Thoughts on Blogging Part 6

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As January comes to an end, I am pleased that I have so far managed to maintain a daily writing schedule. I hope that I can continue in this vein throughout February. As ever the actual process of sitting and writing has proven a somewhat mixed bag so far this year. Some days the word simply spill out of me and a blog post potentially writes itself. On others, composing just three coherent paragraphs is like pulling teeth and much time is spent procrastinating and getting side tracked. But a mixture of self-discipline and a degree of pride have helped oil the creative wheels and kept the content flowing. Whether any of it is any good is for others to decided. However, it was nice to find one of my posts quoted in an article over at Massively Overpowered. It means that at least someone is reading my work and pondering upon the points therein. Writing is after all a means of communication and sharing ideas so it is rewarding to know that you’re not just yelling into the wind all the time.

I like to write about a broad spectrum of subjects, but naturally I self-edit my posts and so some content remains unpublished. I try not to do too much politics or social issues although I’m not averse to expressing an opinion. But sometimes you have to refrain from “indulging” yourself and focus on the meat and potatoes of your writing. For me that is still movies and video games. I have no problem with constructive criticism and analysis of the things I enjoy, but I am cognisant of not perpetuating a continuously negative narrative. Hence, I endeavour to be as even handed as one can be, despite being human and therefore having personal bias. Frankly it’s just lazy writing to sit in the balcony and barrack the stage continuously. Yet as a culture, in recent years we’ve become far more focused on what we don’t like, what we’re against and what we think is beyond the pale. Actually expressing positive sentiments or extolling the virtues of something you enjoy is bizarrely frowned upon in some quarters or seen as sappy.

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Moving forward into 2019, I have several ideas regarding developing further recurring themed posts. At present I use Thoughts on Blogging and Diary of a Podcaster as means to provide commentary on both mediums as well as update readers about my own endeavours in these areas. I also use the Classic Themes posts as a vehicle to explore my love of film, TV and video game music. After some thinking I’m considering writing regularly about various common tropes and archetypes that occur in movies. I also had an idea about a similar game related series of articles, where I could focus on mainstays of the industry and how certain mechanics become established. I’ve also reflected upon my need to write more about books, graphic novels, obscure TV shows from my childhood and a wealth of other topics. But all such ideas have to be realistically tempered by the time I have available and my desire to pursue other interests. All things considered, I should be able to sustain my writing schedule for the next month. But ideas for content is only half the equation. The other is motivation. That is a far more nebulous commodity. However, one positive thing to consider is that February is a shorter month than others.

Thoughts on Blogging Part 5

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This week, a rather high profile sub-reddit associated with the Star Trek Online community, changed its status to “private” as a means of protesting against the state of the game and the way developers Cryptic are handling things. That matter was surprisingly resolved within 24 hours after an olive branch was extended from the STO community manager on reddit. However, it is not the protest itself nor the state of the game that I wish to focus upon, but the importance of /r/stobuilds as a shared community resource. A lot of STO players enjoy optimising their builds and tweaking their loadout and this site it the place to go to share such information. There is also a group of hardcore players that dig deep into the games data and comprehensively crunch number and generate useful information. Hence if a resource such as this was taken offline for longer period of time, it would have a tangible impact upon players and the wider community.

Now not every fansite, blog or player run resource are of a comparable size and significance, but I would cogently argue that they all contribute to their respective communities in essentially the same manner. They’re sharing information, enthusiasm and support for the things that they love and are entertaining and communicating with others. A fellow blogger who wrote a popular MMO fansite, once told me that they considered their writing as a public service in a way. I do not think the remark was a reflection of their vanity. It simply showed that they enjoyed participating in a wider community and sharing what they knew. However, they also remarked that once you find yourself in a position where your work becomes important to the wider community, you can become a “prisoner of your own success”. This then raises the spectre of “obligation” over writing for pleasure. If you’re creating guides for an MMO or data mining the latest patch, then you can end up in this position.

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I have a plethora of websites and blogs, bookmarked in my web browser. Most are run by fans and despite the fact they are amateur publications, many are of an extremely high standard. In fact, they often put the professionals to shame. Such blogs are often done by sole individuals, busy couples or over stretched collectives who are passionate about their subject. A lot of people benefit from the hard work that they put in. The recent LOTRO renaissance has highlighted for me just how many great fan-based resources still exist, but it has also reminded me of how many blogs and podcast have retired of “faded” over the years. The absence of some are still sorely missed. Expressing yourself through written words is more labour intensive than producing content for other platforms. It is less ephemeral due to the thought and consideration that good writing takes. In some respects, the bloggers surrounding certain games are a microcosm of the of the wider community.

There’s been a lot of talk of late regarding preserving video games history. It is indeed an interesting proposition because it is in historical terms such a relatively recent phenomenon. However, if you wish to preserve games per se, as we currently do with other art forms such as movies, music and books, then surely preserving their associated impact on popular culture is equally as important? Fifty years from now when it can be safely assumed that World of Warcraft should have run its course, having access to the myriad of websites and fan resources that evolved around the MMO will be key to understanding the popularity of the game itself. Surely, such a concept logically extends to blogging around any aspect of popular culture? Naturally not every site or blog is destined to be of paramount historical importance, but all contribute in their own unique way to bigger community picture. Consider that next time you write, and it may help motivate you. Or it may do the opposite.

Searching Content on Contains Moderate Peril

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If you are a WordPress user, there are a multitude of plugins that you can apply to your blog to tweak and customise it. The only downside of this is that every time WordPress upgrade their software, all your plugins subsequently need to be updated. Many plugins are written by third parties and therefore you do not have guaranteed long-term support. Plugins can also be exploited, which is why I ultimately decided to stop using WordPress for my website. I made the transition to Squarespace for my hosting needs in August 2015 and have never looked back since then. However, I have been using the same template for three years now and I was pondering recently whether it was time to change it. Yet a change of this kind is bound to have knock-on effects and could potentially end up creating more problems than it solves. So rather than go off half cocked, I decided to do some research to see if I could improve the functionality of my blog.

After taking an in-depth look at my blog stats, both via Squarespace and Google Analytics, it’s clear that a third of readers are using their phones to access Contains Moderate Peril. Fortunately, the template I’m currently using is mobile friendly and I’m pleased with its performance. For PC users the blog is functional, despite lacking is certain interactive elements such as sidebars, blog rolls and social media links. All posts are clear and easy to read. As I think that content is by far the most important aspect of any blog, as long as it is accessible and easy to navigate then the current template is doings its job. I also consider it important to provide readers with links to similar material to that which they are already reading. Hence, all articles have a list related posts at the bottom of the body of text. This is invaluable for building an audience and exposing readers to more of your work. I find it most rewarding when I look at my blog stats and see that someone has read an article about LOTRO and then perused further content of a similar theme.

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However, there is one limitation to these “summary blocks” as Squarespace calls them. They only display a maximum of 28 links to previously posted content. Subsequently as more content is added to Contains Moderate Peril, older material is gradually excluded from the “summary blocks”.  Yet there is an obvious and convenient workaround. All posts are indexed by categories displayed at the page footer. If you click on any category it will then list all other posts associated with it. Hence clicking on “movies” will list all posts in that category. The site shows twenty posts at a time and readers can then access the next twenty by clicking on “older”, again at the bottom of the page. You can search by author in the same fashion. There is also a calendar on the Post Archive page (which you can access via the top menu) which lists all posts for the month. The month can be adjusted, and so readers can comprehensively see all posts that have been published since Contains Moderate Peril migrated to Squarespace. There is also a search facility for the entire site, again found on the top menu.

Ultimately, all the changes I have made to the website template are to the backend. Minor changes to SEO, key words and indexing will hopefully improve performance and allow readers to find further material if they so wish. It will be interesting to see if this post has an impact upon traffic and the way the site is used. As I’ve said in such events as The Newbie Blogger Initiative and Blaugust, writers or bloggers shouldn’t be driven by purely stats and website traffic. But if you are publicly publishing your work it is logical to make it as accessible to you readers as possible and to ensure they can search it effectively. Promotion of content via social media is one way of doing this but having an online presence that is easy and intuitive to use is also essential. Not all posts are time specific and there may be occasions when you specifically want your audience to find older content that is still pertinent. Therefore, if you aren’t already using a “related posts” or a post archive facility on your blog then you are doing yourself and more importantly your readers a disservice.

Analysing Blaugust

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There is a blog post over at the Greedy Goblin, where Gevlon crunches the numbers to see how many bloggers are still writing a month and a half on from Blaugust. Needless to say, I am not surprised by his results. Writing events such as Blaugust and before that, The Newbie Blogger Initiative, have always had a high attrition rate. I know lots of good writers who cannot sustain a regular writing schedule due to their work commitments. This is especially true of those with families. Then there are those bloggers who simply run out of stamina. Posting regular content is hard and requires focus and discipline. Producing in-depth and longform posts with any regularity is even harder. So, Gevlon’s summary merely proves what many of us new in advance. But I guess you'd find the exactly the same results if you were analysing the aftermath of an event that encouraged podcasting, live streaming or posting videos of You Tube. Creating content of any kind takes time and effort. The better the quality of that material, the more time it takes. Hence some will cease their efforts.

