SilverSZ

Hi Matt. As a preface. I am someone is quite unsatisfied with the current antag system. Primarily because yes, it ends up with repeating non-canon stuff that gets very wearing, even more-so that whenever I played high pop it seems to almost always be merc or another "high intensity" antag that soaks up lots of attention and time away from other roleplay once they show up. It has gotten to the point of groaning every time the 50 minute - 1 hour merc announcement pops up and I know my time spent roleplaying with characters who will actually be present and matter is gone in place of dealing with a gimmick, which, frankly often leave a lot to be desired. I am also someone who doesn't really play antagonist for the reasons stated as well. I only turn on head loyalist/rev for where I feel it'd be appropriate for the character. Overall, the proposal is very exciting. We need to make a change, and any change is a good place to start in my opinion. I do however want to echo peppermint and focus on my own critiques of what's presented as at it's core I already heavily agree with and support the proposal, so there's not much I can say on that front other than "please please please do this" My main concern is this is inevitably going to be a lot of work, not only to implement originally, but also to keep fresh. Especially the canon interactions part. There's only so many times you can canonically save the same golden deep ship or visit the same temple map, especially with no storyteller involved which I feel will end up being a good chunk of mission rounds due to the demands that role will place on people at times compared to how many rounds we will roll of it. Is there going to be enough interest going forward and enough content put in to keep things fresh? The thing I would hate to see happen is this fall into the cycle of repeating content, so people get tired of it and go to secret, and then it just doesn't get worked on as much as secret becomes the new standard again. Which brings me to another concern, how will the standard be shifted from secret to mission? People are used to secret. It's almost always the voted round type in 90% of cases. Obviously you can make mission the default and people will be interested at the start but I feel like there will be players who want secret still and it has the benefit of being the established "norm" for a roundtype to fire. Once again. It worries me that even with the effort put into it, people might just return to wanting secret instead. In summary, whilst I feel like I would love this new system and almost always prefer it over secret, personally. I'm concerned about it's longevity and continuing to have content added to it, in the same way as things like away sites tend to repeat after a while of going out to them as well as it breaking secrets hold as the dominant, default gamemode. This is all very much a doomer take and once again I want to say that I really support this idea and think it's absolutely the best course forward and I'm incredibly happy that basically all my complaints with the current system are being taken into account with this proposal. A final concern, though this is a personal one and I completely understand if the response is "Well just wait for mission briefing" but this as I said feels like it will be lots of work, and maybe a long ways off. In the meantime there's not going to be any changes to address the fatigue of the antag gameplay loop. I don't even really dislike antags personally. I just dislike their frequency more than anything. I'd probably be fine with the current system if extended just rolled more around high pop times, hence why I always vote for it over secret. Will there be anything to look at the fatigue people feel with antagonists prior to this update? Or is your plan Matt to focus on getting this done as the solution rather than a short-term one like as an example, making extended roll more often in secret or something.

Thank you for the Response! You've done a great job as a deputy, and all of the current Golden Deep stuff is amazing so far. Best of luck in getting the big chair, and if you don't. Keep doing what you're doing as a deputy because it's going great in my eyes.

Thank you for such a detailed response! Exactly what I wanted to see. Us old lore writers certainly do stick around, and in my opinion Synthetic Lore is doing amazingly right now. I'm sure would make a great writer to keep the hot streak at the moment going as well. Best of luck!

Hello, Originally I didn't see much reason to comment on these applications. Both candidates are great choices and I would be happy with either of them getting the role. Additionally, most of what I would consider asking has already been asked and I wouldn't want to be redundant. However, recently I've noticed discussion about the idea of restricting command positions to owned IPC only floated in the general chat, including by people on various staff teams saying they would support such a change. So, as someone who currently mains a free IPC HoS. I'd like to ask what your opinion on a change to restrict command to owned IPC only, be it a lore development or retcon, would be? Do you support or oppose such a change? Would you actively pursue it given the position or actively oppose it or simply not care. Do you think such a change would be a beneficial or negative one to synthetic lore and it's players? Thank you for taking the time to respond when you can and best of luck.

Hello, Originally I didn't see much reason to comment on these applications. Both candidates are great choices and I would be happy with either of them getting the role. Additionally, most of what I would consider asking has already been asked and I wouldn't want to be redundant. However, recently I've noticed discussion about the idea of restricting command positions to owned IPC only floated in the general chat, including by people on various staff teams saying they would support such a change. So, as someone who currently mains a free IPC HoS. I'd like to ask what your opinion on a change to restrict command to owned IPC only, be it a lore development or retcon, would be? Do you support or oppose such a change? Would you actively pursue it given the position or actively oppose it or simply not care. Do you think such a change would be a beneficial or negative one to synthetic lore and it's players? Thank you for taking the time to respond when you can and best of luck.

