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Friday, September 8, 2017
Breaking Eggs - Making Omelettes
41 comments:
That's a shame. I hope that by putting it on sale, it sales more. That being said, I've heard and read by several persons online that they think it's to expensive. I can't speak for it since I personally prefer playing on PS Vita rather than on 3DS (don't have a Switch though). I hope Chicken Wiggle gets the sales and praise it deserves.ReplyDelete
By putting it on sale, it sells more* lol sorryReplyDelete
I meant I can't speak for it because I haven't played the game yet and can't vouch for its price.ReplyDelete
Hello sir,ReplyDelete
It's really sad to see your latest game have such low sales... I must also admit that I haven't bought it yet. :( A number of factors have played in my decision to not buy it at launch.
- Huge backlog and not that much time to play these days.
- Price. While 15$ is a fair price, in Canada the title is 20$ and that passes some kind of barrier in my mind. Call me cheap if you want (I might be).
- The Switch doesn't factor in for me since I must unfortunately leave mine at home for the kids. :'( I might buy a second one just for me in the future. :)
The main reason I didn't bought Chicken Wiggle yet is not under your control and is called exchange rate. I know it's sad and bluntly said, but I find myself bying a lot less game since the Great Canadian Price Hike a few years ago (2014 if I remember correctly).
I will soon play Chicken Wiggle though as I will indeed enjoy the discount (again, you can call me cheap).
Thanks for your continued support of the 3DS with great games, they are among my favorites. Mutant Mudds and its not-sequel were amazing, though the Super Challenge was really challenging and I haven't finished it yet; Xeodrifter is pure Metroidvania goodness.
Are you still planning on releasing Treasurenauts on the 3DS, given the low sales of Chicken Wiggle?
I first heard about the game through neogaf thread about low sales, guess it flew under the radar for most people, and for some the name could make some negative associations I guess? Switch possibly ate a lot of the sales too, but I would say those are major reasons as wellReplyDelete
its sad to hear. actually i haven't bought your game yet but i'm going to. i would consider myself as a 3ds fanboy... like i have over 50 physical games and even more digitalReplyDelete
hear is why i haven't bought it yet (maybe this helps you somehow).
-when i first heard the name i thought its something like toki tori only in cheap
-the first screenshots looked cheap for me as well (even it isn't). i didn't want to play as a chicken...
-took me a while to found out this is not a cheap game instead its from the makers of mutant mudds and xeodrifters... at this point i was allready super into mario + rabbids, sonic mania and some other games.
but i will buy it soon, its sad to hear that such a game sold so less units...
anyway my friends moved almost all on to the switch and not buying any 3ds games anymore...maybe metroid will be an exception...
- AnonymousSeptember 8, 2017 at 2:47 PM
I was intrigued by your game when it was released, it looks like something that I might enjoy, but I don't buy games digitally at all so I did not buy it. That being said, it is unfortunate that this game did not succeed, I always wish for independent games to succeed as small developers make the gaming landscape richer, even if they release games in a way that I do not buy them in.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousSeptember 8, 2017 at 2:50 PM
The name chicken wiggle just doesn't sound appealing at all. Sounds like shovel ware. Your audience on Twitter are all die hard Jools fans that will blow smoke up your butt no matter what. I'm a huge fan of most of your games, but I passed on chicken wiggle because I like to play on my switch and also because the game just doesn't look like something I would play to completion.ReplyDelete
Hey Jools! I think you hit the nail on the head; I am among the group who would rather play games on my Switch. I'm not even sure I will get Samus Returns, as there's not much reason to turn the handheld on with Miiverse and Badge Arcade biting the dust. I'd much rather experience indie games on the beautiful screen of the Switch (something that I've wanted Nintendo to do for so long!). It sucks that you are left trying to find your way through this, but I think your games would find a better home on Switch. Right now the library is relatively small and people are hungry for new things to play between Nintendo's big releases. There are so many indie games on Switch that I'm interested in or looking forward to, that I've created a list to keep track. I'll keep an eye out on your Switch releases! Thank you for supporting Nintendo hardware when so many developers are reluctant to do so. :)ReplyDelete
- CharlieSeptember 8, 2017 at 3:01 PM
I love this game and I was just going to check out some levels later tonight when I saw this. It sucks man but you are onto something with the 3DS indie buyer audience being on Switch now. Switch indie games are selling like crazy. And people who buy indie games are normally more serious about their gaming. They are thus likely to be there early on with a new console.ReplyDelete
The games that continue to sell well on 3DS are big games for the wider audience with big marketing like Miitopia and soon Metroid or Pokemon on the VC. Even I'm not planning on getting many more 3DS games except for Pokemon of course as I'll live and die by that sword.
Anyway good luck to you folks. :)
I can only speak for myself but price was definitely a factor for me in not buying it. I followed its developement, as I do all your games, & was very intent on buying it until the price was revealed to be $15. I believe the twitter price poll you did for the game last year won at the $10 price point & so I assumed you would go with that as you had done with Mutant Mudds & Xeodrifter prior. Unfortunately not though. I still planned on getting Chicken Wiggle, but only after a sale which I figured would be around the holidays, but, for unfortunate circumstances, will obviously now be a lot sooner. I'll get the game next week when it comes down to the price that I feel is the right price. Good luck with the game during the sale & moving on to the Switch.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousSeptember 8, 2017 at 3:23 PM
I can't speak for everyone, but 6 months ago, I was a BIG 3DS eShop supporter. In fact, 3DS was the ONLY console I was playing and buying games for. If a release was even just remotely interresting, I was buying it. To the point where I ended up with a collection of over 450 digital games (with a cap of 300 games you can have on your SD card, I had to do a lot of purging). I'm not kidding! I was buying games every week. And amongst those great purchases, there was both Mutant Mudd and Xeodrifter. Finished all those games at 100%. I was also waiting for Treasurenauts, and when Renegade Kids got separated, this is the Atooi side of things I continued watching. Chicken Wiggle was on my radar, that's for sure.ReplyDelete
But then, the Switch got released. I only managed to get one at the end of March, so for a few weeks after release, I was continuing to believe that the 3DS was all I needed. But when I first got that thing in my hands, I knew there was no way that I could go back to the 3DS. Ever! I loved my 3DS so much (else I wouldnt have bought all those games), but now, it's in a box, in a closet, and I have no plan of bringing it back. Everytime there's a new indie, I want it on Switch or else, this is a pass for me. I want to play my small indie games on that beautiful screen, in handheld mode or on the big screen. We're only 6 months in, and I'm already with a collection of 42 games...30 of them are digital eShop titles.
And I'm sure I'm not the only one in this boat. Most Nintendo fans that could find a Switch have jumped ship, and I'm also sure that the number of people who are spending tons of money every weeks on those indie titles while we're waiting for the big AAA are quite high. I saw the pics of Mutant Mudds on a Switch screen. I want to let you know that I will double dip on all Mutant Mudd and Xeodrifter releases you'll put on Switch. And if Chicken Wiggle also comes there, you'll have my money Day 1. It's really saddens me that your game didnt made any impact on 3DS, but I think that's the reality we're in now. If it's not on Switch these days, then it's on no other Nintendo console too.
Good luck with all your futures releases! You deserve it. My wallet will be waiting for Atooi on the Switch side!
I think you're right. I think you have a lot of buyers on stand by. I barely play anything on my 3DS, I usually wait for things to come to Steam, and so does most of the indie audience I think. But I know a lot of people who do play on 3DS are now shifting to the Switch (that's a hard sentence to say "shwifting to the stich")ReplyDelete
I think those sales will be made! that's my point. The release might have been weak but the usual sales falloff from release will be much slower too, as you reach other platforms.
Anyway, good luck there.
Honest truth, and I'm being honest in hopes of helping you realize what went wrong, so that you can take the necessary steps to ensure it never happens again.ReplyDelete
1) Indeed, many gamers are moving onto Switch. Even big Nintendo games like Metroid have fans breathing a sigh of hesitation to return to the handheld
2) The name sounds like shocelware. Not only had I not heard of the game (get to that in a sec) when I did see an article about it I skipped it because it sounded like Flappy Bird mobile game. People shouldn't judge a game by its name, but we all do.
3) No awareness for this game at all. For Xeodrifter, I heard about it well in advance. I knew it was from Renegade Kid. For Chicken Wiggle, I hadn't heard of it til this whole fiasco.
4) $15 may be fair, but judging by appearances, it seems $5 too high. Perhaps if the awareness was there, with an intriguing name, $15 would be ok
5) I think even looking past the name, a chicken is not a wise animal to use as a character. It can be done, but it's fighting an uphill battle. Too many mobile (negative) connotations associated with it.
6) Alot of people aren't aware of Atooi. They've heard Renegade Kid, but Atooi is foreign to most. Need to associate the game with Mutant Mudds and Xeodrifter.
7) No marketing (which goes back to awareness). Most people who buy indie games don't follow the devs on Twitter. Most rely on fan sites to look out for new games worth buying. If only one article was written on the game (due to being on 3DS- Switch would have received more exposure), and most who see it are turned off from the name, and of the small portion who do click on the article, most aren't interested because it's not on Switch or quickly dismiss based on no familiarity with developer, and dismiss due to name/character being often associated with mobile gaming... It's not hard to see how this could be skipped by most
8) Pixelated retro style is way oversaturated nowadays. A few years ago it was novel but now, 4 out of 5 games use this style, and it just doesn't stand out anymore. I appreciated it back in the Mutant Mudds days, but now I'm growing to resent it. Just being honest
I can only speak for myself, but that's what I see, and many of those reasons are exactly why I didn't buy it despite buying Mutant Mudds, Mutant Mudds Super Challenge, and Xeodrifter (and all of them on 3DS and Wii U that were sold on both).
I think a Switch release, coupled with alot of exposure and a campaign to inform people of who developed the game and pitch it's merits... could do wonders. But, I think it's time for another big hit to put "Atooi" on the map. You could spend the next 10 years selling off the back of Renegade Kid branding and Mutant Mudds, or, just release another big game that will do what Mutant Mudds did years ago. Something that grabs attention. Maybe a Mutant Mudds 2, or Mutant Mudds 64, maybe a Xeodrifter 2, maybe a brand new game... who knows. It's hard to predict which games will be huge hits. But I can tell you right now, any of the above would have a significant advantage out of the gate.
Hope this helps.
- AnonymousSeptember 8, 2017 at 4:01 PM
Okay, so... I have the possibility of posting this as anonymous, so I will do that because I really think that after posting this comment, you would possibly react negatively just by seeing my name elsewhere afterwards, because commenting something negative on a relatively difficult time like this might just affect anyone that way, but I am a big fan of yours, I enjoyed all of your games, and I want to share another point of view which might be helpful. And I don't know, maybe my name somehow pops up in this, but that's okay I guess.ReplyDelete
But firstly, this is what I've thought for a long time now... "How would you expect this to sell?" I can clearly see how the bigger portion of people react to this after seeing it... "Too old school", "Too simplistic", "Nothing really catches my eye", "Shovelware", "Too expensive, I've seen countless of games that look like this and are free/$1"
It obviously is a well polished game, just like most of your past releases, but when I look at the gaming scene/industry as a whole right now, big things are happening, Switch is extremely exciting, BotW, Splatoon, new Mario, there's so much happening that I think it's really difficult for anyone to stand out no matter what audience supports you.
But I mean of course the indie scene is relatively healthy, so then you compare Chicken Wiggle to other games, like Shantae, Shovel Knight, etc., there's obviously a lot of luck involved, too, but when you look at Chicken Wiggle from the surface, it's just so far away from other current succesful indie titles.. I love cute things, but maybe it's too cute and simple, straight to the point, the other indie titles I've seen have been much more explosive just all around.
But of course... I don't know about all of the recently released indie titles and how they've done, so I might in reality have no idea what I'm talking about... But to me, it's been very clear for a longer time that Chicken Wiggle just isn't even nearly enough as a whole, mostly on the surface I guess, to stand out and gain interest.
Maybe luck and timing were on your side when you release the first Mudds.
And speaking of that, maybe it'll happen again with Switch. But if those somekinds of special factors which made the very first Mudds a success isn't here again... I don't think Mudds or even Treasurenauts would do well on Switch either.
But you're still an excellent developer, and I've seen you offer collaboration on multiple larger projects through out the years, it sucks none of those ever came to be, I think that would've already taken you to places.
And I hate to post this comment, but I decided to do it, I haven't seen anyone put it straightforwardly in somewhat detail like this. The absolute worst thing is to affect one's creative motivation, and negative comments always do (stay away from them![duh{or does it make you ignore constructive criticism too when you do it too much? ..this stuff is complicated and hard}]), but I think this was necessary.. maybe.. I've stayed up for 30h straight, so that might've affected this post...
- AnonymousSeptember 8, 2017 at 5:24 PM
So, I want to sound totally fair, I have planned to buy this game after returning from vacation and it's timing was a little off for me, "on a personal level." But I immediately thought that the game's price looked a little steep for something so unfamiliar. But then I remembered Gunvolt and titles like that coming out at similar prices and thinking, "that's not fair to say." Games like Shovel Knight and Shantae took me by surprise and I already know I liked Mutant Mudds and Xeodrifter so what's the deal? Maybe this is to be expected because the game is so big! But I admit, I was holding back savings because new Metroid, Shantae statue, Gunvolt on Switch, Sonic Mania, and tons of other equally exciting announcements were all being shuffled around at the same time, it just felt overwhelming! I'm no man of wealth by any means but since I started playing Nintendo consoles again in 2014 I have made a note to try to give a massive amount of attention to many beloved franchises. And I feel like I let Chicken Wiggle get caught up in all of that pre-existing mess. I'm very excited to try this game at whatever price Atooi deems necessary. But I think that it's fair to say that many people have yes, "moved to Switch" and some have come to expect that sort of thing. However to say the 3DS eShop is dead is not true at all. With the introduction of the New 2DS and the recent announcement of a Metroid release, Nintendo has seen another significant increase in the device's sales and is looking as sharp as ever! I think that a price cut could motivate people that may have put the game off before may give it greater consideration but I don't believe its content isn't worth what was initially asked. But I do think that because the majority of, should I say? "Bigger spenders" have moved to Switch maybe a lower price for a 3DS title is now what's expected. I'm excited to see how Chicken Wiggle turns out and I'm ready to play! But here's an interesting thing that I've watched Inti Creates do, they make a game for 3DS then make a sort of "Definitive Version" on the Switch, perhaps Chicken Wiggle could make use of the Switch touch screen in handheld mode and a drag and drop on TV mode, making a new way to play for the Switch! Was Mario Maker its inspiration? Perhaps wait and see how they handle a Switch version... improve on their idea! And when developing titles for Switch, perhaps come up with ways to make simpler versions for 3DS users who still count on indie games 'cuz they're on a budget or whatever! I'd be willing to pay more bucks on a fancy Xeodrifter with bells and whistles if it's on the switch, higher FPS? I'm not the developer here but I wouldn't go down quietly without a fight! Make Chicken Wiggle known! Have a fan art contest! Make an Instagram! Get Arby's to do one of those cardboard doomahickys they love so much! But don't forget that you're games are awesome and that we love them! And I'm gonna download Chicken Wiggle stat!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousSeptember 8, 2017 at 7:20 PM
I have not bought the game as well. Here are my reasons:ReplyDelete
1.I was not impressed by the game's screenshots and gameplay. It looked like a cheap banjo kazooie cellphone game esp. with the evil witch.
2. The title sounds like as the others have mentioned, shovelware.
