The First Facepunch Short-Story Competition - Theme: 'Valve Games' - General

Ladies, Gentlemen and assorted squeaky-voiced twelve year-olds. After much discussion, deliberation, conversation and other forms of communication, [url=http://www.facepunch.com/member.php?u=186671]Zuimzado[/url] and I have decided to create and judge a Short Story competition. [B]Theme:[/B] Valve Games You may use any settings, ideas, societies or technologies depicted in any of Valve's games. Note that this means games CREATED by Valve, not DISTRIBUTED by Valve; you may use material from games such as Halflife or Team Fortress but not from games such as Painkiller or Dragon Rising. If in doubt, ask us. You may not use the principal cast of the Halflife series in your lineup of main characters. You may, however, use them in minor roles. Your story may take place in any time period provided you can create links to one (or more) of Valve's universes. You may include raw speculation in your story - if you think that Episode 3 will result in the Borealis being captained by Doc. Emmet Brown and will be powered by a flux capacitor, then by all means write it as such. [B]Restrictions:[/B] There is a word limit of between 1000 and 7000 words. Stories within these limits will be guarateed consideration given that they conform to the other rules. No explicit sex. You may state that two characters are going 'upstairs for some loving' but if a detailed description of penetration/oral sex is included in the story we reserved the right to remove it from the competition. You MAY include swearing and gore. [B]Prizes:[/B] The idea of this competition is to write a good short story. A good short story should have a beginning, a middle and and end. It shouldn't dawdle too much on long descriptions. Novels writers have room to use lots of insignificant words; you do not. Make every word count. Stories will be judged on originality, storytelling ability and overarching themes. The prize for first place will be a Steam gift of currently unknown value (at the time of writing we're at $10). However if you're a true artist then you'll just do it for the love. [B]Completed stories must be Emailed to Zuimzado or myself before the 20th of December. The Email addresses to be used will be provided closer to this date.[/B] [B][I]So that we can have some idea of who's entering, could all prospective entrants PM me.[/I][/B] [B]Entries may now be sent to either of these two email addresses; [email]stratofariusbr@hotmail.com[/email] [email]maloof09@gmail.com[/email] [/B]

reserved

Blue Shift/Opposing Force restrictions?

[QUOTE=gufu;18845811]Blue Shift/Opposing Force restrictions?[/QUOTE] Guess not. Feel free to use 'em.

Reserved

[QUOTE=TunnelSnake;18846292]Reserved[/QUOTE] For what?

So we can write a story about any of the following game universes: - Half-Life - Portal - Team Fortress - Counter-Strike - Left 4 Dead - Day of Defeat - Ricochet If so... this should be interesting. Oh, and are we allowed to per say... mix these 'universes' together?

You are indeed.

Ricochet? I think not, but you can go ahead.

Count me in.

I'll give this a try. [editline]08:54PM[/editline] Oh, question. Does the story have to be in a specific format? Like, for example, format it like entries in a diary?

[QUOTE=SweetSwifter;18862231] Oh, question. Does the story have to be in a specific format? Like, for example, format it like entries in a diary?[/QUOTE] No.

