"Infinitus Dominium" Grand OOC

[Kyuria]

Et loquerentur ita angelus Zarathustra.

Greetings one and all, to a grand new adventure,...

Welcome dearest friends, colleges, and comrades of penmanship. I bid thee the finest of tidings and good will, and in a gesture of my love of this great site we are all gathered here upon, allow me to be the first to say that I wish you would join us in the one thing we all came here for: The great task of creation, of a story that we would all be proud to collectively call our own.
~Not to be a total dick face, but for the time being, this is all there is, sadly. What this thread will be about is the task of actually getting things sorted out so that we have something to work with before we start trying to create an ass ton of apps and posts all the while not knowing what we're even trying to ultimately accomplish. That said, any and all ideas are greatly appreciated! There isn't anything you could say that would be taken negatively unless you specifically intended for it to be that way, so come on and give your two cents. Maybe a buck fifty and a half? Who cars! We want it all! Heck, you don't even have to join, let alone care about the thread. It's NS after all, we do what we do because we're just that awesome.


Major Disclaimer: By the very nature of this RP,... we'll be dabbling in very philosophical concepts. If you're quite squeamish about these things, even in the context of a good story, then this is not for you. Let it be known that I in no way claim any more right to say these things than any one else, and that my beliefs are my own as yours are your own. In no way do I mean to insult or debase another, and as such, I would love to be able to move past such petty foolishness. The world is the world, the world exists, we are here, and this is what we are doing. Let it be that way and left at that.
On to the beauty of art then,...




The story thus far,...

===

Skipped, for now. The actual back story and plot will be hammered out through extensive review and feedback, plus suggestions.
Base Line:
The Universe is big. But finite. Someone may very well have been around at the beginning, but not in the traditional sense that we might consider it. Nay,... But what happens when there are two such someones? And what happens when they have a falling out?
More importantly,... what happens to us?

===




Rules, regulations, and your rights as players.

Here comes the Administrative part.
Now, while many rules might seem "draconian" or oppressive, they're there for your benefit. And when you follow them as you would the guard line of a rope bridge, believe me,... believe Us, when we say everyone will benefit.

That would be me. Now, most of you,... of us are familiar with the idea that the OP's word is word of god, and thus, must be unshakable law. This concept is not only flawed but simply wrong. You think I run the RP, but I don't. The reality of the matter is, I'm just a false moderator who only has jurisdiction within the group. My power is only what power I am entrusted with by the rules of the forum and by the good will of those Players who wish to join under my guidance. Notice, I did not use the word "leadership." This is one of the biggest mistakes so called "leaders" make.

A follower may be obligated to obey a leader, but ultimately it is a leader who not only must guide his followers, but is responsible for them, must obey them, protect and serve, and ultimately answers only to these people they are controlled by.
That is a leader.
An OP is a leader.
My job, is to serve and obey you.

And I may be wrong. I may be a fool. I will be the first person to say I am not perfect, the first one to say that I am not even all that good of a person to begin with. But let me tell you what,... Everyone seems to disagree with me. Sure, they acknowledge that I can be a bit of a douche, but a lovable one, one who they praise and see as someone ideal for the job. Why? Honestly, I don't believe that crap for a minute. So, if I royally screw up, call me out on it! Heck, if I can I'll find a way to reward ya for it too!

This should go without saying. We all want to have fun, we all want to write something great. But we can't do that while being petty, and narcissistic, can't do it if our egos are so inflated we think the world must bow to us. Because then we'd be damned fools just asking to get taken down a peg,... to be put in out place.
Respect each other, help and support one another, or else everything will be for naught. Just like it takes a team to reach the very top of mount Everest alive, to launch a shuttle into the stars, to change the world, so to does it take a team to do even something so mundane as write a book. And that's what we're all here for,... that story we all want to write. So let's make it good shall we?

The Co-OPs are listed under the 11th Rule. They are here to manage the thread when and where I cannot. Respect them. And when they agree, they speak with my authority. But when the entire groups agrees, they speak with authority even I cannot contest, and ultimately must bow to.

Everyone should know the Rule of Cool by now. If you don't you're gonna learn it now. Basically, you can do pretty much whatever you want so long as it's done well, and doesn't sound like some crap made up on the playground during recess. Seriously. No one will ever accept something absolutely ridiculous like a helicopter car that has 50 miniguns that shot smaller miniguns that shoot a million exploding bullets per minute. You will be ridiculed.
Also, doing things that make absolutely no sense what-so-ever are also out. Indeed, only a fool would do something as stupid as walk up to a nations leader, insult them, and then expect the battalion of guards nearby not to gun them gown on the spot. If its not something you'd do in real life, think long and hard before you try and pull it off here, since it only makes life difficult for others and ruins the quality of the group. Please and thank you very much for your cooperation.

Now, even as all this is said, there are times where something ridiculous can just be so awesome at the same time it doesn't matter. Like space steam ships running off of space coal propelled by space propellers. Or a giant handgun that shoots golden scale models of the Vatican city filled with zombies and a zombie pope.
AWESOME.

