Board 8 > I need to keep busy. Help me pick a board project.

(+) Yeah! (+)

I feel like doing something... what say you? Feel free to comment and suggest other ideas. I'd prefer something not too time-consuming - just something to help me stay occupied when I'm at my computer.

No guarantees that it'll be good shit because I may get a job and that could disrupt things some. These were just random ideas I came up with and liked enough. (The ones I didn't would either require too much commitment or too much indecision.)

There may be a second poll depending on how this one goes. I'm not committing to whatever gets the most votes outright but... let's see what you guys think.
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Movie set pieces could be fun

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I like the tier, or music project.

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I voted CYOA for the nostalgia, though most of those ideas sound promising to me.

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Definitely the "Save My" option. And then a playthrough topic for the winning game

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Okay, so I can eliminate a few of them so far (seems like you guys aren't interested in online Cards Against, which is something I actually do all the time), but here's some more details as to what they'd be like:

Tiering topic
You know how this works, lol.

Babes Ranking
Users will nominate two of their favorites (with an opportunity for a third if not enough people nominate) and provide three pictures of each. I am currently unsure if I should specify my taste in women first or not. I definitely do think I should request that one of those pics has a hat due to my hat fetish, as that would play a part in my rankings.

Save My + Playthrough
I've done this before. Self-explanatory.

World Landmarks
I honestly haven't been to enough of them so I thought it'd be cool to research ones I've heard less about. But now that I think about it some more, this probably isn't as interesting as I first thought.

Movie setpieces
Users will nominate a scene in a movie via a clip on YouTube or a timestamp with which to watch it on Hulu, Disney+, Amazon, or some ad-supported site (I don't have Netflix). I will judge the set construction and integration of props as best I can during the entirety of that scene. Most likely, I would request that all nominations be from 1962 or later due to how much James Bond changed everything.

Music project
Unless you guys can think of something I like better, it would be people posting one song at a time and me giving my thoughts on it. I would listen to the entire thing so long as it's 5 minutes or less, but would reserve the right to cut off anything greater than that at the 5 minute mark if I'm not enjoying it. In this case I absolutely would clarify what I don't want posted because I want to enjoy this and possibly find new music, y'know?

CYOA
Would try to make it as epic as possible. I like my twists, after all.

I also could always do both a rankdown and the CYOA. Though the quality of each may suffer. Unless I start the ranking first, get that halfway done, and then begin a CYOA. (I don't think I can juggle the SMC and subsequent playthrough with something else.)

Any pointers on any of these? (again, this is more of a discussion topic regarding these ideas than an outright poll)
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Roughly ranked in order of interest:

Save My + Playthrough - Always love Save Mys, always love game playthroughs.

Music Thoughts - Always love these too.

Movie Setpieces - I wouldn't really be able to contribute very much to this as it's way outside my area of expertise, but I'd definitely follow it as it sounds really interesting.

Tier Everything - Fun bit of chaos every time.

Babes Ranking - I mean, yeah.

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I think the Save My sounds really cool, might even try to steal it down the road haha

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BetrayedTangy posted...

I think the Save My sounds really cool, might even try to steal it down the road haha

had the same thought

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Voted mini games, I miss those kind of topics

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BetrayedTangy posted...

I think the Save My sounds really cool, might even try to steal it down the road haha

Yeah I did that a decade ago. DQ8 won. I did a playthrough of it. I liked it despite finding the pacing sluggish (ergo I didn't love it). But if this does win out, I will play the game to completion. Also, worth noting that I'd probably pick like 50 of the 90ish games on my backlog for it, removing things that aren't ideal for playthroughs.

Johnbobb posted...

Voted mini games, I miss those kind of topics

I'd probably come up with a list of them and choose one based on how much time I have that week. They'd be random forum games for points and shit. Stuff like I did way back in the day. I'd need to figure out all the things I did... I only remember a couple.
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It seems like guys who want the Save My are the most vocal, ergo this wins by default?

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If you do World Landmarks,
Let the landmarks be open to anything and user nominated (or added as it goes along)

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Cavedweller2000 posted...

It seems like guys who want the Save My are the most vocal, ergo this wins by default?

The votes indicate that people want a rankdown of some kind. Just because a handful of people are vocal about it doesn't guarantee it would go over well. I wouldn't have fun if the SMC only has like eight people typically saving and the playthrough was only for four people. It's for this reason that, if I do an SMC, there will be a "cutoff" point for trading, because the goal is to pick the game for which there'd be the most interest.

