pickled_tomato

i respect you, mr. marx. don't worry.

I'm afraid that what you've said does not change my view on what happened. You threw the EMP, and then you harm tele-batoned him. With everything that I've said before as my reasoning, I believe a three day command ban is still fair, opposed to a seven, which was too long. I'd like to add a note though that everyone has a record. Things like this happen. The best you can do is think, learn, and move on, and three days seems like a fair period to do so. You may feel the need to further justify yourself, and if you do, you may put a staff complaint on me. Either or, this thread is now closed. Again, thank you for your appeal.

Here are a couple of specifics as to why you received the ban, other than what I already stated: You did the one thing that would shut down the ninja, and you did it without really caring, it seems. The ninja's allowed to exist, and you're allowed to allow them to exist. They drew a sword, yes. And you took away all of their power, minus self-destruct, as a result. I'm unsure why you were carrying around EMPs with you in the first place, but it doesn't look good to me. You're allowed to be concerned over your station, and your crew, of course. You're allowed to use this concern as justification for your actions. What you're not allowed, or at the very least supposed to do, is end the story before it's reached its climax. Which is what I believe you did. That being said, given your willingness to acknowledge the problem, and make an appeal, the command ban has been shortened to three days. I encourage you to play antag roles, and/or non-command staff roles around the station in the meantime. As for removal of it from your records, I'm afraid that's not plausible. One last note: Please avoid posting content involving things that happened during the round until after the round is over. There was still about 30 minutes of round left at the time that you posted this. Thank you for your appeal.

Right. Here's my view of the situation. I'm informed of a captain throwing an EMP, surrounded by members of security, in the processing room of newmap. I then see logs of said captain beating the ninja with his telescopic baton. As I ask around, what I'm told is that this captain interrupted RP that security was having with the ninja, yelled for everyone to clear the room, waited several seconds (nobody had cleared the room), then threw an EMP. The EMP then putting multiple members of security into pain-crit, as they had synthetic limbs. Right off the bat, even if you weren't interrupting RP, you threw an EMP at a singular target. I know why you did this, and I don't agree with your reasoning. You wanted to subdue the ninja who was already in the processing room, as he was making threats towards you. This is fine, until you consider that there is an entire security force right next to you, ready to respond. The security force is armed with non-extreme, non-lethal forms of detainment. Tasers, stun-batons, rubber rounds, even hand to hand. You had this ninja outnumbered, you had them already in your processing room, and you still threw the EMP. And yes, I did mention all of these options to you while PMing you. Please do not say: The thing that concerns me about this is that you don't seem to see a flaw in throwing the EMP. You admit that it might possibly have a larger radius than you intended. You make a point as to how nobody died. You don't seem to care that you pain-crit much of security. Some of which may have had mechanical hearts. You effectively shut down the main antagonist of the round, and most of security, in one swift blow. This isn't what command staff are for. Not to mention that the ninja decided that, as their suit was dead, and they were being dragged out of security, that it was best if they self-detonated. The round turned into extended from that point on. I applied the ban to give you time to reflect upon your actions, and I don't think that you've done that.

Myself and a few other people who played Vaurca compiled a Google Doc of thoughts about the new Vaurca. This was done shortly after the Wiki was updated. It should give you an alright idea of what some people may have issues with. You'll notice that it is mostly complaints, and I hope that does not discourage you, Chev. We had positive things to say. We just wanted to get the negatives out in the open. I think you're doing interesting work, and I'm excited to see where it goes from here. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1i4yuk3oRuX6Jbi2c15ZI0RkNkHPWW--lQ1B79raS2cw/edit?usp=sharing

As I believe I stated in my app, the thing that I think most needs to be changed is the amount of information that has been given about certain aspects of Vaurca. I believe that if there is an elaboration on much of Vaurca history, Vaurca lifestyle, and Vaurca culture in general, Vaurca backstories can grow to be much more dynamic than they are at the moment. As far as hive ships go, I don't know what they'd look like! I would love to establish a sort of design norm as far as hive ships are concerned. As of right now, when I imagine hive ships, I imagine something close to what the Orks of 40k drive, except not literally made of scraps of junk. Here is an image for reference. Think something like this, on a larger scale. As far as the functionality of Hive Ships is concerned, they're still serving as living space for a large number of Vaurca, I believe. I like to imagine Hive Ships as mobile cities, fitted with restaurants, markets, Vaurca implant specialists, VR Rooms, living quarters, some sort of Bound slum/quarters, etc. But I would love to design some difference as far as Zo'ra and K'lax are concerned. The possibilities are endless.

