voyage to mars
Tuesday, April 30, 2002
This is a perfect week. Wednesday is a holiday, so we get two "Fridays": Tuesday, and, uh, Friday. With a Sunday (also known as "Wednesday") in the middle. But also two Mondays; Monday and, uh, Thursday. So. Yes.
Anyways. Tomorrow = off. Meaning I'm going to sleep late and do very, very little. Keep checking back for more exciting updates.
Anyways. Tomorrow = off. Meaning I'm going to sleep late and do very, very little. Keep checking back for more exciting updates.
Monday, April 29, 2002
There's a good reason why I haven't posted anything since Thursday (as you can see, I've written journal entries, but they were never published): My host's FTP service was down. But here you are; a deluge of old content. Yay!
Saturday, April 27, 2002
I bought my Xbox yesterday, and I actually managed to keep my fingers off it until ten thirty, when I could wait no longer.
Four hours later, I had to force myself to turn it off. Not because I didn't want to keep playing Halo - the only game I'd bought - but because I just had to go to bed before I passed out. The console is huge and heavy, with a certain kind of brute, green elegance you'd expect from Microsoft, and the controller is large and chunky, but strangely comfortable in use, but Halo is what makes this a must-have gadget. The game kicks arse. It really, really does. It starts off slow and keeps building, and though it borrows a lot from Half-Life, that doesn't make it any less compelling. It's also one of the best-looking games ever, and eye-candy is important to me. I love to stop and just soak in the beauty of Halo's alien ring-world. Breathtaking. I expect that I'll be spending another four hours playing later tonight, and to hell with my social life. This weekend, I'll embrace the (hidden) geek in me.
If you can afford it, and especially if you live in Europe (with yesterday's price reduction, it's cheaper here than in the US - yay!), buy it, and Halo too. You won't need another game, not for a good while.
Four hours later, I had to force myself to turn it off. Not because I didn't want to keep playing Halo - the only game I'd bought - but because I just had to go to bed before I passed out. The console is huge and heavy, with a certain kind of brute, green elegance you'd expect from Microsoft, and the controller is large and chunky, but strangely comfortable in use, but Halo is what makes this a must-have gadget. The game kicks arse. It really, really does. It starts off slow and keeps building, and though it borrows a lot from Half-Life, that doesn't make it any less compelling. It's also one of the best-looking games ever, and eye-candy is important to me. I love to stop and just soak in the beauty of Halo's alien ring-world. Breathtaking. I expect that I'll be spending another four hours playing later tonight, and to hell with my social life. This weekend, I'll embrace the (hidden) geek in me.
If you can afford it, and especially if you live in Europe (with yesterday's price reduction, it's cheaper here than in the US - yay!), buy it, and Halo too. You won't need another game, not for a good while.
I just started watching the show 24 a few days ago, and it's quite cool. Part of its immediate appeal is the unique concept: The entire season of 24 episodes takes place in a 24-hour period, with each episode playing out in real time. Episode one starts at midnight and concludes at 1 A.M.; episode two continues the story from 1 until 2 A.M.; and so on - you get the point. A great way to tell a story, but not a very flexible one for the writers, as they're locked down into one tightly scripted plot and a limited scenario during the course of the season. The show also requires the audience to watch every single episode. Not a problem for me - I watch all TV-shows on VCD - but I can see that getting in the way of the show's success. Unfortunately, as 24 is a perfect example of the possibilities inherent in a TV-series format, as long as the producers aren't afraid to experiment with the standard formula. Recommended.
Thursday, April 25, 2002
This (for reasons I won't go into) is very, very funny (you'll need a Real player installed):
http://kdidymus.crosswinds.net/sounds/justcum.rm
I had a giggle-fit. Your reaction may vary. Oh, and it's from The Fast Show, probably the best British sketch-comedy since...well, since Monty Python's Flying Circus, to be honest.
http://kdidymus.crosswinds.net/sounds/justcum.rm
I had a giggle-fit. Your reaction may vary. Oh, and it's from The Fast Show, probably the best British sketch-comedy since...well, since Monty Python's Flying Circus, to be honest.
Tomorrow is what's known as "Xbox Day". On this holy day, the ancient texts read, the righteous shall rise and amass on the stores to purchase, with impunity (and silver), the box that is the X. And it shall be good. And the righteous and worthy shall also purchase the game that is hallowed, sacred, and saintly, known as "Halo". And it shall also be good. So good, in fact, that the following two days of rest shall be spent in awe and supplication of the 'Halo'.
In other words, I'm getting an Xbox, and I'm getting Halo. I can't afford it, but I deserve it. It's been one of those weeks. I intend for this coming weekend to kick several different kinds of arse.
In other words, I'm getting an Xbox, and I'm getting Halo. I can't afford it, but I deserve it. It's been one of those weeks. I intend for this coming weekend to kick several different kinds of arse.
Wednesday, April 24, 2002
Hey, a twelve-hour day! I need to go home. I cheated a bit, though; I worked out from six o'clock until seven thirty, so I've only really been at work, uh, ten and a half hours? Yup. That sounds correct. Ah, well, I guess it's frozen pizza tonight, then...unless I make a run for the supermarket, like, now.
Nah. I'm going for the frozen pizza.
What else? Did I mention that it's been a beautiful day outside today? Key word here is outside. The windows have been wide open, but it's not the same. Heck, it's virtually summer outside. Don't you wish you were here? Yes you do.
G'night.
Nah. I'm going for the frozen pizza.
What else? Did I mention that it's been a beautiful day outside today? Key word here is outside. The windows have been wide open, but it's not the same. Heck, it's virtually summer outside. Don't you wish you were here? Yes you do.
G'night.
So much work to do, and so very, very tired (I didn't sleep well last night, understandably enough), but gazing out the window at the sunny and warm world, and listening to the Forrest Gump soundtrack cheers me up no end. I've actually managed to be pretty productive this week, despite the awesome weather (there is usually a correlation between sunny skies and lowered productivity). As usual, I have to be tight-lipped about what I actually do, but trust me, I'm not just sitting on my arse. Well, I do sit on my arse most of the time, but I sit on my arse productively. There's a difference. Trust me.
There's lots more reader mail to answer, but it'll have to wait. Sorry.
There's lots more reader mail to answer, but it'll have to wait. Sorry.
Tuesday, April 23, 2002
Okay, okay. I have to vent. Today, someone at the office told me -- in an e-mail, no less -- that I'm the most self-absorbed, grumpiest, and laziest (amongst other attractive characteristics) person he's met. Ack. How's that for a compliment? Sure brightened up my day! I'm able to roll with most criticisms, but that one stung...big time. Just another punch in a series of punches today. Happy-happy, joy-joy! Well, everything will look much better after a good night's sleep. Yay-- yawn.
Driving to work today, I passed two cats lying right next to each other by the side of the road. They looked exactly alike; both were black, they were the same size, the same breed -- and both were beautiful. They might have been siblings. The cats were probably killed at the same time, maybe by the same speeding car. It was a really, really tragic and heartbreaking sight, and it must have been absolutely horrible for the owner to lose two cats on the same day. On that particular stretch of road, the speed-limit is low and the killer(s) must have been speeding. Some people are completely without empathy and respect for living creatures. It was a very depressing way to begin a very depressing day.
Urk. So much to do, so little time. That's all. Journal on the backburner for a couple of days. Keep checking in, though. I'll post something, anything, as soon as I have a minute. But not today. Today is...packed.
Sunday, April 21, 2002
Oh, and just a reminder. If you haven't yet done so, and you're a regular reader of this site (in other words, you've been here before, and you check back at least once every two weeks), I'd appreciate it if you could send an e-mail (empty, no subject; the mails won't be read) to regularreader@ragnartornquist.com -- and don't worry about your privacy, the mails will be deleted after they're tallied up. Thanks!
