Dorkpool: You know, there are quite a few Herobrine based stories out there.
Mirror: Why?
Dorkpool: Some people like the character and want to do more with him. Maybe something good. Like the writer of this story, “My Brother…”
Mirror: Why do I have the feeling that this won’t be good?
Dorkpool: Months of dealing with stories that suck have destroyed any expectations you might have.
Mirror: That’s…actually true.
Dorkpool: Yep. Anyway, let’s go on a server and Riff this bitch!
START RIFF
The Swedish game programmer worked diligently through the night on his game.
Dorkpool: (Narrator): Not having a girlfriend or social life gave one enough time to do so.
He wanted to make something incredible, and he had done it. All he was doing now was working out some kinks within the system. People all over the world played this game, and the audience for it was growing each day.
Mirror: (Narrator): Soon, he’d have enough of a following to grow an army and take over the world! MWHAHAHAHA!
He couldn't sleep when he knew people were expecting the latest updates for it.
Just think, Markus thought to himself, people actually want to play my game! My game!
Dorkpool: (Markus): My piece of crap!
It's so...surreal! So amazing!
BRRING. BRRING. The wire phone next to Markus rang, a shrill noise grating on his ears. He got up, programs still up on the computer, to stop the incessant noise.
"Hello?" Markus asked, unaware of who was calling so late at night.
"Hey bro! It's me!"
Mirror: Oh, no, it’s Liu. Run!
"Oh, hi!" Markus exclaimed. His brother had flown away on some vacation to the US, and was finally returning, but had sent no word of when he was due to leave. "What's up?"
"Not much, I just thought I needed to tell you something pretty important."
"Um, okay? What's the matter?"
Dorkpool: (Brother): I kind of need some money. I blew it all at a casino.
Mirror: (Markus): Umm…I…
Dorkpool: (Brother): Ok, actually, it was on hookers and blow.
Mirror: (Markus): -sighs- This is why mom wrote you out of the will.
"There's this awesome game I'm playing, it's quite amazing, and I was told that a certain little brother of mine may or may not have made it."
Markus was baffled. He didn't think his brother even played video games, let alone those designed by his 'pipsqueak little brother', as he was called. "Um, yeah! I'm glad you like it! Anything you see that needs improving?"
"Not that I notice right now, but since it's made by you, I'm bound to find something wrong with it! Hahaha."
Mirror: “I’m bound to find something wrong with it” is basically my mantra.
Markus chuckled at the joke. "So, when do you plan on coming home?"
"I'm kind of on a plane right now. Halfway to Berlin, and then right on home!"
"That's great! Great news!" Markus was excited. He hadn't seen his brother for a while, and was eager to hear about his escapades in the US.
Dorkpool: (Brother): I think I got lost.
Mirror: (Markus): What state were you in?
Dorkpool: (Brother): Washington.
"Yeah. Hey, do you play this, too? I mean, playtesting, obviously, but do you, y'know, play play?"
"Yes, I do! I like to interact with my audience."
"Neat. Alright, I'm on this...uh, 'server'...and I totally want to play it with you. It's at 43.762.74.63."
"Alright, I'll be right on!" Both still on the phone, Markus wrapped in the cord of his, he logged onto the address of the server. "How should I look for you?"
Mirror: (Markus): Ctrl-F.
"I'll look for you. What's your username?"
"Notch."
As Markus finally connected to the server, he pushed the Tab key. There were several dozen people on the server, many just huddled around a central point near the map's center. When he logged on, people started crowding him, eager to meet the creator of Minecraft.
Dorkpool: They wished to meet their god.
"Sounds cool. Aloof. Mysterious!"
"Ha, yeah, a bit. Who am I looking for?"
"I'm over here, in the wood building. Herobr-" A crashing suddenly sounded from the other end of the call.
"Hey, what's going on? Hello?" The most terrifying noise came from Markus' phone, a lightning strike several time louder than normal, followed by an explosion - which was cut short as the call was ended.
Mirror: They said to turn off all electronics. But you had to ignore them.
"Can you hear me? Say something!" Markus was nearly in tears at the fear of what had just happened. He looked on the server's player list, and he saw only one name that matched what his brother had begun to say. It hadn't logged out, so Markus thought everything was okay.
He was wrong.
The plane had flown too close to a supersystem in the darkness, and the pilot wasn't receiving the instruction or warning to notice it. The storm within was unnaturally powerful, and destroyed the plane in seconds.
