Okay So I See A Lot Of Speculation On The Identity Of The Second Voice During The Goner Maker Sequence....so

Okay so i see a lot of speculation on the identity of the second voice during the goner maker sequence....so hear me out.... another him...

Irredeamable was pretty lacking when it came to Narkaas wildlife, so for this next game, i wanted to add some beasties to the roster. To fit the fiery aesthetic of the world, the fyrelands are populated by large scaly beasts such as drakes, wyrms, and mighty wyverns. These fearsome beasts pose a much bigger threat than the korugues thanks to their crushing strength and a tough hide that can protect them from a flamebearers flames.

Here we have the bearded drake. Their design takes a bit of inspiration from both bullfrogs and bearded dragons. These stout and hungry beasts serve as an early-game mid-boss. They are by far the least dangerous of their kind, but one should not underestimate them. The weakest drake is still a drake.

I deleted the ask, but someone wrote one basically saying "why do you post reaction videos to Helluva Boss? Don't you know the show exploits its workers and they're overworked and get burned out?"

And, I mean, I love your energy, person who asked, definitely hold on to those values and speak up about this. But also, I am afraid I might have some bad news for you about literally the whole entire animation industry.

As near as I can make out from the sparse journalistic reporting that's been done on SpindleHorse -- and as a sidebar, please for the love of god read actual reporting about these things and not just callout posts and fandom discourse -- as near as I can make out, SpindleHorse as a studio is neither all that much better nor all that much worse than basically anywhere else in the industry on their level. It seems like it is (or was? Hazbin Hotel seems to be run differently) a studio mostly run by contracting people on a project-by-project basis, which leads to a crapton of turnover, and a huge need for organizing and onboarding, which according to the reporting I have read, the producers and freelancers have struggled to balance and manage properly, which has negatively impacted a number of the workers.

Top that with the usual catty, clique-based backbiting, sniping and poorly managed conflict resolution that's just kinda endemic in creative environments mostly staffed by twentysomethings and stressed out freelancers, and you have the recipe for a workplace where a lot of people are going to have a great time and feel creatively fulfilled, and a lot of people are going to come away feeling justifiably burnt the fuck out and exploited.

All of this is... not especially unusual for the animation industry, or indeed for any creative industry. Which is not to say that it is good, or that it should be allowed to be normal, or that it shouldn't be reported on and criticized (and please for the love of god support unionization efforts because that's the only thing that will actually address these kinds of systemic problems). It's just to say that if those kinds of issues are the line in the sand you draw where you refuse to engage with a studio's output...

Then, for starters, say goodbye to basically all of anime, because the Japanese animation industry is actively in a state of crisis trying to recruit new talent because its working conditions and pay are so astonishingly abysmal. And the horror stories that escape from that industry make the issues at SpindleHorse look like summer camp at times.

But you also have to say goodbye to a lot of American and European animation. Please do not imagine that Disney and its subcontractors, or that Nickelodeon or Warner Bros, are benevolent employers. They exploit their staff brutally and are currently trying to crush the labor value of animation with threats of generative AI being used to replace jobs. But those corporations also have extremely well-funded PR departments and the ability to silence employees with NDAs and threats of blackballing, so you don't get to hear as many of the horror stories as you might from a smaller independent studio that's less able to silence criticism by holding people's careers hostage.

All of this is to say that 1) it's valid and important to have criticism of both large and small-scale animation studios, and to keep the well-being and happiness of the workers higher in your priorities than the output of Products™.

And 2) if you're going to have a principle for what kinds of problems make a studio's output morally untouchable for you, and what kinds of problems you think should make a studio's output untouchable to other people, you do need to apply that principle consistently to the entire industry, and not just to the independent animation studio that happens to be surrounded by the internet's most inflammatory fandom discourse.

If you don't apply that principle consistently, maybe don't send reproachful messages to strangers scolding them for not living up to your standards, and even if you do apply that principle consistently, maybe still don't do that, because it's mostly quite annoying, and doesn't really do anything to support animation workers struggling for better working conditions.

The Animation Guild in the US is currently in the middle of a bargaining process with their industry, and they have a social media press kit as well as relevant talking points on their website which you can use to post in solidarity with the workers. If it comes to a full industry strike, consider donating to their strike funds to help them maintain pressure. Outside of the US, try and find out what (if any) local unions exist for animation workers, and maybe sign up to their mailing lists. They will let you know what kind of support they need from you.

Hi everyone! Here's your Daily Reminder to Click for Palestine! 🩷🩵🩷🩵

And if you can spare a dollar, donate to ANERA!

Anything to say about your experience? Any moment you found particularly memorable?

Hello Tumblr Community!

We’re Clumsy Bear Studio, a tiny indie team, and we’re so excited to share the first trailer for our debut game, Hungry Horrors! 🐻🍽️

Hungry Horrors is a roguelike deck-building adventure set in a magical world inspired by British and Irish folklore. But here’s the twist — instead of fighting monsters, you must cook for them! As a princess, your survival depends on preparing traditional dishes that either satisfy these legendary creatures or… well, let’s just say the consequences aren’t pretty! 😅

You’ll come across iconic figures from folklore like the Glaistig, Jenny Greenteeth, and Fear Gorta, all while mastering authentic recipes like Champ, Stargazy Pie, and Cranachan. It’s a game full of charm, humour, and strategy, where every dish and encounter is steeped in tradition and myth.

Check out the trailer below, and let us know what you think! We’d love to hear from you as we continue to bring this world to life.

🎮 If you’re excited about Hungry Horrors, please wishlist us on Steam! It helps us out a ton and keeps you updated on all the latest news. 🙌

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Hungry Horrors on Steam

Face legendary creatures from British and Irish folklore in this roguelike deck builder where cooking replaces combat. As a princess, you mu