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December Contest

6 years ago

December Contest - 1st Anniversary of the Ballad Contest! Huzzah! - Choose Your Own Prompt

Deadline: January 7, 2018 at 11:59 P.M. eastern time.

Entry Fee: 100 Points

Minimum entries required: Five valid entries or contest is moot.

Basic Rewards: 25 Points (entry fee returned + 25 points) for successfully submitting a story that achieves a minimum of 3.00/8.00 rating.

Additional Rewards: 100 Points for 1st Place; 50 Points for 2nd Place; 25 Points for 3rd Place

Restrictions: No co-authors. No recycled stories.

Format: CYOA

Requirement: Post a thread in the Writing Workshop and update twice a week on your progress.

Note: The entry fee is high to discourage people from taking prompts they don't intend to finish. Don't be an ass. If you take a prompt, finish it. Because someone else may very well have wanted that prompt.

Instructions:

A) Choose a prompt.

B) To claim a prompt, reply with the number you wish to select and the description of the prompt.

C) Edit lock your selection so you cannot change it.

D) Bucky will confirm your prompt within 24 hours.

E) FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, CHECK TO SEE IF SOMEONE TOOK THE PROMPT YOU WANT FIRST.

Prompts: *** Prompts are binding as far as the plain language suggests. Beyond that, author creativity reigns.

1) In 100,000 B.C.E., a boy from a Neanderthal tribe meets a homo sapien girl for the first time, changing the fate of their tribes for all time . . . for better or worse.

2) In a rewrite of history, Patton survives the car wreck at the close of the war in Europe and goes on to beat Harry Truman in the 1948 presidential election. His first year in office, Patton takes war to Russia, to rid the world of the communist threat.

3) A nuclear winter grips the Earth. Tell us a tale.

4) This is not a tale of kings and queens, but a song of sorrows where the poor peasants muck their pigsties as the countryside burns in the wake of civil war.

5) A sci-fi taking place on a terraformed Mars, Venus, Titan, Europa, or Earth's moon. Take your pick.

6) Jack and Jill went up a hill to fetch a pail of water. But when they came down, Jack soon found that he and Jill had a daughter.

7) An arrogant prick of a man, a godless heathen, but not quite an outright cunt, you find yourself on the periphery of hell. True to your nature, the only reasonable option left is to kill the god of the underworld and fight your way to FREEDOM!

8) The emperor sends you to a faraway land to capture exotic beasts for his zoo. But a spreading plague, a witch-doctor, and a brewing feud between local tribes presents . . . difficulties.

9) An open world CYOA in a Tolkien inspired land with a focus on characters, plot, and story. Must be more story than game. *Note, Tolkien inspired means the world must not be modern or futuristic. And the world must have an element of magic, arcane, or mysticism.

10) A story set in the Ming Dynasty.

11) Crap-sack world.

12) The world just keeps kicking you in the dick. Your house burns down. Your daughter dies of typhoid. Your whore wife runs off with a British privateer. Things can't seem to get worse, so you head to a tavern in downtown Port Royal to drink away the last of your money before you hang yourself. Only . . . it's June 7th, 1692 and your watch just hit 11:30 A.M. Shit is about to get real.

13) A society on the verge of a Golden Age experiences a cataclysmic disaster.

14) The protagonist is an orc.

15) From train robberies to cattle rustling and Indian wars, tell a story from the Wild West.

16) A horror romance.

17) Make up an entirely new world, including, species, religion, economy, and culture. The plot is up to you.

18) Your story takes place in the ancient city of Babylon and it's beautiful hanging gardens.

19) The protagonist is a literal dragon.

20) The protagonist is a (trope) dragon-in-chief.

21) A Halloween or horror ballad.

22) A Christmas ballad.

23) Vikings raid the British isles during the 9th century. Tell a story of a Viking raider.

24) Vikings raid the British isles during the 9th century. Tell a story of a British islander.

25) A fantasy story fit for children.

26) A love story between an English knight and a Flemish wool merchant's daughter. The story starts in 1335, two years before the start of the Hundred Years War.

27) Breath fresh life into the tale of Robin Hood.

28) A historical fiction with one of the main pathways being true history (edutainment).

29) A story set in an Australian penal colony.

30) A puzzle, mystery, or riddle game.

31) Mystery Box. Bucky will only tell you what it holds after you open it.

32) EndMaster's Game. EndMaster pick's the prompt.

33) Write a story about the Dullahan.

34) The protagonist is the village whore. But she's also a witch!

December Contest

6 years ago

28) A historical fiction with one of the main pathways being true history (edutainment).

 

December Contest

6 years ago

Edit lock.

December Contest

6 years ago

I’m winning this time. I’m going to knock three birds with one stone while I’m doing it. 

1st Stone: Winning a contest, and therefore a contest trophy. 

2nd Stone: Getting featured by kicking something out of the Edutainment.

3rd Stone: @Steve24833 Enter this contest so I can beat you. This is, by way of contest, a challenge from me.

December Contest

6 years ago
Your 100 point bet only covers entering a eligible story. What will you wager to cover those other three promises?

December Contest

6 years ago

I've already done 9, 11, 14, 16 and 25. Make something that beats those.

December Contest

6 years ago

I already beat two of your games with the one I have. Not that Dawnwood, and The Only Light You See in the Darkness is Fire are your best works, but my story isn't the best I can do either. Let's not forget that if I were simply trying to beat your other stories, then I wouldn't do it through a contest. A contest in the middle of the busiest month of the year no less. I'd be a fool to challenge The Path of Death with 3 weeks of time. Put simply, these are the perfect circumstances in which to wager a challenge. Same deadline, and same time allotment, with us choosing our topic from Buck'ys set list. 

I didn't see you saying that you accept, so I can only assume you think you can't beat me. If you want to wager stuff on this challenge, assuming you accept, then we can add terms. As of now, the only thing on the line now is reputation.

December Contest

6 years ago

None of the ones I just mentioned, you down syndrome retard. Good try though.

December Contest

6 years ago

I can’t believe you actually read all of that, and that’s what you had to say. I already pointed out the reasons why it would foolish compete with stories that were created not under the circumstances of this contest. Obviously you either can’t read, or have lost brain cells since the last time you were raped by a man from Northern Ireland. Probably the real reason you don’t like that part of Ireland tbh.

Don’t worry though. I understand. You’re trying to get out of losing a challenge, but it’s understandable. I do have mountains of points, and a heap of featured story games. 

Your fear is understandable.

December Contest

6 years ago

*gets the popcorn*

December Contest

6 years ago

I just realized I said understandable way too many times in those last few sentences. Oh well.

December Contest

6 years ago

Among the Trees was written in three days, plus as the horror-romance it's one of the actual examples I gave, so you're golden there's that. Anyhow, I don't know if you've been paying attention, but I joined the contest. Not because of what you said, you're just kind of there shouting, but coincidentally because I was talking to Bucky in the Lair, but... I don't know, good try again?

December Contest

6 years ago

Eh. I suppose I was kinda shouting, wasn’t I? Well it was obvious you didn’t join from me challenging you. If you had, then that would’ve been obvious. 

You have absolutely no interest in participating in a mini-contest between the two of us? That honestly sucks, and I suppose I’ll stop pestering you about accepting it. 

I guess my only question is why not? If you’re already doing the contest with the intention to win, then adding beating me surely wouldn’t be any skin off you’re back. Plus it’d be more fun. 

 

December Contest

6 years ago

I like how insanely quickly your aggression and hatred deflates pathetically into you just shrugging and talking about how fun it would be when you realize I don't know who you are. 

Anyhow, I've accepted the contest, thus I plan to beat everyone here, including you. So I'm already going to beat you.

Edit: Ooh, thought of a good analogy. It's like if a dude's trying to rape you, but he prematurely ejaculates, and his angry erection becomes flaccid and sad.

December Contest

6 years ago

Well I was trying to follow the flow of things. You insulted me, I insulted you back, and then you were completely docile. Thus, making me look like I was shouting at some defenseless snake. Also, since I was trying to provoke you into accepting a specific challenge from me. When I realized that wouldn’t work, I had to change tactics. The alternative was to continue the aggression, and that would’ve turned out even worse since I would essentially be yelling at a stranger. Losing the aggression was obviously the better alternative.

