Subject: Welcome to Catastrophe Theory
Author:
Posted on: 2015-09-15 15:02:00 UTC
This is basically the plot of the next story in the Catastrophe Theory series. "A small group of Agents race to prevent a PPC-wide Emergency. If they do it right, no one will ever know it happened."
I'm not saying you can't write a similar plot. I just want to make you aware of what is already out there.
-Phobos
So, I have been toying around with some of my Agents, and a funny little idea popped into my head. Well, not funny, exactly, but it's a strange idea. I want to see what everyone thinks of it.
As you may all remember, or for all of the newbies here, who don't know this, the PPC has had several community-wide events called Crises that involve more craziness than usual. Such Crises include "the Crashing Down Crisis," "the Mary Sue Invasion of 2008," "the Macrovirus Crisis," and "the Black Cats Invasion." These don't tend to happen anymore, because these had been growing in intensity and frequency. Because of this, the Board decided to try and void doing these Crises anymore.
Bearing that in mind, I was wondering how difficult it would be for a small group of Agents to keep something that could potentially become a Crisis, or that is already a Crisis, but that doesn't yet directly involve the PPC, from becoming public knowledge, as well as shield the PPC from this Crisis?
I have no details on this concept whatsoever yet. It's just a vague idea. But I was wondering how far I could potentially bring this. If I play my cards right, and it's given a green light, I could take this idea pretty far and keep myself busy with it, compounded with actual missions, for a long time. And the best part is that the Crisis wouldn't be community wide, so no need to get any messy details. such as everyone meeting at the same time for a massive role-play, or whatever.
And of course, I reserve all rights to the idea (so to speak). Especially if it could actually go anywhere. If not, it's still my idea, but I would have to tinker with it a little.
Any thoughts?
Both SeaTurtle and myself have written pieces about agents trying to avoid the Sundering (definitely an Emergency-level event) happening in the future. And Sergio's Blank Sprite also involves agents trying to keep an Emergency-level event hidden.
So, yeah, you can definitely do this kind of thing. But you can't really reserve the rights to it - the idea is already out there :)
- Irish
This is basically the plot of the next story in the Catastrophe Theory series. "A small group of Agents race to prevent a PPC-wide Emergency. If they do it right, no one will ever know it happened."
I'm not saying you can't write a similar plot. I just want to make you aware of what is already out there.
-Phobos
Baridthetroll(at)gmail(dot)com
And they were dubbed such because of several different criteria:
An Emergency is a large-scale, usually highly dangerous event with one or more of the following characteristics:
1. Involves large-scale action at HQ rather than taking place in the Word Worlds
2. Involves many (or all) agents, rather than just a few
3. Forces other Boarders into your story
4. Changes the structure or operation of the PPC
5. Involves large-scale battles
6. Involves a lethal threat to one or more continua
The sort of thing you're talking about ("doesn't yet directly involve the PPC") wouldn't qualify for any of the above. As far as I know, there has never been a 'Secret Emergency' because they've always been loud, violent, and drag everyone in HQ into the story.
Not included in this general dislike of Emergencies are missions that involve calling in backup, events with multiple writers (such as the Australian Indoor-Rules Quiddich games), co-written missions, teaming up to deal with a Legendary Badfic such as That Series, etc.
So I think you'd be pretty golden on this thing, as long as you don't break PPC canon and don't step on anyone else's toes. Look at things like JulyFlame's body-swap RP, or the Blackout. They were/are fun events that hit none of the Emergency 'checklist' points, and still left a decent impact on HQ.
I do have one question, though:
"I have no details on this concept whatsoever yet. It's just a vague idea. ... And of course, I reserve all rights to the idea (so to speak). Especially if it could actually go anywhere."
So... you reserve all rights to an idea you don't really have yet?
Alrighty, then!
Yep, pretty much. Well, I have the idea in its raw form, but it needs some major fleshing out first. But yeah, pretty much.