I was reading some good fiction over the weekend over at Low Sec Lifestyle. @sugar_kyle does something with their fiction that I also do with my own. They give regional references to certain things to immerse the reader in the universe of New Eden. In that piece on Low Sec Lifestyle we had references to Seared Dihra Quail and a white wine from the Hirizan system.
I do like these regional references. It draws you deeper into the universe of Eve Online. She could have just said roast quail and white wine but the locational reference really make it so much better. It expands the lore, it immerses you better into the fictional universe we all inhabit.
My own fiction last Friday I referred to two cities on a planet in Mies with one of them having a starship foundry and space-elevator. Now I had to make these up as far as I know CCP have never referred to cities on Mies. I also referenced a hotel and a couple of criminal gangs that operate in the other city. Is this a problem? Does it cause an issue with official CCP canon?
CCP are unlikely to ever go into this level of detail with the planets. But we have lots of people in the community who are writing fiction and creating lore-based content in one form or another. Wouldn't it be great if we all worked together and could cross-reference other peoples ideas. If I wanted to note a nice white wine in a future piece I can refer to @sugarkyle's Hirizanian white wine. If he needs to reference a Roden Shipyards foundry she could use the one I referred to on Mies.
Just thinking about it, I have made dozens and dozens of references to planets and things from them. From paralysing neurotoxins extracted from the Nifflung Beaked Jellyfish (The Assassin) to entire cities that have been nuked by shadowy branches of the Caldari Government to cover up illegal weapons programs (Into the Black). Do you want to use details about a paralysing neurotoxin used by Matari agents in your fiction? Need a ruined city/nuclear wasteland to set your story against? I have just the place for you! All previously researched! Check Dotlan, Nifflung is a 0.8 sec status system in the Matari Empire with an oceanic planet (planet V). Ideal home for a jellyfish that paralyses its victims and consumes them over a number of days! My next piece on Friday is set in Amarr space. I'll need to research a suitable station system in hi-sec and name a hotel on that station. I wonder if anyone has already created such a place?
So should a wiki or similar be created so all of us can share this player-created lore? A database of planets and locations that we have used and what can be found in them. Search by planet name or item type such as poison, wine, starport, city or event.
Obviously none of this would be CCP-canon and anything they say or write subsequently will superseded anything on this 'database'. In fact it should also be populated with the references CCP have already made. We know of exclusive resorts and space elevators (Templar One), Amarrian religious retreats (The Burning Life) and foundaries where workers have revolted and captured the space elevators in the past (The Emperyean Age). There are lots more (think of all the chronicles) and it will require the collective geekiness of us all to remember and research them all.
But as CCP are unlikely to ever go into such a level of detail as we do, should we do it ourselves?
I would appreciate feedback on this. Is it something worth looking into?
My own fiction last Friday I referred to two cities on a planet in Mies with one of them having a starship foundry and space-elevator. Now I had to make these up as far as I know CCP have never referred to cities on Mies. I also referenced a hotel and a couple of criminal gangs that operate in the other city. Is this a problem? Does it cause an issue with official CCP canon?
CCP are unlikely to ever go into this level of detail with the planets. But we have lots of people in the community who are writing fiction and creating lore-based content in one form or another. Wouldn't it be great if we all worked together and could cross-reference other peoples ideas. If I wanted to note a nice white wine in a future piece I can refer to @sugarkyle's Hirizanian white wine. If he needs to reference a Roden Shipyards foundry she could use the one I referred to on Mies.
Just thinking about it, I have made dozens and dozens of references to planets and things from them. From paralysing neurotoxins extracted from the Nifflung Beaked Jellyfish (The Assassin) to entire cities that have been nuked by shadowy branches of the Caldari Government to cover up illegal weapons programs (Into the Black). Do you want to use details about a paralysing neurotoxin used by Matari agents in your fiction? Need a ruined city/nuclear wasteland to set your story against? I have just the place for you! All previously researched! Check Dotlan, Nifflung is a 0.8 sec status system in the Matari Empire with an oceanic planet (planet V). Ideal home for a jellyfish that paralyses its victims and consumes them over a number of days! My next piece on Friday is set in Amarr space. I'll need to research a suitable station system in hi-sec and name a hotel on that station. I wonder if anyone has already created such a place?
Obviously none of this would be CCP-canon and anything they say or write subsequently will superseded anything on this 'database'. In fact it should also be populated with the references CCP have already made. We know of exclusive resorts and space elevators (Templar One), Amarrian religious retreats (The Burning Life) and foundaries where workers have revolted and captured the space elevators in the past (The Emperyean Age). There are lots more (think of all the chronicles) and it will require the collective geekiness of us all to remember and research them all.
But as CCP are unlikely to ever go into such a level of detail as we do, should we do it ourselves?
Yeah, I like it. Having a central repository of names/places/items/events that people can use in their own fiction will only deepen the Eve experience.
ReplyDeleteVery very good idea sir!
A great idea. You could even have the fan fiction of everyone backed up on there showing who 1st came up with each thing. Who knows, with it so easy to access ccp may use some in canon and writers can easily have their credit.
ReplyDeleteI like the idea. Grand scope possible.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a good idea. Just don't kill off any of my characters if they were to make it onto the site!
ReplyDeleteObviously none of this would be CCP-canon and anything they say or write subsequently will superseded anything on this 'database'. In fact it should also be populated with the references CCP have already made.
ReplyDeleteActually, no. Per CCP WE are the main Content. CCP has stated numerous times that the stories the playerbase creates ARE the Empyrean (read Emergent) Lore of EvE.
The Lore CCP writes is Backstory. It fulfills both (1) Historical NPC Lore, where we came from and why, and (2) New NPC Lore, to explain new NPC developments and/or changes...
We can't write the stories of the NPC Empires, Factions, Corps and of CONCORD, that is CCPs bailiwick... but the stories WE create ingame are the ongoing "Lore".
Yes, I do believe there should be a Compendium or a 'Bible' as twere, for ALL Lore, the 'Cannon' of EvE... This should include ALL Official CCP Lore (Chronicles, Wiki, the published Novels, etc. AND... all Emergent Lore and all serious Fanfic. And yes, "serious" as defined by CCP, they do own EVE Online, and it is only their just right.
But... it would be quite a bit of work now wouldn't it? =]