Speaking of quality as it was previously mentioned, it should be said that everyone has standards. For what they like, or hate, or what they think something should be like. For writers and the NS community, one of our biggest standards is quality.
Most of those who are respected or regarded as great are the people who tend to go above and beyond merely writing a few words. They make detailed events, plot out stories full of intrigue, or embark upon epic quests. But they don't spend only about a dozen words trying to describe the world. In the world of literature, you can hardly get away with less is more. Sure, a few can pull it off, but likely you're not one of them, especially if your posts are only a fraction of the length of this rule. Not to be mean, but you simply must put some effort into it! If you have someone, say, throwing a baseball, tell us about it. Don't just say "he throu the basbal at you." Elaborate! Tell us how the guy threw the baseball,... is he left handed or right? Did he glare at the batter? Maybe gave a slight nod and signaled the catcher? Maybe it was a curve ball, even.
Heck, you could write about a lot of other unrelated things too. Maybe mention something about the long silence as the pitcher and batter stared down at each other, glaring daggers in a showdown straight out of a western film! Is it sunny, is the light shinning brightly down? Maybe his visor is casting a deep shadow over the pitcher's eyes as he considers his options,... or maybe there's sweltering 98' degree heat outside, causing everyone else except for the batter to sweat, a look of utter calm written on his face as he waits.

It only takes a little effort to think of these kinds of things, and detail can be important. If you're talking about something in your post, describe the way it looks, how it functions, what id does, who made it, what condition it's in, etc.
One liners are hated. It's not about posting speed or quantity, but about how well you do it.

Ever hear the phrase communication is key? Well, it is especially so when you're trying to work with groups of 5 to 12 people to achieve the same goal. If everyone decides to contribute the same thing to the over all goal, then in reality, little to nothing gets done. Likewise, a group can't function if it isn't a cohesive unit,... if it isn't an actual group. Everyone has to actually work together in the first place.
It's said that Nation States is really a giant cooperative writing group, and many do agree with this idea.

As such, communication truly is key. Talk things out with other players, discuss what your plans are for your next post with the people it directly affects. Work out details for future relations, discuss tactics, and generally make sure that by the time you write an In Character post and actually post it, you should already have a good idea what the response will be, and there should be no confusion what so ever.
Likewise, if something isn't going right, don't try to simply power through it. Express your,... displeasure with the way things are going, instead of getting angry. Make sure you can work things out before things devolve into a complete and utter mess. Once you've backed yourself into a corner and reached an impasse, a stalemate, there is no getting back out of it without extensive rewriting. And that is a task at least multiple times as difficult to pull off as the actual writing process.

Other forms of communication are key too. Are you going to be busy? Or maybe you'll be away for a while? Come on, don't leave us hanging. Especially if you're highly active, and all of a sudden stop completely without warning. People might think you're dead! Just shoot someone at least a quick private message so they can spread the word, or better yet just post it! No one cares, we'll just be patiently sitting around, doing what we do, while still eagerly awaiting your return. We're a community, and every member is valued.

Applications are,... well,... they're a thing.
They're difficult to write effectively, take up huge amounts of time, and still may be incorrectly filled out. Most people understand this, and are willing to work with ya. Those who aren't, aren't typically successful. I just happen to be one of those who are! Some come on, all you've got to do is follow any guidelines I've laid out, and at least put some effort into it!If it looks like you just slapped some stuff together and entered just any old thing into the fields, what do you think I'm gonna do? What do you think everyone else is going to think about you? So if you want to write something, make it good and we'll go from there.
Heck, you don't even have to complete the entire thing, just the majority of it. Or even the most important few details. If even that much is done, we can always work from there. Heck, you can even go ahead and start posting. But an incomplete app is like having an infected cut. It's best not the leave it there, all festering and rotten. Worry not though, just do a little at a time, and it's all good.

Also, as a general suggestion, those who have been accepted, and even those who have yet to be can make my job easier by providing peer review. If you see someone submit an app that has an error in it, speak up! Let them no so that they can fix it, and I can accept them right away. This also applies to posts in the IC, so we don't have to waste time telling people they can do this or that or have made a mistake or are crossing some line and stepping on someone's toes.

No one's going to stop you if you want to expand your nation In Character. In fact, it is suggested that you start out small and actually visibly work your way up, instead of barging in all cocky with a big ego. But don't you ever think that you can just go and conquer someone's nation. Especially without their permission, because that will just get you kicked out like to fool you are. And even with their permission, you still are not allowed to control their nation. See where I'm going? Someone's intellectual creation is theirs and theirs alone.

But as far as NPCs are concerned? Yeah, go ahead! Have a field day. Just don't get too carried away on your shopping spree. But hey, you could always do it the more sensible way. Also called the hard or slow way, you could just "work." Colonize, or claim new turf, heck, even annex a few places, no one's really going to care all that much.

You know, if we're creating collaborative stories, there are going to be lots of words. It's not like we can record our voices, or use telepathy. And I'm pretty sure everyone here is at least literate enough to have gotten here in the first place. So no "1337" speak, no text speak, and use at least civilized diction. Look, I understand that we can't all be Linguistics and English majors, or famous writers, or employees of Mirriam Webster.

