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Thread: [Idea] Open Co-op Writing

  1. #1
    m_1512's Avatar Quomodo vales?
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    Default [Idea] Open Co-op Writing

    I got this strange idea about a possible community writing project. I am not at all sure if this would be an AAR or a CW, simply because I don't think it has been attempted till now. Here's how it would work.

    The base setting is a campaign that I am playing on Attila right now. I just got on an interesting campaign that has made a really unique start - Danes settled on Crete and Eastern Mediterranean. And then the idea came to me of how this could be used for a open writing project. I will play the game every week or something, and post update of what happened there. And then anyone who wishes to participate can write chapters about life and adventures of people in the faction. Participants can create one (or two) individual characters that only they can use as they want, and make many other open characters that anyone can use as per their creative discretion. Writers can also get into the campaign as the faction government council and influence how the campaign should proceed further.

    Here is how the setting looks for the start:

    Kingdom of the Seas (?)
    It is the Year of the Lord 420.
    The floodgates have opened, bringing in the barbarian hordes; some who come for shelter but some for vengeance.
    The barbarian tribes migrate into Roman lands, looking for a place of peace and plenty to settle their people.
    The mighty Persian Empire watches, biding its time, till the enemies fall exhausted to the ground and they march for conquest.
    The Roman Empire of the West burns in political strife and civil wars.
    The Roman Empire of the East lies in ruins, razed and plundered of all its glory and riches.
    And in this time of darkness, a light approaches, unlooked for but not unwelcome.

    From the north, in their serpent ships, comes the Danes.
    Fleeing from those they once counted as brothers, they leave the bitter cold and prospect of wanton bloodshed and destruction.
    And on lands once counted as finest regions of the Romans, they build their kingdom.


    Faction - Danes.

    Religion - Greek Christian.

    Settlements and Regions Gortnya (Crete) - Wrestled from the Romans, this city is now the capital for the people.
    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    Rhodes (Rhodes) - Last conquest of the people against the Eastern Romans, before they collapsed.
    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    Constantia (Cyprus) - First of the desolate lands resettled and rebuilt.
    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    Tyrus (Syria) - Built again from desolation, this is the first of the colonies.
    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    Constantinopolis (Thracia) - Resettled immediately after their conversion to the Christian faith, and on the pleas of the remaining Eastern Romans.
    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    Trimontium (Thracia) - Resettled for the defense of the new city, but the gold mines are useful too.
    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    Diplomatic Situation
    Spoiler for Political Map

    Spoiler for Religious Distribution

    Spoiler for Diplomacy




    What do you guys think?


  2. #2
    Scottish King's Avatar Campidoctor
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    Default Re: [Idea] Open Co-op Writing

    This idea looks similar to the YATS with a bit more freedom on how the writer's characters contribute since you can be more than just a senator. This idea looks really interesting. The key to its success will be participation. I really wish I had more time to write or I would join it asap if you carry through with it.
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  3. #3

    Default Re: [Idea] Open Co-op Writing

    A thoroughly brilliant and interesting idea M. I absolutely love the thought of the Danes and their war axes and long beards in Greece. I don't know if I could manage this with the amount of time I have but I'd love to join or even just flesh out the back history possibly. I'd be very interested in writing about how the Danes arrived in Greece.

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    m_1512's Avatar Quomodo vales?
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    Default Re: [Idea] Open Co-op Writing

    Quote Originally Posted by Scottish King View Post
    This idea looks similar to the YATS with a bit more freedom on how the writer's characters contribute since you can be more than just a senator. This idea looks really interesting. The key to its success will be participation. I really wish I had more time to write or I would join it asap if you carry through with it.
    It is quite apart from YATS. Here, there is complete freedom for participants to take the story in their stride. The tales that they can write can be from anything as short as TotW snippets to something as long as an AAR or CW update. There are no rules here either, except that people respect other writer's reserved characters and not use them contrary to how their author wants. This thing I only added as I thought everyone would want one protagonist of their choice that they control.

    Quote Originally Posted by Merchant of Venice View Post
    A thoroughly brilliant and interesting idea M. I absolutely love the thought of the Danes and their war axes and long beards in Greece. I don't know if I could manage this with the amount of time I have but I'd love to join or even just flesh out the back history possibly. I'd be very interested in writing about how the Danes arrived in Greece.
    Thanks, I assure you that the campaign outcome was really unintended. I'll wait for some more feedback for this before putting it in its own thread, but once done, I can put a timeline of the journey that will help you write the backstory. I would love to read what you will write as the history and lore of the kingdom.


    Interestingly, where would this belong? In the AAR sections or the CW sections?


  5. #5

    Default Re: [Idea] Open Co-op Writing

    I think it would belong in the AAR forums because the pieces people write would be, as Hitai says, 'hard narrative' which kind of falls under the AAR jurisdiction.

    And with so many different writers, is each story separate or part of one big story. Because if they are all separate than that is fine but if they are part of one big story, like one AAR with many authors, than even supporting characters could be an issue. Say I write about one general which also features in another story but differently described? Maybe we might need someone like a Lore Manager to spot all the continuity errors and make sure people aren't contradicting other people.

