Massively Multiplayer: Gaming In The New Millennium

[Lavanya Six]

I'm going to tell you a harsh truth. Unhealthy relationships, and bad writing, exist in all timelines. Someone else will write a different bad book that will be unsettlingly popular.

I've come to see it as a matter of self insert fantasy, rather like how Batman can appeal to people as being a badass. Bella Swan and the "Fifty Shades" lit is a self insert fantasy for sexuality. Pointing out his unhealthy it is is like pointing out how Batman would actually be a terrible way to address the root cause of crime. The audience for it just wants a nice break from their shitty and/or mundane lives.

So there will almost certainly be a Twilight analog ITTL. It needn't have fantasy or horror trappings, but it'll be the same sort of self insert romance fantasy.

Plus, it's not like there's a shortage of unhealthy relationships depicted as otherwise in modern pop culture. "Passengers" and "Beauty and the Beast" might've attracted some negative comments, but they made major bank at the box office; you could even make an agreement that they're worse than Fifty Shades of Grey despite all the bile it gets. At least the heroine leaves at the end of the first book/movie, and the love interest lets her go. Jennifer Lawrence and Belle just get to enjoy Stockholm Syndrome.

 

[RySenkari]

We probably disagree on Beauty and the Beast. I agree Passengers sucked though.

 

[Unknown]

On another topic, assuming the Nina Simone biopic still gets made, cast anyone other than Zoe Saldana as Nina...

 

[WeissRaben]

I'm curious. What about Europa Universalis, and Paradox Entertainment/Interactive in general?

Thibaut created the original boardgame a bit after the PoD, in 1993, but being French I suppose the butterflies wouldn't be quite so hard as to butterfly the game away (especially because I suppose he had been working on it for a while). The original videogame, though, is from 2000, so it's more vulnerable, but it's Swedish, so it's a bit farther away from the cultural butterflies.

(And, while I'm pretty sure it's been butterflied hard out of existence, the parallels between OTL and ITTL Hyperdimension Neptunia Saturnia would be pretty fun.)

 

[HIM Dogson]

I'm curious. What about Europa Universalis, and Paradox Entertainment/Interactive in general?

Thibaut created the original boardgame a bit after the PoD, in 1993, but being French I suppose the butterflies wouldn't be quite so hard as to butterfly the game away (especially because I suppose he had been working on it for a while). The original videogame, though, is from 2000, so it's more vulnerable, but it's Swedish, so it's a bit farther away from the cultural butterflies.

(And, while I'm pretty sure it's been butterflied hard out of existence, the parallels between OTL and ITTL Hyperdimension Neptunia Saturnia would be pretty fun.)

Please God can we have SOME Paradox analogue? I mean, some members here, myself included, wouldn't have discovered alternate history as an idea were it not for Paradox!

 

[RySenkari]

I'm curious. What about Europa Universalis, and Paradox Entertainment/Interactive in general?

Thibaut created the original boardgame a bit after the PoD, in 1993, but being French I suppose the butterflies wouldn't be quite so hard as to butterfly the game away (especially because I suppose he had been working on it for a while). The original videogame, though, is from 2000, so it's more vulnerable, but it's Swedish, so it's a bit farther away from the cultural butterflies.

(And, while I'm pretty sure it's been butterflied hard out of existence, the parallels between OTL and ITTL Hyperdimension Neptunia Saturnia would be pretty fun.)

Europa Universalis (the board game) still exists. Paradox began working on PC games in 1995, and also started developing an SNES-CD game around that time, it's called Empire: The Steel Kingdom and was released to universal critical acclaim (but mediocre sales) in May 1997. After Empire they went back to focusing on PC games (including Europa Universalis the PC game), but the continued cult classic status of Empire may draw them back into the console gaming world sometime soon...

