So...been a while hasn't it? I'll admit, being something of an introvert I don't have much of a draw in engaging with the masses as it were, and have been content with just sharing my stories and commissioned pieces and seeing if folks enjoy some of the things that I do. And it seems that people indeed do. So I thought I'd call upon you fine folks for a little group brainstorming to give me a hand.

As some of you may be familiar with, I have a character called Void, a goo based character in a vaguely defined superhero setting of mine. He operates as an unknown vigilante in the city he lives in (where superheroes operate as something between police and private security contractors in terms of legal authority and enforcement) so that he can weaponize fear against criminal elements in a way that registered heroes really can't do legally. The reputation he's cultivated is of some kind of demon (as nobody is quite sure what he is) that stalks the city and hunts down evil in a predatory way. As he's not a registered hero, he feels he can more effectively "scare straight" criminals (regardless of how effective or ethical the methodology is) if people think he is beholden to no rules like superheroes are, and also that he is too "alien" to reason or bargain with.

Here's where I've run into a snag I've yet to untangle to my satisfaction. See, the original conceit was that he'd use his goo form to capture people from time to time with witnesses who would believe he had absorbed and digested the offender, and later release them. However, as a "mysterious vigilante" who doesn't have Batman's finances, making people "disappear" is not easy. Releasing them in the next town over with threats of violence if they reveal themselves I can't see being sustainable, since it seems it wouldn't be long until someone spilled the beans or they were just found again (quite possibly by being arrested again), and once the secret's out of what Void's really doing, the fear factor drops. I had a notion that he forced them into witness protection to disappear, but then it wouldn't be long before the authorities caught wind of the pattern and, again, his cultivated reputation is likely to go out the window without someone on the inside functionally cooperating with him. I don't see the local or federal authorities covertly allowing his activities and it'd take more than a few people helping him out to get these people into witness protection with few questions asked and the right paperwork filled out.

So what I'd like some feedback on is if the witness protection angle may be more workable than I give it credit for, and if not, what might Void do instead to instill fear in criminal elements that's not based around the theatrics of pretending to kill people that works as a solo operation?

So! As I've reestablished recently with myself, I seem to work fairly well when there's a reasonably solid deadline ahead of me. And wouldn't you know it, Halloween is about two and a half months away. I've had fun with Halloween in the past, and I aim to do so once again. This year, with a vore themed haunted house text game! Not going to be so ambitious as to have it "finished" by the holiday, but I fully intend to have, at the very least, a reasonably established demo that can be played and enjoyed. And, after a little googling, I found a convenient house floor plan that served my purposes rather well, rather than try to design how a house of that size properly goes together and what all would be in it.

However, that led me to a minor snag/wrinkle; there are two rooms that I don't know what to do with. One, according to the floor plan, is a "Bonus" room, so it's clearly one not marked out for a specific purpose ahead of time, and is a pretty sizable room compared to most. The other is "pool storage". However, there is no indoor pool and the game restricts players to the building itself (and the front porch) by choice, so having a room for storing pool supplies seems a little awkward to me, and I'd rather make the room something else.

That's where you all come in. I'd like your suggestion on how I might re-purpose those rooms. The bonus room is on the second floor, windows on three sides and no outside access. The pool room is on the lower level (I believe the house is built into a hill, so the "ground floor" is the middle of three floors), in a corner next to the exercise room.

Yeah, so, been a while since I did a journal, bumping off the old one and asking a question of you folks. So tomorrow (still 8/7 as of writing) is 8/8, what some folks like to call "Vore day" for punny reasons. As I should think most of you folks are aware, I'm into vore, and it's been a bit since I've really posted much new. So! Thinking of doing some "flash fiction" to getting something done fairly rough and quick to be posted by the end of tomorrow. What I'd like, for those inclined to reply, are suggestions. No, this is not a request call, but is there a character of mind you'd like to see in a vorish scenario? A particular form of vore you'd like to read? A scenario that's piqued your interests you haven't seen done before? Lay it one me! I may well agree with you and make something along those lines, but I'm overall curious what folks might want to see from me that I may be able to satisfy with a little quick something.

Been a while since I wrote a journal. So anyway, in a bit of a funk, if folks couldn't tell. So I thought I'd ask if there's anything in particular that you'd like to see from me. Continuation of something I'd done and sorta left hanging? A particular character you want to see in the limelight again? One of my more experimental works you'd like me to return to? A concept, theme, or even tone of work? To be clear, this is not a request submission. This is more of a "you watch me for a reason, so feel free to speak up to perhaps get more of why you watch me" sort of deal. So if there's something you'd like to see me do, speak up. I'd love to hear from you.

Wow, how the time flies. A part of me is tempting to write out a morose journal lamenting all I’ve yet to achieve in that time, at the wasted time and lost opportunities.

