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Too easy, since I'm Polish, too -- and actually owned both the original version and the enhanced CD version -- so I'll let others guess

Ooh, looks fun -- kinda like Transistor, but without the fights. Is this going to be a commercial release?

OK, time for some 3D platformer classics:
Mariel Brought Hers
Saw Nick Do Head Jog
Ban Joe & Kill Zooey
Rat Shit: Ink Link

Some classic adventure games
Fly, Dove: Diem As Ink Ween
This Curled: New "R"
Fool Frodo
Sigh! Mon, the sore soror
Ledge in Dove: Cur and ya

...and some random action games:
Do whom? Helen Nurth?
Ellen Wickham: Eric cannot, Mayor (an improved version of a title I posted a while back)
Glad He Ate Her

Daaamn, dude, your version was so good that I went back and edited mine.

Meanwhile, here are some more -- this time Third Person Perspective games:

To whom? Ray there.

Ummm... Decay...

Graham Tough Title: Send in Dreiers

Old McRon: The Gnome (add salt)

Faring Height: And dig, Oprah! Fez! See?

Gah! Thick! Free firs' aching! Guards!

Which? Her.

Ellen Wei: Come, Mayor. Uhh, cannot, Mayor!

[Fortnightly Writing Competition]

The tribe has spoken -- and wow, what a heated voting session it was!

And so...

...the winner of this Fortnightly Writing Competition...

...having garnered just ONE vote over the other contestant...

...iiiiiiis...

BARON!!!

Congratulations! Here is your trophy:

- a golden postage stamp from Farawai!

Sinitrena, for Your devotion to the Rakyat, please accept the tribe's token of gratitude:

- a silver postage stamp from Farawai!

You guys are ON FIRE! Keep 'em coming!

Here are some Real Time Strategy legends:

Commandant Conker: Riddle Ert

Work Raft

Stark Raft

Done Jen, Keep 'er

Toe Dull And Aisle A Shin

Yours are hysterical! Good job! Here are some more I came up with -- some FPP shooter classics:

Duke KNEW Kim
Her Attic
Pink Eeler
Cow Nurse Trike
They Us Sex

Wow, you guys are ON FIRE! I haven't seen such heated voting in a WHILE! Kepp the votes coming!

["A Love not Meant to Be"]

I'd love to give it a try! There were some fun contests like that, such as the two-sentence horror story on Reddit. And there's the six word stories, started (or maybe just popularized) by Kurt Vonnegut. I had one, too:

"A Love not Meant to Be": Rocky Hill never met Sandy Shore.

The clothes and the pose are spot on. The hair's good, but still too neat, like after a rough night. Laverne looks like someone who hasn't taken a nap in weeks. More like this:

For those interested: that's Helena from Orphan Black, played by the insanely talented Tatiana Maslany (I have no doubt that she could easily pull off Bernard, Hoagie and Dr. Edison as well).

[Some maritime pair o' ducksJim and I ruleResin ants]

So the other day I was listening to the Blue Cup Tools podcast and one of the guys said something about Sam & Max -- I forget what it was, because what sidetracked me was how I pictured the spelling of the title: "Salmon Max". Must be the pun demon in me. Here's a few others I came up with -- including some commercial AGS titles:

Some maritime pair o' ducks

Jim and I rule

Resin ants

...and some more random AAA titles:

McSpain

Bile Shuck

Kneed. Forced. Peed.


Anyone else got something?

[Wanderer through Shadows only known to Men]

Gather 'round by the fire, weary travellers! It's voting time! My apologies for being late, but I've been to places, too.

Our contestants this time, in order of entry, are:

Sinitrena: Wanderer through Shadows only known to Men
Baron: Gatlinburg

Voting will be by category.  Sadly, since we only got two entries, you can only vote once per category, for a total of six votes.  The categories are:

Best Character: You find one or several characters extra believable/captivating/magnetic/unique, etc.
Best Plot: The story arc was well-organized, coherent, and well-executed with appropriate pacing; basically the best story.
Best Atmosphere: This is all about feeling: did the story evoke strong feelings due to excitement/humour/intrigue/wonder/emotional intensity?
Best Setting: The best background world or milieu for a story; a place brought to life.
Best Word Choice/Style: The technical art of combining words in clever or gripping ways.
Best Holiday Destination: Which of the places would you pick -- just for a week's vacation, for the adrenaline-raising thrill factor, or to stay there forever -- based only on the story?

Every vote counts as one point. Whoever receives most points wins. Voting is open untill Wednesday, May 28, midnight PST. Trophies will be acquired from souvenir shops and presented here shortly.

