Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Weekly Rants: March 27, 2013


Greetings Fellow Readers! Welcome to another rund of randon rating. This will be the last Weekly Rant and I'll be off the entire month of April for a special hiatus. Let me explain.

Since my teen years, I've been writing and drawing game concepts. In 1996, I attended Digipen Applied Computer Graphics in Vancouver, BC, Canada studying video game design/programming sponsored by Nintendo. Unfortunately, the costs studying abroad was too high and in February 1997 I left Digipen. During this period I continued writing game concepts and eventually I turned to fiction writing.

During my time back from Digipen, I had been playing trading card games like Magic, Pokemon, Battletech, and Legend of the Five Rings. It was in 2004, that I had an idea for a trading card game. I began extensive research on as many trading card games as I could. It was there I developed and built my first working prototype, Quantum Wave.

Further playtesting left me unsatisfied and continued working with it, taking out the parts that didn't work and strengthening parts that did. Some of the leftover game mechanics were used for 2 completely new trading card games. At this point, I renamed Quantum Wave, Cyber Tactics (tm), and now it is part of the De x Maquina universe officially.

Afterwards I invented a card and dice game. It features 60 independent mini-dice games in neat little cards. Then I switched over to inventing board games 2009, one of which is Eivo featured in my Studio Coqui YouTube Channel.

Studio Coqui was not really something I wanted to reveal yet and I wanted to keep H-M Brown as my channel name, but YouTube wouod not recognize the '-' in my name. So I decided to settle with Studio Coqui to maintain some sense of professionalism.

You see one of my goals with these games that I am inventing, is to have them made into video games, my life's true goal. At the time I attended Digipen, it was the only school in North America that genuinely had classes focused on video game design and programming. Today there are a lot of schools that offer such classes, but I feel I fell too far behind everything both financially and agewise (I am genuinely out of touch with today's computer culture) to return.

However, I have continued to look into programming and researching game engines such as Unity. Particularly now that Nintendo has eased their policies regarding publishing games on their 3DS and WiiU systems. In the meantime, I created a LinkedIn account and am following video game companies. I signed up with the International Game Developers Association. And now I am creating vido presentations of my working game prototypes to that these exist and built.

So during this hiatus I will be working on another presentation to post on YouTube. I haven't decided yet which game, nor will I make any 'NEWS and NOTES' about it so I can take my time making it.

So that is basically my situation. This is where I truly come from. I am more of a game inventor than writer. However being a writer is great because a lot of games tell stories. The years that I have practiced and published short stories and novels have really helped hone storytelling skills for many games.

Well that's all I have on my mind. Thank you all for listening to my looong rants. The links to my YouTube page is at the top. Prototype Presentations-Eivo is up and running. I will see you all in May. Enjoy your April Spring.

Until Next Time...
See Ya...

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Weekly Rants: March 20, 2013

Greetings Fellow Readers! Welcome to another round of random ranting.

My hiatus is coming up and writing will be coming to a stand still. The question is why? Well, if you've read on my Twitter profile, it says that I am a card/board game inventor. And that is true. I have been inventing card and board games since 2004. The only reason I haven't said much about to this point was because no one would believe me. Think about, what is the first question you would say if I said I made a board game...

"Let me see it."

But the problem lies in Copyrights. Games have been the center of issues involving IPs and piracy. I had to make there was a good tight security and confidence before I can genuinely showcase my games here on the internet. Remember I am posting fiction stories here, and those can be easily stolen at any time.

So what is the hiatus about, well, this morning I posted up a video called Prototype Presentations on YoutTube. My YouTube Channel is called StudioCoqui. No I am not a company, yet, but Google would not allow me to us H-MBrown as the Channel name, so I chose Studio Coqui to sound professional. It will be there that I will post videos of my invented Board and Card Games. Today's Presentation is Eivo, a Board Game designed to be developer friendly into a Video Game. This is the key part here, I am trying not only to get a board game published by a Board Game Company, but I am also looking to get my games made into a Video Game.

The difficulty of making these videos are very high, which is I chose to go to hiatus, so I can focus on making these videos. Juggling writing and video making... and game making, is very taxing on the mind and body. Making my first Prototype Presentation really hard, but I got it down and you can all see what I have been inventing.

There is no scheduling involved, so the videos will be posted unexpectedly. Hence why no 'NEWS and NOTES' during the hiatus. Same goes for the 'Weekly Rants' in April.

Next week's final 'Weekly Rants' before the hiatus, if my computer doesn't break down and sent to the garbage, I will talk a little about myself on how I came to invent games.

