouds & Sheep 2
Coffin Dodgers
Cook Serve Delicious 3
Company Of Heroes Complete Edition
Control Ultimate Edition
Corridor Z
Cosmic Osmo And The World Beyond The Mackerel
Crash Drive 3
Creatures Inc
Crookz The Big Heist
Crossbow Bloodnight
Crusader Kings Complete
Crying Suns
Dagon The Eldritch Box
Danger Scavenger
Day Of Infamy
Dead Age
Dead In Vinland
Deadly Premonition Director's Cut
Deadbeat Heroes (X2)
Dear Ester Landmark Edition
Death Stranding Director's Cut
Death Squared
Deep Dungeons Of Doom
Deep Sky Derelicts
Demon Turf
Deployment
Desert Child
Destiny 2 Beyond Light NEW
Diaries Of A Spaceport Janitor
Dicey Dungeons (X2)
Dimension Drifter
Distraint 2 + Soundtrack
Divekick
Dog Sled Saga
Double Fine Adventures Complete Series Deluxe
Downwell
Drawful 2
Draw Slasher
Dreadlands
Dread X Collection
Driftland The Magic Revival
Dry Downing
Duke Nukem Forever Collection
Dungeon Marathon
Dungeon Of The Endless
Dungeons 2
Dungeons 2 Complete
Dungeons 3
Dusk
Dwarfs!?
Eador Imperium
EarthX
Eastside Hockey Manager
ECHO
Edge Of Eternity
Effie
Elderborn
Eldest Souls
Elden Path Of The Forgotten
Embr
Emily Is Away
Empyrion Galactic Survival
Epic Manager
E.T. Armies Deluxe Edition
Etherborn (X2)
Euro Truck Simulator 2
Europa Universalis IV
Evergarden
Expeditions Viking
F1 2018 (delisted)
Family Man
Fantasy Blacksmith
Fantasy Versus
Farmer's Dynasty
Farming Simulator 17
FIA European Truck Racing
Figment (X2)
Finding Paradise
Fire Ungh's Quest
First Class Trouble
Five Dates
Fling To The Finish
Fluffy Horde
Fobia St. Dinfna Hotel
Forgive Me Father
Framed Collection (X2)
Friday the 13th: The Game
Fun With Ragdolls The Game
Fury Unleashed (X2)
Gang Beasts
Garage Bad Trip (X2)
Gas Guzzlers Extreme
Gas Station Simulator
Gauge
Generation Zero NEW
Ghostrunner
Giana Sisters Twisted Dreams + Rise Of The Owlverlord
Gloria Victis NEW
GNOG
Go Home Dinosaurs!
Goat Of Duty
Goetia (X2)
Going Under (X2)
Golden Light
Golf Gang
GoNNER
Grand Ages Medieval
Grand Pigeon's Duty
Greak Memories Of Azur
Gremlins Inc.
Grip Combat Racing + Cygon + Nyvoss + Terra + Vintek DLC (X2)
Guts And Glory (X2)
Hack'n'Slash
Haiku The Robot (X2)
Hamilton's Great Adventure
Hammerfight
Headlander
Heal
Hedon Bloodrite
Hell Let Loose
Hellblade Senua's Sacrifice
Hello Neighbor
Hellbound
Hero Defense
Hero's Hour (EU region lock)
Hexologic
Hidden & Dangerous Action Pack
Hidden & Dangerous 2 Courage Under Fire
Hive Jump (X2)
Hiveswap Act 2
Hiveswap Friend Sim (X2)
Homeworld Deserts Of Kharak
Hotshot Racing
Hot Tin Roof The Cat That Wore A Fedora
Hot Wheels Unleashed
Hover (X2)
Human Resource Machine
Hurtworld
I Am Bread
I Am Not A Monster First Contact
Ice Lakes
If Found...
Ikenfell
Impact Winter (delisted)
In Between
Industria
Inexistence Rebirth
Infinite Air With Mark McMorris (delisted)
Influent
Inmost
Interplanetary Enhanced Edition
Intruder
Ion Fury
Iron Danger
Iron Harvest
Jack Axe
Jalopy
Jet Set Knights
Juanito Arcade Mayhem
Jump Stars
Jurassic World Evolution
Just Die Already
KartKraft
Kathy Rain Directors Cut
Keep Talking And Nobody Explodes (X2)
Killing Floor 2 Digital Deluxe NEW
Kill To Collect
Kingdom Classic (X2)
Kingdom New Lands
Kingdoms Of Amalur Re-Reckoning Fate Edition
King Oddball
Labyrinthine
Last Oasis
Last Tide
Lawn Mowing Simulator
Lead And Gold Gangs Of Wild West (X2)
Legacy Of Dorn Herald Of Oblivion (delisted)
Legend Of Keepers Career Of A Dungeon Master
Leisure Suit Larry Retro Bundle (1 to 7)
Lethal League Blaze
Liberated (GOG key)
Lifeless Planet Premium Edition
Light Fall
Little Big Workshop
Lost Planet Complete Pack
Lust For Darkness
Lust From Beyond M Edition
Magicka
Magrunner Dark Pulse
Maid Of Sker
Main Assembly (X2)
Mars Horizon
Masquerade The Baubles Of Doom
Max Payne 3 (Rockstar Launcher)
Mega Man Legacy Collection
Midnight Ghost Hunt NEW
Midnight Protocol
Mind Scanners
Mini Metro
Miscreated (X2)
Monster Crown
Moon Hunters
Morbid The Seven Acolytes
Motorcycle Mechanic Simulator 2021
Motorsport Manager
Mount And Blade Warband
My Lovely Daughter
Naruto To Boruto Shinobi Striker
Nascar Heat 5 Ultimate
Nebuchadnezzar
NecroVisioN Lost Company
NecroWorn
Neighbours Back From Hell
Neo Cab
Neon Abyss
NeuroVoider
Neverout
Nickelodeon All Star Brawl (X2)
Ninjin Clash Of Carrots
No Time To Relax
Northgard NEW
Not Tonight
Obduction
Observation
Octahedron
Odyssey The Story Of Science
Of Orcs And Men
