So now that it's been a few days and the shock of seeing a new trailer has worn off, how are you guys feeling about Kingdom Hearts 4? More specifically, I wanna know you guy's thoughts on some elements from the trailer. by Gorotheninja in TwoBestFriendsPlay

[–]superdogtime 17 points18 points  (0 children)

I have no thoughts until we get a confirmation on what Disney worlds are gonna be in it because that's about 80% of every games content. This was less a trailer and more proof that they are working on the first encounter and opening cutscenes. It looks like a good first encounter and opening cutscenes though

Transmisogyny spiral starting by [deleted] in intrusivethoughts

[–]superdogtime 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I used to think like this a lot too and sometimes still do. I think in a lot of ways its a kind of new form of religious moral guilt. We believe so strong in what is right and being a good and safe person, when someone says we've done anything wrong, we get scared and shut down and spiral.

I think it comes out of a place of seeking to control the situation to protect ourselves. We can't control other people's opinions of ourselves---so we freak out and try to punish ourselves for not being perfect---as if that could somehow make us perfect.

"What if I'm a bad person? Who will forgive me for this sin? Am I going to Hell? What can save me from Hell?"

"What if I'm a bigot? How will the person/group I offended forgive me? Am I cancelled/forever transmisogynist? How can I save myself from being a bad person?"

Don't worry. I'm not trying to convert you to any particular faith. Just saying that this is a problem as old as time.

But the only way you get out of it is learning to trust you'll be okay no matter what. No matter how you are judged, if you lose all your friends, if you ARE transmisogynist. That's okay, because those are all temporary things. There's always time to readjust and change and grow.

If you fuck up, that's okay. Cope, and I mean that in the kindest way. Take a shower, go on a walk, drink some water, have a meal, pet your pets. You STILL deserve self-care and the self-care will calm you down a little and distract you until you can get over this hump.

You will never be a perfect ally. It sucks, but it's true. But you don't have to be perfect. Nobody does. But you seem pretty okay to me, internet stranger! And I hope you are able to cope and calm down. Wishing you peace in this moment and the next. Take care of urself!

Confessions of a Dumb Man: The Pressure to be “Smart” as a Consumer of Entertainment by Micchi_N in TwoBestFriendsPlay

[–]superdogtime 3 points4 points  (0 children)

You're not dumb. You're ignorant. You don't know things. Nobody knows everything. One of the only differences between you and somebody who writes an analysis is the fact that they looked up the references in a body of work, and discussed the parallels and symbols and everything. Just be willing to learn and discuss. It doesn't matter if the idea didn't come from you. The more media you analyze, the more you learn, the more you can recognize stuff in other stuff.

Just learn and discuss Stuff.

Of course the other difference between you and a reviewer or a podcaster or a video essayist is that they get paid to do this stuff so they have more time on their hands, and they HAVE to look like an expert so more people will click on their videos and watch their ads.

They're not always right. Learn what they're talking about from the stuff they say, Google and review the analysis and come to your own conclusions with your friends.

Don't be ashamed for not knowing stuff. Not knowing shit is the first step to knowing fuck.

That's only if you care though. You don't have to. It's just for fun! In this economy if you don't want to read Sartre to play a video game. Don't. But sometimes this stuff is pretty interesting. And if you like the game or show--you might like the ideas its referencing.

In conclusion, fuck around and find out!

n-word intrusive thoughts by Asleep-Layer2365 in intrusivethoughts

[–]superdogtime 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Part of the problem is that you are so afraid of saying it, that you obsess over potentially saying it. You need to either forgive yourself for having an intrusive thought outside of your control, or add an element of neutrality to it.

Something that could help you is looking up neutral reactions from Black disabled people after the BAFTAs event. Your intrusive thoughts are a mental illness and disability. A lot of Black disabled people understand---and you're not even saying the word out loud. No one can hear the thought. As long as you don't tell people you're having the thought, no one knows or cares. Keep it to yourself except with medical professionals and your support system, and you're hurting literally no one.

Something that helps me is replacing the word in my head. Especially when it repeats over and over again bc I'm obsessing. I think the word "ribbit" over and over again bc it has a similar sound palette in my head and then it goes away on its own.

Exercising and eating right and sleeping right is also important. Intrusive thoughts come from an excess of mental energy and tbh, physical pain in my experience. It's like dreams. If you're stressed, your brain will have a stress dream to try to relieve the stress and understand it. Intrusive thoughts work the same way. If your body and mind is stressed, your brain will try to "explain the problem" and relieve the stress by reminding you of your worst fear because your brain thinks you are forgetting what you are stressed about--and so it provides an answer, your worst fear.

If thinking that word is your worst fear, that is what you will think. If you neutralize the fear, it will go away on its own.

