Moves
Gemcode: Sapphire or Iolite
These chronicles collectively form what is called a Play-by-e-mail (PBeM) game. Typical moves are conducted via e-mail between up to four persons, one acting as the playwright, one acting as player, one acting as the governing storyline editor, who is often also the director, the title of which varies according to system used (dungeon master, gamemaster, or storyteller). There can be fewer participants. For soloists, players writing purely mood sequences, and those who are participating in a stand-in role, usually there are only two participants, storyline editor and player (who acts also as director for the same piece).
Featured cast characters are run exclusively by one principal player for as long as they are in their starring roles. Supporting cast characters are run by one understudy player for a given time to follow a significant plot thread, after which the character is given over to a new understudy. Playwrights, who are usually also players, work with either principal or understudy players to run that character through a significant plot threat, after which they are assigned a new player. All of this is overseen by the storyline editors and directors responsible for a given chronicle setting. soloists and stand-ins work only with the storyline editors and directors.
The heart of the SCC are the players, also known as player-playwrights. Each player always fulfills both a player and a playwright role simultaneously. In most cases, they work with another player in a different chronicle setting, while they are in turn helped by someone else for the character which they play. Player and playwright aspects are both equally important. Players must fulfill the requirements of their two aspects with equal attention to effort and detail. In the player role, participants create action lists. Action lists are given to playwrights from which the playwright composes a plot outline. The plot outline is returned to the player to be fictionalized. After fictionalization of the outline, the player creates a new action list based on the now changed game environment. Soloists and stand-ins combine the action list and plot outline sequence and deliver a finished plot outline that incorporates the action list to the storyline editor, who makes any required changes or sends it back for rework. Alternately, soloists can work in an almost purely fictional format, using the rules as guidelines and the storyline editor changes as controls. This is all detailed below.
1: Player - Character Research
Moves begin with the player, who is also a playwright but in this case, is acting in the capacity of player. If the character is a featured character, the player is very intimate with past history and ongoing plot threads and this step is part and parcel with step 2. The player initiates a new plot thread or continues with an old one by composing an action list. If the player is an understudy and working with a new character, the understudy researches the character, gets into character, and creates an action list.
2: Player - the Action List
An action list is just a list of intended actions by a character. They could lead to dialogue, combat, mood sequences, anything. They are not the final outcome but just the intentions of the player as character according to the player's belief in the characters abilities. The action list can be brief or detailed, depending on the depth and desired outcome of the player. They can include possible contingencies, such as alternate actions should an event occur. Adding contingencies is wise to a point because it allows the playwright to carry the move past a decision point rather than stopping prematurely to poll the player for another action list. Action lists should not be too detailed though. A player might intend for a character to proceed down a certain path, but the player does not have all the information about other factors in the environment. So, an overly detailed action list could result in wasted effort should the action stop at the second item on the action list and go in an entirely different direction. Everything past the second point would then be superfluous. Writing a balanced action list takes practice. More seasoned players will be able to write a brief yet comprehensive action list with some contingencies in a short amount of time.
How much action or time should an action list contain? Rule of thumb is contain TWO scenes worth of action potential. How much is a scene? If you think of a movie or play, a scene is a length of action that occurs before there is a cut to a new time or locale. In certain dynamic situations, an action list of two scenes is too long. Combat, dialogue, even roll-oriented maneuver rolls are best handled by small moves instead a full two scene action list until such time as the dynamic moves are completed. Reference the section on dynamic moves in the Timestop section.
Action lists are delivered to the storyline editor via the storytellers@santacruzchronicles.com e-mail address. All storyline editors are privy to all moves so that they can step in if need be. Also, many storyline editors might be working in conjunction with other storyline editors. So it is important to use the proper gemcode subject line. Use Amethyst, followed the character name. An example is Amethyst/Fred Fredericks. Players do not need to address the move to a specific storyline editor. That editor knows which players and playwrights he is working with and will be on the lookout for moves regarding that character.
Here is an example of an action list for Fred Fredericks. The Storyline editor opening the e-mail for the hypothetical message might see something like the following:
(begins with time and place, which can themselves be edited if need be). Place: Mickey's Car Wash, 41st Ave. Capitola. Time: Sunday, July 30th, 1995. 11:42 p.m.
(begins with time and place, which can themselves be edited if need be). Place: Doc Mock's house, Bethany Court, Scotts Valley. Time: Monday, July 31st, 1995. 12:47 a.m.
