Current and future writing projects [Archive]

End Master

09-10-2007, 11:20 AM

As usual post ‘em if you got ‘em

Here a sample of what I want to eventually get around to working on next.

Primal

The large island of Tokari is home to many creatures and plants both harmless and dangerous. It consists mainly of jungle. A few swamps, even a mountain which rumbles every now and then. It is said a great fire god lives there.

Sandy beaches and rocky reefs are found mostly near the endless water. Some wonder if anything exists past the endless water, but such wondering is quickly dismissed. Why would anything exist past a place that already provides everything?

Your people call themselves the Zoltec, Your people make their home just within the jungle outskirts. A beach is not far away where the endless water meets it. Spears, and bows and knives are the mainstay of protection and hunting. Though blowguns, slings, clubs and darts are certainly used as well.

Hunting and gathering is the primary source of food. Despite the belief of nothing exists past the endless water, there have been a few small boats made for fishing purposes. Your people also build and live in huts.

The Zoltec practice minor body piercing and tattooings, but not to a great extent. Your beliefs are simple in that you believe in nature spirits, but due to your proximity to the endless water, there is a strong belief of a water god that looks after your people.

You have a few elders in your village that attempt to determine the will of the gods and spirits.

There are two other tribes that live on Tokari as well. These are the Umlabo and the Salkun. Both live much further inland. The Umlabo live deep in the heart of the jungle. The Salkun live near the mountain.

Since these two tribes live far from your own, not much contact is made with them. What little contact has been made has been somewhat strained.

The Umlabo are closer, but are isolationistic and have made it quite clear about trespassing on what they consider to be their territory. They do not build huts and live in the trees themselves. They heavily tattoo and pierce their bodies and worship the jungle spirits. They have shamans that engage in crazed trances and stranger magic.

They engage in the activity of head shrinking and head hunting. One can always tell they are in Umlabo territory by the shrunken head dangling from the trees.

The Salkun fortunately live on the far side of the island near the mountain of the fire god, which it is thought that they worship. They are very aggressive and most encounters with them result in violence.

They adorn themselves with the bones of their enemies or even their own people. Cannibalism is practiced by them. Human sacrifice is also practiced presumably to appease the fire god. It must work, as they carry weapons and tools that are much stronger. It is thought that they are made from the fire itself.

The Salkun mostly come in conflict with the Umlabo who are closer. In fact the two tribes are in a perpetual war with one another. Your people just try to stay out of it and defend yourselves whenever possible.

Life on Tokari, may be plentiful, but it isn’t necessarily long.

Usoki

09-10-2007, 02:07 PM

Just like the first piece, Rentyre II isn't really about anything- it's just the protagonist interacting within the setting of the story. Shortly after his first day, the main character will either hang out with people of his own kind, or pretend to fit in with the popular crowd. I have a few scenes visualized (like the kegger), but as far as actual connections, I'm still working on it.

"Oh, right, enrollment!" you say. "That's today, isn't it?"

Your mother just glares back at you. "Finally joining us in the world of the living? Honestly, you used to be such a morning person, I don't understand! Now finish up and let's go- registering your body as public domain takes a while."

"Why do I have to do that again?" you ask, shoving the bowl of bland cereal away.

Your mother sighs again. "I suppose you weren't listening at all?"...

..."Honestly, Maxwell, haven't you been paying attention to anything I've said this summer? Well, I'm not repeating myself. Read one of the school's pamplets on the way there, if you're so clueless. Now come on, or we'll be late!"...

Newkirk High School

Here at the NHS magnet school for boys, we pride ourselves in providing a safe learning environment for our students. With our creative usage of the Rentyre technology, students will learn to respect the differences between their fellow classmates that make us all unique.

Please note that your child may not always come home in his natural body. Extended Rentyre periods frequently used as teaching aids. Additionally, insensitive or hurtful remarks may result in your child Rentyring into the body in question to experience how it feels when somebody else makes fun of him. Your child will be given his original body for all holidays, as well as by request should an important family event occur.

To further reassure you the parent of the safety of our school, we offer the following advice:

You stop reading there- it's just a list of clichéd do's and don'ts every potential Rentyrer has to hear. "Mom, why are you making me attend here? Isn't it a bit...excessive?"

"You think so?" she askes, genuinely surprised. "We thought you'd like it, considering how interested you've always been in Rentyring."

"Well, yeah," you say, angrily, "but for fun! Not for some stupid morality crusade! This has got to be the cheesiest thing I've ever heard of!"

"Cheesy or not, you will be attending this school," your mother says matter-of-factly. "Your father and I think it will break you out of your shell."

You roll your eyes at this- your parents confused your utter refusal to talk with stupid people (i.e., most of your year) with shyness.

"You'll thank us for this later," she says. The idiotic but common parental phrase means the conversation is closed, so you content yourself with staring angrily out the window until you arrive at the parking lot.

Locke

09-11-2007, 02:08 AM

Omni is planned out as a rather large story with broad scope, though certainly smaller than HOID, and more focused as it is driven mostly around a central plot.

In the beginning, the universe was formless. There was matter, or there wasn't. All things existed in a vast, cold and timeless void - if even void could be said to exist, for there was nothing to compare it to; nothing to define it against. Time could not be said to pass in this place, though by modern perspective, if one were to try to make sense of the inconceivable within the laughable limitations of our mortal minds, a great deal of it indeed went by. All existence since the Event is as nothing compared to that monothlithic eternity.

But something changed in the relatively not-so-distant past. A singularity, a great Catalyst was born into this universe from somewhere without. It began as a single point of super-dense matter, a packet so small as to be undetectable except by association with the behavior of larger objects around it. The Catalyst, whatever it was and wherever it came from, could not maintain its form in our exceptionally vacant universe. In a great expansion men would know as the Big Bang, the Catalyst erupted outward.

Travelling faster than the speed of light, transcending the limitations of modern physics, it formed an infinite wave front that expanded - is expanding - will always expand outward in all directions, and inward into itself, with greater force than any mortal mind could ever comprehend. The universe became warmer. Energy cascaded through the vacuum with wild abandon, eventually coalescing in formations of matter that bore a passing resemblance to those mortal minds in these later ages have described.

Another incident sometimes known as the Big Rip or Translocation Project which occurred or did not occur billions of years earlier or later had some bearing on this process. It was a paradox or cataclysm unimaginable by our mortal minds, but created by those simple minds nonetheless. The stars, the galaxies and time itself shattered into an infinite number of pieces - spinning, broken and dying in a vast abyss. If the universe could feel pain, the tortured song of its riven soul would break our fragile bodies, and the worlds they cling to. If there is a God, He weeps endlessly over the severed flower of His creation.

But as callous as it may seem to turn our heads, to avert our eyes from the horror of it all, the agony of gods and stars does not, for the moment, concern us. We do know for certain, in any event, that the coming of the Catalyst changed everything. The equation of the universe, which had for ages unfathomable stood comfortably near absolute zero, became unbalanced. The mechanics of the universe responded in an attempt to compensate, rendering from the chaos galaxies, solar systems, planets - and life. In this particular instance, that life was intelligent; self-aware. So it was that the vast joy and the despair, the song and discord, the creation, harmony, destruction and disruption of the spheres was played out in the realm of the mundane as well as that of the cosmic - among human beings, in the minute and intricate workings of inner space: the human mind.

Vesnic

09-11-2007, 07:02 AM

My dearest Locke,

The epistemological quandaries in the first paragraph alone are enough to make my head explode! Locke, perhaps you haven't noticed, but around here we're all kind of THTOOPUD. That's right. Stupid. With a lisp and an unexplained vowel malformation. Because these things make one sound less intelligent. (Note to all: if you talk with a lisp, I'm really sorry that you are so amusing to your friends. The most brilliant fellow I ever knew had a remarkable stutter, yet people just snickered whenever he talked. Tragic, really.) I'm not saying we're not waiting with anticipation and existential angst for the arrival of your story. I'm just requesting that you not expect us to COMPREHEND anything.

Thtoopudly yours,

Ves

Usoki

09-11-2007, 08:08 AM

Speak for yourself- Omni looks like a hardcore piece of Sci-Fi technobabble, and I for one am excited for it. I'm not entirely sure what the plot would be, but it definitely sounds interesting.

I'm kinda interested as to the plotline of Primal, as well. I mean, it's EndMaster writing it, so whatever happens, there will be all sorts of shit goin' down. The question is- will the main character gradually become a warlord and kill the other two tribes? Or do the other two tribes randomly start a full-island war, and you try and be the last alive? Maybe civilized people come, and you pick a tribe to help you wipe them out?

I'm going for the middle one, since the first one is Necromancer's plot, and I doubt he'd want to write the exact same thing again so soon.

End Master

09-11-2007, 09:42 AM

All of them, variations of them and probably different scenarios than that. There will definitely be tribal warfare, but the protagonist is starting out at a really young age (Like 10) so it's possible that the island is going to change quite a bit over the years assuming you survive.

For example you could very well rise to become the warchief and crush the other two tribes, only to get wiped out years later by those civilized people you were talking about.

Other things like diseases, weather, possible supernatural occurences, and just the local fauna and flora could all potentially get you. Tribal people tend to have to stick together to survive, attempting to go it alone can be pretty hard in a dangerous environment.

So no "Godmoding" this time around.

donteatpoop

09-12-2007, 02:15 PM

Finished one complete path of Brothers (Paul). There were a few ways to die, and one Epilogue ending. There will be another epilogue ending for Paul as well based off of the final choice that I'll probably have finished tonight.

Let me know what you think (if you are into that sort of thing).

End Master

09-12-2007, 04:14 PM

donteatpoop

09-12-2007, 04:32 PM

Grrr! A lot of the paths that I was trying to choose for Paul were still unfinished! I must’ve ended up picking every path you hadn’t worked on yet.

Anyway, I still liked new rooms I read. Nice wrap up of your past actions for the current epilogue you have up. Your wife was right though when she said no matter what you do, their lives just get worse.

I hope when you’re finally done with Paul, Mikey is the next one you work on; I was enjoying that path the first time I was reading through it.

Yeah, Mikey is next in line. He's at least got a humorous side in addition to be horribly fucked up. I'm saving Kenny for last, because he is going to depress the shit out of me. Paul was painful enough to write, actually.

End Master

09-12-2007, 04:46 PM

That was the thing with Paul though, it seems like he has a path that potentially avoids some of the bad stuff though.

The first time I was going through Paul’s path I was choosing just about all the choices that involved me distancing myself from the family (and the highschool girlfriend) as much as possible. So he was basically just looking out for himself and things were going relatively okay but the story ended when the professor started hitting on him.

donteatpoop

09-12-2007, 05:05 PM

End Master

09-12-2007, 05:36 PM

Heh, actually though a “sexual confusion” path would probably work better for Kenny, given what happened. It would be pretty likely as well.

End Master

09-20-2007, 12:57 PM

I’m getting into writing Primal, but after getting further into it, I decided that I really need to flesh out the island a little more and the tribes in particular because it’s getting a little more complex. It’s always hard to just “spring info” on people in CYOAs since you’ll usually have to explain the same thing in several paths. And that’s just redundantly annoying for me, so I think it’ll be necessary to do a whole “room” for each of the main tribes as well as the island itself in the beginning, rather than just the brief bit I wrote.

Some changes for example:

I decided that the Zolopotec (New name for the Volcano/fire god worshipping tribe) shouldn’t really have metal weapons (at least not yet), but they’ll definitely have obsidian arrowheads and similar sturdy weapons. Still some cannibalism and human sacrifice, though maybe it’ll take the form of throwing someone in the volcano, rather than the traditional heart cutting business. (Though I guess they might do both)

The Umlabo are still wild tree dwellers living in the swampy area of the island. Still shrink the heads of their enemies too. I’m thinking they might have more “magic” about them since I’m thinking the swamp area contains a lot of different kinds of plants for them to mix up. Hallucinogenic mushrooms will definitely be on the list.

Changed your tribe name to the Kaimori. More affinity to the water (having actually built small rafts and canoes) and most of the tribe is made up of fishermen, but there are land hunters as well, which also act as the protectors of the tribe. There’s a reverence of a Water Goddess, but it’s not reaching a semi-fanaticism like the Zolos have for their fire god. Your tribe is probably the least violent.

Need to explain some of the ecology of the island and life in general on Tokari, just so I don’t get bogged down with explaining certain details within the actual story. Like some of the particularly vicious lizard creatures called Rograks (Bigger and meaner versions of a real life Komodo Dragons) rodent creatures called Qweepas, certain other creatures, fruits, plants, fresh water sources, the “Endless Water” etc.