Another point of note is how some of the blogs listed (such as my own) no longer exclusively focus upon gaming. I can shed some light upon this matter. There comes a point in the life of a fan where you look back through your past posts and realise you've pretty much said everything you can about that which you enjoy. I started blogging about games back in 2008 and the apple of my eye at the time was LOTRO and the MMO genre. Those halcyon days are gone and MMOs are now a specific niche, so unless a major controversy raises its head, then I don’t have that much to say about things. The gaming industry “is what it is”. It's corporate driven and focused primarily on satisfying the needs of shareholders. Hence, I am no longer surprised or appalled by poor business decisions, egregious monetisation strategies or the general indifference it habitually shows towards customers. It's like shouting at a compass for pointing north.

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So regardless of the inevitable attrition rate that come with events such as Blaugust, if it leads to just a handful of new writers who stay the course and continue to post good material, then the undertaking has served its purpose. And if this event is held again next year, I believe you’ll see very similar results. Because Blaugust not only provides support and encouragement to new writers, it also offers a crash course in the realities of writing. It’s a bit like looking after someone else’s dog for a week while they’re on holiday, allowing you to realistically assess whether you really want one of your own. Furthermore, it isn’t always necessary to look at all leisure activities in terms of “success or failure”. For me, part of the appeal of events such as Blaugust, is the ongoing enjoyment of reading new posts and interacting with those who are participating. Sometimes it can be about the journey and not just the destination.

Blaugust Reborn: Event or Cause?

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The Blaugust Reborn is an event, which promotes blogging and offers advice and guidance to those who have just started or who are toying with the idea of doing so. It has no agenda beyond providing encouragement and support. The advice that is offered through various veterans’ content creators collective experience, is just that, advice. It can be taken or ignored, because ultimately blogging is a very personal pastime and there really isn't a right or wrong way to do it. If doing what you do and the way that you do it brings you pleasure, then you've pretty much well nailed it.  I see Blaugust Reborn as a benign undertaking. It has no agenda that I am aware of. In fact, I could argue that my involvement is a little self-serving, in so far as I hope that some great new blogs emerge from this year’s event that I can read on a regular basis. Overall, I see the Blaugust Reborn as a simple exercise in offering a helping hand. For me it's not any more complex than that. 

However, may not see it in such straight forward terms.  A few years ago, when the equivalent event of Blaugust Reborn was the Newbie Blogger Initiative there was criticism from some quarters of the Blogosphere, who saw the it as an organised attempt to try and stamp some sort of standard identity upon new writers. It was even labelled as some sort of Orwellian Groupthink. There was a great deal of hyperbole involved and very little clear thinking. This view stemmed from the fact that a lot of those at the time participating in the NBI had written about their indifference to GamerGate and thus there was the ubiquitous binary backlash from those who equated ambivalence with holding a contrary view. However, this matter did highlight the fact that something as simple as benign as trying to offer help and support could be misconstrued. 

I think what I found curious about the pushback that happened in NBI back in 2015 was the fact that someone saw fit to label the event as a "cause". This has got me thinking whether anyone thinks that Blaugust Reborn is a cause instead of an exercise in self-help? A supportive event is optional and non-threatening. A "cause" is a much more subtle beast. It has socio-political connotations. There is usually an undercurrent of moral rectitude. Causes seek to correct something. Something that is deemed to be currently wrong, hence the ethical undertone. Events simply facilitate, whereas causes will by their very nature have those that are diametrically opposed to them. Suddenly an activity goes from being functional (and fun) to something far more partisan. 

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Consider something like advice on weight loss and eating healthily. In essence it is a harmless stance to take and advocate. Yet if it is promoted in an overzealous and judgemental way and treated as a cause rather than optional guidance, it suddenly becomes a political football; something that is strongly resisted and reviled in some quarters as a form of social engineering. I don't want the Blaugust Reborn to fall into this trap. I don't want it to become burdened with ideologies and dogma. I want it to be perceived for what it is; an event that offers a helping hand and facilitates the participant to blog in a manner that suits them.

The thing about Blaugust Reborn is that the advice offered can be used in whatever way the author wishes. I could be argued that Blaugust Reborn could even end up facilitating writers who produce hateful content filled with bigotry and prejudice. So far from what I’ve seen of those who have signed up to participate, that seem unlikely but it’s not impossible. However, that goes with the territory and I do not fear those who have contrary views to my own. Blaugust Reborn is just a process. What people choose to do with the information they can obtain from it is their decision. It's a bit like running a woodwork class. If someone wants to use the knowledge they’ve gained to fashion a club instead of a chair, then that is their prerogative (feel free to add your own Bobby Brown gag here). 

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Now I realise that Blaugust Reborn is not defined by just one person's perception of it. It runs due to the involvement of multiple people, all of which probably have a unique view of exactly what the event is and what it aims to achieve. Yet I think that its inherent simplicity adds to its appeal. Therefore, I have made the assumption that other participants do not see it as a "cause". However, I may be wrong.  I've been round the block several times and in my youth been involved in politics, trade union activities and various social issues. Yes, I have supported "causes". Sadly, none of them has been without problems or remained 100% true to their roots and goals. It is just the nature of ideologies and concept, that implementing them often requires compromise. But I don’t see Blaugust Reborn falling into this category though.

Age has taught me to be both mindful and sceptical of such things as "causes". Too often they can be a Trojan Horse for something more sinister. But again, I don’t see Blaugust Reborn being like that. So, I'm asking the following question out of curiosity to all who may be involved with Blaugust Reborn to a greater or lesser degree. How do you perceive this event? Or is it simply an exercise in self-help. Do you see it as part of a wider undertaking with greater meaning? Do you consider it as a cause? If so what do you want the event to achieve beyond helping content creators? Is it an open invite to all, or would you be concerned if someone with a “radical” online presence wished to get involved? It’s certainly food for thought. Feel free to comment.

Blogging and Self-Discipline

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Although blogging is great fun and a very rewarding hobby, it is also at times hard work. I don't say that to discourage you, but it is a fact that needs to be considered by all embarking upon their content creation journey. Writing per se requires a degree of self-discipline. Without it, your aspirations will remain just that. Nothing will get done, posting will become irregular and you'll readers will simply lose interest and look for material elsewhere. So, what exactly do you need to be self-disciplined about? Well if you want to write posts regularly that are engaging and of a good standard then consider the following points:

• Set aside a specific time to write, that is free from distractions.
• Find an environment that is conducive to writing.
• Establish a schedule that suits you and is sustainable.
• Strike the right balance with self-criticism and editing.
• Commit to your writing. Don’t do it half-heartedly.

I would also add not rushing or writing in the "heat of the moment". It is often a mistake to go off “half-cocked”. Also ensuring that you are factually correct and have linked to any source material that you may be discussing.

Now adhering to these criteria requires commitment and adds another layer of work to the process of writing. Ignoring them is often very tempting. However, you will not produce your best material by doing so. The writer that knocks out a post at the end of a busy day, while the TV blares in the background is likely to make mistakes. The writer that pens a vitriolic reply to an article they've misread will end up with egg on their face. Plus, there is no shortage of self-appointed internet policemen who will happily write a comment of epic proportions, pointing out how you made a schoolboy error over some minor detail. Poorly conceived posts and bad argument won’t gain you any traction with readers.

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It is possible to do all the above and still have immense enjoyment from blogging. None of these suggestions have to be a chore. If you can factor them into your writing process, then they will become a lot easier. Your output will certainly be better as a result. Don't beat yourself up if you deviate from them from time to time. We're all human. I have on numerous occasions done the complete opposite of what I have suggested. In fact, while I was writing this post I wasted several minutes being side tracked by You Tube videos and a Discord thread featuring pet pictures. 

Exactly how much of a process you impose upon your writing is ultimately up to you. There is no one size fits all. It may take some trial and error to find a routine that suits your specific needs. But having no process whatsoever is not likely to be beneficial. Therefore, do not see self-discipline as being a burden but more of a practical tool that contributes to your overall blogging experience. Self-discipline leads to a routine and a routine is great way of polishing your writing process. Please feel free to share any ideas you may have on writing routines or how you maintain self-discipline and motivation in the comments section below.

Time For a Makeover

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This is another post for Blaugust Reborn prep week, that’s primarily aimed at the returning blogger. Again, there is advice here that is relevant to those just starting out with a new blog but there’s already a ton of good advice available for them. I’m focused more upon trying to encourage those who once had a blog (and subsequently abandoned it) to dust it off and start producing content again. In my last post, I offered some advice regarding such things as writing schedules and having a basic plan as to what subjects you want to explore and goals you may wish to achieve. This time let’s consider some simple and practical aspects of your actual blog template and hosting package.

