Hey guys, it’s Kern here with a little bit of gameplay. Dear Esther is basically a walking simulator with a heavily laced narrative focus. Due to that I won’t be diving too deep on this one, there isn’t much to explain.
Dear Esther is a first person point-of-view exploration first and foremost. Although you might also coin it an adventure game, I’m hesitant to do that. There’s really no enemies or prevailing threats. All that you’ll find here is a riveting story…
Dear Esther was developed by The Chinese Room for the PC, PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One. The game was first released in 2008 as a free to play model. Later on, the game was entirely redeveloped for a commercial release in 2012.
As I said above, the game features very minimal gameplay at best, which is why it is often called a “walking simulator” a phrase you generally either love or hate as a gamer.
Personally, I think games like these have their own value, particularly if well written prose is the goal ambition of the design from the start. Dear Esther showcases this perfectly. Really, you only have one main objective here; explore the island the narrator stands upon. While you explore around and get your bearings, a troubled man explains his turmoil and reads a series of letters to his beloved, yet deceased, wife. Details of her death are slowly revealed as you explore around the island.
That’s about it… no really… that’s the basics of the game.
It is noteworthy to state that despite the minimalist style and gameplay, the game was critically acclaimed for the story it tells. I wouldn’t go so far as to call it horror, but if you are the imaginative sort, it can be a bit unsettling.
When 2017 came around, an updated version known as the Dear Esther: Landmark Edition was released, based on the Unity engine. That’s the one I’m playing in the video.
This has been Kernook of The Demented Ferrets, where stupidity is at it’s finest, and level grinds are par for the course. ..
With your contributions, you make our efforts possible. Thank you for supporting our content. Patreon supporters receive access into our official Discord server, and a few other perks depending on the tier. If you don’t care for Patreon, and don’t care about perks, you can always support us through PayPal too… links below.
Those who join via Patreon get special perks, such as extra content, quicker updates, early fiction chapters and more.
Apple Seed is old these days, like 2004 kind of old. However, it is also one of those animated movies near and dear to my heart. I don’t think you can really bring up older CGI movie series without Apple Seed coming to mind. This show has everything you need in a good action movie.
bad-ass chicks, political subterfuge, a banger soundtrack, action packed combat scenes and utopia that seems askew from the start. Everything is neatly packed in a tight little package labeled under the context of “a good time”… at least, that’s what I would call it.
The series has a predictable ethos that is so easily summed up in a single sentence. I just can’t say it better than one of the political figureheads in the movie…
“What a creature is man, that he would choose to cadge himself so willingly? – Prime Minister Athena Areios
Say what you will about the similar feel of plot elements. You’d be right, and there’s no shame in that. The movie itself never feels like it’s so far up its own butt to know exactly what it is; a solid popcorn flick. It doesn’t feel like (or try to be) anything more than that. Still, I have to critique the movie fairly, guilty pleasure or not.
As futuristic as it feels, we’ve seen this basic plot a billion times before, but there-in rests just why I like it. It’s comfortable, and it’s just different enough to toss a couple of new spins on old tropes… at least for the time it came out.
Now, to be bluntly honest, there are times even the action stalls during a combat scene. There are moments that the movie doesn’t reach its full potential. Exposition gets lengthy, at times even cockily so (looking at you, elders of the utopia).
In spite of these glaring faults and predictable plot, I can’t help but feel as though the small moments of downtime time we get between the characters (Deunan and Hitomi particularly) more than makes up for it. Even after all these years, I still like it… I’ll let that speak for itself.
Factoring in the age of the series, and the fact it falls upon tried and true methods of story-telling devices, I think Apple Seed is a solid choice for any anime fan. You’re not going to find anything earth shattering or groundbreaking… that’s not what the movie caters to.
What you will find, is a science fiction classic with elements of mecha and a story that’s just deep enough to pass muster. If that’s your kind of entertainment, find yourself Apple Seed and hunker down for a good popcorn anime. If you do end up liking it, the series also has an earlier OVA, a second movie. I think there’s a manga too…
This has been Kernook of “The Demented Ferrets” where stupidity is at it’s finest, and level grinds are par for the course… I’ll see you next time. Meanwhile, enjoy some other great content below.
