The geekdom of Robert Blezard.
Thursday, November 05, 2009
Damn 80%!
It's amazing how much I've changed from 20 years ago, heck even 10 years ago. When it came to school or college, I was never much of a perfectionist when it came to getting good marks. If I passed, I was happy. I think that had more to do with what I was studying at the time. High school was, well, high school. The Microcomputer Management program, at MacEwan, wasn't my calling. And neither was the programming course at NAIT. It was challenging, yes, but it left me cold. I needed more. I needed a chance to write. To thrive. To create. The classes I'm taking now are allowing me to do that. Therefore, when I only get a mark of 80% on an assignment it really bugs me. I don't want marks below 90%. 90+ is exceling. Below that is second best for me now. It's amazing how much I've changed.
Monday, November 02, 2009
Magazine Writing: Letter Assignment
This is my second assignment for my Magazine Writing night class. My mark wasn't as good for this one as for the first one. The assignment was a query letter for an article pitch for KQ Quarterly...
________________________________
Wolfgang Baur
Kobold Quarterly
P.O. Box 2811
Kirkland, WA 98083
Mr. Baur,
Inspiration is a funny thing. It can strike when you least expect it. Gaming has been my life for so long that I've often misplaced campaign ideas in my own mind. Take, for example, one faithful day more than eight years ago when I was going through several containers of old floppy disks and rediscovered an old roleplaying world that was my first Dungeons and Dragons setting when I was a teenager.
The Islands of Malecade, as it was called then, was little more than a collection of maps, character ideas, and short lived campaigns. It had little cohesion overall and grew to become a huge setting (and mess) that I renamed Warped World. I had little choice but to shelf it and move on to create a new world (Kulan), yet Malecade remained in the back of my mind, fondly, even with all its faults. Therefore, inspiration bloomed upon its rediscovery and the world once again became alive – reborn as Time of Ages.
This rebirth took the core driving force of the campaign, an artifact called The Heart of the World (a magical bridge-divinity of time and space), and used it to create a unique back story for the world and its three primary races – the tigé, the trooda, and the teres. These three races would become the Children of the World – linked together by their devotion to the Heart of the World and the trials they would face in the Ages to come.
I propose a 3,000 word feature article that describes in detail the Children of the World and their combined history. The article would focus on each race's society and religion as well as each race's view on temporal magic and steamcraft technology. The article will provide racial traits for each race as well as new feats and class options designed specifically for the Children of the World.
I can also include a short overview of the campaign world, if requested, which has both steampunk and clockwork facets to its design. The universe that Time of Ages is set in can be best described as steampunk-in-space. However, such additions could be separate feature articles.
If you wish to view some of my game design work then I suggest you visit my roleplaying wiki, Walk the Road (http://walktheroad.wikispaces.com/). The site has a section for Time of Ages, which details part of the campaign's structure as well as Campaign Cartographer map for the world. You can also find a short list of my roleplaying game credits at the Pen & Paper RPG Database (http://www.pen-paper.net/).
Thank you for considering my query.
Regards,
Robert Blezard
rblezard@telusplanet.net
________________________________
Wolfgang Baur
Kobold Quarterly
P.O. Box 2811
Kirkland, WA 98083
Mr. Baur,
Inspiration is a funny thing. It can strike when you least expect it. Gaming has been my life for so long that I've often misplaced campaign ideas in my own mind. Take, for example, one faithful day more than eight years ago when I was going through several containers of old floppy disks and rediscovered an old roleplaying world that was my first Dungeons and Dragons setting when I was a teenager.
The Islands of Malecade, as it was called then, was little more than a collection of maps, character ideas, and short lived campaigns. It had little cohesion overall and grew to become a huge setting (and mess) that I renamed Warped World. I had little choice but to shelf it and move on to create a new world (Kulan), yet Malecade remained in the back of my mind, fondly, even with all its faults. Therefore, inspiration bloomed upon its rediscovery and the world once again became alive – reborn as Time of Ages.
This rebirth took the core driving force of the campaign, an artifact called The Heart of the World (a magical bridge-divinity of time and space), and used it to create a unique back story for the world and its three primary races – the tigé, the trooda, and the teres. These three races would become the Children of the World – linked together by their devotion to the Heart of the World and the trials they would face in the Ages to come.
I propose a 3,000 word feature article that describes in detail the Children of the World and their combined history. The article would focus on each race's society and religion as well as each race's view on temporal magic and steamcraft technology. The article will provide racial traits for each race as well as new feats and class options designed specifically for the Children of the World.
I can also include a short overview of the campaign world, if requested, which has both steampunk and clockwork facets to its design. The universe that Time of Ages is set in can be best described as steampunk-in-space. However, such additions could be separate feature articles.
If you wish to view some of my game design work then I suggest you visit my roleplaying wiki, Walk the Road (http://walktheroad.wikispaces.com/). The site has a section for Time of Ages, which details part of the campaign's structure as well as Campaign Cartographer map for the world. You can also find a short list of my roleplaying game credits at the Pen & Paper RPG Database (http://www.pen-paper.net/).
Thank you for considering my query.
Regards,
Robert Blezard
rblezard@telusplanet.net
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Magazine Writing: Magazine Analysis Assignment
This is an Magazine Analysis assignment that I wrote for my Magazine Writing night class. I picked Kobold Quarterly for my analysis. - Robert B.
Little Dragon
By Robert Blezard
Roleplaying magazines are hard to define. Such magazines are rarely famous beyond the niche market of comic book and hobby stores. When I say the word dragon you will probably think of Tolkien's Smaug, but if I say the word kobold, you will probably draw a blank unless you are up on your Germanic folklore. If you combine the word kobold with roleplaying, however, you get something else entirely.
Kobold Quarterly (KQ) is a publication that continues the grand tradition of famous roleplaying magazines such as Dragon (which is now an Internet only, subscription-based publication) and White Dwarf published by Games Workshop. Published by Open Design LLC., KQ is unabashedly “A Magazine of Kobolds and Dragons.”
Kobold Quarterly supports both the current version of the world's most popular fantasy roleplaying game (that would be Dungeons and Dragons in case you're not sure) and the previous version (3.5) of the game. (Kobold Quarterly can do this due to the Open Gaming License and Game System License created by Wizards of the Coast.) KQ also supports anything related to sword & sorcery and tabletop RPGs in addition to D&D.
Kobold Quarterly fills its pages with articles typical of magazines that support tabletop RPGs but with a voice all its own. There are the standards such as Ecology and Reviews, yet each article is as unique as its author. Since KQ considers “article queries from all Open Design patrons, from subscribers, and from established freelancers in the tabletop RPG field” (Baur, 2009, ¶ 2), it isn't surprising that it thrives with a variety of freelance authors from issue to issue as well as online at Kobold Quarterly's web site (www.koboldquarterly.com) where fantasy RPG fans can find exclusive content such as Monday Monsters, Friday Funny, and Trapsmith as well as the advice column Ask the Kobold.
Kobold Quarterly does suffer somewhat when it comes to eye-popping visuals, however. The magazine's art and few photos tend towards black & white with color being saved for major features and important advertisements. The magazine's simple, black text stands out on its glossy white pages, however, and is easy to read. The magazine has a throwback feel to the early years of Dragon; however, it is clearly designed for the future of fantasy tabletop roleplaying games.
Kobold Quarterly is still a little dragon, but it has big claws and an even bigger heart.
(Word Count: 400)
Article Pitches
Children of the World
On the World of Rielun, three races are united by their common history and veneration of the deity known as the Heart of the World. 'Children of the World' is a complete overview of these three races — the Teres, the Tigé, and the Trooda — including how they view the world, the other races of Rielun, temporal and steam magic, and the prominent civilizations of the Aether. New player options include a new prestige class for each race and new feats & weapons as well as a section on temporal and steam magic unique to Rielun.
An article for 3.5 roleplaying.
Dream Warriors
Dreams or nightmares. Which would you prefer? The average adventurer must take them as they come. Not the dream warrior. Masters of their own dreams, these warriors of the sleeping mind must battle night terrors and other creatures that stalk the dreams of innocents. They must ever stay vigilant against the monsters of the mind and other things that go bump in the night. 'Dream Warriors' details a unique prestige class available to spellcasters as well as magical items useful in combating the all-to-common night terrors and their enigmatic masters.
An article for 3.5 roleplaying.
Breakdown of Magazine
The front section of Kobold Quarterly is the smallest only including the magazine's contents page, editorial page, short letters section (three pages), and masthead. The section's other pages are dominated by full- or half-page color advertisements.
The magazine's feature well is quite large. It includes the magazines feature articles, which range from three to seven pages in length. These features are filled with a combination of fictional story elements and game mechanics to be used by the players or game master. The story elements usually come first with the mechanics listed at the end of the feature; however, there is some variation from feature to feature. Sidebars are also a common element in each article while art, photos, and other graphics (black and white dominate) are kept to a minimum.
The magazine's back section includes a variety of short articles, which range from one to three pages in length. Many of the articles here would likely be found in the front section of a different type of magazine. It might seem unusual to someone unfamiliar with tabletop RPG magazines, but it is a format that served Dragon well for years and Kobold Quarterly is obviously paying homage to the early years of Dragon. The articles here are less formulaic in their design; however, story elements and game mechanics are still the norm (this is a gaming magazine, after all).
The magazine's editor, Wolfgang Baur (who is referred to as Kobold-in-Chief in the masthead), appears to have a preference for articles that highlight a contributing author's most interesting ideas. Since Kobold Quarterly is a magazine dedicated to tabletop RPGs, it publishes articles that enhance play at the gaming table first and foremost. An article that has something for both players and game masters has the best chance of being accepted by the Kobold-in-Chief and his minions.
Kobold Quarterly is a magazine designed for fantasy first and it's themes reflect the genre. Dungeons and Dragons is a fantasy game, which means the magazine is strongly slanted towards dragons, elves, wizards, and, of course, kobolds. However, Mr. Baur has a strong affinity for clockwork and steampunk content and the magazine's back page is dedicated to Zobeck, a clockwork setting of his own design. It's important to note that he “holds articles dedicated to the subgenre to a very high standard because he loves it” (Baur, 2009, ¶ 12).
