MP Game - Yarnspinners

[Zapmeister]

deccan said:
Just my personal opinion, but I think this competition is being too "bland" if the judge(s) continue to refrain from judging the relative "quality" of the yarn. It's like you get 2 points automatically simply for handing in your homework, but there's no effort to differentiate those trying to be really entertaining and those just filling in something for every turn.

Yes, that's down to my laziness, really. I believe the new administrater, Magnate, plans to do a better job.

[magnate]

Zapmeister said:

Yes, that's down to my laziness, really. I believe the new administrater, Magnate, plans to do a better job.

Interesting - I was very careful in my first post, in case people really didn't want me to judge relative quality. I'm quite happy to be a bit discerning (only 1 point for just filling it in, 2 points if it's good, maybe a rare 3rd point for outstanding) - but please, everybody chip in if they don't like this idea ....

CC

[magnate]

P.S. Please, somebody tell me the days on which the turns are run. I'm planning on giving points for turn 3 reports this weekend, on the assumption that turn 4 runs some time Saturday or Sunday. Then you have until the following run (Wed?) to write turn 4's pieces, etc. etc.

[Karacan]

Check here on Mosehansen to see when the next hosting is due. I think it hosts thursday/monday. Make your own calculations for your timezone.


As for points, I am pretty certain that everyone included does it for the fun, not for points. That said, I don't mind any incentives for everyone to keep writing their stories... I can't wait until turn 60's culmination. Will puffyn locate the missing Holy Butter? Will Lillith the Damned get bored with her new playthings? Will the Ghost of the Wingless finally find the rest he doesn't deserve? Yeah, I read 'em.

[puffyn]

I agree with Noth, writer of Posts.

This game is all about the stories, rather than "points" or "winning" or other linear, western concepts like having your narrator actually survive long enough to establish a consistent voice.

On a related note: I recently read this AAR and thought that it would be nice to have some maps for our game. Obviously posting pictures of the maps while the game is in progress is a little too revealing, but perhaps everyone could make screenshots (or just a copy of their turn) every five turns. Then, when the game is over, someone could make complete situation maps every 5 turns and edit them into the thread for posterity.

[Karacan]

puffyn said:
I agree with Noth, writer of Posts.

Huh, I still don't know if I'll keep on cycling through his few existent titles, or if I'll invent new ones as we go along...

(...)but perhaps everyone could make screenshots (or just a copy of their turn) every five turns. Then, when the game is over, someone could make complete situation maps every 5 turns and edit them into the thread for posterity(...)

Good idea. I'll try to remember and screenshot the map every five turns. Someone should do the same for the score graphs.

[Cheezeninja]

-Abysia turn 4-

"Hail to thee, good neighbor! Warm tidings and good will, how goes your day?"

"By the by, my friend, I can say little except that it passes. Have you heard the news?"

"The news? My friend I had no idea there was news, let alone the nature of such news."

"Ahh, then i can assure you there is indeed news, news of such import as to arouse the interest of all who hear it."

"As to that, I can assure you it must be true, for you have not yet told me this news and already I feel my interest aroused to nearly unbearable levels."

"How, you wish to hear the news?"

"By the Horse yes! I wish very much to hear this news, as you can percieve i am listening very closely."

"I do indeed percieve that you are listening closely my good friend, and as such will undertake to impart to you the news immediately."

"Ahh, well do so then, and I would indeed be in your debt."

"As to that, I shall then immediatly pass to you the news you desire to hear."

"The shard! Yes i desire to hear it, it seems i have desired nothing less for the Last half of and hour!"

"The news then, is this. I do not know the significance of it, but I can report that a messenger has arrived and put the palace into something of an uproar."

"How, an uproar?"

"Well, that is, a subdued uproar."

"What precisely," The first Neighbor inquired, "is a subdued uproar? For you percieve I desire precision of all things."

"I will describe it as best I can," Said the Second neighbor.

"I await your description with all eagerness," Said the First.

"Here it is, then: A messenger arrived some two days ago, that is, the day after we Last met."

"Well?" Said the First neighbor. "Whence came this messenger?"

"That I cannot tell you, only-"

"Yes?"

"He was a Abysian, and he wore the livery of the Army."

"There is nothing remarkable in that," said the First neighbor. "Messengers for the Army are often Abysians, and it is only proper that they wear the Army livery under such circumstances."

"Oh, I agree, there is nothing remarkable in that. Only-"

"Well?"

"His message."

