[Idea] Codex original lore initiative

[IDtenT]

Proposition: Get the Codex community to create world lore and build a world of their choosing. For now the project will be created under the banner of the thread topic or iColi for short.

What this is not: Game mechanics development. A clear derivative of a known setting.

Everyone and their mother has participated in an open source software project. I however haven't found any open source lore project, so I though it might turn out an interesting idea.

Unfortunately the above means that we have to clear up something first before any rudimentary work is done. I realise that any sort of success for this initiative is very unlikely, but it's important that we sort out licensing if that was to be the case - so that everyone can be sure about their rights to the content. If its not done at this early stage this will never reach any success and might even cause trouble for those involved. It is with this idea then that I propose that we take on a creative commons license. In particular I'm looking at CC BY 3.0. This is open for discussion for as long as no content has yet been generated. Why CC BY 3.0? It allows for derivative and commercial works.

Now on to the basics of creating a framework. The most important question is of course what artistic restrictions will there be in place. So to frame the question easier we have to decide on A) Sci-Fi or B) Fantasy. From there we will continue to build the framework (what is impossible and what is not) before any actual world building takes place.

Look towards the future: It is not completely uncommon for the Codex members to develop their own games and the ultimate stamp of approval for this project will be that somebody builds a game around the lore we established in this initiative.

Okay Codex. Let's do this. I think quite a few of our members should be keenly interested in this. Calling all DraQs.

 

[Occasionally Fatal]

Sounds like you should look into Microscope RPG.

 

[80Maxwell08]

Well this sounds interesting. I wouldn't mind helping with this but I'm not sure what I could help with. My preference goes somewhat towards Fantasy but I'm fine either way. Also the topic is going to need to be moved at some point unless we let's play making a world.

 

[IDtenT]

Well this sounds interesting. I wouldn't mind helping with this but I'm not sure what I could help with. My preference goes somewhat towards Fantasy but I'm fine either way. Also the topic is going to need to be moved at some point unless we let's play making a world.

Codex Playground
The dumping ground for all your Let's Play, AAR (After Action Review), and other assorted circlejerk needs.

Yes, it might get moved to Workshop - but this has a much broader reader base so it was a good place to start and not completely outside the bounds of the forum's description.

The fun thing is that contribution could be done in many a numerous ways and is ultimately based on your proficiencies. Whether you get involved in writing stories, to creating artwork, to making sure the lore is logically consistent to just suggesting ideas... The more the merrier.

Anyhow, I'll take that as one vote for fantasy.

Sounds like you should look into Microscope RPG.

That sounds very entertaining, but not exactly what I'm going for here.

 

[80Maxwell08]

Well I like writing so I can help with that.
EDIT: How serious is the tone going to be by the way?

 

[Erebus]

we have to decide on A) Sci-Fi or B) Fantasy.

Not strictly necessary (some settings blend the two very successfully), but probably easier.

I'm voting B.

 

[IDtenT]

EDIT: How serious is the tone going to be by the way?

We'll still decide that, but hopefully we'll be somewhat strict. For now it's basically a democracy until we see who are getting invested in this thing.

we have to decide on A) Sci-Fi or B) Fantasy.

Not strictly necessary (some settings blend the two very successfully), but probably easier.

I'm voting B.

That's true - but I'm mainly trying to delineate how strict we will adhere to reality.

 

[Cassidy]

How about a setting where schizophrenia is normality, normality is schizophrenia and hopw roewr ne?

 

[Corporate_Jew_Master]

A.

 

[Kipeci]

A.

 

[Kz3r0]

Too restrictive, no steampunk, no Cyberpunk, even if can be considered a sub-genre of Sci-Fi, no Chtulu mythos, and we even had a prehistoric LP once here, in my opinion it should be better to frame it in a different manner, for example is in the past or the future, there is magic or not, our Earth or an imaginary one.
Here in a more ordained manner:

1. Magic? Y/N
2. Technology? None, Stone Age, Medieval, Actual, Advanced, Steam, Cyber.
3. Space travel? Y/N
4. Guns? Y/N
5. Multidimensional? Y/N
6. Supernatural and Super Beings? None, Mutants, Spirits, Demons, Super Humans, Demigods, Godlike, Gods.

Just to give an idea, can be improved, of course.

 

[Bluebottle]

Sounds like an interesting idea. Kz3ro is right, though. Sci-fi or fantasy is a bit too narrow to start. Starting from a position which is so genre specific tends to push ideas down specific, well trodden, routes - and we'll likely end up either with something that's too generic, or something that's an obvious reaction against the generic (which is less bad, but still not quite enough). Personally I'd just suggest brainstorming for a little bit on general setting ideas (much in the vein of the 'Underused settings in RPGs' threads that periodically pop up here) and then, after a while, pinning one down which sounds as if it has the most potential, then fleshing it out.

