Hi! Yesterday was a bit of a piss-and-moan apologia for those of you who actually visit this site for news on the TRO. Needless to say, you didn’t get much updating.
Just a few short notes:
- The Bandersnatch and the Nightsky have been replaced by brand new art, courtesy of Eric ‘Eriance’ Ou over at the deviantArt website. I highly recommend him for those of you who are planning similar work, as his drawings are crisp and original, combining the ‘machine’ look of Battletech with just a touch of the fluid ‘Mecha’ anime style. Those of you who find objections to some of Matthew Plog’s earlier work will understand. He, too, is very talented and his work appears frequently in the Company’s publications. However, quite a few of his illustrations were heavily rounded and, to some eyes, lost a bit of the ‘Battletech feel’ as found in the rest of the TROs.
It is a matter of taste, of course. Duane Loose has his detractors as well.
- The Dragonfly and the Werefox AAV have been put to bed. There are just four remaining writeups to finish – the Sabra III, the Werefox Petain, the Werefox ICV (Infantry Combat Vehicle) and the Werefox FSV (Fire Support Vehicle). These require work mostly on the ‘Notable Vehicles and Crews’ section, as well as some updating courtesy of the incredibly detailed FedCom Civil War manual. I recently managed to scrounge a dog-eared copy of this book and found it contained a lot of material that I had never seen online.
- We have pipelined new images of the FedSuns Commando and Centurion, as well as the Lyran Fafnir and Centurion. On deck are the Lyran Griffin and the FedSuns Blackjack. I expect these to appear in the next three weeks.
- The Magistracy of Canopus has a ‘new’ Thunderbolt. I will not post the writeup here; suffice to say it was written by none other than Mark Miller himself, of FanPro/Catalyst Games fame. These machines are not your ordinary heavy ‘Mech. They are relics salvaged from an abandoned First Star League base and in lieu of the standard fusion engine and armor, have been refitted with a diesel powerplant and fairly primitive armor (a uniform twenty points in all locations except the head and back).
There are six operational examples, and I would not normally include this machine in the TRO due to such low numbers. But this is the shape of things to come, if you will; it is a taste of the Dark Age. As such, I thought it an important addition. We have fielded the design on a gaming table against forces likely to encountered on the borders of the MoC. It performs quite well. Slow, but effective.
David White is working on the illustration for this strange bird even as you read this.
That’s all for now. Take care and stop in for more updates as they appear!
Steve
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Saturday, May 30, 2009
TRO: 3063 – Pros and Cons of the Production Schedule
As I write this, the month of May slips quietly into the rear-view mirror. It has been a good time – the weather finally took a turn for the warm (as opposed to last year's chill which lasted well into June) and I was finally able to get out there and, armed with an old laptop, cigar and cup of coffee, got writing again.
The introductions were written. That was a major writing block for me, as I did not really know where to start. And after reading the bit for Draconis Combine vehicles, some may agree that I really did not know where to stop. Be that as it may, I am done with them (except for polishing, of course).
Another thing out of the way: the Werefox line, another enormous chunk of ‘Lord-help-me’. It was just sitting there, waiting for me to think of something intelligent to say about it. I have to admit, I nearly combined four of the original six vehicles into a single writeup just to get them out of the way.
But as I began to dig into the Werefox Commander, several things began to happen. I eventually finished the Commander, only to spend the next three days tweaking and re-designing the remaining vehicles and even coming up with a new (!) VTOL to assist them. There was a common theme and a good reason to build all of these machines – I just had to get the juices flowing and hey presto!
The last of the Werefox line is getting a second polish. Meanwhile, I have begun on the Table of Contents (TOC) and Credits section. And this brings me to a somewhat awkward confession.
This project originally began as a stack of images linked to text files which contained the basic design for an Inner Sphere ‘Mech or Vehicle. The artist wanted this all assembled and written while he pursued other projects. Over the course of 2008, I dropped some designs and modified others, but always kept to a theme. However, it was not until mid-2008 that I began to notice some of the art pieces were more derivative than others. Furthermore, there were a host of additional vehicles AND ‘Mechs which had crept into the project, in the interests of expanding on an idea or just covering a greater range of missions. I mean, who has not tinkered with the Heavy Metal Vee © design program and seen the Level 3 option of ‘minesweeper’? And yet there are precious few examples of a dedicated minesweeper to be found in other publications.
All of this has be illustrated, all of it at a level comparable with the original company publications. To do otherwise, to allow thinly-disguised copies of other artist’s works to appear in our TRO (yes, even with a long list of ‘credits’ for inspiration) would spoil everything I and my talented associates have labored over so hard and for so long.
So it was that I gathered the art together and enlisted the aid of Eric ‘Eriance’ Ou from the DeviantArt website to go through it and validate the degree of originality in each piece. Many passed – some did not. And so I find myself digging even deeper into my bank account to fund what amounts to the ‘rework’ of several pieces. This, in addition to the pieces I had to commission in order to illustrate the newer designs, accounts for much of the delay in getting TRO:3063 to bed. After an outlay of $600, I am still budgeting artwork, though the end is in sight.
Today I shot off $75 via PayPal to two of our most talented artists, David White and Eriance. More will follow; despite his offer to do some work for free, I do not feel it is right to burden Eriance with the problems created by another. He gets paid, though it is at a reduced rate due to his insistence on helping me set things right. Everyone, even the massively busy MechaMaster, is pitching in. We will bring you the best we can do.
General George Patton once remarked that ‘the best is the enemy of the good’. Most of you have probably heard and understand that pithy remark, so I won’t elaborate. But I consulted the prolific, knowledgeable and very kind Mike Miller to make sure we were doing writing which was up to the standards of the company products. And I need not elaborate on the amount of re-writes, editing and subsequent polishing which have gone into even the smallest of our entries. It isn’t about just kicking out a TRO and basking in the resulting (minor) burst of glory. How many of you actually take the time to go collect the other fan-created TROs out there? This one will be worth the effort. You will actually want to field this stuff, and the writeups support both gamer and casual reader alike.
Time to draw this to a close.
The timetable has been pushed back and back and back. Original estimates put the publication date at June, 2008. As you can see, this did not work out, due mostly to the unanticipated amount of tag-team writing I decided was an absolute must-have to produce a quality product. The choice is now a year gone by, and I stand by it. Those of you who have had a taste of the art, or the writing, or both, will agree. That said, the new publishing date is set for 1 August, 2009 – just a month short of the two-year mark from the debut of the TRO:3062.
If anyone knows an artist who is talented, original and can do military vehicles in black and white, please refer them to this blog. I have several artists on commission right now, but they all have jobs, lives and other commission pieces which will slow the pace. I cannot promise top dollar, but they will get paid and earn a spot on the credits page. It is the best I can do right now.
Take care and keep your medium lasers clean!
