Peppermint

Lots of positive interactions, albeit mostly surface level. I'm likewise very surprised you're only eighteen (in a good way) and would love to see a trial. +1

I don't really understand this post. It's very combat focused and seems to be all about which race 'wins' a fight, despite the fact this is a HRP server and balance isn't really a thing. At least outside of the ridiculous cases (tree people). Likewise a lot of the information is plain wrong. Besides, the main mechanical draw of humans is that there's no 'I win' button, given their lack of clear weaknesses, like there is to every other species.

-1. The very first round I saw with you back around was as your sec character, Odin, in a full sec cult. On deadhour. With lowpop. During this you: - Crushered large parts of the armory despite already having a majority of security. - Raided the accounts and bought tac armor + a bullup. - Spam created nanopaste despite the fact there were zero credible threats. - Ran around with the rest of cult, stealth converting people via gunpoint. - After summoning, spent the round breaking into the back of the nuke centre to kill the two survivors whom you had previously force walled inside. I feel like your attitude toward 'winning' is poor, and that ahelp you linked showcases that. Whilst none of the above is perhaps entirely against the rules, it, to my mind, shows a poor attitude toward the game at large - especially when this kind of thing is round after round, to the point where it's something of a meme. Likewise during your previous trial, near every interaction I had with you as a moderator was poor. It always felt like you came into ahelps firmly on one side of the other, were somewhat rude, and generally lacked people's skills.

These arguments go around over and over and we always come back to the following. 1) People agree the AI is broken, but don't know how to fix it. 2) People claim there are good AI players , and then name one, possibly two; one of whom no longer plays here. The number of bad ones vastly outweighs the good. 3) There's likewise the arguments you can play around the AI. Yes, you can. It is not, however, all too enjoyable and borderline powergaming to enter the core/whatever doesn't add anything. 4) 'Just ahelp if there's a problem', despite entirely ignoring that the fact utterly shutting an antag down is, in theory, in line with the laws. 5) 'Whitelist it'. This is actually one of the few points I agree on. It should be behind a command whitelist, given that's the only one that really vets players from an OOC angle (At least, to the greatest degree). The main problem to my mind is that a role is entirely catagorized by what it does best. And the 'best' skill an AI has is to fuck with antags and validhunt. Period. Very, very few add anything of value to the RP side, and removing the poorly played ones would contribute more than the handful of good ones ever could. I also feel like if nobody is actually willing to work on the code associated with the usual solutions: removing tracking, bolt timers, ect - which they've showed time and time again they're not; I mean, how many times have we had this conversation? - removing is simply better. Especially given the most fun element, malf, has been entirely absent since it was removed from rotation for a series of very good reasons. That said, I am biased against AI and do not think it adds anything in a HRP enviroment given people have shown over and over they cannot be trusted. In theory, the role is great. In practice, it sucks.

Yeah, I'm not reading all that. But the characters are good and the RP is strong. +1 EDIT: Oh wait, I was supposed to be asking questions and the like rather than just giving a thumbs-up. 1 ) Why an Idris rep? What about them appeals specifically, and do you have any interest in playing others? 2) What kind of things do you plan on doing to make your rep(s) feel like they're part of that organisation, rather than just anyone? There isn't that much lore on many of the other companies, so how do you plan on showcasing it when a lot of the details are just implied?

Had a solid round with her HoP. The RP and round guidance sides - the most important parts - were stella, though general job knowledge is important still. Things like knowing which code to use, faxing CC, how the command console/ID programs work - the simple stuff that will come with time and practice. Strong plus one.

I actually answered this question above, as part of what DeadLantern was interested in. For a little more background, she doesn't know that much about the hives aside from the c'thur and, by infamy, the Lil'dra. To add on a little bit about the C'thur specifically, the removal of their free avowals has made her somewhat more reserved due to not knowing why. There's likewise academic interest there and especially in how the hivemind works, and how it compares to dionae - as well as whether or not investing so much into a species with such potential for destruction is a synthetic scenario 2.0. (I assume the AI shenanigans aren't common knowledge? I didn't play during the event, so no clue of the Federation has publicised anything that happened with the Vaurca assisting the resistance + the revelation of them being used as cheap soldiers. If It is public knowledge, she'd be considerably more wary and almost betrayed - given, to her mind, the Federation have been charitable towards dem bug people.) Thanks for the super cute comments, by the way ^^.