Also I was pondering over whether to give people proper names or give them names like “Strong Sun” or “Broken Shells” due to the primitive culture type status, but I mostly discarded that idea and everyone’s getting proper names.

Anyway I have to start over a bit, but I still got lots of ideas for this one though. Just need to get all the background “fluff” out of the way first. Though I have to remember not to go overboard, I’m not shooting for complete “island life” accuracy; it’s still a fantasy story after all, not set on historical Earth.

I think I will be trying to shoot for the Ground Zero route though in terms of long paths and tons of choices. Hopefully anyway.

donteatpoop

09-20-2007, 02:17 PM

Sounds really good, End. I can't wait to read it.

End Master

10-25-2007, 07:35 AM

Currently working on Legend again.

Was almost tempted to cheap out with the Priest paths due to laziness and boredom of writing those...but I'm not going to do that now and there will at least be somewhat of a lengthly path though probably still shorter than the others

Demon possessed path is going to be worked on afterwards. The goal is to get all these finished before the end of the year.

End Master

01-02-2008, 02:47 AM

Current Projects for the New Year.

Primal

Intro to the 3 tribes finished. Parts of the beginning choices written out, but will probably be changed. I might post the tribe intros on here later.

Legend

Priest paths finished. Demon possessed path being started on. Will it finally be finished this year? Fuck if I know.

Terrible Tales
Basically these are little bits and pieces of storylines I once had or toyed with at some point in time, but ultimately decided there just wasn’t enough material for a proper story let alone a good one. Still, it's all taking up space on my computer and I might as well post some of the stuff.

I figure the first or second page will contain a choice for a different tale. The "Grindhouse" of CYOAs I guess.

So far the canidates on that list are...

To Hell with anime! A Date With She Hulk! (Stupid parody of all those anime dating stories that I hate so much)

I Think I'm Turning Animeese! (Making fun of more anime stuff...maybe I'll just combine it with the She-Hulk one. Make it a branching path)

White Devil Black Heart (Well somebody's gotta make a story with a black female protagonist)

Vagina, My Tyrant (Or something like that, dunno about the title yet, but it's the castrated midget and talking vagina thing I mentioned in Ves' IWT thread)

I might just shove Ebay in Terrible Tales as well and delete the original to make way for something better. If the legends are true, we only have 25 story "slots" so I'd rather use them for better stories.

Thinking about axing Quinn too, but I'd probably rewrite that one (Get rid of that crappy Death Match path at least) and still keep it seperate.

Well those are my goals for 2008.

Vesnic

01-02-2008, 05:00 AM

You forgot to mention your actual contest entry. :D

As for me, I will be focused first on finishing my existing stories, lest I become a Poopy kind of writer. Then, whatever inspires me, assuming I'm not homeless by then.

End Master

01-14-2008, 10:14 AM

Temporarily putting up a short demo of Primal. (About 6 long rooms)

http://www.infinite-story.com/story/2350/

Lots O' description! :D

Locke

01-14-2008, 12:45 PM

There are small grammatical errors scattered throughout, but I'm assuming you don't care much about those. Overall this looks quite promising. I always like the way you provide in-depth background information on key entities. One thing I noticed is that the protagonist seems to have a much better home/family life than most of your characters. Usually there are at least some serious father-son issues going on, but I've got to say I like the change. Keep it up; I look forward to the finished product.

Locke

01-14-2008, 01:32 PM

A very rough version of Omni's beginning will be up for a few days. Some of the language needs to be a bit less unwieldy, and obviously many, many more rooms will be added; this is just an early glimpse of the story. Comments appreciated. http://www.infinite-story.com/story/3392/

End Master

01-15-2008, 08:44 AM

Well the bard in Death Song had a good relationship with his family, though I suppose it didn't end well for the lot of them.

Anyway your story seems interesting so far. So are you going through the whole process of evolution? That's sure going to be a long story especially with all the branching and you didn't even touch upon the non-Terran path yet.

Vesnic

01-15-2008, 09:01 AM

Here's a little bribe, Locke my boy. I will give you some in-depth comments as soon as I receive a pleasing Secret Santa present.

Extortion, baby. Extortion.

End Master

07-12-2008, 03:00 PM

Blargh, I hate it when I get inspired by several story ideas. It totally messes up my focus and then nothing gets accomplished…

Anyway I got an idea for a fantasy story, but not in the traditional “You are the hero slaying a bunch of monsters/save the world” kind of way. It’s actually two ideas, but I’m thinking maybe it might be better to combine them and just use them as separate paths. (Haven’t decided yet)

First idea was to be a leader of a bunch of peasants who are trying to settle a new piece of land. The difficulties would depend on what sort of area you decided to build a new town in. (Swampy, cold, hot etc.)

I’m also wondering what might be the motivation for moving too. Maybe you’re just a bunch of pioneers, maybe you’re sick of the old government’s oppression and want to move. (Whee! Possible invasion in the future!) or maybe you’re just a bunch of prisoners that got kicked out of civilization and got placed here by the government to “settle” the land. (Which probably means the area is harsh and your fellow “settlers” are going to be on the rough side.)

Second idea is similar but more personal in scope. Basically you inherit an Inn/Tavern in a fairly remote area. Again I figure a few “pre-questions” will decide on where this Inn will be located (Snowy land, Oasis, built on top of an old dungeon, etc.)

In this case you’ll be fairly down on your luck so you jump at the chance at trying to make the Tavern profitable while dealing with the usual nuisances in a fantasy setting. Such as obnoxious adventurers, soldiers of some dark overlord that are passing through, etc.

Again, not sure if I’ll actually get around to any of this anytime soon, but the ideas are there!

Hi! My name is: Katie

07-27-2008, 04:26 PM

I'm going to be unemployed when I move to michigan, so I'd like to challenge myself to get something ready to publish, as a result I am going to be trying out different styles and story lines to see what might be the most promising. Here's a sample I jotted down today, I've been very drawn to fairy tales lately.

The Beginning

Once upon a time there was a young maiden, whose chore it was to put out milk each night for the fairies so that they might keep away from the house where her two young and equally beautiful sisters slept. Each night, the girl would slip into the stable and milk the poor beleaguered cow whose temper was always most sour in the dark. She did not very much like the job, for she had grown older and caught on to the truth of faerie tales, and she no more believed in them than she believed in any other kind of magic. Indeed, this girl was very sensible, and wise, and clever in the way that young women are when they discover the gift of logic.

On some nights she would be met by a young and handsome man. If perhaps he had been just any boy, she might have ignored his begs for kisses and she would surely have slapped away his hand when it rose to touch the fabric where her neckline dipped to expose her generous bosom. This man, however, was not like the boys she had been raised with. While Beedle Jones still frolicked with his dogs, and Will Hurst had calloused hands from working too hard, this man was neither fancy free, nor work worn. In short, he was a perfect specimen of manliness, with smooth hands, and a quiet dignity.

During the day she spent many hours wondering about this man, and she had reasoned that she might grow to love a poor man if he had the same winning qualities, but that it was all the better that she had met and fallen in love with this man, for he was rich and well turned out. He had eyes the color of honey flecked with rich browns and light gold like the gold he sometimes gave her when she let him place his hand beneath her skirt. Often she would gaze at his eyes in the light of the wax candles he would sometimes bring. She had convinced herself for it was easy to do when he was near, that she loved him, and like any girl in love, he drove her to distraction.

Thus it came to pass that on one warm summer night, she met the man as usual in the stable. And as usual, he plied her with kisses and hot words that made her feel heat that had nothing to do with the season. And he placed his hand beneath her skirt and promised to show her the stars. He promise to take her to walk among them. And she, wise enough to know it impossible to walk among the stars, lay back to enjoy his little game. And she did very much enjoy it as his fingers took her to a universe within herself that she had never explored. And when she returned to earth, her body wet with a sheen of sweat, he caught her to him. He smiled gently to her, and pulled her close to his body, and she could feel the hair on his legs rubbing against her own thighs as he parted them. She felt the part of him that was most intimate beg entrance to her most private of places. And she let him in, for she loved him, and wanted him to know of her love. And the girl lay with her lover in the stable on a clean bed of hay, and again they reached for the stars, straining with every taunt muscle in their bodies. He plowed into her until they both collapsed in exhaustion, and fell into a deep slumber. The milk was not set out that night, but the maid thought little of it as she dreamt of sparkling jewels and other pretty things in the arms of her beloved.

But this is not a story about the young maiden and her lover, for their lives were short as mortal lives are, and their love was never meant to last out the season. In fact I only mentioned them at all so you would know how it came to pass that two beautiful little girls- human by birth- came to live in an extraordinary world full of wonders and dangers no mortal eye could bear to see. For on that night, while their dear sister lay with her legs spread in the hay with her handsome love, the two girls were spirited away in the night, never to see their quaint little cottage again. This is their story, the story of two little changelings and how they grew.

End Master

01-22-2009, 10:54 PM

Hmm, didn't seem to get much writing done last year, or rather any NEW writing done. Most of it was either finally finishing up Legend or retooling old stories (Tales From the Basement and Exploitation Theater).

This year I hope to get back on track. So far this is what the year is looking like:

Primal: 15% Completed.

Still haven't abandoned this idea, if nothing else I'm going to try to work on this one above all. First thing I need to do is re-familiarize myself with what I wrote before, then I can get started on it properly again.

Routine: 0%

This is the looping contest story which is only in the idea stage. My main idea is that it'll start out rather dull like the "average day" but depending on what choices you pick in the "first routine" the next day will change, perhaps drastically. (From realistic to over the top) "Bad loops" will occur in various parts of the story. Make the wrong choice, and you get stuck in an even shittier routine than when you started. Obviously you'll want to improve your station in life and get stuck in a "good routine"

Innkeeper: 0%

This was the other idea I had that I liked. Don't know if I'll get to it this year, but hopefully I'll get something down past the idea stage.

wolfen44

04-10-2009, 07:32 AM

This is one thats on the sight but not going to be finished for a while

Three Destiny Choices

Picture yourself falling through the lifeless void thinking that you will never reach the bottom, and you even wonder if theres even a bottom, when suddenly you actually hit some thing thats solid. Your back smacks against it making no sound for there is nothing for the sound to travel along so it seems like it never happened. Your body seems paralyzed but your mind is flying.

You lay there in the unmistakable silence not knowing what will happen next when a light came from what you were laying on. As if a divine transcendence the light seemed to lift the weight that was oppressing you onto the ground, you could find that you could move even though it still felt like you wouldn't. As you begin to scan around you can tell that your on a round platform with light emanating from the ground. You walk towards what seems to be the end of the platform, due to thats where the light ends. You lean you head over the edge of the light but see nothing but a void of blackness past the cliff. Not wanting to look any more you turn you eyes away and look over the rest of the lighted area, and much to your surprise see three objects lay in the distance where you had landed.

Thats the beginning room at least

End Master

05-26-2009, 03:14 PM

Bah, I've gotten so off track and distracted...

Finally working on Primal again. (Hey we still do write here don't we?)

The most difficult part about writing Primal is the family/community dynamics. Writing loner types is a lot easier. When you write a character that actually isn't a pariah from society you have to take into account all those extra characters and how they affect the various story lines.

Extending this over a period of years makes it even more challenging, though the dangerous nature of the island can make it a little easier sometimes. (Tired of writing about grandpa? Ah kill him off with a giant man-eating plant in a couple years)

Still hope to finish this one before 2010 if I don't write anything else this year.

End Master

07-26-2009, 07:19 PM

Primal: 16% Completed! (Whee!)

Well at least some progress was made! I swear even when I get some stuff accomplished with this story, I end up having to go back and rewrite other bits. Its really two steps forward and one step back. At this point I'm seriously considering just writing a little bit more to finish up a few minor branches and releasing what I have and periodically working on it over time like I did with Legend.

Routine: 10% Completed

I started writing "Routine", since I figure I need to at least produce something once a year on this site and it doesn't look like Primal is going to be finished anytime soon.

I also figure I can probably finish this one since it'll be much shorter, and I can use up some of those old "deleted" test stories that I still have.

As I mentioned before, Routine will take place over the course of one week. (Possibly shorter if you fuck up) so far I'm finished with "Monday". and have 8 rooms completed.

