Future of this forum and Metaguard organization

[Sicon112]

So, you already know we are trying to figure out a good way to interact once this is done, and we now know you intend to try to keep this forum running. However, it may still be troublesome to act from here, since we have all the archives in the way, and the platform was originally intended for game discussion. Perhaps a parallel forum would be better, in that case. Besides, we would need SOMEONE to GM it, and we can't expect you guys to KEEP cleaning up after us now that we are done. You need rest sometime, right?

So, ideas?

[Dana]

I don't think we're going to be able to make a new forum for you guys, but we can keep archives at the bottom and give you room toward the top to do your own thing, if that would be what you guys would like to do.

This is going to be the start of a much longer discussion, just a warning. We've been talking about this amongst ourselves for awhile, and we'd like to hear what all of your ideas for keeping this forum active would be.

[Sicon112]

I don't think we're going to be able to make a new forum for you guys, but we can keep archives at the bottom and give you room toward the top to do your own thing, if that would be what you guys would like to do.

This is going to be the start of a much longer discussion, just a warning. We've been talking about this amongst ourselves for awhile, and we'd like to hear what all of your ideas for keeping this forum active would be.

Sure. Like I said, people need to be elevated to GMs so that we can mess with sections and you don't have to. As long as the old stuff sticks around at the bottom, there shouldn't be a huge issue with it, but I don't want to make you guys stick around constantly to be GMing us even after this is over. We have a couple of different things planned that we want to work on, and that would give people the freedom to act. As to who.... I dunno. Mods maybe?

Well, we can go over that later. I think we are gonna need an entire off topic section, however, with the way we are going.... Or at leas one for RPGs.

[Pixelmage]

I had drafted a plan for a new forum, which I was supposedly going to start up. But, since you guys seem willing to keep this place working, I suppose I'll share what I have now...

This is the relevant piece of my draft, about what I though to do initially in whatever forum we went to. I didn't get to open it to discussion because I was waiting exactly for this information from you guys... What I did think so far:

Administrative Section

• Announcements : Pretty straight forward this one. I'd keep it on a section of it's own because we're not really dedicated to a single topic.
  
  Fan Continuity Section
• Planning : So far, the only board we'll need for this section. Once we come up with events, I'll open up the necessary boards to actually run it, under this continuity section.
  
  General Discussions Section : This will actually be our off-topic, with a slight more orderly approach.
• General Discussion : A traditional off-topic for everything that fits nowhere else.
• Metaguard Projects: This deserves a more in-depth explanation.
• Roleplaying : The RP board, open for anyone to GM or discuss the games.

[Scarab]

I don't think we're going to be able to make a new forum for you guys, but we can keep archives at the bottom and give you room toward the top to do your own thing, if that would be what you guys would like to do.

This is going to be the start of a much longer discussion, just a warning. We've been talking about this amongst ourselves for awhile, and we'd like to hear what all of your ideas for keeping this forum active would be.

Sure. Like I said, people need to be elevated to GMs so that we can mess with sections and you don't have to. As long as the old stuff sticks around at the bottom, there shouldn't be a huge issue with it, but I don't want to make you guys stick around constantly to be GMing us even after this is over. We have a couple of different things planned that we want to work on, and that would give people the freedom to act. As to who.... I dunno. Mods maybe?

Well, we can go over that later. I think we are gonna need an entire off topic section, however, with the way we are going.... Or at leas one for RPGs.

All along I was really behind Pixel's idea for an individual fan forum, connected to this one quite obviously, but allowing us to in a way 'work from scratch', to organize RPs, and other activities in the spirit of the forum, while also keeping the valuable continuity this one provides. We'd love the chance to keep playing games together and continuing the stories we started. Lots of us have good ideas and are excited about the idea of getting more into them.

And of course, it seems we've been given a canon sequel hook which we'd LOVE to see where you go with...

[Tom]

Fan sequels have come up a few times. That's complicated, but here goes.

At this time, I intend to make use of the sequel hooks we planted here in further things set in this universe. I'm not sure how we would want to handle possible fan sequels. I do want to make sure you guys can keep playing in the sandbox if it turns out that we're not going to build any more castles.

Maybe the best way to do a fan sequel would be in such a way that it couldn't possibly contradict a canon storyline. There's room in the Metaverse for a lot of different stuff to happen. As long as whatever you do doesn't involve any canon we control directly, like Mr. A or the rebels or the Cabal's bodies, etc, then I guess you can do whatever you want.

