Just picked a random picture for this post, which connects to the weekly subject of autism. Last year, I mentioned that I might be creating an autistic character because I noticed he had similar behaviors to my son. To be fair, I played this character in a game back in 2001-2002 and have been designing him since. So, him and his behaviors predate my son. That is actually not what this post is about though. It’s just that it seems to always come up.
Anyway . . .
The challenge I’m having is that Darwin Slepsnor could be autistic, but I’m not sure and I don’t know where to go with it. I worry because he is kind of a comedic character even though he’s the main hero. This is because he’s impulsive and jumps to conclusions that he refuses to let go of, so he can be kind of silly. So, I worry that I’m not heading in the right direction, but this is a key part of his personality. Unlike Luke Callindor and Clyde, Darwin was a helpful, carefree goofball who was excited to be on an adventure that he barely comprehended the scope of. He was with friends and had fun with a slight emotional distance from the negative things. It will definitely be a different hero than what I typically write. Yet, there are what could be autistic tendencies:
Rigidity in Thought– In the game, the group came across a bridge that was clearly broken by the boulder sitting in it. Darwin didn’t roll well because he didn’t have a lot of common sense, so he said a dragon did it. The rest of group argued with him and pointed out the boulder, but he simply stated that the dragon obviously dropped the boulder. So, he would adjust, but stick to his first answer, especially if he was excited or annoyed. Is this autistic? It shows how he won’t budge from what he wants or thinks even if it’s wrong. I’ve seen this in many autistic students.
Lack of Social Grace– While he has a general concept of how to act in public, Darwin doesn’t understand limits. He will ask awkward questions and make comments even if they are not on topic. If people get annoyed, he won’t really understand why until someone explains it later. He might get upset himself because he’s gotten himself in trouble. Sometimes, an autistic child has been scolded or punished so much that even the thought that they made a mistake will cause a meltdown. Given that Darwin’s parents aren’t going to think much of him and see him almost as an embarrassment, it could be that this is the case.
No Sense of Danger– Darwin won’t always realize that he’s in physical trouble, especially if he’s focused on something else. Not sure if this is a standard autistic trait, but I’ve seen it with kids crossing the street. They’re focused on getting to their destination, so they go without looking. I guess this is more about not being fully aware of their surroundings when their minds are on something else. Darwin can be rather oblivious to details unless it’s something he’s really interested in, so this could be a part of it too.
Savant?– I really worry that I’m doing this with him because he’s going to be a unique type of caster. He might just be a channeler with a specialty, but it’s one that has never been seen before. Darwin has no training and works off instincts, which could work in regards to magic since those with natural talent (Song Casters, Channelers, Cronus, etc.) are similar. They can create new spells on the fly too. Maybe this isn’t as big an issue as I thought.
Those are what Darwin can do, but I really don’t know if that means he’s autistic. Weird how I’m analyzing a character in my head. The problem is that he doesn’t really have meltdowns and I haven’t given him any sensory overload issues. From my own experience and training, those with autism do best with routine and stability. So, would someone with autism go on a series of adventures where there is no routine and an almost constant stream of new experiences? That sounds insulting, especially after taking my son on trips, but those didn’t involve magic battles and demons. We also had an itinerary that gave him an idea of what’s happening. These adventures could be Darwin trying to push out of his routine since he now has magic and gets a taste of helping others. I feel like I should give him some meltdown triggers if I want to go this way such as sensitive to smells or a tactile issue. A restricted diet could work, which makes him difficult when camping. Again, I have to figure out if he’s going to be on the spectrum or not then if such a person would go on an adventure.
Could I be overthinking this? I won’t be using the term in the book because I don’t think it would get used in Windemere. That also places a lot onto Darwin’s shoulders, which is dangerous for a character I write with humor. Maybe I should just write the character and see where the pieces fall. The outlines are coming along slowly and I’ve made marks of areas where I can put things if I want. Guess I just needed to vent a bit because I don’t want to insult anyone, but I also want Darwin to come out right. Feels like this is a part of him that I need to figure out and he’s being difficult.
