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"A Time for Fantasy"
Dec 24, 2018Abagail BelcastroEssays/Articles (all)0
When I was ten, my bedtime stories were Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. The prose was far beyond my elementary comprehension, my father stopping every third paragraph to explain the plot in layman's terms, but Tolkien's vast world lodged in my child's brain and never left. I wanted more of hobbits and elves and scary black riders, but I didn't understand Lord of the Rings without my father, so he introduced me to the more age-appropriate Chronicles of Narnia. Here was fantasy in spades, talking lions and eternal winters in the back of a magical wardrobe with children my age as the heroes. It's difficult to pinpoint an exact moment where the fantasy genre took over my life; certainly Lord of the Rings wasn't my first experience in the realm of Faerie. I'd watched countless Disney films as a small child, and whether or not one considers "Beauty and the Beast" or "Robin Hood" to be fantasy or folklore, most of Disney's empire has been built on the foundation of impossibility and the suspension of disbelief. Along with many other young Americans, I'd also spent early childhood waiting expectantly on Christmas Eve for an immortal fat man to fly through the snapping air of a December night and leave gifts wrapped in campy paper under our tree. My point is that fantasy, as a cultural form, is everywhere; with some of us finding our niche in the dark murky mists of Avalon or the rounded dome holes of the Shire.
While I was a well-read child, voraciously consuming historical YA, The Boxcar Children, the entire Anne of Green Gables series, and a copious Christian mystery series about a girl named Mandie, my first love and the books I gravitated towards most were ones where dragons, warriors, and magic reigned. Then along came Harry Potter.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone made its way to the U.S. when I was in sixth grade, and as a member of an open-minded, yet conservative Christian household, the religious Harry Potter debate was a hotbed at our church and usually reared its ugly head around the Thanksgiving table. In truth, surprisingly, I felt no desire to read this controversial new publication when I was happy enough with Madeline L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time and my good-old standby, C.S. Lewis. But my mother, who is not a reader, requested I read Harry Potter and give her an honest opinion of its contents so that she knew exactly what all the mothers at church were clutching their pearls over.
I loved it; I fell right into Rowling's world, just like any fantasy I embarked on, and the critique I brought back to my mother was that it was just a normal fantasy: good vs. evil, interesting characters, large encompassing plots, and several books long. I couldn't see the Christian issue, since to me, there were no differences between Harry's magical world and Gandalf's wizard powers in The Fellowship of the Ring. While the book peeping out of my bag prompted many strange looks in Sunday school, no one in the church ever tried to argue with my family about Harry Potter again. But the controversy surrounding the Potter series introduced me to something I'd never encountered in my reading experience before: the critic, particularly the un-read critic.
Most of the church mothers vilified the Potter series without ever having cracked the spine. They had heard somewhere (Christian talk radio, Christian magazines, friends) that this book was about witchcraft and demons, and therefore had no place in a Christian home. Unsuspecting children's minds would read about Harry the Wizard and suddenly not be able to differentiate the fantasy from reality, causing the whole world of Christendom to come crashing down. At least this was normally the hand-wringing utterance given to me whenever I asked a parent why their child wasn't allowed to read the same book I was enjoying so much. Their logic confused me since I was a child and I had no problem understanding that I could scream "Accio" all I wanted while waving a wooden stick, and no object in the universe was going to come careening across the room to me. Spells and magic weren't what I was taking away from the Potter series. I knew I wasn't ever going to receive a letter in green calligraphy telling me I had magical powers. The magic was exciting, but it wasn't the reason I kept turning the pages. At the end of the day, I understood Harry's yearning for friendship and his need to find acceptance after an abusive upbringing. As a bookish kid with thrift-store clothes and financially poor parents, I knew what it was to be the outcast. I knew what it felt like to not have any friends at school because I was the loner book-worm. I understood what it was to feel 'other', to be the only kid in Sunday school not only allowed, but encouraged to read an evil book series. It wasn't the wizard in Harry that I wanted to keep reading about, but the human in Harry that I understood and identified with. And so it goes with most of my childhood fantasy favorites. The Pevensie children were looking for an escape from the raging war at the beginning of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Tolkien's hobbits chose to forgo a quiet life of Shire-sitting in order to save the world from darkness and help a band of homeless dwarves reclaim their mountain. A Wrinkle in Time's Meg hoped to find her missing father and prove to the world she hadn't been abandoned. No dwarf ever knocked on my door demanding help defeating a dragon; no wizard ever gifted me a demonic ring and sent me on a quest. No magical world had ever materialized in the back of my closet, and I'd certainly never lost my father through a time-traveling glitch. But if my father had ever gone missing, I would have gone on a crazy quest with three strange old ladies to find him. I sympathized with the homeless dwarves, and understood the terrible consequences if Frodo didn't destroy the ring because I could see humanity's greatest moments mirrored in these characters.
The names change, the magic is different, the stories and worlds are unique, but at the center of every great fantasy novel is a relatable human (or human-esque creature) with deep human yearnings making big human decisions. If all the fantasy is taken away, the point of the story is no different from The Great Gatsby or even the silly, moral plots of The Boxcar Children. It all comes down to the humanity; to very relatable characters struggling with the same sorrows, joys, and growing-up experiences that many children (and most adults) deal with every day. But to many, if the story is not 'real' in the sense that it could have happened in a real place with real people, the story has little merit.
I read The Silmarillion in high school, and distinctly remember several teachers asking why I was wasting my time reading a book on the history of nothing. That's all The Silmarillion was, a long book about how Middle Earth came into existence. It was the history of an imaginary land, with imaginary languages and imaginary creatures. I would have been better off reading 1066 and All That; it would have at least been about a real place. But The Silmarillion's lack of true history didn't diminish Tolkien's world-building, character development, or the same vivid language that captured my imagination in his trilogy and prequel. The fact that it was the history of a land that never existed didn't change the quality of what was written on the page. But this was a difficult argument to open to a critic who'd never cracked The Hobbit, let alone The Silmarillion, and it's an argument the entire fantasy genre has been fighting for centuries.
Stemming back to the Elizabethan period, the whole of society discarded old-wives' tales and fireside folklore in favor of science and logic. Voyages to the new world proved that ships would not fall off the edge of the map, eventually leading to European expansion. In his essay 'On Fairy Stories,' Tolkien's assessment of the situation was "…I suspect that this flower-and-butterfly minuteness was also a product of 'rationalisation,' [sic] which transformed the glamour of Elf-land into mere finesses….It seems to become fashionable soon after the great voyages had begun to make the world seem too narrow to hold both men and elves…" (Tolkien, 111). Coupled with the Queen Elizabeth I's Protestant take-over and a subsequent disillusion of the mysteries in Catholic tradition, the emerging smaller world brought an end to the popularity of folk tales and fantasy stories. Anything containing dragons, faeries, or the gently fantastical reeked of medieval superstition and was considered societal regression (Carroll, 8 – 9).
Religiously persecuted immigrants landing in America during the 1600s brought this growing rational emphasis (Carroll, 8) across the pond and imbibed a culture of 'dutiful reading' in which the perusal of books was only permissible for spiritual growth. Pleasurable reading was sinful as it kept the able bodied from working (Carroll, 13) and this, along with many other Puritanical social ideals held sway well into the Romantic and Victorian eras. On a personal level, this explains why I may have hated my sophomore year American Literature class so much. With the exception of Milton's Paradise Lost, which at least had fantastical elements with angels and demons, my readings consisted of religious poems, Thoreau and Whitman's opuses to nature, and Holden Caufield being a selfish ass. While we did spend some time on Paradise Lost, we were not encouraged to focus on the fantastical elements of Milton's epic, but on what Milton was trying to say. Neil Gaiman suggests that "many folk stories, once they got to America, lost their magic. The magic fell out. There was a weird practicality that came in" (Blaschke 136), which might explain my distaste for Paradise Lost regardless of its fantastical leanings. At the center of Milton's poem (or at least the small part of it that we read in class) seemed to be a rationality of the epic battle between God and Lucifer. The poem was not an epic story about another world, but Milton's way of explaining the very fantastical undertones of the Bible.
I was very aware of the Bible, coming from the uber-Christian household I did. My first real memory of any book that I loved was a picture Bible that reduced the entire scripture into a comic book drawn in the style of the "Valiant" comic strip of the Sunday newspapers. I read this book until the spine fell off, and then I taped it together and read it some more. Granted, I didn't feel like I was reading fantasy while I flipped through my favorite stories. Moses parting the Red Sea, the Angel of Death flying over Egypt, and the many miracles of Jesus were history to me; real things that happened to real people in a time long before my birth. True or not, they still fall under the umbrella of myth; no different than Greek, Nordic, Malaysian, or Japanese, and so they retain a certain need for suspension of disbelief. Perhaps this early exposure to Bible stories opened me to the same suspension of disbelief needed to get through fantasy novels. Incidentally, the first works considered fantasy were myths; The Odyssey, The Fall of Icarus, The Epic of Gilgamesh, Beowulf and the like, many of which were part of the aristocratic educational curriculum for language and culture. However, as the Age of Enlightenment ushered in the Industrial Revolution, the Victorians "with their overriding values of rationality and progress, tended to discourage the serious discussion of the values of the fantastic" (Carroll, 8) and mythology found itself removed from the usual gentleman's education as it was considered an irrational distraction (Carroll, 8). While America and Britain were honing out the perfect Great Domestic Novel during the Romantic and Victorian eras, fantasy found itself left out for adoption on a dirty city street corner. While the public ate up Bronte's Wuthering Heights and any serial with Dickens' name on it, myth and magic were deemed only applicable for the nursery, and even there fantasy and fairy tales were still scorned. The Victorians considered fantasy to be"' [. . .] corrupter[s] of childhood …who 'deplored the divergence of the fairy tale from matters of fact and its violations of natural laws, its seemingly unlicensed imaginativeness and its relatively random attention to improving lessons for the benefit of the little men and women whom they saw as its potential readership'" (Carroll, 9). This divergence from reality was deemed to be psychologically damaging for adults as well as children, with claims from philosophers and psychologists of the day claiming, "the fantastic in our time can have a place only in an insane asylum, and not in our literature (qtd in Jackson 172)", and "philologist Max Müller calling mythology a 'disease of language' (qtd in Tolkien 121)" (Carroll, 11). It is interesting to me, personally, that these rallying cries came during a period which gave us Alice in Wonderland, The Jungle Book, and many other fantastical novels. One wonders about the chicken or egg scenario here. Were those beloved fantasies written to prove psychology wrong, or were the psychologists reacting to these works becoming so popular? For indeed, fantasy novels have always been popular. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland sold out when it was printed in 1866, Tolkien's Lord of the Rings has sold over 150 million copies to date, with The Hobbit enjoying fifteen years as America's most sold paperback (Curry, 1). J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter sold an astounding 450 million copies as of statistics from 2011. In contrast, Catcher in the Rye, a book often found in school curriculums across the United States, comes in at 65 million, with another high school curriculum favorite, To Kill A Mockingbird coming in at only 40 million (Wikipedia). While these statistics cannot show the whole story, it does beg the question of why the likes of Rowling or Tolkien aren't considered to be in the same literary category as Salinger and Lee. Rowling and Tolkien are well written and award receiving, but only in their relegated genre.
But the tides of change are coming, as The Guardian writer, John Mullan, claims that "the barrier between this once disdained brand of fiction and 'serious' novels is breaking down." (Mullan, 1) However, the question still remains: why has fantasy been relegated to the back shelf of the literary world since the Elizabethan period? In his essay On Fairy Stories, Tolkien suggests that, "To many, Fantasy, this sub-creative art which plays strange tricks with the world and all that is in it, combining nouns and redistributing adjectives, has seemed suspect, if not illegitimate. To some it has seemed at least a childish folly, a thing only for peoples or for persons in their youth…" (Tolkien, 143) Tolkien was no stranger to critics, as his own biographer even suggested that "he doesn't really belong to literature or to the arts, but more to the category of people who do things with model railways in their garden sheds." (Curry, 2) As Patrick Curry states in his book, Tolkien and His Critics, "The critical rubbishing of Tolkien began with Edmund Wilson's extended sneer… about "juvenile trash" in 1956." (Curry, 4) Criticism Tolkien received posthumously well into the 90s delineated, "Tolkien appeals only to those 'with the mental age of a child – computer programmers, hippies and most Americans…'" (Curry, 4)
