Writer's Guide PDF

[robkelk]

It's still in progress, but if I don't release at least a draft copy of the Writers' Guide on 23/5, the Paratheo-Anametamystikhood Of Eris Esoteric
will revoke my (fnord) licence.

So, here it is. Feedback welcome, but
please don't mention the crappy formatting... although if I'm taking the entire wrong approach to the formatting, please let me know now.

-Rob Kelk
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

[M Fnord]

Ye gods, 122pp? I didn't think we were that wordy!
Anyway, on with some constructive criticism: If this is something you want to give to gamers, or even just a "Writer's Bible" to stick on the Fenspace page, it needs some significant trimming.
In that spirit, here's a theoretical revise outline to work with:
1: Introduction
1.1: The "Welcome to Fenspace" sticky from the board.
1.2: Meta rules.
2: The Setting In General
2.1: Timeline (minus future parts)
2.2: Places
2.3: Factions
2.3.1: Organizations
2.4: Glossary
3: People & Things
3.1: Noteworthy Fen
3.1.1-x: No more than half a dozen of the major players in Fenspace, not the entire cast of characters. By "major players" I mean active PCs or high-level NPCs like Haruhi.
3.2: Noteworthy Fenships
3.2.1-x: Again, a selection of the more impressive objects in the Fenspace fleet. My personal shortlist would be the Jet Car, Inelegant Truth, Ptichka (o ego!), Miranda, Hephaestus, Grover's Corners, Stellvia & the Island.
4: Miscellaneous
4.1-x: The stuff already in the Other Information heading not already covered here.
5: Appendix 1 - Complete Cast (seperate PDF file)
5.1: All the Fenspace bios currently posted.
6: Appendix 2 - Complete Ship Registry (seperate PDF file)
6.1: All the Fenspace ships currently posted.
Thoughts?---
Mr. Fnord
http://fnord.sandwich.net/
http://www.jihad.net/
Mr. Fnord interdimensional man of mystery

FenWiki - Your One-Stop Shop for Fenspace Information

"I. Drink. Your. NERDRAGE!"

[robkelk]

---

Ye gods, 122pp? I didn't think we were that wordy!

---

You should have seen it before I took a blue-pencil to some of the more wordy entries...

---

If this is something you want to give to gamers, or even just a "Writer's Bible" to stick on the Fenspace page, it needs some significant trimming.

---

Fair enough. I wasn't sure what to leave out, so I tossed in everything I thought useful - on reflection, this does result in something a bit too big.

---

3.1: Noteworthy Fen
3.1.1-x: No more than half a dozen of the major players in Fenspace, not the entire cast of characters. By "major players" I mean active PCs or high-level NPCs like Haruhi.

---

Fair enough... but I'm going to need a list of the major players. (I'm not objective here; I know what I have planned for my characters, after all.)
My list of major players would be "Mr. Morden", Blackstone, S. Malaclypse Fnord, Duane E. Peters, The Professor, Katz Schrdinger, Bob Schroeck, Noah Scott, Haruhi Suzumiya, Wire Geek, and Eric Zhu. Who did I miss, and who doesn't belong here?
And if we go this route, I'll need someone who's actually watched the entire series to write an entry for Haruhi.

---

3.2: Noteworthy Fenships
3.2.1-x: Again, a selection of the more impressive objects in the Fenspace fleet. My personal shortlist would be the Jet Car, Inelegant Truth, Ptichka (o ego!), Miranda, Hephaestus, Grover's Corners, Stellvia & the Island.

---

But not World Watch One, Candy Apple Red's, or Galaxy Express 999? I can see leaving off WW1 since the Jet Car's on the list, but the other two are reasonably important for the flavour of the setting.
I'll separate out the Big Book of People and the Big Book of Ships as soon as I see or come up with better names for them...

-Rob Kelk
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

[itsune9tl]

---

I'll separate out the Big Book of People and the Big Book of Ships as soon as I see or come up with better names for them...

---

How about combining the two;
"The Big Book of Fen and Their Outragious Space Machines",
or
"Fen: Who's Who, and What's That?"

