even if you get along great with your family you will get along even better with them after moving out
generic is almost always just as good as name brand. But there are some things you never buy generic, including: peanut butter, ketchup, liquid NyQuil, Chips-Ahoy chewy chocolate chip cookies
just imagine the person on the other end of the phone hates talking on the phone as much as you do. Even a receptionist. I worked as one and I hate talking on the phone
at least once in your life you will go to Wal-mart to buy something under $20 like an ironing board or something and your debit card will get rejected. No one will judge. Everyone at some point in their lives has had $2.98 in their bank account.
thrift stores
everyone else is too busy panicking about everyone else noticing every tiny thing that could possibly be wrong about them to notice any tiny thing that could possibly be wrong about you
you will screw up. a lot. you live and you learn. and when you start to think too hard about that embarrassing thing that happened and how you wish you could change it, just tell yourself that what’s done is done. There’s no changing it, so just forget it and move on. It’s the only way to stay sane.
do the dishes before the sink grows its own ecosystem
you can’t put Dawn dishsoap in the dishwasher.
if you are the only one in the aisle at the grocery store, and you need to get from one end to the other without even looking at anything in that aisle, then you should totally cart-surf down the aisle. Growing old is mandatory. Growing up is optional. Hold on to the little things. They make all the difference.
never try to make cake from scratch at 3am. You end up with a topographical map of Middle Earth.
15% tip.
the best way to get money for food is to tell your grandparents about how you basically live on microwaved mac and cheese. Their horror may result in twenty bucks and orders to go out and get yourself “a real dinner”.
sometimes life sucks, and knowing that it might get better doesn’t always make it suck any less, but you’ll never get to the non-sucky days without enduring the suckiness.
no seriously, NEVER put Dawn in your dishwasher
Do not buy generic brand spaghetti sauce either.
Always check the type of light bulb that goes in lamps. A 60w is not interchangeable with a 40w.
Dollar store batteries work just as well as store brand.
Reward yourself from time to time when you do things that you needed to get done. It’s a good way to remind yourself to do them. Going out to pay a bill? Get Starbucks or something you don’t get often. Rewards don’t have to be huge, they can be small things like that.
Rice, pasta, flour, sugar, cheese, eggs, milk, a pack of chicken, a pack of frozen veggies and a well stocked spice cabinet go a long way food-wise. Splurge and get the biggest container of rice you can. You don’t have to go back and buy it again anytime soon and it makes a TON of meals in the meantime.
Rice can be cooked on the stove. You don’t need a fancy rice cooker. Two parts water to every one part rice (two cups water for one cup of rice for example). Get your water boiling, add rice, put a plate or lid on it, put it on low for 20 minutes. It should be done.
Keep a calendar on your pc of bill due dates. If your bills are set up at inconvenient times, like all of the services started on the first or something, then call up the company and find out if you can get your billing date switched to something more manageable. A lot of places do try to work with you.
There is no shame in calling a company and asking for an extension on a bill. Let them know what you can pay, pay that amount, and they arrange when the rest of the payment is required. This can stop you from having services shut off man. It shows responsibility on your part.
Take time to eat, even when you don’t feel like eating. Your body needs energy to live.
Wash or rinse your dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. It prevents gross caked on junk.
“The Works” is an excellent cheap toilet cleaner.
MAGIC. FUCKING. ERASERS. THEY WORK ON EVERYTHING JUST DON’T SCRUB HARD. I took the ring out of our bathtub with one. Also generic ones work just as well.
Keep some bleach around but if you use it for cleaning? Dillute it. There’s rarely ever a case where you need to pout straight bleach on anything. A cap full or two in a bucket of water works just fine.
DO NOT MIX CLEANERS. Chemical reactions are can be very dangerous. Here’s a good list. (Note that vinegar and baking soda can actually be a good combo for removing smells from things but it’s not very good at actually -cleaning-.)
If you drink? Don’t take meds at the same time it’s just not good.
Make sure you check the dosages on your pill bottles. No one wants to accidentally overdose on cough syrup or ibuprofen.
