HyperPolis

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: http://hyperpolis.com (broken link, try http://sunir.org)

Hyperpolis, which literally means "the city above," is a (collaborative?) hyperstory with pictures. Actually, right now it's a front page. I realized I can't draw. I am reading DrawingOnTheRightSideOfTheBrain?, and hopefully this will change.

Maybe someone else who can draw may wish to fill in. I'd like semi-cartoonish watercolour, like a well-drawn children's book.

The basic premise is that Hyperpolis is a city in an old, bazaar like atmosphere, but with contemporary (ish) facets, like neon signs and whatnot. Maybe even BladeRunner? contemporary, but I'm not sure.

The underlying theme is an analogy to the actual 'net. The whole anarchy of the city being the whole anarchy of the 'net, a good analogy (I hope) as both are randomly generated communities. With all luck, it will give insights that people would otherwise be blinded to if it were just wrote essays about online culture.

Advertising everywhere, the futile attempt at a GiftEconomy, the inability of poor and uneducated to function will all be represented in some way.

At best, it will be possible to construct this as a CollaborativeStory?, though I'm not sure how. Also, I would like to link the pages back to MeatballWiki for more realistic discussion.

I've been thinking about this for quite some time, even considering making the analogy less obvious (though that would prevent collaboration), and even making it a kind of ChooseYourOwnAdventureNovel for readers with judicious use of cookies and Javascript. But I think it will unfold as I get a feel for it and as others slap me for being stupid (as my drawings have managed to illicit the "suck" rating).

The website is also my new personal website (and eventually http://sunir.org will map to it), so my other sites are (will be) there. -- SunirShah

hey, screw them, i like your drawings. they probably have no arms and are angry about it and choose to diss your drawings to vent their angst. poot, i say, poot. -- TiggerTenango

This is a Really Good Idea. I am starting work on my own book, which I have thought of making a collaborative effort also. Seems to me, you need to come up with at least a skeletal plot in order to proceed. The beginnings of my story are here:

 http://thewebservice.com/powwow/wiki.cgi?WorkFromHome

Note that my actual plot outline is not on the site yet, I have it on my local drive. One of the best ways to get a plot line, is to borrow one from a favorite film/book. There are only a handful of actual variations on basic plot lines, so this is not really a big deal. The key is being able to extrapolate the circumstances and chain of events and character development that results.

For example, TheMatrix? follows one of the most popular plot lines, the Hero's Journey, which you can find out way to much about by perusing these search results:

 http://www.google.com/search?q=plot+hero%27s+journey

-- MikePence

HyperPolis

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