Sunday, March 29, 2009
Saturday, March 28, 2009
New JTS community site!
We're setting up a new centralized community site for the games of Jointhesaga.com. Features of the new site include:
* Event calendar
* Player pages and blogs
* Web-based chatroom
* Forums
* Game information for OtherSpace and Necromundus
Basically, we're taking all the best features of having a Wiki, forums, and the JTS blog and putting them all in one place while giving more control of the content over to the players.
So, rather than having a character journal in a forum some folks might not know about, journals will get displayed on the front of the community page. Rather than having forums that are lost in the shuffle of information, active threads show up on the front of the community page. And, rather than having all our information for the game stored in various places (blog, Wiki, etc.), we'll offer it via tabs on the front of the community page.
In short: We want to make it easier to find each other AND the important stuff we and our newbies need to know.
If you want to join up and get started, feel free!
The site can be found at http://otherversers.ning.com
NOTE: It's still a work in progress, but starting activity NOW would be a good thing.
Thanks!
* Event calendar
* Player pages and blogs
* Web-based chatroom
* Forums
* Game information for OtherSpace and Necromundus
Basically, we're taking all the best features of having a Wiki, forums, and the JTS blog and putting them all in one place while giving more control of the content over to the players.
So, rather than having a character journal in a forum some folks might not know about, journals will get displayed on the front of the community page. Rather than having forums that are lost in the shuffle of information, active threads show up on the front of the community page. And, rather than having all our information for the game stored in various places (blog, Wiki, etc.), we'll offer it via tabs on the front of the community page.
In short: We want to make it easier to find each other AND the important stuff we and our newbies need to know.
If you want to join up and get started, feel free!
The site can be found at http://otherversers.ning.com
NOTE: It's still a work in progress, but starting activity NOW would be a good thing.
Thanks!
Thursday, March 26, 2009
JTS: Now Twitterfied
We've succumbed to the trend and joined Twitter, so follow us! http://twitter.com/Jointhesaga
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Three Words No. 2: Time to vote!
Vote for the submissions shown at http://www.jointhesaga.com/ovforums/index.php?topic=683.0
Winner gets a $15 Amazon.com gift certificate!
Winner gets a $15 Amazon.com gift certificate!
Monday, March 23, 2009
Spacers Come Home!
Since 1998, OtherSpace has seen a lot of talented roleplayers come and go.
We've got a special offer for players who might consider returning to our evolving online epic adventure.
If you've ever had an approved character on OtherSpace and that character never had a resolved ending (killed, sent to prison, dropped in a nunnery), you may reclaim that character.
Just visit jointhesaga.com 1790, create a character, go through the setup process, and submit a brief 250-word biography explaining (generally) what that character has been up to during their absence.
Get fully re-approved based on the bio and you'll receive a bonus of 2,000 points to spend on your character's stats and skills.
We've got a special offer for players who might consider returning to our evolving online epic adventure.
If you've ever had an approved character on OtherSpace and that character never had a resolved ending (killed, sent to prison, dropped in a nunnery), you may reclaim that character.
Just visit jointhesaga.com 1790, create a character, go through the setup process, and submit a brief 250-word biography explaining (generally) what that character has been up to during their absence.
Get fully re-approved based on the bio and you'll receive a bonus of 2,000 points to spend on your character's stats and skills.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Three Words: Enter now!
Time is running out for the March installment of our Three Words writing competition! The deadline is Monday. Winner gets a $15 Amazon.com gift certificate and the privilege of picking the three words needed in the April competition.
Check out the current entries!
Check out the current entries!
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Genetic engineer helping Outversers fit in?
COMORRO STATION - Feren Tudom, an Aukami genetic engineering specialist who has worked for decades in the city of Multvaros, is relocating his business to Comorro Station.
"It is my sincerest hope that I can use my well-honed skills to improve the quality of life of the refugees who have found themselves stranded in this universe, which must be so terribly strange to them," Tudom said.
Exactly what kind of help is the scientist offering? It's too early to be specific, he says.
"I have a plan, certainly, but first there are theories to explore, experiments to conduct, and results to digest," he said.
Tudom expects to open his new office in the refugee enclave within the next week.
"It is my sincerest hope that I can use my well-honed skills to improve the quality of life of the refugees who have found themselves stranded in this universe, which must be so terribly strange to them," Tudom said.
Exactly what kind of help is the scientist offering? It's too early to be specific, he says.
"I have a plan, certainly, but first there are theories to explore, experiments to conduct, and results to digest," he said.
Tudom expects to open his new office in the refugee enclave within the next week.
Warcry says hi!
Thanks to Warcry for the shout-out they gave to the games of Jointhesaga.com!
The dev interview runs until Monday, so if you've got any questions, head to the Fallen Earth forums and post in the thread. I'll answer as I can!
The dev interview runs until Monday, so if you've got any questions, head to the Fallen Earth forums and post in the thread. I'll answer as I can!
Saturday, March 14, 2009
The latest visitor numbers
How do you like numbers? I think they're great! So, let's see some!
In the past month, our blog at http://jointhesaga.blogspot.com got more than 1,000 visits, averaging about 3.53 minutes per visit.
Visitors are predominantly from the following countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, Ireland, and Italy. About 40 percent have been new visitors. More than half use Firefox. More than 90 percent use Windows. One of our visitors actually connected using a Wii.
Common search phrases that led people to us: Join the saga, OtherSpace, John Christian Falkenberg, danger of stress, and event cards.
Our top referring sites: Blogger, Google, Plattitudes (my personal blog), MUDdy Hobo (my blog on MUDing), furry.wikia.com, mudgamers.com, and Facebook.
In the past month, our blog at http://jointhesaga.blogspot.com got more than 1,000 visits, averaging about 3.53 minutes per visit.
Visitors are predominantly from the following countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, Ireland, and Italy. About 40 percent have been new visitors. More than half use Firefox. More than 90 percent use Windows. One of our visitors actually connected using a Wii.
Common search phrases that led people to us: Join the saga, OtherSpace, John Christian Falkenberg, danger of stress, and event cards.
