Sidney Blaylock Jr.'s Blog, page 4

Say One Thing, But Do Another–The Microsoft Way

Image Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcZD__XquCk

I apologize for not getting back to blogging now that school is out, but I’m furiously working on my dissertation (among other things) and the blog has taken a backseat to my other writing. Also, I find that I’m really not motivated to write blogs as much as I used to be as companies like Digital Trends (see my previous blog), YouTube, and Microsoft are pretty much killing my desire to really engage with technology, videos, and video games in the same way that I used to. When a company tells me that I’m the problem as to why we can’t get good movies in a franchise, or when they throw up ad after ad in a futile bid to force me to their premium (non-ad supported tier) or when a company, like Microsoft is like a cancer to the game community, it really takes all the enjoyment out of covering those areas. I find that I spend all my time being aggrieved at the corporate practices of certain companies, making it hard to enjoy the “spell” that the entertainment is supposed to weave.

Microsoft Takes the Cake (and EVERYTHING ELSE If They Can Get Away With It)

According to PushSquare, “It isn’t Microsoft’s Intent to take Games Away from the PlayStation Community” with it’s acquisition strategy. You can click the link above to read the full article or you can click here: https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2022/06/xbox-on-acquisitions-the-last-thing-we-want-to-do-is-take-games-away-from-ps5-ps4.

And yet . . .

That is EXACTLY their strategy with games like Starfield, Elder Scrolls 6, and the majority of the Bethesda game line-up appearing on Microsoft ONLY platforms. As many of the commenters on the news story rightly point out, you can’t say this and then turn around and do the opposite. However, that’s what Microsoft is often known for–using their marketing department to cajole people into buying their products/buying into their ecosystem at the cost of consumer choice. And unfortunately, people are all to often swayed Microsoft’s promises rather than compelling content. This bit people rather badly in the X-Box One era with Microsoft’s initial “Draconian policies,” but it’s been enough time that people have forgotten what Microsoft tried to get away with in terms of gaming.

Pulling the Wool Over the Eyes of Consumers

Here we go again . . .

And yet, for all of Microsoft’s protestations that they don’t want to fragment the gaming market, nor do they want to “take anything away” from gamers (particularly Sony gamers), here is this little nugget also picked up by PushSquare, but published on other video game news sites: Xbox Appeared to Embargo PS5, PS4 Versions of Some Showcase Games (https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2022/06/xbox-appeared-to-embargo-ps5-ps4-versions-of-some-showcase-games).

Essentially, standard practice is to allow 3rd party developers, those developing the games independently of the platform, to clarify what a game is coming out for immediately after release of trailer/marketing materials. Yes, Street Fighter 6 appeared during Sony State of Play, but savvy gamers know that unless it says, “exclusive” or “console exclusive,” it’s more that likely coming out for other platforms (including Microsoft’s) either the same date as Playstation’s version (called “day and date release”) or sometime thereafter with some sort of “window” of exclusivity.

However, according to the news story published on several sites, Microsoft, “embargoed” certain companies from issuing clarifying press releases until 48 hours after their showcase had aired. Why would a company want/need to do this? Oh, I don’t know, but perhaps to drive FOMO and FUD into the minds of consumers might be a reasonable explanation. FOMO (or Fear of Missing Out) means that if someone doesn’t see that a game they are interested is coming to a competing platform, then they may want to buy the platform it was announced on so they don’t miss out on the game. FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt) works much the same way in that if you muddy/cloud the waters then the consumer will just go with the platform they saw it announced for rather that take the time to discover if it is coming to multiple venues.

In Closing–The Same Old Microsoft

This is why I’m so unmotivated to write blogs. Microsoft hasn’t changed. This is the SAME STUFF that I was writing about years ago.

Microsoft want to be #1. And they will use pretty much ANY strategy (even underhanded ones like this one) to accomplish their goals. And they don’t want to be #1 for the benefit of the gamer–no, they want to be #1 so that they can have the power of the dominant position.) Many think that Microsoft has lost its desire to have an Xbox One like structure where your games are “locked down” and you need to “phone home” to validate them.

I wouldn’t count on that.

Microsoft’s own strategy of saying one thing (we want games to exist on both platforms even though we are acquiring studios), but doing another (locking down the games they think are premier/premium experiences AND instituting non-standard embargoes as to clarifying what games are appearing where) really cast doubt as to whether this company will ever be able to be trusted by gamers.

It’s so discouraging to see gamers, consumers, and the press get dazzled by the low prices of “loss leaders” like Gamepass and the sheer hubris of a company that is FAR MORE ANTI-CONSUMER than Sony ever will be (even though Sony can’t shake that impression no matter how much it tries) because it acquires studios and then shunts the premium games off to its own platform, leaving the “crumbs” for other platforms to satisfy Anti-Trust concerns.

While both Sony and Microsoft are multi-million dollar corporations, only Microsoft is willing to consistently use its power in ways that I find, at best distasteful, and at worst, downright manipulative.

So, as I close this particular blog post (& internally vow to try turn my attention to the games that Sony has announced–even if they will also appear on the Xbox–something Microsoft, with all its millions, seemed unwilling to do for 48 hours), I note this little reminder/warning:

Don’t be too surprised if, one day in the future, maybe sooner, maybe later, on your shiny new Microsoft Xbox platform that you see all the features listed below make a (revamped) return and please remember that at least one person said, “I told you so”:

Sidney

Please consider supporting these fine small press publishers where my work has appeared:

Read Skin Deep for Free at  Aurora Wolf Read Childe Roland for Free at  Electric Spec Purchase Independent on Amazon.com (Paperback) or KindlePurchase  HawkeMoon  on Amazon.com (Paperback) or eBookPurchase  Dragonhawk  on Amazon.com (Paperback) or KindlePurchase  WarLight  on Amazon.com (Paperback) or KindlePurchase  Ship of Shadows  on Amazon.com (Paperback) or KindlePurchase  Faerie Knight  on Amazon.com (Paperback) or KindleCurrently Working On (June 2022):The Runner (Fantasy Story–4000 words)
2022 Revision; Out to Market.Unhallowed (Weird Western Story–4100 words)
2022 Revision: Completed; Out to Market.Citizen X (Alternate History Science Fiction Story)
Status: Drafting

The Force is NOT Strong With This One

Source: https://www.narbis.com/narbis-news/digital-trends-live-airpods-pro-google-moves-on-fitbit-and-more/

No, I’m not talking about the newest Star Wars series priemiering on Disney+ right now: Obi-Wan Kenobi. I think the Force is VERY strong with that series. Unfortunately, I’m talking about another internet pundit, who seems to think that nostalgia is the cause of the problems with Star Wars. He claims that Generation X, the people who “grew up” on the original series are to blame for the “crippling” of Star Wars in that it doesn’t let new ideas come to the fore.

