That McDowel interview...

[Haesslich]

He doesn't make out with the princess, matter of fact he gets married then his wife dies. He isn't the same Kirk as he was, it is more of a dark journey into a man who is forced to live in a world that he isn't a part of.
Ironically enough the Mckoy is still alive in the books, and Spock just died in the last book. I was taken aback with his portrayal of him, Picard is a main character too, and he is actually more of a dynamic character doing things for the good of others, Kirk just wants to retire but keeps getting dragged into them.
He does have help writing them, but he does most of it. You shouldn't bad mouth them until you read them, Shat has like 20 novels out from three different series maybe more, from his 6 (I think) Trek novels, god knows how many Tek War novels, and some other series that I can't remember the name of, it just has 3 books though.

I've read the first five TekWar novels, and things really got tepid after TekLord. I've also gone through 'Avenger' and I think I'd rather subject myself to the horrors of Fanfiction.net than another Star Trek novel. I'm sorry, but if you consider that stuff good... well, you need to read more.

But we've gone horribly off-topic again.

 

[Bob McDob]

I've also gone through 'Avenger' and I think I'd rather subject myself to the horrors of Fanfiction.net than another Star Trek novel.

Incredibly, there are some gems in the rough at FF.net. Broadsword, for instance, even if it borrows liberally from its Fleet Action setting.

 

[Shipgate]

This and that...

What episode of South Park was Mcdowell in? Was it really him or were they doing their impressions? As for Kirk (since everyone went off on him), I did like his character, but honestly how much can you learn about one single character before they no longer have an impact on you. I guess that's why I got so sick of the Star Wars novels. I was reading the New Jedi Order for awhile and by about the tenth book in that series I just got too pissed off to read it anymore. Because after so many dozens of Star Wars books, they all just feature the same characters. Luke, Han, and all those guys just kept being regurgitated over and over. And they would always talk about when they destroyed the Death Star together. Or remembered how Anakin was turned to the not dark side, er whatever.
Or like when Chewie died, for five books after that all they could talk about was how Chewie died.

And that is why I was glad Kirk was put to an end. There was just no more for me to get out of that character. I like William Shatner quite a bit. But I think thee worst thing he's ever done was the American Iron Chef. I'm a huge fan of the original Iron Chef and that Shatner one was just abominable.

 

[Shipgate]

Oh yeah...

And I like that Simpsons episode when Bart's teacher is compaining to Skinner about their school supplies and she's showing the books and Skinner's like, "Well, the kids gotta learn about Tek War sometime."

 

[Bob McDob]

What episode of South Park was Mcdowell in?

Great Expectations, I think. I think And yeah, it was him doing the voice over. (It's usually painfully obvious when Parker or Stone do it)

 

[BlackJack2063]

I read alot man, I just stay true to certain genres. I have been on a Trek binge lately, have read like 5 of the New Frontier books in two days. Avenger was the hardest of his books to read, you have to have a pretty intimate knowledge of Trek to understand. Kinda rough to coming off the borg in the book before, Return. The ones dealing with the mirror universe are good. However we all have our own different reading styles. My favorite author is David Gemmel, followed by Forchsten, Mel Odom, RA Salvatore (as long as it isn't Drizzt), and I am pretty partial to Greg Bear. Have only read a book of two from sci-fi great Henlien (or whatever), and I wasn't to impressed with starship troopers, but I am not a big fan of 1st person books.
Though I have no idea why I am saying this, since it makes really no difference to you what I think, and vice versa lol.

 

[Shipgate]

You're right...

I just had never seen the episode. And usually when they have someone really famous on that show they do really small parts. Like when George Clooney was Stan's dog.

 

[LeHah]

so none of the ST novels are considered canon.

Nor are any of the Star Wars novels. In fact, theres only two canon Star Wars mediums: The movies and the NPR Radio Dramas (as they were offically sanctioned by Lucas himself - who also sold the rights for them to use the sound effects, music and adaptations of the original scripts redone by the famous-and-now-dead author Brian Daley)

 

[Delance]

Will the Clone War cartoons be considered canon? And does the movies include the Ewok ones?

