Initial Explanation (What's this even...?)
Don't worry, it is a logical post! Hopefully. So, as some of you (that followed the evolution of this blog) might have been able to tell, in between making my ~weekly posts, I do still try to improve things around here. Would be pretty boring if I were to just make Reviews (and Files for games, which can include a lot of things....), right? Well, less stressful probably, but we LIVE for that sweet stress!
With those new changes that I constantly brought to the blog, some things might have gotten confusing to follow properly. And, well, I'd rather have this, as a reference-point for how each part of the blog is supposed to work. Both for when you need it (preferably not that often, I mean, I do try to make the blog User-friendly in general), and for when I need it, since even I'm liable to not keep in mind 100% of everything that's available here.
I'll also try to keep this post updated as much as possible when adding new Blog Elements. Preferably, shouldn't happen that much more from here on out (since I should already have a solid setup for the blog for the most part)
So, with that out of the way, let's get to it already!
Guide for the general Blog functions
Patreon Button
Links to my Patreon. You can also tip me for a bit there if you wish. I'm nice, I promise :)
Top Navigation Bar
Menus to get you easily to each vital part of the blog. While there are nested dropdown menus, each and every option can be clicked on (and also links you to a Post/Page). The "Home" menu contains the Blog-Related options, such as the Latest Activity on the Blog, the Blog Updates, and this Guide (for easy access). The "List of Content" area functions as a Table of Content of sorts, in which I list all the general types of content that will be on the blog. One of the more efficient ways to quickly browse through all the content available on the blog, such as the List of Covered Games, that includes all the Reviews and Files I posted so far for Games, and the General Tools page, in which I list a lot of the general tools I use to Play/MachineTranslate/Cheat/Decrypt the games. "My Own Content" area houses all the original content I make myself (hopefully, this will also grow in time). Lastly, the glorious area of "LIBRARY MEMBERS" shows all the current Supporters from Patreon, for each of the tiers.
Search Bar
Does as expected. It is also a crucial element (well, the Search Function is, but the Search Bar makes it also easily usable by the end user as well) for the Tags system I currently employ on the Blog. Explained right bellow.
Tags
A custom Tag system, allowing both for easy clicking on the needed tag out of the exhaustive, ordered, list, and for easy combination of tags. The tags themselves are actually just custom Strings of text (that I named as intelligibly as possible) that I manually append to each Post, according to what Tags should that post have. Don't worry, the "Strings of text" part I've hidden so that it doesn't attract attention, and makes for a seamless browsing experience. When you click on one of the Tags (for example, from the list on the right), you actually are linked to the Search Result of searching the blog for the specific String of Text for that Tag. Pretty simple in practice.
To combine multiple tags, you first copy each String of Text you get in the Search bar after clicking on each Tag, then just insert all of them at the same time in the Search bar (of course, with Spaces between them), like you would do a normal Google/nHentai search.
I did explain this in a previous Blog Update, but I chose to use this System to bypass the Blogger's arbitrary low Label limit and character limit for Labels (since I had previously planned to use Labels). The way I currently manage the Tags system, it allows for a True infinite amount of Tags that I can use (although in practice, I try to not clutter the system with useless tags).
Guide for general Post elements
Text colors and meaning
First, the black, default, color around here. This is me talking normally, directly to you, the public. It's also the color that is used whenever there is no real need for any other colors. The Green color is used to show the specific place where an Edit on a Post took place (especially if you're also linked to that Edit from the Dates Log at the top), usually just to look more distinct from the normal, unedited, part of the Post. Purple color is generally reserved for links (set as their global color for the whole blog).
The last 2 colors are used in posts in which the degree of my Subjectivity would be relevant (Reviews mainly) The blue color is used to show when I'm writing more Objective facts, while the red color would show my Subjective remarks (that I just could not omit, for the sake of my own sanity).
Now, for someting rare (might still use it at some point). You probably did notice already that I use Bolded text predominantly (which ironically makes it not as bold in general). I've gotten used to it, and the normal text now looks way too thin for me. However, when I'll use the unBolded, black, text, then that means it is a direct quote or text from the game / an official source. (I'll probably use this only if I have to paste a lengthy paragraph; for simple words/phrases, I'll just write them as normal)
Fairly simple system, all in all. Hopefully distinct enough, as well.
