...he/she smelt funny?

Tuk'atans, I have some welcome news for you! We've recently had another member return to the VEN, and so it's my pleasure to introduce Wager as your new Squadron Commander. Welcome back, man.

That does, unfortunately, take the Squadron Commander spot off the table regarding the mini competition we've been running in the current fleet story. However, the Squadron Executive Officer slot is still open and up for grabs by any pilot that proves they have the activity, ambition, and writing prowess to help lead their comrades. As we head into the finale of Out of the Invisible and begin to bring in some other activities, you've got a prime opportunity to show us what you've got. Squadron leadership can be very rewarding and a lot of fun. But remember: our officers and leaders are here to guide and encourage, rather than to dictate. If you want the spot, know that it's all about helping your friends to be the best they can be and about ensuring we have fun (while keeping things reasonable, of course).

Good luck!

-Drac

Hey, I know I've been gone but schools been kick my rear end for the past week or two. But that's about to change seeing school is now over. If you want I'll try for a post. And also I'm looking forward to working under you Wager.

There you go, Wager.

Also, remember to get your ID line in place.

-Drac

I'm really not trying to be a pain in the ass, I've just done this Command thing a few times so I'll pose these as questions.

1) Who do we report to now? Need some clarification on that point.

2) Wager have you read the current story? Did any of the pilots you see posting there do anything good? anything you would like them to improve upon? Also, do you know who posted on the story?

**This is kinda my issue with starting a new story when we are floundering in the one that's almost done. Can't you come up with a cool objective that we can focus our attention on and get us to power to the end rather than dividing our (obviously) already screwed up attention?

Just a suggestion but couldn't you have us regrouping on the battlefield or in a hanger (since many pilots have furballed their TIE), we could even have to switch into something cool like a prototype TIE Avenger. Your character gives us a Braveheart speech and we get the job done. <--- far more interesting than a simulator which is the equivalent of going to the batting cages rather than the ball game.

3) Who are you and why the hell should we listen to you? Sorry but I've gotten no PM from you, you've posted on the topic what 2, 3 times, and I've never seen you on IRC. Not to mention I just don't even know what experience you have. Were you an SC before? An XO? Stormz' hair groomer?

<3 Sorry, I'll go back to my cave now.

Since Wager hasn't replied yet, I'll comment on some of that.

1. As DeepSix said, reports will go to Wager and to me.

2. Per my request, Wager is in the process of reading through the story. Please bear in mind that it's approximately the size of a small novel. I'm sure he'll comment when he catches up to things.

As for the sim story. Wager posted that under my direction and at my orders. The big story is bogged down- to the point that more than half of the reports I get mention writer's block. I chose this route on the basis of what I thought would work best for everyone. The sim story is a breath of fresh air and an opportunity to step away from what we've been focusing on for three months and get creative juices flowing again.

The comment about sim missions being boring is a bit short sighted. They are literally not one whit different than any other mission we write, except that you can write about failing and going boom if you like. The practical difference to our characters does not exist for us. And by making it a sim we can have everyone trying to achieve the same thing but in unique ways.

Refer to Deep's post regarding switching fighters mid battle.

3. Wager can get on and give his background if he likes. Obviously, he's using a new character now considering his post count. As for why you should listen to him? Perhaps because I saw fit to make him your squadron commander. With Stormz's knowledge and approval as well. Your activity in the past weeks and month or two hasn't been any better than your fellows' (mine, admittedly being just as bad, to be fair). Given that, where exactly do you get off criticizing what he has or hasn't done in just two days? Summer can be a chaotic time for most everyone in RL, and longer communications times are nothing new. Give the man a chance before you jump all over him, eh?

-Drac

Just brainstormin', here: maybe the Surprise could get into a little trouble, with some Tuk'ata folks conveniently close enough to intervene?

Perhaps sabotage or maybe just plain ol' external damage locks our engines up on full speed ahead, separating us from the protection of the fleet.  What's left of the Loyalty's fighter screen sees us vulnerable, and, eager to avenge the capture of their mothership, gang up on us to take us out?  We'd need help, and quick, and fighters'd be our only hope to avoid breaking up the rest of the fleet's defensive formation.  What do you say, Tuks?  Down to save me and Ellie and the other folks aboard Surprise?  And what about you, Drac?  Any objections?

-Trick

I actually had an idea reading another forum and I think it would work more effectively in the Navy rather than the army. What if we had "Atrus" and "Simulators" (obviously with better names) topics open on the story board. They would be rather free-form open topics for anyone in the navy to join in. You have a simulator idea, do it any time. You want to interact with Cap Ship people on the Atrus, then you just do it, when ever. Those stay open even during squadron stories as a way to keep people writing if they feel bogged down by the squadron story itself. Also lets us have a place to interact with all the parts of the navy.

I suspect the threads would work more as predetermined locations, free of time restraints - in order to allow people to interact in various points in time (the ancient past - say you describe meeting someone just shortly after joining, the recent past - like for instance actions that occurred shortly before the current missions still rage on, the future - if people suddenly get an idea during a current story they could could already start working on it in parallel, merely stating that it will happen after the current story).

I've seen similar ideas used in other forums as well with threads such as: "Town Square", "Town Hall", "Outskirts", "Cemetery", "Market", "Cantina", "Arena", "Training Grounds". People on those forums tended to just join one or more such locations and start out or merely join various story arcs. As a means to deal with writer's block the idea itself seemed to be fairly effective.

I suspect the hardest part about implementing such a concept (should it be considered for implementation) will be deciding just how many threads to start out, what exactly should they be about and whether entire subforums may become necessary as a result - you can for instance have a single thread called "Atrus", but you could also have a subforum with the same name and inside a few threads such as "Mess Hall", "Personal Quarters", "Barracks", "Bridge", "Engineering", "Infirmary", "Brig" and so on and so forth...

As for PC/NPC participation in these threads, I personally don't see why members couldn't be allowed to experiment with the latter should their own char not really have a reason to be in a certain place or would otherwise not really feel "right" about interacting with someone else in a certain way. The posts in these locations would fall under the "personal" category more often than not so why not give members more freedom as a result?

Meh, just figured I'd throw in my 2 cents

Cool beans, and yea like Deep said it establishes the location not the time so it could be anytime really.

/me FLYING TACKLEHUGS HADES

yay! you're back!!

as for the disappointment, we are working on it, I'll get a post up somewhere by the end of the week since I get a break from work starting tomorrow. But today is my birthday so I doubt I'll be in any state to write coherently

/me punches Ryn repeatedly in the arm, one for every year she has under her belt.

Happy birthday.

As a gift, I won't shoot down all the enemy fighters before you get there.

/me puts on a deliberate impression of Maroy, using his hands to mime head-tails and says loudly "WELCOME BACK HADES" before transforming back to Hades.

Why thank you Maroy.

Other than Maroy's fighter, who's damaged?

Thanks, I'll get to work on a post.