ZGG's 2006 Call for Blackmoor Writers

[Havard]

Summarizing a few things:

1. How should this be organized (ie who should do what)
There are many ways to organize projects like this. At the moment the project is still very early stage. The main concern at the moment is to see how many are interested in participating and what each person can bring to the table.

Personally I would argue against a project that involves many people working too closely together on a single project. I am more comfortable with the kind of model where one author writes his own module, completes it more or less by himself. If someone else offers to look over it and/or playtest, that is awesome. Something beyond that just sounds too ambitious to me.

But if the rest of you want to do something more involving then by all means go for it!

2. The Labels
The labels are invitations. Yaz suggested that we have quite specific requirements for the modules written. I thought that was a good idea, but I also suspected that many creative Blackmoor fans would feel too limited by them. The two labels are a response to both of those concerns. The point is to encourage all Blackmoor fans to be creative and join in creating material for the community. Again, not just Rafe, Rob, Yaz, Aldarron and myself but everyone.

3. What is in it for me?
If it feels like work, then perhaps this is not a project for you. I assume that people will be interested in this because they think it could be fun.


4. A series of modules or a netbook?
Both are great ideas. We do not necessarily have to choose one or the other. My thinking was that smaller adventure modules would have a lower threshold for people to write and much easier to manage by single individuals or small groups. For netbooks we would need an editor and so far I have not seen anyone willing to take on a responsibility like that.

A third option could be to write and release single modules first and then collect them into a larger compilation later on.


5. What have we found out so far?
Rob might be interested in writing modules or even a netbook
Yaz is willing to offer feedback and/or playtest adventures
Rafe is willing to contribute fiction
Aldarron is willing to write material for his MageWars Setting.
Havard might be willing to write an adventure or two




-Havard

[Rafael]

I am a bit sceptic whether the summary you made is all too legit :wink: , but I am happy if we're getting somewhere.

I think the big thing you guys should think about is the procedurals; which means, would other people accept to have their content edited, or minor and major ideas rejected? - I for my part can firmly say, 'no'.

That's why I suggested a fiction anthology first; that way, we don't need to care if we have all too much common ground. An adventure colelction would be nice, too, but would the readers not get confused between our several takes on the setting?

[Havard]

I am a bit sceptic whether the summary you made is all too legit :wink: , but I am happy if we're getting somewhere.

????

I think the big thing you guys should think about is the procedurals;

"You guys"? I thought this was a project for all of us. There is no you and us here.

which means, would other people accept to have their content edited, or minor and major ideas rejected? - I for my part can firmly say, 'no'.

Author has final say over his/her own material. (Editors can suggest changes, but they need not be implemented).
I can decide not to host material on the Archives, but I will not do so based on whether it confirms to a certain set of canonical standards. Expect material to be rejected only if there are legal problems or ethical reasons not to host it. With the active posters in this forum, I seriously doubt I would have any reason to even consider not hosting it.

Ultimately though, the Archives is my website and I have the final say.

That's why I suggested a fiction anthology first; that way, we don't need to care if we have all too much common ground.

If you write fiction I will host it. Perhaps others will also be interested in contributing to that. Maybe you could start a separate thread about it?

An adventure collection would be nice, too, but would the readers not get confused between our several takes on the setting?

I assume you are talking about the Crossroads concept then since Journey really avoids this problem. For Crossroads, I like RobJN's concept of separate continuities. But to be honest, perhaps a paragraph at the beginning of a collection about how each author may or may not have his own take on the setting should be sufficient IMO. Although if each continuity had its own logo, like Thorn's Blackmoor that would be kinda neat.


-Havard

[Rafael]

????

I was teasing you because you streamlined a few statements. No biggie, just me being me. :twisted: :wink:

"You guys"? I thought this was a project for all of us. There is no you and us here.

No worries, I am with you. So far, I am looking at this from the fence, though, because I am already weary of my schedule for 2015. Whatever role I play in this one, it will be a small one only.

Author has final say over his/her own material. (Editors can suggest changes, but they need not be implemented).

This is exactly what I was talking about. This would need to be clear from the beginning.

If you write fiction I will host it. Perhaps others will also be interested in contributing to that. Maybe you could start a separate thread about it?

I am preparing a small piece for the LFC anniversary, and I have this story for the Vales campaign. But that's not really stuff that would warrant an anthology.

And, yeah, sure, once I have my stuff ready, I'll be happy to push forward in that direction.

I assume you are talking about the Crossroads concept then since Journey really avoids this problem. For Crossroads, I like RobJN's concept of separate continuities. But to be honest, perhaps a paragraph at the beginning of a collection about how each author may or may not have his own take on the setting should be sufficient IMO. Although if each continuity had its own logo, like Thorn's Blackmoor that would be kinda neat.

Hehehe, wait until you see the finished booklets for the LFC.


Overall, my recommendation would quite simply be, this is a project that needs a very clear roadmap. If you go ahead with it, make sure everybody knows exactly what to do. As in, Perhaps think of an elaborated outline to which everybody can contribute. Elaborated, meaning, five to ten pages. (*Points to Google Docs.*)

But then, let's first see what we have, content-wise.

