Future story writing and roleplaying?

[Kody]

This thread only concerns people that are interested in writing or roleplaying during the next ACDG. So people only interested in strategy or gameplay can ignore this.

Well to give some background I really wanted to see an inter-factional IC story.

You see back in the ACDGII I actually had the most fun during my entire time at the Hive writing the IC story. I quite enjoyed trying to patch Honghu's plot holes, trying to write bits that made the threads run together better, as well as my own threads of the story.

Later when we started meeting other factions I wondered how cool it would be if there was an inter-factional IC story. So I spent quite a bit of time imagining how it would work etc. Of course it couldn't really work unless there was someone helping to tie it all together.

I basically imagined that the IC story would deviate from the actual happenings in the faction so that no secret information would be accidentally shared. Different factions would have different parts of the story so and certain background in the past would be kept secret from other factions so it would be possible for another character to stumble onto secret parts of another faction's threads. The narrator would help connect the stories from the various factions together and coordinate what happens when a character from one faction stumbles onto something in another faction.

Factional histories would be kept separately from the IC story and probably locked away in the CMNs forum to prevent inadvertent leaking of information. Real factional events aren't that useful for inter-factional roleplay for this reason.

My little dream of an inter-factional IC story was the main reason why I wanted the narrator job. However, I avoided saying it out aloud because I wasn't sure how good I'll be able doing such coordination. Also I wasn't sure if people would be interested and I didn't want the make the assumption that my writing ability would be sufficient in the narrator role. People laugh at you harder when confidently announce your plans and they fall flat. Finally I wanted people to commit to turn playing issues first before they think about the roleplay issues. I didn't want the situation where someone decides to get involved in this and then also get involved in turn playing only to find they didn't have enough free time. I figured people are more inclined to drop the thing the picked up second so I wanted to start the roleplay after the turn playing issues are sorted.

Overall I thought the idea had a low probability of success, but I still wanted to make the attempt and figured if nobody was really interested then nobody would miss the narrator if he goes inactive.

With the new background story I wanted to write. It was because I hoped it would get people more interested in writing something as things seem less preset. If we use the old unity story most people will be just happy to leave it as that, which is all very fine if you don't want to go further. By not having things as preset I was hoping that people would be worried less about plot holes in work they submit and hence the more amateur writers would be more interested.

I wanted the story not to closely follow what is happening in the game, and felt that by having a non-standard background story would also help to divert story contributions from being dependant on the actual game. Having the story dependant on the game is very bad from experience as not very much happens when you want to write and when something does happen people feel obliged to write something rather than writing because they want to.

I know that most of the more serious writers would get hung over on plot holes and inconsistencies which will be prolific in a story with many contributors. I know I did when I first started writing for the Hive IC story. Instead I'm hoping for a more relaxed atmosphere to get more participation, and was hoping the more serious writers would get over the problems with plot holes etc. I never intend to produce a decent literacy work as the end result. Rather I want to see the writers that are contributing enjoying their selves without picking over details too much the same way that occurred in the Hive.

My own personal reasons came into it too as while the original unity story as it is in the game is fine for me. The official extended story detracted from my enjoyment of the original game premise. However, I know stories are like music, people are into different things.

I have a feeling that the reason why I'm handily winning the votes so far in having my own work used is because most people think the official narrator deserves to have some control over the story. However, I also realise that the people that are voting for me are more likely the ones that are interested mainly in the game play.

So instead of this poll.

http://www.apolyton.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=117388

I want to hear what people have to say instead of voting. If most people interested in roleplay feel they can roleplay better under the original story then I definitely for using the original story. Otherwise having a tailored story start might be better so people can have more flexibility in their roleplay decisions.

For the stories put into the introduction thread I want to keep clear of obvious plot holes as it's meant to be one of the first things that new players see. Outside of that I don't care if there are huge deviations in the official storyline for this ACDG for newspapers or people's roleplay. I will attempt to guide things to reduce that by either my changing the official story slightly or suggesting changes to the person whichever is easier. I really don't want to see people demanding that someone's roleplay has to be changed to accommodate other people's views on what is right and wrong, it subtracts from the fun and I don't want to act as a moderator for such arguments. I specifically avoided a moderator role.

So anyway what are people's thoughts on all this. Are people interested in the idea of an inter-factional IC story? If you have preference with the backstory say so. I was hoping by having a non-standard one people could have more freedom in their writing, but if the unity story works better I'm fine with that. The argument about plot holes doesn't hold water for me. From my experience there will always be plot holes and the more people contribute the worse it gets. I'll try to fill them up as I feel that's part of the narrator's job, but I don't want concerns about plot holes to stop people from contributing.

[Kassiopeia]

Despite my vote in that poll, should I take part in a collaborative story, I would prefer the original beginning, if only because I'm much more comfortable and familiar with it. We could explain away the Datatech by having them splinter from the Morganites from the get-go, or something to that effect - the factions are not a problem in that sense, IMHO.

