User blog:ChromastoneandTabby/CaT's Updates ~ Steamworks Cancelled; The State of Premises

Alright everybody, let's just get this out of the way: Steamworks, the series I announced at Fanon Con, is cancelled.

"Cancelled?" You may ask.

"Hella cancelled." I reply.

"But why?"

Well, for one thing, it was never supposed to be a Ben 10 fanfiction. I initially came up with the idea for something else (which I still plan to use it for, by the way), and the only reason I thought I should make a series out of it was to fit in with the current hip series atmosphere.

If you don't know what I mean by that, let me explain. Over my 6 years of browsing BTFF, I've noticed we have pretty much exactly three premises for any given series:
 * 1) The Ben 10 Continuation/Reboot series that continues and/or reimagines canon as the writer sees fit. (i.e. POTO or Death of Ben 10)
 * 2) The ____ 10 self-insert series that generally start off with the main character having their Omnitrix tossed at them somehow. (i.e. Tech 10 or Mack 10)
 * 3) The pretentiously titled (usually with one word), try-hard edgy series that have almost nothing to do with Ben 10 and barely ever get off the ground or produce new content. (i.e. Prototype or Horizons)

Note that none of these series are actually bad in my opinion; I like all of them except for Prototype, which was just sort of "okay" imo, but that's besides the point.

Number 3 has become especially relevant on the wiki over the past couple of years, and I had a sort of knee-jerk idea of trying to fit into that. After thinking it over for a while, I realized I was just going to be adapting something original of mine into something cliche. Because of that, I've decided to leave Steamworks for a later project where it'll probably be a million times better executed.

Now, since Steamworks was my only real planned project after Tech 10, you may be wondering what I'll be doing on the wiki afterwards. Well, I'll be doing requests, keeping up with my adminship, and, oh yeah, WRITING AN ENTIRELY NEW SERIES WITH A SEMI-ORIGINAL (for this wiki at least) CONCEPT.

This new series I'm planning doesn't have a name quite yet, but I do have the general concept and tone planned out. It will NOT be:
 * 1) Centered around continuing the main series.
 * 2) A ___ 10 series.
 * 3) A series with the "Omnitrix getting thrown at the main character somehow" origin story.
 * 4) A series with almost nothing to do with Ben 10
 * 5) A series that tries to be "cool" and "edgy".

So, what will it be? Here's the basic idea:

"You ever gone into a thrift shop and come out with something you weren't even looking for? If you think that's strange, imagine coming out with an old watch that can turn you into aliens!

''13 year old [name to be decided]'s small town had always had a large crime problem and a police force too small to stop it. Now gifted with the power of amazing transformations such as the speedy Cat Lap and the obfuscating Stardust, [TBA] does what he can to help keep his town safe!''

That may be easier said than done, however, as there are powers much more sinister than some petty crooks at work in this town..."

Honestly, that doesn't really do the idea justice, but it's the best way to describe it without giving everything away at the moment.

That's about it for now. Hope nobody's really too torn up about losing Steamworks, but even if you are, I can guarantee the new series will be a breath of fresh air (relatively speaking).