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Ruger
Lyran Alliance
Hauptmann General
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 1915
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 Posted: 12-Jul-2002 23:28 Post subject: End of Battletech? |
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On 2002-07-12 23:18, Sarkkahn wrote:
So, you think porly of stackpole eh? May I ask why? and yes I do think that the loss of the novels will be a VERY bad thing. First the cards became obsolete now the novels, whats next? All thats left is the board game.
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I don't like Stackpole all that much because his characters all too often tend to fall into one of two categories..."good" or "evil"...he seems to have a bit of trouble writing in shades of grey...even when he tries to put things in those terms, it tends to get lost and gravitate to one or the other...
This is why I consider Loren Coleman, Blaine Pardoe, Randall Bills, hell, even Bryan Nystul better BTech writers...they have the shades of grey down pat...
Don't get me wrong...at least he's published, but Stackpole, IMO, should stick to writing fantasy and Star Wars...good and evil belong there...
BTech is supposed to be about the shades of grey...
Oh, and who cares about the cards? CCGs are money pits...
Ruger (and yes, btw, I have every BTech novel except The Sword and the Dagger)
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chihawk
Clan Blood Spirit
Master Bartender
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 8052
Location: United States
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| Posted: 12-Jul-2002 23:33 Post subject: End of Battletech? |
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The CCG isn't supported anymore, but I know of a ton of people that still play the game; so many that a large group of supporters still discuss the game daily, and Mordel has dusted off his Deckbuilder and is working on version 3.0.0
The boardgame has far too many players to die simply because there are no new novels. As I said before there are many, many players of this game that don't read the novels so the lack of new novels won't impact the game all that much.
And Cadet, you can answer why you dislike Stackpole...but keep it brief and "family oriented". Your dislike of him is fairly well known so you don't need to go all out on this. 
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Sarkkahn
Draconis Combine
Tai-i
Joined: 12-Jul-2002 00:00
Posts: 394
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| Posted: 12-Jul-2002 23:34 Post subject: End of Battletech? |
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ok fine I'll let you have that one but he still is the best writter with tons of irony, like in the warrior trilogy :, and one of my favorite twist in prince of havoc. If you haven't read those I hope I didn't give away too much but starckpole IS the best author
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Sarkkahn
Draconis Combine
Tai-i
Joined: 12-Jul-2002 00:00
Posts: 394
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| Posted: 12-Jul-2002 23:49 Post subject: End of Battletech? |
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I still play the card game every once and a while myself. The thing is that I got into the card game too late and they stoped making them before I got too good of a deck so that really sucked.
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Marlboro
ComStar
Private, First Class
Joined: 11-Mar-2002 00:00
Posts: 25
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| Posted: 13-Jul-2002 01:04 Post subject: End of Battletech? |
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Maybe I'm wrong here but after they wrap everything up in the current situation I thought they were gonna start off again with the new stuff with a novel out around Christmas. Least that what I though t I read somewhere.
Marlboro
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Gunslinger Patch
Royal Black Watch Regiment
Major
Joined: 04-Mar-2002 00:00
Posts: 1611
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| Posted: 13-Jul-2002 01:53 Post subject: End of Battletech? |
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I consider Stackpole the most important author of Battletech novels, but not the best author.
He wrote what I think of as the foundation novels, the ones that laid out the big picture, the major events and major characters. I may be wrong, but think it is he who wrote the characters for every house leader and many other major leaders too.
It is like he has written the history of WWII and the other authors have written about smaller scale specific parts of WWII. The other authors books may be more entertaining reading, but I think the overall history author is the most important author since without him those other authors would have had no universe to write about and no readership waiting to read more battletech novels.
But as for his actual writing and how well it reads as entertainment, he is not the best author. My vote for the best reading value is definetly Victor Milan and his three novels about Comacho's Cabolleros. If you don't have them yet, get them now!
Oh yeah Sarkkhan. If you intend to represent the Stackpole Fan Club on this particular forum, be advised that you will be badly outnumbered. I should know, I've been there and done that.
Rather than rehash the lengthy pros and cons of the Stackpole argument, I suggest looking back through the old threads to learn the details.
Or to make it easier, you want to read "stackpole at it again" on page 3 of the off topic forum. That'll cover the subject well enough.
[ This Message was edited by: Gunslinger Patch on 2002-07-13 02:09 ]
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Ruger
Lyran Alliance
Hauptmann General
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 1915
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| Posted: 13-Jul-2002 08:15 Post subject: End of Battletech? |
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On 2002-07-13 01:53, Gunslinger Patch wrote:
best author. My vote for the best reading value is definetly Victor Milan and his three novels about Comacho's Cabolleros. If you don't have them yet, get them now!
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How could I have forgotten Victor Milan?
You're right...his novels were FAR superior!
Ruger
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js
Federated Suns
Sergeant-Major
Joined: 25-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 125
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| Posted: 13-Jul-2002 09:50 Post subject: End of Battletech? |
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Milan? Really? Sorry, but his novels remind me too much of certain type of schlock fiction popular in the sixties and seventies. Have you ever read the books about Matt Helm or Mike(?) Bolan? Essentially what you have is some über-warrior who comes along and saves the day. Sure, the guy (or in Milan's case, girl) has all kinds of weaknesses and only scrapes through by the skin of his (or her) teeth. But it gets so repetetive after you've read a few. This is not to say that Milan didn't do a number of things quite well in his novels, but I have trouble thinking of them as "really good BT fiction". In addition, I find too many of his characters are overdrawn. Or can you really accept Cowboy as a credible figure?
