Meet the Star Wars - Lightsabre staff

This questionnaire has been created to give a brief insight into the creative processes of the Lightsabre team.

Tell us a bit about yourselves

Jonathan Hicks - My name is Jonathan Hicks and I'm on the Lightsabre site to, amongst other things, take care of the role-playing section. I must say, however, that I have obviously contributed more to the stories than I have to the role-playing, but that's mainly because I find fiction easier to write. I'm in my late twenties, share an apartment with a big TV, film and book collection and spend my time socializing or working. I'm a vehicle body styling technical advisor by trade.

Mark Newbold - My name is Mark Newbold, I was born March 31st 1971 and I'm a huge Star Wars fan. I've been writing Star Wars stories since 1982 have seen A New Hope 135 times and still get excited every time I see it. I play bass guitar, work for my Dad's business and drive a crappy old Ford Orion.

Paul Squire - I'm a good solid 5'10" with strong endurance and a fit constitution, with excellent dress sense and a well-rounded view of right and wrong. I also, never, ever, ever lie.

Louis Turfrey - I'm a human being, everything else is classified

So, what got you involved with this Website?

Jonathan - It was mainly Mark Newbold and Louis Turfrey who dragged me into it. Mark had spent a lot of time cataloguing all the material that we had created for Star Wars over the years. We had already had a play with another website that covered most forms of entertainment but it wasn't a success. Our natural bias towards Star Wars soon became the obvious choice as Mark had already compiled all that info and arranged it into readable material - our own talents at what we could do (art, writing, role-playing) just sort of complemented that. I'm like most writers, I think; I want people to read my work and the net seems to be the best way to accomplish that.

Mark - Back in 1996 me, Jonathan, Louis and Paul Squire were role-playing regularly on Sunday nights at Paul's. I'd wanted to do a Setnin Sector Source book in the vein of the West End Games stuff for a while and with Louis getting more and more equipment for his PC it seemed feasible. When I got my own PC in 1998, after I'd finished writing Jan Lomona and the Sirens of Amagad, it seemed like the perfect time to collate almost sixteen years of collected information. We have dozens of folders full of information, amassed over the past decade of NHP Audio stories, RPG and story writing. Along with the works of Paul Squire, Jonathan Hicks and the artwork of Jason Brown compiling it has become something of a full-time hobby.

Paul - Plenty of bullying from my friends, who obviously wanted another co-conspirator to take the blame for this. Other qualifications include years of trying to destroy the characters created by my closest friends in the Star Wars role-play whilst enjoying my addiction for power mongering as a Games Master. Alternatively, suffering at the hands of my closest friends when they got a shot at payback when they GM'd.

Louis - It was my idea...

What's the attraction to Star Wars?

Jonathan - Its accessibility. Although I like all things sci-fi and fantasy there are many things that are simply laid out for the watcher to interact with and that's it. Star Wars allows for a greater freedom of imagination and you can easily place yourself or your character in that location, talking to those aliens. Because it doesn't get hung up on technical detail or worries about constriction by facts, the Star Wars universe is easy to manipulate to suit your own ideas. Oh, and its full of kick-ass action, too.

Mark - Just the feel of the films, the feeling of totally buying into the reality of that universe. I'm also a great fan of the various Star Trek series and enjoy the way in which they also make you believe in the universe you are watching. Just seeing Luke get into a battered old Landspeeder, or watching Han shoot Greedo while having a drink in a Cantina - it's all played with such conviction. I always try to bring some of that `reality' to our Setnin Sector stories.

Paul - I love Sci-Fi, especially when it suspends viewer/reader reality and yet still convinces you that 'this is all true...' Star Wars - Episode IV had a huge impact on me as a child, with its mixture of good vs. evil, renegade knights, and the fight against nigh-impossible odds. As I've grown older my interest has also been held by the dark politic twists and manipulations that can be seen threading through the Star Wars movies.

