Sent off the first draft of my script analysis at noon. A little irritated with myself because I triggered another bout of OOS and because (as I have asked for some feedback on my feedback) I haven't got a sense of closure yet. Still, it took me seven hours to write and I feel I made some breakthroughs in understanding exactly what I didn't like about it.
Now to potter around on Astral and finetune my review of The Farm. Due to events in RL I may not make any progress until Monday.
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Thursday, January 13, 2005
[Astral] What do you do?
Last night Svend asked "What do you do in this game?" Fair question - and one I'd been considering too.
Firstly, I see Astral as a game that values psychological exploration. So what you do is make choices about what you value most in life. The Setting is sketchy at the moment (and may remain so); I see it as metaphorical and largely created by each individual playgroup.
That aside, I think there are several hooks that you can hang a particular game of Astral around.*
Espionage.
Healing.
Revenge.
Guiding the Dead.
Exploration.
Fun.
Prevent tragedies ['Tru Calling'].
Time Travel.
Confront 'Alien' Invaders.
Grow as a person.
Achieve enlightenment.
Solve a complex mystery.
Balance your real-life and astral life ['Bones of the Moon' by Jonathan Carroll].
Fix your social life.
Tell your origin story. Apparently most out-of-body experiences are triggered either by being near killed or suffering from grief.
Comforting the recently dead.
Mentoring the spiritual development of others.
Resolve karmic situations.
The search for God.
Visualising your future spiritual home or afterlife. Trying to make changes to that.
Life changing spiritual adventures are often part of the outer body experience. [Therefore
the real world of the character needs to have equal waiting for this to have significance.]
Journey into the afterlife as a Shaman, called on by the living to provide healing and communicate with the dead.
HOOK: something you must achieve in the astral realm, but something is waiting to attack or take your body when you go astral.
A rapid death may create an individual who does not want to accept their new reality. A ghost.
Afterlife (and trying to get back).
Exploring the astral realms of inanimate man-made objects
Confront your personal fears.
Recovering a repressed memory.
Can play with an emphasis on real-life vs astral life.
Feel free to add your own ideas in the Comments. To me, the hookiest ideas seem to be things that will tempt you towards one extreme of your Ratings. I'm also going to consult with the Forge about 'What do you do'. And I'm toying with the idea of creating a mission structure to each game, similar to InSpectres.
*The bolded entries are ones I think are worthy of further development.
Firstly, I see Astral as a game that values psychological exploration. So what you do is make choices about what you value most in life. The Setting is sketchy at the moment (and may remain so); I see it as metaphorical and largely created by each individual playgroup.
That aside, I think there are several hooks that you can hang a particular game of Astral around.*
Espionage.
Healing.
Revenge.
Guiding the Dead.
Exploration.
Fun.
Prevent tragedies ['Tru Calling'].
Time Travel.
Confront 'Alien' Invaders.
Grow as a person.
Achieve enlightenment.
Solve a complex mystery.
Balance your real-life and astral life ['Bones of the Moon' by Jonathan Carroll].
Fix your social life.
Tell your origin story. Apparently most out-of-body experiences are triggered either by being near killed or suffering from grief.
Comforting the recently dead.
Mentoring the spiritual development of others.
Resolve karmic situations.
The search for God.
Visualising your future spiritual home or afterlife. Trying to make changes to that.
Life changing spiritual adventures are often part of the outer body experience. [Therefore
the real world of the character needs to have equal waiting for this to have significance.]
Journey into the afterlife as a Shaman, called on by the living to provide healing and communicate with the dead.
HOOK: something you must achieve in the astral realm, but something is waiting to attack or take your body when you go astral.
A rapid death may create an individual who does not want to accept their new reality. A ghost.
Afterlife (and trying to get back).
Exploring the astral realms of inanimate man-made objects
Confront your personal fears.
Recovering a repressed memory.
Can play with an emphasis on real-life vs astral life.
Feel free to add your own ideas in the Comments. To me, the hookiest ideas seem to be things that will tempt you towards one extreme of your Ratings. I'm also going to consult with the Forge about 'What do you do'. And I'm toying with the idea of creating a mission structure to each game, similar to InSpectres.
*The bolded entries are ones I think are worthy of further development.
Wednesday, January 12, 2005
[Astral] Ethics
Ethics indicates where you tend in a value system: light vs dark, good vs evil, altruist vs. selfish and ultimately Angelic vs. Demonic. It’s all about what you will find when you travel.
At a rating of 10, you are an entirely positive force – Angelic and locked into only benevolent acts.
At a rating of 0, you are an entirely negative force – Demonic and capable of only corruption.
