#40: Why Marrach Isn't the Movies, Part Threeby Shannon Appelcline
FADE IN:
NARRATOR (V.O.)
Last time, on Why Marrach isn't the
movies.
EXT. CASTLE MARRACH - DAY
SHANNON
(smiling broadly)
I want to talk about how Marrach isn't
the movies ... about the differences
between the two mediums ...
INT. PRACTICE ROOM - A WHILE AGO
Suddenly Victor lunges at Martini who just barely gets his sword up in
time. The duel has begun!
SIR LAUNFAL
Ah ... Ah ... You may begin!
Swords clang! Victor has the upper hand! Then Martini! Then Victor!
Then Martini again! This is very exciting!
PUZZLE, a very pretty but poorly understood young woman, watches the
duel with her hands clutched to her breast. Her auburn-brown hair has
recently been cut cruelly short; it's obvious that she was a true
beauty when her long locks flowed down her back.
The careful viewer realizes that the column author is officially
cheating, introducing new footage that wasn't actually seen last time.
The sounds of the duel fade into the background. There's lots of
GRUNTING and CURSING and a few "Sorry about that"s and "Excuse me"s
coming from the two duelists.
PUZZLE
(softly)
Oh, woe is me, for I fear that my true
love Martini does not even know that I
exist. To him, I must appear a boyish
waif.
Puzzle places the back of her hand upon her forehead and for a moment
it appears that she might faint.
Nearby stands MORTIMER, a broad-shouldered, dark-haired man cloaked
entirely in shadows. He glances at Puzzle, then Martini, and a look
that might be jealousy crosses his face.
MORTIMER
(softly in Martini's
direction)
You shall not have her.
Martini glances suddenly into the shadows, as if he had heard the
words. Victor takes advantage of the distraction and kicks Martini in
the ribs!
MARTINI
Agh!
Victor seizes the moment and stabs Martini through the right arm!
Martini falls to the ground!
INT. THE PRACTICE ROOM - A WHILE AGO
The crowd has thronged around Martini. They are patting him on the
back, touching him on the shoulder, or just giving him the thumbs up
sign.
SNIDE WOMAN
(running her hands
through Martini's hair)
You won today just by fighting, Marty ...
Martini looks up at Snide Woman and smiles.
INT. A MOVIE SET PORTRAYING LAUNFAL'S OFFICE - DAY
BEAUTIFULLY DRESSED SERA
(gasping)
A snood! I just wanted a snood!
She begins to cry.
Sir Launfal looks around to see if there's anyone to help. There
isn't.
INT. THE SKOTOS OFFICE - NIGHT
SHANNON
And that's it for me this week
folks. Sometime soon I'll finish this
off by talking about how movies are
self-contained. It's kind of a
mirror-image to this episode because it
also talks about how text games can be
improved by making them less like real
life.
(pauses)
And just to tantalize you, let me offer
the following preview: one of our
actors from this week tries to jump off
the parapet.
FADE TO:
EXT. THE SKOTOS PATIO - NIGHT
SHANNON is perched casually in the Skotos Hot Tub, sipping a Mimosa
and looking out at the stars clustering over the darkened San
Francisco Bay. He seems a little less disheveled than last time, and
also appears to have lost some weight. He's still tired.
The Mimosa seems to be helping though.
SHANNON
Welcome back folks, for what I expect
to be the last installment of this
particular mini-series.
Yeah, this is all pretty decadent, but the Skotos House came with the
hot tub pre-installed. What can you do? SUPERIMPOSE: JULY 26, 2001.
SHANNON
As you may recall my subject this time
is containment. Movies are contained;
Marrach isn't. I want to explore that.
(frowning momentarily)
I suspect I'm confusing some of you
right now because I've previously
talked about spatial containment, and
Marrach is definitely spatially
contained. You can't get out!
(pauses)
This time around though I'm talking
about chronological containment ... or
maybe plotological containment. Yeah, I
did just make that word up. Containment
of plot I mean.
Shannon finishes off his Mimosa and looks around sadly for a moment
before deciding that neither more Orange Juice nor more Champagne has
miraculously materialized upon the patio. He then picks up a book that
has been lying to the side of the hot tub. Its cover displays the
title The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay and below that the
name "Michael Chabon".
