0 comments on "That old shopping feeling (Yes, I’ve got Top Gun on the mind)"

Window shopping around on Amazon again. There were some really great Black Friday sales that I regretted not being able to take advantage of, though we did pick up a couple of the Fire 7’s to give as gifts, so that was pretty cool.

The bad thing about shopping for clothes online is the question “Size as expected?” Which sometimes makes me want to scream.

When all I want to do is buy a pair of pants, surprise, surprise, I kind of want to be able to fit those pants over my ass. That, or I don’t want them constantly falling down like I’m wearing clothes stolen off a giant. Either way, the trick merchants play on consumers with their ever sliding scale of sizes is ridiculous.

I want clothes that fit. Barring that, I prefer clothes that are a little over large rather than skin tight. I prefer fabrics that breathe, and I prefer that they don’t choke me out when they do it.

It sucks to find a shirt that I really like, then when I look at the chest measurements on the sizing chart I have to jump up to a Large or an X-Large, only to have a shirt arrive that fits across the chest and flaps around everywhere else. Or to buy a shirt in a Large or X-Large that I really like the looks of, only to try and put it on and find out that it squishes me across the chest and sticks to my skin like spandex. Or to order in Medium or Small and receive something that contains enough material to be used as a tent. Seriously, wtf?

So while I find plenty of joy in window shopping for clothes, most times I don’t buy anything at all. And that’s sad. Because if it were up to me, I’d never have to step into a store’s changing room ever again. I’d just get a bodyscan done and pick through a bunch of pre-sorted clothing all in my size and general style.

Where is the future of fashion? We’re waiting for you.

Kakushigoto 01 at Amazon
0 comments on "Does anyone want to make a Ren’Py game with me?"

Does anyone want to make a Ren’Py game with me?

I really like the idea of making a Ren’Py game. From the moment I was steered to The Ren’Py Visual Novel Engine home page by Morgan Hawke’s novel/games, I have wanted to make a game of my own. But I can’t get my computer to make android.sdk files. I know it’s probably me doing something wrong. Like I didn’t setup my java correctly or something. I don’t know.

I can come up with the story, and I’m willing to write the script, I just don’t know how to make some of the fancy game things happen. I mean, you can have real fights and gameplay with the Ren’Py program. It’s very simple and easy to use.

I just suck at php right now because I’m still learning. Plus I don’t know how to draw, I’ve got no ear for soundtracks, and I’m not quite sure how to load YouTube or Hulu videos into a Ren’Py, which is something I really want to do.

I want to make a Visual Novel that sticks in peoples’ minds. But not like that terrible one that kept crashing my Kindle FireHD. I want it to be for all the good things that people pick up from it and the emotions they feel. I don’t want it to be read and forgotten.

Test out my first attempt at a Ren’Py at: https://www.patreon.com/posts/kinetic-novel-1241928. “The Collection” –

KINETIC NOVEL: The Collection
Genre: mm, mf
Rating: mature
Includes: The Hand of Ares [mm, powerful god]: Morpheus [mm, narcolepsy]; The Wilding [gen, what a twist]; And A Single Petal Fell [mm, life in the harem, CHARACTER DEATH]; A Cuckoo In the Nest [mf, elves are real].

Extracts to 68.3 MB. Compatible platforms: Windows, Linux, Mac.

This isn’t done yet. (There’s no menu screen, just a background, and there’s some intro content missing.) I’m thinking about adding some sprites — like cutout people — and actionable objects. There might be quizzes and mini-games at the end.

There are five stories available: The Hand of Ares; Morpheus; And a Single Petal Fell; A Cuckoo in the Nest; and The Wilding.

How it works: 1) Extract the zip files. 2) Click “Collection.exe” 3) Enjoy.

When you’re done, as there’s no screen after the Index yet, just hit ESC to bring up the menu functions. Click Quit and Yes when prompted.

I think it’s a big size for the game it is, but I think it’s because it’s still a WIP and I didn’t finalize it by having it crushed down to size. Plus the game is a standalone Ren’Py container. You open it and the game plays. I mean, if you didn’t want to save, I think you could play it off a CD. Which is cool.

It’s not a very intensive “game,” mostly because it’s a series of short stories broken into multiple screens. Once I’ve got some sprites and some screen changer ideas, I think The Collection could become a much better experience. But as it is, it’s simply my first attempt at making a Ren’Py game.

