(Also, is there a need for co-hosts any of the weeks? I'm up for the job if so. Gotta give back to the community )
We can totally use hosts for any of the upcoming weeks!
I'd love for someone to host this week's Coffee Hour! And I'd love for volunteers for other upcoming ones, too! I've got a super busy few months ahead of me, so having folks step in for hosting Coffee Hour would be a wonderful boon!
@pronterus I haven't finished my binge read but I can't wait to get to my home office in a little bit to finish this story off...You, my friend, are most creative, brilliant, and a humorous author! A tremendous find, and read indeed!!!
Hi again! Sorry to break the flow of the thread, but I really wanted to respond to the people who answered questions about my legacy. I just haven't had good access to the forums because of my bad internet lately, so I'm sneaking in while I can!
What questions do you have for Rinellie?
Has this legacy changed the way you play in general?
@ThePlumbob Thanks for binge reading so that you could participate in Book Club! (By the way, I saw that you left some comments on my blog, but Wordpress is so finicky with my poor connection lately that I haven't been able to respond yet. Sorry!)
To answer your question, yes it has! I do still play some saves in a more controlled manner, but I've found that I have a harder time connecting to the sims that way now. When I start to realize that I'm not all that interested in the sims I'm playing, I remind myself to let them do their own thing like I've done with this legacy, and then it's much easier to start caring about them. I'm actually a bit nervous to start playing my prettacy again because that's an official Pinstar legacy with points and all that jazz, where I don't really have a choice but to be more controlling. I feel like I'll get bored ha!
-->What did you expect from this story? In what ways has the story surprised you?
I was ready for a quick, light Let's Play style of reading, without a lot of emotional engagement. I was so surprised! I found myself caring for these Sims way more than I care for a lot of the characters in some of the plot-driven stories I read. When I read plot-driven stories, it's so clear to me that the characters come from the writers. So I care about the characters in the way that I care about fictional characters--interesting made-up people from the writer's inventive mind.
In this story, I fell in love with these Sims. As actual digital beings with their own individual expressions of artificial intelligence and artificial emotion, their own abilities to choose, sometimes for good and sometimes for mischief or complication!
Ulrike floored me with her amazing actions!
I found myself reflecting a lot on how individual even the same iterations of the same premades can be in different games. The Ulrikes I've played are each a bit different than this one (But Nancy is Nancy! LOL!).
@CathyTea Your comments about this legacy are always so sweet! Thank you for speaking so highly of it I love seeing your reactions to these sims' behaviors. And thanks for hosting Coffee Hour too! Loved your questions
This week has been so hectic and busy, I really had hope I could actively participate in coffee hour this week, but I haven't touched my laptop in a few days. And via mobile isn't really ideal.
I still want to show my appreciation for MEWA, though. I really love this story and wished I would be as brave as @Rinellie making my sims decide so much. She is an amazing author and their work always brings a smile at my face. Keep it up!
@Sterretjeee Aw, this was so kind of you! I understand it's not always easy to get online when you're busy. Thanks for leaving such a nice comment anyway! I really appreciate it
@Rinellie ! Yay! Thanks so much for popping in to continue the conversation about your legacy. We haven't yet started talking about our current reading, so this was perfect timing! Hope that your internet improves soon!
Okay. Welcome to my first coffee hour, I have chai, coffee with Bailey's (or Bailey's creamer which is safe for all) and lapsang tea. I'll bring snacks once we all wake up.
Today we're discussing @pronterus 's Undead With Benefits. I hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as I did.
Just a couple questions (before I sneak off to sleep).
Starting with: Location
There's obviously a whole world behind this story that we are just being introduced to: the church of vampire hunters, Koguryeon, the city of Windenburg and its neighborhoods, the past city of Windenburg, and most recently, the vampire community with its grand Archon....and more!
Readers: What part of the world most interests you? Who's culture do you want to know more about?
Author: How much of the world was established before you started writing? How much are you still developing?
Author: I believe you've said you come from the sims building world. Do the places you've put in the story inspire the writing? Or does the writing inspire the places?
Readers: I think my favorite of Preston's tours was the gym. Not only did it show off the area of town, but also told us a lot about the characters, especially of Preston. Then when we saw the gym from Ms. Vivas's pov it showed a less glamorous side if that part of town and tge spa. What's your favorite location and why?
Next up: Characters (in 8 or 9 hours...)
Followed by: Plot
Finished with: Looking Forward
Check out Raerei's Fortress for Builds, Short Stories, and maybe some longer stuff.
First of all, thank you @ra3rei for hosting Coffee Hour, and I hope that everyone is enjoying the story so far. A pleasure to be here, and I'd love to have some of that coffee with Bailey's, thank you.
How much of the world was established before you started writing? How much are you still developing?
To be honest, I made it up as I went along. It all started with the Doc's hideout, and I made up the world as I went along using the screenshots that I had lying around. I've mentioned lots of places, but the main focus of the story will be around Newcrest and Windenburg. There will probably be new areas in the future arcs, but for now, the Doc has the Pastor to deal with.
I believe you've said you come from the sims building world. Do the places you've put in the story inspire the writing? Or does the writing inspire the places?
