Gaming silliness

You will never guess what I did yesterday. I was playing Oblivion when I did something kinda stupid. I have been playing my current character for a bout one year and I have almost finished the main quest line. It has taken me this long because I haven't really been playing the game a lot lately. In fact, there was a time when I took a break from playing on my Xbox for several months. Moving into a house and getting settled in, and then my mom moved in with me and my family, trying to become a game developer, all added up to me spending less time playing games now then I used to.

Not that I got very far in any game I have ever played. You can ask my sister, we used to play WOW (World of Warcraft for those who have been living under a rock) together. Well, on the same server anyways. I was always restarting my character. I think I played every possible character combination in the game, except for the Death Knights as I hadn't gotten the Wrath of the Lich King expansion. I do the same thing with the other games I play. I can count on one hand the number of RPG games I have beaten on one hand and I have played quite a few. So, this isn't the first character I had in Oblivion. I got the game back in 2010 and have been playing it ever since. I have been determined that this game is going to get added to the short list of games completed.

Anyways, I was playing through the main quest line and had just closed an oblivion gate outside the city of Anvil and had headed off to Imperial City to lighten my inventory. A quick note here, every once in awhile I start getting a little bored with exploring or doing quests in the game. When this happens I decide to see how many people I can kill in whatever town I am in before I die. I usually save the game just before I start this little diversion so I can go back to the game without having to worry about who I killed.

Well, I got bored when I was in the Market District of Imperial City. So I decided to go on a rampage. It is interesting to see how the citizens react. Some run away, guards come out of the wood work, and I have seen a few even start attacking the guards. Not sure if they are trying to help me or if they just got caught in the crossfire. I had succeeded in killing everyone in the Market District. I then went around to see what everyone was carrying. I feel kinda sorry for the Imperial Guards as they only had at most four gold. Most of the other 'civilians' were carrying around a lot more. I grabbed the keys from the shopkeepers and decided to go check out the shops.

This is when I realized what I did. If you have never played the game it does an Auto Save whenever you enter or leave a shop or home or town. After going into a few shops I noticed the Auto Save message and then I realized that I hadn't saved the game before my rampage. I wasn't worried about the consequences of the rampage. I could just go to the next district and a guard would demand I either surrender or pay a fine and I could easily afford to pay the 11k+ fine. Or, since I was a member of the thieves guild, I could just go and talk to my contact in the thieves guild and pay him half my fine to erase the warrant (which is what I did end up doing). That way I wouldn't lose any of my loot I had gathered.

The real problem came when I realized it had been over an hour since the last time I had saved the game and I had killed almost every shopkeeper in the district. Since I can't use the Auto Save slot either, I must now decide if I should just continue on with this character (not sure if it will be much of an impact without the shopkeepers) or start another character. With the unwatched shops, I could easily complete the Thieves Guild quest line now but I have been thinking about starting another character for awhile now mainly cause I didn't get my marksman skill up as high as I would like to have it.

I think I might keep playing the mage character though. I have been looking at some things on the Elder Scrolls Wiki and have found two swords that I want to go and try to retrieve now.

Write at ya later.

Game engines

Another week, another update.

Not much to report for this last week. I have worked a little on the Rose Angel Princess game. Mostly just working on the main plot. Evencia has helped with some ideas on the story. Some good, others . . . not so good. But she tries and I do plan to include some of them, it is a game we are both working on after all. I have also been working a little on the plot for my web series 'Generation Demigod'. I am debating on whether to set up a new blog for it or to see if I can post it on this new website I recently found called 'Big World Network'. It is a website that presents stories from different writers on a weekly basis and they do it kind of like a TV series. You submit your project and if accepted you sign up for a season, which is 12 episodes. They have four seasons in a year and supposedly you can go for as many seasons as you want. I plan on looking into it further before I make up my mind. The submission deadline just passed for their fall season so, I have time to make their winter season if I decide to go that route.

In other news, my main project is going to be 'The World of Nuarth'. This is going to be purely fantasy and I have been looking at what it would take to set up a website for it. I also spent yesterday looking at game engines. This project is going to be mostly in game format (at least for now). I had thought of using Engine 001 (the same one I am using for Rose Angel Princess). But the more I think about what I want to do with it the more I wonder if I am going to need something else. So, I looked around on the web for ideas and such. I found quite a few and have even downloaded a couple to look at. So far I am considering Unity, UDK (Unreal 3), Ren'Py, and Game Editor. Maybe I should say that the first two are being looked at more than the last two. Ren'Py is the only one I have looked at so far that doesn't require me to purchase a license or subscription to sell the games I make with it. But, it is more of an interactive novel engine than game engine. It does look neat though and I may do something with it, but it just wouldn't work for my main project (but it would work for a side project with in the main one).

