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Category Archives: Elder Scrolls Online
So that Elder Scrolls Online NDA was lifted, if not my Spirits
I want to say 'finally' but last Friday's NDA lift for ESO was so shamefully overdue that I almost didn't care to post about it. The game is due in April and already selling a much debated collector's edition, so how nice to finally give the fanbase a voice two months before launch. We will try not to interpret the long hesitation. Personally, I believe Zenimax have caused this launch more harm by keeping ESO under NDA for as long as they have. Not only wasn't the press particularly gentle once the press NDA got lifted (see RPS or Ten Ton Hammer for reference), the title would've benefited from the buzz created by more balanced and positive blogger reviews. After all, there are still many players excited for ESO.
I used to be one of them but alas, that enthusiasm was shaken in its foundations after participating in two of the more recent beta stress test weekends in January and February 2014. To be fair, I didn't have the bar set very high for ESO: I expected it to feel more dated and traditional than the other upcoming AAAs this year, less polished and overall pandering to the Skyrim demography. Yet in retrospective, the Skyrim comparison is doing things far too big a favor.
My quick and dirty ESO review
While I don't wish to rain on anyone's parade, this much anticipated game has dropped on the 2014 priority list much to my chagrin. I don't intend on buying at launch, in fact I am not sure I'm gonna buy at all for as long as there is also a monthly subscription. Subscriptions aren't a financing issue for me but like everyone else, I draw comparisons and try to justify the expense. ESO, for me, is not in the right shape to ask for a sub. But let's have a more detailed look, shall we?
The Good (at first glance):
The settings of ESO are very pretty. Having visited every faction's starting zone, I liked them all equally as far as overall zone design, weather effects and light cycles go. The world feels more realistic than in many other MMOs, if that's a criteria for anybody. I love the mature and authentic look of ESO.
The diversity of character customization is a forte of the franchise and ESO is no exception. While some basic faces across all races feel too templatey still, you won't be missing options inside the rugged, old, scarred or unattractive spectrum; like every ES title before it, ESO makes it hard (but not impossible) to create your staple beauty. Really big props go to armor design which doesn't discriminate gender and keeps things in the realm of the practical.
She looks alright.
The crafting system appears to be complex and rewarding. While I've only meddled with it briefly, I could see crafters getting their share of attention and I didn't expect anything less from this MMO. I liked the crafting hubs too and many of the small details for tools and ingredients.
The Bad (or why I was so appalled):
ESO gotta have the most sloppy and inaccurate combat I have experienced since [add random console hack'n slay title here]. What was already a boring exercise of throwing lackluster magic balls as a caster, went downhill fast once I experienced the completely unresponsive dual-wielding mess of melee mode. Combat is missing feedback, aiming is off and animations are frankly awful. I don't want to look like a WoW undead when moving around hitting stuff. There is nothing of Skyrim's more impactful combat and precisely aimed shots to be found!
While we're talking animations, they are mostly horrible. I made a particularly awful acquaintance out in the wild with an eagle circling my head, its flight animation as graceful as a tour bus trying to squeeze into a beetle's parking space. It's great that ESO has birds flying around, you just don't want to look at them too closely.
The wonderful cave intro.
As beautiful as the world is, as dead does it feel traveling from place to place. The NPCs do precious little which is a stark contrast to MMOs like FFXIV for example, that comes with complex scripts for NPC behavior and events. Towns feel empty and there's no life bustling inside unless it's created by a bunch of coincidental players. This was very disturbing for me, especially since the more dynamic mechanics in Skyrim would constantly throw you into unpredictable situations and have quests and NPCs involve you actively. This is something that GW2 managed to do while being an MMO, so ESO gets no pass from me here.
Questing is a traditional and straight-forward fetch and delivery, featuring the transparent quest window and occasional dialogue choices that franchise fans will know too well. Friends of the tunnel experience in MMOs will be glad to hear that ESO makes you play through the same dark pit for 15 minutes on every new character. As far as the NPCs and (much praised?) voice acting go, I was under-whelmed and sometimes appalled at the sound and look of some of them, their shrill voices and bland, badly written humor harassing me during several multi-step quest chains. The early "John Cleese" appearance has already been criticized by others but I reached my personal high point with this remarkable fellow here:
(It only looks as if Eiman has to go really badly…this is his usual facial expression.)
A difficult closure
At this point, I don't know when I will be ready to give ESO another go. My admittedly short beta testings were a painfully disappointing experience and while they might not be completely fair or balanced, they are lacking in ways that cannot be made up by playing the game longer or praying for the unlikely wonders of another two months of final polishing. My issues with the game are of no subtle nature – they are fundamental. Which makes me think that ESO just might not be the MMO for me after all. That is something I have to accept and which makes my return to the wonderfully dynamic and physical world of Skyrim all the more likely. I used to dream of adventures in ESO but that arrow to the knee was quick. Ah well!
Posted in Beta, Combat, Elder Scrolls Online, Questing, Rants on February 16, 2014 by Syl.	25 Comments
You know Nothing, Jon Snow
At the verge of 2014, my MMO plans for the upcoming year looked vaguely like this:
1. TESO
2. EQN /EQNL
3. Archage / Skyforge huh?
4. probably not Warlords of Draenor
5. certainly not Wildstar
Here's proof.
One month, a couple of first-hand experiences and developer updates later, the list goes as follows:
1. Wildstar
3. maybe Warlords of Draenor (oh my god)
4. TESO when it goes free to play
5. whatever
…So, what am I playing this year?
Ask me again in six months!
Posted in Elder Scrolls Online, Everquest, Rambly Me, Wildstar, Wishlist, WoW on January 30, 2014 by Syl.	19 Comments
Deliberating TESO
The beginning of a new year is a time for predictions good and bad. Gamers look forward to their most wanted launches of the year in enthusiastic or more reluctant anticipation. As for mainstream media, it's an opportunity to be sensationalist and snide because nothing brings more hits than condemning yet-to-be-released titles or already revealing the GOTYs of 2014 in January. January.
I have no MMO predictions to share for 2014 and even if I did, I'd like to keep them positive. Whatever feeling one might have about upcoming AAA-titles, 2014 will be a year of new releases – of buzz and growth and lots of discussion. The genre is moving forward or at the very least, it's moving and new games will infuse our conversations. For this reason, 2014 is already the better year for MMOs in my book than 2013 ever was. There's no real failure for this genre as long as new games keep coming out. Once they stop being developed that's when we're in trouble.
What do you mean, no more MMOs? [belen02 @ deviantart.com]
Condemning TESO – A brief Chronology
So, what happened? A few days ago in good old Kotaku stunt manner, a member of said news site declared publicly on twitter that The Elder Scrolls Online "apparently has a price tag of $200 million", only to delete the tweet soon after because it's bad journalism to make claims without any fact to back them up. However, that's exactly how effective internet rumors start and that brief tweet was enough to set the gaming community completely ablaze over a simple, uncorroborated figure.
As if that wasn't silly enough, Zenimax' own Matt Firor then added more fuel to the fire by making very unfortunate, sarcastic remarks on how TESO could never ever have cost nearly that much because hey, look at our game – it's crap! (just to paraphrase mildly). Now, I do somewhat appreciate the obvious eyeroll from Firor but it wasn't the greatest way to address the budget question and infuse trust and enthusiasm in your anxious player base.
After all of that commotion had already spawned myriads of sub-tweets, message board threads and blog posts, Forbes (yes, they do video game journalism) ventured forth to declare TESO the "Greatest Videogame Disaster of 2014" two days ago. The article is essentially a summary of old news and concerns long debated among MMO players, but since the rest of the world needs time to catch up with us, it has gone viral not least thanks to its sensationalist headline.
All the while, I am scratching my head a little over what exactly has caused some of the vocal TESO malady in the wake of this budget rumor. Mainly, I have three questions regarding the most popular concerns (in the Forbes article and elsewhere) that I just can't seem to figure out:
1) What does $200 millions even mean?
Maybe the person holding authority over efficient MMO budgeting could please come forth and enlighten the rest of us what TESO at its current state should legitimately have cost. Of course nobody knows similar figures for AAA-ventures Wildstar or Everquest Next and it seems the best course of action to make sure your numbers never get out lest you not be met with omg-SWTOR-hysteria. By the way, wasn't it $300 millions for SWTOR? Or $500? If you really want to bore google, you can find them all. In truth, I've never found an MMO player nor videogame journalist who had an inkling of all the costs related to a particular MMO development (they tend not be public!) but now that we know (not) that TESO cost 200 MILLIONS….that changes everything!
2) How is it news that this is "just a Skyrim Online"?
It's been clear from the beginning that an ES MMO wasn't going to re-invent the genre wheel. When TESO was finally officially confirmed in 2012, the game had been in development for several years, which also means prior to Skyrim's success and during an era of still solid WoW rulership. You can bet a franchise as traditional as Elder Scrolls dipping their first toe into MMO territory, was going to keep things conservative under these circumstances. There is also the ES fanbase to consider which doesn't necessarily consist of online players. So yes, of course an ES MMO will essentially boil down to something like "Morrowind/Oblivion/Skyrim Online". What else would it be? One doesn't turn to TESO for big MMO innovations in 2014. Duh?
3) Nobody ever wanted an ES MMO. Really?
Considering TESO's imminent launch this April 2014, it's not only a grossly cynical statement that nobody ever wanted an Elder Scrolls MMO, it is also simply untrue. For every new installment be it Oblivion, Morrowind or Skyrim, fans have debated and fervently hypothesized up and down social networks how awesome an online Elder Scrolls or at least coop function for Skyrim could have been. I myself addressed this topic after Skyrim on this blog, preferring a coop option to the MMO. Of course TESO was already being developed then but the general MMO discussion for Elder Scrolls games is a thing among gamers and an old thing at that. To say the developers has no legitimate reason to believe such a project might be of interest to their fans, as the Forbes article has done, is bogus. If anything, that interest has increased over the last few years.
