IWT6 Topic Poll (for prospective participants)

[Vesnic]

It wasn't our idea to join your contest, keep that in mind. If you don't want us, that's fine, we're not trying to be parasites or anything.

Why do you keep making it seem as though I am trying to ostracize you? I am merely attempting to establish the guidelines here. It will be a bit of a logistical challenge, as everyone admits. It makes sense to not highlight certain features that are not common to both sites. That's all I meant by that. And no, IS is not going to change around its entire coding so that it can match yours for the sake of this one contest. IS is the template, and you are more than willing to join us on those terms.

[JJJ-thebanisher]

Alright, my apologies. I'm sure there may be members over there who would enter over here, I might, I might not. I know I'd be more interested if I could do it on my own editor with my own features. I understand that that might not be logistically feasible, but if scripting really doesn't improve a story, then it shouldn't hurt your chances should it?

[Usoki]

The myth theme involves an emphasis on writing quality. You could write a linear myth, but here on a CYOA site, it wouldn't score well. The infinite theme is more of finesse. You can't really write it in a linear fashion, because you'll either create an ending, or a loopback that's so painfully obvious and cliche that you'll be beaten down.

That's why I'd find the idea fun and challenging- it's not a matter of sticking to a genre, it's a matter keeping your writing loose enough to be endless.

[Locke]

It's a three-day weekend, and I hang around all day, but the action happens when I take a break for dinner. That's typical.

As far as the CYS thing goes, they can post here if they want, but most will probably post on their own site, which is just fine. If they're going to vote, of course - and if we are - as the rules stand, all voters must read and vote on all stories. The rules and the stories that are entered must be made crystal clear on both sites. I favor a single joint contest, with entries posted on whichever site the author feels like, or both of them.

The contest is every author for him/herself, true (and the devil take the hindmost), but this will also be a contest between IS and CYS as communities, and a contest between formats. Apoth should be in stat heaven by the time it's all over with. Let the CYSers use their inventories and such (though it should be made clear that this is a CYOA fiction contest, not a game or linear contest), and we'll stick with our own devices. Hopefully, this will help revitalize both communities.

As to the theme, since this looks to be a joint contest, I favor Myth. Infinite Story is a fine idea, but it doesn't lend itself well to the contest if CYS is involved, and I'd personally like to see it as a sort of celebration tournament theme following the implementation of IS2 if possible.

Myth is open-ended and accessible, and lends itself to a wider range of readily apparent possibilities. At this time, I think it's the best choice for this tournament that's available.

EDIT: Here is the contest topic on CYS. In the interest of fairness, we might take an informal vote on the topic there and add their numbers to ours - if they actually choose Infinite Story, I'm all for it - but it's probably a moot point and I feel the vote here ought to stand.

[Vesnic]

Why are they voting on it over there? Aren't we inviting them to join our contest...

[Locke]

They aren't. The topic I linked to just had End introducing the contest and a couple of responses. I suggested, following the link, that an informal vote might be taken there on the theme and the results added to ours in the interests of fairness, it being a joint contest, but recommended against such in favor of this poll (or your fiat, of course, Ves) determining the winning theme. Sorry for any confusion.

[apotheosis]

I see that the myth choice is ahead. It just seems like kind of a dud to me, a sort of safe easy topic that anyone can do. I remember in 5th grade they had us all write our own mythology for a project and make little books with it. The infinite theme just seems like it would force us to grow much more as writers since chronology and plot coherency are two factors that writers generally can improve upon. It would also be the first IWT that actually applied to the CYOA format, the rest could have just as easily been linear stories.

[End Master]

I see that the myth choice is ahead. It just seems like kind of a dud to me, a sort of safe easy topic that anyone can do. I remember in 5th grade they had us all write our own mythology for a project and make little books with it. The infinite theme just seems like it would force us to grow much more as writers since chronology and plot coherency are two factors that writers generally can improve upon. It would also be the first IWT that actually applied to the CYOA format, the rest could have just as easily been linear stories.

The looping story could theoretically be linear too, you just create a one choice time travel story and then when you’re done writing, the protagonist gets stuck in a time loop and goes back to the beginning.

Really I don’t see how the looping story would be any less long than the bloodlines theme and people were understandably not enthusiastic about doing that one.

