MattAtlas

None of this is about TTK or about shooting people normally, it's about shooting them while they're downed and thus unconscious.

Hello. As you all know, executions in round can often be problematic, and are a significant source of adminhelps - both because people are confused by when we allow them, and also because they leave the executee with a bad taste in their mouth. So, I've drafted up some new rules (reviewed by the rest of the staff teams) on when they're allowed. I would like your feedback on them. Before we begin, what we define as an execution here is shooting someone while they're downed and helpless to kill them. An accidental execution may also count, e.g if you shoot someone to make sure they're downed, but you didn't mean to kill them and they die because of it - depending on context and staff decision, this might also be considered an execution. Onto the rule itself. Non-antagonists are allowed to execute someone only if they are an uncontainable or unrestrainable threat to life and limb or if they continue to be an active threat after being floored. You are also expected to give an antagonist a reasonable chance to type a response and/or surrender. An execution may also be justified depending on emotional context, such as a character's close friends being murdered by an antagonist: keep in mind that such an execution will come under more scrutiny than usual, so be careful with it. An example of a justified execution is a changeling that continues resurrecting and attempting to murder people. There is no hard-and-fast 'minimum' amount of resurrections needed for an execution - the rule of common sense prevails here. Don't rush into it and give the antagonist a chance. An example of an unjustified execution is a mercenary who is downed after killing a few people. If they do not stand up and resist, then they may not be executed. You must try to restrain them with whatever means you have available. Antagonists are allowed to execute someone only if this is driving forward their narrative, or if leaving them alive would pose a risk to the antagonist's short-term safety. Executions are also allowed if an antagonist's orders are expressly ignored, such as a hostage being executed if security rushes into the room ignoring the antagonist's warnings, or if someone calls for help after being told not to. An execution can also be justified depending on emotional context, such as a downed security officer taunting the antagonist. With sufficient escalation in the round, antagonists may execute threats that would prove to be a threat to their long-term safety if left alive. An example of a justified execution is an antagonist executing someone that they have been appropriately roleplaying with. It is fine to kill someone for the sake of a narrative. Another example of a justified execution is an antagonist being shot at by two security officers. If the antagonist downs one of the officers, and said officer gets back up and attempts to shoot the antagonist, then they are allowed to execute them. An example of an unjustified execution is an antagonist indiscriminately executing all officers after a firefight very early in the round, despite them surrendering or attempting to crawl away. An example of a justified execution is a mercenary team executing a lone officer late in the round, after a firefight has already concluded with deaths on both parts. These rules are a bit wordy, but they are meant to be catch-alls that leave little to the imagination. In short, I'd like to know what the community thinks.

Accepted.

On trial until 10AUG2023.

On trial until 10AUG2023.

Not sure there could be anything to say here. On trial until 14AUG2023*. How the fuck is it already August? * Trial extended by 4 days due to the whitelistee being on vacation.

It took me a while to take this decision (and I had to consult with everyone else in the whitelist team) but I don't quite think that the way you played head of staff roles was satisfactory, so this application is being denied. I think the feedback here more or less explains why, but I have a feeling you tend to see the criticism in a hostile way, so you don't actually ever end up incorporating it and fixing your play. You need to take a step back and analyze what exactly people have been saying.

Accepted.

Accepted.

Accepted.

It should be lifted now.

The ban is lifted by now - sorry for getting to it so late, but I'll remove the ban from your record and put a note instead, given that it was outside of your control.

On trial until 25JUL2023.

On trial until 25JUL2023.

On trial until 25JUL2023.

On trial until 25JUL2023.

Apologies for the delay, I've not paid much attention to the forums lately unfortunately. Unbanned.

