Post by Kage2020 on Apr 13, 2005 17:30:18 GMT -5
This has also been posted on the 'new forums', although they remain closed at this point.
We've come a long way with the Anargo Sector Project (ASP). A long way. Sometimes it is hard to figure out just where we are, or what we have achieved or, even, what the ultimate point of the project is! So, a quick reminder of what our goals were and what we have achieved:
The Premise
The ASP grew strangely out of my desire for discussion. The new dead Portent at that time had slipped away from a discussion-orientated board into what was, essentially, a board focussed around 'librarianship' of the 40k 'fluff'. So I created the premise of the ASP: to create a full 40k Imperial sector (and then some) in a fashion more detailed than the small descriptions that GW have favoured with us before. As a roleplayer I saw that the numerous sci-fi/fantasy RPG supplements could be of use, most particularly those that involved 'world buildling' so as to present a sector which had at least the sense of physical verisimilitude (i.e. it didn't include 10 habitable worlds within a single system despite what physics might tell us).
The project was also designed to be a meeting of minds, of roleplayers and wargamers to show that they are not mutually exclusive. The detail required by the roleplayers in their games would be provided by the project and, further, the wargamers would enjoy a sector of space that was developed to a degree beyond what they were used to and which would provide the perfect focus for their campaigns and wargames.
Although the desire was to produce an 'average' Imperial sector, some things do change. Anargo is now in no means 'average'. Whether you're talking about the looming threat of the 'wily ork empire' of Tuskragga that has previously decimated the adjacent Cruciatine sector, the mysterious beating Heart of Anargo that plays havoc with the local warp storms, or even the hidden seed of hope of the eldar colony world of Tir'asur, Anargo is no longer 'average'. It is special not only for the work that people have put into it and the setting that they have created, but also for the process that we have laid down. More of that latter.
The Current State of the Project
Despite the fact that it often seems that we are in disarray, nothing could be further from the truth. An online project that involves a wide group of people of different ages, interests and backgrounds is always more complex than anything that allows people to meet face to face or where there is a defined (and paid!) hierarchy.
Despite this we have created a great deal. I could list all of the little 'articles' that have been posted, or more important concepts that have been hammered down, but I think the most important feature is simply stated: It is my belief that an individual could, for the most part, come to the project and utilise the tools and discussions that we have forwarded and create their own Imperial sector in short order. We've been discussing things for over a year now, but we've created enough that once formalised into articles a non-member would find the process simple...
I don't know about you, but that makes me feel that we have achieved something. In many ways we've given the factory to the workers, or taught a starving village the 'secrets' of agriculture... Okay, maybe overstating it there, but I think that we have a lot to be proud of.
At present we've managed to 'complete' (or mostly complete), either through Standard Representations (SRs) or conceptually, two subsectors. Worlds have been designed to SR format in all of the subsectors, and we've also managed to get some incredible detail on some of the alien races that we may populate the sector with. We have discussed the Imperium in detail, and fixed on (or created guidelines) for interpretation of warp travel, the fleets and shipping, Imperial education, Imperial techologies, the nature of the adeptus mechanicus and some hints of the Inquisition, etc.
Where Now?
There has been some confusion amongst project members with regards to what on the other forum was the "Mission Statement" or "At a Glance" forum. All of the emphasis was previously placed on detailed world construction and then all of a sudden it was changed to a basic discussion of UWPs (Universal World Profiles) and concepts. Why is this?
In trying to create a fluid design process which is reactive to the varying goals of the members when coupled with a complex world design sequence (i.e. the "Guide") that is not usually employed, it has been necessary to use an "interative design" process. This basically means that we move forwards and then, with consideration, take a few steps back alter what we have done and then once again begin to move forwards. In some ways this can be frustrating, but it does create an organic project rather than one of pure imposition.
So, what now?
Finalising the Concepts/UWPs of the Subsectors
We have yet to complete the so-called 'rectified UWPs' and concepts of the subsectors although we're definitely on the way. Previously we touched on each world in a huge amount of detail but I've shifted us towards the concepts...
Why?
Ultimately we need to understand the 'state' of the subsectors and what worlds go to make them into what they are. With Heaven & Earth we can create worlds - even tens of worlds - with greater speed then we could in the early days of the project where we had to use the Guide (pen and paper! ). So why are we doing this? In short, now that we have a basic idea of the 'feel' of the subsectors and the worlds that compose them, we need to begin to link them together in a way that has not been done before... That way? Economy.