Action list stops as Fred is entering into a dynamic move phase, specifically for dialogue. It would not make sense to script any more contingencies since Fred doesn't know what the Doc would say. Now, this is assuming that Doc Mock is another character. What if he were a character introduced by Fred's player? - Yes, players can introduce their own characters, subject to editing, and can even script dialogue. They can also write their character's move from another character's perspective for an interesting change of pace and so might action script a character of their or someone else's creation. Players usually check with the storyline editor before doing this but it's a good literary tactic to keep the reader engaged and reveal something about their own character. In this event, the action list might include a supposed dialogue between two characters.
Player creates sends an e-mail with the subject line of Sapphire/Fred Red to storytellers@santacruzchronicles.com.
3: Storyline Editor - Action List Check
Storyline editor responsible for Fred sees a Sapphire message in his in-box. He opens it, sees that it as an action list and checks it for consistency. If suitable, he sends it to the governing playwright (another player who acting as playwright to this player). If not satisfied, he sends it back to the player as Iolite/Fred Red with corrections or requirements for rework. The move is back to the player who must address the issues before the move can proceed.
4: playwright - The Move Outline
The playwright, who is also a player but in this case, acting in the capacity of playwright receives an action list from the governing storyline editor with subject line Sapphire/Fred Red. The playwright familiarizes herself with the character, if she hasn't already done so, and examines the current player's action list. The playwright already has a plot thread worked out for this player that she has checked in with the storyline editor. But the thread is loose, to allow for player actions. The playwright compares the action list to what she knows is going on in the current environment (this information is provided by the storyline editor upon request from a playwright) and transforms the action list into a move outline. Not everything from the action list might have occurred as the player intended. The playwright has the character sheet and applies movement rolls, game environment, and the reactions from supporting cast characters to the list. The playwright knows that someone else is at the carwash at the same time that Fred drops by. There's a chance for character interaction. The playwright rolls for perceptions, mischance, and whatnot. Fred sees someone but is not himself seen, nor is he caught. But the move ends prematurely because of a critical action point. What the player does here can make a big difference to subsequent events. The playwright and storyline editor will both concur that the player should have control at this point. The action list is cut short. The player can reintroduce other aspects, such as going to Doc Mock's house later. The move outline is sent back to the storyline editor: Sapphire/Fred Red.
Place: Mickey's Car Wash, 41st Ave. Capitola. Time: Sunday, July 30th, 1995. 11:42 p.m.
5: Storyline Editor - Move Outline Check
Storyline editor checks for consistency. If everything is alright, he sends the move outline to the player to be fictionalized. Otherwise, an Iolite, this time to the playwright, is returned with suggested changes. Assuming that everything is alright, the editor sends the player an e-mail with the subject line of Sapphire/Fred Red.
6: Player - Fictionalization and New Action List
Player receives a sapphire gemcoded message for Fred Red. He sees that his original action list has been truncated due to a shocking development. Roger Rose? He was supposed to be on a plane to Peru. What is he doing here and what has happened to him. Time to check.
Player writes fictional version of move outline, adding literary embellishments (don't get too carried away but tell a good story. Strong deviation from the outline can be edited out, wasting effort on the part of the player). Format is always past-tense, 3rd person voice.
Place: Mickey's Car Wash, 41st Ave. Capitola. Time: Sunday, July 30th, 1995. 11:42 p.m.
Fred drove up with his lights off. He's switched them off and let his car coast down so he could lower the gear. He didn't want to draw anyone's attention to himself. He desperately wanted a cigarette. His hand reached for the empty pack. He let his frustrated fingers pinch the unfulfilled paper promise of smokes and remembered that he should have put his patch on.
Damn, he thought. If I'd have known it was this hard to... Fred ducked down. Someone was in Roger's office. Apparently he wasn't the only one who thought to look up Roger's employment records. He thought about getting a close look. The list of names of people who might pull of such a stunt, scrolled in his mind. He'd have loved to narrow the field down a bit but since he was dead, officially that is, he felt it was safer to stay that way. No one was looking for a dead Fred Red.
Fred heard footsteps and a car door slam. A rumble of an engine, loud and rather noisy let him know the car was leaving. He peeked above the dashboard. It was a Mercedes, an old convertible like something that might have been rusting in his grandfather's orchard. Fred didn't see cars like that much. Fred would have to run that list again with these new facts.
Finally figuring he was alone, having seen no one for several minutes and no cars appearing nearby, Fred figured it was safe to get out. Still, he made a shuffled pretense of someone, perhaps with a few too many beers in his gut, out getting some air. He quickly jumped into the bushes when he got close enough. Crawling on his hands and knees, swearing mentally when his hand landed on a piece of glass, Fred paused to get his bearings. His hand was bleeding. Casting a baleful glance as the unsanitary trash tucked up all over the place, he mentally half thought about infection as he bandaged his hands with the only clean rag on him, the silk handkerchief that Mabel Marble had given him. Mabel... Fred wondered where she was now, and what she was thinking, having heard of Fred's death..
