Search found 30 matches

by GratuitousMoonspeak
Sun Jul 29, 2012 11:59 am
Forum: Asset Creation: Writing
Topic: Advice for Coming Up With Character Names
Replies: 31
Views: 11344

Re: Advice for Coming Up With Character Names

I'm kind of surprised that some people have such complicated ways of picking names (well, complicated in that a lot of web-surfing is involved)! Nothing wrong with it, of course, what works is what works. Personally I just pick out names that I like or that sound interesting. I try not to use "...
by GratuitousMoonspeak
Wed May 02, 2012 8:51 am
Forum: Asset Creation: Writing
Topic: Playing with reader expectation
Replies: 27
Views: 3944

Re: Playing with reader expectation

If you don't like the archetypes and clichés, then –by all means– don't use them ! :) I often try to avoid cliches anyway :-3 What I mean is that I really do not like the cliches as a base. In fantasy, for example, people often like using mystical, bizarre people as characters--maybe not main chara...
by GratuitousMoonspeak
Tue May 01, 2012 11:58 pm
Forum: Asset Creation: Writing
Topic: Playing with reader expectation
Replies: 27
Views: 3944

Re: Playing with reader expectation

Okay I have to admit it, I'm really not a romantic kind of person. I do enjoy some love stories, but I just can't get behind the whole sappy "I can't live without you, pretty bad boy I met just last week!" kind of thing. It just doesn't make sense to me. (I can, however, understand the MC ...
by GratuitousMoonspeak
Thu Apr 05, 2012 11:30 am
Forum: Asset Creation: Writing
Topic: about villains/antagonists/whathaveyou
Replies: 20
Views: 4004

Re: about villains/antagonists/whathaveyou

I'm glad for all the thoughtful answers! It's interesting to see how other people view this topic. On a related note, I also don't like the tendency for characters to have that weird evil-sensing instinct (you know, the whole "there was something I didn't like about that guy/girl/turtle/whateve...
by GratuitousMoonspeak
Mon Apr 02, 2012 4:51 pm
Forum: Asset Creation: Writing
Topic: about villains/antagonists/whathaveyou
Replies: 20
Views: 4004

Re: about villains/antagonists/whathaveyou

I simply don't create villains. There are people that for a reason have to fight on opposite sides, but both have some nice characters and violent/greedy/everything that is bad guys. And personally, I'm in team Lannister and I don't consider them evil. They're all perfect example of well created an...
by GratuitousMoonspeak
Mon Apr 02, 2012 3:32 pm
Forum: Asset Creation: Writing
Topic: about villains/antagonists/whathaveyou
Replies: 20
Views: 4004

Re: about villains/antagonists/whathaveyou

I don't know how everyone feels about Limyaael, but she has an interesting rant on the subject, found here . And as jjbproductions said, I do think it's important to differentiate between villains and antagonists. Villains do things just because they can, and for obviously evil reasons. Antagonists ...
by GratuitousMoonspeak
Mon Apr 02, 2012 2:52 pm
Forum: Asset Creation: Writing
Topic: about villains/antagonists/whathaveyou
Replies: 20
Views: 4004

Re: about villains/antagonists/whathaveyou

Thank you for the replies! @ redeyesblackpanda: That's true. I guess I just didn't realize that other people are lazy about it because I'm actually kind of a perfectionist when it comes to my own writing :-/ So there I go, assuming that other people are just as insanely anal as I can be. @ LateWhite...
by GratuitousMoonspeak
Mon Apr 02, 2012 12:21 pm
Forum: Asset Creation: Writing
Topic: about villains/antagonists/whathaveyou
Replies: 20
Views: 4004

Re: about villains/antagonists/whathaveyou

Derp, and that was me applying maturity to Harry Potter. Sorry, sometimes I forget that the villains were supposed to be like that because, let's face it, it's a kid's series :-T But you're right. In good-versus-evil stories, there's very little room for varying how your heroes or villains will nece...
by GratuitousMoonspeak
Mon Apr 02, 2012 11:04 am
Forum: Asset Creation: Writing
Topic: about villains/antagonists/whathaveyou
Replies: 20
Views: 4004

about villains/antagonists/whathaveyou

So, is making your villain completely and unrepentantly evil the only way to do it? As much as I like the Harry Potter series, I have to admit that Voldemort and his followers are sometimes a bit too over-the-top for my tastes (though to be fair, Voldemort was always kind of a scumbag and at least h...
by GratuitousMoonspeak
Mon Mar 26, 2012 2:54 pm
Forum: Asset Creation: Writing
Topic: Playing with reader expectation
Replies: 27
Views: 3944

Re: Playing with reader expectation

Is it too obvious that I hate otome games? Play more games by different authors. :) Even in the Japanese-written games there are plenty where the endings aren't all roses! I was reading reviews of a japanese otome game recently where in every single path , even the final unlockable one, the heroes ...
by GratuitousMoonspeak
Mon Mar 26, 2012 12:38 pm
Forum: Asset Creation: Writing
Topic: Playing with reader expectation
Replies: 27
Views: 3944

Re: Playing with reader expectation

I like the positive responses to this topic, but I'm a bit conflicted over what has gone down with Mass Effect 3's ending. On the one hand, I find it kind of hilarious that it was able to get such a rise out of people (mainly because I'm not a Mass Effect fan; after playing Dragon Age and then KOTOR...
by GratuitousMoonspeak
Tue Mar 20, 2012 12:18 am
Forum: Asset Creation: Writing
Topic: Playing with reader expectation
Replies: 27
Views: 3944

Re: Playing with reader expectation

I can't say that trolling is bad, but as always, it all depends on the story. If there's a reason for all these characters to die, it would all make sense and the story still would be good. But if they get, I don't know, hit by a bus for no apparent reason, just because you feel like killing them, ...
by GratuitousMoonspeak
Sat Mar 10, 2012 8:32 pm
Forum: Creator Discussion
Topic: Characters without a purpose
Replies: 12
Views: 1344

Re: Characters without a purpose

Maybe you could highlight that she just wants to be normal, but is hindered by it because of her uber-ninja skills? Like, she would want to be nice to people, but when they sneak up on her she can't help but get all reflexively defensive.
by GratuitousMoonspeak
Sat Mar 10, 2012 8:10 pm
Forum: Creator Discussion
Topic: Different genres
Replies: 13
Views: 1558

Re: Different genres

I can't think of the genre name, but one thing I would like to see more of is something kind of like The A-Team, MacGyver, Cowboy Bebop, or even Seven Samurai. Basically, where the main characters have a problem to solve, and the majority of the storytelling takes place within the scope of that pro...
by GratuitousMoonspeak
Sat Mar 10, 2012 7:08 pm
Forum: Asset Creation: Writing
Topic: Do your characters surprise you?
Replies: 11
Views: 1932

Re: Do your characters surprise you?

I think it's pretty normal for characters to "develop" personalities, so to speak. I feel that if I just force them to act the way that I want them to, they come across as robotic and unfeeling instead of as people. Personally, I like writing because it's always kind of an adventure. You k...