Unity and UDK both have free versions so I can start learning them now and actually get started on my games, but I would need to now an actual programming language also. Unity seems to use C# and UDK seems to use C ++ and another one that I can't remember right now. The other engines were of the drag and drop kind, no programming skills required. But I do still plan on learning C ++ and maybe other languages also, so it wouldn't be that big of a deal.

My only other concern is trying to work with multiple engines at the same time. I don't want it to hurt my productivity (now I am beginning to sound like a business man). I know the big game companies will often use different engines in different game series that they put out, but they also have different teams that work with the different series. So far it is just me, myself, and me in this little venture. Which also brings me to the point of thinking that I really need to consider finding someone who can do the graphics for all this. But that is for another post (maybe).

Anyways, I shall keep trudging along and will keep the updates coming.

Write ya later.

Blog changes

As you may have noticed, I have made some changes to the blog. I have been reading lately (I know, that is a real shocker) and realized that I didn't really have any clear focus for this blog. So, I am now going to focus this blog on my writing and most things fantasy related. I will also post art work that I do.

I am trying to improve my skill with doing art on the computer. I did the title of this blog with a new program I recently got called GIMP 2.8. No, I didn't do the knight, it was a clip art I got off the web. Totally free, copied it from Clkr.com so no worries about illegal content. Besides, I can't draw that good with pen and paper yet. But hopefully I will get much better.

I am working on this to go with the game programming. I need graphics to go with the games I am making, and unless I can get someone who is really good with graphics I will need to do them myself. Though after last night, I may just opt for searching for someone to do them for me. I was working on an animation sequence for a character that I am developing for my Rose Angel Princess game. I knew it would be a lot of work but just never guessed how much. And all I am doing right now is trying to get the dying sequence worked out. I have started on the body, but still need to add the arms, clothes, hair, face, and probably I will find something else later that needs to be added. Like what happens to the weapon. See, just thought of that.

Of course that is just the graphics, I still need to work on the story for the game. And then work out the system. It's a good thing  I don't have to worry about the game engine at this time. I am using Engine 001 for that. It is free to use, but I am unable to sell the games I make at this time. I can give them away, just can't make any money off of it. That's why I am studying C++ also (or that is the plan anyways).

But, that is going of course for this posting. I am working on a web series, and I will post that in its own little blog when it is ready. Not sure if it will be on Blogger or Word Press yet. I like Blogger but Word Press may be better suited for it. We will see. Anyways, that is all for now.

Write at ya later.

Emperor Mollusk Versus The Sinister Brain

Welcome to my first of many book review. My hope with these is to improve my own writing by seeing with a critical eye what other authors do. And also to introduce those that read this blog to great books or steer them away form bad books. So, on with the review.

Emperor Mollusk Versus The Sinister Brain

by

A. Lee Martinez

The first thing that drew me to this book was the title. It intrigued me enough to open the cover and read the summary. From there I was hooked. Here is the summary from the cover:

Emperor Mollusk.

Intergalactic Menace. Destroyer of Worlds. Conqueror of Other Worlds. Mad Genius. Ex-Warlord of Earth.

Not bad for a guy without a spine.

But what's a villain to do after he's done . . . everything. With no new ambitions, he's happy to pitch in and solve the energy crisis or repel alien invaders should the need arise, but if he had his way, he'd prefer to be left alone to explore the boundaries of dangerous science. Just as a hobby, of course.

Retirement isn't easy though. If the boredom doesn't get him, there's always the Venusians. Or the Saturnites. Or the Mercurials. Or . . . well, you get the idea. If that wasn't bad enough, there's also the assassins of a legendary death cult and an up-and-coming megalomaniac (as brilliant as he is bodiless) who have marked Emperor for their own nefarious purposes. But Mollusk isn't about to let the Earth slip out of his own tentacles and into the less capable clutches of another. So it's time to dust off the old death ray and come out of retirement. Except this time, he's not out to rule the world. He's out to save it from the peril of THE SINISTER BRAIN!

