As you all should know, November marks the start of National Novel Writing Month - 30 days and nights of literary abandon. The goal is to write a 50.000 word novel before December, without editing or slowing.
This will be my 3rd year participating. In 2008, I completed a novel titled "Princess Kate," inspired by a dream I had dreamt a while earlier. It took place in an alternate-world I already created for a fantasy story, but Princess Kate ended up with no fantasy elements, despite my intention to include magic. In 2009, I wrote about 60% of a novel titled "The Burden of Proof," a modern-day courtroom drama inspired by a Japanese drama I had watched earlier that year. I reached the 50K goal, both times, but the second story had more going on that couldn't be covered in a 120-page book.
In writing Princess Kate, I was surprised by how hard it was to keep the story moving. I had the basic plot outline in my head, and I knew what I wanted characters to do at certain points in the book, but there was so much space and time between those points that I had not accounted for (My initial idea for the book could could be easily fleshed out in about 20 pages). For Burden of Proof, I decided to flesh out the entire story ahead of time, doing everything but putting words on paper until November hit. It was fun both times, but the experience definitely changed, not having to make up subplot as I went.
For this year, I have decided to dive in without a specific story-goal. I plan to come up with a cast of characters, character-goals, and an overall plot before-hand, but I wont know how the story ends until it does. This is a bit daring, but I'm hoping it my increase the story's realism, or something that.
Anyway, step one is to come up with a genre/setting for the story. After a bit of research and serious consideration, I have compiled a list of possible genre/settings, and I want YOU, dear reader, and probably friend, to help me pick one. The list is as follows:
Steampunk - a sub-genre of the sci-fi genre, Steampunk is a mix of industrial-age, steam-powered technology and futuristic science fiction. It's pretty fun, a period-piece sci-fi. Notable examples include the manga/anime Fullmetal Alchemist, the novel/animated movie Howl's Moving Castle (and some other works by Miyazaki), and most works by Jules Verne, which I consider steampunk even though he wasn't attempting it. My Halloween costume this year is Steampunk, so it would make sense to continue the theme; however I'm also wary of this choice because Steampunk has grown in popularity lately, almost becoming a fad, and I don't want to write what everyone else writes.
Fantasy Alternate World - is a fantasy sub-genre, specifically taking place in another world or universe. Notable examples include the His Dark Materiel's trilogy, the Oz books, and the Chronicles of Narnia. This genre crosses over with Period Fantasy and Modern fantasy, and, as seen in all three of my examples, sometimes includes the ability to cross between the real world and the fantasy world. I could do this pretty easily, as I already have a fantasy alternate world to work with, along with fantasy magic rules.
Realistic Alternate World - is essentially what Princess Kate could be defined as, since it took place not on earth but had no fantasy or sci-fi elements. I can't find any notable examples, however, besides possibly the Series of Unfortunate Events, because most alt. world stories employ fantasy elements. I've done this before, which means it's both easy for me to do and doesn't provide new experience. As mentioned before, I have an alternate world ready to use.
Period Fantasy - includes any fantasy taking place in a period-piece timeline, taking place on earth or not. Notable examples include the Lord of the Rings books (and others by Tolkien), the Eragon trilogy, and pretty much every ancient, classic writings, starting from Beowulf (though, at the time, they probably would have been considered modern). This is where we get epic fantasies from, and most video games (Zelda, anyone? Most Final fantasy?) so it would definitely be fun to write. Though I've often wanted to, I don't think I've ever written anything to fit this genre, so it would be something new to experience. I'd also have to decide whether to use an alternate world or find a time from earth.
Modern Fantasy - is a bit self explanatory. Also known as Urban Fiction. Notable examples include the Lightning Thief (and series), the Harry Potter books (I think... they never really get into when, exactly, they take place, and the alternate world sections of the books seem a bit period), and a number of movies, such as Stranger than Fiction or the Sorcerer's Apprentice. It's an interesting genre, as you have to balance the modern realistic aspect with the fantasy, unrealistic aspect without being too cheesy. It would be a fun challenge if I chose this genre, and most likely I would have it take place on earth, instead of using an alternate world.
