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The Badger, the Cat, and the Book by Chris R. Deatherage Interview by Jay Watamaniuk Go to (Previous - Introduction, Myranni's Magic, Walking with a Ghost, A Hero's Death, Firestarter, The Realm Below, A Moonless Night, Aspects, The Badger, the Cat and the Book, Grains of Truth, Find the Fish!, Ghosts of the Past, To Hell and Back - Next ) Where can I grab your module The Badger, the Cat, and the Book?You can check out the updated version of my module "The Badger, the Cat, and the Book" at the Vault. I have made just a few updates based on player feedback and suggestions from Kevin B. What was the inspiration for this unusual module?
The original design was called "A Very Familiar Love Story," and it was about the PC finding this secret bar that was owned and operated by familiars. The PC would get caught up between two different familiars battling for the love of another and have to help resolve the issue. I quickly realized that I couldn't script things properly for this story though, so I abandoned the idea. With about two days left before the deadline I decided to bring it back up and change it around into something I could do. In one idea that had been abandoned for another story, I had an evil spirit trapped in a book as my villain. I combined the two notions and BCB was born. Normally I don't do comedy, but I felt I should give it a try. You entered the contest with the intent on working for BioWare. Why the interest in writing for computer games instead of, say, novels or short stories?That is really a great question. I do know that there is a profound difference in writing for games and writing a book. Frankly, after this contest I know that more than ever before. I have been a video game player pretty much all my life. I remember when I was young that games were a great escape for me. I have always liked to think that I have a good imagination. The tyranny of normalcy can sometimes be a little overwhelming for a dreamer. Video games, especially RPGs, really give people a chance to step outside of the banality of day to day life and take on the role of a great hero or villain. For a time at least, school, work, bills, and all other manner of monotony can be put aside for an hour or two while you take up staff or sword to battle for the fate of creation. It's nothing less than cathartic. When you work on a novel, it's your story and you take other people along for the ride. When you work on a video game, it's our story. It belongs to not only you, but to the player as well. The choices that they make, the relationships that they develop, these are all reflections of what their heart longs for in another world. It is within your power to help people live these dreams in a manner which they may otherwise never be able to do. I know what it is like to long for a world less rigid than our own. In writing video games I would not only be able to invite others into my dreams, but give them a chance to shape those dreams with me. Anyone who loves video games knows that you don't just read them, or even play them, but if it's a great game then you live them. In my mind, BioWare has some of the best games out there. They have an amazing staff who have designed some truly breathtaking works. I can't think of any other group that I would be more proud to work with. Go to (Previous - Introduction, Myranni's Magic, Walking with a Ghost, A Hero's Death, Firestarter, The Realm Below, A Moonless Night, Aspects, The Badger, the Cat and the Book, Grains of Truth, Find the Fish!, Ghosts of the Past, To Hell and Back - Next ) Related Links |
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Well, when I heard about the contest I immediately started writing down some different story ideas. BCB was really a combination of a few of those ideas. I had a concept about a wizards academy that had an underground bar. This was a secret place where all the familiars of the students got together after the young apprentices went to asleep.
