I'm either a genius or an idiot

[darthotaku]

I'm a writer, and as I was sitting here I was imediately struck by an idea. to write a western style comedy about a moderator (like the town sheriff archetype) facing off against an illusive as well as disruptive troll (the "billy the kid" bad guy). I know I'll need to do a lot of research like reading westerns, how mods go about their jobs, ways a troll might return after being banned, and things of that nature.
but is this a good idea in the first place? I think it could be good done right and I've actually gotten a short story about online gamers published. but if this idea fails then it fails hard. I'm on the fence as to weather I should begin or not.

captcha: STORIES ndism
it seems like there's a meaning to that captcha.

edit: getting rid of the western thing. nobody likes it.

 

[Aiden Raine]

ditch the western theme, and do it more like a detective novel. that'd probably work better.

 

[DeadlyYellow]

Whether.

Personally, I say no. Not my thing and seems rather stupid.

 

[lacktheknack]

It... doesn't sound like a great idea. I looks a bit like a fanfic of moderation (yes, it exists). You'd have to be a top-of-the-line satirist to make it work.

 

[darthotaku]

ditch the western theme, and do it more like a detective novel. that'd probably work better.

sounds like that would work. I'd just need an actual "mystery" though.

 

[Valagetti]

Personally I like it! Go for it!

 

[Crazy]

Do it if you want, I won't judge until you do.

 

[funguy2121]

I dunnoh. Aaron Sorkin and David Fincher pulled a real coup making a fascinating movie out of a bunch of people staring at their computer screens. If the conflict itself, and the unfolding exposition/plot, are comprised of typed exchanges, especially those involving pony memes and vapid references to "bacon," I can't see this being very compelling.

But I'd pay attention if I thought you could prove me wrong. Big balls command attention. I suppose that could be read more than one way.

 

[Aiden Raine]

It sounds rather boring. Maybe you could make it exciting, idk. Doesn't sound like a great idea though.

really, it all depends on how it's written. for instance, Bandai DOES have a moderately popular series of games/anime/manga/novels based around people playing an MMORPG.

 

[KnowYourOnion]

*Whether

and it doesn't really sound like a good idea, I'm not really sure where you could go with the story.

 

[superstringz]

You are neither until you write the work. I'm sure the story you are describing can be pulled off, though.

 

[Trivea]

I think it could work, but it depends on how, exactly - for instance, you could do a pretty interesting mixup between forum-post style chapters and "alternate reality" type scenes as though these things are really happening with real people in a real place. Honestly, though, I think it might work better as a sci-fi or mythology spoof themed work; as an example, the moderator in the AR scenes having sort of demi-god like powers that he can use to change the world around him and the people to an extent, while the troll has illicitly-obtained abilities from evil artifacts. Or something.

However, I do think that it could work quite well, depending on your approach and your overall writing quality. I'd actually be quite interested in reading it, no matter what genre you go with.

 

[Biosophilogical]

Well genius is very close to idiocy ... wait, that's insanity ... nevermind. Looks like you'll have to write the story to see if it works (and to see if you are a genius, crazy or a brainless sea-sponge with a typewriter)!

 

[retyopy]

Yes.

But let me make this clear...

DON'T.

MESS.

UP.

otherwise your magnum opus will become a magnum dopus. Pretend that made sense, I beg of you.

 

[ivc392]

I think It could work but as a short story or a 5 chapter novel or something with 2 points perspectives.
The first one from the "human" perspective. The mod and the troll, each from their computers. And the other, from theirs avatars perspective, like a weird western film set within the forum or web or whatever...


actually it might work as a video game plot...

 

[darthotaku]

I think it could work, but it depends on how, exactly - for instance, you could do a pretty interesting mixup between forum-post style chapters and "alternate reality" type scenes as though these things are really happening with real people in a real place. Honestly, though, I think it might work better as a sci-fi or mythology spoof themed work; as an example, the moderator in the AR scenes having sort of demi-god like powers that he can use to change the world around him and the people to an extent, while the troll has illicitly-obtained abilities from evil artifacts. Or something.

However, I do think that it could work quite well, depending on your approach and your overall writing quality. I'd actually be quite interested in reading it, no matter what genre you go with.

I was actually considering the alternate reality thing, but what you describe is genius in any setting. if I don't use it for this story, may I use it in the future?

 

[MisterDyslexo]

Nice concept, but he has to be doing something worse than just troll, you know what I mean?
I mean seriously, trolling? Its annoying, but he didn't really hurt anyone.

 

[MikeFrost]

ditch the western theme, and do it more like a detective novel. that'd probably work better.

sounds like that would work. I'd just need an actual "mystery" though.

Trolls get banned. One of those trolls returns using a proxy and keeps taunting the moderator into finding out who he is from the bunch of people that got banned. The moderator cannot ban him unless the troll breaks the rules. It's a story about cat and mouse with the moderator trying to trick the troll into slipping so he can ban him.

 

[darthotaku]

Nice concept, but he has to be doing something worse than just troll, you know what I mean?
I mean seriously, trolling? Its annoying, but he didn't really hurt anyone.

what about a griefer in an mmo who actually kills the people his character kills? it's not what I had intended for this story, but the thought just poped into my head a minute ago.