Ha, and you thought they were extinct.

Alrighty. I haven't dont this in a while, but I'd really like to start a webstory up on the EVO boards.
There's already one on the EV board, but lets face it. Confeds vs Rebels doesn't really make for any excellent plot twists, and the aliens are overpowered if you can't use a monty-python type move with a tractor beam.

Best case scenario, I would need 9 players. (one for miranu, Strands, humans, voinians, human renegades, NT renegades, and ST renegades)
I'm prepared to accept the fact that it won't happen like that.

I just want to know first, is anyone interested?

If you don't know what a webstory is, in essence, it's a story that everyone takes turns writing. However, since EVO is (for most people) a space warfare game, the battles will play a big part in the story.
People always want their charactor to triumph.

Just so I can get a vague idea.... Anyone whos interested, feel free to comment, but please list what race you would like to control if you did decide to play.
And yes, it would be in the standard EVO universe.

Players Enlisted-
Rameretz- Strand Renegades (NT probably)
premonition- Human Renegades
-redchigh-- Voinian
Nelsonic- Azdgari
Hamster- UE
Pistgavin- UE
Mazca- Miranu
Sonsul Bob- Zidigar
Paranoid- Igadzra
Apple Core- Merc

No Empty Slots!

This post has been edited by -REDCHIGH- : 13 January 2006 - 03:49 PM

Normally I'd be the first on the boat, but time commitments dictate otherwise. Still, I encourage people who are new to webstories to join. They're great fun, especially if you consider them as just another chance to write and don't get mired down in trying to "win." They're called webstories, not webgames.

This is different from a Bar, then?

It's a little more structured than a bar. Anything goes in bars. For webstories, it's generally required that you keep within the laws of the universe.

I'll join, but it's been a very long time since I've played around with EV:O, so I'll take something fairly generic, like human renegades. And just so you know, I'm not particularly interested in my character 'winning', or even surviving. The best character is not one who wins, but who ... I don't know ... does it with style.

Wait... So the idea is to kill the others, or just describe your character's life?
Whatever it is, I will be alien renegades.

Okay... We have a human renegade player and strand renegade player (Assuming North tip?)

Although the game starts out identical to the game (before any mission strings),
it will (not can... will) end quite differently. The Zidigar and renegades can unite and tear apart the Azdgari, the miranu can fire the zachit and hire the miranu to protect them, the miranu can bribe the renegades into being their thugs and the miranu defeat everyone.

The story is completely open, except for the things that cannot change-
1. The humans and voinians hate each other, at least to start out.
2. The strands hate each other.

Other than that, anything is possible.

We're not going to focus incredibly on accuracy. This is more of a learning thing. To remind this board what a good webstory is all about. It's okay for you to want your character to win, but you cannot do it all in one day. It will require planning, research, and alliances. Most of all, Winning can even be the most important thing to you, but do it with grace and flair.

The very best webstory writers are the ones that have a desire to win, but a bigger desire to keep the story flowing smoothly. (Not neccesarily declining to obliterate an enemy, thats allowed, but I'll get into that later)
"Flowing smoothly" just means that at the very end, there's enough character development to make the story into a web chronicle.

This post has been edited by -REDCHIGH- : 10 January 2006 - 09:13 PM

Okay.. I think I understand. Maybe I will just sit and watch for a while so I now a bit more.

I have nothing better to do, and quite like EVO, so, ill join up. I guess ill have to go with the Azdgari. Since they are my favorite government, apart from the Izgadra

This post has been edited by Nelsonic : 10 January 2006 - 10:00 PM

Quote

The very best webstory writers are the ones that have a desire to win...

I would actually dispute that comment, depending on your definition of winning. I have played in webstories where the ending is predetermined (ie. One disputed pretender to the crown (and hence one particular player) must become king at the end), and we came out with a very good and dirty war between the factions. Though I suppose 'winning' in that situation could be taken to mean something entirely different.

Quote

Okay.. I think I understand. Maybe I will just sit and watch for a while so I now a bit more.

You'll learn a lot faster and have a lot more fun by jumping in the deep end.

So long as this isn't a over-structured turn-based thing with 'technology points' and other such technical nonsense, I'll be willing to take the part of the UE.

i guess i'll join but i can only write monday to thursday

UE all the way bitches ++

--gav

premonition, on Jan 10 2006, 09:33 PM, said:

I would actually dispute that comment, depending on your definition of winning. I have played in webstories where the ending is predetermined (ie. One disputed pretender to the crown (and hence one particular player) must become king at the end), and we came out with a very good and dirty war between the factions. Though I suppose 'winning' in that situation could be taken to mean something entirely different.