[M Fnord]

---

My list of major players would be "Mr. Morden", Blackstone, S. Malaclypse Fnord, Duane E. Peters, The Professor, Katz Schrdinger, Bob Schroeck, Noah Scott, Haruhi Suzumiya, Wire Geek, and Eric Zhu. Who did I miss, and who doesn't belong here?

---

Hm... I'm thinking Chris Marsden, Stephen Caldwell and Tom Dodge should be on the list, as the three big fendanes in the neighborhood.
(Memo to Norway & Duane: Quickie bios for Caldwell & Dodge, maybe?)

---

But not World Watch One, Candy Apple Red's, or Galaxy Express 999? I can see leaving off WW1 since the Jet Car's on the list, but the other two are reasonably important for the flavour of the setting.

---

Yeah, my bad. I was trying to constrain the list, and left off the Express and Candy Apple Red's more by accident than anything else.
---
Mr. Fnord
http://fnord.sandwich.net/
http://www.jihad.net/
Mr. Fnord interdimensional man of mystery

FenWiki - Your One-Stop Shop for Fenspace Information

"I. Drink. Your. NERDRAGE!"

[Bob Schroeck]

---

"The Big Book of Fen and Their Outragious Space Machines",

---

Those Magnificent Fen In Their Flying Machines, anyone?

-- Bob
---------
The Internet Is For Norns.

[Herr Bad Moon]

Just a couple typo-like things. Neil Blackwell's first name isn't Fenoir, that was just my idea of a joke Fenspace, film noir... get it? Ha ha! And Toni's last name isn't Gunderson, she doesn't have one, or rather she hasn't given one to anybody. Other than that, I gotta agree on the "wow, we wrote that much background?" cuz it doesn't seem like it but that's a lot. Good show us. ---------------
-Jon
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)
The population density of Wyoming is very low, but that doesn't mean the people there aren't also out to kill you.
---
Jon
"And that must have caused my dad's brain to break in half, replaced by a purely mechanical engine of revenge!"

[Ebony]

---

Those Magnificent Fen In Their Flying Machines, anyone?

---

You beat me to it. Would you rather be Terry Thomas or Tony Curtis? Ebony the Black Dragon
Senior Editor, Living Room Games
http://www.lrgames.com
Ebony the Black Dragon
http://ebony14.livejournal.com

"Good night, and may the Good Lord take a Viking to you."

[Bob Schroeck]

Oh, Tony Curtis, definitely.

-- Bob
---------
The Internet Is For Norns.

[robkelk]

---

Hm... I'm thinking Chris Marsden, Stephen Caldwell and Tom Dodge should be on the list, as the three big fendanes in the neighborhood.

---

We've also forgotten to list the local journalist... er... historian, Jonathon Helscher.
So much for a half-dozen people...

---

Those Magnificent Fen In Their Flying Machines, anyone?

---

We have a winner!

---

Just a couple typo-like things. Neil Blackwell's first name isn't Fenoir, that was just my idea of a joke Fenspace, film noir... get it? Ha ha! And Toni's last name isn't Gunderson, she doesn't have one, or rather she hasn't given one to anybody.

---

I had assumed that they were fake names, like "S. Malaclypse Fnord" or "Noah Scott", and left them in... Do you want them out?
Ah yes, one more thing... The PDFs are about six times the size of the source OpenDocument Format files. Bookmarks are nice and all, but not that nice... Is there anyone who objects to ODFs instead of PDFs? (I believe every current office suite except Microsoft Office reads ODFs, and I know the current version of OpenOffice does.)

-Rob Kelk
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

[CattyNebulart]

I personaly prefer odf's.
Hmm , this document is a little long but it is nice and complete. We should probably make a quick into document of only 10 or so pages to get people aquanted quickly.
E: "Did they... did they just endorse the combination of the JSDF and US Army by showing them as two lesbian lolicons moving in together and holding hands and talking about how 'intimate' they were?"
B: "Have you forgotten so soon? They're phasing out Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

[M Fnord]

---

We've also forgotten to list the local journalist... er... historian, Jonathon Helscher.

