Gaming Thread

[Det Som Engang Var]

On the subject of traditional fantasy, it's been over a decade long dream of mine to write a book. I realize I'm not the most intelligent person here, but I think I've made decent scenes and dialogue. But, I find it impossible to construct any kind of plot twist or real story progression.

 

[El Stormo]

Do it! Get started, write a page a day. If you need some advice, I'll be happy to help, i'm pretty good at coming up with stories. I need to go now, so I can only make a short post, but by all means if you want to write, do it. You'd be surprised at how often your story will simply start writing itself for entire chapters

 

[Det Som Engang Var]

Thanks! I have, actually.

But, it seems every plot idea or plot twist I can think of has been done. I can create a world and characters like no ones business but I draw blank at the important parts. I don't think it would be a problem for me with another genre, but it's hard to be original with this one.

 

[Liverslapper]

this ^


if you cant max out now then something is bogging down your system, whether it be a virus or too many processes running or a fucked up driver, cause that computer should be pwning your games.

EDIT: and yeah I was playing that damn game till 4 A.M, it's pretty awesome, I cranked up the game speed to quick and found it more interesting for me. How do I make trade routes? cause one of my settlements wants some resource and it's telling me to connect it, but im not sure how.

Add me on Steam - UberPancake

 

[El Stormo]

Thanks! I have, actually.

But, it seems every plot idea or plot twist I can think of has been done. I can create a world and characters like no ones business but I draw blank at the important parts. I don't think it would be a problem for me with another genre, but it's hard to be original with this one.

One thing you really need to keep in mind is that everything has already been done. Like some important literary guy (I forget who) once said, "there are only twelve books, all the rest are variations on those". Don't worry about whether or not things have already been done (don't blatantly plagiarize of course!), but look for new refreshing ways to bring them, and even if you're having trouble with that, make sure your setting and characters are so interesting that people will experience the whole thing as worth reading. Your plot is only one aspect of your story, and if you're having trouble with it, just make sure your other aspects are interesting enough.

As for plot twists, since you consider that important from what I derive from your posts, remember that a story does not need to even have plot twists. I know that these days, all games, films and books feel the need to include THE PLOT TWIST, but a fact is, a plot twist is only one way to surprise your readers. You can have a perfectly straightforward plot and still keep it interesting, there is nothing wrong with that. Your plot should of course change and evolve, to make sure it keeps a reader's attention, but you shouldn't feel obliged to include that pivotal point where everything falls into place and the main character is revealed to have unknowingly worked for the enemy all along, or similar trite (because they are trite) storytelling tools. You say you'd like to write traditional fantasy, well my friend, traditional fantasy doesn't need anything else except good characters, a good setting, good storytelling, and an interesting premise. It doesn't need that pivotal plot twist, that anvilicious moral message, that literary wordsmithing genius, the complex and spaghetti-like web of intrigue, or anything else (htough you may of course include them if you feel it helps the story!). A good story is one that writes itself, or that at least feels that way to the author. If you find yourself having to stop and think too often, especially during writing, then your story isn't ready for writing yet, and you need to pick up more inspiration (and that can come from anywhere)


The glorious TVTropes wiki (<3 tvtropes) has a great list of pitfalls that you can look out for when you write. Of course, all of the things you should avoid can be included, provided they fit into your story, so don't take that list (or indeed, any advice on writing) as set in stone.


When you write, there's only one thing you should feel obligated to do, and that is the one rule all writers need to follow (at least those who write normal, popular fiction): "tell a good story". Nothing else matters.

 

[Det Som Engang Var]

You've given me much to think about. Pest post ever.

 

[El Stormo]

Best of luck, man, and I'm glad to help. If you'd like someone to bounce ideas off of, or proofread and offer constructive but thorough criticism (the kind you can't get from your mom ), be sure to let me know, I'm always happy to help someone who's got the guts to sit down and start writing

As for your liking to plot twists, read this before you start writing, so you're aware that relying on twists has rather big pitfalls.

