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Topic Started: Sep 12 2017, 10:00 AM (33 Views)
BBPhage

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Cool Things Worth Knowing About Quantum Mechanics:
by Jackson wxyz



What Even is “Quantum”?

Try to imagine an object that could travel at 10, 20, 30, 40… miles per hour, but couldn’t travel at 15 or 22 or 11 or 39 miles per hour, literally physically could not travel at those intermediate speeds. Its velocity will always be some integer multiple of 10 mph, never fractional, so we would say that its speed is “quantized”. In everyday experience (described by “classical” mechanics), the idea of quantized velocity (or mass, or electric charge, or etc) is ridiculous, but in “quantum” mechanics, there are lots of situations (like the energy levels or “shells” of electrons in atoms) where energy, position, velocity, or some other values are quantized.

Wave-Particle Duality

Gotta pitch that Feynman video again, it’s really great: http://youtu.be/hUJfjRoxCbk?t=1m15s

Uncertainty Principles

You’ve maybe heard of light being “both particle and wave” or “sometimes a particle and sometimes a wave”. (Actually, it’s not just light. Electrons, neutrinos, and other particles are just like photons in this way!)

That sounds pretty mysterious, and in a way it is, but in another way that weirdness is just a basic consequence of how math works –specifically, what happens when you add up lots of different sine waves. Here, check out this video of sine waves of different wavelengths adding together to make a “square wave”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6crWlxKB_E . If you add up a different set of waves, you get a “wave packet” instead of a square wave. A wave packet gets big near one point in space and cancels itself out to zero far away, unlike a normal sine wave which keeps going to infinity: http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase...mgwav/wpac5.gif

If you add tons of waves together, the wave packet gets taller and narrower, eventually (when you have added together literally ALL THE WAVES) becoming a spike to infinity at a single point in space. This picture shows how the wave packet gets narrower and narrower, from the red packet (just a few waves added up) to the blue (lots of waves added up): http://mathworld.wolfram.com/images/eps-gi...ctionN_1000.gif

It makes perfect sense to talk about the wavelength of a single wave; that’s what waves are all about! But it seems a little crazy to ask about the wavelength of a narrow wave packet, since it is made up of a bunch of different waves added together. It maybe has an average wavelength, but the idea of “the wavelength of the packet” is ambiguous.

Conversely, it makes a lot of sense to talk about the position of a very narrow wave function, since there’s clearly something going on right there in the middle. But it makes no sense to talk about the position of a sine wave, since it stretches all the way to infinity in both directions!

What we think of as “particles” are wave-packet-like distributions of energy, and they are described mathematically by a “wave function”. The inherent mathematical trade-off between having a well-defined position vs a well-defined wavelength (ie, between particle-ness and wave-ness) is what’s called the Heisenberg uncertainty principle: you can’t know both a particle’s position and it’s velocity (ie energy, ie wavelength) perfectly at the same time. There are lots of cool consequences of the Heisenberg Position-Velocity uncertainty principle, and there are even other similar trade-offs like the Energy-Time uncertainty principle)

The Collapse of the Wave Function

A wave function “collapses” when it interacts with another particle and that interaction forces it to take on a definite position (or velocity, or angular momentum, or whatever) that earlier had been an ambiguous range of possible positions in a spread-out wave packet. Where will the particle “choose” to manifest itself within that range? Quantum mechanics can’t tell you, and physicists are pretty sure that nothing could ever tell you. Most “random” events, like the outcome of a dice roll, are really just “deterministic albeit complex and difficult-to-predict” events –in other words, they only look random because you don’t have enough information about the angular momentum and kinetic energy and weight of the dice, the friction of the table, the air resistance, etc, to calculate and predict the outcome. But when a wave-function collapses, the position of the particle (within the range and probabilities specified by the wave function, of course) is truly random: according to quantum mechanics, there is no hidden information inside the electron that tells it where to be. Randomness, then, is an inherent part of the universe.

Assorted Myths Dispelled

-Quantum mechanics doesn’t really change anything about the philosophical debate on free will.

-Quantum mechanics will not give you hippie superpowers, as depicted in various New-Age films.

