Конференция Библиотеки Battletech

<Habeas2> Hello, and--once again--welcome to the official monthly BattleTech live IRC BattleChat. As ever, I am your sole host, the BattleTech Line Developer (Herbert Beas), and I have temporarily moderated this chatroom in order to get preliminary messages out of the way....
*** Sagittaire has joined #BattleChat-Live!
*** Tizona has joined #BattleChat-Live!
<Habeas2> At this time, the BattleTech Line Developer would like to warn that he is experiencing some lag at this end. The cause is unknown, and will hopefully clear up shortly.
<Habeas2> This chat is scheduled to run a minimum of one hour, during which time the BattleTech Line Developer (me) will attempt to answer all questions to the best of his ability, within the boundaries of non-disclosure agreements and professional courtesy....
<Habeas2> But remember that the BattleTech Line Developer is the sole moderator of this chat, and retains the right to kick or ban users whose questions or behavior are deemed unruly by the BattleTech Line Developer.
*** Maddog40 has quit IRC (Quit: http://www.mibbit.com ajax IRC Client)
*** Tolan has joined #BattleChat-Live!
*** GhostCat has joined #BattleChat-Live!
<Habeas2> That said, thank you for participating in this Catalyst Game Labs official BattleTch Line Developer public relations activity. Moderation will now end.....
*** Habeas2 sets mode: -m
<Habeas2> ...and we are live.
<GhostCat> cool
*** jymset has joined #BattleChat-Live!
*** The_Hawk has joined #BattleChat-Live!
<jymset> hiya, better late than never
<Habeas2> Jymset - Hello
*** Maddog40 has joined #BattleChat-Live!
<GhostCat> so nice to meet everyone
<Steelfang> At what frequency will the new series of PDFs (Ship Profiles, Unit Profiles) be released?
<Habeas2> Steelfang - The frequency of the BattleCorps-exclusive PDF-exclusive series will be determined by the BattleCorps editor-in-chief, Jason Schmetzer, and will likely be based upon the amount of backlog he and his writers can generate, give or take the effects of fact-checking and layout.
<GhostCat> 2that means he doesn't know
<Tizona> Hello, not sure if this is a question for BT Line Developer. Are the original House Marik and House Liao FASA sourcebooks in the process of being republished as searchable PDF as have been their counterparts of Steiner and Kurita? Can we expect having them in the near future? Thank you.
<Habeas2> Tizona - Hello. Yes, the Marik and Liao Sourcebooks will eventually be republished as searchable PDFs, but when that will occur has yet to be determined.
<Exef> any chance to publish a only sole quick-strike full rulebook on pdf?
<Tolan> Are the LE:AToW On there way to the printers?Or are you still signing Them?
<GhostCat> 2will they also be published as bound books?
<Habeas2> Exef - Not at this time, no.
<Mendrugo> Are there any old BT products that, for whatever reason, are unlikely to be reprinted as PDFs (at least not in their entirety)?
<Habeas2> Tolan - All signatures are complete. Printing of the Limited Edition AToW copies should begin shortly.
*** mib_jn8ba6 has joined #BattleChat-Live!
<Habeas2> GhostCat - With the notable exception fo Technical readouts, none of the archival BattleTech products produced by FASA or FanPro are slated to be re-published in print form at this time.
<Habeas2> Mendrugo - That emains to be seen; at present I am aware of no archival products that are slated to be left out of the eventual PDF publishing process.
<Exef> so only one book remain to end the Jihad timeline?
<Mendrugo> Some years back, the official insignia for the short-lived Tikonov Free Republic was posted on cbt.com, but has yet to appear in an official product. Can you tell us what product it had been commissioned for?
<Habeas2> Excef - Incorrect. We have two sourcebooks slated to end the Jihad proper, followed by two more post-Jihad products intended to wrap up the era.
<Habeas2> Mendrugo - I know of no such product.
*** Maddog40 has quit IRC (Quit: http://www.mibbit.com ajax IRC Client)
<mib_jn8ba6> Before the jump to the Dark Age, will there be PDF's or a tree version book about what is happeningin the Clan Homeworlds?
<Habeas2> Mib_jn8ba6 - Possibly.
<Exef> Any plan for a Field Report: Word of Blake to describe what will remain of their forces?
<GhostCat> 2the TFR was one of the few good things to come from the chaos march, i've been hoping there'd be a link between it and Stone's Republic
<Habeas2> Excef - No
*** TheRefuge has joined #BattleChat-Live!
<Habeas2> GhostCat - The TFR failed to coalesce and was gone long before the Jihad or Stone's Republic came along.