I am sorry but even if it came out on the Switch, I won't be buying it :(
My 3ds is dusty but i will turn it on once again for Metroid and Dragon Quest but not this game.
Sorry for being blunt.
- AnonymousSeptember 8, 2017 at 7:28 PM
I think you aced everything on CW, except the marketing.ReplyDelete
The first thing people are going to know about your game is the name, and Chicken Wiggle is not a good one, it's not catchy, unique or funny, I don't think it reflects how good the game is at all.
Second, if I didn't follow you on twitter, I would've never heard of CW, there was barely any promotion at all.
I honestly think the Switch has nothing to do with it, and while it's a shame you couldn't do a dual release , like say, Master Blaster Zero, the 3DS is still very alive, I'm still buying titles every week.
That being said, I'd definitely dual dip on the Switch, and I wish you the best in your future endeavors with the system, needless to say, you have my support.
PS: Here's hoping you finally get Xeodrifter on the JP 3DS eshop before leaving the system! I'm sure Rainy Frog would like to publish it, and maybe CW?
- AnonymousSeptember 8, 2017 at 8:11 PM
I've played many platformer games on 3DS, but Chicken Wiggle was one of my mistakes.ReplyDelete
Game is just too easy. I loved Mutant Mudds for very good quality, intresting levels, great mechanics, many hidden things like GB-styled levels... It was awesome.
Chicken wiggle didnt had anything of these. All levels were very easy including poor final boss and plot without any sense...
All what is good in Chicken Wiggle was level editor...
So in short, small sales =
1) much lower quality than expected
2) poor marketing
3) game on eshop looks like cheap shitty game... Its not good for great sales..
4) Noone knows Atooi. Much players loved games from Renegade Kid. But Atooi? What is that company? Do you think that each mutant mudd player know that RK was closed?
5) game is too expensive for it quality and content...
And no, players didnt chamged platform. There are still more than 60 million 3DS players. Switch sold only 4.5 million units. So this isnt problem with sales..Replies
60 million 3DS's sold, not 60 million players. Systems break and get replaced, collectors buy multiple systems, regular users upgrade to iterations like the New 3DS, etc. I have two 3DS's myself and know someone who three or four. I'd say the true install base is more like 10-20 million.Delete
As for the game itself, I'm thoroughly enjoying it and have 40+ hours logged in with no sign of slowing down. I think the name, dev branding, price (other people's opinions, not mine) and lack of Switch release (I get it, you couldn't release it on Switch in tandem) all played roles in the low sales, along with marketing and the random personal reasons, like too large of a backlog, which I'm certainly guilty of with many other games.
I seriously suggest you consider porting to Switch and at $10 if this sale proves fruitful.
Lol. I lost a 10 minutes by writting a big text and then clicked out and got deleted xd.Delete
Ok, being in short now... I don't think Chicken Wiggle has an interesting theme. Put an anime style characters and decent story, and you'll a lot more.
Gameplay seems good enough. So I suggest the reskin.
- AnonymousSeptember 9, 2017 at 5:36 AM
In russian eShop it is more expensive than Sonic Mania. And even with this 33% it will cost more than SM.ReplyDelete
Maybe you shouldn't blame platform and audience.
It's just ridiculous.
- AnonymousSeptember 9, 2017 at 6:36 AM
I'm an active 3DS customer, and while I can't say I've had a great time with *all* of your previous games, I've enjoyed them enough to keep an eye on anything you release. I can't speak for the masses, but I can tell you why I didn't buy Chicken Wiggle.ReplyDelete
1) I barely heard about it before it was out. When I did hear about it, it took a bit before I connected it to you.
2) The title didn't sound promising. That didn't stop me from looking into it, but it did set my expectations low to start with.
3) I hate to say it, but the game itself didn't look that appealing in screenshots and video. It looked okay, but not much more than that. It seemed like you were pushing the level editor heavily but I have zero interest in that kind of thing. I just want to play a great game. The focus on the level editor in marketing and reviews made me think that got most of your attention from a development standpoint.
4) Even with all of that, I had planned to buy the game until I saw the price. As someone above mentioned, Chicken Wiggle is past the $20 mark for Canadians. That may be a fair price in a vacuum, but I can get so many interesting 3DS games at that price point or lower. It feels like too much for a genre that is so over-saturated on the system, especially since it's a new and unproven IP.
5) After what happened with some of your previous games, I expected Chicken Wiggle would get a sale at some point. Likely even a deep discount if I was patient enough. My interest wasn't strong enough to make me need the game right away. Unfortunately, I probably won't get it in this sale, either. It's still going to be north of $15 Canadian when the taxes are included, and I'm not so hurting for a side-scroller that I need another one right now. Sorry, Jools. I hope it does better for you on Switch. It probably will, as the market isn't as saturated, it's a more active console, and they're used to paying slightly higher prices for the same games. But you'd best get it on there quickly, as I think about a billion other indie developers have noticed that stuff as well, and I'd bet at least 15% of them will release side-scrollers.
- AnonymousSeptember 9, 2017 at 7:43 AM
As someone who lives in Canada,games are more expensive over here,so the price got just over my mental barrier just like Terraria on Wii UReplyDelete
- AnonymousSeptember 9, 2017 at 7:53 AM
I'm somewhat surprised at the comments saying that they're turned of by the game's title, but with so many people saying the same thing, there must be something to it.ReplyDelete
I've been following the game since you first announced it. Not once has it crossed my mind that the title sounded like shovelware or that the early screen shots were too simple. But then again, I would consider myself a bigger fan than most of the people who have commented and as such, I know your quality and what you're capable of. My point is, I can't agree with their criticisms, but the fact that their criticisms exists and seem to be consistent, then maybe there's some truth to them.
If I had to chime in on what I think hurt the sales, it is how you limit yourself to Twitter. There are several social media sites that you could easily access and use to freely promote your brand, but you don't. I follow the Dementium page on Facebook and back before you basically shut down all hope of a third game (again, based solely on the Twitter response) there were a lot of Renegade Kid fans who didn't want anything to do with Twitter, even though the admin of the Dementium page kept suggesting it.
Snapchat and Instagram are two social media outlets that can put you in touch with more people and all you really need to do is post a picture.
Because you limit yourself to Twitter, I think you don't see other people's opinions of Twitter, which they comment about on the other social media sites and not Twitter since they refuse to use it. Twitter is useful, there are a lot of active Twitter users, but most people don't like it.
It's the equivalent of posting flyers in your neighborhood and thinking that will be sufficient. No, sometimes you need to go into other neighborhoods and communities and street corners to Nail your flyers to the light pole.
Definitely take into consideration what others have said, though I personally disagree with 90% of it, but for your own sake, I'm begging you to stop limiting yourself to Twitter.
- AnonymousSeptember 9, 2017 at 1:48 PM
2D-platformers are so over-populated on eshop. Time to make something else?ReplyDelete
For me its the price and name of the game. Not very appealing and in Canada's, it's more than $20. I personally am tired of pixelated artstyles in games and it just didn't appeal to me in my opinion. I did love mutant mudds though back in 2012. And it doesnt help that I rarely turn on my 3DS..ReplyDelete
Good luck and I hope you find success in your other titles!
Please port Chicken Wiggle to the Vita and / or PS4, and I promise you that myself and many other fans of your games on those platforms will get it day 1ReplyDelete
- AnonymousSeptember 9, 2017 at 11:35 PM
And what makes your game special compared to the 50 billion other pixely platformers?ReplyDelete
Hi Jools,ReplyDelete
FWIW, I bought Chicken Wiggle twice -- once for myself and once for my 7yo daughter. When my 3yo son is slightly older I'll get it for him too. I'll also buy it twice more -- for my and my daughter's Switches -- if you will please port it to the Switch :)
Thank you so much for such a great game!
So this is coming from a long time Nintendo fan - I saw this story over on the r/Nintendo subreddit and wanted to weigh in as a big fan of yours AND of platformers.ReplyDelete
This game looks like what Mario Maker for 3DS SHOULD have been. I will probably buy this now, but damn if the name didn't throw me off. It sounds like "shovelware", if I may be frank. It's a shame because the game looks very polished and fun, easily worth the $15 for us creatives and fans of platforming games.
I think you'd see better immediate profit on Switch where indies are more hit-or-miss, we don't have a ton of 2D platformers, and the Mario Maker community is desperately wanting something to remind us of the Wii U hit. I hope you see better sales soon, as it gains publicity!
- AnonymousSeptember 10, 2017 at 5:07 PM
Hello and sorry your latest game didn't sell. I've been following your work for a few years and I've been meaning to contact you somehow to express my opinion on why you haven't been more sucessful. Sorry if this sounds arrogant, I do not wish to pretend I have all the answers.ReplyDelete
Core gameplay feel, although still fundamental to the enjoyment of the game, is not enough to guarantee commercial success. 'Woah Dave' is an example I have to mention, a game with with almost perfect 'playability' which was mostly ignored by larger audiences. The gameplay loop has become prevalent. People fancy addictive style gameplay, hence the much larger success of far less quality playing rogue-lite games like 'Rogue Legacy' and 'Binding of Isaac'.
Theme and visual presentation are also an important subject matter. Darker, but still PG, imagery is prevalent among commercially sucessfull retro indie games. Cute does not sell, unless you are specifically targeting very specific demographics which, on the other hand, traditionally don't play old school action games. Look at the above mentioned 'Rogue Legacy' and 'Binding of Isaac', as well as other indie successes like 'Spelunky', you will notice dark undertones to both story and visuals, as well as a choice of main caracter that goes in the opposite direction of the 90s style mascot type.
I believe you would be enourmously more successful if your main character was a Darth Vader look alike and your game was set in a space opera style scenario. If the core gameplay loop is purposely addictive, either a construction/simulation (think Terraria) or rogue-lite, you could be looking at a huge indie hit.
The 80s had many dark-ish but totally PG franchises you could take inspiration from. Make sure to include some form of continuous progress to your game (like a levelling system), as this would most definately help you reach a larger audience too
Sure can get depressing to read Jools...failed Kickstarters, lack of interest on New Kickstarters, renegade kid dissolution, Xeodrifter done to barely be able to pay the debts, cancelled games, delayed gamed...less success with each new game. And the worst part is that it is not just him...probable most indie developers struggle with those situations every single year.ReplyDelete
My two cents...
1. I think most people.here and in many places (Neogaf, Gamefaqs, Gonintendo, Nintendos, etc) are exaggerating the name of the game as bad. As I see it, that's just using the results to judge the procedure. I went back to the whole coverage this game got at Nintendos and Gonintendo and almost NONE ever mentioned the name as a negative. Sure, the price, the graphics, the fact that it was not on switch were common complains, but the name was never one. Now that the game flopped, it's easy to look back and start looking for excuses.
2. Speaking of excuses...the game was DOA, and Im sad the creator was not able to see it with time in order to either revamp the whole project or stop it and make another one. One can see the lack of interest, blog posts, lots of videos uploaded, a year of development well documented on Nintendo specific sites...and yet the comments were minimal, and even those had well above 50% of negative to indifferent opinions. When you Bradley have an audience, and said audience couldn't care less about the project, you know you never had a chance.
- AnonymousSeptember 11, 2017 at 5:08 AM
Following you on Twitter, I saw screens of this game a few times now. I did not buy it, and here's why:ReplyDelete
- I thought the game was an asset recycling project. I had muttant Mudd and everything looked very much the same. I thought this was a cheap title to complemented the previous games. The title, the character all added to my impression.
- I already moved to the Switch. And, even though I will get the new Metroid, the 3ds is pretty much done for me.
- I'm saturated of 2d pixelated graphics, Sonic mania was good, but I need to play moderns things now.
- AnonymousSeptember 11, 2017 at 9:15 AM
I'm going to agree with some of the feedback that naming confusion on a couple of layers contributed to this not being on my radar for 3DS.ReplyDelete
First, I'll agree with the sentiment that "Chicken Wiggle" did not capture my interest as being a highly-polished game. If Chicken Wiggle is a name for a style of casserole, it must be a regional or cultural one I wasn't familiar with until I searched for the phrase online; that failed to reach me on a personal/intuitive level the way it may have when naming it. Without that, it has the feel of trying to reach a 'naive' audience, cashing in on a name used by a popular children's program. Additionally, while I'm familiar with Renegade Kid's work on Mutant Mudds, Xeodrifter, and Moon [Chronicles], I still wasn't properly aware (though in hindsight I vaguely remember hearing) you have been working under another developer name. I didn't have prior knowledge to associate Atooi with your previous work. I understand those things are somewhat beyond your control, but it has a non-trivial impact.
It's never good to judge a the metaphorical book by its cover, but with the sheer number of games being released these days and most attention focus to Switch means discovery is either much slower or more superficial. The first time I heard of your game was about a week ago on IGN's Nintendo Voice Chat where they sang the game's praises and established the connection to your history. It's certainly on my radar now, and I will look to the Sale as an opportunity to help. Without them, I would likely still not be looking toward purchasing!
I haven't yet moved to Switch (I'm "doubling down" on 3DS and Wii U this year to experience as much of the catalog before I start another), but most of the attention of both media and my social circle has, and that's certainly a contributing factor as well.
Thanks for being honest with your thoughts and concerns. I'm sorry you're struggling to get your investment back on your hard work, even if you are getting critical recognition. I know these responses aren't statistically representative of the main reasons you didn't have the customer response you expected, but I hope this marketing feedback is helpful for the future, and best of luck in making ends meet as a game developer. I understand the stress you must feel.
This is so sad. I love your games. I told you I would buy your game on twitter (16Toglory) and I've kept my promise. I got paid today and screw the sale. I paid full price. Pls pls support switch. Indies are having great success there.ReplyDelete
My options why this game didn't succeed
Audience wants to play games on switch not on 3ds. Name was cute but seems like a cheap title based on name. 14.99 is a good price a few years ago. Maybe even last year. But 9.99 would have been more of an impulse buy in today's 3ds market.
Love your games!!!
- AnonymousSeptember 12, 2017 at 12:06 PM
I am a fan of your work especially Mutant Mudds and super challenge. I plan on getting chicken wiggle and Metroid soon (probably when it goes on sale and I get paid). I think a lot of peoples attention has moved to switch as well, mine included. Best of luckReplyDelete
Honestly it's a game no one wanted, looks like an app store title, (I bought it btw it's not entertaining enough to warrant even the sale price, xeodrifter is, and so would have treasurenauts. ) I'm saddened to see you rage quit, but the market base for the 3ds has not "moved on". I was looking forward to treasurenauts, however since you won't be developing any further 3ds games, I guess you'll have unexpected low sales on the switch as well, and miss out of potential sales for the 3ds. I've seen many, many people talk about wtf is chicken wiggle and where is treasurenauts. Nintendo isn't your advertising department, but you gave up. No sales from an install base that looked forward to treasurenauts and aren't buying into the switch.ReplyDelete
I guess you'll just be getting low sales. Sucks to hear, and I'm sorry it didn't work out tho. I'll miss thanks of having treasurenauts as I know many others will, but they won't go buy a Zelda player for it.
- AnonymousSeptember 17, 2017 at 11:30 AM
I saw the gane on the eshop and it didn't interest me. Pixel graphics, Mario maker clone, overpriced, trailers and promo didn't seem like anything interesting. I figured my money was best spent elsewhere.ReplyDelete
As far as marketing goes i never heard of the game before i saw it on the eshop.
I must thank you for the efforts you have put in penning this site. I am hoping to check out the same high-grade content by you later on as well. In truth, your creative writing abilities has inspired me to get my own, personal blog now..ReplyDelete
Manufacturing ERP
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Breaking Eggs do it, it's hard to try a very interesting house, just try to touch it. Royal HillReplyDelete


