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Marc Laidlaw
Marc Laidlaw (born August 3, 1960) is an American writer of science fiction and horror, musician, and a former writer for the video game company Valve. He is most famous for working on Valve's ''Half-Life'' series. Biography Laidlaw was born and raised in Laguna Beach, California. He attended the University of Oregon, where he tried, and was discouraged by, punched card computer programming. He wrote short stories and his first novel, ''Dad's Nuke'', was published in 1985. This was followed by several more novels over the next decade, but he worked as a legal secretary in San Francisco for a living. Laidlaw had played computer and arcade games, but was not intrigued until he played ''Myst'' (1993). He obsessed over ''Myst'' and bought a new computer so that he could play it at his San Francisco home. He wrote ''The Third Force'' (1996), a tie-in novel based on the world created by the ''Gadget'' computer game. His favorite PC game is '' Thief: The Dark Project''. La ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Laguna Beach, California
Laguna Beach (; ''Laguna'', Spanish language, Spanish for "Lagoon") is a seaside resort city located in southern Orange County, California, in the United States. It is known for its mild year-round climate, scenic coves, environmental preservation efforts, and artist community. The population in the 2020 United States census, 2020 census was 23,032. Historically settled by Paleoindians, the Tongva people, and then Mexico, the location became part of the United States following the Mexican–American War. Laguna Beach was settled in the 1870s, officially founded in 1887, and in 1927 its current government was incorporated as a city. The city adopted the Council–manager government, council–manager form of government in 1944. The city has remained relatively isolated from urban encroachment by its surrounding hills, limited highway access, and dedicated Green belt, greenbelt. The Laguna Beach coastline is protected by of state marine protected area, marine reserve and an addit ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Amateur Radio
Amateur radio, also known as ham radio, is the use of the radio frequency spectrum for purposes of non-commercial exchange of messages, wireless experimentation, self-training, private recreation, radiosport, contesting, and emergency communications. The term "amateur" is used to specify "a duly authorised person interested in radioelectric practice with a purely personal aim and without pecuniary interest;" (either direct monetary or other similar reward) and to differentiate it from commercial broadcasting, public safety (such as police and fire), or professional two-way radio services (such as maritime, aviation, taxis, etc.). The amateur radio service (''amateur service'' and '' amateur-satellite service'') is established by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) through the Radio Regulations. National governments regulate technical and operational characteristics of transmissions and issue individual station licenses with a unique identifying call sign, which mus ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dota 2
''Dota 2'' is a 2013 multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) video game by Valve. The game is a sequel to ''Defense of the Ancients'' (''DotA''), a community-created mod for Blizzard Entertainment's '' Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos.'' ''Dota 2'' is played in matches between two teams of five players, with each team occupying and defending their own separate base on the map. Each of the ten players independently controls a powerful character known as a "hero" that all have unique abilities and differing styles of play. During a match players collect experience points and items for their heroes to successfully defeat the opposing team's heroes in player versus player combat. A team wins by being the first to destroy the other team's "Ancient", a large structure located within their base. Development of ''Dota 2'' began in 2009 when IceFrog, lead designer of ''Defense of the Ancients'', was hired by Valve to create a modernized remake for them in the Source game engine. It was re ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Episode Two
''Episode II'', ''Episode 2'' or ''Episode Two'' may refer to: * ''Episode II'' (album), an album by Safri Duo * ''Episode II'' (EP), an EP by Eiffel 65 * "Episode 2" (song), a song by Dragon Ash * "Episode 2" (''Ashes to Ashes''), an episode of ''Ashes to Ashes'' * Episode 2 (Humans series 1), an episode of ''Humans'' * "Series 1: Episode 2" (''Life on Mars''), an episode of ''Life on Mars'' * "Episode 2" (''Twin Peaks''), an episode of ''Twin Peaks'' * Episode 2 (''The Casual Vacancy''), (2015), the second episode of the TV miniseries ''The Casual Vacancy'' * '' Half-Life 2: Episode Two'', a computer game sequel * '' Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones'', a 2002 film * "Second Episode "Second Episode" is the second episode of the HBO television series ''The New Pope''. The episode was directed by series creator Paolo Sorrentino and was written by Paolo Sorrentino, Umberto Contrarello, and Stefano Bises. The episode takes place ...", the second episode of the HBO ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Episode One
''Episode I'', ''Episode 1'' or ''Episode One'' may refer to: * ''Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace'', a 1999 film * '' Half-Life 2: Episode One'', a 2006 computer game sequel * "Episode 1" (''Ashes to Ashes''), (2008), the first episode of the TV series ''Ashes to Ashes'' * "Episode 1" (''The Casual Vacancy''), (2015), the first episode of the TV miniseries ''The Casual Vacancy'' * "Episode 1" (''Humans'' series 1), the first episode of the TV series ''Humans'' * Episode 1 (company) Episode 1 is a venture fund set up to invest in early-stage technology companies based in the UK. The three partners behind the fund – Simon Murdoch, Damien Lane and Adrian Lloyd – are experienced entrepreneurs and investors, and have been thro ..., a UK investment company * ''Episode 1'' (EP), an extended play by Broiler * "Episode One" (''Dark Matter''), the first episode of ''Dark Matter'' * "Episode 1.1" (''Secret Diary of a Call Girl''), the premiere episode of ''Secret Diary of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Half-Life 2
''Half-Life 2'' is a 2004 first-person shooter game developed by Valve. It was published by Valve through its distribution service Steam. Like the original ''Half-Life'' (1998), ''Half-Life 2'' combines shooting, puzzles, and storytelling, and adds features such as vehicles and physics-based gameplay. Players control Gordon Freeman as he joins a resistance movement to liberate the Earth from the control of an alien empire, the Combine. ''Half-Life 2'' was created using Valve's Source engine, which was developed at the same time. Development lasted five years and cost million. Valve's president, Gabe Newell, set his team the goal of redefining the first-person shooter genre. They integrated the Havok physics engine, which simulates real-world physics, to reinforce the player's sense of presence and create new gameplay, and developed the characterization, with more detailed character models and realistic animation. Valve announced ''Half-Life 2'' at E3 2003, with a release date ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lightspeed (magazine)