Steve
The introductions were written. That was a major writing block for me, as I did not really know where to start. And after reading the bit for Draconis Combine vehicles, some may agree that I really did not know where to stop. Be that as it may, I am done with them (except for polishing, of course).
Another thing out of the way: the Werefox line, another enormous chunk of ‘Lord-help-me’. It was just sitting there, waiting for me to think of something intelligent to say about it. I have to admit, I nearly combined four of the original six vehicles into a single writeup just to get them out of the way.
But as I began to dig into the Werefox Commander, several things began to happen. I eventually finished the Commander, only to spend the next three days tweaking and re-designing the remaining vehicles and even coming up with a new (!) VTOL to assist them. There was a common theme and a good reason to build all of these machines – I just had to get the juices flowing and hey presto!
The last of the Werefox line is getting a second polish. Meanwhile, I have begun on the Table of Contents (TOC) and Credits section. And this brings me to a somewhat awkward confession.
This project originally began as a stack of images linked to text files which contained the basic design for an Inner Sphere ‘Mech or Vehicle. The artist wanted this all assembled and written while he pursued other projects. Over the course of 2008, I dropped some designs and modified others, but always kept to a theme. However, it was not until mid-2008 that I began to notice some of the art pieces were more derivative than others. Furthermore, there were a host of additional vehicles AND ‘Mechs which had crept into the project, in the interests of expanding on an idea or just covering a greater range of missions. I mean, who has not tinkered with the Heavy Metal Vee © design program and seen the Level 3 option of ‘minesweeper’? And yet there are precious few examples of a dedicated minesweeper to be found in other publications.
All of this has be illustrated, all of it at a level comparable with the original company publications. To do otherwise, to allow thinly-disguised copies of other artist’s works to appear in our TRO (yes, even with a long list of ‘credits’ for inspiration) would spoil everything I and my talented associates have labored over so hard and for so long.
So it was that I gathered the art together and enlisted the aid of Eric ‘Eriance’ Ou from the DeviantArt website to go through it and validate the degree of originality in each piece. Many passed – some did not. And so I find myself digging even deeper into my bank account to fund what amounts to the ‘rework’ of several pieces. This, in addition to the pieces I had to commission in order to illustrate the newer designs, accounts for much of the delay in getting TRO:3063 to bed. After an outlay of $600, I am still budgeting artwork, though the end is in sight.
Today I shot off $75 via PayPal to two of our most talented artists, David White and Eriance. More will follow; despite his offer to do some work for free, I do not feel it is right to burden Eriance with the problems created by another. He gets paid, though it is at a reduced rate due to his insistence on helping me set things right. Everyone, even the massively busy MechaMaster, is pitching in. We will bring you the best we can do.
General George Patton once remarked that ‘the best is the enemy of the good’. Most of you have probably heard and understand that pithy remark, so I won’t elaborate. But I consulted the prolific, knowledgeable and very kind Mike Miller to make sure we were doing writing which was up to the standards of the company products. And I need not elaborate on the amount of re-writes, editing and subsequent polishing which have gone into even the smallest of our entries. It isn’t about just kicking out a TRO and basking in the resulting (minor) burst of glory. How many of you actually take the time to go collect the other fan-created TROs out there? This one will be worth the effort. You will actually want to field this stuff, and the writeups support both gamer and casual reader alike.
Time to draw this to a close.
The timetable has been pushed back and back and back. Original estimates put the publication date at June, 2008. As you can see, this did not work out, due mostly to the unanticipated amount of tag-team writing I decided was an absolute must-have to produce a quality product. The choice is now a year gone by, and I stand by it. Those of you who have had a taste of the art, or the writing, or both, will agree. That said, the new publishing date is set for 1 August, 2009 – just a month short of the two-year mark from the debut of the TRO:3062.
If anyone knows an artist who is talented, original and can do military vehicles in black and white, please refer them to this blog. I have several artists on commission right now, but they all have jobs, lives and other commission pieces which will slow the pace. I cannot promise top dollar, but they will get paid and earn a spot on the credits page. It is the best I can do right now.
Take care and keep your medium lasers clean!
Steve
Sunday, May 10, 2009
The balance of Power...
We just put the Churchill self-propelled assault gun to bed. Good work by all, but Geoff is the one who came up with the core writing, so my hat is off to him.
Next up is the answer to a question I've been sitting on for a while: what is the smallest effective tracked infantry support machine we can make with Rick Raisley's Heavy Metal Pro? I guess it depends on what you call effective. We figured it would have to end up just above the Thirty Meter Limit in terms of game use (more on that later).
What came out surprised us, to the point that it actually made the final cut and we squeezed it into the Periphery. It has the working name of Desert Rat, but you know that's gonna change. It is the result of joint effort by the Taurian Concordat and the Capellans.
Also on deck: I paid off the Battlemaster art and a third piece from David White, the Black Knight.
As of now, Vlad has promised me revised Velite art for the Marian Hegemony - hopefully he will get to it before taking off for the Continent. The current Velite has no less than five fifteen-tube rocket launchers mounted on the turret. Naturally, the art needs some tweaking...
Yes, the balance of power. We have two thirds vehicles, mostly ground types with a few aircraft. The rest are 'Mechs.
I have four writeups remaining. Last night saw a sort of breakthrough on the Werefox family of vehicles - the C3 variant was a blah, ho-hum vee carrying a C3 Master module and a bit more armor than usual. Then I looked at the art again, and realized that Vlad had not thought to include the LRM-10 launcher on the turret.
Next thing I know, I have something like eight tons open on the Werefox C3 and whaddaya know? Seems like a real good idea to include a second Anti Missile system, a second C3 Master and quite a bit more armor. Oh, and an ER large laser. Some of you may complain 'but that's pretty much the same thing as the Morningstar of 3062!'.
And you would be wrong.
About the only thing the two have in common are their C3 Master units. After that, there really isn't much comparison. After all, the Werefox C3:
- tracks have more terrain options than the Morningstar's wheels
- carries 15% more armor
- AND a nearly impenetrable anti-missile shield
- AND a Guardian ECM
- AND a longer-ranged, harder-hitting gun which is independent of ammo
- AND Cellular Ammunition Storage Equipment
- AND a targeting computer
.... and it ends up being cheaper, too.
The designs we have are not cheese.... but simply certain ideas taken to their logical conclusion...
Steve
Next up is the answer to a question I've been sitting on for a while: what is the smallest effective tracked infantry support machine we can make with Rick Raisley's Heavy Metal Pro? I guess it depends on what you call effective. We figured it would have to end up just above the Thirty Meter Limit in terms of game use (more on that later).
What came out surprised us, to the point that it actually made the final cut and we squeezed it into the Periphery. It has the working name of Desert Rat, but you know that's gonna change. It is the result of joint effort by the Taurian Concordat and the Capellans.
Also on deck: I paid off the Battlemaster art and a third piece from David White, the Black Knight.