(Word Count: 400)
Summary and Reasoning
Readership
A look at the audience profile for KoboldQuarterly.com on Quantcast.com shows that the website attracts an educated, middle-aged audience who are single, less affluent, and without children. The audience is split with a slightly higher average for females.
However, what's true for the website isn't necessarily true for the magazine. I can only use my experience as a guide. I have been a roleplayer and fan of game design for over twenty years. I've read (and collected) both Dragon and Dungeon, but did not delve into White Dwarf.
While roleplaying demographics have changed with our changing world, I cannot say for certain that Quantcast's numbers regarding KQ are completely accurate. I suspect a split that is more towards a male audience; however, I cannot be certain without more data.
Pitches
Since Kobold Quarterly is a roleplaying magazine, I'd already considered submitting queries and had little trouble thinking of ideas. Reading about Wolfgang's interest in steampunk, made me think of my own steampunk campaign. Thus, my pitch regarding three unique races I created for Rielun. The second pitch was a flash of insight that came to me after watching a television show about night terrors and my own experiences.
(Word Count: 200)
Little Dragon
By Robert Blezard
Roleplaying magazines are hard to define. Such magazines are rarely famous beyond the niche market of comic book and hobby stores. When I say the word dragon you will probably think of Tolkien's Smaug, but if I say the word kobold, you will probably draw a blank unless you are up on your Germanic folklore. If you combine the word kobold with roleplaying, however, you get something else entirely.
Kobold Quarterly (KQ) is a publication that continues the grand tradition of famous roleplaying magazines such as Dragon (which is now an Internet only, subscription-based publication) and White Dwarf published by Games Workshop. Published by Open Design LLC., KQ is unabashedly “A Magazine of Kobolds and Dragons.”
Kobold Quarterly supports both the current version of the world's most popular fantasy roleplaying game (that would be Dungeons and Dragons in case you're not sure) and the previous version (3.5) of the game. (Kobold Quarterly can do this due to the Open Gaming License and Game System License created by Wizards of the Coast.) KQ also supports anything related to sword & sorcery and tabletop RPGs in addition to D&D.
Kobold Quarterly fills its pages with articles typical of magazines that support tabletop RPGs but with a voice all its own. There are the standards such as Ecology and Reviews, yet each article is as unique as its author. Since KQ considers “article queries from all Open Design patrons, from subscribers, and from established freelancers in the tabletop RPG field” (Baur, 2009, ¶ 2), it isn't surprising that it thrives with a variety of freelance authors from issue to issue as well as online at Kobold Quarterly's web site (www.koboldquarterly.com) where fantasy RPG fans can find exclusive content such as Monday Monsters, Friday Funny, and Trapsmith as well as the advice column Ask the Kobold.
Kobold Quarterly does suffer somewhat when it comes to eye-popping visuals, however. The magazine's art and few photos tend towards black & white with color being saved for major features and important advertisements. The magazine's simple, black text stands out on its glossy white pages, however, and is easy to read. The magazine has a throwback feel to the early years of Dragon; however, it is clearly designed for the future of fantasy tabletop roleplaying games.
Kobold Quarterly is still a little dragon, but it has big claws and an even bigger heart.
(Word Count: 400)
Article Pitches
Children of the World
On the World of Rielun, three races are united by their common history and veneration of the deity known as the Heart of the World. 'Children of the World' is a complete overview of these three races — the Teres, the Tigé, and the Trooda — including how they view the world, the other races of Rielun, temporal and steam magic, and the prominent civilizations of the Aether. New player options include a new prestige class for each race and new feats & weapons as well as a section on temporal and steam magic unique to Rielun.
An article for 3.5 roleplaying.
Dream Warriors
Dreams or nightmares. Which would you prefer? The average adventurer must take them as they come. Not the dream warrior. Masters of their own dreams, these warriors of the sleeping mind must battle night terrors and other creatures that stalk the dreams of innocents. They must ever stay vigilant against the monsters of the mind and other things that go bump in the night. 'Dream Warriors' details a unique prestige class available to spellcasters as well as magical items useful in combating the all-to-common night terrors and their enigmatic masters.
An article for 3.5 roleplaying.
Breakdown of Magazine
The front section of Kobold Quarterly is the smallest only including the magazine's contents page, editorial page, short letters section (three pages), and masthead. The section's other pages are dominated by full- or half-page color advertisements.
The magazine's feature well is quite large. It includes the magazines feature articles, which range from three to seven pages in length. These features are filled with a combination of fictional story elements and game mechanics to be used by the players or game master. The story elements usually come first with the mechanics listed at the end of the feature; however, there is some variation from feature to feature. Sidebars are also a common element in each article while art, photos, and other graphics (black and white dominate) are kept to a minimum.
The magazine's back section includes a variety of short articles, which range from one to three pages in length. Many of the articles here would likely be found in the front section of a different type of magazine. It might seem unusual to someone unfamiliar with tabletop RPG magazines, but it is a format that served Dragon well for years and Kobold Quarterly is obviously paying homage to the early years of Dragon. The articles here are less formulaic in their design; however, story elements and game mechanics are still the norm (this is a gaming magazine, after all).
The magazine's editor, Wolfgang Baur (who is referred to as Kobold-in-Chief in the masthead), appears to have a preference for articles that highlight a contributing author's most interesting ideas. Since Kobold Quarterly is a magazine dedicated to tabletop RPGs, it publishes articles that enhance play at the gaming table first and foremost. An article that has something for both players and game masters has the best chance of being accepted by the Kobold-in-Chief and his minions.
Kobold Quarterly is a magazine designed for fantasy first and it's themes reflect the genre. Dungeons and Dragons is a fantasy game, which means the magazine is strongly slanted towards dragons, elves, wizards, and, of course, kobolds. However, Mr. Baur has a strong affinity for clockwork and steampunk content and the magazine's back page is dedicated to Zobeck, a clockwork setting of his own design. It's important to note that he “holds articles dedicated to the subgenre to a very high standard because he loves it” (Baur, 2009, ¶ 12).
(Word Count: 400)
Summary and Reasoning
Readership
A look at the audience profile for KoboldQuarterly.com on Quantcast.com shows that the website attracts an educated, middle-aged audience who are single, less affluent, and without children. The audience is split with a slightly higher average for females.
However, what's true for the website isn't necessarily true for the magazine. I can only use my experience as a guide. I have been a roleplayer and fan of game design for over twenty years. I've read (and collected) both Dragon and Dungeon, but did not delve into White Dwarf.
While roleplaying demographics have changed with our changing world, I cannot say for certain that Quantcast's numbers regarding KQ are completely accurate. I suspect a split that is more towards a male audience; however, I cannot be certain without more data.
Pitches
Since Kobold Quarterly is a roleplaying magazine, I'd already considered submitting queries and had little trouble thinking of ideas. Reading about Wolfgang's interest in steampunk, made me think of my own steampunk campaign. Thus, my pitch regarding three unique races I created for Rielun. The second pitch was a flash of insight that came to me after watching a television show about night terrors and my own experiences.
(Word Count: 200)
References
- Barton, R., Baur, W., Healy, E. (July 23, 2009). Open Design 003: Kobold Quarterly 10 [Podcast]. Retrieved September 22, 2009, from http://opendesignpodcast.com/odp003-kobold-quarterly-10.mp3
- Baur, W. (2007). Small But Fierce. Retrieved September 22, 2009, from http://www.koboldquarterly.com/k/article24.php
- Baur, W. (2009). Kobold Quarterly Writer's Guidelines. Retrieved September 21, 2009, from http://www.koboldquarterly.com/k/submit
- Hebert, N. (May 19, 2009). “As one of the editors of Kobold Quarterly...”. In How does the query process work? Retrieved September 21, 2009, from http://www.koboldquarterly.com/kqforums/viewtopic.php?t=500
- Herbert, N. (June 11, 2009). “I should probably clarify what I mean by "player-focused" a bit...”. In How does the query process work? Retrieved September 22, 2009, from http://www.koboldquarterly.com/kqforums/viewtopic.php?t=500&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=15
- Quantcast Audience Profile. (2009). U.S. Demographics (koboldquarterly.com). Retrived September 25, 2009, from http://www.quantcast.com/koboldquarterly.com
Thursday, October 01, 2009
Grumble
I haven't written anything here in a while. Why? I could tell you the long story but it would take longer than i have right now.
Here's the short explantion...
I Hate Bed Bugs!
We now return you to your previously scheduled Internet.
Here's the short explantion...
I Hate Bed Bugs!
We now return you to your previously scheduled Internet.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Water Main Breaks in Downtown Edmonton
It's been really hot the last few days here in Edmonton. It got so bad that I decided to head to the "break room" in the basement of my apartment building. While my apartment doesn't get disgustingly hot most of the time, I decided the cool off as best as I could with my iPod blazing.
I lazed for nearly an hour before one of the locals came in to check to see if the water was turned off. (The room has a sink and two bathrooms.) It turns out that a water main had broken and that 116 Street was flooded from Jasper Avenue to near my building.
Well, I decided to go to check it out since I was bored silly anyway. The flooding was very severe and the situation got tense as several nearby apartment buildings (not mine) were threatened by the rising water. From my vantage point, I couldn't tell if the water was seriously threatening The Druid, a popular downtown Edmonton nightspot.
I took a few photos with my digital camera but I didn't try to get that perfect shot. It was too fucking hot out.
The situation seems to be under control now. The water has drained away as the city quickly moved to fix the problem.
It just goes to prove that if you blink that you could miss an event going on right outside your home.
Thursday, June 04, 2009
I Did It Again
I completely forgot to update this thing. I've got to start trying harder, especially since my one night class is now over. (I got an A.) I won't be taking any more night classes until September. The funding I get is limited to $2000 a year, so I'm stuck in limbo for the summer.
I'm toying with the idea of doing volunteer work, but I'm not sure if I'm ready for that yet. I hope I am.
I'm also considering my options for getting back into the pool. The pool in my building is now permanently closed, so I'm going to have to pick one of the city pools to use. The Kinsmen is the obvious choice but it isn't easy for me to get to.
