Tali'Thread vas Clan Zorah nar BSN 6.0

Happy Birthday, SWM! Another year, you spit in the face of the Reaper. Here's to many more.

@Rune: I was tempted to get that schwag, but it was way too expensive for my humble tastes. I think the headset alone was more than I spent on all the snacks/food to marathon ME4.

Postby **Rune** » May 23rd, 2017, 8:50 pm

Postby **Dragaros** » May 24th, 2017, 1:03 am

Someone With Mass wrote:It's probably a little too early for the people on the other side of the ocean, but it's my birthday where I'm at.

Postby **Dragaros** » May 24th, 2017, 1:03 am

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ielzd037Do

Postby **Dragaros** » May 24th, 2017, 1:04 am

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7HYQbbjks0

Postby **Dragaros** » May 24th, 2017, 1:04 am

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RNrBclQvR0

Postby **Someone With Mass** » May 24th, 2017, 1:18 am

Thanks, everyone. If I don't sleep through the entire day like usual, I'm going to find myself a better chair to buy.

Postby **TTTX** » May 24th, 2017, 3:49 am

Someone With Mass wrote:It's probably a little too early for the people on the other side of the ocean, but it's my birthday where I'm at.

Postby **Alienmorph** » May 24th, 2017, 4:38 am

Happy birthday, Mass!

Postby **Someone With Mass** » May 24th, 2017, 10:55 am

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTduKLTD8N4

Favorite? Captain Cold.

Postby **Dragaros** » May 24th, 2017, 2:07 pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDcp0KRuXQ0

ICE TO SEE YOU

So the next one is Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel vs #18? #18 should win that fight. Cheer for your wife, Krillin!

Postby **Alienmorph** » May 24th, 2017, 2:37 pm

Considering in her Binary form Carol Danvers was literally a walking supernova it could be a close fight. I do hope 18 wins, though I like both contenders.

Postby **TTTX** » May 24th, 2017, 5:16 pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ie1YkOUSsYA&list=WL&index=10

Postby **Someone With Mass** » May 24th, 2017, 5:31 pm

And after checking out what the new emotes cost and such in Overwatch and discovering that they're only available during the event and cost 750 coins each, I am officially done with the game. It offers next to nothing stimulating (other than the definition of insanity) and feels like it has only gained microscopical improvements since launch and spends all its time milking money for all those emotes, skins and utterly worthless sprays instead of trying to improve the game as a whole. Then again, I don't know why I'm surprised, since Blizzard is pulling the same bullshit with World of Warcraft. Instead of fixing it, release new bling and all the drooling little retards will gather in droves, no questions asked.

It was fun while it lasted, but the community is toxic shit sludge, the gameplay is monotonous at best due to the maps' repetitive design, the only thing that keeps me mildly interested are the character items rather than the gameplay, the competitive mode that Blizzard keeps blowing its load on is beyond pointless and I am SOOOO glad I didn't spend a single euro on the loot boxes.

Postby **Vol** » May 25th, 2017, 12:30 am

Gosh. That's a dark take on it. I assumed it was understood that the loot boxes were the means to fund continued development and support for the game, as well as the e-sports thing they're trying to get going. So naturally the system is built to incentivize skipping the grind and buying the boxes en masse.

Though I'll admit I'm annoyed that they canceled some big, lore heavy visual novel about 76 and Reaper because they didn't want to interfere with fan canon (Read: They're GAY LOVERS LOL).

Postby **Someone With Mass** » May 25th, 2017, 4:03 am

Vol wrote:Gosh. That's a dark take on it. I assumed it was understood that the loot boxes were the means to fund continued development and support for the game, as well as the e-sports thing they're trying to get going. So naturally the system is built to incentivize skipping the grind and buying the boxes en masse.

Though I'll admit I'm annoyed that they canceled some big, lore heavy visual novel about 76 and Reaper because they didn't want to interfere with fan canon (Read: They're GAY LOVERS LOL).

Thing is that I've yet to see a significant change that warrants that tedious grinding.

Also, letting the fans dictate the course of your game is one of the biggest mistakes you can make. Just because they're fans doesn't mean they know what's best for a game's narrative or mechanics.

Postby **Mazder** » May 25th, 2017, 5:03 am

I also despise the decision to halt some progress in the story of Overwatch due to fucking shippers on Tumblr.
I mean c'mon, that's really what they're alluding to when they say "fan ideas" it's the bloody shippers.

