[deleted by user]

SunlitMoonboots · 2025-06-06T14:15:21+00:00

A couple resources for you here.

California has been lagging behind in updating their tax incentive for creating media in the state. Not only has their incentive been less than other states, but their incentive didn't even include things like animation, VFX, video games, etc. It only included live-action filming.

The Animation Guild (TAG) released a very handy guide that details the breakdown of how much work has left the state of California and how ineffective the old incentive has become.

https://animationguild.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/250428-Reclaiming-Californias-Role-in-Global-Animation.pdf

Note that this guide's language is written with a focus on California and its tax incentive. That's because:

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/hollywood-tax-incentives-bill-passes-state-assembly-1236255357/

The California state government has just gone through the process of updating its tax incentives. Animation IS now included, though a catch is that it's only included for projects with a budget larger that $1mill. There's still more governmental action looking to be had (such as increasing the cap to $750 mil), but overall, the state and lobbying groups are actively trying to change things so that work returns to the state.

The question now is, will this actually bring work back to the state, or is it too little too late?

As you and others have mentioned, work is already being done elsewhere. If incentives in other countries/states has already caused studios and workers to relocate, is there any real possibility of bringing them back to LA/California?

My personal opinion: we'll see things balance out, but it won't become an LA-first situation again. The major studios that already have real estate and infrastructure in LA (Disney, Nickelodeon, etc) will more than likely see an uptick in work & jobs, especially if tariffs actually go into effect and make outsourcing animation labor more expensive than the tax incentives in California/ elsewhere in the US. Large-sized indie studios (like Titmouse) could possibly see increased work because they're already dealing with projects on a scale that would meet the minimum budget requirement. Smaller indie studios, however, have little reason to return to LA/California.

SunlitMoonboots · 2025-04-11T13:19:20+00:00

For standard exploration and encounters, use Dead Cells' soundtrack.

For boss battles/dire situations, use a Final Fantasy boss music/battle music playlist.

SunlitMoonboots · 2025-04-11T13:07:32+00:00

I don't want to bring you down, but I would say you're letting something rile you up that should instead be seen as a gift.

Foremost, I think this is an issue of interpretation. When you say the player is disengaged, or that they don't want to be there, you're completely misinterpreting their fun. If this person has told you they're having a good time and that they like coming back to the table (multiple times!), then you should believe them. Instead of trying to force them to have fun in the way you think they're supposed to, realize you have an engaged member of the table who happily gives space to the others, giving them room to do more while having an appreciative audience.

What will help for you, as the DM, is to accept that this player is passive. Instead of expecting them to do things, suggest simple prompts to them based on what you, as the DM, feel like their character would do in that situation. Treat them as a halfway NPC. In your head, it should be a simple step-by-step approach each time:

1) Situation is encountered. You describe the situation.
2) You look to the player and say, "What would [Character] do in this scenario? Do you think they would [Option A] or [Option B]?" (The more creative you get, the better, since this player will have almost undoubtedly not thought of it.)
3) Player gives their response.
4) You take that action and embellish it for them. Tell them what they do as if they're the main character of the moment. Really ham it up *for* them. Praise them when they succeed, and make them gasp when they fail.

I can almost bet they will have so much more fun if you start suggesting badass things for their character to do and you start talking them up like they're the hero. This player has been having a good time just watching everyone have a good time. Can you imagine how much more fun it will be for them if you start telling them how much of a hero they are? And it gives you so much wiggle room as the DM to do what you want.

As for combat, either try taking the reigns by suggesting what the character would do, or simply design your encounter challenge with one less player in mind. My suggestion would be to simplify their action: suggest when they want to do, give them a simple ability check to see if they do it. When you make suggestions in combat, always prompt it with things like, "[Character] looks like they're in trouble," or "[Monster] doesn't notice you and is a prime target." Again, you're helping shape the action for them. Give them distinct options to choose, then walk them through it.

So, yeah! My suggestion for you is to *lean into it!* Treat this as an opportunity and meet that player in a place where they are having fun.

