Alternate Godlike Convocations For Consideration
Kev's First Proposal:[edit]
2001-2056 THE AGE OF GODS And so it began, a hole burned in time. They birthed a new age. Four years after the world changed, the Survivors awoke and they were dreams given form. Sixty Four tons of flying mettle and mass passengered by two hundred eighty three survivor souls, all alone to the world. After... no one would be exactly as they appeared, nothing stayed the same. To be a Survivor was to be a power unto yourself. For those that survived it became less about saving the world from the cartoon villain and more about making an impact on the world or rather how the WORLD would impact each soul. They were beautiful, the brightest of flames, giants on the playground. The surprise was that it became more about super-power than super-hero. This is the story of the survivors of the 9/11 fifth plane. The year is 2005. They are American Gods.
- Jason's Commentary:
1. It runs a little long, overall, and gets a little repetitive, esp. towards the end. You could probably stand to cut about 1/3 or more of it out without losing anything.
2. I think it lacks a bit of the hard-hitting impact of the "HEAR ME SURVIVORS" and the repetition of the "you are Godlike." Of course, I'd have to hear you say it to be 100% sure, but saying it aloud to myself it loses a certain something. And I've got a pretty good delivery, if I do say so myself.
So, I think a cut-down version of what you have below, one which also takes the strong, gripping elements of the original that I mentioned above, would be a pretty keen way to start off our 4th story arc, when we hit issue #20.
Cat's Counter-proposal:[edit]
An AGE OF GODS
it began with 9/11, a hole burned in time. Four years after the world changed, the Survivors awoke and they were dreams given form.
THEY WERE GODLIKE
Sixty Four tons of flying mettle mass passengered by two hundred eighty three survivor souls, all alone In the world. After... no one would be exactly as they appeared,
Sinner and Saint. Revolutionary and Radical. Anarchist and Terrorist.
THEY WERE GODLIKE
nothing stayed the same.
They Walked among the clouds,
They Walked, between the stars.
THEY WALKED AS GODS
To be a Survivor was to be power incarnate. For those that survived it became A struggle to leave there mark Upon the world.
And they did for they WERE GODLIKE
They were beautiful, the brightest of flames, giants on the playground. The surprise was that it became more about super-power than super-hero. They moved mountains. defined music, fashion & entertainment. They changed the world!
This is the story of the survivors of the fifth plane. The year was 2005.
AND
THEY ARE THE AMERICAN GODS!
- Jason's Commentary:
You don't think it cheapens the current events in the game to be constantly looking back on them from the future?
I ask because I do.
Especially when that's a future as bleak as the 2056 we visited.
That's like saying "nope, sorry, you failed. It all got screwed up. I know you tried, but, yeah, just didn't happen. Sorry about that."
After all, 51 years isn't that long a time; it's less than a human lifespan. A lot of the kids on that flight could still be alive in '56; a bunch of the adult Survivors might be, too, if they have slowed/stopped aging as a power. Do the Survivors' children get powers? If so, there may be even /more/ powered people wandering the planet.
In other words: none of it has to be past tense.
I prefer the immediacy of the present tense narration over the hint of failure and defeat that the past tense lends. I think the later cheapens the game, as I said above, but I think the former provides us with a call to action. One that, when read in Kev's booming voice, must not be ignored.
Cat's Recent Proposal[edit]
HEAR ME NOW.
We are the world changing. Together we can surmount any mountain. We can define brotherhood, nobility & the human spirit.
YOU are a Survivors
Poor man or Politician. Homemaker or Provider, you to are someone's hero.
YOU are a Survivor
Strive to reach the clouds, with head held high. Walk in peace with your fellow man
Because YOU...... ARE A Survivor!
- Kev's Commentary:
Neat. Reminds me of the changing of the opening from Babylon 5. Part of my wants to change it, part of me says why mess with a good thing.
I've tried changing "titles sequences" in the past and never had a good time with it, unless it was a very minor change...
I think the current "Godlike Covocation" is pretty darn good as is. And it doesn't necessarily mean anything bad. It talks about the campaign more than the main characters.
Either way you can't just write it... you sorta have to say it aloud to get a cadence that feels/sounds right. But also one that's NOT too long and one that IS punchy. Getting you excited to play the game.
The tagline... "...because YOU are Godlike!" is very very strong, leaving you with a sense of determination. Whereas (while written nicely) "...because YOU...... ARE A Survivor!" when said aloud (IMHO) lacks the same heart.
So far none of our changes have hit that mark. Make sense?
Another analogy is songs from the band Survivor from the ROCKY movies. They found a hit the really made the movie Rocky 3 strong with "Eye of the Tiger". When they tried to make another for Rocky 4 they came up with "Burning Heart"... It was sentimental but not as strong.
I mean comeon - wouldn't YOU rather have "the eye... the eye of the TIGER" as opposed to a "burning heart"...?
