AvPGalaxy Forums

AvP Merchandise => Alien-Predator Literature => Topic started by: alienscollection.com on May 10, 2016, 08:21:28 PM

Title: Aliens: Bug Hunt - Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: alienscollection.com on May 10, 2016, 08:21:28 PM
https://www.facebook.com/jonathan.maberry.5/posts/10154199121248270
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt - Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Corporal Hicks on May 10, 2016, 09:02:10 PM

Aliens: Bug Hunt, the first Aliens anthology novel has been announced! Breaking the news via Facebook, Jonathan Maberry has revealed that he is editing a brand new Aliens anthology novel focusing on the Colonial Marines to be published in 2017 by Titan!

” I’m editing ALIENS: BUG HUNT, all new stories of the Colonial Marines (Titan Books, 2017) Here’s the killer lineup!
1. Brian Keene is a best-selling horror author and comic book writer. His landmark novel The Rising helped establish the genre of zombie literature.
2. Christopher Goldenn, #1 New York Times best-selling author, editor and comic book writer. His works include Tin Men, Lord Baltimore (with Mike Mignola), Cemetery Girl (with Charlaine Harris), and Aliens: River of Pain.
3. Dan Abnett is a multiple New York Times best-selling author and comic book writer who’s work includes the Gaunt’s Ghosts series, The Horus Heresy, Doctor Who, and the Guardians of the Galaxy comic that inspired the motion picture.
4. David Farland, is a New York Times award-winning author who has worked with Star Wars, the Mummy, and his own bestselling fantasy Runelords series.
5. Heather Graham Pozzessere: International best-selling author of over seventy suspense novels.
6. James A. Moore, is a best selling author of twenty-five novels including his own Seven Forges series who has also worked with Aliens, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the World Of Darkness.
7. Jonathan Maberry, NY Times bestselling author of Patient Zero, Rot & Ruin, and many other novels; anthology editor and comic book writer.
8. Keith DeCandido iis a Scribe finalist whose works include Star Trek, Supernatural, Stargate SG-1, and many others.
9. Larry Correia is the bestselling author of the Monster Hunter International series, the Grimnoir Chronicles, and the Dead Six military thrillers
10. Matt Forbeck is a New York Times bestselling author and award-winning game designer whose latest works include Halo: New Blood, the Marvel Encyclopedia, and his Shotguns & Sorcery series.
11. Mike Resnickk is a best-selling author of military science fiction, including The Outpost, The Dead Enders series, and many more; and has edited dozens of anthologies. He has won multiple Hugo Awards, the Homer Award, the Skylark Award, as well as many international awards.
12. Paul Kupperberg is a former editor in chief for DC Comics, and a prolific writer of comic books and newspaper strips.
13. Rachel Caine, New York Times bestselling author of almost 50 thriller, SF/F, and YA novels, including Ink and Bone, and the Morganville Vampires series.
14. Ray Garton, bestselling author of over sixty books and recipient of the Grandmaster Award from the World Horror Convention.
15. Scott Sigler, NY Times bestselling author of INFECTED and the ALIVE, Book I of the Generations Trilogy.
16. Tim Lebbon, is the best-selling author of Coldbrook, The Cabin in the Woods, the Noreela series of fantasy books (Dusk, Dawn, Fallen and The Island), the NY Times Bestselling novelisation of the movie 30 Days of Night, Alien: Out of the Shadows, and Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi – Into the Void.
17. Weston Ochse, USA Today New and Notable List, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of SEAL Team 666 and Grunt Life
18. Yvonne Navarro, Bram Stoker award-winning author of the Dark Redemption Series, Aliens: Music of the Spears, and seven Buffy the Vampire Slayer novels.”

Aliens: Bug Hunt, a brand new anthology focusing on the Colonial Marines, is due for release in 2017. Aliens: Bug Hunt - Aliens Anthology Announced!

Aliens: Bug Hunt, a brand new anthology focusing on the Colonial Marines, is due for release in 2017.

That extensive list of authors includes several returning veterans of Alien literature (Tim Lebbon, Christopher Golden, Dan Abnet, James Moore and Yvonne Navarro) but also welcomes an impressive 13 new names to the Alien authors club!

Aliens: Bug Hunt is currently slated for a release in 2017 but no further details are available as of yet. Keep checking back with Alien vs. Predator Galaxy for more details. Thanks to Willie Goldman for the news!

Link To Post

Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Corporal Hicks on May 10, 2016, 09:28:07 PM
I am really really looking forward to this. There are some really impressive names in that list! I can't wait to find out more specific details about the stories. I wonder how big the anthology is going to be with that many writers?
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Ultramorph on May 10, 2016, 10:21:50 PM
Fantastic! I can't wait to see what sorts of stories we get.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt - Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: PRJ_since1990 on May 10, 2016, 11:22:33 PM
Wow! More stories? Sign me up. I wonder how many stories we will get. One might assume one per author but could be people working together on several projects.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Xenomrph on May 11, 2016, 02:39:44 AM
Holy shit, this sounds f**king great. Brian Keene rules, I'm really looking forward to seeing what he brings to the table.

Edit-- just tweeted Brian Keene to see if he'd be down for a Q&A interview for AvPGalaxy after the anthology comes out.

Edit again-- Interview confirmed! (https://twitter.com/BrianKeene/status/730234435996680192)
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Corporal Hicks on May 11, 2016, 07:40:52 AM
Quite a few of the authors are on social media so we could probably work out a big Q&A.


QuoteCalled "Deep Background," the story is about a reporter who is embedded with a group of Colonial Marines, and things do not go as planned.

Some details about Keith R.A. DeCandido's entry.

http://kradical.livejournal.com/3097808.html
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt - Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Whiskeybrewer on May 11, 2016, 10:58:43 AM
I'm actually really excited for what Dan Abnett comes up with, mainly as i love his work for Doctor Who
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Corporal Hicks on May 11, 2016, 11:02:23 AM
He also co-wrote Alien: Isolation and is writing Aliens: Defiance.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Whiskeybrewer on May 11, 2016, 11:30:19 AM
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on May 11, 2016, 11:02:23 AM
He also co-wrote Alien: Isolation and is writing Aliens: Defiance.

Dan Abnett did? oh thats brilliant, why didnt i realise lol

Quote from: Xenomrph on May 11, 2016, 02:39:44 AM
Holy shit, this sounds f**king great. Brian Keene rules, I'm really looking forward to seeing what he brings to the table.

Edit-- just tweeted Brian Keene to see if he'd be down for a Q&A interview for AvPGalaxy after the anthology comes out.

Edit again-- Interview confirmed! (https://twitter.com/BrianKeene/status/730234435996680192)

Sweet!  ;D
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Ultramorph on May 11, 2016, 11:46:35 AM
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on May 11, 2016, 07:40:52 AM
QuoteCalled "Deep Background," the story is about a reporter who is embedded with a group of Colonial Marines, and things do not go as planned.

Some details about Keith R.A. DeCandido's entry.

http://kradical.livejournal.com/3097808.html

Nice, hoping for a good variety of stories set in all different periods. I wonder if one of these writers will be the lucky first to give us an Arcturian!

It's so cool that we're getting this. It's awesome that Titan has committed to the license like this.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Corporal Hicks on May 11, 2016, 01:20:47 PM
Quote from: Whiskeybrewer on May 11, 2016, 11:30:19 AM
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on May 11, 2016, 11:02:23 AM
He also co-wrote Alien: Isolation and is writing Aliens: Defiance.

Dan Abnett did? oh thats brilliant, why didnt i realise lol

Sorry, my mistake. Abnett is writing the Life and Death series, not Defiance. Memory slip there.


Quote from: Ultramorph on May 11, 2016, 11:46:35 AM
Nice, hoping for a good variety of stories set in all different periods. I wonder if one of these writers will be the lucky first to give us an Arcturian!

It's so cool that we're getting this. It's awesome that Titan has committed to the license like this.

I'm hoping for a really varied anthology series that is more than just marines vs Aliens. I'd like to see them use this opportunity for more world building, something the latest Titan novels have been really good at.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: HuDaFuK on May 11, 2016, 01:23:34 PM
Like the sound of this. As with others, I hope we get some stories about things other than Marines vs. Aliens.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Mr. Clemens on May 11, 2016, 01:35:52 PM
I'll be waiting for reviews on this one. Eighteen short stories about colonial marines getting ambushed and slaughtered by aliens sounds a tad repetitive (I know that's an assumption on my part, but they've said nothing to convince me otherwise).
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: HuDaFuK on May 11, 2016, 01:42:10 PM
Quote from: Mr. Clemens on May 11, 2016, 01:35:52 PMEighteen short stories about colonial marines getting ambushed and slaughtered by aliens sounds a tad repetitive.

That's why I'm hoping it'll branch out into other stuff they do. Like the Tech Manual did.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt - Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: BeowolfSchaefer on May 11, 2016, 02:15:53 PM
Sounds great. I hope an audiobook version will be forthcoming as well!
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: 426Buddy on May 11, 2016, 02:39:06 PM
I'm going to guess all the stories will involve the marines and the aliens in some way. I'm sure the scenarios will differ greatly but I wouldn't expect a book titled Aliens Bug Hunt to have any stories that don't involve both parties.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: HuDaFuK on May 11, 2016, 02:40:11 PM
That's assuming the term "Bug Hunt" literally refers only to shooting Xenomorphs...

Which I've never thought it does.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Corporal Hicks on May 11, 2016, 02:41:40 PM
Quote from: 420Buddy on May 11, 2016, 02:39:06 PM
I'm going to guess all the stories will involve the marines and the aliens in some way. I'm sure the scenarios will differ greatly but I wouldn't expect a book titled Aliens Bug Hunt to have any stories that don't involve both parties.

Not necessarily. Aliens is just the umbrella title. I could honestly expect to see some stories just with Colonial Marines and no Aliens.

Quote from: HuDaFuK on May 11, 2016, 02:40:11 PM
That's assuming the term "Bug Hunt" literally refers only to shooting Xenomorphs...

Which I've never thought it does.

It's just military slang. It never related to the Aliens in that way.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: 426Buddy on May 11, 2016, 03:10:47 PM
It agree started as military slang in the film aliens. But "Bug Hunt" unfortunately, like with the term "Xenomorph", has become inextricably linked with the creature in pop culture.

Obviously the title isn't suggesting the book is about marines going on sweep and clear missions not involving aliens, its suggesting the colonial marines are hunting/fighting aliens specifically. Maybe i'm just crazy though.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Ultramorph on May 11, 2016, 03:33:46 PM
A couple of of the recent novels have said that the Marines have encountered several hostile alien species, so it's safe to assume that we may get some stories that don't involve capital X xenos.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Xenomrph on May 11, 2016, 03:35:29 PM
Quote from: HuDaFuK on May 11, 2016, 01:42:10 PM
Quote from: Mr. Clemens on May 11, 2016, 01:35:52 PMEighteen short stories about colonial marines getting ambushed and slaughtered by aliens sounds a tad repetitive.

That's why I'm hoping it'll branch out into other stuff they do. Like the Tech Manual did.
Have you read the old Leading Edge 'Aliens' RPG? It goes into more detail about Marine activities and procedures than the Tech Manual does.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: 426Buddy on May 11, 2016, 03:37:36 PM
Quote from: Ultramorph on May 11, 2016, 03:33:46 PM
A couple of of the recent novels have said that the Marines have encountered several hostile alien species, so it's safe to assume that we may get some stories that don't involve capital X xenos.

Could be, we'll have to wait and see i guess. But i'll place my wager now that all of the stories will include the alien in some way.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt - Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Praetorian Peak on May 11, 2016, 04:02:44 PM
Beans Bruh. Cool Beans.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt - Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: LordCassusSnow on May 11, 2016, 04:09:24 PM
OOHH!! Maybe this book is about the marine squad from Aliens and their encounter with the grain parasites on Actura??
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Perfect-Organism on May 12, 2016, 04:46:15 AM
I have to say this is pretty exciting..
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Corporal Hicks on May 12, 2016, 08:18:23 AM
Quote from: LordCassusSnow on May 11, 2016, 04:09:24 PM
OOHH!! Maybe this book is about the marine squad from Aliens and their encounter with the grain parasites on Actura??

I remember this but not where it's from?
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt - Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: LordCassusSnow on May 12, 2016, 02:57:06 PM
It's mentioned in Carter Burke's memo in the Weyland Yutani files. I'm sure that mission on Actura is why those marines painted Bug Stomper on one of the dropships and why Hudson and Hicks refer to their next mission as a "bug hunt". Unless they were sent to the sinkhole in the American arm like the marines in 1st platoon Bravo Company. But Acturians have been mentioned a few times in the new Titan books series so it'd make sense. I'd honestly love a book about the marines from Aliens and what their comradery was like prior to Hadley's Hope   :o
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt - Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Darwinsgirl on May 12, 2016, 03:47:41 PM

I would love it if these stories included some back ground into Vasquez, Dietrich,Corp Ferro and of course any further adventures with Newt.  :)
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Xenomrph on May 12, 2016, 03:49:26 PM
Arcturians have been mentioned (note the spelling), I wonder if "Actura" is a typo or if it's actually something different. Sort of like Dr Gediman's "Fiori 16", or the USCM Tech Manual's "Thetis".
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt - Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: LordCassusSnow on May 12, 2016, 11:42:24 PM
Actura is the name of the Acturian planet.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: The Alien Predator on May 13, 2016, 01:15:41 AM
I am super excited for this.

I hope to see world building and possibly exploring more alien races. The last Titan Books trilogy and the current Rage War trilogy keep mentioning races, featuring Dog-Alien remains and name dropping the Arcturians repeatedly.

And one of the authors (I think it was James A. Moore) once hinted that "there are plans for them" when asked about the Arcturians back when the previous trilogy was still a new thing.

YES! Maybe this could be it?
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Perfect-Organism on May 13, 2016, 03:22:29 AM
Quote from: LordCassusSnow on May 12, 2016, 11:42:24 PM
Actura is the name of the Acturian planet.

What happened to the first "r" in the word?  And shouldn't it be Arcturus?
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Xenomrph on May 13, 2016, 06:10:53 AM
Quote from: LordCassusSnow on May 12, 2016, 11:42:24 PM
Actura is the name of the Acturian planet.

Quote from: Perfect-Organism on May 13, 2016, 03:22:29 AM
Quote from: LordCassusSnow on May 12, 2016, 11:42:24 PM
Actura is the name of the Acturian planet.

What happened to the first "r" in the word?  And shouldn't it be Arcturus?

Exactly. It's spelled "Arcturian". "Actura" in the WY Report is either a typo or they're referring to a different place.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Corporal Hicks on May 13, 2016, 07:48:26 AM
I don't have my book out to check but I imagine if it is actually printed as Actura then it is a typo as it seems obvious that they're intending to reference the Arcturian line.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on May 13, 2016, 08:10:20 AM
Or on the other hand, that's its name (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/acturus#Latin).
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Corporal Hicks on May 13, 2016, 08:32:02 AM
Not sure what that link is explaining? 
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on May 13, 2016, 09:25:59 AM
Only that Actura is an existing word.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Corporal Hicks on May 13, 2016, 09:31:48 AM
I don't think anyone is doubting that, SM. Just whether that would be the correct spelling for their homeworld. There is an actual star called Arcturus. It's actually one of (maybe the) brightest star in the Northen Hemisphere IIRC. Alan Dean Foster referenced it in the Alien novelization way before Aliens and I believe it's also a destination in Alien: Isolation.


(https://www.avpgalaxy.net/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv130%2FCorpral_Hicks%2F10322701_10205895890211935_2243802491074925427_n.jpg&hash=b98d29a032168e4f06ce20a993cf3a2c49acffa2)
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on May 13, 2016, 10:02:47 AM
I am quite aware.
(https://alientimeline.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/galmap.gif)
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Perfect-Organism on May 13, 2016, 01:51:09 PM
I certainly hope it's Arcturus and not Actura.  Actura just feels like typo that's been institutionalized.  Arcturus is a classic astronomical name and has been a part of the Aliens lexicon for decades.  If it's the same place, why change it?  If it's a different place, why not come up with something more creative?
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Xenomrph on May 13, 2016, 03:15:28 PM
Quote from: SM on May 13, 2016, 10:02:47 AM
I am quite aware.
(https://alientimeline.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/galmap.gif)
The question is whether "Actura" in the WY Report is referring to the "Arcturians" referenced in 'Aliens'. Is "Actura" the name of the planet that orbits "Arcturus"? And if so, does that jive with "Arcturians" as described in the Rage Wars books?
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt - Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: LordCassusSnow on May 13, 2016, 03:44:50 PM
It's quite possibly a typo. These newer books being released are not without their continuity errors. Fun fact, back in the 90's, astronomers thought they had discovered a ringed planet in the Zeta 2 riticuli system. Few years later they discovered their findings were false. But in the Weyland Industries timeline, a bit later, a ringed planet was discovered with three moons orbiting it! :o
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Perfect-Organism on May 13, 2016, 03:53:40 PM
Bottom line is, you can retcon alien 3 and AR, but you can't retcon Arcturian Puntang!  Acturan Puntang just ain't the same!  The fans have been clamoring for some Arcturian Puntang for 30 years now.  Arcturian Puntang is sacred Alien lore just like Jonesy!
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Xenomrph on May 13, 2016, 04:06:35 PM
Quote from: LordCassusSnow on May 13, 2016, 03:44:50 PM
It's quite possibly a typo. These newer books being released are not without their continuity errors. Fun fact, back in the 90's, astronomers thought they had discovered a ringed planet in the Zeta 2 riticuli system. Few years later they discovered their findings were false. But in the Weyland Industries timeline, a bit later, a ringed planet was discovered with three moons orbiting it! :o
I used to run the Aliens Online Encyclopedia website, and I had astronomers occasionally emailing me because my website was coming up in Google searches for "Zeta II Reticuli", it was pretty funny.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on May 13, 2016, 10:28:48 PM
Quote from: LordCassusSnow on May 13, 2016, 03:44:50 PM
It's quite possibly a typo. These newer books being released are not without their continuity errors. Fun fact, back in the 90's, astronomers thought they had discovered a ringed planet in the Zeta 2 riticuli system. Few years later they discovered their findings were false. But in the Weyland Industries timeline, a bit later, a ringed planet was discovered with three moons orbiting it! :o

In 2039.

Either way, Arcturus is a star; not a planet.  Maybe Actura orbits it, maybe it doesn't.  Doesn't really matter.  There are still Arcturians.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt - Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: LordCassusSnow on May 16, 2016, 12:43:36 AM
What does Frost say? Acturian or Arcturian? Even then he might have possibly been mistaken as well... Back to the point though, Hicks, were the pics displayed the choice of the site or something thats come with this bit of info?
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Perfect-Organism on May 16, 2016, 12:58:07 AM
Arcturian just rolls off the tongue better.  It's really a minor detail, but why aggravate fans?  Alien: Resurrection lost me at Fiorina 16..
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on May 16, 2016, 01:02:42 AM
Fiori 16.  And this isn't the same situation.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Perfect-Organism on May 16, 2016, 01:15:50 AM
Right.  I actually almost put in the blu-ray, but I figured you wouldn't let that go if I was wrong.   ;)  It's certainly not 161 is it?  That was a very LV-42 vibe.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: PRJ_since1990 on May 16, 2016, 02:29:58 AM
If we can branch out a little, I would like to see more in the way of Power Loaders armed to the teeth, not unlike the MAX suit in Berserker, in at least one story. 
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on May 16, 2016, 02:48:21 AM
Earth War did something like that.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Perfect-Organism on May 16, 2016, 03:50:21 AM
I think Earth War did it in the least imaginative, and farcical way it could be done.  I rather liked the power-loader-type-thing from the later matrix films.  We've seen these types of exo-skeletons / mecs in literally all of Blomkamp's big films, so I would fully expect that he would be prone to doing it again.  It's all about the story though.  If it feels forced to have it there, it doesn't matter how good the design is.  It won't work..
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt - Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: LordCassusSnow on May 16, 2016, 03:50:48 AM
Biggest gripe for me is how every author of these new Aliens books is using LV to designate every single planet ever discovered. The LV stands for leviticus and if you search for leviticus 426 or 223( especially 223) then you find a hidden meaning from the designation. Albeit leviticus 426 might be a little hard to compare with events from Alien, it does have some significance with Ripley's crusade against the xenomorph and WY from a certain point of view. That aside, if this or these novels aren't about the marine outfit from Aliens, it'd be very strange for these authors to produce anything with the Aliens title with no actual xeno's in or mentioned in the story.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Perfect-Organism on May 16, 2016, 03:52:44 AM
That's the first time I heard of the Leviticus angle.  How do you know that?
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: The Alien Predator on May 16, 2016, 04:02:46 AM
I think I heard it mentioned before, maybe once by Ridley himself where he mentions the name behind LV-223 is because of "Leviticus 2:23" and how it fits with Prometheus' religious angles.

Maybe someone better informed than me could say more about that.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Xenomrph on May 16, 2016, 04:15:33 AM
Quote from: LordCassusSnow on May 16, 2016, 12:43:36 AM
What does Frost say? Acturian or Arcturian? Even then he might have possibly been mistaken as well... Back to the point though, Hicks, were the pics displayed the choice of the site or something thats come with this bit of info?
Frost says Arcturian (it's also Arcturian in the script (http://www.imsdb.com/scripts/Aliens.html), although it's Weirzbowski who says it).

Although if we want to stray into "the character mis-spoke" territory, it opens up a massive can of worms (like how Lambert mis-spoke the size of LV-426, something the USCM Tech Manual fixed and then the WY Report, uh, un-fixed).
To be totally fair I personally don't have a problem with saying "the character mis-spoke". They're humans, they make mistakes, and sometimes they're even dishonest (whether they know it or not). We're not beholden to take every line of dialogue as Gospel Truth just because it was spoken in the movie.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on May 16, 2016, 05:35:24 AM
Cameron invented the 'LV' thing 25 years before Prometheus. I believe any connection between LV and Leviticus is fan speculation.

And the size of LV-426 is drawn directly from the source material.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Corporal Hicks on May 16, 2016, 05:43:49 AM
Quote from: PRJ_since1990 on May 16, 2016, 02:29:58 AM
If we can branch out a little, I would like to see more in the way of Power Loaders armed to the teeth, not unlike the MAX suit in Berserker, in at least one story.

Berserker and Tribes were great stories - especially the novelization of Berserker. I wouldn't mind seeing a return of that kind of technology. Hell, even if it was just an exo-suit ala AvP2 or Extinction is fine by me.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Xenomrph on May 16, 2016, 07:15:35 PM
Quote from: SM on May 16, 2016, 05:35:24 AM
Cameron invented the 'LV' thing 25 years before Prometheus. I believe any connection between LV and Leviticus is fan speculation.

And the size of LV-426 is drawn directly from the source material.
By "the source material" you mean "a line of dialogue which doesn't make sense if given 5 minutes of thought, spoken by a human being who is fallible and capable of mis-speaking just like Gediman does". The same "source material" (the films 'Alien' and 'Aliens') show Lambert's number to be wrong just based on the curvature of the horizon and the apparent gravity of the planet as people walk around on it.

There's a reason why the CMTM changed the size, and it's because the size given in 'Alien' doesn't make sense and was written by someone without a scientific background who didn't think it would need to hold up to scientific scrutiny, and it happens to be something easily fixed by moving the decimal place one spot to the right. It's unfortunate that the WY Report didn't apply the same level of critical thought (and goofed up the size of LV-223, to boot).
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt - Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: LordCassusSnow on May 16, 2016, 07:43:59 PM
Xenomrph you make some great points! Done your research have ya? I definitely need to compare books so i can have myself a laugh
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Xenomrph on May 16, 2016, 07:56:19 PM
Quote from: LordCassusSnow on May 16, 2016, 07:43:59 PM
Xenomrph you make some great points! Done your research have ya? I definitely need to compare books so i can have myself a laugh
It's been a known issue pretty much since the USCM Tech Manual came out and shined a big honking spotlight on how little sense Lambert's number makes.

For some more fun science facts, consider this:
- if LV-426 is 1200km in diameter, that makes it a little over half the size of Pluto, and about the third the size of Earth's moon. That's tiny.
- it wouldn't have enough mass to hold an atmosphere (terraformed or otherwise), and the curvature of the horizon would be visible to the naked eye
- in order to have a gravity of 86% that of Earth and still be 1200km, it would need to be entirely made of a material so dense that it isn't on the periodic table

That's why the Tech Manual created the number 12,201km, because it just happens to be 86% the size of Earth. It helps that the gas giant it's orbiting is listed as being 10 times the size of Jupiter, so it having a moon 10 times the size of a Jovian moon makes sense.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on May 16, 2016, 08:53:56 PM
The fictional source material says otherwise.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Xenomrph on May 16, 2016, 09:02:35 PM
And the fictional source material is wrong for reasons demonstrated, and we can work around it since it's fiction. :)
The fictional source material also corroborates the 12,000 number based on the exterior shots of LV-426 in both movies and the fact that the planet has an atmosphere.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on May 16, 2016, 09:55:34 PM
If you like.

The source material isn't likely to change however.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Xenomrph on May 16, 2016, 10:10:21 PM
Quote from: SM on May 16, 2016, 09:55:34 PM
If you like.

The source material isn't likely to change however.
It doesn't need to, the source material supports the 12,000 number too. :)
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Local Trouble on May 16, 2016, 10:28:00 PM
Quote from: Xenomrph on May 16, 2016, 10:10:21 PM
Quote from: SM on May 16, 2016, 09:55:34 PM
If you like.

The source material isn't likely to change however.

It doesn't need to, the source material supports the 12,000 number too. :)

How so?  Wasn't its size and gravity specified in the original movie?
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Xenomrph on May 16, 2016, 10:34:19 PM
Quote from: Local Trouble on May 16, 2016, 10:28:00 PM
Quote from: Xenomrph on May 16, 2016, 10:10:21 PM
Quote from: SM on May 16, 2016, 09:55:34 PM
If you like.

The source material isn't likely to change however.

It doesn't need to, the source material supports the 12,000 number too. :)

How so?  Wasn't its size and gravity told to us in the original movie?
In the director's cut, but it's size as described by Lambert doesn't jive with the size we see when they're walking around on the planet in 'Alien' or 'Aliens', or the fact that it has an atmosphere in both movies. An object 1200km in diameter wouldn't have enough mass to have walkable gravity as we see in both movies, or be able to retain an atmosphere as seen in both movies. The curvature of the horizon would also be visible to the naked eye if it were that small, and it isn't.

Shit, if Weyland Yutani could somehow terraform stuff that small, they'd be better off terraforming nearly every moon in the Solar System first, it would be more cost effective.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Local Trouble on May 16, 2016, 10:46:10 PM
Doesn't the stated gravity of the planetoid indicate that it's massive enough to sustain an atmosphere?  Do we even get a good view of the horizon that isn't obscured by the rocky terrain?

Also, the company presumably terraformed LV-426 for its mineral wealth.  However, it makes no sense to even bother with mining a planet so far away unless it has some sort of unobtanium that can't be found closer to Earth.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Xenomrph on May 16, 2016, 11:00:12 PM
The problem with that is that if it's got the gravity as stated (and it clearly does, we see people walk on it) and be massive enough to retain a breathable atmosphere, it would need to be incredibly dense. As in, the entire planet would need to be made of something like 5 times denser than the densest element on the periodic table (I did the math years ago, I could recompute it if you're interested), denser than a neutron star if I remember right. At 1200km and a realistic density, it would need to orbit at an extreme distance from the gas giant (as in, further than shown in both movies) or it would fall right into the gravity well.
Like the only way the 1200km number even remotely makes sense is if the entire planet is an Engineer construct. I'm not saying that's impossible, just that it's the kind of thing that would immediately call attention to itself. LV-426 would be affecting the gas giant's orbit nearly as much as Zeta II Reticuli does.

And the curvature of the horizon would be visible even despite the rocky terrain. 1200km is really tiny.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Local Trouble on May 16, 2016, 11:14:38 PM
Quote from: Xenomrph on May 16, 2016, 11:00:12 PM
The problem with that is that if it's got the gravity as stated (and it clearly does, we see people walk on it) and be massive enough to retain a breathable atmosphere, it would need to be incredibly dense.

So the planet is composed of an ultra-dense mineral not found in our solar system.  I can live with that.  It even explains why the company financed a mining colony there.

Quote from: Xenomrph on May 16, 2016, 11:00:12 PMAnd the curvature of the horizon would be visible even despite the rocky terrain. 1200km is really tiny.

What if the colony was in a crater or on a plateau?  Shirley, there are ways of making it all fit.

By all means, do the math.  Sooner or later, you're going to have to concede "hey, it was the 70s."
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Xenomrph on May 16, 2016, 11:28:48 PM
QuoteSo the planet is composed of an ultra-dense mineral not found in our solar system.  I can live with that.  It even explains why the company financed a mining colony there.
The problem is if it's as dense as it needs to be, not only can you not mine it, but even if you could, the half-life of the element would be in the microseconds before it decays into nothing. There's an upper limit to the density of elements on the periodic table, and as you start getting towards the ends of the table, you get into elements that can only be created in a lab and don't exist for more than fractions of a second.

QuoteShirley there was ways of making it all fit.
There sure is: Lambert mis-spoke because she's a human being who can make mistakes, and the planet is actually 12,000km, not 1200km. We have no reason to take Lambert's word as gospel truth just because she said it, especially when it makes no sense. If that were the case, then I guess Gediman was correct when he said "Fiori 16". I mean the words left his mouth so they must be true, right?

QuoteWhat if the colony was in a crater or on a plateau?
A plateau would show the horizon, and we see in the movie that they're not inside a crater. If it were as dense as it needs to be, it wouldn't have impact craters (it would be impossible for them to form), and if it were a realistic density but still 1200km, then an impact strong enough to make a crater big enough for the colony would utterly devastate the planet.

Like, the science and common sense just isn't there, and that's why the Tech Manual moved the decimal place one spot to the right and fixed every problem effortlessly. You have to jump through so many hoops to justify the 1200km number just because a fallible, unqualified character spoke the words, when the really obvious solution is right there in front of you, and supported by the movies no less. :)

QuoteBy all means, do the math.  Sooner or later, you're going to have to concede "hey, it was the 70s."
'Alien' is chock full of garbage science and technobabble gobbledygook. Dallas says the Alien's blood is "some kind of molecular acid", as if that's a profound observation (hint: all acids are molecular acid. It's like saying "the blood is made of a wet liquid").
That doesn't mean we need to blindly accept it, especially when there's really easy, obvious explanations. After all, it's fiction. :)
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Local Trouble on May 16, 2016, 11:58:41 PM
What about Ash?  Does he make mistakes?
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: 426Buddy on May 17, 2016, 12:32:02 AM
Quote from: Local Trouble on May 16, 2016, 11:58:41 PM
What about Ash?  Does he make mistakes?

Obviously he does, magazines make terrible murder weapons  ;D

Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Perfect-Organism on May 17, 2016, 02:16:21 AM
Gasp... LV-426 is made of... wait for it... Trimonite!  :o
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Xenomrph on May 17, 2016, 04:31:49 AM
Quote from: Local Trouble on May 16, 2016, 11:58:41 PM
What about Ash?  Does he make mistakes?
The 120-A2s always were a little twitchy.

Quote from: Perfect-Organism on May 17, 2016, 02:16:21 AM
Gasp... LV-426 is made of... wait for it... Trimonite!  :o
This got me thinking, I don't know if I ever really considered what the colonists on LV-426 actually did, aside from live and reproduce and occasionally go out exploring in big off-road tractors. Like, if they were mining for stuff, where were they storing it? Were they smelting it on-site, or shipping it offworld? And if they were mining, where was all the mining equipment? The closest thing we get is the "seismic charges" mentioned in-dialogue.
Does that mean there were regular transports to and from LV-426? I know the Fire & Stone comic introduced the Onager, a freight lifter built for going into orbit. Just going off the movie, though, the Marines don't even entertain the possibility that the colonists had a way to get off the planet's surface or even get into low orbit, which implies that they never needed to in their day to day jobs.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: HuDaFuK on May 17, 2016, 09:01:11 AM
Quote from: Local Trouble on May 16, 2016, 10:46:10 PMAlso, the company presumably terraformed LV-426 for its mineral wealth.

I've always thought it was because they want to make it an inhabited world, for whatever reason. You could probably mine it more or less just as effectively without going to the vast expense of terraforming the atmosphere, and anyway it's already breathable in Aliens and there doesn't seem to be any mining going on.

I figured W-Y had a long-term colonisation plan in mind.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on May 17, 2016, 09:44:36 AM
The Company co-financed Hadley with the ECA as an advance on mineral rights going by the script and novel.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Local Trouble on May 17, 2016, 12:32:31 PM
And Newt's parents were wildcatters (a slang term for prospectors, in case you're not already aware).