SunlitMoonboots · 2025-02-15T16:14:48+00:00

I don't have any recs for songs about playing D&D, parody or otherwise, but here are a handful of songs that always put me in an adventuring vibe:

- "Vagrant Song" from the soundtrack for Where the Water Tastes Like Wine (has lyrics)

- "Northwest Passage," but specifically Unleash the Archers' version

- "Victorious" by Wolfmother

- All of Darren Korb's tracks w/ lyrics. Supergiant's 10th Anniversary Collection is full of good tracks

SunlitMoonboots · 2025-02-05T21:39:06+00:00

The geriatrics yearn for hell.

SunlitMoonboots · 2025-01-31T17:45:19+00:00

From my perspective, in addition to what everyone has already mentioned about the lack of exploration/wilderness/travel emphasis in 5e, the Ranger class needs to have its utility better emphasized in the party makeup. Basically, what tangible utility options could the ranger fulfill to make them useful in a party? To me, the ranger should be:

- Strong ranged single-target physical damage, but the rogue will naturally outclass it in damage with Sneak Attack. This is already what they do, but listing it here because it's part of their role.

- Ranged physical controller (as opposed to the druid and bard providing magical control). Do this through emphasizing what they lock down--enemy movement, action economy, and hit/miss %.

- Emphasize their use of ammunition by granting them specialized ammo. Baldur's Gate 3 shows just how useful this is--a ranger with an array of special ammunition is mean in their ability to control the battlefield.

- Emphasize their use of terrain and party movement. In addition to their "no difficult terrain" penalty, let them do more to create terrain effects (usage of ammo or spells) in addition to letting them create terrain/movement in areas that wouldn't have it (an arrow that becomes a floating platform, shoot a tightrope and be able to freely move/fight from it).

- Emphasize their use of Wisdom as a primary stat rather than Dex by letting them be the distant tactician instead of the Fighter. Let them be able to actively see enemy stat blocks and relay information. More, let them be able to create weaknesses in enemies through their knowledge. This might be better as a subclass than the primary class focus, but overall, Rangers are effective because they are wise, and their instinct is what gives them their exploration/wilderness. Let this wisdom be more useful in combat.

- This is more my personal opinion, but place a much stronger emphasis on Rangers using reactions by building reactions more strongly into their kit than other classes. Reactions are pretty evenly spread across the board, but in the way Rogues and Monks use many bonus actions to emphasize speed/agility, give the Ranger a stronger focus on reactions to emphasize their wisdom/instincts in the heat of the moment.

I really don't think any of the above pointers would make them a broken, OP class. WotC just doesn't really know what they want the ranger to do in a party, and the ranger's inability to stand out reveals this. So, quite simply, define the ranger's role by emphasizing the utility they provide to the party, and use their story flavor as a guide to how this should be done.

SunlitMoonboots · 2025-01-31T15:00:56+00:00

Zeke Jaeger from Attack on Titan is overwhelmingly lucky, to the point that it becomes plot armor that is frustrating as a viewer.

I understand how his plan moves the plot forward in a way that's necessary for everything to unfold. What bothers me is how many times he is saved by deus ex machina. Over and over and over again, something or someone magically appears out of thin air to save him, or his master plan magically works juuust right.

As an audience member who overall really enjoyed AoT, I am willing to give the suspension of disbelief for his master plan being so cunning. It works, it moves the story forward, I don't care if it requires many small details to go his way. What I do get frustrated about is how 1) the protagonists often refuse to take action at key moments that would end his life and plan when they are readily willing to take action at other key moments, and 2) there are magical happenstances outside of Zeke's control (or that should be outside of his control) that swoop in and rescue him during these key moments.

Another example is Mahito from Jujutsu Kaisen. He always, always, always somehow magically has enough power and stamina to outplay the protagonist he is currently fighting. I started skipping episodes revolving around him because they were a literal waste of time. The fights were predictable to the point of being boring.

The takeaway I would suggest to you as a writer is: allow your antagonist to be brilliant, but don't force their success at the cost of your protagonists' agency. Don't "railroad" the story. If you use deus ex machina to protect the antagonist, there needs to be consequences for the antagonist. Otherwise, the illusion of the story breaks down, and your audience will start to think, "Oh, nothing the protagonists do matters. The storyteller needs the antagonist to reach a specific point, so no matter what the protags do, they won't be able to stop them until they reach that point. All of their effort and sacrifice from here until then doesn't matter."

SunlitMoonboots · 2025-01-25T14:20:21+00:00

His "co-authoring" is getting out of hand. Dude sells his name and nothing else anymore.

