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--A Cake of
Ten Candles | The Asylum Celebrates --(12/31/2007)
| It was ten years
ago to the day that a small web site on the free servers at
GeoCities went online with some computer game reviews, a few random
pictures, and a lot of lofty promises. The last decade has
seen changes at The Asylum beyond the imaginations of its creators.
|
 |
For
a time, at the end of the last century, Insane Entertainment - then
INSANE Online - became a hub of game scoops, reviews,
screenshots, and digital media. A burgeoning music section
provided MIDI downloads, early MP3s, and links to RealAudio song
captures. SaneSoft became Insane Software and
then Smoke Zone Interactive, as the Asylum's predecessors
gave rise to a fast-paced and profitable web browser design
business.
In 2000, buffeted by the release of its successful
Expedition web browser, Smoke Zone Interactive reformed itself
as XL Digital Software, and continued to market innovative
internet products with a view toward custom solutions.
Corporate clients reached across the globe, from the United States
to Europe and Australia. The new Neon browser was
hailed for its early implementation of tabbed browsing, its security
features, and its sleek interface.
At the same time, Insane Entertainment opened its first
online literary magazine, Virge Publishing, which later
became Shell Beach Press before it was finally rolled into
the brand new Asylum as the
Storyteller,
where it still resides today.
While web design took over the technical side of the
operation and transitioned into
Sovereign Studios
- still operating today - Insane Entertainment developed more online
content, an award-winning choose-your-own-adventure-style
interactive experience that has entertained hundreds of thousands of
visitors over the years.
Marked change has continued to define The Asylum's recent
history. As creator Evan Kilgore came out with his first
novel, Who is Shayla Hacker,
in the spring of 2007, the Asylum itself has remained relatively
static while EvanKilgore.com
has taken a more prominent role.
Far from defunct, though, the Asylum looks forward to what
could be the most exciting and tumultuous year, to date. While
Evan Kilgore prepares his second novel, The Children of Black
Valley, for publication in the summer of 2008, another project
may yet reform this web site once again.
In a medium, itself, still relatively young, The Asylum has
established itself as an original voice, and a longtime creative
force outliving and outlasting many of its contemporaries.
It has been an eventful decade since this web site first went
live, and The Asylum looks forward to another ten years of
distinctly disturbed entertainment. |
--New Site
Launched--(2/20/2006)
Asylum creator Evan
Kilgore has launched his official web site,
EvanKilgore.com, as he prepares
to promote his first novel, to be released in Spring, 2007 by
Bleak House Books. The
site plans on featuring exclusive content that includes inside information
on developing projects and bonus extras for existing materials, once they
are released. It will be updated regularly as Evan's first book approaches
release.
--A Year of
Change--(1/1/2006)
Undergoing perhaps
one of its longest stretches with no updates, The Asylum nevertheless looks
forward to a banner year in 2006, as a number of new upcoming announcements
will quite likely change operations significantly. Details cannot yet be
revealed. It may be several months. But it's coming...
--Construction in New Ward--(2/27/2005)
The Asylum's in-house
archeological crew has deemed more of the Hiram Gilbert Gray
Special Treatment Ward fit for public habitation. Though it is
far from complete in its availability, perhaps some of what has now been
revealed can shed light on existing unsolved cases.
--New Life at The Asylum--(1/1/2005)
In a landmark move
designed to breathe new life into a stale institution, The Asylum has opened
up the Hiram Gilbert Gray
Special Treatment Ward to public tours. The area is constantly
expanding as authorities approve new rooms for exhibition.
--State of The Asylum Address--(12/29/2004)
With The Asylum's
hallowed halls starting to show signs of weathering and neglect, it prompts
the question: what has become of what was once perhaps the leading combined
psychiatric ward and entertainment mega complex of the Internet? Has
it been forgotten, left to rot in the wilting remains of a bygone era?
Or is there hope for life, for a phoenix from the ashes of past glory? They
are not easy questions; rather, they are problems that have faced this
institution for months, even years. The management is dedicated to the
upkeep of this fine tradition, but with the forever-increasing complexities
of modern life, is its maintenance practical? We can promise nothing,
but there is still life within these walls. The Asylum shall never
die. Never.
--Storyteller Surprised by New Find--(8/2/2004)
Still reeling from
the shock of terminating her lengthy silence, the Storyteller was pleasantly
surprised to find yet another new piece of work.
Love Story,
by Ron & Carolyn Kinsman is now in the Storyteller's spotlight.