Also, I was trying to work it into a situation where you decide that you’re going to crush me specifically which I would then turn into an opportunity for me to get more points. Obviously that didn’t work, AND you didn’t even argue back. Altogether a disappointing 3rd bird. 

December Contest

6 years ago

Trying to follow the flow of things? Jesus, you are an antisocial fucker if that was your goal. Seems to me you called me out for a challenge for some reason, even though I have no idea who you are and we never really interact, and you expected me to be as pumped as you are for some reason, because you do know who I am, and well enough that you want to challenge me. 

Anyhow, I don't know what you expect me to argue with, here. What points do you have to argue with that I haven't already?

December Contest

6 years ago

Yeah. Looking back, it was a plan with many flaws. One of which was not going to the table with something to wager. Well, actually I guess I could bet my account if I wanted. (And assuming that’s allowed in these contests anymore) 

Actually if you want to make a bet like that, then I’m down. You bet like 1,000 points, and if you do better than me, I’d be banned.

Never mind. You’ve already demonstrated no interest in it. So, @anyone with a lot of points to lose, that also will get a kick of me being banned. I’m open to make a bet with my account on the line. 

December Contest

6 years ago

*quietly locks this just in case*

December Contest

6 years ago

I think Bucky was just going for a regular contest. The crazy bet thing was more due to the theme of the Chaos Contest at the time.

Still, up to him I guess.

December Contest

6 years ago

@Bucky

December Contest

6 years ago
I agree with End. Chaos Contest was special. Also, pretty sure Berka and 3J aren't a fan of the account wagering.

But if Ebon really wants to do something stupid... He can make one last "chaos" wager. But no one else can. The portal is closed, and it told you all to go write your bloody stories.

December Contest

6 years ago

Many thanks. Although no ones taken my offer, so there’s that.

December Contest

6 years ago

1000 points means nothing to Seto and Thara with their numbers, either of them would be a interesting mini contest.

December Contest

6 years ago

Indeed. Except Seto has already posted in this thread several times without entering, so he’s off the list until further notice. 

Thara, on the other hand, has a perfect opportunity to claw herself out of End’s cell. Submitting an entry is one thing, but if she manages to get me banned then I’m sure End will be doubly proud of her.

@TharaApples

December Contest

6 years ago

Why would I necessarily care about getting you possibly banned? No thanks, but thank you, I suppose. 

December Contest

6 years ago
Or it's also possible he just doesn't give a shit about contests and barely remembers who you are.

December Contest

6 years ago

Apparently, we chatted in the tranny thread, where he admitted he was factually incorrect, but said he was going to continue using words wrong. A fascinating skill for a writer.

December Contest

6 years ago

Well I feel like an idiot. That’s supposed to say first, second, and third bird. Oops.

To answer your question mizal. I don’t really have to wager anything else, but if you have suggestions then I’m open. If only to make this a tad more exciting. I’ve pretty much blanked on more things to wager. I mean, I barely even have 100 points after all.

 

December Contest

6 years ago
Any yet you've been here almost two years. That's pathetic.

December Contest

6 years ago

I agree. Wholeheartedly in fact. 'Tis part of the reason I'm entering this contest, and challenging Steve. Gotta do something to make up for all of that lost time.

December Contest

6 years ago

I for one am sure you're just a slow burner.

December Contest

6 years ago

Expound please.

December Contest

6 years ago

Your near two years here have been a gradual build up to whatever amazing thing you're about to pull out of the bag.

December Contest

6 years ago

I certainly hope so.

December Contest

6 years ago
Steve has been pretty useless lately, probably about time he gets humiliated and taken out behind the shed anyhow. Good luck!

December Contest

6 years ago

Thanks. I'll need it.

December Contest

6 years ago

Speaking of, it's been like a week or two, and Dini still hasn't finished beta-reading my story. Someone please tag her full name so I can yell at her.

December Contest

6 years ago
@DiniTheWizard

Working on some collaborations with some renowned members on this site so I can't guarantee that I can help everyone with their games, but I'll try.

Sorry Steve, you're just not important enough to hire her as a beta-reader these days.

December Contest

6 years ago

Steve's certainly more important than you Mizal. 

December Contest

6 years ago

Bam! Take that, Mizal, you fucking mean bitch!

December Contest

6 years ago

Steve, beat their fucking asses. I put my faith in you, and I'm rooting for you! 

December Contest

6 years ago

I'm always here :^)

December Contest

6 years ago

Is that a genuine offer? Because I'll happily take you as a beta-reader. I can race you against Dini.

December Contest

6 years ago

It is a genuine offer, I can probably get it to you in a day or so(?), depending on the length :)

December Contest

6 years ago

Finished a week ago, but I couldn't find that much time to message you guys as I'm busy with school and yeah. I'll get back to you Steve. 

December Contest

6 years ago

I'm just as bad ;-;

*stares at all the time I've been here*
*stares at 0 published stories*

December Contest

6 years ago
We were referring mostly to points though. (You have too many, give me some.)

December Contest

6 years ago

Ohh I didn't read that right. And no, my precious. >~>

December Contest

6 years ago

Wouldn't it be three birds instead of stones? 

1st Stone: Winning a contest, and therefore a contest trophy. 

2nd Stone: Getting featured by kicking something out of the Edutainment.

3rd Stone: @Steve24833 Enter this contest so I can beat you. This is, by way of contest, a challenge from me.

But if killing stones with birds is your thing, go ahead!

December Contest

6 years ago

Hey Sherlock, Steve is already in the contest. Thus, he will make all attempts to beat the others regardless of a challenge from you.

December Contest

6 years ago

I already addressed my typ in an above post, but if replying to already addressed issues is your thing, go ahead. 

December Contest

6 years ago

Ah, my apologies, was just skimming through.

December Contest

6 years ago
Prompt confirmed.

December Contest

6 years ago

32. Endmasters Game. Endmaster pick's the prompt.

December Contest

6 years ago

lock

December Contest

6 years ago
Prompt confirmed. EndMaster will send you a prompt soon.

December Contest

6 years ago
Endmaster: Digit will be an ultimate failure if he fucks this up

Let it be known.

December Contest

6 years ago

If i do fail im really hoping my title gets changed to ulitmate failure. Anyway I'm putting all my harem stories on hold, im winning and getting featured, all of you might aswell give up.

December Contest

6 years ago
I know what prompt you got and I'm fuckin jealous I have to say.

December Contest

6 years ago

I was orginally going to ask for something romance or highschool related but knew I would probably get shat on by other entries. Scifi stories are really fun and expressive so that was my next pick.

December Contest

6 years ago

...you can literally do the same thing as Digit with your prompt.

December Contest

6 years ago

Yeah but she actually has to world-build to a extent and that can get cumbersome.

December Contest

6 years ago
17) Make up an entirely new world, including, species, religion, economy, and culture. The plot is up to you.

Taking the easiest one, fuck it.

December Contest

6 years ago
lock

Also this shows up as an ugly wall of text on the front page, is there any way to fix it? @BerkaZerka

December Contest

6 years ago

Fixed.

December Contest

6 years ago
Prompt confirmed!

December Contest

6 years ago

4.

December Contest

6 years ago
Prompt confirmed.

December Contest

6 years ago
3) Nuclear Winter grips Earth

December Contest

6 years ago
Loked

December Contest

6 years ago
Locked.

December Contest

6 years ago
Prompt confirmed

December Contest

6 years ago
Are the usual rules about going in the hole in place?

December Contest

6 years ago

Nah, I'll be surprised if he finishes a story anyway.

December Contest

6 years ago

Contest Participants So Far:

AzBaz 27

BlueThread 5

Chanbot (Ford) 14

Digit 32

Doodled 15

Ebon 28

Malk 11

Mizal 17

Mynoris 34

Nekocat 3

Ogre 8

Orange 31

Romulus 22

Sentinel 25

Spartacus (coins) 9

Steve 4

December Contest

6 years ago

I won't be a participant in this one though it looks spectacular. I'm currently on a quest for a shiny silver trophy. :)

December Contest

6 years ago

Digit has his prompt: Villain protagonist terrorizing a space colony on an alien planet.

December Contest

6 years ago

Hmm I like to live dangerously so I'll go with: 31) Mystery Box. Bucky will only tell you what it holds after you open it. 