-In general, this is true: http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/quantum_mechanics.png

-Indeed, wave function collapse is not caused by human (or canine) consciousness, and there is nothing magical in quantum mechanics about “making an observation”. In order to make an observation about an electron in a typical quantum mechanics experiment, you have to hit the damn thing with a photon (a “particle” of light) and then watch how the photon bounces off. This is a little like trying to measure the speed of a bowling ball by shooting it with a revolver and seeing how the bullet ricochets. Obviously the bowling ball’s velocity is going to change as a result of the “measurement”! The same goes with the electron in our experiment: wave-function collapse is caused by getting hit by a photon (or etc).

-You might have heard of the “many worlds interpretation” of quantum mechanics. Unlike the probably-incorrect “consciousness causes collapse” or “hidden variable” ideas, there’s actually nothing wrong with this one: it’s a reasonable interpretation. But physicists don’t usually like it because it doesn’t take kindly to Occam’s Razor (the idea that the simplest accurate theory is probably the best). It seems like an awful lot of hassle to posit an infinite number of infinitely branching parallel universes (the many worlds interpretation) just to avoid having to consider that randomness is maybe an inherent part of nature (the standard “copenhagen interpretation”).

-That being said, not everybody loves the copenhagen interpretation. Pointing out the confusing counter-intuitive nature of wave functions and their collapse is what the “Schrodinger’s Cat” thought experiment is all about. It’s a thought experiment which may not mean what you think it means: http://www.smbc-comics.com/?id=2524

That’s it for now, thanks for reading!
Edited by BBPhage, Sep 12 2017, 10:04 AM.
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Trying your hand at being a Dungeon Master?
Give this a read.

by RICHARDJOKES



Where Do I Start?
If you have a penchant for writing stories or creating things, this is definitely the spot at the table for you. Don't be afraid to take a stab at it. Watching players actively go about gameplay and run through your game like rats in a maze is extremely gratifying to some of us. Hopefully after this, I can convince you to run a game and come out feeling like George R. R. Martin. Hopefully you don't outright murder your players, but you get what I'm saying.

Typically, as a DM you want to have played at least a few sessions as a player. If you have already played, you'll recognize a lot of what is posted here. If you haven't ever played and you want to see some games played, look no further. All of the members of "Critical Role" are professional voice actors. Give it a go and see if you are still interested.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-p9lWIhcLQ...l0jP5p3kxBRPVPa

Mercer is the epitome of a great DM. Emulate what he does and you'll do a great job.

Editions - There are currently several editions of D&D with the most up to date being 5th edition (5e). Honestly, after playing through almost all of the other editions (2nd, 3rd, 3.5, and 4th), 5e is by far the best in my opinion. Make your choice on what you want and start grabbing books.

Books - This is going to require some reading on your part. Get ahold of the three core rulebooks, (Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, and the Monstrous Manual) and give them a once over. If your are really serious about it and plan on becoming a DM, you need to know the same or more about the game than the players. This is going to seem like a shit load of information. Don't get overwhelmed. If you don't understand something or something seems seems too vague, don't be afraid to talk it over with your players on if it makes sense or not. These are a list of guidelines, not what you have to do. A good DM isn't afraid to admit he or she doesn't know everything.

Dice - These are a necessity as well. A typical set (You're going to see these referenced an insane amount of times throughout the books) consists of a d20, d12, d10, d8, d6, and a d4. The number refers to the number of sides each has. Each of these dice has functions that are that are listed throughout the books and you will instinctively know what to use after some game time.

5x5 grid - Depending on who you are talking to, some people play D&D with no maps at all. These groups are rare and rely entirely on imagination and dice for encounters through description, but we're going to focus on the visual side of it. Any DM worth their salt will have a map (doesn't have to be a map just something with the intended purpose of distinguishing boxes) with a grid layout. This mainly makes up combat encounters and dungeons. Everything else falls into the realm of description on your end. Playing in person, a whiteboard or paper will work just fine.

