Whiskey in the jAAR - Part Deux-twa

[TheButterflyComposer]

"Romulan Ale then," TBC shrugged. "Still good."

"CK3 seems promising based on all the AARs coming out of the forum at the moment. At the same time, its a very challenging game to the status quo. Full frontal nudity, separated from the rest of AARland, much more graphic descriptions of events...it basically bring sup all previous discussions on these topics, but more so."

 

[coz1]

He walks into the newly refurbished bAAR and looks around. Some things change and some things stay the same. He sits at the counter and shows two fingers for some scotch. The bartender serves it up with a smile. coz1 returns the grin, but with a question...

"What happened to our pictures? Rictus...Norgs...mine own and Alex? T and LD? Oh well, I guess history remains in the past."

coz smiles again and lifts his glass to the room, "Here is hoping we get CK3 into the fold. It was a long and hard history to get AARland all together. Let us see it continue!"

He sits back and pulls open some new tomes. There is a lot of reading to do. Especially the latest round of Guess the Author.

 

[TheButterflyComposer]

"What happened to our pictures? Rictus...Norgs...mine own and Alex? T and LD? Oh well, I guess history remains in the past."

TBC glanced up from The Financial Times and waved generally in the direction of the terrible oil paintings.

"Some of them are up there. No idea who of course. Before my time. But some are not. Guess they fell off the corkboard when moving to the new establishment."

He sets down the paper on the side table next to his wingback chair in front of the fire, and pulls out a battered and well-used tobacco pipe.

"Sit down old boy, tell us your news and tales."

coz smiles again and lifts his glass to the room, "Here is hoping we get CK3 into the fold. It was a long and hard history to get AARland all together. Let us see it continue!"

"I'll drink to that, though it seems we'll have a battle on our hands to get them to do something about it."

The pipe was stuffed, a thin slice of tobacco placed gently atop, and then lit with a flick of the wrist.

"Bad business. Very bad. Not sure what they were thinking. Still, hasn't stopped people writing 'em. Or giving Paradox what for when they deserve it for their sins (and miracles) with that game."

He looked over to the bar area.

"Don't suppose you still keep a set of china around, do you? High time for a spot of tea."

 

[DensleyBlair]

He sits back and pulls open some new tomes. There is a lot of reading to do. Especially the latest round of Guess the Author.

DB's ears prick up at the mention of GtA.

– I've been very glad to see the response we've had to the current round. Some new faces on display hanging around in the thread, scope to do a few more rounds after this, and – most importantly – four great entries. Nice to know that the initiative still draws attention, even as we all sit around and bewail the death of the general discussion.

"Don't suppose you still keep a set of china around, do you? High time for a spot of tea."

– You know, until about three years ago I'd never had a mug of tea in my life. It took uni life for its benefits to be impressed upon me. I'd murder a spiced chai if you have any behind the bar. Though, DB recalls the impressive array of ingredients that have already come out, and smiles, somehow I don't think that will be an issue in here.

 

[TheButterflyComposer]

It is a new day, a new coat, and a new paper under the arm as TBC makes his way into the bar. It remains bewilderingly warm and dry at home, though the autumn is certainly picking up speed now.

"Tea, earl grey, hot. Please."

As if there was any other way. Bloody amercians and their plantation pretensions.

I've been very glad to see the response we've had to the current round. Some new faces on display hanging around in the thread, scope to do a few more rounds after this, and – most importantly – four great entries. Nice to know that the initiative still draws attention, even as we all sit around and bewail the death of the general discussion.

"Oh yes, and the fairly new tradition of being accused immediately remains intact," TBC smiled. "You do one once, and they suspect you forever. Although, now I think about it, I was first accused before I knew the thread existed. 2017 was a strange year..."

He tailed off.

"Must try to get my reveiws in this weekend. And try to weasel @El Pip back to the bar. It isn't fully christened as a place until one of the HOI fogeys gets into a scuffle. Though it is encouraging that Coz has already shown up from parts unknown."

TBC thought for a moment.

