VVipEdout

RnD as-is is intensely boring if a scientist is available, and crippling for the rest of the station otherwise. There is no roleplay value, no fun, no benefit to literally anyone to keep it in its current state. Warehouse items solve no issues as no realistic CTs would have the slightest idea of what items would improve research levels, not to mention the time spent in sorting through them, bringing them back to RnD and scanning them takes in fact more than the existent lists. No scientist wants to spend every round doing something mind-numbing before their actual job, no CT wants to suspend their plans to sort through items whose function they have no idea of. Even further, it would open up more time to use the more fun inter-department features of science, such as advanced circuits or KAs, not to mention helpful tools like the IMS or nanopaste; being literally unable to patch IPCs or synthetic limbs because there is no roboticist and the scientists didn't bother to go through the time barrier for level/are new serves nobody. Tedium is not difficulty, there's no challenge to RnD other than being willing to spend around 10 minutes of one's life clicking the same options over and over again.

It would make the consular less unusual-looking, and thus would be boring. One of the first things people notice even without the slightest idea about Vaurca lore is 'that is a massive bug', which serves as a pretty simple foot in the door to get people involved in some way.

The fact that one of the main points in the discussion is 'it's a big non-humanoid bug with wings' is tempting to see as a lack of creativity or as a tendency to see one's own likely reaction as what a character in 2461 would think, but it would better be said that the Vaurca consular being alien and unusual is a bonus. It showcases the fact there's facets of lore unfamiliar and even distant from what one would expect from a typical sci-fi setting, or that there are potential stories and character concepts beyond Sol so and Adhomai such. The presence of a representative practically designed from birth for diplomatic tasks, with near-unfaltering loyalty from their own brood, opens avenues for the typical character to take an interest in one of the more alien species in the setting; it would be far less interesting to attempt to sit down and try to elucidate the smallest part about Vaurca culture when your only regular coworker of said species barely grasps social cues, or is infinitely more dedicated to their own work than to socialisation. The Zo'ra consular, as any other consular should be, is an RP role that exists solely to create interaction and use the lore of their faction in creative ways. To remove or rework it would be to, essentially, determine the species' lore excessively alien and then say said strangeness has no place ingame beyond an event once every blue moon.

Continuing from a conversation about the suggestion on the discord server, I've been asked to post my issues with the current implant here. The main problem with the loyalty is that nowhere in lore is it defined just how it works, let alone when and why it was developed, its legal status, potential risks or even the most vague technical details. What even are the psychological effects beyond 'NT good'? Does it suppress inconvenient thoughts? Is there a dopamine release upon following NT-favourable actions? Is it Nlom-dependent, does it affect psychics differently, would it even work on Vaurca or Vox? The only two things implanted players have to run on is that the implant somehow creates unwavering loyalty to NT, and that it actually doesn't if you're under strong emotion. The latter point is possibly the worst part. A loyalty implant will deflect unimaginable pain from an otherworldly entity, mental invasion from all but the most powerful of vampires, but is useless if the captain's boyfriend happens to have a laser pistol shoved in their mouth by a pirate crew. Conversely, a mass-producible implant can resist mental influence infinitely better than a Vaurca's hive loyalty ingrained in their very biology can. It isn't even permanently on! It doesn't nullify personality or affect one's interpersonal relationships in any way! The mindshield gets at least a single paragraph of lore from the start, which is far more than the LI has ever had. I fail to see how the LI is anything but one of the many, many useless holdovers from other servers still present in code only because nobody cared enough/was allowed to remove them yet.