If I go with rankings, I can do:
Babes (nomination-based; do I disclose my taste?)
Movie setpieces (nomination-based)
World landmarks (yep, nomination-based, with the only restriction being that they currently exist)
A full version of "whatever the fuck you post" with detailed write-ups (3 noms per person)
RPG characters by design (nominations)
Classic rock songs (as nominated)

I could also do a "triple rankdown" thing where each person gets one nomination for three categories (babes and movie setpieces would be two of them). The disadvantage is that I'd want people to nominate one of all three so all of them would have equal numbers.

Or I could just update my James Bond or Survivor season lists but I think those are too specific and won't garner the interest they once did. I'd much rather do something that half the board or more could follow. Which is what all of the above are.

Again, this is more of a discussion topic as to what I should spend my energy on. And I can do either an SMC + playthrough or some ranking + a CYOA.
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BlueCrystalTear posted...

The votes indicate that people want a rankdown of some kind. Just because a handful of people are vocal about it doesn't guarantee it would go over well.

I was in fact joking, the poll is there for a reason.

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BlueCrystalTear posted...

I could also do a "triple rankdown" thing where each person gets one nomination for three categories (babes and movie setpieces would be two of them). The disadvantage is that I'd want people to nominate one of all three so all of them would have equal numbers.

Ooh, I really like this idea, and I also think it would be really unique. I'm also not sure requiring no more or less than one nomination per category would tamper down participation much?

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MetalmindStats posted...

Ooh, I really like this idea, and I also think it would be really unique. I'm also not sure requiring no more or less than one nomination per category would tamper down participation much?

Maybe what I can do is make it so:
-You are allowed three total nominations across all categories.
-An extra nomination may be allowed later
-You can nominate all in one category, two in one and one in another, or one in all three
-There will be a limit of 25 in each category, with potential increases to 30, 35, and 40 depending on interest
-It's first come first serve

Does that sound better? Because I'd want to have equal numbers in all the categories. That way, I can rotate from one to the next so things are equal. It wouldn't work as well if I had 40 babes and 17 movie sets since I'd have to rank 23 babes before even getting to the movie setpiece cycle. I want to keep people who are just interested in one category invested in the topic throughout. I'd also probably try to post two a day.

I also want to ask these open-ended questions:
1. Should the third category be classic rock songs or world landmarks? Or do you have another suggestion? (I'd prefer something that isn't purely aesthetic considering both babes and movie setpieces are purely aesthetic)
2. Should I disclose my taste in women for the babes ranking? i.e. what I like, what I don't, etc.?
3. Do you guys think I should try to have equal amounts of each, or do you honestly not care?
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1. Classic rock is my personal preference.
2. I say no but if you feel more comfortable go for it!
3. I honestly don't care.

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Any other opinions on those questions? Because I'm thinking I do that triple rankdown and want opinions for maximum enjoyment for all

P.S. Thanks Snake
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1. Classic rock is much more in my wheelhouse than world landmarks so I'd vote for that.
2. I usually find rankings more fun when the preferences aren't known but I guess some of it depends on how many possible duds you'd be willing to possibly have.
3. If I was doing the project as the ranker, I'd want equal amounts, but it wouldn't really make a difference to me as a reader.

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BlueCrystalTear posted...

I'd probably come up with a list of them and choose one based on how much time I have that week. They'd be random forum games for points and shit. Stuff like I did way back in the day. I'd need to figure out all the things I did... I only remember a couple.

I've always just loved these because they allow for the most participation from watchers

that being said, they're tricky too because they require a lot of participation from watchers

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BlueCrystalTear posted...

1. Should the third category be classic rock songs or world landmarks? Or do you have another suggestion? (I'd prefer something that isn't purely aesthetic considering both babes and movie setpieces are purely aesthetic)
2. Should I disclose my taste in women for the babes ranking? i.e. what I like, what I don't, etc.?
3. Do you guys think I should try to have equal amounts of each, or do you honestly not care?

1. I vote classic rock as well, partially because it's so different from the other two
2. I would say no, unless your "preference" is something really out there where people should be, like, alarmed or something
3. don't care

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CYOA!
Been ages since we had one of those.

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1. I agree with classic rock over world landmarks, at least, as a better complement to the other two topics and probably a more interesting one to read about.
2. Snake5555555555 posted...