The pundit in question is Michael Green, a writer for a tech website whose newsletter I subscribe to (I used to subscribe to) for Digital Trends, whose YouTube channel featuring Caleb Green is one of the best sources of tech information around. Too bad that knowledge and evenhandedness doesn’t seem to apply to much of the rest of the organization. While Green’s piece is the one I’m going take issue with the most, I’ve been less than impressed with their video game editor/writer in past as well.

Let’s let the wisdom of Yoda guide us through this

“Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.”

Here is what Michael Green has to say about Star Wars and Generation X. Here is the direct link for those who like to see where they’re being redirected:

(https://www.digitaltrends.com/movies/star-wars-generation-x/?utm_campaign=209596_Editorial_Decrypted_05302022&utm_medium=email&utm_source=dotdigital&dm_i=6MG2,4HQ4,1335D0,LPAS,1).

Not pretty is it. Even though the author classifies himself as a part of the group, he doesn’t say that he’s part of the problem (slick rhetorical move there to put himself above the issue while saying that he gets to criticize because he’s a part of the “in-group”). Not so fast there, Mr. Green. I, too, am a member of Generation X and I can tell you that it isn’t nostalgia that’s tripping up Star Wars–but rather narrative dissonance, or to put it a better way, the inability to tell good stories). There are other issues that have nothing to do with nostalgia or even poor narratives, but we’ll get to those in a moment–for now, let’s stick with narrative.

On YouTube, there is a well-known and popular video that describes how Star Wars was saved in the edit. Here it is for reference:

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFMyMxMYDNk

The original trilogy is not without its faults. However, even with its faults, it managed to come together as a satisfying “whole” that encapsulated a narrative that was infinitely watchable/rewatchable and one that led to many visualizing what a future could be (and what movies should be). And as an African American, I won’t even discuss that Lando was the only major black character in the movie, who didn’t come on board until movie #2 of the original series–although I could.

What Generation X’ers wanted from the prequel trilogy (& Disney sequels) is storytelling that matched, if not exceeded the original, which has its high points and low points in terms of dialogue, characterization, plotting, etc. However, when you give us characters like Jar Jar Binks, whose function duplicates that of C3PO and Artoo Detoo for comic relief and who’s only purpose for being in the movie is to get Queen Amidala to appeal to the Gungan army, you have a problem with characterization, with pacing, with plotting, oh, I don’t know, the ENTIRE basis of Western story development! Now, I want to be clear that I’m singling out Jar Jar Binks and not the actor Ahmed Best (who only did what Lucas told him to do), but it’s clear when a character exists as a plot device, not as a fully realized character with their own motivations, you’ve got an issue with your story and you need to go back to the drawing board.

We won’t even get into dialogue for the prequel trilogy; dialogue that is almost wince inducing to those of us who have aspirations of being storytellers. I’m going hit a sacred cow here: take Prequel dialogue and/or plotting and apply it to George R. R. Martin’s Game of Thrones series (books, TV show)–heck, you could even do it to his newest “golden child” the Elden Ring video game, and see HOW LOUDLY FANS COMPLAIN ABOUT IT NOT BEING “AUTHENTIC” TO THE REST OF THE “EXPERIENCE.”

Oh wait, Game of Thrones: Season 8

My point is that most fans are forgiving of quite a bit–until it comes to not fulfilling story expectations. That is what gets creators into hot water almost every time. Ghostbusters/Ghostbusters 2 (another 80s Gen X “joint”), I could go on and on for sequels not surpassing the original. There’s a reason why Aliens is considered a worthy successor to Alien. There’s a reason why Terminator 2 is spoke about in such reverent tones as to holding up to the original Terminator, and perhaps (potential heresy here) maybe even surpassing it. Narrative is king, but many studios want to rush out a sequel to “strike while the iron is hot” (while the property is still in the public’s mind). Not really a good strategy and one that mostly leads to diminishing returns.

“That is why you fail.”

When will movie “pundits” learn? New for the sake of newness isn’t a solution. Just because Rian Johnson wanted to do something “new” doesn’t mean he should get an automatic pass–nor should any of the Disney sequel creators. This is Star Wars–an established property–and he should follow the same “genre conventions” that he would need to for any other property. Heck, I have a LOT of NEW ideas for Game of Thrones. Here’s one for free: Bad people will stop doing bad things to good people in the GoT universe. Not very “Game of Thronesy,” is it? Most GoT readers/watchers wouldn’t like my GoT because it would look NOTHING like what GoT has been established as in the past. So why would I even write GoT? Well, two reasons: 1) it’s easy, there’s already a fan base and I don’t have risk anything to build up a new fan base and 2) it’s easy, there’s already demand there, so people will spend their (hard earned) money on something that has the words Game of Thrones in that order. So, if I wanted to take the EASY way out, I write a Game of Thrones “thing” that looks nothing like Game of Thrones and that way audience and money are there for the taking without have to RISK anything and I’ve just written something “new” and then get mad at the fans for not responding with as much money and love and adulation as I wanted, even though I got some (oh, did I mention money?).

My solution: write the “new thing” and take the risk. With great risk comes great reward (sure, that’s not always the case: I’m sure Attack of the Killer Tomatoes was a good risk on a “new thing” to someone), but I’m ALWAYS of the opinion that if you don’t want to follow genre conventions or you want to do a new thing, the PLEASE DON’T TITLE YOUR PROPERTY “GAME OF THRONES,” “STAR WARS,” OR WHATEVER THE “PROPERTY” IS AND COME UP WITH YOUR OWN NEW THING!

Knives Out, anyone? Anyone? Mr. Green?

“Pass on what you have learned.”

Example: Jordan Peele and Get Out. Jordan Peele used the conventions of the HORROR genre masterfully. Yes, he incorporated social commentary in his horror movie, but at the end of the day, it WAS STILL A HORROR/THRILLER MOVIE. He didn’t just wake up one day and say, oh, I don’t need SUSPENSE because I’m doing something “new.” Or, I don’t need a strong protagonist for the audience to root for because, I’m doing something “new.” He adhered to the conventions of the genre he was writing in and he made “newness” INSIDE the genre–that’s how you make it new and fresh and exciting for the audience, NOT “newness” for newness sake.

