WHEN WILL WE GET AFRICA????

[Phoenix100]

Dave? There's money in it for you.... MED Pack. When?

[captskillet]

I asked that question twice right as patch was coming out and have yet to get a reply.

[dazkaz15]

I expect he is not answering, because he doesn't want to commit to a date yet, then have everyone yelling at him when it is not ready by that date, due to an unforeseen problem.
At least that's what I would do if I was in his position.

I might add something like "its done when its done" though as people get angry when they are ignored as well.
Maybe I would macro it to a key binding in case someone asked again [;)]
Or maybe write a quick script to automate the response [:D]

[Phoenix100]

Well, we knew that no plan survives contact, so I guess, for me, I would guess that next year would be a good bet, going off past timelines, adjustments and real world progress. Plus the fact that as I get older time seems to speed up. Since I turned 50 it's really started to race. Soon I'll be dead, at this rate... So next year wouldn't be long to wait....

We're lucky to get anything at all. Can't understand why this game isn't better supported. I mean, can't understand why it's not THE most popular game ever and Dave isn't rich enough to employ 10 full time coders...

[navwarcol]

To paraphrase a famous wizard... A game never arrives early, nor does it arrive late. It arrives precisely when it was meant to arrive....
or, something like that.

[dazkaz15]

Some of your posts are awesome Peter, and really help to brighten up my evenings [&o]

I know the feeling.
I am an avid fan of the Game of Thrones series,(A Song of Ice and Fire, by George R. R. Martin's) having read all the books, and now watched the movies as well.
I hope George manages to finish the books before either I, or he dies!

With most of the series televised now, I expect the next book to be an instant best seller.

When the Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, came out I was in Oxford UK.

There was huge queues at the book store, and in and around the park everyone was reading the same book.
I had never seen the like of it before, and suspected I would never see it again, but exactly the same thing happened with the other books for the Deathly Hallows, released after it.

When the next book comes out for A Song of Ice and Fire, I expect to see this happen again, although with digital downloads now, I don't expect the queues to be as long in the book shops, or the park to be full of people reading it.
Its a shame really because although everyone had their head in a book, it was a kind of huge social event, and the conversation about what we had just read went on long into the night, over a few beers in the Pub.

I should be more excited about the Med pack, but to be honest I still have hundreds of hours of un played content in the packs I have already bought.
It won't stop me buying the new pack though of course.

What I am most looking forward to is the new interface etc. from Command Ops 2.
I think regular (annual) updates to the game engine is the key to the continued success of this series.

[Phoenix100]

Well, Dave is writing a book (has written three books, in fact), Daz, and it may be the sort of thing you would go for - it's a sci-fi military action thriller, kind of thing. He might sell you one - or send you one - if you ask. Whilst you're waiting for CO2.

As for GOT, I noticed recently that George had a message for those of you worrying about him dying before he finished up. Did you catch that? http://www.independent.co.uk/news/peopl ... 96265.html

[dazkaz15]

Can I get Dave's book from Amazon for my Kindle?

I have seen that about George before. He seems very touchy about the fact he might die someday, maybe soon lol
You would think that a man that invented the saying "All men must die", would be more realistic about the subject [:D]

[BletchleyGeek]

Changing the subject...

[center][/center]

[Arjuna]

ORIGINAL: dazkaz15

Can I get Dave's book from Amazon for my Kindle?

I'm still pursuing an agent. So it's not on sale yet. If I can't line up an agent soon I'll self publish. In the meantime here's the cover.

[BletchleyGeek]

Now that's interesting. Mark H. Walker was just blogging about his Sci-Fi novel, with battle-mechs, infantry in powered armoured suits, and VAMPIRES! Poor vampires - probably they have cybernetically enhanced fangs or something to go through all that heavy metal

Am I right thinking that you're following the somewhat more circumspect tradition of Jerry Pournelle?

[Arjuna]

Yep I have not gone overboard with the technological advances. My first book is set in the year 2512. I've tried to make it as realistic as I can, within my limited grasp of physics. Spacecraft have both impulse and warp drives. There are significant delays in comms and travel between systems and planets. I do have droids and drones but they mix with marine/army troops and manned fighters.
 
Here's a brief intro.
 