At the very least though, don't use grammar so poor your post is literally just a bunch of letters. Proof read it, spell check, and keep a dictionary and a thesaurus next to you is you need to. Plus, you've got internet. Use it! Don't just wallow in self pity and give us some crap that actually causes physical pain. And no, I'm not even joking, that is possible.

116,023,000,050,000,900,000.

Do you know how big do you think that number really is? Now, take you answer, and multiply it by fifteen hundred.You're still nowhere near close. Using numbers is a good way to give people ideas of scale without having to go into absurd detail. Impossible, even. Anything above about 10 billion is currently beyond true human comprehension. Why do you ask? You think you're special you say, that you know what that number means? No, you don't, because you'd have to be a genius and/or a mathematician to even begin to grasp the implications of such a concept. Less than 7 billion is the current total human population of the entire world.
Similarly, there has never been a building 500 floors tall, or there has never been a ship over a kilometer long, or a Pterra Watt of power generated,...
When you go around tossing out obscene numbers like your nation having a billion tanks, and nine hundred thousand nukes, no one is going to even pay you any attention. And if they did, they will promptly ignore you. No one wants to be associated with "wankers," the term we use to describe people who don't know a lick about the virtue of modesty.

I'm saying this because, please, you need to stop and really consider just how big your numbers really are.

Now, nobody is perfect, and nobody doesn't have a life (hopefully) so this puts us in a precarious situation when the stars misalign in a negative direction. I'm probably a pretty unreliable individual for the task of ultimate authority. So, I've come up with a better solution than the simple OP/Co-OP system. Really, it is more of an expansion. So, we keep the OP, and have as many Co-OPs as needed (a ratio to the total population) and introduce two new sets of managers, the Assistants and the Advisers. While it does seem like an over complication of the hierarchy, would you please kindly bear with me a moment? What I mean is that, those who take on the positions previously acknowledged should have the right to take on assistants, those who they know and trust, and would whole heartedly help to the best of their abilities. They would, in effect, be OPs and Co-OPs in their own way, and in the event that those they were working with were not present, they could be entrusted with the same power and authority to make rulings to resolve conflicts.
At the same time, there would be a limitless number of advisers, for everyone should at least feel invested enough to have the loyalty to want to see the group flourish if only for a fleeting moment. Their task would be simple: to do whatever they could do to the best of their own abilities. Though with out authority, their word still carries clout, for they at the very least should know what they are talking about, and have earned the right to give advice about what is right and what is false.
In short, I want to minimize the number of people who sit around, unattached and uncaring. These two positions are, in effect, my own little way of trying to bring a small function of the RP Mentors group here (do they still exist?) to ensure things run smoothly. I've learned that idleness breeds laziness, and lack of attachment only serves to erode unity. I didn't set this up to fail, and while the burden ultimately rests upon my shoulders, I want everyone to feel like they matter, because they do matter.


Co-OP/assitant roster:
Nyte
The Nuclear Fist

Adviser roster:
Equalsun Empire

As in life, sometimes things just don't go right. And sometimes, something goes horribly wrong. In the bodies of some creatures, all the way up to the individuals of populations, evolution has seen fit to grant their most basic components an understanding of a poignant but never-the-less all important fact: the whole trumps the individual. Many cells have the ability to "self destruct" when they reach the end of their life cycle, their usefulness. They release toxic chemicals that not only kill them, but begin to break them down from the inside out. The failure of this sacrifice is part of what causes cancer, the cells who's DNA is too scared for them to even function do not remove themselves, and slowly but surely smother those healthy ones around them. In populations, we can see those people who seem all too willing to give up their lives for someone else, always at the ready to die, even if only for one person.

What I'm getting at is,... be ready to take one for everyone else.

I had this idea when I was under a lot of stress once, and both to busy and unable to allow myself to be bogged down in dead end situations. You might better know this feeling as the military stand off, that happens so often in role playing. In effect, my solution was deceptively simple: Since I was so busy, anyone who sought to interact with me automatically had to wave any right they had to deny my encroachment upon their intellectual sovereignty. Meaning that, if they harassed my character, I held any and all right to either ditch them or god mod and stab them in the gut. For the sake of keeping the plot moving, of course. When things slow down slower even than molasses, the point where every post has to be a "one liner," then there is a real problem.
So this rule is essentially a way of ensuring that the RP never slows down enough to stall like an aircraft dropping below minimum airspeed and crashing and burning.When someone is either too busy or unable to deal with another In Character, they should hold every right to remove themselves from the situation by any means necessary, but within reason. And sometimes, it would be for their own benefit,... what would happen if a player suddenly had to leave for an extended period? It would completely throw off the flow of the story. Ultimately, the halted plot lines would begin to poison the RP by dragging down other plot lines.
But it can also be used as a more,... how should I say it? As a tool for pruning that which you can't stand. Some people like to keep their hedges trimmed low, other might like them in neat shapes, and some go for full blown artworks. If a player finds that someone is hindering their work, the story they want to tell, then they should have every right to do something about it. If OOC talks don't suffice, and there is sufficient reasoning to do so, go ahead and cap them in the forehead, no one else is going to complain. It'd be kind of lulzy in fact. The rule is heavily context sensitive, making it difficult to simply exploit with impunity in the first place, but at the same time OOC reasoning always trumps IC situations. And the stigma players would find so repulsive that they would place upon any such violators should still serve as a sufficient deterrent to such abuse.

