21||0|3537|0|yes
0|0|0|||1||Well%2C That Worked dep%27t|Gryphon||17:50:26|05/11/2013|At one point in the responses to S5M2 %5Bi%5DClarion Call%5B%2Fi%5D%2C this exchange appeared%3A%0D%0A%0D%0A%3E%3EI -liked- this one%2C don%27t get me wrong%2C but I sincerely hope the next %0D%0A%3E%3Einstallment comes out soon.  I think it will lose a lot of impact %0D%0A%3E%3Eotherwise.%0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EWelp%2C guess I better get to work%2C then. %0D%0A%0D%0A... so %5Bi%5Dthat%5B%2Fi%5D happened...%0D%0A%0D%0AAlthough%2C upon reflection%2C I%27m not actually sure %5Bi%5DFirst Dates and Firefights%5B%2Fi%5D %5Bu%5Dcould%5B%2Fu%5D have happened before now.  Certainly it couldn%27t in the form that it%27s ultimately taken%2C so then the question becomes whether it could%27ve taken place in any other form%2C one that would have been possible within only a few months of %5Bi%5DClarion Call%5B%2Fi%5D.  That%27s much too far into woo-woo philosophical territory for me to try and answer%2C but it%27s an interesting question to pose even without undertaking to answer it.%0D%0A%0D%0AAh%2C well.  It is what it is...%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Mod%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0Azgryphon at that email service Google has%0D%0A%5Bi%5DCeterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.%5B%2Fi%5D
1|1|0|||||RE%3A Well%2C That Worked dep%27t|Meagen||18:37:15|05/11/2013|Well%2C you have precedent for just deciding %22wait%2C I came up with a better version of how that could be written%2C I call %27never happened%27 on that story and here%27s a new story%22. But hey%2C if %5Bi%5DSong of War%5B%2Fi%5D never got to a point where you were happy enough with it to release it%2C then it%27s better off beng unreleased.%0D%0A%0D%0AAfter the kind of year you%27ve had%2C I thank the whims of Eris that you%27re still alive and hanging out online. That you are actualy still thinking about your awesome fanfics and working on some of them%3F Bonus.
2|2|1|||1||RE%3A Well%2C That Worked dep%27t|Gryphon||19:07:43|05/11/2013|%3EWell%2C you have precedent for just deciding %22wait%2C I came up with a %0D%0A%3Ebetter version of how that could be written%2C I call %27never happened%27 %0D%0A%3Eon that story and here%27s a new story%22. But hey%2C if %5Bi%5DSong of War%5B%2Fi%5D %0D%0A%3Enever got to a point where you were happy enough with it to release %0D%0A%3Eit%2C then it%27s better off beng unreleased. %0D%0A%0D%0AOh%2C it wasn%27t scrapped and started over%3B most of what was written when it still had its original working title is retained.  It%27s just that before... oh%2C say ten days ago%2C it was only 40-some percent of an actual %5Bi%5Dstory%5B%2Fi%5D%2C or even something that would stand up as an intermediate installment %28which is what it kind of has to be%2C anyway%2C given its position in the overall arc of Symphony 5%29.  Even the original title may yet survive%2C just not attached to this installment %28admittedly%2C if it does it%27ll be referring to something different%29.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EAfter the kind of year you%27ve had%2C I thank the whims of Eris that %0D%0A%3Eyou%27re still alive and hanging out online.%0D%0A%0D%0AThere is that.%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Mod%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0Azgryphon at that email service Google has%0D%0A%5Bi%5DCeterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.%5B%2Fi%5D
