All right ... which one of you did it?

[Zoltan]

I just... don't understand. Why?

[Gimfalisette]

We don't need to discourage people from writing fanfic. We need to encourage them to LINK BACK to armageddon.org !!!

[Gimfalisette]

Intoning with dead-eyed intensity, the sparkle-skinned, somber young man says to the bland, dark-haired young woman, in English:
      "You have to stay away from me. I could hurt you, Bella...I -want- to hurt you. I want to hurt you like I did..."

Turning his cold stare away, voice gone quite remote, the sparkle-skinned, somber young man says to the bland, dark-haired young woman, in English:
      "...Zalanthas."

Think of it, people. Think of the new players we could get.

[Wasteland Raider]

And think of what they'd play.

[Me]

And think of what they'd play.

LAWLZ...just.......LAWLZZZZZ!!

[Gimfalisette]

To be fair, teenage girl fans of Twilight are likely to play PCs who are just as dumb and incongrous as teenage boy fans of <insert thing teen boys are fans of>. Chicks playing inappropriately naive, helpless wenches looking for their Prince Charmings are no more jarring than guys playing inappropriately badass, newbie assassins looking for their Righteous Vengeance.

When it all comes down, who are we to judge fanfic? Basically, we write and read bad fanfic constantly, just by playing ARM. And I'm approximately 90% confident that 97% of you (me included) have entertained day-dreamy thoughts of "wouldn't it be cool if ARM was steampunk / sci-fi / LotR / whatever."

[Yam]

So I heard someone say teenage girls.

[Taven]

Suspiciously, that does explain the extreme lack of metal...

I now want to play a PC who believes that giant metal beings ate the Known.

Hahahahaha. I think I'm in love.

Intoning with dead-eyed intensity, the sparkle-skinned, somber young man says to the bland, dark-haired young woman, in English:
      "You have to stay away from me. I could hurt you, Bella...I -want- to hurt you. I want to hurt you like I did..."

Turning his cold stare away, voice gone quite remote, the sparkle-skinned, somber young man says to the bland, dark-haired young woman, in English:
      "...Zalanthas."

Think of it, people. Think of the new players we could get.

Wait a minute, this isn't 99% of all Zalanthian romances already?!

I'm waiting for a Zalanthian story to mix with My Immortal. THAT will be scary.

To be fair, teenage girl fans of Twilight are likely to play PCs who are just as dumb and incongrous as teenage boy fans of <insert thing teen boys are fans of>. Chicks playing inappropriately naive, helpless wenches looking for their Prince Charmings are no more jarring than guys playing inappropriately badass, newbie assassins looking for their Righteous Vengeance.

When it all comes down, who are we to judge fanfic? Basically, we write and read bad fanfic constantly, just by playing ARM. And I'm approximately 90% confident that 97% of you (me included) have entertained day-dreamy thoughts of "wouldn't it be cool if ARM was steampunk / sci-fi / LotR / whatever."

Both of those are incredibly jarring. Personally, I find the "chick version" more jarring.

I don't know if playing Arm itself can count as fan fiction. Playing arm is more like writing the book off of which later fanfiction is based. Not that all PCs in arm are incredible, or don't make you go "wtf," because there's more then enough of them that do, but I think it's a distinction. Personally, I don't think I've ever thought "what if Arm was X," but I have thought that about other things. I suppose you make a good point, but... These fanfictions are just SO DAMN JARRING. Ya know? I can't even get to the point if they're well written or not, because of the jar factor. Though these seem to be MUCH, MUCH better then some fanfictions on other topics.

[Gimfalisette]

My point is really that someone(s) who played ARM (and maybe still do since the second one was updated today) wrote these pieces of fanfic. And they wrote it because they think Zalanthas is so damn awesome.

We can laugh at that viewpoint...because it is "dumb"...but is it really dumb? I argue that it isn't. And I argue that even players who start out writing fanfic that not everyone else loves have the potential to become solid, contributing players over time.

Did you (general you) start out awesome, as a noob? I sure didn't.

Of course, I am assuming that the writers of the fanfic pieces are noobs, but I don't know that. Maybe they are super-seasoned vets...but it just doesn't seem that way.