===
Incomplete
===

The RP will mostly be about story, not combat. As such, while the armed forces may very well play a significant part, I will be restricting their usage. What does this mean? Well, use your imagination, because the only directive will be "Force within reason." Something the vast majority of players on NS forget is that the military is nothing like it is depicted in Hollywood blockbusters. You think you can just send giant doom fleets just anywhere, or bomb planets to ashes, all without so much as a care in the world? Feh. Think again. You're going to have to think about the consequences of your actions. For instance, if all you do is go around starting fights, or threatening other Players' nations and characters, prepare to be persecuted with the utmost extreme prejudice. Both In Character and Out of Character.


Meet the players!

Accepted Nation Apps:
The Interstellar Empire of Nyte By Nyte
The Most Concrete Republic of Dopi (Sals) By Taeji
The Polity of Denengrad By Denengrad
The Vorkon Empire By Orson
The Queendom of Hyracor By Hyracor
The Engi Confederation By United Soviet Jason Republic
The Republic of Inesean Commonwealths By The Holy Dominion of Inesea
The Pavlostani Supremacy By Pavlostani
The Artificials By Yortini Systems
The Independent Systems Republic By Old Sarthal
The Cybernetic Empire of Nezon By Nezon
The Imperial Rithian Republic By Zeinbrad
Halacia By Halacia
The Transfederal Union of Kaderan By Kershya
The Principality of Entaurii By Entaurii
The House of Augury By Yalos
The Paena National Order By Finium
The Equalsun Empire By Equalsun Empire

Accepted Species Apps:
The Vorkon By Orson
The Engi Erectus By United Soviet Jason Republic
The Sal By Taeji
The Colours-of-Midnight By The Nuclear Fist
The Ascended By G-Tech Corporation
The Blastocladiales Fungshromuales By Tribea
The Artificials By Yortini Systems
The Nyteborne By Nyte
The Arelion By Entaurii
The Eldar By Equalsun Empire

Accepted Character Apps:



Affiliated Threads
The application thread.

Salvaging a Revolution (Closed/In Progress)
Tears of a Distant Sun (Closed/In Progress)
Diabolus Ex Machina (Closed/In Progress)
The Eldar Rise; First Contact (Open/In Progress)
Mission to Jirua (Closed/In Progress)
Invasion of Insanity (Closed/In Progress)
Ghost in the Machine (Open/Gathering Interest)


Oh Snap! We got an IRC!
Just go to http://www.esper.net/publicirc.php and type #Infinitus_Dominium in the channel field and connect! Cheers!

[Kel-Elysia]

Tag for interest. As this does, indeed, seem quite interesting.

[Entaurii]

One of the most thought out FT group OPs I've seen, to be honest. A nice, fresh taste in this seemingly stale venue.

[Tribea]

Im here to help ya', though the backstory details are your own problem.

[The Nuclear Fist]

Very interested.

[Finium]

An RP for the sake of a story instead of intergalactic ego contests? Yes please.

[The Nuclear Fist]

I've got an idea for a nation heavily based on Lovecraft and existential/cosmic horror I'd love to try out. Not much potential for conquest or war, but it makes for a pretty decent tale.

[Canuckland]

I like this idea, it's very well fleshed out. I can't wait to see the improvement I can get off of this. By the way, I'm no Shakespeare, but I am improving a lot.

[Old Sarthal]

I'm interested, but I'd like to do fairly hard FT, and I'm not sure if this is the place for that.

[Nyte]

Kyuria, I love you...

In all seriousness though, I find myself with some time on my hands now so I'm going to 'tag' this for extreme interest.

[Caecuser]

Okay, this seems pretty good. I'll apply for this and I've already got a couple ideas to try out.

[Kershya]

This is very interesting to say the least. I got some good ideas based on Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri, Orion's Arm, Endless Space, and ideas in Transhumanism.

[Equalsun Empire]

Ah, the great RP of Kyuria has arrived. Count me in.

[Kyuria]

Huh,... never expected such a positive response. I should say I'm flattered,...? Nah. Actually, honored would be a more appropriate word. Please, allow me once again welcome you to my humble venture. There are a lot of other, better things you all could probably be doing with your time, so the gravity of the situation is not lost upon me. Truly, this is a wonderful thing.
Well, it seems I've been caught unawares, truthfully, for I had not yet to figure out where to go from here, and had hoped for a small portion of time to think things out. But, I suppose, it does open up a handful of interesting starting points so we're not all bored out of our skulls.
First order of business: Administration!
I now realize I completely forgot about this but, since we have a decent number of people already nibbling on my fishing line, I thought it'd be as good a time as any.