"We really do have an insulation problem, if nothing else, in AARland. Writing and reading and even commenting remains popular. Engagement is high and popular works attract as much attention as they always did...but, and it is a big but, there's only a very small number of people who make up AAR general discussion now. I'm fairly new, in comparison to most, and its been 4 years since I joined. We might complain about CK3 being in the CK3 section but honestly, unless a reader is told the general section exists, they probably have never used it. Most people come through Google searches or recommendations or random chance, not the main page. It's a problem...not for the health of AARs or even AAR community (writers still talk and there's cross pollination between readers and games) but the idea of a unifying thing that everyone involved in the 'game' as it were knows about and uses frequently."

TBC frowns.

"I'm not sure if I'm expressing myself properly. But thats how I see it currently."

You know, until about three years ago I'd never had a mug of tea in my life. It took uni life for its benefits to be impressed upon me. I'd murder a spiced chai if you have any behind the bar. Though, DB recalls the impressive array of ingredients that have already come out, and smiles, somehow I don't think that will be an issue in here.

"The bAAR counter is bigger on the otherside, like all good bars. Though I am uncertain how one might avoid tea on this planet. It's drunk more than coffee, and that is everywhere. Like @stnylan ."

TBC considers.

"Maybe a light cocktail as well. Citrus if possible. You'll join me, of course @DensleyBlair ?"

 

[El Pip]

He walks along the road to the bAAR and takes in the sights of Detroit. Once it had been a city of music and motors, with Motown doing the tunes and the V8s and chassis presses providing the bass line. Now it was smaller, quieter, a busy core surrounded by abandoned relics of past glories. "How appropriate." he thought.

Entering the room he shook the snow from his coat and made for the bar, asking the bartender for a triple scotch.

"I have just completed a long and arduous project in the Frozen North and find myself in need of both celebration and resuscitation." He explained.

 

[TheButterflyComposer]

TBC shakes his head. At some point they need to do an in-depth study of whiskey and whisky. Settle the debate once and for all. Probably several times...

"I have just completed a long and arduous project in the Frozen North and find myself in need of both celebration and resuscitation." He explained.

"Is that Scotland or Northern England?"

TBC turns to the sports section.

"At the moment, they are both quite inhospitable and frozen, though not because of the weather."

 

[DensleyBlair]

"Oh yes, and the fairly new tradition of being accused immediately remains intact," TBC smiled. "You do one once, and they suspect you forever. Although, now I think about it, I was first accused before I knew the thread existed. 2017 was a strange year..."

DB smiles.

– It is unfortunate that I was more or less absent in 2017. I lost a good few years of AARing to A levels…

Adopting a pensive look for a second, DB returns to the real matter at hand.

– GtA is such a funny beast, because I think in all the seven years or so that I've known about it something like eight or nine different people have written entries. I couldn't say how many I've written – maybe two or three – but I still get clocked despite not having put anything up for critique in, oh– he tails off, affectedly counting the years, about six years or so? But that's what you sign up for as a perennial looky-loo.

"We really do have an insulation problem, if nothing else, in AARland. Writing and reading and even commenting remains popular. Engagement is high and popular works attract as much attention as they always did...but, and it is a big but, there's only a very small number of people who make up AAR general discussion now. I'm fairly new, in comparison to most, and its been 4 years since I joined. We might complain about CK3 being in the CK3 section but honestly, unless a reader is told the general section exists, they probably have never used it. Most people come through Google searches or recommendations or random chance, not the main page. It's a problem...not for the health of AARs or even AAR community (writers still talk and there's cross pollination between readers and games) but the idea of a unifying thing that everyone involved in the 'game' as it were knows about and uses frequently."

TBC frowns.

"I'm not sure if I'm expressing myself properly. But thats how I see it currently."

– Honestly, I've been here pretty much bang on eight years, so again not ancient by any means, but I've seen some changes, and even "back in the day" I wouldn't say that I remember the general discussion ever being that lively. The major exception to this was probably back in about 2014/5 when we revived the old tradition of celebrating birthdays.

DB pauses to consider his train of thought.

– I think what I would say is that, when I arrived, there were still a few of the really old guys having around, who I got to know a little early on, and who (this I think is the important part) were the people using the general discussion. So I came up knowing people like Rensselaer, Lord Durham, and of course @coz1 himself, and these guys… well – without wishing to make it sound too grand – I guess they still carried a sort of AARlander 'republican tradition'. There's a great post in the fAARq that gives an idea of the sort of stuff they got up to way back in the day. … I think the only thing it doesn't mention is The AARlander, probably because it was still active at that point. (At one point around 2015 I was involved in talks to revive it under the name of the GuAARdian or something similar, but I don't remember that they ever came to anything.)

