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Contents 1 Skill Vignettes 1.1 Visual Display 1.2 I'm in 1.3 Just a little comment 1.4 To fight the vanity! 1.5 First Person vs Third Person 1.6 Words limit? 1.7 I Would Appreciate 1.8 Where Do Revisions/Rewrites Go? 1.9 Too Large 1.10 Spell checking 1.11 Guys What the hell? 1.12 Removed Some Entries 1.13 Category 1.14 Let's Have a Talk...

[edit] Skill Vignettes

Copied from Talk:The Way of Lightning

If someone doesnt like it, atleast state WHY before deleting. Thank you. Slayerek 11:55, 2 September 2006 (CDT)

I don't like it because it's not consistent with an other page or skill. Hence, I am removing it.--Jorm 15:09, 2 September 2006 (CDT)

I'm cool with that. Atleast some explanation :) Slayerek 15:20, 2 September 2006 (CDT)

I don't have a problem with flavor texts per se - in fact, I think they're a good idea - but there are 200 or so skills and they should all get them if this is the route we're going.--Jorm 15:41, 2 September 2006 (CDT)

Odd Starter is working on something like that: User:Odd_Starter/Story_Notes. --Brizth ^{T A} 15:45, 2 September 2006 (CDT)

Good luck with that Odd Starter. And yes i think every and each skill should get a favor text. But we can't make em all at once. I just wanted to lay another brick for that :) Slayerek 16:55, 2 September 2006 (CDT)

Yes, I am working on having every skill, class and possibly spell having their own little vignette. Considering that's approximately 225 vignettes, this may take a while, and more than a few pages will probably be looking empty for quite some time. But I do intend to make sure they're all consistent in that way by the end. -- Odd Starter ^A 02:33, 3 September 2006 (CDT)

Jorm can you make this clear for me? You didn't like the scene or you didn't like this because the other skills dont have vignette. Or both? Slayerek 06:10, 3 September 2006 (CDT)

The latter; I had no problems with the vignette by itself, just in the context of the other skills.--Jorm 09:31, 3 September 2006 (CDT)

So could i get your blessing and add the story again? Unless OddStarter has one which fits much better. And also there is no problem with editing it later and giving Odds story. Im just laying a brick :) Slayerek 15:45, 3 September 2006 (CDT)

I think this is an excellent idea, and we should probably attempt to add these to all of them- however, I believe things may look a little inconsistent since there's obviously no reasonable way to do these all at once. Perhaps a template should be created for the time being when fiction is added. It would link users to this page as an explanation- this might also be a good way to gain more community support for the idea. --LibrarianBrent 12:37, 3 September 2006 (CDT)

Oh hey, I was wondering... maybe flavor for spells could be written up as well? Anyways, I fully support this idea, and hope that you enjoy my own additions as well. StarStorm 23:26, 14 September 2006 (CDT)

I don't think its great for spells, simply because they're all very similar. There's only so many variations of burning/freezing/zapping/stoning/killing opponents before they all get stale, and I'm guessing it'll end up as more "general stories that just happen to include a mage using this" instead of stories centered around clever use of that skill/its flavor.--Brickman

[edit] Visual Display

I think these need some visual display work - perhaps a box or something to differentiate them. That way, we can drop the italics for italics sake.--Jorm 23:10, 14 September 2006 (CDT)

Something, perhaps, like this? -- Odd Starter ^A 02:38, 15 September 2006 (CDT)

Indeed.--Jorm 02:40, 15 September 2006 (CDT)

Done. -- Odd Starter ^A 03:05, 15 September 2006 (CDT)

[edit] I'm in

Ooh, this looks like fun! And with so many skills and spells... Eeee this is going to be so fun! I'm definatly helping. --Paradox 15:21, 14 September 2006 (CDT)

[edit] Just a little comment

While these little pieces of fiction are certainly very, very nice (I've read all of them and eagerly await the next one), some of them, such as the one for Revenant's Kiss, seem to be a bit distanced from the NW lore. Taking my previous example, it makes it seem like the Revenant still looks human, while the aspects certainly don't. That said, I'll really enjoy the day I see every skill, spell and the like with nifty little stories... --KichiroTakahashi 22:12, 15 September 2006 (CDT)

I concur. Giving everybody free reign to post up whatever they want is eventually going to lower the quality of the articles. Things like vanity characters are already sneaking into the fiction. --Zaruthustra 22:20, 15 September 2006 (CDT)

[edit] To fight the vanity!

There are two ways we can fight with it.