With your contributions, you make our efforts possible. Thank you for supporting our content. Patreon supporters receive access into our official Discord server, and a few other perks depending on the tier. If you don’t care for Patreon, and don’t care about perks, you can always support us through PayPal too… links below.
Those who join via Patreon get special perks, such as extra content, quicker updates, early fiction chapters and more.
Hey everyone it’s Kern here, got big news for you today for those of you that enjoy serialized fictions. I’m writing one.
Patrons have already received the precursor chapter. All of my serialized fiction will be going out here, as well as a special “fiction only” website where I will be archiving ALL of my original works.
Gold Heart, Silver Chain
Written by: Kernook, The Demented Ferret
Updates: Every Wednesday
Summary: Upon the hexagonal super-continent ofBasa, three distinct races live and thrive. The peaceful peoples of the lowlands known as Aasa are shapeshifters that live in harmony with the wilds. The ruthless Cadfan, a warrior people, survive amidst the harshest conditions. Last, but not least, the Arvad people wander the super-continent of Basa, never staying in one place for too long. Blare Blodwyn is one such Arvad nomad, and she’s come of age to get married. Her sights are set firmly upon the Cadfan woman, Valda Birendra. Unfortunately for Blare, with complex nuptials on the horizon and a chilly tempered Cadfan as a suitor, she’s in for more than one headache.
More Information: This is an experimental story focused heavily upon world building. Different themes and POV will be toyed with throughout the story. While other romances may show up, this is a fictional story about romance between other women.
Please do mind the genres and tags listed, as they will be expanded upon as the fiction continues.
Genres: Romance, Slice-of-Life, Drama, Fantasy.
Tags: F/F, M/F, Mature Sensual Content, Mild Fantasy Violence.
Status: Incomplete, updates every Wednesday.
No warnings currently apply.
The author has decided to label this serialized content as “M-rated ” due to romantic overtures between adult women and use of hard language (cursing/swearing). No severe warnings apply to this fiction. Warnings will be added on an as needed basis.
Cover photo imagery for this fiction was provided by Kern, of “The Demented Ferrets”.
So why a new site, you ask? Simple, because I have far too many original works that they would end up cluttering the space here, which is why only serialized works will be placed here…. I hope you understand…
In any case, the new website will be launched on April 13, 2022 with drabbles and one shots provided… but for now enjoy this teaser… and if you want to read the 1,912 word precursor, that’s out on our Patreon now…
The precursor will be released for the rest of you here and the new site on April 13th, 2022… see you there… Be sure to follow the blog so you don’t miss it…
With your contributions, you make our efforts possible. Thank you for supporting our content. Patreon supporters receive access into our official Discord server, and a few other perks depending on the tier. If you don’t care for Patreon, and don’t care about perks, you can always support us through PayPal too… links below.
Those who join via Patreon get special perks, such as extra content, quicker updates, early fiction chapters and more.
Kern’s Note: hey everyone, Ruka wrote this before the movie came out, but I’m an idiot and life happened, so it got stuck in backlog until now… but enjoy the artistic endeavor!
Hello everyone! This is your friendly Demented ferret’s artist Ruka, and today I will be talking about one of the most acclaimed franchises in video game history and now a major motion picture. That’s right folks I’m talking about the one and only Uncharted.
Thieves by Rukangle
Uncharted is one of the most recognizable game franchises in the last 15 years. With groundbreaking graphics, breathtaking designs, it is one of the best consistent story arcs to offer a fantastic ending in any video game. Naughty Dog made a game that could be loved by all who play it, and in turn, cementing their reputation as a highly respected video game developer in the industry.
Resident Evil features a fairly typical story. A rescue mission is taking place. With a string of murders running rampant across the fictional Raccoon City, it’s up to the police to find out what is really going on. In response to this, the Special Tactics and Rescue Service, or “S.T.A.R.S.” have been sent to look into the issue. Having been sent deep into the mountains, the first team has gone missing.
As an Indiana Jones inspired story, the Uncharted series reminds me of the classic PlayStation games like Tomb Raider,Prince of Persia, and Resident Evil.
Like many games before it, the Unchartedseriesholds 3 main pillars of gameplay aloft; Combat, area traversal, and puzzle-solving. Set in a traditional action puzzle game the game allows us, the player, to complete a single track series of levels with linear gameplay and in a 3rd person perspective style.
