Community AE Project: War Witch Task Force!

My vote, if it's worth something, would be to turn this into a competition. I can foresee, no matter how civil everything starts, the person who ends up publishing the arc getting all the rewards with bitterness and resentment following shortly afterwards.

It's a touch cynical but I'm sticking to that Cassandraic vision as opposed to a Utopian/Voltaire Satire 'Everything is Best in the Best of All Possible Worlds'.

That said, I'd like to chuck in the story thread which has been tantalisingly dangled in front of me when reading the CoH comics. The one that features Castle and various other Heroes (including War Witch in her phased state) has an exciting (depending on viewpoint) bit where Ray 'Positron' Keyes muses that War Witch is a good kid and that he is working on a way to get her back to 'normal'.

AFAIK it's not been followed up on - yet.

Yes I confess I do know that things can go very very bad. However if we always Do, what we always done, we will always get what we always Got.

So this is as much as an experiment as a Project. It could fail it could suck. Hell it could be so bad that I leave COX in shame. However nothing is ever done with out risk. I seen the great work that been done on stories here on the Forums, I seen people coming together to improve costumes, bios, and concepts of characters.

Those things have already been done with success and fun here on the Forums. So why not apply that helping hand the creativity the CoH/V players have already shown to an AE arc.

By Publicly stating it's a Community Project there is no "It's my Arc" ego and credit taking. We can even add at the end Credits. Another way of seeing this project is a Movie yes they have one or a group of writers they also have Producers, directors, actor input. It is never a One man show even if it has only one writer.

So we need a lead writer with a great story concept who has the diplomacy to herd a bunch of hyper-individualistic and entirely voluntary team members through the process of filling in the details. The overall concept needs to gel inside one head. That leader can then filter content from the contributors.

But if you still need to find your guru, diplomacy and concept need to be tested. How the heck do you evaluate diplomacy? You could have a group of "leads", each piloting the pool of scenery-makers, and see what works. My god, the journey would be pyrrhic.

Easier to assume we already have a natural leader then. Someone with "vision", but also able to execute. Perhaps this thread just needs to brainstorm for a bit to help clarify RottenLuck's vision.

So I'll just to add to the brainstorm: Task Forces and Strike Forces have a specific meaning within the game. Putting one in AE could be slightly different - not least of all, because both heroes and villains can play it. War Witch is a particularly interesting choice, she's all about magic and 'the other side' (ghosty stuff). Not necessarily good or evil. So could this arc be Neutral? Task + Strike = Geneva Force? [This is a brainstorm, it is entirely disposable].

Arc: 379017: Outbroken See all your old friends in the Outbreak Tutorial sequel!
Arc: Coming Soon: The Incarnate Shadow Shard of Fire and Ice Mender Rednem needs you!
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So far I like Arctic_Princess Idea... even thought of who be the Villain Ghost Widow.

Already Ghost has in her Patron arc a story to return to the living. Not very hard to think she would try to take War Witch's chance.

Could even end up to save the day and stop Ghost Widow you have to destroy the artifact that could bring War Witch back to life. This will mean that in the end you win but also fail to resurrect War Witch. So canon continuity continues War Witch stays a spirit and Ghost Widow wants to rip out your soul.

Or if this be a Co-op Task/strike force like airhead said then perhaps Ghost Widow helps in the recovery of the Artifact... no reason it can't work twice once for WW and second time for GW. I still like the idea of the means to bringing War Witch back gets destroyed by the player in the end.

ANYWAY we still have some time till Feb 5th for a plot line so anyone else have ideas?.. and we still need the Head Writer to put it all down in an Arc...

The idea of a collaborative arc seems fun. To all the naysayers saying only one person gets the reward, the intro could give credit to all the contributors, so users could look up what else the volunteers had done.

On to the point of the story. I do see the similarity of theme between War Witch and Ghost Widow. Unfortunately, Ghost Widow is bound to Arachnos, so anything she did would be seen by that organization, and if it were self-serving, would be reigned in. This would lead it to being perhaps all too similar to the patron story.

