Timelines and Tags

[Captain Untouchable]

Just a thought that popped into my head earlier. I've been reading a thread that Kale and Dee have been writing, set at some point prior to Endor. Quite logically they've used a Shadows of the Republic tag: that's pretty much the go-to "flashback" tag we have, and I certainly don't mean to criticise that suggestion.

What I'm pondering over is that whether treating "Shadows of the Republic" as a catch-all term for any kind of flashback post that happens before Endor is the best option. Would it be worth having a separate tag to chart the reign of Emperor Palpatine, from the close of the Clone Wars to his death at Endor?

I'm just thinkin': Shadows works for threads about how the Jedi escaped the Purge and what-not, but it might be stretching it a bit with flashbacks from only a few years ago, etc. Maybe an "Age of Empire(s)" tag, or something equally cheesy? :mischief

[Dasquian Belargic]

If we see a larger number of threads taking place in a specific timeline, then a tag would be a good idea - but if these threads are just one offs or pretty rare, I don't think it's needed. An excess of tags can become confusing.

[Tannis V'larr]

My reasoning was that the tag only says "Shadows." It was originally meant as an abbreviation for Shadows of the Republic, an excellent concept in my opinion, but I think "Shadows" also makes an evocative metaphor for the past. I think the key is that the thread is marked as separate from the present time. The first post of the thread can then specifically establish the setting, whether it's 1 BBY or 23 BBY.

Agreeing with Dasq that an abundance of tags would produce too much clutter. There aren't many flashback threads anyway, and subdividing them by time period is likely unnecessary.

Another question: in the EU, time is marked from the Battle of Yaavin, the turning point in the Galactic Civil War. It makes sense, as that's where the Star Wars mythos began. Our mythos began with the Battle of Endor, and we've been using BE and AE for our official timeline.

I've already marked our thread as 1 BBY, and that's going to make more sense by the time the thread is finished, but I'm guessing BE and AE will be preferred for consistency?

[Captain Untouchable]

In terms of OOC, AE is the one we generally use, because it's pretty much "After Reset", and it's far more useful for working out when stories take place.

In terms of IC, though, would we be counting years after the formation of the New Order? Or is there actually an EU-defined Galactic Republic calendar that would actually give us a specified year relative to some past event?

I always feel a bit of a 'tard having to say things like "It was nineteen years ago - sixteen years before the Battle of Endor," rather than just being able to use the IC equivalent of 16 BE...

[Rev Solomon]

Even if it doesn't make a whole lot of sense IC, using BE and AE is just easier on everybody.

Heck, we can even say it's before and after the Emperor's death. :)

It's an obvious turning point for the Rebellion, and a huge moment for the current Imperial regime. By declaring it the start of a new era, the Empress not only pays (backhanded) tribute to her predecessor, she elevates her own reign as a cosmic event.

[Cael Bathala]

^ I hadn't thought of that before, but After Emperor makes sense :lol