Just saw Joe Versus the Volcano again for the first time in ten years, and it still holds up pretty well. Back in 1990, I thought it was a visually striking, original, and quirky comedy with some great dialogue ("I know he can get the job, but can he do the job?", "I have no response to that"), and, of course, Tom Hanks was the Jim Carrey of that time -- a truly funny comedian starting to branch out into serious material while still doing his schtick. Watching him at work in Joe, I really miss that Tom Hanks, before he got pudgy and serious. I still love watching his work, I greatly enjoyed his latest films, The Green Mile and Cast Away -- they're both part of my DVD collection -- and I'm really looking forward to Road to Perdition. But it was nice to see a younger Tom Hanks who didn't take himself very seriously again, and while the flick -- I'm talking about Joe -- didn't live up to my memories of it, it was still a very enjoyable hour and a half. The first two thirds are actually very good, with some sharp dialogue, fine direction, and quite daring shots -- there's one that lasts a couple of minutes, with the camera just pulling back as Hanks emerges from the doctor's office after being diagnosed with "brain cloud"; it's beautiful -- but the lousy effects and first-time director Shanley's obvious lack of experience with action scenes, as well as a flat conclusion (and a pretty unfunny bunch of South Pacific islanders of Hebrew descent), screws up the ending. Too bad.
Oh, and Meg Ryan was amazingly beautiful back then, as well as a lot more interesting to watch -- playing three completely different women; if you didn't know she played all of them, you'd be fooled -- than she's ever been since.
Oh, and Meg Ryan was amazingly beautiful back then, as well as a lot more interesting to watch -- playing three completely different women; if you didn't know she played all of them, you'd be fooled -- than she's ever been since.
Saturday, April 20, 2002
What an amazing day! It's such an amazing day that I'm simply happy to be alive and well. If I didn't know better, I'd think it was the first day of summer. Fortunately, I do know better, and the still-naked trees confirm that it's still April. It's such a nice day that I really shouldn't be sitting inside writing about how beautiful it is outside. That seems faintly ridiculous, like spending your dream holiday staring at your camcorder's LCD screen because you want to show the folks back home just how much fun you were having, and how many amazing things you saw.
Listening to Elvis Costello's latest record, when i was cruel, which I just picked up together with Sheryl Crow's c'mon, c'mon (that's how both titles are spelled on the covers; doesn't anybody use capital letters anymore?). Real rock'n'roll. I needed that after yesterday's heavy pop injection.
My phone-company sucks. Back in December, I ordered ADSL, and I was told it'd be delivered within ten days. At the end of January, they told me "three weeks, maximum". And in February they said "we don't know, we can't give you an estimate". So I told them to forget it, and I ordered broadband cable, which arrived two days later. The cable service has been great, and much faster than the ADSL service would have been. I'm a happy camper. Then, yesterday evening, the phone-company delivers the ADSL adaptor. Great. Of course, their customer service number is closed for the weekend. It's going to be real hell trying to get them to cancel the service and take the adaptor back. Once they've got their claws into you, they never give in. But then again, neither do I, and Monday morning at 8 AM, on the dot, I'm going to let them know just how I feel. Here's a tip: I'm pissed.
...but then I just look out the window and I'm all happy again. I have the attention span of a goldfish.
Listening to Elvis Costello's latest record, when i was cruel, which I just picked up together with Sheryl Crow's c'mon, c'mon (that's how both titles are spelled on the covers; doesn't anybody use capital letters anymore?). Real rock'n'roll. I needed that after yesterday's heavy pop injection.
My phone-company sucks. Back in December, I ordered ADSL, and I was told it'd be delivered within ten days. At the end of January, they told me "three weeks, maximum". And in February they said "we don't know, we can't give you an estimate". So I told them to forget it, and I ordered broadband cable, which arrived two days later. The cable service has been great, and much faster than the ADSL service would have been. I'm a happy camper. Then, yesterday evening, the phone-company delivers the ADSL adaptor. Great. Of course, their customer service number is closed for the weekend. It's going to be real hell trying to get them to cancel the service and take the adaptor back. Once they've got their claws into you, they never give in. But then again, neither do I, and Monday morning at 8 AM, on the dot, I'm going to let them know just how I feel. Here's a tip: I'm pissed.
...but then I just look out the window and I'm all happy again. I have the attention span of a goldfish.
Friday, April 19, 2002
Energised and in a good mood after a solid work-out. Unfortunately, I have absolutely no plans for tonight, and thus no way to expend all that excess energy, and no one to share my uplifting mood with. My only solid plan for tonight is to catch an episode of The Osbournes on MTV; I've never seen the show, but it's become a pop cultural phenomenon (at least in the US), and thus I must see it at least once, as I'm a walking, talking treasure trove of useless pop culture trivia.
Phew. Okay, two things: Number one, it ain't always easy coming up with tons of links for my journal entries. Truth be told, it's bloody difficult. Go on, you try it -- I'll visit your site and ridicule your links, see how you like it. Number two, while I do know an awful lot about pop culture -- movies, TV-shows, games, comic-books, novels, music, you name it -- I don't actually care all that much about any of it (except movies, I do care a whole lot about that), particularly references to The Beatles in The Simpsons, bloopers in Star Wars, or hidden Mickey Mouses. My head is full of useless crap that I don't want, need, or even realise that I carry around with me. I just had to come up with a few suitable (and fun) links for you people to laugh at. Appreciate the effort, don't shoot the messenger.
Phew. Okay, two things: Number one, it ain't always easy coming up with tons of links for my journal entries. Truth be told, it's bloody difficult. Go on, you try it -- I'll visit your site and ridicule your links, see how you like it. Number two, while I do know an awful lot about pop culture -- movies, TV-shows, games, comic-books, novels, music, you name it -- I don't actually care all that much about any of it (except movies, I do care a whole lot about that), particularly references to The Beatles in The Simpsons, bloopers in Star Wars, or hidden Mickey Mouses. My head is full of useless crap that I don't want, need, or even realise that I carry around with me. I just had to come up with a few suitable (and fun) links for you people to laugh at. Appreciate the effort, don't shoot the messenger.
There's only one word that can properly describe weekends:
Yay!
The older I get, the more I look forward to each and every weekend, and I usually make tons of plans, only to abandon most of them and wind up feeling like I've wasted two precious days when Sunday evening comes around. Then again, if sitting on the couch in my boxers watching Britney Spears videos on MTV is a "waste of time", then what's the point of living? I mean, really. Pft.
This is one of those days where I really don't want to work out. Yes, there have been a lot of those days lately. But I have to. I'll pretend to exercise, but I'll just hang around and look at the girls, creepily.
The weather is beautiful. I just had to add that. No matter where in the world you're reading this, right now we've got better weather than you. It's a bit chilly, but sunny and clear (Sonny & Cher?), the air smells of spring and all things good and pretty, and everyone looks happy and content. It's the perfect evening to fall in love.
Oh, and I forgot my mobile phone at home today, so if anyone I know is reading this right now, there's your reason for why I haven't answered any calls or sent any messages. Okay? I make mistakes. I'm human. And not one of those funny, mutated humans you see in the movies.
Yay!
The older I get, the more I look forward to each and every weekend, and I usually make tons of plans, only to abandon most of them and wind up feeling like I've wasted two precious days when Sunday evening comes around. Then again, if sitting on the couch in my boxers watching Britney Spears videos on MTV is a "waste of time", then what's the point of living? I mean, really. Pft.
This is one of those days where I really don't want to work out. Yes, there have been a lot of those days lately. But I have to. I'll pretend to exercise, but I'll just hang around and look at the girls, creepily.
The weather is beautiful. I just had to add that. No matter where in the world you're reading this, right now we've got better weather than you. It's a bit chilly, but sunny and clear (Sonny & Cher?), the air smells of spring and all things good and pretty, and everyone looks happy and content. It's the perfect evening to fall in love.
Oh, and I forgot my mobile phone at home today, so if anyone I know is reading this right now, there's your reason for why I haven't answered any calls or sent any messages. Okay? I make mistakes. I'm human. And not one of those funny, mutated humans you see in the movies.
