The Space Opera Working Thread

Originally posted by silo13
Just a quick note.

First, as you might have read Adam is uptight about sexuality.
He’s no ‘phobe’ but it will be interesting to see how he interacts with BIAD.
That, and I’m sure BIAD will figure out right away what Dag’s secret is.
I can only imagine how much fun BIAD might have torturing Adam over that secret, one Dag will do anything to keep hidden!

*BIAD smiles and shuffles his high-heels!*

Hi Again -

Before I forget - Once at the CindyMars Cabin please feel free to write for Chumley, Adam and Dag.
Chumley wasn't created by me but Whisper and I've been in hopes keeping him alive might bring Whsiper back someday!

Adam and Dag?

They came into being for another writer that since has had family problems and can't commit to the Opera so use them as you will!

Silo? She's dying to get back to Ship. Really. So, though I've no problem with you using her in your dialogs but I'm sure in her condition she can't do much more than moan and mumble an incoherent 'yes' or 'no' occasionally.

reply to post by nenothtu


I can't believe the emotional response I got when I read the suggestion to leave her behind as a derelict... Wow.

I felt as if I'd be losing an old friend and I haven't contributed in any meaningful form to this thread for quite some time.

Why don't you let me take care of the ship? Once I get stable here, I'll be able to contribute more and I was starting to wonder - why not just fill those slots with NPCs?

How's everyone been, by the way?

I'm working on a project at the moment I think you all will enjoy - but it's going to take some time (read: likely a month or so) before I post it.

I'll check back up on here later. Hope you all have a good one.

reply to post by mf_luder

Luder!!!
Would love to see you back!
WOW - what a trip!
Look forward to hearing more from you!
peace

reply to post by mf_luder


I was brainstorming there to try to figure out what to do about Penelope, rather than just leave her hanging in a web of story lines.

I think NPCs to run her will work out great, and keep it moving forward, so I'm all for letting you handle her - after all, you ARE the Captain!

I wasn't much liking the derelict idea either - Lt. James would have "gone missing" along with the rest of the crew, and I think neno would have been about ready to turn that planet below upside down and shake it to see what fell out! That would have been the only "logical" place the crew could have gone - unless they'd been kidnapped by the Dark Lord, or the Buzzards, or something like that...

...or... just POOFED off into another dimension or something...

I finally figured out how to make the alpha channel in the model textures "clear" in Terragen, and pieced together another picture to demonstrate. I only ran the quality settings at about half, to shorten the render time. Now the leaves look like leaves, not like pictures of leaves on black paper hung from a tree, like they did before.

I present to you the Uktena from Khalamzadar - that thing neno was eating in one of his early flashbacks to when he got rescued from his shipwreck:

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/e466cc02e682.jpg[/atsimg]

A detail of the head at the full sized I rendered it at (the above I had to reduce to get it to fit here):

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/e979f93e9100.jpg[/atsimg]

I'm headed off to the barn now, so's I can get up for work - or play, or whatever it is that I do on weekends.

I guess I'll go ahead and put this out there for you guys so you're in the know.

I'm about half of the way through copying every post everyone's made in the story thread into Microsoft One-Note and I'm going to give the opera up until the most recent post a literary treatment. That is, I'm going to make an e-book, using the information compiled by all of the contributors into a novel format.

That being said, some stuff may be changed slightly, but I hope the final product is something that everyone will enjoy.

I'll keep you all updated on my progress and once it's complete, I'll upload it to the site for all to download.

Happy writing!

Alright.

I JUST finished the copy and paste job into One Note.

There were a total of 28 contributors with a metric f**k ton of posts between them.

I'm going to do my best to try to get this all into novel format, starting tonight. I need a break though - been at it since about 1100 hours, Arizona time.

Any suggestions or what not, please let me know. I'm thinking that in order to make this work, the story is going to be ultimately focused on the Opiuchi threat, but will include most, if not all, of our sub-plots that cropped up over the past couple of years.

I may start writing in the thread again soon, but I'm waiting to see what happens to Neno.

I'll keep you all updated.

luder

reply to post by nenothtu


That is so fab I just can't see straight! I mean drop dead WOW!!!!

WOW!!!!

I can't wait to see some of this in the Opera!

Wow!

reply to post by mf_luder

What a handful!
I've got page = story info and that took FOREVER!
You're lucky your cut/paste isn't broken! (Or a digit or two)!
Can't wait to see what you've done!

GREAT to have you back!

peace

reply to post by silo13


I'm doing two versions of the EBook.

1) An "As Is" version with major editing for grammar and a "to be continued..." at the end.

and

2) An "Opiuchi Focused" version which includes an ending focused on the fight against the Opiuchi.

Both versions will be uploaded to the site when complete.

reply to post by mf_luder

An "Opiuchi Focused" version which includes an ending focused on the fight against the Opiuchi.