When you’re writing for a “property” (one that has already been established), YOU DON’T GET TO CHANGE THE RULES MID-STREAM. Yes, I know it’s unfair and I know you think that it inhibits creativity, but it actually doesn’t. That’s the reason we have referees and rulebooks for sports–it takes unfairness out of the equation and makes about the skill of the players. This is similar in that it makes it about the skill of the creators. Look at what the Russo Brothers were able to achieve with Captain American Winter Soldier/Civil War and Avengers Infinity War/Endgame. Not only do these movies adhere to the “property” elements that came before in the MCU, they expanded on them in Captain America and completely pushed them to their limits with Avengers (so much so that Phase 4 with the MCU seems to currently be having issues matching them).

That is HOW YOU WIN AT CREATING INSIDE A PROPERTY. We should getting “The Jedi Wars” where Luke and Leia have established a new Order of Jedi, but maybe “Ben” or some of the other Jedi are getting restless and looking at powers beyond their control–push past the boundaries of what’s happened before while honoring and expanding on the past. How about figuring out where and how some of the surviving Jedi from Order 66 made it through the Purge? What about a Jedi’s quest to find himself/herself by building his/her lightsaber? There are so many stories to tell that branch off from the main narrative that radical reinvention isn’t necessary (and is, as we’ve seen, detrimental to the storytelling process).

For good or worse, THERE CAN ONLY EVER BE ONE “REVOLUTION.” EVERYTHING ELSE THAT FOLLOWS IS EVOLUTION.

Why, oh why is there always someone who advocates continuous “revolution?” It can’t be done.

Well, that’s not true, it can be done, but it means creating something “new” each time. Which is exactly what creators don’t want to do–they built up their audience and now they want to keep them. They can only do that if they call the thing the same thing every time “Star Wars,” “Star Trek,” “Game of Thrones,” “The Matrix,” “Transformers,” and etc. You can’t have a “new” revolution inside an existing property unless you’re willing to alienate the fans. The better strategy is to take the risk and create something new (and call it something else entirely) if you are a “creative revolutionary” (aka Rian Johnson) or push the genre to new and different places through integration of new areas that are entirely appropriate for your genre and/or property (aka Jordan Peele, the Russo Brothers).

This, Mr. Green, is how you make sure that the property evolves with newness–not by haranguing fans about their supposed nostalgia. For me, Star Wars (the originals) had a story that was beyond compare and no story so far, by Lucas himself or the pretenders to the throne, have matched the “magic” of that storytelling experience, no matter how hard Mr Green tries to gaslight me into thinking it was all in my head.

Sidney

Please consider supporting these fine small press publishers where my work has appeared:

Read Skin Deep for Free at  Aurora Wolf Read Childe Roland for Free at  Electric Spec Purchase Independent on Amazon.com (Paperback) or KindlePurchase  HawkeMoon  on Amazon.com (Paperback) or eBookPurchase  Dragonhawk  on Amazon.com (Paperback) or KindlePurchase  WarLight  on Amazon.com (Paperback) or KindlePurchase  Ship of Shadows  on Amazon.com (Paperback) or KindlePurchase  Faerie Knight  on Amazon.com (Paperback) or KindleCurrently Working On (June 2022):The Runner (Fantasy Story–4000 words)
2022 Revision; Out to Market.Unhallowed (Weird Western Story–4100 words)
2022 Revision: Completed; Out to Market.Citizen X (Alternate History Science Fiction Story)
Status: Drafting

Mini-Blog: May Update

Image Source: https://www.wiki-calendar.com/may-calendars.html

So, this is just a quick blog to let everyone know that I’m still blogging. I just found that the between commuting, writing my dissertation, grading, and general everyday living, that I couldn’t keep up with the blog with any real consistency. I’ve just “trashed” a post that I was going to write last week about my writing. It wasn’t relevant anymore as I’ve actually managed to do some slight bit of writing now that I’ve finished teaching for this semester. I’m going to update everyone on where I am for the month of May 2022 and what my goals are–and hopefully, this will become a monthly feature of the blog.

Creative Writing

So, I’ve done very little on the creative writing front for the past 6 months (since about January) or so. That is, until the past week. I’ve done a fair bit in the past couple of days now that the stress of grading/teaching this past semester is over. One thing I have done is a fair bit of planning. I hope that all this planning will pay off over the course of this summer. I’ve also tried to come up with realistic goals/expectations. Yes, I have far more ideas than I have time, yet I want to do them all. I’m hopeful that working on 1 short story per semester will be a solid, achievable goal. Longer works may be included in the semesters that I’m “off” (summer breaks/winter breaks) and they may be worked on if I finish my story “early” (before the end of the semester), but right now, until I get some more stability (in terms of not having to commute so much), I don’t feel like I can commit to anything more and reasonably accomplish it as a goal. Some projects that I’m working towards for Summer Semester 2022:

Citizen X (Short Story_Alternate Timeline_Sci-Fi)“Project Ranger” (Screenplay_Sci-Fi)WarLight (Graphic Novel_Sci-Fi)

While there might be others, might primary goal is to finish Citizen X (1st), then WarLight (2nd), and “Project Ranger” (3rd). Most of my creative writing time this summer will go to the 1st and 2nd projects with the 3rd project only getting my time whenever I feel too emotionally drained to work on the other two. I also plan to use the Summer semester to plan for other upcoming projects that I want to work on in the future (character sketches, rough drafts, outlines, etc.–basically things that can be completed in an afternoon or two of work).

Dissertation

This is where I plan to devote the majority of my writing time this summer. While I wrote this semester, I found that the chapter that I’m working on was much longer and more complicated that I originally envisioned (it is already at 10,000 words and will probably be closer to 13-15K words when I finish it. As such, this what I will be working on for large stretches of my summer until it is finished. I’m going to be working on it as soon as I finish this blog entry, which is going to serve as a warm-up to it.

Work-Life Balance

So, my work-life balance has been out of whack for the past semester. I hope that now it will be better over the summer as I don’t have the long commute on multiple days. There are still some challenges that I have at the moment (which I’ll talk about next month–if there’s a resolution), but right now, I still don’t have my days fully back to where I can just focus on my writing (scholarly or creative). I still have some things that I need to take care of as I transition to 1) finishing out my PhD studies and 2) transitioning to my new job.

Publications

While I’ll likely do a full blog entry on this one, I wanted update readers who may not know:

The Independent is NOW published!

