General Victory Belles Questions Thread

[Legate of Mineta]

Metis;

 

Personally, I suspect that will have to be how it is, ultimately.

[Ninjapacman]

I suspect there might be some backlash to a policy like that, but I for one would not mind that policy if I get to keep writing. Also it might allow the VB team to read and comment on my work! So as an individual and in no way representative early voice out of hopefully thousands, you have my approval!

[Metis]

If so it'd probably be best to switch to that policy sooner rather than later.

 

EDIT:

I suspect there might be some backlash to a policy like that, but I for one would not mind that policy if I get to keep writing. Also it might allow the VB team to read and comment on my work! So as an individual and in no way representative early voice out of hopefully thousands, you have my approval!

 

It's a question of the Team having to wear a blindfold whenever they're interacting with their fanbase (which, preferably, would be never), or the Team putting a noose around every fanfic writer's neck.

 

Which is the least terrible option?

Edited April 18, 2017 by Metis

[Wellington99]

I'm not sure on my thoughts on the policy. While it'd be great to deal with that situation, I'm unsure if I'd be fine with an company in general claiming my works as theirs. I'd like to keep writing, that's for sure, and if in the end BCS does go with that policy I'm ok with it and will follow it. I think overall I'm for it and approve of it, it's just my personal opinions

[Legate of Mineta]

W99;

 

It does seem to be common policy amongst other companies, because of this concern over ideas and such. Personally, I'm not in favor of it either, but I understand it.

[Zidaryn]

Happy medium to me would be if a team creator uses a fans ideas they could give them a shout out or a small in game reward (ie: free copy of what they created), but for legal/ monetary purposes it would be "this intellectual property belongs to us and we reserve the right to use it, alter it or not use it at our discretion." Only problem would be if the fan was feeling... greedy? and wanted a bigger reward/ didn't feel they did the work justice. But still the company could refer back to "IP belongs to us." I don't know just spit balling.

[jojosqex]

Question:

The world map seems to be divided into about 20 area.

Is this area divided into maps to fight further?

 

for example, the North Atlantic Ocean consists of the Azores and several other areas?

[Legate of Mineta]

jojosqex;

 

Yep! In that Update, you can see the North Atlantic Regional map, if I remember correctly.

[Ninjapacman]

Although if I remember correctly, the Azores are not in the North Atlantic. The map still needs a bit of fine-tuning.

 

@Zidaryn It would certainly mitigate the issue if VB approached content creators and asked to use their stuff with compensation before using it.

[Legate of Mineta]

Ninjapacman;

 

They aren't?!

 

...

 

[Ninjapacman]

I stand corrected. They are in the North Atlantic. I was thinking of the North Sea.

[Prudii]

Replying to conversation about fanfiction (days old but it's an interesting topic):

It's better to just not read fanfiction of your stuff because, like it was already said, it opens up a ton of copyright and legal minefields.

"Oh look they read it and now they're using it, HOW DARE THEY WHERE'S MY MONEY AND CREDIT?!"

Spending money and time on crediting people for their ideas can be a good alternative, but you're ultimately having to tiptoe and pussyfoot around them as you're opening yourself up to criticism as it's not a good look for an original work to suddenly piggyback on what some person wrote (regardless of quality). That's assuming that the fanfiction writer is someone who's nice and isn't looking out to sink them (pun not intended). If they're like the latter then HELLO needless lawsuits and out of court settlements. Unnecessary dangers, risks, stress, sleepless nights, etc. for not much return.

 

It's why writers, copyright holders, and such don't entertain fanfiction as it has more potential to bite them in the ass. When you have odds that are astronomically weighed against you for doing a thing, you're not going to do the thing (unless you're a terribly written shounen anime protagonist).

Basically, yes I understand why this policy (which is basically universal) is still practiced; it's not worth the headaches. And I support the practice honestly. We're not talking about terrible microtransaction models, or DRM, pre order/hype culture, or any other toxic business practice; we're talking about a practice that seeks to protect their baby without infringing on another's baby.

Plus, as an addendum being a "writer" myself, it's really hard to convey how much work goes into creating original work (hey don't raise your eyebrow at me). The idea of taking somebody's fanfiction and using it "officially" (ie like some users have suggested), regardless of the astronomically bad odds already mentioned, it would still be a massive headache to rewrite/reconceptualize/redo EVERYTHING so it fits. I have fits when I have to rework stuff because of minuscule changes I've made, having to take a fanfiction and making it work effortlessly so it looks cohesive? WOOF, no thanks.

It's too dangerous and too intensive to bother.

And to make something clear. Writers/copyright holders/etc. do enjoy interacting with their fanbase, as a rule (always an exception or three). They just won't listen to ideas, fanfiction, and all of that because of the aforementioned mess. This is an interesting write up that deals with the topic.

 

OH, and second addendum.

Reading fanfiction "poisons" a writer. You can't take back what you read, you take it with you. Yeah yeah I already covered the legal ramifications, but not the emotional. Your work will be, invariably, affected by that new POV of your stuff. Meaning that if it was bad then you're like "ech, gross" but if it was good then you're like "man why didn't I think of that" and then the rabbit hole goes deeper and deeper.

"Should I use it and change it? Should I not? What if it shows up tangentially? How much deniability do I have if i'm accused of ripping off this or other fanfics?" etc etc etc.