For a proper looping story to be done right, you really need to do a lot of redundant rooms that appear the same, but aren’t the same since they ultimately lead to different choices which loop to other loops which creates more redundant rooms that eventually lead a final loop.

Which really means you’re either:

Doing a lot of writing with a lot of rooms which defeats the purpose of the desire to write a shorter submission.

Or

Doing a lot of copying with a lot of rooms which defeats the purpose of writing since you’re not actually doing a lot writing so much as you’re copy & pasting stuff with maybe a few alterations.

If the engine here at least permitted a change in choices after you’ve already submitted a room, I might’ve been a little more excited about it, but as it stands now the IS engine is a pain to work with sometimes when you want to do something a little more complex. I’d rather focus on writing than focus on messing about with the engine. (At least for a contest, I probably wouldn't mind on my own time)

Besides, from what you told me of your good story idea, you could still apply it to a myth theme. You might even get bonus points for putting extra effort into it. Hell, I know I’D give you more points if you made a looping myth story and you wrote it as cool as it sounded.

[Locke]

I see where you're coming from, Apoth. It's probably odd to you, but the challenge of the theme never entered into the equation for me. In my mind, the story is as challenging as the author wants to make it; if he pulls it off, the voters will take notice. For this contest particularly, I sought the most accessible and broad theme to appeal to the most participants. I still feel that talent will out itself, though; obviously the most capable and dedicated will prevail. Are you saying you can't write anything that will be interesting to you if it involves a myth in some way?

I've thought about it since I first professed my dislike of the Infinite Story theme, and I do actually like it and hope to see it again in the future; I just don't think it best suited to this tournament. Why is arbitrarily raising the bar important? I suppose you see it as a challenge forcing all participants to write at or above their ability. You seek quality at the potential expense of participation and contest entries; I look for entries and participation at the potential expense of quality (though neither choice is a guarantee of any of that). It's funny; I always thought I'd be on the other side of this kind of issue. I don't think an easier theme means people will necessarily slack and write less interesting things, though, especially because the slackers always lose. Is it just "neat" to you because it's different, because it involves unusual structural challenge in addition to the typical literary sort? I'm open to persuasion, but I don't see any reason to change my mind at this time, and I don't think your reasons in favor of Infinite Story will override mine for choosing Myths for this contest.

[JJJ-thebanisher]

Not to sound condescending but the CYS editor is perfect for looping stories. You could even have it so new choices appeared your second or third time through a page, or new text appeared on a page. Actually theoretically, you could have an entire adventure on one page, as they clicked links they'd stay on the same page but the text and links would change.

However, that being said, I'm still greatly in favor of myth over infinite, but I won't vote because I'm not 100% sure I'll participate. It depends on a few things.

[End Master]

Yeah the CYS engine would do looping stories a lot better since there’s more options, but I was thinking about IS first since it’s an IS Contest.

The “updating” on the rooms showing up in the linking section at CYS is sort of annoyingly slow though. Sometimes when I was looping over there, I wouldn’t get the rooms I created to pop up and I’d have to log out and wait awhile before they would finally show up.

[JJJ-thebanisher]

Dude, eww, the classic editor?

Edit: Erm.. I mean.. I can't believe you're talking about the classic editor.

No though, seriously, that's a really shitty editor bahaha. AE is where it's at. And yeah, I understand you were thinking IS first, totally understandable.

[End Master]

I thought that was the only option if you’re doing a basic story. (No scripting, variables, etc)

You mean I could’ve been using some better editor the whole time?

[JJJ-thebanisher]

I tried to tell you like 10000 times. The advanced editor is customizable, you can set which features are available.

And off topic but LOL at the idiots on CYS thinking Locke is trying to get involved.

Edit: As in, you can use it as the basic editor with a better layout (and chapters for organization but you don't have to use those) or you can set it to have Basic, or Advanced Scripting, Basic or Advanced Variables, and items, or none of the aforementioned.

[Hi! My name is: Katie]

Is is premature to declare MYTH the winner? I kind of feel like Ves' vote should be weighted, since she has been our victor this year. so even if someone else voted for infinite story, Ves' preference would serve as a tie breaker. PLUS, our fresh from CYS friend Triple J has mentioned he prefers the Myth idea.


Anyway... I hereby declare MYTH the winner.

(shoot me down if you must.) :: wink wink ::