One more month of the school year. More importantly, the schedule goes back to the normal one this coming week. Last time my son and I had this schedule was February 2020. Things got shaky in March and then the pandemic came in like a stampeding herd of bison. Both of us are really happen that normalcy is returning to our lives, which means his anxiety may be reduced. Honestly, I feel like some of my own stress is disappearing because this is a better system for him. This is going to give me the energy to get through the rest of the school year.
Surprisingly, we only have 3 weeks of classes and then finals left. Feels like the end of a marathon for many people. My mind is having trouble wrapping around it, especially with the summer being off. I’ll either get a lot of writing time or it will be tons of outings with my son. Both are good. My original plan was that my son would be in camp for most of the summer and I would do writing then a trip in mid/late August. Well, things are still screwy, so we’re going to have to roll with the punches. The trip might end up being a casualty to finances and other things too.
Writing this week wasn’t what I expected. Work was so busy that I didn’t get to outline during breaks and came home exhausted. It doesn’t help that I’m at the part in the series where I have to rewrite things, so my notes are useless. Finished one on Thursday night by staying up late. Didn’t get much done on Friday with the other outline, so I won’t get to these until next weekend unless I’m lucky. Got my son for Memorial Day weekend, so he gets my full attention. Meanwhile, the Nintendo Switch gets his full attention. That’s parenting these days. If I can get this outline done then next weekend could just be for the finale. The rest of June will be used for editing the next War of Nytefall book, which clears the summer for potential book writing.
Let’s see . . . I had yesterday off, which was fun. Helped move furniture around and got to have lunch with a friend. Been a really long time since I got to do anything like that, so it was nice. I should really do it more often. With the pandemic stuff settling down here, I feel like I can go out a bit. Still nervous, but I need to get my social life back in place since I’m a mental wreck these days.
Health! That’s something I tried to focus on. Sadly, the diet didn’t change much, but I’m trying to create a healthy snack stash in the room. Dried fruit and nuts mostly. Really enjoying dried cherries, but they’re hard to find. Dried pineapple is even more difficult to locate. I’m going to up my water intake, but trying to drink 3 liters of seltzer a day. I wish I could afford a soda water machine to decrease the amount of bottles I’m using, but maybe some day. Also, the cartridges for those are expensive.
Trying to get back into biking at a more consistent rate. Long ago, I used to do 30 minutes a day. That was when I was able to lose weight. I don’t have that amount of time any more, so I’m trying to decide between 30 minutes/3-4 times a week or 15-20 minutes every day. Both are difficult to carve out time for since the mornings are a rush to get to work and the evenings are filled with exhaustion. My son comes back earlier, so I can’t get it in before he gets home like pre-pandemic. School meetings and errands tended to make this activity inconsistent too. This is why I’m leaning towards doing 15-20 minutes a day after my son goes to bed. Cuts deep into my writing and resting time, but I need to do something.
Television has been only one show, which was a slog. ‘Hunter x Hunter’ is an anime based on a manga that is known for lengthy hiatuses. I really enjoyed both and finally got access to the whole anime. I was curious because the story arc I could finally watch was as long as the first 3 combined. Well . . . I want to love it, but it dragged at so many points that I lost interest. There were emotional highs, especially near the end, but I felt empty because I was just watching to get it over with at this point. Forums talked about the deeper meanings, but I felt this was a class on how NOT to do ‘show, don’t tell’. I don’t need to be told that two doors are opening or a character is crouching when I see it. Not to mention, a slew of new characters were introduced and I couldn’t connect to most of them. One-armed guy with self-esteem issues? I forgot he was around until he had a big fight, lost, and then I forgot about him again. Guy with glasses? He’s . . . around? The villains didn’t make any biological sense either and this is now a rant. Getting through this anime took a lot of time, so I’m not going to do a second watch to see if I do better. Guess it’s a good thing I let the ex-wife take the manga too.
Now, to finish watching the new episodes of ‘Lucifer’. Musical episode with Deborah Gibson with definitely something.
Goals of the week:
Fun with son for the 3-day weekend.
Outlining
Prepare July posts when I can
School/work
Puzzle time
I swear, I’ll bike every day
Try to do the Baby Yoda Lego set if I can get my son to agree.