From where I personally stand nothing has changed in terms of looking forward to TESO this 2014. I trust all the beta testers who have told me that it's essentially "just Skyrim Online" and all those who have mixed feelings about the game's polish or long-term appeal. It's more or less what I am expecting. Of course, there is the subscription concern and a free-to-play switch is probably in the books for TESO as is the case for so many MMOs nowadays.
No doubt, TESO is going to be the traditionalist among 2014 MMO releases and it will need to charm franchise fans. Pre-condemning the title for these reasons however, seems rather oblivious to the fact that many players still like traditional MMOs and that we're living in times where switching to free-to-play is not a failure but proven business model. Either way, I'll be playing TESO with or without a sub and I will make final judgements after all the big contenders of 2014 have had their fair shot. For now, my MMO sky is still lit with promise and lots of opportunity!
Holding a torch for MMOs until proven otherwise.
Posted in Elder Scrolls Online, Game Design, Game Industry, Rants, Skyrim, SWTOR on January 4, 2014 by Syl.	17 Comments
With a Crying and a Laughing Eye: A Look at GOTYs of 2013 and MMOs for 2014
It's that time of the year and we are all horribly stressed. Everyone demands things from us at work and they only just remembered, there are trips to plan and if you are very unlucky, a ton of last minute Christmas presents to buy for your more-or-less loved ones. I am looking at my Steam wish list and wonder what to gift myself. It's quiet right now, outside the world of consoles.
Looking back on a year of gaming, 2013 was as MMO-starved as initially expected. Even Wildstar took a pass at a well-timed launch, eager to make Q2 of 2014 even more unmanageable. Only TESO has finally come forth and snatched the magic date of 04.04.2014, fingers crossed! We shall see – such are the words of wise (and burnt) MMO veterans. I gave up on Guild Wars 2 this summer after the Bazaar of the Four(thousand) Achievements event and I am still stuck at the gates of Moria in LOTRO (edro, edro!). Other than that, I've had a look at TERA and found it to be very beautiful and just as flawed. I played some FFXIV:ARR too, only to forget about it. Such was my year of MMORPGs.
In lieu of many new MMO stories to tell, I am excited for a new year packed with MMO launches and Wildstar isn't even among them. Here go my most-anticipated MMOs of 2014:
1) The Elder Scrolls Online
While the game looks far from perfect depending on what gameplay video you watch on youtube, it shows all the flaws (ugly character models, clunky UI) of Skyrim – game of games. All things considered, I choose to trust those (as I have no choice here in the EU where no beta keys have been released) who have named it a true Skyrim experience and put my money on TESO for 2014. You can laugh and point fingers when the time comes as I'm sure you will. (I would).
2) Everquest Next & Landmark
Still unsure about how Landmark is going to work and play into EQN, I look forward to some of the design progress SOE intends to take up from GW2. Rallying Calls sound hot and the Adventurer Class finds me mildly excited. Not exactly boundless euphoria (the cartoony graphics are still a major turn-off) but I think we can expect a polished package from SOE, with some unique twists as usual. And if not, well it's all free to play, right?
3) Archage
Another game to be published by Trion, Archage piqued my curiosity although I can't quite say why. Maybe it's because the entire character customization and backgrounds look like ArenaNet had some weekends to spare, or because the game is supposedly this awesome sandbox with 120 classes and non-instanced housing. I don't care for naval combat but I admit sending other players to prison sounds appealing.
4) Skyforge
Nobody knows much about Skyforge, the fact aside that Team Allods and Obsidian Entertainment (Neverwinter Nights 2) have decided to join forces in developing a new MMO. While they didn't bother releasing any information in English so far and the only existing "trailer" is a lot of repetitive blah in vibrant colors, I have lots of Allods love to give to this project. All that said, that 2014 launch is highly dubious.
MMOs aside, I look forward to The Witcher 3 (SO MUCH!), Dragon Age Inquisition, Child of Light and Tom Clancy's: The Division. That last one looks like there might be some splendid coop play to be had and I need to compensate for Destiny not launching on PC.
This better be good!
As for my GOTYs of 2013
Outside the world of MMOs, 2013 has been a fantastic year for indie gaming. There's no doubt in my mind that I've had the greatest fun with smaller titles this year, taking me completely aback and delivering the sort of experiences many AAA-games can only dream of. I've also been late to some parties in 2013 which is why not all of my personal GOTYs were actually released this year. Sue me.
1) Don't Starve
This quirky, dark-humored and deeply complex rogue-like, with its Burton-esque flair and stellar soundtrack, is undoubtedly one of the craziest bangs for the buck of 2013. DS is a polished gem of hilarious proportions and everyone should get it! Nuff said.
2) Dust: An Elysian Tail
My great love of 2013, Dust is every bit the work of love of its tireless creator. It's a beautiful game packed with retro and indie homage, intuitive and fun combat, deep story and loveable characters, secrets to hunt down (spoiler!) and a stunning soundtrack, making for an easy 12+ hours of gameplay at a ridiculous price. Not enough good things can be said about Dust: AET, indeed.
3) Bioshock Infinite
While much can be debated on behalf of BI's story, there can be no doubt that it ranks among the greatest AAA-experiences of 2013. Stunning visuals, complex narrative and intriguing characters have made this rail shooter a must-play in my books (and I don't shoot that often).
4) The Witcher 2
Rather late than never, I am currently still playing the Witcher 2 and have completely fallen in love with its characters and immersive way of story-telling. People have complained about the frequent cut scenes but you'll hear no complaints from me. The Witcher 2 features some of the best dialogue I've ever seen in an RPG, a carefree way of making choices and beautiful, atmospheric settings (that to be fair, could be more completely accessible). Oh, and dragons!
5) LOTRO (my MMO saving grace!)
Impossibly late to this one, I started playing LOTRO between December 2012 and January 2013 and have been paying subscriptions ever since. Even if I'm complaining about the experience grind before Moria, LOTRO is probably among the Top 3 MMORPGs I have ever played, with hands down the most immersive MMO world I ever had the privilege to travel. Much of this is thanks to things like perfect scale and sound effects which we have yet to see in other games. Also: player music!
Looking back, I almost feel a little sad parting with 2013 now but nothing that a great new MMO can't fix. Beware 2014, such weight already lieth on thy shoulders! Do we dare to unleash our expectations – or should we play it safe, for now?
P.S. I've played 'Brothers – A Tale of Two Sons' few days after writing this article and it is officially added to my GOTYs of 2013!
Posted in Allods, Elder Scrolls Online, Everquest, GOTY, Guild Wars2, Indie, Lotro, Nostalgia, Wishlist on December 16, 2013 by Syl.	6 Comments
I want my global Village!
It's the new old latest achievement: global servers and they all have them – The Elder Scrolls Online, Everquest Next, Shroud of the Avatar. Or so it is said. One of the biggest, if not the biggest item on my personal MMO wishlist right now, is global servers across regions so I can play with fellow bloggers and friends no matter what side of the Atlantic. In these modern times of online gaming and communities, nothing feels more overdue than the removal of one of the last barriers in gaming: regional servers.
Who has them truly? While everyone (minus Carbine who need to make everything complicated) is speaking of smart mega-servers pairing friends via friendlist features or other mechanics, it doesn't seem like global MMO servers, as in global global (not regionally global) will see the light of day anytime soon. I'm no expert on state of the art world servers and cloud technology, so I can't judge how much of the old "ping issues" argument rings true in 2013. I've played on both Japanese and American servers before and it was never an issue but that's not to say that what works for few (willingly sleep-deprived) individuals, would work with everybody on board.
All is not lost though; like GW2 and FFXIV, TESO will feature free server choice no matter your game version. The folks over at the official @TESOnline twitter account were so kind as to actually shed light on this matter and clarify the question for me and others –
It's a start and who knows, maybe one day at least guesting features will become cross-regional in MMOs. For my part, this means rolling my future main character(s) on NA, or both NA and EU if such should be possible, to be able to join many of my blogging friends out there. I really look forward to explore Tamriel in some proper company although I won't likely be around much for prime time. Ah well.
At this point I'd also like to whine a little bit in public (who knows who's listening!) for still not having received my TESO beta key – surely something went wrong there?? Pfft.
Two more things before the weekend
Before we're all off to our weekly panem and circenses, two more tidbits from the world of bleeps and blurbs for all the resistant non-twitterers out there:
– The NBI is back! Head over to CMP and become a sponsor once more or for the first time! Let's keep the MMO blogosphere alive!
– Handwriting memes are fun and everyone should do them (yeah yeah, life/world whatever)! Happy weekend global blogosphere!
Posted in Elder Scrolls Online, Frivolous Friday, NBI, Wishlist on September 20, 2013 by Syl.	14 Comments
NextGen Sub model or B2P launch? A Desperate Thought Experiment
The blogosphere is abuzz with next gen subscription analyzis. MMOGC reminds us that subscriptions aren't in fact back and she's not alone in her suspicions. While some MMOs in the past were forced to revert to f2p, by now we have reason to believe such moves may be calculation. Tobold calls this new generation payment model "The bait & switch business model" and apparently it's what any smart (and ruthless) business person would do given the current market. Others have chimed in on twitter how there really is no disadvantage here profitwise – subs must win by a landslide. Meanwhile, Tesh is full of eyeroll over the TESO sub and declares personal boycott. While I have a soft spot where Tamriel is concerned, I agree with every last word in his article; I would sign up for that MMO utopia yesterday.
May I raise a question here though? How superior is this route really, compared to the buy-to-play (and cash shop) alternative many expected? Especially given the crazy competition 2014's AAAs will be facing, somehow I have my doubts this is such a clear winner. If anything, re-introducing a subscription-barrier in this particular scenario seems weird? LET'S THINK OUT LOUD HERE:
Let's assume for a moment both Wildstar and TESO are going live sometime during Q1 2014, with Everquest Next on their heels in Q2 – and let's completely ignore that Blizzard too may have a big expac up their sleeve around that same time. For the first time in years, the MMO mainstream is bewildered by too many AAA-choices and as we know, hardly anyone cares to pay for two subscriptions at a time. For the two sub-MMOs that essentially means a guaranteed loss of the usual potential playerbase. Alright, TESO have come up with a 1-month freebie but there are still box prices to pay too and it's already bad enough these games launch so closely together. I don't know anyone who appreciates that.
