Writers' Workshop General Chat Thread

[diamondpearl876]

I wrote a horror one shot yeard ago that was received well but I wouldn't feel confident writing a fullfledged chaptee fic for the genre. I still vaguely question sometimes why people call Survival Project "dark"...

 

[Beth Pavell]

That might have something to do with the Sneasel chopping up Sentret like a fox in a henhouse, pearl-chan

 

[0bs1d1an_kn1ght]

I really want to tell what's gonna happen in Chapter 9 of EoD, but I don't want to spoil it >_<

 

[diamondpearl876]

That might have something to do with the Sneasel chopping up Sentret like a fox in a henhouse, pearl-chan

Fair enough. Can't think of anything else at the moment (but am tired, so!). Chapter 23 will be dark, I know that. I think the general consensus right now is that the tone always gives off the impression that something unpredictable/tragic/whatever can happen at any moment.

 

[Jersey Jimmy]

Speaking of darkness, you guys read the new Stainless Steel chapter? That is how you establish the antagonists.

 

[Stratelier]

I have something really dark planned for my Explorers fic team. On one hand, at some point they accept the fact that they have to "go rogue". Or, on the other hand, the partner might get into a deadly fight with ... the player character. And ends up killing him, but he suffers a serious breakdown afterwards.

 

[Life]

So I decided to try and bring science into the world of pokemon to help define the different pokemon-types, and I'm quickly learning why most people don't do that and/or use more fictional approaches.

I'm now in the midst of researching photons and other quantum mechanic jargon and am nearly about to commit, perhaps, both a tragedy and horror if I continue to do so. .-.

 

[Jersey Jimmy]

I'm seriously considering not giving Chapter Four of My Way a title and linking it to "Chapter Four" by Avenged Sevenfold. Then again, the song really doesn't fit the chapter... like, at all.

 

[kintsugi]

So I decided to try and bring science into the world of pokemon to help define the different pokemon-types, and I'm quickly learning why most people don't do that and/or use more fictional approaches.

I'm now in the midst of researching photons and other quantum mechanic jargon and am nearly about to commit, perhaps, both a tragedy and horror if I continue to do so. .-.

Alternatively:
1. Be Me
2. Magnets magnets words words fundamental failure to understand how science works
2.5. Get shat on by scientists
3. ???
4. Profit

 

[Legacy]

Welp, redoing The Power Inside again...

 

[Jersey Jimmy]

Alternatively:
1. Be Me
2. Magnets magnets words words fundamental failure to understand how science works
2.5. Get shat on by scientists
3. ???
4. Profit

Somebody's gonna do it eventually, so I'll just say it now:

FUCKING MAGNETS, HOW DO THEY WORK?

 

[Treble Tech]

So I decided to try and bring science into the world of pokemon to help define the different pokemon-types, and I'm quickly learning why most people don't do that and/or use more fictional approaches.

I'm now in the midst of researching photons and other quantum mechanic jargon and am nearly about to commit, perhaps, both a tragedy and horror if I continue to do so. .-.

You know, if you (or anybody else for that matter) feel the need, you can shoot me a message with something like that. I'm an astrophysics major in college right now, and I've already been thinking on my own some about applying science to the Pokemon world, so I might be able to help answer any questions. Can't promise anything, but I'm certainly willing to listen.

 

[AceTrainer14]

You know, if you (or anybody else for that matter) feel the need, you can shoot me a message with something like that. I'm an astrophysics major in college right now, and I've already been thinking on my own some about applying science to the Pokemon world, so I might be able to help answer any questions. Can't promise anything, but I'm certainly willing to listen.

We are looking to reboot the Academy. Perhaps we could have a basic science lesson to explain some of these things if your interested?

 

[chaos_Leader]

I see applying science to Pokemon is a bit of a tricky thing. On the one hand, the setting is thriving on modern/somewhat futuristic technology with a robust scientific community, but it coexists alongside phenomena that are clearly paranormal/magical. Personally, the way I approach it (which I'm pretty sure I've posted somewhere here before) is to think of the Pokemon setting more as a kind of "Fantasy like" setting that has progressed through time and technology to the point that it is aesthetically, and in many ways functionally, very similar to contemporary/20 minutes into future real-life. There is in-series examples that at points in the Pokemon setting's past, it used to be very much like a classic "High Fantasy," and at later points had a "Steampunk" feel. Part of all this I feel is about how the scientific community of the Pokemon addresses, breaks down, learns about and ultimately utilizes the "fantastical" or "magical" elements that are intrinsic to the setting; clearly at least some of the more fantastic technologies of the setting must have a "fantastical/magical" root that had gone through the process of discovery and utilization.

As for magnets and how they work, I could rattle on about electrons and electromagnetic fields, but this video is much more clear than I could be without practice: MAGNETS! HOW THEY WORK! Quantum Mechanics, particle physics, and spinning electric fields.

 

[Beth Pavell]

The problem you will inevitably run into with applying science to pokémon is that the franchise already essentially runs on magic. The more science you try to apply to that, the less sense it will make. I think it's best applied the way that chaos_Leader does it, actually, as a bit of extra flavour where the story calls for it

 

[Persephone]

I'm quickly realizing that the advantage of writing about a time long before the modern Poiemon World is that I can hand wave everything as "because magic" without getting challenged.

 

[0bs1d1an_kn1ght]

I'm quickly realizing that the advantage of writing about a time long before the modern Poiemon World is that I can hand wave everything as "because magic" without getting challenged.

You can still technically do that in the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon world, though I'd think you'd then have to differentiate it from Psychic powers.

 

[Lord Kyuubi]

'Because magic' is quite probably a good way to describe my current short story actually. Literally, it's about pokemon learning magic. 'Magic' here meaning a highly embellished version of most of the moves they were supposed to be able to do anyway (and some they weren't) but we can ignore that. Because magic.

 

[Tophat Dragoneye]

Applying accurate science to a Pokémon story is like trying to teach a shark to play a trumpet. With creatures transforming into pure energy for storage in baseball-sized objects, teleportation devices across various places etc., I would rather instead focus on making a story that's interesting and develops characters instead of applying exposition that likely may not play a role.

 

[Beth Pavell]

Applying accurate science to a Pokémon story is like trying to teach a shark to play a trumpet. With creatures transforming into pure energy for storage in baseball-sized objects, teleportation devices across various places etc., I would rather instead focus on making a story that's interesting and develops characters instead of applying exposition that likely may not play a role.

I love that analogy, though I think there is some space for science in a story - to create a sense of verisimilitude. Or to put it another way, something that feels real rather than being strictly scientifically accurate.

An example. The binomal name Oddium Wanderus was always bugged me. It's basically gibberish, for a start. Oddium, I suppose, is supposed to remind us of Oddish, but if that's the genus name, are we supposed to think there are other Oddish species? A better name would be Mandragora ambulans - Mandragora as a reference to real Mandrakes that Oddish is partly inspired by, and ambulans as a rather more realistic way of describing Oddish's ability to walk. It's still scientific nonsense, but it's scientific nonsense with a bit of thought behind it