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I just got to reading this thread and finally have gotten to the end, so I apologize that I have a wall of text to post. This could be one of the first times ever that a movie adaptation of a book is vastly superiour to the source material. Or that an existing story name is slapped on a mostly unrelated movie, but everyone is happy. After watching the trailers (I didn't realize until today that I hadn't even bothered to do that yet) I get the impression that they've taken the book and made a best effort to make it actually interesting. Everything in the OASIS looks way more current as opposed to steeped in the 80's. I'm sure they can't get licensing for everything that's in the book, so they'll replace all the 80's references with other, more modern pop-culture references (to draw in viewers who weren't alive during the 80's and don't know what a Horror Tomb is all about), specifically ones that whatever parent company created this owns the IP to (I don't know what company is making this and frankly don't even have the desire to spend 2 minutes to Google it and extrapolate. I will leave this as an exercise for the reader.) I saw half-second clip that had Chun-Li (from the popular fighting video game Street Fighter which was originally released in arcades in blah blah blah) and Tracer (from the Blizzard team-based shooter Overwatch etc etc) which are more recent things. I wonder if one of the reasons he laboriously explains every reference is that he had an original draft of the book, and then was told that some people might not have experienced all of the things he referenced and so he felt he had to add some background and thus doubled the page count of the book. The problem is he did it in the most boring way possible. I would love to see a version created where it starts with all the real-world moments in some sort of dark Mad Max post-apocalyptic hellscape that looks like it will be somewhat interesting, and then he puts on his VR goggles and he's just in a typical high school comedy show and everything in the OASIS is boring and just looks like everyday life today. Except when they get to the 80's video game segments and suddenly the audience is just watching a full screen version of someone playing Atari 2600 Adventure, Joust, etc for 30 minutes at a time. And they include the entire infamous list narrated with gusto and punctuated by flashing images of everything mentioned. Just really put a lot of hate towards the audience. Or just make it a 100% faithful rendition of the text of the book, you know, if they wanted to commit box office suicide. I didn't see it called out, and I'm surprised there wasn't a big explanation of this in the book, but Bryce Lynch is the name of the child hacker genious in "Max Headroom". With all the mundane things he explains I'm shocked there isn't more about this. I also don't remember any real references to "Tron" which seems like it should have been involved in some way at least. At some point in reading this thread, Atr3mis became Artemis from "It's Always Sunny" in my head, and that's my headcannon now. I'd also like to say that Subjuncitve and Hyrax Attack! have it right. If you totally hated this book but like the concept, you need to check out the "Otherworld" books by Tad Williams. They do the same thing but so much better.
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Mar 20, 2018 04:29
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Ernest Cline wrote a screenplay and disguised it as a book and then got a movie deal anyway.
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Mar 20, 2018 04:43
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He wrote a first draft and said "we'll hire a scriptwriter to fill in the blanks where jokes and such are supposed to go lol" as he sent it off to the publishers.
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Mar 20, 2018 04:44
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Old Kentucky Shark posted:
Even back then, people went through character after character. Melf was named because the guy was sick of coming up with new names and just decided 'Male elf -> Melf' was good enough to get back in the game. The idea that D&D players just had one character that they ran forever is a Chick Tract level of understanding of the game as she is played.
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Mar 20, 2018 04:50
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Section 9 posted:I wonder if one of the reasons he laboriously explains every reference is that he had an original draft of the book, and then was told that some people might not have experienced all of the things he referenced and so he felt he had to add some background and thus doubled the page count of the book. The problem is he did it in the most boring way possible. One of the many weirdly terrible things about the book, though, is that he doesn't seem to know which are the obscure references that people won't get and which aren't. Like, at one point, he explains who Luke Skywalker is. Dude! People know that one! (I mean, it doesn't matter, because if you don't get a reference, having it spelled out for you isn't going to increase your enjoyment. "Huh, it's a guy from that thing I haven't seen. Neat.")
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Mar 20, 2018 05:01
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Tendales posted:Even back then, people went through character after character. Melf was named because the guy was sick of coming up with new names and just decided 'Male elf -> Melf' was good enough to get back in the game. The idea that D&D players just had one character that they ran forever is a Chick Tract level of understanding of the game as she is played. it varied wildly depending on who was playing in whose game scuttlebutt is that one of gygax's players ended up spending his whole adventuring career sitting on a Broom of Flying, observing poo poo remotely with a crystal ball and having his hirelings do all the heavy lifting and the cleric class only exists because somebody said "I want to play a vampire", and the person next to him said, "fine, but I want to play a vampire HUNTER" Tunicate fucked around with this message at 05:31 on Mar 20, 2018 |
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Mar 20, 2018 05:10
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Section 9 posted:With all the mundane things he explains I'm shocked there isn't more about this. I also don't remember any real references to "Tron" which seems like it should have been involved in some way at least. Way toward the beginning, during the first scene in the Basement, Wade beats Aech at Tron: Deadly Discs. It's part of one sentence.