Old School Musical
OlliOlli World Rad Edition
On Rusty Trails
One Finger Death Punch 2
Onikira Demon Killer
Operation Tango NEW
Orbital Racer
Orcs Must Die 2 Complete
Original War
Orwell Ignorance Is Strength
Out Of Reach Treasure Royal
Overlord II
Overpass
Override Mech City Brawl
Oxenfree
Pacer
Paint The Town Red
Paper Fire Rookie
Paradise Lost
Path Of Giants
Paw Paw Paw
Payday 2 + Big Mike mask
Peaky Blinders Mastermind (delisted)
Penarium
People Playground (X2)
Perfect Heist 2
PGA Tour 2K21 (X2)
Phoenix Point Year One Edition
Pikuniku
Pine
Pinstripe
Pixplode
Plane Mechanic Simulator
Poöf
Popup Dungeon
Post Void
Pound Of Ground (X2)
PowerSlave Exhumed
Prehistoric Kingdom
Primal Carnage Extinction (X2)
Project Cars GOTY (delisted)
Project Hospital
Project Warlock
Propnight
Pulsar The Lost Colony NEW
Pumped BMX+
Punch Club
Purrfect Date
Quest Of Dungeons
RAD (X2)
Radio Commander
Rad Rodgers Radical Edition
Railroad Tycoon 2
Railroad Tycoon 3
Railway Empire
Raji An Ancient Epic
Rebel Cops
Rec Center Tycoon
Red Faction Armageddon
Red Solstice 2 Survivors
Redeemer Enhanced Edition
Redout Enhanced Edition
Re-Legion
Remothered Broken Porcelain
Resident Evil 4
Resident Evil Revelations (X2)
Resident Evil Revelations 2 Deluxe Edition
Retimed
Retrowave
Reventure
Revita
Ring Of Pain
Rings Of Saturn
Riot Civil Unrest
Rise Of Industry
Rise Of Insanity
Riven The Sequel To MYST
Roarr! The Adventures Of Rampage Rex
Roboquest
Rogue Heroes Ruins Of Tasos
Rogue Lords
Rogue Stormers
Rover Mechanic Simulator
RPG Maker VX
Rustler
Sable
Salt And Sanctuary
Satellite Reign
Satisfactory
Saturday Morning RPG
Say No! More
SCP 5K
SCUM (X2)
ScourgeBringer
Serious Sam 2
Serious Sam BFE (X2)
Serious Sam Classics Revolution
Serious Sam Double D XXL
Serious Sam HD The First & Second Encounter (1 key for both)
Serious Sam HD The Second Encounter Legend Of The Beast
Serious Sam HD The Second Encounter Serious 8
Serious Sam Kamikaze Attack
Serious Sam The Random Encounter
Serious Sam Bogus Detour
Shadow Tactics Aiko's Choice
Shady Part Of Me
She Remembered Caterpillars
She Will Punish Them
Shing!
Shock Troopers
Shogun's Empire Hex Commander
Shuyan Saga
Sid Meier's Civilization VI
Sid Meier's Railroads
Simulacra Collection
Skeletal Avenger
Skullgirls 2nd Encore
Skully
Slime Rancher
Slinger VR
Smoke And Sacrifice (X2)
Sniper Elite V2 Remastered
Sniper Elite 4 Deluxe + Season Pass
SOMA
Song Of Iron
Soulblight
Spacebase DF-9
Space Hulk Ascension (delisted)
Sparkle 2
Sparkle Unleashed
Spellcaster University
Spelunx And The Caves Of Mr. Seudo
Spiritfarer Farewell Edition NEW
Stacking
Starsand (X2)
Star Wars Jedi Knight Jedi Academy
Star Wars Knights Of The Old Republic
Stasis
State Of Decay 2 Juggernaut Edition
State Of Mind
Steel Rats
Stick Fight The Game (X3)
Stories Untold
Streets Of Fury EX
Strider (X2)
Struggling
Stubbs The Zombie
Styx Shards Of Darkness
Submerged Hidden Depths
Suchart Genius Artist Simulator
Super Indie Carts
Super Magbot
Supraland
SurrounDead (X2)
Surviving The Aftermath
Suzerain
Swag And Sorcery
Sword Legacy Omen
Swords And Soldiers 2 Shawarmageddon
Swords And Souls Neverseen (X2)
Syberia II
Syberia 3 Deluxe Edition
Syberia The World Before
Syndrome
System Shock Enhanced Edition
Table Manners The Physics-Based Dating Game
Tabletop Playground
Tacoma
Take On Helicopters
Tales From Candlekeep Tomb Of Annihilation (delisted)
Tales Of Monkey Island Complete
Talisman Digital Edition + City,Frostmarch,Sacred Pool (trading only as a bundle)
Talisman Origins
Tank Mechanic Simulator
Telefrag VR
Teleglitch Die More Edition
Tennis In The Face
Tennis World Tour (X2)
Tesla Force
Tesla Vs Lovecraft
Tharsis (X2)
The Amazing American Circus
The Ambassador Fractured Timelines
The Adventure Pals
The Battle Of Polytopia Moonrise Deluxe
The Blackout Club
The Citadel
The Count Lucador
The Free Ones (delisted)
The Golf Club 2019 featuring PGA Tour
theHunter Call Of The Wild (X3)
The Invisible Hand NEW
The Journey Down Chapter Three
The King Of Fighters 2002 Unlimited Match
The Last Blade
The Life And Suffering Of Sir Brante
The Long Dark Survival Edition (X2)
The Manhole Masterpiece Edition
The Mims Beginning
The Mortuary Assistant
The Night Of The Rabbit
The Serpent Rogue
The Signifier Director's Cut
The Textorcist The Story of Ray Bibbia (X2)
The Uncertain Last Quiet Day (X2)
The USB Stick Found In The Grass
