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IQ Issue 15. 20Nov07.

 
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Chinaren
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PostPosted: Tue Nov 20, 2007 5:22 am    Post subject: IQ Issue 15. 20Nov07. Reply with quote










Issue.15 20Nov2007 Price: 0Fables.

It’s All Very IFy!

The IFys are coming to town! Our new green mayor recently announced the resurrection of this yearly event, and nominations are now flooding in! Check out the nominations tent down at CrunchyFrog Plaza and put your favorite SGame forward!

There are a variety of categories this year, from the highly fought over Best HEM/Skiffy/Fantasy/Linear through to several new categories. Then there is the all new Golden Ball award for the best overall!

In a move worthy of Chinaren, Crunchy Frog is also auctioning off Sponsorships, so get down to the plaza and bid away!

Keep an eye out, it’s going to be a IFy Extravaganza!!


Green!

In celebration of our new mayor, the city went green recently, with hordes of OFian slaves forced out onto the streets to repaint the infrastructure from the old and mangy orange, to a new and bright green! Various prominent IFians celebrated this by donning green garb and drinking green ale.


Green. It’s all green.


Thwakitus Outbreak!

A recent competition saw a mass of Thwacking, as Key announced a competition to put that pesky critter Bob in his place. The prize for this was a rather nice 500 Fables, which was eventually won by Chinaren, who desperately needs the money.

It is planned to make the competition a monthly event.


Mod Reshuffle!

Our new mayor has wielded her Admin powers, reshuffling the Council. Mods were seen queuing up outside her office recently, nervously waiting to be summoned to hear their fate.

Rumors of a massive cull were overstated though. The final moves were:

The Mayor has removed herself as Co-Mod of games, and Idea Master has also stood down. Phang, a veteran IFian, has now taken on this role, moving from the Writers’ Arena.

Chinaren has stepped in to fill the gap by Phang in the Arena, and will continue to monitor the newly minted awards, which can be found in peoples’ honors.

Further changes may be made in the near future.


Crackdown on SGotM voting.

Recent voting irregularities have been noticed and discussions have taken place at the highest level, the IQ has learned. As a result, SGotM voting will be carefully monitored, and rule breakers will spend time in the Hole.

See here for more information.


The Faces of IFmas Past!

Following the return of our old Fantasy mod, Smee, and a recent rare visit by the legendary Shady Stoat, another legendary figure has been reported lurking about IF. Ethereal Fauna, reported to have fallen to the dark clutches of the dreaded Warcrack, has been sighted skulking around the city.

Should anyone see this rare being, they are advised to approach with caution!


Mature Enough?

The IQ has recently learned, by dint of our reporters hanging around outside the Council Chambers, of a debate to possibly introduce ratings to certain SGames. Are some Sgames too mature for IF?

Write in to the IQ and voice your opinion!



By NeverNeverGirl

Okay well this month I thought that I would highlight a new SG and an old SG, so that we can spread the lubs around some more.

My picks for this month are The Dark by The Dark and The Endless Wall by Argonaut.


The Dark.

Comments have been made around IF regarding the nature of the writer that feels a work such as this should be their first post. The graphic nature of the introduction left most ‘Yerg backing’ (to quote one reader) yet opened with vivid imagery, a tale full of already compelling characters in a thoroughly delicious world. Definitely leaving this little chickadee eager for more.

Our antagonist is a slice ‘em and dice ‘em kind of guy, the kind who leave us reeling with disgust while at the same time fascinated in a ‘can’t look away from the crash’ way. What is the motivation of this character? Who is he really? These questions are all still very up in the air and are suggestive of The Dark’s ability to create a strong base for the story. A key point in any tale being to not give away everything at the start but to leave a trail of breadcrumbs for the birdies to follow.

The protagonist, if one can describe the ill-begotten miscreant Detective Gavin Gloom as such, is a corrupt, morally bankrupt thug with no real desire to emulate the likes of, well, any, given good guy. He is on the take in a big way and when he is called in to investigate the brutal murders of several top levellers he finds himself surrounded by those much like himself.