"Spoiler" buttons
I've made custom Spoiler buttons, that look quite distinct, and even have 3 separate States (Initial, Shown and Hidden)! In fact, all the buttons on the blog that, upon clicking, reveal more Content, are done as Spoiler buttons (on which I change the properties as needed). As examples, I use such buttons for the Lists of Content, and when I genuinely have Spoilers I want hidden (while customizing the buttons for each Post I use them on, where relevant).
Dates Log
At the top of each post, fairly small, I put the relevant Dates for that post. For posts&pages where only the date of the last Edit is relevant, they only have a "Date Last Modified", where you see exactly that. The rest of the post (such as all Reviews) will first start with a "Date Posted", that being the date of the initial Posting. Afterwards, upon each (sizable and important, content-wise) Edit, a new Date Log entry, "Date Edited", will appear, with the specific date for the edit, and where relevant, also a link to the Edited part of the Post. If the number of Edits, on any post, passes 4, instead of further clogging up the top of the Post, I'll put a Spoiler button hiding all but the latest edit, and that one will be called, accordingly, Latest Edit.
Again, I won't add an Edit entry if the change done to the post is negligible (like changing a bit of the text format), or if it's a change relevant Blog-wide (like adding a new Tag category).
Post image
The relevant image for the type of Post, and possible the most striking immediate thing you see in a new post. For Reviews, I generally use the image for the game used in its main promotional page (to show what game the Review is talking about). For other types of posts, I'll make custom graphics, preferably something unique for each type of Post (eg: for Blog Updates, for Stories etc.)
Guide for Reviews
Table of Contents
Each long-form Post (like the Reviews) has a Table of Contents, with links to the important parts of the Post. If you want to quick-return to the Table of Contents.... Yea, it is at the general top of the Post, just scroll at max to Top.
Tag Categories
The sheer amount of Tags I went out and used for my Reviews made me realize how useful grouping them in categories actually is. They are also grouped in those same categories on the Right side, where you can click on them directly. A category may also have "sub-categories", that I break up with "##" in between them. You can generally ignore the idea of Sub-categories, it's not that important overall. Also, for each Tag, where needed, I do add details in parentheses (such as specifying that a certain tag is only having "Slight" content, or for sub-specifications on some Tags). Best of all, the Tags, even from the Categories on a Post, are all clickable too, much like they are on the Right side!
To start off, there is the Post Type. This will be present on all Post made on the Blog, to categorize visibly what the Post contains. For Reviews, you'll usually see, together, both "Review" and "Files" (as that's my standard Modus Operandi). However, even there, exceptions can appear.... Even more useful when you consider other Post Types other than Reviews (which are also on the Blog)
The Developer and Collaborator parts will specify the developer(s) of the game, and also, with the Tag, their general size. Language shows if it is English (and if so, if it is Machine Translated (MTL), official Translation or Fan-made), or if it is any other language (most of the time, that would be Japanese). Progress shows the state of the game's current development, with some approximations on the general progress state (where relevant). Series is a category that only appears for Games that are part of either a continuous Story Series, or that function as Parts of a bigger overall game (an example of this would be Monster Girl Quest). I also make unique Tags for game series (like I do with notable Developers that have more games). Now, while many of the Reviews on game series cover the entire currently-released series, it's still relevant to have those tags, for the case in which the series continues afterwards, and I return, at a later date, to also Review future titles in that same series.
The Type reefers generally to the Gameplay aspect, and all of the general ways it can be classified, from it being 2D/2.5D/3D/VR type of gameplay, to the genres and subgenres it pertains to. I even put here tags for the general type of Mood/Atmosphere (it does help to know if the game is meant as a Parody, or if they include Dramatic, or even Cruel, parts) and World Setting, between the 3 general ones, Fantasy/Modern/SF! Afterwards, there's the Engine the game's developed on. At Style, that pertains to the Visual aspect of the game, for both the CGs and Animations (where they are relevant), and the form they come in (2D/3D, and if they are Pixelated, or, now very rarely, Flash). Also smaller, but still relevant, Style traits such as X-ray View, having Censor, or having the Side Body Status (the Body of the MC, on the side). The Voice category, present only for games where voiced elements are present, shows just how much Voice acting there is in the game, from just ocassional Sound Effects (Sfx), to having voiced dialogue during Scenes, to being Full Characters (well, as full as possible, most games will have at least a few dialogue lines unvoiced - the less important, filler, ones).
