Purge - Final Edit Stage Update II

The story once known as "Forget, Regret; Power, Devourer", renamed as 'Purge', is nearing completion.

I made a few more edits today. In the first few chapters, I added a few paragraphs in total to flesh out the story of each. I've also added a space between paragraphs, so as to avoid the "wall of text" effect. Some more corrections had to be made, obviously because Word can't detect every literary mistake. One has to be very intuitive in the editing process.

Feels like I am critiquing my own work, to be frank. And I hold mixed feelings for the realm of critique.

As for publishing it, I am considering Clarke's World Magazine, which is actually what is known as an "e-zine." However, I want to get a full-on copyright before publishing it to them, because I don't want them to own the hard copy version. I'll contact them before hand and inquire about this, but I'll take the safe route anyway because it requires quite a bit of effort to write a story.

Also, they pay ten cents per word (up to 4,000 words), and five cents per word after that. As such, they would prefer a 4,000 word limit. This is definitely encouraging. I could use a monetary boost for sure.

RE: I dont' want a doctor

Click here for the post I am replying to.

I don't buy this.

I do agree, to some extent, that North America's medical establishment is quite flawed and in many cases, is more about shilling for pharmaceutical companies than actually improving your health. However, if you are really going through an episode of dementia, then get something done about it.

Apparently, this was invoked by huge amounts of stress. What could cause such stress? And you argue that you wanted to die happy. Well, are you happy right now? Were you happy before this "episode" rounded its ugly head? I think this is your means of justifying your pessimism towards the medical establishment, and refraining from seeing a doctor. I know you'd be taking a chance, but it's not definite knowledge that they'll inject you with chemicals that come with side-effects. Let alone your assumption that they'll 'experiment' on you somehow, which comes across as misinformed and paranoid.

Frankly, I think the two of you are in a scam. I think this is bullshit, twisted as it is. If you lost 3 years of your life, as young as you are, then how the fuck do you have the mental skill to write blog posts? How the fuck do you remember your blogspot, and the login details?

Attention seems to be your drug, which you share with your boyfriend, obviously (a match made in Heaven, I guess). Believe me, I've seen people sink to unthinkable lows to garner attention, so it wouldn't surprise me if that's all you and Greg are looking for. It's funny how you seem to be rational in your blog posts (as unreasonable as they are), but in the videos Greg has shared with the world, you don't even appear mentally capable of putting together a coherent sentence. And all of this is a bid for the attention you crave, because that's all you feel you have left in your sad little life?

Then again, people like you who try to make the world revolve around you and your problems are hardly ever capable of reprisal. I've met people like you and you all have made me sick with your bullshit, hurting others and whining about it to people acting like a fucking victim. And if my suspicion of this being a total joke is true, then what you ought to do is get the hell off the internet. Before your 'sad' life is really ruined. How would you like to have an encyclopedia dramatica article made about you and your boyfriend's antics? How would you like Anonymous to go after you because you're jerking everyone off with this bullshit?

And seriously, to have such a callous attitude speaks volumes of your character. The video from the channel TJDoesLife is sincere concern, while at the same time he does hold contempt for your asshole attention whore boyfriend. You calling him a prick because he almost entirely got pissed at Greg is telling. I'm not buying this. I am, however, going to tell you one last thing about Greg, since he's the one uploading VIDEOS of this to the world, thus making it everybody's business.

If you really have gone through memory loss, which is a very possible symptom of dementia, Alzheimer's Disease, or a brain tumor, then Greg is an exploitative piece of psychopathic shit.

If you didn't go through what could be early on-set Alzheimer's Disease, memory loss because of dementia, or a symptom of a brain tumor, then Greg is an exploitative piece of psychopathic shit.

See how they both turn out the same? In one scenario, you and he came up with a glaring lie, a grab for attention through an emotionally charged scenario. And in the other, at the behest of your mental health, he chose to exploit you for the world to see so that he can get more views. Why else would he put ADVERTISEMENTS next to the video, hmm?

Purge - Final Edit Stage Update

I've gone through the first three parts, editing whatever I deemed necessary, even revising some areas. For good measure, and to help for quick acquisition in my necessary subsequent edits, I've renamed the file to what it is now titled. Since I intend to adapt it into a concept album at some point, whenever that may be, I'm making two versions of it. The musical adaptation would have a few interlude sections of instrumental composition (no vocals).

Also, I'm considering taking thematic, symbolic photographs for this story, to compliment it as a whole. They'd help establish the mood I'm aiming for. I've a fascination, and thus, a predisposition towards symbolic art of various kinds, and that's precisely what these photographs will be. There will be no faces to be seen in any of these photographs.

Purge - Updated logo

This is a newer prototype. Whether I choose to use it or not is still up for debate...in my head!

Purge

Well, the old title, "Forget, Regret; Power, Devourer" was contrived and convoluted. Enter: Purge.

It's rather simple, but I think it is rather fitting. I think I may stick with this. I created a logo for it. It's a prototype, if you will.

Forget, Regret; Power, Devourer (PROGRESS REPORT)

It's been some time since I dedicated any effort to this concept work. I'd like to think that it's due to the open college schedule I have this term, and perhaps I it is correct.

Although I have the entire story written out already (in fact, I've had it completed for over half a year), it needed corrections throughout. Plus, it doesn't hurt to make some revisions, additional plot details, and other such improvements. To play the role of editor, let alone for my own works, is but an arduous task at times. The beast that is the inner argument can overcome any writer!

