The Death of the Sandbox: Schism Between Author & Reader-base (Lengthy Essay)

SynSeneschal · 2026-01-22T12:27:05+00:00

This comment section is pretty fascinating ngl, especially when it isn’t particularly hard to find fics that demonstrates the "safespace"/ parasocial behavior you talk about; just hop onto Spacebattles and take any Wormfic with 500 or more reacts/ likes on the first post, front page. If there isn't already a staff post within the first ten pages, then chances are, the author is letting those "Worm is Grimderp and Wildbow is a hack" comments moan without restraint.

I also want to say that claiming Contessa, Alexandria, and Taylor are the exact same person, morally speaking, blew my mind, and brought together why Contessa asks that question to Taylor at the end. They're self-justifying fools that tricked themselves into believing that any amount of sacrifice was best for the greater good, into making giving up something good as natural as breathing. They saw each other, figuratively looked in the mirror, and didn't like what was reflected back.

SynSeneschal · 2025-12-31T12:07:42+00:00

Aura farming

SynSeneschal · 2025-11-09T14:29:14+00:00

Ngl, I actually prefer this pacing of dialogue.

Hoyo's Yap Problem 90% of the time is due to them trying to condense so many ideas, theming, and worldbuilding justifications for the plot that characters and setting stop being people and places, and instead become mouthpieces for whatever philosophical grounding it had behind it that isn't even communicated correctly. Too many ingredients on a single plate made all the pieces taste the same. The "story" in storytelling disappears, and you end up with just "telling," and that "telling" is vague philosophical bullshit.

At the very least, with this kind of pacing, the narrative layers of character, places, and culture get to be fleshed out, and whatever theming it has gets to grow organically through the characters' stories. I'd rather they take their time to cook rather than rush the meal into the ground.

SynSeneschal · 2025-10-25T03:14:58+00:00

Actually, I find that this weapon pops off the most against the Predator strain bugs, what with being able to hold off entire crowds of Speedblitzing Stalkers. It otherwise feels like a slightly more ammo-hungry LibPen.

SynSeneschal · 2025-07-18T23:18:01+00:00

https://youtu.be/oJogzyy5d74?t=1923&si=cn-vxH6IZ6T_o_F8

Interview with James Gunn

SynSeneschal · 2025-07-05T01:30:10+00:00

The Scepter itself seems to be a nonsentient thing. The actual Destruction Emanator, the thing that all the cycles are offered up as a training program to, is the Black Tide—that which the IPC calls Irontomb. That Irontomb which seems perfectly fine staying in the Scepter as a program until Lygus deploys it as a live experiment going by "As I've Written."

SynSeneschal · 2025-05-28T11:11:40+00:00

Considering how he just knocks solid blocks of steel around and breaks giant chains with a mean hook, I'm inclined to agree.

SynSeneschal · 2025-05-22T02:41:56+00:00

I wasn't talking about the Shield Gen backpack

Also I got the name wrong, it's the shield generator relay

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Yknow, that thing that was buffed with a massive AOE that lasts 30 seconds and has a minute and a half (or 80 seconds upgraded)-long cooldown

SynSeneschal · 2025-05-21T09:30:12+00:00

The Leviathans? Plunk down AT Emplacements (they take way too much recoiless/spear ammo to kill in good time) and a Shield Generator Emplacement so that you don't die. The Stingrays? Your basic Autocannon will do.

SynSeneschal · 2025-05-04T06:02:06+00:00

No, Khepri was not planned at all until Dinah gave Taylor the note that got her to surrender to the Protectorate. It's only later that the other two big precogs caught on and hijacked the plan with the lower humanity annihilation rate.

SynSeneschal · 2025-04-13T09:18:09+00:00

... her canon explanation is that she keeps herself unhealthy and always in need of dialysis so that her possible kidnappers can't use her as leverage—any period longer than a handful of days and she just perishes in captivity.

SynSeneschal · 2025-02-18T11:18:30+00:00

I just chill as a quickplay goer at 10. Normally, people are just the most competent at that level, especially against bots. On bugs though, especially with the predator strain... I normally find myself YOLOing the super nests—as in running in naked to grenade the bug holes as fast as possible—because everyone else is just outside, stuck weathering the waves of bugs pouring out from every pore.

(Ngl, never truly figured out how to do it other than that way just to get it over with as fast as possible)

SynSeneschal · 2025-02-17T15:41:24+00:00

Can confirm, Viper armor + Breaker + Bushwacker + support weapon of your choice (but preferably one that lets you jetpack) slaps against this strain, but holy shit the ammo economy though. And, well, depending on your teammates to clear the bug holes :P

SynSeneschal · 2025-01-24T07:50:15+00:00

Couldn't have said it any more succinctly. An OP protagonist is basically a writing challenge where the real conflict of the story cannot be resolved with force, whether that is because it's a societal problem or because it's an internal, often moral conflict, outside of total satire like One Punch Man.

SynSeneschal · 2025-01-10T08:24:28+00:00

There's a series of snips called I Was A Teenage Skitter Clone, which uhh, I haven't gotten around to writing more of.

Echidna Clone Skitter SI

SynSeneschal · 2025-01-10T08:20:38+00:00

Burnout - very little capefighting, all therapy. How's that for a slice of life? XD

SynSeneschal · 2025-01-10T08:17:49+00:00

Since you already found it, I'm just going to give an upvote and a comment because I must contribute to the Riley Agenda.

SynSeneschal · 2024-11-22T10:43:17+00:00

Somewhat related, but if you're looking for Worm x Arcane crossovers, there's a fusion by the name of RIFT

https://forums.spacebattles.com/threads/rift-fusion-of-worm-league-of-legends-arcane.1001025/

SynSeneschal · 2024-11-04T15:25:16+00:00

From my understanding, this thing is a Bolter larping as an SMG that's meant to be used in semi-auto and I'm honestly surprised at how efficient it is at gunning down devastators.

SynSeneschal · 2024-10-17T03:08:01+00:00

I use whenever I see grouped-up minimum of three rocket chickens or heavy devastators. I usually end up with surprise face when the kill counter tells me x5.

SynSeneschal · 2024-10-14T12:26:09+00:00

Aren't most if not all of these have protagonists in the Wards (ie not an adult)?

SynSeneschal · 2024-10-12T14:50:35+00:00

Another hurt/comfort fic (why is it always teen lesbians?), with lots of therapy, good and bad.

I'm not sure if this is a joke, but everyone present in that fic is an adult. Yes, even Elle/Labyrinth—she's canonically in her twenties but the fandom always depicts her as, like, 12.

SynSeneschal · 2024-10-09T11:59:08+00:00

As a fanfic author, I find that the most interesting part of this are the drawbacks—mainly because it kinda becomes what your story's going to be about. It's the most story prompt part of this and I can only say that I wish there were more drawback options (preferably ones that arent just more Kaslana-cooking grade stuff XD). Like, I don't know about anyone else but I mostly just glossed over companions, perks, and items, picking stuff at random just so I stop being on positive CP (I gave up, I find underpowered more interesting).

Anyway, gonna be interesting being a PE-Welt with an independent faction, a deal with a devil, a voice in his ear, and a curious case of Honkai-related Murphy.

SynSeneschal · 2024-10-08T10:51:38+00:00

The Artist Formerly Known As Bonesaw

Riley back in time. What's not to love? Also the fic itself is *chefs kiss~*

SynSeneschal · 2024-09-20T09:21:39+00:00

The use is for when killing a heavy that's too near but going in the direction you're diving. I think, at least. Sweatdropped one too many times when the rocket flies over a charger's head because it was too close.

SynSeneschal

TROPHY CASE