201 Reply by Kryigerof

(371 replies, posted in Seed: The Second Chance)

Actually, I figured I'd try out a different way to play today. That is, splitting the players in two groups playing at different times. I'd like tdb, Mehken, and Relay for the first group, starting at a normal time. (I'd talk about this over the IRC if it was working. Mehken, can you reply to this?)

Go to forum: Seed: The Second Chance

202 Reply by Kryigerof

(371 replies, posted in Seed: The Second Chance)

OK, and since Darkhawk asked, I was thinking of roleplaying for a while today, since it seems tdb and Relay are able to join us too.

Go to forum: Seed: The Second Chance

203 Topic by Kryigerof

(0 replies, posted in Seed: The Second Chance)

There's a new skill system for Seed - the Second Chance, striving to both increase flexibility and decreased complexity of the skill tree.

Base Skills

There are a relatively small set of base skills, that have a traditional level progression. They are:

Power Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Structural Engineering
Hardware Engineering
Software Engineering

Mathematics
Physics
Chemistry
Biology
Medicine
Human Sciences

History (Any historical knowledge from Earth falls under this, including religion and philosophy. Unlike other skills, History can't be learned after speedgrowth.)

Action (This skill encompasses physical provess, agility, reactions, crawling quickly in small tunnels... An integral part of this skill is physical ability which must be trained outside the floatbed.)

They're trained in the familiar time-based fashion. The training times (in days) for levels 1 to 20 are the same for all skills, namely (total times listed in brackets):

1: 20 (20)
2: 60 (80)
3: 100 (180)
4: 140 (320)
5: 180 (500)
6: 220 (720)
7: 260 (980)
8: 300 (1280)
9: 340 (1620)
10: 380 (2000)
11: 420 (2420)
12: 460 (2880)
13: 500 (3380)
14: 540 (3920)
15: 580 (4500)
16: 620 (5120)
17: 660 (5780)
18: 700 (6480)
19: 740 (7220)
20: 780 (8000)

This leads to a nice progression in which whenever the level is doubled, the total training time (counting the time for previous levels) is quadrapled. Focusing on one skill only, level 20 can be reached in a little over 20 years.

There are some guidelines for how much proficiency each level means (specialities count when determining your grading on your speciality area):

1: You're pretty much a newbie in the area, being able to do simple things on your own but mostly assist others in their work.

5: You're a professional capable of standing on your own and leading small groups of young people. In bigger projects, however, you'd usually work under someone more experienced.

10: You're a seasoned professional. Many leaders of small and mid-sized projects (10 to 100 people) are on this level. In your areas of speciality, you're considered a valuable expert. From this point on, much of the learning is done outside TAU. It still provides a lot of useful material but you have to apply most of it to practice yourself.

15: You're an expert renowned for your abilities. People seek to work under you just to learn from you. You're regularly consulted on your areas of speciality, and your judgement on them is relied upon. Many leaders of bigger rings are on this level in their highest skills. TAU's teaching capabilities have pretty much ran out at this point - you're on your own.

20: You've reached the limit of natural human capacity, making you the top person - or in the very least one of the very top - in your area. Any progress from now on must be aided by transhuman technology, such as genetic engineering or cybernetics.

Specialities

Every three levels you gain in a base skill, starting on level 1 (that is, 1, 4, 7...), you get to choose a speciality in the area covered by that skill. There are no predetermined specialities - you get to define it yourself.

Each speciality has a bonus attatched to it, from +1 to +3, depending on the broadness of the speciality (the more specialized, the higher bonus). For example, a broad area like Security would get +1, while something like Chimbot Navigation Protocols would get +3. This is added to the base skill when performing tasks falling under the speciality area.

Character creation

Each new character gets 100 days worth of training that was done during speedgrowth.

(Also maybe some special affinities, but those are not yet specified.)

Skill comparisons

In situations where two characters are using their skills against each other, usually the one with a higher skill (with specialities considered) wins. However, the circumstances, roleplaying, and luck may tip the balance in one way or another. Here are some guidelines for how to interpret skill differences:

Equal skills: The winner is determined by circumstances, RP, and luck.

Difference of 1: It's rather easy to overcome this difference by circumstances, RP, or luck. Simple creativity gets you a long way in these situations.

Difference of 3: At this point, it's rare that plain RP or luck would carry you to victory. You need to convince the GM that you have a substantial advantage over the other side. It's possible, though.

