CoreyStruss

Yuck. I have just about had it with these old games. I sit there, endlessly trying to figure out each puzzle peice, but I have no luck.

Maybe I think too much outside the box. In the game "Pick up the Phonebooth and Die", I found myself trying everything from "Tackle Phonebooth" to "Sit on the curb and cry". I just didn't have enough common sense to push the booth over. It seemed so frustrating to me. I tend to role-play, like I said in my last blog entry.. I found myself wanting to hop in the shoes of the character, and do what I would do to the phonebooth. But, due to my outrageous ways of solving problems, the computer didn't even begin to comprehend my way of going about things. As I played, I felt kind of restrained, and held back. I couldn't perform up to my potential. I didn't like having to say the 'magic word' in order to move on. In real life, there are ways around that. I guess I'm just used to these erratic ways.

The game 9:05 was similar to "Pick up the Phonebooth and Die". It was kind of like a mystery, but bland and boring. For instance, I shouldn't have to specifically say "drop wallet" to get into the shower. It is just common sense that I would. Again, it was the "magic word" element that allowed you to progress in the story. I didn't like that. I also didn't like the twist that Dr. Jerz showed us in the end of the class by "looking under the bed". I just felt that it was stupid. Unless the user is so deeply involved in these text games (which I see no possible way of), the user will not even think of looking under the bed. It was just stupid... ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

Posted by at 1:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Storytelling in Computer Games
“What’s role playing?”

This is just a n00b question. Role-playing is why I play video games and read books. I imagine myself in the main character's shoes, and make decisions / draw conclusions depending on the environment that surrounds me. I tend to think that role-playing, is more or less the reason why I am a creative writer. When writing, I role-play as the audience. I figure out what I would want to hear or read, and scribble it down.

Role-playing became a huge factor for me in my adolescense. I started out by playing... Dungeons & Dragons (insert feelings of humiliation here). For those who aren't familiar, it is a game where you create your ideal character. It is where there is absolutely *no limit* as to what you can do. You think of something you would like to do in a situation, then you do it. Usually, a player will want a favorable outcome, but sometimes it's just the opposite. That is why I played the game.

Next, I played Star Wars Galaxies, which is an online game from the makers of EverQuest. I pretty much wasted 2 years of my life, building up my character (appropriately named Bill Lumberg) and his skills. I made so many friends through that game, and even went to Massachusetts to visit the one. It built a sense of community in me, and honed on my social skills.

Then, came the ever-popular World of Warcraft. Although I only played for about 4-5 months, I loved the time I spent in Azeroth, the continent where the game takes place. I met new friends, interacted with people, and had fun while doing it. It got to be a little boring in the end, but some day soon, I may go back and pick up where my character left off.

In the present, I am playing Final Fantasy XI. It is a japanese-themed MMORPG, set in the world of Final Fantasy. One of the main reasons I play is because of my brother. He also plays with me. We role-play and be the people we would like to be in an alternate world. It brings out a side in us, that can only be seen through imagination and gaming.

So there ya go, that is what role-playing is, and how it has impacted me. I can honestly say without shame, that video games and the adventures of the characters have influenced the way I write. It sounds weird, but its the truth.

Posted by at 1:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

In class on Wednesday, we used Wikipedia to prove some of our theories. All in all, it was a good time for both Mike P. and I.

I started off by Wiki-ing a topic that I happen to know a lot about. I chose the sport of Lacrosse. I read through the entire article. Good. No errors. I re-scanned it, and found that there was a tiny, insignificant flaw. The NCAA Division II level of Lacrosse has 35 teams at the present, not 31. So, I changed it. I checked back today, and to my glee, it hasn't been re-changed. Hooray! I helped out the human race!

Next, I decided to make a Wiki Article about Corey Struss (Yes, I refer to myself in the third person). I had a good time with that. I got to make up this completely ludicrous story of how I came to be, telling nothing but lies the whole way. This experiment made me realize just how easy it is to submit false information, and people may begin to buy it. Now, I pray that someone doesn't do this to me when I am trying to research a topic for one of my classes.

Because of this second experiment, I decided to not use Wikipedia as much. It would really suck if I used it for a paper, and it was all a bunch of lies, and I failed the paper. I think I'll just take my time and actually do the research on the Internet myself. . . Not have Wikipedia do it for me.

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Wikipedia is accurate

"Based on 42 articles reviewed by experts, the average scientific entry in Wikipedia contained four errors or omissions, while Britannica had three."

Sorry folks, but this isn't accurate. Anything with errors is automatically inaccurate. I believe that Wikipedia is a tool used to start projects, not to finish them.

