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Phoenix Nexus  News Sub Space Static: Volume 4. Issue 1. |
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| Sub Space Static: Volume 4. Issue 1. |
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***** Inter Galactic News *****
*** Thoughts from the Sub-Editor *** The Viceroy is an interesting character. I’m sure the Sub-Editor is not alone in following the twists and turns of his various public announcements. Whilst his irregular postings are to be treasured, they are too few and far between to really sustain our craving. This is why the Sub-Editor has been enjoying perusing the archives of Jack Jones' posts. Beginning as near to the beginning as I can, I found this gem from 208, from a thread entitled “Pollux”: "We have a base in the system, if you need some help, give me a shout.” As far as the Sub-Editor has been able to discern this is the first public posting by Jack Jones. It is believed at this point he was merely a ground commander with a twinkle in his eye, dreaming of the day when he could lead hundreds of thousands, eventually millions, of Naplian mercenaries to war. And their untimely deaths. Let us first marvel at the brevity of words. The no nonsense language. Statement of fact followed by a conditional and a consequent. This is the pattern of speech that would be Jones’ marker through all the years to come. It is also notable the deferential and polite manner he treats the original poster, a CIA controller. How tenuous was the peace between the different sides of humanity! After so long a war. So this is on the surface a promising and kind hearted gesture to help in a once contested system. A system that had a special place in human history. For it was at Pollux human beings had drawn their red line. Dividing the universe into “Inner” and “Outer”. Aided by the natural features of the systems - the hazardous asteroid belts in the jump rings - and fortified by human ingenuity. The fear of aliens was palpable - the recently encountered Naplians in Capella foreshadowing worse - threatening to swarm into the territory of humanity. This fear of the aliens later turned against those humans who resisted the very notion of Empire or simply the role of the megacorporations within it. All this was bygone history when Jack Jones spoke so graciously to the man who once he would have called his enemy. It was from this outstretched hand, the very foundations of re-unification. A flower that only bloomed after nearly ten years of patient care. So the Sub-Editor invites you to appreciate the long term vision and clever humanness of Jack Jones as it can be seen in his very first public statement. It is left to historians to decide but could many argue against the pivotal role he has played in shaping the galaxy today? Tell me your thoughts c/o the Editor. *** Noob’s Corner *** I started my Phoenix career all the way back just before Star Date 217.41.4. I had just registered and got a ship after a scripted mission. Wow, did I feel great doing those missions and commanding those ships. Little did I realise that these were not even baby steps compared to what awaited me... So I am still very much a n00b in Phoenix. The learning curve is unlike anything I've experience before and that includes Dwarf Fortress or Aurora. This has certain reasons I will delve into later but for now I wanted to share my experiences and perhaps help other n00bs out there and to get a chuckle out of the experienced players :-) So in this epilogue I will cover: 1. Positions 2. Politicals So the first concept I struggled with is that of what a Position and a Political in Phoenix is. I did read the manual but somehow it made no sense to me. Also there were various places where I could find information but some of it was not up to date I was warned. What I understood was that a position could be a person. But why did that ship also get referred to as a position. And if I looked on my ship there was also an officer and that was a position as well? So a position on a position?! I started feeling dizzy... And then the infamous Political. I was dying to create one as I was told that then I could really play the game properly. So I created one but then suddenly I had three names in the game. The account I created to access the game, the first officer on my ship and now this political. Helpfully I had al given them the same name as well. The dizziness started getting worse and I had to lie down for a bit at this post. Fortunately there was one place where I could always go to and that was the Forum. I was spamming it pretty heavily already and this only became worse. The really good thing was that I always got a very quick reply. However it