9962 réponses à ce sujet

[lillitheris]

^ I just flat-out retconned it. He’s not cured, but also not dead.

[LanceSolous13]

Thane's death sort of shocks Shepard a bit. Thane, one of his best friends, who just survived a horrible illness and was ready to join him on the Normandy, dies and he couldn't do anything.

Though, No cutscene incompetence. I'm rewriting that scene entirely. Thane will give his life to save Shepard's.

And then, Shepard will start subsequently start making entires in the Greybox which will work as a nice framing device.

God, I miss Thane...

And to see Bioware out right say "Life's full of disapointments" and ete.... : / I can't play my Fem!Shep anymore...

[fainmaca]

LanceSolous13 wrote...

Nevermind. I've changed my mind. I am going to retcon Thane's death and some parts of Sanctuary and Cronos Station.

Speaking as someone who started his retcon eighteen months ago, I'd say you shouldn't worry about changing things. If you have an idea to improve things, go for it.

[LanceSolous13]

fainmaca wrote...

LanceSolous13 wrote...

Nevermind. I've changed my mind. I am going to retcon Thane's death and some parts of Sanctuary and Cronos Station.

Speaking as someone who started his retcon eighteen months ago, I'd say you shouldn't worry about changing things. If you have an idea to improve things, go for it.

Pretty much. That, and I kept thinking about it and the only reason I could must up against doing so was "Its not canon". So, Thane will get a better death and Miranda will join the Normandy after Sanctuary and for Cronos Station instead of EDI.

[fainmaca]

LanceSolous13 wrote...
That, and I kept thinking about it and the only reason I could must up against doing so was "Its not canon".

This is a terrible reason not to publish a good idea. Bear in mind that canon now includes Synthecrap, Starkid and the meek Shepard. Do you really want your story to be trapped by that?

Modifié par fainmaca, 11 juillet 2012 - 10:40 .

[LanceSolous13]

That and, hey, My story in the first place isn't canon. Lol Also, I'm even considering retconing that, with Harbinger being the starkid. Taking control, Starkid uploads Shepard's brain...and promptly deletes it. Taking Sythesis does the oposite of destroy, targeting organics rather than the Synthetics. And, destroy is exactly what Harbinger doesn't want.

Or maybe I'll just simply lampshade how stupid Starbrat was...

[lillitheris]

Hm, I think I’ve leveled in fanfic somehow: today I received an unsolicited story/tie-in/commentary PM.

Weird, but neat.

[dpMeggers]

lillitheris wrote...

Hm, I think I’ve leveled in fanfic somehow: today I received an unsolicited story/tie-in/commentary PM.

Weird, but neat.

Heh. Lillitheris gains +10 fanfic. (weird fwoom noise) Level up!

Congrats.

[Drussius]

dpMeggers wrote...

lillitheris wrote...

Hm, I think I’ve leveled in fanfic somehow: today I received an unsolicited story/tie-in/commentary PM.

Weird, but neat.

Heh. Lillitheris gains +10 fanfic. (weird fwoom noise) Level up!

Congrats.

Creativity +5
Reputation +4
Inspiration +6
Style +14

Narrative Specialty Unlocked

[TheMarshal]

I naively signed up for the Mass Effect Big Bang over on LJ and now have to figure out what to do with it. The word count requirement is only 8k, but the vast majority of my fic ideas wouldn't top out above 4k, and the rest would be at least 30k.

That wouldn't necessarily be a problem, as the deadline for a first draft is like two months away, except that I'm still in grad school and am about halfway through Returned. Under the rules of the BB, I could finish up Returned and submit that, but it would mean holding off on posting updates until the end of September, which would be a bummer for the readers. Or I could shelve Returned, work on one of my other concepts until it's finished, and then pick up Returned when I get a chance.

Rawr! I have no idea what to do!

[dpMeggers]

TheMarshal wrote...

I naively signed up for the Mass Effect Big Bang over on LJ and now have to figure out what to do with it. The word count requirement is only 8k, but the vast majority of my fic ideas wouldn't top out above 4k, and the rest would be at least 30k.

