Warm Stone - Chapter 6

The adventures of Alyssa continue in this chapter! She’s one of my favorite pieces of this story to write, even though we’re still in the early inception stages of her plot branch. There are a lot of exciting turns to be taken with her.

With the links to previous chapters fixed, I hope you all can actually begin reading again. Let me know your thoughts! Writers are creatures of attention. We crave it. So let your opinions, both positive and negative, be known!

Warm Stone
Chapter 1 - http://www.mediafire.com/view/?o137wpyg673zvod
Chapter 2 - http://www.mediafire.com/view/?7lrt03dcgai8gtm
Chapter 3 - http://www.mediafire.com/view/?75mwrf7fcx0zamb
Chapter 4 - http://www.mediafire.com/view/?874fd9cgds520oo
Chapter 6 - http://www.mediafire.com/view/?y4e652ufh22j505

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Official Author Page - http://www.facebook.com/julliangmortimer

"Wii U: First Impressions" or "Wiik #1 Complete!"

The Wii U has officially been out for a week now. As such, I thought today would be a good day for me to give some of my thoughts on this fledgling console.

To give a bit of background - I am one of those people who has been (mostly) disappointed in the creative direction of Nintendo lately. I remember my fervor back when the Nintendo 64 was new and exciting. I was around ten years old. They set up a display at my local Toys R’ Us two months before launch, allowing people to play Mario 64. Back then, that was all Nintendo needed to blow everyone’s mind.

Even before that, I was an avid Super Nintendo fan. That was my first gaming system and I feel a tremendous amount of nostalgia for it. I cannot tell you how many days were spent jumping over Goombas and obsessing over how adorable Yoshi was (his cameo in Mario 64 was enough to make me go through the gauntlet and get every single Star).

But then came the Gamecube. It looked weird, the controller was utterly baffling, and it used a disc format that was literally inferior. This last part felt like a red flag, in particular. Hadn’t Nintendo learned their lesson with the cartridges of the Nintendo 64? Why did they deliver a machine incapable of doing everything that the competition boasted (most importantly, playing DVDs)?

I was one of the few who felt cautiously optimistic upon the announcement of the Wii. What harm could there be in letting Nintendo try and redefine gaming controls? At the time it felt like a cool idea. I saw the dangers of the gimmick and chose to believe that Nintendo knew what they were doing.

The only reason I didn’t get a Wii at launch, despite the stumble of the Gamecube, was because I couldn’t afford it at that point in my life. However when I began reading reviews (and started thinking back as early as the Nintendo 64) I began to notice a disturbing trend…

To put it simply, Nintendo is absolutely terrible at keep their systems relevant. The cartridges of the Nintendo 64, the discs of the Gamecube, and then the general hardware power of the Wii - all these things pointed towards the fact that Nintendo lives only for the “now”.

Don’t get me wrong, such a philosophy can be a lot of fun to apply in the real world. But when you’re buying a computer you want to know that your computer will be capable of running all the programs you want for as long as possible. If you pick up a vacuum at the store you wouldn’t want it to be incapable of cleaning certain kinds of messes, either. Nintendo has a great beat on the pulse of the current and the casual fans. They know what we want, plain and simple. That said, they are terrible at looking towards the future.

Does the Wii U buck this trend?

In short, it doesn’t look like it. No Blu-Ray format, a very small (initial) set of hard drives for memory, and the system specs are only a little (if even that much) ahead of current consoles. When the next wave of Playstation and Xbox are released, the Wii U is very likely to become obsolete.

Now do I regret my decision to buy a Wii U?

Absolutely not.

For starters, I didn’t own a Wii. Which meant I missed out on a number of exclusive gems such as Mario Galaxy, The Last Story, and all those ever-so-sexy Zelda games (just to name a few). I have told people that if you didn’t buy a Wii then the Wii U is absolutely worth the price of admission. I stand by this statement resolutely.

