Poll: New Technology in HTL

What do you think of the number of new ships/fighters in HTL?

  • Too many- I can't keep track of them

    Votes: 1 16.7%
  • About right to make a good story

    Votes: 3 50.0%
  • No enough- I want to see more of them

    Votes: 2 33.3%

  • Total voters
    6

Raptor

Spaceman
Hey all, Raptor here

One of the things we've done in HTL is integrate fighters and warships created by the Aces Club into the storyline. This allows factions that we've only had brief glimpses in the canon, such as the Border Worlds Union, play a full and active part in the story. On the other hand, it has been controversial among the Aces, with some purists arguing that anything we haven't seen doesn't exists. What I want to know is what you, the readers, think of this. Does this new technology add to the storyline and creative writing, or detract from it? Do you want to see more or less in future stories?
 
I think that they add to the story. It would be nice to have pics and stats of them tho.

And just because we don't see something, doesn't mean it doesn't exist. The Ferret was around during WC1's time for instance.
 
Can't agree more

Its most certainly long overdue. The introduction of private enterprise and variants of current 'mainstream' craft are sorely required. There is a great potential for variety in technology and craft out there, and the present decentralised story driven means of introducing technology is a good way to showcase the advancements made.
 
Re: Can't agree more

Hoops: You can find the images and stats of the Border Worlds craft at the Battlegroup Valkyrie site. They're listed under the fighter and capship databases.

http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~theraj/battlegroupval/

To find info on the Confed ships and fighters like the Miles D'Arby CVEs and the Marauder, go to Phoenix Rising, select the Wing Commander section, and then research labs.

http://www.interimag.com/~kscholl/

Nameless One: I agree, storywriting does tend to showcase what the designers in the club do, and conversely, the designs expand the potential for writing. Without the Border Worlders being a viable faction, for example, I doubt HTL would ever have gotten off the ground.

Best, Raptor
 
My opinion...

Being as how we, in the Aces Club, are still dwelling within the established timeline (2681), I believe it's most acceptable for the Aces Club writer to try (if at all possible) to use non-canon (Aces-created/designed) ships/capships as supplements to canon ships/capships. Obviously, the casual reader just happening upon Aces Club material is going to be a bit alienated by a storyline that focuses on ships and technology the classes and likes of which they'd never seen in a game, read of in a novel, or seen on the cartoon. A good mix of both, leaning toward the canon side is the way to go, I believe. i.e., you want a "Fenris"-class carrier, cool... put it in a battle group with a Caernaven-class (WC3/4) ship. You want a squadron of "Intruder"-class fighters, cool... put them in a flight wing where there's a squadron of Banshee-class (WC4) fighters. Just sort of put reminders firmly in place to remind the casual reader that canon material *is* acknowledged - this can be done in more than one way, of course.

Which isn't to say that utilizing non-canon ships/capships is wrong... by no means. It should just be done with a careful consideration to the reader, whom we can't assume are all hardcore Ace aficionados.

If we were to take the Aces five years into WC's future (2686) or such, it'd be perfectly acceptable and believeable to any reader to introduce a whole new host of tech and ships (eras of different kinds of WC ships/capships seem to change quite quickly throughout the game series)... but I don't think we're quite there yet.

- Neo
 
Re: My opinion...

I think we've achieved that balance pretty well in HTL, as well as in the Aces generally. You have Marauders, Retaliators and Jaguars rubbing shoulders with Panthers, Vampires and Avengers, and new ships like the Arcadias being escorted by canon cruisers, frigates and DDs.

As for pushing the timeline ahead: One war at a time, if you don't mind. Let's fight off the Nephilim invasion before we start picking other fights. :D

Best, Raptor
 
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