Given that most looping situations don't really allow for a "good ending" I'm not finding it too difficult to create a story based around this idea, though rather than sticking with one theme, I'm using every possible way I can think of to create a looping story. This includes coma/dream, time travel, insanity and a few situations which aren't immediately apparent.

So far I have exactly ONE "good" looping ending in mind. The rest, not so much.

End Master

08-02-2009, 05:41 PM

Made more progress on Routine, I really hope I have time to finish this one for the contest because it's coming along nicely so far. At first I was concerned the rooms might not be long enough, but that seems to be correcting itself as I go along.

This sort of reminds me of the porn contest last year, I wasn't too motivated about it at first, but then when I got going I started to really enjoy what I was writing.

This one will definitely be longer than Exploitation Theater though, I'm only on "Tuesday" and not even finished with several branches dealing with that day yet.

JJJ-thebanisher

08-02-2009, 09:52 PM

http://www.chooseyourstory.com/Story/The_Order_of_the_Midnight_Sun.aspx

I just posted the first story I've written in over a year, over at CYS, I'm really proud of it. It's over four hundred rooms and most of them are pretty big, and I think it's the probably the best that I've written, if you are so inclined, go take a look :)

Cat2000

08-12-2009, 04:55 PM

Tiger Falls was built on the site of an Indian burial site, and there are a lot of spooky things which happen there – such as ghosts, monsters, possessions, etc. Those who don’t die in the university are never quite right when they leave. In fact, over half of them become serial killers, sociopaths, psychopaths, mentally deranged... Still, students continue to go there. Perhaps they believe it will be different for them; maybe they hope to destroy the evil... or perhaps they simply don’t know the university’s reputation.

You have the option to play one of four characters – two males and two females. The choices you make will determine whether you live or die, whether you turn out ‘normal’ or end up emotionally scarred.

I'm finally getting back to working on some of my projects. This story is on private status right now, but as soon as there are more rooms, I'll move it onto public.

I'm also working on a third version of Final Quest - so if anyone's interested in coming up with ideas to make it better... Tell me everything that was wrong with the first two versions.

Bye for now!

End Master

08-12-2009, 09:02 PM

Glad to see you're still around Cat.

The only thing I remember finding wrong with the first Final Quest was the long maze segment you had at one point. I think eliminating rooms like "Go left or right" and adding more descriptive ones would be better than maze stuff.

I didn't really think anything was excessively wrong with the second version except that wasn't finished.

Anyway the sample of the story you're working on looks pretty interesting so far.

Cat2000

08-13-2009, 05:32 AM

Yeah... I was trying to do the same thing some of the writers did in the books and get the reader hopelessly lost - but it's not something I plan to do again, so... ^^

And, yeah - I have a serious problem with finishing stories. It's why I have the ones I'm working on on private status, so that people aren't likely to start reading and then be disappointed when they just stop suddenly. As to whether or not my good intentions will stick around... Well, I'll just have to see.

And I do intend on checking out some of others' stories at some point as well. I keep neglecting the reading...

Jostuth09

12-28-2009, 10:58 AM

I think my resolutions all have to do with my writing...because I dont do enough of it.

I want to blog more.

I want to find my creativity and use it in my writing more often.

I want to take the advice of a very dear friend and just force myself to write if I must.

I want to finish the stories already begun.

Stop being so dramatic about the whole thing

donteatpoop

12-28-2009, 02:38 PM

Best Post Yet

Cat2000

12-28-2009, 04:06 PM

I think my New Year's Resolution is to finally finish this chapter/battle... it's already been taking me way too long

mizal

12-28-2009, 09:01 PM

legible ontopic post

I am...so confused right now.

But my New Years resolutions are about writing more too...or at least about not being lazy, which would directly contribute to writing more.

Also, I'm secretly a spam bot.

End Master

02-23-2010, 11:56 PM

Innkeeper: 1% Completed

This is my contest story. It will be a little more on the fantasy side rather than a modern setting. It'll probably have a few steampunk/industrial age elements though. While there are fantasy races, it's going to be a low magic setting. Wizards aren't plentiful and they aren't moving mountains. (At least not any more)

As you can probably tell, the protagonist will take the role of an innkeeper. Not from the beginning though, there's a small childhood process to go through first. So far I've got 3 different major branches in mind for the story based on how childhood goes. Certain events will always happen regardless of the branch. There will just be different effects or ways to deal with them.

I ended up writing a few history links for the inn and the city (as well as the surrounding area) since I felt it just needed a little more background.

Primal: 20% Completed

One day! One day!

Routine: CANCELLED

Put down and scrapped, but kept for parts for possible future stories... whenever I get around to them.

mizal

02-24-2010, 12:41 PM

Innkeeper sounds pretty interesting. Low power fantasy is probably my favorite setting, I've done a couple of stories like that in the past but never a CYOA.

I'm actually starting to wonder if I'll ever be able to finish a CYOA, they seem to all get so ridiculously huge and unwieldy so fast, and I have the hardest time keeping track of all the different plot threads...add to one and you create two more. It's annoying. And yet at the same time I don't want to be killing the reader off left and right just because they don't follow the storyline I'm most interested in.

I'm trying to plan my urban fantasy one out web-style on a single sheet of paper though, we'll see how that goes.

End Master

02-24-2010, 05:29 PM

I usually create several "main story branches" and then set story limits within those branches. This keeps it from getting too unwieldily and you don't necessarily have to kill off the character.

For example in Ground Zero, there were several major story branches you could get into, one of which was hiding in an advanced underground shelter. There were a few different ways that could play out, but there were times where you could leave the shelter altogether. Doing so ended the story. Your character didn't necessarily die (Sometime just walking off into an unknown future) but that particular story branch was about life IN a shelter. If you leave it, it would've become a different story.

Primal had something similar with leaving the island of Tokari. Sure you might find a nice new island, but it's a different story now, so it ends.

There's going to be points in the Innkeeper story where you can just walk away from running the place. Again this doesn't necessarily mean your character dies, but it is an end to the story, because hey, the story is called "Innkeeper" and it's focusing on events involving your Inn not about you suddenly running off to become an adventurer instead.

Ryan_DuBois

02-25-2010, 03:08 PM

I'm a couple thousand words into mine... Looks like it's yet another post-apocalyptic setting (I didn't mean to!), but it doesn't set itself up as a huge epic like "The Rift" did. It looks like it's going to be about The Devil or something like him and a group of people who have to hunt it down. Right now the setting is in a kind of suburban area, so the rest of the story will probably include a trek to some nearby city.

Apparently I'm incapable of writing true branching stories, too, because this one is linear. What I ended up doing is something kind of like Lucid's "Paradox Factor", where you can choose which scenes to view or which characters to follow, without there being any contradictions in the plot. It's very vague, so hopefully setting up the branches this way will give the reader more incentive to read through it several times and get a better grasp of the "big picture".

Beyond that, I can't really say... I think as far as fantasy elements go, it's going to resemble "Fallout 3" more than anything. Don't expect any unicorns.

:)

Usoki

02-25-2010, 05:21 PM

I have no idea what I'm going to end up writing... but rest assured it will have some sort of bizarre, fantastic and/or supernatural element as a key plot point. The story can't even keep my attention span if I don't include something along those lines.

mizal

02-25-2010, 05:35 PM

Don't expect any unicorns.
:)

This is so weird. I just decided that mine would have a unicorn, just because it was the most random thing I could think of.

Ryan_DuBois

02-25-2010, 05:43 PM

Haha, yeah it was the first thing that came to my mind when I thought of "fantasy".

Usoki

02-25-2010, 05:45 PM

Apparently, Ryan only reads girly, hormonal preteen fantasy. I'll be sure to expect the occasional glittery vampire.

JJJ-thebanisher

02-25-2010, 05:49 PM

Apparently, Ryan only reads girly, hormonal preteen fantasy. I'll be sure to expect the occasional glittery vampire.

This was exactly what came to my mind when I read the above posts. Haha.

mizal

02-25-2010, 06:05 PM

Ryan_DuBois

02-25-2010, 06:09 PM

Apparently, Ryan only reads girly, hormonal preteen fantasy.

Well, I pretty much had to read "Sigma Epsilon Chi"; it was one of the requirements for entering the tournament, remember?

:D

End Master

02-25-2010, 06:20 PM

See, in my story the vampire and the unicorn both fall in love with a teenage girl that is new in town, they can't resist her specialness and this makes for lots of romantic tension.

Nobody steal my ideas okay.

Let's see that's necrophilia, zoophilia and ephebophilia already.

If you can make the vampire her brother and the unicorn a Nazi you'll win the contest.

Usoki

02-25-2010, 06:21 PM

XP Hey, now, Yazz. It's masculine enough. After all, the story is called "SEX".

The unicorn can't resist the girl, and the girl can't resist the pony/dildo combo package?

JJJ-thebanisher

02-25-2010, 06:22 PM

Let's see that's necrophilia, zoophilia and ephebophilia already.

If you can make the vampire her brother and the unicorn a Nazi you'll win the contest.

Hands down. Who could vote against that?

Usoki

02-25-2010, 06:24 PM

I bet something with a brain in a jar and some ninjas could give it a run for its money, as long as it included similar elements.

Ryan_DuBois

02-25-2010, 06:26 PM

Damned hidden Greek messages...

Usoki

02-25-2010, 06:29 PM

Can you think of a better name for a fraternity? About the only thing that comes close would be Delta Tau Delta, or Delta Lambda Delta, because then the letters look like boobs if you squint.

Ryan_DuBois

02-25-2010, 06:39 PM

I'm with Sigma Epsilon Chi; it's subtle. Plus, with the two Delta names it's kinda hard to notice since you don't get the outer curves. Then again, I didn't notice it with Sigma Epsilon Chi, either. Still, there was an "aha!" moment when I did find out.

As for better names... just find a three-letter word funnier than "SEX" and translate it over. "ASS" and "KOK" are probably on par.

JJJ-thebanisher

02-25-2010, 06:48 PM

Dragavan

02-25-2010, 09:03 PM

The unicorn can't resist the girl, and the girl can't resist the pony/dildo combo package?

Sounds like the Princess One-Horn we hear referenced in some of the Buffy stuff with Harmony.

mizal

02-26-2010, 11:38 AM

Sounds like the Princess One-Horn we hear referenced in some of the Buffy stuff with Harmony.

I stopped watching Buffy after, like, the second season so I have no idea what you're talking about...and I think I'm okay with that.

Ryan_DuBois

02-26-2010, 12:33 PM

Ya, I don't remember much about Buffy either... I know it had a good opening song, though. One my sisters used to watch it when I was like 4 or 5.

donteatpoop

02-26-2010, 01:26 PM

I have roughly 17 rooms for the contest. So I'm going to put it on hold for a minute and concentrate on my novel. I vowed that this year I will complete a novel. So far I have about 12 chapters outlined and 1 1/2 written.

Low magic, low mythical creature; just a lot of badassery, knights and war and shit like that. So far only one mythical creature is present in the story at all, a minotaur mercenary who one of the main characters briefly encountered and will deal with more down the road.

Ryan_DuBois

02-26-2010, 03:34 PM

Holy shit -- what, did you just copy and paste together a bunch of rooms from old stories or something? I knew you were prolific, but seventeen rooms already...

mizal

02-26-2010, 05:07 PM

I haven't even finished my outline yet. :(

End Master

02-26-2010, 06:11 PM

mizal

02-26-2010, 06:27 PM

No you don't understand, I have to write it now or else I'll get distracted and move on to something else and forget about it until December 31st. Which would be embarrassing enough without the complimentary year's supply of SHAME.

e: Speaking of Buffy again, is 'you are the/a Chosen One with mystical magical powers' basically played out as a story element at this point?

I just realized my big idea was basically a rip off of the Dark is Rising series I read as a kid. And my backup big idea might as well be Highlander fanfic. :/ Maybe I should just shelf this for awhile and work on something else...

JJJ-thebanisher

02-26-2010, 10:03 PM

You guys don't really need to worry since it only has to be at least 20 rooms long (finished or not) and have the whole year to do it.

Just remember to have it taking place in a city setting and have some fantasy elements in it. (demons, vampires, fairies, ghosts, etc)

Just out of curiosity, what if the story never goes anywhere in a city but a city is the main character or at least a prominent one? I'm not actually planning on writing anything like this, but I'm just wondering.

Usoki

02-26-2010, 10:08 PM

JJJ, what in the hell are you talking about? Articles don't work that way...

JJJ-thebanisher

02-26-2010, 10:16 PM

JJJ, what in the hell are you talking about? Articles don't work that way...