Our top referring sites: Blogger, Google, Plattitudes (my personal blog), MUDdy Hobo (my blog on MUDing), furry.wikia.com, mudgamers.com, and Facebook.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Coming soon: Transparent Classes!
From the desk of Anubis:
So for the past two weeks or so, staffers have been working on something that’s been dubbed Transparent Classes. We’re done with the planning stage of this, so it’s time to reveal our plans to you guys. Now, there’s good news and bad news with the implementation of this project. Let’s start with the bad news.
THE BAD NEWS: You’re all going to have to respec again. Yes, I know, it’s a pain, but I hope you’ll agree with me that this is going to be worth it, and the good news explains why.
THE GOOD NEWS: Personally, the best part about transparent classes is that you can take any skill that you want. Want to be a warrior who can throw fireballs at people? Now you can. Want to be a healer who’s really good at sneaking around? Now you can. There’s a catch though, all the skills are going to be pretty expensive at their base value. There’s more good news though, so don’t get discouraged. You get a 50 percent off deal for the skills of your chosen class. There’s even more, too. Introducing subclasses, each class has 5 different subclasses, and you get even more discounts, skills within your subclass are 1/6 the original price. With this we’ve had to come up with a total of 66 new skills, not all of which have abilities or immediate use, but with Fishy’s new combat system, putting in new abilities should be relatively easy to do, so these skills are going to come in handy if not just for RP. 2 of the new skills are replacing old skills, however, so it’s not /all/ brand new. And one final piece of good news, the skill limit? That’s pretty much out the window too, all that remains is that you can only have one legendary. Here’s the list of subclasses and skills, new skills are highlighted. Try to be thinking about what subclass you want to be (+String when you decide would be nice), so that when I manage to code this up we can set you up immediately. And if you have any suggestions for skills, +str it as well, we reserve the right to say no, but we’ll happily take a look at any suggestions!
Warrior:
Paladin: Heroic Measures, Two-Handed Sword, Shield, Retribution, Faith
Ranger: Endurance, Tracking, Bow, Protect, Dual Wield (Bow will replace two handed ballistics)
Berserker: Rage, Two-Handed Axe, Bloodlust, Havoc, Furry
Barbarian: Two-Handed Weapons, Warcry, , Cleave, Pillage, Brawn
Juggernaut: Two-Handed Axe, Defend, Bulldoze, Might, Maul
Rogue:
Thief: Pickpocket, Lockpick, Swindling, Legerdemain, Traps (Swindling to replace Cutpurse)
Bard: Poisons, Instruments, Serenade, Storytelling, Capriccio
Assassin: Stealth, Spiderclimb, Backstab, Sniping, Assassinate
Ninja: Stealth, Ninja Kick, Dagger, Acrobatics, Throwing
Poltergeist: Polearms, Mischief, Ventriloquism, Illuision, Invisibility
Healer:
Cleric: Minor Healing, Mace, Nullify, Cure, Envigor
Monk: Herbalism, Grappling, Chi, Meditation, Neutralize
Priest: Salvation, Major Healing, Prayer, Sanctify, Runes
Alchemist: Alchemy, Mining, Transmutation, Metallurgy, Salve
Vampire: Drain Life, Absorb, Defense Drain, Attack Drain, Hypnosis
Magic User:
Technomancer: Technomancy, Animation, Infusion, Creation, Electrical Magic
Wizard: Fire Magic, Water Magic, Air Magic, Wands, Battle Magic
Banshee: Wail, Warp, Shriek, Warp, Magic Drain, Wraith
Druid: Earth Magic, Anti-Magic, Staves, Enhance Flora, Summon Animal
Diviner: Teleportation, Divination, Danger Sense, Oracle, Shape Shift
So for the past two weeks or so, staffers have been working on something that’s been dubbed Transparent Classes. We’re done with the planning stage of this, so it’s time to reveal our plans to you guys. Now, there’s good news and bad news with the implementation of this project. Let’s start with the bad news.
THE BAD NEWS: You’re all going to have to respec again. Yes, I know, it’s a pain, but I hope you’ll agree with me that this is going to be worth it, and the good news explains why.
THE GOOD NEWS: Personally, the best part about transparent classes is that you can take any skill that you want. Want to be a warrior who can throw fireballs at people? Now you can. Want to be a healer who’s really good at sneaking around? Now you can. There’s a catch though, all the skills are going to be pretty expensive at their base value. There’s more good news though, so don’t get discouraged. You get a 50 percent off deal for the skills of your chosen class. There’s even more, too. Introducing subclasses, each class has 5 different subclasses, and you get even more discounts, skills within your subclass are 1/6 the original price. With this we’ve had to come up with a total of 66 new skills, not all of which have abilities or immediate use, but with Fishy’s new combat system, putting in new abilities should be relatively easy to do, so these skills are going to come in handy if not just for RP. 2 of the new skills are replacing old skills, however, so it’s not /all/ brand new. And one final piece of good news, the skill limit? That’s pretty much out the window too, all that remains is that you can only have one legendary. Here’s the list of subclasses and skills, new skills are highlighted. Try to be thinking about what subclass you want to be (+String when you decide would be nice), so that when I manage to code this up we can set you up immediately. And if you have any suggestions for skills, +str it as well, we reserve the right to say no, but we’ll happily take a look at any suggestions!
