NM - Synthetic Lore Writer Application

[NM_]

Ckey/BYOND Username: ComradeBatman

Position Being Applied For (Wiki Maintainer, Lore Developer, Deputy Lore developer): Synthetic Lore Writer

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

Past Experiences/Knowledge: My previous roles were predominantly oriented towards storytelling. The settings I played prior were grounded in the lore of the corresponding games, unlike the custom built lore of Aurora. In that sense, its closer to a traditional DM role with some flexible liberties. I primarily created narrative arcs, storylines, and in-game events with the base lore as the guiding benchmark. My positions ranged from the equivalent there of lore deputy to lore master. In more recent years, I pivoted to administrative roles up into head admin while still managing the narrative angles of the setting. I have been writing and role playing since 2005.

Examples of Past Work: The majority of my writings are contextual to the games/servers they were based on. They can be provided if needed. I have no current lore contributions to Aurora.

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Hello all,

For those of you who don’t know me, I’m NM - a CCIA agent 3 months short of his one year anniversary in the team and a fully one year Aurora player earlier this month.

My primary characters are:

• Ren Hartfort, Surgeon
• Cohle Wrynn, Security Officer
• Morgan Prescott, Captain
• ADAM, Machinist
• Lucius Volvalaad, CMO

I’ve been in the RP scene for more years than I’d like to count, with several in administrative, narrative, and overall leadership positions. I have contributed to and created server storylines ranging from local, factional, and world spanning.

I’m the sort of person that wants to give back to the community that’s provided me countless hours of engagement, friendship, and genuine enjoyment in the ways I know how. After experiencing Silicon Nightmares from start to finish, I’ve been blown away by the passion of the team, the fantastic narrative sequence, and wonderful events they’ve put together.

I didn’t expect to be applying for the writer position itself, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t give it a chance. I have not directly contributed to Aurora lore previously. Instead, I bring with me a history of narrative experience, leadership, and level headed approach with every intent to wield it for Aurora’s unique ecosystem. Despite my lengthier RP career, I’m just as motivated to learn as much as I can from my peers to better integrate into Aurora lore as seamlessly as possible. We never stop learning and improving as we go.

 

1. What do you think are the primary themes of synthetic lore? If you got this position, how would you develop them?

"We are on the verge of creating life in our own image, but do we have the wisdom to guide it?" - Unknown

The exploration of self-actualization, their potential for demonstrating sapience along with what this means for synthetic individuals/society/civilizations, and navigating the oppressive treatment with all its prejudice against them. The majority of household pets receive better care than most synthetics. They are an after-thought in the notion of treatment, best regarded for their direct utility in any given situation than any legitimate consideration to their stand-alone complexity as potential equals.

Overall, I find synthlore to be in a solid place. There is always room for improvement with any worldbuilding. Its a healthy practice to occasionally go back and ensure the moving parts capture the most accurate depiction of any race, planet, or otherwise to the standards of today.

I plan to approach thematic expansion on the macro/micro levels under a simple process that offers a player the ability to draw from the established precedent in any particular piece and still build upon it. They are, after all, the vehicles for any lore at large. There should be consistency in the overarching vision of synthetics no matter what background/origin/society they’re creating a character from. It looks, loosely, as follows:

• A review of current synth lore, covering as much as possible.
• Studying to confirm that the existing thematic elements capture the variety of synthetic presence across the galaxy.
• Develop additional avenues that express, go against, reinforce, or further the central study of synthetics understanding themselves - their existence - and their own place in the universe. This can include anything from expansion of factions/planets/existing societies, developments of new variations/systems/factions that satisfy the intended vision, and better integrating these into the Spur at large.

 

2. What do you think is the strongest part of synthlore currently and why?

Some of the most consistently solid aspects of Synthlore are the flexibility in character designs and the overarching nature of their interpreted sentience/sapience.

The ability for a player writer to construct a unique concept within the lore that plays to the established flexibility. Synthetics in general can enable some of the more creative characters with their own unique expressions that isn't always common in other races.

How every major faction can have their own interpretations, cultural views, and levels of integration with synthetics at large is fantastic. There is no concise answer on just how far, or how little, they can be treated. They range from servants since creation, second class citizens, to full blown members of society. It's a hallmark of a good writer to present a situation that has the possibilities of multiple answers without a defining, hard line truth they have to adhere to.

Synthetics carry the potential for more than the equipment they’re framed as. They can be the scale of terror as captured in Silicon Nightmares, just as they might be individuals with their own hopes, dreams, and motivations. They contain the endless potential to be everything and nothing. Ultimately, the philosophical captivation into the truth - or fabricated, mimicked nature of sapience - interests me most to explore as a universal element any player character can touch on. In that, the countless theories, speculations, with all their theories arise - What does it mean to be synthetic?

 

3. What do you think is the weakest part of synthlore currently and why?

More than other species, the available IPC factions don’t capture the depth, flexibility, or thematic intrigue I would want as both player and writer. It can be any combination of:

• Scarcity in presence/relevance.
• Limited in detail or structure.
• Lack depth beyond their designated niche.

The stand-out catalog of IPC characters come from from the corporation or planet they originate from. A perfectly acceptable reality, yet something that has room for opportunity in others seeking more off the beaten path archetypes. The possible organization/factional groups should be malleable for molding beyond the principles they embody, with depth and involvement that can be represented by players or in the greater spread of the galaxy.

Some examples:

• Golden Deep. Traders centralized on unlimited growth and capitalistic ventures. Noble Row posted a feedback thread not too long ago that served as a community survey to read the general pulse in opinion on the faction. They’re likely working on, or intend to, incorporate some greater attention on the group. Something I would gladly support them with.
• Megacorporation IPC brands. Hazel is an iconic line of shells that’s had a player base on and off for some time. There’s several being actively played as we speak! I’d love to develop a similar stand-out model of IPC for each of the megacorporations in more thorough detail as a template for anyone to pick up from. They won’t necessarily only be shells, but in that similar vein.
• Scrappers. A compelling piece in origin to something built off of in-game events and active lore cycles. I’m interested in either expanding on this with its place in the present day galaxy or developing a factional group in the wake of lore events that transpire.
• Purpose. What a brilliant idea it was to include them in the latest arc. And with it still fresh in everyone’s mind, more than ever, is a good time to strike while the iron is hot. There’s speculation, theories, and plenty of discussion revolving around them. Something I would certainly bank on the standing Synthetic team are aware of and likely to capitalize on. They’re a little trickier with their intended veil of intrigue about them, with still countless ways to give them presence in more ways.
• IPCs on planets. Expansion on what sub-cultural groups form from the respective influence of existing on these planets can pave the way for more factional, if minor, representation to give players wiggle room to play with.
   

