Battle in the Ruins of a Dead Civilization (an off-site small contest for fun and glory)

Off-Topic Other Interactive Fiction
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A civilization, once mighty, has fallen. Twisted ruins stand crumbling, a testament to what once was. Its ways were strange and unknown to us. They strove, and struggled, flew too close to the sun, tottered, and collapsed. The statue of their great leader, made of a shining green element unknown to us, stands shattered in their cratered town square.

These are the Ruins of a Dead Civilization.

Well, that was exciting! And that lovely flavor text is my introduction to a mild contest. But it’s not the kind of contest where you win anything, to be clear. This is about fun and glory.

My fellow Choice of Gamers are invited to submit interactive stories on the theme of “Battle in the Ruins of a Dead Civilization.”

I’m inviting people from both Choice of Games and Choose Your Story to submit interactive stories for a friendly contest, because a lot of times there’s friction between sites for no reason, when, at the end of the day, we all just love to write and read branching stories.

The Twist: If you want to play, you must submit your story to a third, now largely-defunct IF site, Infinite Story (infinite-story.com). Infinite Story is, in a very real sense, a civilization, once mighty, that has now fallen. It is a strange, primitive place. This will not be for the faint-hearted. Variables are unknown. Scripting is unknown. Here, stripped to the bare bones of interactive literature, all there are, are pages linked to one another. It will be painful coming from our sophisticated core worlds. But it is the only way to explore these ruins.

The Prize: Glory, fun, constructive interaction with another site, and almost certainly a deeper appreciation for Choice Script.
Theme: Write your game on the theme of “Battle in the Ruins of a Dead Civilization.” Feel free to interpret this theme as you like.
Length: There is no minimum or maximum word count.
Deadline: October 31, 2019, 11:59 EST

Where to Submit: In keeping with the theme of this contest, submit to Infinite Story (infinite-story.com) and then post here letting me know you’ve entered and posted, and the name of your story. I’ll be judging the stories (along with a few more suitably neutral or neutral-posing people.)

Champions of CoG who have thrown down their gauntlets:
1. Fleet Admiral Poison_Mara
2. Captain Hustler2
3. Loyalty Officer Gryllidae
4. Tactical Officer Nocturnal_Stillness
5. Mercenary Captain Wannabe_Human
6. Quartermaster Kaelyn
7. Emergency Medical Hologram Solskin
8. Protocol Droid Lovinglydull
9. Fighter Pilot Squad Leader Jake8517

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Great idea! and I hope would be pretty constructive. It would be even better If there were a modality that where a partnership mode When one writer of each site has to partner together and writing a project together. That will do wonders to understanding and unity.

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Oh, a very nice idea. I only worry that with different skill levels being present, or members with different commitment levels, it could end up annoying if your partner doesn’t meet your expectations.

However, because the whole point seems to promote understanding/unity, I imagine such downsides would just need to be accepted as something that could occur, and potentially overcome.

As for the actual contest, it sounds pretty cool! The theme has lots of potential, so I’m curious to see what people manage to do. It is also funny that a (mostly?) dead site will be getting revived for it.

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I remember going that site like a decade ago. I would love participate but due my grammar I don’t want make judges lost time. But sure will be great and bring fun to everyone.

Maybe I will do something but without presenting it just for fun. @Gower it will be some kind of public votin as a Public choice?

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No, I will judge, along with some other suitable people I can rope into doing it.

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What is dead may never die.

So traveling to my original homeland, Ye Olde Infinite Story huh? Oddly for no longer having an organized community or even forums anymore, the place still gets new stories posted on it on a semi-regular basis. Every once in awhile the Admin, Sev updates it.

It’s always been more surprising that due to no censorship at all over there, the place never degenerated into a bunch of porn CYOAs, but I imagine that lot goes to CHYOO for that.

I’m not on there as much anymore, but Infinite Story will always be pretty special to me since I met my wife on there. (11 years this September)

Anyway, good luck to anyone in the contest.

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Since infinite story doesn’t have CONTENT rules on, you know, maturity and stuff, is it OK to write erotica?? :blush:

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Considering someone recently wrote a story called “Impregnating Europa“ on there, you could probably go ahead and write erotica and nobody is going to care.

You might want to check with Gower as far as what he’s allowing for the contest though.

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NICE!?!
I have SO many ideas swimming around now~

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Perhaps a maximum rating of R would be most appropriate.

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Oh…ok…

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It would at least make the story more accessible to a wider array of readers and/or judges.

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I have it on good authority that there are already nine entrants from CYS who’ll be writing stories for this contest. I’m looking forward to seeing what people from here end up writing.

If you would like to pledge your pen to this contest, boldly declare so in this thread, and you’ll be rewarded, I imagine, with cheers and people offering ribbons to you so you can tie them to your lance.

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I will. Just for fun as I have not the English level to win by any chance. However, I think it will be really useful trying to stick to a deadline and learn making a working schedule to improving my skills.

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I cannot guarantee I will do it, but I intend to at least look at it.

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Great to know an awesome writer is in our team I can be your squire or something :wink: :hugs:

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so from what I understand, the theme of the games are battles in a dead civilization, if it is not correct me cause I am quite interested in this.

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Mara used Overt Flattery.

It’s super effective!

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Yes, that’s correct. You may interpret the theme creatively, of course, if you like.

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Better be a squire from a knight that going around writing in circles or something :wink: One girl has to learning somewhere

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