Feedback Shades Of Grey

No, YOU’RE derivative and formulaic!

Whether it’s art, relationships, or just plain drudgery, one thing is certain: feedback comes, whether it’s wanted or not. Somewhere, out there, someone is telling someone else how to do their job. It is a fact as inescapable as living, dying, and paying taxes.

Some do it because they sincerely want to help improve something. Others do it because they have no brain-mouth filter and just blurt out whatever’s on their mind. And of course, some just do it because they wish to exert dominance over something. But all the recipient can control is how they react to it.

As life goes on and people enter phases where they have to deal with more people, it’s only natural that they’ll have to learn about dealing with it and growing from it. But aside from the usual platitudes, there’s actually more to feedback than one would expect.

Fabletop: By Special Re-Quest

The call goes out. The adventurers answer. And so begins an epic tale of…killing 10 slimes and collecting 50GP.

Whether it’s saving the princess or getting the plot device, one thing is certain: Every character’s on a quest of some kind.

In any story, there needs to be a conflict. For that, there needs to be a problem that needs solving. And naturally, the problem must be special enough that one does not simply use a mundane solution any rational person can easily think of.

But in the midst of the most gripping sagas and interactive games, it can be easy to overlook that the proud tradition of a storied tale has its origins in the mists of time…and can seep into even the most mundane contexts.

The Silence Of The Self-Inserts

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And there you have inspirational quotes from some of the most iconic videogame characters! Can YOU guess who said each one?

So yes, today I’ll be talking about SILENT PROTAGONISTS! No, I don’t mean characters who are unusually quiet. I mean it’s you, the player character, but there is just about no dialogue coming from them.

Now, this might seem a tad antiquated. What’s the deal with them? Do people still DO them? Do we only know this because our childhood icons were mute?

Hogwarts’ Superschool Of Settings

Class is once again in session! Yes, that idiom was to be expected. Yes,  you are fully allowed to cringe at me. Just as planned!

Today, I’ll be talking about a staple of fantastic settings and what we can learn from it: The SUPERSCHOOL! One highly popular example of a very involved setting.

Whether it’s an academy, the school, a magical order, or an alien police force, these are institutions built around the idea of collecting what we’d consider “special” and training it to perfection. From Xavier’s School For Gifted Youngsters to the Hogwarts School For Witchcraft And Wizardry, these have been a rich source for potential stories.

The main purpose of these, of course, is to teach superpowered individuals how to responsibly control and use their powers. Otherwise you’ll end up with all sorts of tragedy and collateral damage. Though the mission statement and end goals can vary, ultimately they’re about getting all that power in one place and getting it under control or awarded after rigorous training.

Ah, yes. That old nugget.

But what’s the deal with these schools? When’s something normal or not, and what’s the nuts and bolts behind it? What can we learn from barely competent teaching staff and poor hiring standards?

Love-to-Hate Relationships

Today I’ll be talking about characters you love to hate! Or is that characters you should hate but love? The answer, my readers, is: Yes.

So, everyone knows their own reasons for liking a characters. Could be personality, abilities, design. Could be a snappy one-liner or an achievement you really loved. There are characters we love wholeheartedly, and ones we despise and want to see dead.

But somewhere out there, some characters occupy a sweet spot, a mix of antagonism and admiration. Whatever it is, they share one thing with the characters that matter to you: You enjoy watching them.

Captain America: Hail Hydra

Yes, we get it, America covers more than the United States. Nobody cares.

Figured I’d do this as a companion piece to good ol’ Tony and cover Marvel’s Big 2 to contrast DC’s most famous couple. Or rather, their most marketed as opposite-rival-frenemy-allies in recent times. So who is the guy who hurls his mighty shield? Who was he before becoming Hydra Supreme?

Yeah, we’re pretty much up to speed.

Fabletop: Life Well Spanned

First, let’s get this out of the way…

My life’s goal.

Now that you have your meme dosage, let’s get to explaining the pun!

Obviously, this week I’m talking about lifespans. Literally the span of a life, how long you have to live. And of course, how that usually plays out.

And naturally, we’re all used to some pansy-ass elf condescendingly telling normies how short-lived and brief their lives are. But does that make sense? Are there other flavours of this? Obviously; I DID blog about this!