Louis - Princess Leia mainly, but the spacecraft are cool as well. I also wanted to be a Jedi Knight, but my Lightsabre kept falling to pieces.

What inspired you to create material for the Setnin Sector?

Jonathan - Nothing really inspired me, as such, it was just a natural progression as the stories and role-playing games unfolded. When we were young we were influenced by one character and place in the Star Wars movies - Han Solo and the Mos Eisley Cantina. We wanted to interact, with our own characters and creations, with a part of the films that was only lightly touched upon and yet left us with plenty of opportunities. The problem was we didn't have a setting - the underworld of Star Wars was so lightly touched upon (except for Jabba, of course) that we had nowhere for our characters to play! So, over the years, the Setnin Sector grew. Most recently, I suppose, I've taken elements from different crime movies, like The Usual Suspects and others, and added their elements into the fold. In fact, I think that films like Suspects are how our stories are run; sharp, detailed and driven by personalities.

Mark - Well, initially there was no such thing as the Setnin Sector. When I wrote Quest for Freedom in 1982 I was only 11 years old and gave little thought to where the story was set. Jan Lomona appeared for the first time in that story, as did the planet A-desando. It wasn't until me and Jonathan had done a number of NHP Audio stories that Jon came up with the name for our region of space - the Setnin Sector. After we had laid down the borders, and the neighbouring sectors, writing for Setnin became easy and interesting.

Paul - Easy. Mark Newbold and Jonathan Hicks. These two reprobates had spent a multitude of study hours just making up audio plays, writing the odd (in both senses of the word) scripts, and generally clowning around and having a great time. When the Star Wars role-play came out, especially with Jon and I being avid role-players, it was natural to set our adventures in the sector that he and Mark has spent so much time fleshing out.

By the time I'd joined their Star Wars scene the whole Setnin Sector seemed alive, populated by real people with a sense of maturity far advanced to the AD&D world I'd played in before. With my shot at GM'ing I naturally had an influence on events for better and worse, and was hooked 100%.

Louis - Reading everybody else's...I thought I'd fill in the gaps with regard to my characters.

Did you find it difficult to create stuff that wouldn't intrude on the actual movies?

Jonathan - Not at all. The vastness of the galaxy gives the average person billions of places to put their creations, and we were no exception. We knew that we couldn't stay absolutely separate from the established stories but we didn't really want to get involved. One the one hand, if we just ignored what was going on then it wouldn't have felt like Star Wars, but if we set all our stuff around the films then it would be just plain coincidence or ego-tripping. What we've done is compromise by mentioning or touching on the established history but still allowing our own stories to unfold. That way the reader or player has the reference they need to remind themselves they are in the Star Wars universe but not worry about their favourite places or people being used or abused. Personally, I really don't believe in creating stuff that either fully includes or overshadows what has already been created by George Lucas and officially sanctioned writers; that kind of stuff, I find, turns a lot of readers off.

Mark - I've always been very conscious of not impeding upon the established Star Wars timeline. After all, if George Lucas wanted me to write stories for him I'm sure I'd have heard about it by now. So what the others and me have tried hard to do is, while keeping Setnin very much a part of the greater Star Wars universe, also make it separate from it. The most vital part in doing this was having the Setnin Sector pull out of the Republic just prior to the events in Episode One - The Phantom Menace. That allowed us to have events occur within her borders without having a huge effect on the Star Wars universe outside. Having said that, there are many events from the films that have an effect on Setnin, and many of our characters were present at major events - Goah Galletti being present at Hoth, the clone Galletti fighting in the Battle of Endor, etc.

Paul - I kept away from the main characters of the movies at all times. Hey, it's a big Galactic Empire out there, and what was the chance of bumping into Luke, Leia, Han or Vader? It was a given that though the political map changed in line with the movies, our players were no pivotal characters in the turbulent times of Empire and Republic. However, they had a more powerful effect on their adopted sector, and Setnin's course was tied closely to the actions of Jan, Goah, Ryath et al.

