9960 réponses à ce sujet

[Ignis Mors]

dpMeggers wrote...

No kidding

On a more ontopic note: it's question of the day time!

Today's question: have you ever written yourself into a corner?

When I first started Conversation in a Bar it was intended to be a one-off so I didn't put much thought into how what was being said would impact the story later - because I had never planned on writing any futher chapters. Now, 14 chapters later, I'm trying to write Akuze and I'm stuck writing around a sentence from that first chapter. And it's becoming something of a pain - leaving me two choices: keep trying to write around the orginial sentence, to the potential detriment of the story or go back and edit the original chapter.

So - have you ever done anything similar?

I've been stuck with my secondary fic for ages because I hate writing the part of the ME2 story I'm in, but I don't want to just skip it.
And, on my main fic, I've been having trouble getting past the preparing for the mission they're about to go on part for a while, but I don't want to skip that either.

[dpMeggers]

On another note: I think I've given up trying to understand how the Alliance Navy functions.

I admittedly know next to nothing about how real life militaries/navies function so I've had to do some reading to try and cobble together something plausible for my fic...but I may or may not have now hit the point where I say 'screw it!' because what I've pieced together from what I will generously call research and what happens in game can be poles apart. Hell even the canon stuff from BioWare contradicts itself occasionally.

So I've decided to throw my hands in the air and just make it all up.

[Seracen]

dpMeggers wrote...

No kidding

On a more ontopic note: it's question of the day time!

Today's question: have you ever written yourself into a corner?

When I first started Conversation in a Bar it was intended to be a one-off so I didn't put much thought into how what was being said would impact the story later - because I had never planned on writing any futher chapters. Now, 14 chapters later, I'm trying to write Akuze and I'm stuck writing around a sentence from that first chapter. And it's becoming something of a pain - leaving me two choices: keep trying to write around the orginial sentence, to the potential detriment of the story or go back and edit the original chapter.

So - have you ever done anything similar?

Oh lord, that's why I try to write the first paragraph of the next chapter upon finishing my writing for the day.  Even if it has nothing to do with what Iw as writing, it's difficult to get that goove back sometimes.

Although I must say, this current one is the first time I've written chapters with express notes to come back and flesh out bits later.

[Seracen]

dpMeggers wrote...

On another note: I think I've given up trying to understand how the Alliance Navy functions.

I admittedly know next to nothing about how real life militaries/navies function so I've had to do some reading to try and cobble together something plausible for my fic...but I may or may not have now hit the point where I say 'screw it!' because what I've pieced together from what I will generously call research and what happens in game can be poles apart. Hell even the canon stuff from BioWare contradicts itself occasionally.

So I've decided to throw my hands in the air and just make it all up.

Yeah, I fluff over a lot of it myself.  The Alliance ranking protocols are all screwed.  Captain/Major rank should be about the same, but I get the impression that it isn't quite so.

I chose to let Shep become a Capt, Garrus is a Major, and they are mostly equals (as it's a diff military), with Shep having seniority as much for his exploits than for his rank.  Still, not something I run into often in the lore.

[Seracen]

BTW, I managed to bang out 4 chapters today! Appropriately enough, I finally found the music that puts me into the writing trance. Oddly enough, it was remixes of music that used to be my muse in the past.

So as of now, I have FINALLY finished the first 1/3 of my story! It ended up being so long, I think it'll end up being my 50% mark.

At over 130 pages, and nearly 40,000 words, I'm traditionally used to being almost done, or at least over halfway. I mean, I started writing nearly 5 months ago!

Blargh...time for some Secret World or SWTOR I think. Then back to writing one more chapter to wrap up my mission on Feros.

I feel like a heel for making my Beta Readers wait so long to get their hands on the damn thing. I haven't even posted any chapters online yet...

Sorry, I'm rambling, just needed to get that out of my system. Here's hoping my brain doesn't explode from the sheer volume of my project. Best of luck to the rest of you!

[fluffywalrus]

Congrats Seracen! It's nice to hit milestones like that, and have wonderfully productive days.

I've been enjoying myself this week, the fluff I've had outlined since November's finally come up and I've just been cranking it out like it's my job I love that feel! Treat yourself, you've earned it

[Seracen]

Huh...funny thing. Upon wrapping up this last chapter, I ended up putting more character into a potential Vorcha squadmate than originally intended.

He was supposed to be a one-off side char, and now I can't bring myself to say goodbye, as he's fun to have around...

Well shucks, anyone else run into this kind of thing before? I never even made a back-story for this guy. Still debating on how recurring he will be...perhaps the next few chapters will tell.

PS: thanks FluffyWalrus! (still think that's an awesome name, haha)

Modifié par Seracen, 22 mars 2013 - 08:48 .

[MrStoob]

Writing yourself into a corner? I excel at that lol.

[dpMeggers]

Seracen wrote...