Other possible ideas:

The Orenbegans are spirits that possess flesh. War witch would possibly be more aware/prepared to face them if they tried anything, and her one foot in the spirit world might mean she'd know before anyone else.

Her link with Apex: he's still just a normal, living hero, but I'd imagine she'd have a tender spot for him. As such, any plot against him or trouble too deep she might want to get him out of. Add the fact she's a bit out of things, she'd need help intervening.

Cabal inside knowledge: her knowledge of cabal magic might mean when the witches of Croatoa tried something, she would be able to see the patterns and know what they might be trying to do. To actually do something about it, she'd need the living to physically interfere.

(Note: wrote this idea just as a lark. Totally non-serious. I'm not volunteering to herd cats for this project.)


A beloved hero has been killed in Pocket D. With too many suspects and not enough leads, War Witch has turned to you for help.

How did someone overcome the safeguards that make Pocket D normally safe for all?
What nefarious organization is Joe Young's Monkey Fight Club really a front for?
What sinister secret is Turndown Girl concealing?
Just where was the bass player for Mac and the Zombies at the time of the murder?
Follow leads from the dance floor, to the Tiki Room and the PvP Lounge.
Fight your final battle with the murderer on the snowy slopes of the Ski Chalet!


All this and more in:
Murder in Pocket D - The War Witch TF

I'm not a fan of it being a Co-Op Taskforce or it being Neutral. I always get the feeling that Neutral missions aren't very "refined" if you see what I'm saying, they don't really know where they're going, and Co-Op Taskforces just create the issue of Villains and Heroes working together, which I can only see plausibly working if it was in a REALLY ground-shakingly cataclysmic event. I'd much prefer this just stays Heroic, it will make it much more simple to get the story up to a good standard without any complications. (Though that reminds me that Villains are a bit short on TFs atm...but obviously War Witch wouldn't be a SF)

Yes, seeing as Ghost Widow already has the Patron Arc about returning to the living, creating another arc that basically has the exact same thing wouldn't be too original. I much prefer Seldom's ideas of rather than War Witch vs. Villain, it's more You vs. Villain Group. And I certainly like the idea of including Apex...Not a big fan of the Oranbegans though...Don't really have any ideas off the top of my head at the moment - which is a rarity - but whatever happens I definitely like the idea of including Apex.

I'm vaguely leaning toward the competition idea, simply because coordination of effort on a single product is hard enough when you have everyone in the same room, but I'd really despair of having anything competently completed over the internet - particularly using the MA. You're talking about several authors, likely on different servers, attempting to communicate clearly and without misunderstanding, using an interface that does not welcome cooperation.

IMO, in the amount of time it takes to hammer out all the logistical details of who is lead writer/developer, gathering/brainstorming ideas, avoiding/participating in/defusing ego conflicts, and collating all the work product from various contributors - the same number of people could be well on the way to creating a number of good arcs ready for publishing and peer review.

Nonetheless, if the Community/Co-Op authoring thing does go on, here's my suggestion (after BackFire) for the necessary positions:

Director: Them that organizes all of the logistical issues of the project. Deadlines, announcements to community, requests assistance from community, contacts the CoX Dev team (if necessary), and ultimately presents the finished project [Honestly it looks like BackFire might have this position already].

Plotting: Someone responsible for the general "thrust" of the arc and probably outlining the major events that occur in the arc. Can be the same as any of the writing positions, or even the editor/proofreader.

Head writer: Best responsible for the main briefing/debriefing, essential clues/details in the mission.

Assistant writers: Brainstorming, character bios, critter design, physical adding of the details into the MA interface (these are the workhorses of the design). Recommend no more than two of these folks.

Proofreader: A proofreader looks at typos, grammar errors, etc. Not content of the story - just the bones of the language. This can be the same as the Editor but doesn't necessarily have to be. The Proofreader has to be very good though, and best to not be one of the active writers [since a distanced eye is best for spotting errors].

Editor: This person deals with the story. Does it make sense? Is it in canon (if that matters)? Are there plot holes or logical inconsistencies. Is the story enjoyable, and does it accomplish what it sets out to do?