--The Storyteller Finds New Gem--(7/24/2004)
After months of
stagnant solitude, the Storyteller has at last uncovered a new piece of
work, not surprisingly from Asylum familiar and veteran scribe, Barbara.
Women,
her latest piece, is now on display in the Storyteller's modest abode.
--Insane Entertainment Launches Sovereign Studios--(2/22/2004)
In an effort to
better serve our customers, Insane Entertainment has migrated its web and
software design division from XL Digital Design to Sovereign Studios in
Los Angeles. In doing so, we hope to consolidate our creative
development and artistic design services to create a unified public
relations department. Sovereign Studios has launched its web site here.
--Asylum Back from the Dead--(9/5/2003)
Due to internal
server errors, The Asylum went dark for a couple of days. Power has
been restored, however, and all of our services are back online. We
apologize for the inconvenience.
--Storyteller Uncovers New Gems--(8/2/2003)
The Storyteller has
unearthed yet another fine piece from veteran contributor Barbara.
This one, a short story, entitled Eyes Black as Night is now
available in her room.
--Severed Ties--(Independence Day 2003)
The Asylum will be
unable to respond to any emails we receive or update any information on the
web site from July 5, 2003 through July 20, 2003. We look forward to
resuming regular operation upon our return, and thank you for your patience
and understanding.
--Art, Stories, and Biographies Rain on the Storyteller--(6/25/2003)
The Storyteller has
uncovered several pieces by veteran contributor Barbara, one of which is a
short piece of fiction, entitled, Purple Fishes and the Blue Sea of
Dreams that accompanies the artwork by Chardokk of the same piece.
The second, My Father the Shoemaker, is a short biographical essay.
Both are on display at the Storyteller's grotto.
--Five
O'Clock Strikes No More--(6/18/2003)
The Five O'Clock Club
Forum has been closed. We apologize for any inconvenience this may
have caused you and would like to thank everyone who has contributed to it
in the past.
--Storyteller
Cuddled, Kissed, Stroked, and Loved--(6/7/2003)
The storyteller
has uncovered another fine piece of poetry, this one from first-time
contributor Tanja Hanschur. Written in German and translated into
English in a second stanza, Spürst
du es? is now on display in the Storyteller's room.
--Storyteller
Eyed--(2/28/2003)
The Storyteller
has added to her growing art collection a combination of painting and
photography submitted by veteran contributor Barbara that works along the
theme of "crystal eyes." It is now on display in the
Storyteller's room.
--Storyteller
Deluged with More Work--(2/26/2003)
Veteran
contributor Barbara has sent along another fine short story that pleases
the Storyteller, and alongside her latest piece is displayed the work of a
first-time contributor, Lyecoatha Dawnfrye, who makes a fine debut with
poetry. Both entries are available in the Storyteller's room.
--Storyteller
Finds New Paintings--(2/24/2003)
Previous
contributor Chardokk has now branched out into artwork that just so
happens to appeal to the Storyteller as well. She now displays it
proudly in her humble abode.
--Storyteller
Finds New Short Story--(2/22/2003)
Continuing to dig
through her archives and new arrivals, The Storyteller has uncovered
another new short story, The Main in the Mirror, by returning
contributor Chardokk. She is now giving readings in her
shrine.
--Storyteller
Patron of the Arts--(2/19/2003)
The Storyteller
has selected yet another art gallery to join the growing collection that
adorns her walls. The Barbara Gallery 2 represents the
artist's first foray into painting, with admirable results. Now on
display at The Storyteller's room.
--Storyteller's
Archive Grows--(2/2/2003)
In her first
addition of the season, the Storyteller has uncovered work from new
contributor Chardokk. The piece, entitled The Three Wishes: A
Tale of Misunderstanding, is extremely short but unique and
interesting nonetheless. It is now available at the Storyteller's
room.
--The
Asylum Honored--(1/31/2003)
The Asylum was
honored today by the Four Elements group, which awarded this facility
their top honor, the Gold Demiurgus Award for style, content and
design. We proudly accept the award and display it on our brochure.
--The
Day The Asylum Went Live--(New Year's Eve)
December 31 marks
the actual date of inception, when, five years ago, Insane Entertainment
(then INSANE Online) went live. The facility has developed a great
deal since its opening as a small personal web site, and now serves
hundreds of thousands of visitors with creative content, engaging
characters, and unprecedented service. The faculty and staff of the
facility would like to thank our visitors and contributors for helping to
make it what it is, and we invite you to keep coming back.