I say no but if you feel more comfortable go for it!

3. Your preference is my preference.

I'm planning to nominate one item per category unless the third category is something I know nothing about, for what it's worth, but I think it'll be cool to see which way others' preferences lie per category.

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Thanks guys!

I think I can manage both a CYOA and a ranking topic. I'm currently preparing for both in different ways.

Prep for triple rankdown involves explaining the metrics (I'm going to state those outright) and defining exactly what can be nominated. Expect that to be posted in the coming few days.

For the CYOA....... believe it or not, I actually unearthed my 2009 epic CYOA. It was stashed on my PC backups all these years. If you guys wanna read this behemoth... geez this is 118 pages... here ya go:
https://www.mediafire.com/file/u9v1emc9fjru0yr/Hidden_CYOA_2009.doc/file

Read through it last night and then passed out. Goodness, this was incredible. I wish I could write stuff this inane still. I'm at least considerably better at dialogue (and my grammatical mistakes are fewer) and more thorough/consistent, but my ideas have definitely mellowed out with maturity >_>
(that and my hat fetish was VERY apparent back then too xD)

Anyway, the rules to start will be:
-Basic multiple choice will be first vote wins
-Write-in answers must be seconded
-Important choices require 3 votes.

There WILL be character switching as more get introduced. If interest dies, I will modify the rules.

I can perhaps do the CYOA during the nomination phase for the rankdowns. I will only write one big CYOA update a day, but may do several smaller ones.

Does all this sound good?
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Sounds good, never participated really in a CYOA besides scarlet's years back so might be fun.

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This topic aged well

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Juan Bond Jovi

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Unfortunately he got the wrong CYOA voters.

Needed the posters that want a long semi serious project like Into The Dungeon or some of those.

Instead got people looking for a Billy May/butter the floor one.

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a cyoa sounds neat, I recommend something lighthearted where you let people have fun
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Yeah, it definitely doesn't matter one bit whether you actually personally enjoy writing a time-consuming project like a CYOA as long as everyone else is having fun with it.

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Maniac64 posted...

Unfortunately he got the wrong CYOA voters.

Needed the posters that want a long semi serious project like Into The Dungeon or some of those.

Instead got people looking for a Billy May/butter the floor one.

Yeah, pretty much this.

It was meant to be a long-term high-effort writing project - something I was going to dedicate to for your guys' sake. I apologize for wanting to put effort into something for you guys. I want to have fun, too, and you guys can't have fun if I'm dreading writing the 20th "Your name is WHAT?" scene.
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I mean you could just roll with the name and just have it be a joke that no one really questions.

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Snake5555555555 posted...

I mean you could just roll with the name and just have it be a joke that no one really questions.

Gonna admit that's not where my head was at. Still isn't, and maybe that's on me. I was wanting to write something where people behave realistically in ridiculous situations. Which would involve NPCs constantly asking about his name. That's merely where my head's at with this - it would become a redundancy that I myself wouldn't find funny. And I want to actually enjoy doing the project, y'know?
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Snake5555555555 posted...

I mean you could just roll with the name and just have it be a joke that no one really questions.

Plums topic shows it wouldn't really stop there though. Even Plum has had to ignore and dismiss choices because of how silly or absurd they are. If you let the initial choices be like that it will just spiral into pure absurdism.

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Maniac64 posted...

Plums topic shows it wouldn't really stop there though. Even Plum has had to ignore and dismiss choices because of how silly or absurd they are. If you let the initial choices be like that it will just spiral into pure absurdism.

When it's that open like that, true. Anything goes and it should. But I got the impression BCT's was going to be a bit more guided than that.

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I was reading through the other topic and I didnt realize that JBJ was that much a joke. I thought it just meant to be clever enough and it's a name I can legit see someone having whose parents gave as a nod to Jon. Unlike gay pants (please dont link me to people named Gay Pants)

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Like even if people ask, he can just say my name is Juan, and no one would question it.

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Maniac64 posted...

Plums topic shows it wouldn't really stop there though. Even Plum has had to ignore and dismiss choices because of how silly or absurd they are. If you let the initial choices be like that it will just spiral into pure absurdism.

And yet apparently I'm not allowed to do the same.

Snake5555555555 posted...

But I got the impression BCT's was going to be a bit more guided than that.

