Oh Hey, A Thing

Hey, I put up an article on d4sign, and I thought'd I'd link it here, because why not.  I could repost it I suppose, but that just seems... odd. Anyway, follow this link if you want to check it out.  It's a neato little trap room that makes an average, everyday encounter a whippy, zippy, trippy good time!

Forty Eight Frames: A Hobbit's Tale

So, The Hobbit came out recently, and so far I’ve seen it twice. 

It was fun, probably not worth shelling out for two tickets but there was information I needed.  NEEEEEEEDED. Namely, how different does a movie look at 48 frames per second.  Also I needed confirmation on how badass Thorin Oakenshield was.  Turns out its very.  Very badass.  Confirmed after two viewings.  It’s fact now.  Look it up.

Short Story Sunday: Under the Living Mountain

This week, I don't want to say too much of anything because I might blow the reveal.  So!  Enjoy!

Short Story Sunday: Saturday Nights

Hello and welcome ladies and gentlemen to another edition of Short Story Sunday.  Please be forewarned that this may be too exciting for some readers.  Anyone with a heart condition, pacemaker, or who is pregnant or may become pregnant, please leave now.  I wouldn't want the PULSE POUNDING EXCITEMENT of this week's story to cause you any problems.  Because this is hard hitting stuff.  I'm telling you.  This week, we get to see John and Denise...

Wait for it...

Drum roll...

Pick a movie.  

That's right.  Hold on to your butts.

Short Story Sunday: Hemmingway Edition

Legend has it that Hemmingway was in a bar (where else, amirite?) and he was bet that he couldn't make a short story with only ten words.  His retort was that he could do it in six.  A few seconds and ten bucks on the table later, he said to his drinking companion "For Sale: Baby's shoes.  Never worn."

Which just gets creepier and more heartbreaking the more you think about it. 

Short Story Sunday: And A Wizard, Besides

This story is part Dungeons and Dragons, part psychological introspection, but mostly hey sandstorms are a cool plot device.  In all honesty I'm sure I have lots to say about this particular work, most of which is apologizing for how lame it all is, but methinks now is not the time.  I hope you enjoy the tale of the wizard Shasson in...

Short Story Sunday: Awakening

This story is an old one, and for that I apologize.  I know I'm supposed to be doing new and exciting stuff here, but I stumbled on this and I just couldn't help but share.  I wrote this in university, when I was (what else) playing in a Dungeons & Dragons game with some friends.  A pal of mine, Brandy and I were both involved in this fantastic game and we had created some rather intricate backstories for our characters, so we kind of took off running and made some fun shorts just because.  This one I am particularly proud of.  So, thatnks Brandy for being an awesome player, and Jason for being an awesome DM and thank you for reading!

Short Story Sunday: The Waiting Game

 I'm a bad person. It is known.  Here's a long overdue short story, hopefully more to follow. 

Short Story Sunday: Last Chance

Hey, I'm back!

I'm getting used to this new work schedule, and I apologize for the missed updates.  Tonight's tale is the first in a continuing series, which I hope you'll enjoy for a while to come.  Without further ado, I present...

Short Story Sunday: Valerie

 Today's short is something of a cheat.  This particular piece was one of the first things I wrote as part of one of the novel's I'm working on.  It may make it to the final cut, it may not.  Unfortunately, a lot of what I write winds up being heavily revised once I realize it doesn't make sense with what I wrote later.  What I write later is usually much better.  In any case, I hope you enjoy tonight's offering, 

Valerie

Avatar: The Legend of Korra

Nickelodeon really knocked it out of the park with their series Avatar: The Last Airbender.  It was a terrific ride filled with excitement, adventure, and some really off-the-wall comedy.  So naturally I was excited to see the new series, Legend of Korra.

But being set almost seventy years after the original, and therefore keeping none of the original cast I had come to know and love, could they maintain my interest and keep an old diehard happy? Or would the new world succumb to my scrutinous eye, and become overwhelmed by any small issues I might find?