Louis - Oh yeah! Still do!

Where do you get the inspiration for your creations?

Jonathan - Take a look around! If I need a new starship, I take a household item and twist it into something I can use. If I need a place I just check out a geographic and see what kind of weird and wonderful places exist on our own planet that I can cannibalise. A new character? Read the papers. They're filled with dozens of types that can be turned into a new personality. There is such an abundance of material around us that there is very little chance of me running out of ideas. In extreme cases I take certain well-established creations and warp them slightly to suit my own designs. Take a look at Coryarthinax, the beasties that populate the sector. Take a guess where I got that idea!

Mark - To be honest, I don't really know. I've always enjoyed writing and creating characters and situations, but I couldn't tell you where anything specifically came from. I guess I've just got a fertile imagination! Jan Lomona, for instance. I would assume that most folks think he's just another Han Solo clone, but I've always seen him as much more like Zaphod Beeblebrox from Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. Not that he's a Beeblebrox-clone; it's just that he's an amalgamation of many different character traits. A bit of me, a dash of Solo and a dollop of Zaphod.

Paul - I wrote Ryath Centaur's first story many years before our role-play. He was ronin, a soldier without a master and on a self-destructive quest for vengeance. The influences came from far and wide, but were mostly coloured by my English heritage, where the hero fought against impossible odds. He was a hero not because he vanquished his enemies, but because he tried despite the knowledge he could never win. After that, the character took on a life of his own, and carved out his own destiny in both role-playing games and stories.

Louis - Wind mainly. Bad dreams. The usual...

What else have you got in store for the masses?

Jonathan - At this moment I'm thinking beyond what we've already done, involving the descendants of the main players of the Setnin Sector in a new set of situations. I don't want to continually use the same characters; that'll turn out like the novels that are being produced at the moment, which I don't find particularly appealing. I know I'm probably getting a little ahead of myself but the aftermath of the sector losing it's autonomy from the New Republic opens up a whole new vat of possibilities. I like toying with new stuff and this is perfect. I've designed an underlying storyline that was spread around the stories as they are in the Setnin Sector at the moment and this will come to a head with the new stuff. I'll have to go over it with my fellow creators, of course, and will most likely run it as a roleplaying campaign to ascertain people's reactions to it.

Mark - Well I'm in charge of the Guides Section so I very much want to keep on top of that, cross-referencing and improving all the entries. I also want to complete my updated versions of the Search Continues Trilogy (Quest for Freedom, Lydon Legacy, and The Search Continues) do more to Wrong Side of Hell and keep doing the short stories. Not much really.

Paul - I've started a plethora of 'Ryath and friends' stories. Finishing them is the challenge. Otherwise, I've half-a-dozen other sci-fi stories on the go, including a story of gigantic proportions I've been plugging away at for two years and hope to get finished before we reach 2001.

Louis - Bigger, better, faster, noisier website. More stories, based upon another sector. Plenty of reviews.

What would you like to see happen to the Setnin Sector?

Jonathan - Pass into legend. Now that it's lost it's autonomy it gives the New Republic the chance to divide it up between powers and run it independently in smaller manageable sectors. This will mean that the name Setnin will pass into history and just be a name on people's lips. That's the way everything goes, I guess. Empires rise and fall, that kind of thing. After a long time it simply just fades away. It always depends on my mood, I guess. If I'm in an up-beat mood I imagine the Setnin Sector becoming a superpower, if I'm melancholy I see it fading away, if I'm in a gung-ho mood I see going out in a blaze of glory. There are so many influential factors from so many people I'm not going to worry about it. The Setnin Sector, as it stands, is growing naturally so I'm not going to worry about the future and just let fate take its course.

