[Declined] Canon35's Vaurca Loredev Application.

[canon35]

Ckey/BYOND Username: Canon35

Position Being Applied For Vaurca Lore Dev

Past Experiences/Knowledge:

-Already on the lore dev team.

-Was CCIA for a year or so, was one of the first ones

-been on the server for awhile now, came along a couple months after it began.

-Some knowledge on the idea of hiveminds in science fiction.

-Done world building before in other fiction series and some in our lore.

Do you play Vaurca extensively? Why? When I play, yes. the reason why is because I feel that Vaurcae are some of the most interesting xenos we have. Former hives that lived as great superpowers, almost unchallenged, but forced onto arkships and flung 2000 years away from home and stuck in a galaxy that sees them as pests. They've gone from being powerful to almost powerless, while at the same time barely adjusting to the new world around them.

If you were chosen for Lore Developer, what would your plans be for Vaurca?

-Expand on the VR, write on it and how it was for the vaurca, how it works with other species.

-Write some more on district 9 itself, the rights and conditions there.

-Expand on the K'lax in skrellian space.

-update wiki pages IE Post Contact Developments

-Put more infomation about the hiveships

-Clashes of interest over the vaurca, how they're adjusting, and the feelings towards them.

All in all, I want to keep what we have now and build on it. Establish some more concrete stuff, Maybe explore a few other concepts down the line, some minor mechanic changes to fit lore developments.

Would you embark on major or minor rewrites of Vaurca lore? If yes, why is your rewrite worth it? Nope. Not really. While I do have some tweaks in mind, such as population, sizes, perhaps biology, I do mean to keep it mostly as is while building on it. Vaurcae lore is in a sort of sweet spot where they don't need to have more tacked on and are a fine fit as is. I would never attempt anything radical or completely different.

[Bygonehero]

There's so much to love here. One of my biggest problems writing about Vaurca VR is that there isn't much to go off of other than it's a perfect, happy place. I focused on this in my own application, the severe withdrawal of an entire people pulled from what's effectively heaven into a world already full of its own problems that doesn't have room for the hives. I don't think VR would be like dreaming, because dreams can be horrible and again, I made sure to note the difference between dreaming and VR.

As for VR withdrawal, I would argue that prolonged exposure to perfect conditions dull the minds perceptions of their current situation. Perfect happiness thus becomes meaningless if you cannot compare it to any suffering or sadness. This has some very real studies to back it up(in humans at least.) Which would lead me to conclude that Vaurca probably feel muted happiness when exposed to something that does make them happy as how can anything in the imperfect real world compare to a perfect VR world designed to minimize unhappiness and maximize happiness?

These are two questions that really bothered me about Vaurca but I hope you get the job! +1

[Snakebittenn]

I didn't see anyone giving this guy some love, so here's a care package. I personally enjoy this guy's plan as instead of taking Vaurca in an entirely new direction, a total arbitrary rewrite, he's doing the right thing and fleshing them out, which imo is the most needed.

[MoondancerPony]

In my mind, one of the characters I think of as an exceptional example of what I think Vaurca should be is Za'Akaix'Rok Zo'ra. Canon manages to play his Vaurca in a way that makes them seem foreign and alien, as the Vaurca should be, but without making them completely unrelatable.

I've also heard a lot about Canon's plans if he gets Vaurca loredev, such as fleshing out VR, which I believe he was planning on doing anyway even before the slot opened. I'm totally all for it! That's a +1 from me!

[Guest Marlon Phoenix]

Hello fam,

Your application seems to be one that builds on what we have. I am already familiar with your work ethic and general style because I'm already your boss and track these things, so my questions will more be for what I think the players may be interested in - and general questions I would ask you in person but want open for public viewing.

First, how would you plan to relate all of the developments with the Vaurca across the galaxy to the Vaurca on the station? What should the nature of vaurca be on-station? What sort of behavior would you say is ideal from unbound as well as bound? Should Bound accept all orders irregardless of what they are? What can Vaurca tells humans who ask them about their personal wants, desires, goals, and so forth? How much free-will should an unbound Vaurca possess? Can Vaurca desire things outside VR or is VR going to be enforced as something all Vaurca aspire to return to?

[canon35]

 

Hello fam,

Your application seems to be one that builds on what we have. I am already familiar with your work ethic and general style because I'm already your boss and track these things, so my questions will more be for what I think the players may be interested in - and general questions I would ask you in person but want open for public viewing.

