Friday is time for random stuff.
- I don't talk about reading, much, but after plowing through some assorted books and some Chandler, I wanted something light to read . . . and dug out the latter volumes of the "Spellsinger" books by Alan Dean Foster. I'm not a "furry" fan but I liked these books, and if you like furry worlds this isn't a bad one . . . although it's deliberately punny. Given the central conceit of the books, the number of music references ADF got wrong is really stunning, from mis-attributed song credits to mis-spelled or just badly wrong band member names. Still fun stuff if you've got GURPS Furries and want a world with Marxist monsters and turtle wizards and people summoning up giant monsters with Beach Boys songs.
- Many nuggets of information in the Ballistics Report.
First, go read it.
Lots of good information in that. If you're waiting on another Peter Dell'Orto / Marshall LaPira project, it'll have to wait a bit. I enjoyed working with Marshall and Doug on the Crypt, but really, adventures aren't my thing. They are Marshall's, though, which is why I took on a project to co-write one with him. Also, I wanted to get his foot in the door as an author, since I'm a low-risk choice (I meet my deadlines and I turn in what I contracted for.) Now that he's established his CV enough for a solo project he's going right ahead with one. I'm looking forward to seeing what he has in mind.
- Doug mentioned this, which is good, because I don't pay attention to Kickstarter updates particularly closely. Email me if you want my attention and my money. Still, I read Doug's blog so I heard about Dungeon Fantasy Companion 3. I'm not privy to what's in it, but it's quite probable I have stuff in it. I get - and answer, and then forget the details of - emails from SJG occasionally about re-use and suchlike, so I'm crossing my fingers that I have stuff in there and a print comp copy due to me. Here's hoping. If not, I'll just buy one.
- Next game is scheduled for 8/15, so we'll see what game that will be.
(Almost forgot this one!)
- Acoup has a post which basically concludes with an explanation of how modern munitions deployed by a modern army would trash zombies. Very GURPS, actually - zombies won't do well against armor or Paveway munitions.
"I meet my deadlines and I turn in what I contracted for."
ReplyDeleteIf there are any kids watching, they need to pay attention to this. If you want to be an author, this is what you need to do.
Treat your job like a job!
DeleteAlso: Usually, but not always, if you're going to be late, you know it in advance. DO NOT WAIT to inform your publisher of said fact. DO NOT assume "I'll catch up" because you probably will not. All the "catching up" was baked into your first deadline agreement.
DeleteSwitching to first person: I can almost always make adjustments if a product is going to be pushed, provided I know in advance. I can re-order a release, I can just push, I can look for things that aren't on the critical path and accelerate them.
What I cannot do is easily change horses mid-stream if the author is the rate-limiting step and I cannot do art, layout, or editing without their work.
In short: communicate. Early and often.
How bad are the misattributed song credits? Are we talking “Man on the Silver Mountain” is a Dio song bad (easy to do)? “Smoke on the Water” is a Black Sabbath song bad (understandable from the outside)? “Karn Evil 9” is a Talking Heads song bad (a space alien might make that mistake)? Or “Stairway to Heaven” is a Mariah Carey song bad (get help)?
ReplyDeleteAngus McKie is in AC/DC bad.
DeleteBand names that no amount of Googling will match to any actual band bad.
You can forgive attributing "Cum on Feel the Noize" to Quiet Riot, but it's a cover of a Slade song, and if you're already getting other stuff wrong . . .