Curry goes on to say, "Inglis writes that Tolkien's prose "is moving, there is no doubt, but it moves a reader away from and never towards real life." (Curry, 15) Curry points out in his conclusion that a reason for Tolkien's harsh criticisms comes due to the literary critic "arrive[ing] in Middle Earth dressed in a hard-shell suit of Theory, protected from contamination by what they have already decided is its infantilism, escapism and reactionary politics." (Curry, 21) It's really the same phenomenon I discovered as a twelve-year-old Evangelical Christian reading Harry Potter. The church mothers, if they happened to crack the spine at all, brought specific components of their ultra-Christian values to Hogwarts, ignoring the human fight for love and peace through sacrifice, and saw the story only through a lens of the potential witchcraft and Satanism that terrified them. Shiloh Carroll discusses this in her Master's thesis Fantasy & Pedagogy: The Use of Fantasy in the College Classroom. " [To] the Christian parents and leaders, Harry Potter functions not as a story, but as a dangerous instruction manual on the practice of witchcraft. Rather than the generic magic system used in Star Wars, The Lord of the Rings, or The Chronicles of Narnia, the use of "real" occult and Wiccan practices within Harry Potter makes them particularly dangerous ." (Carroll, 15)
But how much more 'dangerous' or different is Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings from any other type of novel? And on a more critical level, what difference is there between a novel considered to be a classic, and a fantasy? I close-read Wuthering Heights while simultaneously reading The Hobbit to see if there were any differences in how either author approached their craft. Incidentally, even though the former is considered a 19th Century classic, and The Hobbit, while incredibly popular, is often seen as a run-of-the-mill children's story, there were strong similarities and relations between the two books. For example, both authors choose to narrate their books in a conversational style: Bronte tells her story through the maid, Ellen, while Tolkien chooses an omniscient narrator who continuously breaks the 4th wall to speak directly to the reader. In both cases, the reader is being told the story from an insider's perspective, allowing the reader to take on the attributes and opinions of the narrator. In Bronte's case, we feel what Ellen feels, which helps color our opinion of the characters: "I wanted something to happen which might have the effect of freeing both Wuthering Heights and the Grange of Mr. Heathcliff, quietly, leaving us as we had been prior to his advent. His visits were a continual nightmare to me; and, as I suspected, to my master also. His abode at the Heights was an oppression past explaining." (Bronte, 132) The language Bronte uses in this passage liberally uses "I" and Ellen's description of Mr. Heathcliff as 'a continual nightmare' and an 'oppression' give Heathcliff no redeeming qualities, keeping the reader from forming their own opinion of the character. While Tolkien's narrator is omniscient, the voice is still highly assertive and colors the reader's opinion of the characters similarly to Bronte: "Deep down here by the dark water lived old Gollum, a small, slimy creature. I don't know where he came from, nor who or what he was. He was Gollum–as dark as darkness….[the goblins]…had a feeling that something unpleasant was lurking down there, down at the very roots of the mountain." (Tolkien 79) Like Bronte, Tolkien's narrator uses the "I" and describes Gollum as 'small, slimy', and 'unpleasant' intentionally skewing the reader to form a dislike of Gollum.
A second similarity is in the mirroring dialects of characters: both Joseph, the Heights' handyman and Gollum, the ring's creature, speak in a specified dialect apparent on the page. In Joseph's case, Bronte selects a heavy Yorkshire accent that is written phonetically: "….we's hae a Crahnr's 'quest enah, at ahr folks. One on 'em's 'most getten his finger cut off wi' haudin' t' other froo' sticking hisseln loike a cawlf." (Bronte, 127). While Gollum's dialect is not as phonetic as Joseph's, Tolkien uses repetitive "s" sounds and the addition of extra 's's on the ends of certain words give him a snake-like quality: "Bless us and splash us, my precioussssss…..what iss he, my preciouss?" (Tolkien, 80). Through narrative style and character dialects, both authors control the reader's opinions of characters, creating a specific emotion that pushes the story. We are meant to hate Heathcliff and Gollum for the outcome of the story, and so we do.
Syntax and structure aside, both books navigate different facets of the human condition which give them timelessness and relevance. Catherine and Heathcliff love each other on a primal, almost animal level, but are incapable of having a functional relationship. Bilbo and the dwarves continually fight for a balance in reclaiming what is rightfully theirs and being consumed by materialistic greed. The choices of the characters in both novels have far reaching consequences for not just themselves, but everyone around them. While Bronte's consequences are domestic and Tolkien's global, the overarching relevance of human conditions in both books mean readers find something new with every re-read.
For me, this re-read of Wuthering Heights produced very different emotions than when I read it in high school. As a teenager, I remember feeling sorry for Heathcliff, seeing beyond his sociopathic tendencies to his possible redemption. I loved Catherine and Heathcliff's love story. I reveled in how they loved and lost, but their legacy lived on in the end. As an adult, I was disenchanted by their animal obsessions in each other and saw a family wrecked by the dysfunction of men with sociopathic tendencies and women bent on petty desires. I hated Catherine and Heathcliff and the destruction they caused in the wake of their passion.
Similar thoughts surfaced during my reread of The Hobbit. As a teenager, I never noticed just how many times Bilbo regretted his decision to go on such a ridiculous journey, yet his resilience and persistence to go on, despite feeling unequipped, scared, or lost, shows his tenacious nature and his inability to give up on his friends. Bilbo's navigation of a world totally foreign to him in which he not only survives, but prevails, spoke to me in a way I'd never noticed as a younger person.
So why then, if Tolkien and Bronte both timelessly capture the essence of the human condition, is The Hobbit considered less respectable than Wuthering Heights in certain circles? Perhaps it's simply what Curry suggests above; the critic cannot find their way past the enchanted forest, the magic ring, or the mythical creature. To enjoy fantasy is to enjoy the potential of the impossible and the unknown, to stretch the mind past 'what is' in the search of 'what if.' Good fantasy, as is the case with Tolkien, Rowling, Gaiman, Pratchett, Le Guin, or any of the other heavy hitting names in the genre have defined the 'what if' and then created a whole world around it in which the characters and settings function and follow a specific set of rules of the author's creation. This is essentially no different than the societal rules surrounding Bronte's Wuthering Heights.
It's when characters and settings do not follow the rules of the world that fantasy rings hollow. "The Fathers" of modern fantasy, William Morris and Lord Dunsany, revitalized a waning interest in the fantastic in the late 19th Century, publishing The Wood Beyond the World and The King of Elfland's Daughter, which were bestsellers in their times. Truthfully, I only made it through twenty percent of The Wood Beyond the World, and it took me several months to plough slowly through the high Arthurian language and medieval folk-tale plotting of The King of Elfland's Daughter. I was dismayed by the fact that I didn't enjoy the reading experience of either book. The King of Elfland's Daughter was particularly disappointing to me since Tolkien espoused it as one of his greatest inspirations for Middle Earth. But I found it boring, long-winded, and a waste of two-hundred pages. As a reader of fantasy, I was baffled by my reaction to it and was led to the larger questions of what exactly is it that makes a 'good' fantasy for genre readers. In my personal taste, Dunsany doesn't let me enter into the realm of his creation. He refers to the setting as "…the fields we know… ordinary English woods and a common village and valley, a good twenty-five miles from Elfland." (Dunsany, Loc 13) The characters are ciphers with little physical description; Lirazel, the King of Elfland's daughter and the lynchpin of the story, is simply described as being beautiful and wearing a crown "that seemed to be carved of great pale sapphires." (Dunsany, Loc. 267) The marriage of Lirazel and Alveric is also incredibly brief and non-descript: "the good man wedded them in his little house with the rites that are proper for the wedding of a mermaid that hath forsaken the sea." (Dunsany, Loc. 369) In contrast, Dunsany spends full chapters on poetic descriptions of the passage of time on earth versus the passage of time in Elfland; one chapter, entitled "Lurulu Watches the Restlessness of the World" spends twelve pages surmising how Lurulu the Troll watches pigeons in the rookery in order to understand how human time differs from Elfland time. Dunsany favors repetitive language in these chapters; in one paragraph "he observes…" "he sees…" "he hears…" and "he perceives…" is repeated seven times (Dunsany, Loc 1849), and I lost considerable interest wading through Dunsany's almost philosophical introspection on the differences from one world to the other. Dunsany made me work for the magic, and then most of the magic didn't do anything exciting. The rules for the world were not fully developed, leaving me feeling unresolved and questioning how environments functioned and what characters were doing. The King of Elfland is supposed to have incredible magical spells, but they only seem to work when it is convenient for the plot. There is no construct for when the magic happens or motive for the characters. In contrast, Tolkien's characters function within a well-set scope of social constructs and societal norms that allow the reader to enter the world and understand its mechanisms. In the first three pages, Tolkien spells out what a hobbit is, where they live, what sort of magic they possess or do not possess, and a brief history of the hobbit lineage within the greater world. By page four, the reader has a working understanding of Tolkien's world that the author then builds upon. Dunsany begins his story with an argument between a group of Lords and the King of Erl about being ruled by magic. On the second page, the King of Erl sends Alveric on a quest for Lirazel, but the reader has nothing to grasp onto; there are little environmental descriptors or character development. Where we have a very good idea of who Bilbo Baggins is in the first few pages of The Hobbit, "the mother of this particular hobbit [Bilbo] was the fabulous Belladonna Took….It was often said (in other families) that long ago one of the Took ancestors had taken a fairy wife. That was, of course, absurd, but…once in a while members of the Took-clan would go and have adventures. They discreetly disappeared, and the family hushed it up; but the fact remained that the Tooks were not as respectable as the Bagginses, though they were undoubtedly richer." (Tolkien, 16) From this passage we understand that Bilbo is prepared for the type of journey he will be embarking on based on his family history. In Dunsany's case, we have very little understanding of why is characters are chosen to do what they do. The King of Erl is simply a "stately white haired man in his long red room" (Dunsany, Loc. 32), and Alveric is simply described as his eldest son, who is a young man. Other than knowing that one is a king, and by proxy, Alveric must be a prince, we have no understanding for why these characters are appropriate for their epic place in this story.
While it can be argued that Dunsany was more concerned in reviving the Arthurian tales and medieval undertones of the original myths and folktales he was borrowing from than in telling a good story, Dunsany is used as inspiration and a derivative for many a modern fantasy novel that falls into the pitfall of the unexplained world, or the non-relatable character. Dunsany's characters were ciphers who made very few difficult human choices in their story. Alveric quests to get his wife back, but we have no idea why he decides to be so dedicated to such a cause when it becomes obvious that she cannot be found. Their son Orion spends most of the story hunting magical unicorns that only he can see due to his elfin blood, but this neither impacts his own life or the lives of his parents. Lirazel leaves her husband to go back to Elfland, but her return is more due to her father's magical spell than any decision of her own.
In contrast, both of Tolkien's main characters, Bilbo and Frodo, make life altering decisions in following Gandalf on his quests. Both choose to leave their homes of quiet complacency and venture out into the unknown with the understanding that there is a great chance they won't return. While in Bilbo's case, the adventure is thrust upon him with the appearance of the thirteen dwarves on his doorstep, the decision to join them, and later to give the Arkenstone to Thorin's enemies in the hopes of saving lives, is a choice made all on his own.
Tolkien creates beautiful tension throughout The Hobbit by having Bilbo grapple with his desire to continue questing with his newfound friends and his desire to return to his quiet life with a cup of tea and his armchair. To pull from author Eliot Shrefer's presentation at Farleigh Dickinson University's 2016 summer residency, Tolkien creates a 'wicked question' for Bilbo that spans the length of the story. Does he risk certain death to help his friends recover their birthright, or does he stay at home where he is safe and forever wonder if he could have made a difference? More than ten times throughout the journey, Bilbo states a variation of wishing he had never set foot out his front door. But then directly in the next paragraph, Bilbo makes decisions that push him further down the questing road rather than turning back towards his Hobbit hole, which in turn, forces me as the reader to continue questing along with him. This is the human tension lacking in The King of Elfland's Daughter. Dunsany's characters grapple with nothing.
