Volleyball 2004 - Commentary

[Darb]

Latest entry by Cho:

Latest entry by Felon:

[Darb]

Kvetch made the comment that perhaps we should start a vollyball 2005 thread.

As for myself ... I'm perfectly content to continue the one we're doing now, and simply adjust the title accordingly. Or we could start a new one. I'm game either way, but I'm sorta leaning towards the added challenge of pushing the existing envelope still further, rather than going back into the kiddie pool of easy & over-used genres.

[Ghost]

Sorry Brad , I already split the last two posts and started a new thread. I voted to open up the kiddie’s pool and see if we can get more people involved again.


Personally you can challenge yourself and not use previous genres.

[felonius]

Oh I don't know - not to step on your toes Mr. Boo but I think splitting the thread kind of diminishes the "linked chain" effect a bit - don't you think it would be satisfying to have it grow to some ridiculous size?

How about we just keep it intact and retitle it Volleyball 2004-2005?

Then again, the thread's length and growing obscurity in genres might be what's keeping others away, you've got a point there...though after almost a year I doubt there'll be sudden truckload of new posters for the new one (not to sound callous, I hope).

I dunno. It's kind of like a structure one makes out of Lego - you never want to dismantle the ones you like even though you want the pieces for something new.

[ChoChiyo]

I vote for a new thread...then I can be in on it from the start, and perhaps we can manage the various sub-plots to maintain some semblance of unified overall plot...Heh heh .

I want to bring Carlotta back though.

She cracks me up.

Bwa ha ha.

Anyone have any thoughts about each poster allowed to create only a specific number of main characters? It's hard to keep track of all of them. Or maybe we should have a commentary thread just for keeping track of the major players and plots within the story...

Just thoughts.

I do like things tidy.

[felonius]

perhaps we can manage the various sub-plots to maintain some semblance of unified overall plot.

Anyone have any thoughts about each poster allowed to create only a specific number of main characters? It's hard to keep track of all of them. Or maybe we should have a commentary thread just for keeping track of the major players and plots within the story...

I do like things tidy.

Could cut that pedanticism with a knife!

[Ghost]

I can merge it back at anytime. So far we have two for continue with old thread (Brad and Felonius) and two for new thread (Ghost and Cho). I’ll wait a couple of days and see what other people say (should have done that in the first place).


One other advantage of keeping the thread going is it stays is the Top Post list.


/me is sooooo confused

[Kvetch]

I'm for a restart: maybe I'll be able to follow it properly this time round

[felonius]

I was just thinking that since I was the one to request a new VB thread way back so I could write in it from the beginning, I probably don't have any right to cast a vote against someone else wanting the same thing...

Whatever. I'm easy. (Just not cheap or sleazy.)

[Kvetch]

for the record: I just want to be able to watch a thread from the beginning - my contributions would be rare, if even that

[felonius]

Come on Kvetch. You know there is a Fiery Scribe yearning for release beneath that Calculating Mathematician exterior.

[Darb]

OK, how about a compromise to keep everyone happy:

1) We start a new 2005 match, and lock down the old one ... but add historical linkage to all previous matches to the first post of the 2005 thread, so that we can always find them in case they fall off of page 1. I'll take care of adding the historical links.

2) We start over with all new genres & scoring, but hardcore regulars can, if they so choose, to voluntarily handicap themselves by continuing to select hard and avante garde genres, and leaving the easier ones to new participants. No special bonus for doing so ... just an optional voluntary thing.

As for old characters - I feel a little sad about letting them go (re: Alpha Rexor, Suin Olef, King Kong, etc.), but I'm willing to do so, in order to bring new people onboard.

[Darb]

All that's needed before we lockdown this thread is a finaly tally on the scoring.

Other than that, I think we can pick up the existing conversation over in the 2005 commentary thread I started.

[Ghost]

I gotta run to a meeting, but I’ll get to the final scoring soon and some bonus Sherlock for the truly impressive posts.

[Darb]

/me idly wonders if a collection of male employees of a strip mining company can be verbally shortened to just "male strippers".

Man, I'm on a hot buttered pun roll today ...

[Ghost]

Very good Cho,

. . . a bunch of annoying bastards . . . find some advil and an icepack.

And finally: “Shush up, BIllie Jo Sueanne. I'm a-tryin' to think here.â€

[KiltanneN]

I suggest perhaps a minor tweaking of the rules.

Whether or not this includes a new thread would be optional, But I think it's a new year and perhaps time for a slight change in concept.

Is it highly desirable to require new Genre's every post? Is this the thing that perhaps intimidates some people? perhaps a minor tweak to the rules could be along the lines:

May not use the same genre as the previous 5 posts.
OR:

May not use the same genre as any OTHER post ON THE SAME PAGE
OR to consider a much more radical change:

May not use any character in the same genre that character has been in before.
Along the lines of modifying the character usage:

May not use characters created by other writers in the actual post - must refer to them "off-stage" as it were...
Some other thoughts:

Require a minimum post length.
Require a maximum post length.
Require a minimum number of characters.
Require a maximum number of characters.