SHANNON
Berkeley author. Pulitzer Prize winner.
Good stuff.
(pauses, then waves the
book around a bit)
My point is that in this book here,
just like in a movie, your story has
three parts--beginning, middle, and
end.
(pauses)
Or as Aristotle so aptly named them:
Act I, Act II, and Act III.
(pauses)
You get meaningful change! You get
finality! You get closure!
(pauses)
At least until the sequel comes out.
Shannon tosses the book to the side of the hot tub with a lack of
respect that seems inappropriate for a Pulitzer Prize winner by a
Berkeley author. Ah well.
SHANNON
Instead, in Marrach, you have ...
continuity. Unending continuity. To
some extent it's a real benefit of the
medium, but it can be a weakness too.
Shannon glances across the patio at a clock on the opposite wall which
reveals the time to be 10:37. Probably pm, given the darkness, but
there's always the possibility that it's the morning and nuclear
winter has set in or some such. SUPERIMPOSE: PART III: MOVIES ARE A
CONTAINED MEDIUM.
SHANNON
Let's see, it's 10:37 on a Thursday. If
I'm not grossly mistaken one of the
Castle denizens is this very moment
proving my point.
(pauses)
Go ahead! I'll catch up!
Shannon stands up, grabs a towel, and starts drying
himself. Meanwhile, everything goes fuzzy ...
EXT. A SNOWY PARAPET - NIGHT
A shadowy figure stands on the parapet, leaning out into the wind.
The figure's face is revealed as that of the SNIDE WOMAN.
SNIDE WOMAN
Ah! How could he forsake me!?
Snide Woman leans out into the wind. Then she glances around to see if
anyone's watching. No one is. She frowns and steps back from the edge
for a moment.
SNIDE WOMAN
(much louder)
Ah! How could he forsake me!?
She pauses, then begins to lean into the wind again. She smiles when
she hears the rapid thumping of footsteps coming from the direction of
the door that leads into the Practice Room.
SEVERIN
(bursting through the
door)
Anastasis! Don't do it!
ANASTASIS (SNIDE WOMAN) leans further into the wind and lets her eyes
go wide as she looks at the rocks so far below.
ANASTASIS
I am ruined! The Winter Weasels speak
such things of me! None protect my
honor! And my love has forsaken me!
This is sad! This is melodramatic! Anastasis is really throwing
herself into the role, though not off the parapet.
Shannon slowly fades in though no one seems to notice him.
SHANNON
If you're worried about the life of
this Sera ... don't be. I'll tell you a
secret.
(pauses)
She does the same thing every Thursday
at 10:37 pm. A half-dozen death threats
to date, but no new bones at the base
of Mount Arden.
Shannon looks sadly at Severin for a moment, who is speaking
entreatingly to Anastasis and seems considerably more terrified than
she.
SHANNON
I found the plot a little ...
distasteful and uncomfortable the first
time it played out. The fifth time I
just thought ... that's not how they do
it in movies.
(pauses)
Which is pretty much my point.
Repetition could spoil even a good plot,
and it's a real danger in a continuous
game.
Severin finally stands up on the parapet next to Anastasis and manages
to drag her back onto the balcony.
SHANNON
(rolling his eyes)
Saved again.
And then everything begins to fade away.
INT. THE SKOTOS OFFICE - NIGHT
Shannon's poor little laptop has been shoved cruelly to the side,
replaced by a looming, black IBM. It looks evil.
The whiteboard is clean this time, as if Shannon had actually expected
to be filming a column today and had actually prepared ahead of time.
Shannon fades back in, once more slumping unergonomically in his
ergonomic chair. Some people just don't learn.
SHANNON
So, repetition, that's the number one
reason you don't get containment in
Marrach.
(pauses)
There's a number two reason also, which
not surprisingly comes right after
number one. You can lose containment in
Marrach by opening closed plots.
(pauses)
That might not make sense yet.
Fortunately I've ... literally ...
dreamed up a sequence to explain it.
(pauses)
Before I go on I'll comment that a
dream sequence is one of many
techniques you see in movies but not in
online games ... and someday I'll write
about them. But, in the meantime, just
enjoy the imaginings of my warped
brain.