Obsessed with Res' Golden Boys. Why? I have no idea. It's not a great song, not really, but it's taken permanent residence in my head, and I can't help but listen to it again and again. It's, in a (bad) word, "funky". It's the perfect sun's-out-let's-play pop song. It's light. It's got a beat and you can dan-- Well, you know what I mean.
Next Friday, I've decided, I'm buying an Xbox. Why next Friday? Why not today? I'm glad you asked, Jimmy. Because, you see, that's when Microsoft reduces the European price by a lot. In Norway, the Xbox currently sells for 3.995 Norwegian kroner -- that's the equivalent of around $465, way, waaay, waaaaaay too much for a black plastic box. I didn't plan on buying an Xbox at all for a good while yet, not until it had more than one or two games worth playing, but now the temptation is too great. I geek out sometimes when it comes to consoles. I have to have them all, though I usually wait six months, when the price's gone down, they're easier to get hold of, and there are more games available. Funnily enough, I don't actually play that much anymore. There's so little time, and when you spend 8-10 hours a day working with games, there are often more important, and more inviting, things to do when you get home. But when a game like Grand Theft Auto III is released, or Halo on the Xbox, it's fun to spend a weekend holed up in the apartment in front of the TV. So...when the Xbox drops to around 2.495 kroner, $290, (or less) next Friday (hopefully), I'm there. Probably. Unless something very expensive happens in the meantime.
Next Friday, I've decided, I'm buying an Xbox. Why next Friday? Why not today? I'm glad you asked, Jimmy. Because, you see, that's when Microsoft reduces the European price by a lot. In Norway, the Xbox currently sells for 3.995 Norwegian kroner -- that's the equivalent of around $465, way, waaay, waaaaaay too much for a black plastic box. I didn't plan on buying an Xbox at all for a good while yet, not until it had more than one or two games worth playing, but now the temptation is too great. I geek out sometimes when it comes to consoles. I have to have them all, though I usually wait six months, when the price's gone down, they're easier to get hold of, and there are more games available. Funnily enough, I don't actually play that much anymore. There's so little time, and when you spend 8-10 hours a day working with games, there are often more important, and more inviting, things to do when you get home. But when a game like Grand Theft Auto III is released, or Halo on the Xbox, it's fun to spend a weekend holed up in the apartment in front of the TV. So...when the Xbox drops to around 2.495 kroner, $290, (or less) next Friday (hopefully), I'm there. Probably. Unless something very expensive happens in the meantime.
PC/network-trouble at home and packed-to-the-brim workdays have prevented me from posting anything in the past few days, but it's Friday, I'm hopped up on coffee, and I've got a few minutes to spare -- so let's rock.
Interesting fact number one: Until last night, I'd never gone bowling. Truth be told, I'd never even been inside a bowling hall (except once, in San José, to buy some snacks -- it was the only place open, I didn't have a choice). So when Funcom arranged dinner-slash-bowling for everyone, I immediately thought, "nope, not doing that, not gonna embarrass myself again". While, technically, bowling isn't a ball sport, it still involves a round object and a certain amount of hand-eye coordination and body control, which immediately ought to disqualify my involvement. I'm tall, clumsy, and completely without grace. Yet, after some pushing, prodding, and ridicule from my so-called "friends", I signed up for the event, mostly for the free pizza, not for the bowling. That part I wasn't looking forward to. At all. The pizza I could do. I'm okay at eating pizza. So we ate the pizza (I was late, and had to fight for the meagre scraps of veggie-pizza), and then we went downstairs to bowl.
Strangely enough, although I got the lowest score on our five-man team (86, I believe, to the others' 90- and 100-something scores), I didn't do all that badly. I (mostly) hit the pins, and I rolled the ball into the gutter only twice. And, lo and behold, it was fun! Granted, the fun mostly involved discussing bowling techniques ("It's all in the footwork, dude!") and yelling "boo-ya!" when one of the other guys landed a strike or a spare (I checked up on bowling terminology this morning, just to sound all cool and knowledgeable about it), but it was a nice change of pace from my regular regiment of intellectual activities. Male bonding can be a frightening thing, but not when it's done properly, without unnecessary physical contact, embarrassing sobbing, or nudity.
Interesting fact number one: Until last night, I'd never gone bowling. Truth be told, I'd never even been inside a bowling hall (except once, in San José, to buy some snacks -- it was the only place open, I didn't have a choice). So when Funcom arranged dinner-slash-bowling for everyone, I immediately thought, "nope, not doing that, not gonna embarrass myself again". While, technically, bowling isn't a ball sport, it still involves a round object and a certain amount of hand-eye coordination and body control, which immediately ought to disqualify my involvement. I'm tall, clumsy, and completely without grace. Yet, after some pushing, prodding, and ridicule from my so-called "friends", I signed up for the event, mostly for the free pizza, not for the bowling. That part I wasn't looking forward to. At all. The pizza I could do. I'm okay at eating pizza. So we ate the pizza (I was late, and had to fight for the meagre scraps of veggie-pizza), and then we went downstairs to bowl.
Strangely enough, although I got the lowest score on our five-man team (86, I believe, to the others' 90- and 100-something scores), I didn't do all that badly. I (mostly) hit the pins, and I rolled the ball into the gutter only twice. And, lo and behold, it was fun! Granted, the fun mostly involved discussing bowling techniques ("It's all in the footwork, dude!") and yelling "boo-ya!" when one of the other guys landed a strike or a spare (I checked up on bowling terminology this morning, just to sound all cool and knowledgeable about it), but it was a nice change of pace from my regular regiment of intellectual activities. Male bonding can be a frightening thing, but not when it's done properly, without unnecessary physical contact, embarrassing sobbing, or nudity.
Tuesday, April 16, 2002
Spotted this at pc.ign.com, in a review of (of all things) The Sims: Vacation, written by Jason Bates:
"Thank goodness graphic adventures are nearly dead. In my view, those things weren't even games."
Uh. Hmm. Jason, two things: Number one, graphic adventures aren't dead. Not by a long shot. Number two, by whose twisted definition were adventures not games? If you were unable to find any enjoyment in, for example, Monkey Island 2, or Shenmue (yes, it's an adventure), then I pity you. I know that the reviewer's extremely limited knowledge of gaming history (there should really be some kind of schooling required) means that he equates "graphic adventure" with "Myst", but there's still no excuse for such a generalised and uninformed statement.
And, hey, what's wrong with linearity anyhow? I think The Sims is/was a brilliant game, but just because it doesn't have linear progression, a plot, or a definite end doesn't mean it's the epitome of PC gaming. Personally, I like to finish a game. I appreciate the feeling of accomplishment I get when I've completed something and can put it away. Sandbox games -- like The Sims, SimCity, SimGolf, and, to some degree, Rollercoaster Tycoon (it had set missions, but you could still "toy" around with it) -- are great fun, but they're not the only alternative out there. Sometimes I -- and millions of other players -- want to get lost inside a story, inside the heads of scripted characters. And, traditionally, that's been the strength of "graphic adventures": Giving the player the feeling of participating in a story, of playing out a role, of taking part in an arc that we know will reach a satisfying conclusion.
It's extremely short-sighted to claim that The Sims is the natural evolution of PC games, while the adventure is a dead end. So there's no room for variety? No room for different experiences? No room for personal taste? What a sad world it'd be if that was the truth. The Sims is great, no doubt. It gets really, really boring after a while, but so does most other things. It's fun to sit down in a sandbox sometimes and just toy around, but other times I want a more linear, more satisfying, more designed experience.
And, uh, to say that The Sims provides "a challenge to your storytelling abilities" is really stretching it. There's no way to play out a "story" in The Sims. The game can fire up the imagination and inspire people to create stories around their characters and domiciles -- even to write them down and share them with others -- but there's a world of difference between that and an actual in-game story, or tools allowing players to act out a story inside the game. That's not what The Sims is about. It's really complicated dollhouse. And that's all.
