Would this kind of story interest you?

Would you read a story like this?

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MFontana

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Just had another idea pop into my head for a story. I don't have the time to actually write it at present with my other active projects, but I'm still curious if there happens to be any interest in the premise.

The basic idea is a cross-over between Mech-Warrior, Lancer (The TTRPG), and Zoids: New Century Zero; where the characters are competitive mech pilots for a team-based league-style competition as the setting's "Baseball" or "Football" or "Basketball" equivalent sport.

The "Main Cast" form one team, with the supporting cast of rival teams (friendly-rivals), antagonist-teams (villains), and all of them vying for ranks, championships, and prestige in the admittedly dangerous sport by competing against one another in a series of PvP matches.

So, like the title of the thread implies, would this kind of series interest you?
As a reader?
or as an Author?
 

FRWriter

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This would be hell to narrate and quickly become boring. I don't think this idea would make for a fun read. Would work for an anime, though.
 

Eldoria

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I've always disliked sports fiction or tournaments... I've only ever watched two fictions. But that was a long time ago. Besides, why bother watching sports fiction when we can watch live sports?
 

Bald-san

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Just had another idea pop into my head for a story. I don't have the time to actually write it at present with my other active projects, but I'm still curious if there happens to be any interest in the premise.

The basic idea is a cross-over between Mech-Warrior, Lancer (The TTRPG), and Zoids: New Century Zero; where the characters are competitive mech pilots for a team-based league-style competition as the setting's "Baseball" or "Football" or "Basketball" equivalent sport.

The "Main Cast" form one team, with the supporting cast of rival teams (friendly-rivals), antagonist-teams (villains), and all of them vying for ranks, championships, and prestige in the admittedly dangerous sport by competing against one another in a series of PvP matches.

So, like the title of the thread implies, would this kind of series interest you?
As a reader?
or as an Author?
That would be hard to narrate, first of all it is interesting as a reader, but I would personally scrap that idea just because it's hard to write (or have any reference that I know of?) mecha pilot's competition.

I'm currently writing a Pokemon fanfic and stalling as much as I cna before I need to write the commentaries, so there's my laziness too
 

Wamba2K

90 Reasons To Sleep. 10 Reasons To Write.
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Just had another idea pop into my head for a story. I don't have the time to actually write it at present with my other active projects, but I'm still curious if there happens to be any interest in the premise.

The basic idea is a cross-over between Mech-Warrior, Lancer (The TTRPG), and Zoids: New Century Zero; where the characters are competitive mech pilots for a team-based league-style competition as the setting's "Baseball" or "Football" or "Basketball" equivalent sport.

The "Main Cast" form one team, with the supporting cast of rival teams (friendly-rivals), antagonist-teams (villains), and all of them vying for ranks, championships, and prestige in the admittedly dangerous sport by competing against one another in a series of PvP matches.

So, like the title of the thread implies, would this kind of series interest you?
As a reader?
or as an Author?
I think it depends on how well you write it. Will there be a story or just one match after another? Will the characters have personalities or will they just be there. That's the make or break for me.
 

MFontana

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I think it depends on how well you write it. Will there be a story or just one match after another? Will the characters have personalities or will they just be there. That's the make or break for me.
There would definitely be a story / narrative if I were writing this; and the characters would be fleshed out with distinct personalities as well, but I haven't really put much thought into it yet. It is just an idea and premise at present.

This would be hell to narrate and quickly become boring. I don't think this idea would make for a fun read. Would work for an anime, though.
It probably would be tough to write, and if it were just match after match, get boring real quick too, and I definitely agree it would/could make for a really cool anime.

I've always disliked sports fiction or tournaments... I've only ever watched two fictions. But that was a long time ago. Besides, why bother watching sports fiction when we can watch live sports?
I've also never been a huge fan of sports either, closest I've gone has been a handful of anime as well; but watching MF Ghost last night inspired part of the idea.

That would be hard to narrate, first of all it is interesting as a reader, but I would personally scrap that idea just because it's hard to write (or have any reference that I know of?) mecha pilot's competition.

I'm currently writing a Pokemon fanfic and stalling as much as I cna before I need to write the commentaries, so there's my laziness too
The commentaries would probably be my biggest issue with this, besides maybe the trash-talking and press-conferences.

Thanks for the input so far, everyone.
I'm still just brainstorming on it, and may just put it on the back-burner until the other projects I'm working on are finished if I don't scrap it completely.

I just figured it could be a fun challenge to tackle next and wanted to test the waters before committing to the idea.
 

Wamba2K

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There would definitely be a story / narrative if I were writing this; and the characters would be fleshed out with distinct personalities as well, but I haven't really put much thought into it yet. It is just an idea and premise at present.


It probably would be tough to write, and if it were just match after match, get boring real quick too, and I definitely agree it would/could make for a really cool anime.


I've also never been a huge fan of sports either, closest I've gone has been a handful of anime as well; but watching MF Ghost last night inspired part of the idea.


The commentaries would probably be my biggest issue with this, besides maybe the trash-talking and press-conferences.

Thanks for the input so far, everyone.
I'm still just brainstorming on it, and may just put it on the back-burner until the other projects I'm working on are finished if I don't scrap it completely.

I just figured it could be a fun challenge to tackle next and wanted to test the waters before committing to the idea.
When you refer to commentaries, does that mean you'd be writing the sport scene from the commentator's perspective?
 

MFontana

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When you refer to commentaries, does that mean you'd be writing the sport scene from the commentator's perspective?
Not in the dedicated sense, but I may have the commentators add additional flavor to particularly high-impact moments in the aftermath. The focus would be on the characters in the matches and the matches themselves (For those moments).

