The Novels: To Canon or not to Canon?

SycophantNagaraja · Tue Oct 19, 2004 5:07 pm

I've heard a lot of mentioning that the novels were decanonized by Harmony Gold. But I was curious as to where this list be (or had been) listed at.

I've got this guy locally that loves to debate at some of the most obtuse opportunities. And now that I'm going to be running a Robotech table top game, I want to be able to set him straight. He holds the books as if they were the bible and was constantly trying to counter my arguements.

My stance has been that the TV series and story it told was Canon. If it happened there, then it's in. If it didn't then tough luck (like the whole Haydon non sense).

Colonel Wolfe · Tue Oct 19, 2004 6:03 pm

I'm not Completly Sure where HG has come out and said the novels are nto Canon, but Recent Revisions to the Time line, and other information on the RT.com site tend to completly Disagree with the Novels.

Lt Gargoyle · Unread post by **Lt Gargoyle** » Tue Oct 19, 2004 6:28 pm

Personally I loved the novel series until the end of the circle. I think since they allowed them to be published then they should not have decannon them. the only one i truley disliked was the end of the circle. it went way out there and more fantasy then Sci-Fi. But when it comes to running the game I say it is up to the GM, peroid. it does not matter what the game books or TV, comics, or those darn rule layers want. the GM is the over all say. I do belive you have to have rules in any game. but it should not be a debate when you are playing. if you are running the game and allow that to happen then the other players are likely going to bored and quite playing.

Colonel Wolfe · Tue Oct 19, 2004 6:41 pm

Much Like Lucas, People have the right to go back and Fix there Property, and add/remove stuff that they feel will make a better Story.. some peopel are better at it. (How Wies and Hickman Saved the Dragonlance Serise... after the Aweful 5th age crap).
Removing the novels Fixxed Errors that Directly Contradict the Show. Kinda Like if Palladium Printed in the RPG the Invid win the Third robotech war (or the Lancers Rockers book), that wouldnt be upheld by HG (Along with everything they did print in the RPG).

glitterboy2098 · Tue Oct 19, 2004 6:50 pm

if the guy keeps argueing with you on details, just remind him that its your game, and you get to decide what you want to include.

if he does not like it, he can leave.

Colonel Wolfe · Tue Oct 19, 2004 6:58 pm

I completly Agree with Glitterboy, you Game, your Details.

People who are "Settings Lawyers" are in some way worse than Rules Lawyers.

SycophantNagaraja · Tue Oct 19, 2004 9:38 pm

No I am not a settings lawyer.

But lets revamp this in terms everyone here can understand:

You're playing Star Trek and you're at least moderately knowledgeable about the series.

One of your players is an absolute Trekker who knows (supposibly) what happens to who for what reason, when it happens and why it happens with every single episode of every single series. Not to mention the novels, movies, games etc.

The point being is not that he's smart, but that type of mentality constantly rips apart IC plots with "thats not how that goes" etc al. Regardless if he's right or not.

Hence my asking about the decanonnizing.

And while HG might have said "the RPGs aren't canon either" it's not like they did a whole lot outside of the scope of the series.

And you're playing the RPG based on the series HG came up with. So the RPG not being canon isn't relevant. It's based on the HG series and their ideas behind it; not the novels, the series, and their ideas.

So if HG did decanonnize the novels, then thats all I need to know. It stops his arguement in its tracks and will keep me from having to endlessly debate with the guy and waste my other player's time.

Colonel Wolfe · Tue Oct 19, 2004 10:00 pm

Zerebus is Right, HG's Offical Canon is a Mess... the Designers really dont know it for sure.

SycophantNagaraja, I wasnt Calling you a Setting Lawyer, I was just sayin how a player liek that Make it less fun for the Gm and PLayers by every 5 min Chiping in "The Dragon was in the Boiler room in the Novel... why is he in the Lunch room that wrong" or "The Elves of Sylvanest would not Kill Minotaures in revenge"

Marcethus · Unread post by **Marcethus** » Tue Oct 19, 2004 11:12 pm

I agree with zerebus and wolfe on this just tell the guy you are using your own version of the canon and his thoughts be damned oh and give him the advice listed in one of the rifts books "its a bad idea to **** the guy off that controls the world your character lives in"

that's the very paraphrased and cut down version but I don't recall the exact nor do I recall what book i saw that in

Cyclone · Unread post by **Cyclone** » Wed Oct 20, 2004 1:47 am

The official answer

http://robotech.com/infopedia/faq/viewexpcat.php?categoryid=5

SycophantNagaraja · Wed Oct 20, 2004 4:33 am

Wolfe: thanks for clarifing.

And to clarify my point: it's not that I stick 100% to Robotech canon, but pretty close to what was seen in the series on TV. If the series doesn't cover it, the books should. And if that fails I step in.

Basically I was wanting to "here is your answer to the novels and why I wont be using them".

Mostly because I get the feeling he learned more about the series and genre from the books than the original foundation of the TV series. He's one of those guys that has to have that imperial evidence to finally say "ok this guy might have a point". He's thick headed that way. Unfortunately you almost have to play with the guy to understand why I want this info

Cyclone: thanks for the link!