That wouldn't necessarily be a problem, as the deadline for a first draft is like two months away, except that I'm still in grad school and am about halfway through Returned. Under the rules of the BB, I could finish up Returned and submit that, but it would mean holding off on posting updates until the end of September, which would be a bummer for the readers. Or I could shelve Returned, work on one of my other concepts until it's finished, and then pick up Returned when I get a chance.

Rawr! I have no idea what to do!

Clearly you have overlooked the most obvious solution. Drop out of school!

I jest. Don't do that. Also I sympathise. During my co-op I had neither the time nor the energy to write. It sucked. It's also why none of my stories were updated between March and May. But readers (at least mine) are forgiving creatures and understand that life happens. If you really want to write for the BB, post an Author's note to Returned explaining the situation and letting them know you'll come back to it eventually.

[lillitheris]

dpMeggers wrote...

TheMarshal wrote...

I naively signed up for the Mass Effect Big Bang over on LJ and now have to figure out what to do with it. The word count requirement is only 8k, but the vast majority of my fic ideas wouldn't top out above 4k, and the rest would be at least 30k.

That wouldn't necessarily be a problem, as the deadline for a first draft is like two months away, except that I'm still in grad school and am about halfway through Returned. Under the rules of the BB, I could finish up Returned and submit that, but it would mean holding off on posting updates until the end of September, which would be a bummer for the readers. Or I could shelve Returned, work on one of my other concepts until it's finished, and then pick up Returned when I get a chance.

Rawr! I have no idea what to do!

Clearly you have overlooked the most obvious solution. Drop out of school!

Second-most obvious: write a story about Liara in grad school and tie it into “Returned” somehow!

[LanceSolous13]

Considering how Liara talks about studying and translating all alone and not really socializing, something tells me that would be really boring for a story. Lol

[dpMeggers]

LanceSolous13 wrote...

Considering how Liara talks about studying and translating all alone and not really socializing, something tells me that would be really boring for a story. Lol

Not if it's all about how she craves interaction with other people but is horribly socially awkward and it backfires all the damn time. That could actually be pretty sad/funny (depending on how you wrote it).

[fainmaca]

Okay, I need a little bit of guidance on the next segment of ITU. I've planned out an option, but I'm not sure I want to go ahead with it.
***First off, MAJOR SPOILERS for the latest chapter of my story, and the attached moral choice. If you do not want to know what happens or want to make an unbiased decision in the vote, look away now!***
Okay, so in the latest chapter, Shepard heads to a Batarian space station, the Eye pf Tor'lakht, in order to negotiate with the Batarian ruling caste in the hopes of bringing them into the war. He is accompanied by his Batarian squad mate, Etarn Kol'mehk.
 
For a bit of back story, I wrote my Reaper arrival before the Arrival DLC came out, so I had the Reapers collapse Dholen, Haestrom's star, to create the central core for a new Citadel. Because of this, when Arrival came out I adjusted the story so that Object Rho was simply a Reaper device that would have paralysed the entire Mass Relay network, and then the storyline for Bahak played out in the same way as Bioware did it. Later on, Shepard rescued Etarn from Khar'Shan after an assassination attempt by Etarn's rival, Gorm Jib'bat, after which Etarn joined Shepard's team as a way of seeking political refuge, needing to get out of Batarian space for a while. In time, he realised the need to bring the Batarians into the war, arranging this meeting on the Eye.

So they head to the Eye and open up negotiations, contending with Gorm, who holds considerable influence over the ruling caste. During these negotiations it is revealed that Khar'Shan was attacked by the Reapers, with the entirety of the Hegemony's fleets fleeing to safety within the Nebula that surrounds the Eye.

Eventually its revealed that Gorm has entered into an alliance with the Reapers, after which he incapacitates the ruling caste with knockout gas (Etarn and Shepard only escape because the gas only affected Batarians and other creatures from Khar'Shan) and drags them away to be indoctrinated like himself.

Anyway, after a long battle both inside the station and in the space outside, Shepard and Etarn head towards the centre of the station, finding and killing Gorm. There, at the Eye's very centre, they find a seemingly defunct Reaper, hooked up to a gravitational generator that allows the user to shape the nebula around the station. As Shepard and co try to activate the machine to destroy the indoctrinated forces in the space around the Eye, the Reaper, revealed to be the Leviathan of Dis, reveals that it is still alive, sending the corpse of Gorm at the squad a la Saren in ME1. Eventually the Reaper is defeated and the machine is activated, successfully destroying the indoctrinated forces and then creating a power overload that kills the Leviathan for good.

