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Writing DarkStorm History and Stories

#1 {lang:macro__useroffline}   Dragonman {lang:icon}

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Posted 04 November 2006 - 03:27 AM

As I look through the DS forums, and their countless sub-forums (bluetongue.gif), only one word comes to mind: empty. So I thought it would be cool if we worked on writing history for DarkStorm. No, I am not talking about writing the plot, Cspace. bluetongue.gif I'm just talking about history behind certain things, like buildings, creatures, towns, current NPCs, and more.

What am I visualizing? Say you go into a sub-forum for a big, popular city. In there a topic can be found about the history of that city (ex: who were past rulers, what that city prospers in, what kind of people they attract). Then another topic could be a castle, with a quick physical and historical description on that. Then there could be a topic for training grounds, where there's a physical description of that. And there could be an NPC at those training grounds, with some physical and historical description about him (ex: what rank he is, how long he's been a knight, what is his attitude).

Hopefully this doesn't sound overwhelming.. which is why I would suggest that Cspace assign us to specific areas to write things for, one at a time (propbably starting with the most popular first). For each time he re-assigns us, he could include what kind of place it us, what should be involved, if any parts of the plot connect to it, etc.. So for example, he could say "Write -blahblah- for the Frionian Castle", and then after that "Write -blahblah- for the Frionian King".

I just think that the only way for a forum RPG to be interesting is to have background and stories. People get into the 3D video games because they can see what's happening and hear the story. But in the forum RPG, I believe that we need to create pictures and stories in the players' minds through words so that they get more interested in it (and also become more familiar with the DarkStorm world).

P.S. I'm not suggesting we write novels here, just decent sized things, maybe not even exceeding the length of those Dawn of Chaos chapters Cspace has posted in the Great Library.
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"Fifteen hundred years ago everybody knew the Earth was the center of the universe. Five hundred years ago, everybody knew the Earth was flat, and fifteen minutes ago, you knew that humans were alone on this planet. Imagine what you'll know tomorrow."
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#2 {lang:macro__useroffline}   Cspace {lang:icon}

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Posted 04 November 2006 - 04:25 AM

That's a great idea, although I was thinking of doing a hometown guide following the class update to give some background for the places. It would be a section of the DStorm block on the left for easy access, making it a little easier for members to just browse around and see what's here.

The only real problem with allowing the GMs to write about places is that a lot of stuff isn't yet known in the open (either because it isn't supposed to be known or because I haven't had the chance to write about it), but it's not necessarily unknown because it's insignificant. Since a real game is being made based on this, there are limitations when it comes to what the GMs can do to the plot, especially since the past will become more significant later on.

In other words, while there are some ways for members to alter the course of DS, the past can't really be written by them. Can't keep rewriting the basis of AoA when everything is pretty much set to work as it is. thumb.gif

Again, it's a great idea, but unfortunately these limitations are making it a bit difficult for GMs to implement. Perhaps other similar ways will open later for GMs to write content, but right now I really have a lot that needs to be put in the open, and that means everyone is kinda in the dark when it comes to the nature of a lot of places right now.

Thanks for posting the idea though, maybe there can be a way for it to work later.
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#3 {lang:macro__useroffline}   Dragonman {lang:icon}

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Posted 04 November 2006 - 02:44 PM

Not plot-affecting things, like maybe just certain NPC's for people to interact with for GM quests, and certain GM-created areas where they could (i.e. the training grounds I mentioned). They don't have to be plot-affecting things (the cities history was a bad example bluetongue.gif), but stories inside. Or things like Inns, which is sort of a 'base' in most towns. So if the Inns were set, GM's could create NPC's in there which have quests/stories. I guess I'm thinking more along the lines of stories rather than histories.
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"Fifteen hundred years ago everybody knew the Earth was the center of the universe. Five hundred years ago, everybody knew the Earth was flat, and fifteen minutes ago, you knew that humans were alone on this planet. Imagine what you'll know tomorrow."
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#4 {lang:macro__useroffline}   Darkness {lang:icon}

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Posted 04 November 2006 - 07:16 PM

