Post by Reverb on Oct 9, 2016 0:51:35 GMT -5
What is Strange Nation?
Strange Nation is a reality television show watched and voted on by the elite living within the walled city known as Rhapsody. Contestants or fighters are forced to battle for resources in order to survive the wasteland outside of the city. A shadowy figure known only as the Stranger and his mouth piece, Reverb are at the center of Strange Nation as the Stranger holds the key to survival.
Sounds interesting but what really is Strange Nation?
Strange Nation is a role-playing game set in a dystopian future that uses creative writing and the elements of reality television to tell a story through its characters. Broadcasting from the slums beyond the city walls of Rhapsody, Strange Nation places character against character to fight for resources as they try to survive in a dying world.
The host of Strange Nation will announce a show, during this announcement your character will be assigned a task or a challenge and you will be expected to write a Role Play or R.P. Your R.P. is viewed as a televised segment depicting events in your character’s life, telling the viewer a story and addressing (rants) the challenger you will be fighting against for resources. You will be given a deadline, typically three weeks to meet the written expectations of your challenge. Different challengers will be given different expectations but the majority will have the same three week deadline. If your character is in the main challenge, you will be asked to write two R.P. with each addressing your fellow contestant and have a four week deadline. If your character is assigned a regular challenge, you will be asked to write one R.P. with only addressing your fellow contestant once. If the host announces your character will be making an appearance, all that is asked of you is one R.P. If you want your character on Strange Nation but the host did not announce him/her, simply post a R.P. and your character will be added to the show. Once we cross the deadline, within two weeks the show, where the challenges take place, will be written and posted.
The best way to understand what Strange Nation is and how the show works is to explore the forum. Pick out a few characters who look interesting to you, click on them, and read what those authors have written. The next step is to click on the show and read it for a better understanding of how they work and what it looks like. Please also read the other threads under Getting Started. We have laid out the world that has been built for Strange Nation and the roles of the people who populate it.
Sounds great but not so sure about your writing abilities…
It doesn’t matter how well you can write, what matters is that you do. Yes, writing can be difficult but we are creating and sharing stories. Most people say they’d like to write but never work up the nerve to try. Now is your chance and Strange Nation is a place that wants to read about your character’s life in a world all of us, including you, have had a hand in creating.
Even if you consider your writing skills to be lacking, it only affects the outcome of your fight in one way, effort. All fights will be judged on the effort each writer puts into his/her story and ranting. Normally, authors will be matched to go up against writers with similar abilities but this may not always be the case. We encourage challenge and growth, none of which can happen if you never write with and against an author who might just be a bit better than someone else. If you have further concerns about your abilities as a writer, please feel free to reach out to the community.
How do I get started?
Please read the threads under Getting Started and register for the forum when you are ready to fill out the Strange Nation application. Once you’ve filled out the application copy, paste and message Reverb with it. When you’re done, leave a post about yourself under the New Members thread so the rest of Strange Nation can get to know its latest competitor for resources.
What kind of character can I be?
Our world is made up of survivors living in three very different environments, one of which your character will call home. Rhapsody is the utopian city hidden behind a massive wall. It is a society where every need and want is taken care of. It is a near perfect bliss. So perfect in fact, it nearly feels sinister. Though none of this is dared to be considered as the city’s police force watches its citizen’s, the very same people who watch Strange Nation on their televisions as entertainment. Beyond the city, the slums cling to the wall and peter-out the further away from the wall that it goes. Overpopulated and lacking resources, the people of the slums (Slummers) survive on city sanctioned rations and housing, though it is not enough. Crime, scavenging, and fighting on Strange Nation have become the only means to survive. Beyond the slums is the wasteland. A place nearly impossible to survive, the wasteland offers freedom from the rules of the city and the desperation of the slums, though it is true what they say, you should be afraid of what survives in the wasteland dead zones.
You are allowed to write nearly any type of character you like as long as they logically fit the environment they are from. It is also important to consider how that character would be received in the other environments. A cyberpunk humanoid might be able to survive in the wasteland but once he/she enters the slums, the city’s police force would find reason to arrest them and house them in a prison set aside for the use of Strange Nation. An assassin working the inner circles of the cities’ elite might be able to elude capture in the city but the slums have killers and criminals desperately willing to go where your assassin might not. Monster hunters, wasteland cowboys, gang leaders, scavengers, and paladins are all welcome. It is really the limits of your imagination.
