Happy 10th birthday, Skyrim!

Posted on November 11, 2021 by J.L. Hilton

To celebrate 10 years of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, I thought I’d share pics of several Skyrim items around my house. 

These include my Dibella shrine, bowl of moon sugar, the Stone of Barenziah beside my bed, a Teldryn Sero doll in my studio, replica septim coin, apothecary’s satchel, a mini light-up hearth with tiny mead bottles, pint glass, holiday sweater, a Skyrim wallet, key fob and hoodie I’ve been using for years, and more. 

Most of the items are either official merchandise or made by fans. I made the Honningbrew bottle, the Stone of Barenziah and the Stormcloak pendant myself. 

~ J.L. Hilton

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Making marbles = not a euphemism

Posted on November 8, 2021 by J.L. Hilton

While watching a YouTube video about the making of glass marbles, the narrator just said “the senior blower is back at the glory hole with his rod…” and I’m dying.

Actual marble maker making marbles, presumably

“That is a very important lubricant for the blowers hot tool…” and they started playing slow jazz music.

It seems like some kind of parody but it’s presented as a legit BBC show, on a YouTube channel that is all about how things are made. This is real.

“The snapped end forms a lump called the nipple…” I AM NOT MAKING THIS UP

“With great skill, they stretch and twist… longer and longer it gets…”

My mind is primed for innuendo but c’mon now.

~ J.L. Hilton

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Movie Night: DUNE & THE GREEN KNIGHT

Posted on November 7, 2021 by J.L. Hilton

I watched Dune and The Green Knight this weekend. They were both visually stunning films with intense, compelling lead actors, and both based on stories I read years ago. But one of them I liked much more than the other. Care to make a guess which one?

~ J.L. Hilton

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Fallout Scavenger Hunt 2021 winner

Posted on November 3, 2021 by J.L. Hilton

Congratulations to the winner of the Fallout Scavenger Hunt 2021, EZEFallout!

He took his winning screenshot in FALLOUT 4 with all of the required items:

  • an animal
  • the color orange
  • a toy
  • a super mutant (dead or alive)
  • a food item
  • a skull
  • something that glows
  • something wooden
  • YOURSELF – meaning your character, vault dweller, sole survivor, etc – wearing a hat and holding a bladed weapon

Read more about the scavenger hunt here

~ J.L. Hilton

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FALLOWEEN Photo Challenge 2021: Week Four

Posted on October 31, 2021 by J.L. Hilton

FALLOUT (video game franchise) + HALLOWEEN (holiday) = “FALLOWEEN“

The FALLOWEEN photo challenge was issued by Mrs P on Twitter. There were spooky prompts for each day of October, inspiring players to take screenshots in Fallout 3, Fallout: New Vegas, Fallout 4, Fallout Shelter and Fallout 76.

Fall is my favorite time of the year and Halloween my favorite festival, so I set myself the goal of posting at least one picture for every day of the month.

Here’s what I came up with during week four, but don’t miss week one, week two and week three.

OCT 25: TWILIGHT Sunset over Kiddie Kingdom and Rose the Raider in her blue quantum power armor, Nuka World, Fallout 4
OCT 26: TRICK OR TREAT Hancock and Fiona hand out candy at Kingsport Lighthouse, Fallout 4
OCT 26: TRICK OR TREAT Kingsport Lighthouse’s outdoor shops are a safe place for the children of the wasteland to go trick-or-treating, Fallout 4
OCT 27: CANDY Careful, too much can cause tooth decay! Fallout 4
Oct 28: OWL Far as I know, there aren’t any owls in Fallout 3, Fallout: New Vegas or Fallout 4. I’ve heard there are owls in 76 (?) but I haven’t played that one. So instead of an owl, here’s a “seaghoul” in Salem, Fallout 4.
OCT 29: COSTUMES Hancock and Fiona as Jack Skellington and Sally from Nightmare Before Christmas, using the “ripped shirt & socks” and “fancy suit & tie” outfits from Nuka-World. Fiona also has mouth stitch face paint. PS4, no mods, Fallout 4
OCT 30: PHOBIA Hemophobia, fear of blood, Fallout 4
OCT 30: PHOBIA Aquaphobia, fear of water, Fallout 4
OCT 30: PHOBIA Nyctophobia, fear of the dark, Fallout 4
OCT 31: HAPPY HALLOWEEN Fallout 4

~ J.L. Hilton

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FALLOWEEN Photo Challenge 2021: Week Three

Posted on October 24, 2021 by J.L. Hilton

FALLOUT (video game franchise) + HALLOWEEN (holiday) = “FALLOWEEN“

The FALLOWEEN photo challenge was issued by Mrs P on Twitter. There were spooky prompts for each day of October, inspiring players to take screenshots in Fallout 3, Fallout: New Vegas, Fallout 4, Fallout Shelter and Fallout 76.

Fall is my favorite time of the year and Halloween my favorite festival, so I set myself the goal of posting at least one picture for every day of the month.

Here’s what I came up with during week three, but don’t miss week one, week two and week four.

