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Mac - MOULagain KI#00004826
In the interests of the environment, this post has been constructed entirely from recycled electrons.

As I suggested over at the GoW, it might be acceptable to create a pseudo-Garternay - that is, imagine a D'ni Writer who attempted to create a link back to Garternay by writing a Garternay descriptive book. Now, because of the vagaries of writing, the chance of this Writer creating a link to the real Garternay is vanishingly small. But one could then cast it in a story of intrigue about a group of disgruntled D'ni who regret leaving Garternay, impending destruction not withstanding, and so seek to return. There could be lots of Bahros for extra drama, too.

This tact might still founder on the rule about not revealing new information, but at least according to a strict interpretation of the Rules of Writing, an Age that is close to Garternay would still not be the real Garternay. And the Bahros, man, all those Bahros, oh the horror, the horror....

Mac_Fife wrote:

For guidance, RAWA created a post on Guidelines for Official Story/Age Creation which contained his "Five Rules of Writing."

This was originally created for MORE when the expectation was to get fan created ages into some form of MOUL but I think they're still generally applicable: Obviously, in work you do for yourself you can choose to ignore the rules but you run the risk of being called out on any inconsistencies .

With those rules they might as well have said 'Don't make anything remotely related to the Myst story'. I thought the point of allowing fans to make ages was to get more content for the game since they won't be releasing any more Myst games or that much content for it. Why would they want to implement ages that have nothing or barely anything to do with the Myst lore? To me that would feel like a waste of time to the people who work hard on the ages being made because their work wouldn't be as important to the story as the ages already in the games.

Wouldn't it be nicer for the fans to experience new content/stories that are exciting and are of importance to the Myst lore? I mean I can understand they wish to control the content of such ages but if we can come up with a really good solid story line for such an age can we not at least relay it to them for approval? Seeing as they won't be making any significant new content for Myst it's not like it would go against any future plans. As long as they like the story and would've wanted to make it themselves why not let the fans do so voluntarily?

Those rules basically mean that the making of a Garternay age (or related) won't be allowed and the ideas for the story we've come up with so far. It basically means that any ages the fans make will be pretty much irrelevant to the story of the Myst games. The only thing that would make it have anything in common with Myst is the linking books and vague mentions of people/places. I don't really see the point then of allowing fans to make such ages. Ages take a lot of work to make and I'd personally would want the work I'd do to be meaningful to the people, the fans of Myst playing it and the lore.

Of course it's nice for those who don't care about it relating to Myst in any way, To be allowed to show case their ages, to have that freedom and I'm happy they at the very least allow that. Yet it still feels very limiting in light of how much work is involved in creating an age. I'm pretty sure most writers of ages would've liked to be able to pitch ideas for story lines that are of importance to the Myst lore for approval.

I feel pretty lost now as to where to go from here. I'm passionate about the lore, I'd like to make something to do with that lore, Not just for myself but for all of you. To make something that has nothing to do with it.... I wouldn't know where to begin, To start on such a huge task from nothing, No initial spark of motivation because there is no passion there to set fire to the wick of creativity. I don't know...

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Explorers: Ailis, Alunae, Fay, Faewn, Lunae

Faewn wrote:

I feel pretty lost now as to where to go from here. I'm passionate about the lore, I'd like to make something to do with that lore, Not just for myself but for all of you. To make something that has nothing to do with it.... I wouldn't know where to begin, To start on such a huge task from nothing, No initial spark of motivation because there is no passion there to set fire to the wick of creativity. I don't know...

Don't get discouraged! From what you've revealed so far it looks to me as you have stayed entirely inside those guidelines. Aside from the naming of your age, it appears to me that you're perfectly fine. (And as I said before, Cyan may decide it's alright for you to use that name.) Just keep at it; we all are eager to see what you come up with and are really excited to see you so eager to make an age.

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TOC#60089 DI#132103 MOULa is

Trekluver wrote:

Faewn wrote:

I feel pretty lost now as to where to go from here. I'm passionate about the lore, I'd like to make something to do with that lore, Not just for myself but for all of you. To make something that has nothing to do with it.... I wouldn't know where to begin, To start on such a huge task from nothing, No initial spark of motivation because there is no passion there to set fire to the wick of creativity. I don't know...

