View source for Crew:Downtime/Writing for Downtime

< [[Crew:Downtime|Downtime]]

== Goal of Downtime ==

The Downtime system for Menhirs Fate is designed to create an extra layer of narrative for players between events. The Player experience for this is being shown a map with a series of Adventures, each containing a short prompt for a potential adventure with some additional choices.

They will have a few weeks to select an option from any on the map and once Downtime closes will receive an Adventure response for the one they chose.

This system is designed to allow plot to flow from the event into downtime and back again as well as create self-contained adventures for players to enjoy a different narrative they may not see during uptime at an event.

== Overall Process ==

=== Writing Team ===
Any Menhirs Fate crew member is eligible to join in the downtime writing process. Either for Adventures or responses. This can be a time consuming role and requires adherence to potentially tight deadlines to allow us to produce Downtime between events.

=== Review Team ===
The Review team for downtime will be primarily drawn from directors and relevant heads of department. There may also be others who are included for specific nation reviews and reviews from an understanding of the corrupted and the wider Menhirs Fate setting.

== Writing Guidelines ==

=== Banned Themes ===
This should be checked by both writer and at the review stage to ensure no banned themes are being used. The following themes are pulled from the policy documents for Menhirs Fate:

* Non-consensual sexual activity
* Sex involving minors
* Eugenics
* Colonialism
* Domestic abuse
* Racism

=== Inappropriate Themes ===
For downtime specifically we are including some further themes that are either inappropriate or require very specific use cases. This list may increase in future:
* Suicide
* Self harm

=== Writing Format ===
The writing format for the downtime should be delivered in the '''Third person tense''' (he, him, his, himself, she, her, hers, herself, it, its, itself, they, them, their, theirs, and themselves).

=== Gendered Terms ===
When writing about groups of people you should not use gendered terms but there is scope in the downtime system to write stories about individuals and use certain gendered terms or varying pronouns to highlight and represent cool stories of various people actually doing things.

=== Content Warnings ===
Generally the type of content we are requiring should not be something that requires a content warning. Downtime is generally intended to be shared in the field which will be by players who we have no guarantee will check the content warnings when they share them. In general anything provided by the downtime that a writer feels needs a content warning may not be accepted.

=== Word Count ===
Word counts may be assigned to both adventures and adventure responses to give a framework to work towards. This is to give a target for writers and to prevent players needing to remember vast amounts of text to communicate into uptime.

== Corruption ==

Writing for the Corrupted forces should be done in keeping with the tone of that force. Each Corrupted faction has its own army and military units but can also be present in smaller adventures. You should consider which faction works best for an adventure and try not to mix them all in.

The Corrupted Factions are:

* '''The Tyrant''' – A very "normal" military force. A highly efficient, imperialist, and expansionist nation, they rely on supply lines, on the spot conscription and the threat of the lash to keep the wheels of war turning. They attack strategic locations, encircling to win, not driving into a city without conquering everything around it. Ensure to win.
* '''The Terror''' – The Terror do not have a military. The encounters that MUs and armies have with them largely involve the unit/army being hexed for seemingly no reason. Their hexes involve a lot of manipulation, horror, spreading fear, things not being as they seem, distrust. Use content warnings where appropriate.
* '''The Void''' – A very destructive combat force. They target places of hope and culture for the complete destruction of everything. Their forces involve large groups of converts acting as an angry mob with priests riling them up, disciplined pilgrims marching to ensure the end of all things, flagellants charging in screaming about the end.
* '''The Fallen''' – Always determined to claim riches from those who would share. They fight to make themselves richer and take what they deem to be theirs (everything). They target areas of monetary value, rich people, places with lots of warmth and life.

== Adventure Writing ==

After gathering downtime writers the first step is writing the initial adventures. These should be scoped out to check they are providing a narrative goal for the players. Good teams to check in with are Nation Support for information on the nations, the Campaign writing team and the Skirmish team for information on the corrupted.

'''Word Count:''' 500 Words

'''Narrative goal:''' Why are the players here? Why should they care? What are they getting to further the story of their character or nation? How does this inspire players?

Adventures can tie into the ongoing plot at Menhirs Fate but are not required to. The initial adventure text does not need to be long but it does need to provide the hook that makes a player want to send their character. This hook does not need to have broad appeal to the entire game but instead should be looking to hook people with specific character goals, archetypes, nations or other limiting characteristics. '''No adventure should be written to have broad enough appeal that every single player picks it.'''

'''Narrative focus:''' The focus in the downtime should be on highlighting what is happening and not guessing the players emotional reactions. While we can aim for targeting certain reactions, you cannot tell a player how to feel.

=== Adventure Reviewing ===
Adventures will be reviewed to ensure they fit the event tone and the purpose of the downtime system before downtime is launched for the players. Reviews will be conducted by a member of the review team and there should be a dialogue between writer and reviewer.

== Adventure Response Writing ==

Once the players have selected downtime and the downtime window has closed work can begin on the Adventure Responses. These do not have to be written by the same person who wrote the initial Adventure but should involve them to ensure a level of continuity where possible.

'''Word Count:''' 500 Words for a standard Adventure. Larger engagements may have higher word counts.

'''Narrative goal:''' What have the players done? Why should they talk about it at the event? What are their next steps? How might this affect them and their journey? How does this inspire players?

Players should be able to "lose" these adventures to present some level of challenge but there should not be a dead end loss and should instead move into a further narrative challenge either in uptime or an ongoing downtime adventure.

'''Writing guidelines:''' Downtime responses should be written from the third person (He/She/They). This is to ensure that we can represent a variety of characters in downtime who may not be the actual players.

=== Nation Themes ===
Each nation has themes that writers should be aware of:

* '''Avereaux''' – Noblebright
* '''Wonder''' – Solarpunk
* '''Valdraeth''' – Dark Fantasy
* '''Portavas''' – Nautical Fantasy
* '''Hammerstadt''' – Industrial/City Fantasy
* '''Urdrevan''' – Sword and Sorcery Fantasy
* '''Kairos''' – Swords and Sandals Epic Fantasy
* '''Syradonia''' – Utopian Fantasy/Dystopian fiction
* '''Morvalis''' – Gothic Fantasy

While other genres may be used to great effect in downtime the core premises of Menhirs Fate such as "Hope and Community" should be remembered.

'''Ending:''' The ending of an Adventure response should give something the player can bring to the event regardless of whether it leads into any further plot.

=== Adventure Response Reviewing ===
Adventure Responses will be reviewed to ensure they fit the event tone and the purpose of the downtime system once downtime has closed for the players. Reviews will be conducted by a member of the review team and there should be a dialogue between writer and reviewer.

[[Category:Crew]]