You'll learn a lot faster and have a lot more fun by jumping in the deep end.

I realize that many people prefer to play and write that way, but I don't. I believe the story is much interesting if it can take it's own course (minus a few nudges), as compared to staying on a track.

And as far as keeping it simple, I will do my best to not mention technology points and income and such. Basically, You will have a number of ships you start with, and construction will be done per fleet.
(So no one has to worry about how many fighters they would have built if they built a destroyer yesterday)
It will be as simple as possible.

Please note, I want this to be as minor a part of the story as possible, but for good battles and conflicts, it's somewhat neccesary.

I was going to copy a post from a past webstory and put it here, but I had a revelation that will explain webstories better.

The most important thing, is don't emit details.

Here are some examples (that apply to this story. In the past, it was normal.

Regarding the UE controller moving ships from one system to another.
----------------------- Wargame Writing-----------
I order Fleets Alpha, Beta, Omicron, and Zeta to go to Huron from Sol to kill renegades and protect the planet.

----------------------Webstory Writing--------------------

Captain Diel of the United Earth Republic sits back in his chair.
Suddenly a light on his intercom flashes. He reaches down and presses the button.
"Excuse me, Captain Diel?"

"Yes, Jeriol?"
The captain closes his eyes as he speaks. Something tells him it's bad news.

"Reports are coming in from Huron. 7,400 people have just died in a raid by the renegades."

"God... Did they destroy an entire fleet?"

"No.. Worse. They raided the planet."

"How? What about the defenses?"

"They were disabled from the inside."

Captain Diel is silent... He opens his eyes and looks around his office. His eyebrows drop in a look of concern.
"Jeriol... Did they catch the spy?"

"Yes. He's being held right now."

"What exactly happened?"

"Well, This morning there were reports of glitches in the power conduits to the defense grids. We now know, that is when they placed the bomb."

"So they destroyed the power supply to a defense platform, then landed on top of it... They're getting bolder."

"That's not all. They also managed to leave the planet with some classified technology documents, and 50 tons of technical equipment."

"They got away?!"

"Well, luckily the patrol fleet for the region jumped in at the last minute and managed to destroy them all, with minimal losses. The patrols had the element of suprise, plus the renegades were piloting stolen transporters, so the radar wouldn't pick them up as fast.."

"That's good, but we can't rely on luck. Im moving more fleets down there so it won't happen again." Captain Diel clicked the transponder to a different frequency, and gave the orders to the fleet commanders.

----------------------------------
Fleet movements-
Fleets Alpha, Beta, Omicron, and Zeta
From: Sol
To: Huron
ETA 4 days

Now I understand that sometimes it may not be possible to write a long post with lots of character development, so the short war-game style of posting will be allowed, but only in times of peril. Try not to make it an all-the-time thing.

Kitwulfen, on From WEBSTORY RULES " (Names have been changed to protect the innocent), said:

All you gotta do is tell one of the three moderators what field you're researching in, and we'll get back to you when you've made a breakthrough and what you get from the breakthrough. Only tell us the field of research you want to go into. Vague suggestions about what you're looking for is okay, but if you start talking stats, bad things will happen(your ship explode).

For example, were you to post, "I'm looking to research some dispy rocket enhancement. I'd like to try and make them go faster and possibly further." We would then say okay, and get back to you after a suitable amount of time with what you've discovered. Telling us less is okay, telling us more is not. One of the moderators may prod you somewhat if they cannot get a clear idea of what you're going into.

Example of beginning research
----------------------------------------
A scientist walks up to a large silver door, engraved from top to bottom with pictures of famous zidigar from the past. He nonchalantly reaches out to the door and it springs up into the ceiling. He enters the room where a zidigar wearing a shaggy fur cloak is sleeping at a desk.
"Sir?"

The enthroned zidigar doesn't even stir.

"Excuse me, Sir." The scientist is getting annoyed. He walks closer to the zidigar overlord and taps him on the shoulder. The overlord twitches and slowly opens his eyes.

"Hello there! Why do you look so annoyed, Shangora?"

The scientist sighs... "Well, I've just got out of a meeting with your battle coordinators, and we've noticed something. Our dispersal rockets are exceptionally useful against azdaras, but with a little enhancement, maybe they could help us more against Igazras too."