However, it’s not like I’ve spent 30 years doing nothing. The first 18 were spent growing up and being in school and such, and the next 3.5 working my butt off in college. Going by that math, I’ve only really been “out in the world” with total freedom to follow any path and embrace the adult world for roughly 8 years or so. 8 years is both a long time and a little time. Have I made the most of it? I’m sure I haven’t, to my regret, but I can not say with honesty that it was a complete waste either. But looking ahead, I’ve still got a good 30-40 years ahead of me before I consider something like retirement.

So, 8 years behind me in a sense, and perhaps 40 ahead. So while I’ve gone from young man to an established adult without getting where I “want”, and that’s still a less than clearly defined thing, I still have a lot of time available to me. I still have time. As the old adage, or perhaps cliché, goes; it’s never too late. So yeah, I’m 30 years old, not where I want to be, but still looking up and working on changing that. One I crest the “hill” at 40, I’m aiming for the view to be more to my liking.

A thought came to me a while back. Traditionally, inflatable/balloonie characters are depicted either in their normal proportions or ballooned out from inflation. Given that their nature lends them directly to the inflation kink, this is of little surprise. But what about a scenario where such a character keeps there shape at very high levels of pressure/PSI? What kind of things can an inflatable do if their internal PSI was at 50? Or going even more fantasy, 500? I intend to explore this territory, and would be interested in others doing the same.

They say that it's the little things that can mean so much, and I feel that I have to agree. So, for a while, my mood's been fairly low and it's been hard for me to feel happy or genuinely smile. Last night, I was playing a session of Pathfinder with some friends. We entered a room that had an impressive buffet set out which I was suspicious of. Of of the party members, Jack, decides that he hasn't had a real meal in too long and decides to try some. Before long, he finds that he can't stop eating. One of the players notes, "Something's wrong with Jack". and I almost immediately respond with:

" Something's up with Jack, something's up with Jack. "

And pretty much the whole group just busts...out...laughing.

Definitely made me feel good at the time, and remembering it still brings a smile to my face. It really is the little things sometimes.

I intend to begin research of my own soon, but having a few extra eyes never hurt. I am looking for an artist to do some animated .gif pieces, preferably sprite level (in part because I want to keep a decent budget). The minimum I'm looking for is 17 total frames to cover 8, 3 frame animations, with more frames per animation if affordable. Does anyone happen to know any artists like that off-hand and if so, are they open to commissions either now or down the road?

Okay, I'll be honest here. I've made a few attempts at CYOAs that began to sputter, I said I wouldn't abandon them, and did. And once again, I am getting the itch to give it another go after seeing and following a handful of such setups. Setups such as A Rabbit Astray, Predator Practice, and Pred Quest 3. Yes, they are vorishly inclined, and I am leaning that way as well. What I would like to know is if anyone is still interested in my taking another shot as such an interactive fiction.

The basic set-up would be that the actions of the protagonist would be determined by votes of the viewers, likely using strawpoll to present options and collect votes. There will be a small number of basic stats/attributes that can fluctuate and can have an impact on how a selected option plays out. I am unsure whether I want to make this simply an evolving story that just continues until a natural end, viewer choices effecting how scenes play out, or as more of a "game" where failure is a distinct, though unlikely, possibility.

So, what do you all think? Are you interested in participating in an interactive fiction penned by myself? Would you prefer general or kink (vore, inflation, other)? Make it more like a collaborative writing effort, or more like a game you're trying to win? I would love to hear your thoughts

Because why not? Curious about something about myself? About my characters? Go ahead and ask. Anything goes, and I'll (or my characters will) answer to the best of my (or their) ability and comfort.

So,  Derilect is looking to build an artwork portfolio to facilitate moving into a job he wants rather than one that simply brings in a paycheck. What does this mean for you, and why am I talking about it? Well, because it's part of a stipulation on getting in on a deal he's offering and I don't mind trying to get the word out for him, and because it's a deal I know a lot of people are likely to be interested in: free artwork.

Yes, free art from Derilect. Now, there are some caveats, and it's not simply a request thing. He's looking to build a portfolio to show to prospective employers, and while he could do all personal work, he's decided to allow the opportunity for others to be the subject matter. So, bear in mind that whom he selects will be partially dependent on how he feels their character contributes to his portfolio. As such, he's most interested in humans, mythological creatures, and "unique" designs. Not fitting these preferences won't automatically disqualify you, but if your character is along those lines, your odds are higher of catching his eye.

The other stipulation to the free art is that you must give him complete artistic freedom in the piece. This can mean slight alterations to the character (such as adding clothes if they don't normally wear any, or demonstrating abilities not part of their normal character). Your character's inclusion, then, is primarily on base appearance. If you are a stickler in precisely how you want your character portrayed, then I am afraid this is not for you.

