Overall structure

[Blazemane]

EDIT by O.O.P.
(( Fixed it. ^^ ))

EDIT by Blazemane
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Hello everybody.

This has kinda' been asked already multiple times in scattered places/hinted at, etc. But I want to get a definitive thread devoted to, and set up a poll to more distinctly outline people's opinions on, the following question:

How precisely do we want the overall storyline of the Role play to play out?

Originally we said (back in December 2008) we wanted to re-write the Beast Wars. Some people wanted to use the script for a general basis while potentially throwing in major curve-balls and perhaps deviating from the plot in major ways. But even then, I'm sure some wanted a very close following of the script.

Either way, the idea eventually became sticking close to the script, for the benefits of a solid pre-written plot line that would allow us to use our imaginations while still being held to guaranteed quality by characters and events that established no-one was too powerful or too weak, and no event was un-conquerable. O.C.s, as well, add some originality, but the outcome of episodes are basically identical to the show.

Time, however, may be cause (it depends on your opinion) for concern. In the past year we have still not managed to finish the second Beast Wars episode, and at such a rate, it would take years to get through even to the second season. This would be a problem for characters who wish to be introduced at a time when they would become transmetallized, and taking years to do things can also be generally mundane. On the flip side, many may enjoy the chance to delve into great detail about character thoughts/motivations/actions since there is so much time with which to do it.

There may also be some who find the repetition of a pre-existing storyline on role play repetitive. Contrastingly, some may find the idea of explaining why what happened in the show happened intriguing, and there is potential for sticking close to the script while still adding variety.

So, there are a bunch of different ways this could all play out.

1.) Perhaps we are happy with going through nearly every episode (nearly because it has been discussed that some are simply unwanted. One in particular, "The Web", has already been pre-determined for skipping). Additionally, deviating from this could be problematic for people who intend for events in their O.C.'s story lines to revolve around pre-determined plot points (for example, characters who are intended by their players to switch sides during certain episodes or, even more specifically, because of established cannon character actions).

2.) Perhaps, for the sake of time, we may wish to go through the season, sticking close to the script, but only include episodes with characterization chances for nearly every character (episodes, like Beast Wars Part 1 and 2, which include whole team involvement). If we decided to do this, the episodes we want to role play would be discussed, but as a general idea, it'd be stuff like... "Fallen Comrades", "Victory", "Call of the Wild", etc.

3.) Perhaps, for the sake of originality and time, we may wish to go with what some were thinking last year- re-write the Beast Wars with basic plot point premises intact but have major deviations occur (maybe even having all episodes start out like they did in the show, but basically letting anything acceptable [by standards of limitations on character power and agreement on interactions] go freely from there.

4.) Or, maybe we wish to not even stick to the basic plot premises of the show, and let things happen from where they are now- again within acceptable role playing limits (Essentially, Beast Wars Parts 1 and 2 have already established characters, so now we just let things go).

I figure I'm forgetting other things that could happen, so "other" works too.

It's going to really help for you to explain your reasoning no matter what option you pick so we can actually discuss this and get ideas circulating.

Anyways, if this thread doesn't cause much feedback to occur, that will be generally fine, but it will mean that we continue on the course that we are on now (Option 1). Many people may wish for the role play to continue as it is, so that works too, but if you do wish for something different, go ahead and say so.

Since I'm writing the state of affairs as they are, I'm trying not to insert bias into its current description, so I don't want to say my own thoughts on this in the first post. My opinion is somewhat ambiguous anyways.

[starshadow]

I say we stick to teh script!!

[Blazemane]

Oh! You reminded me of a detail.

[Alak]

I say we stick to teh script!!

Agreed, which is why I voted for the second option. It already took quite some time to cover only 2 episodes so skipping some is necessary, but I really want to stick with Mainframe's storyline.

[starshadow]

Well, at least it makes the RPing easier for us

[Night-Hunter]

It already took quite some time to cover only 2 episodes so skipping some is necessary, but I really want to stick with Mainframe's storyline.

I also think we should stick with the story line with a few odd things happening every now and again.

[Taran Ulas]

I personally think that we should stick to the script in terms of overall story line.

Well, at least it makes the RPing easier for us

Agreed. For if we know that certain events (like The Agenda trilogy and Other Voices) are coming it would probably make RPing a heck of a easier in some ways. Other ways... could be a bit more difficult.

[Blazemane]

I see what you all mean.

Hmm...

4 people have voted so far for option 2, while 3 have voted for option 4, but I'm curious who those three people are and why they want to re-write the Beast wars freely, since none of them have explained why.

I'd be intrigued, especially since it is a 4 to 3 vote right now.

Hey, if anybody who voted for option 4 is reading this, can you give your reasoning?