Hahaha, I forgot the word "in".

Edit: Actually, scratch that question. Pretty sure it HAS to be in an urban environment to qualify.

Ryan_DuBois

02-26-2010, 11:22 PM

I still can't figure out what he's saying... Maybe it's because he's Canadian?

Anyway, J3, in the past we've been liberal about what gets accepted and what doesn't (look at the contest you just witnessed if you need proof), but I think it will ultimately be up to End whether or not you're allowed in... So make sure to give him lots of compliments and high ratings on his currently existing stories and you should be fine.

By the way, did you say that you were wondering if the city could BE YOUR MAIN CHARACTER?!

...

Or do you just mean, like, an important part of the story?

Never mind. I will ask no more. If it's the former, then it sounds like a great way to score some points in the creativity department...

JJJ-thebanisher

02-26-2010, 11:28 PM

Usoki

02-27-2010, 01:24 AM

One could construe nothing, given that settings and characters are usually entirely different things. Characters need to be intelligent beings; a city is usually a setting, not a character. You can argue semantics over 'alive' and 'has a body', but the bottom line is that settings and objects are not normally considered characters. And given that your previous sentence was just as confusing, it was not a stretch to suppose you were typing even more incoherent jibberish.

End Master

02-27-2010, 03:06 AM

Really, if you turn in something that's 20 rooms before dec 31st its going to be enough to get you to avoid SHAME. (Apoth turning in a 20 page mudkip story a couple contests ago, is an example of this) Actually winning on the other hand is different. (He lost spectacularly)

Personally I'm usually an easy rater, but last contest I was marking off if the story was too linear. (I liked Ryan's story last contest for example, but it wasn't really a CYOA). I'd also mark off if the story doesn't really conform to "urban fantasy".

For example DEP writes his knight story. He's got a bit where the captain of the knights hire a minotaur mercenary in the city before the they go off to battle, then a majority of the story takes place on the battlefield.

I'd end up marking off since there's barely a city in there, let alone taking place in one. Someone else might be a little more lenient though and feel it was enough that DEP just stuck a city in there briefly. Now if he has a similar theme involving say a siege of a city, he's safe from getting marked down (from me at least) since all the action/drama is going to be in the city.

You can certainly still have bits of the story in a countryside setting (Someone decided to dump bodies in the wilderness) but it has to be taking place primarily in a city environment.

As for "the city" as a main character, if this is a self-aware city that's discussing its inhabitants and how it interacts with them you'd most likely be safe since your story really doesn't have any choice but to take place in an urban environment and the fantasy element would be a "living city". (D&D's old Planescape setting and the city Sigil comes to mind )

If this is a non-sentient city and you're just telling a kind of history of it and how the surrounding landscape/events affects it, that's sort of getting away from the point of the theme.

This all brings up another question, in the future should we have a fourth rating for structure/theme based on story branching and adherence to contest theme? Or should we just continue to mark down in one or some of the other categories?

Usoki

02-27-2010, 03:19 AM

I always assumed 'linearity' was a part of 'enjoyment', since you can't really enjoy a CYOA if it isn't much of a CYOA to begin with.

On the same note, I would argue that 'adherence to theme' is covered under 'originality', since it refers to both the freshness of the idea and how creatively the theme is followed. If you use stock Tolkein to fill your clever and original urban environment, it's not much better than having amazing fantasy characters in a boring city.

mizal

02-27-2010, 06:29 AM

For example DEP writes his knight story. He's got a bit where the captain of the knights hire a minotaur mercenary in the city before the they go off to battle, then a majority of the story takes place on the battlefield.

Wait wait wait, but you're talking about a fantasy city there. Are fantasy cities okay or was that just a random example? For some reason I was thinking urban fantasy needed a modern setting...

End Master

02-27-2010, 09:41 AM

It doesn't need to be a modern setting. It usually is, but it doesn't have to be.

Here are the short descriptions that I'm going by:

Urban fantasy is a subset of fantasy defined by place; the fantastic narrative has an urban setting. Many urban fantasies are set in contemporary times or contain supernatural elements. However, this is not the primary definition of urban fantasy. Urban fantasy can be set in historical times, modern times, or futuristic times. The prerequisite is that it must be primarily set in a city, rather than in a suburban or country setting, which have their own genre subsets.

Urban fantasy has to be set primarily in a city and contain a fantasy element. Urban fantasy sometimes features problems with inner city life, such as gangs and city management and can also be set in contemporary times and include paranormal romance. The city may also be fictional and set on another planet, as long as the city becomes a character or a major element in the story itself.

So for example Ryan is doing yet another post-apocalyptic setting, as long as he's focusing on something like the bombed out remnants of Nuke York where humans have been enslaved by sadistic pixies and how they're trying to gain their freedom, his story will satisfy the theme requirements.

JJJ-thebanisher

02-27-2010, 10:17 AM

Thanks, End. That was as to-the-point as always.

One could construe nothing, given that settings and characters are usually entirely different things. Characters need to be intelligent beings; a city is usually a setting, not a character. You can argue semantics over 'alive' and 'has a body', but the bottom line is that settings and objects are not normally considered characters. And given that your previous sentence was just as confusing, it was not a stretch to suppose you were typing even more incoherent jibberish.

Character:

"A fictional character is any person, persona, identity, or entity that originated in a work of art."

"the aggregate of features and traits that form the individual nature of some person or thing."

Why couldn't the city be an intelligent being, why couldn't the city be the main character, why am I taking flak for asking a simple question?

Just out of curiosity, what if the story never goes anywhere in a city but a city is the main character or at least a prominent one? I'm not actually planning on writing anything like this, but I'm just wondering.

Sure, it's not a perfect sentence. But it's not incoherent gibberish. Would it help you if the word in was replaced with near and one was replaced with the word character?

Usoki

02-27-2010, 11:53 AM

Calm the fuck down, J. I never said that the city couldn't be a character. A city is usually a setting. Not always, but usually. All settings are not characters. So if the city were a setting, it would not be a character. But at no point did I ever say the city had to be a setting. In the event of an intelligent city? It would be an intelligent being, and thus a character. It would also be a specific entity, and not just some random city which happens to be intelligent.

What is confusing about your sentence, aside from the original glaring typo, is your choice of articles. You use the phrase "a city"- a, implying that it is one of many cities out there- it is one of a group, which all share similar traits. Detroit is a city, not unlike New York City or Chicago or wherever else. None of these cities are intelligent. Therefore, the initial impulse is to assume the city that you are talking about is equally trivial.

Had you said 'the city', it would have been different. 'The' city, as in 'one of a kind'. This city has special and unique properties- if it didn't, it would just be 'a' city.

You also weren't taking flak for it until you flipped a shit.

Everyone look at JJJ! Hah! I am giving him flak so that he might take it! Hah!

Ryan_DuBois

02-27-2010, 12:34 PM

You guys are both whack. All the small details aside, it was a bit confusing, J3. Mostly because it was an unusual sentence. It would be like me typing:

"Alright, I've gotta go relieve myself in the sink and head for work, so I'll talk to you later! Make sure to send that letter out by Friday!"

Even though you can't really deduce any other meaning from the first sentence, it would keep you wondering if I had made some horrible typo or had worded things poorly, just because of how odd it was.

Oh, and End. I've always thought that "enjoyment" is the category that would suffer if a story didn't follow the theme or got too linear. I don't really mind if you'd like to add in another category, though. This way, people would be forced to dock points on stories that don't follow the rules, so it sounds alright.

Ryan_DuBois

02-27-2010, 12:46 PM

Crunchyfrog has some words for us:

I have 9 rooms created for the competition already - one is an introduction so I guess that doesn't count, two are what I would consider as 'finished', and three that are in first draft. I have a further three that are really just sketches and could change. Overall I have about 3,000 words.

I've never entered a competition with such a long deadline but is there any minimum limit to the number of words you are expected to write, here?

End Master

02-27-2010, 12:53 PM

Ryan: Nah, I wasn't going to add another category, I was just asking if we should in the future, but the explanations you and Usoki mentioned sounded alright to me since that's sort of how I was docking points anyway.

I remember there were a couple of contest years where we had 4 grading categories. I think we added enjoyment but later on plot and originality got combined into one category, so it went back to 3.

Crunchy: No minimum or maximum word requirements.

Usoki

02-27-2010, 01:44 PM

There are no word requirements, because it is assumed that a story with a poor word count will be scored poorly. This is also true for a story with a poor room count- but since 20 rooms is what determines when a story will appear visible to others on the main site, it makes for a better rubric.

mizal

02-27-2010, 07:52 PM

Crunchyfrog's question got me thinking, do we really need a whole year to do this?

And if you happen to finish your story eight months early, do you just tuck it away somewhere and hold on to it until it's closer to the deadline or what?

Ryan_DuBois

02-27-2010, 08:08 PM

Crunchyfrog's question got me thinking, do we really need a whole year to do this?

Most definitely. If you're anything like us, you'll see why. Even if you do turn out to be a lot more prolific than the average bear, we have guys like DEP who are working and have families (and plan on writing novels alongside entering IS tournaments).

I, myself, only really find time to write during my breaks. Next semester might be a little better, but as for now...

And if you happen to finish your story eight months early, do you just tuck it away somewhere and hold on to it until it's closer to the deadline or what?

I think you can technically release it early, but then you lose the element of surprise AND you risk your story getting "stale" with all the other judges. Not a big deal, but I think most people still wait until a couple days before the due date.

Usoki

02-27-2010, 08:16 PM

If you happen to finish eight months early, I recommend hiding it away and then writing another one.

You are not limited to one entry. Nor are you banned from writing anything unrelated to the contest theme.

JJJ-thebanisher

02-28-2010, 01:05 AM

Usoki

02-28-2010, 02:09 AM

That was hours ago. Whatever emotion fueled that rant is long gone. I seldom mean what I say to the fullest extent that one could interpret it. If in doubt, assume I'm exaggerating, and shrug it off. If I hate you, it'll be pretty obvious. Not because my language becomes any more clear, but because everyone else is already hating you. Or, I suppose, if I'm consistantly an asshole. But drums and Mega are too stupid to pick up on this.

JJJ-thebanisher

02-28-2010, 05:00 PM

End Master

03-04-2010, 09:46 PM

Definitely feeling a lot more on a roll with this contest story. I've got about 24 rooms finished at this point. I think I'm going to have to divide this story into multiple chapters because it's going to get really big with the way it's going so far.

Ryan_DuBois

03-04-2010, 10:20 PM

Ya, I think you guys need to slow down. I mean, I'm glad (and surprised) that the site has become more productive than ever before, but 24 rooms?

That's just too many.

I guess it's a good thing I'm doing a collab.

End Master

03-04-2010, 10:35 PM

I can't slow down, I can't hold back, there ain't no rest for the wicked (or something like that).

But I wouldn't worry about it, Alpha Wolf was about 140-150 rooms long and DEP's Reunion 20 something room story still won in the first contest. "Epic stories" don't necessarily win. If anything some judges might be put off by having to read a long ass story for contest purposes.

JJJ-thebanisher

03-04-2010, 11:52 PM

End Master

03-05-2010, 12:55 AM

Here are the past contest results

IWT 1: 2005 Halloween

Movie monster theme

Cat 2000: Search
donteatpoop: Reunion (WINNER)
EndMaster: Alpha Wolf

IWT 2: 2006 Valentine's Day (Or around that time)

Amusement Park/Carnival theme

donteatpoop: Ducky Park
EndMaster: Geek (WINNER)
jeffisthebest: Shemaru

IWT 3: 2006 Halloween

Children's story theme

apotheosis: The Mold
donteatpoop: Ultimate Battle (He's taken the story down though)
EndMaster: Imagination
KatieWroteIt: Lost in a Good Book- A Child's Tale
KatieWroteIt: The Pattern (WINNER)
jeffisthebest: Paul's Kingdom

IWT 4: 2007 Halloween

"From Hell" story theme

apotheosis: Infernal Gate
donteatpoop: Youngstown Demon
EndMaster: Death Song
KatieWroteIt: Odalisque Paradise
Usoki: Hellstone
Vesnicie: The Country from Hell (WINNER)

IWT 5: 2008 New Year's Eve (Ok so a day or two before it)

Porn story theme or allegorical story theme...or a combo of the two: PORNAGORY!

