The Tolkien Coming of Age Club 2 - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Snowdog · 08-28-2010, 11:15 PM

Yeah, i remember some of the rules. One reason I pulled out of The Lingering Darkness in the Shire about 6-7 years ago was the whole time limit rule. Then the thread went on for years anyway! I guess the term 'games' rubs me wrong. I call these RPs, as writers or collaborating to make a tale. Anyway... one of my characters from other RPs and tales I've written may stop in for a beer...

mark12_30 · 01-20-2011, 11:44 AM

... I miss the old Downs.

Watched Fellowsihp on Monday afternoon... and found myself identifying very closely with an Arwenish part of the movie that is decidedly non-canonical. Egads! Then I was reminded of my decision to treat them as two separate-- but somewhat similar-- myths.

(Down thru the years that decision has been very useful.)

Anyone else have a similar or contrasting tale?

Hilde Bracegirdle · 01-20-2011, 05:59 PM

I'm missing the old Downs as well....

And I don't know when the last time I watched the movies.

Nogrod · 01-20-2011, 07:04 PM

I was enchanted by the visual imagery of the movies when they appeared, and the music worked as well, creating an athmosphere worth experiencing. But already then I was quite critical with the choices the directing team made - and the casting of some central characters etc.

Now I see that te latter were true judgements. I don't feel like going back to those dvd's because as movies they're just the average lousy drama of 21st century. Beautiful at times, touching because of the music at others; but as movies, as drama, as touching characters go... quite insignificant.

On another note from the last fall, I do agree with you that in the old 'Downs the Inn's were places where people crashed into and then stayed to either wander into other RPG's or just to stick there - or then just vanished as soon as they entered if it was not for them.

I have't been following the Golden Perch lately (which I think is this "first level Inn" to pop into to get the hang of it), but I have noted the "traffic" is like one tenth of the times gone by - like when I entered the Green Dragon...

The Scarburg Mead Hall, which should be the "next level" inn is going forwards in bursts, but it seems that mainly the same people attend to it. We had this change of eorlship there and managed to get new writers into there, but it feels at times like an RPG that those not already involved with it just don't dare to enter. Which is sad.

Also, when has there been a new RPG starting the last time? When I joined the 'Downs there were many going on. Or when has an RPG ended as planned? It might even be that the first game I played in (The "Outracing the Flames" by Arry on 2006) was the last game that actually finished as planned...?

Nogrod · 01-20-2011, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snowdog

I guess the term 'games' rubs me wrong. I call these RPs, as writers or collaborating to make a tale.

Great to find a fellow-soul! I've been bothered and kind of annoyed about this "game" thing as well. I mean games are a kind of things, like werewolf, or all that Quizz-room stuff. But writing a story together is not a game in the same sense.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snowdog

Anyway... one of my characters from other RPs and tales I've written may stop in for a beer...

Would one of your characters like to take that beer in the Scarburg Mead Hall?

Rune Son of Bjarne · 01-20-2011, 08:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nogrod

Great to find a fellow-soul! I've been bothered and kind of annoyed about this "game" thing as well. I mean games are a kind of things, like werewolf, or all that Quizz-room stuff. But writing a story together is not a game in the same sense.

It might not be a game in the same sense that "monopoly" is a game, but don't glorify it. It is not like you are creating an epic tale or a grand narrative, you are having a laugh and that is basically it. . .

At best it is the level above fan-fiction.

mark12_30 · 01-21-2011, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rune Son of Bjarne

It might not be a game in the same sense that "monopoly" is a game, but don't glorify it. It is not like you are creating an epic tale or a grand narrative, you are having a laugh and that is basically it. . .

At best it is the level above fan-fiction.

Hmm. There are games (some of which I've played in) which occasionally transcended the above "having a laugh" and approached "epic tale" or "grand narrative". At least, I think so. Most haven't; but a few have.

Bêthberry · 01-21-2011, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mark12_30

Hmm. There are games (some of which I've played in) which occasionally transcended the above "having a laugh" and approached "epic tale" or "grand narrative". At least, I think so. Most haven't; but a few have.

I really enjoyed RPGing with Gandalf the Grey. With Gandalf's games, the focus was on the story itself rather than on the competition between the players and they were serious about maintaining a Middle-earth flavour without taking themselves too seriously.

I enjoyed playing in The Barrow Wight's "My Crow Management" too, and my occasional contributions to the REB trilogy. Planning the REB posts in chat was probably more fun than writing the posts.

I think the real trick is to discover a group of people you know well and you enjoy writing with because then you develope an intuitive sense of what they will pick on (or ignore) and you can play with that.

EDIT: I really like what Noggie and b]LMP]/b] have done with the Scarburg Mead Hall. I think it's absolutely fantastic to see non-native speakers of English writing here with such style and ability.

Snowdog · 02-10-2011, 05:24 AM

I agree Nogrod about the movies, and about RP collaborative writing. A few weeks back, My wife (Elora) & I decided to watch the extended DVDs. They were for the most part yawners with some chuckles here and there. it took us a month to watch through all three of them. It was fun back in 2001-2003, but they are rather ordinary these days. Still, they will always have a place with us, for had it not been for the movies, we likely would have never met.