 

[woweed]

Europa Universalis (the board game) still exists. Paradox began working on PC games in 1995, and also started developing an SNES-CD game around that time, it's called Empire: The Steel Kingdom and was released to universal critical acclaim (but mediocre sales) in May 1997. After Empire they went back to focusing on PC games (including Europa Universalis the PC game), but the continued cult classic status of Empire may draw them back into the console gaming world sometime soon...

Paradox games? On console? Jesus yes!

 

[RySenkari]

Paradox games? On console? Jesus yes!

Just the one so far. They made it count, though:

#45: Empire: The Steel Kingdom
Super Nintendo CD
Paradox, 1997

The Game: One of the deepest strategy sims ever made, this game let you become an emperor, starting out with just a single kingdom and expanding into neighboring territories while being able to micromanage pretty much every aspect of your rule.
It made the list because: Incredibly deep, Empire gave you real consequences for your actions. Defeat a rival kingdom and take over their turf? Sure, but watch out for that prince you allowed to live... the rebellion he could eventually start might topple your entire realm. Raise taxes, allow more or less freedom, favor cavalry or infantry... Empire let you do it all. Perhaps it was that amount of depth that limited its sales: the game's barely moved 50,000 copies, and we've heard of people returning this game after owning it less than a week. We say give Empire a chance: once it has its hooks in you, you'll never want to get off the throne.
Coolest part: Catching a particularly skilled spy, and, rather than executing her, paying her double and sending her back as a double agent. Your enemies rarely get as lucky as you do!
Did you know?: Paradox's parent company owns the rights to Conan the Barbarian!

-from the 100th issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly (November 1997)

 

[woweed]

Paradox's parent company owns the rights to Conan the Barbarian!

If I get a licensed Conan version of Mount and Blade ITTL, I will be so goddamn happy.

 

[Neoteros]

Just the one so far. They made it count, though:

#45: Empire: The Steel Kingdom
Super Nintendo CD
Paradox, 1997

The Game: One of the deepest strategy sims ever made, this game let you become an emperor, starting out with just a single kingdom and expanding into neighboring territories while being able to micromanage pretty much every aspect of your rule.
It made the list because: Incredibly deep, Empire gave you real consequences for your actions. Defeat a rival kingdom and take over their turf? Sure, but watch out for that prince you allowed to live... the rebellion he could eventually start might topple your entire realm. Raise taxes, allow more or less freedom, favor cavalry or infantry... Empire let you do it all. Perhaps it was that amount of depth that limited its sales: the game's barely moved 50,000 copies, and we've heard of people returning this game after owning it less than a week. We say give Empire a chance: once it has its hooks in you, you'll never want to get off the throne.
Coolest part: Catching a particularly skilled spy, and, rather than executing her, paying her double and sending her back as a double agent. Your enemies rarely get as lucky as you do!
Did you know?: Paradox's parent company owns the rights to Conan the Barbarian!

-from the 100th issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly (November 1997)

So it's a proto-Crusader Kings?

 

[chrnno]

On that note could the CK equivalent not be named so? Devs always complain that they don't like the expectations the name gives but they couldn't really change it so would be nice to see it being different here.

 

[WeissRaben]

Europa Universalis (the board game) still exists. Paradox began working on PC games in 1995, and also started developing an SNES-CD game around that time, it's called Empire: The Steel Kingdom and was released to universal critical acclaim (but mediocre sales) in May 1997. After Empire they went back to focusing on PC games (including Europa Universalis the PC game), but the continued cult classic status of Empire may draw them back into the console gaming world sometime soon...