It's also possible that your fics would happen to a reflection of the ARG a level deeper or something. That gets super confusing but hey, maybe.

Another option would be, if you guys need to play with Canon stuff to make your stories work, just talk it over with us before you do it, so we can help you build something that works with what our plans are.

I'm open to discussion about canon, basically. But not right away. I need some time off.

Also, we accept spec submissions to Echo Chamber and if there's another ARG, there will probably be open applications to write for it.

These are my personal feelings and don't represent a consensus on our side of the table. It's an ongoing discussion.

[Sicon112]

Fan sequels have come up a few times. That's complicated, but here goes.

At this time, I intend to make use of the sequel hooks we planted here in further things set in this universe. I'm not sure how we would want to handle possible fan sequels. I do want to make sure you guys can keep playing in the sandbox if it turns out that we're not going to build any more castles.

Maybe the best way to do a fan sequel would be in such a way that it couldn't possibly contradict a canon storyline. There's room in the Metaverse for a lot of different stuff to happen. As long as whatever you do doesn't involve any canon we control directly, like Mr. A or the rebels or the Cabal's bodies, etc, then I guess you can do whatever you want.

It's also possible that your fics would happen to a reflection of the ARG a level deeper or something. That gets super confusing but hey, maybe.

Another option would be, if you guys need to play with Canon stuff to make your stories work, just talk it over with us before you do it, so we can help you build something that works with what our plans are.

I'm open to discussion about canon, basically. But not right away. I need some time off.

Also, we accept spec submissions to Echo Chamber and if there's another ARG, there will probably be open applications to write for it.

These are my personal feelings and don't represent a consensus on our side of the table. It's an ongoing discussion.

Hey, sounds fine to me. I was working on something involving the AWESOMELY recursive metaverse I have to work with, so.... MWHAHAHAHHA! No issues on my end.

[Pixelmage]

Same from me. I have no issues with those constraints. If anything they'll make whatever we do even more awesome.
And indeed, we also need rest over here, so no rush to do these things.

[Victin]

The only thing I ask to be changed is to the link in the side of a thread to take you to the last read post, as it is in TVTropes. But if you're unable to, or doesn't want to it's okay.

[Dana]

If you go to the thread name itself within the forum, and then click the little paper-looking thing to the left of it, that is actually what happens.

[Victin]

If you go to the thread name itself within the forum, and then click the little paper-looking thing to the left of it, that is actually what happens.

Does it? Oh, ehm...
It must be the insane tons of threads making me think it doesn't take me to the last read post. I thought it took me for the lastest post.

[The Wild West Pyro]

Well, you could make another Mr. A video to summon us all back.

OOH! I GOT AN IDEA FOR A SECOND ARG!

We're typing away in the metaphorical TV Tropes office, Weapon of Choice at our sides, Metaguard badges pinned on our clothes, when we receive a call or a video.

It's from Mr. A. He says that the rebels have finally attacked, and are going to smash the wall any time soon.

You could have ALL the major fictional characters (except Cthulhu and Moriarty) from the first ARG to actually come and AID US, AND EVEN WORK WITH US ON THE FORUM!

And, you could have some of the greatest fictional heroes and villains of all time to be the new fictionals! They could even take sides! Mr. A Instantiations or the Bearded Biker Rebels!

And don't forget, plenty of puzzles to solve, plot twists and arcs.

[Genndy Oda C.O.G.]

Well, you could make another Mr. A video to summon us all back.

OOH! I GOT AN IDEA FOR A SECOND ARG!

We're typing away in the metaphorical TV Tropes office, Weapon of Choice at our sides, Metaguard badges pinned on our clothes, when we receive a call or a video.

It's from Mr. A. He says that the rebels have finally attacked, and are going to smash the wall any time soon.

You could have ALL the major fictional characters (except Cthulhu and Moriarty) from the first ARG to actually come and AID US, AND EVEN WORK WITH US ON THE FORUM!

And, you could have some of the greatest fictional heroes and villains of all time to be the new fictionals! They could even take sides! Mr. A Instantiations or the Bearded Biker Rebels!

And don't forget, plenty of puzzles to solve, plot twists and arcs.

Honestly, my sequel plan was to let this forum fade into obscurity until 2022, when one of the younger Metaguards (H22, Victin, Pyro, or me) would receive a video from Mr. A, saying that after years of voting on everything, Radio Void Rebel has decided to breach the Fourth Wall. He tells the Metaguard to gather recruits for a new legion, and sides are taken. RVR's actions cause different fictionals to leak out, and that's all I've got so far. I assumed many of the older Metaguards (Qara, Sicon, Adell, Scarab) would be working as GM's.

