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The Space Opera Working Thread

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posted on Apr, 9 2009 @ 03:03 PM
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reply to post by silo13
 


I'm of a differing opinion Silo. I joined this Opera as a means to meet some of the other writers on ATS and for some fun, put my creativity and writing skills to the test per se. I am not here to impress readers nor do I care if anyone even reads my posts. This is a collaboration done by us for us. We aren't publishing a book and so a lot of the inconsistencies and deaths can really be overlooked. If anyone outside the Opera chooses to read it then AWESOME, I'm glad I could contribute to entertaining someone. If they don't like what is there then *shrug*. If the Space Opera were ever to meet an editor for publication there is much that would need to be rewritten anyway. I quite enjoy the menagerie of personalities we've seen through the revolving door and find the more difficult the issue to write around (unseen deaths), the more creative and absurd my posts can be (this is fun for me).

I completely see your approach Silo I'm just not as serious about the Opera I suppose and we probably have different reasonings for contributing. I do this for fun and only when I have the time to sit down and write, as I think should be the way of a collaborative project. After starting the opera I was thinking it should be a little more consistent with set rules and what nots but upon finding out that we as the writers have complete control and there are little to no guidelines I realized this project is just a spawn of Masqua's genius, not something that needs to be perfect. I work full time, attend to my social life, read, write my own material as well as collaborating here and it DOES get hectic. Other people, especially those with families, would find it MUCH harder to keep up and I can't even imagine where some of you guys find the time to write such well thought out material.

I'm not pulling down your ideas here Silo, I think they're great subjects to discuss. This is simply my personal input on your suggestions... not that it's worth much... you know... like $0.02 or something.



posted on Apr, 9 2009 @ 03:07 PM
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Originally posted by silo13

Great formula.
But it doesn’t address so many loose ends concerning the deaths, the only point I was trying to make in taking the risk of bringing my concerns to the board.

I had hoped with the two new deaths we’d have a great opportunity to tie things together for the readers but it seems I’m banging my head against a wall.


Maybe I'm confused. First of all, if we're talking about QA, then I'm suggesting she doesn't die, but is only presumed so. Any loose ends, like Teresa, will have to be worked into the main thread as well, in order not to have things up in the air.

However such things are cleared up will be up to the rest of the crew. I wish I had a ready answer, but I've been a little 'preoccupied' on other matters too. It seems like a number of the collaborators are also. Not too sure why that is.




On the other hand what might explain it is something I just read in your post but had not realized before.

This is a *roll playing* game.

???

I thought it was collaborative writing.

To me there is a huge difference.

If it’s a roll playing game then I’ll just shut up.





It IS a collaboration to create a science fiction story. I call it an opera because it's a classic.

In order to create it, we've had to take on roles. Mine was NATURE. Because we are all involved in writing this story within the roles of the characters we've created for ourselves, it is, in a sense, role playing, but it's not a game... our goal is an epic story.

There's a distinction.

I hope that helps clarify things a bit.



posted on Apr, 9 2009 @ 03:15 PM
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I've been asked to pass this on, in particular to the collaborators on The Voyages of the Yydryl and the Penelope and, also to those writers who have contributed so much in poetry and prose;


From Springer

I want to personally THANK each of the writers on ATS who have helped in creating the excellent, collaborative works we host. I also want all of you to completely disregard any attempts at skewing your creative genius with "role playing" or less than "ATS worthy" as both descriptions are sheer BOLLOCKS.

mark (Springer)...


If anyone thinks that no-one appreciates what you've ALL done here in the writing forums, that should put your minds at rest.



 


BTW, scurvy... nice post
that says a lot in a good way



[edit on 9/4/09 by masqua]



posted on Apr, 9 2009 @ 03:16 PM
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I've always looked at this with the eyes of a role player. It's just got more words then a normal rpg, except those old school text rpgs... In this thread we've discussed many of the ideals and rules of role playing. Actors upon a stage, just also writing the screenplay as well.

If you read the story from beginning to current, it appears to me we've all (more or less) addressed these deaths as they've happened. I think the deaths are of themselves foreshadowing for what both the Yydryl and Pene are approaching.

For me, I'm just gonna 'role' with it. Sorry, couldn't help it!


Edit: Agreed, nice job Scurvy. I wish I could put all of my thoughts into one congruent paragraph as you do!


[edit on 4/9/2009 by Whisper67]



posted on Apr, 9 2009 @ 03:17 PM
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I think Theresa should stay alive and come back to herself.
They need some women on the Penelope, don't you think.
Ofcourse someone would have to write her, not me. LOL



posted on Apr, 9 2009 @ 03:43 PM
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reply to post by questioningall
 


I'm not upset with you for leaving.
Not at all.
In fact I'm sorry to see you go.