Figurines - Not necessary. I've seen people use scraps of paper on 5x5 grids before to assert where their characters and monsters are. This is not a rich person's game. If you want to spend some cash on some though, I recommend looking around in comic book shops first. Support your local stores and maybe you'll even draw some players in while your at it.

Bonus - If you use Roll20.net, you don't even need to buy dice, maps, figurines, or leave your house.
Where do I Find Players?
Where do I Find Players?
So over the last 15 years, I've played D&D on and off as much as humanly possible. However, depending on your situation, you won't always have people constantly available to play due to constraints for work, scheduling, etc. which causes groups to fall apart fairly quickly with repeated no-shows. Sadly, it has a lot to deal with the people you're getting involved with and if they're flaky or not, but you'll never know until you play with them. My suggestion? Use Roll20.net. You can draw a lot of introverted people out of their shells when you just have mic communications. The plus side of all of this? They never even have to leave home to play. They have an entire section dedicated to finding players relevant to what you want and other peoples schedules being able to mesh with yours. Or you can always play with people you know or try comic book stores. Tons of cool people all over the place if you just give them a chance.

I've been using https://app.roll20.net since before they officially teamed up with D&D (That's right, I'm a D&D hipster) and can say that it is a fantastic site for a budding, bushy tailed, bright eyed starters as well as long time, jaded, meta-gaming players. Again, this is going to require some learning on the DM's part, mainly because it is going to be you setting all of the maps and plot line up.

Pro tip about flakes - replace them as soon as humanly possible. Groups tend to fall flat when people go missing. I have a three strike rule. If people don't show up for that many sessions in a row and get new people in the door to keep things fresh. Don't let your world and the players who enjoy it miss out because of one bad apple.
Where And When Does My Campaign Take Place? Where And When Does My Campaign Take Place?
Where And When Does My Campaign Take Place?
If you don't want to make your own world, consider using these campaign settings created by D&D.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dungeons_%26_...mpaign_settings . Not all of these settings are up to date, so keep in mind that you may have to do some converting to your edition if you decide to use these.

World building has been an integral part of D&D from day one. As a brand new DM, my suggestion to you is to take a shot at it. Just keep some things in mind.

To start, you can make any kind of world you want. Don't let other people's sterotypes on how typical worlds should be prevent you from making a world where Orcs are the main characters and Humans are evil tyrants. If you have a story to tell, make it happen. If you want to follow a sterotypical save the princess story, go for it.

Magic - I've run across DM's who had completely eradicated magic from their games to others where it was considered abnormal if you didn't have some sort of innate talent for it. Another interesting one was only divine magic (think godly powers) was the only magic. It all depends on how you want to make your world. Just keep in mind whenever you do things like this that you limit the players in a sense of what they can and cannot play.

History / Kingdoms - Budding worlds make for interesting games, especially if the world in question is vastly unexplored. You can continually make your world larger and larger this way without fear of crowding taking place or being expected to have sections of your world premade. It is much easier to direct players and corral their interests with this method.

Deities - Not all worlds need gods, but you can almost bet that there will be some sort of religion. If you want to make a completely atheistic world, not a problem. If you create one with deities in it, be prepared to have some sort of dogma or religious explanation, especially if you have clerics or paladins in your group. You can also use the pre-generated deities in the books if you don't want to dabble in the religious sector.

Cities / Ruling Class - Again, don't be afraid to break some rules here and there. Some of the most fun and exciting campaign settings I've run across have been completely outside the box. Want to make a city entirely ruled and inhabited by the dead where the living are considered "fresh meat"? Been there, done that and it was a blast.

NPCs - (Non-Player Characters) encompass every single person or creature that the players will come across from a mouse to a Ancient Red Dragon. Be sure to have a purpose for your most pertinent NPCs. Do yourself a favor and make a list of names on the side that you can just throw around if players are seeking names of characters you haven't made yet. Helps a ton.

Story - I've seen games where the players are just dust floating around. They don't end well. You want to create a story that pulls the players in and keeps them glued to their seats. A game where the players have a purpose is one they will try their damnedest to fulfill (normally anyways, sometimes you'll have rebels that will fight you every step of the way) . If you see that the players are becoming bored, try to spice it up with twists and turns. Rome wasn't built in a day. You will have sessions that make you go, "What the hell was I thinking", or "I didn't think the players were going to murder the king", and make you completely reevaluate what you had planned out. That's the beauty of the game though. When players surprise you (They will, you can't plan for everything), don't be afraid to reward them for their efforts.