[Rick Healey]

Honestly, my sequel plan was to let this forum fade into obscurity until 2022, when one of the younger Metaguards (H22, Victin, Pyro, or me) would receive a video from Mr. A, saying that after years of voting on everything, Radio Void Rebel has decided to breach the Fourth Wall. He tells the Metaguard to gather recruits for a new legion, and sides are taken. RVR's actions cause different fictionals to leak out, and that's all I've got so far. I assumed many of the older Metaguards (Qara, Sicon, Adell, Scarab) would be working as GM's.

Except that it turns out that those folks aren't actually working as GMs; the original puppet masters are secretly making an ARG about making an ARG, and we've really been directing all parties at the same time!

[Sicon112]

Honestly, my sequel plan was to let this forum fade into obscurity until 2022, when one of the younger Metaguards (H22, Victin, Pyro, or me) would receive a video from Mr. A, saying that after years of voting on everything, Radio Void Rebel has decided to breach the Fourth Wall. He tells the Metaguard to gather recruits for a new legion, and sides are taken. RVR's actions cause different fictionals to leak out, and that's all I've got so far. I assumed many of the older Metaguards (Qara, Sicon, Adell, Scarab) would be working as GM's.

Except that it turns out that those folks aren't actually working as GMs; the original puppet masters are secretly making an ARG about making an ARG, and we've really been directing all parties at the same time!

And then Mr. A is a prick. The end.


XD

[TheJester]

My sequel plan would involve the Watchers. Mostly because I can't come up with any original idea whatsoever.

I decided against making another forum due to my schedule and I hope Pixelmage makes one. Although I might have missed something.

[Sicon112]

My sequel plan would involve the Watchers. Mostly because I can't come up with any original idea whatsoever.

I decided against making another forum due to my schedule and I hope Pixelmage makes one. Although I might have missed something.

We are repurposing this forum and shunting everything else aside into an Archive section, or that is the plan at the moment anyhow.

[Rick Healey]

And then Mr. A is a prick. The end.

Nah, that was the ending of the last one. We wouldn't repeat the same ending twice.

It ends with Mr. A being pregnant, instead, with the sequel hook being to locate the father.

[Pixelmage]

That would be fun Genndy, but it's too close to canon. And we can't really make that work without actually getting to 2022, right?

My original idea was to stick to metaguard tasks: Come up with a new set of fictional metaguards, wall emergencies and Character/Trope refics. No real plot or much effort necessary behind it, just a creative sandbox of strictly fan-layer events and what-if scenarios. Think Groundhog Day Loop, each time with different parameters that we'd have to adapt to, being locked outside of the continuity.

Because like Tom said, they do have plans for the future, and we can't simply go wild and mess up canon just because. The GMs are awesome for even being willing to talk about that with us so that we can actually make stuff compatible with the canon.

Also I'm hurt! No Pixel in your list of Future!ARG GMs?

[Tom]

Except that it turns out that those folks aren't actually working as GMs; the original puppet masters are secretly making an ARG about making an ARG, and we've really been directing all parties at the same time!

Rick, you realize, the more pretentious the "fake" idea, the more tempted I am to use it...

[Connor Fallon]

I personally think the Puppetmasters have already come up with the best possible idea for a sequel in the chat.

It's a pity we will never do it.

[Victin]

It ends with Mr. A being pregnant, instead, with the sequel hook being to locate the father.

Thanks God I just woke up or else I would have nightmares.

[Pixelmage]

It's a pity we will never do it.

Or so you want us to believe.

[Qara-Xuan Zenith]

Speaking of the future of this forum, you guys are going to stay on the tram and bounce around the forums/chatrooms whenever the spirit takes you, RIGHT?

(I was initially going to phrase this as more of an actual question, but between confirmation that half of you were canonically ON the tram to begin with, and how much fun we're all having with each other during this post-mortem, and the fact that you are all super-awesome, I've decided that it is more appropriate to take a hard line and make it a statement. )

[Dryunya]

It ends with Mr. A being pregnant, instead, with the sequel hook being to locate the father.

"IT APPEARS THAT YOUR 'EVERYONE IS A GIRL DAY' HAD UNFORESEEN CONSEQUENCES."