Author Topic: What's the max of characters would you allow in your fanfic?  (Read 8249 times)

What's the max of characters would you allow in your fanfic?
« on: December 20, 2009, 01:57:45 AM »
Just a curious question. I'm trying to write a fanfic but I'm afraid that there would be too many characters to handle. The entire cast is involved. Including Rinnosuke, Akyu.

Spoiler:
Except most of the PC-98 cast.
"... but what is certain is that the average consumer will continue to rest easy on his Record of Agarest War pillow case knowing that his games will continue to be packaged with things that he will never look at or use" - Jeremy Petter - ENN

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Re: What's the max of characters would you allow in your fanfic?
« Reply #1 on: December 20, 2009, 02:07:50 AM »
At a time, 6. Through a section of setting, 10. And through the entire thing, maybe 20.

But if anyone could pull all the characters off without sounding like a total idiot or it being incredibly long I would be impressed.

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Benny1

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Re: What's the max of characters would you allow in your fanfic?
« Reply #2 on: December 20, 2009, 03:07:06 AM »
I have written fanfics with the full intention of including every single touhou character in the windows games.

My fanfics are a little different than the average fanfic, though.

Bias Bus

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Re: What's the max of characters would you allow in your fanfic?
« Reply #3 on: December 20, 2009, 03:11:45 AM »
If by characters you mean main characters of said fanfic then I'd say at least 7 or so. Otherwise, I try to include any number of Touhous in a story, but those who aren't involved in the story directly will usually just be secondary or background characters at best.
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Re: What's the max of characters would you allow in your fanfic?
« Reply #4 on: December 20, 2009, 04:51:43 AM »
Well, I don't plan to use many characters in my fic. It'll only inlcude a crew and some from a PC-98 game.

Just focus more on the story then trying to include so many characters that won't even be significant to the story whatsoever, especially if it's your first.

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Re: What's the max of characters would you allow in your fanfic?
« Reply #5 on: December 20, 2009, 05:25:44 AM »
I have every intent of covering, or at the very least have my main character meet every single character in the entire series, and since I'm a PC-98 fanatic, you know what that means.

I'm also quite insane and doomed to write for years thanks to this. Do not follow in my footsteps.

nintendonut888

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Re: What's the max of characters would you allow in your fanfic?
« Reply #6 on: December 20, 2009, 05:29:46 AM »
During the course of my fanfic, I've used about 70% of the cast (including and especially PC-98) at one point or another. But kind of like Ruro, this has been ongoing since mid-2008, so yeah...
nintendonut888: Hey Baity. I beat the high score for Sanae B hard on the score.dat you sent me. X3
Baity: For a moment, I thought you broke 1.1billion. Upon looking at my score.dat, I can assume that you destroyed the score that is my failed (first!) 1cc attempt on my first day of playing. Congratulations.

[19:42] <Sapz> I think that's the only time I've ever seen a suicide bullet shoot its own suicide bullet

Re: What's the max of characters would you allow in your fanfic?
« Reply #7 on: December 20, 2009, 06:11:19 AM »
Back to the drawing board based on the comments here. I'll try something that have less characters.

During the course of my fanfic, I've used about 70% of the cast (including and especially PC-98) at one point or another. But kind of like Ruro, this has been ongoing since mid-2008, so yeah...
I have every intent of covering, or at the very least have my main character meet every single character in the entire series, and since I'm a PC-98 fanatic, you know what that means.

I'm also quite insane and doomed to write for years thanks to this. Do not follow in my footsteps.

How do you avoid creating characters that look identical in personality?
Or do you just create everything on the spot and you're so brilliant in writing that nothing like this has ever happened?