Could you elaborate on this please? There's only one version of the Space Opera.

peace

reply to post by silo13


Right, there's only one version and as it stands, that version isn't complete as far as I know. What I'm going to do with the "OF" version is cut out a lot of the side-plots and make it solely focused on the Yydryl, the Penelope and the fight against the Opiuchi. Don't worry, Silo - lol - there will be one (the first one) that will follow the storyline as is and end with a "to be continued..."

I'm not going to steal the show or anything.

reply to post by mf_luder

What I'm going to do with the "OF" version is cut out a lot of the side-plots and make it solely focused on the Yydryl, the Penelope and the fight against the Opiuchi.

So you're going to take our past story line, names, events, Ship’s, etc and add it to another 'version' of the Space Opera? Or chop out what you don't like and stick to what you do molding it into an Ophi war?

If so, who will be involved in this new project?

Am I getting to the bottom of it yet? Am I missing something here?

And please don't presume with me. I'm far from worried someone will 'steal' the show. But I am concerned that you’ve gone ahead and ‘presumed’ our Space Opera can be used for fodder in another Saga without permission or even discussing it in the working thread.

So, what I’m asking now is for you to explain your intentions for the use of a project very near and dear to me and one I've put hundreds if not thousands of hours into - one I've never abandoned.

That being said I have a right to ask how the original story of the Yydryl and the Penelope is going to be used in another, well, Space Drama, for the lack of a better name.

I’m also curious if you’ve talked over this notion of yours with any of the other current participants? I see neither you or anyone currently involved asking permission to use any of our collaborative creation for something - else - and if that’s anything other than disrespectful of the writers as a whole I’d like to know what you’d call it?

peace

Regarding the above:

It cannot happen without either the consent of everyone who has contribute and the administrators of ATS itself. The story must remain entirely complete and nothing may be altered or paraphrased.

If it's to be copied as an eBook, then proper attribution must be given to all and nothing may be altered or deleted.

It's our copyright laws protecting both the site and its membership.

6) Use Of Content; Copyright. All content created by Users of TAN website are governed by an "Attribution - NonCommercial - NoDerivs 3.0 Unported" Creative Commons Deed (hereinafter "Creative Commons License"). Users can share, distribute, copy, and transmit the work Users find on TAN websites provided Users provide proper attribution that includes the name of the Website User, the name of the Website, and a link to the content thread. These usage rights do not apply to any commercial use of the content found on TAN websites, and such use is strictly prohibited without prior written authorization from TAN. These usage rights also do not apply to derivative works, and such use is strictly prohibited without prior written authorization from TAN. Each post of each thread contains a "copyright" link that clearly specifies the method in which the material may be shared, distributed, modified, or used.

You will not copy, distribute, display, or publicly perform material from the Websites to Post on other websites or quote in offline research in a manner that does not comply with the Creative Commons License that specifies the author's member name as a member of AboveTopSecret.com, includes The Above Network, LLC and the member as owners of the content, provides the title of the thread, and a full URL to the board thread. 


That should clarify things.

‘Times come for you to get yer balls taken off there Squib.’ Skinny reminded the Droid his polishing rag flying. ‘Much easier for you to move about without them don‘t ya know.’ He dipped down to whisper the last like it was a well kept secret.

‘Awww, you’ll not find me lopping off my friends there! They been with me since I cracked the mould.’

You've been reading around, haven't you? That sounds an awful lot "UV radio -telescopish"... One of the main antagonists in that unfolding saga underwent a similar modification. Didn't help him/her get around any better, though... just differently... and s/he DOES still get around! It DID however keep the humor train rolling in that thread, with jokes referencing that event...

Regarding the e-book: for my part, I'm OK with it, no qualms at all. Luder's doing it for us, to be posted here. It's my understanding that he's doing it to make it more readable, and improve flow. Over the course of time, side tracks have entered the picture, and some writers have just POOF disappeared without writing themselves out per the inital rules set, leaving their characters hanging. His intent is I believe to try to resolve those loose ends,and make it more readable, fix grammar errors and such while he's a it. I know I'VE had some grammatical errors here.

It's a huge job, I would imagine. Being 44 thread pages into the story now will likely result in a HUGE ebook, and a whole lot of effort, not to be sneezed at or undertaken lightly. As I recall, Studious' last "synopsis" ran to around 1500 pages, and we weren't nearly as far along as we are now.

I don't believe his intent is to create a derivative work or make any sort of profit off of it - only to make it flow better. Nor do I believe he has any intent to change the story line at all. The second version, focusing on the Buzzard menace, will without doubt change the focus, but not the story line. Luder is a stickler for story canon - remember, HE is the one who started the separate thread for canonical background information, (here), in his effort to keep the Space Opera universe on track.

reply to post by silo13


Alright, forget it and the fact I ever said anything about it.

