Category Archives: Ideas

The muse at work

B is for Baldur’s Gate

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The aim of my Blogging From A to Z Challenge is to find the origins of online games, some relatively modern and some with ancient roots. Gaming might well be a modern take on an art that is almost timeless – storytelling. A perfect excuse for a writer to delve a little deeper. [Visit here for links to participants.]

Game: Baldur’s Gate is a classic that reinvigorated the computer role-playing game and expanded the Forgotten Realms campaign setting.

Release Date:  November 30, 1998

Developer: BioWare and Black Isle Studios

Genre/gameplay mechanics: RPG [role-playing game]; offline or online; single or multiplayer; top-down isometric god perspective; auto-applied Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition role-playing rules; party management; pausable real-time; moral choices rewarded.

Setting: Baldur’s Gate takes place in the fictional world of Ed Greenwood‘s Forgotten Realms setting. Focusing upon the western shoreline of Faerûn, within a region known as the Sword Coast.

Storytelling: Player takes the role of the ward of the mage Gorion and searches for ‘controllable’ AI allies to help them survive attacks, and then opts to investigate what is causing a deadly crisis. A strong storyline with cliff-hangers.

Releases + Expansions:

Sequels: four initial sequels/expansion packs – plus two unrelated Baldur’s Gate games in the same setting.

Remaster: In 2012, Beamdog began releasing the ‘improved’ remake of the original games, plus new content.

Formats: Microsoft Windows, Mac OS, Linux

Origins (Chronological):

  1. 1960s – Forgotten Realms is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) fantasy role-playing game. Created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967. He brought the setting to the D&D game as a series of magazine articles, and the first Realms game products were released in 1987.

Adaptations set in the Baldur’s Gate universe:

  1. Novel: Baldur’s Gate(1999) by Philip Athans was based on the game.

Recommendation: The game received critical praise, and was credited, along with Diablo, with revitalizing the computer RPG genre. Baldur’s Gate received positive reviews from virtually every major computer gaming publication that reviewed it.

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4 stars: On release, the setting and storytelling engrossed me – the landscape and characters felt more real than in many books. Playing the recent Enhanced Edition this year, the game felt dated in terms of graphics and mechanics, yet the storytelling was still fresh. So worth re-living.

  1. Setting: 4*
  2. Storyline: 5*
  3. Gameplay: 3.5*
  4. Entertainment: 4*
  5. Genesis: 3.5*

 

Alternative ‘B’ thoughts:

B is also for Blade Runner, the 1982 Ridley Scott film that spawned two games called Blade Runner – one in 1985 and another in 1997 – neither of which I’ve played. The film itself, one of my favourite films, was based on the great Philip K. Dick’s 1968 novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?.

+ ‘B’ Games played: Battle of the Immortals, and Black Desert Online.

Enter this portal to reach other Worlds in my A2ZMMORPG

Hela da

 

 

 

A is for Assassin’s Creed

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Game: Assassin’s Creed launched an immersive franchise that continues to grow and push its boundaries. Plus, its roots go back…centuries.

Release Date: November 13, 2007

Developer/Publisher: Ubisoft

Genre: Stealth; assassination and exploration; parkour; open world; 3rd person perspective.

Setting: various historical periods; graphics excellent – realistic, detailed, immersive.

Storytelling: Historical fiction mixed with real-world historical events and figures. The series depicts a centuries-old struggle pitting the Assassins, who fight for peace and free will, against the Templars, who believe peace comes through control of humanity.

Releases + Expansions: Ten main releases in different historical eras plus ten expansions in the same eras.

Formats: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC.

Origins (Chronological):

  1. 1980s – Loosely built upon gameplay concepts from the Prince of Persia series, first game released in 1989.
  2. 1930s – The series took many plot elements from the novel Alamut by the Slovenian writer Vladimir Bartol, first published in 1938 in Slovenian.  The novel dealt with the story of Hassan-i Sabbah and the Hashshashin, and was named after their Alamut fortress.
  3. 11th century – The game’s Order of Assassins are fictionalized descendants of the 11th century Alamut Hashshashin.