Warrior:
Paladin: Heroic Measures, Two-Handed Sword, Shield, Retribution, Faith
Ranger: Endurance, Tracking, Bow, Protect, Dual Wield (Bow will replace two handed ballistics)
Berserker: Rage, Two-Handed Axe, Bloodlust, Havoc, Furry
Barbarian: Two-Handed Weapons, Warcry, , Cleave, Pillage, Brawn
Juggernaut: Two-Handed Axe, Defend, Bulldoze, Might, Maul
Rogue:
Thief: Pickpocket, Lockpick, Swindling, Legerdemain, Traps (Swindling to replace Cutpurse)
Bard: Poisons, Instruments, Serenade, Storytelling, Capriccio
Assassin: Stealth, Spiderclimb, Backstab, Sniping, Assassinate
Ninja: Stealth, Ninja Kick, Dagger, Acrobatics, Throwing
Poltergeist: Polearms, Mischief, Ventriloquism, Illuision, Invisibility
Healer:
Cleric: Minor Healing, Mace, Nullify, Cure, Envigor
Monk: Herbalism, Grappling, Chi, Meditation, Neutralize
Priest: Salvation, Major Healing, Prayer, Sanctify, Runes
Alchemist: Alchemy, Mining, Transmutation, Metallurgy, Salve
Vampire: Drain Life, Absorb, Defense Drain, Attack Drain, Hypnosis
Magic User:
Technomancer: Technomancy, Animation, Infusion, Creation, Electrical Magic
Wizard: Fire Magic, Water Magic, Air Magic, Wands, Battle Magic
Banshee: Wail, Warp, Shriek, Warp, Magic Drain, Wraith
Druid: Earth Magic, Anti-Magic, Staves, Enhance Flora, Summon Animal
Diviner: Teleportation, Divination, Danger Sense, Oracle, Shape Shift
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Playing God contest winner: Silvereye!
The staff considered several awesome submissions in this contest. Our final vote for the winner:
Silvereye!
He'll receive a $15 Amazon.com gift certificate for his effort.
We're not going to reveal the planet's concept here, however. You'll have to wait until you see it on the grid!
Thanks to everyone who participated!
Silvereye!
He'll receive a $15 Amazon.com gift certificate for his effort.
We're not going to reveal the planet's concept here, however. You'll have to wait until you see it on the grid!
Thanks to everyone who participated!
Refugee reprieve announced
COMORRO STATION - Just a little while longer.
The Yaralu known as Comorro Station has reduced power to several non-essential systems and cut off air filtration in some parts of the Forgotten Quarter to extend for perhaps as long as two weeks the deadline for getting half the current refugee population onto a planet while she hunts for special tissue-cleansing insects.
It is unknown how many casualties may result among the denizens of the Forgotten Quarter as a result of this action.
The Yaralu known as Comorro Station has reduced power to several non-essential systems and cut off air filtration in some parts of the Forgotten Quarter to extend for perhaps as long as two weeks the deadline for getting half the current refugee population onto a planet while she hunts for special tissue-cleansing insects.
It is unknown how many casualties may result among the denizens of the Forgotten Quarter as a result of this action.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Event Cards - Clarification
It has come to my attention that some players are under the impression that the new event cards are required for *anyone* to do *anything*. For example, you might need the Hostage card to take someone hostage or the Kidnap card to kidnap someone, etc. Effectively, this would neutralize player initiative in the game world. That is *not* the intent, purpose, or function of event cards.
Event cards are intended only as a means of individual players to issue a challenge to a specific admin referee, providing fodder for a storyline that is generated in cooperative fashion. Let's say Player X can't be around for big storyline events but still wants to have their character get into adventures on their time schedule - event cards could help with that.
Sorry for any confusion! If you have any questions, feel free to ask via +str, @mail, or on channels if I'm around and conscious.
Event cards are intended only as a means of individual players to issue a challenge to a specific admin referee, providing fodder for a storyline that is generated in cooperative fashion. Let's say Player X can't be around for big storyline events but still wants to have their character get into adventures on their time schedule - event cards could help with that.
Sorry for any confusion! If you have any questions, feel free to ask via +str, @mail, or on channels if I'm around and conscious.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
OS: Farewell to Joker!
Joker won't be staffing on OtherSpace anymore. College keeps him plenty busy these days. He carried the game through some tough times, for which I'm very grateful. We may still see Fulton showing up on occasion. Until then, we wish him well!
Medlidikke vow to keep hunting
COMORRO STATION - Vard Bokren, leader of the Medlidikke pirates who have been hunting for the ship known as the Zero Gravi, today announced that he and his followers had not yet abandoned hope for the lost vessel.
In a transmission received by Comorro Station, Bokren said: "The Aukami have developed a nasty habit of losing ships lately. That's the *real* tragedy. Such an advanced civilization, yet they are lucky if they can find their own shoes to lace them. It is good that they have called off their search for the Zero Gravi. Better that they are not between the Medlidikke and our quarry when the time comes."
In a transmission received by Comorro Station, Bokren said: "The Aukami have developed a nasty habit of losing ships lately. That's the *real* tragedy. Such an advanced civilization, yet they are lucky if they can find their own shoes to lace them. It is good that they have called off their search for the Zero Gravi. Better that they are not between the Medlidikke and our quarry when the time comes."
Search for outverser ship abandoned
MULTVAROS, AUKAM - The search and rescue operation to locate a ship flying under a false pennant, believed to be that of the Zero Gravi, was abandoned earlier today. The search first started when the ship went missing en route from Multvaros on Aukam to Comorro. Unfortunately no sign of the ship or any wreckage has been located.
"It's truly tragic when a ship is lost," said a spokesperson for the Aukami Space Search and Rescue group. "However, this is one of the dangers that we must be mindful of. Which one of the many dangers of space befell this ship, we do not know. All we can do is extend our condolences and best wishes to the friends and family of those lost in this accident."
"It's truly tragic when a ship is lost," said a spokesperson for the Aukami Space Search and Rescue group. "However, this is one of the dangers that we must be mindful of. Which one of the many dangers of space befell this ship, we do not know. All we can do is extend our condolences and best wishes to the friends and family of those lost in this accident."
Friday, March 6, 2009
Comorro: Refugee reduction necessary within two weeks
COMORRO STATION - The Yaralu known as Comorro Station has completed an atmospheric analysis and determined that at least half the current refugee population must be relocated within two weeks or she will start dying.
Pollutants created by the increased population can be cleansed by creatures called fanala beetles, but they are rare.
Comorro will spend the next few days scouring Hiverspace for a habitable world that some of the refugees can call home for a while. Those who remain aboard Comorro will be called upon to assist in the hunt for the scrubbing beetles.