I feel that Wikipedia will help a user understand the concept of a particular topic, but not to elaborate. The information relayed from Wikipedia is too risky to be used in something significant. Just like Nature magazine said, it is accurate, but not accurate enough to trust with my grade and my peers and teachers. The site found that, out of the articles tested, the average error count in any given article is about three or four. This is alarming, especially when many of the users bank on Wikipedia for all their information.

Wikipedia should be allowed to be a reference, but I feel that there needs to be something to back it up. I support the website, but that doesn't mean I completely trust what it gives to me.

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ForeignFlicks' Fascinating Movie Reviews

That is a link to my website. I am pretty happy with the way that it turned out.

The compatibility test goes as follows. Any user feedback would be great! Thanks! :)

- Prior to this site, have you ever read an online review of a movie?

-Rate the actual movie reviews on a scale of 1-10. (1 if it is really bad, 10 if it is really informative and makes you want to see the movie)

-Do these reviews make you want to get up and go through the hassle of buying the movie?

-Would you talk to your friend about this site, if they are in dire need of seeing a new movie?

-If you were to remove anything from the site, what would it be?

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After seeing an early build of Rachel's website, there are a lot of good things so say about it. This will be my take on her compatibility test:

1. Do all the links on the page, thus far, work correctly? - - - Yes, they all work.

2. Do the links take you to informative home pages? - - - Somewhat. They take me to the homepages of the nightclubs, but don't give me very much information. From the homepages, I am able to tell what kind of nightclub it is, how the environment is, etc. This is a good thing.

3. If your not 21, what do you want to see to do for nightlife? - - - After seeing these awesome hawt nightclubs, I want to just get buckwild, and put on my dancin' shoes.

4. Honestly does this site make you want to go out and try these places? - - - Yes. I never really go clubbing in Pittsburgh, although I do hear that it is fun. It has just never been my kind of thing. But after viewing Rachel's website, I realize that it is open to anybody and everybody. You don't have to fit a category. I can just be me and have a great time there.

5. On a scale of 1-10 how much do you feel like goin out to Pittsburgh after viewing this page? - - - 7.

All in all, this is a very good site, so far. If she continues along on the path, makes a few changes in grammar and picture / text placement, then she will be good to go!

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How to Deliver a Report Without Getting Lynched

"To “explain” it to them is insulting."

This seems to be true in the business world. When things are broken down and spoon fed to a person, they get very uptight and offended about the subject and express it towards the reporter. It comes back to knowing your audience. If you know that they are hungry for information, give them what they need. If they are 'too good' to hear you out, just give them the basics. They will be the ones, in the end, that miss out. When I give reports, I tend to imagine that my audience is very dumb (no offense). I refrain from using big words and technical use of the English language. From my experience, people seem to get a lot out of my presentations, because I cater to them. This is how it should go for online writing as well.

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Fisking!

"[Fisking] is a mode of criticism well-suited to the WWW, since it begins by copying the full text of the target text, and proceeds to point out logical flaws and raise doubts."

Fisking seems like the logical way Internet argumentation. It consists of a user breaking down another user's thoughts, point by point, and telling them why they actually disagree. It seems a whole lot smarter than flaming and trolling on a forum, and makes the user look much more intellectual. By breaking down someone's thoughts by their points, then the reader will begin to understand where the author is coming from. Thus, the need for fisking may not even become necessary, for the reader will see it from the author's point of view, and agree wholly. I think that I will now use fisking as a way of arguing with my peers at SHU. Thank you, Robert Fisk! :)

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Hey! My name is Corey and I have been taking a class called "Writing for the Internet". Sounds like a blast, huh? Well, IT IS! When I selected this course, I imagined myself writing online articles and publishing them onto websites. Then, reality kicked in. *Boom!* This class is about blogging and designing webpages, all using your very own powerful writing techniques. Although the class is not what was expected, I kept my mind open and began to actually like the course. Imagine that?

Coverage: These blogs are quick and concise, just how internet publications should be. I feel that these are easy-reads, that expressed how I felt about certain situations, without having the reader spontaneously combust. Here we go!

Having a good title is $$ in the bank.
The meat and potatoes of writing on the Internet.
Life has been altered since 1995 - Are you kidding me?
The generalizations that can be made due to a 'bad' e-mail.
There are precautions that need to be taken when using Myspace.

Depth:Not all of my entries were short and well, exactly to the point. (Three cheers for going on a rant!) Some of these next entries were a tad longer, with more than just a few quick points. I feel that these next blog entries represented the way I was feeling at the time of composition. Ready, set, go!