Yup, I started building houses first with no interest in writing a story at all. It was when I started to create themed-builds, like a house for a criminal or a house for an athlete that helped inspire me. When I finally made the Doc's hideout as an upgraded version of an earlier criminal hideout, I came up with the three main characters. It was the Doc first, then Preston, then Park. I'd say that whatever I build can inspire the writing, like how I built the Doc's hideout. It started off without the Doc's inner sanctum at first, and I only added it when I finished the Chapter 1 set of the story.
Okay. Welcome to my first coffee hour, I have chai, coffee with Bailey's (or Bailey's creamer which is safe for all) and lapsang tea. I'll bring snacks once we all wake up.
Today we're discussing @pronterus 's Undead With Benefits. I hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as I did.
Just a couple questions (before I sneak off to sleep).
Starting with: Location
There's obviously a whole world behind this story that we are just being introduced to: the church of vampire hunters, Koguryeon, the city of Windenburg and its neighborhoods, the past city of Windenburg, and most recently, the vampire community with its grand Archon....and more!
Readers: What part of the world most interests you? Who's culture do you want to know more about?
I'd like to know more about all of the places. They all have their own distinct flavour, backgrounds, and these flashes of interesting details that I'd like to get more. It doesn't necessarily mean that those details should be expanded upon. I like the style of building a world through casually mentioning details that help make the world more alive while really focusing on the parts that are important for the characters and the story, which this story does, in my opinion.
If I'd have to choose, well, we're now getting into the vampire community so I'd say let's go for more of that. It has this nice criminal organisation kind of vibe that makes it interesting, even though vampires usually don't really excite me.
Readers: I think my favorite of Preston's tours was the gym. Not only did it show off the area of town, but also told us a lot about the characters, especially of Preston. Then when we saw the gym from Ms. Vivas's pov it showed a less glamorous side if that part of town and tge spa. What's your favorite location and why?
I especially like the kind of messy but still functional look of the Doc's hideout. Old industrial buildings fascinate me, and this one looks very convincing. It's also where a lot of the character moments have happened so far. Though pretty much all of the locations have their own charm to me.
Now to wait for more questions. And answers.
My Sims stories: The Fey of Life - fairytales in life are few and far between (Forum thread HERE) The Chrysanthemum Tango - a story about life, death, magic, and how to be a good landlady (Forum thread HERE) Forget-Me-Not - some things just refuse to stay buried; an Ambrosia Challenge story (Forum thread HERE)
Snack time! I've got a number of goodies - mini cupcakes and warm chocolate volcano cakes for sugar-lovers an assortment of fresh veggies and strawberries and my new favorite snack, yogurt with brown sugar drizzled with pomegranate balsamic vinegar, as well as some plasma fruit kimchi that I borrowed from Park.
Up on deck is Characters. I'm still trying to figure out my favorite. I love Dr. Domingo - he's got a special kind of evil (I mean he did make a poor car salesman do more than cry just to get a free vehicle) but despite his evil nature I find him quite likable. Then there's poor chickenbane-wielding Preston who is half comic relief and half actually useful character. (Without him I don't think this blog would exist). And Shin Park who has that half-clueless nature we all need to see so we can understand this world. In a way - we're all like Park, ordinary and thrust into this world unknowingly.
The three really work well in tandem to give us each a different view of what's going on. Like how Park is trying to tell Dr. Domingo that Preston really *can* fight. A story none of use would have believed either if we hadn't read it.
Readers & Author: Can you answer it? Who's your favorite character? Why Is it a minor character or one of our big three?
Then there's the tiny characters, some of which appear only for a scene that help drive the plot along. (Or maybe they'll come back). I thought it brilliant to introduce the High Pastor Ramirez, if only for a side chapter. Before that we had no idea - it really got us thinking about the medallion and Pastor Westfall's now much more devious roll in the story.
Author: How do you keep track of all your characters? Or do you know some of them are throwaway and won't return?
Readers: The Grand Archon. From the moment I saw him...which is um, all we've done...I thought "there's a character." The high vampire in his swimming trunks, and Dr. Domingo's heavy sigh told us so much about the vampire and at least Dr. Domingo's opinion of him. Have other's grabbed your attention that way? What do you think about Pronterus's characters? I feel like they're half the stereotypes you'd expect, but then so much deeper, or you turn around in a scene of pompous posturing vampires to see the head dude walk in wearing swimming trunks!
Next Up: Plot & Story (in about 3-4 hours)
Followed with: Looking Forward
Check out Raerei's Fortress for Builds, Short Stories, and maybe some longer stuff.
Q: What part of the world most interests you? Who's culture do you want to know more about?
A: So far I am enjoying the story. I would like to hear more about the vampire organization, because it hasn't been mentioned that much, and I would like to hear more of the background of the Guild, I mean it can't all be what Pastor Westfall makes it out too be. The Pastor actually seems to be a little out there, it would be interesting to see how he got to be how he is.
Q: I think my favorite of Preston's tours was the gym. Not only did it show off the area of town, but also told us a lot about the characters, especially of Preston. Then when we saw the gym from Ms. Vivas's pov it showed a less glamorous side if that part of town and tge spa. What's your favorite location and why?
A: I like the catacombs and would love to see more of them, something about them being underground seems like lots of fun.
Q:Can you answer it? Who's your favorite character? Why Is it a minor character or one of our big three?
