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General Story Discussion Thread
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| admirschleck |
Posted on 11-06-2013 18:48
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Alakagom wrote:
I also take additional screens during the game with all the tables and names in-game present to help me orientate the situation if I write the report later on. Hence I can look back at them at later date.
I am really,really recommending this,i always do this.
Pellizotti2 wrote:
I've rarely had problems with losing reports when writing them. If I accidently click away or close the tab, I just go back or re-open and everything is back.
That's main reason i'm writing it directly at site. And i'm writing every report just right after stage or race finishes,since i got few times situation that i actually lose motivation if i don't write it immidiately. I can't imagine myself writing it while playing game.
Also , i am using Fraps, you don't lose much quality,and you can actually set up everything, from format (jpg,bmp,tga and png available) where i'm obviously using .jpg , and it's pretty easy + it doesn't stop your game for a second (like Ctrl+T does) , it only flashes and you can clearly see what you did.
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 23-11-2024 00:26
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 11-06-2013 18:48
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 18187
Joined: 12-05-2012
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ThVoets wrote:
I use paint.net as converter, probably not the fastes way but it works
Download PictureConverter (google that)! It does multiple pictures in moments and is free and safe
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| ThVoets |
Posted on 11-06-2013 19:01
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Stagiare
Posts: 174
Joined: 11-06-2013
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TheManxMissile wrote:
ThVoets wrote:
I use paint.net as converter, probably not the fastes way but it works
Download PictureConverter (google that)! It does multiple pictures in moments and is free and safe
Ok, thanks for the advice
I was PCM Rulezz in a previous life
Winners never quit, quitters never win.
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 11-06-2013 21:31
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Fishing for opinion here...
Made up drug scandals, yay or nay? Got 1 lined up but it pretty reasonable and key, but i was thinking of adding in a second to justify some fantasy transfers i want to make. It would be good (see either Jack Wiles or Ladin Livshits for an idea of what to expect, can't remember which it was), fully thought out and well implemented. Or should i just do the fantasy transfers anyway with no explanation beyond they are transfers?
The 1st is very reasonable and i think something like it could happen, but this second one would be higher profile and more shocking.
Let me know what you think 
Also is it too early to start writing bits of the story? I mean i'll be writing bits and pieces dating back to July 2010 so i've got plenty to cover the time, and they won't come everyday (except they probably will once i get started). Also have an idea or two for some reader interaction in the mean time (see Jack Wiles for a poor idea of waht to expect)...
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 11-06-2013 21:39
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21854
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To be honest, I wouldn't recommend on starting a thread right now. You can start writing bits, but it's better to wait a bit, gives you time to think things over, too.
Doping scandals can happen, of course, but it's perfectly all right to implement a transfer without much ado. After all, a story is a fictitious place, where much can happen. |
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| Stromeon |
Posted on 11-06-2013 21:59
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3507
Joined: 06-10-2012
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I write the reports on word as I go along I find it a lot easier so that I know exactly what is going on at that time and it also creates a bit of tension (hopefully) in the report if even the writer doesn't know what's happening next! 
Aside from that (as you can probably tell from my sig); I'm planning on a PCM13 story, I've learnt a lot from my two mediocre PCM12 stories and I have a great idea up my sleeve 
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| Mresuperstar |
Posted on 11-06-2013 22:06
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Grand Tour Champion
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Pellizotti2 wrote:
I don't think I'd be able to write the report alongside playing, like I know some people do (Mre, unless I'm mistaken?).
Yeah, I do my man-game reports while racing the stage by minimizing the screen. Makes it easy to do all the min-jersey and get the rider's name right at the same time. Although for story making I think writing the report right after the stage is best that way everything is fresh in your head and there is no need to remember all the riders that attack, just the key ones.
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| pcm2009fan |
Posted on 12-06-2013 00:01
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Protected Rider
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Well my style has always been... minimized screen, screenshotting and cropping into MS Paint as .jpgs, uploading into Picassa (I always strongly recommend this as having much better functionality than other sites, but never seen others use it yet ). Fast, efficient, and keeps CPU usage low.
Dont take notes in game usually, I just memorize the action and bring everything together afterwards on the website itself |
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 12-06-2013 09:54
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For some reason I'm always afraid I won't have any followers especially at a time like this, with the release of PCM 2013, so many stories will be starting, so it's hard to stand out with a story! But then again, make a story last long enough and 90% of the other stories drop out after a few weeks/months. |
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| ThVoets |
Posted on 12-06-2013 09:55
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Stagiare
Posts: 174
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Ian Butler wrote:
For some reason I'm always afraid I won't have any followers especially at a time like this, with the release of PCM 2013, so many stories will be starting, so it's hard to stand out with a story! But then again, make a story last long enough and 90% of the other stories drop out after a few weeks/months.
How can we not follow your new story after Stijn and Willy?
Expectations are very high, mate
I was PCM Rulezz in a previous life
Winners never quit, quitters never win.
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 12-06-2013 10:01
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ThVoets wrote:
Ian Butler wrote:
For some reason I'm always afraid I won't have any followers especially at a time like this, with the release of PCM 2013, so many stories will be starting, so it's hard to stand out with a story! But then again, make a story last long enough and 90% of the other stories drop out after a few weeks/months.
How can we not follow your new story after Stijn and Willy?
Expectations are very high, mate
Well, I've already spend hours preparing. At least 2 hours every day, so I hope it'll be good! Got pages full of writings and already have some graphics work to start the story. In fact, I might start it 2 days before the release, since the first post(s) usually don't include racing yet, but presentation, team presentation, goals, calendar... (For those are wondering, on all video's/screenshots, it seems the calendar is 100% the same) |
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 12-06-2013 11:25
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Ian Butler wrote:
and 90% of the other stories drop out after a few weeks/months.