 

Adaptations set within the Assassin’s Creed universe:

  1. Film: Assassin’s Creed is a 2016 American movie with a new story, written by Michael Lesslie, Adam Cooper and Bill Collage. Directed by Justin Kurzel, and starring Michael Fassbender (who also produced), Marion Cotillard, and Jeremy Irons, the reception was poor, but at the time it was the ‘best video-game adaptation’.
  2. Short films: Ubisoft have made three short films, one animated.
  3. TV: Ubisoft and Netflix started talks in 2016 regarding how to develop an Assassin’s Creed anime series, which will feature an original story from Adi Shankar.
  4. Comics: eleven graphic novels and one manga.
  5. Novels:  Collection of nine novels. The books follow various time periods.

Recommendation: Mixed-very positive reviews – franchise ongoing with the release in Fall 2017 of Assassin’s Creed Origins, set in Egypt near the end of the Ptolemaic period (49–47 BC).

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4.6 stars: I’ve only played Assassin’s Creed Syndicate which is set in the Victorian era – so lots of steam, but not steampunk. As I often choose to play ‘assassin’ classes, I like stealth – and exploration. But my reflexes are erratic so progress in the game was frustrating. I loved the graphics and the setting felt very realistic and so immersive that I wanted to explore more of the games.

  1. Setting: 5*
  2. Storyline: 5*
  3. Gameplay 4*
  4. Entertainment 4*
  5. Genesis 5*

 

Alternative ‘A’ thoughts:

A could have been for Arthurian legends or Annales Cambriae, but they must wait for later games in my quest with other letters.

+ A games played: Age of Empires, Age of Conan: Unchained, Aion, ARK: Survival Evolved [a current 5* distraction], and ArchAge.

Enter this portal to reach other Worlds in my A2ZMMORPG

Hela da

 

A to Z Challenge 2018 posts

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My March 19, 2018, post for the A to Z Challenge Theme Reveal day set me on a quest to find the origins of online games, some of these relatively modern and some with ancient roots.

Gaming might well be a modern take on an art that is almost timeless – storytelling. A perfect excuse for a writer to delve a little deeper. As my research continues, I realise that some games have more recent roots, but there are ones that go centuries back.

Soon after finding dragons living in the diverse dungeons, I discovered that many games have elements and more with roots in the mythology that enriched the lives of our early ancestors. Therefore, I could have just used a repetitive answer throughout, but I chose a more scenic path.

So scenic that I got diverted by the urge to start with at least one source material as that was a better opening. A case of DEA – devious experiment ahead.  Any ideas on which will be the diversion?

There was a point where this challenge was going to be called ‘Arthur to Zelda’. But Arthur must wait – like Charles – to be King…King Kong? Wait and read what happens when the sword emerges – and learn which sword rules.

As I write this, my A-Z list below is incomplete, so suggestions are welcome. I have forgotten games that I played a decade ago – like a few strategy titles. In a couple of cases, there are games beginning with that letter, but no interesting ‘roots’. Some of my choices might seem strange, but there is ‘method in my madness’ – like I’ve tried to choose (a) games with roots, and (b) games that I have sampled for hours or months.

For those games that I have played, I have attempted to give my personal assessment- stars based on the following aspects: Setting; Storyline; Gameplay; Entertainment; and Genesis. My supportive partner, Juanita has added her input as a fellow gamer – in fact, her experience is far greater than mine. P is the key to our relationship.

Here are the 26 letters that will develop into my posts for the April 2018 Blogging from A to Z Challenge, aka A2ZMMORPG – A to Z Musings Muster Original Roots Per Game:

A is for Assassin’s Creed

B is for Baldur’s Gate

C is for Conan Exiles

D is for Defiance

E is for Elder Scrolls

F is for Frankenstein

G is for Guns or Butter

H is for ……

I is for Indiana Jones

J is for Jumanji

K is for King Charles?

L is for LOTRO

M is for Might & Magic

N is for …..

O is for …..

