deerstalker

https://blacknerdproblems.com/finding-joy-in-your-collection-anime-enamel-pin-edition/

I treated myself to some new anime themed enamel pins this month and thought about not just my love for pins (enamel, acrylic and lapel pins) but the ones that showed my adoration for anime in general. I thought back on an older piece on the site by Chris where he wrote about finding joy in being a collector of the fandoms and media he loved. Included in the category of BNP’s Guilty Pleasure Confessionals, I loved that he ventured into his history of collecting–from his childhood hobby of loving Pokémon to what he’s picked up as an adult. 

He reinforces that we should find joy in our collections, we should find comfort, and they should bring us community and good memories. Overall, it is a piece that I come back to reread every so often as it is timely and a great personal piece. This week when I was looking at my newest additions to my pin collection I thought of all the love and money that I poured into my collection, in particular the anime themed and inspired ones and what to share more about them and what they mean to me. Also, I wanted to include some tips on those who want to start collecting enamel pins of their own!

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My (Discontinued) OG Faves

My absolute favorite anime enamel pins come from the Adorned by Chi, the Magical manga series & lifestyle brand started up by Jacque Aye. Some of the brand’s biggest milestones were having some of Aye’s original magical characters licensed by Hot Topic, and having a DREAM collaboration with Sanrio. I’ve purchased and have been gifted many items from the brand over the years and my favorite items have to be all the many enamel pins that I’ve collected. From super cute takes on some of our favorite Ghibli characters to Black girl versions of some of our favorite Anime heroines, these forever stand out and get asked about. My Sailor Moon and Kiki pins are big enough to sit on the collar of my jean jacket collars comfortably and always get worn and complimented when I wear them to Disney Land.

These pins are also discontinued merchandise from the Adorned by Chi brand that is taking a break as its creator Aye is pursuing her author dreams to great success–seriously go buy her books! What I love most about my pins here are that they were among some of the first Black-owned brands that I found circulating on social media. Finding Adorned by Chi led me to other Black-owned and women-owned small businesses, and I even found more online connections from other nerdy fans through this brand. Whenever I wear these enamel pins, I am reminded by just how much they compliment me and my sometimes kawaii/cute fashion style. Now that they are truly limited edition, I take special care of them and cherish them every time I wear them! To feel at my magical girl self, I’ll wear these!

My Early Pandemic Era Purchases that Bring Me Joy

During the early part of the pandemic, I bought stuff, like many of you. Lots of it. Some of it allowed me to live more comfortably–like my humidifier, weight blanket, and melatonin sleep gummies. Other purchases like new cookware and new address label stickers helped elevate other areas in my life like my cooking expertise and professional life. Others were ‘treat yourself’ purchases. These pins here fit in that very category, and I don’t regret them. The first pin, the Masked Magical Girl Charity Pin, is in the likeness of my favorite OG Shojo girlie: Sailor Moon. I actually featured this pin by Kanpai Designs (currently on break)  in a Magical Girl Themed Holiday Gift Guide I put together a year ago where half of the profits were donated to UNICEF.

The Kanpai Design pin is one that I have worn faithfully not just because I love Sailor Moon but also because she is a reminder that wearing face masks is an act of love. This checks out because Sailor Moon is the guardian of Love and Justice, after all. This is a meaningful pin that often catches eyes when I wear it on my favorite Black blazer when attending professional events or funerals. The Set Your Heart Ablaze hard enamel pin features the iconic phrase by the Flame Hashira, Rengoku Kyojiro of Demon Slayer fame. This inspiring set of words is not only one of my favorite phrases in (more recent) anime history but is from my favorite characters of the Demon Slayer franchise. I needed to hear this–again and again going through the highs and lows of the pandemic years when I needed comfort and encouragement. I love to look back at this pin and wear it on a day when I needed to summon all my inner strength and be great.

My Latest and Greatest Finds

So…another Sailor Moon enamel pin? Yes. But in all seriousness, I love a good meme pin and pin creators that bring along a sense of humor in the products that they create and sell. I had initially bought an Ami/Sailor Mercury enamel pin for a friend’s birthday and came back to buy more from the creative behind it: iheartjlp. These anime themed pins are just so much fun (and well made!): from a Naruto/Simpsons mashup to another pin featuring Sailor Moon characters recreating a iconic meme featuring cats. Sometimes you just need some fun in your life and that’s what these anime themed purchases do for me in my life. With this batch of pins, I was reminded of just how much fun a collection of enamel pins can be. 