 

[Liverslapper]

Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock


out tomorrow! yay can't play it


Setlist:

1.)A Perfect Circle - "The Outsider"
2.)Aerosmith - "Cryin'"
3.)AFI - "Dancing Through Sunday"
4.)Alice Cooper - "No More Mr. Nice Guy"
5.)Alter Bridge - "Ties That Bind"
6.)Anberlin - "The Feel Good Drag"
7.)Anthrax &#8211; "Indians"
8.)Arch Enemy - "Nemesis"
9.)Atreyu - "Ravenous"
10.)Avenged Sevenfold &#8211; "Bat Country"
11.)Bad Brains - "Re-Ignition (Live)"
12.)Band Of Skulls - "I Know What I Am"
13.)Black Sabbath - "Children Of The Grave"
14.)Blind Melon - "Tones Of Home"
15.)Blue Öyster Cult - Burnin' For You
16.)Bush - "Machinehead"
17.)Buzzcocks - "What Do I Get?"
18.)Children Of Bodom - "If You Want Peace... Prepare For War"
19.)Creedence Clearwater Revival - "Fortunate Son"
20.)Deep Purple - "Burn"
21.)Def Leppard - "Pour Some Sugar On Me (Live)"
22.)Dethklok - "Bloodlines"
23.)Dire Straits &#8211; "Money For Nothing"
24.)Dragonforce - "Fury Of The Storm"
25.)Drowning Pool &#8211; "Bodies"
26.)Fall Out Boy &#8211; "Dance, Dance"
27.)Five Finger Death Punch - "Hard To See"
28.)Flyleaf - "Again"
29.)Foo Fighters &#8211; "No Way Back"
30.)Foreigner &#8211; "Feels Like The First Time"
31.)George Thorogood And The Destroyers - "Move It On Over (Live)"
32.)Interpol - "Slow Hands"
33.)Jane's Addicton - "Been Caught Stealing"
34.)Jethro Tull &#8211; "Aqualung"
35.)John 5 Feat. Jim Root - "Black Widow Of La Porte"
36.)Kiss - "Love Gun"
37.)Linkin Park &#8211; "Bleed It Out"
38.)Lynyrd Skynyrd - "Call Me The Breeze (Live)"
39.)Megadeth - "Holy Wars&#8230; The Punishment Due"
40.)Megadeth - "Sudden Death"
41.)Megadeth - "The Day We Fight!"
42.)Metallica Feat. Ozzy Osbourne - "Paranoid (Live)"
43.)Muse - "Uprising"
44.)My Chemical Romance - "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)"
45.)Neil Young - "Rockin' In The Free World"
46.)Nickelback - "How You Remind Me"
47.)Night Ranger &#8211; "(You Can Still) Rock In America"
48.)Nine Inch Nails &#8211; "Wish"
49.)Orianthi - "Suffocated"
50.)Pantera - "I'm Broken"
51.)Phoenix - "Lasso"
52.)Poison - "Unskinny Bop"
53.)Queen - "Bohemian Rhapsody"
54.)Queensrÿche - "Jet City Woman"
55.)R.E.M. - "Losing My Religion"
56.)RX Bandits - "It's Only Another Parsec&#8230;"
57.)Rammstein - "Waidmanns Heil"
58.)Red Rider - "Lunatic Fringe"
59.)Rise Against - "Savior"
60.)Rush - "2112 Pt. 1 &#8211; Overture"
61.)Rush - "2112 Pt. 2 &#8211; The Temples Of Syrinx"
62.)Rush - "2112 Pt. 3 &#8211; Discovery"
63.)Rush - "2112 Pt. 4 &#8211; Presentation"
64.)Rush - "2112 Pt. 5 &#8211; Oracle: The Dream"
65.)Rush - "2112 Pt. 6 &#8211; Soliloquy"
66.)Rush - "2112 Pt. 7 &#8211; Grand Finale"
67.)Silversun Pickups - "There's No Secrets This Year"
68.)Slash Feat. Ian Astbury And Izzy Stradlin - "Ghost"
69.)Slayer - "Chemical Warfare"
70.)Slipknot &#8211; "Psychosocial"
71.)Snot - "Deadfall"
72.)Soundgarden - "Black Rain"
73.)Steve Vai - "Speeding"
74.)Stone Temple Pilots &#8211; "Interstate Love Song"
75.)Strung Out - "Calling"
76.)Styx - "Renegade"
77.)Sum 41 - "Motivation"
78.)Tesla - "Modern Day Cowboy"
79.)Third Eye Blind - "Graduate"
80.)Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - "Listen To Her Heart"
81.)The Cure - "Fascination Street"
82.)The Dillinger Escape Plan - "Setting Fire To Sleeping Giants"
83.)The Edgar Winter Group - "Free Ride"
84.)The Hives &#8211; "Tick Tick Boom"
85.)The Offspring &#8211; "Self Esteem"
86.)The Ramones - "Theme From Spiderman"
87.)The Rolling Stones &#8211; "Stray Cat Blues"
88.)The Runaways - "Cherry Bomb"
89.)The Vines - "Get Free"
90.)The White Stripes - "Seven Nation Army"
91.)Them Crooked Vultures - "Scumbag Blues"
92.)Twisted Sister - "We're Not Gonna Take It"
93.)ZZ Top - "Sharp Dressed Man (Live)"