3|1|0|||||RE%3A Well%2C That Worked dep%27t|BeardedFerret||20:56:43|05/11/2013|On the other hand%2C you%27ve given us arguably more in the way of %27filler%27 content %28Manhunt%2C Starcrossed%2C etc%29 in between Symphony movements than we might have had otherwise. It all works out%2C and it%27s not like you%27ve been sitting around letting the whole thing stagnate in the mean time. %3A%29
4|2|3|||1||RE%3A Well%2C That Worked dep%27t|Gryphon||21:08:56|05/11/2013|%3EOn the other hand%2C you%27ve given us arguably more in the way of %0D%0A%3E%27filler%27 content %28Manhunt%2C Starcrossed%2C etc%29%0D%0A%0D%0AI think I%27m a little hurt at %5Bi%5DManhunt%5B%2Fi%5D and %5Bi%5DStar-Crossed%5B%2Fi%5D being described as %22filler content%22.  I mean%2C I know what you meant %28I hope%29%2C but... %0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A%5Bsmall%5D%28On the other hand%2C that would explain the six whole responses to %5Bi%5DRenegades of Paragon%5B%2Fi%5D.  Uecker-in-%5Bi%5DMajor League%5B%2Fi%5D territory. %3A%29%5B%2Fsmall%5D%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Mod%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0Azgryphon at that email service Google has%0D%0A%5Bi%5DCeterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.%5B%2Fi%5D
5|3|4|||||RE%3A Well%2C That Worked dep%27t|zwol||22:25:46|05/11/2013|I can%27t speak for anyone else%2C but I think I%27ll have more to say about %5Bi%5DShepard%27s 11%5B%2Fi%5D in general once it%27s complete.  So far I%27m enjoying the installments but it%27s hard to tell where it%27s all going -- in this case%2C I think partially because the %5Bi%5Dcharacters%5B%2Fi%5D don%27t really know what%27s going on yet%2C and partially because it seems like this storyline means a great deal more of %5Bi%5DMass Effect%5B%2Fi%5D%27s plot has just been imported to UF%2C which is potentially disruptive enough that it%27s hard to tell what to think of it at this stage.
6|4|5|||1||RE%3A Well%2C That Worked dep%27t|Gryphon||22:34:26|05/11/2013|%3EI can%27t speak for anyone else%2C but I think I%27ll have more to say about %0D%0A%3E%5Bi%5DShepard%27s 11%5B%2Fi%5D in general once it%27s complete.%0D%0A%0D%0AWell%2C fair enough.  I wouldn%27t worry too much about the Bigger Plot at this point%2C though.  There%27s such a thing as standing too far back. %3A%29%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Mod%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0Azgryphon at that email service Google has%0D%0A%5Bi%5DCeterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.%5B%2Fi%5D
7|5|6|||||RE%3A Well%2C That Worked dep%27t|zwol||22:53:31|05/11/2013|Also fair enough.%0D%0A%0D%0AMeanwhile%2C writing that down seems to have jarred something coherent about %5Bi%5DRenegades%5B%2Fi%5D out of my brain%2C so I%27ll just go post that over there now. %3A%29
9|5|6|||1||RE%3A Well%2C That Worked dep%27t|twipper||11:34:20|05/12/2013|Well%2C there went my idle speculations after S11 Act 2 about the connection between the events of of S11 and Cybertron Reloaded.  %3A%29%0D%0A%0D%0AUnless of course Legion shows up%2C then I%27ll just sit here and giggle.%0D%0A%0D%0AAnd concerning Star-Crossed and Correspondence%2C I started reading them as they appeared and just didn%27t get the settings.  I reread them after playing ME 1%262 and suddenly%3B %27Huh%2C that not only made much more sense but was much more enjoyable.%27  Not sure why that happened but... %2Ashrugs%2A%0D%0A%0D%0ABrian%0D%0A%0D%0APointless aside%3A  Legion being a sharp shooter was just downright creepy to me.  Skynet-style overwhelming force of sentient robots decimating the human population%2C sure. But sneaky AS%27s surgically picking us off one by one%3F  Ack.