P is for Perfect World

Q is for ….

R is for …..

S is for SWTOR

T is for Tomb Raider

U is for …..

V is for Vindictus

W is for WOW

X is for X-Men

Z is for Zelda

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A Hero’s Tale – a review

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This is the third Book in the When Women Were Warriors fantasy trilogy and when I reviewed the second book, A Journey of the Heart, I had to read Book 3 at once. I wasn’t disappointed, although I must apologise for this belated review – life & health conspired against this getting written.

 Hero'sTale

A Hero’s Tale (When Women Were Warriors #3)

by Catherine M. Wilson (Goodreads Author)

In Book II, Tamras moved from her home into the lands beyond its border. In Book three, the stage widens further: she deals with the struggles of whole peoples. Caught up in intrigues that would once have been far above her, the heroine risks everything unless she can not only learn to swim in treacherous waters, but to master them. The heroine ‘s inner journey continues to match her outer one. She must confront the meaning not only of personal love, but the love that extends beyond oneself and those we hold dear. Catherine Wilson ‘s skill at tackling the big issues of love, meaning, and humanity is so deft that it all seemed, to me at least, to flow naturally from her narrative in a way I found technically quite breathtaking. “–from a review by Charles Ferguson on the Goodreads website

“Being the third and last volume in a series I enjoyed immensely, I knew that I could expect this last book to deliver a happy and satisfying ending. What I didn’t t expect was the intricate and daring storyline of this last volume. It is bigger and broader than what has come before, and it is spectacular. this time the story unfolds on to a whole new level. More characters, more intrigue, greater losses, wonderful reunions. There ‘s no taking the easy road here the story opened up into unimagined dimensions to tell a tale that really is that of a hero.”

When Women Were Warriors manages to blend mythic storytelling with characters who feel so real you could imagine stepping into the pages and having a conversation with them. A Hero ‘s Tale skilfully weaves the questions of love, faith and fairness into a dramatic story; not only of a relationship between the main characters, but of a quest so much bigger it takes the breath away. There is everything you could wish for here power struggles, forces for good and evil, dramatic tests of faith, daring rescues, fatal rivalry, but it is managed with such a deft hand that in the end it is all one beautiful story. What else is there to say? This is not just lesbian fiction, but a story about being human. It ‘s not to be missed.–from a review by Kate Genet on the website, Kissed By Venus

In Book III of the trilogy, Tamras must make her own hero ‘s journey. She ventures into the unknown and encounters a more formidable enemy than any she has ever faced. Character is destiny, and the destiny of Tamras and all her people will depend upon choices that come less from the skills she has been taught than from the person she has become, from her own heart.

 

Review 5 stars

It has been a few weeks since I made the final stages of the heroic journey of Tamras but so much of this world ‘when women were warriors’ lives on. I am tempted to slip back into her vibrant world again as the characters and settings feel so rich, and the writing still weaves its spell over me.

This is the epic climax and the story grows in intensity as the events become more complex. Tamras faces new challenges that are a true test of everything that she has learned. The younger and less-experienced Tamras of Book 1 might well have failed, and even after progressing so much, she still stumbles. Yet, Tamras struggles on.

The character has grown to the point where she can stand alongside some formidable characters, sharing her brand of wisdom and still learning as unexpected events unfold. Some key motifs and threads come together in well-constructed echoes and actions that made me feel this tapestry was being woven together neatly. Wolves and mysteries were my thoughts, but I will say no more about that.

Yes, as with any epic saga, there are threads left to tease the reader, but no saga truly ends as life continues beyond ‘The End’. Without those, this reader would not be creating my own imaginings of where Tamras goes next. Do we want a ‘happily ever after’ ending?

The central element is again ‘Love’ in all its forms, true and perverted, uplifting and shattering, emotional and physical. We all need to learn who to embrace and when. The key is to follow your heart and the truth will be revealed.

All the evocative words and images are there again, all the rich and flawed characters, and some unexpected actions and decisions. All these make A Hero’s Tale another recommended read and the perfect end to the trilogy. Finally, I have the signed paperbacks to place in my bookshelf alongside my prized hardback copies of The Lord of the Rings.

