Hey yall, still undead. So, just thought I should let yall know wuzzup with me and stuff. The whole downtime thing threw most of my plans out the window. I had planned to work on an updated version of The Map of Mata Nui, tying up loose ends, but that got delayed by a lot of work being required by me to get us back up on the new forum, and now that we're back I've got plenty else to do like the contests and stuff. I did have time to finish the next BP epic, Endless Blue, however, and hope t
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Moar uppdaytz:EMC#7: Shard Moons -- go and post! Your task? Describe the elemental moons of the EM planet Clysmax. We'd previously had this as an open question in the Discussion topic, but now we've turned it into a separate mini-contest. Go!
Why Bionicle's Return is Likely -- GD essay topic. Go read and take it to heart! Bionicle is actually quite likely to return! Just not rig
Updates:
1) Go check out Swert's latest "bonus" Multiverse story, The Unauthorized Biography Of Toa Pumaa! This is an "episode 4.5" of sorts but it doesn't really spoiler anything from Cipher Chronicles, so check it out even if you haven't read those! It's been a fun project to work with Swert on, and we hope you guys like it.
2) Taxes are taxing. Yeah.
3) I've got Endless Blue almost totally written. Just the final few chapters of the end showdown to write. I think yall'll like it.
So, making poetry is fun and it's been a while since I've done any on my blog. But this turned out to be more of poetic prose. Technically I believe it's considered a "short short story." Anyways, enjoy, and you get extra points if you figure out what the title means.
Transillumination
Last in line at grocery checkout, shortest line open but short isn't the word. Running late.
First in line's an old lady moving very slow. Very doesn't cut it. Extremely. Many groceries. Unloading slow
How to Disagree Well: Rule 3: Be Concise
Continuing my explanation of how to disagree well, today I'll look at rule 3. I know, it might seem so obvious there's no point in elaborating -- but there's a very important point here that might not seem obvious from a first glance that I think many BZPers need to hear.
To restate, the four rules are:
How to Disagree Well
1 Listen fairly
2 Avoid negative labels
3 Be concise
4 Speak your mind
Important points are bolded for optional sk
NOTICE: "Tag doesn't work for me" is NOT an excuse not to use it. For spoiler tags to work for you, you must use the "default" skin, NOT the "default blue" skin. That is most likely the problem if they're not working for you. Even if it isn't, you MUST use the spoiler tag as the policy outlines for others' sake. See here for more.
A lot of people seemed to need this notice, so just posted a new rule explanation topic in S&T, and the above notice text has been edited into the Complete BZPo
How to Disagree Well: Rule 2: Avoid negative labels
Continuing the elaboration on my simple four-rule theory on effective disagreement, today I'll look at Rule 2.
This is one that I think a lot of people could really use a better understanding of and to seriously experiment with putting it into practice. It's probably the most radically unusual concept in these four rules, and since I've tried using it almost universally about a year ago the results have been profoundly positive so I rea
So, in the interests of this blog not being entirely dead, I'm launching another blog contest.
This one will be very simple, with rules designed already into the program LEGO Digital Designer 4. I love using this program and watching the upload gallery, but Bionicle MOCs are rarely made with it. Of course, it doesn't have many Bionicle pieces, but what about something like a Playsets location? There's all kinds of possibilities.
So for this contest, you are charged to use LDD4 to make B
So, I felt like finally making LGD topics for some of my LDD creations. Go and post and stuff.
These are actually only my three most recent MOCs. I might do topics for some of my best older stuff too at some point. Other angles provided in the topics.
Hatman vs. Fogman
Wooden Sailing Ship
Edited for Fogman V2.
Edited again for Hatman V2 (from advice by MechaFizz).
I wasn't planning to do a blog entry today, but someone recently posted a topic in which they expressed an opinion about types of topics that was so flagrantly, disturbingly (to me anyways ) wrong, and enough people actually agreed with it that I felt I might as well copypaste my post to here in the hopes that maybe one or two others might read it.