Maps - There is a few map making tools out there for dungeons and worlds alike that don't require you to pick up a single sheet of paper. If you want to make something on paper, make some copies. That piece of paper will get screwed up at some point by a handsy player or get magically lost. You will be devastated. Here are a few sites to get you started.

www.roll20.net - Dungeons / Worlds
http://pyromancers.com/dungeon-painter-online/ Dungeons
Google D&D maps - Premade Towns, Dungeons, World Maps
http://fantasynamegenerators.com/ World Maps (The name is deceiving)
http://inkarnate.com/ World Maps (This one is borderline professional)

Treasure - This is always a sour point for a ton of DM's as there are very few actual ways to predict what will and won't make your players overpowered or under-powered. Players who get randomized items that have no real use to them have a tendency to be weak, where if you make players get every single item they need, tend to stomp every encounter they come across. Adjust according to what you see. Plan some items out, randomly roll others.
The Players The Players
The Players
Group Diversity - No, I'm not talking about gender and ethnicity of the players. I'm talking about their character classes and races. Typically as a DM, you want to have a group that is mixed around to perform different functions for everyone to benefit by. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO DO THIS. I've seen groups of six wizards that do wonders and skate by everything. If your group can make it work, let them give it a shot. If they all die to a massive rolling boulder, you can always rub it in that maybe one of them should have been a rogue to see the trap.

The most important thing here is that the players are doing what THEY want to do. Don't force people into roles they don't want to be in. You can find tons of people who are 100% willing to play anything the group needs. Make sure that they're having fun and you'll share it.

Player Deaths and Re-rolling - It happens. Don't be afraid to tell a player that heir halfling was just digested by that ooze. At lower levels, this is pretty much the definition of a player saying goodbye to their character. As players gain levels, you'll start to see them develop a feel for each other's capabilities and take care of each other more. Not all groups I've been with have done this, but most. The more games you host, you'll notice that player death's start to become rarer the higher they go as well. If it does take place, they try to resurrect that player by any means necessary as well. Don't be afraid of killing players. You are supposed to be 100% neutral in everything that occurs. Player deaths are supposed to constantly make them feel vulnerable and let them know that death lurks around every corner.

TL:DR Read this and get a feel for being a Dungeon Master

If this gets some points, I'll do another on dungeon building and role playing.

Have any tips or tool websites to share? Post in the comments. I'm always keeping my eyes open for new resources.
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http://www.dailywritingtips.com/7-types-of...ative-conflict/


7 Types of Narrative Conflict
By Mark Nichol

Every work of literature, and much nonfiction narrative, is based on at least one of the following conflicts. When you write a story or a biography, or relate a true event or series of events, you need not focus on such themes, and there’s no reason to state them explicitly (except in passing, perhaps, to provide insight about a biographical subject), but you’re wise to identify the conflicts inherent in your composition and apply them as you write.

1. Person vs. Fate/God
This category could be considered part of conflict with self or with society (many people count only four types of conflict, including those two and conflict with another person or with nature). That’s a valid argument, as one confronts fate as part of an internal struggle and religion is a construct of society, but explicitly naming fate (Oedipus Rex) or God — or the gods (The Odyssey) — as the antagonist is a useful distinction.

2. Person vs. Self
A person’s struggle with his or her own prejudices or doubts or character flaws constitutes this type of conflict (Hamlet).

3. Person vs. Person
Any story featuring a hero and a villain or villains (The Count of Monte Cristo) represents this type of conflict, though the villain(s) is/are often representative of another antagonist in this list, whether a villain is in essence an alter ego of the protagonist (thus representing the conflict of person versus self) or stands in for society.

4. Person vs. Society
When the protagonist’s conflict extends to confronting institutions, traditions, or laws of his or her culture, he or she struggles to overcome them, either triumphing over a corrupt society (I draw a blank here), rejecting it (Fahrenheit 451), or succumbing to it (1984).