A: I really like Dr. Domingo, He seems to be all tough around the hideout, but he also seems more relaxed in his private settings. He treats his servants well, but also makes sure they get the job done. I also am enjoying watching Park and Preston together, the way they interact is funny
Q:Have other's grabbed your attention that way? What do you think about Pronterus's characters?
A:Vivas caught my attention fast when she mentioned her grandmothers chest, Is Viva's related to the woman Domingo loved? If so, It would be interesting to know how they came to Oasis Spring instead of staying in Old Windenburg.
What part of the world most interests you? Who's culture do you want to know more about?
I am actually quite intrigued with Preston’s and Park’s culture! Those are my favorite characters in the story, they make me smile so much. Preston may or may not have made me snort on occasion! I think there may be more to their backstories that would make them even deeper characters to follow.
Moreover, I would love to know Viva’s story she seems to be linked to Doc, but getting to know her more will make me so happy.
Readers: I think my favorite of Preston's tours was the gym. Not only did it show off the area of town, but also told us a lot about the characters, especially of Preston.
Then when we saw the gym from Ms. Vivas's pov it showed a less glamorous side if that part of town and the spa. What's your favorite location and why?
How cool is it that Preston blogs??!! I mean it’s quite ingenious!! I would agree the gym was cool, but the spa is my all-time favorite. The builds are pretty impressive on their own!
I have questions for the author!
I noticed the characters liken to anime, was that intentional?
Also noticed the strong Spanish influence in the names (which I personally LOVE since I am Latin) Is your version of Windenburg supposed to represent Spain?
Is your game-play story driven moreso than game driven?
How often do you post this story; weekly, couple times a week, no schedule?
*Refreshes tea pots and snack plates. Adds crackers, olives, and cheese wedges (the good cheeses) for savory fans. As well as some gouda grilled cheese sandwhiches in case you need some non-snack foods.*
No need to be shy @CathyTea - take plenty of snacks and you can always take your time for chatting.
In addition to @VIRTUALEE 's awesome questions for Pronterus - I'm gonna drop off my next batch of questions since it'll be a while before I am free again today. But I'll pop in and off throughout the after noon to see what's happening here.
@drafonfire I too think the Guild is one of the most unique and curious pieces of the story. I feel like we've only just begun to see what it's up to with the last side story.
@VIRTUALEE I know right?! A blogging ghost?! It's awesome. Plus it's one of the few times we get to see Preston not angry at Park or Dr. Domingo.
PLOT
So much happens in here. I think we're all pretty agreed that Ms Vivas is connected in someway to Dr. Domingo? And that the letters from old Windenburg are his? Or at least connected to him. Looks like he doesn't quite remember who he is so while all signs (like the letters) *SEEM* to be pointing at them being Dr. Domingo...we can't really prove that this vampire *IS* Dr. Domingo, there's only a gravestone to link them. I am really looking forward to seeing where Pronterus takes us with this aspect.
Readers: Do you folks agree? Or have a different wild theory about who Dr. Domingo is and how Ms. Vivas and her chest of letters are connected?
Judging by the chapter sections we're in the "Vampire Hunters" arc. So perhaps the business with the Medallion and Pastor Westfall will conclude before we learn the connect. Speak of... What's up with that church, eh? Do you think the High Priest would have approved of Pastor Westfall's behavior if HE had discovered the medallion's secrets first? I think he'd have done the same thing. What do you think those medallions do? I think they create some kind of superhuman obedient slave. But perhaps there's more? What is this ceremony and how do the plumbers get transformed into monsters? Do you think Preston and Park will be able to rescue Ms Vivas? Will she even need rescuing or will she rescue herself first? Why does the church care about the chest. Obviously Pastor Westfall wanted her to join because he wanted the letters? Is there a medallion connection here too?
Okay, Deep breath...I have so many questions about where this plot is heading that I'm just eating it up every chapter.
We could speculate all day, but eventually all will be revealed. So rather than speculate let's talk mechanics. I love how Pronterus intersperses the "regular" chapters with random side stories. So far we've had letters from the past, an excerpt from a newspaper, and now the meeting with the High Pastor. We've also had the intermissions of Preston's tours.
I don't think I've seen a story continue to tell itself in quite this way before. These pieces often introduce plot points - like the medallion or the missing persons...aka Antonio. I've seen stories that add to the plot this way - but I feel like Pronterus is making these side stories vital to read to really understand. (Plus you often get awesome Dr. Domingo responses to them!)
Readers: What do you think about these side chapters? Do you read them? How about the other content? The character pages and vampire creations - which I just noticed today!
Author: Did you always intent to have all the extra pieces (like the character pages and vampire creations pages) include Dr. Domingo's voice and reactions? What makes you decide to introduce a plot point through a side story?
Coming up: Looking Forward (About 8-9 hours from now)
Check out Raerei's Fortress for Builds, Short Stories, and maybe some longer stuff.
So firstly, I just want to express my appreciation for Book Club because I don't think i would have found this brilliant story otherwise. See, while I enjoy vampire fiction in RL (and Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles are amongst my most beloved books), I don't tend to gravitate to anything paranormal when it comes to SimLit (says the person whose legacy is riddled with aliens at the moment. I do see the irony! )
But wow, this story is so well balanced - there's humour, there's depth, there's intrigue and drama... My only complaint is that there aren't more chapters yet!