It is published in Mythic Magazine (February 2022). I only found about it about a week ago or I would have let everyone know sooner. I will update my “Signature line” to make it easy to find should you like to purchase a copy.

Please remember, while I don’t see any “direct” benefit from your purchase (i.e., I don’t get a royalty or anything like that), purchasing from these small presses help to keep them solvent and available to purchase and publish work from neophyte/journeyman writers like myself.

Sidney

Please consider supporting these fine small press publishers where my work has appeared:

Read Skin Deep for Free at  Aurora Wolf Read Childe Roland for Free at  Electric Spec Purchase Independent on Amazon.com (Paperback) or KindlePurchase  HawkeMoon  on Amazon.com (Paperback) or eBookPurchase  Dragonhawk  on Amazon.com (Paperback) or KindlePurchase  WarLight  on Amazon.com (Paperback) or KindlePurchase  Ship of Shadows  on Amazon.com (Paperback) or KindlePurchase  Faerie Knight  on Amazon.com (Paperback) or KindleCurrently Working On (April 2022):The Runner (Fantasy Story–4000 words)
2022 Revision; Out to Market.Unhallowed (Weird Western Story–4100 words)
2022 Revision: Completed; Out to Market.

Reacher: Season 1 Review

Source: https://www.cinemaexpress.com/english/review/2022/feb/09/reacher-season-1-review-instantly-addictive-nostalgia-inducing-actioner-29643.html

Jack Reacher is a character that I know from the 2 movies starring Tom Cruise. While I know of the author of the series, Lee Child, from my days working at the library, I never really got into the series of books featuring Reacher ( the cover design had a lot to do with that, I think–the covers were never all that impressive/expressive and I didn’t have a good idea of what Child’s books were about from the covers alone). However, while the Reacher movies weren’t the greatest, I did like them and thought that they did a good job at portraying the “anti-hero” without being too annoying.

“Tall Guy”

During my early years at MTSU, I went to school with a massive fan of Lee Child. He mentioned how he didn’t really like the Tom Cruise Reacher movies because Reacher was described in the books as a massive guy, very tall and intimidating. This was something that my colleague felt that Cruise’s movies didn’t portray–the intimidation factor of a really tall, really controlled, but really powerful guy who had both the power and skill to do whatever was necessary. So when I saw that Amazon was doing a Reacher show and that they had cast a really tall actor for this role, I was intrigued as it seemed they were really trying to lean into the authenticity of the character.

Season 1

I enjoyed this particular show. I thought that the mystery was fairly well done. While I did foresee one of the twists in the show and correctly guessed one of the twists, I didn’t see other twists that occurred and I felt like the show kept me guessing all the way through as to what the actual mystery was and who were the people involved. Depending on your level of sleuthing abilities, it may be fairly easy to figure out what’s going on, but as a person who doesn’t normally watch/read mysteries, except as a sidelight to my normal genres of Science Fiction/Fantasy, I thought that it was a pretty fun show. It is also a show with a fair amount of action. Reacher has no problem getting into fights (physical or gun fights) and his no-nonsense style leads to a lot of conflict and action. While there is a fair amount of dialogue in the show (and most of it reveals character rather than plot–although, being a mystery–there is a fair amount of exposition), the show never feels dialogue heavy and/or preachy. The dialogue is there to either reveal character or to move the story along. Violence is pretty high in the show, but not overpowering, and there is (what I feel) a gratuitous shower scene that could have been cut a little earlier as we clearly understand what happened, but otherwise, I thought the show did a fairly good job of handling the mature content.

Character, Character, Character

The show really rests on its main characters: Reacher, Roscoe, and Finlay. The supporting cast is good as well, but the show really works (for me) because of the interaction of these three wildly different characters. Each character, on their own, could probably carry a show, but together, they create a compelling dynamic and you want them together just to see how they are going to interact with each other. I think the show will “live or die” for you, the watcher, based on how much you like/dislike these characters.

Overall Rating: A- (90)

Rating: 5 out of 5.

While not a perfect show for me, it really worked because of the interaction with the 3 main characters, the good supporting cast, and the (mostly) on point dialogue. The mystery, while fun, was just a little too pedestrian and too easy to guess (at least on one of the twists). Still, for this show, you might be “hooked” by the mystery of what’s going on, but in the end, it’s the characters and action that will ultimately keep you invested in the episodes. I’m looking forward to the upcoming Season 2.

Sidney

Please consider supporting these fine small press publishers where my work has appeared:

Read Skin Deep for Free at Aurora WolfRead Childe Roland for Free at Electric SpecPurchase  HawkeMoon  on Amazon.com (Paperback) or eBookPurchase  Dragonhawk  on Amazon.com (Paperback) or KindlePurchase  WarLight  on Amazon.com (Paperback) or KindlePurchase  Ship of Shadows  on Amazon.com (Paperback) or KindlePurchase  Faerie Knight  on Amazon.com (Paperback) or KindleCurrently Working On (April 2022):The Runner (Fantasy Story–4000 words)
2022 Revision; Out to Market.Unhallowed (Weird Western Story–4100 words)
2022 Revision: Completed; Out to Market.The Independent (Science Fiction Story–4800 words)
2021 Revision:  ACCEPTED   FOR PUBLICATION  ( Mythic Magazine )

Mini-Blog: April Blog Schedule

Image Source: https://merrill-middle.oshkosh.k12.wi.us/news/april-2021

So this is a mini-blog to try to set a schedule and stick to it for the month of April. This month (and the first week of May) is the last month in the semester. I’m going to try to release blog posts on the days that I teach, namely Tuesdays and Thursdays. I think that this is what I should be striving for anyway, as a blogger and a writer. Teaching takes a lot of my energy, so I shouldn’t try to write blogs on those days, but rather, write them on the days that I’m not actually in the classroom.

I’m hoping two things will happen: 1) I can become more consistent at blogging and 2) use my blogging time as a “warm-up” to my creative writing. We’ll see if this happens.

Special Considerations

This week, I have a MAJOR presentation on Tuesday afternoon that I’m working towards. This has significantly cut into my creative writing time for this week. Add into that fact that I have been sick over this past Saturday, and well, I’ve not gotten in much writing at all (that hasn’t had to do with the presentation), but I’m just going to plug away. Maybe I’ll do a mini-blog for Mondays just as an update on my Writing Life, but for this week, pretty much the vast majority of my spare time is devoted to finishing/polishing/and practicing my presentation.

Have a great week!