Now, who doesn't want to read this book. I mean, its got villains and...well, more villains. Death Rays. Sinister Brains. Robots. Aliens. And more. And it is all in the style of those old pulp fiction stories. Well, that is the impression I got from the covers of pulp fiction magazines. I never really read any before.

The story starts out with Emperor Mollusk saving Earth from himself. Or a clone of himself to be more precise. I was going to say evil clone, but since Mollusk is evil, self admittedly even, that would be kind of redundant. From there, he heads back to his home on Earth and is confronted by an agent from Venus named Zala who wants to arrest him because he killed the queen of Venus. Though that isn't why she is there. She is there to protect him because the Venusians have learned that someone wants to kill Mollusk (gasp). So, Zala follows him around attempting to protect Emperor Mollusk from the assassins although it is usually the other way around. And of course, since he is an evil conqueror of worlds, Mollusk doesn't just sit there and wait for the assassins to come to him, he goes out and looks for the one behind the attacks, much to the chagrin of Zala. So, it goes through the rest of the book as they fight off assassins and follow clues until they finally confront the one behind it all. And you will never guess who it was. It was...yeah, like I am going to ruin the ending for you. Just go get the book and read it.

The book was very good though there are a few things that I didn't quite like about it. First off, and this is just a personal beef, every planet (and several of the moons) in the solar system had an alien civilization living there. But that's not all, they are all way more advanced than humans. Plus Earth wasn't inhabited by just humans, there were at least three or four other civilizations secreted into the corners of the world (also more advanced than humans). This is one of the major reasons I got the pulp feel from it.

The other thing was the way he conquered Earth. (This is another spoiler that I am not going to reveal here. Again, read the book.) I mean, it was a very smart way of doing it. But, being a human myself, I just don't like the fact that we were conquered so easily. This is really a minor annoyance rather then anything bad about the book.

Otherwise, I don't have any complaints with it. For those of you who know me, I did read this book in four days. Yes, just four. That tells you I really enjoyed it. For those of you who don't know me well, a book this size (293 pages) usually takes me about a month. I don't like to read very fast so I don't miss much in the story.

And now for the rating. I am going to give it...4 out of 5 stars.

The next book I am reading is 'The Sorcerers' Plague' by David B. Coe.

Gibber Gabber

Welcome to a new addition to my wonderfully unappreciated blog.

You know, I was looking at my blog the other day and I realized something. I have made more posts this year than all the other years combined. In fact, with this post, I have made as many posts this month as the last three years together. I guess I am starting to get the hang of posting on a regular basis now. Maybe.

Anyways, on with the post...

This is just a quick post for those of you who are interested in what is going on in my life. I ran some errands today. Thought of some ideas and threw them all out as being too silly or just plain dumb. I mean, do you really think I could get a pink tutu on an elephant. I mean, come on, it would require a lot of material and thread...although, maybe if I could find someone willing to do a lot of sewing....nah, not feasible. I will have to rework my plans, maybe drop this step and move this one over here...Oh, you are still here. Um, yeah, where was I...

Actually, it has been  kind of a boring little week for me. Took my mom to the airport so she could go and help my sister out with her new addition to the family. Well, the one that is on the way anyways. It should be here soon. Hopefully. You know how nobody but the baby has a say as to when it is time. But it is suppose to be soon, I just don't remember exactly when. I am a man. Stuff like that isn't important...no that isn't right...then again, maybe it was told to me while I was watching TV. Anyways, I am looking forward to getting another...umm...niece or nephew...something else that must have been told to me while I was distracted...oh look, a butterfly...sorry, back to the topic.

My mom's in Oklahoma and I have had a boring week. I did find out that I am still able to look forward to going to training class to become a manager at Whataburger. I am just not completely certain if I will be returning to my current store or if I will be moved to a new one when it is completed. They transferred in a new manager last week after I had talked to the AM (area manager) about training. Then, earlier this week he talked to me again to let me know that I was still going to be trained but it would be up to my GM (general manager, also see store manager) which of the managers would be transferred out if any. He said they could run the store with five managers. Riiiight. We shall see. They also said that I would begin training either at the beginning of next quarter or the mid point of the quarter. Since the quarter starts in Oct (which is three days away) and nothing has been said to me yet, I think it is safe to assume it will be mid quarter (or Nov). Hopefully.

