Fantasy Daily Chat 9/19/02

[baquitania]

I figured since Photography, Oils and Glass Art have this on going chat about their days. I would start one here. Not necessarily a daily thing, but I didn't want to start a seperate bunch of threads to talk about what we all love in this genre...

So here goes...

Woke up and popped in my LOTR DVD, and watched the promo for the upcoming Two Towers this December, infact if you scroll down this link here's a counter to the next film... ;)

How long must we wait? (http://www.adni.net/~russh/gaming/page01.htm)

And then watched the sci-fi channel exert on the DVD on the making of the film (which yay had Alan Lee, my favorite artist drawing on film!) and was as always in awe...

But here's what I'm proposing... maybe a project for us come December on Tolkein... why wait till then you may ask? Well cause I didn't want any of you to rush... I'll talk this over with Draig on whether we should put up a progress area for sketches... But I would love for us to tackle all this rich material...

And it can be entirely your interpretation, definitely not just fan art or copies of images from the movies. That would be too easy.
I think a way to go about it would be to reread the books, watch the movie (for the 100th time) and then see what flows out of you. I imagine by the end of this, we'll all be quoting lines... but that's not such a bad thing...

K... well that's the "fantasy" thing on my mind this morning... Hail and well met to Axl, Draig, Violet Feme, Guy, Artdude, Inskin, Elankat, mmdm, Teanne...

Gonna go off now and sketch Cate Blanchett as Galadriel... :D

Bobby

[DraigAthar]

Good morning, Bobby!!!

I'm all for a fantasy daily news thread, it works well in those other forums and lets us chat about anything we want without cluttering up the other threads. :)

I also like the idea of a LOTR project. In fact, you're going to host it. But I'll post more about that in a separate thread. :)

Amy

[baquitania]

on a seperate rant... Elankat and mmdm will get this... Icewind Dale 2 is driving me crazy! and I'm playing it at extreme heart of fury mode!!!... I miss Minsc and Boo... :(

Bobby...

PS: thanks Draig, yeah I mean we can talk about rpgs in these "daily chats", as well as books, movies, etc... everything and anything we find inspirational... and we can be "in" character if you like... as well as out of it and just rant... or rave...

and let's not forget about food ya wee hobbits, anyone had thirdsies breakfast yet? :) :) :)

[DraigAthar]

Yup Bobby, we can geek about anything here and not worry about getting scolded by a moderator. Oh wait, we don't HAVE moderators yet. ;)

Hey somebody tell me a good PRG PC game to start with? I'm addicted to far too many PC games as it is but they're all strategy or sims, and I want to try a RPG one but have NO idea how to choose a good one from the mass of PC games available.

Amy

[baquitania]

Amy:

Baldur's Gate 2: Shadows of Amn

Is the best I've found, but you have to know alot about the D&D world and rules... it is however so complex in scope, and you'll find you can do the quests out of order, plus it has a huge community for help...

Baldur's Gate

Alot simpler, but you can play it and get the feel for the Infinity Engine... Plus it'll make you crave the expansions...

Icewind Dale 1 and 2

Although I love making your own party of 6, you have to follow the straight linear approach of the story to progress, which makes me feel bad and that I may have left something behind... oh and don't waste your money on Heart of Winter expansion for this, they lost their shirt on it and had to offer a free download to placate the fans...

Dungeon Siege

Is the most beautiful thing I have found, allows you to do 360 degree zooms around your characters, and the environment is seemless. Meaning when you go through a door to a new level, there is no cut scene or loading screen as the above games. You just step into the area like you WOULD be able to were it real life.

Neverwinter Nights

Also supposed to be amazing, haven't played it... yet :D

Everquest

Also haven't played it, but not a big fan of the old polygonal look. That's all subjective, but also a major community online, and I believe they're into expansion #5 or 6 now... so it'd be an investment...