I agree. It doesn't need to affect the plot -- really, a simple Blacksmith's shop or the local barkeeper's history isn't going to affect much bluetongue.gif Especially if this shop or barkeeper is created by a GM. Really, most GM created things don't have much to do with the plot, so why would their histories? It's not like Draggy is saying we should write Guane's story or the history of Arcturus 5 o.o;;







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#5 {lang:macro__useroffline}   Cspace {lang:icon}

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Posted 04 November 2006 - 07:23 PM

If the GMs want to talk about the stuff they create, that's perfectly fine thumb.gif
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#6 {lang:macro__useroffline}   Dragonman {lang:icon}

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Posted 04 November 2006 - 10:52 PM

Well, to start off, I was hoping that Cspace could assign us to specific things. I don't mean to throw stuff on you shoulders, you would just need to say something like "Do the Aderon Inn", or "make an NPC in this area". Since we don't really have much of anything write now, and Cspace knows DarkStorm best, I think it would be a good start to the development. Then, once GMs get used to the "DarkStorm managing feel" (and once we've got some base to the forums), then we won't need assignments each time, and it'll be easier for Gms to go start something on their own.

P.S. I'm hoping to get some non-CurvedSpacians involved with this. I'm trying to hunt down some good writers that could make some nice stories, quests, and character (NPCs).
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"Fifteen hundred years ago everybody knew the Earth was the center of the universe. Five hundred years ago, everybody knew the Earth was flat, and fifteen minutes ago, you knew that humans were alone on this planet. Imagine what you'll know tomorrow."
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#7 {lang:macro__useroffline}   Nuu™™ {lang:icon}

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Posted 05 November 2006 - 04:01 AM

What, you mean make a Darkstorm encyclopedia? Hey! Why not use Wikia for it?
I have trademarked the symbol: '™'. You fail at display names.



^ Thanks to Nazy for the... thingy ^

Things which you should look at:

SKoA - http://skoa.cspacezone.com/ , if you have any Age of Empires games.

The DS Garden Festival Minigame - Link , whether you play DStorm or not.

The Most Mysterious SSSS - Link For people who don't care about...things.

Like LEGO? Play Blockland!


I may be an Arbiter, but I'll always be a SeeDy little man.™™
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#8 {lang:macro__useroffline}   Cspace {lang:icon}

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Posted 05 November 2006 - 04:51 AM

QUOTE
Well, to start off, I was hoping that Cspace could assign us to specific things. I don't mean to throw stuff on you shoulders, you would just need to say something like "Do the Aderon Inn", or "make an NPC in this area". Since we don't really have much of anything write now, and Cspace knows DarkStorm best, I think it would be a good start to the development. Then, once GMs get used to the "DarkStorm managing feel" (and once we've got some base to the forums), then we won't need assignments each time, and it'll be easier for Gms to go start something on their own.

The thing is... What is known about most of the places I introduced into DS such as Aderon's Inn? They were put there so they could be used by GMs, and so they could expand the towns, but who's to say that they aren't significant and that they don't have a place in the story? I can't really say what will be significant and what won't be significant because it would provide an implied outline of the story... And at the same time, some of the places have a specific place in the timeline that isn't apparent right now or just hasn't been brought up. There are also misconceptions that I purposely included, because everyone in Eartheia is supposed to be confused or ignorant when it comes to the past.

A lot more is written for this than is apparent, but I need to progress the story methodically so it will fit the plot of Age of Arcana (which I need to plan ahead of time because of development), and also so DS doesn't progress too quickly.

It's not that I don't want GMs writing content, but there just isn't much along these lines that they know enough to write about. I can't ask GMs to write about places where they would be required to get creative to fill in holes.

Enough is known of the places for GMs to use them, and GMs can create their own plots around them... But when it comes to documenting what the locations are all about, there is too much that is currently unknown for them to accomplish the task.

If GMs would like to document something that they created, then it is completely okay. It's when it involves something that I introduced that there could be problems. Not a bad idea, but too many holes exist right now that can't be filled by GMs for this to work... And it's not a problem, I wouldn't expect all the GMs to know what's behind this because I never really talked about it.

QUOTE
What, you mean make a Darkstorm encyclopedia? Hey! Why not use Wikia for it?

That's an interesting idea, I'll look into it. thumb.gif
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