Adaptive and responsive web design. Although there is a difference in methodology, both adaptive and responsive design formats ultimately deliver the same results. IE Webpages that are best suited for the device viewing them. Therefore, I would urge returning bloggers check their respective blog templates to ensure that they are mobile friendly. Why is this important? Go take a look at your stats and you’ll notice that a lot of traffic is coming via phones and tablets. 38% of the traffic to Contains Moderate Peril comes from mobile devices. Having a site that optimises the presentation of content to these platforms is essential. I’m amazed when browsing the web at how many sites still have a “one size fits all” approach. They’re a pain to read and it’s not especially professional.

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Your blog logo. Branding is a major subject in itself. It makes sense to establish a consistent look and feel. However, unless you are producing merchandise, business cards, or have need of a portable booth for a trade show, you do not need a fancy scalable logo. Furthermore, they cost a crap ton of money if you use a professional design company. Therefore, I would recommend that everyone go check out Fiverr.com for reasonably priced alternatives. The website is a haven for freelance artists and designers. If you hunt through the crazy people (and there are a lot), you'll find plenty of quality talent available at extremely reasonable prices. Over the years I’ve used the site for website banners, podcast logos and voiceovers. If you’re über cheap you may even see a design that you can subsequently replicate yourself.

Purge your plugins. Holy crap, WordPress has plugins for everything. If you need to know what the temperature of your butt is as you sit in your chair gaming, there's a plugin for that. It's very easy to get carried away when installing them (a bit like mods for Skyrim). However, despite the benefits they do have an impact upon your site. They can interfere with template functionality and slow loading times. If your blog takes too much time to populate a page, then readers will move on. There's a lot to be said for running a lean and mean site. There's less to back up and less scope for stuff to go wrong. So, do yourself a favour and think twice before adding that plugin that tells you how many readers called Trevor are currently logged into your site.

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Keep static content up to date. Quite a lot of blogs have static pages. These usually consist of things such as "about this blog", who the "contributors" are and how to "get in touch". Fairly straightforward content but it can change over time. For example, if you expand the scope of you blog you may need to update these individual pages. Contributors can come and go or expand their resume. Readers like to know who's who. It also adds a personal touch. Don’t forget to keep your "small print" or "disclaimer" page up to date as well. Rules change constantly online and as a blogger you don't want to be breaking laws unnecessarily.

Sharing and social media.  Most blogs come with some sort of facility to promote your posts via social media. However, platforms come and go quite quickly so you may wish to ensure that you include the most relevant options. This can be done by either updating your blog template, keeping your Word press install up to date, or by using an appropriate plugin (although bear in mind the above point). You may also wish to use an internal thumbnail linking service such as LinkWithin if your own template doesn’t support one. This facility adds a selection of thumbnail pictures with links to older content on your site that is relevant to the post you are publishing. A WoW article will therefore generate a selection of links to similar material. This can be invaluable for keeping readers on your site and boosting page views, if that’s what your aiming to do.

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Reader comments service. I have discussed the pros and cons of reader comments before. If you do decide to allow them you may wish to use the facility that comes with your blog or use a third-party service such as Facebook or Disqus. Choose wisely. Some of these facilities can be problematic as they are located elsewhere online and can impact on your sites loading times. Should you change services at a later date you may also lose your back catalogue of comments. I personally like any system that allows you to add the URL of your own site when leaving a comment. One of the great ways of raising your profile and generating traffic to your own site is by leaving comments elsewhere. It also contributes to that sense of building a community.

If you are seriously thinking of returning to your old blog (and I sincerely hope you do), all the above can be dealt with quite simply and does not have to be an immense chore. The simpler your blog, the easier it is to maintain it, although not everyone favours such a minimalist approach. But big or small, fancy or simple, giving your blog a practical makeover ensures that it loads and runs efficiently, leaving you free to write your content. It also means that readers can just get on perusing your posts and leaving comments without impediment.

When Blogging Turns Bad

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There’s currently a ton of useful advice coming out of the Blagust Reborn Prep Week. Most of which is specifically aimed at those who are blogging or creating content for the first time. However, I want to touch on a subject that some may think is a little inappropriate to raise at this point in the proceedings. Especially in light of the fact that Blagust Reborn is supposed to be about nurturing and not discouraging. But I believe that there’s a lesson to be learned from the tale I’m about to tell. I think it would be wiser for new writers, podcasters and streamers to be cognisant of it now rather than stumble into it three of four years down the road. Because a percentage of those who start content creation this August will continue to do so and find some measure of success with it. Success is a relative term but irrespective of that it can come with its own set of problems.

I've been writing all my life. It's something I always enjoyed, especially at school. There used to be a time when I use to write particularly lurid fiction. I remember Mr Deacon, an US exchange teacher who worked at my senior school for a while, telling me to tone it down. But he also gave me a lot of encouragement and it stuck with me. Writing is like many other things in life is an ongoing process of self-improvement and refinement. And as I've gotten older, I've found great comfort in being able to express my thoughts clearly through written words. I love a well-conceived, clear and logical argument. I eschew bluster, hyperbole and showboating. The former is a thing of skill and beauty. The latter is the province of the tabloid hacks, snake-oil salesman and politicians. Such is the power of words and writing. Although my abilities confine me to the realms of blogging and the odd piece of freelance writing, expressing myself through writing is both a joy and an invaluable means of personal therapy.

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I'm not one for twenty-twenty hindsight but if I knew what I know now etc. and could have my proverbial time again, I'd would've liked to have made a career of writing in some shape or form. That's not to say that I perceive myself as a frustrated writer because I'm not. I'm just saying that writing is a career path that I would have liked to have pursued. At fifty, and in light of my current circumstances, that is not an immediate option. However, writing online has provided a good alternative. Hence, I've been blogging in one way or another for over a decade. I do so mainly for myself, but I won't lie about the fact that it’s nice to have an audience. Furthermore, that audience has grown over the years. For most of that time, I have chosen to write on a daily basis so as you can imagine, a sizeable body of work has accrued as a result of that. That output has had a tangible impact upon such things as page ranking and gaining traffic. Over half of the daily traffic for Contains Moderate Peril comes from older content found via a Google search. The movie reviews are especially good for this.

However, writing regularly is challenging. It requires commitment, organisation and a degree of self-sacrifice. When I was self-employed, I was able to dedicate time to content creation that others could not accommodate within the rigours of a nine to five job and a family life. Now as carer, although I have a busy schedule, there is still time for writing, although it is not always at an optimal time. But producing content is still hard work and the risk of burnout and fatigue is a real risk. I've also written in the past about the sense of obligation a writer develops toward their audience. Rightly or wrongly I think writers sometimes misconstrue the schedule they have chosen for themselves as a yolk imposed upon them by others. It is patently not the case but when stressed it’s odd how one’s perspective can be skewed. Despite advising others to write whatever and however they wish to, I struggle to do this myself. I find myself always leaning towards lengthy posts and like to ensure that they are coherent and as well structured as they can be. Overall my persistence and output has been well received and between 2014 and 2015, Contains Moderate Peril gained sufficient traffic to have to move to an alternative hosting package that could cope with the traffic.

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Of late, I’ve had to juggle my writing output due to changes in my life. There have been gaps on days when I’ve been busy with my parent’s care.  As a result, I’ve done some long and serious thinking about my current writing habits and where the entire Contains Moderate Peril thing is going. I feel that I've created this little bespoke brand over the years and I need to figure what I should do next with it. It certainly needs some thought because at present it just isn't working out the way I want it to and at times find myself feeling frustrated my own creation. This is a ludicrous and erroneous outlook but it's a hard feeling to shake. So, I'm going to try and rethink my writing habits and long-term goals. I may also decide to focus on specifics subjects and stop some content. I may overhaul the site. I may create a completely new one if the fancy takes me. Podcasting is a tougher subject altogether, but I still have aspirations here as well. Blaugust Reborn is my chance to ponder on all these points and work out a strategy. Perhaps documenting this process may prove beneficial to myself and others.

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I guess the overall point of this post is that there is scope for blogging, like any other pastime or leisure activity to grow and start filling that strange twilight zone between a hobby and a job. As I said earlier, it's important to have focus and fortitude, but you also need to listen to your feelings. Especially when they start to become negative. Do not allow yourself to lapse into a state of blogging by obligation or writing under duress. Stay focused about what it is that you want to achieve and then stick with it. If things don't work out, then change them. Every post does not have to be a Pulitzer prize winner. You are supposed to be expressing yourself rather than continuously competing with yourself. But most of all, don’t allow burnout to reach that critical mass that ends with you rage quitting and deleting your blog. I’ve been there and done that and it doesn’t solve the problem as well as you’d think. So work hard and enjoy your content creation but don’t let it get the better of you. After all, the tail does not wag the dog.

