Submission + - The old Prophecy trick strikes in StarCraft II
advid.net writes: "When a writer just doesn’t know how to tell his new story or, worse, when he hasn’t yet any story to tell but needs to write one, he can make up a prophecy. To resort to a prophecy is an easy trick to make a story. He doesn’t even need to justify anything, to explain where the prophecy comes from or why it says so. The characters keep telling “the prophecy says...” or “according to the prophecy...” without any background or justification. The prophecy is just there. And of course each time a character talks about the prophecy, he is at least respectful and usually speaks with solemnity and deep eyes. Even the bad guys believe, and if someone laugh at it, then this is the moron, the dumb guy. Nobody in the story will challenge the prophecy or say it is crap or bullshit.
The writer can also lengthen the story by telling us how the characters discover the prophecy. Well, first they will have heard about it. Then they have to find the writings or someone telling the prophecy to them. Before that, they will have to get somewhere, break in something, quite a journey. Then, once the prophecy obtained, they need to decode it and interpret it. Besides later another reading of the same text will lead to another conclusion, this is a cheap way to start over a new stunning adventure in the story.
Everyone knows films, books, games which have used this prophecy trick as an easy make-up for a shallow story.
Why am I telling this ? Because I’m just tired of those prophecy stories, I’m sick of it. Enough. Please, can someone in Hollywood, in editors companies, in video game teams, tell them to stop using this trick ?
Last time I’ve seen this trick used, it’s in StarCraft II campaign (crystal missions). I though “Oh! No! Not again! Aaaargh ! The old Prophecy Trick strikes again! Damned! Shame on SC2 team.”
Don’t get it wrong: this game is really great. But come on: do we really need to be treated like that? (And the Zerg burrow capacity explanation remind me the midi-chlorians in Star Wars 1... What a pity to add non-sense to the mystery.)
Does this prophecy trick also upset you and did you saw it in use recently ?"
The writer can also lengthen the story by telling us how the characters discover the prophecy. Well, first they will have heard about it. Then they have to find the writings or someone telling the prophecy to them. Before that, they will have to get somewhere, break in something, quite a journey. Then, once the prophecy obtained, they need to decode it and interpret it. Besides later another reading of the same text will lead to another conclusion, this is a cheap way to start over a new stunning adventure in the story.
Everyone knows films, books, games which have used this prophecy trick as an easy make-up for a shallow story.
Why am I telling this ? Because I’m just tired of those prophecy stories, I’m sick of it. Enough. Please, can someone in Hollywood, in editors companies, in video game teams, tell them to stop using this trick ?
Last time I’ve seen this trick used, it’s in StarCraft II campaign (crystal missions). I though “Oh! No! Not again! Aaaargh ! The old Prophecy Trick strikes again! Damned! Shame on SC2 team.”
Don’t get it wrong: this game is really great. But come on: do we really need to be treated like that? (And the Zerg burrow capacity explanation remind me the midi-chlorians in Star Wars 1... What a pity to add non-sense to the mystery.)
Does this prophecy trick also upset you and did you saw it in use recently ?"
