Look to the West -- Thread II

[Umbric Man]

Originally Posted by Thande

One other special feature idea I forgot to mention is a "making of" segment in which I talk about how my initial ideas evolved into the final timeline. Sound interesting?

I also want to do a sort of world factbook compendium that's a mix of the Wiki articles and that pre-Popular Wars nation review I did, but brought up to date.

Yes to both! Especially since your old-school pre-timeline maps are occasionally bandied about.

[Thande]

Originally Posted by Umbric Man

Yes to both! Especially since your old-school pre-timeline maps are occasionally bandied about.

Fortunately I've found an easy way to convert those maps to black and white legible form so I can include and discuss them.

[Analytical Engine]

I've noticed one small problem in Part 9 of the wiki timeline, Thande. It makes mention that the Mataram sultanate has reduced the Dutch presence to the eastern half of the island of Java. Surely this should read western...

[mowque]

I demand a writers commentary track!

[Googolbyte]

I wouldn't mind you splitting the book into enough parts for the 70% royalty thing to work buying each for $3+, I wouldn't mind paying a lot for the whole timeline. It's the most time I've invested in reading a series of anything. Plus the more money you make off this means the more regular updates you'd be able to do, right?

Also for ideas on bonus stuff for the timeline, it'd be cool to see examples of how architecture is different in this timeline to go with the part that discusses it. Also a picture of Nindzyas fighting alongside russians!

[Thande]

Originally Posted by Googolbyte

I wouldn't mind you splitting the book into enough parts for the 70% royalty thing to work buying each for $3+, I wouldn't mind paying a lot for the whole timeline. It's the most time I've invested in reading a series of anything. Plus the more money you make off this means the more regular updates you'd be able to do, right?

I considered doing that but the problem is that, as is the inevitable nature of these things, the first part is the worst in quality and I wouldn't want people to be put off, and I don't think people would buy the Appendices (Chronology+special features) on its own.

(Have fixed the Java typo AE mentioned)

[Chargone]

...
...
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the Only thing it would take for me to buy such a thing would be to not have to deal with the idiocy that is e-readers (even emulated.)

their ability to revoke the existence of things you Already Bought because they decided to refuse to sell it anymore for whatever half-arse reason alone has completely put me off the very idea if i was even vaguely interested to start with (i much prefer my books in print.)

*ponders*

how insane would the result be if you tried to publish a print version of this, even in a 'print on demand' sort of deal? i know it's crazy huge, but given that i already collect Manga series that run anywhere from 9 to 40-something(and still ongoing) volumes at various prices the biggest issue There is the stupidity of Amazon's shipping costs.

(there is no good reason for it to cost an extra almost 50 USD to send a thing to NZ by air instead of buy ship. NONE. especially not when at least 40 or so of that is over and above the cost of sending it by air to Australia, and the same thing by air to NZ from Britain costs less than 10... seriously, they have an Australian branch (or at least Australian version of the site). just send it there then drop it in the regular parcel-post system. it would knock 30+ dollars off the price of buying Anything from them, even if they had to employ a few extra people to do it... arrrgh. rant rant rant rant.)

but yeah, the only thing that would stop me buying it is the format, and you need no other incentive to get me to do so.

[MasterSanders]

I hope that Thande expands on this timeline. This is a great read.

[Chargone]

book get!
unusually quickly, i might add.
*reading ensues. Walruses are laughed at.*

[Thande]

Update: I now have a job so writing is a bit on the back burner. I've also had some new ideas for where to go with LTTW and I don't really want them to stew. So the current plan is to continue editing the earlier parts for publication as a lower priority and go ahead with Volume IV more immediately. I think I might end up publishing LTTW in separate volumes electronically at this rate just because of the size issues involved, but I haven't decided yet.*

* I used to be worried if I published stuff separately people would only buy the special features, but I'm part way through volume 1 and I've already added and changed a lot of details to the text itself, so hopefully if I write Volume IV cryptically alluding to things that aren't in the AH.com draft version of earlier volumes, people will buy them

[Makemakean]

Something I've admittedly been curious about for a longer time on this whole project: How much research would you estimate has gone into this? As in books read, sources searched for, etc.?

[Thande]

Originally Posted by Makemakean

Something I've admittedly been curious about for a longer time on this whole project: How much research would you estimate has gone into this? As in books read, sources searched for, etc.?

Less than you might think. The vast majority of research I do for LTTW consists of aimlessly browsing Wikipedia until I come across something that looks interesting and relevant. Then I go away and look for relevant books so I can find out more in-depth information, and that's basically it. What also helps is I'm now sufficiently far from the POD and enough divergence has happened that the relevance of OTL history is now purely in terms of broad strokes.

[Archangel]

Originally Posted by Thande

Update: I now have a job so writing is a bit on the back burner.

Congratulations, Thande!

[Dathi THorfinnsson]

Originally Posted by Thande

Update: I now have a job so writing is a bit on the back burner.

1) congratulations
2) doing what, may one ask?

[Thande]

Originally Posted by Dathi THorfinnsson

1) congratulations
2) doing what, may one ask?

Tutoring undergraduate chemistry students at the University of Sheffield. (NOT HALLAM).

[CaliBoy1990]

Originally Posted by Thande

Tutoring undergraduate chemistry students at the University of Sheffield. (NOT HALLAM).

Best of luck to ya.

[Alex Richards]

Originally Posted by Thande

Tutoring undergraduate chemistry students at the University of Sheffield. (NOT HALLAM).

Oh this is getting rediculous. Sheffield was my 2nd choice for my Chemistry degree.

Currently it looks like my University life would have involved either the current situation of spending a year sharing a room with a first rate AH.Com cartographer, or potentially being tutored by a first rate AH.Com writer.

[Ed Costello]

Apologies for bumping this thread for what is essentially fluff, but since there is discussion of a kind going on here I figured it wasn't too heinous a crime...

So, this occurred to me the other day as I was getting out of the shower: where OTL we had the state of Argentina, TTL we have the UPSA (geographically, I mean). The UPSA is currently ruled by the Adamantine Party, a pretty much centrist government. Now, LTTW's political spectrum is based on metals, and silver - or 'argent' - is equivalent to centrist.

I'm sure you all got there long before I did, but this means that, politically, the UPSA is currently Argentine.

Hey, it amused me. Simple minds, and that...

[CalBear]

Fear not!

New thread is here:

http://www.alternatehistory.com/disc...d.php?t=258681