style_and_tone
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| ====== Style and Tone ====== | ====== Style and Tone ====== | ||
| - | //Work In Progress// is a game about magic, hope and creativity. Players are [[Muses]]: narrative entities that exist in the mind of a struggling author, [[Jo]], seeking to rekindle their literary career and break through encroaching Writer's Block. Muses will trek out across the surreal Dreamscape in search of rich seams of ideas up in them thar hills, plan heists and interventions into existing literary works, and shape Jo's [[jo#their_magnum_opus|Magnum Opus]] according to their own designs. | + | //Work In Progress// is a game about magic, hope and creativity. Players are [[Muses]]: narrative entities that exist in the mind of a struggling author, [[Jo]], seeking to rekindle their literary career and break through encroaching Writer's Block. Muses will trek out across the surreal [[Dreamscape]] in the hope of [[dreamscape#trope_mining|"mining"]] ever sought-after [[Tropes]], plan heists and interventions into Jo's literary ideas, and shape Jo's [[jo#their_magnum_opus|Magnum Opus]] according to their own designs. |
| ===== Tone ===== | ===== Tone ===== | ||
| - | We aim to give //Work In Progress// a bright and optimistic tone. Even as the known world the players inhabit is beginning to close in and fall apart, they have the power to reshape it, break new ground and turn the tide. As such, while the backdrop is one of impending peril and threat, the potential for players to transform the world around them for the better - to be heroes, and to create stories as they see fit - will be in the foreground. | + | We aim to give //Work In Progress// a bright and optimistic tone. Even as the known world the players inhabit is beginning to close in and fall apart, they have the power to reshape it, break new ground and turn the tide. As such, while the backdrop is one of impending peril and threat, the potential for players to transform the world around them for the better - to be heroes, and to create stories as they see fit - will be in the foreground. |
| - | This tone of optimism, mystery and wonder will be tempered in places by questions of bittersweet victory, sacrifice and creative struggle. Aspiring writers are told, to create a masterpiece of fiction, that they must 'kill their darlings' - but what does that mean for the Muse who has to take up the knife to actually do the dirty deed? | + | This tone of optimism, mystery and wonder will be tempered in places by questions of bittersweet victory, sacrifice and creative struggle. Aspiring writers are told, to create a masterpiece of fiction, that they must 'kill their darlings' - but what does that mean for the Muse who has to take up the knife to actually do the dirty deed? |
| That said, we also expect this game to have a theme of humour and levity throughout. While not a comedy game, player characters wield hyper-stylised plot devices, symbolic archetypes, and cheesy clichés as their tools of their trade - it will, as such, hopefully feel //fun// to play a Muse. | That said, we also expect this game to have a theme of humour and levity throughout. While not a comedy game, player characters wield hyper-stylised plot devices, symbolic archetypes, and cheesy clichés as their tools of their trade - it will, as such, hopefully feel //fun// to play a Muse. | ||
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| ===== Aesthetics ===== | ===== Aesthetics ===== | ||
| - | The Muses and their world are formed from inspirations in Jo's life. Thus, [[Spindle]] looks very much like a sleepy motorway town, with small streets and run down, cramped shopfronts, though the insides of these buildings may be much more extravagant - it all depends on what they are used for. There will occasionally be landscapes and buildings that clash with this small town, as factions have built up their own identity in this world. Muses themselves are a colourful cast of characters that can be anything from an inspiration from a book to a parody of an experience, person or character in Jo's life growing up. Cowboys, detectives and superhero based Muses exist, as well as subtler re-imaginations of emotions like Jo's heartbreak in high school, or how they feel about cats. Despite these initial inspirations, Muses are shaped by their world and who they interact with, forming complex characters based off simple beginnings. | + | The Muses and their world are the creative force behind Jo's creativity, and is based on what they know: a relatively ordinary existence in a relatively ordinary place - a person in their 40s who is starting to lose their creative edge, though who once had a prolific output. |
| - | //Work In Progress// is meant to take a satirical and lovable tone to all stories and characters represented. Amidst the dense emotional moments, relationships and high concept intellectualism of the [[Dreamscape]], there lies a silliness in how these elements are interpreted and used. Curiosity is also a large part of the //Work In Progress// world, whether it be through exploration or wondering just how high you can get on the social ladder. Muses are beings attracted by the "What if?", however players choose to interpret that. | + | Thus, [[Spindle]] looks very much like a sleepy motorway town, with small streets and run down, cramped shopfronts, though the insides of these buildings may be much more extravagant - it all depends on what they are used for. There will occasionally be landscapes and buildings that clash with this small town, as [[Factions]] have built up their own identity in this world. Muses themselves are a colourful cast of characters that embody one of seven [[Ideals]], though we have intentionally allowed these to be interpreted widely, and may range from subtle reimaginings of emotion to stark expressions of niche interests - and everything in between. Despite these initial inspirations, Muses are shaped by their world and who they interact with, forming complex characters based off simple beginnings. However, a slight tinge of sadness pervades with the impending [[Great Fade]]. |
