Croak and dagger - MccRrib's Skrell Developer Application

[MccRrib]

Ckey/BYOND Username: MccRrib

Discord username: Hugh Janus #2511

Position Being Applied For: (Wiki Maintainer, Lore Developer, Deputy Lore developer): Skrell Lore Developer.

Have you read the Lore Team Rules and Regulations wiki page?: I have.

Past Experiences/Knowledge:  I’ve been involved in the TTRPG scene for about ten years now, seven of which as a DM, unfortunately, I've no official experience writing for Aurora lore to date.

Examples of Past Work: I don't have much to show here, unfortunately, most of the writing I've done for Aurora has been server-side, though I've been fairly active during my time here in the lore discord, and in the DMs of writers, and other players. I'd be more than happy to whip something up if requested, though.

Additional Comments: As I did in my last application, I've linked a quick essay detailing one of my takes on the lore as it stands. To avoid redundancy, I'm also going to link the last essay that I wrote on a marginally related aspect of the lore. Essay 1. Essay 2.

[Connorjg1]

Hugh is incredibly passionate about Skrell lore and has a talent for writing. 

 

They earn my absolute + 1 for their app and I wish them luck.  

[Caelphon]

Hi there! Thanks for applying!

Quote

1. You've mentioned political lore, and how its meagre etc. Do you mind giving an extract on what you'd expand on?

2. Using the Tajara Cold War as a foundation, lets say hypothetically the Tajara Development Team wishes to co-operate with the Skrell Development Team. Would you be opposed to such? How would you use the opportunity? 

3. You submitted a deputy application not so long ago, which unfortunately had to be denied for reasons I disclosed to you. If you do not get Skrell Maintainer, do you plan on applying for deputy in the future? 

Goodluck. There are no wrong answers. 

[Butterrobber202]

As mentioned in your competition's application, I have quite abit of interest and some labor invested in Skrell Lore. I'm rather passionate about it, and very much desire it to continue making progress in the right direction, as it has been under Cael's direction. I'll ask the same questions I asked on the competitor's app.

First, do you have any major reworks in mind? Mainly speaking about retconns and the like, as Skrell lore has often suffered from sweeping reworks in the past, and it has done critical damage to the potential player count the race could have had.

Second, do you play to continue with Jrgul's style of governance (literally 1984), since he won the player-election? I'd be rather disappointed as a Skrell Player if the results were invalidated by an assassination or some such. 

Third, do you have any thoughts, ideas, or plans for Psionics? They remain within the Skrell Lore Dev's purview, and I wanted to pick your brain about anything rattling around. 

[MccRrib]

1. If given the opportunity I would expand upon faction, particularly megacorporate, response to prior lore arcs. Specifically the arc we recently concluded, and Warbling the musical. A clarification on how the Federation's relationship with each of the major megacorporations has evolved since their armed incursions onto a corporate-owned vessel is something I've wanted to see from Skrell lore for quite some time. Faction relations with the Lyukal are in dire need of an update as well, I can't say that the galactic perspective of the resistance wouldn't shift following the recent terror attack in Mendell City.

2. I've absolutely no opposition to working alongside the Tajara team, given the existing Federation presence on Adhomai, there's much potential. That being said, Skrell lore isn't presently in a state that allows for rational expansion of their operations in Tajaran space, given their current domestic situation following the mass exodus from the Traverse. I would use the opportunity for collaboration between teams to detail the withdrawal of Federation funding and humanitarian aid from Adhomai, the Federation citing an increased need for focus on domestic matters as their reason for withdrawal. Deciding upon the finer details of their departure would be a cross-team effort, determining what locations on Adhomai would be impacted the most, and how each of the major factions would respond would be something that'd need to be workshopped with input from both parties.

3. I'm passionate about Skrell lore, and I can see myself happily fulfilling any lore position that would allow me to actualize that passion. I've made the choice to apply for maintainer as I see it as the position that would grant me the greatest opportunity to do that. That being said, if I'm passed up, I would post a deputy app whenever the time came.

 

[MccRrib]

First: Aside from some practical adjustments to the function of psionics, I have no plans for any major reworks or retconns within the lore, unless I happen upon a glaring inconsistency that I somehow missed. Cael and Mono left the foundation of Skrell lore in a state that I'm very happy with. The only thing I can potentially see myself retconning is Warbling the musical, though my issues with the arc's impact on lore lie in the utter lack thereof, which has the potential to be fixed. Complete retcon of the aforementioned arc is something I would need to collect a lot of player feedback on.

Second: In line with my prior comments on retconning, I have no plans to drastically change the Federation's style of governance. A cop-out assassination of a player-elected official is something I've no intent to ham-fist into the lore. A degree of change is necessary in how the Federation is run, given the vanishing population of many Traverse colonies, but a change as major as that is not in the cards.

