SciWorld / FallFest

[IDF] Charles Star 09-Jun-21 01:20 PM

The 2021 SciWorld Online Convention will begin right here on Saturday, June 12th at 11:30 am EDT (-4) / 3:30 pm GMT (+0) / 4:30 pm BST (+1).

[IDF] Charles Star 11-Jun-21 11:30 AM

SciWorld starts right here in 24 hours!

[IDF] Charles Star 12-Jun-21 10:30 AM

SciWorld begins in 1 hour.

[IDF] Charles Star 12-Jun-21 11:00 AM

SciWorld begins in 30 minutes.

[IDF] Charles Star 12-Jun-21 11:26 AM

SciWorld begins in 4 minutes. (edited)

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SciWorld begins now.

Welcome @everyone to the 2021 SciWorld Online Convention! I can't think of any better place to be right now than with YOU--the simming and online role playing community--to celebrate our craft through discussion, trivia, and more.

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A lot of people put in a lot of hard work to make SciWorld happen today. @Josh [TNU] , @Marie T. , @[IDF] Ken Gillis , our talented @Panelists , and our volunteer @Moderators , just to name a few! However, before I turn it over to this year's chair, @[IDF] CaptCanuck , here is the official SciWorld 2021 video to kick things off. Enjoy! (edited)

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John 12-Jun-21 11:32 AM

Yaay

[IDF] Charles Star 12-Jun-21 11:32 AM

https://youtu.be/wfStb-Gcl8k

Independence Fleet

SciWorld 2021 Opening Ceremony

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And just to see how far we've come over the last 10 years, here is the opening ceremony video from the 2011 SciWorld Online Convention:

https://youtu.be/yKS9Qm0Q3ko

Independence Fleet

SciWorld 2011 Opening Ceremony

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[USF] VAdm Sulyk 12-Jun-21 11:35 AM

Looks like its come a little ways, huh?

[PF] Maho Takahashi - USS Myogi 12-Jun-21 11:35 AM

Skoll 12-Jun-21 11:36 AM

Just a little

[IDF] Charles Star 12-Jun-21 11:36 AM

It is now my great pleasure to introduce this year's SciWorld chair, Independence Fleet's own @[IDF] CaptCanuck . Aurther, the floor is yours!

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[IDF] CaptCanuck 12-Jun-21 11:36 AM

Wow, thank you for the introduction, @[IDF] Charles Star -- I'm not sure how to follow that up! Before we get started, let's have everyone introduce themselves. Who are you and where are you from? For example, I'm Aurther Winters from Independence Fleet.

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[USF] VAdm Sulyk 12-Jun-21 11:37 AM

I'm Vice Admiral Sulyk of the United Space Federation's Executive Board. I am the most senior (well, the eldest) member of our board and I've been simming (off and on) for nearly 20 years!

[IDF] Charles Star 12-Jun-21 11:37 AM

Charles Star of Independence Fleet here!

[PF] Maho Takahashi - USS Myogi 12-Jun-21 11:37 AM

I'm Maho Takahashi from Pegasus Fleet

[5th] Bella 12-Jun-21 11:38 AM

Bella from 5th Fleet and the indie USS Odin.

Matthew Plumeri 12-Jun-21 11:38 AM

Greetings from Twenty-Second Fleet and the ol' Starbase 400.

KyleB 12-Jun-21 11:38 AM

Hello, I'm KyleB, from Sim Central.

AJCM 12-Jun-21 11:38 AM

Annex / Andrew from Sim Central & UCIP - I also hang around those 5th fleet folks too.

Skoll 12-Jun-21 11:39 AM

Skoll fifth fleet and independant game runner... more part time these days as I've rediscovered table top. Been around for 26 years this year. AKA older than the dinosaurs.

Josh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 11:39 AM

I’m Josh Hina the Chair of the SimmingHub Organizing Committee that’s in charge of SciWorld host selection and one of the GMs of TNU.

Skoll 12-Jun-21 11:39 AM

TNU?

Josh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 11:40 AM

We are a small mad little fantasy sci-fi Sim

Rockyeahh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 11:40 AM

The New Universes (TNU) is also my home. (edited)

[SC] Beth 12-Jun-21 11:40 AM

I'm Beth - My sims live in the Sim Central community. ❤️

[RPGW] Amanda Rose 12-Jun-21 11:41 AM

Amanda Rose, here from RPGWRITING!

And currently at the dentist in Chicago.

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[IDF] CaptCanuck 12-Jun-21 11:41 AM

Welcome, welcome, and welcome all to SciWorld '21! The SciWorld Online Convention was created back in 1999 by Ender Maki. That first SciWorld was sponsored & hosted by The Simming League and chaired by Maki, Tashak & @Chas. The next three SciWorlds were also hosted & sponsored by the League. After a three year hiatus, the next four SciWorlds were hosted by Diaspora Games & Federation Sim Fleet. SciWorld then returned in 2011 with the first modern convention to feature the current host/chair format, with @[IDF] Charles Star and Independence Fleet doing the honors. While we've come full circle, the driving principle of SciWorld has never changed from day one: SciWorld is open to all simmers & online role players, regardless of rank or club affiliation. This is where everyone can come to discuss, play, and enjoy. That's mainly what we're here to do: HAVE FUN!

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Unfortunately, to keep the peace, we do have to have a few rules... The first rule of SciWorld is... ...you do not talk about SciWorld. And the second rule of SciWorld is... ...you do not talk about SciWorld!

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Wait....

Wait...

uhhhh....... checks notes

I'm not going to bore you with all the rules, especially since you can already read them here: #rules-and-staff . Instead, try to keep these three things in mind: 1) Show everyone respect. 2) Assume good intentions. 3) Be kind! Oh, and 4) if your event is going to run over the allotted time, take it to one of the overflow rooms so the next event can start on time. Let's definitely not forget rule 4.

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Timelord 12-Jun-21 11:42 AM

James Stewart From MFU

[IDF] CaptCanuck 12-Jun-21 11:43 AM

If at any point you need help from a moderator, you can ping them like this: @Moderators Or if you need to get in touch with me, I answer to both @[IDF] CaptCanuck and for today only, @Chair You can get technical help from @Tech Team

But I know what you all really want....

That is to know, what exactly is going on here? And how much fun will I have. And is it legal?

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What do we have planned? Our @Panelists have put together an absolutely fantastic schedule, which you can find over at #panel-schedule or https://www.sciworldonline.com/schedule/ The first events at the top of the hour will be: In #room-1 (that's this room in case you were wondering) Differences between Live Simming and Email/Nova, benefits and drawbacks, with @[USF] VAdm Sulyk In #room-2 Creating Believable Races that COs Will Desire with @[RPGW] Amanda Rose Since we have a little bit of time before those two events kick off, be sure to tell others today about SciWorld so they can also join in on the fun. Use the hashtag #SciWorldOnline on social media, and don't forget to include a discord invite: https://discord.com/invite/PavX8VTqAQ In fact, let's all do that right now! ::tweeting now:: Otherwise, feel free to mingle and do whatever. I'll be hosting the closing ceremony in this room at 7pm Eastern. Until then, let's have a great SciWorld, all!

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Josh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 11:44 AM

Totally illegal

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[IDF] CaptCanuck 12-Jun-21 11:44 AM

Isn't that a sick bird?

rim shot

So from Myself, @[IDF] Charles Star and the whole staff here, as the one said by the greatest poets of our day...

"Let's get it started in here..." - Black Eyed Peas - Some Date (edited)

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Skoll 12-Jun-21 11:46 AM

I get to kill some orcs and beholders tonight, so will be in and out for much of the evening I think

Josh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 11:46 AM

Enjoy the show everyone

[USF] Lt. Nikosh mok Targus 12-Jun-21 11:47 AM

OK, so, who brought ze snacks, yes?

Sym Thom 12-Jun-21 11:47 AM

I'm Thomas of Theta Fleet

[USF] Lt. Nikosh mok Targus

OK, so, who brought ze snacks, yes?

[PF] Maho Takahashi - USS Myogi 12-Jun-21 11:47 AM

Shoot: I knew I was forgetting something!

Skoll 12-Jun-21 11:49 AM

Where are the klingon shock sticks?

[USF] Lt. Nikosh mok Targus 12-Jun-21 11:49 AM

Oh, in case you vere vondering, I am Lt. Nikosh mok Targus, Intelligence Officer of ze USS Roddenberry of ze USF. And I have accent, no? I've been told it sounds someting like Russian from Earth, but ... who am I to say, eh?

[USF] VAdm Sulyk 12-Jun-21 11:50 AM

And to hear Nikki tell it, he's the best looking Tellarite in our whole fleet!

[USF] Lt. Nikosh mok Targus 12-Jun-21 11:50 AM

Vell, no-vun else vill tell it, no?

[IDF] CaptCanuck

Isn't that a sick bird?

[RPGW] Amanda Rose 12-Jun-21 11:55 AM

I have not heard that dad joke since I was a kid and that was many, many, many moons ago.

[RPGW] Amanda Rose

I have not heard that dad joke since I was a kid and that was many, many, many moons ago.

[IDF] CaptCanuck 12-Jun-21 11:59 AM

I'm a new dad... thought it was appropriate

[IDF] CaptCanuck

I'm a new dad... thought it was appropriate

[RPGW] Amanda Rose 12-Jun-21 11:59 AM

Congratulations. Keep up the good work. When they're 14 and 10, they just roll their eyes at you.

[USF] VAdm Sulyk 12-Jun-21 11:59 AM

OK, so I guess it's my turn then.

[IDF] Charles Star 12-Jun-21 12:00 PM

Differences between Live Simming and Email/Nova (Benefits and Drawbacks) with @[USF] VAdm Sulyk

Skoll 12-Jun-21 12:00 PM

Congratulations on the dad thing and its a dad perrogative to come up with bad dad jokes. So i am told

[USF] VAdm Sulyk 12-Jun-21 12:00 PM

Good morning (or afternoon for some of you). I am Vice Admiral Sulyk of the United Space Federation.

Matthew Plumeri 12-Jun-21 12:00 PM

Howdy

ShadowWind 12-Jun-21 12:00 PM

LOL Nikki looks the best when there's an apple stuck in his mouth (edited)

[USF] VAdm Sulyk 12-Jun-21 12:00 PM

::looks around:: I was supposed to be accompanied by @[USF] RAdm Angelus De'luvia to present this panel. Anybody seen him around?

Anyway, the title of this Panel is “Differences Between Live Simming and Email/Nova, Benefits and Drawbacks”.

We will be discussing simming in a live, chat-based, environment like Discord, IRC, web chat, or whatever client your sim might be using.

And during this discussion we'll be examing the ups and downs of this style of simming.

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JennaRamthorne 12-Jun-21 12:04 PM

I always thought bad Dad jokes were in the Jeans.

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[USF] VAdm Sulyk 12-Jun-21 12:05 PM

So, let me start by defining "live simming" so we all know what we're talking about. During this discussion, I will be referring to my sim group, the USF (primarily because it's what I'm most familiar with). This is not intended as advertisement or recruitment for any specific organization or sim, I am merely using the style of simming prevalent in the USF as my baseline.

In the USF, we hold weekly chat sessions of one hour duration, though sometimes they do go over, where the members of a particular sim all show up live to roleplay their characters interactively. Sometimes, players will arrange to meet separate from their scheduled sim time in order to do joint logs, sometimes called “mini-sims”, and these too are often sessions of “live sims”.

Do any of you non-USFers know of other groups that employ such live-action simming? Do we have any questions or comments at this point?

Skoll 12-Jun-21 12:08 PM

Yes... whole community of games... on places like roll20... slightly different in that its a dice rolling type of live gaming but its live roleplay

Matthew Plumeri 12-Jun-21 12:08 PM

Strafleet Academy Sim, I think, uses that style.

[USF] VAdm Sulyk 12-Jun-21 12:08 PM

I've played my share of Dungeons & Dragons (and Pathfinder and other d20-based games), and I've used Roll20 to host sessions, so yeah, that's "live simming" I suppose.

So, since this panel is supposed to be comparing Live Simming to Email/Nova Simming, let's "define" that, shall we?

A lot of people are probably pretty familiar with Play By Email and Nova-based simming. It's basically a system where a player writes various logs and posts them either by email or directly uploading to a Nova site.

This method allows those involved more time to reply to any log in which they are "tagged" (often several days or even a week or more).

PBEM is pretty straight-forward, write a log and email to your fellow simmers. Nova-based websites add in a lot of "bells and whistles" with message-boards, uniform layouts, character bios, etc.

I, personally, don't do Nova or PBEM, so if any of you have corrections for what I've said, feel free to chime in!

ShadowWind 12-Jun-21 12:13 PM

Sir, Starfleet Phoenix and Ascention also use the live-action format but not exclusively

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 12-Jun-21 12:15 PM

Live responses via chat does provide that "at the table sort of feel"

[SC/Peg/UCIP/Mystic/USF]Kivcus 12-Jun-21 12:15 PM

PBEM and NOVA sims are nice as long as people keep up on it posts (in a timely manner)and people dont get skipped over. they can also tend to feel slow or bogged down and sometimes with out direction.