If you have a uterus make sure you have a heating pad and ibuprofen on hand for the pain. Hot baths also generally help and Ginger Tea is excellent for any nausea.
Buy a first aid kit. It’s worth it in the long run.
You can often do your taxes online at places like TurboTax.
Petroleum jelly (aka Vaseline) is good for chapped lips and you can get a decent sized tube or tub of it (generic brand version) for cheaper/same price as Chapstick.
KEEP TRIPLE ANTIBIOTIC OINTMENT IN YOUR HOUSE FOR CUTS AND SCRAPES AND SORES.
~~Medications~~
Over the counter medications (stuff you can buy right off the shelf no prescription needed) have a name brand and a generic name. ALWAYS buy generic if it’s available it is literally the same thing and way cheaper usually.
Some names to remember when you’re looking for meds!
Acetaminophen = Tylenol
Used to treat pain and reduce fever. Do not take with Ibuprofen.
Ibuprofen = Advil, Midol, Motrin
Used for pain and fever, is an anti-inflammtory. Is good for period cramps because it is an NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug).
Naproxen = Aleve, Naprosyn
Treats fever, pain, arthritis pain, gout, period cramps, tendinitis, headache, backache, and toothache. Is also an NSAID.
Acetaminophen + Asprin + Caffeine = Excedrin
Usually marketed as “Migraine Relief” as a generic.
Asprin = Bayer
Use for pain, fever, arthritis, and inflammation. Makes you bleed easily so should not be used for periods. Might reduce risk of heart attacks.
Triple Antibiotic Ointment = Neosporin
Used on cuts, sores, and scrapes to reduce risk of infection and promote healing.
Also a general mutli-vitamin isn’t a bad idea and if you don’t get a lot of fruits or milk/sunshine in your diet you might want to get vitamins C and D specifically for daily use.
if you do accidentally lapse and put dawn in your dishwasher, run it empty and put hair conditioner where the detergent goes. that’ll clean it out (tip given to me by dorm custodian when roommate did the thing).
if you live off ramen, add stuff to it! add veggies you like, don’t use the whole flavor packet to cut down on sodium and msg or don’t use it at all and add your own spices.
if you’re making something with potatoes in it (beans, stew) potatoes are done when you can easily stab a fork through them.
you can microwave a hotdog as long as you put it in a microwave safe container of water. microwaves work by making water molecules vibrate. also, when reheating rice leftovers, add a small amount of water, like maybe a spoonfull, so it doesn’t get hard and crunchy.
the rice cooking advice above is for long grain rice. if you’re making short or medium grain rice, a 1:1 ratio (one cup water for one cup rice) is better, so the rice doesn’t come out too mushy.
buy a few cans of chicken. wholesale club stores like sam’s, costco, or bj’s tend to carry multipacks for a good price. they’re incredibly useful for when you forget to defrost meat.
buy meat on sale and put it in the freezer. buy vegetables on sale, and put them in the freezer. frozen veggies are often as flavorful and good as fresh ones, keep longer, and often come in microwaveable bags or with microwave directions.
soak ink stains in milk to help get them out or at least lighten them.
soak blood stains in water as soon as possible, with a bit of detergent or stain remover. scrub at them. use cold water, heat binds proteins to fabric. tbh, there’s no real need to change the washer from cold-cold setting unless the thing you’re washing says to wash in warm water.
acetone, found in most nail polish removers, dissolves super glue.
YOU’RE ALL DOING GOD’S WORK BLESS YOU
Takes pictures, have prints made and put them in photo albums. Be IN the pictures, have someone take pictures of you and your friends. Get over not looking perfect in thw picture. Someday that friend might be gone and those pictures might be all you’ll have, you will want to be in them. I made that mistake with my best friend, i always felt weird asking for a picture together… he died of cancer January of 2014 and now i have no pictures of us together. Its my only regret in life.
This is really helpful, thank you all!
I’m the newest of new adults but I’m gonna throw these little tips in there. IF YOU HAVE AN OLD CAR:
-coolant or water if your car overheats (coolant is preferable cause it won’t hurt the engine in the long run but hey i know money is tight)
-flashlight in case you break down at night and need to check under the hood and your phone is dead
-SPARE TIRE.