I am also still smashing my head against the wall in order to determine which of the many worlds running through my mind I am going to use for my writing/programming project. I have narrowed it down to two choices: Project Nuarth and Project Generation Demigod (though I am sure I have mentioned this before). They are both kinda similar but different in genre. Nuarth is pure fantasy and Gen Demi is fantasy/si fi/superhero/whatever else I feel like. I am working on my first game that I will allow everyone to see. It is going to be called 'The Rose Angel Princess VS the Troll Princess' (quiet Phil, no comments are allowed unless you want to be the troll princess...that goes for you too Eric). This game is more for my daughter than anyone else and it will be taking place in my world (which ever that turns out to be). It won't be a very long game, but hopefully it won't be bad. I am going to post it on the web page that I will eventually set up for myself so anyone who wants to can download it and give it a try.

And on a final note, I am working on a post to review a book that I just recently read. It was very good and I even read it in record time (for me anyways). So look for that to post within the next few days. Hopefully by Sunday.

Write at you later.

Take the Star Trek Test

I just missed being Data, and I so do want to be human. But, I think I can live with being LaForge, though I would like to be able to see without the visor.

Your results:
You are Geordi LaForge

Geordi LaForge 55% Data 53% Chekov 50% Uhura 50% Beverly Crusher 50% Worf 50% An Expendable Character (Redshirt) 50% Jean-Luc Picard 45% Spock 44% Mr. Scott 40% James T. Kirk (Captain) 30% Mr. Sulu 30% Will Riker 30% Leonard McCoy (Bones) 25% Deanna Troi 25%

You work well with others and often fix problems quickly. Your romantic relationships are often bungled.

Click here to take the "Which Star Trek character am I?" quiz...

Update on me

Okay. I thought that I would post a quick update on my intentions since I have changed them (yet again). I know, I know, I need to stop doing this. And I believe that this is the reason I haven't finished 4 novels by now. I just have a little trouble staying focused. I keep thinking of new things and that is what I try to do. That is what I am hoping to accomplish with this blog. I want to keep a record of my progress and hopefully that will keep me focused. Anyways, on to the update.

I know I was suppose to be writing a fan fiction based off of my playing the game Fable and I haven't posted an episode since August. Well, I ran into a few snags with that. First off,  I got distracted from even playing the game for a few weeks. I downloaded a game engine, Engine 001, and I began messing around with it. It is pretty cool and I am going to start working on a RPG based in my world of Nuarth. I plan on posting the updates on its progress here. More on that later though. Second, the game started freezing up on me. The first time it froze up, I lost a lot of game time. I had played for over an hour since the last time I had saved it. I had my notes up to that point, but with the lost data I really couldn't write anything based off of that. I tried to play it again, but it froze on me again. I knew I might have to contend with that, but I had never had this big of an issue with it before.

So, I am going to stop trying to write the story now. I have been debating whether to start using another game for the story or just go with one of my own ideas. I have also decided to just drop the other blog. I figure that I should just work on getting this blog going on a regular basis first before I add another blog to worry about. I mean, one blog with just a few hits per post is better than multiple blogs with only a couple of hits per post per blog. At lease for my ego. I didn't just delete the only posting on that blog, I did re-post it here for posterity's sake.

So, this blog is going to be my one and only for now. All postings for games, reviews, stories, updates, news, and/or silliness I will post here. If you are interested in following my further attempts to become (in)famous, you can just follow me on Facebook or Google+ as I announce it there when I make a new post. Or, you can drop me an email and I will add you to the list of people that I notify through email. I will just need your email address. Until next time...

Write you later.

Re-posting of my game fan fic...

It is finally over! I have finally completed my training at the Hero's Guild. I must say that I was a little disappointed with the Guildmaster. All those years of seclusion here and when it is all over, what do I get? 'Here's some food, there's the door. Good Luck!' Bah! I guess no one will help me but me. Anyways, I am finally getting to go out and find these bandits that killed my family. I just hope they are still around so I can exact my revenge...

* * *

Baligar stood outside the Hero's Guild and looked around. How many years had gone by since he was last on this side of the door? Too many to really care about. The place hadn't changed all that much in that time. Almost directly in front of him was a particularly impressive looking stone stage. Well, at least it had been impressive looking when he last saw it all those years ago. Now it just looked old and dusty.