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- babypanda
- 5 years ago
- Wedding: February 2014
Hello everyone, first of all, I'm a new bee here 🙂
Ok, so I have 2 bridesmaids, A is a size 6 – my best friend, B is a size 16-my future sister in law, because I'm in another city at the moment, so I looked online and gave them a few options, they then picked one together. A likes the dress, except it's a bit long, so she is going to shorten it. Now I just heard back from B that she went to alter the dress, the lady told her it is going to cost a lot to alter it the way she wanted, i.e. to get rid of the frill at the front because she thinks it makes her look big, so she suggests maybe we should get new dresses, different style, that is "more flaterring". Before you call me a controlling bride, please consider below factors:
1. They picked the dress together, so it's not like I didn't give them options.
2. This is already the 2nd style I bought, I bought a short dress for A first then we decided to take B on board I think long dresses would look better so we bought these ones.
3. She is fully aware I'm going to quit my job and move city to be with my fiance, so not only we have a whole wedding to pay, I'm also going to be unemployed for a while.
4. It is my wedding, I am under a lot of stress organising everything, no she didn't help at all, and with quiting my job and moving state, I really feel sad that my bridesmaid is not helping but demanding for a new dress, and expect me to cover all the cost.
5. She tried the dress on when I brought it to her, she looks lovely in the dress I like it, the colour and style fits the wedding theme. She didn't say otherwise at the time.
I don't know what to do, she is going to be my sister in law I don't want to be mean, but i am very very upset right now, wedding is only 3 months away and I really don't need more headache now!!

