#Writephant 2026.0330 — A5. What are your bread and butter games (specific titles)- the ones you return to time and again? Have you played any new games lately?

Thanks for asking. My staple games:

Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord

Total Annihilation

Jagged Alliance 2

Deus Ex

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

Civilizations

Star Wars: Empire at War

Fallout: All of 'em except '78 and Tactics. Plus the one nobody knows...gotta uplook it...Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fallout:_Brotherhood_of_Steel#Release_and_reception

Skyrim

*****

I don't play new games. The most recent new-to-me is Kingdom Come (1, because I have old hardware), but I didn't make it far. I don't have the frustration tolerance for a game I used to. I bog down once and walk away.

#Writephant Q5. What are your bread and butter games (specific titles)- the ones you return to time and again? Have you played any new games lately?

miriani, and star conquest both MuDs, science fiction. same preffis, you're taking the role of a starship pilot. but their lore, and world and gameplay are vastly different.
#Miriani
Description
Miriani is a multi-player online roleplaying game in which you take on the role of a starship pilot. Your goal is simply to make a life for yourself through whatever means possible. You may choose to do this by becoming a pirate and stealing from other players, protecting human space from known alien threats, performing mundane activities for credits, or any combination of the above. Your life in Miriani is what you make it.
Similarly, the open-ended nature of the game means that players are free to attack at will. You must be prepared to defend yourself and your alliance should a pirate come calling. It's recommended to make alliances with other players, read the defense handbook, practice in simulators, discuss tactics (there are many different weapons and technologies available to you), and become familiar with the technology that's available to you. It's all part of the life of a starship pilot!
connection info: host; toastsoft.net port; 1234

#StarConquest
Description
Humanity has just emerged from the lowest point in its collective history, and
the closest it has been to extinction since the advent of agriculture. By the year 2304, the Coalition of humans and their alien allies the Jinu has spread across the stars, and thought themselves powerful. But the Outsiders, an alien empire occupying vast reaches of Rimward space, proved them wrong. First contact between the two allies was severed, and suddenly humanity was alone. Then the Outsiders attacked in force, and human planets and governments fell one by one. It was the apocalypse. But contrary to the beliefs of many, not all hope was lost. After five years, a single starship, the Percival Lowell, returned from Rimward space, bringing with it the means to nullify the Outsiders’ greatest weapon. With this, and the help of many other brave pilots, the occupying Outsiders were driven off human worlds and back to where they came from. Humanity is now trying to rebuild, and trying to regain what it has lost. The Outsiders are finished with occupation, and now desire only to see humans extinct. New threats and new mysteries seem to appear every day. In the midst of it all, civilian starships span the stars, maintaining an open threat against any new invasion and trying to make a few credits while they're at it. You too have felt the lure of this; the desire for a unique freedom that most citizens will never know, the drive to explore, the need to defend your species, and yes, greed for the vast wealth that is to be had. It is time to take to the stars.
connection info: host; moo.squidsoft.net port; 7777

you need a mud client, vipmud or mush for windows, not sure bout mac or linix, or tellnet to connect to either. of these.

#Writephant 2026.0330 — A5. What are your bread and butter games (specific titles)- the ones you return to time and again? Have you played any new games lately?

My bread and butter hashtag writer challenge games? You all probably know #PennedPossibilities, #ScribesAndMakers, #WordWeavers, and #WritersCoffeeClub. All amazingly helpful as a writer, and participants share truly useful ideas. Recently, I've added #EroticMusings, which since the current WIP includes spicy content (not specifically erotica), I figure I qualify for joining and replying to it. It has helped me resolve some issues. If nothing else, it's a new community.

[Author retains copyright (c)2026 R.S.]

#BoostingIsSharing

#gender #fiction #writer #author
#writing #writingcommunity #writersOfMastodon #writers
#RSdiscussion

#Writephant 2026.0330 — A4. Does playing games refill your writing well? How so (or why not)?

What I acknowledge playing hashtag writing challenges is that I am writing, practicing, getting it done everyday, even if it isn't the novel or other projects. Not writing regularly, even when I'm not feeling it, would weigh on me further. Often, I am writing essays about what I am working on. Other times I am revising a tract to use as an excerpt; real work. Sometimes it is getting the scut work done. Yesterday, I wrote out the full cast of characters for the current WIP, each with a bit of description, nicknames, and hints of plot—which today I inserted as a reference into the Scrivener project. Definitely worthwhile.

Does it refuel me? Well, it maintains me flying level at cruising altitude.

Procrastination with purpose?

[Author retains copyright (c)2026 R.S.]

#BoostingIsSharing

#gender #fiction #writer #author
#writing #writingcommunity #writersOfMastodon #writers
#RSdiscussion

#Writephant Q4. Does playing games refill your writing well? How so (or why not)?

it's rp. rp is still writing even if it's colab with a friend. still counts as writing in my book. sometimes leads to new story ideas, even if my brain is slightly goopy on progressing said writing idea.

#Writephant Q3. When do you play games most often? During a specific season? During a specific time of day? During a specific mood (ex, high activity or burnout)?

when ever I feel like it. there's no specific time for me.

#Writephant Q2. As writers, our primary work is often solitary. Some games have a social aspect built-in and some are solitary. How do the games you play impact your socializing? Does the social aspect affect your writing?

miriani, star conquest are both muds with a varying size playerbase. cuz starships. I've met some good friends through playing those muds. I can still get my writing done.

#Writephant Q1. Games take many forms: card, board, tabletop, physical, mobile, video, etc. Do you play games? If so, what kind?

roleplay, play by post with a friend of mine on discord. several text based muds, rp with coded activities to do, sometimes dawncaster on IOS. or godville, though that's not so much a game IMO.