BYOND Key: Somethingiguess Character Names: Moira O’Malley, Nicola Penna, Zalqash Qu’ux, Alexandra Nikiforova, Khrazkv Han’San, Oumou Sissoko, Qu Ulu’Nunuz, EOF-EOL, IRU-Emir Species you are applying to play: Vaurca What color do you plan on making your first alien character: Mint-ish Green (0, 80, 60) Have you read our lore section's page on this species?: Yes, including the History/Society/Religion/Broods/Hive Fundamentals/Biology sections. 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: When I had first started playing on the server, I had expected to apply for a Vaurca whitelist before any others for a reason I still hold today; they are easily the most alien playable race out there, but on understanding the internal logic of Vaurcese society, biology and themes, it all comes to feel consistent and even intuitive. The parallels to ants, beyond their appearance, are present from their development cycle to their loads of specialised bodyforms for specific tasks to a firmly caste-based, yet completely logical to a Vaurca, social organisation. The concept of a servant class perfectly obedient from birth or endless deaths in virtual reality solely for learning can and almost always does come across as horrifying for a character of another species, while for a Vaurca it is no more and no less than an efficient groundwork for a culture. Identify what makes role-playing this species different than role-playing a Human: Starting from the most obvious differences, Vaurca biology requires augmentations to a degree that would give a dreg pause; communicating with other species beyond the most basic degree demands that nearly every Vaurca has a voice modulator ranging from worn-out models requiring a sincere effort to understand at times (Ckoizz izz vhine, zzir!) to crystal-clear tones fitting for a singer; and even if their modulator was of the highest quality, the degree to which they understand other species’ social cues varies wildly. Some broods like Athvur’s or High C’thur’s generally make more of a conscious effort to ‘fit in’, which lends to its own problems, such as the image of a 7’5 insectoid wearing a hyperrealistic expression mask to attempt and convey emotion. Beyond the social aspects of Vaurcese adaptation, there’s more strictly practical differences. Vaurcae, having a phoron and sulphur based biochemistry, require a constant intake of the former usually in the form of k’ois based foods. Albeit consumption of unfiltered k’ois is perfectly safe for them, the slightest inhalation of its spores to any other species will result in a quickly deadly case of mycosis, which will then later spread to the surroundings and cause an outbreak just because the scientist decided not to wear internals. In fact, wild k’ois is so deadly to other species that it has been weaponised by the Lii’dra, with their own variant possessing a light-draining property and creating a mycosis in the brain instead of the lungs which will quickly turn the subject into a Viax-like state should they survive. Conversely, cardox is intensely deadly and painful to take; sane Vaurcae will refuse to even hold a closed container of the substance, let alone enter contact with it. Nitrogen is also a dangerous agent for them, for which they require a filtration bit. In theory this also means one requires a nitrogen free room for surgery on a Vaurcese lifeform but nobody’s coded that yet, ree. Attending to all these differences on a human station, even without mentioning the biologically ingrained loyalty to their queen or the problems they have subjecting themselves to a corporate form of work rather than working for their designated task in a hivecell, produces a contrast far greater to any other playable race save for arguably Dionaea. Character Name: Ka’Akaix’Vek K’lax Please provide a short backstory for this character Vek, ever since the moment their socket was implanted, has found themselves constantly scouring lengths upon lengths of archaeological digs both in Aether and the Tret deserts. The length of a pick, the makeup of ancient layers of rock, the rare and coveted trace of a Vox design; not a second of time was not devoted to unearthing any sign of old Sedantis or even further back. If the other broods lacked interest or knowledge of dearest Queen Leto'yahkt'zor, it was their own mistake; adaptation was more than synthesising an Unathi voice or building shuttleports, it was finding what had already worked in the past and was lost in the long travel of the Kloxa’xia. Sadly, the demands of a new and lacking world meant somehow collecting credits for the hive, and at least NanoTrasen would have a passing interest in archaeology over the Hegemony. Vek found themselves sent away from Uuoea-Esa and most of his hivecell, positioned as a lab assistant and xenoarchaeologist-hopeful aboard the NSS Aurora. Since the aliens would force them to prove what he already was, they would surely find a way to prove their brood’s unmatched skill and wisdom by finding the signs of Voxian mastery in a ripe system. Perhaps, they would be right beneath their claws. What do you like about this character? Mainly I wanted to play what I considered to be an underused brood; most of my experiences with Vaurca characters have been with Zoleth’s, Athvur’s, Mouv’s or Xetl’s brood. K’lax as a whole is a hive I see little of (I’m reasonably sure all but one of which I’ve seen are played by bygone), and the idea of a searcher of the past having to adapt themselves not once but twice to a new environment, falling first under the Hegemony and later to Tau Ceti, feels to me as a rich avenue for RP together with how they will go across receiving a waiver to move beyond an apprentice role. How would you rate your role-playing ability? There’s nothing to add since the last time I’ve answered this question; average, with certain weak points and certain narratives I try to include people in. With every whitelist this question feels like more of a formality than anything else. Notes: Add two more toothpaste tubes to the surface bathroom, 40 units of toothpaste are hard to ration across every bug on the station.