subset: commoncrawl


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Wow, Christmas is Sunday! This will be my last post before Christmas. What better way to end this week than with the last of the Christmas worship songs?!? Today I found a song done by the OKC campus of LifeChurch.tv last Christmas. It is a great version of the song, I hope you enjoy it! Merry Christmas everyone!
Go Tell It On The Mountain by LifeChurch.tv


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'Fire' gel on Bath buildings to deter gulls
A gel that dupes urban gulls into thinking that buildings are on fire is being trialled in Bath.
The roof and parapets of the council owned Guildhall and Roman Baths Kitchen are to be painted with the clear gel in an effort to deter the birds.
The gel emits an odour the gulls dislike and an ultraviolet light that is perceived as a fire by birds.
Councillor David Dixon said: "We're just trialling it at the moment on a few buildings to see whether it works."
About £6,000 has been spent on deterring gulls by Bath and North East Somerset Council in the past year, including a trial of gull proof rubbish bags, and a recent report found urban gull numbers in the city centre had declined for a third year running.
"A lot of the buildings already have got spikes, but of course in a heritage city putting spikes and netting on all the buildings isn't really what you want," said Mr Dixon.
"So something like this fire gel - which is quite a discreet gel - is something that has less of a visual impact."


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Classically MMORPG's and Virtual Worlds did not, or could not, be translated very well into a games console environment. A number of pressures existed regarding the technology, the need for updates and compatibility issues with PC users.
This (classically) would seem to be a bit of a shame considering the size of the market share that the console market (a good, but a little dated now discussion can be found here, and makes for interesting reading.
With another excellent paper on the general industry by the Entertainment Software Association being found here)


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Introducing the IMCI Community Component into the Curriculum of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Gezira
Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal
In 2001 the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Gezira (FMUG) introduced the Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) strategy into its medical curriculum. The emphasis was on pre-service training that addresses standard case management and the IMCI community component. This report presents the experience of FMUG in integrating such a training package into the medical curriculum. It explains the rationale for introducing the IMCI community component and the guiding principles for doing so. It describes the community-based courses into which the community component was integrated, the implementation and impact of the programme and the constraints faced. [abstract]
Geographic Focus
Resource Type
- 2600 reads


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Bono pens essay tribute to Nelson Mandela
- Bang Showbiz
- 6 December 2013
U2 frontman Bono has paid tribute to Nelson Mandela, who died last night (05.12.13) aged 95, by writing an essay on the late anti-apartheid revolutionary and describing him as a "forceful presence" in his life
U2 frontman Bono has paid tribute to Nelson Mandela by writing an essay on the late anti-apartheid revolutionary.
The 53-year-old singer, who along with his bandmates contributed the song 'Ordinary Love' to the biopic 'Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom' - based on the former South African President's autobiography of the same name - penned an extended piece on the anti-apartheid leader, who died last night (05.12.13) aged 95, after hearing of his passing.
In 1051-word essay for Time magazine entitled 'The Man Who Could Not Cry', Bono - who has helped try to end global poverty for a number of years - described Mandela as a "forceful presence" in his life since 1979.
He wrote: "As an activist I have pretty much been doing what Nelson Mandela tells me since I was a teenager. He has been a forceful presence in my life going back to 1979, when U2 made its first anti-apartheid effort.
"Over the years we became friends. I, like everyone else, was mesmerized by his deft maneuvering as leader of South Africa.
"It certainly fell to Mandela to be great. His role in the movement against extreme poverty was critical. He worked for a deeper debt cancellation, for a doubling of international assistance across sub-Saharan Africa, for trade and private investment and transparency to fight corruption.
"Without his leadership, would the world over the past decade have increased the number of people on AIDS medication to 9.7 million and decreased child deaths by 2.7 million a year? Without Mandela, would Africa be experiencing its best decade of growth and poverty reduction? His indispensability can't be proved with math and metrics, but I know what I believe..."
Several other stars from the music industry have also paid tribute to the late leader - who battled to overcome apartheid in South Africa and win equal rights for black people, which saw him jailed between 1962 and 1990 - including Rihanna.
She wrote on Instagram: "One of the greatest men who's ever lived!!! #LegendWe will never forget the things this man has taught us, and we will never truly comprehend the level of strength that it took for him to endure many of his years!! Thank you #Mandela (sic)"
She added on Twitter: "#NelsonMandela you made your people proud!! We'll always love you for it! (sic)"
L.L. Cool J tweeted: "Nelson Mandela. What a difference one person can make. #RestEternally (sic)"
Singer Aretha Franklin said: "What a sad day that such a great man has passed on and moved on up a little higher. Most extraordinary was how he rose above his being imprisoned and exalted himself above apartheid and hatred to unite the country, an unbelievable example of humanitarianism and courage."


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Children who are allergic to milk might be able to develop a tolerance to it.
A study randomly assigned 20 children, who averaged about 10 years old and had a severe milk allergy, to take a gradually increasing dose of nonfat powdered milk or fake powdered milk daily.
At the start, the children could tolerate just ¼ teaspoon of milk, on average, without a reaction. After four months, children in the milk group could tolerate about five to eight ounces of milk daily. Those who had taken the fake milk still could tolerate just ¼ teaspoon. As the dosage increased, reactions such as itchy mouth and abdominal pain were common, but 90 percent required no treatment.
An estimated 3 million children in the United States have food allergies, an 18 percent increase in the past decade.
The study appears in the Oct. 28 issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.


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News, commentary, and insights on adventures, and adventurers, from around the globe.
Tuesday, February 28, 2017
Winter Climbs 2017: Work Continues on Everest, Lonnie Dupre Launches Winter Ascent in Alaska
On Everest, Alex Txikon and his team have now completed a second day of work on the Khumbu Icefall. Alex and company have been working to restore the route through the icefall, which was disrupted while they spent eight days in Kathmandu. Yesterday, they worked at 5800 meters (19,028 ft), and seemed very pleased with their progress. Soon, they'll have regained access to the rest of the mountain, and will be watching the forecast for opportunities to launch a summit bid.
Meanwhile, Lonnie Dupre is back in Alaska and preparing to begin another winter expedition of his own. You may recall that he originally had planned to climb Mt. Hunter solo this year but was beaten back by the incredibly tough conditions that he found there. Now, he's launched an attempt to summit the 3825 meter (12,552 ft) Mt. Carpe instead, and this time he's not going it alone.
Carpe sits near Denali, the highest mountain in North America and a place that Lonnie is very familar with. In 2015 he made a solo summit of that peak during the winter, become the first to top out alone in the month of January. This time out, Dupre will be joined by Pascale Marceau, a Canadian climber with lots of experience climbing in the Canadian Rockies, where the duo have been training for the past two months.
The expedition is expected to begin on Thursday of this week, and will proceed as the weather permits. Lonnie and Pascale are expecting brutal temperatures, high winds, and possibly heavy snow while they attempt their winter summit. But before they can ever begin to climb, they must first fly into the town of Kantishna, located at the end of the Denali Park Road, then ski to the Muldrow Glacier via Wonder Lake, Turtle Hill, and McGonagall Pass. That's the same route taken by the team that completed the first ascent of Carpe back in 1913.
It goes without saying that I'll be keeping an eye on both of these expeditions as they develop over the next few days. I'll be leaving town for awhile starting next Tuesday, so I may not be able to update the final status on either of the teams, but hopefully we'll have an idea of their progress before that happens.
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Dali Phantom H-120
DALI, Danish Audiophile Loudspeaker Industries, grew out of Scandinavia's leading audio retail chain in 1983, based on the observation that customers often requested a combinations of size, shape, performance and price that existing brands could not offer. They committed fully to the task of creating loudspeakers with outstanding performance and natural sound at competitive prices.
Now, with more than 25 years of experience and global recognition, they can proudly say theyve taken a stance on sound that has advanced the state of the art, inspiring music and cinema lovers and challenging the competition.
Today, DALI offers an exciting range of speakers to suit every taste. With more than one million satisfied DALI owners around the world, their speakers bring music and film to life, giving proud DALI owners an honest and richly detailed listening experience.
General Information
- Price per speaker: £579.00
- Speaker type: Mono
- Power type: Passive
- Enclosure type: Open design
- Guarantee period: 60 months
- Weight: 9kg
- Wall
- Other applications: Kitchen, Music, Home Cinema
- Alignment with ceiling: Flat
- Visible shape: Square
- Visible colour: White (Paintable)
- Overall dimension: 471mm x 471mm
- Cutout dimension: 445mm x 445mm
- Overall depth: 170mm
- Mounting depth: 170mm
Detailed Specifications
- Frequency range: 32hz - 25khz
- Impedance: 4 - 4 Ohms
- Compatible amplifier: 50 - 400 Watts RMS
- Sensitivity: 90dB
- Sound pressure: 112dB
Speaker Driver Information
- Tweeter: 1 fixed flat
- Mid: 1 fixed flat
- Bass: 1 fixed flat (306mm)
Controls & Adjustments
The unique Dali PHANTOM H-120 in-wall speaker brings the best, and then some, from a traditional big floor standing speaker, but is mounted in your wall. With an unprecedented 306mm bass driver to deliver deep and powerful bass, and a separate 128mm mid bass driver to handle the important mid-range area, this 3-way speaker delivers like no other in-wall speaker in the world. They are perfect for installations where normal floor-standing speakers or an external subwoofer cannot be used, or when deep, room filling bass is essential.
The PHANTOM H series
The DALI PHANTOM H series is an in-wall speaker build around traditional speaker technologies. At its centre is the easy to recognize the DALI woofer cone made from a mix of paper pulp and wood fibre. This gives the cone a light, well behaved, but random structure that helps reproduce even the smallest details in the music.
The powerful low-loss magnet system deliver precision and timing to the low frequencies and the ultra lightweight soft dome tweeter adds great resolution to the high frequencies. Together they blend into a very coherent, highly detailed, clear and natural soundstage. The PHANTOM H series is a true full range speaker and needs no supplement subwoofer - it is all about true hi-fi sound, versatility, and flexibility.