Third: As of present we've not much lore to explaining the day-to-day applications of psionics, or how they're utilized in and out of Federation space aside from a tidbit on telepathy. If given the chance I want to make psionics seem less like magic powers, and more like an aspect of Skrellian biology, by playing up some of the more practical aspects of the Nlom, and outlining clear taboos for the average Skrell in regards to the use of their psionic gifts.

[Faye <3]

Gonna repost my question to the other app.

 

As of rn, the Federation has a terrible reputation IC'ly and generally speaking, Skrell events are known for their high levels of chaos and general frustration. How would you want to try to 'rehabilitate' the Federation's image so that most players don't IC'ly just straight-up hate them anymore? Are you interested in that to begin with? With the massive power disparity between Jargon and the Aurora in gear and technology, how would you create an event that still brings a compelling narrative? A major concern I've seen in the past is that the Federation character always have very strong gear and such, to the point of not being able to even remotely challenged by the Aurora crew.

[MccRrib]

4 hours ago, Faye &lt;3 said:

How would you want to try to 'rehabilitate' the Federation's image so that most players don't IC'ly just straight-up hate them anymore? Are you interested in that to begin with?

I don't believe that it's possible for me, or anybody to really "rehabilitate" the IC image of the Jargon Federation as it stands, too much damage has been done over too much time, and that's not something that can be changed without significant retcons. That being said, I don't have any interest in trying to change the image of the Federation too much, that type of thing is something I'd rather see ebb and flow alongside the incoming changes to the lore set up by the recent Skrell arc.

4 hours ago, Faye &lt;3 said:

With the massive power disparity between Jargon and the Aurora in gear and technology, how would you create an event that still brings a compelling narrative? A major concern I've seen in the past is that the Federation character always have very strong gear and such, to the point of not being able to even remotely challenged by the Aurora crew.

An aspect of canon events I plan to play up to the best of my ability if I'm provided the opportunity is player choice. Shifting the methods of the Federation more towards quiet subterfuge in the wake of past violence would allow for significantly more engagement with the player base without the looming threat of a canon death detracting from interaction with event characters. Making it as blatantly apparent as possible that further unprovoked violence from Federation forces outside of their space won't be tolerated by the galaxy at large would provide greater opportunity for players to involve themselves with an event arc beyond running and hiding from a faceless goon clad in an invulnerable hardsuit. An ideal Fed-focused lore arc in my eyes would see the ends of the Federation sought primarily through the means of coercion and persuasion of player characters, something akin to KOTW's conspiracy arc. All that being said, we've also the option to run event chains, or single events that sidestep the Federation entirely, something in line with the Unathi cultural exchange event from earlier this year.

[Lmwevil]

I gave my good luck on your previous skrell app stuff and I'll do it again here, I think you're one of the most passionate people about skrell on the server, and also it will be incredibly funny to have 'Hugh Anus' the Skrell Maintainer. 

You have no Maintainer experience and are gonna start off in the deep end as a Maintainer with no deputies, how do you feel about how that looks? 

What will you be looking for in your deputies with no existing team? Do you think you'll handle the pressure and denying people well? 

If someone who is your friend applies but you know their skill isn't appropriate to the role would you be able to deny them? 

How do you feel you'll work in a team, as Skrell lore is close to IPC and directly interacts with human and dionae and C'thur Vaurcae lore regularly? 

How do you feel Dionae are represented in the Federation currently? Do you want to change how things are, and the relations there? 

How do you feel about the current human/Skrell relationships with one another, do you want to change anything there? 

How do you feel about current Skrell/C'thur relationships and do you want to change anything? 

Is there anything you want to tweak about Glorsh or current effects of Glorsh?

[MccRrib]

6 hours ago, Lmwevil said:

You have no Maintainer experience and are gonna start off in the deep end as a Maintainer with no deputies, how do you feel about how that looks? 

I'm comfortable with acknowledging that this doesn't look all that great. That being said, I'm also more than comfortable with my ability to work and provide lore on my lonesome leading up to the recruitment of some deputies.

6 hours ago, Lmwevil said:

What will you be looking for in your deputies with no existing team? Do you think you'll handle the pressure and denying people well?

All that I want in a deputy is somebody that can be present on and off server with ideas, and enthusiasm. Players know better than anybody the environment of the community, and a lore team of individuals that at least semi-frequently play the game that they're writing lore for would be excellent. As per the handling of applications, I can't imagine the denying or accepting of a deputy or whitelist app giving me that much trouble.

7 hours ago, Lmwevil said:

If someone who is your friend applies but you know their skill isn't appropriate to the role would you be able to deny them? 