The first point here is balanced imo by the fact that the Leviathan can't (and shouldn't) always be used. It's kind of an ace in the hole with the rules as they are right now. That, and the fact that there's a mechanical limit to how fast it can be charged/used and how often means that it can't really always be used to instantly end a conflict. The second one is a bit of a problem because if the Horizon loses in ship combat that usually means a lot of people dying... and that's a pain in the ass for the loremasters. You as a single individual might be alright with it, but generally events tend to have some failsafes for this reason. You also can't really apply the thinking that you would usually apply to a story here, because you're dealing with others' characters that they're very attached to. The solarian cruiser event for example would've been a total PR disaster and a mental health hazard if I hadn't intervened and fixed up some people. Guaranteed. None of us want to deal with that. And, I don't know, in my opinion we haven't seen many consequences because the arcs we've had up until now haven't allowed for the kind of wide-ranging consequences you're talking about. Back then the whole system was still very experimental (both the guns and the events, really), but this one is more subjective in the end. I think you're overestimating how hard it is to use the ship combat system. It's the same reason why I kind of chuckle when people say that BCs don't have experience with it - you don't need experience with it to understand how it works, by designs. Gunnery is basically waiting until the ship is aligned with another ship and hitting the 'fire' button, while targeting the right place. The latter's the only really maybe hard part, but all it requires is some basic geographic understanding of direction. The only thing I might've known as a coder was that shooting the engines is a good idea, I didn't use any hidden techs or anything. Cool things don't have to always be used. The presence of cool things is also important for atmosphere. If the Horizon just has the cool thing, that's still something that's in the mind of people as an unique feature. That's the kind of atmosphere you want: people can see that they're on a very important place, because there are features that match the setting and show off the uniqueness of it. This is speculation. I don't think it'll turn out this way, you do - that's all there is there. Agree to disagree. You're not wrong but you should also remember that the Longbow has almost the same limitation as the Leviathan - it's one shot only! That's not very easy to hit. During the cruiser event we did get hit a few times in the guns by a longbow, but because of how big the ship was, it wasn't really a problem other than disabling the coilguns. For third parties, yeah, it's designed to be a near instant disabling hit, but if ships that are meant for ship combat are ever introduced, you can bet they'd be much larger than the current ones. Another important thing is that shields completely stop bullets - yes, even Longbow bullets. A properly done hostile third party would likely have shields, and that makes the Longbow a lot less of a threat (you're meant to take down the shields with the Grauwolf and then use the Longbow, conceptually). You could argue that this just makes you want to use the Leviathan more, and I'd honestly agree. I was planning a shield rework for this reason, but that's shifted into maybe autumn or winter as a timeframe. There are a lot of things on my hands. I don't think this is entirely accurate. I think there are places for both. Anyone that has ever roleplayed with my characters knows how much I value quiet roleplay and chatting with characters for hours on end. I don't even have any military characters, and my main is a Venusian detective who can't hold a gun. But at the same time you can't really feed a narrative by constantly having comfy civilian arcs. There's space for science and discovery and whatever else, I think, but that monotony needs to be broken. More importantly, I like coding things that I think are cool, and yes I do think big guns are cool, but one thing that I want to make EXTREMELY CLEAR is that I didn't code them hoping to turn the Horizon into a space soap opera, or hoping to add geopolitic LARP into the game, or hoping to add more military aspects to the game. That's something I don't want to hear at all.

