Why can't I do this!!!!?

Urgh!! This past week I've been wanting to push Destiny forward and I settled for scribbling down some notes ready for me to tackle the script over the weekend. I Successfully avoided doing anything other than read or work on my models during my free time after work.

Eventually I ended up with the decision to work on the script whilst listening to the Ken and Roger Show, well I got my laptop loaded up (first time since last sunday in fact) all prepped to listen to the show and scriptwrite, instead I briefly checked the forums, read War of Honor and then at about 9 o'clock I spent the next hour pacing around whilst Destiny ideas and concepts flowed through my head.

It's frustrating that I have the first draft of version 1000 of the script ready to type up but once I stopped typing new ideas appear or I'm not satisfied and I pull it apart again. For ease of writing I broke down the script into three sections. Section one keeps having scenes reshuffled, section three has been totally rewritten at least three times and now that I'm starting to be satisfied with those two sections I start doubting section two. Coupled with the fact that it takes an age for me to acquire the mood to actually get on with the script hence the pacing around as I play scenes in my head. I suppose I've become more of a thinker than a doer of late.

So I suppose behind all those other delays I've had, this is what it all boils down too. My apologises to all those whose patience surely must be running out. Once I get over this mental block I'll be sure to push things forward again.

Strider Out!!

First post of the year at last!!

Well it seems that some of the hectic nature which threw any routine out the window end of last year has carried over. But anyway...

Happy New Year All!!

Since my last post, In October I fell ill again as my illness had a flare up putting my off work and back on steroids for a few weeks. Now I've been put on more tablets and have to have regular blood tests. I suppose I'll throw it out there that I have Ulceritive Colitis, which is ulcers and inflamation of the large intestines (not very nice I know) and I'll have it for the rest of my life, thankfully its controllable.

After doing a few Destiny bits (primarily getting the Destiny model and any key sets ready for Ubernewbie and the Enigma/Destiny crossover episode) Christmas was hot on its heels and I held off doing anything else. Got a few bits and pieces, some dvds, a couple of model kits for my ever expending army (maybe I'll post some pics eventually), the game Dragon Age: Origins not bad game bit short for the amount of epic in it, a new headset with microphone and the last two current honor harrington books to complete my collection.

Speaking of the Honor Harrington series I am now up to "Ashes of Victory" and fully enjoyed the series thus far. Also the end of last year I read the latest Gaunt's Ghost novel "Blood Pact" and read the omnibus of the first Four books from James White's Sector General series.

So now we're in the new year and my resolution is a nice generic "to get stuff done". This obviously includes Destiny. Which I aim to get released early to mid this year (I'll give a more precise date when I'll feel confident) This last week I've set my sights on sorting through my notes that I've collected over the past year or two to get some order for the year.

Thats all for now,
Strider Out!

Destiny gets an update

Thats right its update time for EDS Destiny:
Lets get the ball rolling, preferably on a hill...

Check the official thread here for a more detailed post with mod pictures.

A Note on script and the new Destiny

Currently I'm still at two thirds complete on the type up. I have some reworking to do on the first section as well as the third section which still needs typing up. The middle section surprisingly I'm generally satisfied with but that only works to one third of the total script. I'm looking to get it done this week if I push it and then we can really move on.

Currently I have a new destiny model (yes another one) in progress which I unfotunately will not be posting in its full glory until it appears in a movie... got to keep something special for a release. All I can say is that I'm happy with the way its shaping up.

Thats all for now,
Strider Out!

That's it time's up!!

Well thats it back to work tomorrow, after that three week break (that got an extension to seven) has come to an end shame I couldn't enjoy the first three weeks at least afterwards I got more done model wise, mod wise and script wise. Now my time is going to be cut short Its going to be back to normal....darn it. But wow that I've got my strength (and appetite back) and steadily regaining my weight, which was never much to begin with, so its not all bad news.

Thats all for now, back soonish...
Strider Out!

