EPVII tech/ship/timeline progression

By Gadge, in X-Wing

I'm curious, does anyone believe that if Lucas hadn't sold to Disney, that Episode VII would have faithfully recreated whatever was in the books, instead of doing something entirely new?

I have a hard time blaming Disney for this.

We didn't say it would. We're blaming disney for throwing out the EU.

The problem i see, and from a laymans terms, i know of the plots of the books i've just not read them...

Is that the EU is patchy, some of its amazingand some of it just sounds dire from reading the synopsis of the novel or comic in the past.

It's like because you have so many contributors its hard to be consistent.

we had the same problem at GW when i worked fro Black Library/GW books.

Initially the rule was that you couldnt use any named characters fromthe codexs or existing novels but more importantly....'whatever you write has to be in its own bubble'... nothing a sun contracted freelance author could write was allowed to alter the game world in any way once the book concluded... you could invent a planet and destory it if you liked but you could not kill Maneus Calgar of the ultramarines or create a new unit or item for a race.

We gradually relaxed this with more 'trusted' authors (like studio staff or Dan Abnett) but it did mean that now there are hundreds of GW books out there and while some are amazing, some are pretty dross.

(luckily i moved to UK studio when they started letting people write dross so I didnt have to edit it)

The point being is that there is a *lot* of EU out there and Disney would have had to 'sieve' it all and say 'this stays, this goes' etc which would probably cause more upset than 'its all just legends, tales you've heard in the cantina'/

I'm curious, does anyone believe that if Lucas hadn't sold to Disney, that Episode VII would have faithfully recreated whatever was in the books, instead of doing something entirely new?

I have a hard time blaming Disney for this.

Well GL is a conslutant for ep 7 and so one. Disney also bought all of GLs concepts for ep 7-12.

I'm curious, does anyone believe that if Lucas hadn't sold to Disney, that Episode VII would have faithfully recreated whatever was in the books, instead of doing something entirely new?

I have a hard time blaming Disney for this.

We didn't say it would. We're blaming disney for throwing out the EU.

I wouldnt say all the EU is thrown out. After the announcement leaders withn the Lucas entertaiment were asked detailed questions about what is and isnt canon too the Disney Wars. FFGs rpg books got a maybe reply which means theres a very good chance TIE Defenders, TIE Hunters, Storm Commandos, and Shadows of the Empire are still canon.

Also when asked about games in general and also specific games we were told over and over agian by the same person "they are not canon." And after doing that she told us to ignore what she said about games and not to ask her about game anymore. She is head of publishing for SW books.

The problem i see, and from a laymans terms, i know of the plots of the books i've just not read them...

Is that the EU is patchy, some of its amazingand some of it just sounds dire from reading the synopsis of the novel or comic in the past.

It's like because you have so many contributors its hard to be consistent.

we had the same problem at GW when i worked fro Black Library/GW books.

Initially the rule was that you couldnt use any named characters fromthe codexs or existing novels but more importantly....'whatever you write has to be in its own bubble'... nothing a sun contracted freelance author could write was allowed to alter the game world in any way once the book concluded... you could invent a planet and destory it if you liked but you could not kill Maneus Calgar of the ultramarines or create a new unit or item for a race.

We gradually relaxed this with more 'trusted' authors (like studio staff or Dan Abnett) but it did mean that now there are hundreds of GW books out there and while some are amazing, some are pretty dross.

(luckily i moved to UK studio when they started letting people write dross so I didnt have to edit it)

The point being is that there is a *lot* of EU out there and Disney would have had to 'sieve' it all and say 'this stays, this goes' etc which would probably cause more upset than 'its all just legends, tales you've heard in the cantina'/

Yeah, but it's still stupid.

It is just that everything i have read about the Vong just sounds a bit forced . Maybe it is a good series but i dont know..Perhaps after i try Thrawn ill give it a go. I tend to read constantly so finding time to fit somehting new is always a challenge

It really isn't a good series. I'd recommend starting with the Thrawn books, or Shadows of the Empire since it fills in between two films and lets you read about some of the Wave 5/6 stuff. Leave the NJO stuff until you've read the other books leading up to that.

The problem i see, and from a laymans terms, i know of the plots of the books i've just not read them...

Is that the EU is patchy, some of its amazingand some of it just sounds dire from reading the synopsis of the novel or comic in the past.

It's like because you have so many contributors its hard to be consistent.

we had the same problem at GW when i worked fro Black Library/GW books.

Initially the rule was that you couldnt use any named characters fromthe codexs or existing novels but more importantly....'whatever you write has to be in its own bubble'... nothing a sun contracted freelance author could write was allowed to alter the game world in any way once the book concluded... you could invent a planet and destory it if you liked but you could not kill Maneus Calgar of the ultramarines or create a new unit or item for a race.

