the ramble dump
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Snakes And
amelia: it's pretty slow around here, mostly
a barely alive library, it is.
Chris: do you get sliding ladders?
amelia: no...
Chris: oh
amelia: but we have the best view in the world
Chris: but not sliding ladders.
amelia: two long stretching walls of picture windows from the second floor...
and we can see the whole valley to the east and the south
and all the frothy bathwater clouds.
there was a rainbow a few minutes ago
stabbed right in the middle of it all
Chris: but yo' ladders don't slide
amelia: we don't need ladders
we have stepstools.
Chris: don't try to rationalise your way out of this
Labels: alien conversations, ladders
Friday, September 11, 2009
Well
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Organza Nousu vs Jabba the Hutt
So last night Amelia mentioned the similarities between Organza Nousu of Starcustard and Jabba the Hutt of Star Wars. Unfortunately, this is something that had bothered me before, and looking at pictures of Jabba again yesterday, I could match some pretty specific characteristics: aside from being a giant spaceslug thing, there's the leathery skin, the huge mouth, the big orange eyes and even the silly little arms. All I can say, as the one responsible for deciding that Gen's stepparents were going to be fat slugs, is that these similarities were not deliberate.
In my defence I could also point out some differences. The Nousus' leathery skin is described as just like extremely thick walrus hide whereas Jabba's is not. Our slugs don't have slit pupils, and I always imagined their eyes as a very clear, very bright orange, almost cartoony and much more expressive than the sleepy gaze of Jabba. In a similar vein, the Nousu slugs lack Jabba's general slovenly appearance: for all their plumpness and size they're much more mobile, and whereas Jabba's folds of fat collect to form a distinctive belly and head, I always pictured the Nousus as quite linear with wobbly but amorphous flab, for the most part slithering around just like regular slugs, their head only made distinctive from the rest of them by their eyes and mouth. The Nousus' arms are almost ineffectual blackened twig-like things, not fleshy, only added as a way of allowing them to hold a slavekid card catalogue. And finally, as far as I know, Jabba doesn't have teeth.
Not all of these features are made so explicit in the text, because 'more linear than Jabba' is just not something we would have included. I also can't account for exactly how Amelia imagines the Nousus (she might have different ideas of how they compare), but now that we've both become conscious of the unintentional similarities, although nobody else has mentioned it, we felt it was probably a good idea to set the record straight just in case. Back when we started writing Starcustard and I put these slugs in, I hadn't seen any Star Wars film but The Phantom Menace. The same is still true. Reading up on it recently, it turns out that Jabba made an appearance in that film too, but honestly I don't think it was memorable enough even to be a subconscious influence.
In fact, I have an amusing story about my ignorance of Jabba the Hutt. And...well, ignorance in general, too. As I told Amelia last night...
It's true. And it's a shame that there's such a similarity, because we don't want it to seem like we copied anyone. I made Gen's stepparents into fat, horrible slugs because it seemed appropriate: Gen's stepparents were supposed to be rich and horrible and giant slugs sort of personified this. No doubt George Lucas arrived at the idea of Jabba along similar lines. We could always go back and change it, of course, but then I don't think Organza would still be Organza. So a slug she remains. And we are entirely innocent.
In my defence I could also point out some differences. The Nousus' leathery skin is described as just like extremely thick walrus hide whereas Jabba's is not. Our slugs don't have slit pupils, and I always imagined their eyes as a very clear, very bright orange, almost cartoony and much more expressive than the sleepy gaze of Jabba. In a similar vein, the Nousu slugs lack Jabba's general slovenly appearance: for all their plumpness and size they're much more mobile, and whereas Jabba's folds of fat collect to form a distinctive belly and head, I always pictured the Nousus as quite linear with wobbly but amorphous flab, for the most part slithering around just like regular slugs, their head only made distinctive from the rest of them by their eyes and mouth. The Nousus' arms are almost ineffectual blackened twig-like things, not fleshy, only added as a way of allowing them to hold a slavekid card catalogue. And finally, as far as I know, Jabba doesn't have teeth.
Not all of these features are made so explicit in the text, because 'more linear than Jabba' is just not something we would have included. I also can't account for exactly how Amelia imagines the Nousus (she might have different ideas of how they compare), but now that we've both become conscious of the unintentional similarities, although nobody else has mentioned it, we felt it was probably a good idea to set the record straight just in case. Back when we started writing Starcustard and I put these slugs in, I hadn't seen any Star Wars film but The Phantom Menace. The same is still true. Reading up on it recently, it turns out that Jabba made an appearance in that film too, but honestly I don't think it was memorable enough even to be a subconscious influence.
In fact, I have an amusing story about my ignorance of Jabba the Hutt. And...well, ignorance in general, too. As I told Amelia last night...