Mark - I don't want anything to happen to Setnin, I think it's fine as it is. I think there's a problem if you try to box ideas and situations in, make boundaries for yourself, so the fact that the characters have their own lives and dreams make it a very organic place to write about even though we are working within certain guidelines. Glann Cipple replaced Duze Jostenn. Someone will replace Glann, and so on. So in answer to the question I hope Setnin just keeps growing as it has over the past two decades. It's an interesting place to be.

Paul - To the sector? Maybe there's some Imperial super weapon that can destroy whole sectors and...Okay, maybe that's not an original concept, even for Star Wars novels.

I'd leave the Sector as it is, after all it's been there for some while and seems more than capable of taking care of itself. As for its inhabitants, well, they all have their lives and that's where the real stories lay. The beauty of Setnin is that the stories are endless, and even the smallest can suck the reader in and make him/her believe that 'this is all true...'

Louis - Urmm....

What's your favourite thing about Lightsabre and why?

Jonathan - I like it's ease-of-use. I know it's not pretty to look at compared to some of the sites out there (and I know I'll get a few words from some of my co-creators for saying that) but it's very practical. The download times are very short and the material is easy to get to, with very clear indications of where to go. The styles and opinions are varied so I think we've got a pretty good mix of talent.

Mark - Being selfish I love the Guides Section. I can't think of another site that has such a large database freely available to the public. I also very much like the vast choice of stories that are on the site, and Louis Turfrey is doing a great job of making the site easy to download and quick to navigate through. I'm pretty happy with Lightsabre right now.

Paul - The spelling of lightsabre! Hmmmmmmm............

Louis - The intro page - because I designed it.

What do you dislike about Lightsabre and how do you think it could be improved?

Jonathan - The lack of visuals. Although the site is primarily text-based there is still a lot of room for pictures and there's only so far you can go with narrative. I'd like to see pictures accompanying some of the text but at the moment it seems to be doing the trick in the gallery section. I'm writing stories, guides and role-playing articles and spending time drawing for it will take up more time than I've got. I'd like to get in touch with other fans to see if there's anything they can contribute - we're always open to suggestions.

Mark - There's very little that I'm not happy with, and the bits that aren't quite up to speed will be improved over time. I would like for there to be a better way to locate and find characters names and locations, but apart from that I'm happy. This is, after all, a long-term effort. There's no rush.

Paul - It needs Jason Brown's artistic skills, and the sooner the better. The man's a genius with paper and ink, and can bring to life in a dozen lines what it'd take me three pages to write about.

Louis - I think a little more visual stuff, such as a bigger and better art gallery.

What else would you like to see happen to the official Star Wars universe?

Jonathan - I think the official universe, with its continuous new stories about the main characters, is starting to stagnate a little. It would be nice to see some new characters emerge, with their own tales of heroism, and not just new faces to complement the existing ones. As far as the storyline goes I think its just fine - I'm looking forward to see what else is in store as far as prequels go.

Mark - There's nothing specific that I'd like to see. I'm always surprised and excited by whatever George comes up with. As for the other literature - novels, comics, RPG stuff, etc, I feel that what we are doing here at Lightsabre is just as valid as anything else that comes out, be it with the official Lucas seal of approval or not.

Paul - Less super weapons and posturing, and more stories about the people, their lives and sacrifices in the ongoing struggles between good and evil, whatever flag they serve under.

Louis - Star Wars to be released on DVD

What else are you into?

Jonathan - Anything sci-fi and fantasy, really. My favourite book is the Lord of the Rings, and I have to say that most of the best books I read are not about the Star Wars universe. I like the novels that came out around the mid-twentieth century, like Eric Frank Russell or Heinlein. I'm well into my movies - I love the high-energy films that keep you on the edge of your seat, and failing that I like films with intricate plots that present you with more than few surprises.

Mark - As I said before I'm heavily into all of the Star Trek series. I've thought about writing some Trek novels but the continuity of Trek is so tight and ordered that I would find it very difficult to write. And there's nothing I hate more than contradicting established continuity. Although I'm sure that diligent readers will find a few errors through our site!