We gradually relaxed this with more 'trusted' authors (like studio staff or Dan Abnett) but it did mean that now there are hundreds of GW books out there and while some are amazing, some are pretty dross.

(luckily i moved to UK studio when they started letting people write dross so I didnt have to edit it)

The point being is that there is a *lot* of EU out there and Disney would have had to 'sieve' it all and say 'this stays, this goes' etc which would probably cause more upset than 'its all just legends, tales you've heard in the cantina'/

Did you write the novel I was potrayed in? I never got it but I was the Night Lord player that pretended to be a Space Wolf player and caused a war between the Dark Angels and Space Wolves players during the Eye of Terror global event. While the FoO were turning on themselves the FoD was still making good tactical choices, which is one reason the FoD won.

Iwas notified after the event I would be in a Dark Anges - Night Lord novel based on the EOT event. I red a passage from white dwarf I think but I dont recal the name BUT there cant be many Night Lord vs Dark Angel stories ether. Ps I die in the novel LOL.

Anyway back on target, before the universal split Leland Chee was actully doing what pointed out in the last part of your post. He really really loved the EU, but it was like Disney one day just yanked task away from him from the sound of it.

No i was a sub editor in 2000 -2001 with black library. The only stuff i've written has been in White Dwarf, never a novel, i just edited them, approved new submissions and worked on the comics. I worked on the early gaunts ghosts books, some of the 'slayer' series etc. The 'Iron Knights' in the eye of terror codex are my own chapter, Andy Hoare wrote them in for me as he's my usual gaming opponent.. He write my blog with me. I most enjoyed working on the warhammer comic tbh as i got to work alongside all my 2000ad comic heros (artists and writers... clearly Dredd was never in the room unless Marc had a secret identity!)

The problem i see, and from a laymans terms, i know of the plots of the books i've just not read them...

Is that the EU is patchy, some of its amazingand some of it just sounds dire from reading the synopsis of the novel or comic in the past.

It's like because you have so many contributors its hard to be consistent.

we had the same problem at GW when i worked fro Black Library/GW books.

Initially the rule was that you couldnt use any named characters fromthe codexs or existing novels but more importantly....'whatever you write has to be in its own bubble'... nothing a sun contracted freelance author could write was allowed to alter the game world in any way once the book concluded... you could invent a planet and destory it if you liked but you could not kill Maneus Calgar of the ultramarines or create a new unit or item for a race.

We gradually relaxed this with more 'trusted' authors (like studio staff or Dan Abnett) but it did mean that now there are hundreds of GW books out there and while some are amazing, some are pretty dross.

(luckily i moved to UK studio when they started letting people write dross so I didnt have to edit it)

The point being is that there is a *lot* of EU out there and Disney would have had to 'sieve' it all and say 'this stays, this goes' etc which would probably cause more upset than 'its all just legends, tales you've heard in the cantina'/

Did you write the novel I was potrayed in? I never got it but I was the Night Lord player that pretended to be a Space Wolf player and caused a war between the Dark Angels and Space Wolves players during the Eye of Terror global event. While the FoO were turning on themselves the FoD was still making good tactical choices, which is one reason the FoD won.

Iwas notified after the event I would be in a Dark Anges - Night Lord novel based on the EOT event. I red a passage from white dwarf I think but I dont recal the name BUT there cant be many Night Lord vs Dark Angel stories ether. Ps I die in the novel LOL.

Anyway back on target, before the universal split Leland Chee was actully doing what pointed out in the last part of your post. He really really loved the EU, but it was like Disney one day just yanked task away from him from the sound of it.

You were in a 40k novel? That's awesome.

Black Library was fun though but I just enjoyed working in UK Studio more (thats the bit that does marketing and WD and the website and events....not *group* studio who so the designing but i was in group studio most days as we liased closely)

The problem i see, and from a laymans terms, i know of the plots of the books i've just not read them...

Is that the EU is patchy, some of its amazingand some of it just sounds dire from reading the synopsis of the novel or comic in the past.

It's like because you have so many contributors its hard to be consistent.

we had the same problem at GW when i worked fro Black Library/GW books.

Initially the rule was that you couldnt use any named characters fromthe codexs or existing novels but more importantly....'whatever you write has to be in its own bubble'... nothing a sun contracted freelance author could write was allowed to alter the game world in any way once the book concluded... you could invent a planet and destory it if you liked but you could not kill Maneus Calgar of the ultramarines or create a new unit or item for a race.

