A handful of major updates
After a long period of working like a machine, I’ve finally been able to mark off several projects that have been stuck on my to-do list for months. It’s kind of coincidental that I’ve been able to free my mind of these tasks just as Matrix 4 it out. But anyway, I’m happy to have been able to finally get these done, so let me break it down for y’all.
This Plant Gen has been growing tiresome…
It’s been a long, long time, but after a serious butt-whopping (mine or the Gen’s I couldn’t say), I finally managed to “complete” the Plant Gen. That is, all the plant types I had originally intended to add are now in place, so all that’s left to do is regular maintenance and updates. If any other plant types are requested in future, I can see about adding those too.
Aside from adding the last three types, I also added the option to choose a specific or random amount of results to display, and also the option to select or randomise the plant size, to give you a little more control. As usual, I also did some spring cleaning and tweaking to make things neater and faster, but there’s still more I’d like to do in relation to the existing list of facts, so that will be my main focus going forward; add more new and interesting facts to the list. I probably also added a lot more mess into the Gen in the process, so let me know if you see any wacky grammar/sentences.
Colour me impressed!
One of my oldest Gens, the Colour Gen, has finally gotten an update, after 4 years of being untouched! I gave it a bunch of new options, allowing you to either choose from a series of random presets or even select your own colour and get generated colours to go with it. If you’ve been having trouble coming up with colour schemes, for website design, outfits, creatures, plants, etc, this tool might just be what you need. I’m aware of some issues relating to the option selections on mobile; I’ll do what I can to resolve these ASAP.
Time to Decide your fate…
Another ancient Gen, the Decision Gen, got an upgrade after a spark of inspiration suddenly hit me and I wanted to increase its power. Now, instead of only asking it yes/no questions, you can ask it 5 different question types; “yes/no?”, “who?”, “where?”, “when?” and “how many?”. While a lot of people use this Gen just for fun, it can actually be a useful tool to shake up your writing and prevent stories from being too formulaic; use the Gen to help you decide important plot points, then use its answers as a guideline; your story could go in a direction you never imagined, and your readers may no longer able to simply guess what’s coming next, keeping them on the edge of their seats. Give it a try! (Gen says to do it “This very day.”)
Start the new year with a good Novel…Title.
Another Gen that got a big update is the Novel Title Gen. I consider this a testing phase, but I have given the Gen the option to receive word inputs that can affect the titles it produces. Enter a Name, Item, Location, Verb or more, and see what it comes up with. As well as that, I have adjusted the way that it builds names, and am continuing to increase the word lists to give the Gen an even bigger selection to work from. I’ll see how people get along with this version, and continue to make adjustments as we go along, but for now, I hope you like this new iteration. Be sure to let me know what you think in the comments on the Novel Title Gen Pag.
Country Gen Updates
While the Gens mentioned above have all had pretty major updates, the Country Gen has had a more modest one in the form of general structural and content updates. Gotta keep things fresh!
Who would you bet on?
You hear a shout and so step outside to see what’s going on. To your left, you see a fighter standing ready to attack, a beautiful Iron Battle Axe with mysterious engravings on the blade, and a diamond-encrusted grip in their hands. On your right, another fighter stands, with a long, very sharp copper spear decorated with gemstones, waiting. Neither fighter moves, but you know that soon, someone will strike. Who will win? Vote now!
The Fantasy Sandbox is now Crossing the Aether
To those of you who haven’t been following along (why not?!), just a quick note to let your know about the metamorphosis of the Fantasy Sandbox podcast into the Crossing the Aether podcast. They’re chugging along nicely on their literary journey, and have entered a new era, a nice start for the new year, so be sure to check them out on their socials and new site, and continue to join them as they tell their tales of The Vaelwyn Saga.
Well now, it’s back to work; I’ve got a lot more still on my plate, and even more planned, so there’s no time like the present. But before I go…