We've come a long way with the Anargo Sector Project (ASP). A long way. Sometimes it is hard to figure out just where we are, or what we have achieved or, even, what the ultimate point of the project is! So, a quick reminder of what our goals were and what we have achieved:
The Premise
The ASP grew strangely out of my desire for discussion. The new dead Portent at that time had slipped away from a discussion-orientated board into what was, essentially, a board focussed around 'librarianship' of the 40k 'fluff'. So I created the premise of the ASP: to create a full 40k Imperial sector (and then some) in a fashion more detailed than the small descriptions that GW have favoured with us before. As a roleplayer I saw that the numerous sci-fi/fantasy RPG supplements could be of use, most particularly those that involved 'world buildling' so as to present a sector which had at least the sense of physical verisimilitude (i.e. it didn't include 10 habitable worlds within a single system despite what physics might tell us).
The project was also designed to be a meeting of minds, of roleplayers and wargamers to show that they are not mutually exclusive. The detail required by the roleplayers in their games would be provided by the project and, further, the wargamers would enjoy a sector of space that was developed to a degree beyond what they were used to and which would provide the perfect focus for their campaigns and wargames.
Although the desire was to produce an 'average' Imperial sector, some things do change. Anargo is now in no means 'average'. Whether you're talking about the looming threat of the 'wily ork empire' of Tuskragga that has previously decimated the adjacent Cruciatine sector, the mysterious beating Heart of Anargo that plays havoc with the local warp storms, or even the hidden seed of hope of the eldar colony world of Tir'asur, Anargo is no longer 'average'. It is special not only for the work that people have put into it and the setting that they have created, but also for the process that we have laid down. More of that latter.
The Current State of the Project
Despite the fact that it often seems that we are in disarray, nothing could be further from the truth. An online project that involves a wide group of people of different ages, interests and backgrounds is always more complex than anything that allows people to meet face to face or where there is a defined (and paid!) hierarchy.
Despite this we have created a great deal. I could list all of the little 'articles' that have been posted, or more important concepts that have been hammered down, but I think the most important feature is simply stated: It is my belief that an individual could, for the most part, come to the project and utilise the tools and discussions that we have forwarded and create their own Imperial sector in short order. We've been discussing things for over a year now, but we've created enough that once formalised into articles a non-member would find the process simple...
I don't know about you, but that makes me feel that we have achieved something. In many ways we've given the factory to the workers, or taught a starving village the 'secrets' of agriculture... Okay, maybe overstating it there, but I think that we have a lot to be proud of.
At present we've managed to 'complete' (or mostly complete), either through Standard Representations (SRs) or conceptually, two subsectors. Worlds have been designed to SR format in all of the subsectors, and we've also managed to get some incredible detail on some of the alien races that we may populate the sector with. We have discussed the Imperium in detail, and fixed on (or created guidelines) for interpretation of warp travel, the fleets and shipping, Imperial education, Imperial techologies, the nature of the adeptus mechanicus and some hints of the Inquisition, etc.
Where Now?
There has been some confusion amongst project members with regards to what on the other forum was the "Mission Statement" or "At a Glance" forum. All of the emphasis was previously placed on detailed world construction and then all of a sudden it was changed to a basic discussion of UWPs (Universal World Profiles) and concepts. Why is this?
In trying to create a fluid design process which is reactive to the varying goals of the members when coupled with a complex world design sequence (i.e. the "Guide") that is not usually employed, it has been necessary to use an "interative design" process. This basically means that we move forwards and then, with consideration, take a few steps back alter what we have done and then once again begin to move forwards. In some ways this can be frustrating, but it does create an organic project rather than one of pure imposition.
So, what now?
Finalising the Concepts/UWPs of the Subsectors
We have yet to complete the so-called 'rectified UWPs' and concepts of the subsectors although we're definitely on the way. Previously we touched on each world in a huge amount of detail but I've shifted us towards the concepts...
Why?
Ultimately we need to understand the 'state' of the subsectors and what worlds go to make them into what they are. With Heaven & Earth we can create worlds - even tens of worlds - with greater speed then we could in the early days of the project where we had to use the Guide (pen and paper! ). So why are we doing this? In short, now that we have a basic idea of the 'feel' of the subsectors and the worlds that compose them, we need to begin to link them together in a way that has not been done before... That way? Economy.