You’ve Been Canonized!: jeffg006
Welcome and good afternoon to this week’s edition of You’ve Been Canonized! our weekly interview segment here on Timelines where we get to know more about a patron author, their thoughts on Timelines, and about their current AAR or project ! If you’re new to the programme , I’m your host canonized author of
Timelines: What if Spain Failed to Control the World? and today’s guest is a birthday boy and friend jeffg006 author of
Empire Under Heaven ~ Zhonguo (VIP) AAR . Let’s get to the questions !
Part I: Our Friendly Northern Neighbor
Jeff and I talk a little bit about himself !
canonized: First , I'm very happy to our you on our show . It's been a long time coming , hasn't it ! Tell those of us who don't know much about you a little about yourself first if you please ?
jeffg006: Well sure. I was born in southern Ontario, Canada to an Englishman and a Canadian mom. I spent my life a little secluded here, but it helped me pour through books about King Arthur and other things when I was young - which eventually lead to my love of history, and naturally, paradox games and the online community. I'm 22 as of this today and I currently attend university, taking History and studying Chinese mostly. In my spare time I party a lot, work and hang out with my friends - and strategy games whenever I can find the time, but of course...
canonized: How did you become interested in paradox games and what ultimately brought you to the forums ?
jeffg006: Well my interest in paradox games began, quite simply, with Europa Universalis II. When that game first came out I was hooked - I had always, when I was young, liked large historically mapped strategy games such as the old "3 Kingdoms" games for the old Nintendos and computer games, but nothing was like EU II to me! I spent hours playing it, looking over maps and finding a love for the eras and that particular history. However it was the 1558/Baroque RPG on the paradox forums that ensured I became a permanent part of the Paradox online community - at first. Only later did I get into the OT, AAR forums, and other cool places there.
canonized: Speaking of the OT forums , that's where we first met ! Would you say it was an integral part of your forum experience and is it still that way ?
jeffg006: Oh absolutely! The OT forum is one of the first places I visit every day, actually, often before I even shower in real life. Firstly, I find I have some common interests with a lot of the people in the off topic forums, so whenever a new story is posted I find it is something of interest to me. Secondly, I have come to find I have met some rather close friends on paradox forums ( you included canonized
) and I am always interested to know how these unique and interesting people I meet on the forums live and what happens to them, I must admit, matters a quite a bit to me now.
canonized: What brought you then to start reading and writing AARs ?
jeffg006: To tell the truth? I was interested in the alternate histories people have come up with - the great big 'what ifs' that I have always asked in my mind, and get to see someone portray it through Crusader Kings or EU 3 is just plain exciting to me. A surviving Byzantium, a successful Spain, or a great battle to stop Genghis Khan - so many ideas, they inspired me to read more and more AARs - until I decided I wanted to make my own AAR and see how I could manage this and present it.
canonized: For your current AAR , you've chosen a narrative standpoint . We'll get more into the specifics of your unique treatment of it , but what initially drove you to write in this fashion s opposed to simple gameplay or deep history , for example ?
jeffg006: Hm. Well, I always like to try to tell a story - whether it is a real story, or the product of my own imagination or what not - it always gives me pleasure to know I am presenting a situation that the readers might think about, or even learn something from. I know that is what I love most about other people's work when I read it - I suppose it seems more dramatic when narrated.
canonized: Obviously you've mentioned your study of Chinese which no doubt has helped to inspire your work and to support it . What other influences would you say you have that keeps you going or keeps your narrative vitalized ?
jeffg006: Well, a lot of television shows from east Asia that I purchased on DVD really help - period action, comedies, and dramas all help to inspire characters but also practical information. I also have been reading a lot of fiction, which helps... including Romance of the Three Kingdoms ( San Guo Yanyi ). Another thing that assists me is actual history itself, which was as colourful as the imagination could possibly be.