December Contest

6 years ago

Edit lock

December Contest

6 years ago
Prompt confirmed.

A fairy tale where a talking bear, an exotic fruit, a frozen river, and a pagan festival are central to the plot.

Optional: Make it a ballad.

December Contest

6 years ago

Baloo and his gay Caribbean friend visit the Festival of Baal, and also there's a frozen river.

December Contest

6 years ago

I'll take 11 

December Contest

6 years ago
Prompt confirmed.

December Contest

6 years ago
Story will feature literal sack of crap as a romance and/or food option.

December Contest

6 years ago

22. Don't have much time to write this month, but a CYOA-ballad should be doable.

December Contest

6 years ago

Lock.

December Contest

6 years ago
Confirmed!

December Contest

6 years ago

15) From train robberies to cattle rustling and Indian wars, tell a story from the Wild West.

Yee-haw.

December Contest

6 years ago

Hee-yaw. (Edit lock.)

December Contest

6 years ago
Who...who are you? Where'd you come from?

December Contest

6 years ago

From the far-away time of five years ago, my friend.

December Contest

6 years ago

Fancy meeting ya here, person from five years ago.

December Contest

6 years ago
Confirmed.

December Contest

6 years ago

I do have a question, since I'm new to these contests - is item-based interaction allowed?

December Contest

6 years ago
Not an issue, the only rules on these are that the story has to be decent enough to not be unpublished for low ratings.

Oh and I guess your protagonist can't be a pedo or whatever so make sure all of the items you interact with are over 18.

December Contest

6 years ago
Yeah, they can utilize items. There was only one prompt where I explicitly said the story had to be more story than game.

December Contest

6 years ago

Number 9.

December Contest

6 years ago
Confirmed.

December Contest

6 years ago

Quick question, what's a clear definition of Tolkien-esque?

December Contest

6 years ago

It has to be based primarily about a universe where a majority of characters are J. R. R. Tolkein. Hard one, but good choice.

December Contest

6 years ago
On the most basic level, keep your tech in check. It's expected to be some manner of fantasy.

You don't need the fancy language or any particular pointy eared humanoid, but you need to keep society on a comparable level. But other than that, you just need some magical, arcane, etc. element.

December Contest

6 years ago

So it could be dark fantasy as opposed to Tolkien's "good guys win" setting, correct?

December Contest

6 years ago
Correct.

December Contest

6 years ago
Just think classic D&D minus the dice and stats since it's a direct rip off of Tolkien's stuff in so many ways.

December Contest

6 years ago

Could I have the 5) Sci-Fi one please, friend?

December Contest

6 years ago
Confirmed

December Contest

6 years ago

Quick question about the Writing Workshop requirement.

When we update it, can it be something as simple as, “I added one page today,” and then be done with it? Not that I’m going to do that. Just in case it’s midnight on some Saturday night and I forgot the second update that week.

December Contest

6 years ago
I think two sentences won't kill you.

December Contest

6 years ago

Just making sure.

December Contest

6 years ago

Depends how harsh they are. King Charles I didn't survive a single one.

December Contest

6 years ago

I think someone should combine all the prompts into one story. Would be a pretty crazy read if you ask me.

Anyway, good luck to the contestants, also don't forget about this:
Requirement: Post a thread in the Writing Workshop and update twice a week on your progress.

December Contest

6 years ago

Fucking hell, missed that. 

December Contest

6 years ago

I wouldn't worry about it too much, since you technically also missed:
B) To claim a prompt, reply with the number you wish to select and the description of the prompt.

You just said '4.' and still got it, so maybe you won't need to do the whole updating a thread thing.

December Contest

6 years ago

Also didn't lock it, Just sayin'.

December Contest

6 years ago

@Bucky Am I kicked out of the contest yet, or do I, as the greatest, get a free pass from those stupid rules?

December Contest

6 years ago
Sorry to be "that guy," but I have to ask a question. I see that some of the prompts specify ballad, while others do not. In the other thread, I thought you mentioned that it was required that these entries are ballads. So at this point, are simple prose stories an option, or are all entries here supposed to be ballads?

December Contest

6 years ago

Wait, all these might need to be ballads? Fuck sake, I am not in the mood to forfeit 100 points.

December Contest

6 years ago
Didn't you already get kicked out for not following the rules?

December Contest

6 years ago

Not confirmed yet, bud.

December Contest

6 years ago
Some stories must be ballads. Those say so explicitly.

Most of the rest can be ballads if the writer chooses to do them that way.

All stories must by CYOA.

December Contest

6 years ago
Excellent, thank you for the confirmation!

December Contest

6 years ago

25 points, prompt 25, so I'll finish the vague outline I have by the time I'm 25.

December Contest

6 years ago
Everyone is 100 points. But confirmed.

December Contest

6 years ago
Lots of fun prompts, and fun contest, thank you!

I'll try out:

8) The emperor sends you to a faraway land to capture exotic beasts for his zoo. But a spreading plague, a witch-doctor, and a brewing feud between local tribes presents . . . difficulties.

December Contest

6 years ago
Edit Locking

December Contest

6 years ago
Confirmed

December Contest

6 years ago

So no fanfiction?

December Contest

6 years ago

Why wouldn't there be?

December Contest

6 years ago

I was interpreting what "No recycled stories" meant.

December Contest

6 years ago
I believe that referred to a story that has already been written previous to the contest.

December Contest

6 years ago
Correct

December Contest

6 years ago

Mkay. Thanks you guys ^_^

December Contest

6 years ago
14 - The protagonist is an orc.

Do I really have to make my own thread for the updates or can I just hijack someone elses? Can there be a megathread for all of the updates?

December Contest

6 years ago
brav.

Vicavorausan or deaavh!

December Contest

6 years ago

Paavheavic defeaav, avhen nauk-avreaavaumn avo avhe ukhadowuk.

December Contest

6 years ago

Speak English you asses. x'D 

December Contest

6 years ago

Irish really is a beautiful language.

December Contest

6 years ago

Tá tú ag beo toisc mar bhí do mháthair ag fáil fucked san acht, bhí cuid den chorp ag gabháil isteach ina babhta, agus bhféadfadh do mháthair a bheith in ann tú a ghearradh amach an bolg, agus ní raibh crogán cóta sa na teach mar tá tú an-an-bocht.

December Contest

6 years ago

Did you fall asleep on top of your keyboard? 

December Contest

6 years ago

A quick Google Translate:

"You are living because your mother was getting fucked in the act, some of the body was in a round, and your mother could be able to cut off your belly, and there was no coat hanger in the house as there are you are very poor."

Well then.

Disregard this. I'm being dumb.

December Contest

6 years ago

You're only alive because when your mother was getting fucked in the ass, some of the cum went into her vagina, and your mother couldn't afford to cut you out of her belly, and there was no coat hanger in the house as you're really, really poor.

December Contest

6 years ago
I guess I'll be the boring one that points out this thread is a front page news post, and for whatever reason we traditionally like to fake some level of class and dignity for those.

December Contest

6 years ago

Since we're not religious conservatives over here, or have an American healthcare system, abortions are actually free of charge. So shame on you for your inaccurate insults.

December Contest

6 years ago

Couldn't afford to get to one.

December Contest

6 years ago
go away Steve

December Contest

6 years ago

We get it, you want my attention so you're doing the vague equivalent of ponytail pulling, but it's getting a bit too far.

December Contest

6 years ago
Confirmed

December Contest

6 years ago
Shotgun 27: Breath fresh life into the tale of Robin Hood.

December Contest

6 years ago
Edit L-L-Lock.

December Contest

6 years ago
I was wondering if you'd enter. This may be a tough contest...

December Contest

6 years ago
Top quality contestants. I'm not even looking for a win here, I'm just using the prompt as a way to get off my duff and get a good story written!

December Contest

6 years ago
Confirmed

December Contest

6 years ago

Are you going to do a Marxist Robin Hood?

I'd personally do a gritty gangland rendition, but only because I'd consider Robin in da Hood to be hilarious.

December Contest

6 years ago
Nope. Wrote a little paragraph about how I'm trying to 'breathe new life into the Robin Hood tale, then decided I might as well put it into my progress thread:

December Contest

6 years ago

A Klan rendition of the Men in Tights would be another good one.

