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Thread: The Critic's Quill: Issue 41

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    Default The Critic's Quill: Issue 41



    From the TeamHello and welcome to all.

    We are back with another edition, perhaps smaller than the last, but with the same excellent quality that you can expect from our team. I am immensely proud that the Quill team stepped up to the challenge and written articles maintaining the same quality that, if I may say so, has defined the Critic's Quill.

    This edition is more of a thought provoking one, with much emphasis put by the team on various aspects of writing. We do have an equal number of AAR reviews by Maximinus Thrax, General Retreat, and Merchant of Venice.

    Coming back to the articles, start a crash course in writing as Legio_Italica takes you through the tips and tricks of writing AARs. Then, Tigellinus provides an insight on characters of a story. There is then the part one of the Author's guide to East Asia by f0ma.

    I hope you all enjoy the articles which our team has done, and we hope to be back with a massive summer edition soon.

    Regards,
    m_1512
    Editor


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    Default Re: The Critic's Quill: Issue 41



    The Return of Macedon
    An Antigonid Dinasty AAR by Cavalier
    Review by Maximinus Thrax

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 
    Introduction
    It's no secret that Rome 2 is just a mere shadow of its predecessor, a game which most fans consider it to be superior despite the fact that it was released no less than ten years ago. The original Rome Total War spawned countless epic tales of bravery gathered from the battlefields of the ancient world, stimulating some of their readers to pick up the mighty quills and start writing their own heroic accounts. Up until the release, the Critic's Quill team had hoped Rome 2 would prove itself to be as inspirational as the first game, yet the reality brought us down to earth sooner than we would have ever imagined. Despite this huge dissapointment, there are still plenty of writers willing to craft their tales from the broken pieces of Rome 2.

    Among these authors who made a name for themselves there is one whose audacious approach and perseverance have really impressed me. His name is Cavalier, an outstanding newcomer to the writing scene, who just recently decided to try his hand at writing an AAR, while trying to follow in the footsteps of his more experienced peers.

    Story
    The plot revolves around the members of the Antigonid dinasty who ruled over the ancient kingdom of Macedonia, in the years following the end of the Diadochi Wars. In the aftermath of these wars, none of Alexander's generals and their successors have managed to fill the power void after the sudden demise of the legendary king. It took decades to establish a frail balance between the various Hellenistic kingdoms and other petty states which sprang up like mushrooms after a heavy rain.

    The year is 270 BC, and the Antigonids, led by their patriarch, Antigonos II Gonatas, son of the famous Poliorcetes, believe that only they are entitled to defend Alexander's legacy from the position of rulers over the ancestral lands of Macedon, the place from where all had started. Despite the massive amount of manpower and resources needed to engage in such a gigantic quest, Antigonos and his son, Demetrius the Fair, also known as Demetrius of Cyrene, are determined to act first against their neighbouring enemies, and vanquish them either through sheer political cunning or downright military conquest. The author explores the intricate (and sometimes deadly) world of politics in the Greek world, with its twists and turns, as well as the harsh life of the ancient soldiers and civilians alike.

    Writing style
    The story is unfolded using the third person perspective. There are three main areas of interest, which are covered pretty well so far. The first area concerns the world of politics and diplomacy; the author is always careful to underline the struggle between the main dinasty and the senatorial class, as well as the diplomatic tension between Macedon and and the neighbouring states. The second area analyzes the strategic and the logistic components of the main campaign. I must say that Cavalier really does an admirable job at explaining the motives behind one military action or another, some of them from the main characters' own perspective, not to mention the description of the military system and of the various units which were part of the Macedonian army around that time. Finally, the last area of interest is related to the descriptions of battles, which are intense and well-written. I really appreciate the fact that he treats most of his battles mainly as strategic encounters, reserving more descriptive space only for those which are essential for the story.

    The Rome 2 campaign is skillfully embedded within the narrative. Thus every action taken on the campaign map is seamlessly reflected in the story. The author does a splendid job at describing the general development and the political changes both inside and outside the lands of Macedon as the years go by. The precision of his descriptions is perhaps the strongest point of this AAR. There are also some reasons to believe that he might have deviated a bit from the course of the Rome 2 campaign, which is perfectly understandable, considering that this story-based AAR is not a strategy guide but a literary endeavour.
    Despite the fact that this is his first AAR, the author shows that he is quite skilled when it comes to describing the external appearance of his characters, various places or situations:
    Antigonos quickly made his way around the desk containing the maps and reports he and his son had been arguing over for the past hour to open the tent flap and investigate the commotion. Outside, a ragged beggar looking man with tattered clothes stood looking apologetic, his hair wet from the rain. His upper lip was bruised, and a slight hint of red espaced the wound. He was incredibly plain looking. An almost unrecognizeable face. The perfect infiltrator. The perfect spy.
    Sometimes he inserts very interesting and not to mention surprising figures of speech along the text:
    He looked at the maggot-senator. The senator wisely squirmed out of his gaze, unwilling.
    As far as the narrative description goes, I've noticed an excessive use of succesive short sentences meant to emphasise a certain narrative effect. The problem with this method in the long run is that it tends to affect the comprehension of the text, especially if it's used too often.