I enjoy reading a different style in BT fiction (and Milan's books really do stand out as different), but I'm also glad he hasn't written too many BT novels. Any author who writes a number of BT novels always runs the risk of repeating himself. The genre (if I may be so bold as to call BT fiction a genre) is limited in scope. There are only so many basic plots. Milan successfully broke that mold (or seemed to, actually it is more a question of the perspective from which the story is told), which must be credited to him. I also like the fact that he is willing to kill off seemingly major characters without so much as a whimper. Still, all in all, I find the books overly dominated by super-mensch Cassie. A fatal flaw I have a had time overlooking.
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Ruger
Lyran Alliance
Hauptmann General
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 1915
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| Posted: 13-Jul-2002 10:02 Post subject: End of Battletech? |
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On 2002-07-13 09:50, js wrote:
Have you ever read the books about Matt Helm or Mike(?) Bolan?
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My dad loves Mack Bolan...
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In addition, I find too many of his characters are overdrawn. Or can you really accept Cowboy as a credible figure?
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Having met a person or two like him...yes, I can... 
Ruger
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Sarkkahn
Draconis Combine
Tai-i
Joined: 12-Jul-2002 00:00
Posts: 394
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| Posted: 13-Jul-2002 12:01 Post subject: End of Battletech? |
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After only been here a day I haven't learned how to make polls,or answer them but I do know that basically no one here likes Stackpole. I still think that books like the warrior trilogy and Prince of Havoc have awesome ironic endings worth of giving the author at least a litle credit. I mean come on, I do agree that he has basically lead down the foundatins as far as characters go, but I will also argue that his is some of the bes BT books ever written.
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Cadet
ComStar
Lieutenant, SG
Joined: 17-Mar-2002 00:00
Posts: 495
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| Posted: 13-Jul-2002 12:10 Post subject: End of Battletech? |
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Stackpole...ah yes.
It isn't that I hate the man, I just pray daily that he is beset with some Old Testiment aliment. I'm not choosy, I'll let the Almighty decide which one, but given my druthers I'd opt for a plague of locusts. (What can I say? I'm a fan of the classics.)
OK, he can't write with anything close to flair. It's like reading a text book when it comes to his writing. (If only Hunter S. Thompson could write for this game...but of course he is a real writer with things to say. No way he would, or even should, lower himself to writing for a game.)
Hackpole can't write characterization. He just can't. Everyone is either good or evil. There is no inbetween and no real advancements in characters. The good people have no flaws, the evil have no redeeming value.
Finally, the man is arrogant. No I've never met him, but I have read his Sermons from the Mount...er, I mean his essays where he lets us know he is BattleTech, we are worms, and oh yeah he begs us to buy his books.
His line about we bought everything, but it wasn't enough support. That was the breaking point for me.
As for the loss of novels killing the Line, well the line is already dead, but even if you tink it isn't, who buys the books? Only the game players. Those same players are already buying everything coming out, so it isn't a loss.
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Sarkkahn
Draconis Combine
Tai-i
Joined: 12-Jul-2002 00:00
Posts: 394
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| Posted: 13-Jul-2002 12:22 Post subject: End of Battletech? |
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I still don't think that the line is dead. I myself just started the whole battletech thnkg a year or two ago and I started with the novels. If it wasn' for the novels then I wouldn't have joined so without the novels, or card game I am sad t say i think battletech in a few short years will consist mainly of the fie people here at mordels bar an grill.
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chihawk
Clan Blood Spirit
Master Bartender
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
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Location: United States
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| Posted: 13-Jul-2002 12:27 Post subject: End of Battletech? |
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Ummm, I think you should do a litle searching of the internet for other Battletech messageboards.
You'll find that there are a lot more of us Battletech players than you think.
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Sarkkahn
Draconis Combine
Tai-i
Joined: 12-Jul-2002 00:00
Posts: 394
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| Posted: 13-Jul-2002 12:32 Post subject: End of Battletech? |
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Ah yes I know there are, but you peoples know stuff I could only dream of figuring out. I have no mone for source books,and the only ones I have access to is Adam's( r you would probally know as tiger) I mean I know there are others but I do know that battletech will eventually be gone. But I dont see Mordel's going anywhere for a LONG time.
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chihawk
Clan Blood Spirit
Master Bartender
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
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Location: United States
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| Posted: 13-Jul-2002 12:39 Post subject: End of Battletech? |
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Like I said, you'd be surprised at the number of players that are really out there.
Most of the sourcebooks are easily available on eBay (you must be 18 to 'legally' use eBay so that's isn't an easy option for you) and FanPro is reprinting some of the sourcebooks. Plus some of the older sourcebooks are (or will soon be) available for download on the CBT site.
You're actually going to have a much harder time finding all the novels vs all the sourcebooks.
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