TKO Creations

Micro Mart is a UK tech publication that does a little bit of everything… but they aren’t really what this post is about.

It’s about a particular article in a recent issue, a particular cover story.

This one:

So, what’s wrong with that article?  Nothing at all, actually.  Because it’s quite true.  The XBox One assumed that every single person that bought their console and their games needed to be checked in on to make sure they weren’t running cracked or pirated copies of their electronically stored games.

But the sad answer to the articles question is found when you run a google search for the article’s title:

https://www.google.com/search?q=Why+does+the+XBox+One+assume+you’re+a+thief&oq=Why+does+the+XBox+One+assume+you’re+a+thief&aqs=chrome.0.57.12981j0&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

The first three links lead to torrent sites where you can download and read the article without paying for the magazine.

That’s the simple and depressing answer; if you lived in a neighborhood where every other person knocked over your mailbox as they walked by, you’d get damn suspicious of anyone who moseyed by your driveway.  The XBox One assumed you were a thief because… well… there’s an awful damn lot of thieves out there.

To hear game developers and publishers say it, anywhere from 50% to over 90% of the game copies people play are pirated.  While I don’t know if those numbers are accurate, I do have personal experience of this blog getting hundreds of hits looking for a free download of the Megatokyo Endgames short story I wrote about a year and a half ago.  And I’m talking about a $0.99 Amazon Kindle story here… it’s not like it was priced out of too many people’s budgets.

Now, as Eminem would say, “don’t get this twisted”, because this isn’t a defense of Microsoft, the XBox One, or DRM as a rule.  DRM is nigh entirely ineffective, and the only thing it does is punish the people who legitimately bought their product.  The XBox One’s measures would have only destroyed their own userbase, and would have ended their gaming division, because people would not (and should not) have to accept that load of bulls—.

The Visual Novel project will be DRM-free, any e-books I publish under my own imprint will also be DRM free for that very reason, and I don’t have to pretend to a bunch of ignorant shareholders that it does.  But thanks to those ignoramuses who need to feel like SOMETHING is being done to fight piracy, you’ll continue to see misguided salvos fired into the consumer field, and it’s only going to get worse before it gets better.

Nonetheless, as we steadily transition into a fully digital entertainment experience (and most PC-users are almost completely there already), it would REALLY help if honest solutions that actually address the PROBLEM could be brought to life.  Because piracy (and greedy entitled brats who want anything they can get their hands on without having to pay for it) is not going to go away on its own, and if there ISN’T any protection for companies and developers and publishers once that day comes, there’s not going to be anyone willing to create or entertain at the level we’ve come to expect.

Not much to talk about, except these little cosmetic changes I’ve been adding to the blog.  I dunno, I guess now that it has its own domain and all, it should look semi-professional.  I think it kinda does.

Mission Accomplished?

Meanwhile… the Megatokyo Visual Novel kickstarter is at $131k and climbing; but it still needs a little bit more help to reach its final stretch goal.  We can do it, folks!

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/fredrin/megatokyo-visual-novel-game

One of my other projects is starting to come to fruition, and part of the development team for the MegaTokyo Visual Novel Project.

The kickstarter just went live, and honestly, every little bit helps me, helps everyone on the team, and well frankly… helps get me paid.  Yeah, I know.  Very mercenary.

Check it out and if you want to help, I fully encourage you to do so!  http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/fredrin/megatokyo-visual-novel-game

Whelp, some minor changes to the blog to report:

A new header with a slight name change, to fit the new domain name I acquired.  Now http:/www.tkocreations.com/ will lead ya here!  The old address still works, so don’t fret about updating any bookmarks if you don’t want to.

Some more additions will be coming (hopefully) soon, but I’ll send word on those when they happen.

Thanks for following!

This is a topic I kinda sorta touched on in an earlier post, but I think it could use some fleshing out.

I have a handful of Facebook friends who have taken to posting images, memes (what have you) likening literature and the stories they read to take them away from their harsh, depressing reality.  Something kinda like this:

This is, at its core, the purpose of Escapism; the use of literature and stories as a means to break free of reality and, if but for a moment, be something other than the plain old, boring or oppressed person we are stuck in as real life.  It’s a perfectly valid interpretation of literature; and for what its worth, it’s not necessarily a “good” or “bad” one (Lewis Carroll is one of the most famed Escapist authors in English literature… but I don’t think too many people would consider much of his work particularly uplifting).

However… I find such stories to not be worth my time as an author.

Why?  You may ask.  Or not, because you know I’m going to explain anyway.

Escapist literature is the storytelling equivalent of Pixie Sticks; pure sugar… good for a nice endorphin rush that makes you feel good for a short while, but not much else.  Hell, the crash that follows often isn’t worth the high you get.  Whether you don’t want the real world means little.  Whether you’re ready for it not… the real world doesn’t care.  That’s what you’re going to get whether you like it or not, and your blissful escapism hasn’t helped you prepare for it in the slightest.  Running away from reality never helps.

I prefer stories that give you something you can actually use in real life, lessons that you can apply when things go bad for no reason.  Stories that don’t always give you the best outcome, but give you something that can help you persevere.  Escapism can’t give you that; when you detach yourself from what actually happens in the world around you, there is nothing to learn.  You are metaphysically malnourished.

That doesn’t mean that the setting has to be “modern-day”, of course… but the struggles and the conflicts, the failings and tribulations, need to be something that the characters and the audience can relate to, and yes, sometimes fail to overcome… because it is not through our success that we grow; it is through our failures.  That is also how I want to inspire my audience, by showing them that it’s not falling down… but whether or not you get back up.

I’m sure this is a dreadfully meandering rant.  Forgive me, it’s 2:40 am and I’m suffering from a bout of insomnia.

And I know it’s hard to maintain interest in someone who rarely talks.

I wish I felt my average run of the mill day was at all interesting.  I’m like most writers.  I’m horribly boring.  My life kinda plays out like Arthur Dent’s in Chapter 25 of So Long and Thanks For All the Fish.

If you don’t know that reference, here’s exactly what I speak of.

I don’t even get the benefit Arthur does later in the book.  How exactly do I keep people’s interest in that?

Seriously.  I’d LOVE to know.

Well, this morning, some fairly significant news has been confirmed… July 14-16th, I’ll be in Urbana, Illinois for An Eclectic Affair, a convention celebrating nerd culture.

“Okay, Thomas… you’ve been to a handful of conventions.  What’s so special about this one that you’re letting us know 5 months ahead of time?”

The answer is that this time, I’m a special guest on my own merits, rather than an attache to someone much more famous than I.  It’s a bit overwhelming to get that sort of recognition, but it’s also another chance to see me in person and get all those things you wanted to say to my face out!

I’ll update information as to what sort of panels I’ll be participating in, as well as the content, as well as exactly where I’ll be.  So mark your calendars, and if the opportunity arises for anyone and everyone, feel free to drop in and say hi.  I’m sure I’d appreciate it.

The Tuesday update for Exiern for those unable to access the main website (like me, for example)…  Sorry.

Temporary home for today’s strip while the site is down.

Anyone gonna be in the central Ohio area January 18th or 19th?

Anyone got so little self-worth they actually want to meet me?

Anyone got any spare change?

If you answered “yes” to all three of those questions, feel free to drop on by Ohayocon 2013 in Columbus, Ohio.  Look for the big MegaToyko sign and ask for Tom or Thomas.  You may even be asking me, and I’d probably look around for three seconds before I figure out that’s me… but that’s beside the point!