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Retirement Lifestyle Protection Planning® Services
One stop, a variety of available solutions.
Tapping into the Petros Estate & Retirement Planning network
To develop a Retirement Lifestyle protection Planning® strategy for your future, it's important that your planning professionals see a complete, 360-degree view of your retirement plan, including how your retirement assets are integrated and work with one another. We work in concert with tax professionals, attorneys and others in our network to advise you on specific aspects of your overall strategy.
At Petros, we will connect you with professionals specializing in: Retirement Income Strategies, Wealth Accumulation, Asset Protection, Tax Minimization Planning, Long Term Care Planning, Estate Planning, IRA Asset Planning, Trusts, Life Insurance, Probate, Charitable Giving, IRA & 401(K) Assets.
Retirement Lifestyle Protection Planning®
Retirement Lifestyle Protection plans are not just for the wealthy. As retirement nears, the traditional strategy has been to move growth-seeking products to more conservative, fixed-income products. This may have worked fine back when retirement was only expected to last five to ten years.
These days, however, people are living longer. Thanks to new prescription drugs and medical technology, it's not unusual for someone retiring at age 65 to live to age 90 or longer. You may need to plan for your nest egg to last for potentially 25 to 30 years.
One drawback to a longer life is the greater possibility of outliving your savings – creating all the more reason to develop a Retirement Lifestyle Protection Planning® strategy designed to last a longer lifetime.
A significant loss in the years just prior to and/or just after you retire can have a damaging impact on the level of income you receive over the course of your life. In fact, if a loss occurs earlier in life, there is also the chance that you have more time to recover (versus a significant loss occurring later in retirement). Why? Simply because a smaller pool of assets is left to sustain you throughout your retirement years.
We can help you design a guaranteed* Retirement Lifestyle Protection Planning® strategy, which incorporates insurance and annuity vehicles that create opportunities for long-term growth, as well as guarantee income throughout your retirement.
*Guarantees are backed by the financial strength and claims-paying ability of the issuing company, and may be subject to restrictions, limitations or early withdrawal fees. Annuities are not FDIC insured.
Asset Protection
Because the market does not provide security, you may want your Retirement Lifestyle Protection Planning® to include some secured income products. For example, annuities, which are insurance products with guarantees*, can provide a source of supplemental income throughout your retirement.
Twenty-first century asset protection calls for more than just strategic asset allocation. Product allocation—buying instruments that can protect your monies from market declines throughout retirement—can be an additional means of protecting assets.
Diversifying your retirement assets among a variety of vehicles—both through insurance products and investments, depending on what is appropriate for your situation—may offer you the best chance of meeting your retirement income goals throughout your lifespan.
*Guarantees are backed by the financial strength and claims-paying ability of the issuing insurance company.
We can connect you with a Registered Investment Advisory (RIA) firm to assist you with evaluating and potentially managing your retirement investment account/s.
Tax Minimization Planning
Rising taxes are a concern for many individuals approaching retirement. It's important to incorporate tax planning into your financial decisions.
Investing in or purchasing a tax-deferred vehicle means your money can compound interest for years, free from income taxes, potentially allowing it to earn interest at a faster rate. While very few financial vehicles avoid taxes altogether, insurance products only allow you to defer paying them until retirement – when you may be in a lower tax bracket.
Please note that withdrawals will reduce the contract value and the value of any protection benefits. Additional withdrawals taken within the contract withdrawal charge schedule will be subject to a withdrawal charge. All withdrawals are subject to ordinary income tax and, if taken prior to 59 1/2, may be subject to a 10% federal additional tax.
Your insurance professional is not permitted to offer, and no statement contained herein, shall constitute tax, legal or accounting advice. You should consult a legal or tax professional on any such matters. For guidance on your securities holdings, please consult with a broker/dealer representative or registered investment advisor.
Healthcare Protection
Along with long-term care planning comes the necessity of planning for ever-increasing health care costs in general. With the rollout of the Affordable Health Care Act, or Obamacare, it is estimated that the average married couple will need to be prepared to pay up to $250,000 in out of pocket expenses for healthcare during their retirement, beyond what Medicare and most Medicare Supplements will pay. Does your current Retirement Lifestyle Protection Plan® provide for this possible reality? Through our strategic partnership with a leading healthcare insurance agency, we can help you sort through the options available to you and choose the best one to meet your unique needs.
Long Term Care Planning
As the oldest Baby Boomers begin to wind through their 60s, one of the biggest concerns may not be outliving income, but outliving good health.
For seniors, home health care can cost $50,000 or more per year1, and nursing home care can run as high as $80,0002 per year. Does your Retirement Lifestyle Protection Plan account for this kind of possibility? Would you be prepared for twice that number as a married couple?
Considering that you have to exhaust virtually all of your financial means before Medicaid will pay for long-term care, and neither your employer group nor major medical insurance will cover long-term care, it's critically important to plan ahead in order to plan for these potential expenses.
We can help evaluate your situation and determine if purchasing a long-term care insurance policy may be the right move to help ensure your financial future.
1 Genworth 2012 Cost of Care Survey: Home Care Providers, Adult Day Health Care Facilities, Assisted Living Facilities and Nursing Homes
2 MetLife: The 2011 Market Survey of Long-Term Care Costs
Estate Planning
Estate planning is simply determining (while you're still alive) where your assets should go after you die. Without a properly structured estate plan, your wishes may not be fulfilled, and your loved ones could be hurt both emotionally and financially.
While the concept is simple, the vehicles, planning, and implementation process can be rather complex. Because of the estate tax laws and emerging vehicles to help you protect and transfer your assets effectively, it's important to work with experienced estate planning professionals who stay current in this field and advise clients on a day-to-day basis. We can connect you with professionals to help meet your individual needs.
IRA Asset Planning
IRA accounts have become one of the largest types of assets inherited by beneficiaries. If you don't anticipate needing your IRA money in retirement, you may wish to consider a legacy planning strategy to reduce taxes and increase the payout your beneficiaries will receive upon your death.
You may want to use some of the value in your IRA to provide your beneficiary(ies) a regular stream of income while leaving the balance of IRA assets invested for tax-deferred growth. The result may yield substantially more money paid out over the course of your beneficiary's lifetime. We can help you evaluate your financial situation to determine if IRA legacy planning may be the best means for ensuring a long-lasting inheritance for your heirs.
There are many different types of trusts, and they can be complex to set up and execute. However, a trust can be a very flexible and advantageous means to transfer your assets in the future. Most trusts can also provide current benefits, such as tax deferral and deductions. Unlike a will, a trust may help avoid probate upon your death. To learn more about trusts and how they may benefit you, we will be happy to connect you with a qualified estate planning attorney that can assist you with these issues.
Life Insurance
Life insurance isn't for those who have died—it's for those who are left behind. When shopping for life insurance, consider needs such as replacing income so your family can maintain its standard of living, as well as paying for your funeral and estate costs. A general rule is that you should seek coverage between five and seven times your gross annual income. As far as the various types of policies go, they can generally be placed into one of two categories: Term and Permanent.
Term insurance generally provides coverage for a specified period of time and pays out a specified amount of coverage to your beneficiary only if you die within that time period. In a level premium term policy you pay the same amount of premium from the first day of the policy until the term ends. A permanent insurance policy, on the other hand, will stay permanently in effect for the rest of your life as long as premiums continue to be paid.
Probate is the potentially lengthy and costly legal process that oversees the transfer of your assets upon your death. If you do not create a will or set up a trust to transfer your property when you die, state law will determine what happens to your estate. This is called intestate. Without a will or some other form of legal estate planning, there is the chance that more of your property may not go where you want it to go. We can connect you with a qualified estate planning attorney who can assist you in these matters.
Charitable Giving
Creating a charitable gift-giving plan may provide you with multiple tax breaks: an income tax deduction, the avoidance of capital gains on highly appreciated assets, and no estate taxes on the charitable contribution upon your death.
With the increasing tax environment we expect in the U.S. in coming years, there may be compelling reasons to integrate philanthropy into your financial and estate planning.
We can refer you to a qualified professional to help you decide if this is a good option for you.
IRA & 401(K) Assets
When you change jobs or retire, there are four things you can generally do with the assets in any employer-sponsored retirement plan:
- Leave the money where it is
- Take the cash (and pay income taxes and perhaps a 10% federal penalty tax if you are younger than age 59½ )
- Transfer the money to another employer plan (if the new plan allows)
- Roll the money over into an IRA
Rolling over from one qualified plan to another allows your money to continue growing tax-deferred until you receive distributions in retirement. We can help you determine if a rollover is the right move for you.
If you determine to cash out of an IRA, we can help you find suitable vehicles to help you reach your retirement income goals.
We can connect you with a Registered Investment Advisory (RIA) firm to provide guidance on your securities holdings.
Your insurance professional is not permitted to offer, and no statement contained herein, shall constitute tax, legal or accounting advice. You should consult a legal or tax professional on any such matters or we can connect you with our strategic partners who assist with such matters. For guidance on your securities holdings, please consult with a broker/dealer representative or registered investment advisor or we can connect you with our strategic partner who provides assistance with retirement investment portfolios.