December Contest

6 years ago

Updating the list

Contest Participants So Far:

AzBaz 27

BlueThread 5

Chanbot (Ford) 14

Crash 16

Crescentstar 10

Digit 32

Doodled 15

Ebon 28

Fluxion 1

Frank 18

Malk 11

Mizal 17

Nekocat 3

Ogre 8

Orange 31

Romulus 22

Sentinel 25

Spartacus (coins) 9

Steve 4

December Contest

6 years ago

10) A story set in the Ming Dynasty

@Alekos You pressured me to join; if you don't join yourself, there will be consequences.

 

December Contest

6 years ago
Confirmed

December Contest

6 years ago
Where is @Will11, he should enter and he'd better hurry because all the historical prompts are being stolen.

December Contest

6 years ago

Lol. I was deciding between Ming dynasty and Babylon Hanging Gardens

December Contest

6 years ago
I can't believe no one's taken Pirates vs Earthquakes yet.

December Contest

6 years ago

Sort of surprised nobody took the witch whore one yet.

December Contest

6 years ago
For some added historical flavor, set in in Salem and the whore part comes in because you once kissed your husband in public.

December Contest

6 years ago
That was my #2 choice, and the only reason I didn't pick it is because I didn't see as many options for a CYOA in that one.

December Contest

6 years ago
I'm waiting for him to jump in to make it completely impossible for me to win!

December Contest

6 years ago

It'd be fun to see the outcome! :p

December Contest

6 years ago
I'm afraid my workload is crazy busy until after the New Year and I won't be able to have any real involvement with this competition at all :( Things should get easier in January and I'll probably have a new story published next spring :)

December Contest

6 years ago
Ah, good to hear from you Will! Just this morning I was wondering if where you are there's a break over the traditional end of December time, or if it's just keep working time.

December Contest

6 years ago

Glad you're still alive, Mister Man. Best of luck with your shit, hope to read something new from you soon.

December Contest

6 years ago
Haha thanks guys, I've got lots of work, lots of exams and lots of stuff to do but I am still hopeful of having more time for the site soon :D Still enjoying both of your stories and rereading some of them when I have time :D

December Contest

6 years ago

Unfortunately, I would've taken prompt 30 but then there a lot factors that are hindering me from doing so.

December Contest

6 years ago

If Bucky would let me in for free I'll choose 30. (I have negative points because I undermined the dueling system T_T)

December Contest

6 years ago

As far as I know you can still go ahead and join, you're just going to be further 100 in the hole and still probably not going to dig yourself out unless you win first place and write something so well that you get a story featured.

December Contest

6 years ago

Can you at least let me get 0 EXP? And not a negative? Gimme back my points T^T

December Contest

6 years ago
I have a crazy idea, and it involves reading stories. (Or writing them, even.)

December Contest

6 years ago

That'll take too long to reach 100 points though

December Contest

6 years ago
If anything, we should charge you double!

December Contest

6 years ago

That's too much T_T

December Contest

6 years ago

There's nothing stopping you from just taking the idea and running with it without entering the competition ... I think. 

December Contest

6 years ago
Weak

December Contest

6 years ago

I thought that someone would take 34.. x'D

December Contest

6 years ago

I'm tempted; I just don't know what this 'edit lock' is...or if I'm even up for it.  I wouldn't want to take up a slot and not follow through.

December Contest

6 years ago

Edit lock is replying to your own post after you make your choice so you can't change it.

And taking up slots and not following through is probably what most are doing in this thread anyway.

December Contest

6 years ago

Thank you for the response; I'll give it a try.  It doesn't seem anyone else has claimed the number.

December Contest

6 years ago

16) A horror romance

(assuming I'm still allowed to enter due to my negative points) 

December Contest

6 years ago

Edit locked

December Contest

6 years ago
Confirmed

December Contest

6 years ago

34) The protagonist is the village whore. But she's also a witch!

I'd like this one, please and thank you.

December Contest

6 years ago

Edit locked.  (Hopefully this is all I have to do.)

December Contest

6 years ago

You also have to:
Requirement: Post a thread in the Writing Workshop and update twice a week on your progress.

Just in case you didn't notice that part.

December Contest

6 years ago

I saw that, but I'm not sure how detailed the update has to be, or if there's a specific format for it.  (Also I think it said you're supposed to make the thread after you have been confirmed.)  But thanks for the reminder. :D  It's better to tell someone something they already know rather than have someone miss out on information.

December Contest

6 years ago
Cinfirned

December Contest

6 years ago
I'd be interested to see 23 and 24 done by two different people.

December Contest

6 years ago
Agreed.

December Contest

6 years ago
Two concerns regarding 21:

(1) What counts as a ballad? I've been working on a Halloween/horror story collection and would love to put this in for this. George R.R. Martin stretched the definition of song pretty good, I was wondering if I can do that with ballad. One of the synonyms found in the definition is saga, and my story would definitely fit that definition since it is a sort of Tales of the Crypt kind of collection of stories within a larger story.

(2) What are the points here? Are these the things you gamble with rock paper scissors? And how would I pay them? If so I'm gonna go read a bunch of stories today and gain the points necessary.

December Contest

6 years ago
Historical ballad structure is AABA form. However, it's morphed over time. For our purposes, it will be the same as the ballad contest from last December. It has to rhyme. And it has to tell a story. Go down the News forum until you find the ballad contest thread if you want more detailed information.

End takes the points. You can go negative.

EDIT: This one has to rhyme because all the best ones from the last ones did.

December Contest

6 years ago
Ah, well thanks anyway. Sadly my story doesn't fit. Maybe next time.

December Contest

6 years ago
Probably couldn't have entered an already in progress story anyhow.

December Contest

6 years ago
If I can go negative maybe I'll consider doing number 1. If no one else wants it, I think I might be able to write something regarding a Neanderthal and human meeting. Got a small idea brewing.

December Contest

6 years ago
NekoCat is now 200 points in the hole so I guess they're allowing that this year without the usual requirements re: your eternal soul.

December Contest

6 years ago
Lol that's a steep price. Well whoever is in charge of it sign me up for Homo Neanderthal v Homo Sapiens, assuming I don't have to forfeit my soul.

December Contest

6 years ago
@EndMaster #1 for Fluxion

December Contest

6 years ago
It used to be the price for wagering points you didn't have was that you wouldn't get them back unless you actually won the contest. This was mostly a trap to catch people who couldn't read and so unsurprisingly no one who fell for it ever managed a win. (Or to produce an entry at all really, unless I'm forgetting someone...)

December Contest

6 years ago
The last December contest might be helpful regarding ballads.

Points will be deducted by an admin once your entry is confirmed.

December Contest

6 years ago

Also, shameless plug for that poetry prompt thingy I hosted about ballads. 

December Contest

6 years ago

Updating the list

Contest Participants So Far:

AzBaz 27

BlueThread 5

Chanbot (Ford) 14

Crash 16

Crescentstar 10

Digit 32

Doodled 15

Ebon 28

Fluxion 1

Malk 11

Mizal 17

Mynoris 34

Nekocat 3

Ogre 8

Orange 31

P1 7

Resistor 19

Romulus 22

Sentinel 25

Spartacus (coins) 9

Steve 4

Stillwater 6

December Contest

6 years ago

I think we have a solid amount of people who will actually turn out a story this time. I expect the battle to win will, consequently, be closer than the last couple contests. 

Good luck to everyone.

December Contest

6 years ago
It's interesting to me that this is so popular, while when Endmaster hosts a contest, all these people on the forum who claim to adore him show exactly where they draw the line with that. It turns out the answer is 'when requested to actually write a storygame'.

The prizes were MUCH higher, there was no entry fee or risk of SHAME and the competetition was almost non existent. That children's story took me less than five hours and represented the easiest 200 points I ever made.

Losing 100 for a chance of 25 is much less exciting, good thing these prompts are so interesting.

But maybe the entry fee and SHAME etc really are what's required to motivate people, not prizes alone.

December Contest

6 years ago

I'm just glad to see the SHAME system works despite James bitching and moaning whenever I suggested it should be implemented over here.

December Contest

6 years ago
Maybe secretly many people enter just so they can enjoy being shamed.

December Contest

6 years ago
That was Negative's entire gimmick.

Ford's too I'm pretty sure.

