Help me think of some challenges!

[sholio]

One thing I've noticed more exchanges doing lately is having challenges and other games during the creation period. I'm going to try to do some things along those lines this year. These are not at all mandatory; you don't have to participate. They're just to add some extra fun and help make people more enthusiastic.

Last year I had a prompt submission post and I'll do that again this year (right after signups close, rather than much closer to deadline as it was last year - because I didn't think of it 'til May). What else might we do that'd be fun? Here are some other exchanges that have extra side challenges running during the main exchange, so you can see what they've done:

May the 4th: https://maythe4thbewithyou.dreamwidth.org/11177.html
Trick or Treat: https://trickortreatex.dreamwidth.org/20860.html

We are a very small exchange compared to these, so something like the Trick or Treat bingo card probably wouldn't work. To be honest I have very few ideas for what we could do, which is why I'm soliciting input! I do really love the idea of doing some kind of treat challenge - seeing how many treats we can get in the archive this year.

What else can you think of?

Comments

[kore]

LOL, the maythe4th one is super themed! Way to go guys! ....hmmm, I like the Moon/Sun/Star &c one (altho shouldn't Moon and Sun be switched?). I don't personally like bingo cards. -- Maybe a generated-number prompt that could be a detail in a story? Like you roll the dice and get "handcuffs," or "lipstick," or "safecracking," something that would be really AC-specific. It could be the plot, or just a detail, or even just mentioned in an aside. (That's probably unclear, I need more coffee.)

[kore]

I was looking again at the maythe4th thematic ones, and maybe similar ones could be --

Call Sheets
at least 1 story set in [character's] past (Jack, Peggy, Jarvis, Rose, whoever), pre-show?
" [character's] future, post-show?
" pre-war, during the war, post-war, Cold War

Places Please
at least 1 story set in London (any time, or mix and match with above)
" Russia (where is that Widow school again?)
" L.A.

Star Sightings
at least 1 story including historical figures, either spycraft (NYC) or stars (Hollywood)

Maybe a version of the Misses Clause that includes some historical figures, other female spy types? (Vera Atkins, Josephine Baker, Julia Child) (I don't mean to do only historical suggestions, I just always think of period type fic for this show)

A list of some of Howard's terrible inventions (I think they're on the wiki), again, roll a virtual die, someone gets assigned one to include in a story -- as a big plot point or little detail, whatever they like

Similar list of some of Peggy's spycraft stuff altho I remember less of those -- the knockout lipstick, the safecracking watch, what else?

Flappin' at the Flamingo -- at least one story involving Bernard. Virtual bonus points if Jarvis has to chase Bernard. Or Bernard chases Jarvis.


(also while googling "post-war" and "Flamingo" I found this super queer postwar club in LA! now I really want to put it in a story somehow http://queermusicheritage.com/fem-flamingo.html) ("Johnny was also a regular entertainer for wounded service men and has received several letters of thanks from commanding offiers for those appearances," SOMEBODY WRITE THAT FIC)


Games -- people listing favourite quotes, scenes, or character interactions? I've noticed that seems to be a fun way for people to get back into canon. Like, Best Fights, but also best times Peggy threw punches.

[sholio]

Oh, these are all great! I laughed out loud at "Flappin' at the Flamingo".

I really love the idea of an optional "extra" prompt, such as a Stark gadget or Peggy's spy gear - I think as long as it was optional, because we wouldn't want people having to fit Dooley's exploding jacket into cute domestic Peggy/Angie or whatnot, if that's what they ended up with. But if people wanted one, they could be given one, with the understanding that they didn't have to use it.

And oooh, favorite [x] - fave scene, fave fight, fave spy gadget, fave Peggy outfit, etc - is a GREAT idea; thank you! :)

[sheron]

I like the 'favourite X' thing, as long as it's not ranked (i.e. you don't have some kind of voting on it to get the top most bestest moment or whatever). I'd rather read about each person's individual preferences and meta.

Also in that vein, meta discussions such as 'how you got into this show?' or 'what do you like about this relationship/character/show?' can be interesting.

[sholio]

Yeah, I definitely don't want it to end up being a competition (or giving people a reason to trash other people's favorites). Meta discussions are a good idea!

[kore]

Oh ghod yeah, I personally was thinking of just lists -- like

"What is your fave Peggy Carter outfit"
- the SSR uniform
- the nightclub dress
- the other nightclub dress
- the navy blue suit

that kind of thing. Not voting. IMHO voting makes stuff less fun. I like hearing about other peoples' meta too.

[kore]

BERNARD JUST RULES OKAY

Yeah, keeping it optional is what makes it fun! But if people wanted to include that stuff and it fit in their story, why not. And Howard's inventions are so pulp-era whacky (and terrible) they're hard to resist.

FAVE PEGGY OUTFIT, YEAH. Fave Peggy hat? Fave Peggy lipstick? We've all seen this, right? https://hellogiggles.com/beauty/makeup/besame-cosmetics-agent-carter-collection/

https://besamecosmetics.com/pages/agent-carter

[sholio]

Soooo I have this thing I do where I try to buy myself some kind of gratuitous treat when I have a book out, and I have another book coming out in April, so guess what I ordered today. *innocent look*

... I DON'T EVEN NORMALLY WEAR LIPSTICK. But I've been thinking I would like to wear more cosmetics if I had nice ones, just for fun. And it was right there, and I guess I tripped and fell on my keyboard ...

