This place has been up for 5 years

[Jack Kruschev]

And no one is here today. If people start showing up, I'll get in touch with h to see whether or not the place can be redone. Till then, I can see everything that needs to be done and accommodate for everything as necessary.

I touched up the site so things look halfway decent. Other than that, I got laid off and about 14 hours of my day opened back up to the world of famine and unemployment. Give me a shout if you need anything, Lord knows I’ll be bored out of my skull.

[Peter "Levitas" Barak]

Got the email, thought I'd come back by and check things out. It's weird timing, I was just thinking the other day how much this and the other boards effected me over the years.

Addition- Hey look, my image links still work even.

[Jack Kruschev]

I know what you mean, all the gears seem to still be turning.

One of the issues I'm catching off the bat is that of plot. A good interruption translates to a period of nobody knows what the hell happened with their character, who their character(s) are, and so forth down the line until nobody wants to deal the rubble of revamp.

[Peter "Levitas" Barak]

The solution to that in other media forms, such as video games, comic books, and movies, is the "reboot". You start the story over again and try to tell it differently while using the same characters with similar motivations or traits.

The ideal is that being older, more studied individuals you end up with a more mature narrative that references the older work, providing enjoyment from not only a higher quality product but nostalgia from the older one.

That's sort of what Opiate itself was, really, a reboot of Red Infinity with a slightly more grounded frame work.

[Bambi Engel]

I'm always more than willing to contribute to a board trying to get on its feet again, although I can't say I know how much I'd be able to contribute since I'm a bit busy with my own life. Still I have enough spare time in the day to tentatively throw my lot in.

I'm not sure how I'd feel about a reboot. It'd certainly make things easier than everyone having to try to figure out where the heck they are though. I can barely remember what I ate yesterday much less what one of my countless characters was doing five years ago.

(Not to say Bambi doesn't have a special spot in my heart. And hey look, I've been the member of the month for x (4?) years!)

[Peter "Levitas" Barak]

I don't intend to advicate specifically for a reboot. It is an option among many options.

Another possbility would to have someone review the "recent" events, summarize them, and launch a new, major plot event to get everyone focused in on a common problem once again.

[Jack Kruschev]

How about this:

Due to the absence, one can safely say a lot has gone down regarding politics in a world without countries. I’ve thought up a reasoning of all of this, though I’d prefer to keep specific characters out if at all possible.

Artz Lehrer Pharmaceutical Company comes across an alternate genetic design of Red Leaf sold to them by a disgruntled (former) Genetech employee. This new design grants an extended life and it becomes regarded as a “miracle” and “fountain of youth.”

All Mart wishes to move their place of operations to America due to the fact Genetech did sell them a fast-growing fern that eats away at radiation, potentially turning dozens of miles of irradiated wasteland into regular, boring dirt within months. With hundreds of thousands of miles at their disposal (which the world is largely ignorant to,) All Mart recruit’s a couple other companies/organizations to put the New Red Leaf into mass production, carrying the market world-wide.

With a drug like this, obviously the Anti Drug Commission and most Manalists will get bent out of shape, especially seeing as it is not just them who gets it. War sparks amongst immortal people and the Manalists are split in two; one in the Americas (and possibly East Asia/North Pole) and the rest taking up West/Middle Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

A third faction of the Manalists could now break (as the original Manalists) who are supported by all companies rather than about half (like either side) and is at least partially consistent of the Economic Council, the Government Council, and has heavy ties with the World Bank. This chapter is responsible with negotiations and either side answers to them, although they refuse to yield power. They maintain a bipolar peace between all companies and act as the only real “court” system, with the only real law being “all meddling with companies and Manalists is punishable.” Obviously, this court would be corrupt beyond belief. People are willing to tolerate it though seeing as they do prevent world war.

The war yields relatively few casualties and both factions of Manalists get distribution under control (although not totally sealed, allowing the illegally wealthy to live on.) Both sides maintain an uneasy peace, with small skirmishes over territory being common. Travel between is run by the teleportation machines and most practices are still continued.

As for continuing events:

-Constant fall-throughs in negotiations between the Manalists. The Book of Manala (could) forbid the killing of the priesthood amongst the priesthood, unless authorized by the Church in Rome.

-America. We’re building it again.

-A boost in availability of jobs is open again.

-Terrorism is still strong, but Rome is now off-limits for attack.

-The drug business is booming again, with Red Leaf rare, but profitable. Chemical recipes for various new drugs are now on the market, making the Enlightened brotherhood richer and more popular. (If anyone has seen the new Dredd movie, I want Slow-Mo.)

Open for ideas. I just think something like this would do well, especially to get everyone where they are. By the way, your character probably moved (maybe for safety reasons.)

[Peter "Levitas" Barak]

Looks like a good recap and update to me. Gets everybody jumping again pretty-much regardless of their faction.

[Jack Kruschev]

Sounds good. I'll get together a timeline and drop it off.

I'm also going to change my name. I don't like this one any more.

[Jack Kruschev]

I put up the new time line. Take a look.

The one thing I really don't like about this is that it'll cause a lot of stuff to be re-written.

[Peter "Levitas" Barak]

So we're moving fifty years into the future if I'm reading the timeline right?

[Jack Kruschev]

Yeah, pretty much.

I'm going to hit the information section and start editing what needs to be edited. Like it says in the time line addition, the timeline is subject to change if it needs to to accommodate.

[Peter "Levitas" Barak]

This is pretty interesting. I'm not sure if I want to have my character get much older or if I should shift him into the "future" and create a new background for him as a different person (since he wouldn't remember his past).