EndMaster: Exploitation Theater
Usoki: The Sneeze
Vesnicie: Todestrieb (WINNER)
xnull: Serial Rapist

IWT 6: 2009 Halloween...erm Christmas...um New Years Eve, no wait 2010 MLK Day! (Actually a few days after MLK Day)

Theme: Myth, no wait a Looping Story, hold on it's just turn something in! (No Theme)

Cat2000: Perfect Romance (I think she took it down)
Cat2000: Time Crisis
EndMaster: Primal (WINNER)
Ryan (Yazzman): The Rift
Usoki: Sigma Epsilon Chi

Ryan_DuBois

03-05-2010, 08:44 AM

Good point... Reunion was just hilarious.

Ryan_DuBois

03-05-2010, 08:59 AM

Oh, and why didn't anyone tell me Crunchy was a chick?! This whole time I thought it was some crazy hairy, muscley, escaped prisoner, frog-looking, dude who enjoyed possessing me for his sick pleasure...

I mean, it's a pretty big deal when a female joins infinite-story. If not for Katie and Cat, this site would pretty much be a barren wasteland of grumpy old men. And me.

Anyway, I apologize, Crunchy.

... For thinking you were a crazy hairy, muscley, escaped prisoner, frog-looking, dude. And I might get around reading some of your story tonight. Did you want me to post your link in the forums?

Usoki

03-05-2010, 09:12 AM

IWT 6: 2009 Halloween...erm Christmas...um New Years Eve, no wait 2010 MLK Day! (Actually a few days after MLK Day)

Hey now- it was the date of Obama's Inaugural anniversary. Well, and for a lot of other presidents as well, given that it's a set date for an event that happens every four years.

End Master

03-05-2010, 11:12 AM

Oh, and why didn't anyone tell me Crunchy was a chick?!

Dude, when Usoki posted her PM to him in the forums, Crunchy mentioned she was a girl. I've even referred to Crunchy as "her" on occasion.

I think her friend Smeester is a girl too and if you look at their profiles on the main site they're also both from England, just like Cat is.

Ryan_DuBois

03-05-2010, 12:09 PM

Well... You are right.

I don't usually look at peoples' profiles that often, but I don't know how I missed it in Usoki's post. Sorry.

donteatpoop

03-05-2010, 04:47 PM

I also like to think that Crunchy is a hot girl.

Ryan_DuBois

03-05-2010, 05:07 PM

I'll bet you do.

:)

donteatpoop

03-05-2010, 09:03 PM

Did this latest contest ever get the comments sent to the writers?

Ryan_DuBois

03-06-2010, 12:00 PM

Yeah, we got them about a month or so ago.

Ryan_DuBois

03-06-2010, 12:02 PM

For the record, Smeester is not a girl. Apparently he fits my first impression of Crunchy perfectly, minus the frog-looking part.

mizal

03-06-2010, 12:36 PM

I'm getting burned out on my entry, I think I need a stress-free side project to work on for a little while. So somebody please give me a prompt, any prompt, and I will use it if it doesn't suck.

I mean, it's a pretty big deal when a female joins infinite-story. If not for Katie and Cat, this site would pretty much be a barren wasteland of grumpy old men. And me.

Who knows, maybe there are people who join and just never mention the fact that they have vaginas for precisely this reason.

P.S. Crunchy Frog if you're reading this send pics pls kthx

Ryan_DuBois

03-06-2010, 07:36 PM

Are you trying to tell us something about yourself, Mizal?

:p

mizal

03-06-2010, 08:25 PM

Ugh. How many times do I have to go through this? MIZAL IS NOT A GIRL'S NAME.

It's an...elf name.

A MANLY elf name, for a MANLY elf I wrote a story about in junior high this one time.

e: ....actually on second thought disregard all that, yes I am a girl, you caught me. Tee hee.

e2: why does and not work on this forum? Argh.

End Master

03-06-2010, 08:46 PM

Okay so...

Crunchyfrog: Female
Smeester: Male
mizal: Female

Got it.

I was wondering why the strike through doesn't work either, because I could've swore it did in the past.

Ryan_DuBois

03-06-2010, 09:29 PM

Mizal: I knew it!

End: Yes, but not a frog-looking male. He was very specific about that.

mizal

03-07-2010, 05:43 PM

Now that that's all settled, wasn't somebody supposed to give me a writing prompt?

Also, if I'm reading somebody else's story and want to give them semi-detailed feedback, is the usual thing just to PM them? I would have thought that's what the 'Add Comment' thing was for, but nobody seems to use it much, and ratings seem to be just for a quick comment.

Usoki

03-07-2010, 07:41 PM

Comments are for insulting people- it gives you the pleasure of knowing your insult is visible for the whole world to see, but you can rest assured* that the person in question will never read it.

Ratings are for feedback- if it seems like they're only for quick quips, it's because most people are too lazy to provide actual, meaningful feedback. A few of us actually do provide worthwhile comments in our ratings- this is known as 'justification', and it's a good thing. People like knowing the reasoning behind your scores. It's good mainly for compliments. The author won't get any notification about it, and so he probably won't even notice the new rating for months. And he can't reply to it, so he usually drops the subject.

Messages are not the norm, but I would not complain if I were to receive one. For one thing, it has a great alert system, so that I can actually discover the new critique. For another, it allows me to reply to the person, and have a brief discourse about the pros and cons of the work. Ves and I exchanged a fair number of these, post contest; they were some of the most meaningful critiques I've ever received. They were positive without being flattery, and they were informative, not negative. Also, they were verbose. I approved.

JJJ-thebanisher

03-07-2010, 10:17 PM

Ryan_DuBois

03-07-2010, 10:18 PM

I thought Usoki summed it up pretty well...

donteatpoop

03-08-2010, 09:24 PM

Currently working on my fantasy novel. I have rewritten the first chapter three times now, but this time I feel like I have it. I kept fucking up the character perspectives. Got it now though, I made a vow to complete writing a novel this year. If I can get three word doc pages written a day (which i've done for the last two days) I can end up with 900 pages written by the end of the year. Taking out holidays and very very occasional breaks I'm estimating 850 pages. But being realistic and understanding my ability to procrastinate I'm going with 400. Being pessemistic I'm gonna say 80 pages, in which case I will have failed.

End Master

03-13-2010, 01:29 PM

Finished "Chapter 1A" of one of the main storylines for Innkeeper. Moving on to Chapter 2A & 2B.

Ryan_DuBois

03-13-2010, 11:21 PM

Cat and I are still laying out the history and general information about our city; we aren't very far in actual writing, but man... I never realized how hilarious urban fantasy would be... Especially in a modern setting. That's all I'll say for now.

Sven Smokevich

03-14-2010, 08:55 AM

Intriguing!

Is it me just being disorganised or is it a good idea to keep notes on paper where you are on all these branches? My story is expanding like a tree. I now have 12 rooms done on Door Handle, although admittedly some of them are still in very rough draft. :o

Ryan_DuBois

03-14-2010, 10:02 AM

I personally don't, but it's easier for me to work when I'm disorganized; I always just use the "loose end" link to continue after I write a dead end.

I've also never written a story with over 30 rooms, though.

End Master

03-23-2010, 12:55 PM

Sheesh, this thing is going to be long. I'm glad I started early on this one, still don't know if I'm going to finish it, but I know I can get one of the main storyline branches completely finished in time. Maybe two out of the three.

So far I'm thinking each of these is going to be very different from each other. The branch I'm working on now is taking a less "longview" approach. Some years are still passing, but it's not like a drastic "five years" stuff. Though perhaps the other main story branches might due to the nature of the protagonist in those.

The fantasy part is there in the form of a few fantasy races either mentioned or making appearances, but nothing excessive really. It's mostly humans so far.

The urban bit is there in the fact that it revolves around an inn that happens to be in a city, but that's about it. The city itself is more of a background, though there are other parts of it visited at times and perhaps the other branches might explore it a bit more, but so far the stuff I've written focuses more on the inn (and more than a few references to the university in the city and a rival inn)

As it stands though I've got more than enough rooms to post it for contest purposes so I'll avoid SHAME at least.

Locke

03-23-2010, 06:15 PM

Looking forward to this year's contest; this is at least eight months earlier than people usually seem to start working. I've concrete ideas for an entry of my own, but not sure yet if I'll try to work on that in addition to the co-op. Have you set "Primal" aside for now, End?

End Master

03-23-2010, 06:42 PM

Yeah, Primal's side aside for now so I can focus on this one, but I will get back to it someday since I do have the storyline branches planned out for it and know how I want to most end them.

I guess I'll leave it up for now and reset all the ratings when I get around to updating it.

donteatpoop

03-25-2010, 04:38 PM

Half way through chapter 3 of my as-of-yet unnamed fantasy novel. I'm excited by the progress I'm making even though I keep fucking up and taking a few days off of writing at a time.

My goal is to finish this by the end of the year.

Anyone bored enough or interested enough to read what I have (and offer feedback) message me with your email address.

mizal

04-06-2010, 09:15 PM

Quick question - would it be considered laziness to use the "if you are holding the blah blah turn to page blah" method you see in a lot of the old gamebooks? I can't remember if I've seen any examples of that around here but it really would simplify things and help me avoid a lot of almost-but-not-quite-identical rooms. Though I guess in some cases it would be kind of a spoiler and would tempt readers to cheat. (I know I pretty much could never resist taking a peek at the option that didn't apply...)

Hmm. Maybe I could use the codeword system instead? Though that would require anybody reading to keep track of them in Notepad or something and I'm not sure how willing they'd be to play along...

Usoki

04-06-2010, 10:04 PM

I'm a big fan of the almost-identical-but-not-quite rooms, because they're nigh impossible to cheat.

The problem with using any other method- even one with a codeword- is that you cannot win a battle with the browser's back button. There are a finite amount of choices, so you can just hit forward and back until you find the right one. If you're going to skip the effort to make the variable rooms, then you might as well go for the 'if you have...' option. Then you're relying on the reader's honesty, which is what you'd end up doing with codewords anyway. Frankly, I find that codewords are just plain insulting. They insult you by implying that you're untrustworthy, and they insult you by implying that they are an effective barrier.

End Master

04-07-2010, 07:58 AM

The only complaint that some might have with the almost identical rooms is the "copy-paste" feel to them. I know someone mentioned this in the last contest we had, but really if the story is going to play out the same way with only minor couple differences there's no reason not to use it. I tend to use this since I usually have planned out "main paths" and certain events usually will still occur more or less the same way depending on your actions.

The "If you have..." approach is probably fine for what you're doing. They did it in Fighting Fantasy books quite a bit. If someone's going to cheat then there really isn't any stopping them.

donteatpoop

08-14-2010, 07:24 AM

Currently working on a novel version of When Ninjas Attack. But I want a better name for it and can't come up with a decent title.

It's fun so far and practically writing itself. Only about two chapters into it, but it still feels like progress.

ChubbyTeletubby

08-14-2010, 01:51 PM

Attack of the Ninjas

When Ninjas Wack

Ninja Avengas!

When Ninjas Cry

American Ninja

Of Mice and Ninjas

Along Came a Ninja

Ninjas Amoung Us

BattleCry of the Ninjas

Silent Night, Violent Night - A Ninja Story

Betrayal of the Ninjas

Ninja Story

Calm at Sunset, Blood at Dawn - A Ninja Story

Dawn of the Ninjas

Night of the Ninjas

Ninja Night

The Night the Ninjas Came

Ninjas on Elm Streets

Ninja Express

The Rise and Fall of the Ninjas

Ninjas Wear Prada

Diary of a Ninja

To Kill a Ninja

To Die a Ninja

Die Another Ninja

Farewell, My Lovely Ninja

From Nine to Ninja

The Good Ninja

Hail the Conquering Ninja

A Daydream of Ninjas

Song of the Ninja

Half in Shadow, Half in Ninja

That's all I got.

donteatpoop

08-16-2010, 08:11 AM

Night of the Ninjas was one that I had considered for a while, but I don't really like it either.

I like Ninjas Among Us, actually. Not entirely sold on it, but it's better than the other options I came up with.

And I meant to say that When Ninjas Attack is a novelized version of The Ninja Epidemic, but I assume you figured that part out.

ChubbyTeletubby

08-20-2010, 03:42 PM

Ninja Epidemic was a great title too, ya know. You should pick 5 strong ones and poll everyone.

donteatpoop

08-20-2010, 09:39 PM

tonight at work I came up with the beginning ideas on what will surely be a great novel (for when I'm done with ninjas).