Ethics deals with … [to be finalised]. It’s used to determine what sort of beings your character will encounter on their astral travels. It’s also useful for determining how they will respond to a character.
Angelic abilities include [creating a lightning bolt or flashing sword or a hand grenade of explosive light.] Perceiving people's true forms. Direct knowledge.
Demonic abilities include [creating a lightning bolt or flashing sword or a hand grenade of explosive light. Direct knowledge.]
At a rating of 10, you are an entirely positive force – Angelic and locked into only benevolent acts.
At a rating of 0, you are an entirely negative force – Demonic and capable of only corruption.
Ethics deals with … [to be finalised]. It’s used to determine what sort of beings your character will encounter on their astral travels. It’s also useful for determining how they will respond to a character.
Angelic abilities include [creating a lightning bolt or flashing sword or a hand grenade of explosive light.] Perceiving people's true forms. Direct knowledge.
Demonic abilities include [creating a lightning bolt or flashing sword or a hand grenade of explosive light. Direct knowledge.]
[Astral] Focus
Focus is based on whether you are more concerned about the events in your own life or in the wider universe. It’s all about how far you can travel.
At a rating of 10, you are entirely attuned to the Universe and will wander forever.
At a rating of 0, you are entirely attuned to your Self and will live forever in your own psychodrama (c.f. Silent Hill 2).
Focus deals with … [to be finalised].
Abilities dealing with the Universe include: Perceiving people's true forms. Direct knowledge. Locating sources of knowledge, represented by books, libraries or wise entities.
Abilities dealing with the Self include: Shape shifting into your ideal self. Exploring your past lives. Creating vivid imagery or an environment around yourself.
At a rating of 10, you are entirely attuned to the Universe and will wander forever.
At a rating of 0, you are entirely attuned to your Self and will live forever in your own psychodrama (c.f. Silent Hill 2).
Focus deals with … [to be finalised].
Abilities dealing with the Universe include: Perceiving people's true forms. Direct knowledge. Locating sources of knowledge, represented by books, libraries or wise entities.
Abilities dealing with the Self include: Shape shifting into your ideal self. Exploring your past lives. Creating vivid imagery or an environment around yourself.
[Astral] Attunement
Attunement measures your ability to travel astrally and is based on whether you are more connected to your Body or your Soul. It deals with anything a corporeal body couldn't do: fly, walk through walls, survive in space.
At a rating of 10, you are entirely attuned to your Body and can't travel astrally.
At a rating of 0, you are entirely attuned to your Soul and can't return to your body. You "bypass the astral plane and embrace the formless essence of pure spirit."
Abilities for the Soul include: Creating a lightning bolt, flashing sword or a hand grenade of explosive light. Covering yourself in a protective glow or spiritual armour.
Various forms of travel, such as Bouncing. Outrunning something negative by transferring to a higher energy level. Creating elevators, steers or other portals to travel through dimensions and environments. Moving in a vehicle. Instantaneous (or super-rapid) interstellar travel.
A successful Soul check means you can see clearly in darkness, have 360 degree perception, or grow a dozen eyes. You can also shape shift (into a sphere, an animalor your ideal self) or reincarnate as trees and animals.
The only ability for Body is to be able to return to your body after you've finished travelling astrally.
At a rating of 10, you are entirely attuned to your Body and can't travel astrally.
At a rating of 0, you are entirely attuned to your Soul and can't return to your body. You "bypass the astral plane and embrace the formless essence of pure spirit."
Abilities for the Soul include: Creating a lightning bolt, flashing sword or a hand grenade of explosive light. Covering yourself in a protective glow or spiritual armour.
Various forms of travel, such as Bouncing. Outrunning something negative by transferring to a higher energy level. Creating elevators, steers or other portals to travel through dimensions and environments. Moving in a vehicle. Instantaneous (or super-rapid) interstellar travel.
A successful Soul check means you can see clearly in darkness, have 360 degree perception, or grow a dozen eyes. You can also shape shift (into a sphere, an animalor your ideal self) or reincarnate as trees and animals.
The only ability for Body is to be able to return to your body after you've finished travelling astrally.
[Astral] The 4 Ratings
RATINGS determine what your character can do in this game.
A Rating is simple a range of numbers from 0 to 10. At either end of the numbers are a pair of words describing opposites. These are called EXTREMES. For example, Attunement measures whether you are more closely tied to your Soul (0) or your Body (10). At a rating of 10 you cannot travel astrally. At a rating of 0 you can’t return to your body.
This number is constantly changing - based on your decisions - as the character takes actions while astral and in their everyday life.
Each description of a Rating has the following sub-headings:
Overview: the basics of what each Rating deals with and the types of abilities they use or stories they generate.