my idea for episode 3 (hl2) after eli's death, they go about his plan to destroy the borealis, after a helecopter ride to the arctic, the helicopter gets shot out of the air by a gunship...gordon freeman is knocked out, he wakes up a few hours later, and he, alng with alyx and d0g, go on foot to the nearest buildiung in sight, wich is full of dead rebels, lots of dead combine, and only 5 alive, yet heavily injusred rebels, including the missing barney calhoun, they discuss several plans on destroying the now heavily combine populated borealis, they sneak by 3 gaurds, and an advisor who is now flying threw the area, after that they head into a combine facility not to far off from the location of apartures missing vessile, a huge gunfight accures, after wich and explosion goes off and blocks off alyx and d0g from gordon and barney, after some wondering threw the facility they find a room full of dead, half mutilated, corpses of headcrab zombies, apparantly that they had died from stress from the removal of the headcrabs, killing them, across the room is a room with 2 dead combine soldiers outside it, when they enter the find an experiment, a mix of gonome zombie, fas zombie, poison zombie, and fast zombie controlled by an oddly black and tan headcrab larger than gordons torso, this zombie is well over 14 feet tall, after killing this "frankenstien"-ish abomination, they split up to cover more ground, after some gunfights gordon arives outside, meeting barney, d0g, and alyx, alyx explains how she found a land map that leads to the borealis, they take a modified combine APC to the borealis, and go in, they then get ambushed by a huge wave of combine, which includes a new type of soldier, The Combine Gaurd, and 2 others, the prowler, also known as alien assassin, and the cremator, having to avoid death, the combine gaurd accidentaly hits a fuel source of a nearby generator, completely blowing the entire section the shreds, and splitting the group up, with half of d0g destroyed in the blast, after roaming around in the borealis searching for the other engines, he finds several prototype portal guns...however....there is a familiar face, or rather, gasmask and pvc wearing soldier, near, the long lost adrian shephard, who fights alongside of gordon to destroy the borealis, after lots of fighting, and destruction, they locate the main engine room, where they meet up with alyx , a criticly injured d0g, and a wounded barney calhoun, but as soon as they are about to set explosives to destroy the entire ship, 3 combine advisors enter the room, and threw several deadly manouvers, the combined force of the 4 allies kills all of said advisors, they then go into another room after setting up the explosives, but then they get an unexpected visitor...chell from portal goes "threw" a nearby wall and after seeing gordon,alyx,barney,d0g,and adrian, flees feering that they will kill her,she can not be located afterwards, they find an exit to the borealis, and finally escape, only to meet wallace breen, with half of his body being replaced with terminator-esque cybornetics, pics up a combine version of an M60, which is extremely deadly, and fights the group, after a gigantic fight, breen is lying on the ground wounded, his remaing organic leg and arm blown completely off into the snow, slowly bleeds as he starts to insult each of them, barney calhoun and adrian shephard then go up to beat him to death, when breen pulls out a .357 magnum and shoots adrian in the side of the head, knocking him out(note, the bullet did not enter, it was fired directly at his face, but only scrapes and slighlty hits the side of his head) and shoots barney in both legs, he is then swiftly murdered by gordon, they escape and watch as the borealis explodes and is destroyed once and for all, however, on a near by glacier, chell and the portal gun can be seen, they find a combine attack copter and head back to white forest with a new ally, adrian shephard, and the game ends in the helicopter, leaving the game open for half life 3, but before it fully ends, an image of a smiling G-man is briefly seen, just before barney offers gordon and adrian each a beer how do you like it?

[QUOTE=s.n.;18865441] how do you like it?[/QUOTE] Where paragraphs go to die.

[QUOTE=s.n.;18865441]how do you like it?[/QUOTE] That doesn't seem like a story more like your terrible idea just typed out. also writing my story

Count me in this one. Before I embark, anyone want to suggest me an idea? I'm currently divided between putting the setting far away from any of the main plot of HL2 (think: distant area of the forests, different city or a completely different country/continent, ect.) and a very vivid depiction of the City 17 street war from the perspective of a rebel amidst the chaos.

fan fiction :frog:

[QUOTE=Aurastorm;18868817]fan fiction :frog:[/QUOTE] Right, so. [editline]10:46PM[/editline] [QUOTE=Jenkem;18868582]Count me in this one. Before I embark, anyone want to suggest me an idea? I'm currently divided between putting the setting far away from any of the main plot of HL2 (think: distant area of the forests, different city or a completely different country/continent, ect.) and a very vivid depiction of the City 17 street war from the perspective of a rebel amidst the chaos.[/QUOTE] I think you should use your imagination and choose what you think its the best idea.

[QUOTE=s.n.;18865441]my idea for episode 3 (hl2) how do you like it?[/QUOTE] Well first off that was one long sentence There were no paragraphs [B][I]IT WASN'T A SHORT STORY :downs:[/I][/B] Count me in, think it could be fun. I enjoy writing stuff like this. Thinking of writing some form of book, fiction. No real plan to get it published or anything. Just for fun. And I think I'm good at it, so yeah I'll give it a shot.

