Aberrant: 200X - 200X reboot discussion: CANON SETTING

[Nova OOC]

The subject of WW's canon storyline for the proposed 200X reboot of N! Prime 2018 is to be discussed in this thread. The informal vote on the topic was split down the middle, so this could be a contentious issue. Civility is encouraged. It's no secret that WW as a studio are overly fond of settings in which the world is a much darker place than anyone would ever suspect. The World of Darkness setting was blacker than the cover to Spinal Tap's Smell the Glove.*

A little bit of hidden politics and mystic hoodoo make for good flavor, but too much can put a setting onto railroad tracks and stifle creativity. The solution lies in some kind of negotiated middle ground.

Have at it. What do you want?

(* And what could be more black? Nothing. Nothing could be more black.)

[SalmonMax]

I don't have a problem with the basic setting as Aberrant creates it. I'd prefer to heave the "metaplot" out though. What does this mean?

You have the world as described. The organizations are there. The global situation is basically unchanged.

However, the "storyline" of the book, which begins with the death of Slider and proceeds downward from there, can be safely excised, I think, without harming the setting. We just pare down the NPC count to a few setting-vital personalities, like Divis Mal and perhaps a few others. Utopia may well have a secretive black ops wing, but we can explore than in stories. And so on and so forth.

This gives us the framework of Aberrant to create in, without tying us to the much maligned metaplot that they try to cram into it. It also helps something Aberrant has sometimes that I call the "Why Doesn't Pax Handle It?" syndrome.

[Wakinyan]

'No fate but what we make'

I am fine with how the game is setup in the core book. But my own thought is let's get rid of being led by the nose to the inevitable Aberrant war. Not saying that it will not happen, just saying it may or may not. Basically let's toss AEon/Trinity we don't make use of it anyway really.

[Mr Fox]

I would like to see a middle ground compromise between no canon and never changing canon.

I would love to see the world changeable, but only on a 2/3rds majority vote by the player base. That way players don't feel stifled in their creativity, but at the same time you won't have Proteus being exposed or sterilization being reversed without an overwhelming majority of the players agreeing to it. In effect this means that not much is going to change from the canon setting, but the possibility is hanging out there like a golden carrot.

[SalmonMax]

What if large scale, setting-altering events like the examples you mention can only be evoked through large, multi-author stories that a certain minimum people contribute to, and constitute occasional "global" writing events?

So for example, some of us might propose, "Hey, lets get this sterility thing overturned." If a quorum (2/3rds seems reasonable, but we can bicker over the specifics) agrees, then as many authors as are interested...hopefully a significant amount...will contribute to the story of how that event comes to pass. Each from the point of view of their own character(s). That might involve stories written by more than one person, and more that are not...but the overall plot...the main plot, should be collaborative in those cases.

[Mr Fox]

That is an excellent idea Lily, and it makes such events more likely to occur and ensures that they will be acceptable to the majority of the people. It also means they are likely to be well thought out, and significant not only in terms of change to canon but in terms of our stories and characters.

[Nova OOC]

I'd like to see the large-scale stories scripted in advance with a beginning, intended plot arc, and ending. Too many large stories abruptly end without a conclusion because people have lost interest and drifted away from it.

[Jager]

I second Nova's Amendment to the Proposal.

[Mr Fox]

Thirded

[SalmonMax]

Mew, Nova said what I meant to say in my last sentence there.

That the overall plots be planned by all participating writers (not the character-specific arcs, just the main plot).

So we'd all have a say in how the sterility issue is resolved, but how it affects my character is, in general, up to me.

[Lou Anne Burgess]

Whoops, wrong thread.

[Andrew Murphy]

While I don't play in 2018 now I would like to get in on the ground floor if it gets a reboot. I also vote that there ought to be a mechanism for some sort of "world event" i.e. The Big One hitting LA or similar.

[Nova OOC]

Originally Posted By: Lily

Mew, Nova said what I meant to say in my last sentence there.

Clearly your post was leading to that conclusion.

Also, you mewed. That's adorable.

[Warren Verona]

I've always played any WW game with a World of Darkness atmosphere. It's bleak, crime is rampant and depression is common.