I doubt the mutual exclusivity of this situation is beneficial to either Carbine nor Zenimax. It's the nature of MMOs that communities will form during the first few months into a game and that after a given time, players don't care to join games that are already advanced in progress. They might dip a toe in but they're less likely to settle and therefore less likely to purchase any virtual goods. We're itchy to make decisions early when committing to new MMOs.
It's also not very realistic to assume either game may go free-to-play after the first 3 months. The Secret World was special in its swift conversion for various reasons. Assuming a switch is already planned for both Wildstar and TESO, there's no reason to believe either would switch after 3 months, given the much bigger hype around these titles and risk of bad PR (switches so soon after a launch are generally regarded as failures). Personally, I think a switch is way more likely to happen after 1 year – just like ArenaNet announced the first ever trial weekend for Guild Wars 2 only this August 2013.
12+ months are a lot of water under any virtual world's bridge. It's very likely players will test the other game as soon as it goes free – yet, that means they never payed subscriptions on the competition and they're less likely to have spent a dime yet on virtual goods anywhere. For those switching from one sub to the other halfway through, both titles basically share player base. However: how many players were lost completely to one title due to community, or to both due to box+subscription model fatigue? How would GW2's buy-to-play model truly compare to this assumed "early gold digging" scenario, considering a heavily contested launch?
An entirely hypothetical, simplified and sadly flawed calculation
Let's assume 4 million players are ready to jump into either TESO or WS early 2014 and that neither turns out to be a clear "winner" (as I am not interested in that particular outcome). Why 4 million you ask? Given what Rift has managed in the past (pre-switch), that seems a very generous assumption.
2 million subscriptions each during the first 3 months, before players start dwindling. After that, let's assume 50% of said players remain, while another 50% move on; 25% leaving for the other sub for another 3 months, 25% leaving for a f2p game for good. Between months 7-12, only 50% of overall players are retained while the game is still on a subscription. In this hypothetical scenario, box sales (60$) and subs (15$) for TESO/WS would yield the following for each:
Variables not accounted for: double subbers and/or box buyers, shop items. The first group adds marginally towards outcome and shop items are less eagerly bought in MMOs with subs. In any case, I am ignoring them for simplicity's sake but you can add your own number if you like.
From here, it only gets more complicated when attempting to simulate a comparable B2P/shop scenario after GW2 fashion with a (better) shop like Rift's. Unfortunately developers hardly ever make numbers public when it comes to cash shop habits and revenue – just like we don't hear about active account fluctuations for subscription games. But since I am feeling lucky punk today, I'll give it a go anyway and assume two different and hopefully somewhat realistic B2P/shop scenarios.
(Already I regret this whole idea!)
This time, we will assume 5 million players are ready to jump into either or both TESO or WS early 2014. Why 5 million this time? Because I am generously assuming that B2P games attract a wider target audience than sub MMOs. One reason why GW2 has sold 3mio copies by now is the one-time cost. Some players always stay the hell away from sub games. There is also a second difference, as I will assume 50% of the entire potential player base are "cross-buyers". It's rather likely that over the course of a year, a big part of that community will buy both WS and TESO, given it's a 120$ in total and no more than that (in comparison one game with 12 months of subs would cost 240$). Means, 3.75mio boxes/account sold each. After that, we venture deep into hypothetical morass…but I'm already 11 paragraphs in and it's too late to stop now!
Cash shop scenario 1) is more even-spread; it assumes that over the course of one year, the total of players per game will spend the following on micro-transactions: 30% spend 50$, 40% spend 20$, 30% spend nothing.
Cash shop scenario 2) is more radical; it assumes that over the course of one year, the total of players per game will spend the following on micro-transactions: 10% spend 100$, 30% spend 20$, 60% spend nothing.
As you can see, even with a lot of goodwill and no small amount of simplification, the subscription-model seems superior – by some. We still haven't accounted for several more factors though where B2P is concerned. Variables not accounted for: whales, cross-shop purchases and box sales after year one. Especially that last part is worth taking note; B2P MMOs have the tendency to keep being sold longer than sub MMOs. Of course that argument is redundant if the sub games also turn B2P after one year, duh.
So that was a lot of effort for nothing?!
What was the point of all this? Well, it looks like especially in the short term, subs are more profitable. Still, the difference between the two models isn't as drastic, considering there is a huge margin of error in all of my calculations. And this is in fact good news! Why is it good news? Because from here, one could think of ways to tip the scenario either way.
So, help me refine this: was I too generous on cash shop sales or not nearly generous enough? Would a B2P maybe attract twice as many box sales than usual? Under which circumstances could we still see the B2P model win the upper hand? Where did I go wrong the most (real data would be awesome)? I guess that's where a proper business analyst would come handy, for once.
Posted in Economy, Elder Scrolls Online, FTP/RMT, Simulation, Subs, Wildstar on August 22, 2013 by Syl.	23 Comments
Many subs, handle it!
This last week may well have been the weirdest in 2013 MMO news: EQNext surprised (me) with its cartoony graphics, Wildstar announced a 2014 launch and not-so-hybrid sub-PLEX model and today, The Elder Scrolls Online is officially on board with the olde subscription model, too.
So there we have it. 2014 is officially loaded on AAA-MMORPG goodness. What a springtime that will be, it's fair to say I shall be planning a vacation. While WS just got completely uninteresting to me on account of both its recent announcements, I will be playing both EQN and TESO, hoping they won't launch too closely together. Assuming SOE stick with their free-to-play intentions, that seems like a fair undertaking. As for the two sub-based MMOs; bets are open which one will convert to f2p sooner (as this seems to be a fast growing trend) and how they will fare competition-wise. The "race" is on and it's safe to say the MMO blogosphere is going nowhere – sharpen your pens, comrades!
Posted in Elder Scrolls Online, Everquest, Wildstar on August 21, 2013 by Syl.	5 Comments
What can the MMO "console trend" do for us PC players?
So I ranted briefly in my last post on how The Elder Scrolls Online was pushed back to 2014 because of next-gen console availability. From a PC gamers point of view – and that's where I am going to play my MMOs in the foreseeable future – that's not the worst however that may come from the popular marriage between different systems in our favorite genre. The fact that consoles are becoming more and more like PCs doesn't really change that.
In their most recent podcast episode, Chris from Game by Night / MMORPG.com and Ferrel from Epic Slant Press discuss the impact of the "console MMO future" and they were so kind to invite me to have a chat about what we heard at E3 and also GW2's event culture and overall status quo. On the topic of console MMOs, I mentioned on the podcast that I feel like PC gamers especially are going to get the shorter end of the stick. Before getting into that further, I'm posing the overall question of whether people really want to play MMOs on a console? Do they?
I can only speak for myself here, having grown up with home console systems; when I play MMOs, I rely on a lot more than just a keyboard (I don't think the control aspect on consoles is as bad anymore as it used to be). There's teamspeak, skype and raidcall running in my background. I have a second screen I can use to check quests or items while playing if need be. Functionality and access to networks like this are inseparable from MMO gameplay for me.
Then there are other potentially negative aspects, launch delays aside. To quote just a few of the more popular concerns currently discussed on TESO fan forums:
I've already stated several times my apprehension with this.
1. community split instead of forcing new MMO players to play on a PC and growing their market share.
2. Patches and content designed around the lowest common denominator. There are things that can't be done on a console as they are on a PC so in essence each new system implemented in the game will have to work across all platforms. Meaning things will be dumbed down.[18#]
[…]but to segment the community and enable cross platform support will kill this game I'm afraid. One or all 3 platforms will suffer due to triple time required to design, Q&A, push, test and publish.[#10]
The implementation of a MMORPG on consoles means one of two things: unprecedented user interface innovation to retain game depth on a controller (unlikely), or simplifying the game.(#7)
[…]they'll have to make every mechanic work in all environments, and remove/change the features that cannot be adapted. The risk of failure is certainly there. (#3)
Is this the future that we 're looking at for cross-platform MMOs: games designed around the lowest common denominator, split communities and sloppy ports and delays? It all sounds very gloomy and MMO players are certainly known for their pessimism. Still, given what complex undertakings MMOs are and the time that's required to deliver a polished product on a hopefully successful launch, is there any benefit whatsoever to the PC gamer? I can only think of one: More people paying for MMOs means more money going back into the genre (which hopefully benefits all audiences equally).
There's also the question of how much sense it makes to launch both PC and console versions simultaneously, as elaborated on by another forum user:
Development wise, if they really want to win all those console kiddies, it was way better to release a PC/Mac version of the game, improve it over several patch (it happens anyway), then release a more polished product to the console freaks. My reasoning is simple, PC gamers have a broader gaming experience while the console only players tend to buy and toss it in the drawer if the game doesn't deliver from the start….console players just don't have the patience to wait for patch after patch after patch.[#2]
One of the big differences between console and PC audiences has always been the technical aspect: the willingness to put up with installs, patches and overall bugs and downtimes caused by individual Windows settings and different hardware. Console popularity stems from the "plug&play" model and this demography is happy to do without extra options and customizability, as long as crashing on the sofa and successfully logging in within the minute is a given. So can this future marriage between not only different platforms but target audiences end in anything but tears? I guess we will see.
Posted in Console MMOs, E3, Elder Scrolls Online, Game Design on June 19, 2013 by Syl.	10 Comments
[TESO] Holy Trinity and Healing Mechanics Revealed
So yesterday the folks at Zenimax dropped the ball on some long-awaited and much speculated combat details over at the TESO development Q&A. In the wake of titles like Guild Wars 2, many players have had the same big question on their mind: will there be a holy trinity in TESO? – Will there be a tank and healer?
Both questions were addressed in the Q&A although to varying degrees of my satisfaction. Let's start with what has been revealed on the holy trinity so far:
Q: "How important will the 'holy trinity' be in PvE endgame/raids?