[QUOTE=mikeyt493;18870142] Count me in, think it could be fun. I enjoy writing stuff like this. Thinking of writing some form of book, fiction. No real plan to get it published or anything. Just for fun. And I think I'm good at it, so yeah I'll give it a shot.[/QUOTE] Perfect, welcome to the contest.

Totally entering this. I love writing. Just a question, though: In the first chapter of Half-Life 2, you go through the apartment complex and encounter a drunken/disoriented man who asks you 'was that you knocking? I didn't know we still had a door'. It would be okay to use this character, right?

[QUOTE=Doomish;18872060]Totally entering this. I love writing. Just a question, though: In the first chapter of Half-Life 2, you go through the apartment complex and encounter a drunken/disoriented man who asks you 'was that you knocking? I didn't know we still had a door'. It would be okay to use this character, right?[/QUOTE] Of course!

Another question, can we have more than one entry?

[QUOTE=Doomish;18872512]Another question, can we have more than one entry?[/QUOTE] Yes.

[b]There is a word limit of between 1000 and 7000 words.[/b] Extend?

[QUOTE=AshtonArdoin;18873472][b]There is a word limit of between 1000 and 7000 words.[/b] Extend?[/QUOTE] To...?

Oh wait, words, I thought you meant characters, I've got to do ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLOT more work.

Hey guys, sorry I wasn't here to answer questions; I was at work. Thankfully Zuimzado was, and a great job he did. A quick note to all entrants; it may be best if you don't post your ideas here. Whilst I don't doubt the integrity of the general populace of Facepunch, plagarism is always a possibility. In related news, how on earth did I get Gold Member? What is this, I don't even understand how that could happen without my prior knowledge of a selection process. Ah well, I'm not complaining.

Hi, I couldn't hit the 1000 word minimum, so just take it for what it is, maybe I could be an exception. [QUOTE] Gordon's Weekend as a Bassist. As the early morning sun hit his bandy eyes the smell of burnt strings was in the air as if Cliff Burton, Mark Stoermer had combined talent into one forsaken child. Scraping up a pipe dream from wood, foam and a couple of car speakers one man’s virtue and sole dedication to a purist tone; realising that it takes a long time to grow old and mature like a fine wine. His petrol soaked hands crept forth from the depths of a warm, cosy bed forcing pyjama sleeves back, the world became an island full of one person and his bass guitar. Black and white powerful pickups made for a craving that only blistering stage lights and Marshal amps can truly satisfy, along with influences of Nirvana and a march on the field of a bandy summer stage huddling together talent that can see people of all ages purchasing albums and receiving signed music. Drugs lead to an autobiography written in Simpson’s lane, off the shores of Panama Desert where the wild things come, stay and relax with a cup of Camomile tea as the gum trees struggle to support themselves over a spot of land once claimed theirs until the white man set free disease and hardship; that cursed this place with a vendetta of hate only pure rage can fully understand. Mother! Mother dear! I have changed I’m a Fender man now I’m sorry, but (deep breath) I’m going to have to get a lighter weight bass. Something like a Jazz bass or even a Precision. I’ll still come see you every day I promise. The box of picks has arrived Gordon; shaky hands, the hands of a one and only; rare earth wood grain and salty beach force open cleaver Duct tape and Styrofoam. Eyes daring to go the extra mile and see just how green the grass is on the other side; 25 seconds only 25 seconds of amp and power chords, that’s what the man sees and nothing but mere plastic to a kid in a playground full of love. Griping with index and thumb the Jim Dunlop extra heavy plectrum. Strums. Speaks his language. Days have come and days will pass as the research on Wikipedia comes to an end, and walks on the water shore with apposed girlfriends become too long, the great hero will die, it’s time to come home. Albums and two sleepless nights the guitar forcing him to move on, in a surreal world Alyx, Gordon and maybe even Kleiner will pat each other on the back for the last time as their descending and melting word comes to a halt, the weekend is over. Back to school tomorrow, boys. [/QUOTE] If you like it I will extend it to the word limit. >:D

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