He had learned the purpose of the stage since coming to the Guild, maybe that is what had broke some of the wonder he had first felt when seeing it. Some of the heroes would boast about how great they were and how easily the could complete a certain job they were on. Then some of the villager that were always around would be able to bet against the hero if they didn't think he could do it. It didn't look like any hero had boasted for a while.

Off to his left sat the merchant cart with a group of villagers crowded around looking at the wares on display. Those villagers, and the few that were hovering around the gate, were nothing more than hero fans. Just hanging out in the hope that they would get to catch a glimpse of their favorite hero as he came or left, maybe even hoping to catch more than just a glimpse.

Most of them probably didn't even realize that no hero really had any need to walk out the gate, except for the new heroes like Baligar. He looked down at the tattoo on the back of his hand. This tattoo had been magically placed there by the Guild and it was suppose to allow him to teleport back to the Guild whenever he wanted to. The Guild had also set up these teleport stones in all of the cities and villages across Albion, that once he touched his tattoo to, could be used to teleport to the location. So there was really no need to use the gates at all. Unless you were a narcissist.

As Baligar looked up from his hand, he noticed a man, dressed in the typical peasant garb, running towards him. The man stopped in front and grabbed at his side while he took in deep breaths of air.

“You,” the man said between gasps. “You are a Hero, right? We need your help! They are everywhere!”

Baligar was about to dismiss the poor man but he saw desperation and fear in the guy's face, and he felt a pull, that he could not explain, to help the man. All those years of harboring hate and determination to see the men who had killed his family pay with their blood, the sole purpose for his time spent training, and here a stranger could run up and make him want to help. Maybe it was the fear and desperation he remembered feeling when he found his father lying on the ground that was causing this. Whatever it was, he knew then and there that he would do what he could to help this man.

“What is it?” Baligar placed his hand on the villager's shoulder in what he hoped was a comforting gesture. “Who is everywhere?”

“The wasps.” Baligar could feel some of the tension leave the man's body. “Giant wasps are attacking the picnic area. My friends are still there. Please help us.”

“It's okay.” Baligar gave him his best reassuring smile. “I will save your friends. Show me where they are.”

The man smiled, nodded his head, and ran back the way he had came. One glance back over his shoulder was all the reassurance the man needed that the hero was following. Baligar took the time to contemplate what was to come. Giant wasps couldn't be anymore difficult to deal with then the large beetles he had to fight during his training days. He would go and kill these bugs and gain some respect from these peasants. It wouldn't be a total waste to help them. Doing this would probably even get him recognized by others as word spread about this deed. And that would help loosen lips, making it easier to track down the people he really wanted to test his skills on.

It didn't take long to get to the picnic area, or would it have been difficult for him to find it. People were running from the place and screaming as if the devil himself was after them. All this fuss for a few flying bugs. Baligar just shook his head and laughed to himself. Maybe this would be better than he thought. The man had stopped and looked towards area, craning his neck as he tried to find his friends in the crowd. Baligar ran past him drawing his sword as he scanned the area.

There were only a couple of people left running around as wasps the size of medium chased them. There were a couple of people lying on the ground near the picnic tables. Baligar wasn't sure if they were alive or dead since he didn't see any movement coming from them. His attention was then drawn to the group of wasps that were circling overhead. The wasps also noticed Baligar and several dived towards him.

Wasting no time, Baligar charged towards the wasps, drawing the attention of the ones chasing the villagers, and began swinging his sword. The flying insects were as little threat to him as he had expected as his sword effortlessly passed through wasp after wasp. It took very little time before he had chopped all the wasps threatening him in half, leaving their bodies twitching on the ground. He turned and started to put away his sword when a loud buzzing caused him to stop.

Baligar slowly turned around and saw a wasp the size of a horse hovering behind him. He really couldn't say for certain, but he got a feeling the the giant bug was very angry at him. Before the bug could make a move, Baligar pointed his hand at the creature and called out the spell he had been taught during his training.

“Gnitnghil!” he shouted.

Lightning lept from his finger tips and arced into the bug. An ear splitting screeched filled the air as the wasp threw back its head in pain. Baligar returned the favor and charged straight at the insect, going into a roll at the last moment. He dove under the wasp and came up into a crouching position extending his arms and felt his sword skittering across the hardened shell of the creature. He stood up and turned to face the wasp. He was shocked to find the wasp had already turned and was streaking through the air towards him. It began flying in a tight circle, almost like it was trying to start a tornado, bashing him several times before he got his sword up. He felt the sword bite into the creatures flesh this time.