Sticking to the theme here, which is really turning into a pseudo-analysis of the Dragon Ball system. We did energy attacks and powering up, but another thing that comes about are the power levels. Once Dragon Ball Z showed up, characters started getting numbers connected to their overall abilities. This is very much like stats in a video game, but not broken down into categories.
There are pros and cons to introducing a leveling system to your story, so let’s get into it:
Pro– The author and audience all know the hierarchy of strength. There isn’t any mystery to how powerful characters are once these numbers are revealed. At the very least, you get a base or starting point for each one. This is also how people will determine who the main heroes and villains are because those with lower power levels won’t be seen as useful in the long run.
Con– As I said, the power levels will be seen as directions as to who are the important characters. This means supporting cast won’t have as big a reaction and it will be difficult to evolve them to a higher spot. As long as their levels are below the main characters, they will always be seen as sidekicks.
Pro– The levels going up can help to demonstrate the usefulness of training and experience. Characters will keep checking numbers to see if they’ve improved, so the audience will see this as well. You also have the villain numbers acting as something for the hero to surpass, which can be seen through training and battles. Unlike doing this without levels, you see a less ambiguous result.
Con– Power levels take some of the mystery and tension out of a story. People assume those with the highest numbers will either win or require those below them to work together. There’s very little chance of someone from the bottom of the heap jumping up to save the day. If they do then it throws the entire power level hierarchy and system on its head. Why would those things matter if a weak character can topple the strongest?
Wow. I guess I burnt out on the pros and cons already. Those are really the big ones since all 4 cover some ground. Personally, I’m not a fan of these, especially when it comes to novels. Video games work with this because the audience can manipulate the stats on their own. Beyond that, you’re going to lock a lot of things down.
So, what do you think of power level systems? Any pros and cons you can think of?
Yeah. I forgot to set up an Immortal Wars post. So I rushed and scheduled this over breakfast. Oops. Also making block-based posts on the WordPress app is an utter nightmare. (Looks like it didn’t work. I’ll fix it when I get home.)
There are plenty of jokes about the powering up sequences in Dragon Ball Z. Some took a few episodes because they opened the door for flashbacks. Others occurred and it didn’t make a difference. Still, there’s some use in having a character power themselves up in the heat of battle. Here’s a few tips:
Powering up can change the tide of battle and increase suspense. You have a character on the ropes and suddenly they regain their strength. Now, the audience isn’t sure if they’re going to lose like they expected. This also acts as a refresh for the battle to squeeze a little more time into the scene. Of course, you can only do this once per fight. Maybe twice if you have each opponent pull it off, but that’s really pushing the limit.
Powering up doesn’t need to be flashy like the GIF above. This really makes sense if you’re dealing with a character who doesn’t do energy attacks. There should be some kind of physical component, but it doesn’t have to be a massive shockwave. It could be healing, an increase in muscle size, or simply moving faster.
Try to make the transformation or activation sensible and quick. If they’re standing there screaming and giving off energy, people are going to wonder why the other fighter doesn’t rush in for a punch. An opponent who stands there and lets it happen will be seen as idiotic. Really sucks the air out of the battle because the audience no longer believes the idle one wants to win.
Give an explanation for the power up instead of having it simply appear. It can be hinted at beforehand while they were training. Maybe they have a magical item that activates and gives them a second chance, but you have to introduce this earlier than the battle. Plenty of ways to make this believable and avoid the character getting stronger simply because they want to.
Don’t have the power up take forever. I’m pretty sure that’s trademarked.
Remember that a power up works best when it’s a temporary state. If the character is able to permanently walk around at this stronger level then it creates a problem for the future. Now, they will need stronger opponents, which requires that they gain higher levels of power. In a series, you may end up having this go until the abilities and strengths are at ridiculous levels. So, there’s a benefit to having a power up come with a time limit.
Similar to #6, consider if there are any side-effects. Powering up tends to revolve around surpassing natural limits, which means the character is putting a great toll on their body and mind. Having this increase come at a price means that it works as a last resort and that’s where you tend to see these happen. The hero is getting pummeled and whips this out to rally back. If there’s no downside then one has to wonder why they didn’t start that way.