When Women Were Warriors too will be regular re-reads over the years to come.

Story – five stars

Setting/World-building – five stars

Diversity – five stars

Characters – five stars

Structure – five stars

Readability – five stars

Editing – five stars

 

#IWSG – My NaNoWriMo Confession

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Insecure Writers Support Group Badge

It’s the first Wednesday of the month and time for another chance to confess – well, to tell the truth in the monthly Insecure Writers Support Group post. Time to answer the optional question for this month:

November 1 question – Win or not, do you usually finish your NaNo project? Have any of them gone on to be published?

I’ve done NaNo five times – the first time in 2011 = lots of first drafts. I’ve managed 50k three times and one of those ‘wins’ is my current rewrite – draft 4 of Fates Maelstrom. I am taking part again to draft the third book in the same series; same detective and setting so this new story adds to my initial character. Not quite background, but knowing where she is going helps establish a few more aspects about detective Sparkle Anwyl.

 

She is a Detective Constable in Book 1 – Fates Maelstrom – but promoted to Detective Sergeant by Books 2 and 3. There may be a twist in that at the end of Book 3 due to her girlfriend – yes, she discovers that she is bi-sexual in Book 1.

Does a non-sexual relationship with a boyfriend prior to Book 1 make her bi? Book 2 was drafted, in part, in 2015 but will need some work, especially as the questions about her sexuality and identity hadn’t emerged yet.

Anyway, publication. As yet, none of my ‘wins’ has reached even the editor stage, although Fates Maelstrom is heading that way. By next year, the answer might be yes.

What about you? Do you do NaNoWriMo and get published? Are you taking part this year?

 

Dolbadarn Castle

Photo of Dolbadarn Castle, Snowdonia by Etrusia UK on flickr

 

 

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The awesome co-hosts for the November 1 posting of the IWSG are Tonja Drecker, Diane Burton, MJ Fifield, and Rebecca Douglass!

Purpose of IWSG: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

Posting:  The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer – aim for a dozen new people each time – and return comments. This group is all about connecting! Be sure to link to this page and display the badge in your post.

Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG

Every month, we announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say.

Counting the Cost

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I’ve been encouraged to keep going with my writing, but I have some questions. Unless I can answer those churning thoughts, the future looks vague.

What is the true cost of writing?

Does writing have a price, a value?

What is a true measure of a book’s worth?

I’ve been writing some book reviews so perhaps that is where the worth is measured – in writing a book that garners five-star reviews. I have finally got my first review for the second edition of Spiral of Hooves and it was a five. Hopefully, there will be more as don’t reviews drive sales.

However, I know as a writer that writing a review is not easy. So, I’m grateful to those that bother. It’s only been two months since the new edition of Spiral of Hooves was released – plenty of time. And there are thirteen reviews from the first edition across Amazon US and UK.

The real question is: Will the sales cover the financial costs of releasing that second edition. At present, probably not, as I estimate that I need one thousand sales to cover the costs so far. What were those costs?

Formatting      $50

Cover               $160

Publishing       $17.19 [proof copy]

Promotion       $226.59

Giveaways      $488.05

TOTAL           $941.83

Can I afford to publish another book? How much of my costs will even a small press cover? Can I justify the cost that is not included above thanks to some very generous editors?

Even if I find a small press – or an agent – I still need to be prepared to find an editor. I can go cheap, but that is foolish. The cost of a professional editor can be a $1,0000 or more. My current WIP, Fates Maelstrom, will require at least one if not three ‘sensitivity readers’ at $250 each. There is good editing software – like Fictionary – to reduce the number of paid edits, but that costs as well. $1,500 and rising.

Bottom line is that I’m retired and bills like medical, insurance, and HOA, as well as household expenses, are the priorities – followed by helping the family.

So – what should I do?

Give up writing?

Find a benefactor?

Write another 50k first draft for NaNoWriMo next month to postpone the decision?

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