5. Person vs. Nature
In this conflict, the protagonist is pitted against nature (Robinson Crusoe) or a representation of it, often in the form of an animal (Moby Dick).

6. Person vs. Supernatural
Superficially, conflict with the supernatural may seem equivalent to conflict with fate or God, or representative of a struggle with an evocation of self (Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde) or nature (The Birds). But this category stands on its own feet as well.

7. Person vs. Technology
Humanity’s innate skepticism about the wonders of technology has resulted in many stories in which antagonists use technology to gain power or in which technology takes over or becomes a malign influence on society (Brave New World).
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http://thewritepractice.com/7-plots/

The 7 Types of Plots: Overcoming the Monster
by Liz Bureman

My roommate and I spent a good chunk of Sunday evening watching Avatar on FX since neither of us had seen it, and it was apparently a huge deal when I was out of the country for eleven months. As we were watching, I said to her, “This is kind of like Pocahontas meets Fern Gully, but with sex.” She agreed, which got me thinking about the fact that a lot of our literature, television, and film is similar.

Christopher Booker had the same idea in 2004, and wrote The Seven Basic Plots: Why We Write Stories, which argues that all stories told in any medium can be categorized into one of seven archetypes. Today, we’re covering the first plot: Overcoming the Monster.

Overcoming the Monster
Photo by Kevin Dooley
Overcoming the Monster is an underdog story where the hero sets out to destroy an evil of some kind. Generally, this evil is something larger or greater than the protagonist, and will take great courage and strength to defeat (the story would be over rather quickly otherwise).

There are five stages in an Overcoming the Monster plot.

1. Anticipation Stage and Call

The reader learns about the monster from afar, including its powers and reign of terror over the nearby community, and the hero accepts the call to defeat the monster.

2. Dream Stage

The hero prepares to fight the monster while it is still a comfortable distance away, although the distance between the two is decreasing. In film, a training montage usually fits in right about here.

3. Frustration Stage

It’s here! The monster! And it’s even worse than we thought! The monster’s power is revealed in all its terrible glory, and it looks like our hero is in way over his or her head.

4. Nightmare Stage

Cue the epic battle music, because it is ON. And it’s not going well for our hero, who is being absolutely pummeled by the monster. But wait! Just as all hope is lost, the major chords start peeking through on the background score, because the tide of battle is about to turn.

5. The Thrilling Escape from Death, and Death of the Monster.

Monster is defeated, hero emerges victorious, and the grateful people present him/her with treasure, a kingdom or something to rule over, and/or the local village hottie who is the hero’s perfect other half.

This plot type is ancient, with Gilgamesh and the story of David and Goliath following this structure, although it still is common in contemporary films and literature, like Terminator, most of the Redwall series, and the Star Wars films.

Keep in mind that these plot types are not bad. Storytelling in one form or another has been around for thousands of years, so you’re bound to reuse a few plot points, and there are still opportunities to play with the identity of the monster. Instead of a physical monster, it could be an abstraction, like fear, or a mundane monster, like finals week at a university. There’s still room for creativity.

PRACTICE

Write a scene from one of the five stages of an Overcoming the Monster story. It doesn’t have to detail all five stages; just pick one for this exercise. Once your fifteen minutes are up, post your practice in the comments, and leave notes for others who are taking the plunge. Happy writing!



http://thewritepractice.com/rags-to-riches/
The 7 Types of Plots: Rags to Riches
by Liz Bureman

Everyone loves a success story, especially when it results from years of hard work and the protagonist has struggled from the depths of despair. This story type is so beloved, that it is Charles Booker’s second plot type of seven: Rags to Riches.

Rags to Riches
Photo by Andrew Magill
Rags to Riches is essentially what the American Dream can be condensed to. A child grows up with oppressive living conditions or authority figures, usually in poverty, and overcomes them to end the story with wealth, status, a companion, and usually a kingdom of some kind. Key to the story is a point where the protagonist seems to have achieved success, but it’s too early, and he or she isn’t ready for it, and everything comes crashing down around them.