Matthew Plumeri 12-Jun-21 12:15 PM

Nova SIM Mgmt also helps to create a sense of place. A destination, I think,. A spot on the web where your game is.

[USF] VAdm Sulyk 12-Jun-21 12:17 PM

In the USF, each of our sims have their own Discord Server where the Hosts (the CO/XO team) have created a sort of place like you mentioned @Matthew Plumeri .

And some of the sims have created websites as well.

[IDF] Charles Star 12-Jun-21 12:18 PM

There's so many different ways to sim.

[USF] VAdm Sulyk 12-Jun-21 12:18 PM

So, let's move to the next part of this discussion: "the Benefits of Live Simming".

In my opinion, this style of simming can often seem "more engaging" than email-based simming. It can be "more immersive" as players are better able to "live in" their characters in the moment.

Live Simming can cause players to have to "think on their feet", instead of having hours or days to come up with a response to a scenario.

[SC/Peg/UCIP/Mystic/USF]Kivcus 12-Jun-21 12:20 PM

Or characters actions can be run over due to slower typing

[USF] VAdm Sulyk 12-Jun-21 12:20 PM

Live Simming can leave us all open to "make mistakes", and this, in many ways, can contribute to the story!

::smirks:: We'll get to the drawbacks shortly @[SC/Peg/UCIP/Mystic/USF]Kivcus

[SC/Peg/UCIP/Mystic/USF]Kivcus 12-Jun-21 12:20 PM

My bad realized i jumped the gun

[USF] VAdm Sulyk 12-Jun-21 12:21 PM

Mistakes made during Live Simming makes the sim feel a little more "real", since we all make mistakes in Real Life. Sometimes, we'll even build a mistake into the story!

It's kind of like when you watched the shows (the first time, anyway) where you sat on the edge of the seat waiting to see how they'd resolve the situation. If you'd read the script before, you lose some of that because, well, you know what's going to happen.

So, before we get to the Drawbacks ::grins at Kivicus::, do we have any questions about what I listed as the Benefits?

Matthew Plumeri 12-Jun-21 12:24 PM

I've always wanted to try live simming. And in a small way I've done that. With Instant Messaging. Then, copy and paste that session into Nova.

There is an immediacy to it that is very fun.

Larger groups, I imagine, are more difficult to sort out? I'm not sure?

[USF] VAdm Sulyk 12-Jun-21 12:25 PM

Good point, @Matthew Plumeri even a session with two people (or more) outside the "regularly scheduled" sim can be "live simming" with that full-scale interaction.

(In the old days of the USF we called those sessions "mini-sims".)

Matthew Plumeri 12-Jun-21 12:25 PM

Many of my Star Trek fellow gamers are in a different time zone. That's a challenge for live simming.

[SC/Peg/UCIP/Mystic/USF]Kivcus 12-Jun-21 12:26 PM

Larger groups can be a challenge but if the command team is on the ball they can handle it with ease. Co takes a group Xo takes a group (edited)

[USF] VAdm Sulyk 12-Jun-21 12:26 PM

True. To have a live sim, everyone needs to be on at the same time. Larger groups can create scheduled sims that can accomodate some of that by spreading the sims over time and days.

Matthew Plumeri 12-Jun-21 12:26 PM

I've got some questions that I'm saving. But I'll ask this one here now: With the cell phones, doesn't that make live simming so mucvh easier on everybody? Do you have a "live session" open all day?

[USF] VAdm Sulyk 12-Jun-21 12:27 PM

Well, you can do those mini-sims with folks whenever you and your partner are available, but with the rest of the crew of a sim, having a regular schedule works best (I think).

MayTa 12-Jun-21 12:28 PM

Charles I'm here

Matthew Plumeri 12-Jun-21 12:28 PM

I'm really curious to find out what all y'all think the future of PBEM is. It seems to me that Forum based gaming is an important avenue to explore too?

Matthew Plumeri

I've got some questions that I'm saving. But I'll ask this one here now: With the cell phones, doesn't that make live simming so mucvh easier on everybody? Do you have a "live session" open all day?

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 12-Jun-21 12:28 PM

It depends. I have done a scene while out and about on my phone but my responses were slower. Not everyone can type quickly on a phone.

[USF] VAdm Sulyk 12-Jun-21 12:29 PM

Yeah, I suck at "texting". I need a full-sized keyboard!

So, are we ready to move into the Drawbacks of Live Simming?

Matthew Plumeri 12-Jun-21 12:29 PM

Skoll 12-Jun-21 12:29 PM

PBF is under used in star trek... its still a massive part of non trek games

Skoll

PBF is under used in star trek... its still a massive part of non trek games

[SC/Peg/UCIP/Mystic/USF]Kivcus 12-Jun-21 12:30 PM

PBF?

[USF] VAdm Sulyk 12-Jun-21 12:30 PM

@[SC/Peg/UCIP/Mystic/USF]Kivcus mentioned our first one: Typing Speed. Some folks just type (or read) faster than others, and those can often "steamroll" the slower folks in a Live Sim.

Skoll 12-Jun-21 12:30 PM

Play by forum

Matthew Plumeri 12-Jun-21 12:30 PM

Text to Speech for slower typists.

Speech to Text

Matthew Plumeri

Speech to Text

[SC/Peg/UCIP/Mystic/USF]Kivcus 12-Jun-21 12:31 PM

Only works if you have the software to use it

[USF] VAdm Sulyk 12-Jun-21 12:31 PM

"Good" simmers will wait for others to post and break their lines of action and comments into smaller chunks for posting. Not everybody does, but ... you can see it in a "good" sim.

Matthew Plumeri 12-Jun-21 12:31 PM

Yup. Like passing the micophone

Or a bong

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Skoll 12-Jun-21 12:32 PM

its nothing to do with simming admiral... it has to do with manners and respect for your fellow player.

[USF] VAdm Sulyk 12-Jun-21 12:32 PM

I know that I am one of those fast typists and speed readers. And I know I can sometimes steamroll others. I try to restrain myself from doing so.

Like I said, "good" simmers will allow their fellow simmers a chance to chime in.

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Also, with a Live Sim, you sometimes have to "read between the lines", or actually, read back and read ahead. Sometimes the order of the post is actually out-of-order. You have to respond to something that actually came after you in the chat room as if it came ahead of you.

Again, a good Host Team and fair players will accommodate that as you play.

Another Drawback that we came up with is "What if I can only participate every other week. Wouldn't my falling behind leave me and my character behind as well?”

For this situation, if you know in advance that your schedule isn't solid, just arrange it in advance with the Host Team. Usually a "good" Host can factor that into their story and keep your character engaged.

As for falling behind, this is where Discord excels. With Discord, the persistent nature of the chat room allows you to re-read the log to allow you to catch up. If you have a sim group that doesn't do Discord, having a Host that will save and distribute the log of the sim is helpful.

Many sims allow for Leaves of Absence if you know you're going to miss several sims in a row. And sometimes a good Host Team can build a story for how your character was "off duty", even something like a "stomach bug" had you laid up in Sickbay or something.

[USF] VAdm Sulyk

Many sims allow for Leaves of Absence if you know you're going to miss several sims in a row. And sometimes a good Host Team can build a story for how your character was "off duty", even something like a "stomach bug" had you laid up in Sickbay or something.

[IDF] Charles Star 12-Jun-21 12:39 PM

Not a bad idea!

[USF] VAdm Sulyk 12-Jun-21 12:39 PM

OK, so we have another example Drawback of Live Simming ...

“What if someone hurts/kills my character? If we’re simming live, we can’t fix that, right?”

Skoll 12-Jun-21 12:40 PM

That might happen accidentally to be fair... you are in an area of a ship that suffers catostrophic damage... whoopsie.

[USF] VAdm Sulyk 12-Jun-21 12:41 PM

In the USF, we have a rule that a player’s character belongs to that player, and no-one else is allowed to dictate what happens to someone else’s character. We try to word our actions (and reactions) in such a way as to convey what we’re attempting to do while leaving the results of our actions up to the other players.

Here's an example: instead of “::shoots Angelus with his phaser::” I would say “::shoots at Angelus with his phaser::”. That way, Angelus can decide whether he is hit, he dodged it, or whether he had some kind of armor that absorbed or deflected the shot.

Matthew Plumeri 12-Jun-21 12:41 PM

That works

Skoll 12-Jun-21 12:42 PM

okay well thats bordering on something else for me... but it works.

[USF] VAdm Sulyk 12-Jun-21 12:42 PM

Some situations can be resolved by discussing them with the other player beforehand, or by Private Message during the sim. Some situations have to do with plot and are set up by your Sim Host. If this is the case, characters can and will be hurt, by design.

Also, it can sometimes be fun, as a sort of turn-around, where players are free to come up with situations to purposely have something harmful happen to their own characters in order to see how the other characters respond.

Skoll 12-Jun-21 12:42 PM

Actions have consequences, you do something stupid you may pay for it later down the road.

JennaRamthorne 12-Jun-21 12:43 PM

I will shoot @[USF] RAdm Angelus De'luvia. If youd like.

[USF] VAdm Sulyk 12-Jun-21 12:43 PM

Oh, I've been tempted many times!

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But Character Death should always be only with the consent of the player, and not at the whim of the Host. This would apply even when an action taken should result in a character’s death, it is still up to the player of that character whether the character dies. For example, a player’s character causes an avalanche that engulfs a different player’s character. The engulfed character’s player goes along with it and allows his character to be buried under tons of stone and snow and debris. He’s dead, right? Not if that player doesn’t want to kill off his character! He may have been just in the right place to be caught in a void within the debris and survive the whole ordeal!

Skoll 12-Jun-21 12:44 PM

So no meta gaming becomes welll okay no meta gaming unless this happens? Okay.

[USF] VAdm Sulyk 12-Jun-21 12:44 PM

Yeah, we try to discourage meta-gaming and god-moding.

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 12-Jun-21 12:45 PM

15 Minute warning until the next panel begins. (edited)

Stephen Hunter UK 12-Jun-21 12:45 PM

You can set up a rule about sudden character death in advance though.

[USF] VAdm Sulyk 12-Jun-21 12:45 PM

And we have The Sim Host’s prerogative: Hosts in the USF, in particular, have the authority, and even the responsibility, to maintain their sim and keep it entertaining and enjoyable for their players. If something unexpected happens during a live sim that a player has a problem with, the Host should be able to step in, pause the sim, and correct the situation. This is like the Director yelling “Cut!” and resetting the scene after a tree prop accidentally fell over.

JennaRamthorne

I will shoot @[USF] RAdm Angelus De'luvia. If youd like.

[USF] RAdm Angelus De'luvia 12-Jun-21 12:46 PM

I heard that.

[SC/Peg/UCIP/Mystic/USF]Kivcus 12-Jun-21 12:46 PM

Unless you @[USF] RAdm Angelus De'luvia and he has super girl character ::Cough Cough::

Skoll 12-Jun-21 12:46 PM

You want to go that route... okay you want the character to live heres the list of consequences your character is going to live with as a result of what ever injuries physical or other wise you may have suffered. He can live but not without facing consequences.

JennaRamthorne 12-Jun-21 12:46 PM

No death. But wounding is okay. Got it. Takes aim.

[USF] VAdm Sulyk 12-Jun-21 12:47 PM

Yeah, but the bottom-line there is that a player OWNS his character, and actions that affect someone else's character must go through that character's owner. THAT player decides what happens to his character.

Skoll 12-Jun-21 12:48 PM

Oh wow no I never want to see that... jesus i hope thats not as bad as it looks.

Back on topic though

[USF] VAdm Sulyk 12-Jun-21 12:48 PM

OK, our next panel section is "Compare/Contrast Live vs. Email".

[USF] RAdm Angelus De'luvia 12-Jun-21 12:49 PM

There can always be situations that someone just wants to do it. In which usually gets with the command team and comes up with a way to do it. Be it they just want a new one, or they have to leave. Which can make for some good drama.

[SC/Peg/UCIP/Mystic/USF]Kivcus 12-Jun-21 12:49 PM

(about time you showed up @[USF] RAdm Angelus De'luvia)

[USF] VAdm Sulyk 12-Jun-21 12:50 PM

I understand that one of the major differences between the two styles regards accessibility. With Live Simming, the Host Team has to set up their Discord Server with all the appropriate channels and such. But with Nova, everything is just "there" with a few clicks.

[USF] RAdm Angelus De'luvia 12-Jun-21 12:51 PM

One of the major differences between live simming (specifically on Discord) versus Nova-based simming is accessibility. With live simming, the CO, or the XO, or in conjunction with a team that will do it, has to set all of it up in the Discord channel (or whatever is your preferred platform). In contrast, changes being done on Nova would just “be there” and they’d usually be just one or two clicks and done. In Nova-based simming, the logs are author-added and the author(s) would get not only a notification on the site, but in their email as well, so there shouldn’t be any confusion when someone has replied to a log. Whereas a Discord-based live sim would require the person(s) to continuously check, unless they are ‘tagged’ so they’d get a ping. So, that style of simming would leave an opening to have to check things. Of course, during a Live Sim, everyone is present simultaneously and the sim is flowing around you in the chat room, so you’d be keeping up with it live. But that brings us back to the fact that Live Simming doesn’t give one a chance to think about their next move for a week. You have to think on the fly, just like you would in real life, which can make things so much more interesting. It also keeps COs on their toes, because sometimes a crew member(s) comes up with an idea that is completely out of your plans. However, it does work. It’s a learning experience for not only the CO, the XO, but the crew. Adjust and adapt. Nothing ever goes the way we outline it for a sim plot, ever! And that’s part of the fun, too!

