Watch the Footage

Wait I feel left out...I have an account on there...I even have the same profile image

Guyshane wrote:Wait I feel left out...I have an account on there...I even have the same profile image

You have been added

Excellent! now I just need an idea for a novel so I can write something...

Guyshane wrote:Excellent! now I just need an idea for a novel so I can write something...

OR you could just go with the old nanowrimo format - when in doubt, throw ninjas at it.

Scarab wrote:

Guyshane wrote:Excellent! now I just need an idea for a novel so I can write something...

OR you could just go with the old nanowrimo format - when in doubt, throw ninjas at it.

I love this forum...wait a minute don't we have a trope for randomly adding ninjas to stuff?

Guyshane wrote: I love this forum...wait a minute don't we have a trope for randomly adding ninjas to stuff?

I would be VERY surprised if we didn't...

Scarab wrote:

Guyshane wrote:Excellent! now I just need an idea for a novel so I can write something...

OR you could just go with the old nanowrimo format - when in doubt, throw ninjas at it.

Seriously? That's what nanowrimo suggests? Ninjas?

agoraoptera wrote:

Scarab wrote:

Guyshane wrote:Excellent! now I just need an idea for a novel so I can write something...

OR you could just go with the old nanowrimo format - when in doubt, throw ninjas at it.

Seriously? That's what nanowrimo suggests? Ninjas?

Yes, in the past they have actually LITERALLY suggested that, wor dof word. If you're stuck: throw Ninjas at it and see if that helps.

I think Ninjas may also be a metaphor I mean if your story doesn't work with Ninjas (although deep in my heart I believe EVERY story does) you can always throw something else at it... actually throwing random stuff at my characters when I don't know what else to do with them seems to be a primary method of mine. I'm not sure ifthat's lazy... but at NANO it's more than acceptable, you've got thirty days, man, ain't no time for logical conjecture!

I've never actually written anything involving ninjas.. Huh. I have deep-seated compulsions NOT to throw random stuff at my characters. Early on when I started writing (and when I was downright horrible, at least now I'm passable, I hope), I just kept adding more and more stuff. It became more like some manga, episode after episode, no real plot behind it and after a while, I realised it was bad. When I stopped, I had over 80 characters and it was terrible. That's how that compulsion began.
Damn, now I sound like I've got OCD..

Okay, I decided to screw this and I made an account on NaNoWriMo. What do I do now? (same name and username)

Victin wrote:Okay, I decided to screw this and I made an account on NaNoWriMo. What do I do now? (same name and username)

Now you prepare a plot or story idea to be written as soon as November starts (if you want to play by the rules).
As much as I would love to say that I've added you, for some obscure reason the search button isn't showing you. Or even eli, for that matter. So I'll wait for someone to add you, then find you from there.

agoraoptera wrote:

Victin wrote:Okay, I decided to screw this and I made an account on NaNoWriMo. What do I do now? (same name and username)

Now you prepare a plot or story idea to be written as soon as November starts (if you want to play by the rules).
As much as I would love to say that I've added you, for some obscure reason the search button isn't showing you. Or even eli, for that matter. So I'll wait for someone to add you, then find you from there.

Well, I added Pixel and Shane. And I have a plot in minde, but it's mostly based on Homestuck (read: the same plot I'm going to use in the Choose your adventure thread, or better, I'm planning to use)

Yay okay, added you. I.. don't actually know what Homestuck is. Time to Google, I guess.

agoraoptera wrote:Yay okay, added you. I.. don't actually know what Homestuck is. Time to Google, I guess.

NO DON'T!!!

It won't let you come back here!!! Stop!!!

Fine, fine. When I get back from work five hours from now I'll go make an account too...

agoraoptera wrote:

eli_gone_crazy wrote:Can I just say that you lot are ALL amazing writers?

Thanks! ... though you haven't actually seen any of our writings yet, but I'll accept your kind compliment
Also, added you. Strange that I couldn't find you through the search button but I had to go by Pixel's profile.

It's because I was exhausted and didn't do much more than add myself to the running. I'll make a profile later.

Pixelmage wrote:

agoraoptera wrote:Yay okay, added you. I.. don't actually know what Homestuck is. Time to Google, I guess.

NO DON'T!!!

It won't let you come back here!!! Stop!!!

I read a synopsis and I am... confused to say the least.

agoraoptera wrote:

Pixelmage wrote:

agoraoptera wrote:Yay okay, added you. I.. don't actually know what Homestuck is. Time to Google, I guess.

NO DON'T!!!

It won't let you come back here!!! Stop!!!

I read a synopsis and I am... confused to say the least.

Well you see...

Okay, let me tell you about Homestuck. It's one of those webcomics that sort of starts out by screwing with you, which means it starts out confusing you, and you aren't entirely sure just what it's getting at. This often turns people away. But for those who continue to read, and keep reading, you eventually hit... I'd say ACT 3. which is where it gets really stuck in your head. And then next thing you know you're gushing on tumblr and donating to really awesome videogames.

Sicon112 wrote:Fine, fine. When I get back from work five hours from now I'll go make an account too...

Yay!
Peer pressure is so much fun!

Qara-Xuan Zenith wrote:

Sicon112 wrote:Fine, fine. When I get back from work five hours from now I'll go make an account too...

Yay!
Peer pressure is so much fun!

No promises that I will write anything this time, but I'm always available for editing and advice, if you think it's worth it to ask.

Speaking of which I have some more suggestions regarding battle writing. I noticed Scarab said that she was having trouble making creative use of her powers, so I thought I would share a little trick I use. I call it Power Factoring.