Will dedicated tanks and healers be required, or will lighter armored
characters be able to utilize the dodge system well enough to serve as
competent tanks? Will healers need to focus entirely on healing, or will
a more offensive spellcaster be able to sustain his group via spot
heals?" – By Lynx
Q: "A: "Yesterday in the lunchtime dungeon test, our group of four (all at level 12) included: – 1 Templar with light armor and healing staff, abilities focusing on healing – 1 Templar with light armor and dual wield, Templar abilities focusing on healing – 1 Dragonknight with light armor and destruction staff – 1 Sorcerer with heavy armor and dual wield This was with no real consultation with each other while making characters, other than ensuring there was at least one healer. For the sake of the dungeon we really could have used a true tank (the closest we had was the sorcerer wearing heavy armor and using unstable familiar to get the monster's attention, with no real "keep myself alive" abilities), but as a group we were (eventually) able to take down the Fungal Grotto bosses. More to the point, with four players making independent choices in abilities and gear, three of the four made builds that defied the standard templates – and yet felt perfectly viable in actual play. The players were each able to build a character to their own taste with class abilities as a supplement, rather than the rigid defining aspect to the character, and have effective characters. So in summation, we're pretty happy watching the progression system allow people to play the way they want in the groups they want to play in."– By Lynx
I am getting the impression that the tests on group settings and mechanics are either not very advanced yet or that the developer is beating around the bushes in his reply. The very concrete question, namely how significant the holy trinity is for endgame/raids and how exclusive the role focus of certain classes will (have to) be, doesn't get a straight answer. So, Zenimax's testing team basically used two healers in a group of four. They made sure they had "at least one healer". They also "could've used a real tank" in the Grotto but, errr….this wasn't really a planned run and it's wonderful if players can make "independent choices in abilities and gear". Are we still addressing role setup questions for raiding here?
The reply ends on a similar note that tries to emphasize player freedom, mostly for spec and gear, but does in fact never truly answer the original question. At best it gets clear that there won't be rigid cookie cutters for any class. I can't shed the feeling that TESO will in fact feature a more classic holy trinity but that Zenimax are too careful and reluctant to call it that at this point. After all it could potentially alienate a big part of their potential audience. Anyone else get the same feeling?
TESO's Healing Mechanics
Another more revealing part of the Q&A are the details on how healing is going to work in TESO. While I'm not a fan of dedicated healing in MMOs myself, I've explained in the past that one big part of my very vocal holy trinity dislike stems from the fact that healing in WoW was this over-the-top-exclusive stare-at-healthbars-job. MMOs like Age of Conan have offered some more refreshing solutions in that department: healing in AoC was overall weaker, more diverse and AoE/cone-based. Such an approach to healing mechanics can dramatically change the overall playstyle of healing classes. And it appears that TESO is going to follow a similar path –
Q: "I have a question about your targeting system for combat, from
what I've heard there will be a soft targeting system. My question is:
How does this system work in raids/large PvP groups for healers? Will
healers have a hard time finding players, and keeping track of their
group's health? – By Jacob Avila
A: "Soft-lock targeting doesn't really affect healing because you don't have to find your target to heal them. You don't target allies. Most of our heals are area-of-effects (AoEs) or cone effects. To be effective, you might want to stay in the middle of your allies for AoEs or face them for cone effects. Healers will need to be aware of their environment of course, and pay attention to the battle."
The most important part of the reply is no doubt "you don't target allies". That means no cycling target frames and certainly no clicking healthbars. The healer's focus lies on the whole encounter and environment, just like it does for everyone else in the party. Healing will be about correct placement and timing of area and cone effects which can be a great challenge. It's a take on healing that has also gained some speed in WoW since Cataclysm and that many players out there should enjoy, sworn healers included.
I do welcome this approach to healing in TESO. That said, I do believe there will be dedicated healing and healer and tank roles in this game – certainly a lot more dedicated than in GW2. Zenimax do their best to emphasize playstyle freedom but nothing they've stated so far is a big break-away from the classic fantasy MMORPG formula. I wonder how die-hard fans of the Elder Scrolls franchise feel about some of the current combat revelations.
Posted in Age of Conan, Cooperation, Elder Scrolls Online, Healing/Priesting, Holy Trinity on March 12, 2013 by Syl.	11 Comments
A Cautious look at MMOs in 2013
The beginning of a new year is a good opportunity to look back at a year full of games, posts and arguments – or alternatively, to look forward and muse on things to come. I feel like doing both, but today my avantgarde self has won the upper hand. What is it I am looking forward to about the future of MMOs in 2013?
PC Gamer have published a rather great and lengthy 2013 videogame preview, going by the bold title of "The best PC games of 2013". Every genre has its dedicated section, so it's not just an interesting sneakpeek overall but a recommendable read for anybody (of course it's page 5, 9 and 3 where it's really at!).
Sooo…newbie MMOs. Dare I even pick three of you from the crowd?
My horses in the 2013 races
1. The Elder Scrolls Online
While I dislike the idea of a "Skyrim MMO" with classes, restricted skill paths and formulaic MMO style combat as much as the next person, the truth is I am going to play ES Online no matter what. I cannot not look into this franchise taking an online dip! If they get the world right, the feeling of scale, atmosphere and adventure, then it will still hold enough interest for this explorer here (and then I haven't experienced outdoor dungeons in a long, long time). To claim that some of the already confirmed disappointments are enough to keep me from wandering a polished Tamriel is to kid myself. And then there's of course always the unquenchable hope that things might even turn out that bit better than expected. We never learn.
I have as many strong reasons not to want to try Wildstar as the other way around. That makes it a balanced pick, I guess. The comic style of the game screams WoW, there's the holy trinity I am not too keen on (hah) and the self-proclaimed "friends & family" label. I don't expect Wildstar to be daring in any way or attract my kind of community (or age range). Still, of all MMOs announced for 2013, Wildstar is the one title promising package and polish more than any other. Things have looked great in that department for a long time now and Carbine is ever eager on getting player feedback on twitter. Then, there's the unquestionably brilliant housing system, the Bartle inspired questing mode and a quirky attempt at spicing up an otherwise classic combat. Hmm.
3. EQ Next versus Neverwinter
I've considerable misgivings concerning both these games which is why they share third spot for 2013. As much as I want to go more oldschool or niche, both EQ Next and Neverwinter have me tap my fingers nervously on the keyboard. As if expectations towards EQ's "true successor" weren't big enough, with obscure rumors circling back and forth for years, SOE's president had nothing better to do than proclaim this title "the largest sandbox MMO ever designed" – when all we've basically seen so far is that one same green image. Yeah, that one…So for now, all I know is that SOE aren't short for words and we'll see about the sand. If it even comes out!
Neverwinter on the other hand, great as diving back into the Forgotten Realms may be, manages to both intrigue and scare with smaller but no less bold words: content creation tool and player created questlines. A lot of potential. A great many potential outcomes!
Unless something most unexpected comes along this year, that's probably it for me in terms of new MMO dabbles. I can't say that I am super excited about any of my picks but that's what I'd roll with to satisfy the curiosity. I am obviously a somewhat restrictive player when it comes to non-fantasy settings or panties – truth be told though, I feel so content playing LOTRO at the moment while also far from done with GW2, that between playing older MMOs and a full Steam library I'm completely okay with 2013 making no grand attempts at the genre. I feel a little tired with the speed of MMO releases every year; I'd like to play less games but play them longer. And from that point of view I place my trust in Middle-Earth and Tyria, while a return to Telara is certainly not unthinkable.
Yep, I think I'll be just fine.
P.S. I would of course love to hear what other people's picks are from the PC Gamer overview!
Posted in Elder Scrolls Online, Everquest, Game Industry, Neverwinter, Wildstar, Wishlist on January 8, 2013 by Syl.	17 Comments
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We love Valentine's Day!!! It's one of the easiest holidays to have fun and show your love. No fancy meal making. And you don't even need to spend a dime — a bunch of kisses and hugs go a long way. XOXO So in the spirit making Valentine's Day fun and spend thrift, here's some of the best Valentine's Day free printables found on the Web — all rounded up just for you.
We adore these well-designed Valentine's Day printables from Classy Clutter. The colors are rich stand outs — bold and lively. It's a fun idea to plaster your child's door with love.
Landeelu Anderson's blog is a boost of inspiration with her example of a photo-and-heart-bombed mantel. She offers printables for the hearts (she recommends you use white cardstock) and the hearts+love framed art is also a printable. If you like the stringed hearts, pick up some mini black clothes pins and black hemp cord — just use scotch tape or sticky tack (it shouldn't damage paint) to hold the ends.
We're a big fan of creating handmade coupons for gifts. Avery has a free template download for Love Tickets on Business Cards. If you have Avery business card paper, when you print out the tickets from the template you can easily punch out the biz cards. Or you could use card stock and cut yourself.
Many schools now won't allow any food item to be attached to your child's classroom Valentine's because of an effort to reduce sugary foods and also to avoid allergic reactions. What are your non-food options? We found some printables here that are cute, easy, and still fun.
From Kelly Holmes, she's created a Valentine's Day Riddle free print out — most teachers would love this idea!
Alyssa Darby has a fantastic idea of making seed envelopes as Valentine's Day gifts — the children can take home the seeds and plant them in the spring. Wouldn't it be great if you included organic seeds with plants perfect for your region? We think so.
For a boy-centric idea, Amy Buchanan has a fun and super cheap idea of making "Cootie Catcher" Valentine's. And she has a mustache, boy-approved version that is bound to be a hit.
This is an update from the original post on 2/1/16.


text:
Vodka Friday Night
by Karl Wenclas
Kirk sat drinking vodka in an after hours den near downtown Detroit with a skinny black prostitute named Jakayla, the kind of spot where if you're white and male you'd better arrive with someone they know because otherwise they'll think you're a cop.
A lanky drug dealer named Lenny Z sat at a table nearby complaining about someone who'd stolen his main girlfriend, a white girl named Stacey. Kirk knew her.
"When I catch that motherfucking Grant Fannin gonna skin him alive. I mean it. Goin'na take my knife and start maybe at his forehead and start cutting–"
Kirk knew Lenny Z's reputation and knew the man was serious. He looked serious. Deadly and serious. Kirk's heart began beating rapidly, nervously. Jakayla next to him was nodding from something she'd injected in the bathroom, bought here with money from him. Kirk felt for something in his pocket.