The story follows a wise-cracking, treasure hunter, Nathan Drake voiced by Nolan North. He’s skilled in combat and a knack for history and finding himself in trouble.
With the help of friend and business partner, Victor “Sully” Sullivan voiced by Richard McGonagle, they journey in search of treasures lost to history. On the way, they encounter several other characters to help them along on their journey. Like Chloe Frazer voiced by Claudia Black, is an Indian-Australian treasure hunter and thief for hire with a business and former love interest of Drake and Elena Fisher voiced by Emily Rose, is a headstrong and intelligent journalist, foreign correspondent, and love interest to Drake.
Together they embark on a journey into the unknown and its dangers to try and prove if the stories of legends are more than just stories. The developer for Uncharted is one that surprised me.
Hello everyone, it’s Kern here offering you up past live stream post. This is a game we recently completed over on our Twitch channel, and is now archived on our YouTube channel as well. Yep, that’s…
I will admit it took me a good minute to realize that the developing studio, that brought us Crash Bandicoot and Jax and Dexter, some of the most iconic childhood games, was behind this masterpiece of a game.
Established in 1984, Naughty Dogmanaged to create a franchise to join the technology changes that Playstation 3 brought in its wake. Both on the critical and commercial aspects, with well over 50 awards by different gaming publications and have sold well over 41 million copies worldwide and becoming the face of PlayStation.
It also opened the doors to show that they are capable of more than just cartoon-style gaming. From its graphics and storytelling, it helped elevate and ultimately evolve the game experience and how a game should be made. It is because of this that Uncharted is deemed as one of the most successful games of all time.
For years there has been fan-made trailers and videos circulating the internet, from who should play what character and what story should they try and continue the series, but it was actor Nathan Fillion’s 2018 Uncharted a fan film, 15 minutes long live action of the game, that made the loudest noise when it came to the possibility of bringing the game to the big screen.
Now after years of rumors and possibilities it became official, Sony Entertainment has chosen Ruban Fleischer to direct, alongside a star cast to interpret these unique characters. With Spider Man’s: “No Way Home” actor Tom Holland as Nathan Drake and Mark Wahlberg as Sully, it makes us wonder where in the timeline will this movie is taking place, and will it choose to follow the story, the game has provided us or will they give it their own Hollywood twist.
It is no surprise to anyone that such a well-rounded and acclaimed game made its transition towards the big screen. It joins the ranks with other fellow major games like Tomb Raider, Resident Evil among others trying to break into a totally different industry and let me tell you it can be hard at times. It might be because the games have set up the story so well, its transition to the big screen, tends to be a bit difficult.
I believe this has to do when developing the story and characters in a movie form, the time is what makes it difficult. If we were to compare them to let us say, The Witcher series, based on another video game, it makes a world of difference, since they have the time and are able to flush it out with more detail.
What does this suggest to the masses? If the Uncharted movie triumphs on the big screen, we could see a boom of console games-based movies in our future, in hopes to have a market similar to that of Marvel and DC.
Uncharted has a way of keeping you entertained, in a way not many games do, at least for me. This is my kind of game. Entertaining, funny, witty, and with a hint of history. For me, the fate of the movie varies a bit, here are my key questions;
Can Tom Holland step out of the shadow of Peter Parker?
The chemistry between Drake and Sully is an important part of the series, and in doing so, will Wahlberg deliver on this character?
Will this movie stand on it self or will it hope for the actors to carry the story?
I guess we will have to see when the movie hits theaters on February 18, 2022. Until then, if you guys find yourselves interested or curious about anything I said, please don’t hesitate to leave me a comment below.
If you like this content, please consider supporting us on Patreon, and follow us over on our Twitchchannel for gaming-related content, where I make an appearance via chat, well like always, this has been Ruka of The Demented Ferrets, where stupidity is at its finest, and level grinds are par for the course. I’ll see you around! Until then please be sure to check out our other content below.
To Our Supporters: Thank You!
With your contributions, you make our efforts possible. Thank you for supporting our content. Patreon supporters receive access into our official Discord server, and a few other perks depending on the tier.
There is a $1 tier, perfect for blog readers, so don’t hesitate. Join today!
Hello everyone it’s Demented Ferrets resident artist, Ruka. Welcome back to another “Universal Language of Art” post.