I don’t often share my anime enamel pins nowadays and with these I’ve hopefully not been insufferable with the people in my life with how much I love these and how much XP I’ve gained in leveling up. We all should find joy in our collections, point blank. (Unless, you collect Nazi memorabilia, then I hope you step on LEGOs everyday for the rest of your life. I am sending you bad energy. Please believe it. ) I love looking over pieces of my anime enamel pin collection and remembering how I felt when I first picked it up at a con or received it in the mail. I love wearing my pins and encountering someone who knows what magical girl I’m wearing or what obscure symbol from an anime is pinned on my backpack. My pins bring me joy, As they should. I hope that you are receiving joy in whatever you collect, and if you too, collect anime enamel pins: I pray all your pins are secured and are never lost.

Tips on Starting Your Own Collection

1. Shop local and support indie creators! There are pins that I have brought exclusively at conventions or as add-ons from crowdfunding campaigns. Many of these were limited runs or will never be sold again which is tragic for those who missed out the first time and have to face resellers. Poke around at your local nerdy conventions in your neck of the woods and check out the vendor rooms or tables! I always found great pins and great energy doing this, and it introduced me to creators that I still follow and purchase from today! 

2. Beware of counterfeits! Do your best not to purchase pins from the bad rain forest store *cough* Amazon or places like TEMU, Wish or SHEIN as many copied designs from smaller creators get stolen and placed on there! Counterfeit pins hurt so many amazing creators everywhere! Pintheft.com was set up to spread awareness about counterfeits, encourage responsible shopping, and provide resources for artists.

@ohjessicajessica

Please share and support artists!#australianartist #artistalley #counterfeitgoods #enamelpins

♬ original sound – Oh Jessica Jessica

The site mentions that “Counterfeit pins are hurting your favorite artists. When our designs are illegally copied, we lose time, money, and customers.” If you find a pin creator that you admire, be sure to follow them on social media and/or subscribe to their newsletter, blog or, Patreon, or similar online presence. This is a great way to pre-order for future pin drops, gain discount codes and coupons, and see what events and cons you can see the merch in person at!

3. Take care of your pins and make sure you find additional backing posts! Also display your pins with pride! There’s a whole industry of display options and bags (like Ita bags) solely for displaying pin collections. From cloth banners to corkboard squares too! I store and display some of mine on little corkboards that easily can be set on a shelf, in a drawer or a wall. I initially bought mine from one of my all time fave non anime pin making companies, Radical Dreams–a socially conscious accessory brand that was founded in 2015 by Shannon P., a Black medical student with a passion for social justice and serving the community. 

For secure pins you’ll want to consider buying flat top or ball top locking pin backs for extra security while wearing your pins. Cosmic Medium, another Black woman owned and operated company run by Laura Coleman that I have featured before on the site, started selling a converter necklace for pin collectors that seems like a neat idea to give new life to the pins collectors own. 

Here’s a quick breakdown of the different types of pin backs via TikTok video! I also like these converters to help turn your enamel pins into keychains from Pins and Needle! I’ve also found Noir Voyage, another pin creator to have lots of accessories like loving pins backs, pin keepers, and badge holders that keep enamel pins safe in her online storefront.

4.) Be mindful of viewing and handling other people’s collections! Enamel pin collections are collections that fans can spend years and hundreds of dollars on. There are limited edition pins, special interlocking pins, couple pins, and pins that make up whole collections–it is not uncommon for someone to spend upwards of a hundred dollars on a special enamel pin of one of their anime faves. If someone is showing a sampling of their collection in/on a bag or allowing you to see them in their home or at a pin meetup–take care! Handle anything you’ve been granted to see or hold with care!

Ready to Start Your Own Collection?

Here are 15 creatives who make enamel pins to check out to help start your collection:

Marina Studios: who specializes in original art and some multi-fandom nonsense.

