Main discussion thread

[Dryunya]

...I'll do it.

Well... Already did it... Hell... I'm going to bed now... I need to sleep...

You see? Evil Feels Good, does it not?

[Scarab]

Gods damn it, why does the cool suff ALWAYS seem to happen when I'm asleep?

Well there's a couple who probably won't want to go back! Especially not if all that awaits them is death.

I considered that. Even though we have a thread, it's not like he will find it, so.... I'd say it's safe to link him there.

Oh never prior have your words tempted such tremenous fate (was that Iambic pentameter? I was going for Iambic pentameter...)

Although linking him to Dragonforce WAS inspired, Sicon, indeed it was.

[NeverSlender]

Ok, I normally miss small things. This time I missed Pixel sequence breaking and finding three new characters. By the time I'm caught up I'm gonna have more catching up to do.

[Scarab]

Ok, I normally miss small things. This time I missed Pixel sequence breaking and finding three new characters. By the time I'm caught up I'm gonna have more catching up to do.

Welcome to the rest of our lives as metaguards, I guess

[NeverSlender]

Ok, I normally miss small things. This time I missed Pixel sequence breaking and finding three new characters. By the time I'm caught up I'm gonna have more catching up to do.

Welcome to the rest of our lives as metaguards, I guess

Some ARGs can last years.

[IslaKariese]

Welcome to the rest of our lives as metaguards, I guess

Some ARGs can last years.

Woah, really? This is my first, so I had no idea...

[Dryunya]

Some ARGs can last years.

Woah, really? This is my first, so I had no idea...

We've discussed that. By Word Of God, this is called a "Mini-ARG" (all the time). No ending date was stated, but I think we'll get some conclusion before Christmas. At least I hope so, or I'll be toast at the grad school.

[WackyMeetsPractical]

We've discussed that. By Word Of God, this is called a "Mini-ARG" (all the time). No ending date was stated, but I think we'll get some conclusion before Christmas. At least I hope so, or I'll be toast at the grad school.

Dana's been reading your posts: https://twitter.com/FortuitousDana/stat ... 1179202560
Looks like this isn't a mini-ARG after all.

[Pixelmage]

You see? Evil Feels Good, does it not?

It's just that... I don't know how to be evil... <---- (Plays a complete psychopath in the RPG)

We've discussed that. By Word Of God, this is called a "Mini-ARG" (all the time). No ending date was stated, but I think we'll get some conclusion before Christmas. At least I hope so, or I'll be toast at the grad school.

Dana's been reading your posts: https://twitter.com/FortuitousDana/stat ... 1179202560
Looks like this isn't a mini-ARG after all.

At any rate, what would that mean? In a way, no one will admit to this is an ARG statements, that's kind of a rule to actually be an ARG. But this reaction does not tell much about how long this is planned to take.

[Dryunya]

FortuitousDana/status/256058071179202560
Looks like this isn't a mini-ARG after all.

Have mercy on my soul! I have to study!

[Guyshane]

Please don't let this go to long I'm having enough trouble keeping up already. If it goes for years I might go insane

[Scarab]

Please don't let this go to long I'm having enough trouble keeping up already. If it goes for years I might go insane

Agreed, there is only so much meta the human brain can possibly take in one go.

You know, I keep thinking about these kids. When they made us read R&J for year ten English literature I didn't like the story much. I remember thinking how silly their situation was. I'm pretty sure it was never meant to be a love story, or that the love was a side point to the actual moral, which was something along the lines of "don't shove your family wars on your kids, because teenagers are prone to get dramatic about it, and kids, calm the heck down and take it slow". If the two of them hadn't been stuck in the middle of a messy feud they wouldn't have felt as desperate as they did. Their relationship might have flourished, or it might have failed but at least they would've survived. Aaaaand now they're here. Awkward, much?

On the other hand, we know how this story is meant to go. We know how fiction often is and why. I've heard it said that a story of Romeo and Juliet with a happy ending is sometimes seem as more depressing by an audience although I'm not entirely sure why, I guess you'd feel cheated in a way. I've felt unsure about these characters before (especially the ones we know the ends for), but for somer eason these two are niggling at me. Stating the obvious here, maybe, but they didn't even really exist here a few months back, and now all I can think of is how if they go home, they're pretty much dead. It kinda sucks.

[Pixelmage]

Stating the obvious here, maybe, but they didn't even really EXIST here a few months back, and now all I can think of is how if they go home, they're pretty much dead. It kinda sucks.

See... That's what being evil means. Now I don't want to send them back. If they stay here, away from the feud, they live. If we find a way to send them home, they die. Unless the puppetmasters are planning to... killing them here... the Scenario Cross Theory. I... Don't know what to think right now.

[Scarab]

Stating the obvious here, maybe, but they didn't even really EXIST here a few months back, and now all I can think of is how if they go home, they're pretty much dead. It kinda sucks.

See... That's what being evil means. Now I don't want to send them back. If they stay here, away from the feud, they live. If we find a way to send them home, they die. Unless the puppetmasters are planning to... killing them here... the Scenario Cross Theory. I... Don't know what to think right now.