Anyways, I’ll probably add to the game and make it a little cooler and more awesome. If I do that and you’ve downloaded the beta version, it’s pretty easy to update a Ren’Py game. You just add the update files to the Game folder and the script tells everything what to do. I’ll include actual instructions with any updates.

* * *

Help me buy groceries and receive my gratitude:
via Paypal.me/HarperKingsley.
via Patreon.
via Amazon Affiliate link. (This ones the easiest to do. Click before shopping.)

Allies & Enemies at Amazon
0 comments on "EXCERPT: “Ruined Lilacs and Broken Dreams”"

Title: Ruined Lilacs and Broken Dreams
Author: Harper Kingsley
Character: Lindsey
Fill for the Bed Amongst the Leaves prompt.

EXCERPT-

Lindsey wanted to enjoy her life. She wanted to be happy and proud of herself. She didn’t want to be this giant loser, where everything she tried failed and every golden opportunity spoiled in her hands.

She wanted to be one of the shiny happy people. She was tired of wallowing in the muck of poverty.

It hurt to realize that her every problem could be solved with the addition of copious amounts of money. Her debts could be paid, the family wardrobe could improve, the quality of groceries that she bought could help fix any health issues. With some money in her hands, she could change the fate of her entire family and together they could prosper.

But as it was, nothing she did worked.

Her artistic abilities were sadly lacking. Her typing ability didn’t bring in much cash. And her profile on the shady solicitation site had received no offers.

It terrified her to think that it was only a matter of time before she lost the Kid. Someone would realize how poor they were and how much trouble she was in, and they’d take her little boy away.

“You’re squeezing me too tight, Momma.”

“Sorry, baby.” She pressed a kiss against the top of his sleepy head.

They were lying on the couch with an afghan tucked around them. The air was starting to chill, but she didn’t want to add another precious piece of wood to the fire. Monster House was almost over and they’d be going to bed soon enough.

Lindsey held her boy in her arms and stared unblinkingly at the television screen. The flickering motions and colors blended together as she tried to focus the rushing panic of her thoughts.

They were out of money for the month. All the bills were paid, but the food was thin in the fridge and on the shelves. There was a good chance that they’d be enjoying flour soup a couple times before she’d again be able to afford groceries.

/EXCERPT

Help me buy pants and receive a copy of this story.
One-time donation: Paypal.me/HarperKingsley.
Patrons on Patreon can download a free copy in mobi format when it’s available.

Allies & Enemies at Amazon
0 comments on "“He was the man in black. The stolid face of grinding bureacracy…”"

For A Little While sideshot: He was the man in black. The stolid face of grinding bureaucracy, telling the proletariats that they needed to live a certain way or a very stern “Or Else” was implied.

Some incarnation of Phil had been walking around since the beginning of the organization, way back in the dark days of S.H.I.E.L.D., of S.W.O.R.D., of A.T.L.A.S., or of I.R.I.S. Every organization as far back as memory reached had had their own version of Phil. His genotype has existed since the beginning. And with the merging, there were hundreds of Phils filling the hives beneath the city.

They were sent out to handle the troubles of the agencies, garnering Phil the reputation of being at every situation everywhere. He was a LEGEND! to the people out there. From what the message boards implied, he was in the same league as the Arthur’s, the Charlie’s, and the Tony’s.

It would have been a heady knowledge, if Phil92 had known that he was not the original Phil. If he’d had any inkling that nearly everything he believed about his childhood had been a lie.

But he didn’t know.

He was currently living and working as Agent P872-549, alias Landon James. He hadn’t been back to base in more than 15 years. He doubted there was anyone working there that even remembered his real name anymore.

He’d been Landon for so long that he was probably going to die under the name. His family would mourn at an empty tomb and never know what had really happened to him.

It should have made him sad. And in a way it kind of did. But mostly he was resigned to it.

His job was important. He was saving lives. What was a bit of personal misery compared to that?

Phil sighed and hauled himself out of bed to face another day as Landon, personal assistant for the Secretary of the Union.

*
A. Phil clones, like the azi.

B. Each of the Phils is a person that has been Conditioned to be that person. They were snatched up off the street, offered tons of money to have their faces changed, then spent the rest of their lives as a Phil, loaded with various skillsets.

C. Phil died for a lot longer than he realizes. When he was brought back, it was deemed inadvisable to tell him what had happened. His memory was modified through surgery–a lasering away of the various memory strings–and he was assigned to a new team and a new life, believing that he’s Phil pretending to be Landon, while he’s really Landon thinking he’s Phil pretending to be Landon.