"Then get it done. You have the clearence. Talk to the people you need to."

The scientist bows dramatically and leaves.

Jimna, zidigar overlord, slumps back into his chair. He looks around his office, sighs to himself and mumbles. "It's hard being a leader...." before going back to sleep.

------
R&D Product Begun
Dispersal Rocket Enhancement
---------------------------

Plus it will take time out of your construction to refit your ships.

I've also decided to count newly constructed ships weekly. I'll tell you what you have that's new. It will generally be each govt gets a new fleet each week. you can pm me about what size you want your fleets to be. Then I'll tell you how many fleets you can start with.

This post has been edited by -REDCHIGH- : 11 January 2006 - 11:49 AM

I call the Emalgha.

Although every once in a while I might switch over to the Independent Strandless world of Tibidat, home of Piffle juice, constantly raided by renegades out of Mavs, ignored by the Igadzra, not adequately defended by South Tip Station, unable to gain anything from the Human Renegades, and dead in the eyes of the Council, just because I once wrote a plugin with a Tibidati storyline. I never released it though.

We definitely need at least one person in charge of the Fuzz trade.

And if people want to join in after we've started, they should be able to ask the established governments to support them. For instance, someone might join in as a nebula exploration scientist and need Igadzra sensor arrays, thereby becoming a bit player in galactic politics.

premonition, on Jan 10 2006, 08:54 PM, said:

The best character is not one who wins, but who ... I don't know ... does it with style.
View Post

Premonition++

Qaanol, on Jan 11 2006, 08:23 AM, said:

I call the Emalgha.

Although every once in a while I might switch over to the Independent Strandless world of Tibidat, home of Piffle juice, constantly raided by renegades out of Mavs, ignored by the Igadzra, not adequately defended by South Tip Station, unable to gain anything from the Human Renegades, and dead in the eyes of the Council, just because I once wrote a plugin with a Tibidati storyline. I never released it though.

We definitely need at least one person in charge of the Fuzz trade.

I would appreciate it if you would at least consider controlling the miranu... They really need a controller... and I think it would be a good spot for you..

I don't mean to be pushy. You can be emalgha if you like, but the story can't start without a miranu/zacha controller...

I'll take the Miranu.

Haven't taken part in a webstory before, but I have time on my hands at the moment.

I suppose I'll take the Zidagar.

-Bob

Igadzra for me, if I can't go merc.

The Apple Cřre, on Jan 12 2006, 12:45 AM, said:

Igadzra for me, if I can't go merc.
View Post

You can go merc. I can write the Igazra out of the story, or leave them alone, just control them every once and a while.

If you'd like to be a merc, PM me about what race you imagine yourself as being so we can decide what techs you would start with...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
We have all neccesary players now. If anyone would like to join, feel free to do so in the OOC topic that will be created soon. The OOC topic is for discussing the story out of character, and for asking questions. The story topic is just for, you know, the story.

Also, we need to come up with a name for it. I was thinking something that's a subtle reference to new people writing... maybe one of these.

"Frontiers in Peril"
or
"A New Beginning: An EVO Webstory"
or
Something. I don't know. I'll probably start the story on monday.

Ooooh, can I be the decadent Council? Not much, just sort of under the desk conspiracy plans once in a while, attempts to blackmail smugglers on handing over their Fuzz shipments, corrupting leaders of several factions, etc. General miscellany.
EDIT: Ah dang, if it's not too late... (crosses fingers)

This post has been edited by domu : 13 January 2006 - 09:01 AM

domu, on Jan 13 2006, 07:00 AM, said:

Ooooh, can I be the decadent Council? Not much, just sort of under the desk conspiracy plans once in a while, attempts to blackmail smugglers on handing over their Fuzz shipments, corrupting leaders of several factions, etc. General miscellany.
EDIT: Ah dang, if it's not too late... (crosses fingers)
View Post

It's not too late, but I would prefer if we left the council alone. They have nothing going for them in the beginning of the game. You could be:
a human company (Stellar Corp, Profit Enterprises)
Government (Igazra)
Commander for a govt (Controlling a small fleet and a planet, but reporting to another player)
Second in Command for a govt (getting certain responsibilities, like battle command, director of Communications, or exploration and trade corp.)
A Mercenary (Starting with basic techs, either strand or human independant technologies only, and controlling a small fleet, but with free reign to do whatever you want.)