Onicake: who specializes in spooky and cute designs in enamel pins, plushies, and more

Sheila Wong: who specializes in striking art prints and some anime themed enamel pins

Sunflower Honey Studios: who specializes in anime themed pins and Black characters

Waifu Pins (Waifu Arts): who specializes in nerdy enamel pins, stickers and related goods

@duendedesigns

some late night pin prep #spyxfamily #loidforger #yorbriar #yorforger #twilight #spyfamily #anyaforger #animeenamelpin #enamelpins

♬ Mix Nuts (Spy x Family) Opening – Soave Lofi 0

Nori Teahouse (Formerly Noreen Designs): who specializes in enamel pins and fandom paper products like stickers

Drawn by Ivy: who specializes in all things cute n’ cozy in pins, apparel, and bags

ArtByQBII: who specializes in anime and nerdy enamel pins, stickers, comics, and more

Frostelation: who specializes in cute Art w/ Sweet Desserts & Afro-Centered Characters

MidiMayo: who specializes in anime and nerdy pins, coffee mugs, and charms

@pinsneedle

The series that started my entire ✦ stained glass ✦ effect enamel pin journey these are my anime otp [one true pairing] series ONE pins Can you name the couples? series 2 coming soon…? Find them in my shop – pinsneedle.com #anime #animes #animeotp #pins #enamelpinmaker #enamelpins #smallbusinesstiktok #smallbusinessowner

♬ summertime – cinnamons

Chenxira: who specializes in constantly cute + adorable  + naughty art via pins, art prints, stickers, and apparel

Holobat: who specializes in fandom enamel pins, keychains, buttons, and more

Dark Devil Designs: who specializes in a wide range of enamel pins and accessories

 Teal Teacup: who specializes in Whimsical, Cute, chonky, derpy, relatable designs via enamel pins

Nitelyfepins: who specializes in designing enamel pins inspired by pop culture and comic themes

@drawnbyivy

new enamel pins!! which pins are u eyeing? they will be available in my sh♡p update this Fri Sept 15 @ 3PM PST! #hxh #cardcaptorsakura #spiritedaway #hxhpins #hunterxhunterpins #spiritedawaypins #studioghiblipins #animeenamelpins #animepins #enamelpins #enamelpin #enamelpinshop #unboxingvideo #unboxingsmallbusiness

♬ Feather – Sped Up – Sabrina Carpenter

A Few More Tips Before You Start Your Collection:

1.) Some pin creators have duo storefronts like a Shopify and also a website. There are many reasons for this: to have more online presence, to make shopping easier for customers in different countries, etc. I’ve always found a plethora of good quality pins on Etsy. I actually buy lots from Etsy from postcards to stickers to enamel pins. Be mindful of that you may have to wade through an influx of AI–generated goods and QAnon and Insurrection merch. Ugh.

2. ) Many pin makers do “drops”– seasonal/monthly/quarterly merchandise releases. You can liken it to Limited edition merchandise drops that bigger companies and corporations do. Sometimes these are planned around the release date or a certain new season of a popular anime or film, other times it is based on the pin makers receiving products from manufacturers. 

3. ) Some pin creators use crowdfunding platforms and apps to fund their next set of items and products. I always thought it was a really unique way to take advantage of the crowdfunding wave and fund small campaigns for new pins. I started noticing more and more pins on Kickstarter, perhaps the most popular of them all. Doesn’t hurt to take a look. I’ve been introduced to several pin creators through the site and have even become repeat customers!

4.) LASTLY: Before you just jump in the dms or email a pin creator with recommending a pin they should make OR asking about if they can make a custom enamel pin for you: PLEASE take note that making new metal molds for pins ain’t cheap. Neither is the production and manufacturing process–many pin creator seek out manufacturing partners who have factories and companies overseas so back and forth communication is usually prolonged over a period of time just to get one or a set of products approved and shipped back for sale.

5.) I didn’t think that I needed to include this, but I will because some folks have no home training and need to be reminded: be polite and courteous to any enamel pin creator! If you go to their website and see that they are on break–don’t bombard them in the comments of their IG or TikTok page. If you think you’ve missed out on a pin drop or something limited edition, sending hate mail or doxxing them is NOT the move. If you’re looking for a shipping update, send off a short message at their provided mode of contact. TLDR: DO. NOT. BE. AN. A-HOLE. PLEASE.

That’s All from Me! Happy Collecting, Y’all!

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Fancy Disclaimer: I have not received any of these enamel pins or related items in consideration of making this editorial. Cheers! Shout-out to all the small business owners mentioned and featured! Be sure to support them this holiday season if you’re looking to spend some coin!