ART! The one thing most parents and media tell us to stay far away from “It doesn’t pay the bills!” they say, yet it is involved in 100% of the things we consume day in and day out! So let’s talk about it.
Art comes in many forms, sometimes in the form of photographs, while other times it could be a brush covering a canvas with color, bodies swaying to a tune, among many others, art is a wide range of human activities. At its core, art is fueled by imagination, aimed for the purpose of self-expression.
Human-robot by Rukangle
What is art? Art is the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power. When we think of art, most of the time our minds go to the famous works of art like; The Monalisa by DaVinci, The Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh, Girl with a Pearl Earring by Johannes Vermeer, The Great Wave of Kanagawa by Hokusai, among many others.
Speaking of artwork, what about games as a medium? That’s art too!
Do you like gameplay, come check out our Twitch channel.
Kernook, Ruka, and Kresh recently played Phasmophobia together. You should check it out.
There are a hundred other works of art in the world, they just have different names. We have the art of literature, performance, music, and many others … in a way what I’m doing right now can be considered an art form. Art can be a form of therapy for many of us, young and old alike. It can be a pass time, a passion, it can unify all of us. Art brings people together, it can lighten up a room, it can even help us learn more about ourselves.
As a society, art has been a form of communication for centuries, the early human language, pictures in a cave wall. The best-known example is the Red Hand Stencil in Maltravieso, a cave in Cáceres, Spain. Believed to be older than 64,000 years old and probably made by a Neanderthal.
Going a bit forward in time, we have the Egyptians and their hieroglyphics. Hieroglyphics are known as the formal writing system used in Ancient Egypt, they combined logographic, syllabic, and alphabetic elements, with a total of some 1,000 distinct characters. The cursive hieroglyphs were used for religious literature.
Think about this for a minute, they were using drawings as a written form of their language.
It’s fascinating to go back in time and find that just a few strokes here and there trying to mimic the world around us, to be able to communicate with one another, has evolved so much.
To me, art has no clear definition, it is really whatever you make of it. Think about it for a minute, for some stick figures is art, while for others, art has to be complicated and close to perfection and realism. Yet, for many of us, if it brings out an emotional response, it’s what we considered to be something worthwhile.
Let’s take the experience of going to a convention, it shows this in spades. Last year, there was an artist who made hand-carved signs and let me tell you they were eye-catching, 3D, and colorful and it was unique in his technique, something you don’t typically see on the convention floor. If I had a shop, I would have asked for commission and price.
“Ok, that’s easy for you to say because you can draw and take pictures and all the art things required for the site, etc… but not everyone is as lucky, to have that ability.” said someone in the crowd. Well not really, compared to other people I personally think, I suck. Why do I think this? Well because we all do, every artist that you have ever encountered has this mental setting more times than not. It takes us a long time to feel comfortable and see what we are good at, and finding our style is a constant trial and error exercise. For example, “Human-robot” here is a very small piece of my mind. It looks good, it looks clean, it might make sense maybe a bit freaky looking, but for me, it’s one of the best pieces I have and it was made in 2012, and that tells you a lot. We can go around the demented ferret’s site and find recent pieces that look cruder than “Human-robot” and some that look cleaner and up to date.
Why is this? because I’m still learning and evolving. Personally, I have problems with colors, and it will be rare to find a color piece by me, and the ferrets here are the reason I am working out of my comfort zone. When it comes to photography, it’s a moment in time that can be captured as it is. There is color but the world is the artist, I’m just the one who managed to get the moment, but in sketching, drawing, and painting it’s all up to me and it can be overwhelming.
I can talk and give y’all a basic breakdown of all the things an artist “should know” in what makes a good artist but it is all in the technical aspects of it. Things like how many elements are there in the arts? Themes that explore and create art. Patterns in art, shadowing, the color wheel, perspective, etc… just thinking about it, takes me back to the fundamentals of art.
Well, that is it for me today, I hope you enjoy this post on Universal Language of Art. If you guys find yourselves interested or curious about anything I said, please don’t hesitate to leave me a comment below.
If you like this content, please consider supporting us on Patreon, and follow us over on our Twitchchannel for gaming-related content, where I make an appearance via chat, well like always, this has been Ruka of The Demented Ferrets, where stupidity is at its finest, and level grinds are par for the course. I’ll see you around! Until then please be sure to check out our other content below.