If, however, you think you have a character who may add to Derilect's portfolio and would like to see what he may do with complete artistic freedom of your design, then head on over to his journal: http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/7635800/ to get the full details and rules, and perhaps will you not only get free art from a talented artist, but you just might help him land a more desirable job than he currently has.

Okay, so, as some of you may have noticed, my first foray into the Quest game engine was a success. Since then, I've done a lot of fiddling and testing to see what works, what doesn't, and how to execute certain concepts. Mechanically, I feel I have a firm grasp of it; far from mastered, but enough to make something with a bit of depth. And now I have a touch of a snag; while I still believe in the philosophy "make what you love", I feel that only goes so far in an interactive work.

So I ask, for those of you interested in vore (as given my gallery, I think it's safe to assume some of you are), what sort of elements would you like to see in a vore inclusive text game? Don't limit it by genre, I'm open to any input so long as it doesn't require visual art (remember, text game). Is there something you've played in a prior text based game (I've played a few myself) that you found you really enjoyed? Is there a feature that, were it part of said game, would have made it more fun? What parts of vore do you feel work best in an interactive? Should the act of vore be made a matter of challenge and conflict, or should it be open and casual for the player, despite the game context (or even in line with the game context? Should it even be in the spotlight, or more of a side feature?

Essentially, I want your opinions of what you think would make a fun vore game, to help me design the underlying mechanics of the game to hopefully appeal to a wider audience than myelsf.

Not sure if I've mentioned this before, but I've contemplated on and off making a vore themed game using the Quest game, as I've seen a few here on FA. So today, as part of a three day weekended from work, I decided to jump into it and see what happened. What I found, is that Quest is, so far with some tutorials, really, really easy to use. How easy? Let's go down the list of the features I worked out while testing some ideas:

The ability to choose how to devour a prey NPC (choosing oral or cock after initiating devour)
Having different descriptions when looking at a prey outside or in your stomach (inventory)
Restoring digested prey with a reformation object
Being "locked" in a room until an NPC is "dealt" with (AKA devoured)

So, by and large, I feel like I got most of the fundamentals of the vore aspects of the game down in an afternoon, which was much faster than I thought I'd be able to do it. Now, all I've got is some mechanics tests as it were, and it's a long, long way from being a "game", but hey, a lot of what I thought would be tricky was almost too simple, so that bodes well for the rest of the game.

Now, the hard part is figuring out the context that'll actually make this a game. I have a few ideas, most different from each other with varying levels of complexity, and I need to figure out which direction to do. However, I am interested in hearing from your guys/gals. If you're interested in a vore game, what sort of things would you be interested in, in a player as pred (primarily) setup?

If this manages to take off, and I get a positive response from the beta, I may be inclined to include cameos for interested parties. We'll see.

Sigh...why does it always seem like I'm always most mentally creative when I can't productively channel it, like at work or lying in bed trying to get to sleep, but never when I'm at my computer? And then when I do get something written down? It just doesn't seem to have the same, well, spark that it used to. It just seems to come out flat. I don't know, I just wish I could write with the feeling it has in my head, the way I feel I used to write.

Anyone have any tips for getting out of a rut? Seems I've fallen into a deeper one in the last week or two.

A few days early, but I thought I'd bring up a few things now. And, well, I feel like I need to get my last journal off my front page without deleting it. So anyway, as is the case for many people, my last New Years resolutions were kind of a bust, for one reason or another. This year, rather than very specific goals, I plan to set more general ones. I think when you set very specific goals, that makes them easier to trip up on, and once broken, it's all to easy to give up on the intent behind them because the established resolution has already been broken. If you give yourself a little wiggle room, you can slide a little bit without "breaking" the resolution, thus keeping you on the path of why you set it in the first place even if you fall off a bit. So, what I'm looking to accomplish next year includes:

*Write more
*Read more
*Re-establish where I am in life

The last basically boils down to "I don't want to keep working where I am, so take steps to move up and out of it". Do I want to make a living writing? Do I want to get into game design? Is that design video game or board game? Ask those hard questions of "Where do I see myself in five years" and break it down, step by sub-step as to what needs to be done to achieve that. I know I'm capable, it's just working out what it is I need to do so I can get something of a definitive plan and execute on it.

The first one was more specific last year (think it was 1 short story a month or something, which fell off right away). But the principal behind it remains the same; the more you do something, the better you tend to become. So I just need to keep writing to hone my craft once more. Now, I have a million and one ideas it seems competing for my attention, and I figured, what the heck, let's see if there's something my watchers may have been waiting to see from me again. I know a few of you have mentioned things now and again, but for records sake, do feel free to bring them up again here. But, to add a little focus, would any of you like to see:

-More on Derian? (A reality traveling wolf with wings searching for home, unaware of the forces tied to him or even the whole truth of himself.)

-A return of Conall, Sharon, and Diana? (A wolf who fell in love with a sentient inflatable, now in a working "love triangle" with a flesh and blood girlfriend.)

