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WIP A Bad Name by Potato Nose - T - The Gamer/Worm

Discussion in 'Worm' started by Zombie, Aug 14, 2017.

  1. Zombie

    Zombie Black Philip Moderator DLP Supporter

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    Title: A Bad Name
    Author: Potato Nose
    Rating: T (???)
    Fandoms: Worm / The Gamer
    Genre: Self Insert
    Status: Work in Progress

    Link: https://forums.spacebattles.com/threads/a-bad-name-worm-oc-the-gamer.500626/#post-32256937

    Here's another worm fic I follow, yes, its a gamer fic, yes its a Worm fic.
    Its not quite as bad as you would think.

    Basic premise: SI with Gamer powers works for the Merchants, gets taken in and since he's pretty stupid just goes along with the flow. I honestly like the characterization of Skidmark in this fic, if only because his dialogue is more than *insert random expletive*.

    This is not a INT or WIS gamer fic for sure, which is a decent change, but some of the choice's that the main character makes leaves you shaking your head.
    Brute build.
    Not very self-aware.
    Introduces another character later in the fic, I think its Circus that is also a gamer ( don't know how I feel about this)
    Keeps getting the shit kicked out of him.

    Give it a whirl, I know it's on the SB forums, if you click reader mode, you can ignore all the dick sucking, it's the only place I could find it.

    Edit: Could someone add the author into the thread title please. I forgot to include that. Thanks.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 23, 2017
  2. Sey

    Sey Not Worth the Notice DLP Supporter

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    You can edit titles now
     
  3. Halt

    Halt 1/3 of the Note Bros. Moderator

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    I remember reading this a few months back. An interesting and fresh take on Gamer stories in general (If I have to read another Wis/Int Min-maxing piece of shit I'm going to kill someone), with an SI/OC(?) that is flawed (he made a lot of mistakes iirc). It also portrays the Merchants as more than just "the druggie gang everyone steps on". While at some points, it seems to go too far in the direction of sucking Skidmark's dick, it's tolerable.

    Not amazing, and I doubt it will ever be one of the fandom's best stories, but it is a pleasant read and forget kind of story.

    4/5.
     
  4. DrSarcasm

    DrSarcasm Headmaster

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    I've been following this story for a while, and I really enjoy it.

    Most stories set with the Gamer power set usually follow the same formula from the original webcomic, with instant dungeons, loot drops, crafting, Intelligence-based mage build with a thousand mana abilities, party systems, and so on. This averts that, and other problems with Gamer stories, HARD. The main character follows a Vitality-based tank build, focusing on being a tough Brute. The main character doesn't become friends with Taylor and the Undersiders for no apparent reason. With no party system, no instant dungeons, no loot drops, and no monster spawns, the story manages to avoid the grinding that most Gamer stories suffer from.

    The main character starts out as a homeless druggie bum working for the Merchants for money to survive off of. That sentence alone would make this story seem like it would be trying to be edgy and oh so dark. However that's not the case here. For one, the author himself was homeless for a number of years, so he's speaking from experience. The drug habit (marijuana) is a coping mechanism, and truly is more in line with what might be expected of a more liberal college student. The Merchants in this story are mostly the result of bad press: one overreacting mother spreading the rumor of the Merchants forcibly addicting her son to drugs, and since that is the sort of thing that people would like to believe about gangs, that is what they will believe. They aren't a misunderstood group of good people though--they are still a gang that is a main supplier of drugs, that is composed of felons and villains.

    The main theme of the story, on top of the personal journey of the main character (which is entertaining on its own), seems to be seeing the other side of society. It's much the same way that you would judge a man on trial for murder less harshly by knowing that his victim had killed the man's family--that the lens that society views the homeless and downtrodden is tinted by how different they are from you. It is less heavy-handed than I am making it sound though, with the story being just a good story told from an unusual viewpoint.

    In summary, a good story set in Worm that is probably the best Gamer story that I have ever come across, that is amusing and entertaining. 5/5.
     