Sidney

Please consider supporting these fine small press publishers where my work has appeared:

Read Skin Deep for Free at Aurora WolfRead Childe Roland for Free at Electric SpecPurchase  HawkeMoon  on Amazon.com (Paperback) or eBookPurchase  Dragonhawk  on Amazon.com (Paperback) or KindlePurchase  WarLight  on Amazon.com (Paperback) or KindlePurchase  Ship of Shadows  on Amazon.com (Paperback) or KindlePurchase  Faerie Knight  on Amazon.com (Paperback) or KindleCurrently Working On (April 2022):The Runner (Fantasy Story–4000 words)
2022 Revision; Out to Market.Unhallowed (Weird Western Story–4100 words)
2022 Revision: Completed; Out to Market.The Independent (Science Fiction Story–4800 words)
2021 Revision:  ACCEPTED   FOR PUBLICATION  ( Mythic Magazine )

Two Wrongs Don’t Make a Right: Oscars 2022

Source: https://abc.com/shows/oscars/news/nominations/oscar-winners-2022-list

So, I just wanted to get my thoughts down in a considered way–which is why this blog entry is late. I don’t want to belabor the incident, but I do feel that it is important enough to at least remark on. Now, I will keep it brief, and hopefully, respectful, as I can be, but I do think that it is something that needs to be discussed. To quote the old cliche: Two wrongs do NOT make a right.

Chris Rock

I believe that Chris Rock was in the wrong. He made a fairly innocuous joke with Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem as to what would happen if Cruz lost and Bardem “won” for the Oscar and how that win wouldn’t have been an actual “win.” I thought that was a good joke and then I thought that Rock should have moved on and presented the award (which is why he was there). I know that being a comedian is his “thing,” but you also have to remember the purpose of why he was there–to present an award. This was his primary purpose and every thing was secondary, including his jokes. Whether or not Chris Rock knew of Jada Smith’s struggle with her hair, we are (as a society) moving past shaming people based on their looks. Yes, he’s making a comparison, but it isn’t one that’s a flattering one to Jada. Again, to bring out another cliche: “if you can’t say something nice, then don’t say anything at all.”

Will Smith

I also believe that Will Smith was in the wrong as well. Had he responded with words, while also not great with an audience in attendance, it would have been much better for all involved. Once he moved from his seat to the stage, that crossed a line, but then he took it way too far with the actual hit on Rock. Obviously, if you need to defend yourself from an attack, then self-defense is appropriate. Unfortunately, that’s not what happened–by hitting Chris Rock (doesn’t matter if it was a punch or a slap)–Smith crossed a line in which you use physical violence in response to words you don’t like. As a writer and a scholar, I know the power of words. Words matter (which is why Chris Rock needs to understand when to say something & when not to say something), but responding to words with violence is never good. If the First Amendment works for Will Smith, then it also has to stand for Chris Rock. If Will Smith didn’t like what Chris Rock said, then he has to use words to refute/challenge what is being said. There’s Twitter, there’s YouTube (Will does have Youtube channel), there’s even the “afterparty” where he might want to discuss Chris Rock’s poor choice of words.

Summer of Soul

So, I really feel bad for Summer of Soul by Questlove. I don’t usually post to Facebook or anything like that except on the rare occasion, but I felt moved to post a clip from YouTube showing Summer of Soul winning the Oscar for Best Documentary. This was important to me as I used this film in both of my classes this semester. For Contemporary African American Writers, I used it to introduce the idea of “African American Vernacular” and how music/lyrics were an important component to African American writers and how musical forms (like Gospel, Jazz, Motown, etc.) are endemic to African Americans and their writings. For my Black Film Matters course, it served as the transition from the Civil Rights era into the more integration-minded 1970s and 1980s. So, I was really looking forward to telling my students that they had watched an Oscar nominated movie that won the Oscar over the weekend (and I will still be doing that), but the fact that the Will Smith/Chris Rock incident happened just before that category and the aftermath happened just after, it really took the wind out of the sails of the event for me and overshadowed Questlove’s achievement, which I think is a real shame.

I know it will never happen, but I really believe that both Will Smith AND Chris Rock not only owe each other an apology, but also one to Questlove as well. He deserved to have his moment and it was, in my mind, taken away from him by the incident.

Again, Rhetoric is about knowing (at minimum): audience and purpose. Of the three men at the Oscars in that “moment,” only one of them, Questlove, was there with the right purpose in mind.

YouTubeSidney

Please consider supporting these fine small press publishers where my work has appeared:

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Mini-Post: Writing Update–Spring 2022

Source: https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/16/cnn-underscored/creative-writing-bundle-review/index.html

This will be a shorter blog post, but (hopefully) one that will be a regular feature. I’ve been inspired recently to get back into writing creatively by the way Brandon Sanderson wrote through the pandemic. I’m trying to balance my creative writing, with my teaching, with my scholarship, and I am hoping to find some some sort of balance between these three elements of my writing life. Brandon is able to write prolifically and I’m not–I have to juggle too many competing interests on my time to do a weekly (even, monthly update), so I’m going to go for more realistic goals: Semester Goals. While I like monthly goals, I don’t work “monthly,” I work semester to semester, so this is where/how I’m going to focus these updates. Ideally, I’ll do 2 a semester, one at the beginning (my hopes/dreams for the semester in terms of the project(s)), and one at the end (what I was actually able to accomplish).

Spring 2022: Short Story & Dissertation

Creative Writing: Citizen X (short story–In Progress): This is a rewrite of a short story that I wrote a while back. I’m rewriting it because I think that it had promise, but that I didn’t understand the concept of “Alternate History” well enough. I also think the characterization was a bit off. I’m rewriting it in hopes that the new character that I created is strong enough to carry the story through to the end. I only started thinking about/working on the rewrite in late February/early March, so this has a way to go.

Scholarly Writing: Dissertation (Afrofuturism–In Progress): This is where most of my focus has been during this semester. I’ve been working on it on my “off days” from teaching and really trying to get it “finished” before summer, so that I can use the rest of the summer for editing, addressing any feedback, and defending the dissertation.

Scholarly Writing: Blood on the Shield: African American Trauma in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (Conference Paper–Completed): This is a 10-11 page paper written for the 2022 TPA Conference. It has some good ideas that I’d like to expand out into a longer article, but I’m not sure that I have the time as I’m focused on the dissertation.