[USF] VAdm Sulyk 12-Jun-21 12:51 PM

With Nova-based Simming, the logs are added by their author(s) and they get notifications from the site when things are viewed and/or replied to. That doesn't happen with Discord (other than maybe a tag for unread text).

So, any questions on our Compare/Contrast? Anything we missed?

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 12-Jun-21 12:55 PM

5 minute warning. If you wish to continue the conversation after the panel concludes you can jump into #overflow-1 .

[USF] VAdm Sulyk 12-Jun-21 12:55 PM

So, that about does it for our session. I want to thank you all for attending (and for your insightful questions and discussion). If you have more questions or would like to follow-up on anything regarding live simming, feel free to contact Admiral De’luvia or myself throughout the Conference! If there’s something that neither Angelus nor I can immediately answer, we’ll … just make something up! Just kidding! We’ll see if we can find an answer for you and get back to you in a Private Message later.

Matthew Plumeri 12-Jun-21 12:56 PM

Thank you. Well done

1

[USF] VAdm Sulyk 12-Jun-21 12:57 PM

So, we have about 3 minutes in our time slot. Afterwards, I'll hang out in #overflow-1 for a bit if any of you have further questions.

1

[IDF] Charles Star 12-Jun-21 12:58 PM

thanks @[USF] VAdm Sulyk

[USF] VAdm Sulyk 12-Jun-21 12:58 PM

@Matthew Plumeri mentioned he was saving some questions for later

AJCM 12-Jun-21 12:58 PM

Thank you. Good job!

[IDF] Charles Star 12-Jun-21 12:58 PM

... and @[USF] RAdm Angelus De'luvia

Next up in this room is: There and Back Again - Going From a Player to Paid TTRPG Writer with @[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim

[USF] RAdm Angelus De'luvia 12-Jun-21 12:59 PM

That's pretty much it. Even if it's not with USF, hopefully that will have helped possibly peak and interest in attemping it (if you haven't already), or just wanted a place to pick it up again. Thank you all for being here.

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 12-Jun-21 01:01 PM

Time for my intro~ Hello my name is Kim Godwin. I am a published author and freelance table top roleplay game writer for Onyx Path Publishing. I've been writing content for online rpg communities since 2001 with Menzai Battlefield Academy, Star Army, and Shattered Universe. Professionally, I am an US Navy Intelligence Analyst.

2

I plan to cover how I made the migration from just doing my thing as player and fan into writing for a company and getting paid for it.

Onyx Path Publishing announced my first game with them yesterday, "They Came From [CLASSIFIED]!" Which we will be doing a Live Play of tomorrow at 1100 EST on the Vorpal Tales Twitch Server as part of Onyx Path Con. (edited)

So how did this happen? My particular way in start back in 2019 when I started my Twitter account to build an audience for my upcoming novels and to promote my comics.

I started writing book reviews from other people in the writing community. From one of my reviews, an author I reviewed started talking to me and liked my writing style and asked me if I wanted to submit a short story to an anthology he was editing.

I submitted one story and he asked me to write a 2nd. Then he referred me over to his friend who was editing another anthology.

I was posting about my reviews, and writing projects on my twitter. Because I was writing so much, one of the Game Developers I follow, contacted me through Discord.

I got a message commenting on how much I was writing and I was extended an invitation to write for an upcoming ttrpg project. I then got a more formal email with the writing offer and a contract.

I did the paid work and then got referred to another developer for another project.

Since October, I have gotten 5 freelance offers.

This was a perfect storm of Social Media self-promotion and networking.

This brings up a few questions: Where can I find freelance writing jobs? How do I apply to a company that I like? Do I have to go through them?

Freelance Writing Jobs You can put yourself out there with paid gig sites like Fiverr, Upwork. Or you can find postings for work on the individual company sites or their social media accounts. This week, I found at least 3 "looking for writer" posts from game developers on twitter.

The Frogger 12-Jun-21 01:13 PM

Peaks in

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 12-Jun-21 01:14 PM

How do I apply? Most companies that accept random submissions have submission guidelines. For instance, Onyx Path has submission guidelines. http://theonyxpath.com/submission-guidelines/

Ian A. A. Watson

Submission Guidelines

These are the writer submission guidelines. Art submission guidelines are here. Onyx Path is always …

Confusedfire 12-Jun-21 01:15 PM

I feel that this panel would be more productive if you'd let those of us in the room ask questions

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 12-Jun-21 01:15 PM

If they have guidelines you should read them carefully and follow what they say exactly. If you can't follow directions then you are unlikely to get hired. Now, these companies also are looking at how you interact with the world on their respective communities./

You are free to ask questions.

I just had a long speel to start. ^^; (edited)

Confusedfire 12-Jun-21 01:15 PM

Seems to me that you're asking yourself questions and not giving anybody a chance to speak, but please continue

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 12-Jun-21 01:15 PM

Go for it.

Ask away

Confusedfire 12-Jun-21 01:16 PM

What is the best way to go about buying the ISBN numbers... I think that's what they're called if I remember correctly... When you go to publish your first book?

Jimmy [SU+WSO] 12-Jun-21 01:17 PM

Did you find your background in naval intelligence helped you at all with the They Came From [Classified] gig, or was that not a great factor as much as getting out there?

Confusedfire

What is the best way to go about buying the ISBN numbers... I think that's what they're called if I remember correctly... When you go to publish your first book?

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 12-Jun-21 01:18 PM

There is only 1 place to officially buy ISBN - Bowker is the main place. http://www.isbn.org/ Some self publishing sites will sell you one of their ISBNs as part of the process.

Welcome to the U.S. ISBN Agency!

https://www.myidentifiers.com/self-publishing/self-publishing-discount-packages

Self Publishing Discount Package

Publish, promote and sell. We have the resources you need at a discount price Tools to make your book easier to find, evaluate, and purchase Essential solutions for the self-publisher Whether you are just starting out, or a seasoned professional, we have a solution to fit your needs Self-Publisher Prime $484 $395 To get you started s...

If you are just doing ebooks, it will be a specific identifier unique to each site you list on. PoD will also have a unique identifier since ISBN are for each version of your book

But ISBN are important if you want to be listed in a catalog. Self publishers like Lightning Source will list you in the catalogs for about $80.

Jimmy [SU+WSO] 12-Jun-21 01:21 PM

Are you treated as a business when writing freelance, or are you a contract worker?

Jimmy [SU+WSO]

Did you find your background in naval intelligence helped you at all with the They Came From [Classified] gig, or was that not a great factor as much as getting out there?

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 12-Jun-21 01:21 PM

It was a coincidence. It was more that I was writing and getting out there.

Jimmy [SU+WSO]

Are you treated as a business when writing freelance, or are you a contract worker?

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 12-Jun-21 01:22 PM

I am a contract worker. For tax purposes, after a certain threshold of pay they have to provide an Employer Identification Number and forms.

More on the ISBNs, you don't need one to publish Print on Demand or ebooks.

Any other particular questions? I can talk about formatting for self-publishing through Amazon or Lightning Press. I can also provide direction towards things like the OGL.

1

Jimmy [SU+WSO] 12-Jun-21 01:26 PM

Twitter is known for being influential with media types, but you mention being approached for your reviews. Was it something in how you wrote your reviews, or was it developing a personal relationship with the other author?

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 12-Jun-21 01:28 PM

It was how I wrote my reviews that led into developing a conversation. He had messaged me to say thank you for my review (it was only 3 out of 5 from me) and when he looked at some of my other work, it started a professional relationship. It's a situation where he was a guy that knew a guy.

Jimmy [SU+WSO] 12-Jun-21 01:32 PM

A lot of new writers feel very intimidated by writing gig adverts, do you have any advice about such things?

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 12-Jun-21 01:34 PM

I know that I was terrified. I had wanted to apply with Onyx Path for over a year before I got my job offer. So I never filled out the submission application though I had it bookmarked and I was planning what to send them. I had talked myself out of it. When I got the message from OPP to work for them, I cried. I was afraid it was a mistake. (edited)

You honestly never know until you apply. You have to try.

Any time you are forward facing with the company, you are giving them an impression of you.

Jimmy [SU+WSO] 12-Jun-21 01:36 PM

How important is it to build up a body of work for freelance RPG writing? Is it your prior appearances in these anthologies, or do you think a good pitch is the bigger factor? Having both being ideal, of course. (edited)

Jimmy [SU+WSO]

How important is it to build up a body of work for freelance RPG writing? Is it your prior appearances in these anthologies, or do you think a good pitch is the bigger factor? Having both being ideal, of course. (edited)

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 12-Jun-21 01:38 PM

It helps. Many companies are looking for new voices so they are willing to invite in people. A good pitch helps. Depending on the gig familiarity with the system helps but is not always required. 3 of my projects are new titles / systems. The guidelines are mostly to see if you can do what they are asking- writing style and game mechanics.

We do have parts of the books that are just fiction versus game mechanics.

Type away if you have questions. o.o

Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 01:41 PM

how easy do you find it to write fiction within the limits of a game system, versus your own novels where you have full control of how stuff works?

2

Rockyeahh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 01:42 PM

Is there a great deal of different between making connections in person and/or online? Also, maybe it's difficult to articulate what you are willing to/are already writing in person (a pitch), as opposed to typed up and sent over the internet in an email.

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 12-Jun-21 01:42 PM

I find that writing example fiction blurbs for a specific new mechanic can be difficult. I was prepped for mine through Play by post around dice rolls actually! We rolled out the dice and then wrote out what happened as a result of what we were doing

Rockyeahh [TNU]

Is there a great deal of different between making connections in person and/or online? Also, maybe it's difficult to articulate what you are willing to/are already writing in person (a pitch), as opposed to typed up and sent over the internet in an email.

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 12-Jun-21 01:43 PM

Most of my interactions with the writing community have been online. So it helps since people are interacting with you via text already. Those hot takes can help or hurt you.

Beautiful Night

how easy do you find it to write fiction within the limits of a game system, versus your own novels where you have full control of how stuff works?

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 12-Jun-21 01:44 PM

Full control helps. But sometimes having that hard magic system can help you.

Rockyeahh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 01:44 PM

Hmm, very cool.

AJCM 12-Jun-21 01:44 PM

Has there been any challenges you've had to navigate through in this new work you've taken on? Someone not liking where you are taking things? Asking for revisions which you find takes away from your creative drive?

Josh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 01:45 PM

15 minutes

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 12-Jun-21 01:46 PM

It's a discussion. I was given guidelines and an outline. I try not to take the redlines personally. They want things a specific way, so you do have to cater to that. I had a specific time period that I had to stick to or I had to pull back into the lines they asked me to stay in. You have to be flexible.

I have an open line of communication with the entire writing team so if I have a question about whether or not an inclusion is okay, I can ask before the red pen comes out.

Just don't wait until the deadline to ask the question.

Jimmy [SU+WSO] 12-Jun-21 01:47 PM

How important are learning the mechanics of the game you're writing for? Is a basic knowledge acceptable for writing fluff, leave the design to the game designers. Or do they bring you into the design process?

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 12-Jun-21 01:49 PM

So for our fiction only writer, he was provided the rule set we were working from at the same time as us creating the more specific mechanics. We had open communication between us as we went.

Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 01:54 PM

And how did he manage? or did he throw a Bob Salvatore and say screw the rules?

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 12-Jun-21 01:55 PM

With a storytelling system accentuates the mechanics.

[USF] RAdm Angelus De'luvia 12-Jun-21 01:55 PM

5 minute warning. For more discussion/questions can be done in #overflow-1 or #overflow-2

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 12-Jun-21 01:55 PM

He has a fun time of it.

It's like when you get a crit on a seduction roll, how that executes in play is super fluffy.

The roll is skills + attributes but how it happens with a cheesy pick-up like and sparkles is what sells it to the player.

Hookay, Beautiful Night's Panel is up next.

Sprite 12-Jun-21 01:58 PM

Great Information! Thanks, Kim.

AJCM 12-Jun-21 02:01 PM

Thanks for sharing your story Kim! Sounds like you've had some great things come your way. All my best wishes for even more!

Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 02:01 PM

Okay, Are my mods here?

Are you armed?