 

[JAKJ]

McDowel's career

Malcolm McDowel is a fantastic actor, and I was happy to see him in Wing Commander 3 and 4. He would have been on the Hollywood A list of stars if it wasn't for the unfortunate spectacle that is Caligula... a career buster if there ever was one Anyone hear seen Caligula?

 

[Bandit LOAF]

Caligula is a fairly well regarded movie. McDowell isn't a huge star because he's a character actor.

 

[JAKJ]

Caligula

Well Regarded? In the porn industry I suspect . Have you seen the full version? I think that there is a quotation from Malcolm after the movie was released that said: "Guccini is the most evil man alice" or something to the effect. (Guccini being the director and head of penthouse I believe?)

 

[JAKJ]

Alive, sorry guys its very late over here.

 

[LeHah]

Will the Clone War cartoons be considered canon? And does the movies include the Ewok ones?

No and no.

(Original Trilogy, Prequels and Radio Drama, thats it. And yes, while Lucas acknowledged Coruscant as the capital of the Old Republic in Episode 1, I'm pretty sure that Zahn had to ask what the name of it was before writing the Thrawn Trilogy.)

 

[Shipgate]

Duh...

What's canon?

 

[LeHah]

canon

n 1: a rule or especially body of rules or principles generally established as valid and fundamental in a field or art or philosophy: "the neoclassical canon"

(In this case, it's whats "offical" with the Star Wars continuity)

 

[ChanceKell]

...I'm pretty sure that Zahn had to ask what the name of it was before writing the Thrawn Trilogy.)

Zahn actually came up with the name Coruscant. When writing the prequels, Lucas took note that all the Expanded Universe books since Heir to the Empire call the capital Coruscant, and put it in the movie (one of the few times Lucas acknowledged the Expanded Universe in his films).

It's really up to who you talk to about Star Wars continuity and canon. While I only regard the movies absolute canon, in the past few years there has been more and more support (from fans and the Lucas companies) that the newer products constitute canon. There have been lots of talk from people that the New Jedi Order is canon, since they're so well organized and overseen by Lucas and his cronies.

 

[Haesslich]

Actually, according to LucasFilms, the game "Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic" is canon history too. This means that the events of the game (which date well back before most other material) are considered 'history' in the Star Wars universe... especially as it takes place some fifty years after the comic history with Exar Kun - which in turn seems to legitimize that part of the expanded universe.

 

[LeHah]

Zahn actually came up with the name Coruscant. When writing the prequels, Lucas took note that all the Expanded Universe books since Heir to the Empire call the capital Coruscant, and put it in the movie (one of the few times Lucas acknowledged the Expanded Universe in his films).

No.

You see, when an author is signed on to write for an existing series, they go by a very specific coda: You write whatever the hell you want, but in the end, you have to undo all your own damage. The story has to be worthless to the continuity - think of all the stupid stuff written about the Clone Wars before we had the Star Wars prequels! As it contradicts the movies, they technically didn't happen.

People want to support Zahn (Shit, I want to support him; I'm reading Survivor's Quest right now) but just like any other fanbase - fanboys will create a bullshit rumor just to make a lie seem real. Fact of the matter is, Zahn had to have gotten the thumbs up from Lucasfilm (Or Lucas, or whomever) to name the capital - at best, Zahn named it but Lucas gave him the permission to name it. After all, Lucas denied Zahn the ability to make an Obi-Wan Kenobi clone - so Zahn was forced to make him Joruus C'baoth.

It's really up to who you talk to about Star Wars continuity and canon.

No. It's up to Lucas and his copyright unit. Otherwise, every peice of fanfiction would have to be considered canon. So, to make everything equal, you have to practically deny everything the right to be canon.

While I only regard the movies absolute canon, in the past few years there has been more and more support (from fans and the Lucas companies) that the newer products constitute canon.

No one cares what you think. That doesn't make it canon.

A Guide to the Star Wars Universe by Bill Slavicsek actually marks whats canon and whats not. The Forward clearly states that only the films and the radio drama are canon - everything else is unoffical.

There have been lots of talk from people that the New Jedi Order is canon, since they're so well organized and overseen by Lucas and his cronies.