Just the one so far. They made it count, though:

#45: Empire: The Steel Kingdom
Super Nintendo CD
Paradox, 1997

The Game: One of the deepest strategy sims ever made, this game let you become an emperor, starting out with just a single kingdom and expanding into neighboring territories while being able to micromanage pretty much every aspect of your rule.
It made the list because: Incredibly deep, Empire gave you real consequences for your actions. Defeat a rival kingdom and take over their turf? Sure, but watch out for that prince you allowed to live... the rebellion he could eventually start might topple your entire realm. Raise taxes, allow more or less freedom, favor cavalry or infantry... Empire let you do it all. Perhaps it was that amount of depth that limited its sales: the game's barely moved 50,000 copies, and we've heard of people returning this game after owning it less than a week. We say give Empire a chance: once it has its hooks in you, you'll never want to get off the throne.
Coolest part: Catching a particularly skilled spy, and, rather than executing her, paying her double and sending her back as a double agent. Your enemies rarely get as lucky as you do!
Did you know?: Paradox's parent company owns the rights to Conan the Barbarian!

-from the 100th issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly (November 1997)

Whoa, I missed this. Great to known.

 

[DanielXie]

I've sent story ideas for what Warcraft lore will be like with WoW to Ry and Nivek.

 

[RySenkari]

So it's a proto-Crusader Kings?

Sorta, yeah.

 

[thekingsguard]

Okay, we've finally had out first truely ASB moment.

Kristen Stewart praised for being a good actress. She has her moments, but when she's bad... she's one of the worst. Go watch that awful Snow White movie or Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk and tell me otherwise.

That said, Twilight and 50 Shades being butterflied away improves the world considerably.

That said, I'm thrilled to see that Brandon Lee has become AH.com's go to alternate casting choice for Neo. How is his career going ATL?

 

[RySenkari]

Okay, we've finally had out first truely ASB moment.

Kristen Stewart praised for being a good actress. She has her moments, but when she's bad... she's one of the worst. Go watch that awful Snow White movie or Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk and tell me otherwise.

That said, Twilight and 50 Shades being butterflied away improves the world considerably.

That said, I'm thrilled to see that Brandon Lee has become AH.com's go to alternate casting choice for Neo. How is his career going ATL?

Kristen Stewart really is a good actress. Did you see her as Jodie Foster's daughter in Panic Room (which is sadly butterflied away ITTL)? That'd be about the age she is at the start of Lane.

As for Brandon Lee, in between the two Matrix films he did some more action movies, which is pretty much his speciality ITTL. After finishing up on the Matrix, he'll be trying to branch out a bit.

 

[RyderWest]

Kristen Stewart really is a good actress. Did you see her as Jodie Foster's daughter in Panic Room (which is sadly butterflied away ITTL)? That'd be about the age she is at the start of Lane.

As for Brandon Lee, in between the two Matrix films he did some more action movies, which is pretty much his speciality ITTL. After finishing up on the Matrix, he'll be trying to branch out a bit.

I would have loved seeing what moves Brandon Lee would have pulled in his action scenes. With either his hands, a polearm or with firearms. Awesome, I presume.

 

[thekingsguard]

Kristen Stewart really is a good actress. Did you see her as Jodie Foster's daughter in Panic Room (which is sadly butterflied away ITTL)? That'd be about the age she is at the start of Lane.

As for Brandon Lee, in between the two Matrix films he did some more action movies, which is pretty much his speciality ITTL. After finishing up on the Matrix, he'll be trying to branch out a bit.

Everything she's been in since Twilight though, she's been dreadful - its like those movies sucked the talent right out of her.

God, when I think of what have been for the action genre had Brandon Lee lived... looking forward to seeing what you do with him.

One other idea - Donnie Yen. He's finally getting some Hollywood street cred after Rogue One and the new xXx movie, but any chance for an earlier breakout? The man was born and raised in Boston, so the language barrier shouldn't be an issue like it was for Jackie Chan and Jet Li, and his Hong Kong breakout films, Dragon Tiger Gate and Sha Po Lang: Kill Zone, both came out around 2005.

 

[Pokemon Master]

How's You Don't Know Jack doing ITTL?

 

[Unknown]

Have any of you seen the movie version of the book Speak? Kristen Stewart was good in that, by all accounts...

The interesting part is that she and Robert Pattinson hate the Twilight movies IOTL (it would explain some things)...