Let's talk Vocaloid

Continuum questions by Voyd on 2014-12-12 14:53:00 UTC Reply

There are a couple continua that I'm not sure how the we'd handle, for various reasons.

Five Nights at Freddy's

This seems like a difficult continuum to write fanfiction for, and yet it exists. I imagine Five Nights goodfic as presenting theories for the backstory. I can't imagine Suefic in this continuum, but I'm sure it exists. Unfortunately, there isn't really a good in-canon disposal method, as handing a Sue to Freddy is a bit too torturous.

Vocaloid

Oh lord... Vocaloid. How would we even do this? The thing is, the Vocaloids don't have any base characterization; their entire personality varies from song to song. Because of this, I don't know how any of them could be OOC, unless the fanfic in question is based on a specific song (like a Story of Evil-specific fanfic).

Prototype

This is more for story reasons than writing reasons. The Prototype universe just seems like one of the most dangerous places you could possibly send a PPC agent, courtesy of Alex Mercer and beings like him. One screwup and you get eaten, and then the Evolved know about the PPC.

Let's talk Vocaloid by eatpraylove on 2014-12-13 21:49:00 UTC Reply

According to TV Tropes (the other Source of All Knowledge), the Vocaloids are basically animated actors in all the MVs, which explains why their personalities change so drastically between songs ~~(and why Len dies so often)~~.

Fans, however, have created basic personalities for them based off their art, voice, and occasionally behavior in MVs; Kaito is usually portrayed as a goofy manchild, for example, while Gumi and Rin are boisterous if immature and Len and/or Luka are the sane ones. (More info can be found here: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Characters/Vocaloid)

Until Crypton Future Media/BPlats/Internet Co Ltd./whatever other company says something to the contrary, I think the safe thing to do would be to accept said fanon personalities as canon unless, as you said, you're dealing with a fic set in a specific mini-verse like the Story of Evil series.
My Ideas by Asbestoast on 2014-12-12 21:12:00 UTC Reply

I feel FNaF has been covered pretty solidly by these replies, and I know nothing about Vocaloid, so...

Prototype! I think that continuum may need to be handled by the ESAS by default, considering how extremely powerful the normal canon residents are. If a Sue were a being like Mercer, it would absolutely require the use of ESAS personnel anyway, as your average agent wouldn't be able to handle them without a huge risk to themselves and the PPC.

Either way, it would be a VERY risky mission... and that can make for some great reading and writing in the right hands!

That or an APD division. by Ekyl on 2014-12-12 21:42:00 UTC Reply

Part of this is that I don't think the APD gets enough love, admittedly (also, it lessens the implication that ESAS agents are simply "better" than those not in the department and doesn't limit people's writing options), but by definition a division of the All-Purpose Department specialises in tackling its assigned continua and all their relevant quirks - a Star Wars Division agent is expected (and theoretically trained) to handle Force-using Sues and Stus, which are basically godlike threats in themselves, for example. Plus, dealing with the hammer of an uber-powered character like say, Mercer, is something that with creativity doesn't necessarily require just getting a bigger hammer - the player can be killed by the USMC enemies in Prototype, right? Some regular agent having to figure out how to deal with that kind of threat could make quite an interesting story.

Marines and Blackwatch can kill you... at first by Voyd on 2014-12-13 12:50:00 UTC Reply

James Heller gets an upgrade that makes him immune to bullets of all kinds. Eventually, everything stops being a threat.

That sounds rather boring! by Ekyl on 2014-12-13 18:27:00 UTC Reply

I imagine one would get sick of a game pretty fast if they got upgrades that made them literally invincible. Still, agents have killed tougher things - the challenge would make for an interesting mission at the least.

I figure it's up to the writer. by Neshomeh on 2014-12-12 17:42:00 UTC Reply

If a) a missionable fic in one of these continua ever surfaces and b) someone actually decides to take it on, that will be their headache. It might be best just to avoid them.

If you're actually considering it, though, it's just a matter of charging for what's chargeable, working with what you've got, and not worrying about anything else. If there is no canon characterization, you can't charge for OOCness, but you can still charge for bad characterization and all the other hallmarks of terrible writing. If you're in a dangerous world, then you better just take extra care not to blow your cover. A little creativity will solve your Sue-disposal problems: Freddy's is basically a Chuck E. Cheese restaurant, but even more horrifying, right? So there's a kitchen full of sharp objects and sources of fire, and there are dumpsters out back, or maybe a sewer entrance. If you can't work with that, you're not trying hard enough. {= P

~Neshomeh

One wonders if animatronics are affected by SEP fields... (nm) by Ekyl on 2014-12-12 19:58:00 UTC Reply

Well, FNAF is set in modern Earth. Guns would exist. (nm) by Ekyl on 2014-12-12 17:35:00 UTC Reply