Food is nearly as defining of a culture as language. People gotta eat right?
Food is usually influenced mostly by whats available to the region. People living in temperate plains likely live on wheat products and livestock; those in the coastal tropics would naturally have more fish and fruit in their diet.
Another factor is trade. Some cultures openly trade with others, and would have more variety and spices available than those who are more xenophobic or just undiscovered. Without trade, the Americas would likely never have known of soy sauce and curry.
My goal for this blog is to organize my thoughts, opinions and knowledge about writing into an easy to reference guide.
Saturday, April 11, 2015
Friday, April 10, 2015
SFA: Cyberpunk
While I'm not as experienced with cyberpunk as I am sci-fi and fantasy, I am aware of the growing genre. It's plots seem to center on blurring the lines between reality and virtual reality. Though the "reality" portion is often set in grungy, urban distopias, this is not as necessary, in my opinion, to the genre as is the advanced computing technology. The cult classic Bladerunner has been called quintessential to the genre, as is the table-top RPG Shadowrun. I feel the recent anime Sword Art Online qualifies.
In the run-down husk of the Hao Industrial Complex at Earth-Moon L4, servers whir to life as the Arachnos tournament began. High security dummy corps are staged to test the minds of dozens of hackers from across the colonies. The Arachnos title was up for grabs every 18 months, and the victor was deemed the king of the Web.
From maintenance shaft number four, Mika Huginn threaded the delicate wires of her portable RiG-18 into the trunk line of the servers. This physically circumvented half the firewalls, and would be giving her the best possible connection to the dummy corps of the games. While this tactic was legal, it was thought to be beneath most hackers, but Mika needed the title if she would ever see her brother again.
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
SFA: Steampunk
Steam punk. This is the idea that nearly all current technology was
developed without electricity, rather using natural gas, steam and
clockwork to power their constructs. Often Victorian Era clothing style
is used, or some form of "practical" leather working clothes.
Brass, wood and leather are common materials of ornamentation. Occasionally some from of alchemy is included.
Cogsville was the ticking heart of steam engineering, towering constructs lumber down the streets, the air is heavy with expended steam, and (orange flame burst from the building a block behind you) exploding labs are a daily occurrence. Beware of engineers seeking "assistants" as test-subject is generally a more apt term. Enjoy your stay in the city, and due take care not to be trampled.
Tuesday, April 7, 2015
SFA: SciFi
Science Fiction. Everything from Atomic Disintegration Beams to the
Zorbulons of Sector 9 is included in this broad genre. Intergalactic
travel at faster than light speeds is a staple, for it enables travel to
these fantastical worlds.
After the catastrophe of Doc Chalk's Shrink Ray, the metro-area is scrambling to raise funds to research how to return the mayor and his staff to normal size. Many citizens see this as a blessing in disguise, as Mayor East has been accused of several shady bills being passed, including Prop 239 which turned off all traffic lights out of "concern for the environment."
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