Sleuth Home - Message Boards - Writer's Workshop


0 0
Questions As to Content, Format, etc

Eden Zweig
Eden Zweig
Nomad

Dec-4-2012 09:45

1. How political could a SM get? Does my content have to be historically true throughout, or can I use historical facts to create a fictive plot that my SM would be based on? Can a SM have a suspect that is kind of stereotypical in the sense that the extent to which it promotes the use of stereotypes which could potentially further enhance prevalent but objectively unethical social constructs, actually, depends on the subjective mind of the player and is very much open to interpretation?

2. Automatic Questions: Someone has already asked about this and said that SS wrote about it in some subthread already but I couldn't find it. Can you tell me where this thread about the automatic questions is? (I want to get rid of some, or, I will just have to reorganize the thing. I haven't advanced much but the structure will have to change dramatically and that will kind of change the plot. You can just as well say "change it" if you think I stated my problem clearly enough)

3. Is it me or is there actually no way to replay an unfinished mystery or invite someone to play it without sending it to the editors first? I mean being able to use the player screen(interface?), not the writer's SM creator/editor. (harder to follow chronology mistakes this way as you have to switch between lots of tabs, so if there is such an opportunity I wouldn't want to miss it.)

4. Can we submit more than one SM at a time?

Replies

Breitkat
Breitkat
Pinball Amateur

Dec-5-2012 17:44

I'm not sure I'm the best person to answer this, but until one of the Editors comes along, I'll try and give you some things to think about or go by. ;-)

1. How political (in general) can an SM get??
Basically, as political as you want to get, as long as you don't violate the Code of Conduct.

How historically true or accurate do you have to be?
Well, the more accurate, the better. But yes, you can take some facts from the time, and basically make up a storyline from there. Basically, creating an SM is very much like creating a storyline for role-playing or the Stage. You're just guiding the player where you want them to go and what you want them to do, versus letting others have a hand in things.

Can you use stereotypes? To a certain extent, yes. Try not to be blatant about it, but certain types of people have certain characteristics in common. Use that, but try to make each character you use have his/her own personality, not just a characture (sp?). Give them quirks, individual differences that people wouldn't expect (i.e.-the little old lady grandmother who knits one night, and goes out dancing at Big Lucy's the next, etc.)

Can characters have what we consider unethical social mores or ideals today? YES. (People in the Noir era were human. Some were sociopaths, some were communists, some were nazis. And yes, some actively killed people on zealots' (like Hitler)'s orders. And LIKED it. That's part of life back then. Describe it, but don't glorify it.)

Does all that make sense?? I hope so. ;-)

2. I'm afraid I don't know anything about this. Sorry. :-/

3. Yes, you can play through an unfinished mystery (and invite others to play through it too). How, I don't remember, but it's in the SM writing area somewhere. You might PM Ani or Squirrel about both this and #2. They should have a better answer for you. ;-)

4. You can submit as many SMs as you like. But the Editors will only tackle one of your projects at a time to go through.

Breitkat
Breitkat
Pinball Amateur

Dec-5-2012 17:46

So be prepared to wait a while on your later-submitted projects. It could take some time. :-/

I hope that all makes sense?? Good luck, and your writing sounds interesting!! Hope to see the finished project soon!! ;-D

Breit

Eden Zweig
Eden Zweig
Nomad

Dec-6-2012 04:39

Thanks a lot for the detailed reply, Breitkat. It really helped me grasp the gist of it :).

I don't think I'll be able to finish it soon. I also have no idea whether it will turn out interesting or boring. It totally depends on whether I can pull of planning a storyline that advances coherently in a good beat.

Breitkat
Breitkat
Pinball Amateur

Dec-6-2012 10:23

Glad I could help!! ;-D

B.


[ You must login to reply ]