10|6|9|||1||RE%3A Well%2C That Worked dep%27t|Gryphon||18:16:45|05/12/2013|%3EWell%2C there went my idle speculations after S11 Act 2 about the %0D%0A%3Econnection between the events of of S11 and Cybertron Reloaded.  %3A%29 %0D%0A%0D%0AI%27m not saying there %5Bi%5Disn%27t%5B%2Fi%5D one%3F  Just that you don%27t need to worry much about it yet if there is.%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Mod%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0Azgryphon at that email service Google has%0D%0A%5Bi%5DCeterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.%5B%2Fi%5D
11|6|9|||1||RE%3A Well%2C That Worked dep%27t|JeanneHedge||19:52:47|05/12/2013|[updated:LAST EDITED ON May-13-13 AT 00:22 AM (EDT)]%3EAnd concerning Star-Crossed and Correspondence%2C I started reading them %0D%0A%3Eas they appeared and just didn%27t get the settings.  I reread them %0D%0A%3Eafter playing ME 1%262 and suddenly%3B %27Huh%2C that not only made much more %0D%0A%3Esense but was much more enjoyable.%27  Not sure why that happened but... %0D%0A%3E%2Ashrugs%2A %0D%0A%0D%0AI suspect it%27s that you didn%27t have the background so you weren%27t familiar with the characters and context on first read. Second read was better because you had that familiarity and were able to pick up on things that made it more enjoyable.%0D%0A%0D%0ANot being a gamer%2C this has been a continual problem for me as the UF stories have become more and more heavily based on games.  Absolutely no idea who or what they%27re talking about%2C or if I know the %22who%22 %28come characters are almost impossible to miss%29 I still don%27t have the background%2Fcontext. I know there are lots of things in %5Bs%5DSA%5B%2Fs%5D S11 stories I%27m missing that no amount of internet research can fill in for me. My loss.%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0AJeanne%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Btable border%3D%220%22 cellspacing%3D%220%22 cellpadding%3D%220%22 width%3D%2280%25%22%5D%5Btr%5D%5Btd colspan%3D%222%22%5D%5Bhr size%3D%221%22 noshade%5D%5B%2Ftd%5D%5Btr%5D%5Btd align%3D%22center%22 width%3D%2210%25%22%5Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.jhedge.com%2Fmisc%2Foldowl.jpg%5B%2Ftd%5D%5Btd%5D%5Bfont size%3D2%5D%5Bb%5DJeanne Hedge%5B%2Fb%5D%0D%0A%5Blink%3Awww.jhedge.com%7Chttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.jhedge.com%5D%5B%2Ffont%5D%5B%2Ftd%5D%5B%2Ftr%5D%5Btr%5D%5Btd colspan%3D%222%22%5D%5Bi%5D%5Bfont size%3D1%5D%22Never give up%2C never surrender%21%22%5B%2Ffont%5D%0D%0A%5B%2Fi%5D%5B%2Ftd%5D%5B%2Ftr%5D%5Btr%5D%5Btd colspan%3D%222%22%5D%5Bhr size%3D%221%22 noshade%5D%5B%2Ftd%5D%5B%2Ftr%5D%5B%2Ftable%5D
12|7|11|||1||RE%3A Well%2C That Worked dep%27t|Gryphon||22:29:36|05/12/2013|%3E%3EAnd concerning Star-Crossed and Correspondence%2C I started reading them %0D%0A%3E%3Eas they appeared and just didn%27t get the settings.  I reread them %0D%0A%3E%3Eafter playing ME 1%262 and suddenly%3B %27Huh%2C that not only made much more %0D%0A%3E%3Esense but was much more enjoyable.%27  Not sure why that happened but... %0D%0A%3E%3E%2Ashrugs%2A %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EI suspect it%27s that you didn%27t have the background so you weren%27t %0D%0A%3Efamiliar with the characters and context on first read. Second read %0D%0A%3Ewas better because you had that familiarity and were able to pick up %0D%0A%3Eon things that made it more enjoyable. %0D%0A%0D%0AI%27m a little sad about this%2C if only because historically I%27ve generally tried for the opposite effect %28%22you %5Bi%5Ddidn%27t%5B%2Fi%5D have to be there%22%29 with imported material%2C and in the past have had %28or at least been told I%27ve had%29 some success with it.  If I%27ve fallen down on that lately%2C that bears acknowledging.%0D%0A%0D%0AIt%27s always been tricky - there%27s explication and then there%27s exposition - but I guess I used to be better at it.%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Mod%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0Azgryphon at that email service Google has%0D%0A%5Bi%5DCeterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.%5B%2Fi%5D