-jumper cables.you will at some point leave your lights on. you just will.
AAA or any other road side service is never a bad investment i swear. (try to mooch it off your parents as long as you can though)
Know how to change a tire. You’re going to need to do it at some point in time and you can’t always rely on someone else to do it for you.
Don’t be afraid to go to your local food bank. They are there for a reason.
Don’t be ashamed to ask for help period. Life is hard, everyone needs help occasionally.
You can put a LOWER wattage bulb in a lamp that says it’s for a higher one, but don’t put a HIGHER wattage bulb in. Also, watts refer to the amount of electricity used. LUMENS refers to the amount of light put out, and can vary quite a bit between brands, even though the wattage is the same. Look for the one with the highest lumens unless you actually want a slightly dimmer bulb in a certain location.
Those dollar store batteries? Fine if they’re alkaline. “Heavy-duty” batteries, however, won’t last nearly as long.
You can microwave a hot dog and bun simply by wrapping them in a toweling for a minute, less if you don’t want them scalding hot.
Reblogging to save lives.
Two adulting (kitchen-related) tips from me!
1. Buy a roll of parchment paper from the cooking shit aisle. A big roll will last you for-fucking-ever. Pretty much any time you’re using a baking pan you can line it with that stuff and save yourself A: food sticking to the pan and B: it’s a quick rinse and it’s clean.
2. Bread can get fucking expensive, so make your own. A bigass bag of flour and a bag of active dry yeast (store it in the friiiiidge!!!) works out a FUCK of a lot cheaper than buying bread at the store, and you can do so much more with it. Bread, pizza, rolls, cinnibuns, homemade pizza pockets. It seems intimidating but it’s stupid easy.
Seriously. It’s stupid simple to make, and most of the “3 hours” to make it is sitting around surfing the internet or doing whatever the fuck you want while the dough rises. If you have an afternoon free once a week to sit and play video games or surf the net, you have the time to make your own bread on the cheap. Here’s my simple-as-fuck recipe:
2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (You can buy a bag of this stuff CHEAP in bulk stores, the little packets are hella stupid priced) 1 cup warm water (think a hot bath) 1 ½ teaspoons sugar 2 tablespoons oil (any kind works for the most part) 2 ¼ cups flour 1 teaspoon salt
1. Stir the yeast, water, sugar, and oil up in a bowl. Let it sit for about 10 minutes. It will foam up VERY high, this is the yeast getting happy! If it doesn’t get all foamy, the water may have been too hot or not hot enough. Remember, Yeast is alive! Treat it like a nice girlfriend!
2. Mix your flour, salt, and the yeast concoction up in a bowl.
3. Knead that shit for about 5 minutes. It will start sticky as heck, but will come together into a nice dough. If it’s still super sticky, toss in a bit more flour. Here’s how to knead it:
4. Put your dough in a covered, lightly oiled bowl and leave it someplace warmish for an hour. At that point it will have roughly doubled in size, give it a gentle punch to release the gasses that have built up inside. Cover it again and let it sit for a bit longer.
Boom. You have bread dough. Here are some baking times and uses for ya:
Optional egg-wash: Just crack an egg into a bowl, add a pinch of salt, and mix the bejeebus out of it with a fork. Brush (or if you’re like me, goop it on with said fork) that shit thinly on bread before baking for a nice crust.
Pizza: Stretch it on a pan, stab the fucker all over with a fork, add toppings, bake 425*F 15-20 minutes.
Bread Sticks: Make snake-shapes, let rest on pan 10-ish minutes, bake 400*F 10-20 minutes.
Dinner rolls: Make ball-sized (yes those balls) balls. Place on greased pan, let rest 10-20 minutes to rise. Egg-wash and bake 375*F 25 minutes.
Bread: Lightly score (cut) the top, let sit for 20-ish minutes on/in whatever you’re using to bake it, egg-wash, bake at 375*F for 20-ish minutes. It’s done when it sounds hollow if you knock on the bottom.
You bet your ass you can deep-fry this shit for cheapie yeast doughnuts. Roll that shit in sugar or dip it in whatever, it’s fucking tasty.