The Walking Dead Season 1 + 400 Days
The Wild Eight (X2)
They Bleed Pixels
Think Of The Children
This War Of Mine
Thronebreaker The Witcher Tales
THOTH
Through The Darkest Of Times
Timeshift
Time Recoil
Titan Quest Anniversary
Toejam & Earl Back In The Groove
TOEM
Tohu
Tools Up
Tooth And Tail (X2)
Torchlight (X2)
Total Tank Simulator
Totally Accurate Battle Simulator
Toto Temple Deluxe
Tower Of Time (X2)
Tower Unite
Townscaper (X2)
Townsmen A Kingdom Rebuilt
Toybox Turbos
Tracks The Train Set Game
Train Station Renovation
Treasure Hunter Simulator (X2)
Tropico 4
True Fear Forsaken Souls Part 1
Tyranny Deluxe Edition
Unexplored
Unloved
Unmetal
Unshaded
Vambrace Cold Soul
Vane
Velocibox
Verdun
Vikings Wolves Of Midgard
Visage
Volcanoids (X2)
V Rally 4
Wanderlust Travel Stories (GOG key)
Warhammer 40K Chaos Gate Daemonhunters NEW
Warhammer End Times Vermintide
Warhammer Vermintide 2 NEW
Warlock Master Of The Arcane
Warpips
Warsaw
Wasteland 2 Director's Cut
We Are The Dwarves
We Should Talk
Western Press
We Were Here Together
When Ski Lifts Go Wrong
Where The Water Tastes Like Wine
While True: Learn() Chief Technology Officer Edition
White Day: A Labyrinth Named School
Windjammers 2 NEW
Wooden Sen'SeY
Worms Rumble + Legends DLC
Wrath Aeon Of Ruin (X2)
XCOM Complete Pack
Xenoraid The First Space War
X Morph Defense + European Assault + Last Bastion + Survival Of The Fittest (1 key for all)
XIII Classic
Xuan-Yuan Sword The Gate Of Firmament
Yet Another Zombie Defense HD
Ylands Exploration Pack
Yoku's Island Express
Yooka-Laylee And The Impossible Lair
Zack 2 Celestine's Map
ZIC Zombies In City
Zombie Army Trilogy

Darkness engulfs me. It devours me like the creature I fear most. I try opening my eyes but there’s no difference. All I see is total black nothingness.
It wouldn’t be so bad if I weren’t deathly terrified of the dark.
At home there’s never a time when I allow darkness to fully overwhelm the light. I have night lights and security lights lining every hall and in every room. I’m never one hundred percent in the dark. That is, not until now.
I feel beads of sweat forming on my forehead at the mere thought of what could be lurking in the inky blackness that envelopes me. Even the most mundane holds terror when you can’t see it but your mind tells you it’s there. A throng of spiders waiting just out of reach to make me its next meal. A pit of snakes that you dangle perilously close to the precipice.
If you can’t see, how can you tell if your eyes are open or closed?
I reach down and press my hand against the cold floor that I lay on. I stretch out my fingers, laying them flat to feel it. The cold creeps into them, its tendrils invading my body like a virus. It feels like the darkness is digging through my skin deeper down inside me to my bones, to my marrow, to my soul.
I’m lost in this sea of gloom. I don’t even know where I am. I’m terrified to make a move lest I tumble over the invisible edge.
I don’t know how I got here.
I don’t know where here is.
I’ve no idea why I’m here, unless…
As fearful as this mysterious place makes me, the thought of unless chills me to the marrow. The darkness is even set aside for a moment in my mind, displaced by the unless.
It seems so long ago and at the same time, it feels like it just happened. The deepest, darkest place in my soul. The thing I keep locked up tight, never to ponder let alone discuss. The unless is untouchable. Only in my worst nightmares does my subconscious toy with the idea of the unless.
No. I can’t let it consume me. My thoughts running rampant won’t help me to discover what this place is. I must do that first if the miracle of escape is even possible.
I slowly slide my hand outward as far as it will reach. Each micro-moment prepared to withdraw it if harm is approached. With my senses diminished, the only way to search for harm is to sacrifice my hand. Like sending out a scout to see if the area is clear or the enemy is close by.
My hand reaches its limit unmolested. I change direction from straight out to an arc. Feeling for anything like a one-winged snow angel.
My hand discovers nothing, but the movement has stimulated something of my lost senses. I hear the sliding of my fingers on the floor’s surface.
It echoes back to me quickly. I try once again, faster and louder this time. The echoes return almost immediately.