-More on Vexren? (A sizable raccoon taur who travels the lands on foot lending aid both physical and mental to those in need, who harbors a dangerous secret.)

-More on Karina? (A jackal woman of a fantasy frontier who experiments with magic have left her spiritually wounded, and whose magical aptitude would make her feared if discovered)

-More on Desmond (A four tailed black furred Kitsune who indulges his own, and others, whims within the realm of the mind)

-More on Void? (A mysterious goo-like vigilante in a world of supers)

-Something just in a general category of my interests, mostly vore, inflation, TF, and goo stuff?

I'm interested to hear what you all would be interested in seeing more of from me. I know (and have been told), that I really ought to just write for myself and simply share with the masses, but I really would like to hear from you. What got you into following/watching me? What subject matter did you enjoy reading from me? Is there something you're dying to see a continuation from that's been collecting dust in my gallery? Honestly, as I've been having some difficulty drumming of motivation for focus of my own accord, maybe if the "masses" (and I use that term loosely) are itching to see something from me, it might spur me to get a little focus.

All right, I'm going to be up front here, what follows is essentially an emotional release. If you stay to read, that's great. If you leave a few words, that's even better.

Going on six years active here, 300 Watchers and 10,000+ page views. Large numbers that feel like landmarks, at least to me. Can't help but feel like a lot of the magic is gone though, and been trying to figure out where I left it. I get little sparks, every now and then. Ideas that capture my attention, and then just kind of...sit. Don't know why, but it just seems like whenever I try to execute on anything, it's like I get, well, paralyzed. I can brainstorm and conceptualize great whenever the opportunity to execute isn't really there, like at work (where I don't have access to a computer and using a smartphone could get me in trouble on the shop floor), but when the capacity's there, like at home with my computer, like I am right now, I just...I don't really know. I feel like I can't write because I fear nobody will care or will be put off by it or something, even if comments on my work demonstrate otherwise. I want to work on designing games but it's like I fear the mountain of work before me and that it'll all amount to a disaster that was a waste of time that I could have spent succeeding. Except I look back and it seems like all the time I spent avoiding failure, I've spent doing nothing. Not succeeding. I don't want to call it fear, but I'm not sure what else to call it, to be honest. It's like I'm a walking contradiction or paradox. I don't "feel" like this or that, but I have no other way to define it that I can think of.

Part of all this I think stems from some kind of emotional shift from child to adult that I never fully made. Growing up, I was told I was very mature for my age. The problem now seems to be that while I was mature for my age back then, I don't think it grew from there. I'm 28 and it's like I want to keep living like I was 15. I understand the responsibilities of an adult, or at least I believe I do, but I sometimes feel like I never really made the full transition to adulthood, mentally or emotionally. It still just sounds weird as hell to me to be called "Mr." or "Sir". Of course, I'm sure working a dead end factory job isn't helping. What I need is a job I can enjoy doing. But like with my creative ventures, the initiative to work on that hits the wall of paralysis; I don't even know where to begin, and so the journey never begins.

I mean, I have friends, mostly those I've met online, and I'll be the first to say that they've done the majority of the heavy lifting there, reaching out to me, which has meant a lot. Can't say I feel I've fully reciprocated that, though I'm sure they'd disagree. I don't really know why I don't reach out to them more. I mean, besides my having social skills akin to a rock. That, and it does seem like I feel like I have nothing to say, or don't know what to say, so I don't poke them to even say "hi". That kinda gets back to what I was saying earlier, how I've changed. Back in the day, the company of myself was enough. Now, it isn't, and I just don't know how to approach people, how to talk to people, how to properly introduce myself, and so on. My friends took the time to get to know me, got me to open up, took the first step (from my point of view anyway), and I struggle to do the same. Heck, there's someone here on FA whom I'd like to get to know better, but I just seem to find myself saying all the wrong things, and even if he knows I mean well, it makes getting to know him better just that much more difficult.

I'm not really even sure what else to say at this point. This wasn't originally intended to be a release, but I just needed to. I'm tired, my mood is low, and I feel like I'm kind of emotionally spent now. I just...needed to say all that I guess. I know there are people who care, who may or may not read this, but unfortunately that knowledge doesn't help like I feel it should. Anyway, if you made it this far, thanks.

So, a few days ago, I noticed a YCH piece being done for one  Fabelwesen of his/her creative demon creature of the same name. Liking the composition, and the chance to be portrayed with the creative creation, I for one nabbed a spot. Now, however, nobody else has claimed any of the 3 remaining slots, which I find a touch surprising. So, if any of you are interested in your character being within the belly of an emotion draining demon creature that doesn't digest it's prey (as it digest emotions instead), then head on over here: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/18052202/ and take a slot. It's not auction based, and the prices I believe are fair for the finish quality.