Huh...funny thing. Upon wrapping up this last chapter, I ended up putting more character into a potential Vorcha squadmate than originally intended.

He was supposed to be a one-off side char, and now I can't bring myself to say goodbye, as he's fun to have around...

Well shucks, anyone else run into this kind of thing before? I never even made a back-story for this guy. Still debating on how recurring he will be...perhaps the next few chapters will tell.

Yup. Like you would not believe...

Lets start with the younger sister of Shepard's best friend between enlisting and Akuze - she was litterally just supposed to be this kid who was a) scared and angry when young and crying and angry when older. Three chapters later...she's a main character, and usurping a whole lot of chapters I might add. She actually might be getting more face time than the other two mains...one of whom is Shepard.

Or a medic who literally only exists because I needed Shepard looking kinda callous in a warzone - somehow became [spoiler redacted] and winds up indirectly playing an important role later on. All I had for her to begin with: a last name.

But I'm the kind of writer who sort of lets their characters run away with them (by which I mean I'm constrantly trying to wrangle my story back into place when my characters decide to take over)...so this happens to me a lot.

[dpMeggers]

Question of the day: tangentially related to the above post

Do you like your main character(s) (Whether it be Shepard, an OC or a Squadmate)? Not as a character, if you didn't like them as a character that would probably be bad - but do you/would you like them as a person? If you met them in real life would you want to hang out or run away ASAP?

[Ignis Mors]

I'd hang out with the main characters of my stories.

[hot_heart]

I have an OC to whom I gave a vague backstory since she was only supposed to feature in one chapter. I've since included her a bit more and will be using some flashbacks to flesh it out a little.

dpMeggers wrote...
Do you like your main character(s) (Whether it be Shepard, an OC or a Squadmate)? Not as a character, if you didn't like them as a character that would probably be bad - but do you/would you like them as a person? If you met them in real life would you want to hang out or run away ASAP?

Ha, no. She'd probably tell me to get lost as soon as look at me.

[Bebuse]

dpMeggers wrote...

Question of the day: tangentially related to the above post

Do you like your main character(s) (Whether it be Shepard, an OC or a Squadmate)? Not as a character, if you didn't like them as a character that would probably be bad - but do you/would you like them as a person? If you met them in real life would you want to hang out or run away ASAP?

*Pokes head into forum*

Hi!

My Shepard can be a bit... scary 

I honestly can't say if I would like her. She has a tender side, and can be downright nice at times. But she's also a very hard, harsh woman when it comes to tactical decisions, which I can respect... but sometimes I really, really dislike her. 

I very much like writing her, but I imagine as a person she would be rather difficult to get along with.

Modifié par Bebuse, 22 mars 2013 - 10:07 .

[fluffywalrus]

dpMeggers wrote...

Question of the day: tangentially related to the above post

Do you like your main character(s) (Whether it be Shepard, an OC or a Squadmate)? Not as a character, if you didn't like them as a character that would probably be bad - but do you/would you like them as a person? If you met them in real life would you want to hang out or run away ASAP?

Haha, so long as i wasn't hauled into a battle with my Shep, I think it'd be alright. When she's not in her mission-mindset, she's pretty nice, so long as she's not provoked.
I think that my other OCs would be a bit out of my range in terms of their interests, but I think I'd like them. I don't think they'd find my life interesting, though And they're usually quite busy, so...

Modifié par fluffywalrus, 22 mars 2013 - 11:02 .

[dpMeggers]

Bebuse wrote...

dpMeggers wrote...

Question of the day: tangentially related to the above post

Do you like your main character(s) (Whether it be Shepard, an OC or a Squadmate)? Not as a character, if you didn't like them as a character that would probably be bad - but do you/would you like them as a person? If you met them in real life would you want to hang out or run away ASAP?

*Pokes head into forum*

Hi!

My Shepard can be a bit... scary 

I honestly can't say if I would like her. She has a tender side, and can be downright nice at times. But she's also a very hard, harsh woman when it comes to tactical decisions, which I can respect... but sometimes I really, really dislike her. 

I very much like writing her, but I imagine as a person she would be rather difficult to get along with.

No, no. Don't just poke your head in. Stay a while - we're nice here! And it's cool to see new names and read new opinions!


To answer my own question (I do that a lot don't I) assuming a situation came up in which I were to meet my main characters:

Robbie/RJ is one of those likeable guys who is friends with everyone and wants everyone to have a good time. So I would probably like to hang out with him - or at least go to a party with him.

Shepard is far more reserved and serious, but he's not without his dark side - and certainly by the time the series starts he's so invested in his career I'm not sure we'd have anything in common.

Likewise for Tess, there's a singlemindedness and an element of arrogance to her that I would probably find very off-putting. 

Edit: The funny thing is that of the three of them, I have more in common with Shepard and Tess than with Robbie...wonder what that says about my feelings about myself. 

Modifié par dpMeggers, 22 mars 2013 - 11:19 .