13|8|12|||||RE%3A Well%2C That Worked dep%27t|simonz||23:45:48|05/12/2013|%3EI%27m a little sad about this%2C if only because historically I%27ve %0D%0A%3Egenerally tried for the opposite effect %28%22you %5Bi%5Ddidn%27t%5B%2Fi%5D have to be %0D%0A%3Ethere%22%29 with imported material%2C and in the past have had %28or at least %0D%0A%3Ebeen told I%27ve had%29 some success with it.  If I%27ve fallen down on that %0D%0A%3Elately%2C that bears acknowledging. %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EIt%27s always been tricky - there%27s explication and then there%27s %0D%0A%3Eexposition - but I guess I used to be better at it. %0D%0A%0D%0AFor what it%27s worth%2C I think you do an absolutely fantastic job.  I%27m a big fan of the genres you tend to include%2C but due to various reasons %28time and money%2C generally%29%2C I%27m not anywhere as familiar with them as I%27d like to be.  I muse on this regularly%2C that my biggest exposure to so many things is directly due to reading the things you write.  And since I agree with the general consensus that you to a better job with their characters than the original authors do %28cf. the entirety of the Marvel Universe%29%2C that works for me.  %0D%0A%0D%0AAny time you introduce something that I wasn%27t familiar with%2C I%27ll spend a bit of quality time with Google filling in the deeper details and background that weren%27t necessary %28or didn%27t happen in the UF-verse%29%2C and afterwards I%27m always amazed at how seamlessly you integrate such disparate sources into what I generally explain to people as The Literary Equivalent of the Theory of Everything.%0D%0A%0D%0A-Simonz%0D%0A
14|8|12|||||RE%3A Well%2C That Worked dep%27t|BeardedFerret||02:33:22|05/13/2013|%3E%3E%3EAnd concerning Star-Crossed and Correspondence%2C I started reading them %0D%0A%3E%3E%3Eas they appeared and just didn%27t get the settings.  I reread them %0D%0A%3E%3E%3Eafter playing ME 1%262 and suddenly%3B %27Huh%2C that not only made much more %0D%0A%3E%3E%3Esense but was much more enjoyable.%27  Not sure why that happened but... %0D%0A%3E%3E%3E%2Ashrugs%2A %0D%0A%3E%3E%0D%0A%3E%3EI suspect it%27s that you didn%27t have the background so you weren%27t %0D%0A%3E%3Efamiliar with the characters and context on first read. Second read %0D%0A%3E%3Ewas better because you had that familiarity and were able to pick up %0D%0A%3E%3Eon things that made it more enjoyable. %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EI%27m a little sad about this%2C if only because historically I%27ve %0D%0A%3Egenerally tried for the opposite effect %28%22you %5Bi%5Ddidn%27t%5B%2Fi%5D have to be %0D%0A%3Ethere%22%29 with imported material%2C and in the past have had %28or at least %0D%0A%3Ebeen told I%27ve had%29 some success with it.  If I%27ve fallen down on that %0D%0A%3Elately%2C that bears acknowledging. %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EIt%27s always been tricky - there%27s explication and then there%27s %0D%0A%3Eexposition - but I guess I used to be better at it. %0D%0A%0D%0AWhile we%27re giving you a big head%2C I%27d argue your best work on this front was during the opening two Symphonies. I%27ve still never watched an episode of RGU but the way you retold the story through flashback%2C exposition and innuendo really worked for me. %0D%0A