did not always help and sometimes made it worse as this very helpful reply from the (in)famous Greyfang on my question regarding Positions and Politicals exemplifies: Quote: Jack Dalveneux (#1) is an officer item in the game. It's not a position, it can't be given orders directly. Your Phoenix account/username is JackDalveneux. That has no presence in the game at all, that's YOU the player and is merely the account that you use to access, manage and issue orders to your various in game positions. You could (and probably will eventually) also have a Jack Dalveneux political (although I'd suggest renaming the officer at that point). This is both an item AND a position in the game (as are operatives). This is further confused by the general convention of using your Phoenix account as your main Role Playing character and "linking" it to an in game item/position by giving it the same name (usually the political). It isn't actually linked and isn't mandatory, it's just a convention and avoids the disconnect from the user Bob posting about the adventures of Captain Spacedude. Edit: Positions are Ships, Ground Parties, Outposts, Starbases, Politicals, Platforms, Agents and Operatives. They are listed in your Find Turns page can be given orders in turns. Everything else is an item. Officers have a #number and are special items, but items nonetheless. (You could, for example, have a ground party that contains only your political. This is a position, represented by an item, within another position. The GP could further be docked inside a ship which itself is docked in a starbase...  It gets a bit Inception sometimes but you'll soon get the hang of it.  )But eventually I got to grips with all this but this is definitely a process that could be made easier and more transparent for new joiners I feel (Mica, if you read this I am willing to help :-) ). Basically a position can be anything and are just really registration numbers and a political is your in-game identity that collects all the stuff you have. Finally officers are really just NPCs on your ships. When I mastered this I felt a lot better about myself and Phoenix. However I would soon realise what a fool I was for allowing those silly thoughts into my head. In the next episode I'll try to travel from Cluster to Felini system. Boy, did I think Positions were complex ;-) *** Guest Blog *** Ah, how time flies, Yahn thought to himself as he stroked his hair back. He pushed the files aside and reached for his drink as he mentally checked off the list: Initial salvage operation - nearly finished. Advanced salvage operation - the demolition expert is en-route. Trade - slowly picking up the pace. Negotiations - all seemed to be going well. Diplomacy - the first ambassadorial party was being assembled. Research - facilities were in the process of being built. Yes, all seemed to be going well, he thought as he took a sip of the piping hot liquid. Beyond the closed door of his office, he could hear the bustle of activity. The FRE-DPP had been disbanded, but the activity at the small outpost that served as the main base of operations had not deminished, it had just become a little less complicated. Cardboard tags on doors had been changed, and former DPP personnel and operations had been shifted to either the DNA or Wodenzoon Industries. Yahn looked deep into his cup with a moment of nostalgia bordering on regret. The FRE-DPP had been his brain child, after all, and it had had a short but colourful existence. The DNA was the perfect vehicle for continuing the work and principles of the movement, anyway. Well, that was all in the past now. The FRE's position had been deteriorating steadily since the formation of the movement, and in retrospect it had become evident that it had been doomed from the start. There is a popular saying here at the DNA that sums it up well: There is no sense in feeding a dead donkey! *** Gonzo’s Naughty Step *** [IND human TOAD is recovering from his lack of HeRB and strong drink this hairy wolf creature recommended..] The naplian bar keep of the Lazy Lizard (at EEM Balmora seedy side of the starport) sets up and greets IND TOAD: "greetings human TOAD.." states the bar keep. "Bar keep.. please turn on the stellar news, Im following the PIE master take on this hairy wolf creature on a bake off?!" states TOAD. The bar keep says the Wimble Pie Master is going to get his ass kicked and there is a 4 to 1 bet for the wolf.. you game TOAD states the naplian bar keep? Oh ya, I will bet on the clean cut hairy creature and slips a 50 guilders to the bar keep. Then a very drunk human SMS drunk with a big piece of rock slides right next to TOAD and say in slur speech.. Thams wolfsss got clawss and teethes! Bar Keep, I