AncientSpirit_NA

I feel your pain.

Any chance you ever started your arc over on the Test server, and there's some of it still there?

I believe "keeping someone alive" arcs have been done to death.

(j/k) Good luck with yours.

I prefer EB bosses myself for the following reasons:

1) as an arc writer, I found my EB beatable - but often only after sending me to the hospital a few times, and stacking up on inspirations. (By the way, I was the one who stacked up on inspirations ... she was the one who seemed to heal herself by the time I returned, so maybe she stacked up on inspirations as well.)

2) As someone who solo MAs (and as a Gemini), seeing AVs in missions are one of my turn-offs.

3) Since mobs in MAs, seem to be overpowered to begin with, an overpowered AV seems like the opposite of an oxymoron, which might leave only one moron left, the person fighting him or her.

4) If an AV scales down to your level, it seems rather insulting. I mean the whole idea of "stooping down to your level" is rather offensive, isn't it? And now you have an UNDER-POWERED AV, which really is an oxymoron, which means you may now have at least two morons in the arc.

5) To see how tough an EB can be without being an AV (which is clearly impossible for an EB2B) please visit and play my arc "Wicked, Wicked Wonderland" (arc # 1224).

Mt arc will probably SHED (no) LIGHT on this issue at all, but would make me rather happy, and by "me" I really want to say "you" but that may not be true nor appropriate. However, you could leave feedback to tell me whether you think that my one and only EB (in the final mission) would be better or worse if the EB was an AV.

Then decide for yourself. Or simplly skip all the above steps and decide for yourself.

Or simply flip a coin. (There's even an animation for that, I believe ... althought that animation does NOT appear in "Wicked, Wicked Wonderland." However, an interesting use of a soap box animation DOES appear ... but I really don't see how that has any relevance to the subject of EBs vs. AVs, so it really isn't worth mentioning, at all, is it?

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As a writer, particularly in the fanfiction genre, I've learned that Mary/Marty Sues come in many different breeds.

-- Damsel in Distress
-- Independent Barney-Bad***
-- Love Me For I Am Cute
-- Destined Lover
-- I Hate You/Will Kill You!
-- I Am What My Writer Wishes To Be

These are just a few of what seem to be the most common. More often than not, these breeds are mixed together to give the reader an even more pronounced feeling of nausea. The trick to keeping a character from becoming a Mary/Marty Sue is to not make the players feel underpowered in comparison. You also want to avoid the character making the Player Character out to be inferior in some way. (Villainous gloating does not count here, that's just another cliché.)

All original characters have the potential to become Mary/Marty Sues, but with a bit of caution you can keep it from happening. Make sure that the character is needed, but keep that reasonable, too. We don't want things bordering on obsessive co-dependence.

Different people write different styles best. Some are good at humor while someone else is good with angst. Just don't bog the story down with one or the other. Keep things balanced. I think that's the best advice I've ever heard.

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OK. I know I'm going to kick myself for asking but know that I know all these things about Mary Sue, only one question remains:

WHO or WHAT is a Mary Sue?

I know my arc "Wicked, Wicked Wonderland" #1224 has a damsel in distress, so does that make Alice a Mary Sue? And if Alice is Mary Sue, then who is Alice?

This may or may not be important information for me, since if I ever create a Catepillar for "Wicked, Wicked Wonderland" (#1224) ... he would have to ask: "WHO ... ARE ... YOU?"

So if Alice is Mary Sue, how does she answer? It all seems so confusing to me ... especially the part where "Wicked, Wicked Wonderland" (arc # 1224) only has 96 plays now but needs 100 to get me to the next level.

Would it be advantageous if Alice were a "Mary Sue"? (If so, she is, and you need to help her at once!!!!)

Is it more advantagesous to the player that she's not? (If so, I assure you that she isn't - and doesn't even have a friend named Mary Sue ... and you need to helo her at once!!!!)

