Text Manipulation Overhaul

[FinePoint]

Text Manipulation is a mess. It has a bunch of grammatical errors which look messy at best, and genuinely hinder comprehension at worst.
In addition, it seems like people don't really know what this ability is. I see it over and over again added to revisions for any feat of changing any text through supernatural means, but the page itself seems to only describe text which changes all of reality- I think. Again, it's genuinely confusing the way it's written.

So, I rewrote most of it completely- including allowing for much more minor uses which should be far more intuitive for people based on the name and is seemingly how it's used anyway on a lot of profiles:

Here it is.

What do we think?

 

[FinePoint]

@Antvasima @DontTalkDT @LephyrTheRevanchist @Catzlaflame @KingTempest @Catzlaflame @Duedate8898 @ActuallySpaceMan42 @Mr. Bambu

Feedback from all of you would be heavily appreciated.

As always, I'm very open to suggestions for changing the exact wording of my proposal.

 

[Catzlaflame]

On that first line:

Text Manipulation - The ability to manipulate written media.

A clause/word to indicate that it’s only supernatural manipulation of written media that would be relevant to the ability should prob be included.

Seems good otherwise though, good work

 

[FinePoint]

On that first line:

A clause/word to indicate that it’s only supernatural manipulation of written media that would be relevant to the ability should prob be included.

Seems good otherwise though, good work

I included a note at the end, just to be safe in that regard- but if there's a clean way to bake that into the definition I'm all ears.

I was hesitant to just say "supernatural" because different verses define that differently.

 

[Mr. Bambu]

I don't think the old page implies it to be reality warping (several of its applications don't relate to that), but the wording is insanely bad so if for nothing other than a cleanup, this is good. Approve generally, may give insight on wording when I'm not at work.

 

[ActuallySpaceMan42]

Generally agree on an overhaul, though I'm not good at judging ability descriptions.

 

[Antvasima]

I included a note at the end, just to be safe in that regard- but if there's a clean way to bake that into the definition I'm all ears.

I was hesitant to just say "supernatural" because different verses define that differently.

Perhaps just "The ability to manipulate written media in a supernatural manner."?

I don't think the old page implies it to be reality warping (several of its applications don't relate to that), but the wording is insanely bad so if for nothing other than a cleanup, this is good. Approve generally, may give insight on wording when I'm not at work.

I largely agree with this. A text flow cleanup is obviously always appreciated, but it would be very helpful if FinePoint is willing to clarify in which, if any, manners the power definitions themselves have been changed and/or adjusted in this case.

 

[FinePoint]

I largely agree with this. A text flow cleanup is obviously always appreciated, but it would be very helpful if FinePoint is willing to clarify in which, if any, manners the power definitions themselves have been changed and/or adjusted in this case.

Fundamentally, the only substantive change I made was the clarification in the definition that it may be something mundane like just changing text via supernatural means. However, as Bambu pointed out the ability examples seemed to already include things which weren't reality warping, and as I pointed out, that's been generally interpreted as a possibility anyway.

So while it's technically a change definition-wise, I don't think it actually changes the way we have been using it.

I also added one more example and one more notable user.

 

[FinePoint]

This still needs attention.

 

[Antvasima]

@DarkDragonMedeus @Mr. Bambu @Just_a_Random_Butler @Agnaa @Celestial_Pegasus @Wokistan @Ultima_Reality @Elizhaa @Qawsedf234 @Sir_Ovens @Damage3245 @Starter_Pack @Abstractions @Colonel_Krukov @SamanPatou @GyroNutz @Firestorm808 @Everything12 @Maverick_Zero_X @Crabwhale @GrathOfLux @Dereck03 @Planck69 @LephyrTheRevanchist

Are any of you willing to help evaluate this please?

 

[SamanPatou]

I'm going to be honest, I find the ability itself to be rather pointless and just a subset or application of other powers. Even the rework (which, mind you, is well done) doesn't convince me of the utility of this page.

There also seem to be only 50 characters to whom this power has been given, I'm fairly sure even the removal of the page and its replacement with other, equally-functional abilities, wouldn't be too much of a hassle.

 

[Mr. Bambu]

@DarkDragonMedeus @Mr. Bambu @Just_a_Random_Butler @Agnaa @Celestial_Pegasus @Wokistan @Ultima_Reality @Elizhaa @Qawsedf234 @Sir_Ovens @Damage3245 @Starter_Pack @Abstractions @Colonel_Krukov @SamanPatou @GyroNutz @Firestorm808 @Everything12 @Maverick_Zero_X @Crabwhale @GrathOfLux @Dereck03 @Planck69 @LephyrTheRevanchist

Are any of you willing to help evaluate this please?

I don't think the old page implies it to be reality warping (several of its applications don't relate to that), but the wording is insanely bad so if for nothing other than a cleanup, this is good. Approve generally, may give insight on wording when I'm not at work.

