A multiracial woman who loves to write and is a third generation nerd. Here you'll read about RPGs, Video Games, some random thoughts, and fun times had.
I have some help with the RPG, which I am going to write while working on the book series at the same time. I'm thinking of doing some fun things like character interviews and such here and there.
First thing I'm researching is feudalism, after finally getting a library card locally. I just want to make sure that a kingdom works the way I think it does. I don't like the idea of being ignorant, and research is probably the best way to prevent it with this RPG.
I have a twitter. I'm going to use it to update on my progress with my RPG and the accompanying story. I have a partner in development with the RPG now--I make the setting while he works on the system. It's a great excuse to "research". In fact I'm going to the library this afternoon to work on multiple things. But I'm doing it after some lunch.
Still looking for a job, but I think this will be a good project, which I will finish and publish one way or another.
The Boyfriend showed me the first episode of Life and Level, and I have to say, I'm merely hooked because of the sheer stupidity involved.
Let me explain. Life and Level is a show where roommates Johnny and Josh compete against each other in video games. But it's not just "who can kill the most zombies in RE5". They are much more creative than that, and that creativity then results in a lot of bodily harm. I think the safest example to show is the first episode. Here the challenge is to play Call of Duty: World at War Multiplayer with no time, unlimited ammo, and unlimited lives. The twist is that every time one of them dies, that player gets shocked by a dog shock collar. If you want a sneak peek watch it below.
This kind of entertainment can only be fueled by pure stupidity and boredom. I personally have no problem being entertained by other people's poor decisions. This is how I'm able to watch as much reality television as I do in a given week. I know a lot of people who cannot be entertained by this though, including The Boyfriend. So if you're willing to lower your standards like I am, please feel free to partake!
The show gets grosser as time goes on. There are now 9 episodes in the series, and I believe almost every easily obtained bodily fluid has been involved in each show. It also gets increasingly violent. There is one point where Johnny breaks his pinky finger, but he doesn't notice until he sees that it's pointing in the wrong direction. You have to be tolerate of some sheer stupidity.
The dynamic between Josh and Johnny is really what makes this work. Johnny is your stereotypical nerd, in the sense that he's got the look with the scrawny build, the glasses, and the lingo down. He's just your average gamer guy who probably didn't have the best luck with chicks in high school. Which is funny because he would be my type when I was in high school. Moving on, Josh is best described as a lovable brute. Stocky, big guy who is in it for the glory and the fun. He's loud, in your face, and not afraid to dress the part for a competition. He also plays stupid a lot while Johnny is there being (somewhat) reasonable.
This makes the duels interesting. Whenever it's a physical bout, you kind of feel sorry for scrawny Johnny going up against the beast that is Josh. But as the episodes continue Johnny's slow and steady strategy pays off, especially when he's going through a room of mouse traps trying to find a controller. This also makes the conversations between them funnier. Good character contrast.
At the end of each duel, the loser has to spin the N00b wheel to choose his fate. For the episode linked here, it was snorting a line of yellow mustard. Yuck. I have to say, it gets much worse. This is where a lot of the bodily fluids are released. I usually just watch for the competition, and turn my head away from the screen when the punishment is dealt out.
Sometimes you may feel sorry for one of them during an episode, you have to realize that they were both willing to do this in the first place. They signed up to make themselves look ridiculous on the internet. You don't feel so guilty watching after that.
In the end, this show is hilarious if you don't mind seeing people make a fool of themselves on the internet, put themselves in bodily harm, and have it tangentially related to video games. I suggest this view to people who enjoy shows where a guy embarrasses himself with injury and thus guarantees himself no sex for about a month.
It's been a while since Game Politics had an interesting story, at least to me, but this is a great use of the Sims as almost a social experiment.
This article lead me to this awesome blog of Alice and Kev, a daughter-father duo who are homeless in the Sims 3. A lot of the things they suffer through are really interesting, and would make for a great novel.
Homeless sims in the Sims 2 were not as versatile as in the Sims 3. This is really intriguing and I know I'm going to be keeping up with this from now on. Makes me want to play the sims, although I should be writing.
