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Again, I am not trying to question the merit of what you're saying. I'm questioning whether it in fact has anything to do with the definition of Continuity Lockout, which is what everyone else in this thread is discussing.
(Although I do feel that your comments - and the previous poster - seem to dismiss the existence and/or value of serial works).
edited 8th Oct '12 10:07:37 PM by nrjxll
I'm confused. How is what I said not compatible with said definition?
Because of things like this:
However, if they start playing said game and are instantly confused by the narrative, plot and character dynamics because the story fails to adequately explain it, that's a lockout.
It's only Continuity Lockout if the reason the player is confused is because understanding the story does require familiarity with other works from the Star Wars Expanded Universe. If the story just fails to adequately explain things on its own, then that's just a badly written individual work and has nothing to do with Continuity Lockout.
I find the concepts to overlap so much as to be nearly indistinguishable.
Continuity Lockout is an effect, not an actual trait a story can possess.
I'm not all that familiar with Planet Hulk, but doesn't that story take the Hulk character and plop him down on a new world with a completely new cast of supporting characters? Under those circumstances, it would be difficult not to avoid Continuity Lockout.
Yeah, but that's exactly what I'm talking about. The story itself brings up tons of past plot elements and characters (Jarella, Betty Ross Banner and her death from cancer, Beta Ray Bill/The Silver Surfer, and many others). It specifically calls back to several of Hulk's past adventures.
However, you're able to read it without having read those stories because it introduces fresh ideas and fresh characters without deliberately ignoring or retconning past canon.
I stand by what I said, though. There's plenty of ways to convey significance without trusting that your audience automatically knows it's significant.
I often use Planet Hulk for these arguments, but that's because it's a perfect example of how to mix continuity with storytelling. So let me start with one that comes early. Hulk crashlands on an alien world and is greeted by hostile natives. They aim weapons at him, and he scoffs at them, knowing that he's got Nigh-Invulnerability. Then one of them actually hurts him, and you see his confusion.
Without knowing anything else about the Hulk, you know the following: 1) he is so powerful as to be nearly unstoppable on his own world, 2) he is arrogantly proud of his own abilities, 3) this world has brought him down a peg and he doesn't get to rely on his obscene strength. Something significant just happened.
I understand perfectly well what the trope description says. It's just that if a story has to rely on continuity to be told, the writer didn't do a particularly good job.