The Dink Network

Ask Tal 10: Back from the Grave
Posted by Tal on Wednesday June 11th, at 08:16 PM
I couldn't resist.

As I mentioned a few days ago, I've decided to resurrect the cult favorite (..sorta) among Dinkers where questions of all sorts were asked, Dink-related or not, and answers.. were given, some serious and some nutty. The response so far seems to be fairly positive, and while my Box O' Questions isn't overflowing by any means, I'm receiving more questions than I anticipated. That, of course, is a good thing in my eyes. It smells of success, which rhymes with "suck less", and in this case the revival of Ask Tal will suck less than I thought.

It seems as though I've only been receiving Dink-related questions so far, however, and I'm not able to put my odd sense of humor to much use when that happens. Feel free to ask anything you please; it doesn't have to be Dink-related at all. However, unlike the last time AT ran, I am willing to ignore any questions that are absurd or downright dumb. Insults in foreign languages, questions in binary, and inquiries regarding sexuality just aren't gonna cut it this time, among other things. To sum things up: Don't be afraid to ask anything, but keep in mind that I may not reply. Now then... to the comments section for the article!

Edit: Bleh, I was totally outta the swing of things, and I wrecked the dang article. All should be well now..

Question 1:

I know alli was your main reason to bring this back, but in depth, why now? What for be the reason? Also, how do you think it will turn out this time? Any new things with the article? Thanks.

Tal:

Although I never expected it, Ask Tal garnered quite a large number of fans, and almost immediately after I initially cancelled the article they were pining for a comeback. I felt terribly terrible at the time, though, and having to work my ass off to try being humorous every weekend just wasn't cutting it for me. Tack onto that a bunch of ridiculous, outlandish questions that were near-impossible to answer and you've got a living hell.

A short two days after the cancellation, however, I initiated a relationship of the lovey type with the sweetest of sweethearts, allikitten. Over time, this has made me a much happier boy than I've been in years upon years, and I've been jolly enough to pick up a little motivation along the way. Specifically, motivation to bring back the question-answering mayhem that is Ask Tal!

Though they say that sequels, continuations, and the like are never as good as the original, I think the second coming of Ask Tal will at least be decent, and I'll try my best to be both knowledgeable and entertaining simultaneously.

There's nothing new about the article other than the fact that it will no longer appear every weekend, but rather, at random intervals. (But you never know.. maybe I can come up with something refreshing.) This could mean that it'll appear more often or less often depending on the flow of questions asked. If you want to see it more often than not, then contribute!

Question 2:

What's your reaction to all the Network Nubness lately? I assume you read my very brief article that kinda got good criticism which may have slightly changed what you thought about the nubs. So what was your First reaction to it?

Tal:

My first reaction to the actual article wasn't a very pleasant one; I personally thought it wasn't very well-written. I'm usually quite critical of Dinkers' work, so don't worry much, for that may be just me. I understood your concern, though: A lot of new people have appeared lately, and while the influx of Dinkers is absolutely terrific, there are bound to be a few rotten apples in the bunch. I'm not going to name any names, but many people have stepped in without reading the rules and violated one or two of them. As if this isn't bad enough, certain people who surely know what's right decide to jump all over the newbies, driving them away (sometimes for good) and leaving themselves with a hindered image. If we want the community to expand and prosper, we need to be much more respectful for one another, and we need to be more forgiving. If someone violates the all-caps rule, for example, just give them a polite warning and refer them to the rules page. Shouting "u dang lamer!!1" and threatening to ban them for a week or two is jumping to extremities.

Question 3:

Do you think Dink Smallwood was a good RPG compared to other RPG's? Also, is it true that some d-mods have surpassed Dink in graphics and gameplay?

Tal:

I find it somewhat difficult to answer this question, as I'm not sure how to properly convey my thoughts on the matter. I'll try my best, though.