First, how would you plan to relate all of the developments with the Vaurca across the galaxy to the Vaurca on the station? What should the nature of vaurca be on-station? What sort of behavior would you say is ideal from unbound as well as bound? Should Bound accept all orders irregardless of what they are? What can Vaurca tells humans who ask them about their personal wants, desires, goals, and so forth? How much free-will should an unbound Vaurca possess? Can Vaurca desire things outside VR or is VR going to be enforced as something all Vaurca aspire to return to?

 

1. I do have some ideas on how to develop the growing number of vaurcae outside of biesel and try to translate how the state and the hives in Tau Ceti would act.

2. For unbound, i would like them to keep core aspects of vaurcae. Loyalty being a unusual concept because to them you should automatically be loyal. From there the player can take them as they see fit (Within the pre established lore of course). Curiosity, suspicions, distaste of xenos, etc. I want to keep options open enough for Unbound, but at the same time keep them in line with the hive mentality.

3. Regarding Bound. I do feel like the bound personality is as good as it is. A simple thinking being that does as ordered with the knowledge it has, be it mining, engineering, cleaning, etc. In regards to loyalty, I see it as a hierarchical system. Follow the hive, follow the secondary hive (If K'lax), follow the crew. A bound should follow orders, but to a extent. Yes, you can have a engineering one pick up a gun and try to fire at someone, but it would likely fuck up as it's a task it has No idea how to do.

4. As I said before, the unbound can have another ideal besides following the hive. One could want to funnel credits to improve it's conditions, try to fit in as best as it can to adjust to the new world, there's other things to focus on when you aren't aiding the hive or yourself.

5. As it stands, the system we have is fine. The unbound follows the hive and then it's own interests. No matter what it always adheres to the hierarchy and chain of command, so to speak.

6. VR would be enforced as a mixed subject to vaurca. Some do wish to return to it, seeing it as a paradise. some see the realspace as a better alternative. Something real where they feel as if they are making a difference and improving, as opposed to a virtual world that truly has no effect. Some want to withdraw from reality, others want to revel in it.

[Bygonehero]

I would like to hear your thoughts on the nature of the Vaurca hive-mind.

I personally think the term hive-mind is a misnomer, Vaurcas don't completely share consciousness. It is my personal opinion that The Vaurca 'hive-mind' is more like a giant organism. Take Zo'ra for example, with the Queen as the brain and Lesser Queens as vital organs. Worker and Warrior groups of Vaurca with a similar profession or jobs compose a Hive-cell, lesser organs in the body of Zo'ra.

In this setup, Individual hive-cells can be completely ignorant of each other and still be connected. After all, a bodies immune system does not need to know what the stomach is doing to work.

This is by no means canon, it's just my personal interpretation. It neatly explains Vaurca reasoning and the brutal efficiency highlighted in their species while also allowing each Vaurca to have different enjoyments and hobbies.

To reiterate, what is your interpretation of the Vaurca Hive-mind? Is it pheromones? Technology? Or is it something else entirely?

[canon35]

I would like to hear your thoughts on the nature of the Vaurca hive-mind.

I personally think the term hive-mind is a misnomer, Vaurcas don't completely share consciousness. It is my personal opinion that The Vaurca 'hive-mind' is more like a giant organism. Take Zo'ra for example, with the Queen as the brain and Lesser Queens as vital organs. Worker and Warrior groups of Vaurca with a similar profession or jobs compose a Hive-cell, lesser organs in the body of Zo'ra.

In this setup, Individual hive-cells can be completely ignorant of each other and still be connected. After all, a bodies immune system does not need to know what the stomach is doing to work.

This is by no means canon, it's just my personal interpretation. It neatly explains Vaurca reasoning and the brutal efficiency highlighted in their species while also allowing each Vaurca to have different enjoyments and hobbies.

To reiterate, what is your interpretation of the Vaurca Hive-mind? Is it pheromones? Technology? Or is it something else entirely?

 

I personally see the vaurca hivemind as, originally, a natural process with pheromones and such eventually being taken over via technology. The hivenet implants and such. The queens ruled smaller hives with unbound being the entirety, until technology advances led way to the bound, the hivenet, and further types of vaurcae. The hivenet enforces loyalty and trust in others, putting the whole above the individual. The hierarchy is there and maintained by the hivenet, the most important part of the vaurca society.

[Guest Marlon Phoenix]

Hello,

I appreciate that you applied for this position with how much work you've already put in for our team. However another applicant has been chosen. I encourage you to continue contributing because your current work is great.