I mean it's just stupid.
They clearly have /had a story they wanted to tell or they wouldn't have put these story elements outside the game....so why let some twat with a blog decide for you that you should divert from your story when all they're doing is leeching from your success in story creation in the first place.

Postby **TTTX** » May 25th, 2017, 6:55 am

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSYAh5WoUTI&list=WL&index=10
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1uvFsiz8X0&list=WL&index=10

Postby **TTTX** » May 25th, 2017, 9:43 am

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRWEk_R3jRk&list=WL&index=10

Postby **SciFlyBoy** » May 25th, 2017, 11:33 am

To all you story writers out there, how do you develop your story? Do you build characters and put them into situations, or build premises and fill them with people, or is there an order to story building you were taught?

I ask because I think I'm a premise builder. I think about scenarios that amuse me and wonder how I can tell a story about that. Like one I just thought of right now that I call "Loser Princess" about a very popular, pretty, prominent modern princess who cares not about her public image and duties, but just wants to game, read manga and avoid doing any grandiose humanitarian causes.

I find however, that even though I build a setting, it's hard for me to find a 'why'. Like, where is this story going and what's the point I want to get to in the end? I find that a lot in my stories and find that half way through writing I stop and try to figure out where to go with what I made.

Anyway, just want to hear how you guys go about it.

Postby **Riptide** » May 25th, 2017, 12:20 pm

SciFlyBoy wrote:To all you story writers out there, how do you develop your story? Do you build characters and put them into situations, or build premises and fill them with people, or is there an order to story building you were taught?

I ask because I think I'm a premise builder. I think about scenarios that amuse me and wonder how I can tell a story about that. Like one I just thought of right now that I call "Loser Princess" about a very popular, pretty, prominent modern princess who cares not about her public image and duties, but just wants to game, read manga and avoid doing any grandiose humanitarian causes.

I find however, that even though I build a setting, it's hard for me to find a 'why'. Like, where is this story going and what's the point I want to get to in the end? I find that a lot in my stories and find that half way through writing I stop and try to figure out where to go with what I made.

Anyway, just want to hear how you guys go about it.

Start with themes. These should tie into everything, characters, story, and setting. If using a pre-existing setting, make sure some of the themes are prevalent in the source material. This lends authenticity. In general, this is the most important thing to get right, that everything works around your themes, because more often than not, when something terrible happens in a story, it's not because some general rule of storytelling was broken. it's because something completely clashed with this.

Major Themes in Star Wars involve: Redemption, Balance, Fighting Tyranny, Family.

Figure out the setting. Get a handle on it's history, it's people. Write ideas down, brainstorm. Characters will inevitably spring up from this, and lends further authenticity and makes it feel like your characters are a part of the world.

The Galaxy is at war. The Jedi peacekeepers are extinct, and the galactic empire is about to wipe out the rebellion for good.

Once you have those worked out, characters should come next. You can have a general idea for your characters at the start, but here is where you give them meat. What is their history with the world? What are their views and beliefs? What are their goals, motives, and how do those tie into the themes of the story?

Luke Skywalker is a farmhand who wants more from this life. He wants to see the galaxy, be a fighter pilot like his father, and avenge his death. He wants to join the rebellion and fight the Empire.

When your characters are laid out, plan out the story. Know where you want characters to start and where you want them to end.

Luke Skywalker starts off on a farm. He goes on some adventures and learns more about himself and the force. He uses what he learns to save the Rebellion from the Empire.

And then you do the same thing with the plot.

The Empire is building a superweapon to end the rebellion. The heroes find out about the superweapon and need to get the stolen plans to the rebellion. The Rebellion uses the plans to find a weak spot, so the heroes can destroy the weapon and save the galaxy.

Keep it that simple. Organize everything out, I like to do it in outlines. Then once you have it blocked out in broad strokes, fill in the details in the middle. Once you have a solid skeleton to work from, with everything nice and laid out, then you can start writing! Points can flow from one bit into the next, you can divert if you want, play things up, and if you have new ideas as you go you can always go back and change your outlines around.

Doing it this way makes sure everything stays neat, organized, doesn't require too much work, but gives you a ton of consistency and structure.

Postby **SciFlyBoy** » May 25th, 2017, 2:37 pm

Damn, just coming up with a theme seems daunting. I guess music is the same way. We even use the same word and if you do it right, you can weave that theme all throughout the entire piece. Some of my favorite music does just that. This is a great description. I'm printing this right away.