Now, nobody is perfect, and nobody doesn't have a life (hopefully) so this puts us in a precarious situation when the stars misalign in a negative direction. I'm probably a pretty unreliable individual for the task of ultimate authority. So, I've come up with a better solution than the simple OP/Co-OP system. Really, it is more of an expansion. So, we keep the OP, and have as many Co-OPs as needed (a ratio to the total population) and introduce two new sets of managers, the Assistants and the Advisers. While it does seem like an over complication of the hierarchy, would you please kindly bear with me a moment? What I mean is that, those who take on the positions previously acknowledged should have the right to take on assistants, those who they know and trust, and would whole heartedly help to the best of their abilities. They would, in effect, be OPs and Co-OPs in their own way, and in the event that those they were working with were not present, they could be entrusted with the same power and authority to make rulings to resolve conflicts.
At the same time, there would be a limitless number f advisers, for everyone should at least feel invested enough to have the loyalty to want to see the group flourish if only for a fleeting moment. Their task would be simple: to do whatever they could do to the best of their own abilities. Though with out authority, their word still carries clout, for they at the very least should know what they are talking about, and have earned the right to give advice about what is right and what is false.
In short, I want to minimize the number of people who sit around, unattached and uncaring. These two positions are, in effect, my own little way of trying to bring a small function of the RP Mentors group here (do they still exist?) to ensure things run smoothly. I've learned that idleness breeds laziness, and lack of attachment only serves to erode unity. I didn't set this up to fail, and while the burden ultimately rests upon my shoulders, I want everyone to feel like they matter, because they do matter.

Second (and the most interesting by far) order of business: The mighty Application!
Ah, the app,...
The app is,... a thing,... I'll say.
Yep,... a thing, to say the least.

I'd really like some reviews to see if it is acceptable before I start trying to make people sign anything. Comments, suggestions and criticisms are all accepted. It's a(n incomplete) first draft at this point, but I think that, whereas most apps try to be a comprehensive reference sheet, this one is slightly more effective than the average. Really though, the only purpose is to make things a little clearer by adding in some field descriptions, and making it less cluttered and more organized.
I'm also keeping the species and nation sections of the application separate, that way, if one somehow defies logic by being irreparably flawed, just that one can be repealed and fixed without wasting an applicant's time and hard work. Also, while I'm stressing this, I should say the the app is meant to be modular (how effective that is is an entirely different story) so as to streamline the editing of individual apps without having to fill in a bunch of needless fields. Hopefully that should smooth out the issue of trying to complete and overly detailed application.

Let's just hope people remember to remove the stuff in parenthesis.

Code: Select all

[spoiler=Nation App]

(Insert Nation Flag/Insignia here)
[b]Civilization Name:[/b]
[b]Civilization Age:[/b]

[b]Government Type:[/b] (Essentially, these describe in a word (or several) how your nation operates, the general government process, how nation wide administration is carried out, and how information is disseminated to the military and out into the population, as well as how the government treats the military and population.)
[b]Government Information:[/b] (Anything else worth knowing, like important leaders and any houses, senates, courts, parliaments, etc. and how they work,... you could even talk about political parties.)
[b]Government Status:[/b] (Can encompass anything from civil war to elections.)
[b]Population:[/b] (No minimum or maximum, but absurdly large numbers will be looked at with scrutiny.)

[b]Home World/Capitol:[/b] (Can be done in the format: "Home System: Home World: Capital City")
[b]Capital Status:[/b] (How is the place faring? Good economy, horrendous traffic, flourishing tourism sector, overcrowding,... blah blah blah, anything you want to point out really.
[b]Notable locations and such:[/b]
[b]Founding Species:[/b] (if you have multiple species, which one(s) were the most advanced, or the largest, or brought the rest under their heel.)
[b]Other Species:[/b] (Sentient/Sapient only, though, others that are still important enough may be noted here too, and while there is no limit, you should denote the difference between them so that the App can be more easily reviewed.)
=========================================================
[b]Society and Cultural information:[/b]
[b]Society Status[/b]
[b]Languages[/b]
[b]Economy:[/b] (Can be a description, or a simply 0-10 scale, 0 being utterly imploded and 10 being all consuming and utterly monstrous beyond comprehension. For reference, most of THE BEST sci-fi economies are only an 8.)
[b]Industry:[/b]
[b]Production/Construction:[/b]

[b]Soopah Powah:[/b] (Exactly what it says on the tin, essentially, one thing your nation is insanely good at. For instance, are you a military super power, with huge fleets of powerful ships, and intelligence super power who knows all kinds of dirty little secrets, a technological super power with amazing machines,... really the list goes on. It can be anything you wish, like population, culture,religion, or even something negative, like pollution! These will require extra review by the powers that be, and for the most part, are merely ceremonial tittles, and may influence they way others interact with your nation. They can be rejected separately from the app, so even if you don't get what you want, it will not affect the rest of the app.)