Applying for a position at all is inviting the possibility of denial, hopefully this is something that my Skrell-enthused friend would understand. 

7 hours ago, Lmwevil said:

How do you feel you'll work in a team, as Skrell lore is close to IPC and directly interacts with human and dionae and C'thur Vaurcae lore regularly? 

I'm excited by the idea of working in close proximity to any of these teams, as I mention in one of the linked essays, a problem I've had in the past with Skrell lore is a lack of supplementary detailing of the specifics of Skrellian relations with other species. Working alongside the Human, Vaurca, or IPC teams to remedy that where possible sounds like a wonderful opportunity.

7 hours ago, Lmwevil said:

How do you feel Dionae are represented in the Federation currently? Do you want to change how things are, and the relations there? 

I think that the way Diona are represented currently in the Federation (and Vaurca too, for that matter) is a very good start, but could benefit from a significant expansion. We're given little to work with on how either the Vaurca or Diona present in Federation space feel about their status as an exploitable labor force, or how the Federation prevents its citizens from wising up to their blatantly poor treatment of them. Diona and Vaurca within the Federation feel, as of present, like an afterthought, or like background characters. The way that they're represented in Skrell lore is interesting, but would absolutely be made better by some expansion past their surface level presence as a labor force.

7 hours ago, Lmwevil said:

How do you feel about the current human/Skrell relationships with one another, do you want to change anything there? 

To avoid sounding like a broken record, I'm going to skip out for now on my usual demands for detailing to say that there's astonishingly, and somewhat disappointingly little turmoil between the remnants of the Solarian Alliance and their allies in the Federation. From what we know, zero support was offered from the Federation to either side of the recent Solarian invasion, choosing instead to remain stagnant and silent while the empire constantly parroted to be one of their greatest allies crumbled around them. I think that Solarian-Skrellian relations could use a lot more turmoil across the board, as I can't imagine many Alliance remnants, or even many warlord states would take very kindly to Federation abandonment in their time of need. An exploration of the Federation's attempts to seek allies or improve relations elsewhere in Human space would be an excellent avenue to explore at some point in the future as well.

7 hours ago, Lmwevil said:

Is there anything you want to tweak about Glorsh or current effects of Glorsh?

Honestly? No. I'm absolutely fine with the way Glorsh is represented in current Skrell lore, all that I'd add if given the opportunity was an expansion on what was left behind following its destruction. Perhaps some lore on the half-finished megastructures that were left behind.

[Lmwevil]

Love your answers, nothing to add more yet but these all satisfy what I was wondering. 

As a bonus round of deceptively easy yet not questions: 

What do you think best qualifies yourself for this position? 

What do you think will be your biggest flaw going forward? 

Describe your favourite frog sound.

[MccRrib]

11 hours ago, Lmwevil said:

What do you think best qualifies yourself for this position? 

I've been on the server for quite some time, I'm one of, if not the most active Skrell players in the community, and as you acknowledge in the introduction of your prior post, I'm very passionate about the lore.

11 hours ago, Lmwevil said:

What do you think will be your biggest flaw going forward? 

I think the biggest issue I'll encounter going forward if I'm given the position is satisfying my own standards. I'm aware this reads like something of a cop-out answer, but given the turbulent history of Skrell lore on Aurora, and the many changes it has been through, I plan on being very, very careful with the changes that I make. An unfortunate consequence going over every addition you make with a fine-tooth comb is that it becomes notably harder to meet the standards you set for yourself, or at least it does for me. I've no intent to delay anything to an unreasonable degree, but delays are a possibility when you're trying to ensure that your lore is well-composed, and well-received by your community.

13 hours ago, Lmwevil said:

Describe your favourite frog sound.

 

 

[Haydizzle]

Seeing how a plethora of other questions have been asked, I do not have any of my own original ones going forward.

I do however want to endorse this application. RyverStyx and McRib are both wonderful applicants, but I have had first hand experience with McRib that pushes them forward for me personally. They are an exceptionally creative and intelligent person— I cannot say I've seen them ever write out a sample, for something like the wiki, but a lot of interaction with their characters shows how much goes on behind the scenes. They also have one of my favorite stories on the server as they really did have a redemption arc of sorts over their time here.

They would do well in the position and taking up the reigns where Caelphon left off, and interestingly enough having a juxtaposing flaw with Cael might work out well, balancing each other out.

I'm sort of running out of things to add to the pot: McRib's good people. One question is coming to mind in the end, though. News articles tend to be a weak point for most lore teams at the moment. Is that something you feel confident in doing as a part of being a lore writer? Do you dread it? There is not really a wrong answer here.