[font=calibri]The Series[/font]
 
[font=calibri]My series focuses on Commander Dave Warner of the Federation Fleet and his transformation from grief stricken commander, beset with problems, to a man of both physical and moral courage. Just as the civil war between the humans is transformed into a much bigger conflict with the Sleth and Rogan, so too Warner grows with wisdom and spiritual strength. He is by no means the perfect hero and falls short on occasions. He is not the supreme ruler dictating events but rather a man endeavouring to perform his duty to the best of his abilities within a much bigger picture. He is a spiritual man thrust into a dirty world, in search of right action and the love that will sustain him. [/font]
 
In some aspects Warner’s World is similar to Jack Cambell’s Lost Fleet series in that it explores what future space warfare would be like. But I like to think that my characters and plots are much more interesting. J[font=calibri] I have deliberately avoided writing a space opera like the Culture series or a “futurologist” expose as in Brin’s Existence. I have wanted to keep the focus on how the main characters deal with the challenges they are confronted with. As the series develops though, Dave Warner becomes more and more involved in actions which affect the geo political level.  [/font]
 
[font=calibri]I explore different themes in each book drawing on the vices and virtues. I like to explore the contradictions and moral challenges faced by the characters. [/font]
 
 
[font=calibri]Synopsis[/font]
 
[font=calibri]The first book, The Awakening, focusses on loss, grief, duty and courage and starts with Dave Warner trying to come to grips with the loss of his wife and kids while dealing with a spy on board his frigate, the FFS Hermes. His first efforts to link up with a Federation agent, his best friend Art Simons, meet with disaster and his subordinates no longer trust him. New intel reveals manipulation by the Sleth and Dave has a role to play in bringing about a rapprochement between the warring humans in order to meet the common foe. During this he finds a new chance at love with Rihan Kabel.[/font]
 
[font=calibri]Book two, Redemption, focusses on moral dilemmas, righteous action, paying the price for one’s choice and forgiveness. It sees Dave disobeying a direct command to save one of his crew, Art Simon’s fiancé. In the rescue attempt, others lose their life and Dave is demoted and assigned to a backwater. In the process he discovers that the Sleth were only the pawn of the Rogan and must find it within himself to forgive his former enemy. Amidst the boredom of backwater patrolling he is thrust into violent action to defeat a Rogan cruiser bent on the capture of a Rogan resistance leader. In doing so he redeemed and thrust into commanding the FFS Resolute – the first of a new series of capital ships.[/font]
 
[font=calibri]Book three, Insurrection, focusses on the black arts of intrigue and deception. With the discovery that the Rogan are the real foe, Dave is tasked with sowing the seeds of insurrection within the mightier Rogan empire. But before he has a chance to do that, Rogan dirty tricks bring about rebellion closer to home on Beta Phi. The Resolute is diverted to buy time for a much larger relief force. Using the new technologies available to him he conducts a series of hit and run attacks on the enemy fleet while his droid and marine force help suppress the rebellion on the ground. [/font]
 
[font=calibri]Book four, Retribution, focusses on revenge and genocide. Rogan intrigue brings on a situation where Dave is forced to disobey a command to nuke enemy cities. Subsequently, his boss, Admiral Phil Yomoto, brings on a crisis in the Federation government. The Rogan desire to revenge their loss over Beta Phi and the discovery by the Federation of their espionage sets the stage for a headlong rush into the biggest fleet action of the war so far. The Rogan are defeated but at great cost, including nuclear attacks. The desire for revenge, however, is not confined to one side.[/font]
 
 

[BletchleyGeek]

ORIGINAL: Arjuna
Yep I have not gone overboard with the technological advances. My first book is set in the year 2512. I've tried to make it as realistic as I can, within my limited grasp of physics. Spacecraft have both impulse and warp drives. There are significant delays in comms and travel between systems and planets. I do have droids and drones but they mix with marine/army troops and manned fighters.

That's always the hardest, how to find a good balance between plausibility and creative freedom. I quite liked the approach to that problem of Jack McDevitt in "A Talent For War".

ORIGINAL: Arjuna
In some aspects Warner’s World is similar to Jack Cambell’s Lost Fleet series in that it explores what future space warfare would be like. But I like to think that my characters and plots are much more interesting. J[font=calibri] I have deliberately avoided writing a space opera like the Culture series or a “futurologist” expose as in Brin’s Existence. I have wanted to keep the focus on how the main characters deal with the challenges they are confronted with. As the series develops though, Dave Warner becomes more and more involved in actions which affect the geo political level.  [/font]

Good references all of them, Dave. I am big fan of some of Banks' books - especially "The Player of Games" and "Look to Windward" - but the sprawling, rambling and chaotic jumble that was The Culture was too much for me. Brin's is also quite an excellent reference, but I think he's got worse as he's got older. His early "Uplift" books ("Startide Rising" and "Sundiver") and "The Postman" (what a great book, what a crime did Kevin Costner commit) will always occupy a warm place in my heart. If I can make a suggestion, I think that recent examples of Space Operas (like John Lumpkin's "Per Ardua Ad Astra" stuff or David Webber's "Honor Harrington" series) are best avoided. I found both series to be tedious in the extreme. I am more ambivalent about another recent The Expanse" series by two guys writing under the pseudonym of James A. Corey. I liked the most the latest book, the first two ones were a bit weak at times (where they do very well this post-modern literary device that George R.R. Martin has mastered by telling the same story from the perspective of several characters).

