Final Tabenings of May
So, the 'Seed' epilogue has been split into two parts and nicely polished, so that's a go for this coming weekend. No sex, no mind control, but there are some good lines in it.
Not a lot of motivation beyond that, at least tonight. Playing a little more Stardew Valley and debating if 'Blood and Wine' is enough to motivate me to re-learn how to play Witcher 3. I played the entire release campaign, and liked it well enough to start a second 'complete everything' play-through, but that fizzled out somewhere in Novigrad and I haven't touched it since last year. I bought 'Hearts of Stone' but despite everyone saying how good it was, have never yet played it.
'Stellaris' still appeals, though waiting for the next major patch might be the way to go.
Not going to kick off 'Joba' (Note the cunning name change! Also... Novamist Valley. How clever! How obfuscated!) tonight. If I'm feeling horny tomorrow, perhaps.
Also need to get CORE #10 revised and completed and over to Uzobono (who sent me a nice email from Belgium, or maybe Belarus) before I leave on vaycay at the end of June. Obviously there's time, but since I need to do it, perhaps sooner is better than later.
Tuesday, May 31, 2016
Monday, May 30, 2016
Working for the Man
I'm thinking more seriously about writing that Joja story. It's providing good fuel for my random fetishizing during the day, and I think I've worked out how to move the plot forward with some tension in it.
Couple of problems - first, I'd like to go with the name 'Joja', but of course that's a direct lift from Stardew Valley and thus I am hesitant about it. Simon has a strict 'no fanfic' rule - which I think is wise and I have always abided by - although I think that using the name 'Joja' for the company but not swiping any of the other character names, place names, etc would skirt by with enough leeway.
Second of course is me - I daresay that the 'short' story I am describing in my mind would balloon outward as I drew in other characters and paced out the conversion over time, etc etc. I'll have to fight that tendency pretty hard.
Still, the idea is attracting me. Maybe it's just my desire to procrastinate from finishing 'Pierced', I recognize what a terrible habit I have in that way. On the other hand, if I start something else I could procrastinate from *that* by concluding 'Pierced'. Hard to say, really.
A good Tabico would procrastinate by writing the final bit of 'Compromise'. Not feeling romantic enough at the moment for 'Summer Flesh', or baroque enough for 'That Which Has Been Lost'.
Well, we'll just have to see, you and I. But smart money would bet on my starting 'Joja'.
I'm thinking more seriously about writing that Joja story. It's providing good fuel for my random fetishizing during the day, and I think I've worked out how to move the plot forward with some tension in it.
Couple of problems - first, I'd like to go with the name 'Joja', but of course that's a direct lift from Stardew Valley and thus I am hesitant about it. Simon has a strict 'no fanfic' rule - which I think is wise and I have always abided by - although I think that using the name 'Joja' for the company but not swiping any of the other character names, place names, etc would skirt by with enough leeway.
Second of course is me - I daresay that the 'short' story I am describing in my mind would balloon outward as I drew in other characters and paced out the conversion over time, etc etc. I'll have to fight that tendency pretty hard.
Still, the idea is attracting me. Maybe it's just my desire to procrastinate from finishing 'Pierced', I recognize what a terrible habit I have in that way. On the other hand, if I start something else I could procrastinate from *that* by concluding 'Pierced'. Hard to say, really.
A good Tabico would procrastinate by writing the final bit of 'Compromise'. Not feeling romantic enough at the moment for 'Summer Flesh', or baroque enough for 'That Which Has Been Lost'.
Well, we'll just have to see, you and I. But smart money would bet on my starting 'Joja'.
Friday, May 27, 2016
Sprouting
I just now finished the Epilogue for 'Seed'. 50Kb, which will probably increase the usual 10% upon editing, and looking back I brought the chapters for 'Seed' in at under 25k each, so I'll need to break it in half for posting.
But it's done!
Almost.
I still need to edit it up, and frankly I am not gonna chain myself to my desk and slave away at it tonight (as I do with surprising frequency) just to get it into Simon for this weekend's update. So you should expect not to see any Tabico prose for the Memorial Day weekend update, but (barring that ever-worrisome bus attack) you *will* see the conclusion to 'Seed' in next weekend's update.
There's no sex in it. Hell, there isn't even any mind control. It's pure fantasy-novel, from start to finish. So those of you who like that sort of thing will hopefully like it. And it will give you a chance to read 'Seed' again, because I had forgotten most of it and I daresay you have too.
Now to see if 'Pierced' is ready to be concluded or if I should switch gears again and put some milage down on, oh, say, 'That Which Has Been Lost'.