OCT 18: SPOOKY That time Hancock vanished… his clothes were all there but no face, Fallout 4
OCT 19: CAMPFIRE Cricket and her caravan guard at Abernathy Farm, Fallout 4
OCT 19: CAMPFIRE Remembrance altar at Nuka World Red Rocket settlement (headcanon some of my settlers are former raiders), Fallout 4
OCT 20: SPIDER Since there aren’t any in-game spiders and I don’t use mods, I made a Lord of the Rings / Fallout crossover. “May it be a light to you in dark places…”

OCT 21: MASK Ghoul mask is best mask because I can be friends with ALL the ghouls, Fallout 3
OCT 22: SCARECROW County Crossing corn field (and a little photo manipulation on a settler wearing in-game clothing and hood, no mods, PS4), Fallout 4
OCT 23: CANDLES Children of Atom, Far Harbor, Fallout 4
OCT 23: CANDLES Halloween window decorations with candles, Sanctuary Hills, Fallout 4
OCT 24: PARTY A festive Halloween in Fallout Shelter

~ J.L. Hilton

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Stardew me

Posted on October 20, 2021 by J.L. Hilton

I made a graphic of myself if I lived in Stardew Valley

Check out my STARDEW VALLEY playlist on YouTube

~ J.L. Hilton

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FALLOUT SCAVENGER HUNT 2021 FAQ

Posted on October 19, 2021 by J.L. Hilton


What is a scavenger hunt?

It’s a game in which players gather items on a list. Sometimes the game is played in teams, with the winner(s) being those who collect the most items within a time limit, or those who collect all of the items in the fastest time. American writer and high-society hostess Elsa Maxwell is credited with making the game popular in the 1930s and variations – like this one – continue to be played today.

What is the FALLOUT SCAVENGER HUNT?

The Fallout Scavenger Hunt is a game withing a game. Instead of finding items in the real world, players will gather them in any Fallout game of their choice. We’ve tried to make it possible to complete our scavenger hunt whether you have Fallout 3, Fallout: New Vegas, Fallout 4 or Fallout 76.

The Fallout Scavenger Hunt is entirely free to play and free to enter. The game organizers are not being paid or compensated in any way, other than by having fun. We are not affiliated with Bethesda, Microsoft or anyone, we are doing this on our own.

What can I win?

FALLOUT SCAVENGER HUNT 2021 US PRIZES (laptop with “please stand by” screen for backdrop purposes only, it’s not one of the prizes, read post for details)

One person in the US will win a fan-made prize package which includes ALL of the following:

  • One Nuka-Cola LED bottle light
  • One blank composition book with the classic “Wasteland Survival Guide” cover as seen in Fallout 3 *
  • One prop bottle of Buffout *
  • One Lucky 8-ball tin (based on the item in Fallout 3) containing a Nuka World replica ticket, a Grandchester Mystery House replica ticket, one Nuka-Cola bottlecap necklace & one Nuka-Cola bottlecap key chain

FALLOUT SCAVENGER HUNT 2021 EUROPE PRIZES (laptop with “please stand by” screen for backdrop purposes only, it’s not one of the prizes, read post for details)

Players in the UK and Europe can play to win a prize package of fan-made goodies that IceStella will ship from the UK, which includes:

  • One Nuka-Cola LED bottle light
  • One lined excercise book with a classic “Tales from West Virginia” cover
  • One prop bottle of Buffout *
  • One Mentats tin containing 2 Pleasant Valley claim tickets, one Nuka-Cola bottlecap magnet, one Nuka-Cola bottlecap key chain and a selection of Stella Stickers

See IceStella.co.uk for details.

People outside of the US or Europe are welcome to participate but are not eligible for prizes. (Sorry, international shipping costs are too high.)

* Survival guide cover graphic and Buffout label courtesy of emptysamurai on DeviantArt

An example of how the scavenger hunt conditions might be fulfilled in Fallout 4

How do I enter?

Submit ONE screen shot from any FALLOUT game in which ALL of the following are visible (or as many as you can manage to gather together):

  • an animal
  • the color orange
  • a toy
  • a super mutant (dead or alive)
  • a food item
  • a skull
  • something that glows
  • something wooden
  • YOURSELF – meaning your character, vault dweller, sole survivor, etc – wearing a hat and holding a bladed weapon

Something that is both a toy and wood, such as a wooden block, may count for both items on the list. However, the skull inside of the super mutant does not count, as it is not visible.

To submit a screen shot, post it publicly on Twitter or Instagram using #FalloutScavver or email the screen shot to j.l.hilton.author @ gmail.com (remove spaces) or DM on Twitter @AuthorJLHilton.

PLEASE NOTE: Submitting a photo means you allow us to share that photo and your online name or Fallout name with the public. The mailing address and real name of the winner will be kept private and used only to send the prize.

An example of how the scavenger hunt conditions might be fulfilled in Fallout 3

When is the deadline?

Midnight on Halloween, October 31, 2021, but please leave your picture up until November 2 so we have time to find it, in case there are a lot of last-minute entries.

A US winner and a UK/Europe winner will be selected from all eligible entries and contacted on November 2. If you post an entry on Twitter or Instagram, please make sure we will be able to DM you.