My mind absorbs the details and makes a conclusion. The room must not be very big. It augments the conclusion with the supposition that the floor is concrete. The smoothness, the cold, and the sound it makes all seem to come together.
I further test the conclusion by forming a fist and knocking on the floor.
The sound and feel cement the hypotheses.
As I congratulate myself on my deduction, I hear something. Having not moved, I don’t think the sound came from me. It happened only briefly and I wasn’t listening for any sounds outside the ones I’d made.
My mind replayed it and came to a startling conclusion. It sounded like a sigh.
As if someone was my unwitting cellmate in this murky prison.
Relief and despair fought a furious battle at the prospect of another in my company that I know nothing about.
Company in this tenebrous place would be a welcome happenstance. It may even lead to our escape if we work together.
However, if I am here about the unless then what horrid crime had they committed to be relegated to this torturous existence?
Caution seemed the most prudent course. Perhaps my cellmate was unaware of my existence. Keeping it that way until I could discover more seemed a prudent goal.
Armed with the knowledge of the floor’s composition and the existence of a potential cellmate, I set about to gather more information about my surroundings.
I rolled onto my back slowly, so as not to make any noise that would alert the other to my presence. I then used my other arm to search for any obstructions within its arc.
Finding none, I proceeded to move my legs as far to the side as possible, completing my concrete angel.
Next on my list for this absurd exploration, I slowly rolled over onto my stomach, making sure to feel as far out with my hand should a sudden drop-off present itself unannounced and end my journey in the most horrific fashion.
Finding nothing to impede my progress, I took the next step of taking my first step.
As I did, my shoe brushed the floor, making a sound that under normal circumstances would barely be noticed. However, I wasn’t in normal circumstances.
The effect was immediate and terrifying.
This time there was no sigh. It was a low-throated growl.
I became a statue as liquid nitrogen rushed through my veins. The growl was deep and throaty, like a lion’s only somehow different.
Every inch of my being clenched in a group effort to stay as still as humanly possible. My hope was that this thing would think it had made a mistake and hadn’t heard the movement of its next potential meal. It was more than a hope, it was the key to my survival.
The problem was I was trapped in a position kneeling on one knee, about to get up. My knee on the hard floor was starting to complain and I knew it was only a matter of time until my balance wavered.
I couldn’t hold this position for long. I was already starting to shake from the effort. My balance was wavering, beads of sweat formed on my forehead. I hoped it couldn’t smell fear because I was throwing out waves of it.
My leg was shaking, my knee was screaming. I had to make a decision. Do I sit back down or go all the way to standing?
Whichever I did needed to happen fast before my knee gave out and I collapsed to the floor in a noisy heap.
I decided to stand. Putting one hand on my knee and the other on the floor, I pushed up and ascended. As I rose, my knee popped. It wasn’t painful, but it was loud in this quiet room. So loud that it echoed back to me.
I made it all the way to the standing position before I heard the growl again. This time it was followed by sounds that were much worse. First was a sniffing sound as if it was testing the air, searching for its prey. The second was the soft yet unmistakable sound of a footstep.
I didn’t breathe as I waited to hear another. I listened for any sound, and unfortunately, I heard one. It was this thing’s breath. It was long and slow as if this monster’s lungs were huge to accommodate a massive body.
The sniffing continued but the second footfall didn’t come. Perhaps it was as confused as I was as to why it was here.
I was never so glad about the darkness as at that moment. I was still terrified, but at least the darkness had become my ally if only for a moment. I couldn’t see the monster, which was a blessing in itself. My imagination was already picturing the most horrendous, demonic thing that ever cursed the planet with its existence. But the darkness was a double-edged sword. It couldn’t see me either. If I stayed quiet enough, it might write me off as nothing more than a figment of its imagination.
With only rhythmic breathing and no sound of pursuit, I took my first standing step away from the beast. With measured and calculated caution, I stepped away from the sound of my bane and felt silently and cautiously with the toe of my shoe to make sure there was a floor to step onto.
My foot landed with the impact of a feather. I transferred weight to that leg and stepped with the other. With the lights on and no demon waiting to devour me, my motions would’ve been quite comical.
As the situation was, they were anything but.
I continued the arduous task of silent escape, listening intently for any change in the monster’s breathing.
Time had no meaning in this place, but if I were to guess I would say it took me nearly half an hour to take ten steps.
The eleventh step, however, was the problem.
When I put my foot out, it hit something.
I immediately froze. I couldn’t tell if the something had been hard like a table, or soft like another creature lying in wait for some poor stupid person to stumble into it.
I drew my foot back and waited to see if whatever it was reacted. The darkness didn’t abate. At times I considered holding my eyes closed. At least that would keep them hydrated. For some strange reason, it also seemed to help my focus.
I listened for any sign that this object was alive and/or about to devour me. After a few moments, the only sound I heard was my own breathing. I tentatively stuck out my foot and touched the object again.
It was hard and unyielding. I reached out with my arm and also touched something solid. I felt around on it and bent down all the way to the floor.
It was a wall.
The rough texture and ridges told me it was made of concrete block. I reached as high as I could, even getting up on my tiptoes, trying to find anything useful.
I explored the wall, feeling my way to the right until I reached a corner. As tempted as I was to turn and feel down this new wall, I knew it ended on the side of the room where the monster dwelled. I had no desire to approach that thing without light and a very deadly weapon.
As much as my fingers had become my eyes, my ears became my sonar, staying tuned to any sound. To this point, there hadn’t been much.
That didn’t last.