Cover Image Photo Credit: Provided by Author. Pin Credit: BinaVivienSantos

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The post Finding Joy In Your Collection: Anime Enamel Pin Edition appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.

https://nerdist.com/article/new-the-walking-dead-destinies-video-game-features-main-series-characters-rick-michonne-daryl-shane-lets-players-rewrite-storylines/

Like many fandoms, The Walking Dead family disagrees on pretty much everything. But one thing we largely agree on is that the show’s first few seasons were absolutely fantastic. Many of the decisions that Rick and his survival comrades made in those early years of the apocalypse set the foundation for so many story arcs and pivotal moments. And, even though the flagship series is over, fans love to give The Walking Dead the “What If?” treatment. What if Shane actually killed Rick in that field? What if Daryl never saved Carol at the farm? It is always fun to think about the possibilities, but now we can make them happen. The Walking Dead: Destinies is a new The Walking Dead video game that allows players to rewrite the show’s history and relive some epic moments with original characters.

We can see the conceit in action in The Walking Dead: Destinies trailer below. 

AMC and GameMill Entertainment are teaming up to make this new The Walking Dead game happen. The Walking Dead: Destinies covers seasons one through four, which includes the farm, prison, and Terminus arcs in the Atlanta area. The storyline can go many different ways depending on the player’s choices for The Walking Dead‘s most famous characters like Rick Grimes and Daryl Dixon. If a player dares, they can change the fates of folks like Shane Walsh and see how that decision affects the future. It is probably not the best choice considering Shane’s obsession with Lori and Carl. This is a super cool concept considering most of The Walking Dead’s popular games are about characters who don’t exist in the show, like Clementine. 

The Walking Dead: Destinies’ trailer back some unforgettable memories in game-form, especially with its voiceover. We can hear Rick giving his infamous speech following the fall of the farm. Gotta love when he tells people that they can either let him lead or figure life out on their own. (It is lovingly known by many fans as the Ricktatorship speech.) We also see locations that are long gone, like the prison and downtown Atlanta. And yes, there’s some blood and gore because it is a The Walking Dead game. Players will have to manage their resources and fight for their survival. The clip notes that this is a work in progress, so we will have to wait for the final graphics.

A new Walking Dead game with original characters like Rick that lets you change the show’s storylines sounds like a great time. The Walking Dead: Destinies will get a digital release on November 17 with a physical release following in December. It will be available for PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox and cost $50. The game is available for preorder today.

Originally published on August 17, 2023.

The post New THE WALKING DEAD: DESTINIES Video Game Lets Players Rewrite Show’s Early Seasons appeared first on Nerdist.

https://nerdist.com/article/the-mending-circle-roleplaying-game-witches-and-healing-sharkbomb-studios/

One of the best parts of roleplaying games is sinking into the storytelling and letting loose with friends. And one of the more challenging parts of roleplaying games is finding a consistent game master who will do all the work and preparation to create the space for storytelling. Enter Sharkbomb Studios’ The Mending Circle. This gentle-sounding roleplaying game doesn’t require a game master or extensive prep. Made for exactly three players, The Mending Circle takes the group on a journey of healing.

The Mending Circle‘s designer Martin Nerurkar started working on the game when he was recovering from burnout. It took time for Nerurkar to finish the first edition, released digitally. Now he’s back with the second edition, a cozy and wholesome roleplaying game in which the players come together as a coven of three witches sent to help someone in need. The Mending Circle‘s full synopsis is as follows:

In The Mending Circle you tell healing stories together.
At their heart is always one or more of the Torn: someone in a state of pain or anxiety and in need of support. Most likely they are scared, poor, isolated or marginalized in some way that makes it difficult for them to access help themselves. This pain does not come from a physical ache but rather from a metaphorical, emotional wound. If it persists it often leads to more suffering radiating outwards.
But this Wound catches the attention of three witches that set out to help. Using your magical charms you will help and guide the process of healing. As a first step the Torn needs to reach a state of relative safety and stability. Only after this is achieved can they confront the source of their pain and gain awareness. Finally, they have to make a new meaning for themselves to move forward.

The game features a D6 system, quick start scenarios, and a 130+ page sourcebook. Given the vulnerable nature of the game, you’ll likely want to play with people you already know and feel comfortable being open with.

The Mending Circle is available to back on Kickstarter now.

The post THE MENDING CIRCLE Is a Witchy RPG About Hope and Healing appeared first on Nerdist.

https://blacknerdproblems.com/a-dd-confessional-i-still-dont-understand-multi-classing/

At my core, I am a living confluence of contradiction. I am a nonbinary, biracial technical writer. I literally am compromised of non-standard, disparate, and contradictory components. My resume is a hodgepodge of endeavors from engineering degrees and pop culture multimedia critique, and I am a firm proponent of a STEAM educational framework.