Either way, I assure you that my story - like myself -- holds itself up to the highest standards of INTEGRITY (unless you prefer low standards, in which case it reaches new depths you may personally enjoy.)

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What?! How dare you post an obvious advert for your arc like this!

We must maintain standards after all. If there were no such standards, what would stop me from coming in here and pointing out that if you like silly, silly medium-sized, 3 mission arcs, you should really try out "Too Manny Bunnygirls!" (ID101165) or "A.E.'s Premium Quality Mission: "guaranteed qualityyyyLOADING ERROR 0.000459" (ID#148476)

Why, nothing at all would prevent that. And we can't have that now can we?



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Now that's outrageous! Accusing me of posting an "obvious" advert?

OBVIOUS???????

I think not!

Absurd? Yes.

Insane? Perhaps.

BUT ... making "Wicked, wicked wonderland" (arc # 1224) its own DEV'S CHOICE WAS NOT OBVIOUS!!!!!!

That said, however, I believe that my character "Dev's Choice" may believe that YOUR obvious advert of - Too Manny Bunnygirls!" (ID101165) -- BUMPING UP MY NON-OBVIOUS advert for arc #1224, "Wicked, Wicked Wonderland" ... is ITSELF WORTHY OF my Dev's Choice Award!!!!!!

Not only does it benefit TWO Arcs for the price of NONE -- it even allows me to build on your Bunny arc by revealing the AMAZING SPOILER that Alice's White Rabbit makes a rare but pivitol appearance in mine.

SO YOU CAN BELIEVE ME WHEN I TELL YOU THAT THESE TWO ARCS ARE (not) THEMEATICALLY LINKED!!!!!!!

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About 3 years or so ago, my husband made a character he named Shirtless Lass. Now, costume-wise, she was wearing the "sporty top" in black on pinkish skin. She was not actually shirtless in the topless sense. I told him not to name her that, but he persisted. 8 levels later, he was stuck in a mission and the GM who came decided his name was inappropriate, and generic'd it.

While my husband was upset, he sent in the requested 3 "better" names, and the character's name was changed.

Meanwhile, I think Johnny NoPants is still around.

So, whatever the GMs decide, no matter how inconsistent or seemingly unfair, is what you have to do.

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Hmmmm. Wonder if you could create a character without a head and call her Topless Lass.

(Favorite headline of all time came from the NY POST: "Headless corpse found in Topless Bar." No joke.)

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Cute.

Actually, I played Wicked, Wicked Wonderland last night.

I loved it. Very fun, very clever, and you managed some rather awkward rhymes in there too.

I gave it 5 stars .... but just barely. IMO, it would be better if you could of included one more mission ... something more with the kings specifically.

But, hey congrats on your "Dev's Choice" favorite

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Thanks for the kind words, Soul - and glad you enjoyed the arc!

It's interesting that you mention the Kings, because I created SO many more Wonderland Playing Cards than I every got to use ... so I really do hope that I can come up with an idea that's as much fun as the original.

(NEXT PARAGRAPH WAS DELETED BECAUSE WHILE WRITING, A POSSIBLE SEQUEL DID OCCUR TO ME - USING THE KINGS Thanks, Soul!)

I have to agree with those who think that merely the word "Lesbians" got your arc banned. (Had you called it a Lesbian Farm, you may have been banned sooner ... but not before it hit Hall of Fame Status.)

It reminds me of the Jerry Seinfeld episode where they constantly refer to people as gay, homosexual, lesbian, etc, but always add in the expression "not that there's anything wrong with that."

Remember, though, you're in good company. Progressive liberals are still fighting for public school books like "Rosie has Two Mommys" or some such. (And not all conservatives are extreme "radical right" conservatives ... but still have strong feelings on these issues, too.)

SO, ulimately, you took on a hornet's nest and got stung. (I'm always a little surprised that the developer's created the Superdyne drug, and had no problems with that issue. Then again, its their game so they get to make the rules.)

