Hey guys! Hope you're all having fun with Secrets (remember, it's not too late to
submit a last-minute secret)!
However, I come before you today to speak of the
Timewarp Virus on Friday! I know there's been a lot of excitement for that, so I wanted to just clear up a few questions people might have.
One: Are characters supposed to react to being displaced in their timeline, in an "I'm not where I'm supposed to be!" sort of way?The short answer: nope! The longer answer is happily explained by the original
Italy Example, that is, characters are completely moved in the timeline mentally, physically, and temporally. They're basically living out that time again as it happened.
(If it helps, think of it as the past/future version of that character is logging on for a few days, and the present-day character is just piggybacking in that version's head.)
Two: If characters are zoomed back to before they find the community, do we have to play them as finding it all over again? If they're in the future, are they supposed to be finding it again after a long period away?This one's up to you guys! Either they're discovering it/rediscovering it, or it's already a fixture in their lives in the same way as it is for them now. The effects of this virus won't actually change the characters' pasts or futures, so feel free to assume a very slight AU where they found the comm earlier or something.
As regards to CR on the comm in the skipped-back-to-the-past scenario, that's up to muns again. Either the characters don't remember anyone specific on the community even if you go to slight-AU route, or they remember (age-altered) interactions with the members they have CR with. Feel free to work that out amongst yourselves!
Three: What happens about future memories, if characters are in the future timeline. Will it be spoilers abound for them? Do they have to be mind-wiped?They won't have the memories
surrounding the virus, but they can keep memories of their actions and interactions
within the virus. If, say, Future Mileina and Future Larsa are dating, after the virus they might remember kissing chastely at the theatre or whatever fancy date they went on, but they won't remember anything outside the virus - how they got together, how long they've been together, how they convinced Tieria not to shank Larsa, etc etc. It might help to think of the piggybacking analogy again - after the virus, it's like all they've seen is a videoreel of those few days, so they'll know only what they saw and did and spoke about, not anything internal.
…Of course, if Future Bill happens to have a deep and heartfelt conversation with Future Jenny about their relationship, referencing their exact anniversary and first date and so forth, then Present Bill will remember that, yes. In an absolute worst-case scenario, you can mindwipe, but A) we'd like to minimize people doing that :c and B) characters can still see any posts and comments they made, so likely even a mindwipe won't reverse all the damage. Just be careful about what Future!Characters do, and you'll be fine. :3
Any other questions, or any requests for clarifications, feel free to throw them at me!
ps submiiiiiit /cough cough