All ramblings aside, what I've done today included amending typographical errors, adding a paragraph to one of the chapters due to there being a glaringly obvious plot-hole, and a slight change to the title of that same chapter which I worked on. This isn't to say that the changes I made today would be the last before I consider getting this grounded as my intellectual property, but it is a good bit of progress to make.

As for "Victim of Love", that one is on hold. It is still as intriguing as ever, but overcoming my inner conflicts on what direction the story should take, how the characters develop, the style of prose/poetry I utilize to tell the story, and even things I may not be aware of, is an obstruction to my completion of this piece. Let it be known, here and now, that VoL will be finished at some point in the (near?) future.

Plus, I might even change the title of the story of which is the subject of this post. It's an odd one, and I don't think it'd make sense to most people who'd read it.

Hell After Dreams (Doom mod) Review

I could never imagine the conversion of retardation to the Doom format, but this wad has proven that this is possible. Already scared? Don't be. Be pissed that this classic game has been tainted.

Where does one begin, honestly, after having tortured themselves with this wad? The sense of redemption is always hanging, even when the shit this wad flings at you is overwhelming. It's like I tortured myself for an hour, trudging through the terrifyingly bad levels just to see if I could discover a neat level, or an impressive weapon or enemy. Such things just never greeted my screen.

Instead of a fun, innovative wad with impressive features, this wad is a right mess. Weapons are either overpowered or have no lasting value beyond the first few shots you fire out of curiosity; enemies are a complete joke; the guys who designed this wad were far too fucking fond of intermission screens; and honestly, they don't know how to map properly at all. Let's start with the weapons...

There are just too many, and unlike the compilation wad known as "Aeons of Death", there's no justification for the many weapons you pick up. You only end up using a select few that are abysmally overpowered, to the point of killing the fun factor in the wad. There are two machine-guns on the ninth weapon slot that eradicate every single enemy, save for just one, in mere seconds (don't get me started on the uglier one on that same slot, which feels more like a machine-shotgun on steroids). You get two rocket launcher weapons, though you only need one of them at all. When you pick up most weapons for the first time, they don't even show up; instead, you have to guess which slot the new weapon went to and what the hell it is at all. Some weapons nearly break the game, such as the laser cutter thingamajig which slaughters a Cyberdemon in very little time. I'm just going to skip the rest of this element.

Enemies are lame. There is your summary. As for in-depth detail, I'll give you a bit of that as well. In many maps, you have no reason to fight enemies at all. They're poorly placed, too numerous, some are outright ridiculous in terms of attack power, speed, and health. The first cyberdemon you fight is just around some random corner with absolutely no indication at all, and this is a problem because it's rockets are sped up in this wad. There's a variation of the imp called "werewolves" that dish out insane damage, are fast, and have twice the health of Hell barons. And they're numerous. There's a rocket launcher zombie that, while slow, was seen to handle an enormous barrage of rockets. Then there's the new bosses, ripped straight from two licensed games. They're simply no fun to fight.

And why are there so many fucking intermission screens, guys?! First of all, either learn how to properly communicate in English, or get someone to write them for you, because it was like having to read a kindergartner trying to write a storyline each time these screens appeared. To shorten this part up, though, I will go out on a limb and guess that the number of intermission screens I've seen amounted to over twenty. Shit, and many of them are fucking useless, no thanks to the butchering of my mother tongue and the incoherent "plot."

Map design is abhorrent. They don't know about triggers, there's no logical connections or ideas running through any of them, shit blocks you everywhere, there are solid (and harmless) flame sprites peppering half of the maps in the wad, enemies are often placed in bad spots, ZDoom features are abused ad nauseum, none of the doors locked with keys are indicated accordingly, and textures are (to a lesser extent than this wad's superior predecessor) misaligned. Man, what else can I say? You probably get the point. They have a few novelty ideas here and there, but they're overwhelmed by laughable level design. Shit, there are times that you can't even carry on through a map because they simply don't know anything about the design aspect. One of the levels, called "Sewer", is cursed by a terrible quality death metal track, with horribly integrated vocals. I won't even begin to try to justify that bit.

I'm going to give a non-personal suggestion to "the OutDoomers"; give it a rest, or get a good long bit of practice. Both of you guys yet have a long ways to go before you can make anything redeemable in quality. To break away from that, I'm going to give you an indication as to how mature these guys are. Here's an example of not only their literary "prowess", or lack thereof, but their attitude towards a gaming demographic:

"GAME HAS A STORY LINE
AND ITS VERRY RECOMENDED TO READ ALL TEXT CUT SCENES
SO YOU DONT HAVE TO BITCH LIKE "WHAT IS GOING ON? ITS SO CONFUSING,
WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO? WHERE? TOO WEIRD""

That's from the "H.A.D.2 TIPS and RECOMENDS" text file included with the download. If you do heed this guy's blunt suggestion, then I hope that you don't tear your eyes out each time the "storyline" via the intermissions dot your screen. As I mentioned before, they're typo-ridden messes with no real plot. And might I mention the half-rate dialog implied in some of them? GOD!

Anyway, I would totally avoid this wad. And if they were to ever enact a charge for downloading this, then they'd be committing a crime against humanity. Somehow, the designers managed to make even more of a fucked up wad than with their previous Hell After Dreams incarnation. They have definitely displayed the common happenstance of sequels being worse than originals with Hell After Dreams 2. I am not curious about the upcoming third act at all, now that I've put myself through this one.

I give it a flat 0 out of 10.

Wad created and designed by Redheadmetalc, with DECORATE coding by Thiny93. Includes lots of stolen, non-attributed content.