I just now finished the Epilogue for 'Seed'. 50Kb, which will probably increase the usual 10% upon editing, and looking back I brought the chapters for 'Seed' in at under 25k each, so I'll need to break it in half for posting.
But it's done!
Almost.
I still need to edit it up, and frankly I am not gonna chain myself to my desk and slave away at it tonight (as I do with surprising frequency) just to get it into Simon for this weekend's update. So you should expect not to see any Tabico prose for the Memorial Day weekend update, but (barring that ever-worrisome bus attack) you *will* see the conclusion to 'Seed' in next weekend's update.
There's no sex in it. Hell, there isn't even any mind control. It's pure fantasy-novel, from start to finish. So those of you who like that sort of thing will hopefully like it. And it will give you a chance to read 'Seed' again, because I had forgotten most of it and I daresay you have too.
Now to see if 'Pierced' is ready to be concluded or if I should switch gears again and put some milage down on, oh, say, 'That Which Has Been Lost'.
Wednesday, May 25, 2016
Fetchit
Seed part 12 is up to 22k, so trucking right along. I was aiming to get it done in 40k but I may not be able to fit everything in - a real shocker, I know. However, I will not be releasing any of it until the story is done and wrapped up, so don't expect an update this week and another one later. If I have to break the epilogue into two halves, it'll still all come out at the same time.
In other news, I've been playing Fallout 4's Far Harbor expansion, and it's given me an idea for a story. In the game, there's a synth doctor named Aster (no spoiler, you know it when you meet her), who's rather clinical and cool and I think she's dead sexy, albeit grimy in the usual Fallout 4 manner. She's got a fetch quest where you can bring her asters, flowers that you find around the island.
Sadly for me, that's the extent of it. Bring her asters, she gives you some caps. But inasmuch as my Nora would very much like to get into her artificial-human pants, it stirred my imagination.
Premise: a story world similar to Fallout 4. Main character / Player character encounters a cool, clinical, yet erotically compelling NPC, who sends the player on fetch quests. As the fetch quests proceed, a couple of things develop. The things being fetched start to imply that the quest-giver is concocting some sort - or multiple sorts - of mind control. Pieces for a mind control helmet, chemical ingredients for serum. Holotapes of long-extinct dommes.
At the same time, the NPC is finding the player character increasingly interesting on account of their willingness to do her bidding, and of course their incredible competence. Although initially cool, she becomes intrigued (and turned on?) by the PC's combination of eager obedience and unstoppable success, and starts dropping hints to the effect that maybe this arrangement should become more permanent.
Eventually, the questgiver overtly starts to modify the PC, at first with their permission (opening with a powerful scene where she asks if she may use X on them) and subsequently without their permission. At the same time, the NPC, increasingly intrigued by some of the artifacts retrieved, starts modifying her own personality to be more dominant, haughtier and more superior.
One could throw in some other NPCs who trust or rely on the PC, and who eventually the quest giver has the PC turn into her slaves. Lots of yummy possibilities.
As a meta-narrative, one might set the entire story of descent into slavery to this robot NPC within a computer game - and have the game start to act upon the player. This was done really, really well (in my opinion) in a Diablo III fanfic I've read called Braving Inferno (hentai foundry link) by aesthil, although sadly the story is unfinished (I'm not the only one!). So even as the PC becomes more and more an obedient minion, the player themself becomes more and more the thrall of the game, unable to stop playing it, and the quest giver NPC begins to show awareness of the human that she's actually enslaving.
But that's an optional extra. Just the narrative of the protagonist falling under the sway of the quest giver, bit by bit, partially voluntarily and partially involuntarily, could be a really sexy tale.
If you have good ideas for things the PC might do for the synth on the way to becoming her slave, do feel free to leave them in comments.
Seed part 12 is up to 22k, so trucking right along. I was aiming to get it done in 40k but I may not be able to fit everything in - a real shocker, I know. However, I will not be releasing any of it until the story is done and wrapped up, so don't expect an update this week and another one later. If I have to break the epilogue into two halves, it'll still all come out at the same time.
In other news, I've been playing Fallout 4's Far Harbor expansion, and it's given me an idea for a story. In the game, there's a synth doctor named Aster (no spoiler, you know it when you meet her), who's rather clinical and cool and I think she's dead sexy, albeit grimy in the usual Fallout 4 manner. She's got a fetch quest where you can bring her asters, flowers that you find around the island.
Sadly for me, that's the extent of it. Bring her asters, she gives you some caps. But inasmuch as my Nora would very much like to get into her artificial-human pants, it stirred my imagination.