Difference of 5: Winning in a situation like this is a major thing that should be celebrated for months. Usually it just won't happen.

These guidelines assume both parties are trying their best to beat the other side, have some tools to work with, etc. So if you lock the hacking expert of the other side in a hole, they obviously can't hack your database.

These guidelines apply regardless of the skill levels being talked about. That is, level 13 is quite as far from level 11 as level 3 is from level 1 in this regard.

Go to forum: Seed: The Second Chance

204 Reply by Kryigerof

(371 replies, posted in Seed: The Second Chance)

So, I suppose we could try a minisession this week, at 17:00 GMT+1. If nothing else, for skill training at least.

Go to forum: Seed: The Second Chance

205 Reply by Kryigerof

(371 replies, posted in Seed: The Second Chance)

Let's have a poll? How's it for playing next Sunday for everyone?

Go to forum: Seed: The Second Chance

206 Reply by Kryigerof

(371 replies, posted in Seed: The Second Chance)

Since there's a gaming camping event next Sunday, attended by at least Relay and possibly me, we now have two people missing and two others reluctant next Sunday. Thus I don't think we should play.

Go to forum: Seed: The Second Chance

207 Reply by Kryigerof

(31 replies, posted in Lore)

SEAL-D Rooms

The SEAL-D (Security Enhanced, AINN Link Detatched) Rooms are used for sensitive negotiations you don't want others to spy on. Or you don't want the participants to take too solid information out about.

There are a number of SEAL-D rooms in various parts of the tower, administered by various rings. Often the secrecy is one-sided with one party visiting the other's room. In addition, Da Vinci Collaboration provides neutral rooms for others as part of their mission of facilitating communication.

SEAL-D Protection Levels

There are several settings you can use in a SEAL-D Room, offering various levels of protection. The administrator of the room decides the setting but it's relatively easy to verify by others.

Disabled: The SEAL-D Room is disabled, so no additional protection is gained.

Improved intrusion protection: The room provides improved protection against intrusions from outside, such as hackers trying to find out what's going on inside. Transmissions authorized by people inside the room aren't limited in any way, including recordings. By default, privacy is provided for all transmissions. This setting is the most useful when you trust those you're dealing with, or aren't speaking of anything particularly volatile.

Transmission scrambling: The purpose of this mode is to make sure none of the participants can provide outsiders with proof of the discussions taking place inside. Hence, random variation is inserted into all transmissions out of the room. This variation makes any video or audio recordings from within the room indistinguishable from forged data. The algorithm is advanced enough to prevent fixing the data by most means of data-correction. Dispite this, the data passes through in good enough shape to be comprehensible, so necklink conversations, for example, can be held with the people inside. After meetings in this mode it's usual practice to erase any electronic memory devices within the room with a controlled EM burst before lifting the scrambling (some rooms take backups of the users' necklink caches at entrance). This mode is most useful for meetings between ringleaders who don't want to be disconnected from ring affairs for extended periods of time.

Full seal: Plain and simple: no traffic in or out of the room is allowed. No amount of hacking can bypass the simple lack of electromagnetic connection between the room and the outside world. As with transmission scrambling, all data storage is erased before lifting the seal.

Go to forum: Lore

208 Reply by Kryigerof

(659 replies, posted in Steambaths)

Apparently, the community doesn't agree with your definition for "easy". smile

Go to forum: Steambaths

209 Reply by Kryigerof

(371 replies, posted in Seed: The Second Chance)

Next Sunday, let there be game.

Go to forum: Seed: The Second Chance

210 Reply by Kryigerof

(54 replies, posted in Steambaths)

Yes, the C.O.P.S song is quite funny indeed.

Here's something we used for the background of the Republican election radio ad in our LARP: http://www.garageband.com/song?%7Cpe1%7 … aSkZVC0YGs (I particularly love the way they use the word "right" in multiple meanings.)

Go to forum: Steambaths

211 Reply by Kryigerof

(16 replies, posted in Seed: The Second Chance)

Independence from TAU

Contact Person: Corteza - The Way of Life
Location: Everywhere where TAU has control
Time: Early phases of research

The Blackout showed us clearly what happens if we rely too much on machines an computer AIs. We were lucky it lasted only for half a day. Time to act is now! Next time, we could be left to starve unless we're prepared!