Quote from: Perfect-Organism on May 17, 2016, 02:16:21 AM
Gasp... LV-426 is made of... wait for it... Trimonite!  :o

Ah, so the rare and exotic substance I've been looking for has been a "thing" in the EU all this time?

http://avp.wikia.com/wiki/Trimonite

Quote from: Xenomrph on May 17, 2016, 04:31:49 AMThis got me thinking, I don't know if I ever really considered what the colonists on LV-426 actually did, aside from live and reproduce and occasionally go out exploring in big off-road tractors. Like, if they were mining for stuff, where were they storing it? Were they smelting it on-site, or shipping it offworld? And if they were mining, where was all the mining equipment? The closest thing we get is the "seismic charges" mentioned in-dialogue.

My guess is that they had mines scattered all over the planet along with any mining equipment.  Are you under the impression that we should have seen them in the middle of the colony?

Quote from: Xenomrph on May 17, 2016, 04:31:49 AMDoes that mean there were regular transports to and from LV-426? I know the Fire & Stone comic introduced the Onager, a freight lifter built for going into orbit. Just going off the movie, though, the Marines don't even entertain the possibility that the colonists had a way to get off the planet's surface or even get into low orbit, which implies that they never needed to in their day to day jobs.

Define "regular."

Nostromo, as an example, was hauling 20 million tons of ore.  How often do you think a colony of 158 could extract that much?

And I see no reason why the colony would need its own ship if it had periodic visits by company freighters.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Corporal Hicks on May 17, 2016, 12:42:12 PM
The Onager in Fire and Stone could imply they have already made some hand-offs. Or it might just have been there, not used but ready to transport minerals when the time came.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Xenomrph on May 17, 2016, 03:21:35 PM
Quote from: Local Trouble on May 17, 2016, 12:32:31 PM
Ah, so the rare and exotic substance I've been looking for has been a "thing" in the EU all this time?

http://avp.wikia.com/wiki/Trimonite
Not really, there's a difference between density and hardness. :P
Diamond is very hard, but it's because of the lattice structure of its molecules giving it structural stability, not because the molecules are packed so tightly together.

Quote
My guess is that they had mines scattered all over the planet along with any mining equipment.  Are you under the impression that we should have seen them in the middle of the colony?
Well I mean, I figured we'd see mining-related equipment near the colony. The vehicles and stuff we see in and around Hadley's Hope are just really generic and don't give much of a hint as to what the colony did other than be a terraforming proof-of-concept. :P

QuoteNostromo, as an example, was hauling 20 million tons of ore.  How often do you think a colony of 158 could extract that much?
It would take forever. As in, "there has to be a more efficient way". Which kind of makes you wonder if they had massive strip-mining equipment at mines we don't see.

Quote from: SM on May 17, 2016, 09:44:36 AM
The Company co-financed Hadley with the ECA as an advance on mineral rights going by the script and novel.
I figured the novel gave more detail, it's been forever since I read it.
I checked the script online real quick before I posted and didn't see any mention of the colony's function, although to be fair I only read from Ripley's inquest scene to Russ Jorden getting facehugged.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Local Trouble on May 17, 2016, 03:43:54 PM
Quote from: Xenomrph on May 17, 2016, 03:21:35 PM
Quote from: Local Trouble on May 17, 2016, 12:32:31 PM
Ah, so the rare and exotic substance I've been looking for has been a "thing" in the EU all this time?

http://avp.wikia.com/wiki/Trimonite
Not really, there's a difference between density and hardness. :P
Diamond is very hard, but it's because of the lattice structure of its molecules giving it structural stability, not because the molecules are packed so tightly together.

The super dense mineral on LV-426 doesn't have to be Trimonite, nor does the entire planet have to be composed of it.  Maybe there are scattered deposits of whatever you want to call it near the surface and the core itself is a concentrated sphere of this super dense substance.  Trimonite, to me, is simply an example of why the company bothers with extrasolar mining operations.

Quote from: Xenomrph on May 17, 2016, 03:21:35 PM
Quote
My guess is that they had mines scattered all over the planet along with any mining equipment.  Are you under the impression that we should have seen them in the middle of the colony?
Well I mean, I figured we'd see mining-related equipment near the colony. The vehicles and stuff we see in and around Hadley's Hope are just really generic and don't give much of a hint as to what the colony did other than be a terraforming proof-of-concept. :P

Once the mineral deposits are located by prospectors like the Jordens and the necessary equipment is installed by whomever the company pays to do that sort of thing, maybe the mines themselves are completely automated (just like the Nostromo's refinery and the atmosphere processor).

Quote from: Xenomrph on May 17, 2016, 03:21:35 PM
QuoteNostromo, as an example, was hauling 20 million tons of ore.  How often do you think a colony of 158 could extract that much?
It would take forever. As in, "there has to be a more efficient way". Which kind of makes you wonder if they had massive strip-mining equipment at mines we don't see.

Which is why automated mines make sense to me.

Quote from: Xenomrph on May 17, 2016, 03:21:35 PM
Quote from: SM on May 17, 2016, 09:44:36 AM
The Company co-financed Hadley with the ECA as an advance on mineral rights going by the script and novel.
I figured the novel gave more detail, it's been forever since I read it.
I checked the script online real quick before I posted and didn't see any mention of the colony's function, although to be fair I only read from Ripley's inquest scene to Russ Jorden getting facehugged.

Now that you know that, can you make it all fit?
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Xenomrph on May 17, 2016, 03:55:17 PM
QuoteThe super dense mineral on LV-426 doesn't have to be Trimonite, nor does the entire planet have to be composed of it.  Maybe there are scattered deposits of whatever you want to call it near the surface and the core itself is a concentrated sphere of this super dense substance.
That makes even less sense - the less of the planet is made of the mystery material, the exponentially (reads: impossibly) denser it needs to be to account for the overall density.

Answer me this: why are you so adamant that Lambert's number be right? Just because she said it?

QuoteNow that you know that, can you make it all fit?
I already did: LV-426 is 12,000km, per visual evidence, common scientific knowledge, and basic common sense. :)
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Local Trouble on May 17, 2016, 03:58:53 PM
Quote from: Xenomrph on May 17, 2016, 03:55:17 PM
QuoteThe super dense mineral on LV-426 doesn't have to be Trimonite, nor does the entire planet have to be composed of it.  Maybe there are scattered deposits of whatever you want to call it near the surface and the core itself is a concentrated sphere of this super dense substance.

That makes even less sense - the less of the planet is made of the mystery material, the exponentially (reads: impossibly) denser it needs to be to account for the overall density.

Answer me this: why are you so adamant that Lambert's number be right? Just because she said it?

Yes.  She had the data in front of her face.

Quote from: Xenomrph on May 17, 2016, 03:55:17 PM
QuoteNow that you know that, can you make it all fit?
I already did: LV-426 is 12,000km, per visual evidence, common scientific knowledge, and basic common sense. :)

Common scientific knowledge also tells us that Endor got destroyed when the second Death Star exploded over it.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Xenomrph on May 17, 2016, 04:03:35 PM
QuoteYes.  She had the data in front of her face.
And she mis-read it and dropped a zero. I work with numbers every day, I see people do it all the time. It's called "human error".
Surely you can come up with a better reason?

QuoteCommon scientific knowledge also tells us that Endor got destroyed when the second Death Star exploded over it.
That's hardly comparable, and the Star Wars EU even addressed it specifically.
Likewise, LV-426's size got addressed too: Lambert mis-spoke.

Again, surely you've got a better reason?

Like it's not even like the 12,000 number is a fan construct, it comes from a canon source and specifically addresses an error in the movie. Blindly accepting the movie's number "just cuz" is like the pinnacle of fanboyism and cognitive dissonance.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Local Trouble on May 17, 2016, 04:14:33 PM
Quote from: Xenomrph on May 17, 2016, 04:03:35 PM
QuoteYes.  She had the data in front of her face.

And she mis-read it and dropped a zero. I work with numbers every day, I see people do it all the time. It's called "human error".
Surely you can come up with a better reason?

What does SM say about it?

Quote from: Xenomrph on May 17, 2016, 04:03:35 PM
QuoteCommon scientific knowledge also tells us that Endor got destroyed when the second Death Star exploded over it.
That's hardly comparable, and the Star Wars EU even addressed it specifically.
Likewise, LV-426's size got addressed too: Lambert mis-spoke.

Again, surely you've got a better reason?

Like it's not even like the 12,000 number is a fan construct, it comes from a canon source and specifically addresses an error in the movie. Blindly accepting the movie's number "just cuz" is like the pinnacle of fanboyism and cognitive dissonance.

I don't recall the SW EU ever addressing the inevitable physical consequences of the DS2's explosion over Endor.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: 426Buddy on May 17, 2016, 05:54:25 PM
I like the decimal moving idea, its just easy and believable.

Much easier than trying to defy science with bullcraponium. The idea of the planet actually being that small is dumb, just move the decimal like the Tech Manual did.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Perfect-Organism on May 17, 2016, 05:59:28 PM
What's great about the Aliens series is that it tries to stick to science.  I mean it is still science fiction so there are some deviations, but for the most part, me don't have things like magic, time travel, the force, or the schwartz.  So wherever it is possible to stick to reality, I think it is preferable.  I would suggest that in future printings, a more realistic number for the planet's diameter is used, unless there is a hidden reason for the number being the way it is.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Xenomrph on May 17, 2016, 06:18:46 PM
QuoteWhat does SM say about it?
I already know what SM says (he said it a couple pages ago), I'm asking you. :)

QuoteI don't recall the SW EU ever addressing the inevitable physical consequences of the DS2's explosion over Endor.
Yep, the Rebel fleet anticipated the debris raining down on Endor so they intercepted it in orbit before it could do any damage.

There's a particularly funny comic about an Imperial veteran several decades after Endor, sitting in a bar and telling his story of how the vicious, savage Ewoks methodically dismantled his stormtrooper squad, and he ends his story with "the only thing that lets me sleep at night is the knowledge that the Ewoks all burned in hell when the Death Star's debris rained down on their forest", and another bar patron chimes in and says, "Uhh the Rebel fleet intercepted all of the debris, the Ewoks are fine, dude." And the Imperial veteran has this thousand-yard stare on his face. It's pretty great.

The DS2 debris interception gets mentioned in a couple other EU sources, too.

Quote from: 420Buddy on May 17, 2016, 05:54:25 PM
I like the decimal moving idea, its just easy and believable.

Much easier than trying to defy science with bullcraponium. The idea of the planet actually being that small is dumb, just move the decimal like the Tech Manual did.
Thank you. :)

Quote from: Perfect-Organism on May 17, 2016, 05:59:28 PM
What's great about the Aliens series is that it tries to stick to science.  I mean it is still science fiction so there are some deviations, but for the most part, me don't have things like magic, time travel, the force, or the schwartz.  So wherever it is possible to stick to reality, I think it is preferable.  I would suggest that in future printings, a more realistic number for the planet's diameter is used, unless there is a hidden reason for the number being the way it is.
Don't get me wrong, there's potential for interesting stuff if the planet actually IS an Engineer construct and that's why it's impossibly dense, it's just that no source has even hinted at that. Like, an impossibly dense dwarf planet would be the astronomy find of the millennium, science probes would have picked up on it immediately and you've have science teams swarming all over the place just for its physical properties alone. Like, screw finding alien life, the planet itself would be more scientifically important. We're talking Solaris-level scientific importance and response, not just sending 150 colonists there to toil around in the dirt.

I really wish the WY Report had used some critical thinking and independent thought rather than slavish, dogmatic adherence to "the source material", because not only did it goof up LV-426's size, but it similarly goofed up LV-223 while it was at it (1400km diameter, lol). And LV-223 can't even be blamed on "the source material", since the WY Report was fabricating the number from whole cloth.
At least with the WY Report it can easily be chalked up to a typo "in universe".
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on May 17, 2016, 10:00:22 PM
No hidden reason.  Just the source material.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Xenomrph on May 17, 2016, 10:13:44 PM
Quote from: SM on May 17, 2016, 10:00:22 PM
No hidden reason.  Just the source material.
The flimsiest of reasons, especially when the same source material shows it to be incorrect.

But hey, to each their own I guess. It's all fiction after all. :)
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt - Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: LordCassusSnow on May 18, 2016, 04:02:35 AM
In my opinion, arguing with Xenomrph on the scientific facts presented is basically pointless. The man knows his stuff. And i've certainly learned alot after today. Thank you sir! But these stories should really be looked at, not as THE definitive word but the perspectives of different people telling their own version of a story. Each story is a little different and its up to us to put each bit of information we receive together and make it make as much sense possible. Otherwise, explain to me why Calpamos is rust colored in Alien but blue in Prometheus? Fire and Stone states LV 223 orbits Calpamos sooooo? And how did Ripley n the gang survive the vacuum of space in Aliens??
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on May 18, 2016, 04:35:29 AM
Which "rust colour" and "vacuum" are you referring to?
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Xenomrph on May 18, 2016, 05:43:26 AM
Quote from: LordCassusSnow on May 18, 2016, 04:02:35 AM
But these stories should really be looked at, not as THE definitive word but the perspectives of different people telling their own version of a story. Each story is a little different and its up to us to put each bit of information we receive together and make it make as much sense possible.
I've taken this approach for years, I call it "fuzzy continuity". It's what allows things like both versions of 'Alien3' (or both versions of 'Alien') to coexist, despite having mutually exclusive scenes.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt - Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: LordCassusSnow on May 18, 2016, 03:11:29 PM
Read it again. And xenomrph i'm right with you on that. There are many glaring errors in the films and books that are hard to ignore. Some of which clashes with existing material such as The WY Report vs ACM Tech Manual, and Alien The Illustrated story vs Alien Isolation, to name a couple. I for one would like this stuff polished over and redistributed with updates like James Cameron did for the special edition of Aliens. I definitely enjoy Aliens a little better now without that error in film that looks like a twister when the Jordan family discover the derelict. Or the Alien warrior with bungie cords attatched leaping after Ripley when she's rescuing Newt. It's also getting a bit laughable the tech used in Alien 1-3. Our technology has progressed quite a bit since the 70's and 80's. Maybe fox should have moved the time back and said humanity in the Alien/Predator universe had reached other planets well before 1970? The mention of cholera not being reported for 200 years in Alien 3 would also make sense in that regard.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Xenomrph on May 18, 2016, 03:19:04 PM
QuoteAlien The Illustrated story vs Alien Isolation
It's been years since I read through The Illustrated Story, could you elaborate on this?

Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt - Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: LordCassusSnow on May 18, 2016, 03:44:53 PM
Certainly. In Alien The Illustrated stroy, Dallas is the one to switch off the derelict's warning signal but in Alien Isolation its one of the crew from the Marlow who does this. Also, when compared to Alien, the engineer cockpit is much different than the one in Alien Isolation.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Xenomrph on May 18, 2016, 04:04:35 PM
Quote from: LordCassusSnow on May 18, 2016, 03:44:53 PM
Certainly. In Alien The Illustrated stroy, Dallas is the one to switch off the derelict's warning signal but in Alien Isolation its one of the crew from the Marlow who does this. Also, when compared to Alien, the engineer cockpit is much different than the one in Alien Isolation.
To be fair it's also Dallas who shuts off the Derelict's beacon in the script and novelization, if I remember right. The 'Aliens' script treatment or novelization or something says that the beacon was damaged by seismic activity in the intervening years between 'Alien' and 'Aliens' as a way to explain why the Hadley's Hope never detected the beacon (I guess James Cameron forgot or wasn't aware that Dallas switched it off :P ). So if anything, Isolation was further retconning a retcon. :P
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Perfect-Organism on May 18, 2016, 04:10:48 PM
Quote from: Xenomrph on May 18, 2016, 04:04:35 PM
Quote from: LordCassusSnow on May 18, 2016, 03:44:53 PM
Certainly. In Alien The Illustrated stroy, Dallas is the one to switch off the derelict's warning signal but in Alien Isolation its one of the crew from the Marlow who does this. Also, when compared to Alien, the engineer cockpit is much different than the one in Alien Isolation.
To be fair it's also Dallas who shuts off the Derelict's beacon in the script and novelization, if I remember right. The 'Aliens' script treatment or novelization or something says that the beacon was damaged by seismic activity in the intervening years between 'Alien' and 'Aliens' as a way to explain why the Hadley's Hope never detected the beacon (I guess James Cameron forgot or wasn't aware that Dallas switched it off :P ). So if anything, Isolation was further retconning a retcon. :P

To be really fair, the beacon's deactivation was never addressed openly in either of the films..
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Xenomrph on May 18, 2016, 04:21:16 PM
Well sure, but we were talking about sources outside the movies contradicting each other.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: StrangeShape on May 18, 2016, 05:16:08 PM
Guys, im fine with 1200 km since the alien universe is quite a science bender. Sound in space anyone? Breathable Fury?
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: The Alien Predator on May 18, 2016, 05:32:47 PM
Technically, there sort of is "sound" in space, there's just nothing in the vacuum for vibrations to bounce off of and into your ears.  :P

But I've seen some sources say there's sound in space. You can even check out recordings of noises on youtube.

However, I don't know if we'd actually hear an explosion in space.

As for breathable Fury, I don't see how that's an issue in a world with atmospheric processors.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Xenomrph on May 18, 2016, 05:46:51 PM
Quote from: StrangeShape on May 18, 2016, 05:16:08 PM
Guys, im fine with 1200 km since the alien universe is quite a science bender. Sound in space anyone? Breathable Fury?
But why accept it when it's so easily fixed (and was fixed like 20 years ago)? It's not like the 1200km thing actually serves a plot purpose or is used for narrative effect in any way, it's an honest-to-god mistake made by a scriptwriter without a scientific background (hell, the original 'Alien' script draft had the planet at 120km :D ).

By sound in space I take it you mean the Nostromo exploding? That's used for dramatic effect (and the movie came out two years after Star Wars). Faster-than-light travel and artificial gravity are also nonsense concepts, but they're likewise used for storytelling purposes.
The impossibly small size of LV-426, on the other hand, isn't.

It begs the question, why accept the number just because a character speaks it, especially when that number is contradicted by on-screen evidence and basic common sense, and is so easily fixed?

Also what did you mean by "breathable fury"?

Quote
But I've seen some sources say there's sound in space. You can even check out recordings of noises on youtube.

However, I don't know if we'd actually hear an explosion in space.
There's "sound" in the form of radio wave transmissions, since radio waves are just another part of the non-visible light spectrum. If the explosion has any output in the radio frequency range, you could conceivably "hear" it with a receiver.
But hearing sound in the conventional sense of actual molecules vibrating? No, we wouldn't hear that.

Shit, if you really wanted an explanation for the Nostromo's explosion sound, you could handwave it as literally being the Narcissus' radio receiver picking up the radio frequency waves caused by the blast. :P
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: The Alien Predator on May 18, 2016, 07:06:09 PM
Thanks for clearing that up for me, Xenomrph.  ;D

I always rationalized "sounds" in space of the Alien movies to be ship radios picking up the sounds as it does scientifically make sense to me.

I'm curious about blast waves. Would there be a blast wave after a ship explodes? I heard that if you detonate a nuke in space, there's no blast wave due to a lack of atmosphere and air, so if nukes were involved in a space battle, it'd either be a direct hit or you'd just be unlucky and be caught in the explosion the moment it happens or something.

But in Alien, when the Nostromo explodes you see the Narcissus shook by the blast wave. Similar thing happened in AvP2010 when the Marlowe gets blown up by the Predators, the blast wave smacks your drop ship and eventually something slams into Rookie's head and knocks him out.

Maybe it could be due to some tachyon drive rupture or other technobabble reasons why the blast waves are so violent in the Alien universe when it comes to explosions in space.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Mr. Clemens on May 18, 2016, 09:58:20 PM
Quote from: StrangeShape on May 18, 2016, 05:16:08 PM
Guys, im fine with 1200 km since the alien universe is quite a science bender. Sound in space anyone? Breathable Fury?

Not to mention being able to carry on with a good-sized snake in your chest.  :P
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on May 18, 2016, 10:15:28 PM
Quote from: LordCassusSnow on May 18, 2016, 03:11:29 PM
Read it again. And xenomrph i'm right with you on that. There are many glaring errors in the films and books that are hard to ignore. Some of which clashes with existing material such as The WY Report vs ACM Tech Manual, and Alien The Illustrated story vs Alien Isolation, to name a couple. I for one would like this stuff polished over and redistributed with updates like James Cameron did for the special edition of Aliens. I definitely enjoy Aliens a little better now without that error in film that looks like a twister when the Jordan family discover the derelict. Or the Alien warrior with bungie cords attatched leaping after Ripley when she's rescuing Newt. It's also getting a bit laughable the tech used in Alien 1-3. Our technology has progressed quite a bit since the 70's and 80's. Maybe fox should have moved the time back and said humanity in the Alien/Predator universe had reached other planets well before 1970? The mention of cholera not being reported for 200 years in Alien 3 would also make sense in that regard.

So, you want them to go back and digitally give them holograms and laser guns...?
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Local Trouble on May 18, 2016, 10:32:00 PM
Quote from: Xenomrph on May 18, 2016, 05:46:51 PMAlso what did you mean by "breathable fury"?

I assume he means Fiorina having a naturally-breathable atmosphere.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Xenomrph on May 18, 2016, 10:37:03 PM
Quote from: Local Trouble on May 18, 2016, 10:32:00 PM
Quote from: Xenomrph on May 18, 2016, 05:46:51 PMAlso what did you mean by "breathable fury"?

I assume he means Fiorina having a naturally-breathable atmosphere.
Earth has a naturally breathable atmosphere, why can't another planet? NASA is finding potentially habitable earth-like extrasolar planets on a daily basis.


Quote from: SM on May 18, 2016, 10:15:28 PM
Quote from: LordCassusSnow on May 18, 2016, 03:11:29 PM
Read it again. And xenomrph i'm right with you on that. There are many glaring errors in the films and books that are hard to ignore. Some of which clashes with existing material such as The WY Report vs ACM Tech Manual, and Alien The Illustrated story vs Alien Isolation, to name a couple. I for one would like this stuff polished over and redistributed with updates like James Cameron did for the special edition of Aliens. I definitely enjoy Aliens a little better now without that error in film that looks like a twister when the Jordan family discover the derelict. Or the Alien warrior with bungie cords attatched leaping after Ripley when she's rescuing Newt. It's also getting a bit laughable the tech used in Alien 1-3. Our technology has progressed quite a bit since the 70's and 80's. Maybe fox should have moved the time back and said humanity in the Alien/Predator universe had reached other planets well before 1970? The mention of cholera not being reported for 200 years in Alien 3 would also make sense in that regard.

So, you want them to go back and digitally give them holograms and laser guns...?
If Spielberg can put walkie-talkies in ET...

(I'm being facetious)
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: The Alien Predator on May 18, 2016, 10:46:52 PM
Exactly, plus Fury could've been terraformed.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on May 18, 2016, 10:54:24 PM
Fiorina wasn't terraformed. They just found it like that.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Local Trouble on May 18, 2016, 10:58:01 PM
Quote from: The Alien Predator on May 18, 2016, 10:46:52 PM
Exactly, plus Fury could've been terraformed.

Didn't it have indigenous life?  That would seem to indicate it was naturally habitable.

As I said in an old post (http://www.avpgalaxy.net/forum/index.php?topic=52255.msg2038765#msg2038765), it was always strange to me that a (by our current standards) rare gem of a planet like Fiorina wouldn't be massively colonized, given its atmosphere and gravity were obviously suitable for long-term human habitation.

Then again, it seems to me that the entire planet was the company's private property and not some cooperative effort between Weyland-Yutani and Colonial Administration like LV-426 was.

Hell, maybe artificially engineered "shake and bake" colonies end up being preferable to human settlers than naturally habitable but otherwise unattractive shitholes like Fiorina.

Quote from: SM on May 18, 2016, 10:54:24 PM
Fiorina wasn't terraformed. They just found it like that.

Quote from: Local Trouble on Feb 10, 2015, 10:22:21 PM
Quote from: SM on Jun 26, 2014, 09:59:40 PM
QuoteWas Fiorina terraformed?  That fact that it had indigenous life indicates to me that it wasn't.

I should've emphasised 'after' in my post as I meant to suggest that this could be the after picture rather than before.

He never gave a straight answer to the question, but as a Juilliard-trained SMologist, I can confidently state that he never outright said it was terraformed.

:laugh:
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: The Alien Predator on May 18, 2016, 11:03:42 PM
Quote from: SM on May 18, 2016, 10:54:24 PM
Fiorina wasn't terraformed. They just found it like that.

Where was that stated? I'm curious.

Quote from: Local Trouble on May 18, 2016, 10:58:01 PM
Quote from: The Alien Predator on May 18, 2016, 10:46:52 PM
Exactly, plus Fury could've been terraformed.

Didn't it have indigenous life?  That would seem to indicate it was naturally habitable.

As I said in an old post (http://www.avpgalaxy.net/forum/index.php?topic=52255.msg2038765#msg2038765), it was always strange to me that a (by our current standards) rare gem of a planet like Fiorina wouldn't be massively colonized, given its atmosphere and gravity were obviously suitable for long-term human habitation.

Then again, it seems to me that the entire planet was the company's private property and not some cooperative effort between Weyland-Yutani and Colonial Administration like LV-426 was.

Hell, maybe artificially engineered "shake and bake" colonies end up being preferable to human settlers than naturally habitable but otherwise unattractive shitholes like Fiorina.


I always thought the flea problem was something that humans could've brought along with them from another world. Like how we accidentally spread rats all over Earth from their native countries.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Xenomrph on May 18, 2016, 11:12:32 PM
Quote from: Local Trouble on May 18, 2016, 10:58:01 PM
Quote from: The Alien Predator on May 18, 2016, 10:46:52 PM
Exactly, plus Fury could've been terraformed.

Didn't it have indigenous life?  That would seem to indicate it was naturally habitable.

As I said in an old post (http://www.avpgalaxy.net/forum/index.php?topic=52255.msg2038765#msg2038765), it was always strange to me that a (by our current standards) rare gem of a planet like Fiorina wouldn't be massively colonized, given its atmosphere and gravity were obviously suitable for long-term human habitation.

Then again, it seems to me that the entire planet was the company's private property and not some cooperative effort between Weyland-Yutani and Colonial Administration like LV-426 was.

Hell, maybe artificially engineered "shake and bake" colonies end up being preferable to human settlers than naturally habitable but otherwise unattractive shitholes like Fiorina.

I was thinking the same thing, actually.

Without reading the thread you linked, I could come up with a couple scenarios off the top of my head. Maybe, being an already-habitable planet, Fiorina is one of the "older" colonies (as in, more time for the Company to pollute it, f**k it up, and then bail), or perhaps it's at the crossroads of popular trade routes which make it a convenient dumping ground (or conversely, it's at the ass-end of nowhere, making it unappealing for long-term colonization).

Or like you said, terraforming planets with mining opportunities might be more appealing and profitable than colonizing already-habitable planets that just have real estate and not much else.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Local Trouble on May 18, 2016, 11:23:25 PM
Here's the old thread I started in which I asked a lot of these same questions:

Wouldn't Fiorina be relatively ideal for mass colonization? (http://www.avpgalaxy.net/forum/index.php?topic=50841)
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on May 18, 2016, 11:29:25 PM
QuoteWhere was that stated? I'm curious.

Nowhere specifically from memory.  Though they do seem to have a marked lack of airlocks.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Local Trouble on May 18, 2016, 11:49:22 PM
Quote from: SM on May 18, 2016, 11:29:25 PM
QuoteWhere was that stated? I'm curious.

Nowhere specifically from memory.  Though they do seem to have a marked lack of airlocks.

Funny, I'm pretty sure you just stated it.  Isn't that enough?
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt - Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: LordCassusSnow on May 18, 2016, 11:54:35 PM
The Alien 3 novel states the oceans are a little acidic. And its possible humans could have broughr lice and that parasite evolved due to hostile conditions. It was briefly mentioned in Aliens Invasion i believe. Where humans unwittingly bring along vermin and they evolve on whatever planet they now inhabit.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: The Alien Predator on May 18, 2016, 11:58:56 PM
Quote from: LordCassusSnow on May 18, 2016, 11:54:35 PM
The Alien 3 novel states the oceans are a little acidic. And its possible humans could have broughr lice and that parasite evolved due to hostile conditions. It was briefly mentioned in Aliens Invasion i believe. Where humans unwittingly bring along vermin and they evolve on whatever planet they now inhabit.

Oh yeah.

Also Out of the Shadows mentions some space fleas that infest human ships. And we see this weird bug in Alien: Resurrection, in the alternative intro.

Maybe the fleas of Fury could've come from another world by taking a ride on human ships.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on May 19, 2016, 12:02:36 AM
Indigenous life on the wind-swept planet is extremely
limited. Plant life consists of algae, moss, and a primitive
type of salt grass. The acidic oceans support plankton and a
few rudimentary fishlike species; on land, there are insects
and arthropods. One of these arthropods—an ectoparasite
similar to pediculus humanus capitis (head lice) but
extremely resistant to treatment—is carnivorous and is
drawn to the keratin found in mammalian hair. Inhabitants of
Fiorina 161 were forced to continually shave all body hair.


WYR - pp129
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Local Trouble on May 19, 2016, 12:17:54 AM
Quote from: SM on May 19, 2016, 12:02:36 AM
Indigenous life on the wind-swept planet is extremely
limited. Plant life consists of algae, moss, and a primitive
type of salt grass. The acidic oceans support plankton and a
few rudimentary fishlike species; on land, there are insects
and arthropods. One of these arthropods—an ectoparasite
similar to pediculus humanus capitis (head lice) but
extremely resistant to treatment—is carnivorous and is
drawn to the keratin found in mammalian hair. Inhabitants of
Fiorina 161 were forced to continually shave all body hair.


WYR - pp129

(https://www.avpgalaxy.net/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi63.tinypic.com%2F2utiyr5.gif&hash=f264c5f54ca1c172a36b013ee91b7c0b0e028800)
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt - Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: LordCassusSnow on May 19, 2016, 12:22:36 AM
Your welcome guys ;)


Btw, is that a moon in the scene where we see the horizon and makeshift crucifix? Its gotta be right?
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: The Alien Predator on May 19, 2016, 01:47:12 AM
Quote from: SM on May 19, 2016, 12:02:36 AM
Indigenous life on the wind-swept planet is extremely
limited. Plant life consists of algae, moss, and a primitive
type of salt grass. The acidic oceans support plankton and a
few rudimentary fishlike species; on land, there are insects
and arthropods. One of these arthropods—an ectoparasite
similar to pediculus humanus capitis (head lice) but
extremely resistant to treatment—is carnivorous and is
drawn to the keratin found in mammalian hair. Inhabitants of
Fiorina 161 were forced to continually shave all body hair.


WYR - pp129

Thanks for sharing that, SM, that was really interesting.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on May 19, 2016, 02:06:14 AM
No worries.

It probably a moon when the suns are setting.  Might be a mountain, though nothing that big can be seen when the EEV is crashing.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Corporal Hicks on May 19, 2016, 07:23:44 AM
Quote from: SM on May 18, 2016, 11:29:25 PM
QuoteWhere was that stated? I'm curious.

Nowhere specifically from memory.  Though they do seem to have a marked lack of airlocks.

The history of the facility is covered quite deeply in ADF's Alien 3 novelization. I have vague memories of them talking about the discovery/habitability of the planet in there.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: HuDaFuK on May 19, 2016, 08:37:09 AM
Yeah, I'm pretty sure the novel says much the same as the W-Y Report. The presence of several native species implies it was habitable long before humans got there.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Corporal Hicks on May 20, 2016, 11:45:22 AM
Some details from Tim Lebbon via his Facebook: "I'm in this, writing about the mighty Colonial Marines and aliens that *aren't* xenomorphs (after 4 books, I thought I'd done those sweet critters enough ...)."
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: HuDaFuK on May 20, 2016, 11:50:09 AM
Excellent news. So glad it's going to feature stories that don't involve the Xenomorph.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: 426Buddy on May 20, 2016, 12:48:57 PM
I was wrong lol.  :P

Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: The Alien Predator on May 21, 2016, 09:05:59 PM
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on May 20, 2016, 11:45:22 AM
Some details from Tim Lebbon via his Facebook: "I'm in this, writing about the mighty Colonial Marines and aliens that *aren't* xenomorphs (after 4 books, I thought I'd done those sweet critters enough ...)."