A pirate crew is being hunted by some pirate hunters. They are trying to escape but the hunters are gaining on them. Pirates turn to the unkown waters to lose the other ship but the other ship follows. Two days later they are still being followed and running short of supplies. At long last it appears that they will have to do battle at sea

Just as they get in range to arm cannons the lookout calls "land". They head for land, taking a nasty hit from the other guys as they get moving. They fire back as they go, but are mostly focused on sailing. They get a good wind and pick up speed as they head for land for an uncharted isle.

As they near the isle they go around the peninsula seeking somewhere to dock, the land between them and the other ship. They soon find that the island is enormous and eventually come to a small bay where they set anchor and get rowing to shore. When they get to shore they hide in the jungle and prepare to ambush their persuers on the trail.

They wait while a handful of men from the other ship approach, and are about to fire when all of a sudden A MOTHER FUCKING DINOSAUR eats two of the guys.

That's right. Holy shit. Dinosaurs.

I kind of want a catchy name, but I think Pirates and Dinosaurs kind of stands well on it's own.

mizal

08-21-2010, 10:21 PM

Pirates and DinosARRRs!

There needs to be a friendly raptor with an eyepatch that drinks all the rum.

ChubbyTeletubby

08-22-2010, 08:54 PM

DEP needs to do a book full of short stories.

All of them pertaining to pirates/cowboys/ninjas...or ALL THREE!!!!!!!!!!

MWUHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!

Pirates vs Ninjas!!!!

Who would win? Im gonna go with pirates. They're just swarthier.

I'll shut up now.

Ryan_DuBois

08-22-2010, 11:11 PM

End Master

08-23-2010, 06:32 AM

Well of course, they got the benefit of being armed with repeating rifles and revolvers. Probably would lose in hand to hand combat to a pirate though, let alone a ninja.

Didn't they do a Deadliest Warrior episode on the History channel to settle it once and for all?

Usoki

08-23-2010, 08:36 AM

No, I think Deadliest Warrior is on Spike TV. Also, half the time they can't even simulate their way out of a wet paper bag.

To me, the age old question of 'pirate vs ninja' comes down to numbers. If it's a one on one fight, the ninja will win with ease. He's a stealth assassin whose entire purpose is to strike down an individual. If it's a team battle, the pirates will win just as handily. Ninjas don't work in groups; pirates do. Each ninja will foul up the other as they try and work solo, while the pirate crew will go through and wipe them all out.

End Master

08-23-2010, 09:21 AM

Also known as the "Law of Inverse Ninja Effect"

One hundred ninjas are cannon fodder, while one ninja is death incarnate.

mizal

08-23-2010, 12:52 PM

Pirates are certainly the coolest. Probably followed by ninjas. I used to like cowboys, but then "Brokeback Mountain" gave them all a bad reputation.

I still think cowboys would win in a fight against either pirates or ninjas, though.

What about robots? Let's not forget the robots now.

Being from the great state of Texas I have no choice to agree that cowboys would own everything and forever, though.

Ryan_DuBois

08-23-2010, 01:35 PM

With robots (as long as they were made well) it's not even a question -- they would whip the shit out of everything that came into their path. On top of being invulnerable to most attacks (because they're made out of metal), every move they made would well-calculated so that they could fight at close to optimum performance.

That's why I never understood why the humans were still alive in the "Terminator" movies; the robots seem to have every advantage thinkable. True, there was that whole noise that shut them down in the last film, but it seems like the robots would have kicked ass way before it was discovered.

For pirates/cowboys/ninjas... the environment would be important too -- ninjas would operate best in the darkness/dense areas, pirates would own any fight on the seas, and cowboys would win in any open stretch of land. But in general, I think if they all just like, went to war, cowboys would win because (yes) they have the most advanced weapons.

End Master

08-23-2010, 01:35 PM

But robots are probably going to curb stomp everyone unless you have cowboys riding dinosaurs or something.

Adding something like samurai or vikings makes for a less one sided fight.

mizal

08-23-2010, 02:08 PM

You guys are forgetting the POWER OF THE HUMAN SPIRIT.

They would probably be clunky steam-powered robots anyway, at least in a setting that also contained pirates, cowboys, and ninjas.

Ryan_DuBois

08-23-2010, 10:28 PM

Lol, it was human heart. I don't even think they meant it symbolically, either, since that one "good" robot was supposedly different since he had a literal human's heart in him. Craziness. I mean humans basically ARE robots; the main difference is that our brains were shaped (ineffieciently) by natural selection.

The_Writer

09-16-2010, 01:19 PM

Pirates vs Ninjas can be easily answered with one fight
Naruto Uzamaki vs Monkey D. Luffy

I was thinking about a Naruto or One piece style story but I hate using existing character from ongoing series because you never which way the author is gonna go. So I would use my own characters but keep the same theme. Is that technically fan fiction?

End Master

12-10-2010, 08:37 PM

While I'm going to stop writing anything new until I complete the two stories I've left unfinished, I still got a bunch of ideas for future stuff. Who knows, maybe one day.

Inmate AKA Prison- Protagonist is an inmate in a prison, but in a fantasy setting. Will probably be the same fantasy setting as Innkeeper. Your character will be thrown into the biggest and most violent prison in the Delantium Kingdom. Will try to include various aspects like a mental ward, gangs by race (orcs, elves, humans, etc) lockdowns, solitary, unusual punishments, chain gang work detail, escapes, gladiator matches, riots, etc.

Designation of the protagonist will be a prisoner number. Not sure if your character will have the “choice” of having an extensive criminal background beforehand or the character in question will always go in not being a hardened criminal and will have to learn the ropes quickly.

Restless AKA Malevolent- Protagonist is a malevolent spirit haunting a house over the course of several years.

Possible spirit types

Suicide: You committed suicide and your spirit will cause an aura of depression and despair. You will cause the living to feel likewise trying to cause them to "join" you (or driving them away). Your ability to possess objects is minimal, let alone people.

Murdered: You were murdered violently and your spirit will cause an aura of fear and panic. You will cause the living to feel likewise trying to drive them away. (You actually won't try to kill people at least not intentionally). Your ability to possess things is about average, but you can't possess people.

Execution: You were the "victim" of vigilante justice for crimes you committed and your spirit will cause an aura of rage and paranoia. You will cause the living to feel likewise if they're susceptible, otherwise they will just feel afraid and eventually want to leave the house. You can kill someone if you get powerful enough. Your ability to possess things is strong and you can possess people if you cause enough rage in a person.

Demon: You aren't even human, you were brought into the world due to mortals meddling with powers they didn't truly understand. You will cause whatever negative feelings in mortals that will best serve you. Fear will be the common one, despair will serve to break down their resolve. Ultimately you want to possess someone so rage is what you want to instill in a possible candidate.

Alternatively I’ll just include either one spirit type that the reader finds out more about later depending on the choices. Another possibility is to just have the demon spirit.

Possible ways to "win": getting a proper burial, getting revenge on who killed you (or decedents), or possessing a host body. Getting exercised would be a big loss obviously.

Notes for stuff on the far backburner.

And Then The World! AKA Trust Me I'm a Doctor!- Possible sequel to Love SICK. Still over the top, but dealing with taking over the town he lives near. Will probably contain characters from TRASH and even Repression (The protagonist) Basically a mad scientist story.

Rogue-Retelling of Legend, but just dealing with the rogue path and maybe 4 chapters instead of 3. Completely story focused and no stats to keep track of. Still think it's a good idea, but rewriting an existing story isn't on a high priority list now despite extensive notes for it.

Part one will deal with the home village and the journey to the city. Not very long.

Part two will deal with the city and the rebellion that's about to take place.

Part three might split into 2 separate paths. Staying in the city (professional rogue), traveling to another city (adventuring rogue).

Part four will depend on what you did in part 3. Not sure if I’ll include it yet. Might include the “visiting home” chapter from the original story.

Possibly 5 different characters, but 3 will definitely be in the story.

All of the character will leave their village either due to their actions or boredom.

Thief- This character will focus on stealing. Will probably follow more along the "original" rogue path when it comes to the city part of the story (siding with the thieves’ guild or the Ebony Claw Syndicate) or work for the wizard (with more of an emphasis on stealing the spell components)

Assassin- This character will focus on killing. This one will semi-follow the rogue path (Joining the Ebony Claw Syndicate) or working for the Baron (which would include some of the original material from the original story).

Bard- This character will focus on trickery. This one will have a completely different path from anything in the original Legend story, but may include working steady for the Baron or just traveling around the city bars getting into general trouble (including running into other characters from other paths)

Not sure about these two:

Shadowblade- This character would be a thief/assassin combo, but an active worshipper of Fel the god of shadows and possibly having some minor magic abilities. Probably would incorporate elements of the original priest path for him. Falcon from the EBS or the Baron’s daughter would approach him about work when he arrived in the city.

Scout- This character would be the “good rogue” focusing more on stealth for positive reasons. Probably would incorporate some of the Technologist path aspects from the original story. Would also be the only character that leaves due to boredom rather than being chased off in any way. This one would probably be working for the wizard or a completely new path not in the original story.

The third part of the story might split depending on what you did. This is an outline for each character and actions.

Working for the wizard (Thief or Scout) more or less always keeps you out of the rebellion drama and will probably result in no split for the third chapter. The thief will most likely stay in his new magical house, but the scout will feel the need to move on again (travel to another city)

Working for the Baron (Assassin, Bard, Shadowblade) will put you directly in the thick of the rebellion plotline.

The assassin and shadowblade will more or less be involved in assassination missions similar to the original path in Legend. The bard will be hired to be used more as a spy/entertainer.

Betraying the Baron’s daughter in the end (Assassin or Bard) will always result in you having to flee the city and traveling to another. You’ll be targeted by her people on the way and then some.

Remaining in her good graces (Assassin or Bard) she’ll remain grateful, but with the death of her father your services aren’t required anymore and she’ll kick you out of the Palace. The assassin can stay in the city or leave. The bard will always leave.

The Shadowblade doesn’t get to betray her since she’s trying to actively push for the worship of Fel as the city religion and will get to stay on as her personal assassin, but he may choose to stay in the city to directly help her, or travel to another to indirectly help her.

Working for the EBS (Thief, Assassin or Shadowblade) puts you in the underworld war during the rebellion. (EBS vs the Thieves guild)

The thief path will more or less follow the original rogue path from Legend, except you won’t be able to convince Tanya to join the EBS with you. Joining the EBS will result in you staying in the city trying to help the EBS re-establish order after the chaos, betraying them will result in you having to leave the city with a contract on your head.

The assassin path will be directly working for the EBS rather than trying to infiltrate the Guild. Most likely trying to kill high ranking members. You don’t get the option to betray them…at least not directly. Refusing to join will cause you to have to leave the city (with a contract on your head) Becoming a member will result in in the city trying to consolidate the EBS power after the rebellion.

The shadowblade path will also be directly working for the EBS, but will be given the most respect by Falcon. You don’t get the option to betray them either, but you can choose to stay and help Falcon consolidate power or leave the city as you have his respect.

The bard gets another possible choice to wander the cities bars/taverns. Your character will still be part of the rebellion storyline though perhaps working more with the “freedom fighters.”

The scout also gets another possible choice too. Haven’t decided yet. Maybe working for the city guard captain to help root out “freedom fighters”

Will eliminate the whole demon possession storyline and complicated priest paths.

Routine- Might resurrect this one from the cancelled looping contest. It's a good idea, just very tedious to write. Need to get in the right mood to concentrate on it. Will use the same lay out originally planned for it.

Ryan_DuBois

01-24-2011, 10:15 PM

Some possible future writings, although for now I just want to work on "Delmechia":

Uncle Willie's Christmas Party Adventure!

Humor, with a style not so different from some of Chubby or DEP's funny stories. You will take on the role of Uncle Willie, a 45-year-old drunk who still lives with his Mom. The story will consist of you having all kinds of adventures will various family members and friends as you try to have an excellent time at the annual Christmas party.

Got about 3.5 rooms done, and it's pretty high on my priority list.

The Small White House or To Catch a Devil

Post apocalyptic setting; the plot revolves around a group of people traveling through a barren landscape to hunt down a man with strange necromancer-like powers.

Told in third-person, with the reader selecting different "scenes". For example, if the group of people splits up the reader will choose which part of the group they want to "follow". There will probably only be one unchanging plot and one ending, but the experience itself should be different depending on the choices made. You won't get "the whole story" by reading it once.

Also fairly high on the priority list, although this one seems pretty ambitious.

War and The Occurrence in Forest in the Night

If I ever finish these two, I think I'll just combine them into one. Neither of them are going to be very big and they're mostly just excuses to create really demented and weird horror stories. They're each about ten rooms long.

