Right, so we've gone over this already. I'm a bad, bad man who likes to ignore his readers, or reader, I'm not sure. Is there even one of you?
Well, in either case I passed another semester and retain only one more before escape. I've already begun my plans for world dom... I mean, game design. Yes, game design...
Zac and I have begun work on an as-yet untitled game which thrives in the psychological horror genre that is collecting so much dust behind the hack-n-slash horror genre.
I've been wondering, honestly what everyone plays games for, as I work on scripting this game. The gameplay itself is not terribly complicated, puzzle solving mostly, but the story is intensely complex with layers upon layers of subplots within characters. Plots that are somewhat extraneous to the game itself and could be ignored by any number of players, but I think they give that little bit of realism that makes this goal of this game possible; that goal being to make players wear diapers they're so terrified. A noble goal, I know.
What I'd like to ask the world then is this, what do you play for? I play games for escapism and imagination expansion, same a reading, but I'm curious what it all means to you. In either case, that's all I have for the moment. I've been shamelessly spending time with my fiancee and I intend to continue this trend. Merry Christmas (late) and Happy 2009 (early).
29 December 2008
01 December 2008
Thanksgiving
I have just returned from Thanksgiving break. I got to visit my fiancee and eat a great deal of now-dead animals.
That being said, I've done absolutely nothing in the way of professional work. It may be horrible of me, but this is my whole entry. Anyone who is planning on becoming a professional writer in any way should do so after they graduate.
That being said, I've done absolutely nothing in the way of professional work. It may be horrible of me, but this is my whole entry. Anyone who is planning on becoming a professional writer in any way should do so after they graduate.
18 November 2008
Simple and nothing better
Right, I'm still writing major papers, and as such I have no idea when I'll be doing anything of literary consequence, so I'm at a loss of what to write. But I did want to link you to a writer far more professional than I in the sense that he's actually put some work out in the universe this week. In either case, I've been curious about this same issue so I hope some of you might find it as inspiring as I did.
The Escapist
Also, in the realm of suggestions, I'm reading a book aimed at young readers (12-15) right now for my Children's Lit course and I was thinking some of you more open readers might enjoy it. It is by Margaret Mahy and it's called The Changeover.
The Escapist
Also, in the realm of suggestions, I'm reading a book aimed at young readers (12-15) right now for my Children's Lit course and I was thinking some of you more open readers might enjoy it. It is by Margaret Mahy and it's called The Changeover.
12 November 2008
I am a bad, bad man
Ah, I need punishing. I have been so caught up with the life of a student, namely with the writing of essays and the registering for classes, that I have failed to update my blog. It is important, I think, to continue working on this regularly as it keeps me professional and on deadlines, demons I have ever been particularly terrible at defeating. So I send out my apologies, knowing full well this will not be the last time that I fail to post on time.
I would like to make a brief comment on the subject of genre now. So many people say things, myself counted among them, such as "oh, I don't like science fiction." There are certainly archetypes which are found and labeled, and so it makes sense that we would find categories that we like and others that we don't, however I think this is dangerous as writing is a living and generally obstinate animal. Simply being set in the year 3012 on a space station owned and operated by a race of botanic beasties does not a sci-fi make. What if this story was about the romantic interactions between two young scientists on this station? Does this remain a sci-fi now that romance has become the vital force in the work? What if there is a developmental story about a young man who dreams of finding the mythical Earth again? Now there is a distinctly sci-fi aspect in that Earth is the foreign object, but the focus is on character development and this could just as easily be writen in 1930's America with a young man who wants to find his family's ancestral homestead in Utah. These categorizations to me seem limiting to the, in fact, unlimited potential of stories to grow beyond their mean components.
I suppose I should explain that what brought this all to mind is that my associate, Zac, and I are currently working on the development of a video game which we categorize as survival horror, yet I lean towards having the player character, PC, deal with serious internal turmoil and growth as a character. What terrible situation have I created now? I realize that in video games gameplay is paramount and story is submissive to its almighty position. I still feel that story is vital to the existence of the game, just as a body may centralize the brain, but needs the stomach just as much. With this being said then I must wonder what is to happen to those people who would love to be part of a game which contains these particular internal conflicts in its story, but who "doesn't like survival-horror games." What then is to become of this poor wretch? I realize that this is what word-of-mouth is for and I will admit to playing a great number of games by suggestion, both to fair and ill results, but I fear to relegate this situtation to hope. There are many aspects of this game which I hope will break tradition as what good is something that fits into a category except niche appeal?
In either case I doubt that I shall resolve the issue of genre and it's dangers in a solitary blog, but I hope that I at least encite a handfull of readers across the span of the internet to pick up something that is "not their genre" for the possibility that it is more than its label. There are so many glorious games that are not as they appear. Then again, there are glorious games that are precisely as they appear. (Painkiller) Do as you will and with luck you shall always play with joy in your hearts.
-----------------------------------
Also, I would like to take this opportunity to plug something that if you're not working on you would do well to join up with as soon as possible as you're already behind. My schedule this year sadly has prevented my inclusion and I feel a lesser person for that.
NaNoWriMo
Best of luck!
