Erik Tiber's Lore Dev reapplication

[Erik Tiber]

Ckey/BYOND Username: Erik Tiber

Position Being Applied For (coder, mapper, spriter): Lore writer

Past Experiences/Knowledge: Previous stint on the lore team.

I have 2 semesters of Microeconomics and 1 semester of macroeconomics education, plus a course in American Economic History. I also have personal interest in astronomy and hard science fiction.

From previous app:

I have participated in various worldbuilding projects as part of a small group. This small group can be found at #worldbuilding on irc.systemnet.info, they can vouch for my ability to contribute to a discussion.

 

Examples of Past Work: The old work I did for Skrell before Delta took over, also some advice I gave to him. Other examples include the work done on the map in the map thread, including about 20 hours of research for that, as well as the work into augments and such I did for my various characters.

I collaborated with CovertOddity to create the lore for the Vaurca. He did the writing, I collaborated with him on the conceptual work. This includes the nature of Vaurca society.

From my previous application:

The thread Possible Suggestions for Early Lore.

Personal Conworld Project

Additional information regarding the above project is available on request. Much of my brainstorming took place over IRC, and I lack logs unfortunately. The forum where I posted much of my work is having trouble with the search function.

Federation of Australia: A country I created for use in a forum-based roleplaying game. The game has been delayed significantly, but this wiki page remains.

 

Preferred Mode of Communication (Skype, Steam, etc.): Skype. I finally got the damn thing updated. I no longer have a hatred of skype, and will actually participate in the channel now, especially since Jackboot is loremaster.

Additional Comments: Well, now it's the summer and I'm no longer on the verge of a panic attack from mountains of homework, nor am I in the process of nearly flunking out of half my classes like I was first semester. I would also like to think I've learned quite a bit of what not to do from my first stint with the lore team.

Now that Jackboot is loremaster, and with a bunch of people urging me to rejoin the lore team, and with Jackboot (a few weeks ago IIRC) rightfully pointing out that just complaining about stuff not going my way is silly if I'm not gonna bother to use the channels provided, I've decided to reapply.

[mrimatool]

Quick note, Covert gave his first Vaucra draft in 2014 in September, just before you joined I believe.

Second, I've got no problem endorsing this application if you're going to be a constructive member of the team.

[Erik Tiber]

Quick note, Covert gave his first Vaucra draft in 2014 in September, just before you joined I believe.

Second, I've got no problem endorsing this application if you're going to be a constructive member of the team.

I know, I heavily criticized his original published version of them. I pointed out that they did not make sense, and many errors with them. Then we worked together on the new version for them, and due to us taking into account stuff like the implications, they were far, far more interesting, something which both of us agreed upon.

I'm perfectly willing to work on lore and actually do things this time. I would very much like to help make the lore much more interesting, and take into account what people care about. Many people I've talked to have a number of problems with the lore as currently written, and with their perception of the attitude of the lore team as a whole, so I decided that this way I would be able to more directly contribute to improving the lore.

[Frances]

with their perception of the attitude of the lore team as a whole

Out of curiosity, what do you mean by that?

I'm not a member of the lore team, but one thing I really like about Jackboot is that he's very relaxed as a loremaster, while still having the sense to create a lore that's solid and not full of eccentricities. A problem I've seen with many lore writers is that they get too absorbed in their own creation, and obsess over every detail being perfect rather than try to make the lore adapt to the players as much as possible.

I've seen you engage in this a little as well, and I'm honestly a bit wary of anyone sparking long lore debates on the forums, for the sake of the immersion of scientists, specialists, or otherwise meganerds (pardon the term) - a few of which do play the game. But being told you can't do something for a non-obvious reason which only satisfies the standards of a very small group (the lore team itself) is kinda unfun.

On the other hand, your previous contributions to the lore (fixing some early stupidity) were really great, and I know you to be a sensible person, so I may be simply misinformed.

Just my two cents.

[SgtSammac]

. A problem I've seen with many lore writers is that they get too absorbed in their own creation, and obsess over every detail being perfect rather than try to make the lore adapt to the players as much as possible.

 

With all due respect, whilst I've only done a very small part that doesn't get seen much. It IS NOT easy to adapt to the players, when whenever you do try and show people and get feedback, you get ignored. So thanks, but no thanks it is not as one sided as people like you try to make it seem Frances.

[Frances]

With all due respect, whilst I've only done a very small part that doesn't get seen much. It IS NOT easy to adapt to the players, when whenever you do try and show people and get feedback, you get ignored. So thanks, but no thanks it is not as one sided as people like you try to make it seem Frances.

Huh?

I'm not really sure what you're talking about - my issue is when people get told they can't do X or X, or that they have to do a certain thing a certain way because of lore reasons. It hasn't been enforced so much (thanks to Jackboot being liberal), but I see a lot of suggestions pertaining to the lore that get torn apart by certain people due to minuscule details (most recently methods of cloning being realistic or unrealistic, for example. Like come on, people are arguing over instant 60-second cloning.)

I believe you may be vastly misinterpreting what I'm trying to say - that and people complaining about something after refusing to give feedback are two different things.

Also:

So thanks, but no thanks it is not as one sided as people like you try to make it seem Frances.

I just want to get along with you people. I want everyone to be happy, and I'm personally willing to adapt and listen to people as much as possible. And I am getting seriously tired of people painting me as some kind of witch.

[Guest Marlon Phoenix]

I'm going to have to regretfully decline your application. While your drive and clear passion to create lore and expand on what is established is noble, your methods are an anti-thesis of the current operating philosophy of the lore. I'm taking a more liberal approach, and allowing suspension of disbelief to fill in the various holes, rather than fill it with IRL science. From memory, you engaged in many, many long winded debates and arguments over aspects of the lore that you felt weren't realistic enough, by the standards of IRL. Your forum debates are also an indicator that seeing you return would spark much more arguments and a push for fluff-realism that I'm trying to shy away from.

Again, I appreciate the drive, but I don't think our philosophies on lore will mesh well, and feel you would be frustrated and unable to properly utilize your skills.