    Regarding grammar and other related aspects, I must say that on certain ocassions it is evident that the author is not a native English speaker, which is not necessarily a bad thing, for I do belong in the same category as well. Writing literary stuff in a foreign language, and at the same time trying to exceed at it, is not a simple task for most of us. I blame the existence of these minor errors within the text solely on the fact that he probably doesn't proofread each chapter before posting it. Cavalier has already stated that he is aware of these aspects and that he plans to remediate them at some point.

    Characters
    So far, the story follows the lives of the main members of the Antigonid dinasty around the year 270 BC, Antigonos II Gonatas and his young heir, Demetrius the Fair, along with a series of minor characters. Most of these characters which have been introduced so far (mind you the AAR is still at an early stage) are sufficiently fleshed out but sometimes the motives behind some of their actions are confusing. I have a certain event in mind in regards to that, but I won't even attempt to spoil the story. I will point out however that it has something to do with one of the main characters... Also, the father and son relation between Antigonos and Demetrius is not that visible in the story, as it probably should be.

    Images
    Up until now the author hasn't used not even one picture to augment his work, altough he expressed the possibility of adding some visual references at some point in the future. Excluding any kind of visual aids right on your first attempt at writing an AAR is a bold statement... That alone outlines the fact that Cavalier is fully confident that he can convince his readers to remain faithful throughout the literary journey.

    Critique and Conclusion
    I can hardly nominate any real faults here, except perhaps those regarding the slight inconsistency when it comes to the character development. The Return of Macedon, An Antigonid Dinasty AAR is certainly a very solid achievement, from the detailed military descriptions (which sometimes remind me of Arrian' The Anabasis of Alexander) to the grand strategic feel that transpires through the entire story. The length of each update and the attention to details showcase the fact that the author has worked really hard to deliver a very entertaining story, backed by quality writing and sheer talent. One can only applaud Cavalier's determination to adopt a format which is extremely rare even among experienced AAR writers.


    For King and Country
    An Empire AAR by IneptCmdr
    Collective review by Merchant of Venice and General Retreat

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 
    What's the harm in a little blood on a red coat?

    General Retreat: For King and Country stormed onto the Empire AAR scene in the October of last year, bringing England’s redcoats to the fore with bayonets fixed! Much alike the empire IneptCmdr is amassing himself on the campaign map, he is also conquering the critical acclaim of his fans and annexing the attentions of the Writer’s Study. With a first place win in the XLVII MAARC under his belt and a veritable battalion of regular readers, K&C appears to have a bright future. In a departure from standard protocol, both myself and Merchant of Venice will be providing our opinions on this piece; it’s the AAR so nice, we’ve reviewed it twice!

    The AAR follows Britain’s expansion through all of the game’s main theatres, with a special emphasis placed on battle descriptions. It does not focus on the bravado and swashbuckling adventures of individual soldiers, as many narrative AARs would, but neither does it simply recount what happened and how as a boring chronicle. It rather reads like a Romantic period historian fondly giving an account of the rise and fall of nations, and the power brokers who facilitated those upheavals. Most impressively, despite the risk of the narrative becoming stale and detached due to this choice of structure, IneptCmdr has managed to create a vibrant backdrop to the military campaign, with a murky world of political will and petty infighting dictating the course of armies.

    Merchant of Venice: The AAR starts off centered around the newly started South India War, throwing the reader straight into the deep end with the author’s description of the Siege of Arcot. Right from the first siege, the author shows off his ability to accurately describe the battles and his descriptions flow nicely. The battle descriptions are all well written and enthralling and combined with the pictures (more on those later) allow the reader to really feel like they are watching the battle unfold themselves. The author has also attached formal and informal names to all of his units. The use of names such as 4th Grenadiers and 3rd Regiment of Horse and the continuation of many units gives the AAR a sense professionalism, like as if one was reading it out of a history book. The author also given special units, such as veterans of many battles and wars, nicknames, such as a pikemen unit called “The Sticks”. I felt this also added to the piece and I felt a lot more attached to these veteran units.

    General Retreat: Indeed – as well as adding personality to his units through nicknames and mottos, he has imbued his generals and even enemies with personalities all of their own. These are played out through character's motivations, actions and inactions, to the extent that even the style of battle changes depending on the general or admiral in command! These are all nice storytelling touches and serve to give the battles a greater personal investment for the reader – a battle is an intrinsically more dramatic affair if there is a risk of your favourite general or regiment being destroyed! The original post has been dedicated to providing a full summary of the main characters, units and events that give the AAR most of its narrative flavour, making it an excellent place to get a quick overview.

    Almost as a rule, IneptCmdr’s writing is of a very high standard. His chapters are grammatically pristine, with an impressive range of vocabulary in use. While the form of writing more or less precludes dialogue, the varying of sentence structure and a lack of repetition in his descriptive passages serves to keep the action interesting and fluid. What appears to be a solid understanding of the time period then grounds Cmdr’s world with a feeling of historical authenticity. Despite this, infrequent run-on-sentences can work to the pieces' detriment. While more of an issue in earlier chapters, this now appears to have been addressed.


    Merchant of Venice: Grand battle descriptions would be nothing without grand screenshots to go with it and fortunately, IneptCmdr has given us many pictures to feast our eyes on. Many of the events written down by the author are complemented with epic battle shots, grand scenic or up close melee shots. Smoke drifting across the lines, cannon balls landing amongst swarms of soldiers and breathtaking vistas of Indian castles are only some of the great screenshots in this AAR.