As of now, Vlad has promised me revised Velite art for the Marian Hegemony - hopefully he will get to it before taking off for the Continent. The current Velite has no less than five fifteen-tube rocket launchers mounted on the turret. Naturally, the art needs some tweaking...
Yes, the balance of power. We have two thirds vehicles, mostly ground types with a few aircraft. The rest are 'Mechs.
I have four writeups remaining. Last night saw a sort of breakthrough on the Werefox family of vehicles - the C3 variant was a blah, ho-hum vee carrying a C3 Master module and a bit more armor than usual. Then I looked at the art again, and realized that Vlad had not thought to include the LRM-10 launcher on the turret.
Next thing I know, I have something like eight tons open on the Werefox C3 and whaddaya know? Seems like a real good idea to include a second Anti Missile system, a second C3 Master and quite a bit more armor. Oh, and an ER large laser. Some of you may complain 'but that's pretty much the same thing as the Morningstar of 3062!'.
And you would be wrong.
About the only thing the two have in common are their C3 Master units. After that, there really isn't much comparison. After all, the Werefox C3:
- tracks have more terrain options than the Morningstar's wheels
- carries 15% more armor
- AND a nearly impenetrable anti-missile shield
- AND a Guardian ECM
- AND a longer-ranged, harder-hitting gun which is independent of ammo
- AND Cellular Ammunition Storage Equipment
- AND a targeting computer
.... and it ends up being cheaper, too.
The designs we have are not cheese.... but simply certain ideas taken to their logical conclusion...
Steve
Friday, May 08, 2009
How the TRO is set up.... and how it works.
Hey. Back again.
I thought I would outline what the TRO:3063 is, and what it is not.
It is a standard BattleTech Technical Readout, produced by fans to resemble very closely the kind that FASA, then FanPro, and now Catalyst Games produces. It is placed in the year 3063 A.D. and despite the initial title of 'Vehicle Annex', it deals with both BattleMechs and Vehicles.
It is going to feature at least 35 BattleMechs and some 58 Vehicles. Of the 'Mechs, some will be variants of existing designs and others will be entirely new machines. Rest assured, I keep tabs on the designs and do not want to include machines which duplicate a 'Mech or Vee which already exists (though there are exceptions, as in the case of the Star League-era Marksman self-propelled artillery).
We have some very good designs for all our 'Mechs and Vees, as well as carefully-written descriptions common to a TRO. Some players dismiss this as 'fluff', and that is its common name, but don't be misled. 'Fluff' is every bit as important to Battletech as the stories they publish in paperback format.
It must be carefully researched so as not to conflict with canon; that is, material already accepted in the Battletech 'universe' as accepted fact, history or whatever you want to call it. It is the bedrock on which all Battletech fiction is based.
I want to assure anyone reading this who has been waiting for the TRO:3063 that we do not intend to 're-invent' the Battletech universe with an alternate history or timeline. What our team has tried to do is insert war machines wherever and whenever we can in the established framework without contradicting the canon.
This is very difficult to do, let me assure you. I have learned more about the Battletech story than I ever thought I would, and still do not have half the knowledge my writing partner (Geoffrey Butler) has forgotten. But while we have similar writing styles, he has the 'software' skills and I have the hardware knowledge. It overlaps and the result (so far) is something pleasing.
It may be that we will still make errors; the Battletech universe is a very, very big and complicated place. Lots of stuff happens and if you don't read every single word of every single page of every single publication, online and in hard copy, you will miss it. And someone out there will catch you. We are editing this thing for entry size, word count, quality art, tight writing and as much compatibility with the existing material as is humanly possible with only four people on the project and three of them writing.
Just so you don't think this is a lot of hot air, we have already completed the 'Mech writeups and artwork. We have about five vehicle writeups left, then massive editorial review, then conversion to a PDF format, then another editorial pass, then we send it out to selected readers who go over it with a fine tooth comb and point out any last minute errors which have slipped through our 'process'.
I just nailed the Pershing last night and sent it off to Geoff for second draft. He in turn shot me the Diatryma armored car, the Ocelot II riot control vehicle and the Fox anti-aircraft tank for polishing. The Pershing is a replacement and, in some ways, an update to the venerable Marksman self-propelled artillery. We chose to do the Pershing because the Marksman has not been in production for about three centuries, and you know? The spare parts are about to run out.....
Steve
I thought I would outline what the TRO:3063 is, and what it is not.
It is a standard BattleTech Technical Readout, produced by fans to resemble very closely the kind that FASA, then FanPro, and now Catalyst Games produces. It is placed in the year 3063 A.D. and despite the initial title of 'Vehicle Annex', it deals with both BattleMechs and Vehicles.
It is going to feature at least 35 BattleMechs and some 58 Vehicles. Of the 'Mechs, some will be variants of existing designs and others will be entirely new machines. Rest assured, I keep tabs on the designs and do not want to include machines which duplicate a 'Mech or Vee which already exists (though there are exceptions, as in the case of the Star League-era Marksman self-propelled artillery).
We have some very good designs for all our 'Mechs and Vees, as well as carefully-written descriptions common to a TRO. Some players dismiss this as 'fluff', and that is its common name, but don't be misled. 'Fluff' is every bit as important to Battletech as the stories they publish in paperback format.
It must be carefully researched so as not to conflict with canon; that is, material already accepted in the Battletech 'universe' as accepted fact, history or whatever you want to call it. It is the bedrock on which all Battletech fiction is based.
I want to assure anyone reading this who has been waiting for the TRO:3063 that we do not intend to 're-invent' the Battletech universe with an alternate history or timeline. What our team has tried to do is insert war machines wherever and whenever we can in the established framework without contradicting the canon.
This is very difficult to do, let me assure you. I have learned more about the Battletech story than I ever thought I would, and still do not have half the knowledge my writing partner (Geoffrey Butler) has forgotten. But while we have similar writing styles, he has the 'software' skills and I have the hardware knowledge. It overlaps and the result (so far) is something pleasing.
It may be that we will still make errors; the Battletech universe is a very, very big and complicated place. Lots of stuff happens and if you don't read every single word of every single page of every single publication, online and in hard copy, you will miss it. And someone out there will catch you. We are editing this thing for entry size, word count, quality art, tight writing and as much compatibility with the existing material as is humanly possible with only four people on the project and three of them writing.
Just so you don't think this is a lot of hot air, we have already completed the 'Mech writeups and artwork. We have about five vehicle writeups left, then massive editorial review, then conversion to a PDF format, then another editorial pass, then we send it out to selected readers who go over it with a fine tooth comb and point out any last minute errors which have slipped through our 'process'.
I just nailed the Pershing last night and sent it off to Geoff for second draft. He in turn shot me the Diatryma armored car, the Ocelot II riot control vehicle and the Fox anti-aircraft tank for polishing. The Pershing is a replacement and, in some ways, an update to the venerable Marksman self-propelled artillery. We chose to do the Pershing because the Marksman has not been in production for about three centuries, and you know? The spare parts are about to run out.....