15|8|12|||1||RE%3A Well%2C That Worked dep%27t|The Traitor||05:12:20|05/13/2013|Not so%3B you%27re still as good at this as you were. You%27ve said that you%27re going for a story that%27s accessible to people who don%27t know the source material and you%27ve very much succeeded - I have never played a Mass Effect game or Skyrim because my computer would try and run it for three seconds before giving up in a shower of sparks and a noise like the suicide of a euphonium%2C and I%27m having a wonderful time with it. Additional familiarity with the source material just allows one to pick up on more of the character nuances and enhances the experience slightly.%0D%0A%0D%0Atl%3Bdr%3A Don%27t beat yourself up about not everyone sharing the reference pool%2C for that way madness lies.%0D%0A%0D%0A---%0D%0A%22Yeah%2C I%27m definitely going to hell%2FBut I%27ll have all the best stories to tell%22 -- Frank Turner%2C The Ballad of Me and My Friends%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Bsmall%5DAs an aside%2C the alternative to liking a story more when you know about the source material would appear to be liking it %5Bi%5Dless%5B%2Fi%5D when you know about the source material%2C and that really doesn%27t bear thinking about. %3D%5D%5B%2Fsmall%5D
16|9|15|||1||RE%3A Well%2C That Worked dep%27t|twipper||11:58:10|05/13/2013|[updated:LAST EDITED ON May-13-13 AT 12:10 PM (EDT)]%3Etl%3Bdr%3A Don%27t beat yourself up about not everyone sharing the reference %0D%0A%3Epool%2C for that way madness lies. %0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0AAgreed.  The Mass Effect material is the only stuff you%27ve used that I just didn%27t get until I %27knew%27 the characters.  In terms of NXE%2C I STILL have never seen an episode of NGE or played X-Com %28I did run In Nomine as a gm though%29.  In terms of SotS%2C I%27ve never seen an episode of RGU.  And in terms of Transformers%2C the 1986 motion picture is as current as I%27ll ever be.  And I%27ve loved it all.%0D%0A%0D%0AI%27m actually blaming Bioware for this.  Bastilla%2C when introduced in %27In for a Penny%27%2C just left me going %27meh%27.  Then I bought a compilation pack of Star Wars games%2C played KotOR%2C and suddenly %27huh%2C ok I get her now%27.  Maybe the way Bioware games alter character personality development dependent on Light%2FDark%2F%2FParagon%2FRenegade etc just keeps ME from getting those characters till I see them interact in their %27native%27 environment. %0D%0A%0D%0A%28Well%2C that and about the time Bastilla showed up%2C my wife had been reading the New Jedi Order rubish%3B I got through the first two or three and walked away%2C completely done in with angsty teenage Jedi%29%0D%0A%0D%0ABrian%0D%0A
17|8|12|||1||RE%3A Well%2C That Worked dep%27t|JeanneHedge||19:19:15|05/13/2013|[updated:LAST EDITED ON May-13-13 AT 07:21 PM (EDT)]%3EI%27m a little sad about this%2C if only because historically I%27ve %0D%0A%3Egenerally tried for the opposite effect %28%22you %5Bi%5Ddidn%27t%5B%2Fi%5D have to be %0D%0A%3Ethere%22%29 with imported material%2C and in the past have had %28or at least %0D%0A%3Ebeen told I%27ve had%29 some success with it.  