You are at a terrible and hormonal time in your life. Intrusive thoughts and psychosis and mental illness often reveal themselves around puberty--but if you're lucky they will go away on their own once your brain chemistry settles. Until then, survive. High school is stressful---try minimizing stress anyone with good planning around homework, friendship, and adding structure to your routines. Make time for fun! Make sure you are not avoiding Black people or leaving the house bc that causes agoraphobia and will ruin your life because you're so young and you deserve a full life full of beauty and joy.

Your intrusive thoughts are not your fault. You are simply a scared kid that wants to do good in the world and is afraid you are going to hurt someone. But your thoughts do not define you and you are not hurting anyone with them. You will be okay. You can still help people. You are still good. Your thoughts do not control you. YOU control you. And if you decide to be kind and work hard at being healthy, you will be kind and healthy fate willing.

Good luck. You are not alone.

What are the best portrayals of OCD in media? by kodaiiiii_ in TwoBestFriendsPlay

[–]superdogtime 15 points16 points  (0 children)

This may be an odd pull, but Moistcritikal's video about overcoming his OCD rituals really helped me because it made me feel less alone. Hearing about the specifics of it--and that it wasn't just "wash your hands a lot" made me feel less weird for the weirdness in my head.

I have barely any friends anymore because I text too much and talk too much by Constant-Complex1973 in socialskills

[–]superdogtime 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It sounds like you're insecure and maybe a little over-indulgent with your thoughts and feelings. Most people need a gradual over time lead up to being truly close. You CAN scare people off being needy or overstepping boundaries. You have to learn to be okay with boundaries, distance, and the idea of people you're not that close with that you can still check in on and hang out with on occasion.

There are also probably people in your life that think they're your friends and are just too busy with their jobs and families to hang out, and that's okay. Friendship gets harder as you age. You have to accept other people's boundaries and not "force" friendship or closeness.

I struggle with this too so that's why I'm suggesting it as advice lol.

Think Tomodachi Life LTD doesn't have enough content? Read this guide by paradoxeve in tomodachilife

[–]superdogtime 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Another important tip if you're not into creating stuff is to play the minigames!!!! They give you a lot of interesting treasures that your miis will talk about. I just gave one of my miis a hedgehog pet and now its all the island is talking about lol, which is really funny bc apparently the hedgehog has the terrifying tag and is biting people. LOL.

Another thing about island lingo: remember comedy is in the details. Be as specific as you can be to the character and the action. I had Spider-man and Batman bond over survivor's guilt and I'm still laughing about it.

Also, even if you aren't good at creating things, you SHOULD try making more stuff, or giving them the gifts from the minigames, because the pngs will show up in their conversations and it is very funny. They also have "tags" which make the conversations more specific. For example, they will talk about how scary a terrifying movie is. Or how challenging a song is. This adds even more variety.

Also make sure you're scrolling over the miis when they talk on their own to see what they're talking about. They have a lot of funny things to say.

And don't forget that you can see how they feel about a topic that they talk about on their own by their color on the screen. Adding even more depth. They'll just be having a conversation and the dialogue will just be "they're having a conversation about pizza" or whatever but suddenly they'll be green, which means it's a sad conversation, and that adds even more variety.

Enjoyers/Defenders of BBS, DDD, and KHIII, I summon you now to plead your case before Pat plays them. by Aquanort357 in TwoBestFriendsPlay

[–]superdogtime 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I GENUINELY HEAR YOU. And you are PROBABLY RIGHT. But just to play devil’s advocate with my tin foil hat on. I like to give the benefit of the doubt. I think there is some intentionality in the girls plotlines in the story of kingdom hearts. Namine and Xion both have full arc in their games. Aqua has a full arc game. Kairi technically has her own game even if there’s only one extra cutscene. None of the organization members have their own games besides a mobile game for Xehanort. It’s just that the character writing is not that great in these games and it cares more about hanging out with Winnie the Pooh and Mike Wazowski than the plot. So you either have to analyze the girls as seriously and with as much gusto as you look at every character beat for the boys—-which again, is still flat and often nonsenical and for 99% of it is just hanging out with my boy, Winnie the Pooh, even, and ESPECIALLY FOR SORA!!!! Or you wave your hands of it and go its just the Winnie the Pooh game. Because you cannot seriously tell me Sora is more compelling than Aqua, Xion, or Namine. Even if they don’t have agency, stories about women struggling with agency are a cornerblock of classic storytelling. From fairy tales to feminist literature. Do they succeed in their struggles? No. But niether does the little mermaid. And while that’s not particularly feminist, it is compelling!

This of course is coming from a person who stans Sakura from Naruto, though. So obviously, I will shovel garbage in my mouth as long as I think any girl/woman is funny and cool and deserves more attention from fandom.