They also make increasingly less sense with the cloning changes. This would be pretty cool.

I feel like this is the kind of thing that would have to come out IC, rather than being explained OOC. I do have ideas, but it's certainly going to be a balancing act in not neglecting IC jobs to a degree that it affects other people negative;y - which is partly why I went for xenobio, given it's not exactly the most in-demand role. A lot of it will mostly be via interactions with other skrell however, and how she relates to others in a professional work environment, especially with the competitive elements. So, overall, it'd be a challenge, but likely a fun one ^^.

I was in this round and pretty much every facet of the AI play was another rendition of 'why AI should be removed'. Things like instantly outing a traitor who broke into the Captain's office, bolting doors, bolting people into an elevater, bolting open doors to allow security into places they'd a) not asked for access to and b) didn't have a warrant to go into, ect (All of which was before the 20min mark lol) . It was all around garbage AI play. Having this culminate into what could have been an enjoyable and interesting scenario - which it was given the theories people were coming up with - only to be dashed by the end lot of metagaming was super lame.

ERRRRR. I may (I totally) changed her name once I finished the app and forgot to check the history sections for the old last name, instead of just her first. Oh well. Synthetic Opinions: Growing up entirely away from IPCs, AIs, ect, there was no reason for her to question the ultimate evil of synthetics one jot. Especially not given the rampant destruction evident throughout her homeland, the sheer devastation left behind, and the genophage her parental group made sure to impart given their own lack of success. There was no way she could ignore the Federation's teachings on synthetic 'life' after all they had done, but this gradually lessened from hatred to suspicion in Tau Ceti. Still young and possessing the standard mindset of being very slow to react to change, Jiljoo this, mostly, carried through to her current stage in life. Whilst exposure has lessened her distaste and she isn't stupid enough to deny the uses synthetics have, the small amounts of good faith she's built up has been undone given the recent untagging laws - once again highlighting human shortsightedness in an almost cute, if depressing, way. Listener/Receiver: So, there are some general contradictions in the wiki about all this, which I've spoken to Paradox about and apparently sections need revisions. At the current state the lore is in, she would believe she's a receiver if only because she's never felt contrary to that. It's less black/white and more shades of grey, and the echo chamber effect means she'd be unlikely to assume otherwise unless she strongly identified as a listener. As such, this was never an issue back in the federation, but has highlighted her relative loneliness given she's been away from home for so long. This has made her crave Skrellian company even more, hence her interest in her faith as a good excuse to spend more time amongst her own kind. Other Races: Most of Jiljoo's easy interest in humans comes from the strong diplomatic relations they've built up, as well as increased exposure. Whilst she finds the unathi way of life rather barbaric (or, at least her view and understanding of such, limited though it is), she can appreciate the relative outward simplicity. As such, there's plenty of curiosity, even if she remains wary and she has had limited experience on a personal basis. The same extends to Tajara given the radically different political systems, but she's more open to changing her mindset here given the number of refugees and immigrants moving to Biesel. There's also been little ability to communicate here given her schools of study are hardly known for attracting Tajaran's (I don't think I've ever seen a kitty xenobiologist) but the relative similarities in mindset between them and humans has prevented any kind of animosity. Dionae are seen as extremely compelling and interesting given the growing niche they've been filling in Skrell society - that of labour and study - and she's worked alongside a handful, enjoying their connection with the world around them whilst being able to avoid the pitfalls of mismatched lifespans and friendships. Vaurca are more questionable considering the Lil'dra hives, but the pushes to intergrate them in ways similar to the dionae have been appreciated - not that Jiljoo is either overly fond of them, nor sees them as 'individuals', as well as somewhat creepy.

