Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-4621372-20121206202014/@comment-461469-20121207000833

As one of those "Admins that doesn't do much" (I'm sorry, school and such are in the way :/), I wholeheartedly agree that we need to work on the ASB definitions, and perhaps even allow some. Also, I think a Community TL would be an excellent way to try to get this Wikia moving again. Interest has slowed, and I think Map Games and the almost "suppression" of ASB are part of the reasons. Don't get me wrong, Map Games are fine, but when a new one starts every other week, and then fall apart less than a month after starting, I think people are feeling a bit "meh" about the whole Wikia.

Therefore, I submit my proposal to the readers: We start a new Community TL ASAP. Now, the problem with a Community TL is finding a good starting point, and then actually getting people to work with it. I've seen a few people try to start community TL's that collapsed very quickly because no one helped besides the creator and a couple other people that lost interest. (Central Victory being a prime example). So, if we are going to make a Community TL, it will have to be about a subject that most of us know, or is easy to research, or, frankly, gives us a chance to really rewrite history and have some fun. A nuclear apocalypse, like 1983: DD did that, and it was fun, becuase we could create EVERYTHING. However, I don't think we should start like a "Cuban Missile War" or something like that, though I will be open to that if no other ideas come along. So, please give some suggestions, and lets do this!

Next, as much as I hate to be this guy: Map Games need a rest. They need to stop, catch their breath, and restart. I know almost no one will agree with me, but I say there should be no Map Games until such a point that people will actually want to play a full map game, and not lose interest in them. For one thing, they have become overburdened with rules, and that should really be taken care of. The reason the first Map Game was fun was becuase there was almost no rules: one person could play any nation created, and can continue to play that time, until someone moved on to the next year, and that one was pretty much locked in stone. I think we almost need to do that again. Pick a map, set the POD, and let people play it.

Last, and this could be the hardest one to recommend and put into place, is that we start "categories" of Alternate History. Not like the categories we currently have (AND SHOULD BE USING: Lordganon will thank you!), but ways to determine what TL and story is what. How? Well, first, and easiest, is the Alien Space Bats category, where people can play ASB TL's, so long as it is part of this category. If your TL uses aliens, or zombies, or vampires as its POD, then it will be classified as such. Second, the "Historical Point of Divergence", category; if the TL has a Historical moment as the POD (but not one considered ASB) is the start of the Alternate History, then it will be put into this category. Then, for both ASB and HPOD TL's, we can create subcategories based on the era the POD takes place in. This will create a cross referencing system that will allow readers and editors to find stories and ideas easier than before.

I will give an example, hopefully to make myself clear: If the TL has aliens as the POD, it will be classified as ASB, but will other wise be left alone to the creator(s) design. If it does not have aliens or zombies or such, and instead focuses on an event, or group of events that actually did happen, then it will be a "Historical POD". Last, say the hypothetical ASB TL takes place in the American Civil War. Very well, it will be put into the Subcategory "American Civil War." If the hypothetical HPOD TL takes place in World War II, it gets classified as a "World War II" subcategory.

Now, the last idea is a bit of a stretch, and maybe beyond what this blog is asking for, but I will submit it as a way to allow ASB TL's without disruption to the Historical POD stories, while at the same time creating a cross-referencing system that is easy to use and accessible.

Thank you for your time.

TL;DR version: There is no TL;DR version. Skim the thing if you don't have time to read it all :P