We gradually relaxed this with more 'trusted' authors (like studio staff or Dan Abnett) but it did mean that now there are hundreds of GW books out there and while some are amazing, some are pretty dross.

(luckily i moved to UK studio when they started letting people write dross so I didnt have to edit it)

The point being is that there is a *lot* of EU out there and Disney would have had to 'sieve' it all and say 'this stays, this goes' etc which would probably cause more upset than 'its all just legends, tales you've heard in the cantina'/

Did you write the novel I was potrayed in? I never got it but I was the Night Lord player that pretended to be a Space Wolf player and caused a war between the Dark Angels and Space Wolves players during the Eye of Terror global event. While the FoO were turning on themselves the FoD was still making good tactical choices, which is one reason the FoD won.

Iwas notified after the event I would be in a Dark Anges - Night Lord novel based on the EOT event. I red a passage from white dwarf I think but I dont recal the name BUT there cant be many Night Lord vs Dark Angel stories ether. Ps I die in the novel LOL.

Anyway back on target, before the universal split Leland Chee was actully doing what pointed out in the last part of your post. He really really loved the EU, but it was like Disney one day just yanked task away from him from the sound of it.

You were in a 40k novel? That's awesome.

'Savage Scars' is dedicated to me and my friend Craig!

The problem i see, and from a laymans terms, i know of the plots of the books i've just not read them...

Is that the EU is patchy, some of its amazingand some of it just sounds dire from reading the synopsis of the novel or comic in the past.

It's like because you have so many contributors its hard to be consistent.

we had the same problem at GW when i worked fro Black Library/GW books.

Initially the rule was that you couldnt use any named characters fromthe codexs or existing novels but more importantly....'whatever you write has to be in its own bubble'... nothing a sun contracted freelance author could write was allowed to alter the game world in any way once the book concluded... you could invent a planet and destory it if you liked but you could not kill Maneus Calgar of the ultramarines or create a new unit or item for a race.

We gradually relaxed this with more 'trusted' authors (like studio staff or Dan Abnett) but it did mean that now there are hundreds of GW books out there and while some are amazing, some are pretty dross.

(luckily i moved to UK studio when they started letting people write dross so I didnt have to edit it)

The point being is that there is a *lot* of EU out there and Disney would have had to 'sieve' it all and say 'this stays, this goes' etc which would probably cause more upset than 'its all just legends, tales you've heard in the cantina'/

Did you write the novel I was potrayed in? I never got it but I was the Night Lord player that pretended to be a Space Wolf player and caused a war between the Dark Angels and Space Wolves players during the Eye of Terror global event. While the FoO were turning on themselves the FoD was still making good tactical choices, which is one reason the FoD won.

Iwas notified after the event I would be in a Dark Anges - Night Lord novel based on the EOT event. I red a passage from white dwarf I think but I dont recal the name BUT there cant be many Night Lord vs Dark Angel stories ether. Ps I die in the novel LOL.

Anyway back on target, before the universal split Leland Chee was actully doing what pointed out in the last part of your post. He really really loved the EU, but it was like Disney one day just yanked task away from him from the sound of it.

You were in a 40k novel? That's awesome.

'Savage Scars' is dedicated to me and my friend Craig!

Wait, really? I wish i were you, being in a 40k novel would be so awesome as 40k is my favorite game of all time. :D

I loved working at GW but it comes to the point where you cant eat lead and plastic and the pay is appalling

About half the rate a comparible job would be, i was a dept manager on a ridiculously low wage... loads of perks,travelled to a lot of countries, comp laptop, comp phone, comp credit card... didnt do much work as i had an assistant.

It actually got really boring after about five years and I hit a sort of glass career ceiling as someone in group clearly didnt like me (not a good place to make enemies GW, very political) and I'd keep going for more senior or interesting jobs and get second interviews and *always* lose the place.

So i decided to leave, good decision looking back as i was beginning to really hate gaming.

if you live in Nottingham, its the 'silicon valley' of the wargames industry, pretty much everyone of my friends is ex GW. My current gaming group is prettty much all ex GW (Andy's just rejoined) and most of them are FFG contributors so we play a lot of games.

It is funny when you're playing the Rogue Trader RPG and in one pack the GM is struggling to remember the rules and you're like 'dude, you *wrote* these rules :)

I dont really like modern 40k. I think it had much more character as a skirmish game. Thats why we pretty much exclusively play old school 'Rogue Trader' rules games. Andy and Mickey play a lot of new 40k but I just cant be doing with a skull on every flat surface... :)

Technically, the Legends EU is its own canon, and Disney's new EU is just an alternative canon. :P It will be tough for Disney's EU to usurp my fond memories of Legends.