December Contest

6 years ago

In my defense, I just got back. :)

December Contest

6 years ago

For me I just wasn’t quite in the mood to write a children’s story, not an inclusive story. I’m sure I could, but the allure was virtually nonexistent for me. 

Writing about my favorite historical figure, on the other hand, gives me quite a lot of motivation. That, and it seems that these contests are more official, and therefore carry more bragging rights.

December Contest

6 years ago
'I like to write about Greeks, particularly Alexander, but none of that gay shit please, it just doesn't appeal.' --EbonVasilis

December Contest

6 years ago

To be fair, Alexander was Macedonian.

December Contest

6 years ago

Also, he might not have been gay at all, and the people he was speculated to be gay with probably won’t be in the scope of my story.

December Contest

6 years ago
Also to be fair, I just remembered pedos were explicitly banned as protagonists.

December Contest

6 years ago

Any possible relationship in my story will not feature a pedophilic protagonist. Among the possible relationships of Alexander’s that could be considered pedophilic, none of Alexander’s partners were pre-pubescent. (Or if they were, please provide evidence)

Let me emphasize that my story will barely extend past pubescence, so any sexual relationships that might happen will be between him and someone of similar age.

December Contest

6 years ago

Ahh shiat Morally perverse :P

December Contest

6 years ago

Do all paths in the story have to follow the prompt, or just the majority of them?

December Contest

6 years ago

I'm looking forward to read this one.. A whore witch sounds very intriguing. 

December Contest

6 years ago

Well I'm not sure I can do it justice, but it was the one that jumped out at me that wasn't already taken.  I haven't even got to the witch part yet; I'm doing the smaller paths first.

December Contest

6 years ago
Your prompt is a protagonist description. Your protagonist can’t be a witch whore in some paths but not others. How would that make any sense? Bam! A wizard did it! Protagonist is actually a sleepy German Shepherd Dog!

December Contest

6 years ago

Maybe a whore develops into a witch on some paths. but on others she doesn't.

Alternately, maybe being a witch just isn't paying like it used to.

December Contest

6 years ago

Alternately, maybe being a whore just isn't paying like it used to.

December Contest

6 years ago
We might need an economic analysis.

December Contest

6 years ago

The pay usually rises proportionally to inflation, but the job tends to suck more when people get older.

December Contest

6 years ago
That’s plainly not the prompt.

December Contest

6 years ago

Or maybe the witch develops into a whore because witchcraft doesn't provide strong enough spells and she becomes a whore to tap into whore magic as well.

December Contest

6 years ago
I was just assuming you gave everybody STDs and the villagers didn't understand what those were.

December Contest

6 years ago

That would be an interesting take on it.  Though why they would think she would curse herself could be a puzzle.

December Contest

6 years ago

She could take the Typhoid Mary approach: being immune to the disease herself but spreading it to others.

December Contest

6 years ago

Most people are neither a whore nor a witch as a child, though I suppose either could be debated.  I'm starting with the character young and exploring some early paths.

December Contest

6 years ago

Prompt 18

December Contest

6 years ago

Ohhhh. This was the one I would've chosen had I not chosen something else.

I wonder what you'll make from this! :D Another historical theme taken

December Contest

6 years ago
Confirmed

December Contest

6 years ago

I'm looking forward to this one.  There's something enchanting about the hanging gardens.

December Contest

6 years ago

Is it too late to enter?

If not, could I have prompt 7) An arrogant prick of a man, a godless heathen, but not quite an outright cunt, you find yourself on the periphery of hell. True to your nature, the only reasonable option left is to kill the god of the underworld and fight your way to FREEDOM!

December Contest

6 years ago

edit lock

December Contest

6 years ago
Confirmed

December Contest

6 years ago
Good luck, although I feel like you probably deserve a double helping of SHAME if you manage to fuck up a prompt like that one.

December Contest

6 years ago

Thanks. Yeah, I'm surprised it was still there. Seems like one of the easier ones.

December Contest

6 years ago

I suppose 'easy' depends on who is writing it.  Some styles and subjects just come easier to some folks than others.  But I guess that's kind of an obvious thing to say.  I just know I wouldn't have done well with that prompt.  Then again, a lot of people probably won't like what I'm doing with the prompt I DID choose, so there you go.

December Contest

6 years ago

Well there's still time to write about Atlantis with prompt 13 if anyone so desires.

December Contest

6 years ago

I'll take #6, the Jack and Jill one.

December Contest

6 years ago

Edit lock

December Contest

6 years ago

I was wondering if anyone was going to take this one.  It seemed one of the odder ones to me.

December Contest

6 years ago
Confirmed

December Contest

6 years ago

Updating the list

Contest Participants So Far:

AzBaz 27

BlueThread 5

Chanbot (Ford) 14

Crash 16

Crescentstar 10

Digit 32

Doodled 15

Ebon 28

Fluxion 1

IAP 33

Jeffrey 30

Malk 11

Mizal 17

Mynoris 34

Nekocat 3

Ogre 8

Orange 31

P1 7

Resistor 19

Romulus 22

Sentinel 25

Spartacus (coins) 9

Steve 4

Stillwater 6

December Contest

6 years ago
Ok, so only 21 entrants so far. Not too bad for 5 days into the contest, but a little lower than the 31.5 average entrants into the past few contests.

Based on historical averages for contests, so far we can expect just 9 completed stories from this one so far.

December Contest

6 years ago
-100 points is four times the incentive though.

December Contest

6 years ago

There's always SHAME

December Contest

6 years ago

Heyyyy, we got 14/15. 
Even if we adapt your math to the additional entries after you posted this, it's still more than expected (12-13 if I understood it right)
 

December Contest

6 years ago

I'll take the puzzle, mystery or riddle game. Be warned that I will probably take plenty of creative liberty with the word "mystery."

December Contest

6 years ago

Edit Lock: Can I still enter if I don't have 100 points? I mean, negative points is possible, right? 

December Contest

6 years ago
If there's not a scraggly goatee and an aqua and green van, it's not a mystery.

December Contest

6 years ago
Confirmed

December Contest

6 years ago
I'm probably going to regret it since I don't have that great of track record for actually finishing things, but I think I can do something with #33.

December Contest

6 years ago
Edit lock.

December Contest

6 years ago
Good luck with that!

December Contest

6 years ago

Even more wonderful people :D

December Contest

6 years ago
Confirmed.

I have high expectations. Glad someone picked this one.

December Contest

6 years ago

Hey, last time there was mention of an early bird prize. For people who didn't submit their stories last minute. Is that in place for this contest, or is that a no-go on reward for submitting early?

December Contest

6 years ago
The last contest was Berka's.

December Contest

6 years ago

I'm a week late and have no proof I'm a decent writer, but I do have more than 100 points for some reason.

I'll take 19 (protagonist is a literal dragon). Surprised no one took that because dragons are AWESOME.

December Contest

6 years ago
Confirmed

December Contest

6 years ago
Might need some more prompts at this rate.

December Contest

6 years ago
Meh, nine left. And both the viking ones are still there, so no one has any right to complain all the good ones are gone.

December Contest

6 years ago

To be fair, seven of those are shit. Perhaps adding a smattering of more would encourage a few more entries, plus piss off everyone who hasn't started yet and sees one they'd prefer up for grabs.

December Contest

6 years ago
It does seem like there's been less interest in the historical prompts. But we seem to mostly lean to fantasy and sci-fi here so I guess it's not surprising.

December Contest

6 years ago

Not this beautiful bastard. Just got to introducing the Black and Tans, bitches, and people are already getting brutalized.

December Contest

6 years ago

I thought it just meant that only 34 people could join.  If 36 had been interested, would more prompts have been made?

December Contest

6 years ago
Possibly, but only if they had all gone out within the first 24 hours or so. Since it's been up for a number of days and nine or so are still left, I won't be making anymore. It's not fair to people that came beforehand at this point.

Things that come to those who wait... the things left by those who got there first.

December Contest

6 years ago

Well, I figure first 48/72 hours to make way for people who just couldn't get logged in on time.  But what you say makes sense.  All in all, you seemed to have picked a good number of prompts.