<Tizona> I've read some twitted rumours about some kind of book serving as guide to the core rulebooks. Is this some sort of master index or something else? If that eventually comes out, will we have to wait for Interestellar Operations first?
*** jay242 has joined #BattleChat-Live!
*** Bren has joined #BattleChat-Live!
<Mendrugo> Is there any official 'in universe' explanation for the two different variants of the Steel Viper clan insignia? (The current one and the more stylized version appearing on the Solaris VII 3052 map)
*** Maddog has joined #BattleChat-Live!
*** jay242 has quit IRC (Quit: jay242)
<Habeas2> Tizona - The plan is for a free PDF-exclusive product that will serve as a primer for what the entire core rulebook line is about, and help newplayers understand the purpose of each rulebook, so they can make an informed choice in product purchases.
<Habeas2> Mendrugo - Artistic license.
*** colbosch has joined #BattleChat-Live!
*** DeJaVu has joined #BattleChat-Live!
*** mib_jn8ba6 has quit IRC (Quit: http://www.mibbit.com ajax IRC Client)
<colbosch>: Good morning, all.
<Habeas2>: Colbosch - Good morning.
<Maddog>: Will there be a TRO around 3140ish for the Dark Age?
<Habeas2>: Maddog - Yes
<Exef>: whit the comming of the dark age, any chance to publish a new "Starter: Something" book?
<Mendrugo>: What's the planned scope of the Unit Profile series? Just minor 'slip through the cracks' units, or more notable units that just haven't been touched on as yet?
<Habeas2>: Exef - The Starterbooks proved to be a failure in sales and were discontinued.
<Habeas2>: Mendrugo - Units so small that they have little to no impact on greater continuity.
<Bren>: On a personal(ish) note, if you waived all business, monetary, time constraints involved.. what product would you like to create/have created by the Catalyst?
<Habeas2>: Bren - More specific please? Is this in regards to BattleTech or CGL as a whole?
<Bren>: BattleTech
<Habeas2>: Bren - A BattleTech MMORPG that included space travel and all worlds in the Inner Sphere.
<BH-21>: can you elaborate on why the XTRO .pdfs have been delayed
<BH-21>: Has Welshman recovered from the congradulations and or kicks to the groin for TRO3085
<Habeas2>: BH-21 - Essentially, personal issues involved with one of the key contributors to the series forced us to re-evaluate the schedule to best suit all concerned.
<Mendrugo>: As Line Developer, how much control do you have over the direction of the meta-plot? How closely does the current direction match what you had in mind when you first assumed the LD position?
<Habeas2>: BH-21 - No, he has not, as I have yet to finish delivering the crotch-kicks
<BH-21>: How is your writers cramp from signing all of the Limited Edtions?
<BH-21>: Do you feel any great weight lifted now that AToW is being printed and has a street date?
<Habeas2>: Mendrugo - As LD, I have a controlling lead in the direction of the metaplot, as far as the needs of continuity and previously established story plans allow. As we advance beyond the Jihad and Dark Age, my level of authoritative control actually becomes much broader. However, the direction of the Jihad is largely how I planned it when working with my fellow creators back in the FanPro days (though, admittedly, those plans stem
<Habeas2>: BH-21 - I suffered no writer's cramp from the LE signing binge.
<Bren>: How many new BattleTech novels are for the most part written but still being edited, held up, or otherwise at some stage of production?
<Habeas2>: BH-21 - Oh, yes.
<Habeas2>: Bren - Two
<BH-21>: congrats on a well exercised wrist
<Habeas2>: Bren - ....Plus several more outlined according to the meta-plot
<Habeas2>: BH-21 - Comes with being male, I suppose.
<Lance>: rotfl
<colbosch>: Eee.
<Habeas2>: He's the one who went there!
<colbosch>: Desperately changing the subject, Herb, just how many hours do you think you spend on BattleTech each week?
<Habeas2>: Colbosch - Accounting for sleep and duties on the home front, approximately 70-77 hours a week.
<Xotl>: Loren Coleman has a couple of Battlecorps stories he was to write that would finish otherwise incomplete serials ("Proliferation" and "To Serve the Dragon"). Do you have any further info on these?
<Habeas2>: Xotl - We routinely beat him for his failure to deliver on those.
<Xotl>: Excellent, carry on then.
<Habeas2>: Xotl - We intend to.
<Steelfang>: Do you plan on writing any nore stories for Battlecorps?
<Mendrugo>: Speaking of that, I appreciate the efforts by BattleCorps to make up for the lack of new fiction in October. Is the regular stable of writers/submitters hitting a dry patch, or was there just an unfortunate confluence of factors that month?