DB pauses again.

– Being around in 2012 there was still sort of an afterglow from this time, I guess because some of the actors were still about. In a lot of ways we have our own traditions now, but I guess we are also in a situation where people mostly have never experienced AARland as a community, in the sense of "group of people brought together by a common interest, who do this thing together", rather than just as a place to post your own AARs and read other people's.

He frowns.

– I think that thought needs a bit of work, and I don't want to sound too Romantic or reactionary, but there's something at play in this sort of area I think.

"The bAAR counter is bigger on the otherside, like all good bars. Though I am uncertain how one might avoid tea on this planet. It's drunk more than coffee, and that is everywhere. Like @stnylan ."

DB make a gesture of resignation.

– Blame a childlike preference for hot chocolate.

"Maybe a light cocktail as well. Citrus if possible. You'll join me, of course @DensleyBlair ?"

– Absolutely. Perhaps a mojito? As a nice upgrade from the lime & soda.

 

[TheButterflyComposer]

– Absolutely. Perhaps a mojito? As a nice upgrade from the lime & soda.

TBC flicked his fingers and a florin appeared.

"Stupidly overvalued things. About a thousand dollars or so. One of the few chosen currencies for Paradox games that makes sense for funding a state. Yes, a few hundred of those can indeed buy you a navy. And...hopefully, a couple of mojitos."

On old AARland, TBC didn't have much more to say. It was like discussing the Old Republics. Greater in hindsight.

 

[DensleyBlair]

Old Republics indeed, DB thinks as he marvels at the golden florin. Lands of milk and honey, where no misery ever did dwell. A dangerous game, getting too caught up in the past.

– One thing that might be worth putting out there is whether there is any interest, present company excluded, in another round of Read All About It? Last I remember, we were talking about a post-Napoleonic setting, though whether @El Pip’s silence on the matter over the last couple months is a polite refusal… well, I suppose it’s a possibility.

 

[TheButterflyComposer]

One thing that might be worth putting out there is whether there is any interest, present company excluded, in another round of Read All About It? Last I remember, we were talking about a post-Napoleonic setting, though whether @El Pip’s silence on the matter over the last couple months is a polite refusal… well, I suppose it’s a possibility.

"Anyone could do it I suppose," TBC mused. "Might be better to strike more fertile ground though. Like CK maybe? Everyone write a chronicle? That gives even more freedom than 19th century newspapers. Then again, I really enjoyed Read All About It. Not sure it what other circumstances we could see so much polite but also striking poltical discourse, extremism, economic theory and winnie the pooh?"

"Then again, we need to make sure interactions are fairly high from the start. As with Guess the author, initial contributions are nice but without the critics its just a short story thread. Not that a short story thread with prompts isn't a good idea (I've discussed this before, and its only gotten more pressing with, amongst other things, the Royal Prerogative List) but we don't have one of those yet."

He considered.

"Maybe a short story thread is actually the best starting point? Only thing people need to do is write based on prompts, or their own ideas, and maybe react to what others have done. Simple, easy to to keep going etc. From there, off-shoot projects can flower."

 

[El Pip]

"Is that Scotland or Northern England?"

TBC turns to the sports section.

"At the moment, they are both quite inhospitable and frozen, though not because of the weather."

Further North than that, the land of the Nors. But to say more would cross over into self promotion. Pip nodded at the rules by the door.

– One thing that might be worth putting out there is whether there is any interest, present company excluded, in another round of Read All About It? Last I remember, we were talking about a post-Napoleonic setting, though whether @El Pip’s silence on the matter over the last couple months is a polite refusal… well, I suppose it’s a possibility.

Not polite refusal, just distraction from other projects and a certain lack of motivation. I had intended to revisit the thread and investigate the discussed Vicki 2 Mod when the forums awoke from their summer slumber. As has been said this sort of project needs a certain level of engagement and enthusiasm and I am profoundly unsure whether that could be generated from the current low level of activity. Perhaps when the initial enthusiasm for CK3 has burnt itself out?