| + | |||
| + | //Work In Progress// is meant to take a satirical and lovable tone to all of its stories and characters. Amidst the dense emotional moments, relationships and high concept intellectualism of the Dreamscape, there lies a silliness in how these elements are interpreted and used, and an underlying sense of the necessity of cooperation. Curiosity is also a large part of the //Work In Progress// world, whether it be through exploration or wondering just how high you can get on the social ladder. Muses are beings attracted by the "What if?", however players choose to interpret that. | ||
| ===== Naming Conventions ===== | ===== Naming Conventions ===== | ||
| - | While there are no concrete naming conventions within Dream, Muses tend to give themselves a name that embodies their [[ideals|Ideal]] and personality. Names can be in any structure, but tend to sound dramatic, thought-provoking or catchy: something that invokes a sense of the character's branding and something an announcer may introduce before one steps out onto a red carpet. | + | Names of Muses in Jo's Dream are extremely varied. Some choose to go by human names (usually unique, pretentious, or with a literary or artistic connection); others choose names related to what they do in Dream, while others still choose things even more abstract, such as something relating to their Ideal, terms relating to an artistic movement or a few poignant words from a poem. Above all, wordplay abounds. Some groups within Dream have their own naming trends or conventions - not every Muse will follow them, but many do. Some examples (taken from NPC Faction members) are as follows: |
| + | |||
| + | * **Morta Lipwig**: Conductor of the Ticket Office at the [[Academy of Thought]]. | ||
| + | * **Reminiscer**: Founder and owner of the [[Food for Thought]] café. | ||
| + | * **Radio Dream**: Operator of the [[free_idea_forum|Free Idea Forum's]] radio station. | ||
| + | * **Brother JoSeph**: A dedicated member of [[Jommunity]]. | ||
| + | * **Pando Rasbox**: A [[NFWS]] senior manager. | ||
| + | * **Avant Garde**: A struggling member of [[Pure Inspiration]]. | ||
| + | * **Ursus**: Head of security at the [[syndicate|Sell-Out Syndicate's]] Trope Exchange. | ||
| ===== Playstyles ===== | ===== Playstyles ===== | ||
| - | We have written //Work In Progress// to cater to a wide range of playstyles and approaches, all of which will be equally valid, rewarding, and full of peril and opportunity. Exploration, investigation and unravelling mysteries will represent a large part of the game, but Dream is also a place of larger-than-life characters, politicking and social intrigue, where emotions and stories are literally what make the world go round. | + | We have written //Work In Progress// to cater to a wide range of playstyles and approaches, all of which will be equally valid, rewarding and full of peril and opportunity. Exploration, investigation and unravelling mysteries will represent a large part of the game, but Dream is also a place of larger-than-life characters, politicking and social intrigue, where emotions and stories are literally what make the world go round. |
| In order to direct you towards the kind of game you are interested, check out the Faction pages, each of which has a section indicating some of the playstyle elements that might interest you, whether that’s exploration of the world, intrigue and social maneuvering, or ill-advised experimentation with the metaphysical underpinnings of the setting. We don’t want you to feel restricted by this, and, naturally, there’s always more than meets the eye, but if something is particularly interesting to you this should point you in the right direction. | In order to direct you towards the kind of game you are interested, check out the Faction pages, each of which has a section indicating some of the playstyle elements that might interest you, whether that’s exploration of the world, intrigue and social maneuvering, or ill-advised experimentation with the metaphysical underpinnings of the setting. We don’t want you to feel restricted by this, and, naturally, there’s always more than meets the eye, but if something is particularly interesting to you this should point you in the right direction. | ||
| - | We aim for there to be a mix of Player versus Environment and Player versus Player content, with more PvE material at first. When characters clash, their disagreements will largely be over competing visions of the world and the stories produced by Jo rather than attempts to murder each other, meaning that character death - while possible - is less common. We intend to ensure that losing in these conflicts is just as interesting as winning, and is never a 'dead end'. If your character does end up dying or becoming unplayable, we'll let you know in good time so that you have plenty of time to create a new character. We'll ensure that you aren't at a disadvantage for entering the game late! | + | We aim for there to be a mix of [[pve and pvp|Player versus Environment and Player versus Player]] content, with more PvE material at first. When characters clash, their disagreements will largely be over competing visions of the world and the stories produced by Jo rather than attempts to murder each other, meaning that character death - while possible - is less common. We intend to ensure that losing in these conflicts is just as interesting as winning, and is never a 'dead end'. If your character does end up dying or becoming unplayable, we'll let you know in good time so that you have plenty of time to create a new character. We'll ensure that you aren't at a disadvantage for entering the game late! |