[Havard]

I was teasing you because you streamlined a few statements. No biggie, just me being me. :twisted: :wink:

I am sorry, but I don't get your jokes.

This is exactly what I was talking about. This would need to be clear from the beginning

I am surprised that this would even have to be discussed. Given the small group of people likely to be involved. But I am glad you are ok with the terms.

Hehehe, wait until you see the finished booklets for the LFC.

Looking forward to it.

Overall, my recommendation would quite simply be, this is a project that needs a very clear roadmap. If you go ahead with it, make sure everybody knows exactly what to do. As in, Perhaps think of an elaborated outline to which everybody can contribute. Elaborated, meaning, five to ten pages. (*Points to Google Docs.*)

But then, let's first see what we have, content-wise.

That is one way of doing it.

Another is: People write stuff. Email it to me. I put it on the website. Keep it simple.

I agree that Google docs can be a useful tool though.

-Havard

[Yaztromo]

As mentioned, I have some experience with similar projects (that are progessing with good success, IMHO).
My "working suggestion" is this: if you are an author (that can't or doesn't want to do everything from A to Z), you open a "making of" thread, saying (roughly) what you are doing and what you need (maybe proofreading, editing, layout, images, mapmaking etc.) of course nobody forces you to ask for help and you can do it all by yourself, but the good point of being a community is that you can support each other).
With your "making of" thread you will kind of "book" your numbrt (BMX1, BMX2, etc.).
In that thread you can give the community updates on how the work proceeds from time to time, or the other people may want to ask how you're going on.

Once everything is ready, you email the finished job to Havard and he gives the final reading and thums up before hosting on the site. He may decide that the adventure that you proposed for Journeys is actually more appropriate for Crossroads or that the content isn't suitable at all because it conflicts with the rules of the site.

That's it.

Said that, I strongly suggest that we (cough... Havard... cough...) develop an adventure template that can be a basic layout support and a kind of "signature" for the site adventures...

[Havard]

As mentioned, I have some experience with similar projects (that are progessing with good success, IMHO).
My "working suggestion" is this: if you are an author (that can't or doesn't want to do everything from A to Z), you open a "making of" thread, saying (roughly) what you are doing and what you need (maybe proofreading, editing, layout, images, mapmaking etc.) of course nobody forces you to ask for help and you can do it all by yourself, but the good point of being a community is that you can support each other).
With your "making of" thread you will kind of "book" your numbrt (BMX1, BMX2, etc.).
In that thread you can give the community updates on how the work proceeds from time to time, or the other people may want to ask how you're going on.

This is perfect!

Also, may I recommend not being too secretive about stuff. I encourage people to share updates and drafts for the rest of us to give input and feedback along the way. The process is just as important as the completed work IMO.

Once everything is ready, you email the finished job to Havard and he gives the final reading and thums up before hosting on the site. He may decide that the adventure that you proposed for Journeys is actually more appropriate for Crossroads or that the content isn't suitable at all because it conflicts with the rules of the site.

That's it.

Okay, that sounds acceptable. The Journey Series is where we want to be a bit restrictive.

Said that, I strongly suggest that we (cough... Havard... cough...) develop an adventure template that can be a basic layout support and a kind of "signature" for the site adventures...

Okay I can do that. If anyone has suggestions to such a template I am all ears though.

Anyway, great input as always Yaz!

-Havard

[Yaztromo]

Of course, this makes sense if we have enough people interested in this (as mentioned, even a single adventure per year would be worth it, for me), as the great plus of this kind of projects (including netbooks, of course) is the community support, the teamwork and the -kinda- committment that you take to complete (sooner or later) the job that you start.

[Rafael]

I am surprised that this would even have to be discussed. Given the small group of people likely to be involved. But I am glad you are ok with the terms.

Don't get me wrong, but WE know each other for so long that we can trust each other on those things. The occasional lurker doesn't, so spelling this out is not bad.

Another is: People write stuff. Email it to me. I put it on the website. Keep it simple.

Hehe, I yield, I yield. It would be nice to see others but the *big three with the red name tags* churn out some material, from time to time, and what you describe is indeed the easiest way.

[RobJN]

I am surprised that this would even have to be discussed. Given the small group of people likely to be involved. But I am glad you are ok with the terms.

Don't get me wrong, but WE know each other for so long that we can trust each other on those things. The occasional lurker doesn't, so spelling this out is not bad.

Okay, for the benefit of the lurkers, yeah, I can see this need.

Another is: People write stuff. Email it to me. I put it on the website. Keep it simple.

Hehe, I yield, I yield. It would be nice to see others but the *big three with the red name tags* churn out some material, from time to time, and what you describe is indeed the easiest way.

Churn? Churn?? Sir, I will have you know my material is whisked. Briskly.


On another on-topic-ish note:

Do we have a central repository for BMX/BMJ type of content-under-construction?