NaNoWriMo Plans!

Alrighty, since it's getting close to that time of the year (besides the release of many Oktoberfest beers), it's time to announce what I'm planning to do this NaNoWriMo.

I have decided, since I attempted this last time, but I then wrote something else (OMG Spiders)... my next project will be something fun: a Silent Hill fan fiction. Right now, it's titled Silent Hill: Secret History (a “tribute” to one of my favorite novels). It's actually an idea I had for a while going with themes I normally work with, but in a Silent Hill setting.

Okay, okay... it's an idea for a game for the series that I hope one day I'll become respected enough to give it to Konami. (Yeah, I wish. Pffff.)

Either way, as it gets closer, this could change, but I really feel it. I want something super-fun and silly. So a fan fiction for one of my all-time favorite video games. *shrug*

And now... since I had nothing better to do a while back, here is the playlist/soundtrack I created for it (that's always half the fun: creating a soundtrack for a project):

"It’s Gonna Be Easy Now" by Dan Seals

"The Last One to Know" by Reba McEntire

"Holding On for Life" by Broken Bells

"Girl, You Have No Faith in Medicine" by The White Stripes

"Worlds in Collision" by Jerry Harrison*

"Looking At the Invisible Man" by The Dead Weather
"Leave A Trace" by CHVRCHES

"Half Life" by Twin Shadow

"The Waiting" by Akira Yamaoka

"Compass" by Zola Jesus*

"Catch" by Allie X

"Helelyos" by SEXWITCH

"Poison Tree" by Beth Orton

"Carrion Flowers" by Chelsea Wolfe (hells yeah!)

"Lord Knows" by Dum Dum Girls

"When She Comes" by EMA

"Surround Sound" by Empire for the Sun

"Immortals" by Marnie Stern"

"Am I Real?" by Nite Jewel

"The Day of Night" by Akira Yamaoka

"I’m A Ruin" by Marina & the Diamonds

*I’m torn between “Worlds in Collision” or “Compass” being be the official song. 

A Letter to the Silent Hill Fandom

Dear Silent Hill fans,

Yesterday, I saw Silent Hill: Revelation.

Let me get it out of the way: yes, the story was disjointed at times, some of the dialogue over-explained things (but then again, that is a trait in most low-grade horror films), the pacing was very off, the jump-scares weren't necessary, the special effects were abysmal, and it could've gone on longer (like another fifteen minutes).

But also... yes, the dialogue was funky at times (but it is Shakespearean compared to the first film), the acting is MILES better (with the exception of Radha Mitchell, WTF girl?), the sets were gorgeous and well-done, the music was great as usual, the monsters were neat (especially the mannequin spider), and the atmosphere was spot-on.

In the end, I really liked it. It was a decent film that fixed the flaws of the first movie, but ran into other problems. I love it for its flaws, but I love for what it did right. Hell, I may even see it again.

But I know I am in a humble-sized group with this opinion.

Everyone hates this movie, calls it a travesty and all sorts of other descriptive phrases to sum up that it was an atrocity upon celluloid. But I have to refute some of that.

Does the film have its flaws? Yes, it does. Is it faithful to the third game? Not really. Then again, the first movie wasn't faithful to the first game and for some strange reason, y'all are starting to rally around the first movie even when you tore it to pieces! You don't get to do that. My God, pick an opinion and stand by it!

For those who say that the director didn't play the games: yes, he did. He paid homage to several scenes in the third game, along with others (look out for them for fun Easter eggs!) But also, he was working with a film with its own canon (well, sort of, but you get the idea)! He had to stick close to it or else y'all would whine about that. Good Lord, Catch-22 much?

And my God, shut the f*** up about the cult. The cult was there from the very beginning. Don't whine that it takes away anything. The cult is scary! You all want the series to be something that it never was: this over-intellectual series about psychological f***-ups. Can we have that and a dash of the supernatural? What the hell is wrong with that? It doesn't make your precious games look philistine or anything. In fact, I love the corresponding forces here. We can explore all possibilities! For the love of all things holy and made unto the Lord, Silent Hill is a smart game, but it's not the Mensa member of the video game world. Chill, y'all. Your game is still smarter than the average one, and it's not stupid for having a cult in it. Fatal Frame is amazing with its cult, too, and I don't see y'all railing on it.