If we do not hear back from a winner within 24 hours of attempting contact, another winner will be chosen and contacted.

Who are the organizers? 

Jewelsmith on Twitter @AuthorJLHilton
Twitch.tv/Jewelsmith
YouTube.com/c/Jewelsmith
Patreon.com/Jewelsmith

IceStella on Twitter @IceStella77
Twitch.tv/IceStella77
YouTube.com/c/IceStella77
Ko-fi.com/IceStella77

Any other rules? 

This game is for entertainment only and the organizers reserve the right to decline entries for any reason or to change the conditions of the game at any time.

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FALLOWEEN Photo Challenge 2021: Week Two

Posted on October 17, 2021 by J.L. Hilton

FALLOUT (video game franchise) + HALLOWEEN (holiday) = “FALLOWEEN“

The FALLOWEEN photo challenge was issued by Mrs P on Twitter. There were spooky prompts for each day of October, inspiring players to take screenshots in Fallout 3, Fallout: New Vegas, Fallout 4, Fallout Shelter and Fallout 76.

Fall is my favorite time of the year and Halloween my favorite festival, so I set myself the goal of posting at least one picture for every day of the month.

Here’s what I came up with during week two, but don’t miss week one, week three and week four.

OCT 11: PUMPKINS Roadside produce stand, unmarked location between Oberland Station and Vault 81, Fallout 4
OCT 12: MONSTER The Red Death, a fearsome creature of legend in Far Harbor, casts its sanguine gaze upon the Mariner, Fallout 4
OCT 12: MONSTER The real monster is the one who slew the beastie with a bat, my 2nd sole survivor Rose the Raider, Fallout 4
OCT 13: BAT My sole survivor Fiona holding a black baseball bat that’s upgraded with a heated coil from the Nuka World DLC, standing on the bridge between Vault 111 and Sanctuary Hills, Fallout 4
OCT 14: HARVEST Fields of razorgrain sway in the lazy irradiated breeze at Abernathy Farm. In the backgroun, the warehouse where I manufacture the items in the picture below, Fallout 4
OCT 14: HARVEST See my Food Processor contraption in action, Fallout 4
OCT 15: AUTUMN Thanksgiving at Abernathy Farm, Fallout 4
OCT 15: AUTUMN MacCready sits at the kids’ table during Thanksgiving at Abernathy Farm, Fallout 4
OCT 16: GORE Disciples gang decor, Fizztop Mountain, Nuka World, Fallout 4
OCT 17: DEMON Evil wakes in the depths of Dunwich Borers, Fallout 4

~ J.L. Hilton

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Try-It Tuesday WYTCHWOOD

Posted on October 12, 2021 by J.L. Hilton

This week, I played the free Steam demo of WYTCHWOOD, a game developed by Toronto-based Alientrap and published by Whitethorn Games. Whitethorn also published two other recent Try-It Tuesday titles, Calico and Teacup. With little time to play video games lately, I appreciate Whitethorn’s focus on stress-free and “bite-sized” games.

“While our games might challenge you, they’ll respect your time”
– WhitethornDigital.com

WYTCHWOOD is a single-player crafting adventure with storybook artwork and a fairy tale narrative, coming soon to Steam, GOG, Epic, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation and Xbox. As the old witch of the woods, players explore a strange countryside, collect magic ingredients, brew sorcerous spells, employ creative problem solving, and meet several odd characters along the way.

Keep in mind that an “adventure game” is one in which an interactive story is driven by exploration and/or puzzles. This is distinctly different from an “action-adventure” game. WYTCHWOOD plays more like Adventure Time: Finn & Jake Investigations, Teacup or My Brother Rabbit, than like God of War, Dishonored or Tomb Raider. 

Unfortunately, I had some technical difficulties during my Twitch stream, which were entirely my own fault, and I don’t have a video to share, but here’s the trailer:

WYTCHWOOD is yet to be rated. The demo featured a talking goat, witchcraft and occult imagery, but lacked sex, graphic violence or adult language. I don’t know what will be in the full game.

I had fun with WYTCHWOOD and the end of the demo piqued my interest so much that I’m eager to stream this soon as it comes out.

* * *

UPDATE DEC 2021: The full WYTCHWOOD game released December 9, 2021, and I streamed my entire playthrough on YouTube.

I loved it and it is definitely one of my favorite games, not just of 2021 but of all time! The combination of fairy tales, witchery, clever writing and unique artwork, along with a sassy protagonist and the collecting, crafting, problem-solving game mechanics, make this a 10/10 for me.

~ J.L. Hilton

My PS4 platinum trophy for WYTCHWOOD

Nintendo Switch: https://cozygames.pub/wytchwood-switch
Xbox: https://cozygames.pub/wytchwood-xbox
PlayStation: https://cozygames.pub/wytchood-playstation
Steam: https://cozygames.pub/wytchwood-steam
GOG: https://cozygames.pub/wytchwood-gog
Epic Games: https://cozygames.pub/wytchwood-epic

See a complete list of video game fiction, articles and more under the Video Games tab of this website or click here

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