tetradecimal

So, my NaNo planning continues. I cheated and wrote some on the plane on the way to and from New York and the introduction where Rocks Fall, Everyone Dies turned out to be a lot longer than I thought it was going to be. Mostly because I started feeling bad about how I was killing these people off and started giving them personalities and whatnot. Also, it is way, WAY easier to write your stupid novel when there isn't anyone sitting next to you >___<.

It kind of goes in fits and starts. I'm good at going on and on at describing things when I have a clear mental image, but it's tough when I don't actually know what I'm going to be describing. I especially have no idea what kind of Cool Strategic Battle Things are going to happen. I guess RPGs don't really go over strategy as it relates to actual battles very much. I mean, I can't write about how Fighter X moves three squares up and two squares left.

But I want people to actually stop and think, "Hey, that's pretty neat." Like in Suikoden II, your army's strategist has you attack the Big Bad in a night ambush. He eventually hacks his ways through about EIGHTEEN of your most badass party members, then escapes to this grassy knoll, where he finds a wooden amulet hanging on a tree branch. He opens it, and the fireflies trapped inside start to fly off.

And then your strategist has his crack team of archers shoot at the sudden light.

What's even more awesome? The amulet belonged to the resident little party urchin whose family was killed by the Big Bad. Oh, the video game retribution!</dweeb>

Well, I'd settle for a cool way to use environmental conditions. This is like the only time I've ever wanted to be a history buff.

Oh: yesterday, I saw someone paying full price for a Dan Brown hardcover.