Lenny Z continued ranting blowing off anger but with no immediate intent to go after Grant Fannin. He liked scornfully saying the man's name. In his business it was best to avoid trouble. As he continued to bellow, a young white guy stood up from the shadows from a side table and moved in front of him holding a pistol.
Lenny was still running his mouth about "that motherfucking Grant Fannin" when Kirk emptied a clip of bullets from a small .32 automatic pistol into the man's head surprised eyes gaping red spots from bullets highlighted like red laser spots on the man's face.
"Hey–" Jakayla said as Kirk turned went out the door no one stopping him into the cold night air went straight to his car to "get out of Dodge" as fast as he could.
Grant Fannin was Kirk's brother.
Death and gunsmoke lingered in the small club, lights full on blazing yellow showcasing Lenny Z stretched out on the hard tile floor, his head lying in a puddle of crimson blood.
Half the patrons scattered, the others too high, drunk, or scared to move. The echo of sirens sounded outside, from down the avenue. The burly doorman stood immobile against a wall, pondering the future. The club would now close and he'd be out of a job.
As the man waited for whatever was about to happen, he noticed a rocks glass half-full of vodka on the table where the shooter'd been sitting. Needing it, he moved from his place against the wall, stepped over the body, grabbed the glass of vodka and downed it.
Black Hat Boyd didn't drink vodka.
When Boyd heard of Z's demise he was infuriated but secretly pleased. It meant he'd take over Lenny's business. Black Hat already controlled a large part of his gang.
"Whadda we do now?" a member of his posse asked him.
They sat on gaudy furniture in a small rented house in a bleak part of Detroit smoking crack, six of them, including two in the shadows. Black Hat Boyd was a short man with a bullet-shaped shaved head and a bullet mindset: shoot first or someone will shoot you. A true gangsta. He looked mean, and was. The gang members in the room watched his every move, careful not to get on his bad side.
"Hand me my phone," Boyd growled to one of them.
All of their phones had been lighting up for the past five minutes, as word spread about what'd happened at the after-hours club downtown.
"We gonna ACT," Black Hat said in a low reverberant voice.
The two men in the shadows sat up in their chairs at the sound of it. Black Hat was angry– which meant that as a matter of their survival they were also.
Police cars surrounded the club, with more coming. Third Street became closed off. Detectives and technicians rushed into the crime scene. Vice detectives joined them, realizing this was an illegal club, the victim was notorious, and someone somewhere in the department had been paid off.
As this happened, the shooter Kirk Fannin sped fast but controlled in a gold-colored Mustang on a narrow expressway taking him downriver, where he lived. In his racing mind he realized he shouldn't go where he lived. He'd killed a man and the world would be after him. The police for certain– but friends of Lenny Z worried him more. Killing was their business.
Kirk had relatives in Kentucky. Should he drive there? Stay on 75-South and keep going. Kirk had stayed with these people when he was a kid. He'd suspected his folks had wanted to get rid of him– needed a break– but he'd enjoyed his time down there regardless.
As Kirk drove, with one hand he dialed Grant's number on his cellphone. He'd left two panicked messages on Grant's voice mail, but Grant never picked up or returned his calls.
Stacey Shemke was a spectacularly beautiful twenty-three year-old with bleached silver-blonde hair, large brown eyes and dark eyebrows. She stood in the center of the room of her small downriver apartment watching Grant's flashing phone ring again and again. She'd heard the shocking message– but Grant was passed out on her sofa refusing to wake up.
Beneath his swagger and army background Grant Fannin was a handsome alcoholic who carried around vodka in Big Gulp cups pretending it was soda pop.
He'd been at the Friday Night Fish Fry at the local VFW hall, where he'd consumed an enormous amount of beer. Then he'd shown at her door with a large smile on his face, holding one of his trademark Big Gulp cups. "Hey babe," he said. Ten minutes later he was out.
She'd never met Grant's brother Kirk, who continued to phone, but his voice on the messages sounded one part hysterical and another part dangerous. She feared to answer it. If Stacey had regretted being mixed up with Lenny Z, now she regretted being mixed up with the crazy Fannins.
Kirk drove hard. Night fast. Yellow-lit instrument panel within a black dashboard in his golden car as he looked to it for speed, mileage, context. Some connection to the universe.
The Fannins had long been white trash troublemakers in town. The shack-like house the brothers grew up in always had two cars parked in the yard and three in the drive. One of the cars was guaranteed at any time to run. The cars changed, not their number or condition.
They also owned animals. Their parents loved animals, so the house and environs contained a collection of dogs, cats, and rabbits.
The Fannins: five cars, four large dogs, seven or eight cats, and innumerable rabbits.
Their father died when Kirk was ten, their mother when he was fourteen, so for several years– before joining the service– five years-older brother Grant was the dominant influence on Kirk's life. For good or ill. Mostly ill.
The brothers were fast with their fists and expert with gun or knife. They were as fast with insults, which brought on those fights. They never backed down from one.
Captain Mohican Jones, director of the Detroit Police Department's Gang Squad, jolted awake from a call to his phone at the side of the bed. His wife snored lightly next to him.
Must be important.
He and his wife had been to the opera this evening– to see "Rigoletto" at Detroit's glamorous downtown opera house. She enjoyed opera– an excuse to dress up.
The captain had been named Mohican by his parents because he had a smattering of Native American blood in him, on both sides. His complexion showed it, reddish-brown, which made his green eyes stand out in his face, and caused enemies and colleagues alike to pause a moment before confronting him. On the street, a moment is all you need.
The opera had been a modern updating, with characters dressed as latter-day gangsters. Fedoras, pin-striped black suits and prop machine guns. One of the tough-looking hoods looked like Joe Pesci. Another like a man Mohican had sent to prison a year ago. This caught his attention for a minute.
His stylish wife preened in her seat, eyes alert from the moment the overture played and the dark-red curtain rose over a brightly-lit set, posturing costumed mobsters part of it. Glowing– like television come to life.
Jones closed his eyes and allowed the singing to wash over him while he pondered problems of his job.
They sipped brandy during two intermissions, standing near the grand staircase while his wife remarked on how people were dressed. The brandy eased his appreciation of the art.
His wife wore a red dress which accentuated her curves. Mohican complimented her on it– and made sure his eyes never strayed onto other ladies present in the house.
The arias remained in his head.
The phone next to the bed continued to flash. His lightly-snoring wife on the other side of him wore earplugs and a pink eye mask. She'd long ago accustomed herself to his job. Captain Jones placed a professional grimace onto his face and grabbed the phone to find out what happened.
When Lenny Z had been mocking the name Grant Fannin, the image of Stacey Shemke appeared in front of him. You wouldn't think a woman could light a fire in a man simply by looking at him, but it happens. A pair of eyes– he couldn't get them out of his head.
Then came an assault of high-speed gnats, penetrating small bullets.
As Z lay on the hard floor of the after-hours club dying, hungry life flowing swiftly out of him, the magical eyes of Stacey Shemke were the last thing he saw.
The significant fact about Stacey Shemke few knew about was that she was nearsighted. She hated glasses and didn't like contacts, and wanted no one slicing her eyeballs– she preferred to stumble through life half-blind in a blurred world of colorfully amorphous shapes and sizes.
When Stacey walked through parties or clubs, whether downtown Detroit or in her home town, she carried herself with aloofness which some mistook for conceit and others saw as mystery. She floated like a princess, or an empress, at least a celebrity, and everybody believed it.
She became interested in men first by their physiques. Their forms, because that was all she saw of them. This is what attracted her to both Grant Fannin and Lenny Z. (They of course were attracted to her.) When she moved close to them and saw their faces it was invariably a surprise. Like, "Hey, these guys are human beings. Personalities as well as bodies."
Captain Mohican Jones moved downstairs to his den because he knew it'd be a hectic night. He and his wife lived in a large 100 year-old house in one of Detroit's better neighborhoods. Refuge against a wasteland of disorder. The home's price had been far less than it should've been, because of its Detroit address.
The captain pulled a bottle of VSOP brandy– top-shelf drinking– from a cabinet and poured himself a generous shot in a rocks glass. Something to sip on while he thought.
The den was thick-walled and quiet, stocked with books, cd's, and vinyl record albums. For him, a bunker. Escape.
The question on Mohican's mind was Lenny Z's gang. Who was now in charge? How would the gang react?
Growing up, Black Hat Boyd had been the shortest kid in the neighborhood and had to be tougher than everyone to survive.
He'd always been a leader– at least a leading troublemaker– based on his smarts and his nerve. In high school, the kid running a card game at the back of class, collecting most of the winnings.
He'd always been ambitious. A psychologist in a juvenile detention facility– where he'd been sent after a carjacking– told him he was "overcompensating." What?! He'd keep overcompensating then until he lived in a mansion, and could hire and fire clowns like that motherfucker at will.
From his den, the captain phoned Monk, one of the members of his team, waking him up from a deep sleep. Which surprised Mohican a little. Had Monk been out for the night as well? He was the captain's right hand man.
"Monk. This is Mohican."
"Yeah, man," Monk told him. "Give me a minute."
Monk had received his nickname because of his ability to bury himself for days on a computer, monitoring sources and suspects on social media. Acquiring information. Spotting activities and determining trends.
Was that a woman Mohican heard in the background? He'd thought the man was immune. Then again, no one really is.
"Okay," Monk's voice said. "What up?"
"Felonious!" the captain said to him, communicating the importance of the call.
At times Monk's nickname morphed into Felonious– takeoff on an old jazz musician's name, of whose music Captain Jones was particularly fond.
The captain told Monk what happened– that he needed "eyes." He needed Monk to get on Twitter, Facebook, chatrooms and the like and start listening. Start tracking.
Black Hat Boyd rode to the rendezvous in a long and low-riding limousine, sitting comfortably in the back seat with arms and legs spread wide. Wearing now his trademark black porkpie hat. The boss, he thought. The man.