This is our quandry, isn't it? It's been our dilemma since the beginning, I think, but until now we haven't had a pair of characters who threw it so starkly in our faces (sure Holmes died but I think he got to have a nice long life in the end, Poirot's end was fairly peaceful, the Wicked Witch was a horrible, horrible person, so it didn't feel so bad to watch her die even if your morality does twinge about it, etc) but now... we've got a couple of kids who made some crazy mistakes. How can we in good conscience send them back to that fate?

[WackyMeetsPractical]

On the other hand, we know how this story is meant to go. We know how fiction often is and WHY. I've heard it said that a story of Romeo and Juliet with a happy ending is sometimes seem as MORE depressing by an audience. I've felt unsure about these characters before (especially the ones we know the ends for), but for somer eason these two are niggling at me. Stating the obvious here, maybe, but they didn't even really EXIST here a few months back, and now all I can think of is how if they go home, they're pretty much dead. It kinda sucks.

Whatever you do, don't mention that last part to them.

Yes, it is sad. They're really beginning to like it here, and I'm trying to get them to focus on nothing else but preparing for their return, knowing full well that that's a death sentence. But they have to go back. For some reason.

But maybe it won't be so bad if they can bring their phones with them back to Verona. When Juliet's about to take the poison and fake her death, she could send Romeo a text. I imagine it'd go like this.

Dearest Romeo. Our situation has grown desperate. I am being forced to marry Tybalt. But we have a plan to escape this dire situation. I will take a drug that will imitate death. After my family has buried me and moved on, I can escape and join you and we can be together forever. If you do hear rumors of my death, know that it is just a ruse, and do not react. I fear if you rush back here to see me, my family will attempt to murder you. Please be patient, and we will see each other soon, my love.

Kay

[Scarab]

On the other hand, we know how this story is meant to go. We know how fiction often is and WHY. I've heard it said that a story of Romeo and Juliet with a happy ending is sometimes seem as MORE depressing by an audience. I've felt unsure about these characters before (especially the ones we know the ends for), but for somer eason these two are niggling at me. Stating the obvious here, maybe, but they didn't even really EXIST here a few months back, and now all I can think of is how if they go home, they're pretty much dead. It kinda sucks.

Whatever you do, don't mention that last part to them.

Yes, it is sad. They're really beginning to like it here, and I'm trying to get them to focus on nothing else but preparing for their return, knowing full well that that's a death sentence. But they have to go back. For some reason.

But maybe it won't be so bad if they can bring their phones with them back to Verona. When Juliet's about to take the poison and fake her death, she could send Romeo a text. I imagine it'd go like this.

Dearest Romeo. Our situation has grown desperate. I am being forced to marry Tybalt. But we have a plan to escape this dire situation. I will take a drug that will imitate death. After my family has buried me and moved on, I can escape and join you and we can be together forever. If you do hear rumors of my death, know that it is just a ruse, and do not react. I fear if you rush back here to see me, my family will attempt to murder you. Please be patient, and we will see each other soon, my love.

Kay

Yeah, I know But see, the problem I have is those three words "for some reason". WHAT reason? I'm pretty convinced that Bad Stuff will eventually result from all this reality breaking down nonsense, but I would feel ever so SLIGHTLY better about having to do this if Mister A. would stop being so vague and just tell us what he knows (or if he really doens't know anything for sure then tell us that in less ambiguous language, either would be acceptable). Feeling like you're being played for a fool is one thing. Being played for a fool at the expense of people's lives is something altogether different.

Heh, yeah the whole horrible situation could've been avoided if they just had mobiles in fair Verona... But I can imagine an awful lot of year ten GCSE students being a little confused when they got to the final scenes in class.

[WackyMeetsPractical]

Yeah, I know But see, the problem I have is those three words "for some reason". WHAT reason? I'm pretty convinced that Bad Stuff will eventually result from all this reality breaking down nonsense, but I would feel ever so SLIGHTLY better about having to do this if Mister A. would stop being so vague and just tell us what he knows (or if he really doens't know anything for sure then tell us that in less ambiguous language, either would be acceptable). Feeling like you're being played for a fool is one thing. Being played for a fool at the expense of people's lives is something altogether different.

However you feel towards Mr. A or the way he's running things, it does seem apparent that our goal is definitely to return these characters back to their story. If for no other reason then that they belong there. As sad as their story is, they were literally created to play the story out. We aren't meant to alter their story, and definitely not meant to decide who needs to go back and who to leave here. We have our mission, and we can't afford to let our emotions get in the way of it.

[Scarab]

Yeah, I know But see, the problem I have is those three words "for some reason". WHAT reason? I'm pretty convinced that Bad Stuff will eventually result from all this reality breaking down nonsense, but I would feel ever so SLIGHTLY better about having to do this if Mister A. would stop being so vague and just tell us what he knows (or if he really doens't know anything for sure then tell us that in less ambiguous language, either would be acceptable). Feeling like you're being played for a fool is one thing. Being played for a fool at the expense of people's lives is something altogether different.