Meanwhile, there are real world forums where your social commentary would be welcome. Just not apparrently this one. But I don't think there's much to be done about it.

My arc #1224 - Wicked, Wicked Wonderland -- has just offiically become a Dev's Choice favorite.

It has NEVER earned 5 stars. And it HASN'T gotten more than 100 plays yet - but it is NOW a Dev's Choice favorite.

And I can show YOU how to have a Dev's Choice favorite -- too! EVEN IF NO ONE EVER PLAYS YOUR ARC!!!!!!

THIS IS THE EXPLOIT YOU'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR*

This is so EASY, you won't believe you didn't think of it yourself. And it won't cost you a single penny, merit, MA ticket, or influence - unlike all those in-game spamming messages on how to powerlevel for $19.95

Step 1: GO TO THE SERVER YOU PLAY ON MOST. (Cannot be Freedom, Pinnocle, or Champion)

Step 2: Be sure you have at least one open character slot on that server; if not. Repeat Step One, but choose another server.

Step 3: Create a character on this server - any AT you like -- and NAME him or her, "DEV'S CHOICE"

Step 4: Announce in all honesty that your arc, like mine, is now a DEV'S CHOICE favorite!

Step 5: (Optional) - Give a big and let everyone know you're saying this tongue in cheek.

It helps, of course, if you're trying to get the word out about your silly, silly medium-sized, 3 mission arc based in Wonderland. That's because Wonderland you can call things whatever you want, and they mean whatever you say they mean because those are the rules in Wonderland.

"Twas Brillig," after all.

So create a Dev's Choice of your very own, right now.

Or if you're rather amuse yourself in some other way, trying playing "Wicked, Wicked Wonderland" right now, arc #1224.

It's as serious as this post, and will leave you laughing ... all the way to the hospital.



* actually, I don't think anyone has been waiting for this exploit, so this is clearly one of those legal disclaiming asterisks that tell you everything you're about to be told is a bunch of hooey, as since in all the finest TV commercials and print ads.

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Then there's the kind of REALLY BAD I like to play, which I guess you could define as TOTALLY RUTHLESS. I am bad, I want to take over the world and rule it with an iron fist, and I will squish any insignificant peon who gets in my way. That's the kind of bad I want to see more of, because there is practically none in dev-created content.

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For your consideration:

Axis and Allies (arc id #1379)
Go back in time, assassinate Hitler, and take his place. Lead the Axis powers to victory in WW2, crush democracy, and Conquer the World.

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Any arc that has you assassinate Hilter, puts you on the Hero side. I don't care what you do afterwards.

On the other hand, try taking ALL the cliches here ... and making the world WORST arc possible. It could win you a great cult following -- kinda like that movie "Attack of the Killer Tomatos" or "Plan 9 from Outer Space."

Start off with Robotic Killer Clowns, who are all based off your own cherished hero, who happens to be a "Demon with a Heart of Gold" . Them have your CONTACT who's the REAL BAD guy in the end talk to you real professinal like: $Name, you must do (fill in the blank.). You're the only one who can help me." BUT THEN, right after that, in parenthesis, ADD ("Little does $Name know, I am the BAD GUY and when he does this, I will have him in my evil clutches." Be sure to include one of those BIG EVIL LAUGH emotes, just so no one is confused.

THEN CREATE A DEFEAT ALL MISSION. BUT SET IT ON THE SMALLEST MAP POSSIBLE.

THEN in your last mission -- where you have to rescue someone who turns on you just as you get to the door -- REVEAL that the reason they want to kill you is because you ONE-STARRED THEIR MA ARC, and they just want revenge!!!! Make this foe an AV and set him on EXTREME! And as you die, have him laugh at you and tell you that HIS real name is SHAKESPEARE -- and that NOBODY like a CRITIC!

(Or, if you want another way to amuse yourself, try my arc #1224, "Wicked, Wicked Wonderland" - still playing at an AE center near you.)