I would be interested in participating in a joint story, I've had good experiences with similar projects before, but I do feel that changing the premise will tie my hands somewhat, not having the original one. The original "storyline" doesn't, afaik, handle the events after landing on Chiron in much detail, and how can it get any freer from that? I've had the factions mature into interstellar war-waging nations and sent the University back to Earth on an exploration mission, all based on the original beginning.

There are also questions: Will I need knowledge of the earlier game to "get" things? Will the newbies feel uncomfortable with the story being a continuation from an essentially unknown premise? What I'd really love to read would be a rough version of this prologue you've had in mind, the one that'll tie DG3 to DG2.

I also agree that plot holes aren't as important as good spirit and fun, we're not writing a novel. Of course blatant and intentional distortion or disregard is different.

All in all, I'd prefer a complete reset to MY 2100, over the planet Chiron orbiting the Centauri suns, where the last surviving members of mankind are about to touch down on a new, dangerous world.

[Kody]

I don't feel really restricted by either setting, but despite my vote in that poll, should I take part in a collaborative story, I would prefer the original beginning, if only because I'm much more comfortable and familiar with it. We could explain away the Datatech by having them splinter from the Morganites from the get-go, or something to that effect - the factions are not a problem in that sense, IMHO.

I would be interested in participating in a joint story, I've had good experiences with similar projects before, but I do feel that changing the premise will tie my hands somewhat, not having the original one. The original "storyline" doesn't, afaik, handle the events after landing on Chiron in much detail, and how can it get any freer from that? I've had the factions mature into interstellar war-waging nations and sent the University back to Earth on an exploration mission, all based on the original beginning.

Well that's the kind of feedback I'm wanting.

While I'll be slightly disappointed at people not choosing a fresh starting point, I still perfer to go with something other people want to write about.

There are also questions: Will I need knowledge of the earlier game to "get" things? Will the newbies feel uncomfortable with the story being a continuation from an essentially unknown premise? What I'd really love to read would be a rough version of this prologue you've had in mind, the one that'll tie DG3 to DG2.

Below is the prologue. It adds things about how Buster had his hand in making the world, and allows for people to comment on their past in the ACDGII if they choose to.

I'm going to add seperately from the prologue that the CMNs landed on one of the moons, so Drogue, Honghu, or I have a roleplay position to work from.

Everything you need to know about the past DG has been stated below. I don't intend to use any more information from the past DG in this one. How people describe the new Morgan/gaian/data angel/spartan faction is up to them, they can make the assumption that other factions are similar to the original Unity factions and those factions can choose to deny it or clarify any changes if they wish.

In MY year 2175, the CPU surrendered to the joint forces of Human Hive and the Free Drones. It had been a long and difficult battle with numerous atrocities committed by both sides during the sunspot activity.

Battle Function Geomodder of the CPU signed the surrender with Commander Jtsisyoda leading the Free Drones and Deputy Chairman Honghu of the Human Hive. When the sunspot activity lifted the following year shock ran through the global community as it became apparent that captured cities of Believers and Peace had been brutally nervestapled by the CPU. While Hive and the Drones had caused numerous deaths of Cycon and University citizens in their efforts to put an end to so called half humans.

All Borgs had their implants removed and were given back their humanity and the world tried to move on from their mistakes. However, the crimes during the recent wars were not forgotten.

While the alliance controlled the world there was still great unrest among the populance. In an effort to bring peace Foreman Buster of the Free Drones proposed a colonisation project where the dissidents and war criminals that had resulted from the recent wars would be sent to colonise a new world. A complete pardon of all past crimes was offered for those willing to take the trip.

Archaeological studies of alien records at the Manifold Nexus revealed possible planets for the new penal colony. In the alien records the planet Chiron was known as Manifold 6 and there were other Manifolds. Intrigued the destination of the new colony was determined to be the planet referred to as Manifold 4.

In MY year 2200 the penal starship FDHH Redemption was commissioned. It included the facilities for world forming to seed a new world making it inhabitable according to Foreman Buster’s vision. While originally the project was targeted at dissidents of the conquered factions, loyalists from both the Free Drones and the Human Hive also boarded the Redemption to become part of the construction of the new world. It became project of hope that brought peace to both those that chose to stay on Chiron and those who sought to colonise the new world. Previous faction loyalties were eroded as a result and past wrongs began to be forgotten.

The starship FDHH Redemption arrived in the solar system of star 456-462 and started atmospheric and landmass terraforming of Manifold 4 according to the plans Buster had lain out. The crew named the star Elpis after the Greek goddess of hope and in commemoration of the unity mission turned the calendar back to 2100.

However, obviously not all the wrongs in the past had been forgiven as an unknown group started the self destruct sequence of the Redemption before the world forming had been completed. When the escape pods landed seven distinct factions emerged each blaming the others for the destruction of the Redemption. This time distrust meant there would only be one victor that would rule over this new world.