Had me demoted when I cuffed a criminal's corpse and kept their revolver to better uphold the law. Does not understand the purpose of the ISD department, which is to acquire valids, or the difference between civvies and experienced security personnel. Discriminated against me as I expressed my lawful opinions on xenos over the Common channel by charging me with 'misuse of comms' and telling me to apologise, completely ignoring my tragic backstory from the Space War as a Spec Ops Sol Marine. -1, unrealistic validhunter. Likely a Vaurca lover.

IIRC, you can also attach a grenade to a pike and have it detonate when it connects after a toss, though I've never gotten it to work.

BYOND Key: Somethingiguess Character Names: Moira O’Malley, Nicola Penna, Zalqash Qu’ux, Alexandra Nikiforova, Khrazkv Han’San, Oumou Sissoko, Qu Ulu’Nunuz Species you are applying to play: IPC What color do you plan on making your first alien character: Non-applicable Have you read our lore section's page on this species?: Yes, including relevant factions such as the SIM or Purpose. 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: Mainly, to take a more involved position in the current synthlore arc. While the current lore events are impactful enough that nearly every character has a stake in them, it is infinitely more difficult to regard them as opt-in while playing an IPC. Furthermore, I feel playing a species discriminated almost as a rule by Skrell and Unathi, not to mention regarded as property by a significant portion of society, would open new avenues for RP. Identify what makes role-playing this species different than role-playing a Human: As an unchanging fact, IPC lack emotions of any sort. Certain units, particularly Shell models, can mimic them effectively and even possess an advanced understanding of emotion in organics, but every action is carefully calculated for them. The closest thing equivalent one could find in synthetics is the absolute drive for self-preservation; while fear is a non-issue for IPC, a synthetic will not risk their own continued existence for the sake of others, nor will they adopt erratic behaviours outside of extremely specific circumstances such as tampering or EMP-caused damage. Character Name: Pandemos Please provide a short backstory for this character Pandemos is a Zeng-Hu Mobility Frame custom made for a rather wealthy Cytherean actor, intended as a fitness and motivation aide. While the appeal of a Venusian Shell’s uncanny beauty made a more human-like model the expected choice, the possibility to easily modify a ZH model with the most spectacular and eye-catching patterns and accessories, together with its lightweight polymer frame and capacity for hours-long sprints resulted in Pandemos’ current form. For a time, Pandemos and their owner enjoyed great popularity both in the ever-present holoscreens and in the lower sections’ neverending parties and demonstrations of excess. Acrobatics, dancing, feats of both incredible speed and coordination; what would take years of practice and dedication for an organic was but a question of programming for the IPC. The Zone being what it is, however, couldn’t have this last. A rather shameful piece of blackmail involving Pandemos’ owner and a certain group from Downstairs came along with a very heavy price. Fearing bankruptcy, the actor soon after arranged to have their synthetic’s ownership contract sold to NanoTrasen at a price proportional to the actor’s urgency. Far from the Venusian glamour and luxuries, Pandemos now works in the NSS Aurora as a fitness instructor and morale support. In other words, an assistant. What do you like about this character? Pandemos is practically an intelligence intended to be a luxury item who now finds themselves in the middle of a work-centred environment. They are able to outcompete most organics in the tasks they were designed for, but said tasks take second priority in a research/mining station. Originally I intended to apply with a more practical IPC model, but realised I’d find the original character boring and lacking in personality soon after. Overall I wanted to apply with a open-ended character to experience every avenue an IPC currently has, and I’m pretty satisfied with how it came out. How would you rate your role-playing ability? I’d like to say I manage to create interesting situations for both new and established characters using characters with different personalities, even if I still feel I should improve upon my antagonist play (particularly on solo antag modes). Overall I consider myself a decent roleplayer, though I’d rather see what criticisms other players can add. Notes: Can’t wait for IPC rework, tbqh.

