Skjarn 2K14

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In this segment, we’re going to follow the path of some 3DNPCs as they live their lives in alternate universes – typically places where magic is but a foggy dream in Tolfdir’s alembic. In this episode, we follow the career of Skjarn and his aspirations to join the NBA.

As a level 25 bard, Skjarn’s game is mostly based on isolation sets that he calls for himself. Although he’s technically a big, he spends most of his time camped out near the three point line. And that’s just on defense. On offense, he will face guard his own teammate demanding the ball from the moment it gets inbounded. From there he will proceed to dribble around for 23 seconds before hoisting up an ill-advised three.

Despite this unique play style, Skjarn has somehow managed to worm his way into the Rookie Showcase, where scouts from every NBA team will attempt to learn more about the self-centered forward. Let’s check out the tape and analyze some of the facets of Skjarn’s game.

This sums up the Nord’s attitude on defense. Normally he would simply remain on the other side of the court, but he realizes that if he stays there the cameras won’t find him.This, of course, would violate the Constitution in most civilized countries, and not wanting to cause a riot, Skjarn decides it’s best he let the lens capture him before the viewers get angry and the cameraman loses his job. Thus, benevolent as ever, he saunters over the halfcourt line, making sure to wink at the hot blonde sitting courtside.

You may have heard of the triangle offense, but Skjarn’s offense is a single dot. It is a black hole, the period at the end of a sentence on ball movement.

You have to admire the naivety of Kelly Olynyk as he calls for the ball in the post, as if there’s any chance in Oblivion the ball will be passed. I also like how the guard crashes the boards the moment Skjarn raises up, knowing full well there’s a rebound to be had.

All told, Skjarn finishes the night shooting a horrendous 6 for 38 from the field. He consistently plays no defense and manages to alienate the entire team. Nevertheless, following the game he gets visits from no less than 3 separate GMs – reps from the Jazz, Pacers, and Nets.

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Skjarn makes even less effort during the interview process than he did on the basketball court. He seems secure in the belief that he’ll not only be picked first, but that by night’s end he’ll be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

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Normally, such a display of pomposity, belligerence, and lack of self-awareness would be a death knell for any athlete’s draft prospects. No, I’m kidding, nobody gives a shit about that. However, being terrible at basketball, which Skjarn undoubtedly is, should be the one thing that is guaranteed to ruin your draft stock.

And yet, with the 22nd pick in the 2013 NBA draft, the Brooklyn Nets not only draft Skjarn, but decide to market him as the future face of their franchise.

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Somehow Billy King still has a job.

News, Notes and Ratios

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One of the things I’ve considered is planning out the blog posts so that every day offers something specific. For instance, Fan Art Friday could’ve been a thing. Then I compared the total number of fan art submissions to the number of weeks in a year, and came to the conclusion I was going to need a hell of a lot more fans.

Japanese fans, probably, but fans of all types will help. Or I could just focus on delivering more content and give everyone more reasons to draw.  I think I’ll do that.

You may have noticed that every trailer to this point has come with a pair of black bars. That’s because the world has an aspect ratio of 16:9 and I’m still using a CRT. I’ve decided then to playtest in window mode, which means no more black bars, gray bars, or handlebar mustaches on the Youtube videos, but only because Inge Six-Fingers’ brother Rollie isn’t lore-friendly.

Inara has also added video walkthroughs for the first three acts of Darkened Steel, which you can find in the sidebar on the right. Like screenshots, I’ll be happy to add any video walkthroughs to the wiki pages and Let’s Plays to the front page if you want to contribute.

I want to eventually add a video carousel similar to the screenshots so somebody get on that widget ASAP.  In return you will receive 4000 Dwarvenbucks as payment.

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This money will likely be redeemable in game after Mazanauch’s armies are defeated and Two-Tails is crowned Emperor of Mundus. Look out for that quest in the near future, and yes, it will be strictly Pay to Win. If you have already killed Two-Tails in your game then I can’t help you, the universe is now doomed why would you do that.

On the volatility front, I would say on a scale of 1 to Bitcoin, Dwarvenbucks are probably a cheese wheel. Which means they could be worth a ton or completely worthless, depending on whether you are in need of a sandwich.

User Roles and Collaborations

I want to make a post to discuss the user roles on the new website.  The original goal was to give everyone a key to the kingdom. Make you authors, editors, and keymasters of Gozer. Normally that might make the website susceptible to vandals, but that presumes people actually care enough to bother. The mod is a known entity, but it isn’t famous.

The problem wasn’t vandals, but spambots. Hundreds of hundreds of spambots. They go by names like Alfredo Bowers and Vaun Diamond and Zoila5110sxido, names that couldn’t possibly be real (We need more Zoila5110sxido license plates in the Gift Shop. Repeat, we are sold out of Zoila5110sxido license plates). Worse yet, they make posts on the front page about maggots and bees.  Their will is unbreakable because they have no will to break.

Vandals get tired. A spambot never sleeps.

I am still sticking to the plan, of course. You will all be given powers, I just need to confirm your status as a human. While I realize this disqualifies Anduniel, who is clearly some sort of evolved superhuman machine, the rest of you well-mannered waterbags shall be awarded authorships and the like.  Just make a post somewhere on the website while logged in as a subscriber, or ask for a key directly by sending me an email.

This will allow you to make posts to the front page, and edits to the wiki. Author powers will also allow you to make additions to the collaborative script page in the casting call section. Want to write a quest where Zora gets her scars healed? Where you can marry Two-Tails? Make Olivia a follower? Have party banter with your new followers Olivia and Dai-Dar’rakki? Anything you want, you can write.

Consider it a fanfiction playground, save one stark difference. I’ll be notifying the actors and if they are willing, they may lend a voice to your fiction. Myself or another modder may make a patch to turn it into a reality. I might even include some of the lines into the base mod. Basically, this is a way to satisfy every request and desire without altering the canon version.