If I%27ve fallen down on that %0D%0A%3Elately%2C that bears acknowledging. %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EIt%27s always been tricky - there%27s explication and then there%27s %0D%0A%3Eexposition - but I guess I used to be better at it. %0D%0A%0D%0AHey%2C UF has %5Bi%5Dalways%5B%2Fi%5D had a bit of %22you had to be there%22 to it%2C right from the beginning. Back then it was an effect of using author avatars and friends as story leads. Having moved well away from that stage of writing years ago%2C now it%27s more a matter of the reader being familiar with the material or not%2C and as my cousin use to say%2C %22big whoop on that%22%0D%0A%0D%0AIt%27s on the reader to fill in the blanks%2C not the author %28unless you really want to start doing something like David Weber%27s infamous 20-30 page mid-story data dumps of What Has Gone Before%29. If all readers don%27t get all the levels of the story%2C oh well. I%27ve been perfectly happy knowing that I%27m enjoying things differently from someone who knows the source material cold. If I want to know more%2C I can go look it up and ask questions%2C and it%27s not a big deal if I don%27t get all the jokes.%0D%0A%0D%0ALike was said upthread%2C I didn%27t know much about RGU when they came on the scene - I do now. I%27ve picked up more than a little Norse mythology too %3Cg%3E%0D%0A%0D%0AJust because the current story is more heavily imported from one source than any I can think of since the CSI stories doesn%27t mean anything more than the author%27s found a different fertile ground he%27s interested in. It certainly doesn%27t mean there%27s a problem with the story.%0D%0A%0D%0ABesides%2C if there%27s something that needs explanation that badly%2C there are always Annotations  %3A%29%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0AJeanne%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Btable border%3D%220%22 cellspacing%3D%220%22 cellpadding%3D%220%22 width%3D%2280%25%22%5D%5Btr%5D%5Btd colspan%3D%222%22%5D%5Bhr size%3D%221%22 noshade%5D%5B%2Ftd%5D%5Btr%5D%5Btd align%3D%22center%22 width%3D%2210%25%22%5Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.jhedge.com%2Fmisc%2Foldowl.jpg%5B%2Ftd%5D%5Btd%5D%5Bfont size%3D2%5D%5Bb%5DJeanne Hedge%5B%2Fb%5D%0D%0A%5Blink%3Awww.jhedge.com%7Chttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.jhedge.com%5D%5B%2Ffont%5D%5B%2Ftd%5D%5B%2Ftr%5D%5Btr%5D%5Btd colspan%3D%222%22%5D%5Bi%5D%5Bfont size%3D1%5D%22Never give up%2C never surrender%21%22%5B%2Ffont%5D%0D%0A%5B%2Fi%5D%5B%2Ftd%5D%5B%2Ftr%5D%5Btr%5D%5Btd colspan%3D%222%22%5D%5Bhr size%3D%221%22 noshade%5D%5B%2Ftd%5D%5B%2Ftr%5D%5B%2Ftable%5D
18|9|17|||1||RE%3A Well%2C That Worked dep%27t|Gryphon||19:26:30|05/13/2013|%3EIt%27s on the reader to fill in the blanks%2C not the author %28unless you %0D%0A%3Ereally want to start doing something like David Weber%27s infamous 20-30 %0D%0A%3Epage mid-story data dumps of What Has Gone Before%29.%0D%0A%0D%0AI haven%27t read any of his books%2C but I%27m reminded of the way the whole first chapter of every %5Bi%5DHardy Boys%5B%2Fi%5D book was essentially the same summary of who the Hardy brothers were%2C what they looked like%2C and so forth. %3A%29%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Mod%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0Azgryphon at that email service Google has%0D%0A%5Bi%5DCeterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.%5B%2Fi%5D
19|8|12|||1||RE%3A Well%2C That Worked dep%27t|Terminus Est||04:21:06|05/16/2013|For what it%27s worth%2C the stories you put out -are- perfectly readable on their own%2C with no knowledge of the original works whatsoever.  Hell%2C when I first started reading%2C I didn%27t know most of those originals even -existed-.%0D%0A%0D%0AMy library of entirely useless fandom knowledge has grown considerably over the past couple-three years%2C and re-reading %5Bi%5Ddoes%5B%2Fi%5D highlight some nuances - but they%27re not generally overpowering%2C so much as little bonuses.  Finally%2C fully %5Bi%5Dunderstanding%5B%2Fi%5D a joke%2C for example.  I%27d cite examples%2C but it%27s after 3 AM and my brain is kinda operating on autopilot at the moment.