Dorkpool: Yes, because a pilot can’t see a storm powerful enough to destroy a plane in seconds and think, “You know, I’m not getting any type of instructions, but this storm looks deadly. I should move.”
A mass gathering took place to remember those who perished in the crash, a crash with no survivors. The European government never recovered the wreckage, and Markus never saw his big brother again.
But Markus still holds out hope. He has a computer in his home that is always connected to server 43.762.74.63. And as Minecraft became more popular, the server's traffic dwindled, until only two players were ever connected anymore. Why does Markus hold out hope, you ask? Because one player has remained on the server since he logged on. A player who was too active for a dead man.
Mirror: An athletic zombie.
Notch's brother, Herobrine.
Mirror: Close enough.
END RIFF
Dorkpool: This story is alright.
Mirror: You know, Notch doesn’t have a brother. Never did. Just saying. Why do people always forget that? Even forgetting that, there are some questions I have. For example, how is Notch’s brother able to get Wi-Fi on a plane? I know you can, but this story must’ve taken place a few years ago, sometime before Wi-Fi on planes was common. Also, how does a pilot not see a superstorm? Judging by the name, it seems like it’d be pretty visible. Just saying.
Dorkpool: There are quite a few good things about the story. It recognizes that Herobrine isn’t scary in the slightest, and instead works on crafting a more emotional story. This actually does work, partly because there is characterization at play here. Notch’s brother is obviously a sibling who, despite teasing Notch, does actually care about him. Notch is someone who is proud of his work, and his glad his brother likes it too. This does work. And it explains a bit of the original “Herobrine” story, or at least these lines: “After some further information gathering, it was revealed to be the brother of Notch, the game's developer. I personally emailed Notch, and asked him if he had a brother. It took him a while, but he emailed me back a very short message. ‘I did, but he is no longer with us.’” It does explain why Notch took a while to respond (it’s hard for him to talk about it. Also, he was probably busy) and why he phrases his message as such (he’s not quite sure his brother is dead, but is pretty sure he isn’t here). Despite the flaws of this story (this is one that I think could’ve benefited from being a bit longer, to give us more character development and background), it’s still not a bad story. But that’s what we think. What do you guys think? Was the story good? Was the Riff good? Do you wish we’d get stuck in a superstorm? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.
Mirror: Why?
Dorkpool: Some people like the character and want to do more with him. Maybe something good. Like the writer of this story, “My Brother…”
Mirror: Why do I have the feeling that this won’t be good?
Dorkpool: Months of dealing with stories that suck have destroyed any expectations you might have.
Mirror: That’s…actually true.
Dorkpool: Yep. Anyway, let’s go on a server and Riff this bitch!
START RIFF
The Swedish game programmer worked diligently through the night on his game.
Dorkpool: (Narrator): Not having a girlfriend or social life gave one enough time to do so.
He wanted to make something incredible, and he had done it. All he was doing now was working out some kinks within the system. People all over the world played this game, and the audience for it was growing each day.
Mirror: (Narrator): Soon, he’d have enough of a following to grow an army and take over the world! MWHAHAHAHA!
He couldn't sleep when he knew people were expecting the latest updates for it.
Just think, Markus thought to himself, people actually want to play my game! My game!
Dorkpool: (Markus): My piece of crap!
It's so...surreal! So amazing!
BRRING. BRRING. The wire phone next to Markus rang, a shrill noise grating on his ears. He got up, programs still up on the computer, to stop the incessant noise.
"Hello?" Markus asked, unaware of who was calling so late at night.
"Hey bro! It's me!"
Mirror: Oh, no, it’s Liu. Run!
"Oh, hi!" Markus exclaimed. His brother had flown away on some vacation to the US, and was finally returning, but had sent no word of when he was due to leave. "What's up?"
"Not much, I just thought I needed to tell you something pretty important."
"Um, okay? What's the matter?"
Dorkpool: (Brother): I kind of need some money. I blew it all at a casino.
Mirror: (Markus): Umm…I…
Dorkpool: (Brother): Ok, actually, it was on hookers and blow.
Mirror: (Markus): -sighs- This is why mom wrote you out of the will.
"There's this awesome game I'm playing, it's quite amazing, and I was told that a certain little brother of mine may or may not have made it."
Markus was baffled. He didn't think his brother even played video games, let alone those designed by his 'pipsqueak little brother', as he was called. "Um, yeah! I'm glad you like it! Anything you see that needs improving?"