Pollutants created by the increased population can be cleansed by creatures called fanala beetles, but they are rare.
Comorro will spend the next few days scouring Hiverspace for a habitable world that some of the refugees can call home for a while. Those who remain aboard Comorro will be called upon to assist in the hunt for the scrubbing beetles.
Thul leader welcomes refugees
COMORRO STATION - An elite among the few surviving Thul says that his world would welcome any outverser refugees to help avert a resource depletion crisis aboard Comorro Station.
"Isssh leassshhht we can do," Shog the Ancient said. "I am ssshhhertain much could be learned. We have no ssshhhortage of land here."
The muddy, bleak landscape of Thullok - adopted homeworld of the dwindling species that allied itself with the Il'Ri'Kamm Hive Mind during the Hiver-B'hiri conflict - might not be terribly appealing to most people, though. Also discouraging: Rumors that the Thul might be responsible for kidnapping space travelers for genetic experimentation.
"We deny thesssshhhe outrageousssshhh liesssshhh and sssshhlanderoussssshhh assshhhaultsssshhh," Shog said.
"Isssh leassshhht we can do," Shog the Ancient said. "I am ssshhhertain much could be learned. We have no ssshhhortage of land here."
The muddy, bleak landscape of Thullok - adopted homeworld of the dwindling species that allied itself with the Il'Ri'Kamm Hive Mind during the Hiver-B'hiri conflict - might not be terribly appealing to most people, though. Also discouraging: Rumors that the Thul might be responsible for kidnapping space travelers for genetic experimentation.
"We deny thesssshhhe outrageousssshhh liesssshhh and sssshhlanderoussssshhh assshhhaultsssshhh," Shog said.
Luck Card Trade-in Time!
Do you have Luck Cards? We're phasing them out! They're no longer useful. However, you CAN trade them in, 1=1, for our new Lucky Break cards. Just post an +str and it'll get handled.
OtherSpace Open House Recruiting Bonus!
New players who create characters during the open house weekend will receive a special bonus of 1000 Roleplaying Points to flesh out their characters.
Current players who bring in new players who create characters during the open house weekend will receive a special bonus of 500 Roleplaying Points.
Current players who bring in new players who create characters during the open house weekend will receive a special bonus of 500 Roleplaying Points.
+Listbadges update
Colchek strikes again! +listbadges now displays badges one page at a time, including details about what they mean.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
NOW AVAILABLE: Action Cards!
The JTS Player Rewards Service Center now has an Action Card shop with a vendor who offers the following:
Action Card Deck: (10 RPP) Container that holds as many as 10 action cards. You must pick no more than three to use in any particular scene.
Gun Fu: (25-100 RPP) +1 to +3 bonus (Tier 1 is highest) to pistol skills when using a gun in each hand.
Whoa: (250-1000 RPP) +1 to +3 bonus to ANY Reaction-based skill.
Yippy-ky-ay!: (250-1000 RPP) +1 to +3 bonus to ANY Dexterity-based skill.
Juke and Weave: (25-100 RPP) +1 to +3 bonus to piloting and driving.
Miracle Worker: (50-200 RPP) +1 to +3 bonus to ANY Engineering skill.
Healing Hands: (50-200 RPP) +1 to +3 bonus to ANY Medical skill.
The Blue Wire!: (25-100 RPP) +1 to +3 bonus to Demolitions.
Safecracker: (25-100 RPP) +1 to +3 bonus to Lockpicking.
Bookworm: (250-1000 RPP) +1 to +3 bonus to ANY Intelligence-based skill.
Don't Know Jack: (25-100 RPP) +1 to +3 bonus to Intimidation.
Lucky Break: (500-1000 RPP) Good, Great, or Superb - roll at -2 in a near-death situation. Must get at least Poor to survive. May be countered by Killing Blow. (Replaces Luck Cards.)
Killing Blow: (1500-3000 RPP) Good, Great, or Superb - roll at -2 and get higher than the near-dead player's Lucky Break to ensure they die. Additional cost of 1000 RPP toward the player's next character. Killing Blow can't be dealt without having 1000 RPP available for transfer.
We'll be adding more very soon.
Action Card Deck: (10 RPP) Container that holds as many as 10 action cards. You must pick no more than three to use in any particular scene.
Gun Fu: (25-100 RPP) +1 to +3 bonus (Tier 1 is highest) to pistol skills when using a gun in each hand.
Whoa: (250-1000 RPP) +1 to +3 bonus to ANY Reaction-based skill.
Yippy-ky-ay!: (250-1000 RPP) +1 to +3 bonus to ANY Dexterity-based skill.
Juke and Weave: (25-100 RPP) +1 to +3 bonus to piloting and driving.
Miracle Worker: (50-200 RPP) +1 to +3 bonus to ANY Engineering skill.
Healing Hands: (50-200 RPP) +1 to +3 bonus to ANY Medical skill.
The Blue Wire!: (25-100 RPP) +1 to +3 bonus to Demolitions.
Safecracker: (25-100 RPP) +1 to +3 bonus to Lockpicking.
Bookworm: (250-1000 RPP) +1 to +3 bonus to ANY Intelligence-based skill.
Don't Know Jack: (25-100 RPP) +1 to +3 bonus to Intimidation.
Lucky Break: (500-1000 RPP) Good, Great, or Superb - roll at -2 in a near-death situation. Must get at least Poor to survive. May be countered by Killing Blow. (Replaces Luck Cards.)
Killing Blow: (1500-3000 RPP) Good, Great, or Superb - roll at -2 and get higher than the near-dead player's Lucky Break to ensure they die. Additional cost of 1000 RPP toward the player's next character. Killing Blow can't be dealt without having 1000 RPP available for transfer.
We'll be adding more very soon.
Hiverspace RP Award Nominees!