Steve
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
TRO:3063 Updates...
Hey, I am back after a long absence.
This time I should be filling the space with nattering on about my job, my life, my friends, my hobbies, ad nauseum.
Or holding forth on my religious views, or my political position, or what I think of the local Wal-Mart or Discover Magazine.
Nope.
Everyone else does that stuff to death. I don't care if you agree with me or not on any of these things, because sooner or later reality will smack you in the head. Or me.
Meanwhile, if you are here, you are probably interested in Battletech. So there is something we can agree on. And guess what? I happen to be working on a Fan-produced Technical ReadOut for that game.
So that's what will go here. Updates on this work, and the next, etc.
Let's get a few things straight: I am not working for, or representing, Catalyst Game Labs. I am not selling the TRO. I am not taking submissions for writing or designs; those are done. I am willing to look over artwork, so long as I pay for it and it meets my standards.
There! Now, it is getting dark out and cold out and I want a cigar and a cup of coffee with my writing. So out to the garage. I will return tomorrow with an update on the 'Mechs section.
Steve
This time I should be filling the space with nattering on about my job, my life, my friends, my hobbies, ad nauseum.
Or holding forth on my religious views, or my political position, or what I think of the local Wal-Mart or Discover Magazine.
Nope.
Everyone else does that stuff to death. I don't care if you agree with me or not on any of these things, because sooner or later reality will smack you in the head. Or me.
Meanwhile, if you are here, you are probably interested in Battletech. So there is something we can agree on. And guess what? I happen to be working on a Fan-produced Technical ReadOut for that game.
So that's what will go here. Updates on this work, and the next, etc.
Let's get a few things straight: I am not working for, or representing, Catalyst Game Labs. I am not selling the TRO. I am not taking submissions for writing or designs; those are done. I am willing to look over artwork, so long as I pay for it and it meets my standards.
There! Now, it is getting dark out and cold out and I want a cigar and a cup of coffee with my writing. So out to the garage. I will return tomorrow with an update on the 'Mechs section.
Steve
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Christmas of 2008, still around...
Hey, just popped in to see if anyone ever reads this. Yeah, thought not.
S'okay. Too many bloggers out there running their faces, yapping a hundred miles an hour, thinking that hits = immortality. It's all about fame.
Of course, that is a crock.
Things are weird at work. I am getting along - the pressure and hostility just suddenly came to a screeching halt in, let's see, about September. I am not sure why, though I have several theories, none of which flatter me as a person or a professional, but which have the cachet of being actually probable.
I am working on the remains of the TRO:3063. What is left is Introductions, a few writeups for the vehicles (about four) and about ten pieces of art. Unfortunately the art is expensive, although I have a line on an artist who might relieve me of some of that burden.
But really, I had to get away from the writing for a while. It consumed most of my spare time this past year and gave me too many excuses to recuse myself from my wife and son. I am now begining to re-discover the pleasure of my son John's company, though it is nearly too late as he has now got a circle of friends with whom he hangs out.
He does not prefer their company exclusively to mine. Or not yet.
Anyway, it is late and I must turn in if I am to be fresh for tomorrow. Hope this economy does not cost me my job. My hobby of miniature building and painting is on an upswing, and there are many who are interested in my reposing of the various static Battletech miniatures.
Steve
S'okay. Too many bloggers out there running their faces, yapping a hundred miles an hour, thinking that hits = immortality. It's all about fame.
Of course, that is a crock.
Things are weird at work. I am getting along - the pressure and hostility just suddenly came to a screeching halt in, let's see, about September. I am not sure why, though I have several theories, none of which flatter me as a person or a professional, but which have the cachet of being actually probable.
I am working on the remains of the TRO:3063. What is left is Introductions, a few writeups for the vehicles (about four) and about ten pieces of art. Unfortunately the art is expensive, although I have a line on an artist who might relieve me of some of that burden.
But really, I had to get away from the writing for a while. It consumed most of my spare time this past year and gave me too many excuses to recuse myself from my wife and son. I am now begining to re-discover the pleasure of my son John's company, though it is nearly too late as he has now got a circle of friends with whom he hangs out.
He does not prefer their company exclusively to mine. Or not yet.
Anyway, it is late and I must turn in if I am to be fresh for tomorrow. Hope this economy does not cost me my job. My hobby of miniature building and painting is on an upswing, and there are many who are interested in my reposing of the various static Battletech miniatures.
Steve
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Mid 2008!? The hell?
Gonna keep this short. Still have my job, doing lots of overtime. Am about two-thirds the way through TRO:3063, am working with a wonderful writing partner. Unfortunately, he will be returning to school in September and we still have a lot of writing to do.
More later, when I have the time. Thanks for looking!
Steve
More later, when I have the time. Thanks for looking!
Steve
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Pre- Christmas Update.
Hey. It's a few days before Christmas and I am just about done shopping. Wish we'd had time to window-shop this year - the boy came up with about four non-Magic related items he'd like. Momma has her wish, so does John, but I have no idea what I want and that is a bad thing.
On a lighter note, I am beginning to do write-ups for the next TRO. The art I commissioned turned out well, albeit two months late. 'Dawn Patrol' is a winner, now for 'Chaperoned'. The brief attempt I made to do BTU TRO write ups ended with acrimony. My first submission, for the Forge, was 'too long' and 'not professional enough'. It exceeded the 300 word limit per section at least once.
I promptly reminded them that they knew how I wrote before agreeing to take me on, that no one was paying me a dime for the work, and that if they wanted to shorten it, they were welcome to try. Then I resigned. No wonder BattleTech Universe's TRO effort has ground to a halt. Too few people doing, too many telling them what they can't do.
But I did finish the Isometrus. Only because it was Bill Burt's design and I promised him I would complete it no matter what. After trimming it and getting feedback on it (again, apparently too much zest for a boring-ass TRO, but I did tone it down a bit), I submitted same.
The roof leaks, but I know where and why, so it's just a matter of dry weather and a visit to Lowe's.
Current house favorite is 'Helicopter' by Bloc Party.
Gotta change the car's oil. Gotta move the wood to the newly-reinforced wood rick. Gotta change the van's oil. Gotta get a replacement fan for the car so it will defrost correctly (fan is the fourth one to crap out in this car).
More later. Oh, heard from Angelique Palassis (new last name, though). Not as interesting as I thought she might be, but then I suppose the disappointment is mutual. I inherently fight shy of people who forward chain mail and 'joke of the week'.
Regards,
Steve
On a lighter note, I am beginning to do write-ups for the next TRO. The art I commissioned turned out well, albeit two months late. 'Dawn Patrol' is a winner, now for 'Chaperoned'. The brief attempt I made to do BTU TRO write ups ended with acrimony. My first submission, for the Forge, was 'too long' and 'not professional enough'. It exceeded the 300 word limit per section at least once.