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The following is a book review by Jaime Newton for David Hartsough's recent book Waging Peace: Global Adventures of a Lifelong Activist. This review was originally published in the magazine Western Friend. You can purchase Waging Peace in our online store here.
If war is not the answer, what is? David Hartsough's Waging Peace: Global Adventures of a Lifelong Activist can help an uncertain reader progress to a firm conviction that effective nonviolent means of overcoming aggression and injustice really can be discovered and applied even in extreme situations – and that we "ordinary people" can do this. What makes the book so compelling is that it is an account of the author's direct experience as an organizer and trainer in nonviolent campaigns, and as a participant in grassroots movements around the world.
Readers who favor action novels will find enough high drama in Waging Peace to hold their interest. Examples: a knife-wielding segregationist threatens to kill the 20-year old David at a 1961 lunch counter sit-in; with a flotilla of People's Blockade canoes, he blocks huge military ships bound for Vietnam; he accompanies poor people threatened by military forces in the 1980's in Central America; he is knocked down at the Concord Naval Weapons station in 1987 by the munitions train that dragged Vietnam veteran Brian Willson 400 feet, cutting off his legs.
Obviously, a commitment to nonviolence does not give activists a safe conduct pass through danger. The two champions of nonviolence who most inspired David Hartsough – Mohandas Gandhi and Martin Luther King – died by assassins' bullets, and countless unknown activists around the world have been killed or injured for their beliefs and actions. For David Hartsough, as for Gandhi and King, nonviolence is not merely a tactic or a strategic orientation. It is a profound calling that arises from the depths of his being. While acknowledging risks and suffering, David's experiences demonstrate the transformative potential of nonviolence in serious conflicts. Waging Peace is filled with examples of divisions bridged and barriers lowered when David and others – including people without training or organizational support – disregard the labels and stereotypes that set people apart as OTHER and address the common humanity that can be touched in us all.
The defense of the Russian White House by a spontaneous people's movement during a hardline Communist coup attempt against Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev is a thrilling example of transformative nonviolence. Thousands of Moscow's citizens formed a living ring around the building, bringing cakes and flowers to soldiers whose tanks threatened it. Troops under the command of the ruthless KGB refused orders to attack their fellow citizens, soldiers climbed out of their tanks to join the crowds, and pilots refused to bomb the White House.
David Hartsough's purpose in Waging Peace is to reveal the power of nonviolence through his own life journey, and to invite us to explore realistic, practical pathways toward the peaceable kingdom. The book concludes with visions and proposals for new institutions and a world free of war, such as the Nonviolent Peaceforce that David co-founded, and resources to help us find our way together. David's work has always been enabled and sustained by the love and solidarity of family and kindred spirits, in community. Waging Peace encourages all of us who yearn for peace and justice to discover our own power to change the world together, and to share our stories of what we have already been led to do. How do our lives speak? What are we led to do now in this challenged world? How can older adults be models for the young people in our lives?
Readers of Western Friend who know David Hartsough, a member of San Francisco Monthly Meeting, will recognize how successfully Joyce Hollyday has collaborated with David to bring his voice to the pages of Waging Peace. The result is a conversational prose style that is a pleasure to read despite its serious subject matter, with the authenticity, clarity, and blend of compassion and humor that characterizes David's speeches and workshops. I gave my grandchildren a copy of Waging Peace to enrich our dialogue on how to live conscientiously in this present and shape the future we seek. I encourage others to enjoy and learn from this book, explore the issues it raises, take advantage of the resources it offers, and share it with those you love.
You can learn more about the book Waging Peace and read several free chapters by visiting the Peaceworkers website here.
Another great review from Winslow Myers can be found here.


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Learn how to sign in to your Microsoft account in PowerPoint for iPad.
Author: Geetesh Bajaj
Product/Version: Microsoft PowerPoint
OS: iOS
To really use and benefit with PowerPoint on an iPad, you will have to sign in with your Microsoft Account. So what is a Microsoft Account? It is essentially the email address that you use with Microsoft services such as Hotmail, Live.com, Xbox, etc. Most people have at least one Microsoft account, particularly if they have one of the Office 365 subscriptions.
When you run PowerPoint for the first time on your iPad, you are asked to sign in – if you already did so at that point of time, then you need not do anything else now since you are already signed in. On the other hand, if you continued that time without signing in, you can choose to sign in at a later time.
How do you know that you are not signed in? You know that you are not signed in when the orange pane on the left shows no name on the top, as shown highlighted in green within Figure 1, below.
Figure 1: Not signed in yet!
Follow these steps to now sign in with your Microsoft account:
Have your ever used keyboard shortcuts and sequences in PowerPoint? Or are you a complete keyboard aficionado? Do you want to learn about some new shortcuts? Or do you want to know if your favorite keyboard shortcuts are documented?
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A Los Angeles woman has slapped Jessica Simpson with a federal lawsuit, claiming the bimbonic blonde and her business partners ripped off her trademarked cosmetics brand.Mara Fox ,who launched her "Love Potion " line of beauty products in 1989,also names cosmetics giants Sephora and D 'Lish Fragrance in the multimillion-dollar suit.In 2004,Simpson,Sephora and D 'Lish launched "Dessert Beauty Deliciously Kissable Love Potion," which Fox claims blatantly lifts from her older, registered brand. Simpson has a tight relationship with creams.The formerly pockmarked pop princess battled acute acne in her teens and now endorses Proactiv anti-acne solution along with P.Diddy and Alicia Keys .Reps for Simpson didn 't return calls.
Jessica creamed by lawsuit
By PageSix.com Staff
September 21, 2009 | 4:00am


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Breville Infuser BES840XL Espresso Machine [Brushed Stainless]
This Breville Infuser BES840XL is a wonderful home espresso machine, offering excellent brewing performance, combined with ease of use and a beautifully sophisticated design. Rather than brewing with a sudden burst of pressure, the Infuser features a special pre-infusion function that begins with low water pressure to gently expand the ground coffee for even extraction with optimal flavor and crema. Press either the single or double espresso button and the BES840XL starts brewing then stops automatically at the pre-set volume; a manual override option is also provided, and the pre-set volumes can be re-programmed. The Infuser's heavy brushed stainless steel housing provides clean, attractive lines with a high-quality feel and good stability on your counter. Additional features of the Breville Infuser include a powerful 15 BAR Italian made pump, a stainless steel water heating system, an electronic PID temperature control system for increased brew temperature stability and a stainless steel heating system.
Breville Infuser BES840XL Key Benefits:
Heavy, Stylish Brushed Stainless Steel Housing: Provides clean, attractive lines with a high-quality feel and good stability on your counter.
15 BAR Italian made pump: Quality Italian made brew pump offers plenty of pressure to ensure proper espresso extraction.
Stainless Steel Water Heating Coil: Powerful 1600W heating system features quick warm up and a corrosion resistant stainless steel water coil.
Electronic PID temperature control system: Provides precise control and stability of brewing water temperature to ensure proper espresso extraction.
Automatic Brew Volume Buttons: Press either the single or double espresso shot button and the Infuser BES840XL begins to brew then stops automatically at the pre-set volume. A manual override option is also provided, and the pre-set volumes can be re-programmed.
Pre Infusion Function: The Infuser starts the brewing process with low water pressure to gently expand the ground coffee for even extraction.
Auto Purge Function: Automatically adjusts water temperature after steaming milk to regain optimal espresso brewing temperature.
Espresso Pressure Gauge: The BES840XL features a cool gauge to monitor your brewing pressure.
Commercial Style Stainless Steel Steam Wand: Quickly froth milk to prepare delicious cappuccino and latte drinks that rival the best cafes.
Breville Infuser BES840XL Details:
- heavy, stylish brushed stainless steel housing
- 15 BAR Italian made pump
- 1600W stainless steel water heating coil
- electronic PID temperature control system
- automatic brew volume buttons (single & double espresso shot with manual override and programmable volumes)
- pre infusion function
- auto purge function
- dry puck feature: removes excess water from the coffee grounds after brewing, for less mess and easier removal of the coffee puck
- replaceable water filter helps to reduce impurities and scale
- pressure gauge to monitor brewing pressure
- commercial style stainless steel steam wand
- cup warming tray
- integrated & removable espresso tamper
- removable drip tray with full indicator
- cleaning alert
- hot water function: dispense hot water from steam wand to pre-heat cups or make beverages
- BPA Free - all parts that come in contact with coffee & water
- uses fine ground coffee
- 61 oz. removable water tank
- power: 110/120 volts, 1600 watts
- dimensions: 10.25"W x 12.5"D x 13.25"H
- Breville 1-year warranty
- includes: non-pressurized single & double filter baskets, pressurized single & double filter baskets, Razor dose trimming tool, coffee scoop, stainless steel frothing pitcher, cleaning discs & tablets, cleaning tool & water filter
Be the first to rate this item!


