That is so interesting!

This, darling, is the Zybourne Clock!

2009-01-02T17:41:00.000-08:00

A couple years ago, a small group of posters on the Something Awful forums decided to make an original video game. Their game, The Zybourne Clock, was intended to be a fully volunteer made steampunk themed RPG. Instead, the failed project turned into a bounty of internet tears and unintentional comedy.

Here's a rough history of the game:

The Zybourne Clock was a goon project to create a sci-fi electropunk RPG using RPG Maker software. It is now best known for being a spectacular failure that makes every other failed goon project pale in comparison.

Initially started in BYOB by Rex Meteorite and Occupy Japan, the project was launched in mid-December 2006 with great fanfare. Recruitment/discussion threads were started in BYOB and Games, multiple banner ads were bought, and contributors even set up an offsite server and forum to co-ordinate development. Over 50 active contributors were claimed, some initial work was shown off, and things were looking pretty good.

Barely 2 weeks later, the whole project had imploded under a storm of drama and neglect. The external site was closed, and the still-active banner ads pointed to threads that were now either locked or gassed. Although most of the action happened on the external forums, most accounts state that things immediately turned cliquey and circlejerky, and drama spread unchecked as there was no effective organization or leadership to settle disputes or co-ordinate efforts.

Although the project was short-lived, The Zybourne Clock lives on in the form of hilariously bad concept art and dialog that get brought up from time to time. Foremost among these is Johnny, a beer drinking, cigar smoking card player with a prominent moose knuckle.

Once a week or so, I'll add some more art and fiction (both original to the game along with many parody pieces) as a treat to you. Today we begin with a short excerpt of in-game text along with a fake trailer.

Prologue

When the object enters the timestream, time begins to correct itself. Let me use this example: Imagine four balls on the edge of a cliff. Say a direct copy of the ball nearest the cliff is sent to the back of the line of balls and takes the place of the first ball. The formerly first ball becomes the second, the second becomes the third, and the fourth falls off the cliff.

Time works the same way.

Top Ten Myths about Iraq

2009-01-02T14:50:00.000-08:00

From Juan Cole

Happy New Year!

Otterly Adorable

2008-12-19T18:13:00.001-08:00

Happy Holidays!

Make Way For The Molly Maguires

2008-12-18T14:00:00.000-08:00

Via Andrew Sullivan, here's an against-the-current comparison for our current economic crisis - think 1873 and not 1929.

In addition to some economic history, Mr. Nelson's essay educated me about the origins of the Molly Maguires. I'd heard the name from the classic Dubliner's song, but had never really thought much about the meaning of the song title or the lyrics until now. I have to say that anyone who's an enemy of the Pinkertons is a friend of mine, so three cheers for the Molly Maguires - they're drinkers, they're liars, but they're men!

Kinda, Sorta, Maybe Open for Questions

2008-12-16T15:28:00.001-08:00

Al Giordano is not happy with the President-Elect Obama's execution of the first round his Open for Questions program:

The Obama staff bothered to answer just five questions: two of them in a sentence apiece, none of them in more than a single paragraph.

To just one of the top questions on drug policy - the one on legalizing marijuana - the response came without argument:

Q: "Will you consider legalizing marijuana so that the government can regulate it, tax it, put age limits on it, and create millions of new jobs and create a billion dollar industry right here in the U.S.?" S. Man, Denton

A: President-elect Obama is not in favor of the legalization of marijuana.

Big whoop. Wow, those Transition policy and website staffers really had to do some heavy lifting to craft that original phrase! Where did they come up with such fine policy prose? (Maybe they got the rocket-scientist-cum-energy-secretary to pen that one?)

I can't say that I blame him. I don't think the responses were horrible, but I was hoping that this time around we wouldn't have to grade our President on a curve.

Change is Coming to My Apartment!

2008-12-15T18:19:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, I played host to a Change is Coming meeting - the purpose of which, as suggested by the Obama campaign staff, was to get Obama supporters together from your local area to stay involved in our government now that the election is over. From what I've gathered from looking through the Obama website, hundreds of other people held similar gatherings across the country over the past weekend.

Roughly twenty strangers came to my apartment to visit, meet similarly minded people, discuss the many problems we face going into the new year, and possibly figure out some ways we can begin to fix them. I didn't get to meet all of my guests as fully as I would have liked due to my time getting eaten up from running around trying to play host and moderator, but I get the feeling that most participants left satisfied.

I definitely have some posts in me about organizing, in terms of my own past experiences, this new opportunity in front of me, and how they fit together, but they will come as I have more time to let this current rush of getting back into the swing of things pass so my thoughts can settle. One thing I can say for certain is that one of the most important talents in successful organizing is not worrying about making a fool of yourself in front of strangers - that's one of the few natural advantages I possess.

In the meantime, here are some pictures from our meeting:

Thanks Mr. President!

2008-12-15T17:38:00.000-08:00

First, I appreciate you giving me the 26th off from work with your magical executive powers. Granted, I was going to take the day off anyway, but I'm glad you didn't call my bluff and make me spend an extra day of vacation.

Second, while having to duck a hostile shoe barrage may not be a perfect form of justice, especially considering the severity of your crimes, it's a decent start.

Interesting-ness of the Week: Fat Man After Dark

2008-12-14T15:13:00.001-08:00

Who is the Fat Man After Dark?

In his own words:

He is the Fat Man. He is the Fat Man After Dark. Created in a genetics laboratory from the splicing of the DNA of William Howard Taft, Grover Cleveland, Henry VIII, Mama Celeste, Mrs. Fields, and and Betty Crocker, the Fat Man first came to prominence as an internet radio host. His first show, aired as a one-time special on a politically progressive internet radio station in the winter of 2006, would set the e-world by storm. Unfortunately the Fat Man's brand of humor and controversial remarks by some of his guests would keep him offline for several months before finally finding his home on another station. On his return show, one of FMAD's friends in China emailed in as he was listening. Fat Man After Dark had defeated communism.

I may or may not have knowledge of the Fat Man's true identity, but I do know that he is a one-man central repository for sports, food, and gambling. Fat Man After Dark is for entertainment purposes only.

Welcome and blah blah blah

2008-12-14T14:27:00.000-08:00

For as much as I can talk and talk in real life with little regard to how I am embarrassing myself or others around me (and if you've met me you know that I am gladly willing to do this until physically stopped), attempts at writing down my thoughts on paper or keyboard make me freeze up with severe self-consciousness. This phobia might be partially due to a blog entry being equivalent to a paper trail of stupidity - someone could print this thing out and come wave it in my face as Exhibit A of my ineptness. While in the real world I can always make a self-depreciating joke after one of my boneheaded comments to ease the tension, in a blog my words have to stand on their own and that scares me.

My primary goal for this blog is to force myself to write often enough that I can attempt to overcome this irrational cyber-stage fright through some good ol' fashioned self-indulgent blogging. However, I'll likely ease the weight from my shoulders by sharing links to news articles, editorials, blogs, videos, and adorable animal pictures at every opportunity.

To tide you over, here's a recent picture of a certain one-eyed fatso in his natural state.