10369 réponses à ce sujet

[Mahkara]

Sarah1281 wrote...

.  Because it still only takes me about two seconds to say, "The reason I stopped reading this fic was X", and that knowledge can be incredibly helpful to a writer.

Although sometimes it's for a stupid reason like someone finally getting the picture that you're not going to pair their favorite couple up. 

Oh, very true. But wouldn't you still rather know that person A stopped commenting on chapter 10 of fic X for that reason, rather than wondering if it was that,  person A got bored, or person A had a lot of real life stuff come up?  Plus, sometimes the reader taste things are very valid concrit.  I *hate* it when people do AU-ish stuff to "punish" characters they dislike.  (e.g. Isolde killed and Alistair is *excited* and *happy*, or Goldanna is slaughtered following the hardening of Alistair).  This is honestly not just off putting to readers, but also bad writing. 

mousestalker

There's another part of the concrit thingy. If you mention a gun being on the mantle in the first chapter, sometimes a reader will comment "I thought it awfully careless to have a gun on the mantle. I can't believe the hero would do such a thing." Meanwhile the whole reason you mentioned the gun in the first place is that you have plotted it out so it will be used in chapter eight. The story simply won't work unless that gun is in that particular spot

Concrit =/= word of God. It = a person's opinion, and it is up to the writer to determine the validity.  Obviously, readers don't know what you're planning in a later chapter, and so sometimes will jump to the wrong conclusion.

That said, if many are jumping to the wrong conclusion, there's usually a reason.  e.g. if to make plot A work, you *need* to store a gun in a very strange place, you may be forcing things.  (And it's going to come up as rather deus ex machina that when the hero needs a gun, there's magically one in the kitchen, if the character isn't someone like, say, Canderous, who you could see storing a gun in every room of the house.)

Modifié par Mahkara, 01 février 2011 - 06:47 .

[Mahkara]

DreGregoire wrote...

*sighs* You all just need to stop shifting my view of things. Here I was all set in my ways (being old and all) and now I'm all. "Hmmm, maybe I should... or maybe I could." It's just not right I tell you, but go ahead keep on talking and essentially enticing me to change my thinking. Before you know it I won't recognize me.


 

Bwah hah hah. The sinister plan is working!  

[DreGregoire]

ah ha! I knew it! LOL

[maxernst]

@Mahkara,



To me it depends on the type of constructive criticism. The sort that says I didn't enjoy this story as much as I might have because of X and Y is fine in a review, because it tells potential readers something about the story that might influence them to read it (or not)...though I do think people should try to avoid spoilers in reviews. I did get a little bit of constructive criticism in a recent review, but it was of a broad storytelling choices rather than details--and it made perfect sense to include that in a review.



However, if you're going to say: the scene transition in paragraph 6 is awkward and perhaps you should reconsider your choice of words in describing Alistair's body language in the third sentence in paragraph 10, I think a PM makes more sense, That kind of detailed discussion is VERY useful to the author, but of no interest to somebody trying to decide whether to read the story or not. I see your point about being potentially of interest to others trying to improve their writing, but you'd have to read the story before reading the review for that to work.



I hadn't thought of the non-member issue, mostly because I have anonymous reviews turned off. Perhaps I'd get more reviews, and more honest reviews (I've had few reviews, but all of them positive) if I allowed anonymous, but I was concerned that I'd get homophobic flames.

[DreGregoire]

hahaha you know you need a break from writing when the macarena comes back to haunt you and you can't help but jump up and do it. LOL

[Mahkara]

maxernst wrote... 

I hadn't thought of the non-member issue, mostly because I have anonymous reviews turned off. Perhaps I'd get more reviews, and more honest reviews (I've had few reviews, but all of them positive) if I allowed anonymous, but I was concerned that I'd get homophobic flames.

Part of the problem really is that ffnet uses "review", "critique", and just about everything else synonymously.  They're arguably all different.  But the truth is that the easiest way of getting a quite "hey, I saw this and was wondering if you wanted to know..." to an author is to hit the "review" button at the bottom of the page and send it to them.  I've also *never* seen thorough critiques done on ffnet, so while it's possible they exist, they're pretty rare.  TBH, considering how long they take/difficult to do they are, I'd be really surprised if anyone gives them to anyone they don't have a pre-existing relationship with. Which is rather sad, IMHO.

I'd argue, though, that your chances of getting much of anything negative from turning on anon reviews is low. So is getting anything positive.  I've had anon reviews turned on all along, and I'm going to guess that about 1% of the reviews I get are anon.  (Maybe 2%, but, really, not very many.)  All are positive, as well. If someone wants to flame, they can always create a sock puppet.