The inspiration I get for it comes from movies like The Crow, Batman (1 and 2, when Gotham looked like a city, not an amusement park), and Bladerunner, City of Lost Children or Dark City.

The day may be bright and sunny but the world never sleeps and the night is just as active but filled with those who prey on fear and weakness. Oppression, despair, and the dagnasty bleakity blackness of evil lurks every where and it's the player’s survival in this world that makes their story epic compared to the common Joe Baseline.

Basically it's a world where Team Tomorrow is actually needed. Where a Municipal Defender actually has to work. Where novas are scared to wind up in the wrong part of town because the gangs have novas too. Where CZ aren't just initials you hear on the news and T2M is wiping them slowly but surely. When you find yourself on the wrong side of the CZ you start to wonder if 50L soak is going to be enough.

I won't even get into Directive and Proteus, I could spank up a storm with all the evil shit they can do.

And through it all, making up these factions are PCs and NPCs. Good and Evil are found everywhere within every faction; each claiming they know what's best in a world that's slipping through their fingers a little more every time they squeeze it tight to keep the opposition from gaining ground.

And we're in the middle, waking up with a headache and lying in an ice filled bathtub.

How do I justify this in a world where Utopia has done so much good? Hell, that's easy.

No one gives a fuck.

Seriously, most people these days are so desensitized by what the Boob Tube has to show us that we can barely bring ourselves to give a rats ass when we hear some ass shot up his school, some guy toasted his mistress, or the Pee Wee Herman rubbed one out in a theatre. For every good act Utopia performs some other faction(s) do enough damage in the world that it over shadows Utopia's attempts at a better tomorrow so that they may ultimately stick us in the ass.

Let's face it, knowing that your character is eventually hosed in a war thanks to some metaplot is lame. Having that lingering over my head completely kills the game for me. I've always said keep the factions, but ditch the NPCs (it's our game not theirs). Use them in name only. If your PC is to know any canon NPC on a personal level the majority should approve it. It prevents the whole "I know Pax, I'm his personal assistant, you mess me and I can call all of Team Tomorrow down on you."

Playing that way sucks.

That’s my jink tossed in the pot.

[Charlotte]

I propose, as before, keeping stated book canon (status of major nova and nova-related factions, for example) "as-is," and adding to that. As an example, I'd take Waki and Ptesan-Wi's storyline. I was keen on how they acted as de facto leaders unifying their tribes, exploring a niche of Aberrant's setting I hadn't seen much light shone on. I wasn't quite as keen on the implication made that as a result of the use of the OMEN, the Directive's law enforcement stature in North America was curtailed. The former adds to the toybox; the latter changes someone else's toy.

(As an aside: I never really tested how far, if at all, the curtailing went. If it didn't exist, then fair enough; Dying Thunder would therefore be a bad example.)

I'm a bit leery of even having major storylines that affect the standing of such factions be voted on. In the above example; if Nathan Dayes had been in 2018, I'd have to alter his storyline to reflect the effects of that story, since everyone seemed to like it (and I did as well, except for that bit I brought up.)

I think the best storylines for such an endeavor are ones that allow you to buy-in optionally, but ignore them if they'd derail plans you already have. "The Big One" in 2010 is a pretty good example; it was an earthquake that hit southern California. Anyone who wanted to be a part of it could be; anyone who didn't could be out of California on that day. I got what I thought was a pretty good story out of it, but I doubt I'd have been as enthusiastic about writing it if I felt that I had to deal with the earthquake. The fact that I actually oversaw "The Big One" has no bearing on my opinions of it at all. Honest!

[Mr Fox]

Quote:

I think the best storylines for such an endeavor are ones that allow you to buy-in optionally, but ignore them if they'd derail plans you already have.

That's the beauty of having the option though. Every player knows if some event is going to throw a monkey wrench into the works for their future plans. If some big change is proposed we would vote and it would take some serious convincing on the part of those that want to do something to overcome the inertia of the status quo. A big earthquake in Cali is one thing and I doubt that would take much convincing, but exposing Proteus or destroying an entire faction like the Teragen is another and very unlikely to happen. I say don't rule out the possibility, but realize that the players are not going to lightly throw out a major piece of canon.

