#because most of them are not artists or writers but I know from playing tabletops with them or talking with them about their

[literallysatanofficial]

Alright, I'm going to attempt to hopefully clear up a few misconceptions and assuage some worries about this Disco Elysium sequel and the general situation at za/um right now.

I see the shitshow that is unfolding on social media, and as someone who has known about this whole disaster for over half a year now I'd like to weigh in on it and provide some context for everyone who may not know the full story.

First off, Robert Kurvitz was fired at the end of last year. December 2021. As is strongly implied on Martin Luiga's twitter, the reason for this is greed (calling them "money men" and "crooks" and other similar statements for like, months now), and the executive producers, Tõnis Haavel (who has previously been tried for fraud) and Kaur Kender (who has previously been tried for... other things.) screwed everyone over. Kender provided funding for the game, as the majority of the original za/um cultural association did not have the financial means to.

The original za/um cultural association consisted of Robert Kurvitz, Jüri Saks, Martin Luiga, and Aleksander Rostov, originally founded in in 2009. The group, along with Argo Tuulik, played many different ttrpg campaigns over the years, several of them set in Revachol (centred around Precinct 41), and slowly built the world up from there. Kurvitz released the book The Sacred and Terrible Air, set 20 years after Disco Elysium, back in 2013* but the novel flopped, and it was decided that they would make a video game. Rostov has always been more than just an artist for Disco Elysium, as you can see from the dev threads he frequently updated promoting the game, as well as on his personal instagram, tumblr sketch blog, and several other accounts he used while the game was first gaining traction.

*The most notable credits for TSaTA are as follows:

Author: Robert Kurvitz, Editor: Martin Luiga, Cover Design: Aleksander Rostov, Worldbuilding: Robert Kurvitz, Martin Luiga, Kaspar Kalvet, Argo Tuulik. Helen Hindpere and Kaur Kender also appear in the credits.

I say this because some of the staff at za/um are now accusing fans of being unable to overcome the "auteur theory" of it all (ie. seeing Kurvitz as the singular creative mind behind it all) but the fact is that they have now lost not only the original ttrpg campaign's game master, The Sacred and Terrible Air's author, and Disco Elysium's lead writer/director (Kurvitz) but also their lead writer for the Final Cut's political vision quests (Hindpere) as well as their "co-founder" and art director/designer (Rostov). They are all CREATIVE LEADS, and not just well known only for their reputations/titles.

Luiga himself (who originally broke the news) was an Elysium world builder and provided much of the pale and innocence-related lore. He was also a part of the original tabletop campaigns (Chester McLaine is his player character!), but left midway through Disco Elysium's development due to creative differences (or as he says, "bad vibes" at the company). He is credited as an editor, but claims to have written a good chunk of the text in the game, including much of Joyce's dialogue about the pale. I have seen people discredit him due to his early departure, but Rostov also tweeted out confirming that he, along with Hindpere and Kurvitz were no longer at the company, with no additional comments. Rostov also posted a drawing on his twitter several months back depicting a man jerking off over an NDA, so take that as you will.

So what does this mean for the future?

Luiga has said that he has hope for the sequel, which could either mean that the script was finished or nearing completion before Kurvitz was fired (likely, and fits a pattern in the industry) and it's just a matter of finishing the actual game development aspect, or it may be that he has hope for the original za/um creatives to be able to re-acquire the IP.

I think it's worth pointing out that the original pitch for "Disco Elysium" was actually "The Return", and Disco Elysium was meant to be the smaller-scale prequel to introduce players to the world. Considering that the team was planning on this sequel all along, I think it's possible that a large amount of the "original" game was written years ago, so it's not all that far fetched to believe that the basic outline may be finished, or even that a large portion of the script already exists. Keep in mind that there are a large number of writers for both Disco Elysium and The Final Cut, and it may still be possible to work with a base that the others provided. We have no idea how far into development the sequel may be. Of course, proceeding without three key members of the original team is kind of a kick in the balls, and imo really quite disgusting, especially with how long the company has been keeping their departures secret (dishonesty is not a good look lmao), but it may still be canon, true to the authors' vision, and genuinely a good game in the end.

Argo Tuulik, original Elysium world builder and part of the old ttrpg campaigns, as well as a main writer on Disco Elysium, is still working at za/um. Justin Keenan, former writer on The Final Cut who wrote the political vision quests alongside Helen Hindpere, still works at za/um (and has been promoted to lead writer, according to his LinkedIn), as does Kaspar Tamsalu, who painted several character portraits, (René and Gaston) and worked as a concept artist on the original game. Plenty of the original creatives still remain. The sequel could very well still be in good hands at the development level, even if the higher ups are "crooked".

So, in conclusion... If this game comes out and they still haven't worked things out with Kurvitz, Rostov and Hindpere? Honestly... fuckin' pirate it. But it is very likely it could still be a great game that plays out as it was meant to! All that being said, FUCK za/um as a company, don't support them through Atelier or their merch store. I wish everyone luck if they do attempt to get the IP back, and I sincerely hope this fan pressure will help get things moving for them.

[raul-volp2]

I made a post on twitter criticizing how tabletop rpgs overlrely on popular media to promote themselves, like this is "Zelda meets Diablo in a western setting" and a lot of people defend this approach saying that it's a quick way to make their game knows. And I said I would make a text about it, this is not it.

This is right now just a small quick points I like to make about it.

1- The main issue is that all this quick ways to talk about your game don't actually talk about it, we don't know the story, the setting, the mechanics, the possibility of characters, its just add a bunch of recognizable pop culture reference so we can create our idea on our minds, and this can make a lot of different interpretations of it.

2- All the references I see them talking are 99% things that are popular for the global north of the world (US/Europe), even when it's not something from them it's asomething popular for them, if it's japanese it's Zelda, it's Soulslike, it's Ghibli, if it's korean it's K-Pop, it's Parasite, and so on. With tabletop rpg becoming more and more global, we can see creators all around the world making games that will use their own references and cultures that might not be aligned with what the global north perceive as popular, and so their game will never get their chance to shine unless they find a way to tie it to Lord of the Rings or something else.

3- With the marketin machine not only for ttrpg but for entertainment in general we can a bigger push for new ttrpgs to always ditch their unique ideas in favor of something recognizable, that can be used with algorithm, seos, the small paragraphs of kickstarter, that more experimental ideas will be discarded so a popular keyword is used instead and this can create a homogenization of the ttrpg, all of the drinking from the same few ideas (we can argue that the 5e scene is close of this or already on that).

4- Ttrpg is very bad at talk about their mechanics, how they play, all this talk about how to present the game is always about the setting, the feel, but never how you play it, and seem that this is the most important part of the game, it should be presented more upfront. But I believe that this is the way because it's hard to describe a ttrpg mechanic fast unless it's using a srd, again relying on something popular.

5- Ttrpg in general have a very difficult time to present themselves as ttrpg, this hard time to talk about how they play, they always using other mediums that are ttrpg to quick show the vibes of the game show that the ttrpg scene needs to understand itself. It have a big growth in popularity and the ammount of game being made in the last decade, maybe the biggest it's ever been, but right now it needs to find it's voice, understant what ttrpg and what identity it have, and I say this from a place of love, of someone that wants to see the scene to mature and take a voice, not use others voice like it's ashamed of itself.

One addendum: I am not against using references, this is basic 101 in creative work, we need to do our research and we always uses references and other ideas to tweak and make it our own, we are always a sea of reference turned into something unique. What I having problems is to take 1 or 2, 3 parts of this process and focus too much on that, and worst of all, none of this parts are the unique imput of the designers, writers and artists.

Second addendum (sorry): From what I saw about people defending it, and those who use this referencing approach, one thing I realize is that almost all of the cases it's better for them to explain directly what their game are going to be, when they throw references usually end up is something incoherent that opens to a lot of interpretations that will be very far from what the game it it. And people defending most times than not goes with the argument that when talking and recommending to someone, using references helps, and this is call anecdotal evidence, when you use a personal story to exemplified a general idea, and first this isn't work, and second you can't compare personal talking with friends and colleagues with market campaign, they have different language and approach.

Third Addendum (...) : I didn't find any research or study that shows that this approach is benefical for the designers, that improve their reach and sales, I know it makes sense for sites that covers tabletop rpg due to the need to play wiht algorithm and SEO but for designers I wouldn't be surprised if this is just a concept they accept without put too much thought. The tabletop rpg scene, specially indie is usually overly hostile to marketing concepts, and in this case they could be automatically applying a market concept that might give the big reach they think it gives, but I would need to know some numbers to be sure.

Thank you.

Raul.

[aria-i-adagio]

Did either of them try to resist their feelings? Who whispers inappropriate things in the other’s ear? What are their primary love languages? Who’s the better cook? (for Handers!) - the-iron-orchid

Thank you, @the-iron-orchid!

Who whispers inappropriate things in the other’s ear?

Oh, Anders is definitely the one whispering the inappropriate things in Hawke’s ear. He is the id of this relationship after all.

Not that Hawke is complaining.

What are their primary love languages?

I always have to stop and look up the whole love languages thing. Kinda like enneagram numbers. Cultivating a deliberate agnosis for my own nefarious reasons.

Anders and Adrian are both touch starved cuddlebugs, and Adrian rates very high on giving acts of service.

[Realizing that all my OCs/canon characters I project too much onto are touch starved cuddlebugs... hmm... anyone want to come snuggle and let me make you delicious food and baked goods? I am a very good cook.]

Who’s the better cook?

I - in my infinite wisdom and mercy as a writer - determined that fugitive Anders needed a hobby, and I gave him a cookbook to play around with while in hiding. As of the present moment in my personal little world state, our recovering ascetic is well on his way to becoming a decent, if somewhat rustic, chef. He has also perfected moonshine and if Hawke ever gets his chickens, Anders is definitely going to start aging the stuff

Adrian can scramble eggs and make coffee. But he has to make coffee before trying to toast bread, or he burns it.

Did either of them try to resist their feelings?

Did either of them try to resist their feelings? No, of course not, not for three years of Isabela having to watch them pining. Oh no. Definitely not.

This is begging me to just post the first chapter of Risk. The truly naughty bits are in chapter two and you’ll have to go to the AO3 for those. And then tell me if I should finish futzing with the half-drafted and half daft chapter three.

---

Hawke doesn't know where Varric found this particular tabletop game. Not that it matters, he's thoroughly enjoying the premise of guiding pewter toy soldiers through taking over one region of Thedas at a time. Isabela seems less enchanted, complaining that the rules are attached against her because if she just had a navy, and isn't it cheating that Hawke and Anders have formed a truce with each other to wipe her off the map.

Varric laughs and shrugs off her complaint. "Strategy is strategy."

"What truce?" Adrian smiles innocently enough; although under the table, Anders' left hand has been gradually moving up his thigh. "We haven't discussed anything with each other."

"Nope, nothing." Anders drinks from his third - or fourth pint of beer - Justice must be giving him the night off from the no drunkenness rule. That happens sometimes, when Hawke is lucky "Just roll the dice, 'Bela."

"Sure, boys, no special code you're tapping out with your feet ?" She's down to two units in a region Hawke is attacking with ten. Anders has the region on the other side of hers and wore her down on his prior turn, stopping without taking the region or overly weakening his own position.

Varric crosses his arms and leans back in his chair. "I'm planning to enjoy what happens when they have to turn on each other."

"Oh yes." Isabela picks up her dice and shakes them in her hand. "Who will come out on top? A scintillating question. Drat!" Her roll turns up snake eyes to Hawke's mediocre four, three, and two. "Anders, if I find out you've cursed these dice -"

"We're not even playing for money, 'Bela."

"Yeah, yeah -" She clears her soldiers from the region. "Just honor. It's all yours, sweetling."

"You've still got half of Orlais and the Frostback Basin. You're hardly out."

She smirks and gestures to one of the barmaids for another pitcher. "Aye, and the longer I keep those the longer it's going to take for you two to solve that question of who's going to be on top."

Merrill is barely hanging on to Seheron and a random province in Tevinter. "Oh, I think Anders has the stronger position, he's basically got Hawke's armies surrounded."

Anders hides a blush behind another drink. Varric snorts and Isabela sighs. "Kitten, that's not quite what we're talking about. And you -" She points a finger at Anders like she's reprimanding a sailor. "Are hardly a blushing virgin."

Hawke just shifts his weight a bit, nudging Anders' thigh with his knee. Keep going. He can't actually move his own hand quick enough under the table to slide Anders' fingers further around and up without Isabela noticing. But she's going to give them grief no matter what.

"Well, what are you talking about then?"

"The eventual conclusion to a most drawn out case of two idiots pining after each other."

"What does that have to do with who wins the game?"

"It's a metaphor, Daisy. Not a very good one."

"Does it have something to do with sex? I'm always missing the ones that have to do with sex."

Anders chokes on his beer. Hawke pats his back, then leaves his hand there just above his belt. The Hanged Man is warm tonight, the feathery jacket is hanging on the wall, and Hawke can feel Anders' spine through the written out fabric of his shirt.

"I should make a hand where I can see 'em rule," Isabela grouses. "No idea what little card tricks you boys are up to over there."

"What?" Hawke walks his fingers up Anders' back and wonders how much longer he can stand Anders' fingers tracing spirals over the inside of his thigh before he just throws the game, grabs Anders' by the collar and kisses and/or shakes him until he's forgotten whatever protests he prepared about this not being a good idea, Anders is a dangerous person to be with, Hawke doesn't really know him, et cetera, et cetera. "I would never try to cheat. At least, not with you."

Merrill actually wins the game after patiently building up a massive number of armies in Seheron and sweeping through all of Thedas in a single turn. Never forget to keep an eye on the quiet ones. She smiles prettily as Varric and Hawke start picking up the pieces of the game, and then asks Isabela again if she'll explain the metaphor.

Isabela lays her head down on the table with a groan. "I need more alcohol for this."

Varric, being Varric, chuckles and then enables, ordering another two pitchers for the table.

Hawke gives up any pretense of coyness during Isabela's tutoring session and sits sideways on the bench with his back against the wall and his legs over Anders' lap, giggling as Isabela makes increasingly vulgar gestures with her hands and then steals Varric's notebook and ink to improvise illustrations. She's not a very good artist.

Merrill's wide eyes get wider. "Oh, oh. But -" She blinks rapidly. "What if it's two women?"

"Well, it's kind of a loose metaphor anyway, to be entirely honest." Isabela changes around how she's holding her hands again. "You see not everything comes down to insertions."

"Andraste's knicker weasels, 'Bela!"

"Knickers can be involved or not. Weasels, well, at least the animal type are less common. Now, the Chantry only talks about Andraste's husbands, but I heard this one -"

"You're going to confuse her even more." Anders moves Hawke's legs out of his lap and leans over the table. "It's simple Merrill. In sex, some people really prefer to get, some people really prefer to give, and most people are somewhere in the middle and like doing a bit both. And then you have Isabela, who likes to tease."

"Guilty as charged. In bed and out."

"What does that have to do with a board game though?"

Hawke laughs. Anders covers his face with both hands. "Oh, Maker. I'm done here. And this is as much of an answer as you're getting, 'Bela." He turns toward Hawke, who isn't expecting and had only cautiously been hoping to be grabbed by the shoulders and kissed on the mouth and thus, very nearly loses his balance when he is. He's quick enough to topple toward Anders instead of over the table, steading himself with hands at Anders' skinny waist, and kissing him back before the moment can be lost.

"Finally!" Isabela applauds. "I thought I was going to have to spend the night with Hawke, which would be terribly awkward as he doesn't like women."

Hawke raises a middle finger in her general direction and earns a delighted cackle.