But as Masqua says in an earlier posting, my leaving right now, can actually bring the ships together and interacting now.


I agree.

I'd just hoped some good could come out of you leaving - in other words a new opportunity to give all these deaths some meaningful participation in the story line.

Take care and hope to see you in the other parts of Forum!

(Hope you get your chickies too)!



posted on Apr, 9 2009 @ 03:52 PM
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reply to post by Scurvy
 



I'm of a differing opinion Silo. I joined this Opera as a means to meet some of the other writers on ATS and for some fun, put my creativity and writing skills to the test per se.


Yes, so did I. I guess I was just thrown off by collaboration, and not role play.


I am not here to impress readers nor do I care if anyone even reads my posts.


I only care people read each others posts to give the story continuity. If people don't want to read what I write, no biggy. I just hope some of the facts stay straight as not to confuse readers.


I quite enjoy the menagerie of personalities we've seen through the revolving door and find the more difficult the issue to write around (unseen deaths), the more creative and absurd my posts can be (this is fun for me).


Agreed - And absurd is all good - I just draw the line at taking away from a consistent story line.

I do this for many different reasons also but my personality type runs along the lines of if you can't do something right don't do it at all.
That does not mean by any stretch that I am always right, far from it, but my drive for continuity runs pretty high.


I'm not pulling down your ideas here Silo, I think they're great subjects to discuss. This is simply my personal input on your suggestions... not that it's worth much... you know... like $0.02 or something.


Everyone's input is important.
Thanks for yours.



peace


[edit on 9-4-2009 by silo13]



posted on Apr, 9 2009 @ 04:04 PM
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reply to post by masqua
 


Uh oh - .... lol.

While I look at this as a huge combined story effort, I TOTALLY just went and bought some source books for GURPS to randomly generate some stuff for the next piece of the Penelope's voyage....

I wouldn't call what we're doing an "rpg" in the traditional sense, but it does have that feel to it, you know?



posted on Apr, 9 2009 @ 04:09 PM
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Ok forget it.
It’s not easy to bring up constructive criticism in a kind caring way - out of the hopes that we all collaborate on something that has merit - and get shot down to hell. I just didn’t want all the time and effort put in to this by everyone to leave readers going wtf.

I’ll just shut up because really soon this is going to get into finger pointing at other writers and that’s what I’m trying to avoid.

If that doesn’t matter to anyone else, so be it.

By the way, to Springer - whatever *Bollocks* means?

Let’s make it perfectly clear I didn’t call this *Role Playing*

Notice the “quotes” in my post.

peace

[edit on 9-4-2009 by silo13]



posted on Apr, 9 2009 @ 04:13 PM
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reply to post by cindymars
 



I think Theresa should stay alive and come back to herself.
They need some women on the Penelope, don't you think.
Of course someone would have to write her, not me. LOL


I was really interested in that *love interest* part of the story too.

I hope someone else picks it up...




posted on Apr, 9 2009 @ 04:15 PM
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Scurvy, you da man! And yes, we have an awsome group of writers and I really look forward to getting together with the U-mans...

Also scurvy, you will have to write the next one, like we discussed right? hopefully that will buy me some time to get my new comp back up with the beautiful pictures of the Atlantean scenes as portals to the Aquatic center.

After Easter would be great for us to all meet up on the bridge, I see it anytime after the next post, I could use some help with a picture of the bridge, the main Navigation control, or should we use the one Skyfloating used in teh beginning? How would it tie in on the bridge?

I think that those reading myself included really enjoy the visuals that accompany the posts.



posted on Apr, 9 2009 @ 04:16 PM
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Whoa, easy man - I just jumped back into the mix after about 4 days out of the loop and just finally actually read through the past 4 pages of posts.

1) QA - I'm heartbroken, but understand why you have to leave. For the message to Fleet Command - I can think of no better way to call on our help than for you/Theresa to use your link.

2) The "RPG" issue. Who cares? RPG or Collaborative fiction - - - !? It's both, if you want to get to the nitty gritty. One the one hand, yeah - there's no dice or game mechanics involved to make it an honest to goodness "game" in the sense of the word, but so what? You have Masqua acting as "nature" - I originally took that as (DM) - then you have 2 captains who, aside from nature - are really driving the story, along with the other writers. So - instead of saying its one or the other, I look at it as both.

Now, that doesn't detract from the overal quality of the project itself. The story is still beautifully written by intelligent people and we're all helping to build something with a deep quality to it. I think.

I don't know - those are my thoughts.

