Realtime discussion

greenspun.com : LUSENET : Aeon Flux : One Thread

So many Flux people have graced this board. Eric Canete, Drew Neumann, (the two) Peters, Denise, & quite a few others since... it's been great! Now what I'm thinking is, could there be a sort of panel discussion in the future? A way of getting more than two of these luminaries in the same place, at the same time. It wouldn't have to be limited to Flux; just start with a topic, & go from there. What do you think?

-- Inukko (nadisrec@worldnet.att.net), November 10, 2001

Answers

Don't these guys usually get paid for doing panel discussions?

By the way, what does Inukko mean? Is it a play on words like "in you go?"

-- Logo (vosepherus@aol.com), November 10, 2001.


Logo, you are right. We'll leave that up to Inukko, he's loaded.

-- Barb e. (Suesuebeo9@cs.com), November 11, 2001.

You know what, it may be so that if something like this ought to get done while something still's available atogether maybe to happen.

It'd be bad for anybody to ever have let it slip. But of any creative/development kaffeeklacz or impresariat of custodees or apparatnicz were likely to ever avail/ execute/ exploit the sorts of exercises as presently suggested ("pANEL dISCUSSIONS"), it would without qualification be our own. Immediately we appear to have active and accessible a selection of interactive forums (fora?) which - you think someone should submit some of these threads for the History Of The Website project they're doing I ask because this one would probably be a pretty well-qualified candidate for entry as a cultural-crossover exhibit-A. I understand there are or were other such forums (??) such as DISRECOGNIZED SPACE? (I am utterly thrilled with the flattery, yes. But, still....) It's true, maybe somebody ought to seriously set down to make something happen. Or do the research, analysis, evaluation, collation, development of - a Retrospective RE AEon Flux' Environmental Impact, as it were, within its cultural zeit as extant already +/nor elsewise.

...

I think MTV might already recognize some exigency RE such specials as SOP but then again we're talking about MTV - .

But MTV or NOTV I mean, it's the kind of thing that - if ANYTHING - really ought to get its own requiem at least.

-- dangerboy (artian@earthlink.net), November 11, 2001.


Logo, Inukko is the guardian spirit of a rural Japanese village. In english it means "Snow Dog" (which was my 1st nick), so that's why I took it.

Yes, I'd imagine they get paid handsomely for that sort of thing. My thinking was they'd have so much fun here, we could slip out the back before the bill came. Loaded, Barb E? Sadly not... ;)

-- Inukko (nadisrec@worldnet.att.net), November 11, 2001.


Haan ha ha ha...Slip out the back. I'd be up for that, but knowing dangerboy, he'd seek revenge by flooding the forum with so much inintelligible philosophizing that the whole thing would crash from the sheer gravity of his words.

-- Logo (vosepherus@aol.com), November 12, 2001.


OK what I mean is: I think seriously that some realtime discussion absolutely should be arranged, somehow - or at least a decent attempt ought to be made - an excellent idea and moreover, of the essence and sooner than later.

I mean, by 2004, OK, there damned well better be some sort of respectable effort on the part of our infamous little project to launch some sort of fanfare; and clear and apparent to me, anyhow it seems, is the happy probability that in this case it'll really be able to happen: Like Inukko sez, everbody's been on already (even me, finally and I'm sorry I never got on the Net a long time ago). I just think it's all good (a motto I usually detest), I for one am pleased for the idea, even if only speaking strictly as a fan of the whole AE/F project/phenomenon myself.

Which brings me to my idea for a New Question - but I haven't formulated it yet. But now I have: Has anyone who ever worked on the show asked or proposed a realtime and/or panel discussion of experts who aren't/weren't-ever affiliated with the show's own production? And why not!

-- dangerboy (artian@earthlink.net), November 12, 2001.