Godspeed with your books, Dave!

And Daz, if you're seeking recommendations to fill those balmy afternoons on the tranquil beaches of Southern England, here I repost a list of recommended books I made for a colleague:

Dan Simmons

Ilium - The Illiad & The Odyssey remade, sprinkled with a good dose of Through the Looking Glass.
Hyperion & The Fall of Hyperion - An incredible homage to Keats, Chaucer and other great pens of British letters.

Vernor Vinge

A Deepness In The Sky - I read this book every two years or so. I never get bored with it. It features amazing "children", and the ultimate Fascist regime.
A Fire Upon The Deep - A prequel which is actually a sequel to the one above. It also features amazing children, and the ultimate Artificial Intelligence.

David Brin

Sundiver - A detective story with talking chimps and arrogant aliens with God-like powers.
Startide Rising - What if dolphins could speak and crew an starship? And the aliens above go feral. It's not as cheesy as it sounds, I promise

George R R Martin

Death of Light - By The Master Himself. I won't say much about it, to avoid spoiling it. Extremely powerful and confronting tale (with a precursor of our beloved Lord Baelish too!).

Neal Stephenson

The Age of Diamond - Being a Computer Scientist, I can't help recommending it. It's an excellent Primer for Neo-Victorian Gentlemen (and Young Ladies) into Computer Science.
Anathema (hyper recommended) - Amazing book, at times hilarious, at times moving, at times infuriating that will familiarize you with the whackiest (?) ideas in current Cosmology and Physics.

Cordwainer Smith

Lords of the Instrumentality
The Rediscovery of Man - Both are hard to read, but perhaps the most imaginative and suggestive works of Sci-Fi ever written.

Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle

The Mote in God's Eye - A Classic for the Ages.

Ann Leckie

Ancillary Justice - Reminds me a lot of Iain M. Smith "The Culture", but more focused.

Andy Weir

The Martian - A perfect Summer yarn, with lots of good Science too!

Kim Stanley Robinson

2312 - Perhaps one of the most cogent futurist extrapolation, exploring long-term trends on economics, science, technology and politics. It maybe gets too fancy with the writing at times, but I appreciated that.

Jeff VanderMeer

Annihilation - A most uncanny crossover of the themes explored by H. P. Lovecraft and Stanislav Lem in their books.

Orson Scott Card

Speaker for the Dead - Great characters, very powerful and emotional delivery. And great aliens too!

[wodin]

A great time now for budding authors to get published through kindle and Amazon.

ORIGINAL: Arjuna

ORIGINAL: dazkaz15

Can I get Dave's book from Amazon for my Kindle?

I'm still pursuing an agent. So it's not on sale yet. If I can't line up an agent soon I'll self publish. In the meantime here's the cover.

[wodin]

Pheonix your persistent I'll give you that. I'd have thought you'd have come to the conclusion that asking how long and where is it is pretty much futile by now:)

Years have gone by now since the post about upcoming games and CO 2 East front and Bils platoon scale version. Considering a date was mentioned at the time of "CO2 might be out next year" when we are now two or more years down the line and it seems no closer.

I know it will happen but I also know we could be waiting for another two years. I'm getting on with other things and have put it to the back of my mind and will start to get interested again once we start getting development updates etc etc.

[dazkaz15]

Thanks Dave, and Miguel for the book list.
Your very well read mate.

I did a lot of reading when in the forces, but am usually on my computer playing games in my down time nowadays.
When I go on holiday I usually manage to get a couple of books read, during the traveling, and while laying around between activities.

All of your recommendations look like books I would enjoy, and Dave's book also.
Keep us updated about the publishing mate, so we know when its available to buy.

Edit:
Moved to Daves book thread here: tm.asp?m=3658230

[BletchleyGeek]

ORIGINAL: dazkaz15

Thanks Dave, and Miguel for the book list.
Your very well read mate.

Let's keep this secret: I flunked a semester as a CS freshman because I spent the days in the University library reading Sci-Fi books rather than attending my classes. There I got myself acquainted with the "Classics"

[CrackSabbath]

ORIGINAL: navwarcol

To paraphrase a famous wizard... A game never arrives early, nor does it arrive late. It arrives precisely when it was meant to arrive....
or, something like that.

+1