I had three different plotlines planned out that you guys were going to choose between. Each of them was a "go from there" sorta deal - I was going to leave it up to wherever inspiration took me given the responses. So the only "guided" part was the prompt, essentially.

And, yes, if Gay Pants had won out, I'd have been like "Sorry, no." instantly. Saying "Juan" is fine and all but... with a full name like that it's bound to get a lot of chain reactions or people saying it for the sake of saying it. I kinda felt pressured.

So yeah, I take responsibility for being so dedicated to it that it blinded me.
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BlueCrystalTear posted...

And yet apparently I'm not allowed to do the same.

Not really, a majority of the jokes he still went with it. Although it's unfortunately also internet culture. He rejected it but he wasnt upset so once or twice it was "allowed". If you show yourself to be (or perceived to be) unreasonably upset, people will egg you on.

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GTM posted...

Although it's unfortunately also internet culture. He rejected it but he wasnt upset so once or twice it was "allowed". If you show yourself to be (or perceived to be) unreasonably upset, people will egg you on.

Yeah, this - and as someone who was looking for an ItD-style project more than a trifle, I also perceived a clear difference between the weirdness of Juan Bond Jovi and Gay Pants. What I didn't stop to consider was that the former was still fairly ridiculous, and so probably didn't fit a more involved project.

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MetalmindStats posted...

I also perceived a clear difference between the weirdness of Juan Bond Jovi and Gay Pants. What I didn't stop to consider was that the former was still fairly ridiculous, and so probably didn't fit a more involved project.

Yeah, there are two categories of ridiculous names. Gay Pants was in the extremely absurd, no-way-is-it-ever-happening category. Juan Bond Jovi was in the less ridiculous but still ridiculous category - and it wasn't going to fit with what I had planned.

I wasn't upset. I just rejected the name and other people chose to be upset about it. And then I just didn't want to deal with it so I locked it and went back to the drawing board.

P.S. Triple rankdown nominations should be coming soon. Currently trying to condense the rules so it's not a "tl;dr" sorta thing.
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I'm glad the rankdown is still happening!

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Maniac64 posted...

Unfortunately he got the wrong CYOA voters.

Needed the posters that want a long semi serious project like Into The Dungeon or some of those.

Instead got people looking for a Billy May/butter the floor one.

The last Into the Dungeon, Labyrinth of Ishiene, had a puppy, Ishiene herself, Larrington Derryerry, Esmeralda von Haackenslasher, and Sir Stevith Threevith as most of the first set of characters

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Yeah ITD is a weird mix of crazy characters making serious choices.

I just didnt know of other people would remember projects like Golden Sigil. And I can't remember the names of other projects like the one where we had water powers or the one called Cold something that was a big video game crossover.

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BlueCrystalTear posted...

I wasn't upset. I just rejected the name and other people chose to be upset about it. And then I just didn't want to deal with it so I locked it and went back to the drawing board.

That's why I added the "how you are perceived" part

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Since it's very clear you had some pretty specific scenarios in mind (which kinda goes against the idea of a CYOA) and were going almost Life is Strange-ish, my suggestion would be to write the whole thing, including the branching paths for various choices, and publish it to some platform that hosts CYOAs of that sort like a text-based adventure game. Because I guarantee you you weren't going to get the kind of participation you wanted. Juan Bond Jovi is pretty par for the course as far as Board 8 CYOAs go. Maybe even on the tame side.

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Underleveled posted...

Since it's very clear you had some pretty specific scenarios in mind (which kinda goes against the idea of a CYOA)

Ah, okay. So I shouldn't have a prompt, purpose, or scenario. Sorry, but that makes no sense. It doesn't go against the purpose of a CYOA for the CYOA to have a scenario. The reverse is true - it goes against the purpose of a CYOA to have absolutely nothing. You're saying I should just say "CYOA!" and people go "YEAH!" and then... what, exactly? I just said "CYOA!" and there was nowhere else to go. People were going to get to choose between three options for the plot and that's literally all I had planned, and that was the very next choice after the character was named. That's how CYOAs work. You pick a place to start and people decide where it goes from there.

If I do this again, though, I'm just going to name characters myself.
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That's a very exaggerated polar response to what darkx said, he certainly did not say "cyoa! Now what?" It CAN be some middle ground.

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Sorry.

I'm still kinda stressed out by my unemployment and having no idea what to do with my life. I'm not really thinking these things through >_>

Bear with me here... I'm trying my best.
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