I promptly reminded them that they knew how I wrote before agreeing to take me on, that no one was paying me a dime for the work, and that if they wanted to shorten it, they were welcome to try. Then I resigned. No wonder BattleTech Universe's TRO effort has ground to a halt. Too few people doing, too many telling them what they can't do.
But I did finish the Isometrus. Only because it was Bill Burt's design and I promised him I would complete it no matter what. After trimming it and getting feedback on it (again, apparently too much zest for a boring-ass TRO, but I did tone it down a bit), I submitted same.
The roof leaks, but I know where and why, so it's just a matter of dry weather and a visit to Lowe's.
Current house favorite is 'Helicopter' by Bloc Party.
Gotta change the car's oil. Gotta move the wood to the newly-reinforced wood rick. Gotta change the van's oil. Gotta get a replacement fan for the car so it will defrost correctly (fan is the fourth one to crap out in this car).
More later. Oh, heard from Angelique Palassis (new last name, though). Not as interesting as I thought she might be, but then I suppose the disappointment is mutual. I inherently fight shy of people who forward chain mail and 'joke of the week'.
Regards,
Steve
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Some updating IS occasionally needed...
The Drop Ship went over like gangbusters and Catalyst Games bought it for $400!
Of course, I pissed the money away. I am back to budgeting on paper because if the dough is in my pocket, it's just a matter of days before it's gone and damned if I can recall what I spent it all on. I just know the bills aren't getting paid.
The TRO:3062 with Vlad is done, and it looks darn sweet. I wrote the intro, the section intros, the outtro and thirty eight fluff pieces. We had some problems with factual errors and spelling, a last-minute battle over the final update (his only remaining piece was a mess, and I can't imagine how I missed it) and a boondoggle over the Battlemaster art, which was a warmed-over Unseen Griffin.
Sorry, Vlad. But that's what it was.
He got over his pride in a few days and fixed it, and now it's the talk of the town.
The BTU TRO is a dead duck and I told TPTB over at BTU so and why. "We don't talk about it", my white ass. Would you believe, they're actually making some of the changes I suggested. Like a deadline. I am onboard and writing four pieces for them.
Took a break from writing stories. Kinda burned out after the TRO, even found myself at loose ends when I'm not writing. I've been pounding away at the keyboard for a year now, on one thing or another. But breaktime is nearly over.
I'm actually kinda looking forward to it. The days are getting colder, and soon I will no longer be able to smoke while writing outside on the table. I will soon shift to my son John's computer instead, which will please him to no end, as he loves to fall asleep listening to the teek-tokkity-tok of the keyboard as I write.
John helped me work on my Type 2 black and white Magic:TG deck tonight. It's looking pretty good. We still have some bugs to work out, but a few Loxodon Warhammers and some Outposts and it should be workable. I swore off Type 2 ten years ago, and still don't like the bastards I have to play. But John likes it and I am determined to follow him, as he once followed me, in order to share this hobby.
The job goes well. David Wamsley is leaving, no one will miss him personally, although we will miss his professional knowledge and skills. Here's to the new guy coming up to speed ASAP, as I will be doing first articles every day from now on.
Hopefully I will rate my own stamp before too much longer.
Well, a smoke and then off to bed. It's Wednesday and hump day was pretty good. Our next door neighbor Ryan finally got rid of the bums he mistakenly rented his house to, and I thought I'd be a witness for him. But no one came by today, and as John mentioned, it's not really my problem.
See ya in a few.
Steve
Of course, I pissed the money away. I am back to budgeting on paper because if the dough is in my pocket, it's just a matter of days before it's gone and damned if I can recall what I spent it all on. I just know the bills aren't getting paid.
The TRO:3062 with Vlad is done, and it looks darn sweet. I wrote the intro, the section intros, the outtro and thirty eight fluff pieces. We had some problems with factual errors and spelling, a last-minute battle over the final update (his only remaining piece was a mess, and I can't imagine how I missed it) and a boondoggle over the Battlemaster art, which was a warmed-over Unseen Griffin.
Sorry, Vlad. But that's what it was.
He got over his pride in a few days and fixed it, and now it's the talk of the town.
The BTU TRO is a dead duck and I told TPTB over at BTU so and why. "We don't talk about it", my white ass. Would you believe, they're actually making some of the changes I suggested. Like a deadline. I am onboard and writing four pieces for them.
Took a break from writing stories. Kinda burned out after the TRO, even found myself at loose ends when I'm not writing. I've been pounding away at the keyboard for a year now, on one thing or another. But breaktime is nearly over.
I'm actually kinda looking forward to it. The days are getting colder, and soon I will no longer be able to smoke while writing outside on the table. I will soon shift to my son John's computer instead, which will please him to no end, as he loves to fall asleep listening to the teek-tokkity-tok of the keyboard as I write.
John helped me work on my Type 2 black and white Magic:TG deck tonight. It's looking pretty good. We still have some bugs to work out, but a few Loxodon Warhammers and some Outposts and it should be workable. I swore off Type 2 ten years ago, and still don't like the bastards I have to play. But John likes it and I am determined to follow him, as he once followed me, in order to share this hobby.
The job goes well. David Wamsley is leaving, no one will miss him personally, although we will miss his professional knowledge and skills. Here's to the new guy coming up to speed ASAP, as I will be doing first articles every day from now on.
Hopefully I will rate my own stamp before too much longer.
Well, a smoke and then off to bed. It's Wednesday and hump day was pretty good. Our next door neighbor Ryan finally got rid of the bums he mistakenly rented his house to, and I thought I'd be a witness for him. But no one came by today, and as John mentioned, it's not really my problem.
See ya in a few.
Steve
Sunday, July 22, 2007
July 22 - Hot Project on the Front Burner!
I am in the mid-stages of finishing up a Union-Class Dropship. You Battletech playas will know what I'm talking about. For the rest of you, it's a big egg with landing gear and lots of electronics inside. Sound, landing bay lights - natch, most of it will be lost on the folks at GenCon, where it will be the centerpiece of the new Battletech demo table.
Catalyst Games has taken CBT over from FanPro Germany, and a good thing, too. The guys who have been running it all these years now own the rights. Just got a Tech Manual (hardback) from Bill Burt, a month in advance of everyone else. Thanks, Bill!
I have also been writing fluff for Vladimir Chernovchenko's 'Battletech Technical Readout:3062'. Lotsa people start fan projects, but between his art and designs, and my writing talent, I think this one will actually see the light of day. Most of them don't, and from what I've seen, it's a damn good thing.
My son John is languishing; he thinks Dad is always busy and has no time for him. Gotta admit, the projects have been piling up lately, and most nights I am out in the garage, smoking a cigar and writing. I need to take him swimming tomorrow. Too bad he lost his goggles.....now we have to share.