YYYEEESSSS!!!!!!!!!
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt - Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: LordCassusSnow on May 22, 2016, 12:26:00 AM
Speaking of Fury 161, I've just had a preview of Aliens Defiance number 2 and the beach from the opening scene of Alien 3 with the giant cranes is seen in the background of a colonial marines battle. Possibly quelling some kind of massive prisoner uprising?
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Ultramorph on May 22, 2016, 01:48:45 AM
Quote from: The Alien Predator on May 21, 2016, 09:05:59 PM
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on May 20, 2016, 11:45:22 AM
Some details from Tim Lebbon via his Facebook: "I'm in this, writing about the mighty Colonial Marines and aliens that *aren't* xenomorphs (after 4 books, I thought I'd done those sweet critters enough ...)."

YYYEEESSSS!!!!!!!!!

IT'S HAPPENING!
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: The Alien Predator on May 22, 2016, 02:00:09 AM
Quote from: Ultramorph on May 22, 2016, 01:48:45 AM
Quote from: The Alien Predator on May 21, 2016, 09:05:59 PM
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on May 20, 2016, 11:45:22 AM
Some details from Tim Lebbon via his Facebook: "I'm in this, writing about the mighty Colonial Marines and aliens that *aren't* xenomorphs (after 4 books, I thought I'd done those sweet critters enough ...)."

YYYEEESSSS!!!!!!!!!

IT'S HAPPENING!

LITERALLY MAN!

It might be some kind of new alien beast.

Or it could be an technological and intelligent alien race that is hostile, just like River of Pain and Incursion mentioned in one lines. Finally those one lines may be turned into a story!

Maybe even Arcturians show up finally. After so many mentions and that "there are plans for them" hint.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: HuDaFuK on May 22, 2016, 09:11:39 AM
Quote from: LordCassusSnow on May 22, 2016, 12:26:00 AMSpeaking of Fury 161, I've just had a preview of Aliens Defiance number 2 and the beach from the opening scene of Alien 3 with the giant cranes is seen in the background of a colonial marines battle. Possibly quelling some kind of massive prisoner uprising?

The kinda of firepower on display in that scene makes it pretty obvious they aren't fighting prisoners who don't even have access to firearms.

Nothing to say it's not some other random planet simply inspired by the look of Fury.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on May 22, 2016, 10:39:07 AM
Cranes are obviously inspired by Fiorina.  Of course this is set over 40 years earlier.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Ultramorph on Sep 01, 2016, 11:51:07 PM
Bug Hunt is available for pre-order on Amazon, with a release date of April 18, 2017! 18 stories, 368 pages, for a $9.14 price tag.

QuoteEighteen brand new stories—exclusive to this collection—featuring the Colonial Marines in bloody conflict with the deadly Aliens. ALIENS: BUG HUNT will send the marines into deep space, to alien worlds, to derelict space settlements, and into the nests of the universe's most dangerous monsters.

https://www.amazon.com/Aliens-Bug-Hunt-Jonathan-Maberry/dp/1785654446 (https://www.amazon.com/Aliens-Bug-Hunt-Jonathan-Maberry/dp/1785654446)
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Kurai on Sep 02, 2016, 02:08:45 AM
Somehow this is the first time I'm hearing about this and from what I gather... This is going to be amazing! It sounds weird but I'm so glad they aren't focusing on the capital A Aliens alone. I've often hoped for something set around the Colonial Marines in universe but unrelated to the Alien.  :D

So getting this as soon as it hits stores over here.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: The Alien Predator on Sep 02, 2016, 03:48:22 AM
Quote from: Ultramorph on Sep 01, 2016, 11:51:07 PM
Bug Hunt is available for pre-order on Amazon, with a release date of April 18, 2017! 18 stories, 368 pages, for a $9.14 price tag.

QuoteEighteen brand new stories—exclusive to this collection—featuring the Colonial Marines in bloody conflict with the deadly Aliens. ALIENS: BUG HUNT will send the marines into deep space, to alien worlds, to derelict space settlements, and into the nests of the universe's most dangerous monsters.

https://www.amazon.com/Aliens-Bug-Hunt-Jonathan-Maberry/dp/1785654446 (https://www.amazon.com/Aliens-Bug-Hunt-Jonathan-Maberry/dp/1785654446)

YESSJIOCJFVFHFDU!!!

I am SO getting this!!! And the Predator one! And all these new comics n' stuff!

Damn it, Fox, I'm gonna be broke if you keep it at this pace!  :laugh:
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Corporal Hicks on Sep 02, 2016, 07:46:16 AM
That's not too far away! Yay. Really looking forward to this one. I'm hoping they really take the opportunity to branch out.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: HuDaFuK on Sep 02, 2016, 09:05:47 AM
$9.14 in the US but £11.57 (c. $15.35) in the UK?!

Pre-ordered anyway, but damn is that a price hike. Hopefully it'll drop before release.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Whiskeybrewer on Sep 02, 2016, 11:03:55 AM
Quote from: HuDaFuK on Sep 02, 2016, 09:05:47 AM
$9.14 in the US but £11.57 (c. $15.35) in the UK?!

Pre-ordered anyway, but damn is that a price hike. Hopefully it'll drop before release.

I'll try and get a copy from the states lol ;)
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Mr. Clemens on Sep 02, 2016, 01:35:23 PM
I wonder if this is Fox's way of gauging if there's interest in a wider Alien film-verse, a la Star Wars?
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Xenomrph on Sep 03, 2016, 11:13:11 AM
Gah, it looks like it's a large-format paperback (http://www.whatifbooksetc.com/p/difference-between-mass-market-and.html) rather than a mass-market paperback for some reason. Every 'Aliens' (and Predator) novel up to this point has been a mass-market paperback.

I know it's kind of nit-picking, but I like it when my books look uniform on my book shelf. Maybe we'll get lucky and they'll offer a mass-market edition for preorder before release.

Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Corporal Hicks on Sep 05, 2016, 08:36:26 AM
They've done both styles of all the recent Titan novels.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: felix on Sep 05, 2016, 12:32:11 PM
True. I hope we get a Mass Paperback version. They take up less space.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: felix on Sep 14, 2016, 01:23:20 AM
http://titanbooks.com/aliens-bug-hunt-9096/

(https://www.avpgalaxy.net/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fdyn4.media.titanbooks.com%2Fproducts%2F9096%2FBugHunt.jpg.size-230.jpg&hash=d7578a301ff6387e6c1244c7609ccd23f2f23fa0)
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: The Alien Predator on Sep 14, 2016, 01:44:48 AM
It seems like some author names are missing on that list, wasn't Tim Lebbon contributing as well?
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: 426Buddy on Sep 14, 2016, 01:56:27 AM
I think Titan needs to fire the person responsible for choosing their book covers
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SiL on Sep 14, 2016, 03:20:07 AM
That's the most woefully awkward photoshop mashup of the Aliens and AR Aliens I've ever seen, with a bit of "I have no idea what I'm doing" thrown in for the ridges.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: felix on Sep 14, 2016, 03:38:01 AM
It's a long while till April 2017, so its very likely they'll change the Book Cover by then.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Perfect-Organism on Sep 14, 2016, 06:45:41 AM
Worst cover to date.  Titan are going a surprisingly cheap route with these covers.  I'm very disappointed.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on Sep 14, 2016, 06:55:38 AM
What Felix said.

WYR had a very ordinary placeholder cover for a long time too.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Corporal Hicks on Sep 14, 2016, 07:20:32 AM
Quote from: The Alien Predator on Sep 14, 2016, 01:44:48 AM
It seems like some author names are missing on that list, wasn't Tim Lebbon contributing as well?

I don't think they'd be able to fit everyone's name that large on the cover anyway.  :laugh:

Quote from: felix on Sep 14, 2016, 03:38:01 AM
It's a long while till April 2017, so its very likely they'll change the Book Cover by then.

Certainly hope so. While I've been enjoying the books, the covers are just nothing compared to the older painted ones. Bring back Dorman!  :P
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: HuDaFuK on Sep 14, 2016, 08:07:58 AM
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Sep 14, 2016, 07:20:32 AMBring back Dorman!  :P

Dorman only actually did a handful of the covers. Most of them were by John Bolton. Then Stephen Youll did all the DH Press books.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Corporal Hicks on Sep 14, 2016, 08:59:24 AM
Quote from: HuDaFuK on Sep 14, 2016, 08:07:58 AM
Dorman only actually did a handful of the covers. Most of them were by John Bolton.

True true. I'd be happy with either.  :)

QuoteThen Stephen Youll did all the DH Press books.

Those had some element of photoshop to them if I remember rightly. He did do some cool ones though.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SiL on Sep 14, 2016, 10:10:00 AM
Is Bolton still working? I miss his covers. The one for Stronghold with the chestburster was always one of my favourites.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Corporal Hicks on Sep 14, 2016, 11:09:13 AM
I believe so. Seems quite active on social media with new art.

It's about time they got Raymond Swanland back too.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: HuDaFuK on Sep 14, 2016, 12:44:33 PM
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Sep 14, 2016, 08:59:24 AMThose had some element of photoshop to them if I remember rightly. He did do some cool ones though.

Not photoshop per se, but they were digital artwork.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: 426Buddy on Sep 14, 2016, 01:15:38 PM
Well Titan has a track record now of terrible covers so I doubt this one will change.

Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Nostromo on Sep 14, 2016, 01:27:43 PM
Just curious, how come you guys hate it so much lol.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: 426Buddy on Sep 14, 2016, 01:44:06 PM
Because they look like poorly done photoshops or they use screenshots from the colonial marines video game. Its lazy and it makes me not want the book, whats inside is more important obviously but I want something that looks good on my shelf as well.

Back in the day the covers were really great, on par with many of the comic covers.

Then:
Spoiler
(https://www.avpgalaxy.net/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fvignette2.wikia.nocookie.net%2Favp%2Fimages%2F2%2F25%2FAlien_harvest.jpg%2Frevision%2Flatest%3Fcb%3D20150518130001&hash=8cfbaddc848ec3333f2e41816316ca40666650ba)
[close]

Now:
Spoiler
(https://www.avpgalaxy.net/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fvignette3.wikia.nocookie.net%2Favp%2Fimages%2Ff%2Ff8%2FSea_of_Sorrows_Cover.jpg%2Frevision%2Flatest%3Fcb%3D20141224100849&hash=c52bc96e1369b633cb31433606c870c7cb66c058)
[close]
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Nostromo on Sep 14, 2016, 01:48:23 PM
It's amazing how everyone has different tastes. I like all the new titan alien covers of their last 5 Novels and hate the 90's Novel covers... shoot me now.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: 426Buddy on Sep 14, 2016, 01:59:09 PM
Well each to their own I guess.

I'll take original painted art covers over shabby photoshop mash-ups and video game screenshots any day. ;)

So far this is the only Titan novel cover that I liked
Spoiler
(https://www.avpgalaxy.net/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fvignette4.wikia.nocookie.net%2Favp%2Fimages%2F3%2F32%2FOut_of_the_Shadows_Cover.jpg%2Frevision%2Flatest%3Fcb%3D20141224100817&hash=13afb41b7b92e8430c7de004e88513536611bcb8)
[close]
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Mr. Clemens on Sep 14, 2016, 04:26:29 PM
That is the most derpy-ass alien I have ever seen. Hope to god it's a placeholder.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Ultramorph on Sep 14, 2016, 06:32:58 PM
Maybe that alien hatched out of an Arcturian!  :laugh:
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: HuDaFuK on Sep 14, 2016, 06:38:11 PM
The worst part about the cover is it hasn't even been photoshopped well. Just look at the saliva around the teeth. It looks like someone cut it out in MS Paint.

(https://www.avpgalaxy.net/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fdyn4.media.titanbooks.com%2Fproducts%2F9096%2FBugHunt.jpg&hash=96cfdece8641051e54fdcdc54a09e12df4736ac5)
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Perfect-Organism on Sep 14, 2016, 07:37:20 PM
Man that alien head is all wrong.  The forehead is way too small.  The ridges at the top of the head happen way too much in front.  It's like the perspective went for a walk somehow.  What's with the upper teeth?  Just horrific.  In a bad way.  Sorry, I hate to nock an artist's work, but I can't stand hack work.

I do notice that the book comes from the Aliens imprint, with the Aliens classic logo.  Hope that means good things...
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Nostromo on Sep 14, 2016, 10:51:50 PM
This is my favorite all time Novel cover:

Actually one of the best Alien designs I've ever seen, I wonder who drew them? Aliens Steel Egg from DH

(https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/b4/c2/05/b4c205d485c80d97c2b6d648d95a82a0.jpg)
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: HuDaFuK on Sep 15, 2016, 08:05:35 AM
A guy called Stephen Youll did all the digital covers for the DH Press books.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Corporal Hicks on Oct 20, 2016, 08:14:36 AM
A bit about Tim Lebbon's story for Bug Hunt. It is related to the Rage War -

QuoteThat's another Halley story!  This time with the DevilDogs you'll recognise from the Rage War books, they come up against creatures called fire spites (mention in the third Rage War book ... the Yautja have a sample of one in their asteroid).
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Nostromo on Oct 20, 2016, 10:54:28 AM
Quote from: Perfect-Organism on Sep 14, 2016, 07:37:20 PM
Man that alien head is all wrong.  The forehead is way too small.  The ridges at the top of the head happen way too much in front.  It's like the perspective went for a walk somehow.  What's with the upper teeth?  Just horrific.  In a bad way.  Sorry, I hate to nock an artist's work, but I can't stand hack work.

I do notice that the book comes from the Aliens imprint, with the Aliens classic logo.  Hope that means good things...

Is this the same Alien as in the Bug Hunt cover? (The one with the small forehead) This is one great looking Alien body!!

(https://www.avpgalaxy.net/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fvignette2.wikia.nocookie.net%2Favp%2Fimages%2F5%2F50%2FAlien-_River_of_Pain_Cover_V2.jpg%2Frevision%2Flatest%3Fcb%3D20141224100214&hash=d81f96fe9e79e9bce247513b217bc64d11799b5b)
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: 426Buddy on Oct 20, 2016, 12:41:13 PM
Just looks like bad photoshop to me.

Sure the alien doesn't look bad. The image though looks like someone cut an alien pic out of a magazine and used a glue stick to paste it on another image.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Nostromo on Oct 22, 2016, 01:01:07 PM
Meh...I just see a really well drawn Alien, especially its body. I couldn't care less if they took that picture and stuck it up someone's ass lol. The picture and drawing of the Allen is there, it has a near perfect body and that's all I see or care about. I see some nice corridor in the background as well. :)
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: 426Buddy on Oct 22, 2016, 01:10:18 PM
I'm not sure its even a drawing, I think its a picture with some amateur Photoshop done to it. It probably started as a pic of an alien from a video game like their other covers.

Oh well its better than the rage war covers but not by much.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Nostromo on Oct 22, 2016, 01:10:33 PM
Quote from: felix on Sep 14, 2016, 01:23:20 AM
http://titanbooks.com/aliens-bug-hunt-9096/

http://dyn4.media.titanbooks.com/products/9096/BugHunt.jpg.size-230.jpg

This however doesn't look well done at all.

PS> Are you a robot? 426buddy is a god damn robot! :) How did you answer so fast lol.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: 426Buddy on Oct 22, 2016, 02:33:24 PM
Just good timing I suppose  :D
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: HuDaFuK on Oct 22, 2016, 06:52:52 PM
Quote from: Nostromo on Oct 22, 2016, 01:01:07 PMMeh...I just see a really well drawn Alien, especially its body.

It's not drawn. The River of Pain cover is just a screenshot from ACM.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: PRJ_since1990 on Oct 22, 2016, 08:38:25 PM
Quote from: HuDaFuK on Oct 22, 2016, 06:52:52 PM
Quote from: Nostromo on Oct 22, 2016, 01:01:07 PMMeh...I just see a really well drawn Alien, especially its body.

It's not drawn. The River of Pain cover is just a screenshot from ACM.
Seems like all the new novel covers are the last thing on the publishers minds. While the artwork on a novel has little to do with the quality of the story inside, the older novels definitely have a sense of uniqueness with their artwork, which added to their special-ness.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: 426Buddy on Oct 23, 2016, 01:17:57 AM
Quote from: PRJ_since1990 on Oct 22, 2016, 08:38:25 PM
Quote from: HuDaFuK on Oct 22, 2016, 06:52:52 PM
Quote from: Nostromo on Oct 22, 2016, 01:01:07 PMMeh...I just see a really well drawn Alien, especially its body.

It's not drawn. The River of Pain cover is just a screenshot from ACM.
Seems like all the new novel covers are the last thing on the publishers minds. While the artwork on a novel has little to do with the quality of the story inside, the older novels definitely have a sense of uniqueness with their artwork, which added to their special-ness.

Exactly, I much prefer original art myself.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: HuDaFuK on Oct 23, 2016, 10:03:55 AM
Oh definitely, I've said several times how I really miss the old artwork-style covers.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: felix on Oct 30, 2016, 08:44:45 AM
It details the list of authors for BUG HUNT.
http://media.titanbooks.com/filebrowser/2016_rightsguide-frankfurt.pdf

Omnibus Vol 5 will include the "Original Sin" and "DNA War" Books.

Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Corporal Hicks on Oct 30, 2016, 08:48:40 AM
Full list: Dan Abnett - multiple New York Times bestselling author and co-creator of the Guardians of the
Galaxy featured in the movie
Rachel Caine - NYT bestselling urban fantasy and science fiction author
Larry Correia - NYT bestselling author of the 'Monster Hunter' series
Keith R.A. DeCandido - Scribe finalist whose works include Star Trek, Supernatural, Stargate SG-1
and many others
David Farland - NYT bestselling fantasy author
Matt Forbeck - NYT bestselling author of Halo: First Blood
Ray Garton - bestselling author of over sixty books and recipient of the Grandmaster Award
from the World Horror Convention
Christopher Golden - #1 New York Times bestseller and author of Alien: River of Pain
Heather Graham - international bestselling author of over seventy suspense novels
Brian Keene - bestselling horror author and comic book writer
Paul Kupperberg - former editor in chief for DC Comics, and a prolific writer of comics and
newspaper strips
Tim Lebbon - author of NY Times bestselling novelisation of the movie 30 Days of Night, Alien:
Out of the Shadows, Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi - Into the Void),
James A. Moore - bestselling author of twenty-five novels including his own Seven Forges series
Yvonne Navarro - Bram Stoker award-winning author of the Dark Redemption Series
Weston Ochse - Stoker Award-winning author of Seal Team 666
Mike Resnick - five times Hugo Award-winning author
Scott Sigler - NYT bestselling science fiction author
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt - Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Lonely Universe on Oct 30, 2016, 10:12:37 PM
Of all the new stuff coming out I'm the most excited for this book, even over Alien: Covenant! I love anthologies, & I miss all the random stories we used to get from Dark Horse. This is gonna be incredible.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: BountyHunter on Dec 26, 2016, 09:34:43 PM
Do we have an actual release date for this yet? I'm dyin' over here.  :laugh:
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: felix on Dec 27, 2016, 03:04:52 AM
April 18th next year.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: BountyHunter on Dec 27, 2016, 03:41:49 PM
Well, that's still a ways off.  But not too far.  :)
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Corporal Hicks on Dec 27, 2016, 04:38:08 PM
Just in time for Alien Day.  :)
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Engineer on Dec 31, 2016, 09:19:31 PM
I just pre ordered this :-)
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: felix on Jan 01, 2017, 04:09:48 AM
I wonder if they'll be a Paperback version?
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Engineer on Jan 01, 2017, 04:31:50 AM
Quote from: felix on Jan 01, 2017, 04:09:48 AM
I wonder if they'll be a Paperback version?
Yes there is... according to amazon's pre order options anyway... also a kindle version, if you're into that.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: felix on Jan 01, 2017, 08:25:41 AM
I prefer Mass Paperbacks. They're smaller, more easy to pack.

I don't trust Electronic Media (I prefer the actual feel of a book between my fingers)
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: The Alien Predator on Jan 01, 2017, 03:56:52 PM
Quote from: felix on Jan 01, 2017, 08:25:41 AM
I prefer Mass Paperbacks. They're smaller, more easy to pack.

I don't trust Electronic Media (I prefer the actual feel of a book between my fingers)

Same here. Also paperbacks tend to be cheaper.  :P

And I like the feel and even the smell of books, it's so therapeutic as I am reading in my corner.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Engineer on Jan 01, 2017, 04:36:25 PM
Quote from: The Alien Predator on Jan 01, 2017, 03:56:52 PM
Quote from: felix on Jan 01, 2017, 08:25:41 AM
I prefer Mass Paperbacks. They're smaller, more easy to pack.

I don't trust Electronic Media (I prefer the actual feel of a book between my fingers)

Same here. Also paperbacks tend to be cheaper.  :P

And I like the feel and even the smell of books, it's so therapeutic as I am reading in my corner.
I prefer the hard cover as long as it's reasonably priced. They're more durable, and it just feels more natural holding a hard cover while reading...
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt - Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Lonely Universe on Jan 01, 2017, 05:07:29 PM
I'm a hardcover guy, but I'll be getting the paperback for this one since all my other Alien novels are that format.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Xenomrph on Jan 01, 2017, 07:55:20 PM
I have a gazillion books, so hardcovers take up way too much space on my shelf. I'd rather buy the less expensive copy that also takes on less space in my house.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Engineer on Jan 01, 2017, 09:50:49 PM
Well then... sounds like a lot of people will be excited to learn that it will be available as a paperback! :-)
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Xenomrph on Jan 02, 2017, 04:11:50 AM
Unfortunately it's not coming as a mass-market paperback. Yes there's a difference, haha.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Engineer on Jan 02, 2017, 04:15:09 AM
Oh! My mistake. You're right! Sorry, didn't mean to get anyone's hopes up. I was too focused on the "hard cover" option, and didn't pay close enough attention to the paperback option...
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: The Alien Predator on Jan 02, 2017, 05:32:04 AM
I ain't letting that stop me from getting the book, Goddammit! My fanboyism is too strong for this.  :laugh:
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Xenomrph on Jan 02, 2017, 06:00:40 PM
Oh don't get me wrong, I've still got it preordered, I'm just a little miffed that it's not a mass market paperback - it's gonna look a little goofy on my shelf alongside all my other Alien/Predator/AvP books that are all the same size. :P
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: The Alien Predator on Jan 02, 2017, 08:37:54 PM
I understand that. I was very careful when getting the Rage War trilogy, I made sure they're all paperbacks and the same size (as some are smaller, I think it's the US editions which are smaller in size despite being paperbacks.)

So anything part of a series, I prefer it to be a matching set. But if it's a standalone book of that franchise, then I can tolerate it. But like you said, hardbacks can be huge and take up more space than paperbacks.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: RidgeTop on Feb 13, 2017, 06:52:12 PM
Hardcover has an updated cover on Amazon. Still pretty bad. 

(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51aztRlRinL._SX344_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg)
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: 426Buddy on Feb 13, 2017, 06:55:46 PM
Oh jesus thats terrible...

Please let this be a place holder, give us something by Den Beauvais or Dave Dorman. But please no more of this pathetic photoshop art garbage.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Corporal Hicks on Feb 13, 2017, 07:35:20 PM
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I completely agree. Give me some Raymond Swanland, God damn it!
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Mr. Clemens on Feb 14, 2017, 04:50:59 PM
I feel like, if there were an Aliens breakfast cereal, that's what the box would look like - just with a bowl of it on a table to the right.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Machiko Naguchi on Feb 15, 2017, 07:53:06 PM
Quote from: Mr. Clemens on Feb 14, 2017, 04:50:59 PM
I feel like, if there were an Aliens breakfast cereal, that's what the box would look like - just with a bowl of it on a table to the right.

Haha! I can see it in my head right now.   ;D
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Ultramorph on Feb 15, 2017, 10:51:31 PM
Hopefully the stories themselves are good. I'm hoping for a good mix of time periods, and maybe, just maybe an Arcturian.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Perfect-Organism on Feb 17, 2017, 08:11:38 AM
What's that golden splotch on its forehead?  It's like the Gorbachev of aliens...
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on Feb 17, 2017, 08:50:27 AM
Reflection of a nuke dropping on it from orbit.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SiL on Feb 17, 2017, 09:23:17 AM
Why are they doing this. Why do they not just use a still. Or decent art. Jesus Christ.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Corporal Hicks on Mar 10, 2017, 03:19:49 PM
http://scottsigler.com/book/aliens-bug-hunt/

Scott Sigler's short is called Dangerous Prey.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: LastSurvivor92 on Mar 17, 2017, 02:32:12 AM
Ever since River of Pain by Christopher Golden I have been COUNTING DOWN the days until the Bug Hunt novel arrives. River of Pain was one of the few Alien novels in the series that actually did justice for the Alien film franchise and I seriously can't wait to see what Bug Hunt has in store!! :o :o UBER Excited!!!
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Corporal Hicks on Mar 21, 2017, 06:32:27 PM
We're going to be doing a big Q&A with the authors. As always I wanted to open the floor to any questions you guys and girls may have - ones for everyone, ones for specific authors, etc. Deadline is Friday.  :)
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: HuDaFuK on Mar 21, 2017, 07:00:12 PM
Are any characters from existing stories going to be making an appearance? (I'm sure you already had that one planned!)
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Ultramorph on Mar 21, 2017, 07:05:45 PM
Are we going to meet an Arcturian?
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Engineer on Mar 21, 2017, 07:56:53 PM
Will we revisit any of the places we've seen before? i.e., Lv-426, Lv-223, lv-178 (I think I got that one right), fury 161, sulaco, sevastopol, etc...? Or will the locations be all new places?
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: The Alien Predator on Mar 21, 2017, 08:50:45 PM
Quote from: Ultramorph on Mar 21, 2017, 07:05:45 PM
Are we going to meet an Arcturian?

You beat me to it!

Well, if not an Arcturian, are we going to see any other intelligent species mentioned or met?
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Xenomrph on Mar 22, 2017, 01:01:07 AM
Quote from: The Alien Predator on Mar 21, 2017, 08:50:45 PM
Quote from: Ultramorph on Mar 21, 2017, 07:05:45 PM
Are we going to meet an Arcturian?

You beat me to it!

Well, if not an Arcturian, are we going to see any other intelligent species mentioned or met?
To expand on this, are any other species (indigenous, nonsentient, whatever) going to show up in any capacity?

What is the range of the timeframe that the stories take place? In between any of the movies? Centuries later?

Are there any stories centered around movie characters (like how the Predator anthology is going to have the Harrigan/Garber story)?

How much freedom did the authors have in picking their subject material? Was there anything that was off-limits, or anything that was mandated that they had to include?
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Engineer on Mar 22, 2017, 03:29:22 AM
Is there any connectivity, subtle or blatant, between the stories in this anthology? For example, do any of these stories make any references or connections to the characters, places and/or events in other stories also appearing in this anthology?
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Mr. Clemens on Mar 22, 2017, 04:45:54 PM
Who's to blame for that ghastly cover?  :D
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: 426Buddy on Mar 22, 2017, 05:27:12 PM
Quote from: Mr. Clemens on Mar 22, 2017, 04:45:54 PM
Who's to blame for that ghastly cover?  :D

Great question!

Hopefully the response is that the cover is just a placeholder.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Corporal Hicks on Mar 24, 2017, 09:37:11 AM
Quote from: Mr. Clemens on Mar 22, 2017, 04:45:54 PM
Who's to blame for that ghastly cover?  :D

None of the others though and unfortunately I think it is the final cover. I'll likely mention the photoshopped covers again in my review of this one.

I'm putting the final touchs on the questions to send over to Bryan later today. Thanks to those who submitted.  :)
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: The Alien Predator on Mar 24, 2017, 06:10:16 PM
You're welcome, Hicks, thanks for helping forward our questions. I am really excited to read the answers.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Ultramorph on Mar 27, 2017, 01:26:50 AM
Shoot, I didn't think to ask if Abnett's story ties in with the Life and Death comics.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: The Alien Predator on Mar 27, 2017, 02:31:47 AM
Or any of the current comics.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Corporal Hicks on Mar 27, 2017, 07:50:11 AM
I asked a general connection question that should cover it.  :)
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: The Alien Predator on Mar 27, 2017, 10:47:57 PM
Cheers mate.  :)
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Ultramorph on Mar 30, 2017, 12:21:52 AM
iTunes has a preview, which includes the first story in its entirety!
https://itun.es/us/pg-Ydb.l (https://itun.es/us/pg-Ydb.l)


Just read it, it has
Spoiler
giant flying squids and giant xenos.

Also, Abnett's story is called Reaper. Fingers crossed it has the Reaper aliens from that old comic.
[close]
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: The Alien Predator on Mar 30, 2017, 01:41:53 AM
Wow, that's really interesting! The
Spoiler
giant flying squids is going into the weird aliens territory that South China Sea loved exploring in the Predator's flashbacks. I also hope the Reapers show up again, that's be epic.
[close]
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Corporal Hicks on Mar 30, 2017, 09:41:50 AM
Do we need iTunes to read the preview? I can't see it on the browser.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Engineer on Mar 30, 2017, 02:22:05 PM
Probably need iBooks app
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Ultramorph on Mar 30, 2017, 10:45:08 PM
Yeah unfortunately you need an iPhone. Google abooks should have the same preview up shortly.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: The Alien Predator on Mar 30, 2017, 11:12:01 PM
Hopefully. I remember GoogleBooks eventually had the Rage War books up even before they got released.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on Mar 30, 2017, 11:17:38 PM
Good 'cos it's murder trying to access it through iTunes.

Click the link above, takes you to the iTunes webpage, click the button to access through the iTunes app, it tries to download iTunes which I already have.
Search in iTunes app, no results.
Try it via iPhone, 'Not available in your iTunes store do you want to change?' - yes please.  Search finally able to find it on ITunes store on my phone.  Click Sample, 3/4 loads, button reverts back to Sample.

Think I'll wait...
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Engineer on Mar 30, 2017, 11:32:47 PM
I had no trouble on my iPhone...
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: felix on Apr 05, 2017, 02:30:46 AM
Preview is up.
https://books.google.com.sg/books?id=KZyPDgAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false

By the way, the ALIEN COVENANT prequel book is titled ALIEN COVENANT: ORIGINS.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: HuDaFuK on Apr 05, 2017, 09:43:01 AM
I notice there will be a hardback edition as well as the regular paperback.

Also the release date says April 18... Surprised they'd release it so close to Alien Day, but not actually on the day itself.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt - Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: bobby brown on Apr 05, 2017, 11:43:14 AM
Fu*k me that's an ugly rendition of an alien. :-X
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Corporal Hicks on Apr 05, 2017, 12:42:52 PM
Quote from: bobby brown on Apr 05, 2017, 11:43:14 AM
Fu*k me that's an ugly rendition of an alien. :-X

Tell me about it. Really hoping Titan start to do original covers instead of all these game screenshots and bad photoshop jobs.  :'(

I enjoyed the first story! I've not bothered starting Abnett's since it cuts off after a few pages. Quite enjoyed the first one. Pretty fun and nice to see some variety in there! Not sure why the need to mention it being in the same system as Zeta 2 Reticuli, though. Loved the visuals of the hive though. That was pretty cool. I liked the end...thought the description of the egg was odd though. Guess it was a baby one?
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Xenomorphine on Apr 05, 2017, 12:58:55 PM
Glad they make a point in the introduction about this not being intended to be treated as canonical...
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: HuDaFuK on Apr 05, 2017, 02:22:02 PM
Having now read the synopsis in Galaxy's news article, I'm a little disappointed it sounds like this is mostly going to be about Marines fighting Aliens time and time again.

I was kinda hoping the majority of the stories would be about something new and different.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Corporal Hicks on Apr 05, 2017, 02:25:55 PM
Read the foreword, it makes it sounds like that kind of story is quite sparse.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt - Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Huggs on Apr 05, 2017, 05:31:00 PM
More tales from the Aliens Universe, what's not to like. ;D  The multiple short story setup sounds great. I'm a huge World War Z fan; I'd love to see someone pen something similar to that for Aliens someday. Maybe tell the story of an infestation from multiple viewpoints. The accidental discovery, an initial fight, the return, the patient treatment in medlab, people going missing, the infestation, the fight to escape. Basic alien formula, in a wwz format. Maybe like a collection of Wey-Yu debriefings from an event.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: JokersWarPig on Apr 05, 2017, 05:53:49 PM
Quote from: HuDaFuK on Apr 05, 2017, 02:22:02 PM
Having now read the synopsis in Galaxy's news article, I'm a little disappointed it sounds like this is mostly going to be about Marines fighting Aliens time and time again.

