HistoryDude's Review Corner

[HistoryDude]

Thank you for the review! I plan to update the story and I will have in mind your review to try improve the AAR.

Your own AAR on Epirus and others are a source of inspiration to move from a gameplay AAR to a more character focused and story driven exercise. I lack the literature profeciency but I enjoy playing I:R as you do (the fact that I am playing two I:R MP campaigns two days a week is not helping me advance with the AAR).

You're welcome! Also, a note to anyone following the thread: the AAR reviewed is dead due to save file issues, but a new one started recently.

Slowly getting back to being in the community myself now things have become more stable for me. Reading your reviews and they’re all nicely written and balanced/researched. I look forward to any more than you end up doing ^^

Thanks for checking my little corner out!

Congratulations @Rolexovsky and @IsaacCAT !

Rensslaer

Thanks for following!

Thank you for the review! I'm glad that you enjoy this look into a society of monsters.

Keeping the story closely tied to events in the gameplay is pretty essential to how I write AARs, I think, as it means that I don't have to be dissonant between story events and my personal gameplay. I have to give great credit to the creators of Anbennar here as well for producing such a vibrant world with so many unique events and mechanics to work with when crafting a narrative. There have been a couple of Dev Diaries recently going into the mod for those more interested.

No problem! I imagine that Anbennar is full of narrative possibilities, given how many AARs there are for it.

I did like the idea of a different view at those that are often simply stereotyped as monsters. It's an interesting subversion of fantasy tropes.

 

[Rensslaer]

I'm rather fascinated by these @Macavity116 AARs. I'm reading a different series of his currently, and I'm a slow reader (sorry!), but I'll see if I can get to these.

Rensslaer

 

[Midnite Duke]

@HistoryDude, thank you for spotlighting @Macavity116's mega-opus. Neither understanding any of the games or reading the entirety of the work are required to enjoy it. I joined in progress any only read two or three works and I thoroughly enjoyed.

 

[Macavity116]

Oh, my goodness! The whole series at once! I was not expecting that. Thanks for reading, and for the words of recommendation.

The Stormbreaker Universe is a project unlike any other on the forums. I took a fantasy world my sister and I made up years ago and brought it into to world of Stellaris. The whole series took 5 years to write from start to finish, and that includes the time I tried to prematurely end the series halfway through.

If anyone is interested in reading the Stormbreaker Universe after this review, I'll share some helpful information with you: The Stormbreaker Universe is a series of self-contained stories. You do not have to read every tale in the series and there is no particular order in which you are required to read them. However, if you want to follow in the footsteps of Ao3 user Family Tree Enthusiast and read the whole series in one go, then there are two differing orders you can do so in:

Order of Publication	Chronological Order
1. After Everything	1. All Our Sins Remembered
2. Faith in Chaos	2. After Everything
3. DosiAARs - Prelude to The Stormbreakers	3. The Legend of Whetu Kealoha
4. The Stormbreakers	4. Faith in Chaos
5.The Legend of Whetu Kealoha	5. My Father's War
6. On the Crossroads of Past and Future	6. DosiAARs- Prelude to The Stormbreakers
7. My Father's War	7. The Stormbreakers
8. All Our Sins Remembered	8. On the Crossroads of Past and Future
9. The Last Heroes	9. The Last Heroes

Also,

compelling villains (especially Paradox, who is still my favorite character in all of fiction... and her story is so horrifically tragic)

I am still stunned by the popularity Akira "Paradox" Robinson has found among readers. And also overjoyed. She is in every sense the crucial element that brings the series together.

I'm reading a different series of his currently, and I'm a slow reader (sorry!), but I'll see if I can get to these.

Neither understanding any of the games or reading the entirety of the work are required to enjoy it. I joined in progress any only read two or three works and I thoroughly enjoyed.

Thanks for reading! I never had any real expectations for the Stormbreaker Universe, and I'm happy to have had the opportunity to share the world and stories my sister and I created as kids. Thank you all!

 

[HistoryDude]

It's time for a Victoria review!

Shining Stars - A United States Coming of Age Saga by @Rensslaer ​

This is a Victoria 2 gameplay AAR about the current global superpower - the United States of America. Rensslaer shows how the newborn nation attempts to secure its place in the ranks of world powers and deals with its neighbors - including the great rivalry with the United Kingdom. The authAAR also has private goals - he attempts to ensure that the South's "peculiar institution" is destroyed without a civil war and attempts to keep to the Monroe Doctrine and not engage in European politics.