Oh, did you think I was talking about money Snow dog? As for the real time discussion well I'd hate to force anyone to do anything here. Especially people I am in awe of. I will say though that upon visitations by these renowned guests to our little forum,(and Dangerboy heaven knows you are among them), their entrances though in black type are felt like electricity. There have been dreamlike visitations to this place. Once a fan of the show said to me he felt AeonFlux was the most electric and mysterious series he'd ever seen. I would hate to cause any discomfort or alienate anyone of these artists. But I must admit when I read any and every word about the show from them I am eating it up. It perhaps is more graceful they stop by on their own time when they want to. No?

-- Barb e. (Suesuebeo9@cs.com), November 12, 2001.

Thanks, Barb e., that's really what I want to know, exactly. And what we have herein already and immediately ready-to-hand is this roiling, looming body of extant correspondence which is perhaps itself the most-likely object for any immediate purposes:

I mean, I just got here and it is immediately (alarmingly!) apparent to me that the stuff of what already is matter of record here demands some sort of permanent, properly published retrospective. And I mean one of sufficient scope and salience, editorially and intuitively, to speak with satisfaction to the essence of what it is AEon Flux has us so utterly in the grip of!

In the meantime (and still there's certainly some) we can wait for some sort of occasion to suppose might of its own and naturally arise.

Or we could just start with random, ad-hoc propositions of possible dates to suppose and see if anyone should second, third, etc., such proposed possible dates (or alternatively should alert that they couldn't make it): I mean, How About Hallowe'en 2002? Or '02 Summer Solstice?

And then (or before, or even right now) prepare to get everyone set-up with Instant Messenger service or something so it could be a total, immediately-interactive-in-real-time chatroom-environment online.

And then that one could be published and released verbatim and unexpurgated.

-- dangerboy (artian@earthlink.net), November 12, 2001.


Barb, what I meant to say was that interested parties could do this at a time of their choice, at their "leisure" so to speak. Last-minute things are always gonna come up, so, um, don't write this in stone... besides, Dangerboy's a party unto himself ;)

-- Inukko (nadisrec@worldnet.att.net), November 12, 2001.

clean gloves hide dirthy hands, mine dirthier than the most. i just noticed some realy troubling similarity between treavor goodchild and rene dan claud. if you know what i am talking about, then you know what i mean, do you think he was an inspiration? mabe, it does not have any importance, the work of peter chung is brillant, aeon flux is one of my favorite series. i just tought it would be interesting to discuss this tought. mabe i am wrong but i would like to discuss the subject.

-- marcel (docteur5@hotmail.com), November 13, 2001.


Yes, I think your right, it's a good idea. I already have instant messenger. BTW Mr. Mars; did you write the words to that great little song, 'Dangerboy'? On my way to work the other day I heard a jazz version of 'The look of love' that sounded like her beautiful voice.

-- Barb e. (Suesuebeo9@cs.com), November 13, 2001.

Yes I did.

I wrote another AE/F ditty for her, too:

AEON FLUX BITCH FATALE ANARCHIC CHIC SHE'S A DEATH TOY TAKE NO PRISONER TAKE NO LIP YOU WANT TO RIP YER ZIPPER DANGERBOY DON'T TRIP TO GET A GRIP ON THE EQUIPMENT BUT YOU'RE UNDER CARDIAC ARREST! THIS IS NOT A TEST: SHE IS A DEATH TOY (AEON FLUX) IS A DEATH TOY.

-- dangerboy (artian@earthlink.net), November 13, 2001.


But HEY -- y'know can't we ALL be PORTISHEAD!?

(that motherfckr rules so deep - )

-- dangerboy (artian@earthlink.net), November 13, 2001.


Portishead, huh... I'm more of a Massive Attack guy myself.

-- Inukko (nadisrec@worldnet.att.net), November 13, 2001.

Oh yeeeeah...? I never have heard them!

I bet they don't make my flesh crawl in eddies to the moon tho huh.

Anybody got a spare ticket to Diamanda Galas

-- dangerboy (artian@earthlink.net), November 13, 2001.



Yeah!!! Massive Attack rules!