Teachers going the extra mile: Is it necessary?
Vannevar Bush fortells the future.
Another rule of thumb while writing on the Internet.
A tiny rant about Myspace.
Blurbs - What they are, and how they can help you survive in this cold world.

Timeliness and Discussions:: I am usually a modest misanthrope, but I am pretty proud of some of the conversations that I have sparked up over the course of this class. There are two in particular that people seemed to be interested in, partially because they were blogged way before their deadline. :-)

A new spin on free speech.
My take (as well as Kathleen's opinion) on the reaction of a teacher who was bullied by her students.
My website proposal, and the tips submitted by others, on how to make it a success.

Interaction: Interacting with one another's blogs is a key to having a successful blog of your own. I tried to interact as much as I could throughout the course so far, in order to keep others' blogs, as well as my own, alive and thriving. Down, set, hike!

This blog entry was by Kathleen Walker. It was her reaction to the wild actions taken by a teacher who had been bullied. Kathleen said that it was unprofessional, and I happen to agree to a certain extent. Yet, I think that she forgot that the teacher is a human, with human qualities and reactions. I believe that it was natural for the teacher to act the way she did. It provoked a lot of in-class discussion between she and I, and felt it was my best comment to display interaction.

My Comment Primo: I came in first place when it involved posting a first comment on this blog.

Mike P.'s spin on plagiarism.

The Link Gracious: Mike P.'s blog entry on how the 'fire truck' game changed his view on technology nowadays inspired me to write my entry on how computers affected my life.

Mike P.'s original entry about the Firetruck Game.

An entry that I published, along the same lines as Mike's.

The Comment Grande: Here is a comment where I agreed with Cherie's thoughts on Castro's "Creating a Web Page using HTML". As I wrote it, I made a realization about the book to myself. I concluded that the book did have a lot of uselessness information to it, and it was just a ton of technical jargon, translated into idiocy.

The jargon that is Castro's HTML book.

A Richly Linked Blog Entry: An entry about chapter 11 of Price & Price's "Hot Text" that reveals the key elements of the chapter, with support from some of my peers.

The blog entry that is richly linked.

Wildcard: It's time to get buckwild, baby!!!

This is an example of how the class has helped me. I knew nothing about blurbs beforehand, and thanks to Dr. Jerz, I am aware of what they are, and how they help in writing for this thing we call the Internet.

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Chapter 11 was all about how to define a genre. It showed us how to put a lot of fun into our internet writing, like my boy John Fish said in his entry. After reading about all these rules and regulations of online writing, chapter 11 was a breath of fresh air.

Price and Price says that a genre tends to have a standard structure, with defined components appearing in a certain order. The book instructs the writer how to use styles of writing to his/her advantage. It gives them a pinnacle to shoot for.

There was a quote from this chapter that goes a little like: "Writers don't start genres, audiences do". Jeremy Barrick posted a blog pertaining to this quote, and I agree with him on it. Writers do not stand alone, only the audience can make them who they want to be. It goes the same with actors and musicians. Their careers depend on the audience. If they don't buy into it, then they will be nothing.

Price and Price's "Hot Text" bases Internet writing around the audience, and I like that. The audience is everything. Kathleen Walker said it well, when she said that knowing an audience's needs is a difficult task, but it proves itself as priceless in the end. It will generate more hits for the site, and establish a bond between the audience that will force them to return to the site regularly.

Finally, tone is a huge part of a genre. The tone will make a website memorable, or go in one ear and out the other, per say. In chapter 11, Price & Price said that the author must find the conventional website, and twist and bend it until it is your own. Rachel Prichard brought this quote to my attention in her blog entry. The more you think about it, the more it seems to fit the puzzle of a website. Tone is half the battle in establishing a novel, so why shouldn't it carry over to online publishing?

Through chapter 11, I found ways to establish the websites I create, and distinguish them from others. I will use all this information to my advantage, and make every website my own.

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"A Genre is born as a response to an audience's questions, needs, wishes, fantasies : Writers don't start genres, audiences do." - Chapter 11

This is a quote I can agree with. A genre starts with thousands of texts from individual writers, because a certain group requested them. As more people join the group and request certain things, more texts are concieved. Thus, a genre is born.

"Go ahead, reassure me". - Chapter 12

This is a quote that has to deal with internet privacy. A lot of Internet users don't actually read these policies. I agree that you should put a privacy policy link on each page of the site. Soon, the Internet user will see it so much, that it will begin to pique his interest.