Oh! I quit my job at Fire King of Seattle and now work in Quality Control for TruLife up in Poulsbo. Twenty minutes away, instead of two hours. Pay is better, they have me on mandatory overtime, I get to wear a nice shirt and tie each day. So far things are going well, though I must remember to keep my mouth shut unless someone asks my opinion....
Well, see ya later!
Cent13
Catalyst Games has taken CBT over from FanPro Germany, and a good thing, too. The guys who have been running it all these years now own the rights. Just got a Tech Manual (hardback) from Bill Burt, a month in advance of everyone else. Thanks, Bill!
I have also been writing fluff for Vladimir Chernovchenko's 'Battletech Technical Readout:3062'. Lotsa people start fan projects, but between his art and designs, and my writing talent, I think this one will actually see the light of day. Most of them don't, and from what I've seen, it's a damn good thing.
My son John is languishing; he thinks Dad is always busy and has no time for him. Gotta admit, the projects have been piling up lately, and most nights I am out in the garage, smoking a cigar and writing. I need to take him swimming tomorrow. Too bad he lost his goggles.....now we have to share.
Oh! I quit my job at Fire King of Seattle and now work in Quality Control for TruLife up in Poulsbo. Twenty minutes away, instead of two hours. Pay is better, they have me on mandatory overtime, I get to wear a nice shirt and tie each day. So far things are going well, though I must remember to keep my mouth shut unless someone asks my opinion....
Well, see ya later!
Cent13
Wednesday, July 04, 2007
Fourth of July celebration...
Well, the story 'Houses' came in Fourth place this time. I think I rambled too much, or just picked a 'what-if' moment that was too obscure for the judges to really figure out. It wasn't a famous CBT historical battle or person, so they were left scratching their heads and wondering where the change was.
Oh well.
I am hoping the wretches at least give me some decent feedback on this so I can better write next time.
Oh, and a Note to my Future Self: when some ditz over on Classic Battletech Forums starts getting into how cool aliens would be, do not begin by commenting on how unbelieveable an alien race would be that had superior science, but acted like a bunch of goddamned insects driven by nothing outside of ego and appetite.
Alien moral ethics, my ass. That's us on a very bad day. Thankfully not often. "If it bleeds, it leads" would not be a news agency maxim if the bleeding were more commonplace.
Cent13
Oh well.
I am hoping the wretches at least give me some decent feedback on this so I can better write next time.
Oh, and a Note to my Future Self: when some ditz over on Classic Battletech Forums starts getting into how cool aliens would be, do not begin by commenting on how unbelieveable an alien race would be that had superior science, but acted like a bunch of goddamned insects driven by nothing outside of ego and appetite.
Alien moral ethics, my ass. That's us on a very bad day. Thankfully not often. "If it bleeds, it leads" would not be a news agency maxim if the bleeding were more commonplace.
Cent13
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Back Once Again...
Hi. That story 'Orbit' won First Place. Wrote another one for the Spring Fiction 2007 over at Battletech Universe, waiting to see how it goes.
In between? Well, I wrote a short story featuring Dillon and his Grandfather for a fellow doing a Fan TRO.
Gave criticism to David Bowen, an old friend of mine who had sent me what he'd done so far on his Fantasy RPG setting. He's supposed to publish soon and has been working on this for years. Unfortunately, what he has is manifestly unready for primetime. He did not think to research the behavior of rivers or weather or people in certain circumstances, and so I fear I shot a lot of holes in his work. Furthermore, there were a lot of writing errors.
I don't think he took it well. I haven't heard from him in a month, and frankly won't be suprised if he never calls again. But I will be sad. I liked him a lot.
My son 'gradumacated' from sixth grade with all the pomp the babysitters could manage. Even he didn't want to go. But his Momma is proud. I took him swimming as a reward, and stuffed him with Papa Murphy's before sending the little guy to bed.
Today Tru Life called. I think it's to offer me the job I interviewed for on Tuesday the 19th of June, 2007. I hope so. I am tired of the commute at Fire King, being Joe and Lyle's scratching post, and feeling like a useless schlub for the past three and a half years. I was and did so many things in the Navy before going to work for Jim. How could I have become such a useless fucking drone in that short a time?
Giving my two week's notice will be like lancing a boil. $180 a pay period for gas alone. Another $30 for the bridge toll. I make $12.50 an hour, and my last raise was in 2004. I know the drill. If I ask for a raise, he'll ask why. If I say I need more money, he'll ask why I don't just work more hours.
Well, for starters, I commute 75 miles to work and another 75 home. Second, I am not a 'member' at work, meaning I'm on the outside looking in, permanently. I will never be 'one of the guys', no matter how long I work there. Jim does not trust me.
Third, I spend an average of two hours to work, two and a half home each day of the week. My car started with 75000 on it, now it has 224000. The Navy kept me away from my family for years, and we put up with it because the pay was good, the benefits were good and retirement was good. I am tired of leaving early and coming home late. That's why I don't work more hours.
But more importantly, a raise indicates my increased value to the company. So far it hasn't even kept pace with the rise in the cost of living. I know when I am not wanted, and it's time to go. It's been time for two years, but I was afraid and foolish.
Not anymore.
Let Jim find some young man to do his fire extinguishers, his shot blasting and all the other sundry duties I perform in a work week. I'm not the guy he wants.
John turned in the first Part of his Shrek Story. We worked on it together, and even though the requirement is no longer there, he wants to see the rest of it written down. So we'll maybe hit that tomorrow night. Outline is already done.
I am now doing fluff text for another Fan TRO, the 3062. It really is well thought out, and the artwork is stellar. I am putting my best effort into it, and so far Vlad approves. He has offered me more fluff to work on after the present 'Mechs are done. I wish it paid, even a little, but every little bit helps me to hone my craft.
And gets the word out, hopefully.
See ya in a month.
Steve
In between? Well, I wrote a short story featuring Dillon and his Grandfather for a fellow doing a Fan TRO.
Gave criticism to David Bowen, an old friend of mine who had sent me what he'd done so far on his Fantasy RPG setting. He's supposed to publish soon and has been working on this for years. Unfortunately, what he has is manifestly unready for primetime. He did not think to research the behavior of rivers or weather or people in certain circumstances, and so I fear I shot a lot of holes in his work. Furthermore, there were a lot of writing errors.
I don't think he took it well. I haven't heard from him in a month, and frankly won't be suprised if he never calls again. But I will be sad. I liked him a lot.
My son 'gradumacated' from sixth grade with all the pomp the babysitters could manage. Even he didn't want to go. But his Momma is proud. I took him swimming as a reward, and stuffed him with Papa Murphy's before sending the little guy to bed.