[SkyLion]

Quote:

You have the world as described. The organizations are there. The global situation is basically unchanged.

However, the "storyline" of the book, which begins with the death of Slider and proceeds downward from there, can be safely excised, I think, without harming the setting.

But if all the factions are going to be there then we need the slider scandal. Otherwise we can't be part of the Aberrants faction that was the originaly intended PC default allegience...

[Nova OOC]

The characters run the gamut-- Upie, Terat, independent, Aberrant, other. . .

[SkyLion]

I got that part. But if we are going to have the Aberrant faction then it requires the Slider scandal and Proteus. Lily suggested excising the metaplot but its the metaplot and Corbin's defection that created that faction...

[Nova OOC]

The assassination of JFK is supposed to be a done deal too, yet conspiracy theories are still a thriving business. We could handle the Slider assassination the same way. Despite the case being "closed," the Aberrants simply refuse to let it go, but no progress is ever made on proving their claims.

[SkyLion]

lame.

Takes all the fun out of that faction.

You people are like the Storytelling nazis.

[Nova OOC]

Godwined on the 20th post.

[Drew]

I agree with Overload on this...kinda neuters the Abbies.

[SkyLion]

Thanks Drew. Nova seems to be a castration specialist.

:Said with a lisp: "We're writers, not players."

[Nova OOC]

Originally Posted By: *Overload*

Thanks Drew. Nova seems to be a castration specialist.

:Said with a lisp: "We're writers, not players."

That's absolutely uncalled for.

[Nova OOC]

Originally Posted By: Drew

I agree with Overload on this...kinda neuters the Abbies.

I'm open to suggestions. What would you like to do?

[SkyLion]

A novel idea: allow the characters to affect the setting.

[Nova OOC]

Originally Posted By: *Overload*

A novel idea: allow the characters to affect the setting.

There is a provision for that in the draft of the 200X Bible.

[Jager]

Something just occured to me ... This means Mal never spanks Pax so we never KNOW whose the baddest nova.

Ibizia never happens, so another Utopia screw up never happens either! Yeah!!

Same for Project Genesis and thus Anteaus leaving ...

Since the Sterilization Conspiracy is never discovered, its not such a bad time to be a Utopian.

Of course, since there is no NotLKs, its a kinder, fuzzier, happier Teragen we all get to see ... unless we will still have a White Rat!!! Go Rat!

[The White Rat]

I will never leave. I am like Herpes. No matter how much you wish I was gone, I will always come back.

[Fortune's Son]

Hate to kill the martyr vibe but I'm actually okay with you as a player. I just wanted to tell you that.

[Charlotte]

Yes, in a frozen-canon setting the Aberrants haven't formed. Be honest. Do you really miss them? Besides a purpose that seems over-focused on the metaplot, they have a really stupid name, impossible to enjoy even ironically. It'd be like me finding out that someone is sterilizing Scottish people and me forming a group called the Sheepfuckers in response. Even if I'm right, I'm still being stupid.

I remember, maybe, one person playing an Aberrant. If we want to keep the Aberrants around, why not broaden their focus? There's potential conspiracies everywhere. Make them a more loose-knit, broad-based group of conspiracy theorists, searching for everything from the reason behind the nova eruptions to the nature of Utopia's funding to the legendary Mercer Journals. Like Planetary, for those who'll get the reference.

[Hugin]

Aberrant IS the bloody canon setting. If it isn't then it's just a set of rules and you might as well throw in magic and iron-man clones.

Does that have to stifle you?

Hell no.

The whole Native American thing works within the setting, made for a lot fun for some folks and didn't fuck with things. Ashnod, Apep, Lemmy, White Rat and Hugin all worked within the Teragen canon.

My opinion.

[SalmonMax]

Another point on the Aberrants.

There's all kinds of reasons a group of novas might splinter from Utopia and become renegades. The Slider scandal is just the most obvious from the book metaplot. They don't even have to be REAL reasons. Novas are capable of hatching conspiracy theories.

It's kind of ironic that our attempts to broaden the setting and make it more accessible are accused of being repressive. Instead of making insulting comparisons, try to work WITH us. We're not shutting you out.