Chris: to be honest, until recently i got him confused with atilla the hun anyway
plaid: ha
plaid: that's awesome.
Chris: i was actually surprised to find he was fictional
plaid: really?
plaid: what a strange kid you are.
Chris: and then weeks later it clicked: wait, he's real! but he has a different name!
plaid: heh
Chris: and then i thought, 'ah, poo. that's very similar to organza.'
Chris: 'but i was not to know!'
Chris: 'i shall not mention it.'
plaid: heh. ah well. no worries.
plaid: jabba the hut never wore fake eyelashes or [spoiler omitted].
Chris: no doubt a thousand million people out there will not believe that story because, like, EVERYONE knows jabba the hutt
Chris: but i didn't!
Chris: heh
plaid: heh.
It's true. And it's a shame that there's such a similarity, because we don't want it to seem like we copied anyone. I made Gen's stepparents into fat, horrible slugs because it seemed appropriate: Gen's stepparents were supposed to be rich and horrible and giant slugs sort of personified this. No doubt George Lucas arrived at the idea of Jabba along similar lines. We could always go back and change it, of course, but then I don't think Organza would still be Organza. So a slug she remains. And we are entirely innocent.
Labels: alien conversations, films, i am the ramblemaster, starcustard
Sunday, December 31, 2006
The Exodus
(Note: contains major Starcustard Chapter 8 spoilers.)
So, we have reached a fairly exciting point in Starcustard. If we were to split the story up into acts, this would be the end of Act One.
And now, an announcement. Due to some pretty major lifestuff that will be occuring relatively soon, I am sad to announce that this is now it for Starcustard for a couple of years. While we would probably have time to post another chapter, we both feel that this is an appropriate place to end it, for now. We hope that you've enjoyed the run so far, and that you'll still want to find out what happens next when it returns. Thanks for all those who've ever commented or suggested music tracks since we started, and thanks for reading.
Other than that, there's nothing left to do but to wish you a happy new year. I hope 2007 proves to be a good one for you.
1st July, 2004.
Chris: would you be interested in ever doing a collaborative story?
Amelia: ooh... with you, you mean?
Chris: yeah
Amelia: quite interested. that would be fun. i can just imagine the insanity...
Amelia: what would it be about?
Chris: heh
Chris: dunno yet
Chris: we could think of something
Amelia: goats.
Amelia: .... or .... anything.
So, we have reached a fairly exciting point in Starcustard. If we were to split the story up into acts, this would be the end of Act One.
And now, an announcement. Due to some pretty major lifestuff that will be occuring relatively soon, I am sad to announce that this is now it for Starcustard for a couple of years. While we would probably have time to post another chapter, we both feel that this is an appropriate place to end it, for now. We hope that you've enjoyed the run so far, and that you'll still want to find out what happens next when it returns. Thanks for all those who've ever commented or suggested music tracks since we started, and thanks for reading.
Other than that, there's nothing left to do but to wish you a happy new year. I hope 2007 proves to be a good one for you.
Labels: alien conversations, starcustard
Saturday, July 01, 2006
Spaceturns
Lots of things seem to be happening this weekend. It's 4th July weekend on the other side of the Atlantic. Over here, people are waiting for England's World Cup quarter-final match against Portugal. Tonight is the first half of the much-anticipated two-part season finale of Doctor Who. And the new Muse album arrived on my doorstep this morning a lovely two days early.
But let's not forget the most important thing about today. Today marks the second anniversary of Starcustard, this space opera sort of thing I've been doing with this girl called Amelia. And so we decided that maybe today would be a good time to, you know, post the next chapter. Because we're cool like that.
We hope you enjoy. :)
But let's not forget the most important thing about today. Today marks the second anniversary of Starcustard, this space opera sort of thing I've been doing with this girl called Amelia. And so we decided that maybe today would be a good time to, you know, post the next chapter. Because we're cool like that.
plaid says:
six chapters in two years.
plaid says:
holy cow.
Chris says:
heh
plaid says:
we are lazy.
Chris says:
it's like cheese, dood. it takes a while to mature.
plaid says:
ew.
plaid says:
no cheese metaphors
Chris says:
aw
We hope you enjoy. :)
Labels: alien conversations, starcustard
Monday, February 20, 2006
Interlude
plaid says:
did you ever get my letter, chris?
plaid says:
or is it lost forever?
Chris says:
i never got it
Chris says:
maybe it takes forever
plaid says:
not usually.
plaid says:
four or five days.
Chris says:
four or five forevers
Chris says:
that would make a good song title
plaid says:
maybe i'll have to go buy real 80 cent stamps
plaid says:
write a song then eh?
Chris says:
Four
Five
Four
Five
Forever!
Chris says:
how's that?
plaid says:
passable
Chris says:
yay
did you ever get my letter, chris?
plaid says:
or is it lost forever?