Going to be a little risky with this final War of Nytefall: Savageryteaser. I wanted to include a battle, but nearly all of them are plot central. They either reveal a secret of Mestra or the fate of a character. This one is the safest, which isn’t saying much. Only reason it can be done is because Mab in this only Dawn Fang that can’t be killed off due to her showing up in Legends of Windemere. Had to edited this a bit to hide a few plot facts though. Hope you enjoy!
My son and I started watching Dragon Ball a few months back. This got me thinking about energy attacks and the overall power structure that was introduced in this series. Also, how it differs from what I use:
I work with a magic system, which has a central energy source that exists within everything. Trained or untrained people can manipulate this energy to create spells that vary according to their will.
Dragon Ball has an energy system, which has a central source called Chi (Ki). It exists in everything. Trained or untrained people can manipulate this energy to enhance their physical abilities and create various energy-based attacks. The power depends on skill and willpower.
They are very similar, but the big difference is that energy attacks in Dragon Ball are less complicated and varied. At least, on the surface. Nyx can hurl fire around in the form of balls, beams, waves, fists, and whatever else she imagines. Goku tends to have beams and balls for the most part. Nyx can change her element while Goku remains with his Chi/Ki energy. So, Nyx kind of wins on versatility, but Goku certainly takes the crown when it comes to pure power output. I’ll admit that the Dragon Ball characters are much more destructive than most of mine because of their energy and power level system.
The concept of energy blasts is rather strange too. We’re so used to there being a bigger explanation or a variety of visuals that these beams and orbs can all blend together. Yet, those who love the series can identify each one fairly easily. Usually by the hand gestures and poses, which is similar to a caster conjuring a spell. Again, we find ourselves seeing how similar these things are.
I think energy attacks like the Kamehameha and Destructo Disc are harder to do in a novel than more visual mediums. Having a small variety of beams go bouncing around can be both confusing and boring. This is why casters will have elemental attacks, illusions, defenses, shape-shifting, and any number of spells that can be described in detail. This paints a better picture using only words. With an energy blast, it can always be seen, but there isn’t as much vividness, especially if multiple characters are making the same types of attacks. This can work if you don’t want complicated action scenes, but it’s a problem for someone who uses them as a staple of their style.
As you can tell, I’m torn on the whole thing. I think for novels, a more detailed magic system works best. Graphic novels, movies, video games, and cartoons can work with a Dragon Ball type of energy system. Does seem like such a minor aspect that I’m trying to pull into a week long topic though.
So, what do other people think of this topic? For those who have no experience with it, what does it look like from the outside?
Not that long ago, I began thinking of strange things. I decided to write them down and that’s where they stayed. I shared a few with people, but the reactions were never what I expected. Some could be seen as philosophical while others plain odd. Got a bunch of arguments too, especially the ones that touch on humanity and society. Still, it could be fun to share on a Sunday. (Though I have my son, so I’m not going to be replying that quickly. Sorry. Bad timing.)
Alarm clocks are nothing more than low key torture devices. They create sleep deprivation because they go off regardless of how well you sleep. We tell ourselves that we need them to get to work or start our day on time even if our bodies and minds are screaming for more sleep.
What if humans are really the stupidest organism on the planet? The only reason we think we’re the smartest is because we use ourselves as the standard.
All mythologies were religions at some point in history.
Scratching feels very good, but it doesn’t get rid of the itch. In fact, we stop people from doing it with Chicken Pox and mosquito bites. So, why do it if it’s either useless or hazardous?
Does the passage of time feel different for animals depending on their life span? For example, a fruit fly thinks days have passed in the same period that a human counts a few seconds.
How often has the person who could cure cancer been born, but never found their calling or were prevented from reaching their potential? Could that person be struggling in a cubicle at this moment?
Maybe reality is a dream created by a single being who is nothing more than a random, unaware person in the world. They’ve dreamed up all of this history, technology, and life that doesn’t know it’s a dream. The world falling apart is the person succumbing to mental illness.
Our comfiest clothes are not supposed to be worn to work, which is where we could use the most comfort.
How much has warning labels contributed to human population growth?
Do animals have other names for their species and for what we are? I mean, a dolphin wouldn’t know that it’s a dolphin since that’s a human word.
Snoring is done when we’re asleep and unware of our actions. Yet, society has created the belief that a snorer does this on purpose and can be stopped. Usually through violence.