It's mostly a gameplay AAR, so the narrative isn't really present. The characters themselves are occasionally mentioned, but they don't get much personality. It could be argued that the nation itself counts as a character that is being explored, though, as it certainly faces a lot of conflict - both internal and external.

All of which is fine because this is a gameplay AAR - and the gameplay itself is very good. The United States manages to expand its influence over the Americas and defeat many other nations - including great powers such as Great Britain. Even when things get very difficult (such as the Mexican-American War, which is far more extensive than OTL's), Rensslaer manages to eke out a victory. It can probably also be used as a very loose guide on how to play the game, although I certainly wouldn't want to be stuck in some of the situations the author of this AAR had to deal with.

Overall, I can recommend the AAR, despite the lack of narrative. It reads as a fascinating tale of an alternate America that holds her own against the European colonizers. It also serves to indicate what exactly is possible in Victoria 2 - and what is probably unavoidable (*cough, cough* the slavery thing *cough, cough*). Also, it was played without the Heart of Darkness expansion, so people who own Victoria 2 might want to keep that in mind.

 

[Rensslaer]

@HistoryDude thank you! What a nice surprise to find this feature of Shining Stars.

I regret I am a little behind in my update schedule, but I have another update half written and just need to finish it.

I will also tell you that the most dramatic warfare is yet to come, taking the AAR in a direction I would never have predicted. I'm looking forward to those chapters!

Some of my more successful AARs have been all or mostly gameplay description - some prefer the direct simplicity of just going through what happened without having to learn the characters, etc.

Fire Warms the Northern Lands was my big narrative work, if folks prefer that, but it's V1 and alot of the screenshots have stupid watermarks over them now. Also trying to get my published novel republished (hopefully only a matter of days now).

Thank you!

Rensslaer

 

[HistoryDude]

It's time for a CK review! With that in mind... let's talk AGOT.

The Dragons Realm, A House Targaryen AAR by @streaker77​

This AAR is played with the A Game of Thrones mod in CK2. It begins with Aegon's Conquest of Westeros (for those of you unfamiliar with ASOIAF/GOT lore, that's the foundation of the unified kingdom that the books take place in) and follows the trials and tribulations of the mighty dragonrider Targaryens. It is also a narrative AAR, so we get to hear such things as the thoughts and schemes of those Targaryens...

The thing that shines in the narrative here is the characters. Not only the Kings of the Seven Kingdoms (the heads of the Targaryen dynasty) but also their many relatives have their perspectives shown. This is very useful for foreshadowing future events and showing tensions within the dynasty. It also increases the number of events that can be covered. The Targaryens are a proud dynasty, and it shows in many of their rulers. Each ruler has a distinct personality - from the conquering Aegon to the scheming Laena (Queen of Skulls) to the usurping Jaerion (although, given what Laena was like, that might've been for the best) to the current monarch, the kind Aurion. In addition to the Targaryens, there are occasional chapters that include the perspectives of other houses as well - normally houses that will be important to events that occur in that chapter. At the moment, the realm stands in an interesting position, as a civil war threatens to make dragons dance...

The gameplay is mostly buried. For the most part, streaker77 appears to be playing well, managing to keep the realm united, even despite the civil wars that the Targaryens can be prone to. He has even expanded the kingdom from its initial borders. On the other hand, he does roleplay, which is good for the narrative but not amazing if you want a gameplay guide. Interestingly, he's also mostly playing tall, so the expansion has been extremely limited. Of course, that makes sense, given that the Targaryens already rule around half the world.

I can definitely recommend this AAR for its excellent characterization and intriguing plotlines. From the rebellions of prominent houses to civil wars amongst dragonriders to slave revolts (actually, successful slave revolts) to conquest to wars based on a monarch's morality, this AAR has a lot of fascinating plotlines. Of course, the downside of that is that it's massive - there are 83 chapters so far, and none of those chapters are short. That being said, the quality makes it worth reading through.

 

[HistoryDude]

@HistoryDude thank you! What a nice surprise to find this feature of Shining Stars.

I regret I am a little behind in my update schedule, but I have another update half written and just need to finish it.