There was a shuffling sound that made me freeze. It was followed by the sounds of scraping on the concrete floor. Its soft breathing had gotten deeper and steadier.
It was getting up.
I stood in my corner not moving, barely breathing as I heard one soft footstep after another, getting louder with each step.
It was curious about the other side of the room… my side of the room.
I had to focus not to give it a strong smell to follow. I hadn’t used the bathroom in hours. Not that there was a bathroom in here that I knew of, but I would’ve used the other corner and then never returned to it until nature called again.
As the monster continued across the room I could hear sniffing.
It was hunting for me.
My nerves told me to run. My mind told me to stand still. My bladder didn’t care as long as it was emptied soon.
The footsteps continued to approach. There was no doubt it was searching for me, and it would find me. My mind ran through every option available in a blindingly dark room with a beast searching for its next meal that was slowly approaching.
I hugged the wall and started toward the other side of the room.
Common sense argued that I had no idea if there was another creature on the far side of the room, but there seemed to be no choice.
As we continued our silent dance, I pictured the creature passing by as I slid along the wall toward its side of the room.
When we had both reached the halfway point, it suddenly stopped. I froze and held my breath as it sniffed the air. For a long moment, it was totally silent. It seemed to be holding its breath as well as if listening for me.
I kept my eyes squeezed shut and focused on being totally still. My lungs were burning from holding my breath. I knew I would soon spew out the stale air and gulp in fresh.
I also knew that would be the end of me. The creature would know I was here and it would use the sound to track me down and tear me to bloody shreds as it devoured me.
The countdown had begun in my mind. It was a matter of seconds until my lungs gave out and I had to breathe the last breath.
10…
9…
8…
7…
I heard a footstep. The creature was moving again.
I held my hand over my mouth and slowly exhaled, then just as slowly inhaled. It was difficult to keep my oxygen-starved lungs from demanding more air, but I was able to catch up quietly without breathing so hard as to make noise.
I continued on my perilous journey toward the unknown, carefully listening to the creature also continue its journey.
As I reached the corner of my nemesis, fear gripped me as I stepped on something soft. I waited for an attack that never came. Slowly, I reached down to explore this newfound softness. It was hair. Soft fur the kind that an animal would shed.
All my suspicions were now fact. There was an animal here. It wasn’t just my imagination. My fear and anxiety were fully justified.
As I made my revelation, I heard my nemesis reach the far wall and bump into it. It then began sniffing in earnest.
It must’ve caught my scent.
It knew I was real too.
The sniffing was getting closer. I allowed myself a moment of panic before the realization that the only thing I could do was continue my course around the room. I made my way through the blanket of fur and headed for the far wall, feeling as I went for the one thing that may hold my potential rescue, a doorknob.
So far, there had been no indication of a door whatsoever. I prayed that the unexplored wall would remedy that.
I continued on this insane and deadly game of ring around the Rosie, stepping up my speed as much as possible while still staying silent. It’s one thing to know you’re being hunted, it’s another thing altogether to ring the dinner bell by giving your position away.
I was counting on it becoming confused when it circled back to its own nest. It was still as dark as ever and apparently, this thing didn’t have any better night vision than I did.
I reached the far corner and hope surged through me that I would find a door. My escape seemed imminent. I stepped up my search, going faster along this wall, but also feeling as much of the surface as possible in search of the desired door.
My hopes came crashing down when I reached the next corner without finding anything.
It couldn’t be.
It had to be here.
How else did this demon and I enter the room?
My despair crushed me like a ton of bricks. There was nothing left to do. This thing would eventually catch me. There was no escape.
In the middle of my pity party, I noticed something. The room was silent.
I couldn’t hear it sniffing.
I couldn’t hear it breathing.
I had no idea where it was.
I tried to keep my breathing under control as panic washed over me. There was nothing to do but wait.
In the darkness, I felt something soft brush against me.
It had found me.
The subtle growl was no longer across the room, it was right here in front of me.
OhmyGodOhmyGodOhmyGod!
I felt a river run down the inside of my pants as my bladder finally gave up the fight.
A sharp claw ran across my throat, not hard enough to cut, but enough to let me know I was about to die.
I couldn’t take it anymore. The darkness. The silence. The menace.
I screamed at the top of my lungs.
I screamed over and over. It wasn’t even words, just primal sounds that escaped me. Every wail as a baby. Every cry of pain. Every shriek of fright as I woke from a nightmare. I let them all out. The screams of my victims as they suffered at my hands. The screams of their families as the court sentenced me. The screams inside my mind in a cell alone thinking only of the unless.
The unless.
The unless…
The unless!
Suddenly the lights came on.
I covered my eyes to ward off the brightness. As I slowly adjusted I was able to look around the room.
The creature was gone.
No, it couldn’t be.
I looked over at the wall where I had walked through the fur, but there was none. I looked all around, but there were only blank walls.
Where is it?
Whereisitwhereisitwhereisit?
I turned round and round, but it was gone. Had it ever really been here?
A door opened and two large men dressed in white came in.
“No,” I screamed. “Don’t come near! It’ll get you!”
They marched across the room oblivious to the danger and picked me up.
“It’s time to go back to your room,” one of the men said, picking me up under the shoulder. “The doc says you’ve had enough therapy for today.”
“Did you see it?” I said.
They carried me out without answering. We came into a hallway that stretched forever. I tried to look back at the open door.
“Don’t let it out,” I said. “You’ve got to keep it in.”
They didn’t bother to look back, just continued down the hall.
I turned and saw it peek it’s head out of the room.
“No!” I screamed.