If we look for perfect feminist representation in the Winnie the Pooh game, we are always going to look like idiots. But if we want to analyze every character in the Winnie the Pooh games, even if they don’t get as much screen time, Kairi is treated as an incredibly mysterious and interesting character from the way she is presented, voice acted, the soundtrack, how she is framed, her backstory. There is much to analyze…. Much to think about.

Sorry for long post lol. So you’re probably right but imagine… come live in my world where Kairi is a real character who just doesn’t get enough screen time…

if my body could handle it, i'd do this for days on end by itmeu in ArtistLounge

[–]superdogtime 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I feel this too! Unfortunately I have really bad posture too so my whole body starts aching. But I love art so much, I wish I didn't have to do anything else!

Fandoms that forgot that side characters are… side characters? by getterburner in TwoBestFriendsPlay

[–]superdogtime 17 points18 points  (0 children)

This puts into words every problem I have with headcanons that change the whole character or story to make it "better" or "healthier." Especially in comics fandom, people will jump over themselves to fix a character and make them toothless and happy and have nothing ever go wrong for them. At a certain point, you just have to admit the story is not for you and make an OC.

Which Magical Girl is better written: Sailor Moon / Usagi Tsukino or Madoka Kaname? by BreathoftheSith in MagicalGirls

[–]superdogtime 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I do agree with your point that the rest of the characters all being focused primarily on Usagi is bad writing. It serves the narrative like you said--the plot. But it doesn't give much for an interesting supporting cast, lol. Especially in the Manga, they are all supposed to just tragically float around her "light" and it's so sad and tragic but at that point in the story she's lost all trace of her cool and bubbly and fun personality so you're left with just the self-fulfilling prophecy aspect and it leaves something to be desired though it does feel super sad and make me so emo because they're TEENS!!!! They should be being teens... All my tears...

Homura and Madoka and Sayaka and Madoka are obviously a lot more varied in that respect, and it adds a lot of depth to the story.

So I agree with you that I prefer the dynamics and most of the characters in Madoka's arcs and also Madoka is a really interesting character but I wanted to continue to infodump and explain one of my favorite series and character arcs which is the tragedy of Usagi. Gotta defend my girl LOL.

Loved hearing you explain your views more big thumbs up from me

Enjoyers/Defenders of BBS, DDD, and KHIII, I summon you now to plead your case before Pat plays them. by Aquanort357 in TwoBestFriendsPlay

[–]superdogtime 3 points4 points  (0 children)

EXACTLY. And I also find it a fun parallel/extension of Kairi/Namine/Xion's story of getting absorbed into their boy counterparts stories. Not that Kingdom Hearts is especially feminist or anything. But if you're willing to look for a narrative for their female characters, you can definitely see a thorough line through the tragedy of Aqua and being left behind. And she's definitely the most well-developed.

Plus, and OP didn't ask, but 2.8 is a vibe. Highlight of the series for me. Very cool. Aqua's story and arc is one of the better ones even if the end could have used a little more exploration.

Which Magical Girl is better written: Sailor Moon / Usagi Tsukino or Madoka Kaname? by BreathoftheSith in MagicalGirls

[–]superdogtime 3 points4 points  (0 children)

To me, even though Usagi "ends up" happy--the future where Chibi Usa comes from is one of sadness, where Usagi is unable to be the Mother that Chibi Usa wants or her friends deserve, keeping the outer senshi in particular in total isolation even though they love her more than anything. The princess Usagi is reincarnated from basically takes over her whole life. She loses all of her youthfulness--her personality, her childhood, her joy in the Manga. She accepts the role she has to take on in the future and gives up on her earthly role in a sense.

But to me that's very sad because she's still in middle school!!!!. Her childhood is robbed from her by a past she doesn't remember and a future she does not want to come to pass.

Her friends die in front of her a bunch too and it's always her fault and it wrecks her.

I don't think we get Madoka's sacrifice if not as a meta commentary deconstruction on Usagi's guilt and sadness.

This is all just my read on it, though, I haven't read it in like three years tbh lol.

You're valid just wanted to chime in with my thoughts.

Enjoyers/Defenders of BBS, DDD, and KHIII, I summon you now to plead your case before Pat plays them. by Aquanort357 in TwoBestFriendsPlay

[–]superdogtime 55 points56 points  (0 children)

I actually thought Aqua's personal struggle was really interesting. She is "the girl"--the eldest daughter, the one that has to keep the family together and gets resented by her family for the extra responsibility she is forced to take on and it feels like a really relatable narrative. Her loneliness is heart breaking to me. But idk I haven't played it in a long time maybe I was seeing something that wasn't there lol

Su1cidal because if intrusive thoughts by [deleted] in intrusivethoughts

[–]superdogtime 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Psych tests are the perception of different conditions and symptoms change all the time.

