Let's talk Retcons. The word comes from "Retroactive Continuity," and what with some of us "old folks" here, it might happen more than once with our avatars. Perhaps some thread of ours just gets erased from a character's continuity (alternate history), or perhaps some part of their background needs rewritten. Either way, things would change. How acceptable is this?
Eric Burns wrote a rant on this subject earlier this year. Warning: link is comic-book heavy, and may contain strong language. But basically, he boils retcons down into five categores:
1. A new old story: Nothing changes, but a story gets added to backstory. Happens all the time around here.
2. An old story, with new info: Something changed about the old story; the first "true" retcon. This still only adds info, but it changes how an old story played out.
3. An old story is rewritten: Not only is new info added, but it directly contradicts the old info we had.
4. Something happens in-world that directly alters continuity: Dangerous. Often involves time paradoxes. Can cause mass confusion and/or fan outcry in writing. Here, probably just annoys the heck out of people.
5. Reset! Start over!: The entire character's continuity is reset from the start. All the info you had on them, and probably all the interactions you had with them, are gone; this isn't the same person you knew. The most dangerous of the lot.
Now, I bring this up because I have what I think is a type 2 retcon planned for Angus and the rest of the Weavers: namely, I'm officially admitting, for the first time, that they're all kitsune. There's a few differences between how I portray them, and how others might, but they are a clan, so differences are allowed. Right?
Still, it leaves me wondering how others have dealt with their own retcons, planned or otherwise. Got a story to share on this?
--------------------
|
Reply Main
New Thread
Flat
Threaded
Retcons
Edit
Quote