I hate fandom so much. The fans I've encountered act like their opinions are superior and that anyone outside the group (like film directors) will get called into question when the films don't match their impossible expectations.

No, don't tell me you deserve a good film and that Hollywood owes you one. I heard it before, from Resident Evil fans and Super Mario fans. So shut up and move on. Hollywood will never make a decent adaptation. Why start now? Your special game isn't the exception. There are better things to get angry at.

Yes, I am angry at something that essentially means nothing in the end. Yes, I have better things to get upset about. But you know what? If y'all can rant about how Pyramid Head is James' monster and cannot appear anywhere else (when he wasn't, I cannot STRESS that enough), then you know what? I can rant how y'all are arrogant gits who need to take a freaking break.

Come at me, bros.

Sincerely,
Lindsey, a disgruntled Silent Hill fan

P.S.: Shattered Memories is still an unnecessary existence, the first game is the superior one, and 0rigins is the Mirage of the Silent Hill series. /trollcomment

NaNoWriMo 2012 Plans (or: I Was A Teenage Fan-Fiction Writer)

As the ninth month of the year draws slowly to a close, along with the end of a brutal season and the entrance of my favorite season, it is time to begin making plans for NaNoWriMo. After some serious thought, I have decided to participate in it again. Maybe I won't be in it to win, because the prize may likely be the same (coupon for Scrivener, etc.) or I may just do it just so I can get another sweet avatar thingy showing how effing boss I am.

I'm torn between two ideas: the story of an FBI agent and a local detective solving the mystery of a dead butler. Or a Silent Hill fan fiction about a possible apocalypse.

Okay, lemme explain the last one a bit. Yes, I used to write fan fiction. Silent Hill was one of the fandoms. No, I never published any of it. The only one I finished was a short story about what happened in South Ashfield Apartments during the events of Silent Hill 4: The Room. No, I will not publish it anywhere on the 'Net. It has a terrible OC (original character) protagonist. Now, we shall never speak of it again... (eh)

Either way, I'm tempted to write the fan fiction. It was an old idea that I never got around to finishing, and it sounds pretty effing awesome. I had this whole thing scoped out, like big-time. It's going to require a major overhaul, the protagonists have moved onto starring in original fiction that I've planned out. But it will give me a chance to really execute some of the original ideas I had for the characters on newer ones (e.g. I had plans to make the main character have amplified hearing). Yeah, you know what? Eff it. I'm gonna do it.

So, here is to a fun-as-hell NaNoWriMo. 2012 was a rough year. I think I deserve a fun writing project.

This post was brought to you by my second favorite Channel Awesome personality and Roxy Music's "Same Old Scene".

 

*meme does not belong to me*

Yeaaaa!

The long-awaited trailer to the new Silent Hill movie is now here!

Minor complaint: the effects look a little off, but other than that, it looks great! Can't wait 'til October! Hell yeah, midnight showing (if there is one)!

I've been having a blah week (full of no-fun anxiety), but this has made up for it.

*goes to look at various Silent Hill message boards*

Nothing will ever please the hardcore fans. Reason #153 Why I'm No Longer A Member of A Silent Hill Message Board.

A "so far..." review of "Silent Hill: Shattered Memories"

*WARNING - HERE BE SOME SPOILERS*

Well, I knew I had to prepare myself for disappointment, given I already disagreed with it being a remake and the Otherworld turning into Icy Winter Wonderland. But, wow, y'all. So far, it's just bites.

The controls are wonky, especially the door opening buttons. Whose genius idea was it to have one press the X button repeatedly? I'm glad I could use the left control stick to push it open, otherwise I would have a sore right thumb! (Yes, the Silent Hill series, along with many survival horror titles, have a history of bad controls; but those are easier compared to the ones in this game, trust me...) But seriously, one button should do the trick.

The lack of combat is a joke. Oh, I apologize. Apparently throwing flares or pushing down random bookshelves is the best you can do. If I was put into a similar situation (what a world it would be if that were the case...) I would kick more ass than Harry did. And I'd do it with a 2x4 with a nail at the end of it.