BYOND Key: Peppermint96 Character Names: Current. Nina Thompson - Surgeon Genevieve Francois - Security Officer Barely used. Liberty - Security Officer Eden Moore - Security Officer (I have a problem with making sec characters, okay!?) Mei-Ling Mori - Lab Assistant Maya Kari - Miner Being Revised / Dead / Unused Bethany Harper - HoS - Dead lol Hope - Security Officer - Under revision Felicity Larson - CMO - Unused Elizabeth Harrington - CMO - Unused Species you are applying to play: Skrell What color do you plan on making your first alien character: Probably dark blue? Depends what the character editor is like, honestly, and how ridiculous some of the shadings look. 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: I had exactly zero interest in playing skrell until relatively recently tbh, where upon friends have sung their praises and the lore is pretty solid and finally getting better. That and I’ve been here a while and should probably actually apply for some more races, with skrell being the most challenging to do ‘right’ outside of maayybbee bugs. Identify what makes role-playing this species different than role-playing a human: I feel like this is a question with the actual answer being ridiculously long, so I’ll condense it into the general elements: - Skrell are extremely emotionally bent, but given that this materializes via psionics and kept to their own species - coupled with stilted/relatively lacking - facial expressions, there’s a certain aloofness and separation automatically in place, forming a barrier when it comes to interacting with other species from the get-go. - Which brings us onto psionics and the fact that they’re the only (well known) sentient race that possesses them, and how this in turn forms the Psionic wake and splits the race into listeners/recieves, as well as the discrimination the former recieve. This likewise contributes to the authoritarian nature of the Jargon Federation, and how, alongside long lives, change is slow and new ideas are slow by human standards. - Skrell have much longer lives than most other organic species, which immediately puts pressure on relationships of any kind with most others. There’s the question of whether or not it’s worth spending time with people who will be dead and gone barely a dent into their lifespan, giving a certain distance and melancholy nature depending on the skrell’s mindset. This also shifts their world view to the more long-term consequences over short-term reactions mindset of most others.(At least, I’d assume so? It’s not on the wiki, but seems to make sense). - Whilst there’s a lot of overlap with human mindsets on certain topics, a lot of them are taken to more extremes for skrell. The most obvious is the media and how it's used to control the populace, as well as the emphasis put on Idols. Likewise the issue of judgement toward the more labour intensive jobs, despite the increased need - though this is gradually being lessened via putting the emphasis on other species, even if the prejudices are likely to remain, if not get worse. - A ton of other stuff. I mean, there is a lot. Character Specifics Character Name: Jiljoo Xiann Character Job : Xenobiologist Background: Early Childhood: Jiljoo Xiann was hatched in 2416 on Qerrbalak. A minor miracle to her mother and father due to previously poor results given a lack of success with fertility treatment, she was immediately smothered in all the adoration and love any child could wish for. Every step of her early years were guided by dotting, loving parental figures eager to nurture their child along the right path to being a model Skrell citizen with a keen work ethic and aptitude to back it up, no matter the child’s own abilities and thoughts. Struggling through the initial few years of kindergarten given the parental pressures of a mother and father than had never expected to be so lucky, Jiljoo quickly found herself sinking. Unfortunately not the brightest compared to many of her colleagues, her work ethic likewise began to stall; crushed by inability and general hopelessness, by the time she finished her secondary classes, Jiljoo’s parents were at a loss. Having done everything they could to shove their child toward the medical sciences, they’d even given up on that previous dream and allowed Jiljoo to go for the more traditional route - biology, primarily. Further Education: Further Education: Attending her first university course in life sciences with a slant toward xenobiology, by this point Jiljoo had been flailing along with her classmates in near constant humiliation. Constantly bombarded via the media and her family group over how much *better* she should be doing, the more pressure there was, the worse it became. Floundered with a growing lack of drive, it took Jiljoo twelve years to finish her first full college program. At this point with growing relations between skrell and humans and the need to escape her disapproving, disappointed family, Jiljoo had an idea. With human schooling so much easier and with the Federation keen to strengthen ties, after rounds of pleading, begging, and not a little frustration, Jiljoo was granted permission to continue her study in human space. Tau Ceti: To Jiljoo, Tau Ceti and the republic of Biesel were almost perfect. Away from the stifling echo chamber of her family unit’s displeasure and surrounded by those impressed, rather than ashamed of her work ethic, Jiljoo quickly reinforced herself as one of the star pupils on her next few courses. Lacking as she may have been for a skrell, to human space her abilities were considerably greater than average; as was her drive to study. She was, at heart, still Skrell, and the lessons imparted by the federation had left her overqualified for the human university systems. Taking full advantage of this to finish up the rest of her schooling in short order - helped along by the docility of slimes and the high demand for her help within human labs due to the added safety - even the wealth of distractions on offer did little to dent her supposed achievements. Between alcohol, drugs, and the near fetishizating facinsation humans seemed to have with her species, Jiljoo’s life was full of excitement and flare she’d never had been able to get back home. Missing her family dearly and struggling with loneliness, thankfully the immigration of multiple other skrell helped keep her relatively sane, as did the comfort in habit gifted to her via Qeblak, even though the lack of domes made ‘worship’ difficult. NSS Aurora: Having graduated with multiple doctorates and a strong understanding of human culture after an easy integration into Biesel space, Jiljoo found little difficulty finding a post as a xenobiologist. Shipped off to the Aurora for her first proper job away from work experience and lab assistance, Jiljoo is eager and excited to prove herself. Whilst her family remain somewhat disappointed, they still love her at heart and have become gradually more supportive - even if they wish she’d followed a different path. What do you like about this character?: I feel like the long-life trope of relative laziness isn’t something many skrell characters touch upon which, to my mind, is a shame. Given how much academic pressure is put upon the race as a whole, it must be maddening to not be quite up to scratch. That, and she’s rather different from my usual cast + plus should easily avoid falling into race cliques that many non-human species suffer from. How would you rate your role-playing ability?: I don’t really like this question as it’s so subjective. Especially as SS is fairly constraining in many ways, so a ‘good’ character is more limited than other mediums. I feel my characters are very distinct from one another, and feel ‘real’ - they all have their own goals and wants, pluses and drawbacks, though how well they’re enjoyed by other people is not something I’m aware of. Notes: Thank you to Lily and Para for putting up with my skrell questions and general lore-reading frustrations. Y’all great.