Now on to the questions...
What part of the world most interests you? Who's culture do you want to know more about?
I'm all for living in the now, and I am most enthralled by Domingo's world with his loyal servants. That being said, I'm really curious to see how Teresita links to the Teresa from the olden day letters, and every time we do get an interlude with the old letters excites me.
The addition of the vampire hunters is very cool and makes the story so much richer... but I don't feel like I want to find out more about them, because I'm rooting for Domingo too much, heh!
By the way I love how the narration is handled in the story, it paints such a complex pictures seeing the story unfold through so many different characters' eyes!
I think my favorite of Preston's tours was the gym. Not only did it show off the area of town, but also told us a lot about the characters, especially of Preston. Then when we saw the gym from Ms. Vivas's pov it showed a less glamorous side if that part of town and tge spa. What's your favorite location and why?
I adore the hideout itself. I loved seeing how Domingo has a separate room where he just contemplates life and connects with his once mortal side, and then the actual crypt where he sleeps. Also, the interview/interrogation chair is an awesome detail! But all the builds in this are amazing.
Warm chocolate volcano cakes? Say what? *gorges on the snacks provided*
Can you answer it? Who's your favorite character? Why Is it a minor character or one of our big three?
I'm very boring, but Domingo is probably my favourite - I can't wait to uncover his backstory, and see what lies behind the facade. Though I also love Presto(n), since he's hilarious, and I really connect with Shin Park, since I often feel like an outsider where I live, and take pride in making something out of myself - even though much like him, I might just be a figure in the games the ones up there are playing...
Have other's grabbed your attention that way? What do you think about Pronterus's characters?
So I'm the most curious about Teresita Vivas. I really want to find out about her family's history, considering her grandmother seems to have known Domingo while he was still alive... I just find myself really drawn to her. That being said, all the characters are really remarkable and I want to know more about all of them. Oo, like Antonio. he's quietly underrated, yet so interesting. And as I mentioned before, Shin Park is one of my favourites...
Do you folks agree? Or have a different wild theory about who Dr. Domingo is and how Ms. Vivas and her chest of letters are connected?
Oh, I'm indeed certain that Domingo is the author of the letters, who somehow became a vampire because of the other vampire prisoner. But who knows, @pronterus keeps the surpirses coming so maybe I@ve got it all wrong!
What do you think about these side chapters? Do you read them? How about the other content? The character pages and vampire creations - which I just noticed today!
I really enjoyed the short story that told us more about Antionio's past. Though I admit that I've been rushing through the story because I was so keen to see what happens next (I do this with books I really enjoy too, btw!). I feel like I need to come back to the whole thing again to look at the subtle details the story is riddled with to fully appreciate them. I have not noticed the character pages though, definitely something to explore!
Oh, and I second @VIRTUALEE 's question about the schedule, since I really want to continue following the story!
So many questions, but I'm enjoying this a lot! I'm glad you're all enjoy reading my story, but I can't help but laugh evilly like the Doctor. I'm also glad that you like my builds, but the Association's catacombs were designed by the winner of the building contest I help host; I chose her build because of the potential story elements she put into it. Now that you guys mentioned it, I should have a tour of the Association's catacombs.
I also need to update the Characters page in the future to add the other characters mentioned in the story so far.
Readers & Author: Can you answer it? Who's your favorite character? Why Is it a minor character or one of our big three?
I love all of my characters, but so far, I think the best supporting character I've thought of is the Grand Archon, who was inspired by French kings and a character in an opera. You'll see why in the next chapter.
Author: How do you keep track of all your characters? Or do you know some of them are throwaway and won't return?
I used to roleplay in online forums before, so keeping track of many characters is no problem for me. Some of the characters I've put into the story are just throwaway, but others might be there to foreshadow something.
I noticed the characters liken to anime, was that intentional?
I have watched A LOT of anime, so it has greatly influenced the way I write in a way. It is the style I prefer.
Also noticed the strong Spanish influence in the names (which I personally LOVE since I am Latin) Is your version of Windenburg supposed to represent Spain?
I come from a heavily Latin-influenced culture in Asia (guess), so I find Spanish names easier to work with, but I do try to make the setting more diverse by adding all sorts of names, like those of Arabic and French origin. Windenburg for me is supposed to represent a general European nation, with countries like Germany or Austria in mind.
Is your game-play story driven moreso than game driven?
Hmm, I already have a general idea of the plot drafted now, but when I take screenshots in-game to make the characters interact, I see moments where they do something interesting and think up of something to add into the story from those; hence the reason why you see Preston with a bowl of chips all of a sudden or like when the Grand Archon walks in wearing swimming trunks, which greatly inspired his character.
How often do you post this story; weekly, couple times a week, no schedule?
I have no particular schedule for this one, but I'm trying to make it transition into a weekly update since I just enrolled in advanced Japanese classes.
Author: Did you always intent to have all the extra pieces (like the character pages and vampire creations pages) include Dr. Domingo's voice and reactions? What makes you decide to introduce a plot point through a side story?
I thought that it would be fun to add the Doctor's thoughts on some things for readers to see. If I think that something needs a totally different perspective, I set it as a side chapter.
