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Post by myrthman on Jan 6, 2010 22:55:54 GMT -5
So, I was inspired while listening to Pillar a while back. Their "The Reckoning" CD would be a great soundtrack for a Mecha story. I've tentatively titled it Chrome.
Here's the idea:
A benevolent race of aliens, the Armagaut, arrives dramatically one day and delivers two things: a warning about an impending invasion by a race of world conquering giants (the Na'Mii) and a technology that might help defeat them. They leave us to figure out what to do, saying they can't help any further because it would endanger their own planet's survival.
Fast forward 50 years. The government has completed a prototype of the Chrome-E6 battlesuit. Project Chrome is initiated to find and train a team in the use of the battlesuit before the Na'Mii arrive. Five people are recruited and are all experts in their fields: navigation, tactics, engineering, etc. However, the team's training on the E6 is cut short because the invasion begins sooner than expected. They have to figure out the battlesuit on the fly as the Na'Mii descend and begin wreaking havoc all over the world.
The E6 operates under normal conditions much like a navy ship, with several individuals serving at a variety of stations; however, the technology the Armagaut provided enables psionic command of linked systems and once activated, allows a single person to control the E6 by thought and mimicked movements. No machine guns or missile launchers; just a giant suit of armor and a super-sized sword. =D
Many large-scale melee battles ensue as relationships among the crew grow and develop.
"Power to psionic matrix at optimum. Captain, you are green. GO CHROME!!!"
----
The Chrome-E6 battlesuit mirrors the Armor of God (Armagaut) in Ephesians 6. The story will teach that, through unity and trusting in what God has provided to us, we achieve great victory over the enemy (or Na'Mii).
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Post by Andy on Jan 7, 2010 12:04:03 GMT -5
Hey, that's a cool idea myrthman. I've always liked mecha stories. There's some elements of Robotech/Macross in there too, without guns and missiles. Write it, and I'll read it!
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Post by tris on Jan 7, 2010 13:53:19 GMT -5
Oohh, this I like! My son got me hooked on the Japanese anime mech stories (like Gundam Wing), so I'm all for more mech stories. Giving it a spiritual foundation can only improve it as so many of the anime ones fell a little short.
If you need a proof reader, just ask!
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Post by myrthman on Jan 9, 2010 1:16:02 GMT -5
Oh goodie! Now I get to do "research" at Hastings and Blockbuster!
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Post by tris on Jan 12, 2010 14:13:26 GMT -5
Bypass the research at Hastings -- just go straight for the anime!
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Post by waldenwriter on Jan 18, 2010 23:43:56 GMT -5
Oohh, this I like! My son got me hooked on the Japanese anime mech stories (like Gundam Wing), so I'm all for more mech stories. Giving it a spiritual foundation can only improve it as so many of the anime ones fell a little short. I too am familiar with mecha anime series like Gundam Wing and its more epic cousin Neon Genesis Evangelion (which is chock full of references to both the Bible and Jewish tradition). I also have gotten into a lesser-known anime called Generator Gawl, where humans transform straight into robots via a special cell called an "include cell." "Generators," as these people are called, are slightly superhuman in that they don't get sick. But the only problem is that the generator characters in the show find out (in their 2145 world) that Kubere, the main organization doing generator research, used generators for some nefarious purpose during the devastating war that occurred in 2007. (This anime was released in 1998 in Japan). So they travel back in time to prevent a researcher named Takuma Nekasa from discovering the "include cell," even though in doing so they themselves might cease to exist. Unfortunately, they arrive three months before the discovery rather than a year, making their mission all the more urgent, and as if that wasn't bad enough, some enemy generators have been sent their way to insure they don't succeed. Meanwhile, they lodge with a girl named Masami and her mother - which makes for a bit of comedy. In the end, they succeed in their mission. It's only a 12-episode series, though, so most of the background info comes out in plot dump-style reveals, including an entire flashback episode. Your mecha sounds different though, in that it is operated by more than one person. I think there are older mecha animes that have robots like that, but most mecha animes I've seen or heard of have the mecha operated by only one person. For my CYA story, I did at one point have the group have a mecha called the Armor of God which was operated by the members of the CYA and had parts named after the different parts of the Armor of God, with various functions (the Shield of Faith could make force fields, for example). You might be able to find some inspiration from this list: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Mecha_anime_and_mangaSounds like a cool idea though!
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Post by newburydave on Mar 16, 2010 14:22:24 GMT -5
I don't know if you're interested but John Ringo developed this plot thread very extensively in his Posleen Universe. Sorry no Anime that I'm aware of, just smashup good military SiFi. (first book in the series - A Hymn before Battle; Baen free ebooks)
Ringo is kind of salty though, probably not what you'd want to give a kid to read. CBA editors would run from his work, screaming.
