Whiskey in the jAAR - Part Deux-twa

[Chac1]

An awkward silence fell over the bAAR as the wake seemed to have concluded. The various authAARs drifted away to their comfortable leather chairs near the books and the Inkwell, perhaps to read, or perhaps to nap. Some left the barroom altogether, going upstairs to the various rooms for overnight stay or moving magically into other areas of AARland.

I'll just drown my tears in this morning tea.

Indeed, the hours had accumulated. The various late nights had waned into early mornings. The ancient one thought that although this gathering had ended on a sad note, there was certainly the feeling of catharsis in the air. At least, that is what he felt as he gathered up his large tomes and the list of Stellaris stories that remained unread.

"Not sure I'm going to get this reading project done on time," he muttered to himself.

"A lovely song, @Chac1 ," coz raises his glass, "I saw Elton in concert when he was last in Atlanta and that was a highlight. Cheers to those loved and lost. They remain in our hearts."

"You are most welcome, @coz1 ," Chac replied. "Atlanta is like a homecoming for Elton. Didn't he live there for more than a few years?"

<sighs at the rhetorical question, knocks back a single malt in salute, and leaves the baar in a reflective mood>

The ancient one was sorry to see @Bullfilter come into the bAAR rather quickly and then leave with a salute of sorts after the wake. He didn't have time to visit with him. "That one has a lot going on. Although we certainly do to. Maybe I'll catch him on the next trip," Chac muttered.

"Likely he has the right idea. Time to go for now," he added as he gathered up his belongings. However, he made one last stop at the jukebox before making his exit.

"Paint it Black" covered by Harp Twins + Volfgang Twins

 

[Eurasia]

OOC - The Harp Twins are great. Love when they do puns.

Euraisa walked into the bAAR and looked about. "Gentlemen, I need some information." He looked a tad uncomfortable and added, "I have a question that I am not sure is proper to ask. Ahem...if we have a AAR that ISN'T in the Paradox universe....where would we display it? I have come upon a interesting...game. A wonderful, amazing, game that I think many would enjoy. But....it was created by a indie company...and well, I want to make sure I won't be chased down and arrested for trying to...share it with the many readers."

"Also do you have any warm cider? My throat had been bothering me for weeks..."

 

[StrategyGameEnthusiast]

Mr. SGE teleports to the bAAR upon hearing Euraisa's question.

"If I remember correctly, non-Paradox AARs belong in the Off-Topic Forum. Using the forum search bar, I've found AARs for games like Football Manager and Book of Hours in the Off-Topic Forum. However, maybe a Moderator could elaborate further."

Mr. SGE teleports away...

 

[jak7139]

Jak pours @Eurasia a steaming cup of cider. "Here you go."

"I think you're looking for the Off Topic games forum as Mr. SGE suggests, not just the general OT part. Hope this helps."

Cider sounds good, Jak thinks to himself. He pours himself a cup. "Thanks for the Norse cover, @Chac1." Jak waves as the Ancient One exits.

 

[TheExecuter]

OOC - The Harp Twins are great. Love when they do puns.

Euraisa walked into the bAAR and looked about. "Gentlemen, I need some information." He looked a tad uncomfortable and added, "I have a question that I am not sure is proper to ask. Ahem...if we have a AAR that ISN'T in the Paradox universe....where would we display it? I have come upon a interesting...game. A wonderful, amazing, game that I think many would enjoy. But....it was created by a indie company...and well, I want to make sure I won't be chased down and arrested for trying to...share it with the many readers."

"Also do you have any warm cider? My throat had been bothering me for weeks..."

Some years ago, I wrote an AAR here from a cycling manager game. It is in the OT forum.

The Man in the Arena

Just saying it can be done (or could be done)...

 

[StrategyGameEnthusiast]

Mr. SGE teleports back to the bAAR.

"No, Jak. I meant the general OT forum. The OT games forum seems to be for interactive stuff only. Such as Werewolf. The examples I listed were in the general OT forum."

Mr. SGE teleports away again...

 

[coz1]

Indeed, from the fAARq:

If the game is in no way affiliated with Paradox, then you may write your AAR in the Off Topic area of the forum.

 

[DensleyBlair]

Having been sat reading and scribbling away in his armchair for as long as anyone could remember, DB stands up suddenly and addresses the room.

– Forgive me, AARlanders. I know this is not the done thing at all, but I have just reached something of a personal milestone and I would like to share the happy news. Eighteen months after last managing to publish a chapter, and a good five-and-a-half years after setting out on the project, I have just published the final part of the last substantive chapter of Echoes of a New Tomorrow. An epilogue remains, in two brief parts, but for all intents and purposes the journey – or this stage of it, anyway – is at an end.

– In over twelve honest years of trying, I have not once been able to finish writing an AAR. More remains to be drawn from the Echoesverse I’m sure, but for now: please, if you feel so minded, join me all of you in a toast to the old beast.

DB raises a small glass of something golden coloured and returns to sit contently by the fire, mulling over the flames and thinking of stories still to be written.

 

[TheButterflyComposer]

Oh wow, I didn't know it was the end! Very well done indeed!

Now, would you be interested in doing a Blackadder the Third special starring special guest William Radcliffe (the increasingly titled) for an April Fools chapter of TBTM?

 

[TheExecuter]

Having been sat reading and scribbling away in his armchair for as long as anyone could remember, DB stands up suddenly and addresses the room.