Premise: a story world similar to Fallout 4. Main character / Player character encounters a cool, clinical, yet erotically compelling NPC, who sends the player on fetch quests. As the fetch quests proceed, a couple of things develop. The things being fetched start to imply that the quest-giver is concocting some sort - or multiple sorts - of mind control. Pieces for a mind control helmet, chemical ingredients for serum. Holotapes of long-extinct dommes.
At the same time, the NPC is finding the player character increasingly interesting on account of their willingness to do her bidding, and of course their incredible competence. Although initially cool, she becomes intrigued (and turned on?) by the PC's combination of eager obedience and unstoppable success, and starts dropping hints to the effect that maybe this arrangement should become more permanent.
Eventually, the questgiver overtly starts to modify the PC, at first with their permission (opening with a powerful scene where she asks if she may use X on them) and subsequently without their permission. At the same time, the NPC, increasingly intrigued by some of the artifacts retrieved, starts modifying her own personality to be more dominant, haughtier and more superior.
One could throw in some other NPCs who trust or rely on the PC, and who eventually the quest giver has the PC turn into her slaves. Lots of yummy possibilities.
As a meta-narrative, one might set the entire story of descent into slavery to this robot NPC within a computer game - and have the game start to act upon the player. This was done really, really well (in my opinion) in a Diablo III fanfic I've read called Braving Inferno (hentai foundry link) by aesthil, although sadly the story is unfinished (I'm not the only one!). So even as the PC becomes more and more an obedient minion, the player themself becomes more and more the thrall of the game, unable to stop playing it, and the quest giver NPC begins to show awareness of the human that she's actually enslaving.
But that's an optional extra. Just the narrative of the protagonist falling under the sway of the quest giver, bit by bit, partially voluntarily and partially involuntarily, could be a really sexy tale.
If you have good ideas for things the PC might do for the synth on the way to becoming her slave, do feel free to leave them in comments.
Tuesday, May 24, 2016
Tuesday Tabenings
So! I've done no work on 'Pierced'. None at all! Ha! I'm not gonna return to it until I can come up with something that Vanderbilt won't frown at.
Actually, I know what I'm gonna write, but I need to rebuild my confidence to do it. This weekend was a bad one for "okay, the story's out there... no one is saying anything... still no feedback... argh, why do I do this, I suck, who am I writing for... this ending sucks anyway..."
Which is not fair, of course, Uzobono made a wonderful render based on the most recent update - how does she read me so well? - and I got, let me count, one, two... two pieces of email from people saying they liked it, and there were a couple of kind forum posts. But I built it up too much in my mind and need a while to bounce back from the comedown.
I dunno what it is, people seem to like, or at least comment on, the plot and dialoguey installments much more than the naughty smut bits, even when it's the naughty smut bits that bring us all here. I don't quite understand, it just, it... *waves hands around*
Anyway no 'Pierced', certainly not this weekend. Though I really should finish it before Uzobono returns and can chide me for not finishing it - and she is right to do so - which does mean June at any rate.
But no 'Pierced' does not mean no writing! That's right, bitches - I've just put in 12k on 'Seed' part twelve.
That's right! 'Seed'! Remember that? I have to say, I'm really rather fond of that story, and I never did finish it, and I am doing so now. Part twelve is an epilogue, basically, taking place many years after the events of part 1-11 - oh, sorry, (spoilers) I guess - that's the risk you take in the Secret Files! - but Eyna will be making an appearance. No, she didn't die in the giant "everyone gets absorbed by the Wicker-Man-like vine-Goddess-thing". It just seemed that way because I didn't finish the story.
If I were a good author - and I mean 'good' in the sense of being kind to my readers, I write purty enough - I would have wrapped the story up back in 2014 when it came out. But you get what you pay for, I guess; yet now the story will finally be complete! Unless I get hit by a bus.
Not that anyone is asking for more 'Seed', but ehh what the fuck. 'Not getting paid' and all that.
If I am really with it, 'Seed' 12 will be out this weekend, otherwise first weekend in June, but I expect I'll already be at work on the last bit of Pierced next week.
So! I've done no work on 'Pierced'. None at all! Ha! I'm not gonna return to it until I can come up with something that Vanderbilt won't frown at.
Actually, I know what I'm gonna write, but I need to rebuild my confidence to do it. This weekend was a bad one for "okay, the story's out there... no one is saying anything... still no feedback... argh, why do I do this, I suck, who am I writing for... this ending sucks anyway..."
Which is not fair, of course, Uzobono made a wonderful render based on the most recent update - how does she read me so well? - and I got, let me count, one, two... two pieces of email from people saying they liked it, and there were a couple of kind forum posts. But I built it up too much in my mind and need a while to bounce back from the comedown.