"But Hawke spends a lot of time with you, and me, and even Aveline. We're women?"

Varric pours more beer for himself and Merrill. "That's, um, not at all what she means, Daisy."

Anders rolls his eyes. He stands up and pulls Hawke with him. "Your place or mine is a stupid question, isn't it?"

"A very stupid question." Hawke grabs their jackets off the wall. Honestly, right now, either would do, but it's about the same distance and Hawke has a significantly nice bed. If they make it that far.

"I expect a full report in the morning, Hawke," Isabela shouts as they're walking out. "Might have bets riding on it."

"Fuck you, 'Bela." Hawke says with a glance back over his shoulder and a broad smile. He's closer to amused than annoyed. She had quite effectively forced Anders' hand in the little game he and Hawke had been playing for weeks. Maybe overdone it, but she'd done it. Isabela winks and flashes him two thumbs up before making a 'get going now' gesture.

"No, you won't. Don't forget the electricity thing."

"The electricity thing? Is that another metaphor?"

"Goodnight, Merrill."

[sunflower-swan]

Wolfstar chapter 6

A/N: Here’s what you need to know: I created this story for Writer’s Month 2020. Every day is a new prompt, and therefore a new chapter. This is an AU Wolfstar where Remus is a tattoo artist next door to Sirius who manages a flower shop. James and Lily are alive in this universe and own a coffee shop across the street. And to make parts of the story work with the prompts, Remus is about 10 years older than Sirius. It also takes place more or less in present time, minus Covid-19.

This is chapter 6 of a multi-chapter work. If you’d like to start from the beginning, here is chapter 1.

Disclaimer: I don’t own these characters. I just like to play with them.

Day 6 Prompt: Ocean

Rating: General

Word Count: 1992

Tags: original character, pining

Chapter 6

Remus

Monica, “For You I Will”

I will cross the ocean for you

I will go and bring you the moon

I will be your hero, your strength, anything you need

Remus and Sirius sat at their favorite corner booth at the Potter’s Wheel Cafe for their morning coffee ritual. Sirius was having his usual black coffee with cream and no sugar. While Remus preferred a sweeter mocha cappuccino.

“So Silas is in America then?” Remus asked. While waiting for Sirius, James and Lily had filled him in on the finer points of what transpired after the ‘You’re a wizard?!’ incident.

Sirius nodded with a small frown. “Took a long-distance portkey to New York early this morning.” He exhaled a sigh so heavy it flipped the hair that had fallen into his face. “Six...bloody...months.” He punctuated each word with a knock of his knuckles on the tabletop.

Remus felt bad for his friend. It was obvious he hadn’t gotten much sleep since they had last seen each other. His charcoal eyes usually glowed with a fire that burned through Remus' soul. Today they were a shadowy reflection rimmed in red, all spark gone out. And that was when they were open long enough for Remus to see them. Throughout most of their brief rendezvous this morning, his eyelids became heavier and heavier over his sunken eyes. 

“Maybe you should take the day off. Catch up on some sleep?” Remus suggested after Sirius’ head nodded forward for the third time.

“Hmm?”

Remus threw a couple Muggle bills down on the table. “Come on, Sirius.” He went around to the opposite side of the table and helped Sirius to his feet. “We’re going to get you home.”

Sirius acquiesced to Remus' touch, and the latter led them to the alley apparition point. Once there, Sirius attempted to shake loose of the grasp Remus had around his waist.

“I can manage, Remus,” he mumbled.

“No! No, no. You are in no state to apparate anywhere on your own. I’m impressed you didn’t splinch yourself getting here.” Remus tucked his arm into Sirius’. “Hold on to me.”

“Mmm, ok.” Sirius relaxed into his body.

Remus’ spine straightened and his breath caught at the warmth of Sirius’ body perfectly fitted against his. Restraining all his instincts, he pushed aside the inconvenient feelings, and turned with a POP.

They landed in a secluded area outside Sirius’ flat, and Remus helped him inside. He half-carried Sirius into the bedroom, walking past a faded leather jacket thrown over a chair in the corner, and unceremoniously dumped him into bed.

As he turned to leave, a photo on the nightstand caught his eye. He picked it up. It was a picture of himself with Sirius, James, Lily, and Harry, standing outside the Tattoo Lounge, about a month after he had opened.

James was holding little Harry in one arm and holding Lily’s hand with the other. Remus had his hands tucked into his pockets, and Sirius had an arm around his shoulders. Photo Remus was grinning broadly and kept casting covert looks at Sirius, whose hair was blowing around in his face.

The four of them almost immediately accepted him into their circle. Which, looking back, was a little funny considering they had thought Remus was a Muggle.

He chuckled softly to himself and set the picture back down. He had reached the doorway when he heard Sirius rustle behind him.

“Remus?”

He paused, placed a hand on the door jam and turned his head. “Yes?” 

“Did you know you smell like old books and chocolate?”

