Getting it together.

[Anastasia]

See title.

After some waffling and various delays, I'd like to get this project going again. To begin with; Drac. Could you recap what we have in mind and we work from there. I say this because I still haven'ts een logs and I want everyone to be clear on this.

From there, I'd like to get going with everyone trying their hand at articles.

[Dracos]

The logs of the meeting

Session Start: Fri Feb 11 19:21:03 2005
Session Ident: #srnewspaper
[19:21] * Now talking in #srnewspaper
[19:21] * ChanServ sets mode: +o Dracos
[19:21] <Dracos> Let us...gather the troops.
[19:21] <Anastasia> Yes. Ragnar will see that when he returns. I'll poke Rat on PM, as well as Koneko if she's alive right now. Who else?
[19:22] <Dracos> Hal, Edward, KLSymph, and did we have anyone else?
[19:22] * C-Rat (WinNT@c211-28-166-230.eburwd2.vic.optusnet.com.au) has joined #srnewspaper
[19:22] * ChanServ sets mode: +o C-Rat
[19:23] <Dracos> Yo
[19:23] <C-Rat> Yo
[19:23] <C-Rat> Um.
[19:23] <C-Rat> Well.
[19:23] <Dracos> DEATH TO ALL RATTERS!
[19:23] <C-Rat> Hey, how about *fuck you*?
[19:23] <Dracos> =d
[19:23] <Dracos> How goes?
[19:23] * Halbarad (~coderhal@pat.harte-hanks.com) has joined #srnewspaper
[19:23] <C-Rat> I got a job!
[19:24] <Dracos> Awesome.
[19:24] <C-Rat> It'll just pay for my amenites fee at uni.
[19:24] <C-Rat> I love temp work. >_>
[19:24] * Halbarad is glad to be permanent, thank you.
[19:25] * C-Rat wouldn't mind some permanent work, but for now, this is very good.
[19:27] <Anastasia> Think Koneko is asleep right now. You know for sure, Rat?
[19:27] <Halbarad> I love data calls that push back my breaks. =_=
[19:28] <C-Rat> No.
[19:28] <C-Rat> I assume she is.
[19:28] <C-Rat> If she wasn't, she'd message me. :D
[19:28] <Anastasia> Yeah, probably. If she stirs, great, if not...well...durn.
[19:29] <C-Rat> Welllll.
[19:29] <C-Rat> So, who's chairing todays meeting?
[19:29] * Ragnar (Ragnar@dialup-4.155.246.169.Dial1.Baltimore1.Level3.net) has joined #srnewspaper
[19:29] * ChanServ sets mode: +o Ragnar
[19:29] <Anastasia> Hiya.
[19:30] * Anastasia sets mode: +o Halbarad
[19:30] <Ragnar> Yo.
[19:30] <Anastasia> Drac, probably, at least at first. Mmm, any word on Edward of KL?
[19:30] <Anastasia> Or.
[19:31] <Ragnar> What'd I miss?
[19:31] <Dracos> Poking KL
[19:31] <Dracos> haven't seen Ed yet tonight.
[19:31] * Anastasia nods. I recall he's an evening IRCer due to work and on the west coast?
[19:34] <C-Rat> http://www.omg.com/
[19:35] <Ragnar> (Have we started yet?)
[19:35] <C-Rat> (No.)
[19:35] <Ragnar> (Good.)
[19:36] <Dracos> Okay, KLSymph is trying to get on irc.
[19:36] <Dracos> And yes, he is.
[19:36] <Anastasia> A'right.
[19:40] <Ragnar> Here we go.
[19:40] * KLSymph (~3ffc4363@vs2.svartalfheim.net) has joined #srnewspaper
[19:40] * Anastasia sets mode: +o KLSymph
[19:40] <Anastasia> Hiya.
[19:40] <KLSymph> hey, how's it going?
[19:41] <Dracos> Doomish. =)
[19:41] <Anastasia> Getting stuff together. On that note brb for a few.
[19:44] <Dracos> KLSymph: We'll be a bit.  Still trying to get a few more people in.
[19:45] <KLSymph> it's alright
[19:46] <C-Rat> Ok, I'm gonna play a game. bbl
[19:50] <Dracos> >_>
[19:50] <Dracos> Bad ratty.
[19:55] * Brian (~photonear@netblock-66-245-248-138.dslextreme.com) has joined #srnewspaper
[19:56] * Dracos waves to lurkerfu.
[19:56] <Dracos> =D
[19:56] * Anastasia sets mode: +o Brian
[19:56] * Anastasia returns.
[19:57] <Anastasia> And hiya, Brian.
[19:57] <Anastasia> Okay, Drac. We do you want to start?
[19:58] <Ragnar> In English?
