Mystic Worlds

Casual Citizen Episode 32

Casual Citizen Episode 32 is available on Youtube. The show discussed my efforts to resume creating content for Star Citizen in the midst of other priorities. It includes video versions of my new 2019 fanfic series set in the Star Citizen universe - Zora's Chronicles and Podcity.

As mentioned in the show, I'll be compiling the content produced during a cycle into an eBook/eMagazine for those who might enjoy reading the articles as chapters with the ability to use bookmarks and whatnot.

eBook Formats

• Download My-World-of-Star-Citizen-Generic (suggested)
• Download My-World-of-Star-Citizen-Print
• Download My-World-of-Star-Citizen-Kindle
• Download My-World-of-Star-Citizen-Apple
• Download My-World-of-Star-Citizen-Google
• Download My-World-of-Star-Citizen-Nook

I hope you enjoy.

 

Star Citizen - Please Stop Destroying My Stuff

Grrr, I have an on-going pet peeve with Star Citizen's so-called persistent universe. They have a wonky way of deciding when to store a record of what was aboard your ship. It requires that you certain checkpoints successfully. Namely, landing at a location that can store the ship. Until then the game can and does disappear your assets if you crash, DC or are forced to restart the game. As you can imagine it being an alpha, having to restart the game because of an unrecoverable state is quite common. So why are they waiting to retain a manifest of items aboard the ship, especially assets that only the game can place or remove? Your guess is as good as mine.

I discuss my frustration with this mechanic on Aly's World.

ArcCorp Area 18 - It's Like Coming Home

The second planet and its moons have arrived in the Star Citizen Alpha. Yet, I only had eyes for Area 18. The first time we saw the area it was a small testbed called the social module. Visiting it now, as part of the 3.5 release of the full planet, ArcCorp, felt like coming home.

Read more on Aly's World.

Trains Belong to Civilian Activity

Trains in and of themselves are cool. However, when interjected into transportation like professions, they’re bad. I mean, really bad. There isn’t a courier or transportation service in the world, that would have a driver disembark their utility vehicle to hop on public transportation in order to complete a delivery. NONE. 

Read more on Aly's World.

Finally, Female Avatars

It's been a long time coming. Star Citizen Alpha 3.5 introduces the female avatar. Combined with the first iteration of the DNA it's pretty darn fabulous. We lack hairstyle variety. They only added a couple explicitly for women until they tackle how to dynamically handle the hair based on headgear - helmets, hats, and accessories. Even so, it's a great first outing. 

You can read more and see screenshots on Alys World.

Star Citizen and Other Stuff

I hope everyone is having a great weekend. For many of us in the US, it's a 3-day weekend and I'm definitely enjoying that aspect. I've been popping out Star Citizen articles here and there in an effort to return to producing Star Citizen Nightbus more frequently. It's always a tough decision when free time rolls around. Do I write, give myself a break and simply play a game or some other form of entertainment? Or deal with some aspect of the on-going reconstruction of the main floor of my house since Hurricane Michael paid a visit? It's always a toss-up. Fortunately, one of these is drawing to a close. My house should be back to normal in the next couple of weeks. I've just learned first hand how stressful and long the road is dealing with FEMA and insurance companies to obtain the disaster coverage you've actually paid to have!!! I don't think they could make it harder if they tried.

Skipping Around Star Citizen

I spent some idle time seeing what casual content I could enjoy in the current state of the alpha. I really really miss having a favorite and released MMO to play. Beyond doing the content, it's all the small moments spent being in the game to enjoy doing absolutely nothing. Seeing what I could partake of along those lines with the limited features currently available in the alpha, I used one my ships earmarked for being returned for credit. Now, however, not only do I want to keep it, I need to figure out what I'm willing to return for credit to obtain two of its siblings when they arrive at the end of March. You can hop over to Aly's World to read more about why and see a little clip of this tiny engine that could.

Formed a Writing Group

One of the more common challenges aspiring writers face is the discipline of making time to write. Even once you're over that hump, encouragement to complete a writing journey is often needed. Writing is a singular activity. Even in writing teams, when it comes down to actually writing, you're doing it alone. It's very easy to have the editor's voice lodged in your head, dogging every step and sentence you complete. If you're taking it on later in life, many years past formal education, when we may have developed many bad habits, writing in a vacuum can be counterproductive.

One of my 2019 goals was to produce fiction more often. Commentary, essays and alike come much easier to me but aren't my objective. My goal is to complete one short story per month. For now, set within the world of Star Citizen. I decided that I didn't want to tackle world building simultaneously with establishing a writing discipline. I'm a month short on my goals having only determined them in January, as I noodled over all the things in life that interest me. There literally aren't enough hours in a day for all the hobbies I find compelling. 

Coincidentally, Sister Julie from the No Prisoners. No Mercy. podcast was contemplating the same. After hearing about what she wanted to do, her concerns and struggles, I suggested we start a writing group. I have other friends who've wanted to give a go as well but they're not ready to put ink pen to paper yet but I didn't see any reason why the two of us shouldn't get started.

We've been going for a month now and I'm finding it a real motivator for sticking to my schedule knowing you need to be able to talk about what the hell you're doing about this dream once a week. So far so good. I think Sister Julie is going to resurrect an old lore site she used to write on. I'll share the link when she does.

Here's hoping you and yours are well,

 

Aly

 

 

Star Citizen - One Profession and Two Ships, Go!

There's a trend in MMOs, even in sandbox games, where a particular group of players declares how they play the game, as the only way it should be played. Anyone who's not interested in the content, interaction and progression that suits their play style must be doing it wrong. They've clearly never heard of, much less read about the theories behind player gaming styles. It really drives me to distraction when this behavior rears its head in a sandbox game. Like what are you ninnies talking about???

I recently posted an article on Aly's World discussing this behavior within the Star Citizen community. I offered a scenario for consideration - my playstyle, that doesn't conform to grinding for crap or beating other players. A gaming experience focused on consuming a diverse range of content and group sizes. You can hop over here to have a read.

Star Citizen - Sit back. Relax. Unwind.

Breathtaking views in Star Citizen Alpha 3.4. Stunningly beautiful and atmospheric gliding over Lorville in the industrial Drake Caterpillar. Not an expected combination but it works.

I get why we have no-fly zones but wish there was a different option. Floating above the city, even at this distance, is amazing. If I could just get a little closer. I'd be right there. StarCitizen visuals + Pedro Camacho music is sublime.

 

Star Citizen Nightbus EP 8 - Hello Again

This episode discusses my excitement for the new faces that have joined the Star Citizen streaming family since from the Anniversary event, the magic of Hurston, re-visiting Stanton lore for new listeners and a new piece of fanfic. Please sit back, relax and enjoy. 

 

 

Star Citizen Alpha 3.3.5 - Hurston, Take Flight

I have a massive amount of screenshots and in-game footage from Star Citizen. Alpha or not, the game is breathtaking. Today I started cataloging what I've captured so far from Alpha 3.3.5, which introduced the persistent universe's first planet and city. I wanted to get a handle on things before it got away from me. Pick which files to keep and name them so I can reuse them as needed.

Looking through just the video of me taking off from and landing at the new city, Lorville, it's hard to believe that's me. They're gorgeous in and of themselves. Not to mention that I'm actually in the cockpit flying each of these ships and seeing these sights first hand. *Head explodes*

It's exhilarating to do and often mindboggling seeing it afterward. Flaws, warts and all, this is hands-down the most beautiful gaming world, I've ever been a part of. And then there are the sound effects and sublime music by Pedro Camacho -- pure bliss.