This declaration startled him. He swung around to question about this revelation, but found Sirius had started to snore.

~~~~~

Remus stopped by the Loft before returning to the Lounge to inform Sirius’ employees that he wouldn’t be in today. They seemed unaffected by the news that Sirius was ‘ill’. He didn’t see that they needed to know any details further than that.

Once he returned to the secluded solitude of his own shop, he attempted to look over his appointment schedule for the day. Despite his best efforts to focus on the task at hand, he found his mind was in another place. A very Sirius-centric place.

Old books and chocolate? Sirius said Remus smelled like old books...and chocolate. What did that mean? He had been almost asleep when he had made the statement. Did that matter?

Sirius smelled like fresh coffee and leather. Remus would be lying to himself if he said it hadn’t percolated into his subconscious over the last year and a half. Being in Sirius’ bedroom where his scent was everywhere had caused Remus’ insides to squirm.

Not that any of that mattered. Not really. Sirius was with Silas, and Sirius was his friend...nothing more.

Around mid-day, a middle-aged man wandered into the shop. The bell over the door dinged, and Remus glanced up from the magazine article he was reading.

Remus studied the man with interest. He was wearing black converse, cuffed light wash slim fit jeans, and a black tee. Remus couldn’t help but notice how well his toned body filled out the tee. The man looked around the place like he was surprised to find himself there.

“Can I help you?” Remus offered.

The man jumped. “Whoa! Didn’t see you there! Sorry!” He chuckled, placing one hand to his chest while the other ran through his salt and pepper crew cut. “Whew! Old ticker’s still working,” he added with a jovial smile, and a pat to his chest.

Remus grinned in spite of himself, and stood. “I’m very sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.” He apologized and held out his right hand. “I’m Remus, and I don’t usually make a habit of scaring my customers to death.” 

The stranger’s whiskey colored eyes sparkled. He grasped Remus’ hand in his rough and calloused one. “I’m Logan.”

A bolt of electricity shot through Remus at the handshake, and he cleared his throat. “Ahem. So, what can I do for you?” he asked.

“This is a tattoo parlor, right? I thought the answer to that question would be self-explanatory.” Logan ran a hand across his five o’clock shadow with a mischievous grin.

Oh, brother. Someone thinks they’re a comedian. He forgot to roll his eyes because he was lost in Logan’ sparkling, sepia-flecked ones. “Did you have anything in mind?” You tall drink of probably straight water, he added in his head.

“No,” Logan said with a shrug and a smile that showcased his gleaming straight white teeth.

Right… “Ok. Well, I have a book here of some of the pieces I’ve done.” Remus pulled the book out and laid it open on the table. “You can look through here and tell me if anything jumps out at you.”

Logan leaned over and pulled the book toward him. “You did all these?” he asked in an impressed tone. He eyed Remus up and down before turning back to flip through the pictures.

Remus felt his face flush. He felt very exposed after the ‘check-out’ Logan just gave him. Maybe not so straight after all. He attempted an air of coolness and leaned one hand on the desk to peer through the pictures with Logan. “Yep. All me.”

“Very impressive.” Logan nodded his head.

Remus grabbed his sketch book and a pencil, and hopped up to sit on the desk. “Tell me about yourself,” he said, flipping to a blank page.

Logan's eyes widened only for a moment before he straightened up and leaned his hip against the desk. “Buy a man a drink first,” he said with a sly smile.

Godric, give me strength, said one part of his brain. While the other said, A little harmless flirting never hurt anyone! Instead, he waved the sketch book and said, “I’m going to sketch you a design.”

“Buy me a drink anyway,” Logan said, and took a step closer to Remus.

His sandalwood musk, which Remus had noticed the moment he stepped through the door, was now in sharp relief and threatening to overpower his other senses. At that exact moment, someone else, who smelled like fresh coffee and leather, burst through the door.

“Remus!” yelled the new man.

Logan jumped back the distance from which he had traveled moments before. Eyes and mouth wide in shock at the interruption.

“Remus?”

Remus looked between the confused look on Sirius’ face and the startled one on Logan’s, knowing exactly what this looked like.

“Sirius.” Remus attempted nonchalance. As if a ridiculously good-looking and age-appropriate man, practically breathing down his neck, was an everyday occurrence.

Logan sighed in defeat and stole the sketchbook and pencil out of Remus’ hands. Before Remus could protest the theft, he wrote something in it, closed it, and handed it back to him. “Call me,” he said with a wink and strode out of the tattoo shop, giving Sirius a curt nod.

Remus clasped his hands together in his lap, and lifted a questioning eyebrow at Sirius.

“Is that your attempt to look innocent?” Sirius asked, joining Remus sitting on the desk.

“I have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about.” Remus replied.

“Huh, right.” Sirius picked up the sketchbook and flipped through the pages. “And ‘no idea what I’m talking about’ just happened to leave you his number?”

Remus ripped the sketchbook out of his grasp and stood up. Sirius was grinning like the cat who caught the canary.

“Quit grinning like that,” he said. “What did you want anyway before you disrupted...nothing?”

“Oh, yeah.” Sirius fluttered the paper he was clutching in his hand. “Got a letter from Silas!” He looked down at the letter. “He says he made it to America fine. And he said he gets a personal day tomorrow, and he had a really cool idea.” Sirius' eyes sparkled. “At noon tomorrow, I go to Land’s End in Sennen, Penzance. At the same time, he goes to Montauk Lighthouse in New York. Then we can wave at each other across the ocean. Isn’t that sweet?”

As Sirius finished explaining The Plan, Remus could only nod in disbelief. “If it’s noon here, isn’t that like, 7:00 A.M. in New York?”

“Well, yeah. Anyway, want to come with me?”

“Come with you?”

“Yeah. To Land’s End tomorrow.”

“Sure.”

Sirius' face split in a grin from ear to ear. He rushed forward and clutched Remus in a rib-splitting hug. “Thank you so much! I couldn’t stand to go alone. I have to go arrange a portkey.” He released Remus and started for the door. “See you around eleven o’clock tomorrow?”

“Sounds good.” Remus waved as Sirius ran out the door. 

Why… Remus sat back down in his office chair and rubbed his hands over his face. He put his elbows on the desk. Closing his eyes, he rested his chin in his palms while his fingertips massaged his temples. Taking a deep breath and letting it out, Remus contemplated why Sirius had asked him. Why not James? Why did Remus agree so quickly and easily to accompany him?

After some time had passed, Remus stood to look for something constructive to do. The scent of coffee and leather lingered long after Sirius had left, and it made his stomach ache as he paced around the shop. He picked up items only to deposit them somewhere else a moment later. Eventually, he picked up the sketchpad. He looked down on it a long time, before slowly flipping open to the page where Logan had left his number.

Remus hadn’t noticed at the time, but the smell of sandalwood that Logan brought into the shop had disappeared the moment Sirius had appeared. He wasn’t sure how he felt about that.

Logan was really cute. Impossibly really cute. And age appropriate. Maybe he should call him. Maybe...

Remus slammed the book shut and threw it on the desk. Then he sank to the floor and rested his head on his arms between his bent knees. Who was he kidding? He doesn’t date. He can’t date. Not in his condition. And not handsome Muggles.

Next Chapter: Chapter 7

[script-a-world]

Pylon Bios (An Update, with New Pylons)

Hello, lovely followers of script-a-world!

Please allow us to introduce ourselves! We haven’t had any sort of about-the-bloggers page available before, and now that we’ve added more to the team, we’re seeking to remedy that!

First of all, we call ourselves Pylons. What the heck is a pylon? Well, outside of this blog, it’s an upright structure for holding up something, usually a cable or conduit. When this blog was started more than a year ago (whoa), the group chose the word Pylon to describe ourselves collectively, as a fun little nickname. Whee!

Without further ado, meet the Pylons (and Mods)! (in alphabetical order)

Brainstormed: Hey there, call me Brainstormed, and you can find me at @thunderin-brainstorm. Any pronouns will do. I'm a student, illustrator, and world traveler. My home is in America, but I'm rarely there for more than a month at a time, so feel free to ask where in the world I happen to be! Worldbuilding has been my hobby for quite a long time and I'd love to give you some tips and tricks that I've learned, or take your idea and turn it on its head to perhaps show you a new perspective. The many projects I've developed have been lifesavers for me, as they allowed me to harness my Maladaptive Daydreaming Disorder and use it as a positive tool for creativity. Aside from drawing and daydreaming, I spend a lot of time biking, hunting for cool rocks and bones, binge reading any scholarly article that catches my eye, and memorising completely useless random facts that I spout at any given moment in lieu of remembering actual important information.

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Constablewrites: My name is Brittany, and I'm a California girl living in the Midwest. I use she/her pronouns. I've always loved stories with rich and detailed worlds, whether in movies, books, games, or something else entirely. I'm the kind of writer who will spend hours researching to confirm a minor detail. Naturally, I not only write SFF, but my recent projects have all required worldbuilding on more than one axis (like multiple types of magic, or time travel on top of historical) because i am apparently something of a masochist. I'm a walking TV Tropes index and a whiz at digging up random useful knowledge, both of which come in handy as a Pylon. Other random facts: I'm a trained actress and singer, I used to work at Disneyland on the Jungle Cruise (among other attractions), and a laptop held together with duct tape is responsible for my day job in tech support. I blog about writing as @constablewrites and about random things that amuse me as @operahousebookworm.

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Delta: Hi! I’m Delta and I can be found @dreaming-in-circles or @thedeclineofapollo (writeblr), and I love sci-fi. Like, a lot lol. I work in NEPA compliance for a civil engineering firm in the USA, and have a lot of experience with infrastructure, bureaucracies, biology, and space (for unrelated reasons). I spend a lot of time haunting the astrophysics wikipedia pages, and my current all-consuming project is a novel that is angling to be about 150,000 words (at current projections). Can’t wait to hear your questions!

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Ebonwing: Hi, I’m Ebonwing. I’m currently studying IT in university. I’m a writer and worldbuilder, and sometimes a worldbuilding writer or a writing worldbuilder. I gravitate towards fantasy, though I’m not going to say no to the occasional stint in scifi, and as I’m also a giant language nerd, I enjoy making conlangs for my creations. Other than that, I’m also an artist and indulge in any number of other crafting hobbies, and if I’m not doing any of those things, I can probably be found playing video games.

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Feral: Hi! I'm Feral, and you can find me @theferalcollection (if you enjoy feminism, socialism, or over-analyzed fiction) or on my writing blog theferalcollection.wordpress.com. I'm a Southern girl who likes fancy dresses, mint juleps, big hats, and using being-underestimated to my advantage. I work in the interior design industry and am currently in school for industrial design. I have previously earned degrees in comparative literature and theatre & drama. I'm a big nerd who really likes school. I've been world-building since before I knew it was a thing and writing almost as long. I’ve written mostly fantasy but the past couple projects have been science fiction. I'm ridiculously in love with the idea of being an astrophysicist but don't feel like learning calculus, so I just read about science a lot. My hobbies include martial arts, drinking too much coffee, and tabletop games.

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Lockea: Hello! I’m Lockea. You can find me all over the internet as @lockea or LockeaStone. I’m a leaf on the wind who currently enjoys the SoCal sunshine in Los Angeles where I work as an engineer and data scientist. I love street fashion (especially Lolita) and making jewelry. I have two kitties, Theodore and Cecelia, and I volunteer at the local animal shelter as a cat handler and adoption counselor. I know way too much about cat behavior, honestly, and will yap your ear off if you let me.

Worldbuilding wise, I have a deep affection for science fiction and I’ve consulted professional science fiction writers on developing technology and worlds through the explanation of science and engineering. My engineering specialization is extra-terrestrial  robotics, so if it has to do with space, planetary science, or robotics -- I got you. I’m also a fan of politics and really like developing political and socio-economic systems in fantasy and sci-fi worlds.

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Miri: Miri here, with my main tumblr @asylos and my writing tumblr @mirintala. I am a Canadian Pharmacy Technician by day and a small time ePublisher and gamer of many types by night. Mostly wandering around the Internet helping to organize events in the FFVII tumblr fandom (modding at @ff7central and @ffviifandomcalendar), and stumbling around within the Borderlands of Pandora. I use she/her pronouns.

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Symphony: Hey, I’m Symphony! Use whatever pronouns you feel like, any work. I’m currently living in Michigan with my fiance, and in-between jobs but I want to go to nursing school ASAP.  My favorite genres in fiction are horror, sci-fi, and really anything that holds my interest. In my own worldbuilding I've always felt myself most interested in developing societies on the macro level (politics, diet, customs, stuff like that), and the more esoteric, strange parts of my world. I like to make a place feel lived in, with secrets that may never be found and people who seek them out.

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Synth: I’m @chameleonsynthesis on Tumblr, but that’s a mouthful, so just call me Synth. Any pronouns work. Born and raised in Canada, but living in Norway as of autumn 2007. Looking back, I’ve been worldbuilding since at least the age of four (in my early thirties now, so yeah), with a predominantly science-fantasy bent. I’m of the artsy creative type, with way too many projects on the go at any given time, and enjoy long walks through Wikipedia and getting caught in TV Tropes. The best thing is when I stumble across some strange factoid that can justify aspects of my many weird alien species. Stupid Synth facts: I have dual Canadian and Norwegian citizenship. My legal name contains a letter that does not exist in the English alphabet. I can curl my tongue into a cloverleaf shape, and wiggle my ears. My day job is musical instrument repair. I play French horn in a concert band, trombone in a jazz band, and don’t practice my flute or piccolo near as much as I should. Outside of band rehearsals and my job, I volunteer at the local cat shelter, work out at a gym, and attend events at my city’s newly established makerspace.

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Tex: I'm Tex, and you can find me on tumblr @texasdreamer01. Most of my hobbies are centered around fandom and worldbuilding for it, though I also like cooking and reading up on fiction and non-fiction whenever I have the time. I'm currently studying biochemical engineering, with a slant in nanotechnology and its medical applications, so I need to know a bunch about the different types of sciences, as well as projecting for the development of future fields.

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Utuabzu: Hi, I’m Utuabzu, I previously was part of ScriptMyth (RIP) where I tended to take the lead on Mesopotamia and Egypt related asks. I’m most of the way through a Bachelor of Linguistics, e parlo italiano und ein bisschen Deutsch. I have a deep and enduring interest in the history of the ancient world, particularly the ancient Near East, and I’m also a bit of a nerd for politics, which is helpful when it comes to worldbuilding. My random 2am research binges have resulted in my knowing a lot of odd things. I enjoy travelling and experiencing other cultures, however as I am Australian this unfortunately requires flying, which I hate a great deal. I expect to one day be crushed beneath a pile of my books. It is a demise I am ok with.

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Wootzel: Hi, I’m Wootzel, or @wootzel-dragon! I use she/her pronouns. I’m a recent college grad trying to figure life out. My favorite thing about worldbuilding is making things as realistic or pseudo-realistic as possible, and finding a justification for everything. Sometimes, this is also my least favorite thing about myself, because it can make things very hard! But, it can also be really rewarding when I get things to work out in a way that I enjoy.

My other hobbies include reading lots of fanfic while neglecting physical books, starting ambitious sewing projects on a whim, and wondering where all my time goes on a daily basis. I have changed major a few times, and I am still unsure about what I want to do with my life, except that it’ll always have writing in it somewhere.

[theteapotofdoom]

Is critical role a game or show, because your rbs have me very interested

Weeeeeell, technically it’s both?

*cracks knuckles* let me explain

Critical is a web series that you can watch on Twitch every or on Youtube, and it’s actually a campaign of Dungeons and Dragons. I assume that you’re at least a little bit familiar with D&D, it’s tabletop roleplay game and so technically, the actual show Critical Role is just a bunch of beautiful people sitting around a table and improvising a story together.

One of the things that makes it so popular is that the players and the dungeon master are all very famous voice actors, writers, directors and producers (Travis Willingham Laura Bailey, Liam O’Brien, Matthe Mercer, Marisha Ray, Taliesin Jaffy, Ashley Johnson and Emy Winner Sam Riegel). So these guys are very familiar with storytelling and very good at roleplay. They know how to tell a good story and how to create compelling characters. And more importantly they have all been friends (and married for some) for years, so they all have incredible chemistry. So although the idea of just watching a bunch of nerdy ass voice actors playing around a table can sound odd, it’s truly as captivating as most of the TV shows I’ve watched recently (if not more).

I’m really trying to explain (and sell) the concept the best I can because I get how it may not sound very appealing, but it genuinely is one of the best things I ever watched in my life. Matthew Mercer, the dungeon master guiding them through the story, is absolutely incredible. He has a crazy sense of details, the worlds and characters he creates for them are incredibly dense, rich and enjoyable, but also knows to leave a lot of room for the players to chose their paths and he really let their decisions influence the world and the story. Everything has consequences for the best and for the worst. The players are nothing short of amazing, they’re all deeply committed to their characters and to the roleplaying, you can really see some of them physically staying in character even when they’re not talking (Liam O’Brien you mad man ...). But like I said they’re also all very close friends and even family at this point, and their main goal is to have fun, so they also often react out of character just like us when something crazy happens, they get super excited or worried when Matt describes something and they have amazing fits of laughter. 

