teh bunneh Posted May 29, 2011 Report Share Posted May 29, 2011 Re: Musings on Random Musings It is a profoundly wonderful, slightly terrifying, utterly amazing thing sometimes when you're a writer and someone actually wants to pay you for it, and put it out there for you. While it may not make the quota needed to actually get published, I'm profoundly grateful to Blackwyrm games for taking a chance on me. I have a few other unrelated ideas I'd like to fling their way, maybe having gotten this far I'll screw up the guts to go for 'em. Sure, I'm plagued by doubts. What if I don't reach the quota? What if I do meet it, and folks HATE it? My name could be forever shamed, friendships could be lost! My family could disown me for the thousand year dishonor I'll bring upon my entire clan. My dog will stop wagging her tail when I approach! Sorry about that, had to print all that out just so I can see how silly it looks, and so I'd have something to look back on later whatever happens. If it doesn't meet the quota, I'll cheer for my fellow settting creators who made theirs and live vicariously through them. Meanwhile, I work on the next project. If it does, and some folks don't like it, well, then darn it, that's par for the course. One man's treasure is another man's junk, one size does not fit all, and other cliches that became cliches because they tend to be true. And I learn. If folks gripe about this or that aspect, I take notes, and I use it to get better. If they praise certain parts I didn't expect to be a hit, I remember to hold onto those parts and even build them up for my next project. And lastly, I remind myself of the utterly amazing gamemasters and players out there. If all goes well, They will take the setting, make it their own, and work wonders with it that will have me going "Why didn't I think of that?" The one thing I can't do is be Fear's #$*@&! I think I've written a pretty durn good setting book (and all of my proof-readers agree (or are too nice to say otherwise)), but I totally get where you're coming from, Hermit. I do hope we both get enough pre-orders to justify a print run! (For those with a little extra cash and an interest in cool sci-fi settings, may I recommend The Widening Gyre and 3rd World?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hermit Posted May 29, 2011 Report Share Posted May 29, 2011 Re: Musings on Random Musings I think I've written a pretty durn good setting book (and all of my proof-readers agree (or are too nice to say otherwise)), but I totally get where you're coming from, Hermit. I do hope we both get enough pre-orders to justify a print run! (For those with a little extra cash and an interest in cool sci-fi settings, may I recommend The Widening Gyre and 3rd World?) Thanks Bunneh. I love the whole 'secret history' vibe you've got going for your setting, and have started to glimpse at your blog for more. Frankly, I don't think there's a bum setting in the lot of all seven, though I, as one of the creators, 'might be considered less than impartial. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enforcer84 Posted May 30, 2011 Report Share Posted May 30, 2011 Re: Musings on Random Musings The point which I was contradicting is that "Things don't get better". So' date=' as far as I can tell, you're agreeing with me.[/quote'] Actually, no. I was clarifying that you can look at it two ways, "it" being a grand scheme of things then yes, that has generally improved. But for the individuals, it does not in fact, always get better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teh bunneh Posted May 30, 2011 Report Share Posted May 30, 2011 Re: Musings on Random Musings Thanks Bunneh. I love the whole 'secret history' vibe you've got going for your setting' date=' and have started to glimpse at your blog for more. Frankly, I don't think there's a bum setting in the lot of all seven, though I, as one of the creators, 'might be considered less than impartial. [/quote'] I need to post a few more teasers on my blog... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Narf the Mouse Posted May 30, 2011 Report Share Posted May 30, 2011 Re: Musings on Random Musings Did not do the research. AMC has this Seattle based detective drama entitled "The Killing." The writers wanted to have a "mobbed up" character so they inferred he's ex-muscle for a Polish crime group (decades ago)... They said what? Seattle has a long history of political corruption. The SPD was notorious for shakedowns going into the 1970's, which is why they have a centralized detective bureau today instead of precinct squads. To their credit they really cleaned house. The city's historical organized crime is mostly Asian. The Tongs and Yakuza are entrenched going back a century. I still rememeber the Wah-Mee Massacre. And the Swedes, long ago, did have a strongarm lock on labor at Fisherman's Wharf and the Port of Seattle, but they didn't spread into traditional organized crime ventures. The Colacurcio family is the closest thing it has to "Mafia." Jack Sr. was grilled by Bobby Kennedy in his