Shannon closes his eyes and just sits there for a moment,
frowning. Then his breathing becomes shallower and a smile spreads
across his face. He's falling asleep.
Everything goes blurry and starts to spin, like it does in movies
from the 1970s when the director is trying to show that a dream
sequence is about to begin.
FADE TO RED:
The red is slowly revealed to be a set of red curtains occluding a
stage.
INT. THE RED ROOM - DAY
The curtains pull back revealing a stage. The stage's wooden floor
is made up of two zig-zagging hues of wood.
A strange music begins to play! The BEAUTIFULLY DRESSED SERA is
dancing upon the stage. She has grown very, very short. She has no
snood.
BEAUTIFULLY DRESSED SERA
Moor der! Moor der!
She dances off the stage.
PUZZLE sits in a corner of the stage, cutting off a long braid of hair
with a dueling sword. When done she fashions it into a circlet, kisses
it, then looks across the stage at ...
MARTINI, who is methodically peeling potatos with a long dueling
blade. He is steadfastly looking the opposite direction from
Puzzle. There is an immense pile of peeled potatos next to Martini.
PUZZLE
Uoy evol I!
Puzzle throws her braided circlet away. It is lost in the shadows. She
turns away from Martini and tears begin to run down her cheeks.
Martini glances up at the sound of sobbing, sheathes his sword, then
creeps across the stage until he is standing just behind Puzzle.
MARTINI
Lufituaeb os er'uoy!
There is no response, and Martini turns away just as Puzzle looks at
him. Then Puzzle turns back away as Martini turns around again. They
play this game for several moments.
Then, miraculously, they both turn at the same moment. Their eyes
meet! It's kismet! Or dumb luck! Or something!
PUZZLE
Uoy evol I!
MARTINI
Em yrram!
PUZZLE
Sey!
Martini offers Puzzle a golden ring with a miniature snow globe on
it. She places it on her left ring finger.
Martini and Puzzle smile! Life is good! They're going to live happily
ever after!
Then, MORTIMER stalks out of the shadows. He's carrying Puzzle's
braid. He's looking very handsome and dangerous and all of that black
is really a turn on.
MORTIMER
ElzzuP oot uoy evol I.
Strangely, Martini doesn't seem to notice. He's not paying much
attention to Puzzle at all, really, instead having returned to that
weird potato thing.
PUZZLE
Em serongi initraM, kceh wa.
(pauses)
Truoc s'tel!
Mortimer places the braid circlet on Puzzle's head. Then, Mortimer and
Puzzle begin to dance, Mortimer's clothes changing from black to white
and back as they do. As they dance, Puzzle's engagement ring slips off
her finger making a loud CLANGING sound.
Martini glances at the fallen ring, but soon returns to his potatos.
PUZZLE
(to Mortimer)
Uoy evol I!
Mortimer and Puzzle smile! Life is good! They're going to live happily
ever after!
Then Martini stands, suddenly aware of what's going on. He shakes his
finger in Mortimer's face and begins to shout.
MARTINI
I shake my finger in your face! You
stole my name! You stole my woman! I
shall win them back!
And, as Martini begins to speak forward rather than backward, the red
room music comes to a sudden crashing halt, and the viewer begins to
realize that it's all about to start over again.
But we won't have to see it!
The curtains close.
INT. THE SKOTOS OFFICE - NIGHT
Shannon slowly wakes.
SHANNON
(groggily)
Sure, this type of thing happens in
real life, but it doesn't have much
place in a movie.
(pauses)
After you watch your favorite romantic
comedy, you really don't want to know
if they're going to break up in three
months' time, or that she's going to
end up with dishpan hands and four
screaming infants, or that he's going
to start wearing a toupee and carrying
on with a woman half his age.
(pauses)
The point is, in a movie you get
closure. Happily ever after. Plots can
be more satisfying because you know
they're done, that real change has
occurred.
(pauses)
But Marrach keeps on going ...
Shannon abruptly stands up, grabbing a marker and nearly lunging at
his clean whiteboard. It's like he finally sees the light at the end
of the tunnel. The end is near!
