User blog comment:Sonasaurus/343 Industries and the future of Against All Odds/@comment-189012-20120412115840

The moment you write an entry on any fanon wiki, it's already considered as being in an alternate universe of an established universe... unless the writers of the established universe begins to adopt the content of the alternate universe. That's how I always view Halo Fan Fiction Wiki since I joined.

How to show your love to the franchise? Be as close to the established canon as you can be without contradicting them. This is how I treat my alternate universe by giving my own interpretation of canon evens while being close to the established universe. However, this is also what the wiki tries to do; in all honesty, it's not doing a successful job as users are constrained by the wiki's strict rules (notably the Canon policy) of what they can add within their alternate universe and most end up with severe writer's block... or create way-too-off-branch alternative universe that incorporates stuff that is unimaginable to exist within the established universe such as a universe similar to Mass Effect (by having a sudden Alliance of Species theme) for an example. But hey, that's why they call it fanon.

So, how to resolve future fanon projects without contradicting the established universe? Rather impossible given that this franchise has developed since it was passed to 343 Industries. This franchise has indeed became the next StarWars. The best approach would be to adopt what SWFanon does; remove all constraints on what users can write. This means the removal of policies governing on content (not all, just ones that governs the enforcement of canon). Others (I can think of a few) might not like this idea, some (I can still think of a few :P) would. Why I think this is not a bad idea? Because projects themselves should define what is canon to them and what is not on their project page, like what AAO did.

The repercussion? Widespread of NCF articles that contradicts the established Halo Universe (i.e. MasterChief being a girl, Forerunners are human... wait, that's actually canon!). How to deal with this? Criticise the content by giving constructive criticism. A fan of a franchise, being in love with the franchise, would want their fan content to be as close as it can be within the established universe. If they can't do it, being a fan of the franchise, they would take the trouble into amending it. That's how you know one is in love with the franchise and another who is simply trolling for the sake of trying to get the fans of the franchise angry.

Parodies are fine, as long as they are not dumb ones. An alternate interpretation of the established universe is fine, as long as they are not dumb ones. Adding themes from other franchise into the alternate universe of the established universe is fine, as long as they are comprehensible... and not dumb ones. So, what is considered to be a dumb idea? Up to whoever criticising the article and whether the author can justify as to why he used such content for his own alternate universe.

This is the long-term solution. This solution will test the enforcement of the Criticism Policy, a policy I think was unnecessary at first when I saw it but necessary when I saw this blog.

It will destroy every established institution the wiki and the community has stood by, it will remove the strict enforcement of adherence to canon, and it will change the wiki operation (but the nature stays the same), but it will resolve this issue. But then again... I'm not an administrator. :P