Question 1 Answer: The behavior of a moderation team is something that I believe will stack up over a medium period of time. Minor slip ups, or just not caring, may seem fine at first. Nobody may even take notice. But building these habits will cause a server to very quickly lose its reputation. For a quick example, you can go look at the SS13 Reddit. There's reputations that have been built of almost every server, and these reputations come from how the staff treats its players. It's utterly important that moderators treat their playerbase with respect, but also gets tough when needed. Question 2 Answer: I enjoy people, and I enjoy analyzing people. It is hard to annoy me, so I often find myself getting along with mostly anyone. I believe that I am adequately effective at working with others. I accept criticism, and will work with others to achieve goals. I believe that if you would like a more set in stone answer, you should ask some people that I have actually worked with. Namely any CCIA. Scenario 1: I would look at this assistant with an open mind, at first. If their byond account is new, they're likely either purposely causing a ruckus after creating a new account, or they are legitimate new players. It's more likely that they are new players, so I would politely discuss what is expected of them in an HRP environment like Aurora. I would monitor what they do as the round progresses, and in further rounds. If they show signs of improvement, I will act accordingly. If they don't show any change at all, I will lean closer to the possibility that they may be purposely griefing. Scenario 1.5: I would advise them to either cryo and check out Hippie, Goon, or any of the like, or I would ask them to give a round a shot, as long as they're following the rules. I would act accordingly with what their response may be. Scenario 2: Depending on the mechanic, and how "IC in OOC" it may be, (Example: Hinting at it being a Wizard round) I would either go to the Staff discord and ask, go into OOC and ask, go into the Aurora discord and ask, or I would look up whatever it might be on the wiki, and hope that it's on there. If all of this fails, I will admit defeat, and apologize. Scenario 3: I would bring it to an admin, and perhaps advise the player to make a complaint on the forums. Depending on how pressing it is, I may deliver punishment with a foreword that it would be reverted if their complaint was to process. If they are still mad, and still cause a commotion, I would act accordingly. Possibly giving them a day or so to cool down, via a ban. I believe that, at that point, if a player is refusing to listen to staff after many warnings, they would need a "time out" of sorts. Of course, this is assuming that an admin does not step in.

Server Moderator Application Basic Information Byond Account: pikl Character Name(s): June Zhenya, Ka'Akaix'Gozi Zo'ra, Za'Akaix'Vii Zo'ra, Moment of Clarity, Hopelessly in Motion, Ka'Viax'Vix K'lax AI Name(s): N/A pAI: Drift Cyborg: Wander Preferred means of contact: Discord is fine. If you really need me, I suppose you can text me, but I'm almost always on Discord. I also check my email daily. Age: 19 Timezone: US Central When are you on Aurora?: I will likely hop on after work, and stay on until I fall asleep. Experience Previously a Minecraft server moderator of over 200 people normally. It was a cracked server, meaning people who didn't buy the game could get in. Needless to say there was a massive amount of griefing, given the nature of the game, and the fact that you didn't need to spend money to get on. Aside from Minecraft, I have experience with CCIA, and I already know what it's like to work with the staff team. How long have you played SS13?: I first played around two or three years ago. I've been seriously playing for a little more than a year. How long have you played on Aurora: A year, about. This forum account's age is a good indicator of how long I've played. How much do you know about SS13 (Baystation build) game mechanics?: A decent amount. Aside from playing Aurora, I've also been (as a joke) given admin rank in a few people's test servers, and I've gotten the chance to fiddle around with the moderator features. I've also gotten a little familiarity from being a CCIA. I know how stupidly clunky Beyond can be sometimes. Do you have any experience moderating for an SS13 server?: No. Though I've been a CCIA. And as stated before, I have slight experience with the moderating panels and tools, through test servers. Have you ever been banned, and if so, how long and why?: No. Personality Why do you play SS13?: I enjoy the complexity, and the interconnectedness of all of the roles. I find myself playing SS13 much more than mostly any other game I've ever played. I've done a lot of introspection as to why that is. Mostly, it's just fun. There's nothing quite like it. Why do you play on Aurora?: I enjoy the community, the code, and the Aurora Experience. I have a lot of time invested in Aurora, and I know most of the people on this server. What do moderators do?: I look at moderators almost like janitors. They make sure the server looks presentable to others. They make sure the rules are enforced, and often work behind the scenes in doing so. What does it mean to be a moderator for our server?: A moderator of Aurora may take a slightly different role. As there is no helper role on Aurora, players who are unsure may ahelp with a question, rather than a problem. It's an off-job of a moderator to be a knowledgeable player, as well as a good example to others. Why do you want to be a moderator?: I would like to help the existing moderator team. I often see there being very few mods on during deadhour, and I think to myself "Wow, I wish I could help out." What qualities do you possess that would make you a good moderator?: I believe I am well tempered, am able to read people, and am handle a situation objectively. I am mature enough to be able to present myself in a professional manner as I moderate. How well do you handle stress, anger, or insults?: Fairly well. I'm not one to outburst in anger, and I'm not one to take my stress out on somebody else. I handle it all adequately. Recently, I've found myself being affected less and less by stress and insults. Anything Else You Want to Add: I am anticipating a comment about whether or not I will stay around, as I left the CCIA. I will elaborate on how I feel. When I joined the CCIA, I expected a position a lot closer to a moderator. Moderator applications were not open at the time, so I thought I might as well apply for CCIA. When CCIA duties did not turn out to be close to moderator duties, I still decided to give them a shot. After about 6 or so months, I decided that being a CCIA was not right for me.