[Illuminatus]

I prefer original story because continuation story has a huge number of plotholes, faction backgrounds no longer make much sense and it opens place to stupid an unneccesary references to previous ACDG. Even as I helped you Kody, I prefer the original story instead.

[Kody]

Noted, seems like most people much perfer the original story.

I just hope this isn't an indication that people will be unwilling to deviate from what's happening ingame with what they write. IHMO if that's the case the stories will be less interesting and the most interesting stories will be top secret. I would perfer not to spend my time just copying and pasting stories into the mod-forum.

[GeoModder]

In case Kody's wish for a continuation story comes through, the following, RP wise.

Quite some people objected that most of the current factions can't be an offshoot from the factions in ACDG II. I propose therefore the following assumptions:

Hive is included (as AI), thus can be considered a core faction for initiating the colonisation project. Morgans can be considered a changed Drone faction which discovered the benefits of high income and profit earning. The Data Angels can simply be a mixture of malcontent ex-cyborgs and ex-Data Angels from ACDG II, and the Spartans the military minded from both Hive -and Drone faction disagreeing with the changes in their home faction(s).

[Maniac]

Re: Future story writing and roleplaying?

Originally posted by Kody
This thread only concerns people that are interested in writing or roleplaying during the next ACDG. So people only interested in strategy or gameplay can ignore this.

I hope I'll be able to do some roleplay. But I also hoped that at the start of ACDG2 but in the end I ended up doing mostly gameplay. Ah well, we'll see how it goes.

With the new background story I wanted to write. It was because I hoped it would get people more interested in writing something as things seem less preset. If we use the old unity story most people will be just happy to leave it as that, which is all very fine if you don't want to go further. By not having things as preset I was hoping that people would be worried less about plot holes in work they submit and hence the more amateur writers would be more interested.

Wouldn't things be more preset in a self-written starting story? After all when writing our own character and factional background, we'd be limited to more or less one of only seven possibilities. Or even less if we want our character to be younger than 25 years: we'd always be born in the one Hive-Drone Empire, and we'd have to take that very detailed background into account.
The original story on the other hand keeps everything very vague. Basically all we know is that humanity was self-destructing itself, a spaceship was sent to Centauri, some groups split, and we all land on Chiron. That's about it. When writing our character and factional background, we have choice from an infinite number of possibilities what could have happened back on Earth.

[Kody]

Seriously how much pre-unity background story have you seen used? Most of the time people just gloss over what happened on earth. Same way I figured life on Chiron would be glossed over.

However, I do understand if you feel more comfortable writing according to the traditional storyline.

Hrmm, I guess we go with the original story, but I really really don't want to touch any of the events that happened on the ship in the extended story.

[Snowflake]

I really don't have a strong preference one way or the other. I guess people are more attached to the original story is that they are emotionally familiar with that setting and thus more roleplay ideas may sprung from it. On the other hand, the different factions for ACDGIII from ACDGII can be easily explained. We had different life experiences. People can change beliefs. Just as I said in the beginning and end thread.

Anyway, I agree with Kody that the IC stories should not be bined to the game play. What we had at the Hive for the last game deviated from the game play a lot, rather it is more relavent to the roleplays inside and outside of Hive. I'd say just go with the flow, and don't worry too much about the game itself. Don't even try to make it very coherent. Everybody can have his/her fun.

[Kassiopeia]

Well that's the kind of feedback I'm wanting.

Good.

I read your prologue, and I think that the connection between DG2 and DG3 would feel a bit too artificial - I doubt anyone could write it and end up with a different result. And I'd still prefer the original backstory. We could drop the events on board Unity, just never mention them, and just focus on the situation on Chiron.

Anyway, I agree with Kody that the IC stories should not be bined to the game play.

Agreed, binding them would make writing more difficult for reasons stated by Kody, and it'd tie up our hands just a bit too much.

[Impaler[WrG]]

I also prefer the clean slate provided by the original story line.

Though I see Kodies point that not alowing people to deviate from events ocuring in the game would have a muting effect on the amount of contributions I would still recomend that writers independently try to avoid blatantly contradiction in-game events. Take Hong-Hu's writing last game, nearly all of it is deals with interanal politics and personal intrigue, game events are mearly used to give atmosphere to the stroy. Thus everything in the story is basicaly "below the radar" of a Civ game. Other tecniques that can be used are...

Deal with small military engagments rather then full scale wars.

Make up fake Probe actions involving key personell

Describe internal politics of your faction

Avoid references to tecnoligies that are not yet in common usage.

Do refer to Secret Projects under construction as they arn't infact very secret

Only use a major game related event (war, tec discovery, Pacting) after a point in the game when other factions will already know about such a thing anyways.

[Kody]

Well I was pretty sure we were going for the original story from previous comments. In my mind this last vote is enough to say for certain that we are.

Although there is going to be a small tweak so the CMNs can have some part in the story (sif I was going to miss out).