<DeJaVu>: Appear before the end of the year 25th Box Set? Sorry, if the question was asked
<Habeas2>: Steelfang - Yes
<Habeas2>: Mendrugo - I cannot speak for BattleCorps, except to say that Jason Schemtzer would certainly be interested in any quality talent who offers him a story or two.
<Habeas2>: DeJaVu - We sincerely hope so.
<Habeas2>: At this time, the BattleTech Line Developer would like to remind everyone that these chats are schedule to run a minimum of one hour. There are presently only 20 minutes remaining for the current chat.
<DeJaVu>: Would authors like to compose some "secondery" descriptions of BT Universe? I mean Inner Sphere Atlas for example or personalities CV/bio? Some essay i think not one or two paragraphs only. Because info in existing manuals are brief mostly.
<Bren>: '<@Habeas2> Plus several more outlined according to the meta-plot' Who comes up with these outlines and how are they assigned/chosen/distributed amongst the BattleTech authors for writing?
<Mendrugo>: In your (non-canon) view, what role do diplomats have in the BT universe? Price of Glory implied that each major House has diplomatic missions even on backwater mudballs like Helm, if only for intel gathering. What do those diplomats who aren't stationed in House capitals do?
<Euphonium>: Herb, do you ever read reviews of BT products, or are you too busy working on the next one?
<Steelfang>: Mendrugo: They do what all diplomats do throw outrageous parties and have dalliances with their secretarial staff.
<Euphonium>: "I'm sorry sir, the Ambassador is a little tied up right now...."
<GhostCat>: give him some more rope
<Euphonium>: Can you tell us what other Era Reports (or how many) are planned yet?
<Habeas2>: DeJaVu - Actually, we feel that we have started to reach the point where too much of the universe is getting described and not enough is being left open to players and game masters to create freely. In a business where every word costs money, we have to learn to economize.
<Mendrugo>: Aside from the Starter books, the MWDA record sheet book (both had poor sales), and the phone-book listings of rosters from late '80s and early '90s products, what past BT products went down the wrong path, in your view?
<Habeas2>: Bren - We confer on outlines for novels, based on the planned meta-plot, which is largely directed by myself.
<Habeas2>: Mendrugo - Diplomats in the BattleTech universe tend to be spies or window dressing, given how failrly ineffective they are in the grand scheme.
<Habeas2>: Euphorium - I pretty much NEVER read reviews of BT products.
<Habeas2>: BH-21 - Era Report 3052 is shaping up nicely.
<DeJaVu>: Planned books on clans, after Era 3052? Clans are a favorite faction in Russia)
<Habeas2>: Euphorium - Several Era Reports are presently planned. The next one we anticipate publishing in print form will be 3062, allowing us to cover the Clan Invasion Era nicely
<Habeas2>: Mendrugo - Role-playing adventure books proved a failure for BattleTech in the past. So did Tactical Handbook, and the AeroTech series
<Habeas2>: DeJaVu - Yes. There are Clan-themed products scheduled for the foreseeable future.
<Habeas2>: At this time, the BattleTech Line Developer would like to remind everyone that these chats are schedule to run a minimum of one hour. There are presently only 10 minutes remaining for the current chat.
<Euphonium>: Are there any plans for a future BattleRun product to follow Bes
<Euphonium>: I've an idea, but I doon't want to mention it in case that prevents CGL using it
<GhostCat>: I actually believe the role play aspect of the game to be one of it's greater successes, just that the actualy character generation failed a few times
<Habeas2>: Euphorium - No plans have been made for that at this time, largely because Jason Hardy is incredibly busy on the Shadowrun front these days, and is probably still feeling a bit bad that BattleTech carried SHadowrun through 2010... t Ever?
<Euphonium>: <-- adjusts his screen to try & work out what type of smiley that's meant to be
<colbosch>: Wink.
<Euphonium>: Thanks
<Mendrugo>: Could be a Manei Domini cyborg smiley, too...
<colbosch>: The Manei Domini don't smile, AFAIK.
<colbosch>: How could you follow it...it was the Best Ever!
<Mendrugo>: The succubus ones do...
<GhostCat>: when they do, be very vewry careful
<Tizona>: You say role-playing adventure books were a failure previously, but you probed some time ago on people's opinion on publishing AToW game companions or similar. Do you persist in the idea of developing them?
<colbosch>: Speaking of which, are we likely to see the MD pop up again, or are they going to be another BT boogeyman?
<BH-21>: Will the early developmental days of Inner Sphere Battlearmor be addressed from 3049-3052 when the more final versions that well all know and TRO 3058 describes be addressed in a product or Era Report 305?
<Mendrugo>: Now that the Somerset Strikers storyline has been revealed as that of a propaganda holovid series loosely 'based on' Adam Steiner's exploits, any chance we'll ever get a full accounting of the 'real story' of those missions?