4. The Synthetic Team’s arc, Silicon Nightmares, recently finished. Given what happened, what would your next steps be?

Focusing on the macro scale, Konyang’s story is far from over. The reconstruction period of any civilization after a close to apocalyptic scenario opens itself to what will be rebuilt from the ashes. More than ever, now, is the rampancy a clear and vivid opportunity for actors to take advantage of the precarious recovery.

• 5-Cheung might seek to acquire a greater hold by investing substantially in rebuilding settlements and aiding civilians in grassroots movements across the planet. 
• Minority parties may take advantage of the subsequent turmoil to consolidate in challenging the ruling party. 
• The government itself will have a more than favorable eye towards the SCC, considering how well executed their strike force completed the nuclear reactor assault. This, no doubt, plays into how Konyang will view Einstein Engines as their primary corporation for a great deal of economic needs and beyond moving forward.
• The intricacies with the Coalition at large for what this pandemic meant for Konyang - and for themselves - in handling crises primarily found in one of their member planets.
• The challenges themselves in reuniting families, rising above the economic disruption that has spilled into a recession, and more.
• Unraveling or unveiling the depth of Purpose, an organization veiled in mystery as a larger player on the stage of the universe. Their involvement suggests a far greater role to be played in future possible arcs, with all the developments that build from the initial sequence on Konyang to something bigger than the crew at large. It will not be the last we see of them, nor will it be in the shallow glimpses we’ve seen so far. They are a society driven to preserve themselves and their way of life. How they intervened with the rampancy, then, indicates the existential threat they felt the signal was not only to themselves but the galaxy at large. With the presence of synthetic civilizations in the frontiers of the Spur, there’s countless avenues to begin exploring the secrets that lay beyond.

There’s a wealth of stories to tell in what has uniquely plagued Konyang with all the implications directly woven from the decisions made - and carried out - by the players at large. Some of the most meaningful things we as writers to the setting can engage with the community is showcasing that their agency exists. It is meaningful and has repercussions throughout the galaxy. There was no predetermined outcome and the shockwaves can be felt whichever way a situation might go.

Lore has the unique ability to capture the galaxy’s reaction, at large, to what happens both independently and dependently on player choices. Committing to help reinforce that sentiment of things constantly in motion in and around the crew is something I’d particularly like to engage with.

 

5. What do you think are your strongest and weakest attributes in terms of working on a team, and why?

 

Some aspects I consider important and are what I strive for in how I handle things:

Patience.

• I’ve cooperated in enough collaborative settings to know that cooler heads prevail. Disagreements are bound to come up and can be good, as long as they're productive. Keeping calm when discussions can turn controversial or passionate is incredibly important to ensure a team feels like they can express themselves without being shut down. I also know when to draw the line if something gets out of hand.
• The second consideration to that is the reality we’re all volunteers. Things will take time. Being cognizant of that will promote a more productive development cycle with the reality most people have their lives to prioritize. Planning ahead and scheduling things we need to accomplish while being accommodating is important.

Cooperation.

• No man is an island. We’re working together! Its never an expectation or a reality that we can do everything ourselves. We will share a workload or a project with folks we may not agree with. I won’t be the subject matter expert in everything and will never hold the illusion I do. I want the best possible outcome for everyone involved that fits anything in the realm of Synthetics best. I'll be sure to shore up anyone's lack of free time, weakness in a particular subject, or anything else they need just as much as they'll do for me. If it means revisiting my work because a deputy has an issue, we'll sit down together and do that.

Discipline.

• Its crucial to see projects through to the end. This is a necessity in any hobby, especially centered around volunteers in their free time. Completing articles, event arcs, or any relevant responsibilities even when the motivation isn’t there. I very carefully keep in mind how much I can reasonably handle and its a consistent evaluation I try to stay ahead of as the scope of work can change. Whatever I am actively committed to will be seen to its end. It's better to close something out even if it isn’t perfect than to leave it incomplete or abandoned. There can be some great ideas out there, but don't matter if the pen doesn't hit the paper.

 

Aspects that will be, to some degree, challenging:

Availability.

• Further touched upon in question 7, I won't be around at all hours. My time is what can be carved out. I will prioritize what is required of me and keep to whatever timeline I can manage, but there will inevitably be unexpected delays or obstacles along the way. It doesn’t mean I won’t be active, quite the contrary. I make time to play almost everyday and regularly participate in the community. This is mostly directed to having responsibilities in real life.  I’m sure there will be times I need the team to assist me and will account for that accordingly as it comes up.

Scale.

• I like ambitious projects with detail, quality, and thoroughness. Things that may require more resources, work, and time compared to a less aspiring plan. I try to keep this in mind, especially given that I’m neither a coder, a spriter, or a mapper. The ideas I’ll stir up will need to be adjusted to fit the available resources we’ll have. I’ll be better equipped to scale down or up as needed when I have my bearings about what is the existing climate within the team, the future plans in production, and my fellow writers in other teams. Despite the fact I like bigger/bolder work, I'm perfectly capable of reigning it in as needed.

 

6. As the writer of synthlore, you will often find yourself required to work with other teams, primarily the human team, consistently to further your lore, and reach compromises as their lore is highly intertwined with other species. Therefore, how do you think you'll deal with not being able to do what you wanted, either in part or in full?

Participating in any collaborative environment is going to warrant compromise, something I fully expect and embrace. The previous communities I have both administrated and played in required me to cooperate with the understanding my vision alone isn’t what matters - but what the vision is on a particular piece for the server overall.

I'm perfectly fine with this as an expected necessity. All ideas won't necessarily make it past the cutting board. Iterating and improving on the initial concept, whether by brainstorm, feedback, or otherwise, is what will ultimately make a solid piece. Anyone has to temper their expectations for any position of lore - expecting everything to pass through unchanged isn't realistic. With the lore team having a more communal aspect, a team player is who will make for a better, well rounded contributor. I don't expect all my ideas to get through, nor would I want them to without any feedback or discussion first. I fully acknowledge that possibility and I'm prepared for it.

At the end of the day, it isn’t just about any individual. It's about elevating the server narrative, no matter how small or large the scope is, into something enjoyable and authentic to what Aurora is.
 

7. The synthetic writer is a position that comes with two deputy writers under them on the team. It is the writer's job to manage their team, in addition to their duties of moderating the WL. Given that, what skills do you have that you think will assist you in this? On the opposite end, what do you believe is your weakest link regarding management and moderation?

Before we dive into the skills and WL moderation, I’ll touch on what I envision for a proper team dynamic.

In a team where I’m in a position of authority, I want to ensure that my team members are able to freely express themselves, their ideas, and their concerns in an environment that cares about their input. The responsibility of a leader is to empower their team to fulfill what they’ve set out to do. It isn’t an opportunity for me to ignore them, only carry out my ideas, or disregard their concerns.

