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I have two very different stories that I want to write, and I want both to have very different types of stories.

1) A fantasy game, where you can pick one of several characters at the beginning.

2) A modern "agent" game, where you can pick one of several characters at the beginning.

I would need each co-author to do a single character, and I'm leaning more towards the agent style one.

Anyone interested?

What kind of agent would this game be about?

Basically a modern assassin, employed by a "big brother" to the government.

Sounds interesting! I have a few questions about this idea.

1) What setting does each story take place? Each character may be completely different from one another, but all characters must following the rules set forth by the setting.

2) How different are the separate character plot lines? Assuming that all characters are going about their day in the same setting, then how do the same events that occur in the setting effect each character? Each character's reaction may not be the same, but how do the events coincide? For an example, you can't plunge the entire world into civil war in one plotline and have the other characters be completely unaffected by this turn of events. All the characters are doing something at the same time other characters are doing something else. How do one character's actions eventually effect another? This gets especially confusing when one character's plotline branches out into several different events and choices. If on one plotline the character becomes a messiah but in another plotline the character becomes the harbinger of destruction, how would this effect all the other characters, who also exist during the same time? If each character exists in the same timeline, you could be headed for a collision course disaster! But hey, perhaps the other characters are going to one practically different planets and utterly oblivious to it all. But if the other characters are going to be oblivious, then it has to be for a good reason. Are you planning to set certain guidelines for each co-author as to what events must occur and effect each character, or is every single character going through a completely different adventure?

3) How do you plan to complement each author's writing style? How do you plan to throw a dozen different writers into the mix? Some writers may complement each other, but it would ruin the overall composition of the story if one writer were to go into a huge tangent with a literature style reassembling Shakespeare's sonnet with little choices while another author were to write a story the way one would blog with a near infinite amount of choices that carry little weight and were to end after a few pages. This could be an interesting experiment and it could work out fantastically if you play it out properly, but it could also clash and burst into flames.

Hm, perhaps this is a little more than three questions, but you still get my drift, right? Although the idea of a co-authorship sounds simple, it's actually a very complicated idea ESPECIALLY in a storygame-like medium where the plotlines may branch out indefinitely and get tangled up in each other in an utter mess.

I see it as this:

The player is started with a basic preface about who the characters are and some basic information about them. They get to pick one of the characters, and each character will have a completely different storyline, completely unrelated to the others. It would give each author a chance to have their freedom. But they would all be employed by the same agency, being what makes them related.

Each story will have to have a general synopsis written up and approved by the other authors before they can work on it. If it might interfere with the stories the others are writing, and they know it might, they need to talk to others.

And the plot lines for each character can be as different as the author pleases, as long as the others approve. It just has to fit the idea of a mercenary hired by the government. Want to be a gun-slinger that shoots first, asks questions second? Fine. Want to be stealthy and not use a single gun? More power to you. Combined plot lines are fine, as long as the two (or more) authors manage to make it work out. I see it as each character being the protagonist of an entirely different game, but just having each game have the same opening page.

Oh, okay! Two more questions, bear with me alright? :)

1) How would you deal with story length? The general synopsis of a plot may be short and easily explained, but the actual composition may take up a lot more text. How would you deal with the problem of one author's story being a lot longer than another author's story?

2) What is the general outline of the fantasy story and the modern story? I would love to contribute if it inspires me.

They have the right to make it as long or as short as they want.

As for dealing with that, we put it in the description. To an author who makes short pages with more action, we describe it as such. To one who who makes it as more of an interactive novel, we describe it as such.

And as for the fantasy story, I have no idea. I just recently started writing modern stories, and it has my attention at the moment.

As for the modern story, I see it as a Hitman-esque story game. A power, created by all the governments, is given the responsibility to keep the general public safe. The characters are each agents of the organization given this responsibility, and each will have different stories depending on what kind of character they are.

Good point. I was mainly concerned that the writing styles would clash with each other and ruin the overall composition, but a lot of leniency is good just as well. As long is it doesn't crash and burst into flames, I'm all up for it. Some ideas:

For the modern story, perhaps in you could establish a set of more specific goals for the organization. Or maybe just rewording that original statement into something official sounding would work better, as the vaguer the goals the more leniency the authors would have. Also, rather than being funded by all the government superpowers (since they all fight a lot and never actually agree on anything and that's why they don't get anything done in the UN) perhaps it could be organized by a more... mysterious underground association that works around the globe undercover. Allowing this organization to have a more obscure nature could make it very interesting as each writer uncovers their own ideas on the origins of this organization...

As for the fantasy story, that could really go anywhere! Rather than introducing a very basic fantasy setting with wizards and harry potter and everything, perhaps a more complex fantasy setting with a lot more rules could be introduced. The authors may be able to have a lot of room to maneuver in a basic, bland, setting, but a complex setting with its own laws and rules could add a lot more fun to the mix.

Haha, sorry about the nature of my response. I was working on less than three hours of sleep that night.

And I thought an underground organization would be nice, but I also toyed with the idea of having it be the US government, and the agents are sent on various jobs in defense of the country.

As for the fantasy story, I love the idea of all the characters being prisoners taken to be executed, and the one you picks escapes differently, and they all start in the same place and time, branching away from the same focal point.

Just ideas. Are you interested?

Mm, I'm already over my super-secret agent inspiration phase, but I am interested in the fantasy story. I have some ideas brewing... Alright, count me in!

Well, good luck.

Hello SonOfSkyrim, for the former suggestion, I would heartily recommend myself for the job.

As per my profile I have training in Historical European Martial Arts, as well as traditional Archery, so I actually know about medieval combat.

I can fill in suggestions for any and all of the combative scenes and portray them in a realistic and exciting manner, which can all be adapted to fit the story.

All I ever need is an idea of the armaments and armour of the combatants involved, as well as their degree of skill, and I can write up a combat scene to then be adapted into the story snugly.