--Asylum
Celebrates Fifth Birthday--(Christmas Eve)
The weathered
walls of The Asylum bear the brunt of yet another late December rain
storm. Droplets pelt against the stone walls and rippled glass,
while inside hearths glow with crackling firelight and patients huddle
into cloistered beds. The institution was brought online shortly
after Christmas, 1997, and has since served over 300,000 visitors with
news, reviews, literature, music, and more. Faculty tonight toasted
the facility's longevity and pledged to keep it going in the future.
--Storyteller
Uncovers New Work--(12/1/2002)
In pawing through
her piles of art and literature, the Storyteller has uncovered yet another
fine piece of work from repeat contributor Barbara. Candles and
Oils is now available in her room.
--Asylum
Reopens XL Digital Design--(11/20/2002)
Closed since late
August, Insane Entertainment's premiere web design company has now
reopened its doors at www.insaneonline.com/xldigital.
The change was made for several reasons, foremost among them the desire to
strengthen the bond between the two companies and incorporate them
together as a more cohesive whole. Our dedication to our clients
remains untouched, as does our service.
--Storyteller
Unearths New Work--(11/17/2002)
The Storyteller
uncovered yet another artifact from prolific contributor Barbara, entitled
Guardian Angel. A short story, it is now available in the
Storyteller's room.
--Excavation
Team Opens Another Chamber--(11/4/2002)
The Underground
excavation team has cleared out yet another chamber in the string of
mysterious caverns beneath the facility.
--Asylum
Underground Swallows Orderly--(Halloween)
One member of The
Asylum's medical staff has disappeared; several witnesses confirmed seeing
him last entering the newly-excavated Underground portions of the
facility. He had mentioned a quest of sorts that he claimed he was
going to perform for an elderly couple. Friends and others close to
the orderly said that he had been preoccupied for some time with his dead
grandparents but that he had never mentioned this exact scenario
before. Several of unconfirmed reports corroborate his sightings
from down below. There is no evidence, but definitely a strong
suggestion that the couple does exist. Asylum spokespeople were
unavailable for comment on the matter, but several workers, who asked to
remain anonymous, said that they had heard voices and seen lights in the
older chambers beneath the sub-basement. The origins of these
anomalies have not yet been determined.
--Asylum
Underground Opens its Doors --(10/30/2002)
Though the
excavated area is not terribly extensive yet, The Asylum has opened up
portions of its newly-discovered Underground area to the public. It
can be found through the door on the far left of the Main Hall or right
here.
--Hints
of New Areas to be Discovered in Asylum--(10/29/2002)
Research and
exploration teams at The Asylum have reported massive, ancient chambers
beneath the main hallway of the facility. Some of the building's
basements and sub-levels do reach into this area, but much of it appears
to be the left over remains of a Civil War fortress that sat on The
Asylum's plot before the hospital was constructed in 1897. The team
is currently in the process of illuminating the caves, and promises to
report what they find. Visitor tours are already in the works.
--An
End to the Downtime--(10/28/2002)
The Asylum
apologizes for recent problems in accessing the facility. They were
related to the central domain name server system, and have now been
fixed.
--Storyteller
Carries Poems with Her--(9/15/2002)
The Storyteller
has begun reading the latest piece of uncovered poetry, entitled I
Carried with Me Poems, by returning author Ross MacDonald.
--Five
O'Clock Club Back in Action--(9/15/2002)
The trusty
maintenance team at The Asylum has fixed the technical difficulties that
prevented the Five O'Clock Club from meeting over the past few days.
Previous records of their conversations were erased because of the
problem, but it should not occur again. They would like to apologize
for the outage.
--Five
O'Clock Club MIA--(9/12/2002)
The Five O'Clock
Club Forum is temporarily closed. Maintenance has been called, but
there are no guarantees about their ETA. The Asylum's support staff
is notoriously slow, due to frequent patient outbursts and other, more
pressing matters.
--Poetry
Rings Out from Storyteller's Room--(8/27/2002)
Inspired by a
Gypsy, the new poem entitled "Footprints," written by Massouma,
floated into the Storyteller's room and she has begun giving readings to
passers-by.
--Storyteller's
Private Art Collection Grows--(8/24/2002)
The Storyteller
further adorns her walls with photography from the productive artist
Barbara. Three galleries full of photographic art are now available
in the Storyteller's room.
--Storyteller
Reemerges with New Pieces--(8/22/2002)
As soon as the
dust had settled from the move, the Storyteller was already giving
readings of two new poems by Shirley, entitled The Colour of My Eyes
and Title. They are available in her room.