Dust Off Your Old Blog

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It’s an old and all too familiar story. At some point, you thought “I know, let’s start a blog. I can write about the things that I enjoy and share my passion for river widening with others”. So you promptly went and opened up a free WordPress or Google Blogger account and jumped in feet first, without any semblance of a plan because who needs a plan, right? Then you quickly discovered that the witty epistles you hoped to write regularly were harder to produce than rocking horse droppings and finding time to write was proving hard; what with all the football on TV and the weekly meetings of the glee club. Plus, it also became apparent that something had gone horribly wrong with the internet and the CIA was obviously blocking your site content, because the army of fans you so righteously deserved had failed to manifest themselves. So you decided to pack it all in and instead try your hand at live streaming, because blogging is as good as dead (because Tobold said so) and you look really good in front of a camera (just remember to move the clothes horse out of shot first).

Blaugust Reborn presents a perfect opportunity for lapsed bloggers to return to the fold and resume writing for the greater glory or humanity. Or at least for their own enjoyment and may be to be part of a wider community who have similar passions. As you are now older and wiser (because you are, aren’t you?) you realise that writing on a regular basis requires a degree of organisation and preparation. But the good news is that if you ensure that a few basic steps are in place, then you can embark of a blogging journey that should prove very enjoyable and rewarding. Now the following advice is mainly aimed at those who have previously blogged and have subsequently abandoned their respective sites. But the guidance here is also applicable to totally new bloggers. However, there is a lot more detailed information currently being collated over at the Blaugust Reborn Discord server that you may want to check out first if you are thinking of blogging, podcasting or creating content for the first time. I’m writing today to try and specifically coax those wayward ex-bloggers back online. Here are some ideas to consider.

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Dust off your old blog. It is very tempting for returning bloggers to think to themselves “I don’t want to continue writing on my old site for [insert tortuous reason here]. I’d much rather start a new one”. The problem with this tactic is that you’ll then agonise over a witty, pithy blog name, what platform you should use and designing a slick logo. You’ll get bogged down with potentially unnecessary logistics, rather than applying yourself to writing. Joking aside, some people can sort all the above out really quickly, but for many budding writers (and I include myself in this group), if you provide us with any opportunity to procrastinate, then will take it and revel in it. For a large percentage of returning bloggers, it best not to invest too much time into the aesthetics and administrative aspects of your blog. Remember, you may ultimately not wish to or be able to sustain a writing schedule, so don’t waste time and money on new resources. Log into your old site, give it a bit of a spring clean and then get ready for the next stage.

Have some sort of plan. I like plans. So does Hannibal Smith. Having carried the can for major projects in the past that had substantial budgets, I’m a fully paid up exponent of the belt and braces school of thought. So I always tend to have a list of potential blog post ideas on the go. Some days I read what topics are doing the rounds on the various gaming websites. Other days I’ll just riff off something a fellow blogger has posted. Now everyone is different and not everyone likes or desires that level or organisation. That’s fine. Writing from the hip can be very effective when you’re fired up. But on those slow news days when the blogosphere is quietly turning over you may find your powder dry. So it doesn’t hurt to have a few ideas on standby. If you’re tackling a weightier subject or deciding to drop a major think piece than ensure you have done sufficient research. Some folk like to start with bullet points that they then flesh out into relevant paragraphs. There are lots of options and it’s down to you to find what’s right for you. Just bear in mind that it often helps to have thought about what your going to write before you do so.

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Something is better than nothing. It’s your blog, so write as much or as little as you want. More to the point, write what you feel is enough. If you can make your point or collate your thoughts in one paragraph, then fair enough. Don’t feel obliged to bulk out your posts to some nebulous preconceived size. Filler stands out a mile and there’s nothing worse than “people who give vent to their loquacity by extraneous bombastic circumlocution” to quote Monty Python and highlight my point. Microblogging is a thing and it can work well. A quick post about how a boss fight went in an MMO last night can connect just as well with readers as a detailed analysis of the fight mechanics themselves. Don’t feel obliged to try and be Harper Lee, Suetonius or Roger Hargreaves. Your blog is about you and is your presence online. It therefore follows suite that it is done in a manner which pleases you. Readers who like 2,000-word, in-depth think pieces also like screenshots and posts about cosmetic items. It should also be noted that sometimes it is the most trivial and disposable posts that you make which prove to be the most popular. After a decade plus of writing online my most read post (which is no longer available) was a review of Top Cat: The Movie.

Write when you can and because you want to. In the past I have maintained a daily writing schedule and been happy to do so. However, my personal circumstances have changed over time and I’ve finally realised that not posting to my blog every day is not a personal failing or a crime against humanity. Therefore, do not impose an unrealistic writing regime upon yourself. Pick a time which is good for you and affords you the chance to think and martial your thoughts. Do not write because you feel obliged too. This will make you feel resentful about blogging and will often result in inferior work. Yes, there is an element of self-discipline when it comes to writing and there are times when you may have to shut the door and focus on the task in hand, but it should never be an insufferable burden. If you are in a suitably motivated state of mind, and writing in a comfortable environment conducive to writing, then you’re far more likely to produce material that you’re proud of and that will chime with readers. For those who choose to join the Blaugust Reborn Discord server, you’ll find an invaluable source of support and encouragement there to keep you motivated and thus writing.

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I could add another half a dozen or so additional points to this list of advice for returning bloggers, but I believe the above are possibly the most essential. To summarise rekindle your old site, plan a few posts or jot down some ideas of where you want to go with your writing. Then write what you can and post whenever it is convenient. A happy and motivated blogger is in prime position to become an established and regular blogger. I should also point out that although the above advice references a gaming related blog, it is just as relevant to those writing about Etruscan pottery or the birds that gather on Mrs Coletart’s roof. The essential principles espoused here are also pertinent to podcasting, You Tubing (is that even a proper phrase? Answers on a postcard please) or any other form of online content creation really. Taking those initial steps back do not have to be as difficult and daunting as some would have you believe.

Thoughts on Blogging Part 4

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Spending time in the company of others who have similar interests and passions can be an invaluable shot in the arm and a great source of motivation. For example, I recently joined a Facebook group associated with The Evolution of Horror Podcast. It’s an absolute pleasure to be able to pick over the bones of a movie such as The Wicker Man and explore its finer points. You don’t have to adjust your level of conversation for fear of boring people, or dial back your enthusiasm due to concerns of being labelled a nerd or fanboy. Finding these online havens where you feel comfortable are invaluable, regardless of whether your passion is sport, knitting, Lepidoptery or Phrenology. Remember this point. I shall be returning to it shortly.

Those who are familiar with my writing, will know that I’m a firm advocate of blogging, podcasting and other forms of online content creation. Such undertakings touch upon so many positive things. Learning new skills, personal improvement, sharing ideas, building communities and making friends. Content creation can also bring a degree of self-discipline, provide a means to navigate the complexities of day-to-day life, as well as help rationalise and collate one thoughts and opinions. However, despite all these advantageous aspects, sometimes just taking the first step on some new project can be a major obstacle. Similarly, it is very common for bloggers, streamers and the like to run out of momentum after an initial burst of spontaneity and motivation. I should know, as I’m really struggling with my writing schedule at present.

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We’ll here’s some good news. Returning to my initial point, it appears that someone has grasped the nettle and decided to run an event to help bring together and motivate new and existing online content creators. Belghast from Tales of the Aggronaut will be running Blaugust Reborn throughout the month of August. An event that encompasses all the best aspects of the Newbie Blogger Initiative and his own Blaugust writing festival. The aims of this event are simple; to encourage people to take that first step into online content creation, nurture them, as well as share resources, pass on advice and welcome people in an existing community, thus reinvigorating it. Some veteran bloggers will be acting as mentors. Others (such as myself) will be creating bespoke material and supporting things via this blog. There’s also the obligatory Discord channel which allows participants to stay in touch and access useful links and material. Throughout the month there’ll be creative prompts and activities.

I am very pleased that an event of this kind has returned and am happy to be part of it. I’m hoping I can round up a few folks and may be record a bespoke podcast of some kind. But most of all, I’m looking forward to reading new blog posts and watching new streamers. There’s nothing more catching than enthusiasm and watching someone do something that they thought was going to be so hard, only to find out that it was actually not so bad and even fun. I also think that it is especially important in these troubling times to keep the art of writing alive. Furthermore, this forthcoming Blaugust Reborn event has broadened its scope and isn’t limiting itself to merely encouraging game related content. The skills required to create online material remain the same, irrespective of what you are a fan of. So why not take the plunge and join in with Blaugust Reborn? See you over at the Discord server.

