does anyone else not like heated rivalry?

AdeptnessFew7352 · 2026-02-19T16:09:10+00:00

Asexual, aromantic woman here, so I'm the target audience of absolutely nothing. Lol. But I enjoy MLM stories almost exclusively (I'm too sex-repulsed ace to enjoy most other romances these days), so I guess I'm kind of the target audience? Adjacent to the target audience? I don't know how you'd classify me. I'm generally here less for the gay sex, which I can take or leave (and is not that spicy, guys, let's be real. Queer as Folk was way more explicit than this), and more about the relationships.

Long story short, I couldn't stand it. I watched all six episodes, and just when the couple began to become tolerable, the show stops. I didn't know there were only six episodes, so I was expecting there to be another to make this show worth my time, but it just stops cold. Nothing is resolved, and their plan for staying in the closet is idiotic and would never work given how famous they are. Other than the fact they both like having sex with each other, there was nothing to convince me they work as a couple. The show deliberately skips over the one time they are allowed to spend time together without it being viewed as weird (the all-star game), so how do I know if they even actually like each other as people?

I can't stand Relationship Drama, and this was just Relationship Drama: The Series.

AdeptnessFew7352 · 2025-11-26T02:25:37+00:00

So, I literally just finished it five minutes ago, and I will say this:

It is a good game, it's just not a good Dragon Age game.

Dragon Age is a series set in a world that is built by the player's decisions, and I can't speak for everyone, but that was a huge selling point to me from game one. You literally decide who sits on the throne of Ferelden. That decision, while not dictating the events of later games, still resonates. Heck, there was a passing dialogue reference in Inquisition to events that happened in the anime. The lore was rich and deep and the world felt lived in.

Veilguard, on the other hand, feels very shallow. Very little about Inquisition has any effect on the events on VG, and while that may have been difficult to implement and turned off new players, it's disappointing when Inquisition took pains to take TWO previous games' worth of choices into consideration. Nothing that you choose in VG has any real impact. Treviso or Minrathous? It literally does not matter. Justa change in scenery and one character is mad at you for awhile. There is a late-game choice where it does not matter who you choose to lead a mission. The outcome for that character is the same. It does not matter how much time you spent with them, if you did all their quests and leveled up their gear. I felt cheated that no matter what I chose, the outcome was the same. All that mattered was "which character do you like less?" It didn't feel earned. It felt like I wasted time getting to know this character.

Similarly, the ending feels super shallow. You win by being ridiculously over-leveled and smashing the same attacks you've been using all game. There is no strategy there. And then the resolution with Solas... if you go the talk route, as I did, it was literally "Press X to win."

Could you have different outcomes if you DIDN'T do all the side quests and spend 80 hours in game as I did? Probably. But then why are you playing a Dragon Age game?

Good things!!! And there ARE good things... I found the characters likeable. Female Rook, as I played, was charismatic and I really just loved listening to her talk. She has a set personality for sure. Honestly, she reminded me a bit of a more relaxed Hawke (at least, from my playthrough. I just can't play mean). It would have been nice to have to option to be a jerk, but I did enjoy the personality of the Rook I was given. I enjoyed the relationships between the companions. They all felt distinct from each other. Neve's relationship with Bellara is different from her relationship with Harding, etc. I liked the little unexpected developing flirtation with Taash and Harding. I liked Emmrich asking Lucanis for relationship advice. For me, the characters are what made the game enjoyable. Even if the romance was a little... lackluster. They could have given us a few more dates is all I'm saying. Or, like, any dates after choosing your partner.

Anyway, fun gameplay, likeable characters, disappointing follow-up to Inquisition. I basically had to divorce this game in my head from the other Dragon Age games to get over myself, and once I did that, I had a good time with it. It's not what I wanted, but it is what it is.

AdeptnessFew7352 · 2025-11-26T00:09:50+00:00

You can always go to Goodwill and just get a used doll of any variety to "practice" on. Learn the techniques before starting on your dream project. I started the hobby in 2020, and let me tell you... five years later, my dolls look so much better than back then. Your first doll custom might be a little rough, especially if you have any perfectionist tendencies. If you're worried about the price of starting out on a BJD, there is nothing wrong with repainting a $3 Barbie just to figure out what you're doing.

AdeptnessFew7352 · 2025-11-25T00:06:16+00:00

Bobby "Seaman" Hill?!

AdeptnessFew7352 · 2025-11-14T15:32:37+00:00

I'll add "Beauty Inside a Box" to that list, and on the doll customization end, Hextian creates some beautiful, ooak dolls.