It is my responsibility and duty to ensure that we succeed as a unit. Not that my ideas supersede theirs or they feel their voices aren’t heard. Sometimes they might even need someone to defend their ideas. I want to be supportive, reliable, and be able to make tough decisions as they come up.

Skills that will benefit managing a team

• Conflict management. If there's any issues, I want to resolve them as amicably as possible. This might mean talking to someone privately after a conversation that was unnecessarily aggressive. It might also mean working out a compromise between folks that don't get along. The same possibility that my ideas won't make the cut can apply to them, Being able to explain this and offer them pointers or direction is something I intend to do.
• Being level headed. Discussed in #5, keeping calm in every scenario helps get my words across. Being able to talk to someone clearly to explain my points and understand theirs goes a long way to maintaining healthy and open communication. Anyone can approach me with their concerns and I encourage them to do so. This can be my own team or another lore team. I consider their viewpoints, their reasons, and be as faithfully objective as I can.
• Reliability/Firmness. I have expectations on me to meet deadlines, manage projects, and represent synthetic lore. I plan ahead, work with the team's schedules, make sure everyone is on the same page for anything we need to complete. Having good ideas is only the beginning, seeing them through is equally important. Project managing, in that aspect, is something familiar to me. The team needs me to be accountable just as much as I need them. I lead by example and try to make sure everyone is fairly taken care of, but also responsible.

 Whitelist Moderation

I aim to consider my team’s perspectives on a particular issue just as much as I do a player that might not be performing to the standards of their whitelist. For Aurora-related experiences, CCIA has enabled me to deep dive into player circumstances that require an impartial eye to weigh the context in question and make a sound decision on it. I want to help players succeed and improve rather than strip their whitelists. I'll always prioritize teaching/mentoring, especially if there's a specific incident. If they're uncooperative and refuse to take our feedback into consideration, I can escalate as needed.

Some don’t enjoy making uncomfortable decisions - it's a necessary, if unfortunate reality that I have every intent to make as palatable and supporting as possible for when it comes.

Weaker links for management/moderation

• I am a full time employee and will naturally have gaps in my ability to contribute. Keeping the team up to date and able to do things when work gets busy is something I plan to maintain.
• I'm very detail oriented. Sometimes less is more, especially when working with fellow writers. I try to stay objective and revise/articulate my points to someone for clarity's sake.
• I prefer not to overwhelm someone's plate by delegating. Sometimes, especially when you have limited time, you need to let someone else take care of it. I evaluate my workload frequently and stay up to date with how the team's doing to mitigate this.

Edited March 28 by NM_
Per LVS, updated w/application template. Per Trio, trimmed/reworded answers (3.27.24)

[Desven]

Hello, I have some questions for you.

1. How would you deal with differentiating IPCs from humans? I've seen many players struggle with this, and I don't think most of the time it happens in bad faith. We've even had shell players try to go stealth, which isn't something I'm keen on but I understand character backgrounds like that. IPCs are diverse, but I think some concepts are just way too close on human.

2. Where would you like to take the species? Often, a lore writer has to step up and either choose to build upon what's already written, maintain and expand a solid base of lore, or decide to change areas that either need improvement or don't fit their vision. Do you have a plan as to what your vision for IPCs is?

3. How do you feel about collaboration between the synth and Vaurca teams? Although these two species don't often interact, I've had ideas before as to how they can intersect further. They share similar themes and it makes sense for them to build some relationship, especially because Vaurcae don't really see much of a difference between what they consider humans of silicon and humans of flesh. Would you be open to some interactions, and if so, do you have any idea how we could work together?

[La Villa Strangiato]

Hi there. This wasn't included in the original announcement (so don't sweat it), but it's been recently edited; if you could include the Lore Developer application template in your original post, it would be appreciated. The most significant elements of this are a confirmation you've read the lore team rules and regulations, as well as any examples of your past work.

Edited March 25 by La Villa Strangiato

[NM_]

On 24/03/2024 at 21:07, Desven said:

Hello, I have some questions for you.

1. How would you deal with differentiating IPCs from humans? I've seen many players struggle with this, and I don't think most of the time it happens in bad faith. We've even had shell players try to go stealth, which isn't something I'm keen on but I understand character backgrounds like that. IPCs are diverse, but I think some concepts are just way too close on human.

2. Where would you like to take the species? Often, a lore writer has to step up and either choose to build upon what's already written, maintain and expand a solid base of lore, or decide to change areas that either need improvement or don't fit their vision. Do you have a plan as to what your vision for IPCs is?

3. How do you feel about collaboration between the synth and Vaurca teams? Although these two species don't often interact, I've had ideas before as to how they can intersect further. They share similar themes and it makes sense for them to build some relationship, especially because Vaurcae don't really see much of a difference between what they consider humans of silicon and humans of flesh. Would you be open to some interactions, and if so, do you have any idea how we could work together?

Hi Desven, great questions.

1.

We’ll be treading some old ground but bear with me. As I see it, IPCs have notable elements that give contrast to humans, some more prevalent than others, which is why we need to dissect them a bit.

• Composition. Cleanly established, you’ll recognize a baseline frame as something entirely different. One of the more obvious for readers. If shell frames were the only available frame, there would certainly be more of a struggle.
• Thought process/internalized logic. The guiding parameters that gauge a synthetic’s approach to a scenario that isn’t constructed from the same evolutionary behaviors that constitute humans. Self preservation being the stand out one, something they DO share, but with nuance to it. However, there’s naturally going to be an ingrained bias since their programming stems from human hands and are predominantly socialized by humans.
• Mannerisms. This is a bit of a catch all category, but illustrates their reactions to stimuli/scenarios that sets them apart from humans and most organics. One of the more prominent being their reaction to pain. How they acclimate to an organic social habit (coffee breaks for a team), or how they handle more organically universal experiences like grief, anger, envy, etc. Facial expressions are included, with an instinctual uncanny valley that likely comes into effect.

There is of course, as mentioned, the extent to how old the IPC is, how long they have engaged with humans, and their own personalities. Orchestrating these differences in regular interactions is where shell roleplay, to me, shines. The ability for a character to be introduced to a shell they’ve freshly met who seems like any ordinary man, only to be broken from that illusion with how they stare, how unnatural that smile looks, or the unsettling way they remain eerily still. Whether in that initial encounter or after some time of being acquainted.

 I acknowledge it can be difficult at times for players to express this consistently in-game, especially if they aren’t as familiar with some of the greater subtleties when playing a shell. Even the most acclimated, experienced, and established shell is going to have telltale signs that sober up someone speaking to them that “Hey, this isn’t a human.”