<Habeas2>: Tizona - The poll was intended to determine what the fans hoped to see in role-playing support products for BattleTech. Unfortunately, the low number of respondents has left the utility of the poll's data in doubt.
<Habeas2>: Colbosch - Cannot say at this time.
<Chunga>: what happened to my pants?
<Steelfang>: Appollyon took them
<Habeas2>: BH-21 - The early developmental days of IS battle armor amounts to the Infiltrator and Sloth designs. What more did you really expect?
<BH-21>: @ Chunga The Brewers needed them for something
<Habeas2>: Mendrugo - Yes
<Habeas2>: Chunga - You lied, and they caught fire.
<BH-21>: @ Herb, oh the things infered in TM
<Bren>: What was your first battletech mini?
<Habeas2>: BH-21 - Such as...?
<Tolan>: What the the Mount Niitaka(Ryu) the unfinished Kaga?
<Habeas2>: Bren - The Clan heavy OmniMechs.
<Habeas2>: Tolan - Yup
<Habeas2>: At this time, the BattleTech Line Developer would like to remind everyone that these chats are schedule to run a minimum of one hour. There are presently only 3 minutes remaining for the current chat.
<DeJaVu>: Do you plan to Total Warfare 3 Edition. The book disappeared from stores
<BH-21>: @ Herb, that would take 5 minutes to answer and thats if I could show you stuff
<Habeas2>: DeJaVu - A reprint is currently in the works, with latest errata incorporated.
<Habeas2>: BH-21 - Then you'll need to hold for the 8 PM chat
BattleChat-Live! Your place for official BattleChats with the Line Developer! - Next Chat Today (13 November 2010) at 8 PM EST!
Topic set by Habeas2 on Sat Nov 13 2010 20:58:51 GMT+0300 (Russia Standard Time)
<colbosch>: Herb, could I take a moment to thank everyone for their diligence in reporting errata?
<Euphonium>: Do the polls you run on the website ever produce enough data to be useful?
<Habeas2>: 2 minutes...
<DeJaVu>: thx mr Beas
<Habeas2>: Colbosch - Only if they're doing their job right.
<GhostCat>: funny i never see the polls
<Habeas2>: Euphorium - Yes
<Habeas2>: DeJaVu - You're welcome
<Habeas2>: GjostCat - They're there.
<GhostCat>: yea i have to look at much more of the site
<Habeas2>: Thank you for participating in this Catalyst Game Labs BattleTech Line Developer-aided public relations activity!
<Euphonium>: Thank you Herb
<colbosch>: Hey folks, if you've been doing your jobs right, thank you for your errata reports! The new system was a bit of a gamble, but it's been working very well.
<colbosch>: And thank you, Herb.
<Habeas2>: Chat time has now expired, but a second chat is scheduled for today, in this channel, 7 hours from now.
<Euphonium>: <-- sets alarm

*** Habeas2 sets mode: +m
*** ScottSR has joined #BattleChat-Live!
*** Mendrugo has joined #BattleChat-Live!
*** Bren has joined #BattleChat-Live!
<Habeas2> Hello, and--once again--welcome to the Catalyst game Labs' official BattleTech live IRC BattleChat, hosted by the BattleTech Line Developer (me).
*** clemash has joined #BattleChat-Live!
<Habeas2> Moderation will be terminated in a few moments, after these short repetitive announcements:
<Habeas2> 1) It remains the authority of the BattleTech Line Developer to refuse answer to, kick, or ban any user in these chats, if the user is found to be behaving in a disrespectful or abusive fashion.
<Habeas2> 2) Questions should be kept breif; the BattleTech Line Developer will attempt to answer each in turn, but these chats are scheduled to run a minimum of one hour, and that may not be enough time to eal with lengthy, complex questions.
<Habeas2> 3) At this time, all Davions should be aware that the future does not belong to them; it belongs to the BattleTech Line Developer.
<Habeas2> 4) Logging these chats is entirely up to you; The BattleTech Line Developer will not be logging these chats for official posterity.
<Habeas2> Moderation ends now.
*** Habeas2 sets mode: -m
<J_Schmetzer> DAVIONS OWN ALL!
<J_Schmetzer> [giggle]
<Peter> How does one eal with lenghty, complex questions?
<Steve_Restless> Herb, are mechwarriors able to shut down and restart mechs, at will? or is the only way to get shut down to overheat and fail to stay active?
<Habeas2> Peter - By adding a "d"
<Kurt> so at what point does House Shraplen supplant the Davions?
<Habeas2> Steve_Restless - Yes, MechWarriors are able to shut down at will. Otherwise, parking these beasts would be difficult.