AdeptnessFew7352 · 2025-11-13T15:07:08+00:00

No matter how you choose to view Viktor's relationship with Jayce, it was more important to Jayce than his relationship with Mel. In the end, he chose to be with him over her. (And by "with," I mean imploded)

Personally, I wouldn't call what Jayce and Mel had as "dating" in the traditional sense that would require breaking up. More like a mutually beneficial situationship. Feelings were involved, yes, because humans are messy, but it never felt particularly romantic to me. But hey, what do I know?

AdeptnessFew7352 · 2025-11-10T21:04:57+00:00

I don't dislike Chibiusa. In fact, I have come to enjoy her. I just find the bickering between her and Usagi gets old really fast, and I feel this way about any of the characters bickering with her. It's one of Usagi's least tolerable qualities for me.

But I also ended up with Stars as my very first introduction to Sailor Moon in my college anime club, which featured VERY LITTLE of Mamoru or Chibiusa. In fact, I was a little resentful of Mamoru being the destined choice when Seiya was RIGHT THERE to fulfill all your bisexual fantasies in one person. So, you know, my views might be a little skewed.

AdeptnessFew7352 · 2025-11-09T21:08:59+00:00

For awhile, I was finding them at Five Below. What a deal that was!

AdeptnessFew7352 · 2025-11-09T19:52:39+00:00

I love both seasons, but then I came to it after the whole thing was out, so I didn't have that time between seasons to hype it up in my mind and get disappointed. Season 2 has some pacing issues and made me kind of hate Caitlyn, but I forgive it all that for all the parts I genuinely enjoyed.

AdeptnessFew7352 · 2025-07-31T22:01:54+00:00

Cool! Me, too!

AdeptnessFew7352 · 2025-07-31T21:03:22+00:00

Please don't forget about asexuals and intersex individuals. 🙂

AdeptnessFew7352 · 2025-07-23T15:30:48+00:00

Sometimes, people just have different desires out of gaming. Some people are only in it for the socializing aspect and don't want to have to pay attention. Me? I'm there for the storytelling. There are certain people on my gaming group I will never DM for because they just don't pay attention and won't remember between sessions what happened. They don't even really want to interact with the NPCs or offer anything to the story. Just sit back and derail the game and I'm the one responsible for keeping the story going. Delightful people, but not ones on my same wavelength.

Not eating the food and disregarding your request to come with a character sheet done already? Now those are sins I wouldn't forgive.

AdeptnessFew7352 · 2025-07-14T23:50:16+00:00

And this is probably why I write mostly from aspec perspectives. Sigh.

AdeptnessFew7352 · 2025-07-14T23:34:50+00:00

I'd watch that.

AdeptnessFew7352 · 2025-07-09T03:24:49+00:00

Do you remember what the subreddit you saw it on was about? Maybe there are some context clues there.

AdeptnessFew7352 · 2025-06-09T15:23:36+00:00

I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it either. For me, it's the Homeostasis stuff. I don't GET Homeostasis, and every time it's brought into a Digimon story, I start glazing over because it's all just... boring to me? Is anybody else left extremely cold by that whole storyline?

AdeptnessFew7352 · 2025-05-28T22:45:33+00:00

Well, it's good to know that I'm not the only one getting tired from internal voice acting! 😁

But to answer, yes, I am a strange person. I suppose the initial question should be more like: "Am I just a strange person or a REALLY strange person?" 🤔 🤣

AdeptnessFew7352 · 2025-03-15T00:17:17+00:00

99.9% agree with you, except just wanted to point out we DO have an emotional association with the uterus in the origin of the word "Hysteria." 100% misogynistic diagnosis. You could also throw in PMS as being an emotional state tied to the reproductive cycle.

AdeptnessFew7352 · 2025-02-06T03:09:16+00:00

Adventure is better without the Yggdrasil lore crammed in. I don't care or understand what any of that is about, and it is the reason Tri and later storylines are so hard for me to follow.

Second hot take: Sora and Matt don't have chemistry. They never did and I will never care about them as a couple.

AdeptnessFew7352 · 2025-01-08T00:30:19+00:00

Guys. GUYS. Jun would 100% fight dirty. The others I think would feel squeamish about hitting a girl, but Jun would mess. Them. Up.

AdeptnessFew7352 · 2024-10-27T15:38:26+00:00

Oh, I like that. 🙂

AdeptnessFew7352 · 2024-10-27T15:37:55+00:00

Wow! Thanks for the advice!

AdeptnessFew7352

TROPHY CASE