| ===== Influences ===== | ===== Influences ===== | ||
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| * //Deadwood// (TV series) | * //Deadwood// (TV series) | ||
| * //Sunless Skies// (video game) | * //Sunless Skies// (video game) | ||
| - | * Previous Society Games, including //[[http://umba.chaosdeathfish.com|Ultimate Monster Battle Arena]]//, //[[http://maleficarum.chaosdeathfish.com|Maleficarum]]// and //[[http://tempest.chaosdeathfish.com|Tempest]]// | + | * Previous Society Games, including //[[http://umba.chaosdeathfish.com|Ultimate Monster Battle Arena]]//, //[[http://maleficarum.chaosdeathfish.com|Maleficarum]]//, //[[http://tempest.chaosdeathfish.com|Tempest]]// and //[[http://corporation.chaosdeathfish.com|Corporation]]// |
| * //Welcome to Night Vale// (podcast) | * //Welcome to Night Vale// (podcast) | ||
| * //The Maltese Falcon// (book) | * //The Maltese Falcon// (book) | ||
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| * //Inkheart// (film) | * //Inkheart// (film) | ||
| * //Monsters, Inc.// (film) | * //Monsters, Inc.// (film) | ||
| + | * //r/MemeEconomy// (subreddit) | ||
| - | ==== A Note about Real-World Stories ==== | + | ===== A Note about Real-World Stories ===== |
| - | + | ||
| - | //Work In Progress// takes place in a world of stories, including some gathered from popular and historical literature. As described above, we envisage that interacting with characters from literature - scheming to save King Duncan from the assassination plots of Macbeth and his wife, or running a heist to retrieve the One Ring or other macguffins from //The Lord of the Rings//. While this will only form part of the game as a whole, it does raise a few questions. | + | |
| - | + | ||
| - | * **Do you have to know all this fiction? What happens if I //don’t// know all about the Collected Works of Shakespeare?** | + | |
| - | + | ||
| - | In short, no, you absolutely don't need to know all this at all. Players might interact with characters from various real life works of fiction, or visit their stories, but we’re focusing on player agency and protagonism, not running a mini English Literature exam! We are aiming to make something that is fun for people who are familiar with some of the source material touched on, but without giving them an unfair advantage, and that is interesting and rewarding to play regardless of your knowledge of any work that people encounter. | + | |
| - | + | ||
| - | * **What about problematic or upsetting issues in fiction?** | + | |
| - | Much of literature contains themes that are difficult, upsetting or rooted in prejudice, in ways that go against the [[conduct_and_themes|Conduct and Themes Policy]] that //Work In Progress// runs under. Portrayals of mental health issues in //Macbeth// or antisemitism in //The Merchant of Venice// are not acceptable, for example. Rather than ignore all the works that include this content in their entirety - almost all real-world literature, written in a prejudice-filled society, would deal with these themes - we will carefully ensure that these issues do not occur in play (either during sessions or turnsheets). While this does mean downplaying these elements, we feel that this is the best way of running a game that is safe and welcoming to anyone. If you feel concerned about aspects of this, please feel free to [[gm@wip.chaosdeathfish.com|email us]]. | + | Though the [[Vignettes]] in //Work In Progress// will contain a large variety of stories, from a number of different genres, we will not be using real-world fiction. Instead, we will be creating our own 'fictional fiction' that represents the media, literature and other creative projects that Jo has engaged in over their lifetime. |
| - | * **What scope of stories are you looking to include? What about <nowiki>_____</nowiki>?** | + | Some of this fiction will be intentionally derivative, playing off well-known archetypes and tropes within a particular genre in order to create a space in which the players can shape the narrative, while some may be set in historical settings with well-known historical figures, though they will always be fictionalised versions. However, we will not be introducing direct parallels to existing real-world fiction, and nor will we be attempting to accurately recreate history. |
| - | We’re keen to include a wide range of stories and works of literature in //Work In Progress//, but are limited by our own reading habits and backgrounds. If you're particularly keen for us to include something then we're happy to listen to suggestions, but we can't guarantee that we'll include it. | + | Alongside this, we won't be accepting characters that are lifted directly from existing media or are obvious parallels of real-world characters from stories. Muses are more like actors and artists who may take many different roles and (while outside of a Vignette) do not embody any specific character other than themselves. They may copy some mannerisms from their favourite archetypes, but they are their own selves - with all the unique characteristics and experiences that go with that. |
style_and_tone.1569349030.txt.gz · Last modified: 2019/09/24 18:17 by gm_jaycee
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