--Asylum
Reopens its Doors on Sunshine--(8/22/2002)
The Asylum and
its staff have now completely relocated to southern California, and have
resumed normal operations and electronic communication. All is well
in the large, brick edifice.
--Asylum
Staff Moves South--(8/16/2002)
As promised at
the beginning of the month, the faculty and staff of The Asylum are now
mobilizing for a mass exodus to California. This facility's services
will remain available during the move, but there will be no updates, and
the Storyteller will not be reviewing any submissions until the dust has
settled.
--Software,
Design Divisions in Question--(8/16/2002)
The software and
design divisions of Insane Entertainment, hosted and maintained by XL
Digital, have been temporarily taken off-line, following a campaign of
restructuring within the company. Whether they will be absorbed by
Insane Entertainment or shut down entirely remains to be seen, but site
design service will continue in one form or another.
--Twins
Try Their Hands at Tactical Shooter--(8/8/2002)
The Twins have
posted their review of Novalogic's Delta Force: Task Force Dagger,
though they were not in the least impressed. The game earned a 37.5%
in an overall run-down, though interested parties can find the details here.
--Asylum
Prepares to Move South--(8/1/2002)
In a move that
has been in the planning stages for some time now, The Asylum is now
undergoing final preparations for its relocation to Los Angeles,
California from its current home in Tacoma, Washington. Set to take
place around the middle of this month, the change will not have any
lasting effect on the institution's facilities, but will represent a minor
interruption in service, whose duration is expected to be a week or
two. More information will be posted here when available.
--Doors
Reopen--(7/23/2002)
The Asylum's
faculty have returned to their respective jobs, and are ready to assist
both patients and visitors in their endeavors at the institution. The
Storyteller once more welcomes submissions, and all departments are
functioning normally. The management wishes to thank you for your patience
and understanding.
--Out-of-touch--(Independence
Day)
The Asylum's
faculty will be unavailable by e-mail beginning Saturday, July 6, 2002,
and ending on July 23. During this time, no submissions to the
Storyteller will be reviewed or printed, and no messages will be replied
to. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you, and look
forward to resuming our regular service upon our return.
--Storyteller
Flies, Shrieks, Rattles, and Rolls--(6/8/2002)
The Storyteller
has uncovered a unique piece of short fiction by author "Spooky D.J."
and is now giving readings in her room. She is pleased that the
creative streams never seem to run dry in The Asylum.
--Storyteller
Finds New Artwork--(6/1/2002)
The Storyteller
recently recovered the second gallery collection to add to her room
festooned with creative endeavors of all kinds. Barbara now joins
Claudio Parentela as an artist in residence.
--Storyteller
Keeps Digging--(5/13/2002)
The Storyteller
has uncovered several new little morsels--an essay from returning author
Ross MacDonald and two pieces of poetry from first-time contributor
Dathius Lughan.
--Storyteller
Uncovers New Submission--(5/6/2002)
The Storyteller
has expanded her library yet again, with Grue a poem by Rink, who
is a first-time contributor to The Asylum's growing
collection.
--Multilingual
Storyteller Reads On--(4/13/2002)
Continuing
contributor Barbara has sent along two more submissions, one a short story
about voodoo in German and French (sorry, no English translation is
available at this time), and a short poem.
--Asylum
Opens Forum for Visitors--(4/10/2002)
In an effort to
help our visitors connect with each other and with our patients, The
Asylum has now officially opened The
Five O'Clock Club Forums to the public. It is our hope to
foster a healthy, communicative community that bridges the gap between
voluntary and involuntary residents. We welcome your input.
--Storyteller
Continues Serial--(4/1/2002)
Working her way
through page after page of the so-called Hair serial, the
Storyteller once again reads words written by repeat contributor Barbara.
--Trilingual
Storyteller Finds More--(3/31/2002)
The Storyteller
has uncovered work by Eva von Austria and has begun reading it in English
and German. Her vast collection of stories and experiences continues
to grow.
--Storyteller
Continues Delving--(3/30/2002)
More work from
prolific author Barbara has been discovered, and the Storyteller is
reading it over as we speak.
--Main
Hall Receives Slight Update--(3/27/2002)
Bricklayers at
The Asylum decided it was time to update the main hall, and added several
graphical elements to the borders around the main navigation area.
--Storyteller
Uncovers More, Becomes Bilingual--(3/26/2002)
The Storyteller
has unearthed more short stories and poetry by Barbara, and has begun
practicing her French accent for readings of the latest addition: "A
Trois." The French poem represents the first foreign language
submission to The Asylum.