After this, it is revealed that Gorm had left a failsafe behind. Upon detecting the Leviathan's demise, the Eye's nuclear arsenal is primed, targetting all non-indoctrinated forces in the vicinity of the station. Etarn can stop it, but only by sealing the missile silos, thereby destroying the station to save the Batarian Navy. shepard has to choose to either save the station, the cultural and bureaucratic heart of the Batarian species, or save the Batarian Navy for the push to retake Earth.

Now, during the course of this chapter, I've introduced a character called General Bakliss. He is currently on the ships being targetted, and if the station is saved, then he will die with the majority of the navy. And here's the sticky point I'm struggling with. I originally thought that I'd have this choice decide which Batarian you get on Shepard's team. If you destroy the station, Etarn stays behind to make sure the silos remain sealed, thereby dying in a noble sacrifice and leaving a slot on the crew that would be filled by Bakliss.

HOWEVER, Etarn has grown into a very popular character, more so than many of the canon characters on the squad. I fear that allowing him to die will anger a lot of readers, and I have to admit that I would hate to see him go, too.

The sacrifice would add drama to the story, but I know that Etarn would be sorely missed. I could just keep Etarn alive, and not face this consequence. However the option to have one of ther two Batarians on your squad would feel in keeping with the choice-shaped storyline, giving a similar if different situation to the Morinth-Samara choice in ME2.

So what do you think? Would my story benefit from Etarn being killable at this point, or should i just keep him alive?

Now you just wait and watch, every reader will choose to destroy the navy and I won't have to face this situation.

[Drussius]

^ I haven't yet read your story, but I figured the spoiler couldn't hurt me because by the time I get to it I'll forget the spoiler. (no offense, but ItU a bit on the long side so I'm prioritizing the shorter stories on my list first. I look forward to when I do get to your story) So, with that said... Killing off popular characters is a tricky thing. Some readers might be so put off by it that they lose interest in the story. However, it can occasionally be something that really strikes the reader too. A noble sacrifice can be an awesome moment (anyone who read the Dragonlance novels might feel the same way about Sturm's death as I do... it was a perfect moment of the story, even though I was sad the character was gone). So it can go either way.

I guess what it comes down to is whether your plan for the story or worry that readers will be upset is more important to you. If you think the story is best served by sticking to your guns and killing off a popular character if the reader vote goes that way, then do it and brace for any possible fallout. If you are more worried about losing readers, then work on an alternate way to accomplish the consequences of the reader vote.

Edit: Plus, the death of a popular character opens possibilities for interesting scenes as each of his/her friends deals with their grief and possible regrets/recriminations.

Modifié par Drussius, 11 juillet 2012 - 06:16 .

[TheMarshal]

LanceSolous13 wrote...

Considering how Liara talks about studying and translating all alone and not really socializing, something tells me that would be really boring for a story. Lol

I dunno, I think there's some wiggle room for socializing.  I always entertained the idea that Liara had at least one relationship of middling importance while growing up.  Perhaps with an asari classmate, which I'm sure made all the pureblood-haters happy...

[MrStoob]

TheMarshal wrote...

LanceSolous13 wrote...

Considering how Liara talks about studying and translating all alone and not really socializing, something tells me that would be really boring for a story. Lol

I dunno, I think there's some wiggle room for socializing.  I always entertained the idea that Liara had at least one relationship of middling importance while growing up.  Perhaps with an asari classmate, which I'm sure made all the pureblood-haters happy...

But it all makes for some great bumbling, foot in mouth, naive and cute Liara moments.  

[MrStoob]

How long to people think an asari such as Liara keep a barrier up for? I'm not sure the Long Walk is a good reference.

[dpMeggers]

@fain. Also haven't read ITU (because of my noted aversion to AU). To be strictly accurate, I read the first chapter and a half. I remember thinking it was well written, but I just couldn't get into it. It's not you, it's me. I'm sorry. On the other hand, I have no emotional investment in the story so that might make me a little more objective?