Bagels: YES. YOU. CAN. Form bagel-shapes out of the dough and boil them in salty water for about 2 minutes. Egg-wash them and bake them at 400*F for 10 minutes.
Cinnamon Rolls: Roll that shit out into a rectangle. Brush it with a mix of butter, cinnamon, sugar, and a pinch of salt (no exact amounts here, do it to your taste). Roll it up into a log, and cut it into discs. Let them sit 20 minutes in a pan and then bake at 375*F 15-17 minutes.
You can add whatever you want to the dough for some variety, just if it’s dried spices remember you really only need 1-ish tablespoons. I personally like making bread with about 1 tablespoon of dill in the dough. Roll it out flat, sprinkle it with cheddar, roll it into a log, squeeze the ends shut, and bake it like a regular loaf of bread. Cheesy dill bread OMNOMNOM.
*ahem* That got a bit long. But yeah. Bread’s expensive, yo. Save your wallet.
(Also it’s ridiculous amounts of therapeutic to bake, for me anyway)
Being able to bake your own bread is pretty awesome, if you got the time for it.
FOOOOOOD TIPS ok so no money for food? Sometimes the healthier things are actually cheaper for example. No one eats these at my supermarket so every EVERY week they were 10 for 10 pastas. They are vegetable pasta and it’s healthier for you as well as the whole wheat pasta. No one buys them. Look for deals and buy in bulk. You see chicken breast on sale? GET IT AND FREEZE IT INDIVIDUALLY IN BAGS. Usually lasts about 6 months if kept frozen Get a BJs card. No, don’t pay for it. Get a 3 month free one and go with your friends and every 3 months another person gets the card. I did this all through college. Fruits and vegetables. Things that are most commonly in a fridge go bad first. Buy frozens. They won’t taste as good but they’re just as good for you! Root veggies can last a bit. IF YOU HAVE NO TIME TO COOK, make sure you’re getting your nutrients. Go buy some V8 When cooking, you have some bacon? Put the fat in a mug and keep it in your fridge. Yea it’s animal fat but your broke ass doesn’t have money for extra virgin olive oil ok? Learn to make pasta and it will save your life Whenever we would get sick I’d make stew. I’d make 5 gallons of the most bomb stew you’ll never have. I’d spend 40$ on ingredients that would feed 3-4 people for a week… Make stew. Get crappy flank steaks. They’re cheap Lemons, use lemons in everything. Acidity and salt bring out each other. Put some lemon, use less salt. Then put the lemon in your water and drink water. It’s summer. This is kidney stone season. Keep yourselves hydrated. Keep lemons to get your metabolism going. IF YOU SPILL ANYTHING IN YOUR FRIDGE CLEAN IT IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE THE BACTERIA WILL GROW IMMEDIATELY AND THATS UOUR FOOD if the power goes out, get ice bags and put them in the fridge. If you’re in a huge storm and you’re worried about the power, take a bucket and fill it with water for your toilet (if you lose water when you lose electric) just in case so you can flush Finally working out. If you can’t go to the gym, there are a million at home exercises that I do all the time when I can’t. Google them. You’ll look like an idiot when your leg is on a towel to be used as resistance for curling, but hey, it’s something right!?
A NYC grad student working on food stamps for her thesis has released a free cookbook for those living on $4/day.
SIG NAL BOO OO OO OOOST
hello
oooooh this is so nice!
I believe it’s important to eat well, even when you’re strapped for cash. It’s good for your health and energy! This cookbook is full of delicious and healthy recipes, the ingredients of which are fairly inexpensive.
I ACKNOWLEDGE THIS WOMAN AS A FELLOW WARRIOR AND A FANTASTIC HUMAN BEING.