    The screenshots also have a professional feel to them. The pictures are cropped to a size whereby they can be interspersed throughout the text but without drawing the reader’s attention too far away from the text. They are small enough to fit perfectly between paragraphs but large enough as to the reader can still accurately grasp what is going on within the screenshot. This is a very hard thing to do and is yet another good point for this AAR. Throughout you can see some of the very best screenshots in the AAR.

    I feel this AAR would benefit immensely if the author began to weave more politics into this AAR, even if it is merely dialogue between ministers, the king and advisors, generals etc. This would definitely help the AAR steer away from being too battle orientated, which I found at times it could be. But this could be merely a personal opinion of mine.

    General Retreat: The overall campaign is also varied enough to keep things interesting, containing ample amounts of triumph and disaster. Between incompetent generals needlessly throwing away the lives of their troops, and unexpected attacks from deadly enemies, British ascendancy to global domination is far from being a 'done deal'. The combination of writing style, story elements and well picked images make this a thread to note. The AAR appears to be far from over, with a good number of twists and turns due to come in the wars for supremacy. In short, this is one of my personal recommendations for your 'subscribe' button and an AAR that I hope will continue to invigorate the Empire sub-forum for some time to come.

    Merchant of Venice: A very promising AAR, For King and Country that is very much carrying the torch for Empire AARs. The author’s interesting and enthralling battle descriptions coupled with some breathtaking screenshots give this AAR a lot of potential. However, I feel if the author invests more in character development as well as delving in to the politics of the time, it could definitely not only improve the AAR on the whole but also add longevity to the AAR as well as appeal. There are very good omens for the writer though, with the story not so long ago claiming a maiden MAARC victory, on his debut as well! On the whole, I think I can safely say the author is anything but inept at writing AARs.



    Non-TW AARs
    A review of AARs by Merchant of Venice

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 
    It is quite understandable and logical that on a forum dedicated to the Total War series, at least 90% of the After Action Reports should be based on games from the Total War series. This may come to a surprise of some Total War enthusiasts but there are other games, which people play and like! Games such as The Elder Scroll Series and the Europa Universalis and Crusader Kings series series have quite a following in the forums. It is therefore quite logical that perhaps a player or two might have the wish to write about these equally amazing games. These stories and tales, of warriors, of kings, of mages, of orcs, of generals, can all be found in a small sub forum aptly named Non-TW Game AARs. But what are some of the popular non-TW games that those writers seem to enjoy writing about and what are some of there games which are easily written about due to certain gameplay mechanics. In this article, I will look at the various popular non-TW games, why some are easier to write about than others, the state of this sub forum and why the Total War series itself is so successful in terms of AAR writing.

    Popular Games/Series
    It is inevitable, just like with movies, that some games are more popular than others, whether it is due to superior story, gameplay mechanics or just sheer originality. In this section, I will look at various non-TW games, their pros and cons as well as possibly why they have proved so popular with writers.

    The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
    Even a just a quick glance of the non-TW games sub forum will sow you that Skyrim is very much one of the favourites among writers. But why is this the case?
    For starters, for anyone who isn't aware of Skyrim(and for that offence you should be hanged, drawn and quartered!), it is an RPG where the player takes control of a character, from a wide array of races, just as the Stormcloak rebellion is in full swing. It is a game of near infinite possibilites and is widely recognised as a masterpiece of gaming, incorporating great gameplay mechanics with an immersive, open world and massive back story.

    For those who are acutely aware of what Skyrim is and have accidentally wasted a minute of their life reading that, I am sorry. So why is Skyrim so popular among writers? Simple. As mentioned earlier, it is a game of near infinite possibilities. In game, you merely create the character, but a writer, or anyone interested in role-playing, may wish to invent the character’s back story. A writer may wish to explain why the protagonist is sent to be executed(the first scene of the game) and how a High Elf from the Aldmeri Dominion came to end up in the icy cold wastelands of the province of Skyrim. This is of course an RPG, or role-playing game. This role-playing aspect, which forms the basis of the games mechanics, is suited possibly more than any other game. With the backing of the massive amount of Elder Scrolls lore, a writer has a whole fantasy world, complete with thousands of years of documented history and politics, to use as the basis of his or her’s story. Add to that, the game is a graphical wonder, allowing a writer to add stunning vistas or exciting fight scenes in their screenshots.

    Pros for writing about The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim


    • Game suited to a wide range of playersIs an RPG, ‘nuff said.
    • Is a game of near infinite possibilities.
    • No need to create a fantasy world since the game developers already have the ultimate setting.



    Cons for writing about The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim


    • May require a very good gaming computer to run, a computer quite a number of people may not have.
    • May be overwhelming to people who aren’t used to the RPG genre or casual gamers.




    Crusader Kings/Europa Universalis
    The Paradox dynamic duo as I like to call them make up the other significant part of the non-TW game sub forum traffic. Each game is very much suited to AAR writing but each one is very different from each other. It is therefore appropriate that we look at each one separately.