In order to ensure a greater level of freedom in your choice of character, Strange Nation offers it's contestants the ability to have someone (Champions) compete for them. Since the main focus of Strange Nation is storytelling, it is important that you as a writer are able to tell the story that best suits your character. Whether is be the character's inability to compete due to health, ability, or social standing they can hire someone to fight for them and if that champion should complete the challenge, the winnings are to be shared between your character and their champion. If you feel as if your character would not or could not complete in the Strange Nation amphitheater please make this known when you send in your application. During the show, your character will be present as his/her champion competes. At the end of the Strange Nation episode, the champion and your character go their separate ways unless you choose to include them in your storyline. If you choose to write about your champion it is important to understand that champions are more likely to die during an episode than most competitors.
With that being said, Strange Nation wants authors who want to create and be creative, who want the opportunity to collaborate with other creative writers and enjoy themselves. The only thing to keep in mind is that if your character has “powers” or “supernatural” abilities, those will not be incorporated into the challenges. Those are more or less on even ground. Male and female are also considered to be on equal ground and will be treated as such, in and out of chalenges.
Please don’t be afraid to be different. We welcome and encourage it. Bring something new to the table and most of all, do something that you’re going to be comfortable writing. Don’t be afraid to experiment. Strange Nation is written in seasons, with six episodes and one season finale. At the end of the season, we take a three month break from writing to rest. If you find yourself not liking a character, you can always start a new one in the next season.
I have a character, now what about their face?
Picking an actor or actress who best fits your idea of who your character is and how they look will help your viewing audience better understand your story. When you fill out your application for Strange Nation, you will be asked to provide the name of an actor or actress that fits the look of your character. Please check the thread Pic Bases/Avatar Claims to make sure no one else is using your face. We prefer to use live actors but if you want an animated or drawn avatar, please consider looking at the Cosplay for that character.
How do I win or become Champion of Strange Nation?
Winning to keep score is not the point of Strange Nation, surviving is because winning means your character is awarded the resources to survive in a brutal world that your opponent will not be given. Winning may be the difference between your character or someone else’s chance at food and water or shelter. A win or a loss should affect the events of your story. If your character is fighting to feed themselves and loses, then in your next R.P. that character should struggle from the results of that loss, whether it be as simple as hunger pains affecting their journey or something more character altering as someone they know dies because they could not feed them. Ultimately, it is your character and your decision on how the character’s win or loss is reflected in your story but in the end, overall win/loss records are meaningless and will not be a factor in the making of the show.
With that being said, Strange Nation will have two different winners announced during the season finale. Throughout the season, characters will be fighting towards two separate “prizes” but these are merely plot devices for the overall Strange Nation storyline. The People’s Champion is a second tier title that awards the winning character with wanted resources and a city owned residence that is within the slums which they may live in until they are replaced by next season’s winner. The season finale Champion is the best of the best and for winning the character will be rewarded with the chance to live within the walls of Rhapsody for the entirety of the next season.
While wins and losses are considered plot devices, we welcome competition and that competitive fire that adds emotion and passion to writing. This fire can translate into many memorable moments between writers and characters during a show. Feuds and alliances will always be encouraged. Though it is important to remember that even if you find yourself losing, this doesn’t mean your character will not be in the featured challenge of a show. Everyone will have their time in the spotlight and take part in high profile challenges.
We pride ourselves on being fair, on everyone having their turn on top. If you R.P. according to the rules of your challenge, our match writers and I are more than happy to make sure your character looks as good as he/she deserves. Now there will times that you will lose. We will all lose. It is just a fact of the game but if you think you shouldn’t have lost or that I am being unfair, please message me and I will be happy to discuss it with you.
Who am I and who are we?
I’m Lyn but you’ll see me posting as Reverb. I run this forum and write the shows with the help of some really awesome writers who I’ve been writing and role playing with for over 15 years. Normally, I am very accessible and enjoy helping our writers with their work or discussing ideas about characters and the show itself. I can proudly say that the rest of the group is like this as well. With experience ranging between several years to over twenty, our diverse group from all over the world wants to do one thing, to write a damn good story and have fun doing it. So, hit us up in the chat box at the bottom of the forum or message me if you have any questions or need any help.
Thank you for checking out Strange Nation.
Basic Show Requirements:
• Role Play (R.P.) is the written events that take place in your character’s story.
• R.P. expectations: Main challenge (2 R.P. and 2 rants), booked for a challenge (1 R.P. with 1 rant), making an appearance (1 R.P.), want to be on the show (1 R.P.)
• Addressing opponent (rants) can be a form of “trash talk” or explaining why your character is going to win against their fellow challenger.
• 3 week deadline to post R.P. once the show has been announced
• 4 week deadline to post for main challenge contestants
• Winning/losing fights is determined by effort and as a plot device for the show
• Strange Nation’s season last 6 episodes (6 shows), ending in one season finale. Plan your storyline according.