[Scheveningen]

Wholeheartedly support this. MccRib is equal parts zany, artistically insane yet inspired without parallel in several regards that I don't imagine he'll disappoint in making something interesting out of Skrell lore, in general. I do have concerns for what is an obviously prevalent phenomenon in our community and that is the "Skrell lore dev curse". For whatever reason, almost every Skrell lore dev to date has taken on the role, and then did not stick around for very long, which ultimately led to a backlog of issues the next person had to deal with that couldn't be dealt with by a single person or even several persons. What plans do you have to ensure this reputation no longer continues?

[MccRrib]

6 hours ago, Haydizzle said:

News articles tend to be a weak point for most lore teams at the moment. Is that something you feel confident in doing as a part of being a lore writer? Do you dread it?

Truth be told I'm not terribly fond of article writing, --putting them together feels a tad dull to me,-- but I understand that it's difficult to advance the narrative of an arc without them, and can see myself putting them out as needed without trouble.

[MccRrib]

2 hours ago, Scheveningen said:

What plans do you have to ensure this reputation no longer continues?

Honestly I don't think there's a concrete method of changing this reputation other than being the outlier, and maintaining consistent activity. I can't say with certainty that I won't be pulled away on occasion by whatever's in store for the future, but I can say that I'll do my best to engage with the community wherever possible, and remain consistently active. To put it quite frankly, I don't plan on going anywhere.

[Scheveningen]

That's a fair answer and my endorsement remains.

[Waff-AI]

Over the years, I've made few friends on Aurora as genuinely talented, funny, or passionate for the server around the game as MccRrib. His ability to create characters outside the conventional bounds of play astounds me: without fail, every single character he's shown me to date- be it ingame or just as a concept- has been a carefully-crafted concept with drive, substance, and, well, character. Over the short year and a half I've known him, give or take, I've watched as he found his stride, and with that a deep appreciation for the Skrell and their background.

In my eye, there are few other individuals- in the world at large, no less- who would do Skrell justice as MccRrib would, on an OOC level or an IC one. I would be doing him a disservice if I did not emphasize as to how he has repeatedly, selflessly, helped me(and many others!) to better enjoy the game, new or old, whether it's by helping flesh out a character or simply by introducing new aspects of the lore that I had, frankly, no idea existed. He's also funny as hell.

As always, as forever, a +1. No notes.

[Bejewledpot]

Since every question I would have asked already has been,(nice work everyone <3) I'll just leave a nice comment.

MccRrib and his roleplay is genuinely what made me stay when I first came to Aurora. He has a mastery of believable insanity, and has displayed a seemingly deep understanding of skrell lore, having probed his characters on the subject. I've never not been enraptured by his characters talking about skrell topics, always bringing them to life in unique ways. From their biology to their culture to their beliefs, regardless of character I always find myself talking to. I have total faith in him being able to bring both excellent writing skills and interesting ideas and unique perspective to frog lore.

I support MccRrib fully, I'd leave a thousand +1's if I could. Froggers in chat

[Faye <3]

I think that McCrib is really good at cultivating a sense of believable weirdness that is really important to Skrellian identity. I think a lot of Skrell players get caught up in the 'emotionless frog talks like a robot' or 'weird frog is entirely unable to interact normally with humanity' when trying to make a skrell that is within Skrell themes, but Hugh has nailed it in terms of the skrell's weird and maybe a little awkward nature while also being fun and interesting and engaging to talk to.

 

I'd love to see them as Maintainer, and if not that, then a deputy spot for sure.

[Mofo1995]

This application is fairly strong, not only in support but also in the clear vision demonstrated in both of your essays. I love your ideas for de-insulating skrell from international diplomacy. Your plans really feel to me that they harken back to the skrell dev that was around years ago and a great friend of mine, though his failure in execution ultimately arose out of the webs of plans being impenetrable in their subtleties.   Your responses throughout the thread also show a great sophistication of thought, and you're a very active player on top of it. I have decided to choose your competitor, however, I would like to extend the offer that this application remain opened and rebranded as a deputy application for the incoming dev to consider. I would be delighted to have you aboard the team, and if you choose to make this a deputy application, I'd be happy if this post could also be considered a +1 from me.

[MccRrib]

This is an acknowledgement that I've seen this, I'm going to take a bit of time to think on it, and get back to you. It shouldn't be too long of a wait.

15 hours ago, Mofo1995 said:

I would like to extend the offer that this application remain opened and rebranded as a deputy application for the incoming dev to consider.

 

[MccRrib]

Update: I've made my decision, and my answer is no.

On 06/09/2021 at 21:36, Mofo1995 said:

, I would like to extend the offer that this application remain opened and rebranded as a deputy application for the incoming dev to consider.

 

[Caelphon]

Application is hereby rescinded.