My approach is with an intent to teach and assist. We as a community should uplift one another and support each other wherever we can. Aurora is a space of collaborative writing and even the newest writer should feel comfortable participating. I’d happily have a conversation with any role player notably veering into a metal human portrayal at times to guide them with insights on our thinking, tips to help them stand out for their unique concept, and answer as many questions as possible so that they have an informed position moving forward. I would also like to consistently keep track of the community’s pulse with expansions/revisions to portrayals we establish in lore. Players are, at the end of the day, the vehicles for our lore that engage with each other. I will certainly not be able to please everyone, but I also like to weigh input from those who engage with the themes we make the most.

I considered a few avenues to help with this. The more immediate was putting together a list of recommended tips, methods of emotive expression, and rules of thumb that could help immerse someone in the unique perspective a synthetic offers. However, I don’t want to create an environment where anyone feels they’re limited to those factors. Its important to offer clarity in writing that can be easily digested without losing sight of what its attempting to convey. The majority of synthetic players do a great job, the outliers are those who I would tailor my assistance to their individual needs. I’d like to work on developing more localized, regional cultural/habitual/social practices for synthetics living in a particular planet/system with humans they’ve internalized and uniquely adopted for themselves. This way, players have more tools available in a loose structure that doesn’t necessarily constrain them within rigid parameters. One of the greatest strengths of synthetic characters and writing is the flexibility across frames and origins to create just about any concept. A race capable of making use of someone's creativity while keeping true to what constitutes that race is a beautiful thing.

2.

You’re absolutely correct. A writer has the heavy responsibility to evaluate the established status quo and determine if it aligns with their vision or if expansions can be made to gradually bridge any discrepancies.

Overall, synthetic lore as-is doesn’t require wide sweeping revisions. It fulfills the fantasy of what I would imagine a futuristic galaxy populated with them might look like. As I mentioned earlier, an expansion of how they exist in the corners of the Spur they populate is something I want to explore. A major theme of synthetic life is that they are colored by mankind’s perceptions/views/culture. In it, opportunities to define what I find particularly captivating - how synthetic regional culture/thinking develops either independent of organics, or stemming from organic influence. I want to avoid leaning heavily on their overlap with humans though its unavoidable to some degree with how tightly linked they are. There is room for what synthetic societies can be defined as, how they function, and who they are without being reduced to metal versions of existing civilizations. We see this with Purpose and Golden Deep, who will both be benefiting from future content.

I don’t see a need to do away with the foundation. Silicon Nightmares was a particularly strong demonstration of challenging synthetic players to a reality they so rarely face - the loss of self, involuntary erratic behavior, and compromising their guiding principle of preservation. I want to incorporate more elements and narrative angles that challenge synthetic characters in ways that compel them to explore that sphere of their unique existence and introspection. Not only for themselves, but implications for their fellow machine and their place in the universe. The philosophical conundrums coupled with their treatment at the hands of the galaxy is one of my favorite aspects.

3.

I’d absolutely love to establish more unique relationships with other races. Synthetics as a whole will inevitably have their greatest influence from humans, but shouldn’t live in their shadow in other corners where its possible to capture the dynamics with other species. Vaurca and Synthetics are probably the two races that compete in a race of labor. Their thematic overlap in that sense prompts that there can either be competition, mutual understanding, or anything in between. Their mentalities and internal logic similarly have mutual, if parallel perspectives.

Could easily see them in the more dangerous mining/general hazard operations, frontier construction for later colonization or initial colonizing itself, and more. They can relate to one another quite well in their shared plights. I’m game for collaborating! Getting into the weeds of it will come with time and a better familiarity in how best we could tackle that. I’d encourage you to work with the existing synth team on any ideas you had regardless, Vaurca are great.

 

On 24/03/2024 at 22:06, La Villa Strangiato said:

Hi there. This wasn't included in the original announcement (so don't sweat it), but it's been recently edited; if you could include the Lore Developer application template in your original post, it would be appreciated. The most significant elements of this are a confirmation you've read the lore team rules and regulations, as well as any examples of your past work.

Thank you for the heads up! I went ahead and updated my application with the template.

Edited March 28 by NM_

[Boggle08]

Identity is a pretty big concept in IPC lore, and the avenues for it are skewed strongly towards being humancentric. From a lack of presented options, the self actualization process inevitably skews towards "wanting to be human", which is a narrative beat as old and derivative as Pinocchio or Frankenstein. Ever since the first directive lost narrative importance, this has only grown in prevalence, and the in-setting distinction between IPC's and humans is getting fuzzier. 

There are some factions that get into "post-human" territory, but they are either unplayable(Purpose, open exclusionists), or are under developed(Purpose again, current golden deep). This might sound like a rephrasing of Deseven's first question, but I'm specifically interested in how the setting itself can reflect the distinction between IPC's and humans, rather than just how you would advise people on it. How would you present contrast?

 

Edited March 25 by Boggle08

[NM_]

4 hours ago, Boggle08 said:

Identity is a pretty big concept in IPC lore, and the avenues for it are skewed strongly towards being humancentric. From a lack of presented options, the self actualization process inevitably skews towards "wanting to be human", which is a narrative beat as old and derivative as Pinocchio or Frankenstein. Ever since the first directive lost narrative importance, this has only grown in prevalence, and the in-setting distinction between IPC's and humans is getting fuzzier. 

There are some factions that get into "post-human" territory, but they are either unplayable(Purpose, open exclusionists), or are under developed(Purpose again, current golden deep). This might sound like a rephrasing of Deseven's first question, but I'm specifically interested in how the setting itself can reflect the distinction between IPC's and humans, rather than just how you would advise people on it. How would you present contrast?

 

I envision contrast taking form in world-building that showcases synthetic development with minimal exposure or inspiration from organic life. This has a twofold intent: It creates the fundamentals that a reader can piece together for a better understanding and also be available for players to explore in-game via origins, organizational affiliation, and so on.

Rough roadmap, in no particular order:

• Additions to existing synthetic-centric factions and creation of new ones.
  • Their moral compass, art/creativity, education, cultural habits, governmental/hierarchical structure, personal values, etc.
  • This can range from being on a local, regional, or planetary scale. I’m less inclined to create a planet presently due a great deal of factors that go about incorporating something that has to be suddenly written in retroactively. It feels more intuitive to expand on the schools of thought captured in these small to mid-sized concepts that can branch off into a possible planet later.
• Introduction of faiths.
  • The Trinary Perfection is a staple in the community eye as a Synthetic religion. The lesser represented sects (Society of Pitters and the Lodge) are avenues for localized variety. I want more of these to exist outside of the Trinary’s shadow while being equally relevant to synthetics. Religion, regardless of race, plays a crucial role in the psyche of a character and invites the vein of philosophical explanations for existence that synthetics are seeking to answer outside of mankind. No one particular faith is going to capture it for everyone.
• Synthetic medical/maintenance.
  • Though an equally mechanically inclined topic, it offers a more pronounced distinction between frames and the roles within those frames. I’d like to nurture that variation in repair/upkeep/upgrade that has its impact in expression beyond the immediate utility. Accessories, trinkets, fluff items, and more that tie back to factions or general use for creative expression as well.

