Collaborative Story?

[Velliscig]

Wouldn't it be awesome if everyone on CC could get together and build an entire kingdom, continent, or even medieval world ourselves? We could all build our own fiefdoms and make a huge display, or do BrickWars or something of the sort. Those faires aren't quite the same; we could make our stories work together and create an epic storyline!

Ideas, ideas... Perhaps only dreams I guess.

[Forestboy]

A while back, there was a large RPG that went on, although I believe that migrated to a separate site, and it died off. Or one of the two. I think you'd have to do a lot of prep for a convention, like Brickworld, Brickfair, or Brickcon that nothing is based off of yet. I just think we'd have to actually create the story or kingdom first, before actual building plans for anything would be made. I'm pretty sure the map for that RPG is still around here somewhere though. If you start up something, I might be game.

~FB~

[Tower of Iron Will]

This has been tried years ago before this site came into being. The people that made the attempt made a great start but then let the idea stagnate and die. There was an "archive" of sorts but last I checked for the site I couldn't find it.

The coordination, logistics, and planning would be no small feat. I'm thinking it can be done, but just hasn't. I'm guessing that it's hard to devote so much extra time for a project especially when people have either school, full-time jobs, kids, family, and so on.
-Tower

[Bluesecrets]

Its been done. It will be done again. Thing is...unless you really like the idea for writing in that collaborative story, and you feel like what you wrote is welcomed, then go for it. But be patient when others change the direction. Do not plan ahead, for someone will twist it the opposite way. And I think the most important thing is...people have to want to do it. You have to have excitement for it. I have been part of several progressive stories, started all of them. People write. Then the story just...fades.

I guess if you really want to do this...start it...make it interesting..and easy for others to join in..and invite others to it. Say "hey..this is the start...I could use some help making it more..feel free to join in." But remember..you can not control a progressive story..for that sucks not only the fun out of it but the life.

[RichardAM]

Throwing this out there, lots of unprocessed thought-

What about having a sort of 'RPG-like' system? Everyone gets their own character who can be created however they want, and everyone one in the story thread has only that one character each. The thread could act as a kind of inn or guild -which would be detailed within the first post- where the characters could go on quests or adventures as dictated by the thread started or 'guildmaster'. These could be simple one-line things like 'a princess is requesting assistance in finding a long-lost family heirloom' or 'a mage is looking for a number of ingredients from White Cave' etc. These random quests and adventures are given to us by the poster, and then we (ourselves and our character) can go out and carry the quest as necessary, writing about what happened along the way, if we managed it, who we met, everything.

This way there's still a collaborative and community story, but at the sametime, everyone's character is free to 'progress' and develop only as much as their creator decides.

[Sir Zeppelin]

Like Bluesecrets, I've been part of several "callaborative" or "group" stories, as I call them. In my expereince, the project usually starts of strong, and then either never finishes or takes a long time to complete.

However, there are exceptions. The Classic Castle Roleplay had several stories, and if you look at the original threads, there were often seven to ten per day .

If you try to start a project like this, I will certainly praticipate. If you need help, you have my offer. I can help build a map if you'd like, as I have a fantasy map-making program uploaded on my computer at home (here's a link to my photostream, if you'd like to see an example of the kind of maps I can make: http://www.flickr.com/photos/58150925@N08/).

Personally, I have never been part of an RPG. Those are usually more structured and have more rules concerning who "owns a character and "autoing" other peoples' characters. I've always done "group" or "progressive" stories, where everyone just keeps adding on to the story, and nobody really "owns" a character. These require less planning than an RPG, and there's probably less of a chance that disputes will happen between contributors.

No matter what direction the project takes, I am glad to see people seriously considering a project such as this. When ran correctly they can be a lot of fun.

[Velliscig]

I'm surprised so many people are willing to attempt something of the sort. I wasn't necessarily planning on beginning such a story, merely suggesting it, but if no one else wants to start it than I can do that.

If you try to start a project like this, I will certainly praticipate. If you need help, you have my offer. I can help build a map if you'd like, as I have a fantasy map-making program uploaded on my computer at home (here's a link to my photostream, if you'd like to see an example of the kind of maps I can make: http://www.flickr.com/photos/58150925@N08/).

I love the maps! What program do you have? That is something close to what I've been trying to make for my kingdoms' map. I was thinking we could create our own factions and work them into a map (like an RTS), but a RPG would provide less work and more progressive creativity, so I'm game for anything, really. Ideally, if we could get everyone to contribute to design a world map, create stories, and then of course MOCs to further the stories, it would be grand. Our castles and other land marks could be named and marked on the map, etc.

[theboywarrior]

I would be glad to participate if this ever gets off the ground.

[wobnam]

I've been working on something like this now and then for a few years. Check out this thread, and PM me if it looks interesting.

[lhale]

I am actually looking at interactive story telling that functions as games on the side. And it is quite intriguing how the study has stretched to some years already. They are now on a level that allows the player to co author the game which kinds of defeats the purpose of having a game maker in the first place.

RPGs are a bit hard to start in this case as it needs a set up rules laid down before playing.