Like my dude, this show made me cry and laugh SO MUCH it can be the funniest shit in the world one second and the most heartbreaking tragedy the next.

And honestly, the lack of proper “visuals” is part of the fun! There are official arts for the characters created by artists with the description and approval of the cast, but you can pretty much create and imagine whatever you want based on that! The fandom is incredibly creative and productive, people are always redrawing their favourite moments and characters from the show and because it’s only descriptions, there are as many interpretations as artists drawing them! There also many animations based on the audio from the show, for big tragic moments as well as for goofs and funny nonsense. And that’s not even mentioning the fics and the cosplay and all the other forms of art and content!

If you decide to get into it, I should still warn you that it’s very very long. There are two campaigns, the first one is complete with a total of 115 episodes of 3 or 4 hours each. Yes, hours you heard me. The second campaign is currently still going with currently 77 episodes of the same length, and new episodes every Thursday. I know it may sound scary, but I promise you that if you get into it, those hours will pass like minutes. It’s just ... so much fun!!!

Besides, they do a bunch of breaks every episode and so you can easily just pose the video whenever you want to come back later. Personally, I’m not at all caught up, I’m only on at episode 20 of campaign 2 and I haven’t even watched all of campaign 1 yet. So basically don’t stress out, it might seem like a lot but you can just casually watch at your own rhythm (and also just drop it if you decide it’s not for you!)

Personally, I started with Campaign 2 which has fewer episodes at this point and just a better overall technical quality than the first few episodes of Campaign 1. Many people who watched it all confirmed to me that it was a smart move and so I would advise you to do the same! Campaign 1 is amazing, but they had been playing it for a while before it became a web series so you don’t get to see the character’s introduction or to see them meet. I just feel like overall, it’s way easier to get into Campaign 2 from the start, and to then go back to Campaign 1 when you’re familiar with the cast! (Just my hot take anyway!) (Also Campaign 2 takes place 20 years after Campaign 1with completely different characters so you won’t miss anything except maybe some private jokes from the cast).

Basically, everything that I have been reblogging so far is from Campaign 2, so if that’s what got you interested in Critical Role I would HIGHLY recommend starting with this one. Especially if you wanna meet the pretty sad ginger wizard whomst I won’t shut up about. His name is Caleb and he has a cat I would die for him.

Okay but really I’m gonna shut up now because if you do start to watch Campaign 2 I don’t want to spoil too much, so I’m not gonna go into a big rant about each character to explain to you why I love them all so much. Just ... accept the fact that they’re all very very very hot. I mean look at them. The true bisexual agenda.

They’re all ... so chaotic and feral ... but also soft ... and accidental found family and shit ... fuck I love them and their relationships together. They’re so alone and broken and they’re GROWING SO MUCH okay I’ll shut up now.

Here is the link to the playlist of Campaign 2 of CR on youtube!

Here is the link to the playlist for Campaign 1 on Youtube if you still wanna check it out first!

They also have a show called Talks Machina, where after each episode some of the cast answer to fan questions!!! (It’s on their youtube channel as well!)

AND ALSO before you leave, I still wanna tempt you one last time by giving you the link to the official ANIMATED OPENING FOR THE SECOND PART OF CAMPAIGN 2 I’m sure it will convince you more than anything I wrote in this mess of a post! (Careful though, because they created this intro for the second part of the campaign there are spoilers implied, but since you don’t know anything about the story yet, you probably won’t pick up on much … it will be like cool foreshadowing!)

SO YEAH HELLO I LOVE CRITICAL ROLE A NORMAL AMOUNT and I’m glad me screaming about it on main got you interested!!!!

[rpgsandbox]

Welcome, Heroes!

This Kickstarter will fund the release of Prowlers & Paragons Ultimate Edition, the second edition of our superhero roleplaying game, and the companion volume Pinnacle City’s Most Wanted, a compendium of villains and information about Pinnacle City.

We also hope to fund two supplements: Modern Gods, an epic modern-day superhero sandbox setting by Sean Patrick Fannon, and Blood & Justice: Shadows of Nocturne, a gritty and mysterious "Iron Age" superhero setting by Bill Keyes.

If things go really well, we have a few surprises in store, as well.

Originally released in 2013, Prowlers & Paragons proved to be a sleeper hit that developed a loyal fan base and made its way onto a few “Best Of” lists, despite its cult status.

After five years of playing, expanding, revising, and updating the original game and listening to your feedback, Mastermind Len Pimentel called in "Henchman #1" Sean Patrick Fannon to help him create Prowlers & Paragons Ultimate Edition.

The spirit of the game remains the same, but the rules have been taken apart, refined, and carefully put back together. The new and improved rules have more depth than the original game engine, but they make for a faster, easier, and more exciting experience.

GAME MECHANICS

Want a preview of the game? Download the free Quickstart Rules here!

Prowlers & Paragons Ultimate Edition is designed to let you play any kind of superhero game you can imagine. Because we aren’t tied to a specific world, setting, or property, we made sure you can play characters of any power level, from street-level vigilantes to iconic mega-heroes who deal with intergalactic threats. Whether you're dodging bullets or battleships, we've spent the last five years finding the perfect balance of abstraction and crunch to make sure the game is just as fun either way.

We also made sure you could tailor the rules to suit your style of play. From lighthearted Saturday morning cartoons, to modern day comic books or superhero movies, to the dark and grittier side of supers, you can do it all in Prowlers & Paragons Ultimate Edition.

Character creation is fast and flexible, using a simple point-buy system that gives you lots of choices and enough detail to make those choices matter. Once you know what you’re doing, you can throw a character together in minutes and create exactly the type of hero you want to play.

Don’t know what you want to play? We’ve all been there. That’s why there’s an optional Random Hero Generator to help you get going. Or you can use one of the 15 fully playable heroes provided in the core rules.

Prowlers & Paragons Ultimate Edition uses ordinary 6-sided dice and a simple yet robust dice pool mechanic that makes action resolution fast and exciting. The rules allow for both narrative and traditional success-or-failure based task resolution, letting you play however you prefer. In fact, you can use both methods at the same table!

Whether narrative or traditional, the rules are designed to keep you in your character’s head. When you play Prowlers & Paragons Ultimate Edition, you aren’t playing an author, narrator, or comic book publisher: you’re playing a hero!

Combat is fast and cinematic, striking a balance between abstraction and simulation that gives players meaningful choices without bogging them down. We’ve even used these rules to run epic battles with hundreds of combatants on the table!

If you're ready for that preview, you can download the free Quickstart Rules here!

READ ALL ABOUT IT: TESTIMONIALS!

We introduced Prowlers & Paragons Ultimate Edition to Bruce Harlick, Steve Peterson, and Ray Greer, three guys who know a thing or two about superhero roleplaying games, and here's what they had to say.

BRUCE HARLICK (Editor, Writer, and Designer for Champions and many other tabletop and electronic games): "P&P is an elegant super heroic system that is loose enough to let people play larger-than-life heroes while still providing enough crunch during conflict resolution to be totally satisfying. It's like a bridge between the crunchy games of the 80s (Champions) and the modern day aesthetic. It plays fast and fun and players' actions are only limited by their character conception -- and their imagination. Two toasts from Foxbat's Secret Lair on this one!”

STEVE PETERSON (Co-Creator, Champions; Original Partner, Hero Games): "P&P is a smashing amount of superheroic fun that I've enjoyed playing. And did I mention fistfuls of dice?  If you like a game that's fast-moving and gives you the feel of your favorite comic-book heroes, P&P delivers.”

RAY GREER (Writer & Designer, Champions; Original Partner, Hero Games): “I really had a fine time with the playtest. It offers a really interesting balance between flexibility and customization for character creation. And it is rich in detail without feeling like a miniatures game for combat. The highest compliment I can pay is that if we were designing Champions today, there are several ideas I’d have liked to steal wholesale.”

THE CORE BOOKS

When our diabolical plan comes to fruition, the two core books we'll be releasing as part of this Kickstarter campaign are the Prowlers & Paragons Ultimate Edition Core Rules and the Pinnacle City's Most Wanted villain sourcebook.

Let's take a look at each!

Prowlers & Paragons Ultimate Edition is a full color book that contains everything you need to roleplay in any kind of superhero setting. It includes …

Streamlined rules designed to help you create exactly the hero you want to play, from street-level prowlers to iconic paragons and everyone in between.

An optional Random Hero Generator for when you just don’t know what kind of hero you feel like playing.

A simple and intuitive system for advancement that lets you decide how quickly the heroes develop and ties advancement to reaching milestones in the story.

A core game engine that allows for either a narrative action resolution or more traditional action resolution system, and in fact lets you use both in the same game.

A fast-moving combat engine that emulates all the action and excitement of comic book combat. Plus optional rules to make your superheroic slugfests as four-color and fantastical or gritty and realistic as you like, letting you set the tone of your game.

A huge list of weapons, armor, gear, and vehicles you can use in your games, plus rules for superheroic gadgets, customizing your gear, and building your own headquarters.

Guidelines for using the game’s narrative ruleset to handle disasters, hazards, hostile environments, and other extreme conditions and situations.

A massive library of animals and extras—some ordinary and others less so—plus 15 fully fleshed out villains and 15 ready-to-play heroes.

Loads of advice, tips, tricks, shortcuts, strategies, and suggestions to help you create nefarious villains, exciting adventures, memorable campaigns, and game sessions that feel like a comic book stories instead of super-powered dungeon crawls.

Designed as a combination rogues gallery, adventure supplement, and setting guide, Pinnacle City’s Most Wanted is intended to help make life as easy as possible for gamemasters. Within its pages you’ll find …

An assortment of opponents and supervillains of varying power level, from street-level criminals to cosmic beings that threaten the entire planet, if not the entire galaxy.

Every villain described in enough detail to let you use them as they are, but with enough room for you to make these characters your own and fit them into your game word.

Every villain's entry also includes a description of an important location in Pinnacle City or in the greater Pinnacle City Universe, plus a number of adventure seeds.

A variety of groups, organizations, and peoples, from assassins’ guilds to ninja clans, organized criminal enterprises to shadowy government agencies, technological overlords to supernatural underworlds, hidden races to alien invaders, and more.

As with villains, every group, organization, or people is described in enough detail to give you a taste of who they are while leaving room to make them your own, and each description includes additional adventure seeds.

To combat all these menaces, the book introduces readers to AEGIS, one governmental organization the heroes might actually consider their ally. Maybe.

Last, because players may one day grow tired of doing the right thing and yearn to take a walk on the wild side, the last Chapter of this sourcebook includes rules and advice for playing the villains and running villainous games.

The main purpose of this Kickstarter is to give these books the treatment they deserve and provide you with the best product out there, one filled with full color artwork by amazing artists. As of the time this Kickstarter went live, the status of each book is as follows:

Prowlers & Paragons Ultimate Edition is already complete, fully written, edited, and ready for layout.

Pinnacle City’s Most Wanted is nearing completion. Should it fund, we expect the book to be fully written and edited and ready for layout within 30 to 60 days after completion of this Kickstarter.

Modern Gods [stretch goal sourcebook] is nearing completion. Should it fund, we expect the book to be fully written and edited and ready for layout within 30 to 60 days after completion of this Kickstarter.

Blood & Justice: Shadows of Nocturne [stretch goal sourcebook] is nearing completion. Should it fund, we expect the book to be fully edited and ready for layout within 30 to 60 days after completion of this Kickstarter.

Kickstarter campaign ends: Mon, April 8 2019 5:00 PM BST

Website: Evil Beagle Games

[theonyxpath]

Yes, we’re down to the last few days of the Deviant: The Renegades Kickstarter campaign, and backers have been talking full-time with developer Eric Zawadzki about all the options contained in the previews AND in the Stretch Goal projects. It’s been really great seeing folks come up with how popular (and unpopular, for that matter) characters in various media can be replicated in Deviant.

There’s been a ton of them, and it’s just awesome how flexible the character creation section is! Dave Brookshaw’s extensive process and playtesting is really paying off with a system that absolutely shines.

So, c’mon! Check it out while we’re still rolling and if you pledge you’ll be getting those sweet Stretch Goal projects as well as Deviant itself with your pledge!

And while Deviant is the last KS standing right now, our joint Creature Collection KS with Handiwork Games ended over the weekend with a satisfying amount that’s over 400% our funding amount, a great number of backers, and a fantastic 224 pages (we started with 160).

A huge round of thanks and appreciation to Handiwork and Jon and all his team over there! It is really one sweet project they put together – and even before the KS was over they had hired new writers and artists to start on the added sections. Our Creature Collection is in good hand(s) – iwork.

OK, even I think that’s a groaner, but I wrote it and it’s staying in as I gotta move on to the next topic!

They Came From Beneath the Sea! art by Brian Leblanc

Over the weekend, I also attended the SAVE convention in Harrisburg, PA. Not only was I joined by Eddy and Dixie, but surprise guest Neall Raemonn Price showed up! He was able to join us on panels, and we had a lot, I mean A LOT, of discussion of upcoming projects – tons of Scion talk, but also a couple of upcoming and currently secret projects.

SAVE itself was bigger than ever, and Saturday it was packed in the gaming area. Even more interesting to me, was the education and therapy tracks (as opposed to the game design and gaming ones I was in), because these were also packed with folks wanting to discuss and learn about how our hobby can be used to build understanding and help with therapeutic efforts.

What a fantastic place we are now in where we don’t have to only mention those anecdotal stories of roleplaying helping folks in their real lives, we now have real, practicing therapists and educators stepping up with methodologies. Very proud of my friends in the Bodhana Group for being forerunners in this effort!

On a personal gaming level, Friday night at the convention I stepped up and DM’d my long-time D&D world for the first time for adults in about thirty years. I just felt like if we’re publishing so many D&D 5e based game lines, I needed to be able to talk about them with experience, not just from playing a few campaigns.

So I girded my loins, converted an adventure I’d written that was published in White Wolf Magazine #15, and sat down with Eddy, Dixie, Neall, and Jen, Jack, and the Captain, from Bodhana. It was extremely fun, and very satisfying – even if we roleplayed so hard the party never actually got into the dungeon part!

They did however talk themselves into a free room at a very nice inn due to some high charisma dice rolling and simple chicanery, burn up two enemies and part of a pine forest, and team-work the hell out of young Frost Giant.

I’ve received a fair number of requests to continue the game, so that’s a good sign, and I’ll just have to see what I can do. Dunno if I’ve shaken off all the rust from decades of not running a game, but I also hate saying no to people who want to join me in my imaginary world. So….

Aeon Aexpansion art by Gong Studios

Last week also saw the release to the public of one of our secret projects: the phone app version of Pugmire! The folks at DTRPG used Pugmire as their first premiere project and worked up an awesome version of the core book, that they then offered as a free download – and I understand that they’ve had over 7,000 of those downloads!

Here’s a direct link: https://phone.drivethrurpg.com/phone-pdf/?affiliate_id=4451

There’s are also some great games from other publishers on there, and we have at least one more project to add – again, one of the things we’ve been doing behind the scenes – you’d be surprised at how many of those are bubbling along right now!

Now for some useful sales info!

First, DTRPG is having their big Halloween Sale on DriveThruRPG and Storytellers Vault starting Wednesday the 16th and running until Halloween. Most of our Chronicles of Darkness PDFs will be on sale on both sites, plus there will be some Halloween Treats (i.e. free PDFs) hidden around the sites.

Here’s a link to a teaser for a Geist 2e game being run by Eric Campbell: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GOzzE8b3Wc

Here’s a link to this very cool Scion teaser announcing the project is being translated and published in Spain by The Hills Press! We think it’s an excellent video, a super teaser, and we just couldn’t be happier to be working with these folks!

Maybe the next line should be “Many Teasers, One Path”… maybe not. Let’s stick with:

Many Worlds, One Path!

BLURBS!

Kickstarter!

The Deviant: The Renegades Kickstarter has ONLY A FEW MORE DAYS to go and it’s vengefully slamming through Stretch Goals now! So far, we have the classic Backer T-Shirt, unlocked the Deviant Screen and Deviant wallpaper, added the Beast and Demon core book PDFs and Dark Eras PDFs to the CofD PDF collection, and added four sections of the Clades Companion book! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/200664283/deviant-the-renegades-a-tabletop-roleplaying-game

Next up: Mummy: The Curse 2nd Edition!

Onyx Path Media!

This Friday’s Onyx Pathcast features last week’s Call-In Show – it was live at the time and undead now, so check out as our trio and some special call-in guests answer chat questions and chat with questions!

We’ve really increased production of content for our Twitch channel in the last week! Every day has new content, every day has a different game, and much of that content is now being transferred to our YouTube channel.

I’m going to link both here in case you’re not following / subscribed to them. www.twitch.tv/theonyxpath & www/youtube.com/user/theonyxpath

It really helps us to have subscribers on our Twitch channel, and you can do so for free and catch premieres as they go up if you have an Amazon Prime account. Just type Twitch Amazon Prime into Google and you’ll be shown how to subscribe for free.