---

Hm. In the interests of brevity, you can demote Cap'n Mal to the appendix and replace him with Jonathan. (In this case, Ptichka's more noteworthy as the only waved space shuttle flying than the SMOF yobbo flying her.)

---

Ah yes, one more thing... The PDFs are about six times the size of the source OpenDocument Format files. Bookmarks are nice and all, but not that nice... Is there anyone who objects to ODFs instead of PDFs? (I believe every current office suite except Microsoft Office reads ODFs, and I know the current version of OpenOffice does.)

---

I'm probably the only one, but I'll vote for PDF, 'cause I use it for lots of downright silly things.
Hell, if you want throw me your OO files and I'll see if I can't work some black magic on layout & the like. Probably won't beat ODF for raw filesize, but I'm sure as hell I can beat OO's native distiller.---
Mr. Fnord
http://fnord.sandwich.net/
http://www.jihad.net/
Mr. Fnord interdimensional man of mystery

FenWiki - Your One-Stop Shop for Fenspace Information

"I. Drink. Your. NERDRAGE!"

[robkelk]

---

Hmm , this document is a little long but it is nice and complete. We should probably make a quick into document of only 10 or so pages to get people aquanted quickly.

---

Considering that would be useful to anyone who wants to set an RPG in Fenspace (as a player handout), we should make this happen, yes... I'll look at what we've got written and put something together over the weekend.

-Rob Kelk
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

[robkelk]

---

Hm. In the interests of brevity, you can demote Cap'n Mal to the appendix and replace him with Jonathan. (In this case, Ptichka's more noteworthy as the only waved space shuttle flying than the SMOF yobbo flying her.)

---

I'll demote Duane, too - he's an interesting character, possibly the most interesting of the lot, but he isn't that important.
That leaves us with a baker's dozen of folks: "Mr. Morden", Blackstone, Stephen Caldwell, Tom Dodge, Jonathon Helscher, Chris Marsden, The Professor, Katz Schrdinger, Bob Schroeck, Noah Scott, Haruhi Suzumiya, Wire Geek, and Eric Zhu. Is everyone happy with this list?
(And if we go with this list, I'll need writeups for Stephen Caldwell, Tom Dodge, and Haruhi Suzumiya.)

---

Hell, if you want throw me your OO files and I'll see if I can't work some black magic on layout & the like. Probably won't beat ODF for raw filesize, but I'm sure as hell I can beat OO's native distiller.

---

I'll take you up on that once the documents are ready for final publication. (At the least, we need to wait for those three character writeups.)
I also want to put some artwork into this - the current document is efficient, but boring. I've snarfed the image of the Ptichka, Stellvia, and Moondance that you created a while ago, but that's only one image... Anybody have any more that won't cause us copyright problems?
Oh, yes - I standardized the font size in the big document (some of the non-header text was 10 point, some was 11 point - now it's all 10 point). That brought the page count down to 107. Still large, but better than 122...

-Rob Kelk
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

[Bob Schroeck]

Rob, if you're including my avatar, you should probably do so as merely being representative of the GC's crew -- he's certainly not in charge, any more than any other one individual there is.

-- Bob
---------
The Internet Is For Norns.

[Ebony]

---

Rob, if you're including my avatar, you should probably do so as merely being representative of the GC's crew -- he's certainly not in charge, any more than any other one individual there is.

---

Likewise, Blackstone insists that the only reason that he's "in charge" of the BBI is that Buckaroo is a very busy man and rarely available for face-to-face meetings. Buckaroo, of course, is always available for teleconference (given notice), but recommends that all hands-on work be coordinated through Blackstone (much to the latter's consternation; he really doesn't want to be in charge).Ebony the Black Dragon
Senior Editor, Living Room Games
http://www.lrgames.com
Ebony the Black Dragon
http://ebony14.livejournal.com

"Good night, and may the Good Lord take a Viking to you."

[M Fnord]

---

That leaves us with a baker's dozen of folks: "Mr. Morden", Blackstone, Stephen Caldwell, Tom Dodge, Jonathon Helscher, Chris Marsden, The Professor, Katz Schrdinger, Bob Schroeck, Noah Scott, Haruhi Suzumiya, Wire Geek, and Eric Zhu. Is everyone happy with this list?