Hi, chemistry main. Literally not a single person uses tricordrazine when given the choice to have kelotane/bicaridine/atropine/epinephrine/cryocells. In my experience, the only uses for it are when there isn't a chemist to start with, the bar wants to make Doctor's Delight, or you're too far from Medical to get any better chems. Even abusing the sleeper's infinite supply for absurd amounts of tricordrazine mixed inside a patient is subpar compared to specialised medicines. Removing options for pharmacy-less EMTs and MDs to deal with patients doesn't make for a more interesting or enjoyable round for anyone; never mind being unable to stabilise and having to move to cloning, which is even more of a pain if you're missing a chemist and a psychologist.

Hey there, thanks for the feedback. 1. I assumed I was forgetting something originally, since I recalled that section from a past app, yeah. Will update to fit. 2. Right, it's just for the application. 3. Will do! Didn't really know where to fit information about Moghes in with the app as-is, and just not including it in an Unathi app seemed weird. 4. Sssure. I'll do my bessst to keep it in mind.

BYOND Key: Somethingiguess Character Names: Moira O’Malley, Nicola Penna, Zalqash Qu’ux, Alexandra Nikiforova Species you are applying to play: Unathi What color do you plan on making your first alien character (Dionaea & IPCs exempt): A dark shade of green, about 0, 90, 0 Have you read our lore section's page on this species?: Yes, inclding Moghes/Ouere, Dominia and the Aut’akh. 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: Primarily, because of how sharply Unathi can differ from characters of other species culture and religion-wise; where such details might be secondary at best for, say, a human character, they’re constantly present in any way one could play an Unathi. One could put a Solarian and a Frontierwoman on the same room with little trouble, while an Aut’akh and a follower of the Moroz Tribunal could hardly tolerate each other, if not engage in a shouting match or outright come to blows. What makes playing this species different? Mainly, the fact most (if not all) of the recent events in Unathi history are centered around the Contact War, which was a result of a series of terrible decisions upon first contact; where as one could play a young Skrell with a positive opinion of synthetics or a Human who couldn't care less about Sol or even their own country's affairs, every Unathi character has a stake in what has happened/is happening on Moghes, or to the species as a whole. Arguably, it's even of higher importance to them than Adhomai is to Tajara as a whole, given the amount of Tajarans that claim not to care about the civil war. Even then, there's the aspect of a very different and, even in the case of the Aut'akh, unchanging social structure, particularly in the form of clans and a strict honour code, which might be the only thing a Th'akh, Sk'akh, Si'akh, Aut'akh and Mo'Roz Unathi could agree on. Aside from that, there's the more obvious differences. Unathi, unless very close to the person in question, are to be called by their clan name rather than their first name. Albeit it is heavily discouraged by several Unathi religions, they're perfectly capable of eating meat raw (or even from a living animal!) and might even enjoy it more. Ethanol is toxic to them, and so they have to consume butanol-based drinks, though again, Unathi culture by-and-large recommends moderation if not outright abstinence from alcohol or narcotics. The conditions in Moghes lead them to be more resilient, stronger and to prefer heat; harsh, sustained cold can lead them to a coma shortly. Save for (arguably) the Aut'akh and certain individuals, Unathi as a whole tend towards widespread gender norms, moreso if they happen to be from the Hegemony. They also tend to have a dislike for synthetics, since some of them consider IPC and such to be disconnected from Sk'akh and, thus, evil. Character Name: Khrazkv Han’San Please provide a short backstory for this character, approximately 2 paragraphs: Born in Nova Luxembourg, at the heart of Dominia, Khrazkv had the fortune to have his debt to the Emperor (and a heavy-priced geneboosting treatment) instantly paid by Great House of Han’San upon birth. From an early age, no doubt influenced by the militaristic achievements of his house and particularly an admiration for figures like Kasz and Zalze Han’San, he saw himself striving to be the perfect image of what was expected from an upstanding Dominian soldier: dutiful, responsible, gentile, obedient to their superiors, kind to their lessers and fair to their equals. ‘His equals’, as he saw it, were hardly any others than Dominian Unathi such as him; they were clearly superior physically and intellectually, as Dominia would be little more than a colony ripe for the picking if not for them, and Moghes was nothing but a wasteland full of petty squabbles and decaying clans. Deciding, then, that the Goddess could have hardly designed anything finer than a proper noble Sinta (and a genetically perfect one at that!), Khrazkv proposed to himself to add even further to this and turned his focus towards what he considered his house’s second most important duty: manufacturing the tools with which the Imperial Army could ensure the will of his Emperor and Country. It was so that Khrazkv found himself attending the Azi School of Military Sciences, dedicating almost all of his time to studying designs for rifles, sabres and ships; the latter came to inspire him to become involved with the Extrastellar Travel Union, yearning for the day where a Dominian Navy could achieve bluespace travel completely independent from NanoTrasen and such foreign corporations. The obvious course was, then, to present his credentials to NT (along with ample help from his house). It would certainly serve him to further his knowledge of weapons manufacturing, and if certain designs for bluespace devices were to find their way to Dominia, it couldn’t hurt. What do you like about this character? Mostly, I’ve been wanting to see more Dominian characters on-station, particularly Unathi ones. The recent surge of contractors and the element of corporate espionage to them made me realise the possibilities of characters motivated to take advantage of NanoTrasen by third parties; it seemed interesting to incorporate a moral or nationalistic element to it instead of a purely economical one. Besides that, the relay made me think it would be fun to experience the Unathi approach to, well, anything that could be discussed firsthand. How would you rate your role-playing ability? A solid 7, if not an 8. I believe I manage to make characters noticeably distinct from each other with their own motivations and developments, and that manage to involve both new and familiar people in different situations. Albeit antagonist play specifically is far from my strong suit, I would call myself a good, if average, role-player. Notes: I'd like to personally thank whoever coded autohiss for making this concept possible.

