Mofo1995

Have you heard what all the buzz is about!? It's Vaurca lore writer applications! In addition to the standard application format, please provide a new and novel writing of your choice and format on any subject of Vaurca lore. What do you like about it? What don't you like about it? What's it all about? Lay it on me, brothers- and happy applying!

Closing due to other thread being re-opened from archives and rebranded as deputy application.

Re-opened at applications request to be considered for Dionaea lore deputy.

I've decided to accept this application. You have good long standing commitment to staffing on the server, and it seems to me that you're barking up exactly the right tree of what I'd like to see more of from Dionaea. While it garners some criticism for playing it a bit on the safe side, not being overly creative being the biggest I can think of, I love how the introduction of dionaea into skrell society isn't just a matter of fact *thing* anymore. Instead it sends shockwaves through skrell society for being the first alien race they've met. That's great! I always thought the way it was described before was really underwhelming. More importantly, expanding upon their integration into skrell society is phenomenal and has been criminally underexplored for years now. Just thinking about all the things a diona could do that a skrell couldn't makes my imagination run wild with how they might serve in the workforce in the federation, and the idea of the federation emphasizing a more dual-race society is a great idea for which I have been longing. I think you've got a lot of good ideas to really move this forward.

I'm going to have to decline this application. The reasoning goes like this. While I think you have a lot of great suggestions for the mechanics of dionaea, I disagree with the proposed lore changes. While dionaea being less passive would be a good change, I don't like the idea of dionaea being scatterblasted to originate from all sorts of political entities in the lore. Essentially, I feel like it would put their hand into too many cookie jars. The vaurcae are already just sorta everywhere, and I feel like this is a bit heavy handed to sort of interject diona into all these different areas of lore as well. There's also the fact that this would be a pretty big retcon to go back and suddenly add this. The direction I'd rather take is to emphasize and expand upon their relationship with skrell and position in skrell society, though I do like the idea of independent diona from independent clusters being a thing. But another big issue I have how short your tenures tend to be. I'm looking for a more long term commitment, someone who is really gonna stick with it and likely not only be on the server this time next year, but still the dev. Most of my tenure so far has been spent on staffing, and I don't like the prospect of having to come back to the applications board in a couple months time to have it all out again. Ultimately, I have faith you could revitalize dionaea lore and draw up player interests. If I didn't have faith that others could do so, I would certainly accept the application and curate as necessary to buy myself more time until a more permanent candidate could crop up, but at this moment I would rather cut out what would probably end up an interregnum. Thank you for your interest, and don't let it discourage you from applying in the future!

It means that, changing it to the 32x32 sprite that you made. I think given the feedback in this thread so far I'd be happy to keep Ta, but with that size change.

Keep the posts coming guys! So far it seems like the general community opinion tilts slightly towards the positive on their feelings about them. Though, I would still really like for a size adjustment. Would anyone hate me or be averse to that?

Man, I'm not even remotely joking when I say I seriously hope no one utilizes, uh, Ta for uh, that kind of thing. Not that I think anyone is! B-baka! I don't really think anyone is making the assertion that giant bug vaurca are a sexual kink when they send me those kinds of comments, so much as [lamenting] about the normalization of the fantastic. Namely, see Voyd's post above for reference about the kind of arguments that would accompany the remarks, but with less mentions of big swinging dicks.

fite me ?‍♂️

This thread has been weeks in the making, as I stated in the OP. I had told Bygone a long time ago that I was going to make this thread. The complaints have been nonstop since the same day breeders were introduced, so it wasn't cooked up overnight. I did let the issue sit for a few weeks for the express benefit of vaurca players. I figured I'd give it a few weeks, let them get their foot in the door, see what Ta are like when they roleplay. On the day they were introduced there was a strong reaction by some, myself included, to remove them, but a quick 180 like that wouldn't have been very considerate. On the subject of specific stories, I was hoping that people could tell me about their experiences in a manner that informs me on why they're beneficial for roleplay. Chiefly, I wanted to get a better understanding of why their appearance is necessary to contribute to their role on the station and how it might better contribute to their roleplay. I figured, okay, maybe if someone talked to me about why it was necessary through a story of an experience they had, it would be more powerful and compelling evidence to convince me than speaking entirely in the realm of the theoretical. I don't think appearance is something entirely superfluous though. There is an argument to be made for consistency and tolerable boundaries. Though I have the fashion sense of a beach bum, so I can't really find that line, just point at things I think are too much and screech. One common phrase I've had thrown at me over the past few weeks was "We're not citadel/Vore/what have you with large sprite characters and bizarre ayyliums." So anyways, the only people I heard calling for their removal were other staff members, and the only people I heard calling for their staying was their devs and players. The purpose of this thread is so I can figure out what the wider general community thinks, since it wouldn't be very practical or unbiased if I started PMing "random" people to ask them their thoughts. Personally, I'm most perturbed by their size, which is something that Vaurca devs were totally willing to scale down. In DMs, I've learned that the reason they weren't was because Bygone had not been able to find a spriter, which is hardly his fault. I think my OP was a bit pointed and blamey on that subject, since I think I made assumptions on that one. [Edit: Oh, apparently they did get one! I just read his reply in this thread. It slipped under my radar, but I appreciate him posting it again.]