Some categories got no proper nominations, so we won't be giving badges out for them this go-round. Also, we have an automatic winner in the Favorite Politician category: Silvereye! For the rest, send a list with your choice of 1 winner from each category to wes@jointhesaga.com:
Favorite Normalspace Refugee
Majors
Kestrel
Silvereye
Favorite Fastheldian Refugee
Naoi
Norran
Thayndor Zahir
Favorite Hekayti
Fridrik
Jorg
Cawl
Favorite Lotorian
Zuan
Lisostapa
Favorite Starship Commander
Finch
Cathal
Jest
Favorite Starship Crew
Zero Gravitas
Tharsis
Favorite Pilot
Zuan
Tharsis
Favorite Doctor
Marina
Alexandra
Favorite Scientist/Engineer
Lildrina
Finch
Kit
Favorite Soldier
Norran
Varal
Lucius
Favorite Politician
Silvereye (Unanimous winner)
Favorite Tradesman
Rathenhope
Frn'Zxk'Fkg
Favorite Hero
Aadzrian
Tharsis
Finch
Favorite Villain
Lucius
Sam Gideon
Vard
Favorite Pose - no nominations
Favorite Quote - no nominations
Favorite News Article
jan09-11: Glitch causes diplomatic gaffe - Comorro
jan09-5: Dribgib On the Loose - Comorro
jan09-6: Refugee to be auctioned as servant - Comorro
Favorite Wiki Page - no nominations
Favorite Character Journal/Story
Set the World on Fire (Tamila's Journal)
File #44522780 Letters to Rillitan (Tiana's Journal)
Dreams of Another Life (Starchaser's Musings)
Favorite Event (Player or Staff)
Salvage in Rigor Strand (Zero Gravitas)
The Glowing Plague (Comorro Station)
Plant Epidemic (Comorro Station)
Favorite Overall Roleplayer
Snowstreak
Kestrel
Finch
Winners get 1,000 RPP per category won! Deadline to vote is Saturday at 3 p.m. Eastern. Winners will be announced Saturday night during the open house.
Favorite Normalspace Refugee
Majors
Kestrel
Silvereye
Favorite Fastheldian Refugee
Naoi
Norran
Thayndor Zahir
Favorite Hekayti
Fridrik
Jorg
Cawl
Favorite Lotorian
Zuan
Lisostapa
Favorite Starship Commander
Finch
Cathal
Jest
Favorite Starship Crew
Zero Gravitas
Tharsis
Favorite Pilot
Zuan
Tharsis
Favorite Doctor
Marina
Alexandra
Favorite Scientist/Engineer
Lildrina
Finch
Kit
Favorite Soldier
Norran
Varal
Lucius
Favorite Politician
Silvereye (Unanimous winner)
Favorite Tradesman
Rathenhope
Frn'Zxk'Fkg
Favorite Hero
Aadzrian
Tharsis
Finch
Favorite Villain
Lucius
Sam Gideon
Vard
Favorite Pose - no nominations
Favorite Quote - no nominations
Favorite News Article
jan09-11: Glitch causes diplomatic gaffe - Comorro
jan09-5: Dribgib On the Loose - Comorro
jan09-6: Refugee to be auctioned as servant - Comorro
Favorite Wiki Page - no nominations
Favorite Character Journal/Story
Set the World on Fire (Tamila's Journal)
File #44522780 Letters to Rillitan (Tiana's Journal)
Dreams of Another Life (Starchaser's Musings)
Favorite Event (Player or Staff)
Salvage in Rigor Strand (Zero Gravitas)
The Glowing Plague (Comorro Station)
Plant Epidemic (Comorro Station)
Favorite Overall Roleplayer
Snowstreak
Kestrel
Finch
Winners get 1,000 RPP per category won! Deadline to vote is Saturday at 3 p.m. Eastern. Winners will be announced Saturday night during the open house.
New badges available!
New badges are available on OtherSpace:
JTS Blog Follower: Become a follower of this blog!
Plattitudes Blog Follower: Become a follower of my official blog, linked from this page.
MUDdy Hobo Follower: Become a follower of the MUDdy Hobo blog at http://muddyhobo.blogspot.com
JTS Blog Author: Become an author on this blog.
OS Newbie Helper: Get approved by the staff as an official newbie helper.
March Madness 2009 Fundraiser: Contribute any amount during our March Madness fundraiser.
Mildly Mad Contributor 2009: Give at least $25 during the fundraiser.
Loony Contributor 2009: Give at least $50 during the fundraiser.
Rabid Contributor 2009: Give at least $100 during the fundraiser.
JTS Blog Follower: Become a follower of this blog!
Plattitudes Blog Follower: Become a follower of my official blog, linked from this page.
MUDdy Hobo Follower: Become a follower of the MUDdy Hobo blog at http://muddyhobo.blogspot.com
JTS Blog Author: Become an author on this blog.
OS Newbie Helper: Get approved by the staff as an official newbie helper.
March Madness 2009 Fundraiser: Contribute any amount during our March Madness fundraiser.
Mildly Mad Contributor 2009: Give at least $25 during the fundraiser.
Loony Contributor 2009: Give at least $50 during the fundraiser.
Rabid Contributor 2009: Give at least $100 during the fundraiser.
March Madness Fundraiser!
It's that time again! We're raising money toward our marketing and server costs! If you can afford to contribute, use the PayPal button on this page!
Contributors get badges commemorating their generosity!
Contributors get badges commemorating their generosity!
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
New MUSH tutorial/Provisional Approval!
As we gear up for this weekend's OtherSpace open house, I'm pleased to announce our new in-game MUSH tutorial and provisional character approval.
Basically, you just need to run the gauntlet of character creation and then enter the main grid aboard Comorro Station. You can observe RP and interact. When you're ready to become a full-fledged non-newbie, you can submit a character biography.
Hope you can stop by!
jointhesaga.com 1790
Basically, you just need to run the gauntlet of character creation and then enter the main grid aboard Comorro Station. You can observe RP and interact. When you're ready to become a full-fledged non-newbie, you can submit a character biography.
Hope you can stop by!
jointhesaga.com 1790
Ambassador offers shelter
COMORRO STATION - Okaskatitch, the B'hiri ambassador currently visiting aboard Comorro Station, wants to help alleviate the Yaralu's respiratory problems.