    Crusader Kings
    Crusader Kings is a game which very much blends traditional strategy with role playing elements. The game is centred around a ruler in the Middle Ages, ranging from a small Frankish count, to the King of Sweden, to the
    Byzantine Emperor. It focuses heavily on politics and scheming(much of which many writers imagine when writing TW AARs) with war playing a lesser, though sometimes important part. The goal for the player is simply for their picked dynasty to survive. The Irish Duke of Connacht’s dynasty may only survive when his son inherits a duchy in France and somehow the Irish holdings are lost. It is, as Skyrim and the various other Paradox Interactive games, a game of near infinite possibility. But the sort of scenarios are more similar to TW games than Skyrim. However, due to its sheer complexity, Crusader Kings I feel has a lot more possibilities than the
    TW games.

    Crusader Kings definitely has a lot of potential for storywriters and even after only a couple of hours of playing through my first play through, I could easily see how helpful it would be to a writer wishing to write an AAR on it. Random events come up all the time, political machinations such those found in the acclaimed Game of Thrones series are a mainstay to the game and a majority of the gameplay mechanics are suited to AAR writing, be it plot-based or game-based.

    Europa Universalis
    Europa Universalis is an empire building strategy game much like the Total War series, though a lot more complex. Set in the 15th century to the 19th century, it encompasses a wide range of historical scenarios. The player takes control of a country, nearly any country at the time. The wide range iof possibilities in this game is amazing. You could take control of Britain and run a colonial empire spanning from America to Fiji or you could take control of Crimea and try and carve out a kingdom around the Black Sea, independent of the Ottomans. You could create an Indian empire ruled by Tibet or you could halt European expansion as the mighty Aztec Empire. I use this phrase too much but this game is definitely a game of near infinite possibilities.

    Pros for writing about the Paradox duo


    • Great political mechanics in both games.
    • Similar to the Total War games in terms of being centred around empire building.
    • Both games contain variety of interesting events.
    • Are much more realistic games than the TW series in terms of history.



    Cons for writing about the Paradox duo


    • Steep learning curve to master the games.
    • Not everyone’s cup of tea. In essense, overwhelming.




    So why don’t either Crusader Kings or Europa Universalis succeed even when they both have the capacity to? Simple. The answer, though, lies over at the Paradox forums. Just a quick glance at the Crusader Kings and Europa Universalis parts of the Paradox forums reveal that they are popular among AAR writers, they’re just not found on the TWC forums. Hundreds of Europa Universalis and Crusader Kings AARs exist over at the Paradox forum, showing us that the games indeed do have a big writer following just on different forums.

    And this, I feel, is the underlying point of why the non-TW AAR sub forum is not as popular as the Total War ones. It is because simply we are on a Total War forum, not a Paradox forum nor an Elder Scrolls forum. TWC exists for the Total War series’ fan base, not the Crusader Kings nor the Skyrim fan base. Perhaps, non-TW AARs are just destined to not succeed on TWC because of that fact. I am not saying they shouldn’t nor should any writers who do take up the task of uploading an AAR in that sub forum not be applauded and praised just as Total War AAR writers are. But non-TW AARs are not as popular here simply because they are popular elsewhere, just as Total War AARs may not be popular on other forums.




    The Pen and the Sword: A Crash Course in AARtistry for Beginners
    Article by Legio_Italica

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 
    So, you've stalked the forums for a while, you finally decided to join, and went straight away to add to TWC's collection of AARs. Or maybe you've been active in other areas of the forums and have finally decided to let the creative juices flow and try your hand at some writing. You've read a few new AARs, maybe seen some of the really great ones, and now you're eager to get started on your own. Only problem is, you're not entirely sure how or where to start. What really makes a good AAR anyway? Well, I may not have the secret to a great AAR, but I hope I can leave you feeling confident on getting started, and ready to process the steps and challenges you may encounter along the way.

    First thing you ought to do is to decide exactly what kind of AAR you're going to write. There is a wide spectrum in the AAR universe, from abstract writing loosely based on a Total War faction or concept, to a strict turn-based campaign and battle report with plenty of pictures and statistics. Of course there's any combination of the two anywhere in between. The trick is to take stock of your own abilities and what it is about the writing process you like and dislike. Playing to your strengths will make the process easier, more enjoyable, and more successful in the long run.

    For example, if you love making raw gameplay into a story with rich character interaction, perhaps you should focus more on the writing and plot elements. If you have an eye for screenshots and a penchant for epic battles, maybe you can focus more on a hard-hitting series of battle reports. If you can do both, that's where the magic happens. The important thing is that you enjoy yourself and have fun putting the AAR together, because that's when your creativity will shine through most.

    Next, you can decide how exactly you are going to communicate your story to readers. You can write in the first person, telling the story as a kind of recollection of events. Alternatively, you can write in the third person, which likely gives the writer a more freedom to add creative elements to the story from a variety of angles. The direction you can take here really depends on preference. One exercise you could consider here is to ask yourself how you most easily compose the narrative of your story. Do you often find yourself planning your story in terms of emotions, ground-level imagery, and point-of-view? Do you enjoy gradually revealing the course of events to readers, working in suspense and unexpected plot twists? If so, a first-person narrative may be the ideal choice. Alternatively, if you prefer writing from a chronological or historical perspective and/or in the form of an omniscient narrator, perhaps a third person approach could suit you best.