The giant wasp stopped and let out another screech, this time causing several of the smaller wasps that were still circling overhead to descend and attack the hero. Again, the smaller versions proved to be no match for Baligar and his sword. Unfortunately, they distracted Baligar long enough for the giant wasp to begin another tornado attack, this one knocking him down to the ground.

Baligar pushed himself back to his feet as the wasp came to a stop in front of him. He knew that a frontal assault wouldn't work but he didn't think he could get around behind the creature before it started another tornado attack. He needed a way to get past the creature before it could react. As the wasp let out another screech, he started seeing words forming in his mind. Words that held power and then the meaning of those words came to him. The words were a new spell.

Baligar charged as a new wave of small wasps descended. He sliced through them and brought forth the mana he needed to power the spell.

“Hsur Nissassa!”

The world suddenly blurred all around him. But only for a second. When everything righted itself again, he was standing right behind the giant wasp. Without a second thought, Baligar brought his sword down across the creatures back, causing it to screech in pain again. As its head arched backwards, he reversed his swing and lopped off the head of the creature.

As the body fell to the ground, twitching and curling up like all dead insects do, Baligar looked up and saw the cloud of wasps overhead begin to break up and disperse. He wiped his blade of the bug ichor in the grass and sheathed it. That was when the villagers began walking down the path clapping their hands and shouting cheers. He started walking towards the group and was about to tell them to go home when he got a piercing headache.

“Baligar.” It was the guildmaster. He had forgotten the other function of the tattoo he had received. It allowed the guildmaster to communicate with him. “Maze has some important information for you. Meet him by the tavern in Bowerstone.”

New Blog and started game fiction

Well, I got the first post finished for my story. And just in time. I changed a few things from the way I said I was going to do them in my last post. I didn't do it as a journal entry. I did do a beginning paragraph that is commentary from the character. And I did take quite a few literary liberties. Instead of going straight how it happened in the game, I tried to spice up what happened. Like the way I got the first quest. In the game you go to the quest board and select it. Then as soon as you step outside a man runs up to you and asks you to follow him. I always thought that was a little weird. Then there are the casting of the spells. I am sure it is rather easy to see that I used the name of the spell backwards. I also made changes to the battle with the wasps. I actually beat them much quicker in the game. Though everything I did is in the story, I just added to it to make it a bit longer.

I also decided to start up a new blog for these stories. I was originally going to just post them here, but I thought with all my other posts (which I do plan on adding more) it would eventually get a little mixed up imo. (oooo, I used an abbreviation) So I will post a link to the new blog here:

Games Fan Fiction

and on the side. Hope you enjoy the post and please comment on it, good or bad, so that I can learn to be a better writer.

Write ya later.

Poll results . . .

Alright, the results of the poll for which game am I going to do a character story on are in. And the winner of my first poll is . . . {que drum roll} . . .

Nobody! Ta Da!

That is right. There was no clear winner. In fact, there were only three votes placed in the last week. I was hoping for a few more since I posted (twice) to my Facebook account asking my friends and family to vote. But I guess they were all too busy with their own lives. Don't worry, I am not bitter about it. After all, it's not like I hang on every post they make. I guess it just goes to so you that most people on Facebook are your friend just so they can say 'Look at how many friends I have on Facebook!' But, truly, I am not bitter about it.

Anyways, now that my ranting is done. I would like to thank the three people who did vote, though I am not sure if they even read this blog. But I shall thank them anyways. And now I will reveal what the poll results are.

Like I said, I had three votes. One vote for Fable, one vote for Two Worlds, and one vote for Elder Scrolls: Oblivion. See, no clear winner. Just a clear loser. Dragon Age: Origins didn't get any votes. Poor Dragon Age. Better luck next time. Yes, there will be a next time. After I complete the current game (I will tell you which one of the three it is, since I will be casting the deciding vote) I will run the poll again replacing the completed game with another choice. Most likely it will the sequel as I do have the sequels to all the games listed. And since I can't do this postings for all three games at once (well, I probably could but I don't think Sharrice (that's my wife for those of you who don't know) would approve of that, she says I play too much as it is) I will have to cast the deciding vote.