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African Adventure Travellers is a Ugandan based African safari adventure tours and travels company reputed to organizing quality and affordable tours and safaris in Uganda (Uganda safari tours), and Rwanda and can extend into Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
We offer a range of tours and safari packages including gorilla trekking safaris in Uganda and Rwanda, chimpanzee tours in Uganda & Rwanda, wildlife safaris in Uganda and East Africa, primates tours, hiking and mountaineering expeditions, cultural experiences, bird watching safaris, family holidays and a range of outdoor adventure activities.
We organize both private and scheduled group safaris and tours, that we categorize as: budget, mid-range and luxury to cater for all travellers from different countries to suit their desires.
We have a range of tailored Uganda safaris and tour packages that you can choose from depending on your preferences. Alternatively, our expert safaris and tours consultants shall guide you to come up with a customized package that fits your budget, travel time and preferences. Our consultants boast of more than 10 years of experience and extensive knowledge of operating quality tours and safaris to Uganda and the great lakes region of East Africa.
Unforgettable experience with orphaned chimpanzees at the Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary, memorable boat cruise, bird watching and including a visit to the Uganda Zoo.
Experience a lifetime full day of gorilla trekking activity in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, and thereafter a relaxation experience at the magical Lake Bunyonyi.
Explore Uganda's biggest national park for the biggest game sightings, including 2 game drives, a launch cruise along River Nile and a visit to the spectacular Murchison Falls (Both bottom and top of the falls).
Explore Uganda's most popular game park for big game sightings like the tree lions and a spectacular scenery of crater lakes and rolling hills. It includes 2 game drives and a boat ride along the Kazinga Channel.
Experience Uganda's major highlights including safaris in Queen Elizabeth National Park and thereafter gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park.
This safari package includes safaris in Uganda's biggest national park, Murchison Falls National Park, and thereafter a memorable chimpanzee tracking experience in Kibale Forest National Park and finally the gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park.
This safari package includes exciting wildlife experiences in Murchison Falls National Park and Queen Elizabeth National Park and finally the gorilla experience in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park.
In 1908 when Sir Winston Churchill travelled to Africa, he was so impressed by the incredible natural beauty he found only in Uganda - the beautiful scenery, a profusion of brilliant wildlife, a great weather, a rich and ancient culture and the sheer variety. He then called it the
Pearl of Africa.
Amazingly Uganda is still as beautiful & natural as Sir Winston first found it over hundred years ago. It is still pure & untouched, one country that has not been affected by mass tourism, & offering that ultimate
off the beaten track feel that every traveler looks for in an African adventure.
It is no wander Lonely Planet chose it the number one destination to travel for the year 2012.
Wildlife - Nature lovers & wildlife enthusisats are in for a treat!. Uganda is a country of varied habitats ranging from tropical rainforest, thickets, swamps, lake shores to savanna & open grassland. This has made it possible for various birds & mammals to find suitable habitat in Uganda. Our checklist of birds is 1057 species, IUCN has recognized 8 as endangered, 14 vulnerable and 7 near-threatened. While 343 mammal species been recorded, 133 are classified as large mammals and 210 small (bats, rats, mice, shrews, otters, etc...)
Safaris - Uganda has 10 national parks & each one offers different specialized activities or a combination of them, in addition to bird watching. Gorilla tracking is done in Bwindi National Park & Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Three mountain national parks, Rwenzori, Elgon & Mgahinga offer mountain climbing. Big game viewing is mostly in savanna parks which include Murchison Falls, Queen Elizabeth, Lake Mburo, & Kidepo Valley National Parks. Sport fishing & boat trips are offered in Lake Mburo, Queen Elizabeth & Murchison. Nature walks are offered by all the National Parks.
Loads of Adventure - Uganda is home of the famous River Nile, the longest river on earth. The Nile offers a life time of adventures including up to grade 6 white-water rafting, kayaking, bungee jumping, canoeing, jet boating, river surfing & lots of more. Trekkers & hikers can take on the snow capped & UNESCO World Heritage-listed Rwenzori Mountains, famously known as the
the Mountains of the Moon, with stunning views of the equatorial mist from top. For more treks there is the Mt Elgon & the dramatic Virunga Volcanoes of Mgahinga National Park.
Security & stability - Uganda has had a torrid past of bloody conflicts & civil wars that still lingers in minds of many of travelers. It has since stepped out of this dark past and for last six or so years has been one of the most secure nations on the African continent. Kampala, Uganda's capital is rated among the safest cities in Africa.


text:
"The Stairs" is a movie about an older man facing the realities of his loneliness and hires a male escort for company on Christmas Eve. "The Stairs" is an alternate version of the prostitute story, an exploration of loneliness and the wide definition of intimacy. It is the story of our universal need as human beings to just connect with someone. Anyone. The desire to be seen and heard is far more important than almost anything else, and our lives depend on it. Even if it is the last thing we ever accomplish.
Three posters were created (the first being used for the main feature), and while each standss on its own, the three uniquely convey a complex mixture of emotion both the male leads experience: layered tones of solitude and loneliness; tension and anticipation; denial and acceptance.
Photography: Lisa Tanner


text:
Rover 75 / MG ZT Petrol & Diesel (99 - 06) Haynes Repair Manual
Product description
Complete coverage for your Rover 75 / MG ZT Petrol and Diesel (99 - 06) S to 06
Every manual is written from hands-on experience gained from stripping down and rebuilding each vehicle in the Haynes Project Workshop. The practical step-by-step instructions and clear photos are easy to follow and provide information on maintenance, servicing, fault finding, the MoT, brakes, electrics and Haynes tips to make many tasks easier.
Rover 75 and MG ZT Saloon and Estate (Tourer / ZT-T).
Petrol: 1.8 litre (1796cc) 4-cyl, inc. turbo and 2.0 litre (1997cc) and 2.5 litre (2497cc) V6.
Turbo-Diesel: 2.0 litre (1950cc).
Does NOT cover 4.6 litre V8 rear-wheel-drive models.
Table of contents
General Information
Chapter 1: Part A: Routine maintenance and servicing - petrol models
Chapter 1: Part B: Routine maintenance and servicing - diesel models
Chapter 2: Part A: 1.8 litre engine in-car repair procedures
Chapter 2: Part B: V6 engine in-car repair procedures
Chapter 2: Part C: Diesel engine in-car repair procedures
Chapter 2: Part D: Engine removal and overhaul procedures
Chapter 3: Cooling, heating and air conditioning systems
Chapter 4: Part A: Fuel and exhaust systems – 1.8 litre engines
Chapter 4: Part B: Fuel and exhaust systems – V6 engines
Chapter 4: Part C: Fuel and exhaust systems – diesel engines
Chapter 4: Part D: Emission control systems
Chapter 5: Part A: Starting and charging systems
Chapter 5: Part B: Ignition system – petrol engines
Chapter 5: Part C: Pre/post-heating system – diesel engines
Chapter 6: Clutch
Chapter 7: Part A: Manual transmission
Chapter 7: Part B: Automatic transmission
Chapter 8: Driveshafts
Chapter 9: Braking system
Chapter 10: Suspension and steering systems
Chapter 11: Bodywork and fittings
Chapter 12: Body electrical systems, Wiring diagrams


text: There is a vitally important piece of the equation that continues to go missing in the culture of environmentalism and in society in general. That piece can be summed up in a single word: psyche (as in psychological). It's a word you don't hear much. And yet, in so many ways, it's the most important word in the world. What are the key elements of a resilient foundation for a sustainable and life-affirming society? One critical element, I believe, is the inner resilience that only work with the psyche can bring. Read the rest of this entry »


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May 22, 2012
$15,000 Instant Ticket Win
A man from North Providence claimed a $15,000 winning Instant Ticket today. He purchased the ticket at the Hess Express at 1394 Mineral Spring Ave., North Providence, and scratched it while in the car with friends. They decided to come straight to the Lottery to cash it in. The winner was still in awe over the win, never expecting to get that sort of cash windfall. He hasn't figured out how he would like to spend the money, but plans to share some of it with his friends.
This website, www.RILOT.com, is the official website of
the Rhode Island Lottery. It is UNLAWFUL for anyone under the age of 18 to play the Lottery. Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy
of the winning numbers information on this website, mistakes
can occur. If you have questions about winning numbers, contact
the Lottery at 401.463.6500 or visit your nearest Lottery
Retailer for the official winning numbers and game information.


text: I am starting to think that my fan no longer works... When I power on the fan revs up real high for about 1 second then shuts off, that is the last I hear of my fan. (When it first did this is revved up and then the sleep indictator was blinking furiously, then I had to unplug and whatever and it revved up then booted a little later..) My iBook is posting these temperature, which feel pretty dang hot to the touch... Is there a program I can get to rev the fan, just so I can tell if it is working? Could this have anything to do with the recalled battery I just received? The battery is quite cool, its just the left side of the computer is burning up. Sigh. Maybe it is just Tiger? It never did this in panther. -dav


text:
For many of us, or for me at least, traveling in a boat coursing between two very visible riverbanks has always been a whole lot more appealing than swaying in a ship above a bottomless sea, a dot in a 360-degree shoreless horizon.
Water, water everywhere and not a clump of dirt. Until my feet are webbed, I don't think I'll ever be at ease out of sight of land.
But I'll read a book about it.
Today's book section has a nautical theme. Three tales of adventure: open ocean, meandering river, and rocky coastline. The pages heave readers to points unknown, places and states of mind seldom seen.
One's armchair becomes the bridge on the good ship Imagination where in solitude, it's possible to take command of an armada of emotions. A book's safe harbor is always the same: refuge from storms on the heart's horizon.
"Moby Dick," by Herman Melville, is a blue-water novel. Most still agree it is the great American novel. Pure sea-motion, it leaves land, and women, far behind. The human psyche within its pages exists without so much as a nod that women read by the same whale-oil light that men did. This has been no small concern to feminist critics.
"Ahab's Wife," by Sena Jeter Naslund (see review page 14), steers straight into the masculine headwinds of the hunt for the great white whale. Her book is much more than an ideological redress of the absence of women.
I used to think floating a river in Montana was as good as it gets on our blue-water planet. But of late, canoeing on small lakes and hidden ponds has made for the best voyage.
A good book sails on a much wider sea.
*Comments or questions? Send e-mail to: email@example.com
(c) Copyright 1999. The Christian Science Publishing Society


