A Quick Thought on Interactive Fiction

[Zedalion]

Hi!

I'm interested in creating some posts that would be what I call interactive fiction. In short, a story, like fan fiction, but one that multiple people could contribute to.

So, it's sort of something in-between fan fiction (written by one person) and roleplaying (because no one player would be the 'GM'--all contributors, who would be determined before the story began, would have full ability to influence the story).

Would anyone be interested in joining in on something like this? Any thoughts on where it should live? Anyone think it would work well, or not well? Fan fiction seems somewhat more appropriate as a place to put it than roleplaying, but I'd be open to either idea.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

-Zedalion

[Lightwielder]

Hi!

I'm interested in creating some posts that would be what I call interactive fiction. In short, a story, like fan fiction, but one that multiple people could contribute to.

So, it's sort of something in-between fan fiction (written by one person) and roleplaying (because no one player would be the 'GM'--all contributors, who would be determined before the story began, would have full ability to influence the story).

Would anyone be interested in joining in on something like this? Any thoughts on where it should live? Anyone think it would work well, or not well? Fan fiction seems somewhat more appropriate as a place to put it than roleplaying, but I'd be open to either idea.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

-Zedalion

I actually considered turning Tales of a Wandering Adventurer into something like what you're suggesting. Haven't decided yet, though.

It sounds like an excellent idea, but depending on how it unfolds, it might simply be Roleplay. You'll have to monitor that. Of course, I have no "official" Forum capacity, so well see what others think. Perhaps "Interactive Fiction" could be made a Sub-folder of Fan Fiction, like the Braggart's Corner in the Adventurer's Lounge.

[Oldschool]

Zedalion you could put it in either Fan Fiction or Roleplay. Roleplay particularly if folks use their game characters.

I'm guessing they'll be enough interested members to make it a go. I'd be up for it given I have the time as it's been way too long (since the old forum) since I've posted anything in Fiction.

[Doolipalally]

There were quite a few threads on the old forum which did this sort of thing, with 'Behind the Green Door' perhaps the most widely contributed to. They were under 'Roleplay', because people were generally roleplaying their own characters.

'Roleplay' on this new forum seems to mean a GM set-up, but that's not something I've ever encountered anywhere else. Roleplay threads to me mean jointly-authored stories, where people take decisions about the actions of their own characters.

I'd definitely be up for this! The only caveat I have is that it might be useful before starting to lay down a few ground rules about the extent which you're allowed to write about what other people's characters say and do.

[Oldschool]

Good point Dooli about setting up some ground rules. Also one other thing comes to mind is maybe putting a limit to the number of characters. Too many can unbalance things.

[spencer]

I just wanted to chime in a little. I have not done this very much, but on another site, we did an evolving story and the only rule was that you could not do two consecutive excerpts. People would really twist things around, but it was fun as it made you be very creative to try and get the story back to where you thought it should go. It was not really roleplaying, just straight fiction and it was pretty durn fun.

[zmflavius]

I think this is pretty interesting. Are there any other details?

[Zedalion]

I think this is pretty interesting. Are there any other details?

Well, it's just an idea I'm kicking around. Anyone could pick it up and run with it, I'm not the boss of it. :)

But for my part, I think what I'd like to do is identify...oh, I don't know. Maybe somewhere between three and five people who are interested in building a narrative, something that includes character development and an interesting plot.

What I envision is something with a significant creative writing component. While the existing roleplays on the board are, I suspect, a lot of fun for the people playing in them, they aren't (for me) a lot of fun to read because many of the posts are just one line, indicating what the character is going to do or say next. I'd like to see something with a little more description and embellishment in each post. I know we have some great writers on this board, so I think this is certainly possible, especially if all contributors have equal power to move the story (no GM).

I'm part of some forum-based roleplaying games elsewhere on the interwebs which is part of what inspired my original post.

So, there, that's some of the stuff I think. But what do you think?

Thanks for your help!

-Zedalion

[Doolipalally]

Well, I'm definitely still up for it!

I think there's a big difference between the current roleplaying threads, which are a roleplaying game, and the sort of thing you're envisaging, which is shared roleplaying fiction. There's definitely room for both here! I've participated in narrative roleplay before elsewhere on the interweb as well, and it can be a lot of fun.

[thingirl]

I'm all for it. In fact, I'd probably join. Awesome idea.