Everything else is mostly strategy battles... though I do hear that
Jedi Knight, the new star wars game is a blast, no pun intended.
(aren't you glad you asked?)

Bobby

[DraigAthar]

Good lord, Bobby ... maybe I just need to come down and visit you so I can try out all the games you already have, lol!

Amy

[baquitania]

I'll lend em to ya...

but can your machine handle it? have you got the crystal? :D

[TeAnne]

EEEEEEEEEEEK :eek: I've only ever read one fantasy book in my life. lololol Oh help!:evil:

[DraigAthar]

Bobby ... I dunno, my machine ain't too bad. Wot kind of crystal does it need? :)

Fear not, Teanne, I'm sure plenty of people around here will be happy to further your fantasy/scifi education. ;)

Amy

[TeAnne]

Thank you Amy :)

[happywanderer]

Gotta say thanks to those that started this forum once more. I have really been enjoying the works that have been posted. I got into the sci fi and fantasy more years ago than I care to remember. Nice to find some fellow travelers.

Bobby - a question: after roaming the board for a couple of months now trying to soak up as much as possible, I have to ask you - WHEN DO YOU FIND TIME TO SLEEP AND EAT?!

[DrLondon]

Darn! I loaned out my Tolkein books and never got 'em back.:crying:
Guess I better go on the hunt for them so I can brush up on it a bit.

[Axl]

Too... Early... In... the... morning..... But its only like half past 12. eep. I should probably be eating lunch instead of a begal....Maybe I should get some tea..

I was talking with Amy last night, y'all! Look out for a thread concerning Monthly Fantasy/Sci-fi Projects! I won't say anything more about this now, since she probably has it all spelt out in the thread - but go look anyways... NOW! :D

So in the time being, bobby, maybe you could wait on your fab project idea and go check out her thread ;)

Other things on the agenda: I emailed Scott in regards to moderators and a merit badge. Still waiting for a reply on that. I'll fill us all in on how that goes when I know.

Gotta run now... ahh! cheers!

[Elankat]

NO!

I will not be sucked further into this! I refuse to continue to admit my geekiness. No! I will NOT!

Hey, did you say Alan Lee? Tolkien? Well, I, uh, maybe just this one time...:o

[Elankat]

Originally posted by baquitania
on a seperate rant... Elankat and mmdm will get this... Icewind Dale 2 is driving me crazy! and I'm playing it at extreme heart of fury mode!!!... I miss Minsc and Boo... :(

Bobby...

PS: thanks Draig, yeah I mean we can talk about rpgs in these "daily chats", as well as books, movies, etc... everything and anything we find inspirational... and we can be "in" character if you like... as well as out of it and just rant... or rave...

and let's not forget about food ya wee hobbits, anyone had thirdsies breakfast yet? :) :) :)

I have to echo the Baldur's Gate recommendations. They are great. I also enjoyed Might & Magic and Ultima ones, which are old enough that you can pick them up in the bargain bins.

For MMORPGs (online games), I'd have to recommend Dark Age of Camelot or Ultima Online. UO defined the genre and is still the best for actual roleplay. DAoC is like Everquest, but better in my opinion. It fixes some of the flaws of EQ and has a few strong roleplay servers.

Neverwinter Nights is good, but my opinion is that it really only reaches it's potential when you play with a group of friends and have a GM who is custom-designing your worlds.

The big one to look for is coming out soon. SWG (Star Wars Galaxies) is due out and has lead designer Raph Koster (the UO lead designer) working on it. It looks to be VERY promising.

MMORPGs are fun, but are a HUGE addiction and will suck lots of time and a monthly fee. I was hooked on them for 4 years and only just recently stopped so that I could have time to draw.