A Year in Multimedia

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In the past, I’ve often written a summary of my experiences with gaming, movies and TV at the end of each year. Similarly, I usually reflect upon my activities in podcasting and blogging as well. However, 2016 has been unique in many respects. Political and social tides have changed in the West and there is much to reflect upon in the real world. Certainly, my appetite for creating content has taken a knock and I have at times stopped and wondered if it really is all worth the bother. But after such moments of introspection I still see the benefits of the written word or bellowing in to a microphone, so here we are once again. The only difference this time is rather than multiple posts, I can pretty much distil my thought on 2016 in one simple account.

Gaming:

To things have had a major impact upon my gaming this year. A lack of time and too few new titles that aroused my interest. I started the year playing through Hearts of Stone, the first DLC for The Witcher III: Wild Hunt and continued with the second expansion, Blood and Wine when it was released in May. I waxed lyrical about the quality of this RPG last year and will continue to do so this time. The last DLC not only added yet another superbly crafted narrative but refined the game mechanics and system even further. I think it will be a long time before I find another game from this genre that offers anywhere near a comparable experience.

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MMO wise I have continued to regularly log into Star Trek Online during 2016 as it has frequently had new content to explore. This year being the 50th Anniversary of Star Trek, the new expansion, Agents of Yesterday, offered an appropriate homage to the original series. The new lighting system has improved the overall aesthetic of the game and it’s clear that developers Cryptic have plenty more in store for the MMO. It’s recent port to consoles clearly indicates that the game is in a healthy state.

LOTRO has had a curious year. I took a six-month break from the game due to the repetitive and formulaic nature of the new content. Yet the Battle of Pelennor Fields brought me back, being surprisingly well realised given the restrictions of the ageing game engine. Update 19 released in October took the game one step closer to Mordor. As ever the epic central story continues to be written to a high standard and certainly compensates for other more pedestrian regional quests. Recent news that ex Turbine staff have formed a new independent company and taken over the development of the game does seem to have renewed interest in the MMO. I remain cautiously optimistic for LOTRO’s future.

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It would be remiss of me if I didn’t mention Overwatch. I played the open beta out of idle curiosity and was greatly surprised by how accessible the game is. It has now become my game of choice whenever I want a quick fix of entertainment. I’m still amazed at how equitable this team based, first person shooter is and how anyone can find a role to play, regardless of the style or abilities. It continues to add content and new characters ensuring longevity. Something that Pokémon Go has failed to do. This was another title that I was drawn to out of nostalgia and curiosity but it quickly became apparent that it was unsustainable.

TV and Movies:

I only went to my local multiplex to see movies upon their release, six time this year, which is unusual for me. This is mainly due to there being precious little of interest for me these days. Cinemas seem choked with Blockbusters and Super Hero movies. A lot of the more niche market, independent films have limited releases and tend to be available on-demand very quickly. Those movies I did see were suitably entertaining. Deadpool provided audiences with exactly what they expected and proved that the R rating could still be economically viable. Star Trek Beyond finally saw the new stories set in the Kelvin Timeline hit their stride. It offered a good character driven story that finally tapped in to the soul of the original series. Fantastic Beast and Where to Find Them also proved to be a crowd pleaser with excellent production values and a decent storyline. I have high hopes for this off shoot of the Wizarding World franchise. Rogue One certainly met with my approval and filled a suitable gap in the Star Wars lore. I almost got as much fun out of the fan driven debates about the story as the film itself.

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TV once again proved to be the home of more cerebral and densely plotted drama. Stranger Things was a wonderful homage to eighties genre cinema and popular culture. Finally embracing both Amazon Prime and Netflix certainly afforded our household with more choice and provided a respite from the scourge of advertising which just seems to become increasingly preposterous and crass. The Man in the High Castle provided a suitable bookend to the start and end of the year and continues to be both intriguing and entertaining. It has also been beneficial to have access to all previous series of Star Trek and work my way through those shows I’m less familiar with.

Network TV on both sides of the Atlantic has been entertaining. There are still far too many shows to keep up with and I’m constantly amazed at how many shows bite the dust after one lacklustre season. Elementary still maintains a high standard of writing and the central characters of Holmes and Watson still have engaging story arcs. The final season of Person of Interest was both succinct and fitting, providing a bitter sweet, yet plausible ending for the show. Blindpsot somehow made it to a second season and completely reinvented itself to try and escape the narrative knot it had go itself in to. Back in the UK, Endeavour once again proved to be both superbly acted and well written. It’s sedate pace and introspective themes continue to be captivating.

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As a grandparent, I also watch a great deal of children’s television, especially those aimed at the pre-school demographic. Therefore, I would like to praise CBeebies for their continued quality programming and point out that Hey Duggee is a sublime show. If you are thirtysomething, then you’ll love the pop culture references that litter every episode. Plus, in the last few days, I also been caught up in the hype surrounding Guillermo del Toro’s Trollhunters. Let it suffice to say that it is charming and entertaining. It’s curious how some creative talents can handle sentimentality without tipping in to emotional overkill.

Blogging and Podcasting:

I stopped writing daily in 2016. I simply ran out of steam after five years and then real world changes meant that such a schedule was off the table for the immediate future. However, I managed to contribute to this year’s NBI and Blaugust, so I guess content creation wasn’t a complete write off (no pun intended). The Burton & Scrooge Podcast became The Burton & Scrooge Uncut Podcast and followed a somewhat erratic release pattern. I enjoy recording with my co-host Brian but I’m thinking we need to either seriously rethink the show format for 2017 or take a break for a while. I’m determined to get my movie related show in to production next year and I also need to return to writing my book, which ground to a halt this summer.

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It would appear that real life and all that it contains caught up with many of my blogging and podcasting colleagues this year. Thus, there was reduced output from certain quarters and some went so far as to take a break. It’s sad but totally understandable. Yet it was not all doom and gloom. Syp over at Bio Break continues to write and podcast with great enthusiasm. The year also saw the launch of the Geek to Geek Podcast with Void and Beej. Their dedication and focus has been a source of inspiration and the show itself is thoroughly entertaining. It also reacquainted me with the concept that you can agree to disagree, cordially. Pam over at Cannot be Tamed also produced lots of quality content via blog post, podcast and You Tube. Joseph (formerly known as the MMO troll) kept creating his own unique brand of content with the Pthppt! podcast. It always raises a wry smile and I’ll happily listen to topics that I usually wouldn’t consider exploring.

Valedictory Remarks:

For me the overwhelming impression that 2016 leaves is ones of change. This has been reflected in politics, world events, within the entertainment industry per se and even my personal life. Yet change is an inherent part of life and cannot be avoided. Therefore, I intend to start 2017 with a positive outlook and rather than focus on what I can’t do, explore what can be achieved with the time and resources that I have. I’m also sure there will still be good content available in all mediums. It may simply be a case of having to broaden one’s search. I recently discovered to my surprise that there’s a fourth instalment of Sniper Elite arriving in spring and I’m still greatly looking forward to Star Trek Discovery. I shall also continue to blog and podcast in my own peculiar way. Perhaps I may even encourage others to do so. After all, you’ve got to have a project.

Blaugust – Thirty One Days of Movie Reviews

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Blaugust is an annual writing event run by Belghast, designed to encourage bloggers to post content more often. Its original remit was to publish blog articles every day for a month but over the years it has become somewhat more flexible. When I relaunched Contains Moderate Peril a year ago, I decided to participate, despite my long term plan of reducing my content output. This year I’ve decided to join in yet again, although I shall be changing the focus of my writing. At present I’m not particularly inspired to write about gaming. Star Trek Online and Overwatch are the only titles I’m currently playing and I don’t have enough to say about either of those games to sustain a month worth of posts. So I’ve decided to return to my primary passion, cinema and the film industry.

So I’m hoping to write about a broad selection of films from multiple genres over the month of August, depending on my personal circumstances which are somewhat fluid at present. I’m going to try and avoid mainstream contemporary blockbusters and focus more upon older, less well known titles. I often find when reading movie reviews by my peers that they don't seem to cover material from before the nineties. I personally like movies from the silent era right the way to the present and intend to explore films from all decades of the twentieth century. Hopefully in doing so, I can encourage some of my colleagues to broaden their cinematic horizons and discover some hidden gems.

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This rekindling of my love of film is partly due to a list that film maker Edgar Wright published recently in which he named a thousand films that he has seen and considers to be of note. Many of those listed are favourites of mine and it makes for a welcome change from the usual top one hundreds movie articles that critics frequently produce. Mr Wright’s list has cinematic classics and art house films, cheek by jowl with exploitation movies and cult classics. It also reminded me that film is a subject I still have plenty to talk about and that it can provide a wealth of material for me to dissect and debate. So if all goes to plan I may well be able to write thirty one movie reviews over the forthcoming month, as well as some posts about the wider industry.

