z2

I had a middle-of-the-night idea and I want to know if it sounds worthwhile or not. We create a collaborative game where we each make one board, and the only board you see is the one made before yours. Like a ZZTelephone game. Or something. Then, we stick them all together, see where people ran with our ideas, and laugh. Or groan. Or whatever.

Good idea or Bad idea?

The only time this has ever worked was for the Best of ZZT.

Nice! I'd join.

Flimsy Parkins and some other people made a game where every other quarter of a board came from a different zzt'er. That worked. Then there was a competition where every other board was selected from a couple of entries. That didn't work long.

If you think you can pull it off, go for it.

I suggest that you enforce some kind of structure. For example, you could require that the game starts wrapping up by board 20, and ends by board 25. Or maybe the first and last boards are created first, then the middle, then the boards that are 25% and 75% in, etc. I don't know -- these are just raw brainstormed ideas, but my point is that <i>you need some kind of structure</i>.

Otherwise, it seems like one of those things where everyone starts out excited, then one person kills all the characters and ends the game as a joke, then the next person comes up with a soap-opera-esque ending which explains why the main character isn't <i>really</i> dead, and people start to lose interest by this point, and there are fewer and fewer contributions, and the whole project unofficially ends, half-finished.

yeah, certain rules should apply. Like how the board is exited and entered. Passage or linking. No #endgames and so on. It changes if you know what came before it, you could also just have people do random things.

How about a game based on puzzles, with classic zzt gameplay? It requires a simple structure and it makes it easier to combine the input.

This could turn out to be a very fun event if pulled off correctly. If there's going to be an actual plot to the game, it would probably be a better idea to plan it beforehand, on the z2 fora or otherwise.

My plan:

-Make a list of everyone who is entering.
-I make the first board, to set the scene.
-Make a list of the order everyone else is going in and post it.
-Hand off the first board to the next person.
-Everyone should tell us when their board is finished so we know how far it's gotten.
-Rules: no contradicting the previous board (although if you contradict a board before that, that you couldn't see, we'll write it up as a harmless plothole). No #endgame (except maybe on the last board).

I suppose maybe the basic plot should be decided upon, but I like RobertP's idea to stick with ZZT Classic puzzle boards. Shoot stuff. Collect stuff. Navigate mazes. Personally, I was thinking of a "collect keys" plot or something like that, so that the boards only have to be loosely related. And as for passages/board edges for transitions, I'd say designer's choice, the next designer has to enter the board the way the previous one exited.

So, any gaping flaws in this plan, and how many people want to participate?

Good idea. But I think a compellingly aw-ful/esome plot would make it both more interesting and more fun to make, and make for more interesting and more fun boards.

I think any attempt at a plot will come out incoherent to the point nobody will want to pay attention to it. One might think you can get some wacky results like a mad libs game, but more likely the boards will make sense individually and be pointless as a whole, even without any attempts at deliberate discontinuity. I think this could work, but I predict if it does fail it will have been its ambition that did it. But you seem to have the right idea so keep it simple and it should turn out well.

required reading: Parallel and Parallel BK by my two best buddies, MadTom and Boonob. so you can see how wacky and zany these types of games can be!!!

You can only stand and watch. The Idiocy, as the Divine call it. The revelling of humans in pointless things such as rock music.

You're one of the Divine. You shouldn't be standing here. But you've been sent by Him; and here you will remain until your mission is completed.

As the concert proceeds a man shoves you from behind. "Get out of the way, punk," he says.

You look with disdain at the Fool. In efforts to be independent - just like everyone else - he has disfigured his own body. Tattoos, piercings, mohawk ...

The Band plays on.

Suddenly the lead singer of the Band, a Satanic-looking man with black greasy hair and his emotions hidden from the world by a face set in a snarl and black sunglasses, steps down into the audience and retrieves a young woman from the midst of the Fools.

Her expression makes you want to vomit.

She's not taking her eyes off the singer dancing on the stage as the hoonish Fools call out in congratulation.

The Idiocy seizes her.

With one single movement, apparently practised, she removes all her upper clothing - and dances on. The audience cheers. The lead singer moves closer to the crazed young woman.

You turn your back. The eyes of the Divine could not take much more of this. At your side, Jethro nudges you. "These Idiots won't last much longer, Rifka. He has declared their destruction. And we HAVE to do it."

You turn slowly to your friend and nod.
You both stand and raise your arms, and the man behind you once again begins to yell obscenities at you.

In a blinding flash of light, He sends down fire at your signal ... before you the ground is swept by a huge, hot, cleansing flame.

As the flame subsides there are no bodies. They've gone to be judged; judged by Him. Jethro stares towards the field of charred matter. Cold and Black.
You stand and see what Man has brought upon himself. You shake your head, and turn away.



MadTom's credits:

Boonob
Obviously - working with me on this
game, and entertaining in dull hours.

Zenith/Nadir
Technically, this is a bit of a Psyche
rip-off; so WANK YOU NADIR

CyQ
ZZTAE is a tremendous time-saver. :)

--

MadTom's greets:

God
What would I do without you?

Viovis, drac0
For being hippies, and for being
tolerant of my idiocy.

togepy, Kracken
Providing feminine (and comic) relief
in an otherwise fraternal community. Oh,
and Kracken for finally accepting Flap.

nuero, zenryoku/TimeWaster
Two c0ol guys that I don't see enough
of on IRC. Curse my +12 GMT situation ...

QueenFrostine
I've only talked to you once, but if
I don't comment on your ass and/or rack,
BONOOB WLIL BE ANRGY so YOU JHAEV TEH >>>
NIEC ASS AND RCAK

Tseng
A pioneer ZZTer ... yes, he is! Don't
argue with me!

garfunkle
<Athena> PLEASE, CALL ME LIL WASHUU

Coffee
For helping me work on this game at
ridiculous hours.

The Powerpuff Girls
For fantasies of their 18-year old forms.
OHH GOD BUBBLES IS (verb)ING THE (noun)

poor MadTom

he will never live that down, will he?

ahahaha, oh yeah, i completely forgot about that!!! anyway, yeah, i'll be happy to join in! but only on the condition that ZZTV10 is finished first, and by the end of the year.

I will join in, but only if we start the game from the ENDING.