Anyone want to start a new colab?

Blue Train · Post by **Blue Train** » Thu Nov 12, 2009 9:08 pm

I've had the idea in my head for awhile, and i mean AWHILE of trying to start a colab myself, since I think were all use to twinhamster doing it (he was the one that did it right?).

So yeah... ! we should have another colab! If anyone else is interested post here, we need at least 5 people I think and we could get off the ground and start something great. Some possable plotlines i was thinking of (if you have any basic ideas suggest them here too!)

1. an adventure revolving around the ohr users as heros, and their creations as "pokemon" like summons.

2. Last years idea, revisited, reformed, reincarnated into something awesome

3. Same thing we do every year. make it up as we go along and not tell people the plot until its finished.

4. have a group discussion about the plot of our parts, giving VETOABLE suggestions. No obligations to take someones suggestion.

If anyone is interested please post. We can make something great togeather

.

EDIT: I'm going to go on a first come first serve basis for chapter choosing.

people so far:
1. Blue train
2. Neospade
3. Momoka
4. Jack
5. Spoony

Twinconclusive · Post by **Twinconclusive** » Thu Nov 12, 2009 10:08 pm

For the second one (the failure), I devoted a big chunk of time to making people contribute to a massive .txt of story before telling them to work on their games.
I think this was actually a terrible idea, because the moment I asked people to start working on their game-chapters, they were dropping out

I'm now standing by the idea that people should be making these things in one burst, while they're fueled by drive and inspiration.

If this were to happen again in the traditional manner, I'd suggest this plan:

* Determine chapter orders.
* First-up makes the game.
* Makes a synopsis of the game as vague and unhelpful as possible for the development of the next chapter (basic appearances and Plot Progressions, pretty much).
* GAME FILES ARE ONLY SENT TO THE HOST.
* Next-up continues.
* Will send new synopsis with any previous chapters' synopsis.

I was also thinking of having each chapter assigned something from a random party-bag of surprises.

Some might be:
"BETRAYAL", "FIND LEGENDARY ITEM", "FALL IN LOVE", "A BIG BAD EVIL GUY APPEARS", "SOMEONE DIES".

(It'd be kind of funny if everybody picked randomly each time, so the hero might fall in love each chapter or meet five different legendary items/BBEG's)

The story would also have to have some sort of set progression.
(Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, Conclusion), and the like).

The main idea of the Roulette Collabs was to be flexible enough to let contributors do just about anything, but to have enough structure to prevent them from getting lost in their options.

However, if you had a solid idea for a storyline, a Collaboration of chapters could also be made around that.
It would be a lot more structured and limiting, but it could still work well.

But yeah, there's been a surge of new game designers which is great for this kind of thing, because the individual chapters were ideally made within a week.

Blue Train · Post by **Blue Train** » Thu Nov 12, 2009 10:44 pm

Thanks for that insight twin, I really like the idea of random party bag and ill probably use that given this thing takes off.

but one question remains - are you in?

Twinconclusive · Post by **Twinconclusive** » Thu Nov 12, 2009 10:50 pm

You've got my interest, but it really depends on when you're planning to do this.

Summer/Winter breaks are best, because everybody is usually available and flexible with their times.
...In between is going to be a bit tougher.

Blue Train · Post by **Blue Train** » Thu Nov 12, 2009 10:53 pm

I'm hoping to start it probably early december, just want to get a head count first to see who alls interested.

Shall I put you on the list ;D?

Momoka · Post by **Momoka** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 6:27 am

Hey, I'm in.

Jack · Post by **Jack** » Tue Nov 17, 2009 5:57 pm

if you run this over winter break, then i'm totally in.

Blue Train · Post by **Blue Train** » Tue Nov 17, 2009 8:58 pm

Exellent! We only need 1 more person to sign up, then I'd say we got a solid team and its a for sure thing! (not to say anyone else can't sign up after that 1 person, feel free to join at anytime before we begin if you wish to participate!)

Spoonweaver · Post by **Spoonweaver** » Wed Nov 18, 2009 4:19 am

I'll sign up. I promise not to let you down this time.

Momoka · Post by **Momoka** » Wed Nov 18, 2009 8:22 am

The "each person takes a chapter" method has some things I'd like to address.

1. Whoever goes first gets the lion's share of the work, because he has to create the whole framework for the game, whereas everyone else just adds.
2. One person getting creator's block hold up the whole project
3. For a colab...there's really no actual collaboration. We'd be making our own game segments more or less independently.
4. The game's difficulty curve would be Halo 3-level hilarious.

I think we should treat the colab more like an open-source project. Make a google doc or something with elements of the plot that we can discuss/debate over, and have a place to upload graphics, music, etc for people to use. Then each person can either work on sections as Twin said, now with input and aid, or even just have someone call "dibs" on the rpg file for a day, add some stuff, and free it up again for someone else to take and play around with. Make the game that way.

It does open the door to people getting "outvoted" on things, but I think we can minimize that by just being aware of it and trying to accommodate others ideas and be adults and stuff.

It allows people to fall in and out of the project, as busy people are wont to do, without the whole thing dying for a month because it's Neospade's turn to do a chapter and he has big exams to study for or somesuch.

I know we're all

right now, but I think my approach will create a stronger game, while allowing the project to survive even if people get burnt out for a bit or even flat-out quit.

camdog · Post by **camdog** » Wed Nov 18, 2009 3:06 pm

I would be way more inclined to participate if this were the case.

Twinconclusive · Post by **Twinconclusive** » Wed Nov 18, 2009 3:21 pm

1. Whoever goes first gets the lion's share of the work, because he has to create the whole framework for the game, whereas everyone else just adds.

The first chapter were done by the host (me) and then the random selection started.

2. One person getting creator's block hold up the whole project

For sure

3. For a colab...there's really no actual collaboration. We'd be making our own game segments more or less independently.

4. The game's difficulty curve would be Halo 3-level hilarious.

I believe the original was actually called a "Roulette Game" and designed to be make more of a random series than a solid game.
I just thought this plan was what BlueTrain was thinking about, because it's one of the few community projects in recent history.

My biggest priority in the predecessors was to ensure that everyone had time.
So I figured that short chapters should require the least commitment of time.

But the problem is, short chapters and ambiguous chapters synopsi don't really help much to inspire.

Blue Train · Post by **Blue Train** » Thu Nov 19, 2009 4:10 am

I really wanna keep ideas of how to run this open right now, considering we still have about a month before winter breaks start.

I really like momoka's idea, I thought similarly about the single rpg file too, and for each person to use their highpoints like coding, graphics, ect to help others with their chapters who might not be so good at something like that.

so my ideas right now about how it should be done, kinda mixing both twin's and momoka's ideas.

1. each person is in charge of the creative design of their chapter, (storyline, map making, ect)

2. each person may ask for help from anyone in the colab, NO ONE OUTSIDE! (maybe we can make a resources folder in the zip and fill it with graphics music and codes?)

3. one rpg file. this could cause havoc depending on how we do it. Still thinking about this.

theres probably more things to cover, but i really cant think of them now.

Momoka · Post by **Momoka** » Thu Nov 19, 2009 6:09 am

I'd make story and map design a collab, too, but give people veto power over their chapter. If you're in charge of Citiopolis, you get to unilaterally decide what goes there, but there can still be debate and suggestions.

If nothing else, if I want to start working on chapter 3, I want to at least be aware of how chapter 2 will end, without having to wait for someone to finish it. But giving veto power helps keeps things moving so we don't end up fighting a lot. There'd be an understanding that if no one else liked your idea, you could still put it in if you really wanted to.