---

Works for me, that's a good cross-section of the open movers & shakers.

---

I also want to put some artwork into this - the current document is efficient, but boring. I've snarfed the image of the Ptichka, Stellvia, and Moondance that you created a while ago, but that's only one image... Anybody have any more that won't cause us copyright problems?

---

I don't have anything immediately available, but once you've got text content down I'll see what I can scrounge up in terms of interesting layout.---
Mr. Fnord
http://fnord.sandwich.net/
http://www.jihad.net/
Mr. Fnord interdimensional man of mystery

FenWiki - Your One-Stop Shop for Fenspace Information

"I. Drink. Your. NERDRAGE!"

[Herr Bad Moon]

---

I had assumed that they were fake names, like "S. Malaclypse Fnord" or "Noah Scott", and left them in... Do you want them out?

---

Fake in that they're made up characters yeah, but simply cutting those parts out would be fine.

---

We've also forgotten to list the local journalist... er... historian, Jonathon Helscher.
So much for a half-dozen people...

---

If size is starting to become a concern, feel free to boot my avatar off that list. I don't think he's as important as the other guys on there, and I think "he'd" agree ---------------
-Jon
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)
The population density of Wyoming is very low, but that doesn't mean the people there aren't also out to kill you.
---
Jon
"And that must have caused my dad's brain to break in half, replaced by a purely mechanical engine of revenge!"

[robkelk]

Nah, I think I'm okay for space now that Bob and Blackstone are gone. (And that really didn't come out the way I intended...)
As for this section of the revised Writers' Guide, each entry in "Noteworthy Fen and Fendanes" has the character's name, a one-line capsule description of the character, then the sections "History", "Description", "Preferred Transport", and "Known Associates". The only complete entries so far are for the Professor and Mr. Morden, and I'm going to have to edit down the Professor's entry. (It's a page and a half, compared to Morden's half-page entry.)
Now to ask a favour: I'd like somebody else to write the first draft of Noah Scott's entry. (I'm curious as to what other people think are the important parts of the character.) Base the format off of Morden's entry in the current Guide, please...
Here are the names and one-line descriptions as they currently stand:
Stephen Caldwell: (Who? -ed.)
Cmdr. Tom Dodge, USN: Captain of the Stingray, the United States Navys presence in Fenspace.
Jonathon Helscher: Self-appointed historian of Fenspace.
Chris Marsden: CEO of Rockhounds, Fenspaces major asteroid mining company.
Mr. Morden: Fenspaces best-known fixer.
The Professor: Fenspaces preeminent Mad Scientist.
Katz Schrdinger: First Fan into space.
Noah Scott: The richest SOB in Fenspace, and the outright owner of space station Stellvia.
Haruhi Suzumiya: Maybe a biomodded Fan, maybe something more... but definitely the guiding force behind Operation GREAT JUSTICE.
Wire Geek: The person in charge of Foundry Hephaestus.
Eric Zhu: Leader-for-life of The Island, Fenspaces leading rest stop and shopping mall.

Once this section's finished, I'll concentrate on the ship section. I've copied the new Gazetteer entry I wrote for Stellvia as its list entry; if anyone wants to provide similar entries for the other ships and stations on the list, feel free...

-Rob Kelk
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

[M Fnord]

---

Stephen Caldwell: (Who? -ed.)

---

Col. Stephen Caldwell, USAF: Commander of TSAB station Benjamin Franklin, ranking American military officer and head of the United States Air Force contingent in Fenspace.
Also, I just tossed a Magnificent Fen-style quickie writeup for Haruhi to the Characters thread. I don't know how useful that'll be, but it's there for the taking.---
Mr. Fnord
http://fnord.sandwich.net/
http://www.jihad.net/
Mr. Fnord interdimensional man of mystery

FenWiki - Your One-Stop Shop for Fenspace Information

"I. Drink. Your. NERDRAGE!"

[robkelk]

---

I don't have anything immediately available, but once you've got text content down I'll see what I can scrounge up in terms of interesting layout.