All rules can be "broken" simply providing for a lower score...

Offer bonus scores for "resurrecting" old plot lines that are greater than 5 posts old.

Offer bonus scores for inclusion of muliple story lines.

Charge a penalty for killing off characters not your own


So. What does everybody else think? Should we discuss possible variations a little more? I do recognise I haven't done all that much posting before - and I can't promise to do any more posting this year - but there is a possibility I can...

I will come back to this....

kilt

[Darb]

KILTY: funny that you should worry about things being too complicated and scaring off noobs ... just before you propose a whole slew of new rules that will accomplish precisely that.

I think we should keep the genre change rule - that's part of what makes the volleyball game what it is.

As for the rest ... the simpler we keep it, the better.

To be continued in the 2005 commentary thread ...

[Ghost]

The 2004 Volley Ball Awards – The Volleys



It was a very good year for amateur writing at IBDoF; everyone deserves praise and a round of applause for their efforts. I would like to recognize some of the better efforts in the 2004 Volleyball.


High Scores:
Brad – 114
Felonius – 104

Runner Up:
Everyone else


Most Memorable Character:
Winner: Carlotta – Cho Chiyo

Runners up (in order of appearance):
Darb (Demon King) – Kahrey / Aunflin
Gard (Writer) – Felonius / Brad
Danielle (Chef on Cooking Show) – Brad
Old Man / Suin-Olef – Feloinus / Ghost / Brad
Rexor the Canine MIB Agent – Brad



Most Memorable Creation:
Winner Nojshe – Aunflin (and everyone who used it so well)

Runners Up: Nothing even came close


This last one was the hardest, because there were so many excellent posts by so many people.


Best Over-All Post:
Winner: GENRE: MILITARY EPIGRAM: . . . in a womb far, far away – Brad

Runner Ups:
Too many to list.

I'll be posting Sherlocks to for the lucky (or creative) winners.

[Darb]

GHOST: Aww gosh, I'm honored and all, and it's certainly your perogative to hand out pretend awards if it amuses you to do so ... but let's not take all the scoring stuff too seriously. It's really just there for fun and giggles.

Let's give equal kudos to everyone who participates in the spirit of mutual fun and creativity.

[Ghost]

Yes everyone deserves credit for participating and that is why I do it. For the fun of it and the writing experience it gives you. SO AGAIN, everyone who participated did a fantastic job.


Let’s hope everyone plays for the fun of the game, and I think they do; and let’s hope we have even more participation this year.


For those of you that are intimidated by the rules (changing genre, etc…) just write what comes to you, - DON’T worry about the score.

Just jump in and participate.

[Darb]

Ah, to heck with it ... I'm unlocking this thread again, so that everyone can participate in typing up loose ends for 2004.

As for myself: I think the character I enjoyed writing the most was a tie between Agents London & Rex of MIB ... I had a blast with them everytime my fingers touched keyboard. Here it is months later, and I'm STILL chuckling over that multi-layered sight gag I pulled with Rexor oogling the little black shitzu (re: Led Zeppelin's "black dog").

I'm gonna miss them.

[felonius]

Brad – 114
Felonius – 104

10 lousy points. Well, I was in a lengthy slump for a while there, granted.

I just skimmed the old VB thread and wanted to preserve this canine haiku written by Brad in one of his finest hours:

Grrr Grrr Grrr Grrr Grrr !
Bark Bark Bark Bark Bark Bark Bark !
Bite Bite Bite Bite ... YIPE !

Five seven five indeed.

Of other noteworthy mention are Aunflin's honest and thoughtful stream-of-consciousness efforts, Kahrey's dark and delightful demonic imagery, Laurie's poetic inspiration late in the thread, and yes, Cho's Biker Chicks in Prison - a radical and original genre shift if ever there was one.

May I also be the first to tip my hat to our fine and upstanding Judge, tallier, scorekeeper, and formidable scribe in his own right, Monsieur Ghost. I know I'll fantasize about sultry space cats for the rest of my life...

Fine game everyone, fine game. It turned into something quite different from what I'd anticipated initially and was lots of fun. Cheers all

[Ghost]

Thank you, Felonius. I think I just needed a little encouragement.

As for myself: I think the character I enjoyed writing the most was a tie between Agents London & Rex of MIB ... I had a blast with them everytime my fingers touched keyboard. Here it is months later, and I'm STILL chuckling over that multi-layered sight gag I pulled with Rexor oogling the little black shitzu (re: Led Zeppelin's "black dog").

I'm gonna miss them.

While, for me, the most memorable Character was Carlotta; I have to agree with Brad the character I like the best was Alpha Rexor. I think my best post was with Rex as Sherlock Holmes.

Everyone did a great job.


/me hopes Laurie and Kahrey will get more involved this time

[laurie]

Laurie plans to do more this time.

It was difficult before because I came on in the middle and couldn't get a grip on the characters, story, etc.