He wore sunglasses so his driver couldn't see his eyes, but he could see in the rear view mirror the driver's face. The face in the mirror showed worry.
"We gonna take down those rednecks," Boyd assured the man.
"River rats!" the man said, and laughed.
The car sped fast through the urban wasteland. As the thick tires passed over or around occasional potholes– some the size of craters– and vague night images showed outside, Black Hat reflected on his new position, the responsibility of leading the gang. Being head guy.
Everyone would look to him for direction. Being Number Two had been easy because the final decision never fell to him. Lenny Z made the calls, by privilege and right. That'd made it easy for Boyd but also frustrating, he remembered.
"If that cowboy didn't shoot Z I mighta had to," Black Hat speculated out loud.
Felonious Monk phoned the captain with the result of his research. Not good news. Members of Lenny Z's gang were putting together a flash mob on wheels to invade the downriver suburbs, looking for Z's murderer. The gang believed the shooting had been done by one Grant Fanning or Fannin, who lived in a tiny downriver community named after the Winnescott Indian tribe. The gangsters referred to the town scornfully as "White-spot," as not many People-Of-Color resided there, but by reputation, several diehard rednecks. The city was known principally for its park on the river, which gave a splendid view of downtown Detroit.
Mohican Jones knew someone in the town's police department: An easygoing, husky cop who until six months ago worked for Mohican as the token white dude on his team. The captain had called him Jerry Ski– easier than saying Jerry's Polish last name. There wasn't a member of Mohican's team who hadn't been graced with a nickname.
When Jerry Ski left the team, the others joked to him that he was joining "the donut boys"– how Detroit cops referred to their suburban brethren. Oh, theirs was a tough enough job alright. But it wasn't Detroit.
While the captain guessed that most on the town's force were local athletes hoping to continue local fame– especially with local women– he knew Jerry Ski was the genuine article. An able and intelligent cop. It was a good bet he'd know of this Grant Fanning. Mohican grabbed his phone to tip Jerry off to what was up.
Jerry Ski finished the call knowing he had a job on his hands. No doubt the captain had given him the straight shit. Mohican Jones knew his job as well as anyone Jerry'd worked with. Every outfit large and small has its share of time-servers and fuck-ups– is more than blessed to have a few men and women superb at their job. Mohican Jones was one of those few.
The task at hand: An entire Detroit street gang invading their insular hamlet. Not an everyday occurrence. As for Grant Fannin– Jerry had seen him at local saloons or the occasional street fair, always with a local woman on his arm. Lean and quick-smart, with the steel-gray eyes of a gunfighter. A lethal person when fueled on Jack or Stoli– that was the word on him. Fannin's military training and experience added to the danger. But Grant Fannin had likely been trouble from the moment he was born.
It'd probably serve Fannin right to be snuffed out by a band of urban killers– would save the expense of prosecution and make the daily job of Jerry and his colleagues policing this town easier. But someone might get hurt in the crossfire.
Jerry stepped to his kitchen and grabbed a cold bottle of beer from the fridge. He prepared his mind to phone his boss, the town's police chief.
While Grant Fannin slept, he felt like voices were calling him from a far distance. Knocking on the door to his house. Though he wasn't in his house. He woke up.
Stacey Shemke lay sleeping on the rug over the floor. Beautifully sleeping. His cellphone sat next to her. Grant picked up the phone and listened to Kirk's messages.
He patted Stacey on the head, grabbed his car keys and left.
Mohican Jones hung up the phone with Jerry Ski and sipped from his glass of brandy. He'd told Felonious to continue monitoring activities of the gang to the best of his ability. Mohican knew they likely wouldn't receive more of the story until morning, when it was "too late," whatever that meant.
Police work was an imperfect science. In the detective business you deal with fragments of information, trying to piece those together to create a picture of events. A narrative. A story. He well knew that in the onrushing flow of the world and life you never had the full story.
"Preposterous!" Police Chief Kolpak said when Jerry Ski told him about the Detroit gang. "I'm not about to believe every imaginary rumor or lie propagated by social media."
The chief loved language in that he'd use any word high or low large or small as cover for what he really thought. Including with himself, in his own head. He'd been at the VFW Fish Fry this evening. His brain pounded and he wanted to go immediately back to bed.
"Grant Fannin allegedly shot and killed some Detroit drug dealer? Then for crissakes let's arrest that asshole and nip this presumed gang invasion in the bud. Fannin has to be drunk somewhere. I saw him in town earlier."
It didn't occur to the chief that Grant then might have an alibi. He didn't care. He wanted to be done with this. To wash his hands, Pontius Pilate-style, which he did a lot of. Low profile, he told himself. Maintain a low profile. In this age of hyperbolic media it was incumbent upon a responsible police authority to keep a low profile, for the good of all. He worked at this assiduously. Which meant, all the time.
"Jerry, we have only four cars at our disposal tonight. I'm not about to order officers in from home. Tell you what. I'll call Sergeant Sperger, who's shift supervisor tonight. He'll send a car to find Fannin, and send the three others to the riverfront just in case your scenario is not hallucinatory myth. Hell, they can sleep there as well as anywhere else!"
Silence on Jerry's phone for a full minute. He wondered if they'd been disconnected. Jerry knew the chief believed him to be a know-it-all Detroit troublemaker. The chief's rumbling, belchy baritone came back on.
"Tell you what, Jerry. Sperger can pick you up at your house. You help him direct this circus show, because I am done with it."
(Click.)
Grant's brother Kirk Fannin continued on to Kentucky, racking up miles beneath his car's tires– then realized this wasn't right. It wasn't fair to Grant and Stacey, who'd be left with what had very much become his problem.
He exited, turned the wheel, traveled on an overpass and gunned it down an entrance ramp, re-entering the highway but in the other direction. Headed back to Metro Detroit.
After he left Stacey's apartment, Grant Fannin drove aimlessly around town for twenty minutes before realizing he needed smokes. He pulled into the parking lot of a 24-hour chain drugstore with a flashing blue-red sign. The night hovered black, silent, and eerie when he stepped from his car. The red-blue sign was a touch of paint against the night. A distant buzz brushed his imagination. The sound of motors. Lenny Z's friends?
When Grant stepped outside again with a pack of cigarettes, a grubby guy stood wobbling at the entrance, under the sign.
"Spare change?" the man said.
Despite scratchy layers of wear, the voice carried an air of breeding. Refinement. Grant had known army officers who spoke like that.
The man had unkempt hair streaked with gray, bloodshot blue eyes in a pockmarked face, and wore a smelly green overcoat. A mess.
Grant studied the man. Himself in twenty years? A warning sign.
Grant opened his wallet and handed the character a ten dollar bill.
Then he climbed back into his pickup, started it, shifted into gear and sped off, more confused than ever.
Grant had sat at the bar in a sports bar in town nursing a beer– it was early evening– staring down at his phone when two young women took seats next to him. He could tell they were young by their voices. The one nearest him complained about her boyfriend.
"I'm supposed to meet him in Detroit," she said. "But I don't feel like it."
An impressive but exasperated voice. Her friend said something in response, calling her Stacey.
"He cheats on me anyway," Stacey added.
Grant swiveled slowly in his seat.
"Have him meet you down here," he suggested.
The woman (the Woman) reconned the room.
"He has, before, but he's not really comfortable down here, you know? Doesn't fit in. Nothing he's said. But I can tell."
While she spoke and Grant remained casual and concerned something registered in his head that she was very good-looking. Dressed in black, with short-cut blonde hair, melodious eyes, and dangling earrings. He glanced toward the bartender.
"Hey Jimmy. A shot of Stoli when you get the chance."
Then, almost as afterthought, to Her:
"Can I buy you a shot?"
"There it is!" Boyd's driver said.
A couple dozen cars with headlights blazing waited in a vacant lot in a post-industrial neighborhood somewhere in Detroit. The area could be called No Man's Land– the only residents were various types of rodents and roaming packs of wild dogs.
As Black Hat Boyd stepped aggressively from the sleek limo flexing his neck and shoulders, dozens of pairs of eyes focused on him. He knew he was being assessed, especially by those who'd been Lenny Z's business associates and friends.
They scanned Black Hat Boyd for any hint of uncertainty or weakness. Black Hat snorted to himself at the idea. Never had he been more aware of his own smarts and health. He felt the vast black sky above grant to him– Black Hat Boyd– its power.
Boyd pointed to someone he knew and trusted, a crafty flashy slim young gangsta named Ellis Joy.
"Ellis, you been to this 'white spot' before. Can you find Grant Fanning?"
"Cut me loose when we get there and I'll track him down," Ellis promised.
Black Hat considered his own performance. Make decisions quick, but not too quick. You're being studied. Watched.
"Good!" Boyd said, and the gang relaxed.
They'd gather next in the targeted town's riverfront park. Many knew the way to it. At this late hour, no one would be there. At the park they'd await word from Ellis Joy on Grant Fanning and how many trailer trash friends he might have with him. They'd be armed, no doubt.
"Are we gonna be able to handle this crowd, weapon-wise?" a new member of the gang asked.
"Oh, I believe so," Black Hat said, showing a compact submachine gun under his coat.
For a full minute all eyes in the lot were on the glistening black metal submachine gun. He'd polished it before they set out. They stared at the weapon with appreciation and awe. This earned Black Hat instant cred with the remaining skeptics in the gang.
"We have a few more of these killers too," Boyd added.
Three new members of the gang stood away from the headlights at the outskirts of the circle of cars straining to hear Boyd's voice across the cold air.
"What? What did he say?"
He looked smaller and meaner than they'd expected.
As Grant Fannin sped away from the drugstore into the night, lighting up a cigarette, blue-red drugstore light flickering behind him, he saw the world with stark clarity. He saw Stacey Shemke with clarity. An illusion. An intoxication vastly more powerful than the vodka he liked to drink.
Beauty that remarkable was deadly.
The gang climbed in their vehicles. Engines started as Boyd's chopped midnight-blue limousine took the lead, coasting slowly out of the vacant lot, supercharged motor rumbling, yellow headlights blazing, other vehicles pulling behind it. Detroit's peculiar night sky– distantly lit with tinges of industrial red– spread great and ominous before them. That distance they headed toward held action, adventure, maybe death– resolution for the raging unasked questions of their lives, which is all they wanted.