There was a lot of talk about Cold Fussion too. That didn't make it real either.

Actually, according to LucasFilms, the game "Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic" is canon history too.

I'll take this with a pinch of salt and a bottle of asprin until you give me some clear evidence of this. And TheForce.net doesn't count - thats like going to Star Magazine.

seems to legitimize that part of the expanded universe.

Now thats a contradiction.

 

[Haesslich]

I'll take this with a pinch of salt and a bottle of asprin until you give me some clear evidence of this. And TheForce.net doesn't count - thats like going to Star Magazine.

The canon statement comes from an interview with Dr. Ray Muzyka back in 2002, IIRC, where he states that they were given the ability to create some Canon parts. The relevant portions are quoted below with the specific statement in question underlined:

You've said that setting the game 4,000 years prior to the Star Wars universe as we know it from the movies has allowed you to flex your creative fingers a bit. Was it your decision to use such a time period to give you this "breathing space", or did LucasArts come to you and say, "This is when we want Star Wars: Knights of the old Republic to be set"?

Muzyka: We actually had a choice. LucasArts came to us and said that we could do an Episode II game - the first role playing game in the Star Wars universe. We could have made it Episode II if we'd wanted to. Or LucasArts said we could go 4,000 years back, which is a period that's hardly been covered before.

So we chose, in partnership with LucasArts, to set Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 4,000 years before the Star Wars universe portrayed in the movies.

How much new content would you say that you've generated for the Star Wars universe?

Muzyka: Well, it's not complete freedom obviously - we always have to consult on things. All this huge pile of concept stuff we did had to be sent back to "the ranch" as they call it, and then someone at the ranch looks at every piece and says "yes" or "no". George [Lucas] did actually look at some of our stuff. I think he touches everything that goes through on the Star Wars universe to some extent.

One of the reasons that we really enjoyed working on Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic was because of the freedom we were actually given. We were told that, "hey, if you do some cool stuff it will become part of the official Star Wars canon."

There're three levels to the Star Wars universe: canon, stuff that's really Star Wars but doesn't have the stamp of approval and then non-official. The stuff that we've done in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is in the first two categories.

Did you find much coming back rejected?

Muzyka: No, not much at all; only maybe a few percent. Things weren't rejected. It was more like, "Can you just make his head like this rather than like that." So it was all very feasible. There were good suggestions made and they made the game better, so we were happy to do them. It was a good process really and I think we were pleasantly surprised how easy LucasArts was to work with.

While most of the story falls in the 'stuff that's really Star Wars but isn't stamped with the seal of approval' portion mentioned by the Doctor, it has portions which are now canon. The Mandalorians are definitely canon - we've seen one of them in Eps II, VI, and VII. Dantooine is also noted as an 'ancient Jedi training center' in the Galaxies expansion - the problem is deciphering whether an official LucasArts project is canon or not, however. We've also got another statement dating from October 2003, in yet another interview.

KOTOR is set 4,000 years prior to the events portrayed in the movies, and this has allowed you to create new content for this massive and hugely popular universe that's now become part of the Star Wars mythos - how has it felt, being able to do this?

Ohlen: It's been lots of fun. My favourite movie of all time is The Empire Strikes Back - I'm a huge Star Wars geek [laughs]. And basically the chance to work on Star Wars is like a dream come true for me.

How much free rein did LucasArts give you in terms of developing content for the game?

Ohlen: LucasArts gave us a lot of free rein. We were able to develop the look of the game and develop the story for the game and the dialogue. LucasArts gave us feedback and guidance, but I think we only had two or three disagreements over story or art issues.

I was worried that, because it's LucasArts and because it's Star Wars, the biggest license in the world, it would be more difficult to get things passed but it was actually very easy. I think it was because we went 4,000 years in the past and that separated us from the continuity - we didn't have to worry about where Han Solo was, for example.

To judge from Muzyka's statement, though... the game is canon, or at least parts are (Dantooine seems to be) and most of the rest exists in the 'official but not movie' Star Wars universe. The thing with Exar Kun, however, exists only in the comics, and isn't referenced in the movies, just the rest of the Extended Universe novels and comics.