Fallout: Ooc

Xanos

06-07-2009 11:13:29

Question that's come up is "how bad was the attack?" so I thought it might be worth clarifying...

Short answer: it's up to you to decide; after the GJW and other prescriptive stories we've had recently, I wanted the intro to be fairly open to interpretation so people have more freedom to write what you want to write. This is your story, so you get to tell it the way you want.

As that answer probably doesn't help very much...

Long answer: naturally there's a lot of poetic hyperbole in the description. The cities aren't all literally burnt to the ground; the Dlarit Navy isn't literally all blown up; the Vong gods aren't literally the saviours of the universe; people weren't literally all just hungover in their beds when they attacked. Obviously, to have to genuinely replace everything would be silly.

While I don't want to go and say "it is like this" because the idea is this is meant to be an easier story for people to get involved with and not as linear and restrictive as the GJW, since it appears this has caused the opposite concern with people now worried to write anything in case they get bashed on the head for writing it and being told their understanding was "wrong"... as a basic idea I had the bombing of London during WW2 in mind. The "invasion" (like it says) is also meant to have been more like a fast pirate raid rather than an actual invasion, so it might only have actually lasted an hour (which is why there was hardly any time to react); hence the suggestion at the end that people are worried the Vong might be coming back for round two.

Drop of out hyperspace; quick blitz; disappear into the shadows again. I guess that probably means there is a lot of random chaos and damage everywhere, where the Vong ships bombarded places from orbit quickly, but at the same time rather randomly. So maybe there are craters here, there and everywhere, or whatever. The "betrayal from within" will become clearer in the Feud itself, but the idea is basically the cities' shields were down at the time because someone turned them off.

Anyway, like I said... the bombing of London is probably the easiest analogy. Just with them having parachuted in some suicidal commandos who were more than happy to be left to die while they were doing their flyby bombing. Obviously London was never completely blown up, just like the fire of London didn't completely burn it down either, but that also doesn't mean there wasn't a lot of damage caused.

Apart from that though, it's up to you. The Feud proper will begin on the basis that all but the very last forces they "parachuted" in during their raid have been mopped up. Whether you want to focus on doing that during Fallout, or would rather just be doing something else like beating up Fred the Seal and it be an "off screen" cleaning up operation is entirely up to you. "Post Vong raid" is the basic premise, but where you take it is up to you.

So, yeah, before anyone goes and kills me for blowing our stuff up... I have now clarified it. :$

Praxis

06-07-2009 11:47:56

Thank you, Xanos, that gives me some good perspective for the future of my writing for Fallout. In my post, I just tried to minimize the description of the attack, with just fire and smoke and damage equivalent to a air strike.

Xanos

06-07-2009 12:01:53

Yeah, your post was pretty much spot on what I had pictured in my mind.

Like, there's a whole load of damage, but a lot is probably just superficial. This was "just" The Blitz, not Hiroshima, e.g. I remember those shots when they first hit Iraq back in 2003. There was fire and smoke everywhere, but obviously Baghdad is still there today, even though the initial air strikes caused a lot of damage and made it look "on fire".

Main difference with Baghdad was they were surgical air strikes to target specific locations... whereas the Vong probably hit random targets to cause general anarchy. Either way: fire and chaos everywhere, but overall damage "light". But like I said, I don't want to say to people "It must be like this..." so whether the death toll is at 1%, 5%, or 10%... I'm not going to be specific.

The only thing I am obviously assuming is that there still will be a city for the Feud. :P

And as a disclaimer, please nobody who may for some reason happen to be living in Baghdad come and smack me for calling it "light". I'm sure you get my point. :P

Praxis

06-07-2009 12:58:51

However, what is the status of the Marakith Skyhook? Did that really jump to hyperspace as it did in the FM universe or is it still hanging in Aeotheran's atmosphere?

Xanos

06-07-2009 13:43:32

I assume it's still just hanging around, yeah; though it's possible it may have flown up into high orbit to help fight them off. Could still be up there on station or might have gone down again. Depending on how bad everyone wants to make the attack out to be, it might even have flown over to Sepros to guard Sadow Palace instead. I leave the decision up to you guys. ;)

Either way, IIRC, I think the FM attack was worse because the Jedi had grown overconfident so the Vong actually "won". Back in the "real universe" the attack was by the survivors of the Vong Empire, rather than their full armada. That's the main reason why I wrote in Peace Brigade forces and Jedi converts (who you'll learn more about in the Feud proper), the basic logic being that the Vong Remnants needed the extra help.

The other reason simply being I wanted the "feel" to be more unique than just having Vong. :D

Sai

18-07-2009 15:47:56

Well, I've answered (and raised more) questions about what the deal was with the Skyhook. So, if anyone want more clarity as to which direction I'm going, I'm thinking that with the transition of power between Tsingtao and myself, some insidious plot to infiltrate D:SOG has been realized...the far-reaching effects yet to be seen.

On another note, I really like the word 'insidious'.