[19:58] 4Disconnect notice: Disconnected from EsperNet. Attempting to reconnect in 30 seconds...
[19:58] <Dracos> In English?  Now. =P
[19:58] <Dracos> Ed will come in when he comes in.
[19:58] <Dracos> it's 8 pm and some folks will end up wandering if we take forever.
[19:59] <Anastasia> Gaj/
[19:59] <Anastasia> Gah.
[19:59] <Anastasia> Wow, my typos are strong tonight.
[20:00] <Anastasia> Oka.
[20:00] <Anastasia> Okay.
[20:00] <Ragnar> You been drinking again?
[20:00] <Dracos> >_>
[20:00] <Dracos> Anyhow, first up, let's pull out the prototype
[20:01] <Dracos> so everyone has a good idea where we currently are.
[20:02] <Anastasia> http://coecs.ou.edu/Mario.Chiock/srnp/
[20:04] <Anastasia> This is the draft we've throw up. Debatable on the raw setup and presentation, but the jist of what we have article wise is there.
[20:04] <Dracos> Current thoughts on the layout: It's the best so far, though if we could figure out some way to add in a bit of art, it'd be better, but I don't think we can.  Workable and it keeps the focus on the articles.  
[20:05] 4Disconnect notice: Disconnected from EsperNet. Attempting to reconnect in 30 seconds...
[20:05] *** Your nickname is already Dracos
[20:06] 4Disconnect notice: Disconnected from alliance-irc. Attempting to reconnect in 30 seconds...
[20:06] * Disconnected
[20:07] * Rejoined channel #srnewspaper
[20:07] <Anastasia> And we all get to point and laugh at peer boy.
[20:07] <Anastasia> <Dracos> Current thoughts on the layout: It's the best so far, though if we could figure out some way to add in a bit of art, it'd be better, but I don't think we can.  Workable and it keeps the focus on the articles.  
[20:07] <Anastasia> * Anastasia nods. With the nature of the games, I suspect art would be highly hit and miss at best, anyhow. Barring an original artist or a Photoshop arc, anyway.
[20:07] <Anastasia> > Ace. I sigh.
[20:07] <Anastasia> > While the former idea could kick worlds of ass, good artists don't fall off trees, and the latter is likely to be hard to obtain and time consuming to execute.
[20:07] <Anastasia> * Drac-work (~WinNT@mankey-33.dynamic.rpi.edu) has joined #srnewspaper
[20:07] <Anastasia> > And we all get to point and laugh at peer boy.
[20:07] <Ragnar> Waaaugh!
[20:07] <Drac-work> Brian, might be interested.
[20:08] <Drac-work> He can read over later and see.
[20:09] <Ragnar> Is he an artist? I don't think I knew if he was.
[20:09] * Dracos (~WinNT@mankey-33.dynamic.rpi.edu) Quit (Ping timeout: 244 seconds)
[20:09] <Halbarad> I don't believe he's an artist, no.
[20:10] <Drac-work> He's not an artist.
[20:10] * Anastasia nods.
[20:10] <Drac-work> But he does like photoshopping quite a bit.
[20:10] <Drac-work> Anyhow, it was a thought.
[20:10] <Ragnar> Ah.
[20:10] <Drac-work> We shouldn't expect such in our ranges.
[20:10] <Drac-work> what should be in our capability to produce is witty and interesting storytelling.
[20:10] <Drac-work> =)
[20:12] <Drac-work> And am I running this meeting or is Dune? ^^;
[20:13] <Anastasia> Sorry, lagged.
[20:13] <Drac-work> Ah
[20:13] <Drac-work> =)
[20:13] <Anastasia> [C-Rat PING reply]: 59secs
[20:13] <Anastasia> So, lemme read up.
[20:13] <Anastasia> You go ahead, Drac.
[20:14] * Anastasia sets mode: +o Drac-work
[20:16] <Drac-work> Okay...
[20:16] <Drac-work> ^^;
[20:16] <Drac-work> Anyhow, Everyone's looked over what we've got so far, right?
[20:17] <Ragnar> Right.
[20:17] <Anastasia> Hold on a minute. Edward just go tin.
[20:17] * Drac-work is now known as Dracos
[20:19] <Ragnar> You really are having problems typing tonight.