4

[IDF] Charles Star 12-Jun-21 02:01 PM

We've got bouncers ahem, I mean @Moderators at every door. (edited)

2

Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 02:01 PM

okay then

I suspect most of you know who I am by now, but I'm Notty: I've run RPGS for donkeys, probably since before some of you were conceived; I run DS5 (https://ds5.org.uk); and I pop up at these things to give my totally right, correct, true and unbiased opinion on simming and storytelling and other things on a regular basis

https://media.tenor.com/images/6ade0f049b0459a87d2516826cca19ac/tenor.gif

Everything that is about to hit your screens (and the bit that just has) is supposed to be satire and sarcasm. Ultimately helpful satire and sarcasm, but still lots and lots of sarcasm. Whilst I'm hoping for audience participation, I want to remind everyone that they need to be careful about any examples they give. You are only allowed to talk about your own mistakes, no bitching about other people And definitely no names, or any examples from games you are currently in. This is not the place to moan about your sim du jour

I have a pair of rabid mods watching to warn everyone when they cross the line, and to beat you all back across it with big sticks.

say hello mods

[PF] Maho Takahashi - USS Myogi 12-Jun-21 02:03 PM

https://tenor.com/view/mike-wazowski-watchingyou-gif-5352035

Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 02:03 PM

Also, I'm not bothering to censor my potty mouth for this, so if you are easily offended by bad language, or have young children reading, I would switch rooms (also, if you've got young children reading this, well done, and what's your secret? Mothers frustrated with their own kids allergy to reading need to know)

https://media.tenor.com/images/6aeedf2948801d4ce35157add7d7e67c/tenor.gif

Rich 12-Jun-21 02:04 PM

lol

Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 02:04 PM

Alright, you have been warned, here's the rabbit hole. Jump in, losers, we're going simming.

SilverNight[XansPub] 12-Jun-21 02:04 PM

But I can't swim.

Esrom 12-Jun-21 02:04 PM

hold your breath

[PF] Maho Takahashi - USS Myogi 12-Jun-21 02:04 PM

https://tenor.com/view/scrooge-mcduck-money-dive-gif-7505426

Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 02:04 PM

Learn fast? When it comes to being a big fish in the tiny pond of simming, there's two approaches you can take. One is to put in a lot of hard work, endless recruiting drive, sleepless nights crafting perfect adventures, combing over player backgrounds for ways to tie them to the narrative and turn an impersonal premise into a bespoke plot they remember filled with NPCs so well realised you've shed tears over them.

[USF] RAdm Angelus De'luvia 12-Jun-21 02:05 PM

-waves-

Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 02:05 PM

But there is an alternative. If you want to be remembered and whispered in hushed tones in the locked channels of discord servers, then you can't go wrong with embracing infamy. Be bad. Be really really bad. Take the worst instincts and wind that amp to 11. Its easy.

What follows is my guide to instant infamy. Over decades of writing, running and playing a variety of RPGs and sims I've learnt the true secrets of how to be utterly fucking dire. Gather round my sweets, and share these hard won secrets and you too can run a disaster clusterfuck of epic proportions.

1

I've chopped my hard won wisdom into sections, so when you chime in with your own epic screw ups, try and stick to the theme of the section for easy reading later. So first theme: Preperation

The SAS have a saying "Perfect Preperation Prevents Piss Poor Performance.

Well guess what. This is simming, not the SAS. Preperation is for pussies

[RPGW] Amanda Rose 12-Jun-21 02:07 PM

Amen!

Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 02:07 PM

but there are still somethings you can do in advance to gaurentee everyone that shite time they're dreaming off

1. Get people psyched up. Make sure players understand that their decisions will have real consequences and they will get to shape the setting. It's important they go into things with high expectation, it will make your failure even more spectacular.

2. After that, don't bother with a planning at all. Not so much as a skeleton. You don't need a plan, you've done this before. You can wing it.

3. There is no point in checking what your players are interested in, and how they felt about the last mission, what worked, what didn't, what they'd like to follow up on (the villain that got away, the strange new technology, the trial of any captured villains, how the colony they saved is rebuilding). Linking them together is for pretentious auteurs who think they're running a tv show.

4. Don't give any warning. They don't need to know the new mission is starting soon so they can't clear any active posts and have their pcs in a neutral position ready to respond. Just rip them out of whatever they're doing. Personal plot is just attention whoring and who needs that shit, am I right?

Josh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 02:09 PM

Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 02:09 PM

Does anyone else have any thing they make sure they do in advance to guarentee a crappy session or mission?

Josh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 02:09 PM

Character development what’s that

[RPGW] Amanda Rose 12-Jun-21 02:10 PM

I make sure that nobody is writing @Beautiful Night . The less writers, the more I can do everything for everyone.

1

Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 02:10 PM

oof thats a good one

[RPGW] Amanda Rose 12-Jun-21 02:10 PM

(Currently amused at lunch with niece and nephew in Chicago)

Josh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 02:11 PM

Yes exactly the more we railroad our players the more we can tell them what to do

Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 02:11 PM

though make sure that's through active discouragement and not that real life is making you take a back seat. Or it doesn't count. You have to work for you medal of dishonor

[PF] Maho Takahashi - USS Myogi 12-Jun-21 02:11 PM

Introduce a really overpowered NPC and establish said NPC as a central pillar to the mission

Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 02:11 PM

we're coming to NPCs

I do remember about ten years ago when I was running a tabletop game, I made everyone cough up at least 1000 words of backstory.

That was fun and inclusive for everyone!

‍♀️

Josh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 02:13 PM

Especially when you immediately cut the player in half (edited)

Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 02:13 PM

Ah, traveller

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 12-Jun-21 02:13 PM

I totally read that as cutting the player in half, Josh.

Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 02:13 PM

the ability to die during character creation was just perfectly awful

Afterall, who doesn't like doing that two or three times before you even pick up dice or put fingers to keyboard

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim

I totally read that as cutting the player in half, Josh.

Josh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 02:14 PM

Dealers choice… You can either cut their character in half or cut them in half whatever works… Pain and torture work well it teaches them who’s boss (edited)

Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 02:14 PM

Anymore for digging foundations for crap? or is time to move on?

Jimmy [SU+WSO] 12-Jun-21 02:15 PM

It's okay, you can still get the "I died in character creation" shirts for Traveller.

[USF] RAdm Angelus De'luvia 12-Jun-21 02:15 PM

There's always doing something completely stupid, and you were warned three times by the GM(or CO) you better get this right! Are you sure??? Yes! and.....-splat- Which I've done.. (edited)

Jimmy [SU+WSO] 12-Jun-21 02:15 PM

Although in the more recent versions it's harder to do.

Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 02:15 PM

as @[PF] Maho Takahashi - USS Myogi mentioned. NPCs. The potential here to make your adventure absolutely teabag your players mood is off the charts

Top of My list is:

1. Players just project their own feelings onto everything, so why make the effort with your NPCs. Keep them bland and easy to fill in the blanks.

Josh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 02:16 PM

Or converting Past player characters into NPC’s and making them God characters but evil and making players fight them

Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 02:16 PM

thats an excellent dick move, and highly recommended

2. If you must get pretenstios and fgive them something, then they don't need their own goals and motivations beyond kill everything, or their own personality beyond hates x, will thirst over Y.

SilverNight[XansPub] 12-Jun-21 02:17 PM

I've done this. It's fantatic. Esp if the past player was a bit of a dink and deserved to be killed off again

SilverNight[XansPub]

I've done this. It's fantatic. Esp if the past player was a bit of a dink and deserved to be killed off again

Josh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 02:17 PM

Yes

Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 02:18 PM

3. Players love being the centre of attention. Make sure all your NPCs creep on the players. Bonus points if you're going to make unwanted attention to PCs from NPCs with incompatible sexual preferences. There's nothing like perpetuating harmful stereotypes in the worst possible way to make sure your adventure sucks to high heaven

Seriously, the fastest way to fuck your game up. I can go home now, my work here is done

Josh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 02:18 PM

Oh yes the NPC who follows your character around and is the total creeper

Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 02:19 PM

and don't whatever you do prenegotiate creepers as a plot device. It won't be authentic. Do it for real

Josh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 02:19 PM

Darn I was doing it wrong

[PF] Maho Takahashi - USS Myogi 12-Jun-21 02:19 PM

https://tenor.com/view/minecraft-creeperrap-boomboomboom-gif-9738459

Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 02:20 PM

if only exploding for massive damage was the worst they could do

4) If you have limits on PC races or special abilitioes, make sure all your NPCs have them

not just the uber villain who is allowed to break all the rules for a great ending (becuase remember, shit mission, we don't want a great ending)

but everyone, right down to the cabbage seller

Josh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 02:21 PM

Hence why having npc q to screw with people is Delicious

Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 02:22 PM

being screwed arbitraily is totally the way to go to chase that infamy

Josh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 02:22 PM

@apace100 [TNU] You should totally be here it will teach you how to be more delightfully evil

SilverNight[XansPub] 12-Jun-21 02:22 PM

Flipping the script can work - gold dragons are now evil is great. fucks wih a D&D party expecting help from the wise old gold.... only to receive misinformation and straight up lies.

Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 02:22 PM

also variety is boring. All your girls need to be supermodels with all the fat on their body gravitated to their boobs.

All the boys need to be ripped

all of them

from the babies to the grand pas

Josh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 02:23 PM

Realism what’s that

Beautiful Night

also variety is boring. All your girls need to be supermodels with all the fat on their body gravitated to their boobs.

[PF] Maho Takahashi - USS Myogi 12-Jun-21 02:23 PM

But big boobs are nothing without... Serious hips.

Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 02:23 PM

if your players aren't feeling vaguely inadequate at the end of the adventure, then it isn't bad enough, (edited)

Rich 12-Jun-21 02:23 PM

its extra, dont need it throws realism away

JennaRamthorne 12-Jun-21 02:24 PM

sERIOUS HIPS LOGICALLY CANNOT LIE.

1

Okay who turned my CAPS key on?

2

Josh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 02:25 PM

[USF] RAdm Angelus De'luvia 12-Jun-21 02:25 PM

I did

Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 02:25 PM

Consequences do not apply to NPCs

Josh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 02:25 PM

Unless you fall in love with them

Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 02:26 PM

This includes gravity, and the inverse square law

well, if your players are liking your NPCs you're doing them wrong anyway

Beautiful Night

This includes gravity, and the inverse square law

[PF] Maho Takahashi - USS Myogi 12-Jun-21 02:26 PM

But what about death and taxes?

[PF] Maho Takahashi - USS Myogi

But what about death and taxes?

[RPGW] Amanda Rose 12-Jun-21 02:26 PM

That’s what you have me for!

Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 02:26 PM

oh god, you don't actually let your NPCs die do you? Fool!

[RPGW] Amanda Rose 12-Jun-21 02:27 PM

Rules lawyers! Lots of them! Dire necessity in any sim!!!

Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 02:27 PM

oh no. You don't let your players kill them at the emotionally satisfying climacx to a well prepared story?

Josh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 02:28 PM

Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 02:28 PM

I think we'd better move on to actually running the adventure. Its obvious some of you risk giving your players a good time.

So, 1. Don't bother with a player briefing in or out of character. Find out in play is so much more satisfying when there is ten of you stumbling around.

JennaRamthorne 12-Jun-21 02:29 PM

:taking notes:

Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 02:29 PM

Also, the chinese whispers of what the fuck is going on is just way less work for you

[PF] Maho Takahashi - USS Myogi 12-Jun-21 02:29 PM

Takes notes for insurrection plot

Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 02:30 PM

2. When the plot starts, spend several IC weeks on the preliminary busy work. You can get two or three posts out of everyone getting coffee and talking about their feelings. A bad adventure needs to be at least 70% pointless faff

JennaRamthorne 12-Jun-21 02:30 PM

You been reading our material?

Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 02:30 PM

E.g. many years ago, i made sure my players got a grand total of eight hours of play time out of organising a trading caravan

they loved it

[RPGW] Amanda Rose 12-Jun-21 02:31 PM

Enthralling! Who wouldn’t?!

Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 02:31 PM

organising their guards, jiggering their budget, waiting for the stragglers to show up

[PF] Maho Takahashi - USS Myogi 12-Jun-21 02:31 PM

Character development is important!

Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 02:31 PM

@[PF] Maho Takahashi - USS Myogi lies

[PF] Maho Takahashi - USS Myogi 12-Jun-21 02:32 PM

Not meaningful character development, of course!

Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 02:32 PM

@[PF] Maho Takahashi - USS Myogi phew. I was going to have a mod boot you for not learning anything :p

3. Make sure any actual action where players could be active and face actual bad guys and villains happens off screen. This is especially important if you think your players will enjoy doing decent action scenes.

Josh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 02:33 PM

Changing the nonexistent oil on the warp core come on it Has to be done

50 times

In rapid succession

[PF] Maho Takahashi - USS Myogi 12-Jun-21 02:33 PM

And 100 times on Sundays!

Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 02:33 PM

time skip is your friend to get you over anything dangerously engaging

and whilst we know that NPCs done right can seriously improve your chances of a terrible session, in an advventure this tip is key: 4. Don't give any NPCs to help move people along. Players should always drive the action. Give them full control (but don't forget to set victory conditions you don't tell them about)

JennaRamthorne 12-Jun-21 02:34 PM

"I feel dirty:

[PF] Maho Takahashi - USS Myogi 12-Jun-21 02:34 PM

Impossibly high victory conditions

Josh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 02:35 PM

Yes make sure that the victory conditions are unobtainable

Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 02:35 PM

combine that with no briefing and no helpful exposition guys, you've got a shooin for dumpster fire adventure of the year

But I'm also a fan of: 5. If people start enjoying themselves, then they obviously don't want to spend time mucking around with NPCs and showing off, and want to get on with the adventure, so rush them through to the end. They'll thank you.