I will also tell you that the most dramatic warfare is yet to come, taking the AAR in a direction I would never have predicted. I'm looking forward to those chapters!

Some of my more successful AARs have been all or mostly gameplay description - some prefer the direct simplicity of just going through what happened without having to learn the characters, etc.

Fire Warms the Northern Lands was my big narrative work, if folks prefer that, but it's V1 and alot of the screenshots have stupid watermarks over them now. Also trying to get my published novel republished (hopefully only a matter of days now).

Thank you!

Rensslaer

You're welcome. I look forward to this more dramatic warfare.

 

[streaker77]

It's time for a CK review! With that in mind... let's talk AGOT.

The Dragons Realm, A House Targaryen AAR by @streaker77​

This AAR is played with the A Game of Thrones mod in CK2. It begins with Aegon's Conquest of Westeros (for those of you unfamiliar with ASOIAF/GOT lore, that's the foundation of the unified kingdom that the books take place in) and follows the trials and tribulations of the mighty dragonrider Targaryens. It is also a narrative AAR, so we get to hear such things as the thoughts and schemes of those Targaryens...

The thing that shines in the narrative here is the characters. Not only the Kings of the Seven Kingdoms (the heads of the Targaryen dynasty) but also their many relatives have their perspectives shown. This is very useful for foreshadowing future events and showing tensions within the dynasty. It also increases the number of events that can be covered. The Targaryens are a proud dynasty, and it shows in many of their rulers. Each ruler has a distinct personality - from the conquering Aegon to the scheming Laena (Queen of Skulls) to the usurping Jaerion (although, given what Laena was like, that might've been for the best) to the current monarch, the kind Aurion. In addition to the Targaryens, there are occasional chapters that include the perspectives of other houses as well - normally houses that will be important to events that occur in that chapter. At the moment, the realm stands in an interesting position, as a civil war threatens to make dragons dance...

The gameplay is mostly buried. For the most part, streaker77 appears to be playing well, managing to keep the realm united, even despite the civil wars that the Targaryens can be prone to. He has even expanded the kingdom from its initial borders. On the other hand, he does roleplay, which is good for the narrative but not amazing if you want a gameplay guide. Interestingly, he's also mostly playing tall, so the expansion has been extremely limited. Of course, that makes sense, given that the Targaryens already rule around half the world.

I can definitely recommend this AAR for its excellent characterization and intriguing plotlines. From the rebellions of prominent houses to civil wars amongst dragonriders to slave revolts (actually, successful slave revolts) to conquest to wars based on a monarch's morality, this AAR has a lot of fascinating plotlines. Of course, the downside of that is that it's massive - there are 83 chapters so far, and none of those chapters are short. That being said, the quality makes it worth reading through.

Thank you for the shoutout, this has been a very fun story to write!

Of course, the downside of that is that it's massive - there are 83 chapters so far, and none of those chapters are short.

This is true, currently the story is at around 400k words, meaning it is no easy task to get caught up.

I have been thinking of putting this out there and this seems as good a place as any, if anyone is interested in trying to get caught up, rather than trying to get through the entire story, it may be easier to start at either Chapter 48: The Flames of Death, or Chapter 49: The Queen of Skulls, starting here will still make for a bit of a read (about 10 full story chapters) but should provide more than enough context to understand whats going on currently in the story, and give (albeit briefly) a showcase of 3 of the 5 Targaryen rulers to appear in the story.

 

[Chac1]

Thank you for the shoutout, this has been a very fun story to write!

Good to see this recognized. Of note, the graphics and art that accompany the story are excellent. @streaker77 does a great job creating graphics for this AAR.

 

[Midnite Duke]

Thank you for highlighting this wonderful work.

 

[Superstorm]

Another work I need to get caught up on.

Thank you for the shoutout, this has been a very fun story to write!


This is true, currently the story is at around 400k words, meaning it is no easy task to get caught up.

I have been thinking of putting this out there and this seems as good a place as any, if anyone is interested in trying to get caught up, rather than trying to get through the entire story, it may be easier to start at either Chapter 48: The Flames of Death, or Chapter 49: The Queen of Skulls, starting here will still make for a bit of a read (about 10 full story chapters) but should provide more than enough context to understand whats going on currently in the story, and give (albeit briefly) a showcase of 3 of the 5 Targaryen rulers to appear in the story.