Mark, I may still crash the inn. I'll make an entrance with one of my characters and see how it goes. (Edit: Maybe not. From what I'm interpreting, I need a character bio to post there. Too much hassle.) As for writing RP here on the Downs, it was made rather clear to me that my style of writing has no place on Barrow Downs. I obviously broke some rule by posting in a thread in Gondor, and I wondered when I first posted there if I was tresspassing. A couple, maybe one, big attitudes that came down proved my perception to be correct. Anyway, no worries here. It is what it is. There are other places where the style is accepted, and thats cool.

I'm wrapping up the lst book of the Black Company (Soldiers Live) and am thinking of giving Lord of the Rings another read. Its been about 7 years.

Estelyn Telcontar · 01-02-2012, 11:01 AM

Pull up the rocking chairs and put the bottles in the refrigerator - tomorrow evening we toast the Professor's 120th birthday!

01-20-2011, 11:44 AM	#2
mark12_30 Stormdancer of Doom Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Elvish singing is not a thing to miss, in June under the stars Posts: 4,349	... I miss the old Downs. Watched Fellowsihp on Monday afternoon... and found myself identifying very closely with an Arwenish part of the movie that is decidedly non-canonical. Egads! Then I was reminded of my decision to treat them as two separate-- but somewhat similar-- myths. (Down thru the years that decision has been very useful.) Anyone else have a similar or contrasting tale? __________________ ...down to the water to see the elves dance and sing upon the midsummer's eve.

01-20-2011, 07:04 PM	#4
Nogrod Flame of the Ainulindalë Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Wearing rat's coat, crowskin, crossed staves in a field behaving as the wind behaves Posts: 9,308	I was enchanted by the visual imagery of the movies when they appeared, and the music worked as well, creating an athmosphere worth experiencing. But already then I was quite critical with the choices the directing team made - and the casting of some central characters etc. Now I see that te latter were true judgements. I don't feel like going back to those dvd's because as movies they're just the average lousy drama of 21st century. Beautiful at times, touching because of the music at others; but as movies, as drama, as touching characters go... quite insignificant. On another note from the last fall, I do agree with you that in the old 'Downs the Inn's were places where people crashed into and then stayed to either wander into other RPG's or just to stick there - or then just vanished as soon as they entered if it was not for them. I have't been following the Golden Perch lately (which I think is this "first level Inn" to pop into to get the hang of it), but I have noted the "traffic" is like one tenth of the times gone by - like when I entered the Green Dragon... The Scarburg Mead Hall, which should be the "next level" inn is going forwards in bursts, but it seems that mainly the same people attend to it. We had this change of eorlship there and managed to get new writers into there, but it feels at times like an RPG that those not already involved with it just don't dare to enter. Which is sad. Also, when has there been a new RPG starting the last time? When I joined the 'Downs there were many going on. Or when has an RPG ended as planned? It might even be that the first game I played in (The "Outracing the Flames" by Arry on 2006) was the last game that actually finished as planned...? __________________ Upon the hearth the fire is red Beneath the roof there is a bed; But not yet weary are our feet...

02-10-2011, 05:24 AM	#9
Snowdog Emperor of the South Pole Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: The Western Shore of Lake Evendim Posts: 662	I agree Nogrod about the movies, and about RP collaborative writing. A few weeks back, My wife (Elora) & I decided to watch the extended DVDs. They were for the most part yawners with some chuckles here and there. it took us a month to watch through all three of them. It was fun back in 2001-2003, but they are rather ordinary these days. Still, they will always have a place with us, for had it not been for the movies, we likely would have never met. Mark, I may still crash the inn. I'll make an entrance with one of my characters and see how it goes. (Edit: Maybe not. From what I'm interpreting, I need a character bio to post there. Too much hassle.) As for writing RP here on the Downs, it was made rather clear to me that my style of writing has no place on Barrow Downs. I obviously broke some rule by posting in a thread in Gondor, and I wondered when I first posted there if I was tresspassing. A couple, maybe one, big attitudes that came down proved my perception to be correct. Anyway, no worries here. It is what it is. There are other places where the style is accepted, and thats cool. I'm wrapping up the lst book of the Black Company (Soldiers Live) and am thinking of giving Lord of the Rings another read. Its been about 7 years. Last edited by Snowdog; 02-10-2011 at 05:13 PM. Reason: Change something I posted yesterday.

01-02-2012, 11:01 AM	#10
Estelyn Telcontar Princess of Skwerlz Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: where the Sea is eastwards (WtR: 6060 miles) Posts: 7,500	Pull up the rocking chairs and put the bottles in the refrigerator - tomorrow evening we toast the Professor's 120th birthday! __________________ 'Mercy!' cried Gandalf. 'If the giving of information is to be the cure of your inquisitiveness, I shall spend all the rest of my days in answering you. What more do you want to know?' 'The whole history of Middle-earth...'

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08-28-2010, 11:15 PM	#1
Snowdog Emperor of the South Pole Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: The Western Shore of Lake Evendim Posts: 662	Yeah, i remember some of the rules. One reason I pulled out of The Lingering Darkness in the Shire about 6-7 years ago was the whole time limit rule. Then the thread went on for years anyway! I guess the term 'games' rubs me wrong. I call these RPs, as writers or collaborating to make a tale. Anyway... one of my characters from other RPs and tales I've written may stop in for a beer...

01-20-2011, 05:59 PM	#3
Hilde Bracegirdle Relic of Wandering Days Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: You'll See Perpetual Change. Posts: 1,480	I'm missing the old Downs as well.... And I don't know when the last time I watched the movies.