Modern Realistic Fiction - is also pretty self explanatory. There are no notable examples, other than every other movie released in the last decade, and most adult fiction books today. Most works under this genre are either mystery, romance, or life dramas, so I would have to choose which kind of story I wanted to tell if I chose this genre/setting, along with where I wanted to tell it (on earth, of course, but where on earth?) Last year's novel technically falls under this genre, too.
Futuristic Sci-Fi - is last of certainly not least. Notable examples include the Ender's Game series, the Hunger Games trilogy, and a number of movies, such as I Robot or Star Wars (and Firefly!) I love writing in this genre, even if I feel I'm not particularly inclined to the movies or books. I don't really have a world set up for a sci-fi story already, though it wouldn't be that hard to expand something I'd already written. This is kind of neither an alternate world or earth setting, as it could be far enough into the future that there are little similarities to modern day.
After I choose a setting/genre, I begin work on creating a plot and cast of characters.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
What's up with the Playstation Move?
(Intro)
I was in the college Language Lab today, for French class. I had never been there before, didn't really know what to do, and instead of figuring out their silly programs, I decided to look thinks up on Wikipedia.fr, because that's what I do.
After looking up foreign alphabets for a while (Namely Greek and Cyrillic), I decided to look at something a little more interesting - the latest news on Skyward Sword, the newest game in the Legend of Zelda franchise. I am anxiously awaiting its release, so I decided to see if there was any news (in French, of course). Eventually, I made my way to the French Wiki page for this last Electronic Entertainment Expo - I really only saw Nintendo's presentation, so I wanted to finally, in Language lab, find out what was going on with the other major gaming companies.
I spent a few minutes going over which new games were slated for release, and what the 'big names' were for each major system, when I finally read about something called the Playstation Move. In French.
(Main Body)
Why have I never heard about the PlayStation Move before? Granted, I don't really follow Playstation's new releases (only Nintendo), but I like Xbox even less (If it's PS versus Xbox, PS is definitely my preferred platform), and even I know about the Kinect thing coming out (Which I'm not entirely trustful of, anyway). From what I can tell, the PlayStation Move is Sony's new 'Big Name Item', so why have I heard no mention of it in my limited gaming community? Beyond that, the PlayStation Move is an obvious rival to the Nintendo Wii, which first released user-movement controlled gaming to the industry (Nintendo tends to do that). Kinect, Microsoft's new improvement to user-movement controlled gaming, is probably overshadowing Sony because of its "hands free" control system, but as a direct rival to the Wii, PlayStation should still be mentioned, too, right?
I spent a few minutes wondering why I had never heard of the PlayStation Move, and then I saw this:
This, my dear friends, is the Move remote. One look at it makes me giggle. Stare too long and I'm laughing.
For Serious? Playstation? Really? Sony, I thought you could do better. (Click the hyperlinks below for pictures and moar lolz)
1 - It's a wiimote (some people hate 'wiimote' and really prefer 'wii remote' but I speak English and I hate saying the same thing twice in a row in a row). It's black, it doesn't have the Nintendo logo, it has a wireless nunchuck, and it has a stupid shiny orb at the top, but essentially it's a wiimote. You couldn't be, I don't know, more creative? Sony?
2 - OH WAIT. It's not a wiimote - it's got a stupid shiny orb at the top! It's TOTALLY different. T_T Uh huh. See, the reason I respect Playstation (even if I prefer Nintendo) is because Playstation games tend to be less cartoony and more serious. There are dark Playstation games, and even the most lighthearted are at least more realistic than Wii. That's why seeing this giant cartoon bubble at the end of the PS wiimote makes me think this is more appropriate for a wii, not a Sony machine. Not only does it LOOK like a 6-year-old's toy magic wand (or, in this case, fantasy priestess staff), it lights up, makes different colors, and I'm sure is leaves a trail of pixie-dust, too.