Strange Nation is a reality television show watched and voted on by the elite living within the walled city known as Rhapsody. Contestants or fighters are forced to battle for resources in order to survive the wasteland outside of the city. A shadowy figure known only as the Stranger and his mouth piece, Reverb are at the center of Strange Nation as the Stranger holds the key to survival.
Sounds interesting but what really is Strange Nation?
Strange Nation is a role-playing game set in a dystopian future that uses creative writing and the elements of reality television to tell a story through its characters. Broadcasting from the slums beyond the city walls of Rhapsody, Strange Nation places character against character to fight for resources as they try to survive in a dying world.
The host of Strange Nation will announce a show, during this announcement your character will be assigned a task or a challenge and you will be expected to write a Role Play or R.P. Your R.P. is viewed as a televised segment depicting events in your character’s life, telling the viewer a story and addressing (rants) the challenger you will be fighting against for resources. You will be given a deadline, typically three weeks to meet the written expectations of your challenge. Different challengers will be given different expectations but the majority will have the same three week deadline. If your character is in the main challenge, you will be asked to write two R.P. with each addressing your fellow contestant and have a four week deadline. If your character is assigned a regular challenge, you will be asked to write one R.P. with only addressing your fellow contestant once. If the host announces your character will be making an appearance, all that is asked of you is one R.P. If you want your character on Strange Nation but the host did not announce him/her, simply post a R.P. and your character will be added to the show. Once we cross the deadline, within two weeks the show, where the challenges take place, will be written and posted.
The best way to understand what Strange Nation is and how the show works is to explore the forum. Pick out a few characters who look interesting to you, click on them, and read what those authors have written. The next step is to click on the show and read it for a better understanding of how they work and what it looks like. Please also read the other threads under Getting Started. We have laid out the world that has been built for Strange Nation and the roles of the people who populate it.
Sounds great but not so sure about your writing abilities…
It doesn’t matter how well you can write, what matters is that you do. Yes, writing can be difficult but we are creating and sharing stories. Most people say they’d like to write but never work up the nerve to try. Now is your chance and Strange Nation is a place that wants to read about your character’s life in a world all of us, including you, have had a hand in creating.
Even if you consider your writing skills to be lacking, it only affects the outcome of your fight in one way, effort. All fights will be judged on the effort each writer puts into his/her story and ranting. Normally, authors will be matched to go up against writers with similar abilities but this may not always be the case. We encourage challenge and growth, none of which can happen if you never write with and against an author who might just be a bit better than someone else. If you have further concerns about your abilities as a writer, please feel free to reach out to the community.
How do I get started?
Please read the threads under Getting Started and register for the forum when you are ready to fill out the Strange Nation application. Once you’ve filled out the application copy, paste and message Reverb with it. When you’re done, leave a post about yourself under the New Members thread so the rest of Strange Nation can get to know its latest competitor for resources.
What kind of character can I be?
Our world is made up of survivors living in three very different environments, one of which your character will call home. Rhapsody is the utopian city hidden behind a massive wall. It is a society where every need and want is taken care of. It is a near perfect bliss. So perfect in fact, it nearly feels sinister. Though none of this is dared to be considered as the city’s police force watches its citizen’s, the very same people who watch Strange Nation on their televisions as entertainment. Beyond the city, the slums cling to the wall and peter-out the further away from the wall that it goes. Overpopulated and lacking resources, the people of the slums (Slummers) survive on city sanctioned rations and housing, though it is not enough. Crime, scavenging, and fighting on Strange Nation have become the only means to survive. Beyond the slums is the wasteland. A place nearly impossible to survive, the wasteland offers freedom from the rules of the city and the desperation of the slums, though it is true what they say, you should be afraid of what survives in the wasteland dead zones.
You are allowed to write nearly any type of character you like as long as they logically fit the environment they are from. It is also important to consider how that character would be received in the other environments. A cyberpunk humanoid might be able to survive in the wasteland but once he/she enters the slums, the city’s police force would find reason to arrest them and house them in a prison set aside for the use of Strange Nation. An assassin working the inner circles of the cities’ elite might be able to elude capture in the city but the slums have killers and criminals desperately willing to go where your assassin might not. Monster hunters, wasteland cowboys, gang leaders, scavengers, and paladins are all welcome. It is really the limits of your imagination.