The Challenge of Writing Daily

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Writing content for your blog or website on a daily basis can be very challenging and quite daunting. That’s why I’m very impressed with those who have stayed the course of this year’s Blaugust writing event and fully understand why others opted to stand down. For some posting a blog post everyday simply cannot be sustained due to time restrictions. Real life can be very demanding. For those who have managed to sustain writing throughout August, it will be interesting to learn their thoughts on the event and whether they choose to continue to post every day.

Blogging on a daily basis is a great way to improve one’s writing skills and refine your creative processes. It teaches time management and the realities of working to a deadline. I’m sure many bloggers may have noticed a change over the month as their personal approach to writing has evolved. Hopefully the process of creating a post is a lot quicker now than it was thirty one days ago. Over the years I have found that continuously producing content has made me a more organised writer. I frequently make notes, conduct research and ensure that I have a suitable writing environment, free from distractions.

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Blaugust has also had a very positive effect on the blogging community. I believe more writers have undertaken the challenge this year than last. There have been several posts of an interactive nature, encouraging writers to pick up the baton and offer their personal perspective on specific subjects. Riffing off each other can be an excellent solution to writers block. It also means that comments and traffic are shared as the discussion moves from blog to blog. The trackbacks and links have proved a great way to discover new writers and sites and as a result I shall be creating a new blog roll.

One of the best things about Blaugust is the way it’s encouraged many writers to diversify their content. Writing about a single subject has benefits but can be restricting at times. It has been very enjoyable to read peoples thoughts on subjects other than gaming. Perhaps it may encourage others to broaden their creative remit. Doing so can certainly make content creation a lot easier and extend the lifespan of your blog. After all interests and passions do change and take new directions overtime. There used to be a mind set about five years ago that a blog had to be specific and focused. I think we are now far more accepting of lifestyle related sites or those that cover popular culture or provide a stream of consciousness.

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As I stated in my relaunch post at the beginning of August, Contains Moderate Peril, it will no longer continue with its daily schedule, after the Blaugust event ends. I have written virtually every day since 2011 and although it has proven to be both enjoyable and rewarding, I can no longer sustain such a schedule due to real world commitments. As a result of my evolving relationship with gaming I prefer to write more in-depth “think pieces” about the industry and community, rather than commentary on what I'm currently playing. So there may be a shift in style and tone in my posts.

Despite a potential reduction in output, I find that I'm enjoying writing and creating content more so than I have previously. I feel that I have finally got a handle on both podcasting and blogging, after nearly eight years. Rebooting the site has also proven to be a shot in the arm and has contributed to my positive outlook. Hopefully Blaugust has had an equally positive effect upon my blogging colleagues and that the rigour of a daily writing regime has also afforded an opportunity for introspection and growth. I still firmly believe that it is both important and beneficial that regular people express themselves through the written word and that there’s always an alternative to the mainstream press.

Outland (1981)

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Outland was one of the first AA rated movies I ever saw (which is now an obsolete rating in the UK). I remember that I was expecting the worst because the trailer implied that there was at least one exploding head featured during the film. Turns out there were two. Anyway the movie made a strong impression upon me at the age thirteen and I have revisited it numerous times since its release. I recently discovered that Outland had been given a Blu-ray release from Warner Brothers and decided to watch it once again but this time with a more critical eye rather than a nostalgic one.

The story is very straight forward being essentially a western in outer space. Federal Marshal O’Neil is beginning a year’s tour of duty at a major mining facility on Io, one of Jupiter’s moons. After a spate of suicides and random violent crimes, the Marshal discovers that General Manager Sheppard (Peter Boyle) is distributing drugs among the work force to increase productivity. The side effect of long term addiction leads to psychosis. Unable to trust his fellow officers the Marshal find his only ally is the facilities cynical chief medical officer, Dr. Lazarus (Frances Sternhagen). O’Neil’s investigations inevitably lead to him to a show down with two contract killers.

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You would have to be an extremely causal viewer not to see shades of High Noon in this movie. But unlike the westerns of the 50’s with their sanitised depiction of the West, this frontier in space is grimy, seedy and altogether plausible. Writer/Director Peter Hyams creates a credible working environment, similar to that of an oilrig. Everything is functional and basic. There is no privacy or glamour. The future is run by big corporations and driven by return on investment. It’s a bleak and rather all too familiar world.

What elevates Outland above the standard of similar genre products from the time is the universally high standard in every aspect of the production. The script is tight, honest and plays to the strengths of the lead actors. The dynamic between Connery and Sternhagen is very plausible, with dry quips, cynicism and grudging respect. The sets are claustrophobic and depressingly credible. The technology on display hasn’t dated too much. Hyams did not make the usual genre mistakes such as exotic costumes and weaponry. The miniature work by Martin J. Bower is outstanding and the Introvision front projection effects works still look acceptable.

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Peter Hyams has always been somewhat underrated as a director. All the hallmarks of his previous works are present in Outland. There is a well-crafted chase scene, the mythical “good cop” and corporate/political conspiracies. Of course the movie is not without fault. You can easily question some of the science and there are a few plot wholes. However, the sheer presence of Sean Connery overshadows these minor quibbles. The movie is a showcase for his acting talent which is often overlooked. Outland also demonstrates that can get a lot of mileage from a classic tale and if you are sufficiently inventive. By not involving aliens in this vision of the future and showing that man’s worst enemy in space is himself, the tale maintains credibility.

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Outland still remains a finely crafted, character driven thriller. It transcends the usual limitations that some studios impose upon the genre to be a superior piece of film making. There’s not a slack moment in the narrative which is perfectly paced. It would also be remiss of me not to mention the atmospheric score by Jerry Goldsmith. Warner Brothers Blu-ray transfer is very good and the movie looks crisp and clear. Obsessive movie fans you can finally do a comprehensive frame by frame analysis of P.H. Moriarty’s head explosion. For a movie that is thirty one years old, it holds up very well and is still solid entertainment.

Retro Gaming

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Despite having a robust gaming PC and a multitude of new titles to choose from, I have recently found myself returning to older games. I even went so far as to track down a SNES emulator recently so I could revisit some classic titles. Retro gaming is a curious phenomenon and a more complex subject than you may expect. Having examined my own motives and feelings I have concluded that it is not driven purely by a rose tinted view of my gaming past. So I thought it would be interesting to list some of the different factors that have encouraged me to look backwards, rather than forwards. I suspect they may strike a chord with other gamers.

The power of nostalgia.

Nostalgia is a very strong emotion that is often perceived to be a false interpretation of past experiences. However it doesn’t have to be so. One can be nostalgic while maintaining a degree of balance and perspective. When I started console gaming in the early nineties I found games to be far simpler and accessible. I often played them for long periods with a circle of friends. Overall this was a good period in my life so I don’t consider my memories of this time to be incorrect or misleading. I had a similar experience with MMOs and as a result enjoyed the genre the most between 2008 and 2010. Although it is impossible to recreate these experiences, simply by revisiting specific titles, I do sometimes get a flashback of how I use to feel and it is often brought about by the most trivial of things.

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Bargain prices.

Many classic titles are still available usually at bargain prices. The advent of gaming bundles is a major contributory factor to the rise in retro gaming. Ten dollars will buy you a fistful of titles, where many modern games and DLC can cost you six or seven times more. Google is your friend when it comes to tracking down older and discontinued titles.  There are plenty of forums where vintage titles are exchanged and traded. If you are comfortable with straying off the path of legality and entering the “grey” market, then there are even more options available to you.

Better gaming?

It is frequently argued that some older games are superior to their modern equivalents. Although they may be graphically lacking, they often have stronger game mechanics, challenge the player more and require a greater degree of application. However this is not a universal rule. Ultimately this comes down to personal taste, although I do think that the technical limitations of the previous decades did force the game designers to be more innovative. Another thing to consider is “replayablity”. There are console titles from the nineties that I regularly return to and enjoy. I don’t find this to be the case so often with contemporary titles. Perhaps the simplicity factor is the key here.

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Emulation.

I have emulators for several old consoles installed on both my phone and my seven inch tablet. The simple nature of many of the SNES and Genesis titles makes eminently suitable for these platforms. Unlike many contemporary Android and iOS games, retro games do not restrict content behind pay walls or mislead you about their gameplay. Emulators can also improve and enhance classic titles to standards beyond their initial incarnation. PC emulators will often add multiplayer and other features that weren't necessarily available on some titles.

Running older games on modern PCs.

Because technology has advanced so rapidly over the last three decades, many older PC games will not run in a modern Windows 64 bit environment. However companies such as Good old Games do optimise classic titles and bridge the compatibility gap. If you are technically minded it can be an interesting challenge to see if you can do this for yourself. I spent several hours recently looking at re-installing the classic horror title Nocturne. Designed to run on Windows 98 and with older graphic cards, the game can be coaxed to run normally with a few tweaks and additional drivers.