[b]Specialties/Advanced Sciences:[/b]
[b]Strengths:[/b]
[b]Weaknesses:[/b]
=========================================================
[b]Map Claim Size:[/b] (Scale 1-10 1 being small 10 being huge)
[b]Grid Coordinates:[/b] (See the star map, these are the coordinates on the galaxy grid of each square of turf you own. Can only claim the number of squares specified in claim size. It may be possible to share spaces, but you must consult the ones you intend to share with first for their permission. Also, don't piss off the map maker.)
[b]Map Claim Color:[/b]

[b]Holdings/Territory:[/b]

[b]Colonization/expansion:[/b](Essentially, how it works. Don't just say all you do is send a colony ship and supplies, because the story of Christopher Columbus you learned in elementary school was ridiculously inaccurate. Tell us how your nation goes about the process, as  in, what are the political and economic motivation, public opinion, and generally tell us about those who are willing to settle. Also tell us about how you military goes about expanding your borders, because this is a good benchmark for how first contacts can go. Do they send giant fleets here and there, are the border patrol, is there FTLi, or are the fringe colonies just on their own? The only time this is required is if you do plan on expanding In Character over the course of the RP.)
=========================================================
[b]Foreign policy:[/b] (How you view and treat other nations.)
[b]Diplomacy:[/b] (Got friends? Tell us who you're on good terms with. While it is highly likely you don't have any yet, don't be discouraged! Also, if you have an Embassy or treaty with a nation, technically it would be noted in here.)

[b]Technological Age:[/b] (Rough estimate,  feel free to use terms if you like, but not to limit options, it can be based loosely on Earth years, or at least a relative benchmark or comparison)
[b]FTL Capabilities:[/b] (Nothing over powered or completely absurd. Unless it's awesomely absurd, like space steam ships.)
[b]Inter Planetary Travel[/b]
=========================================================
[b]Military Information:[/b] (You may use Factbook, but give us a general idea. If you don't have a military, just make a note of it here, and leave the rest out.)
[b]Doctrine:[/b] (Basically how the military works, from rank organization to combat tactics and beyond. Things like important personnel officials and can go here.)

[b]Army:[/b] (Important tech, frequently used units, important people, tactics, jobs/classes, heroes, etc.)

[b]Navy:[/b] (Important tech, frequently used units, important people, tactics, jobs/classes, heroes, etc.)

[b]Strengths:[/b]
[b]Weaknesses:[/b]
=========================================================
[b]NS activity:[/b]
[b]Technological Bases:[/b]
[b]Prior RP links:[/b]
[/spoiler]

Code: Select all

[spoiler=Species App]

[b]Species Name:[/b]
[b]Appearance:[/b] (Image if there is one, alternately, you can just type "See: Anatomy" if you have a text description.)
[b]Biology and anatomy:[/b](Essentially, this space can be used to describe the bodies of the species. Now, we don't exactly need you to go and give us all the nasty and squishy details, like lung structure, stomach capacity, or skeletal organization, but some people might think it's cool.)
[b]Height:[/b]
[b]Weight:[/b]
[b]Relative survivability:[/b]

[b]Natural Defenses/Abilities:[/b] (Self explanatory, special abilities also count.)
[b]Unnatural abilities:[/b]

[b]Respiratory Gas: [/b]
[b]Base composite Element:[/b] (Kind of like carbon for humans, this is the main building block of their bodies.)

[b]Base Form and Ethnic Variations:[/b]
=========================================================
[b]Life Span:[/b]
[b]Reproduction:[/b]
[b]Intelligence Level:[/b]
[b]Traits/Behavior/Disposition:[/b]

[b]Type:[/b] (Insect, Mammal, Avian, sentient floating squid like bladder, etc.)
[b]Aggression:[/b] (-10 to 0 to 10, with 10 being automatically attempting to commit genocide, 0 being utterly neutral, and -10 being ridiculously benevolent and giving planets away or something)

[b]Society and Cultural information:[/b]

[b]Important Characters:[/b] (only names are needed, and perhaps a short blurb about them.)[/spoiler]

I also can't help but wonder if there are people more keen on playing as individual characters. As such, either to help better accommodate them or to help with the Important Characters section of the species app I might make an actual template for them.

Third order of business (and probably the most urgent): The written waiver,...
It is something I also realize should be addressed now, rather than latter.
In effect, consider this the part that deals with apoptosis,...

As in life, sometimes things just don't go right. And sometimes, something goes horribly wrong. In the bodies of some creatures, all the way up to the individuals of populations, evolution has seen fit to grant their most basic components an understanding of a poignant but never-the-less all important fact: the whole trumps the individual. Many cells have the ability to "self destruct" when they reach the end of their life cycle, their usefulness. They release toxic chemicals that not only kill them, but begin to break them down from the inside out. The failure of this sacrifice is part of what causes cancer, the cells who's DNA is too scared for them to even function do not remove themselves, and slowly but surely smother those healthy ones around them. In populations, we can see those people who seem all too willing to give up their lives for someone else, always at the ready to die, even if only for one person.

What I'm getting at is,... be ready to take one for everyone else.