1) We make a list of names. We gather the ones used already. One for every class except for mortals (There 'should' be many of them)

2) Like suggested on the forums. Use icons (from what i understand- " The myrmidon done that and that..." ect.

nr 2 doesn't need any preperations. We just edit the vignettes we have already.

nr 1? We need some preparation. We borrow the names from Odd Starter( if he gives us the "go" sign) and any used already. We write em all in here. And when you make a vignette use the proper name. Thats for consistency.

Or we can together create those names. Either by talking here, on the forums, or on IRC.

I think point 1. is better... The vignettes can be more interesting and it will add depth to the story.

Comments?

Delete what sucks and redo it. Infested-jerk 15:20, 16 September 2006 (CDT)

And another idea sprung into my mind. Create a Fiction Central on the forums. People post their ideas and the forum moderators vote should it be added or not. Existing vignettes should also go under voting. Got trashed by jorm :) Slayerek 16:12, 16 September 2006 (CDT)

Sadly, I'm going to have to say that quality is paramount over quantity. If someone's work is in sufficient, it should be rewritten. Also, I don't want vanity characters at all. --Jorm 16:47, 16 September 2006 (CDT)

I'd like to suggest droping the names of ficional characters altogether and use only pronouns instead. "Pierre", or "David" or "Natalie" don't feel generic, they feel dull and boring. Also I can't begin to guess what names like 'Seilei' are supposed to tell me about the lightspeaker class. Avoid the vanity chars issue too. Cixi 16:51, 16 September 2006 (CDT)

I think the names add to it. Just keep them generaly anonymous and dpn't make them mean anything outside of the little story. Infested-jerk 17:22, 16 September 2006 (CDT)

I think Odd Starter has the right idea. Make a set of generic, universal names used for all stories, to create a sense of consistancy and unity, with one or possibly two names per class and a bunch of spare mortals. Don't make it ANY character's names--if anything, once we have a list Jorm or someone should create a character with each name from the list that won't be used just to keep them blocked--but make names. You can't do very much with just pronouns that dance around the name without confusing the reader, and referring to them by class names is limiting, blocky and an obstacle to creating a good story. Since he's already off to a good start, I personally think we should just take the list Odd Starter started and add build off that. --Brickman

When I said pronouns, I meant descriptives and classes names too. In fact, working the preexisting aspects into the vignettes seems more interesting to me than just using 'John', 'Jim', 'Harry' and 'random made up name'. That's just lazy and bring nothing to the text.

• For example: "The scent grew stronger. Suddenly John felt a sharp pain in his back, and then he felt nothing more. Zarilon chuckled. The man had put up a good fight for a mortal, although the running was a little boring."
• Becomes: The scent grew stronger. Suddenly the young man with blue eyes felt a sharp pain in his back, and then he felt nothing more. A hideous, starkly thin creature chuckled. The man had put up a good fight for a mortal, although the running was a little boring.
• Or: The scent grew stronger. Suddenly the young man with blue eyes felt a sharp pain in his back, and then he felt nothing more. The pariah chuckled. The man had put up a good fight for a mortal, although the running was a little boring. (note: example not mine, variation infinite)--Cixi 18:36, 16 September 2006 (CDT)

Would this mean that those of us who have created names should delete them immediately? This question applies to both the suggestion of using only Odd Starter's characters as well as not using names at all. As such, this limits the writing that many of us are able to do, since no writer can really write the character of another, leaving only one or two people to write and everyone else to watch and wonder.PIEISGOOD 18: 40, 16 September 2006 (CDT)

I'll give you characters to use. I'll get the rest later, but for now, you can use the following:

• Slither, Void Walker, sneaky, slimy, and hisses a lot.
• Aghast, Infernal Behemoth
• Archon, Seraph

(previous unsigned comment was written by Jorm - --Prague 20:14, 16 September 2006 (CDT))

We have plenty already. We are deciding if we should use them or not. (previous unsigned comment was written by PIEISGOOD - --Prague 20:14, 16 September 2006 (CDT))

Well, I wasn't really saying "you can use these if you don't have one." I was saying, "use these guys" so that there isn't any problem with people feeling that there are vanity characters and the like. Plus, again, consistency.--Jorm 21:12, 16 September 2006 (CDT)

And just for people's interest, my current list of names:

• Pariah - Zarilon
• Lightspeaker - Prataliel
• Defiler - Askar
• Lich - Abhava
• Myrmidon - Atlas
• Nexus Champion - Gem
• Elementalist - Stixiya (not sure I'm satisfied with this one though)
• Eternal Soldier - Ursa
• Mortals - John Kith, Natalie Kith, David Smith