Don't get discouraged! From what you've revealed so far it looks to me as you have stayed entirely inside those guidelines. Aside from the naming of your age, it appears to me that you're perfectly fine. (And as I said before, Cyan may decide it's alright for you to use that name.) Just keep at it; we all are eager to see what you come up with and are really excited to see you so eager to make an age.

Thanks for the support but I guess I will have to wait with this project till I hear back from Cyan as to whether I'm allowed or not so I can proceed.

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Explorers: Ailis, Alunae, Fay, Faewn, Lunae

Faewn, I have a strong suspicion that if you get a response from Cyan, and I'm afraid that's kind of a big if, (although I could be wrong), they're going to tell you what others on this threat have already said: Cyan is not going to sanction any attempt by fans to add to the offical canon of the established story. And writing a link to the "real" Garternay would be a huge addition to said canon. But so what? As Zardoz pointed out, you can still write a link to what you think is Garternay. It wouldn't be the "offical" Age, but it would be your version of it. And I, for one, would jump at the chance to explore it. I think you're not making an important distinction between canon and lore. They're not the same in my opinion. Canon is all the stuff about the D'ni and the DRC. Lore, on the other hand, encompases not just canon, but all of Uru. Every time you visit the cavern, every time you visit an age, every time you sign into the game, you become part of the lore. We're all a part of it. Every writer whose written and Age is part of it, even if that Age never makes it into MOUL. After all, the very fact that you've mastered the Art is enough to write your name large in the annuals of Uru explorers. There's an infinate number of worlds to explore, an infinate number of Garternays, and yours is no less valid than Cyan's. I'm sure Cyan would heartily agree. And who knows, maybe someday someone from the DRC will mention a certain explorer who has a remarkable talent for writing Ages any D'ni would envy. Then you'd be part of the canon as well as the lore.

Faewn, there are many fine lines and gray areas regarding this topic, and even many explorers who have been around longer than you still don't understand all the nuances of canon and Cyan's guidelines. But Zardoz & Sideshow do and have offered you some good advice. I'd like to add to it, along with my encouragement to continue your age creation.

Part of the storyline during MOUL included Dr. Watson & Yeesha each encouraging explorers to learn how to write ages in hopes that an answer to the Bahro war could be found in one of them. (Dr. Watson's speech in Sept 2007; Yeesha's speech in Nov 2007) You are an explorer and are learning how to write an age. There's no reason why your story can't be that you attempt to write a link to Gartenay. The possible explanations are endless. How can it be confirmed or denied whether or not you succeeded? What an interesting debate it could start.

Good luck!

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OpenUru.org Minkata Test Shard is
OU-Minkata Shard Testers Guide (in laymen's terms)

@ Faewn: Great Ideas !.... You may have more potential resources (Artwork, Story, Modelling ?) than you know You might want to check out the History of the ongoing Garternay saga Giles has been writing here since 2008........presently at http://garternay.com

I posted a note of your interest there :-

It's July now, and I just wanted to stop by with a word of encourgement, fond memories...and hope:) It's no small thing to have brought this thread as far as Giles, Will and Fans have... and any number of theoretical challenges for fans to hook into...So it cought my attention when other Myst avies propose to build a Gartenay, seemingly without knowledge of the path blazed here, or even it's existance: specifically from here:-
http://mystonline.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=25704&highlight=gartenay
Hope this helps

The original Garternay thread cheered many of us up when Gametap MOUL folded, and can be found at ...... http://mystonline.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=14999&highlight=garternay.

It started as a 'Private' set of interactive puzzles, with character and history development, and when Gile's Garternay went "Public", I tried to summarize its transition here....http://mystonline.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=14999&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=garternay&start=570

Subsequently the Giles Garternay story line has been carried entirely at http://garternay.com, as best I know...ask Giles...Giles' ambition was to write an age called Luminesce.

Go for it

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Abjab

Hi All !!.....Myst'ya !.....

I haven't been able to start work on a Garternay age properly due to some things out of my control. I do hope to continue this project but I might need some help, More so than I anticipated. It looks like it will involve a lot of work and I'm not sure I'm technically skilled enough to do it entirely on my own.

So if anyone is willing to help set something up that would be great. I think such an age has great potential it would be a shame to waste the vast amount of ideas we could use in this age.

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Explorers: Ailis, Alunae, Fay, Faewn, Lunae