So what is the fate of fantasy in the 21st Century? John Mullan of The Guardian does an excellent close reading on several famous fantasy writers in his op-ed, "The Triumph of Fantasy Fiction." He discusses how G.R.R. Martin "could, of course, write ripping historical fiction if he wished, but by escaping real history he denies the reader any privilege of knowing what is destined to take place" (3). He discusses how "Neil Gaiman…specializes in stories that do not so much take us to other worlds as admit the deities and demons of different mythologies to this one. The AU [alternate universe] is in our midst" (4). Of Terry Pratchett, a beloved and well awarded writer of the fantasy genre, Mullan explains, "Later Discworld novels, even if they are housed on the fantasy shelves, had less and less to do with sending up fantasy conventions and more with satirizing the world we know very well. Most are dedicated to the mockery of some field of modern human endeavor: journalism, academia, football…." (4) Incidentally none of the things Mullan lauds as excellent in the above descriptions has much in the way to do with the actual fantasy itself, but in the ways it is presented. Martin's multi-book epic, A Song of Ice and Fire, appeals to readers due to his brilliantly vivid, historically based writing, even if the book has dragons, magic, and winter zombies. Pratchett's fantasies take place in a fantasy setting but deal with articles of the daily-mundane, or in some cases, Pratchett turns the magical into the daily mundane. In one of his earlier Discworld books, Lords and Ladies, Pratchett spends two full pages describing the bath-time preparations of the witch, Nanny Ogg. This satirical and amusing aside has very little to do with the plot of his book, but he cleverly works a witch's slightly magical ablutions into the mundane everyday, building up his world to encompass both the 'reality' and the 'fantasy' in a single character.
Secondly, Pratchett's work is often loosely based on a classical piece of fiction that he's emulating. In the case of Lords and Ladies, Pratchett gently riffs on Shakespeare's A Midsummer's Night's Dream, allowing his fantasy to be enjoyed in layers. A Song of Ice and Fire functions similarity: Martin has done his research, and any mildly-read student of history has figured out that Martin changed some names and threw some dragons into the history of medieval Europe and called it Westeros. A non-fantasy reader has a way in, a magical key, if you will, and the fantasies that now appear in our cinemas and on primetime television have used that key to transcend the magical barrier. They've given the critics in their hard-shell suits and the non-fantasy readers with their limited imaginations a helping hand through the winding maze of Faerie.
But why now? Fantasy has been around since the beginning of recorded history in one form or another. Why has it taken until the 21st Century for fantasy to even begin finding its merit? Tolkien sums it up well in On Fairy Stories: "Fantasy, even of the simplest kind, hardly ever succeeds in Drama, when that is presented as it should be, visibly and audibly acted. Fantastic forms are not to be counterfeited. Men dressed up as talking animals may achieve buffoonery or mimicry, but they do not achieve fantasy." (Tolkien, 141) The simplest answer to why this has changed is that the 21st Century created the appropriate technology. It's far harder to mock a fantasy story's mythical creature when an almost touchable CGI dragon's face is staring out into the audience from a cinema screen. It looks real, it sounds real, and so suddenly it is real, if just for an hour or two. Any cinematic adaption of a fantasy story before the late 90s was normally a campy, low-budget endeavor that greatly taxed the suspension of disbelief for even the most avid of fantasy lovers. I had a BBC adaption of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe from 1988 that had actors dressed in full sized animal costumes trying desperately to be taken seriously as talking beavers and skunks. Even as a twelve-year-old, it was difficult to believe the story when the beaver was taller than the Pevensie children, and had a man's face and glued on buckteeth. It was even harder to be sad over Aslan's death when it was clear that the director had just filmed the stabbing of a mechanical lion.
But the advent of realistic CGI has made it much easier to recreate monsters, dragons, and convincing fantasy set designs. Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings movies, which both came out in 2001, were a few of the first fantasy-based films to visually recreate fantastical settings that were so detailed viewers could almost jump into the screen. A continuation of this idea can be seen in the Harry Potter Theme Park at Universal Studios. Visitors can go a step further and actually enter a physical world resembling the Harry Potter universe. These new and convincing outlets for the fantasy story bring in individuals who may never have cracked the book open, but may now be more apt to take an interest in the source material. And since these potential readers now have a visual before opening the book, their journey into the world of the fantastic is easier than if they'd picked up the book before watching the screen or visiting the attraction.
Another, seemingly inconsequential change for the fantasy genre was in a change of book-jacket. This seems like a trivial thing in comparison to the existential criticism Tolkien was receiving for his epic, but regardless of what librarians have been saying for years, many readers do judge a book by its cover. Ultimately, fantasy covers were part of the 'low-brow' sentiment many critics have historically felt towards the genre. Carroll continues in her thesis, "… it is admittedly difficult to take seriously a book whose cover is graced with a curvaceous woman wearing a barely decent chain mail bikini and sporting a sword…" (Carroll, 13) While Tolkien's books never had a chain mail bikini clad woman on the front, they have had their share of campy covers, particularly from the 1960s – 70s. The covers of the books my father read to me as a child looked like the following:
http://blog.elope.com/five-things-you-should-know-about-the-one-ring/
In essence there's nothing 'wrong' with these covers, but compare them to J.D. Salinger's Catcher in the Rye cover:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Catcher_in_the_Rye
Salinger's cover art has bold, eye-catching colors and heavy line work that give a certain gravity and grittiness to the image, while Tolkien's covers have muted colors, soft lines, and give off a whimsical, children's fairytale-esque feel. Placed side by side on a shelf, Salinger's cover will be noticed first, the eye immediately gravitating towards the splashes of red and yellow, while Tolkien's will be seen afterwards.
While it can be argued that a book must sell itself on the merits of its writing and not its cover, and the cover art hasn't hurt the sale of fantasy books to the general public, Carroll makes a defining point. Like the market packaging of any product, should the outside fail to impress, it's that much harder to get a customer in the front door. If a reader has gone to the bookstore unsure of what they'd like to read and they are accosted by fantasy covers graced with scantily clad women, whimsical paintings, or just plain bad art, they are far less likely to pick up the book and peruse its dust jacket than something that looks like the Salinger cover shown above. Incidentally, after the great success of Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings movie adaption, Tolkien's books came out in a myriad of new covers. One such cover looks like the following:
http://www.abebooks.com/book-search/title/lord-rings/author/tolkien/kw/trilogy/
Not only has the trilogy been bound as one book instead of three, but this cover, among several others released after The Two Towers movie in 2002, utilizes bright gold, embossed letters for the title and a movie-still backdrop of the armies of Middle Earth taking on Mordor's gates. The tone of the book has completely changed from the bucolic, pastel colored scenery of the 1970s cover to an epic cinematic blockbuster. From the 1970s cover, it's difficult to decipher what exactly the books are about; perhaps an opus on nature, or a collection of whimsical fairy stories with creatures called Hobbits. The cover from 2002, however, relates that this is a dark epic of war, and war will always carry more gravity than a simple fairy story.
In conclusion, the realm of fantasy is indeed breaking into the mainstream sphere after a long history of being left on the dusty back shelves. Part of this is due to the 21st Century's ability to effectively and realistically visualize the fantastical world, but I would also hypothesize, though I have no evidence besides my own observations to back it up, that the general outlook of millennials lends itself to the acceptance of fantasy. According to Pew Research Center, millennials "are more ethnically and racially diverse than older adults. They're less religious, less likely to have served in the military, and are on track to become the most educated generation in American history…. " As well as embracing multiple modes of self-expression, the millennial generation is also more accepting of change and of societal differences than their baby-boomer counterparts. For fantasy, this means there is an acceptance of the other. The millennial generation is not afraid of the possibility of psychological damage from spending too much time in the dry hobbit holes of Middle Earth, or of falling into Satanism from reading aloud spells from Harry Potter. They've been educated enough to understand that fantasy is fantasy and reality is real. As a generation they do not see fantasy as a bad thing; it is a simply another art form, another type of expression, another outlet for creativity. This, coupled with the millennials' constant online sharing and viewing of global markets, means that books' cover art and critics no longer matter as much. Many fantasy books today have fan bases that proselytize wildly about books they love over their blogs, book review sites, or other forms of social media. As a millennial myself, when I am looking for a book to read, I don't go to the New York Times Book Review, or even to Barnes & Noble's Bestseller list. I go to my friends, or to Goodreads, or to the Cannonball Read Review. There I find readers like me who write about books they love, and allow me to decide if I would like them, too. Places like Comic-Con and other genre conventions also celebrate fantasy writers and allow them to meet their audiences and grow their bases more widely. Coupled with the great success fantasy films and TV shows have had recently, fantasy is reaching far more readers and making the critics of standard fiction sit up and finally pay attention to this long abused genre.
"Alice's Adventures in Wonderland." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 06 Dec. 2016. Web. 10 Nov. 2016. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice%27s_Adventures_in_Wonderland#Publication_history>.
Blaschke, Jayme Lynn. Voices of Vision: Creators of Science Fiction and Fantasy Speak. Lincoln: Univeristy of Nebraska Press, 2005.
Bronte, Emily. Wuthering Heights. Puffin Books, 1990.
Carroll, Shiloh. "The Use of Fantasy in the College Classroom." Master's thesis, Radford University, 2008.
Curry, Patrick. "Tolkien and His Critics: A Critique." In Root and Branch: Approaches Towards Understanding Tolkien, , 81-148. 2nd ed. Zurich: Walking Tree Publishers , 2005.
"List of Best-selling Books." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 09 Dec. 2016. Web. 10 Nov. 2016. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_books>.
Mullan, John. "A Triumph of Fantasy Fiction." Www.theguardian.com/books/2015/apr/03/george-rr-martin-game-of-throens-and-the-triumph-of-fantasy-fiction., May 03, 2015. Accessed November 10, 2016. www.theguardian.com/books/2015/apr/03/george-rr-martin-game-of-throens-and-the-triumph-of-fantasy-fiction.
"Millennnials: Confident. Connected. Open to Change." Pew Research Center's Social & Demographic Trends Project. February 24, 2010. Accessed November 05, 2016. www.pewsocialtrends.org/2010/02/24/millenials-confident-connected-open-to-change/.
Pratchett, Terry. Lords and Ladies. Harper Collins, 1992.
Therrin, Chris. "5 Things You Should Know About the One Ring." Elope, Inc. May 21, 2014. Accessed December 09, 2016. blog.elope.com/five-things-you-should-know-about-the-one-ring.
"The Catcher in the Rye." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 07 Dec. 2016. Web. 10 Nov. 2016. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Catcher_in_the_Rye>.
"The Lord of the Rings Triology Photo Guide." Abebooks. Accessed November 10, 2016. www.abebooks.com/book-search/title/lord-rings/author/tolkien-kw/trilogy.
Tolkien, J.R.R. The Hobbit. George Allen & Unwin Ltd, 1937.
Tolkien, J.R.R., and Christopher Tolkien. "On Fairy Story." In Monsters & the Critics & Other Essays, 109-61. London: George Allen & Unwin, 1983.
Featured Fiction New Fiction Essays/Articles (all) Why I Write Developing a Writing Life Fiction Craft Advice / Suggestions
So how did I get here…well, okay, where do I start? The strippers. I'm going to start with the strippers. The
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"5 Steps to Better Worldbuilding"
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About Abagail Belcastro
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"A Time for Fantasy" - December 24, 2018
Previous Post"On Writing" Next Post"Flesh"
"On Writing"
The truly terrifying thing to me is that I've been here before. Regrettably, this has become my wheelhouse, my comfort zone, my modus operandi. To feel the tightness in my throat is nothing new to me at this point. So here I am, staring at a blank screen in front of me. There's a deadline, and I have nothing. It's nothing new to me, but I misspoke when I called it a comfort zone. It's more of an old familiarity that I cannot shake, a high base line for anxiety. We've been told we all have two main instincts. We've heard it forever. We are taught that in order to survive, we respond with either flight or fight. That's what it all comes down to. However, as with everything, there is a grey area. I am a flightless non-pugilist. In times of crisis, I freeze. I panic. I crumble. There is nothing. Of course, if you're reading this, you know the end to the story. You've already surmised the ultimate result, no doubt. There is an inherent giveaway just in the telling of the story. But, I've never believed in spoilers. It's about the journey. It's about the story of getting to


