Community Challenge Contest: Histories!

[TorrentYed]

Community Challenge: Histories!

– An AE Writing Contest –

 

 

Preamble:

As we've often done with each year we've run a Pride event, we've decided to add something new! In addition to bringing back the Base Contest introduced last year, for our 6th year of celebrating Pride, we're bringing out an AE contest, open to all shards! The inaugural theme is "LGBTQ+ Histories"

 

Where YOU Come In:

Write an arc themed as LGBGTQ+ heroic history. It could be a personal origin story, a flashback, a newsreel—feel free to be creative!—but it should cover some event in the past, whether that be recent or further back, and be heroic in tone!

 

Scoring Criteria:

Each arc will be scored on a technical and thematic basis.

 

 

Technical Criteria:

We’ll be awarding points based on skillful usage of Architect Entertainment’s Mission architect. Guides can be found on both the Homecoming Wiki (https://homecoming.wiki/wiki/Mission_Architect) and the Homecoming Forums (https://forums.homecomingservers.com/forum/31-mission-architect/). Things we'll be considering include:

• Total arc length: they should be 3 to 5 missions
• Usage of Custom NPCs in missions: in particular, how biographies and costume designs are employed. (Note: these arcs should be soloable at +1/x1, so please don’t tune any enemy NPCs toward higher difficulties!)
• Use of mission objectives: please don’t just do a sequence of outdoor defeat-alls. But take advantage of mission goals (chaining one into another, specific NPC defeats, clickables, etctera) to tell your story
• Readables: mission clues, intro and outro text, the mission pop-ups, the souvenir—we’ll be scoring on writing, and these are all places to interject it

 

Thematic Criteria:

• Whether through individuals with super powers or other amazing abilities, or through everyday heroes, your arc should be heroic in nature
• The arc should be about a past event: this can include a more contemporary history, something from antiquity, or anything in between
• The tones can be cheerful, somber, humorous, contemplative, etcetera and any appropriate combination thereof, but the overall arc should be uplifting
• Reference to Setting: there is a lot of lore in game, and we’ll be looking for adroit usage of things like the game’s locations and history (A general canon timeline is available on the HC Wiki: https://homecoming.wiki/wiki/Canon_Timeline )
• The arc should be an LBGTQ+ story

Disclaimer: Judging is inherently subjective and a matter of individual tastes! Please show kindness to the judges volunteering their time and resources for these sorts of events. Judges will not be participating in this contest.

Entry Period:

The arc must be published after 12:00 AM PST June 8th, 2025, with an Arc ID greater than 68110. Entries will be accepted until 11:59 PM PST June 29th, 2025!

 

Prizes:

The HC City Council is generously providing a number of fantastic rewards:

Grand Prize Winner:

• 500 Prismatic Aethers
• The Golden Title: "2025 Pride Raconteur"

Second Prize Winner:

• 250 Prismatic Aethers

Third Prize Winner:

• 100 Prismatic Aethers

Furthermore, Everlasting Pride will also be sweetening the pot with billions of influence (exact numbers to be decided later, because we've got a lot to hand out!), as well as awarding consolation prizes to other entrants!

To Summarize:

• The contest runs from now until June 29th, 2025. Final results will be announced and prizes awarded on June 30th (The golden title may take longer to appear)
• To enter, post using the provided template in this thread by the above deadline
• One entry per player. Assistance from others is allowed, but prizes will only be awarded to the submitting party

Happy Pride!

-Everlasting Pride

Everlasting Pride Discord Link

 

Edited June 11 by TorrentYed

[TorrentYed]

For those submitting, please include the following:

 

• Arc ID:
• Arc Title: 
• Author Global:
• Discord Handle (If relevant):
• Number of Missions:
• Level Range:
• Description:

Edited June 9 by TorrentYed

[Clave Dark 5]

I appreciate the swerve towards paying attention the AE in some manner and for this topic as well.  I'm not a big lore junky and that's a tight deadline so I'll have to sit this one out - unless I get some crazy burst of inspiration or something.  I did have an idea kicking around that on LGBTQ issues I've never worked on... but I'm probably tripping over the lore aspect more tbh. 

 

I'll be checking out the winners as we go though of course!

 

ETA: apologies for my mistake, I assumed this was a dev-run thing ha ha, clearly this is better'n that 😃

Edited June 11 by Clave Dark 5

[Darmian]

I think this is great. But I too will be sitting this out. I'm a staunch ally all the way but I can't tell that story from the inside truthfully. 

However I have a little experience with the AE so if anyone who is entering wants some technical advice feel free to message me. I may not be able to help but I'll try. 

[luficia]

I can't build worth squat but this is exciting to see! I can't wait to see what others make. 

 

Happy Pride! 🏳️‍🌈

[Jiro Ito]

I love this, thanks for hosting!  I'll do my best to abbreviate my usual 8-12 month editing and rewriting process so I can get something posted in time 🤪

[Jiro Ito]

I hope you will find this a satisfactory entry in your contest.  Happy Pride Month!  🏳️‍🌈  

 

• Arc ID: 68271
• Arc Title:  Brothers in Arms
• Author Global: @Jiro Ito
• Discord Handle (If relevant): Jiro Ito
• Number of Missions: 5
• Level Range: 15-20
• Description:  After your victory over the Clockwork King as a member of Synapse's Task Force, the Kings Row hero known as Absolem has requested a meeting with you to complete an after-action report regarding some loose ends from the case.

 

For maximum immersion, run this out of the Kings Row AE building.