Answers

Subject: Answers
Author: Hieronymus Graubart
Posted on: 2015-03-21 13:07:00 UTC

(1) Unlike the Anime/Manga Division or the Video Games Division, the missions of the Sub-Department of Rare Fandoms (under "Small DMS Divisions: Rare Fandoms & General Fiction" on The Complete List of PPC Fiction) are to worlds that don’t have much in common, like The A-Team, Phantom of the Opera and Pride and Prejudice. Thus, it is like many small divisions put together, put still too small (and too specialized on Mary Sues) to be a department on its own. The agents in this Sub-Department are probably too specialized in their continuum to work in the Freelance Division, but too few (only one or two agent pairs per word world) to warrant separate divisions.

(2) Historically, the Flowers were the first Agents, before they started to recruit agents from World One and other word worlds. Physically, there is probably not much difference between an RC and an office; it’s just a small room with a console and whatever accommodations the inhabitants need. Flowers and medical staff usually don’t go onto missions, but medics may be called in case of an emergency, and we have seen at least one nurse going into badfics in special circumstances. It seems plausible that just every small, inhabited room in HQ is called a Response Center and gets an RC number by the PPC’s incomprehensible RC numbering system.

(3) Well, I don’t spork, and I don’t even like reading fan fiction much. But I like to read about agents struggling with the badfic, and to think about how my agents would react to the absurd situations encountered in badfic taken literally. If I ever ask for Permission and write missions, it will be for the same reasons other people write fan fiction. Basically, I will write PPC fan fiction, and the sporking will come with it because that is what the PPC canonically does. When Agent Androia Avatar will rant about how Mary Sue has to die now, this will be her personality, not my opinion. (She is a World of Warcraft druid who believes that her duty is to protect and heal her world/all word worlds and its/their natural inhabitants, so intruders beware! At least that’s how her creator perceived the druidic mindset during the few days he actually played the game. Agent Hieronymus will be much more laidback and forgiving, and not happy about the need to follow traditional procedures.) But I’m afraid that I will be more interested in the dynamics of the player and his PC, and how Agent Hieronymus deals with the Pygmalion effect when he learns that Androia hates her unknown creator. It’s a story that can only be told in the absurd non-reality of the PPC. So there may be your answer: a mission is a review disguised as a story, and the enjoyment comes from turning something bad (a series of badfics) into the setup for something good.

HG

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So, a few questions by Data Junkie on 2015-03-20 22:15:00 UTC Reply

A) Do we have a department/division dedicated to the protection of less popular fandoms. Like, I know stuff like LotR are big enough to get their own division within DMS, but do we have, like, an Eclectic Fandom division?

2) How come so many Department and Division Heads seem to have RCs as their office? For that matter, isn't all of Medical technically housed in RCs? Shouldn't we have specific rooms for those kinds of things?

III) On a more serious note, would people be interested in sharing why they spork? I've been having some doubts about the PPC as a whole and I know I'm not the first member to do so, so I figured getting perspectives from other people might be helpful, or at least interesting.

RE: So, a few questions by eatpraylove on 2015-03-23 19:53:00 UTC Reply

The DMS has a "Rare Fandoms and General Fiction" division, according to the Complete List of PPC Fiction. I don't think too many agents there are active now, though. *shrug*

Also, I spork because it's fun and, as much as I try to give people the benefit of the doubt, some things just don't belong on the Internet.
Oldbie response. by Neshomeh on 2015-03-21 20:42:00 UTC Reply

A) Others have covered this, but yeah, you're probably looking at either the DMS, Sub-department of Rare Fandoms; the ADP, [Insert Fandom Here] Division; or Floaters. Depends on whether you want to do just Mary Sue missions for a variety of fandoms, a variety of mission types for just one fandom, or a variety of missions for a variety of fandoms.

2) Why wouldn't they? A response center pretty much is a specialized office, albeit one that gets lived in. They're even described as offices in some stories I've read. Also, where do you find that Medical is housed in RCs? That hasn't been my impression based on stories I've read that feature visits to Medical. Anyway, not every room in HQ is a response center. See the Cafeteria, the Nursery, FicPsych, Intel, the various pubs, the auditoriums, the Armory, DoSAT, the laundry room(s), the Courtyard, and so on and so forth.

III) I got into sporking because I really enjoyed reading PPC stories and I wanted in on the fun of making them. Coming from a role-playing background where messing with other people's characters is practically a capital offense, I was a little nervous about assassinations at first, so that's why my first agent team is in the DIC. I got over it, though, because it's not like we're actually going in and changing their story. It's just a form of commentary. They're allowed to write their canon-warping, language-butchering fanfic, and I'm allowed to write my mission to hyperbolically complain about it. Free speech is awesome like that. {= D

~Neshomeh
Alright then. by Voyd on 2015-03-21 16:37:00 UTC Reply

A) I think you're looking for the All-Purpose Department.

2) Maybe Response Center is a catchall term for the offices/living spaces of the PPC.

III) Catharsis, plain and simple. I see my favorite characters have their personalities mangled, I want to help them, dammit! I'm waiting for an excuse to confirm one of Valon's LOs. I imagine that if Jinx from League of Legends is possessed (or worse, replaced) he'll literally start frothing at the mouth.

Why yes, I do think the blue-haired Joker/Deadpool hybrid is sexy. She's also hilarious, fun to play, cool and terrifying. In my eyes, Jinx represents everything I love about League of Legends. I would not be happy to see her OOC.