TAU was created to serve us, not the other way around, and this is what this project aims to fix. We need to become independent of it, and gain full control of its functions. We've started by research on our digestive systems - we need to be able to digest food if floatbeds go inactive again. Later on, we'll look into ways to create our own floatbeds, uncontrolled by TAU, and finally, getting rid of them altogether. We expect resistance from the TSR as well as those whom the current power structure benefits.

Anyone is welcome to contribute, but we're specifically looking into experts in human biology, floatbeds, and computer sciences.

Go to forum: Seed: The Second Chance

212 Reply by Kryigerof

(57 replies, posted in Seed: The Second Chance)

Some more new stuff available.

Go to forum: Seed: The Second Chance

213 Reply by Kryigerof

(27 replies, posted in Seed: The Second Chance)

43. Into the Unknown (14.-20.10.104)
43b. Disciplinary Action (20.-22.10.104)

Did you read that interview on Mike of The Horizon? Finally one of the Horizon sheep dares to speak out!
---
Did you hear the news about the Prospectors? Seems like they're trapped somewhere close to the Lower Cluster and they can't get back up or something. Someone's going to rescue them I hope. What a way for their new trainee to start, huh?
---
Don't believe everything you read. Nine out of ten, this "news service" is just there to spread dirt and lies about certain rings. Who they're working for is another question. They seem to have mocked both The Horizon and the Scholars in the first issue.
---
You'd have to be insane to be a Prospector! I heard they just got back from another 'adventure' of theirs, with their leader having broken his spine or something, and all of them nearly dying. Seriously, this is way too macho without any real results.
---
It's true. If you ask me, Mike has always seemed kind of vacillating. Never really part of the Horizon team if you ask me.
---
Tino's giving a lecture to Mike right now. I hope he shows him his place...
---
It seems to always be Tino who gets to talk to the members about to desert. I wonder if it has anything to do with his rather... volatile history?
---
So, the traitor has left the ring. Good. At least now he can't leak any more information to the enemy. Makes me wonder, though, why do these people give the oath if they've no intention of keeping it...
---
There seems to be some arguments going on within the Prospectors. Some seem to think Mihailo should step aside in favor of Ami. I wonder what Ami thinks...
---
I hear Mike and Tino had a big fight right before Mike left the ring. Something about oppressive dictatorships! They could hear the shouting across half of the Canyon base.
---
Nonsense! Tino never yells. The fight was with Bengu.
---
And now he's joined Society of Free Colonists. Talk about turncoats...
---
We welcome Mike to our ring. It's great to see a shread of wisdom occasionally getting past the propaganda The Horizon feeds to its members.
---
Listen everyone! The Way of Life supports the reactivation of the TAU Basecode Project! The project was killed off by a mandate from TSR, and it's come time to put an end to their power! We demand the Scholars to immediately restart the project!
---
I wonder why the Way of Life cares about the TAU Basecode Project. Aren't they supposed to be against all things TAU? It does give them a lot of popularity, though...
---
Must have been horrible for Mike to live under all the scheming, powermongering and secrecy. Good he found the courage to leave. I hope The Horizon will leave him in peace...
---
Geez, with all this hussle about Mike and him leaving the ring. He must be the only one not spreading this folklore about how horrible his life was with The Horizon.
---
This crisis within the Prospectors is going to delay the future explorations, I fear...

Go to forum: Seed: The Second Chance

214 Reply by Kryigerof

(16 replies, posted in TAU Space Message Board)

Zesiro, The Association of Scholars
15.3.104

Now why would you try offering us bribes? I know it might be hard for your ring to grasp, but maybe you should focus on the safety plans of your project instead of the easy road of bribery.

Go to forum: TAU Space Message Board

215 Reply by Kryigerof

(16 replies, posted in TAU Space Message Board)

Isabel, The Horizon, Senior Member
15.3.104

Who do you think you are fooling here? My previous proposition about a research in long-chain amino acids, for example. A bribe three times as big as you ask from others for the best equipment would have gotten me some sucky low-end simulator room for a couple of days!

Go to forum: TAU Space Message Board

216 Reply by Kryigerof

(16 replies, posted in TAU Space Message Board)

Zesiro, The Association of Scholars
15.3.104

Nonsense. Our rules are the same for everyone. It's not our fault if you fail to produce propositions that can be taken half-seriously.