Running around aimlessly (oh wait, your helpful GPS-capable iPhone rip-off leaves a blue trail just in case you get turned around) is your only option! Don't forget to zigzag. No need though, since when you explore the town, there are no monsters! And the monsters are ALL THE SAME when you get to the Otherworld in the Fridge.

Don't even get me started on the story. In all its madness, it is weird for the sake of weird. The scares are almost nonexistent, unless you're real jumpy by nature. Everybody is being thrown in there without explanation, connections made in seconds. I mean, most of the females end up calling Harry which leads me to ask "how in the world did they get his number?!" No scene establishes this.

The camera-detecting-random-spirits thing is a ripoff from Fatal Frame. Wow, y'all who made this game. Really? You had to plagiarize (no, they didn't borrow it) an awesome aspect of a lesser-known series in order to bring something new to the series? No other word for this than: FAIL.

~

Now, there are some good things. Calling the numbers and hearing the messages is the only good thing so far.

Making John Wyndham the founder of Midwich High was effing funny and appealed to the lit geek in me.

Yeah, pretty much it.

~

Y'all want to play the original Silent Hill? Just call me and borrow my copy. Or, if in the very likely chance that you don't know me and can't borrow it, ask your hardcore gamer friend or just buy it off of eBay. Do anything but buy this game. If you do, you're getting a neutered, borderline plagiarizing, sanitized, high-school-drama-havin', nonsensical, weird-for-the-sake-of-weird retelling of a classic horror video game.

*exhales* Now, if y'all excuse me... I have some things to do. Like schoolwork, internship stuff, and chilling the hell down.

Expect a final review soon...

Well, this sucks...

Apparently, it was true. Akira Yamaoka, the Silent Hill series' music producer and resident music-man, has left Konami. While he will continue to make music somewhere else, I can't help but feel there has been a loss.

Well, time to be a bitter cynic. As far as this all goes, Shattered Memories may be the last Silent Hill game I'll ever purchase. It hurts, since well, this is a great series and I don't want to give up on it. You never know sometimes, but it's hard to believe anything good could happen to the series from something like this.

His music was one of the signature trademarks of the games. One of my favorite albums of all time is Silent Hill 2's soundtrack, favorite song being this one.

Man, all this discussion makes me want to play the games again.

Either way, this isn't good news, but trying hard not to sound like a over-zealot either.

Yeah, no.

More news about the second Silent Hill movie.

This just proves that this isn't going to work. Make it accessible? They already did that with the first film!

***SPOILER***

I mean, hello! That scene with Alessa explaining the whole damn thing. If that isn't accessible and being the total opposite to the games, I don't know what.

***END SPOILER***

*calms down* Look, I honestly believe that some Silent Hill fans (not all, but some) are in serious denial with the movie. I'll be the first (no the second, but anyway) person to say that visually... It. Was. Spot. Freakin'. On.

However, the story was about as convoluted as a labyrinth designed by a bunch of drunk monkeys. And the dialogue there makes my own look amazing (i.e. it's pretty bad).


All I wanted from the movie was an original story. All I got was a neutered take to the first game. And there's another one coming in game form, mind you.

I love all the Silent Hill games (even Homecoming), but it's getting real hard for me to remain calm about all this for much longer. Honestly, Shattered Memories (it is a remake, I don't care what the game developers claim) is not even necessary. Like another unnecessary remake of a classic first game. It's turning into Resident Evil (a series that was actually good... until the movies and the cash-in games came along).

I'm not asking for the series to go back to being a niche thing, something hipsters could latch themselves onto. I'm only asking for the initial spirit of the games to remain, something that seems to be missing since Homecoming. I ask for originality, necessary changes to gameplay that still retain the helplessness of being a "regular Joe" stuck in a haunted town. To quit explaining every damn thing, after all, the Golden Rule of horror is to "never explain or show everything". To quit using Pyramid Head and try out new villains, because creative thinkers don't rehash. To be subtle, make references to cool things (see Jacob's Ladder and Phantoms).

Is it too much to ask?

Maybe it is.

ETA: Oh, yeah. Which reminds me... there's a remake of Jacob's Ladder planned.

...

FFFUUUU... /rageguy