Paul - Sci-fi, history, painting, keep-fit, socialising - do you want my CV too?

Louis - Computers, Lightsabre, DVD, music, Star Trek, Earth Final Conflict, Stargate SG-1, Comics, Collecting all of the above.

Jar Jar Binks - Zero or hero?

Jonathan - Neither. He was just there, really, more for comic relief than to have any major impact on the story. He was good for showing the heroes Otoh Gunga and that was about it. I do feel he ruined parts of the final sequence - the pitched diversionary battle the Gungans fought, which was more of a sacrifice than a tactical move, was little more than a showcase to show how clumsy Jar Jar is. I don't think he ruined the film that much, though, and the dislike of him is pretty unjustified. I think too many people are comparing him to original characters.

Mark - Definitely a hero. I've never had a particular problem with Jar Jar as a character. In science fiction the outsider is usually the hero, whether or not he or she is a human, an alien or whatever. He's certainly a weird looking creature but his intentions are good.

There's no real equivalent of Jar Jar in the Setnin Sector. There aren't too many innocents out there; almost everyone is up to their eyeballs in some scheme or other. Not that I think that makes them bad people, it just makes them people. Everyone has a character flaw if you look deep enough, and I detest the soap opera/prime-time habit of making everyone pay for their crimes. Just because a character in a TV show does something wrong or illegal you just know that they are going to pay for it somewhere down the line. I'm sorry, but as honourable a moral line that is, not everyone pays for their flaws. There are murderers, con men, liars and worse that get away with crimes every day. It's not right, but that's how it is, and I think that is evident in the Setnin Sector. A guy like Jar Jar, who has a heart and is basically a good soul, would have difficulty surviving in Setnin. Besides, I'm a Star Trek fan! Star Wars has always been a cool thing to be into, but Trekkies (Trekkers) have always had a rough time of it, so I feel an affinity with Jar Jar. Good luck to him.

Paul - Maybe a hero, but with a 'z' creeping in there somewhere. Should really stay away from life or death battles in case he turns them into irrelevant slapstick. I'd pay to view a one on one between him and Darth Sidious!

Louis - hero (with a little H).

Which is your favourite story on Lightsabre?

Jonathan - Don't back me into a corner. There are plenty of excellent stories on there, and at the moment it's a toss-up between one story from each of the other writers; Who Made Who, HunterPrey and Twin Souls. I don't believe in favouritism, and I tend to see the best in things (unless its unimaginably bad).

Mark - It's a straight choice between Death of Yona and Lost on Hoth, both of which were written by Jonathan Hicks. Jonathan is an incredibly fast writer, and I know that sometimes he worries that he rushes his work but he's an instinctive writer - he writes what he thinks and it's usually right the first time. I'm much more of an editor-like writer. My first drafts were always littered with scribbles, before I got onto the PC, which has speeded up my writing time immensely. I think Louis is better suited to short stories because he throws out ideas so fast and Paul would make a great novel writer of he could only find the time!

Paul - The one with the Ugnaught and the Twi'lek. You're just going to have to read them all to find out which one I'm on about.

Louis - No real favorites, except perhaps a tie between Dead Shot and Wrong Side of Hell

If you could change one major plot point in any of the four Star Wars movies, what would you change?

Jonathan - I'd have Luke Skywalker, minus a hand and hanging off the walkway in Empire Strikes Back, turn to Darth Vader and say; 'Alright, I'm in'. That would have bred many excellent possibilities and appears to be a popular idea. Other than that, I'd have Anakin intentionally blowing up that 'Droid Control Ship. It seemed a little convenient he was in the right place at the right time and he wasted it by accident. I'm sure an intentional attack would have communicated to the viewer that he was talented and powerful and not just Jake Lloyd going 'oops' every few minutes.

