Mandatory OOC HE Discussion

[Darfix]

I'd like to add more to this but I'm going to make it short as I have other things going on. Basically, after a lengthy and less than fun conversation with Keppy on MSN, I have concluded that we all, everyone who is serious about RPing this plot, need to sit down and have a HUGE talk about the plot, basic rules, etc.

I'm not going to mention any specifics right now because the important thing to do right now is decide how we want to do this.

Should we use this thread to bounce our concerns and ideas off one another and basically try to form a compromise? Or should we try to make a time for all of us to be on MSN at the same time? I'd aim for the former personally.

Regardless of what is decided, this is all of ours' RP. The plot is Keppy's, but all of us have put ourselves and our time into what we have so far. Throwing it away right now doesn't seem like a logical thing to do, I'm not ready to throw in the towel.

So how about it? Use this thread to discuss concerns and issues or meet up on MSN?

[Shani]

I'll go with you and say that thread discussions would be better. Although some people might have problems getting the forum to load... or just forget to visit.

I'm definitely not gonna give up on this RP; I've put a lot into it and I'm sure a lot of the other members have too.

[Tropico]

I'd say we should try and make it more acceptable by all of us, maybe in both MSN and in this thread. If something needs to be addressed RFN/ASAP

[Darfix]

I couldn't agree more. The inactivity is a problem and probably a side effect of some of the issues with the board. I mean to address and solve this problems with any and everyone willing to do the same. Like Shani, I do not want to give up on this RP, but at the same token, if it falls into a level of intolerable chaos, I will lose interest.

I know I am not the only one, so it's better to vaccinate the problem before it erupts into something worse and incurable later.

[Shani]

What should we address first?

There's the plot which seems to be going in different directions all at once... some people prefer separate threads over the one long one, but it appears to be a mandatory introduction... some of us still don't know the details of the ship and its requirements of the crew, and didn't even know about humans until we asked.
The Cygnus story has been revised so many times, I don't know what to tell Tropi about it so that we could start that side-RP.

[Darfix]

I also think addressing the issue of the setting, technologically speaking, is a wise idea.

It is said to be 100+ years ahead of our time, but I am seeing technology ranging from 1000 - 5000+ years ahead of the time, meaning some people are making characters based on modern standards, 2100ish standards, 2500ish, 3200ish, and over 5000 AD standards, which I find to be ridiculous as it degrades the plot with inconsistencies.

[Tropico]

Well, from what I've seen it's been set even more recently, but I mean, it's not that possible for technology to evolve that damn fast, I mean, we'd go into the human equivalent of toxicshock (like fish being exposed to something too fast)

And I don't really know where we would honestly be settled, maybe if we look in Traveler or somesuch, we'd get example dates.

[mizzy]

If it's worth anything, I've been watching for a little while and if anything changes that'd open a spot for me in the RP, I'd love to join. Kepora linked me here, but to be honest, I've come across it in the past, but didn't see a spot to squeeze in.

I've looked for decent RP groups in the past, but Yahoo is full of trash now, and the good RPs are buried in obscure forums scattered across the Internet. So if I can get in here, that would be lovely. =3

And to put in my two cents for the discussion, I think you should define a level technology. This could involve current technologies employed and technologies currently development. You should also define limits (ie, projectile weapons only, no energy weapons).

If things go well, I'd love to hang onto this RP longterm. ^_^

[Shani]

@neon:
The setting is recent, 2011. But because of the Alexandrian library not being destroyed or some such change in history, the tech level is advanced to about 100+ years ahead of our time. The problem is that what's allowed and what isn't has never been defined. It's hard to guess how advanced the character should be so the majority of us go with modern-slightly futuristic characters.

mizzy:
Hi and welcome! =D You should definitely stick around, I feel that some spots will free up soon: three comp techs, one biologist, and two spots of any choice on the Cygnus.

Kep has tried to define the level of technology by comparing to existing games and movies, so we're tryin'.

[mizzy]

Jul 11, 2008 10:50:44 GMT -5 Shani said:

mizzy:
Hi and welcome! =D You should definitely stick around, I feel that some spots will free up soon: three comp techs, one biologist, and two spots of any choice on the Cygnus.

Kep has tried to define the level of technology by comparing to existing games and movies, so we're tryin'.

Thanks Shani, I was looking around and thinking of a character. I've got one in mind, but I would've liked to make him an engineer, but if it isn't possible, I could take a comp tech spot.

By the way, I don't know about everyone else, but the way I picture the technology of this expedition is much like our inevitable first manned mission to Mars, only in this case it would be our first manned mission to another solar system or beyond.

From that, I'd imagine crude machinery that, while efficient, is not pretty. Sort of like the inner workings of most cruise ships, only less massively structured and significantly more complex. However, I also picture the living areas to be more catered in design. Not completely though. Only where necessary, like in living areas (I really liked the idea of a small forested room to cater to the animal natures of the crew).

I also imagine that while the ship is complete, it wouldn't look the part in every corner of the ship.

On terms of the technology therein, a lot of what I read would fit. Like touch-screens and holograms. Holograms mostly because I watched the movie Paycheck, and I didn't picture that movie being too far in the future.

Key things I think should be clear is that the ship is not fully automated and thus requires shift-work and much on-the-clock work to keep it operational. It also shouldn't be significantly easy to fly, otherwise the pilots would be out of a job.

While I was thinking of my character in an engineering role, I was conjuring up images of what the ship's core room might look like. I may draw up some sketches of that in conjunction with drawing my character, for admin yay/nay.