December Contest

6 years ago

Updating the list

Contest Participants So Far

Fluxion 1
Nekocat 3
Steve 4
BlueThread 5
Stillwater 6
P1 7
Ogre 8
Spartacus (coins) 9
Crescentstar 10
Malk 11

MysteryParticipant 12

RoyalGhost 13
Chanbot (Ford) 14
Doodled 15
Crash 16
Mizal 17
Frank 18
Resistor 19

Eric 21
Romulus 22
Sentinel 25
AzBaz 27
Ebon 28

Mr.Ace 29
Jeffrey 30
Orange 31
Digit 32
IAP 33
Mynoris 34

December Contest

6 years ago

Can you explain what you mean by "dragon-in-chief" in #20? I'm not that well-versed on TvTropes.

December Contest

6 years ago

Funny you should ask, I was curious and can now half certainly say it is one of two things:
1. Bad guy serving a less dangerous bad guy.
OR
2. Less dangerous bad guy who has a more dangerous bad guy serving them.

Look I was mostly skimming and the article was really long. Here is a Link.

As a fun fact, there are lots of ways to go about doing this, so the prompt likely gives a lot of room for creative liberties. With that said, just figure out if the dragon in chief is the more dangerous person or the less dangerous one (since I somehow failed to figure that out >->).

December Contest

6 years ago

This is what the laconic is for.

December Contest

6 years ago
Claim it Brad! It can be a dragon, dragon-in-chief!

December Contest

6 years ago

Haha; if only.

December Contest

6 years ago

Hmm interesting...

Guess I don't know what a dragon-in-chief is then. However I would say laconic sounds better, being one word and all. Yeah that's it!

December Contest

6 years ago
Your definition and his link are the same.

December Contest

6 years ago

Ah I get it now. Yeah I was just being an idiot. Times like these I wish I was an admin for them useful editing powers. >->

Now I know a new word at least.

December Contest

6 years ago
By the way, this is the bar for whether or not you are a disappointment. That was done in about four hours, which includes planning; scripting; and writing. The bar is very low. Don't trip.

You are all capable of better. Happy writing. And stay out of the pit.

December Contest

6 years ago

*struggles climbing the bar*

December Contest

6 years ago
do...do you think the bar is vertical?

December Contest

6 years ago

21) A Halloween or horror ballad.

I am a little late to this because I have not been checking the website lately when I should have. But I am here now and since I didn't participate in the original ballad contest, (and most of the prompts are taken) here I go!

December Contest

6 years ago

EDIT LOCK ACTIVATED

December Contest

6 years ago
Confirmed

December Contest

6 years ago
Sentinel and Malkalack's inability to read and follow the instructions in the OP is a disgrace to the Lair, just gotta say.

December Contest

6 years ago

I just gotta say, it's really weird being this far in with the contest and I haven't banned Negative at least twice yet.

December Contest

6 years ago
Hmm yeah it is pretty weird he hasn't come back with an alt to try and join yet, I wonder if that means he finally offed himself.

December Contest

6 years ago

Don't expect a fully fledged story, this hobby has taken a back-seat to producing, but ahhh I have too join I'm to tempted and don't want to get my prompt taken.

13) A society on the verge of a Golden Age experiences a cataclysmic disaster.

December Contest

6 years ago
Confirmed

December Contest

6 years ago

Entering as soon as I get the points.

December Contest

6 years ago

I'm pretty sure you can enter even if you don't have 100 points. It'll just take you down to the negatives.

December Contest

6 years ago
Correct

December Contest

6 years ago
12) The world just keeps kicking you in the dick. Your house burns down. Your daughter dies of typhoid. Your whore wife runs off with a British privateer. Things can't seem to get worse, so you head to a tavern in downtown Port Royal to drink away the last of your money before you hang yourself. Only . . . it's June 7th, 1692 and your watch just hit 11:30 A.M. Shit is about to get real.

Mystery participant has this prompt. Mystery participant will be revealed at deadline. If mystery participant fails in duty, End and I will personally skewer the whoreson.

December Contest

6 years ago
inb4 cysid writes a storygame

fr tho has to be someone lesser than bucky who can write a storygame there aren't really that many options. who would take bucky skewering them as a threat?

December Contest

6 years ago
He said End will help with the skewering. I'm presuming Bucky's role will just be to hold them down and maybe spread some cheeks.

December Contest

6 years ago

Oh shizzles that's scary

December Contest

6 years ago
Yesss, pirates vs earthquakes is happening! Can't believe no one grabbed that one before now.

December Contest

6 years ago
Mystery participant is getting the unfair comfort of not doing twice a week updates. absolutely barbaric. I can't believe the judges would allow this.

December Contest

6 years ago

Lol.

December Contest

6 years ago
"Mystery participant?" okay.

Anyway, this was my second choice of a prompt. I really am surprised it wasn't selected earlier.

Good luck, whoever you are!

December Contest

6 years ago

29) A story set in an Australian penal colony.

December Contest

6 years ago

Edit lock.I shall win.

December Contest

6 years ago
confirmed

December Contest

6 years ago

Was not much left. Lol should have seen this earlier.

December Contest

6 years ago

Updating the list

Contest Participants So Far

Fluxion 1
Nekocat 3
Steve 4
BlueThread 5
Stillwater 6
P1 7
Ogre 8 - Safe
Spartacus (coins) 9
Crescentstar 10
Malk 11
MysteryParticipant 12
RoyalGhost 13
Doodled 15
Crash 16
Mizal 17 - Safe
Frank 18
Resistor 19

Comply 20
Eric 21
Romulus 22
Sentinel 25
AzBaz 27
Ebon 28
Mr.Ace 29
Jeffrey 30
Orange 31
Digit 32
IAP 33 - Safe
Mynoris 34

SHAMED so far

Chanbot (Ford)

December Contest

6 years ago
To all entrants,

If you ask nicely, I will be willing to help with minor scripting issues. Emphasis on nicely and minor.

December Contest

6 years ago
give me a script that makes the use of an item refresh the page bitch

*pls

December Contest

6 years ago
Any page or a specific page?

December Contest

6 years ago

any page

the future is now, old man!

December Contest

6 years ago
Could probably give you a way to do it, but I don’t think it’d be worth it. You’d need scripts on every page.

December Contest

6 years ago
actually I'm just gonna give it. Item script: $DEST := "@P" + $PAGEID

Bucky's scripting advice confirmed useless

December Contest

6 years ago
Ugh

December Contest

6 years ago
To all entrants,

I won't help anyone with scripting. :^ )

BD will gladly help anyone with scripting regardless of how big or small.

I hear Morgan is a decent programmer herself, she could figure stuff out. Could be as helpful as me though.

and uh, if you need an item to refresh the page, Bucky has you covered.

you can't expect me not to take the piss here

December Contest

6 years ago
I drop out.

December Contest

6 years ago
I can't say I'm surprised, to be honest.

December Contest

6 years ago
I'm still gonna write the storygame and finish it around the deadline.

December Contest

6 years ago
uh huh

December Contest

6 years ago
@Endmaster Looks like the easiest prompt possible that literally anyone could write a story about even while using their other hand to chug paint thinner is up for dibs again, if you edit the OP.

December Contest

6 years ago

Yeah, might as well.

December Contest

6 years ago

Why?

December Contest

6 years ago

hold it right there.

I may be an amateur and I may be new, but I, too, request entry.

I'd like to enter for prompt 20: The protagonist is a (trope) dragon-in-chief.

December Contest

6 years ago

editlock

December Contest

6 years ago
Confirmed

December Contest

6 years ago
You could have entered without having 100 points just FYI, you would have just gone in the hole. I'm impressed by the amount of blind, rapid clicking you seem to have done today however, pro tier points reaping right there.

December Contest

6 years ago

yes, well...

the school-based and everything else categories usually have an end game link in two pages or less. very low-quality content in those ones...

December Contest

6 years ago

We're talkin about Ford, right?

December Contest

6 years ago

Who?

December Contest

6 years ago
hah. back in my day a few hundred points was minutes worth of actual reading and took a mere hour to gain. Getting a thousand still isn't very impressive unless someone beats my record (2.2k in a month [1k in ~5-7 days]). The trick is to have no life and a good soundtrack to keep you going. These days there's not as many 3-word games but I still think I could get 1k in a week or less from rating games.

December Contest

6 years ago

Decided you didn't like your Quaylon5 name?