Plus, I have to consider the noise factor.
I don't do well exposed to tons of people crowded into one area. Thus, the idea of going to a public pool kind of freaks me out. The pool at MacEwan might be a better option; although, it is going to cost me if I go there.
That's what's great about the city pools. They're free if you are on AlbertaWorks assistance. Still, I'm not sure that a city pool is right for me.
Anyway, what else is new you ask?
Well, I'm in the middle of running an online PbP campaign set in my World of Kulan campaign setting. The adventure is based on the DCC module called Aerie of the Crow God. I'm running the game on EN World's messageboards, and it's just begun. PbP campaigning is definitely different than playing in person. It takes longer but it's more flexible.
I haven't done much personal writing over the last few months and my night class (Mac Skills for Writers) wasn't a true writing class, so I didn't get to flex my writing muscles as part of the class. Still, I learned a lot about the latest Mac OS and several Adobe products, so it is all good! Heh.
I miss chatting with my classmates. The class was good for honing my poor interaction skills. The instructor knew how to make the class fun while teaching. Still, some of it was too easy. Mac Skills was a good class filled with good people. Fun and informative.
Hopefully I'll be able to renew acquantances with my peers in September. I saw one of them in a mall downtown but I don't think she saw me or recognized me. Either that or she simply decided to ignore me.
Anyway, I've been hanging out at the Wee Book Inns a lot lately. I usually don't have much money to buy books there or at other book stores but it's a good way to kill some time. Still, maybe I should try hanging out at the downtown city library instead. At least it would be air conditioned. Heh.
Man, I'm going to be 37 soon. July 18 is coming up fast. Another birthday, another year of family, friends, and even a few foes. I take solace in my peers and try to avoid the crazies out there.
Well, that's it for now.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
I Hate It When..
I hurt myself just by going through the day.
I went to the Family Foods first thing today, and, while there, I misjudged how heavy the basket was getting. I overloaded it, I guess.
Anyway, to make a long story short, I pulled something in my upper back. At first, I thought I'd really hurt myself (severely!) as I nearly dropped the basket. However, I was able to get home without too much difficulty.
It's still hurting pretty bad, but I'm hopeful that it will be a little better tomorrow. Hopefully the new pain medication my doctor gave me recently will help. (My chronic pain has been tearing me down, lately.)
In other news...
I'm only taking one night class this semester — Mac Skills for Writers. The class isn't very hard but I have been learning some interesting things about Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop. The class will also include learning about InDesign and a few other programs.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Distilled Prose: Postcard Narrative Assignment
Okay, here's another assigment that I did for my Distilled Prose class. It has three parts to it: 1) a 500 word narrative, 2) a 250 word revision, and 3) a 250 word rationale. I received a mark of 90% on this assignment. (Woo hoo!)
Dungeons and Dragons fans might recognize the name of the priest. Ruphus Laro is a background character from the Shackled City Adventure Path that was published in a series of DRAGON Magazines for 3rd Edition. The character's personality and flaws didn't fit my world so I changed them to suit the game, which, of course, is normal a part of gaming.
I guess you could call this "fan fiction," but gamers prefer to refer to such writings as "story hours." A story hour is fictional writing based on actual game play. However, this scene wasn't played out. It's fiction based on what happened in the game. Ruphus went on a journey "in-game" but it was never detailed. I knew what happened but I hadn't written it down in stone before now.
Still, it's more like fan fiction since I did not create this character. (Not that Ruphus is a primary D&D character beyond the pages of DUNGEON Magazine but it's still important to say.) Anyway, I'll stop rambling now. . .
A Priest Contemplates His Journey
500 Word Version
The doors opened and a young soldier entered the room from the vestibule.
“Master Ruphus, they are ready to leave.”
The young priest of the Protector did not move a muscle as he knelt before the statue of his goddess.
“I will be there shortly,” Ruphus replied.
The young soldier left the priest to finish his prayers closing the door quietly behind him.
Ruphus of Cauldron went over the events of the past few months in his mind. The journey from his homeland had been arduous and long. He had been relieved to see the looming gates of the city of Tallawan appear over the horizon. The relief soon turned into sorrow as he passed through the gates of the city and saw the conditions in the city.
The citizens of the city were a beaten down people living in abject fear of a race of creatures that were more like beasts then men. The people shirked from the streets as he and his escorts walked through the city towards the temple dedicated to the Protector. The city was on the verge of collapse. Hundreds of buildings laid in ruins from a dozen assaults by the beast men.
It had taken Ruphus over three weeks to gain any sort of trust from the city's populace. Hours of ministering to the sick and wounded had helped but his skirmish with the beast men outside the city had been the real turning point. He had been asked to help treat an outbreak in one of the nearby villages.
The beast men had come out of nowhere.
The battle had been quick and brutal. The beasts wore savage headdresses and wielded wicked weapons with jagged edges. They showed no mercy attacking both soldiers and villagers alike. Ruphus had balked when he first saw their true forms. The beasts were catlike creatures with long, sharp claws and teeth.
Ruphus had looked into their faces and couldn't help but see the face of the Protector but twisted into a horrid form. One of the beasts had jumped him and only the instinct to protect his life had saved him. He had skewed the beast with his sword but not before it had clawed away half his face including his left eye.
Ruphus let out a breath of sorrow as he opened his good eye and looked up into the catlike visage of Bast the Protector. The attack on the village had occurred over two weeks ago. He still wore the scars of the cat-man's claws across his face. He had underestimated the creature's ferocity. It was a mistake he would not make again.
“Now I understand why you chose me to make this journey, goddess. I have always doubted my own ferocity. I have always felt out of place at home. Here, I have found my purpose. I'm Ruphus Laro, battle priest of Bast.”
Ruphus stood donning his helmet. He walked from the temple to join the soldiers going to war.
250 Word Version
“Master Ruphus, they are ready to leave.”
“I will be there shortly,” Ruphus replied kneeling before the statue of the Protector.
The soldier left him to finish his prayers.
Ruphus mentally went over the events of the past few months. The journey from his homeland had been arduous. He'd been relieved to see the gates of Tallawan. His relief had turned to sorrow as he'd passed through the city's gates.
Its citizens were living in fear of nearby beast-men. They'd shirked from Ruphus as he'd walked through the city. Hundreds of buildings laid in ruins. While hours of attending to the downtrodden had eventually helped Ruphus gain their trust, it was his skirmish against the beast-men that had mattered most to them.
He'd been asked to help treat a sickness in a nearby village. The beast-men had appeared out of nowhere. They'd worn savage headdresses and wielded wicked weapons. They'd shown no mercy.
He'd balked when he'd seen their catlike forms. He'd seen the Protector in their forms. Then a beast-man had jumped Ruphus. Only his instincts had saved him. He'd killed it but not before it clawed his face.
Ruphus opened his good eye and looked at the catlike visage of the Protector. The attack had occurred several weeks ago. His face still wore the scars. He'd underestimated it. He would not make that mistake again.
Ruphus stood donning his helmet. He walked from the temple to go to war.
Rationale
For this assignment, I decided to write something fictional based on a fantasy world that I designed for the Dungeons and Dragons game. Ruphus is a background character from a series of adventures that I ran. Therefore, I felt comfortable using him as the basis for a short narrative.
I began by visualizing how he would view the city of Tallawan as he first came upon it. I knew I wanted the city to be beleaguered, so it was easy for me to understand how the character would react. The encounter he had with the cat-men greatly changed him.
Ruphus' goddess is the Egyptian deity known as Bast. This mythic figure is usually depicted in the form a cat-headed woman. Therefore, it was important to connect the savage imagery of the cat-men to the priest's divine patron. This savagery is also reflected in Ruphus' physical and emotional scars.
While the initial writing was easy for me, it was a lot harder to cut the narrative down to 250 words. Compressing down narrative writing irks me as it always feels like I'm cutting away part of a character's personality. Removing his dialogue at the end of the narrative was very difficult for me.
The character's point of view is the key component of how I wrote this narrative. He is looking back on his journey remembering the important details. It is important to note that this journey is a much spiritual as it is physical.
Dungeons and Dragons fans might recognize the name of the priest. Ruphus Laro is a background character from the Shackled City Adventure Path that was published in a series of DRAGON Magazines for 3rd Edition. The character's personality and flaws didn't fit my world so I changed them to suit the game, which, of course, is normal a part of gaming.
I guess you could call this "fan fiction," but gamers prefer to refer to such writings as "story hours." A story hour is fictional writing based on actual game play. However, this scene wasn't played out. It's fiction based on what happened in the game. Ruphus went on a journey "in-game" but it was never detailed. I knew what happened but I hadn't written it down in stone before now.
Still, it's more like fan fiction since I did not create this character. (Not that Ruphus is a primary D&D character beyond the pages of DUNGEON Magazine but it's still important to say.) Anyway, I'll stop rambling now. . .
A Priest Contemplates His Journey
500 Word Version
The doors opened and a young soldier entered the room from the vestibule.
“Master Ruphus, they are ready to leave.”
The young priest of the Protector did not move a muscle as he knelt before the statue of his goddess.
“I will be there shortly,” Ruphus replied.
The young soldier left the priest to finish his prayers closing the door quietly behind him.
Ruphus of Cauldron went over the events of the past few months in his mind. The journey from his homeland had been arduous and long. He had been relieved to see the looming gates of the city of Tallawan appear over the horizon. The relief soon turned into sorrow as he passed through the gates of the city and saw the conditions in the city.
The citizens of the city were a beaten down people living in abject fear of a race of creatures that were more like beasts then men. The people shirked from the streets as he and his escorts walked through the city towards the temple dedicated to the Protector. The city was on the verge of collapse. Hundreds of buildings laid in ruins from a dozen assaults by the beast men.
It had taken Ruphus over three weeks to gain any sort of trust from the city's populace. Hours of ministering to the sick and wounded had helped but his skirmish with the beast men outside the city had been the real turning point. He had been asked to help treat an outbreak in one of the nearby villages.
The beast men had come out of nowhere.
