| From: | Doctor Doom <jch8169@*******.TAMU.EDU> |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Burning Bright |
| Date: | Thu, 13 Oct 1994 04:47:40 -0500 |
The issue here, for me, is not the particulars of the information
contained within the product of "Burning Bright," per se, but rather the
manner in which it was unceremoniously dropped, akin to a bombshell -- mark
its effects thus far, 'pon the unsuspecting list.
Herr Skirvin is correct in saying that this shock and berievement
witnessed here shall merely be echoed in the various campaigns conducted
across the country when news of these events of earth-shaking portent
reach the ears of Game Masters. (And I must make mention here that I
cannot presently see why one could consider the nature of these events
of any lesser magnitude.) Howe'er, at this point, the parallel expiates.
Herr Skirvin, with sincerity, claims that owing to this fact, as
'tis supposed to give one pause, and the list denizens should continue life
as usual. This fails to take account of the fact that ShadowTalk, unlike
the campaigns to which he refers, is a mailserver dedicated towards the
purpose of interactive, I emphasize INTERACTIVE fiction. That is to say
it is the dialectic of various minds working in concert towards an
ostensibly common aim: The creation and cultivation of a ShadowRun milieu
and hopefully produce some fairly decent prose in the process. It may
therefore be viewed in the paradigm of a team effort, admittedly with some
members working in closer conjunction with some more than others, but
ne'ertheless all laboring in a defined environment. In such an atmosphere,
it is rightly deemed inappropriate behaviour, perhaps even crass, to step
'pon the toes and threads of others without forewarning. Team members can
not and should not be permitted to let fly with 16 tonne weights on their
associates (or their plots) with such a bolt from the blue delivery.
I concede the fact that "Burning Bright" and "Double Exposure"
are
official dispatches and are therefore to be considered recent additions to
the Dark Lord on High's canon. No one on this list could genuinely accuse
me of not holding considerable respect for Herr Dowd; NEVERTHELESS, it is
the prerogative of the Administrators to "filter" occurrences of such great
influence and significance for the safeguarding of plotlines en progress.
This is in an effort to accomodate the creative efforts of those present.
Do not misunderstand, owing to its nature as being issued from FASA and its
obvious salience to the Game World, I do wish for this information to be
incorporated; contrariwise, propriety dictates that suitable warning should
be disseminated among the authors collected here ... 'tis one of the
purposes for which Plot-D was developed, after all.
Furthermore, the administrative actions up until this point have
proceeded from earlier established precedents. With the assassination of
the Pope plot, the entire list was treated to an argument which pointed out
a fairly basic tenant of ShadowTalk was not to gratuitously mess about with
the world. Admonitions were issued against this behaviour in the future.
Moreover, in the case of a far earlier plot sought by Michael Goldberg,
which necessitated the inclusion of information within (as I recollect)
"Double Exposure" and "Bug City," Herr Carter informed him to await
the
publishing of "Bug City" before proceeding. Herr Goldberg publicly
consented to this ruling.
In this particular instance, you strode boldly ahead and enacted
your plotline, unbeknownst to the list or administrators. As these
materials are evidently not yet widely available, certainly you can
comprehend our dismay and chagrin at the discovery of such ill boding
transpirations, especially in light of plots still en flux? My colleague,
Herr Carter, seeking to prevent the situation from developing to an
irretrievable condition, reigned in the plotline with a terse posting
which evidently succeeded in its purpose of gaining everyone's rapt
attention. It could be claimed, and I would make the case for him to be
operating under the admonitions he issued to Herr Goldberg previously.
In any case, I share his sentiments, reasoning, and viewpoint and support
his actions.
Finally, Herr Skirvin, and I mean this with all due respect, to
submit an objection against the delay placed upon your plotline as
inconvenient to your aims while simultaneously brushing aside the howls of
discontent from your fellow list participants whose respective threads have
been violently incommoded (tho' I concede not irreparably damaged) owing to
your actions is to betray considerable cognitive dissonance on your part.
One cannot put forth an appeal based on the self-same tenant of whose
validity one has dismissed in the instances of similar appeals, as it is
not logically consistent.
What must occur presently is either an judgement to await the
eventual publication of "Bug City" or at least the wider distribution of
"Burning Bright," or the presentation of a detail exposition and
enumeration upon the events contained within "Burning Bright" and hence
forrunning the evidently delayed shipping of the novel. In either of
the cases, it is in an effort such that the information may be discussed
upon this forum.
________________ _______ _______ ____ ____
\ _____ \ / \ / \ / \/ \ >>> Attack,
\ | | | |---___ | ___---| | || || | attack, and
| | | | |_____/ | \_____| | || || | if in doubt
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- | | | | | | || || | ATTACK! <<<
"Iron hand in a | |___/ / \_______/ \_______/|____| |____| -=-=-=-=-=-
velvet glove." | / ||
-- Charles V |_______/ Dread Executor of Administrative Tasks for Hayden
^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^
"There are times when one must govern liberally and times when one must be
dictatorial; everything changes, there is no eternity here."
-- Chancellor Otto von Bismarck-Schoenhausen