This style of character is one that always amasses a cult following and I anticipate it won’t take long to receive one on IF.

Once you get past the gore and into the first and second chapters you will find yourself in a thrilling world where bad guys lead the way and a morally deficient society will willingly and unhesitatingly feed the desires of one who calls himself The Dark.

As for this being the writers first post? Well I say ‘More power to you The Dark’ if this evocative and spellbinding world is your first post then the sky can only be the limit. I await more with bated breath!

This is definitely my pick of the New SGs with a quality surpassing its peers and a future in a SGoM spotlight!

I rate it 3 out of 5 though I am sure this will go up in the not-to-distant future.

Love Love Love


The Endless Wall by Argonaut


My second pick, in the perhaps vain hope of getting the author to give-me-more, is the beautiful and fascinating ‘The Endless Wall.’ currently residing in Hall of Legends.

If ever there was an example of a brilliantly written first person narrative then, that which far exceeds all others, is to me ‘The Endless Wall..’ Written by Argonaut it is a captivating and spellbinding tale of life within a perfectly enclosed smooth black curve of wall. Described by readers as being ‘poetic’ and ‘surreal’ it captures the imagination almost instantly and the more we explore this world the more we are left to guess.

This is a story that belonged in HEM, its reader contribution not being DPs as such but the ‘intricacies’ of the world itself. A puddle thousands of feet deep, a picnic where no one is eating yet believe themselvs to be, a talking toto, tree of metal, live and growing, but metal – all these (though not by any means all given) are reader suggestions that have been made to Argonaut as to what shall be found in his world. Each suggestions that has been used has been flawlessly wound into the fabric of the story and it is, in essence, these which move this tale from the mundane to the marvellous.

At times both gratifying and illusive we delve into a world of meticulous intricacies, which almost rend your heart from its chest with its beautifully thought out and executed plot points. As a writer one can only admire the skill in which the piece is written and if ever I, myself, endeavour to work in this narrative I will be holding ‘Endless’ up as the standard.

Very rarely do we come across a tale that masters this first person vein and more often than not it is a hollow expression of what may have been, if the writer had simply been more skilled. Yet it is in saying this that I find myself reflecting on the writing style, it is simple, easy and yet elegant in its formation – which in itself shouldn’t be a hard formula yet vastly eludes many who try it.

The protagonist is never defined as male or female and this leaves the reader to make up their own mind as to gender. For the purposes of this IQ issue we will hereafter refer to them as He - simply because I am typing and ‘he’ has one less letter than ‘she’. He is more inquisitive than perhaps he should be and sets about to seek out the wonders of his world and perhaps stumble across some deeper meaning along the way. Opening up a myriad of doors, paths and peoples to our imagination.

In searching for the words to best describe this tale I am compelled to mention the world of Lewis Carroll and poor Alice’s adventures in what can only best be described as an hallucinogenic, perception shattering and beautifully haunting Wonderland.

Being only five chapters long at this point, due to the RL commitments of the author, I strongly suggest giving it a read and leaving a comment. You will not be disappointed (as long as you have a brain and an eye for quality – if you don’t then I have no guarantees).

I give this 3 as well.

Love Love Love

Roundup.








Latest!

SGotM!

Rai’s Galleon’s of the Stars drew with Zephyr’s Daydreamer story to take Octobers’ SGotM awards! This month is a four way race between My Psychosis by Mephistopheles, Rise of Shadows by Chinaren, The Tale of the Stolen Fables by Harley, and Beyond the Dark by Smee.

Good luck to them all!

Top Favorites!

Chianren’s Tired of Death remains at number one with 25 Faves, whilst Avarice has dropped out of the top five altogether. In its place Magician’s Touch surges forward with 14 Faves, up one, to take a solid second plce.

Smee’s new one, Beyond the Darkness is straight in at number 3 with 7 Faves, whilst
Chinaren’s Wrath shares the fourth slot with Rai’s Galleons of the Stars with 6 Faves each.


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Articles and in-depth reviews of any Sgames welcomed!
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