Phew. Had to vent. Feel free to return to whatever you were doing.
"Thank goodness graphic adventures are nearly dead. In my view, those things weren't even games."
Uh. Hmm. Jason, two things: Number one, graphic adventures aren't dead. Not by a long shot. Number two, by whose twisted definition were adventures not games? If you were unable to find any enjoyment in, for example, Monkey Island 2, or Shenmue (yes, it's an adventure), then I pity you. I know that the reviewer's extremely limited knowledge of gaming history (there should really be some kind of schooling required) means that he equates "graphic adventure" with "Myst", but there's still no excuse for such a generalised and uninformed statement.
And, hey, what's wrong with linearity anyhow? I think The Sims is/was a brilliant game, but just because it doesn't have linear progression, a plot, or a definite end doesn't mean it's the epitome of PC gaming. Personally, I like to finish a game. I appreciate the feeling of accomplishment I get when I've completed something and can put it away. Sandbox games -- like The Sims, SimCity, SimGolf, and, to some degree, Rollercoaster Tycoon (it had set missions, but you could still "toy" around with it) -- are great fun, but they're not the only alternative out there. Sometimes I -- and millions of other players -- want to get lost inside a story, inside the heads of scripted characters. And, traditionally, that's been the strength of "graphic adventures": Giving the player the feeling of participating in a story, of playing out a role, of taking part in an arc that we know will reach a satisfying conclusion.
It's extremely short-sighted to claim that The Sims is the natural evolution of PC games, while the adventure is a dead end. So there's no room for variety? No room for different experiences? No room for personal taste? What a sad world it'd be if that was the truth. The Sims is great, no doubt. It gets really, really boring after a while, but so does most other things. It's fun to sit down in a sandbox sometimes and just toy around, but other times I want a more linear, more satisfying, more designed experience.
And, uh, to say that The Sims provides "a challenge to your storytelling abilities" is really stretching it. There's no way to play out a "story" in The Sims. The game can fire up the imagination and inspire people to create stories around their characters and domiciles -- even to write them down and share them with others -- but there's a world of difference between that and an actual in-game story, or tools allowing players to act out a story inside the game. That's not what The Sims is about. It's really complicated dollhouse. And that's all.
Phew. Had to vent. Feel free to return to whatever you were doing.
From May 20th, I'll be in Los Angeles, primarily to attend the annual E3 expo (the industry's biggest event), but also to take a few days off in the sun. I'll definitely be visiting Disneyland (for the third or fourth time), and I'm curious to see the new California Adventure, as well as Downtown Disney. Yup, I'm just a big kid. I'll also try to head down to San Diego for a look; I've never been there before. And, of course, I'll be catching up with the latest movies several weeks, perhaps even months, before they get to Norway. I can't wait.
Monday, April 15, 2002
I usually work out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, but today I think I'll skip the sweating. I didn't get enough sleep last night -- I got up amazingly early, around 7 AM -- and the guy I usually work out with, Dag, had a birthday dinner to go to (his own, surprisingly enough; you'd think he'd be able to skip that). Besides, I'm wiped out. I'm not feeling particularly energetic. I know that when you don't feel like working out, that's usually when you need to work out, but right now I just want to go home, fix myself a sandwich, and watch the latest episode of Smallville. Yes, I am an alarmingly dull person.
Smallville, by the way, is developing into a very cool show. Last week's episode gave us a tantalising glimpse of Lex Luthor's future (taken from the current comic-book continuity) -- quite chilling. It takes itself a little too seriously at times, and the "problems" faced by its frighteningly attractive cast may seem a bit trivial at times, at least compared to what's going on with Buffy and Angel. Still...good fun. And it'll probably get even better with time. TV-shows often do, unless they're called Babylon 5. Or The Simpsons.
Smallville, by the way, is developing into a very cool show. Last week's episode gave us a tantalising glimpse of Lex Luthor's future (taken from the current comic-book continuity) -- quite chilling. It takes itself a little too seriously at times, and the "problems" faced by its frighteningly attractive cast may seem a bit trivial at times, at least compared to what's going on with Buffy and Angel. Still...good fun. And it'll probably get even better with time. TV-shows often do, unless they're called Babylon 5. Or The Simpsons.
More fresh The Longest Journey questions this weekend.
Maybe my harshest critics are right? Maybe it's time to put TLJ behind me and move on to something else? Maybe I'm stuck in the past, living off past successes, unable to move on, unable to tear myself away from the one thing that gives me validation?
Nah.
As long as people keep playing the game, and as long as people keep writing me asking questions about TLJ, I'll keep talking about it. When no one cares anymore, I'll stop. Promise.
Anyways, here's a brand new section called:
Answering This Past Weekend's Reader Mail
(Is this joke getting old? Yes. Yes it is. But my dogma is: Repeat until funny. And then keep repeating until everybody hates your guts. That way, you don't ever have to come up with any new material.)
I recently finished The Longest Journey and having done so I am pondering its future…if there is one at all. The adventure game market might be a smaller niche, but I’d like it if you could clarify if 300,000 copies were sufficient to cover how much money was invested in the game by Funcom and or other parties.
The latest number I've heard is closer to 400,000 -- a very respectable number for an adventure-game. Heck, it's an excellent number for any PC game. Unless your game is called Diablo IV: That Damn Diablo Is At It Again, Warcraft XXXIII: So Very Tired, John Carmack Goes Bananas With An Uzi, Will Wright's SimPutz Featuring John Romero, or EA Sports Presents Tiger Wood's Crazy-Golf Conquest, you're extremely lucky to shift a few hundred thousand "units" (marketing-speak for a copy of the game). Funcom makes decent money from the sales of TLJ, and we were profitable a year ago.
However -- and this is the sad, sad reality of the retail business -- TLJ will soon no longer be available on store-shelves in the USA. Why? Because we're running out of copies, and, apparently, it's too expensive to manufacture a whole new run. While the game still sells a bunch every week, it's not enough to justify a new batch, since the distributor might get stuck with a lot of unsold boxes. It's a risk they -- and Funcom -- are not willing to take, unfortunately. So...if you still haven't picked up a copy of TLJ, do so now. In a few months' time, you might have a hard time getting hold of it.
In the UK, however, TLJ has been released on a budget label -- Xplosiv, for the ridiculously low price of £9.99 (that's practically giving it away) -- and should still be available for a while yet.
Have you considered having a bulletin board of sorts to interact with fans and get a feel for what they think of your works?
I thought about having a bulletin board once, just for fun. But then I wisely reconsidered. First of all, there aren't enough visitors to this site to justify having a dedicated board. It would just look sorta sad and empty, like a holiday resort in the rainy season. Secondly, I'm not particularly technically inclined, and since I currently run this site on my own in-between a million other responsibilities, I don't have the time (nor the required IQ) to learn how a bulletin board works. Thirdly, it's time-consuming enough to post in this journal -- I love it, it's fun, but it is time-consuming -- and I simply don't have time to post on any more boards. I try to add my comments to the TLJ forum once in a great while, I check out the Anarchy Online story forum quite often (though I rarely post), and I'm feeling guilty enough about not having posted anything on the Midgard forums since last autumn. I just don't want to spread myself any thinner. Unfortunately. But if the visitor numbers ever pick up dramatically, and I get some help, I might reconsider!
On that note, I'd like to do an informal survey about how many people visit this site on a regular basis (i.e. you've been here more than once and you check in at least once every fortnight). If you are a Regular Reader, send a blank e-mail to this address: regularreader@ragnartornquist.com. Don't worry about adding a subject, I won't be reading the mails anyhow. And your privacy won't be violated, as all the mails will be deleted as soon as they've been tallied up.
Cheers!
Maybe my harshest critics are right? Maybe it's time to put TLJ behind me and move on to something else? Maybe I'm stuck in the past, living off past successes, unable to move on, unable to tear myself away from the one thing that gives me validation?