Admittedly, all I have so far is the premise, a handful of characters for one team, and the basic league mechanics for promotions and rankings for the pilots and teams, so the questions are actively helping to shape the idea.
 

Wamba2K

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Not in the dedicated sense, but I may have the commentators add additional flavor to particularly high-impact moments in the aftermath. The focus would be on the characters in the matches and the matches themselves (For those moments).

Admittedly, all I have so far is the premise, a handful of characters for one team, and the basic league mechanics for promotions and rankings for the pilots and teams, so the questions are actively helping to shape the idea.
Well, for what it's worth, I think it sounds interesting enough that if it did exist, I'd give it a shot.
 

CharlesEBrown

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For a piece of short fiction, this could be cool (would be similar to a sci fi version of some of Robert E. Howard's sports stories, I think). For a longer piece? This could be a single arc or a recurring thing (my wife was listening to an audionovel that did this a few months ago - The Golden Gene or something like that; a guy finds a way to begin evolving and even develops a kind of system for hunting mutant creatures but winds up on a mech league to make ends meet and prepare for a war or some such, and another audio novel, The Mech Touch keeps flirting with this idea but then pushing it in the background).
 

MFontana

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Okay, well here's what I have so far if anyone wants to play around with it some more, have at it.

The mechs are modular frames, with a total of eight different base frames that can be equipped with all sorts of different loadouts and other modular parts and equipment. (Drones, Weapons, Armors, etc etc)
The mechs are primarily humanoid in shape (think Mobile Suits from the Gundam series).

The frames are (tentatively) named as such:
  • Archon
  • Ranger
  • Kage (Shadow)
  • Saber
  • Titan
  • Hive
  • Sentinel
  • Monarch
As for the league itself, the matches would be Team-vs-Team in a variety of match-types where the teams compete for ranking throughout a seasonal circuit in the hopes of winning the championship tournament at the end of the season.

TEAM BASED RANKINGS
* S - Exclusive Prize Rank - Win the World Cup Championship (or Equivalent Tournament)
* A - Highest Point-Based Rank - 80 Team Points
* B - High Rank - 60 Team Points
* C - Mid Rank - 40 Team Points
* D - Low Rank - 20 Team Points
* E - Entry Rank - No Point Threshold

POINT RULES (Teams)
* A Team earns two points for every victory against an evenly-matched (equal rank) team.
* A Team (Rank C or higher only) loses two points for every loss against an evenly-matched (equal rank) team.
* A Team earns an additional two points (Per Rank Difference) if they defeat a team with a higher rank in an even match.
* A Team loses an additional five points (Per Rank Difference) if they lose a match against a lower-ranked team. [Equal Matches Only - See Special Rules below for handicap matches]
* A Team that loses to a higher-ranked team in an Even match loses no points, as the result of said match was an expected loss. [Equal Matches Only - See Special Rules below for Handicap matches]

SPECIAL RULES
* Handicap Matches: In the event that a higher rank team is matched with a lower rank team, the Higher Ranked team may 'Even the odds' by accepting one or more handicaps as determined by the (League Oversight Committee Name). Typically Fielding a lower number of mechs. (2:1 or 3:1) Other handicaps are available based on Battle Mode Type and Rules. This willing reduction minimizes the loss penalty for the Higher Ranked team, by effectively treating the match as an 'Equal-Rank' match.

* Winning Streak: Any team that wins 5 straight matches against equal-rank teams is automatically advanced to the next rank regardless of point totals, and receives an ALERT flag on their Team Profile denoting this team is 'Worth Watching' or 'On a Hot Streak' and performing outside of the 'expected' skill level for their rank.

* Losing Streak: If a team loses five straight matches against an equal-ranked team, they are immediately demoted one rank, and lose all team points they have gained until they are at the minimum threshold of the lower rank.

* Exhibition Match: Battle Mode 0555 - This is an officially sanctioned battle mode where teams agree upon terms and battle with a Judge Overseer, however no Team Points are gained or lost regardless of outcome. Individual Pilot Points are still gained as normal for sanctioned matches.

PILOT RANKINGS
* S - Has Won a Championship / Record-Holder / Elite Pilot
* A - Exceptional / World-Class Pilot
* B - Skilled / National-Class Pilot
* C - Skilled / Regional-Class Pilot
* D - Novice Pilot
* E - Entry Level / Amateur Pilot

RANKING RULES (Pilots)
* Pilots are assigned rank by consideration of their annual skills assessment, their battle performance, and their current Pilot Points as compared to other pilots in the league, along with their Point-to-Match ratio (How many points they average in a match).
* Pilot Points are Career-Based. A Pilot accumulates points, but does not lose them (except in extreme circumstances as determined by the League Oversight Commission).

ACCUMULATING PILOT POINTS
Pilots can earn career points in a number of different ways. Including, but not limited to, the following:
* +2 Points - Eliminate an Opposing Mech (+2 / Team Rank Difference -vs- Higher Rank)
* +1 Point - Assist on Opposing Mech Elimination (+1 / Team Rank Difference -vs- Higher Rank)
* +1 Point - Eliminating Opposing Mech (Lower Rank Team)
* Displaying Exceptional Skill: Varies - Awarded Post-Match by League Oversight Commission
* Displaying Exceptional Valor: Varies - Awarded Post-Match by League Oversight Commission
* Team MVP Status - +5 Points - Awarded Post Match after MVP is determined by match-review

THE TEAMS (So Far)
* Team Caesar [MC Team]
* The Iron Maidens Team [Friendly-Rival]
 
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