Also, what is everyone's reaction to crossover fanfics?
Spoiler:
Yes, I am trying a crossover fanfic, before anyone asks.
« Last Edit: December 20, 2009, 06:13:54 AM by beaver1231 »
"... but what is certain is that the average consumer will continue to rest easy on his Record of Agarest War pillow case knowing that his games will continue to be packaged with things that he will never look at or use" - Jeremy Petter - ENN

nintendonut888

  • So those that live now, pledge on your fists and souls
  • Leave a sign of your life, no matter how small...
Re: What's the max of characters would you allow in your fanfic?
« Reply #8 on: December 20, 2009, 06:29:08 AM »
I'm no fanfic writer, but it's not too hard. Even for PC-98, the characters have a basic shell for personality, so you can develop them however you choose from there. Then again I don't share my story, so for all I know everyone is the same. :P
nintendonut888: Hey Baity. I beat the high score for Sanae B hard on the score.dat you sent me. X3
Baity: For a moment, I thought you broke 1.1billion. Upon looking at my score.dat, I can assume that you destroyed the score that is my failed (first!) 1cc attempt on my first day of playing. Congratulations.

[19:42] <Sapz> I think that's the only time I've ever seen a suicide bullet shoot its own suicide bullet

Re: What's the max of characters would you allow in your fanfic?
« Reply #9 on: December 20, 2009, 06:40:15 AM »
I can't take crossover fics seriously, I'm sorry. :V

Re: What's the max of characters would you allow in your fanfic?
« Reply #10 on: December 20, 2009, 08:33:33 AM »
I took it down before I embarrassed myself.
"... but what is certain is that the average consumer will continue to rest easy on his Record of Agarest War pillow case knowing that his games will continue to be packaged with things that he will never look at or use" - Jeremy Petter - ENN

nintendonut888

  • So those that live now, pledge on your fists and souls
  • Leave a sign of your life, no matter how small...
Re: What's the max of characters would you allow in your fanfic?
« Reply #11 on: December 20, 2009, 08:50:43 AM »
Hey, it didn't sound all that bad. There have certainly been worse ideas that have been executed (Reincarnation Alice...*shudders*). The Touhou community isn't exactly the strictest for ideas, so go for it if you feel like it.
nintendonut888: Hey Baity. I beat the high score for Sanae B hard on the score.dat you sent me. X3
Baity: For a moment, I thought you broke 1.1billion. Upon looking at my score.dat, I can assume that you destroyed the score that is my failed (first!) 1cc attempt on my first day of playing. Congratulations.

[19:42] <Sapz> I think that's the only time I've ever seen a suicide bullet shoot its own suicide bullet

Kuma

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Re: What's the max of characters would you allow in your fanfic?
« Reply #12 on: December 20, 2009, 01:18:46 PM »
Unlimited characters,aslong as it's not THIRTY OCS
Wotters gonna' wot


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Re: What's the max of characters would you allow in your fanfic?
« Reply #13 on: December 20, 2009, 02:13:58 PM »
1 OC which every other Touhou character will fall in love with and is a perfect little prince.
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Re: What's the max of characters would you allow in your fanfic?
« Reply #14 on: December 20, 2009, 02:25:21 PM »
Hey, it didn't sound all that bad. There have certainly been worse ideas that have been executed (Reincarnation Alice...*shudders*). The Touhou community isn't exactly the strictest for ideas, so go for it if you feel like it.

Thanks for the response. I think I'll release it. Sometime later. Maybe in a few days. Maybe another month. Maybe someone else will do it.
Spoiler:
Or it could just end up as Duke Nukem Forever.
"... but what is certain is that the average consumer will continue to rest easy on his Record of Agarest War pillow case knowing that his games will continue to be packaged with things that he will never look at or use" - Jeremy Petter - ENN

Kuma

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Re: What's the max of characters would you allow in your fanfic?
« Reply #15 on: December 20, 2009, 02:30:59 PM »
1 OC which every other Touhou character will fall in love with and is a perfect little prince.