[Sarah1281]

maxernst wrote...



I hadn't thought of the non-member issue, mostly because I have anonymous reviews turned off. Perhaps I'd get more reviews, and more honest reviews (I've had few reviews, but all of them positive) if I allowed anonymous, but I was concerned that I'd get homophobic flames.

The good thing about anonymous reviews is that you can immediately delete them if you don't like them. A review from a member you have to report and hope that the site will get rid of it.

[Maria13]

DreGregoire wrote...

hahaha you know you need a break from writing when the macarena comes back to haunt you and you can't help but jump up and do it. LOL

You are definitely showing your age here...

[mousestalker]

There's nothing wrong with dancing a little every day! And the macarena is a lot of fun!

[Maria13]

Just saying, I remember the summer of the Macarena so that must be some time ago...

[maxernst]

Maria13 wrote...

DreGregoire wrote...

hahaha you know you need a break from writing when the macarena comes back to haunt you and you can't help but jump up and do it. LOL

You are definitely showing your age here...

The macarena is showing your age? Yikes!  I remember the Hustle.

[mousestalker]

maxernst wrote...

Maria13 wrote...

DreGregoire wrote...

hahaha you know you need a break from writing when the macarena comes back to haunt you and you can't help but jump up and do it. LOL

You are definitely showing your age here...

The macarena is showing your age? Yikes!  I remember the Hustle.

You young people! I remember the Watusi

[Glorfindel709]

I remember the Boogaloo.



On a side note, I was having some thoughts about just how an Arcane Warrior would move through combat in a fiction rather than the game and had a thought. Gandalf in RotK with his sword/staff technique. Viable? yes? no?

[DreGregoire]

Glorfindel709 wrote...

On a side note, I was having some thoughts about just how an Arcane Warrior would move through combat in a fiction rather than the game and had a thought. Gandalf in RotK with his sword/staff technique. Viable? yes? no?

You know how in dragon age you can only carry one set of weapons on your back at a time. That's so unrealistic . You would have a dagger on a hip; possibly a sword (or axe) on your other hip or another dagger; shield, bow, or large sword (twohanded axe) on your back; staff could be on your back too but mostly you would hand carry it. Now if you have a pack it complicates things only in the sense that things might be harder to get to, but essentially a pack has the potential to equip even more weapons to. LOL. You would have to be a very poor warrior not to outfit yourself the best you can. Right?

Modifié par DreGregoire, 02 février 2011 - 01:55 .

[DreGregoire]

I mean really where do you think that alleged invisible until needed dagger comes from? LOL

[DreGregoire]

I bet somebody in Ferelden makes a killing off harnesses and packs that equip all the yummy weapons. LOL

Edit. Duh I'm still half asleep and made 3 seperate posts instead of just adding to one. LOL

Modifié par DreGregoire, 02 février 2011 - 01:59 .

[inquartata02]

Viable? yes? no?

Of course! Gandalf is awesome. Awesomely awesome.

[maxernst]

DreGregoire wrote...

I bet somebody in Ferelden makes a killing off harnesses and packs that equip all the yummy weapons. LOL

Edit. Duh I'm still half asleep and made 3 seperate posts instead of just adding to one. LOL

You bet they do at six sovereigns a backpack!

[DreGregoire]

maxernst wrote...

DreGregoire wrote...

I bet somebody in Ferelden makes a killing off harnesses and packs that equip all the yummy weapons. LOL

Edit. Duh I'm still half asleep and made 3 seperate posts instead of just adding to one. LOL

You bet they do at six sovereigns a backpack!

lol. And we never get to see them do we? Quick somebody draw a backpack for me I want to see instead of imagine what we are carrying around. LOL. That's one thing that I thought was odd about Dragon age origins. How come only I can carry stuff in a pack? I mean have you seen Alistair, Sten, and Oghren? They would make great pack mules er... backpack carriers. LOL. Thank goodness for chest mods for camp because I am a total pack rat!

Edit:
Aonghas (to his war hound): Majestic, come here; I want to try this new pack er I mean coat on you; You'll look really handsome! Wait where are you going. Come back here! Grrrr.

Modifié par DreGregoire, 02 février 2011 - 08:34 .

[Raonar]

/start rambling



I totally ditched the backpack idea in my fanfiction, mostly. The heavy stuff is carried in a pair of really large trunks that are usually carried in the cart (pulled by two oxen) and load/offloaded by Sten, the DN and the DC (Or the elf mage, when he feels like levitating stuff around). When fighting, everyone has just their amors/clothing/longcoats/robes on and whatever weapons they need, plus some potion pouches and maybe throwing knives strapped to their legs or on their belts.