Coffee Hour triple-slam (long car ride + naptime when I got home...yeah it stinks), with a cup of black tea to make it count.
What part of the world most interests you? Who's culture do you want to know more about?
In general: Sometimes I get kind of tired of the stock worlds that the game(s) offer us and how a lot of stories reference only the happenings there. So I got really giddy about Undead with Benefits building a world that was largely based on the game's towns, but with a little extra to show that they're on a much more global scale. Once "Koguryeo" was dropped as a location in Chapter 2.1, it started to feel like just the right sort of "alternate Earth" that I imagine the game taking place in.
In all honesty, I think that this story could explore any aspect of this strange world and keep me entertained.
What's your favorite location and why?
I always love criminal hideouts and love industrial buildings, so the hideout in the warehouse is fantastic.
Can you answer it? Who's your favorite character? Why Is it a minor character or one of our big three?
Park is probably my favorite, because I'm a big fan of characters who are newbies thrust into unfamiliarity. And Park has almost none of it with what he's into. Plus, his broken Simlish isn't played in a cruel way. It just adds to the strange situation he's in.
Even if he was a more minor character, I'd probably still count him as a favorite character, or in a list of them.
Have other's grabbed your attention that way? What do you think about Pronterus's characters?
No particular attention-grabbers have come to mind, at least compared to the rest of the cast. With a lot of stories anywhere, I don't tend to have clear favorites and try to absorb the cast as a whole. Is it the best way to approach things? Hasn't hurt me yet.
So, I actually didn't think highly of Preston at first. I didn't think he'd be a particularly compelling kind of sidekick. I'm not saying that I want him to be stuck doing grunt work forever, but I think he turned out to be a realistic sidekick. And heck, I thought he was great in Chapter 4.3 by holding his own against the pastor.
Do you folks agree? Or have a different wild theory about who Dr. Domingo is and how Ms. Vivas and her chest of letters are connected?
Nah. It's one of those things that I agree with the majority on (I'm a boring conformist in any fandom when it comes to theories).
What do you think about these side chapters? Do you read them? How about the other content? The character pages and vampire creations - which I just noticed today!
Holy balls, there are character pages?!
I'm inconsistent when it comes to reading the side chapters, though it sounds like it might not be for the best...
Comments
(Also, is there a need for co-hosts any of the weeks? I'm up for the job if so. Gotta give back to the community
outrun / blog / tunglr
We can totally use hosts for any of the upcoming weeks!
I'd love for someone to host this week's Coffee Hour! And I'd love for volunteers for other upcoming ones, too! I've got a super busy few months ahead of me, so having folks step in for hosting Coffee Hour would be a wonderful boon!
Do you also play The Elder Scrolls Online? You can find me there as CathyTea, too!
Lifestyles Legacy Challenge
Simtation Island
Vet & Home Challenge
Yay, Rae! Thank you!
Do you also play The Elder Scrolls Online? You can find me there as CathyTea, too!
Origin ID: pronterus || Gallery || Undead With Benefits||The Pronteran Builder Blog
Yay! We have so much fun every week with such great reading--glad you'll be getting involved!
Do you also play The Elder Scrolls Online? You can find me there as CathyTea, too!
@Maladi777 Thanks for reading! Watching Moira was always really fun for me. She acted like such an overbearing mother. It was so funny
@ThePlumbob Thanks for binge reading so that you could participate in Book Club!
To answer your question, yes it has! I do still play some saves in a more controlled manner, but I've found that I have a harder time connecting to the sims that way now. When I start to realize that I'm not all that interested in the sims I'm playing, I remind myself to let them do their own thing like I've done with this legacy, and then it's much easier to start caring about them. I'm actually a bit nervous to start playing my prettacy again because that's an official Pinstar legacy with points and all that jazz, where I don't really have a choice but to be more controlling. I feel like I'll get bored ha!
@CathyTea Your comments about this legacy are always so sweet! Thank you for speaking so highly of it
@Sterretjeee Aw, this was so kind of you! I understand it's not always easy to get online when you're busy. Thanks for leaving such a nice comment anyway! I really appreciate it
Do you also play The Elder Scrolls Online? You can find me there as CathyTea, too!
Today we're discussing @pronterus 's Undead With Benefits. I hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as I did.
Just a couple questions (before I sneak off to sleep).
Starting with: Location
There's obviously a whole world behind this story that we are just being introduced to: the church of vampire hunters, Koguryeon, the city of Windenburg and its neighborhoods, the past city of Windenburg, and most recently, the vampire community with its grand Archon....and more!
Readers: What part of the world most interests you? Who's culture do you want to know more about?
Author: How much of the world was established before you started writing? How much are you still developing?
Author: I believe you've said you come from the sims building world. Do the places you've put in the story inspire the writing? Or does the writing inspire the places?
Readers: I think my favorite of Preston's tours was the gym. Not only did it show off the area of town, but also told us a lot about the characters, especially of Preston. Then when we saw the gym from Ms. Vivas's pov it showed a less glamorous side if that part of town and tge spa. What's your favorite location and why?
Next up: Characters (in 8 or 9 hours...)