So  Servo117 is holding a little raffle. A commission is going to feature several prey, and rather than just whip up a bunch of random characters, he's opening it for viewers to get in for free. Of course, it's simply a matter of allowing him to use your characters; you are in no way joint commissioning the piece, of course. But hey, it's a chance to have your character illustrated for free, and if you're into vore and not afraid of the whims of fate in how you go, well, why not? If you're interested, you can find more info here: http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/7096570/

I'm tired and despite a desire to write some fiction my brain just will not cooperate, so here, have a random journal to prove that I'm more than just a ghost here.

There are some things I've seen in lit (or cartoons, so stretching things a bit) that rather get under my skin, especially when seen multiple times. Things that just strike me as poor/sloppy/uncreative storytelling. Here are three that I have found most grating, formed up from my random wandering thoughts at work:

Most of a character's defining characteristics stem from a single mini-adventure

I really, really don't want to believe that people can be this simple. Now, to clarify, yes, there are pivotal moments in one's life that can define them. That I don't have an issue with. It's when 3+ notable, and distinct, characteristics are explained from a single period in history that I have to roll my eyes.

Primary Example: The opening to "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade". That whole thing just struck me as lame. Some of the major defining elements of Indiana Jones are that he is an action archeologist, wears a fedora, uses a whip, and has a fear of snake. In a single mini-adventure that is less than 10 minutes I'm sure, three of those four elements are rooted to that one segment. It just seems really hooky and forced.

The "Subtlety Blatant Villain"

The villain who's portrayed to the readers with a big neon sign saying "I'm the villain" as the character laughs maniacally, figuratively speaking. The writer works too hard in the narrative to show how villainous and evil the individual is. What's worse, the protagonists who meet him all dislike him/her upon first meeting, though none know the reason why, even if he's affable and charming.

Primary Example: Prince Newell Shield of "Through Wolf's Eyes". I found the parts where the narrative followed him so annoying that when I reread the book (as it's still my favorite book) I tend to gloss over a lot of his segments. All his parts just feel like nothing more than showcasing how much of a villain he is, and it gets old fast, as he really doesn't have and depth, as "cunning" as he's portrayed to be. It doesn't help matters that, like stated above, every lead protagonist has an instant dislike of the man upon first meeting him, like they all subconsciously know he's the villain of the book.

Senseless Speech Impediment

This one's pretty much just a logic fallacy that I can thankfully say I've only seen once. I think most people here are familiar with the cliche of the "lost boy" speaking broken English, or at least grammatically incorrect. Things like "me am" instead of "I am" and such. However, it's kind of pathetic when the "lost boy" who is raised by people/things who speak perfect English still speaks with horribly broken grammer. It makes no, bloody, sense. Speech is a learned behavior, so if no one around them speaks like that, where did they learn it? One exception to this is actually also from "Through Wolf's Eyes", where a young woman was raised by wolves before reentering civilization. Her grammar was poor, but it was a conscious decision on her part; she spoke the way she did because it was the fastest way to say what she wanted.

Primary Example: Digimon (Data Squad). Can't remember off hand what season it was. Yeah, I like Digimon. For a cartoon, I felt it had good writing. However, there is a character who, as an infant, ended up in the digital world through an experimental mishap, at an age before he'd learned to talk. It's portrayed in the cartoon/anime that digimon speak perfect english (or Japanese, as that's the show's origin). I'm not sure whether it was a matter of dubbing, but despite growing up around those who spoke a language fluently, he speaks with horrendously broken grammar, leaving one to wonder where he learned to talk like that.

So, at work today, my mind wandered again and did that funny thing where two otherwise separate and random thoughts link up to form an idea. An idea I'm dubbing the "catsune" until I work up a better name. The connecting thoughts? The lore of 9 tailed Kitsune and the lore of cats having 9 lives. What meshed together is a being (likely feline in base) who can possess up to nine tails, each representing a life. If killed, they are restored to life in some manner, minus one tail. The only way to truly kill a "Catsune" is to kill one when possessing only one tail (their true tail), or to cut off their true tail (which will kill them instantly). As it is all but impossible to differentiate between a "Catsune's" true tail and their acquired tails (more on that in a bit), those who intend to kill a "Catsune" go with the shotgun approach of cutting off all their tails. This is made difficult in that the tail must be removed completely; if only partially severed, even the true tail will eventually grow back to full length. Getting into a position to do such a feat is no easy task.