They didn’t stop, didn’t slow, just picked me up so my feet dangled off the floor until we reached a room. They unlocked it and set me in on my bunk.
“You should probably get cleaned up,” one of the men said as I tried to get up but he held me down.
“You know how this goes,” he said. “You stay on your bunk until we lock the door.”
The second man backed out of the room then the first man released me and followed him.
I ran for the door.
“You don’t understand! It’s loose. It’ll kill you all!”
They turned and walked away.
“No!” I screamed at the tiny window in my door.
I pounded on the door for a long time, but no one else came by. Maybe it had already gotten them. Maybe it would come to my door and peek in my window with blood dripping from its mouth.
I stepped back from the door, feeling exhausted. I looked over at the tiny shower stall and did what they suggested.
Everything was built into the wall. The shower, the sink, the table, the bed, there was nothing I could use to hurt myself or defend myself.
After I took a shower and put on fresh clothes, I sat at my desk and wrote what had happened with the monster. When I was done I laid down, hoping to be able to rest.
At the appointed time, the lights went out.
The darkness engulfed me.
It devoured me like the thing I fear most.
I lay there with my eyes open, waiting.
In the black nothingness, I heard it, a soft growl.

Darkness engulfs me. It devours me like the creature I fear most. I try opening my eyes but there’s no difference. All I see is total black nothingness.
It wouldn’t be so bad if I weren’t deathly terrified of the dark.
At home there’s never a time when I allow darkness to fully overwhelm the light. I have night lights and security lights lining every hall and in every room. I’m never one hundred percent in the dark. That is, not until now.
I feel beads of sweat forming on my forehead at the mere thought of what could be lurking in the inky blackness that envelopes me. Even the most mundane holds terror when you can’t see it but your mind tells you it’s there. A throng of spiders waiting just out of reach to make me its next meal. A pit of snakes that you dangle perilously close to the precipice.
If you can’t see, how can you tell if your eyes are open or closed?
I reach down and press my hand against the cold floor that I lay on. I stretch out my fingers, laying them flat to feel it. The cold creeps into them, its tendrils invading my body like a virus. It feels like the darkness is digging through my skin deeper down inside me to my bones, to my marrow, to my soul.
I’m lost in this sea of gloom. I don’t even know where I am. I’m terrified to make a move lest I tumble over the invisible edge.
I don’t know how I got here.
I don’t know where here is.
I’ve no idea why I’m here, unless…
As fearful as this mysterious place makes me, the thought of unless chills me to the marrow. The darkness is even set aside for a moment in my mind, displaced by the unless.
It seems so long ago and at the same time, it feels like it just happened. The deepest, darkest place in my soul. The thing I keep locked up tight, never to ponder let alone discuss. The unless is untouchable. Only in my worst nightmares does my subconscious toy with the idea of the unless.
No. I can’t let it consume me. My thoughts running rampant won’t help me to discover what this place is. I must do that first if the miracle of escape is even possible.
I slowly slide my hand outward as far as it will reach. Each micro-moment prepared to withdraw it if harm is approached. With my senses diminished, the only way to search for harm is to sacrifice my hand. Like sending out a scout to see if the area is clear or the enemy is close by.
My hand reaches its limit unmolested. I change direction from straight out to an arc. Feeling for anything like a one-winged snow angel.
My hand discovers nothing, but the movement has stimulated something of my lost senses. I hear the sliding of my fingers on the floor’s surface.
It echoes back to me quickly. I try once again, faster and louder this time. The echoes return almost immediately.
My mind absorbs the details and makes a conclusion. The room must not be very big. It augments the conclusion with the supposition that the floor is concrete. The smoothness, the cold, and the sound it makes all seem to come together.
I further test the conclusion by forming a fist and knocking on the floor.
The sound and feel cement the hypotheses.
As I congratulate myself on my deduction, I hear something. Having not moved, I don’t think the sound came from me. It happened only briefly and I wasn’t listening for any sounds outside the ones I’d made.
My mind replayed it and came to a startling conclusion. It sounded like a sigh.
As if someone was my unwitting cellmate in this murky prison.
Relief and despair fought a furious battle at the prospect of another in my company that I know nothing about.
Company in this tenebrous place would be a welcome happenstance. It may even lead to our escape if we work together.
However, if I am here about the unless then what horrid crime had they committed to be relegated to this torturous existence?
Caution seemed the most prudent course. Perhaps my cellmate was unaware of my existence. Keeping it that way until I could discover more seemed a prudent goal.
Armed with the knowledge of the floor’s composition and the existence of a potential cellmate, I set about to gather more information about my surroundings.
I rolled onto my back slowly, so as not to make any noise that would alert the other to my presence. I then used my other arm to search for any obstructions within its arc.
Finding none, I proceeded to move my legs as far to the side as possible, completing my concrete angel.
Next on my list for this absurd exploration, I slowly rolled over onto my stomach, making sure to feel as far out with my hand should a sudden drop-off present itself unannounced and end my journey in the most horrific fashion.
Finding nothing to impede my progress, I took the next step of taking my first step.
As I did, my shoe brushed the floor, making a sound that under normal circumstances would barely be noticed. However, I wasn’t in normal circumstances.
The effect was immediate and terrifying.
This time there was no sigh. It was a low-throated growl.
I became a statue as liquid nitrogen rushed through my veins. The growl was deep and throaty, like a lion’s only somehow different.
Every inch of my being clenched in a group effort to stay as still as humanly possible. My hope was that this thing would think it had made a mistake and hadn’t heard the movement of its next potential meal. It was more than a hope, it was the key to my survival.
