[MULT] Pitboss Worldbuilding Challenge

[sillsworth]

So as I was writing the begins of my Bodian Republic series, I thought that, perhaps, it would be much more interesting if there were people involved. Real people, not AI chums whose personalities I have to craft together. I would also love people to create stories and worlds from their own perspective, and then trade.

The current idea that I have is that a huge, Perfectworld3 map is created with ruins and barbarians and tons of little nooks and things, and then all twelve or so players get to work on their turns. Each turn, or at the end of a couple of semi-boring turns, the player is to record the history of the world as it expanded, and his/her empire's view on their lands and the foreign lands. Many stories seem to already take this format. Personally, I write a HUGE amount of text, I churned out 35+ pages for my last quick Russian game.
With twelve people writing their own empires histories and culture, by several weeks in we'd have an amazingly developed world. And, by using the pitboss style of play, nobody would feel rushed and be forced to skip writing.
I have no idea if there is anyone that would like to join me, but I'd be happy and willing to start with if I had a following of six or more people. Though it may be poor to directly trade paragraphs of worldbuilding, there could be a subforum or chatroom where users could rumor or allude to things, or explain their ideas of their nations before another perhaps misinterpreted them.
Would anyone be up for this? Should I stop talking?

 

[cpm4001]

Wow, interesting idea! I'd probably be up for this in the near future; a little busy right now but if some other people were interested you could count me in (though I really have no idea how to actually run a pitboss game, just to warn you should technical difficulties emerge.)

 

[Heerlo]

I'm already liking your Bodian Republic story, and I'd certainly be up for this, since I already like making history on this game anyway.

One thing I think I had already thought about was that, if you're doing a single-player story like this, that later in the game, even though you can see every civ, you really can't tell their exact history from the very beginning. With this kind of story you could.

So, I think this is a great idea.

 

[Arexander]

Yes indeed, this seems like a brilliant idea! I'm in!

 

[sillsworth]

I'd probably be up for this in the near future;

Can you give me a time frame? Last multiplayer game I attempted to host died on me, so perhaps someone with a better build could host instead. Just a thought.

 

[cpm4001]

Can you give me a time frame? Last multiplayer game I attempted to host died on me, so perhaps someone with a better build could host instead. Just a thought.

Today or tomorrow? I managed to clear a bunch of my other projects up last night (shortly after I posted that, of course...) so I actually do have time now to do this. If you or someone else can get the pitboss server up and running I'll be ready to go whenever (even if I knew how to set one up, my computer (a laptop) would probably explode if I tried to run it.)
Incidentally, I'm in the Central Time Zone (GMT -6).

 

[42istheanswer]

hello, i would also like to do it

 

[sillsworth]

Today or tomorrow? I managed to clear a bunch of my other projects up last night (shortly after I posted that, of course...) so I actually do have time now to do this. If you or someone else can get the pitboss server up and running I'll be ready to go whenever (even if I knew how to set one up, my computer (a laptop) would probably explode if I tried to run it.)
Incidentally, I'm in the Central Time Zone (GMT -6).

Pitboss will probably be easier on a computer because there's only a few on at a time. I'll trying running it, see where it goes.

And I was thinking about a timeframe within the coming week, certainly not today (unless like four more people joined). Didn't mean to force your projects off. The game will take weeks probably, as each person must play his/her turn and then record while others are playing theirs. So go get to work, and I'll post something about when (if) this goes up.

I also just recruited two folks from my worldbuilding camp to join us, a Facebook group might be the easiest way for us to communicate. But if anyone doesn't want to do that, we can always revert to a subforum.

 

[cpm4001]

Pitboss will probably be easier on a computer because there's only a few on at a time. I'll trying running it, see where it goes.

And I was thinking about a timeframe within the coming week, certainly not today (unless like four more people joined). Didn't mean to force your projects off. The game will take weeks probably, as each person must play his/her turn and then record while others are playing theirs. So go get to work, and I'll post something about when (if) this goes up.