<J_Schmetzer> Did you use any of the LE endsheets for napkins?
<J_Schmetzer> Is there one with wing sauce on eBay right now?
<Habeas2> Kurt - When we say so and not a moment sooner.
<Habeas2> J_Schmetzer - Only when I spilled cofee.
<at4> When is TRO 3085 supplement going to be coming out?
<Habeas2> J_Schmetzer - That would be the page I used under the dog's dish.
<Habeas2> At4 - Soon
<J_Schmetzer> Exactly how fantastic does it feel to have AToW on its way across the pond and into stores? Is it better than Skittles? Is it better than STEAK!?
<at4> Thanks, any progress on RS3067?
<Trboturtle> J_Schmetzer -- I think you'd have to ask the cats -- they're the ones getting steak....
<ScottSR> For TRO3085 supplemental, is there any chance that might come out this month?
<Steve_Restless> Does the existence of the Savage Wolf as an omnimech in the DA/AOD era signify that the original timber wolf chassis is no longer produced? or is what i have heard about the Wolves in Exile producing it correct?
<Habeas2> J_Schmetzer - The project has been so long in coming, the only feeling I have now is numb.
<Habeas2> At4 - RS3067 will be handled in due course. At present "due course" means sometime in 2011.
<Habeas2> ScottSR - There is always a chance
<Trboturtle> Anything new on the BT novel front?
<Habeas2> Steve_Restless - Until a TRO comes out to detail that detail, we will not know for certain.
<Habeas2> Trboturtle - Yes. Nothing.
<Habeas2> 50 minutes remaining....
<Kurt> are there future plans for Era Reports already, or are you waiting to see the sales on 3052?
<Steve_Restless> Do you know if the kindle editions of BT fiction have been doing well? I'm so glad that theres been material released in kindle format
*** Probe has quit IRC (Quit: http://www.mibbit.com ajax IRC Client)
<J_Schmetzer> *whistles innocently*
<Habeas2> Kurt - At least three more Era Reports books are being planned. One of these is actually being written. In theory.
<J_Schmetzer> *types last few words of Marcus GioAvanti's bio...*
<Kurt> and it's still too early days to reveal the period?
<ScottSR> Continuing on with release schedules, for FR3085 and JHS:final reckoning, is there a particular quarter of next year that you are currently planning on for those becoming available?
<Habeas2> Steve_Restless - I do not have sales data that I can share regarding Kindle editions of BattleTech fiction.
<MidnightSun> Is any of the Era Reports planned for the star league era?
<Habeas2> Kurt - The next one is slated to close out the Clan Invasion period.
<Kurt> very nice
<Trboturtle> Has there been any thought to more audio version of the BT novels?
<Habeas2> ScottSR - We do not generally share estimated release dates, even quarters, any more. It is too easy for schedules to slip this far out.
<at4> I notice in TRO 3085 there was no Mercenary Infantry, could there be some in the TRo 3085 supplement?
<Habeas2> MidnightSun - At this time, nope.
<Habeas2> Trboturtle - Nope.
<Habeas2> At4 - Yup.
<at4> Thanks
<MidnightSun> thanks
<Habeas2> At4, MidnightSun - You're welcome
<Habeas2> 45 minutes
<J_Schmetzer> Box set new?
<J_Schmetzer> er, news?
<J_Schmetzer> CGL Developer's Commemorative Calendar?
<Habeas2> The Box Set will hopefully arrive in time for Christmas.
<Kurt> I don't want this question to sound rude, but if there are grammatical errors in a book do you want people to submit these (Errata forum)?
<Habeas2> The CGL Developer's Commemorative Calendar project was cancelled when it became clear there were only so many days the world could be nuked in....
*** Mendrugo2 has joined #BattleChat-Live!
<Habeas2> Kurt - No
<Trboturtle> It seems that a lot of placews won't stock BT products unless there's a box set. Are there any plans to promote other BT products with the box set?
*** Mendrugo2 has quit IRC (Quit: Mendrugo2)
<Habeas2> Trboturtle - How promotions will be handled is not an area I have a say in.
<ScottSR> To what extent could Devlin Stone be seen as a cross between John Conner and Batman [and possibly other heros]? When whoever came up with the idea of Devlin Stone, to what extent did John Connor serve as a role model?
*** Mendrugo3 has joined #BattleChat-Live!
<ScottSR> I'd like to point out that in last months battlechat you made a devlin stone-john connor comment ["who cares who [stone] was before he became john connor"]
<MidnightSun> will 2011 see any products based in the dark agen era?
<MidnightSun> age that is
<Mendrugo3> Are there any plans to factor planetary USIIR scores into any of the Interstellar Operations game mechanics?