[Taven]

My first PC was terrible. No idea what I was doing, at all. People said "playing an elf is hard" so I thought "ah-ha, I'll play an elf," not reading any documentation, of course. That was not the best idea in the world. So yes, I see what your point there is and it is cool that people like Zalanthas that much to write fanfiction about it. Yes, they might become valuable contributors over time (assuming that they are n00bs and not long-time players)... But I still find the basis of the fanfictions incredibly jarring. I will cling to my pure-zalanthian ways!

[Zoltan]

I just don't understand why they ripped off -Arm-. I mean, come up with your own ideas. Or at least change the names!

[Gimfalisette]

I mean, come up with your own ideas.

Someone fails to understand the genre of fanfic. Technically, all of ARM is fanfic.

[Taven]

I just don't understand why they ripped off -Arm-. I mean, come up with your own ideas. Or at least change the names!

Well, you could argue that they ripped off transformers, too. The point is to keep the names the same, and turn Zalanthas into something they want it to be, that they think is cooler, while still being what they love. It makes me want to either gawk or spam-type "flee," but that's what fanfiction is. Personally, I really like it when people keep things to their own worlds. I think Arm fanfiction would be great, if it would stick to just the Arm world, and not involve anything else. Of course, I was also the kid that refused to mix Legos and Playmobile because they did not go together.

[FuSoYa]

I wish Arm was steampunk.

My favorite steampunk photo:



Brandon

[Zoltan]

I mean, come up with your own ideas.

Someone fails to understand the genre of fanfic. Technically, all of ARM is fanfic.

Okay okay, but still. I mean, I skimmed that Transformers one, and after the beginning, Zalanthas is never mentioned again. It's not Arm fanfic, it's transformers fanfic that ripped off an entirely different thing for a little anecdote. Granted, any word of mouth about the game that gets out there is great and all...  

EDIT: Brandon, I saw that same picture in a bookstore and had myself a nice, crowd-disturbing cackle.

[Gimfalisette]

Fanfic line of thought: What if Lincoln freed the slaves...WITH A CYBERNETIC ARM!

The only real difference between a seasoned ARM vet and an ARM newb, for the most part, is that we know that we should confine our "omg awesome!" thoughts to the Odd Urges thread, rather than seeking to bring them in game.

[Cutthroat]

Now who wants to write "Harry Potter visits Tuluk"?

[Miri]

Now who wants to write "Harry Potter visits Tuluk"?

[Gimfalisette]

You know, perhaps I should add that I don't find fanfic nor this way of thinking disturbing in the least, and that is probably because I have kids who are often making up wild stories about their favorite show/movie/characters and telling them to me in great detail. My middle son thinks Transformers are the greatest thing ever, my oldest son is obsessed with ninjas, and my daughter loves Wonder Woman. Any of these is a perfect candidate for an "omg awesome what if!" story. My kids are very smart and very awesome people, they're simply young.

To me, these things are the hallmark of a young, creative, excited, pliant mind...not stupidity or lameitude. There is potential here for storytelling and engagement, it just hasn't matured yet. And being immature--in the real sense of being a physical and intellectual juvenile--is surely no cause for criticism. It's simply a period of life we all go through.

Today's middle-schoolers are next year's ARMers, after all.

[Zoltan]

Heh, true that, Gimf.

Now who wants to write "Harry Potter visits Tuluk"?

I'm awfully tempted...

Seriously, though, this thread's prompted me to start writing a story or two about one of my past characters for the website. Should be fun-tastic!

And depressing. He was a very depressing character.

[Adieren]

Nasally, the ugly, greasy haired man says, in sirihish:
    "What is that mysterious ticking noise?"

[Gagula]

Nasally, the ugly, greasy haired man says, in sirihish:
    "What is that mysterious ticking noise?"

I believe this is the link you are looking for.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tx1XIm6q4r4

[Durant]

I'd like to applaud whoever wrote this for taking two things they obviously feel passionate about and having the courage to write a story about it and -post- that story for others to read.

I know it's probably not likely you'll step forward now, but kudos to you for writing, I hope you enjoyed the experience.

[The7DeadlyVenomz]

Wow. This is amazingly disturbing.

[The7DeadlyVenomz]

Also...

I wish Arm was steampunk.

Furthermore, Gimf is right. Don't make fun of these writers.