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    m_1512's Avatar Quomodo vales?
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    Default Re: [Idea] Open Co-op Writing

    I actually thought of it as stories that branch from one main theme. And as for contradiction, I don't think that can be a problem as we have a really mature contributors here who would not sabotage other's work just for the heck of it. But the participantion is something that really can make or break this thing. Ah.. how I miss the glory days...


  7. #7

    Default Re: [Idea] Open Co-op Writing

    I'm not worried about people purposefully sabotaging other people's work but rather multiple stories describing the same character (accidentally) differently, or for instance two different stories having different plots despite being in the same world. Or do you think that all the stories could be like alternate realities which start from one point.

    Sadly, I don't think I was really here in those 'glory days' but I looked at the 2012 AAROTY and it got 43 voters. This time around we got 10. Sums up how much activity has dropped since then.

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    m_1512's Avatar Quomodo vales?
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    Default Re: [Idea] Open Co-op Writing

    Well, each story is a form of perception of their characters, so I am not too worried about contradictions. And I will be posting the campaign updates that will put up an idea of what is going on. The only thing to be decided is if this is worth doing. Or I'll simply get on with the campaign.

    Glory days are the ones when there was a boom of AARs and activity.


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    Caillagh de Bodemloze's Avatar to rede I me delyte
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    Default Re: [Idea] Open Co-op Writing

    This sounds like a really interesting idea.


    I'm hesitant about saying I'll join in and write something for it, because what I know about 5th century Europe could be written on the back of a postage stamp... no, that's too large – well, maybe on a grain of rice... no, who am I kidding? What I know about 5th century Europe could be written down without any writing materials at all.


    (That's a slight exaggeration. But only slight. “The Western Roman Empire fell” doesn't take up much space.)


    I'm not saying I definitely won't write anything for this – it sounds like fun, and I'd be really tempted. But I would worry rather that my huge ignorance (and consequential wild inaccuracy) might make this less fun for other people.


    I really hope you get this to work, though.






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    Default Re: [Idea] Open Co-op Writing

    By the way, you do release that all this would be fiction to the core? Coz the very idea of Danes settling in the Mediterranean would laughed out by historians.


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    Caillagh de Bodemloze's Avatar to rede I me delyte
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    Default Re: [Idea] Open Co-op Writing

    Quote Originally Posted by m_1512 View Post
    By the way, you do release that all this would be fiction to the core? Coz the very idea of Danes settling in the Mediterranean would laughed out by historians.
    Oh, yes, obviously! Even my profoundly appalling grip on 5th century history isn't quite that bad.

    But I'm assuming people would want to write about things being done in ways that would be (more or less) plausible for a 5th century setting, and - apart from a vague image of some non-Roman people taking Rome for themselves - I don't really have much idea of how people lived, or fought, or any of those things. I'm sure I could easily find some information, but 'some information' could well still leave me making embarrassing mistakes.

    (I should maybe mention that my computer can't run Attila, so I can't just describe something that happened in one of my games...)

    I suppose it's all a question of how much people would be bothered by me not having much of a clue, really.






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    Default Re: [Idea] Open Co-op Writing

    Callagh, by the standards of fanfiction.net, not knowing anything still puts you above 50% of them.

    Top quality banter aside, the Danes are just viking forefathers, right? Therefore, think vikings, only more primitive, plus consider that they will be relatively new to the climate of the Mediterranean islands. Then take it from there.

    Anyways, it would be a pleasure to work with you on this M.

  13. #13

    Default Re: [Idea] Open Co-op Writing

    The best cooperative writing experience I have had was in my A2 level english language class, the teacher began the story with a 100 word introduction then the story was passed around and you could add 100 words of whatever you wanted aslong as the story made (albeit vague) sense...the results were...amusing to say the least

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    m_1512's Avatar Quomodo vales?
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    Default Re: [Idea] Open Co-op Writing

    That could work too. But to be honest, we really need some new thing that is inclusive as well as fun.


  15. #15

    Default Re: [Idea] Open Co-op Writing

    Hey M, I recently got Attila (haven't installed or played it though) so if you're interested we could possibly do a multiplayer campaign (if they're still in the game!)

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    m_1512's Avatar Quomodo vales?
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    Default Re: [Idea] Open Co-op Writing

    Yes, why not. Let's catch up on steam this weekend.


  17. #17

    Default Re: [Idea] Open Co-op Writing

    The only problem would be installing Attila cause of the size of it (20GB) and I have a relatively small bandwidth (100GB).

  18. #18
    FrostySOTF's Avatar Ice in My Veins
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    Default Re: [Idea] Open Co-op Writing

    Can I sign up? I like. I don't have Attila but the idea intrigues me.

  19. #19
    m_1512's Avatar Quomodo vales?
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    Default Re: [Idea] Open Co-op Writing

    Wow, this is a revival of discussion from quite some time.

    Regarding your question, it's an obvious yes. Anyone can join in regardless of whether or not they have Attila. The bottom line here is writing and sharing it with other writers. And if I can find at least 3 people committed to join, I'll definitely get on finding an interesting start.


  20. #20
    FrostySOTF's Avatar Ice in My Veins
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    Default Re: [Idea] Open Co-op Writing

    Will stark sneaking around to find some recruits.

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