This thread is to discuss any thoughts about the cooperative fanfic to avoid clogging up the other threads. I've drafted some guidelines for the fanfic as a starting point.

GUIDELINES FOR THE COOPERATIVE FANFIC THREAD

If you have contributed to the X-Com cooperative fan fiction threads or the UFO: Aftermath role-playing threads, there shouldn’t be anything in this post that’s too surprising.

Like the role-playing threads, the story is open to any individual who wishes to contribute. You can post whenever you like, and your posts can be as long or as short as you want. The only rules are that no individual should make two consecutive posts in the story, and that each post should some sort of advancement in the story, and not just a single line. A post could consist of a complete tactical mission, part of a mission ending in a cliff-hanger, a change in the strategic situation, an air combat, or some off duty dialogue between the main characters.

The main difference between this and the role playing threads is that a role playing thread consists of one or two missions chronicled to microscopic detail down to each individual bullet, whereas this will cover an entire campaign with each mission being narrated in more general terms. There will also be more focus on the interaction between the characters as well as the strategic situation.

The rules of the game will apply. There will still be a seven soldier limit (at first). Alien and hybrid weapons will have to be researched before they can be used. Your soldiers will initially be confined to shotguns, Uzis, Colt .45s, grenades, medikits and flak jackets. Other weapons have to be scavenged from the battlefield or salvaged from new bases, so ammo shortages will be a constant factor.

I did consider creating mathematical formulae for research/engineering projects and for the amount of time a seriously injured soldier has to spend in sickbay, but I felt that it would place too many restrictions on the writer. As you’ve all played Aftermath to some extent, you should have some idea what would be a reasonable amount of time for these things.

The issue I thought most about was to what extent should this story follow the plotline in the game? I concluded that if no deviations were allowed then this would render the story pointless. I have decided to allow any deviation provided it is a logical development within the Aftermath universe, for instance, the alternative ending of the CofE accepting the Reticulan Offer and sparking off an insurrection led by Phoenix Company would fit in well. There are some interesting ideas in some of the mods that I would like to see included, such as the new weapons, hostile humans and human/Reticulan hybrids. I personally have plans for a hybrid character who will have to deal with the hostilities felt by humans who spend all day killing Reticulans. If you have an idea for the story but you are in any doubt about it, post it in the discussion thread.

Before a new mission is started, it would be a good idea to briefly record the location, the date and local time and the mission objectives. There is no reason why you should stick to the mission types in Aftermath – for instance, I would like to see a few rescue abductee missions.

Regarding the characters, the profile of any character in Phoenix Company or any character who will play an important role in the story should be posted in the Characters thread. A character whose role is just to have a couple of lines of dialogue with a main character, or a rescued pilot who goes back to his unit isn’t worth bothering with. Post the character details in the character thread so we know where we are. I suggest using the following template for the minimal details, but you can add more details if you like:

Name:
Age:
Nationality:
Call sign:

Controlled by:

Strength:
Agility:
Dexterity:
Willpower:
Intelligence:
Perception:

Physical description:

Character/Background:

Squad role:

If a character is controlled by a particular individual then only that individual can kill that character off or significantly add to his/her development. However, it is acceptable to write about that character, even if only “Cover me, Bert. I’m going in”, or to leave that character in a cliff-hanger situation. A character with no specific controller can be used or killed off by anybody. There is no limit to the number of characters you can create and control, but if you don’t control any characters it will limit your ability to fully participte.

Finally, as regards taste and decency, try to bear in mind the rating of UFO: Aftermath (12 in the UK) when you compose your post.

Edit: Read-reading the rules has answered the question I've previously asked in this post. And sorry about not "advancing the plot" much in my post - I had to intruduce Mira to our story.

I'll post two recurring "supporting cast" characters tomorrow - Karl Mahnberg (callsign "Hacker"), an electronics/computer/bio-informatics researcher who'll show up in most of my (and if you want, everyone else's) R&D posts; and Svetlana Michailovna Bernski (callsign "Sveta"), a former Russian cop who'll be employed by the CoE as an MP and thus will show up in base defence missions as well as in-base character interactions (I'll control her in the first few posts she'll appear in, to set up her character and personalitythen feel free to use her); Sveta would also volunteer for several Phoenix Company missions. I also intend to use both these "NPCs" in the Alien Interrogation sequence.

I love the feeling of emptiness you've conjoured up in Paris.

I think that introducing a major character into the story counts as an advancement in the plot. Don't worry about the delay in posting - I'm just glad that I'm not the only one writing it

Nice posts so far! Keep 'em coming!

The fanfic forum's getting busy - it's only been five days since the last post :lol:

I actually thought of joining your fanfic, but atm i don't have enough time or energy left. I was two days from my holiday and did spend all my last energy at my job (so i could go into holiday with a "clean" feeling) and then my holiday was cancelled for an unknown time... I do feel exhausted, to say the least...

*winces in empathy*

It could be worse - your boss could tell you off for not being as cheerful as you normally are.

Uh-Oh, i hope he doesn't read this.... :lol:

Sorry for not posting yet - RL is quite tight on me lately. Except something next Monday.

No worries

Again, one more delay... DAMN RL!

I'm sorry I had no time to contribute to this story lsately; this damn college is EATING ME ALIVE. I'll post tomorrow, I promise

Foiled again! Damn RL! Sorry
Atleast the summer vacation is coming in less than a month and then I'll have almost FOUR MONTHS of free time.

Reality. What a jip

Just more month of exams and papers... And that's it! I'll be back! Promise!
And yeah, RL SUCKS!

Next week I'll be back... promise! Really this time! No more college between next week and Novermber! YEY!!