STATE OF THE GAME: Oppan Activity Style.

[agogemod]

Hey, guys, it's time for another State of the Game! Today's topics include applications (again?! freaking again?!), activity check (along with hiatuses and drops), minor cash-in tweaks, and clarifications regarding hammerspace and ammunition.

This also doubles as this month's AC wrap-up, featuring rewards for bonus activity submissions and those who have idled.

And, finally, a reminder that applications open tonight, April 7th, at midnight CST. Our CR meme will go up in the morning.



APPLICATION CHANGES.

We've overhauled our application page! Rather than separate OC and canon applications, we now use the same form. This is because, well, the world section hasn't really helped us in any tangible way that the history section doesn't already cover.

That said, for anyone interested in applying for an OC, please peruse the details we've specified on the application page and let us know if you have any questions! We're particularly looking for a solid set of flaws for OCs; while it's important to us for canon characters, we find it especially important how OCs err like anyone else and also Pel is biased towards fuckups.

We've also added a mandatory suitability section, replacing where we prompted players for their plans (if any). Again, we'd like to emphasize that this is a game where characters are expected to adapt as well as they can to every time and/or world they go to. A big appeal of the game is meant to be fitting in with the period NPCs and using their technology, or essentially going undercover. While it matters less in the upcoming plot, given that all parties involved are aware of time travel, keep in mind that this is by and large a historical game that stresses the long-term effects of rebellion and warfare.

Also, with regard to revisions, we'd like to make it clear that we do not give revisions for samples, so make sure you pick good ones that showcase how you play your character best. They don't need to be serious or artistic (we love short, funny threads); just ensure that they're true to your play style, make sense with little (or preferably no) situational context, and display the personality described in the rest of your application.

ACTIVITY, HIATUSES, DROPS.

Three things regarding activity submissions:

• We no longer accept multiple threads with the same character for bonus AC. If Young has three threads with Bob, Young can only submit one of those threads for bonus AC. This is to encourage and reward tagging out and maintaining diverse CR.


• Please don't turn in smut threads for AC or bonus AC. I process the bulk of AC during my work breaks. :(


• Link all tag-ins to top levels individually. Previously we allowed people link top levels if they didn't include network tags, but they've proven easier to process separately. So, yeah, this just simplifies my life.

We're also slightly changing the way we manage hiatuses. From now on, if you hiatus, you need to check back in to your activity thread within 72 hours of your return. This is to ensure we receive hiatus mission results, that players don't hiatus and idle the following month, and to make sure everyone is aware of any mandatory sign ups. We will not give reminders for this, outside of the initial reply to your hiatus to confirm it's been accepted.

If you do not check in within 72 hours, you qualify as idled and will be swept from the game.

And here is yet another drop option (we're up to four now)! COST will not keep an unwilling soldier — it's a drain on resources and kind of goes against the whole free will thing — so if a character has no interest in aiding COST for whatever reason, they may choose to leave their cell. Please consider this when apping and choosing the memory loss option; it's an option for characters who would not initially say yes, not for characters who require kidnapping to stay in a game.

CASH IN PURCHASES.

Given the influx of animal companions around BASE, future cash-ins will require characters to have some manner of meaningful connection or ownership of an animal before purchasing it. This is mostly because cash-ins are an IC delivery mechanic; COST scouts find these items and, if it's determined they belong to a character — or if they want to get rid of detritus — it ends up in your character's possession. The scouts are unlikely to place an animal with a cell low on resources if it doesn't have an explicit link to a character there, especially wild ones. In general, if it's wild or uncontrollable and likely to cause more problems than it'll solve, it won't be purchasable; how many people want to deal with a potentially wild animal trying to eat them, after all?

Secondly, for clarification's sake: You may not purchase items that belong to another character if it's of significant importance and has never been in your character's possession. For example, if you were playing Harry Potter, you couldn't request Ron's wand. You could, however, purchase James Potter's invisibility cloak, because it ultimately ends up in Harry's possession, and obviously you could purchase Harry's Firebolt, because it was always Harry's.

HAMMERSPACE AND AMMUNITION.

Semi-related to the above, since it came up when we were doling out prices for proposed purchases: Hammerspace is and always has been nerfed for the game at large. This includes summons and items that cease to exist in the physical world; hammerspace for weapons and armor is nerfed completely. In general, if you want an item, you're probably destined to lug it around and take care of it proper, instead of being allowed to rely on hammerspace.

IC reasoning for this is that it is extremely pricey (as far as energy) to maintain a hammerspace connection between dimensions; accessing your personal hammerspace means jumping between the dimensions you've already traveled through. And then there's a whole thing about how leaving trails between dimensions and being "tethered" to something stored in hammerspace makes it easier for the Regency to find you. COST tries to avoid it as a whole.

OOC reasoning is, again, going back to the major point and appeal of this game. Being able to summon an item out of nowhere would in many ways negate the historical focus of the game, where resources are scarce and you have to live like soldiers from the period of time your character is visiting.

Regarding ammunition, we're also clarifying that infinite ammo is nerfed for the game at large. For firearms with infinite ammo, you get fifteen (15) shots per cartridge and will have to buy ammo just like everyone else. Weapons that need to recharge are fine, but their recharge limit should match what's detailed above. Reasoning for this, IC and OOC, matches why hammerspace was nerfed.

BONUS SUBMISSION ITEMS.

The following characters will each find a glitzy brooch (click the images below) in their belongings.

artificial: mercy, genji, 76, bucky, shepard

natural: 9s, mamoru, jeyne, rey

magical: percy, vex, dany, thor, constantine, dorian, noctis, jon

hybrid: cheris, mordred

Each brooch is about 4 cm (1.5") long and has a worn label tied to the pin, featuring chicken scratch handwriting that reads:

prick yourself if poisoned
give it at least 3 hours before using again

The brooches' curative properties are not as powerful as the antitoxin injectors, but they get the job done for minor toxins.

If you didn't receive a correction to your activity and should be on this list, please let us know and we'll get you an item ASAP!

TIME FOR SAYONARA.

The following characters have 24 hours to reply here and take a strike before they count as idled and dropped from the game.

Rose Hathaway (littledhampir)

Players who idle may not reapp for one month and, if choosing to reapp, must provide proofs that are less than one month old.

And that's a wrap! As always, if you have questions about anything, please ask them in the comments below!

Comments

[bloodings]

ty!!