---

Well, I've got the ship registry ready to go...
(The font I'm using for headers is called Faktos; I understand that there's a free version available.)

-Rob Kelk
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

[M Fnord]

And here's the prettified PDF.---
Mr. Fnord
http://fnord.sandwich.net/
http://www.jihad.net/
Mr. Fnord interdimensional man of mystery

FenWiki - Your One-Stop Shop for Fenspace Information

"I. Drink. Your. NERDRAGE!"

[robkelk]

Nice.
I should have another document ready before the end of the week. Which one, I'm not yet sure...

-Rob Kelk
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

[robkelk]

I've put a bit of work into the "quick start" document that CattyNebulart requested. Here's an excerpt that I'd like feedback on. Are the descriptions correct? Is any important character or ship missing? Should any entry be removed? (With the current formatting, this fits on one page with some room to spare.)

Those Magnificent Fen and their Flying Machines
Noteworthy Fen and Fendanes
For a more complete list of Fen, see People of Fenspace.
Blackstone: Reluctant leader of the Blue Blazer Irregulars.
Col. Stephen Caldwell, USAF: Commander of TSAB station Benjamin Franklin, ranking American military officer and head of the United States Air Force contingent in Fenspace.
Cmdr. Tom Dodge, USN: Captain of the USS Stingray, the United States Navys presence in Fenspace.
S. Malaclypse Fnord: Captain of the USSR Ptichka, and by default the SMOFs SMOF.
Jonathon Helscher: Self-appointed historian of Fenspace.
Chris Marsden: CEO of Rockhounds, Fenspaces major asteroid mining company.
Mr. Morden: Fenspaces best-known fixer.
The Professor: Fenspaces preeminent Mad Scientist.
Benjamin Rhodes: One of the top men on the Fenspace racing circuit.
Katz Schrdinger: First Fan into space.
Noah Scott: The richest SOB in Fenspace, and the outright owner of space station Stellvia.
Haruhi Suzumiya: Maybe a biomodded Fan, maybe something more... but definitely the guiding force behind Operation GREAT JUSTICE.
Wire Geek: The person in charge of foundry Hephaestus.
Eric Zhu: Leader-for-life of The Island, Fenspaces leading rest stop and shopping mall.
Noteworthy Fenships and Stations
For a more complete list of ships and stations, see Ships of Fenspace.
Candy Apple Reds: A station of ill repute, of very good repute.
Galaxy Express 999: The first locomotive train in Fenspace, captained by a woman known only as Matel.
Grovers Corners: The newest and largest of the Unreal Estate.
SS Hades: The farthest station from Sol in the Solar System.
Hephaestus: Fenspaces most reliable foundry, turning asteroid ore into usable metals.
Inelegant Truth: A converted crabber, now Jonathon Helschers mobile base.
The Island: The oldest Unreal Estate, and Fenspaces largest shopping center.
The Jet Car: The fastest Fenship in atmosphere.
USS Miranda: Built by the only wide-spread privately funded space program that would ever exist, the Miranda is on a five-year mission to boldly go where no Fan has gone before, and to practice some Serious Astronomy.
Mission of Mercy: Based out of Kandor City Hospital, Fenspaces first ambulance.
USSR Ptichka: The only Space Shuttle in Fenspace.
Sol Bianca: The Professors personal transport, and a fully-equipped hospital ship.
Starbase 2: Mankinds only extra-Solar colony.
Stellvia: the closest Fen space station to Earth.
USS Stingray: The US Navys presence in Fenspace; a waved Seawolf-class nuclear attack submarine.
SuperBall: Home of a pirate radio station.
SS Uncertainty: The first Fen ship ever (literally; its a pocket cruiser).
SC Virgil Samms: The fastest ship in Fenspace, but unusable unless you dont need to breathe.

-Rob Kelk
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

[CattyNebulart]

I'd drop the Sol Biana from the list. It isn't important to fenspace, at least not for the quick guide.
E: "Did they... did they just endorse the combination of the JSDF and US Army by showing them as two lesbian lolicons moving in together and holding hands and talking about how 'intimate' they were?"
B: "Have you forgotten so soon? They're phasing out Don't Ask, Don't Tell."