Hey everyone, it’s Kern here. I’ve written a few posts about “fan fiction” before, basically centered around the impact of fandom and how to combat writers block.
These posts are not for people that want to be best selling authors. If you want to do that, you shouldn’t be writing fan fiction. They’re also not for those looking to make a quick buck, as that’s not the heart and soul of what fan fiction is. .. not to mention, that’s a questionable act besides.
No, these posts are low stress, low expectation, built around discussions based on a hobby that I care for greatly. I know many other people do too. When it comes to fan fiction, I read it, I write it and I love it.
For all the snappy dialogue and punchy editing, most best selling books have me losing interest as soon as I turn the first few pages. It always seems so pristine to me,…
I am such a huge supporter of fan fiction that I even choose to to read it over many best selling books. I made a blog post regarding that already. However, my view stands strong and I’m not likely to change that opinion any time soon. You can check that one out if you care to, I’ve linked it for your convenience.
To be succinct though, my preference comes down to the way the medium is handled. It isn’t perfect, far from it.
Fan fiction often lacks the punchier written format we expect from professionals, and to me that’s the main appeal. It will always be a diamond in the rough. That’s usually a good thing, as it means fans are enjoying thier ability to explore thier own creativity.
With my views of fan fiction laid bare and transparent for all to see, let’s move on to the meat and potatoes of this post. First though, I have an important question for you…
What is the one thing a good story cannot do without?
Well, there’s only one thing really… characters. Well-written, compelling characters are the single strongest asset to the fan fiction medium.
Fan fiction will inevitably be separated from other writing styles simply because the concept has already been laid out in front of you. Whatever your fandom of choice, there are already fans of it. You’ve already been given a set of predetermined parameters in which to work with. When we talk about gaming, anime, movies and television, the characters within the series are by far the bread and butter of any piece of writing.
The reason for this is because established characters we know and love are ones that we want more of. When the main series ends or takes a break, the fandom remains. It’s fun to interpret major set pieces in your own way. The characters are typically the first touch-stone fans use to do that… now clearly they aren’t the only building block of importance, but they are the one I want to look at today.
Aside from a few key examples where settings, and their obligatory set pieces become particularly noteworthy, those things will never tower over the characters themselves in a fan written work. When you boil it all down, the reason why is simple…
A story is about what happens, and the characters are who it happens to...
If characters aren’t compelling, readers just won’t give a rat’s ass what happens to them. Impeccable action sequences and mindfully placed drama doesn’t add anything if we can’t be brought to care about who those things are happening to.
No amount of skillful writing can save a story that has poorly written characters. Thankfully in the world of fan fiction, you aspiring writers out there already have a perfect template. The characters you know and already love. You’ve got the whole tool chest right in front of you. You know how they should look, you how they sound, you know their dialogue and vocal patterns.
The characters in the fandom you’re writing for have already been made. Like a child playing pretend, it’s up to you to decide how you want to play around with your imagination. There’s all kinds of ways you can do this.
You can choose to subvert what you know. I highly suggest this. Add a little flair, amplify key character traits and lessen others to background static to suit your needs in your fan fiction. Do you want to take your favorite action hero and cram him in a coffee shop? You can do that. Actually, funnily enough coffee shop fan fiction tends to be pretty popular too.
What to mix and match your favorite characters across different series, you can do that too! I’ve done that myself usingFinal Fantasy XI and RWBY. Both series have a lot of the same thematic elements, personal character struggles and compelling undertones to explore. These two series play off of each other particularly well for combat too.
Don’t believe me? Find a magein a Final Fantasy game that casts “haste”, and then check out WeissSchnee when she battles with yellow dust during Roman’s fight Atleasian Paladin in the RWBY series.
The clock Weiss makes for Blake really is a neat thing. and the skill as a dust mage plays off logic found in the mages of Final Fantasy games.
Both of these skills do the same thing. Speed up character attacks. These are two universes I absolutely love, and combining aspects of both really appealed to me. Putting aspects of both into the same fan fiction was just par for the course for me.
For my fan fiction, I chose to take Curilla V Mecru from the video game Final Fantasy XI, and place her into the RWBY universe in my fandom related writing.