racketeering probes and has been the focus on ongoing federal and local investigations. He's done time for petty corruption. So has his son Frank Jr. He's basically a strip club, "talent agency," and vending machine king. Frank Sr. been under investigation for murder, shady land development deals, and bootlegging. He's long been thought to be connected, but is definately not made. His long, oft questioned friendship with Washington State DNC fixer and former Governor Rosellini is notorious for those who are tuned into the Seattle pulse. But Seattle isn't an "East Coast Mafia Town." In the last twenty years African American and Southeast Asian gangs have become promiment - and the Russian and Mexican Mafia's have moved in. You've also got the BC Bud crowd. Puget Sound... biggest Marijuana busts ever! But... Polish gangsters? Let alone established, well-known, and going way back? In Seattle? Are they kidding? There were real world choices (or amalgams) the writer's could have pulled from... If they'd done the reasearch. ...Personally, that sounds like a great way to find a dead horse's head in your bed. @Teh Bunneh: I see you settled for a lesser evil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Narf the Mouse Posted May 31, 2011 Report Share Posted May 31, 2011 Re: Musings on Random Musings I've long known that I judge books by their covers, but I don't think I realized how much until this afternoon when I had a rare opportunity to browse the local Borders. I found myself skipping over entire authors and shelves, as always, because I can't stand the art on the spines. I've probably read a grand total of three Baen books in my lifetime largely because every single one of them has incredibly fugly red and yellow text on a black background. All of them! Hey Baen, I'm a fan of legibility, but there is such a thing as too much contrast. Tor books are slightly better but still somehow manage to look like trashy romance novels, mainly because of their choice of type. Conversely, Ace, Del Rey, and (I think) Orbit all have very nice overall cover designs. I'm also not a huge fan of the recent trend in photomanip cover art--I much prefer a more impressionist painted style--but it doesn't offend my design sensibilities the way ALL RED CAPS ON BLACK do. Ugh. I use the artist's impression of the book to gain a third-hand impression of the book. It works about 90% of the time. For everything else, there's reading the back or peeking inside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xavier Onassiss Posted May 31, 2011 Report Share Posted May 31, 2011 Re: Musings on Random Musings I need to post a few more teasers on my blog... Same here. Starting with the intro pages for the adventures I'll be running at GenCon. (Expect to see those within the week.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Gillen Posted June 3, 2011 Report Share Posted June 3, 2011 Re: Musings on Random Musings A Perfect Day is one of the most sinister songs I have ever heard. Just a perfect day drink sangria in a park and then later when it gets dark we go home Just a perfect day feed animals in the zoo and then later a movie, too and then home Oh its such a perfect day I'm glad I spend it with you Oh such a perfect day you just keep me hanging on you just keep me hanging on Just a perfect day problems all left alone Week enders on our own it's such fun Just a perfect day you make me forget myself I thought I was someone else someone good Oh its such a perfect day I'm glad I spend it with you Oh such a perfect day you just keep me hanging on you just keep me hanging on You're going to reap just what you sow You're going to reap just what you sow You're going to reap just what you sow You're going to reap just what you sow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clonus Posted June 3, 2011 Report Share Posted June 3, 2011 Re: Musings on Random Musings See what I mean? Creepy. That's just creepy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Gillen Posted June 4, 2011 Report Share Posted June 4, 2011 Re: Musings on Random Musings I think "sung by Lou Reed" has a lot to do with it too. JG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazza Posted June 4, 2011 Report Share Posted June 4, 2011 Re: Musings on Random Musings This could be in the thread for random links, but there's three links, and they're not randomly grouped. i) http://www.weeklystandard.com/articles/fat-city_567621.html ii) http://themonkeycage.org/blog/2011/06/01/the-cushy-life-of-a-university-of-illinois-sociology-professor/ And, just freaking awesome, iii) https://docs.google.com/document/d/1p3nOXEWtddWKJ4esFlVqdXzae2ITr5GtnJviV7nhGGM/edit?hl=en_US&authkey=COWf5ukJ That is the thread for random musings, and we have A Thread For Random Links, just for that purpose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawnmower Boy Posted June 5, 2011 Report Share Posted June 5, 2011 Re: Musings on Random Musings Ah, but you could muse about the non-random connection between the three links I randomly put up. Random random random. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Narf the Mouse Posted June 5, 2011 Report Share Posted June 5, 2011 Re: Musings on Random Musings Ah' date=' but you could muse about the non-random connection between the three links I randomly put up. Random random random.[/quote'] Yes, but if you put a collar on a snake, won't it try to dance the chicken dance and return to Oz? There you go. Three randoms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enforcer84 Posted June 5, 2011 Report Share Posted June 5, 2011 Re: Musings on Random Musings Ah' date=' but you could muse about the non-random connection between the three links I randomly put up. Random random random.[/quote'] I liked the articles. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Gillen Posted June 6, 2011 Report Share Posted June 6, 2011 Re: Musings on Random Musings For something intended to allow computers to understand human-style instructions' date=' fuzzy logic is surprisingly difficult to understand.[/quote'] Well, that's WHY it's difficult, so that computers can think more like humans. JG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucius Posted June 6, 2011 Report Share Posted June 6, 2011 Re: Musings on Random Musings The thunderstorm was unreal. Lightning strobed outside the windows, and the thunder lashed so constantly it was impossible to tell which stroke went with which boom. It had been like this for hours, since sundown, and showed no sign of letting up. "Daddy, I'm scared." The youngest, curled beside me on the floor in a nest of blankets and pillows. For what must have been the thirtieth time. It was long, long past his bedtime. "It's all right. I told you, it's just noise. You don't have to be scared." He settled back into his nest, eyes open. Small. Scared. Of course. It was a hell of a storm. Then I had an idea. I got up, gathered him up in his blankets. "Come," I said. "Where are we going?" he asked. "Let's go watch the storm," I said. "I like thunderstorms." We stood outside, under the eaves of the house, watching the clouds flash from within and the jagged streaks striking beyond the eastern hills. "Wow!" he shouted, into the rain. He was beaming. We didn't watch for long--fifteen minutes, perhaps, before the chill from the wind drove us inside. But he was still smiling when I laid him back down. "It's like fireworks, Daddy," he said. Five minutes later, he was asleep. The storm faded into the east. We are pleased to present you this Certificate of Honor for Sublime Parenting. Lucius Alexander And a ride on a palindromedary for any or all of your children. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Narf the Mouse Posted June 6, 2011 Report Share Posted June 6, 2011 Re: Musings on Random Musings Well, that's WHY it's difficult, so that computers can think more like humans. JG ...That has a kinda backwards logic I can't quite parse right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Man Posted June 6, 2011 Report Share Posted June 6, 2011 Re: Musings on Random Musings Maybe we need to improve your fuzzy logic programming so that you can think more like a human.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Narf the Mouse Posted June 6, 2011 Report Share Posted June 6, 2011 Re: Musings on Random Musings Maybe we need to improve your fuzzy logic programming so that you can think more like a human.... NarfBot has encountered a fatal error. Abort/Retry/Reboot? Too much studying has made my brain achy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enforcer84 Posted June 6, 2011 Report Share Posted June 6, 2011 Re: Musings on Random Musings We are pleased to present you this Certificate of Honor for Sublime Parenting. Lucius Alexander And a ride on a palindromedary for any or all of your children. Very Pleased indeed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Man Posted June 6, 2011 Report Share Posted June 6, 2011 Re: Musings on Random Musings Thanks guys. I guess even a broken clock can parent well twice a day. Or something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enforcer84 Posted June 6, 2011 Report Share Posted June 6, 2011 Re: Musings on Random Musings Thanks guys. I guess even a broken clock can parent well twice a day. Or something. *winds up Old Man* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Man Posted June 6, 2011 Report Share Posted June 6, 2011 Re: Musings on Random Musings Tick tock tick tock tick tock sproinnngg. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L. Marcus Posted June 6, 2011 Report Share Posted June 6, 2011 Re: Musings on Random Musings ... And that's where babies come from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveZilla Posted June 6, 2011 Report Share Posted June 6, 2011 Re: Musings on Random Musings For something intended to allow computers to understand human-style instructions' date=' fuzzy logic is surprisingly difficult to understand.[/quote'] I wonder -- How fuzzy can fuzzy logic get and it still counts as logic? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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