I ain't reading that much text, so can't comment on the substance as it were. As from a character/RP ability side, I'm pretty fuckin' gay and would still marry Lupo based off their character/writing ability alone. +1

+1! Obviously!?!? No idea why he doesn't have a command whitelist yet, but def deserves one given interesting and varied characters, plus contributing as a moderator anyway.

I mean, I was pretty against skrell lore. Paradox's lore made me into skrell lore? Idk - I'm not great at these. Imo they turned a fairly garbage species into something considerably more interesting, and I'm actually tempted to apply for it given their interactions + lore chats over discord. Errrr. They're cool? +1

Without being able to recruit key positions like HoS and Captain, rev rounds will die out very quickly as nobody will push things forwards.

Rev has been edging out far more than loyalist recently. The only issue imo is that the vast majority of head revs use the TC they've given to buy themselves a shit ton of gear that never gets used, rather than using it as it was originally meant to as to arm the revs and reduce the balance issues with sec's armoury and shit. Making it clear it's supposed to be used to help everyone would be nice.

Hrm. I loovvee the colours, though not a huge fan of the 'knee pads' on the research ones.

Which uniform is which out of sec/research?

I think they'd be interesting in theory, though I'm curious as to how they'd work in practice.

I feel that judging someone on a single round - tower defence on a trial no less - is a wee bit silly/unkind. Unless it was the WORST round that EVER existed...eh. From my own perspective, I agree that a little more communication is needed with the crew, though what you get with other command staff is enough. . Though then again, the rounds I have seen have involved the nuke, a rather beloved character killing themselves (Sloan), and a merc team that didn't want to talk to anyone and instead just start shooting, all of which were handled well. +1

Kinda agree with the above. The actual mechanical side is really solid and good, but you really need to give antags more leeway. The obvious one that comes to mind is to suggest incinerating a (mostly) peaceful ling very early into the round.

This sounds super cool.

I fucking despise science, but somehow Lily has made it fun and enjoyable. I think they'd be a great fit for RD. xo +1

What was the point of this thread? Like I really don't see the point aside from to stir up trouble. As for balance stuff, antags are built to lose. They're fundamentally designed as such, so of course security is stronger.