I just hope Silo - you didn't think my last post was part of that whole RPG thing - I was just mentioning that I went and got some source material to help enrich our universe we're in.

[edit on 9-4-2009 by mf_luder]



posted on Apr, 9 2009 @ 04:21 PM
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Just dropping in to let everyone know I haven't abandoned this thread or the story....just busy this week with RL issues.

Judging from the last few posts, looks like I need to catch up on some reading.

QA....I hope you come back.



posted on Apr, 9 2009 @ 04:21 PM
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reply to post by mf_luder
 



I just hope Silo - you didn't think my last post was part of that whole RPG thing - I was just mentionin that I went and got some source material to help enrich our universe we're in.


Nope.

I don't know what an rpg is.
For me collaborative would mean a group coming together to create something with consistency of story line - like you'd see in a book.

A "Roll playing game" would indicate to me something with far less structure, not as much commitment to continuity, and something where leaving the readers in a lurch isn't a big deal.

No probs Luder



posted on Apr, 9 2009 @ 04:21 PM
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reply to post by silo13
 


Agreed, you know who would be perfect is Accessdenied, she is great at romance and action and a fantastic writer. We would ahve to change Theresa to Tera for short...

I would also like to see Qa not killed but assumed dead.



posted on Apr, 9 2009 @ 04:23 PM
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reply to post by loam
 


Hey good to see you, have missed you!



posted on Apr, 9 2009 @ 04:25 PM
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reply to post by loam
 


LOL, glad to see I'm not the only Captain neglecting my duties.....
I should start throwing a lot of posts into the main thread here shortly. I have some material I'd like to share with you offline.

It should prove beneficial to us both.



posted on Apr, 9 2009 @ 04:26 PM
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reply to post by mf_luder
 


RolePlayingGame

You know I love that Nature is always there to throw the unknowable into the mix, keeps us unable to think we are in control, just like RL sometimes...



posted on Apr, 9 2009 @ 04:40 PM
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reply to post by silo13
 


It is a collaborative project, but one that is undertaken by writing for our roles. If you did not have a character suit to slip into before writing your post who would you be in the story? The role playing aspect simply adds an identity to each writer and I think this is the sentiment others have been trying to relay. You seem to be hung up on the words Role Play, I'm curious as to why you do not want to partake in a role play collaboration... does the name really affect the content that much? From my perspective and gleamed through what you've written you seem to approach this collaboration as though it were a novel; as in there should be a beginning, body, climax, and conclusion to tie everything together. We had a hell of an intro, but the body is still growing to reach the climax and we probably will never see a conclusion and many loose ends will be left dangling. This isn't a novel though so that's to be expected.

Consistency is fabulous and we're all working towards it but when you throw in 12 different personalities who can't communicate in real time it makes perfection impossible. We are all trying to remain within the parameters dictated by other members but we'll all make slips here and there... I mean we're only Rigellian right?

Beyond the deaths (which are unexpected and therefore in my mind completely consistent in their own right) I would like to know the inconsistencies that you've noticed. I personally am a grammar fanatic and an avid reader and I must say that while not everything flows seamlessly there aren't any glaringly obvious inconsistencies or problems in communication that I've noticed. I'm just not sure why you raised this point, and made it sound so urgent, of determining who and when people can join and leave. I don't see it as an issue and I'm just trying to figure out what makes this such a problem in your eyes beyond readability. To be blunt you have not yet convinced me that there need to be guidelines in place... and I enjoy a good debate



posted on Apr, 9 2009 @ 04:40 PM
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Originally posted by silo13
I don't know what an rpg is.
For me collaborative would mean a group coming together to create something with consistency of story line - like you'd see in a book.

A "Roll playing game" would indicate to me something with far less structure, not as much commitment to continuity, and something where leaving the readers in a lurch isn't a big deal.



Here's a general article on what role playing is: Role Playing

Not debating about what it is we are doing here, but I'm very passionate :blush: about rpgs so I just wanted to educate you a little on a few of your notions. Role playing *must* be congruent and have continuity. Not one move is made without thought to the progression of the character and story. I think the word "game" might be throwing you off. A group of people get together, each taking on a 'role' of a character. Decsions are then made about various characteristic and abilities of each character. There is a 'game master' who controls various occurances within the game and the players react, with consistancey and congruency each in turn. These sessions can go on for many hours or weeks.

There are actual role playing novels. Dragonlance being a personal favorite.

A lot of modern rpgs are played online or gaming systems. Most still contain the elements of character creation and most certainly continuity.

Again, not to debate the LABEL of what we are doing here, just wanted to give some insight into one of my favorite subjects.



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