"Our vessel, the Harrower, is within hailing range," the ambassador said. "The ship is large, with minimal crew and ample room for several thousand refugees."
Comorro has indicated that she will consider the offer and make a decision within a few days.
"Our vessel, the Harrower, is within hailing range," the ambassador said. "The ship is large, with minimal crew and ample room for several thousand refugees."
Comorro has indicated that she will consider the offer and make a decision within a few days.
Atmosphere filtering tissues faltering
COMORRO STATION - The Yaralu known as Comorro Station appears to be suffering some difficulty breathing with all the atmospheric pollutants provided by the recent influx of more than 50,000 refugees.
Tests of the station's filtration tissue throughout the vessel show that carbon dioxide and other elements exhaled or produced by the refugees may be causing irreparable harm.
It is possible to cleanse and revitalize the tissue, but it can only be done through the introduction of a rare species of creature known as a fanala beetle.
Tests of the station's filtration tissue throughout the vessel show that carbon dioxide and other elements exhaled or produced by the refugees may be causing irreparable harm.
It is possible to cleanse and revitalize the tissue, but it can only be done through the introduction of a rare species of creature known as a fanala beetle.
Three Words No. 1: Winning Entry
Here's the winning entry from our first Three Words contest in February 2009:
Refugee
by Dave Sands
Years ago I had left my home, aboard a ship named Sanctuary. It was the biggest ship ever built, the peak of jump technology. I was young, but I remember my mother, trying to hide her tears from me. Her eyes were puffy and red. It’s an image that has stuck with me. I didn’t understand then why my father had to stay behind. I guess I still don’t, but that was a long time ago.
I wonder if mom is okay. I wonder if she’s lost in time and space, or if she’s just dead. When it was all going to hell, I tried to find her. But it all happened so fast. Here I was, a refugee once again, crammed into the cargo hold of some ship with a name I couldn’t pronounce. One of the crew had asked me if I needed anything, a blanket or a pillow, and I couldn’t help but laugh. We were the last humans alive in all of time, if I understood things right, and this guy is playing flight attendant.
And just like that, we were back on Comorro Station. I didn’t get to see it the first time, just on the news. Some people seem to be tied up in everything that is going on in the universe. Every explosion, every murder, there are a few people who always seem to be around in the right place at the right time. Not me. I try to avoid that stuff. My mother ingrained that into me. Stay out of trouble, keep your head down. If you don’t look for trouble, trouble won’t look for you. So I distanced myself from the refugees. Work was easy enough to come by as a mechanic.
It’s hard to say exactly when it started, but I’m pretty sure it was shortly after arriving. I first noticed it when eating. It was subtle. I had taken a few bites, but when I looked back, my meal was whole again. Then later, when I was working on a ship, it seemed I’d blacked out a bit. The repairs were finished, but I didn’t remember finishing them. Still, I didn’t think much of these things and the memories came back eventually. I thought maybe the fumes from the fuel.
I had a dream soon after. Not a dream, but I thought it was. Comorro was dead, her flesh decaying. The smell was horrific. We were stuck, starving. All the ships that could help us had been destroyed or had left and weren’t coming back. I didn’t know what happened at first, but slowly the memories came back. There had been an attack, rogue Hekayti. It happened fast, but I was only beginning to remember. And then it was morning in my room, Comorro was fine. The memories slowly faded, as dreams often did.
The blackouts had continued, and were getting worse. I would lose whole parts of the day. I went to bed on Thursday, and woke up the previous Tuesday. Déjà vu became common place. Maybe you’ve figured it out already. I hadn’t yet, but to hear about it is very different than living it. You are objective, looking at this from the outside. At the time, I was sure I was suffering from a serious head injury or something similar.
So I went to see a doctor. His scanner showed nothing. Post traumatic stress disorder, he told me. I had lost my home, my mother. It was natural that my mind was cracking under the stress. But that wasn’t it. What did I care if my home had been destroyed? I’d been moving from place to place since I was ten. And sure, I was sad for my mother, but I hadn’t seen her in a while. Truth was, the move to Comorro felt fairly commonplace to me.
But that’s when it really started to fall apart for me. It was no longer days I was skipping. It was years, backwards and forwards. I was a child on Earth. I was setting off on my own at sixteen. The past was easy to figure out. The future was harder. How many years had passed? I had a lot more stuff in my room; I looked older in the mirror. The memories would come back if I stayed there, but then fade when I left. Still, like a dream, if I thought long enough it would come back to me.
I kept returning to that future of death and decay. Hungry, resigned. Some began to feed on the dead. But it didn’t matter because we were all going to die. Once, I had gone farther than I had been before. There were only a handful of us left. I too had succumbed to my hunger, feasted on the corpses of those who had passed. But everything was eaten or rotten. It was hard to think, I was fading in and out of consciousness. I felt my life slipping away from me. And then I was back in the present. Past, present, future. Those words meant so little to me now. You could ask how long this had been going on, but how could I answer?
I was working with a Hekayti in one of the airlocks, he didn’t talk much. He kept glancing over at me when he thought I wouldn’t notice. I was leaving Sanctuary with my mother, not understanding how hundreds of years had passed. Now I understood though, I understood how nonlinear time really was. I was listening to an argument in the docking hub. I was fixing a ship on Sivad. I was losing at poker. I was dying, starving.
There was panic and fire all around me. A bomb had just gone off in the docking hub. Ships were destroyed, and people were dead. Explosions rattled the whole station. I saw the Hekayti through the smoke, slipping into a shuttle. I knew him, had worked with him a few times. And I knew he had done this, but I knew I had figured it out too late. And we were all going to die.
I was working with a Hekayti on one of the airlocks, he didn’t talk much. He kept glancing over at me when he thought I wouldn’t notice. And my life, my memories, all came flooding back. All of them, from birth to death, were laid out before me. I knew him, and I knew what he would do. So I write this, wrote this, am writing this, so you will know, so someone will know. I’ve never killed before. But I have died. And so have you all. And I can’t keep you from dying, but I can keep you from the death I saw.