It isn't just about the Badlands - it's about the fact that the Spur in Aurora lore is a really dangerous place as of late. Between SFA and FSF remnants, pirates and etc., it's not just the Badlands that you have to consider but everywhere else too, or future endeavours. It's not all that unlikely that the Horizon will head into more unknown (and thus more dangerous) territory. It's the SCC's flagship and kind of the only hope of the galaxy in finding more sources of phoron, so to me it's always been fitting that it gets a weapon to match the importance of its mission. You could say that the Longbow and Grauwolf are enough, but that's not something I really agree with - mostly because I think we lack in the "cool things" factor. More on that later. It wasn't really made with the normal gameplay loop in mind is the thing. Back when I workshopped ship combat, there was an existential OOC problem that the Horizon might actually lose with the armaments it has: since the Horizon is so big, third party enemies naturally need really powerful guns, and with a good enough crew it's possible to totally cripple the Horizon if you know what you're doing. If it loses during an event like that, then that's a gigantic pain in the ass to deal with for lore writers. You'd have to retcon all of it, or adminbus in round and catch the consequences for it. That's why the Leviathan was added, it's a safeguard against the Horizon straight up losing. Does that mean that it stomps on conflict? I don't think so. When we had the Orchard Moon event where the SFA crew fought the Horizon, I was one of them and we didn't get shitstomped. That's because the Leviathan is pretty hard to aim, but eventually you'll get it right. And the Horizon did get it right, they managed to hit us after an hour and a half of ship combat, and that was it for us. Like you said, it's the same principle you apply to antags. If there's someone turning their arm into a sword, you logically would shoot them in the head instantly, but we intentionally tell people to give leeway for the good of the round. We do the same with the Leviathan in normal rotation and in events, but I don't see why that's a problem. Maybe. But I don't agree with removing things on a "what-if" basis. I don't like it when speculation is used as justification to remove things that have worked so far. For all the complaints I read about the Leviathan being an instant win weapon, the few times it's been put to the test it never was. It was never used to instantly end conflict (bar maybe a few of the first ship combat rounds where Captains got overeager and staff didn't notice), in events it didn't remove any of the stakes, and it definitely didn't make conflict worthless or whatever. To bring back what I said earlier, my main issue with this is that the Horizon has a severe lack of cool-ness. A lot of it is really standard. We're supposed to be a flagship but the moment something outside of the norm gets added, something that's actually powerful and makes the Horizon feel like the beast it is, it's instantly questioned for being "too powerful" or "out of place" or "we're a civilian ship". The Leviathan's one of those few unique things that are unique to the Horizon, so I think that removing it would be a giant mistake for the atmosphere. I'm probably biased, that's true, but I think anyone would be in my position.

Ok

No, I banned you because of your obscene Discord profile.

Accepted.