Also on our Twitch channel, we’ve been proceeding well with Character Creation Month, having created characters for Scarred Lands and Deviant: The Renegades. Also tied into those two games, Eric Zawadski has run a two-parter Deviant chronicle which will soon be transferred to YouTube, and Matthew Dawkins ran a very fun Scarred Lands meatgrinder, to show off some of the monsters from the Creature Collection. A different character dies in every scene!

We have so much fun content coming out soon, with this weekend hosting a Trinity Continuum character creation session, so please catch that if you’re at all interested in Trinity!

Remember, if you miss any content on our Twitch channel, some of it finds its way to our YouTube channel here: www.youtube.com/user/theonyxpath Don’t forget though, that some of that content is Twitch exclusive or belongs to the Storytellers running their games, so don’t miss out and remember to follow us!

Meanwhile, our fans keep creating excellent content for us, not limited to:

Occultists Anonymous for your Mage: The Awakening needs:

Episode 51: Portents of Doom The recovered grimoire is returned to the Adamantine Arrows, but Wyrd the Seer discovers some concerning information. https://youtu.be/_2UJbimcc_c

Episode 52: Rocks Fall… Wyrd shares a surprise revelation before the cabal leaves for Peru. In Peru, the cabal searches for local Pentacle mages. https://youtu.be/R56aMsiT81M

The Story Told Podcast for Exalted: In the Fall of Jiara episode out this week, we hear a dramatic combat between Dragon-Blooded and Solars!:  http://thestorytold.libsyn.com/fall-of-jiara-16

Caffeinated Conquests wrapped up their actual play of V5: https://youtu.be/nCqrC3PPunI

Red Moon Roleplaying continue with their fantastic actual play of The Sacrifice for V5 over on their website: www.redmoonroleplaying.com

Maybe the most exciting news of the week is Eric Campbell will be running Geist: The Sin-Eaters 2E! Catch the teaser trailer here: https://youtu.be/3GOzzE8b3Wc

So much fantastic content, and more every week.

Drop Matthew a message via the contact button on matthewdawkins.com if you have actual plays, reviews, or game overviews you want us to profile on the blog!

Please check any of these out and let us know if you find or produce any actual plays of our games!

Electronic Gaming!

As we find ways to enable our community to more easily play our games, the Onyx Dice Rolling App is live! Our dev team has been doing updates since we launched based on the excellent use-case comments by our community, and this thing is awesome! (Seriously, you need to roll 100 dice for Exalted? This app has you covered.)

On Amazon and Barnes & Noble!

You can now read our fiction from the comfort and convenience of your Kindle (from Amazon) and Nook (from Barnes & Noble).

If you enjoy these or any other of our books, please help us by writing reviews on the site of the sales venue from which you bought it. Reviews really, really help us get folks interested in our amazing fiction!

Our selection includes these fiction books:

Our Sales Partners!

We’re working with Studio2 to get Pugmire and Monarchies of Mau out into stores, as well as to individuals through their online store. You can pick up the traditionally printed main book, the screen, and the official Pugmire dice through our friends there! https://studio2publishing.com/search?q=pugmire

We’ve added Prince’s Gambit to our Studio2 catalog: https://studio2publishing.com/products/prince-s-gambit-card-game

Now, we’ve added Changeling: The Lost 2nd Edition products to Studio2‘s store! See them here: https://studio2publishing.com/collections/all-products/changeling-the-lost

Scarred Lands (Pathfinder) books are also on sale at Studio2, and they have the 5e version, supplements, and dice as well!: https://studio2publishing.com/collections/scarred-lands

Scion 2e books and other products are available now at Studio2: https://studio2publishing.com/blogs/new-releases/scion-second-edition-book-one-origin-now-available-at-your-local-retailer-or-online

Looking for our Deluxe or Prestige Edition books? Try this link! http://www.indiepressrevolution.com/xcart/Onyx-Path-Publishing/

And you can order Pugmire, Monarchies of Mau, Cavaliers of Mars, and Changeling: The Lost 2e at the same link! And NOW Scion Origin and Scion Hero are available to order!

As always, you can find most of Onyx Path’s titles at DriveThruRPG.com!

The big Halloween Sale on DriveThruRPG and Storytellers Vault starts Wednesday the 16th and runs until Halloween.

Most of our Chronicles of Darkness PDFs will be on sale on both sites, plus there will be some Halloween Treats (i.e. free PDFs) hidden around the sites.

On Sale This Week!

We’re releasing new Trinity Continuum: Aeon journals on our RedBubble store on Weds!

Conventions!

GameHoleCon: October 31st – November 3rd PAX Unplugged: December 6th – 8th 2020: Midwinter: January 9th – 12th

And now, the new project status updates!

DEVELOPMENT STATUS FROM EDDY WEBB (projects in bold have changed status since last week):

First Draft (The first phase of a project that is about the work being done by writers, not dev prep)

Exalted Essay Collection (Exalted)

Exigents (Exalted 3rd Edition)

Many-Faced Strangers – Lunars Companion (Exalted 3rd Edition)

Player’s Guide to the Contagion Chronicle (Chronicles of Darkness)

N!ternational Wrestling Entertainment (Trinity Continuum: Aberrant)

Creating in the Realms of Pugmire (Realms of Pugmire)

Contagion Chronicle Ready-Made Characters (Chronicles of Darkness)

Redlines

Tales of Aquatic Terror (They Came From Beneath the Sea!)

Kith and Kin (Changeling: The Lost 2e)

Crucible of Legends (Exalted 3rd Edition)

M20 Victorian Mage (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)

Dragon-Blooded Novella #2 (Exalted 3rd Edition)

Contagion Chronicle Jumpstart (Chronicles of Darkness)

Second Draft

Across the Eight Directions (Exalted 3rd Edition)

Scion: Demigod (Scion 2nd Edition)

Wraith20 Fiction Anthology (Wraith: The Oblivion 20th Anniversary Edition)

Yugman’s Guide to Ghelspad (Scarred Lands)

Pirates of Pugmire KS-Added Adventure (Realms of Pugmire)

Contagion Chronicle: Global Outbreaks (Chronicles of Darkness)

Development

Heirs to the Shogunate (Exalted 3rd Edition)

City of the Towered Tombs (Cavaliers of Mars)

Masks of the Mythos (Scion 2nd Edition)

TC: Aberrant Reference Screen (Trinity Continuum: Aberrant)

Titanomachy (Scion 2nd Edition)

Trinity Continuum Jumpstart (Trinity Continuum Core)

Monsters of the Deep (They Came From Beneath the Sea!)

One Foot in the Grave Jumpstart (Geist: The Sin-Eaters 2e)

Lunars Novella (Rosenberg) (Exalted 3rd Edition)

Manuscript Approval

Mythical Denizens (Creatures of the World Bestiary) (Scion 2nd Edition)

Scion: Dragon (Scion 2nd Edition)

M20 The Technocracy Reloaded (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)

Vigil Watch (Scarred Lands)

Terra Firma (Trinity Continuum: Aeon)

Mummy: The Curse 2nd Edition core rulebook (Mummy: The Curse 2nd Edition)

Post-Approval Development

Trinity Continuum: Aberrant (Trinity Continuum: Aberrant)

Deviant: The Renegades (Deviant: The Renegades)

Scion LARP Rules (Scion)

Editing

Lunars: Fangs at the Gate (Exalted 3rd Edition)

Hunter: The Vigil 2e core (Hunter: The Vigil 2nd Edition)

Let the Streets Run Red (Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition)

Geist 2e Fiction Anthology (Geist: The Sin-Eaters 2nd Edition)

Dragon-Blooded Novella #1 (Exalted 3rd Edition)

Scion Companion: Mysteries of the World (Scion 2nd Edition)

Tales of Good Dogs – Pugmire Fiction Anthology (Pugmire)

Cults of the Blood Gods (Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition)

Legendlore core book (Legendlore)

WoD Ghost Hunters (World of Darkness)

Post-Editing Development

Chicago Folio/Dossier (Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition)

TC: Aeon Ready-Made Characters (Trinity Continuum: Aeon)

Night Horrors: Nameless and Accursed (Mage: the Awakening Second Edition)

City of the Towered Tombs (Cavaliers of Mars)

Oak, Ash, and Thorn: Changeling: The Lost 2nd Companion (Changeling: The Lost 2nd)

W20 Shattered Dreams Gift Cards (Werewolf: The Apocalypse 20th)

TC: Aeon Jumpstart (Trinity Continuum: Aeon)

Indexing

Dystopia Rising: Evolution core (Dystopia Rising: Evolution)

ART DIRECTION FROM MIKE CHANEY!

In Art Direction

Contagion Chronicle – Sending out contracts.

Trinity Continuum: Aberrant

Hunter: The Vigil 2e – Sam on the fulls.

Ex3 Lunars – Contracted.

TCfBtS!: Heroic Land Dwellers

Night Horrors: Nameless and Accursed – Workin’ on it.

Ex3 Monthly Stuff

Trinity RMCs – Contracted.

Cults of the Blood God (KS) – Contracted.

Chicago Folio – Looking for one more artist.

Mummy 2 (KS) – KS stuff in progress.

City of the Towered Tombs – Contracted.

Let the Streets Run Red – Right after Chi Folio art is in.

In Layout

They Came from Beneath the Sea! – Template created… system chapter done.

Dark Eras 2 – Aileen working on it.

Trinity Continuum Aeon: Distant Worlds

VtR Spilled Blood – In progress.

Geist 2e Screen – Need notes from developer.

Proofing

C20 Cup of Dreams – Heading off for WW approval today.

M20 Book of the Fallen – Josh finishing cover.

DR:E Threat Guide – Helnau’s Guide to Wasteland Beasties – At Eschaton for approval.

Memento Mori – Layout proofing as art comes in.

At Press

Trinity Core Screen – At Studio2 – shipping to backers.

TC Aeon Screen – At Studio2 – shipping to backers.

Trinity: In Media Res – PoD proofs coming.

Trinity Core – At Studio2 – shipping to backers.

Trinity Aeon – At Studio2 – shipping to backers.

V5: Chicago – Printing.

Aeon Aexpansion – Prepping for PoD.

DR:E Jumpstart – PoD proof ordered.

W20 Art Book – Backer PDF out to backers, PoD proof ordered.

Geist 2e (Geist: The Sin-Eaters 2nd Edition) – Getting print files ready.

DRE Screen – Getting print files prepped.

Today’s Reason to Celebrate!

Today is the five year anniversary of Impish Ian Watson’s line of Social Justice Classes t-shirts, with Social Justice Paladin and Social Justice Wizard being particular favorites. You can find them at: https://www.redbubble.com/…/c…/328337-social-justice-classes Congrats, Ian!

[geekygirlexperience]

221B Con Panels are up! There’s more to 221B Con than just Sherlock Holmes!

If you want a convention that’s like 80% women, LGBTQA+ people, and just awesome, PLEASE CHECK OUT 221B CON! They just announced this year’s panels!

221B Con isn’t JUST an everything Sherlock Holmes convention. It also features other fandoms, LGBTQA+ panels, and writing workshops. Here’s some of the non-Sherlock panels they announced this year.

I’m applying for the Thrawn panel this year!!!

Thrawn - The Sherlock Holmes of Star Wars (And His Watson’s) - A look at the parallels between Grand Admiral Thrawn and Sherlock Holmes (and his various Watsons like Eli Vanto, Gilad Pellaeon, and Karyn Faro)

Fandom Panels:

-After Canon Ends - What happens to a fandom when there is no new canon? Why do some fandoms survive or even get stronger while others die? Is it the fabric of the original work or the fervor of the fandom that sustains it? Why does Sherlock Holmes and Harry Potter fandom thrive when Battlestar Galactica and Babylon dwindle?

-Captain Marvel - Finally a Marvel movie headlined by a woman! Sorry Black Widow. We were rooting for you first.

-D&D Level 0 - A beginner’s guide to Dungeons and Dragons.

-Discrimination Within the Canon - From the KKK in the Five Orange Pips and the little girl in the Yellow Face to Holmes’s own dismissal of women, how do we square our love for Canon with the problematic nature of Victorian ideals? (While this s Sherlock Holmes centric, I’m sure other fandoms will be discussed)

-Doctor Who: A New Chapter - Moffatt is gone and we have a female doctor for the first time ever. How is the show holding up?

-The Good Place - I Kant Stop Watching!: Motherforking shirtballs! We’re renewed for a fourth season! Someone tell Janet to bring me a frozen yoghurt to celebrate!

-Kingdom Hearts - A discussion of Disney’s hit game.

-Legalities and Ethics of Fan Works - As creators become more aware of fan made content, what are the legal rights of the fan?

-The Magicians - A fan discussion of the hit Syfy show.

-McElroy Panel - A panel for all things McElroy-related. My Brother, My Brother and Me, The Adventure Zone, etc. Come in your favourite Taako cosplay, that’s what we really want to see right?

-MCU - A closer look at the Marvel Universe. Is Tony back from space? Is Peter okay?

-Representations of Women in Modern Science Fiction - From Ripley to Okoye, an in depth discussion of how women are viewed differently in science fiction and fantasy.

-Tabletop Gaming and Fandoms - Tabletop games like Dungeons & Dragons, Vampire, and Starfinder, have been around for decades. And the number of people that play have grown from a few people in a room to full conventions across the globe. Come join us as we discuss our favorite or even some lesser known tabletop games, what we love about them, and the fandoms born from them.

Tarzan in Cinema - Along with Sherlock Holmes and Dracula, Tarzan is one of the most adapted characters in movie history. Let’s discuss the good and the bad that came from these films.

-Yuri!!! On Ice in 2019 - What Will it Mean for the Fandom: With the anticipated new canon for Yuri!!! On Ice what will it mean for the fandom going forward?

 LGBTQA+ Panels:

-50 Shades of A - Asexuality in Fandom and Canon: This panel will discuss representations of asexuality in fandom and canon.

-Bitextuality in Sherlock Holmes - exploring the canon through the images that accompanied them.

-Polyshipping Time - More More More: Is more always better? It is in a polyfic! Come discuss the proliferation of plurality and passion.

-Queer Interpretations of Holmes and Watson - The beauty of Sherlock Holmes is the ability to adapt it to other times and places. The Canon is open to interpretation of many kinds. Come discuss the queering of Holmes and Watson in Canon and beyond.

Fanfiction and Writing Panels:

-ABO (18+) - ABO is one of the most discussed and misunderstood tropes in fan fiction today. Our panelists will discuss the where ABO began, where it is, and where it is going.

-Beyond Wikipedia - A crash course in research methods for the discerning writer.

-Co-Writing - The Ups and the Downs: Join our panelists as they discuss their experiences with co-writing, both positive and negative, and offer tips for making co-writing work.

-Cuddle Fic and Fluff - A look at the softer side of fanfiction.

-Every Disguise Is A Self Portrait: Healing Through Fic - A discussion of reading and writing fic as a method of obtaining support for self-discovery, personal growth and recovery. Helpful tips for writers having difficulty addressing important, yet uncomfortable, issues in their own work (homophobia, abuse, addiction).

-Fanfiction Panel - All ages discussion of fan works.

-Freaks in Love: Thank You, May I Have Another? - A discussion of bdsm, consensual kink, power dynamics, and the challenges of writing a scene. 18 and up (ID Required).

-How to Scrub Your Fanfiction - Are you interested in publishing your fan fiction as an original work? Panelists will give tips on how to rework a story to make it viable for publication.

-Insecurity, Imposter Syndrome and other Creative Pitfalls - Back by popular demand. Being a fanfiction writer or artist is hard. You put your stuff out there and hope for the best. But there's often that feeling of not measuring up, that your stuff isn't good enough, that nobody really cares. It's important to talk about this, because it's normal, and it's okay. Everyone starts from somewhere, and someone does want to read or look at your stuff.

-OCs Encouraged - How To Go From Writing Fanfic to Creating Your Own Novels -Authors give insight into moving into the publishing world.

-PWP Fic - We all know that adult themes abound in fanfiction but why do we interact with this specific type of media differently than things that would traditionally be deemed pornographic. 18 and up (ID Required).

-World Building for Writers - Creating in depth universes to play hosts to your characters. What are some pitfalls we have all faced and how do we get around them?

 Other Fun Panels You Should Check Out!

-221B Baking Street - Join us for a scrumptious panel on how Sherlock has inspired marshmallows, tea blending, and other foods.

-Anachronistic History - Research is always important in period pieces but modern storytelling and sci fi have made it possible to alter the rules of time. A look at out of place technologies in different historical eras.

-Communicating in a Meme Culture - A discussion of how millennial and Gen Z members use a collective and fast changing meme culture to communicate.

-Creativity and Neurodiversity - How does one take care of themselves while also creating, and how can one use the gifts that an unusual mind can give.

-Designing and Building an Original Costume - What do you do when you love Steampunk AND Disney, or Moulin Rouge AND Star Wars, or historical fashion AND superheroes? What if you have a great LARP character who needs a definitive “look?” Maybe you want to cosplay a non-human character, or an object! We've got you covered.

-Drug Use in the Victorian Era - It was a crazy time when opiates were readily available and women used cocaine for headaches. A discussion of drugs during the reign of Victoria. Spoiler alert: A 7% solution would have killed you.

-Edgar Allan Poe - As we observed the 170th anniversary of Poe’s death, let’s look back on his work and his contributions to detective fiction.

-Fandom Un-raveled: We’re Crafty – A look at online communities for Sherlock fans and fiber arts: knitting, crocheting, spinning and weaving.

-How to Make Podfics and Audiobooks - A How To guide for those starting out.

-Tattoos and Sherlock Holmes - A group discussion of Sherlock Holmes related tattoos and what they mean to you. Do you have a fandom tattoo? Come share your story.

-Teaching and Fandom - Many of us in fandom are teachers or Librarians, and no matter what subject we teach, fandom has influenced our teaching practice in many ways. In this panel, a group of educators will share ideas and talk about how participating in fandom has made us better teachers.

 AND there’s of course all of the many Sherlock Holmes panels too! All Sherlock Holmes welcome from the original canon to the Great Mouse Detective, House, Psyche, and all the actors too! Check it out at 221bcon.com

[sarakaybct-blog]

Stage 2: Design

Game Design 

This part of the project is taking me back to our first studio project; cards for play. I know that I didn’t do very well in regards to following the guidelines specified in the brief - DISCUSS, REFLECT & ITERATE. I merely focused on listing the things that I did and how I did them. I didn’t include as much feedback and reflection into my project. Hopefully I don’t repeat the same mistakes. 

Im excited to get started on the design stage for this final project because I’m required to use Adobe Photoshop. I’m glad that I took art design in High School, because we spent a whole year using that program, so I’m very familiar with it. I might be a little rusty because I did take that subject back in year 12, but I’m sure the minute I hop onto it, my memory will get refreshed.  So before I get into first step “Produce quick sketches of the game layout” I want to understand the meaning of Game design Design elements The development process. And how I can apply whatever it is that I learned into my app game. Let’s begin. 

What is Game Design? 

1. “Game design is the art of applying design and aesthetics to create a game to facilitate interaction between players for entertainment or for educational, exercise, or experimental purposes.”  2. “Game design can be applied both to games and, increasingly, to other interactions, particularly virtual ones.”  3. “Game design creates goals, rules, and challenges to define a sport, tabletop game, casino game, video game, role-playing game, or simulation that produces desirable interactions among its participants and, possibly, spectators.”  4. “ Game design is a subset of the field of video game development. Game design is a field with a broad focus. As such, the skills of a game designer are drawn from the fields of computer science and programming, creative writing and graphic design. Game designers take the creative lead in imagining and bringing to life video game stories, characters, gameplay, rules, interfaces, dialogue and environments. This being the case, a game designer is a cross between a writer, artist and programmer. It is an individual who presents a comprehensive artistic vision, while also possessing the technical skill to oversee and contribute to programming, image rendering, level design, digital editing and other construction aspects of game design.” 