I’ve spent the majority of my time on the Wii U playing The Last Story (a charming and wonderful game, which will likely receive a dedicated post all for itself in the future), but I did take a moment or two in order to glance over my Wii U games (Scribblenauts Unlimited and Nintendo Land) and see what the system is capable of.

Scribblenauts Unlimited really brought home the idea that the Wii U is basically a giant Nintendo DS. The use of a second screen and a stylus makes the gameplay seamlessly identical to the previous games in the series. I am a big fan of the Scribblenauts franchise and I didn’t miss a step launching into Scribblenauts Unlimited.

I find the idea of a giant DS novel. However, it is hardly the breakout revolution that the original Wii made for controller design (whether you agree with this or not, it is a fact that Microsoft and Sony rushed to imitate what the Wii did for controls, with the Kinect and Move platforms).

Nintendo Land is where I found the things which make the Wii U special. This makes sense, as that was the entire design purpose behind the game.

Nintendo Land is little more than a minigame collection with a theme park wallpaper coated over it. The game allows you to explore and customize a theme park as you play games to earn coins. It’s through the various games that I learned what the Wii U could really do.

Whether I was rotating the gamepad manually to steer a car, pointing it at the screen to “aim” arrows, or navigating my way through invisible obstacles using the touch screen, I was thoroughly having fun the entire time. In particular I love the idea of the gamepad screen and the television screen displaying different images of the same scene - this could be used to heighten the cinematic feel of some games to great effect, if ever taken advantage of.

My one major complaint is that when using the gyroscope in the gamepad to control the camera, I frequently found myself disoriented. This never improved and I sincerely hope that Nintendo abandons the idea altogether before releasing an attempt at a AAA title with this control mechanic.

Overall, I am happy to have a Wii U. Playing classic Wii games has been worth it, but I’m also excited to see what Nintendo has in store for the future. The gamepad could create some wholly unique gaming experiences - something I’m plenty excited to explore. Will the Wii U keep me from buying the next Playstation or Xbox? Probably not. But I still think it’s a worthy investment.

"The Potential of Star Wars Episode VII: Part 3" or "A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away..."

My first two posts were very much concerned with the “now” of the big news, analyzing and defending why I found myself optimistic for Star Wars Episode VII. But to close out my reaction to all this, I wanted to look back on the past and see what Star Wars really means to me.

Then things took a turn. Actual concrete news began to pour out about Episode VII, much faster than I had anticipated. Suddenly a screenwriter was confirmed for the project. This added another wrinkle to my thoughts.

So let’s begin with the official announcement that Michael Arndt is confirmed as the writer of Star Wars Episode VII.

I consider this to be a move firmly in the right direction. Little Miss Sunshine had a few flaws. In particular, it was largely very obvious, written in broader strokes than a lot of other dramas.  But it was a movie with heart. A movie with several layers of subtlety, too. And those were the two most glaring omissions from Episodes I-III.

Then there’s the fact that Arndt also wrote Toy Story 3. Anyone who has seen Toy Story 3 knows that it is a work of genius, and possibly the best film in that particular franchise. Again, it was a film with a lot of heart.

Honestly, I think Michael Arndt has a great Star Wars script in him. The only possible hiccup may come from his inexperience at writing tent pole action films. But we will get to see his hand at that soon, too - Arndt is writing The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. With that due to be released in November 2013, we will have a taste of what a giant action film written by him looks like, and an even clearer idea of what we might be able to expect from Star Wars Episode VII.

This ties directly into why I remain so optimistic for the new trilogy.

One of my favorite scenes in A New Hope is quite early in the film. After finding out that he won’t be allowed to enlist in the pilot academy, a young Luke Skywalker stares out at the horizon of Tattooine from his small farm home. The twin suns are setting, the sky is orange and shades of nighttime blue, and the music swells into a beautiful crescendo. The moment has heart. The moment has genuine emotion to it. And I cannot think of a single moment in the prequel trilogy that matches this simple scene.