"Internet news releases go out as e-mail, not paper sheets, and they must be written for the screen" - Chapter 13

This says that the basic structure of news releases on the web is alright, but the prose needs tweaking for the web. People care about what saves them time. If you write a book report about some breaking story, no one will want to read it. They need concise, time-saving paragraphs. Trust me, your audience will like it this way.

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Blurbs: Writing Previews of Web Pages

"A good web blurb should make a clear, simple statement about what you will find on the other end of a link." - Dennis G. Jerz

Before this class, I had no idea what a 'blurb' was. I had never even heard of the word ferchrissakes. But now, I realize that it makes or breaks the 'linkage' of a website. I used to click on links, and on the other end would be crap. It would be stuff that didn't even have to deal with the topic at hand. Sometimes, it would even be spyware. Now, I know that every link that has a good blurb will not always turn out what you think it will be, but here is my rationale: If the link has a good blurb, describing what is on the other end, then it is usually legitimate.

When making a website, I have to have the users trust me. I need to make concise, yet informative blurbs for my links. This will let me bond with the site users in a way. I want users to return to my site, and the best way to create trust, is to be honest and clear with your information, as well as your links.

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Hot Text - Chapter 9 - 10

"Pack the Top!"

I agree that the most important information on a website is at the top of a page. It is the only area that is sure to be seen by viewers. When I create a website, I will want to avoid users from scrolling down using any means possible. A user will be able to see from their first impression if the website arouses their interest or not. Any important info should be moved to the top of the page. A good tip that I learned from this chapter was that if you are making a presentation and using a computer, make the information take up only one page. I am now a master at making webpages, thanks to this little tip.

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Hot Text - Chapters 7 - 8

"Lost in hyperspace"

I don't like being lost in hyperspace. I want to know where I am, at all times, when visiting a website. It helps me understand what I am looking at. If I know where I am at all times, I can map the site out in my head, and know what I where I want to go, in relation to the site. If the site is poorly organized, I will leave immediately. If it is not user friendly, I won't take time out of my schedule to study the structure of the site. This is also why I want to have a "home" button on every page, because I just hate getting lost in the Internet.

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Hot Text - Chapters 5 - 6

"Let your guests skip and skim"

Long paragraphs just fill up the screen, and are either read slowly, or skipped entirely. It slows you down. If a reader thinks about whether he / she should read the paragraph or not, then they will not be able to understand the point of the paragraph. Short paragraphs help people take a quick look. If the shorter paragraphs do not arouse interest, then they will just skip to the next paragraph. They tend to help skimming. Short paragraphs are in general, more accessible. If you want your own website to be open to all people on the Internet, then put short paragraphs on your site.

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Hot Text - Chapter 1 - 2

"If you want to amuse people, be outrageous."

I think that in order to be noticed as an amusing web creator, then you have to go beyond the norm. One must recognize what people normally think, and come up with something different. Make people discuss what you have to say. Then their attention will be drawn to your site. To amuse people, you must have a goal in mind on what you are amusing your audience about. Go beyond regularity.

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Navigation: An Often Neglected Component of Web Authorship

Provide a "Home" link in the upper left corner (on every page) (But don't title that link "Home" -- call it "Sally's Home" or something else informative.)

Sometimes, when visiting a webpage, I get homesick. ::cries:: I just want to go home! I don't feel like hitting the back button 33 times to get back to one of my Google searches. Doing so takes forever, especially with the internet connection in Brownlee Hall. Every time I hit the "back" button, it has to load the previous page to the fullest extent. Grrrr. Having an informative link to home, that isn't just "home" is also important. What if a Internet newbie thinks that it might take them back to their home page? Getting back home should be like it is in life - always easy to find your way.

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Titles for Web Pages

"A much better OOC title would have described the page contents more accurately, since the reader of the OOC title hasn't yet decided to visit your page, and can't scan down the page looking for interesting stuff:"

I have stumbled upon a conclusion after reading this wonderful text by Dr. Jerz - Titles are very important. I recently found myself on Google, searching for wallpaper's for my background. The difference between staying on a website, and leaving immediately, was the title. If the title had nothing to do with what I was looking for, then I left right away. If the title looked remotely promising, then I would stay and browse the wallpapers. Who knows if the websites that I left immediately had good wallpapers? The probably did, and I just didn't stick around to see...but the creator of that website has to be conscious of whether his/her website is appealing to the public eye.

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http://www.badmovies.org/
http://www.rottentomatoes.com

These are my two website proposals. I would like to review films that I have seen, and post them on a website. I would give them ratings on a scale, and write a few paragraphs about the films. A lot of the films would be foreign, since that is what I mostly watch. . . I think it would be a good website for those not ready to dabble into the foreign film scene, but are interested in it nonetheless.

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