Topic: Random Updates from Terry Amthor

[Voriig Kye]

What about Tethior? Maybe we will find out that being an Alchemist is truly boring, and that is the real reason he went on to do that other secret thing he does sometimes.

[Terry K. Amthor]

What about Tethior? Maybe we will find out that being an Alchemist is truly boring, and that is the real reason he went on to do that other secret thing he does sometimes.

LOL! Being an Alchemist does seem like it would be really tedious. Maybe Tethior just goes to the Crown Vault and plays with the pretty lights on the consoles hoping to finally figure out WTF Andraax was doing. Really, though, I think it would be like one of us walking on the ST:TOS Enterprise bridge and looking at one of those consoles with the candy-colored buttons, and we would be pretty much clueless. (Sulu/George Takei was great at pressing combinations of buttons like he really knew what he was doing.)

[jdale]

I can't speak for everyone, but if I had a control system like the Enterprise bridge and lots of time, I would be pressing buttons. I might take careful notes and not rush through it, but button-pressing would definitely be happening.

[RandalThor]

I can't speak for everyone, but if I had a control system like the Enterprise bridge and lots of time, I would be pressing buttons. I might take careful notes and not rush through it, but button-pressing would definitely be happening.

I think that depends upon the results of the button pushing. Little to not effect, sure keep going; destroy a continent, I think I would stop. 

[jdale]

Note to self: don't push THAT button again.

[Terry K. Amthor]

It was all a little too like... what? to me, because Sulu was obviously doing crazy button combos. And then on that ep with Gary Seven and that super advanced computer, Spock was just pushing buttons and saying, basically, 'oh it will take me some time to figure it out.' Really? Imagine one of us from 1983 (pre internet, pre-GUI, most basic computer) years ago faced with a 2010 Mac. We'd be incapable of doing anything for days, and that's a 'friendly' interface.

[RandalThor]

Yes but colors make it easier, somehow, colors make everything easier, don't you know.

[cdcooley]

Personally I hate the overly zealous use of style manuals. I'll miss (most of) the ellipses, but did your editor also notice your liberal use of the em-dash? The dashes and ellipses add an element of informality that I like. And I hope you explained the grammar rules of Iruaric so she doesn't "fix" the plurals in sentences like "Eleven gold Orlini each."

Is that second novel all new content or just the fact that the first 30+ chapters of the Shadowstone story were already about 2 novels worth? I'll be eagerly awaiting the third (and fourth, etc.) novel anyway, but a collection of short stories is almost just as good.

Sorry, I meant to answer your question not asking my own.

Patrick would be my pick. Maybe you could use a few good flashbacks as an excuse to at least give us the summarized version of what happened to him at Thessel IV. But any stories about people living on Kulthea would be interesting. I've always loved the little stories, quotes, and notes that start the chapters of your Shadow World modules.

[Terry K. Amthor]

Personally I hate the overly zealous use of style manuals. I'll miss (most of) the ellipses, but did your editor also notice your liberal use of the em-dash? The dashes and ellipses add an element of informality that I like. And I hope you explained the grammar rules of Iruaric so she doesn't "fix" the plurals in sentences like "Eleven gold Orlini each."

Is that second novel all new content or just the fact that the first 30+ chapters of the Shadowstone story were already about 2 novels worth? I'll be eagerly awaiting the third (and fourth, etc.) novel anyway, but a collection of short stories is almost just as good.

Sorry, I meant to answer your question not asking my own.

Patrick would be my pick. Maybe you could use a few good flashbacks as an excuse to at least give us the summarized version of what happened to him at Thessel IV. But any stories about people living on Kulthea would be interesting. I've always loved the little stories, quotes, and notes that start the chapters of your Shadow World modules.

All things in moderation! And the first few chapters of second novel was online, but there is new material in the first (it is 350+ pages currently) and quite a bit written in the second that was never published even online.

[markc]

 The bridge posts above are very timely as a friend of mine just sent me an email with a co-op bridge sim game like ST.


 Also a note, in my world I would design the bridge with DNA reading so it would not let people access the controls who were not supposed to. But then again where is the fun in that.

MDC

[jdale]

The bridge posts above are very timely as a friend of mine just sent me an email with a co-op bridge sim game like ST.

 Also a note, in my world I would design the bridge with DNA reading so it would not let people access the controls who were not supposed to. But then again where is the fun in that.

I have a post-technological setting of my own, and one of the features is DNA verification. But the system is not too accurate, so it can be sufficient if you are an ancestor of an authorized user. Thus you have a chance of using these types of artifacts, and you can have a search for a "chosen one" (who happens to have close enough DNA) who can do great things.

[Terry K. Amthor]

One last semi-off-topic post and then back to SW: Another reason I was thinking about this was while rewatching an episode of Star Trek: Enterprise (easily my least favorite of all the series, but I've mellowed on some of it with the years). It's a two-parter set in the evil Terran Empire universe, where they encounter a starship Defiant from not only the Federation universe but 100 years in the future (that wasn't a stretch). Anyway, poor Trip was on the bridge of basically the TOS Enterprise trying to figure out all those unlabeled candy-colored buttons while snarly evil Archer kept telling him to do it faster or he would vaporize him (that always works). And, desperate genius engineer that he is, Trip figures it out.

[Terry K. Amthor]

So, what to work on? Finish the extended adventures of Emer III while my editor goes through the main MS? Continue with the extensive Jaiman overhaul (and it really does need a rewrite; still debating whether to include that big Dansart citadel…)? Or clean up Eidolon? Or work on Wuliris/Tarania? So many choices... Maybe I should roll dice like Sheldon.