"Maybe a short story thread is actually the best starting point? Only thing people need to do is write based on prompts, or their own ideas, and maybe react to what others have done. Simple, easy to to keep going etc. From there, off-shoot projects can flower."

There is no limit on threads, if you have a short story idea just post it. One shot stories may be rare but they are far from unknown. Pip took a sip from his whisky. See @GeneralMiller s excellent Saar Offensive Single Battle AAR for a recent example.

 

[HistoryDude]

DB's ears prick up at the mention of GtA.

– I've been very glad to see the response we've had to the current round. Some new faces on display hanging around in the thread, scope to do a few more rounds after this, and – most importantly – four great entries. Nice to know that the initiative still draws attention, even as we all sit around and bewail the death of the general discussion.

I do like GtA right now. I should probably write my reviews soon...

"Oh yes, and the fairly new tradition of being accused immediately remains intact," TBC smiled. "You do one once, and they suspect you forever. Although, now I think about it, I was first accused before I knew the thread existed. 2017 was a strange year..."

He tailed off.

"Must try to get my reveiws in this weekend. And try to weasel @El Pip back to the bar. It isn't fully christened as a place until one of the HOI fogeys gets into a scuffle. Though it is encouraging that Coz has already shown up from parts unknown."

TBC thought for a moment.

"We really do have an insulation problem, if nothing else, in AARland. Writing and reading and even commenting remains popular. Engagement is high and popular works attract as much attention as they always did...but, and it is a big but, there's only a very small number of people who make up AAR general discussion now. I'm fairly new, in comparison to most, and its been 4 years since I joined. We might complain about CK3 being in the CK3 section but honestly, unless a reader is told the general section exists, they probably have never used it. Most people come through Google searches or recommendations or random chance, not the main page. It's a problem...not for the health of AARs or even AAR community (writers still talk and there's cross pollination between readers and games) but the idea of a unifying thing that everyone involved in the 'game' as it were knows about and uses frequently."

TBC frowns.

"I'm not sure if I'm expressing myself properly. But thats how I see it currently."

Near as I can figure, being accused without actually writing an entry is random. No clue how those are selected... (you're welcome to read this however you like).

Also, the general AAR forum is indeed rather inactive. A shame about the loss of interconnectivity.

I think what I would say is that, when I arrived, there were still a few of the really old guys having around, who I got to know a little early on, and who (this I think is the important part) were the people using the general discussion. So I came up knowing people like Rensselaer, Lord Durham, and of course @coz1 himself, and these guys… well – without wishing to make it sound too grand – I guess they still carried a sort of AARlander 'republican tradition'. There's a great post in the fAARq that gives an idea of the sort of stuff they got up to way back in the day. … I think the only thing it doesn't mention is The AARlander, probably because it was still active at that point. (At one point around 2015 I was involved in talks to revive it under the name of the GuAARdian or something similar, but I don't remember that they ever came to anything.)

DB pauses again.

– Being around in 2012 there was still sort of an afterglow from this time, I guess because some of the actors were still about. In a lot of ways we have our own traditions now, but I guess we are also in a situation where people mostly have never experienced AARland as a community, in the sense of "group of people brought together by a common interest, who do this thing together", rather than just as a place to post your own AARs and read other people's.

He frowns.

– I think that thought needs a bit of work, and I don't want to sound too Romantic or reactionary, but there's something at play in this sort of area I think.

I'd actually be interested in a greater interconnectivity returning to AARland. Having a periodic publication like the AARlander would be nice, but we would need to keep interest, and I think that's pretty dead, although I wish it wasn't. Could've been a nice place to share thoughts on writing and do advertising.

One thing that might be worth putting out there is whether there is any interest, present company excluded, in another round of Read All About It? Last I remember, we were talking about a post-Napoleonic setting, though whether @El Pip’s silence on the matter over the last couple months is a polite refusal… well, I suppose it’s a possibility.

Does @El Pip need to be involved? Someone else could make a thread and start it again, as long as they have the permission of the mods.

As for the actual question, I've been wanting to be part of a collaborative AAR for quite some time. I'd be interested.