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Mar 20, 2018 05:48
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Angry Salami posted:One of the many weirdly terrible things about the book, though, is that he doesn't seem to know which are the obscure references that people won't get and which aren't. Like, at one point, he explains who Luke Skywalker is. Dude! People know that one!
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Mar 20, 2018 07:02
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Section 9 posted:I'd also like to say that Subjuncitve and Hyrax Attack! have it right. If you totally hated this book but like the concept, you need to check out the "Otherworld" books by Tad Williams. They do the same thing but so much better. This is so true. Otherworld had it all. Government conspiracies, private armies, old men playing God in a psychic computer simulation, immersive VR tanks filled with goo, an online world FILLED with pop culture references and virtual worlds inspired by everything from common daydreams to old Vidya games. Plus it had protagonists who had real motivation and complex personal growth, true banter, and humanlike mistakes. Just all around superior to this amateur bullshit.
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Mar 20, 2018 08:33
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Darth Walrus posted:C’mon now. Share. Is it weird that I kinda don't want to because, if you ever read the series, and know there is a twist coming at some point, it won't have the same effect? I'll let you make your own choice: it's the Vlad Taltos series by Steven Brust. First three books are Jhereg, Yendi, and Teckla, available as an omnibus reprint called the Book of Jhereg. Other words of recommendation: holy poo poo it's so good. (If you think that maybe you don't want to jump into a >10 book long fantasy series that is still ongoing, let me try to sell you anyways: unlike many such series, the individual books are short and fun, and more or less wrap their own plots up. Also, the author changes things up - you are not going to be reading by-the-numbers rehashes of previous books. If you decide to check it out, I strongly recommend publication order.)
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Mar 20, 2018 08:41
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Someone on Reddit went into some sparse details about the film that line up with what other people have leaked. The first key isn't hidden, it's locked behind a Death Race/Mario kart style destruction derby that nobody has ever beaten. Ties in with the trailer, with a T-Rex chasing people and whatnot. Wade wins by... flying backwards under the map? No idea how that'll play out or how it'll tie into his 80s nostalgia? All I can think of is in Mario kart if you got a feather you could hop over certain walls as shortcuts. The second key, as Chitoryu said is hidden in the Overlook Hotel. I wanted more information about that, but my phone died before I could scan the thread to see if more was posted. It might be a cool sequence, playing on the spatial horror and impossible geometry that the film brought about. Maybe bring up some of the insane conspiracy theories in there too? Either that or Wade has to fight the Samurai Pizza Cats in Room 237(or 217, amirite TRUE, nerds?) The only other thing that stood out was at the end, when Wade wins (spoiler alert) he writes it into the Oasis code that the system shuts off on Tuesdays and Thursdays so people have to get out of the house more. lol. To be honest the whole thing sounds more like a general action film affair and... it might not be entirely terrible?
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Mar 20, 2018 10:04
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This thread lead me to binge the 372 Pages podcast and their Cline or fan fiction game has some stunning surprises.
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Mar 20, 2018 10:19
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Drunken Baker posted:The only other thing that stood out was at the end, when Wade wins (spoiler alert) he writes it into the Oasis code that the system shuts off on Tuesdays and Thursdays so people have to get out of the house more. So he does what other MMOs already do? WoW used to shut down from 6am to at least 2pm server time every Tuesday, sometimes staying down a few hours longer depending on the kind of maintenance/updates happening. Also (spoiler tags because it refers to the end of the film): way to override the agency/free will of everyone else who may be using the VR program to attend school, get therapy, visit distant family/friends, watch and experience events otherwise inaccessible for a myriad of reasons, work together on business and charity-related projects, and so on. Yes, spending all your time playing games is unproductive, but people use VR/the internet for SO MUCH MORE than ignoring the state of the world via power fantasies. This just made me realize yet ANOTHER couple plot/sense holes in the whole OASIS setup.
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Mar 20, 2018 10:58
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SUPERMAN'S GAL PAL posted:Also (spoiler tags because it refers to the end of the film): way to override the agency/free will of everyone else who may be using the VR program to attend school, get therapy, visit distant family/friends, watch and experience events otherwise inaccessible for a myriad of reasons, work together on business and charity-related projects, and so on. Yes, spending all your time playing games is unproductive, but people use VR/the internet for SO MUCH MORE than ignoring the state of the world via power fantasies. Yeah, it really seems like they've missed some of the implications of that one. Weird considering Wade going to school in the game is a big part of the plot. Do all the kids in the school system only get three days off schooling or do they have to enrol in a new school? It's like he's made a selfish choice without thinking of the consequences because he didn't have the self-control no to sit at home and play video games all day
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Mar 20, 2018 11:23
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You know, it's strange. I used to think Major/Minor was the worst thing I ever read on this forum but this... I don't know if it is worse, not if it is better. But it's still very, very bad. If you don't know what Major/Minor is, don't go looking for more information. That road only leads to sadness and despair.