--Storyteller
Deluged with New Findings--(3/23/2002)
Searching
feverishly through a pile of new volumes discovered this weekend, the
Storyteller turned up quite a host of new work, and she is currently
giving readings in her room. New pieces include three short stories
by first-time contributor Barbara, and five pieces from Chris Weige.
--Rhetoric
Magazine Updates the Press Center--(2/8/2002)
Rhetoric
Magazine's headquarters here at the Asylum has finally been renovated
to match the other departments' appearances. It has also been
updated with a working e-mail subscription system (as opposed to the
hopelessly outdated one previously in place).
--Maestro
Aims to Please--(1/4/2002)
Responding to a
visitor request, the Maestro has added Pink Floyd's Comfortably Numb--in
MP3 format--to his playlist. He placed it snugly in a zip file to
afford easy and fast download, though the high-quality recording still
weighs in at almost 6MB. Enjoy!
--New
Issue of Rhetoric Magazine--(Christmas Eve)
And behold, the
machines within The Asylum's press room were silent no longer. At
long last, more than six months after the last issue was published, Rhetoric
Magazine, The Asylum's in-house newsletter, has published yet another
issue. Catch up on the official source for news from the unbalanced
at the Press Center.
--Disturbances
Reported in Some Wings--(Halloween)
The Asylum has
received several reports of abnormal disturbances in different wings of
the facility, most of them very lightly populated by patients under
minimum security, who value their privacy the most. One such
patient, Maude S. Roarke, is currently missing, though her record
indicates that she has been given to wander at times. Members of the
Asylum's Board of Directors would like to stress that no supernatural
circumstances are even being considered at this time. "That's
not even something we're looking at," one executive, who chose to
remain anonymous, told media representatives late Wednesday, acknowledging
the public's prejudices when it comes to both October 31st and facilities
like the Asylum. "Most likely," the contact went on to
say, "it's just kids playing pranks." Rhetoric Magazine,
the Asylum's in-house periodical, is working on a related story for their
next issue.
--Storyteller
Becomes Patron of the Arts--(10/26/2001)
The Storyteller
added to her eclectic collection of short stories, poetry, and drama her
first pieces of art. Adorning her walls are pieces from the Claudio
Parentela Gallery, which include both color and black-and-white
drawings and paintings. The Asylum is proud of its
contributors!
--The
Twins Play Wargames--(10/7/2001)
Not only have the
Twins been relatively interested in the possibilities of nuclear winter,
giant killer dolphins, and mind control, they've gone to the trouble of
reviewing their latest occupation--Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2
gets an 89%, according to The Asylum's in-house gamers. Check out
the review here.
--Twins'
Room Gets Renovation--(10/7/2001)
Following its
pattern of revamping inmates' rooms, The Asylum is pleased to announce
that the Twins' humble abode has been completely redesigned to match
their fellow residents' new motifs.
--Storyteller
Gets New Submission--(9/23/2001)
She turns from
one tattered piece of paper to another, her voice now echoing over the
haunting lines of Life on a Recently Discovered Planet, by Mwila
Zaza.
--News
Room, Maestro's Room Get a Renovation--(9/14/2001)
At long last, the
Asylum has granted the Maestro a renovation, and his room has been
completely redone with a similar design to the Storyteller's. Likewise,
the area in which visitors and inmates alike gather to exchange news and
information has been redesigned in a similar fashion.
--Storyteller Adds to
Her Archive--(9/12/2001)
The Storyteller has uncovered a
new submission, and is now giving readings. She welcomes The Infinite
Sadness by Andy Holcom.
--A Day of
Mourning--(9/11/2001)
The Asylum would like to express
its horror at the events of today, Tuesday, September 11th, 2001. Never
did we think that we would see the type of terrorist acts performed against New
York and Washington, D.C., in the United States as we did today. We, like
people around the world, are holding our collective breath to see what will
happen next, but our thoughts are with the families and friends of the injured
and the dead who woke up this morning, as we did, expecting just another day in
September.
--The Twins Grab
Guns--(8/9/2001)
The Twins were delighted to
discover the new third-person shooter, Max Payne, and have made public
their comments on the game. Check out the review here.
--The Palladium Opens
its Doors--(8/5/2001)
The Palladium Theatre, a
long-closed and dusty wing to The Asylum, has finally been opened to the
public. While unfortunately director Emma Ristagno's disappearance leaves
the patients' production of Shakespeare's Macbeth indefinitely postponed,
there are a few first-looks at the upcoming stop-motion animated film, Henrytown.
