So, I was digging through the archives on a nostalgia fueled trip inspired by going to CBG 2.0 and came across this little gem on a list of things we could do.
Quote4. Activities and exercises that help us flex our creative and communicative muscles but don't demand too much time away from our ongoing projects. Maybe one day we can do a thread where we describe the perfect cover for our settings. Perhaps another day we present an aspect of our settings within a certain word limit. Or sometime we can design a short adventure (or adventure hook) for our setting. All in all, these can be things that show what we can do with our settings and show what they are like.
It also reminded me of my old Think-Tanks, which is where we flexed those proverbial muscles to come up with ideas for various topics, which got me thinking:
Would anyone be interested in seeing me revive the Think-Tanks. What they are, essentiall, is a "Hey, here's this concept, how have/would you do it/put your own spin?" thread, for people to post new ideas and get creative juices flowing.
However, there would be a twist this time.
See, what I would like to do is post Think-Tanks with a variety of topics, then pick some entries from each one and put them into a setting. There would be only one setting, a DivSet world that right now I'm calling Terra Blanca - and I'm making it DivSet so people don't feel constrained by the idea of getting their idea into an Ethocentric world. Everyone would of course be credited with their ideas, and I'd likely have a vote feature at the end of each Think Tank to allow people a chance to get in ideas that I may not have found to my liking that the community liked.
Second of all, on an unrelated note, another forum I went to had regularly scheduled contests. It was a Speculative Evolution forum, and the contests were along the lines of "an alternate evolution of species X or filling niche X." The only prize for winning was personal pride in the fact that you won, but it's still a big one and it helped get creative juices churning, which is kind of why we're all here, right? The ones on that site were officially sponsored and had their own forum - what I'm thinking is a separate forum for "Communal Projects and Contests" and while there would be official contests, their could also be things like the Think Tanks posted there and other people could post contests or projects they want to work with others on.
So, those are the ideas I had. Thoughts?
So essentially the think-tanks would be small contests where we decribe an approach to some kind of setting-relevant question and the "best" gets chosen for a communal worldbuilding project?
I like it. The communal worlds on the site tend to die out, but mostly it seems to be an issue with the orignal poster not pushing it enough.
We had some contests hosted by Limetom, (I don't know if you saw any of them while lurking?) but we haven't had one for a while. I thought the contests were a fun addition and I'm really just waiting for someone to make more since I can't come up with a good idea for one and I'm horrible at making badges which seems to be the expected prize in most cases :p
I haven't seen the words "DivSet" and "Ethocentric" used seriously in a long time
I like the ideas.
I'd say try it and see if it works. The reason we don't really have contests is people don't enter. I started one a while back that was open for more than a month but got one entry, almost right on the deadline hour. These, along with collaborative settings, usually fail here. Just a couple of weak points in an otherwise great community.
Quote from: Superfluous CrowSo essentially the think-tanks would be small contests where we decribe an approach to some kind of setting-relevant question and the "best" gets chosen for a communal worldbuilding project?
I like it. The communal worlds on the site tend to die out, but mostly it seems to be an issue with the orignal poster not pushing it enough.
We had some contests hosted by Limetom, (I don't know if you saw any of them while lurking?) but we haven't had one for a while. I thought the contests were a fun addition and I'm really just waiting for someone to make more since I can't come up with a good idea for one and I'm horrible at making badges which seems to be the expected prize in most cases :p
Heh, I'll need to find someone to help me with badges, because I've got no talent there.
And it's kind of that - though there would be one winner from the polling results, in the case of somethings as broad as "Desert culture" or somesuch, I'd likely handpick a couple other ones (any maybe the top 2-3 would go in) to put in the setting so I don't have to run that contest multiple times.
Yeah, Communal projects are awesome and result in some amazing settings...but have a huge problem keeping focus and momentum without someone driving the entire thing, which is part of why there would be me handpicking some and all that since I'd be the "director" of the setting - though I'd never pick/enter an idea of my own, since that'd be kind of unfair. :P My ideas would only come into play when I'm meshing the world together.