Why was I compelled to do this? Easy, it’s because Curilla’s homeland of San d’Oria reminds me heavily of the kingdom of Mistral in RWBY.
This mixed with the fact that she shares so many common personality traits with Weiss Schnee and Winter Schnee of RWBY makes me wonder what these characters would be like if they could be friends (and perhaps romantic interests).
I decided to explore that, and fan fiction was my gateway through that journey.
The takeaway; the key of good characterization is to focus upon what interests you the most.
We’re likely to notice the aspects of characters that mean the most to us. Perhaps it’s their fighting style, their personality, or maybe it’s just the way they chose to dress. There are always aspects we, as fans, cling onto. Traits we love and tidbits we’re drawn to. However, it’s not just what we love about the characters that matters. It’s typically a well placed character flaw that seems the most interesting to explore.
Ultimately we won’t be brought to love every single thing about our favorite character. To be sure, if there isn’t a flaw someplace… well, that’s a huge issue and it is bad writing. You can still love a flaw while respecting that it is a flaw, though. When writing, play with those flaws and your readers will thank you.
At the end of the day fan fiction thrives not on the story you craft, but the interesting dynamics of the characters and world you showcase through your own eyes.
This has been Kernook of the Demented Ferrets, where stupidity is at it’s finest and level grinds are par for the course. I’ll see you next time. Meanwhile, check out some of our other great content below. Be sure to join us over on Patreon to support more content like this. Also, we have a Twitch channel for gaming, come check us out!
To Our Supporters: Thank You!
With your contributions, you make our efforts possible. Thank you for supporting our content. Patreon supporters receive access into our official Discord server, and a few other perks depending on the tier.
There is a $1 tier, perfect for blog readers, so don’t hesitate. Join today!
Hello everyone it’s Demented Ferrets resident artist, Ruka. Welcome back to another “Universal Language of Art” post.
Happy New Year everyone!! I would like to wish you all a wonderful 2022. This last year has been crazy, for everyone and it is my hope to continue growing here at The Demented Ferrets. Thank you for your support, love, Ruka.
If you like this content, please consider supporting us on Patreon, and follow us over on our Twitchchannel for gaming related content. Have you done that, great, now onto the meat of the post
Alabaster by Rukangle
It’s a mysterious thing sometimes when all your doing is trying to keep a level head right before doing something that terrifies you.
Yet sometimes the very thing amplifies what you perceive as true and real but it can also play with your perception of what is not real. It can bring something to the forefront of our minds and makes us see beyond what is truly there. Sometimes it is our own self-preservation kicking into high gear, while others are a way to keep us within our own cell of mind, petrified of the unknown, our minds playing the game of what if’s and the should I or not.
Alabaster was taken in a moment like that. A moment where one of my fears becomes more real the nearest it gets we turned a corner and from the corner of my eye, I saw her, just standing there waiting to be noticed.
She was made to resemble beauty in its most enchanting, yet mysterious way. Made of what is perceived as perfection, with no flaws to be found, while still being able to hunt our dreams all the while making a statement.
After the picture was taken it dawned on me that maybe that is what she was waiting for, to be captured in such a way, to be seen, not just because she’s there but maybe for what she could be. Who she could have been at one point in time, and for who she was made to remind.
It brings out the question, who is she meant to be? why is she there in the first place? why does the mind believes her to be perfect in a world of imperfection?
Personally, I have seen things that can’t really be explained nor captured by pen or a simple photograph. Nothing compares to it. Yet, I see this picture and it’s a perfect compromise of beauty in such a small moment.
This has been Ruka of The Demented Ferrets, where stupidity is at its finest, and level grinds are par for the course. I’ll see you around! Until then please be sure to check out our other content below.
With your contributions, you make our efforts possible. Thank you for supporting our content. Patreon supporters receive access into our official Discord server, and a few other perks depending on the tier.
There is a $1 tier, perfect for blog readers, so don’t hesitate. Join today!
Hey everyone, Kernook here… this image of my ferret just doesn’t reflect my mood recently. I am fairly saddened by entertainment news headlines. I was going to make this post a little earlier but I needed a bit of time to reflect and think.