Hosting: I'd suggest the Director, just as a "reward" for wrangling these cats.

Play testers: This is best populated by the Director posting on the forums when the testing will be done and telling people to show up on X Server on Y date/time, at Z AE Building. Probably best to have more than one team leader available with the test-ready arc, in the case of multiple teams (or the need for smaller teams to test difficulty, etc)

I don't think a Map designer, Mechanics expert, or costume designer is necessary. That's stuff that can be handled by one of the non-head writers. If you aren't well familiar with how the maps work or how to execute mechanics either don't sign up or come to the community with questions. We don't need that many cooks in the kitchen.

Right now BackFire has suggested that a premise be developed by Feb 5, 2010. I'd recommend that all positions be filled by Feb 8, 2010 (except playtest).

Thanks for the nomination, but this is Rotten's baby. I just wanted to help him get the organization started.

Good job on fleshing out the positions, I had just kind of rattled them off the top of my head.

Count me in as an assistant writer. I can brainstorm like crazy!!

Oh, and PW...LOVE the concept!

PW has a very good idea but it sounds like it should be a DJ Zero's Task force not War Witch's.

Just to give a starting point, I think there are some basic points that might be covered.

The backstory might have to be addressed, (at least in part) as many game players haven't read the comics.

The other characters in the game could be introduced as well. Apex, obviously, as he was the sole survivor of the trio. If any visits to the spirit world, Horus (the kheldian) could be introduced. For interest's sake, Horus the deceased could as well, though he would have no recollection of War Witch.

The story would probably be magic-centric. Obvious, but war Witch would have no idea how to deal with technology. {Aside: As Horus DID, this could be a link to meet Horus.}

The exception to the above would be nictus, as War Witch would perhaps have a problem with them.

Motivations:
Limitations- War witch is part spirit, so she might need others to do physical stuff. This was brought up earlier.

Temper- war witch was a bit scrappy, so her temper might be a motivation as well.

Loss- she's dead. Would she be tempted to use magical means to return from the dead? What would the repercussions be of doing so? Would she be tempted to compromise her stand to do so?

For what it's worth I started an arc awhile ago.that I try to revist and work on "The Search for War Witch".

It basically involves War Witches comrade "Apex" going rogue and attempting to free her from Limbo. She asks the player charchters to stop him before he's succesfull, as his efforts could bring forth a doomsday.

I'm having trouble with because I can't get certain game mechanics I want to work for it to work...but tossing the idea out there for those interested.

Actually, River, that sounds as good as we've got so far for serious plotting recommendations. What mechanics were you trying to get to work?

Hmmm, yes River that does sound like reasonable idea certainly. I recommend one slight change. Perhaps the first one - or even four - missions be helping Apex attempt to free War Witch from limbo, but you only find out half way through - or near the end - that it would cause a doomsday-type scenario and for this I recommend that while it may cause massive deaths and damage, it not be a real end of the world type scenario, I don't want Apex to be portrayed as hanging on a thread to Villain, but rather very much in the Rogue camp, plus, bringing back War Witch but to a world that's ending...Needless to say really.

Again, I recommend that Apex knew all along - or at least from really early on, perhaps after the first mission, allowing you to see subtle and foreshadowing changes in his character - and to make it more dramatically involved, War Witch is the one who sees the changes in Apex's character and puts the pieces together. Finally, I recommend that Horus is not included at all. Based on the comics, Horus is dead in my opinion. Apex lived, and War Witch said that he would see her again, but I really don't like the idea of randomly bringing Horus back.

Oh, and in keeping with the difficulty in Taskforces etc. I recommend that Apex doesn't actually accompany you on any missions, with a plethora of reasons for doing so that don't include him just telling you were to go; which I don't think is believable in terms of his character.

Of course this is all hypothetical if everyone likes this idea and River is happy with us using it. I just saw the idea and things came out, I can't help it XD

Well the 5th came and Went.

Our choices are now continue to try or switch to the Contest method?

I also like RiverOcean Idea so if River agrees we could help get the story line and such to 5 star rating.