December Contest

6 years ago

a. not mysterious enough

b. admin or no, it's creepy to look at people's ip addresses

point still stands though, who's ford?

December Contest

6 years ago

Yes, because now that I have access to your IP, I’m totally going to be bothered to track you down in real life and murder you in your sleep.

You could have easily been one of the many trolls/spammer we got on this site trying to sneak back in. There’s one guy who does that for every contest. Need to check the noobs that just suddenly show up announcing they’re entering.

December Contest

6 years ago

that seems like a moot point. couldn't someone easily just use an onion router and sneak back in? though i suppose you'd see a new IP address each time they logged in if that was the case, with no consistency.

December Contest

6 years ago

Our spammers/trolls usually aren't that intelligent. Lol.

December Contest

6 years ago

Can we have un-coauthored beta readers?

December Contest

6 years ago

Yeah if we can't have a beta reader I'm totally going to be fucked.

December Contest

6 years ago

What's a beta reader?

December Contest

6 years ago
Silly fancy computer talk for someone who reads your words and gives you feedback on them.

December Contest

6 years ago

How do you let them read it without co-authoring them?

December Contest

6 years ago
Leave it on sneak peek and anyone can read it by copying the title into the address bar of the browser.

December Contest

6 years ago

But then other contestants can see my work, too.

December Contest

6 years ago
You are correct.

I'm pretty sure that's really not going to have any effect, ever, on any part of the contest. Do you think people will steal your ideas? Do you think they will give up because you've written so much good stuff that they can't compete and you will feel bad because you made them not write? Do you think they're going to copy and paste your text into their own story and claim they wrote it first?

December Contest

6 years ago

hm

No, I think that if they're intimidated in any way by my writing, they'll try harder to beat it. Specifically the older members on this site, since they pose the most competition.

December Contest

6 years ago
So you're afraid that people are writing crappy now, but when they read your story, suddenly they will realize they weren't really trying and now, suddenly, they're going to write better? Okay.

Bottom line: if you want others to read your story for feedback, you have to put it on sneak peek and everyone can read it (unless Bucky changes the rules).

December Contest

6 years ago
That's fine.

December Contest

6 years ago

Mkay. Thankee.

December Contest

6 years ago
Just a reminder that anyone writing offline needs to create their story on the site at least 48 hours in advance of the deadline. (I continually forget about the publishing delay even though I'm the one who suggested it...)

December Contest

6 years ago

Don't understand why anyone would do a majority of their story in some Doc. Would be a complex mess with paths.

December Contest

6 years ago
You'd be surprised. I've written them dozens of different ways. One time it was much easier planning it out with tables and colors in a Word document. It just depends on the style of writer.

December Contest

6 years ago

I do mine first in the editor, then copy it over to word.  The way it copies over, I get headings made automatically which makes it easy to find.

December Contest

6 years ago

I plan out my stories using pencil and paper, then write them using Word. After that, I copy and paste the finished product to CYS, do a proof read, and publish.

December Contest

6 years ago
I just split off new ones for new paths. Having one document with an entire plotline and then a couple other documents linked from it it is a hell of a lot easier than juggling a billion tiny boxes that can't be arranged at all outside of shoving them into chapters.

You'd have to be stopping and copy and pasting from every one of those boxes to a backup document as you go anyway if you remotely give a shit about anything you're writing. And just in general everything flows better when I can write 4000 words in one go rather than having to stop every 500 and spawn a new pop-up.

December Contest

6 years ago
In the spirit of the holidays, everyone gets a 7 day extension as a Christmas gift. Merry Christmas.

But we expect even better stories now.

December Contest

6 years ago
How kind, I'm sure you've made some slackers very happy.

Someone should probably edit the new date into the OP.

December Contest

6 years ago
Boo, hiss!

I hate extensions. It just gives me more time to slack off.

Nah, but thanks, I'm sure many will appreciate this, and I may just take advantage of it as well. I honestly hope the extension results in at least one person finishing that would not have finished otherwise!!

December Contest

6 years ago

Woohoo, you're a life story-saver Bucky! 

December Contest

6 years ago

Thank you!

December Contest

6 years ago

Merry christmas my dudes 

December Contest

6 years ago

On the first day of Christmas
Grandpa Bucky gave to me:
A Story in a Story Tree.

On the second day of Christmas
?Grandpa Bucky sent to me:
Two Stern Words
and a Story in a Story Tree.

On the third day of Christmas
Grandpa Bucky sent to me:
Three Nude Steves
Two Stern Words
and a Story in a Story Tree.

On the fourth day of Christmas
Grandpa Bucky sent to me:
Four Scripting Tips
Three Nude Steves
Two Stern Words
and a Story in a Story Tree.

On the fifth day of Christmas
Grandpa Bucky sent to me:
Five Golden Trophies
Four Scripting Tips
Three Nude Steves
Two Stern Words
and a Story in a Story Tree.

On the sixth day of Christmas
?Grandpa Bucky sent to me:
Six Newbs a Laying
Five Golden Trophies
Four Scripting Tips
Three Nude Steves
Two Stern Words
and a Story in a Story Tree.

On the seventh day of Christmas
Grandpa Bucky sent to me:
Seven Day Extension
Six Newbs a Laying
Five Golden Trophies
Four Scripting Tips
Three Nude Steves
Two Stern Words
and a Story in a Story Tree.

December Contest

6 years ago

"Three nude Steves"? You're not my type, doll face, you creep me out. Also, get back to work on your story rather than whatever the hell that was.

December Contest

6 years ago

Three nude Steves?  I think one nude Steve would be too much for me to handle, let alone three of them.

Cute little song re-write though.  I approve.

December Contest

6 years ago

Thank you kindly Bucky.  While there's a chance I could have finished on time, frankly my prospects were poor.  I have been working on this, but I'm rusty in my writing and battling distractions and fatigue at every turn.  But now I feel that I will be doubly shamed if I don't finish it.

December Contest

6 years ago
Actually I just realized this extension is good for me too, it will give me time to finish putting together the storygame indexes I've been working on before all the contest stuff hits and starts glitching out the category pages.

I've only done Fantasy so far before realizing a bunch of tedious copy and pasting and HTML wasn't the best use of my time between now and New Year's...

December Contest

6 years ago
For those of us who publish our stories early, are we allowed to make additions or edits before the contest deadline hits?

December Contest

6 years ago
I think (in the past anyway) that there were no edits after the publish - until after the contest.

December Contest

6 years ago
Berka is on point. Some of us may start reading them as they come in.

December Contest

6 years ago
Will there be a thread for entries or should we just place them in here?

December Contest

6 years ago
I'll put up a thread for entries in the writing workshop Monday or Tuesday.

December Contest

6 years ago
Cool, thanks!

December Contest

6 years ago

Oh fuzzles. Ogre's and Mizal's are good if the comments and ratings so far mean anything. See, @Steve24833 , Mizal is competition too. RIP me. xD

December Contest

6 years ago
Mine is stupidly short actually so no worries there. I don't really understand the ratings it's getting tbh.

December Contest

6 years ago

Well, short stories give readers time to actually view the whole thing and give a comprehensive rating of it.  Some stories are so long I fear to rate them at all in case I somehow keep finding the paths that are missing the main point.

December Contest

6 years ago
Post a link to your completed story here.

December Contest

6 years ago

Updating the list

Contest Participants So Far

Fluxion 1 - Safe
Nekocat 3
Steve 4 - Safe
BlueThread 5
Stillwater 6 Pending
P1 7
Ogre 8 - Safe
Crescentstar 10 - Safe
Malk 11 - Safe
MysteryParticipant 12
RoyalGhost 13
Doodled 15
Crash 16 - Safe
Mizal 17 - Safe
Frank 18
Resistor 19

Comply 20
Eric 21 - Safe
Romulus 22 - Safe
Sentinel 25
AzBaz 27 - Safe
Ebon 28 - Safe
Mr.Ace 29
Jeffrey 30
Orange 31
Digit 32 - Safe
IAP 33 - Safe
Mynoris 34 Pending

SHAMED so far

Chanbot (Ford)

SpartacusTheGreat (coins)

December Contest

6 years ago
I should be ready to publish this in just about an hour. I just hit publish and then paste the link that comes when I play the game?

December Contest

6 years ago
Well I finished. Hopefully it's better than a 3.