Visit The Palladium.
--New Tour
Guide Hired--(8/5/2001)
At last our guide to
new visitors has been revamped to offer a more sightly and helpful introduction
to the world of The Asylum. Check it out here.
--More Tomes at the
Storyteller--(7/21/2001)
She stays busy for an old woman:
uncovered today were Guaranteed to Lead You to an Asylum, Munchkin and The
Silent Watcher by Ross and Mike MacDonald, and The Meaning of Life by
Asylum General Manager Evan Kilgore.
--Storyteller's
Room Renovated--(7/21/2001)
At last she pulls the drop-cloths
from her furniture, and as she does so, her murals watch her, still glistening
with fresh paint. The Storyteller's room has at last received a
renovation.
--Rhetoric Issue
#5 Released--(7/20/2001)
At long last, the latest issue of Rhetoric
magazine has been released at the Asylums press
room. An explanation of why it took so long for this issue to come
out makes one of the periodical's headlines.
--New Material at the
Storyteller's Room--(7/19/2001)
The Storyteller has uncovered yet
more material, this time covering fiction, fantasy, and mythology. She is
now reading Lord Bafford's Sceptor by Mike MacDonald and Jon Hamilton, Legend
of the Elements by Ross MacDonald and Mike MacDonald, and Police and the
Owls by Mike MacDonald.
--Storyteller's Voice
Begins Again--(7/7/2001)
With the reopening of The Asylum's
doors, the Storyteller's voice can already be heard echoing off of the brick
walls, reverberating throughout the installation as she reads two new
submissions: The Power by Sarah, and Morphine by Sarah DeHaas.
--Normal
Service Resumed--(7/7/2001)
The Asylum is pleased to announce
that its doors are now open once more, and it is inviting both visitors and
their input!
--The Asylum Clears its
Outbox--(6/21/2001)
Though visitors to the Asylum are
still welcome over the next several weeks, staff members and attendants will be
unavailable to interact with you for two weeks, starting Sunday, June 24,
2001. Rest assured, patient care is still the installation's top priority,
and our residents will not be neglected during our public absence. We look
forward to continuing our services upon our return.
--New Submission at the
Storyteller--(6/12/2001)
Uncovered today is Mwila Agatha
Zaza's The Greatest Writer that Ever Lived! Head on over to the
Storyteller's den to check it out.
--Storyteller's
Collection Grows--(Memorial Day)
On a slow, rainy day in The
Asylum--Memorial Day 2001--the Storyteller has uncovered yet another new piece
of work: The Final Words by Ross MacDonald.
--More New Submissions
Uncovered--(5/23/2001)
Unearthed today are Estrellas,
Human, Journey to Jerusalem, No Choice, and Sunday by Manuel Fischer
and Papyrus by Mwila Zaza. Visitors can listen in as the
Storyteller reads them.
--New Storyteller
Items--(5/21/2001)
The Storyteller has unearthed two
new items--Death Marches by Ross MacDonald and Channeling Bill Hicks
by Chris Weige--and is now giving readings. Visitors can listen in from
the doorway.
Update: War of the Elements, a short mythological piece by Ross
MacDonald, was also uncovered this afternoon, and is available for reading in
the Storyteller's room.
--Asylum Hall of Records
Coming Online--(5/4/2001)
The Asylum is making an effort to
move into the twenty-first century, and has begun uploading its case profiles to
the new Hall of Records, a refurbished room just off of the main hall.
More will come online as the Asylum continues to modernize its records.
--The Asylum Takes a
Bow--(3/8/2001)
The Asylum has been the recipient
of two major Internet awards lately: The International Association of Webmasters
and Designers' Golden Web Award for 2001-2002, and the Angells Graphics Rare Gem
Award for Excellence. Critics noted: "We have reviewed [The
Asylum] and found it to be creative and full of content. It offers a
useful service to the Internet community. It is easy to use,
friendly, and graphically pleasing. It enhances the originality of the
Internet community." The awards have been proudly placed in the
Asylum's About page.
--Additions to the
Storyteller--(3/6/2001)
Her voice can be heard, echoing
out through the gaping door behind which she reads all day and all night.
Word has it, the Storyteller has come across several new pieces of
work.
--Atrium Blockage
Removed--(2/19/2001)
Maintenance crews finally removed
a few fallen trees that were blocking the path leading through the atrium in the
Asylum's attic. Visitors are welcome to spend their time in the warm,
moist, room, lit by natural sunlight from the arching, domed
ceiling.