The battle had been quick and brutal. The beasts wore savage headdresses and wielded wicked weapons with jagged edges. They showed no mercy attacking both soldiers and villagers alike. Ruphus had balked when he first saw their true forms. The beasts were catlike creatures with long, sharp claws and teeth.
Ruphus had looked into their faces and couldn't help but see the face of the Protector but twisted into a horrid form. One of the beasts had jumped him and only the instinct to protect his life had saved him. He had skewed the beast with his sword but not before it had clawed away half his face including his left eye.
Ruphus let out a breath of sorrow as he opened his good eye and looked up into the catlike visage of Bast the Protector. The attack on the village had occurred over two weeks ago. He still wore the scars of the cat-man's claws across his face. He had underestimated the creature's ferocity. It was a mistake he would not make again.
“Now I understand why you chose me to make this journey, goddess. I have always doubted my own ferocity. I have always felt out of place at home. Here, I have found my purpose. I'm Ruphus Laro, battle priest of Bast.”
Ruphus stood donning his helmet. He walked from the temple to join the soldiers going to war.
250 Word Version
“Master Ruphus, they are ready to leave.”
“I will be there shortly,” Ruphus replied kneeling before the statue of the Protector.
The soldier left him to finish his prayers.
Ruphus mentally went over the events of the past few months. The journey from his homeland had been arduous. He'd been relieved to see the gates of Tallawan. His relief had turned to sorrow as he'd passed through the city's gates.
Its citizens were living in fear of nearby beast-men. They'd shirked from Ruphus as he'd walked through the city. Hundreds of buildings laid in ruins. While hours of attending to the downtrodden had eventually helped Ruphus gain their trust, it was his skirmish against the beast-men that had mattered most to them.
He'd been asked to help treat a sickness in a nearby village. The beast-men had appeared out of nowhere. They'd worn savage headdresses and wielded wicked weapons. They'd shown no mercy.
He'd balked when he'd seen their catlike forms. He'd seen the Protector in their forms. Then a beast-man had jumped Ruphus. Only his instincts had saved him. He'd killed it but not before it clawed his face.
Ruphus opened his good eye and looked at the catlike visage of the Protector. The attack had occurred several weeks ago. His face still wore the scars. He'd underestimated it. He would not make that mistake again.
Ruphus stood donning his helmet. He walked from the temple to go to war.
Rationale
For this assignment, I decided to write something fictional based on a fantasy world that I designed for the Dungeons and Dragons game. Ruphus is a background character from a series of adventures that I ran. Therefore, I felt comfortable using him as the basis for a short narrative.
I began by visualizing how he would view the city of Tallawan as he first came upon it. I knew I wanted the city to be beleaguered, so it was easy for me to understand how the character would react. The encounter he had with the cat-men greatly changed him.
Ruphus' goddess is the Egyptian deity known as Bast. This mythic figure is usually depicted in the form a cat-headed woman. Therefore, it was important to connect the savage imagery of the cat-men to the priest's divine patron. This savagery is also reflected in Ruphus' physical and emotional scars.
While the initial writing was easy for me, it was a lot harder to cut the narrative down to 250 words. Compressing down narrative writing irks me as it always feels like I'm cutting away part of a character's personality. Removing his dialogue at the end of the narrative was very difficult for me.
The character's point of view is the key component of how I wrote this narrative. He is looking back on his journey remembering the important details. It is important to note that this journey is a much spiritual as it is physical.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Turning the Assignment Corner
Okay, I worked on my 10-page research paper today. I wrote nearly nonstop for 4 to five hours. I finished everything but the conclusion. After hours of writing and citing i needed to stop before my brain gave out.
I took a break, ate some food, and stretched my aching back, hip, and neck. Then I put on my headphone, hit the CBC and Global websites. I had to watch two Global TV webcasts and to listen to a CBC Radio One podcast for my Newscast Critique assignment.
That one is done.
Now, I just need to get my 10 questions done for Thursday, finish my research paper, and start working on another Distilled Prose assignment that is due next week. (That's right, I haven't started it yet.)
I took a break, ate some food, and stretched my aching back, hip, and neck. Then I put on my headphone, hit the CBC and Global websites. I had to watch two Global TV webcasts and to listen to a CBC Radio One podcast for my Newscast Critique assignment.
That one is done.
Now, I just need to get my 10 questions done for Thursday, finish my research paper, and start working on another Distilled Prose assignment that is due next week. (That's right, I haven't started it yet.)
Friday, November 14, 2008
My Aching Brain
Okay, I'm sick to death of my latest assignment for Research Skills for Writers. It is a research paper that has to be a minimum of 7 pages and a maximum of 10 pages and it is due next Thursday.
I decided to write the paper one the ever expanding power of multinational corporations. I swear, if I ever hear that term again after it's done and handed in, I'm going to howl at the moon.
My head hurts so bad from acronyms such as MNC, NGO, and PMC as well as terms such as global economy, nationalization, and privatization.
Ugh!
I have to admit I've learned a lot but that hasn't kept my brain matter from aching. It feels like it's going to start seeping out of my ears at any moment. And guess what the worst part is; go ahead, you'll never guess...
I haven't finished reading all my research material yet, and I keep uncovering more stuff that I either end up reading or quickly turn away from because my brain can't take in any more information! Case in point, I still have to read a article about human rights and the World Trade Organization (WTO). Joy. Not.
And I still haven't even looked at my Distilled Prose assignment for Monday. I have a feeling it will either get done at the last moment or have to wait until next week. Luckily, it's one of the assignments that can have an extra week grace period. Still, I have to get that done, start two other Distilled Prose projects, and come up with 10 questions for a Survey Design project, which has to be done for this coming Thursday too.
Oy!
Anyway, I have to go check on my laundry now and run some dishes through the rinse cycle. Then I need to do some more reading before going to bed. I'm going to to see Quantum of Solace tommorow with some friends at 1pm. After that, it's back to the hell that is multinational corporations (if my computer doesn't die). Knock on wood.
I decided to write the paper one the ever expanding power of multinational corporations. I swear, if I ever hear that term again after it's done and handed in, I'm going to howl at the moon.
My head hurts so bad from acronyms such as MNC, NGO, and PMC as well as terms such as global economy, nationalization, and privatization.
Ugh!
I have to admit I've learned a lot but that hasn't kept my brain matter from aching. It feels like it's going to start seeping out of my ears at any moment. And guess what the worst part is; go ahead, you'll never guess...
I haven't finished reading all my research material yet, and I keep uncovering more stuff that I either end up reading or quickly turn away from because my brain can't take in any more information! Case in point, I still have to read a article about human rights and the World Trade Organization (WTO). Joy. Not.
And I still haven't even looked at my Distilled Prose assignment for Monday. I have a feeling it will either get done at the last moment or have to wait until next week. Luckily, it's one of the assignments that can have an extra week grace period. Still, I have to get that done, start two other Distilled Prose projects, and come up with 10 questions for a Survey Design project, which has to be done for this coming Thursday too.
Oy!
Anyway, I have to go check on my laundry now and run some dishes through the rinse cycle. Then I need to do some more reading before going to bed. I'm going to to see Quantum of Solace tommorow with some friends at 1pm. After that, it's back to the hell that is multinational corporations (if my computer doesn't die). Knock on wood.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Research Skills for Writers: Critical Analysis Assignment
Here's another assignment I got back last week. This one was for my Research Skills for Writers class. I received a mark of 89% on this one. My best mark so far this semester.
This analysis will look at the five main points of Mulhall's study, which includes the following: (1) nanomaterial technologies; (2) enhanced human intelligence; (3) punctuated equilibrium; (4) nanotechnology vs. nature's complexity; (5) reassessing risk assessment. In an attempt to better understand some of these concepts, I have done my own research based on these main points. I have studied the listed web site's that Mulhall provides as his sources, looked for additional materials online, and looked through several of the online databases available through the MacEwan Library. Finally, I will take a look at who Douglas Mulhall is and who his intended audience is based on The Futurist as a periodical.
Mulhall starts his article by looking at several nanomaterials prototypes such as Smart Dust and photovoltaic paint made from nanomaterials. He gives a good overview of Smart Dust and doesn't gloss over the technology's potential benefits such as environmental monitoring. He is less detailed regarding to the solar cell nanomaterial, however. I would have liked to have known more about it and its possible benefits. Instead, Mulhall takes these two examples and crossbreeds them into one intelligent nanomaterial with the ability to “multiply a trillionfold and become an integral part of the ecology.” (Mulhall, 2004, par. 9a).
This statement is misleading at best and pure fiction at worst as Holmes points out in his article entitled “Our Microtech Future” in the September-October 2004 issue of The Futurist:
“Microscopic technology has received much attention in the past few years, especially as nanotechnology has entered public consciousness. But vision at the nanotech level is generally limited to electron microscopes operating in a high vacuum, and, for the most part, nanotechnology is experimental and speculative. There are few actual working devices.” (Holmes, 2004, par. 1).
Yes, there has been progress towards useful nanomaterials since then, which can be seen through the research being conducted by Crossbow Technology (www.xbow.com) and through the commercial applications being developed by Dust Networks (www.dustnetworks.com) but nothing as radical as Mr. Mulhall projects.
The next section of Mulhall's article deals with an idea he refers to as enhanced intelligence. He details how data processing is rapidly increasing and that genetic programming is outstripping humanity's ability to compute information. He gives examples that range from “a thermostat and actuator that were superior to those designed by a human” (Mulhall, par. 13a) to a theoretical microchip that could allow the blind to see light. His reasoning appears sound. However, I cannot say for certain that I agree with him.
The third section of Mulhall's article links merging nanotechnologies with a concept known as punctuated equilibrium, which was “first proposed in 1972 by Niles Eldredge and Harvard evolutionary biologist Stephan Jay Gould.” (par. 18a). He also discusses climate change, comet impacts, and volcanic eruptions, which he refers to as mega-threats. He also discusses “nanoscale organisms that are hundreds of times smaller than most bacteria.” (par. 22a). This section is quite liberal in its use of conjecture. Mulhall seems to be using the theory of punctuated equilibrium to sell his own ideas without considering the model's history. Punctuated equilibrium was never intended to be a model for microscale evolution as Gould (2004) explains in his article “Punctuated Equilibrium's Threefold History.”