My hope is that Arndt will bring a strong emotional center back to the franchise. It seems to be the uniting component in all of his previous work, so I don’t consider myself overly-optimistic for thinking he has that potential.

Let’s also not forget the news that Episode VIII and IX now have writers as well, in the form of Simon Kinberg (who wrote Sherlock Holmes and the upcoming X-Men: Days of Future Past) and Lawrence Kasdan (responsible for a little flick, maybe you heard of it, The Empire Strikes Back). It is presently unclear if they will be co-writing both films, or if each of them is writing a different script, but both of these strike me as hires with immense possibility. Especially Kasdan, who many people credit with the best film in the franchise.

With screenwriters now in place for all three films, it seems as though Disney really is intent on giving us a new Star Wars film every two years. Love it or hate it, this is the reality we live in. I’m personally loving it. I like their choice in writing team already. Now all we need is director news.

My personal hope? I want different directors for all three films. If I got my pick then I would go with Joe Jonhston, Guillermo del Toro, and Joss Whedon. Probably in that exact order, too. Johnston could bring a fun factor to it while also keeping the first film relatively safe, del Toro would make for a hell of a cool (and darker) middle chapter, and then I can easily see Whedon bringing us a crowd-pleaser of a finale (I’d also expect him to successfully inject a few painful twists along the way, though). But this is just my dream team of directors for the project.

I feel I’ve quite thoroughly explained why I feel a new hope (sorry, I had to) for these impending films. Let me ask one question though, to the naysayer’s and pessimists who believe this is a terrible idea - why do you feel that way? What is gained from expecting the worst, at this point?

I’d encourage you to think back to before the prequel trilogy. In those days leading up to the release of Star Wars Episode I, how did you feel? I, for one, felt as though my inner child was back for more. My mind was abuzz with the infinite possibility presented by new Star Wars films. Epic adventures filled with dashing heroes and sweeping majesty played in my mind every night before I went to sleep. Sure, we didn’t get the perfect new Star Wars films we all hoped for, but does that devalue the excitement and anticipation which came before them?

My final argument is simply this… there is so much more to be gained from optimism now. Because even if the films turn out to be disappointments, we could all share in the hope and joy which comes from gathering together in friendship and celebrating what may come next. There is something genuinely important in those late night debates among friends, in chatting on message boards with strangers about ideal casting choices, and there even exists merit in jumping on any new rumors about casting or directors.

Because more than anything, the true heart of Star Wars lives within the passion of the fans. The only day that Star Wars is truly a lost cause is when we surrender our enthusiasm for apathy.

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Official Author Page - http://www.facebook.com/julliangmortimer

Warm Stone - Chapter 5

This chapter was a long time coming, and I’m sorry about that. I’ll save you all the details of my personal life and just leave it at this - apartment hunting consumes a lot of time and energy. But I’ve found an apartment, don’t have to deal with moving until the end of December, and am going on vacation soon! This means my mind will be freed up from all those everyday worries, which will result in a lot of writing.

Here’s the fifth chapter of Warm Stone, wherein an even more random set of characters are introduced. I’d like to state, for the record, that I absolutely know what the endgame of this novel looks like. So while it may all seem chaotic now, I promise the strands will come together in a manner that is (hopefully) very cohesive when all is said and done!

Warm Stone Chapter 1 - http://www.mediafire.com/view/?o137wpyg673zvod
Warm Stone Chapter 2 - http://www.mediafire.com/view/?7lrt03dcgai8gtm
Warm Stone Chapter 3 - http://www.mediafire.com/view/?7lrt03dcgai8gtm
Warm Stone Chapter 4 - http://www.mediafire.com/view/?874fd9cgds520oo

Warm Stone Chapter 5 - http://www.mediafire.com/view/?8hfeakawvq3wdmq

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Official Author Page - http://www.facebook.com/julliangmortimer

Warm Stone - Chapter 4

Admittedly, progress has been a little slower on Warm Stone than I expected. I'm going on a trip, visiting home, in a little over a week. On top of that I am apartment hunting, and trying to make time for people. Basically my writing has taken a significant hit.