Why might one go through all that effort to kill one? Primarily, it stems from how a "Catsune" acquire their extra tails, and through them, extra lives. They take it from others. From memories of tales telling of cats stealing a baby's breath (and usually killing the infant in the process I believe), the "Catsune" are capable of stealing a person's "last breath" taking it for their own, and acquiring another tail in the process. "Catsune" are born with only one tail, their true tail, meaning if you see one with a second, they have taken another's life. What isn't easy to tell, is the context. The process of stealing your last breath is actually a rather peaceful way to go, and there are places where, if one wishes to die (such as an elderly individual who wishes to retire peaceably for example, or one suffering from an incurable disease that causes a level of suffering), a "Catsune" can grant the request, extending their life in the process. There are those, however, who choose to acquire more tails, and thus a buffer from death (and perhaps increased personal power), by more aggressive means, and of course, tales of these individuals spread faster than the former.

Thoughts? That's all I've worked out so far, but I kinda like what little lore I've managed to cook up through my musing. Is anyone interested in learning more? Has someone else already done something similar? I admit, I'm a little worried about pursuing this to find I'm stepping on someone's toes.

First, I'd like to get a little attention to a project I'd love to see continue prosperously into the future. Some of you may remember my promotional journal for the beginning portions of the project, HC SVANT DRACONES (most often shortened to HSD). The rules and lore are getting a significant expansion in the first follow-up book, Core: Extended. I for one find it both an intriguing setting and system, and encourage you all to take a look and, if you like what you see, lend your support. There's still some nice backer rewards available from the Kickstarter, so why not have a look?

https://www.kickstarter.com/project.....-core-extended

On a semi-related topic, I've found myself mulling over some aspects of game design on the small scale, and while I have had difficulty in fully implementing them on my end, I thought I'd share them, and maybe even get your thoughts. First, I've been looking into making a text adventure game (yes, I do believe I have said this before, but I seem to be fighting myself to actually get progress made) and have been fiddling with a mechanics system to implement within it that keeps things reasonably simple while having decent depth. Here's the overview:

Your character has a set of stats (currently looking at Strength, Intelligence, Dexterity to keep things simple, this may change) as well as a pool of "Stamina". Many actions in the game will cost some degree of Stamina, with the most coming from "conflicts". "Conflicts", in this case, referring to anything that impedes the player from progressing down a path, be it a physical obstacle or some kind of enemy. There is always at least two different ways of dealing with a "conflict", corresponding to different core stats. Each has its own difficulty, and when compared to the stat, will show the player the odds of success of a particular choice. Each choice also has a different Stamina cost. As Stamina is not easily replenished during "adventuring" segments (as otherwise its conservation would be trivialized), the player needs to weigh risk/reward of comparing the difficulty of an option with the stamina cost. Granted, at times the easiest route is the least taxing, but only occasionally. A failure, so long as the Stamina loss does not drop to 0 or less, results in simply a lack of progress (and perhaps an alteration to the choices available). The wrinkle that adds a little depth is the possibility of a conflict being "taxing". When you make a selection, the system will generate a random number between 0 and your max Stamina. If that number is greater than your current Stamina total, the "conflict" is "taxing", costing additional Stamina (potentially double the original cost). So, the longer and harder you push yourself, the harder things will get as your mind and muscles get worn out. If your Stamina hits 0, you have fallen, succumbing to the obstacle and more than likely resulting in death (and if not, your adventure is still over by some other means). So yes, you can potentially overcome most conflicts in the game by simply having a high enough buffer of Stamina (some conflicts require certain criteria be met before victory can be achieved), but that logic won't work well when you find yourself running out of gas half-way through an adventure zone.

On a far simpler note, I've also been fiddling around with making a game out of writing...though admittedly with little success. One little idea that I think has potential to be fun is a simple little two dice system. Get yourself two dice of equal size (D6's are likely best for ease of finding) and some way to tell them apart, such as different colors. Keep to a single protagonist for simplicity, and whenever the protagonist comes into opposition with something, roll the dice, designating one for the protagonist and one for the conflict. If the protagonist has the higher result, he/she has overcome or made progress against the conflict. If the Conflict die is higher, the protagonist has suffered some form of setback or the situation gets worse. What happens, and to an extent how severe, is based on the context of the conflict, but these are not "save or die" moments, to be clear. Now, when you roll, also make note of what the difference in the dice was. So if the protagonist die was a 5 and the conflict die was a 2, that's a 3 point margin in favor of the protagonist. Track these points cumulatively for both "protagonist" and "conflict". When one side or the other had hit a designated target number (which will affect how long the story goes, as the higher the value, the more rolls it will likely take to get there), reach a conclusion to the story based on which side hit the mark first. So if the cumulative margin of victory for the protagonist hits the mark first, he/she has found a way to succeed in their objective, and if the conflict did, then they have unfortunately failed in their objective.

Okay, it seemed simpler in my head, but apparently it's wordy to explain. I'll admit, there seems to be something missing from the setup, but I haven't managed to put a finger on quite what. If you've thoughts, I'd love to hear them.

Anyway, just wanted to let my budding game designer do a little talking for a bit. As always, I'd love to hear feedback from any of you who find any of this interesting.