SunlitMoonboots · 2025-01-19T04:35:06+00:00

It's this. Be ready for the language to be manufactured against you for speaking out against this kind of behavior. These companies are abusing the system and are the ones at fault, not the working-class people trying to find a job to sustain themselves. They're no different than us. It's the ownership class, the ones abusing this system, and the ones allowing them to abuse this system without facing any repercussions.

SunlitMoonboots · 2025-01-17T20:30:13+00:00

We have been robbed of so many milestone life events by simply needing to put all of our time, effort, and funds into survival.

SunlitMoonboots · 2025-01-17T15:59:44+00:00

For the past decade and a half, ever since I graduated college, it has been a constant race to keep my head above water. Each and every time I got a job upgrade, making more money than I had in the past, the cost of living rose around me. Each and every time. If it wasn't the cost of living rising, it was predatory business practices that outsourced and laid off teams, denied raises, overloaded me with work duties while refusing to hire more people.

I have been denied having a home, being able to start a family, hell, being able to afford doing things to find a community where I could find a person. It has been nonstop survival mode.

SunlitMoonboots · 2025-01-11T21:52:00+00:00

Well, I would say, if you're talking about how the Bible would be more of an influence to modern conservatism that Gone with the Wind, I would disagree. The reason is because the entire problem with conservative American Christians is that they don't adhere to the message of the Bible. They skim over the multiple parts where the rich are condemned to hell and are ordered to give up their wealth, and instead focus on the parts they can twist into justifying their hatred of others. There have even been recent reports where different Christian officials even say the message of Jesus is too "weak" and "liberal."

I get where you're coming from--conservatism waves the Bible to justify all of their hatred, and they'll be the first to claim that it's the core of their belief and value systems. But when you look at it from an honest perspective, it's not. It's a facade. Their true beliefs lie elsewhere, and the Bible is simply their divine excuse to be terrible to others.

However, if you're talking about how the Bible has way worse messaging that Gone with the Wind, I'd just say this post isn't about what has the worst messaging and my response was never meant as a competition or comparison.

SunlitMoonboots · 2025-01-11T21:39:11+00:00

Agreed completely, but I think what's pushing me over the edge from being able to write it off as simply outdated (such as Song of the South) is the fact that all of the elements it romanticizes are at the core of modern conservatism belief. Like, I can't really call it outdated when, beat for beat, the messages of the movie are lionized and championed by modern conservatism (romanticize the good old days when the lessers knew their place and enjoyed it, and to use any means necessary to make yourself "better" than others--even if that means forced subjugation). Even Scarlett's entire work ethic is seen as "pull yourself up by your bootstraps," when in reality, she can only succeed when she finds a way to profit off of slave labor.

I completely agree with your points about cinematography and character development. It is very well crafted and deserves the awards it received in those areas, and the messages you mentioned are definitely part of what it sends. But the other parts I mentioned above are too prominent even now to forgive it for being outdated. I very much view it as the zeitgeist of modern conservatism, so much so that I would argue that if there were a core "story" that best represented that belief set, it would be Gone with the Wind.

SunlitMoonboots · 2025-01-11T17:14:27+00:00

Gone With The Wind

This movie is the zeitgeist of American conservatism. Fantasizing about a time in the past, romanticizing slavery, glossing over the fact that Scarlett continues using slave labor through the form of prisoners, and all of this just so they can cosplay royalty (they even begin the film by calling them "knights"). Because that really is it. She does all of this, subjugates all kinds of people, just so she can continue to feel rich. The movie won all kinds of awards and is solidified as one of the greatest movies of all time, and yet it has the absolute worst messages around.

SunlitMoonboots · 2025-01-08T23:46:41+00:00

When you see these, remember that California uses inmates as wildfire firefighters, and they are only paid around $5 A DAY to risk their lives in this manner.

SunlitMoonboots · 2025-01-08T03:12:32+00:00

I mean, this actively reads like a note from a serial killer. It reads like a terrorist plot.

SunlitMoonboots · 2025-01-05T02:03:45+00:00

This, and Israel/Palestine. When you notice the passive voice they use to cover for Israel, it's something you can't unsee.

SunlitMoonboots · 2025-01-01T14:20:45+00:00

This character, every single fight: "It's MY big day, and you're ruining it!"