December Contest

6 years ago
Side note: we seem to have gotten too many points back this time. I think it was supposed to be 125 points for submitting, not 150. Not that I'm complaining because who doesn't like points, right? :)

December Contest

6 years ago

Yeah, I noticed before, but I just said fuck it, because I'm too lazy to change everything now.

Everyone who submitted something gets an extra bonus this time. Enjoy.

December Contest

6 years ago
Could also work as a bonus for those of us who submitted early only.

December Contest

6 years ago

I feel forgotten. 

December Contest

6 years ago
About 5.5 hours left to submit. Don't forget to link in the submission thread.

December Contest

6 years ago

*freaks out*

December Contest

6 years ago
I'm hoping at least one person has been desperately copy and pasting only to realize they needed to have created the game two days ago.

December Contest

6 years ago

Yeah... oops.

December Contest

6 years ago
I waaaaaarned you all, 17 days ago. But I still knew this would happen lol. That sucks man. Maybe Bucky will still let you in though, just put it in sneak peek and don't edit anything.

December Contest

6 years ago

About 2 hours left.

December Contest

6 years ago
Sooo I guess this happens every contest, but we've got some pretty hefty entries this time so the New Games section will likely be glitched out awhile. Everyone better get reviewing to free it.

Steve's 130k epic is about off the front page already with one rating, lol.

December Contest

6 years ago

Given CYS' tendency to skip/not rate longer stories, Steve might also have broken the Edutainment section for the foreseeable future. It'd actually be really nice if 3J could fix the bug that kills the storygame list if a story doesn't get enough ratings.

December Contest

6 years ago
I still don't understand that bug. The Edutainment section was fine last night , it was Sci Fi that was down. And pretty much every section on the site should be glitched right now if new stories with not enough ratings is the cause.

December Contest

6 years ago

Just a little over ten minutes left. More then enough time to create a story game Id say

December Contest

6 years ago
This should be our next contest.

December Contest

6 years ago

About 10 minutes left.

Personally I'm hoping for SHAMING at least half of you.

December Contest

6 years ago

AND THAT'S TIME!

THE REST OF YOU HAVE BEEN SHAMED!

December Contest

6 years ago
15 entries - 13 eligible to win, not too bad. Some pretty well respected authors in the group and some newer people too. I'll take it.

@BerkaZerka & @EndMaster

Mynoris escapes shame, but is not eligible to win because her entry was late.

Stillwater escapes shame, but is not eligible to win because he was warned about creating the story ahead of time.

You may put them on your ballot if you think their stories are worthy of that spot, and that position's points will just disappear.

December Contest

6 years ago

Have we not made exceptions for Stillwater's case in the past? I think I recall a situation where the game was finished beforehand, it just couldn't be published, so it was just put on sneak preview. I feel it's a bit unfair that it's a relatively new site r. I mean, it's a proper bitch for Mynoris as well, but that was her own undoing. I'd say it should be put down to a vote among contestants or something, because, I'm relatively certain no one would actually be opposed to Still being included amongst the eligle.

December Contest

6 years ago

I'd be fine with keeping Stillwater's story eligible, especially since (if I recall correctly) the two-day publishing thingy was ignored in certain previous contests. I'd also be fine with keeping Mynoris' in by the way, though she arguably has less of a justification for her tardiness. 

December Contest

6 years ago

It was pretty much the usual for me.  I was doing decently well, then my sister was in ER for two days.  To be honest, I'm much more concerned with avoiding shame, than being able to win.

December Contest

6 years ago
You were done except for one page with 45 minutes to go. That was the worst timed bathroom break the world has ever seen if we're to go with your original explanation.

December Contest

6 years ago

Technically it was both. My sister was in the emergency over 2 days. I was 2 minutes late at the end, because of a poorly timed bathroom break.

December Contest

6 years ago
Well that and the ~4 hours being a chatterbox in IRC and however long you spent cooking that time you wandered off.

Deadline days are for frantic typing, self flagellation, self denial and regrets. Az and Ebon sweated to the very end, with you it was more like some version of the tortoise and the hare where the tortoise decides to sit down and play with their phone a few hours, two steps from the finish line.

I don't necessarily think being two minutes late should matter either way but, I remember thinking yesterday afternoon that it would be hilarious if you wound up not making it after all the work you put in simply because you were just hanging out and underestimating how long those last couple pages would take.

It would have equaled a lot less last second nail biting for you anyhow. :P Lesson learned for next time I guess.

December Contest

6 years ago

Well, technically I wasn't cooking, my mom was.  But she also had to do some venting, and as much as I wanted to finish my story on time, I owe a lot to my mom, so I wasn't about to say, "Sorry, but I can't listen to your troubles right now, I'd much rather finish a story on a deadline that I'm not being paid for."  She doesn't often get to that level of persistent agitation, so I didn't want to dismiss her outright.

So, while I accept non-entry into the contest, I do reject being shamed for putting my family first in a few incidents. 

That being said, I should have known that my life always has these interruptions (which I often resent) and been more cautious.  Or, as you described it in the other thread, maybe it comes down to self- sabotage.  I do tend to indulge in that.  Perhaps not purposely, but I'm sure a psychologist could have a field day with things.

December Contest

6 years ago

Everyone starts out being concerned solely with winning, but when procrastination kicks in...well people start to feel End breathing down their neck. Thus they transform their goal into simply finishing.

December Contest

6 years ago

I was never actually considering I would win in the first place. I was just doing it to make myself write. It seemed the best way to do that was to have a deadline.

December Contest

6 years ago

You required us to make an update thread in the writing workshop, right? Doesn't that prove I didn't do what the 48 hour prerequisite to publishing aims to avoid? I'm grateful for escaping shame, but if I'd seen the warning I wouldn't have avoided it.

December Contest

6 years ago
Expect a winner to be announced in about two weeks. End and Berka will both finish judging before me, and I can only reasonably expect to get through about one a day on average, as I have limited time and it may take several spurts to read Steve's monster.

December Contest

6 years ago

This has been fun. I used classic editor for the last story I wrote, and I now, having used advanced editor this time, can say the AE is much superior. Even if you are trying to make a fairly simple game, it really helps expedite the process.

@the judges 

That being said, this is the first time I’ve used it, so there may be bugs. Please notify if there is.

December Contest

6 years ago

So who was the mystery participant?

December Contest

6 years ago

Check the shame thread Cres.

December Contest

6 years ago

Stupid question, but curious: Can I make a short walk through for my entry?

December Contest

6 years ago
That’s fine. You just can’t unpublish/alter the content until after the contest.

December Contest

6 years ago
Submitted my Votes - PHEW!

December Contest

6 years ago

Yay!  Is it just three of you who are weighing in?  I'm not sure how many admin there are, to be honest.

December Contest

6 years ago
Killa_Robot is the only other active admin right now but he just logs in and then never does anything as far as I can tell. I dare him to stop being lazy long enough to dock ten points from me but we all know he'll never even find this unless someone cheats and tags him.

December Contest

6 years ago

You just love tempting people into trouble, don't you? ;)

December Contest

6 years ago

I want to tag Killa so bad right now, but mizal said that was cheating xp

December Contest

6 years ago

Yeah, and we're all such honest people here.

December Contest

6 years ago

Oooooo.  So honest indeed.  If only I'd been a moment faster.

December Contest

6 years ago

Some of us are. To some extent. I guess.

December Contest

6 years ago
I know that trick you fucker. I have used it many times.

December Contest

6 years ago
Actually I just hate ballads, so I said I wasn't going to judge this one (same as the last ballad contest).

December Contest

6 years ago

Think there's only a couple ballads.

December Contest

6 years ago

Two down, one to go.

December Contest

6 years ago
Expect me to finish late next week. I'm about halfway through them. End hasn't sent me his ballot yet either.

December Contest

6 years ago

Yeah I still want to go over some of them again to hammer out the final placements.

I'm just being lazy right now, though I'll probably get them in before Bucky.

December Contest

6 years ago

Oh, I thought you’d already submitted them after reading them. I feel like this will be the fastest a contest has had results if Bucky gets his in on schedule. Like others have already said, this contest has been good in so many ways. 

You’re good to take your time btw @Bucky I don’t think anyone will die if you take a couple extra days to do it.