I feel that. Wings of Faith has ballooned massively (mainly because I’ve been enjoying the process of writing) and I may have to denote a catch-up chapter myself. I’ll give yours a read from that chapter though!

Thanks for doing these reviews as always History.

 

[Macavity116]

if anyone is interested in trying to get caught up, rather than trying to get through the entire story, it may be easier to start at either Chapter 48: The Flames of Death, or Chapter 49: The Queen of Skulls, starting here will still make for a bit of a read (about 10 full story chapters) but should provide more than enough context to understand whats going on currently in the story, and give (albeit briefly) a showcase of 3 of the 5 Targaryen rulers to appear in the story.

That's extremely helpful!

 

[HistoryDude]

It is time to cover an HoI AAR...

The Empire Strikes Back, Part 4 by @Idhrendur and his co-conspirators*​

This AAR is the most recent segment of a megacampaign, and it is also interactive. It follows one of my favorite nations in history - the Eastern Roman Empire. At the beginning of the AAR, Byzantium (the ERE) is doing what it does best - having a civil war! This civil war, in particular, is because of ideological differences. These persist even after the end of the civil war...

The narrative section is good, and I think it is improved by the presence of multiple contributors. The narrative has many things - war, politics, and, as befitting an AAR set in Intrigue Central, scheming. Also, there's secret organizations and hints of the supernatural, both of which are fun. In addition, the narrative is not limited solely to Byzantium itself, as it also includes other nations that were once provinces and certain organizations that are not limited to the imperial domains (*cough, cough* the Church *cough, cough*). Players also interact with each other, which adds a degree of believability to proceedings (many players are Senators, for reference).

As for the gameplay, it looks to be going decently so far. The civil war has ended in a victory for the side that the authAAR was playing. Even so, the provinces are presumably still a concern. It remains unclear how affairs will go now that the civil war has ended. I can see many potential paths...

I can definitely recommend this AAR. There are a few posts to allow potential new readAARs (and participants) to get caught up at the beginning of the thread if they weren't following the megacampaign, and they do a good job. The actual HoI4 section of the AAR isn't massive, although the posts of individual contributors increase the content. Conveniently, though, these are quoted, and that's threadmarked, so they can still be easily followed. If you wish to join, by the way, there is a Discord server for communication, which is how much of the interaction between characters is done. You can easily still read it without participating, of course.

*I have no desire to doublecheck everyone who posted on the thread.

 

[HistoryDude]

Thank you for the shoutout, this has been a very fun story to write!


This is true, currently the story is at around 400k words, meaning it is no easy task to get caught up.

I have been thinking of putting this out there and this seems as good a place as any, if anyone is interested in trying to get caught up, rather than trying to get through the entire story, it may be easier to start at either Chapter 48: The Flames of Death, or Chapter 49: The Queen of Skulls, starting here will still make for a bit of a read (about 10 full story chapters) but should provide more than enough context to understand whats going on currently in the story, and give (albeit briefly) a showcase of 3 of the 5 Targaryen rulers to appear in the story.

That's extremely helpful!

You're welcome.

@Macavity116 is correct. That is very useful information. Thanks! I might have to give it a try myself as a reminder of prior events.

Good to see this recognized. Of note, the graphics and art that accompany the story are excellent. @streaker77 does a great job creating graphics for this AAR.

I do like those graphics... Of course, decent graphics is one of the more common things for CK2 AGOT AARs nowadays. It's nice.

Thank you for highlighting this wonderful work.

You're welcome!

Another work I need to get caught up on.

I feel that. Wings of Faith has ballooned massively (mainly because I’ve been enjoying the process of writing) and I may have to denote a catch-up chapter myself. I’ll give yours a read from that chapter though!

Thanks for doing these reviews as always History.

You're welcome.

I can definitely sympathize with AARs getting away from you. It's happened to me more than once.

 

[TheButterflyComposer]

(*cough, cough* the Church *cough, cough*)

That's my bit. I wrote a history of Christianity, the Orthodox Church, legal status, reforms, place in the Empire etc for those wanting to start in HOi4 (because the Church hasn't had a player character before, and so even if you read the entire mega campaign, you might not be clear on what's going on. Its...a pretty in-depth universe).

But it's definitely something people can jump in on this last quarter. I did, after all!

