I've got a few questions about starting an AU.

[TrebleisMyMiddleName]

I'm sort of wanting to start an AU, but I don't know what all I need, and if I'm honest, feel a little bit over my head. What do I need to know?

[Colosseum]

[TrebleisMyMiddleName]

Sorry, I'm at work, so the site the image is on is blocked.
What was it?

[eswube]

@TrebleisMyMiddleName
On the image there's a smiling guy pointing finger towards the viewer and behind him there's a large writing "FIGURE IT OUT".

And what do You need to know?
I guess that having some idea of history (at least in the areas that can be influenced by backstory of Your AU) could be useful.

[TrebleisMyMiddleName]

Oh, how great it is to be part of the Shipbucket community.

I'm just wondering what all I have to do, and do I have to draw all my own stuff or can I modify other people's drawings (with credit, of course)?
If it's the former, God help us all.

[acelanceloet]

you can modify other people's drawings (indeed with credit), but doing that good is about as hard to do as drawing your own designs based off real ships or already drawn ships.

actually, I suggest starting with a real life ship that is not yet drawn and draw it to practise the style before you start designing.

[Gollevainen]

Hi and welcome to shipbucket.
Basicly you can do what ever you want, as long as it is in comply whit our rules and regulations and the famous fair use clause. Other than that, I suggest let your imagination reign freely and always do what you want yourself, not what migth please others. You may need to prepare yourself into lots of negative feedback, lot of small minded pettiness and general ignorance, but if you can get past it (and I suggest you to duly ignore it if you can), you will eventually triupmh and find your place in our little community. Like my collegue said, You will figure it out

Golly

[Colosseum]

There are no "rules" for creating an AU... that's the purpose of it. It can literally be whatever you want, provided you abide by the Shipbucket rules. As my image says... you will figure it out!

[TrebleisMyMiddleName]

My laptop just bit the dust, so that means some major setbacks for starting an AU, unless I can somehow revive it.
Not because I had anything Shipbucket-related on there that was super-important, but there was some life stuff on there that was.
God, I hate MacBooks.

[Imperialist]

Since we are on this topic, I have been toying with the idea of an AU also. Particularly a WW2 German FD scale AU. Not too sure if it is entirely viable but here are a few basic ideas after a bit of research (and in no particular order):

Gradual increase of (total war) production prior to start of WW2 (peak production of aircraft could be reached ~1941-2 rather than Mid-1944)
-->Aircraft Industry left to own devices, therefore more planes produced from 1936-'42 than in OT
Delay in attacking Poland/Britain agreeing to peace which would
Development of more effective radar earlier on
Jet research has more interest
--> He-280 sees operational combat while Me-262 is being developed
Strategic bomber force built up in the '30's (General Wever doesnt die in crash)
-->Ernst Udet replaced by Erhard Milch
Due to increase of production more powerful engines are brought into service quicker (Jumo 213, etc)
Technical advancements:
-->X-4 and R4M brought into full operational status

This AU will probably be a longer, bloodier WWII, but there is a lot more to take into account before I start obviously! Just trying to get the technical stuff down since the whole AU idea fascinates me, anything that should be noted will be gladly taken into account of course! But if I can't get an entire AU worked out I'll just draw what I can.