The problem was I was trapped in a position kneeling on one knee, about to get up. My knee on the hard floor was starting to complain and I knew it was only a matter of time until my balance wavered.
I couldn’t hold this position for long. I was already starting to shake from the effort. My balance was wavering, beads of sweat formed on my forehead. I hoped it couldn’t smell fear because I was throwing out waves of it.
My leg was shaking, my knee was screaming. I had to make a decision. Do I sit back down or go all the way to standing?
Whichever I did needed to happen fast before my knee gave out and I collapsed to the floor in a noisy heap.
I decided to stand. Putting one hand on my knee and the other on the floor, I pushed up and ascended. As I rose, my knee popped. It wasn’t painful, but it was loud in this quiet room. So loud that it echoed back to me.
I made it all the way to the standing position before I heard the growl again. This time it was followed by sounds that were much worse. First was a sniffing sound as if it was testing the air, searching for its prey. The second was the soft yet unmistakable sound of a footstep.
I didn’t breathe as I waited to hear another. I listened for any sound, and unfortunately, I heard one. It was this thing’s breath. It was long and slow as if this monster’s lungs were huge to accommodate a massive body.
The sniffing continued but the second footfall didn’t come. Perhaps it was as confused as I was as to why it was here.
I was never so glad about the darkness as at that moment. I was still terrified, but at least the darkness had become my ally if only for a moment. I couldn’t see the monster, which was a blessing in itself. My imagination was already picturing the most horrendous, demonic thing that ever cursed the planet with its existence. But the darkness was a double-edged sword. It couldn’t see me either. If I stayed quiet enough, it might write me off as nothing more than a figment of its imagination.
With only rhythmic breathing and no sound of pursuit, I took my first standing step away from the beast. With measured and calculated caution, I stepped away from the sound of my bane and felt silently and cautiously with the toe of my shoe to make sure there was a floor to step onto.
My foot landed with the impact of a feather. I transferred weight to that leg and stepped with the other. With the lights on and no demon waiting to devour me, my motions would’ve been quite comical.
As the situation was, they were anything but.
I continued the arduous task of silent escape, listening intently for any change in the monster’s breathing.
Time had no meaning in this place, but if I were to guess I would say it took me nearly half an hour to take ten steps.
The eleventh step, however, was the problem.
When I put my foot out, it hit something.
I immediately froze. I couldn’t tell if the something had been hard like a table, or soft like another creature lying in wait for some poor stupid person to stumble into it.
I drew my foot back and waited to see if whatever it was reacted. The darkness didn’t abate. At times I considered holding my eyes closed. At least that would keep them hydrated. For some strange reason, it also seemed to help my focus.
I listened for any sign that this object was alive and/or about to devour me. After a few moments, the only sound I heard was my own breathing. I tentatively stuck out my foot and touched the object again.
It was hard and unyielding. I reached out with my arm and also touched something solid. I felt around on it and bent down all the way to the floor.
It was a wall.
The rough texture and ridges told me it was made of concrete block. I reached as high as I could, even getting up on my tiptoes, trying to find anything useful.
I explored the wall, feeling my way to the right until I reached a corner. As tempted as I was to turn and feel down this new wall, I knew it ended on the side of the room where the monster dwelled. I had no desire to approach that thing without light and a very deadly weapon.
As much as my fingers had become my eyes, my ears became my sonar, staying tuned to any sound. To this point, there hadn’t been much.
That didn’t last.
There was a shuffling sound that made me freeze. It was followed by the sounds of scraping on the concrete floor. Its soft breathing had gotten deeper and steadier.
It was getting up.
I stood in my corner not moving, barely breathing as I heard one soft footstep after another, getting louder with each step.
It was curious about the other side of the room… my side of the room.
I had to focus not to give it a strong smell to follow. I hadn’t used the bathroom in hours. Not that there was a bathroom in here that I knew of, but I would’ve used the other corner and then never returned to it until nature called again.
As the monster continued across the room I could hear sniffing.
It was hunting for me.
My nerves told me to run. My mind told me to stand still. My bladder didn’t care as long as it was emptied soon.
The footsteps continued to approach. There was no doubt it was searching for me, and it would find me. My mind ran through every option available in a blindingly dark room with a beast searching for its next meal that was slowly approaching.
I hugged the wall and started toward the other side of the room.
Common sense argued that I had no idea if there was another creature on the far side of the room, but there seemed to be no choice.
As we continued our silent dance, I pictured the creature passing by as I slid along the wall toward its side of the room.
When we had both reached the halfway point, it suddenly stopped. I froze and held my breath as it sniffed the air. For a long moment, it was totally silent. It seemed to be holding its breath as well as if listening for me.
I kept my eyes squeezed shut and focused on being totally still. My lungs were burning from holding my breath. I knew I would soon spew out the stale air and gulp in fresh.
I also knew that would be the end of me. The creature would know I was here and it would use the sound to track me down and tear me to bloody shreds as it devoured me.
The countdown had begun in my mind. It was a matter of seconds until my lungs gave out and I had to breathe the last breath.
10…
9…
8…
7…
I heard a footstep. The creature was moving again.
I held my hand over my mouth and slowly exhaled, then just as slowly inhaled. It was difficult to keep my oxygen-starved lungs from demanding more air, but I was able to catch up quietly without breathing so hard as to make noise.
I continued on my perilous journey toward the unknown, carefully listening to the creature also continue its journey.