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I do not view retro gaming as an alternative to contemporary gaming, nor do I consider it preferable. It is simply another facet of gaming per se and something to be enjoyed as equally as playing the latest blockbuster or indie title. Does reading Charles Dickens or Joseph Conrad constitute retro reading? Once again we have a phenomenon that really requires a more sophisticated name, rather than a binary label such as retro or old school.

I do think that as games have evolved over the years, the technicalities and aesthetics have on some occasions over shadowed the gameplay or narrative. Necessity is the mother of invention and some older titles had to rely more on their creativity rather than on their looks. But this is a subjective observation rather than a hard and fast rule. There are just as many old titles that are bad as well as modern releases.

I would encourage younger gamers to checkout some of the classic games titles as it may well prove both fun and illuminating. Having an informed perspective on the past can be very useful when considering the present. Reconnecting with older games can demonstrate how some underlying concepts and mechanics are timeless and why they’re still prevalent today. It’s also amusing to consider that many of the title that we consider cutting edge, will be deemed old school in thirty years’ time and subject to scepticism and amusement by our children and grandchildren.

My Name is Nobody (1973)

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As the Western waned in popularity in the seventies, the Italian market was still further revising this already stylised genre with a distinctly comedic element. The uniquely European approach to slapstick was introduced as a mean to try and explore the genre in new ways. Unlike US comedy Westerns such as The Hallelujah Trail and There Was a Crooked Man, their Italians counterparts seemed to have an allegorical theme and as ever a heavy political sub-text. They were also steeped in the unique audio and visual style of their makers.

My Name is Nobody (Il mio nome è Nessuno) is perhaps the most obvious example of this curious cinematic sub-category, pairing iconic Hollywood Western actor Henry Fonda with the visually charismatic Terence Hill (Mario Girotti). Upon first look this is a simple tale of an ageing gunman Jack Beauregard, who’s tired of his legendary reputation and the constant attempts upon his life from those who seek fame by killing him. Things take a curious turn when he meets an enigmatic Saddle Tramp (who claims to be “nobody”), with an unorthodox plan to take his crown. After a series of misadventures the unlikely pair find themselves facing The Wild Bunch; a gang of a hundred gunmen.

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My Name is Nobody is a leisurely paced movie with many of the usual tropes of the genre. Gunfights are meticulously staged and shot (the opening scene was allegedly conceived and devised by Sergio Leone). There are also extensive slow motion montages of horseman riding, set to yet another outstandingly quirky Ennio Morricone Soundtrack. Director Tonino Valerii handles the simple slapstick humour with aplomb. Viewers have the option of ascribing a deeper meaning to the story, if they are of a philosophical bent. 

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This is an enjoyable Western, if approached with the right frame of mind. The humour is mainly visual and of a physical nature. Don’t go expecting anything like Blazing Saddles. As ever with a genre that is more interested in style and aesthetics rather than logic, there are several plot holes and tonal inconsistencies. Also be aware that there are a large amount of horse falls in the climatic action sequence. Such stunt work is not to everyone’s liking. Overall My Name is Nobody is a curious hybrid and in some ways that in itself makes it quite special. Such experimentation with an established genre is a rarity these days.

Mr. Tickle by Roger Hargreaves (1971)

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Mr. Tickle was written in 1971 and if we wish to gain a greater understanding of this work, then we need to consider the political and historical landscape of the time, as so much of it is reflected in the subtleties of the text. This was the year that the UK changed its currency through decimalization. While Cambodia was ravaged by the Khmer Rouge, America opened Disney World as a shrine to capitalism and consumerism. These were turbulent times which saw the passing of old established world orders. The idea of whether the individual can have a meaningful impact upon the world during such an era is examined and stripped bare in Mr. Tickle, if one takes the time to find it.

Roger Hargreaves’ first work, Mr. Happy is regarded by many as his masterpiece. Mr. Tickle is something of a rarity amongst his body of work as it bucks the author’s previous style. The impact of excess or entrenched dogma, as seen in Mr. Greedy and Mr. Messy, are not explored in this story. Nor are the complex social ramifications of such monomanias dissected, as in those erudite cautionary tales, Mr. Nosey and Mr. Noisy. Mr. Tickle is a far more existential tale and easily the equal of Catcher in the Rye.

In many respects Mr. Tickle is an enigma, depicting a man free from the restraints of civilization. His pursuit of sensual enjoyment via the medium of tickling is both hedonistic and threatens the social order. For example he causes a postman to drop all his letters in a puddle, the tickling of a policeman ends in a traffic jam and his unbridled tactile stimulation of a Teacher leads to a rapid breakdown of classroom discipline. Yet it also demonstrates society’s inability to deal with anything outside of perceived social norms and customs. It is interesting to note that no sanction is taken against Mr. Tickle and the author cunningly infers that the protagonist actions ultimately liberate his “victims”, like a bizarre form of “Stockholm Syndrome”.

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Does this make Mr. Tickle a terrorist?  His weapons are laughter and his extraordinary long arms, yet they are as devastatingly effective to the establishment, as an AK-47 or a hand grenade. Though his principal targets wear uniforms, Mr. Tickle does not have the same goals as the contemporary revolutionary organisations such as the Red Brigade or the Baader-Meinhof Group. Hargreaves’ is not interested in over throwing the established order from without but seeking reform from within, by the removal of social conditioning. Freedom through “tickling” is used as a metaphor for existential self-realisation.

It should be noted that Mr. Tickle himself is not an unchecked force of nature. Indeed he is the embodiment of measured restraint and not tainted by the “shock and awe” excesses of the Robert McNamara generation. At the end of his day’s exploits he calmly reflects on events, in a sober and sanguine fashion from the comfort of his armchair. He extols the virtues of catharsis as an escape from restrictive social conventions and entrenched establishment dogma. He demonstrates that all humans need to embrace their desires to a degree and to deny them is to deny our very humanity. Cormac McCarthy takes two hundred and forty six pages to reach this conclusion, in his novel The Road. Hargreaves does it in thirty two.

The Many Faces of Sherlock Holmes

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It may not come as a surprise to you that Sherlock Holmes is the most filmed fictional character in the history of cinema. His universal appeal has been embraced globally and the great detective has been continuously revisited and adapted over the years. You only have to look at the BBC show Sherlock, to see how the character has been seamlessly re-imagined for a new generation. It is this versatile quality that is perhaps Holmes’ greatest strength. We are all familiar with the logical thinking and prodigious intellect of the sleuth, yet the enigma surrounding his personal life and formative years provides endless scope for exploration. It has proven to be fertile ground for film makers over the last century.

I therefore would like to focus on a selection of cinematic adaptations which although technically non-canonical, explore the more esoterical aspects of Conan Doyle’s character. Often these films endeavour to link him to iconic cases, notorious events from history or other famed literary characters. Most of these titles will not be of any surprise to hardcore Holmes fans, but may be of interest to those who are not so familiar with this particular movie sub-genre.

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Let us begin with Billy Wilder’s The Private life of Sherlock Holmes released in 1970. This astute, erudite and wry exploration of Holmes most secret case and his personal life is beautifully realised. Robert Stephens and Colin Blakely are superbly paired as Holmes and Watson and the dialogue by I. A. L. Diamond is priceless. The narrative explores the distinction between the "real" Holmes and the character portrayed by Watson in his stories for The Strand magazine. The thorny issue of Holmes' sexuality is touched upon with a great deal of wit, sensitivity and wisdom, but there again this is a Billy Wilder film.

When the studio executives took custody of the finished three hour version of the film, they famously decide to excise two subplots and vignettes. Thus the film now only exists in its one hundred and twenty five minute theatrical version. Some of the missing material is available as extras on the current home media releases and is very intriguing. The Private life of Sherlock Holmes is a great achievement and reflects the pedigree of all involved, especially the superb score by Miklós Rózsa. Adapted from his Violin Concerto, Op. 24 it is simply integral to the films success. The music underpinning the film’s bittersweet ending is sublime.

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The Seven-Per-Cent Solution, directed by Herbert Ross in 1976 is another movie where the complexities of Holmes’ past are explored. This time screenwriter Nicholas Meyer (who adapted his own novel) cooks up a clever scheme in which the great detective ends up on the couch of none other than Sigmund Freud, as he struggles to come to terms with his cocaine addiction. The truth turns out to be quite a revelation and may well raise a smile among Holmes aficionados.

Holmes (Nicol Williamson) and Freud (Alan Arkin) spark well of each other, both exhibiting the quirks and foibles of their characters. Robert Duvall, a fine actor, is curiously ill at ease with the role of Dr Watson, focusing mainly on his diction. The plot also conjectures a clever explanation for Holmes’ obsession with Professor Moriarty and also features some robust action scenes during the film’s climax. Again, it is the attention to detail that shows a real love of the source material by all concerned. The Seven-Per-Cent Solution is an unusual and creative take on Holmes mythology.