Woah. That's a cool idea.

True! I was just offering my input on the assertion that they don't get involved, since uh, that was quite involved. I neither ahelped nor filed a complaint about it, and I don't think that incident would constitute a reason to remove Ta.

I actually had a Ta interject into a shootout I started with security just yesterday [Edit: Actually, two days ago]. It kept chasing me and disarm spamming me, and at some point it even said it would shield the officers and kept getting in front of them to take my shots. Once the fighting wound down a bit, and security and I pulled back from each other on account of robusting each other, it followed me solo while I was over a screen away from security and disarm spammed my fireaxe away. The entire fight it was in my face disarm spamming me for my fireaxe while I was shooting/axing security, and it when it kept getting in my way and fighting me.

Hi everyone! Ever since the introduction of Ta, there's been a shock reaction among staff that we should remove them. Most of the reasons have been surrounding their appearance, namely that they're massive hideous bugs and they feel... out of place. Essentially, the feeling is that they're too extreme. On the other hand, it's been argued, this characteristic contributes to their "alieness" and that this is actually a positive feature that contributes to making vaurca distinctive and different and positively contributes to roleplay. A few weeks ago I had asked Vaurca players to give me stories about their RP with and as the Ta to give me a better idea of how they contribute to roleplay, but aside from stating that they liked them, I received no such stories. I had told the former Vaurca dev, ByoneHero, that my next step in handling the situation was to create a community feedback thread to determine what the wider general community thinks about it, since so far the only two perspectives I have is some staff who don't like them and vaurca players themselves who do. I have absolutely no idea what the every man among our players think or have any inkling of what the general consensus on them is. The limited scope of feedback I've gathered so far isn't very informative, so I want to lay my cards on the table and ask everyone "What do you think about Vaurca Breeder Consulars?" Do you like them? Enjoy having them around? Do you think they're too far? Just right? Not far enough? The decision has been put on my shoulders as to if we should keep them, and I want to make sure I hear more voices before I make any too hasty decisions. Though so far one decision has been made, which was supposed to be satisfied by now but was not, which is to shrink their sprite size a bit. I believe it was agreed to make them 32x32. So! Lemme know below what you think of Ta, post your supports, criticisms, RP stories, anything you would like to contribute.

Butter has been my alt all along...

Dionaea lore developer apps are now open! Plant the seeds to grow the tree of you creative writing by using the application format, and include a novel writing about dionaea lore, whether it be proposed new lore, or discussion about the current state of it.