Let me preface my post with some information I consider important to my opinions on the suggested changes. I voted "yes" on the poll to make XO a 2IC. I don't play XO, but I do play Command often. Primarily Head of Security. When I voted for the change. I didn't really care if species restrictions changed or such, as mentioned, I don't play XO in it's current state as I don't think it's an interesting role and didn't have plans to do so. However, if I was presented at the time of that vote with the option of the now proposed changes, or no changes. I would vote for no changes. As I really think what's proposed is a complete step backwards from what I wanted to see out of this. I wanted the establishment of the XO as a true 2IC. They would have higher authority than the other heads, second only to the captain. If there was no captain present, the XO would by default be the acting captain until a Captain was present. I wanted some extra detail to the command hierarchy, an extra clear line of succession to the captain rather than always having to deal with a vote and I feel the lack of responsibilities XO currently has makes it perfect for this role. As Head of Security in a crisis situation I do not want to be made acting captain. I have enough to deal with, most often, and I think the XO is often the Head in the best position to take it, relatively duty free and positioned close to the bridge most often. So the proposed changes by Arrow are just... everything I really didn't want to see. The XO doesn't gain any authority unless the Captain says so, the XO now cannot become acting captain unless "Absolutely necessary" which is funny to think that in some cases, the species restricted second in command will have no option but to appoint a Tajaran, IPC, Unathi etc acting captain, unless we decide to bar non-humans and skrell from being acting captain. If the XO is expected to be the one to advise an acting captain, why shouldn't they just take the position themselves? In a crisis situation the person most directly related to it, like a CMO with a disease or HoS dealing with an active threat are likely busy on the ground of their departments or ship dealing with the issue directly, doesn't it make more sense for the experienced, relatively less busy candidate with basic knowledge of all departments, something key for the coordination of people in an emergency, just take the spot as captain instead? The XO is meant to inform an acting captain about the special things they and only captains know but... why should they do that with an acting captain who hasn't met hiring standards for said secrets and may be a Tajara, IPC, Unathi etc and not just take the acting captaincy themselves? Going back to the point prior, I do not have time when dealing with a security situation as HoS to hear about the self-destruct. I'd like to echo what people have already said. This feels like the worst of both outcomes, XO really in my perception of the changes just gains a headset and access, things they can already be granted very easily or even just get if needed at the cost of losing a big chunk of species variety + potentially oversight of service which just gives them even less to do. As someone who did want change, even at the cost of losing non-skrell Xeno XO as an option. I just feel disappointed and unsatisfied with what is presented. Ideally, I would like if a new proposal was put forward that made the XO into a real 2IC and created a new Captain - XO - Heads chain of command. But even barring that. I'd rather the whole idea of changing it was thrown away and we kept the status quo than have this change happen. As mentioned before, if I had known this would be the implementation, I would have voted no.

I can't really say much other than I agree. I've played lots of RP games in my time, and I've always found the ones that give their players the ability to impact the world, to become memorable (with appropriate risk) and a focus on that canonicity to be the best and as much as I love Aurora deeply, it's something I find lacking. I'm glad this post was made, and I hope it gives people something to talk about.

I was able to interact with Jackdaw on a lowpop round just now! Whilst I can't particularly speak for their ability to manage Engineering, as I have quite literally never played the department. They have created a very good, communicative and interesting character who I would be delighted to see on the command roster more as one of my fellow command staff. +1

Hello! I just played my HoS, Ophelia with Shimmer playing Laura as the XO. Whilst I didn't get to spend a huge amount of time with them in the chaos of the round, for the time I spent at the bridge at the start they did an effective job of managing the BCs and getting everything that I would expect of a BC done whilst presenting some RP at the same time. And then in the chaos of dealing with a bridge siege by both Mercs and Ninjas, they managed to do a good job from what I heard over the radio and after the situation. It was a very high stress situation and they kept their cool and did what they should have done in that situation. Overall, certainly a +1. I hope they continue to keep playing XO in the future so I can get to actually interact with them next time.

I don't think I need to say much on Hazel's ability to roleplay. Hazel #S-H9.09/Nines is a simply one of those names you love to see join the round because you know they will be fun to interact with and a net positive for the overall enjoyment you'll get out of it. She is a wonderful role-player and I'm glad they play as much as I see them play just so they're around more in game. Outside of that. Hazel is a wonderful person to have in the community and I truly can't think of ever having an interaction with her that wasn't positive and nice. Her answers to the questions are the usual things that I would put down if asked them again myself and I actually really like their suggested character, Jackdaw. I'm always a fan of IPC who have complicated and mixed emotions towards humanity and the world around them that they have to work through and overcome. A glowing +1. I hope to have the chance to see their trial soon.

This is a wonderful idea in my opinion. Ideally we could include everyone who has canonically died since the start of the Horizon mission and tie it into that as being part of the memorial. A memorial dedicated to those died for the Horizon, the SCC and it's mission would be a nice thing to remember characters who did die and something other people can certainly RP around quite easily. I hope something like this goes through!