This isn't us trying to ban Aberrants. This is instead an opportunity for someone who's interested in them, like say...you...to have a hand in defining them! Step up to the plate!

[Wargear]

Well, on the whole, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that I like what I'm seeing so far. The Aberrants as a frustrated minority with no real backing, but not hunted to death by Proteus and the Directive either, allows for a lot of good story work while giving us a lot more latitude to explore. And, if people decide they're bent on it, gives people space to write Aberrant stories that embrace the searching-out-truth aspect of the movement without needing to be terrorist guerillas to do it.

[Seph OOC]

I never really got the impression that the Aberrants were being hunted by the Directive so much as they were on some nebulous Watch List.

I'm in favor of the Aberrants having a broader spectrum of interest than Utopia, and I don't think it would deviate from the canon to paint them up more as a group of conspiracy theorists and skeptics who aren't trusting of anybody.

[Centimane]

I think the wording used in the Canon Setting section of the 200x Bible (or it's current form anyway) is perfectly fine as is. I don't think that the canon world should be irrevocably "frozen" because this (IMHO) lengs strength the cautious approach, while taking strength from plain old creativity. It also runs the risk of turning the major factions into insuperable obstacles that any player-created factions would be entirely unable to get past or around.

If the Teragen is always the Teragen, as presented in the books, then any player-created Social Movements for novas will always have the Terats hanging over their heads and breathing down their necks. They will never be able to achieve any sort of real or lasting victory over the Teragen as the most prominent, respected, or just plain cool Social Movement for novas to be involved in and baselines to worship. Now, this does assume that some player might actually be interested in creating such a Movement in the first place, but hopefully you can see my point (though whether anyone agrees with it or not is a different matter).

Mind you, I'm not advocating throwing out any of the canon setting, but I am advocating not being afraid to leave it behind if the stories lead away from it.

[Jordan]

Originally Posted By: *Overload*

Thanks Drew. Nova seems to be a castration specialist.

:Said with a lisp: "We're writers, not players."

I just caught this now. This is a prime example of "being a dick" and I'm calling you on it. Not funny, prejudiced, and homophobic. If I see this again coming from you I will petition Chosen to have you kicked. This just reafirms my belief that you aren't worth dealing with.

If you haven't figured it out yet, yes I am gay.

[Charlotte]

Freezing the major factions so that they're commonly agreed upon reference points for current board members is one half of why I proposed it. The other half is that I want them to be commonly agreed upon reference points for new board members too. I want to attract new people, and I think the best way to do it is to say, "things are pretty much how they are in the book, with the addition of:" and then listing all the changes the PCs have created. The information in the books, if someone's interested in coming here, is information that is pre-absorbed, one less thing for them to get turned off by.

Yes, it does run counter to the theme of novas changing the world, and I admit that's a strong argument against it. This isn't a deal-breaker for me; it's just the way I think we should solve problems like metaplot uncertainty (is Proteus outed, when's the NOLK, etc) and encourage new folks to join the club. Major changes we make to major factions will seem obvious to us; they probably won't be as obvious to new players.

[Centimane]

Your argument about "freezing" things making it easier to attract new players is a good one, but I don't think it's impossible to work around, nor do I think that its benefits outweigh its potential to stifle things further down the road.

As it's stated in the current 200x Bible, there is a provision for altering the major elements of the canon setting, but this requires a lot of work by a lot of people. Basically, it can only be done through a carefully scripted out story. If this is how it's handled then it should be a simple matter to include a short synopsis (like what one finds on the back cover of a paperback) that explains, in broad strokes, what has happened. If this is done at the same time as the Canon-Altering Story itself, it probably won't feel like any sort of burden to anyone, and it will provide an easy way for newcomers to catch up with what's happened in the Aberrant world overall. Those who don't like the Cliff Notes approach can still go back and re-read everything that's been said and done in the relevant threads.

For my part I like all of the major factions, and I'd hate to see them go or be changed too much. But I don't want to let my own personal feelings on those factions get in the way of other players who have genuinely good and original stories to tell, and factions to create or alter, that would enrich the Setting. The Teragen is pretty damn cool, but let's face it, it's not the only way for a nova-based Social Movement to go, and it probably isn't the best either. If someone among us can come up with something better, then why not let them?