Coalition Forms to Save our Republic 01.09.2461 Recent defeats on the Harr'masir continent, couple with the loss of Das'nrra, has put our People's Republic into a state of emergency. Those who would see us returned to the shackles of the old order have gathered together into an unholy imperialist union of monarchists and reactionaries. Rebels now pillage the countryside, and their forces amass outside of our strongholds, poising themselves to overrun our armies. For the first time, the seas of Rasn'rr are no longer dominated by the Republican Navy, as submarine hunting packs are cleared away by the Royal Navy. Offshore bombardment by cruise missiles and carrier aircraft ravage our coastal cities, and the People's Congress has taken refuge in the bunkers under the Steeple. The venerable building which has stood for hundreds of years was leveled in the past week by the brutes of the New Kingdom, a visible testament to the language of force monarchists are so accustomed to using to suppress the working class. In these days, the legacy of Al'Mari Hadii and his Republic which advanced all tajara centuries ahead in culture, industry, and freedom are in danger. But in our darkest hour, there is the light of hope that all tajara may be free. Since the loss of the Harr'masir continent at the end of July, diplomats of the Ministry of External Affairs have worked tirelessly to gather allies to the Republican cause. Whereas the tendencies of the rebels and monarchists would see our people financially and culturally stagnated by isolation from the greater galactic community, the fruits of international diplomacy and trade have borne fruit for the People's Republic. Key trade partners such as Tau Ceti and several members of the Coalition of Colonies, as well as NanoTrasen, have pledged defensive military support in the form of "The S'rand'marr Coalition" to save our great nation. Trade with these powers, which the rebels transparently seek to cut off, has been an economic and cultural boon for the tajaran people, seeing us reach newer heights of prosperity than ever before. While declining to join the S'rand'marr Coalition, the Jargon Federation agreed to deploy peacekeepers to defend hospitals, children's schools, and humanitarian aid camps of the Ministry of Health and the International Aid Corps. While our diplomats were unable to gather support from the Sol Alliance due to recent tensions, Sol Goliath Intragalactic Banking agreed to provide substantial loans with high-interest rates. The Ministry of Finance has disclosed that the loans will be used to purchase large numbers of Unathi Kataphracts and the aid of various other PMCs such as Ringspire from the Erdiani Federation and others originating from the Coalition of Colonies. Large numbers of ideological volunteers from the planet Mars have also turned up to support the cause, forming the Martian Volunteer Brigade. In the course of the past month, the S'rand'marr Coalition has deployed itself defensively, protecting key economic sectors such as mines and factories. While any commitments to retake land for the Republic have not been made, the aid in the defense of the homeland will be the salvation of the People's Republic. With our newfound security, the Ministry of Defence has begun discussing plans for a counterattack with the aid of the various PMCs. Our forces stationed on the Hro'zamal Colony have spent the past month relocating to Adhomai to address the shift in strategic situation. However, plans have remained limited in scope as rebels have been able to freely redeploy their overseas forces onto the Rasn'rr continent and still hold a considerable advantage. Despite this, our great Republic has always fought against all odds. Whether in the first revolution or in trying to gather for ourselves a seat at the table of international diplomacy, our story is always one of overcoming the impossible for the sake of the greater good. Take heart, fellow tajara! Enlist today in the defense of the Republic, and buy war bonds. Together, we will make history!

If by secret club nonsense, Mofo1995 is meant, then yes I exist. It's a lonely secret club, but I make do. Let's get to brass tacks with a classic human resources "sandwhich." I'm gonna start with the good, put some mystery meat in the middle, and end with some more good. The apology in the wiki maintenance application was genuine and I have never believed otherwise. Coalf is a close friend of mine and I know he's the kind of lad who plays his cards straight and is a bluntly honest person. If he didn't mean to sincerely apologize, he just simply would not have. His conduct since returning to staff has been consistently well within acceptable tolerances and so far has been completely without scandal. If there has been a scandal of some kind, no one has told me in any capacity. And believe me, there's been an abundance of scandals, so considering none have come from him, it seems to me that he's been doing well above average compared to our current roster of writers. But lore development is, by it's very nature, more controversial [but I would argue is not less important] than wiki maintenance. I don't think anyone is going to spring into a heated passionate fight about the formatting and guides of wiki pages as they might about themes, ideas, and the direction of our setting's lore. Because we have such a passionate team who care so much about what we do, arguments happen and people disagree. It's a product of our love and a testament to our dedication. It's because the team as we currently have it are so involved, and not apathetic and uncaring. But this environment, as it were, is one that we're currently seeking to stabilize. While Coalf's conduct has been good and his work consistent, he is currently in a lower risk position. The scandal surrounding the resignation manifesto is still lingering and a lot of people on the team have voiced to me that their trust has not been restored. I've already given generous amounts of leeway in taking on controversial people to mixed results, and at the moment I think we're at capacity. Right now I'm not really in the position to roll more dice or take on more risks, it's important to remember I'm still technically the interim lore master until one of my superiors says otherwise, and so my position is pretty tenuous. Though even if I weren't, I don't think the climate is proper right now. I know for a fact Coalf is a superb writer with a wonderful talent to bring his creative ideas to life in writing. Much of his Tajara lore was wildly popular and propagated with relative ease throughout the community, and it was the impact of his culture lore which lead me, upon coming into position as lore master, to believe that cultural lore as opposed to political lore is the way forward. His resignation from the tajara team is something I often wish never happened. But the manifesto scandal is still too recent in memory, and his tenure as wiki maintainer is too short lived to make a full assessment of how he might act upon rejoining the lore team. If this application was a couple months in the future when the scandal was farther behind us and we had a clearer picture of what the Coalf of today would be like on the lore team, I would support this application wholeheartedly. For now though, I'm not gonna support this application, but encourage you bide your time and apply again for any openings that might catch your eye in a few months time when we can make absolutely sure your conduct is amicable to our team.

After having a long big think, I've decided to accept your application. Your posts seem to lack a good solid focus on your long term plans, but I believe, especially with the held of your deputy, that you should be able to gather together a clearer vision. Welcome to the team!

Hello! After having a long big think, I'm afraid I've decided to deny this application. Thank you for your interest! EDIT: Move from archive to forum at request of applicant, who would like to leave it open as a skrell deputy application.