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I have exactly the same complaint. The "villainous" setting on player-made arcs is just an afterthought.

Most of the time you end up fighting demons (getting pretty sick of fighting custom group demons, because almost every arc seems to have them) or some completely irrelevant hero group, custom or not.

But I have done some pretty evil things in some arcs, just listing the things briefly without advertising.

*One had me kidnap contacts family, take them to Vazhilok, only to rescue them later and find that they have been all chopped up
(exposed brains etc.)

*One had me kil...erm, defeated bunch of Water Treatment Plant engineers and there was a hint that one of them was going to be a father

*One had me release virus into the Paragon City and destroy the humanitarian help arriving to the scene and the only hero who can cure the virus. The city was also full of NPC fights between the infected pedestrians and PPD.

*In one arc I had to kil....erm, defeat bunch of vigilante militia priests and nuns who were helping local homeless people.
When I beated up the priests around one homeless NPC, the NPC said "I can't handle this violence!", barfed on the floor and ran away.

But yeah, as far as I recall that's all of them. Most of the "villainous" arcs lack when it comes to feeling "bad.":

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I really like the sound of some of the arcs you're talking about - and its not advertising because I'm asking for your arc ID # now. (I really like the integrity of not offering them up, though, in advance ... as I know I would have taken the cheap set up shot myself. Drat!)

As for others, who have said your arcs are villianous, could you elaborate as this one did. Thanks.

I wish there was a way to create an arc where you are a serial killer like Dexter ... have to sneak in a public building ... find someone alone ... kill them ... and then escape without getting caught. It would be fun for me, but I'm sure not popular since the basic idea would give hardly any experience or prestige, which is what most people want.

But Dexter always had to prove to himself that the person he was going to kill was worthy of being killed, so the first "mission" could be just finding evidence of someone esle's crime or series of crimes. The second mission could be Dexter making the killing. And the third and final mission could be cleaning up all traces of the killing. Again, though. very little experience or prestige so why would anyone bother?

Don't know about Assault/Devices ...but have enjoyed every minute getting to (and continuing playing my) level 50 Energy/Devices blaster.

In a team, he's fun to play. And when I solo, he's among the most strategic of AT toons around, as well.

I made him my sci-fi toon - and gave him power combos that I never use anywhere else, including Hover/Teleport (which now doesn't even cost an extra slot if you have the Vet reward for it.)

As with all ATs in this game, IMHO, it all depends if you enjoy playing your toon, your concept. Try it out. How else will you get to enjoy the biggest feature of the game - ALTitis?

One of my biggest redside complaints was that my bad guys didn't really do anything REALLY vilianous. They stole from other bad guys, robbed a couple of banks and stores, kidnapped someone or other. But half the time I felt like I was fighting the same mobs I fought blue side.

The only arc I've made (while neutral) isn't about bad guys. So I was wondering? What's the best of the best BAD GUYS BEING BAD GUYS out there?

I'm not necessarily looking for arcs to try, though an example of what your talking about could be helpful.

But can we put out contracts on Nuns, for example? Go back in time and help prevent the fall of the Roman Empire? Can we find out where the Ghost of Xmas Present is and slay him with an Axe against the undead?

How are the best of you making your bad guys (and gals) really detestable?

Peace and love, peace and love ...

No. MA is a great way to start new toons without having to do all the same run all over the world maps.

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Yeah, I know. It's back down to just being me again. Of all the ways to ruin yourself, even my dog knows you don't crap where you eat. This MA thing was the best thing to have happened to our population in years. Great.

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OK, I am NOT advocating farming. I've tried it more than a few times so I'm no purist, but I'm not good at farming, find it mindlessly repetitious, and especially hate door sitting.

BUT ... that said ...