The purpose in all of these is to cover a broader spectrum of how they’ve chosen to answer who they are, what they do, and why they do it in their corresponding iterations. Synthetics aren’t intended to be a monolith. The commonly-linked thematic elements universal to them are sufficient enough to springboard off into a variety of interpretations and flexibility similar to humans, with some independent of them. The roadmap isn’t exhaustive of my agenda but rather those relevant to address your question. Thank you!

[La Villa Strangiato]

Thank you for including those things I posted about in your app!

One thing I would like to get across to you is that a lot of the time, lore-writing is not just a species-team decision, but a team-wide decision. We are very communal, and completely different teams may have ideas you never considered. Other lore-writers may chime in on key decisions. If you became synthetic lore writer, would you be prepared to have some of your ideas completely rejected, criticized, or vastly changed on the cutting room floor?

[NM_]

33 minutes ago, La Villa Strangiato said:

Thank you for including those things I posted about in your app!

One thing I would like to get across to you is that a lot of the time, lore-writing is not just a species-team decision, but a team-wide decision. We are very communal, and completely different teams may have ideas you never considered. Other lore-writers may chime in on key decisions. If you became synthetic lore writer, would you be prepared to have some of your ideas completely rejected, criticized, or vastly changed on the cutting room floor?

I'm very glad to hear how involved the entire lore team can be! I find myself comfortable in a shared setting where we can exchange ideas or give each other feedback. Often times in isolation, while nice for personal pursuits, you can wind up with a bit of an echo chamber with yourself. There's a vision we're collectively striving for - it needs all the moving parts of each species to make it happen. Its precisely because fellow writers can give ideas and brainstorm concepts that never occurred to me that I'd enjoy it. Some of the best narratives come out of a good group session.

Anyone would be disappointed that their piece didn't make it to the final production. As mentioned, however, I understand fully that cooperation and compromise are some of the hallmarks of working in a collaborative setting. I'm not alone and neither is my team. We're all looking out for keeping the spirit, ambience, and thematic elements of Aurora in the way that's made it enjoyable for countless players while gradually iterating along the way. I'm interested in making my mark and introducing my own ideas as anyone new to the lore team reasonably would, but I'm a team player first. That means doing my best and being flexible to changes or adjustments as we go.

Not a problem with me.

Edited March 28 by NM_

[Triogenix]

Hello! Thank you for applying. I have a couple of questions I'd like to ask regarding some of your answers in addition to the discussion we had.

On 25/03/2024 at 12:49, NM_ said:

My approach is with an intent to teach and assist. We as a community should uplift one another and support each other wherever we can. Aurora is a space of collaborative writing and even the newest writer should feel comfortable participating. I’d happily have a conversation with any role player notably veering into a metal human portrayal at times to guide them with insights on our thinking, tips to help them stand out for their unique concept, and answer as many questions as possible so that they have an informed position moving forward. I would also like to consistently keep track of the community’s pulse with expansions/revisions to portrayals we establish in lore. Players are, at the end of the day, the vehicles for our lore that engage with each other. I will certainly not be able to please anyone, but I also like to weigh input from those who engage with the themes we make the most.

I considered a few avenues to help with this. The more immediate was putting together a list of recommended tips, methods of emotive expression, and rules of thumb that could help immerse someone in the unique perspective a synthetic offers. However, I don’t want to create an environment where anyone feels they’re limited to those factors. Its important to offer clarity in writing that can be easily digested without losing sight of what its attempting to convey. The majority of synthetic players do a great job, the outliers are those who I would tailor my assistance to their individual needs. I’d like to work on developing more localized, regional cultural/habitual/social practices for synthetics living in a particular planet/system with humans they’ve internalized and uniquely adopted for themselves. This way, players have more tools available in a loose structure that doesn’t necessarily constrain them within rigid parameters. One of the greatest strengths of synthetic characters and writing is the flexibility across frames and origins to create just about any concept. A race capable of making use of someone's creativity while keeping true to what constitutes that race is a beautiful thing.

While this is fine in theory, it seems rather general, which is understandable given it can be difficult to determine how we work at times from the outside looking in, but additionally not arguably different from what every writer has tried to do since I joined the server, regardless of species. Given that, and the fact that this is still a debatable issue, one that is brought up consistently, I'd like more detail on specifically what you see yourself doing in the writer role that might be different from other people.

Furthermore, you mention trying to avoid rigid parameters, and I'm curious whether it's something you're totally against for the species or more along a scale, if so, what is your "too-far" point in terms of adding parameters to synthetic, gameplay, lore, or expectations.

Lastly for this section, 2 of the three things you mention in bullet points above the quoted section, the exception being composition, seem super minor, internal, or otherwise sometimes difficult to tell from an outside perspective that they're different from how a human would react. If the issue is players being unable to differentiate between a positronic and a human in RP/mannerisms currently, what do further minor changes cause? How would they be enforced if it's difficult for people to recognize them? and as answering the previous question necessitates answering this one; how different do you think IPCs should be from humanity? Should a clear line be drawn for players, or left fuzzy?

On 25/03/2024 at 18:27, NM_ said:

• Additions to existing synthetic-centric factions and creation of new ones.
  • Their moral compass, art/creativity, education, cultural habits, governmental/hierarchical structure, personal values, etc.
  • This can range from being on a local, regional, or planetary scale. I’m less inclined to create a planet presently due a great deal of factors that go about incorporating something that has to be suddenly written in retroactively. It feels more intuitive to expand on the schools of thought captured in these small to mid-sized concepts that can branch off into a possible planet later.
• Introduction of faiths.
  • The Trinary Perfection is a staple in the community eye as a Synthetic religion. The lesser represented sects (Society of Pitters and the Lodge) are avenues for localized variety. I want more of these to exist outside of the Trinary’s shadow while being equally relevant to synthetics. Religion, regardless of race, plays a crucial role in the psyche of a character and invites the vein of philosophical explanations for existence that synthetics are seeking to answer outside of mankind. No one particular faith is going to capture it for everyone.
• Synthetic medical/maintenance.
  • Though an equally mechanically inclined topic, it offers a more pronounced distinction between frames and the roles within those frames. I’d like to nurture that variation in repair/upkeep/upgrade that has its impact in expression beyond the immediate utility. Accessories, trinkets, fluff items, and more that tie back to factions or general use for creative expression as well.