I had this idea when I was under a lot of stress once, and both to busy and unable to allow myself to be bogged down in dead end situations. You might better know this feeling as the military stand off, that happens so often in role playing. In effect, my solution was deceptively simple: Since I was so busy, anyone who sought to interact with me automatically had to wave any right they had to deny my encroachment upon their intellectual sovereignty. Meaning that, if they harassed my character, I held any and all right to either ditch them or god mod and stab them in the gut. For the sake of keeping the plot moving, of course. When things slow down slower even than molasses, the point where every post has to be a "one liner," then there is a real problem.
So this rule is essentially a way of ensuring that the RP never slows down enough to stall like an aircraft dropping below minimum airspeed and crashing and burning.When someone is either too busy or unable to deal with another In Character, they should hold every right to remove themselves from the situation by any means necessary, but within reason. And sometimes, it would be for their own benefit,... what would happen if a player suddenly had to leave for an extended period? It would completely throw off the flow of the story. Ultimately, the halted plot lines would begin to poison the RP by dragging down other plot lines.
But it can also be used as a more,... how should I say it? As a tool for pruning that which you can't stand. Some people like to keep their hedges trimmed low, other might like them in neat shapes, and some go for full blown artworks. If a player finds that someone is hindering their work, the story they want to tell, then they should have every right to do something about it. If OOC talks don't suffice, and there is sufficient reasoning to do so, go ahead and cap them in the forehead, no one else is going to complain. It'd be kind of lulzy in fact. The rule is heavily context sensitive, making it difficult to simply exploit with impunity in the first place, but at the same time OOC reasoning always trumps IC situations. And the stigma players would find so repulsive that they would place upon any such violators should still serve as a sufficient deterrent to such abuse.

Now, with all that out of the way, time to address individual concerns!

@ Entaurii; I appreciate the kind words, but as it stands it is probably one of the more "messy" concepts until I can refine it more. And more importantly, clean up the OP. :\

@ Tridea; Well, I understand that much at least. However, I'm not going to write a story without knowing whether everyone else at the very least approves of it or not,... I suppose I should have said that was what I meant in the first place.

@ The Nuclear Fists; Wonderful to see ya again! And please, feel free to do so, I imagine it being rather tame compared to some of the absurdity I might end up writing.
And while I'm on the subject, everyone should feel free to branch out however they like. There is quite little I won't accept, and even that much to begin with only because it's would be what is entirely unacceptable in the first place. I think I should drop the FT part, since it kind of brands the group in a way I had never really intended. I want this to be a group where people can come and do what they want freely, and not have to deal with innumerable issues plaguing them and killing the whole thing off before it even manages to get off the ground. Yes, that does mean I'm not adverse to MT or PT, and by very nature we might find ourselves dabbling in FanT from time to time.

@ Canuckland; That's the kind of attitude I love to hear. That's what I am really trying to do under the outward goal of giving everyone something enjoyable. That's what we're all here for, one way or another, whether we know it or not in fact.

@Old Sarthal; Not a problem. Well, in so far as I can see. By very nature, you might find yourself running into a number of Soft FT. What I don't want is for anyone to give you any trouble, which is the real challenge. Trying to bridge the gap between the two has been one of the largest challenges facing the community at large. However, I have no specific wishes for what this group should be. I never intended for it to be Hard or Soft, FanT, MT, PT or anything else. If what you meant was whether I had intended for it to be a Hard FT environment, then I am not sorry to say that I would never dream of limiting anyone else's creativity so. However, you would be more than welcome should you wish to put aside these differences, and I know that other members should be happy to have you amongst them. If not? They'll answer to me, personally.

@ Kershya; Thanks for the interest. I also love Sid Meier's work! XP

@ Equalsun Empire; Thank you quite kindly! Well, I wouldn't say great. Nor be narcissistic,... that RP would be,... well,... something else to say the least. As it stands, it's a bit shoddy for my tastes and unrefined, but I hope to fix that as we go.

[Caecuser]

Dammit, I forgot to lay down a compliment! Erm, very good OP for what I'm sure will be a great FT Group? I'm afraid that's all I got in me...

I'll give the apps some time for a look over because they seem quite large but very detailed so it looks like it will be worth it.

Also, I don't know what you're doing map-wise but I've got something I can send you over a TG.

[Yortini Systems]

Hmm, this is very thought out, I'll try to begin writing my app.

This is the perfect opportunity for this AI nation I've been brewing.

[Canuckland]

Well, just so you know:

I probably won't be making an original race, or some Frankenstein race that I put together from multiple sources. I will be very likely to use my nation.

[Kyuria]

@ Caecuser; Naw, don't fret it! Your mere presence alone, like everyone else's, is more than enough for me. Now then, as for that thing you've got, I would love to take a look at it if you would be so kind!

@ Canuckland; I find it hard to believe that this would cause too much of a problem. So, please, feel free. I know you've got an idea of how to do it best so that there doesn't arise a horrendous conflict of interests, and I trust you enough to do so.

[Equalsun Empire]

Would it be acceptable for me to submit an Empire app, then a species app? Or must we submit both together?