In order to ensure a greater level of freedom in your choice of character, Strange Nation offers it's contestants the ability to have someone (Champions) compete for them. Since the main focus of Strange Nation is storytelling, it is important that you as a writer are able to tell the story that best suits your character. Whether is be the character's inability to compete due to health, ability, or social standing they can hire someone to fight for them and if that champion should complete the challenge, the winnings are to be shared between your character and their champion. If you feel as if your character would not or could not complete in the Strange Nation amphitheater please make this known when you send in your application. During the show, your character will be present as his/her champion competes. At the end of the Strange Nation episode, the champion and your character go their separate ways unless you choose to include them in your storyline. If you choose to write about your champion it is important to understand that champions are more likely to die during an episode than most competitors.
With that being said, Strange Nation wants authors who want to create and be creative, who want the opportunity to collaborate with other creative writers and enjoy themselves. The only thing to keep in mind is that if your character has “powers” or “supernatural” abilities, those will not be incorporated into the challenges. Those are more or less on even ground. Male and female are also considered to be on equal ground and will be treated as such, in and out of chalenges.
Please don’t be afraid to be different. We welcome and encourage it. Bring something new to the table and most of all, do something that you’re going to be comfortable writing. Don’t be afraid to experiment. Strange Nation is written in seasons, with six episodes and one season finale. At the end of the season, we take a three month break from writing to rest. If you find yourself not liking a character, you can always start a new one in the next season.
I have a character, now what about their face?
Picking an actor or actress who best fits your idea of who your character is and how they look will help your viewing audience better understand your story. When you fill out your application for Strange Nation, you will be asked to provide the name of an actor or actress that fits the look of your character. Please check the thread Pic Bases/Avatar Claims to make sure no one else is using your face. We prefer to use live actors but if you want an animated or drawn avatar, please consider looking at the Cosplay for that character.
How do I win or become Champion of Strange Nation?
Winning to keep score is not the point of Strange Nation, surviving is because winning means your character is awarded the resources to survive in a brutal world that your opponent will not be given. Winning may be the difference between your character or someone else’s chance at food and water or shelter. A win or a loss should affect the events of your story. If your character is fighting to feed themselves and loses, then in your next R.P. that character should struggle from the results of that loss, whether it be as simple as hunger pains affecting their journey or something more character altering as someone they know dies because they could not feed them. Ultimately, it is your character and your decision on how the character’s win or loss is reflected in your story but in the end, overall win/loss records are meaningless and will not be a factor in the making of the show.
With that being said, Strange Nation will have two different winners announced during the season finale. Throughout the season, characters will be fighting towards two separate “prizes” but these are merely plot devices for the overall Strange Nation storyline. The People’s Champion is a second tier title that awards the winning character with wanted resources and a city owned residence that is within the slums which they may live in until they are replaced by next season’s winner. The season finale Champion is the best of the best and for winning the character will be rewarded with the chance to live within the walls of Rhapsody for the entirety of the next season.
While wins and losses are considered plot devices, we welcome competition and that competitive fire that adds emotion and passion to writing. This fire can translate into many memorable moments between writers and characters during a show. Feuds and alliances will always be encouraged. Though it is important to remember that even if you find yourself losing, this doesn’t mean your character will not be in the featured challenge of a show. Everyone will have their time in the spotlight and take part in high profile challenges.
We pride ourselves on being fair, on everyone having their turn on top. If you R.P. according to the rules of your challenge, our match writers and I are more than happy to make sure your character looks as good as he/she deserves. Now there will times that you will lose. We will all lose. It is just a fact of the game but if you think you shouldn’t have lost or that I am being unfair, please message me and I will be happy to discuss it with you.
Who am I and who are we?
I’m Lyn but you’ll see me posting as Reverb. I run this forum and write the shows with the help of some really awesome writers who I’ve been writing and role playing with for over 15 years. Normally, I am very accessible and enjoy helping our writers with their work or discussing ideas about characters and the show itself. I can proudly say that the rest of the group is like this as well. With experience ranging between several years to over twenty, our diverse group from all over the world wants to do one thing, to write a damn good story and have fun doing it. So, hit us up in the chat box at the bottom of the forum or message me if you have any questions or need any help.
Thank you for checking out Strange Nation.
Basic Show Requirements:
• Role Play (R.P.) is the written events that take place in your character’s story.
• R.P. expectations: Main challenge (2 R.P. and 2 rants), booked for a challenge (1 R.P. with 1 rant), making an appearance (1 R.P.), want to be on the show (1 R.P.)
• Addressing opponent (rants) can be a form of “trash talk” or explaining why your character is going to win against their fellow challenger.
• 3 week deadline to post R.P. once the show has been announced
• 4 week deadline to post for main challenge contestants
• Winning/losing fights is determined by effort and as a plot device for the show
• Strange Nation’s season last 6 episodes (6 shows), ending in one season finale. Plan your storyline according.