A fan of Jinx, huh? by Darkotas on 2015-03-22 04:46:00 UTC Reply

My favorite champs are Twisted Fate and Gangplank. Not as LOs, just thematically. One of my (future) agents may or may not have stolen one of TF's decks to duplicate and use as a weapon...

(On a related note, I'm up for a game or two of League whenever if anyone wants to play. Summoner name is Darkotas, on the NA server. Just let me know first - lots of random friend requests going around from bots, so I've been auto-declining requests.)

Not bad by [EvilAI]UBEROverlord on 2015-03-22 07:59:00 UTC Reply

My favorite is Kayle. Not a question about that.

I've always thought more of her as a Harley Quinn analog... (nm) by Edhelistar on 2015-03-21 16:43:00 UTC Reply

I'll try to answer numbers one and two by ratbrainbasher on 2015-03-21 05:01:00 UTC Reply

First, there are departments and divisions. The former deals with specific types of badfic. The latter deals with anything requiring a more specialized role. For example, there are divisions that deal with specific fandoms, or even a particular type of badfic within the fandom. So you could have one Agent be a part of the DMS, but be able to work in any fandom, because they are not specialized yet.

Second, I would guess that on the subject of RCs, that there is nothing special about them. As in, they were not built with any one function in mind, so they can be easily converted to serve a specific purpose. It would be like building an empty warehouse, and then adding the rooms, wiring, floors, etc. only with more insanity. When you factor in the complete lack of OSHA compliance, it would be easy to knock down and build walls as needed, while adding any tech the inhabitant would need.
Well, to answer your first question... by Iximaz on 2015-03-20 22:27:00 UTC Reply

There's the Sub-department of Rare Fandoms, if that's what you're asking. It basically covers those rare fandoms not many people know about.

Second question... um, I don't know. Someone else would have to answer that. >_
Thirdly, why do I spork? Well, it's fun. I like sending my agents into fanfics and seeing how they react, what creative ways they (and I) can come up with to kill Sues. It also keeps me on my toes regarding my favorite fandoms. If I do happen to come across something I'm unsure about, I look it up to make sure, and that just increases my own knowledge.

I don't actually use my missions to tell authors what they're doing wrong; that would prove too many unwanted tantrums. If I'm browsing the Pit and come across something that has potential to be a good story, I like to offer suggestions and then pray to god they don't take it the wrong way. I got very lucky with my latest find; the author requested I beta read for them and I agreed, so yay! Unfortunately, nobody likes being told their story needs work, even if it's blatantly obvious they have the grammar skills of a three year-old, never mind their skills at storytelling and characterization.

So, I spork for my own amusement, and try to offer concrit in other areas.

Well that just spawned a new question by Data Junkie on 2015-03-20 22:42:00 UTC Reply

Why Sub-Department? Why not just Division? What exactly is the difference anyway? Especially since, as far as I can tell, there's only one sub-department in the PPC.

Also I guess I meant more like "why did you start sporking" but that's my fault for wording.

Answers by Hieronymus Graubart on 2015-03-21 13:07:00 UTC Reply

(1) Unlike the Anime/Manga Division or the Video Games Division, the missions of the Sub-Department of Rare Fandoms (under "Small DMS Divisions: Rare Fandoms & General Fiction" on The Complete List of PPC Fiction) are to worlds that don’t have much in common, like The A-Team, Phantom of the Opera and Pride and Prejudice. Thus, it is like many small divisions put together, put still too small (and too specialized on Mary Sues) to be a department on its own. The agents in this Sub-Department are probably too specialized in their continuum to work in the Freelance Division, but too few (only one or two agent pairs per word world) to warrant separate divisions.

(2) Historically, the Flowers were the first Agents, before they started to recruit agents from World One and other word worlds. Physically, there is probably not much difference between an RC and an office; it’s just a small room with a console and whatever accommodations the inhabitants need. Flowers and medical staff usually don’t go onto missions, but medics may be called in case of an emergency, and we have seen at least one nurse going into badfics in special circumstances. It seems plausible that just every small, inhabited room in HQ is called a Response Center and gets an RC number by the PPC’s incomprehensible RC numbering system.

(3) Well, I don’t spork, and I don’t even like reading fan fiction much. But I like to read about agents struggling with the badfic, and to think about how my agents would react to the absurd situations encountered in badfic taken literally. If I ever ask for Permission and write missions, it will be for the same reasons other people write fan fiction. Basically, I will write PPC fan fiction, and the sporking will come with it because that is what the PPC canonically does. When Agent Androia Avatar will rant about how Mary Sue has to die now, this will be her personality, not my opinion. (She is a World of Warcraft druid who believes that her duty is to protect and heal her world/all word worlds and its/their natural inhabitants, so intruders beware! At least that’s how her creator perceived the druidic mindset during the few days he actually played the game. Agent Hieronymus will be much more laidback and forgiving, and not happy about the need to follow traditional procedures.) But I’m afraid that I will be more interested in the dynamics of the player and his PC, and how Agent Hieronymus deals with the Pygmalion effect when he learns that Androia hates her unknown creator. It’s a story that can only be told in the absurd non-reality of the PPC. So there may be your answer: a mission is a review disguised as a story, and the enjoyment comes from turning something bad (a series of badfics) into the setup for something good.

HG
It's to go with the Dom-Department. =] by Scapegrace on 2015-03-20 23:17:00 UTC Reply

The Notary does a surprising amount of filing there.

You can't unsee it.

Ever.