--Rhetoric Issue
#4--(2/17/2001)
Curious about Pamela Harmon's
mysterious suicide attempt involving ostrich feathers and a book from the
turn-of-the-century? Interested to learn the opinion of patient Warren
Egger, admittedly on the brink of insanity? Hear about the two security
guards who went missing in the attic while searching for a rainbow? Check
out Issue #4 of
the Asylum's in-house periodical, Rhetoric, or head over to the press
center to subscribe free.
--Rhetoric Issue
#3--(1/7/2001)
Issue #3 of our in-house magazine,
Rhetoric, has been released over at the Asylum's press
center. Three new columns that will continue to appear in
subsequent issues have been added: Opinion & Judgment, Travel & Fantasy,
and La Vaca Loca. Have a look at the
new issue today, and sign up to receive Rhetoric by e-mail at the
press center.
--Review
Added--(1/6/2001)
The twins have added a review
of Carmageddon 3: TDR2000. The twins remember their days of driving
fondly, and wish they could have done so as it is depicted in this game.
The Asylum staff would like to comment that there is a reason they are in this
facility.
--Compaq/Win2000 Modem
Fix--(1/4/2001)
For those of you experiencing
problems with your Compaq WinModem in Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional (as
noted in our review
of the operating system), Robert Adams has sent word that Compaq now has a
software fix for the issue. You can download it here.
Thanks, Robert!
--Rhetoric Launched--(11/27/2000)
The Asylum has launched a
newspaper of its own that will be distributed free via e-mail. It will
contain news about the facility as well as stories about the various inmates
here. You can sign up for a free subscription at the here,
or to learn more, visit the Press
Center.
--Dinner in The
Asylum--(Thanksgiving)
As the rain poured down in sheets
on the corrugated metal roof of The Asylum, inmates gathered in the central
cafeteria (located in the basement of the building) to partake of the cooking
staff's piéce
de resistánce,
a turkey hand picked from the facility's coops. The cafeteria was bathed
in flickering candlelight, and several inmates remarked that the occasion was
quite enjoyable. Others took it upon themselves to use the distraction as
an opportunity to escape. An attempt was made at 8:32 P.M. to drill
through one of the aging walls of the West Wing by several previously docile
parties, but they were detained and locked up by Asylum staff. The Asylum
would like to assure Washington citizens that there is no danger of such an
attempt succeeding.
On a more sentimental note, a few of the janitorial staff,
while cleaning out portions of the facility's internal archives, came across an
entry into the manager's diary from Thanksgiving 1998:
Just wanted to
wish all ye a happy Thanksgiving (at least, all the ones that visit my site
regularly ;-) The turkey is cooking right now, and damn, it smells good! At any
rate, just wanted to check in on the site. Hopefully there will be more reviews
and updates shortly-- I'm looking into getting both Blood 2 and Half Life, as
well as Carmageddon 2 whenever that comes out, and I'm getting ready to slap up
reviews of Sin and Trespasser. That's all for now!
How amusing. Records from The Asylum's early days do tend to bring back
old memories. And where, one might wonder, will the large brick
installation be in November 2002? Only time will tell (with the notable
exception of a few of our inmates).
--Up and
Running--(Thanksgiving)
For three or four days now, the
Asylum has sat in darkness, unavailable to any visitors, a cold monolithic
structure all alone in the night. At last, mechanics have jury-rigged a
system of old wiring behind the moth-eaten insulation of the old building's
walls and the installation is back up and running. We welcome all
visitors.
--Inmates
Erupt--(10/13/2000)
Though The Asylum prides itself on
state-of-the-art security, it was unable to control an eruption of its inmates
at 12:01 last night as the day crossed over to Friday the 13th with a full
moon. Despite the fact that there are no windows to the outside world in
any of the areas where inmates are allowed, each seemed to know of the situation
naturally. Among the varying reactions were violent attacks upon one
another, seizures, self-inflicted wounds, and escape attempts. Inventory
confirms that no patients escaped, though some of the staff claims that one or
two cannot be found in the depths of the Asylum.
--Game Programming
Progress--(9/29/2000)
A great deal of progress has been
made on the game currently under development at XL Digital Games. Since
the last update (here at The Asylum, anyway), the entire tactical level has been
completed, and work has begun on the strategic level. While the end is in
sight, it will still be a while longer before the programming portion of the
project is complete.