As you know, in this household we watch sitcoms. One of the ones I grew up with in the early 90’s was Golden Girls. We used to watch the re-runs often, even after the series had long ended. We still do, this is why the news of Betty White’s passing brings such a dreary end to 2021. It’s as sad as it is poetic…
Betty White was known for her philanthropy as well as her robust acting career. Really though, she was a pioneer for the small screen in many different ways. Her acting career alone spanned seven decades… that just blows my mind… but that was Betty White for you. Honestly, I don’t recall a time when I didn’t see her on television, either through re-run programming or new sitcom line-ups.
Betty’s first credited appearance on television was in “A Time to Kill” a 1945 television short. However, you may remember her more aptly as Sue Ann Nivens from “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” or as Rose Nylund in “The Golden Girls” and the spin-off series “The Golden Palace“. These are the shows I enjoy most fondly.
If I tried to list all of the shows I’ve seen her in, it would never end. Heck, she even played herself in an episode of the Simpsons for a quick appearance. As a kid, that one always stood out to me.
Let’s keep it real, here… Betty White had a firm hand in the television industry any way you slice it. She was among the first women to showcase her skill both in front of the camera and behind it too. Her efforts coined her the honorary mayor of Hollywood in 1955. She’s also known as “the First Lady of television”.
This isn’t hyperbole, it’s true… this is how beloved Betty White is. She acted, produced, directed and even wrote for shows. She was doing most of that back in a time when women were just stepping into that kind of limelight.
There are people far more qualified than me to speak of her extensive career in the television industry. I’m just a simple, lowly fan… but as a fan I must say her legacy will live on in the countless classics found on television. I just wish she could have lived to see her 100th birthday.
Speaking on that, for her 100th birthday, a special movie event was planned. It’s still going to air. Apparently it’s called “Betty White: 100 Years Young — A Birthday Celebration” so here’s to hoping it celebrates everything her life was and all the wonderful things she gave to us as fans.
As for me, well… this post is all I can do. This woman was in every conceivable way a spectacular and influential person. Sadly, all I’ve got to go by are my own memories of sitting in front of the television with dinner in my lap and my family at my side. Those memories aren’t something I’ll soon forget. I hold onto them fondly, and now that the final Golden Girl, Betty White, has passed on it truly feels like the end of an era.
That’s the thing that sticks out to me the most, I think. It was nearly poetic how she passed away on New Years Eve, as though to pass the torch to the younger up-coming generations of sitcom stars. Ninety-nine years, and strangely it still seems all too soon.
Rest in peace, Betty… and it’s true, you can rest now. You’ve done so much, for so many. For every animal you rescued, thank you. For your massive contributions to “Guide Dogs for the Blind” and every other cause you worked to support over the years, thank you. For every half an hour on a weeknight that you lit up the television screen, and every memory you gave to families around the world, thank you…
Your fans will hold you in our hearts for years to come. So rest in peace.
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Hey everyone, it’s Kern here. Welcome to a new year, hopefully this one goes better than last year (laughs nervously). There were a lot of ups and downs in 2021, and a lot of things that kept me super busy.
Who really knows what the future holds? Other than we’re going to try to start off the year strong, it’s anybody’s guess. We’ve got games to play planned for the stream, and Ruka has more “arts-and-farts” to show off. Expect another one of her photography posts later this week. That should be fun.
More anime and gaming reviews are incoming. I haven’t had the time to sit down and really work on them given the holiday season, and the fact that I’ve been fighting off a case of strep throat… yeah, that’s been fun… I am a homing device for that bug, I swear…
Also, expect a few more introspective type posts in the near future. I’m feeling a bit reminiscent recently. It happens in the early months of a new year. I find myself just sitting and reflecting a lot about my life and where I might like it to go… it’s a funny thing, really… always full of surprises.
One thing that I think I want to go back to doing is the occasional solo late-night streams. I don’t know, I’m still thinking about it, but I might do that again, if you have an opinion on that, let me know.
In any case, strap in tight, the year has just begun… I hope it’ll be a good one.
This has been Kernook of The Demented Ferrets, where stupidity is at its finest, and level grinds are par for the course. See you next time. Until then, check out some other great content below.
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Hey everyone, Kern here… you know, it always bothers me when people critique fan written works the selfsame as they would original works. I decided I’d examine why.