Thank you all for listening to my rants.

Until next time...
See ya.

Monday, March 18, 2013

NEWS and NOTES: March 18, 2013

Greetings Fellow Readers. Welcome to another edition of 'NEWS and NOTES'.

NEWS:

-This Friday on Kindle, get your free copy of 'Shell' from 'The Geolyth Lore' on your Kindle mobile device.


- Wednesday's between 8:00 PM EST and 9:00 PM EST on Blogspot** - The Weekly Rants. Check out info, thoughts, and behind the scenes look on all writings and projects by H-M Brown.

- This week I'm going to talk about a few projects that I have been working on.

** Dates and times are subject to change pending any scheduling conflicts.

NOTES:

- This is the last 'NEWS and NOTES' before my Hiatus. This week and next week will be the last 'Weekly Rants' for March, then I will be away for all of April. I will see you all in May with the first set of 'NEWS and NOTES' and 'Weekly Rants'.

That's all for NEWS and NOTES today.

Until next time,
See ya.

Friday, March 15, 2013

NEWS and NOTES: March 15, 2013

Greetings Fellow Readers. Welcome to another edition of 'NEWS and NOTES'.

NEWS:

- No released on Fictionaut.: 'Arcana Magi Pure Vol.3' Chapter 5.

A truth is revealed in the climatic conclusion to Volume 3.

Click on the sidebar link to check it out.


- Today on Kindle: Free 'Shell' Fridays.

Get your free copy of 'Shell' from 'The Geolyth Lore' on your Kindle mobile device.

Official Dates:


March 22, 2013 

- Wednesday's between 8:00 PM EST and 9:00 PM EST on Blogspot** - The Weekly Rants. Check out info, thoughts, and behind the scenes look on all writings and projects by H-M Brown.

- Weekly Rant subject To be determined.

** Dates and times are subject to change pending any scheduling conflicts.

NOTES:

- I will be going on hiatus after I release Arcana Magi Pure this week.Next weeks 'NEWS and NOTES' will be the last and 'Weekly Rants' will go on hiatus in April. Thank you all for reading 'Arcana Magi Pure Vol. 3' I look forward to writing more stories for all of you on Fictionaut later this year.

That's all for NEWS and NOTES today.

Until next time,
See ya.

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Weekly Rants: March 13, 2013

Greetings Fellow Readers! Welcome to another round of random ranting.

We've finally reach the last chapter of 'Arcana Magi Pure'. I hope you all enjoyed it. It was really fun writing for you all. After this week, I will be going on hiatus fr the rest of March and early April. Have to hit the recharge button and get my brain working on other things. So what will be on tap for Spring?

I will write a new Short Story on Fictionaut. Don't know what it is yet, and it will probably be the only one this Spring, still thinking about it.

I will be working 'The Impossible Man'. I am thinking of bring it over to Kindle, which means doing some improvements over the Fictionaut release, like restoring scenes removed due to wall of text on Fictionaut. I'll get it to work.

Of course there will be more Free 'Shell' Fridays, so that list will arrive after the reset.

Weekly Rants will continue for the rest of March then it will go into the April break.

Now during this writing hiatus, there some projects that I have put off and I want to work on them ASAP, it will involve You Tube, and as soon as I get it all together, I will post up dates.

Next Monday will be the last 'NEWS and NOTES' for March and April.


Yes this is going to be pretty much a slow late March and month of April. Officially I will return in May, but if I do return early, you will know when I post up 'NEWS and NOTES'.

So thank you all for joining me this Winter for 'Arcana Magi Pure Vol.3'. I look forward to seeing all Arcana Magi Fans in October for the Official 'Arcana Magi 2013' season on Fictionaut. Now both 'Memorial' and 'Pure' are at Volume 4 each.

Next Wednesday will be another round of ranting. I let you all know in 'NEWS and NOTES' next week what the next discussion will be.

Until Next Time...

See ya.

Monday, March 11, 2013

NEWS and NOTES: March11, 2013

Greetings Fellow Readers. Welcome to another edition of 'NEWS and NOTES'.

NEWS:

- This Friday at 8:00 PM EST on Fictionaut.: 'Arcana Magi Pure Vol.3' Chapter 5.

Things fall apart around Mayumi in this climatic conclusion.

Check it out this week on Fictionaut.


- This week on Kindle: Free 'Shell' Fridays.

Get your free copy of 'Shell' from 'The Geolyth Lore' on your Kindle mobile device.