Forward: If you're interest in hearing me talk some personal stuff, continue reading. If you would like to "get to the point", skip the following paragraph.

Okay, so, a matter of pride has me wanting to make sure I have a story for you all on/by Halloween of a Halloween-ish theme, as I've been pretty good at doing that each year. However, we're getting to late July, I'm in a major creative dip at the moment, and I get the feeling I'm going to need all three months ahead of me to come up with, plot out, write, and finalize the work. Trick is, I've had a couple of ideas now that I've over-complicated/over-engineered in the name of making the project "more fun" on my end that they now all just look like daunting endeavors. Long story short, I've been trying to adapt various portions of tabletop RPGs to make a "game" out of crafting a story, and the more I get into it, the more the work to fun ration keeps slanting the wrong direction (AKA a lot of setup work for a little amusement at the end). A part of me still wants to figure out a way of adding a little random element to things, but I have yet to find a way to do so without it appearing as a mountain of extra work.

Now, in an attempt to simplify things again (kinda), I thought I'd just throw a question out here to you all (and it's that time of the night where it's too early to turn in and seemingly too late to seriously start anything) and see if I can get a little spark going. What sort of Halloween/horror themes and tropes might you be interested in seeing from me? Genre's open, so it may not necessarily be a "Scary" piece (heck, only one of my prior "Halloween" pieces was actually intended as "Horror"), just something that at least connects to Halloween or horror stories. Can connect with various fetish themes (vore, inflations, and TF being my primary interests here, though I'm mostly open) or be completely Safe For Work.

This is not a request callout, as I'm really only comfortable writing other's characters for a few close friends, but if there's something Halloween themed that you feel is underdone or that you've thought may be interested but have never seen before, pass it along, if you'd be so kind.

It's a question that seems to drive a fair number of my characters and concepts. Individuals that the world around them would call monster, who do not see themselves as such, and more often than not, are right. "Monster" is usually a black and white term, but I feel there is still a lot of grey area to explore. Granted, I am by no means the first and only to venture here, but at the same time I feel like it's perhaps a touch underused, especially on the more subtle side of things. Physical appearance can often draw out the term "monster", and is the basis of many a "Beauty and the Beast" story. But often the scarier form of "monster" is what one is capable of and, perhaps more importantly, what one is willing to do. If mere potential was enough to define a monster, Homo Sapiens could be called a race of monsters. Food for thought, isn't it? Power and it's use is what often comes into play with monsters for me, or at least the really scary ones. Morality, ethics, potential, and implications to me makes for scarier "monsters". For instance, Karina (whom I introduced not too long ago) is fully capable of manipulating a living body given time and concentration. While she is inclined towards healing in such abilities, it doesn't take much imagination to envision all the horrible things one could do to another if they could manipulate every part of you body like it was putty in their hands. In addition, she can harvest life energy from the recently deceased, which she uses to extend her life from a condition that causes her to age rapidly. The fact that those she kills are bandits who would not think twice to kill her is to many beside the point. Some of you may not even feel that is enough justification. Who is right? I believe there is grey area, with interpretations and personal beliefs skewing things one way or another per individual.

Or a more recent character I've been developing into potentially another "main" here. While I hesitate to use the term "soul", he possess an ability to enter the mind/spiritual domain of another, or pull another into his, with just eye contact and a little focus. What one can do when they can exert a level of control upon another's spirit/mind is shiver inducing. He could, if he chose to, quite literally destroy the mind of an individual,leaving the body in a persistent vegetative state, which isn't even the worst thing he could potentially do. But what does he use the ability for, when he uses it at all? To bring a level of realism to imagination that mere thought cannot convey. After all, when on the spiritual level, you are not on the material level anymore, and the laws of science exist only as a matter of convenience, for the mind and the imagination define what is real. But it is the potential harm and damage he is capable of that makes his kind feared, forcing him to hide his true nature carefully lest he be hunted down despite having done no harm himself.

And what about those who are not even sure how to answer the question of whether they are a monster? What about those individuals who are in a predicament where they can't live normal lives, and must live as monsters or quite likely die? Perhaps they find a way to use their "monstrous" nature to do "good", even if they are seen as just another evil. This one I've toyed around with a fair bit, the one where the individual possesses a monstrous body and tries to make the best of it by using what he has to do some big picture good, even if the acts in isolation seem atrocious. Then you bring in the slippery slope of "the greater good", as how much can the greater good be supported by acts that are deemed abhorrent? At what point does the ends no longer justify the means?

On a more general level, I find it interesting to to think about what lengths one is willing to go, where that "line" is drawn, and is that the only line? How far is too far, and can that line shift on context? Does that line drift based on where another has drawn theirs? How hazy does that line become when one considers "redemption"? Is something then okay so long as it's not done too many times? Is it forgivable so long as the one you acted against was worse? At what point does what you're willing to do define you as a monster?