I would like to make a brief comment on the subject of genre now. So many people say things, myself counted among them, such as "oh, I don't like science fiction." There are certainly archetypes which are found and labeled, and so it makes sense that we would find categories that we like and others that we don't, however I think this is dangerous as writing is a living and generally obstinate animal. Simply being set in the year 3012 on a space station owned and operated by a race of botanic beasties does not a sci-fi make. What if this story was about the romantic interactions between two young scientists on this station? Does this remain a sci-fi now that romance has become the vital force in the work? What if there is a developmental story about a young man who dreams of finding the mythical Earth again? Now there is a distinctly sci-fi aspect in that Earth is the foreign object, but the focus is on character development and this could just as easily be writen in 1930's America with a young man who wants to find his family's ancestral homestead in Utah. These categorizations to me seem limiting to the, in fact, unlimited potential of stories to grow beyond their mean components.
I suppose I should explain that what brought this all to mind is that my associate, Zac, and I are currently working on the development of a video game which we categorize as survival horror, yet I lean towards having the player character, PC, deal with serious internal turmoil and growth as a character. What terrible situation have I created now? I realize that in video games gameplay is paramount and story is submissive to its almighty position. I still feel that story is vital to the existence of the game, just as a body may centralize the brain, but needs the stomach just as much. With this being said then I must wonder what is to happen to those people who would love to be part of a game which contains these particular internal conflicts in its story, but who "doesn't like survival-horror games." What then is to become of this poor wretch? I realize that this is what word-of-mouth is for and I will admit to playing a great number of games by suggestion, both to fair and ill results, but I fear to relegate this situtation to hope. There are many aspects of this game which I hope will break tradition as what good is something that fits into a category except niche appeal?
In either case I doubt that I shall resolve the issue of genre and it's dangers in a solitary blog, but I hope that I at least encite a handfull of readers across the span of the internet to pick up something that is "not their genre" for the possibility that it is more than its label. There are so many glorious games that are not as they appear. Then again, there are glorious games that are precisely as they appear. (Painkiller) Do as you will and with luck you shall always play with joy in your hearts.
-----------------------------------
Also, I would like to take this opportunity to plug something that if you're not working on you would do well to join up with as soon as possible as you're already behind. My schedule this year sadly has prevented my inclusion and I feel a lesser person for that.
NaNoWriMo
Best of luck!
03 November 2008
General Update Nov. 3rd
Not terribly much to report currently. As I am still currently a student I have a great deal of so-called intellectual work to which I must currently attend, but I felt it important to post every week. I'll be writing three literary essays, an essay on the extinction of the neanderthals, and a public presentation on the archaeological inaccuracies of the film Stargate.
27 October 2008
Work
Right. So I've placed a short work I've been toying with on my DA account. If anyone would care to read it, or perhaps has some constructive criticism, it would be greatly appreciated. I've really had some fun writing this one. It felt so much more like I was quickly writing down a story I was being told than making one up. I'm sure that I'll alter it a bit, and give it a little polish before I submit it for publishing, but I'm giving it a bit of time to age and ferment before I take it up again and butcher it. All writing needs time to cool before rewriting.
In either case, I appreciate any help and hope you enjoy this as yet untitled work.
Link
In either case, I appreciate any help and hope you enjoy this as yet untitled work.
Link
21 October 2008
Harken Unto Me, Oh Friends and Fiends!
Welcome all.
This is to be my first foray into the world of blogging. I have kept an online journal for years which is rarely updated and poorly organized as it is mainly random comments about my life which I feel free to post without censor or thought. These may be seen at my Deviant Art account.
This is more formal, perhaps, or at least more intended to be a professional situation. As a writer it is partly my duty to be present in and amongst the public I wish to write to. Do not feel, oh esteemed reader, that I am forced to be here. I greatly enjoy the public and all its peoples, though some are grating while others fair. I will undoubtedly not sound this formal as we continue, but I suppose I wanted to set the write tone. (Terrible pun, I realize.)
Friends, for all my formality, I am following my hero in the hopes of achieving what he has, and what so few have. In his book Angels & Visitations my hero, Neil Gaiman, says, "indeed, it sometimes occurs to me that when I began I had little talent, merely the conviction that I was a writer, and enough arrogance and hubris to persist." I am in this stage of my own career.
I will post what I can here, be it writing, or links to something important or perhaps more unimportant, but entertaining, or nothing at all of value save updates concerning myself as a writer, from publishing, one can only hope, to signings, and other such vestiges of professionalism.
Thank you all for visiting and I pray you enjoy yourselves.
This is to be my first foray into the world of blogging. I have kept an online journal for years which is rarely updated and poorly organized as it is mainly random comments about my life which I feel free to post without censor or thought. These may be seen at my Deviant Art account.
This is more formal, perhaps, or at least more intended to be a professional situation. As a writer it is partly my duty to be present in and amongst the public I wish to write to. Do not feel, oh esteemed reader, that I am forced to be here. I greatly enjoy the public and all its peoples, though some are grating while others fair. I will undoubtedly not sound this formal as we continue, but I suppose I wanted to set the write tone. (Terrible pun, I realize.)
Friends, for all my formality, I am following my hero in the hopes of achieving what he has, and what so few have. In his book Angels & Visitations my hero, Neil Gaiman, says, "indeed, it sometimes occurs to me that when I began I had little talent, merely the conviction that I was a writer, and enough arrogance and hubris to persist." I am in this stage of my own career.
I will post what I can here, be it writing, or links to something important or perhaps more unimportant, but entertaining, or nothing at all of value save updates concerning myself as a writer, from publishing, one can only hope, to signings, and other such vestiges of professionalism.
Thank you all for visiting and I pray you enjoy yourselves.
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