I'd honestly be completely ok with that because I'm a USCM fanboy
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: HuDaFuK on Apr 05, 2017, 05:59:41 PM
I love the Marines too, which is why I'd like to see them doing something except the same thing they've done in every single story they've been in so far.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: JokersWarPig on Apr 05, 2017, 06:09:50 PM
Quote from: HuDaFuK on Apr 05, 2017, 05:59:41 PM
I love the Marines too, which is why I'd like to see them doing something except the same thing they've done in every single story they've been in so far.

I'm only familiar with their stories from the games, the movie, Berserker and the newer Life & Death comics. I read the original run of Colonial Marines a few years ago but I don't remember much. I know what you mean though, I wouldn't mind seeing them fight another similarly equipped military force.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt - Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: King Xeno on Apr 05, 2017, 06:09:57 PM
I'm with you on this! Would love to read about some conflicts the USCM have been involved with that have not included xenos. I do look forward to this book but it would be cool to expand the lore of the corps!
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Ultramorph on Apr 05, 2017, 06:38:50 PM
Looks like a reverse iTunes problem: I can't see the Google preview on my phone. I'm curious about Abnett's story and was hoping to check out the first few pages.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on Apr 05, 2017, 09:18:40 PM
Quote from: HuDaFuK on Apr 05, 2017, 02:22:02 PM
Having now read the synopsis in Galaxy's news article, I'm a little disappointed it sounds like this is mostly going to be about Marines fighting Aliens time and time again.

I was kinda hoping the majority of the stories would be about something new and different.

Maberry's intro says not just Marine fighting Aliens.

The Sulaco crew are in one story.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: The Alien Predator on Apr 05, 2017, 09:25:45 PM
That preview was quite an enjoyable read, I like the new planet that was explored and some of the flora and fauna were interesting.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: HuDaFuK on Apr 06, 2017, 07:57:54 AM
Quote from: SM on Apr 05, 2017, 09:18:40 PMMaberry's intro says not just Marine fighting Aliens.

Yeah, I know there are some stories in there that don't have Aliens, but the blurb on the back makes it sound like the vast majority are Marines vs. Aliens. How many times do these guys bump into bugs? Pesky things must be everywhere.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Xenomrph on Apr 06, 2017, 09:37:51 AM
Quote from: HuDaFuK on Apr 05, 2017, 05:59:41 PM
I love the Marines too, which is why I'd like to see them doing something except the same thing they've done in every single story they've been in so far.
Are you familiar with the old Leading Edge 'Aliens' RPG? The premise was all about the USCM dealing with stuff other than capital-A Aliens.

Quote from: Xenomorphine on Apr 05, 2017, 12:58:55 PM
Glad they make a point in the introduction about this not being intended to be treated as canonical...
Tell me more.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: HuDaFuK on Apr 06, 2017, 09:43:11 AM
Quote from: Xenomrph on Apr 06, 2017, 09:37:51 AMAre you familiar with the old Leading Edge 'Aliens' RPG?

Only by name.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Xenomrph on Apr 06, 2017, 09:58:46 AM
Quote from: HuDaFuK on Apr 06, 2017, 09:43:11 AM
Quote from: Xenomrph on Apr 06, 2017, 09:37:51 AMAre you familiar with the old Leading Edge 'Aliens' RPG?

Only by name.
I'd highly recommend it if you can track down a copy, it sounds like it would be right up your alley. Capital-A Aliens are in it, but they largely take a back seat to the Colonial Marines dealing with, well, literally anything else. :P Colonist uprisings, corporate disputes, indigenous lifeforms, all kinds of stuff.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Corporal Hicks on Apr 06, 2017, 10:02:50 AM
Quote from: HuDaFuK on Apr 06, 2017, 09:43:11 AM
Quote from: Xenomrph on Apr 06, 2017, 09:37:51 AMAre you familiar with the old Leading Edge 'Aliens' RPG?

Only by name.

PM incoming.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Mr. Clemens on Apr 06, 2017, 09:43:07 PM
Quote from: Xenomrph on Apr 06, 2017, 09:58:46 AM
Quote from: HuDaFuK on Apr 06, 2017, 09:43:11 AM
Quote from: Xenomrph on Apr 06, 2017, 09:37:51 AMAre you familiar with the old Leading Edge 'Aliens' RPG?

Only by name.
I'd highly recommend it if you can track down a copy, it sounds like it would be right up your alley. Capital-A Aliens are in it, but they largely take a back seat to the Colonial Marines dealing with, well, literally anything else. :P Colonist uprisings, corporate disputes, indigenous lifeforms, all kinds of stuff.

I second all this, but also feel it's my responsibility to point out that the game rules are absolute rubbish - borderline unplayable. The lore however is awesome, and worth the price of admission alone.  8)
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: HuDaFuK on Apr 06, 2017, 09:54:47 PM
Hicks may or may not have furnished me with a digital copy of the book :)
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Xenomrph on Apr 07, 2017, 02:12:42 AM
Quote from: Mr. Clemens on Apr 06, 2017, 09:43:07 PM
Quote from: Xenomrph on Apr 06, 2017, 09:58:46 AM
Quote from: HuDaFuK on Apr 06, 2017, 09:43:11 AM
Quote from: Xenomrph on Apr 06, 2017, 09:37:51 AMAre you familiar with the old Leading Edge 'Aliens' RPG?

Only by name.
I'd highly recommend it if you can track down a copy, it sounds like it would be right up your alley. Capital-A Aliens are in it, but they largely take a back seat to the Colonial Marines dealing with, well, literally anything else. :P Colonist uprisings, corporate disputes, indigenous lifeforms, all kinds of stuff.

I second all this, but also feel it's my responsibility to point out that the game rules are absolute rubbish - borderline unplayable. The lore however is awesome, and worth the price of admission alone.  8)
I bought the book specifically for the lore. I've actually done that with several RPG books.

Quote from: HuDaFuK on Apr 06, 2017, 09:54:47 PM
Hicks may or may not have furnished me with a digital copy of the book :)
Let us know what you think after you read it. :)
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Russ840 on Apr 07, 2017, 09:44:06 AM
How can I play this game ?
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on Apr 07, 2017, 10:29:47 AM
I think anyone who might've played it 26 years ago, probably stopped 25 years and 364 days ago.

The Aliens board game also produced by Leading Edge around the same time and since digitised was far superior.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Whiskeybrewer on Apr 07, 2017, 10:30:42 AM
Quote from: SM on Apr 07, 2017, 10:29:47 AM
I think anyone who might've played it 26 years ago, probably stopped 25 years and 364 days ago.

The Aliens board game also produced by Leading Edge around the same time and since digitised was far superior.

So how to i get a hold of that one? lol
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on Apr 07, 2017, 07:22:49 PM
Dunno.  Maybe Hicks is bootlegging that as well.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Russ840 on Apr 07, 2017, 07:27:14 PM
Just had a look through the book. Very detailed but I have no idea what I'm looking at. I have never played a game like it. No idea what to do
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on Apr 07, 2017, 07:42:48 PM
A role playing game requires at least two players - a player and a game master.  The player creates a character and the game master controls the world the character inhabits along with any other characters.  The character has a mission, with obstacles and fights and stuff that are decided by dice rolls.  Sometimes there are miniature gaming pieces to tracks the progress, but mostly the action occurs in the players heads.

Gaming systems are turn based (eg you decide to fire a weapon at an enemy, so roll a dice to determine the accuracy of your shot; sometimes the enemy can roll a dice to see if they can dodge.  If you hit, you roll a dice to determin how much damage you did to them.  Then it's their turn etc).  From all reports the Aliens RPG was very complex and not at all user friendly.  Combat systems need to flow quickly.  If they get bogged down in detail, and it takes ages to sort out a firefight that'd be over in 30 seconds (real time), it can get boring.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Russ840 on Apr 07, 2017, 07:46:58 PM
I see. So like Dungeons & Dragons ?  I have never play anything like it or been exposed to. Sounds bloody complicated.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on Apr 07, 2017, 08:42:02 PM
Yeah same as D&D.  Complexity varies from game to game.  In some games, for instance, you just have hit points, and once you lose them all you're dead.  It gets more complex when you have hit locations - you can get wounded in an arm or leg which affects your attack strength or speed until it's healed.  And then it can depend on how many different types of dice you use.  D&D uses 4-sided, 6-sided, 8-sided, 10-sided, 12-sided and 20-sided dice.  But the old (and very successful) Star Wars RPG only used 6-sided dice.

The different systems are endless.  I read the Aliens RPG a couple of times and it relies on a lot of detailed referencing of tables.  It can make the game realistic, but extremely slow.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Russ840 on Apr 07, 2017, 09:27:40 PM
I'll give that book a read. Does seem interesting lots of lore there
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on Apr 07, 2017, 09:50:48 PM
The stuff about different planets and the half dozen or so species is interesting, but pretty sparse.

But considering the time it was produced there was the RPG and some comics and that was about it.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Xenomrph on Apr 08, 2017, 05:02:16 AM
Quote from: Whiskeybrewer on Apr 07, 2017, 10:30:42 AM
Quote from: SM on Apr 07, 2017, 10:29:47 AM
I think anyone who might've played it 26 years ago, probably stopped 25 years and 364 days ago.

The Aliens board game also produced by Leading Edge around the same time and since digitised was far superior.

So how to i get a hold of that one? lol
You can play a faithful digital recreation of it here (http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/408816).

Warning: it's hard as balls, expect to get your ass kicked. A lot.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Mr. Clemens on Apr 08, 2017, 09:27:14 PM
Man, my friends and I played that Leading Edge ALIENS board game to death. Mine, along with the (separately sold) lead miniatures and the roleplaying game went on eBay for $250... probably to one of you guys.  :D
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Xenomrph on Apr 09, 2017, 05:34:11 AM
I've got the Queen miniature, I still need to assemble and paint it.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: TheBATMAN on Apr 09, 2017, 10:02:54 AM
Didn't think this was out yet but just found it today in Waterstones. Flicking through at least two stories feature the marines from Aliens and another appears to be about the origins of Bishop.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Mr. Clemens on Apr 09, 2017, 12:40:15 PM
Quote from: Xenomrph on Apr 09, 2017, 05:34:11 AM
I've got the Queen miniature, I still need to assemble and paint it.

I had that! I was a pretty amateur painter back then, so I just base-coated it in black and then drybrushed it with light blue and it looked awesome with even that little effort.  :)
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Corporal Hicks on Apr 09, 2017, 12:47:36 PM
Quote from: TheBATMAN on Apr 09, 2017, 10:02:54 AM
Didn't think this was out yet but just found it today in Waterstones. Flicking through at least two stories feature the marines from Aliens and another appears to be about the origins of Bishop.

They must have put it out really early. Which Waterstones?
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: TheBATMAN on Apr 09, 2017, 02:00:41 PM
Carlisle.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Ultramorph on Apr 09, 2017, 03:35:02 PM
Any Arcturians?
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: TheBATMAN on Apr 09, 2017, 04:47:05 PM
Don't think so. Though I've always believed Arcturians were just a reference to human colonists living there. Having sentient humanoid aliens (aside from engineers) doesn't seem a correct fit for this universe in my eyes.

There is a story about Hicks. One about the whole platoon before Gorman took over, and another with just Frost and Dietritch. There's one about the origins of Bishop and another about the origins of the pulse rifle. Tim Lebbon's story features Halley and her squad from The Rage War.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Ultramorph on Apr 09, 2017, 04:59:24 PM
Cool. Can't wait to get my copy.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt - Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: TheDerelict on Apr 09, 2017, 05:32:27 PM
Hey all,
i bought a copy of Aliens Bug Hunt yesterday at Waterstones in Essex. Saw in another store today, both paperbacks not hard covers. And i have to say that its not a bad looking book, the online image of the front cover i didn't think looked great but now its in my hands i don't think its that bad. Nice colour to it also.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Engineer on Apr 09, 2017, 05:57:19 PM
Geez! Isn't it a little early for the release?! I thought it was supposed to come out on the 18th!?
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: HuDaFuK on Apr 09, 2017, 06:13:47 PM
Quote from: TheBATMAN on Apr 09, 2017, 04:47:05 PMThough I've always believed Arcturians were just a reference to human colonists living there. Having sentient humanoid aliens (aside from engineers) doesn't seem a correct fit for this universe in my eyes.

At least one of the recent books basically spelt out that they are aliens.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: TheBATMAN on Apr 09, 2017, 06:34:51 PM
Yes this is one aspect of the EU i' m not a fan of. To me Alien always personified space as a dark, empty void. I think it works better that way.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: The Alien Predator on Apr 09, 2017, 08:34:01 PM
Quote from: HuDaFuK on Apr 09, 2017, 06:13:47 PM
Quote from: TheBATMAN on Apr 09, 2017, 04:47:05 PMThough I've always believed Arcturians were just a reference to human colonists living there. Having sentient humanoid aliens (aside from engineers) doesn't seem a correct fit for this universe in my eyes.

At least one of the recent books basically spelt out that they are aliens.

They could be another seeded race that the Engineers made in the Arcturus system, which could explain the humanoid look.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Mr. Clemens on Apr 09, 2017, 09:36:59 PM
Whatever the explanation, it makes things feel kinda 'Star Trek'.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: The Alien Predator on Apr 09, 2017, 09:47:08 PM
Quote from: Mr. Clemens on Apr 09, 2017, 09:36:59 PM
Whatever the explanation, it makes things feel kinda 'Star Trek'.

Spoiler
Mr. Clemens, drink your Arcturian coffee you unpredictable space doctor!
[close]

You mentioning the Star Trek feel, it reminds me of these guys who are basically Star Trek's very own Engineers - http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/Ancient_humanoid
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Mr. Clemens on Apr 09, 2017, 10:17:50 PM
Quote from: The Alien Predator on Apr 09, 2017, 09:47:08 PM
Quote from: Mr. Clemens on Apr 09, 2017, 09:36:59 PM
Whatever the explanation, it makes things feel kinda 'Star Trek'.

Spoiler
Mr. Clemens, drink your Arcturian coffee you unpredictable space doctor!
[close]

You mentioning the Star Trek feel, it reminds me of these guys who are basically Star Trek's very own Engineers - http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/Ancient_humanoid

Ah, I remember those guys. Good episode.

I should say that I do like Star Trek, but I feel that it and Alien should stay far away from each other. Anybody remember that Season 1 TNG 'Alien' rip-off episode? Yikes...  :-X
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Engineer on Apr 09, 2017, 10:36:02 PM
I always thought of the borg as being heavily inspired by aliens, but with the 'mechanical' in 'biomechanical' being much more promenant. It's not a ripoff persay, but "inspired by" for sure...

... is that what you're talking about Mr. Clemens? Or was there a different alien that appeared in the show which was a more direct ripoff?
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Mr. Clemens on Apr 09, 2017, 10:52:30 PM
Quote from: Engineer on Apr 09, 2017, 10:36:02 PM
I always thought of the borg as being heavily inspired by aliens, but with the 'mechanical' in 'biomechanical' being much more promenant. It's not a ripoff persay, but "inspired by" for sure...

... is that what you're talking about Mr. Clemens? Or was there a different alien that appeared in the show which was a more direct ripoff?

There was this multi-legged critter that got inside the bodies of the heads of Starfleet in Season 1. It was an alien parasite, but it also controlled their minds. Then when they phasered the main host, his flesh exploded away and there was a 'queen version' living inside his exposed ribcage. Cheese-o-rama.  :D

I know what you mean about the Borg, though - in particular, there was this repeated piece of wall-panel scenery inside their cube that struck me as very Gigery!
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: The Alien Predator on Apr 09, 2017, 10:57:33 PM
Quote from: Mr. Clemens on Apr 09, 2017, 10:17:50 PM
Quote from: The Alien Predator on Apr 09, 2017, 09:47:08 PM
Quote from: Mr. Clemens on Apr 09, 2017, 09:36:59 PM
Whatever the explanation, it makes things feel kinda 'Star Trek'.

Spoiler
Mr. Clemens, drink your Arcturian coffee you unpredictable space doctor!
[close]

You mentioning the Star Trek feel, it reminds me of these guys who are basically Star Trek's very own Engineers - http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/Ancient_humanoid

Ah, I remember those guys. Good episode.

I should say that I do like Star Trek, but I feel that it and Alien should stay far away from each other. Anybody remember that Season 1 TNG 'Alien' rip-off episode? Yikes...  :-X

I also like Star Trek but haven't watched much of the older ones, which episode is this TNG Alien one?

Speaking of rip offs, Voyager had the Predator like Hirogen and the Alien like Species-8472, and they even fought in one episode and it had that AvP feel to it.  :P

What I like about the Alien and Predator franchise is that it treats space as vast and empty no matter how many civilisations dot the galaxy. Everyone's on their own and in their corners.

I highly doubt humans are the Engineer's only humanoid creations, and more were likely seeded far away from us for whatever purposes. I like to picture these other humanoids as vastly different, probably even making very alien sounds that we can't imitate and having very different thought processes beyond our comprehension.

If there's ever any kind of first contact shown in the franchise, I want it to be awkward and difficult, no cliche shaking hands or hugs or universal translators, just lots of shaky pointing and confused shrugging.  :laugh:

We got lucky with the Engineers as their language had a presence in our ancient ones. Now wish us luck in trying to negotiate something with the Predators before we all get violently slaughtered.  ;D
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Ultramorph on Apr 10, 2017, 01:07:34 AM
What is Abnett's story about?
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on Apr 10, 2017, 01:26:45 AM
QuoteI also like Star Trek but haven't watched much of the older ones, which episode is this TNG Alien one?

Conspiracy (http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/Conspiracy_(episode)).  I quite liked that episode, but I don't think it was well received and the open ended conclusion was never followed up on.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Corporal Hicks on Apr 10, 2017, 05:55:30 AM
There's a good portion of the fan production Star Trek Excelsior that follows up on that. Was pretty cool.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt - Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: TheDerelict on Apr 10, 2017, 11:11:24 AM
Won't go into spoilers for you ultramorph but Abnetts story is about a small section of colonial marines that take a drop ship down to a massive harvester machine that has a crew of 80 odd but has gone dark and weyland yutani want it checked out. It all takes place during a massive storm. It's good, they are all short and sharp stories about 20 pages long. And not all about Xenomorphs.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: TheBATMAN on Apr 10, 2017, 08:25:22 PM
There's also another one about Burke having a dream whilst being cocooned in Aliens.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: HuDaFuK on Apr 10, 2017, 08:46:29 PM
Hah, neat.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Engineer on Apr 11, 2017, 03:05:30 AM
And none of this is "canon"??

Makes me wonder if fox has the stance that nothing is canon until they see what sort of fan feedback they get first... a lesson learned after A:CM, perhaps...
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on Apr 11, 2017, 04:02:34 AM
Some is canon; some isn't. 
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Engineer on Apr 11, 2017, 04:18:23 AM
Oh I see lol
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Russ840 on Apr 11, 2017, 04:49:58 AM
Is there a list of what is and isn't ? Lol
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: TheBATMAN on Apr 11, 2017, 11:41:06 AM
Well the first story is absolutely awful. Abnett's is a marked improvement.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: HuDaFuK on Apr 12, 2017, 06:08:00 PM
Quote from: Xenomrph on Apr 07, 2017, 02:12:42 AMLet us know what you think after you read it. :)

A tad off-topic, but I'm going through the rule book now and really enjoying it. Not sure how well it fits with the films but I like the world it's building. Got a kick out of finding Pandora and Arcturus in the star map :)
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: The Alien Predator on Apr 12, 2017, 06:44:00 PM
Quote from: HuDaFuK on Apr 12, 2017, 06:08:00 PM
Quote from: Xenomrph on Apr 07, 2017, 02:12:42 AMLet us know what you think after you read it. :)

A tad off-topic, but I'm going through the rule book now and really enjoying it. Not sure how well it fits with the films but I like the world it's building. Got a kick out of finding Pandora and Arcturus in the star map :)

Now that you found it on the map, could you please point me in the right direction towards some Arcturian Poontang?  :P

I'm curious about Pandora, has it had any significance in the Alien franchise? I don't remember hearing about a planet called Pandora.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Engineer on Apr 12, 2017, 07:04:58 PM
Pandora was from avatar... it's probably a coincidences :-)
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: HuDaFuK on Apr 12, 2017, 07:20:28 PM
Quote from: Engineer on Apr 12, 2017, 07:04:58 PMPandora was from avatar... it's probably a coincidences :-)

That's exactly my point - this book was released some 18 years before Avatar, so the fact it talks about a colonised planet named Pandora is a neat coincidence :)

Quote from: The Alien Predator on Apr 12, 2017, 06:44:00 PMI'm curious about Pandora, has it had any significance in the Alien franchise? I don't remember hearing about a planet called Pandora.

Doubt it's ever appeared outside of this book/game.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: The Alien Predator on Apr 12, 2017, 08:22:19 PM
Quote from: HuDaFuK on Apr 12, 2017, 07:20:28 PM
Quote from: Engineer on Apr 12, 2017, 07:04:58 PMPandora was from avatar... it's probably a coincidences :-)

That's exactly my point - this book was released some 18 years before Avatar, so the fact it talks about a colonised planet named Pandora is a neat coincidence :)

Quote from: The Alien Predator on Apr 12, 2017, 06:44:00 PMI'm curious about Pandora, has it had any significance in the Alien franchise? I don't remember hearing about a planet called Pandora.

Doubt it's ever appeared outside of this book/game.

I also got reminded of Pandora from Avatar so it's a nice coincidence.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on Apr 12, 2017, 08:25:48 PM
As an aside one of Saturn's moons is called Pandora, discovered in 1980 and named in 1985.  Also named in 1985 was Prometheus.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: 426Buddy on Apr 12, 2017, 08:35:37 PM
Quote from: SM on Apr 12, 2017, 08:25:48 PM
As an aside one of Saturn's moons is called Pandora, discovered in 1980 and named in 1985.  Also named in 1985 was Prometheus.

Also in 1985 I was born  :D ;)
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Engineer on Apr 12, 2017, 09:45:11 PM
I too was born in 1985! That was a special year! Lol jk
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Xenomrph on Apr 13, 2017, 01:17:20 AM
Look at all you whippersnappers

(I was born in 1984)
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: JokersWarPig on Apr 13, 2017, 01:57:32 PM
I thought I was getting old  ::)  :laugh:

Spoiler
1992...
[close]
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Mr. Clemens on Apr 13, 2017, 03:39:33 PM
Wow!

Anybody, uh... pre-1971 around here?
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: The Alien Predator on Apr 13, 2017, 04:36:41 PM
I picked up my copy of Bug Hunt at my local Waterstones, I can't wait to dig into it!

Quote from: JokersWarPig on Apr 13, 2017, 01:57:32 PM
I thought I was getting old  ::)  :laugh:

Spoiler
1992...
[close]

LOL! You and me both.  :laugh:
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Ultramorph on Apr 13, 2017, 04:51:43 PM
The wait is killing me! I keep hoping I'll see an email form Amazon that it has shipped early.  :laugh:
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Russ840 on Apr 13, 2017, 05:32:36 PM
I have it preordered digitally so come the morning of release  lets just say that there will be some slacking at work  :D
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: felix on Apr 13, 2017, 10:41:41 PM
I've read it. About a third of the stories do not deal with Aliens.

There's an amusing story devoted to how the Marine Pulse Rifle was created.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Ultramorph on Apr 13, 2017, 10:51:36 PM
Any stories in unusual time periods (really early or late)?
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: The Alien Predator on Apr 13, 2017, 11:43:39 PM
Quote from: Ultramorph on Apr 13, 2017, 10:51:36 PM
Any stories in unusual time periods (really early or late)?

As you probably know, Tim Lebbon's story is set some years before the Rage War which counts as late. I haven't gotten to that part yet so I can't give exact dates if any.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Ultramorph on Apr 13, 2017, 11:48:02 PM
I forgot about that. I know the Marines are the focus, but it would be cool if the USM had one story or something.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: The Alien Predator on Apr 14, 2017, 12:09:21 AM
Yeah, that would be cool.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: HuDaFuK on Apr 14, 2017, 11:16:43 AM
Quote from: felix on Apr 13, 2017, 10:41:41 PMI've read it. About a third of the stories do not deal with Aliens.

Glad to hear that.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: 426Buddy on Apr 15, 2017, 01:32:50 AM
Jusy picked this up at B&N, man that cover is atrocious, i hope the stories make up for it.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: The Alien Predator on Apr 15, 2017, 07:07:59 PM
Wow!

I just finished the second story. I enjoyed the first, but the second... those things
Spoiler
are scarier than Xenomorphs...

Chances of survival - 0%
[close]
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Ultramorph on Apr 15, 2017, 08:05:52 PM
Tell me more! I can't wait until Tuesday.  :laugh:
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: The Alien Predator on Apr 15, 2017, 09:32:55 PM
I really, really, really recommend you wait until Tuesday and go into this totally blind. Trust me, the wait's SO worth it!

I usually read all the spoilers, and am so glad no one's spoiled Reapers because not knowing what to expect made it so much more worth it. There's
Spoiler
hints here and there but it really insinuates something else happened and you truly believe it only to see that's not the case and the hints were there all along.

And towards the end it makes so much sense, all those little pieces of the puzzle fall into place.
[close]

Trust me Ultramorph, wait until freaking Tuesday man!  :laugh:

But if you really want to know, I'll drop a hint.

Spoiler
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luuYRrPaEpM

(But much, much smaller and they don't care whether it'd dark or light, only if there's plentiful food and BOY did the Company give them plenty of food on an Agriculture World...)
[close]

Why does the company even bother with Xenomorphs?  :P
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Ultramorph on Apr 15, 2017, 10:13:01 PM
Nice, glad to hear the quality of the stories is solid. I wonder if the one about
Spoiler
Bishop's origin will have the human Bishop in it.
[close]
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: The Alien Predator on Apr 15, 2017, 10:23:11 PM
I don't know about that one yet, but I am on it now as it's right after Reaper I think, I have skimmed the first page and it's got an Android awakening in it so I think it's the Bishop one.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Ultramorph on Apr 17, 2017, 12:06:48 PM
Found a podcast of Decandido reading his story, "Deep Cover." Enjoy!
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/dead-kitchen-radio/id905014454?mt=2&i=1000384360235 (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/dead-kitchen-radio/id905014454?mt=2&i=1000384360235)
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Corporal Hicks on Apr 17, 2017, 03:39:43 PM
Got a download link for us none iTune users?


Nevermind, found it. http://traffic.libsyn.com/dkrdecandidopodcast/DKR_-_Vol2Ep4.mp3?dest-id=204101
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Ultramorph on Apr 18, 2017, 02:47:36 AM
I found what seems to be the first review. It's positive, and has a breakdown of a few of the stories, so beware of spoilers.
http://gamerssphere.com/aliens-bug-hunt/review/ (http://gamerssphere.com/aliens-bug-hunt/review/)
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Corporal Hicks on Apr 18, 2017, 08:03:42 AM
Quote from: Ultramorph on Apr 17, 2017, 12:06:48 PM
Found a podcast of Decandido reading his story, "Deep Cover." Enjoy!
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/dead-kitchen-radio/id905014454?mt=2&i=1000384360235 (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/dead-kitchen-radio/id905014454?mt=2&i=1000384360235)

Love he mentions the Scope Rifle!  :P I've only listened to the first 20 minutes or so on the way to work but I was enjoying it. I hope my copy has arrived when I get home.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Russ840 on Apr 18, 2017, 09:17:04 AM
Digital copy is ready to go on my kindle
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Hudson on Apr 19, 2017, 03:08:37 AM
Just ordered it. Looking forward to seeing what's in here based on descriptions I've read so far.

I finally started Alien Out of the Shadows and can't put it down. Massive improvement over the Dark Horse series. Very excited to continue on with Titan's run of the franchise.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on Apr 19, 2017, 03:21:56 AM
I recently re-read Criminal Enterprise.  Like a lot of the old Dark Horse Press stuff I found it a bit meh when I first read it years ago.  This time wasn't too bad though.  I'd forgotten how sweary it was.  :laugh:
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Ultramorph on Apr 19, 2017, 03:51:23 AM
I'm excited to have the DHP stuff back in print, I missed a lot of it.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on Apr 19, 2017, 04:01:10 AM
I missed DNA War.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Russ840 on Apr 19, 2017, 05:43:48 AM
I really enjoyed the first story. Good start. Now onto Reapers.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on Apr 19, 2017, 05:57:33 AM
Yeah I dunno about the first one.  Some bits were good
Spoiler
the Floaters and the Alien making a hive inside a dead one
[close]

Other bits, not so much.
Spoiler
An egg the size of a potato?
[close]
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Russ840 on Apr 19, 2017, 07:08:10 AM
Yeah. That bit at the end was not as strong as the bulk of the story. I really enjoyed it overal though.

How far you in ?
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: HuDaFuK on Apr 19, 2017, 09:28:54 AM
Hoping to pick up a copy of this at the weekend. Although unfortunately I'm in the middle of a massive and incredibly engrossing book, so I probably won't get around to reading it for a few weeks lol.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Russ840 on Apr 19, 2017, 09:52:10 AM
What you reading?  I'm gonna start Stephen King's IT after Bug Hunt. It's quiet large.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: HuDaFuK on Apr 19, 2017, 09:57:42 AM
A spy/terrorism thriller from a couple of years ago called I Am Pilgrim. Was recommended by a complete stranger in the book shop. It's excellent if you like that kind of thing.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on Apr 19, 2017, 10:58:51 AM
Quote from: Russ840 on Apr 19, 2017, 07:08:10 AM
Yeah. That bit at the end was not as strong as the bulk of the story. I really enjoyed it overal though.

How far you in ?

Fourth story.  I forget what it's called.
Spoiler
The one with Hicks.
[close]
Enjoying this one the most so far.  Abnett's story was good too.  The Bishop story was a bit hit and miss.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Hudson on Apr 19, 2017, 02:11:45 PM
Quote from: SM on Apr 19, 2017, 03:21:56 AM
I recently re-read Criminal Enterprise.  Like a lot of the old Dark Horse Press stuff I found it a bit meh when I first read it years ago.  This time wasn't too bad though.  I'd forgotten how sweary it was.  :laugh:

To be fair, that one's the best from that series although I haven't read Cauldron yet. Haven't heard good things though.

This should be coming in the mail today and I can read along with everyone.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Russ840 on Apr 19, 2017, 03:39:50 PM
Quote from: HuDaFuK on Apr 19, 2017, 09:57:42 AM
A spy/terrorism thriller from a couple of years ago called I Am Pilgrim. Was recommended by a complete stranger in the book shop. It's excellent if you like that kind of thing.

That title rings a bell.

Is it like a Bourne type thing ?
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: HuDaFuK on Apr 19, 2017, 04:21:03 PM
Not other than the fact it stars a modern-day intelligence operative.

It's basically just the tried and true "retired agent is called back into the fold to catch dangerous madman" story that's been done plenty of times before. It's just done bloody well. Really well written and despite being so long it's never dragged once.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Ultramorph on Apr 19, 2017, 05:35:39 PM
Just re-read the first story. Man, it was weird!

I really liked
Spoiler
the cigar-smoking xeno in the dream at the end.
[close]
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: The Alien Predator on Apr 19, 2017, 05:43:21 PM
Quote from: SM on Apr 19, 2017, 05:57:33 AM
Yeah I dunno about the first one.  Some bits were good
Spoiler
the Floaters and the Alien making a hive inside a dead one
[close]

Other bits, not so much.
Spoiler
An egg the size of a potato?
[close]

Could
Spoiler
this be a different strain of Alien? Maybe it's really closely related to the Xenomorph but has different egg types.
[close]

I have just passed the Hicks story, I've enjoyed them all so far. I liked Bishop's origin and how it explored his mind.

Hicks' story was quite tense and a great read.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Ultramorph on Apr 19, 2017, 06:49:59 PM
Just finished the Bishop story. It was a neat look into his mind, for sure. Reapers was really cool, too.

As far as the Leapers
Spoiler
I get the impression that these xenos were a 'softer' breed because they had been born from a species that had no natural predators. They didn't seem as aggressive as normal xenos.
[close]
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: The Alien Predator on Apr 19, 2017, 06:57:56 PM
That's true and it was interesting to explore that aspect of the Aliens, how they're possibly psychologically affected as well as physiologically.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Ultramorph on Apr 19, 2017, 07:28:26 PM
The Hicks story was pretty good, I was worried about it being really unnecessary, but it was ok.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Russ840 on Apr 19, 2017, 07:53:29 PM
what i giving people the impression that
Spoiler
the Leapers are Xenos ?
[close]
I didn't get that at all.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Ultramorph on Apr 19, 2017, 07:56:02 PM
Blowback was pretty cool!
Spoiler
Loving the glimpses we're getting of different bugs.
[close]


Quote from: Russ840 on Apr 19, 2017, 07:53:29 PM
what i giving people the impression that
Spoiler
the Leapers are Xenos ?
[close]
I didn't get that at all.

