Casual Space Travel

[Max]

[major edit Oct 06 2012]


Casual Space Travel or CST for short is a project aimed to produce a minimalist and sometimes humorous adventure/sci fi novel. The aim is to make "basic" sci fi with as much fun and as little baggage as possible. It is inspired by Back to The Future and Indiana Jones movies, and also the Hitch Hiker's Guide.


PROJECT GUIDELINES:

- The CST Manifesto -


1. Location and weather will influence the storyline, rather than the other way around.

The day was sunny and there was little noise from traffic, but Brian was able to sneak in thanks to the author being distracted.

2. Moods of characters shall not be "produced". Eg. characters will have their ups and downs and successes and failures.

3. Related to (2), failure is always an option. Characters will have to adapt to their situation or pay the full cost of hubris. This is an obvious source of humor and character development.

shiznit, the spaceship said.

4. Characters will not have access to any information they couldn't normally have. This includes everything from seeing and hearing behind your back to comprehension of foreign languages.

I can speak Persian and Kurd when the story demands it.

5. Related to (3) and (4), Mary Sues of all kinds are forbidden. This includes both the Sue that has all skills in the skill book and the Sue that is Special (r) compared to any other person in her community.

6. Fantastic elements will be handled in a realistic manner wherever possible. Minimalism instead of heroism.

7. Fantastic creatures will have their own needs and motivations. These will not correspond to the behavior of a 21st century teenager, not even for vampires.

note: possibly there is no fantastic creatures except in myths? giving made-up cultures dog heads can dumb down the plot, while giving them oral culture can improve it. bonus points if the myth contains post-apocalyptic elements. extra bonus points if it contains a warped version of an actual event.

8. Elaborate and fancy descriptions shall not be used to distract from the plot. Or at all.

9. Fan service will not be used.

10. The humor will complement the plot, not break it.
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Something Went Wrong in Jet Crash, Expert Says

[Ghostbear]

Right then...so when do we see it?


Indeed, the ancients do seem out of it.Was expecting a response by now from JR or Steveo.

[Max]

Pretty darn Soon (r).

Theres a dinosaur problem I've got to sort out in chapter three, ie. sort it out without killing off any of the characters or using instant-deus-ex. Other than that, everything is going according to plan.
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Something Went Wrong in Jet Crash, Expert Says

[Max]

Work on Casual Space Travel has been resumed.

To anyone still following this, expect updates Soon.
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Something Went Wrong in Jet Crash, Expert Says

[Max]

Note that by this time i use the forum more as a Robinson's log (in both meanings of the word) than anything else.


When asked: -What is CST?-, it can be said:

CST is a loosely connected and sometimes unfunny series of chapters about a dimensional traveler and his problems in life. This includes a lot of irony disguised as communication, and skullduggery poorly disguised as adventuring.

There is no heroic invulnerability in CST. In fact, CST uses heroic vulnerability (tm). Characters behaving heroic are extremely likely to do something stupid and endanger themselves and people around them.
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Something Went Wrong in Jet Crash, Expert Says

[Max]

Lacking replies from the ancients, I'll continue to use this page as a makeshift blog.

Work on CST is progressing at a steady pace. I got a core set of characters and locations and I've reached the point where the story writes itself.

With the basic pieces set up, the story evolves in and by itself. Think D&d, where you start with just a bulleted list describing your character, and make all sorts of friends, enemies and relationships along the way. A good story, like a good D&d game, is one that sweeps you up and takes you to wonderful and unexpected results.
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Something Went Wrong in Jet Crash, Expert Says