Mark - That's a good question because I have often said that if I could make any one alteration to the script of Empire Strikes Back I would have Luke accept Vader's offer of joining him before he reveals that he is his father. I think Jedi would have been a much darker film, and the revelation that Vader is Anakin coming at the end of Jedi would have had even more impact, if that's possible. Having said that, I think that the "I am your father" scene is one of the greatest scenes in cinema history, so I probably wouldn't alter that.

Looking forward to Episodes II and III, I would have Beru Lars be Ben's sister instead of Owen be his brother. As I understand it Bail Organa used to be Bail Antilles, which is a nice twist. And I would like to see more involvement of Jabba throughout the new trilogy. And as a final twist I'd like George to admit that he's just kidding and that there will be a final trilogy, written by the Lightsabre team that will lead directly into a TV series with the largest budget ever.

Paul - Greedo shooting at Han first. How could anyone claiming to be a self-respecting henchman of Jabba's miss at that range?

Solo was a much more interesting character for shooting the Rodian first. After all, successful smugglers can't afford scruples.

Louis - The death of Darth Maul, he was underused...

A simple proposition - control over the destinies of the characters and situations within the Setnin Sector or a shed load of money from Lucas Licensing. Which will it be?

Jonathan - Control, primarily. I don't really want to waste a good fifteen years of work and creativity. If the worst comes to the worst, though, and we were told 'forget it, we won't make that official unless...' and we all got an equal share I'd take the moolah. As long as we could still work on the characters officially, however. That would have to be a demand on my part.

Mark - Arrgh! What do I say? Whatever answer I give is the wrong one. I would love to have something become part of the official Star Wars universe. Ever since I submitted Quest for Freedom in the Bantha Tracks contest when I was twelve I've wanted to be a part of it. So the thought of having something out there on the shelves would be a dream come true. But, having said that I've invested almost two decades into this sequence of stories, and as anyone who has read through them will know they have very little to do with the other main Star Wars characters and situations. With the way that the stories have evolved, Setnin is very much its own sector - the Galactic Civil War has raged around and within her borders but we have met very few of the movies cast. Lando and Chewbacca appeared in Quest for Freedom, Boba Fett in Black Armour and Jabba the Hutt has popped up in quite a few Tatooine-based jobs for Jan and Goah, but on the whole we have consciously aimed to steer well clear of the main story. Firstly because I hate to break up continuity, partly because I think it is rather presumptuous to assume that you as a writer can dictate what George's characters are doing at any specific time, but mainly because our sector grew so organically through the stories, audio tapes and roleplays that we think of the Setnin Sector and its inhabitants as equal to the `official` characters. So no, I would shun the money if it meant that I couldn't write about my characters without a free hand.

But I'm sure we could come to some agreement...

Paul - Both would be nice - but could I really stomach someone else writing about my characters and getting it wrong? Hmmmm, what a strange sense of deja vu.

Louis - It would have to be a really big shed...probably a couple of mansions actually, and it could only be decided between all the four protagonists, but I'd go for the money as long as we had creative control.

Where do you plan to go from here?

Jonathan - I'm working on my own material as well the Star Wars stuff, a far-future design far removed from the space opera genre. I'd like to see my own stuff published and recognised before I become known as a Star Wars writer, but at the moment I'm quite happy to let the readers know what's going on in my head by writing for the site. A few more fans of our work would be nice, but these things take time. Other than that I want what every human being wants. Security, good health and tons of cash and beer.

Mark - Keep it steady and straight down the line. I hope that we don't try to do anything too outrageous or ambitious - there are almost twenty years of continuity here and I don't want it compromised too much. Having said that we have some especially cool ideas. Jonathan has some really neat plotlines that will run through the timeline, from three decades before A New Hope right up to three decades after - big stuff. Louis is always finding new software to add, and is still going through his various characters.

Paul - More stories. Published ones would be nice, but the attraction is in the creation, not the glister.

Louis - Well, with a new series of games just starting, with some new and some old characters, the sky is the limit. Thought I might try and get published first though....