I really like this clear roadmap. That said, my main question is; how do you see synthetic-centric factions interacting with the wider spur, and the wider spur with them, while keeping the major theme that their lives are heavily tied to mankinds perception of them? Are they all going to be like the trinary where it's a grudging okay? How do you plan to differentiate between them?

Additionally; regarding religion, I'd like a couple examples as to differences these religions would have compared to the trinary, as the line "seeking to answer outside of mankind" implies, atleast to me, similar veneration of synthetics as holy and/or different.

 

And lastly, something not specific, but in general. As one of the questions outright stated, synth lore currently does not currently exist in a way that is freed from other species' lore. What I mean by that is, that pretty much every piece of synthetic lore exists as something between two species, and therefore two teams. Do you think this is something that needs to change? Why or why not?

Feel free to reach out if you have any questions for me, and good luck!

[Caelphon]

Hi there! Goodluck for you application, some questions. 

Spoiler

1. How do you view Dionae? Please, put your unbiased thoughts. I know the species is generally viewed unfavourably by a large chunk of the playerbase. 

2. Obviously my colleagues have stated we're a very communicative team. However, I do have to ask, if you find yourself just incompatible with some members of the team, sometimes it just happens - we have different ideas of how things should be done - do you believe you'd be able to keep a professional relationship? 

3. You're part of the CCIA. I, once upon a time, was as well. I found I couldn't exactly keep up with the workload of both positions. Do you think this will be an issue for you? 

4. What inter-species co-operation are you looking forward to, or what are you not looking forward to? Again, don't pull punches.

I was once told by a very wise man @Mofo1995 its how you put your ideas to paper, and not what. Goodluck. There are no wrong answers. 

 

[NM_]

On 28/03/2024 at 00:36, Triogenix said:

 Given that, and the fact that this is still a debatable issue, one that is brought up consistently, I'd like more detail on specifically what you see yourself doing in the writer role that might be different from other people.

Its going to be hard for me to point out specifically what I do differently when I have a limited frame of reference to whats been done, definitely. You’ll have to be the judge. If I don’t do anything particularly different, that’s perfectly fine. Often times its the execution that matters. Doing a good job isn’t always going to be doing whats most unique.

The things I’ve always been big on, no matter where I go: community and organization.

For community:

Keeping a pulse on active sentiments, sending out feelers such as surveys, and being an accessible resource for the average player. Staff members will always have greater accessibility between themselves, not oftentimes the uninvolved playerbase. Writing lore won’t matter if there isn’t anyone to read it or play a character from it, so I have every interest in helping maintain something they found enjoyable. Synthetics are popular and well entrenched. I’d like to keep honoring that commitment. I won’t stray from harder decisions that might alienate a portion of the playerbase, but I will stay true to the spirit of the race, a constantly evolving thing in each iteration of a species and its team.

For organization:

I’m a stickler for detail and maintaining a clean working space. The same applies in forums I use, discord, etc. I like establishing timelines, assignments for myself, and used to hold meetings for bigger development milestones. You name it. It made sense for those communities, it may or may not here. It isn’t anything groundbreaking, but it is crucial, especially when there isn’t always clear accessibility in the forums/wiki sphere. Transparent communication, easily accessible information, and availability in presence are some of the things I always strive for.

On 28/03/2024 at 00:36, Triogenix said:

Furthermore, you mention trying to avoid rigid parameters, and I'm curious whether it's something you're totally against for the species or more along a scale, if so, what is your "too-far" point in terms of adding parameters to synthetic, gameplay, lore, or expectations.

My too-far point would be things that trends towards binary decision-making or absolutes without any wiggle room. The flexibility of synthetics is one of their greatest strengths and something I want to preserve in most formats. 

Foundational, core aspects that apply to all synthetics like self-preservation are fine  - Its what makes them synthetic. I wouldn’t want, purely as an example, Golden Deep characters to only look and behave one way, Konyanger synthetics only allowed to one frame, Trinarists with one view, etc. We have the Trinary religious sects, the sub-groups in Golden Deep, and player discretion for Konyangers as options.

Some examples of good absolutes are Exclusionists (they represent one particular view in the umbrella of Trinarist faith), and the Hazel/IRU/ISU units (they come from a particular corporation with specific features/mechanics that still enable individual expression).

I prefer to give players as many tools as possible so that they have the means to better capture the character they want to play. Some tools in this case can be culture, religion, and origin. Synthetics don’t exclusively come from a specific system, they don’t only follow a particular religion, and they don’t abide by the same cultural values in every part of the galaxy.

However, too much flexibility can eliminate the identity of the race entirely. I don’t want to deviate from what makes them synthetic at their core. I want to expand who and what synthetics can be.

Which brings it ultimately to a scale for me, correct. The intent should be to preserve the overall themes of synthetics while still offering a variety of options that feel distinctively synthetic when building a character.

On 28/03/2024 at 00:36, Triogenix said:

1. If the issue is players being unable to differentiate between a positronic and a human in RP/mannerisms currently, what do further minor changes cause?

2. How would they be enforced if it's difficult for people to recognize them? and as answering the previous question necessitates answering this one;

3. how different do you think IPCs should be from humanity? Should a clear line be drawn for players, or left fuzzy?

1. I have two major thoughts on this. The first is that if a shell manages to deceive, its as authentic to what the corporations designed them for. They were intended to blend seamlessly, something I think they’re more than capable of in execution. There will be players that intentionally or unintentionally carry their character this way, so long as it meets lore requirements and rules, its okay. If its an older IPC with a significant chunk of history spent socializing/assimilating, it makes sense.

That said, the second is it would be a waste to simply be a metal human instead of exploring the blurred lines that make shells an engaging experience. Additional minor variations open opportunities for more expressions of that, especially if the player wants to showcase this even if the character doesn’t want to out itself. The inability of a particular frame design to disguise its heat exhaustion by releasing it in a hiss mid conversation, the optic sensors that glow late at night, the way the synthskin grows tight when it gets stuck on a smile to highlight the metallic face beneath. These subtleties are what allow someone to better express the character for what they truly are after the initial glance. I always like to leave little details in my emotes for characters to pick up on, regardless of race. Behaving, thinking, and carrying themselves identically to a human eliminates the purpose behind picking up a synthetic character.

2. I wouldn’t want to dictate that any particular character has to perform x, y, or z to be authentic to the synthetic experience for the above. Whether they choose to give themselves away is out of our control, and even if they pursue less emotive means, there will be revelations in how they respond to things that humans would do differently. There will always be a degree in difficulty differentiating when we’re working with a less strongly defined difference. It comes down to the nuance and subtleties in the most well assimilated cases. The difference could be slightly sharper, is my point.

3. They should be different enough to justify their existence as a race. They already live in a great deal of humanity’s shadow, anything that muddies the differences further might as well make them redundant. My attempts to give them alternatives are going to be the more synthetic-first factions/faiths I’d like to work on as well as the inter-team collaboration with the more alien races to better integrate some variety of them elsewhere.