[egdcltd]

One last semi-off-topic post and then back to SW: Another reason I was thinking about this was while rewatching an episode of Star Trek: Enterprise (easily my least favorite of all the series, but I've mellowed on some of it with the years). It's a two-parter set in the evil Terran Empire universe, where they encounter a starship Defiant from not only the Federation universe but 100 years in the future (that wasn't a stretch). Anyway, poor Trip was on the bridge of basically the TOS Enterprise trying to figure out all those unlabeled candy-colored buttons while snarly evil Archer kept telling him to do it faster or he would vaporize him (that always works). And, desperate genius engineer that he is, Trip figures it out.

I'm watching some episodes of Enterprise for the first time (I missed them the first and second times around) but that particular two-parter highlights what I consider to be one of the main problems with the series - trying to make the technology look more primitive when using more advanced effects. Which simply doesn't work, the Constellation class ship looks more primitive than the Enterprise, but is supposed to be more advanced.

[Terry K. Amthor]

One last semi-off-topic post and then back to SW: Another reason I was thinking about this was while rewatching an episode of Star Trek: Enterprise (easily my least favorite of all the series, but I've mellowed on some of it with the years). It's a two-parter set in the evil Terran Empire universe, where they encounter a starship Defiant from not only the Federation universe but 100 years in the future (that wasn't a stretch). Anyway, poor Trip was on the bridge of basically the TOS Enterprise trying to figure out all those unlabeled candy-colored buttons while snarly evil Archer kept telling him to do it faster or he would vaporize him (that always works). And, desperate genius engineer that he is, Trip figures it out.

I'm watching some episodes of Enterprise for the first time (I missed them the first and second times around) but that particular two-parter highlights what I consider to be one of the main problems with the series - trying to make the technology look more primitive when using more advanced effects. Which simply doesn't work, the Constellation class ship looks more primitive than the Enterprise, but is supposed to be more advanced.

Agreed. They even tried a few subtle things to make it look a little better, but it just doesn't quite work. There's a long interesting article at the Memory Alpha site about this ep, including where they discuss this, and the fact that they constructed all those sets for this 2-parter (rather than, say rent the sets from Star Trek New Voyages; maybe they would not stand up to HD filming)

[Terry K. Amthor]

Ever wonder what's been happening on that far-flung western peninsula of Jaiman, Ly-Aran? Separated from the rest of the continent, part of it perilously close to Ulor, but much open to the vast uncharted Forbidden Sea…

*SMACK*

Oof, back to all the other projects I already have underway.

[RandalThor]

Ever wonder what's been happening on that far-flung western peninsula of Jaiman, Ly-Aran? Separated from the rest of the continent, part of it perilously close to Ulor, but much open to the vast uncharted Forbidden Sea…

*SMACK*

Oof, back to all the other projects I already have underway.

I have that same problem, but haven't been able to control it like you have. I cannot tell you how many notebooks I have filled with a variety of story, game, TV-show, movie, etc... plots and ideas, partially formed (even with characters and new races written up about 70-80%). Some of these take up a few score pages (mostly both sides), sometimes just for a few pieces of the story. Sheesh. I really need to just pick one, sit down and bang it out. (What I really need is someone with a gun pointed at my head, telling me to write...)

[PhillipAEllis]

As I know from my own experience as a writer, Randal, you'll need to pick up that there gun on your own, and do it consistently. It helps, as no doubt Terry can vouchsafe, to set aside the time for writing and nothing else.

[Terry K. Amthor]

Ever wonder what's been happening on that far-flung western peninsula of Jaiman, Ly-Aran? Separated from the rest of the continent, part of it perilously close to Ulor, but much open to the vast uncharted Forbidden Sea…

*SMACK*

Oof, back to all the other projects I already have underway.

I have that same problem, but haven't been able to control it like you have. I cannot tell you how many notebooks I have filled with a variety of story, game, TV-show, movie, etc... plots and ideas, partially formed (even with characters and new races written up about 70-80%). Some of these take up a few score pages (mostly both sides), sometimes just for a few pieces of the story. Sheesh. I really need to just pick one, sit down and bang it out. (What I really need is someone with a gun pointed at my head, telling me to write...)

Believe me, it was much easier back in the olden days before the fancy 'inter-web' was around, Now it is always taunting me with its social media and its videos and emails and cute weather widgets and such. Back then it was just me and a Mac Plus and some crappy ancient version of Word. Sometimes I actually have to set a timer and say, no touching the web browser for an hour (except wikipedia for research--and even that can be dangerous). No wonder some authors still write longhand. See, here I am posting on the forums instead of fleshing out my latest ideas for that Taranian research base...

[RandalThor]

Yeah, I need to organize my personal time like I do my work time, but like you there is the "inter-web", and for me another distraction: TV/Movies. My degree is in film & video production because that is what I really, really like as a consumer and as a creator. Unlike many people at my workplace who are more in the technical side and don't actually watch a lot of TV or movies while off, I do even to the point of watching reruns of reruns. I am sure there is more to it than that, like my depression and natural shyness, but if I can just get myself to not plop in front of the TV after getting up, and go outside or sit at the table on the computer writing.....if, if , if, and/or get someone to do this:  to get me moving... but my only friends moved to Tacoma, Washington a few years ago, so I don't have anyone here.

Sheesh! Sorry for unloading like this, but apparently I wanted to.