[20:19] * Edward (Ed@ts001d0212.eng-co.xod.concentric.net) has joined #srnewspaper
[20:19] <Dracos> Heya Edward
[20:19] <Edward> Hi
[20:19] <Dracos> Ana, can you get him the logs so far?
[20:19] <Dracos> and the link?
[20:19] <Anastasia> Sure.
[20:20] <Anastasia> http://coecs.ou.edu/Mario.Chiock/srnp/
[20:20] <Anastasia> The link.
[20:20] <Edward> Already got it from Dracos.
[20:20] <Anastasia> Ah, okay.
[20:20] <Dracos> *nods*
[20:21] <Dracos> Anyhow, our goal here is to go from that to getting it with the spark of a creative fiction done in a sort of journalistic format.
[20:21] <Dracos> The idea being to use the games as sort of inspiration/source material and release a fictional newspaper on it.
[20:22] <Dracos> Dune or hal can probably explain it better.
[20:22] <Dracos> =)
[20:22] <Edward> heh
[20:22] <Halbarad> Not at the moment, I can't.
[20:22] * Halbarad curses work roundly.
[20:22] <Anastasia> Heh. Okay.
[20:23] <Anastasia> The simplest way to begin is to show you a source of inspiration that we're basing this project off of.
[20:23] <Anastasia> http://bobbincranbud.com/bobbincranbudpresents/rpgi/rpgibackissues.htm
[20:23] <Anastasia> It uses video games as it's base, basically.
[20:25] <Edward> But the idea is to use forum games as the base.
[20:25] * Anastasia nods.
[20:26] <C-Rat> Do we discriminate between living and dead games?
[20:26] <Halbarad> The one thing I have to toss in here is this: Don't simply use currently running games as inspiration. If you want to draw in older games, do so - check with the GM first if you're not sure, but draw from anything that's run on SR previously.
[20:26] <Halbarad> If we limit this to current games, there's really not a lot to work with, and it'll wreak havoc as games come and go otherwise.
[20:26] <Ragnar> True.
[20:27] <C-Rat> Well, that answers my concern nicely.
[20:27] <Halbarad> Someone could be carrying a storyline with a game that's running, disaster hits it, and it collapses, and then the newspaper is left hanging as well.
[20:27] <Ragnar> e.g. Mr. Roundbottom.
[20:27] <C-Rat> Ok, that's cool.
[20:27] <KLSymph> Is it simply standalone newspaper articles about games, or is "the newspaper" itself a story?
[20:27] <C-Rat> Good source of inspiriation, too.
[20:28] <C-Rat> I don't think it was as such- but there's nothing stopping us from creating original articles that follow a theme.
[20:28] <C-Rat> So it *could* be.
[20:28] <Dracos> KLsymph: Well, yes, sort of.  There's no problem with it being so.
[20:28] <Dracos> But I want to keep to it generally staying along theme.
[20:29] <Dracos> It'll always be the dream : This kind of article doesn't quite fit with the idea.
[20:29] <C-Rat> Well, that was written in the brainstorming stages.
[20:29] <C-Rat> So there's no problem taking it out.
[20:29] <Dracos> Yeah, it was a test article.
[20:29] * Dracos wasn't intending to scrutinize, so much as provide contrast.
[20:30] <C-Rat> Do we have an odd spot?
[20:30] <Dracos> hm?
[20:30] <Ragnar> I've got one on my rug.
[20:30] <C-Rat> A very short thing (often only three-four sentences) detailing something bizzare that's happened.
[20:30] <C-Rat> There's one in my newspaper.
[20:31] <Dracos> Sure, you guys can. =)
[20:31] <C-Rat> Yesterdays was 'A british army pilot has been disciplined for using an attack helicopter to deliver a pizza.'
[20:31] * Dracos isn't running this. Is more just making sure it goes in the right direction.
[20:32] <Ragnar> Earlier today, I was working on an interview with Mr. Bolverk on his opinions and such. Would this be acceptable?
[20:32] <Halbarad> Interviews aren't a bad idea.