 

[Antvasima]

Thank you for helping out.

 

[DarkDragonMedeus]

FinePoint's version looks better, and Text Manipulation isn't quite my strong suit, but I do know Koichi Hirose is commonly mentioned as an example user.

 

[ByArrow]

I have Antvasima's permission to comment here.

Willow should be added to this page as a user.

To move a piece of writing, to transfer it from where it was originally written onto other surfaces—such as human skin—should also be included among the possible uses

 

[Mr. Bambu]

If we're talking about common users now, Voldemort seems ideal, with Tom Riddle's journal spontaneously writing text to speak to Harry Potter? Although, looking at the profile, it seems he isn't listed as actually having that ability, strange.

Can't speak much on DDM's proposal but the Willow one is alright. It's a reasonably well known character, diversity of examples is good, etc. Possible uses is basic examples rather than an exhaustive list, so idrc if we add examples to match the example users.

 

[FinePoint]

I'm going to be honest, I find the ability itself to be rather pointless and just a subset or application of other powers. Even the rework (which, mind you, is well done) doesn't convince me of the utility of this page.

Well, a lot of pages are technically just a subset or application of other powers.
My personal criteria is based off whether or not its a common trope on its own, and from that perspective there is a lot of examples of characters manipulating specifically text as opposed to having minor reality warping in general- especially in verses with magic where there's often an emphasis on the power of particular words and phrases.

Anyway, we now have three new proposals for notable users, and we already have three listed- so we'd need to start being picky.

Perhaps we should emphasize variety.

 

[Crabwhale]

I'd implore everyone to limit character proposals to one or two per medium (anime, video games, movies, etc.) for every power page.

Rework is fine, also.

 

[Elizhaa]

For the example, Plot Manipulation might be a more notable example than Subjective Reality; the Plot Manipulation also made reference to the ability. Overall, the page seems largely fine,

 

[FinePoint]

For the example, Plot Manipulation might be a more notable example than Subjective Reality; the Plot Manipulation also made reference to the ability. Overall, the page seems largely fine,

I added it to the list.

 

[FinePoint]

I'd implore everyone to limit character proposals to one or two per medium (anime, video games, movies, etc.) for every power page.

Rework is fine, also.

The current distribution is this (including what's there plus proposals):

Manga/Anime:
Ichibē_Hyōsube
Koichi Hirose

Visual Novel:
Featherine Augustus Aurora

Television:
Willow_Rosenberg

Movies:
Kitty

Novels:
Voldemort

So maybe we should add a comic example, plus decide on one anime character?

 

[Crabwhale]

Featherine is technically from a VN, which would be different than an anime/manga.

 

[FinePoint]

Featherine is technically from a VN, which would be different than an anime/manga.

Edited. It's still very close in spirit. For the sake of variety, I would personally prefer an example from either Western comics or a more traditional video game.

 

[Antvasima]

Kevin Thorn of Fables may be a good example, unless his ability falls under Plot Manipulation instead. Although we do not seem to have a page for him.

Kevin Thorn

Kevin Thorn,[1] also referred to as Kevin Thorne,[2] is a human Literal who is the personification of storytelling, and responsible for the creation of all the Fables. Introduced in Fables #27 — "In Like a Lion — Out on the Lam: Chapter Eight, March of the Wooden Soldiers" as a reporter with the...

fables.fandom.com

 

[FinePoint]

Although we do not seem to have a page for him.

Well, we should probably use characters with pages.

Anyway, this has seemingly lost a lot of traction.

Do you think this has enough support to apply? We could always adjust the specific users later.

 

[Mr. Bambu]

Well, we should probably use characters with pages.

Anyway, this has seemingly lost a lot of traction.

Do you think this has enough support to apply? We could always adjust the specific users later.

It has enough, yeah. You can apply this.

 

[FinePoint]

It has enough, yeah. You can apply this.

I can't, actually.
The page is locked.

 

[Mr. Bambu]

I can't, actually.
The page is locked.

Quitter talk.

I've just gotten home, it's unlocked, lmk when I can lock it again.

 

[Theglassman12]

Idk if Voldemort should be used as an example for text manipulation, isn't the whole thing with the Journal/Diary is that it's a sentient creature talking to Harry and others who interact with it rather than it doing any weird text hax? Instead we should just use The Enchiridion from Adventure Time since it's literally the image example for the text manipulation page.

 

[DarkDragonMedeus]

Tom Riddle/Voldemort could be more closely to Ink Manipulation rather than Text Manipulation, just saying.

 

[FinePoint]

Quitter talk.

I've just gotten home, it's unlocked, lmk when I can lock it again.

I removed Voldemort and applied the changes.

 

[Theglassman12]

Other than that, this looks fine at a glance.

 

[Dereck03]

Count me in.

 

[Mr. Bambu]

Count me in.

 

[Dereck03]