bet my rock on the bad ass wolf to make that cute bear into a meat pie like my mom use to make!! The bar keep looks at the "rock" and then at TOAD.. Both TOAD and the naplian bar keep knows this is no rock, but some artefact.. ok, SMS human, 50 guilders for the wolf and takes the "rock"?! IND human TOAD moves next to the very drunk SMS human and buys him drinks with the effort to gather info on this artefact.. IND human TOAD later with the naplian bar keep, "IND TOAD asks around in the bar what is this SKORD (171) artefact thing??” IND human TOAD raises his drink.. "greed, that's a GTT thing. What is this artefact? a little history would be helpful and is it still at the location?" [you see IND TOAD and the naplian bar keep huddle and call you over] "drinks for the human and furry Wimble baker, bar keep!" [you see on the bar top a paper map and some notes written on a roll of paper..] IND human TOAD sets his bar drink on the head of the Wimble baker as he takes notes.. then picks up the mug and takes a drink.. This rumor of the Giant Star Goat and of the Alien Space station in Skord has come up from time to time, states IND TOAD. Wasn't it the Giant Star Goat that had the Alien Artefact for lunch or something like that bar keep.. and the bar keep nods as he washes a bar glass. IND TOAD looks at his map drawn on the rolled up paper.. square 1760.. whats a 1760? and who is this Edward DaBongo? as he sets his mug on the head of the Wimble baker as he takes notes.. Edward DaBongo that name rings a bell.. Chemist that made cortalon.. states, IND TOAD IND human TOAD in a very drunk state, states to his new bar friends. I'm thinking of asking the KAS behind the curtain (OZ) on information on this Giant Star Goat and Alien Space Station in the SKORD (171) SYSTEM. You know of anyone to have talked to this KAS Junta? The Wimble pie master (of which is face down on the floor) points to the members list on the bar wall.. KAS Junta.. every one looks at the downed Pie master.. "Good Job Master Pie" states IND TOAD.. [IND TOAD dials the number in a drunk state from the bar:...........] IND human TOAD relaxes sipping his breakfast tea.. opens his news paper, yes a news paper as TOAD cant afford a VID display?! CHALK walks into the bar Lazy Lizard and hands a report on SKORD (171) to IND TOAD. "Good job CHALK" and gives Chalk a guilder.. IND TOAD calls over the EEM Balmora Cerabin Hank and shows him the report.. What do you think Hank? I'm not a researcher TOAD, just a bar tender.. and Cerabin Hank smiles. "Colonisation of this planet has to be approved by the CIA as agreed in the Skord Treaty to the Kastorians 196." I bet there is something on this planet, Hank.. Who is this DaBongo? and his theories of the scary Giant Star Goat that eats planets? or is it WMB pies? and Cerabin Hank smiles washing out a bar glass.. [on a bar glass table paper napkin IND TOAD writes, "CIA, can we build a outpost on the planet to research this space station and scary Giant Star Goat?" and hand the note to Chalk.. Chalk give my note to the CIA dude. Chalk takes the note, looks at it, and walks away to the post office..] Chalk walks up to the EEM Balmora post office and the slides the note to the post office worker and Chalk smiles.. the post office worker looks both ways and takes the note for the CIA and slides over a package.. a very large package to Chalk. Chalk gives the post office worker a envelope with many unmarked stellars to the post office worker. *** Affiliation Status and Contacts *** AFT Association of Free Traders (54) - Marion Tweedy BHD Brotherhood (63) - Saul D CIA Combined Intelligence Agency (64) - Laton CIA DNA Displaced Natives Asylum (66) - Yahn Wodenzoon DTR Detinus Republic (58) - Morley Decker DEN Dewiek Elder Nation (67) - Aadolf DOM Dominion (57) - bcd FCN Falconian Republic (70) - Convocation of Eagles FEL Felini Tyranny (49) - Mrrshan FLZ Flagritz Empire (47) - Kayxaer FET Frontier Exploration & Trade (56) - Cu Chulainn GTT Galactic Trade & Transport (52) - Ike GCE Garcia Enterprises (4) - Neil HEX Hexamon (23) - Ando HVE Hive (68) - MoG IMP Imperial Services (51) - Jack Jones KRL Krell (30) - Namica MOH Mohache (73) - Listens NLF Naplian Liberation Front (38) - NLFHQ RRH Roy Robert Holdings (39) - Roy Roberts SMS Stellar Mining and Smelting (53) - MikhailM SKW The Star Kingdom of Wakeria (85) - Telvin G’ren USN Ulian Stellar Nation (34) - Oedipus Prime WMB Wimble Nations (25) - Paden NPC / FoC: ARC, CIV, CGT, GRC, FRE, HBO, HEF, IND, ISP, JCN, MEK, MRC, PIR, PRV, TCA, TRN, KAS Inactive: ANT, COD, IDC, RIP, TAG Deceased: CAL, MIC, KRT, KST *** Submission *** Anonymous: SSS Inter Galactic News HQ (39952). Nexus: Editor. |
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