Consulting Partners (brainstorming this idea)

[Matt Larkin (author)]

Want a Consultant for your Project?
Because everyone needs an idea springboard.

The New Proposal[/size]
Each member can have a consulting partner. A partner is someone whose goal will be to read every aspect of the project and offer considered feedback on each part in turn--just like a dedicated critique group for writers. I for one, can say I'd be very willing to delve in depth into a single other setting or project, if I knew it would be reciprocated. I think others may feel the same. We are not discouraging out-of-partner reviews (the last thing I want to be divisive), but few members truly read everything written on any setting, much less all of them.

[note=Guidelines]1. The project must be current and continuing to update. Reviewing a defunct setting or one where your feedback doesn't matter is discouraging.

2.The author must be dedicated to maintaining the project. Sometimes members love to write a new setting every month, as new ideas come along. This offers many cool ideas to the community. But it would not work with this method.

3. The reviewer should make a reasonable effort to review or consult on some aspect of the project on a regular basis (at least once a week). While the author of a large setting should understand it takes time to get through it.

4.When we have enough projects in the queue I will ask everything to PM Ish with the list of those you'd be willing to collaborate on--he'll match people up that way. This will avoid people having to ask each other, which is more awkward.

4a. I'd think both partners would want projects of roughly the same intended scope, but that's really a personal call.[/note]

List of Settings Seeking a Partner
If you want a partner for your setting and are willing to dedicate the time to another person's setting, post in this thread and I will put your name on the list. Include the setting name, a link if possible, a description so members know if it's one up their alley. (I can also make a list of whose partnering with whom, so we know who is not available.) I'll throw myself up as the first guinea pig.
(This can also serve as a list of what each member considers their signature, current setting.)

1. Eschaton - Phoenix
Historical fantasy/alternate history set in the equivalent of the first century BCE. Semi-dark fantasy. Background knowledge of mythology and history would benefit the partner.

2. Dystopian Universe - Biohazard
A futuristic dystopian (or maybe anti-utopian), hard sci-fi/horror setting. Think X-Files set in the year 3221, only with a slightly stronger feeling of dread. General knowledge of all things awesome is sufficient, but knowledge of crazier scientific and conspiracy theories is beneficial!

3. The Ark - Wensleydale
The Ark: A setting based on a vast colony ship, several thousand years in the future. The only remaining aliens - and a sizable group of humans - are escaping beyond the fringe of the galaxy. A few problems: The Ark's captain has disappeared, the engines are slowing, various subsystems are damaged or destroyed and the human military fleet are on their tail. The species, waking up from stasis, have no idea what's happened. Fantasy mixed with sci-fi - now with SCIFIESQUE MAGIC!

4. Magical Girl RPG System - Tillumni
The system is inspired by an anime called Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha, but can generally be used for any setting or campaign where the players are spell casters, ranging from Harry Potter to Bewitched. Currently at the stage where things gets jotted down stream of conscious style and so far have the basic frame for the game mechanics and some abilities with numbers assigned. Seeking people with interest in game mechanic design, and how to implement spellcasting and magic into numbers. Knowing or interested in knowledge about the setting that inspired the system might help, but not required. Neither are photo.
 
5. Arunaul - Survivorman
Arunaul is an ancient world, populated by new races and cultures that have thrived after a apocalyptic event befell a mysterious super civilization. From the brink of destruction this world thrives like never before, many new peoples and cultures trapped in a peaceful (and sometimes violent) race to the top. This has put science, magic, and technology advances booming like never before. Some will do anything to restore the natural balance as nature intended. Some will make great sacrifices in the name of science. Some will slowly piece together the mystery of the ancients that once walked Arunaul, and why they died. Some will be caught inbetween an elaborate web of things, trying to find a place in a confusing and quickly growing world.

6. Intermitent Brainshowers. - Silvercat Moonpaw
I have no idea where this is going, but you're welcome along for the ride.  It mostly seems to be an attempt to mix fantasy and a bit of sci-fi, using designs from nature such as animal races and magic based on environments.  Perhaps just one world in a multitude linked by regions of "blended space".

7. Broken Verge: - Cataclysmic Crow
A world awaiting its own destruction or rebirth, the setting of Broken Verge is a fantasy setting where revolutions have started a process that will change the world forever. The world is rich with alternative ideologies, strange faiths and new sciences and both ancient and newly-founded states wait for one of the others to make the first move while engaging in their own schemes. The Broken Verge is a world of nonsensical wars, terrifying plagues, creatures from the plane of abstract thought, tardigrademen and supernatural creatures that steal possibilities.
Really, this is just a mixing pot where most of my ideas end up. Ideally it turns out to become a swampy, anachronistic, indstrustrial WWI-ish renaissance fantasy setting with philosophical, scientifcal and metaphysical elements.  

Edit: revised the note for the method of finding partners. Removed the idea that settings should be the same size.

[Biohazard]

Count me in on this. I'll throw Dystopian Universe in on there...  Dystopian Universe

A futuristic dystopian (or maybe anti-utopian), hard sci-fi/horror setting. Think X-Files set in the year 3221, only with a slightly stronger feeling of dread. General knowledge of all things awesome is sufficient, but knowledge of crazier scientific and conspiracy theories is beneficial!

[Wensleydale]

Certainly willing, although The Ark is too small at the moment to be paired with Dystopian Universe, I think.