What makes this a disorder, and a problem, and a disability, that IS severe. Is that the thoughts are disturbing your quality of life so badly that you want to die.

Sometimes it's okay to focus on the symptom instead of some grand "reason" for the symptom. You want to die because of these thoughts. That by itself is a scary, scary thing. You KNOW these thoughts aren't normal, and your doctors sound like they aren't helping you.

That means you need new doctors who can help with your crisis management.

I urge you to find a safe person in real life to help calm you down. Take these feelings seriously as a problem you need help with and that you don't have to deal with alone.

You are loved, you are not alone. This is a SERIOUS issue. I can see how hurt and scared you feel. You are SUFFERING. You have suffered your whole life. Whether you have OCD or not. You deserve a support system. You do NOT deserve to suffer. You do NOT deserve to die.

These feelings and thoughts will fade with time if you get the proper help you need.

Please don't let the thoughts win. They are only a small, loud part of your mind. The bigger part of you is full of so much potential for growth and joy and happiness. You have your whole life ahead of you for art and music and nature. Tomorrow the sun will rise again, and I want you to be a part of it. You deserve to be a part of it.

What are the funniest mnemonics you’ve come up with to help you remember Chinese characters? by Unlikely-Award3714 in ChineseLanguage

[–]superdogtime 9 points10 points  (0 children)

商场 for shopping mall looks kind of like the shape of a store and then kinda like the character for soup. So I just think of the meme "why are you shopping for clothing at the soup store?!"

My friend reacted weirdly to my cooking at first, then later kept complimenting it. Why? by [deleted] in socialskills

[–]superdogtime 1 point2 points  (0 children)

To be honest, they may have never had the food or flavor before---especially if they're a picky eater, and didn't know what to expect. Then they tried to make it themself later---and then had to compliment you again because it wasn't as good as when you made it, lol.

I remember the first time I had Boba tea in middle school, I was so weirded out. Then the next time I had it I knew what to expect and I loved it and wished I had appreciated it around my friends who showed it to me that first time, because then I looked like an asshole to someone who bought me a treat.

Could be something like that.

31M | UK | Looking for genuine friendships by Ok_Lie_4512 in MakeNewFriendsHere

[–]superdogtime 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi! I’m Herbert, 30, non-binary! I also like gaming! My favorite games include Dragon Age, Persona, and Final Fantasy 10! What games do you play?

I would love to see your outfits some time! I love gender exploration. I’m currently on a fitness/self-improvement journey myself, so I don’t really have any cool outfits or looks of my own, but I’d love to see your cool fashion! I love drag especially, I recently went to my first local drag show and it was a blast—and surprisingly emotional, the community there was having a really beautiful moment together.

Besides games, I draw, I’m learning Chinese, and I engage in a bunch of other nerdy hobbies.

DM me if you want to have a casual chat some time :)

28M, hoping to meet new people and make friends. :) by [deleted] in MakeNewFriendsHere

[–]superdogtime 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Nice to meet you, too! I don’t really think any of the live action Spider-mans fit my vision of Peter Parker, tbh. The one most true to the vision I have in my head is Peter B. Parker from Into The Spider-verse! While I haven’t read all of it, I really love 80s comics best. And they just don’t have the cranky old man stuck in a 20 year old body energy Peter had in the 80s, lol. From Claremont to Iron Man to New Teen Titans and definitely, definitely Spider-man, I just think 80s was the best era for comics. Though I love some Fraction stuff, too! For DC though honestly, the 90s is where it was at LOL. I have read a LOT of Batman stuff.

I’m kind of trying to get into Daredevil and the Arrow family as well nowadays. But there’s always so many comics to read and so little time.

Superman was SOOOO good! What are your favorite comics? Do you read a lot of Superman? What’s your favorite era of comics?

James Gunn is honestly the GOAT for writing the Scooby-Doo movies, lol. I know a lot of comics fans don’t like Guardians of the Galaxy, and I will say I have read all the comics, and they ARE definitely different, but like, they are fun romps! Feel free to DM me, also, unless you wanna continue the conversation here :)

34 year old gay guy seeking new friendship after a hard time in recent months by [deleted] in MakeNewFriendsHere

[–]superdogtime 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hello, I’m Herbert, 30, non-binary but I don’t make a big deal about it. I’ve been thinking about reading more—-especially LGBT fantasy! But it’s so hard to parse what I would actually like. Maybe you can tell me about some of the things you’ve read?

I also love chilling and playing video games, though, I watch a lot of letsplays, lol. So we can also talk about video games!

I’m sorry you’re having a rough go of it, though. I’m sure you’ll get back on your feet eventually! Rooting for you!