Ckey/BYOND Username: pikl Position Being Applied For Vaurca Loredev Past Experiences/Knowledge: I have experience working with the staff team firsthand, as I was previously CCIA. I have been playing on Aurora for around a year, and I believe that I have a firm grasp as to what the standard for lore on this server is. Furthermore, I very much enjoy creative writing, and would have no issue with what being a loredev involves. Do you play Vaurca extensively? Why? Yep. Vaurca and Diona. I enjoy the difference that Vaurca bring to the table. When playing a Vaurca, thematically I'm already at a lower standing than most humans. I have to work for what I'm hoping to achieve, or simply not work at all, and further the stereotypes that already exist for Vaurca. I really enjoy this. To be so different from humans, but to still be individuals. Even with Bound, I have seen many differences in how they interact with their environment. The other day I was very interested to see a drone simply discard an order that was given to it because the Vaurca who gave the order was from Lii'dra. Some drones that I have encountered have simply accepted orders, and have had an IQ similar to my chair. If you were chosen for Lore Developer, what would your plans be for Vaurca? As of right now, I think that Vaurca are in an interesting spot. On one end, they're almost completely fine as is. Their lore works, but, on a different end, their lore leaves an extreme amount of room for development. I've seen many interesting things said and done from Vaurca players, in terms of their own backstories. But it's clear that Vaurca are in a major transitional phase. They're interacting with other races for the first time, many interacting as refugees. So, I'll just list a couple of possible ideas to make things easy on the eyes. The VR, as of right now, just exists as far as Vaurca lore in concerned. I have a couple of ideas in relation to expanding the VR to not just be something that exists, but instead is something that can be interacted with. Right now, if someone wanted to mention the VR to someone else in-game, they would likely have to stop talking about it after they say "Oh wow, it'zz a paradizz. Wow, I'm really deprezzed that I am not in it!!" It's minor, but it would be fantastic if there were more talking points about the VR. As of right now, Vaurca are just refugees. They're a burden to other races, and there's several massive hiveships floating around, that other races don't really want to piss off. Vaurca are tolerated, but treated like ass. They're treated like the giant space bugs that they are. It would be interesting to see this develop more. In coordination with other lore developers, there are several interesting events, and developments that can easily, and believably happen, given the current situation that Vaurca face. Lastly, food for thought. Another hiveship flies in. One that was previously not known about. What happens? Event? Development? Where would it happen, and what differences might the Hiveship have with others? Would you embark on major or minor rewrites of Vaurca lore? If yes, why is your rewrite worth it? Short answer: Leaning towards a no. Long answer: It depends on what would be best for the server. I can brainstorm a bunch of things right now that could have happened, but why? The few things I would want to do, as of right now, without input from other lore-devs, would be to elaborate on a couple of things. There are certain parts of Vaurca lore that are extremely vague. What does a hiveship look like? How are Vaurca organized? What differences might Zo'ra and K'lax have, in regards to how the function. I believe that these minor details are important, in setting a guide for others. Right now, many Vaurca backstories are mostly the same. "Wow, that VR was great. Time to get treated like shit from the humans!" You have to admit, there's not much you can write about, without pulling a bunch of shit out of your ass, and hoping that it flies. I think that there should be more talking points in regards to Vaurca, because an interesting foundation has already been set.

I would like to vouch for the idea that it sounds odd that Nebula would do this. I've interacted with them many times, and think highly of them. I believe that they are a good player, and that this does not sound like something that they would do. If it was done, it would have likely been due to lag.

i hate you. why is this better than most actual whitelists

As I suggested in another thread, Vaurca should also have a degree of night vision. They don't, yet they don't like light, so it stands to reason that they'd have some kind of night vision.

this would be very swell. i don't think hunters have night vision either, they just see mobs. edit: while you're at it, it would make sense for Vaurca to also have night vision. they do not, at the moment.

