The Final Outpost
A while ago, I created an account on The Final Outpost.
It started off as something experimental, but as I explored the details, I quickly became more and more intrigued!
It's a fun concept, that of breeding creatures to repopulate a planet. I didn't remain as invested as in the first couple days, by that time I had already bred some adult cretures and perused the capsule varieties [spoiler spoiler XD] - all I can say, it's a fun experience, and if you like virtual pets, it's definitely a must. They grow quicker and turn happier, stronger and the like through clicks!
However, I do have one bittersweet take, and it's on me only to blame (or not ;D ), which is the 600-char limit for our lab descriptions. In one way, it should be more than enough, a simple description, but the premise is too good, the ideas too many! I got carried away...
And that's where I wanted to get to: I'll be putting here, below, the full version of my OC's "lore", and some added story which of course, I wouldn't have added there. All is very much just a draft... - And when I mean "draft", it's actually three different ideas thrown into a melting pot for language practice purposes. You've been warned, lol.
DRAFT #01:
ACCESSING ARCHIVE: CORE_MEMORY_BANK_006
LOCATING: [drakon_lab_description.txt].................Found.
DECOMPRESSING FILE............................Complete.
LOADING INTO WORKING MEMORY.....................Running.
RENDERING SCENE:
A laboratory, hewn from stone and glass, clings to the side of a snow-dusted peak. Sunlight, sharp and clear, pours through a wall of floor-to-ceiling windows, illuminating every corner. Dust, glistening, floats adrift within the radiant shafts.
VISUAL INPUT:
- SHELVING: Towering mahogany units, floor to ceiling. Contents catalogued.
- ITEM: Glass jars. Contains: [UNKNOWN_FLORA], [PRESERVED_FAUNA], [GEOLOGICAL_SAMPLES].
- ITEM: Books. Condition: Worn, annotated. Quantity: 343.
- WALLS: Limestone. Surface: 78% obscured by detailed sketches.
>- SUBJECT: Aerial species. Notation: Anatomical studies, wing dynamics.
- FOCAL POINT: A large oak work desk, positioned before the window.
- VIEW: Snow-capped mountain range, peaks veiled in mist. Ambient light: High.
- OCCUPANT: Designate: DRAKON. Role: Scholar, Poet, Creator.
- STATUS: Missing for [SOL93]. Previosuly engaged in contemplation.
CONTEXTUAL DATA STREAM:
[LOADING PERSONAL LOG FRAGMENT: DRAKON_/PRIVATE/LOG_07]
"...brought specimens back from the Obsidian Falls. They thrive in the enclosure. Good. The theory holds: seeing the origin, the struggle of the terrain, allows one to engineer for it. But the one that calls to me, the one that fills the pages of this old logbook... the Nebula Glisanto. A ghost. A whisper of wing and light. To birth such a creature, that would be... The scientist's precision, the poet's soul... working as one. Will I succeed? Only the turn of seasons will tell."
[END LOG FRAGMENT]
PROCESSING COMPLETE. SCENE RENDERED AND CONTEXTUALIZED.
OUTPUT TO TERMINAL 15:
[STATIC, Inaudible] A mount[...] lab, bathed in light, ho[...]ing its breat [...] etween expeditions.
DRAFT #02:
FIELD REPORT: # 03261
DESIGNATION: R.00918
LOCATION: Station H6
STATUS: stabilization in process. outputs normal.
OBSERVATION SUMMARY:
I've finally reached the outpost, D is still missing. The assistance bot had its battery drained, but I managed to recover the data log from 20XXE-A to 20XXI-A2.
As told by previous aquaitances, indeed she's ever wandering; the lab gathers all the relics uncovered over decades of expeditions, embarked in light of her discoveries beyond the highest mountains, and deepest seas.
As one enters, the eyes meet neetly arranged jars and books filling towering shelves, while sketches of several aerial species cover every gap on the walls.
The work desk stands before a towering window stretching across the front wall, its expansive glass panes framing views of the snow-capped mountaintops beyond. Natural light bathes the lab, a serene and inspiring environment. The rugged peaks, draped in mist, stand as silent guardians to the work taking place within this mountain enclave, the lab nestled within.
A remarkable sight to be seen.
Drakon has long hoped that by witnessing the landscapes in loco, she could then be certain that her creations would adapt well; nonetheless - and what I most fear happened-, her one deep-rooted fascination lingered for too long: the elusive Nebula Glisanto, only hinted at by logbook she never lets go of. And well, it's not here.
She has the heart of an artist, this spiritual synergy could render this rebirthing world magnificent creatures, and her final masterpiece could only be those whales.
I'll dispatch reconnaissance teams as soon as I return.
[sigh]Where are you...
On this Site
Thinking more and more on minimalism, how it translates into a safe haven for the quiet mind. It started off quite busy, I wanted to make it as personalized as possible, and in the process I got carried away into a final design which lacked purpose and functionality. Maybe it still looks cluttered now, having things simple is peaceful, but I've come to terms with the fact that I'm a maximalist by nature. So I'm trying to find a balance between what grants serenity and what satisfies my need for detail.
Either way, it's been (and is) a cathartic experience revamping this site, a sense of fresh air, renewal, as in changing furnitures' places. Couldn't be happier with how it looks right now.
Daymoon
Lying across the green fields, just me and the day moon. Breeze, warmth, hope. I close my eyes and there's a sense of absolute peace among the stillness. A gentle giant turning quietly, eternally, where our worries suddenly become none.
A false sense of progress
It's becoming increasingly more noticeable the countries which are looking at no expenses to have the flashiest, tallest architecture and visual striking tech one can think of. The levels of visual stimulation can even reach seizure-inducing levels yet the problem is: it works.
People awe before those light shows, those make-believe cities, creating the illusion of development and blinding them from seeing the harsh realities of their societies. And it's exactly what it's meant for unfortunately.
But in all of that, one major factor, if it were to be done in good faith, is the lack of elegance. Do you want more evolution than having a technology capable of blending in with our daily lives? Being so subtle, so delicate and so ingrained in every detail that much on the contrary, it wouldn't be noticeable? It wouldn't affect peoples' serenity nor their connection with nature. It would be used as a tool, working as an extention of our needs.
That's where true ingenuity lies. In clever minimalism, focusing on what is convenient while also preserving our human warmth and simplicity, let alone the environment. Technology is nothing less than magical if done right, dystopian futuristic cities, nihilist and hedonist in essence, could still be just a fever dream.
Wishful thinking maybe, but it doesn't hurt to hope. Not all cities have to follow such examples.
A Digital Garden
This is a fairly new concept to me, but a bit of an attempt to apply it would be to write down some thoughts I have. Something more laid back, even a couple sentences will do. A diary of random thoughts. Let this be my first entry :)