3 - Maybe this isn't totally nonsensical, but the PS wiimote uses the PS camera accessory like a sensor-bar, to pick up the magic light of the PS wiimote. Now, understanding that most PLaystation users already own the Camera accessory, I can understand why they'd prefer not to make new hardware - however, an entire camera when a strip of black plastic would work instead seems a bit to much. Compound that with the fact that most webcams can be remotely accessed, giving anyone with the right skills the ability to watch what you do in your living room, and the PS camera seems a bit... overrated. (Quick note - never dress in front of a webcam.) Sensor bars can't spy on you, can they? Maybe that sounds paranoid, but I'm still preferring the old fashion wiimote to the new one with the sparkly orb.
Now, yes, all you super-loyal PlayStation gamers, the PS wiimote IS a bet better than the original wiimote. The PS wiimote comes with a rechargable battery pack, like the old PS controllers. I've always disliked the AA batteries in the original wiimotes, so I would say that this is an improvement. As previously mentioned, there is no wire connecting the two controllers, and the computer in the PS wiimote definitely has more capabilities.
However, there are significantly more buttons on the PS wiimote that were on the original wiimote. Loyal Play Station fans may tote that the new PlayStation magic wand wiimote has less buttons and a more streamlined feel, but I've counted them - The Nintendo wiimote has 11 buttons (neatly organized and clearly labeled, might I add), including all for directional buttons, and the Nunchuck attachment has 3, including the analog joystick and two buttons at your trigger finger. The Playstation wiimote has only 9 buttons (though Playstation has always used shapes for labels, which I find odd, and two of the buttons seem hidden on the side), but the nunchuck (actually, it's called the navigation remote), has exactly 11 buttons, the same as the original wiimote. ELEVEN. I counted them. This is including the four directionals, and the two hidden on the back that I can't see very well.
WHAT THE HECK, Sony? If you're going to flat out copy Nintendo's system, at least do it with some style. Who authorized you to put a sum total of TWENTY BUTTONS on your double-remotes? Nintedno beat you by SIX. Streamlined, yeah right.
(Conclusion)
I can understand the draws for buying and using the new Playstation Move system - all your favorite games now with motion-sensing capabilities? I liked Playstation for sticking with a hand remote, because honestly, sometimes pointing at my TV screen gets annoying, but I also like the new technology, and I'm glad Sony's finally dabbling in it. However, if the Wii console and remotes (with updated technology) only cost $200, I don't see Sony making beating them out, seeing as they're practically the same thing. Serious gamers, go ahead and buy the thing - as an avid Nintendo fan, even I agree that generally the younger systems improve upon Nintendo's introduction. However, I'm not expecting anything earth-shattering.
I was in the college Language Lab today, for French class. I had never been there before, didn't really know what to do, and instead of figuring out their silly programs, I decided to look thinks up on Wikipedia.fr, because that's what I do.
After looking up foreign alphabets for a while (Namely Greek and Cyrillic), I decided to look at something a little more interesting - the latest news on Skyward Sword, the newest game in the Legend of Zelda franchise. I am anxiously awaiting its release, so I decided to see if there was any news (in French, of course). Eventually, I made my way to the French Wiki page for this last Electronic Entertainment Expo - I really only saw Nintendo's presentation, so I wanted to finally, in Language lab, find out what was going on with the other major gaming companies.
I spent a few minutes going over which new games were slated for release, and what the 'big names' were for each major system, when I finally read about something called the Playstation Move. In French.
(Main Body)
Why have I never heard about the PlayStation Move before? Granted, I don't really follow Playstation's new releases (only Nintendo), but I like Xbox even less (If it's PS versus Xbox, PS is definitely my preferred platform), and even I know about the Kinect thing coming out (Which I'm not entirely trustful of, anyway). From what I can tell, the PlayStation Move is Sony's new 'Big Name Item', so why have I heard no mention of it in my limited gaming community? Beyond that, the PlayStation Move is an obvious rival to the Nintendo Wii, which first released user-movement controlled gaming to the industry (Nintendo tends to do that). Kinect, Microsoft's new improvement to user-movement controlled gaming, is probably overshadowing Sony because of its "hands free" control system, but as a direct rival to the Wii, PlayStation should still be mentioned, too, right?