Boost so hard. Feeding yourself well is a challenge when you”ve got little income
I HAVE BEEN USING THIS COOKBOOK FOR MONTHS AND IT’S AMAZING 100/10 RECOMMENDING EVERYWHERE
(just to give you an idea, my food budget is 30 euro/week at most [about $38] and I have to maintain a healthy diet due to weird medication side-effects and yeah, basically this book is a lifesaver if you’re broke but need to watch what you’re eating)
Reblog to save a life. Because it’s easy to find food for $4/day, but most of it tends to be garden variety junkfood
Okay repeat after me. SLEEP. IS. IMPORTANT. Alright I understand how procrastinating until you have to pull an all nighter to finish an essay or to revise for an exam could be compelling but honestly we all know that it’s a bloody awful for you. Lack of sleep can lead to you forgetting up to 40% of what you were trying to learn. So here are some tips (some that are useful for me and some that I know help people) that will help you go to sleep, fall asleep, wake up and carry on feeling awake all day.
But first the three Golden Rules of good sleep and feeling refreshed. (Live by these rules)
1. SET A SLEEP SCHEDULE. Find out how many hours of sleep you need to feel the best (http://sleepyti.me – can help you). I usually aim for 12- 1 fall asleep and 6:30 wake up. (Obviously this changes a little around exam time usually 2am-7am as I prefer night time revising)
2. STICK TO YOUR SLEEP SCHEDULE. Of course going to sleep earlier doesn’t really count but TWELVE O’CLOCK MEANS TWELVE O’CLOCK.
3. Plan your work around your sleep and not your sleep around your work.
•Making yourself go to sleep•
I know this sounds weird, but I find that sometimes I force myself to study till 3-4am even when I don’t have anything urgent on tomorrow and these are some things I do to motivate me into keeping a tighter sleep schedule.
• Start working within half an hour of returning home. (I usually use this time to get a drink and a snack) The earlier you get your work done the better. I’m a massive procrastinator but this is so crucial. Getting all nessecary work done early means you have time to do some extra studying (on whatever interests you!) so that you’re ally good when you go to bed. But most importantly it allows you free time.
• Make a task list. Personally I use a bullet journal to write down everything I have to get done before I start working as well as a couple extra things I could do (choices are important!). This way you feel a sense of accomplishment every time you cross a task off and won’t get that awful guilty feeling when you go to sleep.
• T A K E. B R E A K S. Ten minutes for every 45 minutes of work is what I do but whatever rocks your boat yah know.
• *refer to Golden Rule number two
• Falling asleep •
Ahhhh the bane of my existence. I suffer from insomnia and since pills just don’t do it for me (skin reactions and migraines etc) over the years I’ve found ways that help me get better sleep. (Also I suggest getting school bags and what your going to wear all sorted out before you fall asleep)
• Get comfortable. Buy more pillows (aka steal family members). Swap your itchy blanket. Whatever will make you feel better (whether it be lavender oil or incense) go for it.
• Try background music or nature sounds or something like that. Personally I can’t sleep with music playing in the background but whatever works for you.
• Put your work in a different room (or at least in a place you can’t see). Especially during revision time because you ain’t gonna fall asleep if all your thinking about is atomic sub shells or which history flash cards you can’t seem to memorised.
• Keep a book or a magazine next to your bed. If you can’t fall asleep or wake up during the night and know it’s going to be another hour or so before you’ll be able to get out of bed, don’t get your phone (in fact put your phone out of reach) grab a light book or magazine to read.
• Waking up •
As Shia Labeouf would say JUST DO IT.
• Put your phone out of reach. And I mean so out of reach you have to actually get out of bed to turn of the alarm. AND YOU DO NOT GO BACK TO BED ONCE THE ALARM IS OFF HELL NAH.
• You pick up the glass of cold water next to your phone (which was cleverly placed there last night) and down it. Perks? You feel refreshed and your hydrated. Cons? There are none. And no you can’t go back in to bed.
• NOW STRETCH! Touch your toes jump up and down a little whatever wakes you up. Get your body moving!
• Get dressed. Do it quickly. Yes you have to. No you can’t skive. Your tired? Refer to Golden Rule 1, 2 and 3. Haha now you can’t go back to bed because after you get dressed your going to make your bed.
• Wash your face with cold water (it’s worth it trust me), moisturise, brush those dents, and have a shower if your that kinda person.
• Now get your ALREADY PREPARED bag/ work/ whatever else you carry to school and get the hell into your kitchen. And hey look at that your basically awake (barely).