Postby **Dragaros** » May 25th, 2017, 2:47 pm

SciFlyBoy wrote:To all you story writers out there, how do you develop your story? Do you build characters and put them into situations, or build premises and fill them with people, or is there an order to story building you were taught?

I ask because I think I'm a premise builder. I think about scenarios that amuse me and wonder how I can tell a story about that. Like one I just thought of right now that I call "Loser Princess" about a very popular, pretty, prominent modern princess who cares not about her public image and duties, but just wants to game, read manga and avoid doing any grandiose humanitarian causes.

I find however, that even though I build a setting, it's hard for me to find a 'why'. Like, where is this story going and what's the point I want to get to in the end? I find that a lot in my stories and find that half way through writing I stop and try to figure out where to go with what I made.

Anyway, just want to hear how you guys go about it.

For me, I decide what type of genre and setting I want first. Then I start crafting the world. Then I start brainstorming characters. Then I come up with scenarios that would bring those characters together or cause them to have interesting motivations and goals, along with some overarching themes. Then after all that I start coming up with a loose narrative framework. From there it evolves organically as I write and slowly put all the pieces together in my head.

Postby **Dragaros** » May 25th, 2017, 2:48 pm

Went to the bookstore today to get Michael Crichton’s posthumously published novel Dragon Teeth. Enjoying it so far.

THAR'S DINOSAUR BONES IN THEM THERE HILLS!

Postby **Dragaros** » May 25th, 2017, 2:48 pm

Postby **SciFlyBoy** » May 25th, 2017, 2:52 pm

Dragaros wrote:Went to the bookstore today to get Michael Crichton’s posthumously published novel Dragon Teeth. Enjoying it so far.

THAR'S DINOSAUR BONES IN THEM THERE HILLS!

Are there a bunch of husks roaming around them thar hills?

Postby **TTTX** » May 25th, 2017, 6:27 pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_D4umCFx2tA&index=9&list=WL

Postby **Dragaros** » May 26th, 2017, 12:33 pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_k9egfWvb7Y

Postby **Dragaros** » May 26th, 2017, 12:33 pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlHYsFoJ4iY

Postby **TTTX** » May 26th, 2017, 4:38 pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCT0uyl46G8&index=18&list=WL

Postby **cannedcream** » May 26th, 2017, 4:53 pm

Hey, general question for you guys:

Does anyone here use Steam's Mobile Authenticator?

I'm curious whether or not that thing makes you type in a code EVERY time you log into Steam, or only from new computers.

I have Steam set to auto-launch every time I turn on my PC and it would be a pain in the butt to have to type in a text code every time.

Postby **TTTX** » May 26th, 2017, 5:19 pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCy7PACcL9s&list=WL&index=12

Postby **DarkStorm** » May 26th, 2017, 5:30 pm

cannedcream wrote:Hey, general question for you guys:

Does anyone here use Steam's Mobile Authenticator?

I'm curious whether or not that thing makes you type in a code EVERY time you log into Steam, or only from new computers.

I have Steam set to auto-launch every time I turn on my PC and it would be a pain in the butt to have to type in a text code every time.

I believe only when you login onto new computers.

Postby **Someone With Mass** » May 26th, 2017, 6:21 pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5udGHjOb5E

What's with the trend of violent rednecks in video games lately?

Postby **Vol** » May 26th, 2017, 6:48 pm

Nazis are played out and Christian-esque redneck Americans are a safe target. Plus FC5 can use the reaction from the right as manufactured controversy to sell more.

Postby **Alienmorph** » May 26th, 2017, 6:53 pm

Someone With Mass wrote:What's with the trend of violent rednecks in video games lately?

I suppose is part of the whole "all white people are evil" shtick that media seems to love as of right now.

Postby **Vol** » May 26th, 2017, 7:13 pm

To be fair, I like the idea, but I don't expect them to implement it well. I suspect it will be less the subtle satire of FC3, or the twist of the secret ending of FC4, and more outright derision.

Postby **SciFlyBoy** » May 26th, 2017, 7:21 pm

If you get the holiday, Happy Memorial Day to those in the states. Have a good weekend everyone.

Postby **cannedcream** » May 26th, 2017, 8:08 pm

DarkStorm wrote:
cannedcream wrote:Hey, general question for you guys:

Does anyone here use Steam's Mobile Authenticator?

I'm curious whether or not that thing makes you type in a code EVERY time you log into Steam, or only from new computers.

I have Steam set to auto-launch every time I turn on my PC and it would be a pain in the butt to have to type in a text code every time.

I believe only when you login onto new computers.

Okay, thank you.

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