However you feel towards Mr. A or the way he's running things, it does seem apparent that our goal is definitely to return these characters back to their story. If for no other reason then that they belong there. As sad as their story is, they were literally created to play the story out. We aren't meant to alter their story, and definitely not meant to decide who needs to go back and who to leave here. We have our mission, and we can't afford to let our emotions get in the way of it.

...I guess not. And as at least one fiction has taught me, if one person gets to choose who lives and who dies, according to their own feelings and nothing more... well, that can very easily turn them into a monster.

[Pixelmage]

...I guess not. And as at least one fiction has taught me, if one person gets to choose who lives and who dies, according to their own feelings and nothing more... well, that can very easily turn them into a monster.

But then... We were not the ones bringing them here. What right to we have to say they can't stay? For all we know they just spawned spontaneously, how does that make their presence wrong? And who is Mr. A to have this right to say they must be sent back?

I know I know... The meta reasons and rules of the game and all... But still. It's heartwrenching.

[Dryunya]

I'd like to present a theory of my own.
They are already dead.

Elaboration: the R&J fiction is still in place. That means that, according to my earlier theory, their "blueprint" is still there, and it already contains the information that they died in their story. Now that they were pulled from some point in their story, they are alive, but...
...when they get back... It means they die?..
...All of them?

Well, shit. I've Made Myself Sad.

UPD: Some clarifications. According to my theory, they spawned off a "blueprint", that means the spawned character has to go somewhere. It effectively means that we're not sending them back, we're killing the spawned ones. We might just as well shoot them in the head, which will provide the same, albeit more messy results.

UPD2: I think we should make a separate thread for the "sending them back is wrong" discussion. If the mods can move some posts, that would be appreciated.

[NeverSlender]

I'd like to present a theory of my own.
They are already dead.

Elaboration: the R&J fiction is still in place. That means that, according to my earlier theory, their "blueprint" is still there, and it already contains the information that they died in their story. Now that they were pulled from some point in their story, they are alive, but...
...when they get back... It means they die?..
...All of them?

Well, shit. I've Made Myself Sad.

If we send them back their stories will continue from the point they left. It's already written that way. It might not be pleasant but they can't stay here, even if they aren't going back to a happy ending.

[Scarab]

...I guess not. And as at least one fiction has taught me, if one person gets to choose who lives and who dies, according to their own feelings and nothing more... well, that can very easily turn them into a monster.

But then... We were not the ones bringing them here. What right to we have to say they can't stay? For all we know they just spawned spontaneously, how does that make their presence wrong? And who is Mr. A to have this right to say they must be sent back?
I know I know... The meta reasons and rules of the game and all... But still. It's heartwrenching.

Damn it... also, that. I mean, if they really HAVE to go back I guess they do, no matter how much we dislike the fact that we're basically sending at least some of them to their dooms but when you think about it even further, didn't WE create their worlds and put them through all that crap in the first place? We wrote their stories, after all. We're just sending them back to hells we created. If the fictionals ARE the ones sending Joe letters then maybe it's no wonder they don't trust us...

I'd like to present a theory of my own.
They are already dead.
Elaboration: the R&J fiction is still in place. That means that, according to my earlier theory, their "blueprint" is still there, and it already contains the information that they died in their story. Now that they were pulled from some point in their story, they are alive, but...
...when they get back... It means they die?..
...All of them?

Well, shit. I've Made Myself Sad.

Join the club

If we send them back their stories will continue from the point they left. It's already written that way. It might not be pleasant but they can't stay here, even if they aren't going back to a happy ending.

Urgh, I think I need to take a trip to the coffee room thread and down some green stuff in the new swimming pool.

[WackyMeetsPractical]

I'd like to present a theory of my own.
They are already dead.

Elaboration: the R&J fiction is still in place. That means that, according to my earlier theory, their "blueprint" is still there, and it already contains the information that they died in their story. Now that they were pulled from some point in their story, they are alive, but...
...when they get back... It means they die?..
...All of them?

Well, shit. I've Made Myself Sad.

UPD: Some clarifications. According to my theory, they spawned off a "blueprint", that means the spawned character has to go somewhere. It effectively means that we're not sending them back, we're killing the spawned ones. We might just as well shoot them in the head, which will provide the same, albeit more messy results.

UPD2: I think we should make a separate thread for the "sending them back is wrong" discussion. If the mods can move some posts, that would be appreciated.

Maybe we can hold off on shooting them in the head until after we've gathered more information on the topic. And yeah, a new thread's a good idea.

[JackAlsworth]

Everything in this thread is fine where it is; if someone wants to make a new thread in General Discussion about "Why do we have to send them back?" with a sum-up of the discussion here, that's fine too.

[Scarab]

Everything in this thread is fine where it is; if someone wants to make a new thread in General Discussion about "Why do we have to send them back?" with a sum-up of the discussion here, that's fine too.

Cool. Does anybody else want control of that, or am I okay to do it?