And yet, running further contrary to an already contrarian existence is a single truth that I hold dear: I do not understand 5e multi-classing. I caution my players to avoid multi-classing. I never multi-class my own characters as though delving into a separate class would somehow doom their existence. I get visibly confused when someone mentions that they have mutli-classed.

This has not gotten better with the recent release of Baldur’s Gate, where several guides explain the so-called benefits of multi-classing in various builds as a way to leverage new and exciting combinations of skills and class features, and my brain just ends up short circuiting after seeing the backslash.

And the thing is I didn’t always have this mentality. When I was first learning how to play Dungeons and Dragons with their 3.5e, the idea of multi-classing was significantly less detracting to me, although that was due to the fact that I wasn’t viewing multi-classing as a means to increase my range. Instead, I was viewing multi-classing as a means to unlock the true power that I wanted my PC to have. One of the prominent features of D&D 3.5e was the inclusion of Prestige Classes: unique classes that your character had to be molded into. Unlike the standard classes, you could never start out as level 1 of a prestige class nor could you ever get a full 20 levels of the class either. There were specific requirements that required investing in specific skills and choices, some of which required you to delve outside your typical background to get all those requirements checked off. However, unlike true multi-classing, I think the mentality was very different for me. Prestige class was kinda the equivalent of getting a specialized degree that would then supersede everything that came before it. Multi-classing in my head is the equivalent of a certificate.

And logically, I know that isn’t entirely fair to multi-class PCs. The fact remains that there are plenty of reasons why multi-classing is appealing. From a narrative perspective, it shows a character choosing to delve into a new specialty, influenced by the choices and circumstances they find themselves in. Hell, in Order of the Stick, Elan chooses to take a level in wizard to help improve the potency of his magical illusions. He also takes a level in daring swashbuckler, although that’s a prestige class equivalent, and that’s completely ignoring his evil twin brother’s Nale convoluted level schema to poor mimic the effect of a bard. 

From a mechanical perspective, it does widen the toolbox dramatically. The first level provides a plethora of features and investments that very well could compliment certain attributes. Furthermore, I also know for a fact that some of the broken builds in D&D history require multi-classing, none more infamous than the Pun-Pun, thought experiments that push the game mechanics to create a functional god at ridiculously low levels. It’s a min-maxer’s dream that should also never be allowed at an actual table. 

But for me personally, I just do not understand the appeal of multi-classing. From a gameplay perspective, the progression of the classes feels like the intended path (helped by the fact that multi-classing is an optional rule even within the core rulebook). This is doubly true for spellcasters as the potency of their spells is directly tied to their character level, and skipping levels prevents access to some of the most busted spells in the game. It creates extensive bookkeeping issues, as your HP dice and Skill Points quickly get out of sync, and that aforementioned versatility also leads to having significantly more options (that again are also fundamentally weaker) that can slow down the decision-making process. And the fact is that when I’m playing a tabletop RPG, I am playing within the framework of a group. I am one character within a party, and party dynamics are more enjoyable when each character has their own niche. Having a proverbial jack of all trades may be nice for large parties, but for the more intimate settings, it never feels great being “good” at several things when your teammates are “phenomenal” at a thing. 

It also certainly doesn’t help that progression in tabletop spaces is not predictable. Since leveling is at the game master’s discretion, taking a level in a different class could very much put you at a power deficit for an indeterminate amount of time until you can pick up the other levels that would even out your builds. Of course, getting to build higher level characters from the start could mitigate this, but that’s a lot of planning and coordination and maybe you’re just built for it better than I am. 

Versatility in real life, I value immensely. Being able to adapt to a plethora of circumstances is a true asset, and being well-rounded is an important consideration. In games though, I much rather be the best hammer than a Swiss-army knife. I much rather find creative uses of being the best hammer to solve problems than practical solutions with the Swiss-army knife. And for me, when I play a game, I want to invest fully into a singular fantasy. I want to do the things that I designed my character to do at their fullest, and for me, that means triple downing on the first decision and keeping everything at a honed edge. I want that clarity, the pure joy of a max level fireball, an attack of opportunity with way too many dice, and that weird niche level 20 feature that is beholden only to your class, as proof of your dedication and devotion to a singular idea. Which again, doesn’t exactly back translate to real life, but perhaps that’s a different article.

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The post A D&D Confessional: I Still Don’t Understand Multi-classing appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.