[20:33] <C-Rat> Do we have a 'letters' section?
[20:33] <Dracos> Sure.  Stuff 'about' the fantasy 'world/worlds' can work.  
[20:33] <Halbarad> The RPGI (which is something of the inspiration for this) treated the characters in the game more as minor celebrities rather than strictly as the characters from the games themselves. Doing so here might give you a bit more flexibility with storylines.
[20:33] <Dracos> Just keep the 4th wall.
[20:34] <Halbarad> They had their roles in their respective games, but rather than being JUST that character in that worldset, they were aware of a larger 'multiverse' around them and acted like folks you'd see in a tabloid newspaper.
[20:35] <C-Rat> Sort of like actors.
[20:38] <Halbarad> Yeah, and their major roles were the roles they played in their games.
[20:40] <Ragnar> Gotcha.
[20:41] <Ragnar> Anything else?
[20:41] <Halbarad> You don't HAVE to do that here, but it might give you more room to play around with the characters.
[20:43] <Dracos> Okay...lots of silence from half the folks here. =)
[20:43] <Dracos> What do you guys think of this?
[20:43] <Ragnar> Sounds good.
[20:43] <KLSymph> I think I need to start reading the games.
[20:43] <Ragnar> Right now I'm reading EB and Overlords.
[20:44] <C-Rat> Well.
[20:44] <C-Rat> I gotta go for a bit, but I've seen most of what I think I need to.
[20:44] <C-Rat> I'll check logs later.
[20:46] <Edward> If you work it as if the character was an actor, it would probably be best to clear it with both the GM and the player.
[20:46] <Ragnar> I'm afraid I've got to hop off as well.
[20:46] * Shuten (~epyonscyt@ip68-10-219-6.hr.hr.cox.net) has joined #srnewspaper
[20:46] * Dracos nods.
[20:46] <Dracos> Heya Shuten.
[20:46] <Shuten> 'lo, Dracos
[20:47] <Shuten> Figured I should at least observe things.
[20:47] <Edward> Also, wouldn't most of the potential humor be lost on those not familiar with a particular game?
[20:47] <Ragnar> We can try to work around that.
[20:48] * Anastasia needs to bail as well, someone else has to use the computer. I'll get logs from DRac or Rat in the morning.
[20:48] <Dracos> ^^;
[20:48] <Dracos> Wow, bailcity!
[20:48] <Dracos> =D
[20:48] * Anastasia sets mode: +oo Edward Shuten
[20:48] <Dracos> Anyhow
[20:48] <Halbarad> Any in-jokes would be lost, but not everything has to be an in-joke.
[20:48] <Dracos> Yeah.  exactly.
[20:48] <Dracos> You can read funny articles that introduce the comedy inside of them.
[20:48] <Halbarad> Exactly.
[20:49] <Dracos> The onion, for example, often is funny even without the context of who they are lampooning.
[20:49] * Anastasia (~Dunefar@ip68-10-129-226.hr.hr.cox.net) Quit (Quit: -=SysReset 2.53=-)
[20:50] * Halbarad nods.
[20:50] <Halbarad> If you DO understand who they're lampooning, it's that much funnier, but you don't have to know.
[20:50] <KLSymph> Is the paper "published" every mandatory so-and-so time frame? Post an article whenever one's written? Wait until enough articles are written and the post all at once?
[20:51] <Dracos> The idea is a once per two week deal.
[20:51] <Dracos> Long enough to give you guys time to write stuff
[20:51] <Halbarad> I'd say there does need to be a deadline of some sort, yes. Otherwise people will procrastinate endlessly.
[20:51] <Dracos> and short enough so that folks pay some attention to it.
[20:52] <Dracos> It'd be awesome to do a once a week deal...but I think that's well outside our resources.
[20:52] <Ragnar> Right now, definitely.
[20:54] <Ragnar> G'night.
[20:54] * Ragnar (Ragnar@dialup-4.155.246.169.Dial1.Baltimore1.Level3.net) Quit (Quit: Not magic, Jo. Science!)