I think there either a different strain or one that has evolved because of the unique life on the planet.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on Apr 19, 2017, 08:46:35 PM
They were obviously different
Spoiler
being 5 metres tall.  But for all that extra size, they did seem to be cut down pretty easily.
[close]

As for Bishop
Spoiler
he killed the Company F pirates when he remotely turned their breathing masks off
[close]
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Russ840 on Apr 19, 2017, 08:53:06 PM
Yeah. I got the impression they are a totally different, unrelated species.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Hudson on Apr 19, 2017, 11:37:16 PM
Came in the mail today. First off, very handsome volume. I imagined it would be a smaller format like the other Titan books, but the larger page format is fine too.

Read the first two stories so far. The first one feels phoned in to me, like the author isn't much of a fan. The second one was better and more relevant (what did the first one have to do with Colonial Marines?), but I didn't find the end to be very satisfying. Seemed to suffer from a lack of clear protagonist/focus. I wasn't really sure who to care about the most. Both well-written so far.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on Apr 19, 2017, 11:58:45 PM
London was the protagonist, but he was a bit too one dimensional
Spoiler
ie. being completely defined by gambling
[close]

And yeah, I did note the lack of Marines in the story too.  As I said above - had some good bits and some not so good bits.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Ultramorph on Apr 20, 2017, 12:01:47 AM
Reading "No Good Deed," surprised when it said
Spoiler
WY was colonizing all 3 moons of Calpamos. I wonder what happened to all the Engineer artifacts on LV-223?
[close]


Having finished the story, that's the least surprising part!  :laugh:

Spoiler
Bates went full Accelerant Wars!
[close]


Well,
Spoiler
Burke's childhood was dark..
[close]
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Hudson on Apr 20, 2017, 03:21:05 AM
Finished Broken and Reclamation. Broken is pretty good, probably my favorite of the first four so far. The ending is really bad though, very tacked on and unnecessary. Also, silly and logistically improbable.

Reclamation didn't do a whole lot for me either and also seemed unnecessary in terms of developing character motivation. I don't feel like I really got anything new or interesting from the character development we were exposed to. Just felt silly.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on Apr 20, 2017, 04:57:36 AM
The Hicks story started well, ended a bit on the nose.

Spoiler
Leaving aside the thing about some stories fitting with canon and some not, was Hicks supposed to be up against Aliens in that story?
[close]
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Hudson on Apr 20, 2017, 03:31:53 PM
Quote from: SM on Apr 20, 2017, 04:57:36 AM
The Hicks story started well, ended a bit on the nose.

Spoiler
Leaving aside the thing about some stories fitting with canon and some not, was Hicks supposed to be up against Aliens in that story?
[close]

Spoiler
It seemed heavily implied, which I felt was a ridiculous retcon.
[close]
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: HuDaFuK on Apr 20, 2017, 05:02:00 PM
Eugh, I was really hoping against hope the cover wouldn't look so ass once I actually had it in my hands... but it does.

Also lol @ "Here are fifteen all-new stories" on the back (in bold, exactly like that) when the book actually contains eighteen stories :laugh:

Looking forward to giving it a read in the not-too-distant future though.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Hudson on Apr 20, 2017, 09:00:21 PM
Call me crazy, but this book might actually be getting worse as I progress:

Blowback
Spoiler
Another melodramatic relationship story, but with Dietrich at the forefront this time instead of Hicks. Features many characters from Aliens, but we don't really get anything new or interesting about anyone.
[close]

Exterminators
Spoiler
Somehow another story where Dietrich serves as the main focalizing character. Dietrich and Frost battle some bug-type aliens with a bunch of other anonymous characters. It ends on a really dumb inside joke relating to the film. I actually fell asleep reading this one.
[close]

No Good Deed
Spoiler
Some bounty hunters chase some guys with a price on their head down to Hadley's Hope and battle them in the streets along with some Xenomorphs.
[close]

Zero to Hero
Spoiler
Kind of a comic-relief break about a cowardly corporal. The Colonial Marines fight a bunch of zombified miners.
[close]

Dark Mother
Spoiler
Picks up from where Burke is taken by an Alien in the film. We learn that he was a bed wetter and that his mother brings in exactly 72% of the family income as a prostitute.
[close]

Episode 22
Spoiler
I really really stupid transcript of a TV show episode detailing the history of the pulse rifle, except we're told that the pulse rifle was designed by a guy who's day job was to run a barbecue food truck while working in his workshop in the evenings.  :laugh:
[close]

I think the overall thing disappointing me so far is that instead of this being true to a document like the Technical Manual and expanding upon what was established there, it's just trying to emulate Starship Troopers.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Russ840 on Apr 20, 2017, 09:54:43 PM
Finished the first two now. Although i am enjoying them, i am really not likng how many different alien speices there seem to be in this universe now. What i loved about The Alien series is that it gives you the impression that alien life is a drastically rare thing. This book, so far, has introduced three new species and it seems, by what others are saying, many more are featured. It cheapens things, for me, a little.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Hudson on Apr 20, 2017, 10:07:15 PM
Quote from: Russ840 on Apr 20, 2017, 09:54:43 PM
Finished the first two now. Although i am enjoying them, i am really not likng how many different alien speices there seem to be in this universe now. What i loved about The Alien series is that it gives you the impression that alien life is a drastically rare thing. This book, so far, has introduced three new species and it seems, by what others are saying, many more are featured. It cheapens things, for me, a little.

It certainly doesn't explain how they failed so bad in the film if the Colonial Marines spend most of their time battling monsters already. Cheapens is the right way to describe it. Gonna try and get through some more of these tonight. I mostly want to read Sea of Sorrows and River of Pain, but I'm already 2/3 in.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on Apr 20, 2017, 10:26:45 PM
RE: Blowback
Spoiler
Another story that started well, continued well, but then when posed with what looked like an impossible task - didn't tell us how they achieved it.
[close]
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Hudson on Apr 20, 2017, 10:40:07 PM
Deep Background on the other hand, I just enjoyed pretty well. That's more of what I was looking for, original stories with original characters. It ties in with film canon if you want, but it doesn't bend over backwards to integrate at the expense of the story like some of the gimmicky movie tie-ins are doing.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on Apr 21, 2017, 02:01:49 AM
RE: Exterminators

Spoiler
The bugs were appropriately gross, if somewhat derivative and it made Dietrich into a bit of damsel while neglecting her position as a medtech.  The last line was corny, but liked it.
[close]
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Hudson on Apr 21, 2017, 12:24:27 PM
Spoiler
Did you (or anyone else) find it really random for Dietrich of all people to essentially voice two stories in a row? I'm not totally sure she was portrayed consistently either.
[close]
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Engineer on Apr 21, 2017, 08:22:26 PM
Quote from: HuDaFuK on Apr 20, 2017, 05:02:00 PM
Also lol @ "Here are fifteen all-new stories" on the back (in bold, exactly like that) when the book actually contains eighteen stories :laugh:

Perhaps they aren't counting some stories as "all new." For example, Dark Mother isn't really new, it was just a different perspective for the final moments of one character from the movie. Kinda trying to give them the benefit of the doubt here... lol
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on Apr 22, 2017, 02:42:20 AM
Quote from: Hudson on Apr 21, 2017, 12:24:27 PM
Spoiler
Did you (or anyone else) find it really random for Dietrich of all people to essentially voice two stories in a row? I'm not totally sure she was portrayed consistently either.
[close]

Spoiler
Yeah I found her to be much tougher in Blowback.  And yes it was odd to have her front and centre in two stories in a row.
[close]
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: drsmuts on Apr 22, 2017, 12:36:15 PM
The Hicks story.... in Aliens he clearly has no idea what they are up against. Having him facing off with them previously is a real stretch
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Russ840 on Apr 22, 2017, 01:25:34 PM
Just finished the Bishop story.

My favourite so far.  I would have liked
Spoiler
Micheal Bishop to have been the one to switch him on
[close]
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Hudson on Apr 22, 2017, 03:10:34 PM
I thought the Bishop one was decent, just some missed opportunities and a terrible ending.

This book is very poorly edited. I've caught a "Ridley" in place of Ripley, an author using the word "corp" in place of corps (as in Marine Corps), smaller typos, and one author confusingly referring to Weyland-Yutani as W-T. Also, "double-X" instead of double-Y chromosomes when referring to the Fury 161 prisoners.  ::) I've also read in an Amazon review that author's notes are left in one of the stories? If someone has caught that I'd be interested in page numbers.

Made it through several more:

Deep Background

Spoiler
Pretty good account of an embedded journalist, I thought it had a good ending. This is more of the type of story I was hoping for.
[close]

Empty Nest
Spoiler
I remember this one being decent, but kind of forgettable. The inclusion of Xenomorphs and other creatures so often throughout this kind of cheapens the idea that the Colonial Marines were unprepared in Aliens.
[close]

Darkness Falls
Spoiler
This took me three sittings because I kept falling asleep. Features Xenomorphs birthed from centipedes. Silly.
[close]

Hugs to Die For
Spoiler
This one was decent because of the characters. Mostly focused in an attack by a giant pile of facehuggers.
[close]

Deep Black
Spoiler
This one is probably my favorite in the book so far, about a special ops team that returns to Fiorina 161 and discovers a ship has landed and the crew has been killed by aliens. This is the one where the author refers to WY as W-T for some reason, and referenced "double-X" chromosomes. Other than that, I thought the story was well done and really interesting, a good concept that hasn't been explored. Unfortunately it ended right as it could have potentially got interesting. So, in many ways, another missed opportunity. Seemed like a good start to a novel though.
[close]

EDIT:

Finished it, and of the last three, Dangerous Prey is really good and the other two are forgettable. Overall I'm disappointed.

Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Russ840 on Apr 25, 2017, 07:06:27 AM
Man i am finding this to be a slog. Just finished Hicks' story. All i can say is cheap
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: HuDaFuK on Apr 25, 2017, 09:01:46 AM
Sad to hear the apparent consensus that this isn't much, I had high hopes it would at least be interesting.

Finished my current book last night so I should be getting started on this today.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Russ840 on Apr 25, 2017, 09:12:39 AM
Quote from: HuDaFuK on Apr 25, 2017, 09:01:46 AM
Sad to hear the apparent consensus that this isn't much, I had high hopes it would at least be interesting.

Finished my current book last night so I should be getting started on this today.

Dont let the comments deter you dude. You may enjoy it more for having low expectations.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: TheBATMAN on Apr 25, 2017, 10:25:56 AM
It's not bad for a collection of short stories, but it doesn't really expand on the colonial marines in any real meaningful way. Continuing to populate this universe with various kinds of uninteresting bugs and parasites does nothing for me either.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: drsmuts on Apr 25, 2017, 07:41:32 PM
That's how I feel Bats. One in particular is like a low budget version of the Alien we know and love.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Engineer on Apr 25, 2017, 07:44:47 PM
I got my copy in the mail on Friday last week. I'm about half way through it, and sadly, I'd agree with the general consensus. I'm feeling disappointed with the book overall. I think there's only really 1 story I really liked so far, and a couple that would have been better if they left certain plot points out. Others are just downright terrible. I've found a few mistakes (story-wise), and typos. But one thing I caught which I found particularly distracting was a simple math error... in one story, there's talk of a $25 million payment, with half up front. Unless "half" has a different meaning in the future, I was very distracted by the fact that they say, just a few pages later, they're going to collect the other $5 million owed... ??!??!??
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Mr. Clemens on Apr 25, 2017, 08:57:04 PM
So relieved I'm not gonna have to bring that ugly cover up to the cash desk! Thanks for the reports, people.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: 426Buddy on Apr 25, 2017, 10:36:21 PM
Ive only read the 1st story and it wasnt so great, reminded me a lot of aliens xenogenesis lol.

Havent really picked the book up since, been a week.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Ultramorph on Apr 26, 2017, 01:19:00 AM
I read about half the book last Wednesday, but been too busy to read much more. I've liked the stories overall, but there is definitely some sloppy stuff. As for the Hicks story
Spoiler
I didn't read them as being xenomorphs, but rather some other xeno form.
[close]
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Engineer on Apr 26, 2017, 01:32:46 AM
Quote from: Ultramorph on Apr 26, 2017, 01:19:00 AM
I read about half the book last Wednesday, but been too busy to read much more. I've liked the stories overall, but there is definitely some sloppy stuff. As for the Hicks story
Spoiler
I didn't read them as being xenomorphs, but rather some other xeno form.
[close]

Yea actually the Hicks story is the one I really liked so far, and...
Spoiler
I had the same interpretation. It was a "bug" but not necessarily the same xenomorph from LV-426. I actually liked how the creature was never really seen or described; it pretty much leaves it up to the reader how they want to take it...
[close]
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on Apr 26, 2017, 01:54:01 AM
Spoiler
I felt it skirted too close to them being Aliens.
[close]
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Engineer on Apr 26, 2017, 03:29:20 AM
Spoiler

The story about the escaped convicts and bounty hunters was the one I disliked the most... really did not like the Incredible Hulk angle. I like the avengers, just not mixed in with my Aliens. Also really disappointed a character survived and made it off of Lv-426.

The bishop story was good until he started disobeying orders and going off on his own mission, then killing two people despite his programming... that's never who bishop was!

The first story had a cool setting... but that was it. And the "bugs" seemed like the xenos but then different like the writer couldn't make up their mind about it.

The story about the flying propane-based organisms was just silly. And from a scientific/chemistry perspective, while a propane based organism is a possibility, on a world void of oxygen explosions and flammability aren't possible like that... propane can't burn without oxygen to feed it. That really bugged me and I couldn't get past it; especially when the marines started talking about how the whole atmosphere almost blew up! Plus I hated the idea that dietrich and Hudson were involved in a love triangle.

The other Dietrich story, with frost, was okay. I had no major issues with that one, but the bugs seemed too much like the facehuggers to me (at least the Hicks story bug left almost everything about it in the shadows and to your imagination).

The reporter story wasn't bad. I just didn't care for the style. And it was kind of a bummer that it skipped ahead to the "last stand" and we literally missed all the action.

The pulse rifle commercial was boring to me.

The Burke story I was really excited about. And it was good until it ended. And I re-read part of it several times because it seemed like I kept missing something... one second he's in a coma and the next he's got a grenade in hand and breaking free from the cocoon. I assumed that there was a scene missing, specifically the same deleted scene from the movie where ripley finds him and gives him a grenade, but there was no indication of a break and time-jump. But it was really disappointing that it ended with a chest burst. The whole reason Cameron deleted that scene was because the timing didn't match up with the incubation period. This story kind of disregards that altogether, which I really disliked. At least there was a mention of Burke thinking to himself that it was too soon...

The story about the cowardly marine, was weird but I kinda liked it. Especially the visual of the loogie on his visor crawling towards the edge in an attempt to get to his face. I just thought it was a little unrealistic that a marine's initial response to a person trying to spit on them would be to shoot first and ask questions later, especially when they went into the mine to save those very people. I think this story would have been better as it's own thing, unattached to the alien franchise...

Then the second story, Reapers, was good up until they revealed the creature. I think I would have like it better if the creatures were something bigger and more menacing. And this too probably would have been better on its own and unattached to the alien franchise.

I think that covers all the stories I've read so far. Up next "empty nest."
[close]
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: HuDaFuK on Apr 26, 2017, 08:38:59 AM
Got started on this last night. Chance Encounter was OK but nothing great. SM has already summarised what was good and bad about it. I really enjoyed Reaper, though. Loved the mystery angle to it.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: drsmuts on Apr 27, 2017, 01:13:27 PM
Halfway through...the Bishop one was good, the rest  :-\

Title: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Lonely Universe on Apr 28, 2017, 04:20:05 AM
Let's not hate wagon on the cover, it's fine. Even though I had seen the image for months, I didn't think anything of it at all until I saw the physical hardcover on the shelf. The xeno has a cute expression that reminds me of some of the classic Dark Horse art, like it knows it's up to no good lol. The choice of blues makes it look slick & its way better than what we've been getting with the Omnibus editions.

Not big on the first story but it's fine. Pretty sure the "Leapers" are supposed to be a DNA reflex breed of Xenomorphs spawned from some unknown life form on that planet. Hate when movies won't call zombies what they are & the same is true for capital 'A'-Aliens.

Now the second story 'Reaper' is incredible. Really captures the spirit of the drop ship sequence from Aliens but ups the stakes. Then it turns expectations & delivers something totally unexpected. Great atmosphere that really feels like an extension of the second movie without relying on it's most obvious feature. I'm filing it in my head cannon!

That's as far as I've gotten so far, but only because my job won't allow me any free time. Maybe I can sneak another chapter tomorrow. Nite [emoji42]
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: 426Buddy on Apr 28, 2017, 03:09:53 PM
Quote from: Lonely Universe on Apr 28, 2017, 04:20:05 AM
Let's not hate wagon on the cover, it's fine. Even though I had seen the image for months, I didn't think anything of it at all until I saw the physical hardcover on the shelf. The xeno has a cute expression that reminds me of some of the classic Dark Horse art, like it knows it's up to no good lol. The choice of blues makes it look slick & its way better than what we've been getting with the Omnibus editions.

I'm a big fan of alien art, it's something i've always loved. Unfortunately can't call this cover anything but a horribly photoshopped piece of garbage.Titan is mostly horrible when it comes to the art on their covers.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Xenomrph on Apr 29, 2017, 03:13:50 AM
Quote from: Lonely Universe on Apr 28, 2017, 04:20:05 AM
Not big on the first story but it's fine. Pretty sure the "Leapers" are supposed to be a DNA reflex breed of Xenomorphs spawned from some unknown life form on that planet.
I got that impression as well. I wasn't sure at first, given how they were described as being huge, but once the story mentioned they had elongated heads, secondary jaws, and bled acid, it sealed the deal for me.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Engineer on Apr 30, 2017, 02:40:16 AM
Does anyone know if Tim Lebbon's story (the last one, "Spite"), is a tie in to Rage Wars or not? I vaguely recall seeing that somewhere but not sure. If it is, I'm opting not to read that one until I've read the Rage War trilogy...
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Ultramorph on Apr 30, 2017, 03:55:16 AM
Lebbon's story has characters that are in Rage War, but the story takes place before that trilogy and has no real connection to the red meat of the Rage War story.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Engineer on Apr 30, 2017, 03:58:54 AM
Ah! Ok thanks!
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt - Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Lonely Universe on Apr 30, 2017, 06:57:11 PM
Another couple stories in. The Bishop one is great & I would accept it as canon if they deemed it so.

The Hicks one is fine but it seems implausible that he wouldn't have mentioned encountering a hostile organism before in Aliens. If there are things that devastating out there then the company wouldn't have as much interest in the Xenomorphs, the marines wouldn't have been so over-confident, the board at Ripley's inquest wouldn't have been so skeptical, etc...
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Engineer on Apr 30, 2017, 07:31:49 PM
Spoiler

Quote from: Lonely Universe on Apr 30, 2017, 06:57:11 PM
Another couple stories in. The Bishop one is great & I would accept it as canon if they deemed it so.

The Hicks one is fine but it seems implausible that he wouldn't have mentioned encountering a hostile organism before in Aliens. If there are things that devastating out there then the company wouldn't have as much interest in the Xenomorphs, the marines wouldn't have been so over-confident, the board at Ripley's inquest wouldn't have been so skeptical, etc...

And what about the fact that bishop directly disobeyed orders, and killed two people despite his programming. That's never who bishop was, and that would also make him a liar since in aliens he says he could never harm or allow a human to be harmed by omission of action. I was mostly ok with bishops story, I just wish they had changed these two plot points to be more inline with what we knew to be true of bishop from the movies.
[spoiler/]


PS. I finished the book last night. Some of the last couple stories were much improved! I loved the "Hugs to Die for" and "Dangerous Prey" stories a lot. Tim Lebbons story was pretty good too. The story that...

Spoiler

Went back to fury 161, had a lot of potential but they kinda dropped the ball by never explaining where the xeno came from or what happened to the marines. It ended way too abruptly.

And I had no idea that Dillan, Morse and the rest of the prisoners were really women this whole time! Lmao (double X chromosomes; biggest error EVER!!)
[close]

*Edited to add "spoiler" to original post
[close]
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on Apr 30, 2017, 08:34:21 PM
Spoiler
Perhaps not go into details about stories for the sake who haven't read them yet.
I agree that Bishop violated his programming, and found it a little lazy.  It would've been more interesting if Bishop had found a way to save the hostages, without breaks the rules.
[close]
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: The Cruentus on Apr 30, 2017, 08:55:06 PM
I think it was one of the authors or something that said some of the stories would not be canon, so those that contradiction things are probably the ones that are just for fun, though canon stories can be contradictive as well  :P
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Engineer on Apr 30, 2017, 09:12:31 PM
Quote from: SM on Apr 30, 2017, 08:34:21 PM
Spoiler
Perhaps not go into details about stories for the sake who haven't read them yet.
I agree that Bishop violated his programming, and found it a little lazy.  It would've been more interesting if Bishop had found a way to save the hostages, without breaks the rules.
[close]

Yea sorry about that! Got a little over zealous with my last post. Lol. Thanks for the reminder; I went back and added the spoiler tags...

But as for the rest of the stories...

Spoiler

Empty nest was interesting but it was a little predictable. Ended a little abruptly too, but not bad in general.

Distress was also interesting. I wanted to know what that thing was! Too bad we never found out.

The story about the planet in andromeda with "blue moon centipedes" and xenos, was weak and forgettable. The alien variants reminded me of the old Kenner action figures. Lol

I think that covers all the stories.... if I forgot one, that should tell you all enough about my opinion of it. Haha.
[close]


Quote from: The Cruentus on Apr 30, 2017, 08:55:06 PM
I think it was one of the authors or something that said some of the stories would not be canon, so those that contradiction things are probably the ones that are just for fun, though canon stories can be contradictive as well  :P
It was the lead author/editor who wrote the forward who said that. It bugged me that they never specified which were canon and which weren't. Almost like they were waiting to see fan reactions before committing to it. But really, just about every story had contradicts to the movies in some way, big or small...
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt - Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Lonely Universe on May 01, 2017, 04:11:26 AM
Ugh. I got to 'No Good Deed' & it's about as silly as it gets. Really glad they made sure to say these aren't cannon. Still enjoying the book, though maybe they could have set some ground rules to make sure things stayed believable within the somewhat realistic Alien universe. It goes full on Jekyll & Hyde lol
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Corporal Hicks on May 01, 2017, 11:44:08 AM
For me the highlights of Bug Hunt were Broken, Deep Background, Empty Nest, Deep Black, Distressed and Dangerous Prey. These ones really made the anthology for me.

The only one I didn't really like was Reclamation because it seemed so obvious the bugs were supposed to be Aliens and it was setting it up as a "Hicks is gonna go get revenge for his wife in Aliens" kind of thing. Felt like a very shoe-horned kinda of connection that I really don't like. I was especially disappointed because it was Navarro who wrote it and I remember really like Music of the Spears.

I felt like the rest were just okay. All those Sulaco marine stories bunched together with Dietrich being front and centre in two of them. All the "bug" stories being bunched together. One of the stories (Burkes, I think) even seemed to have some editor notes in it.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Xenomrph on May 02, 2017, 02:33:37 AM
Quote from: Lonely Universe on May 01, 2017, 04:11:26 AM
Really glad they made sure to say these aren't cannon.
To be fair the intro says some may or may not be, but doesn't say which ones, and then clarifies the statement to say the Alien universe might be weirder than we previously thought.

Which stories are canon? All the ones you like. Yes, I'm talking to you, whoever is reading this post right now. :P
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: HuDaFuK on May 02, 2017, 08:47:05 AM
Read the Bishop and Hicks stories last night. Quite enjoyed the Bishop one, but the Hicks one was just a coincidence too far.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: ClockworkHorror on May 02, 2017, 06:02:34 PM
I'm on the second Dietrich story so far. As soon as I hit Exterminators, I decided to do a read of the first paragraph of each story to see what else I might be in for.:)
I really like how Dan Abnett writes, so I enjoyed Reaper. The setup was good, I felt, though the payoff was meh.
It's nice to have more Alien universe literature, but I've been feeling that it lacks that grounded feel that made the first two movies really shine. Relatable, realistic characters. Ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. I have a feeling a lot of these authors want to make the franchise more fantastical than it needs to be.
Or they just aren't paying close enough attention.

Did anyone else read the roll call on Golden's story and CRINGE when he got to Spunkmeyer?
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: BountyHunter on May 03, 2017, 02:30:19 PM
So, what makes some of the stories canon, and others not? Just curious. I'm pretty much only interested in canon stuff.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: ClockworkHorror on May 03, 2017, 02:55:50 PM
I don't think any of the stories really feel like canon. It reads like a lot of fanfic.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Xenomrph on May 04, 2017, 03:06:44 AM
Quote from: BountyHunter on May 03, 2017, 02:30:19 PM
So, what makes some of the stories canon, and others not? Just curious. I'm pretty much only interested in canon stuff.

See above:
Quote from: Xenomrph on May 02, 2017, 02:33:37 AM
Which stories are canon? All the ones you like. Yes, I'm talking to you, whoever is reading this post right now. :P

I'm through the Bishop story, I liked it but I think I'd have liked it more if it had a bit better attention to detail. No mention of Michael Bishop, no mention of his first name, no mention of "341-B".

Also re: the Bishop story:
Quote from: SM on Apr 30, 2017, 08:34:21 PM
Spoiler
Perhaps not go into details about stories for the sake who haven't read them yet.
I agree that Bishop violated his programming, and found it a little lazy.  It would've been more interesting if Bishop had found a way to save the hostages, without breaks the rules.
[close]
Spoiler
I think that was kind of the point, though - to show that Bishop was able to break the rules; it's what made him "special". He also recognizes that he can never let anyone know that he can break the rules, or he'd be terminated.
[close]
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: HuDaFuK on May 04, 2017, 08:35:39 AM
Got through Blowback last night.

Eugh.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: PRJ_since1990 on May 06, 2017, 01:48:50 AM
So this is basically a collection of stories, some really great ones surrounded by garbage with a tacky uninspired cover? Would this be one to skip or recommended on the basis of the strength of the good stories? Please let me know, I have some birthday Amazon money to blow.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Engineer on May 06, 2017, 01:58:34 AM
If you're an obsessive collector and/or completionist it's worth it...

It you're not, I guess it would really depend on your tastes in sci fi stories, in which case you should try to read a preview version first to see what you think first.

I'm the completionist type, so I would have bought it no matter what. Plus I managed to get it for pretty darn cheap so I can't complain (less than $9USD).
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: PRJ_since1990 on May 06, 2017, 02:01:29 AM
Quote from: Engineer on May 06, 2017, 01:58:34 AM
If you're an obsessive collector and/or completionist it's worth it...

It you're not, I guess it would really depend on your tastes in sci fi stories, in which case you should try to read a preview version first to see what you think first.

I'm the completionist type, so I would have bought it no matter what. Plus I managed to get it for pretty darn cheap so I can't complain (less than $9USD).
For a cheap price like that, I can stomach the poorly written stories, no doubt. I would like to know if the writing styles are akin to the early DH Aliens story days. For that matter, will this read mostly like an SD Perry novelization?
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on May 06, 2017, 02:37:20 AM
I'm about half a dozen stories in, and having recently re-read Criminal Enterprise, I think the latter has overall better quality writing.  Maybe not in terms of content by more the style.  Similarly I might check out some non-Aliens stuff by Yvonne Navarro.  I like the way she writes, but find her knowledge of Alien stuff a little lacking.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: ClockworkHorror on May 06, 2017, 02:37:36 PM
I like to think of this book as 'Aliens: OH, COME ON! REALLY?!'
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Engineer on May 06, 2017, 03:11:20 PM
Quote from: ClockworkHorror on May 06, 2017, 02:37:36 PM
I like to think of this book as 'Aliens: OH, COME ON! REALLY?!'
Lmao


Quote from: SM on May 06, 2017, 02:37:20 AM
I'm about half a dozen stories in, and having recently re-read Criminal Enterprise, I think the latter has overall better quality writing.  Maybe not in terms of content by more the style.  Similarly I might check out some non-Aliens stuff by Yvonne Navarro.  I like the way she writes, but find her knowledge of Alien stuff a little lacking.
I'm currently reading sea of sorrows. I feel largely the same way about James Moore. His writing style is good, but I'm not too fond of the direction of the story... although that may be more Fox's doing than it is James Moore's; they (fox) kind of dictated some of the major plot points, right?
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: The Cruentus on May 06, 2017, 03:41:58 PM
Quote from: Engineer on May 06, 2017, 03:11:20 PM
Quote from: ClockworkHorror on May 06, 2017, 02:37:36 PM
I like to think of this book as 'Aliens: OH, COME ON! REALLY?!'
Lmao


Quote from: SM on May 06, 2017, 02:37:20 AM
I'm about half a dozen stories in, and having recently re-read Criminal Enterprise, I think the latter has overall better quality writing.  Maybe not in terms of content by more the style.  Similarly I might check out some non-Aliens stuff by Yvonne Navarro.  I like the way she writes, but find her knowledge of Alien stuff a little lacking.
I'm currently reading sea of sorrows. I feel largely the same way about James Moore. His writing style is good, but I'm not too fond of the direction of the story... although that may be more Fox's doing than it is James Moore's; they (fox) kind of dictated some of the major plot points, right?

Yeah the telepath angle is terrible, they should not have added that in it, other than that, Sea of Sorrows is well written.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: drsmuts on May 06, 2017, 06:01:06 PM
Finished it finally.

Not good to be honest. It got a 2 star review in SFX and that's about right.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Russ840 on May 06, 2017, 07:22:01 PM
I am really struggling to motivate myself to carry on reading. At.  The moment.  I might sack it off and read Steven King's IT.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Engineer on May 06, 2017, 08:59:59 PM
Quote from: The Cruentus on May 06, 2017, 03:41:58 PM
Quote from: Engineer on May 06, 2017, 03:11:20 PM
Quote from: ClockworkHorror on May 06, 2017, 02:37:36 PM
I like to think of this book as 'Aliens: OH, COME ON! REALLY?!'
Lmao


Quote from: SM on May 06, 2017, 02:37:20 AM
I'm about half a dozen stories in, and having recently re-read Criminal Enterprise, I think the latter has overall better quality writing.  Maybe not in terms of content by more the style.  Similarly I might check out some non-Aliens stuff by Yvonne Navarro.  I like the way she writes, but find her knowledge of Alien stuff a little lacking.
I'm currently reading sea of sorrows. I feel largely the same way about James Moore. His writing style is good, but I'm not too fond of the direction of the story... although that may be more Fox's doing than it is James Moore's; they (fox) kind of dictated some of the major plot points, right?

Yeah the telepath angle is terrible, they should not have added that in it, other than that, Sea of Sorrows is well written.
Yea the telepath thing really bugs me... however, I did like the nod to alien isolation in the beginning, and the Easter egg in the beginning where one of the two men fighting over the core sampler was named after the guy who wore the alien suit in the first movie... that made me smile at least :-)
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on May 06, 2017, 09:20:54 PM
The telepath thing has always being around the periphery with Alien communication (even if I don't personally care for it).  It was so vague with Decker that it didn't really bug me at all.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Ultramorph on May 06, 2017, 09:34:12 PM
Picked the book back up. Finished Episode 22 and Empty Nest. Empty Nest was fun.

Into Darkness Falls now. This one is particular
Spoiler
interests me as far as its chronological setting. The planet is in the Andromeda galaxy, which it seems humans hadn't even reached by the Rage War books.

"Government assured us the last of the Xenomorphs were destroyed more than a year ago." Interesting.
[close]
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Engineer on May 06, 2017, 09:37:47 PM
Quote from: SM on May 06, 2017, 09:20:54 PM
The telepath thing has always being around the periphery with Alien communication (even if I don't personally care for it).  It was so vague with Decker that it didn't really bug me at all.
I wouldn't call it vague. His telepathic link was a major plot point. It was The reason he was there, and their only way of telling whether the aliens were near since the motion trackers didn't work.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on May 06, 2017, 09:41:02 PM
The way it worked was vague.  He could sense when the Aliens were near but not a great deal else.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Engineer on May 06, 2017, 09:59:26 PM
Ah! Ok I get what you're saying now. But I'd agree, the telepathic abilities of the alien is not a new concept, and that doesn't bother me. What does bother me was HIS telepathic link and the way it was handled. And the descendent of ripley thing and the alien grudge against his bloodline *rolls eyes* I mean honestly, what are the chances of Ripley's descendant being on the same planet hundreds of years later, now being terraformed, and an accident spills his blood giving the aliens his scent and motive to carry out their revenge? Flimsy. I think the story would have been much better off if he had no relation to ripley and no telepathic link. Just another guy who stumbles onto the aliens. I did want to find out more about what would happen on lv178, I just wish it had been a different story ultimately.