Chris says:
i never got it
Chris says:
maybe it takes forever
plaid says:
not usually.
plaid says:
four or five days.
Chris says:
four or five forevers
Chris says:
that would make a good song title
plaid says:
maybe i'll have to go buy real 80 cent stamps
plaid says:
write a song then eh?
Chris says:
Four
Five
Four
Five
Forever!
Chris says:
how's that?
plaid says:
passable
Chris says:
yay
Labels: alien conversations, the launch
Wednesday, November 30, 2005
And Some More...
plaid says:
you should blog
Chris says:
nothing to blog
plaid says:
nothing?
Chris says:
no
plaid says:
just make up something then
Chris says:
like what?
plaid says:
you could blog this:
plaid says:
melia is taking way too long to finish the design of fmit. i hate her. i'm going to buy a new pet monkey and throw her to the sharks.
Chris says:
i would, but your name is clearly plaidy
plaid says:
:: kicks chris twice ::
Chris says:
was that once with each foot?
plaid says:
no
plaid says:
twice with one foot
Chris says:
oh
you should blog
Chris says:
nothing to blog
plaid says:
nothing?
Chris says:
no
plaid says:
just make up something then
Chris says:
like what?
plaid says:
you could blog this:
plaid says:
melia is taking way too long to finish the design of fmit. i hate her. i'm going to buy a new pet monkey and throw her to the sharks.
Chris says:
i would, but your name is clearly plaidy
plaid says:
:: kicks chris twice ::
Chris says:
was that once with each foot?
plaid says:
no
plaid says:
twice with one foot
Chris says:
oh
Labels: alien conversations
Monday, November 28, 2005
A Fragment of Passion
Chris says:
character depth!
Chris says:
our protagonist shall not be a mere vessel for the reader to witness our world
Chris says:
*triumphant pose*
plaid says:
mhm
character depth!
Chris says:
our protagonist shall not be a mere vessel for the reader to witness our world
Chris says:
*triumphant pose*
plaid says:
mhm
Labels: alien conversations, starcustard
Friday, April 22, 2005
More Ideas
plaid says:
if i were an alien like that, i'd like to keep one arm growing out of my head.
Chris says:
yes, but you're weird
Guess what we're discussing. :P
if i were an alien like that, i'd like to keep one arm growing out of my head.
Chris says:
yes, but you're weird
Guess what we're discussing. :P
Labels: alien conversations, starcustard
Monday, March 21, 2005
Starcustard Ideas Generation - Spaceship Shields
Chris says:
what's the shield made of?
plaid says:
hm.....
Chris says:
i'm hesitant to say plasma, because that's been used in things like Halo (and possibly Star Wars) and i don't want to seem like i'm copying
plaid says:
let me think...
plaid says:
it should be made of something random and unexpected, but plausible...
Chris says:
some sort of electric pulse? they'd have to time it right, though
plaid says:
like... really really hot... something.... some sort of magneticized substance.
plaid says:
electro magnetic.... um...
Chris says:
and that wouldn't really effectively deflect weaponry, which is what it would be designed to do with a ship like that
plaid says:
electromagnetic something. fumes. some kind of fumes.
Chris says:
electro magnetic..if you look at the Matrix, they used an electromagnetic pulse to cut off the power of everything within a radius
plaid says:
electromagnetic blank fumes.
Chris says:
electromagnetic fumes?
plaid says:
i don't really know what im
plaid says:
talking about
plaid says:
i don't know...
plaid says:
i just thought it might sound good
plaid says:
:P
Chris says:
the pods wouldn't be obtaining their air supply from an external source, so fumes wouldn't really work :P
plaid says:
hm?
plaid says:
but if they were electromagneticized, they'd be all... electromagnetic...
Chris says:
fumes wouldn't be able to get inside the pods if there are no air vents or grids or anything
plaid says:
well, that's not what i meant anyway. i don't really konw what i did mean though
Chris says:
we wouldn't have to go into depth
Chris says:
it could just be 'energy shield'
Chris says:
i dunno
plaid says:
that's true
plaid says:
how about you just pick some impressive sounding phrase and use it?
Chris says:
it's got to be technically correct though. this is a comic story in some ways, but still.
plaid says:
technically?
Chris says:
it's actually got to be plausible
plaid says:
because energy sheilds actually exist in the world?
plaid says:
maybe they do. what do i know?
Chris says:
they could do.
Chris says:
we don't want something that just wouldn't work, plain and simple
Chris says:
like electromagnetic fumes :P
plaid says:
heh
Chris says:
we could cover it up with a name...a proper noun that they've given the shield
Chris says:
and it'd be alien technology anyway
plaid says:
like what?
plaid says:
yeah.