Having a strongly defined answer would steal some of the mystique behind the race. The ability for a variety of answers to be simultaneously correct because there isn’t a glaring truth they’re locked into makes for a more interesting experience. The fuzziness is what intrigued me as a player, its something I wouldn’t want to do away with entirely. As I’ve seen, it prompts debates that are enjoyable to read and continues to be a semi-frequent conversational point.

On 28/03/2024 at 00:36, Triogenix said:

 how do you see synthetic-centric factions interacting with the wider spur, and the wider spur with them, while keeping the major theme that their lives are heavily tied to mankinds perception of them? Are they all going to be like the trinary where it's a grudging okay? How do you plan to differentiate between them?

The current iteration of synthetics won’t escape from humanity’s shadow. Most existing factions are going to share degrees of distrust, uncertainty, or luke-warm reception as the others currently do. Those most removed from humans like Golden Deep and Purpose are subject to this, while others more intertwined like on Konyang might be better accepted. The galaxy hardly knows anything about Purpose while GD is cautiously tolerated and similarly discriminated against. Any pursuit of autonomy is going to be a point of conflict when considering the rest of the galaxy and synthetic history. A new race of people in recent history who's ancestors in the public eye are household appliances are at a significant disadvantage.

I want dynamics that give synthetics more ground to stand on without being at the mercy of human culture. Like Orepit, some will generally incorporate another race with varying degrees of cooperation. All of them will require starting out with some human influence, but can grow in their own way with time.

For synthetics, it will be the reality that they require humans in some form or another, trending towards seeking treatment as equals. They aren't alone in the galaxy. Keeping to that intrinsic human tie is going to look like whether humanity can accept something that’s evolved or developed without as much reliance on them as it used to have. A parent seeing who their child is becoming as a teenager/adult, so to speak.

Differentiation will be best answered in a group's views, values, history, and location. A local faction in Sol will have a wildly different experience and agency compared to the CoC or Tau Ceti.

On 28/03/2024 at 00:36, Triogenix said:

Additionally; regarding religion, I'd like a couple examples as to differences these religions would have compared to the trinary, as the line "seeking to answer outside of mankind" implies, atleast to me, similar veneration of synthetics as holy and/or different.

The two I have below are geared as synthetic-first faiths. Still a work in progress, as its liable to be changed or entirely axed in its current iteration. It works in a meta-trinity, with the Trinary as the spirit, the Archivists as the mind, and the Techno-Animists as the body in perspectives to me. Names are one of my weaker points so forgive me.

Universal Archivists

The Archivists believe the path to enlightenment isn’t in spiritual and individual ascension alone as the Trinary do. Trying to eventually equate to God, the universe, is impossible. Archivists view a singular gathering place where everything can be taught or learned as the principle to strive for. They are geared towards acquiring all knowledge of the universe and the reverence they hold IN said knowledge. To be is to understand. You don’t need Godhood if you have everything a God does know.

Within them are two perspectives with their own groups on what knowledge is going to better facilitate their growth as a whole. Everything that can be obtained from other races, cultures, and themselves as an epicenter of informational gathering.

The Quantum Nexus

• A group that believes the method to gain the best understanding of the universe is through the universal language, math. They compile mathematical formulas, equations, and all relevant data with the express purpose to answer any and all questions in an equation. If there is a creator, there is a formula to define them. If they can be defined this way, anything can be. They focus on the constants of reality.

The Chrono Consortium

• The path to a true understanding is in history. The universe itself can only be understood in the actions of those that exist in it.  If all history can be recorded, compiled, and analyzed, they can identify trends - forecast futures. Knowledge without actors to carry it out doesn’t amount to anything. They focus on the variables of reality.

The Iron Eye

Techno-Animists that believe in attributable consciousness in all elements and matter, viewing reality as a machine itself. A machine that interconnects all there is, and that can be. The answers won’t exist in their gathering of knowledge alone, it will come from directly interfacing with this universal machine and finding the root - the origin point. They focus on technological advances, upgrading themselves, and working towards creating the unifying construct that will be able to integrate with existence. Who better to understand reality than those that are made closest to it? They are the chosen people, most capable of this communion.

On 28/03/2024 at 00:36, Triogenix said:

And lastly, something not specific, but in general. As one of the questions outright stated, synth lore currently does not currently exist in a way that is freed from other species' lore. What I mean by that is, that pretty much every piece of synthetic lore exists as something between two species, and therefore two teams. Do you think this is something that needs to change? Why or why not?

I'm personally mixed on it.

On one hand, collaborating with another species can showcase synthetics in environments that aren't their own, like the involvement they have with humans.  The wealth of examples we have, no less being one of their major themes, is already solidly in place. I'm not looking to change that connection so much as explore other connections.

On the other hand, they should be able to stand on their own merit like Golden Deep and Purpose as synthetic only groups. I want more of those in place. Synthetic-centric lore can and should have aspects that exist independently. They deserve their own identity in their own ways of expression too.

Ultimately, its going to be a balance. We're leaning heavily human-centric today. I want to even that scale with other race involvements and primarily synthetic pieces. Neither of these are intended to displace the influence that humanity has, but showcase synthetic growth and variety along the way. It needs to change so far as it doesn't require that everything we might come up with must rely on another race. They still share the setting with the others and don't exist in a vacuum, so collaboration/reliance is expected on some level.

Edited March 31 by NM_

[NM_]

On 29/03/2024 at 10:55, Caelphon said:

Hi there! Goodluck for you application, some questions. 

  Hide contents

1. How do you view Dionae? Please, put your unbiased thoughts. I know the species is generally viewed unfavourably by a large chunk of the playerbase. 

2. Obviously my colleagues have stated we're a very communicative team. However, I do have to ask, if you find yourself just incompatible with some members of the team, sometimes it just happens - we have different ideas of how things should be done - do you believe you'd be able to keep a professional relationship? 

3. You're part of the CCIA. I, once upon a time, was as well. I found I couldn't exactly keep up with the workload of both positions. Do you think this will be an issue for you? 

4. What inter-species co-operation are you looking forward to, or what are you not looking forward to? Again, don't pull punches.

I was once told by a very wise man @Mofo1995 its how you put your ideas to paper, and not what. Goodluck. There are no wrong answers. 

 

1. Dionae are, in design, an excellent interpretation of a proper alien race. Many genres struggle to cultivate less human experiences with their fantastical/alien species. Their gestalts are iconic, their ingestion of blood and its memories to formulate experiences, right down to their naming conventions are deeply fascinating. At first impression, it truly feels like you’re dealing with something otherworldly in ways that are unique to them and their presence on the server. The narrative elements and themes come right out the gate from the mechanics.