Some final thoughts. I imagine the ship's thrust to be either typical combustion, on a massive scale, or powered by a high-grade, dense radioactive core. You know, something within logical bounds. Since in no show I've watched have they ever explained what powers 'sub-light' engines. >.> Also, I picture the ship being rigged with a rudimentary hyperdrive, with improvements still in the experimental stage to be developed as the crew progresses out of the solar system.

Anyway, I just felt like putting my two cents in because it's 3:30am here and I couldn't sleep. But now I'm going to. So let me know what you think. =3

[mizzy]

I couldn't sleep, so instead, I thought of more ideas while I was trying to sleep.

First, I was thinking of an alternative to my 'radioactive' core idea. And I considered a hydrogen-fusion reactor core. Initially, because I watched a movie called Chain Reaction that presented the idea, but also because it's an active theory, and one that could potentially be used in the future. Not hydrogen fusion in particular, but nuclear fusion.

Usually, if a RP idea is interesting enough, I start expanding on it to myself. Whether my ideas are used or not, are immaterial. But, I was thinking of some things that could be actively done during the plot of this expedition. One in particular was both a mapping and communication linking.

To explain, while this expedition is taking place, the Harbinger should be keeping track of it's progress. And one way to do this is a series or relay satellites that can map a spacial void of a limited distance. This could coincide with my other idea pertaining to the hyperdrive, which is a limited length of time per use (due to over-heating, hardware wear-and-tear, etc). So the voyage could be broken into a series of leaps. In addition, these relay satellites could in turn keep a communication link with Earth.

Which brings me to another idea. A possible opening later down the road for the introduction of the Cygnus, in which a satellite or satellites are damaged, forcing the launch of another ship to intercept the satellites and attend repairs. Other plots could spread from there. =3

Also, if my character can't be in the general Engineer status, maybe a new position could be made. Lead Core Engineer?

I hope I'm not intruding with all my ideas, but I just can't help but share. ^_^;

[Darfix]

Jul 12, 2008 5:29:03 GMT -5 mizzy said:

I couldn't sleep, so instead, I thought of more ideas while I was trying to sleep.

First, I was thinking of an alternative to my 'radioactive' core idea. And I considered a hydrogen-fusion reactor core. Initially, because I watched a movie called Chain Reaction that presented the idea, but also because it's an active theory, and one that could potentially be used in the future. Not hydrogen fusion in particular, but nuclear fusion.

Anti-Matter drive would be workable too. I ready on Yahoo how such a thing could be possible in 50 or so years, which could reduce the time to travel to Mars from 11 months to 1 month.

[Shani]

Love for the engineers! You could definitely make one if it's for the Cygnus (there was one there anyway), but the Harbinger has a very large amount of them as it is. If it has to be on Harby, then we'll see what Keppy says about adding positions.

I love the way you picture the technology, it's very much along the lines of what I've been imagining. And "efficient but not pretty" seems like the kind of stuff Em would engineer. Also, I think you're as crazy about this idea as I am!

(I really liked the idea of a small forested room to cater to the animal natures of the crew).

You mean taking a leak out in the wild? XD

Your ideas sound great and I don't see a reason for them not to be used, but the Cygnus already has a sort of back-story which I think we should discuss a bit here as well if Keppy's willing to share it.

[Tropico]

You're all geeking out on me.... I'm stuck in a Medievil mindset with NWN and Sci-Fan with my Costume... so ..... *just... backs away slowly...*

I will leave the geniuses to be geniuses.

[mizzy]

Jul 12, 2008 10:46:18 GMT -5 Shani said:

Love for the engineers! You could definitely make one if it's for the Cygnus (there was one there anyway), but the Harbinger has a very large amount of them as it is. If it has to be on Harby, then we'll see what Keppy says about adding positions.

Yesh! Engineers are much love. ^_^

Which brings me to another quandary, concerning characters per person per crew position. I understand wanting to make and maintain multiple characters (personally I hope I might get to in this RP), but I think there should be limits. Both to stem over-creativity (yes, that can be a problem), and forcing limits on other players (ie, if someone has two or more characters in the same crew position).

Also, while I've been poking around, because I'm such a nosy little beaver when I'm interested in things, I noticed a lot of huff over getting the RP started before people bailed. And particularly, by the time the RP actually started there were only about 13 people actually posting. Which is a pretty sheer fraction of the 50-odd crew members. ^_^;

I would recommend noting/e-mailing the players who haven't posted yet to see if they're still interested. Also, maybe, limit players to one character per position? >.>

I'm not telling you how to run anything, but I've been through sooo many RPs that belly-flopped (often long before I found it) because of little things like this. It sucks too, because some of the concepts were interesting, and then I find out no one has posted in over 6 months, sometimes not in -years-.

Jul 12, 2008 10:46:18 GMT -5 Shani said:

I love the way you picture the technology, it's very much along the lines of what I've been imagining. And "efficient but not pretty" seems like the kind of stuff Em would engineer. Also, I think you're as crazy about this idea as I am!

Well, a good idea is a good idea, and I'm always determined to make a good idea a -great- idea. ^_^

Jul 12, 2008 10:46:18 GMT -5 Shani said:

Your ideas sound great and I don't see a reason for them not to be used, but the Cygnus already has a sort of back-story which I think we should discuss a bit here as well if Keppy's willing to share it.

I'd love to hear it if he's willing to tell. Especially if he's open to bouncing ideas back and forth and making changes. Because an idea needs to be a living, growing thing. ^_^