First of all I want to make note that creative writing is in the eye of the beholder. It really comes down to your view, and you may not agree with everything I have to say. That’s fine and dandy. There’s nothing inherently wrong with that. I’m only attempting to hang a light atop some of the reasons why being too critical of fan written media is on its face the wrong approach to a proper discussion on the subject.
The main difference between an entirely original piece of written media and a fan written piece is that the fandom exists in the first place. Fan written works come from someplace. By strict definition, an original piece of artistic work either inspires or defines some of the parameters of the work being written, hence the name fan fiction.
Orson Wells once famously said that “The enemy of art is the absence of limitations” and I believe this to be true. He didn’t say that in reference to fandom, but rather artistic endeavors in general.
Mind you, this is probably the one greatest truths for fan fiction. By its nature, the media itself is strictly defined by limitations in the first place. You have a set standard in which to choose how to proceed.
The Fan Fiction Writer’s “Toolbox”
A fan fiction writer has a complete tool box to use already at their disposal. We can choose to subvert these understood norms of the series we love, or use them as they are, but irrefutably they do exist already. A few very noteworthy limitations that define fan fiction include the following;
Characters: It comes as no surprise to anyone that most fan fiction uses established characters built and crafted by the original creator. We know what they look like, we know how they act. We can make our own original characters too, sure enough. We can also insert other characters from series we know and love into a separately crafted universe, Either way, we have characters to utilize already and that makes a world of difference. Speaking of worlds though, let’s look at the second thing we gain from the artistic ‘toolbox”.
Settings and Set Pieces: We have these at our disposal too. The books, television shows, movies, and anime that we know and love have these fictional worlds and setting for us to use and play around with. Once again, we can choose to subvert what we know and understand to be true, often we do. Ultimately though, we just don’t have to craft these things completely from scratch for ourselves. They exist, and like everything in the fan fiction writer tool box, we have a clear and distinct starting point from which to craft our story. Even if it comes down to alternate universes, we know exactly what place these characters come from, so we know what might be compelling to change about that.
Proof of Concept: The fact the original work already exists proves that a story can be done with these characters and this world as it’s already designed. Furthermore, being a fan of something means you like that thing, whatever it may be. If there is an active fandom for this thing, then you know other people like it too. For aspiring creative minds, this may be the difference between making an attempt to be creative too, or avoiding the effort all together.
The “Tool Box” Itself: This is the most important thing that harsh critics overlook when discussing fan written media. If the original media itself is flawed to begin with, then you need to allow those same flaws to exist in the fan written work. If there are plot holes and plot bunnies rapidly multiplying in the original piece, then hints of those things will inevitably crop up for the fan written piece. Even those writing fan works attempting to “fix the flaws” will inevitably end up with one or two flaws of their own making. It’s just the nature of the beast. Nothing is perfect, but this holds doubly true for fan made content.
Lack of Services: Fan fiction writers might have a “beta reader” if they’re very lucky, but they don’t have paid editors or peer based quality control. Most fan fictions are posted up on websites and archives. This means that you shouldn’t expect the same sort of quality you’d get out of a best selling novel, or even one you might pick up at a discounted rate off store shelves… at the end of the day, the writer is NOT providing YOU a service, they’re writing for free (note: If you are paying them to write fan fiction for you, that’s a question of legality and morality, but that’s a separate discussion).
With all of that said, it’s almost arrogant and pompous to act with the mindsets that fan written work are the same as an original piece… or expecting that fan fiction authors might follow all of the creative writing rules and standards that we expect from other published media.
That isn’t to say a smash hit might not rise from the ashes and become it’s own unique story separate from fandom. This has happened a few times in the past. Although the likely most well-known example is Fifty Shades of Grey.
The story was originally a Twilight fan fiction, and it proves proved that it is possible to write a fan fiction based story and turn it into something else entirely. That you can, in fact, become a well-known author that way. However, that outcome is so rare that it may as well be labeled a pipe dream.
Ultimately fan fiction is a fun little hobby, and it should be treated and regarded strictly as what it is. That isn’t to say you can’t love it or use it to hone your craft as a wordsmith. Just remember, not all of us plan to be “best selling” authors one day. Some of us just want to enjoy a hobby we love and that’s okay too..
This has been Kern of The Demented Ferrets, where stupidity is at its finest and level grinds are part for the course. I’ll see you next time. Until then check out some other great content below.
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