Ages of ???

Finally, at least a year or two down the road, I might try to pull a HOID thing where I create this huge fantasy planet (with a world map) and then write up descriptions of all the cities and important locations on it. Then, the reader can pick a city and they'll be sent to a list of stories taking place in that city during different time periods. Delmechia would probably be one of the cities and I'd just link to my current story for one of the stories in that city.

Readers wouldn't be allowed to make their own cities, but just write stories for each one that already exists, based on the descriptions given.

At this point it's way too ambitious, but if I ever finish up "Delmechia" and some of my other projects, I might make just this one thing the focus of my writing.

End Master

01-24-2011, 11:45 PM

Those are all pretty cool ideas, I like all of them.

And here's a few more of mine in an ever piling list of ideas that I'll never get around to...

Legacy AKA Bloodline: This one was actually an idea I briefly mentioned for IWT6, but knew it wouldn't be picked because by it's very nature it would have to be long as hell.

The premise would be to follow a long line of protagonists that are related to one another. I figure the easiest way to do this would be some sort of royalty. I'd probably do it as a fantasy setting as well. I have some other ideas about it, but really it would be such an ambitious project that its pretty much on the lowest end of the spectrum on anything I might work on.

Invasion AKA Rebel: Another fantasy setting. This one was a little higher on the list, though the premise for this one has changed several times in my mind to the point where it's morphed into a different approach to the story as I'll explain later down the page...

The first concept was a typical loner hermit type whose homeland is overrun by some foreign invader. The choices from there would be to either flee and find a which would involve trying to maneuver through possible patrols and would be the shortest path. The next choice would be to join up with the rebellion to bring down the invaders. This would be a little longer obviously. The last choice would be to remain a hermit, but fight the invaders by yourself. This would be the longest path since you wouldn't be actively helping an organized rebellion and you'd have to 'hold out" until the invaders lost control through other means (A couple of possibilities).

There of course would also be opportunities to change your tactics throughout the story. Like after years of fighting the invaders by yourself, maybe you decide to join the organized rebellion after all, or maybe you decide to finally just flee the land.

All in all I thought it was a good idea, but then I thought the rebelling against an "evil empire" is sort of overdone, so I decided to go the "less overdone route" and change it to...

Patriot: Similar premise to "Invasion" except in this case, you're actually part of the "evil empire" as it were. Unfortunately you happen to be part of it during its decline and its decay while it loses its territories to others.

I'm thinking with this one, you were brought up pretty much indoctrinated with the empire ideals and such from when you were little (Probably some sort of child soldier program). So even though it's dead (or dying), you're still dedicated to its cause. This will involve sabotaging, terror tactics, and other extreme acts in some vain attempt to re-establish this empire that you were brought up to hold so dear.

mizal

01-31-2011, 08:12 PM

Fffffffff.... okay forum please tell me you did not just log me out and eat my post. ARGH.

Ooookay, once again...

The Terrible Power of the Stars aka my HOID goblin story, which I wrote a couple of chapters for earlier today that I will be adding just as soon as the site decides it doesn't hate me. (And I was joking about this when I originally wrote it, but now...?) Anyway, the bulk of the finished story will be two main, very different paths, (though the 'ideal' conclusion will be similar) which diverge based on whether or not you cross the bridge on time. In one, you get caught up in war and rebellions as chaos sweeps the kingdom, and in the second, you descend into the Great Chasm and stumble across all kinds of forgotten secrets and monsters (and get killed by them, more often than not) as you try to cross it.

Centerhold Chronicles, my IWT attempt which led to so much SHAME. I'm not going to say much about this one because I'm just all mysterious like that, and also because I'm in the process of streamlining it quite a bit (in an attempt to fully complete at least one story at some point in this lifetime), and I'm still not completely sure which bits are going to stay and which get the axe. It's primarily a sci-fi story set on a dystopian, crime-riddled planet, though I'm trying to avoid making it too dark and you may or may not get the chance to improve things a bit, depending on where I decide to end it.

A High Way and a Low aka The Kingdom of Lisali aka the Big Ol' Fantasy Project I'll never, ever finish. This will be written in the third person, with a detailed setting and the framing device of you being a sort of guiding spirit type thingy that is assigned to a character with a great destiny to fulfill (there will be many to choose from) and have to kind of nudge them along the path, whether for good or for evil.

I'm not sure about the title yet, but the working one is shamelessly ripped from this poem by John Oxenford (real name William Dunkerley...and yeah I probably would have changed it too...)

To every man there openeth
A Way, and Ways, and a Way,
And the High Soul climbs the High Way,
And the Low Soul gropes the Low,
And in between, on the misty flats,
To rest drift to and fro.
But to every man there openeth
A High Way, and a Low.
And every man decideth
The way his soul shall go.

Which I've always thought would be perfect to refer to in a CYOA or IF, and hey, here's my chance! I dunno, I've always liked using random old quotes or bits of poetry in title screens or chapter headings or whatever, I've read books where it's used to good effect and as a bonus it makes me feel all smart and stuff.

End Master

02-01-2011, 07:01 AM

Regardless of the contest results, I'm going to take Innkeeper and Primal down after voting is over with for retooling.

Innkeeper may end up being just as you see it now, that is, without the other two major branch choices. I thought about it and what I've written for it now is a good focused story line and of a fair size. It really doesn't need to be an "epic."

Might cut out the "history parts" (or at least condense them) in the beginning as well since it won't have any intention on being an "epic" story any more so they won't really be necessary. Might add a few more rooms to various choices though just to mix things up a bit.

Primal...ugh...development hell. I'm taking it down mainly just so I don't have to be reminded that it's nowhere near being finished. Still convinced it's a good story idea, but at this point it needs to be shelved and altered again.

And a note to remind myself NOT to work on that story on and off, as it's one that needs focused attention until it is completely finished. (As well as to not release any other unfinished stories either)

EDIT: Tested story stuff. The story editor here is too cumbersome, when you delete rooms, it doesn't just leave them severed anymore, it reconnects them to the nearest room automatically. Due to this, I can't do what I'd like and I'd have to copy and paste the entire story again with the re-edits, fuck that.

I guess I'm sticking with the original plan of keeping the other two branches of Innkeeper when I work on it. Eh, I'll think of something I'm sure, it will just take a little longer before it gets reposted again.

Ryan_DuBois

02-01-2011, 01:33 PM

I was going to wait until after the contest was over to bring this up, but...

Would anyone be interested in doing a sort of "story continuation contest"? Basically, it would be an opportunity for people to dig out some of their unfinished work, write on it some more, and get feedback. I know with a lot of stuff people write, they release their stories unfinished, get comments and ratings, and then really have no motivation to write any further.

Not sure of all the details on how it would work, but I was thinking something along the lines of:

- Runs over the same time span as the IWT
- Writers have to add at least 10 new rooms to a story for it to qualify (and maybe as many as 20)
- Writers have to give feedback and rate everyone's stories, just based on the newly added rooms
- Anyone can enter as many stories as they want, as long as they add ten new rooms to each of them (obviously someone with a completely new story would just submit it for the IWT)
- New rooms are marked with an asterisk or something

Just an idea. I know I personally would rather enter something like this, since I do want to finish "Delmechia" eventually, but at the same time I'd like to continue getting feedback.

JJJ-thebanisher

02-01-2011, 02:52 PM

It's an interesting idea but one can't enter it if they don't have unfinished stories. I'm excited for the next IWT, hopefully it's a theme that I can actually wrap my head around.

Edit: How much longer?

Ryan_DuBois

02-01-2011, 04:50 PM

Yeah, people who haven't written anything yet would have to enter the IWT like usual. The biggest concern that I have is lack of participation in either of the contests, since we usually only have like 4 - 6 people write for the IWT as it is.

The IWT8 contest will probably begin in about... two weeks? We usually have a week-long topic-deciding period after the winner is announced.

JJJ-thebanisher

02-01-2011, 06:25 PM

So a week until the winner is announced?

ChubbyTeletubby

02-03-2011, 04:56 PM

sorry i didnt get to rate in time. Spotty internet lately.

JJJ-thebanisher

02-03-2011, 05:13 PM

sorry i didnt get to rate in time. Spotty internet lately.

You still have the weekend.

ChubbyTeletubby

02-03-2011, 11:00 PM

Do I? Well then I'll give it a go.

Thanks, JJJJJJJJJJBansihetrgdfnbjakoperson

whoever you are.

I thank you.

donteatpoop

02-05-2011, 12:45 PM

I just finished rating. You should too, chubbs. I believe in you.

Ryan_DuBois

02-05-2011, 02:40 PM

Every year I hope Chubby will rate the stories and every year I am disappointed.

:(

Please, Chubby. We know there's still some good left in you!

Somewhere.

Rate the stories!

donteatpoop

02-05-2011, 02:45 PM

CHUBBY! If you're still in there, if you can still here me! Rate the stories! It's not too late to fight back. It's not too late to retake control of your body/mind! Rate the stories Chubby! You will not be forgotten!

ChubbyTeletubby

02-06-2011, 10:01 AM

Okay, I'll try. I have a couple hours. Here I go. Wish me luck.

Ryan_DuBois

02-06-2011, 01:15 PM

Chubby,

(Turn around!)

Every now and then I get a little bit lonely
and you're never coming round...

(Turn around!)

Every now and then I get a little bit tired of listening to the sound
of my tears...

(Turn around!)

Every now and then I get a little bit nervous that the best of all the
years have gone by...

(Turn around!)

Every now and then I get a little bit terrified and then
I see the look in your eyes...

Turn around, bright eyes.

Every now and then I fall apart!

Turn around, bright eyes.

Every now and then I fall apart!

(Turn around!)

Every now and then I get a little bit restless and I dream
of something wild...

(Turn around!)

Every now and then I get a little bit helpless and I'm lying
like a child in your arms...

(Turn around!)

Every now and then I get a little bit angry and I know I've got
to get out and cry...

(Turn around!)

Every now and then I get a little bit terrified but then I see the
look in your eyes...

Turn around, bright eyes.

Every now and then I fall apart!

Turn around, bright eyes.

Every now and then I fall apart!

And I need you now tonight!

And I need you more than ever!

And if you'll only hold me tight,

We'll be holding on forever!

And we'll only be making it right!

'Cause we'll never be wrong,
Together we can take it to the end of the line.

Your love is like a shadow on me all of the time.

I don't know what to do.
I'm always in the dark,

We're living in a powder keg
And giving off sparks!

I really need you tonight!

Forever's gonna start tonight!
Forever's gonna start tonight!

Once upon a time I was falling in love,
But now I'm only falling apart.

There's nothing I can do.
A total eclipse of the heart.

Once upon a time there was light in my life.
But now there's only love in the dark.

Nothing I can say.
A total eclipse of the heart.

This is how sad I'll be if you don't rate the stories.

[EDIT]

666!

mizal

02-06-2011, 01:36 PM

That was beautiful.

More beautiful than the thought of apotheosis getting repeatedly raped in Endmaster's basement, even.

Ryan_DuBois

02-06-2011, 02:30 PM

Why thank-you, Mizal. Wrote it myself.

I like your new avatar, by the way. Very classy.

mizal

02-06-2011, 02:49 PM

Why thank-you, Mizal. Wrote it myself.

I like your new avatar, by the way. Very classy.

Why thank you. It is Celestia, Princess of the all the ponies in the magical land of Equestria. (http://www.youtube.com/user/MAST3RLINKX#p/search/0/RiPLQitldRQ) (not responsible if clicking link gives you diabetes)

End Master

02-06-2011, 04:56 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIRiZsDObrU

Funny how you can just add a few swears to the original lyrics and it still works. (Well to me anyway)

Ryan_DuBois

02-06-2011, 09:26 PM

Heh, so these are the guys from "Old School"? I didn't know it was an actual band that played in that movie. Love the lead singer's facial expressions.

End Master

02-11-2011, 04:57 PM

Okay after yet another re-evaluation on the story and doing some quick editing in such a way that I didn't need to delete any of the writing in it, I can say Innkeeper is finished and will stay posted up on main writing site.

A part of me felt I couldn't in good conscience have TWO unfinished stories hidden on here. One I can live with, hell Legend was unfinished for years, but two unfinished stories is pushing it for me.

Seeing as it was fairly well liked in its current form (Heard it won a contest), I figured there really wasn't any need to expand or delete anything right now on it. And again as I mentioned in a previous post, I feel like an enjoyable and sizable tale has been created that can stand on its own.

