10 December 2011

Random Thought

Internet forums are the future of literature.

19 October 2011

Assassin's Creed Revelations: A Bibliography

If you happen to enjoy Assassin's Creed Revelations and would like to know more about the era, its people, and the city of Istanbul, these are a few of the books we used to bring our tale to life. Tread heavily, dear adventurer, for history is a muddy, murky place, and rewards only those with long and solid strides.

Osman's Dream: The History of the Ottoman Empire, by Caroline Finkel

The Ottoman Centuries, by Lord Kinross

Istanbul: The Imperial City, by John Freely

History of the Ottoman Empire and Turkey, Vol. 1, by Stanford J. Shaw

Mission to Constantinople, by Liutprand of Crimona

The Turkish Empire: The Sultans, the Territory, and the People, by Rev. T. Milner.

History of the Ottoman Empire, by Edward Upham

History of the Byzantine Empire, George Finlay

The Fourth Part of The World, by Toby Lester

DK Eywitness Travel Guide: Istanbul, by Rose Baring

Some books from Turkey with loads of pictures that Mustapha brought back from Istanbul

Google Images

Wikipedia

Rumors

28 July 2011

A Call To ADVENTURE

This is a quick note to say that the book I have been working on for the past five years -- called Adventure -- is now FINISHED.

Buy it here.


What happens in Adventure?

A young boy, fed up with life under the constant scrutiny of his parents, sneaks from his bedroom into the wild and woolly world in search of a life of adventure and intrigue. Wayfaring far and wide, he makes his way to a town named Proscenium--a quiet, mid-sized metropolis build on a cliff at the edge of the known world. What lies beyond that hazy border is anybody's guess ... but our young boy is determined to discover it. A comic picaresque, served up in a surreal cloud of imagination and fading memory, Adventure is both a celebration and a parody of the well-worn coming-of-age novel.

Bonus Points: If you see any typos in the manuscript, do let me know. I'll hook you up with a free copy of the book if I manage to made a hardcover version.

Extra Bonus Points: If you are a visual artist, and happen to like the book, and would like to contribute visual media to accompany it, please contact me. Eventually I hope to publish Adventure with 20 to 30 illustrations, paintings, collages, etc. included with the text.

Triple Bonus - here is the opening paragraph:

"I was wide-awake when my adventure began, I hadn’t slept for days. Without saying goodbye, or goodnight, or feeling a twinge of remorse, I set out that first evening finally fearing nothing, emboldened by a hunger for newness. I was a boy still, more or less, and though there weren’t many good reasons to disobey my parents, I did it regardless. I steeled my will and disobeyed them casually, sneaking out into the world well past my bedtime. This wasn’t a rational decision—not in those days, when so much of my comfort was at stake—but it had to be made. Parents are in charge for too long before they give up, and I couldn’t wait the length of my youth for that miracle. It was midnight and my will was strong, and my opportunity ripe. It was time to begin the adventure."


Thank you for your kind attention. Enjoy.

Darby McDevitt

10 July 2011

Professional Tips For Game Writers, Number 1

Straight boys, when writing a female character, don't write the woman you think you'd like to date. Write the woman you have already dated. Or your sister. Otherwise, half the planet will just shake their head, and go tsk tsk tsk.

17 June 2011

Random Quasi-Informed Thought

L.A. Noire seems to contain about as much "Noir" as Troll 2 contains trolls.

Additionally, among those who have reviewed the game -- positively and negatively -- I haven't found any great pieces written by fans whose familiarity with Film Noir extends past L.A. Confidential and Chinatown. Not that this is a terrible thing, but it does seem like a wasted opportunity to educate.

Folks, for starters:

Out of the Past
Kiss Me Deadly
Touch Of Evil
Criss Cross
In A Lonely Place
Night and the City
Double Indemnity
The Big Sleep
Murder, My Sweet
The Killers


Back to games, this article is great. Not simply as a review, but as a critical evaluation of the pitfalls and possibilities of storytelling through games.

26 February 2011

New Everything

It's been a long time since I posted anything. Not for any good reason, but I have been busy indeed. Moved from Seattle via New York to Montreal to work at Ubisoft Montreal. I'm writing things for them. In due time I'll be able to say what exactly.

More later, maybe.