I just want to comment that I'm quite sure that this was a fan-created story, not a Cyan-created story. In the OOC forum on the ADM web-boards, Vicki clearly stated that she created Sydney & the ADM in an attempt to get a story-line going.

es, the chat-log w/Sydney, Jazz, & Nick White shows that Nick was involved with this OOC. But therein lies the problem. Nick White is an IC character, and the person who plays/controls him from Cyan was acting OOC.

Personally, I think that's why Cate said Nick was "on probation from the DRC for a couple weeks". The person who plays/controls Nick got "too involved" with the explorers OOC.

Honestly, do you really think that could happen? It makes no sense that one of the actors could go rogue like that, and keep it up for almost two months with nobody catching on to it.

I have no doubt that the cast and writers at Cyan have regular story meetings, and regular group postmortem examinations of the logs from every interaction between one of their characters and the explorers. While the actors improv during their appearances, every appearance is likely scheduled and possible interactions discussed in advance. There must be a framework in place to keep the story within the overall arc that is planned.

So many people seem to be reading "messages from Cyan" into every action of their characters. When Cate took the DRC forums down back in February, a large number of people were sure that this was done for OOC reasons because those forums (especially the liaison forum) were getting too out of hand. So, we all sat around for a couple of days debating it on the forums instead of doing something about it down in the Cavern. But we were told back then that the actions of the characters are to be interpreted IC, not as Cyan's actions OOC, and that our response to them should be IC. It appears that many people have still not absorbed that lesson.

When Cate took the DRC forums down back in February, a large number of people were sure that this was done for OOC reasons because those forums (especially the liaison forum) were getting too out of hand. So, we all sat around for a couple of days debating it on the forums instead of doing something about it down in the Cavern. But we were told back then that the actions of the characters are to be interpreted IC, not as Cyan's actions OOC, and that our response to them should be IC. It appears that many people have still not absorbed that lesson.

Ah, I understand now. A valid point, indeed. Yet another apology is in order. I seem to be having to make a lot of those lately. You (collective “you”) are correct, and I’m sorry that we didn’t think of bringing the OOC forums back seperately from the IC forums. That would have made a lot more sense.

Yes, the chat-log w/Sydney, Jazz, & Nick White shows that Nick was involved with this OOC. But therein lies the problem. Nick White is an IC character, and the person who plays/controls him from Cyan was acting OOC.

Is all this bickering and everything actually supposed to be part of Cyan's storyline and condoned by them? I'd like to see someone post a definitive answer on that in blue here... 'Cuz if this is official story, I'm outta here. X|

Man, you just kindof srewed your chances of getting a blue response. Because I think you're not going to like the answer, and they won't like your response to that answer, so...


Maybe I'm wrong, but this looks like it was planned at least in some form.

(03/28 16:54:34) Sydney Austin: Any thoughts on my storyline idea
(03/28 16:54:46) Nick White: Anti-restoration?
(03/28 16:54:49) Sydney Austin: Yes
(03/28 16:54:54) Nick White: You do what you do.
(03/28 16:55:05) Sydney Austin: K
(03/28 16:55:36) Sydney Austin: Just wondering if there was a need
(03/28 16:55:43) Nick White: there's always a need.
(03/28 16:55:46) Sydney Austin: Lol
(03/28 16:55:48) Nick White: Some work and some don't.
(03/28 16:55:52) Nick White: But we'll see...
(03/28 16:55:59) Sydney Austin: My last failed
(03/28 16:56:02) Sydney Austin: Lol
(03/28 16:56:13) Nick White: You didn't try long enough.
(03/28 16:56:25) Sydney Austin: The fourum angry me off
(03/28 16:56:26) Nick White: These things take time.
(03/28 16:56:31) Nick White: You can't let that happen.
(03/28 16:56:40) Sydney Austin: it doesn't anymore
(03/28 16:56:46) Sydney Austin: Don't post to them
(03/28 16:56:49) Nick White: People being mad are good - creates controversy.
(03/28 16:56:53) Nick White: And emotion.

Cyan broke the IC/OOC trust and gave us good reason to believe it was an OOC issue. RAWA later said they hadn't considered the implications.