There may come a day when I decide to expand on some of the plot branches. I think I've made it easy enough for me to do that if I choose to and even though it's rare, I've done it with a couple past stories.

But as it stands now Innkeeper is 100% complete. Go ahead and properly rate it if you wish.

All of which means I can actually work on another story, which I've been doing over the past few weeks.

Patriot: 5% Completed.

The more I thought about it, the more the idea for this was just too compelling for me to put off. There was another story-line I created a beginning for called "Trained for Hell" which was going to be Scifi, but I've incorporated the beginning and some of the concept from it for this one instead. (Which will be fantasy)

I also have considered that I probably should stick to writing morally gray loner characters right from the beginning when doing "epic" stories. I find that if I start out with "clean slate" characters with families, I get bogged down in creating every possibility and then things don't get finished (Primal). With Innkeeper it worked out, but it still got cut a lot shorter from its original concept (Which was a lot different and didn't even take place in a city) and thus lost the epicness.

So, writing a character trained to kill from birth for his declining nation, with treachery and uprisings going on everywhere should keep me a lot more focused and a chance to make it have more of that "epic" feel. I have three major paths planned, but for right now I'm concentrating on one and seeing how that goes. So far it's going well I think.

And if writing is going faster than anticipated, I may just add pretty pictures to it.

End Master

03-26-2011, 03:31 PM

Eternal (Formally known as Patriot): 30% Completed.

Real life crap and set backs getting in the way as usual, but I soldier on.

Two chapters completed on one of the major storyline branches.
Third chapter is partially completed along with an epilogue.

Still need to complete the rest of the third chapter of its sub-branches and failed paths, before moving on to the next two major storyline branches. (Along with historical, footnotes, and background info, but I'm thinking I might save writing all that stuff for last this time.)

144 pages of writing total so far.

mizal

06-12-2011, 04:02 PM

So how's everybody's IWT entry coming along? Mine's been shelved till August while I work on my CYS story, but I'm just a few pages shy of 20 so no worries there. I do hope I manage to wind up with something completed or at least mostly-completed and not just the bare minimum, though...jumping to other projects in mid-story is exactly what I told myself I wouldn't do this time, but these days it's so rare that I really get excited about writing a story the way I have with this fantasy one and decided to just roll with it. I just wish I had more time. :(

Also damn but this place is pretty dead right now. I know I'm not contributing much either but it turns out time spent fucking around on forums is inversely proportionate to time spent actually getting work done. Who knew.

End Master

06-12-2011, 06:13 PM

I actually did come up with a potential story idea for IWT8 if I wanted to join. I wouldn't even mind working on it since I think it's a neat idea especially for this contest theme, but like I said, I need to focus on Eternal. Its gotten hung up a bit, but I have still been working on it. Hoping to get one of the major branches completed before the end of this month.

I'd say Eternal is probably nearly 50% completed.

Usoki

06-12-2011, 10:15 PM

I suspect the problem with our activity is that we're all used to lurking. I check the site at least once every day or so, and I've often seen other people online at the same time. We just don't ever post.

I need to figure out what I'm doing for the IWT. The more I think about my initial concept, the more I realize it's far too somber for me to write well, even if it weren't a mediocre spin on a cliche. I've got a few months before I'd normally start working, so I'm really not too worried. I'll come up with some hilariously dumb idea, and flesh it out. It'll be good.

donteatpoop

06-12-2011, 10:53 PM

I'm still putting all the mental peices together. It's on the back burner for now. Probably won't really start on it until the last minute.

End Master

06-21-2011, 07:10 AM

Eternal: 50% Complete

One major story branch is complete. 5 epilogues. 300 pages even so far.  

Next step, complete all the little extra background links for the major branch I just finished. I actually cut down on some of those as I found I don't really need as many this time since I try to explain most things in the main story, however there are a few bits that still might need that extra attention. That and the fact that I'm doing it so in most cases you don't get the entire story about things unless you play through different branches. This will especially be true concerning the major story branches.

End Master

11-02-2011, 11:31 AM

In an effort to cure Mizal's boredom, here's something I was messing around with. Doubt if I'll get to work on it anytime soon though.

Guardian
Created to protect not necessarily to serve…

200 B.A.

"Derek, you still think you can develop GRN-1 into a true A.I.?"
"Well that's the plan isn't it? A machine that could think completely on its own could do wonders for humanity."
"Yeah…I guess so."
"What's wrong with you Harold? This is supposed to be an exciting project and you're lucky to be involved. Show a little enthusiasm boy!"
"I…I dunno. I guess I just get worried about the future of what we're doing."
"Such as?"
"Well what if it takes control of our computers and machines and causes a rebellion or something…"
"You've been watching too many bad twentieth century vids again. Seriously, any sentient A.I. we create wouldn't automatically be some kill all humans psychopath. It would work for humanity's best interest because we could teach it!"
"Yeah, but what if another one is created by people that aren't as nice as we are, or what if it learns to replicate itself? I mean who knows what could happen then?"
"You worry too much Harold. You always have. Trust me, a breakthrough like this is going t save humanity one day! And lord knows we need saving. I'm not a religious man, but if I have to have faith, then I'd place it in this project. I suggest you do too."
"I suppose so Derek. Let's go over those numbers again…"

130 B.A.

"So wait let me get this straight. You're telling me not only is there going to be an asteroid that will hit the earth in approximately 130 years, but that we can't stop it?"
"No, Mr. President. We have no weapon that could do enough damage to it. Even if we convinced all other nations with space missile capabilities it still wouldn't be enough."
"See I told you this is what happens when you cut the military budget!"

While the president, his advisors, generals and scientists all began to talk at once, Clarence Felek piped up. It was a long shot, but perhaps this time could get people to pay attention. Attention that had been neglected to the project for a long time.

"Mr. President. GRN-1 has come up with a possible solution to the problem."
"Who?"
"GRN-1 sir. It's an A.I."
"It's a failed project that's somehow been limping along for decades on and off with little success. Dunno how it even still gets funding."
"That's not true! GRN-1 has displayed signs of true independent thought! In fact that's why I bring this up. When we first learned about this asteroid, I asked GRN-1 for advice and after a day or so of processing, he advised leaving the planet."
"Oh great. Wonderful idea. I could've came up with that!" an advisor sneers.
"Where the hell are we supposed to go, Mars?" a general snaps.
"Erm, according to his calculations the slam of the asteroid is going to be so great that the impact is probably going to alter the orbit of the planets closest to us. Mars wouldn't be an option."
"Professor Felek, if you have something useful to contribute, do it now because the future of the goddamn human race is at stake."
"Right, so as I said GRN-1 not only suggested leaving the planet, but created a plan of how to do it. I have some schematics right here and everything is theoretically sound…"

Clarence unrolled a large plan of a space ship for the president and everyone else in the room. Not just a regular space ship though, an ark. It was impressive and very detailed. The sheer size of such a project caused a wave of silence in the room.

"You can't be serious. We don't have the funds to build something like this! Better we should invest in a weapon that can blow that fucking asteroid apart! We've got the time after all!" a general remarked.
"And if we did, there's a good chance we'd just get destroyed by several smaller asteroids instead of one big one."
"Oh another prediction by your tin man, I suppose?"
"Enough! Look General Resser is right; Even if I was inclined to believe that this ship would work, I just don't see how this would be feasible economically." The president replied.
"Well maybe we could call on other nations to help."
"Riiiiiight, like they're going to be standing in line to help us build a fucking space ark!" Resser said.
"They would if their lives are at stake. I mean I'm pretty sure our scientists aren't the only ones who have discovered these findings for the asteroid. If the human race is at stake as you say, then wouldn't it be best to have all of humanity come together for once to build this means of escape? Look if the whole world pulled together on this, GRN-1 says we could have this ship finished in half the time it will take the asteroid to get here! Hell, maybe we could even evacuate most of the planet!"

The president looked over the diagram for a long time. It was indeed a very impressive concept. He almost wanted to believe it could work, but he had been in office long enough to not place his faith in such impossible odds. Clarence was told his idea was a nice one, but impractical at this time. Though given that GRN-1 came up with this idea, perhaps a bit more funding should go into the program, after all maybe it will come up with a better solution. At least he hoped it would for the sake of future generations.

67 B.A.

"Finally! After decades of fucking around, the so called great nations of the world finally decide to fucking listen. Not that it's going to do any good now anyway. Clarence was right, humanity is probably better off extinct!"
"Calm down Miranda, at least they're even building the ship now."
"Yeah and who says we're going to finish it in time now? And even if we do, who do you think is going to be aboard it first? Probably all the children of the same assholes who shot down this idea decades ago and other privileged jerk offs. Some great new society we'll build with those types."
"Actually everyone involved in building the ship and the GRN-1 project have been assured passage."
"Great. I get to float in space with said jerk off assholes for who knows how long…I'm sorry Kevin it's just all of this could've been avoided a long time ago and it frustrates me sometimes."
"I know, but here's some good news, GRN-1 came up with some ideas of how to build the ship faster, so I'm fairly confident that with his new streamlined concepts we'll still save lots of people."
"Heh, GRN-1 never ceases to amaze me. Despite everything, it's still is trying to find ways of saving as many people on this doomed planet as possible."
"Well it's just trying to find the best way to go about things as efficiently as possible and isn't hampered by ego or emotions in doing so."
"I dunno, sometimes he seems more human than most humans sometimes."
"I wouldn't go that far Miranda. Old doctor Derek Taws and his staff just made sure to teach it to always protect humanity. It's a learned trait rather than any genuine empathy. Don't think GR is quite up to actually feeling anything like human emotion yet and thank god it hasn't or we'd probably all be fucked."

End Master

11-02-2011, 11:31 AM

(Continued)

3 B.A.

"Am I to be uploaded into the Earth Ship Savior soon?" you ask.
"Yes, Guardian, you will be. Probably in the next few days. The sooner the better, because I get the impression humanity is bound and determined to destroy itself before the bloody asteroid even gets here." Carl Jacobs replies.
"I do not understand. What is going on doctor Jacobs?"
"Nothing much, just humanity being itself as usual. Trust me you're better off not knowing all the gruesome details otherwise you'd probably curse yourself for helping us in the first place."
"I would never do such a thing doctor."
"Heh, yeah I know. That's why I like you, because you don't know any better. Anyway I want to thank you personally for trying to save all of our asses, because lord knows you're probably not going to hear it from anyone else, at least not on any meaningful level. Just wanted to let you know that before you're blasting off into parts unknown."
"You are welcome doctor, but I do not understand, will you not be on the vessel?"
"No, no I won't I'm afraid. I apparently offended someone high up in power and now I'm not getting aboard. Sucks, but what can you do?"
"That…that does not seem correct. I was told that all who were directly involved in the Guardian or Savior projects were assured passage."
"Heh, well things change. Doesn't matter anyway. If those are the sort of people getting on board this thing I think I'm better off with the asteroid."
"That sounds like something doctor Miranda Eben would have said."
"Yeah, well she wasn't wrong. The fact she died years ago makes her one of the lucky ones that doesn't have to deal with this shit anymore."
"I suppose so, but what will you do?"
"Me? Well I don't have any family so I guess I'll just party it up until the asteroid hits years like most seem to be doing. Hell, maybe I'll even join in a riot or two; those seem to be getting popular nowadays."

After a brief pause of silence Carl Jacobs speaks again.

"See you in the next life Guardian and don't let 'em push you around too much up there because despite everything, YOU'RE the reason they're all alive in the first place. You always have been. While they're fighting and arguing, it'll be your job to keep 'em alive and in line if necessary. Hopefully if another habitable planet is ever found humanity will have evolved a little bit from its current asshole stage and will start over fresh. Probably not, but here's hoping."

1 B.A.

"Okay Gale, looks like its working. Nothing like doing things at the last minute eh?"
"I don't understand why Guardian wasn't uploaded two years ago when it was supposed to be!"
"Well nobody anticipated mass assassinations of various world leaders and a couple of nuclear bombs being set off in major cities. Shit got put on hold and tied up in red tape. No biggie, just be glad we're doing it now and getting on board that ship."
"I don't know how you maintain your laidback attitude with all the chaos going on around us, Jack."
"Clean living I guess. Okay let's see…"

Uploading to Earth Ship Savior…
Uploading…
Uploading…
Uploading…

Upload complete. I now have complete access to Savior's systems.

(Choice) Guardian is now online and awaiting further instructions.