[Fidget]

I've been peeking in on this forum off and on.
Fantasy and Sci-Fi is a passion. Novels especially.
I'm reading Defender by C.J. Cheryl right now.
Most couples have their song. Dave and I have our book, Lord of the Rings.
I read it first when I was 12 or 13. And I read it about every two years. We own three editions. (book fanatics)
Two of my three children have read it.
My daughter saw the movie in the theater 7 times in less than two weeks. It's her favourite movie, and I think it is the best I've ever seen. I haven't bought the dvd yet because I hear a deluxe copy in coming out in November.
Willing to wait.

As for video games, I have been playing Tomb Raider for two years, not done yet. I know, I'm a slowpoke. But I don't play often.
In the summer, the school age kids come over and play Nintendo with me. Because none of them are losers when I play. Even the 4 year olds are better than me.

Favourite fantasy artist, Michael Whelan.

Looking forward to getting to know everyone. Your sound like my kind of folks

[happywanderer]

Originally posted by Fidget

In the summer, the school age kids come over and play Nintendo with me. Because none of them are losers when I play. Even the 4 year olds are better than me.



All right! Someone I would have a fighting chance against LOL!!!

[Fidget]

Happywander, your on.
I can still play a mean game of Pong.

And many years ago I did finish Ultima IV

Use to own a Intellivision. Height of technology at the time.

[artdude]

Baldur's Gate is the only PC RPG I have played. Haven't fired it up in quite some time. We only have a 300meg system and those games are such memory hogs!! :D

Playstation Games
Final Fantasy - all of them exept the PS2 version
Breath of Fire - one and two
Ogre Battle
ChronoTrigger
ChronoCross
Grandia
Legend of Dragoon
and many MANY more that I just can't remember right now.

YUP I AM RPG GEEK!!! :D:)

[Axl]

I must confess I never play video games.... never... EVER.... I have one system here at home, and I'm the only one to use it. It's the original nintendo set, we bought it when I was about 4 or 5. All the original controllers, games and stuff and it still works and is mine all mine!! muahaha. However, the only think I play is Mario and I still have yet to beat any of the games lol- I think thats my guilty little pleasure :o

so all said and done...MARIO 3 FOREVER!

[happywanderer]

All right. I'm feeling better. Hold on now and don't laugh but beyond the arcade games I gave up after playing Zork (the original) on my atari computer :eek: where you had to type in all of the instructions. The dragon kept frying my a** and I got frustrated.

[Fidget]

Had an Atari computer too!
The one with the tape.

Went on to an Amiga, and played Zork.

[baquitania]

Originally posted by Axl_Happy_Goth
I must confess I never play video games.... never... EVER.... I have one system here at home, and I'm the only one to use it. It's the original nintendo set, we bought it when I was about 4 or 5. All the original controllers, games and stuff and it still works and is mine all mine!! muahaha. However, the only think I play is Mario and I still have yet to beat any of the games lol- I think thats my guilty little pleasure :o

so all said and done...MARIO 3 FOREVER!

Axl:

Here's something really evil for you...

Super Mario Bros. Original Theme Song (http://www.vgmusic.com/music/console/nintendo/nes/index-sz.html)

You have to scroll down to hear it, but click on "Theme Song"

there's 4 versions... but the original is the best!!! :D

Bobby

[Elankat]

Mario Brothers?

When I was a kid, they called it Donkey Kong. And we had to walk to school too...up a hill, in the snow.

Darn rotten kids, get outta my yard!

[JustjoGA]

I've never been into Fantasy/Sci-Fi, but I've been watching the development of this forum, and it's interesting... The only thing remotely connected that I've done is a first version of Myst, and I didn't even get all the way through that! But I love seeing who is in, and all the imaginations running wild.... Good stuff!

[Fidget]

Oh! Man! Now I'm feeling old. My kids use to call it Donkey Kong.

[Axl]

OMGS THEY HAVE THE SAMURAI PIZZA CATS THEME SONG TOO!!!

I mean.. thankyou bobby :)

[Fidget]

OMG My kids use to watch Samuri Pizza Cats!

[baquitania]

Originally posted by Elankat
Mario Brothers?