[nrobbiec]

dpMeggers wrote...

Question of the day: tangentially related to the above post

Do you like your main character(s) (Whether it be Shepard, an OC or a Squadmate)? Not as a character, if you didn't like them as a character that would probably be bad - but do you/would you like them as a person? If you met them in real life would you want to hang out or run away ASAP?

Yeah. My Shepard's a nice guy. Now I'm planning my Spectre Alenko stories so Shepard's being a stay at home husband while he's working. I'd hang out with Kaidan too during his down time, he's my favourite character after all.

[Seracen]

dpMeggers wrote...

Question of the day: tangentially related to the above post

Do you like your main character(s) (Whether it be Shepard, an OC or a Squadmate)? Not as a character, if you didn't like them as a character that would probably be bad - but do you/would you like them as a person? If you met them in real life would you want to hang out or run away ASAP?

Generally speaking, yeah.  It's tough to follow the exploits of someone you despise.  Case in point, I was actively screaming at Kratos the whole time I played GOW 2 or 3.

I never tried my hand at writing an anti-hero, but I imagine I could have fun tormenting them.

Most often though, yeah, I like my chars.  Whether they'd care for me, however, is another story, haha! 

After all, it's my purpose to make their lives difficult,  ah well...

[hot_heart]

I feel stupid for asking this, but I like to try and get all the details right even if they don't really impact the scene.

After Miranda passes out - following a knock-down drag-out fight with Kai, plus the confrontation with her father - and wakes up on the Normandy, do you suppose they have the tech to do a scan (to check there's no internal bleeding, broken bones, etc.) without needing to undress her? It would appear that after Ashley/Kaiden is beaten up by Eva, only the armour is removed but I've always assumed Miranda's outfit contained a little of that (padding, kinetic emitters and such). Of course, there are other in-game instances where characters remain in normal clothes while in medical care (Thane, for example) but I figure that may have more to do with character-modelling.

I'm going with fully-dressed at the moment because it might seem weird if it only appeared to be a concussion, but mainly because it does make things a little easier to write.

Modifié par hot_heart, 23 mars 2013 - 11:15 .

[nrobbiec]

Omni-tools can scan like that. Chakwas/Michel scans Shepard's implants, Mordin scans a human victim during his loyalty mission.

[enayasoul]

You probably could get away with it. Having her fully-dressed. I don't see why they couldn't have that kind of technology. Couldn't the omni device scan their life readings?

[Fatiguesdualism]

Personally take the view that scanners can work through most clothing fine (ala advanced gen airport scanners/MRIs), only invasive treatment/extreme resolution scans would probably mandate a change of clothing. Wouldn't think that passive padding or active kinetic shielding would interfere with the sickbay's more advanced gear, even if omni-tools where susceptible.

[hot_heart]

Thanks, guys. Was just concerned it might be odd, but it seems it fits with in-game stuff just fine.

[enayasoul]

dpMeggers wrote...

Today's question: have you ever written yourself into a corner?

When I first started Conversation in a Bar it was intended to be a one-off so I didn't put much thought into how what was being said would impact the story later - because I had never planned on writing any futher chapters. Now, 14 chapters later, I'm trying to write Akuze and I'm stuck writing around a sentence from that first chapter. And it's becoming something of a pain - leaving me two choices: keep trying to write around the orginial sentence, to the potential detriment of the story or go back and edit the original chapter.

So - have you ever done anything similar?

Yep! 

Some of the chapters I've written have changed from the original in a lot of ways. Probably for the best.  One chapter in particular... I wasn't all that interested in developing Oriana(intentially named "Orianna") in my story. So shipped her off first chance I got.  That, however, is not what I have now published.   Oriana is still tagging along with Miranda and the crew.  It came about when I polled the readers and some wanted her onboard.  So I change it...

So now, with my latest chapter. I have written the last half two ways.  Not quite sure what way I want to go with it... may need some input from readers/non-readers of my fic.  I think the whole plot of the antagonist wanting Oriana is so overused.  And developing creative ways for the Antagonist(Henry Lawson) to irratate? Miranda and her sister.

Should I just kill the antagonist hounding Miranda and her sister...   Or do I let Miranda suffer some more with her father still haunting her.   Main problem... I'm close but not close enough to ME3.  Not sure if I want Henry to survive until Sanctuary in ME3.  Not really interested in writing the ME3 story stuff other than referencing it in the next fic.

Found this link interesting: http://terribleminds...ut-antagonists/

Modifié par enayasoul, 23 mars 2013 - 04:49 .

[nrobbiec]

Has anyone ever tackled killing a character off in an original story, that is outside of the possible in-game deaths, like post-ME3?

[Ignis Mors]

nrobbiec wrote...

Has anyone ever tackled killing a character off in an original story, that is outside of the possible in-game deaths, like post-ME3?

Once I tried to kill off Kasumi in a side-arc, but I was too sad about her being dead so I did a retcon.