Since I am unemployed right now (and looking, if any of you in the Chicago area find something that could suit me) I've been trying to think of a side project to do, and I keep coming back to one thing:
My previous campaign.
I loved my campaign, especially the characters. Some of those characters I have been working on for years now that I think about it... almost seven years. And I find I can't let go of them, or their world. So what do I do?
There are two obvious answers to this.
1) write a book
It would probably be something targeted to a younger audience, girls in junior high or high school. The characters I created were made in that vain, around the same time I really got into Tamora Pierce. She's a fantastic writer who has a lot of strong, young female characters in her stories. From her I was inspired to make one of the protagonists. With that in mind, the story I will be writing will be for that age group. And I would have fun with it too, since I have technically written some of this before. In high school this was supposed to be a trilogy, and I wrote 2/3 of it. I have a lot I want to change at this point, so it would be a huge rewrite, with a lot of background written before I would start the actual story. The background idea leads to the next idea...
2) create a campaign setting for an RPG
I've ran a campaign in this world, why not use all the characters that made this world the way it is? There is a question if to use a pre or post PC world. Both have a lot of potential, but I think I would rather go pre with some twists. Certain PC-NPC connections became pretty important, and a lot of my PCs are worth immortalizing. The question is with what system? Considering how important politics are in this game, I don't think it would work with the current D&D system. Too much focus on combat. I could also just write my own system but I rather just work with the characters and the setting, and use a good system created by someone else.
And then there's the idea of
3) write both.
This could potentially suck out all my energy from finding a "real" job. I doubt this will even be slightly profitable. But I might just do the crazy thing and actually do both. It's a risk, I know, and I do need a real source of income soon. But if I could help make one person's RPG experience awesome, or give one person a fantastic story... why not?
Over the last month I realized how hard it is to get these stories away. I can't run away from them. I have to write them down. Why not share the story?
Also, if I did the RPG idea, I would definitely keep you all updated here, with sneak peeks and such. I just have to figure out everything.
Someone told me I seemed like a person that needs big projects. And he was right. So now, since I'm out on my own, I need my own big project. This will be it.
A while ago I got a present for being in my alma mater's Rocky Horror Picture Show. I was Eddie all four years there. I know, dedication. Anyway this was the present for singing Hot Patootie for all that time:
PLAYMOBIL VIKINGS!
I love Playmobil. And I find Vikings awesome. Best combo ever. I received this onstage and I began jumping up and down. The great thing is the people shopping for this had no idea what to get me, so they figured this was cool enough. They had good instincts. Look at that fort! Look at how cool that fort is in that picture!
This is the main soldier. I gave him the big ol' axe. Suits him well.
The box wants me to give this guy the big axe, but he is so obviously a shaman so I gave him the staff. He's praying to protect the fort.
And if worse comes to worse... they are prepared to defend!
These dudes are near my bedside. I can fall asleep easier these days.
A friend visiting me and I went Lincoln Park Zoo to see all the pretty animals. We were looking at the bats and ignoring the families near us. There are some cone-shaped pieces that hide the water bottles for the bats. It's not obvious at first but after a while you see a bat partake in a swig and your curiosity is fed.
Of course you speculate at first, and this one mother with a couple of small kids had this theory:
"Maybe that's where they lay their eggs."
...
Quick Biology review: Bats are mammals. Mammals have live births. There are no eggs involved.
Obviously, some people need to go back to junior high science class.
I'm back in the states and I have to say I am glad to be home. I can't wait to get back into blogging and figuring out what's ahead of me, especially since I'm unemployed.
My schedule in France was pretty packed so I didn't get a chance to see if there was a lot to do nerd wise. However, while getting acclimated to the area I did see some things that were nerdy.
The first thing was at a museum that had art works from the 12th to 16th century. A lot of it was statutes, reliefs from cathedrals, and things of that nature. However, there was also this! Doesn't that look like dice on a rope? I didn't take note of what it's purpose was, but I did kind of want to take it home. Didn't happen though.
And then I stumbled upon this place on the way to the museum. Didn't realize miniatures were big in France.
I'll soon be back on schedule with regular blogging. Thanks for checking in everyone!