“. . . we developed these implications over the years, and the theory grew accordingly. But we never proposed a radical theory for punctuations (ordinary speciation scaled into geological time), and we never linked punctuations to microevolutionary saltationism.” (par. 6).
I can see the connection between mega-threats and punctuated equilibrium but Mulhall takes it a step to far by trying to link punctuated equilibrium to nanotechnology and nanoscale organisms. I dislike how he “sells” his book Has Heart Disease Been Cured? as a worthy source of information without saying that he is the person who wrote it.
The next section of Mulhall's article delves into the idea that humanity's technologies might soon “match nature's complexity.” (Mulhall, par. 26a). He points out that “most of our technologies are unable to match the complexity of natural environments” (par. 27a) but that nanotechnology could change all that. He refers back to photovoltaic paint and theorizes about the possibility of molecular-based drugs that would be “so precise that they backfire only occasionally.” (par. 28a).
The section is short and to-the-point and equally realistic and speculative.
The last section of Mulhall's article appears to be a summary of the article, yet at the same time, it introduces more information not previously mentioned. Mulhall puts forth the opinion that both nanotechnology and mega-threats must become a part of future risk assessment for such assessments to be worthwhile. He lists various types of experts who should be a part of such an undertaking and goes into detail about some of the work being done by researchers regarding nanobes. He ends the article abruptly with a quote from a professor from the University of Texas named Robert Folk that doesn't seem to match Mulhall purpose.
The information he gives on nanobes seems out of place in this section. It would have been better if it had been given its own section or an earlier section of the article.
Douglas Mulhall is clearly a man with experience in the field of risk assessment. “He was Managing Director of the Hamburg Environmental Institute, a scientific assessment organization. He co-founded the first Brazilian institute, 'O Instituto Ambiental', to be devoted exclusively to water recycling” (Mulhall, 2006, par. 4b). He is obviously well informed regarding environmental issues and new technologies. “Reassessing Risk Assessment” is clearly speculative and is intended for an audience that looks to future instead of the past. It is an article for futurists by a futurist. The Futurist is the perfect medium for such an article as the magazine “takes no stand on what the future will or should be like. The magazine strives to serve as a neutral clearinghouse of ideas . . . . Each issue contains feature articles written by outstanding experts in a wide range of fields: business, creativity, education, economics, environment and resources, values, and more.” (The Futurist Magazine, 2008, “About The Futurist” par. 2-3).
In conclusion, Mulhall is clearly trying to inform his audience of the risks he perceives regarding nanotechnology and mega-threats. He wishes to sway knowledgeable experts with an interest in such ideas to come together and help redefine risk assessment for the new century. He is looking towards a future that could be dominated by nanomaterial that merges with the natural world — forever changing it. He would have his audience envisioning a future where solar cell paint covers everything and intelligent nanomaterial machines run our lives and might possibly destroy our world. His views are almost fanatical but with a quiet dose of scholarly diffusion.
RatingI consider myself a bit of a futurist so it should be no surprise that I liked this article the first time I read it. However, as I began to assess Mulhall's ideas and facts I began to question the man's logic. His biases are obvious, and he fails to delve deep into the facts he is writing about. He definitely knows how to write, and I found few errors in the article from a mechanics point-of-view. Mulhall's writing could use some polish, however. He repeats ideas and writes in a manner that makes me think he swallowed both a dictionary and a thesaurus. He uses buzzwords such as “hyperchange” and “mega-threats” and uses over-the-top adjectives and adverbs. His article is filled with “exponential growth rates,” “extraordinary developments,” and “physical manifestations.” He certainly uses style to pull the reader along and it's fun to read even if the reader doesn't understand everything. It's fluffy and fun while also being a bit scary. I have the sense that he is trying to teach and terrify at the same time.
If I had only read this article once then I would have rated it highly. However, Mulhall makes so many assumptions while twisting the facts regarding the risks of nanomaterials that I found myself questioning his integrity. He is trying to sell his ideas as future facts instead of as speculative discourse. He even tries to sell his book to me, which I found a bit insulting. Still, The Futurist is definitely not a scholarly journal, so I can forgive some of his biases. Perhaps this article would have been better as a two-part series, which would have allowed Mulhall to go into more detail regarding his need for reassessing risk assessment. However, he would more likely spin towards new tangents best left alone.
Rating = 5
Critical Analysis Assignment:
“Reassessing Risk Assessment” by Douglas Mulhall
If we were to flashback to the summer of 1991, we'd see a very different version of the world compared to the world we live in today. Back then I was a mere neophyte when it came to technology, and even after two years in the Microcomputer Management course at MacEwan, I was still little more than a novice with computing science. However, it was at this time that I first heard the word nanotechnology. In the early Nineties, I considered the idea of nanotechnology to be little more than scientific pipe-dream. I did not realize at the time that the world was changing in a dramatic fashion and at a incredible rate. How can we hope to understand how this new technology will reshape our world? Douglas Mulhall's research study entitled “Reassessing Risk Assessment” from the January-February 2004 issue of The Futurist might be a good place to start. Mulhall, an expert in the field of risk management, takes his audience through an in-depth look at how innovative, nanomaterial-based technologies are changing the world and how those changes might impact the environment we live in.This analysis will look at the five main points of Mulhall's study, which includes the following: (1) nanomaterial technologies; (2) enhanced human intelligence; (3) punctuated equilibrium; (4) nanotechnology vs. nature's complexity; (5) reassessing risk assessment. In an attempt to better understand some of these concepts, I have done my own research based on these main points. I have studied the listed web site's that Mulhall provides as his sources, looked for additional materials online, and looked through several of the online databases available through the MacEwan Library. Finally, I will take a look at who Douglas Mulhall is and who his intended audience is based on The Futurist as a periodical.
Mulhall starts his article by looking at several nanomaterials prototypes such as Smart Dust and photovoltaic paint made from nanomaterials. He gives a good overview of Smart Dust and doesn't gloss over the technology's potential benefits such as environmental monitoring. He is less detailed regarding to the solar cell nanomaterial, however. I would have liked to have known more about it and its possible benefits. Instead, Mulhall takes these two examples and crossbreeds them into one intelligent nanomaterial with the ability to “multiply a trillionfold and become an integral part of the ecology.” (Mulhall, 2004, par. 9a).
This statement is misleading at best and pure fiction at worst as Holmes points out in his article entitled “Our Microtech Future” in the September-October 2004 issue of The Futurist:
“Microscopic technology has received much attention in the past few years, especially as nanotechnology has entered public consciousness. But vision at the nanotech level is generally limited to electron microscopes operating in a high vacuum, and, for the most part, nanotechnology is experimental and speculative. There are few actual working devices.” (Holmes, 2004, par. 1).
Yes, there has been progress towards useful nanomaterials since then, which can be seen through the research being conducted by Crossbow Technology (www.xbow.com) and through the commercial applications being developed by Dust Networks (www.dustnetworks.com) but nothing as radical as Mr. Mulhall projects.
The next section of Mulhall's article deals with an idea he refers to as enhanced intelligence. He details how data processing is rapidly increasing and that genetic programming is outstripping humanity's ability to compute information. He gives examples that range from “a thermostat and actuator that were superior to those designed by a human” (Mulhall, par. 13a) to a theoretical microchip that could allow the blind to see light. His reasoning appears sound. However, I cannot say for certain that I agree with him.
The third section of Mulhall's article links merging nanotechnologies with a concept known as punctuated equilibrium, which was “first proposed in 1972 by Niles Eldredge and Harvard evolutionary biologist Stephan Jay Gould.” (par. 18a). He also discusses climate change, comet impacts, and volcanic eruptions, which he refers to as mega-threats. He also discusses “nanoscale organisms that are hundreds of times smaller than most bacteria.” (par. 22a). This section is quite liberal in its use of conjecture. Mulhall seems to be using the theory of punctuated equilibrium to sell his own ideas without considering the model's history. Punctuated equilibrium was never intended to be a model for microscale evolution as Gould (2004) explains in his article “Punctuated Equilibrium's Threefold History.”
“. . . we developed these implications over the years, and the theory grew accordingly. But we never proposed a radical theory for punctuations (ordinary speciation scaled into geological time), and we never linked punctuations to microevolutionary saltationism.” (par. 6).
I can see the connection between mega-threats and punctuated equilibrium but Mulhall takes it a step to far by trying to link punctuated equilibrium to nanotechnology and nanoscale organisms. I dislike how he “sells” his book Has Heart Disease Been Cured? as a worthy source of information without saying that he is the person who wrote it.
The next section of Mulhall's article delves into the idea that humanity's technologies might soon “match nature's complexity.” (Mulhall, par. 26a). He points out that “most of our technologies are unable to match the complexity of natural environments” (par. 27a) but that nanotechnology could change all that. He refers back to photovoltaic paint and theorizes about the possibility of molecular-based drugs that would be “so precise that they backfire only occasionally.” (par. 28a).
The section is short and to-the-point and equally realistic and speculative.
The last section of Mulhall's article appears to be a summary of the article, yet at the same time, it introduces more information not previously mentioned. Mulhall puts forth the opinion that both nanotechnology and mega-threats must become a part of future risk assessment for such assessments to be worthwhile. He lists various types of experts who should be a part of such an undertaking and goes into detail about some of the work being done by researchers regarding nanobes. He ends the article abruptly with a quote from a professor from the University of Texas named Robert Folk that doesn't seem to match Mulhall purpose.
The information he gives on nanobes seems out of place in this section. It would have been better if it had been given its own section or an earlier section of the article.
Douglas Mulhall is clearly a man with experience in the field of risk assessment. “He was Managing Director of the Hamburg Environmental Institute, a scientific assessment organization. He co-founded the first Brazilian institute, 'O Instituto Ambiental', to be devoted exclusively to water recycling” (Mulhall, 2006, par. 4b). He is obviously well informed regarding environmental issues and new technologies. “Reassessing Risk Assessment” is clearly speculative and is intended for an audience that looks to future instead of the past. It is an article for futurists by a futurist. The Futurist is the perfect medium for such an article as the magazine “takes no stand on what the future will or should be like. The magazine strives to serve as a neutral clearinghouse of ideas . . . . Each issue contains feature articles written by outstanding experts in a wide range of fields: business, creativity, education, economics, environment and resources, values, and more.” (The Futurist Magazine, 2008, “About The Futurist” par. 2-3).