Rich 12-Jun-21 02:35 PM

dont troget shining the dedication plaque with a toothbrush

[PF] Maho Takahashi - USS Myogi 12-Jun-21 02:36 PM

https://tenor.com/view/dumpster-fire-dumpster-trash-trash-fire-kawaii-gif-16297697

Rich 12-Jun-21 02:36 PM

forget

JennaRamthorne 12-Jun-21 02:36 PM

no no, troget works. Stick with it.

Josh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 02:36 PM

Also if they try to find a solution to the unsolvable problem and put them in the brig or an inescapable void for an unexplainable reason

[USF] RAdm Angelus De'luvia 12-Jun-21 02:36 PM

Kobyashi maru their ass every time. Consistantly, without remorse.

Josh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 02:37 PM

I’ve always loved the inescapable void

Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 02:37 PM

And 6. If Players aren't engaging, just plow through, and do everything you need to via NPC

(see above)

[PF] Maho Takahashi - USS Myogi 12-Jun-21 02:38 PM

Every terrible mission needs a Mary Sue NPC

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[USF] RAdm Angelus De'luvia 12-Jun-21 02:38 PM

And a Karen.

[PF] Maho Takahashi - USS Myogi

Every terrible mission needs a Mary Sue NPC

[RPGW] Amanda Rose 12-Jun-21 02:38 PM

What would we do without that?

Rich 12-Jun-21 02:38 PM

or both at the same time

2

Karen Sue

[USF] RAdm Angelus De'luvia 12-Jun-21 02:38 PM

lol

[RPGW] Amanda Rose

What would we do without that?

Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 02:38 PM

Have a shudder Good time?

Josh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 02:38 PM

And if someone complains then you definitely need an inescapable void

Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 02:39 PM

Poor Janet

Beautiful Night

Have a shudder Good time?

[RPGW] Amanda Rose 12-Jun-21 02:39 PM

That’s not possible!

Rich 12-Jun-21 02:39 PM

https://tenor.com/view/impossible-star-wars-mark-hamill-luke-skywalker-gif-5440327

It's not true - That's Impossible! - Star Wars

Beautiful Night

Have a shudder Good time?

[PF] Maho Takahashi - USS Myogi 12-Jun-21 02:39 PM

We're here to have bad times, not good ones!

Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 02:40 PM

So I have just one last one before we talk about finale's, and its up there with creeper NPCs for express trashing your adventure

7. Don't bother with any challenge. No physical danger. No mystery. That requires work, and this is about avoiding work.

Literally. You've got your caravan, you're loaded with goods to sell at faraway markets. Its six weeks through bandit forests or deserts, and nothing happens

not a pile of quicksand

not a hijacking

Josh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 02:41 PM

Like my inescapable void thing… If it’s just a nothingness void… there’s nothing that players can do… No where they can go no escape. Perfect

Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 02:41 PM

or even diarhea from bad soup

[PF] Maho Takahashi - USS Myogi 12-Jun-21 02:41 PM

Just a normal, mundane road trip through the badlands.

Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 02:41 PM

If your random encounter tables aren't a minimum of 97% nothing happens, you're doing too much

[PF] Maho Takahashi - USS Myogi 12-Jun-21 02:41 PM

Nothing to see here

[RPGW] Amanda Rose 12-Jun-21 02:41 PM

Not even dysentery? I’ve been doing it wrong!

[PF] Maho Takahashi - USS Myogi 12-Jun-21 02:42 PM

https://tenor.com/view/oregon-trail-gif-14014454

2

1

Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 02:42 PM

Like wise, if you're escorting prisoners, don't have them try to escape. Or take some one hostage,

Josh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 02:42 PM

Just have them do nothing

Rich 12-Jun-21 02:42 PM

so tac officer gets the runs right as 2 borg cubes arrive?

Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 02:42 PM

or try and bribe the PCs. and definitely not shiv them with a rusty spoon handle

Josh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 02:43 PM

Entirely cooperative prisoners makes for an easy mission

Rich

so tac officer gets the runs right as 2 borg cubes arrive?

Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 02:43 PM

possibly, as long as you make tac officer spend the next two weeks IC in the head squitting his bowls into the stars

Josh [TNU]

Entirely cooperative prisoners makes for an easy mission

[PF] Maho Takahashi - USS Myogi 12-Jun-21 02:43 PM

An easy mission with minimal work

Josh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 02:43 PM

Make sure that you spend a year out of character on the mission

Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 02:43 PM

did I say IC< I meant OC

two weeks OC writing up liquid bowels

and no przes for creativity with the number of different names for yellow ochreish green

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 12-Jun-21 02:45 PM

15 minute warning.

Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 02:45 PM

Okay, we're coming up on the end zone, so lets screw this shit up one more time and talk about how to bend your finale over and really bugger it. Everyone grab your cacti

Rich 12-Jun-21 02:45 PM

and some ensign has to clean it

Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 02:45 PM

1. Set things up so PCs expect the finale to go down in a certain place. Kronos, Godric's Hollow, The Underdark, The DeathStar. Then don't go there. Stop short at the border, and do it on some plain generic background

[PF] Maho Takahashi - USS Myogi 12-Jun-21 02:45 PM

Takes random cacti sitting in the corner

Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 02:45 PM

Seriously. don't go there.

Find someway to destryoy that ring in a foothill, you don't need that Mount Doom crap.

[PF] Maho Takahashi - USS Myogi 12-Jun-21 02:46 PM

Because if your players don't ragequit over the finale, you've done something wrong

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Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 02:46 PM

That just takes effort to think up cool descriptions, and how the terrain is going to affect any final fights and lets the players use cool tactics.

shut that shit down

2. If you've managed to screw up and get some NPCs in there, make sure that instead of the PCs fighting them, the PCs watch while two NPCs duke it out. Bonus points if you're playing a game with complex rules and dice, like Shadowrun or Chivalry & Sorcery, and actually roll the dice for this. Bonus Bonus points if you do this in a system with large dice pools that take time to add up. Nothing says fun like two magicians throwing 20d6 fireballs at each other.

(ask me how I know this about Shadow run and 11d6 exploding diepools

[PF] Maho Takahashi - USS Myogi 12-Jun-21 02:48 PM

And be sure to fudge those die rolls!

Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 02:48 PM

(Don't ask me)

only the ones that let you save the players. Make sure you go for TPK

If you've followed all of the above, that should be easy as pie.

Josh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 02:49 PM

Complex battlefield with complex battle of two NPCs destroying each other except that they have literally unkillable stats

The battle never ends

Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 02:49 PM

and if you haven't then make sure their kit mysteriously vanishes, the ship suddenly stops working, and all good ideas are countered

[USF] RAdm Angelus De'luvia 12-Jun-21 02:49 PM

Haha.

I just pulled that last plot.

Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 02:51 PM

But if you don't manage the pinnacle that is TPK, a good option is to make sure the players are given some macguffin like cranial bombs or magical collars that explode unless they do what the bad guy says. Player love knowing they can be murdered at any given point by fiat of a shitty GM

if you want to really suck, and I know you do

if you're in D&D, arbitary level loss until death is a slower but far more impacful

[RPGW] Amanda Rose 12-Jun-21 02:52 PM

Wraiths and ghouls for the win

Josh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 02:52 PM

Yes stat and level sucking

Is amazing

Best end ever

Would do again

[USF] RAdm Angelus De'luvia 12-Jun-21 02:53 PM

You always have to Zombie.

Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 02:53 PM

especially when they can't escape it, or runaway because the your NPCs can do it at will

Any other tips for making your end game look like Thanos's chin - an endless parade of arse

Josh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 02:54 PM

Always have the boss monologue worthless text that’s incomprehensible

Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 02:54 PM

nice

I'd forgotton interminable monologuing

Original message was deleted.

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 12-Jun-21 02:55 PM

Pinned a message.

Original message was deleted.

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 12-Jun-21 02:55 PM

Pinned a message.

Original message was deleted.

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 12-Jun-21 02:55 PM

Pinned a message.

Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 02:55 PM

anything else?

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 12-Jun-21 02:55 PM

5 minutes.

[USF] RAdm Angelus De'luvia 12-Jun-21 02:56 PM

5 minutes left, yall know the drill, one of the overflow chans.

Josh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 02:56 PM

I think it’s about time for the next session

Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 02:56 PM

oh, too easy is always a good option for when you want to mix things up from impossibly hard with changing stat blocks (edited)

So, go my pretties, use this knowledge wisely, and produce the great flaming poops of adventures, dig deep and leave your players with an adventure they'll never forget. And possibly PTSD

Josh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 02:57 PM

Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 02:57 PM

And piss off from here right quick, or you're in danger of getting knowledge that will mean people like your games

[USF] RAdm Angelus De'luvia 12-Jun-21 02:57 PM

There is no possibly PTSD. I've already given players that.

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 12-Jun-21 02:58 PM

Reliably Surprising and Surprisingly Reliable: Why Consistency and the Unexpected Are Your Greatest GM Tools And How to Balance Them with Wes is next.

Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 02:59 PM

yes. that is poison in the well of terrible GMing. Best no-one sticks around for that.

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Wes of StarArmy [SA] 12-Jun-21 03:01 PM

Hello everyone! My name is Wes and I’m the creator of Star Army, a sci-fi RP forum that’s been running for around 20 years. Today’s panel is called Reliably Surprising and Surprisingly Reliable: Why Consistency and the Unexpected Are Your Greatest GM Tools And How to Balance Them. This is some general advice for game masters or thread Ops who are running an RP.

I’ve got a few parts I typed up in advance but at any time feel free to hop in, it’s a discussion more than a speech and I welcome your thoughts.

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Original message was deleted.

Josh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 03:02 PM

Pinned a message.

Wes of StarArmy [SA] 12-Jun-21 03:02 PM

Part 1: Consistency

There’s two types of consistency every RP needs: in-character consistency and OOC consistency.

Surprisingly Reliable: Out-of-Character (edited)

The best RPs are reliable ones. If you’re a player in these this means an RP you can trust that the GMs and other players are going to do (and not do) certain things. Running a GM want a regular posting schedule so your players know when to look at your site and when to expect updates. You want to make posts that consistently include the three essentials of a good post: It moves the story forward, it involves the player characters so they can react, and it fun to read.

Each of these elements is important and although you con't have to hit them all every time, it helps when you do.

Trust is key as well as you want to make sure players can rely on you not only to do good by them, but also to avoid stuff that kills the vibe, like ignoring their characters, making it weird, or just plain doing stuff that makes people confused or pissed off.

(fixed a typo up there haha)

Surprisingly Reliable: In-Character

On the IC side, the best RPs are reliable from an in-character perspective in a sense that the world they’re in makes sense because it sets up its own rules (which could be things like how the magic system works or starship speeds) and consistently follows them. Having good documentation like a wiki or another way to record information about your world can be a huge help for them so you don’t run into “plot holes” like towns being in different locations over time.

Having your world be reliable in this way of following its own norms within the setting makes the setting feel more believable.

Basically, you should want to build trust and comfort both IC and OOC - that's how you make a setting that people love and love to put their characters in. People want to know that they're involved in something solid and dependable (because lets face it, a lot of RPs dry up, mine too sometimes) and that their characters/creations aren't going to get dumped on by someone not following the rules of the setting. That said, this isn't the same as always knowing what to expect. Which brings me to the other side of the coin.

Before we start that part, anyone got any thoughts or questions? (edited)

Part 2: Reliably Surprising

There’s a sliding scale between completely predictable and completely random where completely predictable is basically work or pure simulation and fulfilling tropes and the other end is so random that things like your story, characters, and worldbuilding fall apart because there’s not consistency.

If you know exactly what’s going to happen in the future you’re essentially writing a book more than traditional roleplaying. If you have no idea at all, you’re probably feeling lost.

You want to be somewhere in the sweet middle where you and your players are comfortable and having fun. So you’re using the element of surprise as a spice. The other important thing is just to have fun with it.

You can do stuff like have twists in the story, reveal new information to the players, have unexpected attacks occur, and so forth.

One of the coolest and most random things I did, for example, was during a "boring" promotion ceremony in front of the starship my PCs lived on, another ship swooped down and took their ship and kicked off a mission to get it back.

You can even surprise people when they fail, so for example if they lose to the enemy, surprise them with a merciful NPC or a trip to a prison escape mission.

You can even introduce some built in surprise by rolling the dice, tabletop style, for success when something seems unclear whether or not it's possible or probable. I’m not necessarily saying that we should all be rolling dice like tabletop RPGs do. But having some level of the unexpected in your game really is that secret sauce that keeps it from getting boring. Ideally players are excited about your game and eager to get off work and log on to find out what happens next.