I dunno what it is, people seem to like, or at least comment on, the plot and dialoguey installments much more than the naughty smut bits, even when it's the naughty smut bits that bring us all here. I don't quite understand, it just, it... *waves hands around*
Anyway no 'Pierced', certainly not this weekend. Though I really should finish it before Uzobono returns and can chide me for not finishing it - and she is right to do so - which does mean June at any rate.
But no 'Pierced' does not mean no writing! That's right, bitches - I've just put in 12k on 'Seed' part twelve.
That's right! 'Seed'! Remember that? I have to say, I'm really rather fond of that story, and I never did finish it, and I am doing so now. Part twelve is an epilogue, basically, taking place many years after the events of part 1-11 - oh, sorry, (spoilers) I guess - that's the risk you take in the Secret Files! - but Eyna will be making an appearance. No, she didn't die in the giant "everyone gets absorbed by the Wicker-Man-like vine-Goddess-thing". It just seemed that way because I didn't finish the story.
If I were a good author - and I mean 'good' in the sense of being kind to my readers, I write purty enough - I would have wrapped the story up back in 2014 when it came out. But you get what you pay for, I guess; yet now the story will finally be complete! Unless I get hit by a bus.
Not that anyone is asking for more 'Seed', but ehh what the fuck. 'Not getting paid' and all that.
If I am really with it, 'Seed' 12 will be out this weekend, otherwise first weekend in June, but I expect I'll already be at work on the last bit of Pierced next week.
Monday, May 23, 2016
Monday Mooning
No, not with my butt, you perverts.
So, Uzobono is off on her month-long trip for the CIA (note: informed speculation only), which basically means I can stop writing for a while. Right?
No?
Eh. I did precisely bupkis this last weekend (aside from playing Fallout 4's Far Harbor DLC) so any chance of 'Pierced' the-conclusion-no-I-mean-it-this-time coming out over Memorial Day weekend is pretty much shot. Which may be for the best, I'm continuing to second-guess the endgame I've come up with. I'm having difficulty living up to the reputation I have created for myself in my own mind, and to be honest (spoilers!) I haven't been seeding the preceeding chapters with hints or clues with the intent of there being some big reveal, I've just been writing to move the story forward.
Maybe I should know better. Don't write anything without a solid, gut-punch ending ready for it.
But at any rate, I'm not best pleased with my plan for the finale at this point but I need to put the story to bed so I can move on to the next thing, whatever that may be. I'll try getting it underway this week so that I can hopefully conclude it first weekend of June.
I'm still a bit enthused by that Stardew Valley / Joja story idea I outlined a few posts back. Some intelligent, urbane commentators provided some really great suggestions there in the comments and cogitating upon them gave me the intertwined plotline I need to actually make it a story with some tension to it; if I could knock it off in a week, I'd do it, but I am doubtful of my ability to do that.
Also, need to write that last chapter of CORE #10, and then collect all the renders that Uzo has created thus far and re-edit the whole script. That is our process, by the way; here, I shall outline it for you:
a) I sit down with a blank page and write story pages, which consist of a page number, the layout of the panels on the page, a brief description of the content / image in each panel, and any dialogue. I'll do this one or two chapters, each between 4-12 pages, at a time. Send to Uzobono.
b) Uzobono renders the images. (As far as I'm concerned, this step is fucking magic, because holy shit does she make purty renders, with details and oh the expressions she can capture) She sends them back to me as individual images, a chapter's worth at a time.
Steps (a) and (b) proceed concurrently, so that in theory at least I am moving forward with writing while Uzo is moving forward with the renders. I throw in some initial comments on the renders in case there's something that I'd like changed or added.
c) Having received all of the renders, I review and edit the script both for general goodness and to best fit the images that Uzo has rendered. Send final, complete script back to Uzobono.
d) Uzobono does the necessary postwork and then stitches the images together onto the pages, and inserts all the word bubbles and sound effects.
e) Deliver to you!
So for CORE #10, we're well into step (b), with everything but one scene written and only two scenes left to render. But, as I say, Uzobono is off to Davos for some Illuminati consulting gig and won't be back until July, so there it shall stay until then, although I need to finish up my end through step (c) so that when she's back she can render the last two parts and kick right into (d) and then (e).
But tonight I'm still feeling 'bleh' so I'll probably do some video game and go to bed early. Perhaps tomorrow Tabico will be ready to kick ass and take names.
No, not with my butt, you perverts.
So, Uzobono is off on her month-long trip for the CIA (note: informed speculation only), which basically means I can stop writing for a while. Right?
No?