As long as it's one of those porn games that you guys like so much
Wotters gonna' wot


Yamachanadu

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Re: What's the max of characters would you allow in your fanfic?
« Reply #16 on: December 20, 2009, 06:59:00 PM »
I can't take crossover fics seriously, I'm sorry. :V

What about Shinji and Warhammer 40K?, if any crossover deserves to be taken SRSLY it's that one.

(I'm only 50% serious Don't kill me)
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Alfred F. Jones

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Re: What's the max of characters would you allow in your fanfic?
« Reply #17 on: December 20, 2009, 07:41:54 PM »
How do you avoid creating characters that look identical in personality?
Or do you just create everything on the spot and you're so brilliant in writing that nothing like this has ever happened?

I just create everything on the spot and I'm so brilliant in writing that nothing like this has ever happened.

Actually, I find that the best way to avoid this is to observe people more. Remember that for the most part, no two people's personalities are the same, but no two people's personalities are widely divergent either. It's all right for some characters to have things in common-- in fact, it's to be expected. Also, everyone has their weird quirks that help characterize them in some way.

And depending on the size of your cast, you don't need to characterize everybody; some characters do need to be flat, unchanging backgrounds to a story, and that's totally fine. It's your mains you need to worry about, and as to characterizing them, I am afraid I don't have a ready answer for you. It just comes kind of... naturally, I guess. At least to me. Sorry I can't help with that.

Re: What's the max of characters would you allow in your fanfic?
« Reply #18 on: December 20, 2009, 08:59:13 PM »
I once had an idea for creating a fic based on that "Fragrance of Oriental Sunflower" IOSYS flash, and it would involve every single Windows character, plus the non-game characters. However, I have since realized that this is beyond the limits of my madness.

Bias Bus

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Re: What's the max of characters would you allow in your fanfic?
« Reply #19 on: December 21, 2009, 02:48:19 AM »
How do you avoid creating characters that look identical in personality?
Or do you just create everything on the spot and you're so brilliant in writing that nothing like this has ever happened?
Pretty much what Ruro said. I honestly haven't had this happen to me yet either...

Also, what is everyone's reaction to crossover fanfics?
Spoiler:
Yes, I am trying a crossover fanfic, before anyone asks.
I'll support them. I've had several ideas for some recently, but I'm too much of a lazy git to actually fund them. Yeah I hate myself for it too...

1 OC which every other Touhou character will fall in love with and is a perfect little prince.
Quote
As long as it's one of those porn games that I like so much.
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"The only guy you know to draw fat Touhous." - Erebus

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Re: What's the max of characters would you allow in your fanfic?
« Reply #20 on: December 21, 2009, 06:29:41 PM »
Well, if you're careful about the OCs, you should be fine. Go find my story - Everlasting Wanderers. Two characters that I created for another story entirely have, for the sake of the fanfic, been plopped into Gensokyo. In my case, these characters already have a backstory, and an existence - but somewhere else. How do they react to another world?

Keep in mind, though, that they each have limitations - between the two of them, Sara is probably the most dangerous, because you can't restrain her mind. Acied is pretty dangerous, because if he can manage to sing to himself or hears any music whatsoever, he can shapeshift into something strong enough to knock your head off.

But, Sara is upset about having been sucked to Gensokyo and is very emotionally unstable right now, and Acied is tonedeaf, so singing for himself doesn't work too well.

But, Sara needs her harp to be able to play worthy music, and she's very attached to her harp. It's her weakness, as Mokou finds out (and also her berserk button). And, should anything happen to her, Acied flips out starts to panic, cuz she's his girlfriend.

Having a glaring weakness can help (in this case, the language barrier), but don't put so much focus on it in an attempt to say 'look everyone, my OC isn't perfect, I didn't make a Mary Sue' - just be confidant that your character can stand on their own.

Now, because I'm on my brothers laptop and he doesn't use Firefox, the text box is jumping all over the place and giving me a headache. I'm gonna wrap this up now.
« Last Edit: December 21, 2009, 06:35:46 PM by Esifex »