"Speeding" by Stevie Vai is going to be very hard to play...

 

[freewill]

So, i remember playing Civ II on a friends computer and loving it, and now I have a question. Which is better? Civ IV or Civ V? i am going to buy one on steam, but i am not sure which one to go with as I have yet to play either.

 

[Liverslapper]

If your new to the series, play Civ. V.

 

[freewill]

If your new to the series, play Civ. V.

i believe i played civ II, the one where you may begin as the sioux indians. but yea, i might just go with Civ V

 

[Liverslapper]

When you get it up and running let us know. If you are using Steam you can add me through that.

Would be cool to get a neverboard Civ game going on.

 

[ShadowsWithin]

lol fuck i should probably buy it then, I have just been enjoying SP right now. So far I don't like the way things are handled economically as compared to civilizations but it's super fun and looks pretty damn good too.


I kind of prefer the new non-stacking set-up but i wish if you had a non combatant you could attach an escort that would move with them instead of having to individually do it.

 

[El Stormo]

So, i remember playing Civ II on a friends computer and loving it, and now I have a question. Which is better? Civ IV or Civ V? i am going to buy one on steam, but i am not sure which one to go with as I have yet to play either.

I'd go for Civ V, like Steve said. Civ IV is more complicated, has more micromanaging and stuff, I still think it's the most 'hardcore' Civ.

lol fuck i should probably buy it then, I have just been enjoying SP right now. So far I don't like the way things are handled economically as compared to civilizations but it's super fun and looks pretty damn good too.

I was skeptical at first too, because it's all become very streamlined and most micromanaging is done away with, and I was afraid it'd be dumbed down. Fact is, it *is* dumbed down, but definitely in the most fun way possible. Anyone who remembers Civ III and its constant, irritating need to shift citizens back and forth between actor and civilian status because of happiness concerns can attest that too much micromanaging isn't fun for anyone.

I kind of prefer the new non-stacking set-up but i wish if you had a non combatant you could attach an escort that would move with them instead of having to individually do it.

I infinitely prefer the stacking, but the non-stacking has its challenges and advantages, that much is certain. But like you said, add a god damn escort function for noncombatants!

 

[Det Som Engang Var]

This is the first time I've wanted to play a Castlevania game since those abominations on the 64. Although the shitty God of War style combat is a turn off.

http://g4tv.com/videos/48935/Castlevania-Lords-of-Shadow-Gameplay-Trailer/

 

[Chromatose]

GoG is selling Planescape: Torment now!

http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/planescape_torment

 

[Lord Foul]

Ooh, and they have Total Annihilation and the First Age of Wonders

 

[Chromatose]

I read that all the Age of Wonders games will be coming to Steam soon, though.

 

[Lord Foul]

Yeah, that's kinda what is holding me back.

 

[DarkGift]

This is the first time I've wanted to play a Castlevania game since those abominations on the 64. Although the shitty God of War style combat is a turn off.

http://g4tv.com/videos/48935/Castlevania-Lords-of-Shadow-Gameplay-Trailer/

looks pretty cool, feels like a total rip off from god of war and shadow of the collossus though