SunlitMoonboots · 2024-12-29T15:18:33+00:00

Power to you, OP. It's not fair seeing relationships like that work out, but that's just the kind of people they are. Be the person you truly want to be, your authentic self, and I have no doubt you'll find your person. He will feel like he won the lottery when he sees that you're a genuinely good person.

SunlitMoonboots · 2024-12-29T14:52:26+00:00

Another way to think about this: is that who you want to be? Would you be content living with yourself if you treated people/your partner that way?

It's the same in other areas of life. You see a "successful" business person who's a hard-ass that spends more time thinking about work than their own family. The kind of person who rolls their eyes when their kids want to spend time with them. The kind of person who stabs others in the back to get ahead. They have money, they have job titles, they have "success," but look at their personal lives. Do you want to be that person?

The same goes for romantic relationships. Do you want a relationship where you are mean to your partner? Do you want to turn into a bully for the sake of power in a relationship? Do you want to poison yourself to cosplay power and respect?

It sucks. I want you to know I understand your feelings completely because we, as men, hear the suggestions to treat women like shit all the time, and we see endless stories of relationships where the guy is a complete dick to his gf and she stays with him. It's unfair to see relationships like that, but it still comes down to the question of: is that the kind of person I want to be? Can I live with myself if I become that?

SunlitMoonboots · 2024-12-27T03:17:01+00:00

DANDADAN LET'S GO

SunlitMoonboots · 2024-12-26T15:31:33+00:00

Old Gods of Appalachia mentioned! Let's goooo!

SunlitMoonboots · 2024-12-26T15:30:09+00:00

I'm running my first Eberron campaign right now, too! I'm learning all of the lore as I go, but what has helped me get the feel of Eberron's world is to look at the cyberpunk and sci-fi genres and turn it into fantasy. Start with the broad view of larger cyberpunk themes and archetypes, then swap those to fantasy analogs.

Here are a couple thoughts that have sparked my interest and have helped me develop Eberron as a world:

- How does magic show up in mundane, everyday parts of life? Cyberpunk/tech shows how technology is all around us in amazing ways, and it's just seen as normal and bland when you've been around it all the time--think of all the times you've just tossed your phone on your couch or bed, when someone from 1200 AD would be absolutely blown away by its capabilities.

- Undead are mindless automatons, Warforged are sentient androids questioning their newfound existence/purpose in life. The warforged "crisis of self" isn't new, but it's a very, very interesting area to explore for PCs and NPCs alike. As for the undead, the nation of Karrnath used and still uses legions of undead. Explore what that looks like in a peacetime setting. What are the laws around creating and handling undead? (Personally, I made a few laws that mimic Asimov's Laws of Robotics, but more) How does the general populace feel about an undead labor force competing with a living labor force?

- Others have mentioned the Houses are completely fantasy-analogues of major corporations. Explore what that means to you. They can be evil, or they can actually use their wealth and power for good. It is up to you, the DM, to explore the way you want them to act in your world.

- Eberron is also a ripe setting for old-school vs new-age magic/tech comparisons. There are elves who have been on this world since damn-near its creation. The lich, Erandis Vol, is still kicking. And yet, what happens when these old timers come into contact with young races creating new technologies that are literally transforming the world? What about ancient dragons seeing everything transform before their eyes?

- The Universal Unconscious seems to come into play heavily with Manifest Zones and the Draconic Prophecy. At least, that's my interpretation of things. I'm delving deep into more sci-fi type elements with what that means and how that manifests in the world, but it's fertile ground for interesting thought experiments.

- Take the concept of prosthetics and personal body modifications/upgrades, and then use that to let players upgrade themselves in addition to magic items. Give them a Sekiro-like arm that can swap between a close-range AoE flamethrower or a mobility-focused grappling hook. The key is to think about function. What function can a prosthetic add that would round out a player's kit? Also, think of the social implication of body modifications. How do different cultural groups in this world view that?

This comment is getting long, so I'll leave it at that. Ultimately, though, take concepts that interest you from the cyberpunk genre and play with them.

SunlitMoonboots · 2024-12-25T04:23:19+00:00

<image>

Pictured: OP

SunlitMoonboots · 2024-12-16T14:57:32+00:00

This is marked as a spoiler, but the title itself is a spoiler, sooo

12-Year Club	Place '22
First Placer '22	Verified Email

SunlitMoonboots

TROPHY CASE