A Story Related Idea

[SirOwnU]

I think that in stories some authors like luck to be a factor (or maybe not.) I think that authors when writing a story would like to use probability in their story. For example, the main character in the story is flipping a coin. (Not as if that somebody would actually have that in a story.) Then the author would choose a probability. (In this case a probability of one to two.) Then they would choose what would happen if the probability ended up on one and on two. (This is just an example of course they could just ask the person to flip a coin and have two options Heads or Tails.)





Comment and/or criticize (mostly criticize I'm sure)

[Dragavan]

So, what you are suggesting is we stop writing stories and start writing games, where "dice" are rolled that determine the outcomes of events rather than based on what direction we want the story to go in...

This is a story writing site and not a game writing site. There are already more than enough of those. Plus, this has been mentioned more than a couple times before and is always shot down. I would guess this time would be the same.

[donteatpoop]

Personally I would never use this feature. Though some of the classic interactive fictions used dice and/or 'point to a number on this random number chart', so I could see the use. However, I could also see this becoming an epidemic of game over story.

I hang out on chooseyourstory.com, and while they have some really talented people over there and some really good stories, for the most part they have a bunch of plotless text-based games. Granted, we have our fair shair of shoddy fiction writing over here, but at least the emphasis remains on the story and not the intricacies of the 'game'.

Think about an awesome story that takes advantage of the game aspect, but the game aspect is either too difficult; too confusing; or poorly constructed. It takes away from what would have been an excellent story. Not to harp on CYS, but they have several stories that I tried to read and was really getting into, but the game aspect detracted from the story (admitedly because they were difficult, but I wanted to read an interesting story not play an interesting game.)

So I can see the advantages, but I fear that it would detract from the quality experience of infinite-story.


(oh, and welcome to infinite-story. It's good to see an intelligent suggestion from a newcomer)

[SirOwnU]

You clearly don't get the idea... I'm not saying that you ONLY use this feature. I'm saying that if somebody wanted to make the main character the reader then some things should be out of their control and they have to rely on chance a little.

[donteatpoop]

You clearly don't get the idea... I'm not saying that you ONLY use this feature. I'm saying that if somebody wanted to make the main character the reader then some things should be out of their control and they have to rely on chance a little.

Cearly you read only fragments of what I typed. I never said it would be a mandatory aspect of the story, and neither did dragavan. Now I understand that I can be long winded at times, but try and keep up here.

There is a consequence to having a randomizer feature, or an items feature for that matter. The consequence is that most new members are going to use it. Why? Because it's 'cool'. What this means is that less and less people will be focusing on the story, and more and more people will be focused on the game.

Are you still with me?

This means that less people will be writing stories and more people will be writing games. It's like bringing liquor to an AA meeting and tell them that they don't have to drink but it's there if they want to, eventually everyone is going to be drunk.

[End Master]

The idea was “gotten”. What Drag and DEP are saying is that they’d prefer to keep the site “pure” writing rather than having the option for variables and such since they’re into stories rather than game like features.

First of all Sev would have to program all that stuff in and given he’s a one man operation, it’s unlikely he’d have the time to do that, as well as work out all the bugs that inevitably come with complex stuff like that. We’d end up with a lot of broken games most likely.

Second, if you really want, you can still make game stuff up on here. Check out Black Citadel or Visual Epic for examples. Most of Cat2000s stories have use of coin flipping or dice rolling as well. The variables just aren’t built in, you have to instruct the reader to do it themselves (Which is what you had to do with the old Fighting Fantasy series anyway)

Barring those you could check out some stuff at CYS. They got tons of game stories over there that use variables, inventory and such.

[Locke]

I agree that it'd be an interesting feature. There's a high ratio of poor and mediocre stories to really good ones here anyway; the quality it'd add to a few good plots would frankly be worth what it'd detract from stories I wouldn't care much for anyway. As stated though, the administrator is most unlikely to add anything of the sort, and this appears to be a somewhat heated issue, with most members opposing the motion.

I'm fine with things as they are; I don't have much use for anything like that in my own writing and that of the other members in good standing is great without it anyway. As others have said, CYS provides for those who want to add a certain sort of interactivity to their fiction. This site has its own distinct style, and caters to those who prefer it to a slightly more game-oriented experience.

It's a nice idea, if you're into that sort of thing, but you probably won't ever see it here.

[ChubbyTeletubby]

*pounds the imaginary gavel*

SILENCE! All members in FAVOR of this motion?

*crickets chirp*

*SirOwnU makes an attempt to speak...*

THE NEWBIE SHALL REMAIN SILENT!

All Members AGAINST this motion?