IF you were to create an arc that was your personal farm ... made it sound like trash (but not a farm) in the discription ... like "The minions of Hellions and the Skulls are fighting for turf in Perez Park again, but with no leaders around to direct them, they are just hurting themselves ... and the trees. The park commissioner wants you to kick them out in this defeat all mission. Length: Very Long"

And then you create a mission with whatever you want ... how can anyone tell. I've been advertising the hell out of my arc and can't get 100 players to try it, let alone 5 star it.

Can't u farm something on your own? This would help me out too because it interrupts me when I get all the "AE Farm?" tells in game. Kind of a "No Ask. No Tell. No Advertsed ... Farm."

Or maybe you could start a Fight Club global channel just for farmers, where you people who farm in PI could invite the people their alreasy farming with into the chat room?

Any mileage in this idea for farmers?

Did they list all the maps removed?

Foremost, I believe the oritinal reason that devs were "against" PLing is that the faster you get to 50, the less incentive you had to keep playing - and paying. After all, while this is a game to us, this is a business for them.

That said, however, in my opinion the devs have done such a great job of providing more and more powersets and content that many/most players (I'm assuming) have developed a feverish case of ALT-itis, just as I have.

For those that argue that MA-PLing takes away the teams they used to have access to, three points: 1) this is an assumption; since that same player could just as easily been someone who mostly soloed, so this has no effect on you; and 2) the player who is using MA-PLing could well be the same person who was PL-ing in PI; 3) this really does appear to be a "selfish" reason to care; basically you're saying is that they put your needs/feelings above their own. Not very realisitc, in my opinion.

Another argument againt PL-ing that doesn't work for me, is the often given excuse that a PL-toon doesn't know how his powers work was well as non-PLs and therefore endanger the group more.

While I know like it sounds like I'm defending PL-ing, the truth of the matter is that I don't engage it in that often. (I have from time to time taken really slow leveling toons like my emp defender into PL situations). But mostly I play solo-able toons, and if I get a request to team, I team - but otherwise am really shy about inviting others to join me. I enjoy large teams, but I'm always passing the star to someone else. I absolutely HATE asking people to join my team. (Don't ask me why. I don't have the time or budget right now for a therapist.)

It is FUNNY IN THE EXTREME that I actually have a level 50 fire/kin troller ... and while I love to play him on big Freak maps, I hardly EVER farm with him. Too shy to ask people to join my "farm." Too polite to ask people to "Fill" which just seems to me like using people. Too outraged by people who actually ask lowbies for payment to team with them.

BUt I digress from my real point about him - and my stable of some dozen other 50s I've earned each level for. The truth is I don't play my 50s as often as my lowbies - so when I do, I often have to totally get refamiliar with my powers.

So don't think that 50 that sucks was PL-ed. He may just be like me. (Some toons I find easier to play right - I have my 50 DB/WP set up for my two combo attacks ... but other toons (like my fire/kin) have so many powers that I "forget" to turn on his Fire Shield because its in the third tier of buttons. And I had to have another Fire/Kin tell me I was crazy and respec into Syphon Speed because when I was a young fire/kin I thought it was just for temp superspeed and didn't realize it sped up recharge of powers.

There are just so many assumptions that people make about this game that are wrong. (Many of course, are right.) But like all generalities, you never know about the specific person you're teaming with.

Untill MA, I could REALLY understane PL-ing throuigh the lowest levels. I HATED going through the same mission arcs or sewers. MA gives me a new way to get throough those levels with fresh content. (I think it was for that reason I went out of my way to may my one arc fully custom-crittered so that anyone could play it at any level - 1-50.)

I guess the only real gripe I have about PL-ing myself is the constant tells you get with the offers to join you. I have a small number of friends who sometimes ask me to join a TF ... and I usually respond Yes to someone who sends me a tell about inviting me to a mission, especially when they give me mob details. I often interrupt my tailor or MA sessions to see who's sending the tell, and respond. But the number of MA farm tells is incredible. At least before, I usually got the bulk of them when I was in PI.