• Next! Coffee! Or tea or hot coco or milk or juice. I’m a strong advocate for coffee in the morning but drink what make you happiest. And don’t forget breakfast.
• N E V E R. M I S S. B R E A K F A S T. Love your breakfast like you love your stationary. It’s the most important meal of the day for a reason. Eat it. If your running late PLEASE REFER TO GOLDEN RULE #2. Breakfast for me is the beginning of the day. It’s when I actually start feeling really really awake.
• Feeling and Staying Awake •
• Stay hydrated! Two litres a day. Keep a mini water log in your bullet journal where you can also record when you wake up and fall asleep. Actively think about staying hydrated!
• Take classes you enjoy! That happier I am the more refreshed I feel and it works the other way around to! Your not going to feel awake if what your learning is boring to you.
• Surround yourself with company that makes you feel good about yourself and people that make you laugh.
• Don’t skip lunch. Just don’t do it. I don’t care if you’ve got an exam next class and you forgot to revise. Eat.
• Try your best in every class. Even the one you struggle in. You’ll feel more accomplished and much happier with yourself!
And finally, it doesn’t matter if you take a days rest from working hard, or even a weeks and you definitely don’t have to use any of my tips but if you do i really hope they help. I know this post makes it seem like i really have my shit together, but I don’t. If you really are having trouble with your sleep seek professional assistance. Don’t feel bad about taking a sleep pill or two, sometimes school can be too much for one person to handle and that’s totally fine. Live by Golden Rule #3 and please feel free to ask me any questions 😀
hey!! sorry to hijack this post, but there are a bunch of ways you can make videogames without knowing shit about computers!!
for starters, there’s Twine, which is fucking great for making all kinds of interactive experiences (it’s what Crystal Warrior Ke$ha was made in so you KNOW it’s good) at all skill levels (i picked it up and made a game in two minutes a few nights ago)
if you want a bit more involved experience there’s Inform 7 which is a simple language for text-based adventure games that reads like slightly-weird English and also relatively easy to learn
you can do some pretty fucking cool stuff with Unity (my personal engine of choice) but you may need to dig a bit farther to get at the good stuff. there’s lots of really good presets though (i made an entire game just mixing and matching pre-existing templates and adding in my own art, won an award at a game jam for that one) and if you want help the community’s pretty dang friendly from what i’ve seen!
this is just a taste of what’s out there from what i’ve seen, but there’s so many cool resources out there. if anyone wants help getting started, i’m around to give you a leg up on making something in the coolest, most unexplored art medium around!
I’m addin’ to this post because lowering the barrier to entry for making games is super important to me!!!! If y’all have any questions about making games, you’re welcome to come and ask! I made this list a while back with some friends, so it has some of the programs John already mentioned.
2D Editors:
GameMaker : Potential for pure drag-and-drop “programming”. It is recommended to read-up on the program’s functions to make good use of it. Good for prototyping. Uses its own language called Game Maker Language (GML) that is similar to a C language (e.g. C++ or C#). For both Mac and PC; free version available.
Construct2 : Drag and drop level editor that uses an “If-Then” event sheet structure for programming. Good for prototyping and for beginners. For PC; free version available.
GameSalad : Drag and drop with no code requirement. Good for programming. For both Mac and PC; free version available.
Solpeo : HTML5 based game engine for 2D and isometric game development. Some programming knowledge needed. Platforms supported: Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer 9+. Free version available.
Stencyl : Drag and Drop “programming,” templates you can edit the variables/values for.
Scratch : Lego-block-style coding platform by MIT; totally free and a great intro to thinking in code. Very kid-friendly and comes with a community site. Browser version available.
3D Editors:
Unity : 3D editor that creates 3D games. Can build games for browser, as an app, or for mobile devices (iOS and Android). For both Mac and PC; free version available.
UDK (Unreal Development Kit) : Full-fledged, highly advanced editor. Features a complete set of tools that go from level design to visual scripting to cut-scene creation. Uses it’s own programming language called Unreal Script that can be arranged with Kismet, a visual code editor. For Mac and PC; free.
