My next arc: a blog

Ok, so I like posting stuff on the forums, and I have a newly available arc slot. And I'm sure that someone might find some usefulness in it, and I think this will keep me going if I've got something to show myself my progress.

Anyway, I've got a new idea for a complicated arc, and I decided to share with everyone the process, from concept to completion. I welcome any support, comments, and suggestions along the way.

Step 1: The concept

One of Venture's pet peeves, and one of mine to a lesser extent which just happened during an arc yesterday, is when "It's all a Nemesis plot." is used as to wrap everything up at the end, whether it makes sense or not. So my concept is to make an arc about a Nemesis Plot that comes as close to being worthy of Nemesis as possible.

My goals:

1) I want it to be a complex plot that really comes together at the end in a way that makes sense, and when you play it again, things you thought were one thing, were actually another.

2) I want it to involve 3 characters: Nemesis, a Nemesis Automaton, and the Player. This is important because I want the player to feel like they are a part in their own plot and not just a pawn in someone else's.

3) I want to use a hidden identity, though not an anagram of Nemesis. I was thinking more along the lines of a complicated cryptogram of Nemesis, and also to place optional clues to solving the cryptogram along the way.

and that's where I'm at right now. More concept to come soon...

edit: though possibly not quite as soon as I'd hoped. Game account's cancelled, and don't have the money for a bit to reactivate.

Is Nemesis really so obsessed with himself that his alias has to be somehow related to his name?

Pretty much all evidence points to yes. This IS Nemesis we're talking about.

I had an idea for a Nemesis arc a long time ago that I'm probably never going to write that would focus on trying to beat Nemesis at his own game. A lot of Nemesis arcs just have the player be a pawn in some grand scheme of his, I think it would be a lot more interesting if BOTH Nemesis and the player form huge, complex plots, and then watching those plots collide spectacularly. The main drive of the story would be both parties adjusting their plans on the fly to try to get the upper hand (The key point though would be that they would both be done in typical Nemesis fashion, so a lot of misdirection and fake clues and that sort of thing).

Though it does have a pretty big risk of falling into "I know that you know that I know" territory.

I'd imagine, to be credible, you'd be solving some cockamamie plot, say, saving a hostage, when your super-intelligent contact chooses not to follow the obvious path to right the wrong done to the hostage, and instead goes all obsessive-compulsive about some detail - such as a rope knot that would not be expected from the hostage-takers.

Which leads to another conventional, yet utterly unrelated, mission that leads towards mission three - only the contact is not interested in the obvious next step, being more curious about the kind of plastic used to seal the ends of the villains' shoe laces.

Which leads to two more run-of-the-mill missions with utterly left-field conclusions.

Which ultimately leads to the last mission, where you burst in on Nemesis having breakfast. Of course, the evidence that got you to this point is circumstantial, so you simply join him for breakfast.

Of course, when you return, your super-smart contact observes that you haven't eaten...

Duh-duh-duh-dom.

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I think at the start, you start with three questions:

1.) What does Nemesis want?

This should be the big thing. Once you decide what he wants, you can start deciding things like how he's going to get there.

2.) What does Nemesis want the player's character to think that he wants?

This is almost as important, because the only way he is going to conceal #1 realistically is to make #2 nearly as valuable. So #2 has to be a plausible thing. And he needs to try nearly as hard to conceal #2 from the player as he tries to conceal #1. He must make the player's character believe that the character has really uncovered the 'Nemesis Plot.' That way when the character acts to prevent Nemesis from acquiring #2, the character will feel a sense of accomplishment, thereby solidifying that #1 will remain concealed until it is much too late to stop Nemesis from getting it.

3.) What ridiculous trappings is he going to surround the acquisition of #2 with?

This should be fairly convoluted, because Nemesis is cognizant of the reputation that he has. As long as he can make the 'plot' look silly, overly complicated and, truthfully, fairly stupid at face value, then the overwhelming likelihood is that his true goal will never be revealed. Again, at least not until it is much too late to prevent him from getting #1.

Writing an intelligent villain can be tricky, but it's not impossible. As long as you always know #1, #2, and #3 and keep them first and foremost in your mind while you are writing, the rest is just writing events and dialogue.