A Rags to Riches story, like the Overcoming the Monster story, also has five stages.

Initial Wretchedness at Home and the Call

The introduction to the physical, mental, and/or emotional squalor that is the protagonist’s early life. This more than anything else defines our hero from the beginning, since this plot type hinges on the hero’s personal growth and maturation. We see the terrible conditions that the protagonist lives through until he/she receives the call to leave, and sets out (or is forced out) into the world.

Out Into the World, Initial Success

Some minor struggles hit our hero, but it looks like everything is coming up roses. Our hero may have already met their prince/princess, and have experienced some victories that foreshadow their future success and glory, but overall, the hero hasn’t fully matured yet, so these victories will be short-lived.

The Central Crisis

The “oh crap” moment hits. Some dark figure from the hero’s past might return, or the hero might lose their prince/princess, either through physical separation, or from a mental or emotional standpoint. The small victories are stripped away, and the protagonist is at their lowest point in the story.

Independence and the Final Ordeal

No more genies or fairy godmothers; the protagonist has only their wits and strength to pull himself or herself back up. And by golly, it’s done with style, with the hero realizing his/her independence and proving to all the haters that he/she is capable and worthy of reaching the final goal. There’s a final confrontation with whatever is standing between the hero and the end goal, but we all know how that ends.

Final Union, Completion, and Fulfillment

The hero wins! For real this time, not like the fake-out in stage two. As a reward, the protagonist claims the treasure, kingdom, and local royal stud of the preferred gender.

Disney is especially fond of this plot type, bringing Cinderella, Aladdin, and The Princess and the Frog to life on the big screen. The early books of the Harry Potter series contain elements of this story type as well. As a reminder, just because a plot type is pervasive does not mean it is bad. We all love fairy tales, and they’ve been around for ages, and they are clearly not going away anytime soon as long as the Magic Kingdom is still in Orlando. Tweak character goals, or play with different definitions of initial wretchedness; there’s room for experimentation in these types.

What are your favorite rags to riches stories?

PRACTICE

Just like we did with Overcoming the Monster, pick one of the five stages of the Rags to Riches plot type and write a scene from that stage for fifteen minutes. Post your practice in the comments and don’t forget to comment on the work of your fellow writers.



http://thewritepractice.com/the-quest/
The 7 Types of Plots: The Quest
by Liz Bureman

This post is part of our ongoing series exploring Christopher Booker’s theory in The Seven Basic Plots: Why We Write Stories. Check out part 1 and part 2.
Yeah, like you’re going to see a list of plot types that doesn’t include the Quest. The Quest is a search for a place, item, or person that requires the hero to leave home in order to find it. Sometimes the item is just a MacGuffin to drive the plot along; other times the thing driving the quest is specific to the story’s circumstances. Either way, the hero is leaving home to find whatever the heck the story demands, and we get to come along for the ride.

Emerald City
“We’re off to see the Wizard.”
The Quest is the plot type most likely to have a group of main characters rather than one protagonist in the main eye of the story. The rest of the party generally takes one of four appearances:

A close friend who is loyal to our hero, but doesn’t have much else going for him or her;
A sidekick who is the polar opposite of the hero mentally, physically, and emotionally;
A generic mass of identity-less bros who don’t get names because they’re not alive long enough to matter; or
A balanced party of brains, heart, and strength who support the hero, or who count the hero as one of their own.
The Call

If you’ve read either of the other two entries in this series, you’ve probably got an idea of what this entails. Kickstarts the plot and gives the hero and the rest of the party a mission to accomplish.

The Journey

Obviously our heroes are not going to get to their end goal that easily. Most of the journey is over enemy territory or hostile land, and obstacles pop up left and right, like dandelions in the spring. Obstacles come in several flavors, like monsters (kill/escape, rinse, repeat), temptations (see a good portion of the Odyssey for examples), a rock and a hard place (Scylla and Charybdis being the classic example), or a journey to the underworld. Amid these tests come periods of rest where the party can regain their strength (or count the bodies, if the party is the third type).