"What was it?"

"I assure you, I havn't the least idea in the world."

"How," Said the first neighbor. "You have no idea?"

"None at all, on my word of honor."

"And then?" Replied the first.

"All i know is this: The messenger spoke to the Queen our Goddess for some time, and then departed, and after he left-"

"Well? After he left?"

"There were unmistakable signs of agitation in the behaviour of the Queen."

"And yet," Said the first neighbor, "She gave no indication as to the cause of Her agitation?"

"Only this," Replied the second. "She was heard to mutter something about the worthlessness of the Army and how She would be better off doing things Herself, then she ordered all to continue with the day as if nothing had happened and stalked off and has not been seen since!"

"indeed, that does seem to be portentious news my friend, though i know not what it means."

"Oh! I nearly forgot, though i know not the import of it," Said the second neighbor. "The messenger was also observed to be wearing several bandages about his head and arms."

"The Horse! You know not the import of it," Replied the first. "Why that nearly explains it all, in my reckoning."

"How, it explains it all?"

"Indeed, by my figuring it would seem that the Army suffered an unsightly defeat and our Queen has gone off to rectify the situation Herself."

"Ah! I percieve that your idea would seem to fit the situation exactly, and bears much merit. Many thanks my friend, for you have cleared up some worry i did have on my part as to the nature of the message, surely our Queen will set all aright in the near future."

"Think nothing of it, and thanks to yourself as well, for sharing such an interesting morsel of information with me."

"Cha! And what kind of neighbor would i be if i didnt share such thought provoking information with a dear friend of mine. Now, I shall take my leave, and let you return to your gardening."

At which point the two neighbors bade each other farewell and continued at their respective activities. Which in this case were walking towards ones own front door, and the digging up of a particularly truculent weed.


(I tried my best in this post to copy the dialogue of the incomparable Paarfi, under the pseudonym of Steven Brust. If you havn't read any Steven Brust then i suggest you do so immediately.)

[Sheap]

Summer, year 1. (Turn 4)

This month a great mystery arose in the God Mountain. Oginga, Voice of the Lord, ventured into the caves in search of ancient wisdom. I don't understand the mortal obsession with ancient wisdom. It's always ancient this, ancient that. The mortals believe there is an ancient god, buried in the mountain, who teaches dark arts to those he deems worthy. Oginga, inspired by his new holy power, wished to seek this ancient wisdom. He and a party of three retainers went into the mountain.

Apparently, I'm not ancient enough for him.

Anyway, it's not true. None of it is. It's a fifty thousand year old translation error. In the Old Machakan language - and that's the Old Machakan language from my time, not now - nowadays they call it 'Really Old Machakan' - the word for spider is "reluz", and the word for god is "relozu." Of course they have a common root, because the ancient Machakans worshipped spiders, before they were tamed. It's actually just Spider Mountain. No gods, just spiders, and some unusual spider-human crossbreeds.

I'm going to let them keep calling it God Mountain, though. I always liked that name. Sounds like some sort of theme park attraction. But a mortal's holy site basically IS a divine theme park attraction.

Oginga, of course, returned without ancient wisdom. But he did pick up one of those half-spider men, whose magical knowledge requires sacrifices, which are not to be found in the caves. Azaan, the Black Sorcerer, has come out to see if those who dwell upon the surface might have more compatible magical energies.

In the dark caves all of Oginga's retainers were slain by God only knows what. Actually... God doesn't know what. And I speak from experience here. But only one of them was devout enough for his spirit to return to the surface. I am curious why Oginga cannot find better followers, nor trust his own deity's wisdom. My new prophet has gotten off to a slow start. Perhaps he will make more of a name for himself in the future.

[Alneyan]

On another matter, both Sheap and Jarenko (Machaka and Atlantis) seem to have been AWOL for the past two weeks, and I did not hear anything about their absence on the forums. Should we wait for them or attempt to find a replacement, assuming there was a master password for this game?

I will be asking Zapmeister about the master password; since we are going PBEM, the players themselves can have this password, as you will only be able to access your own nation. If there is no master password, is there any way to access the password-protected nations? I guess it is not possible, but I hope I am wrong here.

[Karacan]

If you don't have a master password, and the nations are password protected, there is nothing you can do apart from terrorizing Sheap and Jarenko to show up and hand over the passwords, unless you manage a few lucky guesses.

I'm fine with either waiting, finding replacements or turning them to AI.

Which turn files are you currently missing?