Scholarly Writing: Afrofuturism: The Power and Promise of Black Science Fiction (Presentation–Upcoming): This is a 90 minute talk that I’ve been asked to give at my current school for the university. I plan on discussing Afrofuturism and the ways in which it helps to have diverse voices in a traditionally non-diverse genre. This is coming up in the middle of April and is something that I hope will help me as I work on my dissertation.

In Closing

So that’s what I’m working on in terms of my writing this semester. While there might be other things/projects, they are pretty much on the back burner as these are the ones that I’m currently devoting my energy towards this semester. I’ll be back in a few weeks with a follow-up update at the end of the semester to see how well I’ve done with these projects. I intend to do another post shortly after to set my “goals” for writing for Summer 2022.

Have a great weekend!

Sidney

Please consider supporting these fine small press publishers where my work has appeared:

Read Skin Deep for Free at Aurora WolfRead Childe Roland for Free at Electric SpecPurchase  HawkeMoon  on Amazon.com (Paperback) or eBookPurchase  Dragonhawk  on Amazon.com (Paperback) or KindlePurchase  WarLight  on Amazon.com (Paperback) or KindlePurchase  Ship of Shadows  on Amazon.com (Paperback) or KindlePurchase  Faerie Knight  on Amazon.com (Paperback) or KindleCurrently Working On (March 2022):The Runner (Fantasy Story–4000 words)
2022 Revision; Out to Market.Unhallowed (Weird Western Story–4100 words)
2022 Revision: Completed; Out to Market.The Independent (Science Fiction Story–4800 words)
2021 Revision:  ACCEPTED   FOR PUBLICATION  ( Mythic Magazine )

The Witcher Season 1 and Season 2 Review

Source: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5180504/

I’d intended to do a review of each of the seasons of The Witcher independently. However, I recently (last week) finished both seasons, so I should probably just go ahead and talk about them both so as to get them out as I am writing this blog too sporadically to be sure that I’l be able to get my thoughts down on both seasons in separate posts. There’s a lot to like about The Witcher, but there’s also some stuff that I don’t like, so I’ll try to touch on both.

Now, this is coming from someone who has played the video game, but not read the books. I’ve played nearly 300 hours of The Witcher 3 (276 hours), but not yet completed the main quest. I didn’t play games 1 and 2 in the series for one simple reason: CD Projeckt Red chose not to develop/release those games for the Playstation console. While I don’t consider myself an “expert” in The Witcher universe by any means, that 300 hours was more than enough of a “crash course” in “The Witcherverse.”

Season 1

So, right off the bat, the show lives or dies on the strength of the actor portraying Geralt and the character of Geralt. I have to say that Henry Cavill does a great job of embodying the gruff, rough, course witcher that is portrayed in the game. He is very much a younger embodiment of the character (by design), but he really does manage to capture all of the various aspects of Geralt’s character. I think I like this season the best so far, as it sets up some of the conflicts and origins of the characters that were already well established by the time Witcher 3 comes around. I liked Ciri and the actor who portrayed her (I liked all the actors in their various roles, truth be told), and I also liked the “story” of Ciri as well, although since she could only “run,” it did seem a bit much to have her constantly “running away” over the course of the season. My only complaint with Season 1 is the adult content/language. Yes, I know that’s what is in the game (and I would assume the novels), but it just seems so out of place to hear the “F-Bomb” all over the place, for instance.

Season 2

In Season 2, Ciri has much more to do and we get more answers about her past. I think this is both a good and bad thing. It is good that it gives the actor playing Ciri much more to do and the focus isn’t always on Geralt being a “heartless SOB” which is the way they write him whenever he’s not dealing with Ciri. The bad is that there is something “off” with the way they write Geralt once Ciri joins him. It is as if he is trying to be more “compassionate” but this isn’t the way he was written in Season 1. There is a definite shift in tone, specifically when it comes to Geralt. It isn’t the actors, or the even the writing necessarily, but almost a shift in “creative vision” as to how the show should look/work. I didn’t look to see if they changed show runners/producers, but to me, that’s kind of what if feels like–that they changed their conception of the show from the way it presented in the first season. This tonal shift is something that I found jarring and hard to square with my time with the first season. While the language was still present (unfortunately), at least the adult content was toned down this season (no, it’s not gone completely, but it isn’t nearly as “in your face” as in Season 1).

Good, But Not Yet Great

Rating: 4 out of 5.

If Netflix does a Season 3, I think that this show could really move into the “great” territory. Right now, I think that the next “season” is a “spin off show” (or something similar), with a (probable) 3rd season rumored to happen/expected to happen based on the release strategy of the previous seasons late in 2023. If it does end up happening, I will more than likely check it out as I’m “invested.” However, I can’t say that I believe that this is the “best” fantasy series I’ve seen as there are both good and bad elements to the show. Still, I find it to be a good show that is better than average and I did enjoy my time watching it.

Sidney

Please consider supporting these fine small press publishers where my work has appeared:

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2022 Revision: Completed; Out to Market.The Independent (Science Fiction Story–4800 words)
2021 Revision:  ACCEPTED   FOR PUBLICATION  ( Mythic Magazine )

Productivity and Me During the Covid Era

Source: https://www.apa.org/topics/covid-19/student-stress

I watched with amazement at the announcement video by Brandon Sanderson on how he managed to spend his time during the Covid 19 pandemic. I’ve included the video link at the end of this section in case you’re curious, but suffice to say, Sanderson’s Kickstarter project, announced in the video, has become the #1 Most Funded Kickstarter OF ALL TIME! Already a number 1 bestselling author, I believe that his success came from the fact that he already has a very large audience for his works, he was able to actually “show” the fruits/efforts of his work (something that is highly dubious on Kickstarter/social funding sites), and because of the “limited” nature of announcements (i.e., some things he would try to make available later, but not sure how/when that might look like) he was able to capitalize on that you need to “act now” if you want to be sure to “get it/get in,” although the more cynical among us would say he was able to capitalize on FOMO–Fear of Missing Out, but that’s always something in a capitalistic society (I once bought a mediocre PS1 game once because it released while I was in the hospital and I knew that, at the time, production runs on games were limited and you often couldn’t find a “new” release 3-6 months down the road; I wouldn’t have bought it–based on the reviews–had I not already been a couple of weeks/a month behind the release “window” of the game). My point is that Brandon Sanderson used his time well and is now being rewarded justly for his efforts.

Home Life Interferes with Work Life

I cannot say the same.

I am not one of the writers who can dream of a big (or small) house, with a room overlooking a lake (or a garden) with a white picket fence. For me, that type of dream wouldn’t work.

Why, you might ask?