Nah.
As long as people keep playing the game, and as long as people keep writing me asking questions about TLJ, I'll keep talking about it. When no one cares anymore, I'll stop. Promise.
Anyways, here's a brand new section called:
Answering This Past Weekend's Reader Mail
(Is this joke getting old? Yes. Yes it is. But my dogma is: Repeat until funny. And then keep repeating until everybody hates your guts. That way, you don't ever have to come up with any new material.)
I recently finished The Longest Journey and having done so I am pondering its future…if there is one at all. The adventure game market might be a smaller niche, but I’d like it if you could clarify if 300,000 copies were sufficient to cover how much money was invested in the game by Funcom and or other parties.
The latest number I've heard is closer to 400,000 -- a very respectable number for an adventure-game. Heck, it's an excellent number for any PC game. Unless your game is called Diablo IV: That Damn Diablo Is At It Again, Warcraft XXXIII: So Very Tired, John Carmack Goes Bananas With An Uzi, Will Wright's SimPutz Featuring John Romero, or EA Sports Presents Tiger Wood's Crazy-Golf Conquest, you're extremely lucky to shift a few hundred thousand "units" (marketing-speak for a copy of the game). Funcom makes decent money from the sales of TLJ, and we were profitable a year ago.
However -- and this is the sad, sad reality of the retail business -- TLJ will soon no longer be available on store-shelves in the USA. Why? Because we're running out of copies, and, apparently, it's too expensive to manufacture a whole new run. While the game still sells a bunch every week, it's not enough to justify a new batch, since the distributor might get stuck with a lot of unsold boxes. It's a risk they -- and Funcom -- are not willing to take, unfortunately. So...if you still haven't picked up a copy of TLJ, do so now. In a few months' time, you might have a hard time getting hold of it.
In the UK, however, TLJ has been released on a budget label -- Xplosiv, for the ridiculously low price of £9.99 (that's practically giving it away) -- and should still be available for a while yet.
Have you considered having a bulletin board of sorts to interact with fans and get a feel for what they think of your works?
I thought about having a bulletin board once, just for fun. But then I wisely reconsidered. First of all, there aren't enough visitors to this site to justify having a dedicated board. It would just look sorta sad and empty, like a holiday resort in the rainy season. Secondly, I'm not particularly technically inclined, and since I currently run this site on my own in-between a million other responsibilities, I don't have the time (nor the required IQ) to learn how a bulletin board works. Thirdly, it's time-consuming enough to post in this journal -- I love it, it's fun, but it is time-consuming -- and I simply don't have time to post on any more boards. I try to add my comments to the TLJ forum once in a great while, I check out the Anarchy Online story forum quite often (though I rarely post), and I'm feeling guilty enough about not having posted anything on the Midgard forums since last autumn. I just don't want to spread myself any thinner. Unfortunately. But if the visitor numbers ever pick up dramatically, and I get some help, I might reconsider!
On that note, I'd like to do an informal survey about how many people visit this site on a regular basis (i.e. you've been here more than once and you check in at least once every fortnight). If you are a Regular Reader, send a blank e-mail to this address: regularreader@ragnartornquist.com. Don't worry about adding a subject, I won't be reading the mails anyhow. And your privacy won't be violated, as all the mails will be deleted as soon as they've been tallied up.
Cheers!
Friday, April 12, 2002
When did the word "artist" become an insult?
Okay, it might be just me, but this is the feeling I've been getting lately when people say "artistic":
Artistic = No commercial instinct. Also: Artistic = Controlling, inflexible, difficult to work with. And: Artistic = Doesn't care about budget or deadlines.
So. When someone refers to me as an "artist" in a conversation or an evaluation, I always raise an eyebrow and wonder what they're really saying. In a commercial world, "art" is something created by the classicists, displayed in dusty galleries. "Art" doesn't sell. "Art" costs too much money. "Art" takes too much time. "Art" doesn't appease the investors.
That's a pretty sorry way to look at it. As far as I'm concerned, when a craft is well-executed, it becomes art. And quality sells. And quality usually takes time, and often quite a bit of money. And you get what you pay for.
For the record, I'm no artist. I get paid to design games and write stories, and that's about all that I'm good at, so that's what I do. I would never claim that anything I've ever done deserves to be called a work of art. I'm happy enough if people are entertained by what I do, and perhaps at some point, somewhere down the line, something I write, design, direct, or lend a hand to in some way will deserve to be defined as Art (with a capital 'A'). But that's not a goal or an ambition. I'm perfectly happy being a commercial craftsman.
And in the meantime, whenever I'm pigeon-holed as an "artist" or when my work is branded "artistic", I'll remain very, very skeptical.
Okay, it might be just me, but this is the feeling I've been getting lately when people say "artistic":
Artistic = No commercial instinct. Also: Artistic = Controlling, inflexible, difficult to work with. And: Artistic = Doesn't care about budget or deadlines.
So. When someone refers to me as an "artist" in a conversation or an evaluation, I always raise an eyebrow and wonder what they're really saying. In a commercial world, "art" is something created by the classicists, displayed in dusty galleries. "Art" doesn't sell. "Art" costs too much money. "Art" takes too much time. "Art" doesn't appease the investors.
That's a pretty sorry way to look at it. As far as I'm concerned, when a craft is well-executed, it becomes art. And quality sells. And quality usually takes time, and often quite a bit of money. And you get what you pay for.
For the record, I'm no artist. I get paid to design games and write stories, and that's about all that I'm good at, so that's what I do. I would never claim that anything I've ever done deserves to be called a work of art. I'm happy enough if people are entertained by what I do, and perhaps at some point, somewhere down the line, something I write, design, direct, or lend a hand to in some way will deserve to be defined as Art (with a capital 'A'). But that's not a goal or an ambition. I'm perfectly happy being a commercial craftsman.
And in the meantime, whenever I'm pigeon-holed as an "artist" or when my work is branded "artistic", I'll remain very, very skeptical.
Thursday, April 11, 2002
Spring is happening outside my window. Yay. Much rejoicing. Even if I can see the smog lying thick over what's called the Oslo cauldron. Heck, that's part of what makes summer in this city so great. There's nothing like getting high on exhaust fumes.
I'm starting to get a serious case of Buffy-withdrawal -- the show's been on hiatus for the past month -- so I'm listening to the Buffy the Musical soundtrack while I'm working, and I plan on watching a few season one episodes when I get home. It's called comfort-viewing. There's nothing to brighten up a dark day like an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Oh, and I'm expecting a DVD-order tomorrow, containing (amongst other things) Donnie Darko (if you haven't yet seen this dark treat, you must: it's awesome), Mulholland Drive, the first season box-set of HBO's Oz, and the first season box-set of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Lots of goodies, then. To be honest, the first ST:TNG season was a bit rubbish, but I'm a completist: I can't just skip seasons one and two and start buying when they release the third season. That just won't do. That just won't do at all. Anyways, there are a few episodes in season one that are okay-ish, so... And it's a bit nostalgic to watch them all over again. Sigh. Those were the days. Bald captains and funny skirts.
I'm starting to get a serious case of Buffy-withdrawal -- the show's been on hiatus for the past month -- so I'm listening to the Buffy the Musical soundtrack while I'm working, and I plan on watching a few season one episodes when I get home. It's called comfort-viewing. There's nothing to brighten up a dark day like an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Oh, and I'm expecting a DVD-order tomorrow, containing (amongst other things) Donnie Darko (if you haven't yet seen this dark treat, you must: it's awesome), Mulholland Drive, the first season box-set of HBO's Oz, and the first season box-set of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Lots of goodies, then. To be honest, the first ST:TNG season was a bit rubbish, but I'm a completist: I can't just skip seasons one and two and start buying when they release the third season. That just won't do. That just won't do at all. Anyways, there are a few episodes in season one that are okay-ish, so... And it's a bit nostalgic to watch them all over again. Sigh. Those were the days. Bald captains and funny skirts.