[20:55] <Dracos> So, as hasn't been asked yet: KLsymph, Edward...interested in signing on with this and helping out?
[20:56] <Edward> I'm not sure.  I'm only really familiar with one game on the forum, the one I'm in.
[20:57] <KLSymph> Do you mind if I wait one or two editions of the paper before signing on? I'd rather watch for a while before deciding, actually.
[20:58] <Dracos> hum.
[20:59] <Edward> I'd probably need to do that anyway based on my lack of knowledge.
[21:00] <Dracos> well, mainly trying to get more folks signed on in general.  :\  Notice the small numbers here really.
[21:09] <Dracos> Anyhow, if you guys want to sit on the side and watch for a bit...I guess that's fine.  But we could really use the writing help.  The idea is to keep working on it in the background for a bit until we reach that whole: Folks would enjoy reading this level.
[21:13] <KLSymph> By "working on it in the background" do you mean "working on it but not draw attention to it"? Or rather "not make it publically viewable, but only for practice"?
[21:16] <Dracos>  "not make it publically viewable, but only for practice"?
[21:17] <Dracos> Basically, I don't intend to attach it to where folks can see it until both the people writing it and I am happy with it.
[21:36] * Retrieving #srnewspaper modes...
[21:36] * Dracos changes topic to 'Meeting...over,yes.'
[21:43] * KLSymph (~3ffc4363@vs2.svartalfheim.net) has left #srnewspaper
[21:44] * Halbarad (~coderhal@pat.harte-hanks.com) has left #srnewspaper
[21:55] * Edward (Ed@ts001d0212.eng-co.xod.concentric.net) has left #srnewspaper
[21:56] <Dracos> hum
[22:20] * Shuten (~epyonscyt@ip68-10-219-6.hr.hr.cox.net) has left #srnewspaper
Session Time: Sat Feb 12 00:00:01 2005
[00:08] * Brian is edjumacated.
[00:10] <Dracos> Whadyathink?
[00:17] <Brian> Well.
[00:17] <Brian> I think.
[00:18] <Brian> I need sleep.
[00:18] <Brian> I have a point.
[00:18] <Brian> And a relevant question.
[00:18] <Brian> Neither of which occur to me at this exact moment.
[00:18] <C-Rat> In which case, you have neither! O_O
[01:49] <Dracos> heh
[03:00] * Brian (~photonear@netblock-66-245-248-138.dslextreme.com) Quit (Ping timeout: 244 seconds)
[04:58] * Brian (~photonear@netblock-66-245-248-138.dslextreme.com) has joined #srnewspaper
[08:16] * Dracos is now known as Drac-sick
[08:35] * C-Rat (WinNT@c211-28-166-230.eburwd2.vic.optusnet.com.au) Quit (Read error: Connection reset by peer)
[10:04] * Disconnected
Session Close: Sat Feb 12 15:47:32 2005

[Dracos]

Now, with logs posted:

The idea is to create an interesting fictional world.  A running fanfic drawing inspiration from the games on the board, past and present.  Expanding beyond that is fine and stuff doesn't have to leave the newspaper scope because it's left board scope.  The emphasis is on being entertaining.  We may break it up into seasons later as warrented.  We will be getting you guys set up with an archive and front page linkage.  The idea is that the story will be written from the journalistic perspective.

We've gotten a few here.  We really need to get this off the ground.  A big thanks to those who are helping put this together, but let's not lose focus.

Dracos

[Ragnar]

A running fanfic...

By which you mean all of the articles are continuous and/or related? Or are you referring to some sort of newspaper for a world where all of the events in the games are actually taking place?

[Dracos]

You guys work it out.  It could be one world, it could be a few.  Whatever comes across as more interesting.  =)

Dracos