20|9|19|||1||RE%3A Well%2C That Worked dep%27t|BobSchroeck||08:38:00|05/16/2013|%3EFor what it%27s worth%2C the stories you put out -are- perfectly readable %0D%0A%3Eon their own%2C with no knowledge of the original works whatsoever.  %0D%0A%3EHell%2C when I first started reading%2C I didn%27t know most of those %0D%0A%3Eoriginals even -existed-. %0D%0A%0D%0AI have to second Terminus on this.  I%27ve been an eager fan of UF works for well over a decade and a half now%2C and I%27m %5Bi%5Dstill%5B%2Fi%5D stumbling over stuff and going %22Oh%2C that%27s thus-and-so from thus-and-such-UF-story%21%22  %28And for a few years I would follow that up with %22I never realized they came from an outside source%22 until I wised up. %3Cgrin%3E%29  The fact that I never knew their origins never affected my ability to enjoy the UF story I first saw them in.%0D%0A%0D%0AOf course%2C as Terminus also states%2C picking up on the little details and in-jokes you get when you know the source adds a lot to the reading experience -- but not getting them doesn%27t %5Bi%5Dreduce%5B%2Fi%5D the experience at all.%0D%0A%0D%0A-- Bob%0D%0A-------------------%0D%0AMy race is pacifist and does not believe in war.  We kill only out of personal spite.
21|8|12|||||RE%3A Well%2C That Worked dep%27t|Vorticity||04:49:21|05/17/2013|%3E%3E%3EAnd concerning Star-Crossed and Correspondence%2C I started reading them%0D%0A%3E%3E%3Eas they appeared and just didn%27t get the settings. I reread them%0D%0A%3E%3E%3Eafter playing ME 1%262 and suddenly%3B %27Huh%2C that not only made much more%0D%0A%3E%3E%3Esense but was much more enjoyable.%27 Not sure why that happened but...%0D%0A%3E%3E%3E%2Ashrugs%2A%0D%0A%3E%3E%0D%0A%3E%3EI suspect it%27s that you didn%27t have the background so you weren%27t%0D%0A%3E%3Efamiliar with the characters and context on first read. Second read%0D%0A%3E%3Ewas better because you had that familiarity and were able to pick up%0D%0A%3E%3Eon things that made it more enjoyable.%0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EI%27m a little sad about this%2C if only because historically I%27ve generally tried %3Efor the opposite effect %28%22you didn%27t have to be there%22%29 with imported material%2C%0D%0A%3Eand in the past have had %28or at least been told I%27ve had%29 some success with it.%0D%0A%3EIf I%27ve fallen down on that lately%2C that bears acknowledging.%0D%0A%0D%0AActually%2C Star-Crossed is one of my favorite stories%2C and I had no experience with anything it was based on -- no Mass Effect%2C no Halo%2C no whatever else was in there.  I knew Gryphon%2C Kei%2C and Vision%2C and that was all I needed.  I can%27t say I pictured the characters exactly as they look on the Wikipedia page%2C but I had enough of an idea to enjoy in the story.  So I think you do a pretty good job with giving background.
8|3|4|||||RE%3A Well%2C That Worked dep%27t|BeardedFerret||01:59:37|05/12/2013|%3E%3EOn the other hand%2C you%27ve given us arguably more in the way of %0D%0A%3E%3E%27filler%27 content %28Manhunt%2C Starcrossed%2C etc%29%0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EI think I%27m a little hurt at %5Bi%5DManhunt%5B%2Fi%5D and %5Bi%5DStar-Crossed%5B%2Fi%5D %0D%0A%3Ebeing described as %22filler content%22.  I mean%2C I know what you meant %28I %0D%0A%3Ehope%29%2C but... %0D%0A%0D%0AOh%2C meant with all the respect in the world. Manhunt in particular is one of my favourite pieces of UF content to date.