2D Art/Animation Software:
GIMP : Free photo editing and digital painting software.
Easy Paint Tool SAI : Free digital painting software with a UI similar to Photoshop.
Mischief : Free digital painting software with an endless canvas.
3D Art/Animation Software:
Sculptris : From the company that created Zbrush, this free software is ideal for beginning 3D sculptors.
Maya : Animation, VFX, lighting, and rendering software.
Magical Voxel : Voxel Art (3D Pixel Art). Very intuitive and quick to pick up.
SketchUp : Architectural modeling software, great for creating 3D environments and buildings. Free version available.
Text-Based Games:
Twine : Create interactive text stories using Twine’s visual map system that links your game together. Easy to learn and use. End result is browser-based. For Mac and PC; free.
Quest : Interactive text stories that you can build in-browser.
Ren’Py : Create visual novels using a modified version of Python that reads like a combination of stage directions and a CYOA novel. For PC, Mac, and Linux; free.
Audio Resources/Editors:
Indie Game Music : This site offers free indie music with no need to worry about royalties or licenses.
Audacity : A free, open-source, cross-platform sound editor that allows you to record and arrange sound.
Super Flash Bros. : This site allows you to record theremin-like (8bit) sounds and export them as .wav files for your games.
Tumblr REALLY hates my Master Post Guides post! Here’s to third time’s a charm amirite? Here’s EVERY SINGLE PAGE in my guide library, all made by me over the past two years or so. If you have any questions or suggestions, PLEASE feel free to shoot me an ask or message! Some pages are still a work in progress but I’m always improving thanks to the fantastic support of this fandom ❤
No One Has To Die: Talking will spoil it from the start. Amazing concept and brilliant ending. Takes about 20 minutes to complete, browser game.
Off: You’ve probably already seen bits all over tumblr from this (as well as bits, if you know what I mean ;]); French game that starts with a strange man “purifying” ghosts from a world with weird rules and elements; quickly becomes a twisted, confusing ride. At least worth a play, and you should probably check out an LP afterwards (I sure did). Takes a few hours.
The Grey Rainbow: Don’t be thrown by the art – this game may start off in a fairly usual RPG manner, but the story, though short, will draw you in and may even make you cry. Make sure to check all flavor text. Takes about an hour.
The Color Tuesday RPG (TCT): Starts off with kids randomly chosen to save the world/town/whatever, like many RPGs, but actually takes a look at the burden placed on the protagonists. Interesting if sometimes frustrating combat system, a compelling story, and an almost laughable but actually rather tragic spin on the weird rules of many RPG worlds. Beautiful in every sense and left me wanting more. Takes a few hours – LOTS OF FLASHING, epileptics take care! Make sure to play with the sound on.
Bastion: If you haven’t played this yet, I’m already judging you. But seriously, it’s an incredibly beautiful and heart-wrenching game with wonderful sound, graphics, and story. Most definitely play with the sound on, and buy the damn soundtrack. The only non-free game on this list, but well worth it. Takes a few hours, very streamlined story.
EDIT: Feel free to add your own!
Coma: To be honest I’m not 100% sure it fits with the rest of the list as it’s been ages since I played it, but it’s a beautiful game with an amazing atmosphere and everyone should play it at least once. Won’t take very long at all!
Loved: A really short game, but it has a lot of replay value in my opinion.
I love psychological games, especially the ones that spur discussions due to their ambiguous nature and the ones with gameplay that reflects the game’s message. Looking up other people’s interpretations to those games is always the most rewarding thing.
Adding:
Don’t Look Back: A short browser platformer that’s a modern interpretation of the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. Depending on interpretation, the ending can be regarded as either positive or negative, just as many other games on this list.
Braid: Just like Bastion, it isn’t free, and while I haven’t been able to finish it yet, it most certainly meets the criteria mentioned above.
Edit: I realize Don’t Look Back might not actually be fun to play though; I added it mainly for all the interesting interpretations that are made of the ending.