Member's name removed in this version; it's the idea that I want to attack (and utterly eradicate ), not the member.
Please learn this, love
Hey, for those fans of my fanfic series, the Bionicle Paracosmos, I figure it's about time I let you know what my plans for the future are, since I haven't finished the series yet, and obviously the end of official Bionicle and subsequent lessening of BZP activity matter to it.
I still plan to continue it, but to shorten the number of stories I had in mind. Basically, I now plan to have only three main Sagas, each with roughly the same number of episodes.
And really, even had Bionicle no
The S&T official topics policy is planned to change soon (the one shown in the One-Stop Rules Topic is currently still in effect). Please give feedback about my planned future policy in this topic.
So this will be a really boring blog entry just to apologize for how long it's been since I've posted one, and to say don't worry I'm still alive and yeah.
For those that are wondering, the current plan for ATYU2 is to go right to polls as soon as the Wildlife polls are done (those were just launched by TN ). I've run out of time to commit to reading all the entries, but my judges assure me the remaining ones are clear of any major issues. If any minor ones show up in a winner we can deal wi
So, I'm a little late in seeing this, but I just found out I am one of the winners in the Lego Digital Designer 4.0 contest. Whee!
The announcement page is here, and here's the download page. I'm cited by name there (they mispelled it, but everybody mispells my name anyways so whatever ).
If you open the program, my Giant Unicycle is shown as the third of the top three models! I've seen lotsa people upload modifications of that in the Gallery already, which is awesome.
Then if you go i
How to Disagree Well: Rule 1: Listen Fairly
Recently I posted a short blog entry summing up four rules for how best to share opinions and disagree with other opinions in a positive, constructive way. I said that I didn't in that entry want to get wordy (one of the rules is about brevity, after all), but I do want to back up my views on these rules. So over the coming weeks or months () I will be doing four entries specifically expanding on the reasons for each of the rules.
The four rules
Okay, so I've been reading a lot of debates about the end of Bionicle, HF, etc. lately and it all gave me a completely random, insane idea. I have no idea where to take it so for now I'm just throwing it out there.
The Bionicle storyline IS continuing. Now, this idea can't fix the desire many have for the return of the comics, more movies, or anything like that. But let's face it, it's extremely rare for an "ended" story, especially based on sets, to continue. So we do have more story.
Wh
Welcome to the Results for the Bohrok Kool contest!
NOTE: Due to time constraints, from now on I will not include extensive comments with blog contest results. I wish I could, but if I try, I'll never get them, or anything else, finished. Also, in the blog entry results, I won't include honorable mentions; only the single top place winner for each Kal. However, those, and non-winners, are included in the downloadable Powerpoint file.
Slideshow Results Download
The Honorable Mentions m
Yo yo yall.
Longtime readers of my blog might recall I have admitted that I have a problem with being condescending when disagreeing, and that I'm trying to improve. Well, I have something to report.
I'm still struggling to find the right words to describe it, but I think at last I know what "it" is. I've tried to put it into a very concise list of "rules." I'll list them by themselves first.
How to Disagree Well
1 Listen fairly
2 Avoid negative labels
3 Be concise
4 Speak yo
Multiverse updates: We have picked the guest writer for Episode 5 of the EM Cipher Chronicles!
Congratulations, TakanuvaC01, and thanks to Takuta-Nui for doing an excellent job in running the volunteering topic! For those that are curious, we have provided a basic impetus for this episode and some details, even a few secrets, TnC01 can use. But the vast majority of it will be totally up to him, and I can't wait to see what he comes up with.
To those that didn't make it this time, many of
A while ago we asked you guys to invent names for a secret character in Cipher Chronicles Episode 4. We decided to use several of the names for characters in the episode, and now we are ready to announce the results. Thanks for the suggestions!
Here are the results, and see the note in bold for another related opportunity to help us out.
Arrik Xell
A two-part name; Arrik is by Kini Hawkeye and Xell by LukaRhotuka.
This is the secret character.
Regnius
By Lewa Krom
A Toa of Air on