Design Elements - How does this apply to my app game?  Games can be identified and characterised by "what the player does." This is often referred to as gameplay. Major key elements identified in this context are tools and rules that define the overall context of game.

Tools of Play:  “Games are often restricted by the components required to play them”. In this case, a person requires a mobile phone to play an app game. 

Rule development:  Since games are generally characterised by their tools, they are usually defined by their rules. Even though rules are subject to changes, enough change in the rules sometimes result in a “new”  game.  There are exceptions to this in that some games deliberately involve the changing of their own rules, but even then there are often immutable meta-rules. Rules generally determine turn order, the rights and responsibilities of the players, each player's goals, and how game components interact with each other in to produce changes in a game's state. Rules for App game -  Goal is to swim as much as possible with your sea creature while avoiding the ocean pollution to earn as much score as possible. 

- Player must slide their finger from left to right/touch/tap the screen to make the character (turtle/fish/sea creature) swim.  - Avoid the rubbish/debris, oil spills and toxic materials/chemicals to survive/stay out of harms way.  - Collect energy power boost to increase your top speed and become invincible. - Play to unlock new sea creatures.   I used an app game called “The Astro” as a template to create these rules. It kind of has the same rules and game style that I was going for.  

Single or multiplayer:  Most games require multiple players. However, app games are mostly single-player games. Single player games are unique in respect to the type of challenges a player deals with. Unlike a game with multiple players going up against each other (with or against) to reach the game’s goal, a single-player game is against an aspect of the environment, against one’s own skills, against time or chance.  Many games described as "single-player" or "cooperative" could alternatively be described as puzzles or recreations, in that they do not involve strategic behaviour (as defined by game theory), in which the expected reaction of an opponent to a possible move becomes a factor in choosing which move to make.  This app game will definitely be a single-player game where the player is not required to use any strategic behaviour since the game only involves a “dodging” movement 

Luck and strategy:  A game's tools and rules will result in its requiring skill, strategy, luck, or a combination thereof, and are classified accordingly. There are different types:  - Games of skill - physical and mental  - Games of strategy  - Games of chance 

This app game involves skill of practice, dexterity (skill in performing tasks, especially with the hands.) As the player repeatedly plays the game, their skill of practice will increase, with each try, they will get better. 

Use as an educational tool:  By learning through play, people can expand their social and psychological skills, develop emotionally, and achieve the self-confidence required to join in new experiences and environments. The app game is being created not only as an entertainment tool but an educational tool - where play is used to communicate the effects of ocean pollution on marine life. When people engage in this game, it can challenge their thinking and it’ll provide insight on this issue. 

The Development Process 

“Game design is part of a game's development from concept to its final form. Typically, the development process is an iterative process, with repeated phases of testing and revision. During revision, additional design or re-design may be needed.” 

For this app game, I am going to be the game developer, designer, and artist. This means that I am responsible for: 

Inventing the game’s concept, its central mechanisms, and its rules.

The title and theme 

Fleshing out the details of the game's design

Overseeing its testing

Revising the game in response to player feedback.

Creating the artwork 

Producing a prototype of the game

For this project, I know I will be able to carry out all of these task apart from overseeing its testing because I won’t be making a fully functioning game. The end result will simply be images of the artwork/prototype.  

Concept:  “ A game concept is an idea for a game, briefly describing its core play mechanisms, who the players represent, and how they win or lose.” 

Idea: To create an app game the provides insight, raises awareness on the issue of ocean pollution and its effects on marine life. Core play mechanisms:  Aim: To swim as much as possible with your sea creature while avoiding the pollutants in the ocean to earn as much score as possible.  Rules:   Player must slide their finger from left to right/touch/tap the screen to make the character (turtle/fish/sea creature) swim. - Avoid the rubbish/debris, oil spills and toxic materials/chemicals to survive/stay out of harms way. - Collect energy power boost to increase your top speed and become invincible. - Play to unlock new sea creatures.    Components: Mobile Phone  Player represents: sea creature How they win or lose: Avoid the rubbish/debris, oil spills and toxic materials/chemicals to survive/stay out of harms way.

Design:  “The play sequence and possible player actions are defined, as well as how the game starts, ends, and what is its winning condition.”  (See in upcoming blogs) 

Prototype:  “A game prototype is a draft version of a game used for testing. Typically, creating a prototype marks the shift from game design to game development and testing.”  (See in upcoming blogs) 

Testing:  “Game testing is a major part of game development. During testing, players play the game and provide feedback on its gameplay, the usability of its components or screen elements, the clarity of its goals and rules, ease of learning, and enjoyment to the game developer. The developer then revises the design, its components, presentation, and rules before testing it again.”

“During testing, various balance issues may be identified, requiring changes to the game's design.”

As I’ve said many times, I will not be applying this step in my game design process. I’ll only reach to the prototype stage. However, I will be getting feedback from peers on the games idea, gameplay, layout, and other things mentioned above. By doing so I might require to make some changes to my design. 

References 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_design#Concept

https://www.internationalstudent.com/study-game-design/what-is-game-design/

[kumulonimbus]

Tagged!

Rules: Tag 20 blogs you’d like to know better.

Tagged by these lovely ladies @en-lumine & @therealpoesdaughter - thank you!

 Nickname: Elle, L, Ellie, Lala, the Irish girl…

Zodiac sign: Cancer

Height: 5’3

Last Thing You Googled: How to photograph a solar eclipse

Favorite music artist: Foo Fighters, Arctic Monkeys, Oasis, Nirvana and many, many more.

Song stuck in my head: Shape of you, by Ed Sheeran. Damn, that’s catchy.

Last Movie you watched: I’m moving houses so I haven’t watched a movie in a very long time. If I recall correctly, the last movie I watched was 13 hours, back in January or maybe late December.

What are you wearing right now: A pink tank top and a long, black tube skirt. (Just got back from work, haven’t changed yet – no, I don’t work on weekends but we had an event at the museum so I had to be there)

What do you post: I mostly reblog fanart and things I like. I used to post fic previews but I haven’t done that in ages now.

Why did you choose your URL: it was the name of my first ever blog, more than a decade ago.

Do you have any other blogs: Nope.

What Did Your Past Relationship Teach You: In itself, nothing at all. I learned most things when I began comparing that relationship to my actual relationship (aka, when I began comparing that asshole to the guy I married) – the most important thing I learned is that love doesn’t need to be a constant drama for it to be real. Love doesn’t have to stress you out, it can be simple and quiet.

Religious Or Spiritual: I’d like to say spiritual.  

Favorite Color: Violet.

Average Hours Of Sleep: 6 hours, but it can be a lot less than that from time to time.

Lucky Number: 16

Favorite character: Too many! Nathan, Elena and Victor from the Uncharted series; Sub-Zero, Kenshi, Rain, Erron Black and Ferra-Torr from MK; basically everyone in Cowboy Bebop; Fantomex, Daimon Hellstrom, Havok, Quicksilver, Polaris, Gambit, Black Bolt, Medusa, Psylocke and Capt. Britain from Marvel Comics. Mulder and Scully… yeah, I’m old school, sue me. 

Ellie and Joel from The Last of Us… The Shimada brothers from Overwatch. Every single character in Parks and Rec; Robert Langdon… And a lot, lot more.

How Many Blankets Do you Sleep With: One. (What’s with this question???)

Dream Job: writer.

Board games, video games or tabletop games?: Video games.

Do you have any OCs? If yes, talk about a couple of them!: I have some but the most popular one/the most important one in terms of narrative perspective is Alex from my MK story, Debris. 

Dr. Alexandra Flynn crossed paths with the Outworld cowboy Erron Black – the man was hurt and she helped him get better. In return, she was expecting the mercenary to help her get back home to Earthrealm but the man refused. There’s something about her that reminds him of Amanda, the woman he loved and lost so many years ago – fueled by the memory of Amanda, Black tries to keep the doctor by his side but the Outworld law separated them for over a decade. Now that they’ve been reunited, Black has to face this new reality: the woman he abandoned back then is not the one staring back at him now – that young girl is now pushing forty, and her aging is a brand new dilemma that the man who can’t age can’t afford to face.

One thing you wish was canon in a fiction story/fandom?:  I can’t think of anything right now. I mean; many, many things I just can’t bring my mind to find one now.

Favourite thing to draw/ write about/ think about?: No matter the fandom, I’m really interested in the psychology of the characters, so I devote a lot of my energy into building consistent, coherent personalities for each OC and I’m also very careful about the nature of the bonds between those characters and canon characters – the way they interact, the elements uniting them and separating them; the sources of their conflicts and the reason for their harmony. I recently had a blast while working on Variations on a Theme, my latest Overwatch fanfiction because I had the chance to explore all those elements in the bond uniting Hanzo and Amélie.

The strangest song you like (and a link to it if possible!): this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPHXNhcseJs – okay, guys. First of all, I’m not 12, I’m 32 – but this thing cheers me up/cracks me up every single time.

A book/story/fanfiction you read recently and would recommend (doesn’t have to be fiction):

Most people know about my love for pretty much everything written by Kundera, Dostoevsky, Murakami, Sábato, Angela Carter, Borges and Hesse so I’ll never get tired of recommending those authors.

If we’re talking fanfiction, Desperado by @hell-on-training-wheels, The Takahashi Family Saga by @en-lumine, Ascension by @therealpoesdaughter, Royal Reign by Beckon and Blade of Vengeance by @iceangelmkx are all incredible works that deserve to be read and enjoyed by every MK fan out there.

Memoization by liathach (tselina), Overwatch: out of time by monthefratellis and The many assassination attempts of Hanzo Shimada by Inuyashagirl7692 are incredible works for the Overwatch fandom.

Not tagging anyone this time, but feel free to play along!

[canvaswolfdoll]

Canvas and Video Games

Have I talked about my Video Game history? Feels like I have, but I also can’t remember doing so. I’m also running low on possible essay topics, and haven’t finished off any media that I can review[1] recently enough to do that instead…

So, hey, you nerds, let’s talk about Video Games!

Because that’s obviously been a massive influence on my life, what with… my entire brand, really. Egads, am I a nerd, sitting here with a New 3DS in a charging cradle in front of me, trying to work out how to do better quality streams and deciding to write an essay about Video Games.

It all started with my brother, old Foxface himself. As the family lore goes, my parents once didn’t want video games in the house, what with… the social stigma, I guess? It was different times, alright?

Point is, my brother’s speech teacher was all ‘Hey, you know what may help with speech? Video Games! Get him video games.’

And so my parents did, despite any reasonable connection or evidence in the above argument.[2]

So they bought him the Sega Genesis, the only non-Nintendo console we’ve ever owned. He played Sonic the Hedgehog! Also… no. It was mostly just Sonic.

Obviously young Canvas was also interested in the wonder of interactive media, and the running rodent, so I’d watch him play, and occasionally step in as Tails or try to play it myself. And I was terrible at it.

Eventually, the Nintendo 64 was released and added to our fleet of hardware, and we never looked back! Ha ha!

That’s the console that we really cut our teeth on, with it’s many beloved games, from Mario 64, Star Fox 64, Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (first Zelda game I was ever aware of), and so on and so forth. We ended up with most of the major releases.[3] Also Mischief Makers for some reason.

It was also the height of Video Rental stores, though I never got to choose games to rent. Vulpin stuck with Space Station Silicon Valley which… might deserve an HD Remake, to be honest. Such a bizarre premise people would eat up, nowadays.

The Game Boy Color arrived, carrying Pokemon and various shovelware, plus a few Zelda Games. Tried my best with them, but for the longest time I never actually completed a video game, or got that far, though I did finish Johto in Gold, which is something.

Gamecube came out, the Dreamcast died, and I began to become aware of the surrounding culture as my capabilities to use the internet matured. We also continued a trend of our person game libraries for the generation growing larger than the last. Lots of GameCube games.

Animal Crossing was a Christmas gift early in the cycle, and it was the first video game all of the kids in the family played, to various extents. Elder Sister was her usual perfectionist self, paid off her house, then pretty much stopped playing video games forever afterwards. Little Sister still plays the occasional game (mostly Paper Mario), but largely it’s just Foxface and I who are deep into the gaming scene.

But, like so many things, tracking each and every experience would be a rather sisyphean task, so I should try and refocus here.

Video Games have always been a presence in my life, and thus had its effects on my creative self, from imaginary friends to the little stories I’d crafted pacing the backyard. They were my chief insight into narratives and various genres, design (whether costume or set or mechanical). Nintendo Power helped educate me on the concept of news and industry, as well as the community that could grow from a hobby.

In fact, Pokemon was the main driving force behind the event I joke is the time I’ve ever made friends myself,[4] being approached while reading a book related to the franchise during second grade. It was nice.

Learning about the internet and GameFAQs hinted towards the wider world and culture, and eventually I came upon 8-Bit Theater, which fired up my love of comics in a big way. Comics and stories made from and about elements of video games? That’s so cool!

Then Nintendo Acres happened.

The diminishing use of quality sprite work in video games makes me sad, by the way. There’s just something about the GBA/DS era graphics that invokes joy in my heart, by now even Pokemon has left sprite work behind for models, and even kitschy independent games tend for the super minimalistic version of 8-bit and… whatever one would refer to Atari graphics. Had I artistic talent, I would slather my media in 16-bit evocative of Friends of Mineral Town or The World Ends with You.

In fact, I think that’s one of my main hurdles getting invested in Stardew Valley[5] and Undertale. They just look ugly, even by the standards of kitschy 8-bit style. Frisk is malformed, and all the Stardew characters are in the wrong perspective for the rest of the world. Sprite work can be so beautiful, and yet no one puts in the effort anymore.

Look, sprites aren’t the only aesthetic I love, just so we’re clear. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, I just prefer bright, cheery worlds. Tale of Symphonia is one of my favorite games, if not my absolute number one.[6] There’s just something very nice about a fantasy world that looks lush and vibrant, where you’d be happy to live just for the scenery. The Tales series and Rune Factory also made me very positive about oddly intricate characters in fantasy. I’ve never liked the dirt covered fantasy of… let’s say Skyrim. Fantasy should be about escapism, grand adventure in grand landscapes, not the crushing reality of medieval times.

More Ghibli, less brown is what I want in general.

I may be an oddball for the elements I look for in video games. I like RPGs (obviously) but there’s very few members of the genre I actually enjoy. I flat-out can’t stand western Video Game RPGs.

What I usually look for in games is both a compelling narrative and interesting mechanics, with allowance for the ‘Classics’ and trendsetters.[7] This is something I find lacking in Western-Style RPGs, with their focus on customizing and granular stat advancement. Sure, I understand someone’s desire to try and put a popular character in an Elder Scrolls, or place some curious limitation on themselves while crawling around Fallout’s wastelands.

But because the game needs to allow the player to make whoever they want, it severely cripples the writer’s ability to write the “main” character into the plot, lest they step on the agency of the player. So, from my perspective, we end up in one of two situations: the PC is a non-entity in the plot, with the narrative happening around and to them instead of with them. Or, we get a Mass Effect situation, where they treat it like Choose Your Own Adventure, and you end up shooting a dude when you thought you were just going to arrest him.[8] That’s why I much prefer being handed a protagonist with a history and personality.

Now, those familiar with my tabletop philosophies, and namely my disdain for randomized Character Gen because it takes away player agency might be tilting their head at this inconsistency.

Well, it’s a scale thing. I realize Video Games have a limitation, and thus it’s unreasonable to expect it to cater to you completely. Tabletop, however, allows endless narrative possibilities, because it’s being created in the moment. So, with Video Games, I’m more willing to just let the story take me along as an observer, like a TV Show.

Which is to say, I don’t really project on the Player Character, and am I happy with that. It’s a division between game and story that may seem odd, but it’s what I look for: every piece having a narrative purpose, especially the loser who’s carrying us on our back.

So, narratively, I prefer the style of JRPGs (also, I like Anime and it’s tropes, so…). Yet, I have never really gotten engrossed in any Final Fantasy Game, because list combat is very dull. I mean, grindy, set the auto-attack against opponent style of Western RPGs[10] aren’t much better, but at least it’s got a hint of visual interest.

What am I left with? For a while, Tales of Symphonia, but now I’ve got Rune Factory, with it’s rather simple combat, but still mostly fun (helped along by other elements), and especially Fire Emblem, which what I wish battlemat D&D combat could be: quick, clever, strategic.

Though I’ve only played the 3DS installments thus far, due to lack of accessibility to the early games, which I couldn’t be bothered to try when they were released. Did try the first GBA game to be ported over, but that ended up having the worst, most micromanaging tutorial I’ve ever seen, and thus I am incapable of completing the first level.