On Randomness

The first piece of advice that I give to someone who wants to get into the GMing game is to make sure that they're not just using randomness for the sake of randomness. That's what a lot of people do, and that's completely irresponsible because you’re not delivering substance. We want to respect players’ time. If you want to get into GMing, then you should make sure that you're using randomness to advance your game.

How do you know if something is you’re doing to surprise your players actually working? This is really basic: but ask how you’re doing every so often – feedback and open communication is huge.

Speaking of that, what are your thoughts so far? Do you agree?

Conclusion

I guess another way to sum up this panel is that your RP is a like a restaurant. You don’t want to serve them the same thing every night, but you want to serve them every night so they’re not going hungry. And while the recipes vary to keep it interesting, they should get the genre of food they’re there for.

[5th] Bella 12-Jun-21 03:26 PM

I agree for the most part. Games have to balance these two things. Though there's also the matter of different simmers working better with different aspects. It can be tough to balance how much reliability or random versus what different simmers will respond to?

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Wes of StarArmy [SA] 12-Jun-21 03:30 PM

Yeah. I find that more "serious" games tend to be more simulationist/predictable and less serious games tend to be more random because people will give you more leeway when something's considered comedy. A good laugh is great thing for an RP, even occasionally in a moody horror RP.

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I just try to avoid ending up with players saying "well that made no sense!"

[5th] Bella 12-Jun-21 03:31 PM

Unless of course that's the goal

A little surrealism to keep things lively

Wes of StarArmy [SA] 12-Jun-21 03:32 PM

If your theme is trying to be super serious it's harder to introduce something wild and say "just go with it."

[5th] Bella 12-Jun-21 03:33 PM

True, though I think even in a super serious game, there's elements that can still be used as surprise. They're just darker: like a surprise attack on the ship or something

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Wes of StarArmy [SA] 12-Jun-21 03:37 PM

"Expect the unexpected."

[5th] Bella 12-Jun-21 03:38 PM

Hope for the best, prepare for the worst, and take what comes... Not quite on point, but close. Was the quote on my first sim character's signature (pre Nova lol) for years

[IDF] Charles Star 12-Jun-21 03:38 PM

@Wes of StarArmy [SA] do you ever like to switch between more structured and the more random? I suppose each sim has their own range there? (edited)

Wes of StarArmy [SA] 12-Jun-21 03:41 PM

Well, I find that if things seem to be slowing down in terms of energy I like to dial the randomness up. Like sometimes you just have to have people bust in shooting at everyone.

But the main way you adjust the scale is going to be by reading your players and also talking with them and seeing what's the best fit for them and what makes everyone happy.

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It's easier with a smaller group.

[IDF] Charles Star 12-Jun-21 03:42 PM

How have you seen players/characters react to that?

[5th] Bella 12-Jun-21 03:42 PM

And what if players don't seem to know what they want?

Wes of StarArmy [SA] 12-Jun-21 03:42 PM

Well, they fight to survive, hahaha.

[5th] Bella

And what if players don't seem to know what they want?

Wes of StarArmy [SA] 12-Jun-21 03:43 PM

You can try stuff and see what works and doesn't. If all else fails just keep the RP train moving and focus on the people who are active and involved.

As a GM it's better to make an OK decision instead of the best decision, than to make no decision and just leave everyone hanging because you're unsure.

If you're stuck, list out your options and heck, maybe even randomly choose one too!

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[5th] Bella 12-Jun-21 03:45 PM

I've done that.

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Wes of StarArmy [SA] 12-Jun-21 03:47 PM

Thanks everyone for coming out to Sciworld and to my panel, especially those who actively participated. Best wishes to your RPs and I hope this was helpful!

[IDF] Charles Star 12-Jun-21 03:47 PM

Ha, we used dice for the game show Bella and I did back in 2019, much to the chagrin of the players: http://www.ongoingworlds.com/blog/2019/09/the-simming-endeavor-episode-1-introduction/

Charles Star

The Simming Endeavor: Episode 1 (Introduction) | OngoingWorlds role...

Hello, and welcome to The Simming Endeavor, an online role playing elimination game of skill, luck, and cunnning. I'm Charles Star and I'll be your host. As previously announced, this experi

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Thanks, @Wes of StarArmy [SA] . Actually, can I ask one more question? How do you use the dice--more or less the same way that you would in table top? (edited)

Wes of StarArmy [SA] 12-Jun-21 03:49 PM

I don't really like using game mechanics so when I use them, I usually just go with "how successful is what character X is doing?" and note if it's high or low.

[IDF] Charles Star 12-Jun-21 03:50 PM

Makes sense.

Josh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 03:50 PM

10 minutes till next panels.

Wes of StarArmy [SA] 12-Jun-21 03:50 PM

Like one time a character rolled a one so he accidentally shot a friendly character's leg off with a shotgun and we had to wheel that character around for the rest of the mission in an office chair.

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[5th] Bella 12-Jun-21 03:50 PM

Thanks, @Wes of StarArmy [SA] ^_^

[IDF] Charles Star 12-Jun-21 03:50 PM

See, dice are dangerous.

[5th] Bella 12-Jun-21 03:50 PM

what, the dice didn't take the dude's leg off...

Wes of StarArmy [SA] 12-Jun-21 03:51 PM

https://tenor.com/view/the-office-bow-michael-scott-steve-carell-office-gif-12985913

[IDF] Charles Star 12-Jun-21 03:52 PM

Thanks @Wes of StarArmy [SA]

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 12-Jun-21 04:01 PM

Specialty Positions and When to Use Them by Gregory is next

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Gregory 12-Jun-21 04:01 PM

Thank you.

Good day, everyone! My name is Gregory, and I'm one of the many simmers over in Pegasus Fleet. Welcome to "Specialty Positions and when to use them." For the purpose of this panel, I consider "specialty positions" to primarily be Starfleet Marines, fighters (both "Naval" and Marine), strategic operations, intelligence, diplomatic, JAG, and MACOs (and I'm also throwing in mission adviser, even though most sims tend to put that position under the command department, rather than as a separate department of its own), as well as any other similar departments that aren't normally seen on a regular basis in the shows/movies. .

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[USF] RAdm Angelus De'luvia 12-Jun-21 04:03 PM

Oooo...JAG

I do that.

Gregory 12-Jun-21 04:04 PM

(As a side note, certain other positions - such as Chief the Boat or quartermaster - could apply to a certain extent as well.)

Original message was deleted.

Josh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 04:04 PM

Pinned a message.

Gregory 12-Jun-21 04:04 PM

I'm one of those who has some stuff typed up in advance but who also hopes that everyone can feel free to jump in, as this is hopefully going to be more of a discussion than a speech. (Looking at you, @[USF] RAdm Angelus De'luvia!

) .

Now, you might be asking what makes this panel different than the various "How to play (specific position)" panels that have been done in the past. The answer is, to a large extent, in the name of the panels themselves. Those panels focus on how players can play a certain position full-time with a PC character. In this panel, I'd like to focus on whether or not a GM/CO should be offering certain positions in the first place (and when if the answer is "Yes") and if a player should ever request such a position if it's not listed in a sim's open positions listing. This will also focus more on certain entire departments (those that I just listed above), rather than specific lesser-seen positions within "regular" department (such as quartermaster within the Operations department or master-at-arms within the Security department), though I could imagine there being a certain amount of crossover between the two.

Wes of StarArmy [SA] 12-Jun-21 04:05 PM

On my ship there's a soldier PC whose military occupational specialty is musician and I constantly struggle on how to effectively use them in their chosen role.

Gregory 12-Jun-21 04:06 PM

Hopefully we'll toss out some ideas that may prove useful there.

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. Now, as a bit of a disclaimer, I'm not here to get into any sort of "canon vs. non-canon" debate by any means (I realize that Starfleet Marines in particular can be a bit of a hot topic in this area) - that's an entire panel topic of its own (and heck, the topic could probably generate enough material for several panels!).

. I also do not wish to say that such positions are bad or that someone is bad if they like (and want) to see such positions in a sim. But the thing to remember is that these positions are often very, very specific, and I have seen too many cases where they're included in a sim (and where the GM/CO actively recruits for those positions), even though the plots that are run rarely (if ever) have something specific for those positions to do that covers their area of expertise, at least on a regular enough occurrence to justify having the position available and filled by a PC character. This then creates situations where the GM/CO has to use them in situations where they have no business being involved in, just to give any players who hold such positions something to do in the main plot.

. I've seen several fleet academies that have had some sort of "Command Academy" that is required if you want to become a GM/CO within their fleet, and every one that I've seen the lessons for had a lesson just on how to come up with plots. This is a good area, I think, to start with when deciding which specialty positions (and positions in general, really) to offer. Plan out a few plots you envision running in your sim, and then adjusting the kinds of positions you're offering accordingly (note: this can also work when deciding on what specific kind of ship/base/ you want the sim to be set on).

. Another good area is to look at various "How to play (specific position)" panels held at conventions like this, as well as read up on available information about such positions on sites like Memory Alpha. Understanding what various positions do can go a long ways in deciding whether or not they are for you.

[IDF] Charles Star 12-Jun-21 04:17 PM

@Gregory do you think certain positions might be inherently more challenging than others?

Gregory 12-Jun-21 04:18 PM

Certainly.

Jimmy [SU+WSO] 12-Jun-21 04:18 PM

Do you believe that if a position is rarely used, should a player be able to play two characters in the plot to be busier?

Gregory 12-Jun-21 04:21 PM

Sometimes I think that a good idea is to combine certain "regular" positions with certain specialty positions. I like how, in the "Star Trek: Titan" book series, Counselor Troi doubles as both the ship's counselor (a regular position) and the ship's diplomatic officer (a specialty position). Another area is someone from security who might be trained in Intel work and who can gather basic intel out in the field as needed.

Those who have read Jeri Ryan's two Voyager books also know of the "Rangers" - a specialty group who come from different departments. When they're needed as Rangers, that's how they function, and when the "Ranger" aspect isn't needed, they go back to being engineers, medical officers, security, etc.

Jimmy [SU+WSO]

Do you believe that if a position is rarely used, should a player be able to play two characters in the plot to be busier?

[USF] RAdm Angelus De'luvia 12-Jun-21 04:28 PM

There's a particular 'wood working' that yes some positions require. Such as the Counselor, unless plot(or CD) expressly requires it. It's not the easiest in the world. The same with Helm. While those are a main, it should be said about those. The CO/XO and player has to get really creative with it. Or...the player may feel like..why am I here?

Those can be considered speicalty positions even though 'listed' they aren't. The same with for example like he said the Rangers, or MACOs.

[5th] Bella 12-Jun-21 04:30 PM

I actually consider counselor fairly easy to fit in even without plot necessity. Helm, though, I find tricky.

[USF] RAdm Angelus De'luvia 12-Jun-21 04:30 PM

Or trying to have also a Strat Ops. Well, Strat Ops, aren't the same as Tactical, in the least.

[SC/Peg/UCIP/Mystic/USF]Kivcus 12-Jun-21 04:31 PM

or CoB

AlexM 12-Jun-21 04:32 PM

Strat Ops can be a very tricky position to include in the action. I think it's one of those that works much better on a station than a ship.

Gregory 12-Jun-21 04:32 PM

And yes, sometimes, even when the CO/GM does have a lot of plans for a particular specialty position, or any position, really (specialty or regular, and I'm speaking as somone who's played a conn officer 6 times, which is tied for the most times I've played a particular position) there can (and will) be times in which the player and CO have to get a bit creative.

[SC/Peg/UCIP/Mystic/USF]Kivcus 12-Jun-21 04:32 PM

sometimes it takes veteran players to pick those roles because i have seen them take nothing and make something out of it just by themselves

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[IDF] Charles Star 12-Jun-21 04:35 PM

@Gregory how much responsibility lies between the CO/host and the player?

Gregory 12-Jun-21 04:35 PM

And StratOps is one of those areas in which it helps to understand the position in order to see if you really need it in your sim. Memory Alpha notes in the entry for the position of strategic operations officer, "Worf's primary duty was to coordinate all Starfleet activity within the sector, of which Deep Space 9 was a part." Even then, it notes that Worf had other responsibilities on board DS9, which kind of suggests that strategic operations may not always be a full-time job. Now, how many sims have you seen that would require having a PC character on board that handles the particular task of coordinating all Starfleet activity within a local area, much less an entire sector? Well, unless it's a starbase sim, odds are the answer is likely "Not many!" (The only other kind I could think of is in the beginning of "Star Trek: First Contact," when the Enterprise crew is listening in, and someone orders the Defiant and Bozeman to a certain position - I could imagine that the person giving that order being a StratOps officer.)

Gregory

And StratOps is one of those areas in which it helps to understand the position in order to see if you really need it in your sim. Memory Alpha notes in the entry for the position of strategic operations officer, "Worf's primary duty was to coordinate all Starfleet activity within the sector, of which Deep Space 9 was a part." Even then, it notes that Worf had other responsibilities on board DS9, which kind of suggests that strategic operations may not always be a full-time job. Now, how many sims have you seen that would require having a PC character on board that handles the particular task of coordinating all Starfleet activity within a local area, much less an entire sector? Well, unless it's a starbase sim, odds are the answer is likely "Not many!" (The only other kind I could think of is in the beginning of "Star Trek: First Contact," when the Enterprise crew is listening in, and someone orders the Defiant and Bozeman to a certain position - I could imagine that the person giving that order being a StratOps officer.)

