[DarkBasilisk]

I was starting to read through parts that latest FS3 thread and I got to thinking, I think the important question is not whether as a mod community whether we should make a kind of unofficial sequel (I know there's knives thrown if any kind of thread brings up that question), but whether with some of these campaigns we already have made a sequel. Now its not as cut and dry as one campaign that people started to treat as cannon, but we've gotten a couple of campaigns that other fred-ers have decided to assimilate as background for their work. There's a number of campaigns that incorporate Derelict into their storyline, most notably BWO (if it ever comes out), and Inferno's had a couple takers on campaigns based off that storyline (some I think are still in production). Its two different possibilities yes, but especially in the first case isn't this starting to form some kind of unofficial cannon that could constitute an unofficial FS3?

[Mustang19]

The idea is that these campaigns are speculation into what could have happened after the Supernova. Noone ever saw a point in labelling one or the other as canon.

However, the community has already created FreeSpace 3 several times over for all pratical purposes. Almost every recent user-made campaign is superior to the canon FreeSpace 2 campaign, in my opinion. If one of the Volition mission designers came on here today, he'd be considered a novice; "our" modders put a lot of effort into their work, and it shows, in contrast to Volition (which faced both a profit motive and a firm deadline). So yes, there are many FreeSpace 3s out there.

[Jeff Vader]

I second -Joshua-'s post in the FreeSpace 3 thread. If we just had a novel or something from Volition, which explained what was supposed to happen in FS3 and how the story would end, I'd be happy. As in, I'd be happy to know the 'official' conclusions to the story. Not that any of the campaigns we have here were inferior or lower quality; they're just not canon and don't give a definitive answer to the questions FS2 raised..

[Herra Tohtori]

The only difference between FS3 and various excellent campaigns that continue the story of FreeSpace is that the authors of the storylines are different. Thus all the campaigns made by fans are fan fiction of a kind. They aren't canon, thus they aren't FS3.

Obviously, being non-canon doesn't diminish the value of fan fiction mods and campaigns the slightest bit.


My opinion is that while FS3 made by or at the very least affected by the original FreeSpace team members would be extremely cool, all the excellent campaigns made by fans - as well as the SCP additions to the possibilities - have turned the game into something more than "just" FS2. As far as the engine goes, it's still FS2 in some regards (although it might be interesting to compare the original source to current and check the percentage of original code in current builds...) but it's so much evolved that it could IMHO visually pass as imaginary FS3 engine from a couple of years ago, but FS3 campaign cannot come from the fan base.

Obviously, as was already said, if there was some kind of closure (book, script, storyline skeleton, timeline or whatever) for the story that came from official source, then a campaign based on it could be claimed as semi-canonical FS3 campaign. But since that's completely hypothetical, there's not much point in this kind of speculation - and the only merit of this campaign compared to fanbase campaigns/mods is that it'd be "real deal" as far as storyline goes. The models described would still be made by fans - unless you could get original concept art for them along with the storyline. Same applies to all the other graphics - effects, interface, mainhalls... The music would be made by fans - unless you somehow got Mr. Wentz to do it, which is... rather unlikely.

[Polpolion]

In all of my excperience in the community, not one mod has provided closure for the FS series. But I haven't played inferno, and I used to see new members take it as canon all the time. You figure there might be something there.


But still:
canon = occured in FS, ST, or FS2
non-canon = didn't occured in FS, ST, or FS2


EDIT: IIRC it was on Kara's FAQ: If it isn't V, it isn't FS3.

Unofficial FS3 != FS3. Unofficial FS3 = -4^1/2

[psycho_fergo]

this is all pretty interesting. but i must agree with this guy ^^ and what kara said..if it aint [v] it ain FS3.

also, love the maths there..hahaha. it so works!

does anyone know who actually came up with the concept of the shivans? and the intereactions with the anciants? cause if they came up with them, and the small amount of history we are told, then wouldnt they kind of know where the story was gonna go?

and if not, couldnt we dish out a little cash to maybe, give them incentive to write something down and give us some answers? that way it would be cannon. right?

whats the deal with the guys that worked on FS anyway? do they just not care about their work? dont want to see what we have all done with it? if i made something like the FS series, i would be so proud to see, that even after the companies colapse, the game was being improved upon by the fan base.

also, does anyone know the percentage of source code? u know, how much compared to the origonal have we changed?

[Mars]

Every person who said that Inferno or the Warzone, Derelict, BWO timeline should be considered canon shout be blitzed.

[Turey]

Every person who said that Inferno or the Warzone, Derelict, BWO timeline should be considered canon shout be blitzed.

QFT!

[FSW]

I've seen the term 'fanon' used for unofficial stories that people concur on, but by definition, they'll never be genuinely canonical.

[S-99]

What are you talking about fanon? I'm talking about 100% canon. I have the box art for the long awaited actual fs3, if any of you wants to see it?

[Polpolion]

Let's see it.

[S-99]

Derek Smart's outdone the community this time

[psycho_fergo]

omg dude.. where did u get that? is that real????

*salivates*

EDIT: wait, i get it. i think thats a joke? lol   

[Polpolion]

[S-99]

Don't be too fooled

[TrashMan]

and if not, couldnt we dish out a little cash to maybe, give them incentive to write something down and give us some answers? that way it would be cannon. right?

Wasn't this tried before?

[Herra Tohtori]

By the way...

THIS is a cannon...



...THIS is a Canon...



...and the correct spelling for "officially true" or "a body of works that are considered to be "genuine" or "official" within a certain fictional universe", as wikipedia so eloquently puts it, is canon with one n in the middle.


I normally do not mind spelling so much as long as I understand it, but when the spelling changes the meaning I really don't like it either. It's not too bad if the context is clear enough to discern the meaning, but still I cannot fathom why so many people consistently write canon as cannon, which is a big honking firearm. Yes, the pronunciation is the same (or almost anyway) but for pie's sake, I'm not even a native english speaker and I've read enough to know the distinction...


*rant over*


...please, just use canon if it's not too much trouble, mmkay? Inquisition, out.

[psycho_fergo]

oopsy..sorry 

wont happen again.

by the way, your a hell of a ranter 

[nvsblmnc]

Was the cannon taken with the canon?

Anyway (and on topic), I'd prefer not to have a canon third installment.  I like the range of possibilites and facet being explored by the mod community.  No canon instalment would have given us TBP, BtRL or INFA.  FS3 would risk undoing the storis and excellent gameplay of too many campaigns.

I say it's best to leave the future of FS where it is - here.

[Mobius]

Every person who said that Inferno or the Warzone, Derelict, BWO timeline should be considered canon shout be blitzed.

QFT!

Find one such member and I'll help "blitzing" it.

Don't confuse a "it's a probable post-Capella scenario" comment with a "it's canon!" one. "Inferno is canon" claims are stupid, I know, but I have been accused of claiming something like that(though it wasn't true)...so don't exaggerate. It's something like the classic "Never put F, S and 3 together" thing, it gets annoying. Incredibly annoying.

I normally do not mind spelling so much as long as I understand it, but when the spelling changes the meaning I really don't like it either. It's not too bad if the context is clear enough to discern the meaning, but still I cannot fathom why so many people consistently write canon as cannon, which is a big honking firearm. Yes, the pronunciation is the same (or almost anyway) but for pie's sake, I'm not even a native english speaker and I've read enough to know the distinction...