I've noticed that it's more of a problem in dead-hour when there's a lack of security, but I agree that it's annoying when they breach. This being said, most of the windows on the station don't serve a purpose, and Xenobotany's certainly not exclusive in the fact that carps attack the windows in it. I believe that you need something to antagonize you during the shift. Whether that's carp or not, I don't know. It also gives engineering more things to do while on this subject. Carps require a reaction when they do things like this, and I think that's valuable.

I made edits based on your suggestions. Thanks for those, I think I have a more firm grasp on their political situation and backstory.

BYOND Key: Pikl Character Names: Isabella Silva, June Zhenya, Song of Symphony Species you are applying to play: Vaurca What color do you plan on making your first alien character (Dionaea & IPCs exempt): (RGB 51, 0, 0), as seen on the wiki as the color of unbound Vaurca from the Zo'ra Hive. Have you read our lore section's page on this species?: Yes Please provide well articulated answers to the following questions in a paragraph format. One paragraph minimum per question Why do you wish to play this specific race: After making countless human characters, and a handful of Dionaea, I've found that most of my characters wind up being the same thing. They're all cutesy, anti-conflict, anti-social, and almost waifu-bait. While I could continue playing these characters, I've recently taken an interest in Vaurca as a species. As stated by the wiki, stereotypically, unbound Vaurca are extroverted and curious. I believe that playing a Vaurca would be a good change of pace, and would allow me to improve my roleplaying from new angles by forcing me out of my comfort zone. Identify what makes role-playing this species different than role-playing a Human: Personality-wise, Unbound Vaurca are not that different from humans. They have desires, emotions, etc. However, biologically, Vaurca are obviously very different. The wiki states that Vaurca are similar to termites. The biological differences between humans and Vaurca are guaranteed to affect a Vaurca's upbringing compared to that of a human's. Comparing an Unbound Vaurca's time in the VR to a human child's upbringing on, for example, Earth, is like comparing apples to oranges. They're so different that a Vaurca is likely to have a completely alien way of viewing life compared to that of a human. What that way of viewing life is exactly would depend on the Vaurca, as again, unbound Vaurca are quite capable of free thought, just like humans. The key difference is, unbound Vaurca were allowed to have free thought, while humans are typically always free-thinkers. Character Name: Ka'Akaix'Gozi Zo'ra Please provide a short backstory for this character, approximately 2 paragraphs From my first memories, and up until very recent, all I've known is happiness. A reality so perfect, so carefree, that I could spend the rest of my days in it. I could. I wish I could have. But, that is not my fate. No, my fate seems to lie elsewhere. It all ended with a small click. After the click, I was placed into the other reality. The first thing I notice is how bright everything is. The next thing I notice is that I am still interconnected. I still feel what those in the hive are feeling. I am soon greeted with a warm welcome, as well as a wealth of information. I am Gozi. I am in a system that is referred to by the humans as Tau Ceti. The humans. The Skrell. The mossy-giants. The Unathi. The Tajara. I learn of it all, slowly, as I am recovering from my sudden disconnect from paradise. Soon after my disconnection, I found myself in the slums of New Gibson. From there, I was exposed to some of the many oddities that plague this reality. I did not mind the poor condition of my living, but I soon realized that many people minded my existance in the first place. Everywhere I went, where ever there were humans, there were untrusting gazes. From the way I walked, to my height, to the clothes I wore, humans looked at me in distain. For two years I kept myself busy in the slums. My first work opportunity was as a receptionist for an office company. I was fired after my first day on the job when one of the people in charge decided that they could not understand what I was saying. He had security escort me out, with remarks such as, "How did this cockroach get hired in the first place?!" Similar situations happened with the next few jobs. I did not know what to make of this, and I still don't to this day. Eventually, I found a more permanent job at a warehouse. Still in the slums, but I was able to maintain this work for a year and a half. The staff of this warehouse were almost exclusively Vaurcae, and the pay was well below what it should have been, but it was work. However, this job came to an abrupt end. When unrest grew, and the Sol Alliance moved into Tau Ceti, word reached the owner of the warehouse. Complicatons, riots, flashbangs. We were all fired within a day, and replaced with humans workers. It took a long time to adjust to the fact that this was my reality now. It pales in comparison, but I had no choice other than to move forward. I had to keep myself busy. After being fired and discriminated against countless times, I was informed of an opportunity to work aboard the NSS Exodus for a company that the humans call, "NanoTransen." This job was described by my acquaintances as stable, and a chance to be on more equal footing with my co-workers. Whether this is true, I cannot be certain. I have my doubts, but I will gladly accept the opportunity to keep myself occupied in this strange, unforgiving "reality." What do you like about this character? I enjoy the thought of a disconnected Vaurca searching for something to fill the void that disconnecting from VR left. I intentionally left a lot of room for this character to grow, and I look forward to the chance of playing him if this application is good enough. How would you rate your role-playing ability? 5/10. I will likely always say that I am 5/10, as I always see room to grow and improve. Notes: I'm always open to feedback. Hit me with your best shot, so I can develop a Vaurca that is able to uphold the legacy.