In conclusion, Mulhall is clearly trying to inform his audience of the risks he perceives regarding nanotechnology and mega-threats. He wishes to sway knowledgeable experts with an interest in such ideas to come together and help redefine risk assessment for the new century. He is looking towards a future that could be dominated by nanomaterial that merges with the natural world — forever changing it. He would have his audience envisioning a future where solar cell paint covers everything and intelligent nanomaterial machines run our lives and might possibly destroy our world. His views are almost fanatical but with a quiet dose of scholarly diffusion.
RatingI consider myself a bit of a futurist so it should be no surprise that I liked this article the first time I read it. However, as I began to assess Mulhall's ideas and facts I began to question the man's logic. His biases are obvious, and he fails to delve deep into the facts he is writing about. He definitely knows how to write, and I found few errors in the article from a mechanics point-of-view. Mulhall's writing could use some polish, however. He repeats ideas and writes in a manner that makes me think he swallowed both a dictionary and a thesaurus. He uses buzzwords such as “hyperchange” and “mega-threats” and uses over-the-top adjectives and adverbs. His article is filled with “exponential growth rates,” “extraordinary developments,” and “physical manifestations.” He certainly uses style to pull the reader along and it's fun to read even if the reader doesn't understand everything. It's fluffy and fun while also being a bit scary. I have the sense that he is trying to teach and terrify at the same time.
If I had only read this article once then I would have rated it highly. However, Mulhall makes so many assumptions while twisting the facts regarding the risks of nanomaterials that I found myself questioning his integrity. He is trying to sell his ideas as future facts instead of as speculative discourse. He even tries to sell his book to me, which I found a bit insulting. Still, The Futurist is definitely not a scholarly journal, so I can forgive some of his biases. Perhaps this article would have been better as a two-part series, which would have allowed Mulhall to go into more detail regarding his need for reassessing risk assessment. However, he would more likely spin towards new tangents best left alone.
Rating = 5
References
- Australian Microscopy & Microanalysis Research Facility. (2008). Welcome to the AMMRF. Retrieved October 9, 2008, from Web site: http://www.ammrf.org.au/
- Department of Biosciences: Biochemistry. (2008, September 18). Research. Retrieved October 12, 2008, from University of Kuopio Web site: http://www.uku.fi/biokem/research/index.shtml
- Fernandez, M. (2007). Nanotechnologies: Summary & Details. Retrieved October 9, 2008, from The European Union On-Line Web site: http://ec.europa.eu/health/opinions2/en/nanotechnologies/index.htm
- Gould, S. J. (2002). Punctuated Equilibrium's Threefold History. Retrieved October 9, 2008, from The Unofficial Stephen Jay Gould Archive Web site: http://www.stephenjaygould.org/library/gould_structure.html
- Holmes, W. (2004, September). Our Microtech Future. Futurist, 38(5), 51-56. Retrieved October 15, 2008, from Professional Development Collection database.
- Horton, M. A. (2008). Crossbow Technology: Management. Retrieved October 16, 2008, from Crossbow Technology Web site: http://www.xbow.com/General_info/management.aspx
- Koza, J. R. (2003, December 30). 36 Human-Competitive Results Produced by Genetic Programming. Retrieved October 12, 2008, from Genetic Programming Inc. Web site: http://www.genetic-programming.com/
- Moravec, H. (1999, January). Hans Moravec: Adjunct Faculty. Retrieved October 9, 2008, from The Robotics Institute Web site: http://www.ri.cmu.edu/people/moravec_hans.html
- (A) Mulhall, D. (2004, January). Reassessing Risk Assessment. Futurist, 38(1), 36-41. Retrieved October 2, 2008, from Academic Search Complete database.
- (B) Mulhall, D. (2006). Our Molecular Future: About the Author. Retrieved October 12, 2008, from Our Molecular Future Web site: http://www.ourmolecularfuture.com/index.html?/text/about_the_author.html
- Mullen, L. (2001, July 9). How Small Can Life Be? Retrieved October 9, 2008, from Astrobiology Magazine Web site: http://www.astrobio.net/news/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=31
- National Center for Environmental Research. (2008, October 8). Nanotechnology: Research Projects. Retrieved October 12, 2008, from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Web site: http://es.epa.gov/ncer/nano/research/index.html
- Pister, K. (2008). Dust Networks: About Us: Our Team: Management Team. Retrieved October 16, 2008, from Dust Networks Web site: http://www.dustnetworks.com/about/management.shtml
- The Futurist Magazine. (2008). About The Futurist. Retrieved October 14, 2008, from World Future Society Web site: http://www.wfs.org/Nov-Dec%20Files/futuristabout.htm
Distilled Prose: Dialogue Exercise
I got another assignment back tonight. I received a mark of 85% on this one as well. Anyone who has read my World of Kulan Story Hour will recognize these characters. It was easy to take characters that I already knew and use them as the basis for this assignment.
The Trouble With Dragons
“I don't want to talk about it,” Dabuk said shaking his head.
“It might help you deal with what happened.” Bactra replied. “It's not every day someone gets swallowed alive and lives to tell about it.”
“I don't want to talk about it,” Dabuk repeated emphatically.
“Just be glad we were able to cut you free after we killed the beast,” Dvalin said. “A dragon's stomach would be a terrible place to spend your last moments of life.”
“I said I don't want to talk about it,” Dabuk pleaded.
“Yeah, I think you mentioned that already,” Mesik added with a grin. “It's too bad the dragon didn't swallow your pride too.”
“That's the trouble with dragons,” Bactra said with a laugh. “They aren't chew-sy about their food.”
“Oh Gods,” Dabuk groaned. “Save me from my friends.”
Character BiosBactra RedwindBactra is an elf from the forested city of Woodknot. He is a wizard and the son of a tailor. He has traveled the world extensively. He seeks hidden arcane secrets in the lairs of beasts and lost ruins. He is mirthful and fun-loving.
Dabuk Tigerstorm
Dabuk is a half-elf who was born in the wilderness. He is Bactra's cousin and the son of a famous hero. His mother was killed by an ogre. He seeks revenge against all ogres for her death. He is moody and jaded.
Dvalin Thunderstone
Dvalin is a dwarf from the mountain city of Milo. He is a stout warrior and the son of a soldier. He has lived as a trader and as an adventurer for a long time. Therefore, he is often the voice of reason amongst his friends.
Mesik Tindertwig
Mesik is a halfling whose background is mysterious. He is a skilled thief and mapmaker. He seeks the comfort of friendship to block out the mistakes of his past. He is often jovial one minute and forlorn the next. He is Dabuk's mentor.
The Trouble With Dragons
“I don't want to talk about it,” Dabuk said shaking his head.
“It might help you deal with what happened.” Bactra replied. “It's not every day someone gets swallowed alive and lives to tell about it.”
“I don't want to talk about it,” Dabuk repeated emphatically.
“Just be glad we were able to cut you free after we killed the beast,” Dvalin said. “A dragon's stomach would be a terrible place to spend your last moments of life.”
“I said I don't want to talk about it,” Dabuk pleaded.
“Yeah, I think you mentioned that already,” Mesik added with a grin. “It's too bad the dragon didn't swallow your pride too.”
“That's the trouble with dragons,” Bactra said with a laugh. “They aren't chew-sy about their food.”
“Oh Gods,” Dabuk groaned. “Save me from my friends.”
Character BiosBactra RedwindBactra is an elf from the forested city of Woodknot. He is a wizard and the son of a tailor. He has traveled the world extensively. He seeks hidden arcane secrets in the lairs of beasts and lost ruins. He is mirthful and fun-loving.
Dabuk Tigerstorm
Dabuk is a half-elf who was born in the wilderness. He is Bactra's cousin and the son of a famous hero. His mother was killed by an ogre. He seeks revenge against all ogres for her death. He is moody and jaded.
Dvalin Thunderstone
Dvalin is a dwarf from the mountain city of Milo. He is a stout warrior and the son of a soldier. He has lived as a trader and as an adventurer for a long time. Therefore, he is often the voice of reason amongst his friends.
Mesik Tindertwig
Mesik is a halfling whose background is mysterious. He is a skilled thief and mapmaker. He seeks the comfort of friendship to block out the mistakes of his past. He is often jovial one minute and forlorn the next. He is Dabuk's mentor.
Sunday, November 09, 2008
The Shadow Between
Here's an In-Class Assignment I did for my Distilled Prose class. I got a final mark of 85%.
The Shadow Between
By Robert Blezard
I have often asked myself what I believe. I rarely come up with a firm answer, which has a lot to do with the question. I guess the easiest way for me to look at it is to visualize myself at a crossroads with multiple directions.
Darkness and light are the themes of those multiple paths. I often find myself traveling the darkest roads. These are the paths dominated by the mistakes of my past. Pain, hate, and sorrow are my guides while lost in the dark, and I often embrace them with a morbid glee.
I have been known to choose the paths of light, which are harder for me to traverse. Dominated by love, hope, and family & friends, the brightly lit paths lead to moments of joy and discovery. When I'm gaming with friends or writing something new, I am often on the path of bright faith.
However, neither the dark ways nor the shining paths are truly my friends. Isolation and depression are usually the result of traversing the darkened roads too much. Overexposure to the glittering paths often blinds my senses and overwhelms my soul with too much life.
Therefore, it isn't surprising that I am still looking for that elusive path that will combine the best of both the pitch black walkways of my troubled mind with the light of faith and life. I've always believed in a balance of the two, which is nearly impossible to find in this world.
I've stood at the crossroads for so long that I've come to consider it my home. I've become the Dweller at the Crossroads watching as others chose a path. Mine still alludes me, but I must make a choice soon. Perhaps the perfect path will open up to me, which will allow me to walk the edges of darkness and light. When that day comes, I will walk the road once again. Until then, I will remain at the crossroads, content to dwell in the shadow between.