Using the names that Jorm provided as well, that means that only the following don't have names yet:

• Divine Champion
• Advocate
• Revenant
• Wizard
• Wyrm Master
• Dark Oppressor

Of course, if Jorm feels that any of my names are unsatisfactory, he can feel free to rename them. As noted, I'm not especially happy with Stixiya's name (it's derived from the Russian word for "element", but it just looks... tacky). -- Odd Starter ^A 22:25, 16 September 2006 (CDT)

I still think using the aspect descriptions already present in the game and plain char classes names('the pariah', 'the shepherd' etc) would be a simplier solution. It relates the wiki to the game nicely and it is non-intrusive. With a predefined set of names, there is only the author to know what kind of background the name is supposed to suggest, and the effect is of reading about total strangers. On the contrary, using class names and descriptions already encoutered ingame gives a feeling of familiarity. Plus, even when the name is readable enough, not everyone have the same conception of what a char of a given class are supposed to be like whereas ingame descriptions are already 'canon' anyway.

Also, am I disrupting the pet project of people here by commenting too much? I so I shall retire graciously. I'm not familiar with the working of the whole wiki thing --Cixi 02:37, 17 September 2006 (CDT)

I actually think this is the best idea yet.--Jorm 04:06, 17 September 2006 (CDT)

I have to agree too. *goes away to change the stories* Slayerek 05:21, 17 September 2006 (CDT)

[edit] First Person vs Third Person

Most of the stories so far are in third person, but a couple, like The Stepping of the Corner, are in first person. What should our stance be on this? Should either one be acceptable, or do we want to have only third person for consistancy. If the second option, should we delete the existing ones, try to edit them into third person while changing them as little as possible, or allow the authors to revise them into third person? --Brickman

Third person, always.--Jorm 19:47, 16 September 2006 (CDT)

Can I ask why Jorm? (I'm asking because I wrote in first person, and usualy if I hear a reason I'm more inclined to listen :P )Infested-jerk 21:07, 16 September 2006 (CDT)

Because I want to be consistent, and first person writing requires more than a couple paragraphs for the reader to feel comfortable with it.--Jorm 21:09, 16 September 2006 (CDT)

I disagree, but I will follow your lead. I'll ammend Stepping of the Corner. Infested-jerk 21:26, 16 September 2006 (CDT)

Divine Armor also needs to be ammended, as it is also in first-person. --Kibbs 19:29, 17 September 2006 (CDT)

Kibbs, you sure it's first person? Infested-jerk 14:39, 19 September 2006 (CDT)

[edit] Words limit?

Following a words limit for the vignette? 150, 200 words? It's challenging and keep easy acces to the important info bit. Or moving vignette down the page?--Cixi 21:40, 16 September 2006 (CDT)

I say make it as long as you want. If you can't fit the story into 200 words, so what? This isn't an essay writing competition, we don't need rules for rules' sake. Noone will really mind if they have to scroll past a more developed story to get to the skill text, especially since the template we're using for it makes the end of the story and the start of the info pretty easy to spot.--Brickman

My general rule at this point is to try and keep it under 200 words (preferably under 150), simply so that the vignette stays reasonably short. I'm not generally going for high-level narrative here, these vignette's primary role should be to provide some useful flavour for the subject it's trying to illuminate. 200 words is actually a large amount of space for what these vignettes are supposed to do, I find it unlikely that most skills would need more exposition than that. -- Odd Starter ^A 00:41, 17 September 2006 (CDT)

I think if nothing else, we should try to keep the vignette shorter than the actual skill description. The length is just getting out of hand. --Zaruthustra 02:19, 17 September 2006 (CDT)

For gods sake keep it under 150. Some of us want to be able to see the actual skill info when we open up a page. Nubis 17:50, 17 September 2006 (CDT)

That's why we have the lovely fiction box. Just skip past the gray box... Infested-jerk 17:53, 17 September 2006 (CDT)

Learn to indent, kthx. Also, we're not writing for the pulitzer prize here. You don't need to tell us how Jack the Myrmidon is fighting in the Nexus to be reunited with his long lost girlfriend from 1467 who happens to be trapped underneath a desk in some tower in the sunset. All you need to show is Myrmidon Jack using his mad eyesight to find said girlfriend under said desk. There's no need to be more than 150 words if you actually stick to doing what the vignette is supposed to do. Nubis 17:58, 17 September 2006 (CDT)

Its still an eye sore, not to mention bad design that obfuscates real information. If people want to write elaborate fictions there are places for that. The wiki's information pages are not it. --Zaruthustra 17:55, 17 September 2006 (CDT)