''Lightspeed'' is an American online fantasy and science fiction magazine edited and published by John Joseph Adams. The first issue was published in June 2010 and it has maintained a regular monthly schedule since. The magazine currently publishes four original stories and four reprints in every issue, in addition to interviews with the authors and other nonfiction. All of the content published in each issue is available for purchase as an ebook and for free on the magazine's website. ''Lightspeed'' also makes selected stories available as a free podcast, produced by Audie Award–winning editor Stefan Rudnicki. History ''Lightspeed'' was founded and run as a science fiction magazine by publisher Sean Wallace of Prime Books with John Joseph Adams as editor. Wallace also published ''Lightspeed''s sister publication '' Fantasy Magazine''; Adams came on as editor of ''Fantasy Magazine'' with the March 2011 issue. During this period the magazine was headquartered in Gaithersburg, Ma ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Magazine Of Fantasy And Science Fiction
''The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction'' (usually referred to as ''F&SF'') is a U.S. fantasy and science fiction magazine first published in 1949 by Mystery House, a subsidiary of Lawrence Spivak's Mercury Press. Editors Anthony Boucher and J. Francis McComas had approached Spivak in the mid-1940s about creating a fantasy companion to Spivak's existing mystery title, ''Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine''. The first issue was titled ''The Magazine of Fantasy'', but the decision was quickly made to include science fiction as well as fantasy, and the title was changed correspondingly with the second issue. ''F&SF'' was quite different in presentation from the existing science fiction magazines of the day, most of which were in pulp format: it had no interior illustrations, no letter column, and text in a single column format, which in the opinion of science fiction historian Mike Ashley "set ''F&SF'' apart, giving it the air and authority of a superior magazine". ''F&SF'' qu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Magazine Of Fantasy & Science Fiction
''The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction'' (usually referred to as ''F&SF'') is a U.S. fantasy and science fiction magazine first published in 1949 by Mystery House, a subsidiary of Lawrence Spivak's Mercury Press. Editors Anthony Boucher and J. Francis McComas had approached Spivak in the mid-1940s about creating a fantasy companion to Spivak's existing mystery title, ''Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine''. The first issue was titled ''The Magazine of Fantasy'', but the decision was quickly made to include science fiction as well as fantasy, and the title was changed correspondingly with the second issue. ''F&SF'' was quite different in presentation from the existing science fiction magazines of the day, most of which were in pulp format: it had no interior illustrations, no letter column, and text in a single column format, which in the opinion of science fiction historian Mike Ashley "set ''F&SF'' apart, giving it the air and authority of a superior magazine". ''F&SF'' qu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
International Horror Guild Award
The International Horror Guild Award (also known as the IHG Award) was an accolade recognizing excellence in the field of Horror fiction, horror/dark fantasy, presented by the International Horror Guild (IHG) from 1995 to 2008. The IHG Awards were determined by a jury of notable horror/dark fantasy critics and reviewers, which has included Edward Bryant, Ann VanderMeer, Stefan Dziemianowicz, William Sheehan, Fiona Webster and Hank Wagner. Nomination suggestions were accepted from the public. The annual awards were usually announced during a special presentation at a convention or other event, and IHG Award presentations have been held at the World Fantasy Convention, the World Horror Convention and Dragon*Con. Originally in the form of a "winged dog gargoyle" figure on a base, in 2002 the IHG Award was redesigned as a black, tombstone-shaped and free-standing plaque. The Living Legend Award had the same design, but in clear acrylic. Presentations References External links Abo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
World Fantasy Award
The World Fantasy Awards are a set of awards given each year for the best fantasy literature, fantasy fiction published during the previous calendar year. Organized and overseen by the World Fantasy Convention, the awards are given each year at the eponymous annual convention as the central focus of the event. They were first given in 1975, at the first World Fantasy Convention, and have been awarded annually since. Over the years that the award has been given, the categories presented have changed; currently World Fantasy Awards are given in five written categories, one category for artists, and four special categories for individuals to honor their general work in the field of fantasy. The awards have been described by book critics such as ''The Guardian'' as a "prestigious fantasy prize", and one of the three most prestigious speculative fiction awards, along with the Hugo Award, Hugo and Nebula Awards (which cover both fantasy and science fiction). World Fantasy Award nomin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The 37th Mandala
''The 37th Mandala'' is a horror novel written by Marc Laidlaw and published in 1996. It tells the story of New Age writer Derek Crowe who uses an ancient mystical text as the basis of one of his works. As his writing gains popularity, it also attracts the unwanted attention of the 37 mandalas—terrible Lovecraftian-style monsters—that the original text was about. ''The 37th Mandala'' earned Laidlaw the 1996 International Horror Guild Award for "Best Novel". It was also nominated for World Fantasy Award for Best Novel in 1997. In popular culture In the Valve computer game ''Half-Life'', which Laidlaw helped design, this book is one of two seen on a shelf in the personal locker of Gordon Freeman Gordon Freeman is the silent protagonist of the ''Half-Life'' video game series, created by Gabe Newell and designed by Newell and Marc Laidlaw of Valve. His first appearance is in ''Half-Life''. Gordon Freeman is depicted as a bespectacled Ca .... The other book on the shel ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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