Followed by: Plot
Finished with: Looking Forward
To be honest, I made it up as I went along. It all started with the Doc's hideout, and I made up the world as I went along using the screenshots that I had lying around. I've mentioned lots of places, but the main focus of the story will be around Newcrest and Windenburg. There will probably be new areas in the future arcs, but for now, the Doc has the Pastor to deal with.
Yup, I started building houses first with no interest in writing a story at all. It was when I started to create themed-builds, like a house for a criminal or a house for an athlete that helped inspire me. When I finally made the Doc's hideout as an upgraded version of an earlier criminal hideout, I came up with the three main characters. It was the Doc first, then Preston, then Park. I'd say that whatever I build can inspire the writing, like how I built the Doc's hideout. It started off without the Doc's inner sanctum at first, and I only added it when I finished the Chapter 1 set of the story.
Origin ID: pronterus || Gallery || Undead With Benefits||The Pronteran Builder Blog
It's great and almost complete!
If I'd have to choose, well, we're now getting into the vampire community so I'd say let's go for more of that. It has this nice criminal organisation kind of vibe that makes it interesting, even though vampires usually don't really excite me.
I especially like the kind of messy but still functional look of the Doc's hideout. Old industrial buildings fascinate me, and this one looks very convincing. It's also where a lot of the character moments have happened so far. Though pretty much all of the locations have their own charm to me.
Now to wait for more questions. And answers.
The Fey of Life - fairytales in life are few and far between (Forum thread HERE)
The Chrysanthemum Tango - a story about life, death, magic, and how to be a good landlady (Forum thread HERE)
Forget-Me-Not - some things just refuse to stay buried; an Ambrosia Challenge story (Forum thread HERE)
Up on deck is Characters. I'm still trying to figure out my favorite. I love Dr. Domingo - he's got a special kind of evil (I mean he did make a poor car salesman do more than cry just to get a free vehicle) but despite his evil nature I find him quite likable. Then there's poor chickenbane-wielding Preston who is half comic relief and half actually useful character. (Without him I don't think this blog would exist). And Shin Park who has that half-clueless nature we all need to see so we can understand this world. In a way - we're all like Park, ordinary and thrust into this world unknowingly.
The three really work well in tandem to give us each a different view of what's going on. Like how Park is trying to tell Dr. Domingo that Preston really *can* fight. A story none of use would have believed either if we hadn't read it.
Readers & Author: Can you answer it? Who's your favorite character? Why Is it a minor character or one of our big three?
Then there's the tiny characters, some of which appear only for a scene that help drive the plot along. (Or maybe they'll come back). I thought it brilliant to introduce the High Pastor Ramirez, if only for a side chapter. Before that we had no idea - it really got us thinking about the medallion and Pastor Westfall's now much more devious roll in the story.
Author: How do you keep track of all your characters? Or do you know some of them are throwaway and won't return?
Readers: The Grand Archon. From the moment I saw him...which is um, all we've done...I thought "there's a character." The high vampire in his swimming trunks, and Dr. Domingo's heavy sigh told us so much about the vampire and at least Dr. Domingo's opinion of him. Have other's grabbed your attention that way? What do you think about Pronterus's characters? I feel like they're half the stereotypes you'd expect, but then so much deeper, or you turn around in a scene of pompous posturing vampires to see the head dude walk in wearing swimming trunks!
Next Up: Plot & Story (in about 3-4 hours)
Followed with: Looking Forward
A: So far I am enjoying the story. I would like to hear more about the vampire organization, because it hasn't been mentioned that much, and I would like to hear more of the background of the Guild, I mean it can't all be what Pastor Westfall makes it out too be. The Pastor actually seems to be a little out there, it would be interesting to see how he got to be how he is.
Q: I think my favorite of Preston's tours was the gym. Not only did it show off the area of town, but also told us a lot about the characters, especially of Preston. Then when we saw the gym from Ms. Vivas's pov it showed a less glamorous side if that part of town and tge spa. What's your favorite location and why?
A: I like the catacombs and would love to see more of them, something about them being underground seems like lots of fun.
A: I really like Dr. Domingo, He seems to be all tough around the hideout, but he also seems more relaxed in his private settings. He treats his servants well, but also makes sure they get the job done.
I also am enjoying watching Park and Preston together, the way they interact is funny
Q:Have other's grabbed your attention that way? What do you think about Pronterus's characters?
A:Vivas caught my attention fast when she mentioned her grandmothers chest, Is Viva's related to the woman Domingo loved? If so, It would be interesting to know how they came to Oasis Spring instead of staying in Old Windenburg.
Thanks, Pammie! I'll add it to the list!
Do you also play The Elder Scrolls Online? You can find me there as CathyTea, too!
Hi! Busy Friday! I will be back for leftovers and my responses tomorrow! Loving your questions and, especially, thematic approach! Later!
**rushes and blushes out**
Do you also play The Elder Scrolls Online? You can find me there as CathyTea, too!
I am actually quite intrigued with Preston’s and Park’s culture! Those are my favorite characters in the story, they make me smile so much. Preston may or may not have made me snort on occasion! I think there may be more to their backstories that would make them even deeper characters to follow.
Moreover, I would love to know Viva’s story she seems to be linked to Doc, but getting to know her more will make me so happy.
Readers: I think my favorite of Preston's tours was the gym. Not only did it show off the area of town, but also told us a lot about the characters, especially of Preston.