[SC/Peg/UCIP/Mystic/USF]Kivcus 12-Jun-21 04:37 PM

probably from the admirals ship

[IDF] Charles Star

@Gregory how much responsibility lies between the CO/host and the player?

Gregory 12-Jun-21 04:38 PM

I'd think that it's a shared responsibility - the CO should have a certain idea of why they need a certain position in the sim in the first place. It doesn't have to be a significant part of every plot by any means (in fact, even with regular positions, plots aren't going to focus on every position every time), but if they're looking over their plots and thinking, "I could use a permanent Intel officer in plots 1, 4, 8, 12, and 15," then having a PC Intel officer might be a good idea. (edited)

2

On the player's end, as mentioned above there are certain positions that just need a bit of extra creativity to handle, both among the specialty and the regular, and to a certain extent it's up to the player to understand this going into the position. (As an example, I've played a conn officer enough times to know that when I play the position I have a certain responsibility to help come up with ways for my character to be involved, just because most of the time, unless fancy flying is required, there's not much to do in that position outside of setting the course and engaging - not exactly the most exiting thing in the world to write about.)

[SC/Peg/UCIP/Mystic/USF]Kivcus

probably from the admirals ship

Gregory 12-Jun-21 04:48 PM

And yes, a StratOps officer might, on a ship that's part of a larger fleet action, be on the flagship helping the flag officer coordinate things (so unless there's a base overseeing a sector or multiple ships involved in a battle, there's not much use for a StratOps officer, in my viewpoint). (edited)

[USF] RAdm Angelus De'luvia 12-Jun-21 04:49 PM

[Back, had to deal with some family BS]

Gregory 12-Jun-21 04:49 PM

Very understandable!

[USF] RAdm Angelus De'luvia 12-Jun-21 04:51 PM

There can be a particularly good use for a StratOps officer. I mean that's technically what Worf was when he joined DS9. Though they did muddle it a bit here and there with the Defiant. Particularly when Nog got commissioned. It was either him or Nog at Tactical.

The position is suppose to be more an advisory one.

Gregory 12-Jun-21 04:53 PM

And thus the earlier mention about combining positions (counselor/diplomatic officer, etc.). When you absolutely need someone with a particular specialty, and you don't want to just bring in some random NPC, then that particular character is available, and then they have other stuff they could be doing when that particular job isn't needed.

[USF] RAdm Angelus De'luvia 12-Jun-21 04:53 PM

Which also leads into something like JAG, or even(ST version of NIS[now NCIS]) Unless a situation comes up that requires(and the CO/XO will work with it or your actual Sim is geared around it) The best thing to do is like I have. Half of my characters have either been JAG at one point, OR at least passed the BAR, IF for plot, that is needed.

Josh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 04:53 PM

7 minutes until next panels.

[IDF] Charles Star 12-Jun-21 04:54 PM

I guess as a CO, you need to be aware of when certain players might not have as much to do based on the mission and make sure you carve out some opportunity for them. (edited)

Gregory 12-Jun-21 04:58 PM

Yes. Specialty positions themselves are not bad (and even the more difficult to play regular ones aren't), and can actually be quite fun when everything's done right, but both CO/GM and player need to have an idea of what's appropriate and what isn't (and yes, that sometimes means either combining positions or not having a certain position available for players to apply for at all), and how to handle things when a particular plot is passing a PC character by.

1

[SC/Peg/UCIP/Mystic/USF]Kivcus 12-Jun-21 04:58 PM

I have a CoB that just finished Criminal Investigation school before reporting to a ship

Gregory 12-Jun-21 04:59 PM

I like to think that Starfleet Academy is like any university/college today. You have both a major and a minor.

Even Tom Paris was tapped to become a field medic because Captain Janeway noticed that he'd taken two semesters of biochemistry at the Academy.

Gregory

I like to think that Starfleet Academy is like any university/college today. You have both a major and a minor.

Beautiful Night 12-Jun-21 05:01 PM

Not all universities are american

[PF] Maho Takahashi - USS Myogi 12-Jun-21 05:01 PM

Friendly reminder to take any further discussion into #overflow-1

Beautiful Night

Not all universities are american

Gregory 12-Jun-21 05:02 PM

But it's still something to consider.

Anyway, thank you everyone for coming and participating!

As mentioned, if anyone wishes to continue, we can convene in #overflow-1

[PF] Maho Takahashi - USS Myogi 12-Jun-21 05:03 PM

Thank you, @Gregory

Right, now: Hi everyone, and welcome to The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Tips for New Simmers. Please be aware that this is not a discussion about Douglas Adams.

Gregory 12-Jun-21 05:04 PM

Awww.

[PF] Maho Takahashi - USS Myogi 12-Jun-21 05:05 PM

Now, my name is Michael, and I am a new simmer. What do I mean when I say I'm a new simmer? Well, I've only been doing this since last march (shortly before everything went down with the pandemic)

There are things that I've learned my short time simming the hard way, and that I wish I had known before I started.

But, before we get into that; I want to open the floor a little bit: Who here has been simming for a year or less? I'll be generous and ask for anyone who has been simming since at latest January of last year

I'll also throw in whether or not you know somebody who has recently gotten into simming within the same time frame

No takers? Man, this is a tough crowd

Gregory 12-Jun-21 05:11 PM

I'd like to say I'm new, but I've been doing it for more than 20 years (so yes, I started out in that "archaic" form of on-line roleplaying known as PBeM!).

[PF] Maho Takahashi - USS Myogi 12-Jun-21 05:12 PM

Maybe it's also that I'm competing with Simming Family Feud over in #room-2

Right, well, since Gregory mentioned it, I'll just jump into the first point: Controversy.

'Now, this looks like a job for me, so everybody just follow me, 'cuz we need a little controversy, 'cuz it feels so empty without me...'

As a new simmer, you are bound to be a... controversial entity, especially when you have folks who have been with the hobby since the early days of the internet.

Your inexperience is bound to drive veteran players up the wall. This has happened to me on more than one occasion, and I accidentally won some awards because I was so controversial

Rockyeahh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 05:17 PM

hmm interesting. Accidentally?

[PF] Maho Takahashi - USS Myogi 12-Jun-21 05:17 PM

I found out later on (after I had won the awards) that I had won them because of the waves I was making.

So, when controversy happens, you need to be prepared to differentiate genuine advice from... Impatience?

Rockyeahh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 05:21 PM

I'm not a new simmer but I love seeing new people get into it. How was it for you getting in? Maybe being new is why the controversy came to you that might not have happened with an older simmer.

and yes it's hard to tell between impatience and advice with people.

[PF] Maho Takahashi - USS Myogi 12-Jun-21 05:21 PM

Thick skin definitely helps, though not so thick you can't discern advice from impatience

Rockyeahh [TNU]

and yes it's hard to tell between impatience and advice with people.

Gregory 12-Jun-21 05:22 PM

Especially on-line, where we lose out on important things like body language and tone of voice that help us to know what people mean.

Rockyeahh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 05:22 PM

very true @Gregory

Jimmy [SU+WSO] 12-Jun-21 05:23 PM

Well, let me think. It's been a long time since I was a new player. I think you should take the time to read your material, but don't hesitate to talk to people in the community you're thinking of joining before you make the jump to becoming an active player.

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[PF] Maho Takahashi - USS Myogi 12-Jun-21 05:24 PM

Good piece of advice, @Jimmy [SU+WSO]

Now, since @Rockyeahh [TNU] requested this, I'll share how I got into simming and then open up for others to share how they got into the hobby.

Gregory 12-Jun-21 05:25 PM

And if the sim is part of a fleet that has an academy, don't hesitate to ask how one gets signed up for it.

[PF] Maho Takahashi - USS Myogi 12-Jun-21 05:26 PM

For those of you who don't know me: I like anime. Anime has been growing on me steadily for years, and I have my favorite anime that I could list off right now: Girls Und Panzer and Initial D.

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For a couple years, I've been writing a sort of crossover between the two anime I just named, and one day, on a whim, I decided to do a google search for more images from GuP because I was bored with the wiki's offerings, and I came across this:

1

And I thought, 'wow, that's pretty cool' and I followed the website link from the image

Josh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 05:30 PM

I've been image challenged for my life

[PF] Maho Takahashi - USS Myogi 12-Jun-21 05:34 PM

I perused around the USS Pathfinder's website for a bit before I decided to investigate Theta Fleet further, and that's when I discovered the USS Tokyo. I looked around the website a little bit, and decided that this was the place for me. Though I went back and forth for a little while longer before I decided to pull the trigger, and here's what I came up with:

https://tokyo.sim-metry.net/index.php/personnel/character/52

USS Tokyo NCC-91101 :: Biography - Takeshi Nakazato

Anodyne Productions' premier online RPG management software

Now, the first draft was a little rough, and I had to make some refinements to it before I was properly let on board, but once I did, the rest is history

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Also, I'm fairly certain that the CO of the Tokyo is very likely the same guy who did that avatar that pulled me in in the first place...

Gregory 12-Jun-21 05:37 PM

Wouldn't hurt to ask.

Josh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 05:37 PM

So if a new player were to come in what advice would you give them?

Original message was deleted.

Josh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 05:37 PM

Pinned a message.

[PF] Maho Takahashi - USS Myogi 12-Jun-21 05:38 PM

Don't try to fight the inevitable controversy: Like what has been evident here; there are people who have been with this hobby since the early days of the internet, and you're bound to step on a few toes with your inexperience.

So, in a twisted sense... Embrace the controversy as you try and find your way?

Also, try and be patient

Waits on @Gregory 's lengthy passage

Rockyeahh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 05:44 PM

Yea, revel in the chaos. It can end badly though...

[PF] Maho Takahashi - USS Myogi 12-Jun-21 05:44 PM

Yes, yes it can

Rockyeahh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 05:44 PM

But it can frightening for people to take a risk in a role play like that.

[PF] Maho Takahashi - USS Myogi 12-Jun-21 05:44 PM

But at the same time, cool things can happen, like the creation of an entire sim, for instance

Rockyeahh [TNU]

But it can frightening for people to take a risk in a role play like that.

[PF] Maho Takahashi - USS Myogi 12-Jun-21 05:45 PM

Honestly the scariest part for me was actually pulling the trigger and deciding to do it

Rockyeahh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 05:45 PM

Yea, the first step is the hardest.

[PF] Maho Takahashi - USS Myogi 12-Jun-21 05:46 PM

That would be my number one piece of advice for someone too nervous to start:

https://tenor.com/view/just-do-it-shia-la-beouf-do-it-gif-4531935

Gregory 12-Jun-21 05:46 PM

I like the idea of remembering to have a thick skin, as strange as that might seem at first. My first game (heck, my first few games), I was very much the newb, and at one point my character was acting chief engineer, with the understanding that if a more veteran player wanted to, they could get the chief engineer spot. Well, as you're probably guessing, someone did apply and got the job. The player promptly charges in, bombards my character with a bunch of stuff in one of their first posts ("Hey, let's do this and that and the other thing!" Basically, I describe it as having a friendly, enthusiastic mid-sized dog jumping on you and licking you) while basically ignoring a bunch of the recent posts. I went ahead and started implementing some stuff I'd been planning on for a while. Then, I posted one particular post that, for some reason, totally rubbed the player, and caused him to really go off IC, and it nearly scared me out of simming altogether (a part of what helped me not to is that about a day later, the XO/AGM dropped an OOC note to the sim saying that the player had left the sim, in a way that suggested that said leaving may not have been entirely voluntary on their part).

Josh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 05:47 PM

13 minutes to the next panel

[PF] Maho Takahashi - USS Myogi 12-Jun-21 05:47 PM

Thanks, @Josh [TNU]

Now, who's here from @Kathryn Burke [TF] 's panel on consequences?

Rockyeahh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 05:48 PM

Wow sounds like you had a good XO @Gregory (edited)

[PF] Maho Takahashi - USS Myogi 12-Jun-21 05:49 PM

Nobody?

Rockyeahh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 05:49 PM

I'm still here from that panel.

[PF] Maho Takahashi - USS Myogi 12-Jun-21 05:51 PM

Well, to sort of reiterate the lesson of that panel as a piece of advice for new simmers; be prepared for there to be consequences for your actions.

Rockyeahh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 05:52 PM

indeed.

we are free to do and say as we wish but consequences will occur.

[PF] Maho Takahashi - USS Myogi 12-Jun-21 05:53 PM

I'll make that into a twofold piece of advice and to not get attached to your characters and not hog the limelight all the time.

Basically, be humble.

Rockyeahh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 05:53 PM

Yea don't be the 'I am the best at everything and will win every fight. Bow to me 13 year old player'.

Gregory 12-Jun-21 05:55 PM

Always be open to learning new things. Even I (20+ year veteran) learn new things now and then.