<Habeas2> ScottSR - Stone was largely written into the plot by the folks at WizKids when they went about setting up the Dark Age line. The main comparison to John Connor simply stems from the fact that both heroes emerged from enemy prison camps to destroy the Big Bad.
<Kurt> are the days of hard numbers in sourcebooks totally dead?
<Habeas2> MighnightSun - No
*** Mendrugo has quit IRC (Quit: http://www.mibbit.com ajax IRC Client)
<Habeas2> Mendrugo3 - STill too early to say. The development process can take a book to strange places.
<Habeas2> Kurt - They're getting there. Hard numbers are bad, bad, BAD for fictional universes that are based on rather fantastic elements (such as large walking tanks that can't hit anything past half a kilometer)
<ScottSR> When developing metaplot, or the particular details of plot development, do you/writers often look to outside sources or references for inspiration. For example, famous books, movies, comic books, popular culture, maybe politics?
<Habeas2> Kurt - ...ANd, frankly, we're tired of getting beaten about the head and shoulders over hard numbers. It's not fun at that point.
<J_Schmetzer> I'll bring the knives.
<Kurt> that's what I thought
<Kurt> I like the approach in Wolf and Blake, define something at company level, and above that leave it abstract
<Steve_Restless> what of sourcebooks that are reliable information? it seems as if there has been a lot of questionable information, left to player interpretation in recent years.
<Habeas2> ScottSR - Nothing is created in vacuum. It is likely that outsie events inspire us, if only on subconscious levels, but for the most part, metaplots are built around what we want to sell.
<Habeas2> Kurt - All sourcebooks that are not hard rulebooks contain fluff generated by in-universe reporting agencies, and all reporting agencies--just as in real life--have bias. There is, therefore, no such thing as a truly omniscient source of data for the game universe beyond the core rulebooks (and even then, you should always be aware of what is being written "in-characetr" or from an in-universe PoV
<Habeas2> Correction. Last answer was for ScottSR, not Kurt
<Kurt> what scale will the Interstellar Ops campaign allow you to play at? will you be able to recreate a Succession War?
<Kurt> (within the space of an ordinary gaming session or two, that is)
<Habeas2> Kurt - Yes
<Habeas2> Kurt - And no. I seriously doubt anyone will be able to resolve a Succession War sclae battle in one session
<ScottSR> "Correction. Last answer was for ScottSR, not Kurt" I think you did mean that for Kurt, I didn't ask about canonicity of fluff in sourcebooks
<Habeas2> Kurt - ...After all, you're talking about a universe where wars can drag on for decades
<Steve_Restless> ScottSR - I think he actually meant me.
<clemash> So sat/sunday game then ;P
<Habeas2> Whoever. So many SRs here...
*** Steve_Restless is now known as Restless
<Restless> There. hopefully less confusing.
<Habeas2> 30 minutes remaining....
<Mendrugo3> Ardath Mayhar stated that she got a small folder of universe info when she started writing The Sword and the Dagger. What sort of background material is provided to novel authors these days, as background prep?
<ScottSR> When advancing plot, and filling in the details, how much time is spent on accounting/bookeeping? For example, what units are on what planets, who is turning traitor today, who just decided to either start liking or hating some other power, etc?
<Habeas2> Mendrugo3 - These days, a massive amount of PDFs, presuming we decide the author-applicant is worth the trouble.
<Kurt> I know there was mention of the XTRO series being delayed, has it now been rescheduled to run quarterly (or some other regular interval), or is this just a temporary delay and then back to monthly release?
<Habeas2> ScottSR - For the Jihad, tons. But in general, we prefer to describe the universe in broader strokes to avoid having to spend six years on pre-plot work.
<J_Schmetzer> I'm so not worth the trouble.
<Habeas2> Kurt - Nothing has been said about th XTRs going to a quarterly release.
<Kurt> I know, I just wondered it there'd been a decision to make a new regular schedule after mention of the delays
<Habeas2> J_schmetzer - Yes; you're mediocre at best.
<Trboturtle> So, it's up to the authors to fill in details?
<Trboturtle> (some of them, at least)
<Habeas2> Kurt - At present, that depends on the ability of authors, fact-checkers, and artists to restore something approximating our regular monthly schedule. There is the possibility that some XTRs will be released as close together as twice a month to restoire schedule integrity. But certain XTRs may have to be dropped from the lineup to make this happen.
<Mendrugo3> Can you share any stories about particularly entertaining/egregious continuity goofs that got caught before entering stories/sourcebooks?
<Habeas2> Trboturtle - And fact-checkers to keep them honest. And the Line Developer to approve the details.