Talos

21-07-2009 14:57:16

I do as well...it's a fun word; rolls off the tongue. According to Force Philosophy, there was a view of the Force called the Inisidious Force, but it died out. Maybe you want to resurrect that, Quaestor Keibatsu? :P

Xanos

27-07-2009 17:14:53

Just to let people know: the provisional date for Children of War proper to kick off is the weekend of 14th/15th August. Maybe a little sooner, maybe a little later.

This is by no means guaranteed to be the final date, but just an idea so you all know you've still got ample time to work through Operation: Rurouni and, for those of you who may not have done so, to still get yourselves set up in Fallout.

Children of War itself carries on directly from wherever Fallout ends off, so those who have got involved early will obviously have a bit of a head start when the story heats up. :D

I won't be putting the Chapter I.i intro together until nearer the actual launch, so wherever you are in Fallout is where you'll begin (the basic gist is that the story starts with people already geared up and in the streets fighting when intel suddenly comes in of... complications). >:)

Sai

28-07-2009 11:12:46

An FYI: The events in Fallout are taking place over a day or two, tops. Those of you who are looking to 'leave' planetside, wherever you are, may want to consider the impossible logistics of that.

Xanos

28-07-2009 15:03:20

The plan in mind is for it to all cover just a few days, yeah. If people do go off on other things (like the Yavin trip) then it won't necessarily matter, it just might mean I need to tweak a few things... at least provided the side stories remain reasonable.

My advice is just to keep in mind (i) that all side trips will need wrapping up before the 15th or so, and (ii) that you apply McGuffin hyperspace travel that doesn't take very long.

i.e. Coruscant-to-Mustafar in five minutes, as opposed to Tatooine-to-Alderaan in a couple of days... I usually apply slower travel times personally, but for Fallout's purposes trips would be best done within the space of 24 hours, and I suppose the one positive is Yavin is not that far away.

Fremoc

28-07-2009 20:14:41

We aren't going to Yavin this time around.. Sorry for those that thought we were but we got some ideas pumping to stay in system

Talos

28-07-2009 21:35:44

Darn it, Fremoc. I was packing my bags =P

Fremoc

28-07-2009 22:09:24

you only need to pack what you already carry

Xanos

30-07-2009 17:40:15

Random point: if anybody wants to write about other converted Jedi during Fallout you're more than welcome to. IIRC, I think there's already a couple in Operation: Rurouni.

Naturally Viqi/Fiula will feature in the Feud (she's an antagonist for HLK in Weeks 1 and 2), but she's far from the only freak show Eshin/Eckla and Niiriit have created. As a basic idea: they're Jedi who now believe they're Vong from Domain Muyel (hence them all being "[Forename] Muyel") and so believe in the True Gods. >:)

And don't feel left out HMR, I'll be introducing the Jeedai on your side in Sunday's update. O-)

Fremoc

31-07-2009 14:38:25

lets see if i stirred up some stuff for Operation Rorouni

Talos

01-08-2009 15:30:32

Looks good for Op Rur, Fremoc. I'll be posting tonight.

Fremoc, Manji -- I introduced a Jeedai Convert in my post; I tried to nail him so that he wouldn't give you all to much trouble but still give some spice to our posts; frankly, straight up Vong and Brigand were getting boring. So I introduce you to...W'rok Muyel! >:)

Xanos, could you look over my post? The Jeedai comes in after the bolded "Kar Alabrek" and the underlined "Ambush Site" and see if I got him right? I wasn't sure if they, the converts, could use the Force so I just wrote the Jeedai one time as doing so. If not, I'm sure we can retcon. Thanks! :D

Xanos

01-08-2009 15:58:14

That was a very cool post. :D

I really, really like how you described the Jedi convert. That was spot on what I had in mind with all the tattoos and twisted body implants and stuff. B)

And, yeah, they can use the Force perfectly fine--they're probably all into the dark side as well after getting their heads screwed up. They're a mix of all sorts... some are captured Jedi, some Krath or Sith taken from Antei before the Jedi took it, even some Nightsisters and other unusual things if anyone wants to go that far.

Fremoc

01-08-2009 17:04:39

although i didnt get to read your post arack, we also have to find this other captain..

EDIT: all in all a good post.. i might post tonight but i would like to have ryuk give it a go as well a manji

btw.. i like the word baritone... :P

Talos

01-08-2009 17:57:00

Thanks, all! I hope that both Manji and Ryuk get to post around W'rok, he was fun to write if a bit impromptu! :P

Xanos

08-08-2009 04:19:04

Quick note that Children of War will begin in a week's time, so be looking to tidy up any open Fallout and Rurouni stories by then so that they aren't left hanging. O-)

Off the top of my head, that simply means taking back control of Marakith and rescuing Shikyo. I think Paterson got dealt with already, didn't he?

There's no need for the cities to be completely safe, but Marakith is just the one loose end that probably could use closure, as it'd be a shame if that story got left unfinished.

Fremoc

08-08-2009 08:12:44

Yeah, he's dead.. And I'm peppered with shrapnel from two rockets :S

Sai

13-08-2009 17:36:35

Ok. The Marakith angle has been resolved...and Orenth has escaped, sure to return to work more insidiousness upon us! >:)