Credits sound dumb and won't change anything. Organs sound alright, but they tie into #3 and #4, both of which I like. A random disability that may or may not make surgery required sounds like something that absolutely nobody wants, which includes the medical staff as well. It sounds like it would make cloning less common, and it doesn't sound too lore-breaking. That's my two and two.

Save the Memes 2017 +1

While I don't agree with magical powers, I do agree with Owen's suggestion of there being some kind of tool. Alternatively, a button could be added to the conference room that bolts the door automatically. There could even be some kind of screen that displays OCCUPIED. As for meetings taking place in other rooms, that probably shouldn't be happening. It wouldn't happen if there was a button put in place just for them. Additionally, a button could also give a crafty antagonist some tactical leeway. Really, it's not fair at all for an agent to get mad at you for something that you can't help.

I believe you may be referencing a different issue, Zundy. The warden at the time was an Unathi. The warden also reportedly only threatened to brig Roderick and Chaz after they went against the captain's orders to sign the release forms. I'm simply stating an example since Roderick wanted one. I don't really want to turn this thread into a "Let's bring up everything we've seen Roderick do that might've broken some rules" thread, though I have a few more examples if need be. I stand by what I originally said. If you want to be un-jobbanned in a timely manner, please contact Serveris directly. Questioning people for specific evidence in a circular manner isn't going to get this thread anywhere.

Who's blue? Everyone! That means you, too! The merge went through, so hop on your security crew.

I'm surprised you haven't noticed what I mentioned. I believe it stems from how angry you and your characters get in round. You disregard orders from Heads of Staff in a manner that at times suggests you're playing a rev, which you're not typically. You usually do it after you believe your side of whatever argument you've taken a side to is entirely correct. If a head of staff happens to be on the opposing argument's side, you don't seem to care, which is all fine and dandy, but it's detrimental at times. It's especially detrimental in the role of a Security Officer. Please keep the qualifications that are required for characters to be able to play these positions in mind. They're all at the very bottom of the list. https://aurorastation.org/wiki/index.php?title=NanoTrasen_Occupation_Qualifications Regardless of your position in an argument, I believe command staff's opinions should hold a fair bit of weight. Of course different characters will have different positions, but make sure you're not borderline self-antagging. As a specific example, as I suppose one's needed. I wasn't watching this situation, but I think you and Chaz, someone who was involved in it, have a little bit of a case. You two started a round, took your handguns, and did your business. The warden asks those who took a handgun to sign a sheet. Most wardens don't do this, I understand this. You two refused to sign the sheet, and instead decided to argue with the warden for supposedly 15 minutes. The captain aboard got involved, and you two still refused to sign the sheet. You two were using your own time that you could've used to patrol instead of arguing with the warden. Now, my telling of this event may be one sided since I heard about it from one person in particular. I accept that I could've potentially told the story wrong, and I hope you might be able to clarify if you want. The point of the incident still stands though. When command staff, especially the damn captain tells you to do something, you usually do it. Not following orders is nothing but detrimental for your character and his reputation. Of course there's variance from character to character, but you still need to be believable. There's personality traits that deviate too far from believable. In my opinion, everyone benefits from the ability to separate their RP train of thought from their personal train of thought. It's a video game. If what you're doing isn't getting you anywhere, don't keep doing it. Try something else. The quickest way I can see your security whitelist restored is for you to own up to yourself and your actions. Regardless of what you believe, administrators have deemed certain aspects of your character to be violations of server rules. I'd like to see you in round, Roderick. I like to see you play, as you have a genuine interest in Security and how it operates. The way you question the wiki and what's actually standard procedure made that clear to me. Work with Serveris. Serveris is nice and has already expressed that he doesn't believe your ban should be permanent. Possibly have a forum PM conversation with him. Serveris knows a lot about how security operates. Trust his opinion. Go in with an open mind, because there's not a person in the world who has mastered something to a point of not being able to learn anything new. Everyone on the server would benefit from looking at themselves and understanding that they have a lot of room for improvement in what they're doing.