The Ark: A setting based on a vast colony ship, several thousand years in the future. The only remaining aliens - and a sizable group of humans - are escaping beyond the fringe of the galaxy. A few problems: The Ark's captain has disappeared, the engines are slowing, various subsystems are damaged or destroyed and the human military fleet are on their tail. The species, waking up from stasis, have no idea what's happened. Fantasy mixed with sci-fi - now with SCIFIESQUE MAGIC!

[Matt Larkin (author)]

I updated the main thread with both of those. They both sound interesting. I've read a little bit of the Ark. Haven't really looked much at DU.

Think X-Files set in the year 3221, only with a slightly stronger feeling of dread.

That just sounds cool.

I'd like to encourage more people to volunteer. It's hard to make this work unless we have a decent number of people interested :)

[Tillumni]

quik question. does writting up a system also qualify or is it specificly for world building?

[Matt Larkin (author)]

I can add anything to the list you'd like. Partners volunteer--we're not assigning them--so a reviewer interested in a system can offer.

But you'd have to be willing to review their work in exchange, which may not be a system.

[SilvercatMoonpaw]

I'd like to encourage more people to volunteer. It's hard to make this work unless we have a decent number of people interested :)

I would except I don't have a setting yet, just a thread of random ideas.  I'll come back to this when I actually have one.

[Nomadic]

I'd like to encourage more people to volunteer. It's hard to make this work unless we have a decent number of people interested :)

I would love to but I don't have the free time to contribute to my own setting, let alone an in-depth review of someone else's

[Tillumni]

Well then, count me in!


Magical Girl RPG in making. The system is inspired by an anime called Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha, but can generally be used for any setting or campaign where the players are spell casters, ranging from Harry Potter to Bewitched. Currently at the stage where things gets jotted down stream of consious style and so far have the basic frame for the game mechanics and some abilities with numbers assigned.
Seeking people with interest in game mechanic design, and how to implement spellcasting and magic into numbers. Knowing or interested in knowledge about the setting that inspired the system might help, but not requered. Neither are photo.



 [spoiler=Vision for the game]To make people who have no idea what they are getting themself into to think this:

 

okay, perhaps not that extreme...but still... [/spoiler]

[Drizztrocks]

I'm in. I would be more then happy to help someone out with their setting, and I have to admit I would like some more reveiws for my own setting.


 http://www.thecbg.org/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?67695.last

 Arunaul is an ancient world, populated by new races and cultures that have thrived after a apocalyptic event befell a mysterious super civilization. From the brink of destruction this world thrives like never before, many new peoples and cultures trapped in a peaceful (and sometimes violent) race to the top. This has put science, magic, and technology advances booming like never before. Some will do anything to restore the natural balance as nature intended. Some will make great sacrifices in the name of science. Some will slowly piece together the mystery of the ancients that once walked Arunaul, and why they died. Some will be caught inbetween an elaborate web of things, trying to find a place in a confusing and quickly growing world.

[Matt Larkin (author)]

I've been thinking more about this (and talking to Ish), and I think the way we can do this is that once we have enough projects in the queue (say 10), I'll get every to PM Ish a list of those they are most interested working on. Then he'll use those to match people up. Saves on the awkwardness of having to PM a bunch of people to ask if they want to partner on your setting.

I would except I don't have a setting yet, just a thread of random ideas. I'll come back to this when I actually have one.

I don't see that as a real problem, provided you intend to continue working on the project for a while. The idea is to get basically a person you can always consult and bounce ideas off of, and who can read what you wrote. This can work at any stage, I suppose. After Tillumni's idea, I'm calling it "projects" instead of "settings," anyway.

I'll be adding the projects to the list soon.

[LordVreeg]

1. The settings should be roughly the same size (word count), or the smaller setting should be growing fast enough that both reviewers can review at the same rate.

Poop.

[Matt Larkin (author)]

1. The settings should be roughly the same size (word count), or the smaller setting should be growing fast enough that both reviewers can review at the same rate.

Ironically I just edited that out while you were posting. It seemed to me you wouldn't want to partner with a 2000 word count setting, but that's your choice, not a rule we need to enforce.

[SilvercatMoonpaw]

Intermitent Brainshowers.[/url]
I have no idea where this is going, but you're welcome along for the ride.  It mostly seems to be an attempt to mix fantasy and a bit of sci-fi, using designs from nature such as animal races and magic based on environments.  Perhaps just one world in a multitude linked by regions of "blended space".

[Superfluous Crow]

So, might as well add mine to the list as well. Should be noted that I'm a sloooow poster when it comes to my own setting since i experience infrequent surges of creativity which result in most of my written material... So whoever partners up with me will have an easy job :)
I'd love helping out on Arga, or if Leetz doesn't show up, then the Ark by Wensleydale :)

Broken Verge:
A world awaiting its own destruction or rebirth, the setting of Broken Verge is a fantasy setting where revolutions have started a process that will change the world forever. The world is rich with alternative ideologies, strange faiths and new sciences and both ancient and newly-founded states wait for one of the others to make the first move while engaging in their own schemes. The Broken Verge is a world of nonsensical wars, terrifying plagues, creatures from the plane of abstract thought, tardigrademen and supernatural creatures that steal possibilities.
Really, this is just a mixing pot where most of my ideas end up. Ideally it turns out to become a swampy, anachronistic, indstrustrial WWI-ish renaissance fantasy setting with philosophical, scientifcal and metaphysical elements.  

(hmm, this actually makes it sound more interesting than most of my other introductions)