Anyway, sorta getting off topic now, sorry about that... back to bug hunt now.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on May 06, 2017, 10:01:21 PM
If there was no telepathic link and no connection to Ripley there was no reason for him to be sent back to LV-178.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Russ840 on May 06, 2017, 10:01:59 PM
Pretty sure that he was not telepathic. He was Empathic, no ?
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: The Cruentus on May 06, 2017, 10:06:21 PM
Quote from: Russ840 on May 06, 2017, 10:01:59 PM
Pretty sure that he was not telepathic. He was Empathic, no ?

Decker is classed as a low-level telepath but yes his ability was empathic which is too far fetched for my tastes. First we get superhero hybrids called Ripley 8, now there are psychics.....The Alien series just doesn't seem to be satisfied with telling a gritty and realistic down to earth story.

Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Russ840 on May 06, 2017, 10:10:33 PM
Quote from: The Cruentus on May 06, 2017, 10:06:21 PM
Quote from: Russ840 on May 06, 2017, 10:01:59 PM
Pretty sure that he was not telepathic. He was Empathic, no ?

Decker is classed as a low-level telepath but yes his ability was empathic which is too far fetched for my tastes. First we get superhero hybrids called Ripley 8, now there are psychics.....The Alien series just doesn't seem to be satisfied with telling a gritty and realistic down to earth story.

I didnt mind the Empath elements throught the original comic series. It was always the queen doing it and thought that was a nice addition.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on May 06, 2017, 10:11:24 PM
Quote from: The Cruentus on May 06, 2017, 10:06:21 PM
Quote from: Russ840 on May 06, 2017, 10:01:59 PM
Pretty sure that he was not telepathic. He was Empathic, no ?

Decker is classed as a low-level telepath but yes his ability was empathic which is too far fetched for my tastes. First we get superhero hybrids called Ripley 8, now there are psychics.....The Alien series just doesn't seem to be satisfied with telling a gritty and realistic down to earth story.


Yeah lets ignore everything else they've done in the last 20 years.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: The Cruentus on May 06, 2017, 10:15:55 PM
Quote from: SM on May 06, 2017, 10:11:24 PM
Quote from: The Cruentus on May 06, 2017, 10:06:21 PM
Quote from: Russ840 on May 06, 2017, 10:01:59 PM
Pretty sure that he was not telepathic. He was Empathic, no ?

Decker is classed as a low-level telepath but yes his ability was empathic which is too far fetched for my tastes. First we get superhero hybrids called Ripley 8, now there are psychics.....The Alien series just doesn't seem to be satisfied with telling a gritty and realistic down to earth story.


Yeah lets ignore everything else they've done in the last 20 years.

Who's ignoring? I said Alien series, mainly as of now. The first three films were quite grounded bar a few things. Then the EU started with the psychic nonsense among other things, Resurrection added superhumans, Rage trilogy added
Spoiler
a form of immortality or delayed aging by a mcguffin...though since I read it once and fast, I might have missed something there.
[close]
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Ultramorph on May 06, 2017, 10:20:08 PM
In Rage War's defense
Spoiler
the extended life thing was explained by alien goo they found beyond the Human Sphere, and was fairly dark in that they lived centuries but were basically mutants by then.
[close]
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: The Cruentus on May 06, 2017, 10:25:06 PM
Quote from: Ultramorph on May 06, 2017, 10:20:08 PM
In Rage War's defense
Spoiler
the extended life thing was explained by alien goo they found beyond the Human Sphere, and was fairly dark in that they lived centuries but were basically mutants by then.
[close]

Spoiler
I understood how they achieved their life extension but it seemed poorly done, it was just a plot device that (if I recall from my only one time reading so I might be wrong) wasn't elaborated on much.
[close]
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Engineer on May 06, 2017, 10:26:28 PM
Quote from: Russ840 on May 06, 2017, 10:01:59 PM
Pretty sure that he was not telepathic. He was Empathic, no ?
Toe-may-toe, toe-mah-toe lol


Quote from: SM on May 06, 2017, 10:01:21 PM
If there was no telepathic link and no connection to Ripley there was no reason for him to be sent back to LV-178.
Yea that's true... but they could have just gone a different and more realistic approach. i.e., he never got injured and sent back to earth; maybe he fell part way down a shaft and discovered a long buried trimonite mine. Plenty of other ways to tell the story without all that nonsense


Quote from: Russ840 on May 06, 2017, 10:10:33 PM
Quote from: The Cruentus on May 06, 2017, 10:06:21 PM
Quote from: Russ840 on May 06, 2017, 10:01:59 PM
Pretty sure that he was not telepathic. He was Empathic, no ?

Decker is classed as a low-level telepath but yes his ability was empathic which is too far fetched for my tastes. First we get superhero hybrids called Ripley 8, now there are psychics.....The Alien series just doesn't seem to be satisfied with telling a gritty and realistic down to earth story.

I didnt mind the Empath elements throught the original comic series. It was always the queen doing it and thought that was a nice addition.
I didn't mind that in the original comic series either... but it was handled very differently here. And I really wanted something more in-line with the realism approach used in the movies, tbh
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: EJA on May 10, 2017, 07:14:24 PM
How many of the stories in the anthology adhere to the new EU of the recent novels and comics? Do any of them stand on their own?
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Xenomrph on May 11, 2017, 04:16:37 AM
Quote from: EJA on May 10, 2017, 07:14:24 PM
How many of the stories in the anthology adhere to the new EU of the recent novels and comics? Do any of them stand on their own?
What do you mean by "adhere to"? Do you mean "directly reference", or "don't contradict", or what?
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: EJA on May 11, 2017, 06:11:25 PM
Quote from: Xenomrph on May 11, 2017, 04:16:37 AM
Quote from: EJA on May 10, 2017, 07:14:24 PM
How many of the stories in the anthology adhere to the new EU of the recent novels and comics? Do any of them stand on their own?
What do you mean by "adhere to"? Do you mean "directly reference", or "don't contradict", or what?

Directly reference, mostly.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: HuDaFuK on May 11, 2017, 06:52:01 PM
With all the Covenant chaos last week, I've only just got around to reading the next story, Exterminators.

Spoiler
The setup was kinda dumb, what with the locals just sitting there being miserable when the Marines walk in instead of, you know, immediately mentioning the terrible shit that's going down. The bugs were a little too derivative of the Aliens, despite being quite different. Acid? Check. Hugging body parts? Check. Laying offspring inside you? Check. But the "birth" scene was undeniably kinda nasty and effective. Dietrich came off as a bit of a wimp compared to the previous story and I also found it distracting how the author made no mention of her being a medic when a medic is exactly what was needed. But despite all that, I thought it was OK.
[close]

So far I'd say there's only one story I've really loved - Reaper - and only one I've really hated - Reclamation. The rest have all been varying shades of meh.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Corporal Hicks on May 12, 2017, 07:32:45 AM
I liked a few more than just the one and there were two I was really disappointed in (Reclamation and Dark Mother, the Burke one?) but otherwise, I agree. I think the over-all feeling of this one was just meh.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on May 12, 2017, 07:59:30 AM
Dark Mother -hooooo boy...

Spoiler
Easily the most disappointing so far because it had the most potential.  Right from the outset it humanised Burke with the flashbacks to his mother.  You actually felt sorry for him.  His attempts to reason with the Alien were true to character, as was the Alien smashing him against the wall to knock him out.  His later attempts to try and be a hero was a nice switch too.

These were flashes of brilliance. Same with his plan to try and accept his fate and take the embryo then try and get away with it so it could be extracted later.  It was a really great idea, and just how Burke would think.  I thought it was a way to deal with the continuity error when he meets Ripley and the facehugger is already gone.  Don't fight it and it's much faster.

Sadly not.  This reads like a first draft.  Literally since this is the story that has the editorial notes left in (as someone mentioned earlier) as far as I can see.  During the flashbacks to his childhood, there's no change of perspective when it comes to naming.  He's still referred to as Burke.  His parents don't call him that, but during those passages the narration should've referred to him as Carter.  The editorial notes (don't know if this was Maberry or Izzo when he was still at Fox) outline - twice - that the timeframes don't work in terms of gestation.

There's a number of continuity errors with other time references to the film.  It's mentioned a number of times that Burke can't get out of the cocoon, yet within a sentence or two, he's out and running after Ripley.  He's carrying a grenade, but there's no mention of his conversation with Ripley, nor Ripley giving it to him.  It's like there's pages missing.  Before he's impregnated the Queen is nearby.  Later she's gone - to run after Ripley perhaps? Who can tell?

Really solid ideas turned into a monumental mess.
[close]
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: HuDaFuK on May 12, 2017, 10:05:19 AM
Got another two done last night.

I thought No Good Deed was going to be decent, but then there was
Spoiler
red Hulk,
[close]
which pretty much totally killed the story.

Zero to Hero I really enjoyed. The main character was a laughable cliché but despite that I ended up liking him, and the darkly comic ending was great.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on May 12, 2017, 11:18:18 AM
It was flagged enough times throughout the story for it not to be an issue, IMO.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: HuDaFuK on May 12, 2017, 11:37:07 AM
It wasn't that it came out of nowhere, it's that I thought it was just plain silly.

It's a shame, because I really liked Mad and Jex.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: The Cruentus on May 12, 2017, 11:45:52 AM
Quote from: HuDaFuK on May 12, 2017, 11:37:07 AM
It wasn't that it came out of nowhere, it's that I thought it was just plain silly.

It's a shame, because I really liked Mad and Jex.

Remember not all storiesin bug hunt are canon, so you don't need to have any serious expections regarding the lore/plausibilty etc.  :laugh:
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Hudson on May 12, 2017, 04:12:52 PM
Quote from: SM on May 12, 2017, 07:59:30 AM
Dark Mother -hooooo boy...

Spoiler
Easily the most disappointing so far because it had the most potential.  Right from the outset it humanised Burke with the flashbacks to his mother.  You actually felt sorry for him.  His attempts to reason with the Alien were true to character, as was the Alien smashing him against the wall to knock him out.  His later attempts to try and be a hero was a nice switch too.

These were flashes of brilliance. Same with his plan to try and accept his fate and take the embryo then try and get away with it so it could be extracted later.  It was a really great idea, and just how Burke would think.  I thought it was a way to deal with the continuity error when he meets Ripley and the facehugger is already gone.  Don't fight it and it's much faster.

Sadly not.  This reads like a first draft.  Literally since this is the story that has the editorial notes left in (as someone mentioned earlier) as far as I can see.  During the flashbacks to his childhood, there's no change of perspective when it comes to naming.  He's still referred to as Burke.  His parents don't call him that, but during those passages the narration should've referred to him as Carter.  The editorial notes (don't know if this was Maberry or Izzo when he was still at Fox) outline - twice - that the timeframes don't work in terms of gestation.

There's a number of continuity errors with other time references to the film.  It's mentioned a number of times that Burke can't get out of the cocoon, yet within a sentence or two, he's out and running after Ripley.  He's carrying a grenade, but there's no mention of his conversation with Ripley, nor Ripley giving it to him.  It's like there's pages missing.  Before he's impregnated the Queen is nearby.  Later she's gone - to run after Ripley perhaps? Who can tell?

Really solid ideas turned into a monumental mess.
[close]

Do you have the page numbers handy where you noticed those issues? Somehow they got by me on my first read, but granted there are 18 stories and I read this in about three days, so it all kind of blended together. Not that reading the book at a slower pace would do it any favors...
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: gantarat on May 12, 2017, 04:24:25 PM
Quote from: The Cruentus on May 12, 2017, 11:45:52 AM
Quote from: HuDaFuK on May 12, 2017, 11:37:07 AM
It wasn't that it came out of nowhere, it's that I thought it was just plain silly.

It's a shame, because I really liked Mad and Jex.

Remember not all storiesin bug hunt are canon, so you don't need to have any serious expections regarding the lore/plausibilty etc.  :laugh:

At this point i don't think all story in the book is canon.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: HuDaFuK on May 12, 2017, 04:30:46 PM
Knocked out a couple more.

Dark Mother... Yeah, SM and others have already summarised. Potentially great idea completely ruined by shitty writing and a feeling the author doesn't really know what he's talking about. Plus, when you get the impression no one has even proof-read what you're reading, you know you're up shit's creek.

Episode 22, on the other hand, I loved. It was completely left-field in tone and form, and I liked that. It read like something I could imagine seeing on TV. I enjoyed that it gives some backstory on such a classic fictional weapon and, so far as I could tell, it all matched up with Colonial Marine Tech Manual. Plus I loved how the talk of the initial M41 suffering from jamming issues tied into the 1999 Aliens versus Predator game, which featured the M41 and yep, that bitch would randomly jam at inopportune moments.

My only real issue was that it overlooked the fact Heckler & Koch solved the issue of ceaseless ammunition overheating with the G11 in the 70s :P They also invented the rotating breech. Still, a strange read but one of the most enjoyable so far.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on May 12, 2017, 09:53:34 PM
Quote from: HuDaFuK on May 12, 2017, 11:37:07 AM
It wasn't that it came out of nowhere, it's that I thought it was just plain silly.

It's a shame, because I really liked Mad and Jex.

They were okay, but the "f**k off" running gag got old very quickly. One thing I did like about that story was
Spoiler
them arriving right in the middle of the infestation.
[close]

Quote from: Hudson on May 12, 2017, 04:12:52 PM
Quote from: SM on May 12, 2017, 07:59:30 AM
Dark Mother -hooooo boy...

Spoiler
Easily the most disappointing so far because it had the most potential.  Right from the outset it humanised Burke with the flashbacks to his mother.  You actually felt sorry for him.  His attempts to reason with the Alien were true to character, as was the Alien smashing him against the wall to knock him out.  His later attempts to try and be a hero was a nice switch too.

These were flashes of brilliance. Same with his plan to try and accept his fate and take the embryo then try and get away with it so it could be extracted later.  It was a really great idea, and just how Burke would think.  I thought it was a way to deal with the continuity error when he meets Ripley and the facehugger is already gone.  Don't fight it and it's much faster.

Sadly not.  This reads like a first draft.  Literally since this is the story that has the editorial notes left in (as someone mentioned earlier) as far as I can see.  During the flashbacks to his childhood, there's no change of perspective when it comes to naming.  He's still referred to as Burke.  His parents don't call him that, but during those passages the narration should've referred to him as Carter.  The editorial notes (don't know if this was Maberry or Izzo when he was still at Fox) outline - twice - that the timeframes don't work in terms of gestation.

There's a number of continuity errors with other time references to the film.  It's mentioned a number of times that Burke can't get out of the cocoon, yet within a sentence or two, he's out and running after Ripley.  He's carrying a grenade, but there's no mention of his conversation with Ripley, nor Ripley giving it to him.  It's like there's pages missing.  Before he's impregnated the Queen is nearby.  Later she's gone - to run after Ripley perhaps? Who can tell?

Really solid ideas turned into a monumental mess.
[close]

Do you have the page numbers handy where you noticed those issues? Somehow they got by me on my first read, but granted there are 18 stories and I read this in about three days, so it all kind of blended together. Not that reading the book at a slower pace would do it any favors...

I have the Kindle version. But the passages go like this:
Spoiler
Burke woke to blaring sirens with a throat rubbed raw,  They fall off of their own accord.  ALSO - and shit this doesn't work. The facehugger stays on for a few hours.  The amount of time between when Burke "is" taken and the end of Alien is a ticking clock.  And then it blows up.
(I think Alien is meant to be Aliens there)

Blood and fluids gushed out with it, his guts and stomach spilling onto the metal flor like afterbirth.  NO. It takes 12-18 hours to gestate!
[close]
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Hudson on May 13, 2017, 12:37:22 AM
Quote from: HuDaFuK on May 12, 2017, 04:30:46 PM
Knocked out a couple more.

Dark Mother... Yeah, SM and others have already summarised. Potentially great idea completely ruined by shitty writing and a feeling the author doesn't really know what he's talking about. Plus, when you get the impression no one has even proof-read what you're reading, you know you're up shit's creek.

Episode 22, on the other hand, I loved. It was completely left-field in tone and form, and I liked that. It read like something I could imagine seeing on TV. I enjoyed that it gives some backstory on such a classic fictional weapon and, so far as I could tell, it all matched up with Colonial Marine Tech Manual. Plus I loved how the talk of the initial M41 suffering from jamming issues tied into the 1999 Aliens versus Predator game, which featured the M41 and yep, that bitch would randomly jam at inopportune moments.

My only real issue was that it overlooked the fact Heckler & Koch solved the issue of ceaseless ammunition overheating with the G11 in the 70s :P They also invented the rotating breech. Still, a strange read but one of the most enjoyable so far.

I thought that story was the worst in the whole book. The Pulse Rifle was invented by a retired guy running a BBQ food truck during the day? Where is that in the Technical Manual?

Also, the Pulse Rifle jams in AvP??
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Xenomrph on May 13, 2017, 02:20:03 AM
Quote from: EJA on May 11, 2017, 06:11:25 PM
Quote from: Xenomrph on May 11, 2017, 04:16:37 AM
Quote from: EJA on May 10, 2017, 07:14:24 PM
How many of the stories in the anthology adhere to the new EU of the recent novels and comics? Do any of them stand on their own?
What do you mean by "adhere to"? Do you mean "directly reference", or "don't contradict", or what?

Directly reference, mostly.
i think there's just the Tim Lebbon one that references the Rage War.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Engineer on May 13, 2017, 04:32:09 AM
Quote from: Hudson on May 13, 2017, 12:37:22 AM
Quote from: HuDaFuK on May 12, 2017, 04:30:46 PM
Knocked out a couple more.

Dark Mother... Yeah, SM and others have already summarised. Potentially great idea completely ruined by shitty writing and a feeling the author doesn't really know what he's talking about. Plus, when you get the impression no one has even proof-read what you're reading, you know you're up shit's creek.

Episode 22, on the other hand, I loved. It was completely left-field in tone and form, and I liked that. It read like something I could imagine seeing on TV. I enjoyed that it gives some backstory on such a classic fictional weapon and, so far as I could tell, it all matched up with Colonial Marine Tech Manual. Plus I loved how the talk of the initial M41 suffering from jamming issues tied into the 1999 Aliens versus Predator game, which featured the M41 and yep, that bitch would randomly jam at inopportune moments.

My only real issue was that it overlooked the fact Heckler & Koch solved the issue of ceaseless ammunition overheating with the G11 in the 70s :P They also invented the rotating breech. Still, a strange read but one of the most enjoyable so far.

I thought that story was the worst in the whole book. The Pulse Rifle was invented by a retired guy running a BBQ food truck during the day? Where is that in the Technical Manual?

Also, the Pulse Rifle jams in AvP??

I second that! (The last part at least). I don't recall the AvP pulse rifle jamming either...
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: HuDaFuK on May 13, 2017, 08:34:12 AM
Quote from: Hudson on May 13, 2017, 12:37:22 AMAlso, the Pulse Rifle jams in AvP??

It did. No animation or anything but often it would just fail to fire when you clicked the mouse trigger. It would also occasionally stop shooting during bursts of automatic, requiring you to release the trigger and hit it again to resume firing. Unless my copy of the game had a very persistent and specific glitch lol.

Quote from: Hudson on May 13, 2017, 12:37:22 AMI thought that story was the worst in the whole book. The Pulse Rifle was invented by a retired guy running a BBQ food truck during the day?

The Colt revolver was invented by a teenager with precisely zero prior weapons design experience.

Quote from: Hudson on May 12, 2017, 04:12:52 PMDo you have the page numbers handy where you noticed those issues?

To expand on SM's answer, pages 216 and 219 in my copy of the book.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Engineer on May 13, 2017, 03:35:15 PM
I don't remember the jamming. But I do remember the animation being a little sporadic. Is that what you're talking about?
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Hudson on May 13, 2017, 07:23:35 PM
QuoteThe Colt revolver was invented by a teenager with precisely zero prior weapons design experience.

::)

Okay, all plausibility issues aside (and ignoring some oversimplification of historical fact), I didn't personally feel like it fit with the tone or continuity of the Alien franchise, which is my problem with 95% of the stories in the book. Episode 22 transgressed in this department the most of all, affecting a ridiculous tone throughout. I think the story thinks it's either funny or clever, or both. Also, in the talking head interviews (I'm guessing that's what those are), pretty lazy effort coming up with a lot of the character names: Michael Newman, Daniel Walker, Hank Reynolds, Chris Johnson, Mike Willis...*yawn.* Larry Correia might be a big deal but this story made me roll my eyes.

And it must be your computer. The Pulse Rifle in AvP 1999 doesn't jam as a feature of the game. I think I would've caught that at some point during my 200 rereads of the Prima strategy guide in grade school. Maybe it's the Steam copy.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Xenomrph on May 13, 2017, 10:09:58 PM
I remember the pulse rifle jamming in AvP99; it wasn't often but it would definitely happen.

And I'm talking about the CD copy, not the Steam version.

This might give me an excuse to replay the Steam version and see if I can recreate it.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Engineer on May 13, 2017, 10:32:51 PM
I played the same version and have no recollection of that lol
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Corporal Hicks on May 14, 2017, 11:03:07 AM
Quote from: Hudson on May 13, 2017, 07:23:35 PM
And it must be your computer. The Pulse Rifle in AvP 1999 doesn't jam as a feature of the game. I think I would've caught that at some point during my 200 rereads of the Prima strategy guide in grade school. Maybe it's the Steam copy.

Yep, it definitely jammed. I've been replaying it a bit lately and it occurs quite frequently. I couldn't give you a source but I do vaguely remember someone from Rebellion talking about it in article (old magazine) or to me directly.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: 426Buddy on May 14, 2017, 11:37:34 AM
Quote from: Corporal Hicks on May 14, 2017, 11:03:07 AM
Quote from: Hudson on May 13, 2017, 07:23:35 PM
And it must be your computer. The Pulse Rifle in AvP 1999 doesn't jam as a feature of the game. I think I would've caught that at some point during my 200 rereads of the Prima strategy guide in grade school. Maybe it's the Steam copy.

Yep, it definitely jammed. I've been replaying it a bit lately and it occurs quite frequently. I couldn't give you a source but I do vaguely remember someone from Rebellion talking about it in article (old magazine) or to me directly.

Yeah it definitely jams in the original copy of the game. If i remember right, there is a trailer for the game that shows it jamming as well.


Yeah i think the trailer shows an ai character jamming but not sure. Anyway i remember it jamming as a kid.

This trailer was on my VHS copy of Aliens:SE, I watched it a million times until i got the game. ;D man i loved this game so much. ;D

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://m.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DygMWMIv0qPs&ved=0ahUKEwi9zPLQpu_TAhUszoMKHYATBOAQo7QBCBwwAA&usg=AFQjCNHJJq_QwMNxcPo_qRydI-EAT1vRIw&sig2=w-i1aHlmUc_Dg_2SizPXfw
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: HuDaFuK on May 14, 2017, 05:17:58 PM
Quote from: Xenomrph on May 13, 2017, 10:09:58 PMI remember the pulse rifle jamming in AvP99; it wasn't often but it would definitely happen.

And I'm talking about the CD copy, not the Steam version.

It also happens in the Steam version, that being the only copy of the game that I own.

Quote from: Hudson on May 13, 2017, 07:23:35 PM::)

I don't really get the eye-rolling. That's a real-world, historical example of an iconic and revolutionary weapon being designed by a complete novice. So it didn't strike me as especially dumb for a retired Marine to come up with a decent weapon, regardless of what he might be doing for his day job.

You don't like the story, fine. But nothing in it read as especially unbelievable.

Two more down. Found both Deep Background and Empty Nest to be really enjoyable, especially the former. The Marine banter in it came across as refreshingly legit and devoid of cheese, especially during the sniping scene, and I really liked how you never actually see any Aliens or Alien combat in the story, it's all "off-screen". And the final twist with Hasegawa was great. Empty Nest wasn't quite so good but I still ended up liking it.

I loved that both stories were so loaded with references to other Alien media. Stuff like the M42A Scope Rifle showing up. And I got a particularly big kick out of seeing Lasalle Bionational get a mention in Empty Nest - a nod to the obscure Aliens magazine, Lasalle being the fictitious company that produced the great Xenomorph biology articles that appeared in it.

Given how hard Aliens mag is to come by these days, I can't help but wonder if maybe the name-drop of Lasalle originated from our article on the wiki... ;D
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on May 14, 2017, 09:45:41 PM
I got no time for Correia, but I thought Episode 22 was one of the better stories.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: HuDaFuK on May 15, 2017, 12:40:40 PM
Like I said, Episode 22 came across exactly like the kind of weapon-history show I've seen on TV many times before, and I really appreciated how it nailed that aspect.

Darkness Falls - "Heather Graham" must be an alias of Eric Red :laugh: Christ.

Hugs to Die for was better (not saying much), but still annoyed me with how fan-ficcy a lot of it sounded, especially in the general set-up and the goofy W-Y rep character. That said, the idea of an Alien story where the only Aliens we meet are Facehuggers (and tons of them) was actually really cool. Just wish it hadn't got off to such a poor start and left so many questions hanging. (Like where the hell are all the eggs coming from? Do they have a Queen there or what?)
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on May 15, 2017, 09:12:29 PM
Deep Background - Decent
Spoiler
sadly predictable moustache twirling at the end.
[close]
Empty Nest - Decent
Spoiler
but telegraphed that something was up with the woman too early.  Also similar to Inhuman Condition.  The deaths were nicely grim though.
[close]

The pattern with most of these stories seems to 'Ho-hum - this is actually pretty good - unsatisfactory conclusion.'
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: HuDaFuK on May 16, 2017, 09:39:50 AM
Got through another three last night, and enjoyed them all. This book's definitely picked up noticeably in the second half, despite the fact the back end contains unquestionably the worst story of the lot so far (Darkness Falls).

Maberry's Deep Black was excellent (despite a few goofs, like constantly referring to Weyland-Yutani as "W-T", or calling Double-Y syndrome "Double-X", which would simply make anyone suffering from it a woman :laugh:). Another story with lots of references that make it feel like the author actually cared enough to do some research on the series before writing it.
Spoiler
Loved the return to Fury. Wasn't so hot on the theory as to how the Chinese actually got hold of Aliens there, but at least it was presented as just that - a theory. The fact it wasn't definitively stated exactly what happened means you're free to come up with your own, perhaps less continuity-muddling explanation.
[close]
Above all, I just thought the writing style in this was fantastic. Even the mistakes I mentioned couldn't really dampen it for me. Would love to see Maberry write more for this franchise.

Distressed was
Spoiler
another good not-actually Aliens story. A bit like Reaper, it sets you up into thinking you'll be facing the good ol' Xeno, but then pulls a 180 and throws a completely different (and pretty cool) alien at you. If anything the switch was a tad unclear - for instance, he calls his new alien a Xenomorph, which - while linguistically fine (and a neat touch) - did confuse me for a bit, and I had to re-read a few lines before I twigged that what I'd just read wasn't supposed to be another vague description of the traditional Alien... But once I was over that I loved the story through to the end.
[close]

Dangerous Prey, a bit like Episode 22, was another story that pleasantly surprised with how different it was in tone and style.
Spoiler
Seeing things entirely from the Alien perspective didn't always work but at least made for an interesting and memorable read. It reminded me of some of the good Alien-perspective sections in Crispin's Resurrection novelisation.
[close]
Probably the one of the three I enjoyed least but still a worthwhile addition.

Only have Lebbon's Spite to go now.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Hudson on May 16, 2017, 05:14:19 PM
Deep Black was definitely my favorite of the whole book, but I was disappointed that it basically ended as the story was about to begin. Seemed like a really interesting portion of a longer work.

Dangerous Prey was another of my favorites as well. I haven't read the Resurrection novelization yet, actually just got it in the mail. I thought the voice was consistent and fit well with what I would expect that kind of narration to sound like. I was hoping for more of it in Sea of Sorrow, but it was pretty sparse.

Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: HuDaFuK on May 16, 2017, 06:03:16 PM
Quote from: Hudson on May 16, 2017, 05:14:19 PMDeep Black was definitely my favorite of the whole book, but I was disappointed that it basically ended as the story was about to begin. Seemed like a really interesting portion of a longer work.

To be honest, given how many stories we've had over the years that have soldiers fighting Aliens, I was fine with it ending like it did. I don't need to read about yet more Marines getting into yet more firefights with Xenomorphs. I liked that the story focused on different things instead. Same goes for Deep Background, which likewise deliberately dodged the actual Alien confrontations and was all the more interesting for it.

Would've been nice to know what ultimately happened to the characters, but I didn't think the cliffhanger ending was necessarily a bad thing.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Hudson on May 17, 2017, 01:06:17 AM
Didn't feel like a cliffhanger to me. Felt unfinished.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on May 17, 2017, 01:23:21 AM
Quotedespite a few goofs, like constantly referring to Weyland-Yutani as "W-T",

That could be because T is the dominant consonant in Yutani.

Or could be because T is right next Y and Maberry was busy trying to edit the Burke story.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Engineer on May 17, 2017, 02:19:06 AM
Quote from: SM on May 17, 2017, 01:23:21 AM
Or could be because T is right next Y and Maberry was busy trying to edit the Burke story.

Considering the author did this every time instead of once or twice, I don't think it was a typo...
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Hudson on May 17, 2017, 05:06:42 AM
I would maybe vote for Double X to be a typo...but even that is pretty bad.

This book is mostly just a big mess. Very lazy job all around.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Engineer on May 17, 2017, 05:20:36 AM
Quote from: Hudson on May 17, 2017, 05:06:42 AM
I would maybe vote for Double X to be a typo...but even that is pretty bad.

This book is mostly just a big mess. Very lazy job all around.

Oh my god the double X thing had me in f@&$ stitches! Lol
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Hudson on May 17, 2017, 05:25:33 AM
Quote from: Engineer on May 17, 2017, 05:20:36 AM
Quote from: Hudson on May 17, 2017, 05:06:42 AM
I would maybe vote for Double X to be a typo...but even that is pretty bad.

This book is mostly just a big mess. Very lazy job all around.

Oh my god the double X thing had me in f@&$ stitches! Lol

I guess not everyone takes freshman biology...

(or even watches the f**king movie they're referencing)
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on May 17, 2017, 06:03:48 AM
Spoilers!!!
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: HuDaFuK on May 17, 2017, 09:37:30 AM
Polished off Spite and the book as a whole last night. Lebbon's final entry was decent but not as good as the few preceding stories. I can't decided if I would've got more out of it if I'd already read the Rage War trilogy. Probably.

Overall I ended up quite enjoying the book, although it was undeniably uneven (typically to be expected with a short story collection). Generally, I thought the second half was far superior to the first. The stories I really loved were Reaper, Zero to Hero, Episode 22, Deep Background, Empty Nest, Deep Black, Distressed and Dangerous Prey; I guess 8 out of 15 isn't too bad. The only story I absolutely hated was Darkness Falls, which was total cack, although I found Blowback to be a bit of a slog as well. Everything else was just OK. A few of the stories would've been much better without one or two things dragging them down.

Could've done without all the rather obvious errors in the book (especially in Dark Mother, can't believe that slipped through) but otherwise I thought it was a decent effort. I'm not sure I'll ever read the whole thing again but I'm sure I'll come back to a few of the stories.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on May 22, 2017, 01:49:07 AM
Darkness Falls
Spoiler
Very derivative.  Woman with experience with the Aliens is dragged back into dealing with them again.  There's an arrogant and inexperienced commander, a cool and calm guy, children to be rescued, a suspicious android.  Often juvenile dialogue.  Needed editing (repeated sentences a paragraph apart, misspelling of 'flame' and 'fame').  I think this was the worst one so far.
[close]
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: HuDaFuK on May 22, 2017, 08:36:31 AM
Yeah, as I insinuated earlier, that one just brought back unpleasant memories of Eric Red's appalling Alien 3 script. By far the worst in the entire book if you ask me.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on May 22, 2017, 08:48:13 AM
What about Eric Red's script do you mean?  Been a long while since I read it.  I found it to be very much an Aliens pastiche.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: HuDaFuK on May 22, 2017, 09:28:58 AM
The immature style, rather than the story.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Whiskeybrewer on May 22, 2017, 10:30:23 AM
Quote from: HuDaFuK on May 22, 2017, 08:36:31 AM
Yeah, as I insinuated earlier, that one just brought back unpleasant memories of Eric Red's appalling Alien 3 script. By far the worst in the entire book if you ask me.