Well, the “Covid Years” have helped me to see that I’m a person that likes discreet settings and that my “work/life” balance is strong when I’m able to separate my life and life activities into units. Work = work, home = home, and mixing the two is NOT desirable for me. That’s one of the reasons why my blogging has become so sporadic and my blog has become such a low priority on my activities: I used to do the blog while at work as a way to “ease” myself into the “workday.” I didn’t have to worry about time as I knew the majority of it would be spent working on grading, working on developing lesson plans, working on administration of the class/school (answering emails, etc.).

However, during the “Covid years,” trying to manage this while at hope has shifted my strategies and I’m having to try to work around making sure I get the mail before people get into my mailbox (or spending the time to put up a locking mailbox), trying to do errands on 1-2 days before working, where I could spread those errands out over the course of the work week (5 days) and get 2x as much done in a week, just over a slightly longer timeframe. I even used to get up at 7am — 7:30am, so that I could get to school (and the graduate “office”) at about 10am even when I didn’t have a class. I would then work until lunch time, go home (apartment) and eat lunch, and then return to the workroom at about 2pm and work until dinnertime. Sometimes, although not always (about 2-3 nights a week), I’d even come back and work in the evenings (from 7-9 or 8-10) before going back to the apartment to do it all again–you can ask one of my grad. student friends as she had to come back to the “office” one evening to unlock the door after I’d accidentally locked my keys in the “office.” (Thank you! ).

This is so not my life now. I struggle to get my afternoon session in on MWF and my morning session is often “shot” because that’s when I tend to need to run the errands that I used to get done M-F. It is a struggle to spend 1 hr on the blog, knowing that I need to get ready and go out so that I can get back and try to do work. Also, because I can’t spread out the work, I end up trying to get everything done in 1-2 hours and invariably everything takes longer than that to do and I just end up with incomplete tasks and high levels of frustration.

Writing: Forget about it! I’ve not written anything major in a while although I’ve tried (I’ve really tried!). Unlike Sanderson, I can’t write when I’m stressed. Writing is one of the 1st things to go. I need both stability and routine (outside the home) in order to write effectively (or even to write at all)

Work Life Interferes with Home Life

And that’s just how home life interferes with my own work life. I can’t tell you how having to work while at home is disruptive to my home life. I can’t actually enjoy anything that I do (TV, video games, reading, etc.) because of all the things that I feel that I should be doing because of my “work life” is bleeding into my “home life.”

I’m never able to “shut off” anymore–because I work at home much more than I used to, I feel obligated to try to get a ton of stuff done on my days at home, but I’m never able to accomplish as much as I intend to/set out to, and then when I stop in the evening to “rest,” I still have all the many things that I wasn’t able to finish “nagging” at me even as I’m trying to rest, recover, and prepare for the work day (which usually involves a substantial commute and teaching). I feel like I’ve been “on” now for the past year really–and having the dissertation makes it just that much worse.

Instead of, say, doing grades/lesson plans/classroom admin stuff in the mornings/afternoons, and then working on my dissertation from say, 7-9pm as would have while at MTSU before Covid, I find that I’m exhausted by 7-9 from running around all morning doing errands, eating lunch, trying to work on grades, etc. during the afternoon and not getting everything finished and then being too tired to do anything except go to bed or play a game to get ready for the next day’s commute/teaching load.

Even the weekends, which used to be my saving grace, don’t seem to work for me anymore. I spend the time doing way more than I used to, especially in the mornings as I’m trying to do all the “dissertation” work during the mornings that should have been spread out over the week and I find myself just as dissatisfied and overburdened on the weekends as I do during the week.

Next Steps

They say, the first step to solving a problem is recognizing that you have one. I need to find “spaces” outside my home where I can get work done. I tried adding an extra “commute day” up to where I work, but every time I did, (on Wednesdays) there was some sort of “traffic” issue that either cost me time or was dangerous due to other drivers. I’m going to investigate my local library branches–downtown has the most space, but you have to pay for parking and at $1 to $1.50 per hour, that gets expensive quickly! The branches have free parking, but they are much, much smaller and (knowing the demographics as I do since I’ve worked in every branch), their populations are much less likely to have been vaccinated so, for me, I feel the risk of Covid exposure goes way up going that route. University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s (UTC’s) library would be an option, but because I’m no longer a student, again, I’d need to pay to park on a daily basis. I don’t really need wi-fi, as I already have the books and articles that I’m working with (& can print out what I need when I’m home), but I do need someplace that has a good (i.e. comfortable) table and chairs where I can spread out my materials and work–I used to have that in our graduate “office.” I may try to find a space on UTC’s campus that will allow me to do that, but again, parking will be the issue.

In Closing

So, I really just want to say thank you for reading this–this is just my way to try to come to terms with how Covid has affected my work/life balance and to consider how I, as a writer, need to try to inhabit a particular writing personae. I have said that I’m the opposite from Stephen King in that I “build up” my stories from the ground up while his process is to throw “everything” in and then begin to strip away elements. I see I’m also opposite of Brandon Sanderson in that he reacts to trauma by delving in his fiction. I react to trauma by delving into “other worlds” to escape the trauma, but not the worlds I create, but that others create. If I want to create my own “other worlds,” I need stability and routine, but most especially, I need that “work/life” balance.

While I wonder what it means that two of the most successful writers in the genre have patterns opposite what I have (does that mean I’ll never be successful/achieve bestseller status?), I do know that if I don’t find a way to create stability and routine in my life, I’m never going to produce anything in order to find out.

I need to find a solution to the problem that Covid has presented–preferably, without catching Covid while doing it, it I really want to produce the works that I say that I do!

Have a great week!

Sidney

Please consider supporting these fine small press publishers where my work has appeared:

Read Skin Deep for Free at Aurora WolfRead Childe Roland for Free at Electric SpecPurchase  HawkeMoon  on Amazon.com (Paperback) or eBookPurchase  Dragonhawk  on Amazon.com (Paperback) or KindlePurchase  WarLight  on Amazon.com (Paperback) or KindlePurchase  Ship of Shadows  on Amazon.com (Paperback) or KindlePurchase  Faerie Knight  on Amazon.com (Paperback) or KindleCurrently Working On (March 2022):The Runner (Fantasy Story–4000 words)
2022 Revision; Out to Market.Unhallowed (Weird Western Story–4100 words)
2022 Revision: Completed; Out to Market.The Independent (Science Fiction Story–4800 words)
2021 Revision:  ACCEPTED   FOR PUBLICATION ( Mythic Magazine )

Horizon Forbidden West vs Elden Ring: Criticizing What We Don’t Like and Not Criticizing What We Do Like

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDyIG5ba9FQ

I often wonder if people will interpret my posts detailing the ways in which Sony and its Playstation brand is perceived as opposed to Microsoft and its XBox brand as simple “fanboyism,” bias towards the Playstation brand, and a perpetuation of the “console wars.” However, I want to assure you, the bias isn’t mine, per se, but simply a recognition that the bias exists in the general public, especially in the news/gaming media, which, while reporting the news, doesn’t do enough to acknowledge their own biases and the fact that they also make the news as well. I’ve found two differing examples with two differing (and well respected YouTube channels/review outlets) to illustrate how these biases display themselves and why it is important to pay attention to them and to point them out.

