thread: 2006-01-31 : An Awesome Line of Thought
On 2006-02-02, Emily wrote:
I had one of those 3am ideas that relates to this. Both how do you keep track of the alternate ideas and how to allow ourselves to organize non-linear plot arcs.
Take an event:
The Beatles' final concert, on a rooftop in 1969
That's the initial situation, it gets played out. Then go to the next
The Beatles' final concert, on a rooftop in 1969
—-John and Paul meet
Okay, normal so far, but what if we have three lines that string off of John & Paul meeting that represent three different takes on the same scene:
The Beatles' final concert, on a rooftop in 1969
—-John and Paul meet (myth)
—-John and Paul meet (sgt. peppers/yellow submarine)
—-John and Paul meet (reality)
In the first take, any and all crazy myth that has come to surround the events get included: Elvis was there, they jumped on the stage and immediately started playing "Love Me Do", the Queen introduced them, etc.
In the second take, it's described trippy style, a la Sgt. Peppers or Yellow Submarine. They may be animated etc.
In the third take, they're just blokes in bands meeting up for the first time. The people playing J&P could bring in what they think might have happened based on what they were like at the time. It could be about missing a cab or being nervous about playing etc.
So, from there, all three could converge on another nexus. Say, when the Beatles get signed. From there "real" and "alternate" takes could go off: Pete Best could be with them on the Ed Sullivan show, Paul could really have died, the normal event could take place as they did.
What this would do is create an event map giving you a record of the events, organized by the timelines and different strands.
This could work find because narratives are associational. When we relate them, it is abstracted out, focusing on the most important parts of what happened to build to a point or climax. Whether the events are related chronologically is immaterial. As long as the connections hold true in our minds it's fine. As was pointed out in the post about Drama Therapy flashbacks, replays, intercut scenes etc are all viable, powerful approaches to narrative. They are used in novels all the time.
This makes KSB go "huh"
You lost me a bit emily. Are you saying that we should create a map, say three squares, riff of one, then when it explodes draw another set of squares and at anytime go back to an empty square and play of that, or even make new squares?
Or is this map bit more abstract?
This makes ecb go "sorry"
I've got to make a diagram. : ( It's just an association web, like a relationship map, but with each junction being an event rather than a character.
This makes MSW go "way cool!"
in that example, would we the players all be agreeing that this is the myth version we're doing, or do we/somebody decide that afterward?
This makes ecb go "all of the above?"
I was imagining it being sort of spontaneous--the scene gets framed & somebody suggests that the Queen was there, then run with it. Like how themes often arise in PtA (this character is the only one in color etc). But after that, I'd imagine you'd frame it as "myth", "hyperdelic", "RW" etc. But the sky's the limit! And it could still be an fantastic narrative.
This makes KSB go "and you . . ."
can at anypoint go back to a junction to replay it. in theory couldn't this one scene set a lifetime of games.
This makes ecb go "totally"
yowza. Also, time travel brings this up-I'm sure the reason I thought of the beatles was a shirt I saw at Dreamation with a card from an alt reality where someone saved John Lennon. Nate might do this for TimeStream, if he ain't already.