"Then again, we need to make sure interactions are fairly high from the start. As with Guess the author, initial contributions are nice but without the critics its just a short story thread. Not that a short story thread with prompts isn't a good idea (I've discussed this before, and its only gotten more pressing with, amongst other things, the Royal Prerogative List) but we don't have one of those yet."

He considered.

"Maybe a short story thread is actually the best starting point? Only thing people need to do is write based on prompts, or their own ideas, and maybe react to what others have done. Simple, easy to to keep going etc. From there, off-shoot projects can flower."

Would said short story thread have common ties? A collection of short stories set in the same universe could be amazing, but you'd need someone to keep track of continuity most likely.

I wonder if anybody would be interested in doing a Free-Company-style collaborative AAR? That was way before my time (2017 was before my time, lol), but it sounded interesting. Doubt we could get enough interest, though. I was actually thinking of bringing that up, but then I'd have to run it, and I have enough AARs as is (and ideas to spare).

 

[TheButterflyComposer]

I do like GtA right now. I should probably write my reviews soon...



Near as I can figure, being accused without actually writing an entry is random. No clue how those are selected... (you're welcome to read this however you like).

Also, the general AAR forum is indeed rather inactive. A shame about the loss of interconnectivity.



I'd actually be interested in a greater interconnectivity returning to AARland. Having a periodic publication like the AARlander would be nice, but we would need to keep interest, and I think that's pretty dead, although I wish it wasn't. Could've been a nice place to share thoughts on writing and do advertising.



Does @El Pip need to be involved? Someone else could make a thread and start it again, as long as they have the permission of the mods.

As for the actual question, I've been wanting to be part of a collaborative AAR for quite some time. I'd be interested.



Would said short story thread have common ties? A collection of short stories set in the same universe could be amazing, but you'd need someone to keep track of continuity most likely.

I wonder if anybody would be interested in doing a Free-Company-style collaborative AAR? That was way before my time (2017 was before my time, lol), but it sounded interesting. Doubt we could get enough interest, though. I was actually thinking of bringing that up, but then I'd have to run it, and I have enough AARs as is (and ideas to spare).

"Maybe challenge thread...though got the same problems with interest. Person gets nominated (having checked that they're up for it), they have a set amount of time to write something from a prompt, 500-3000 words or something. Then they nominated someone else, new prompt."

 

[HistoryDude]

"Maybe challenge thread...though got the same problems with interest. Person gets nominated (having checked that they're up for it), they have a set amount of time to write something from a prompt, 500-3000 words or something. Then they nominated someone else, new prompt."

That could work, but we would need to ensure that it didn't just devolve into a few people posting stories. There'd need to be variety.

 

[DensleyBlair]

I'd actually be interested in a greater interconnectivity returning to AARland. Having a periodic publication like the AARlander would be nice, but we would need to keep interest, and I think that's pretty dead, although I wish it wasn't. Could've been a nice place to share thoughts on writing and do advertising.

– From experience, DB begins, they can be good fun. AAR reviews and interviews with authAARs in particular I always enjoyed. I wrote a "History of AARland" column for the AARlander at one point – not that I'd propose anyone revive that. (Lots of work…) But this sort of stuff also doesn't necessarily need a periodical to hang off.

I wonder if anybody would be interested in doing a Free-Company-style collaborative AAR? That was way before my time (2017 was before my time, lol), but it sounded interesting. Doubt we could get enough interest, though. I was actually thinking of bringing that up, but then I'd have to run it, and I have enough AARs as is (and ideas to spare).

DB smiles at the mention of the Free Company.

– Now there was an institution! Not that I was around at the time, of course, but it was certainly quite the undertaking. I do like the idea of collective and collaborative AARs, and I actually have something collaborative in the works, although it's a closed shop.

– The main issue would be admin, really. Keeping track of everyone's threads, making sure it didn't devolve into an interactive AAR, that sort of thing. Doable, but you'd need a committed group of authAARs up front, I'd say.

DB is struck by an idea.

– Mind you, between this and the talk about someone reviving Read All About It we do seem to be orbiting around something collective. But as the first, this final word comes out like a question, iteration showed, you need to be able to count on your writAARs.

 

[TheButterflyComposer]

That could work, but we would need to ensure that it didn't just devolve into a few people posting stories. There'd need to be variety.

"That shouldn't be too difficult. The problem, as with everything else, is consistency not originality."

