Wait.... did you just call me a farm worker? I'll let you off just because of the delicious pun on the word 'fleeting'. Yum.
That's an interesting idea about having an impartial 'arbiter'. Perhaps we should give that a trial run? Make a thread (I say make it outside of the 'normal' TRF timeline, so that wins or losses don't count for anything and we can see how the system works) where the Empire attacks the GC or something. Allow all writers on each side to join in and the arbiter decide how things go in an OOC thread.
I have three problems with the idea of an arbiter as such:
1) It stinks of the idea of a GM/DM, which is something I don't like. 2) To find an impartial arbiter that both sides will agree on is difficult at best, near-impossible at worst. I can see Telan as arbiter, perhaps, but someone else might not accept that - he's too TNO biased. If you asked someone outside of both factions, though, then they'll either have a light or dark bias, which will invariably influence their opinion. 3) Often my tactics are extremely complicated, and I don't want to lose a battle simply because the arbiter didn't understand what I was doing.
If the above reasons can be resolved, I'd love the idea.
The idea of an arbiter of sorts would only be called into action when a dispute arises. For example, when two groups are engaged and the final decision is contested. If a massive battle is to take place with both sides bent on victory, then the arbiter would step in and say Side X wins, Side Y withdraws. Or Side X loses, Side Y withdraws. In the case of a thread where both side are cooperating to make things go smoothly, then no such decision is needed and thus no interference needed. In the event of say, a regular takeover, the arbiter would have perview to say "populace rises in insurrection" or "propagdanda efforts fail" or "planet receptive to conquest" etc etc. That way while most of our threads will continuen as planned every know and then even the greatest of us will have our noses bloodied. Of course the arbiter will be bound by reality - a planet of Ewoks may gallantly resist a legion of the Empire's best troops, but they will be slaughtered all the same. Or the planet will be glassed. However, he could say at one specific engagement, the ewoks outsmart of trap a few walkers and soldiers and tarnish their reputation, etc.
Just a thought. Something to add a little uncertainty, a little spice.
*Smacks Ithron on face a couple times* Don't let his talk get to you. He's just making the crap up because he thinks that the world is revolving around him. Sure, Star Wars may have sucked somewhat, but that's because people like this guy are implanting these thoughts into our head. Don't fall for his dark jedi mind tricks. Fight back!
Oh. Do watch the other films before making too many comments on their quality, there's a good chap.
Ahh... that's the reason, is it? Still, I don't think anyone was suggesting that it sucks, per se. Just that it's not perfect, which I think we all agree on.
Oh, and thanks for the smacks, buddy. 'ppreciate it. What with Telan calling me a farm worker and our friend the Colonel slapping me silly, I'm not sure why I bother :P
Oh, that's right... I don't.
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Wes, I still hold that having an arbiter could make for some interesting reads. I don't do much fleeting, though, so I guess that gives me no right to comment. That said, I'm sure the unexpected twists would compel some writers to produce even better work.
I'm sure noone's suggesting that a third party opinion should be imposed on a writer against his will - both writers would have to agree, I believe.
That's why I suggested an out-of-timeline trial thread: To try out the idea and see how it works and whether an arbiter can be impartial. Noone loses anything if it goes wrong, and it gives everyone a chance to see if it's as bad (or indeed, as good) as they think.
The idea of an arbiter isn't new. Heir was advocating that years ago. There are few people though that I would trust doing that; save for Vinda or Omnae.
The author sort of does have a point, but a lot of us consider the Originally Trilogy sacrosanct. Not that it can do no wrong, but that it did so very much right that it doesn't matter.
Continuing the hijack of the thread, yeah an arbiter could theoretically work, but to some degree the staff have worked as such in the past. And finding one everyone agrees on is difficult. I can remember throwing around the phrase "fucking staff bias" a lot back in the Corellian OOC threads/AIM conversations around that time. I'm more reasonable now, but when everyone is playing to win, agreeing that the impartial arbiter is right in saying you lost isn't easy.