Basically, every power or ability has some different parts that make it up. Many of these fall under the Required Secondary Powers trope. The goal of this method is to split or "factor" the powers down into these base abilities. Let me give you an example.

Take Guyshane's character in the RPG, Red the Mage. He has three listed powers: Fireball, Haste, and Summon Cow.

First, look at fireball. To cast a fireball spell you must do these things:

1: Summon the fire with magic.
2: Form in into the shape of a ball.
3: Launch it at your enemy.
4: PROFIT... erm Detonate it on contact.

Now, looking at these abilities, it basically amounts to a fire summoning and minor pyrokinesis build. This means that if his character is good at modifying spells, he could create a "Fire Scattershot" or a "Fire Land Mine" or perhaps imbue his weapons and fists wit fireballs, making his attacks explode on contact.

Next, Haste. Which is essentially a temporary speed boost. This means that you need to be able to reinforce your muscles so that they can handle the right speeds, you need some kind of magic field that protects you from being murdered by inertia, and you need to be able to react fast enough to move at that speed, or at least increase your reactions to that level.

So, a basic use of speed is to get from point A to B. But it can also be used as a last second dodge/parry and it can be triggered int he middle of a melee attack, creating a REALLY hard attack to block. But what if you only sped up your bodily functions in order to speed up your brain? While you would be constrained by normal human speed, but you would have FAR more reaction time, and since Haste would be affecting less, it could last far longer.

Finally, Summon Cow. You can't really split it up. It's pretty basic. Summon Cow, launch cow. Boom, done. However, a creative use of it would be, assuming Shane can summon the same cow from before, to summon it in front of him as a shield. Because of Vic's GM post saying it's luck stat was insane, some kind of contrived coincidence would occur and the attack would be blocked. Oh and everyone would laugh their asses off... XD

(Shane, feel free to do any of this. Especially the cow thing. ^_^)

Sicon112 wrote:

Qara-Xuan Zenith wrote:

Sicon112 wrote:Fine, fine. When I get back from work five hours from now I'll go make an account too...

Yay!
Peer pressure is so much fun!

No promises that I will write anything this time, but I'm always available for editing and advice, if you think it's worth it to ask.

Speaking of which I have some more suggestions regarding battle writing. I noticed Scarab said that she was having trouble making creative use of her powers, so I thought I would share a little trick I use. I call it Power Factoring.

Basically, every power or ability has some different parts that make it up. Many of these fall under the Required Secondary Powers trope. The goal of this method is to split or "factor" the powers down into these base abilities. Let me give you an example.

Take Guyshane's character in the RPG, Red the Mage. He has three listed powers: Fireball, Haste, and Summon Cow.

First, look at fireball. To cast a fireball spell you must do these things:

1: Summon the fire with magic.
2: Form in into the shape of a ball.
3: Launch it at your enemy.
4: PROFIT... erm Detonate it on contact.

Now, looking at these abilities, it basically amounts to a fire summoning and minor pyrokinesis build. This means that if his character is good at modifying spells, he could create a "Fire Scattershot" or a "Fire Land Mine" or perhaps imbue his weapons and fists wit fireballs, making his attacks explode on contact.

Next, Haste. Which is essentially a temporary speed boost. This means that you need to be able to reinforce your muscles so that they can handle the right speeds, you need some kind of magic field that protects you from being murdered by inertia, and you need to be able to react fast enough to move at that speed, or at least increase your reactions to that level.

So, a basic use of speed is to get from point A to B. But it can also be used as a last second dodge/parry and it can be triggered int he middle of a melee attack, creating a REALLY hard attack to block. But what if you only sped up your bodily functions in order to speed up your brain? While you would be constrained by normal human speed, but you would have FAR more reaction time, and since Haste would be affecting less, it could last far longer.

Finally, Summon Cow. You can't really split it up. It's pretty basic. Summon Cow, launch cow. Boom, done. However, a creative use of it would be, assuming Shane can summon the same cow from before, to summon it in front of him as a shield. Because of Vic's GM post saying it's luck stat was insane, some kind of contrived coincidence would occur and the attack would be blocked. Oh and everyone would laugh their asses off... XD

(Shane, feel free to do any of this. Especially the cow thing. ^_^)

Well I was planning on something a bit...larger in scope for the fireball spell. as for the cow thing, I was already going to do that for the boss fight. There goes my surprise

Guyshane wrote:Well I was planning on something a bit...larger in scope for the fireball spell. as for the cow thing, I was already going to do that for the boss fight. There goes my surprise

Well, the fireball thing was just an example. I could make it do all SORTS of things, but I was just trying to make a point. As for the cow... oops. Sorry about that... It just sorta seemed like the best thing to do with the spell.

Also, I now exist on the nanowrimo website as, surprise surprise, Sicon112. I've hunted down most of you already and added you, so you just need to find me. I have also deduced that Scarab=SmallBug. I forget if she said anything in this thread about it, but the tone matches, the age matches my analysis, and her interests are a dead giveaway after some of those killer questions in the pub game.

Anyhow, I'll post it as my description over there as well, but unless I get hit with inspiration, I won't be participating this year. I just don't really have the time. However, I am totally willing to edit/proofread anything you send to me and give advice as best I can, assuming you want to hear it.

Added you.

So can someone confirm Scarab is SmallBug over there? I'm pretty damn sure it's her, but I don't want to just add someone on the off chance I'm wrong.

It's her. ^^