The best policy, like in medicine, is to prevent it. Seeing what someone else does with your stuff doesn't really have many (if any) pros and a huge list of cons.

I'd be flattered if people wrote fanfic about my stuff, even more if it was fanfic that was well received, but I would never read it.

[Procyon]

In regards to the fanfic issue, it might be for the best to allow fanfiction, but to point out that you guys are the sole owners of Victory Belles. Thus, any idea that's seen in a fanfic...or other fan things...technically belong to you.

[DrYuriMom]

I've written over half a million words of fanfic. I'm happy to be an amateur author who writes as a refuge and not as a job. I tried writing as a freelancer once just for the fun of it and it took all the fun out of writing...something I'm still dealing with. I deal with the needy and sick at work, yes the "Dr" in my username is real...as is the yuri and mom parts too . I need an escape much more than I need any more money. And all the credit I want is for people to enjoy reading my little drabbles.

 

My dad, on the other hand, is a published author making about $80k a year from his writing. He's the real thing. I think authors are crazy to try and prevent fanfic, but I also agree that it's best not to read it when you're the sole author. I've read fanfic of my dad's stuff and have synopsized it for him, but he's never read it himself. For something like VB, though, they have people in all sorts of roles. It kinda diffuses things out a bit, I think, and makes it more okay for some of the staff maybe to peek in. In any case, I plan to keep writing VB fanfic. I wrote the first VB fanfic and I feel I have a tradition to uphold. Anyway, Rep Virginia Stirling is now real in my head and still keeps badgering me to tell her story. It'll happen. But all of it, everything, belongs to BCS. I know that up front and am fine with it.

 

If I get an idea that for whatever reason I want to use to make money, I'll write a short story in my dad's universe. For now, though, I'd MUCH rather write about Pensacola!

[Wellington99]

I've written over half a million words of fanfic. I'm happy to be an amateur author who writes as a refuge and not as a job. I tried writing as a freelancer once just for the fun of it and it took all the fun out of writing...something I'm still dealing with. I deal with the needy and sick at work, yes the "Dr" in my username is real...as is the yuri and mom parts too . I need an escape much more than I need any more money. And all the credit I want is for people to enjoy reading my little drabbles.

 

My dad, on the other hand, is a published author making about $80k a year from his writing. He's the real thing. I think authors are crazy to try and prevent fanfic, but I also agree that it's best not to read it when you're the sole author. I've read fanfic of my dad's stuff and have synopsized it for him, but he's never read it himself. For something like VB, though, they have people in all sorts of roles. It kinda diffuses things out a bit, I think, and makes it more okay for some of the staff maybe to peek in. In any case, I plan to keep writing VB fanfic. I wrote the first VB fanfic and I feel I have a tradition to uphold. Anyway, Rep Virginia Stirling is now real in my head and still keeps badgering me to tell her story. It'll happen. But all of it, everything, belongs to BCS. I know that up front and am fine with it.

 

If I get an idea that for whatever reason I want to use to make money, I'll write a short story in my dad's universe. For now, though, I'd MUCH rather write about Pensacola!

 

And I'll be waiting for the next chapter eagerly. It was my inspiration for my fanfic and it'll be worth the wait

[Ninjapacman]

I have to agree with Welly. You inspired me quite a bit to start. I had tried to write a few stories before VB, but never actually got anything out, and the first two writers in the community really got me into the mood to write my own for it. So these stories are really my first.

[DrYuriMom]

It goes both ways, gentlemen. I lit the flame but you both have kept it burning while I've been neglecting it. For my own muse's continued interest I owe you both a great debt for keeping the fire alive. Arigatou gozaimasu!

 

(BTW we should probably either move this conversation over to the fanfic section or let it fade off since we've veered off topic... )

[Sinboto Simmons]

Is there somewhere on the forums where someone has collected all the info about the morgana?

[Ninjapacman]

Unfortunately there is not sinboto, but you can get a pretty good amount of info from the interview with nautilus.

[Legate of Mineta]

SS;

 

And, of course, you're welcome to make a thread of your own.

[von_Lipstig]

 

-morgana info
*LMGTFY.jpg*
that's why we had special thread >_<

no good hard data except known list though

 

 

[Fifrein]

A little bit of a loophole I've noticed that must be addressed regarding the interviews and previous FAQ's. It's been said that to a certain extent, belles usually can't go farther than 10m from their hulls, right? However, Mahan does this pretty often in the interviews, she has to. So for this, I'd like to suggest an amendment to the statement that I'd like Legate to confirm or deny:

 

A belle cannot go farther than 10m from her hull on land. She may, (with permission?) travel anywhere within 10m of any other belle as well, even if it is farther from her hull than the original rule.

 

This would explain how she cannot usually go 10m from her hull but can still do so much on the host belle. If each belle's theoretical 10m field extends to all other belles (with permission?) then they could travel any distance and correspond with each other much easier, so long as they stayed on a belle's ship or near it.

[Legate of Mineta]

Deny.

 

The distance a Belle may travel is from her hull.

 

However, something exceptional does seem to be happening in the interviews...

[Fifrein]

Deny.

 

The distance a Belle may travel is from her hull.

 

However, something exceptional does seem to be happening in the interviews...

 

Damn, I thought I had that one. the 10m does seem to be more of a cylinder than a bubble, however.

[Legate of Mineta]

Fifrein;

 

True.