They set out.
Object of their intentions was a working-class community and part-time summer resort, of saloons and churches. More saloons than churches. But the saloons were closed.
At the end of town at the edge of the river lay the park. An oasis from craziness. At this hour, dark. Quiet. Chill– in more ways than one. River flowing placidly alongside it while seagulls slept standing up on the outstretched pier.
When Swaggy McCray missed ten p.m. curfew at the town's halfway house, where he'd been rehabilitating after a drunk-and-disorderly charge, he decided to make it a night.
You couldn't get away with panhandling for long in this cop-controlled city, but Swaggy was adept and pathetic-looking enough to score ten dollars from a generous (or more likely drunk) soul. The man had stared through him. Swaggy took the ten inside the 24-hour drugstore and bought himself a bottle of vodka– Popov, the cheap stuff. This he secured happily under his coat.
Kirk Fannin's car left the expressway and continued to glide through the night. The world filled with the sound of crickets, the town asleep except for Kirk and whoever pursued him.
Kirk turned the car onto Oak Street and found Stacey's apartment building. He turned off the engine and sat parked for a few minutes, under a street lamp. He carried the pistol– the death weapon– in his jacket pocket. Should he toss it away? Probably. Or he might need it.
Stacey Shemke awoke from a brief sleep, lights bright in the apartment. Grant was gone. She stood and glanced out the front window onto the street below, not seeing Grant's dark-blue truck. She noticed a patch of color, a sleek glowing orange car there instead, but didn't think anything about it.
Black Hat Boyd coordinated the caravan using his smartphone, issuing directions to individual members of the gang. They moved as a unified pack. At the same time, surrounded by night, Boyd and his driver floated along in their private capsule, as if in outer space. Isolated.
A hand knocked on the door while Stacey Shemke sat in a maroon armchair with her phone, terrified.
"Grant?" a man's voice said. "Are you there? Stacey? Hey, this is Kirk, Grant's brother."
She recognized his voice from his voice mail messages and from the once or twice she'd spoken to him on the phone.
"Hang on," she said.
Insanely, she put aside her phone and checked her make-up with a mirror– as if that'd make a difference to the man who killed Lenny Z. Then she opened the door.
"Women the problem," Black Hat Boyd said to his driver as they traveled onward. "Been the downfall of man since the world began. Mark my words. All problems in this world can be traced back to a woman. Don't get me wrong– I love 'em, but a man need to know why they're there. Lenny Z– he didn't know."
Black Hat had been with Lenny Z when Z met the blonde. White girl name. "Stacey." He sat with Lenny at a popular nightclub away from downtown. Z liked having Boyd along as bodyguard and sidekick. Or flunkie. This made Lenny feel big. Made him important.
The blonde– nothing special in Boyd's book. Too skinny. Sharp-edged, like a knife. Lank hair. No class, just trash. She looked at Z with serious eyes and he was gone. Lost. A puppy dog. Black Hat Boyd could tell. He shook his head.
A smoky underground club filled with available women– this Stacey took out her cigarette and Lenny was there with silver lighter. Orange flame against blue darkness. Lenny looked smooth doing it, Boyd had to admit. The girl looked at him while he lit the white cigarette between red lips. She inhaled. The burning lit tip of the cigarette seemed gigantic. They stared at each other like two cats.
"Z, he jus' a pretty boy anyway," Black Hat Boyd said to his driver, or to himself. "I knew he wasn't gonna last."
He patted the submachine gun inside his leather coat as the car sped through the night.
"Hello," Stacey said.
"Hi," Kirk returned.
Kirk Fannin looked much like his brother, but clean-shaven and younger. Kirk looked very young. Baby-faced. He didn't look like a killer, though he was.
She motioned him to her sofa.
"Can I get you a beer?" she asked, moving toward the refrigerator in the apartment's tiny kitchen.
White cabinets, yellow walls and faded yellow linoleum floor. She didn't bother to switch on a light, but opened the refrigerator door.
"Hey, how old are you anyway?" she called. "You look young."
"Twenty-one," he answered. "Hey, I need something stronger than beer," he called back.
As she brought one of Grant's Big Gulp vodka cups, their eyes met.
Her hazel-brown eyes: enormous.
Kirk felt suddenly warm and accepted gratefully the plastic cup she said was filled with vodka. So this was Stacey. He saw why both Grant and Lenny Z had fallen for her.
Stacey parked close to him on the sofa. Very close. Her large brown eyes framed by shimmering blonde hair took him all in, her body soft and curvy within a baby blue t-shirt. He'd never met a girl so striking looking.
Stacey put her hand through his hair. The boy– bizarrely, she thought of Kirk Fannin as a high school boy– looked to her impossibly cute. A very different proposition from her previous two men. Placed on her sofa just for her. She put her hand through his sandy-colored hair.
Kirk Fannin was the dangerous one– yet for a moment Stacey Shemke was the aggressor. A different experience. She enjoyed it. Their eyes locked. With an intake of breath Kirk kissed her and moved his lean body on top of hers.
"Stacey," he said. "Oh, Stacey!"
"Kirk," she said. "Kirk!"
Swaggy found his way into the park at the river, a secluded location where he could safely imbibe the night's reward. Often police would shine spotlights and chase everyone home. Summer lovers and such. But on this chilly night they'd figure no one was out.
No one but Swaggy!
As he scouted for the right bench, shards of his past life scattered through his mind. The woman who'd led him to this. She! He couldn't recall exactly which woman though of the many he'd let down was directly responsible.
He'd been a stockbroker in a past life, flush with money. Coke and vodka. Vodka and coke– not the soda pop kind.
Money to burn? He'd burned it! The culmination of his disintegration was the night he and a co-worker were returning from a strip club in Canada. He'd drunkenly bounced his Mercedes against the wall of the underground tunnel several times, and laughed about it. He laughed to the Customs officials on the U.S. side that he'd destroyed his car. They frowned and called D.P.D.
He blew 0.40 on the breathalyzer test. "Legally dead," an officer told him.
Then came the '08 market collapse, and he was finished anyway.
He'd been glad to get out. Stress and ulcers. Ulcers and stress. Now he was free. Forever. He sat down on a park bench.
"Poor Swaggy," he thought while cracking open the bottle and taking a swig. "Good old Swaggy!"
The line of cars headed downriver on Fort Street. Over a drawbridge across a canal and through a bleak section of Detroit with large gasoline storage tanks rising behind isolated homes on empty streets. What used to be a neighborhood. They sped across the dividing line between city and downriver– past an intersection infamous for the amount of vice available. For any observer outside this time of night (this hour of the morning)– the stray hooker or druggy– the parade of roaring multicolored vehicles was an impressive sight.
Jerry Ski and Sergeant Sperger pulled into the park in an unmarked black car, stationing themselves to the side, where they could observe, nearly invisible within the morning fog. A few minutes later the three assigned squad cars arrived. White, with blue lettering. They'd been together at a coffee shop someplace. The three cars backed into parking spaces so they'd be facing the park entrance. Ready. In case.
Mohican had been texting Jerry what scant information he had. As far as he knew, the gang was set on their plans and were on their way.
"It's all a fog," Jones added.
Sunrise was yet an hour away. Would anything happen? They waited, and waited.
Black Hat Boyd lost himself in the kind of strange thoughts that hit you in the deepest latest part of the night, as you suddenly wonder where you are and why you're up at this hour, you should be in bed somewhere yet at the same time you're incredibly alert.
"We're almost there," his driver announced.
Boyd sat up, looking ahead and around himself, struggling to see, to know.
One of the park's regular seagulls was up and about, perched upon his favorite post on his favorite railing, enjoying himself, hanging out. His head cocked, as if hearing something.
Jerry Ski and Sergeant Sperger glanced toward the park entrance at a curious play of lights. Floating surreal headlights accompanied by a roaring wall of noise as souped-up cars– gangmobiles– emerged from the night and pulled into the park from every direction.
"Oh shit," Sperger said.
Black Hat Boyd held his state-of-the-art smartphone in his right hand but dropped it when he saw what was in front of them. The too-familiar white cars with lights on top. He thought his driver should halt but instead the man continued driving calmly ahead as if– as if this were a day at the park.
"Po-lice!" Boyd shouted, scrambling for something inside his coat. "What the motherfucker is the deal with these motherfuckers waiting for us? Someone snitched. Heads gonna roll when I find out who dimed us the fuck out!"
He began firing his machine gun through the open car window to cover any retreat.
The gunman in the car behind Boyd's took more deliberate aim, his gloved hand– an expensive yellow soft leather glove– squeezing the trigger red jets of flame glimpsed within the barrel gun kicking a row of shots sent off like hopeful children toward their destination.
Trees rustled and his companions instantly flew off, but the seagull on the post froze at what looked to be a mesmerizing white dot of light traveling at superfast speed aimed directly for his head.
Two officers sat in one of the cars peering in front of them when their windshield shattered.
Quick red-white flashes from gang cars, bullets firing then spraying in the officers' direction– at them— whose first trained instinct was to reach for their weapons.
"We're under attack!" a voice said on their police radios.
This was the signal they needed, abandoning the three police vehicles en masse and scattering into shadows while Jerry Ski and Sergeant Sperger watched in the unmarked car to the side.
An officer loaded down with vest, pistol, handcuffs, radio, belt and shotgun tripped and sprawled across the concrete walkway as bullets whistled over him.
Swaggy the bum on the bench awoke from what seemed at first to be firecrackers then fireworks– explosions suddenly everyplace. Had Fourth of July come early? "Pop-pop-pop" from every direction a bullet passed through the bench, near his head, and one through his coat– Swaggy rolled off the bench hit the ground hugged it, army style. Swaggy at war! As he'd seen in movies, but the explosions kept coming– "Pop! Pop! Pop!"– kept coming, kept coming. . . .
"What do I do now?" Black Hat's driver said as the clusterfuck scene laid out in front of them.
"Keep driving!" Boyd ordered.