SOSF 03: Going the Distance Part One

About time for another one of these:

So you have decided that you are going to have your sci-fi enter the big black of Outer Space but thats when you realise its BIG and not just BIG its MASSIVE. So much in fact that a Lightyear is the distance it takes light to travel in a year and we all know that Light speed is pretty damn fast and for it to take a year... that is one helleva distance to cover.

So how you gonna go about it? your solution will be an important keystone to your sci-fi, setting the tone and style. So lets have a look at the two options:

- Slower than Light
- Lightspeed/Faster than Light

Slower Then Light

STL travel is currently the most realistic and viable form of travel. You won't be getting anywhere in a hurry but you'll be keeping it real as it were. The problem is that you are limited to short distances because of the human lifespan is short (you could either extend the lifespan, or maybe replace the crew with machines but thats something else) so how can you travel vast distances without running out of lifespan? here are a couple of possible solutions.

Generation Ships - A very large spaceship (possibly a hollowed out asteroid) contains an entire community of people. As the ship heads to its destination generations are born, have children and die.
So what would happen with a sci-fi with this ship? Is it just a setting for a plot? Perhaps its the beginning of the journey constructing, launching, crewing, maybe its in the middle of the journey and they hit trouble or maybe its their arrival at the destination and they build their new home.
What's going to happen to the people? How do they change over the course of the journey (mentally, physically) Have they forgetton things? Have they're ideals changed? Have they formed into factions? civil war?

Sleeper ships - The crew are put into suspended animation for the duration of the ships trip and the ship is left on automatic, not alot is going to happen in transit unless the crew are "woken up" for emergencies or general maintainence perhaps you have a crew that alternates being suspended or not. Otherwise your dealing with the beginning of the journey or the end when the reach their destination. One of the points here is that time moves on whilst they are in S.A. so when they wake things will have changed, perhaps they go from earth and back again to find everything has changed, friends, family are long gone, etc.

Seed Ships - A small ship loaded with embryos that are frozen and then defrosted and grown at the destination. Cared for by either machines (or possibly a merger with the sleeper ship and have "parents" in suspended animation.) It would be interesting to see the social development of a population raised by machines.

Obviously Suspended animation is a bit more speculative science, making the generation ship more viable if that is your aim although building such a ship must put a huge dent in someones economy.

Thats enough food for thought for now
Next time Part Two: Faster The Light

Strider Out!

A little Late Update

If you have visited my website in August you may have noticed that the Destiny sub-site was in accessible. Well as of the 1st September the website is back up and I have restructured the pages in preparation for the new series.

I am pleased to say that the structure has been refined to better navigate and hopefully better for me to update. For example adding a new page can be a nightmare for link purposes as I have to edit each page in turn, the new system reduces the number of edits.

Also most of the content is now up, a few blanks mainly for things that get added as the series progresses and the character pages, which I always seem to have a blind spot with.

Other than that no new Destiny Content (Been working of some plastic models recently) but I want to get on with the typed script and a couple of mods that may well be getting urgent (including the new Destiny ship) soon.

Thats all for now
Strider Out!

One Week, One Hospital, One Update

Okay all, back again

So what has been happening, well saturday 23rd things turned for the worst had a crap night of back ache, belly cramps and regular toilet trips. Then on Monday 24th my Doctor called about my blood tests, it wasn't good and I was admitted to hospital in the afternoon.

So I've had a week being pumped with steroids at hospital and now I've been diagnosed with something my dad has (whoopee!!) not only that I've had it worse than him (gotta out do ya parents). Anyways I returned home on saturday 29th, with a 5 week reducing dose of steroids, medication for my illness and supplement drinks to build my strength back up.

Now I've just got to take it easy as I work off the steroids and get back together again (at least they say the first time is the worst).

So anything good come out of all this, being bedridden and away from computers has given me the opputunity to read and write. I'm now reading David Weber's "Honor of the Queen" and successfully completed the final handwritten draft of the Destiny Script, which by the way is turning into an epic and a nightmare to think about come production :D

Today I sat down and played with my new camera (Panasonic Lumix) which I purchased in the hope to take pictures of my plastic model kits I'm working on (which I may eventually post here)

Thats all for now, hopefully I'm now on the up.
So you all soon
Strider Out!