*There is much murmured agreement. Also, for some strange reason, a cow moos*

THEN IT'S SETTLED! THIS IS A STUPID IDEA! COMING FROM A STUPID NEWBIE! CLEARLY WE HAVE A RULING - MOTION DENIED! THE NEWBIE WILL NOW CRAWL BACK UNDER WHATEVER GOD-FORSAKEN HOLE HE/SHE EMERGED FROM! THAT IS ALL!

Oh...and also, welcome to the site, newbie. We love our newbies. Please don't cry...

Oh God. Look. The newbie's crying. WE'RE SORRY! Jesus...

[thoric]

Bad Chubby!

[drums]

So, what you are suggesting is we stop writing stories and start writing games, where "dice" are rolled that determine the outcomes of events rather than based on what direction we want the story to go in...

This is a story writing site and not a game writing site. There are already more than enough of those. Plus, this has been mentioned more than a couple times before and is always shot down. I would guess this time would be the same.

I was actually about to suggest a game, but it wouldn't be the D&D type of game.
Someone starts with a character and continues until a new member of the party joins, and then the two take alternate paths of the same story.
Another is joined and does the same, and another.
Remember HOID?
This is still non linear, but more structured with rules in place so nobody can mess around with the story or the character's life.

This would be rated M for individual characters, but there will be characters with PG ratings as well (once a personality is picked, there can be no change without a decent motivation).

Note: This is not my game nor do I know if it will be made here (haven't given him the URL yet).

Who would be interested in this, and can you give me alternatives for play?

[Locke]

DRUMS! Good to see you, buddy. If you want to write an interactive story, write it. If it's good, and you've left empty rooms, people will add. Even if the rooms are 80-90 percent nonsense, well, just look at HOID.

[SirOwnU]

Cut me some slack, remember it is just a suggestion. I'm cool if you don't like it, but what I'm not cool with is with you insulting me. I'm not stupid and I hate it when people call me a noob. "Noob" is a cliche over-used stupid insult these days. Also I have no idea what you said about the drunk people up there and I have no idea how it relates to this.

[End Master]

Whee! Drums is back! Usoki will be so pleased!

Seriously, it didn't feel right talking about child sex robots without you.

SOY: Who are you refering to? Nobody here insulted you. If they had, you would've saw a lot more swearing and comments about your mom, intelligence and sexual preference.

None of those have occurred yet, but I imagine it won't be long.

Welcome to Infinite Story!

[thoric]

*pounds the imaginary gavel*

SILENCE! All members in FAVOR of this motion?

*crickets chirp*

*SirOwnU makes an attempt to speak...*

THE NEWBIE SHALL REMAIN SILENT!

All Members AGAINST this motion?

*There is much murmured agreement. Also, for some strange reason, a cow moos*

THEN IT'S SETTLED! THIS IS A STUPID IDEA! COMING FROM A STUPID NEWBIE! CLEARLY WE HAVE A RULING - MOTION DENIED! THE NEWBIE WILL NOW CRAWL BACK UNDER WHATEVER GOD-FORSAKEN HOLE HE/SHE EMERGED FROM! THAT IS ALL!

Oh...and also, welcome to the site, newbie. We love our newbies. Please don't cry...

Oh God. Look. The newbie's crying. WE'RE SORRY! Jesus...

SirOwnU refers to that, End. I think. And in my opinion, we really don't need the probability thing here. Asking the reader/player to roll dice would achieve the same reults without any coding required.

[Locke]

SOU, in case you haven't browsed the forums much prior to this, the members often have a very earthy sense of humor. Additionally, if someone here insults you, they're usually just joking around, not actively trying to offend or belittle you. If DEP tells you to go fuck your mother, that's like him saying "Hello there, nice morning, isn't it?"

Take anything offensive you see with a grain of salt. Actually, when you browse the forums, replace the word "offensive" with "hilarious" in your vocabulary and you'll see things through the eyes of the others. Chubby's posts, particularly, must be viewed through this lens. When he called you a noob, he was actually showing remarkable restraint. Don't be sensitive; roll with the punches and throw a few of your own. There's rarely any actual ill intent behind the words; everyone's just here to unwind and have fun.

EDIT: DEP was making an analogy when he referred to liquor at an AA meeting. He was saying the feature you proposed would be new and shiny and gimmicky (and irresistable, like free alcohol given to alcoholics), and everyone would start using it, making the stories themselves cater to the feature rather than the other way around and leading to an overall decline in quality. DEP doesn't want his fiction drunk on probability. He's pleading for temperance. Infinite-Story is, like it or not (most likely even if everyone supported the idea) a dry county. If you want to immerse yourself in one of those dens of iniquity where they serve the sort of beverage you're after, CYS prides itself on it. This site just has a slightly different flavor, if you will, that's all, and caters to those with a taste - even a thirst - for the distinct and very narrowly defined format it's come to embody.