– Forgive me, AARlanders. I know this is not the done thing at all, but I have just reached something of a personal milestone and I would like to share the happy news. Eighteen months after last managing to publish a chapter, and a good five-and-a-half years after setting out on the project, I have just published the final part of the last substantive chapter of Echoes of a New Tomorrow. An epilogue remains, in two brief parts, but for all intents and purposes the journey – or this stage of it, anyway – is at an end.

– In over twelve honest years of trying, I have not once been able to finish writing an AAR. More remains to be drawn from the Echoesverse I’m sure, but for now: please, if you feel so minded, join me all of you in a toast to the old beast.

DB raises a small glass of something golden coloured and returns to sit contently by the fire, mulling over the flames and thinking of stories still to be written.

Wow. Congratulations!

What does finishing an AAR feel like?

 

[DensleyBlair]

Oh wow, I didn't know it was the end! Very well done indeed!

Cheers Butterfly! Given that it's taken me about three years to finish tying up the last episode alone, I've decided to quit while I'm ahead. But a sequel remains in development, and I'm sure I won't really be able to leave it alone for good.

Now, would you be interested in doing a Blackadder the Third special starring special guest William Radcliffe (the increasingly titled) for an April Fools chapter of TBTM?

Oh, you know me! Drop me a PM and let's talk business

Wow. Congratulations!

What does finishing an AAR feel like?

Thank you!

A relief, mainly! After the struggles of getting it over the line, I really thought it might never happen. Two last epilogues notwithstanding, it feels very satisfying to be able to look at it as a whole piece of work.

Hopefully it's the first of many

 

[TheButterflyComposer]

I was never one for finishing aars, usually because paradox killed the source material game runs. Got a good streak going at the moment though.

 

[DensleyBlair]

I was never one for finishing aars, usually because paradox killed the source material game runs. Got a good streak going at the moment though.

If my example can offer anything salutary, it is that there is genuinely hope for us all

 

[jak7139]

Jak grabs something to toast with.

"Congratulations and well done, @DensleyBlair! Glad you're able to cross the finish line. If someone were to--say--start reading Echoes and its eighty pages, is it necessary to start at the beginning?"

He smiles sadly. "I've heard many good things about the longer-running AARs. But eighty pages...that's a lot to get through."

 

[TheExecuter]

I was never one for finishing aars, usually because paradox killed the source material game runs. Got a good streak going at the moment though.

The story can live on beyond the game.

Last Mission didn't start being written until after I had already abandoned the HOI:2 game that it is based on...and deleted the game file back in 2007.

Heck, I'm still writing the story over seventeen years later. I started writing it in while living in my parent's basement on a laptop I no longer own.

The actual word files for most of part 1 no longer exist...and that portion resides SOLELY on these forums...

Don't let the game be a prison for your story...

Jak grabs something to toast with.

"Congratulations and well done, @DensleyBlair! Glad you're able to cross the finish line. If someone were to--say--start reading Echoes and its eighty pages, is it necessary to start at the beginning?"

He smiles sadly. "I've heard many good things about the longer-running AARs. But eighty pages...that's a lot to get through."

If I may offer some advice.

Just start. See if the story grabs you. If it does, read it when you can. If you find something you want to comment about, do so.

Don't worry about being up to date with a story. Just read it.

I promise, the author WANTS to hear comments from new readers on even the old stuff he or she wrote. This is especially true for longer stories.

Just start. Just read. Don't worry about whether you are up to date.

Start.

 

[TheButterflyComposer]

And if you do read an AAR for longer than two chapters, comment on it.

 

[TheExecuter]

And if you do read an AAR for longer than two chapters, comment on it.

"Please..."

"Even if the comment is a short statement of how part of it made you feel or made you happy."

"Heck, even just an emoji..."

"Knowing other people are reading is incredibly powerful to the author of a story."

TheExecuter knocks back a shot of whiskey.

"Younger me would have been excessively discouraged to win character writer of the week and WritAAR of the week and not receive a single comment in the story during those weeks...and that has happened this year."

"A comment costs so little...and is valued so much."

"Let's not be stingy with each other."

 

[TheButterflyComposer]

"Please..."

"Even if the comment is a short statement of how part of it made you feel or made you happy."

"Heck, even just an emoji..."

"Knowing other people are reading is incredibly powerful to the author of a story."

TheExecuter knocks back a shot of whiskey.

"Younger me would have been excessively discouraged to win character writer of the week and AAR of the week and not receive a single comment in the story during those weeks...and that has happened this year."

"A comment costs so little...and is valued so much."

"Let's not be stingy with each other."

It's very strange to be voted for in the quarterly awards and ACAs by non-commentators. On one hand, great, but on the other...

 

[jak7139]

"Thanks, @TheExecuter." Jak takes a sip of their drink.

"Reading is much like writing. As soon as you start, and keep at it, it becomes easier. A ten page essay may seem daunting, but not if you take it one paragraph at a time."

"Thanks for the advice both of you." Jak nods at @TheButterflyComposer. "I'm so far behind in Tomorrow Belongs to Me as well. The Forum did one of those things where it quit sending me notifications for the thread, even though I was watching it."

 

[TheButterflyComposer]

"Thanks, @TheExecuter." Jak takes a sip of their drink.

"Reading is much like writing. As soon as you start, and keep at it, it becomes easier. A ten page essay may seem daunting, but not if you take it one paragraph at a time."

"Thanks for the advice both of you." Jak nods at @TheButterflyComposer. "I'm so far behind in Tomorrow Belongs to Me as well. The Forum did one of those things where it quit sending me notifications for the thread, even though I was watching it."

I don't even pay any attention to notifications anymore. Just look at the watch list and unread lists.