As I'm sure you all know, most mainstream RPGs involve taking control of one character or many characters and embarking on a trek through hours upon hours of gameplay based around an intriguing tale that expands and twists with time. I've finished no standard RPGs at all due to my attention span bearing similarities to that of a gnat's, but I know that some can take between 50 and even a monstrous 100 hours of playtime. The experience had is a highly fulfilling one for sure, especially when you have good character development going on.

Then there are a few other RPGs that throw out typical features from your standard RPG and capitalize on the ones that remain, like Zelda and Diablo. Let's use the Diablo series as an example. While the games have a story that can be easily ignored (leaving most ignorant types to accuse it of being a game with no story whatsoever) and the character you play goes through almost no personal development other than being able to kick a lot of ass over time, the quest for power becomes strangely addictive and massively fun over time. Before you even realize it, you may spend hundreds of hours on this game simply killing and collecting, killing and collecting, killing and collecting. It's repetitive, but if you find yourself having even the faintest interest in the game, you'll acknowledge that the repetition is brilliantly executed and can provide for massive replayability.

Now look at Dink. The stat-building is very limited, the fighting is arguably more simplistic than even Diablo's, and the main game itself can be finished in two hours, but Dink does a splendid job of keeping you amused and interested in the protagonist's tale. It can be serious at times, but Dink focuses mainly on hilarity and succeeds without fault, whether through Dink's occasional goofy one-liner or by permitting you to knock off a lot of duck heads. The game doesn't try to mimic your typical RPG, yet it perfects what it does aim for. In conclusion, it was a pretty good RPG even when compared to what the rest had to offer, but when you ignore standards and similarities and consider each product to be a unique game holding up on its own, Dink was excellent. Hopefully you understand what I'm trying to say.

Now to finally answer your second question. While many people will disagree with me, I think many D-Mods have matched but not surpassed Dink's gameplay. The quests may have been longer, the features expanded, and the styles totally different (Dinkanoid comes to mind), but I don't think any of them are more entertaining than Dink. As I said, though, many are indeed just as much fun as the original game and deserve a look. Stone of Balance, Pilgrim's Quest, Legend of Tenjin, FIAT, Quest for Dorinthia 1 and 2, Prophecy of the Ancients.. the list goes on. I could also say the same for the graphics; there are many D-Mods with graphics that match up to the quality of Dink's. I wouldn't profusely disagree if you were to say they're better, though; in fact, I have trouble fully evaluating it myself. But yes: good stuff is available.

Question 4:

Darn... Now I can't put to use '101 Useless Questions to Ask Tal', Well, anyway, do you think that there should be a little form, somewhere, where one could submit new poll ideas? Cause I thi

Tal:

Um.. yeah. Somebody was cut off. Aheh. So I contacted the person who submitted this, and they didn't hesitate to send it again.

Question 4a:

Hmmm... Is there a limit to the characters usable? Well, anyway, do you think that there should be a little form, somewhere, where one could submit new poll ideas? Cause I think that it would be a good idea. What do you think?

Tal:

I personally think that the complaint box is suitable if you've got something simple. Believe it or not, we actually look in there frequently, and we take every suggestion into consideration. Do note that it is not, and will not be, a search engine. If you have a little something more detailed than that (choices and all), you could always drop redink1 a line making a suggestion.

Question 5:

Why, o why, do demo's never ever get finished?

Tal:

Ah, the title of this edition of this Ask Tal comes to mind..

There are many, many factors. After releasing a demo, the author may receive a lot of criticism and decide that it isn't worth his or her time to finish the D-Mod. Problems may arise in life, and the author could be required to set development aside, possibly permanently. Then there's a chance that after a certain period of time without working elapses, the author completely forgets about the D-Mod. In a worst-case scenario, the author may just flat-out lose interest. And the list goes on and on..

***

And so ends the first installment of Ask Tal in many, many months. With all the babbling I did, there's bound to be something in that smorgasbord of words that provokes your thoughts. If you have any compliments, criticism, or just commentary on the subjects, speak up.

And don't forget to submit your questions via...

The Ask Tal Question Submission form!