Extremes: the opposite sides of each Rating and what happens if you reach them.
Abilities: divided into 2 columns, one for each Extreme.
Consequences: In Astral, each Extreme can lead to a different type of story. These consequences give you an idea of what types of stories you can tell.
A Rating is simple a range of numbers from 0 to 10. At either end of the numbers are a pair of words describing opposites. These are called EXTREMES. For example, Attunement measures whether you are more closely tied to your Soul (0) or your Body (10). At a rating of 10 you cannot travel astrally. At a rating of 0 you can’t return to your body.
This number is constantly changing - based on your decisions - as the character takes actions while astral and in their everyday life.
Each description of a Rating has the following sub-headings:
Overview: the basics of what each Rating deals with and the types of abilities they use or stories they generate.
Extremes: the opposite sides of each Rating and what happens if you reach them.
Abilities: divided into 2 columns, one for each Extreme.
Consequences: In Astral, each Extreme can lead to a different type of story. These consequences give you an idea of what types of stories you can tell.
[Script] Enthusiasm vs. Pragmatism
Analysing an outline for a movie today. Constantly found I was having lots of ideas but decided to rein myself back in. After all:
a) I'm not getting paid for this;
b) the writers don't want that much feedback; and
c) this is not my project.
Given that my wrists are starting to hurt again from OOS, I think getting this particular analysis done quick and fast is in my best interests.
a) I'm not getting paid for this;
b) the writers don't want that much feedback; and
c) this is not my project.
Given that my wrists are starting to hurt again from OOS, I think getting this particular analysis done quick and fast is in my best interests.
[Astral] Table of Contents
Had an idea bomb go off for this game last night. After sifting through the debris, I realised I'd come up with most of the system that it needed. All that's needed now is to research enough hooks to allow people to develop the Setting on their own.
Astral - A game of Inner Exploration & Out-of-Body Experiences
by Stephen Hickey
1. Introduction
"To think of moving is to have moved."
Ramsay Campbell, The Parasite.
1.1 Hook: You play a person who has just discovered they can travel outside their body.
1.2 What do you do?
1.3 Origin Story: Why do people first go astral?
2. Creating a Character
2.1 Who are you?
2.2 The Character Sheet [1. Do up an entry for this next.]
2.3 The 4 Ratings [3. then consequences for each rating.]
...... 2.3.1 Attunement
...... 2.3.2 Focus
...... 2.3.3 Ethics
...... 2.3.4 Fear
2.4 The Basic Mechanic [2. then lay this out in back-to-basics detail.]
2.5 Character Change
3. Taking Action
3.1 Overview of the Process
3.2 Intent
3.3 Initiative
3.4 Execution
3.5 Effect
4. Setting
4.1 Our World
4.2 Abilities
4.3 Consequences
4.4 The Others
5. A Game Session
5.1 Unit of Play: The Journey
...... 5.1.1 Ad-libbed
...... 5.1.2 A Mission Structure [4. enter my notes on this.]
...... 5.1.3 Campaign Hooks
5.2 The Return to the Body
Designer's diary
Designer's Notes
Reading List
*Books
Bones of the Moon (19XX), Jonathan Carroll
The Parasite (1980), Ramsay Campbell
Passage (2001), Connie Willis [to read]
Transition: A peep through the Veil (1991), Violet Tasker
Way of the Peaceful Warrior, Dan Millman [to confirm]
What Dreams May Come (1978), Richard Matheson
*Films
Fear and loathing in Las Vegas (1998), Hunter S. Thompson & Terry Gilliam
The Sixth Sense (1999), M. Night Shyamalan
What Dreams May Come (1998), Ron Bass
Astral - A game of Inner Exploration & Out-of-Body Experiences
by Stephen Hickey
1. Introduction
"To think of moving is to have moved."
Ramsay Campbell, The Parasite.
1.1 Hook: You play a person who has just discovered they can travel outside their body.
1.2 What do you do?
1.3 Origin Story: Why do people first go astral?
2. Creating a Character
2.1 Who are you?
2.2 The Character Sheet [1. Do up an entry for this next.]
2.3 The 4 Ratings [3. then consequences for each rating.]
...... 2.3.1 Attunement
...... 2.3.2 Focus
...... 2.3.3 Ethics
...... 2.3.4 Fear
2.4 The Basic Mechanic [2. then lay this out in back-to-basics detail.]
2.5 Character Change
3. Taking Action
3.1 Overview of the Process
3.2 Intent
3.3 Initiative
3.4 Execution
3.5 Effect
4. Setting
4.1 Our World
4.2 Abilities
4.3 Consequences
4.4 The Others
5. A Game Session
5.1 Unit of Play: The Journey
...... 5.1.1 Ad-libbed
...... 5.1.2 A Mission Structure [4. enter my notes on this.]