Like Henry Vergnaud and Team Turbo? Yes i am turning into a encylopedia on PCM stories... And no need to mention Ladin, Wiles or an early Chasing Legends...
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 12-06-2013 11:31
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TheManxMissile wrote:
Ian Butler wrote:
and 90% of the other stories drop out after a few weeks/months.
Like Henry Vergnaud and Team Turbo? Yes i am turning into a encylopedia on PCM stories... And no need to mention Ladin, Wiles or an early Chasing Legends...
Did you hear me say every story of mine lasts 150 pages?
Seriously guy, you're constantly on my skin, just stop it
In just over 1 year I've had 3 pretty long stories, so I think that's pretty good
Edited by Ian Butler on 12-06-2013 11:41
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| cunego59 |
Posted on 12-06-2013 11:45
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I'm still a bit torn when it comes to my new story for PCM 13. I have an idea that I've been carrying around for a good year now, something innovative that I think in theory could be really great but could also turn out not to work at all. And as it requires quite a lot of work, I'm not sure I want to take that risk. Especially since I also have one or two other, a little more "conservative" ideas, that could be very nice. Maybe I'll just play a little at first and read some of your stories, maybe that will help making my decision.
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 12-06-2013 11:49
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Ian Butler wrote:
TheManxMissile wrote:
Ian Butler wrote:
and 90% of the other stories drop out after a few weeks/months.
Like Henry Vergnaud and Team Turbo? Yes i am turning into a encylopedia on PCM stories... And no need to mention Ladin, Wiles or an early Chasing Legends...
Did you hear me say every story of mine lasts 150 pages?
Seriously guy, you're constantly on my skin, just stop it
In just over 1 year I've had 3 pretty long stories, so I think that's pretty good
You know i'm never serious with these things I love you Ian!
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| roturn |
Posted on 12-06-2013 12:00
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Team Manager
Posts: 22246
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I can recommend Irfan View as converter.
There is a batch program included, where you can convert all images with just one click at the same time. Plus you can set extra options like size changing, sharpen, blur and ~50 more options.
Saves a lot of time.
Except for that I just do exactly how Alakagom wrote but the Word part as I always wrote it on the site to use the image bars etc.
2 years ago I wrote lots of comments on a paper, but by making 3 times as many screenshots with all the group windows and gaps etc. I save a lot of time now. |
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 12-06-2013 21:28
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Tour de France Champion
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Okay, need some advice here.
So I've prepared my new story for about 75% now. I came to the conclusion I can have about 6 posts before actual racing has to take place. My thoughts were: I could do one post per day before the racing, giving people time to see the story and ease into it, before the pace goes up with the racing. That way I could start the 14th of June, which is this Friday.
Do you think that's a good idea, to start 6 days ahead of the release? It's not a matter of motivation, the story will happen either way. And there will be 6 reports before racing either way. Hope for a good opinion and thanks in advance |
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| ThVoets |
Posted on 12-06-2013 21:34
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Stagiare
Posts: 174
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I think you can start with your story this friday. Every day one report, so we have something to look forward to each day And you can create some "tension" if you take some time between posts.
I was PCM Rulezz in a previous life
Winners never quit, quitters never win.
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 12-06-2013 21:34
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Tour de France Champion
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I don't think you should start day of release. Your stories could be massivly improved with an expanded database.
I know you can't download the DailyDB (seriously, get a new laptop/pc) but i would wait a month or so then download a variety of individual real name jerseys and variants, especially for the GT's. Not only will the story benefit but your general PCM experience will improve as well.
Plus we all know there will be more than 1 patch before the game is fully playable for a long career, and that will take at least a month if not more.
If you really want to start that early, start on release day and then release 1 piece a day and give yourself a chance of getting some better additions to the game.
I'll be kicking off on or just before release day, but no racing for a while to allow for these various things.
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 12-06-2013 21:40
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Tour de France Champion
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TheManxMissile wrote:
I don't think you should start day of release. Your stories could be massivly improved with an expanded database.
I know you can't download the DailyDB (seriously, get a new laptop/pc) but i would wait a month or so then download a variety of individual real name jerseys and variants, especially for the GT's. Not only will the story benefit but your general PCM experience will improve as well.
Plus we all know there will be more than 1 patch before the game is fully playable for a long career, and that will take at least a month if not more.
If you really want to start that early, start on release day and then release 1 piece a day and give yourself a chance of getting some better additions to the game.
I'll be kicking off on or just before release day, but no racing for a while to allow for these various things.
I see what you mean.
But patches don't disrupt career mode. Last year I stopped Henry Vergnaud because I thought so, but in the end, it turned out you could just continue your career with the patches fixing things. And I "create" my own expanded database, by adding variants throughout the story, very accurately. For example, with a WT team I might only add variants for GTs and other tours, and not some .2 British races. For a one-rider, I might add variants for his national championship, things like that. But that, too, can be implemented during the career. (I constantly added variants during Double Feature).
Thanks for your input, though! But I'm optimistic about the release
And, yes, I need a new computer, but not until this one is broken
And most of the times, the broken features that later patches fix are usually not the biggest mistakes, if I recall correctly. U23 etc, which isn't the most important thing for a story.
I'll think about it, though, but I'm just real excited about this story and a month is tooo long
Oh, forgot to say, I think a story's strength is just the way it's told, not how big the database is! Though I must agree that it's nice to see stories with wide databases and graphics etc etc, but the real strength should be the reports etc Maybe one day I'll have a computer that can handle the expansion pack, and my PCM experience will greatly improve 
Edited by Ian Butler on 12-06-2013 21:45
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![imgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpg](https://imgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpg)
