Thursday, February 25, 2010

Mock Effect 2......











An announcement regarding 'Mock Effect 2' - my planned parody of 'Mass Effect 2'

I feel awfully silly making an 'announcement'... But this is my blog so I will prattle on for hours, going into far too much detail and getting vaguely emotional.

I'm almost certainly not going to write a second 'Mass Effect' parody. If I do it will be months from now.


About two years ago I wrote a parody script, full-length, spoofing the brilliant Bioware RPG 'Mass Effect'. I chose the very witty title 'Mock Effect'. Mirth Effect was also a contender. Seriously.

The parody format was based very much on my favourite ever piece of fanfiction - "Yet Another KotOR Parody" by Helena L.

http://hawk.kotorfanmedia.com/node/1593

It really was just an attempt to emulate the joy I got from that parody - in Mass Effect form.

Anyway, it went down extremely well among Mass Effect fans, and I got a ton of feedback - vastly more than I ever have for anything else I've written - most of it praising me highly. It was a big surprise for me. I even got a compliment on it from Helena L.

This feedback gave me confidence as a writer and the experience of writing it really improved things for me in general. After it was taken down from fanfiction.net (they don't allow scripts) it was given a new home by one Rascarin, who set up a forum to house it and other fanfic.

Rascarin's ME forum is now sooo much more - it houses lots of great fanfic, a lot of friendly, lively Mass Effect and game discussion, and a fantastic community. And it's where I've made some of my closest friends.

http://masseffectfanfic.proboards.com/index.cgi

And I always assumed there would be a 'Mock Effect 2'. After all, I really enjoy reading positive reviews telling me I'm funny! It rarely happens, except for Mock Effect.

Having now played Mass Effect 2 a decent amount, I've finally come to a decision. And believe me, I have been thinking long and hard about this.

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So - there will be no Mock Effect 2.

It is mainly a time issue. I have a decent job now, and some other bits and pieces at home taking my time and effort. And I have an English degree coming up later this year, hopefully. All in all, I just don't have enough free time to write more than one thing at once.

And I want to write original stories with the time I have. I am trying to really learn and make it work as a writer. I need practice.

Also - I have to say - Mass Effect 2 is a really well-written game, with excellent dialogue and very few plot holes to exploit. With one or two exceptions, the characters are brilliant and perfectly-played. And while I feel the plot lets the game down, espescially at the end, there isn't a great deal to make fun of.

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This decision has actually been made difficult because people (sometimes people I don't even know) have asked for a sequel, or wondered aloud when it will come or what it will contain.

To those people, and to anyone who read 'Mock Effect' - thank you! It means so much to me, as a would-be writer, to hear that kind of praise from peers and fans of the game.

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So there will (very probably) be no Mass Effect 2 parody. If I can find a way to make time later in the year I will. But I don't see that happenning.

(waves hand)

You don't want me to write a ME 2 parody...







(Good GOD that was self-indulgent. Sorry.)

7 comments:

  1. I think I'm going to cry.

    /wrists

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  2. NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO say it isn't so Me my wife and son loved Mock Effect.

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  3. i just finished the first one so i didnt even get a period of hope for mock effect 2

    (seriously i just finished reading it 30 mins ago)

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  4. Mock Effect was great but Mock Effect 2 will be even-shot.

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  5. Anonymous! SAID! !!!

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  6. Mock Effect was one of the best reads I've had in a long time. Thumbs up. XD

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