Trollslum Discussion 7: I think we're still doing this

[Dracorion]

Well, if we start after everyone's already in the game, we could still do pre-session stuff in our posts as flashbacks. Though that may qualify as time shit. Also, given the direction everyone seems to be suggesting we'd probably have to clear it with Bard.

That being said, come on you guys Zebrek's self-memos were the best thing.

[Flarecobra]

And we got the lists of canon hero titles.

[Loyal]

Originally Posted by Arhra

Anyway, I think the pre-session stuff is pretty valuable since it establishes characters and fulfills various useful functions like dooming lusii and showing the reason for certain prototypings.

I think we just need to have that part fairly rigidly locked in on what's going to be happening. (much conspiring will be needed)

Characters can be established equally well at any point in the timeline or even narrative - Sollux, for instance, was succinctly characterized in the far flung future long before he was even properly introduced. The reasoning behind the lusii and prototyping and so forth are frankly superfluous even without considering that we as players have seen this song and dance before plenty of times in Homestuck proper.

[Aldurin]

Now that I think about it, I would be totally cool with some sort of reboot, but I'd like to replace my current character with his ancestor (in the sense that Bro is the refinement of everything that made Dave). Time fuckery solves problems like this.

[Token]

Originally Posted by Dracorion

That being said, come on you guys Zebrek's self-memos were the best thing.

I had blocked those out, you bastard.

[Geminex]

Well, character interaction is pretty important in keeping an RP fun, that much is true. Just writing a closed storyline, by yourself, or with one or two partners (as Loyal pointed out), is boring, particularly when you're making your own challenges. And starting the RP at a point where there's a lot of interaction already (i.e. all trolls are cooperating. You were nearly here, by the way.) might be a good strategy.

The pre-session stuff is fun, and it can be important for establishing characters' histories.

The way I see it, what's problematic is that, as far as I can tell, some of us want to try new characters, some of us want to try old characters. The old characters have already had their pre-session experiences, their characterization and everything. The new characters lack that, though they can probably catch up on that in the early bits of the RP.

If we did start the RP in medias res, I'd start with a standard introduction for every character, as well as a short summary of their activities and conversations prior to the starting point. That point would probably be not too long after entering. You can refer to past conversations and events and such, but no flashing back, and the summary should contain everything important. That'll probably be a good balance between characterization and, well, action, as well as allowing for both the import of old characters and the creation of new ones. Would people be cool with that?

In regards to sticking to patterns, I'm not sure. It depends on your personal preferences, really. If you think amphibians are cool and fitting, sure! If you want spiders instead because spiders are so gr8t, you need to stop getting mind-controlled by Vriska, but sure, why not. I suppose we could try to impose a standard to improve the narrative (like all consorts being amphibians because giant galaxy frogs), but I think letting people individually decide those minor details is more important than the ability to foreshadow or callback.

Mind you, this is assuming we do a reboot right now. Another suggestion is just letting the whole thing lie for a while, taking a break from trollslum, and then starting anew when we've all regained some enthusiasm. Though a lot of you still seem pretty enthusiastic, so I dunno. How many of you would favor this, if anyone?

Edit:
Also, token, you shouldn't complain about blocking out. Or was Thomas The Tank Engine just a bad dream?
Not to mention those facebook stats.

[Token]

Originally Posted by Geminex

Edit:
Also, token, you shouldn't complain about blocking out. Or was Thomas The Tank Engine just a bad dream?
Not to mention those facebook stats.

What? No. Those were mercies, preparing you for the ultimate horror. Hussie/Arceus smut. :|

[Geminex]

the ultimate horror. Hussie/Arceus smut.

Objection! Your honor, the prosecution refers to Husse/Arceus smut at "the ultimate horror", when clearly this world contains horrors far worse than that.

Exhibit 1.

[Token]

Originally Posted by Geminex

Objection! Your honor, the prosecution refers to Husse/Arceus smut at "the ultimate horror", when clearly this world contains horrors far worse than that.

Exhibit 1.

Hm. That's bad, I GUESS.
But.

It was far from the first time Andrew Hussie was lost in his borrowed abode, and much like every other time, he found himself swearing that it wouldn’t happen again. Or, to be more precise, he just found himself swearing. This was, after all, an absolutely unprecedented amount of horseshit, and he wanted nothing more than to find the equine son of a bitch who left its rancid droppings all over the goddamn place and give it a stern lecture about cleanliness, hygiene and the art of not being a massive douchecake. In fact, he mused, any hypothetical quadruped would most certainly be on the receiving end of a vigorous bapping from his broomstick. Yes. He would never bap anything harder in his life. The thought alone almost had him bapping already! But of course, that entire train of thought was silly, because of course there wasn’t some godly horse thing going out of its way to shit on his life and oh goodness what is that shiny blue object laying on the floor?

The Waste of Space wandered over to the peculiar item, picking it up and raising an eyebrow inquisitively. If he was a nerd, which he wasn’t, he would say it looked a little like one of the ocarinas from his favorite of all the animes: the Legend of Zelda. A little rougher, perhaps, but he could definitely imagine Zelda playing it in his funny green hat. (Seriously, why the hell would he wear such a ridiculous piece of headwear he was an elf for fuck’s sake they are supposed to have some sense of goddamn STYLE.) These things were basically like flutes, weren’t they? All he had to do was just raise it up to his lips and blow. Andrew Hussie was a man of many flaws, but he’d be damned if he ever let anything go unblown, especially something so inviting. He nodded once, using his free hand to pull his hood over his head in a dramatic fashion. That was the idea, at least; instead he succeeded only in accidentally hitting himself in the forehead. Thanking his lucky stars that the absolutely no one could see that ever, he donned his hood more carefully, and licked his lips before raising the Azure Flute to them...

[Geminex]

Okay, fine, I got nothin'.
The defendant wishes to plead guilty, your honor.
The defendant also wishes to inspect this evidence more closely.