T w e n t y S i d e d
DM of the Rings Remastered XCIX: Alliterative Antagonists
Wednesday Action Log 12-11-24
This week I’ve finally gotten back to Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord.
So far I’ve gotten a town through very nice methods and not at all taking it from a rebellion. Now I have to work very hard to not have a rebellion start in my new town, which is difficult with the population of the town not liking me for some unknown reason.
What’s everyone else doing this week?
Dance Magic: Final Thoughts on Jim Henson’s Labyrinth
Time to close out my argument (such as it is) and the movie. As the dance sequence ends the story transitions back to a more straight-forward growing up/coming of age aspect. Sarah has to make her final choice then prove that she has mastered the lesson. Jareth now will appear in black (see the screenshot in the previous post), representing his ultimate role as villain and adversary. And of course, having proved she is the master (drink), Sarah will be “rewarded” through ultimate understanding.
Continue reading ⟩⟩ “Dance Magic: Final Thoughts on Jim Henson’s Labyrinth”
Wednesday Action Log 12-04-24
This week I have had more time than last week, but unfortunately I got a little sick, so once again, very few games have been played.
What’s everyone else doing?
More of Jim Henson’s Labyrinth; on the significance of Jennifer Connelly (Part Two)
We left Labyrinth at what I described as a transition point in the movie. Sarah is now stuck at the bottom of an oubliette (one of many in the labyrinth, Hoggle will inform us shortly), although Jareth will continue to refer to “the” oubliette and “it” as if there is only one. Was it a script inconsistency, or an intentional reference to the fact that Hoggle is a product of the story while Jareth is the storyteller? Much like many insane Kubrickian hypothesis, I don’t think it matters. As far as the story goes, she *is* in *the* oubliette, and that’s all we need to know. The labyrinth is “full of them,” according to Hoggle, and considering Sarah is dealing with more significant matters than the pedantry of the Goblin Kingdom…it is, after all, only the setting…they may as well all be the same oubliette. And as we have seen, they *could* all be the same oubliette, all leading to same possible outcomes.
DM of the Rings Remastered XCVIII: Ooooh! Shiny!
Wednesday Action Log 11-27-24
This week I’ve done barely anything. In my free time I’ve been watching YouTube, but I’ve barely had enough time to commit games. Next week I should have more, so hopefully then I will have anything to talk about.
How’s everyone else this week?
From The Archives:
The Best of 2019
I called 2019 "The Year of corporate Dystopia". Here is a list of the games I thought were interesting or worth talking about that year.
Who Broke the In-Game Economy?
Why are RPG economies so bad? Why are shopkeepers so mercenary, why are the prices so crazy, and why do you always end up a gazillionaire by the end of the game? Can't we just have a sensible balanced economy?
Project Frontier
A programming project where I set out to make a gigantic and complex world from simple data.
The Gameplay is the Story
Some advice to game developers on how to stop ruining good stories with bad cutscenes.
Gamers Aren’t Toxic
This is a horrible narrative that undermines the hobby through crass stereotypes. The hobby is vast, gamers come from all walks of life, and you shouldn't judge ANY group by its worst members.
The Gradient of Plot Holes
Most stories have plot holes. The failure isn't that they exist, it's when you notice them while immersed in the story.
This Scene Breaks a Character
Small changes to the animations can have a huge impact on how the audience interprets a scene.
Joker's Last Laugh
Did you anticipate the big plot twist of Batman: Arkham City? Here's all the ways the game hid that secret from you while also rubbing your nose in it.
Final Fantasy X
A game about the ghost of an underwater football player who travels through time to save the world from a tick that controls kaiju satan. Really.
Lost Laughs in Leisure Suit Larry
Why was this classic adventure game so funny in the 80's, and why did it stop being funny?