New and Upcoming Releases: The Ninth Circle

[Liam's Ghost]

Hurry up! I need to spend money.

[ColBosch]

I think my job is in jeopardy.

Isn't it always?

[Blacknova]

So, is there one person responsible for killing worlds/ships/units, or are those decisions a group effort?

It works via the author taking a fair crack as they write, then RlAdrian Gideon says, "Here's thousands of words, 500+ regiments and over 950 Warships: See if you make it make sense."

So I have a master sheet, based on Oysteins earlier research, which goes in 5 year steps from 2765 to 2865. Each unit has start and end stats for each war, and notes where it was at any particular time. We generate the back of book tables from that. I often map them all too in ArcGIS as I map the waves and campaigns for the book.

If a unit is killed in the book I kill it in the tables. Other deaths are generally up to me, though I do randomise a lot to save time. Others back stop me to make sure I don't get overzealous with my blood lust. A lot of conversations go on and we discuss and debste what works, emwhat does not and what feels right. Things like the Sword of Lighr can take a lot work and research. For irregularities in the text, I try and find a solution and advise the author or editor.

A usual conversation is me killing the entire Davion Guards Brigade, to which Welshman then goes and complains to Adrian Gideon that I'm being a prick. Adrian tells me to reinstate them, and I then go and sulk and conplain about the constant harrasment and victimisation of Lyran fans. Alex Knight then consoles me, and asks me to let the DG live so Welshman stops being angry and making AK do all the ACS conversions again  I relent and reinstate the guards...then I go wipe out all the Avalon Hussars and it starts again >:D

Similar process is used for WarShip, especially for the 2nd War, 1st War was just too big, and for killing worlds.

All in all, I get to kill a lot of stuff and play with all the little toy soldiers, so its a lot of fun.

Took about a month of nights for 1st war,  2 weeks for 2nd war, as we had the base info ready the second time around.

Hope that answers your question.

[YingJanshi]

I think my job is in jeopardy.

What? You can't replace Alex Trebek....  ??? ::)

[Alexander Knight]

A usual conversation is me killing the entire Davion Guards Brigade, to which Welshman then goes and complains to Adrian Gideon that I'm being a prick. Adrian tells me to reinstate them, and I then go and sulk and conplain about the constant harrasment and victimisation of Lyran fans. Alex Knight then consoles me, and asks me to let the DG live so Welshman stops being angry and making AK do all the ACS conversions again  I relent and reinstate the guards...then I go wipe out all the Avalon Hussars and it starts again >:D

This is more accurate than many people might think.  ;D

[Adrian Gideon]

<snip>

Add to this, that I actually lay out and produce the books, and as a loyal son of the Sons, everything gets fixed in the end.

[Cubby]

This is more accurate than many people might think.  ;D

Imagine how it looks to someone like me, who is not directly involved, but sees maybe 35% of the total number of e-mails going by, and has to try to figure out what the great googly-moogly is going on over there...

[Blacknova]

We find it best to keep you authors in the dark, you're to creative for your own own good.

[Blacknova]

Add to this, that I actually lay out and produce the books, and as a loyal son of the Sons, everything gets fixed in the end.

So he claims...

[sadlerbw]

<words>

Yes, actually that was a fantastic explanation. So you pretty much knew where you started and where you were going to end. Seems kind of obvious now, but for whatever reason I didn't really think about that before. The details of where things fall off the spreadsheet is some combo of fitting in to existing story, and cool ideas you or the writers come up with.

I'm a Suns fan (although not exclusively), so seeing the guards go squish would have made me a little sad...but you can have the Avalon Hussars. Always letting the Crucis and Draconis march forces get beat to hell then riding in like they are some great white knights!

One last question though: Did it turn out to be tricky to kill off the last few warships? Seems like it would be easy enough while there are still fleets roaming around, but once you get down to only a few here and there I'm not sure how you arrange that without it seeming...forced. Regardless, I look forward to reading the details of how it all worked out.

[Deadborder]

Given that we allready knew what happened to the last Draconis and Lyran Warships, that's 2/5th of the job done allready

[YingJanshi]

Considering nukes were never banned in space...I don't see any real problem about it. (Would actually make a cool scenario now that I think about it: sending in a few squadrons against overwhelming odds for a quick strike against one of your opponent's last remaining WarShips...)

[SCC]

We find it best to keep you authors in the dark, you're too creative for your own own good.

FTFY, you're involved in producing BT books, slip ups like that cost sales

[Adrian Gideon]

 ::)

[Alexander Knight]

So he claims...

I dunno, I mean we "fix" dogs and cats don't we?

[Blacknova]

FTFY, you're involved in producing BT books, slip ups like that cost sales

Hence the brown and not yellow beemer.

[Blacknova]

One last question though: Did it turn out to be tricky to kill off the last few warships? Seems like it would be easy enough while there are still fleets roaming around, but once you get down to only a few here and there I'm not sure how you arrange that without it seeming...forced. Regardless, I look forward to reading the details of how it all worked out.

The authors left notes for xxx ship, then we tracked down all canon and 1st war mentions, and made some judgement calls.

[pheonixstorm]

Well, Stone's Trackers was supposed to be released Friday, but personal catastrophes and illnesses (across a few staff members) have delayed it. I'm told it will be posted some time tomorrow.

Sorry for the inconvenience.  :-\

Well, Stones can be pretty painful to pass. Its no wonder it didn't come out when it was supposed to :P

[ColBosch]

The authors left notes for xxx ship, then we tracked down all canon and 1st war mentions, and made some judgement calls.

Eh, just ram 'em into each other. Easy enough.

[RotS fan]

Now that the Spotlights On is out what can we hype next?

[Cubby]

Eh, just ram 'em into each other. Easy enough.

[FredrikR]

Now that the Spotlights On is out what can we hype next?

Surely the ilClan? Where the big reveal in Homeworlds will be:
"All this time they weren't just Clan Stone Lion...they were Stone's Lions!"    :o

[Cubby]

Shameless self-promotion!

Now available - Spotlight On: Stone's Trackers

[JadeHellbringer]

"God save the Prince!" *THWACK*

Bravo, perfect gif  O0

[Wrangler]

Shameless self-promotion!

Now available - Spotlight On: Stone's Trackers

Thanks, Cubby!!!

[sadlerbw]

I'll be picking the new spotlight up when I get home tonight, so no spoilers please!

[Kit deSummersville]

The action butler did it.

[ActionButler]

And I would have gotten away with it, too, if it weren't for you meddling writers

[mbear]

New defense against charge attacks!

[Wrangler]

Stone's Trackers  - Question.  What happened to the Degraz version of the Wight? It mentions it in the book but missing