I can lock the airlock, so he can’t override it, but only from the inside. We’ll both die. I think this is what I was supposed to do all along. This is why I became a refugee in time. I know there were a few races out there that liked to play at God. Maybe one of them did this to me so I could change the future.
I had left my home, aboard a ship named Sanctuary. It was the biggest ship ever built, the peak of jump technology. I was young, but I remember my mother, trying to hide her tears from me. Her eyes were puffy and red. I was in the airlock, I am in the airlock …
Refugee
by Dave Sands
Years ago I had left my home, aboard a ship named Sanctuary. It was the biggest ship ever built, the peak of jump technology. I was young, but I remember my mother, trying to hide her tears from me. Her eyes were puffy and red. It’s an image that has stuck with me. I didn’t understand then why my father had to stay behind. I guess I still don’t, but that was a long time ago.
I wonder if mom is okay. I wonder if she’s lost in time and space, or if she’s just dead. When it was all going to hell, I tried to find her. But it all happened so fast. Here I was, a refugee once again, crammed into the cargo hold of some ship with a name I couldn’t pronounce. One of the crew had asked me if I needed anything, a blanket or a pillow, and I couldn’t help but laugh. We were the last humans alive in all of time, if I understood things right, and this guy is playing flight attendant.
And just like that, we were back on Comorro Station. I didn’t get to see it the first time, just on the news. Some people seem to be tied up in everything that is going on in the universe. Every explosion, every murder, there are a few people who always seem to be around in the right place at the right time. Not me. I try to avoid that stuff. My mother ingrained that into me. Stay out of trouble, keep your head down. If you don’t look for trouble, trouble won’t look for you. So I distanced myself from the refugees. Work was easy enough to come by as a mechanic.
It’s hard to say exactly when it started, but I’m pretty sure it was shortly after arriving. I first noticed it when eating. It was subtle. I had taken a few bites, but when I looked back, my meal was whole again. Then later, when I was working on a ship, it seemed I’d blacked out a bit. The repairs were finished, but I didn’t remember finishing them. Still, I didn’t think much of these things and the memories came back eventually. I thought maybe the fumes from the fuel.
I had a dream soon after. Not a dream, but I thought it was. Comorro was dead, her flesh decaying. The smell was horrific. We were stuck, starving. All the ships that could help us had been destroyed or had left and weren’t coming back. I didn’t know what happened at first, but slowly the memories came back. There had been an attack, rogue Hekayti. It happened fast, but I was only beginning to remember. And then it was morning in my room, Comorro was fine. The memories slowly faded, as dreams often did.
The blackouts had continued, and were getting worse. I would lose whole parts of the day. I went to bed on Thursday, and woke up the previous Tuesday. Déjà vu became common place. Maybe you’ve figured it out already. I hadn’t yet, but to hear about it is very different than living it. You are objective, looking at this from the outside. At the time, I was sure I was suffering from a serious head injury or something similar.
So I went to see a doctor. His scanner showed nothing. Post traumatic stress disorder, he told me. I had lost my home, my mother. It was natural that my mind was cracking under the stress. But that wasn’t it. What did I care if my home had been destroyed? I’d been moving from place to place since I was ten. And sure, I was sad for my mother, but I hadn’t seen her in a while. Truth was, the move to Comorro felt fairly commonplace to me.
But that’s when it really started to fall apart for me. It was no longer days I was skipping. It was years, backwards and forwards. I was a child on Earth. I was setting off on my own at sixteen. The past was easy to figure out. The future was harder. How many years had passed? I had a lot more stuff in my room; I looked older in the mirror. The memories would come back if I stayed there, but then fade when I left. Still, like a dream, if I thought long enough it would come back to me.
I kept returning to that future of death and decay. Hungry, resigned. Some began to feed on the dead. But it didn’t matter because we were all going to die. Once, I had gone farther than I had been before. There were only a handful of us left. I too had succumbed to my hunger, feasted on the corpses of those who had passed. But everything was eaten or rotten. It was hard to think, I was fading in and out of consciousness. I felt my life slipping away from me. And then I was back in the present. Past, present, future. Those words meant so little to me now. You could ask how long this had been going on, but how could I answer?
I was working with a Hekayti in one of the airlocks, he didn’t talk much. He kept glancing over at me when he thought I wouldn’t notice. I was leaving Sanctuary with my mother, not understanding how hundreds of years had passed. Now I understood though, I understood how nonlinear time really was. I was listening to an argument in the docking hub. I was fixing a ship on Sivad. I was losing at poker. I was dying, starving.
There was panic and fire all around me. A bomb had just gone off in the docking hub. Ships were destroyed, and people were dead. Explosions rattled the whole station. I saw the Hekayti through the smoke, slipping into a shuttle. I knew him, had worked with him a few times. And I knew he had done this, but I knew I had figured it out too late. And we were all going to die.
I was working with a Hekayti on one of the airlocks, he didn’t talk much. He kept glancing over at me when he thought I wouldn’t notice. And my life, my memories, all came flooding back. All of them, from birth to death, were laid out before me. I knew him, and I knew what he would do. So I write this, wrote this, am writing this, so you will know, so someone will know. I’ve never killed before. But I have died. And so have you all. And I can’t keep you from dying, but I can keep you from the death I saw.
I can lock the airlock, so he can’t override it, but only from the inside. We’ll both die. I think this is what I was supposed to do all along. This is why I became a refugee in time. I know there were a few races out there that liked to play at God. Maybe one of them did this to me so I could change the future.
I had left my home, aboard a ship named Sanctuary. It was the biggest ship ever built, the peak of jump technology. I was young, but I remember my mother, trying to hide her tears from me. Her eyes were puffy and red. I was in the airlock, I am in the airlock …
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
New badge system online!
Colchek has finished work on the new badge system. If you want to see the 74 badges currently available, type +listbadges. I'll be importing badges from character Wiki pages over the next couple of days. You can type +sheet/badges to see your collection of badges and their JTS Faction Point value. You can type +sheet/badges [character] to see the badges earned by other players.
