Russ! Four paragraphs from the end you make a BBcode error! Le gasp!

Also: Who's providing the wonderful image for this week's issue? The man in the box isn't the photographer trying to fit into The Escapist's office, is it? :P

Anyway, good work. The reason why I stuck by The Escapist is for originality, and a whole issue dedicated to fiction works? That is original.

Great, now you'll need to set up a new subforum for original fiction just to stop the users' spamming the comments thread with their own magnum opi. o_0

Just kidding. This was a very interesting idea. It's not something I expected, and you guys thrive on doing what people don't expect.

Sylocat:
Great, now you'll need to set up a new subforum for original fiction just to stop the users' spamming the comments thread with their own magnum opi. o_0

Just the thought that they would ever open the floodgates to the inevitable radioactive tide of fan fiction...

*shivers*

I mean, I won't lie, I do my fair share of fangirling, but not here. Please, not here. It would be like creating a subforum dedicated to the speaking of l337.

Just wanted to say a sincere "Thank you" for this issue. I love fiction and games are some of the best vehicles of fiction, especially the ones that let me take control of the story, but not necessarily the consequences of my characters actions, godmode cheat codes get so boring after a while :P

Ever have someone tell you what I like to call "Wow factor" stories of their experience playing a game? I love those, I think that's what all games should stride for, to become tales of suspense, intrigue, drama, action ... ad infinitum the reaches of the imagination and its relation to the human condition.

Russ Pitts:

It may be tempting to wonder why The Escapist, the bastion of high-brow cultural commentary on games and media culture, would bother with fiction. ... Why waste our (and your) time with pulp and fantasy stories? Why indeed?

This is a very untidy tagline. Why is fact more high-brow than fiction (as is implied)? Arthur C. Clarke would be orbiting in his grave.

Reminds me of the Science of Discworld 2, which explores the power of story and the concept of extelligence (Among a myriad of other things)

Edutainment!

Russ Pitts:
The idea was it might inspire you to read the rest of the article (wherein I discount that notion) then post your thoughts in the forums.

But this is the internet. It doesn't work like that...

Russ Pitts:

The idea was it might inspire you to read the rest of the article (wherein I discount that notion) then post your thoughts in the forums.

Oh I read the article, I just thought that writer/reader baiting was a little bad form. :)