Shimmer is both an excellent roleplayer and a wonderful person to interact with oocly. The answers given to the questions posed about the purpose of command staff are perfectly in line with how I myself view and play command position, they also have more than enough experience with the bridge to play their application character to what is required of a command whitelistee I am sure. There's really no reason to not give her a trial in my mind, +1

I'll try my best to keep myself brief, since well. The synth team has enough to do without reading a dissertation on things I probably should have pushed for myself back in the day if I feel so deeply and strongly about them to rant so much on them. I'll break down my thoughts according to what Noble asked in his post to try and make it digestible, as well. "We would like to see what the community thinks of the faction, as well if they had any thoughts about its present and its future." I personally like what the Golden Deep represents as a faction, at least in my reading of the material. The Golden Deep is a potential way that IPCs can organizing themselves whilst being free and in the case of the Golden Deep, unlike the religiousness of Trinary or the ??? of purpose the Golden Deep is Synthetics deciding that the most logical thing they can do is further their own existence and power at all costs possible and money is that power. Pactolus is also a very cool planet and I wish it was more used by the community and highlighted better in general, a hive of scum and villainy with strange unexplained phenomena is cool. The Mystery of Interhub Midas is also something neat to have in our lore and I enjoy both the Zaibatsu and the Camarilla as factions. But, I do think the Golden Deep has some fundamental issues for me and Carver put what I think these issues are well. The Golden Deep obviously has the whole Golden overload aesthetic and ostentatious displays of wealth. This does in my opinion lead to the faction often just being boiled down to "robot scrooge mcduck" or "money money money" and I honestly think this whole thing combine with the faction having relatively little writing (Just compare the Trinary Perfection post rework and Orepit page to the GD and Pactolus pages, not counting the other Trinary Perfection writing across the wiki) leads to this stereotype being reinforced and is just sort of boring. The Ultra-Maz I also think are just less interesting than the other two for just being this "Scummy golden merchant" sterotype. I know this is a weird thing to criticise as well, these elements are very core to the GOLDEN Deep but I genuinely believe it holds the faction back from serving as a much deeper and more interesting look at how Synthetics can diverge and think so differently about morality and right and wrong from humanity whilst also shining a mirror on humanities own faults given the greed humans can display. As for the future, well. I think at the very least the Golden Deep eventually needs a Trinary level of attention given to it, both with more wiki content and also arcs similar to the Orepit centric arcs (Elections, The conquest of the planet, the tensions with Hephaestus etc) because I still think that after all of that Trinary became the gem in the Crown of Synthetic lore and I genuinely believe that the Golden Deep can be just as interesting and engaging as Trinary is. "We would like to know as well with what makes people engage with the faction, or not engage with it, and how these could be tuned to better fit our community's interest." I don't think it's a controversial thing to say that the Golden Deep is a rarely played faction and honestly probably one of the least played in our entire roster especially compared to the general popularity of IPC as a race. Other people in this thread have really already gone over good ideas for fixing this so I'll just reinforce that a middle ground between being a rich gold-plated mfer and an owned chump would be good, though I also think that massively expanding on owned synthetics to make them interesting + making lore to explain that the Golden Deep may rent out or provide these owned synthetics of there's to the SCC is another solid idea. Owned IPC are a big part of IPC lore in general and privately owned synthetics are a sub-type that doesn't come up enough in ways that aren't "Some dude somewhere owns me". More focus on the other factions would be nice, more cool loadout items to act as a middle ground etc etc. I'm sure everyone will say this so I'll say something I don't think other people will. I think another thing that would go very far is to expand on the Golden Deep in relation to other planets and economic activity in the Spur. For a faction of merchants and traders, there's precious little written on where do they actually trade? What do they trade? Where do they source it? Obviously this kind of writing would require cooperation with other lore teams but I imagine that writing things such as the Ultra-Maz using human subsidaries to gain access to the markets of Callisto. Perhaps the Camarilla engage in esoteric tech exchanges with the Technocracy of Galatea where it benefits both or the Zaibatsu have fingers in the criminal underground of Xanu. In a similar way, maybe expanding on the prescense of non-IPC on Pactolus would be cool as well, given it's a lawless wasteland of gangs and such it could be a place that dissidents of other races gather and that could get more interaction for the Golden Deep even for non-ipc characters, perhaps a pro-glorsh skrell dissident now on the Horizon spent time there, or a Guwan Unathi now trying to make a legitimate living. Synthetic Lore has always had a strength in it's close ties to other lorebases, so I like the idea of using it going forward for the Golden Deep as well. Hopefully this isn't too rambly and I appreciate the Synthetic Team for reaching out and wanting the communities opinions on something as big as this! I hope that people who have anything to say contribute and we see some cool stuff going forward once the Konyang Arc and it's aftermath are resolved