<Habeas2> Mendrugo3 - Numerous attempts to make the Jihad seem pre-meditated had to be crushed early on.
<ScottSR> From a storyteller's perspective, does it kind of feel like copping out to destroy famous/historical units by orbital bombardment or WMD? Wolf's dragoons put up a big fight, and there was story fleshed out there, but say eridani light horse or kell hounds. Do the particular authors pick that fate, or is that in the metaplot?
<Habeas2> ScottSR - That's the metaplot. In some cases, the price of becomming too damned good is that nobody wants to fight you fair. As Captain Sparrow said when told he would get killed in a fair fight, "that doesn't leave me much incentive to fight fair, now does it?"
<Habeas2> ScottSR - ...So, no. It's not a cop out. It's the natural outcome of being too bad-ass in this universe.
<Habeas2> 23 minutes...
<Kurt> with advancing the timeline to catch up with the Dark Age will conflicts like the Combine/Dominion war get its own sourcebook?
<Habeas2> Kurt - Someday.
<clemash> or be in a new brush war book?
<Habeas2> Clemash, Kurt - A Historical is planned to cover the major conflicts of the Republic Era. The exact contents are yet to be determined, but there are at least three small wars for that period, including the Second Combine-Dominion War
<Restless> Just want to say that I'm eagerly waiting to see what the current powers make of the Dark Age and its precursors. I've been waiting for the bigger story to be told since the first announcements, and I'm sure you'll all do a great job. Not a question, no, just feedback. ^_^
<Kurt> hooray
<Habeas2> 19 minutes....
<Kurt> obligatory Hogarth question, when is he getting his own novel?
<Mendrugo3> Any chance that the ' micro-ton fusion grenades' used by Elias Liao in the 2300s will ever get AToW stats?
<ScottSR> For example, if the eridani light horse is meant to get almost annihilated, why not have the goliath scorpions be like " hah hah, we won't give you this medicine that you need to live on our nasty dangerous clan homeworlds"? Surely there are lots of other forces [ mercs, pirates, etc] who could provide a chance to go down fighting.
<Habeas2> Kurt - Possibly around the time the Chekswa School of Literature is rebuilt.
<Euphonium> Sorry I'm late!
<Euphonium> How much detail does CGL intend to put out for the portion of the Dark Age that WizKids covered? Are you planning on fleshing it out further, or speeding on to unpublished years?
<Habeas2> Mendrugo3 - No
*** TMX has joined #BattleChat-Live!
<J_Schmetzer> Think about a fusion grenade for a minute. Honestly. Come on.
<TMX> Ye old Taurian Lunchbox special?
<Euphonium> (thinks....) If you made it a Lithium-fusion grenade, could you use it twice?
<Mendrugo3> J_Schmetzer - Rick David Stewart thought they sounded cool back in 1987...
<Habeas2> ScottSR - We made all the decisions as to how each force gets annihilated either before launching Dawn of the Jihad, or during the development of the Plot Books since then. In some cases, we went for elaborate. In others, we went with incidental. This is a war that doesn't really coddle to fan service because, well, death happens.
<clemash> yup fusion backpacks are fine for your suicide bombing needs
<Habeas2> Euphorium - There are, at present, roughly four sourcebooks planned to cover the Dark Age period as we know it, plus several PDF-exclusives
<J_Schmetzer> And now you're thinking about things that sounded cool in THE EIGHTIES!?
<Mendrugo3> Velcro and calculator watches, too...
<Peter> Max Headroom...
<Habeas2> 15 mintes....
<Euphonium> <-- makes plans to order more book-cases
<J_Schmetzer> I'm going to have nightmares. I know it.
<clemash> max headroom is still cool
<Kurt> will mercs get a Field Report to finally determine who survived the Jihad?
<Trboturtle> That would be a small book.....
<Habeas2> Kurt - Of their own? No
<ScottSR> Out of curiosity, are you in charge of all metaplot development? some? The 6 year conferences paint broad brush strokes and then you start filling them in? Something else? Also, what role(s) does Randall still play in the BT universe?
<Euphonium> How is the MUL coming along? Any feel for if there will be a publishable version of it?
<TMX> Any chance for historicals set in the past, like the 1st/2nd/3rd Succession War or Age of War/Reunifcation/Early Star League etc etc?
<Kurt> small book is fine, I'm just curious to see which of my mercs got axed
<Kurt> both of my specific Combine regiments got axed, now I need to pick a post-Jihad paintscheme too
<Trboturtle> will there be a lot of new units in the DA era?