Part II: What a Trip…
Jeff shares his experiences about reading Timelines
canonized: I always like to ask our guests on the show how it was that they came upon Timelines . Could you share your story ?
jeffg006: Well, first off, I had played in earlier years in a forum where I myself was Hapsburg Spain - I can remember being proud and boastful about it, and the other players teamed up against me and whooped my butt. Ever since I was bitter, and have secretly rooted for Spain against their French and Turkish enemies; So when I came upon the EU3 AAR forum, I couldn't help but notice it - "What if Spain Failed to Control the World" - it instantly caught my eye!
canonized: Now that you've caught up so far into the work and only a few chapters away from being with us in real time , what are your impressions so far ?
jeffg006: I truly enjoy the alternate history 'feel' to it - especially the different time periods in which the AAR is presented. Modern folks looking back on medieval folks, however your 'modern' posts never give away too much information or makes it obvious 'how this world came to be.’ I enjoy how timelines gives me the sense of wonder on these what ifs oh so much!
canonized: What would you stay stands out the most for you about the AAR ? What keeps you reading despite the length of the project ?
jeffg006: Well, for one 'timelines' in my mind has become a mini forum within a forum. It has a small community within the paradox EU 3 aar community - and it is friendly, not too large, and comfortable to be around. It is also really nice to know that the AAR you’re reading won't snuff out, instantly, despite your interest - timelines is a grand project, and it's here to stay it seems. The timelines community however is one of the best features of being a timelines fan.
canonized: Yes ! and I’m certainly very happy to have such dedicated fans and friends . Aside from the historical perspectives , Timelines has many elements of mystery and intrigue ; what could you say about this portion of it ?
jeffg006: I think that a lot of the credit for this theme, which has a very 'real' feel to it is owed to the skill of the writer and his work - truly you are skilled in creating not only exciting moods of battles and alternative historical situations, but the intrigue has become vital because I and other readers are so attached to the characters. And what happens to them, their scheming and plotting matter to interested and dedicated readers.
canonized: Any characters that you particularly enjoy ? Perhaps one or two that make you excited the next time you see them in an update ?
jeffg006: Antonio has become the poster boy of timelines for me, actually. He has become the character I find I can most easily picture in my mind and as the story has gone on Antonio’s adventures and experiences within the frame of the timelines story has been, so far, superb.
canonized: And in your mind's eye , how would you say Antonio seems ? What is it about him that draws you to him ?
jeffg006: He is, in my mind, the overall interesting character for the era. He is a heroic type, in my mind, so infamous of Spanish romanticism of this era - The look in my mind is one of a conquistador mixed with a Casanova.
canonized: We've mentioned the mystery and intrigue before , and so as is custom for my last question in this section ; do you have any guesses on the purpose or essence of what the much coveted Timepiece and Keys are ?
jeffg006: I am myself wondering what the nature of these things are actually...! I'd be much obliged if you could tell me here because it is a mystery that really, really has spiked my curiosity - and I like to think I can usually solve the mysteries before the book or TV detective does it for us!
canonized: Haha , I'm afraid you'll have to wait just like the others and keep reading on !
Part III: A Heavenly Mandate
Now let’s take a look at Jeff’s current Chinese AAR !
canonized: Qing Era . Already , images of finely dressed Mandarins and smoke filled chambers of opium fill the mind . What brought you to write about this place and time ?
jeffg006: Well, my time living in China and personal experience in these proverbial chambers had led me to find a great interest in the Qing era, it's rulers, the way the people thought and worked - furthermore when I saw The Last Emperor, a film of the last vestiges of the dynasty in the midst of the 20th century, I knew that I had to make an AAR to try to change things. Also, many of those period TV shows I mentioned before are inspirations - Xiaobao he Kangxi, for example, was one of my favourite period comedy/dramas set in the Qing period that I used to watch on TV. Boy, I sure miss those days - perhaps my nostalgia for my time in the far east has driven me to write so much about it.
canonized: Of the Chinese AARs I've seen so far , yours stands out uniquely . The mood , the setting , all seem to come together to give your story a verisimilitude . This comes out in the music and pictures that you select as well as the poetry and flow of the words . All speak of the Middle Kingdom . How did you come to make such a unique yet appropriate approach ?
