Re: Attn JT: FT Novels

On Wed, 9 Jul 1997, Ground Zero Games wrote:

> If we ever managed to get a "proper" FT fiction book published (I mean
for
> the book market, not just the gamers, like the Weber/STARFIRE stuff)
...

Hmm...? I hope you're not suggesting that "Crusade", "Insurrection" or
"In
Death Ground" aren't published for the book market? Just as all those
AD&D-based novels (Dragonlance chronicles etc) are published for generic
Fantasy readers but have an extra appeal to AD&D players, the novels set
in the Starfire universe are published for generic SF fans.  They sell a
lot better than the game Starfire - it can't be Starfire addicts only
who
buy them. 

To continue the parallel with the AD&D books, there is a Starfire module
covering Crusade, ISW4 - covering "In Death Ground", as well as its as
yet
unpublished sequel - is available from the SDS in beta-test format, and
we're currently working on an Insurrection module. These are, of course,
published for the gamers only - but they shouldn't be confused with the 
novels themselves.

> ... I
> reckon the best way would be basically as you suggest - a "shared
world
> anthology" style of book with plenty of short stories and novelettes.
This
> way, the individual authors would be free to explore the more minor,
quirky
> aspects of the FT "universe" - even humourously if they wish - rather
than
> having to take the "big picture" approach that a full novel might be
forced
> into. 

A word of warning: Don't tie the books too closely to the game, or
people 
might start thinking of the game as firmly fixed to that background. OK,

we old fans won't, but I don't want to see potential new players spoilt
:/

Another thing to be wary of is how tech works in the books... and
especially tech feedback from the books to the game. We (the Starfire
Design Studio) have problems with several aspects of Weber's material -
things that are great Space Opera, but just won't work in a game. Then a
player reads the books, and says "...but they do this in the novel! Why
can't I?", taking the books as canon. I think Full Thrust is a lot
sturdier than Starfire in this respect, but I know first-hand what a
mess 
an inspired author can cause <sigh>. 

Later,

Oerjan Ohlson
SDS member and FT fan

"Life is like a sewer.
 What you get out of it, depends on what you put into it."
 -Hen3ry