Sergeant Sperger grabbed the transmitter on his car radio– to say what?
Shrieking multiplied sounds of expelled weapons from both sides filling the air in every direction for miles.
A burst of white light like a camera flash showed Swaggy McCray's face and his eyes: terrified.
"Ten-thirty-three," Sperger yelled into his mic. "Ten-thirty-three! Need assistance. Need assistance!"
The sounds were what everyone remembered most about the night. The staccato "rat-tat-tat" layers upon layers. And the lights– flashes from both sides. Volleys blended together at speed.
"Get us out of here!" Black Hat Boyd demanded.
He feared getting boxed in from behind.
One of the police cars caught fire orange flames rising heat and fire against the night reflecting off the black-sheet-glass surface of the river, creating for a few minutes a vivid never-forgotten image, like a painting.
The officers who waited crouched behind various park barriers with guns drawn watched the display, transfixed.
Many of the bullets, aimed too high and too far, dropped into the river like rainfall.
Those within the maelstrom heard new sounds, the echo of approaching sirens. Approaching, approaching, but never arriving.
Black Hat's driver turned the wheel the car bounded onto the grass scraped a tree then was back on a road looking for an exit for escape other cars following or scattering looking for other outlets, a display of red, yellow, blue, gray vehicles bouncing like retreating tanks with a roar of motors, leaving a cloud of gunsmoke the smell of exhaust and the echoes of reverberation behind them.
Silence- except for distant sirens. Shooting ceased. The officers waited a full minute as their ears recovered, to be sure.
Jerry Ski stepped out of the unmarked car on shaky feet to take in the scene.
Sergeant Sperger was on his radio transmitting to other downriver police departments, giving the route of the escaping gang vehicles in hopes that someone could block their retreat.
Traveling over 100 miles per hour on Northline Road, Black Hat's driver crashed the car, which flipped over twice. Once-sparkling midnight-blue limo now damaged, turned upside down. Wheels spinning. Police arrested the two five minutes later, still in the smashed vehicle, stunned but otherwise okay, as they'd worn seatbelts.
The other gang vehicles vanished as quickly as they'd appeared, like fantasies of night– Shakespeare's demi-puppets– finding routes back to their home turf of Detroit, which with its chaos and devastation provided ample places to hide. Until next time.
News vans outnumbered police vehicles in the aftermath, plus two helicopters overhead. Now that it was over, everyone wanted in on the act.
No one was seriously hurt. Casualties included one sprained ankle, a few cuts from flying debris, and a dead seagull. Plus three destroyed police cars.
The seagulls returned, circling overhead, squawking at the noise and the death of their friend.
Amid the sounds of activity, one stray person remained in the park. As he lay on his back in the grass on the cold ground Swaggy checked his coat and found the bottle of vodka intact, a few swigs left in it. He took a healthy swallow of the soul-relieving warm liquid. Life was good.
Kirk and Stacey awoke to the sound of helicopters and wondered what was happening.
"They're after you," she said to him.
He looked directly into her wonderful eyes.
Outside a window, the sun appeared as a red line in the sky from the direction of the river. The site of the helicopters.
"I gotta run," he told her.
Her magnetic eyes said not to.
"Come with me?" he asked.
They packed as many belongings of Stacey's as they could quickly round up into Kirk's gold Mustang. Clothes on hangers, a laptop, coffeemaker, and two battered suitcases filled with whatever could be crammed into them. Stacey was used to living out of suitcases.
Before closing the door to her place, Kirk kicked one of his brother's empty plastic Big Gulp cups. The cup bounced off a wall and rolled, then stopped.
They sat in the car and closed the car doors as the day appeared fully in front of them. They began driving.
A month later local police found Grant Fannin passed out drunk on locally-produced vodka while curled up with a local girl seventeen years-old, who had long black hair, in a room over a saloon owned by a friend of his. He'd given up blondes.
Grant was turned over to Detroit police, who put him in a police lineup. Those who'd been at the blind pig where Lenny Z was shot were called in to identify the shooter.
Mohican Jones and Jerry Ski sat at the back of the room. Grant Fannin and two other men stood on a brightly lit stage. The display reminded Mohican of the opera house.
"Not him," witness Jakayla said. "Definitely not. Too old. My guy was younger. Handsomer."
She wondered what happened to the white boy who'd done the shooting. He'd been cute.
Other witnesses were hesitant.
"The man in the middle look like him. He's close. But I can't be sure."
Another witness, the husky doorman who'd let the shooter in and out, could only shrug.
"Can't say," he said. "All these white motherfuckers look alike."
They sent Grant Fannin to prison anyway on a weapons violation, for an illegal sawed-off shotgun found with him when he'd been arrested. The thinking of prosecutors was to charge him with whatever they could to take him off the streets. A Wayne County jury agreed.
In prison, Grant met Black Hat Boyd. The two men bonded over the realization they'd been convicted on the same charge, and became friends.
Kirk Fannin and Stacey Shemke remained in Kentucky. They sent occasional letters to Grant in prison. Otherwise they were not heard from.
When Kirk and Stacey went out Friday nights they drank Kentucky bourbon. Never vodka.
New Pop Lit is a joint project of Karl Wenclas and Kathleen Marie Crane. The "3-D" multidimensional story is an idea we've been working toward for several years. We're a long way from perfecting the concept. Expect more of them.
Tagged "Vodka Friday Night", 3-D Stories, Detroit Opera House, Detroit Police Department, Detroit River, downriver Detroit, Gang Squad, guns, Karl Wenclas, multidimensional fiction, New Pop Lit, new writing styles, noir fiction, Rigoletto, suburban police, the short story form, urban gangs, vodka Leave a comment
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Judith Heasley
Judy is a retired higher education administrator capping her career by serving one year as an Executive Staff Affiliate with the Kansas Board of Regents. She brings 27 years of advancement experience as an associate consultant and served as President/CEO of the Emporia State Foundation. At Arizona State University Polytechnic campus, she directed the campus campaign to raise over $26 million and conducted fundraising efforts for the Cronkite School of Journalism.
She earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Northern Arizona University and her Master's degree in Higher Education and Business Management from Texas Tech University. She has assisted numerous nonprofits and local organizations as a volunteer and board member.
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Gov. Abbott's New Executive Order is Latest Step in Unmasking Texas
Aaron Zytle (AZ)
Aaron Zytle (AZ) Published: May 19, 2021
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Texas Governor Greg Abbott's new executive order prevents government entities in Texas from requiring or mandating mask wearing. That includes public schools.
The executive order is scheduled to take effect on May 21st, but public schools will be allowed to continue their current mask policies through June 4th.
Gov. Abbott wrote in a press release, "The Lone Star State continues to defeat COVID-19 through the use of widely-available vaccines, antibody therapeutic drugs, and safe practices utilized by Texans in our communities. Texans, not government, should decide their best health practices, which is why masks will not be mandated by public school districts or government entities. We can continue to mitigate COVID-19 while defending Texans' liberty to choose whether or not they mask up."
Additionally, as of May 21, any government entity or government official violating the executive order could face a fine up to $1,000.
According to NBCDFW, Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins says Abbott's order stands opposite of what the CDC is recommending.
"Unfortunately, the governor has passed an order prohibiting local governments from requiring unvaccinated people to wear a mask in government buildings," Judge Jenkins said. "The CDC is clear that unvaccinated people should still wear a mask indoors when not in their home. The governor's order deviates from that recommendation. We do well when leaders follow the science and poorly when they do not."
There are a few exemptions to the new executive order including, state-supported living centers, government-owned or operated hospitals, Texas Department of Criminal Justice facilities, Texas Juvenile Justice Department facilities, and county and municipal jails.
This new executive order comes as no surprise, as Texas seems to always be one step ahead of the CDC.
LOOK: Here Are 30 Foods That Are Poisonous to Dogs
To prepare yourself for a potential incident, always keep your vet's phone number handy, along with an after-hours clinic you can call in an emergency. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center also has a hotline you can call at (888) 426-4435 for advice.
Even with all of these resources, however, the best cure for food poisoning is preventing it in the first place. To give you an idea of what human foods can be dangerous, Stacker has put together a slideshow of 30 common foods to avoid. Take a look to see if there are any that surprise you.
Filed Under: Coronavirus, greg abbott, News, politics, texas news
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Great News! (For Some) Masks Are Being Phased Out On Airlines And In Ubers In Killeen, Texas
An Open Letter to Killeen, Texas About COVID-19
Get 'Em While You Can – H-E-B in Killeen, Texas Has Free N95 Masks While Supplies Last
Why Texas Governor Greg Abbott wants to shut down TikTok
People In Killeen, Texas and Surrounding Areas Can Soon Get Free N95 Masks
Here's How People in Temple/Killeen, Texas Can Order Free COVID-19 Tests From USPS
Get a Free COVID-19 Vaccine in Rogers, Salado, or Temple This Week


Bihar staff selection commission BSSC BIH NIC IN published official notification for the recruitment of 9755 post of various categories. Official notification is published for Amin, CI or circle inspector, Female Health worker ANM, and GNM Hostess posts. Application form is invited online from the eligible candidates.
Rs. 9300 - 34,800 + Grade Pay of Rs. 4200/-.
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Selection procedure: will be based on through the written examination.
Application form fee : rs 375 for general and OBC, rs 100 for SC and ST candidates.
How to apply: interested candidates can fill online application form through the above mentioned official websites.


The class represents wrapper of an image in unmanaged memory. Using this class it is possible as to allocate new image in unmanaged memory, as to just wrap provided pointer to unmanaged memory, where an image is stored.
Usage of unmanaged images is mostly beneficial when it is required to apply multiple image processing routines to a single image. In such scenario usage of .NET managed images usually leads to worse performance, because each routine needs to lock managed image before image processing is done and then unlock it after image processing is done. Without these lock/unlock there is no way to get direct access to managed image's data, which means there is no way to do fast image processing. So, usage of managed images lead to overhead, which is caused by locks/unlock. Unmanaged images are represented internally using unmanaged memory buffer. This means that it is not required to do any locks/unlocks in order to get access to image data (no overhead).