-- cynical (gemini318@excite.com), November 14, 2001.

Hey man. This is just BULLSHIT, you know that? We're sbozdubee heer tuh dalgguhbaht stuff dit can somehow MADDUR en mage some real deep, meeneegfow DEFFERNSEN PEEPULZ LAAAAVS, there THAINKEHN, yuh no bub?

yin heer yew erre, de- davorkin' - derverdung the hole POINT with yor kwesdiunnabol dazden MYOOZUCK.

And anyhow, I just really feel okay maybe a little you know, left out, now. I mean, okay sure. WHEN I WAS YOUR AGE, I couldn't barely CONCEIVE of such a RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT TO OUR PROPER CULTURAL SENSE OR SENSIBILITIES as yer freakin' MASSIVE ATTACK. Why my fair and callow Inukko, my poor, young and impressionable ward of the state, in MYYYYYY forgotten day and age we were tutored in the belfries of Carnage Hall and the Cathay de Grande or indeed directed with every sober, splendid sprain of brain or barreling bound of bruisive bodyslam unto the serenities asunder or astraddle such sublime and sacerdotal servants of the muses as Ozzy Osbourne (WELL BEFORETH his, ah, Liz Taylor phase) or the redolent and ruminative reverie resplendent in the googoohoodoo garage-barrage of Einsturzende Neubauten! The inspired pensive politesse apuke from El Duce and his Mentors? O how woooooefully hath the day so soon atook yon truant, torrid turn! The bough of mine spurnt spirit how doth it broodeth low! Inukko, O Inukko! I peal in shrieks of prurient perdition haggard and hoary, my child!! INUKKO O INUKKO JUST GIMME YER MASSIVE ATTACK OOH INUKKO INUKKO oh baaaaby!

-- dangerboy (artian@earthlink.net), November 14, 2001.


No but seriously - Shit Yeah MASSIVE ATTACK . Inukko -you a musician? Because I've got some serious axe to grind because I think I'm a fucking rock star. In fact I'm stringing it up with a fresh set of strings at the moment...

ANYBODY WANT TO DO A ROCK AND ROLL GANG?

-- dangerboy (artian@earthlink.net), November 14, 2001.


Musician? No, but I've been messing around with synths+samples for the past six months... ever hear of psychedelic trance "music"? Well whether you have or haven't, that is the alley I'm up, and I hope to get Nadis (my record label) up & running by late 2002. But that's a story unto itself... tell u what, Dangerboy, ask me again in another 6. I'll send some tunes for your dis-approval.

-- Inukko (nadisrec@worldnet.att.net), November 14, 2001.

You're on - I'll prepare similarly! Another 6 it is. Excellent!

-- dangerboy (artian@earthlink.net), November 14, 2001.

Speaking of musical interests and discussion forums, I think it would be great to get Drew Neumann up in this piece. I think his work on the Aeon Flux score is no less brilliant than the direction, story, and character designs, yet for some reason he seems to get overlooked a lot. The show is already distinctive, but the addition of Neumann's extreme otherwordly tones just raises the show into the stratosphere.

-- Logo (vosepherus@aol.com), November 15, 2001.

Check this:

Aeon Soundtrack Thread

-- Inukko (nadisrec@worldnet.att.net), November 15, 2001.


drew neumans score is brilliant. i'd be very interested in knowing whether he composed the music while viewing the episodes or if he wrote the score without actually seeing the , errr, product.

-- selfishgiant (selfishgiant@hotmail.com), November 15, 2001.

On the topic of realtime discussion...

I'm thinking of resurrecting my Aeon Flux-themed MUSH idea (again), as a shrine devoted to the world of the show. If anyone's interested in possibly working on this with me, let me know.

-- Mat Rebholz (matrebholz@yahoo.com), December 15, 2001.


Oh, and if anyone has ICQ, and feels like chatting about this or anything else, I'm at 135010556. Look me up sometime.

-- Mat Rebholz (matrebholz@yahoo.com), December 15, 2001.