I spent a few minutes wondering why I had never heard of the PlayStation Move, and then I saw this:
This, my dear friends, is the Move remote. One look at it makes me giggle. Stare too long and I'm laughing.
For Serious? Playstation? Really? Sony, I thought you could do better. (Click the hyperlinks below for pictures and moar lolz)
1 - It's a wiimote (some people hate 'wiimote' and really prefer 'wii remote' but I speak English and I hate saying the same thing twice in a row in a row). It's black, it doesn't have the Nintendo logo, it has a wireless nunchuck, and it has a stupid shiny orb at the top, but essentially it's a wiimote. You couldn't be, I don't know, more creative? Sony?
2 - OH WAIT. It's not a wiimote - it's got a stupid shiny orb at the top! It's TOTALLY different. T_T Uh huh. See, the reason I respect Playstation (even if I prefer Nintendo) is because Playstation games tend to be less cartoony and more serious. There are dark Playstation games, and even the most lighthearted are at least more realistic than Wii. That's why seeing this giant cartoon bubble at the end of the PS wiimote makes me think this is more appropriate for a wii, not a Sony machine. Not only does it LOOK like a 6-year-old's toy magic wand (or, in this case, fantasy priestess staff), it lights up, makes different colors, and I'm sure is leaves a trail of pixie-dust, too.
3 - Maybe this isn't totally nonsensical, but the PS wiimote uses the PS camera accessory like a sensor-bar, to pick up the magic light of the PS wiimote. Now, understanding that most PLaystation users already own the Camera accessory, I can understand why they'd prefer not to make new hardware - however, an entire camera when a strip of black plastic would work instead seems a bit to much. Compound that with the fact that most webcams can be remotely accessed, giving anyone with the right skills the ability to watch what you do in your living room, and the PS camera seems a bit... overrated. (Quick note - never dress in front of a webcam.) Sensor bars can't spy on you, can they? Maybe that sounds paranoid, but I'm still preferring the old fashion wiimote to the new one with the sparkly orb.
Now, yes, all you super-loyal PlayStation gamers, the PS wiimote IS a bet better than the original wiimote. The PS wiimote comes with a rechargable battery pack, like the old PS controllers. I've always disliked the AA batteries in the original wiimotes, so I would say that this is an improvement. As previously mentioned, there is no wire connecting the two controllers, and the computer in the PS wiimote definitely has more capabilities.
However, there are significantly more buttons on the PS wiimote that were on the original wiimote. Loyal Play Station fans may tote that the new PlayStation magic wand wiimote has less buttons and a more streamlined feel, but I've counted them - The Nintendo wiimote has 11 buttons (neatly organized and clearly labeled, might I add), including all for directional buttons, and the Nunchuck attachment has 3, including the analog joystick and two buttons at your trigger finger. The Playstation wiimote has only 9 buttons (though Playstation has always used shapes for labels, which I find odd, and two of the buttons seem hidden on the side), but the nunchuck (actually, it's called the navigation remote), has exactly 11 buttons, the same as the original wiimote. ELEVEN. I counted them. This is including the four directionals, and the two hidden on the back that I can't see very well.
WHAT THE HECK, Sony? If you're going to flat out copy Nintendo's system, at least do it with some style. Who authorized you to put a sum total of TWENTY BUTTONS on your double-remotes? Nintedno beat you by SIX. Streamlined, yeah right.
(Conclusion)
I can understand the draws for buying and using the new Playstation Move system - all your favorite games now with motion-sensing capabilities? I liked Playstation for sticking with a hand remote, because honestly, sometimes pointing at my TV screen gets annoying, but I also like the new technology, and I'm glad Sony's finally dabbling in it. However, if the Wii console and remotes (with updated technology) only cost $200, I don't see Sony making beating them out, seeing as they're practically the same thing. Serious gamers, go ahead and buy the thing - as an avid Nintendo fan, even I agree that generally the younger systems improve upon Nintendo's introduction. However, I'm not expecting anything earth-shattering.
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