An easy +1, if only because of how badly a character like Sterben as CMO to turn new medical players into a functional team is needed recently. I've no doubt about Soul being apt for a head of staff position on the mechanical side, and RP-wise I can't think of anything to add to the other comments other than their experience as a good CCIAA.

Biochemist is by far the best update I've seen since I started playing, and it's incredibly more fun and convenient to have the person on virologist duty be able to do something useful in chemistry when they're not needed or viceversa. The only criticism I could make is how inconvenient it is to have isolation all the way in the sublevel and the fact the only easy access to the virus storage either involves climbing on top of a table or deconstructing it. Some parts of virology can be somewhat cramped, too; it's possible to get stuck in storage if you're not clever about moving the crates. Other than that, merging virologist and chemist has been nothing but a good decision.

BYOND Key: Somethingiguess Character Names: Moira O’Malley, Nicola Penna Species you are applying to play: Skrell What color do you plan on making your first alien character (Dionaea & IPCs exempt): White (205, 205, 192) Have you read our lore section's page on this species?: Yes, particularly the history section and Skrell relations with the C’thur hive. 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: Mainly, the first thing that struck me when I had started playing on Aurora and reading the lore was how human the Skrell seemed, despite having the second most striking biological differences next to the Vaurca. Then, when I started playing an established character, I had the opportunity to meet several players that furthered my impression of how human-like the Skrell could be at a surface level; they didn’t obviously stand out like an IPC or a Tajaran player would, even though they were extraordinarily long-lived telepathic amphibian people with a research-centred culture who had survived a technological singularity. Identify what makes role-playing this species different than role-playing a Human: Skrell, almost as a rule, live longer than any other species could hope for. This adds even further to their particular way of forming relationships, which puts romantic partnership, friendship and attachment to one’s colleagues very closely. Other than that, I feel the particular ‘pull’ for a Skrell character on the Aurora would be the fact that it is a research station with ample opportunities to participate in studying the most recent discoveries, and that the constant presence of synthetics would present a chance for good RP involving members of a Glorsh-scarred species coming in contact with IPCs, AIs and stationbounds. Character Name: Zalqash Qu’ux Please provide a short backstory for this character, approximately 2 paragraphs: Qu’ux was born in Aliose in 2389, soon after a new Federation had managed to contact the majority of the colonies. His parents, both of them researchers who had spent most of their lives attempting to replace the various AI-controlled technologies made unusable after the Third Incident, raised him together with fellow researchers and a few veterans from the genocide. Most of them found themselves tasked with assisting the efforts to reincorporate the until-now isolated colonies, and Qu’ux found himself developing an interest in space travel. In 2410 this led him, along with other factors largely including the Federation’s propaganda efforts, to join the Federation Navy. Three years later, during his stay in the FSS Jrugl, the discovery of humanity and their quick integration into Skrell diplomatic relations and academia had come along with two important events in his life: one, news was spreading that Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals was opening positions for medical experts and researchers, an area of