+Kudos to Col!
+Kudos to Col!
Monday, March 2, 2009
Whose MUSH is it anyway?
We've been chugging along on OtherSpace for more than a decade with lots of staff-driven storylines. Feedback in recent months has pointed to a desire for players to see fewer universe-shattering events and more smaller plots.
I, on the other hand, have always been a fan of PLAYERS taking the lead on making things happen. However, they don't always have a good starting point in mind and fall back on letting staffers drive the story.
But now we've got Event Cards. I think these are going to be awesome. Players buy them with RP Points and then "deal" the cards to their staffer of choice. The staffer then builds an adventure on-the-fly using the cards as a source of inspiration. It creates a creative compromise, with both sides playing roles in an improvisational interaction. First, the player throws a challenge at the staffer, using as many as three cards. Then, the staffer throws the challenge right back to the player in the form of an exciting adventure.
With this system, players hold the power to determine the *kinds* of activities we run on the game. They can pick and choose staffers to handle their events. And staffers should get a lot of amusement out of juggling multiple cards and turning them into memorable adventures.
They should keep the storytelling fresh and inventive, with more even ground between what players expect and what staffers deliver.
Event cards ought to serve to really set us apart!
I, on the other hand, have always been a fan of PLAYERS taking the lead on making things happen. However, they don't always have a good starting point in mind and fall back on letting staffers drive the story.
But now we've got Event Cards. I think these are going to be awesome. Players buy them with RP Points and then "deal" the cards to their staffer of choice. The staffer then builds an adventure on-the-fly using the cards as a source of inspiration. It creates a creative compromise, with both sides playing roles in an improvisational interaction. First, the player throws a challenge at the staffer, using as many as three cards. Then, the staffer throws the challenge right back to the player in the form of an exciting adventure.
With this system, players hold the power to determine the *kinds* of activities we run on the game. They can pick and choose staffers to handle their events. And staffers should get a lot of amusement out of juggling multiple cards and turning them into memorable adventures.
They should keep the storytelling fresh and inventive, with more even ground between what players expect and what staffers deliver.
Event cards ought to serve to really set us apart!
OS: Player Reward Services Center opens!
The Player Reward Services Center is now open adjacent to the OOC area on OtherSpace. Wander through the exit marked PRS to find out more.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
OS: Event Card RPP Costs
As promised, here's how many RP Points you can expect to spend on Event Cards. (NOTE: You'll need 50 JTS Faction Points to get access to the vendor who sells these cards):
Nick of Time: 300 RPP
Disaster Movie: 300 RPP
Monster of the Week: 200 RPP
Cloak and Dagger: 500 RPP
Mistaken Identity: 400 RPP
Switcheroo: 1000 RPP
OtherFlash: 800 RPP
Kamir Artifact: 1000 RPP
Murder Mystery: 200 RPP
Mad Bomber: 300 RPP
Hostage: 400 RPP
Kidnapped: 600 RPP
Trade Run: 100 RPP
Chef's Choice: 100 RPP
Diplomatic Visit: 300 RPP
Salvage Run: 100 RPP
Alternate Reality: 1000 RPP
Safari: 200 RPP
Stranded: 500 RPP
Contagion: 600 RPP
Bounty Hunt: 100 RPP
Exploration: 1000 RPP
Hitman: 600 RPP
FTL and Furious: 100 RPP
Invention: 400 RPP
Nick of Time: 300 RPP
Disaster Movie: 300 RPP
Monster of the Week: 200 RPP
Cloak and Dagger: 500 RPP
Mistaken Identity: 400 RPP
Switcheroo: 1000 RPP
OtherFlash: 800 RPP
Kamir Artifact: 1000 RPP
Murder Mystery: 200 RPP
Mad Bomber: 300 RPP
Hostage: 400 RPP
Kidnapped: 600 RPP
Trade Run: 100 RPP
Chef's Choice: 100 RPP
Diplomatic Visit: 300 RPP
Salvage Run: 100 RPP
Alternate Reality: 1000 RPP
Safari: 200 RPP
Stranded: 500 RPP
Contagion: 600 RPP
Bounty Hunt: 100 RPP
Exploration: 1000 RPP
Hitman: 600 RPP
FTL and Furious: 100 RPP
Invention: 400 RPP
Necromundus: A farewell to Ramuh
It's time for another departure, this one from Necromundus, as Ramuh moves on to other things. Citing a lack of time to commit, Ramuh stepped down during tonight's staff meeting. Best of luck, Ramuh!
OtherSpace Open House: March 7-8, 2009
Saturday, March 07 2009
1:00PM OS Open House Begins!
1:30PM Panel: Effective character descriptions
2:30PM Panel: Ten Years and Still Going
3:30PM Exhibition: Improv Bar Scene
4:30PM Exhibition: Combat Scene
5:30PM Panel: Making memorable heroes and villains
7:00PM OS Roleplaying Awards Ceremony
Sunday, March 08 2009
2:30PM Panel: Characters that work
3:00PM Playing God contest entry deadline
3:30PM Panel: Working with a Wiki
4:30PM Panel: Player Rewards and Incentives
5:30PM Panel: Promotional Concepts
6:30PM Panel: Character Journals - Beyond the MUSH
11:00PM OS Open House Ends!
1:00PM OS Open House Begins!
1:30PM Panel: Effective character descriptions
2:30PM Panel: Ten Years and Still Going
3:30PM Exhibition: Improv Bar Scene
4:30PM Exhibition: Combat Scene
5:30PM Panel: Making memorable heroes and villains
7:00PM OS Roleplaying Awards Ceremony
Sunday, March 08 2009
2:30PM Panel: Characters that work
3:00PM Playing God contest entry deadline
3:30PM Panel: Working with a Wiki
4:30PM Panel: Player Rewards and Incentives
5:30PM Panel: Promotional Concepts
6:30PM Panel: Character Journals - Beyond the MUSH
11:00PM OS Open House Ends!
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