Official Dates:


March 22, 2013 

- Wednesday's between 8:00 PM EST and 9:00 PM EST on Blogspot** - The Weekly Rants. Check out info, thoughts, and behind the scenes look on all writings and projects by H-M Brown.

- This week will be a look at the upcoming Spring Season.

** Dates and times are subject to change pending any scheduling conflicts.

NOTES:

- I will be going on hiatus after I release Arcana Magi Pure this week. Please join me on this weeks Weekly Rants for what plans are in store.

That's all for NEWS and NOTES today.

Until next time,
See ya.

Friday, March 8, 2013

NEWS and NOTES: March 8, 2013

Greetings Fellow Readers. Welcome to another edition of 'NEWS and NOTES'.

NEWS:

- Now released on Fictionaut.: 'Arcana Magi Pure Vol.3' Chapter 4.

While Blue Moon Festival continues, Emi and Nina have an important conversation.

Click on the sidebar link check it out.

'Arcana Magi Pure Vol.3' Dates **

Chapter 5 - Friday March 15, 2013

- Now available on Kindle: Free 'Shell' Fridays.

Get your free copy of 'Shell' from 'The Geolyth Lore' on your Kindle mobile device.

Official Dates:

March 15, 2013
March 22, 2013 

- Wednesday's between 8:00 PM EST and 9:00 PM EST on Blogspot** - The Weekly Rants. Check out info, thoughts, and behind the scenes look on all writings and projects by H-M Brown.

- Ranting to be determined on Wednesday.

** Dates and times are subject to change pending any scheduling conflicts.

NOTES:

- No NOTES Today.

That's all for NEWS and NOTES today.

Until next time,
See ya.

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Weekly Rants: March 6, 2013

Greetings Fellow Readers! Welcome to another round of random ranting. This I another 'Thought on Writing'. This will probably be brief, so let us begin.

[Thoughts on Writing: Passive Voice

     Passive Voice is kind of a polarizing form of grammar. From my experience, I heard on one side that it is very bad grammar and to never use it, while on the other side, I heard it was okay if used correctly. I'm not the type of person that can comprehend things so easily, but in my early writings, they were chock full of passive voice. For me it sounded okay, but then when you're writer everything looks and sounds okay. But once other people read it, they can feel the irritation of passive voice and say its wrong. Now, when I joined WebFictionGuide.com I as criticized for the passive voice, so I made adjustments by removing all passive voice, only to be told that I didn't need to get rid of passive voice altogether. Now that felt irritating.
      So what was I to do? I decided to go for a middle ground. I learned that passive voice was good for foreshadowing since passive voice can be vague and not strong enough. So what I have been trying to do in all of current writings is try to set up a foreshadow using passive voice. Now whether it works or not lays in your hands fellow readers, but if passive voice proves effective in foreshadowing, then I will keep using passive voice.
      I think that sometimes passive voice, if used in the right place, can be a correct move to make, especially if it serves the story well. If it can keep readers interested in reading more, if it can make reveals more shocking, or if it can define the entire story, then passive voice should be so easily and readily dismissed. But ONLY if you can passive voice work in the story's favor, or else, it would be best to steer clear of it altogether.]

So that was what I had on mind today. Not much, very short and simple.

Thank you all for listening to my brief ranting. Join me again next Wednesday for more rants.

Until Next Time...
See ya.

Monday, March 4, 2013

NEWS and NOTES: March 4, 2013

Greetings Fellow Readers. Welcome to another edition of 'NEWS and NOTES'.

NEWS:

- This Friday 8:00 PM EST on Fictionaut.: 'Arcana Magi Pure Vol.3' Chapter 4.

While Blue Moon Festival continues, Emi and Nina have an important conversation.

Check it out this Friday on Fictionaut

'Arcana Magi Pure Vol.3' Dates **

Chapter 5 - Friday March 15, 2013

- Coming this Friday March 8 on Kindle: Free 'Shell' Fridays.

Get your free copy of 'Shell' from 'The Geolyth Lore' on your Kindle mobile device.

Official Dates:

March 15, 2013
March 22, 2013 

- Wednesday's between 8:00 PM EST and 9:00 PM EST on Blogspot** - The Weekly Rants. Check out info, thoughts, and behind the scenes look on all writings and projects by H-M Brown.

-This week will be 'Thoughts on Writing'. Ranting to be determined on Wednesday.

** Dates and times are subject to change pending any scheduling conflicts.

NOTES:

- No NOTES Today.

That's all for NEWS and NOTES today.

Until next time,
See ya.