What's MUSH?

-- Logo (Vosepherus@aol.com), December 17, 2001.

Here is a good explanation.

-- Mat Rebholz (matrebholz@yahoo.com), December 18, 2001.

Sounds interesting Mat, but I am still having a little trouble visualizing how it works (I've never really been into computers). How can I get onto one of these things to experience it for myself? Are some better than others? And how would you go about creating a Flux themed MUSH?

-- Logo (Vosepherus@aol.com), December 19, 2001.

A mush is accessed via telnet. You can use a standard telnet client to get to one, but special programs have been written especially for accessing muds and mushes (SimpleMU is a good one). For a list of muds and mushes, a good site is www.mudconnector.com. They have addresses like mush.com 9999, where 9999 is the port number.

basically, a mush consists of rooms containing objects. If I build one based on Aeon Flux, it would be an attempt at recreating Aeon's world in text form, providing descriptions for locations and linking them together. And, if you know a thing or two about mush programming, like I do, you can make things complex and interactive. There's a lot of potential in the medium. The mush could be used for roleplaying, but I also envision this mush as a place to hang out and chat about topics such as those we delve into here, hopefully making it the realtime discussion counterpart to this forum.

-- Mat Rebholz (matrebholz@yahoo.com), December 19, 2001.


Thanks.

-- Logo (Vosepheurs@aol.com), December 20, 2001.

HOLY SHIT

-- dangerboy (artian@earthlink.net), December 20, 2001.

Whatever happend to this MUSH idea?

-- Logo (Vosepherus@aol.com), April 27, 2002.

It's still being developed, albeit slowly. If anyone would like to inquire about specifics or would like to contribute, let me know.

-- Mat Rebholz (matrebholz@yahoo.com), April 27, 2002.

Contribute how. The extent of my programming knowledge begins and ends with HTML. Basic HTML.

-- Logo (Vosepherus@aol.com), April 27, 2002.

Well, I guess by contribute I mean intellectually or conceptually. For example, giving your take on the nature of Aeon Flux's world, things that should have made it to the screen but never did, scenarios, etc. As far as programming goes, I've pretty much got everything I need.

-- Mat Rebholz (matrebholz@yahoo.com), April 28, 2002.

If I understand you correctly (and I'm still not sure if I do) then the MUSH works kind of like a web site. Its got a hub that acts as a homepage, and the different "objects" in the room are like links. Except it's all text based. I'm still not sure what the advantage is over a web site with links to different chat rooms, Aeon art, stories, etcetera. Anyway, if you're still looking for ideas, I guess you could base the MUSH in Aeon's bedroom. It could be an amalgam of the different rooms we've seen. Although I think there are only two. Her various espionage and sexual paraphernalia could link to different "rooms" dealing with those things. For instance, click on the camera in front of her bed and see fan art, or something. Maybe she could have a telescope in her room trained on Trevor's ivory tower. Click on that and you go to a chat about Trevor.

I'm still not sure if I'm getting the idea though.

-- Logo (Vosepherus@aol.com), April 28, 2002.


Mush and Mud, is also known as Muck right?

-- Sam (janecherrington@paradise.net.nz), April 29, 2002.

Sorry, it looks like I should have made this all very clear right from the start. Let me try to now.

Sam, MUSH, MUCK and MUD are all different variations on what are in general called MUDs. Sometimes we just refer to them all as MUs, to make it easier. There are subtle differences; MUDs are usually combat-oriented (like playing an automated game of Dungeons and Dragons). MUSHes and MUCKs are usually used to create roleplaying environments, as are MUXes (the code which this place will be based on -- "Fluxmux").