FIR Productions is a digital marketing, publicity and property marketing company owned and operated by Francesca Raimond. Her focus is on non-profits, arts organizations, artists, musicians, authors, small businesses and educational institutions.
Her strategies help companies increase online and foot traffic via social media platforms, online community outreach, Search Engine Optimization and Marketing, website enhancements, newsletter production, subscriber maintenance, videos, e-commerce and reputation management.
Specialties include artist representation, management and publicity. She is a digital promoter and publicist who helps artists market and sell their work in the digital space. She takes care of all aspects of promotion of shows, tours and e-commerce so they can focus on making art and music.
Additional services include eco-friendly event planning such as fundraisers, art shows and musical performances. Contact us to improve the exposure of your company, business or vision via digital marketing, live events and social networking.


text:
UK Music welcomes government backing for musicians rights
March 3rd 2020 at 2:00PM
Tom Kiehl, acting CEO of UK Music, has reinforced the UK's bid to ensure fair reward for musicians after the new Minister for Intellectual Property delivered a positive response on the issue.
In a letter to Kiehl, Amanda Solloway, MP for Derby North, said that "music creators need to be fairly remunerated by platforms when their works are used online".
Responding to a letter in which Kiehl outlined his concerns, Solloway said: "I understand your concerns that music creators need to be fairly remunerated by platforms when their works are used online."
Solloway continued: "This is something I agree with, which is why the Government worked hard in the Directive negotiations to secure a good outcome for our creators. Although the UK will not be implementing the Directive now that we have left the EU, our support for creators has not changed.
"This Government recognises the importance and value of our successful music industry. The UK copyright framework must provide fair rewards for creators in the online ecosystem, while taking into account the needs of consumers and ensuring a thriving digital economy."
This Government recognises the importance and value of our successful music industry
Amanda Solloway MP
Solloway confirmed that the Department for Business and the Department for Digital Culture, Media and Sport plans to stage a series of events with music industry leaders across 2020.
Kiehl has welcomed the news. "It is very encouraging to get such strong support for the music industry and to hear that the Minister believes that creators must be fairly paid for their talent," he said.
"This commitment from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy follows earlier reassurances from the former Culture Minister Nigel Adams about the Government's determination to secure a positive outcome for music creators.
Kiehl added: "We look forward to continuing to press the case for copyright safeguards and the other issues facing the music industry at the forthcoming roundtables with the Government. This is a critical time for the UK music industry which faces a number of challenges in the months ahead. We will continue to work with the Government to drive forward our world-leading industry."
Talent,
UK Music,
Nigel Adams,
Tom Kiehl
Sam Smith starts in pole position with Gloria