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Mar 20, 2018 12:40
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I load up my DANCEGOOD.exe program so that I don't have to actually enjoy interacting with my not-girlfriend. This could have been so much better of an interaction between the two characters if art3mis has recognized that wade turned on a dance program and told him she'd rather see him be himself. Then wade would have had to actually do something for himself for once instead of just 100% A++ ace'ing everything perfectly the first time. I wonder if Virtual VR bartenders make good tips serving people fake drinks that are just virtual food coloring called whatever the customer just asked for.
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Mar 20, 2018 14:43
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Samovar posted:You know, it's strange. I used to think Major/Minor was the worst thing I ever read on this forum but this... I don't know if it is worse, not if it is better. But it's still very, very bad. I only know it as the disappointing Wii followup effort from the creators of Parappa.
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Mar 20, 2018 14:54
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The more I think about it, the more I think it'll be okay if the bad guys get control of OASIS. Oh noooo ads in my Virtual sandbox. If, in return, they reduce transportation fees I think people would be okay with that. Seriously, what the gently caress, you have a game where there's nothing to do in the starting zone and it's not possible to farm enough money to get off, so it's just full of people idly milling about. That's pretty shoddy game design if you ask me.
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Mar 20, 2018 15:05
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Renegret posted:The more I think about it, the more I think it'll be okay if the bad guys get control of OASIS. Wade earlier in the book talks about how he only ever made it to player level 3 and never really got to explore any other areas of OASIS because he was too broke. He says transportation costs around OASIS are the biggest expense in the VR world. This means that either OASIS is really terribly designed because you can't grind enough bear butts to ever actually make it out of the starting area; or it means that Wade is just the actual dumbest person in the entirety of OASIS. OASIS is described as an escapist fantasy world for everyone with entire planets of shopping and entertainment. It wouldn't be an escapist world for nearly the entire world's population if the regular person can't make enough money to leave the starting zones to go do stuff. None of the shopping mall planets, or night club planets, could operate regularly if there aren't any patrons. Which means other people don't have the problem of being too broke to move around OASIS. So really Wade is just actually the worst gamer on the entire planet. Even poor grandma Gilmore who got blown up made it out of Goldshire when Wade couldn't (that's a reference to the human starting zone from the popular game World of Warcraft)
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Mar 20, 2018 15:11
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Orthodox Rabbit posted:Wade earlier in the book talks about how he only ever made it to player level 3 and never really got to explore any other areas of OASIS because he was too broke. He says transportation costs around OASIS are the biggest expense in the VR world. This means that either OASIS is really terribly designed because you can't grind enough bear butts to ever actually make it out of the starting area; or it means that Wade is just the actual dumbest person in the entirety of OASIS. According to Wade, he hitchhikes to the grind spot he uses, then has to spend all his money to get back to school. Because reasons.
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Mar 20, 2018 15:13
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when does carrot top make an appearance
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Mar 20, 2018 15:19
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Renegret posted:when does carrot top make an appearance If he appears only to get immediately offed, I will say the book is redeemed.
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Mar 20, 2018 15:20
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Renegret posted:when does carrot top make an appearance If there's an infinite amount of content in OASIS then that means somewhere there is an entire handbook for mortals planet where you can hang out with virutal carrot top, casting chaos Magicks, and listening to the hit White Tees jams
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Mar 20, 2018 15:22
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Orthodox Rabbit posted:If there's an infinite amount of content in OASIS then that means somewhere there is an entire handbook for mortals planet where you can hang out with virutal carrot top, casting chaos Magicks, and listening to the hit White Tees jams You know that if OASIS was real, there would've been a goon rush of Zade_Homunculus1 alts roaming the Handbook for Mortals planet, all with 0 points statted into Chaos Magickckckck so they're equally as talented as zade (get it??????????????????????????) Yes I know alts are against the rules but goons would've figured out a way. e: What this book really needs is stereotypical goon shenanigans loving up everyone's serious experiences. A dance party in a public PvP zone? Crashing events being held in public PvP zones is a time honored MMO tradition. I'm surprised some rando whale didn't drop one of those e-bay neutron bombs into the gaping hole in the top of the dance hall because they thought it would be funny. Renegret fucked around with this message at 15:29 on Mar 20, 2018 |
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Mar 20, 2018 15:26
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Renegret posted:The more I think about it, the more I think it'll be okay if the bad guys get control of OASIS. wasn't this exactly the problem with that Star Wars mmo from way back?