Logo, you're closer, but still not quite right. When you log into a MUX (or any other type of place), you do so via telnet. It'll drop you into a starting room, a place which could basically be considered to be like an IRC chat room, only with a basic text description. Every time you type "L" or "Look", you'll be shown that description. You can type "say Hello!" and everyone else in that room will see: Logo says "Hello!". If you see in the description, "A (D)oor leads into another room", you could try typing "D" to walk through that door, and you'd be lead into another text room altogether, with different inhabitants, a different description, etc. Think of it not so much as a group of linked websites, but a group of linked chatrooms, into which a very basic simulation of physics has been installed. One can create an object, give it a description, drop it into the room for others to see, touch, pick up themselves. One could even program it to react to the presence of others. The possibilities are basicially limitless, depending one how well one knows how to program the MUX (MUSH, MUD) code. Since I've got pretty much all the skills we'd need in that arena, no one else would really need to worry about that. Basically, one could say that the idea is to create a "realistic" simulation of a place, in text. The intent of the place is to create as convincing a simulation of Aeon's and Trevor's world as possible, so there wouldn't be abstract links such as you described, Logo. Rather, the layout and logic of what leads to where would be as grounded in "reality" as possible.

So, what does someone do when they log on? It could be likened to a table-top role playing game, like D&D, only they players themselves determine the events of the story (for the most part; sometimes staff members will guide it towards a greater story arc). Suppose there are three players in a room, each playing a unique character (each of whom, being an interactive object as I described above, albeit with a living player behind it, having its own text description). In an arbitrarily decided order, each one will take turns establishing the scenario, i.e. "Aeon steps into the plaza, her eyes darting from person to person as she passes through the crowd." The next player might add, "Jeff is sitting on a bench, smoking a cigarette. The breeze blows through his hair. He doesn't seem to notice Aeon, and instead seems to be watching the pigeons gather on the concrete in front of him." Etc, etc. To ensure a player's right to self-control, no one will do anything like this: "Jeff notices Aeon and shouts, "Hey, Aeon!" and Aeon walks over to him and says, "Hey, sexy," then kisses him..." Etc. This is known as "power playing", and is very much frowned upon. Each player's future (to a great degree, anyway) is left in their hands. These examples are only the most basic; many players take much more elaborate turns, adding details to help further create a sense of place and mood. This sort of role playing, when combined with interactive, descriptive environments, makes for a very enjoyable experience. Some liken it to a combination of improvisational acting and creative writing.

Because of our two lead characters' obvious instant popularity, they'd remain hidden for the most part, appearing only occasionally to get a story moving. Players would create original characters who haven't been seen in the series, yet who fit the setting. And of course, a serious effort would be made to ensure that the setting is strictly enforced. Bregna's rules would apply to Bregna, and Monica's to Monica. Now, the players wouldn't just be messing around in this virtual environment; ideally, we'd all be working together to create a rich network of Aeon Flux stories in the original spirit of the series. Neither would we just be re-treading ground covered by previous episodes; an effort would be made to explore new environments, new characters, new themes. I've acquired a copy of the original series bible, and it's being used as a conceptual basis for this purpose.

Now, in addition to this roleplaying aspect, I'd like to include a substantial discussion area which could act in the same capacity that this very forum does, only in real-time. This area would be separate from the RP (role playing) area, to avoid confusion between IC (in-character) and OOC (out-of-character) events.

If you're still a little confused, check out this. Click on any of the links to view an example of what this sort of role playing looks like. Also, click here for a directory listing a number of other games like this. There are literally hundreds out there, dealing with probably every popular fiction story ever known (Star Wars, Star Trek, many well-known fantasy and sci-fi novels, the list goes on and on), as well as many based on original settings. Another good link is "a href="http://www.mudconnector.com">mudconnector.com. Anything I haven't explained here can be found in these links somewhere.

-- Mat Rebholz (matrebholz@yahoo.com), May 02, 2002.


Sorry, here's that last link: www.mudconnector.com.

-- Mat Rebholz (matrebholz@yahoo.com), May 02, 2002.

So, about this "original series bible" that you mentioned...

-- Logo (Vosepherus@aol.com), May 02, 2002.

What is the original series bible?

-- Murdo MacDonald (doug1912@yahoo.co.uk), November 12, 2003.

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