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: if field is empty use post I have a custom block with ACF that is manually updated with a header/description/link to a news article. What I'm trying to accomplish, or see if possible, is that if a field is empty, I want it to render the most recent "post". Again, not sure if it's even possible, but this is what I tried:
```<div class="max-w-5xl mx-4 bg-white md:mx-32 md:-mt-10 relative p-6">
<div class="flex flex-col md:flex-row md:space-x-7 space-y-10 md:space-y-0">
    {% if field in fields is not empty %}
        {% for field in fields.features.features %}
            <div class="w-full h-64 md:w-1/3 frame flex bg-cover bg-blend-multiply bg-brand-purple-dark" style="background-image: url({{ field.background_image }})">
                <div class="mt-6 flex flex-col items-center flex-grow">
                    <img class="h-8 mb-10" src="{{ theme.link }}/assets/images/mini-ar-state.webp" alt="{{ field.heading }}" loading="lazy"/>
                    <h3 class="px-5 text-center font-BSC font-bold text-white opacity-100">{{ field.heading }}</h3>
                    <a href="{{ field.link.url ? field.link.url : field.link.page_link }}" target="_blank" class="flex space-x-1 items-center text-brand-red underline mt-2 group">
                        <svg class="w-12 transition ease-in-out transform group-hover:translate-x-1" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" class="h-6 w-6" fill="none" viewbox="0 0 24 24" stroke="currentColor">
                            <path stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" stroke-width="2" d="M13 7l5 5m0 0l-5 5m5-5H6"/>
                        </svg>
                    </a>
                </div>
            </div>
        {% endfor %}
    {% else %}
        {% for post in posts %}
            <div class="w-full h-64 md:w-1/3 frame flex bg-cover bg-blend-multiply bg-brand-purple-dark" style="background-image: url({{ post.image }})">
                <div class="mt-6 flex flex-col items-center flex-grow">
                    <img class="h-8 mb-10" src="{{ theme.link }}/assets/images/mini-ar-state.webp" alt="{{ post.heading }}" loading="lazy"/>
                    <h3 class="px-5 text-center font-BSC font-bold text-white opacity-100">{{ post.title }}</h3>
                    <a href="{{ post.link }}" target="_blank" class="flex space-x-1 items-center text-brand-red underline mt-2 group">
                        <svg class="w-12 transition ease-in-out transform group-hover:translate-x-1" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" class="h-6 w-6" fill="none" viewbox="0 0 24 24" stroke="currentColor">
                            <path stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" stroke-width="2" d="M13 7l5 5m0 0l-5 5m5-5H6"/>
                        </svg>
                    </a>
                </div>
            </div>
        {% endfor %}
    {% endif %}
</div>

