[Luis Dias]

I also wonder if there isn't some sort of mythification of the "original intent" about Shivans, as if that original intent had in it hidden the "true source of the mistery" surrounding this story. IOW, people get so wowed by the implications of the original stories that we will sometimes confuse the true authors of the story for some kind of oracles that will unravel the great truths about the Shivans and so on.

All this when history can prove you otherwise quite remarkably. It were (more or less) the ones who wrote the amazing Reapers in Mass Effect 1 that brought us the starkid in ME3. The Wachowski gave us the Matrix, but they also gave us Revolutions. Sometimes writers will reach insights that are truly awesome and they get a glimpse of a possibility, of a scenario that is astounding and dazzling. It does not mean that they will be able to work it out from that point onwards, at least as great as they did before.

In that sense, I'm kinda relieved that V didn't make FS3. It's like they opened this window of possibilities and interpretations and by not offering closure they actually powered an entire community into inventing their own possibilities and interpretations.

[Phantom Hoover]

It were (more or less) the ones who wrote the amazing Reapers in Mass Effect 1 that brought us the starkid in ME3.

It absolutely were not, ME3 had a completely different writing team to ME1. Casey Hudson was never actually a writer on either.

[Luis Dias]

Why bring facts to take down a good argument? Come on! , anyways the lead writer of ME1 had a terrible alternative idea for the ending, so my point stands anyway.

[Phantom Hoover]

Wait, that stupid dark energy supernova idea was Karpyshyn's? Damn, he seemed competent.

[General Battuta]

Yeah, it was Karpyshyn, and going by his novels he's a dire, dire writer. I give credit for most of the good stuff in ME1 to Chris L'etoile and Patrick Weekes.

And I also agree about the deification of the original authorial intent. I think we've got more interesting Shivan answers than V by this point, and the whole Shivantown storyline seems to me like it misses the point of FS2.

[Phantom Hoover]

Karpyshyn seemed competent because I'd confused him with L'etoile.

[Dragon]

And I also agree about the deification of the original authorial intent. I think we've got more interesting Shivan answers than V by this point, and the whole Shivantown storyline seems to me like it misses the point of FS2.

Well, it seems to prove my suspicion that we gave and FS2 way too much credit. I'm not really sure if they themselves seen even half of those meanings and such the community found in FS2 over all these years...
Still, even if the writers didn't intend this stuff, there's a lot of great stories built on it. Compared to what Darius created for BP, the "original" FS3 concept seems rather shallow (but then, anything does, BP is perhaps the most deeply written "FS3" campaign out there). I have a feeling that if FS3 got made when it could be, it'd be more like Inferno, perhaps with a bit less oversized ships.

[Luis Dias]

No, that's giving it way too less credit. Inferno is fun but come on.

[General Battuta]

And I also agree about the deification of the original authorial intent. I think we've got more interesting Shivan answers than V by this point, and the whole Shivantown storyline seems to me like it misses the point of FS2.

Well, it seems to prove my suspicion that we gave and FS2 way too much credit.

I disagree. They're better writers than most of the community. We've just had a lot of time for iteration.

[Luis Dias]

than most

I am constantly in awe regarding your humility!

[General Battuta]

Hey I like Ransom and Blaise a lot 

[MatthTheGeek]

I think FS2 proves writers were excellent writers that could turn your average space opera plot into something that inspired modders and campaign makers for more than a dozen years.

They just didn't seem to have worked a lot on the FS3 script aside from vague directions. And remember: even what seems to be a weird, bad or boring script at first can turn into something awesome with the proper execution.

See: BP1. I mean, sent into an alternate universe and saved by mind-reading superentities? What is this, the plot of a bad Star Trek episode?

[X3N0-Life-Form]

And remember: even what seems to be a weird, bad or boring script at first can turn into something awesome with the proper execution.

See: BP1. I mean, sent into an alternate universe and saved by mind-reading superentities? What is this, the plot of a bad Star Trek episode?

Quoted for Truth.
Over the years, we've seen interesting concept poorly executed, classic concepts well executed, interesting concepts well executed, all sorts of balance between focus on gameplay and focus on story. We've got people with all sorts of background, history, hobbies, skills and whatnot having their take on either: the TVW era, the Great War, the Reconstruction, the NTF conflict, the Second Incursion and the post Capella era, heck even the Ancient's era has been visited once.

As far as Freespace goes, HLP is some sort of bazaar of wonders, producing all sorts of stuff, keeping its momentum. I am genuinely impressed at the number of stories I've enjoyed over the years. Most of the people who wrote and FREDded those stories were amateurs with relatively little experience with both writing and modding at the time.

Not sure if I'm making much sense here, I just wanted to QFT matth, but felt bad for contributing so little to the thread.

[Torchwood]

Well, if you really enough people to contribute, something good is bound to pop up. Remember that France's national anthem was composed by a common soldier. As for stories, those are always fairly 'hit or miss' - What someone thinks is an amazing twist could very well be total garbage in the eyes of another. Certain insights and experience can help, but even a talented writer can sometimes produce a story that turns out unpopular, and those with only basic skills manage to hit a certain resonance with the audience occasionally.

[Spider]

Hi.  I have been out of the loop for a long time.  I got curious and decided to check this place out and see this thread title.  Now, what the hell happen?  Is there an interview or something?  Video, audio, or transcript is fine, I just want to read it for myself.


Meh, I found it:http://www.hard-light.net/wiki/index.php/Interview_with_Jason_Scott

[Mobius]

Can anyone with mod powers please edit the first post of this thread and add all necessary links? Just like Spider, it took quite some time for me to find the original interview when I stumbled across this thread a few weeks ago and wanted to read the interview again.