That said, I am still fully committed to getting 50,000 words down by the end of November. That's 13 days! So if I manage to achieve my goal, there should be more Warm Stone soon, and at a very rapid pace.

Warm Stone Chapter 1 - http://www.mediafire.com/view/?o137wpyg673zvod
Warm Stone Chapter 2 - http://www.mediafire.com/view/?7lrt03dcgai8gtm
Warm Stone Chapter 3 - http://www.mediafire.com/view/?7lrt03dcgai8gtm
Warm Stone Chapter 4 - http://www.mediafire.com/view/?874fd9cgds520oo

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Official Author Page - http://www.facebook.com/julliangmortimer

Mass Effect: Babel - Chapter 1

 And now it’s time to start Mass Effect: Babel, another piece of fan fiction!

Ever since the release of the first game, I have been thoroughly obsessed with the Mass Effect franchise. I’ve read every book, every comic, uncovered every secret and corner of the games, and even made it a point to absorb any and all behind-the-scenes information I can find. Simply put, it’s one of my great and passionate fandoms. It was only with the greatest of care that I’ve crafted this story set in a universe that I so thoroughly love.

If you are new to this universe, and do not mind the spoilers, then it is very important to know this - I have included all the information a newcomer would need to hop right into this universe. While there will be a fair amount of information to take in, you need no prior knowledge of previous Mass Effect games to grasp the majority of this story.

If you want to avoid spoilers for the Mass Effect series, then this is probably where you should stop reading.

It’s set during Mass Effect 2, after the Suicide Mission and Lair of the Shadow Broker, but before Arrival. I’ll be using my own Shepard’s choices (as many do) for the story, although I’ll be using Male Shepard’s “canon” name and appearance. Any decisions relevant to the plot will be explained in some form or another within the context of the text itself, I promise! If it weren’t obvious, here is the final disclaimer – there are large spoilers for Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2 peppered throughout the entire fanfic. With that out of the way, I hope you enjoy the story!

Mass Effect: Babel Chapter 1 - http://www.mediafire.com/view/?5ipsy2b01bsqb9b

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Cover Art by Tonomura Bix - http://tonomurabix.deviantart.com

Official Author Page - http://www.facebook.com/julliangmortimer

Mass Effect Giveaway

To celebrate the impending launch of Mass Effect: Babel, it’s time for another contest! Starting today (November 15th) and going until the end of the month (the deadline will be December 1st), see how many of your friends you can get to subscribe to my official Facebook page (a link to which can be found at the bottom of the page)!

Do you know people who love fan fiction? Then sell them on Spiderman: Revenge and Mass Effect: Babel!

Or maybe your friends are the types who like to read dramatic books? Well, tell them about Warm Stone, my half-finished novel following the parallel lives of a ranch hand and the characters he creates through writing.

There will also be original science fiction coming sometime in 2013, along with blogs that are (hopefully) fun to read. Basically, there are tons of reasons to get someone involved! Lots of ways to sell!

And what prizes are involved this time?

The Mass Effect Trilogy box set, for the system of your choosing (Playstation 3, X-Box 360, or PC). One of the greatest sci-fi epics in gaming, and you’ll get the whole thing for free!

 Also, a Mass Effect poster created by Henry William design (link: http://www.etsy.com/shop/WilliamHenryDesign).

These will be yours, and all you need to do is get your friends to subscribe. Just like the Avengers contest, the person who brings the most new subscribers to the page will win. Be sure to have them tell me that you sent them, otherwise you won’t be able to get proper credit.

But there’s more! If we get over 100 page likes by the end of the contest, then a runner-up will also win a copy of the box set! If we get over 120 page likes, the person in third place will receive a copy of the poster from Henry William design.

Thank you all for your support! Let’s see if we can’t get the page beyond 100 subscribers before the end of the year!

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Official Author Page - http://www.facebook.com/julliangmortimer