  5. Thaumologist

    Thaumologist Fifth Year ~ Prestige ~

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    Definitely enjoy this one. It's a gamer fic that doesn't end up just being constant amounts of magic, lists of millions of skills, and infinite XP cheats.

    I don't remember any jarring mistakes reading it.

    Only problem is that the story's slowed down - it was a chapter a day at the start, but it's now been over two weeks. I (apparently) like Potato Nose's stuff - I'm watching all their story threads... But only one of them has finished, the rest trickled to a stop.

    4/5, easily.
     
  6. Blorcyn

    Blorcyn Chief Warlock DLP Supporter DLP Silver Supporter

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    Been following this from the start.

    The Most impressive thing for me has how the characters voice has really developed as his intelligence has increased. It's subtle and slow but when I realised it made me really appreciate the skill of the author. Also, the story is informed by the author's own experiences as homeless and it in some part informs how rich the story is. It gives it grit and real humanity.

    It's very well written and I have to give it 5/5 for a worm story, up their with tabloid for me.

    Unfortunately, the author lost his notebook with future chapters and plot line during a festival and it has slowed down commensurately since then.
     
  7. Zombie

    Zombie Black Philip Moderator DLP Supporter

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    Yeah, I was going to update with that, in the latest updates he pushed out he did mention that he had lost his notebook. Kinda sad. Its always the decently updating fics that suffer something like this.
     
  8. Sey

    Sey Not Worth the Notice DLP Supporter

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    Who even uses actual paper these days, though?
     
  9. Pure Infinity

    Pure Infinity High Inquisitor

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    I do. Don't know why, but ideas seem to flow better when writing on physical paper.
     
  10. DrSarcasm

    DrSarcasm Headmaster

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    So Potato Nose found some old notes with his formulas on them. Story is updating again, with five chapters since Christmas. Still got the good stuff.
     
  11. Zombie

    Zombie Black Philip Moderator DLP Supporter

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    Yeah, I'm surprised this picked back up. Super excited, and I normally am not.

    I do like the direction he's going in now, just wish there would be more progress story wise. There's so much merchant v everyone shit I got tired of that when the fic died the first time.
     
  12. Zombie

    Zombie Black Philip Moderator DLP Supporter

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    Well, for those following, looks like the author got salty because someone didn't like his easter egg of characters from Dark Tower, so he's not going to write it anymore.

    It was a slow decline, I guess I go hopeful with the fact that after his notebook was destroyed and he found some notes, that he was going to keep at it. He did for a bit, now its ded.

    Could a mod update this to abandoned?
     
  13. DrSarcasm

    DrSarcasm Headmaster

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    Uhh, I don't see anything in the thread saying that he's abandoned it. Just that the story has stalled for a while.
     
  14. Zombie

    Zombie Black Philip Moderator DLP Supporter

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    This doesn't seem to indicate he's stalled.

    Disregard I suppose He said he's done some editing and will be posting another chapter. I should have known he wasn't really done..
     
    Last edited: Mar 31, 2018
  15. Ferdiad

    Ferdiad Unspeakable

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    I really don't know what he's getting at with trying to add another crossover element. Hope the reaction has convinced him to drop it.
     
  16. Zombie

    Zombie Black Philip Moderator DLP Supporter

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    I think people are really just overreacting. And so is he.
     
  17. Ferdiad

    Ferdiad Unspeakable

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    I also hope he doesn't intend to make the Party system a big part of the story. It's okay if he's with Circus but otherwise I feel like the party system never adds anything to Gamer fics.
     
  18. Zombie

    Zombie Black Philip Moderator DLP Supporter

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    Pretty sure atm that spurt is still too dense to figure it out or remember to use it.
     
  19. Ferdiad

    Ferdiad Unspeakable

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    Nope, he's currently beyond a normal human in Intelligence. 1-20 is the range IIRC.

     
  20. kinetique

    kinetique Headmaster

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    Yet more evidence that ignoring every post on spacebattles is the correct answer, even for the author.

    Even more evidence that every single person who posts on spacebattles is somewhat precious too.