    Once you know what you're going to write and how you're going to write it, any writer often must keep one thing in mind: Communication. Oftentimes, a writer may begin to compose the story in his or her mind, and therefore begin to write the story to his or herself, rather than to the audience. In other words, keep in mind as you write the target for whom you are writing. Make sure what you put down on paper would make sense to a reader who has no knowledge of where the story is going – that is, unless deceiving the reader is part of a plot device.

    One way to make sure you are communicating your story well is by having someone else read it before you publish it or post an update. If they have trouble following the narrative, odds are you need to rethink the flow of your story. A master of this aspect of the writing process can wield it toward tremendous advantage. The writer knows all. The reader, however, knows what the writer tells him he knows......or thinks he knows.

    If your readership isn't what you hoped it would be, one important tool to keep in mind is, shall we say, "customer service." Maintain a regular update schedule and let your readers know if you're going to be having an extended absence. Engage with your readers, encourage them, respond to them one-on-one. Take their critiques/suggestions into account, and make them feel like their input and attention to the story matters to you. Don't be afraid to give them a tiny glimpse "behind the scenes" every now and again. Even something as simple as letting people in on general aspects of your writing process, or your inspiration behind a particular character or plot element, can spark interest among your readers and help them empathize with you and with the characters or elements of your story. The more mentally and emotionally engaged the readers feel with a story, the more faithful and enthusiastic they will be. Before you know it you may have a solid corps of readers.

    Remember, everyone suffers writer's block. If you hit a rut in your writing process, or suddenly decide you don't like what you've written, don't be discouraged. Try to think of ways to manipulate the story in unexpected ways. Anyone likes a good plot twist. Challenge yourself in-game by taking the campaign in a more difficult or interesting direction for the sake of the AAR. Readers generally love a gritty hard-fought campaign more than a simple chess game of expansion. Put your work-in-progress away and come back another day. However, don't wait too long. TWC readers are known for their troublesome addiction to good AARs. Treat them well, and they will treat you well. Above all, enjoy writing, and don't be afraid to “break the rules”......... of writing, that is.


    What makes a Character?
    Article by Tigellinus

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 
    What makes a good story? What makes a good plot? What makes a setting believable? The characters within your story. Your characters are what will shape the world, the plot and everything else you can think of! Characters mould the world to their will, the plot bends to their desires and the choices they make.

    Characters are the key to writing; but, what is the key to writing great characters? The honest answer to this is that there isn’t. Characters are a preference, a needed necessity for the story to continue its merry way down a path. Characters are built of personalities that you know of, be it your best friend, wife, mother, father, anyone really. Even yourself.

    There is no trick, no key and no secret to making the perfect character. There are, however, ways of making good characters, characters that people can sympathize with, love, adore, despise. For a character to be good, to be worth reading, a character must be interesting. Sometimes the worst characters are interesting, or, what is considered ‘worst’ by society’s standards, at least.

    A drunken homicidal Dwarf brings strange images to mind. (Tyrion Lannister, anyone?) But, that would catch my attention, why? Because it is strange! It is something I haven’t heard often, or at all. It is new and different.

    I believe that a strange character like that is much more interesting than the poor farm boy who wishes to be a warrior. Goes on an adventure, defeats a mighty dragon, gets the girl and proves to himself and others that he isn’t just a lowly farm boy. Why? Because that isn’t new, it’s not different and innovative. It is something we have all heard before, most of us at least.

    But how do we make these characters new, innovative and interesting to ourselves? After all, if we’re not interested in a character we’re creating, why would the reader? Why would the audience feel desire to turn the page if the character is dull?

    Below I will explain my point of view on what makes a character interesting.

    Emotion and thoughts
    I believe that these are possibly the most powerful ways of making a character interesting, while this is easier in first person, it’s not difficult in third person. A character needs a mind of his own, he needs thoughts and emotions. How would Matrian react to Gallar being butchered in his own castle? How would Egwene react to Gawyn dying? How would Tyrion Lannister react to being castrated?

    What emotions would your character feel if he/she lost a loved one? How does one portray the thoughts of his/her character? Many writers use Italics (I do, at least) because I find it easy to differentiate between normal font and italics. It is a simple and easy way for you to show the reader that your character is thinking, and is not voicing his thoughts aloud.

    Emotions are a strong tool in developing a character! They allow for us to get a glimpse at what the character is truly like! We get to delve deep within their inner most thoughts and we get to see how they feel about a certain situation. For example: in my latest chapter of my AAR ‘In the Light of dusk’ (Using Merchant of Venice’s excuse here, who said I couldn’t?) I had a particular scene at the start and at the end, these two scenes I wanted packed with emotions and thoughts. With my character on the edge of death, with his entire world falling because he made a miscalculation. I believe that my chapter is good, I believe that it captures the reader’s attention and grips them by the throat with the tension.

    Emotions are powerful, thoughts are too, they each help you develop the character and they each help you reveal more of the character to the reader.

    But, there is an old saying. ‘Actions speak louder than words’ . . .

    How does a character react when given a choice?
    When I hold a rotten Apple, and a fresh Apple picked from the garden, which do you choose? Why? What are the reasons for your choice? It is the same for you characters.