Meat is kept in a sizable trunk magically frozen, like a portable fridge.



This gives me an idea. Let's talk about stuff we invented for our fanfics (clothes armors, special tidbits meant to make the traveling thing make sense, etc.)



I'll go first. Since there was a question about how arcane warriors fight, let's see... when my Alim Surana becomes an Arcane Warrior (finally), he'll have master Wade combine that Arcane Warrior Sword (from the sacred urn mountain) with a really badass staff, to make something like what Hawke has in the trailer. Alim already wears leather jacket/pants and a black, shiny suede longcoat. Imagine that with an equally awesome blade staff.



/end rambling

[Cra5y Pineapple]

 I solve this by reading good fanfiction.

[Shadow of Light Dragon]

Raonar: For fic 1, it was just two characters and the dog travelling solo, so they had backpacks for a while until acquiring horses in the Free Marches, which is where they got to upgrade to saddlebags.



I have Zevran carrying his poisons/bombs (or the ones he thinks he could need that day) in specially padded pouches. Wouldn't want an accidental knock to make all those babies explode at once And yeah, he carries weapons in his belt, boots, and sometimes within specifically crafted bracers.



But definitely don't go by the game's inventory system. Or prices. A backpack costing more than a bar of gold or flawless diamond? Yeah...wonder what the brand name is...the medieval equivalent of Gucci, perhaps?



As for Arcane Warrior, I had one character pick up the spec. Being Dalish, she took Spellweaver, the ancient elven armour and a shield (Mythal's Blessing? I forget) as relics of her people. She was to be her clan's Keeper, so she gave up her staff when she left to become a Grey Warden. She hasn't picked up a staff since.

[Glorfindel709]

For fiction inventory I always assumed you'd find a pack animal or go the Raonar route with a cart and trunks. Everyone carries their own combat/extra gear and cloaks plus pouches for poultices, lyrium, and various little weapons like throwing knives and then of course boot knives and etc.



And its just, I cant see a mage even with the arcane warrior specialization just giving up the staff, especially since it helps to focus their power and as they face more difficult enemies or are in close situations with their companions they have to have that focus in order to not endanger their companions. And then I noticed that mages carry their staves one handed any way, leaving a hand just kind of sitting there. So I thought to myself, "Self, why not have the mages pull a Gandalf? Maintain the focus of their powers, but have a handy sword for when things get close and if you get separated you get to become a whirling cloud of deathly stave swings and sword slices."

[DreGregoire]

I have my arcane warrior have more than one set of gear actually. In my first book Aonghas starts with a set of clothing, a mage robe, and his father's armor (yeah that whole human noble mage mod thing) and he has a sword and shield and then his staff. In Ostagar he also has a bow and arrows. Not to mention that lovely belt knife. I should write a couple of paragraphs on that. (Right my mage is over level seven in ostagar hence already an arcane mage, I needed to do that to be able to say he could fight with sword and shield (another mod for an arcane warrior with shield skills of course lol).

Later his armor get damaged. Long story actually, but he goes around in robes and gear that Leliana picked out just for him, ugh. Using staff some of the time; shield and sword other times.

Cloth doesn't work so well to protect you when you are stupid enough to dash into battle like a warrior so Leliana found some lovely armor for Aonghas, ugh again. LOL. Shield and sword, dagger as usual and switching to staff for long range.

*started with a pack graduated to camp followers lugging stuff around. And then had Eamon gift Alistair and Aonghas with a pair of horses.


Hmmm Aonghas hero of ferelden goes around in leather armor for the early part of the book, but it keeps getting destroyed. Any rate I wrote a whole couple of paragraphs about his new duds. Same shield and sword, dagger, and staff though. LOL. So like Aonghas seriously needs a couple of servants to see to his gear but that isn't likely to happen in Vigil's keep. LOL. ooooo. Now look what you've done! A new story idea created. Thanks Saddle bags are definately required heheh and an extra horse too

Edit: Hmmm, I wonder if I should have Aonghas learn to levitate? LMAO.

*look I ramble too. But ya'll already knew that didntcha?

Modifié par DreGregoire, 03 février 2011 - 03:50 .

[maxernst]

Shadow of Light Dragon wrote...

But definitely don't go by the game's inventory system. Or prices. A backpack costing more than a bar of gold or flawless diamond? Yeah...wonder what the brand name is...the medieval equivalent of Gucci, perhaps?

 

What?  You mean you don't have your characters saying, "Of course, I can carry another six darkspawn shields, but a small crystal?  I'm completely overburdened!