I liked the part about the audience's expectations about the endings in games. I think any sort ongoing series -- be it games, movies, books, tv series -- has people predicting what's next, and in the long run, how it'll all come to an end. As the series progresses, they get attached to their visions so much that the authors' way might cause disappointment and/or outrage. Case in point: Mass Effect 3. Harry Potter. Or, to take a few examples from TV this year, Dexter and How I Met Your Mother. Wasn't it Roland Barthes' "Death of the Author" that argued the story doesn't belong to the author anymore once they realse it to the public? I'd usually advocate the creator's freedom -- but that HIMYM ending was so horrid, pointless and illogical that I seriously question their competence

Also, I listened to #43 tonight -- and I'm with you, Grundy, Photoshop 6 FTW, it's been my tool of choice since 2002

I for one enjoyed the video immensely. He has tons of fun facts about one of my favorite games of all time, so I'll be sure to tune in for subsequent installments of the Let's Play. I'm also pleased at how much I still remember from the game, I knew what you're supposed to do in a given location way sooner than he did -- and I only played it twice (1995 and then 2002).

I say go for it! It reminds me of how Osamu Tezuka found inspiration for his 1949 manga "Metropolis" (which was made into a brilliant anime in 2000): in a single image of Fritz Lang's movie by the same title, and with only a vague idea about the premise.
Besides, if the contest entries were to be judged solely by their strict adherence to the topic, it'd be someone else you'd be talking to right now, because I tend to have my way of doing things

Fun as always, I enjoyed the part about voice acting in particular. Grundy's crazy voices were all so effortless -- though Ben's impression of Sadwick might've been the highpoint of the podcast. One thing I noticed, though, is that Grundy's audio seems MUCH quieter than Ben's -- so it's hard to balance the volume, especially in a non-neutral environment, such as when I'm out walking.

No, it did not. The general wretched state of his guitar -- caused by him scratching at it constantly (as a part of the musical style of choice) -- made all questions redundant. But I think the title of one of his album -- "Don't Panic" -- might've been his way to convince himself it's not a cause for concern

[May 21]

Ahoy, fellow travellers and explorers of imaginary worlds! The time has come for another

Fortnightly Writing Competition

THAT'S AN ACTUAL PLACE?

Hands up if you've ever heard of Kalisz and/or have an idea where that is? Where's Timbuktu and what's living there like? Topeka, anyone? There's a song by that name, by Jon Gomm -- who actually visited said Kalisz two years ago (and with whom I had a drunken conversation). Aaaaanyway... The song evokes a certain mood and brings nice images to my mind. I know nothing about the place, nor do I have any general idea of where it is (somewhere in the US is all I can tell) -- but the music makes it sound nice. So if I ever tour the US (say, promiting my alien erotica series "256 Shades of Gray"), I might stop by!

THE CHALLENGE:
Think of a place that you know close to nothing about. A place you only heard the name of or saw a single photo of. Heard it mentioned in a song? Do you have any idea what it is: a tropical island, an African village -- or a city halfway across the globe? No? GOOD! If nothing comes to mind, you might go ahead and write about the aforementioned Kalisz. What do you THINK it's like? Don't research it. Just let your imagination run wild. You can make everything up: the geography, the climate, the weather, the local customs... Is it a fun place to visit -- and why? You tell us! Convince us that this is the place to go if you're looking for, say, adventure... Or good food! Crazy food? Parties? Cultural events? Sights? Or maybe it's one of those places where you'd want to stay forever, because it's nothing like where you live. Stir our imaginations! Write a story of exotic romance, daring excursions to dangerous places -- or a mellow diary of just wandering about, marveling at the views and talking to people.

Go -- and be sure come back by May 21 (or May 22 if you travel counterclockwise around the globe), with a handful of imaginary tickets to lands unknown!

Yeah, sorry about that. I did come up with something, but between last week's Labor Day BBQ parties, preparing for my webcomic's 500th strip AND work, I've been too bizzy (busy + dizzy) to formulate, write down and really flesh out the topic and the rules. I will try to do it first thing tomorrow.

It does seem like I have done everything in my might to deserve the reputation of the Fortnightly Writing Competition's resident pornographer I blame the themes, though, in both contests that I took part in. Odd couples -> opposites attrack -> sex. Business -> money -> sex Still, I don't consider either story erotica. LinGRRRie takes the comedic approach with a hint of detached scientific analysis. I like to pick apart different aspects of human mentality like that, espiecially pinpoiting how a lot of it driven by id, instincts and hormones. I might be a little bitter and cynical about the condition of humanity in general, but I tend to think 21st century people are capable of being every bit as shallow and goofy as those cavemen. But that makes them such a great thing to write about! Various dynamics between the animal and the intellectual struggling in the character's mind are always fun to write -- and so are strong emotions. Attraction. Fear. Obsession. Pain and hunger. Hope I'll be able to explore different areas of the human psyche next time. And if not -- and my road to fame and recognition is indeed that of an erotica writer -- may I remind you of a certain writer whose first published story, written for an adult magazine as a half-hearted advertisement of tampons, ended up being filmed by Brian De Palma, becoming a classic, and then being remade again, last year So don't be surprised if the same happens to The New Weird Switcheroo one day

Oh yeah, and thanks It's been fun and I'm looking forward to participating again, nothing gets the creative juices flowing like a contest -- and Baron, this one was exceptionally clever, loved it. I will try to come up with a topic for the next FWC in the next few days. I'll let you know once I come up with something to consult with you whether it'd work.