The Shadow Between
By Robert Blezard
I have often asked myself what I believe. I rarely come up with a firm answer, which has a lot to do with the question. I guess the easiest way for me to look at it is to visualize myself at a crossroads with multiple directions.
Darkness and light are the themes of those multiple paths. I often find myself traveling the darkest roads. These are the paths dominated by the mistakes of my past. Pain, hate, and sorrow are my guides while lost in the dark, and I often embrace them with a morbid glee.
I have been known to choose the paths of light, which are harder for me to traverse. Dominated by love, hope, and family & friends, the brightly lit paths lead to moments of joy and discovery. When I'm gaming with friends or writing something new, I am often on the path of bright faith.
However, neither the dark ways nor the shining paths are truly my friends. Isolation and depression are usually the result of traversing the darkened roads too much. Overexposure to the glittering paths often blinds my senses and overwhelms my soul with too much life.
Therefore, it isn't surprising that I am still looking for that elusive path that will combine the best of both the pitch black walkways of my troubled mind with the light of faith and life. I've always believed in a balance of the two, which is nearly impossible to find in this world.
I've stood at the crossroads for so long that I've come to consider it my home. I've become the Dweller at the Crossroads watching as others chose a path. Mine still alludes me, but I must make a choice soon. Perhaps the perfect path will open up to me, which will allow me to walk the edges of darkness and light. When that day comes, I will walk the road once again. Until then, I will remain at the crossroads, content to dwell in the shadow between.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
The Spiral Effect
So, I've been stewing in a metaphorical pot for several weeks now. It has a lot to do with my classes, but it also has a lot to do with my health. I ended up with another sinus infection this month and a very sore throat. ("I hate mucus!") It's better now but it crashed me down for over a week. I even missed a class for Research Skills.
I hate getting sick. It takes everything out of me.
Worse than that, it sends me spiraling down that dark path towards depression. It's something I have to fight every day. The last few days have been killer. I need to start working on my assignments, but I just haven't had the will or energy. Yes, I'll get them done but it will take everything have to do it, which will wipe me out even more.
That's been the major difference between this semester and last semester. I'm having trouble caring about being at class, learning about something new, and even getting up out of bed. When I lose my ability to care, it's never a good thing. It means I'm spending too much time worrying about things I cannot change.
My dad's life is one of those things.
He had to move again recently and now he's on the other side of the city. He is in area that takes a long time for me to get to by bus. There have been a few times since he's moved that I could have used his help, but I'd feel to guilty asking him to drive all that way just to help me out for an hour. Besides, I worry about his driving. He's not as steady behind the wheel as he use to be; however, he won't give up his car. It's scary.
Also, I learned that friend of mine is battling cancer.
It's been a tough thing for him to go through, and I'm not sure how to handle how I'm feeling about it. I'm worried that he won't get better even though I know he's a fighter. ("Gerald, you rock!") If the worst happens, it would be devastating for his family and his friends. I'd like to spend some time with him, but I've been so sick lately that I'm worried that I might expose him to something that could affect his health. It's scary.
These are just the two biggest things on my mind. Everything else seems trivial compared to these worries, yet I need to make sure I pay attention to the day-to-day things like getting up out of bed before Noon, doing the dishes, going to class, and, yes, doing my assignments. When you struggle with depression, those trivial things turn into monsters that await you every day.
It's scary.
Something From Class
Here is something that I wrote during Distilled Prose class. It was a simple exercise in Description.
Kellin's Hands
Kellin scraped the rot from his enlarged fingers. He worried over the warts and blemishes across the backs and washed the taint of years of blood and gore from his palms. The left thumb blistered from sword strain; the right pinky twisted from an ancient break. He washed them twice more hoping to reveal their true form. They remained cursed ogre hands as they always did. He sighed in resignation as he gloved them in the black leather of the manticore he slew over a dozen years ago. He could almost see their lost human form through the haze of broken memory. He buckled the last strap, pulling it tightly. He should have washed them again as he noticed that lingering itch on his left index.
I hate it when I...
. . . forget my password. It took three times before I could retrieve it. I can't figure out what I did wrong the first two times.
Anyway, I'm back taking night classes at MacEwan. Distilled Prose and Research for Writers. The classes are interesting and challenging but in very different ways.
For Distilled Prose, I have an assignment due every week and this week (and last week) I have two assignments due. It's a little crazy, especially since I haven't started them yet.
I guess I've been thinking too much (i.e. worrying) about the research paper I need to write for the other class. It's worth 30% of my final mark, which is a little insane. Still, the Research class only has four assignments, and I've already handed in the first two.
It's interesting to see the change in group dynamic that happens from semester to semester. Several of my classmates from the January semester are in one or the other of my two classes. I find it fascinating to see how these people I already know (somewhat) interact with people I don't know.
It's fascinating. Well, at least for me.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Finals Week
Well, this week brings me to the end of my term at Grant MacEwan. The two classes I've been taking have been a lot of fun, but I'm going to be a bit glad for it to be over. The strain on me physically and emotionally has been unbelievable!
There isn't any way that I'm ready to go back to school full-time. I was hoping that I would be able to in September, but it's just not going to happen.
I have my Grammar final tonight at 6 P.M. and my Rhetoric final tomorrow at the same time. Here's hoping that I've learned everything I need to know.
There isn't any way that I'm ready to go back to school full-time. I was hoping that I would be able to in September, but it's just not going to happen.
I have my Grammar final tonight at 6 P.M. and my Rhetoric final tomorrow at the same time. Here's hoping that I've learned everything I need to know.
Friday, April 11, 2008
Grandfather Gygax
Grandfather Gygax:
An epideictic eulogy for E. Gary Gygax
By Robert Blezard
On Tuesday, March 4, 2008, I had just returned home from class determined to begin this argument but not about the topic you are about to read. I had planned to write a tribute to the Saskatchewan Roughriders regarding the team's 2007 Grey Cup win. However, upon arriving home, turning on my computer, and reading the news of the death of E. Gary Gygax — the man who co-created the Dungeons and Dragons game with Dave Arneson — I immediately changed my mind. The decision was emotional. As I read tribute after tribute by fellow gamers on EN World, a Internet Dungeons and Dragons fan site that Gygax was also a member of, I was overcome with a sadness that I've not felt since the death of my brother. I could not understand it at first. I did not not know the man, but it felt like I had lost someone very close to me. It was a strange feeling sitting in front of my computer with tears welling up in my eyes. It is as if a small part of the game, which I enjoy so much, died with him. In my opinion, no amount of prose or poetry can be compiled to give this great man the tribute he so properly deserves. Yet, I must add my voice to the chorus and pay tribute to the Grandfather of Gaming. I must prove the worth of a man, not based on the sum of his life, but based on the sum of how his life affected others.
Ernest Gary Gygax was born in Chicago, Illonis, in 1938. The son of a Swiss immigrant and and American mother, Gygax's childhood was spent devoted to exploits of imagination rather than serious study. Years later he would discover a new medium for his imagination: tactical war games. This would eventually lead him to create a miniatures game called Chainmail and then Dungeons and Dragons — his most famous creation. Gygax would create other games throughout his life, as well as write fiction novels and short stories in the genres of fantasy, science fiction, and horror. At the time of his death, on March 4, 2008, Gary Gygax was 69 years of age. He is survived by his wife, Gail, and his six children.
Naysayers, such as indie game designer Matt Snyder, have tried to downplay Gary Gygax's life as being unimportant to anyone other than his family. They fail to see how the game he created not only changed the way people entertain themselves but also changed the type of work that many people do on a daily basis. Dungeons and Dragons and other role-playing games provide a way of melding imagination and cooperation into a game in ways that had not been conceived of before. In the past, games have always had defined winners and losers, whether it was old-style board games like Monopoly or team sports like hockey or football. Even a thinking-man's game like chess, which Gary Gygax enjoyed, has a defined winner at the game's end. Gary Gygax changed all that when he published Dungeons & Dragons: Rules for Fantastic Medieval Wargame Campaigns Playable with Paper and Pencil and Miniature Figures in 1974. He and Arneson started a tabletop game revolution that would affect the entire world.
I doubt Gary Gygax was aware of what was to come in the next thirty years as fans of Dungeons and Dragons and the idea of cooperative games molded people and games in completely unexpected ways. An entirely new subculture came to life as role-playing games became a money-making venture. Tactical Studies Rules, which Gygax founded in 1973, quickly became a leader in the tabletop game industry. His company and many others required a new type of employee: the role-playing game designer. Today, these men and woman owe their livelihood to Gygax, whose initial creation inspired them to seek a different kind of career. After the initial explosion of the game's popularity, it was not long before the growing computer revolution also became infected by Gary Gygax's genius as fans of the game began to program the first generation of computer role-playing games. These initial games would seem primitive compared to today's online phenomena that is World of Warcraft, but that game and all computer role-playing games that came before it and have come after it are the descendants of Gary Gygax's vision. Without Gary Gygax, modern computer games would likely be descended from simple, competition-based arcade games such as Pong.
Gary Gygax dealt with a lot of controversy throughout his life as not only rivals tried to but also extremists tried to bring down his livelihood and hobby by attacking Dungeons and Dragons as being dangerous to the minds of the disenfranchised youth that flocked to the game. At one point, Gygax required a bodyguard after receiving death threats from these extremists who believed he was a bringer of evil. These small-minded people could not see that Gygax was a teacher as much as he was a businessman. Gygax built D&D to require its players to know math and to be creative. Although the game could never replace true education, it did inspire me in ways that school never did. I found a love for art, ancient history, computers, mythology, and language through learning to play the game. I admit that it never made me love math, but it did make me realize its importance in life. That foundation made me want to learn everything I could, and I owe that love of knowledge to Gary Gygax.