```

A: Could you also provide the PHP, which defines the given context for Timber?
I would have modified the fields-array within the context, by adding the most recent post to that array, and setup the field-object manually. Then you'll have full control of what is returned to the twig-template.
Something like this (using dummy fields, since I don't know the given context):
$context = \Timber::context();

$context['fields'] = array(
    array(
        'heading'     => 'heading1',
        'description' => 'description1',
        'link'        => 'https://link1.com',
    ),
    array(), // field is empty.
    array(
        'heading'     => 'heading2',
        'description' => 'description2',
        'link'        => 'https://link2.com',
    ),
);

$latest_posts = \get_posts(
    array(
        'post_type'      => 'post',
        'posts_per_page' => 1,
        'order'          => 'DESC',
        'fields'         => 'ids',
    )
);

$latest_post_id = isset( $latest_posts[0] )
    ? \absint( $latest_posts[0] )
    : 0;

if ( 0 !== $latest_post_id ) {
    foreach ( $context['fields'] as $key => $field ) {
        if ( ! empty( $field ) ) {
            continue;
        }

        $context['fields'][ $key ] = array(
            'heading'     => \get_the_title( $latest_post_id ),
            'description' => \get_the_excerpt( $latest_post_id ),
            'link'        => \get_the_permalink( $latest_post_id ),
        );
    }
}

Using this approach, means that you only have to loop through the fields in the twig-template.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Call/Send switches are utilized to move the stair lift chair without anybody being on it. This is especially handy if two people utilize the lift and the lift is at the opposite end of the track when a user wishes to utilize it. the user simply calls the lift to come to them utilizing a call/send switch. Another use of call/send switch is to send the lift away after usage. Some people do not like the appearance of the lift parked in the main living area of the house in Alexandria Bay and will send it to the opposite end when not in use. They simply call it back when required.
Track Overruns – Some stair lifts use the option of an overrun at either the top of the track, bottom of the track or both. The function of a stair lift track overrun is to move the user far from the staircase to safely access or dismount the stair lift in a location where, if they fall, they won't fall on the stairs.
Power supply – While a lot of stair lifts are battery operated today all model will need a power supply to either charge the battery or power the system straight in the case of non-battery powered systems. Non-battery powered stair lifts draw a great deal of power and usually require a devoted circuit.
Call/Send Controls – Call/Send controls are normally installed on the wall near each end of the stair lift track to supply a way for a user to call the chair to them or send it away when not needed. They can be either wireless or wired to the lift depending on the model.
Seat – The stair lift seat is merely a seat for the user to rest on while using the lift. Depending upon the model it might rotate at the top and/or bottom of the track and will generally fold up out of the way when not in use.
Foot Rest – The foot rest of the stair lift is a security feature to prevent the the users feet from hitting the steps while using the lift and a comfort function to support the user's feet when sitting on the seat. The foot rest will have switches developed into them to stop the lift must it strike anything on the staircase and will turn up out of the way when the lift is not in use.
Transmission – Because the motor turns at expensive a speed to securely move the stair lift the track at kind of transmission is utilized to reduce the speed while increasing the power readily available.
Battery Battery charger – Battery powered stair lifts should have a battery charger of some sort to keep the battery charged. The chargers are generally found under the track or near one end of the track. The charger works instantly without any action needed by the user.
Battery – The batteries utilized in stair lifts are fairly expensive and found within the base of the seat near the motor. They will need to be changed at some time however their life span is measured in years and thier replacement must not be a big concern.
Outdoor stair lift Limited movement is an issue for numerous senior citizens and a concern for their families in Alexandria Bay. Seniors who wish to remain in their homes and stay independent can improve their movement and stay safe by setting up a stair lift.
A stair lift can transfer you or a loved one safely from one floor to another in your home. A stair lift can provide a safe ways of transport so that you will not have to stress over the risks of falling on the stairs. It is a particularly great option for a senior who lives alone.
Stair lifts been available in a range of sizes and capacities. Compact models accommodate and provide movement for narrow staircases, supporting as much as 350 pounds while doing so, and at the other end, durable stair lifts offer a broader seat and can handle a higher variety of body types.
Because of the larger, more powerful design, the stair lift supplies accessibility and improves movement for anybody who's heavier than average. Nevertheless, the common stair lift might be too narrow or too short for some, and as the durable design uses a larger, higher seat, it further accommodates anyone who's taller than average or has difficulty comfortably using a standard model.
While not needed to fulfill ADA standards, stair lifts offer an added benefit to those with mobility problems.
Within Alexandria Bay a home, a basic lift might accommodate 2 average-sized adults, however exactly what about when you have to handle the public? Your client base, clients, and patients likely can be found in a range of sizes and shapes, so the durable model essentially matches everybody who would have to use the stairs.
What occurs, however, when numerous member of the family need accessibility? Whether you're meeting a current need or preparing for a future one, installing a larger lift takes everybody's physical needs into consideration. If your home's equipped with sufficient area, take preventative measures by having a sturdy lift set up.


