Hello! I'm very new to the forums, so pardon any mistakes I make. I have a plot that involves two companies, and my MCs (who work for one of the two) venturing into their facilities and in turn revealing the horrible, twisted history both companies have with each other. I'm thinking of them perhaps finding out said history (which involves lots of blood and gambles and deals and half-kept promises) through old recordings, but aside from that, I can't really think of methods in which my MCs would be able to uncover a company's background (aside from finding some interesting piece of information and Googling it.) It's going to be set in a futuristic form of the 1970s in New Mexico, and I live nowhere near there, and know nothing about New Mexico. Any suggestions, perhaps?
It would be an easy enough thing to assume that every company has records of everything. I feel like companies with a lot to hide would not leave evidence lying around, even if they felt the building was secure. They would have a secret location filled with files and evidence of past deeds and disagreements. Another thing that may work is that any company that is big enough to have such issues is bound to have quite a few people within it willing or trying to reveal the truth. My only cry or caution is that if you rely on documents or tapes to tell the backstory it may feel a bit lazy since it was all revealed at once. Since I don't know if the point of your story is the reveal or that is just a plot-point that is essentially your MC's call to arms it's hard to say. I think it would be interesting to not just be revealed in a freak discovery of the secrets. Rather that the MC has heard rumors, seem conflicting documents, knows of disappearing people and spoken with shady characters that gives them the drive to find the physical evidence of what they kno is true.
Perhaps somebody who works for, or used to work for either of these companies could come forward with information, or hints at where the information is hidden. Eyewitnesses to the gruesome goings-on might provide a less dry way of getting this information across to the reader. Somebody who was working in the 1970s would likely be aged in their 60s, 70s or 80s in present day times, if you're setting the story in today's period, looking backwards. So there should still be eyewitnesses around. As to New Mexico ...you need to do research. LOTS of research. The more you write your story, the more you'll know what you need to find out. Is there some reason you've chosen New Mexico? Does it need to be set there, or could you set it in someplace you know or have been yourself? Could you plan a visit to New Mexico? (Preferably AFTER you've done enough research to know where it is you need to go and what you need to find out.) There isn't any quick shot in the arm for this sort of thing. To get a setting right—especially a setting other people WILL know—you need to research it as thoroughly as possible. Experience it yourself if you can.
@jannert Regarding New Mexico, I'm really just going off the TF2 canon storyline, since everything is set there. I'm only a student in Singapore, not even past 18, so there is definitely no way of going to New Mexico myself. I could set it elsewhere, but I really haven't gone anywhere outside of Singapore except for Brisbane. I'm trying to keep things as canon as i can to the original TF2 storyline.
just googled it, seems to be team fortress 2, loose cannon. its a game. I dunno how this ties into mexico etc, or if in fact it is team fortress. Just guessing. A companies blood gore and deals wouldn't be on google haha, there are a plethora of secret revealing avenues to take with this to be honest. Ex employee, private investigators, current employee, coercion, kidnapping, blackmail, physical evidence found when infiltrating company facilities, personal experience (MC is ex employee). X-files did a good job with dodge background reveals. I have a story where my MC finds an old abandoned facility buried deep in the mountains, 1950's style equipment with the odd bit of new tech. They find it whilst investigating a small town (less than 50 inhabitants, which they found through analysing financial records) local legends, lore etc suggest the caves are evil, the devil lives there (the usual).
Roswell, New Mexico, where they've had lots of "UFO" sightings since 1947, apparently. They even have a UFO museum there! I'm wondering if this is what our OP here is trying to tap into, by choosing New Mexico as a location.
Ahhh i was a tad confused because for some reason i thought you were referring to my story, i was thinking to myself 'i haven't told anyone about it have i? has jannert been in my house? or on my laptop!?!' Going to have to check my cupboards and under my bed from now on! especially when getting undressed! I've no idea if his story is related, but now that you mention it there must be tons of info on new mexico considering its colourful/eventful past.
Ha ha! That's funny. So I've inadvertently rummelled your story? Sorry ...should put 'spoilers' in there whenever I start pontificating about something, shouldn't I?