"Not that I notice right now, but since it's made by you, I'm bound to find something wrong with it! Hahaha."
Mirror: “I’m bound to find something wrong with it” is basically my mantra.
Markus chuckled at the joke. "So, when do you plan on coming home?"
"I'm kind of on a plane right now. Halfway to Berlin, and then right on home!"
"That's great! Great news!" Markus was excited. He hadn't seen his brother for a while, and was eager to hear about his escapades in the US.
Dorkpool: (Brother): I think I got lost.
Mirror: (Markus): What state were you in?
Dorkpool: (Brother): Washington.
"Yeah. Hey, do you play this, too? I mean, playtesting, obviously, but do you, y'know, play play?"
"Yes, I do! I like to interact with my audience."
"Neat. Alright, I'm on this...uh, 'server'...and I totally want to play it with you. It's at 43.762.74.63."
"Alright, I'll be right on!" Both still on the phone, Markus wrapped in the cord of his, he logged onto the address of the server. "How should I look for you?"
Mirror: (Markus): Ctrl-F.
"I'll look for you. What's your username?"
"Notch."
As Markus finally connected to the server, he pushed the Tab key. There were several dozen people on the server, many just huddled around a central point near the map's center. When he logged on, people started crowding him, eager to meet the creator of Minecraft.
Dorkpool: They wished to meet their god.
"Sounds cool. Aloof. Mysterious!"
"Ha, yeah, a bit. Who am I looking for?"
"I'm over here, in the wood building. Herobr-" A crashing suddenly sounded from the other end of the call.
"Hey, what's going on? Hello?" The most terrifying noise came from Markus' phone, a lightning strike several time louder than normal, followed by an explosion - which was cut short as the call was ended.
Mirror: They said to turn off all electronics. But you had to ignore them.
"Can you hear me? Say something!" Markus was nearly in tears at the fear of what had just happened. He looked on the server's player list, and he saw only one name that matched what his brother had begun to say. It hadn't logged out, so Markus thought everything was okay.
He was wrong.
The plane had flown too close to a supersystem in the darkness, and the pilot wasn't receiving the instruction or warning to notice it. The storm within was unnaturally powerful, and destroyed the plane in seconds.
Dorkpool: Yes, because a pilot can’t see a storm powerful enough to destroy a plane in seconds and think, “You know, I’m not getting any type of instructions, but this storm looks deadly. I should move.”
A mass gathering took place to remember those who perished in the crash, a crash with no survivors. The European government never recovered the wreckage, and Markus never saw his big brother again.
But Markus still holds out hope. He has a computer in his home that is always connected to server 43.762.74.63. And as Minecraft became more popular, the server's traffic dwindled, until only two players were ever connected anymore. Why does Markus hold out hope, you ask? Because one player has remained on the server since he logged on. A player who was too active for a dead man.
Mirror: An athletic zombie.
Notch's brother, Herobrine.
Mirror: Close enough.
END RIFF
Dorkpool: This story is alright.
Mirror: You know, Notch doesn’t have a brother. Never did. Just saying. Why do people always forget that? Even forgetting that, there are some questions I have. For example, how is Notch’s brother able to get Wi-Fi on a plane? I know you can, but this story must’ve taken place a few years ago, sometime before Wi-Fi on planes was common. Also, how does a pilot not see a superstorm? Judging by the name, it seems like it’d be pretty visible. Just saying.
Dorkpool: There are quite a few good things about the story. It recognizes that Herobrine isn’t scary in the slightest, and instead works on crafting a more emotional story. This actually does work, partly because there is characterization at play here. Notch’s brother is obviously a sibling who, despite teasing Notch, does actually care about him. Notch is someone who is proud of his work, and his glad his brother likes it too. This does work. And it explains a bit of the original “Herobrine” story, or at least these lines: “After some further information gathering, it was revealed to be the brother of Notch, the game's developer. I personally emailed Notch, and asked him if he had a brother. It took him a while, but he emailed me back a very short message. ‘I did, but he is no longer with us.’” It does explain why Notch took a while to respond (it’s hard for him to talk about it. Also, he was probably busy) and why he phrases his message as such (he’s not quite sure his brother is dead, but is pretty sure he isn’t here). Despite the flaws of this story (this is one that I think could’ve benefited from being a bit longer, to give us more character development and background), it’s still not a bad story. But that’s what we think. What do you guys think? Was the story good? Was the Riff good? Do you wish we’d get stuck in a superstorm? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.