Anbar August - Steampunk time, and Retro Games

So I'm only doing about 2-3k a day, which is low for me. It's about a chapter for Gears, and I'm about 10k in and he's almost to where he'll stay the rest of the book. So I'm excited for that, but I have a feeling if I don't pick it up when the end of the month comes around I'll have to scramble to reach my goal.

Steelgods is very nearly pure fantasy, with only a touch of steampunk thrown in for good measure. Gears makes a big transition to steampunk, one that I'm already in. Thinking of silly steam cities is one of my favorite things. Like a wall that has massive steam trains riding around it, weaving through a city on aquaduct-like passages.  Or blimps, or little robot helpers (which were in Steelgods). Basically odd stuff like that. I honestly haven't had fun devising weird things in a world (since Effulgent Corruption was 'omg srs') so it's been a goofy treat.

Plus I love steampunk, and nearly all my books (save WGMD and EC) have had steampunk elements in them, so it's almost like returning to form.

Now I'm going to post a self-indulging section: RETRO VIDEO GAMES.

I love retro video games (and indie video games, but that can be another topic). Growing up my friend had an NES and I remember long hours trying to beat Zelda, or Mario, or trying to land the plane in stupid Top Gun (we never did). On my cousin's houseboat we'd play Ninja Turtles and Rad Racer, sucking pretty bad at them both.

I never had any game systems until I went to college; my parents wouldn't let me. I discovered emulators in High School and that's when I finally got around to playing SNES, N64, and PS1 games. It wouldn't be until after my mormon mission that I got a PS2, and the rest is history.

Anyway, in an attempt to salvage my believed "ruined" childhood, I'm snatching up as many game systems as I have. Two of them (the SNES and NES) were actually gifts. We bought an N64 and Gamecube (which isn't really retro but...whatever) and have been stockpiling games for these systems ever since.

How many games? Well, I'm going to list off my collection for you, because I care and you probably don't.

NES
Super Glove Ball (yes, we have a power glove. No, I will never use that piece of crap)
The Ultimate Stuntman
3-D World Runner
Bionic Commando
Castlevania
Castlevania 2 - Simon's Quest
Castlevania 3 - Dracula's Curse
Base Wars
Blaster Master
Batman
Dragon Warrior
Double Dragon II
Excitebike
Joust
Legendary Wings
Lifeforce
Duck Tales (whoo, hoo!)
Megaman 2
Marble Madness
Paperboy
Rad Racer
Super Mario Bros/Duck Hunt (and a gun that doesn't work on our tv)
Super Mario Bros 2
Super Mario Bros 3
Tetris
Zelda
Kirby's Adventure

SNES
Wario's Woods
Tetris and Dr. Mario
Final Fantasy II (IV)
Final Fantasy III (VI)
Super Mario Kart
Zelda: A Link to the Past
Super Mario RPG
Super Metroid
Chrono Trigger
Super Mario Allstars + World
Tetris Attack
Final Fantasy Mystic Quest

Nintendo 64


Dr. Mario 64
Starfox 64
Donkey Kong 64
Super Mario 64
Paper Mario
Perfect Dark
Blast Corps
Pokemon Puzzle League
Super Smash Bros
Banjo-Kazooie
Banjo-Tooie
Mario Kat 64
Diddy Kong Racing
Jet Force Gemeni
Zelda 64 - Ocarina of Time
Zelda - Majora's Mask


How's that for having a not-mid life crisis? I still have a decent amount of games I don't have but want for the collection (Zelda 2: Link's Adventure, more Mega Man's, Kid Icarus, Secret of Mana, Konker's Bad Fur Day) but for now I'm reasonably content. NES games are the worst for me. They usually are only like $3 and I just KNOW I remember playing that game and it being awesome. Then I take it home and it's usually...not as awesome.

So I love video games, big surprise. Now you know you want to come hang out and play some old Nintendo with me. Hey, I'm always up for it.

How I managed to write books (or do anything productive for that matter) with all this crap in my house is beyond me.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have Castlevania 2 to beat.