Deciding that braving more injury was unnecessary, he hadn't been followed, Fred got up, brushed himself off and headed for the office quickly. The felt naked under the yellow sodium vapor lamp that illuminated every part of him. Running a dirty hand through his blond shaggy hair, he almost whistled. The door was open. The recent visitor hadn't bothered to lock up. Careless. Roger would know he was...
Fred had an uneasy feeling. He looked inside. The yellow light barely made it through the dirty windows, but it was enough. Roger was there. Apparently he'd skipped his flight and was hanging around town, like Fred, hoping to be a ghost. He was lying face down, not moving, not moving a muscle. Suddenly, the list of those who hated Roger flashed again in Fred's mind. He scrolled mentally past all those faces. Plenty had reason to do this. But who would go so far? Who was this desperate and why?
Fred headed in, carefully, not letting himself leave any prints, to see if Roger was still breathing.
Player stops here. Notice he's carried the action forward just a bit, indicating in his fictionalization that he wants Fred to go inside and check on Roger. He does it this way instead of putting it in his new action list, since it is a small bit of action and it helps move things forward. But the player needs more information to proceed. Time for a new action list as well. He makes one up, based on the new situation and sends both the storyline editor. If the editor is happy with the fictionalization, he sends it to the producer for eventual posting on the site (Pearl/Fred Red - move post) and reviews and deals with the new action list, as above. And so the cycle repeats.
Soloists
Soloists of course work directly with a storyline editor. Usually, they use the game mechanics as a guideline but write their moves purely in fictional format. The storyline editor provides rough guidelines allowing the player much freedom to explore using their imagination and writing ability, subject to editing of course. Because of the greater power such players have over their environment, this role is reserved for those with proven writing ability and who show ability to work without as much supervision. This is a much lonelier role but one suited to players who do not want as much control and are willing to or who would rather not engage in character to character action and dialogue.
Soloists can be assigned a playwright to work with them or can act as a formal playwright, as above, working through the storyline editor with clear separation for both aspects. This gives more direct supervision should such be determined as necessary or when such isa preference for the soloist.
Why this method?
The first version of rules placed almost the entire burden of fictionalizing moves onto John. Obviously that was short-lived, lasting only a few months until burn-out required savage retooling.
The second and longest incarnation of the rules heretofore, running for several years was much the same as this version, except that the storytellers exclusively created the plot outlines while players were left to do the fictionalization. Though this was a more equitable burden of labour, nonetheless it left a significant load on the backs of the storytellers, of whom Yanick and Shawn did most all of the work. Yanick in fact still runs under this method at the Ottowa SCC mirror (gothic setting only). It was and is a good system, except that there was no way just a few individuals could keep pace with the bulk of applicants, some very good ones which were turned away. However, it did and does have the benefit of keeping quality control with the storytellers. Still, given the burden of work and the fact that applicants were most interested in running their own characters than doing any maintenance or storyteller work meant that the disproportionate distribution of labour would still mean that the game would be small. There would be no opportunity to grow the game to a multi-player level sufficient to develop many of the intricate plot threads that required active player participation. Another problem was that players would try out the game, introduce new characters into the environment and then just disappear into the web wasteland, never to be seen again. However, the flotsom of their psyches, their characters, were stranded and beached upon the shores of the SCC. Killing them off would have been easy but hardly in keeping with good storytelling. A new method was needed that would: reduce workload for the storytellers; make it more difficult for less serious players to clutter the game with characters while still allowing people to try the game out to see if it worked for them, and vice versa; move the storylines for the non-player characters and move them more into the mainstream; and finally, expand the roles so that people could contribute in different ways to the game, if interested. Not everyone after all likes to write but perhaps would like to participate at some level.
I decided then to create a new version, leaving Yanick to run under the 2.0 system. Under the rules as you see them here, players have to account for both storyteller (now termed playwright) roles as well as player roles. Other storyteller aspects have been given to a new editing role termed storyline editor. Player characters, now termed featured players, have to progress through a lengthy apprenticeship before they can even qualify to audition for a role. Hopefully this process will weed out those who have less staying power and help create a more committed community of literary roleplayers. As well, in the process of putting in time to wait for an audition, prospective starring players can help breath life into the non-player characters, now termed supporting characters. Not everyone can become a starring player so this mechanism will allow people to participate at many levels. While the reorganization occurs, the chronicles themselves will be expanded to help make them more useful to people, not only for entertainment, but as game resources as well, archiving articles and useful links.
Time will tell whether this experiment has legs or not.