Yes! Especially considering the fact that everything disney has done recently has been awful (except Tangled).

Excuse me but The Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy would like to have a word with you.

I genuinely don't understand the hate of NJO. One of the biggest problems is, a lot of people only read the 1st 2-3 books, didn't like them, and assumed the rest of it was garbage. However, that's like saying, someone sees the prequels first, and says Star Wars is garbage. You have to see the WHOLE thing (or atleast the OT) before you can judge something. The Vong aren't really that bad. They are like a cooler anti-thesis of the Borg from Star Trek. I think a lot of people just don't like the fact it is different (racism! :lol:). For instance, the Vong just aren't in the Force (or are they?? You'd never know if you don't read the WHOLE thing again). The Vong don't use conventional technology, they use organic/living stuff (Species 8472 from Star Trek again). They use weird gravity singularities, that make them really hard to target with conventional weapons. I still don't understand the hate they get.

But as others have said, Thrawn trilogy is BOSS. Read it, it is a must for anyone wanting to read it.

Disney did what they have to do to ensure a cohesive narrative, people. I don't blame them at all. Now they can write whatever story they want, nearly free of legal hassle.

And we don't have to deal with any weird elements from some of the really bad books.

It'll be fine.

Disney did what they have to do to ensure a cohesive narrative, people. I don't blame them at all. Now they can write whatever story they want, nearly free of legal hassle.

And we don't have to deal with any weird elements from some of the really bad books.

It'll be fine.

But we also don't have the really good books.

Disney did what they have to do to ensure a cohesive narrative, people. I don't blame them at all. Now they can write whatever story they want, nearly free of legal hassle.

And we don't have to deal with any weird elements from some of the really bad books.

It'll be fine.

But we also don't have the really good books.

That's okay. This also means thousands of years of no technological advancement (which if fecking stupid despite my love for KOTOR and KOTOR II) is now gone too. Thank the force.

I'd rather have my EU than disney's (I dare not capitalize that abomination!) movies.

Thanks for the suggestions.

Disney did what they have to do to ensure a cohesive narrative, people. I don't blame them at all. Now they can write whatever story they want, nearly free of legal hassle.

And we don't have to deal with any weird elements from some of the really bad books.

It'll be fine.

But we also don't have the really good books.

That's okay. This also means thousands of years of no technological advancement (which if fecking stupid despite my love for KOTOR and KOTOR II) is now gone too. Thank the force.

Well going by tech books they talk about the evolution of SW tech got better with every gen. Its whats inside that counts ;)

The problem i see, and from a laymans terms, i know of the plots of the books i've just not read them...

Is that the EU is patchy, some of its amazingand some of it just sounds dire from reading the synopsis of the novel or comic in the past.

It's like because you have so many contributors its hard to be consistent.

we had the same problem at GW when i worked fro Black Library/GW books.

Initially the rule was that you couldnt use any named characters fromthe codexs or existing novels but more importantly....'whatever you write has to be in its own bubble'... nothing a sun contracted freelance author could write was allowed to alter the game world in any way once the book concluded... you could invent a planet and destory it if you liked but you could not kill Maneus Calgar of the ultramarines or create a new unit or item for a race.

We gradually relaxed this with more 'trusted' authors (like studio staff or Dan Abnett) but it did mean that now there are hundreds of GW books out there and while some are amazing, some are pretty dross.

(luckily i moved to UK studio when they started letting people write dross so I didnt have to edit it)

The point being is that there is a *lot* of EU out there and Disney would have had to 'sieve' it all and say 'this stays, this goes' etc which would probably cause more upset than 'its all just legends, tales you've heard in the cantina'/

Did you write the novel I was potrayed in? I never got it but I was the Night Lord player that pretended to be a Space Wolf player and caused a war between the Dark Angels and Space Wolves players during the Eye of Terror global event. While the FoO were turning on themselves the FoD was still making good tactical choices, which is one reason the FoD won.

Iwas notified after the event I would be in a Dark Anges - Night Lord novel based on the EOT event. I red a passage from white dwarf I think but I dont recal the name BUT there cant be many Night Lord vs Dark Angel stories ether. Ps I die in the novel LOL.

Anyway back on target, before the universal split Leland Chee was actully doing what pointed out in the last part of your post. He really really loved the EU, but it was like Disney one day just yanked task away from him from the sound of it.

You were in a 40k novel? That's awesome.

Yes butI feel the triad should have been in novels too.

I'd rather have my EU than disney's (I dare not capitalize that abomination!) movies.

Ok, you can have your precious EU and I'll keep Disney films. Overall, I'm getting the better deal.