Editorial suggestions

[SimDing0]

Issue 1 - do not have control over options - Blucher's text.

My recommendation of having an editor assume a fairly definitive role over all writing stands. Not adding dialogue options where they're needed because of silly mod-team hierarchy isn't doing anyone any favours.

[Kish]

It would be hard to get some people's approval to that now (Blucher is often/currently MIA--though it might be advisable to grab him and ask for permission to change his writing if he ever shows up again--and some other people are equally hard to get a hold of). I know Domi has no problems changing people's writing with permission.

 

It would probably be a good idea to establish editorial control for everything written by currently active writers, though, as far as current/future development goes. Also to get agreement to such editorial control from as many past writers as possible.

[SimDing0]

That sounds like... rather a good idea.

[BobTokyo]

That sounds like... rather a good idea.

Agreed. One editor with final say makes things much easier.

[Domi]

Well, so far the only 2 people I have an editorial control over are Karkaodin's Branwen's texts and mine own (Kivan, Coran and co). I broke this rule twice on the 2 sets (Jaheira, Skie) that stood out really badly from the rest of the texts. In all the other cases I trusted into the system that brought us thus far - peer-review and inspiration of Czar/inas... and I think it worked very well.

 

Still, the post-departure editorial permission is something that will have to be discussed by the team, but I will never be able to solicit opinions from those who left or dissappeared already.

 

I'll definetly cut the line in Kiv's talk, and change Dynaheir's wilst to wilt/will when I see them. SarahJ and later I tried to unify Dynaheir's speech, but I guess she slips here and there.

 

As for the rest... I do not think it is a priority. Will mark for February review

[BobTokyo]

Well, so far the only 2 people I have an editorial control over are Karkaodin's Branwen's texts and mine own (Kivan, Coran and co).  I broke this rule twice on the 2 sets (Jaheira, Skie) that stood out really badly from the rest of the texts. In all the other cases I trusted into the system that brought us thus far - peer-review and inspiration of Czar/inas... and I think it worked very well.

 

As I have said before, I bow before the glory of the BG1 NPC Project.

 

Still, were I to attempt something this huge, I would go for one final head writer / editor. Much easier for maintaining a consistent voice, much easier for making changes.

 

Still, the post-departure editorial permission is something that will have to be discussed by the team, but I will never be able to solicit opinions from those who left or dissappeared already.

 

So hunting them across the ends of the Earth and beyond the gates of hell itself is out of the question then?

[Domi]

Still, were I to attempt something this huge, I would go for one final head writer / editor. Much easier for maintaining a consistent voice, much easier for making changes.

 

AND potentially create the whole bunch of problems. The way Blucher started is was that Czar has control, negotiable only by another Czar....

 

So hunting them across the ends of the Earth and beyond the gates of hell itself is out of the question then?

 

Do ye want Phase II? Peeps, I work 40 hrs a week on the mod as is... *and* have a full time job... *and* a house... *and* a husband... *and* I want to survive the process of making this mod.

[Sillara of the Tamari]

I want Phase II. I want Phase II! I WANT PHASE II!!!!

 

In case, you missed that, Domi, I would like, please, to have Phase II. Phase I is fine.

 

Sillara

[Domi]

Let not my words be misinterpreted, but I love you, Sillara...

[Sillara of the Tamari]

And I you, Domi.

 

 

Sillara

[Domi]

Thank you

 

At any rate guys, do keep the feedback coming, we'll look through it and figure out what we can do Sorry about whining. Just tired.

[SimDing0]

Still, the post-departure editorial permission is something that will have to be discussed by the team, but I will never be able to solicit opinions from those who left or dissappeared already.

I think the best thing you can do with people who don't respond is edit anyway, keep backups and hope for the best.

 

AND potentially create the whole bunch of problems. The way Blucher started is was that Czar has control, negotiable only by another Czar....

As many people have said, Blucher's structure was... not the best. In almost any writing team, there's an editorial role. Everyone doing their own thing just leads to inconsistent writing or quality.

 

Do ye want Phase II? Peeps, I work 40 hrs a week on the mod as is... *and* have a full time job... *and* a house... *and* a husband... *and* I want to survive the process of making this mod.

Quality over quantity. I'm sure Phase II is lovely, but making Phase I better is also a fairly nice idea. But hey, if there's someone else around who wants to assume an editiorial role, that's gonna save you some time...

[Domi]

As a person who had seen edits to her texts done - without her conscent and with the best of intentions - that made her hair rise - I really think that Blucher's system *is* the best, despite the drawbacks. I am horrified at the thought that 2 years down the road someone decides that an option of "I need to poo!* is absolutely essential in some dialogues. And unless we have a veto on changing our texts after the mod is concidered completed this is well might happen.

 

As an example - when I was doing these Kivan's texts Lightspeed thought we should be "aiming for" I was critisized by at least 2 other team members for them being too long and there are being too many of them. Another 2 team members openly disagree with my Kivan's character characterization... And I heard all sorts about Faldorn, when I was writing her. I used my priveledge as a Czarina to insist that it goes in, ignored the critisism and kept writing. That would not have happened if one of those guys was an editor. I myself do not agree with some texts for characters, but again - Czar's discretion is what give them their liveliness in the end.

 

I asked every current team member to have his say on his or her own texts. That's as far as I am willing to limit the Czar/ina's authonomy. It was always a project that respected an individual writer wishes and it is a very important thing for me to preserve.

 

Quality over quantity. I'm sure Phase II is lovely, but making Phase I better is also a fairly nice idea. But hey, if there's someone else around who wants to assume an editiorial role, that's gonna save you some time...

 

There is no single person on this planet, including GRR Martin I would want to change a single word in Kivan's text without my seeing it and agreeing that it's for the best. Amaturish? Childish? Egoistical?

 

Perhaps.

 

But as a person I draw only one satisfaction from this endless commitment - and that is developing a character the way I want to see him or her developed. Not the download count, not the greater good, not rivaling BioWARE... but being satisfied with my own efforts. That's my payement - and if I am not payed that - I see no reason to waste my time writing and coding etc... I am sure that there are people on the team who feel just as strongly about their work as I do. And those are the people I want to have working on the project - not those who care about grammatical consistency first and foremost and produce bleak, boring but perfectly "correct" texts.

 

Yes, we may have unequal writing talent among the team members but I dare say that our love for the characters is a constant. And that's the only thing that makes it work. Take it away - and the project will fail.

 

As many people have said, Blucher's structure was... not the best. In almost any writing team, there's an editorial role. Everyone doing their own thing just leads to inconsistent writing or quality.

 

You have given me your opinion, Sim, and it is now publically available for viewing. I do not want it to become a circular argument.