Exercise 01: Establishing the Status Quo

[Nissa]

I think the immediate concerns for the races are their own internal intrigues: Terrans are divided after the UED smashed up the Dominion and Mengsk is in no shape to take the reigns or be the representative for the majority of the Terrans at the present time. The Zerg sort of need some agency without Kerrigan and Kerrigan needs to be less overpowering, so you could just have parts of the Zerg evolving away and start rebelling despite Kerrigan and/or give her limitations on her power of the Zerg (you've started doing that already). The Protoss are still struggling with getting along with each other - the Nerazim are resentful of the Khalai for bringing their war to Shakuras because the Nerazim numbers and society are smaller, they've lost their leader and are now expected to still assist those that vilified them in the past when they really just want them to go away. The Khalai want to work towards retaking Aiur and become more abrasive with the Nerazim because they think they're not wanting and needing their help to do this, but act as if they do.

The biggest immediate threat and common goal to all (including the Zerg themselves) is still the Zerg. The Terrans and Protoss still fear what they might do and work to either protect themselves or to take further action against them. Whilst they're doing this to either mixed success or failure, you could then introduce the major inciting incident for all three to work against (and not necessarily together mind you) in the form of Duran and the Hybrids. The rest is just details.

I feel that this is the crux of where Starcraft is right now. As much as us fans, at the end of BW, wanted things to go forward and reveal the truth about the hybrids and Duran, this is inappropriate for where the characters are. Mengsk has been battered, the Protoss are focusing on survival, and Kerrigan has just barely repelled three fleets from ending her quest for power. Everyone needs a break. Everyone.

In other words, it's kind of okay for us to have less interracial conflict. Factional, inter-ethnic conflict is the order of the day. It's also good to have some small scale stuff to really flesh out the things we weren't told about these cultures previously. Things have slowed down enough to do that.

So my suggestion is very minimal race interaction. Sure, Zerg are always going to putter around and hold resources, Protoss and Terrans are going to have border issues, space pirates are a thing, but let's focus really on how faction react with each other.

Cool, there's a link. Thanks, Gna

[ragnarok]

Okay, I just realized I'm a big loser and hypocrite. I may have derailed things more than anyone else.

I apologize. Something's wrong with me. I'll try to keep my stupidity in check.

Anyway, here are the Zerg stuff I collected from the previous posts. If there's anything missing, please post them.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...it?usp=sharing

It's on google docs..

I'm still unsure of the infested agents betraying Kerrigan. You'd think she'd be smart enough (after all the past betrayals) to come up with those who would remain loyal to her.

[GnaReffotsirk]

There are inputs there that I don't subscribe to as well. I think you can post comments on the doc.

Nissa, we could do mini campaigns for that. A series of sorts, small chunks of stories exploring characters and relationships. Like starwars rebels. It doesn't have an overarching plot, just a vague general direction, a set time frame on which they occur, locations, the world, and big name characters.

I don't know, Tura, if this is how you mean. Is it?

Spartacus Blood and Sand, series, though it has plot, focuses more on characters.

[Turalyon]

It doesn't have an overarching plot, just a vague general direction, a set time frame on which they occur, locations, the world, and big name characters.

I don't know, Tura, if this is how you mean. Is it?

Not quite. Part of what I said about it being multiple things tied together and not one single major factor is that it goes both ways - each factor is still important in and of itself but also informs how it would affect the greater picture. Eg: With Mengsk's actions in Rebel Yell, it can be seen as both serving the internal racial/factional conflict but also the outer/larger conflict of the Zerg invasion at the same time.

In this "after BW" case, the factional disputes within each species are a microcosm for the larger goal in dealing with the biggest and immediate current threat that is still the Zerg even though it may not be obviously apparent at first. However, factoring in Duran and the Hybrids will be trickier since it's a potentially disruptive and restrictive element because they're supposed to be so powerful such that each race shouldn't be able to handle them alone and predisposes the narrative to a team-up of the races to combat it. One way to incorporate it and complicate things further (hopefully in a good way), is to have each side react differently to the Hybrids (whether they temporarily team-up with them for some reason, choose to resist them stubbornly in their own way or whatever) and use that as more fuel for conflict between the three core species.

[GnaReffotsirk]

Apologies. Your meaning eludes grasp, absent proper example. Perhaps further discussion will bring knowledge to light.

[ragnarok]

There are inputs there that I don't subscribe to as well. I think you can post comments on the doc.

Not from what I saw, it's view only.

[GnaReffotsirk]

Turn thought from perceived slight. The gods would have me spread cheek only to ram c*ck in *ss.

But, there may yet lie fortune in such lack of foresight on my apart.

Let us turn to task, and voice thought here on this very thread. Regarding matters of choice and disagreement, with proper reason of course.

Google docs prove far removed from reach. I would have noble effort etched for all to see without distraction.

I remove myself presently, only to return with haste. Pressing matters require immediate attention.

[ragnarok]

We'll be waiting your return, GNA

[Visions of Khas]

Sounds like someone's reading Shakespear.

[KaiserStratosTygo]

I made a quick map based on both my original ideas and some of the ones we've discussed here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5WtMsDUuEM