So my advice: You seem to be avoiding killing Etarn off for teh dramaz. That's good. Death should be meaningful. On the other hand, assuming the choice is made to keep the navy, is death by silo-closing necessary? Would there be enough time to close the silos and bugger out?

I also wouldn't keep him alive just because the fans are fond of him. Ultimately (and good God, I feel like a MASSIVE hypocrite saying this) it's your story, your vision and up to you what you think should be done with it. If the story is best served by offing Etarn, then by all means do it (Assuming of course that in doing so you don't invalidate any previously made claims regarding the direction of your story. There we go. Feel less hypocritical now.)

[lillitheris]

TheMarshal wrote...

I dunno, I think there's some wiggle room for socializing.  I always entertained the idea that Liara had at least one relationship of middling importance while growing up.  Perhaps with an asari classmate, which I'm sure made all the pureblood-haters happy...

Honestly, I don’t think asari relationships are at all rare for maiden years, or even beyond. Might even be the rule. Simple demography dictates that there just aren’t enough aliens to go around (as much as they might want to…)

So, personally, I think that only the breeding is frowned-upon.

[dpMeggers]

MrStoob wrote...

How long to people think an asari such as Liara keep a barrier up for? I'm not sure the Long Walk is a good reference.

Interesting question

Factors to consider:
Is anything hitting the barrier? (eg: bullets, debris) If yes, then it's harder to hold up and barrier duration is shorter. If no, then it's easier to hold up, barrier duration is longer.

Is the asari in question distracted? (eg: fear) If yes, then harder/shorter. If no, then easier/longer.

Is the asari experienced? (eg: ME2/3 Liara or commandos vs. ME1 Liara or younger asari) If yes, then easier/longer. If no then harder/shorter. Asari biotics get better with age.

I'd say an inexperienced, distracted asari under constant attack would have a very short barrier hold time while an experienced, focused asari who's under a lighter attack would be able to hold up a solid barrier for quite some time. As for exact times...minutes?

Modifié par dpMeggers, 11 juillet 2012 - 06:48 .

[Drussius]

dpMeggers wrote...

MrStoob wrote...

How long to people think an asari such as Liara keep a barrier up for? I'm not sure the Long Walk is a good reference.

Interesting question

Factors to consider:
Is anything hitting the barrier? (eg: bullets, debris) If yes, then it's harder to hold up and barrier duration is shorter. If no, then it's easier to hold up, barrier duration is longer.

Is the asari in question distracted? (eg: fear) If yes, then harder/shorter. If no, then easier/longer.

Is the asari experienced? (eg: ME2/3 Liara or commandos vs. ME1 Liara or younger asari) If yes, then easier/longer. If no then harder/shorter. Asari biotics get better with age.

I'd say an inexperienced, distracted asari under constant attack would have a very short barrier hold time while an experienced, focused asari who's under a lighter attack would be able to hold up a solid barrier for quite some time. As for exact times...minutes?

Are we talking about the large bubble-type barrier? Or the personal barriers that seem to substitute for shields? Because if it's the former, some of the asari in-game held up the barriers for a good minute or two under attack. If it's the latter, I think that as long as they are not under any form of attack, they could keep it up for a good stretch of time. Like half an hour. But much less time under fire. Granted this is all slanted toward game lore.

But in a more imaginitive sense, I've been approaching it from the standpoint that personal barriers, i.e. biotic shields, can be sustained for a good length of time when the asari is not under fire. I pictured it as a minor form of exertion. Sort of like jogging. Under fire it gets much more strenuous because it's not a simple matter of providing a little concentration to keep it going anymore, but instead of deflecting dangerous objects.

[TheMarshal]

lillitheris wrote...

Honestly, I don’t think asari relationships are at all rare for maiden years, or even beyond. Might even be the rule. Simple demography dictates that there just aren’t enough aliens to go around (as much as they might want to…)

So, personally, I think that only the breeding is frowned-upon.

That's a great point, but I'm sure being a pureblood and being in a same-species relationship would have raised a few more hairless eyebrows than usual.

[lillitheris]

@fainmaca

“targetting all non-indoctrinated forces in the vicinity of the station.” This seems kinda iffy. How can it tell?

I don’t have anything particularly useful to offer, except one note: I was never a big fan of the Interchangeable Alien Person motif. Lost your turian? Too bad. No, you can’t just have another one appear.