- Enabling an object when the player is going to drop off resources can be easily done. Just send me your e-mail and invoice number and I will send you the modified code.
- I didn't fully comprehend your second point about dropping off resources. When the drop-off mode is activated resources are not added automatically but units must go to the drop off buildings in order for the faction to used the collected resources. And if you stop a unit from collecting resource or stop him on the way to a drop off building, he will not loose what he collected and will drop them off as soon as he's ordered to collect any resource.
Last question: How to I fetch the currently selected unit so I can enable the child object? I will disable an Axe but when he will harvest lumber it enables and so on, pickaxe you get the whole idea, I'm a sucker for visuals!
- This is quite a good idea. Added to my to-do list. However if you need this ASAP then please let me know in the e-mail and I will send you the modified code.
Hi, Great Kit! Left you a nice Review.
I would like a option to change it to a Command and Conquer (not the massacre that EA made C&C4 that s a MOBA not a RTS) style personally. I have always felt those games were a superior gaming exp over Blizzards and AoE.
Can I ask if you have this option added to the dev kit? Changing Game styles?
Or explain how I could change this myself. I haven't jumping head first into this pool yet. So I haven't the faintest idea how yet.
Hello. Thanks for the great review!
Can you please specify the main things that need to be changed in the game style? So I can answer you correctly and see how easy/difficult it see to change to the game style you desire.
- Centralized Unity management rather than separate buildings. It would always be up rather than disappearing when you select off of it: For an Idea of what I'm talking about, see the image I attached Its the pane on the right side.
- Last part, how easy would it be to remove the Population limitation?
Its really nearly there already, these are just the crucial pieces I need.
Okay but where would Units be spawned?
Pretty good suggestion. Added to my to-do list.
Can't promise this any time soon though. But i'll keep it in mind.
Pretty easy. You can set the starting amount to a pretty high number and then hide the Population Count UI.
It might be a good idea if you send me your e-mail and invoice number in a PM because I might be adding your second suggestion pretty soon and I can send it to you before the update hits the store.
The units would be spawned by their required Building. ie barracks for Infantry or Tanks from a factory like it already is. You just have a consolidated command interface.
I'll do that, thank you!
So I tried making none-flat maps for 6 times and it never works, the navigation breaks, you cannot move your units, I placed the flat terrain under it but that will not do the trick, Baked the Navigation did not work. Everything is set-up like it's supposed to but no luck with anything, the buildings drops under the terrain etc.
We need a better way of making maps, I mean who enjoys flat maps only?
We kinda need a auto height adjuster to the Camera Movement as well in case the hills ever works for me.
Thanks for the great asset! I'm sure you have a way of debugging ranged fighting (testing attack and death objects) without having to build complete sides... mind sharing it? Probably something simple and I'm just missing it.
I had a similar problem, where I was Baking everything in Navigation, and it cleared up when I Baked the Mesh->FlatTerrain as Unwalkable, and then Baked Terrain->Terrain as Walkable. Anyways, a feature I'd like to see is Camera Pan. Hopefully this is in the works... I hate trying to reinvent the wheel!
I've been there done that, I did not work for me, I'm using height maps to get that retro feeling and everything beeing equal. But I have no luck what so ever with that method, but when I simply make a hill, it works but I don't want to be forced to use the unity Terrain Engine.
Not sure if there is a limit of how big our terrains can be or if something else, But when you spend over 1 week on a map you kinda want it to be functional.
A_Akkad and digiross like this.
When having different Buildings that deliver the same tasks? Where would units then spawn? Or are you planning to have a limit of one building per type?
But the main point is that the height of the hill and its angle with the surface is important.
Love the map you've worked on there. Great job!
Actually I would pause the game and then place the units in the scene in order to range a fight.
Anyways, a feature I'd like to see is Camera Pan. Hopefully this is in the works... I hate trying to reinvent the wheel!
Sorry for the inconvenience. I know the camera is pretty basic at this stage. I will update it as soon as possible. You can send me a detailed list of suggestions for the camera meanwhile.
- Code refactoring in order to improve the performance of the asset overall.
- Custom Events introduced: 19 delegate events added (example: OnUnitCreated, OnBuildingDestroyed, OnTaskLaunched, etc..). These events allow for even more customization in the code.
- Upgrade Tasks are introduced: Buildings can now have tasks that improve the units' abilities (speed, damage against units and damage against buildings).
- Audio clip can now be played when a task is completed.
- Doubling clicking a unit selects all the units of the same type inside a certain range (the range can be defined from the inspector).
- Clicking the selected unit's icon in the selection panel pans the camera to the position of that unit.
Worked on the UI for some time now and it's coming along!
The idea would be that once you build the structure new units are now available in the command panel. You would never need to click the barracks again. Allowing young focus your attn on the battles going on rather than always jumping back and forth to micro manage factories.
They would spawn from the appropriate barracks or which ever you designated the primary. Possibly just via a double click.
Hi. Bought your asset few days ago, loving it so far. (Will leave review soon). I have a question. How would you recommend using navmesh for water, ships? Placing a new navmesh plane underneath current one for ships to drive on?
Just got a major issue again after the update..
I'd recommend you to use Navmesh layers and just use the navmesh agent on the unit prefab and unmask normal walkable and just have water layer active.
Thanks. Also a question. If I want to make map bigger, do I just make all units and buildings smaller or rescale map and minimap size?
@Subtellite You can go ahead to make the terrain as big as you desire, make sure to scale the "FlatTerrain" so it's about the same size. From older experience ones again I'd suggest that you keep the size you are using because NavMesh can hit you back ones using too small variable values.
For the minimap just change the size.
You go to Window > Navigation (at the bottom) > Areas.
Then the window opens up and you fill in your layer name "Water".
Now Make a Plane or unity premade water from the Default Assets and just add a collider to it.
Now head over to the Object tab. Now you want to Toggle Navigation Static (Make sure you have the water selected from the Hierarchy. Now Select it as Water.
Now your normal Terrain is using Walkable and the water uses Water layer so now let's just change the Agent.
As a suggestion have another Layer called Coast that covers 50/50 water/land. Because if you want to have a marine base building you need to be able to build it somewhat in the water.
Head over to Building Manager and look at Terrain Mask, it can use multiple layers for you to build on! I hope this helped you!
AND FINAL! If I'm right the interaction range is for the workers yes? or what determine where they can turn in resources because all of my are running to the same spot and it gives collision issues when they run back and forth.
same for resource harvesting it would be nice if they split up and for attacking buildings they all just kinda stack up and that makes it look dumb and slow down because all warriors can't get to the spot because of collision Can we maybe base it from the Box collider on the parent? just have navmesh check distance between them? Thank god we have limited workers per harvest (On option) But just a few things I got stuck on! Love RTS Engine and I'm about to write a nice review! Thanks for this product!
Also a question: If I want to make a 3 types of "factions", lets say Zeus, Hades, Poseidon, selectable by players in lobby and specific units for them, what is the simplest way to do it?
Because there is not a documentation from what I know.. I think you can just head over to the Scenes GameManager Object, find the button Add Faction just make sure to set a faction name and code.
Fix and fill in the Faction Def thing with desired things, self-explained.
Just fill in the information given in the GameManager in Code and Name.
Remember to add things such as Faction Manager just copy and past it from the DemoMap > if it's offline for now make sure you know the difference between them, there is a toggle in GameManager "Player Controller?" Toggle one of them like that.
Go to the Demo and notice Team0 and Team1 have something different, the ID and Team0 have nothing enabled but FactionManager so unless you want the AI to play with you, you better have disabled.
It's a lot of fill-ins but it's kinda basic!
Thanks! And I can't thank you enough for taking your time and answering questions here in the forum thread. I really really appreciate that.
Is there a link or something explaining the variables from the inspector, because it feels like I add prefabs hundreds of times over and over again and things like, what it Interaction range?
also there is a Box collider on the buildings Parent, one for selection object, what does the collider on the buildings parent do? I mean we are using Nav Mesh Obstacle so we don't need to change the collision and I don't have the buildings changed on static. Can I remove them?
This Collider represents the frontiers of the building where no other object (whether it's a building, resource or any other object). This Collider can actually cover more than the building's model.
This means that you can make it larger than the actual building's size so that you can't place building too close it but Units will however ignore it when moving and only consider the "Navigation Mesh Obstacle".
The selection collider does not have to be the same as the building's frontier collider. It could be much smaller. And it does not make sense to select the building using its frontier collider while it could be much bigger than the actual model. Therefore, you can create a selection object and assign a collider to it for the sole purpose of selection.
This means that this Collider is only considered when you want to select the Building/Resource. It could smaller than both the "Frontier Collider" and the "Navigation Mesh Obstacle", when you just want to select the building when you actually click on its model.
Faction ID 1 is actually ID 0 in the list. I just changed that because I thought it avoids confusion. There's actually no empty faction in ID 0. But if that creates even more confusion then I would happily change it back.
Having units from neutral factions is actually a pretty good idea. I'm jumping right into it! Thanks for the suggestion.
same for resource harvesting it would be nice if they split up and for attacking buildings they all just kinda stack up and that makes it look dumb and slow down because all warriors can't get to the spot because of collision Can we maybe base it from the Box collider on the parent? just have navmesh check distance between them?
Sorry about this. The asset needs a formation algorithm in order to avoid stacking up. However, When attacking buildings with a large group of units, they would actually attempt to have a formation and avoid pushing each other. It is subject of change of improvement of course.
I am also about to send you the modified code that allows you to show/hide objects on the units when building, collecting resources and dropping off resources.
- You can have a custom building for a faction type and then create units from that building.
- You can have a shared building between all faction types but make tasks customized for faction types.
I advise you to read the documentation from start to finish at least once. Everything is actually there.
If you're having trouble trying to find specific things in the documentation please let me know.
Hello. When does this error exactly appear?
Please check your e-mail. I sent a unity package that you just need to import and directly use in order to have a custom task panel like what you have described.
The custom task panel takes advantage of the new delegate events introduced in the last updates and shows how it became easy to customize the RTS Engine even more from your own code!
Thank you very much for your quick supports! Couldn't wish for better support.
That was perfect! It took a while before I realized that the villagers would not appear in the window until I made a new city. But otherwise this is perfect, thanks!
Oh sorry about that. Just sent you a fix via e-mail.
I have to say, The support you provide is top notch. Its greatly appreciated.
Has anyone here had any luck implementing Aerial units? Such as Helicopters or Planes? I haven't made an attempt yet. No point reinventing the wheel if its not needed Iv been focused on making geometry.
I think it's awesome that you support it so well. I just bought it yesterday and it seems to be nicely put together, if I may just give a few suggestions.
First - the online documentation could definitely be expanded, there are quite a few things that I've had to just look at closely in unity to try and figure out whats going on. One thing I would REALLY suggest would be a detailed tutorial on how to build the map setup from scratch. It is very handy to just be able to click the button and set it up, but I would really like to do it myself a few times so I understand everything that is being added as well as the relationships. This engine seems like it would be very customizable if you knew what you were doing. Expanded documentation on the basic theory of how the engine works would be really, really nice, and that's my main suggestion.
Another thing I wanted to ask was this: The buildings have different states, i.e. building, built, destroyed etc... Would there be a way to add more states through the inspector without getting hairy and messing with the code? I think it would be great to be able to add as many building states as necessary, define whether this state is active during building or after being built and taking damage, and then also define a range of health that this state is active during.
I will be working on adding aerial units this weekend. They are some simple things that need to be changed inside the unit's components and that's it. Thanks for your patience!
Thanks for purchasing the asset and thanks for the nice comments!
- I created the online documentation with the mind that you can just launch an empty scene, start reading the whole documentation and ending up having everything working and everything paired together (That is what I actually did while writing the documentation).
In case something is missing, can you tell what is it exactly? I might left some stuff out, if so please don't hesitate to ask me!
- The building states idea is good. A custom event could be added and called each time a building changes its state. So the conditions you're suggesting are, building, built, destroyed, health? Maybe also when a building has an ongoing task or when tasks space is full can also be a state?
Currently there are custom events when a building is placed, when a building is built and when it is destroyed. But wouldn't it be better to have separated events for each important state like the ones I stated?
- Fixed the destroy building task.
- Fixed the camera movement on screen edge.
- You can assign a custom Capital Building to each faction type.
- Child unit objects can now be enabled/disabling while collecting resources, dropping them off or constructing building.
- Custom Task Panel added: Making use of the new custom delegate events, a custom task panel that can launch Unit Creation tasks in any building without having to select the building.
- Added Treasures: Objects that can be collected by units (just by entering in collision with them) and that reward the unit's faction with resources.
Thx for response. Honestly, with a decent understanding of scripting, I think one could probably just get what they need from the assets themselves.
So what I meant in the building states would be, for example: while being built - health = 0-50 - Scaffolding| Health 51-99 - partially built| 100 = built. After being built and taking damage - 50-100 = normal building| 1-49 = damaged| 0 = destroyed (gameobject could be deleted after a set time).
In this example, those would be the default states, but a developer could add a state, name it, set health percentage range, and use a gameobject for the geometry of each state. A building could have 3 states or 10 states, depending on how many the developer wanted.
From what I gathered, this would require a reworking of the building script on the developer's part to achieve. I may very well be wrong about this and please correct me if that is the case. Thanks and Cheers!
EDIT: btw your website was loading strangely the other day, today it loaded the subcategories under building, adding alot of info that wasn't showing up before.
Is there a way to create more of a base type system like Halo Wars or B4ME 1, no builders, preset building slots?
I get what you mean. I will work on adding the ability to create this states.
P.S: Sorry about the website, is it still working fine for you?
You mean directly placing buildings without builders right?
@OussamaB I have attached a video showing what he's talking about. This is what they use in Halo Wars and CNC.
There's a singular base or Construction Vehicle \ Capital building that would operate as your builder but it would be stationary. This video is from Classic Command and Conquer but the 2 games that person mentioned use it in much the same way.
By all means correct me if I'm wrong @kevojo .
Hi. I managed to get so far with this awesome kit!
I have a question. If I wanted for players to level up factions, and outside of game, they are having their player level, skins for buildings, units, etc, and talent trees, depending on their faction levels. What would be the best approach for it? I was thinking of adding it to the single/multiplayer menu, after they load from database. Then storing it on server side, and loading it when the game starts.
Players would get exp for faction they are using after the game ends. Leveling their factions would unlock more talent tree selections, depending on level.
I know how to do it, because I did it on moba style game I was making as a hobby. I am just wondering, which would be the best way to approach in rts engine. Maybe I should add the entire code based for it in factions manager? Or would it be better if I make separate scripts for it and drain info from them to factions manager.
Also I was wondering, how hard would it be to integrate Master Server Framework to the project, now since it is free to use.
Sorry for so many questions, this asset just got me everything I needed for game I am making, and I don't want to make much mistakes.
So each faction has only a certain amount of building spaces?
Do the building get automatically built or do they need builders?
Can the building spaces be destroyed?
Thanks a lot for taking the time and doing this detailed explanation. This is something I'm considering but can not really say when it will be available.
In the next update I will be adding new custom events that will be called when a faction is eliminated and when the game ends. Maybe that could help you decide to add experience or upgrade the faction's level?
You can also link your tech tree with the single and multiplayer map manager. Then the multiplayer map manager can actually show only the unlocked and accessible factions.
Not sure about this. Will consider it though.
for the C&C style model, there would be no builders still (although, technically you could just use invisible builders), you would just choose and place buildings from the UI but they would have to be in range of a certain type of building like the C&C MCV building. Honestly, this version isn't all that different than the framework that you have already, it would just mean that you can't buy builder units, and a new unit could be created for every building instantly and destroyed once it is done constructing, or something.
Let me know if this clarifies. Cheers!
I wasjust going to intregrate a terrain overlay in a grid layout for building placement. Is this on the todo list? It kinda need a snap function because it kinda hard to place buildings quick right now i think we need a indicator like all the rts games we learned too love grid layout with green grid for you can put it here red for something is in the way!
Let us keep the requests to topic and not way to individual.
That's a pretty detailed explanation, thank you.
However as there are more urgent things and features to add, this will probably take a while. Hope you understand.
Currently the building's selection texture's color acts as the indicator, it changes to green when you can place the building in that area and changes to red when it's not possible. Having this type of building placement now without the snap function gives the player more freedom to place buildings, no?
I am currently working on an update that should be released in the upcoming two days. It took a bit of time because I'm re-writing some parts of the code to improve performance It won't affect anything you already have.
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So How many units can this engine handle before it explodes, one of my future projects is a Total War style 4X and I would like to know this asset limits.
This asset, at its current state, is suitable for games like Age Of Empires and similar RTS games. But it actually depends on how complex the units' models, effects and buildings are.
When is the next update coming out? and what are the features coming with it?
I was a bit busy during this week so the update would have to come out this weekend. It will mainly introduce flying units (in order to create airplane or helicopter units), free units (who don't belong to any faction) will also be added, camera improvement, bug fixes and new custom events.
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text:
Tech Pacific functioned as an Asian-Pacific IT wholesale distributor with offices throughout Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, India and Hong Kong.