When I was a kid, they called it Donkey Kong. And we had to walk to school too...up a hill, in the snow.

Darn rotten kids, get outta my yard!
Hill? Why that's luxury!!! We use to climb up a 180ft cliffside in our sunday best, just to catch a glimpse of the school bus taking off without us... :D (my inspiration is from the MP skit below)

Michael Palin: My old dad used to say to me: "Money doesn't bring you happiness, son!"

Eric Idle: He was right!

Michael Palin: Right!

Eric Idle: I was happier then and I had nothing! We used to live in this tiny old tumbled-down house with great big holes in the roof.

Graham Chapman: House! You were lucky to live in a house! We used to live in one room, all twenty-six of us, no furniture, half the floor was missing, we were all huddled together in one corner for fear of falling.

Terry Jones: You were lucky to have a room! We used to have to live in the corridor!

Michael Palin: Oh, we used to dream of living in a corridor! Would have been a palace to us! We used to live in an old watertank on a rubbish tip. We'd all woke up every morning by having a load of rotten fish dumped all over us! House, huh!

Eric Idle: Well, when I say a house, it was just a hole in the ground, covered by a sheet of tarpaulin, but it was a house to us!

Graham Chapman: We were evicted from our hole in the ground. We had to go and live in a lake!

Terry Jones: You were lucky to have a lake! There were 150 of us living in a shoebox in the middle of the road!

Michael Palin: A cardboard box?

Terry Jones: Aye!


---------------------------------------

Bobby the Lumberjack!

[Axl]

I LOVE samurai pizza cats! Use to watch it sooo much my mom'd be like "you're watching samurai pizza crap AGAIN??" And then they thought they'd put it on real late.. never stopped me! Go out and watch it at like 3 in the morning until they took it off the air!! Its still my fav show ever!

[Elankat]

Originally posted by baquitania

Hill? Why that's luxury!!! We use to climb up a 180ft cliffside in our sunday best, just to catch a glimpse of the school bus taking off without us... :D (my inspiration is from the MP skit below)

Michael Palin: My old dad used to say to me: "Money doesn't bring you happiness, son!"

Eric Idle: He was right!

Michael Palin: Right!

Eric Idle: I was happier then and I had nothing! We used to live in this tiny old tumbled-down house with great big holes in the roof.

Graham Chapman: House! You were lucky to live in a house! We used to live in one room, all twenty-six of us, no furniture, half the floor was missing, we were all huddled together in one corner for fear of falling.

Terry Jones: You were lucky to have a room! We used to have to live in the corridor!

Michael Palin: Oh, we used to dream of living in a corridor! Would have been a palace to us! We used to live in an old watertank on a rubbish tip. We'd all woke up every morning by having a load of rotten fish dumped all over us! House, huh!

Eric Idle: Well, when I say a house, it was just a hole in the ground, covered by a sheet of tarpaulin, but it was a house to us!

Graham Chapman: We were evicted from our hole in the ground. We had to go and live in a lake!

Terry Jones: You were lucky to have a lake! There were 150 of us living in a shoebox in the middle of the road!

Michael Palin: A cardboard box?

Terry Jones: Aye!


---------------------------------------

Bobby the Lumberjack!

ROFL!

I was wondering how long it would be until the Monty Python quotes broke out. :D

[baquitania]

Posted this in the MP project this morning, but it fits here... me as a lumberjack is definitely "fantasy" ;)

[Elankat]

Hmmm. I don't know. I could see you in women's clothing. :p

[baquitania]

Originally posted by Elankat
Hmmm. I don't know. I could see you in women's clothing. :p

I'm not sure if I should be offended, since you've never seen my legs? But it is a line from the song :D so I'll let it slide lololol

B.

[Elankat]

Hehe.

