h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Lil have you informed your new patrons of their responsibilities in maintaining continuity?

i.e if you bring something into a forum you are responsible for maintaining it, as in your case with Ferrari.

It's admittedly a sticky point. I look after Ferrari and lease him out for quests, and he's an established part of the story line, not always on stage. Vlad gave us Ook, and after a slight pause we incorporated him. Then Garius brought the parrot he had invented at Bludragon's Masked Ball. Then Doctor John arrived with a herd of gnus and a penguin named Anna. Then Odradek brought a small cat named Diogenes.

Do you see where this is going?

The amount of "performance art" necessary to maintain day-to-day continuity is getting larger and larger. I shunted the gnus into the Majic Forest, where there's plenty of grazing, and got them offstage that way, and so far the other animals have been kept to minor roles. But everyday, for the sake of continuity, I have to interact with some of these extra creatures while I'm also trying to keep the cafe an interesting place to drop in and drink coffee. It's a cafe, not a circus act. I can't claim that the letter of the law is being broken, but I do think the bounds of threadiquette are becoming strained.

And so I put up a notice to at least clear the counter. I know these researchers mean no harm, but they are making the caretakership hard work for me and Babel.

Incidently (forgive me for not reading the backlog) I have seen many breaking of those laws of continuity - especially the one about building things. All sorts of things keep being built on the beach without me knowing about them before hand, and fire often destroys everything in the CotTB.

Do you remember the SandEverest expedition into the Bond and Forest threads? That was quite an interesting phenomenon - a forum entering another forum to get what was mentioned in that forum - namely acorns.
(Very nice picture of the mountain, BTW!)

"Do you see where this is going?"
No but I suspect London Zoo is on the itenery.

Thats what I meant about the creators of these things taking resposibility for their creations.
They have to realise that they can't just abandon their creations in the cafe or anywhere else.
If they want to drop a creation they are the ones who have to produce the write out.

For instance if Garius had finished with the parrot, it is down to him to script its exit from the plot, he's not allowed to just abandon it.

Maybe theres a case for a virtual animal protection inspector to check up on these delinquent owners

I think you're right Bald Bloke - if it needs doing, I should do something about the Parrot. And I think you're right, Lil - there are too many animals in the cafe. When I brought the parrot, I thought he would be a good addition, particularly since people could put words in his mouth. And I thought the cafe was a good place to house him, since the patrons were already enjoying the presence of Ook. But I agree that it has gotten out of hand, so I think Pierrot may make an exit soon. I'll have to think up something appropriate.

To be fair to Garius, he checks up on the parrot. I actually have created my own resident digs on site, at the atelier, so I have a place for my sloth, Mindspring. But Garius has to either carry the bird around on his shoulder in every forum he visits -- hell of a bother -- or find a place to leave it. He respects continuity by realising the parrot needs company. It's easy to write around the parrot.

Ook fits in well because we have him bussing tables and beating everyone at scrabble.

It's easy to write around a cat asleep on the window sill, too. But a blue fairy sprinkling a hallucinogenic substance indiscriminately is a whole nother matter. Especially when the creator of the fairy, a relative newcomer, leaves us instructions for its care and feeding.

And eventually, no matter how easy it is to write around 2 or 3 animals or a herd of gnus, there are going to be too many animals.

Awwk! Simulpost!

Garius, bring him to the Atelier. He can come and go out Violet's window as he pleases.

Did I just hear Pierrot?

Good plan, Lil. I'll take him over there. Should make the Cafe easier to manage. Thanks.

I kind of like Pierrot. I've been getting used to his wisecracks. I guess this means I'll have to actually venture over to the Atelier to visit him... and the rest of you, of course I've been planning on it for some time, anyway, but worried about spending even more time here!

Ook, to me, is an important part of the cafe, and serves a useful purpose. I don't really see much of a problem with Digi, 'cause the cat mostly lies in the window soaking up sun, which is a nice touch for a cafe. Last time I checked, the gnus seemed to be no problem out back and not showing much interest in the cafe.

As far as the fairy, I must have been there at the wrong times or just not been very observant, but I've never seen it... or did I choose not to? Hmmmm.. But I agree, the fairy may be too much. Next time our sax player shows up, you might ask if the fairy could stay in the sax, to help out people who are allergic to the dust... not to mention being worried if a health inspector stops by the cafe -- you could probably bribe the inspector to overlook an orangutan and a cat, but fairy dust getting on the food and in the coffee? If I'm there next time, I'd be happy to suggest the idea.

Good thinking. I don't want to shut down these kids' creativity (I presume they're all young) (I wonder why?), just fine-tune the results a bit.

I brought Darwin the Ferret, who was the repository of the soul of a former Pope On A Rope, into Damogran when I first arrived. It was fun having a pet who was a bigger drunk than I, but I soon decided that he had gotten old, and nobody particularly understood or appreciated what was going on with him, so I did away with him by the simple expedient of not writing about him any more. He vanished, just like all the other things the Cardinal Sinner used to speak to. Of course, now the Cardinal Sinner is no more, as well, and disappeared in the same sort of manner.

You presume youth because they seem to have too much energy compared to us old-timers We walk into the cafe, while they dance and trip into it!

'I don't want to shut down these kids' creativity'
And yes, that's the key. They're still learning the ropes (look at me.. here less than a month and talking like a veteran!) and enjoying the excitement of the place.

Cardinal Jaimie Sin is alive and well and living in the Philippines.

Logically, Darwin might be anywhere in h2g2, then. Not far from alcohol, though, from the sound of it.

Well, I'm afraid my time is up for today and I didn't get a chance to read the Cafe and Atellier backlogs and move Pierrot. So he will remain a denizen of the Cafe for another day yet. Just enough time to scarf a few more mbougatses.

No panic, GL -- and since I'm the supplier of mbougatses, he'll never want for more!

The Cardinal Sinner could turn up quite the same way.


What the hell was that about?

What do you mean?

You can't just go dropping hints like that everywhere!

Why not?

Why not?! Because, you dolt, how am I supposed to make a dramatic reappearance if you go on blabbing to people that I'm still here, lurking around in the shadows!?

You're still wearing that rediculous toga... how could you possibly escape their notice?

Shut up.

And that smell... I don't suppose they bathe in Damogran, do they?

I said shut up!

I'm sorry, was that directed at me, or were you talking to one of those "voices" you hear.

You don't think I speak to the GODS!?

Hmmm... let me think... nope.

WAHHHHH! I only want to be loved!!

GL I wasn't aiming it you its just that out of the examples Lil gave, you and the parrot were the easiest to use as an example, besides the whole point is that if the character is still in use then its not a problem, its the ones who are just resting there not being used that prove to be a continuity problem.


Don't mention "Dead Parrots" it will cause trouble with the Python fans

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