I had clearer thoughts earlier, but it gets later and later as I type this and I feel I am beginning to ramble, but it just seemed like something worth sharing.

So, as a gamer, I'm liking what I'm seeing from E3 so far. Here are a few highlights in no particular order:

Final Fantasy VII Remake: Okay, so this one was first on my mind. given how it's even make an impact on some of the people here I watch. FFVII is, for many FF fans, the iconic game of the franchise, because I believe it is where a great many of them started, myself included. So Square-Enix has made the official announcement that they will be remaking it for the PS4, slated for 2016 I recall (date subject to change, as most gamers should know). Now the question becomes, will it live up to the self generated hype of all the fans who have been clamoring for it for years? Hard to say, though there are a few factors. First, do they keep to the story as is, and exactly as fans remember, or will the expanded hardware and quite likely new minds involved in it ad "tweaks" or hindsight alterations to the original, and will they be accepted by the masses? I for one am expected some changes on that front, though how minor or major I can't say. The other major item is the gameplay. Will it stay turn based, or will it be more like recent games with a lean towards real time? If they make that change, I think it'll bomb hard, but I can see how they might think that with such improved graphics, the classic turn based may look weird. I for one thought it worked fine in FFX, but that's just me. Time will tell, as it usually does, but I for one am holding out hope that it'll be an honest remake and not a total revamp.

Fallout 4: While I never actually played any of the prior Fallout games, they did get at least some of my attention. The fourth installment, actually revealed prior to E3, looks pretty sharp, and there's a fair chance I'll be picking it up come November (should the release date stick)

XCOM 2: The reason I'll be getting onto Steam in the near future, as that'll be the only platform it's launched on at release. I loved XCOM: Enemy Unknown and the expansion Enemy Within, as I've always had a fondness for turn based tactical games, and XCOM has that on a few levels. Much as people may whine about the story of it (being a "what would have happened had XCOM failed?" instead of a straight chronological sequel), I think it shows a great deal of promise, and the recent "gameplay" reveal (I use quotes as, though it was effectively gameplay, it was clearly heavily doctor for presentation purposes). As a side note, with the source code being made available at release and an encouragement for modding, there are some extensive mods (including a vorish one) I'd love to see which I might delve into in a later journal (or upon request). Not that I'd do the work myself, as neither artist nor programmer, but a guy can dream, right?

Uncharted 4 - A Thief's End: Finally saw gameply of this and I must say, it look gorgeous on the PS4. One thing I love about the series is that there is much dialogue and action that most games would leave to a cutscene that Uncharted does while the player is actually doing something. The banter, usually situation relevant, makes the game feel so much more alive and gives it a character that few I feel can rival, and 4 does it perhaps more than even its predecessors (hopefully not too much, but it seemed to have the right amount, or at least when they were talking, it seemed perfectly appropriate for them to be doing so). What got my attention with that gameplay reveal was that Victor Sullivan, lead Nathan Drake's mentor and I suppose father figure (though I don't think he sees him quite like that) is more than just a set piece and is an actual AI character that can assist in gameplay I get the feeling that the player still has to do most of the work, but in the scenes he's present, Victor can assist the player, as in the the footage when an enemy grabbed Drake from behind and another started beating on the front (a tactic used in 3 if you weren't careful), Victor came and tacked the front attacker, making escape from the first easier and actually taking out the first. I'm really interested to see how far such assists can go. Beyond that, seems the core stays largely the same from 3, which isn't a bad thing. Another 2016 game unfortunately, but dang I am eagerly awaiting it, as it feels each one exceeded the one before. And on a side note here, I wonder if anyone has done 'Nathan Drake" as a drake? Will have to look that up later.

So far, E3 has some good news for me as a gamer, and I'm curious to see if there are any more.

Addendum: Oh yeah, and the new Ratchet and Clank, the game based on the movie based on the game.

While I'm sure the original quotation was in reference to people, I find that it can apply equally to the more abstract as well. It is, perhaps, one of the root causes to why the creative mind can be its own harshest critic. I'm kind of curious to know how often such happens to other people, especially on ideas/projects that have become long running for you. Do you reach a point where you've gone over an idea or project so many times that you notice nothing but the flaws. Does it feel like you've gone over it in your mind so many times that, despite still being a WIP, it already feels dated? Have you tread the same ground trying to figure out how to move it forward so that it feels repetitive?

I have to say I never really understood the statement until a bit of an epiphany a few minutes ago, knowing that feeling of knowing your own work perhaps too well, especially when it's yet to be completed. And of course, the better you know how something goes together, the easier it is to notice the flaws, and if there's something the human mind tends to pick up on, it's inconsistencies and pattern breaks, and when your mind keeps going over what needs to be fixed, you resent the seeming error and soon the negativity spreads to the entirety of it.

So, yeah, just felt like sharing some thoughts.