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Bob Clark's 1979 movie, Murder by Decree, is an intelligent pastiche of both historical events and apocrypha as the Great Detective tackles the case of Jack the Ripper. This premise was the basis of A Study in Terror in 1965, though Clark’s movie is far more polished in terms of suspenseful storytelling and emotional impact. The plot touches upon several popular theories regarding the Whitechapel murders and hints at an establishment conspiracy. It is also a story that shows a very human side of Sherlock Holmes and flies in the face of the misanthropic depictions that film makers usually favour.

It is this deviation from the source material that often divides fans of this particular adaptation. Holmes, played by Christopher Plummer, in many ways flies in the face of preconceived notions of both the characters appearance and demeanour. Yet a colder more rational Holmes, of the ilk of Jeremy Brett or Basil Rathbone, would not have worked in this story with its social conscience and political subtext. However the director superbly counter balances his fiery Holmes with the most stoic and traditional portrayals of Doctor Watson, played with effortless ease by James Mason.

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Finally let’s consider Disney Studios take on Arthur Conan Doyle’s character, in Basil the Great Mouse Detective. This innovative animated feature film helped steer the studio back on track, after the failure of The Black Cauldron at the box office. Well written, with a great voice cast featuring Vincent Price in one of his last roles, this film boasts handsome art work, along with an even balance of humour and pathos. It is also one of the first movies to boast computer generated imagery as many of the backgrounds were rendered in this fashion.

The plot centres on Basil of Baker Street who with the help of Dr. David Q. Dawson confronts his arch nemesis Rattigan, as he attempts to take control of all “Mousedom”. In this film, the mouse world seems to run in a curious parallel to Victorian England. Basil himself lives under the house of the great Sherlock Holmes and shares his skills in deductive reasoning. Although this is primarily a family feature film from Disney, there is a lot more depth to it than you would expect and there are many homages and nods to the source material.

As you can see, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s iconic detective inherently lends himself to constant reinvention and dramatic interpretation. Holmes remains a timeless character due to his mental complexity, fish-out-of-water persona and abiding friendship with John Watson. This tempers his brusque nature and acerbic wit. However Conan Doyle’s true genius lies in the gaps he purposely left in his characters back story, affording future generations the chance to fill those spaces with their own thoughts and ideas.

The Enigma of Role-play

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If there’s one thing that I’ve learned over the years from reading forums, blog posts and chatting online, it’s the fact that gamers play games for many different reasons. Furthermore these differences can be quite pronounced and often you’ll find each respective group equally dumbfounded by each other’s motivations and personal preferences. As a result gaming is a very broad church and certainly not the homogeneous, stereotypical group that the some would have you believe.

I mainly play games for entertainment and leisure. I usually prefer games with a strong narrative, although I do occasionally succumb to the instant gratification fix that the FPS genre can provide. For me gaming is very much akin to an interactive book, with potential puzzles and obstacles to be overcome. However I am aware that many gamers have different criteria and although they may not be to my taste I understand their allure. The competitive nature of PVP and high level raiding are easy to understand, as are the motivations of the gaming completionist. I can also appreciate the relaxing nature of simpler games that provide so many people with a means to unwind after a hard day’s work.

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However there is one subset of gaming that is more enigmatic than others and for some a little harder to relate to; namely role-play and role-players. Furthermore it is a form of gaming that is often pilloried not only by those who do not play games but also by those who do. This is something I find very curious. For years gamers have endeavoured to dispel the myths and stereotypes surrounding their activities and yet some will happily indulge in this form of internal discrimination when the fancy takes them.

I must admit, role-play is a very nebulous term. Within the confines of an MMORPG it may cover simply writing a back story for your character to developing a completely separate persona for your avatar and playing and interacting with the virtual world through that prism. Role-play often involves a great deal of social interaction and can facilitate events and bespoke activities. Some role-players extend this beyond the games and runs websites or blogs associated with their characters. Some enterprising players have extended this in to such mediums as You Tube and Twitch TV. There are also bespoke guilds and social groups based around role-play.

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I recently spent some time on the Landroval server in LOTRO, as this is a designated RP community. The Prancing Pony in Bree is often filled with players exchanging stories and news “in character”. The music system found within the game provides a major platform for role-play. The server features a wealth of musical groups and regularly hosts major festivals. Such events are well attended by players, each sporting a bespoke avatar with an individual identity. Some dismissively see role-players as “playing dress-up” but I believe it is a far more complex issues than that. Role-play is a virtual form of self-expression outside of a real world of increasing uniformity.

However it is this level of immersion and involvement that often flummoxes other players. Some see such pursuits as childish or running away from reality. Yet our affinity for narrative is just as common place as our competitive nature. Both are examples of the human need to express oneself. Ultimately role-players, raiders and PVP players are essentially scratching the same itch just in different ways. Furthermore role-play is just another means for humans to create an environment that can be controlled and then projecting a persona that we choose in to it. This is something that we have always done as a species and is the basis of all our literature and plays. It is a facet of human culture that we now see reflected in social media. Writer and social commentator Charlie Brooker argues that twitter itself is ultimately a game where we adopt a virtual approximation of ourselves and play that role with the intent of gaining more followers for personal validation.

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So perhaps role-play is far from the province of the eccentric and is in fact an intrinsic part of the so called human condition. Perhaps we all do it to various degrees in other aspects of our life. Think about how we interact with different people and groups in our day to day lives. Is not that interaction both contextual and situational? Is the "you" that Colin in the HR department at work knows, identical to the "you" that your partner or your children sees? Modern life, especially the internet, gives up a perfect opportunity to project the best version of ourselves, free from the reality of our personal imperfections.

I am still not sure that I fully understand all facets of role-play within MMOs and I do not feel the need to participate in such activities myself. I guess I express myself through the medium of this blog and prefer to talk about the things I enjoy or find interesting that way. For others fiction, art or music provides more appropriate outlets. But I do see that role-play can be a lot more than just the sum of its parts. It certainly offers an alternative window upon both gaming and the world. Whether it provides a means of expression or psychological comfort to those who adopt it, I see no harm in it and certainly see no reason why people should be denied it. Role-players as a group certainly seem to be more positively orientated and contribute a great deal to the community. That said they are not free from vanity and other human failings. I do get the feeling that some role-players are very much in it for the “me, me, me” factor. However that is a personal issue rather than a role-play issue.

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So in conclusion perhaps the enigma of role-play is the fact that there is no enigma associated with it after all. It is simply people exploring the medium of games through a different but no less valid path. It is curious that some games developers understand this and nurture it, by offering dedicated servers, where others are not so accommodating. Yet despite this role-play still seems to thrive within the MMORPG community. Perhaps it is the dogged determination of the role-players themselves along with their perceived “difference” that gets them noticed and labelled in so many ways. As for myself, I do my best to keep an open mind.

Trek Nation (2010)

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Trek Nation is a relatively straight forward documentary with a clear premise. It follows Eugene Roddenberry’s search to find out more about his father Gene and to understand the cultural phenomenon of Star Trek. Directed by Scott Colthorp the film endeavours to explore the enduring appeal of the franchise as Eugene discovers more about the father he didn't know and the show that passed him by. Through interviews with cast and crew members from all five Star Trek shows, as well as fans and celebrities who were influenced by the show while growing up, Trek Nation methodically follows a linear path. Yet this uncomplicated approach proves to very effective and surprising candid.

As with the great Bruce Lee, there is a wealth of material available about Star Trek in the public domain. Much is apocryphal, some is actually bogus and the remainder is regularly recycled. So it’s important to maintain a healthy sense of scepticism when watching any alleged revelatory documentary. Too often have I watched spurious material that seeks to canonise Gene Roddenberry. The ridiculing of fans is another common occurrence because it is so easy to do. Fortunately Trek Nation did not go down that route and strives to be fair and objective.

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Eugene is honest about his own failings in his relationship with his father and very matter of fact about his own father’s weaknesses. Some tried and tested ground is re-explored with some established Star Trek facts once again being reiterated. This includes Nichelle Nichols Dr. King anecdote as well as the Will Wheaton’s Mary Sue assertions about his own role in Star Trek: TNG for example. However the interactions with grass-roots and celebrity fans alike are quite genuine. The interview with George Lucas was quite illuminating and really does lay to rest the perennial fanboy Star Wars versus Star Trek argument.

Although far from a clinical dissection of fandom and the nature of fame, Trek Nation isn't a bad stab at unravelling the mysteries of a father and son relationship that was skewed by fame and the media spotlight. It also offers a good starting place for non-Star Trek fans to determine what the exact appeal of the franchise is. Ultimately it reaches the same conclusion as all those other shows, documentaries and books. Star Trek has at its heart a fundamental philosophy. One that has a universal appeal because it shows potentially shows humans at their best and what we could achieve given the right circumstances.