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Mar 20, 2018 16:32
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What gets me is people will mill about to chat and show off if there’s incentive to do so. I can’t place the number of times I saw this in WoW because someone got the latest phat lewt from an endgame raid that everyone could identify on sight, or for that matter some ultra-rare mount that took months of reputation farming or getting incredibly lucky with a rare drop. I think someone said so earlier but it’s as if Cline never played a single MMO, or maybe had a bad experience in early Runescape or something and never returned.
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Mar 20, 2018 16:44
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SUPERMAN'S GAL PAL posted:someone got the latest phat lewt from an endgame raid that everyone could identify on sight, or for that matter some ultra-rare mount that took months of reputation farming or getting incredibly lucky with a rare drop. But instead, Wade's Delorian that he got from a bog standard quest line available to everyone in the game with some ghost busters stickers mashed on afterwards makes him the coolest kid in town that turns heads. Ohhh
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Mar 20, 2018 16:49
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Didn't Wade say he was poor because he couldn't afford to skip school to go grind? Most kids would be stuck in school too, but their parents could give them an allowance for transportation fees or just give them a lift. Just like in the real world. I bet there would also be player-run taxi or ferry services.
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Mar 20, 2018 17:07
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Its interesting how the OASIS has benefits specifically tailored to Wade's needs and problems specifically tailored to be an obstacle to Wade
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Mar 20, 2018 17:11
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One of the reasons Wade says he was unable to ever do anything but hang out on School planet is because he refused to join any of the gunter clans. He's a Lone Wolf and he's going to find the egg on his own. Im sure the clans help each other out all the time with taxis and ferries. So instead of joining a clan and just taking advantage of the help offered there Wade chose to accomplish absolutely nothing in the 5 years he's been hunting the egg. People join video game clans, take advantage of the help, and offer nothing back in return in MMOs all the time. This adds fuel to my theory that Wade is actually the worst video gamer on the planet.
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Mar 20, 2018 17:23
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Orthodox Rabbit posted:People join video game clans, take advantage of the help, and offer nothing back in return in MMOs all the time. Wait, that's not the intended behavior???
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Mar 20, 2018 17:58
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SUPERMAN'S GAL PAL posted:What gets me is people will mill about to chat and show off if there’s incentive to do so. I can’t place the number of times I saw this in WoW because someone got the latest phat lewt from an endgame raid that everyone could identify on sight, or for that matter some ultra-rare mount that took months of reputation farming or getting incredibly lucky with a rare drop. I think someone said so earlier but it’s as if Cline never played a single MMO, or maybe had a bad experience in early Runescape or something and never returned. He’s most certainly wayyyy too over sensitive for multiplayer games.
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Mar 20, 2018 18:58
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Pretty sure Wade isn't the self insert character. Halliday is. Unlikable old man with the power to force The Youths to like the banal poo poo he likes? Yeah, that's the real wish fulfillment fantasy. e: That's why Wade is written so lifelessly. Cline doesn't identify with him as a character, he's just a mouthpiece for how cool and interesting and important Cline's specific nostalgia is. Tendales fucked around with this message at 20:14 on Mar 20, 2018 |
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Mar 20, 2018 20:11
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Tendales posted:Pretty sure Wade isn't the self insert character. Halliday is. Unlikable old man with the power to force The Youths to like the banal poo poo he likes? Yeah, that's the real wish fulfillment fantasy. That’s even more pathetic
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Mar 20, 2018 20:12
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Wade and Hollandaise are basically the same person anyway because they're so lifeless. For that matter, everyone in the book is the same person.
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Mar 20, 2018 21:37
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Renegret posted:Wade and Hollandaise are basically the same person anyway because they're so lifeless. Calling it now Parzival has multiple personalities and Art3mis is literally him playing two characters falling in love quote:“You only know what I want you to know. You only see what I want you to see.” She placed a hand on her chest. “This isn’t my real body, Wade. Or my real face.”
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Mar 20, 2018 21:43
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No way. Parzival needs a I'm also calling that Art3mis will be the only major female character.
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Mar 20, 2018 21:49
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Renegret posted:No way. Parzival needs a Honestly it's more the ending that I secretly want because maybe then this will be a good book after all 
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Mar 20, 2018 21:53
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My favorite stupid thing about this book is that there is still school bullying even though users have the option of block other users. So the nerds are just forgetting that handy feature when their avatars are getting stuffed in lockers.
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Mar 20, 2018 22:01
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Ccs posted:My favorite stupid thing about this book is that there is still school bullying even though users have the option of block other users. So the nerds are just forgetting that handy feature when their avatars are getting stuffed in lockers. The PvP restriction only stops physical harm. Mental and psychological harm, however...
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Mar 20, 2018 22:04
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