Well, that's just dandy:
Which Member of the Endless Are You?
Go on, you know you want to. And no, I'm not the Goth-type. But I can see myself as Dream, yup.
Which Member of the Endless Are You?
Go on, you know you want to. And no, I'm not the Goth-type. But I can see myself as Dream, yup.
More mail, more questions. Yeah, yeah, I said yesterday that this was it for the week, no more "Answering Reader Mail". So consider this an entirely new section. It's:
Answering More Reader Mail
Right-ho, here we go.
"What do you think of a TLJ MMORPG? Do you think you could make one? And do you think you would make one?"
It's possible to turn any fictional world into an MMOG, and there is certainly enough history, geography, and mythology in The Longest Journey's two separate worlds -- Stark and Arcadia -- to make for an interesting experience. It would be fun to make, but the time might be better spent creating a unique online world perfectly suited to the genre. TLJ was a very linear story-oriented adventure-game; an online world has to be open and flexible, and support extensive role-playing. April saved the world(s); in an online game, no one player can do that. But, sure, the setting could be used in an MMOG. Could I make one? Not alone. But Funcom could, certainly. Would we make one? If we had three years and $10 million to spare...why not? Do I think it'll happen? Nope. If there's ever a sequel to TLJ, it won't be massively multiplayer.
Then again, stranger things have happened. Never say never.
"I was wondering if you could recommend any books or games that would help to pass the time until TLJ2 is made."
Yikes. You'll need a mountain of books and games to pass that amount of time, but all right... If you're into fantasy literature, I can heartily recommend George R. R. Martin's new series, A Song of Ice and Fire. It's amazingly detailed, fantastically well-written and evocative, and it has a truly original plot that takes myriad twists and turns. I've read the first two books, but there are three out so far, and more to come, so that should last you a good while. Of course, if you haven't read Robert Jordan's epic Wheel of Time series yet, this would be the perfect time. The tenth (!) book is due to be released in the autumn of this year, I believe. Turning to sci-fi, Peter Hamilton has written two series of novels that are hard to beat: Night's Dawn (a trilogy), and the three Greg Mandel novels (Mindstar Rising, A Quantum Murder, and The Nano Flower). All brilliant. The Night's Dawn novels are simply stunning -- scary, grand, imaginative, and endlessly surprising. I can also recommend Tad Williams' Otherland series (four books in total); a healthy mix of sci-fi and fantasy, and particularly relevant to gamers as the books mostly take place inside what amounts to giant online worlds. They're really cool. Oh, and American Gods, by Neil Gaiman. Beautifully written, with a permeating sense of melancholy. Absolutely worth purchasing and reading on a gloomy and rainy Sunday afternoon.
Of course, if you're not into fantasy and sci-fi, it's a little more difficult to recommend anything in particular. But here are three possibilities: Are You Experienced, by William Sutcliffe -- a funny and smart story about travelling to India to "find yourself"; A Son of the Circus, by John Irving -- another novel about India, but this one a typically quirky Irving story, and a murder mystery to boot; and Girlfriend in a Coma, by Douglas Coupland.
And, oh, a really obvious one: If you haven't yet read The Lord of the Rings, shame on you. Now is the time to do so, before The Two Towers arrives in theaters. You've got, hmm, 8 months. Start reading.
As for games, it's a little harder, since there are so many different platforms, and so many different types of games. But if you enjoyed The Longest Journey, I'd recommend the following games: Shenmue and Shenmue II on the Dreamcast -- you should be able to pick up this combination quite inexpensively, and it's definitely worth it. The second game is set to appear on the X-Box later this year, but it's not necessary to invest in Microsoft's overpriced console to enjoy this one. Like I said, pick up a Dreamcast and those two games, and you're set for the next few weeks; Final Fantasy IX on the PS one -- I'm currently playing Final Fantasy X, but I don't think it's anywhere as good as the last one, and both the original PlayStation and the game can be found for a bargain price, so there are absolutely no excuses. As for the PC, I've been disappointed with the recent releases on that format -- consequently I play more console games these days -- but there are, of course, plenty of classic games out there to be played and replayed over and over again: Everything by LucasArts, naturally, as well as the classic Sierra On-Line adventures (particularly the first Gabriel Knight game, a definite inspiration for TLJ); most recently, I've enjoyed SimGolf, Medal of Honour, Return to Castle Wolfenstein, Civilization III (also known as "crack-cocaine"), The Sims -- all are definitely worth playing, though none of them are adventures. Adventure-players are out of luck on the PC, though they're making something of a comeback (in 3D, with action-elements, of course) on the consoles. If you simply must play an adventure-game, check out these titles on the PC -- you'll find them in budget-versions or in bargain-bins: Blade Runner, Black Dahlia, Broken Sword, Discworld (I-III), I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream, The Last Express, Outcast, Star Trek: The Next Generation: A Final Unity, Under a Killing Moon -- all worth getting if you can find them cheap.
I'm sure I'll think of more later, but that's it for now. Phew. Back to work.
Answering More Reader Mail
Right-ho, here we go.
"What do you think of a TLJ MMORPG? Do you think you could make one? And do you think you would make one?"
It's possible to turn any fictional world into an MMOG, and there is certainly enough history, geography, and mythology in The Longest Journey's two separate worlds -- Stark and Arcadia -- to make for an interesting experience. It would be fun to make, but the time might be better spent creating a unique online world perfectly suited to the genre. TLJ was a very linear story-oriented adventure-game; an online world has to be open and flexible, and support extensive role-playing. April saved the world(s); in an online game, no one player can do that. But, sure, the setting could be used in an MMOG. Could I make one? Not alone. But Funcom could, certainly. Would we make one? If we had three years and $10 million to spare...why not? Do I think it'll happen? Nope. If there's ever a sequel to TLJ, it won't be massively multiplayer.
Then again, stranger things have happened. Never say never.
"I was wondering if you could recommend any books or games that would help to pass the time until TLJ2 is made."
Yikes. You'll need a mountain of books and games to pass that amount of time, but all right... If you're into fantasy literature, I can heartily recommend George R. R. Martin's new series, A Song of Ice and Fire. It's amazingly detailed, fantastically well-written and evocative, and it has a truly original plot that takes myriad twists and turns. I've read the first two books, but there are three out so far, and more to come, so that should last you a good while. Of course, if you haven't read Robert Jordan's epic Wheel of Time series yet, this would be the perfect time. The tenth (!) book is due to be released in the autumn of this year, I believe. Turning to sci-fi, Peter Hamilton has written two series of novels that are hard to beat: Night's Dawn (a trilogy), and the three Greg Mandel novels (Mindstar Rising, A Quantum Murder, and The Nano Flower). All brilliant. The Night's Dawn novels are simply stunning -- scary, grand, imaginative, and endlessly surprising. I can also recommend Tad Williams' Otherland series (four books in total); a healthy mix of sci-fi and fantasy, and particularly relevant to gamers as the books mostly take place inside what amounts to giant online worlds. They're really cool. Oh, and American Gods, by Neil Gaiman. Beautifully written, with a permeating sense of melancholy. Absolutely worth purchasing and reading on a gloomy and rainy Sunday afternoon.
Of course, if you're not into fantasy and sci-fi, it's a little more difficult to recommend anything in particular. But here are three possibilities: Are You Experienced, by William Sutcliffe -- a funny and smart story about travelling to India to "find yourself"; A Son of the Circus, by John Irving -- another novel about India, but this one a typically quirky Irving story, and a murder mystery to boot; and Girlfriend in a Coma, by Douglas Coupland.
And, oh, a really obvious one: If you haven't yet read The Lord of the Rings, shame on you. Now is the time to do so, before The Two Towers arrives in theaters. You've got, hmm, 8 months. Start reading.