Then when we saw the gym from Ms. Vivas's pov it showed a less glamorous side if that part of town and the spa. What's your favorite location and why?
How cool is it that Preston blogs??!! I mean it’s quite ingenious!! I would agree the gym was cool, but the spa is my all-time favorite. The builds are pretty impressive on their own!
I have questions for the author!
I noticed the characters liken to anime, was that intentional?
Also noticed the strong Spanish influence in the names (which I personally LOVE since I am Latin) Is your version of Windenburg supposed to represent Spain?
Is your game-play story driven moreso than game driven?
How often do you post this story; weekly, couple times a week, no schedule?
Lifestyles Legacy Challenge
Simtation Island
Vet & Home Challenge
PLOT
So much happens in here. I think we're all pretty agreed that Ms Vivas is connected in someway to Dr. Domingo? And that the letters from old Windenburg are his? Or at least connected to him. Looks like he doesn't quite remember who he is so while all signs (like the letters) *SEEM* to be pointing at them being Dr. Domingo...we can't really prove that this vampire *IS* Dr. Domingo, there's only a gravestone to link them. I am really looking forward to seeing where Pronterus takes us with this aspect.
Readers: Do you folks agree? Or have a different wild theory about who Dr. Domingo is and how Ms. Vivas and her chest of letters are connected?
Judging by the chapter sections we're in the "Vampire Hunters" arc. So perhaps the business with the Medallion and Pastor Westfall will conclude before we learn the connect. Speak of... What's up with that church, eh? Do you think the High Priest would have approved of Pastor Westfall's behavior if HE had discovered the medallion's secrets first? I think he'd have done the same thing. What do you think those medallions do? I think they create some kind of superhuman obedient slave. But perhaps there's more? What is this ceremony and how do the plumbers get transformed into monsters? Do you think Preston and Park will be able to rescue Ms Vivas? Will she even need rescuing or will she rescue herself first? Why does the church care about the chest. Obviously Pastor Westfall wanted her to join because he wanted the letters? Is there a medallion connection here too?
Okay, Deep breath...I have so many questions about where this plot is heading that I'm just eating it up every chapter.
We could speculate all day, but eventually all will be revealed. So rather than speculate let's talk mechanics. I love how Pronterus intersperses the "regular" chapters with random side stories. So far we've had letters from the past, an excerpt from a newspaper, and now the meeting with the High Pastor. We've also had the intermissions of Preston's tours.
I don't think I've seen a story continue to tell itself in quite this way before. These pieces often introduce plot points - like the medallion or the missing persons...aka Antonio. I've seen stories that add to the plot this way - but I feel like Pronterus is making these side stories vital to read to really understand. (Plus you often get awesome Dr. Domingo responses to them!)
Readers: What do you think about these side chapters? Do you read them? How about the other content? The character pages and vampire creations - which I just noticed today!
Author: Did you always intent to have all the extra pieces (like the character pages and vampire creations pages) include Dr. Domingo's voice and reactions? What makes you decide to introduce a plot point through a side story?
Coming up: Looking Forward (About 8-9 hours from now)
So firstly, I just want to express my appreciation for Book Club because I don't think i would have found this brilliant story otherwise. See, while I enjoy vampire fiction in RL (and Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles are amongst my most beloved books), I don't tend to gravitate to anything paranormal when it comes to SimLit (says the person whose legacy is riddled with aliens at the moment. I do see the irony!
But wow, this story is so well balanced - there's humour, there's depth, there's intrigue and drama... My only complaint is that there aren't more chapters yet!
Now on to the questions...
What part of the world most interests you? Who's culture do you want to know more about?
I'm all for living in the now, and I am most enthralled by Domingo's world with his loyal servants. That being said, I'm really curious to see how Teresita links to the Teresa from the olden day letters, and every time we do get an interlude with the old letters excites me.
The addition of the vampire hunters is very cool and makes the story so much richer... but I don't feel like I want to find out more about them, because I'm rooting for Domingo too much, heh!
By the way I love how the narration is handled in the story, it paints such a complex pictures seeing the story unfold through so many different characters' eyes!
I think my favorite of Preston's tours was the gym. Not only did it show off the area of town, but also told us a lot about the characters, especially of Preston. Then when we saw the gym from Ms. Vivas's pov it showed a less glamorous side if that part of town and tge spa. What's your favorite location and why?
I adore the hideout itself. I loved seeing how Domingo has a separate room where he just contemplates life and connects with his once mortal side, and then the actual crypt where he sleeps. Also, the interview/interrogation chair is an awesome detail! But all the builds in this are amazing.
Warm chocolate volcano cakes? Say what? *gorges on the snacks provided*
Can you answer it? Who's your favorite character? Why Is it a minor character or one of our big three?
I'm very boring, but Domingo is probably my favourite - I can't wait to uncover his backstory, and see what lies behind the facade. Though I also love Presto(n), since he's hilarious, and I really connect with Shin Park, since I often feel like an outsider where I live, and take pride in making something out of myself - even though much like him, I might just be a figure in the games the ones up there are playing...
Have other's grabbed your attention that way? What do you think about Pronterus's characters?