But he does a very thorough job of showing the development of the battle suits and the interface with the superior aliens (who want to use us as their trained battle gorillias). The Allied Alien / Human relationship is actually the conflict driver that engergizes the whole story arc. There are many books in that series.
His battle scenes are bloody, grimy and ugly; in other words totally realistic, like a real war. If you're writing for a CBA market his views of battle are probably too intense for a sheltered "Christian" audience. He doesn't make war at all antiseptic or acceptable. You can feel the horrendous psychic damage that killing and mayhem visit on the warriors who survive combat.
Ringo is a, cold war era, special forces veteran, who really knows how the military works. So if you want to do some realistic research I'd recommend these books to you.
However be advised his authorial persona is not Christian in any way shape or form. He is writes like an atheistic, hell raiser. So tread lightly.
SGD
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Post by myrthman on Mar 30, 2011 16:47:32 GMT -5
A year and change later and this idea is demanding more of my mental attention. I appreciate your input last year and thought I'd update everyone with some of my musings on "Project Chrome."
It's a multi-national team headquartered at Camp Henry Bell (a fictional base in northern California established after the Armagaut deliver their warning).
The E6 Battle Platform and its parallels in the full armor of God: 1. Thermonuclear LASER-Enhanced Battery // Belt of Truth 2. Ramset stabilizers with OxBoosters // Shoes fitted with the preparation of the Gospel of peace 3. Armagaut-tech field projector and energy absorptionator // Shield of Faith 4. Armagaut-tech plasma cannon (powered by Shield and TLEB) // Sword of the Spirit 5. Double-armored crew control center (bridge) // Breastplate of Righteousness 6. Armagaut-tech pilot-platform interface // Helmet of Salvation
I'm having trouble placing the Na'Mii and the Armagaut in-universe. One clearly parallels demonic influences, the other, angelic. Should they be differing factions of the same species or different species? Giants and dragons (I like the idea of extraterrestrial dragons...see similar thread)? Why does either species care what happens on Earth? What are the goals of each?
These are the thoughts I'm dwelling on this week. Anything y'all like/dislike? What jumps out at you as something you'd like to read more of?
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Heather Titus
Full Member
a writer, a nerd, and lovin' it
Posts: 121
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Post by Heather Titus on Mar 31, 2011 7:35:41 GMT -5
Sounds awesome! I like the idea of a mecha story with the allegory.
As for ideas, I'd almost go with the Na'Mii and the Armaguat (like that you used the Greek word for armor in naming the benevolent race of aliens) being differing factions of the same species, since you're using them to represent demonic and angelic forces. You could make the Na'Mii kind of grotesque versions of the Armaguat, and maybe even the characters discover in the story that the two groups are the same species, making it a little more difficult to fully trust the Armaguat.
Just some thoughts (I love brainstorming with other writers!).
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Post by myrthman on Mar 31, 2011 9:04:57 GMT -5
Armaguat (like that you used the Greek word for armor in naming the benevolent race of aliens) I had no idea. That was purely coincidence! Or God... Glad you like the idea. I'm leaning toward the two factions of the same race; thanks for your feedback.
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Post by kevinthompson on Mar 31, 2011 20:42:06 GMT -5
myrthman, I like the idea. If George Lucas can mimic eastern mysticism with THE FORCE and make it into a big hit, surely God would honor such a work about Him. Looks like you'll be busy for awhile.
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Post by myrthman on Mar 31, 2011 21:09:10 GMT -5
Looks like you'll be busy for awhile. INDEED!
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Post by newburydave on Apr 1, 2011 18:53:28 GMT -5
Building an entire storyverse is a daunting, and time consuming, task; but the most successful writers of Sf have all done it.
The most successful are the ones who project a future from our present and people it with the "warring races".
I don't know if you checked out Ringo and his Posleen/Legacy of the Adelnata storyverse (yes it is derived from the late middle ages princely class) series of books or not. He develops a version of the tech very believably, and his pictures of battle are some of the best I've seen in literature.
Whether you do look up Ringo or not it sounds like a good project. I'd like to see a well executed story world like this one you describe written from a Christian perspective with the true metaphysics of our universe in view.
Write on my brother
dave
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Post by myrthman on Apr 2, 2011 14:07:30 GMT -5
I haven't yet, Dave, but given my refreshed interest in this story (and genre), I will be checking into Mr. Ringo. Thanks for the reminder. Just checked my library's catalog; they have "A Hymn Before Battle" on the shelf!
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