Quote from: Elven DoritosI haven't seen the words "DivSet" and "Ethocentric" used seriously in a long time
That went out of style when I was gone? Shame, figured that had become part of CBG lore at this point. Oh, I remember those old debates fondly. :P
Quote from: Ninja D!I like the ideas.
I'd say try it and see if it works. The reason we don't really have contests is people don't enter. I started one a while back that was open for more than a month but got one entry, almost right on the deadline hour. These, along with collaborative settings, usually fail here. Just a couple of weak points in an otherwise great community.
Yeah, the lack of people not entering is something I'm hoping to overcome, partially why I'm making this "interest gauging" thread to see if there is an interest in them at all. Maybe I should add a poll...
I actually planned on having a board area for contests on 2.0. You're free to use it as much as you wish. I also plan on having site sponsored contests (including some with real prizes).
Just because DivSet and Ethocentric aren't in wide use anymore is no reason to let them vanish entirely. Save the words!
Quote from: Superfluous CrowJust because DivSet and Ethocentric aren't in wide use anymore is no reason to let them vanish entirely. Save the words!
Counterpoint: Words nobody knows the meaning to are impediments to communication (undermining what is presumably the point of using words in the first place.)
The last contest had a pretty tangible reward and I had offered one even more while planning. Maybe next time.
Just to let everyone know, this idea isn't dead - rather, I've been putting some work on how exactly the Terra Blanca setting would form from such a contest and what I can offer as incentives to enter them. Plus...kind of need ideas for contests, so figuring that out as well. :P
Quote from: Luminous CrayonQuote from: Superfluous CrowJust because DivSet and Ethocentric aren't in wide use anymore is no reason to let them vanish entirely. Save the words!
Counterpoint: Words nobody knows the meaning to are impediments to communication (undermining what is presumably the point of using words in the first place.)
Words have to start somewhere. Cases in point: Chaucer, Shakespeare, Carrol.
Besides, there's at least three people in this very thread that remember those words. Hell, they're both still in our FAQ!
I remember being opposed to them because they were restrictive. But if they're no longer in use, that's one less way I get to be counter-cultural.
I say bring 'em back.
ALSO: Collaborations are the one thing I will reliably participate in on this site. In fact, I recall trying to bump both Thousand Isles and the other one with spaceships back into life, but it didn't happen. (I won't go near Lexicon, because I have a pathological aversion to the wiki unless it's a Jade Stage page)
Having said that: I just remembered my collaboration with Steerpike... excuse me while I eat my words.
(Nom Nom Nom)
YET MORE: Maybe contests should be shorter and punchier? 250 words, compressed and condensed? Is time a major impediment to most people's involvement?
I like pretty much everything everyone has said in this thread so far apart from people being opposed to the use of DivSet and Ethocentric. Those words are great, even if I never really use them much myself. I like to think I would contribute to this if it happens (and please let it happen!)
There's been some great ideas in here that are rolling though my head - I've just been insanely busy trying to get into school and with increased hours at work...and finally reading Song of Ice and Fire, since my friend was so fed up with me not reading them she bought me books 1-4 and told me she wouldn't run until I'd at least finished Game of Thrones.
Regardless, I'm working on contest ideas plus a setting for a game I'm going to be running (will post it once I get it written up, it's heavily inspired by Diablo, Song of Ice and Fire, and Dragon Age), and will hopefully be able to resume posting again soon.
That being said...is anyone interested in helping me co-run these things? Your responsibility would largely be tabulating (making the official polling thread), prodding people to post in the Tavern, and announcing winners/awarding prizes if I'm not here, though if you want to do more I'd be happy to make the contest running a corroboration (though that would excluded you from entering). I worry my well-deserved reputation for being a wee bit unreliable might kill this project, hence why I'm wondering if anyone's interested in helping. :P