I know how to play video games, Fire Emblem. I am aware of the base concept of pressing A. Yeesh. You’re worse than modern Harvest Moon games!

I’ve also never gotten invested in military FPSs, as a mixture of finding the gameplay boring, difficulty mastering it, and mockery whenever I was roped into playing one with friends.[11] In general, I don’t like being in first person view, as I find it limiting to controls, and responding to things that get behind me is annoying, because I flail trying to find the source of damage, then die.

Though, with time, my avoidance has decreased. Portal has a first person camera, but in a mixture of a more puzzle focused game and excellent integration of tutorial into gameplay,[12] it takes an agitating limited camera and makes it very workable, while also teaching the player how to interact with a game in first person.

I also played a little Team Fortress 2, and now Overwatch. The difference with those two over, say, Modern Duty or whatever, is the tone. The two games are competitive, yes, but also light hearted and goofy. Death is cheap and non punishing, the addition of powers make character choice widely different and fun, and, when I do get a little frustrated, it’s very easy for me to take a breath say ‘It’s only a game’ and let it go. Which is important when playing video games, sometimes.

Because that’s what games should always be: entertainment. It’s why I don’t try and force myself through games I’m not enjoying or lose interest in (though obviously I do try and come back and finish the plot) and why I very rarely strive for 100% completion. Because I want to enjoy myself, not engage in tedious work.

It’s also why I don’t care about ESports. Because I don’t care about sports. People doing something very well doesn’t really appeal to me. High-level chess players aren’t interesting to watch or study, seeing two teams of muscled people charge one another isn’t fun, and fight scenes with the usual punching and kicking is dull.

Because, what I look for in most cases is novelty.

Seeing a master craftsman make a thing once can be interesting, just to see the process. See a master craftsman make the same thing a 100 times is uninteresting, because nothing new is happening. When it comes to sports and games, it’s more interesting to see novices play, because they mess up in interesting ways, spot and solve problems, and you get to sit back and go ‘Now, I would’ve done this.’

So, yeah, not a big fan of Counterstrike and League of Legends news, even besides the toxic communities.

Public perception of video games turned rather quick in my lifetime. It used to be such a niche hobby, enjoyed by nerds and children and so such. Yet… well times change, don’t they? Obviously children grew up and brought games along with them, but the hobby has expanded to become mainstream, a console being as necessary as a television, where those without are viewed as bizarre, despite it not being a physical need.[13] We all remember the children who noted their family doesn’t have a TV (or keep it in the closet), and I wonder if XBoxes have gained the same traction.[14]

If only tabletop games could get the same treatment.

Though I still wouldn’t be able to find a group, but still…

Now that I’m an employed adult, I have even more control over the games I play. Which means a Wii U and a custom built PC.

That I built myself, because I also enjoyed Lego as a child.

Between the two, I tend to have a wide enough net to catch the games that interest me. Sure, there’s still some PlayStation exclusives I’d love to try (Journey, Team ICO’s works, plenty of Tales games…)[15] but some of those games are slowly drifting over to Steam, and I already have a backlog, so I can wait it out.

That’s my stumbled musings about video games… Oh! I stream them! Over here! Watch me! I love to entertain and amuse!

Also maybe consider supporting me through patreon? Then I can put more resources into being amusing!

And share any thoughts you have. I’ll listen. Until then…

Kataal kataal.

[1] Did finish rereading Yotsuba&! but there’s nothing to say about besides “Read it!” [2] Certainly didn’t help me. [3] Though not Harvest Moon 64. One day, I will slay that whale. One day… [4] The rest are inherited after old friends leave. [5] Someone on Reddit commented its port to the Switch may help scratch the itch left by Rune Factory. They are, of course, dreadfully wrong. [6] I still dislike do rankings. [7] IE, I’m not a big fan of hallway-bound FPS games, but have played through the Half-Life series. Mostly for the connection to Portal. [8] I know it was in the ‘Renegade’ position, but I thought it’d be played as ‘I’ll risk losing the Shadow Broker to book this small fish’ sort of thing. I’m not very clever, okay?[9] [9] I actually never progressed much further than that. Perhaps it’ll be on CanvasPlays someday. [10] I don’t care if you have a list of subversions of this style, by the way. I really don’t. [11] I once annoyed a former friend for not knowing there’s an aim button. I didn’t know this, because I don’t play FPSs. [12] There’s a very nice Extra Credits about this somewhere. [13] Though as a cultural need… [14] Nintendo Consoles, of course and unfortunately, being considered the off-brand. [15] the PS3 port of Tides of Destiny. Yes, it’s a disgrace of a Rune Factory game, and it was also on the wii but… well, sometimes I’m an insane collector![16] [16] I don’t even need a PS3. I can get it used for, like, five bucks from GameStop…

[dream-in-charming]

Just saw Newsies live and I have some feelings <3 <3

It just closed it’s last show here in Gilbert, AZ and I am dying to talk about it. I’ll add a page cut though since there will be many thoughts and I don’t want to annoy anyone with just a chunk of text who doesn’t want to see it. if it doesn't work on mobile, I'm sorry. I dont know how to fix it...

OMIGOD the show was incredible! 

I’ll be posting pictures from the show, and of the theatre in another post, so you can see what I’m talking about (sort of, I only got a few, I wasn’t going to disturb the show).

Warning. This is going to be VERY VERY long. :)

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For those of you not from AZ and whom have never been to this particular theatre, this theatre does shows in the round. Meaning the audience is on all sides of the performance. It’s a challenge but they pulled it off brilliantly! 

So lets begin with the quick things. 

The program is corny and I love it. It’s designed to look like a newspaper (the New York Sun) and the captions on it are funny. “Weather forecast: Cloudy, Clear By Evening”; “Miss Medda Larkin Dazzles.” and so on.  The set was super basic, considering that it either had to be on the sides of the theatre, or easily moved on and off since there wasn’t really any place to keep it on. Honestly, the whole stage floor is maybe… 20ish sq ft? Maybe a bit more, I can’t find the actual dimensions. Heck the whole place only seats 350. But that aside, it worked WELL. Nothing blocked sight-lines, and anyone could see what was going on from any angle, they didn’t just play to one direction.

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The who cast was INCREDIBLE! Every last one of them.

So let me talk about them now :)

The guy who played Jack was great. Insanely tall which worked well and made it easier to find him when he was the important speaker in the crowded scenes. Plus his facial expressions were the best. I loved them in “Something to Believe In”. Lily just adored him and any time he wasn’t on stage she was asking where he went, pretended to talk to him (in a super quiet whisper) when he was on stage, pointed him out in scenes, and just loved him. She wanted a picture with him after the show and he was sweet enough to oblige. 

The guy who played Davey played him meek and it WORKED. Plus it helped to show his progress from the new news boy who just wanted to help his family, to the strong supporter of the Strike and voice of reason. And his voice was so melodic. 

Medda. OH MEDDA. A STUNNING WOC and an amazing singer. Her song just made me smile the whole time. Please keep being amazing because damn. AH. Plus, she let me poke and prod at her costume after the show because I was curious about the material and the way it was made. Made to look like brocade, but wasn’t so as to save the actress from dying of heatstroke. 

Wisel, Snyder, and the Delancey Brothers. I hate you. It’s a good thing

Les had the most adorable fluffy fringe sticking out of his bowler hat. I wanted to ruffle it. He was very talented and a great fit with Davey. 

Katherine was beautiful. Though her timing for certain lines were off, and thus some of her funniest and strongest bits were lost, she still made up for it with a powerful presence and lordy what a smile. Also, the hair. Teach me!

Crutchie was tiny and adorable and everything I ever wanted for that role. Perfect. Plus, participated in quite a few dances. Done in a way where it doesn’t ignore his bum leg either like I’ve seen some shows do. They figured out a way to include him and make a point to continue to show, “he ain’t been walkin too good”. Also, Santa Fe - Prologue, “watch me run” broke me. 

Pulitzer. A great demanding presence. And when he belted his final note in “Bottom Line” I got good bumps and turned to jelly. I love a voice like that. Ugh. Though his hat in the final scene…. bro, you is a rich man, you can do so much better. hahaha. 

The guy who played Specs was a very good looking person, and when he took off his hat and exposed the mass of exceedingly curly locks, my heart stopped. Also very talented dancer!

All of them were SO talented (there were others I didn’t name here, the case was 23 people, I’d be here all day) The dancing was fantastic and the acting was amazing, the singing just floored me. I am so happy to have gone to see the show. 

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Now to talk about the scenes (skipping the filler scenes because again, time)

Santa Fe 1.0 - Crutchie. You broke me. 3 I loved it and it was a great start of the show. Just pulled me in right away. Lily too. From that moment on, she was smitten with Jack. 

Carrying the Banner - So good! They had to work things around to make them fit into the smaller space, but it still was amazing. Seeing people practically above me performing was great. 

Bottom Line - That final note. AMAZING. I got goosies! And Nunzio’s hair made me giggle. 

That’s Rich - Medda you are one great performer. Performing for not just the audience, but the fake one for your ‘show within the show’. And teasing the one guy for “it may be rough but soon enough I’ll learn to make do” was the best. You go girl. You don’t need him!

I never planned on you - Whoever did the art for this show to display on the screens was terrific. However, the slow progression shots to show it was being ‘drawn’ weren’t completely timed right and I could see the jumps. Granted that’s both the software person and artist in me that picked up on it. 

World Will Know - I WAS WITH YOU. Like, if someone really started a strike or rally or anything with those lines and the power built into that song, I would follow them 100%. Les’s lines were lost in the overlapping dialogue during the part where they were thrown out, but that didn’t take away from the whole scene. 

Watch What Happens - Her voice was great, she his the notes brilliantly, but this is where the timing bit that I mentioned above was the biggest. She seemed to have just rushed through the song. Still, a good song, she’s a wonderful singer. I would love to hear her do more. Also, the type writer broke. Made me grin. 

Seize the Day - Here arrive the Girlsies too! Also, the dancing was at it’s PEAK here. Loved it. Loved it. Loved it. Plus this is the scene where Specs spent the most time in front of my seat. Totally okay with that. Got hit in the face with a paper by Mush. Kept it. Lily folded it up and put it in her purse. It is themed for that time period. Perfect touch. 

Santa Fe - Felt a tad rushed, but not in a way that distracted or pulled anyone out of the show. Plus hearing Jack belt and Lily light up at him then whisper “It’s okay Jack, You’ll go to Santa Fe” was the sweetest thing ever. If she could have, she would have taken him there herself. 

King of New York - When they danced on the tabletops I felt like I was going to have a heart attack. the tables were on WHEELS. And one of the tables I could tell only had one of the two locks, locked. YOU GONNA DIE! Also, spoons.

Crutchie’s Letter - a clever way to do it without a ton of boys. Crutchie is so smol. I love him. 

WWH Reprise - “POOR GUYS HEAD IS SPINNING” Davey, you did not disappoint. Also, the way they did the painting was excellent. On the floor instead of a stand, so everyone could see it. Monopoly money? Ish?

Brooklyn’s Here - someone please turn their mics on. Please? They sounded so muffled and far away. Still good though. Watching Davey stick his tongue out at Bronx was a great growth. Also, them Brooklyn boys IS big. I’m sure Spot could take both the Delancey brothers on his own. Wow. 

Something to Believe in - their expressions just MADE this song. Their smiles glowed. Also, after the kiss, Jack leaped forward to have another kiss but Katherine turned away making him nearly fall flat on his face… that the best version of that I have ever seen. 

Once and For All - again, mics? What the heck? This is such a strong song that just builds to a HUGE ending. But seemed so quiet? The gal who played Mush whispered the words too, which I thought was odd. She danced past a number of times and I noticed she was whispering the words instead of actually singing. Not sure why this was done. Still, a good song, and the fact that they timed the printing press to turn on and start spinning right as the beat kick at the start  of the song hit, was a brilliant visual. Made my heart speed up. If it weren’t for the odd quietness of the song, I would have been SO hyped!

Finale - was a good ending. Roosevelt was great, though his hat didn’t match his suit which made my artist side hiss. He did fit that role well though. If he gave speeches like Teddy did in real life, I’d totally listen to them all. Cruchie’s return was sweet. Jack’s HUGE hug when he came down to him was the epitome of friendship. And Race practically tackled him. They’s a great group of buddies. The taunting with the Money from Jack on whether he should get more papes was funny and showed off something that people tend to forget. They are just KIDS. Loved that choice. 

Also, instead of “Newsies of New York!” they shouted “News of the Hale!” and I am living for that. My smile was huge. Thanks for adding that part, because it felt so much more personal and not just another show. Also, Roosevelt dancing with everyone at the end and his “AHHHHH GO!” face was hilarious! I was dying. 

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All in all, a fantastic show and I am so happy I got the chance to see it. I don’t think I’ve ever sat up, sat forward, and at so much attention for such a long time, in forever. I told them as I walked out to the cast (who stands out to say good bye after every show, they do that no matter what show they have) that they all did incredible because they did. I could tell it was rough on some of them, with red rimmed misty eyes, closing nights are always rough and so final. But they gave it their all and it was brilliant. I hope to see many of them in future shows. 

Lily was begging to take a pic with Jack before we left, so we did, and it was adorable. She got embarrassed and shy soon as we got near him. I told him and the gal who played Kath that stood next to him what she said and did the whole show and how she just adored him and they thought she was so sweet. They were happy I brought her and I am introducing her to theatre. Well, I’m her mother, of course! Still, thanks for taking time to talk to her. I know she’ll love you forever. 

Did I talk to Specs? No. I got way too flustered, just did a quick “incredible job” to the group of them as I passed. I am such a whimp. But then again, he’s likely taken, and/or doesn’t swing my way. Plus, how rude would it have been to just go up and (try) to flirt? Though I am bad at it, it would have been funny. Anyway, he is a person, one whom I don’t know, and I wasn’t going to be rude or creepy.  

Anyway! That’s what I thought of the show. 

Long text. Done. 

[swipestream]

Sensor Sweep: REH Guide, Realism, Short Stories, Street & Smith Pulp Sales, Star Wars

Books (Skelos Press): Presenting the English translation of the award-winning book that introduced a new generation of French fans to the father of sword and sorcery. The Robert E. Howard Guide was born out of years of scholarship, but took its final form after answering the same questions from fans over and over again. In many ways, Howard remains a “famous unknown writer, “the man who single handedly defined modern fantasy, but whose life and works are still known mostly filtered through adaptations, pastiches and gross approximations. Because of those specificities, he is more often than not known for what and who he wasn’t, for sentences he never wrote, or for characters who bear little resemblance—if any—to his original creations. This, in turn, explains how and why this book was conceived.

  Popular Culture (Jeffro Johnson): You can see the cultural programming for this present disaster hit hard just by looking at the movies of the sixties and seventies. Marathon Man (1976) features a “nice guy” protagonist. Dustin Hoffman plays a nebbish that blunders into a bit of a thriller. “Realism” in this case means that he is such a loser that the only woman willing to take up with him is one which is willing to do so under the orders of a mysterious figure from the underworld. (Note how this character type would undergo some modifications in the eighties: loser protagonists in both Gremlins and The Karate Kid fall into completely arbitrary female favor without establishing any of the sort of qualities that could motivate it while characters that could command that sort of attention are painted in the worst light possible.

Gaming (Gaming Ballistic): Today I pushed the “Blast Emails” button on the PDF for Dragon Heresy. It’s got the cover, hyperlinks and bookmarks, and I hope is as error-free as it could be. Backers should find the notification in their email box.

I will be spooling out a gigantic file for upload to the printer today or tomorrow (the office in Hong Kong is closed tomorrow, so doing it early doesn’t make much sense). It’s been a long journey to this point, but within a day the process of making the physical books will begin. I’ll stage the PDF for release on my site and Drive ThruRPG in a week or so; I need a breather first. On the other hand: PDF promised end of July. Delivered 6wks early. Booyah. Now I start cranking HARD on Hall of Judgment.

  Publishing (Red Pill Religion): Science Fiction is a wasteland of Politically Correct, croney-laden publishers. Most self-publishing solutions generation nothing. How do you sell books in the early 21st Century? Join professional writers Brian Neiemeier, Declan Finn, Russell Newquist, Nick Col, and John C. Wright as we discuss navigating Science Fiction and Fantasy publishing in 2018!

  Comic Books (Brian Niemeier): Yesterday I mentioned comic artist Ethan Van Sciver’s account of his amicable separation from DC Comics. Ethan’s a decent guy–the kind of normie entrepreneur, husband, and father one could once be in America before peak SJW convergence. It’s good to know he isn’t fretting over where his next meal is coming from since his independent Cyberfrog comic just raised over $200,000.

I take comfort in knowing that creators like EVS are out there, humbly making new culture to replace what the Morlocks befouled. I experience an altogether different emotion when I hear of the diabolical persecution SJWs subject honest family men like Ethan to.

  Gaming (Walker’s Retreat): I’m seeing the institutional incompetence too common in tabletop RPGs is now present in videogames.

The tell? The production of things that call themselves games, but are not.

A game has a few defining characteristics:

A defined scenario, putting out what the playable space is and what constraints bind it.

A defined objective- a win condition.

Limited resources–including time–to achieve it.

Systems for interaction between player(s) and the situation as it develops.

Defined loss conditions.