...... 5.1.3 Campaign Hooks
5.2 The Return to the Body
Designer's diary
Designer's Notes
Reading List
*Books
Bones of the Moon (19XX), Jonathan Carroll
The Parasite (1980), Ramsay Campbell
Passage (2001), Connie Willis [to read]
Transition: A peep through the Veil (1991), Violet Tasker
Way of the Peaceful Warrior, Dan Millman [to confirm]
What Dreams May Come (1978), Richard Matheson
*Films
Fear and loathing in Las Vegas (1998), Hunter S. Thompson & Terry Gilliam
The Sixth Sense (1999), M. Night Shyamalan
What Dreams May Come (1998), Ron Bass
Tuesday, January 11, 2005
[RPG] Astral: stop me if I get 2 freaky
Had a burst of inspiration (or maybe Red Bull) to do some research for this ‘Astral’ RPG. The hook for this game is that you play someone who discovers they can travel outside of their body. Not sure what the Situation or Setting for this will be, but that’s what the research is for. And the big discovery so far: there are MANY books on this stuff in the library.
Fear (and the need to conquer it) seems to be the common denominator so far. So maybe I need to set up a set of characteristics, like Courage vs Common Sense, Body vs Soul, and Inner vs Outer (‘cos apparently another form of astral travel is either into the outer world or your own mind). Think I’d like to rip off Ralph Mazza’s Robots & Rapiers system for this game; it has a nice simplicity about it.
Anyway, these books are filled with great ideas: time distortion (viewing events before they happen), spirit armour, lower astral beings, getting lost, meeting other versions of yourself. It’s really rich territory for a game, methinks.
Oooh, and I think I want a failed roll to cause an effect like this. IOW, failure advances (or at least complicates) the game.
Fear (and the need to conquer it) seems to be the common denominator so far. So maybe I need to set up a set of characteristics, like Courage vs Common Sense, Body vs Soul, and Inner vs Outer (‘cos apparently another form of astral travel is either into the outer world or your own mind). Think I’d like to rip off Ralph Mazza’s Robots & Rapiers system for this game; it has a nice simplicity about it.
Anyway, these books are filled with great ideas: time distortion (viewing events before they happen), spirit armour, lower astral beings, getting lost, meeting other versions of yourself. It’s really rich territory for a game, methinks.
Oooh, and I think I want a failed roll to cause an effect like this. IOW, failure advances (or at least complicates) the game.
[Script] Illicit Adaption
Read the first draft of a friend’s novel this morning that I’ve been considering trying to adapt.*
It was excellent (****), much deeper than I expected. All the character seem vivid, alive in my head. The situations are individualised and fresh. What’s its genre? Existential Torture Comedy – the adventures of a slacker trying to raise $2000 to live with his girlfriend in the UK. Further than that, it’s a novel about the role of money in our lives and how NZ is creating a society that’s driving people away from it. And it’s about more than that too.
The story enthuses me. I’d like to play around with it a little. But [neurosis alert] does my enthusiasm come from the source material or my ideas about what to do with the source material? [/neuroticism]
Originally, I wanted to do this as a movie – low budget, fast and dirty. Now I think there’s enough in there for a TV series. NZ On Air is running something called the Innovation Initiative, applications for which close on 24 March. Should make an enquiry to NZOA about this … Plus, I thought I wanted a simple comedy, but this slices firmly through dramedy country into the realm of the funny drama.
Finally a Brain Dump, … because I don’t even have a word to describe the unfleshed-out concept for the idea I’m about to try and describe…
What’s the (line?) of this novel, its (essence?) that all the scenes in an adaptation would have to reflect or expand on in order for the movie to be true to itself? I’m talking about its (subtextual (truth? identity?)), ... at any rate it’s another form of subtext … that (core?) which makes something the thing that it is. May have to consult with my old aesthetic professor, Ismay Barwell, to get a clearer idea …
Tomorrow, analysing a film synopsis for a friend.
* NB: Haven’t even talked to the author about adaptation yet – it’s just an idle thought, originally inspired by listening to the last 2 tracks off the Fly My Pretties album.
It was excellent (****), much deeper than I expected. All the character seem vivid, alive in my head. The situations are individualised and fresh. What’s its genre? Existential Torture Comedy – the adventures of a slacker trying to raise $2000 to live with his girlfriend in the UK. Further than that, it’s a novel about the role of money in our lives and how NZ is creating a society that’s driving people away from it. And it’s about more than that too.