--XL Digital Games
Site--(9/10/2000)
XL Digital's Games web site has
been updated with a whole new motif. Vaguely resembling The Asylum, La
Isla del Desconocido--"The Island of the Unknown"--is sure to give you
a far more interesting experience than its previous iteration. Check it
out here.
--Game
Update--(9/8/2000)
In case you have not been checking
our game's progress
page, we are making a little progress here and there.
Communication systems are now complete, and we are concentrating on events,
which are activated by the triggers so recently completed. While triggers
took about a week to get through roughly sixty, events are moving much more
slowly, due to the complexity of the project. Currently, we have completed
three out of about seventeen.
--Event Triggers
Complete--(9/2/2000)
XL Digital Games reports that a
major milestone in game programming has been reached: the event trigger system
is now completely coded. This does not account for any new triggers that
may be needed when map design commences, but it is still something to take note
of, since the project included the addition of a great deal of code at more than
sixty places throughout the game.
--Looking for Game
Info?--(8/28/2000)
XL Digital Software released a
page dedicated to keeping you up-to-date during the design process of our
collaborative game. Click here
to see statistics on the project's progress, including a component-by-component
rundown of where we are!
--Programming
Progress--(8/27/2000)
Our turn-based strategy game,
being developed with XL Digital
Games, is coming along nicely. Last week, primary AI coding was
completed, and we are now turning our focus to event triggers. Artificial
Intelligence was one of the more complicated portions of the project, and with
it done, the game is looking more and more promising. After event trigger
work has reached an end, we will turn to the strategic (as opposed to tactical)
portion of the game, then the mission editor, and finally the missions
themselves. The tentative release date is still Summer 2001, and more
information will be posted here when progress continues.
--Game
Update--(8/10/2000)
The science-fiction turn-based
strategy game we are designing with XL Digital Games is coming along quite
nicely. Basic engine programming is almost complete, and from there we
will be moving into AI, mission structure, and editing software. We hope
to complete the majority of the coding by the end of August, and put together
the missions and plot over the coming year. Our projections show
completion in time for summer of 2001. Questions or comments can be
directed to games@xldigital.net,
and an unofficial XL Digital Games web site is available here.
We will be presenting more information as it becomes available and as the
project progresses.
--Vacation--(7/11/2000)
Managing parties of The Asylum
will be gone on vacation from July 12, 2000 to July 30, 2000. During this
time, no e-mails will be answered, though this web site will remain
available. We thank you for your understanding.
--Audio Requests
Posted--(7/8/2000)
The musician is now playing
several requests taken down a while ago. You can find them with him.
--The Musician is
Back!--(7/6/2000)
After a prolonged silence, the
musician is back, and is now allowing visitors to listen to his music. We
are glad to have this generous patient back in our midst, and hope you enjoy his
services as much as we all do.
--New Domain--(7/6/2000)
Our software division, XL Digital
Software, has purchased its own domain name, xldigital.net. The domain it
is currently using, smokezone.net, will soon be used for something new, though
we are not as yet sure what it will be.
--Library Added--(Fourth of July)
The Bricklayer has added a library
and atrium to the depths of The Asylum.
--Game in
Development--(Fourth of July)
Working with our software
division, XL Digital Software, we are designing a top-down turn-based strategy
game. At the moment, it is unsure whether it will ever be publicly
distributed--on this web site or anywhere else--but it is definitely looking
promising at the moment. More news on the subject will be posted as events
warrant...
--More
Depths--(6/29/2000)
Even more areas have been added to
the innards of The Asylum. Can you find them?
--Lots of
Patients--(6/29/2000)
Amazing! We have surpassed
250,000 visitors. The Asylum has become quite a popular place.
Thanks for visiting, everyone!
--New
Areas--(6/21/2000)
The depths of The Asylum have
expanded. What will you find?
--New
Article--(5/27/2000)
A new article has been
unearthed and placed with the fragments of the others above the fireplace in the
main hall. It may prove to be quite interesting.
--Additions--(5/8/2000)
More areas have been added
to The Asylum. An area in which you can converse with our architect is now
available from the main office, and we also unearthed some newspaper articles
about this facility.
--More Departments
Remodeled--(5/7/2000)
More portions of The
Asylum have been updated with the latest coats of paint and wallpaper. The
Twins and Musician are now available for service.
--The Asylum
Opens--(5/7/2000)
At last, the doors of
the asylum are open, and already, throngs of patients and visitors are filling
the wards here. Our top-of-the-line facilities are taking good care of all
of our guests, and further renovation is planned in the near future.
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