No reliance on narrative or other non-gaming practices to produce a satisfactory experience as well as to avoid detracting from same, because the point is to challenge the player, to see if he can face adversity, and then to see if he can adapt and overcome to achieve the objective.

  Writing (Wasteland and Sky): From a chart passed around by author Jon Del Arroz comes this list showing the sales of different SF subgenres. To no one’s surprise, the ones focused on action and adventure are at the top of the chart. In addition to some weird listings (“Alternate History” and “Alternative History” are two different categories) this isn’t all that surprising to anyone who pays attention to what mainstream people like. I’m sure if you’ve read this blog or similar ones you know all of this.

The worst part of this chart is how low short stories are. Despite being cut up into three categories (again, for some reason) short stories are at the rock bottom of the list and have been for a very long time. Think about it.

  Publishing (Pulprev): We’ve got to create the culture that we want to enjoy, and that means backing those willing to put themselves out there. While that does mean spreading the word, ultimately it comes down to putting either your money or your skin where your mouth is. I understand if you’re having to pinch your pennies, but if you can’t put your money down then you can find a way to contribute otherwise; I can write, so I’m putting skin down instead and throwing my hat into the ring. Below is an excerpt of what I put out on my writing blog last Friday.

  Pulp Magazines (Pulp Archivist): I recently came across a ThePulp.net article covering the 1949 death of the pulps, where Street & Smith axed all their pulps except for Astounding. It parroted the popular wisdom of the time, where changing tastes among the audience doomed the medium. However, what caught my eye was the sales figures included.

  Gaming (RPG Pundit): So, I have an earlier blog entry where I’ve told my readers that they can post questions and/or requests for rant topics from me. I will periodically respond to any of these I think I can do a good job at answering. So if you have something you want to ask me, or ask me to write about, go to that entry and put your question/request in the comments!

Today, we have a question from Omer G. Joel: “I’d like to read your opinion about “new school” D&D, that is 3.5E/4E, as I got the impression (am I right?) that you are closer to the Old School in your tastes and views.”

  Cinema (Reactionary Times): Kathleen Kennedy hasn’t just destroyed careers and childhood dreams during the parade of incompetence that was her tenure as head of Lucasfilm. Theaters got hurt.  Disney investors got hurt.  Disney as a whole has taken a punch to the head. From Ace: First: Disney’s publicity machine got a new recruit in its war on (former) Star Wars fans: Steven Colbert decided to attack them as racist, sexist manbabies.

Everything to protect his Khalisi Kathleen Kennedy.

  T.V. (Emperor Ponders): *Kyphosis, actually, but that doesn’t sound that funny.

I saw this image yesterday, and I chuckled immediately. It was a reflexive laughter, and it took me awhile to understand what exactly had triggered my reaction. s I said, I laughed when I saw this, even before I had consciously processed what I had seen. A few minutes of heavy thunkin’ later, I realized what was wrong: they look ridiculous while trying to look cool, which is the worst kind of ridiculousness that exists.

  Sensor Sweep: REH Guide, Realism, Short Stories, Street & Smith Pulp Sales, Star Wars published first on https://medium.com/@ReloadedPCGames

[char27martin]

How to Survive a Long Production Cycle

Every writer understands that penning a novel takes time. For some, the process may take months, years, even a lifetime. Many don’t understand that once the novel is complete, that’s when the clock really starts. For the sake of this conversation, I’m going to bypass the process of finding and signing with an agent and skip ahead to the first sale.

On average, it takes roughly eighteen to twenty-four months for a traditionally published novel to go from deal to bookshelf. Ouch! That was certainly a surprise to me and I was not prepared. What could possibly take so long? First, for a traditionally published novel, there’s scheduling and positioning, where the editor places the book in the publisher’s greater schedule. Then editing. Even if the novel needs minimal work, that’s still a step that takes time. Then copyediting to correct the text for continuity errors, punctuation, and grammar. Following that comes book design, cover design, marketing, sales, publicity, and probably a few steps I’m forgetting. The point is, there are many steps between acquisition and actual publication.

This guest post is by Michael Haspil. Haspil is a geeky engineer and nerdy artist. A veteran of the U.S. Air Force, he had the opportunities to serve as an ICBM crew commander and as a launch director at Cape Canaveral. The art of storytelling called to him from a young age and he has plied his craft over many years and through diverse media. He has written original stories for as lon gas he can remember and has dabbled in many genres. However, science fiction, fantasy, and horror have whispered directly to his soul. When he isn’t writing, you can find him sharing stories with his role-playing group, cosplaying, computer gaming, or collecting and creating replica movie props. Lately, he devotes the bulk of his hobby time to assembling and painting miniatures for his tabletop wargaming addiction. Michael is represented by Sara Megibow of the KT Literary Agency and Adrian Garcia of the Paradigm Talent Agency.

If a novel is indie-published, the process may be faster, but often because the team behind the book is smaller (and might even be a team of one) it may take even more time to get everything right.

Consider that any single step may cause additional delays and eighteen months starts to look like warp speed. What is an author to do?

Here are five things I did to survive while my book was undergoing the production cycle.

1. Smile

This sounds simple, but for some artists it is a hard thing to do. I, myself, have something of a dour complexion and tend to dwell in melancholy moods as my natural state. But consider the effect on others when every time they bring up a book, they meet a serious expression or an indifferent one. They will feel the same way about the book. Mission failed.

In my case, friends were very excited for me when I announced that TOR had acquired my novel. If I didn’t understand how long the path to publication would take, think about what they thought. Many of my friends believed once I’d gotten a book deal, they could buy it within weeks or months. They grew impatient. Luckily for me, they kept asking about it.

Even though I felt frustrated at times, I trained myself to smile as a reflex whenever anyone mentioned my novel. From the instant I made the deal public, I reminded myself I was in marketing mode. Everyone I spoke to about the book got a smile first.

[Understanding Book Contracts: Learn what’s negotiable and what’s not.]

2. Vent

Publishing isn’t all sunshine and roses. Many obstacles will surface in the path to the bookstore. I had to let it out. I was mindful of my audience when I did. My agent, my wife, and my critique group heard many a tirade railing against the inequities of the publishing world. Don’t go beyond that. My co-workers and acquaintances never caught mention other than everything was going according to plan.

I don’t know where I picked this up, but this is a useful exercise to practice when experiencing a negative emotion, particularly anger and its secondary offshoots: frustration and defeat. Don’t dwell on them. Be mindful of what the emotion is and set a timer. I set a countdown on my phone. During that time, I allow myself to feel that emotion 100 percent, and I vent. When the clock runs out, I remind myself that this emotion is not helpful in the current situation and I move on. It is a tough exercise to execute, but gets easier each time.

Most importantly, stay off social media and email when venting. A single angry tweet may undo years of hard work. Just don’t do it. I try to make it a point to never engage on social media unless I’ve got something positive to convey. It’s the old adage, if I don’t have anything nice to say, I try not to say anything at all.

3. Celebrate Everything

A very successful author recently gave me a useful piece of advice. He was unknowingly echoing the advice my agent, Sara Megibow, had given me when I started with her. Celebrate everything. The artist experience will hit with more bad news than good. So, when the good news comes, celebrate. Break out the champagne and share the good times with everyone you know.

It makes the bad times a bit easier to bear. I need to remind myself of this one constantly. I love to dwell on everything not happening instead of all the good luck I’ve had. There’s a saying, “Concentrate too hard on the unachieved goals and you’ll miss the victories along the way.” Put another way; make it about the journey instead of the destination.

4. Control the Controllable

When I set off to write a story, I can’t control if others will like it. I can’t control if it will sell. Sometimes, I might not even be able to control how my characters behave. I can control my level of effort and that I will tell the best story I can.

Along those lines, don’t jam up the production process by introducing an additional delay. Don’t miss deadlines. When the editor or copyeditor sends feedback, respond to it as fast as possible.

Try not to worry about what is happening out of sight. I can’t say it enough times. Control the controllable. I forget it too often. I should probably get it tattooed.

[The 7 Rules of Dialogue All Writers Should Know]

5. Keep Writing

Don’t stop writing. When I sold GRAVEYARD SHIFT, for the first few months, I stopped my routine. I painted armies of miniatures. I played scores of video games. I did lots of research for a sequel. It was rough to get back into the habit of butt-in-chair, hands-on-keyboard writing every day. When I finally did, it didn’t come back easily. It was a battle. For my two cents, write something different. Don’t write another work set in your world with the same characters. Unless a deal for a series exists, there’s always a chance that the sequel might not get picked up. Write something else. Anything: a short story, a novella, a different novel. At the worst, it may serve as a palate cleanser, at the best, it may lead to the sale of completely different series!

Those are five tips that helped me survive during my voyage along the publication production road. It may not be the same for everyone, but they are helpful. I have to believe that because I’m still sane (mostly).

Something to keep in mind is the sheer scale of it all when one considers the raw numbers. How many prospective authors never finish their novels? How many finished novels never make it to publication? It all looks impossible.

However, consider that you’ve done it, and (to steal a line from Joss Whedon) that makes you mighty.

The biggest literary agent database anywhere is the Guide to Literary Agents. Pick up the most recent updated edition online at a discount.

If you’re an agent looking to update your information or an author interested in contributing to the GLA blog or the next edition of the book, contact Writer’s Digest Books Managing Editor Cris Freese at cris.freese@fwmedia.com.

    The post How to Survive a Long Production Cycle appeared first on WritersDigest.com.

from Writing Editor Blogs – WritersDigest.com http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents/survive-long-production-cycle

[ttaikattalvi-blog]

[rules:  repost.  always post the rules. answer the questions asked, then write 11 new ones. tag 11 people to answer your questions, as well as the person who tagged you]

Tagged by @thedalishbloodmage. Tagging everyone because I just chugged half a bottle of wine. 1) What was the last movie you saw? Was it any good? The last movie I saw in cinema was Wonder Woman. I went to go and see it with my mom, which was sort of odd—my mom and I don’t typically agree on movies and that sort of thing so we don’t often go and see them together. However, I did enjoy it. It was awfully nice to see David Thewlis in a big role again. Even though there were some flaws (nothing is perfect or exempt from analysis!), I’ll definitely watch it again and may even purchase a physical copy.

2) Is there a genre of books you like the most? What about when it comes to video games? This is an interesting question. For me, at least, it really depends on what an author is trying to accomplish. I’ve always been a voracious reader and will read nearly anything I can get my hands on. What it really boils down to whether or not the book or video game is an effective medium for whatever literature is being composed. For me, satire and world-building is incredibly ineffective when placed in a book only format. It takes a while for me to get into it, if I can manage to at all. As far as videogames go, I’m down for almost anything. My undergrad program treated their undergrads as if they were grad students and we had to essentially write thesis arguments and pick thesis projects. Mine was videogames as ultimate forms of literature and my big end project was over the original Mass Effect trilogy. My main downfall with videogames is that I’m pretty cock-eyed so I don’t have the best depth perception and I get motion sick super easy. As long as I don’t get sick, I’ll usually give any game a chance. 3) Is there something that everyone hates that you love, like a book or a movie that bombed? There are definitely movie and book and videogame characters and pairings that Tumblr seems to truly hate that I really like. However, I tend not to take Tumblr seriously on some things because I think that any and all sorts of social media sites are the worst kind of echo chambers. I mean, it doesn’t keep me from having them or using them for my own means but I’m still aware of it. I can’t really think of any books or movies off the top of my head, but what I can think of is food. I absolutely adore black licorice—-especially strong black licorice—-and salted black licorice. Some of this is likely a cultural thing, but some of it definitely isn’t. I don’t have too much of a sweet tooth, but I will down an entire package of salmiakki faster than you can blink. 4) Do you have a special hobby? If so, what is it? I tend to always need something creative to do with my hands, or I’ll get bored and get myself into trouble. Anything artistic, I probably do. I sew, crochet, draw, cosplay, paint, and so on. Lately I’ve been coloring in adult coloring books, but before I did summer school for work, I was on a drawing and colored pencil kick. 5) Outside of BioWare games, what are some of your favorites? I’ll always have a soft spot for BioWare. The first game with a campaign that I ever remember “beating” (really, my uncle beat it and handed me a mouse that wasn’t plugged in while he played because I was about four) was Bauldur’s Gate. I also love Bethesda games. Morrowind was the first big RPG that I ever really got into. I like a lot of tabletop RPGs too, but I haven’t played them in ages and likely wouldn’t remember anything. I like card and board games. As a kid, I played a lot of Reader Rabbit and Jump Start games. They were educational and since both my parents are teachers, I’m fairly certain they got them from their schools. I also played a lot of Zoo Tycoon and turn-based civilization building games, like 1602 AD and Pharoah. 6) When roleplaying, is there anything else you do like listening to music or drinking something in particular? Not particularly, no. I’ve always been more of an opportunistic writer—doing things quickly or in-between tasks. The most that can be said is that I have to be entirely comfortable and sort of in a mode where my brain is refreshing and not actually trying to work. That being said, the majority of my writing tends to come out when I’m watching something stupid on Netflix or when I’m in bed and trying to fall asleep. 7) If you could choose between mind reading and teleportation, which would you choose and why? Teleportation, definitely. I could go see friends and travel for no cost and when it was time for bed I could just go home. Also, I would have absolutely no qualms about teleporting into a bank vault and getting enough cash to pay off my student loan debt, tuition for grad school, my sister’s and parents’ student loan debt, replace my car with a decent used one, and move out or even to a different city. I would literally be a world class thief in order to pay off debt, keep myself mildly comfortable, and then likely to donate money to no-kill animal shelters and charities. 8) Do you like ancient mythology? If so, what culture is your favorite? I think it would be more appropriate to ask what I don’t like. In general, I’ve never been incredibly fond of ancient Roman or Greek mythology. I find it to be far too overdone. My favorites overall are likely Egyptian, Norse, and Slavic. There are several kinds of myths that I have an overall fondness for. I especially like mermaid and siren myths. Most kinds of mythologies have some variation on fae or elven courts, and I enjoy those as well. And, as should surprise absolutely no one, I have a huge soft spot for tricksters. 9) If you could meet anyone, alive or dead, who would it be and why? That’s a damn good question, and I nearly always change my mind each time I’m asked it. There are so many interesting historical figures that I would love to meet, good and bad, that I’m not sure I could choose just one. The top of the list includes more historical figures (Thoreau, Whitman, Poe, Hatshepsut, Elizabeth I, Lovecraft, Tesla, Jefferson) than live people (Rowling, Jennifer Hale). The people who I would like to meet generally are people that I would like to actually sit down and spend time with. They're people I've admired or found fascinating since I was young. There are, of course, two people who have passed in my personal life who I would give anything to see one last time. I would like to see my great grandma, who passed when I was in eighth grade, and tell her that I managed to get through college and that I have a decent job---she was so, so fond of all her grandkids and great-grandkids and she wanted to see us all go to college so badly. She was older when she went and I'm okay with that now, but she was such a nice lady and I think she'd be just so pleased. The other person I'd like to see would be my second momma who passed away from leukemia not even a year ago---I had known her since I was five and she was such a tough woman and never put up with my shit and pushed me to do my best and she was such a good, proud person. The job I had at the time wouldn't give me time off when I finally got word that she was in hospice care or when she passed and I asked to go to the funeral. She did get a college graduation invite and even though she didn't get to actually see me in person, she did get to see the live stream. I never really got to say goodbye or give her a hug or anything, and I know she basically considered me her kid. 

10) What about your blog is your favorite thing you've done?

I have a lot of headcanon that I haven't published yet. I need to get on that. There's one in particular, about elves and elvhen and footwear, that I really like.

Roleplay on Tumblr is a lot different than on other sites, which is interesting. 

I like the friends I've made on here most of all. I know that is awfully altruistic, but I do value them immensely.

11) What drew you into roleplay? What made you stay?

Honestly? I was bored.

I've been roleplaying off and on since Xanga and GaiaOnline, which is hella sad. 

As for what drew me to Solas? Honestly, when I started I hadn't even finished a playthrough where I had romanced him yet. A friend jokingly said that he and I have quite a bit in common so I started sort of as a laugh.

Joke was on me, I suppose. They were right---Solas and I do have a lot in common, which has made writing for him a deliciously difficult challenge---and I'm still here two years later. 

Don't get me wrong, I've learned a lot about myself while writing for Solas. It is immensely relaxing to write as him. Which has helped me stick around, too.

Questions:

1) who?

2) what? 

3) when?

4) where?

5) why?

6) how?

7) Lannisters or Starks?

8) Who did 9/11?

9) Tell me about it, stud.

10) How would you do it?

11) Who was phone?