Short Story Sunday: The Signal

This week is a little late, and I apologise.  I hope you enjoy this somewhat odd tale of strangeness and terror.  I happily present to you...

The Signal

News and Reviews: Alan Wake

Okay, okay... I promise to talk about other things sometime soon.  I do other things than talk about video games, I swear.  I have a half-dozen crafts and creations on the go at any given time, you'd think I'd post about those.  But, I (finally) finished Alan Wake and I think I should cover it while it's fresh.

Alan Wake is a psychological action horror game, made out of equal parts Stephen King and Twilight Zone, with a sprinkling of Max Payne for gameplay.  Just a pinch.  It all bakes together to make a delicious little game that breaks down cooking metaphors almost immediately.  This game presents a compelling, unfolding horror story that evolves over six chapters to make you seriously question what, if anything, is real.  It's an experience, and one well worth having.  This is one of those games we can point to, as a community, and say "Here is art.  Here is the power of the Story" in more ways than one.

News and Reviews: Diablo the First

So there I was, standing in line at the midnight launch of Diablo 3 with about a hundred other people all eagerly awaiting their chance to explore the world of Sanctuary in a whole new way.  The clock ticked methodically onwards, until finally it was time.  The line marched forward with surprising civility, until my friend and I made it up to the cash at last.  He picked up his copy, and the cashier turns to me. I put up my hands, and back away.

"Oh, no thanks.  I'm not a fan.  I just like things that happen at midnight."

Short Story Sunday: The Serpent's Curse

 Welcome back.  Today's installment is a mixture of psuedo-noire and greek storytelling.  It has come about from repeated listenings of Nick Cave's Murder Ballads CD.  Be aware, this story has gritty, serious violence.  This story is not for everyone.  It's also not an example of my best work, and to be honest I'm not really happy with it.  However, I can't keep everything back just because it's sub-par.  Maybe I'll revisit this idea in the future, try and pin it down.  We'll see.  With that in mind, I present...

The Serpent's Curse

News and Reviews: The Gunstringer

I own an X-box 360, and must say that by-and-large I'm pretty happy with it.  It runs fast, it looks nice, and the controls are usually tight.  And comfortable. Until you get into the Kinect, where everything has a nasty habit of breaking down. But not always, sometimes it works wonders.  Sometimes you get,

The Gunstringer.

Lex Luthor: The Man Who Would Be Hero

Minor disclaimer: I wrote this on my phone, on the bus from Kingston to Toronto.  So there may be some errors.  I blame my thumbs.

 
In every story you see a dichotomy. Good versus evil, right and wrong, easy or hard. Superman and his various tales are no different. However they can be, on occasion, very sneaky about it. Dastardly, even.
Cunning. Yes, that's it. Cunning.

Short Story Sunday: The Eyes Have It

Time for round two, Short Story Sunday makes its return!  May I present the strange, sad tale of a man who, for all his incredible kinds of  super-vision, is blind.  A note: these are essentially first drafts I'm putting up here.  If anyone would like to take a stab at editing and the like for me, I'd love to talk to you.

Putting the Dread Back in the Undead

Okay, so you're running a game.  Things are getting real interesting.  The party has traced the mystery back to a dangerous cult hiding out in the cemetery, and the only thing standing between them and righteous, ecstatic justice is... An army of undead minions!

Oooooooh!  Oooga booga!

Minimaking: SKIP

I play a fair amount of Dungeons and Dragons, usually as a DM.  It's one of my favorite hobbies, so I wind up doing a fair amount of extra stuff to make the experience that much better.  From interesting handouts to custom miniatures to giant maps, I like to make it all.  Assuming I can't find it already made for cheap, that is.

Short Story Sunday

Welcome to the first instalment of the Short Story Sunday feature here at Rubber Chicken Studios.  Every Sunday we'll feature a very short story, from whatever genre takes me at the time.  I hope you enjoy!  This week's instalment is called "Hunter/Hunted", and hopefully has a fun surprise for you.

Construction is currently underway, articles will be arriving shortly.  In the meantime, please enjoy this hilarious picture from the internet.