    Say I put my character in a position, he leads an army of twenty thousand men, after sacrificing his brother and another twenty thousand men to make his own escape with as many men as he could muster. His brother is now deep within the Territory of Phoenix with what small remnants of his army remain. My character has a choice, take all his cavalry and try and speedily avoid his enemies’ army. This leaves the risk that his other twelve thousand soldiers will be sieged and utterly annihilated; thus losing him the war, more or less. My character is known as being brash and bold. He is known as a military genius, however, and is loved by his soldiers. However, his father was murdered brutally by his old ally. One of his own sworn bannerman took the Pale (his homeland) and put his mother and youngest brother to the sword, as well as butchering the entirety of the Castle’s inhabitants. My character’s oldest brother was assassinated; thus why he leads the forces.

    My character has a choice, lose the last family member he has to have a chance at winning the war. Or save his family and risk losing the war. My character chooses the latter, arrogance is a fault. He believes that if he is quick enough he can save his brother and the remnants of his army (some six thousand) and then attack from the rear of his enemy, knowing that once his men hear the sound of battle they’ll rush to his aid.

    Arrogance is his downfall, the fact that he cannot bare to lose another member of his family is as well. His army is discovered and his cavalry is befallen upon by the enemy soldiers, pikemen forming up around the horsemen, it is a slaughter. His other soldiers rush to try and save their king, they end up getting charged in the back by the enemy cavalry, and ambushed by the enemy heavy infantry. My character’s brother, Deserius, makes a stand at the Forested Hill, his forces are decimated by volley after volley of arrows. And he falls upon the battlefield, sword unbloodied.

    Your character will make decisions, and these decisions must always have consequences. We make choices and they have an effect upon our lives, the same is for your characters. If your character takes a wrong move, makes the wrong decision, kills the wrong man, there must be repercussions. The character must always have something to gain and something to lose. Which outweighs the other? Winning the war, and sentencing your kin to a death that he does not deserve? That you are at fault for? Or trying desperately to save your kin, and in doing so risk losing everything you had fought to gain?

    Choices show a character, they show what he is willing to do and what he is not. What your character does in the story should shape the story, the directions he chooses to take, the choices he makes and what he decides to do. It should impact your story, in some measure and in some way.

    The Minor Characters
    The people around the main character, be it his best friend, wife, husband, anyone. The people he interacts with. They shape the character as well, they make the character. Is your character sullen and silent? Make his best friend the opposite, make his best friend the one that brings happiness and laughter in his life. Minor characters are quite important, they decide what your character will do, more or less. They’re the ones that will pressure him/her into making a decision, picking a side, starting a war. They’re in control of the story nearly as much as you are.

    This is my small perspective on what makes a character, what makes him interesting. Making good characters is not a science (good thing too, I’m abysmal at Science) it is based upon preference of what you believe makes a good character.

    Thank you for reading.


    An Author's Guide to East Asia (Part One)
    Article by f0ma

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 
    To say that I’m biased towards East Asia would be an understatement to say the least. I’ve always harboured a fondness for China and that fondness has grown to encompass Japan and Korea in recent years. I’m not alone either; many people find the orient to be a tantalizing object which holds their fascination. From beautifully crafted samurai armour, to the mystical aesthetics of Chinese architecture and all the way to the huge modern market of anime, many people are enraptured by the Far East.

    My focus then for this article is twofold; to introduce people to this setting in the context of both AARtistry and creative writing and to help new writers to explore and portray it in an accessible manner. When one thinks about East Asia in terms of the Writer’s Study, one immediately thinks of the Shogun 2 subforum, which probably commands the greatest selection of writings on the Far East in the forum. However, whilst this is the road most travelled, it’s not the only avenue open to an aspiring writer of East Asian fiction.

    Shogun 2 naturally holds the most appeal, because quite simply it is a stunning game. Fans of the game often seek to portray it through the writing of an AAR, whether they have experience with Japanese history or not. The game essentially offers three different time periods to cover; the Gempei war of the late 12th century, the Sengoku Jidai civil war of the 1500’s and the modern Boshin war fought on the eve of Japan’s industrialisation just prior to the 20th century. Each setting is incredibly rich, all playing host to a variety of differing factions, personalities and units. The historical time periods also offer contrasting wealth’s of context to call upon. The original game is the road most travelled, with the majority of Shogun 2 AARs depicting the Sengoku period. Not only is it accessible due to the fact of it being the core game, the personalities depicted, such as Oda Nobunaga, Takeda Shingen and Tokugawa Ieyasu, are somewhat familiar to people with a passing interest in Japanese history. The Fall of the Samurai stand-alone expansion also plays host to a few tales, although hardly very many in comparison. Set in the age of cannon and rifle, it’s the natural choice for the modern military buff, searching for something a bit different to Empire and Napoleon Total War. Comparatively, there are less recognisable landmarks for us to touch upon, with rather more obscure generals and factions. The game itself boasts an incredibly rich variety of features though, which makes it a fan favourite. Rise of the Samurai, conversely, is the most under-represented of the three, with, to my knowledge only two AAR’s even attempting to cover it. This makes sense from a layman’s perspective. The expansion is ludicrously shallow compared to its siblings, with no unit variety between factions and very little diversity overall. The Gempei War is also stretching general interest to its limit. Whilst some might find the beginnings of the samurai class enthralling, most have little knowledge or interest in this period.

