Lrnu, V xvaq bs nterr gung Rkvyr vf zber npprffvoyr va n ybg bs jnlf... gur fgbel vf fhpu abafrafr vs lbh qba'g xabj gur oebguref naq Ngehf, gubhtu. V qrpvqrq gb cvgpu Zlfg uneqrfg orpnhfr V'q ybir Znex gb rkcrevrapr ubj pbby vg vf whfg va gung irel ortvaavat jura lbh unir AB VQRN jub be jurer lbh ner, be jung lbh'er qbvat, naq gur jbeyq bssref lbh AB pyhrf, lbh'er fb vfbyngrq vg'f nyzbfg yvxr frafbel qrcevingvba? naq lbh whfg unir gb yrg lbhe zvaq bcra hc gb gur yngreny guvaxvat vaibyirq. (yby znlor gung'f orpnhfr V hfrq gb cynl va gur cvgpu qnex jvgu gur fbhaq hc.) Vg'f abg sbe rirelbar, gubhtu, naq vg'f abg ernyyl ragregnvavat gb jngpu? Gur zber V guvax nobhg vg, gur zber V guvax gung Znex'f sbezng jbhyqa'g znxr sbe n tbbq YC. :/ Znlor jung V ernyyl jnag vf sbe uvz gb cynl vg ba uvf bja gvzr naq jevgr n uhtr bar-bss erivrj, unu. :Q

V gubhtug nobhg oevatvat hc Zlfg Bayvar: HEH Yvir orpnhfr vg'f serr naq n cerggl tbbq jnl gb fnzcyr jung cynlvat n Zlfg tnzr vf yvxr jvgubhg pbzzvggvat. Rkprcg gur fgbelyvar vf fb zrgn naq ovmneer vg qbrfa'g znxr NAL frafr gb nalbar jub unfa'g znqr n fghql bs gur frevrf. Naq vg unf abgbevbhfyl greevoyr chmmyrf yvxr gur ulqebcubovp sversyvrf...

Thanks! It's so hard to say what makes the games special without spoiling them...

I love Exile too! Vg'f abg nf jngregvtug va cybg naq chmmyrf, ohg V ybir Fnnirqeb'f fgbel. I love the whole series to bits; nostalgic value carried me through even when it got silly or iffy. But I'm trying to have restraint. :D

Yeahhhh, for the sake of not boring the Mark Plays audience to tears, hint books might be necessary to carry the gameplay forward. IDK, it would be a hard series to do in this format. But it's so good.

I second the Myst series with all my heart and I want to pitch it a bit more, so here goes:

Myst is a point-and-click adventure/logic puzzle game from 1993; Riven is its sequel from 1997. Myst was like nothing that had ever come before it in gaming, and its graphics are astonishingly beautiful even now. Riven's are even moreso. They were the first computer games I ever played and afterwards I was ruined for gaming forever: ever since then I have been trying to find something with the same masterful level of atmospheric immersion, depth of characterization, and uncompromising mental engagement. These two games are the pure embodiment of Show, Don't Tell.

But really I want to say why I think they are a great match for Mark's personal tastes: two of the strongest themes of the series are the creative and destructive potential of the written word, and isolation. I don't want to say more, because it is something that can be truly mind-blowing if experienced completely uninformed.

As far as platform, it might be difficult: There's the 10th Anniversary Edition, which is packaged as a trilogy (Myst/Riven/Exile) - Myst & Riven are only Mac OS9 and below, Exile OS 10.3.1 and below. I can't speak to Windows compatibility as I am a Mac user (haven't been able to play any of these games personally in years, to my unending sadness). There was a PS3 port that is no longer in print, and a Nintendo DS version that I strongly advise against (screen too small, controls not well developed). Most recently there've been iOS ports for Myst and Riven only: they should be available to play on iPads and iPhones now.

I will just sit here clutching my old first-run Broderbund CD for Mac OS7 and cry deeply about not having an iPad.

People Who Sit Down Next To You When You Are Very Close To The End Of Your Book And Ask What You're Reading To Make Small Talk Even Though They Clearly Couldn't Care Less About The Answer (And Get Pissy If You Answer With "A Book")

That's a mouthful. Maybe just People Who Think Reading Is A Desperate Plea For Conversation.

I thought about emerging from lurkerdom for MRSandman, but then it started and I got sucked into the awesomeness that have been the comments so far (especially arctic_hare's!) and forgot to not lurk. This happens to me a lot. XD

But I thought today's issue would be an appropriate point in the story to link to my only stab at Sandman fanfic - a Sandman/Doctor Who crossover, essentially "seven times the Doctor met the Endless." Mark & first-time Sandman readers can't read it yet for spoilers, but the most direct Sandman reference is to today's issue, so.

Link goes to my LJ: Seven For A Secret

There are more DW spoilers than Sandman, but only through the end of series 3 - I wrote this in 2008. I'm always my own worst critic, but I'm still pretty happy with how this story came out. :)

SpiritSkull25053

SpiritSkull25053! I wasn't really keen on the skull part until I realized it sounds like Bob the Skull from Dresden Files. :D One of my other options was WombatFlight, though, which, seriously. I almost picked it. The Flight of the Wombat.

The only thing that makes me cry as much as the movie itself is the bit in the extras where PJ couldn't stop filming that very last shot of Frodo writing and clutching his shoulder. ;_;

I have my box of Thin Mints and glass of milk! Must have comfort food. ;_;

:D :D :D :D :D