[Wintersong]

I'm one of the three who voted for the 4th option. Argue wiht this if you want but it's my overall opinion on things. there isn't a problem in following the script nor having OCs have their light in certain epiodes but i think this kind of limits some creativity. The original characters all mature or change as the season progresses, a majority of us know what happens as well. Yet since we have many OCs looking to broaden how they grow,change,etc. it might be better to have a free plot play. Hence it taking years to complete up to the season season. If you think about it some of us by then may be too busy to really get on enough to actually answer or even continue an episode where as it could be stalled for many days at a time. But in such things as free plot plays you don't have to worry much to that happening, where also characters that are canon or OC can intereact more. There are some I'm sure have their OCs have a relationship of some sort, whether it be a love or sister/sister or brother/brother, or brother/sister sort of things go on it can give them more of a chance to build on that.

Also you wouldn't have to worry about trying to alter the episodes very much, such as Dinobot's death, no doubt many of us want Dinobot to live in this right? So again it brings me back to my point of a free plot play where you can have much more creativity instead of it being limited to a scrip play like sticking to the Beast Wars Episodes. If not then think about when we do finish the episodes but do not do the Beast Machines half.Then what? For option 4 it makes you really think since you could also make the Beast Wars as you see it or have it the way you want it.

[Optimal Optimus Primal]

I understand that, Wintersong. And I've often wondered about playing the game like that but I just don't know how we could end stories and begin new ones. Without a script to follow, it just seems like everything will run together and things will take even longer to get resolved than they do now because they'll be dragged out without anyone really knowing when it should be done. It's almost like we'd need our own scripts to follow so we have a guideline and keep things moving along. I'm not a writer so I couldn't do that, but what if someone or a couple people here who write fanfics could write up basic scripts or plots or something? I don't know. I honestly wouldn't mind playing our or own Beast Wars, but I'm not sure how organized it will be.

Now, if we actually ever started a Beast Machines RPG, then I would definitely LOVE to rewrite that in our own game.

[Wintersong]

As I said just my opinion and what I think about it.Hey, I'm up for the script since it would keep thigns going,the opinion is argumentive anyway.As for Beast Machines,if we ever get into it,most definitely need to rewrite it.IT was good but just not as you'd expect it to be.

[Alak]

I'm all for rewriting Beast Machines! Do you guys think we could create a BM thread to go along with the BW ones? Seeing how long it took for us to get to finish 2 episodes, I doubt most of us will see a BM RPG in our lifetime lol.

[Wintersong]

Creating one and rewirting it sounds like a great idea.^^

[Phoenix]

I voted for keeping the main storyline but do some major changes to it. That or the completely free storyline.

At its current setting of following the Beast Wars plot to the point, for one it's taking forever to complete even one episode. Secondly it's a little.. how to put this.. boring in the sense that we basically all know exactly what is going to happen. The only thing that changed is that some OCs were added, but none of them really have an impact on how the storyline plays out. Thus the OCs are just 'there', and it makes it less interesting to keep up with a very slowly progressing story that we already know how will turn out.

I for one prefer watching movies that surprise me.. throw little plot twists in there and just throws me off, and I tend to like the movie. Make it very predictable and I just fall asleep during it.

Yes, the beast wars has an awesome plot as is, but let's face it.. it's already been done.

Someone mentioned rewriting beast machines. That is something I'd be all for doing. It would allow people to maintain any form they'd like (plain, transmetal, TM2).. We could have the addition of other ships arriving as well as pods dropping, perhaps other bases being set up elsewhere on the planet and those beasties then find the regular beasties and team up.

Though I enjoy free form rpgs, someone needs to have some say in a storyline otherwise it would just be chaotic.

[Blazemane]

Hmmm...

Uh...

Ah.

My ambiguous opinion just became borderline non-existent.

Well, nobody wants to continue going through every episode (and I don't either). So at the very least we have a lot of episode cutting to do.

I do personally enjoy describing why things happened the way they did, or at least, don't mind doing it, so I'm content to just go with option 2. Furthermore, since sticking close to the script was the original plan, I am concerned for those characters, who, as I mentioned, are relying on pre-established occurrences.

However, saying what's already happened over again does indeed seem like a mere repetition, and describing inner thoughts can probably only be so entertaining for so long. And I have noticed, like Phoenix mentioned, that the potential given by O.C.'s is limited by the fact that they can't actually change the outcome of anything.

I do like the idea of letting things happen that didn't in the series. Maybe some characters are smart enough not to die. Maybe some which don't die are stupid enough to do so? But that's thinking really dramatically. Even little new plot points would be interesting.

I don't personally want to write the Beast Wars completely free of structure, because I do fear it will become unrecognizable.

So I'm caught between options 2 and 3.