    Following on its younger brother’s heels, the next most accessible route for the East Asian AARtist would be the penning of an original Shogun Total War AAR. Being the first game in the series, it’s naturally a source of much fond nostalgia amongst Total War veterans. Yet, Shogun AAR’s are few and far between on the Total War Center. It is understandable, considering the superseding qualities of its successor, yet the original game offers a number of options to the aspiring author. Whilst it covers no period later than the seventeenth century, it offers many more options for someone wanting to cover the Sengoku period, with various sixteenth century campaigns. Importantly, though, it covers one period its successor does not; the Mongol invasions. This is an incredibly rich setting for a writer and not only can the player command the native Japanese regency, they can also command the Mongols, making for a very original AAR should one ever attempt it on this forum. However, as we’ve discussed, the graphics naturally hamper anyone searching for an aesthetic AAR. The game also struggles to run effectively on modern computers, making it even less accessible. It still exists however, as does our Total War Eras subforum, which does support potential Shogun AAR’s.

    After this however, someone searching for an East Asian AAR to pen is left very much without a life raft in the Writer’s Study. In keeping with Total War AAR’s, the next logical step is to turn towards the modding community. The most prevalent setting for East Asian mods is the Three Kingdoms period of China, where three factions struggled for supremacy in the mid third century. Both Rome and Medieval 2 Total War have played host to this setting, with some success. However, playing mods isn’t usually a layman’s pursuit, which can make it an unattractive option. If I recall correctly, many of these Three Kingdom’s mods never saw full releases, leaving them buggy and unfinished; enough to deter in other words. All the same, Rise of the Three Kingdoms remains a promising and attractive option for the writer interested in China. Also in development is the All Under Heaven mod, also for Medieval 2, which seeks to portray East Asia on the eve of the Mongol invasions. Although yet to see a release, the visuals look stunning and it’s clearly going to be a very appealing option for AARtists, with no other Total War game or mod covering the setting before. Another active mod one can keep an eye on is the Broken Crescent mod for Medieval 2, which will, in an upcoming release, feature the Western Liao dynasty, a Turko-Chinese realm that existed in the twelfth century. Although I fear I’m giving away my own original AAR ideas, I feel it’s only fair to let others interested in East Asian writing know about these avenues available to them.

    With the Total War series covered, we’re very much left without a guiding hand. Our final port of call in terms of AAR’s is the Non-Total War subforum. Despite very much being the road less travelled, it offers perhaps the greatest scope for East Asian AARtistry, with a huge wealth of games available to depict. As such, it would be difficult for me to cover all of them in much depth, but I’ll fire off a few. If one is interested in the Total War series, it’s also probable that they’re familiar with the works of Paradox Studios. We actually play host to many Paradox AAR’s of the Crusader Kings, Hearts of Iron and Europa Universalis varieties. Whilst the first only details Europe, the other two are very promising. The Hearts of Iron series depicts the Second World War and allows the AARtist to depict the Korean occupation, the Chinese Civil War or the Japanese perspective on the Second World War (as was done by The Bromgrev in his AAR Kantai Kessen). Europa Universalis on the other hand allows players to explore the Ming and early Qing periods of China, as well as a good chunk of Korean history under the Joseon dynasty. All of the Sengoku period can also be covered in terms of Japan, although in much less depth than through its Shogun 2 counterpart. For those searching for that extra depth, but prefer the Paradox way of doing things, there is the standalone game Sengoku which deals with the period. The final Paradox series one can explore is the Victoria line of games, which allows players to write about the fall of the Qing, the last days of the Joseon and the rise of the Japanese empire.

    For those searching for something more similar to the Total War franchise, never fear, you do have other options! Magitech’s Sango 2 offers a full game based around the Chinese Three Kingdoms, in the Total War vein, whilst Takeda 3 from the same publisher tackles the Japanese Sengoku period. For something completely different and original, you can try their Strength and Honour series which allows you to control China’s Qin dynasty in 232 BC on a map that stretches all the way to Western Europe! If you want to depict a war between China and Rome, look no further than here.

    To return to the Chinese Three Kingdoms, there is always the tried and tested Romance of the Three Kingdoms series, which allows you to control nearly every state that existed from the late second century to the end of the third. The strategy aspect is similar to the Total War series, although battles take a more Kessen-esque approach. Speaking of Kessen, for those who really wanted to branch out (read: have access to a lot of free time and a capture card), such an AAR would be virtually unheard of and sure to garner you some readers. Whilst it does follow a scripted campaign, similar games by Koei such as Dynasty Tactics offer a much more open ended approach to AAR writing from a console perspective, although perhaps that’s a subject for another day (Odama anyone?)

    Unfortunately we’re already well on our way down the rabbit hole now. Literally hundreds of opportunities exist for the aspiring writer in the Non-Total War arena. I couldn’t possibly begin to cover every Second World War game where you could depict the Chinese or Japanese, whilst at the opposite end of the spectrum games begin to get more and more obscure. Want to do a Fate of the Dragon or MiG Alley AAR? Go for it! If you’ve made it this far, I’m sure you can find a game to suit your historical interests. I fear you don’t need my help anymore.

    What I do want to impart on you though is the importance of thinking outside the box; the more original your AAR is, the better. What attracts readers is something different. From a historical perspective, this is easily achieved. A few ideas I’ve had for East Asian AAR’s in the past include the endeavours of Japanese railway builders in turn of the century Korea, using the Railroad Tycoon series, the expeditions of a Mongol warrior maiden in Eastern Europe through the medium of Mount & Blade (which also has a Three Kingdoms modification for those interested) and a Chinese college student who begins a life in the NBA without knowing a word of English!

