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Thanks for clarifying things a bit more, Pro -- some of the "rules" are still not specific enough for me, but we're getting there.

For instance, you say:

5.) The use of the support staff in the main story is limited to the logical use of their intended purpose of creation (i.e. Huerta is a Psychiatrist, Grissom is communications/security, the B-Team are comedy relief, etc). If Charlie's the mechanic, then, let Charlie be the mechanic, and develop her personal life in a solo thread. If Miss X is so mysterious, and Nuriko so cool, then let's see more of that....in a solo thread."

Does this mean that, under the new rules, I wouldn't have been able to post the short flashback scene where Chance and Charlene kinda "get it on" the night before the mission in which Chance died? If so, I seriously object -- writing that short flashback in a solo thread separate from the main story would've diluted any emotional impact when she learned of Chance's death later on. Clarify please.



No problem.

The use of Chance's personal life flashback was fine. It was neither intrusive, or, dominating, and gave something to your character without taking away from the story.

The fact that you killed off Chance in the middle of the story was also fine, and, well done. That gave you the opportunity to either, write other characters, and help progress the main plotline, or, introduce your new main character into the action.

However, instead, you took an enormous amount of room in the main story itself to progress a personal plotline between a secondary supporting character, and a new character you decided to not even bring into the main fold. It broke up the pacing of the main story, and served to enhance nothing in the group dynamics.

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Also, when you say "Personal sub-stories are to be limited to Solo Threads" I wonder whether the mission Dr. Quantos sent Chance on when the team went to Mandelovia would thus be out of the question under the new rules.



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I don't see how it distracted from the story at all, considering the fact that each of the team members in Mandelovia were each doing their own thing there, anyway.



Exactly. There was nothing intrusive about that, since it was involved within the main action, and, in the end (Chance's death) involved the entire group.

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As far as your suggestions go, I'm not at all convinced at the logic for restarting the numbering. It really doesn't add anything to the stories, and it takes away the practical numbering system which make it easy to keep track of the stories. God, if there's one thing I can't stand, it's when a series with the same character or characters (such as Aquaman, Supergirl, Legion of Super-Heroes, etc) has multiple issue #1's! It's so pointless! They always use the "clean break" reason for it, too, but it just causes confusion. Let's be practical and continue the numbering we have now, whether or not we call it "Hero Revolution" or "Vanguard International"...



I don't like the re-numbering system in comics all the time, either. But, they have a point when it comes to allowing new readers (or in this case "writers") to join in on a pseudo-ground-level. And, I must remind everyone that I am speaking for two other people, as well (Grimm and Doc). The "renumbering" part, I don't care either way. The "retitling" part I am for, as I think it would help clarify the intent of our stories.

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I do think that the person who begins a team story should have the responsibility (like that of a "gamemaster" in a Role-Playing Game, changing each story) of moving the story along when it needs to be moved along and of mentioning in the talk thread when someone strays out of acceptable territory as defined by the guidelines, but not to the point where we get someone editing other peoples' posts without their permission and shit like that.



I don't neccessarily remember saying that stuff would be edited 'without permission', and shit like that. But, we need a go-to decision maker that can cut through all the bullshit that certain writers tend to pile on in the main story, that serves only their own devices.

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Let's treat each other like adults, please.



If this was sincerely true of this forum, would the three of us be approaching you all in need of these guidelines? Would we have to point out the disrespect that flows between writers and the material in which they take advantage of? Of course not. So, really, this line of thinking is purely defensive on your part, and in no way relates to this group of writers, or the topics addressed within this thread.

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One final thing I've got to say -- I don't like ultimatums, nobody does, and they're a poor way to get ones message across when dealing with others on an equal basis.



At what point was this an "ultimatum", TTT? I proposed the issues that three of us are uncomfortable with. I expressed, in very clear terms, that IF the majority does not agree with our views, that we would simply save everyone the hassle and remove ourselves from the stories. If our material does not work evenly with everyone elses, then, wouldn't it be best to step back to avoid more problems? How are you, or anyone, losing anything if we leave? If everyone rejected our thinking, then, that means that they have no need of our writing input in this universe. Simple as that.

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It's a form of message board extortion which doesn't work so well in a group like ours. In fact, it took a great deal of willpower to not simply lash blindly out at that.



Any dramatically emotional responses, to such a logical expression of ideas, is simply a perspective I don't understand.

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The truth is, though, I do agree with the guidelines in principle (though with the caveat that I need more clarification and discussion on how they actually work), and as everyone knows I've always advocated the unofficial ones we've had.

This post may sound harsh, but it's as harsh and honest as the original post in this thread, so don't take it personally.



I rarely take what anyone here says "personally". I crave brutal honesty, as long as those who give it are prepared to accept it in return.

Hope this helps.