Fetishes is, well, probably the juicest part of the Tags, and one of the biggest reasons for their existance. Plenty of possible Fetishes, starting with the main ones (that I use on the Blog for the Main Categories), and then going more in-depth to the more specific fetishes. I hope I capture every relevant possibility with the current Tags here. Lastly, there's the Links, where you see the relevant links for each specific game (usually, taking you to the Developer-affiliated webpages). These Tags are unique in that clicking on them will directly lead you to the relevant website, as opposed to leading you to a dedicated Tag page with all posts having that Tag. If you wish, for example, to see all the games with a DLsite link (essentially, all the games that are also distributed on DLsite), you'll have to click on the DLsite tag from the Right side.
I'll end this (pretty big) part by also mentioning that I keep on adding new Tags (and very rarely, if extremely needed, even new Tag Categories) as they are required. An example of this being the Voiced category, which was only later on added. The categories with the highest possibility of getting new tags are the Engine (when I Review games on new engines), Fetishes (if I discover another fetish that's relevant enough to deserve its proper tag) and Links.
One more thing: there are some specific Tags that you won't really see, ever. Rape, for example, since that's one of the Very-taboo ones (and you got Ryona for it if you wish). Also, Loli/Shota, again, because of the potential backlash one could get because of those. And yea, if you suggest me things even worse than these (like Racism/Mysoginy/etc.), I hope you'll be doing it only as a funny meme. Not that funny if repetitive though. Also also, hot-topic-type Tags, such as Political, Religion, or Sexual Identity/Orientation, will NEVER happen. Not because I'm a milktoast pussy (that's debatable nonetheless), but because I find this subjects extremely irrelevant in playing Adult games. Even if a game almost borderlines on Cult induction or Political Propaganda, I willingly choose to ignore those aspects (although I'll make a note of them in the beginning part of the posts if those aspects are presenting a memetic hazard). Hell, I play Femdom games with Female-Dominated worlds, to extreme degrees, and I don't really sweat the details of the rampant Mysandrism presented. I will admit, some games can get grating/disturbing in some regards, depending on the amount of those aspects presented. Either way, not deserving of a Tag from me.
Guide for the General Tools usage
When I mention them in the Posts
I do, from time to time, mention one, or more, of those Tools. It is also because I daily-drive most of them myself. In some situations, they are also relevant enough for me to go out of my way and specify their usage in those cases. A good example of this would be RPG Maker games, those that have their data files encrypted, when you need to apply any Translation/Mod Patches to them. At that point, I will point to the proper Decrypter that's part of the links I have on the General Tools page. Other examples could include me advising you on possibly using MTool to easily Machine-Translate a Japanese-only game (that has no other Fan Translation Patches, or has Partial ones). Again, because that's also exactly what I do myself.
I admit that I can get a bit OCD-ADHD-whatever_it_is obsessive and go to great extents to do something fairly minor, like almost manually-translating a game I just found up partially-translated, or finding Cut Content inside a game's files, while simply browsing for some good, representative, pics for the Review. Have no fear, I am at least self-aware of my deteriorating sanity, and would not expect the same from others, so I'll keep my pestering about constantly using Tools for everything to a minimum. If you, however, share on my madness, and also keep at least 1-2 Cheat/Modyfing software open at all times, even while casually playing, do keep on going, I actually feel you on that one.
I admit that I can get a bit OCD-ADHD-whatever_it_is obsessive and go to great extents to do something fairly minor, like almost manually-translating a game I just found up partially-translated, or finding Cut Content inside a game's files, while simply browsing for some good, representative, pics for the Review. Have no fear, I am at least self-aware of my deteriorating sanity, and would not expect the same from others, so I'll keep my pestering about constantly using Tools for everything to a minimum. If you, however, share on my madness, and also keep at least 1-2 Cheat/Modyfing software open at all times, even while casually playing, do keep on going, I actually feel you on that one.
If you wish to use them on your own accord
Impossible.
Well, not much else I can say at that point, I did detail everything relevant under each tool, and for those that still have active developers, you could even get in touch with them directly for further explanations. Good luck either way!
MetaBlog_Updates,MetaBlog_Guide,
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