#beta phase

AO3 is exiting open beta!!!

For all the fans who were part of the beta journey from 2009 until today, there's a badge as a small thank you for all the support!

I finally finished the (more or less) second draft of Dreams and Shadows!  

[WIP PAGE] [PINTEREST BOARD]

≽(^ ᗜ ^)≼  Still can’t believe it. Honestly I feel a little dead inside :’D This is the first version of it that I actually kinda like! Sure, there are many problems but... it’s getting there!!! ●.◉

THIS MEANS SEVERAL THINGS

One, I can finally work on Like Dragons of Old again! YAYYYY!!!!

Two, I’m searching for beta readers. Now, there are a few things to add at this point: About half a year ago, I finished the first half of Dreams. Some of you already read that and gave me great feedback. Since then I haven’t touched the first half, even though some things have changed slightly between the first and second half. Therefore, there might be some (additional?!) inconsistencies there :’D 

This is only a second draft, for the most part. I’ve reworked some parts of it more often than others, but some only once or twice (after rewriting scenes, for example). Therefore, I need to find out where pacing does (not) work, which plot points (and twists) and characters work, or not... If I need to include more worldbuilding or less, if there are info dumps anywhere, if the character voices work. Stuff like that. There’s a list of beta-questions after the main text. 

I’ve never actually *really* done this because this is the first story that ever got to this point. I have to say, I’m hella proud of having gotten here at all, and without you and some personal friends I probably would’ve never done it. I’ve been working on Dreams and Shadows on and off since November 2014, when I wrote Draft Zero during NaNoWriMo. I never really worked on it outside of NaNo season, until approximately March of 2018, when I suddenly started making writer friends! :’))) Honestly, I love you and your projects so much and you’re all so talented and it’s such a pleasure to see your projects grow, and to be motivated to finally get stuff done... 

As to any deadlines: I myself am currently head-deep in my bachelor’s thesis, and several of my friends are, too. Since they can only start reading in March and I won’t get anywhere before that (and have Like Dragons of Old if I get bored and want to write) you’d have until the beginning of August? The more feedback I get, the better; so the more time, the more feedback? Right? :’D 

Dreams and Shadows is 120K long, so about 300 pdf pages. (I’m still surprised that I managed to keep it there. There was a point where I thought it would end up being two books). 

A general warning: I love being very mean to my characters.

If you’re (still) interested in finding out more about my stupid brain-child of a novel, you can check out the info below the cut! (Also, taggs are below the cut, too)

Chapter 01

Page 01

Space Engineers – Update 01.166 STABLE – Space Engineers Beta

Update 01.166 STABLE – Space Engineers Beta 15. DEZEMBER – DRUIHello Engineers! Today, we are pushing all the features from last week’s enormous update to the stable branch. Just in case you missed the news, this includes the total block redesign, new multiplayer netcode, a tutorial campaign and much more! We wanted to make this great update available to all players as you’ve been asking for it…