Today Tru Life called. I think it's to offer me the job I interviewed for on Tuesday the 19th of June, 2007. I hope so. I am tired of the commute at Fire King, being Joe and Lyle's scratching post, and feeling like a useless schlub for the past three and a half years. I was and did so many things in the Navy before going to work for Jim. How could I have become such a useless fucking drone in that short a time?
Giving my two week's notice will be like lancing a boil. $180 a pay period for gas alone. Another $30 for the bridge toll. I make $12.50 an hour, and my last raise was in 2004. I know the drill. If I ask for a raise, he'll ask why. If I say I need more money, he'll ask why I don't just work more hours.
Well, for starters, I commute 75 miles to work and another 75 home. Second, I am not a 'member' at work, meaning I'm on the outside looking in, permanently. I will never be 'one of the guys', no matter how long I work there. Jim does not trust me.
Third, I spend an average of two hours to work, two and a half home each day of the week. My car started with 75000 on it, now it has 224000. The Navy kept me away from my family for years, and we put up with it because the pay was good, the benefits were good and retirement was good. I am tired of leaving early and coming home late. That's why I don't work more hours.
But more importantly, a raise indicates my increased value to the company. So far it hasn't even kept pace with the rise in the cost of living. I know when I am not wanted, and it's time to go. It's been time for two years, but I was afraid and foolish.
Not anymore.
Let Jim find some young man to do his fire extinguishers, his shot blasting and all the other sundry duties I perform in a work week. I'm not the guy he wants.
John turned in the first Part of his Shrek Story. We worked on it together, and even though the requirement is no longer there, he wants to see the rest of it written down. So we'll maybe hit that tomorrow night. Outline is already done.
I am now doing fluff text for another Fan TRO, the 3062. It really is well thought out, and the artwork is stellar. I am putting my best effort into it, and so far Vlad approves. He has offered me more fluff to work on after the present 'Mechs are done. I wish it paid, even a little, but every little bit helps me to hone my craft.
And gets the word out, hopefully.
See ya in a month.
Steve
Saturday, March 03, 2007
Sorry for the Long wait...
No one comes here. That's the secret of the blogging universe, you know. The one thing they don't want you to know, the one thing that the MySpace zombies can't abide.
What is that secret?
Simply put, if you don't know lots of people already and are not willing to shamelessly use said friends to pimp yourself on the Internet, your Blog will never get a visit or a comment.
No. Seriously.
The average schlub doesn't use the search function to find other people who share his interests. Why? Because he or she often doesn't have any. Of course, the most recent generations feel no shame for having no hobbies. To them, watching TV is a hobby.
But I have a hobby, and hopefully I am improving at it.
So far, the contents of this Blog detail bits from a story called 'Anniversary'. It was eventually massaged into shape, published on Battletech Universe (Battletech Universe :: Index) in the Fan Fiction section, and read by most.
The second story was something called 'Traffic', and it won First Place in the Summer '06 Fiction Contest on the same website. Pretty good, but I am told by my friend Keith Mears that it is front-loaded by the narrator, and the details should be spread through the work as expressed by the characters themselves. As he told me, "Show, don't tell".
The third story was something called 'Orbit', submitted just in time for the Winter '06 Fiction Contest. As of right now, I have no idea if it placed, but I am busily working on the printout and expect to have a cleaned-up version ready soon.
By the by, 'Orbit' originally started as a flashback sequence by the main character in another story I am writing ("The Terrance County War"). Thank the Lord I didn't go with that idea. 'Orbit' ended up consuming about twenty four pages and 20,000 words. Devoting that kind of print space to a flashback is insane.
Of course, 'TTCW' itself is going to be rather long. The outline alone is about 14,000 words (actually less, now that I have removed that flashback sequence). It will take a while, and in the meantime, my craft improves on the smaller stories. But you would not believe the sense of relief when I finally typed the last words for 'Orbit'.
I am beginning to hate writing deadlines. But I suppose this is good for self-discipline.
Regards
Steve Satak
(Centurion13)
What is that secret?
Simply put, if you don't know lots of people already and are not willing to shamelessly use said friends to pimp yourself on the Internet, your Blog will never get a visit or a comment.
No. Seriously.
The average schlub doesn't use the search function to find other people who share his interests. Why? Because he or she often doesn't have any. Of course, the most recent generations feel no shame for having no hobbies. To them, watching TV is a hobby.
But I have a hobby, and hopefully I am improving at it.
So far, the contents of this Blog detail bits from a story called 'Anniversary'. It was eventually massaged into shape, published on Battletech Universe (Battletech Universe :: Index) in the Fan Fiction section, and read by most.
The second story was something called 'Traffic', and it won First Place in the Summer '06 Fiction Contest on the same website. Pretty good, but I am told by my friend Keith Mears that it is front-loaded by the narrator, and the details should be spread through the work as expressed by the characters themselves. As he told me, "Show, don't tell".
The third story was something called 'Orbit', submitted just in time for the Winter '06 Fiction Contest. As of right now, I have no idea if it placed, but I am busily working on the printout and expect to have a cleaned-up version ready soon.
By the by, 'Orbit' originally started as a flashback sequence by the main character in another story I am writing ("The Terrance County War"). Thank the Lord I didn't go with that idea. 'Orbit' ended up consuming about twenty four pages and 20,000 words. Devoting that kind of print space to a flashback is insane.
Of course, 'TTCW' itself is going to be rather long. The outline alone is about 14,000 words (actually less, now that I have removed that flashback sequence). It will take a while, and in the meantime, my craft improves on the smaller stories. But you would not believe the sense of relief when I finally typed the last words for 'Orbit'.
I am beginning to hate writing deadlines. But I suppose this is good for self-discipline.
Regards
Steve Satak
(Centurion13)
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Upcoming Changes
I know that no one besides me reads this thing. But allow me to flatter myself. Hell, no one else does.
That said, the posts to this blog are going to undergo a bit of convulsion in the next week. See, I am going to get to the end of the Interludes, tease them, tweak them, and then repost the entire bunch, one after the other. They will be in order, but these comments probably won't make any sense.
I am still planning to write about our monthly game. Chris Snider, the local FanPro Commando, doesn't seem too interested in having me post his GameStorm report here. I will do what I can to talk him into an expurgated version of what he will send to FanPro, I guess. He just doesn't seem all that interested in getting the word out, but what the hell, right? I get what I get.
Ta. Post a comment or something. This place has echoes, and it gives me the jibblies.
Steve
That said, the posts to this blog are going to undergo a bit of convulsion in the next week. See, I am going to get to the end of the Interludes, tease them, tweak them, and then repost the entire bunch, one after the other. They will be in order, but these comments probably won't make any sense.
I am still planning to write about our monthly game. Chris Snider, the local FanPro Commando, doesn't seem too interested in having me post his GameStorm report here. I will do what I can to talk him into an expurgated version of what he will send to FanPro, I guess. He just doesn't seem all that interested in getting the word out, but what the hell, right? I get what I get.
Ta. Post a comment or something. This place has echoes, and it gives me the jibblies.
Steve
Sunday, March 12, 2006
Font Sizes Being a Pain..
For anyone actually reading this, I apologise for the shifting font sizes. I really haven't been successful with the text editor - it appears to be wonky as hell. And I don't have time to go in, pull apart the HTML, and fix it that way.
I will figure something out, eventually.
Steve
I will figure something out, eventually.
Steve
Friday, March 10, 2006
The First Post of this Blog
Wow. How refreshingly original.
But this *is* the first post.
Okay. This blog is going to be about Battletech, and anything else ancillary, like the rest of my life. But the posts will mostly be about Classic Battletech.
Warning: There will be what is generally referred to as 'fan fiction', or fanfic, in here. I personally don't care for ninety percent of Classic Battletech fanfiction - most of it is so poorly written, it makes me squirm with embarrassment. Worse, it makes me want to sit down, critique the offending POS, and send it off to the author with an offer to proofread and edit any of his future work.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not anal-retentive. I like taking a healthy dump as much as the next guy. As for being a sort of verbal 'neat freak', one look at my garage would disabuse anyone of that notion. But some - no, most of what I read in the fanfic sections is pure wish-fulfillment, fantasies generated by frustrated gamers who just can't get past the original games egomaniacal bent. Again, don't get me wrong.
I like revenge fantasies as much as the next guy, but power corrupts, ya know? Even fantasy power. And one of the most annoying aspects - not the worst, because the corruption is the worst - one of the most annoying aspects is that revenge fantasies tend to - well, repeat themselves. Over and over and over. So much of fanfic writing - hell, many of the original paperbacks written for the Battletech game - are about rampaging egos smashing into each other over intersteller distances for what amounts to chickenshit.
"My honor, my tradition, my religeous faith." Meanwhile, the little guy gets the crap stomped out of him, while Our Hero strides about fearlessly in his Battlemech, perpetuating the Clan/Inner Sphere version of the Royal Hissyfit. What about the little guy's family, his hopes and dreams? Or does not being a Archon mean you don't really count?
With all that said, I am going to post occasional fan fiction. But with an important difference. I will actually attempt to tell a story you will want to read.
But I am getting ahead of things. Off to write a bit of the story.
Oh. What's it about? Well, I noticed that Ironwind Metals is actually manufacturing miniatures for the Forestrymech. My first thought was "What the hell for? They don't even get use in the game for which they were originally designed! (Mechwarrior: Dark Age)".
Then I asked myself "what possible concantenation of circumstances could result in some poor bastard actually piloting one of these things into battle?"
That's when I began to put some serious thought into the following questions:
"WHY would anyone pilot something like this into battle? What possible advantages, outside of combat tables skewed in its favor, could persuade someone to play it? If Battlemechs truly existed, if there were such things as small fusion reactors and manufactured muscle fibres, and a plausible explanation for how they worked, what would a Battlemech's real-world advantages be?"
It occured to me that I knew enough of the game by now, I could actually write a scenario which addressed such an encounter. It had to be common, because there are a lot of miniatures out there, waiting to be played. It had to be believeable, because something has to replace the ego boost you normally got from piloting REAL battlemechs, and you weren't going to be beating up any large tanks with this thing. And finally, it had to be about something or someone for whom the average gamer or reader might, conceiveably, give a damn.
And of course, such a scenario requires a little written introduction, a snippet of writing which explains the scenario, and (if the writer knows what he is doing) get the reader's blood moving a bit at the same time.
And now I am up to at least three or four pages of introduction. At least as long as the planned scenario, and likely to get longer. Alas and alack, the tail may end up wagging the dog. But then, that's for you to decide.
Regards,
Steve
But this *is* the first post.
Okay. This blog is going to be about Battletech, and anything else ancillary, like the rest of my life. But the posts will mostly be about Classic Battletech.
Warning: There will be what is generally referred to as 'fan fiction', or fanfic, in here. I personally don't care for ninety percent of Classic Battletech fanfiction - most of it is so poorly written, it makes me squirm with embarrassment. Worse, it makes me want to sit down, critique the offending POS, and send it off to the author with an offer to proofread and edit any of his future work.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not anal-retentive. I like taking a healthy dump as much as the next guy. As for being a sort of verbal 'neat freak', one look at my garage would disabuse anyone of that notion. But some - no, most of what I read in the fanfic sections is pure wish-fulfillment, fantasies generated by frustrated gamers who just can't get past the original games egomaniacal bent. Again, don't get me wrong.
I like revenge fantasies as much as the next guy, but power corrupts, ya know? Even fantasy power. And one of the most annoying aspects - not the worst, because the corruption is the worst - one of the most annoying aspects is that revenge fantasies tend to - well, repeat themselves. Over and over and over. So much of fanfic writing - hell, many of the original paperbacks written for the Battletech game - are about rampaging egos smashing into each other over intersteller distances for what amounts to chickenshit.
"My honor, my tradition, my religeous faith." Meanwhile, the little guy gets the crap stomped out of him, while Our Hero strides about fearlessly in his Battlemech, perpetuating the Clan/Inner Sphere version of the Royal Hissyfit. What about the little guy's family, his hopes and dreams? Or does not being a Archon mean you don't really count?
With all that said, I am going to post occasional fan fiction. But with an important difference. I will actually attempt to tell a story you will want to read.
But I am getting ahead of things. Off to write a bit of the story.
Oh. What's it about? Well, I noticed that Ironwind Metals is actually manufacturing miniatures for the Forestrymech. My first thought was "What the hell for? They don't even get use in the game for which they were originally designed! (Mechwarrior: Dark Age)".
Then I asked myself "what possible concantenation of circumstances could result in some poor bastard actually piloting one of these things into battle?"
That's when I began to put some serious thought into the following questions:
"WHY would anyone pilot something like this into battle? What possible advantages, outside of combat tables skewed in its favor, could persuade someone to play it? If Battlemechs truly existed, if there were such things as small fusion reactors and manufactured muscle fibres, and a plausible explanation for how they worked, what would a Battlemech's real-world advantages be?"
It occured to me that I knew enough of the game by now, I could actually write a scenario which addressed such an encounter. It had to be common, because there are a lot of miniatures out there, waiting to be played. It had to be believeable, because something has to replace the ego boost you normally got from piloting REAL battlemechs, and you weren't going to be beating up any large tanks with this thing. And finally, it had to be about something or someone for whom the average gamer or reader might, conceiveably, give a damn.
And of course, such a scenario requires a little written introduction, a snippet of writing which explains the scenario, and (if the writer knows what he is doing) get the reader's blood moving a bit at the same time.
And now I am up to at least three or four pages of introduction. At least as long as the planned scenario, and likely to get longer. Alas and alack, the tail may end up wagging the dog. But then, that's for you to decide.
Regards,
Steve
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