I think 150 to 200 words should be more than sufficient. We're discussing a single skill application.--Jorm 18:18, 17 September 2006 (CDT)

I concur; two hundred words should be the absolute upper limit with the desired range somewhere around 150. My stories tend to get a little long-winded, but even I understand the virtue of brevity. --TheHermit 18:31, 17 September 2006 (CDT)

[edit] I Would Appreciate

I would appreciate it if you would leave feedback regarding mine on my talk page. Tell me what you think of them, suggest revisions, etc. Thank you. --Paradox 16:06, 17 September 2006 (CDT)

The same goes for any i do --No Man 23:47, 21 September 2006 (CDT)

[edit] Where Do Revisions/Rewrites Go?

Jorm and others said that if we think a story is poor quality, we should write another version and put it to vote or something. Where should we put these rewrites, and how long/thorough should the vote be?--Brickman

There is no page that I know of, should one be made? --Paradox 17:19, 17 September 2006 (CDT)

I'm putting my rewrite on the talk pages: http://wiki.nexuswar.com/index.php/Talk:Sense_Morality

I made a page at Fiction Central/Revisions. --LibrarianBrent 18:06, 17 September 2006 (CDT)

Link provided in case some of you are lazy: NexusWiki:Fiction_Central/Revisions --TheHermit 18:33, 17 September 2006 (CDT)

[edit] Too Large

The skill pages are now about the vignettes and not about the skill. Fiction is to go at the BOTTOM of the page. It is NOT to take the focus. The focus is the skill. Less than 200 words. More than that, delete the element. I'm not happy with the way things are right now, and I'll nix the entire project if it doesn't come under control.--Jorm 19:55, 17 September 2006 (CDT)

Jorm, added a word (if it doesn't come under control) to make that a little clearer Infested-jerk 20:01, 17 September 2006 (CDT)

Jorm has said these go above the category boxes. (and can someone please put how to do strikethrough text on my talk page?) Infested-jerk 20:11, 17 September 2006 (CDT)

Maybe reducing the font size of the text inside vignette could help improve readability of page? That plus the word limit. I don't know the wiki code to make font smaller. From 12 to 10 for example?--Cixi 20:14, 17 September 2006 (CDT)

Right, I've just went through and made sure all my vignettes are under 150 words, if at all possible, anonymised most of my fictions, and thrown them at the bottom of the page. The Natalie/David ones I'm having a bit of trouble anonymising - if someone could have a look at them and figure out how to anonymise while not confusing it'd be greatly appreciated. -- Odd Starter ^A 20:40, 17 September 2006 (CDT)

Sense magic- Happy with the outcome? Slayerek 05:01, 18 September 2006 (CDT)

That works well. -- Odd Starter ^A 18:52, 18 September 2006 (CDT)

[edit] Spell checking

I found couple of rudimentary on-line spell checkers, which are free and easy to use, for those who don't have one on their computer already, http://www.spellcheck.net/ and http://www.thesolutioncafe.com/public-spell-checker.html . Running text thru these before hitting that 'Save page'-button should cut down on accidental typos :) First one also counts the words and characters in vignette, so thats another use for it. --Prague 20:48, 20 September 2006 (CDT)

[edit] Guys What the hell?

I see the vignettes started to move down under the skill? And they are smaller than before... I need better glasses :S Slayerek 00:04, 18 September 2006 (CDT)

You should read the section right above this one.--Jorm 00:33, 18 September 2006 (CDT)

/me goes shoot himself. Multiple times Slayerek 04:56, 18 September 2006 (CDT)

[edit] Removed Some Entries

I removed several entries that were either too long or contained character names. They can go back, but they need trimming and/or name scrubbing.--Jorm 15:09, 28 September 2006 (CDT)

[edit] Category

I modified {{Fiction}} to add pages into Category:Pages with fiction added. It's meant as temporary way of keeping track of fiction pages. Just in case someone forgets to update the list. --Brizth ^{T A} 15:40, 28 September 2006 (CDT)

[edit] Let's Have a Talk...

About this.--Jorm 17:45, 1 October 2006 (CDT)

I'm not a forumite and thus don't know where that discussion went, but I'd like to write some vignettes. Is there some forum-related submission system now? If so, why isn't it mentioned on the main page? If not, can I just start adding them? (How is it that not a single sorc skill has one? Not even Cast Spell?)--Skaramuche 18:01, 13 December 2006 (CST)

Yep. It's all covered on the project page - under the "Forum" section at the top. --Lint 19:05, 13 December 2006 (CST)