2

There's no shame in that.

[PF] Maho Takahashi - USS Myogi 12-Jun-21 05:55 PM

Granted, sometimes cool things happen with consequences: Plot lines can open up, straightforward plots can become a little more complicated, and sometimes, it can even lead to the creation of an entire sim. But you have to be prepared to deal with them.

Excellent piece of advice, @Gregory

Alright, we have about five minutes left for questions

Anyone?

[PF] Maho Takahashi - USS Myogi

Granted, sometimes cool things happen with consequences: Plot lines can open up, straightforward plots can become a little more complicated, and sometimes, it can even lead to the creation of an entire sim. But you have to be prepared to deal with them.

Gregory 12-Jun-21 05:58 PM

One rule a friend of mine had in his sim was the idea that In Character actions would lead to In Character consequences. But sometimes that could lead to interesting things - IC your character might do something that leads them to wind up in the brig, but OOC you (as the player) might get an award for good writing.

[PF] Maho Takahashi - USS Myogi 12-Jun-21 05:58 PM

True (edited)

Alright, provided there are no more questions, I'll be lurking in #overflow-1 for a bit in case anyone changes their mind. Thank you all for coming to my panel, and now, here's Josh:

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Josh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 06:02 PM

Greetings all and welcome to my session on the importance of sim and group history. A lot of us have been here a long time and during that time we have witnessed a lot but how much of it can we actually recall in detail; how much of our sims have actually been saved; this panel will be about discussing the importance of history of our groups and methods of how we can store that history for the future. Losing history is hard and something we shouldn't have to deal with especially when the inevitable things happen; the closure of our beloved games, death of our fellow players or we lose contact with them. These events underscore the importance of archival and proper historical recordkeeping.

With that said who here can think of a time when they have lost majorly important data to their sim or group, were you able to recover the data or was it just gone?

[22] greenfelt22 12-Jun-21 06:03 PM

I deleted my email account once and lost years of posts. Thankfully, they were from an old YahooGroup, and I was able to recover the data that way.

Since then, I don't delete.

Original message was deleted.

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 12-Jun-21 06:04 PM

Pinned a message.

Rockyeahh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 06:04 PM

I lost several note pads of writing. A decade later I found them again. They are dated 2009 so that was helpful.

It took a long time to find so yes. Backups are important!

Josh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 06:06 PM

It is good that they were in Yahoo Groups and you likely got most of the emails back. Good that you found the information. I remember when I was working with you in BF Greenfelt and we were trying to find historical stuff on their awards a lot of the information was just gone. Backups are super important but also its important to have that be a part of the culture; if people dont care about backing up information or keeping it safe it will just get lost anyway.

So what is a good way to combat that... especially if people change positions; cause you want information to be safe..

[22] greenfelt22 12-Jun-21 06:07 PM

Internet wayback machine to the (partial) rescue there!

1

Josh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 06:07 PM

That is true; it archives things as long as you dont set robots.txt to not crawl but backups are the best way to ensure information is safe.

So this leads to another question; if you have information you only have a partial back up of... What do you do then; cause like with internet archive's wayback machine sometimes it only archives part of things... Sometimes people leave... Systems die... but we want to keep our history intact...

Rockyeahh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 06:09 PM

As an active medium. Role play can feel like it's lost to time. Much like a spoken word story teller doesn't record what they say, they just speak them in the moment.

Yes, indeed. The way back machine will archive but if your browser doesn't support something anymore like Adobe Flash then it won't display the whole backup. (edited)

[22] greenfelt22 12-Jun-21 06:10 PM

It really depends on the type of history you are trying to collect. Simming history is entirely personal. Someone will only want bios, others certain posts.

The Role Play Fandom Wiki would be an excellent open-source way to collect, preserve, and maintain whatever details matter most to individuals or communities.

Josh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 06:14 PM

Yeah; most things are entirely personal in nature; there are some things that effect groups and culture as it has grown like these events but most of that is archived in RP wiki or by people like Charles or Ken. Hopefully there will always be an open source repository for this information as for specific groups and sims themselves the content is rather personal and keeping that safe would be up to its GMs and players. Would providing something for the community to use be something that people might want (asking as this might be something we could do under SimmingHub)

Also now for more of tips on keeping data safe; what sort of tips would people want to give so that information is not lost. Obviously backing up is important.

[22] greenfelt22 12-Jun-21 06:17 PM

The use of services like Google Drive and Dropbox make it easy to keep files, records, and share with others.

Josh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 06:18 PM

That is true; Google Drive is free with a normal google account.

How much is dropbox's storage I know drive is 15 GB for free.

Rockyeahh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 06:19 PM

30gb i think.

[22] greenfelt22 12-Jun-21 06:19 PM

I'm not sure. I signed up for my account years ago and I really don't remember what I have there.

Josh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 06:21 PM

As we do in TNU we archive sims as they occur into our forum on a weekly basis or so. That way every post is backed up often and you dont lose anything.

Does anyone have any other advice, questions, thoughts?

Rockyeahh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 06:24 PM

Well I think it's key to talk to people about if they want their writing backed up or displayed online.

Josh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 06:25 PM

Rights management is indeed a thing but the legal aspects are a different question. Different panel for a different day

something that could be covered later though; I could even ask our law firm to come present that.

If people would be interested in some of that stuff

[22] greenfelt22 12-Jun-21 06:27 PM

Legal action, advice, and things like that seem like a very messy thing for sim-land. Sounds like something I want to stay very far away from.

Josh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 06:28 PM

Yeah; we do have an lawyer that we could invite to a later convention though if people were interested in some of that type of content.

aio 12-Jun-21 06:29 PM

Agreed. I was part of a group who wanted to turn us into an actual recognised org. Half the staff were willing to leave it if it did.

My sim life if my sim life.

Anything legally tying me to my sim life would inevitably mean I’m ending my sim life.

Gregory 12-Jun-21 06:32 PM

Even if it's not illegal, there can be certain ethical reasons for not publishing something publicly. I've said stuff in various sims and sim groups over the years only because it was something very personal and I believed I was saying it in a certain amount of confidence for a very select few individuals, and wasn't the type of stuff that I'd have ever wanted to be read by the general public for any of a variety of reasons (just 'cause you never know who might be reading it if it was ever to become public).

1

2

Josh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 06:33 PM

Thats also why at least for any logs I do I try to clean out OOC chatter; only keeping sim in character chatter in it.

You never know who is reading a log

Anyone have any other thoughts or input?

Josh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 06:44 PM

Alright; going to end early. Next is the closing ceremony.

Rockyeahh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 06:44 PM

I think we are all intense with the doctor who quiz now.

1

[USF] RAdm Angelus De'luvia 12-Jun-21 06:45 PM

Hmm...

Naw. I'm good.

[IDF] Charles Star 12-Jun-21 06:59 PM

The 2021 SciWorld Online Convention closing ceremony begins in 1 minute.

3

[IDF] CaptCanuck 12-Jun-21 07:01 PM

Wow, what a SciWorld, @everyone ! It was great panels and games from start to finish. And that's what SciWorld is all about -- the entire community coming together to discuss our craft, share ideas, and have fun. We've definitely done that and more today.

10

2

We never make a big thing out of the closing ceremony so I won't drag this out. I would like to thank @Josh [TNU] and everyone on the TNU team for the outstanding support today. SciWorld is definitely in good hands moving forward. I also thank @[IDF] Charles Star & @[IDF] Ken Gillis for giving me this opportunity--something I never dreamed I'd be doing after participating in past SciWorlds and FallFests.

2

[IDF] Charles Star 12-Jun-21 07:02 PM

aww shucks

3

JennaRamthorne 12-Jun-21 07:02 PM

Does it have to end?

4

[IDF] CaptCanuck 12-Jun-21 07:02 PM

All good things...

5

Tng reference

3

Annnnnnyways

I'd also like to thank our @Moderators for managing things and keeping the peace. It's no easy job, but they made it look easy. Then our @Panelists , you all knocked it out of the park! Great topics, insights, and discussion. It was some of the best I've ever seen at a simming convention. It's going to be hard to top today on that front.

8

7

Let's give our panelists a hand: @Captain Zak#0145 @[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim @Beautiful Night#6242 @StarArmy#0050 @Gregory @[PF] Maho Takahashi - USS Myogi @Josh [TNU] @Amanda Rose#9302 @[IDF] Charles Star @Bella#6112 @beeman#6889 @NinjaDuck#8880 @Trident_Gaming

6

Rich 12-Jun-21 07:04 PM

applause

Great job y'all

[IDF] CaptCanuck 12-Jun-21 07:04 PM

waits for more applause

[PF] Maho Takahashi - USS Myogi 12-Jun-21 07:04 PM

My ego is at an all time high right now...

[USF] RAdm Angelus De'luvia 12-Jun-21 07:04 PM

@[USF] VAdm Sulyk also

[IDF] Charles Star 12-Jun-21 07:04 PM

::more applause::

[IDF] CaptCanuck 12-Jun-21 07:04 PM

There it is...

[IDF] Charles Star 12-Jun-21 07:04 PM

::awkwardly starts clapping again::

AJCM 12-Jun-21 07:05 PM

JennaRamthorne 12-Jun-21 07:05 PM

The clapp

[IDF] CaptCanuck 12-Jun-21 07:05 PM

I'm used to the slow clap

[PF] Maho Takahashi - USS Myogi 12-Jun-21 07:05 PM

[IDF] Charles Star 12-Jun-21 07:05 PM

I knew you were going to go there

[IDF] CaptCanuck 12-Jun-21 07:05 PM

But this was knocked out of the park...

And finally, I'd like to thank YOU--all of our participants. Without YOU bringing your energy and ideas, there simply wouldn't be a SciWorld. You make SciWorld happen by being here contributing from your unique experiences. I hope you'll all continue to do that for years to come.

6

4

3

Rich 12-Jun-21 07:05 PM

https://tenor.com/view/applause-leonardo-dicaprio-clap-gif-9602869

KyleB 12-Jun-21 07:06 PM

Thank you all.

[USF] RAdm Angelus De'luvia 12-Jun-21 07:06 PM

All of them were great. I do have to say @Beautiful Night Was so excellent and fun and open.

[IDF] CaptCanuck 12-Jun-21 07:06 PM

On that note, be sure to attend our other community events: FallFest, Khitomer, and Babel. And stay tuned as Josh will probably soon be announcing plans for FallFest XI.

4

1

JennaRamthorne 12-Jun-21 07:06 PM

Point theif

[USF] RAdm Angelus De'luvia 12-Jun-21 07:06 PM

https://tenor.com/view/thumbs-up-simon-cowell-clap-approve-ok-gif-11288980

2

To all

[IDF] CaptCanuck 12-Jun-21 07:06 PM

I hear all the cool kids are doing it...

2

[PF] Maho Takahashi - USS Myogi 12-Jun-21 07:06 PM

https://tenor.com/view/salute-respect-police-officer-fbi-gif-16743605

Gregory 12-Jun-21 07:06 PM

https://giphy.com/gifs/j8k1aaaXLyb3q

KyleB 12-Jun-21 07:06 PM

https://tenor.com/view/so-sayweall-battlestart-galactica-william-adama-bsg-twelve-colonies-gif-18616973

[IDF] CaptCanuck 12-Jun-21 07:07 PM

SciWorld may be over, but feel free to stay here and chat as long as you like today. Of course, don't forget to check this out if you missed it earlier: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfStb-Gcl8k That's a wrap: SciWorld 2021 is in the books!

Independence Fleet

SciWorld 2021 Opening Ceremony

1

[5th] Bella 12-Jun-21 07:07 PM

https://tenor.com/view/salute-captain-america-chris-evans-my-work-here-is-done-thank-you-gif-5412769

captain america salute

[IDF] CaptCanuck 12-Jun-21 07:07 PM

I just want to say you all...

I thank you for your service

JennaRamthorne 12-Jun-21 07:07 PM

https://tenor.com/view/respect-davis-boreanaz-salute-uniform-gif-11216021

[IDF] CaptCanuck 12-Jun-21 07:07 PM

salutes

Rich 12-Jun-21 07:07 PM

https://tenor.com/view/salute-yes-sir-soldier-respect-gif-15342227

[PF] Maho Takahashi - USS Myogi 12-Jun-21 07:07 PM

https://tenor.com/view/salute-respect-police-officer-fbi-gif-16743605

[IDF] Charles Star 12-Jun-21 07:08 PM

Thanks everyone for a great SciWorld!

Gregory 12-Jun-21 07:08 PM

https://giphy.com/gifs/snl-saturday-night-live-snl-2016-3o7TKUZfJKUKuSWTZe

Saturday Night Live

Josh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 07:08 PM

As a final note please remember to provide feedback in #feedback if you have any. If you want to help with future events we have openings in the selection committee. Thanks for attending.

5

4

Rockyeahh [TNU] 12-Jun-21 07:09 PM

Well done to all.

2

JennaRamthorne 12-Jun-21 07:10 PM

https://tenor.com/view/true-blood-tip-sass-sassy-gif-8089192