As for games, it's a little harder, since there are so many different platforms, and so many different types of games. But if you enjoyed The Longest Journey, I'd recommend the following games: Shenmue and Shenmue II on the Dreamcast -- you should be able to pick up this combination quite inexpensively, and it's definitely worth it. The second game is set to appear on the X-Box later this year, but it's not necessary to invest in Microsoft's overpriced console to enjoy this one. Like I said, pick up a Dreamcast and those two games, and you're set for the next few weeks; Final Fantasy IX on the PS one -- I'm currently playing Final Fantasy X, but I don't think it's anywhere as good as the last one, and both the original PlayStation and the game can be found for a bargain price, so there are absolutely no excuses. As for the PC, I've been disappointed with the recent releases on that format -- consequently I play more console games these days -- but there are, of course, plenty of classic games out there to be played and replayed over and over again: Everything by LucasArts, naturally, as well as the classic Sierra On-Line adventures (particularly the first Gabriel Knight game, a definite inspiration for TLJ); most recently, I've enjoyed SimGolf, Medal of Honour, Return to Castle Wolfenstein, Civilization III (also known as "crack-cocaine"), The Sims -- all are definitely worth playing, though none of them are adventures. Adventure-players are out of luck on the PC, though they're making something of a comeback (in 3D, with action-elements, of course) on the consoles. If you simply must play an adventure-game, check out these titles on the PC -- you'll find them in budget-versions or in bargain-bins: Blade Runner, Black Dahlia, Broken Sword, Discworld (I-III), I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream, The Last Express, Outcast, Star Trek: The Next Generation: A Final Unity, Under a Killing Moon -- all worth getting if you can find them cheap.
I'm sure I'll think of more later, but that's it for now. Phew. Back to work.
Wednesday, April 10, 2002
And now for something completely different. Introducing a brand, spanking new feature. It's:
Answering Reader Mail
Ta-da! Yay. Much excitement everywhere. Let's begin with this one:
"Any idea if or when Prophet Without Honour will be released in bookstores? Will there ever be a Book 2?"
I don't know if Prophet Without Honour will ever be released in bookstores, unfortunately. Why is that? Well, the publisher (i.e. Funcom) doesn't have a lot of experience with the distribution of books. Ergo, one of our sales representatives would have to start speaking with the individual chains and distribution networks, and seeing as they're already very busy distributing and selling Anarchy Online, they don't have time to worry about one little novel. Unfortunately. So you only have two options: purchase the novel online, or wait for the entire novel to be serialised in PDF. Sorry.
As for book two -- hey, sure, I'd love to see that happen. It's really up to Funcom's marketing department. I've started working on it, but I won't put a lot of effort into it unless I know it's a go. It's not as though I can get it published anywhere else -- Funcom owns the copyright -- and it's a lot of work writing an entire novel, especially when I have to do it at night and during weekends and holidays. But if there's sufficient demand, I'm sure I'll be asked to continue the series. The feedback from the first one has been overwhelmingly positive.
"Speaking of PWH.. Is there a reason why its retail price is so dear? Is it a hardback? Is it really thick?"
The retail price -- US$22 -- is pretty common for a hardcover book, unless it's been marked down (most new books are, if you go to a big chain or an online store). The book is 331 pages, which isn't that much, but page-count rarely affects the price.
"To get it ordered into Australia, it would cost in US dollars $22+42=$64. (Fed Ex charges a whopping $42 shipping!). $64 dollars in Australian currency is equivalent to about $128.. for a novel."
Yeah, Australians (and New Zealanders...not to mention anyone, anywhere in Asia, Africa, or South America) are fresh out of luck. Shipping-costs are primarily for North America and Europe, and even those rates are waaay too steep. It's a real shame, and hopefully this will change. At some point. In a distant future where Earth is ruled by cannibal robots and...monkeys.
"Speaking of novels however, have you considered writing a TLJ novel?"
Yes. Yes, I have. And I've definitely considered writing a TLJ short-story (or stories). But I don't plan on recapping the story told in the game; that would be very dull. I have a few ideas. I'll talk more about that some other time.
"The rate at which Prophet’s chapters are releasing on the web site is torturous.. I know I for one wouldn’t be able to stand the suspense of only being able to read a chapter every few weeks. I like to read continuously, and don’t like reading other novels before finishing the current one, which would leave a lot of boredom in waiting for newer chapters."
I agree. And my suggestion is to wait for the whole thing to be released in one PDF file, for easy printing, with full colour covers and all. That'll probably happen around, hmm, August? Of course, it'd be nice if more people ordered the print version, too. Unless they live in Australia. In which case they're excused for not doing so.
"[I] was wondering if there's a sequel to TLJ in the works?"
This is by far the most common question I get, and my only answer is, nope, not yet. Sorry. If and when it happens, you'll be the first to know. While I'd love to do another Journey, I'm also working on a bunch of other stuff, and priorities are often shifted around. Two years ago, I would have been very opposed to doing a sequel. Now, though, I'm much more excited about the idea. But then again I do get excited by a lot of different stuff. In summary: There are currently no plans for a sequel to The Longest Journey. However, we talk about it all the time, and I'd be very surprised if it didn't happen...some fine day.
"Check out the scottish band 'life without buildings'. they're kinda punk pop but way cool."
I did. They're groovy. Thanks for the tip!
That's it for this week's Answering Reader Mail. Keep 'em coming.
Answering Reader Mail
Ta-da! Yay. Much excitement everywhere. Let's begin with this one:
"Any idea if or when Prophet Without Honour will be released in bookstores? Will there ever be a Book 2?"
I don't know if Prophet Without Honour will ever be released in bookstores, unfortunately. Why is that? Well, the publisher (i.e. Funcom) doesn't have a lot of experience with the distribution of books. Ergo, one of our sales representatives would have to start speaking with the individual chains and distribution networks, and seeing as they're already very busy distributing and selling Anarchy Online, they don't have time to worry about one little novel. Unfortunately. So you only have two options: purchase the novel online, or wait for the entire novel to be serialised in PDF. Sorry.
As for book two -- hey, sure, I'd love to see that happen. It's really up to Funcom's marketing department. I've started working on it, but I won't put a lot of effort into it unless I know it's a go. It's not as though I can get it published anywhere else -- Funcom owns the copyright -- and it's a lot of work writing an entire novel, especially when I have to do it at night and during weekends and holidays. But if there's sufficient demand, I'm sure I'll be asked to continue the series. The feedback from the first one has been overwhelmingly positive.
"Speaking of PWH.. Is there a reason why its retail price is so dear? Is it a hardback? Is it really thick?"
The retail price -- US$22 -- is pretty common for a hardcover book, unless it's been marked down (most new books are, if you go to a big chain or an online store). The book is 331 pages, which isn't that much, but page-count rarely affects the price.
"To get it ordered into Australia, it would cost in US dollars $22+42=$64. (Fed Ex charges a whopping $42 shipping!). $64 dollars in Australian currency is equivalent to about $128.. for a novel."
Yeah, Australians (and New Zealanders...not to mention anyone, anywhere in Asia, Africa, or South America) are fresh out of luck. Shipping-costs are primarily for North America and Europe, and even those rates are waaay too steep. It's a real shame, and hopefully this will change. At some point. In a distant future where Earth is ruled by cannibal robots and...monkeys.
"Speaking of novels however, have you considered writing a TLJ novel?"
Yes. Yes, I have. And I've definitely considered writing a TLJ short-story (or stories). But I don't plan on recapping the story told in the game; that would be very dull. I have a few ideas. I'll talk more about that some other time.
"The rate at which Prophet’s chapters are releasing on the web site is torturous.. I know I for one wouldn’t be able to stand the suspense of only being able to read a chapter every few weeks. I like to read continuously, and don’t like reading other novels before finishing the current one, which would leave a lot of boredom in waiting for newer chapters."