jeffg006: Well, to be honest I had borrowed the text format from one of the OT Werewolf games - I am a little skilled at UBB code but other's are just so talented however the music was a must, I knew. Victoria has a mood particular it seems to the USA and Europe at the time - especially when it comes to it's music. I remembered thinking to myself, 'How could I make this more "Chinese" for the readers?' The music was an inspiration when I found good sources for it - and the pictures come from a host of TV shows and art sources, all which I hope paint a picture of how China was, or at least I try my very best to.
canonized: Another major part of your AAR is that it has court politics and plotting that rivals even that of the Byzantines and even predates it in its history . Tell us a little about this portion of your AAR , please .
jeffg006: Ah, well anyone who knows anything about the 19th century court of the Manchus knows that they were, like so many nobles and Princes, vying for power. And the court at this period of the 1800's is notoriously corrupt and treacherous. Historically we find two monarchs dying mysteriously two days apart, or whole lines skipped over to make someone else Emperor - all is fair game in love, war, and intrigue it seems.
canonized: Aside from internal struggles , there's also a great deal of danger from the outside . The British being the classic antagonist that we've seen so far . How did you plan on dealing with them both in your game and stylistically ?
jeffg006: This is a problem I have not truly carefully planned out on how to deal with. I suppose that is a feature which makes the whole thing exciting, the fact that I just don't know what those foreign devils ( British, French, soon Americans and Russians and Japanese ) will do or act - and the was are nationally exhausting and destructive as well. I will do my best like the Emperors did to maintain the integrity of the Empire, maintain victories in war, and if I lose some wars as the Chinese Qing so often did then, it is no loss - only closer to history. And I think for AARs, the only thing more fun than winning and writing about it is struggling badly in a game, and writing about it - it can make things more exciting. And of course as I have in the past, I will continue to have featured 'British' style posts to show foreign points of view on China; perhaps even Russian, or Japanese or American style posts in the future.
canonized: You've also shown us many glimpses into the rise of the Qing dynasty which brought an end to the Ming . Should we expect something to come out from the 200 years since the fall of the Ming that might add another twist to the knot ?
jeffg006: How astute of you to notice this thing, I am very pleased you have - and Oh yes, there is method to my madness - that first post regarding the fall of the Ming, the dreams of Prince Mian Yu, all of it will have it's part to play in the future of the whole storyline. Let us just say not all things are as they seem, heh.
canonized: Now that you've mentioned the prince , it's also important to note the plethora of characters with a wide ranging spectrum of experiences and mannerisms from the archetypal scheming Lady Xiang to the almost pre-mystical Mongolian general . How did you come to make such an ensemble cast ?
jeffg006: Inspiration comes from all over - their real historical 'personalities', excellent films and sometimes television, books and novels I have read, truly there are so many sources that add up in my imagination to come alive, I suppose, in my work. And of course there would be no story with no villains and heroes - the interesting part of the Qing dynasty is, it is often difficult to make out from our western points of view just who is 'the good guy' when they are all so malicious and scheming. Such is the Qing dynasty! Hahaha.
canonized: And lastly , do you have any AAR plans after you finish or any concurrent AAR plans ?
jeffg006: Well right now I am working on a Crusader King's AAR which is inspired from General BT's Rome AARisen - I have really fallen in love with the AAR forums in the Paradox community as of lately, however school work and a job ensure I can only lightly update these two AARs at most. Perhaps when summer time comes around I will get onto a third one or a new paradox game - the future is open to many possibilities.
canonized: We’d like to thank Jeff for agreeing to this interview and we’re always happy to showcase new writers especially such talented ones as Jeff ! We’d like to thank our audience for tuning in once more this week ! Next week we’ll be interviewing crusaderknight so please stay tuned for that ! That’s all for You’ve Been Canonized this time , see you next time , and in the meantime stay tuned for more Timelines ; fair , balanced , and unafraid !