The Colettish Documentaries: Episode 1 Epilogue Part 1, Article 9 of the Amor Patriae arc The camera opens up to the same makeshift studio as last time - except now with a wooden desk and two wooden chairs, one on each side: an impromptu interviewing room of sorts. Céline is sat on one chair, with the holoscreen behind her, and a Colettish man - no older than his early twenties - is sat on the other. He is wearing a Civil Guard BMT and a plate carrier, although with no weapons or ammunition on him. Céline turns to the camera and introduces her show while the guest fiddles with his hands for a bit. “Welcome, dear viewers, to the first installment of the Colettish Documentaries! Or the C-Ds, if you’d like - very retro of an acronym, that! In this series, we will interview various people who represent the struggle of San Colette against the Front: those who have fought at the frontline and those who have supported the fight from the back alike.” Turning to her guests, she then asks, “Now, why don’t you tell us a little about yourself?” Perking up as if he was told that he just won a million credits, the soldier smiles and begins a heartfelt introduction, although with a little awkwardness in his voice. “I’m Alejandro [last name beeped out for privacy reasons], ma’am. Twenty one years old. I wasn’t actually in the Civil Guard - or, well, I didn’t want to be– uh, no, that’s not the right way to put it… it’s more like it’s not where I wanted to end up.” “You had other plans for your life, then,” Céline says, although it looks like she’s trying to correct him more than anything. “Uhm, yes,” Lopez is caught a little off guard, but then continues, “I wanted to be a doctor. I was in my third year of university when they attacked, and I studied right here in Nueva Isabela, at [location bleeped out], so - pretty close to the city centre.” “Did you sign up for the Guard, or were you drafted?” “Since I was in university, I didn’t get drafted, no,” Lopez continues, “But it was the talk of the month there. Everyone was a little scared deep inside, I think, even if Coletters are known for their bravado in the Inner Ring,” he lets out a short chuckle before continuing, “I wasn’t the only one to enlist, but I was in the minority among the people I knew. Nobody called me crazy, though - they just told me to come back in one piece. My girlfriend was the only one who tried to stop me, but…” “But?” Céline tries to incite a response. “...It felt like I had to be there. Like I’d hate myself if I didn’t sign up. Like I wouldn’t have been able to live with myself. Everyone knew this was going to happen eventually, so we all had time to come to terms with it, but when you do that, you end up with a lot of pent up anger that you don’t know how to manage. Because carrying on living while knowing that one day your home will be invaded and you might die isn’t easy. A lot of us coped with it by trying to help, however we could. Both for our loved ones, and for ourselves.” “That’s a heavy topic,” Céline says, the sparkle in her eyes signaling that she’d caught onto something quite interesting to her. “What was the lead-up to the invasion like? How did everyone feel? Was it scary?” “Scary? Well… when we were cut off from the Alliance, it was scary. Back then, people didn’t even know if we’d have been able to import food from the Gate. We were mainly worried about our jobs and university, though, since it was mostly news anchors and politicians talking about how the economy was, well, screwed – uh, is that going to be censored?” Céline shakes her head. “Okay, good. I know a few Lunans and some Venusians here on a student exchange program. They essentially got stuck when the Alliance collapsed and it was miserable for them. They couldn’t even contact their parents for a while, and for them it must’ve been even worse - being unable to hear about your children when your nation’s falling apart,” he pauses, as if to let that hang in the air for a while, “They continued their studies while they could, but it was obvious they weren’t fully there. Like half of their mind was concentrated on accepting the fact that they couldn’t leave.” “But, at this point, it was only like losing the train home and being unable to get it back. We didn’t know that the Front and League would form yet. Once we did know, though, everyone’s hearts collectively sunk. I remember people being visibly depressed for a bit. The streets were empty, the stores got practically ransacked by people trying to stock up for an invasion - but, after a month or two, it was back to normality. We Coletters rationalised it by that point, and we did it by accepting that we wouldn’t let our home fall.” “That sounds like a terrible few years!” Céline exclaims, clearly sounding genuinely concerned. “What was the general opinion on the Alliance at that point?” Alejandro chuckles, then simply replies, “Factually, mixed. In reality, everyone clung on to the hope that the Alliance would come back. Considering the situation, it was a delusion… but delusions come true sometimes, ey? That said, there isn’t a single Coletter who isn’t glad to be back. We also survived because of you all.” “Don’t thank me, thank our armed forces,” Céline says with a laugh of her own. Sorting the papers in her hands for effect, she looks to the camera and says, “That’ll be all for this interview. Stay tuned for our next special guests. Goodbye, dear viewers!” Alejandro smiles does a two-fingered salute to the camera as well, and then the feed cuts off.