Lol Red's script is so bad. Least he even admits it lol. The zero G sex scene was hysterically bad
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on May 22, 2017, 08:40:39 PM
Quote from: HuDaFuK on May 22, 2017, 09:28:58 AM
The immature style, rather than the story.

Oh, right.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: The Cruentus on May 23, 2017, 08:51:23 AM
Quote from: Hudson on May 17, 2017, 05:25:33 AM
Quote from: Engineer on May 17, 2017, 05:20:36 AM
Quote from: Hudson on May 17, 2017, 05:06:42 AM
I would maybe vote for Double X to be a typo...but even that is pretty bad.

This book is mostly just a big mess. Very lazy job all around.

Oh my god the double X thing had me in f@&$ stitches! Lol

I guess not everyone takes freshman biology...

(or even watches the f**king movie they're referencing)

Well the movie itself was incorrect, in real life, those with XYY syndrome are quite tall and may or may not have learning difficulties, they are not anymore violent or aggressive than anyone else.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on May 23, 2017, 09:25:11 AM
None of that suggests the film is incorrect.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: The Cruentus on May 23, 2017, 10:08:44 AM
Pretty sure the inmates are not 7 foot tall, hell morse is quite short I believe.
The film is incorrect for having a XYY prison because such a syndrome does not cause violent behavior, its a myth.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on May 23, 2017, 10:17:09 AM
The film doesn't make that link.  Thieves aren't necessarily violent.

Are XYY men supposed to be 7" tall?  A quick Google indicates an average of 6'3".

Clemens is fairly tall, didn't commit a violent crime, and was in a YY facility.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: The Cruentus on May 23, 2017, 10:26:35 AM
There should not be a XYY facility I am saying, crime has nothing do with the syndrome, violent or otherwise ergo there should not be a specific prison for for people with that syndome, they are no more likely to commit crime than anyone else, thus it should just be regular prison.

6 or 7ft, one of them anyway.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on May 23, 2017, 11:10:20 AM
The film doesn't specify why all the Y chromos are there though.  Maybe felons are divvied up by chromosome abnormalities and there are XXY prisons etc.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: The Cruentus on May 23, 2017, 12:06:00 PM
All I got to say is that its very strange future indeed if criminals are categorized and put in prisons specified for conditions that don't have an affect on whether or not one causes a crime.
I wonder if there is an asthma max prison somewhere out there that universe  :laugh:
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Engineer on May 23, 2017, 01:42:18 PM
It's an artifact of the 90s. At the time, double-y chromosome abnormalities where known and not well understood. One theory was that it may link to more aggressive behavior and criminal activity. The movie was attempting to be edgy and scientifically current. A few years later, it was discovered that double-y has no impact on a person. They are no more aggressive. And this is the first I'm hearing of them being taller! Anyway, who cares? I applaud the film for trying to be on top of things for the times. It's funny to me that the book bug hunt says double-x because that's a huge error, and would make them all female.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Hudson on May 23, 2017, 06:01:28 PM
QuoteThe film doesn't make that link.

I mean...isn't there an implicit link in the fact that it's emphasized not only by the opening superimposed text, but also by Andrews directly to Ripley in the context of concern for "her own personal safety?"
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on May 23, 2017, 09:09:43 PM
Well, there's murderers and rapists, so safety is obviously paramount.  There's also thieves who aren't automatically violent, and there's a doctor who was a former inmate.  The YY chromo link is suitably non-specific.


Hugs to Die For - Far and away best story so far.

Spoiler
Huggers are scary.  Neutered huggers is f**ked up.  Neutered huggers helping the fertile ones escape is really f**ked up.  Walls literally crawling with huggers is scary and really f**ked up.
[close]
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: HuDaFuK on May 24, 2017, 08:05:42 AM
Quote from: SM on May 23, 2017, 09:09:43 PMHugs to Die For - Far and away best story so far.

I really wish the initial setup for that hadn't struck me as so fan-ficcy because the actual post-escape stuff was excellent.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on May 24, 2017, 08:23:24 AM
The only very minor drawback for me was it was a little derivative in terms of
Spoiler
a woman rescuing a child - again
[close]

But everything else hit the mark.  Acid is dangerous - so much licensed stuff has the acid being a non-issue.  In the films small amounts cripple Hicks, Vasquez and Christie.

Spoiler
Amotz was burned something chronic by the end.
[close]
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on May 26, 2017, 01:55:50 AM
Deep Black

Spoiler
Cliched out the wazoo in terms of vocabulary, but still enjoyable - until we get to the non-ending.
[close]
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: HuDaFuK on May 26, 2017, 08:30:53 AM
That was one of those examples of clichéd being done right. The dialogue in Aliens is pretty damn cliché when all is said and done, doesn't stop people loving the hell out of it.

I really did love the prose in that one.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on May 26, 2017, 08:58:37 AM
Major anti-climax though.

Spoiler
I really thought we'd get a look in the prison and see what had become of it.
[close]
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: HuDaFuK on May 26, 2017, 12:57:37 PM
Fair point. Ultimately wasn't something that bothered me though, for whatever reason.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on May 29, 2017, 11:08:28 AM
Distressed

I think Moore is a decent writer, this story seemed a bit pointless though.

Dangerous Prey

Spoiler
Interesting.  Would've been more interesting if it told the story of Aliens from the creatures POV.
[close]
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Hudson on May 29, 2017, 10:51:54 PM
Quote from: SM on May 26, 2017, 08:58:37 AM
Major anti-climax though.

Spoiler
I really thought we'd get a look in the prison and see what had become of it.
[close]

The ending of that story was a build up to nothing. Could've been so much more.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Engineer on May 29, 2017, 11:02:18 PM
Quote from: Hudson on May 29, 2017, 10:51:54 PM
Quote from: SM on May 26, 2017, 08:58:37 AM
Major anti-climax though.

Spoiler
I really thought we'd get a look in the prison and see what had become of it.
[close]

The ending of that story was a build up to nothing. Could've been so much more.
Yea this was one story that I was intrigued by most once I got started. Overlooking silly mistakes of course. But that ending left the whole story feeling pointless!
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on May 29, 2017, 11:28:08 PM
Considering it's all done in the first person, I can overlook the XX thing.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Engineer on May 29, 2017, 11:55:02 PM
Quote from: SM on May 29, 2017, 11:28:08 PM
Considering it's all done in the first person, I can overlook the XX thing.
It just cracks me up! Lol
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Hudson on May 30, 2017, 02:43:39 AM
Quote from: SM on May 29, 2017, 11:28:08 PM
Considering it's all done in the first person, I can overlook the XX thing.

I get your logic, but that's a free pass.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on May 30, 2017, 02:56:25 AM
Absolutely it is.  It's the same as in Sea of Sorrows when Decker muses on his grandfather telling him a ship crashing into Paris.  It's a mistake, but there is a way of overlooking it if one wishes, because it's one characters mistaken point of view, and not the omniscient narrator.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Hudson on May 30, 2017, 03:18:07 AM
Quote from: SM on May 30, 2017, 02:56:25 AM
Absolutely it is.  It's the same as in Sea of Sorrows when Decker muses on his grandfather telling him a ship crashing into Paris.  It's a mistake, but there is a way of overlooking it if one wishes, because it's one characters mistaken point of view, and not the omniscient narrator.

That's a fair way to look at it. I guess I just don't want to make concessions, not that there's anything wrong with that. I just prefer to hold professionals accountable, and when you get paid to write within a licensed property with a fanbase, you should at least have an entry-level familiarity with, and/or some level of respect for the property. So I probably take it too personally when I see blatant errors and chalk it up to a lack of respect for my beloved saga. Because I see James Moore's mistake in Sea of Sorrows as an indicator that he's never participated in fandom beyond watching the DVDs, I get annoyed.

It just frustrates me for Titan to have paid a number of writers who clearly don't have enough of an interest in Alien for there to be any heart at the center of their stories. Instead of interesting human conflicts in many of these, there are just references to Aliens by dropping in characters from the film, or set pieces usually involving some other type of monster. There is more to science-fiction writing than dumb tie-in references and 'action' scenes. There are plenty of qualified writers who would contribute to an anthology such as this for free. It would be awesome for them to do another anthology, but solicit submissions contest-style. I recently saw it done with CHUD, in fact.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Engineer on May 30, 2017, 03:22:43 AM
Quote from: Hudson on May 30, 2017, 03:18:07 AM
Quote from: SM on May 30, 2017, 02:56:25 AM
Absolutely it is.  It's the same as in Sea of Sorrows when Decker muses on his grandfather telling him a ship crashing into Paris.  It's a mistake, but there is a way of overlooking it if one wishes, because it's one characters mistaken point of view, and not the omniscient narrator.

That's a fair way to look at it. I guess I just don't want to make concessions, not that there's anything wrong with that. I just prefer to hold professionals accountable, and when you get paid to write within a licensed property with a fanbase, you should at least have an entry-level familiarity with, and/or some level of respect for the property. So I probably take it too personally when I see blatant errors and chalk it up to a lack of respect for my beloved saga. Because I see James Moore's mistake in Sea of Sorrows as an indicator that he's never participated in fandom beyond watching the DVDs, I get annoyed.

It just frustrates me for Titan to have paid a number of writers who clearly don't have enough of an interest in Alien for there to be any heart at the center of their stories. Instead of interesting human conflicts in many of these, there are just references to Aliens by dropping in characters from the film, or set pieces usually involving some other type of monster. There is more to science-fiction writing than dumb tie-in references and 'action' scenes. There are plenty of qualified writers who would contribute to an anthology such as this for free. It would be awesome for them to do another anthology, but solicit submissions contest-style. I recently saw it done with CHUD, in fact.
Shoot! I'd write a short story for free! It wouldn't be any good cuz I'm not a writer, but I'd still do it! :-) lol
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Hudson on May 30, 2017, 03:28:44 AM
Quote from: Engineer on May 30, 2017, 03:22:43 AM
Quote from: Hudson on May 30, 2017, 03:18:07 AM
Quote from: SM on May 30, 2017, 02:56:25 AM
Absolutely it is.  It's the same as in Sea of Sorrows when Decker muses on his grandfather telling him a ship crashing into Paris.  It's a mistake, but there is a way of overlooking it if one wishes, because it's one characters mistaken point of view, and not the omniscient narrator.

That's a fair way to look at it. I guess I just don't want to make concessions, not that there's anything wrong with that. I just prefer to hold professionals accountable, and when you get paid to write within a licensed property with a fanbase, you should at least have an entry-level familiarity with, and/or some level of respect for the property. So I probably take it too personally when I see blatant errors and chalk it up to a lack of respect for my beloved saga. Because I see James Moore's mistake in Sea of Sorrows as an indicator that he's never participated in fandom beyond watching the DVDs, I get annoyed.

It just frustrates me for Titan to have paid a number of writers who clearly don't have enough of an interest in Alien for there to be any heart at the center of their stories. Instead of interesting human conflicts in many of these, there are just references to Aliens by dropping in characters from the film, or set pieces usually involving some other type of monster. There is more to science-fiction writing than dumb tie-in references and 'action' scenes. There are plenty of qualified writers who would contribute to an anthology such as this for free. It would be awesome for them to do another anthology, but solicit submissions contest-style. I recently saw it done with CHUD, in fact.
Shoot! I'd write a short story for free! It wouldn't be any good cuz I'm not a writer, but I'd still do it! :-) lol

In contrast, many of the stories in this collection come off as if the writer's reaction to a request for contribution were something along the lines of, "Fine, I'll do it for [x amount]."
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on May 30, 2017, 04:26:19 AM
For this sort of thing you need someone proof reading who knows the ins and outs, but can work with what the IP holder is trying to achieve.

I did some work for Fox proof reading some Defiance and Life & Death scripts, but really there was very little in those that needed to be changed (the ones I read anyway).  From memory my only suggestion that got up was changing the location of LV-44-40 in Defiance to Zeta Doradus (it was originally Alpha Doradus).
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: The Cruentus on May 30, 2017, 08:22:16 AM
Quote from: SM on May 30, 2017, 04:26:19 AM
For this sort of thing you need someone proof reading who knows the ins and outs, but can work with what the IP holder is trying to achieve.

I did some work for Fox proof reading some Defiance and Life & Death scripts, but really there was very little in those that needed to be changed (the ones I read anyway).  From memory my only suggestion that got up was changing the location of LV-44-40 in Defiance to Zeta Doradus (it was originally Alpha Doradus).

Well I would have said the Hollis incident would have needed to be changed... :P :laugh:
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on May 30, 2017, 09:20:21 AM
Didn't see that script.

And probably wouldn't have had an issue with it.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Hudson on May 30, 2017, 05:22:45 PM
I still haven't read any of the new comics. How closely do they tie in with the films and rest of the new 'wave' of EU material?
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on May 30, 2017, 08:35:19 PM
Fire & Stone ties into River of Pain, and Defiance references Alien Isolation, but other than that, they're their own thing.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Engineer on May 30, 2017, 11:36:30 PM
Quote from: SM on May 30, 2017, 08:35:19 PM
Fire & Stone ties into River of Pain, and Defiance references Alien Isolation, but other than that, they're their own thing.
Doesn't fire & stone also tie in with Prometheus?
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on May 30, 2017, 11:38:53 PM
Yeah it does.  I misread Hudson's post.  It's a good deal of time after Prometheus and its resolutions to some of the films threads are a bit vague.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: 426Buddy on Jun 10, 2017, 09:12:19 PM
It has taken me a long time but im half way through the book, about to start dark mother. So far i actually regret buying this book, i hope everyone is right and the second half is better. So far i've only enjoyed reaper, everything else has been pretty bad.

Others have already said this but the inclusion of all these horrible monsters makes the film Aliens seem like just another day at the office.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Engineer on Jun 10, 2017, 09:43:02 PM
Quote from: 426Buddy on Jun 10, 2017, 09:12:19 PM
It has taken me a long time but im half way through the book, about to start dark mother. So far i actually regret buying this book, i hope everyone is right and the second half is better. So far i've only enjoyed reaper, everything else has been pretty bad.

Others have already said this but the inclusion of all these horrible monsters makes the film Aliens seem like just another day at the office.

Which one was reaper again?
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on Jun 10, 2017, 10:03:00 PM
The one with teeny insects on the harvester.  Didn't really grab me that one, but I really liked the idea of a flat planet that was covered in crops and massive harvesters that endlessly drive across it.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Engineer on Jun 10, 2017, 10:08:45 PM
Quote from: SM on Jun 10, 2017, 10:03:00 PM
The one with teeny insects on the harvester.  Didn't really grab me that one, but I really liked the idea of a flat planet that was covered in crops and massive harvesters that endlessly drive across it.

Oh yea... I didn't care for that one so much lol
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: 426Buddy on Jun 10, 2017, 11:41:58 PM
Quote from: Engineer on Jun 10, 2017, 10:08:45 PM
Quote from: SM on Jun 10, 2017, 10:03:00 PM
The one with teeny insects on the harvester.  Didn't really grab me that one, but I really liked the idea of a flat planet that was covered in crops and massive harvesters that endlessly drive across it.

Oh yea... I didn't care for that one so much lol

There hasnt been really any to care for lol

The one where frost and detrietch go to the bar had some cool stuff but so much of it didnt make sense to me.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Engineer on Jun 10, 2017, 11:47:57 PM
There were a couple stories I enjoyed. Mostly in the second half... the rest were either bad or had good ideas that were utilized poorly.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on Jun 10, 2017, 11:49:43 PM
Quote from: 426Buddy on Jun 10, 2017, 11:41:58 PM
Quote from: Engineer on Jun 10, 2017, 10:08:45 PM
Quote from: SM on Jun 10, 2017, 10:03:00 PM
The one with teeny insects on the harvester.  Didn't really grab me that one, but I really liked the idea of a flat planet that was covered in crops and massive harvesters that endlessly drive across it.

Oh yea... I didn't care for that one so much lol

There hasnt been really any to care for lol

The one where frost and detrietch go to the bar had some cool stuff but so much of it didnt make sense to me.

It wasn't that it didn't make sense for mine, just wasn't overly interesting.  It wasn't a bad story, just not a great one.  The bugs were derivative but suitably grotesque.  Main issue was that it forgot Dietrich was a medtech.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: 426Buddy on Jun 11, 2017, 12:45:07 AM
Quote from: SM on Jun 10, 2017, 11:49:43 PM
Quote from: 426Buddy on Jun 10, 2017, 11:41:58 PM
Quote from: Engineer on Jun 10, 2017, 10:08:45 PM
Quote from: SM on Jun 10, 2017, 10:03:00 PM
The one with teeny insects on the harvester.  Didn't really grab me that one, but I really liked the idea of a flat planet that was covered in crops and massive harvesters that endlessly drive across it.

Oh yea... I didn't care for that one so much lol

There hasnt been really any to care for lol

The one where frost and detrietch go to the bar had some cool stuff but so much of it didnt make sense to me.

It wasn't that it didn't make sense for mine, just wasn't overly interesting.  It wasn't a bad story, just not a great one.  The bugs were derivative but suitably grotesque.  Main issue was that it forgot Dietrich was a medtech.

It bothered me that they both made their way to the bar in a storm without seeing or being attacked by these bugs. But when they get to the bar they are pretty much trapped within minutes while the rest of the patrons had already been trapped by the bugs. Then when the prooane tank blows up, the bugs just never swarm in and finish them off. I have to assume the blast either killed them all without a trace, scared them off even though it seemed like the bugs were everywhere when the patrons tried to make a run for the base, or just left them alone until they were rescued. Even then the bugs only seem to harrass this one bar and not anyone else apparently living in this small settlement or at the military base. Also no one has seen these bugs before even though i had gotten the impression that this place had been there a while. And to top it off the bugs were too much like the alien, laying babies in people and utilizing some kind of acid. None of it added up for me but it did have some nice tension and was grotesque like you said. But im probably over thinking this short story.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Engineer on Jun 11, 2017, 01:09:00 AM
I get what you're saying. It wasn't the worst story in the lot, but definitely not the best either.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Ultramorph on Jun 26, 2017, 02:03:52 AM
Decided to pick this back up today. Hugs to Die For was pretty cool, and the next one on Fury seems prett neat. About halfway through that one.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: BryanThomasS on Jul 01, 2017, 10:23:16 PM
Wanted to make you all aware of this panel at San Diego Comic Con. We will have swag and possibly some giveaways.

Panel: Alien-Predator Extended Universe Panel, Sunday, 7/23/17, 3:45p.m. - 4:45p.m., Room: 5AB
Panel Description: 3:45-4:45 p.m. Alien-Predator Extended Universe: The Stories Continue--Editors-Authors Jonathan Maberry (Joe Ledger, Aliens: Bug Hunt) and Bryan Thomas Schmidt (Predator: If It Bleeds, The X-Files: Border Time) discuss the expanded universe literature past, present, and future, including their anthologies Aliens: Bug Hunt and Predator: If It Bleeds with author contributors and New York Times Bestsellers Alan Dean Foster, Scott Sigler, and Seanan McGuire. Q&A Moderated by Steve Saffel (Titan Books). Room 5AB

Hope to see some of you there.

Bryan Schmidt
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Corporal Hicks on Jul 03, 2017, 07:18:59 PM
Wish I could be there! Is anyone planning on going?

If not, hopefully we'll get to see the panel online.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: BountyHunter on Jul 07, 2017, 05:12:53 PM
I'm on the fifth story so far, and I've enjoyed them all. I love being me. No complaints here (except for the typos).
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Ultramorph on Jul 15, 2017, 10:18:57 PM
Finally finished this, and it sure did get better at the end.

The story on Fury was really cool, and I always love world building so the angle with China was cool.

I was really surprised by Distressed because I found Sea of Sorrows disappointing.
Spoiler
The weird alien machine is exactly the kind of monster I imagine running into this particular universe. Anyone think the Rollins in this story is the same one, or a relative, as in Sea of Sorrows?
[close]

I really dug Dangerous Prey. The author did a good job elaborating on how the xenos communicate. I like the idea of their heads basically being a vocal tube.

Spite was cool, too, but I hope the Rage War era gets followed up on in a bigger way eventually.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on Jul 15, 2017, 11:46:18 PM
Spoiler
No.  Ditto Perkins.  I believe Moore hinted that Rollins in ...Sorrows maybe a synthetic in an interview Hicks did with him.  I think Moore just likes those names.
[close]
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Ultramorph on Jul 16, 2017, 12:46:16 AM
Good point. It was a really cool story nonetheless.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: HuDaFuK on Jul 17, 2017, 09:52:26 AM
Quote from: SM on Jul 15, 2017, 11:46:18 PMI believe Moore hinted that Rollins in ...Sorrows maybe a synthetic in an interview Hicks did with him.

I bumped into him on another forum and he confirmed that she was very much a synthetic, the book just never outright says so.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on Jul 17, 2017, 10:20:46 AM
The book never even hinted.  Bizarre that he had that as a back story, but didn't include any clues in the book.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: The Cruentus on Jul 21, 2017, 10:21:20 AM
The book did actually have some clues, Decker was not able to use his ability on her.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Russ840 on Oct 03, 2017, 09:28:29 PM
So I went back to this. Really haven't enjoyed it on a whole.

I will say that I loved the story on Fury. For me it was the best one.  Would love a follow up.

Enjoyed Hugs to die for as well.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on Oct 03, 2017, 10:29:26 PM
Would love a proper conclusion to the Fury one.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Engineer on Oct 03, 2017, 10:45:51 PM
Seriously! That was like the ultimate tease!! Lol
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on Oct 03, 2017, 10:51:03 PM
A lot of the stories suffered from interesting but unfulfilled premises.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Russ840 on Oct 04, 2017, 08:37:19 AM
I am excited to read the predator anthology. Hicks filled me with faith that it is more solid than this one.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: HuDaFuK on Oct 04, 2017, 09:56:17 AM
Quote from: Russ840 on Oct 03, 2017, 09:28:29 PMSo I went back to this. Really haven't enjoyed it on a whole.

I will say that I loved the story on Fury. For me it was the best one.  Would love a follow up.

Yeah, that was superb. I thought both the writing style and the story itself were the best in the whole book. The cliffhanger ending honestly didn't bother me like it seems to have many others. It's a short story, after all, I don't necessarily expect a complete tale.

Overall I thought the book was so-so. Most of the first half wasn't so great, most of the second half was.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Russ840 on Oct 04, 2017, 11:13:42 AM
Yeah. The cliff hanger, for me, showed me just how much i was enjoying it. I liked te first person view pointand the characters and world building were great. I like that we only had three characters (4 with the synth ) to follow. It felt focused and rained in. My only issue was the errors throughout but they don't really detract from the story. I also figured that perhaps Way-T was just whats these marines said to abbreviate. The XX bit made me chuckle.

Hopfully, id we get another anthology, we get a follow up.

Id take a full sized novel
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on Oct 04, 2017, 07:59:15 PM
Very frustrating story.  It'd be like Dallas, Kane and Lambert walking all the way to the Derelict then going 'Nah we're not going in there.'
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Ultramorph on Oct 04, 2017, 08:05:33 PM
Bug Hunt started strong, flagged in the middle, and got a lot better at the end. I particularly liked the story where they fight the machine alien that was clearly a nod to Virus.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: HuDaFuK on Oct 04, 2017, 08:33:07 PM
Quote from: SM on Oct 04, 2017, 07:59:15 PMVery frustrating story.  It'd be like Dallas, Kane and Lambert walking all the way to the Derelict then going 'Nah we're not going in there.'

It would be... if we hadn't already had plenty of Marines vs. Aliens stories in the franchise.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on Oct 04, 2017, 09:21:27 PM
That's missing the point. We had none in that familiar cinematic location. We've had nothing set on Fiorina apart from the odd video game. To have these marines have a look and a chat and not actually do anything is huge wasted opportunity.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: HuDaFuK on Oct 05, 2017, 09:38:15 AM
To each their own.

I liked that it was just about them sizing the situation up, with no actual Aliens in it. It made it feel different to most other Alien stories.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Ultramorph on Oct 05, 2017, 03:44:16 PM
Yeah, I like the ending. It's cool that they think better and seem to just leave.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on Oct 05, 2017, 07:26:57 PM
Sensible.

Also utterly lacking in drama.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: The Alien Predator on Oct 06, 2017, 07:22:27 PM
I finally got around to finishing the novel.

I enjoyed a lot of these but some of them lacked the tone.

Darkness Falls
Spoiler
didn't feel too realistic for me in how characters interacted. The tone felt too cartoonish and as someone said earlier, it felt juvenile. There was also no sense of trauma. It's like the character go from *attacked by huge megapede Xenos* to *let's go have some dinner at my place.*

Also the Andromeda setting put me off so much. Rage War specified that inter-galactic travel (at least by humans) was impossible as of December 2692. So unless Darkness Falls is set way after that, then this'd be contradicting that. I think Darkness Falls is one of those "non-canon" stories.
[close]

Deep Background is an example of the grim-derp Alien setting that I know and love.
Spoiler
The ending pissed me off because the bad guys won and I think that's good because it enacted a reaction from me lol.
[close]

I really enjoyed Distressed. That thing that was attacking them was incredibly interesting.

Dark Matter was an editorial mess. Burke literally goes from cocooned to running with a grenade in his hand with nothing in-between.

One of the stories with the "W-T" typo, I'm glad I wasn't the only one noticing this. I genuinely began to think I must've missed something in the lore and there's some partnership between Weyland and another company or something to establish the Fury colony. How the hell did the editors miss that? I also thought the author's "Y" button must've been broken until I saw "Weyland-Yutani" and then not long after, "W-T". In the same page.

I didn't notice the "Double X" typo at first because I was slogging my way through the book. But now that you guys mention it, that's one hilarious and accidentally sexist passage... "Double X losers" OMG  :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Wweyland on Mar 02, 2018, 02:02:19 PM
So are the Leapers in the first story Xenos? They seem kind of incompetent (they fail to kill anyone) but by their description, they are very similar to Xenos. Also, there's the question of the "potato size egg" that hatches a facehugger like creature (similar to Alien: Covenant's eggs that David barfs up).
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on Mar 02, 2018, 08:42:48 PM
Yes they're Aliens and I don't get the potato sized egg either.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Wweyland on Mar 03, 2018, 04:03:20 PM
Just finished the third story named Broken that's about Bishop. Some observations:
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: SM on Mar 03, 2018, 09:04:04 PM
Guess Bluetooth doesn't have surface to orbit range.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Wweyland on Mar 03, 2018, 09:48:45 PM
Quote from: SM on Mar 03, 2018, 09:04:04 PM
Guess Bluetooth doesn't have surface to orbit range.

That's right. He did use it on the dropship in the story though, to a certain range.
I guess the colony transmitter didn't support Bluetooth either.
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Xenomrph on Mar 04, 2018, 03:50:17 AM
Quote from: Wweyland on Mar 03, 2018, 04:03:20 PM
  • When Bishop met Hudson for the first time, the first thing Hudson did was teach him the knife trick. In addition to being blatant fan service, it seems weird in Aliens when Hudson says "Do the thing with the knife" while actually being the one know thought him that.

To be fair maybe Hudson taught it to him without knowing the proper name for the "knife trick".
Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
Post by: Wweyland on Mar 04, 2018, 02:59:16 PM
Quote from: Xenomrph on Mar 04, 2018, 03:50:17 AM
    Quote from: Wweyland on Mar 03, 2018, 04:03:20 PM
    • When Bishop met Hudson for the first time, the first thing Hudson did was teach him the knife trick. In addition to being blatant fan service, it seems weird in Aliens when Hudson says "Do the thing with the knife" while actually being the one know thought him that.

    To be fair maybe Hudson taught it to him without knowing the proper name for the "knife trick".
    He calls it "Five Finger Fillet" in the book though. Maybe he forgot.[/list]
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: Xenomrph on Mar 05, 2018, 12:36:24 AM
    Whoops, forgot about that part.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: Hudson on Mar 05, 2018, 12:38:44 PM
    QuoteWhen Bishop met Hudson for the first time, the first thing Hudson did was teach him the knife trick. In addition to being blatant fan service, it seems weird in Aliens when Hudson says "Do the thing with the knife" while actually being the one know thought him that.

    All that separates a good portion of that book from being fan-fiction is the official license. A lot of those stories with characters from the film are flat out embarrassing to read. The writers from this book pull a Timothy Zahn (oh no, I'm a SW heretic!) in the way that no one from Aliens has attributed dialogue which remotely sounds like their character from the film. Lebbon pulled it off with Out of the Shadows, so there's not an excuse I can come up with. These writers are professionals, but Bug Hunt really came off as work they were paid to distract themselves with from other more important projects in their lives. Part of it comes from most of these writers being practitioners of the novel, which is not the same as a short story. For example:

    Deep Background is unfinished. Structurally, as a short story, it is an unfinished piece of work. It's the first chapter of a lengthier piece, not a self-contained narrative, and yet it's being billed as a short story. False. Don't get me wrong, it was probably my favorite piece in the book, but don't try and call the exit point of that story 'an ending' by any stretch of the definition.

    EDIT:

    I'm somewhat skeptical after Bug Hunt, but it sounds like If It Bleeds is an improvement, although I haven't dived into that one yet.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: HuDaFuK on Mar 05, 2018, 12:51:49 PM
    For me personally, I don't think If It Bleeds ever matched the best bits of Bug Hunt (although I'd hazard a guess that has something to do with my preference for the Alien over the Predator), but it was massively more consistent. Certainly a far better book overall.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: Wweyland on Mar 05, 2018, 08:44:57 PM
    I am reading the Exterminators story. There is no mention of Dietrich being a corpsman/medic. Actually, she throws up at the sight of gore and says "we need a doctor" without offering any help. Did she become a medic after that or what?

    If there's no mention of Drakes and Vasquez's (probably violent) past together in the book them I am really disappointed.
    I am guessing no Arcturian references either?


    Agreed that If It Bleeds has great self-contained stories and it's really consistent. Very little cliffhanger endings unlike Bug Hunt.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: SM on Mar 05, 2018, 09:26:42 PM
    Extermintors is another example of the inconsistencies in Bug Hunt.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: Wweyland on Mar 09, 2018, 06:12:02 PM
    Finished "No Good Deed". Though I liked that Bates was a secret monster and fought a Xenomorph, everything else was inconsistent. The main criminal killed his friend to save his enemy for no reason (because she was a woman?), and got shot in the head as a result.

    In addition to the 2 ships we know from River of Pain and Life & Death, there were 2 more additional ships that landed on LV-426 during the Xeno outbreak (at least 1 was certainly left behind in Bug Hunt). So basically the colonists had 4 ships on where to leave on. That is quite ridiculous.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: Xiggz456 on Apr 02, 2018, 11:32:05 PM
    "No Good Deed" went in the non canon pile for me. Not exactly sure why they allowed less-than canon stories in this collection. Odd choice.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: Ultramorph on Apr 03, 2018, 01:45:03 AM
    The only one I have to say is non-canon is the one set in the Andromeda galaxy, as that breaks even far future Rage War rules about intergalactic travel.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: SM on Apr 03, 2018, 02:07:44 AM
    That and it was pretty mediocre story.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: Xiggz456 on Apr 03, 2018, 08:14:42 PM
    Quote from: Ultramorph on Apr 03, 2018, 01:45:03 AM
    The only one I have to say is non-canon is the one set in the Andromeda galaxy, as that breaks even far future Rage War rules about intergalactic travel.

    Ya I suppose I'm being a bit harsh. Ultimately I've always considered the A/P/AVP as a multiverse with parallel dimensions and alternate timelines. For example in one universe the two AVP movies serve as Wey-Yu's origin story; in a paralell universe Prometheus, Origins and Covenant explain the same backstory. I also consider all the nineties Dark horse comics as a separate timeline that discludes Alien 3 and Resurrection. So following that logic, every story in "Bug Hunt" is "canon" in one of the infinite timelines of a multiverse and I retract my previous post lol
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: Perfect-Organism on May 21, 2018, 10:58:25 PM
    Anybody know if this book was released as a small size novel, or just large size?  Many of the other novels have been released in big and small versions..
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: Xenomrph on May 22, 2018, 04:26:11 AM
    Quote from: Perfect-Organism on May 21, 2018, 10:58:25 PM
    Anybody know if this book was released as a small size novel, or just large size?  Many of the other novels have been released in big and small versions..
    Amazon usually lists multiple print variations, and they don't have any other paperbacks than the first release.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: Wweyland on May 22, 2018, 08:14:53 AM
    Are all the new books now in the large size? What size is the Cold Forge?
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: Corporal Hicks on May 22, 2018, 08:33:03 AM
    All of Titan's new novels have been released in a large size. My Cold Forge is large. It's only the novelizations and the Covenant prequel that have only been small releases as far as I know.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: HuDaFuK on May 22, 2018, 08:46:48 AM
    The Out of the Shadows trilogy came in both sizes. I don't recall seeing any of the books since in anything other than the bigger format.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: HybridNewborn on May 22, 2018, 04:18:42 PM
    Interesting. My Cold Forge is small size, same as the novelizations.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: TheBATMAN on May 22, 2018, 04:41:25 PM
    Interestingly in River of Pain the large size has an error with Derek Russell of Fire and Stone given an incorrect name. Only the trade paperback has his correct name.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: Perfect-Organism on May 22, 2018, 05:03:42 PM
    My cold forge is small size too.  Trying to keep the collection neat.  I don't want the big books...
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: HuDaFuK on May 22, 2018, 05:19:03 PM
    Huh, didn't realise there was a mini-Forge. That's kinda annoying. Would prefer to have that size.