As I reached the corner of my nemesis, fear gripped me as I stepped on something soft. I waited for an attack that never came. Slowly, I reached down to explore this newfound softness. It was hair. Soft fur the kind that an animal would shed.
All my suspicions were now fact. There was an animal here. It wasn’t just my imagination. My fear and anxiety were fully justified.
As I made my revelation, I heard my nemesis reach the far wall and bump into it. It then began sniffing in earnest.
It must’ve caught my scent.
It knew I was real too.
The sniffing was getting closer. I allowed myself a moment of panic before the realization that the only thing I could do was continue my course around the room. I made my way through the blanket of fur and headed for the far wall, feeling as I went for the one thing that may hold my potential rescue, a doorknob.
So far, there had been no indication of a door whatsoever. I prayed that the unexplored wall would remedy that.
I continued on this insane and deadly game of ring around the Rosie, stepping up my speed as much as possible while still staying silent. It’s one thing to know you’re being hunted, it’s another thing altogether to ring the dinner bell by giving your position away.
I was counting on it becoming confused when it circled back to its own nest. It was still as dark as ever and apparently, this thing didn’t have any better night vision than I did.
I reached the far corner and hope surged through me that I would find a door. My escape seemed imminent. I stepped up my search, going faster along this wall, but also feeling as much of the surface as possible in search of the desired door.
My hopes came crashing down when I reached the next corner without finding anything.
It couldn’t be.
It had to be here.
How else did this demon and I enter the room?
My despair crushed me like a ton of bricks. There was nothing left to do. This thing would eventually catch me. There was no escape.
In the middle of my pity party, I noticed something. The room was silent.
I couldn’t hear it sniffing.
I couldn’t hear it breathing.
I had no idea where it was.
I tried to keep my breathing under control as panic washed over me. There was nothing to do but wait.
In the darkness, I felt something soft brush against me.
It had found me.
The subtle growl was no longer across the room, it was right here in front of me.
OhmyGodOhmyGodOhmyGod!
I felt a river run down the inside of my pants as my bladder finally gave up the fight.
A sharp claw ran across my throat, not hard enough to cut, but enough to let me know I was about to die.
I couldn’t take it anymore. The darkness. The silence. The menace.
I screamed at the top of my lungs.
I screamed over and over. It wasn’t even words, just primal sounds that escaped me. Every wail as a baby. Every cry of pain. Every shriek of fright as I woke from a nightmare. I let them all out. The screams of my victims as they suffered at my hands. The screams of their families as the court sentenced me. The screams inside my mind in a cell alone thinking only of the unless.
The unless.
The unless…
The unless!
Suddenly the lights came on.
I covered my eyes to ward off the brightness. As I slowly adjusted I was able to look around the room.
The creature was gone.
No, it couldn’t be.
I looked over at the wall where I had walked through the fur, but there was none. I looked all around, but there were only blank walls.
Where is it?
Whereisitwhereisitwhereisit?
I turned round and round, but it was gone. Had it ever really been here?
A door opened and two large men dressed in white came in.
“No,” I screamed. “Don’t come near! It’ll get you!”
They marched across the room oblivious to the danger and picked me up.
“It’s time to go back to your room,” one of the men said, picking me up under the shoulder. “The doc says you’ve had enough therapy for today.”
“Did you see it?” I said.
They carried me out without answering. We came into a hallway that stretched forever. I tried to look back at the open door.
“Don’t let it out,” I said. “You’ve got to keep it in.”
They didn’t bother to look back, just continued down the hall.
I turned and saw it peek it’s head out of the room.
“No!” I screamed.
They didn’t stop, didn’t slow, just picked me up so my feet dangled off the floor until we reached a room. They unlocked it and set me in on my bunk.
“You should probably get cleaned up,” one of the men said as I tried to get up but he held me down.
“You know how this goes,” he said. “You stay on your bunk until we lock the door.”
The second man backed out of the room then the first man released me and followed him.
I ran for the door.
“You don’t understand! It’s loose. It’ll kill you all!”
They turned and walked away.
“No!” I screamed at the tiny window in my door.
I pounded on the door for a long time, but no one else came by. Maybe it had already gotten them. Maybe it would come to my door and peek in my window with blood dripping from its mouth.
I stepped back from the door, feeling exhausted. I looked over at the tiny shower stall and did what they suggested.
Everything was built into the wall. The shower, the sink, the table, the bed, there was nothing I could use to hurt myself or defend myself.
After I took a shower and put on fresh clothes, I sat at my desk and wrote what had happened with the monster. When I was done I laid down, hoping to be able to rest.
At the appointed time, the lights went out.
The darkness engulfed me.
It devoured me like the thing I fear most.
I lay there with my eyes open, waiting.
In the black nothingness, I heard it, a soft growl.

So I’ve been on the ring since February, no issues putting it in, no pain and typically goes far and very smoothly. But the last few times as I’m putting it in, it keeps curving/bending to the left and feels harder to put in as if I’m hitting something, and when I put it more i can feel it bending to the left, then keeps slipping down. (I squeeze the middle so it’s like an 8 shape, which always worked until now) I went to the bathroom once and it slipped out and that’s never happened before until recently. Could be something with my body? With my new refill it looked like the packaging was different so not sure if it’s a dif brand or something that could have a different material? Although the first ring with the new one was fine until the end. It’s not uncomfortable but sometimes painful putting in and just bends and then slides down. Anyone else experience this? Sometimes it’s fine but then I’ll feel it right at the entrance. Not sure what to do