So I'm the most curious about Teresita Vivas. I really want to find out about her family's history, considering her grandmother seems to have known Domingo while he was still alive... I just find myself really drawn to her. That being said, all the characters are really remarkable and I want to know more about all of them. Oo, like Antonio. he's quietly underrated, yet so interesting. And as I mentioned before, Shin Park is one of my favourites...
Do you folks agree? Or have a different wild theory about who Dr. Domingo is and how Ms. Vivas and her chest of letters are connected?
Oh, I'm indeed certain that Domingo is the author of the letters, who somehow became a vampire because of the other vampire prisoner. But who knows, @pronterus keeps the surpirses coming so maybe I@ve got it all wrong!
What do you think about these side chapters? Do you read them? How about the other content? The character pages and vampire creations - which I just noticed today!
I really enjoyed the short story that told us more about Antionio's past. Though I admit that I've been rushing through the story because I was so keen to see what happens next (I do this with books I really enjoy too, btw!). I feel like I need to come back to the whole thing again to look at the subtle details the story is riddled with to fully appreciate them. I have not noticed the character pages though, definitely something to explore!
Oh, and I second @VIRTUALEE 's question about the schedule, since I really want to continue following the story!
Story Blog | Forum Discussion
I also need to update the Characters page in the future to add the other characters mentioned in the story so far.
Readers & Author: Can you answer it? Who's your favorite character? Why Is it a minor character or one of our big three?
I love all of my characters, but so far, I think the best supporting character I've thought of is the Grand Archon, who was inspired by French kings and a character in an opera. You'll see why in the next chapter.
Author: How do you keep track of all your characters? Or do you know some of them are throwaway and won't return?
I used to roleplay in online forums before, so keeping track of many characters is no problem for me. Some of the characters I've put into the story are just throwaway, but others might be there to foreshadow something.
I noticed the characters liken to anime, was that intentional?
I have watched A LOT of anime, so it has greatly influenced the way I write in a way.
Also noticed the strong Spanish influence in the names (which I personally LOVE since I am Latin) Is your version of Windenburg supposed to represent Spain?
I come from a heavily Latin-influenced culture in Asia (guess), so I find Spanish names easier to work with, but I do try to make the setting more diverse by adding all sorts of names, like those of Arabic and French origin. Windenburg for me is supposed to represent a general European nation, with countries like Germany or Austria in mind.
Is your game-play story driven moreso than game driven?
Hmm, I already have a general idea of the plot drafted now, but when I take screenshots in-game to make the characters interact, I see moments where they do something interesting and think up of something to add into the story from those; hence the reason why you see Preston with a bowl of chips all of a sudden or like when the Grand Archon walks in wearing swimming trunks, which greatly inspired his character.
How often do you post this story; weekly, couple times a week, no schedule?
I have no particular schedule for this one, but I'm trying to make it transition into a weekly update since I just enrolled in advanced Japanese classes.
Author: Did you always intent to have all the extra pieces (like the character pages and vampire creations pages) include Dr. Domingo's voice and reactions? What makes you decide to introduce a plot point through a side story?
I thought that it would be fun to add the Doctor's thoughts on some things for readers to see. If I think that something needs a totally different perspective, I set it as a side chapter.
Origin ID: pronterus || Gallery || Undead With Benefits||The Pronteran Builder Blog
What part of the world most interests you? Who's culture do you want to know more about?
In general: Sometimes I get kind of tired of the stock worlds that the game(s) offer us and how a lot of stories reference only the happenings there. So I got really giddy about Undead with Benefits building a world that was largely based on the game's towns, but with a little extra to show that they're on a much more global scale. Once "Koguryeo" was dropped as a location in Chapter 2.1, it started to feel like just the right sort of "alternate Earth" that I imagine the game taking place in.
In all honesty, I think that this story could explore any aspect of this strange world and keep me entertained.
What's your favorite location and why?
I always love criminal hideouts and love industrial buildings, so the hideout in the warehouse is fantastic.
Can you answer it? Who's your favorite character? Why Is it a minor character or one of our big three?
Park is probably my favorite, because I'm a big fan of characters who are newbies thrust into unfamiliarity. And Park has almost none of it with what he's into. Plus, his broken Simlish isn't played in a cruel way. It just adds to the strange situation he's in.
Even if he was a more minor character, I'd probably still count him as a favorite character, or in a list of them.
Have other's grabbed your attention that way? What do you think about Pronterus's characters?
No particular attention-grabbers have come to mind, at least compared to the rest of the cast. With a lot of stories anywhere, I don't tend to have clear favorites and try to absorb the cast as a whole. Is it the best way to approach things? Hasn't hurt me yet.
So, I actually didn't think highly of Preston at first. I didn't think he'd be a particularly compelling kind of sidekick. I'm not saying that I want him to be stuck doing grunt work forever, but I think he turned out to be a realistic sidekick. And heck, I thought he was great in Chapter 4.3 by holding his own against the pastor.
Do you folks agree? Or have a different wild theory about who Dr. Domingo is and how Ms. Vivas and her chest of letters are connected?
Nah. It's one of those things that I agree with the majority on (I'm a boring conformist in any fandom when it comes to theories).
What do you think about these side chapters? Do you read them? How about the other content? The character pages and vampire creations - which I just noticed today!
Holy balls, there are character pages?!
I'm inconsistent when it comes to reading the side chapters, though it sounds like it might not be for the best...
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