Eh. I did precisely bupkis this last weekend (aside from playing Fallout 4's Far Harbor DLC) so any chance of 'Pierced' the-conclusion-no-I-mean-it-this-time coming out over Memorial Day weekend is pretty much shot. Which may be for the best, I'm continuing to second-guess the endgame I've come up with. I'm having difficulty living up to the reputation I have created for myself in my own mind, and to be honest (spoilers!) I haven't been seeding the preceeding chapters with hints or clues with the intent of there being some big reveal, I've just been writing to move the story forward.
Maybe I should know better. Don't write anything without a solid, gut-punch ending ready for it.
But at any rate, I'm not best pleased with my plan for the finale at this point but I need to put the story to bed so I can move on to the next thing, whatever that may be. I'll try getting it underway this week so that I can hopefully conclude it first weekend of June.
I'm still a bit enthused by that Stardew Valley / Joja story idea I outlined a few posts back. Some intelligent, urbane commentators provided some really great suggestions there in the comments and cogitating upon them gave me the intertwined plotline I need to actually make it a story with some tension to it; if I could knock it off in a week, I'd do it, but I am doubtful of my ability to do that.
Also, need to write that last chapter of CORE #10, and then collect all the renders that Uzo has created thus far and re-edit the whole script. That is our process, by the way; here, I shall outline it for you:
a) I sit down with a blank page and write story pages, which consist of a page number, the layout of the panels on the page, a brief description of the content / image in each panel, and any dialogue. I'll do this one or two chapters, each between 4-12 pages, at a time. Send to Uzobono.
b) Uzobono renders the images. (As far as I'm concerned, this step is fucking magic, because holy shit does she make purty renders, with details and oh the expressions she can capture) She sends them back to me as individual images, a chapter's worth at a time.
Steps (a) and (b) proceed concurrently, so that in theory at least I am moving forward with writing while Uzo is moving forward with the renders. I throw in some initial comments on the renders in case there's something that I'd like changed or added.
c) Having received all of the renders, I review and edit the script both for general goodness and to best fit the images that Uzo has rendered. Send final, complete script back to Uzobono.
d) Uzobono does the necessary postwork and then stitches the images together onto the pages, and inserts all the word bubbles and sound effects.
e) Deliver to you!
So for CORE #10, we're well into step (b), with everything but one scene written and only two scenes left to render. But, as I say, Uzobono is off to Davos for some Illuminati consulting gig and won't be back until July, so there it shall stay until then, although I need to finish up my end through step (c) so that when she's back she can render the last two parts and kick right into (d) and then (e).
But tonight I'm still feeling 'bleh' so I'll probably do some video game and go to bed early. Perhaps tomorrow Tabico will be ready to kick ass and take names.
Friday, May 20, 2016
Prepare Your Body
Okay, just emailed Simon with chapter six part three. If you liked chapter two and all the sweaty poolside alien fucking, this installment will probably float your boat.
That's the good news. Bad news is that the final part is, at present, precisely 1k in size, i.e. I haven't even started it. (The disclaimer is 1k.) So unless this coming week turns out to be unusually productive, the final installment may not be ready for next week. I have gotten most of CORE 10 drafted and sent over to Uzobono; I sent her more last night, leaving only a single (albeit long) scene left to write, so I shouldn't have to split focus.
But, in truth, I actually work *better* when I multi-task. If I have only one story I am working on, and I sit down to write, and am un-motivated, then I will do something else. (Video games.) If I have multiple stories and I sit down to write, and one of them doesn't appeal in the moment, the chances are actually good that the other one will. Somehow procrastinating from writing one story by writing another actually works for me. Works really well, in fact.
So I'll try to wrap up Pierced for the Memorial Day weekend. But at the moment that's a tall order, so no promises.
Okay, just emailed Simon with chapter six part three. If you liked chapter two and all the sweaty poolside alien fucking, this installment will probably float your boat.
That's the good news. Bad news is that the final part is, at present, precisely 1k in size, i.e. I haven't even started it. (The disclaimer is 1k.) So unless this coming week turns out to be unusually productive, the final installment may not be ready for next week. I have gotten most of CORE 10 drafted and sent over to Uzobono; I sent her more last night, leaving only a single (albeit long) scene left to write, so I shouldn't have to split focus.
But, in truth, I actually work *better* when I multi-task. If I have only one story I am working on, and I sit down to write, and am un-motivated, then I will do something else. (Video games.) If I have multiple stories and I sit down to write, and one of them doesn't appeal in the moment, the chances are actually good that the other one will. Somehow procrastinating from writing one story by writing another actually works for me. Works really well, in fact.
So I'll try to wrap up Pierced for the Memorial Day weekend. But at the moment that's a tall order, so no promises.
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