Fantasist's Scroll

Oh, my stars, yes, loads of fun!

I first saw the Ghyll Encyclopedia, then the blog post that inspired it. So, I came to understand this glory in a ’round about fashion. Still, it seems like loads of fun. I have no idea how many readers this sad blog draws, but I hope they all go to discover the joys of this game. In fact, I like it so much, I may just set up one of my own! Yes, it’s that inventive.

Oh, for Heaven’s sake, it’s Friday, go see!
(And, yes, I am, in fact, the alter ego of “Doctor” Phineas Crank.)

War machines march on.

In this case, they’re mostly non-lethal, but they’re certainly high-tech. According to this article on WiredNews.com, the US military are working on a number of interesting new weapons. They’ve got everything from a potential paralysis beam to a microwave pain-inducer. Everything you can think of in terms of science-fiction weapons are being developed. They may never get past the experimental stage, but they’re still quite revolutionary and, well, scientifically advanced. In any case, it’s an interesting article and might spur some ideas about future war. Check it out!

Smart machines on the horizon?

Artificial intelligence, in all its various forms, has been a standard of science-fiction for quite some time. It intrigues us and frightens us at the same time. The idea that a thing created by mankind could eventually out think us is a bi terrifying, but also somewhat attractive. Seductive, if you will.
Well, we may be on our way. According to this article on WiredNews.com, a Welsh scientist has created a simple, but smart, robotic lab assistant. Ross King, a researcher at the University of Wales, has modified some standard equipment in a chemistry lab to build in some basic intelligence. It’s an automated testing machine. Put simply, it runs through thousands of variations on a single, simple experiment automatically, so that a human researcher doesn’t need to do the “leg work”, so to speak. But, that’s not the interesting part. Apparently, Professor King has worked up a program that looks at the data along the way and follows the most promising patterns first. The trick is, apparently, getting the details of what “promising” means worked out and into the program. The rest, well, just sort of happens. It’s not very smart, but it’s a start.

So, now, as a writer, what does that mean? Where will it go? I don’t know, but lots of people have written about it for a long time. Read the article and decide for yourself. Then, write!

Freshly added to the conlang word generator.

Yep, that’s right, now you can generate words, and names, based on languge files torn from the pages of Michael Moorcock’s Elric of Melnibone series. I’ve very carefully entered in loads of words and proper names from the series by hand from several different sources. The beauty of it is, no one could tell if I’d made any spelling errors! These are some seriously crazy names.
Oh, that reminds me, they’re also available in the proper name generator, too. And, just because it strikes me as funny, I’ve also added Melnibonean combined with Latin to both of these. And, I have to admit, it really works fairly well! (Though, the straight Melnibonean occasionally coughs up a little too much data in the name generator. There must be a hidden character somewhere in the file that’s messing things up. Oh, well, no one’s perfect!)

So, go have fun with them!

Okay, mainly it’s just planets….

But, it’s still cool! Last week, I mentioned several articles about habitable planets outside our solar system, so it’s been on my mind. Well, today, my Friday Fun Link is to a site called Extrasolar Visions, which is the home of the artist who did the amazing graphics that are on the Space.com site. He has a gallery there, but the work is mainly small stuff with links to where you can buy prints of the work. But, he also has something called Extrasolar Skies, which makes starmaps on the fly. As the name implies, it also lets you choose your viewing location. Very cool. And fun, too!

So, hey, it’s Friday, go dream a little!

For pity’s sake, READ THE POST!

Okay, now I’ve gotten a whole bunch of people asking me to help them write out Elvish words or phrases in one of Tolkien’s various Elvish scripts. I’m going to say this one more time for you all: I do not know how to write in any elvish script whatsoever! I only care about Tolkien’s languages for the fact that he made them himself and used them to create an amazing world about which he wrote wonderful stories. I do not know how to speak or write in any form of Sindarin, Quenya, Tengwar or any other of his langauges. What’s more, I have no desire to do so. I will not write them in a box. I will not speak them for a fox!

However, if you do want help, the fine purveyor of many things Elvish at Gildor’s Page seems fairly willing to help. You can see some of the work done already at this page: Tengwar in Reality. So, go ask them!

And, that’s all I’m going to mention on that subject again. (I hope!)

VR in spaaaaace!

Well, another theme from recent science-fiction seems to be the next step in actual science. At least, according to this article on Space.com. It seems the journey to another star might prove to be a little stressful on humans, so scientists are proposing to send AI (artificial intelligences) instead of, or in addition to, human astronauts. It could be a good thing, considering that it would make it easier to get a craft further faster, but I saw Star Trek the Motion Picture, so I’m leary of a V’Ger coming home to wipe us out! Seriously, there are still a lot of issues to work out, like the intelligence part of AI, but it’s a promising start.

Everyone knows there’s only 36 plots.

Now you can learn them at Calihoo Writing Idea Generators! This mildly interactive page brings you through all 36(+1) plots, highlighting the characters, tensions and motivations involved in each one. So, if you’re like me and have problems with simple things, like plot, you may just find that this little gem of a site helps you get started on that story you’ve always wanted to write. Go check it out!