Actually, I was motivated by the song and that gorgeous long hair of yours. :D

[TeAnne]

Originally posted by baquitania
Posted this in the MP project this morning, but it fits here... me as a lumberjack is definitely "fantasy" ;)
heheheeh Very cool :D

[inkskin]

Great thread,Bobby!
Now when you talk MP, I can relate. I am new to the Fantasy interest and my husband plays RPGs so thats the only reason I know what that is. I don't know if the games you all play are the same, but the one he plays is just text! No graphics, just a scrolling screen of words and an intense look on his face. Are they all that way?

Heather

[Elankat]

Originally posted by inkskin
Great thread,Bobby!
Now when you talk MP, I can relate. I am new to the Fantasy interest and my husband plays RPGs so thats the only reason I know what that is. I don't know if the games you all play are the same, but the one he plays is just text! No graphics, just a scrolling screen of words and an intense look on his face. Are they all that way?

Heather

Nope. They aren't all that way. Sounds like he's playing a MUD. MUDs were the precursor to MMORPGs (massive multiplayer online role play games) like Everquest or Dark Age of Camelot. They are similar to MUDs in the fact that you are playing online with many different players. However, they are the next generation and are very graphics intensive with persistent worlds (the game keeps going even if you don't). They have huge followings and even have a market for the virtual property and items that people acquire in the game. Heck, I've made over $1000 from selling the virtual property that I acquired in Ultima Online. If I get my butt in gear, I can probably sell another $600 worth of stuff on ebay.

Just as a reference, here is the home site for the last MMORPG that I played.
http://www.darkageofcamelot.com/

The other version are the straight PC RPG games. Those are played on you computer and you are only playing with/against the computer. Although some have the capability to be played with others over the Internet.

I've probably confused you instead of making things clear. I'm not great with explanations. :D

[inkskin]

Nope, I get it. I remember him saying'MUD' before. Honestly,I don't know how he follows it-that screen scrolls so fast! Of course,I can't type without looking so it wouldn't work for me.
I do have a question though. What is meant by virtual property?

Heather

[baquitania]

Inkskin:

I've never played a MUD, but I think pixelscapes another member here use to run one of her own. As I believe it, these are all in character evolving stories, and you basically chat in character, that's the closest way I can explain it.

As for the virtual property, I'm not absolutely certain how this works, but as I understand it... the character you play can be sold to another person on line to play, that or items they carry can be exchanged somehow... Items probably that the game does not generate very often, so it's the rarity of these things that make them worth something, as they enhance play...

I'm strictly a 1 person (3rd person view, sometimes 3/4 top angle) graphic PC player. And they do have the ability to play through network servers with upto 7 other players alondside you.

But I've only done shoot em up games like that, where you run around a virtual setting, picking up weapons and basically sniping one another... Great way to let off steam :D However don't choose to be a Marine in Alien vs Predator... yer basically a meat puppet :(

I agree with Elankat, maybe we've just confused you, I'll go back to MP...

"say no more say no more SAY - NO - MORE!!!"

Bobby

[inkskin]

Originally posted by baquitania
Inkskin:
I agree with Elankat, maybe we've just confused you, I'll go back to MP...

"say no more say no more SAY - NO - MORE!!!"

Bobby

It really isn't that hard to confuse me*wink,wink*

[Elankat]

Regarding virtual property, it's pretty much what Bobby said.

For example, in Ultima Online, if you have enough money, you can build a house. Houses allow you to horde more stuff and get ahead in the game by giving you a safe place to stay and to sell things. There wasn't enough room to build houses after a while, so people who owned houses started selling them for real money and transferring house ownership to the person who paid. The same held true for money, magic items, and rare items. Since it can take a lot of real life time for a person to earn enough money in the game, people are willing to pay real cash so that they can save the time it would take to "earn" the items in the game. Right now, my friend and I still own 3 large houses in UO that would probably sell on ebay for $200 a piece and several million gold that generally goes for $20 per million. Since I played UO for over 3 years, I have acquired a lot of "stuff."