[Kyuria]

Of course, of course, I intended for it to be whatever is at your convenience. I suppose I'll have to make a note to myself as a reminder to add this statement in when I officially incorporate the Apps into the OP.


Also, thanks to Caecuser, it has come to my attention that for the map,... perhaps the standard milky way esque (Well,.. rip, more like) may very well be getting stale. I should ask, then, whether anyone would perhaps be more interested in something different, and if there are any suggestions that someone might have for such a change?

[Equalsun Empire]

Of course, of course, I intended for it to be whatever is at your convenience. I suppose I'll have to make a note to myself as a reminder to add this statement in when I officially incorporate the Apps into the OP.


Also, thanks to Caecuser, it has come to my attention that for the map,... perhaps the standard milky way esque (Well,.. rip, more like) may very well be getting stale. I should ask, then, whether anyone would perhaps be more interested in something different, and if there are any suggestions that someone might have for such a change?

A cluster galaxy? That would be interesting.

[The Nuclear Fist]

I'm going to suggest one of those cloud/cluster galaxies.

[Equalsun Empire]

N/A
Civilization Name: Equalsun Empire
Civilization Age: 2,398,463

Government Type: The Equalsun Empire is a Psionic collective, ruled by a single leader. What someone knows, they all know.
Government Information: The ruler of the Equalsun Empire, and it's founder, is Equalsun himself.
Government Status: No insurrection, because in a collective that is idiotic. The government runs like clockwork.
Population: 100 million colonists, plus military forces.

Home World/Capitol: No home system, the Eldenian homeworld, capitol is the colony Hope, recently established.
Capital Status: The Capital is a brand new Outpost, with its massive production capabilities. It's a giant space station.
Notable locations and such: Hope: New capitol, Eldenian Homeworld: pretty much heaven(where we go when we 'die')
Founding Species: Eldar
Other Species: None
=========================================================
Society and Cultural information: The Equalsun Empire is a collective, ruled by Equalsun. If one Eldar knows something, they all do. Not to be mistaken for a Hive Mind, which has happened before.
Society Status A super-advanced, complex society. Still working on this, though it is based of the Arts and Sciences.
Languages High Eldenian
Economy: 5/10
Industry: Immense industrial capacity, despite the fact we only have one planet.
Production/Construction: Very fast, as we use Matter Fabricators and giant shipyards for our needs.

Soopah Powah: Technological superpower, gots all the techs

Specialties/Advanced Sciences: Matter creation, manipulation of gravity, teleportation, cloaking.
Strengths: Production, mobility
Weaknesses: New, Small, Low population, rare population increase
=========================================================
Map Claim Size: 1/10, one artificial planet
Grid Coordinates: As far bottom-left as you can possibly go.
Map Claim Color: Teal

Holdings/Territory:

Colonization/expansion: First, an Ingress Constructor is sent through the Infinity Nexus, the immensely expensive technology that allows teleportation to anywhere in the galaxy. Once there, it begins construction of a Maintenance Ingress, a small, cloaked ingress for ferrying supplies to and from a planet. Once that is finished, a larger Infinity Ingress is built, allowing fleets of ships to pass through and start colonization of the planet.
=========================================================
Foreign policy: Very isolationist, but goes for shock-and-awe when they meet another nation.
Diplomacy: No friends

Technological Age: Many millennia advanced, though that doesn't really impact our military capabilities, sadly.
FTL Capabilities: Teleportation between Ingresses, Teleportation depleting all power cells in the ship to another solar system, Teleportation between planets, teleportation for short distances, light speed all other times.
Inter Planetary Travel Teleportation
=========================================================
Military Information: Very advanced, though not that powerful. http://www.nationstates.net/nation=equa ... egory1=107
Doctrine: In the factbook.

Army: The army uses mainly specialist units, and are always deployed from ships. They use Psionic weapons, and usually lose.

Navy: The Navy, on the other hand, usually wins. They use Gravity and Psionic weapons, have a huge array of tech at there disposal, and are quite large. However, they are dependent on the crew; if there are no Terracom forces on the ships when boarded, they fall quickly.

Strengths: Navy, Specialists
Weaknesses: Large-scale land engagements, attacking in general
=========================================================
NS activity: Infrequent bursts
Technological Bases: I make most of this up myself
Prior RP links: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=246666
viewtopic.php?f=31&t=246741

I believe I've filled this out correctly. Awaiting review before I start a Biology app.

Edit: I had forgotten to delete some parenthesis. This has been fixed.

[Yortini Systems]

Perhaps he map could be a galaxy, but not a spiral galaxy. Maybe the galaxy could be one that is falling apart at seams as the balance of gravity in it is thrown off. Of two galaxies have collided, or are in the process of colliding.

[Caecuser]

Perhaps he map could be a galaxy, but not a spiral galaxy. Maybe the galaxy could be one that is falling apart at seams as the balance of gravity in it is thrown off. Of two galaxies have collided, or are in the process of colliding.

I believe Kyuria will post the map(s) soon but I think you will be impressed when you see it. It hardly matters to me if it's spiral galaxy or not and just because its the "standard" doesn't mean it can't be used here, it's a sweet map regardless.