The Book Path

frostytheplebe

frostytheplebe

Seventh Part of the Seal
I hate to say it, but when you play the game and then turn to the books (WC3 as an example), the book puts the story line in a rather dismal light. They always seem to kill everyone who, in the game, can be killed (Vaquero, Catscratch, and didn't Flash die?) Then directs the storyline so that Blair fails to save Locanda.
 
Well, they all can die in the game too, its just the game gives you the possibility to save them and the satisfaction resulting from it.
A book has to use different methods to stay interesting, and an easy one is to let people die that you grew fond of.
The other books would've been pretty boring too had they just told about Bluehair who single-handedly foiled every plot the Kilrathi came up with.
 
frostytheplebe said:
I hate to say it, but when you play the game and then turn to the books (WC3 as an example), the book puts the story line in a rather dismal light. They always seem to kill everyone who, in the game, can be killed (Vaquero, Catscratch, and didn't Flash die?) Then directs the storyline so that Blair fails to save Locanda.
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In a narrative sense, it's pretty difficult to convey the fact that you're losing the war if nothing bad ever happens. It also helps the reader to take interest in the main character if he's fallible. Otherwise it would have been just wish-fulfillment, a character aspect that's only interesting for a player character.
 
i always thought that Forstchen couldn't successfully complete the Loconda missions, and that's why he wrote about it. Yes most of your wingmen dies too, actually i tried many times to save Flash and couldn't.
i thought it was just a fact of the game mechanics that he dies.
 
Bigt028 said:
i always thought that Forstchen couldn't successfully complete the Loconda missions, and that's why he wrote about it. Yes most of your wingmen dies too, actually i tried many times to save Flash and couldn't.
i thought it was just a fact of the game mechanics that he dies.
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Forstchen only did the outline for HOTT, Andrew Keith wrote the actual prose. I don't think we ever asked him why he chose the path he did in the novel.
 
I hate to say it, but when you play the game and then turn to the books (WC3 as an example), the book puts the story line in a rather dismal light. They always seem to kill everyone who, in the game, can be killed (Vaquero, Catscratch, and didn't Flash die?) Then directs the storyline so that Blair fails to save Locanda.
Click to expand...

Catscratch doesn't die in the book, you just never see him again.

Forstchen only did the outline for HOTT, Andrew Keith wrote the actual prose. I don't think we ever asked him why he chose the path he did in the novel.
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Presumably it was Dr. Forstchen's story outline which chose the book's path from the game, though... and of course that outline (and Andrew Keith's prose) were all based on the game's *script* and not the game itself. In order to go to press in time, tie-in books are written well before a finished movie or game is available for the author to interact with. If you'll recall, he was fairly surprised to learn that Ginger Lynn was the actress who played Rachel...

IIRC, it has come out in various interviews over the years that neither of the WC3 authors had much interaction with the games themselves. Dr. Forstchen played Wing Commander II at his initial demo with Origin and Andrew Keith played Wing Commander III well after the book was published (we sent him the copy!).
 
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