Go to forum: TAU Space Message Board

217 Reply by Kryigerof

(16 replies, posted in TAU Space Message Board)

Isabel, The Horizon, Senior Member
15.3.104

Oh, for crying out loud! That's only because the Scholars won't let us do any research!

Go to forum: TAU Space Message Board

218 Reply by Kryigerof

(16 replies, posted in TAU Space Message Board)

Zesiro, The Association of Scholars
15.3.104

Ami wrote:

Hansila, and everyone else: All this bickering about whose means and schemes are the most questionable is pointless in the end. What matters is who gets things done. Who's damage-control is the most efficient, who makes the most useful tools, who can take a problem and solve it quick, without hesitation. There are many rings that are very good at this, but so far, The Horizon is the best.

Only if you consider short-term gain and mass production. The future is in science, and despite claiming to be the ring that's all about the future, The Horizon doesn't have that many scientific breakthroughs under their belt.

Go to forum: TAU Space Message Board

219 Reply by Kryigerof

(16 replies, posted in TAU Space Message Board)

Theodore, The Horizon
14.3.104

Oh, please don't whine about everything. The Dawn Parties are fun events to meet your friends, and the music and landscapes are relaxing. Maybe you should come one day, Mei? Maybe then you'll see there's nothing evil about them.

Go to forum: TAU Space Message Board

220 Reply by Kryigerof

(16 replies, posted in TAU Space Message Board)

Mei, Firefighter
14.3.104

Something that's been bugging me more and more is the way The Horizon recruits new members. The Dawn Parties especially. They show fancy pictures of a world that doesn't exist, accompanied by epic music that means nothing. Then they say it's their future on those walls, a future they're going to build, as if nobody else ever even thought about terraforming. Not very fair, I say.

Go to forum: TAU Space Message Board

221 Reply by Kryigerof

(16 replies, posted in TAU Space Message Board)

Ami, Da Vinci Prospectors
11.3.104

Hansila, and everyone else: All this bickering about whose means and schemes are the most questionable is pointless in the end. What matters is who gets things done. Who's damage-control is the most efficient, who makes the most useful tools, who can take a problem and solve it quick, without hesitation. There are many rings that are very good at this, but so far, The Horizon is the best.

Go to forum: TAU Space Message Board

222 Reply by Kryigerof

(8 replies, posted in Floatbed Dreams)

I agree the style has some similarities, but was it based on that?

Go to forum: Floatbed Dreams

223 Reply by Kryigerof

(16 replies, posted in TAU Space Message Board)

Isabel, The Horizon, Senior Member
10.3.104

We all know what your "personal opinion" is, Hansila. You just want us all to run amok without direction, "releasing our potential" without any direction at all, in one big mess.

People like you are the reason why Sebastian has to keep quiet about what exactly the plan is. You'd take every opportunity to mess up those plans just because you think he's a "dictator". It's liberty-freaks like you who are going to mess it all up if anyone.

Go to forum: TAU Space Message Board

224 Reply by Kryigerof

(16 replies, posted in TAU Space Message Board)

Hansila, Society of Free Colonists
10.3.104

I agree with Isabel. The restrictions being forced upon the community by The Association of Scholars are unacceptable. Such priviledges shouldn't have been granted in the first place and abusing them the way the Scholars have in infuriating.

However, in the interest of fairness, and since this thread is not only about the Scholars, I'd like to present my thoughts about The Horizon:

I believe The Horizon is one of the most restrictive rings in the Tower, if not the most restrictive. The ring, in my opinion, is nothing but a glorified cult of personality. Somehow the vague future projections of Sebastian have made many people believe he has some sort of otherworldly wisdom, a grand plan only he can understand and implement. This is, naturally, wishful thinking. The reason that Sebastian hasn't been open about his plan is, in my opinion, that he doesn't have one. Like past dictators, he's addicted to the power this illusion gets him. Unfortunately, if he's allowed to keep this up, the entire colony is in jeopardy.

My personal opinion is that both The Horizon and The Association of Scholars are abusing power gained by questionable means. I plead the people of this Tower to stand up to defend their rights. These rings can only retain their power as long as we let them.

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225 Reply by Kryigerof

(16 replies, posted in TAU Space Message Board)

Homeros, The Stargazers
8.3.104

I tried that some time ago. It turned out... something like this.

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