<Habeas2> ScottSR - AT this stage, most metaplots come through me, but a committee generally consisting of myself, Randall Bills, and core writers work on details used to further strengthen the plot and add key subplots. The summits we hold every 6-7 years are used to discuss and refine metaplots as we go along. Randall acts as Managing Developer for all of CGL, and generally handles some of the books in the BT line that he had a hand i
<Habeas2> Euphorium - There is as yet no publishable form of the MUL. The sheer size and scope of it means we still need to hold off on publication for the time being.
<Habeas2> TMX - There is always a chance.
<Euphonium> I wasn't exepcting it any time, soon, but I'd love to see it "one day." I've been trying to assemble my own on & off for the last 5 years or so...
<Habeas2> Trboturtle - By my count, were we to do a Dark Age Technical Readout, we would have 100 units to showcase in it.
<Habeas2> 8 minutes....
<ScottSR> Going back to schedules, can you say anything about how HTP: reunification war(s) is going?
<TMX> Nice. I
<Euphonium> Do you think there is a point at which you have to say "That's too many new 'mechs" ?
<Habeas2> ScottSR - There is no HTP: Reunification War project in the works.
<J_Schmetzer> LOL. 1998?
<Habeas2> Euphorium - What J_Schemtzer says.
<TMX> I'm glad to see BT is marching onward. Looking forward to the release of Time of War since getting stuff up here is always a pain.
<ScottSR> Was the hellstar mech [TRO3085] intended as a sort of replacement for the masakari?
<Habeas2> ScottSR - I'm sure someone thought so....
<J_Schmetzer> I love that 'Mech.
<J_Schmetzer> I lurve it.
<J_Schmetzer> It's the UltiMech.
<ScottSR> Oh, sorry, what was the next declared historical turning point then? rim worlds or something?
<Euphonium> Is that an absolute number, or a year?
<Habeas2> ScottSR - I may be wrong, but the next HTP I show is Towne.
<Habeas2> 3 minutes....
<Trboturtle> So, all is right in the BT Universe?
<Habeas2> Euphorium - That's a year. We have such a disgustingly high number of new units in tis game that it's a wonder why we bother with OmniMechs at all sometimes....
<ScottSR> ok, what about operational turning points? Man, I coulda swore there was some reunification/rim worlds something or other
<Mendrugo3> Is kumbayah (acoustic version) the official anthem of Stone's Republic?
<Habeas2> Trboturtle - Alays has been
<Restless> Is there any question you've been wishing we'd ask, and if so, what? (and if you've time, the answer)
<Habeas2> ScottSR - Next Operational Turning Point seems to be SOlaris VII, in the Jihad
<Euphonium> That's part of why I asked....
<Habeas2> Mendrugo3 - No
<Kurt> will there be "scenario packs" for Interstellar Ops?
<ScottSR> do you love us?
<Euphonium> Will there be a box set or slip-case to hold the full set of core books once they're all published?
<Habeas2> Restless - Sorry; I don't give hints like that.
<ScottSR> or just our credit cards?
<TMX> *hands over his wallet*
<Restless> No need to apologize, just wanted to give you the chance.
<Habeas2> Kurt - Scenario Packs have not done well for us, so I would wager.... no
<Kurt> Euphonium: I think you mean bookshelf
<Kurt> that slip case would cause hernias
<Habeas2> ScottSR - I love you guys AND your credit cards. Your cash is beautiful too.
<J_Schmetzer> Habeas2>: ScottSR - Next Operational Turning Point seems to be SOlaris VII, in the Jihad (actually not true--there's one before it)
<Habeas2> Euphorium - No such thing is being planned at this time
<Trboturtle> later!
*** Trboturtle has quit IRC (Quit: http://www.mibbit.com ajax IRC Client)
<Euphonium> Kurt, Already ordered some of those - ikea.co.uk is open in the other tab
<MidnightSun> Thanks for the update!
<Habeas2> J_Schmetzer - Oh, yes. I see that
<Kurt> will we ever see official CGL furniture to store our collections in?
<ScottSR> oh, historical reunification war!
<Habeas2> ScottSR - Congrats
<Habeas2> Kurt - No
<Euphonium> Not even when mech-grade armour becomes available?
<Habeas2> Thank you for participating in this Catalyst Game Labs BattleTech Line Developer-aided public relations activity.
*** J_Schmetzer has quit IRC (Quit: http://www.mibbit.com ajax IRC Client)
<TMX> Take care.
<Euphonium> Thanks for having us, Herb.
<Restless> Thank you for giving us the chance
<MidnightSun> Thanks for the updates.
*** Tolan has quit IRC (Quit: http://www.mibbit.com ajax IRC Client)
<at4> Thanks
*** Habeas2 changes topic to 'BattleChat-Live! Your place for official BattleChats with the Line Developer! - Next Chat on Saturday (Date to be Announced) at 12 PM EST!'