Chris says:
like McBob's Zaptasterum Shield
Chris says:
but not as stupid
plaid says:
heh. hm.... organic nitrogen-based powersheild. or super-enforced electron barrier.
plaid says:
how're those random random off the top of my head ideas?
Chris says:
crazy
Chris says:
you're razy
Chris says:
*crazy
Chris says:
organic?!
Chris says:
shield?!!
Chris says:
heh
plaid says:
heh
plaid says:
it could happen...
plaid says:
it's like... recycling.
plaid says:
only... um....
plaid says:
okay i'll shut up
Chris says:
'Quick, switch on the organic nitrogen-based powershield!'
'It's not working!'
Chris says:
'That's because it CAN'T! HAHAHAHAHA!'
plaid says:
you come up with it then. i give up.
Chris says:
we need a sensible yet alien sounding name
Chris says:
an alien scientist's name
Chris says:
Zaptasterum
Chris says:
:P
plaid says:
hm...
Chris says:
Kaltruxan Generator....generates the shield
plaid says:
okay
plaid says:
except i don't really like the letter k
Chris says:
Caltrux is a company/person's name anyway
Chris says:
Gantruxian
Chris says:
created by the scientist, Pierre Gantruxi :P
plaid says:
okay
plaid says:
i really don't care, chris. do whatever the heck you want
Chris says:
*sniff*
what's the shield made of?
plaid says:
hm.....
Chris says:
i'm hesitant to say plasma, because that's been used in things like Halo (and possibly Star Wars) and i don't want to seem like i'm copying
plaid says:
let me think...
plaid says:
it should be made of something random and unexpected, but plausible...
Chris says:
some sort of electric pulse? they'd have to time it right, though
plaid says:
like... really really hot... something.... some sort of magneticized substance.
plaid says:
electro magnetic.... um...
Chris says:
and that wouldn't really effectively deflect weaponry, which is what it would be designed to do with a ship like that
plaid says:
electromagnetic something. fumes. some kind of fumes.
Chris says:
electro magnetic..if you look at the Matrix, they used an electromagnetic pulse to cut off the power of everything within a radius
plaid says:
electromagnetic blank fumes.
Chris says:
electromagnetic fumes?
plaid says:
i don't really know what im
plaid says:
talking about
plaid says:
i don't know...
plaid says:
i just thought it might sound good
plaid says:
:P
Chris says:
the pods wouldn't be obtaining their air supply from an external source, so fumes wouldn't really work :P
plaid says:
hm?
plaid says:
but if they were electromagneticized, they'd be all... electromagnetic...
Chris says:
fumes wouldn't be able to get inside the pods if there are no air vents or grids or anything
plaid says:
well, that's not what i meant anyway. i don't really konw what i did mean though
Chris says:
we wouldn't have to go into depth
Chris says:
it could just be 'energy shield'
Chris says:
i dunno
plaid says:
that's true
plaid says:
how about you just pick some impressive sounding phrase and use it?
Chris says:
it's got to be technically correct though. this is a comic story in some ways, but still.
plaid says:
technically?
Chris says:
it's actually got to be plausible
plaid says:
because energy sheilds actually exist in the world?
plaid says:
maybe they do. what do i know?
Chris says:
they could do.
Chris says:
we don't want something that just wouldn't work, plain and simple
Chris says:
like electromagnetic fumes :P
plaid says:
heh
Chris says:
we could cover it up with a name...a proper noun that they've given the shield
Chris says:
and it'd be alien technology anyway
plaid says:
like what?
plaid says:
yeah.
Chris says:
like McBob's Zaptasterum Shield
Chris says:
but not as stupid
plaid says:
heh. hm.... organic nitrogen-based powersheild. or super-enforced electron barrier.
plaid says:
how're those random random off the top of my head ideas?
Chris says:
crazy
Chris says:
you're razy
Chris says:
*crazy
Chris says:
organic?!
Chris says:
shield?!!
Chris says:
heh
plaid says:
heh
plaid says:
it could happen...
plaid says:
it's like... recycling.
plaid says:
only... um....
plaid says:
okay i'll shut up
Chris says:
'Quick, switch on the organic nitrogen-based powershield!'
'It's not working!'
Chris says:
'That's because it CAN'T! HAHAHAHAHA!'
plaid says:
you come up with it then. i give up.
Chris says:
we need a sensible yet alien sounding name
Chris says:
an alien scientist's name
Chris says:
Zaptasterum
Chris says:
:P
plaid says:
hm...
Chris says:
Kaltruxan Generator....generates the shield
plaid says:
okay
plaid says:
except i don't really like the letter k
Chris says:
Caltrux is a company/person's name anyway
Chris says:
Gantruxian
Chris says:
created by the scientist, Pierre Gantruxi :P
plaid says:
okay
plaid says:
i really don't care, chris. do whatever the heck you want
Chris says:
*sniff*
Labels: alien conversations, starcustard