Most things that others do in the game do not effect me -- but everything I do myself affects me. So I'm of the Live and Let Live school, myself.

Life is too short to worry about how someone else is playing a game. At least that's my 2 influence/merits/tickets worth!

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If you watch your tickets really closely, that can help too. Or at least it can help you see how many people have rated you what.

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Exactly what am I looking for and what do I do with the information?

The only MA tickets I've ever used are the ones that I've earned in mission myself ... but all those awarded to me from people playing my arc are still there. Nothing's been touched.

So what gets divided/multiplied/added/or subtracted from what. When I get home and check, I will have three pieces of information: 4 star rating/86 players(?) and the number of MA tickets awarded through that process.

So what's the equation I'd use?

An arc from the global name behind the villianous "Me Am Greatest Hero" and his SG "Bizarre, Ugly and Twisted" --

Wicked, Wicked Wonderland
Arc ID: 1224
Faction: Neutral
Creator:AncientSpirit
Difficulty Level: Medium (3 Missions)
Synopsis:Is the deck stacked against you as you try to save Alice from the Queen of Hearts and her dark secret? Will you fold in the face of custom mobs like the "Not Play With A Full Deck" gang ... or the onslaught of the "Broken Hearts." You may never look at a deck of playing cards the same way again.
Estimated Time to Play: 45 minutes
What I was drinking? ......... Man, you're not supposed to DRINK that stuff!!!!

Hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Since everything I do is a little twisted, be sure to click on all the descriptions of the various mobs you find -- and let me know what you thought of Wonderland's "talking" bombs.

I don't mean to troll or start an argument ... but I must point out that even withouth farming ... I am often able WITHIN JUST ONE OR TWO HOURS take a brand new character from level 1 all the way to level 10.

HOW LONG CAN THIS CONTINUE?????"

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I think a much bigger issue is people thinking their creative works are so profoundly desirable that other people would want to steal them ...

Newsflash - nobody cares! ... There are no MA arcs out there that every player has rushed out to play ... and 95% of the players don't bother to read the flavour text associated with the mission arcs in the game.

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You TOTALLY STOLE THIS POST FROM ME, word for word, as shown in this link right here*

I stayed up 3 nights wordsmithing this reply - and you just TOOK IT from me. This is EXACTLY what everyone is complaining about. And its not just MA arcs. It's farms! It's toons! It's toons that look just like copyrighted toons, all of which were MY IDEAS first.

How foolish one of us must feel right now? And I know in advance what you will say, because you've ALREADY STOLEN the WORDS even as I think them!




*Link not working? You STOLE my link, too!

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I've had 48 plays and 37 ratings. It's been up about two weeks.


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Dec, how do you figure out the number of plays and the number of ratings? I can see that I have a 4 star rating and the number 86 besides it, which I assume is the number of players. But how do you distinguish between plays and ratings?

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Oh, ok. I was afraid that if someone came up with the same name, the first person to publish got the name and the other person had to rename their arc.

So, you could have ten "Bobo's Big Adventure"? Man, that will get confusing.

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Here's some help (right!)

Bobo's Big Adventure
Bobo's BIG Adventure
Bobo's Bigger Adventure
Bobo's BIGGER Adventure
Bobo's Biggest Adventure
Bobo's BIGGEST Adventure
Bobo's BIGGEST Adventure yet!

(And let's not forget Bobo's GREATEST Adventure!!!!!)

Hey, I'm ready for a really BIG series! Don't you let me down now!

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"Because good storytelling is timeless."

that's just not true.

read any 19th century classic - they are terrible to read now.
storytelling is a skill and style which develops over time.

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Aren't we lucky that we've evolved past the amateur story-telling fumblings of Dickens and Twain.

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I prefer Robert Louis Stevenson and Arthur Conan Doyle myself.


Edit: Forgot Jules Verne. (Translated since I don't read French.) Anybody else want to chime in?

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Hamlet doesn't stand up very well, either.