text:
Hi, I'm trying to debug the Linux version of PB/PG. Having never used it before. Are there any small files on the satellite that I could get it to attempt to download while attempting to debug it? And I apologies to GO-32 users for the intrusion. Regards de John EI7IG _______________________________________________ Sent via firstname.lastname@example.com. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
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Charismatic professor David Kepesh (Ben Kingsley) glories in the pursuit of adventurous female students but never lets any woman get too close. When gorgeous Consuela Castillo (Penélope Cruz) enters his classroom, however, his protective veneer dissolves. Her raven-haired beauty both captivates and unsettles him. Even if Kepesh declares her body a perfect work of art, Consuela is more than an object of desire. She has a strong sense of herself and an emotional intensity that challenges his...more
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text:
This is the first chapter of a story is started writing a few years ago and posted on another forum like this one. It was received fairly well but interest in it was going by chapter 14 or so.
Please let me know what you think about it. If you like it, there will be more coming soon.
Chapter 1: Firepower
Matt stared at his computer screen, idly scrolling down Facebook and alternating between internet tabs. It was 3am and he couldn't sleep. He tried to put the fact that he had an exam in a few hours at the back of his mind. At the moment, he was watching a re-run of Mock The Week online.
Then he heard a thud. And then the house shook, briefly but noticeably. He was sure he heard it from the garden. He threw off his headphones and flung the window open. Sure enough, there was something there.
Matt crept down the stairs, hoping his parents hadn't woken up.
He padded out into the garden in flip-flops, making his way towards the object. It looked like a glowing red crystal, thin with a pointed tip, sticking out of the ground. It seemed to glow brighter as he got closer to it. As he stretched out his hand to touch it, he also began to hear a whistling sound.
And then it was gone.
The next thing Matt knew, he was lying in his bed. Pale morning light shone in his eyes. He turned over to look at his clock. 8:45. "Crap!"
He dashed out of the door, not even stopping for breakfast. But he didn't feel hungry at all. He felt great. Really, really great. He wasn't even thinking, 'Damn morning exams!' as most other kids in his class were thinking right now. In fact, he felt like he was going to get to school in time and ace that exam.
* * *
"Late…" a girl said bitterly to Matt as he sat down at the desk next to her. Cassie.
"Meh, I can catch up." Matt started to write quickly on his answer paper. Very quickly.
"Whoa." The word escaped her mouth. She had never seen him move so fast in his life. She had never seen anyone move so fast, ever.
Soon he began to draw the attention of the students around him with his scratchscratchscratchscratch. The normally hard-faced examiners widened their eyes.
* * *
Matt finished first and spent the rest of the exam with his hands cupped behind his head.
"What was that about?" Cassie said to Matt as they left the exam hall.
"What was what?" Matt said, tongue pressed to the side of his cheek. Others stared at him.
"You know what I'm talking about." Cassie said, sounding annoyed. He was taken aback. "Have you been taking something? That was impossible."
"I don't think it was impossible, but it certainly looked improbable…" said someone quietly.
Cassie ignored the person and glared at Matt. Then her eyes narrowed.
"You cheated."
"No! Say it louder, why don't you."
"You cheater! You cheated!"
"Alright, that's enough from you," Matt grumbled, putting his arm around her neck and covering her mouth. "Let's talk about this in the library. Come on, Joshua. Nothing to see, everyone…" A sickly-pale, dark-haired boy behind him followed the pair sheepishly, leaving behind bemused students who crowded around the scene of the outburst.
* * *
"Alright, what is it? And why does Joshua have to be here?"
Matt blinked. "He's my best friend."
"I barely see you two together," Cassie replied dryly.
Matt looked over to Joshua, who was taking books from a shelf some distance from Cassie and Matt. They sat in padded chairs, facing each other. He shrugged. "I trust him more than anyone else. If I'm going to tell you my secret, he has to hear it first, too."
"Whatever. Go on."
"I heard something land in my garden early this morning. It must have made a real impact because my house was shaking."
"Really? I didn't feel anything this morning."
"It was really early. You would have been asleep. Anyway, I look out my window and see this glowing red thing. I think I touched it and I think I absorbed it. It was weird. And then-"
"Sorry, but what are you talking about?" Cassie looked confused and slightly annoyed. "What does this have to do you with you suddenly being able to write like that? The drugs are messing with your mind."
"I'm not finished yet," Matt said, sounding annoyed himself. "And I didn't take any drugs, though I couldn't remember what happened next. The next thing rembered was waking up a few hours later and feeling really good. I felt like I could do anything! You should have seen me walking to school." He motioned with his hand. "Voom!"
Cassie looked to a bemused Joshua, who shrugged his shoulders, and then back to Matt. She stood up and scowled.
"I don't know what you've been doing, but I'm going to find out and report this," Cassie said coldly. She walked out the door.
Matt looked at Joshua with raised eyebrows. "What a freak."
Joshua only nodded as he stared pensively at an open book.
* * *
Two shady figures dressed in trench coats stood in the school's bike shed. One of them stood at about 8ft.
"We might get caught here," said the shorter of the two with a squeaky voice.
"It does not matter if we get caught," the other said in a voice that seemed to be shadowed by many despairing sounds. It was deep, fitting the menacing stature.
"Okay, so how many do I have to kill?"
The other held up a finger. "One. Just one. However, you must make yourself known."
"But why? We will compromise the-"
"I will explain later. Do not fail me." The figured faded into thin air.
* * *
"Matt…" Cassie muttered under her breath. She wasn't actually going to doing anything about Matt. She just felt stupid that she was duped like that, and with Joshua being witness. But there were unanswered questions, and Cassie was sure Matt didn't actually take anything weird so he could pass the test. There was simply nothing that could do that and she knew Matt well enough that anything like that would be out of character, despite his eccentricities. Matt's story was also preposterous. She shook her head. She had revised so hard while Matt just messed about in lessons.
She was snapped out of her thoughts by shrill giggling on the bench opposite her. The girls sitting there were far away enough and so engrossed in their inanity that they didn't notice Cassie's look of contempt. More idiots. She picked up her bag and turned to leave for her next class.
As soon as she turned, she heard several screams. She turned again to see the commotion and saw what looked like a scarecrow wearing a trench coat standing in between her and the other girls. Where did that come from?
It stepped towards Cassie, leaving a trail of straw. It was infinitely terrifying with its glowing red eyes and its sheer implausibility: talking, walking scarecrow. She couldn't move.
"You'll do. Yes, I'll kill you." His squeaky voice only made him slightly less scary.
She could believe anything, now. Even Matt's stupid story.
* * *
"What's going on?" Matt said. He looked with horror at the strange thing that had a hold of Cassie across the field. (Very) Quickly he bounded up to it.
"Hrmm, who's that?" scarecrow said. Matt's chest started to glow red as he got closer. The scarecrow's eyes seemed to narrow in on it.
"Put Cassie down! You… Um…"
"As you wish," scarecrow said, throwing Cassie back. She landed with a groan and a light thud. "I think I've found a more interesting target."
Scarecrow took a swipe at Matt but he ducked out of the way.
"Too slow," Matt said, ducking further swipes. They came in fast but he was faster. Joshua watched from a distance in wonderment. "Can't touch this."
"Stop moving about and fight like a man!"
"You're one to talk, you're a scarecrow!"
Scarecrow continued to swipe at Matt, groaning as he missed each time. Matt laughed, oblivious to Cassie crawling away with a pained expression.
"That's it." Scarecrow backed off and grabbed Cassie by the neck. She groaned again as he lifted her up. "You better stop that, boy, and fight properly. Or I'll kill her."
Matt dropped his cheerful expression. "Crap," he muttered. He looked into those glowing eyes and saw in them the strength of his presence. He couldn't avoid him but he couldn't fight him. At the same time, he couldn't just leave her.
"I can snap her neck like a twig," scarecrow said, chuckling.
"I'm sorry I didn't believe you, Matt," Cassie said, slightly choked by the grip. Matt remained still, looking to scarecrow and Cassie.
"Matt…" Joshua whispered from behind Matt.
Matt swallowed. "I… I'm sorry, too."
"Heh," the scarecrow said coldly. "Coward." He tightened his grip. Cassie began to choke.
"NO!" Matt exclaimed, extending an arm. For a moment he seemed to glow all over and then a ball of flame erupted from his outstretched hand. It hit scarecrow and engulfed him in flame. He shrieked in pain and then vanished. Cassie collapsed onto the floor and Matt ran over to her.
"Are you okay?" he said, helping her up.
"I'm okay," she replied quietly. She looked him in the eyes. "Thanks."
I think you and your story have potential, but it seems rushed. You write dialogue very well, but I didn't feel a release of tension. A least a little bit of a release of tension would be good because if it becomes too tense for reasons other than the plot I tend to slow down or stop reading. Have you watched Fate/Zero? The first episode was interesting and the artwork was detailed, but the writing part was distracting in my opinion. I think your story is kind of like that (not that the writing part was distracting, but hopefully you get what I mean). It has potential to be a good or great young adult or adult novel or short story if you finish the sketch. The genre, I suppose, depends on how dark you want to make it. If you post your story again message me and I'll read it again for you. Keep writing
great issue king!
looking forward to more of this
just surfin the interweb
i agree it is fast paced and i think you could have taken your time with it more with the intro
fuck life. day one friends turn on you. thats my life
Sailor Candy Moderator
Year-end cleanup. Closing threads with no activity since 2013.
Tuxedo Mask!!!


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Have you entered yet to win the awesome pair of Yo Gabba Gabba LIVE tickets?!?! These tickets are for the Minneapolis show on 9/15 at the State Theatre! Mason, SuperDad, and I are going to be there and we can't wait to see who is going to win tickets to be there with us! (Don't worry, the seats aren't right next to us, so no pressure of being forced into a bloggy meet up!)
The giveaway ends on Wednesday at 9 pm CST, so that's only three more days to get your entries in!
And if you're not into Yo Gabba Gabba, you should note that the State Theatre has lots of other great shows coming up including as Bon Iver, Alison Krauss, Ani DiFranco, Bryan Adams, David Sedaris, The Lion King, and many more!