I was simply going to give what we had already done a proper ending - that's all. Two versions completely free for downloading and reading on this site alone. I'd hardly call that "fodder for another saga." It'd be an ebook.

But you know what, screw it.

I didn't except such a hostile response and as best I recall, you're not the only one who put hours into this thing.

I may go ahead with the initial one I had planned to do with just what we had already written with vanishing characters, plots that went nowhere and bleed-over plots, but if there's going to be a giant issue about it, I won't even do it.

It was intended to be a gift to everyone who worked on it, not a "me stealing other people's work" situation and using it for something else.

No worries there.

You take care.

reply to post by mf_luder


Also, for clarification to Masqua and Neno,

1) The title page had the names of all 28 authors on it as well as the following page having a legal disclaimer warning against copying or using for other works.

2) Masqua, you were part of the people I U2U'ed on that list - aside from the people who've read about it in this thread.

3) Sorry for my earlier harshness but I'm frankly offended on two counts. 1) The fact of "hours spent" and "love" for this story. I didn't realize my contribution to the space opera was so marginal... 2) The mere thought that I would try to take this thing and make it my own.

As best I recall, Masqua's original intent was for there to BE an overwhelming enemy force that WOULD FORCE us to unite in the beginning. It took nearly 15 pages of thread to GET to that point and even then, what!?!? I'm sorry, I fail to see how gallivanting through time was relevant to fighting the Opiuchi...

Then you throw in the people who wrote and vanished forever.... Yeah - I got it - DJMessiah had issues in real life - I don't hold that against him AT ALL, but he did leave a post which means - a character. Then whiterabbit85 bounced, but there was no real hand-off between he and Slayer, Cadbury - I could go on.

Then, no offense to Gorman91, but wth? What did the mash-up of BSG/SG1 have to do with either the Penelope or the Yydryl!?!?! Care to explain that one to me?

But no, I sat at this computer for an entire day and copied EVERY SINGLE POST by EVERYONE including pics AND ALL and separated them into a one note file to divy up into the word document.

At that point, I was committed. But, simply throwing the whole thing straight through into a word document would inevitably look ridiculous. Sorry, it's true. That goes for all of us. I decided - using the first idea "an as is" that I would Edit, Compile and Expand it. Meaning - clean up the storylines, make the dialogue actually look like story dialogue instead of two posters in a forum talking to each other and make it make sense. That was the first idea.

After reading through the voluminous amount of information that WE established, I realized that about 80% of the story had NOTHING to do with the Opiuchi - at all. Only a small portion of it. So, I thought, well hell - why not give it an adaptation and make it into a an Opiuchi driven story, using most of what WE had written? There would be TWO versions of the Space Opera - for FREE - on THIS SITE.

Neno, you were right man. I'm already at about 40 pages and we haven't even really left Earth yet. It would be a huge ebook.

But as I said before and Masqua has made abundantly clear. If there's going to be issues, I'm not putting my account at risk for drama. So forget it. I'll just save what I have and move on to another project. Sorry I ever brought it up.

It was good conversing with you all again.

Good luck.

Doesnt knock, just walks in like old times, Trips over the rearanged furniture smacking his head on the new coffee table.

I just wanted to drop in and say hi. Dusts himself off...


Hi

WOW!

Looks around at all the new tacky furniture...

I love what you guys have done with the place, Looks great.
Also with regards to my small contribution I could care less as far as either Version Luder as long as it goes inline with what masqua has posted

I know you're honest and have good intentions...

Now back to never never land.

Sprinkles pixie dust, straitens his tie and jumps out the window....

Originally posted by silo13
reply to post by nenothtu

 

That is so fab I just can't see straight! I mean drop dead WOW!!!!

WOW!!!!

I can't wait to see some of this in the Opera!

Wow!

To make use of those sorts of pictures will require more "surface" time as opposed to "ship" time, since Terragen is a landscape renderer. It does a great job with sweeping panoramas involving varied terrain - but does OK with closeups of vegetation and whatnot, too. I was going to put neno in those pictures fighting the critter with a sharp stick, but ran into a couple of snags:

1) I had that model all finished, neno, spear, and all, but for some reason it crashed the program every time I tried to include it.

2) Being a neophyte, I've not yet figured out how to dress those cyber Barbie dolls, so neno was nekkid as the day he was born (seems to be a recurring theme with him!) I figured I could make it PG-13 by jamming him into the swamp up to his waist or so, but then #1 came into play, and I've yet to figure out what the malfunction is.

Maybe if I thin out the model, give it fewer faces and vertices, and trim down on the UV normals it might work.

Still gotta get clothes to fit him...

For the external, Space shots, I still can't find anything to beat Celestia. Slayer is still the master of the ship interiors, and I've yet to be able to get him drunk enough to ferret out the secrets of how he does it...