    However, we’ve been focussing on historical East Asia. As I highlighted at the start of this piece, East Asia is far much more than a historical gold mine and there are many different perspectives one can take on East Asian culture through the medium of video games. Sandbox games such as Sleeping Dogs allow you to portray an AAR set in Hong Kong, whilst the Tokyo DLC for Cities in Motion could provide a refreshing perspective on an AAR. Here we really start to move away from the traditional strategy games that make up the majority of AARs and start to focus on other approaches. One genre in particular is always neglected in the Writer’s Study. I can remember seeing perhaps one in the past year or so, which is surprising considering the amazing amount of customization and imagination inherent within it as a genre. I’m of course talking about Massively Multiplayer Role Playing Games. When one thinks about writing an MMO AAR, they can be immediately put off by the prospect, considering the nature of the game and how the world is shared by other players. To write an MMO AAR is perhaps an article I can explore at a later date, but right now I should highlight that it is an option for the aspiring East Asian AARtist. Not only are there semi-historical games such as Dynasty Warriors and Silk Road Online you can adapt to an AAR medium, you gain access to a huge wealth of anime inspired or styled games. Want to pen a Digimon AAR, why not try Digimon Masters? Want to go totally crazy and write about Hello Kitty, there’s an MMO for that too!

    MMO’s aren’t the only route you can go down if you want to write an anime AAR, but they do offer the most freedom in terms of character customization and exploring the game world. Still, you can just as easily go down a single player avenue. Games in the Pokemon series are easy to work into an AAR format for example. However, if you know the anime you like, you don’t need me to tell you which games exist in its franchise. Chances are you know what games you can and can’t play, but hopefully I’ve at least given you some ideas.

    Although there’s so much more to cover in terms of East Asia AAR’s, this is a suitable place as any to draw our conclusions. We could discuss creative writing, but in all honesty, that’s an even greater topic to cover; perhaps even impossible. If you want to write about East Asia in a creative writing piece, by all means go ahead, but there’s simply so much you can cover that I wouldn’t know where to start if you asked me for recommendations.

    So what’s been the point of this article? To introduce East Asia to you guys through the medium of AARs and video games. I’ve tried to show you what avenues are open to you, first by exploring your options within the Total War franchise and then moving into other historical strategy games. Finally I discussed games that aren’t focussed on history or strategy. There are hundreds of games you can adapt to suit an AAR in an East Asian setting and hopefully I’ve given you some ideas for what you can do. So, get thinking of what you’d like to write and I’ll see you in part two to give you some examples of just how to get this fantastic setting on to paper in the best way.


  3. #3
    m_1512's Avatar Quomodo vales?
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    Default Re: The Critic's Quill: Issue 41



    Thanks for joining us in yet another edition of the Quill. I hope it was enjoyable and a quality read for all. Let us give a round of applause and rep to the hard working team for this edition.

    Behold! The Pressmen...
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    If you enjoyed the staff's efforts please leave your comments in this thread - and rep the authors generously.

    Lastly, if you'd like to write for the Quill in capacity of independent contributions or like to join the Quill staff, please feel free to drop me a PM.

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    Default Re: The Critic's Quill: Issue 41

    Great work as always guys and congrats to m_1512 on a successful release
    Of these facts there cannot be any shadow of doubt: for instance, that civil society was renovated in every part by Christian institutions; that in the strength of that renewal the human race was lifted up to better things-nay, that it was brought back from death to life, and to so excellent a life that nothing more perfect had been known before, or will come to be known in the ages that have yet to be. - Pope Leo XIII

  5. #5
    Uriyaca's Avatar Protector Domesticus
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    Default Re: The Critic's Quill: Issue 41

    Great Issue, keep it up!

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    m_1512's Avatar Quomodo vales?
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    Default Re: The Critic's Quill: Issue 41

    Quote Originally Posted by Legio_Italica View Post
    Great work as always guys and congrats to m_1512 on a successful release
    The success if due to the writers.

    So, congratulations to the writers for this release.


  7. #7
    Shankbot de Bodemloze's Avatar From the Writers Study!
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    Default Re: The Critic's Quill: Issue 41

    Great job on the issue guys, finally got round to reading it!

    I miss the new coverage, but the reviews and articles were a pleasure to read.
    THE WRITERS' STUDY | THE TRIBUNAL | THE CURIA | GUIDE FOR NEW MEMBERS



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    Default Re: The Critic's Quill: Issue 41

    Fear not, I have a feeling the next one would be even better.


  9. #9
    Sir Adrian's Avatar the Imperishable
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    Default Re: The Critic's Quill: Issue 41

    Great issue.
    Under the patronage of Pie the Inkster Click here to find a hidden gem on the forum!


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    Rex Basiliscus's Avatar Senator
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    Default Re: The Critic's Quill: Issue 41

    If I may, I would only suggest a larger font ... my eyes are bleeding!

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    Shankbot de Bodemloze's Avatar From the Writers Study!
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    Default Re: The Critic's Quill: Issue 41



    Control + Mouse Wheel.
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    Default Re: The Critic's Quill: Issue 41

    Yaaaay we got #41 ^^

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