The story enthuses me. I’d like to play around with it a little. But [neurosis alert] does my enthusiasm come from the source material or my ideas about what to do with the source material? [/neuroticism]
Originally, I wanted to do this as a movie – low budget, fast and dirty. Now I think there’s enough in there for a TV series. NZ On Air is running something called the Innovation Initiative, applications for which close on 24 March. Should make an enquiry to NZOA about this … Plus, I thought I wanted a simple comedy, but this slices firmly through dramedy country into the realm of the funny drama.
Finally a Brain Dump, … because I don’t even have a word to describe the unfleshed-out concept for the idea I’m about to try and describe…
What’s the (line?) of this novel, its (essence?) that all the scenes in an adaptation would have to reflect or expand on in order for the movie to be true to itself? I’m talking about its (subtextual (truth? identity?)), ... at any rate it’s another form of subtext … that (core?) which makes something the thing that it is. May have to consult with my old aesthetic professor, Ismay Barwell, to get a clearer idea …
Tomorrow, analysing a film synopsis for a friend.
* NB: Haven’t even talked to the author about adaptation yet – it’s just an idle thought, originally inspired by listening to the last 2 tracks off the Fly My Pretties album.
Monday, January 10, 2005
[Horror] The Parasite, by Ramsay Campbell.
** (out of 5)
Weak, but the liberating descriptions of out-of-body experiences makes me want to write a short RPG on the subject. Think I’ll call it ‘Astral’.
Weak, but the liberating descriptions of out-of-body experiences makes me want to write a short RPG on the subject. Think I’ll call it ‘Astral’.
[The Limit] A Short Holiday
So I 'kind of' finished Outline E.
Excellent.
Now I'm taking a short break from scriptwriting, refresh my mind. I'll be analysing another couple of possible film projects, finishing my review of The Farm, doing some write-ups of role-playing sessions and posting an idea for a game to The Forge, and trying to do another big chunk on my horror novel. Basically, short projects that I can get the satisfaction of finishing and getting off my desk.
As for The Limit, I've got to make sure it is readable, that the chunky scenes I wanted to rewrite are good enough (!), send it to Andrew, simplify the Screenwriter's Diary entry, arrange an interview with someone from the Armed Offenders Squad, and get ready to pitch the movie to some people.
That's right: The Limit is about to go public.
Excellent.
Excellent.
Now I'm taking a short break from scriptwriting, refresh my mind. I'll be analysing another couple of possible film projects, finishing my review of The Farm, doing some write-ups of role-playing sessions and posting an idea for a game to The Forge, and trying to do another big chunk on my horror novel. Basically, short projects that I can get the satisfaction of finishing and getting off my desk.
As for The Limit, I've got to make sure it is readable, that the chunky scenes I wanted to rewrite are good enough (!), send it to Andrew, simplify the Screenwriter's Diary entry, arrange an interview with someone from the Armed Offenders Squad, and get ready to pitch the movie to some people.
That's right: The Limit is about to go public.
Excellent.
Friday, January 07, 2005
[The Limit] Scriptwriter’s Diary
The Limit is a vigilante thriller about a father who wants revenge for his murdered son. But when he tries to force a confession out the prime suspect things go horribly wrong.
I've been working on this since a discussion with Sean in 1998, working on it seriously (with Andrew) since 2001-02. Here’s how the writing's progressing:
Early December, 2004 - about to add new material to the story ...
Updates , Finished prepping
Mid December, 2004 - Working on Outline E
A day off , Tough scene , The Mountain
Late December, 2004 - Taking a break to figure out the story
First-day-back phenomenon , Overviewing , On to Act 3
New Years, 2004/05 - Finished Outline E, now: some decisions.
What next? , Easy decision
Early January, 2005 - Polishing the outline so others can read it.
Happy again! , Relentless , De-grim-ification , Script like poetry
Mid January, 2005 - Letting the script lie down for a while.
A Short Holiday , Send Off
I've been working on this since a discussion with Sean in 1998, working on it seriously (with Andrew) since 2001-02. Here’s how the writing's progressing:
Early December, 2004 - about to add new material to the story ...
Updates , Finished prepping
Mid December, 2004 - Working on Outline E
A day off , Tough scene , The Mountain
Late December, 2004 - Taking a break to figure out the story
First-day-back phenomenon , Overviewing , On to Act 3
New Years, 2004/05 - Finished Outline E, now: some decisions.
What next? , Easy decision
Early January, 2005 - Polishing the outline so others can read it.
Happy again! , Relentless , De-grim-ification , Script like poetry
Mid January, 2005 - Letting the script lie down for a while.
A Short Holiday , Send Off