 

[Bullfilter]

Interesting project. Have had a quick scan, with a good number of the reviews being on AARs I follow. Will go through in a bit more detail when I can. Keep up the good work!

 

[Idhrendur]

It is time to cover an HoI AAR...

The Empire Strikes Back, Part 4 by @Idhrendur and his co-conspirators*​

This AAR is the most recent segment of a megacampaign, and it is also interactive. It follows one of my favorite nations in history - the Eastern Roman Empire. At the beginning of the AAR, Byzantium (the ERE) is doing what it does best - having a civil war! This civil war, in particular, is because of ideological differences. These persist even after the end of the civil war...

The narrative section is good, and I think it is improved by the presence of multiple contributors. The narrative has many things - war, politics, and, as befitting an AAR set in Intrigue Central, scheming. Also, there's secret organizations and hints of the supernatural, both of which are fun. In addition, the narrative is not limited solely to Byzantium itself, as it also includes other nations that were once provinces and certain organizations that are not limited to the imperial domains (*cough, cough* the Church *cough, cough*). Players also interact with each other, which adds a degree of believability to proceedings (many players are Senators, for reference).

As for the gameplay, it looks to be going decently so far. The civil war has ended in a victory for the side that the authAAR was playing. Even so, the provinces are presumably still a concern. It remains unclear how affairs will go now that the civil war has ended. I can see many potential paths...

I can definitely recommend this AAR. There are a few posts to allow potential new readAARs (and participants) to get caught up at the beginning of the thread if they weren't following the megacampaign, and they do a good job. The actual HoI4 section of the AAR isn't massive, although the posts of individual contributors increase the content. Conveniently, though, these are quoted, and that's threadmarked, so they can still be easily followed. If you wish to join, by the way, there is a Discord server for communication, which is how much of the interaction between characters is done. You can easily still read it without participating, of course.

*I have no desire to doublecheck everyone who posted on the thread.

A much delayed thank you for the review!

 

[HistoryDude]

My sincere apologies about how dead this area has been. A review is long overdue... and I might be able to get back to my old schedule. We'll see.

Machinations of the Medici by @jak7139 ​

This AAR is a narrative with a fascinating premise. It is centered on the Medicis, which I appreciate as both a fan of Renaissance Italy and of the Medicis in particular (I have fond memories of watching Medici: Masters of Florence a few years back). Furthermore, it has supernatural elements, which is also something that appeals to me. The Medicis themselves are the supernatural beings and are telling their history to an observer.

The characters are fascinating here. The viewpoint character apparently has a background in history, specifically Florentine history. They also have logical reactions to... certain events. The real interesting characters are the Medicis themselves, though - especially Lorenzo the Magnificent. He tells the true story of the rise of the Medici empire (the Florentine-Egyptians), although he is also immortal and doesn't seem to love that situation. Of course, part of that seems to be the fate of the other Medicis, which is yet to be revealed...

The gameplay itself is mainly reflected in between the lines. The mention of the Florentine-Egyptians is the most obvious one, although the full story behind that is not yet completed. Beyond that, Lorenzo's story includes necessary background on the world, which helps establish the alternate history elements. I suspect that such things will also become relevant to the wider story later, though the titular (unnatural) machinations have not yet had an effect on the world beyond the catacombs. I look forward to seeing how they do.

In short, despite the second person perspective (which admittedly might annoy some people), this AAR is a good narrative. It is still in its beginning stages, so many mysteries remain. I do like theorizing about what's happening... Regardless, the AAR is one that has magic and Medicis - what's not to like? Heck, it even has conspiracies, although no one in Florence has uncovered them yet. I can highly recommend it.

 

[HistoryDude]

That's my bit. I wrote a history of Christianity, the Orthodox Church, legal status, reforms, place in the Empire etc for those wanting to start in HOi4 (because the Church hasn't had a player character before, and so even if you read the entire mega campaign, you might not be clear on what's going on. Its...a pretty in-depth universe).

But it's definitely something people can jump in on this last quarter. I did, after all!

Your efforts are appreciated.

Interesting project. Have had a quick scan, with a good number of the reviews being on AARs I follow. Will go through in a bit more detail when I can. Keep up the good work!

Thanks for following!

A much delayed thank you for the review!

No problem! I still need to get around to posting in it... and at least your delay was less than my delay between reviews.