Othaglot and Cane - Story Thread

[spacefan]

Its a neat idea posting the chapters on a website. I've always been interested in stories, and role playing games, but until the SE series I never found a futuristic one that seemed to work out well.

I'll probably think up a scenario to play out and start my own website for that. Space Empires is starting to rival my other roleplaying choice (DR:Platinum) in terms of time spent just because of how deep it can be, especially when trying to roleplay and not just go for power.

[dmm]

Enjoyable reading. Looking forward to more. What a shame you're not an Asimov -- then we wouldn't have to wait so long between chapters.

[geoschmo]

D, This detective story is very good writing. I particularly enjoy the depth you are going to describe the characters. This I believe is what is missing from the typical SEIV fan fiction, my own included. I am very eager to read more.

One technical nitpick though, there should be a link to chapter 2 from chapter 1. Instead of having to go back to the main page to get to it.

Geoschmo

[dogscoff]

Thanks for all the O&C feedback on this thread and others. It has all been noted and will be acted upon.

A few questions:

1- would you rather wait longer for new chapters if it meant not having to re-read earlier chapters as I reverse-engineer the plot?

2- Do I need to spend more time describing settings/ background?

3- I think I'm going to have to write a few chapters from Cane's Point of View, as we approach territory which is more familiar to Othaglot. Is this a bad idea?

I'm starting to form a more detailed plot, BTW. Some teasers for what's to come:

- Violence! How do you fight someone with 12 limbs and no skeleton?
- Cool gedgets! I'm sure I'll think of something.
- Gripping cliffhangers! The end of Chapter 2 was a bit boring, wasn't it?
- Intra-species sex: Tentacles and testacles! Othaglot is only "mostly male" after all. (I'm only kidding about this one. Probably.)
- Exotic locations! We'll be visiting the soggy Cue Cappa homeworld and Cane's bug-eating parents on Ceres IV.
- Inteplanetary conflicts and conspiracies! 'Nuff said. This is Space Empires after all.
- Much much more... it's so good even I don't know what it is yet!

(The above spoilers are subject to change without notice, as is what you've already read.)

[ June 04, 2002, 21:41: Message edited by: dogscoff ]

[capnq]

1- would you rather wait longer for new chapters if it meant not having to re-read earlier chapters as I reverse-engineer the plot?

I don't mind re-reading, as long as you tell us which chapters have changed. If a plot development in Chapter 8 depended on a change to Chapter 3 that I hadn't read, it would be very confusing.

2- Do I need to spend more time describing settings/ background?

IMO, no, you're doing fine.

3- I think I'm going to have to write a few chapters from Cane's Point of View, as we approach territory which is more familiar to Othaglot. Is this a bad idea?

Not at all, I can think of at least three professional authors I've read who do that.

[ June 05, 2002, 01:24: Message edited by: capnq ]

[geoschmo]

I concur. I don't mind you changing things as long as you let us know what changed. I rather enjoy observing the process you are going through to develop the story. Who knows, maybe it will even help some of us poor shlocks with our writing.

Geo

[Baron Munchausen]

1) I'll jump on the bandwagon that's already rolling. As long as you let us know of changes it's fine to post new chapters as you revise.

2) Good settings help a story immeasurably. It's just a question of what sort of story you want to write. Lot's of discursive description might bore people looking for an 'action/adventure' story. But this looks like a whodunnit, and we all know that whodunnit's hinge off details.

If some point of the setting/background is necessary to the story, you'd better describe it in detail. It's probably most effective to deal with the pertinent details from the point of view of whichever character is a stranger to them, so we have an excuse for a 'newbie' level explanation.

3) Excellent idea, for the reason cited above. You get to describe things from the point of view of someone unfamiliar with them and it gives a good excuse to fill the reader in. Also, switching points of view back and forth could let you pull some tricks, if you're clever. As already noted, 'whodunnit' mysteries hinge of small details. You might use the device of describing things from odd viewpoints to conceal major points in the story until the Last minute. It might take some time for those two 'aliens' to fully understand eacch other, and while they are not fully certain of each others meanings all sorts of things can pass through the net.

Don't over do the violence unless you're really aiming for an action/adventure story. I don't think the genre's mix very well.

And surely by now you realize that every single person in this forum LOVES to speculate on SciFi technology, gadgetry, and alien life. You've got a whole committe of anxious and eager collaborators waiting if you would like to toss some problems out for us. Then stand back!

[ June 05, 2002, 05:07: Message edited by: Baron Munchausen ]