IMPORTANT: Plot Discussion

Well, you don't even have to explore new worlds. If we could get more people starting as first years, Hogwarts itself would be a new world. That's why you have sites that impose a "new characters start as first years" rule. However, I do like the flexibility to start as an older student...

I think the main problem we have on PA is that there's so much space. The students are theoretically stuck at Hogwarts, so they don't really interact with the adults except in "battle" scenarios. Except they're not really stuck there, because we don't prevent them posting anywhere they like. The wizarding world is too big, so the adults aren't forced to interact with one another, either.

Usually what works is when sites just focus on one or two places, like a small town where everyone knows each-other or a group of people who are obliged to interact like a workplace or as Kieth said, a starship.

Basically, some narrowing down is needed. [s]I'd even say that it's needed inside Hogwarts. It's easier to spot an open and interesting tread if there aren't that many subforums. So more or less, that would rise student interactions. I think. I'm not entirely sure that this rule applies here too, I'm too used to our slightly different rp's [/s] Yeah I don't think it works that way here.

As for first years - playing first years can be really difficult. Most of us are much older, with really different way of thinking. Soo, even if we get more first years, most of the time it will be awkward and not first year like at all. There is a reason why all the "must make first years" sites get so much porno, tiny smokers and rebels. I don't think first years would solve anything.

It's more about trying to get all of the players in one, secluded place. Like school. Or Atlantis. Or moon. Or anything, really.

Ok.......I'm totally new.......and I can see that everyone's confused on the action to be taken. All I think is that the decision should be taken as soon as possible. Because depending on the plot, new RPers like me have to make the character applicatiosn accordingly. For example whether Albus is to be 11 or 18, and that makes a hell of a lot difference.

Oh and since most people seem confused with either 2nd or 3rd option, why not sort of merge the two? The Ministry can impose a sort of restriction so that people remain confined to one or two places.....and it isn't necessary that some people HAVE to roleplay as the bad guys. We can make the Ministry people NPC....and P.S. I personally wouldn't mind my character being negative and losing horribly

I think there has to be a marriage between the ideas here, and the current plot we have. We need to retire the current plot as best as possible. I know Aaron has quit so if he would allow us to say Aaron was somehow beaten or eloped with Sofie to Russia and the Death Eaters were without a head, then either the Order or the Ministry could have struck the Deathies down. And what do you do with the current Deathies - well, they don't have to act evil for a cause, they can just be PA's criminals.

After wars, there is always a renaissance. If the Order and the Death Eaters publicly came to a truce, that could be cause for a celebration to involve both grads and students. Maybe the Ministry could start allowing graduates onto campus grounds to mentor and teach, or as guest speakers etc.

Then I say we have a driving Hogwarts plot, and then a seperate graduate plot, rather than trying to get both groups to go along one plot.

And Albus sort of has a point about NPCing the Ministry. That way, we don't have to rely on RPers to move the plot.

OH! This just popped into my head. Survival camp at Hogwarts. During one of the holidays, students camp out in the Forbidden Forest without wands with professors as chaperones. It could be fun.

While I was in the shower (the location is really important here ), I was thinking about the whole plot thing, and suddenly it occurred to me. How long has this war continued? Or, to be precise, when was the last period of peace? Real peace?
I mean, we are trying to play our characters in somewhat realistic manner, but then, suddenly, we go completely waco with the setting. I don't know how many of you are aware of this, but war and famine goes hand in hand. Economy collapses. Children are rarely born in times of war. And guess what? People die in wars. So, with some exceptions, there is no way that a war can continue for long stretches of time without destroying the economy and the demographics. And there are not that many wizards. At one point everyone would go "ok, yes, we are indifferent, but we are not suicidal". That's how hippies are born.

So, my idea is that by now there should be quite strong hippie movements, some Jeanne d'Arc-isque characters and really big movements to stop the fighting and start peace.
That an long stretches of war, or even political unrest creates colapses. Big, bad ass colapses. And if we don't want to play out extreme scenarios, we should start having peace.

I actually tried that. I had a character that would stand outside the Ministry and have protests, would sing songs of revolution, etcetera. People volunteered to take part, but no one did. It was usually me, one other person, and then like three Ministry people fighting against us, so it never worked out.

I'm just going to make an observation here. Its my own observation, and it may be that none of the other admins support it. But here it is.

I see some ideas here that, personally, I like. I'm really glad to see the creativity. We need more of that. Keep the ideas coming, please.

Also, I've been an admin for awhile and working with the whole plot thing for awhile now. What I've seen, in general, get the most response on PA is not always the easiest to design. But--it seems to work better if there is an overall site plot theme that, while it encourages and invites the entire membership, it does not hinge on one or two key players. Nor does it hinge on mass threads for the plot to work. Neither have, by tradition, been successful her when they are used as the foundations for moving a plot along. In fact, those things seem to stagnate a plot here quickly. Mass threads, key characters, etc., can be used as fun or as additional elements, but they tend to not work so well as main site plot elements.

Also, when a site plot also has enough development to it to encourage members to be able to revolve their own personal plotting around it, it tends to get more response. Some members here prefer site plotting and some prefer personal plotting. And then there are some that enjoy both. That means that sometimes a PA site plot can become a bit tricky to forumulate.

When we can manage to design those plots that contain the above mentioned elements, activity on the site stays up and it seems to keep people happy. Don't know if those thoughts help, but its just what I've noticed seems to work or not work so well here.

I probably just confused you all more.

Audra's comment reminded me of something.....have any if you read those idiotic, psycho, utterly impractical yet incredibly fun marriage law fan fics? The wars have killed too many people, wizard population is at an all time low, so in interests of magic, the Ministry imposes a marriage law decreeing all people of age to get married within a specified time or the Ministry would do the partner choosing for them? Acquaintances, friends, enemies.....people who barely know each other or love each other forced to live together....so that would give a theme, but leave enough scope for "personal plotting" as Khaat says......oh, and that even gives us an excuse to rebel against the Ministry

Ok, looking back, that was absolutely mad.....forget I wrote anything

Khaat has a point. Mass topics, even tough they can be a nice extra, are tiring. Main characters make others feel left out, not to mention the possibility of the main character going inactive.
It has to be a thing that everyone can relate to.

About the hippie/punk (more related to UK ) movements - Jack is right. That was just my musing about the topic. I do realize it couldn't actually work without a lot of members actually wanting that.

Forced marriage sounds kinda fun, in fact. Albus has a point.
There also could be the "revealing ourselves to muggles" drama, but that would probably create more fighting, would be hard to play out and has been beaten to a pulp on other sites too.


(Yay! Plotting! Haven't been this excited about writing in a while )

That was my original idea for a plot leading on from the plague plot that ran prior to the issues we face now. The plague plot was a semi-success and I wanted something like a marriage-law to really shake things up and force characters to come together.

I like those fanfics, just sayin' :3 Haha.

But I'm glad some members thought of it too! Great minds think alike and all that jazz.