I really like the idea as a whole though. Creating something like Lovecraft essentially did with the mythos (ie a setting which others can pluck ideas from at their leisure) is something that should happen more.

If we are continuing down this route, though, I'd choose B., taking that to mean something that is neither set in reality, nor a potential future reality (rather than to mean generic high fantasy, which we can obviously do better than).

 

[TheCatsofSanktPetersburg]

I don't think it's a good idea to start out with superficial restrictions like what kind of technology people use. Why not start with a philosophical idea, rhetorical question, a conflict between beliefs or better yet a social challenge (I like Cassidy's idea of schizophrenia) and build your world around that.

I like how in TES every historical event or cultural conflict while believable and independent by itself, will always hint to those old questions the world revolves around like Chaos vs. Order, Men vs. Mer, Anu vs. Padhome.

How about a setting where schizophrenia is normality, normality is schizophrenia and hopw roewr ne?

This, but I'd suggest we make this theme relevant only for a certain culture or nation (albeit a big nation) rather than the whole world. I think the theme can be much better felt if you have a contrast from other cultures that comment or interact with this world.

 

[Storyfag]

Looks interesting. Will participate as time permits.

B for now.

I would vote A, but down the path I have in mind for Sci-Fi lies the Imperium of Man, and that's done.

 

[Crooked Bee]

It'll be interesting to see if anything comes out of this.

I'd vote for a mix of A and B along the lines of Wizardry or Might & Magic. I.e. pure fantasy on surface, sci-fi (or elements of sci-fi) as you dig deeper (to the more obscure/less accessible parts of the lore/world).

 

[circ]

You have my dong. A or B is inconsequential as long as it doesn't go around blending genres like Wizardry or throw in elves with cyberpunk.

Shut up CB! No blending!

 

[tiagocc0]

A

 

[TheCatsofSanktPetersburg]

I always wanted to write about a world where the sun's light was so powerful as to kill anyone who didn't wear protective clothing. People would have to constantly migrate beneath clouds, following their seasonal patterns.

The least advanced of these cultures would be bedouins who ride giant moths and wear sun burnt bone armor and black clay masks. The most advanced of people would live in mobile cities, giant agoras and bell towers supported by air balloons or moth wings, following the moisture of the clouds or cities poised on mechanical beetles on a constant move to stay beneath a clouded sky. Or cities build inside giant whales using the creatures body to protect themselves from the sun's burning light all while profiting from the yearly pilgrimages to the bottom of the ocean and making nefarious deals and pacts with ghostly kingdoms and xenophobic fish men.

 

[Erebus]

Maybe it would indeed be more inspiring to suggest concrete ideas instead of proceeding methodically by choosing the categories the setting would have to fit in.

No more than 6-8 lines for a description, or the thread will soon become too heavy.

 

[Stygian Lurker]

B)

 

[Tzaero]

I'd like to do A, but I think less people will participate if its chosen.

 

[IDtenT]

You guys have to understand that my mind is very mathematical, so it's natural for me to want to build something from ground rules up. Secondly as a physicist I naturally want to first determine what is and what isn't physically possible and henceforth being self-consistent. The basic idea was that we choose between As and Bs until we narrow down the framework from which within we are allowed to be creative (Future/past, world, etcetera was going to follow after we established the laws of the univese). I'm open to the suggestion that this is a completely moronic idea. After all, this is supposed to be a community project - not me being everyone's boss and delegating duties. I do however feel that we can generate much better coherency between people's writings and so forth if we define some boundaries for the setting. I also think one of the biggest failings of many established settings is a lack of coherency (I'm open to ideas as to how we could otherwise establish coherency so that we are all on the same page). TL;DR: Establishing creative rules is a more natural approach for me than directly targeting established genres.

Somebody mentioned brainstorming and that's exactly what I want. I want you guys to come up with ideas that will work and let us as a community disseminate it. Obviously we will have to push in a direction sooner or later, but for that we need an idea of a consensus. For now I would just like to hear opinions and where you want this thing to go. Keep on voting for if we stick to the current form of world-building.

 

[laclongquan]

Who is the main writer? That should be the biggest concern for such project.

Otherwise we already have

The 4X Saga Codex in SPAAAAAAAACE
The Vampire Masquerade London
The thingie about Codexian tribes in a world.

 

[IDtenT]

Who is the main writer? That should be the biggest concern for such project.

I get that, but I disagree. I would rather ask who is the main editor. That's obviously something we will also have to decide upon.

Again, I have been putting in a heavier emphasis in world building than story writing. The stories will ultimately have to fit the world and not the other way around. Maybe that's exactly where people are disagreeing. The idea for this thread was to create a world, not write a novel. That's not to say somebody can't write a novel - it's just not why we are doing this. Think of this as the difference between The Silmarillion and Lord of the Rings.

 

[laclongquan]

Who should have the right to cut, edit, paste, and (gently) direct other people's effort? We will argue about that till the day Internet die.

Meanwhile, who will write most of the stuffs?