It is this fact that ties gamers together; we are passionate about our hobby. Right from the beginning, Dungeons and Dragons and the role-playing games that followed it, whether created by Gygax or not, brought like-minded youths and adults together to socialize — even if it was geeky. This is one of the games most endearing and important qualities and is what sets it apart from other types of games in my opinion. Gygax always believed that the game's in-person, social aspect was Dungeons and Dragons most important aspect. “D&D is not an online game,” he once said. “There is no role-playing in an online game that can match what happens in person.” While this viewpoint might seem contrary to where the world is going, I agree with Gygax's assessment. True role-playing is meant to be a face-to-face experience when one is surrounded by friends, laughing and improvising and having fun without the burden of competition. Online role-playing has never appealed to me as it lacks that social quality, and Gary Gygax exemplified this quality. He continued to run role-playing games for family and friends and fellow enthusiasts up until his failing health took him from us — much too early.
His life and death has shocked and touched so many people in ways that they may not even be aware of. The worlds of fantasy and science fiction that have gained a measure of respect on TV and movie screens owe as much to Gary Gygax as they do to George Lucas. Popular culture would be very different without Gygax. A man like Stephen Colbert would not be the man he is today without Gygax's influence. A gamer in his youth, Colbert is known for his political satire and his semi-fictional character of the same name. Without his gaming background, one has to wonder if Colbert would have chosen the path that led him to create that character. In a fitting tribute, Colbert honored the life of Gary Gygax on March 5 by ending his show with a roll of 20-sided die. If that does not speak of the impact Gary Gygax had on the world, then I cannot convince you. Perhaps the only way to understand the worth of the man is through his own words. In an interview with Gamespy in 2004, he expressed how he wished to be remembered: “I would like the world to remember me as the guy who really enjoyed playing games and sharing his knowledge and his fun pastimes with everybody else.”
I will, Gary. I will. And thank you.
An epideictic eulogy for E. Gary Gygax
By Robert Blezard
On Tuesday, March 4, 2008, I had just returned home from class determined to begin this argument but not about the topic you are about to read. I had planned to write a tribute to the Saskatchewan Roughriders regarding the team's 2007 Grey Cup win. However, upon arriving home, turning on my computer, and reading the news of the death of E. Gary Gygax — the man who co-created the Dungeons and Dragons game with Dave Arneson — I immediately changed my mind. The decision was emotional. As I read tribute after tribute by fellow gamers on EN World, a Internet Dungeons and Dragons fan site that Gygax was also a member of, I was overcome with a sadness that I've not felt since the death of my brother. I could not understand it at first. I did not not know the man, but it felt like I had lost someone very close to me. It was a strange feeling sitting in front of my computer with tears welling up in my eyes. It is as if a small part of the game, which I enjoy so much, died with him. In my opinion, no amount of prose or poetry can be compiled to give this great man the tribute he so properly deserves. Yet, I must add my voice to the chorus and pay tribute to the Grandfather of Gaming. I must prove the worth of a man, not based on the sum of his life, but based on the sum of how his life affected others.
Ernest Gary Gygax was born in Chicago, Illonis, in 1938. The son of a Swiss immigrant and and American mother, Gygax's childhood was spent devoted to exploits of imagination rather than serious study. Years later he would discover a new medium for his imagination: tactical war games. This would eventually lead him to create a miniatures game called Chainmail and then Dungeons and Dragons — his most famous creation. Gygax would create other games throughout his life, as well as write fiction novels and short stories in the genres of fantasy, science fiction, and horror. At the time of his death, on March 4, 2008, Gary Gygax was 69 years of age. He is survived by his wife, Gail, and his six children.
Naysayers, such as indie game designer Matt Snyder, have tried to downplay Gary Gygax's life as being unimportant to anyone other than his family. They fail to see how the game he created not only changed the way people entertain themselves but also changed the type of work that many people do on a daily basis. Dungeons and Dragons and other role-playing games provide a way of melding imagination and cooperation into a game in ways that had not been conceived of before. In the past, games have always had defined winners and losers, whether it was old-style board games like Monopoly or team sports like hockey or football. Even a thinking-man's game like chess, which Gary Gygax enjoyed, has a defined winner at the game's end. Gary Gygax changed all that when he published Dungeons & Dragons: Rules for Fantastic Medieval Wargame Campaigns Playable with Paper and Pencil and Miniature Figures in 1974. He and Arneson started a tabletop game revolution that would affect the entire world.
I doubt Gary Gygax was aware of what was to come in the next thirty years as fans of Dungeons and Dragons and the idea of cooperative games molded people and games in completely unexpected ways. An entirely new subculture came to life as role-playing games became a money-making venture. Tactical Studies Rules, which Gygax founded in 1973, quickly became a leader in the tabletop game industry. His company and many others required a new type of employee: the role-playing game designer. Today, these men and woman owe their livelihood to Gygax, whose initial creation inspired them to seek a different kind of career. After the initial explosion of the game's popularity, it was not long before the growing computer revolution also became infected by Gary Gygax's genius as fans of the game began to program the first generation of computer role-playing games. These initial games would seem primitive compared to today's online phenomena that is World of Warcraft, but that game and all computer role-playing games that came before it and have come after it are the descendants of Gary Gygax's vision. Without Gary Gygax, modern computer games would likely be descended from simple, competition-based arcade games such as Pong.
Gary Gygax dealt with a lot of controversy throughout his life as not only rivals tried to but also extremists tried to bring down his livelihood and hobby by attacking Dungeons and Dragons as being dangerous to the minds of the disenfranchised youth that flocked to the game. At one point, Gygax required a bodyguard after receiving death threats from these extremists who believed he was a bringer of evil. These small-minded people could not see that Gygax was a teacher as much as he was a businessman. Gygax built D&D to require its players to know math and to be creative. Although the game could never replace true education, it did inspire me in ways that school never did. I found a love for art, ancient history, computers, mythology, and language through learning to play the game. I admit that it never made me love math, but it did make me realize its importance in life. That foundation made me want to learn everything I could, and I owe that love of knowledge to Gary Gygax.
It is this fact that ties gamers together; we are passionate about our hobby. Right from the beginning, Dungeons and Dragons and the role-playing games that followed it, whether created by Gygax or not, brought like-minded youths and adults together to socialize — even if it was geeky. This is one of the games most endearing and important qualities and is what sets it apart from other types of games in my opinion. Gygax always believed that the game's in-person, social aspect was Dungeons and Dragons most important aspect. “D&D is not an online game,” he once said. “There is no role-playing in an online game that can match what happens in person.” While this viewpoint might seem contrary to where the world is going, I agree with Gygax's assessment. True role-playing is meant to be a face-to-face experience when one is surrounded by friends, laughing and improvising and having fun without the burden of competition. Online role-playing has never appealed to me as it lacks that social quality, and Gary Gygax exemplified this quality. He continued to run role-playing games for family and friends and fellow enthusiasts up until his failing health took him from us — much too early.
His life and death has shocked and touched so many people in ways that they may not even be aware of. The worlds of fantasy and science fiction that have gained a measure of respect on TV and movie screens owe as much to Gary Gygax as they do to George Lucas. Popular culture would be very different without Gygax. A man like Stephen Colbert would not be the man he is today without Gygax's influence. A gamer in his youth, Colbert is known for his political satire and his semi-fictional character of the same name. Without his gaming background, one has to wonder if Colbert would have chosen the path that led him to create that character. In a fitting tribute, Colbert honored the life of Gary Gygax on March 5 by ending his show with a roll of 20-sided die. If that does not speak of the impact Gary Gygax had on the world, then I cannot convince you. Perhaps the only way to understand the worth of the man is through his own words. In an interview with Gamespy in 2004, he expressed how he wished to be remembered: “I would like the world to remember me as the guy who really enjoyed playing games and sharing his knowledge and his fun pastimes with everybody else.”
I will, Gary. I will. And thank you.
Monday, February 25, 2008
What to Write?
So what should be my goal for this post. Well, I'm writing it mainly to make sure I don't forget to write something here. One of my friends told me recently that he's been reading my blog, so I feel obliged to write something here. (Hiya Scott.)
Anyway, here's the real skinny.
I'm having fun for the most part in my two GMCC classes. The material is making me think and being exposed to new opinions and people has inspired me to write more. Gaming writing and fiction writing for the most part, but I've been doing a lot more reading too.
There is a lot of political discussion in these classes, which isn't my thing; however, the discussions have made me realize that I'm going to need to delve deeper into the political world. It's not a happy realization and just the thought of reading about politics makes my skin crawl.
My Grammar instructor made a comment tonight about the idea that some of us (the students) might become political speech writers someday. All I could think about after hearing that idea was "God, I hope not" and "I'd rather poke my eyes out with a rusty fork."
I hate modern politics in almost every form.
So, the idea of writing a political essay about the pitfalls of language in the modern world based on a concept written by George Orwell in the mid '50s makes me queasy. It doesn't help that I found Mr. Orwell's comments a little biased and hypocritical.
Anyway, I'll think of something. I hope it doesn't kill too many of my brain cells.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Fighting to find the Words
Okay, so I've been attending classes at GMCC for nearly four weeks now, and I must admit that I'm struggling, internally, a little bit. The classes aren't very hard, IMO, but the experience is difficult. I haven't been doing much over the last five years. Mental and physical disability will do that to a person. Now, for the first time in a LONG time I am having to find my way through a real world experience.
I knew it was going to be hard, but I didn't think it was going to be frustrating from a interpersonal way. Learning about grammar and rhetoric isn't nearly as hard as trying to find my voice again. For years, it has been silenced due to depression and isolation. Now, I'm dealing with people in a real way and it's freaking me out!
The voices I'm interacting with are so strong and opinionated that I fear that my voice will want to crawl away in fear. Today was a good example. Certain subjects came up that I hadn't considered for a long time, and I struggled with why I should care. The point being made by the instructor was a vital one for any writer, but since I've been stuck in my own little world for so long I almost failed to see the relevance to my life.
I was still thinking like a half-mad, isolated introvert without access to other people or their opinions. Yes, I've been keeping in touch with friends & family through the bad years, but I wasn't meeting anyone new. When you're not use to interacting with others on a regular basis you tend to lose your social skills (and your need for advanced language).
Hmm, some of this might be important for my first "Grammar for Writers" essay. Possibilities.
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