Arrival and Frustration

They’re so close! Our heroes can see the Emerald City! They’re almost there! Oh, wait, the Wizard won’t actually help them until they kill the Wicked Witch of the West. Damn. Well, that’s annoying. Our heroes still have some work to do before they actually complete their Quest.

The Final Ordeals

Now come the final tests of our heroes. Often these come in sets of three, like in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Usually our main hero is the only one who can complete the final test. Success! And then our intrepid band of heroes (or just one hero, in case everyone else is dead) makes an amazing escape from death, either by running away or by killing whatever bad guys are left.

The Goal

Huzzah! Our hero(es) have completed their quest, and get their treasure/kingdom/princess/trip home.

Most stories involving the Holy Grail are Quests, as is the Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Princess Bride, and Finding Nemo. If information is considered to be the sought-after item in the Quest, most police/legal procedurals could be considered miniature quests. By varying the elements of the Quest story, the plot type can still stay fresh.

PRACTICE

Pick one of the stages of the Quest and write a scene from that stage for fifteen minutes. Post your practice in the comments section, and check out the work of your fellow writers.
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The discussion of how plot, writing, and focus of details is useful for film or writing action sequences. Believe it or not, a good amount of what the youtuber talks about and focuses on matches up with college textbooks about writing action sequences and pacing. Worth a listen.
Edited by BBPhage, Sep 12 2017, 10:11 AM.
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This is a tool that allows you to visually represent size difference. Amazing if you are a visual learner type of person and you want to mentally build a scene with characters of significantly different heights.

http://www.mrinitialman.com/OddsEnds/Sizes/sizes.html
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This is my favorite resource when it comes to figuring out HTML color codes that work together for post templates and speech text and all that good stuff.

http://paletton.com/
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RedDragon@1995,May 24 2017
07:38 PM
Map Creation Tool:

So Inkarnate is used to build fantasy maps but it can easily be used to make continents and other things if you want maps for your worlds. It's 100% free and you can upload your own images to the site so I'm sure if you're artistic enough you could add in sci-fi cities. Just follow the link below, make an account and start creating!

http://inkarnate.com/


location of quoted post
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Source: https://68.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m1pkloxh6F1qd2lr6o1_540.png

Converted to text by: Lance2185#0564


Quote:
 
Character Name:

Age:

Appearance

What do you know about this character now that s/he doesn’t yet know?
What is this character’s greatest flaw?
What do you know about this character that s/he would never admit?
What is this character’s greatest asset?
If this character would choose a different identity, who would s/he be?
What music does this character sing to when no one else is around?
In what or whom does this character have the greatest faith?
What is this character’s favourite movie?
Does this character have a favourite article of clothing? Favourite shoes?
Does this character have a vice? Name it.
Name this character’s favourite person (living or dead).
What is this character’s secret wish?
What is this character’s proudest achievement?
What is this character’s most embarrassing moment?
What is this character’s deepest regret?
What is this character’s greatest fear?
What is this character’s most devastating moment?
What is this character’s greatest achievement?
What is this character’s greatest hope?
Does this character have an obsession? Name it.
What is this character’s greatest disappointment?
What is this character’s worst nightmare?
Whom does this character most wish to please? Why?
Describe this character’s mother.
Describe this character’s father.
If s/he had to choose, with whom would this character prefer to live?
Where does this character fall in birth order? What effect does this have?
Describe this character’s siblings or other close relatives.
Describe this character’s bedroom. Include three cherished items.
What is this character’s birth date? How does this character manifest traits of his/her astrological sign?
If this character had to live in seclusion for six months, what six items would s/he bring?
Why is this character angry?
What calms this character?
Describe a recurring dream or nightmare this character might have.
List the choices (not circumstances) that led this character to his/her current predicament.
List the circumstances over which this character has no control.
What wakes this character in the middle of the night?
How would a stranger describe this character?
What does this character resolve to do differently every morning?
Who depends on this character? Why?
If this character knew s/he had exactly one month to live, what would s/he do?
How would a dear friend or relative describe this character?
What is this character’s most noticeable physical attribute?
What is this character hiding from him/herself?
Write one additional thing about your character.
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