Topic 6: The CoTH-Universe
This is something I've been trying to do for sometime. At first It really wasn't my intention because I figured it didn't matter. But the longer I've been here I've understood that the community is one of our strengths.
'Well, Ro' what are you talking about?"
The CoTH universe idea is named after The Marvel Universe or the DC Universe. I Can't speak for DC because I don't really care for them as much, but Marvel in the beginning used to be a series of comic stories independant of each other. Just as Spider-man, X-men and fantastic four were under the same publishing company, they never interacted, or were even considered to be in the same 'New york' state the chars were all based in. It wasn't until I want to say a Hulk Crossover, I could be wrong that marvel realized it would be awesome to have their chars all under an umbrella world. Having spider-man's story effect the x-men's story. This is something that is done here on CoTH but on a small level, and limited only to who we RP with and feel comfortable with. I propose to those on CoTH's roster from those leading storylines, and active guilds, to those who are hungry to start RP and change things, that we come together.
Apheretos was -extremely- close to doing this, and think we should assist him. But our stories wouldn't have to mesh to the point where they're one mass book. And we wont have to really take elements from one story that we don't necessarily like. For instance, Spider-man's story is still his own, some of his vilians and problems are unique to him and wouldn't even effect the others around him unless they chose to get involved. But sometimes a threat approaches over all stories and their reactions lead them to come together. Or perhaps two characters meet briefly, just for a simple cross over, to introduce them so later they can join in the fray if things happen. As I said this to an extent happens, but you have others who are very private with RP ( which is fine ) making up storylines that only exist to their characters and is even avoided when others are around. To each is own but that seems like a waste.
And there are some of us, (myself included) who don't speak to others simply because we just don't know them. But perhaps RP could grow if we reach out. I will do this in the future, so don't be caught off guard if I send you a PM asking for RP.
For instance, Bovel has an excellent way of storytelling and keeping RP organized and together, probably one of the best ways I've ever seen it done. I tell him this quite often, I wanted to incorporate his storyline into one of my own, not -mix- the elements or change how either of us do things, but intersect the story like a double helix before our stories would be independant again. Does that make sense? But due to that interaction our stories ( depending on the people ) could come and go freely within each other, if the two players leading the stories were closer elements could leak over to another. I do this to bring up a few issues. A lot of storylines are soo awesome and incorporate people but are composed of their own trials, enemies allies and whatever. It can't effect our world, but it -can- effect our community. What I've started to realize is on our own lowered scale -we- are the lore characters. The Aristocrats, the Pirates, The Outcasts, The Heroes, The Villians, because if one of our own villians appear, who is going to stop them? Not Thrall, Not Stormwind's army. -We- are. We're the ones changing the movement of the world, because we're the only thing making moves. Lore Chars are on a standstill and will be until cataclysm. In which they will stop abruptly once more.
I think the Council of Blades was an excellent example of this and showed how awesome it could be. You had such a awesome cast of characters that had all had awesome stories Independent of each other. If you missed out on this amazing super group then quit reading this and look up this.
The Council of Blades Keep in mind at the time this was composed of a lot of well known characters, some even guild leaders of pretty active guilds. They came together and brought a lot of the RP they had into one thing. So when they had events it was easier to hop in, because you at least knew a character, who knew a character who knew one of them or was allied with them. Now the point of this isn't to glorify the leaders, or participants. Nor is it a reason for CoTh's most active to come together and muscle out RP, but there are issues that we all have that I think can be solved with a little communication and coming together.
Events usually intersect as far as time concerns, and usually one event gets favored over the other. I've done it to people's events, and it's been done to me. Perhaps if the RP stories were webbed, The smaller event could join the larger one, but still make it an event for their own guild and storyline even though they were just participating. It'd be different because it was from another entities' perspective. Also I know this won't always work but its something to think about. I also think it would be ways for those with little activity to participate in larger scale events, and we could also make larger scaled events if the result changed multiple guilds or storylines from their own respective perspectives. Eclipse.
Guild/storyline war would be easier this way. We shouldn't make two guilds up just to fight each other. We should take two guilds/storylines independent of each other, or make them establish them, then have them fight or have conflict. Because there needs to be something to fall back on, or keep the story going while feuding. Both parties need to be active and of a hive mind for the other way to work out. This also can help villains, you do not know how close I was on many occasions to make a 'Legion of Doom'-esque proposal. Because it's hard out here for bad guys and we could all use a little help. Yeah we have different types and people don't like those types but I say if the person portrays their character consistently, and well then you just have to realize you dislike them because of personal preference and not lack of convincing RP ability. Plus everyone plays differently because we are different. If you line up Batman's bad guys they're all crazy but different, and they even look at each other condescendingly in some instances but work together due to a common enemy. Riddler, Joker, Two-face, Bane, Penguin, Mr. Freeze and Scarecrow are all insane, great villains but radically different. Its the same with heroes, The avengers or the justice league are composed of different types of heroes from squeaky-clean goody two shoes to, vigilante anti-heroes.
I'm not proposing that we make councils or teams for either alignment. But I think we should try to mix our elements more, let our RP come together, lets combine cliques. Worth a shot.
Side note.
I'm also looking for a group of writers, or those who enjoy writing storylines and things on the forum, as well as RP ingame. I'd like to bounce ideas to start a new twist in things, perhaps through new characters or existing ones. I'd like to find the people see what common interests we have and go from there. I have a few ideas in the works with GM's but if you have some I'd much rather hear those. I think we can really get people together if we do that. Others may like someone elses RP but our characters just wouldn't meet. This may go around that. I've always proposed the idea of a server wide guild. One we could join and all be a team or a large army or whatever an organization unique to the server and fought GM targeted villians and storylines but never worked out. What do you think?