Exhibit 1: YouTube Channel–HDTVTest & Horizon Forbidden West

So, this is a YouTube channel that I followed for a while (approx. two years) and in that time, while I’ve noticed a slight bias towards Microsoft, for the most part, I felt that he kept his channel fairly “evenhanded” and produced a fair amount of content for Playstation (even going so far as to purchase 2 PS5s in order to test various settings. However, I started to notice things going a little “off the rails” (with me) with his videos on the PS5’s HDR display settings. When I tried his “method,” it didn’t look right and was far too dark. Moving to AVForums recommended settings for the TV and using the in-built PS5 setting “correctly” game me a picture more in line with what I was expecting. While HDTVTest has years of calibration and is certified, so too is the crew at AVForums, so credibility isn’t the issue.

However, what is the issue is that HDTVTest (for some reason) is unhappy with the HDR performance of Sony Playstation’s newest flagship game, Horizon Forbidden West as you can see in the following videos (which caused me to unsubscribe to his channel) in stark contrast to Digital Foundry who noted the inconsistencies, but found that they didn’t impact the overall presentation of the game in any significant way.

Video #1 here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3pyEiLmOeM&t=170s

Video #2 here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPMW4RqTR8g&t=10s

Now, I’m not sure what’s going on with HDTVTest who usually discusses televisions and only rarely jumps into video game/computer/console gaming areas (although he sometimes covers games in order to prove a point such as Fortnite and Dirt 5), but let’s say you’re an average consumer, who’s subscribed to HDTVTest, but not Digital Foundry. You might be PERSUADED to think that the Playstation lacked correct visual fidelity and not want to buy a game that isn’t visually “perfect” without understanding that this is actually a “PS5 Graphics Masterclass” (Digital Foundry’s words, not mine).

Exhibit 2: Game Informer & Elden Ring (specifically, PC Version)

The second exhibit is Game Informer and the new release of Elden Ring. Now, there has been a lot of hype for the Elden Ring game, so much so, that I question the impartiality of many reviews by many media outlets. Game Informer, in particular, is one of the media outlets that has been really “bullish” on this game since it was announced and just game the game a “perfect” 10 for its review of the game.

Game Informer Elden Ring Review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aUEN2iLtxY

Now, I don’t know about you, but when I hear that a piece of media (especially, a game) gets a “perfect score,” then I expect a perfect (or near perfect) experience in ALL aspects. From character, to gameplay (for games), to story, visuals, etc. However, Digital Foundry, once again, notes the strengths and weaknesses of Elden Ring, especially the places where the performance of the game simply isn’t up to snuff. While a personal decision, a couple of the Digital Foundry editors note that they are putting off playing the game until the performance issues are addressed on PC, and they also note the two ways in which console gamers can get the best experience (PS4 Pro version played on a Playstation 5 or Xbox Series X with a VRR display).

Again, I don’t know about you, but these compromises don’t indicate a “Perfect 10” score. At no point would another (non-hyped) game receive such a great score with a less than stellar performance on either the PC or Console. And it’s not just this particular outlet–last I heard, Elden Ring was the highest rated game on Metacritic, so there are a LOT of outlets who have “minimized” the performance aspect of the game simply because it is a game that they like and want to see to do well. While fine, outlets need to be transparent about this particular “bias,” acknowledge it, and then move on with the review.

Closing Arguments

Bias is one of the most important things that is a part of media that isn’t addressed. Many places claim impartiality, but either ignore/minimize their own likes and dislikes and don’t address them in any meaningful way. Forbes, for instance, has an implicit bias towards Microsoft based on many of their articles that (praise) Microsoft and excoriate Sony. Forbes‘ gaming editorial unit (based on wording of articles/way coverage is unevenly applied) would be very happy to see Sony disappear from the gaming landscape and to see Microsoft dominate (without noting the many negatives that Microsoft have introduced into gaming).

Warning: Foul Language

While I pick on Forbes, HDTVTest, and Game Informer for this post, this is endemic in the media and is a problem that doesn’t need to be–simply acknowledge your biases in the review (we like Elden Ring and want to see it succeed, therefore we aren’t going to penalize it for certain gameplay issues) or (we don’t like Sony and so we are going to penalize them for not being absolutely perfect on everything they do). However, no one either wants to admit to having bias in stories or that they actually are biased and would prefer one thing/outcome over another. Even with bias in their stories, they still want to appear as impartial as possible because impartiality (even false) aids in credibility.

Credibility is something that’s earned, not innate. If you’re not going actually be impartial (aka liking both Microsoft and Sony, for example), then please, stop trying to pretend that you are impartial. It’s not only disingenuous, but it also really kind of silly once someone starts looking at the language (negative and positive language) used in the story.

Also, if a game isn’t perfect and doesn’t play perfectly, then it really isn’t a “perfect 10” is it? No matter how much you like it and want it to be.

Sidney

Please consider supporting these fine small press publishers where my work has appeared:

Read Skin Deep for Free at Aurora WolfRead Childe Roland for Free at Electric SpecPurchase  HawkeMoon  on Amazon.com (Paperback) or eBookPurchase  Dragonhawk  on Amazon.com (Paperback) or KindlePurchase  WarLight  on Amazon.com (Paperback) or KindlePurchase  Ship of Shadows  on Amazon.com (Paperback) or KindlePurchase  Faerie Knight  on Amazon.com (Paperback) or KindleCurrently Working On (February 2022):The Runner (Fantasy Story–4000 words)
2022 Revision; Out to Market.Unhallowed (Weird Western Story–4400 words)
2022 Revision: Completed; Out to Market.The Independent (Science Fiction Story–4800 words)
2021 Revision:  ACCEPTED   FOR PUBLICATION