study that quickly found itself booming thanks to advances in cloning technology. Two, old AI code had somehow leaked into human space. The naval recruit and several of his peers found themselves shocked and angered; it had cost them so much to rebuild after the disaster that had been Glorsh and now the humans were happily rushing towards the same direction. Albeit relations seemed to improve slowly after this discovery, Qu’ux and several others felt that humanity was in no condition to decide by themselves what to do with technology they had done nothing to discover and that had almost brought their own species to extinction. Deciding that convincing the humans of the dangers of synthetic consciousness was of utmost importance, Qu’ux went on to study at the Aliose University of Medical Sciences, considering that both any new discoveries in the field to help the Skrell were essential and that Zeng-Hu could easily get him into human space if he were to show enough aptitude. By 2448 he found himself having published several theses on virology, infectology, human anatomy and possible applications of biochemistry for military use. Though he was by no means the most distinguished student that the AUMS had produced, he felt to have contributed his part to the Federation. He soon after left for Tau Ceti, accepting a Zeng-Hu offer to participate in the research of prosthetics; reluctantly, he requested to leave the Federation Navy so as to continue his medical studies. Feeling pride for the finished model his team had produced months after, Qu’ux requested to have both of his arms replaced with the new prosthetics; a special modification was made to imitate the webbing that characterises his species’ hands. Not long after he received an offer to work at the Aurora, officially under the position of Biochemist which he gladly accepted. What do you like about this character? My main inspiration for Qu’ux was a pair of sentences in the entry for Aliose at the lore page for notable Skrell locations, describing how it was both a source for medical researchers and Skrell patriots and aspirant soldiers. I wondered, what does a Skrell patriot look like? What would lead them to love the Federation in particular? Could one manage to make a sympathetic character out of a researcher vastly older than most of the crew, who considers humanity like an unwary child and feels a strong distrust towards synthetics? Overall, what I expect to do with this character is to see whether he integrates with the crew and manages to see both humans and synthetics as equals deserving of respect. Of course, I also consider this an opportunity to get into the mindset required to play an alien species. How would you rate your role-playing ability? I’d give it a solid 7 or a reluctant 8; while there are things I would love to improve, like the fact I interact less outside my department than other players, I consider that my characters have managed to approach others’ stories in a way that left both parties somewhat more developed. Then again, I’d appreciate any criticisms on this. Notes: I can’t wait until someone tells Qu’ux that there is a drink called The Third Incident.

Out of the current non-command players, I can't think of a better candidate for HoP than Thea's player. I feel that, given her new command position, she'd be more than able to solve conflicts to arise between departments or individuals of any sort. Definite +1, seeing the opportunities for RP she's already created as a psychiatrist.

+1. The times I've interacted with Reeves, he's demonstrated to both be capable to deal with risks to the crew in any situation and to provide interesting RP for everyone involved. While most of my interactions with security have either been getting brigged or dealing with an antag I can say that if I had to point at anyone to disprove the stereotype of validhunting sec, Reeves would be one of my first choices.