Now there was an institution! Not that I was around at the time, of course, but it was certainly quite the undertaking. I do like the idea of collective and collaborative AARs, and I actually have something collaborative in the works, although it's a closed shop.

TBC rustles a few papers and finda From England to Amercia, as he had just finished rereading it.

"My own experiences, small as they are, with interactive aar was throughly enjoyable. This mega campaign became highly interactive in HOI stage, and even moreso in Stellaris. Roleplay is always fun when also limited a touch. Don't want the readers going too overboard."

Mind you, between this and the talk about someone reviving Read All About It we do seem to be orbiting around something collective. But as the first, this final word comes out like a question, iteration showed, you need to be able to count on your writAARs.

"Consistency. We do not lack for creativity or quality in this place. But quantity and regular updating is the bane of every community project done here. Thus to begin, pick an idea or challenge that requires as little of it as possible, and specific temporary activity when you are doing something for it. See short story thread idea. Guess the author too, in fact."

 

[HistoryDude]

– From experience, DB begins, they can be good fun. AAR reviews and interviews with authAARs in particular I always enjoyed. I wrote a "History of AARland" column for the AARlander at one point – not that I'd propose anyone revive that. (Lots of work…) But this sort of stuff also doesn't necessarily need a periodical to hang off.



DB smiles at the mention of the Free Company.

– Now there was an institution! Not that I was around at the time, of course, but it was certainly quite the undertaking. I do like the idea of collective and collaborative AARs, and I actually have something collaborative in the works, although it's a closed shop.

– The main issue would be admin, really. Keeping track of everyone's threads, making sure it didn't devolve into an interactive AAR, that sort of thing. Doable, but you'd need a committed group of authAARs up front, I'd say.

DB is struck by an idea.

– Mind you, between this and the talk about someone reviving Read All About It we do seem to be orbiting around something collective. But as the first, this final word comes out like a question, iteration showed, you need to be able to count on your writAARs.

Indeed. It then becomes a question of who has time to manage a collaborative AAR.

"That shouldn't be too difficult. The problem, as with everything else, is consistency not originality."



TBC rustles a few papers and finda From England to Amercia, as he had just finished rereading it.

"My own experiences, small as they are, with interactive aar was throughly enjoyable. This mega campaign became highly interactive in HOI stage, and even moreso in Stellaris. Roleplay is always fun when also limited a touch. Don't want the readers going too overboard."



"Consistency. We do not lack for creativity or quality in this place. But quantity and regular updating is the bane of every community project done here. Thus to begin, pick an idea or challenge that requires as little of it as possible, and specific temporary activity when you are doing something for it. See short story thread idea. Guess the author too, in fact."

True. I liked the Stellaris parts of From England to America, and it's a shame that died. Also, as I said above, the main problem is finding someone with enough time to manage - not just be a writer, but be a manager - of a collaborative AAR project.

 

[TheButterflyComposer]

Jerking awake, TBC smoothed down his suit and relit his pipe.

"Interesting few days. Lockdown again for us. A horrible election for others. And the Q3s are nearly done and CK3 has been out 2 months. Goodness me time flies."

He looked down at his past AARs and was filled with melancholy nostalgia for Little Dux and the grand era of CK2 AARs that saw Coz1's masterful Saxon England trilogy and jabberjocks Before Plantagent begin.

"Those were the days. What a great time to start to write AARs. So much interaction and creativity. Bit dead now, given CK3. Can't complain though. The new stories have been astonishing in their variety and scope. We even had two self-inserts! Old school indeed. Collaboration however is a little tricky. My own efforts with Lord Pip have been a touch scatterbrained due to individual projects, work and travel on both sides, but there is determination there at least. Any other collab works going at the moment?"

He looked over at the barkeep.

"Do your thing, Mr Music."

 

[DensleyBlair]

– Ah, collaborative projects. Good topic.

DB, sat in the corner of the room idly skimming through a stack of Heath-era Hansard papers, stands up with a flourish and makes his way over to the bar itself.

– I have something in the works with KingHigh for the Echoes continuation, but that won't be happening until the New Year at the earliest. And then there are the gradually forming plans for Read Even More About It, which promises to be good fun if we get the commitment. So lots like 2021 should start alright for collaborative stuff.