And I choose . . . {que drum roll again} . . .

Fable!

Congratulations Fable. It couldn't have happened to a nicer game.

You may ask what made me pick this one and honestly I am not sure. I had thought about which one I would chose after I received my second vote on Sunday. Fable is the one I decided to chose then, and I even worked on the beginning post since I have played it a bit. I had almost changed my mind this evening to Dragon Age just to throw you all a curve ball. But I had decided to go with whatever was chosen in the vote, and since Dragon Age wasn't chosen I stuck with my original decision. Incidentally, the first vote received was for Fable, so maybe that had a part in my decision.

So, I will use Sunday to play the game for a few hours, taking notes the whole time. I will then write up the entry as if my character was making an entry into his journal. Since it is Fable I am playing and I don't get to make many character choices at the start, just whether to follow the good or evil path during the game, I will make the first post of the story on Wednesday and follow that up every Wednesday until I am completed.

I am going to try to make another general post on Saturdays and I have even been toying with the idea of posting some reviews on another day. I hadn't decided much about these reviews mainly because when I am enjoying a story or movie or game or whatever, I get into this whatever and find it hard to keep a critical eye. If I am not enjoying it I don't always finish whatever it is. But I do need to develop my review skill, especially with the plans I have set before myself. So, I will probably try this. These posting will most likely come at least once a month. I am not sure if I can do once a week yet. We shall see what comes.

Anyways, I think I will end this post here. It has gone on long enough. I will see what I can come up with for Saturday (what was it I thought of last week, hmm, I will have to check the last post). But if not, be sure to check back next Wednesday for the first post in my Fable story.

Write you later.

To game or not to game...ahh who are we kidding

Okay. I know I was supposed to start posting more this year, and I really haven't done that...yet. The biggest hurdle that I currently have is motivation. I have not had much motivation in the last few years. Mostly since I moved to Corpus Christi. I haven't done much in the way of writing since then. Oh, I have thought of ideas. I have plotted several stories during that time. I have taken world building notes. I have even started working on plans to start up a company to encompass all my plans (see previous two posts). But still I have been having trouble getting myself motivated. So, in an effort to push myself back into writing, I have come up with a plan.

As my friends know, I love fantasy. I love RPGs. And so, I am going to combine my love for RPGs and my desire to write together. I have decided that I am going to play one of these games all the way through and write posts as to what happens in these games as if from the viewpoint of the character. The only thing is is that I am not sure which one to start with (and this is another one of my hurdles I have to contend with, but more on this in a latter post. See, already getting ideas for other posts). So, I have decided to create a poll and ask my loyal readers (or reader, not sure if I have any at all just yet) to help me decide.

I am going to list 5 games to choose from. Some of them I have already played most of the way through (if not all the way). But for this I will be starting with a brand new character. I had contemplated on having you all (or just you) help me with creating the character but I changed my mind. Can't have you making all my decisions now can I. Just follow the link to the poll and vote for your favorite game, or the one you think will give me the most challenge.

Poll

I decided to create the poll at Writing.com because I haven't figured out how to make polls on blogger yet (or if I even can, any help would be appreciated for future reference). Right now the games are just for Xbox 360. I will probably add my PS2 games later if I can get it hooked back up. My PC games are mostly for older Windows versions so I am not completely sure how well they will work on Windows 7, but I will test them out and may add later if I can play them. I am still toying with the idea of adding MMORPGs. The thing with them is that they may be harder to do this with as most of them are continuously being added to with new chapters. Though I could just add each chapter to the polls separately.

I will most likely be making these posts on Wednesdays. This will allow me to play the game on Sunday and then give me a couple of days to write out the entry. After I get to the end of the game, I will post a review of the game. It will mostly be my thoughts on the game; likes and dislikes, what I thought could be added to make it better. This is going to help me in other ways also, as I am wanting to program my own games in the future.

Well, that's about it for today. I am going to give the poll at least a week to run and see how many votes I get. You are also welcome to check out some of my shorts I have posted on Writing.com and tell me what you think. You can either leave a comment here or a review at the site. It is easy to make an account there and there is no charge for that. As a bonus for creating an account you will be able to check out thousands of other great writers there and if you get the writing bug the account lets you post up to 10 stories. All for no fee. Just a thought. Write at ya later.