Shannon writes "Movies are contained."
SHANNON
Just to reiterate, in movies you get a
beginning, a middle, and most
importantly an end. Plots seems more
important because you know the changes
are permanent.
(pauses)
And not being one to just complain I'm
going to offer some ideas for how to do
that in Marrach too.
Shannon writes "1. Respect plot closures."
SHANNON
Sure, sometimes it's fun to break up
Puzzle and Martini after the major plot
concluded that got them together ...
but use this technique sparingly.
(pauses)
More frequently, try and respect plot
closure and instead introduce other
difficulties that evolve naturally from
the earlier plots.
Shannon blinks a few times and a number of brief images tumble by.
INT. PUZZLE'S INNER BAILEY GUEST ROOM - THE FUTURE
Puzzle is strapping a sword on and wiggling into worn leather armor.
PUZZLE
I must once more don my boyish clothes
to save Martini from the wintry hordes
of the Ice Giant beneath Arden.
INT. THE PRACTICE ROOM - THE FUTURE
Martini is sitting on one of the tables, his face in his hands.
MARTINI
(quietly sobbing)
I am shamed! How shall I face the
Duelists after I was rescued by my
wife?
INT. PUZZLE'S INNER BAILEY GUEST ROOM - THE FUTURE
Martini is backed up against the door. Puzzle is shouting at him and
waving a snood about dangerously.
PUZZLE
How could you let Victor take little
Olive? Will we ever see our adopted
daughter again?
INT. THE SKOTOS OFFICE - NIGHT
Shannon blinks a few more times. It's probably that Mimosa. Or maybe
the fact that he forgot to cap his marker.
Shannon writes "2. Don't repeat the same plots, even if it's in
character."
SHANNON
This one is pretty self evident. It's
easy to get stuck on a single character
trait, like Anastasis did earlier
tonight. It might even be appropriate
for your character to do so.
(pauses)
But at least try and find different
ways to express that same personality
trait. Jump off the parapet one week
and put half the Castle in danger
another. Whatever.
(pauses)
Better would be to figure out how your
character grows each time and thus acts
differently the next time around.
(pauses)
This might not be realistic, as real
people can take much longer to change
... but it's much more dramatic and
thus makes better stories.
Shannon writes "3. Don't be afraid to break things."
SHANNON
So how can you create really impressive
closure with a plot, and make it
obvious that your plot points are
contained and won't be changed?
(pauses)
Blow things up!
Shannon smiles wryly for a moment, then the whole scene shifts.
EXT. CASTLE MARRACH - NIGHT
Castle Marrach explodes.
SCREAMS and SHOUTS arise from the crowd of Castle Dwellers, which
begins to huddle together. One Beautifully Dressed Sera's voice can be
heard above the DIN.
BEAUTIFULLY DRESSED SERA
My gowns! My chemises! My beautiful
snoods!
Those cheaters! That's all stock footage from the first episode! But
it sure makes Shannon's last point! If you blow everything up, there's
no fear of ever going back.
Shannon slowly fades in. He looks somber, but then endings always are.
SHANNON
Folks, I hope you've enjoyed this
possibly humorous, perhaps insightful
look at how movies and a game like
Castle Marrach differ.
(pauses)
I don't promise that I won't do it
again!
Debris from the Castle fills the air, and some of it begins to rain
down upon the Castle Dwellers, who start to seek shelter. All of them
that is, except for the Beautifully Dressed Sera, who is too stunned
to move.
Shannon doesn't seek shelter either, but he appears to be in no
danger.
SHANNON
Thanks to everyone who was a good
sport, including Martini, Mortimer, and
Anastasis. And especially, always,
Puzzle.
(pauses, grinning)
Oh yeah, the Beautifully Dressed Sera
too.
Shannon looks up at the sky for a moment, his gaze lost amidst the
plummeting chaos of masonry, bricks, and other miscellenea that once
was Castle Marrach. Suddenly, something catches his eyes, and a smile
sneaks across his face.
SHANNON
(thoughtfully)
In the end, we all get what we need ...
A single piece of debris lofts gracefully through the air, falling
straight into the Beautifully Dressed Sera's hands.
It's a perfect, unsinged snood.
END
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