    Anyone know if the different sizes have different ISBNs?
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: HybridNewborn on May 22, 2018, 05:36:46 PM
    Quote from: HuDaFuK on May 22, 2018, 05:19:03 PM
    Huh, didn't realise there was a mini-Forge. That's kinda annoying. Would prefer to have that size.

    Anyone know if the different sizes have different ISBNs?

    They apparently do.

    The Mas Market Paperback (the smaller size) is
    ISBN-10: 1785651943
    ISBN-13: 978-1785651946

    While the regular Paperback (the larger size) is
    ISBN-10: 1785651935
    ISBN-13: 978-1785651939
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: HuDaFuK on May 22, 2018, 06:00:23 PM
    Good to know for the future. Thanks.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: Perfect-Organism on May 22, 2018, 08:28:27 PM
    So back to the original question.  Is there a small version of bug hunt?
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: Wweyland on May 22, 2018, 09:04:41 PM
    I actually prefer the smaller sizes as it fits with the older books. I have the Out of the Shadows trilogy in small size and the first Rage War in small size. Would be great to get the other Rage War books in small size also.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: Still Collating... on May 22, 2018, 09:47:30 PM
    Finally got around to reading this. Though, only read half, mostly the second half, because of the reviews from here. Read the ones most recommended by you guys and I really liked all of those. My favorites were Episode 22 and Dangerous Prey. Both are so unique and well written.

    Episode 22 felt greatly integrated into the universe and made me want to read the CMTM again.

    Dangerous Prey was out there yet not too much like some other stories IMO. Loved how the alien was represented there, it's nice to see the author put the effort into researching for this story. The blend between an intelligent, thoughtful being and a creature dedicated to the hive was quite refreshing!

    I want to see both these authors in any future alien anthologies. The rest were very nice, but as mentioned before, a lot of stories needed more room to breath and wrap things up a bit better. So, after one (good) half of the book, really nice to see new ideas put forth in them.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: Xenomrph on May 23, 2018, 04:33:15 AM
    Quote from: Perfect-Organism on May 22, 2018, 08:28:27 PM
    So back to the original question.  Is there a small version of bug hunt?
    If there is, Amazon doesn't list it.

    Quote from: Wweyland on May 22, 2018, 09:04:41 PM
    I actually prefer the smaller sizes as it fits with the older books. I have the Out of the Shadows trilogy in small size and the first Rage War in small size. Would be great to get the other Rage War books in small size also.
    I've got the Rage War trilogy in the small (mass-market paperback) size. I prefer the small size because they can actually fit on my bookshelf - I've got a bookshelf with a bunch of shelves and it can hold a ton of books... but the books have to be mass-market paperback size or they won't fit.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: HybridNewborn on May 23, 2018, 05:02:53 AM
    Titan's site itself also only lists the large size paperback and similarly sized hardcover. A shame.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: Xenomrph on May 24, 2018, 03:25:29 AM
    Buying the hardcover of Bug Hunt is like buying the collector's edition of Aliens: Colonial Marines, or the deluxe steelbook of AvP Requiem.

    Spoiler
    I have bought both of those things.
    [close]
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: HybridNewborn on May 24, 2018, 03:32:40 AM
    I didn't buy the collector's edition of Colonial Marines, but my ex wife used to work at Gearbox and just gave one to me as a gift, so that's neat.

    I did buy the deluxe Requiem though, because I genuinely like that movie :P
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: Corporal Hicks on May 24, 2018, 07:37:15 AM
    Quote from: HybridNewborn on May 24, 2018, 03:32:40 AM
    I didn't buy the collector's edition of Colonial Marines, but my ex wife used to work at Gearbox and just gave one to me as a gift, so that's neat.

    Get him! He could have stopped it all!  :P
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: HuDaFuK on May 24, 2018, 09:06:11 AM
    Quote from: Xenomrph on May 24, 2018, 03:25:29 AMBuying the hardcover of Bug Hunt is like buying the collector's edition of Aliens: Colonial Marines, or the deluxe steelbook of AvP Requiem.

    Thanks to Amazon screwing up their pricing, I got the Collector's Edition of ACM for less than the price of the base game.

    Kinda glad I did, as the tat was far better than the game itself :laugh:
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: HybridNewborn on May 24, 2018, 06:13:37 PM
    Quote from: Corporal Hicks on May 24, 2018, 07:37:15 AM
    Quote from: HybridNewborn on May 24, 2018, 03:32:40 AM
    I didn't buy the collector's edition of Colonial Marines, but my ex wife used to work at Gearbox and just gave one to me as a gift, so that's neat.

    Get him! He could have stopped it all!  :P
    Heh!

    She got hired on right around when it released, and it was after we'd separated anyway (though we're still on good terms), so sorry, nothing I could have done :P
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: Corporal Hicks on May 25, 2018, 07:08:34 AM
    Fair enough, mate. I'll let you off the hook in that case.  :P
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: Xiggz456 on May 26, 2018, 05:26:29 PM
    I always prefer hardback books so my copy of Bug Hunt is as such. As for you guys talking about bigger copies of the other novels I'm thinking maybe it's a European thing Titan does because I've only ever seen (and purchased) the mass market paperback size here in the States. "If It Bleeds" is the only larger paperback that I've seen and I think it only came in the one size; is that the same size these larger paperbacks are?
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: Perfect-Organism on May 27, 2018, 12:52:33 AM
    I am honestly upgrading all my Dune novels to HC as that will look good on the shelf.  It makes me think of that Seinfeld episode about why do people keep books once they read them.  It is a strange thing I do.  I do roll my own eyes at myself.   ::)

    I don't think I'll be going to that extent with the Titan Alien books though.  Do the books actually come out in HC?
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: SM on May 27, 2018, 01:34:23 AM
    I've never seen one.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: Xiggz456 on May 27, 2018, 02:36:15 AM
    Only "Bug Hunt" had the hardback release but I'm jealous of these large paperbacks that I've never seen. The binding on mass market paperbacks crease so easily. Woe is me lol
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: HybridNewborn on May 31, 2018, 03:17:11 PM
    Audiobook is out! Finishing up West Cork and then will be starting in on the Bug Hunt.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: HybridNewborn on Jun 01, 2018, 10:24:16 PM
    While most of the If It Bleeds stories either state outright when they take place, or are pretty easy to peg, is there a list somewhere for when all the stories here in Bug Hunt take place, roughly? Trying to place them in my timelines.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: SM on Jun 01, 2018, 10:36:44 PM
    Here. (https://alientimeline.wordpress.com/the-banned-histories-pre-history-to-2004/the-banned-histories-comics-novels-and-video-games/)
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: The Old One on Jun 01, 2018, 11:14:55 PM
    Quote from: SM on Jun 01, 2018, 10:36:44 PM
    Here. (https://alientimeline.wordpress.com/the-banned-histories-pre-history-to-2004/the-banned-histories-comics-novels-and-video-games/)

    In the Weyland Century you've got a typo where the Covenant is concerned. See; "Convenant"
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: HybridNewborn on Jun 01, 2018, 11:36:31 PM
    Thanks much!
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: SM on Jun 02, 2018, 12:37:15 AM
    You're very welcome.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: Xenomrph on Jun 02, 2018, 02:10:10 AM
    Quote from: SM on Jun 01, 2018, 10:36:44 PM
    Here. (https://alientimeline.wordpress.com/the-banned-histories-pre-history-to-2004/the-banned-histories-comics-novels-and-video-games/)
    Looks like SM finally got rid of my co-author credit on that page for whatever reason. Huh.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: Local Trouble on Jun 02, 2018, 02:31:15 AM
    ...awkward...
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: HybridNewborn on Jun 04, 2018, 10:37:29 PM
    So I've only just finished up the first story, and maybe it was a mistake to go through this with Cold Forge so recent in my mind, but stuff that was exemplary in Cold Forge just isn't handled here well at all. Take the first story for instance. In it we have a generic setup; WY crew sent out to Zeta Reticuli (couldn't even make up a new system), come across xenos, the company tells them it wants one, shit ensues, etc. It's all paint by numbers. Not very interesting at all. Secondly, and made all the more glaring by Cold Forge actually addressing it, is the fact that the "Leapers" are humanoid, despite the only native life around being apparently these big floating jellyfish things. The story is just lazily constructed by inserting plot A into setting B and filling in a bunch of Aliensverse sounding names.

    The next one is by Dan Abnett, who I know can write a story and whose worked I've enjoyed before, so fingers crossed the anthology gets better from here on out.

    Perhaps it's because I, while liking Aliens decently enough, am not as crazy in love with it as others are (including it seems the editor of the anthology) but I get the impression this body of work may take me a while to get through...
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: 426Buddy on Jun 04, 2018, 10:46:07 PM
    Good luck, I disliked most of the book myself. In hindsight, i should not have purchased it.

    And considering that I have around 4 versions of earth war, thats really saying something.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: SM on Jun 04, 2018, 11:31:21 PM
    There are some decent ones.  Most are average.  Some less so.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: 426Buddy on Jun 04, 2018, 11:56:38 PM
    Yeah made it sound like the worst book ever in that post, which its not. :D i did enjoy a couple of the stories.

    But the there is at least one really bad one. Nothing in the book was very memorable... other than how dire that andromeda galaxy story is.

    Also im slowly getting started on "If it bleeds", not been too impressed with that either. But i'm only a couple stories in.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: SM on Jun 05, 2018, 12:25:42 AM
    Yeah the Andromeda one is "less so".  ;)
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: HybridNewborn on Jun 05, 2018, 02:25:19 AM
    Quote from: 426Buddy on Jun 04, 2018, 11:56:38 PMAlso im slowly getting started on "If it bleeds", not been too impressed with that either. But i'm only a couple stories in.
    I was really impressed with If it Bleeds, overall. There were a handful of stories where my attention wandered a bit, but I enjoyed the lot of them in the end. Made me wish there were audiobooks of the old AvP novels, or the movie novelizations.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: HuDaFuK on Jun 05, 2018, 08:36:59 AM
    Quote from: HybridNewborn on Jun 04, 2018, 10:37:29 PMThe next one is by Dan Abnett, who I know can write a story and whose worked I've enjoyed before, so fingers crossed the anthology gets better from here on out.

    Abnett's Reaper is actually one of my favourites from the book (and one of probably two or three I thought was really damn good), so I hope you like it.

    To recap what I've said about it before: On the whole, I thought the anthology was merely OK. A few great stories, a few awful ones (one in particular is a total crock that reminded me of Eric Red's God-awful Alien 3 script, if you've ever had the misfortune to read that), with the rest of the shorts falling somewhere in between. The ones featuring Marines from Aliens are by-and-large a total bust. The better ones use original characters. On average, the second half of the book is better than the first. Definitely not as consistently great as the Predator book.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: Huggs on Jun 05, 2018, 06:48:56 PM
    I'm still hoping to one day see an anthology in the spirit of World War Z. Testimony and debriefings from survivors of Alien, Predator, and AVP encounters. To hear the personal stories of what happened, and what people saw and felt, from singular perspectives. The perspective of the sole survivors, each with differing skillsets, lifestyles and degrees of authority. A marine, a child, a mechanic, a scientist, a marshal. It would be fantastic.

    AVP: Sole Survivors. That's a name. I'm calling that one.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: SM on Jun 05, 2018, 08:39:15 PM
    Is that like Lone Rangers?  ;)
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: HybridNewborn on Jun 05, 2018, 10:27:22 PM
    Quote from: HuDaFuK on Jun 05, 2018, 08:36:59 AMAbnett's Reaper is actually one of my favourites from the book (and one of probably two or three I thought was really damn good), so I hope you like it.

    Reaper was indeed quite good!

    I'm well into Broken now, which is all well and good and decent enough, I just wish it wasn't about Bishop.

    Side note: Rook gets around. That's, what, this story, Cold Forge, and Aliens Infestation he's in, yeah?
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: SM on Jun 05, 2018, 11:13:01 PM
    That model gets around.

    Broken had potential. To have Bishop kill people though was lazy and ill-conceived.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: Still Collating... on Jun 05, 2018, 11:38:10 PM
    Quote from: Huggs on Jun 05, 2018, 06:48:56 PM
    I'm still hoping to one day see an anthology in the spirit of World War Z. Testimony and debriefings from survivors of Alien, Predator, and AVP encounters. To hear the personal stories of what happened, and what people saw and felt, from singular perspectives. The perspective of the sole survivors, each with differing skillsets, lifestyles and degrees of authority. A marine, a child, a mechanic, a scientist, a marshal. It would be fantastic.

    AVP: Sole Survivors. That's a name. I'm calling that one.

    I'd like to see that too.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: Corporal Hicks on Jun 06, 2018, 08:16:43 AM
    It'd certainly be interesting. I have a huge soft spot for that style of media (first person accounts) and I've always been a little disappointed no-one has tried doing like a found footage or documentary style Alien fanfilm so I'd certainly love to see a book like that!
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: HuDaFuK on Jun 06, 2018, 09:01:21 AM
    Quote from: HybridNewborn on Jun 05, 2018, 10:27:22 PMSide note: Rook gets around. That's, what, this story, Cold Forge, and Aliens Infestation he's in, yeah?

    There was also supposed to be a character called Rook in ACM, but evidently that got cut/altered.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: Corporal Hicks on Jun 06, 2018, 10:07:17 AM
    Think he just became another Bishop.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: Nostromo on Feb 14, 2019, 07:16:56 PM
    Am listening to Aliens: Bug Hunt on Audiobooks, there's some pretty damn good stories in here! Another great audiobook!
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: Kradan on Feb 15, 2019, 02:29:11 PM
    Quote from: Nostromo on Feb 14, 2019, 07:16:56 PM
    Am listening to Aliens: Bug Hunt on Audiobooks, there's some pretty damn good stories in here! Another great audiobook!

    Indeed
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: SM on Feb 15, 2019, 08:44:39 PM
    It must do better in the telling over the reading.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: Local Trouble on Feb 15, 2019, 11:21:57 PM
    We don't need the knowing, we can live here.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: SM on Feb 16, 2019, 02:31:30 AM
    "We don't need the knowing, we can live here."
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: [cancerblack] on Apr 12, 2019, 09:49:32 AM
    How much of this is just fan-fic about the cast of Aliens? I'm really trying, but...
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: TheSailingRabbit on Apr 12, 2019, 10:27:14 AM
    Quote from: [CANCERBLACK] on Apr 12, 2019, 09:49:32 AM
    How much of this is just fan-fic about the cast of Aliens? I'm really trying, but...

    Not even good fanfiction.

    It's not as bad as the "Alien Queen banging humans" stuff on fanfic websites, but the way the characters are written is . . . kinda cringy.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: HuDaFuK on Apr 12, 2019, 01:51:03 PM
    The stories featuring characters from Aliens are generally among the worst ones. On balance, most of the original stuff was better.

    It's a situation made worse by the fact all the Aliens-alumni stories are lumped together.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: Samhain13 on Apr 12, 2019, 02:20:29 PM
    Quote from: TheSailingRabbit on Apr 12, 2019, 10:27:14 AM
    It's not as bad as the "Alien Queen banging humans" stuff on fanfic websites

    (https://i.imgur.com/7ZdFQTS.png)
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: The Kurgan on Apr 12, 2019, 02:29:09 PM
    (https://media.giphy.com/media/AntiGePC2DKGQ/giphy.gif)
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: TheSailingRabbit on Apr 12, 2019, 03:01:06 PM
    Quote from: Samhain13 on Apr 12, 2019, 02:20:29 PM
    Quote from: TheSailingRabbit on Apr 12, 2019, 10:27:14 AM
    It's not as bad as the "Alien Queen banging humans" stuff on fanfic websites

    https://i.imgur.com/7ZdFQTS.png

    I wish I was joking.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: Corporal Hicks on Apr 12, 2019, 04:20:32 PM
    Quote from: HuDaFuK on Apr 12, 2019, 01:51:03 PM
    The stories featuring characters from Aliens are generally among the worst ones. On balance, most of the original stuff was better.

    It's a situation made worse by the fact all the Aliens-alumni stories are lumped together.

    I actually quite like the Bishop one but the Hicks one was hands-down the worse entry in this anthology for me. Also agreed on the spacing. The story placement in the anthology was also really questionable too.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: Still Collating... on Apr 12, 2019, 04:24:12 PM
    Quote from: Samhain13 on Apr 12, 2019, 02:20:29 PM
    Quote from: TheSailingRabbit on Apr 12, 2019, 10:27:14 AM
    It's not as bad as the "Alien Queen banging humans" stuff on fanfic websites

    https://i.imgur.com/7ZdFQTS.png

    You learn something new every day...  :laugh:

    As HuDa said. All the original stuff was nice IMO, I enjoyed it. The ones featuring characters from Aliens? I really couldn't get into that them, and after hearing the reviews, I just skipped them when I saw a familiar name.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: HuDaFuK on Apr 12, 2019, 04:45:59 PM
    Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Apr 12, 2019, 04:20:32 PMI actually quite like the Bishop one but the Hicks one was hands-down the worse entry in this anthology for me.

    There are definitely exceptions to that rule - like you say, the Bishop one was pretty good, while I found that f*cking centipede story abhorrent and there's not a movie character in sight. But in general all the shorts I really loved seemed to be original stories whereas most of the ones with characters from the second film seemed to be pretty weak.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: Nostromo on Apr 12, 2019, 04:50:56 PM
    I really enjoyed quite a few stories on the Bug Hunt audiobook! Even the not so great ones weren't so bad.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: TheSailingRabbit on Apr 12, 2019, 04:52:33 PM
    If Hicks ever does a podcast with the authors, please ask why they forgot Dietrich was a medtech. Also, what was up with the whole squad treating Wierzbowski like crap in "Blowback?" :P
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: Voodoo Magic on Apr 12, 2019, 05:01:40 PM
    Poor poor Wierzbowski. Being treated so badly. I feel really bad that.... wait... wait... I'm already over it. Phew! That second and a half was rough!!!
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: HuDaFuK on Apr 12, 2019, 05:26:02 PM
    Quote from: TheSailingRabbit on Apr 12, 2019, 04:52:33 PMAlso, what was up with the whole squad treating Wierzbowski like crap in "Blowback?" :P

    I took that as a bit of a joke at him having no lines in Aliens lol.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: TheSailingRabbit on Apr 12, 2019, 05:49:29 PM
    Quote from: Voodoo Magic on Apr 12, 2019, 05:01:40 PM
    Poor poor Wierzbowski. Being treated so badly. I feel really bad that.... wait... wait... I'm already over it. Phew! That second and a half was rough!!!

    Remind me: why are we friends?
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: Voodoo Magic on Apr 12, 2019, 06:38:29 PM
    Quote from: TheSailingRabbit on Apr 12, 2019, 05:49:29 PM
    Quote from: Voodoo Magic on Apr 12, 2019, 05:01:40 PM
    Poor poor Wierzbowski. Being treated so badly. I feel really bad that.... wait... wait... I'm already over it. Phew! That second and a half was rough!!!

    Remind me: why are we friends?

    (https://media.giphy.com/media/l4Jz0Hhk3ECqnH6ve/giphy.gif)
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: TheSailingRabbit on Apr 12, 2019, 06:56:38 PM
    Quote from: Voodoo Magic on Apr 12, 2019, 06:38:29 PM
    Quote from: TheSailingRabbit on Apr 12, 2019, 05:49:29 PM
    Quote from: Voodoo Magic on Apr 12, 2019, 05:01:40 PM
    Poor poor Wierzbowski. Being treated so badly. I feel really bad that.... wait... wait... I'm already over it. Phew! That second and a half was rough!!!

    Remind me: why are we friends?

    https://media.giphy.com/media/l4Jz0Hhk3ECqnH6ve/giphy.gif

    (https://i.imgur.com/k2WH0rn.png)
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: Voodoo Magic on Apr 12, 2019, 07:02:32 PM
    Quote from: TheSailingRabbit on Apr 12, 2019, 06:56:38 PM
    Quote from: Voodoo Magic on Apr 12, 2019, 06:38:29 PM
    Quote from: TheSailingRabbit on Apr 12, 2019, 05:49:29 PM
    Quote from: Voodoo Magic on Apr 12, 2019, 05:01:40 PM
    Poor poor Wierzbowski. Being treated so badly. I feel really bad that.... wait... wait... I'm already over it. Phew! That second and a half was rough!!!

    Remind me: why are we friends?

    https://media.giphy.com/media/l4Jz0Hhk3ECqnH6ve/giphy.gif

    (https://i.imgur.com/k2WH0rn.png)

    No way. You're scary.

    (https://therandomnessexpress.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/134412170761234_animate.gif)
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: Corporal Hicks on Apr 12, 2019, 07:34:13 PM
    Quote from: TheSailingRabbit on Apr 12, 2019, 04:52:33 PM
    If Hicks ever does a podcast with the authors, please ask why they forgot Dietrich was a medtech. Also, what was up with the whole squad treating Wierzbowski like crap in "Blowback?" :P

    It's unlikely.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: SM on Apr 12, 2019, 09:58:12 PM
    Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Apr 12, 2019, 04:20:32 PM
    Quote from: HuDaFuK on Apr 12, 2019, 01:51:03 PM
    The stories featuring characters from Aliens are generally among the worst ones. On balance, most of the original stuff was better.

    It's a situation made worse by the fact all the Aliens-alumni stories are lumped together.

    I actually quite like the Bishop one but the Hicks one was hands-down the worse entry in this anthology for me. Also agreed on the spacing. The story placement in the anthology was also really questionable too.

    I didn't mind the Hicks one.  The Bishop one... nah.  Seemed to dodge everything about Bishop we know from the films.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: [cancerblack] on Apr 12, 2019, 11:15:24 PM
    Quote from: HuDaFuK on Apr 12, 2019, 01:51:03 PM

    It's a situation made worse by the fact all the Aliens-alumni stories are lumped together.


    You're really not wrong. I felt like the Bishop and Hicks ones would have been alright as stand-alone stories but with film characters shoehorned in their issues are hugely amplified. The hicks one in particular really tried both my patience and suspense of disbelief, then it immediately goes on to several more stories about film characters I cared less about with each new story. Where does it pick up?
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: HuDaFuK on Apr 13, 2019, 08:45:59 AM
    The second half of the book is generally better.

    Off the top of my head, the only one I really loved from the first half dozen stories or so was Reaper. Later on Zero to Hero, Deep Background, Empty Nest, Hugs to Die For, Deep Black, Distressed and Dangerous Prey were all pretty solid.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: Huggs on Apr 13, 2019, 04:29:16 PM
    I only remember about 2 of the stories. Neither of them by name though.

    I really love this format. It wasn't as good as what we got with predator, but it can be in the future. It's nice to have so many creature features in one book. I'd love to see this sort of thing put out regularly.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: HuDaFuK on Apr 14, 2019, 08:12:45 AM
    Quote from: Huggs on Apr 13, 2019, 04:29:16 PMI only remember about 2 of the stories. Neither of them by name though.

    Benefits of working on a wiki about Alien :P

    Quote from: Huggs on Apr 13, 2019, 04:29:16 PMI really love this format. It wasn't as good as what we got with predator, but it can be in the future. It's nice to have so many creature features in one book. I'd love to see this sort of thing put out regularly.

    Yeah, I really enjoyed the format, even if a bunch of the Alien stories were lacking. I also really liked that we got some stories without the actual Aliens, and some of those were among the best.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: Ultramorph on Apr 14, 2019, 02:09:13 PM
    I liked the one with the Marines fighting the flying monsters that excreted gas the company wanted to harvest for fuel. Didn't much care for the Bishop story or the one where they get those weird beetles attached to themselves.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: HuDaFuK on Apr 16, 2019, 08:18:38 AM
    Did anyone ever pick up the revised edition of this that supposedly fixed the Burke story?
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: SM on Apr 16, 2019, 08:37:26 AM
    Nah. I bought the ebook which I thought would be simple to fix but it was in there too.

    I'd be interested to know how they fixed it. It wasn't just a typo.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: Xenomrph on Apr 16, 2019, 04:23:02 PM
    Quote from: HuDaFuK on Apr 16, 2019, 08:18:38 AM
    Did anyone ever pick up the revised edition of this that supposedly fixed the Burke story?
    I forgot there even was a revised version. How can you tell the difference which one you're buying? I'd feel like an idiot if I bought it again and got the un-revised version *again*. :P

    Quote from: SM on Apr 16, 2019, 08:37:26 AM
    Nah. I bought the ebook which I thought would be simple to fix but it was in there too.

    I'd be interested to know how they fixed it. It wasn't just a typo.
    How recently have you checked the ebook? It might be a rolling revision of some kind.

    Edit-- I went ahead and messaged Titan directly to ask about the revised edition.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: HuDaFuK on Apr 16, 2019, 04:50:18 PM
    Quote from: Xenomrph on Apr 16, 2019, 04:23:02 PMI forgot there even was a revised version. How can you tell the difference which one you're buying? I'd feel like an idiot if I bought it again and got the un-revised version *again*. :P

    I can't even say for certain that there is a corrected version, I've only heard second-hand that a revised edition was done that fixed the Burke story in particular.

    As for how you could be sure which you're getting - short of picking one up in a book shop and seeing "second edition" printed in amongst the production blurb at the start, I really don't know how you could be certain :-\
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: Xenomrph on Apr 17, 2019, 01:37:18 AM
    Well, hopefully Titan responds to my questions!


    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: Local Trouble on Apr 17, 2019, 03:51:14 AM
    Does anyone in the book actually define the titular "bug hunt?"  ;D
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: Corporal Hicks on Apr 17, 2019, 06:01:54 AM
    Quote from: HuDaFuK on Apr 16, 2019, 04:50:18 PM
    As for how you could be sure which you're getting - short of picking one up in a book shop and seeing "second edition" printed in amongst the production blurb at the start, I really don't know how you could be certain :-\

    That's your easy answer! Check them out in the book store, see if the Burke story has lot its editors notes.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: HuDaFuK on Apr 17, 2019, 08:06:45 AM
    Sadly I've not seen a copy of Bug Hunt in an actual shop for more than a year, otherwise I would have :)
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: Xenomrph on May 13, 2019, 04:27:00 PM
    So here's what I asked Titan:

    QuoteHello, I had heard that the 'Aliens: Bug Hunt' anthology had gotten a revised reprint, is this accurate? And if so, how do I know which version I'm buying if I order from, say, Amazon.com?

    They finally got back to me:

    QuoteHi Damon, sorry for the slow reply. This book was indeed slightly revised at reprint, unfortunately if you are ordering online there is no way to check if this is new or old stock. If you are able to buy in your local bookshop you could check the imprint page to see what edition it is.

    I asked another question but haven't heard back yet:

    QuoteAwesome, thank you! Do you know exactly what got changed?
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: HuDaFuK on May 13, 2019, 04:46:23 PM
    On the subject of changes, I had a look for a copy of this while book shopping at the weekend, but they didn't have it in.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: Xenomrph on May 13, 2019, 08:46:20 PM
    I'm going to stop by a local Barnes & Noble today and see if they've got the revised edition.


    No luck at B&N; all they had was the first edition, and they called up two other stores and they only had the first edition as well.

    I did ask Titan if the ebook version got revised, and it did.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: Corporal Hicks on May 15, 2019, 09:28:47 AM
    Would existing purchases of that ebook have been updated too?


    That's a no to the above.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: Hudson on May 15, 2019, 04:11:32 PM
    Quote from: Corporal Hicks on May 15, 2019, 09:28:47 AM
    Would existing purchases of that ebook have been updated too?


    That's a no to the above.

    Like someone's file being remotely edited you mean? Creepy.  :o
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: Corporal Hicks on May 15, 2019, 06:48:09 PM
    Nah, I mean like redownloading it.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: Xenomrph on May 16, 2019, 04:50:52 AM
    Quote from: Corporal Hicks on May 15, 2019, 09:28:47 AM
    Would existing purchases of that ebook have been updated too?


    That's a no to the above.
    What do you mean?

    I've had ebooks get revised on my kindle all the time, I'd be really surprised if people who bought Bug Hunt at release didn't get a digital update when the second edition came out, since the current ebook version includes the changes from the new printing.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: Corporal Hicks on May 16, 2019, 07:45:44 AM
    I just checked and the error was still there for me.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: Xenomrph on May 17, 2019, 04:12:07 AM
    Huh, interesting. I'm tempted to buy the ebook myself since I can't find the second edition in print anywhere so far, if I do then I can check for the error (under the assumption that what I buy is the revised edition).
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: Hudson on May 17, 2019, 09:14:15 PM
    I don't think the lack of error is going to make it a better story though...
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: Nostromo on May 18, 2019, 01:31:23 AM
    Quote from: SM on Feb 15, 2019, 08:44:39 PM
    It must do better in the telling over the reading.

    I think it does. For me anyhow since I've almost always slept with some music on or something.Turn off the lights, listen to a chapter or 2, add the auto shut off at 30-45 mins, usually I'm so tired i'll be asleep after 10 mins. If the story is VERY interesting I'll last at least 30 minutes. Every night's a small struggle to find the spot I fell asleep at. I'll go through an audiobook in about a month lol, others like the Cold Forge in a week. Anyhow, no lights, voice over telling you the story seems better to me. A tad more immersive. Funner.






    Quote from: Local Trouble on Feb 15, 2019, 11:21:57 PM
    We don't need the knowing, we can live here.
    :laugh:
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: HuDaFuK on Jun 17, 2019, 11:41:44 AM
    Found a copy of this in a bookstore over the weekend. Still had the errors in the Burke story, but admittedly I couldn't see anything about it being a second edition in the publishing blurb.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: razeak on Aug 01, 2019, 07:21:39 PM
    I just finished Exterminators. That is some of the laziest writing I've ever read in my life.

    I also wish writers in print and film would get over repeating dialog from movies. The bit about the gas lines almost made me quit. The characterizations were absurd. I'm sure I read the same quality work in creative writing assignments in the 8th grade.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: The Old One on Aug 01, 2019, 11:08:51 PM
    Yeah, emulating the most popular entry with no depth is never a good choice.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt - Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: Katanu on Aug 06, 2021, 06:00:25 PM
    Decided to give this one a shot, besides it not being very popular.
    Found a good deal on it and the book arrived today, hope it's entertaining at the very least,
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt - Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: HuDaFuK on Aug 06, 2021, 06:02:28 PM
    Quote from: Katanu on Aug 06, 2021, 06:00:25 PMDecided to give this one a shot, besides it not being very popular.
    Found a good deal on it and the book arrived today, hope it's entertaining at the very least,

    Honestly I think some of the stories are great.

    Just a few too many are meh, and a couple are truly dire.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt - Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: Katanu on Aug 07, 2021, 01:41:02 AM
    Quote from: HuDaFuK on Aug 06, 2021, 06:02:28 PM

    Honestly I think some of the stories are great.

    Just a few too many are meh, and a couple are truly dire.

    Glad to know!
    Just finished the first one, "Chance Encounter", it wasn't anything special, but kind of fun.
    Title: Re: Aliens: Bug Hunt – Aliens Anthology Announced!
    Post by: SpaceKase on Aug 07, 2021, 05:41:36 AM
    Quote from: HuDaFuK on Apr 16, 2019, 04:50:18 PM
    Quote from: Xenomrph on Apr 16, 2019, 04:23:02 PMI forgot there even was a revised version. How can you tell the difference which one you're buying? I'd feel like an idiot if I bought it again and got the un-revised version *again*. :P

    I can't even say for certain that there is a corrected version, I've only heard second-hand that a revised edition was done that fixed the Burke story in particular.

    As for how you could be sure which you're getting - short of picking one up in a book shop and seeing "second edition" printed in amongst the production blurb at the start, I really don't know how you could be certain :-\

    The correct version of the story is probably the one they used for the Audiobook, if you listen while you read along you'll see all the divergences.