and some answers

A list of questions... by Cinnia Aine on 2009-05-13 22:52:00 UTC Reply

I kept myself from asking these over the past month until I had more than two. So, here they are:

1. Are you allowed to create your own stuff for the PPC? (e.g. gadgets, machines, technology)

2. Can minis be created from names other than character names? (e.g. misspellings of the words "Griffindor" or "Rivendell")

3. Are misspelled surnames used as minis?

4. Can some AUs be deemed as badfic? If so, what would deem them as badfic? For this one, I only ask because I saw a AU story that had me cringing.
Here's the link: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4648148/1/TheOnlyVolunteer
For those who haven't read the "Protector of the Small" quartet by Tamora Pierce, think of it as a Draco/Hermione shipfic.

There's a TP section in the Pit? by thejadefalcon on 2009-05-14 10:21:00 UTC Reply

It's been years since I read the books (my favourite was the Wild Magic series), so could you give me a bit of a rundown of exactly who Joren is? I know Keladry is the heroine and Daine is awesome, but I can't for the life of me remember Joren.

Here's the rundown: by Cinnia Aine on 2009-05-14 22:32:00 UTC Reply

Joren (as quoted from the TP wikia):

"Joren of Stone Mountain is the son of Burchard of Stone Mountain. He is very much a conservative and appears in First Test, Page and Squire as the main nemesis of Keladry of Mindelan, hazing new pages brutally and picking on Kel especially because she was a girl. He arranged the kidnapping of Kel's maid Lalasa and her dog Jump to make Kel miss her exams and was charged for the crimes, but was only forced to pay a fine because he was a noble and Lalasa was not (this lead Kel to ask King Jonathan to change the laws).

In the novel Squire , Joren is found dead in the Chamber of the Ordeal. However, it wasn't the Chamber judging him for his crimes but his own inflexibility that killed him. The Chamber doesn't judge the character, it just tests if the candidate is fit to survive as a knight of the realm. As "Joren could not bend, even a little", he didn't survive the test set for him by the chamber."

Joren has longish white-blond hair, blue eyes and is described in the books by Kel as being "the most beautiful boy she had ever seen," or something like that. (She also mentions that Joren's looks go to the point of almost being feminine.)

I personally just think that he's a rival character of Kel and the Suethors should leave him alone. If they can't write him correctly, then they shouldn't bother with trying until they learn how. Poor boy. He's an absolute fangirl magnet.

Thanks... by thejadefalcon on 2009-05-16 10:49:00 UTC Reply

I think I remember him now. God, I need to reread the Pierce books.

"Joren has longish white-blond hair, blue eyes"

*gasps* That's it! All males that look like that are doomed to be destroyed by fanfiction authors. Draco! Legolas! Joren! It all makes sense now!

and some answers by Pads on 2009-05-13 23:52:00 UTC Reply
1. A provisional yes, dependent upon the specifics of each case. If it fits the general feel of the PPC, doesn't grant your agents Sueish powers, and doesn't interfere with anyone else's PPC writings, go for it. If you're thinking a piece of technology that would somehow radically change the way your agents tackle missions, and that would have ramifications throughout HQ, best to check with the other Boarders on a case by case basis. Basically the rule is: so long as you stick to the PPC spirit and don't tread on anyone's toes, and remember the aim is comedy, you're fine.
  
  2. and 3. Depends if the mission will be improved by the creation of one, really. If the mini adds nothing, best not to bother. A surname would certainly create a mini; on place names I'm not entirely sure.
  
  4. Just because a fic is AU doesn't mean it's not bad. Granted I do Bad Slash, not Sues, so the detail of Sues in AUs I'm not familiar with, but I'd guess the principle is the same. In the DBS we charge for implausible sex, implausible characterisation, implausible lube, implausible biology etc. These things are a constant whether the fic is AU or not. I'd guess with Sues the same is true - a Sue is a Sue, whether in the original canon, a straight fanfic, or an AU. And if she's enough of a Sue to warrant killing, that should be obvious whether the fic's labelled AU or not.

As an example... Presenting the Capillary Towel! by Sedri on 2009-05-14 06:10:00 UTC Reply

Trojie and I came up with it when we had a puddle of blood to clean up from the floor of a canonical room. We needed some way to restore the room and canon restoration wasn't going to do it, so we created a Towel that soaks up blood and deposits it in a plothole. It didn't make our jobs any easier and is the sort of thing you'd expect HQ to supply us with anyway. So that was perfectly fine.

And yes, that was mainly written as an advertisement.

As for Question #4, I'll just second Pads - using the "AU" label is one of the cheapest and most common ways badfic authors try to claim that their work is good. Ignore it. Most Suefics are AU by default anyway.
Thanks. by Cinnia Aine on 2009-05-14 00:29:00 UTC Reply

Also, about your answer to number four, I think that the author completely made a Possessed!Sue of one, if not more, of the characters in that shipfic. Checklist:

* Long, lengthy descriptions about gorgeous looks, namely the eyes.

* "Chauvinistic Prig" attitude.

* Author-created "pity-party" problem. (She gives the character dyslexia. At least the symptoms are fairly correct.)

* Author-added abusing and overly-controlling family members.

Those were the ones that tipped me off. I've noticed that all are traits of those "reformed evil" Sues.

Re: Thanks. by Pads on 2009-05-14 01:11:00 UTC Reply

That's Malfoy, aye? *sigh* Why does no one ever write the poor little bastard right?

Actually... by Cinnia Aine on 2009-05-14 05:37:00 UTC Reply

I meant that the relationship that this author is trying to pull off from the "Protector of the Small" quartet is being compared to a Draco/Hermione shipfic. You know, the classic "evil rival from school suddenly falls for heroine" story. Joren from this series acts pretty much just like Draco. Sorry for the confusion.

You're right, of course. Badfic authors never write the two correctly. Never.

On the subject of new tech... by Ugolino on 2009-05-14 00:09:00 UTC Reply

I actually had a piece of equipment in mind. Modified sunglasses for usage in the Warhammer 40k continuum and other continua with Eldritch Horrors/things which can drive people mad by being looked at. Based on Zaphod's sunglasses in "the Restaurant at the End of the Universe", they blur or black out the relevant object/being (eg. Slaneesh/Cthulhu/Chaos icons and symbols...).

High turnover rate or no, Warhammer 40 k Agents must have some way of resisting going mad from looking at Chaos stuff after the 3rd mission or so...

Re: On the subject of new tech... by Pads on 2009-05-14 00:19:00 UTC Reply

So long as there's thought gone into it and it's not going to give your agents super powers that detract from the missions, go for it. And with something like those glasses, they're a bit specialised, so they're not going to provide a constant advantage. Works fine.

A second idea. by Ugolino on 2009-05-14 00:23:00 UTC Reply

A full-body pressure suit for use in badfics which really, really overdo the bold. Bonus: somewhat enhanced strength. Downside: slow movement and resulting probable limb loss.

And a third! by Farseer Lolotea on 2009-05-15 09:06:00 UTC Reply

What about a positioning system that allows agents to track each other down if they get separated?

I'm pretty sure RAs already have a "home in on partner" by Ugolino on 2009-05-15 14:51:00 UTC Reply

setting, or at least one that can find Agent uniform tags. If not, I need to revise an old mission.

They do. (nm) by Cassie Cameron-Young on 2009-05-15 15:59:00 UTC Reply

Okay...that makes things much easier. by Farseer Lolotea on 2009-05-15 18:40:00 UTC Reply

Not that they really end up needing it; the fic makes it pretty clear that the Sue had left a trail.