Jim Kennedy founded Tech Pacific in Melbourne, Australia in 1985. The organisation started as a boutique distributor of information technology.

Imagineering Australia acquired a 50% shareholding in late 1986.  In 1987, Kennedy, who had returned to the US, sold his 50% shareholding to Imagineering. Tech Pacific was kept as a separate trading entity as Jodee Rich, founder of Imagineering, wanted a vehicle to exclusively distribute product lines that competed with the product lines carried by Imagineering Australia.

In 1990 First Pacific acquired Imagineering Australia and Jodee Rich left the company. At this time Imagineering Australia, Australia's largest IT distributor, experienced financial difficulties as a result of competition introduced by the entry of an American IT distributor, Micro America, under the "Micro Australia" brand. (Micro America later merged with Softsel to form Merisel.) Graham Pickles, managing director of Imagineering Australia's Tech Pacific subsidiary, was appointed as the new group managing director. With this change, Imagineering Australia and Tech Pacific merged under the Tech Pacific name.

During the early 1990s Tech Pacific transformed itself from a value-add distributor to a broadbase distributor and the business again began to grow significantly. Merisel Australia proved a worthy adversary early on; however, through good strategic planning and target-account management, Tech Pacific regained the key reseller accounts that were most profitable leaving Merisel the smaller consultancy and retail accounts.

In March 1995, Tech Pacific acquired Merisel Australia, taking the number-two distributor out of the market and creating an Asia-Pacific IT distribution powerhouse.

In the late 1990s, First Pacific sold its interests in Tech Pacific to Hagemeyer, who in turn in the early 2000s sold the business off to CVC Asia Pacific. In 2004, Tech Pacific planned to go public through an IPO. However, Ingram Micro sensing an opportunity to become a global IT distributor, acquired Tech Pacific in a transaction valued at over 700 million dollars.

On March 31, 2005, the Tech Pacific name disappeared with the completion of the merger of Tech Pacific's business into Ingram Micro throughout Asia.

Wholesalers of Australia

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia