Official ICE Forums
Systems & Settings => Shadow World => Topic started by: egdcltd on April 04, 2016, 02:35:24 PM
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I was wondering if it would be possible for some of the grunt work for this supplement to be done (assuming that Terry hasn't already done it). I think a good chunk of it would be scanning and running OCR on the relevant material from Emer and SWMA1. Which people other than Terry could do.
It would be nice to see some of the unique elements of SW coming back.
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Actually I have a lot of that material already in MS Word; I still had the original files so no scanning necessary. I have A< largely laid out, but wanted to add some new material.
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The original files? Back from the 80s? Wow, what format were they in?
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The original files? Back from the 80s? Wow, what format were they in?
Originally on 3.5" floppies, which I copied to CD in the 90's. I actually have done a fair amount of formatting and tinkering on those files over the years.
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Even CDs are becoming obsolete these days; most new computers lack a CD/DVD drive. Instead, it seems we're supposed to use the internet (great, as long as it's available) or flash drives. I do use cloud storage a lot as a backup.
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Google docs ;)
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Google tend to dump products far too often for me to be comfortable in using anything other than AdSense. They recently bricked some Nest hardware simply because they weren't going to support the software any longer.
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Yeah I was using 'the Cloud' several years ago with a nifty Mac application called Backup, then the killed it. I think I could use iCloud on my new computer, but for now I just back it up to a clone drive every night... and I bought a basic USB CD/DVD drive as well. :)
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I use MS One Drive (as well as Evernote and Dropbox for some other stuff), which has an advantage in that it can be used to duplicate the files to other devices too. So everything is also backed up on my laptop.
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One drive isnt bad tbh!
I use it for some documents ( have 3 computers )
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I loved one drive until they changed to Windows 10. Suddenly I couldn't access my files through my laptop file explorer any more and it just became too cumbersome to use on a daily basis.
I'm hoping that it was just a quirk of those files having been there before the switch and that if I take everything off and put it back on again it will work again but I don't have the time to test it at the moment.
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Back on topic... yes I have all the old material mostly organized and formatted, just in a quandry about how much new stuff to add in from other books, which would be redundant. I'd like to see some of the Jinteni material (the piezo tech and portals) from Emer III added, maybe with a few illos of weapons; some Earthwaredn 'tech' from Xa-ar, etc; just not sure how much people would appreciate.
egdcltd, If it's ok with Nicholas (this is mostly old ICE material), I can send you the file to look over. Obviously I have a lot on my plate, and though it's a fun project, it's not high on my list.
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To a degree, I think it would be nice, and useful, to have it all in one place. I'd have to check (you might remember better), but didn't Treasures of Middle-earth collect already published material, together with new.
I actually have Emer and SWMA1, so I know what some of the material is. Which is kind of why I'd like to see it out there again for others to get.
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To a degree, I think it would be nice, and useful, to have it all in one place. I'd have to check (you might remember better), but didn't Treasures of Middle-earth collect already published material, together with new.
I actually have Emer and SWMA1, so I know what some of the material is. Which is kind of why I'd like to see it out there again for others to get.
Yeah I think it should include all major artifacts, like I dropped in everything from Atlas I, and the Crowns/swords/pendants from Jaiman (not sure when that will be back in print). And also it might have an appeal beyond SW into RM. But there is the question of RMU... but when will that come out?
Some of the old material just needs proofreading and a basic edit. I did some... it was rife with typos and other mistakes! Basically no one edited/proofread my stuff back in the old ICE days; we were in such a rush to get product out.
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Yes, the Jaiman stuff would be good to have out there again as well, and maybe include the items from Iron Wind (even though that's still available). Plus there's the handful of items you had on your site. I agree it could have appeal beyond Shadow World (or even beyond Rolemaster possibly; artefacts are popular everywhere), which is an argument for including everything in it. TSR, back when it was TSR, published a series of supplements detailing every single magic item they had created to date back in the 90s. RMU is a conundrum; it would be better to publish supplements that support it, but how long will it take before they can be released? Unless (possibly free) PDF addenda are published afterwards.
It would also be cool (and expensive; it's hard to make a living as an artist, yet artwork is expensive) to have images for every single item in it.
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Yes, the Jaiman stuff would be good to have out there again as well, and maybe include the items from Iron Wind (even though that's still available). Plus there's the handful of items you had on your site. I agree it could have appeal beyond Shadow World (or even beyond Rolemaster possibly; artefacts are popular everywhere), which is an argument for including everything in it. TSR, back when it was TSR, published a series of supplements detailing every single magic item they had created to date back in the 90s. RMU is a conundrum; it would be better to publish supplements that support it, but how long will it take before they can be released? Unless (possibly free) PDF addenda are published afterwards.
It would also be cool (and expensive; it's hard to make a living as an artist, yet artwork is expensive) to have images for every single item in it.
Well, it might not be too expensive to have mostly just drawings of the artifacts, and then a few larger illustrations with someone wielding a major item. It would require the art director (who could also be the editor) working closely with the artist to make sure they got the item right.
I'm perfectly prepared to hand this over to someone, and just review the ms and answer questions from the editor.
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Whilst I'd love to have a go at it, I don't think I currently have the skill set. I've certainly not had any experience with working with artists as yet. Anyone else?
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Whilst I'd love to have a go at it, I don't think I currently have the skill set. I've certainly not had any experience with working with artists as yet. Anyone else?
Don't worry - artists are warm and cuddly. :P
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I have worked with several artists...and while they are not "warm and fuzzy" as some would have you believe. Those I have worked with for the most part are willing to work with you to bring things to life.
-BP
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Oh, I don't think artists are necessarily difficult to deal with, but I know from outsourcing other work that communication is key to a job going smoothly, and I've never done anything like that with an artist. If you don't know how to communicate what is needed precisely, it can lead to wasted time and effort.
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Oh, I don't think artists are necessarily difficult to deal with, but I know from outsourcing other work that communication is key to a job going smoothly, and I've never done anything like that with an artist. If you don't know how to communicate what is needed precisely, it can lead to wasted time and effort.
When I have had to do this I normally start small with the artist and then work up. I give a DETAILED description of what I am looking for, if I have an idea. If I am vague I give a description and let them lead me in a verbal discussion, then let them give me a prelim piece.
I have had to do this for a few Convention Art pieces and I have been impressed by the outcomes, for the most part.
-BP