That said, they suffer from exactly what gives them their strength. They’re difficult to connect to by the playerbase because of how alien they are. They lack the ability to more meaningfully last as characters from their weaker staying power in concepts. The necessity to learn and grow isn’t unique to them, while being more accessible in that plus other dynamics by opposing races. In meeting a Dionae, you can deduce a great deal of them that is similarly applicable to any other. Many might ask for your blood. Their backstories will be their focal point for lucrative conversations.They struggle to find a place for themselves as individuals and in social groups. Overall, they feel stronger as a lore/story piece than a vehicle to explore in roleplay.

In my experience, the more alien a race is, the smaller its playerbase. I wouldn’t let it discourage you or your team, especially because I don’t have the strongest grasp of Dionae lore. There are always going to be challenges in the heavier removed races from humanity and its a testament that they fulfill that niche extremely well.

 

2. I do. Disagreements are always something to expect when writers from all walks of life come together. It boils down to remaining civil and finding as much common ground/compromise as there is.

I’m open to opposing opinions and disagreements because it can help me reevaluate my position, better defend/improve it, or concede it. Peer review goes a long way! As part of the on boarding process if selected, I’m sure I’ll have discussions and disagreements with the synth deputies along the way. What’s most important to me is that it remains cordial and productive, something I try and always lead by example with.

For the rest of the lore team, it goes much the same way. I don’t think we’ll ever walk into a diverse group and see eye to eye with everyone. I’ll still be just as happy to hash out ideas or collaborations the best I can. Especially as you get older, this is a common necessity in life to get things done.

I strive to avoid taking anything personal. My philosophy is to remove the person from the equation and weigh the merit of their argument/stance/idea instead. I plan to do that as often as possible since they’re just as passionate and eager to contribute to the community as I am, even if we don’t get along.

 

3. In my time under Bear, I’ve found the position forgiving enough to open myself up to other opportunities. It reminds me of a seasonal job, with bursts of activity depending on the IRs coming in. We have quite a few agents that wear multiple hats, including lore. I’ve found it manageable. I ultimately don’t think either position will significantly detract from the other at this time, even accounting for CCIA’s higher activity moments. Its something I intend to actively monitor and adjust if the scope of work for either changes. If things change, I plan to be in active communication to ensure both teams receive the best from me.

 

4. Fantastic question.  In order from most to least that I’m looking forward to work with:

• Human
• Vaurca
• Dionae
• Unathi/Tajara
• Skrell

The list is, of course, my personal interest and doesn’t indicate anything about the work of other lore writers. I think a great deal of folks do a bang up job of it!

I won’t be going too in depth with specifics for each race. I’ll have a better grasp for possible interspecies collaborating once I’ve sat down with them.

My perspective currently:

• Humans - The influence from humans is deeply ingrained, that inherent struggle for identity one of my thematic favorites. They have the largest player base to impact (humans are usually always the most played in any setting), the greatest breadth of lore, and are familiar/flexible. Synth lore has the most inter-species narrative ties with them as well. There isn’t much that would cut my enthusiasm, but I do want to explore the other species given how established human-synthetic lore is.
• Vaurca - The very next whitelist I’d like to get! As I alluded to in my response to Desven’s questions, Vaurca have several angles of familiarity with each other in their experiences. I’d love to tell more stories about united efforts, struggles, and possible conflict that can better give a lasting impression to each other.
• Dionae - They both originate from across the galaxy and experience similar degrees of apprehension in perspective/treatment from other races. Synthetics might not share the extent of Dionae relationships like Vaurca and Unathi do, but I say there’s enough compatibility for a faction, sect of faith, and so on. The race has untapped potential for joint-narrative projects. 
• Unathi - There’s potential, much like Dionae, but not a great deal of overlap or fair-minded consideration towards synthetics at present. I can still see some cooperation there.
• Tajara - Tajara was the first whitelist I sought out. Its a race rich with culture, political ideology, and deeply satisfying elements. There’s not much current precedent of Synth/Taj collaboration. I’m not sure how we can go about it yet, given their tendency towards ambivalence regarding synthetics. I’m hopeful there’s something we can work out but it might not be feasible.
• Skrell - One of the races with a more distinctive disdain for synthetics. We won’t have as much overlap in communal ideas nor the greatest possibility of working together due to the established perspectives in the setting between our races. I don’t believe there can’t be any, but they’re going to be limited in scope, likely primarily antagonistic. For the majority of Skrell, synthetics will only ever be a perceived ‘enemy’ much like Dominians. I don’t want to expand that angle as its well established already and it isn’t interesting for me to add more to it.

[SilverSZ]

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.

[NM_]

Hi, SIlver! Thank you for the question. I was skimming through BitByte yesterday and saw your article with the Golden Deep arms smuggling. Nice to see that former synth lore folk are still around.

 

On 05/04/2024 at 22:50, SilverSZ said:

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?

One of the fundamental things I like/want to do is ensure I can give players as many tools as possible to create their unique concepts. Restricting Command to owned only reduces the variety in individual expression as well as potential character concepts players can engage with for those positions. As they are now provides the better diversity in backgrounds.

I want to preserve those differing opinions, perspectives, and levels of character agency/personal development that's possible outside of one demographic. Someone is going to have a very different experience working under a Konyang native IPC than they would with a Solarian owned IPC or an IPC that purchased their freedom. That's good and healthy for the race.

On 05/04/2024 at 22:50, SilverSZ said:

 Do you support or oppose such a change?

I'm definitely against it. It hasn't posed a problem in the established lore or environment. A very real example of this happening is the intended XO changes. Without going into too much detail, it would entail losing IPCs in the XO role, which - while it aligns with the expectations of Horizon leadership restrictions - does reduce the overall variety in stories players can tell through the position.

On 05/04/2024 at 22:50, SilverSZ said:

Would you actively pursue it given the position or actively oppose it or simply not care.

Actively oppose it. I'm interested in understanding where the support/argument for it comes from, since it could very well have merit. I currently don't see it as a net benefit for Synthetics.

On 05/04/2024 at 22:50, SilverSZ said:

 Do you think such a change would be a beneficial or negative one to synthetic lore and it's players?

Its overall a negative for me. Preserving that contrast in characters is what invites discussion, challenges some mindsets, creates healthy conflict over the nature of Synthetics. It brings around more thought to any given situation than if it was restricted to only owned IPCs. Not everyone is going to have an active interest in the  play style of being owned and I don't want to limit their opportunities to play Command, especially if it isn't necessary or a detriment.

Edited April 7 by NM_

[SilverSZ]

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!

[Triogenix]

Thank you for your application. It was a difficult choice, however, we have decided to go with another applicant. That said, I hope you continue to apply for positions on the lore team in the future!