I also just recruited two folks from my worldbuilding camp to join us, a Facebook group might be the easiest way for us to communicate. But if anyone doesn't want to do that, we can always revert to a subforum.

No, no, I posted that, got to work on a bunch of my projects (as planned) and discovered that they were a lot easier than I expected. So they got cleared up much faster than I thought. As for the length of the game, I've been playing in a couple GMR multiplayer games and so fully expect this to take several months.

Also, I'd advise we either start a secondary, non-story thread for this or set up a social group here on CivFanatics; either way is probably easier than messing about with Facebook (I personally don't use it any more.)

 

[Heerlo]

I'm in the eastern US time zone, and I think I would also just prefer to use CivFanatics to communicate.

Also, sillsworth, how exactly do you want to do this? Do you want each of us to just write as we go, or just write it down and then put the whole story together once we finish?

Edit: Btw, welcome to CivFanatics, 42istheanswer!

 

[Devutaren]

I'm one of the guys from the worldbuilding camp sillsworth was talking about. So...just putting my name up here. Also, if it takes several months I might have to drop out by the end because I'm going to Africa in June and July. But up until then, I'm in.

 

[sillsworth]

I'm in the eastern US time zone, and I think I would also just prefer to use CivFanatics to communicate.

Also, sillsworth, how exactly do you want to do this? Do you want each of us to just write as we go, or just write it down and then put the whole story together once we finish?

Edit: Btw, welcome to CivFanatics, 42istheanswer!

I like to take 30 pages of rough notes every turn or few turns, and then perhaps at the end of every era we can elaborate and stuff? There's certainly going to be some trading of information happening, whether IG or in a separate Civfanatics area. This way, people can trade what their nation looks like, what they eat, what techs they have, and the others better their story using this information.
At the end of the ancient era let's look at our notes and say if we should elaborate now or later. We can probably create a huge 500+ page document at the end of this, if done correctly.

 

[sillsworth]

I'll try to get a moderator or something to open up a subforum once we get 12 people. So far our count is at six people. Maybe we should add two AIs for the warmongers to defeat, or a Polynesia to populate surrounding islands and eventually be destroyed.

 

[42istheanswer]

what type of map are you thinking about using?

 

[sillsworth]

I'm one of the guys from the worldbuilding camp sillsworth was talking about. So...just putting my name up here. Also, if it takes several months I might have to drop out by the end because I'm going to Africa in June and July. But up until then, I'm in.

If you leave and the game is still going it'll be like the Twilight of India, an entirely new regime coming forth (the AI replacing you) and the end of the Mughal Empire (you).

Replying to 42, I have some saved up Perfectworld3 maps available, or we can generate a new Perfectworld3 map when the game starts. But personally, Perfectworld3 is the best map generation out there. If anyone wants to fiddle with the XML/SQ(I forgot a character) code to modify the world generation a bit, lemme know. I've seen some guys do it on the PW3 page over at the Mapscripts subforum, so in case anyone wants to spawn more desert islands or drainage basins or whatever, this is your chance.

 

[cpm4001]

Messing around with XML stuff would make my head and my computer explode. I've actually played rather a lot on PerfectWorld3 maps and like the script, so I think a "standard", unedited map will be fine.

 

[42istheanswer]

i think either would be fine, and would you like us to write on a google doc. are you thinking doing a continental map?

 

[sillsworth]

i think either would be fine, and would you like us to write on a google doc. are you thinking doing a continental map?

I have no idea what a "continental map" is. You can decide what you write on, but I prefer Google Drive.

 

[42istheanswer]

the map, were their are two or more Continent's sorry if my spelling was horrible

 

[Heerlo]

or a Polynesia to populate surrounding islands and eventually be destroyed.

Just wanted to point out that I don't have Polynesia, or any DLC, for that matter(besides the two expansions and Mongolia). That said, though, don't keep any civs out that you want in just on my account.