Since there are a lot of people reblogging this… Adding:
Thomas Was Alone: It’s a puzzle platformer with short levels where every character is a polygon shape, each with their own distinct colour, personality, issues (inner battles) and unique abilities that accompany their distinct shape. Though they may not be fond of each other at first, be it because they feel inferior or superior, ultimately, they need to work together to overcome the obstacles in each level. Its minimalistic design coupled with the development of the polygons and their relationships make the game a thoroughly enjoyable experience.
Little Inferno: From the makers of World of Goo, as you might be able to tell from the design! You sit in front of a fireplace and burn toys to keep the fire alive, continuously gaining money to buy more toys to burn. The extremely appealing visuals and effects compel you to keep burning toys (more toys are unlocked from a shopping catalogue as you purchase them, and simultaneously burning toys that are part of special themed combos gets you additional rewards) – until you suddenly realize… (whisper whisper)
Both games are aren’t free, but they’re occasionally on sale (as part of Steam or Humble Bundle sales).
I’m going to add some as well, since there’s been a lot of very interesting games exploring very meta and psychological aspects of video games recently.
Papers Please: I cannot recommend this game enough. If you want a game truly about moral choice, look no further than this game. There is no binary moral choice here, no moral choice indicator, nothing video gamey about the moral choice here. Instead, it merely asks questions and lets you answer them according to your own morals. I have learned things about myself from this game. Not to mention, it does not sacrifice engagement for moral choice or narrative. Unlike Cart life, which is the closest comparison I can make, this game is not a slog through the mud.The design is tight, fast-paced, intense, stressful, and somehow fun all at one time.
Spec Ops: The Line: While this game is a bit on the expensive side, (about a 6 hour game for $30) There has been a book written and published analyzing this game. That in itself should tell you how important this game is. It is all about the modern shooter and everything wrong with it, told not only through the narrative, but through EVERYTHING. The presentation, gameplay, and narrative. This game is incredibly psychological and makes you feel like a horrible person despite the fact that the game never really gives you a choice. I can’t say much else without spoiling it, but get this game. Get this game.It was the most important game of 2012.
Antichamber: Let’s move away from the ‘games that make you feel like a horrible person’ into a psychological game that is more interested in fucking your mind and defying all your pre-built conceptions and everything you’ve ever learned playing video games. Think Portal in an Escher like maze, no game has made me gasp in pure surprise and delight as this game has. If you are into design, it is a must-play because of all the systems at work and how this game can surprise you without being RANDOM. This game has a logic, it’s just not a logic that we are used to.
guys!!! During scholarship application season and I found this cute website to make resumes. It’s also very useful to make infographics to study from! Above are some of their free templates 🙂
It’s all thanks to the luminescence of metals. When certain metals are heated (over a flame or in a hot explosion) their electrons jump up to a higher energy state. When those electrons fall back down, they emit specific frequencies of light – and each chemical has a unique emission spectrum.
You can see that the most prominent bands in the spectra above match the firework colors. The colors often burn brighter with the addition of an electron donor like Chlorine (Cl).
Oh hey it’s back on my dash perfect! I was just thinking of this the other day!
OHOHOHO wow the Korean alphabet is awesome. The people who designed it were geniuses and were obviously incredibly schooled in the morphology and phonology of their language. HNNGGG
wow
여러분 모두 한국어 쓰세요 한국어 좋음
한국어, 한글은 보면 맨날쓰는거지만 볼수록,쓸수록 예뻐요..참으로 곱구나’3’♥
ㅇ어머 (감동
짱 이쁜 한국어 쓰세요 여러분
굳
신기하게 가르치는군요 보고 신기했다
FUN FACT!
IT WASN’T JUST ANY OLD DUDE WHO DECIDED, “HEY I WANT TO CREATE A KOREAN ALPHABET.”
IT WAS KING SEJONG, WHO ORDERED HIS ROYAL SCHOLARS TO CREATE THIS ALPHABET SO READING AND WRITING COULD BE ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE, EVEN THE PEASANTS. IT WAS PURPOSELY DESIGNED TO BE EASY TO LEARN.
SO SHOUT OUT TO KING SEJONG, WHO REALIZED BEFORE MANY OTHERS THE IMPORTANCE OF UNIVERSAL LITERACY.
blacknovelist55 