[kore]

OMG, I don't even wear lipstick either (I don't wear any makeup) and I was like "Peggy lipstick? The shade that Hayley Atwell wears in the very show?" ...and argh, someone did a beautiful painting out there of Peggy in b&w except for the vivid red lipstick, and now I can't find it.

(all this has got to be the equivalent of a Min summoning spell ahahaha)

[kore]

There was ALSO a Flamingo club in London, but sadly too late chronologically https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Flamingo_Club Peggy might still have gone tho!

[sholio]

Hahaaaaa, this is too much fun. Thank you so much for suggesting this naming style ... I can't stop ...

Silver Screen: 2 vids
Howard's Terrifying Series of Wall Portraits: 5 artworks

Couples Events:
Ladies Night: 8 F/F
Gentleman's Club: 5 M/M
Tracy & Hepburn: 5 F/M
Swing Your Partner: 3 poly
Hays Code: 10 gen

(I ought to go look up how many of each we normally have ...)

Various other fun stuff ...

La Brea Tar Pits: 1 fanwork involving time travel or time loops (or the actual La Brea Tar Pits)
USO Tour: 1 fanwork involving show business
Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines: 1 fanwork involving airplanes
Perils of Pauline: 3 fanworks involving daring rescues
Star Spangled Man with a Plan: 2(?) fanworks involving Steve Rogers
??: 5(?) fanworks involving hurt/comfort


Success levels for treats (I can't come up with names for these)

5 treats - ??
10 treats - ??
Everyone has a treat - ??

[kore]

YES, YES, THOSE ARE ALL SO GREAT.

For treats, hmmm -- everyone has a treat, Medal of Honor? 10 treats, Distinguished Service Medal? 5 treats, Purple Heart?

[kore]

OMG wait, Purple Heart should totally be for h/c! Or médaille des blessés de guerre (Medal for the War Wounded)? Croix de Guerre with palm?

[sholio]

AHAHA Purple Heart should DEFINITELY be for h/c, that's perfect. But I love the idea of using medals for the treat challenge achievements. Perhaps:

Distinguished Service Cross (or Silver/Bronze Star?) - 5 treats
Navy Cross - 10 treats
Medal of Honor - Everyone has a treat

(I kinda wanted to put Navy Cross at the bottom level because of, well ... what it is in the show ... but I currently have a Wikipedia article on WWII meritorious service awards and that's the one right below Medal of Honor, so ...)

[kore]

I KNOW, it would be perfect right? Alas. -- LOL I think I'm looking at the same article.

[sholio]

HAHA probably. Using medals is perfect, though; I couldn't think of anything that was ranked in quite the right way.

[sholio]

Oh, maybe "Location Scouting" for the geographical one? Though I also like "Places Please"!

- 1 fanwork set in London
- 1 fanwork set in the USSR
- 1 fanwork set in a state or country that has never appeared in the show
- 1(?) fanwork set mostly or entirely in a real place in New York or L.A.

Also:

Cameos: 2 crossovers or fusions

[kore]

OMG, those are perfect -- also I was thinking, what about something in tribute to the musical? A fic including a song, where it plays a big part emotionally or even in the plot? Or just where it's an element.

[sholio]

haha, I love that! How about:

Rogers & Hammerstein: a fanwork heavily featuring music of the era, or dealing with the musical interlude in the show

[kore]

YES

(also possible crossover with Bernard the flamingo! Or...all those flamingo feather fans. Ahahahaha)

[sholio]

OH NO

... I don't know if there is any way to work that in, but what did flamingos ever do to TPTB of this show, anyway. XD

Anyhow, thank you so much for all the help on this! And let me know if you can think of any more! I'm going to work this up into a post, and post it to the community to see what people think.

[kore]

THERE ARE SO MANY FLAMINGO FANS IN THAT ONE SCENE and Jarvis looking natty in top hat and tails! AND NO BERNARD.

Aww NP! It was really fun. I really would like to see what other people might come up with too.

(I dunno about flamingos but I've met geese and peacocks and they are both terrible.)

[sholio]

lol, I was terrified of geese when I was a kid ...

I was just trying to work up a way of putting the spy stuff/Howard's gadget section on here; what do you think of this?

Lipstick Guns and Maxwell Smart's Shoes, aka Fun with Gadgets -

Peggy's Spy Kit: 5 fanworks including spy gadgets
(Ask me to randomly choose one for you from a list - you don't have to use it - or choose one from the show/make up your own. It does not have to be used by Peggy in the fanwork.)

Howard's Lab: 5 fanworks including strange devices built by Howard or by the SSR labs
(Ask me to randomly choose one for you from a list - you don't have to use it - or choose one from the show/make up your own. Howard does not need to appear in your fanwork.)

(Note: these lists may include a few of the same things, and a few not in the show.)

[kore]

Maxwell Smart's shoes, OMG I remember those. (T loved that show.) I like it! I like the idea of people feeling free to make up their own or use something else from the show, too -- oh, one thing that might make both lists is Peggy's atomizer when she neutralizes the....uh, green glowy explosive stuff, I forget what it's called. But the combination of spy gadgets and also the DIY element of using 'domestic' things as weapons/tools (knocking the guy out with the freezer door!) was great. And kinda ties in with Whitney too....

//babbling, need more coffee