Solarian Navy Continues Advance into Northern Reaches as Solarian Restoration Front Collapses Epilogue Part 1, Article 9 of the Amor Patriae arc The camera opens onto a view of the XNS war room, staffed by Delphine Deschamps and Ajit Gopal. Between them is their map of the Northern Reaches which shows the Solarian Navy’s advance into the sector. The Navy has made significant gains over the past few days following the collapse of Lycoris and has taken back New Peoria, the last of the major Pact worlds occupied by the Front, and the main offensive push has made contact with the 1st Battlegroup in Nueva Patria. The Navy has surged towards the Coalition border and is nearing New Atlantica, the former stronghold of the Anti-Corporate League. Deschamps is the first to speak. “Over the weekend the Solarian Navy has made significant gains against the Solarian Restoration Front and has effectively destroyed the majority of the Front’s strength in two decisive engagements at Nueva Patria and in Lycoris. Only scattered rearguard forces of the Front which it left behind to finish off the League are estimated to be capable of mounting serious resistance, and information about these forces has been rare and difficult to verify. Some appear to be willing to fight to the lady vessel, while others are surrendering to the Navy without a fight.” “Right, right,” Gopal taps at his PDA. “We have this photograph from the 1st Battlegroup’s meeting with the Alliance’s main offensive. It should be on our screen now.” The screen between the two analysts switches to a photograph of two Solarian Navy admirals, both clearly Lunan by their tall heights and pallid complexions. One is clearly Fleet Admiral Ingrid von Varnhagen und Langenburg of the 1st Battlegroup and the second is an equally tall man in an identical uniform, and is unlabeled. An individual familiar with the Solarian Navy may recognize this as Fleet Admiral Gerhard von Erlanger, commander of the 2nd Battlegroup. The two Fleet Admirals are shaking hands in what appears to be the bridge of a naval vessel and are surrounded by a small group of Navy officers and adjutants, almost all with the same pallid complexions and tall, thin builds typical of Luna’s upper classes. Everyone in the photo appears to be quite happy, and the copyright watermark of the Sol Alliance News Network is faintly visible in the corner. “This photo was taken by Céline Eylenbosch of the Sol Alliance News Network and shows the meeting of Fleet Admirals von,” Gopal pauses for a moment and looks down at his PDA, seemingly a bit surprised by the lengthy surnames he has been confronted with. “Varnhagen und Langenburg and von Erlanger.” “Very Lunan, aren’t they?” Deschamps interjects. “Very Lunan, Delphine. This shows the two fleet admirals meeting on the bridge of the Gunnhildr near Nueva Patria in celebration of the First Battlegroup and main Navy force meeting. This is from yesterday and they’ve only pushed further into the sector since.” “How long will it be until they reach the border?” “Less than a week, potentially. This will be the first time the Alliance has shared a border with the Coalition since 2462! It has caused some concern in the wider Coalition and we have seen the Konyang Armed Forces raise their readiness level, but we haven’t been able to speak to one of their representatives yet.” “What about Gadpathur?” “Nothing yet,” Gopal replies. “They’ve stationed combat forces near Konyang like all other Coalition member-states aside from Assunzione, which has only sent humanitarian vessels due to its longstanding policy of non-violence.” “Hopefully we can speak to somebody from the K-A-F soon,” Deschamps replies. “Hopefully! For now, however, we’ll be back soon!” The broadcast fades out as the two analysts wave at the camera. The ad, somewhat alarmingly, is for a Xanu-produced emergency generator.

BREAKING NEWS: LYCORIS FALLS, NAVY REPORTS “SOLARIAN RESTORATION FRONT” NEARLY DEFEATED Epilogue Part 1, Article 8 of the Amor Patriae arc The camera opens onto a Solarian woman sitting behind a desk. She is taller and appears to be in her early middle age judging by the presence of gray hairs near her ears. The pallid complexion of her skin indicates she is almost certainly Lunan and longtime viewers of the SANN will recognize her as Elisabeth von Nostitz — a veteran journalist with the SANN and daughter of a prominent Lunan family with deep connections to the Solarian Navy. She is, according to some rumors, the second (or third) cousin of the First Battlegroup’s Fleet Admiral: Ingrid von Varnhagen und Langenburg. “Good evening,” von Nostitz begins. “We interrupt your regularly scheduled programming to bring you an important update from the Northern Wildlands: as of today, the government of Lycoris has officially surrendered to representatives of the Solarian Armed Forces and has been placed under the control of a provisional military governor who will rule it for the foreseeable future. From Lycoris the Solarian Army has sent us the following video.” “As you can see,” von Nostitz points to the map behind her, “Navy forces are currently routing the Front across the Northern Reaches. The fall of Lycoris is both a major defeat for the Front and a significant success for our armed forces. Notably Thomas Wilks, the last governor of Lycoris prior to the Collapse, has been captured by the Army while attempting to disguise himself as a civilian. Other Front officials have been similarly captured by the Army and Navy. Minister Courtois has announced Wilks and other individuals will be held by the Department of Justice until tribunals can be held for their actions." von Nostitz clicks her desk again and the screen behind her switches to a middle-aged man in a factory worker’s jumpsuit with his hands cuffed behind his back. Two individuals — one a Solarian Interstellar Security Agency agent complete with suit, badge, and bulletproof vest; the other a soldier of the 37th Martian — are holding onto either arm. The SISA agent, a serious-looking man, is holding a card in front of the man which labels him as WILKS, THOMAS. The soldier is looking at the camera with a massive grin on her face. “That concludes this special broadcast of the Sol Alliance News Network. Have a good night.”