Previously, I've avoided talking about my ongoing projects, preferring instead to just show up with the results. This works wonders for a newby S&T theorist, bad writer, and critical reviewer. It doesn't work so good when you're knee-deep in technical projects which have been going on forever, doing media reviews, or just plain flat need to decide what to do first.
And that's what I need answered. WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN FIRST? What really should have happened last week? That's what I need to decide, and half the reason I do these projects is for you all, the recipients. So I would like input. Please? Help?
Importance ratings shown below are just my guesstimate. Feel free to correct my brainlessness (should there be any) on this number.
* * *
Bionicle Reference Stuff:
1. Categorical Greg Answer Reference [iN PROGRESS] - This was, and still is, my #1 pet project here from day 1. The instant I saw the Official Greg Dialogue and how long it was, I wanted this.
Frankly, having such a thing would put the new member off the street in almost the same discussion ability as the old member that has been here for eons and "read it as it happened".
When I started this, I didn't know that there was going to be a hacking that would destroy the entire live copy of the dialogues - I merely built a URL reader (using Java) to bring the entire volume of data on my computer so I could work with it. After the hack, I debated about whether to release my copy, seeing as it would maintain the dichotomy that such a reference would destroy. However, I knew I couldn't sit on the information that I had. The escape for that was literally so narrow and the choice so stark, though, that I wonder about the consequences of my one decision on the future of the S&T forum should I had not done this and the dialogues actually been lost. Creepy.
Importance (IMO): Megaboatloads. Right now I do searches for S&T topics, but having a reference I can quickly refer to instead of hitting Ctrl-F and hoping would be so much better. (And maybe someone else would actually find the Greg quotes instead of me having to do it all the time. Hey, I can dream.)
Progress so far: Abysmal. Right now I have things to place in the categories: The Official Greg Dialogues, Saved Greg Posts, and the topics I saved (again using a URL reader) from the archive after the hack. I've set up a folder system to monitor my progress and get started.
I also have set up a group of alphabetic TXTs with categories in them. I have moved all of the Saved Greg Posts into the alphabetic TXTs.
I also have brought in a bunch of "categories" from my own posts in S&T and some by bonesiii. Some have made it fully into the system, others not, and I probably need to cut a better system for getting it in there. (Perhaps a JS rig for each category lol? I don't know; very little is out of the question. I'm mildly obsessionistic.)
Ideas to keep going/Issues:
- I've tried numerous attempts to "read" the massive TXT files (the ones of the dialogue, not the categories) using Java and put all the questions with the answers, thus eliminating scrolling between Qs and As. Complicating matters is the fact that not all of the posts on the page include numbers, thus making a huge mess.
- One of the things that occurs to me is that I can "recode" the dialogues backwards into HTML, and perhaps rig up enough CSS to make it look like the old forum. Would you all be interested in that? I might be able to host it somewhere...
- If you would you like to see #2 (or not), would you like to see a JavaScript rig to allow me to refer to individual posts? Easy coding to quote on the new forums? Or is that too much?
- I've thought about importing categories from BS01. It would be ideal if you could see the Greg Answers from each BS01 page, thereby allowing you to verify the content thereof, and it would save me a ton of work because I don't have to think up the categories. Anyone got a list of all BS01 articles on hand? What would help?
- Anyone convinced that I'm insane yet?
2. A list of Bionicle Media sources, in order by year, on a color-coded timeline grid, with the events that distinguish them.[COMPLETED] - This one shouldn't have taken very long, but I haven't read the comics, and reading them in order to place the events in the grid is tedious. Reading the Bionicle comics is something I need to do period, but comics are not my thing, much, so I keep putting it off.
I could use Zestanor's old topic to place the comics, I suppose, if this is something people really want to see.
Importance: Moderate. The BS01 Timeline is supposed to do this, but it appears to go from the events to the media as opposed from the media to events. Also I see people wondering how to get into the Bionicle story; this might help.
Progress so far: Completed.
* * *
Media Discussion [COMPLETED]- One of the things that I want to do is to bring back the Random Insights series, which is how I reviewed the four Bionicle movies. Which of these do you want to see first?
1. MNOG[COMPLETED] - Ghablous Ghoti requested this, and it's a classic. I've started work on this.
2. The Lego Movie - [COMPLETED]
3. Hero Factory [COMPLETED] - I'm waiting to see what will happen with this series, whether it will continue or stop or what. It's inconvenient to do an incomplete review for a series this short.
4. Ninjago TV Series [COMPLETED]
Importance: Mild to Moderate. However, I get these done faster.
* * *
Miscellaneous:
1. Comedies: The Promised Comedy is still in the works. Its preliminary title: Late to the Party: A Comedically Epic Bionicle Adventure or just Late to the Party. For some reason, I keep having trouble getting around to this, and the squeeze-the-high-quality-writing-out-of-fishers formula takes forever IMO.
Progress so far: This concept currently exists in the form of idea lists and written-out scenes that compose the preliminary story structure.
Importance: Megaboatloads. Given that the comedies forum is a graveyard.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. Possible HF RPG reboot: People definitely want this - we've had two polls that prove it. The problem is, I don't have the best story ideas, which would be essential if I was going to run it myself. Perhaps a bit more open version, akin to the original, might work, but the HF story is mission-oriented, so IMO that RPG needs an involved GM.
And I'm not going to rely on Voltex to run the story side again. You're fired.
Importance: Mild to Moderate.
Progress so far: I managed to recover some of my old "ideas" off my old computer. None of them are "deep story" ones, though, so I wouldn't be holding your breath.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Possible G&T game[ABANDONED]: VERSUS was a trivia contest, but I'd like to to see a more open one about Lego themes. Importance: Mild. After some thought, I have multiple ideas on this, but I'm not sure any are viable enough. At this point I'm downgrading it from an official project and throwing it into the ideas sector.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. Rereading The Perfect Cage, and finishing the map of the Paracosmos thereof.[COMPLETED]
Decision: I've decided not to post my notes or the map at present, in order the retain what little theorizing advantage I may have. At some point I may decide to post the map, but I may wish to reread EB again (reaaallly...??!!!111!!??) before considering it final. (That TPC update has me wondering on some of the EB directions. Whatever. I'm not Hujo lol.) Also I want to do an analysis on Kuambu, but that may have to wait...
Side Note: I do have plans to read The Destiny of Bionicle, but I wore out my reviewing welcome pretty badly on TPC, so I would rather others review. (I need to reevaluate my reviewing formula; with TPC I spent too much time wearing my theorist hat and less wearing my critical reviewing hat. My attempt to wear both hats at once failed badly, so I'm going to have to "grab and switch" the hats.)
Reading TDoB now. Have not exactly gotten off on the theorist tack with it yet; IMO that story is rather dry. *yawns* Compared to TPC, I mean. It feels good to be back in critic mode though.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Which one(s) do you want to see? Any ideas? None of these any good? What do you think?
- 2
8 Comments
Recommended Comments