I agree. And my suggestion is to wait for the whole thing to be released in one PDF file, for easy printing, with full colour covers and all. That'll probably happen around, hmm, August? Of course, it'd be nice if more people ordered the print version, too. Unless they live in Australia. In which case they're excused for not doing so.
"[I] was wondering if there's a sequel to TLJ in the works?"
This is by far the most common question I get, and my only answer is, nope, not yet. Sorry. If and when it happens, you'll be the first to know. While I'd love to do another Journey, I'm also working on a bunch of other stuff, and priorities are often shifted around. Two years ago, I would have been very opposed to doing a sequel. Now, though, I'm much more excited about the idea. But then again I do get excited by a lot of different stuff. In summary: There are currently no plans for a sequel to The Longest Journey. However, we talk about it all the time, and I'd be very surprised if it didn't happen...some fine day.
"Check out the scottish band 'life without buildings'. they're kinda punk pop but way cool."
I did. They're groovy. Thanks for the tip!
That's it for this week's Answering Reader Mail. Keep 'em coming.
I just went to get a haircut -- it's that time of the year, and boy, did I need one -- and I told the girl to just "take a little bit off, not too much, I like having something to work with". Walking out, I looked like a marine ready for his first tour of duty. I felt raped. Now, fortunately, hair grows back, but in the meantime (for the next two weeks) I'll feel decidedly sheared and naked. Ah, vanity.
On the positive side, I won't have to towel dry my hair anymore. All the moisture will instantly evaporate when I emerge from the shower.
There's more pointless babbling on the way. I believe in documenting all the pointless aspects of my sorry life for everyone to read. This is, after all, by far the most visited site on the net.
:)
On the positive side, I won't have to towel dry my hair anymore. All the moisture will instantly evaporate when I emerge from the shower.
There's more pointless babbling on the way. I believe in documenting all the pointless aspects of my sorry life for everyone to read. This is, after all, by far the most visited site on the net.
:)
I read this somewhere. Generally, just more bashing (no pun intended), but I thought the following was quite amusing:
"Just look at [www.ragnartornquist.com], he believes that documenting all of his opinions is important for the people online to read. Of course, read through that and you probably won't ever see him mention Funcom or Anarchy Online. He might mention the book he wrote, and where you can buy it..."
Yes. Well. I guess I should point out that this happens to be my personal site. I pay for it out of my own pocket, and work on it whenever and wherever I have some spare time. If you want to read about Funcom and Anarchy Online, check out the respective sites. I mention, and link to them, quite often. As for why anyone would care the read my opinions, I have absolutely no idea. Still, it's not as if I'm the only one doing this. How many personal websites are out there? Ten million? Fifty million? If you don't want to read my journal, don't read it. It's as easy as that. 'nuff said.
Neil Gaiman, for example, has a much more interesting journal than mine. Go read that one.
"Just look at [www.ragnartornquist.com], he believes that documenting all of his opinions is important for the people online to read. Of course, read through that and you probably won't ever see him mention Funcom or Anarchy Online. He might mention the book he wrote, and where you can buy it..."
Yes. Well. I guess I should point out that this happens to be my personal site. I pay for it out of my own pocket, and work on it whenever and wherever I have some spare time. If you want to read about Funcom and Anarchy Online, check out the respective sites. I mention, and link to them, quite often. As for why anyone would care the read my opinions, I have absolutely no idea. Still, it's not as if I'm the only one doing this. How many personal websites are out there? Ten million? Fifty million? If you don't want to read my journal, don't read it. It's as easy as that. 'nuff said.
Neil Gaiman, for example, has a much more interesting journal than mine. Go read that one.
Eek. Seems like yesterday's long-awaited update didn't go out. At least, it doesn't show up on my screen.
If you're interested in Anarchy Online, and you'd like to see me exposed for the "incompetient" [sic] fraud that I am, check out these two threads:
AO-Basher
Official AO forums
I should know better than to jump to my own defense, even when I'm being called names. Stupid, stupid me. Especially when a lot of decent, hard-playing folks deserve some straight answers to their questions. Oh, well. Live and learn.
My issue was with one person in particular, who happened to return with his vitriolic bile after being (blissfully) absent for several months. This, hmm, "individual" had resorted to childish name-calling and personal attacks on me as a person, a writer, and designer. I don't mind criticism. That's okay. What I don't like is threats, insults, and pointless statements like "Funcom should can his ass". The sad part is, this person started out all right; he was always a critic, but it used to be constructive criticism, not just pointless flaming. And I found him amusing. I made a point of reading his posts. But then he lost it, and (apparently) found a suitable target for his bitterness...in me. Yay! Attention isn't always good. Still, I didn't really care. I have enough faith in myself to disregard unwarranted swipes at my character. Life's just too short to care about crap like that. So I stopped reading his posts, which just proves that slamming someone is not the best way to get through to them. And then he disappeared, and the angels rejoiced.
But then, two days ago, someone sent me a mail pointing me to a post where, like Lazarus from the tomb, the troll had emerged yet again into the light of day...to call me a "fraud", and to make certain observations about my personality. And this time, instead of just feeling sad for the guy (who obviously has waaay too much free time on his hands -- I mean, he must be walking around thinking about me day in and day out...and that can't be very pleasant), I caved in and wrote a (quite polite) reply. I wasn't intending to defend myself, but I didn't want certain "facts" to be perceived as such. Thing is, if I'd left his statements alone, and rather taken the time to comment on the thread's original topic, no one would have paid the poor guy much attention. By commenting on his statements, I gave him undue credit. Me = Fool. Of course, right after that, his account was banned (though not by me; I would've loved to see him spew more crap and get shot down in the AO forums).
C'est la vie. The end result was that I got into a very constructive, and very fruitful, discussion with some of the more intelligent members of the AO community. All's well that ends well.
There's a moral here, somewhere, but I'll leave that for you to figure out.
If you're interested in Anarchy Online, and you'd like to see me exposed for the "incompetient" [sic] fraud that I am, check out these two threads:
AO-Basher
Official AO forums
I should know better than to jump to my own defense, even when I'm being called names. Stupid, stupid me. Especially when a lot of decent, hard-playing folks deserve some straight answers to their questions. Oh, well. Live and learn.
My issue was with one person in particular, who happened to return with his vitriolic bile after being (blissfully) absent for several months. This, hmm, "individual" had resorted to childish name-calling and personal attacks on me as a person, a writer, and designer. I don't mind criticism. That's okay. What I don't like is threats, insults, and pointless statements like "Funcom should can his ass". The sad part is, this person started out all right; he was always a critic, but it used to be constructive criticism, not just pointless flaming. And I found him amusing. I made a point of reading his posts. But then he lost it, and (apparently) found a suitable target for his bitterness...in me. Yay! Attention isn't always good. Still, I didn't really care. I have enough faith in myself to disregard unwarranted swipes at my character. Life's just too short to care about crap like that. So I stopped reading his posts, which just proves that slamming someone is not the best way to get through to them. And then he disappeared, and the angels rejoiced.
But then, two days ago, someone sent me a mail pointing me to a post where, like Lazarus from the tomb, the troll had emerged yet again into the light of day...to call me a "fraud", and to make certain observations about my personality. And this time, instead of just feeling sad for the guy (who obviously has waaay too much free time on his hands -- I mean, he must be walking around thinking about me day in and day out...and that can't be very pleasant), I caved in and wrote a (quite polite) reply. I wasn't intending to defend myself, but I didn't want certain "facts" to be perceived as such. Thing is, if I'd left his statements alone, and rather taken the time to comment on the thread's original topic, no one would have paid the poor guy much attention. By commenting on his statements, I gave him undue credit. Me = Fool. Of course, right after that, his account was banned (though not by me; I would've loved to see him spew more crap and get shot down in the AO forums).
C'est la vie. The end result was that I got into a very constructive, and very fruitful, discussion with some of the more intelligent members of the AO community. All's well that ends well.
There's a moral here, somewhere, but I'll leave that for you to figure out.
Tuesday, April 09, 2002
