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The Future of the ISS


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This is an open letter to all Fleet members, and all people in the Battlecruiser community.

The time has come to consider the future of the InSystem Support Fleet.

As you all know, my RL committments prevent me from controlling the fleet full-time. I simply can't devote every minute to ensuring it's smooth function.

For some time now, we have suffered with almost non-existent numbers. Time and time again I have pared down our database of players who simply do not contribute, until now we are left with only a few dedicated souls. And even many of those - Ristar, Tringad, and Ben Zwycky - are prevented by dint of their RL commitments, from taking an active role.

Where do we go from here?

Can we sustain a fleet with so few members?

The fact is, I don't want to sit back and wait for the ISS to be disbanded by the powers that be. Which is a very real threat if we don;t build our numbers up. BC:M is almost out, and with our current player base, we have, what - two dedicated multiplayers? Maybe three? How often can we field any sort of a presence on the multiplayer servers? And what about when GCO comes out? Three active players who can be online? We'll be slaughtered.

I don't see many options for our future, ladies and gentlement. We have no real way of attracting members - I can't provide fancy URLs or email access, and I don't have the time or scripting skills to create any kind of online community or portal site. We certainly can;t provide financial incentives, and nor do I want to.

The options I see for us are as follows.

1) We recruit a number of new members - say, at least seven or eight (I don't think we can realistically function as a fleet with less than ten active members) - and bolster our numbers enough so that we have new, dedicated command staff to assist our current members - Jamont and Jerold Keenan being our only really active members. As sad as it is, I really can't see that happening.

2) We pare down the fleet, drop our defensive role, and become an Intelligence organisation - a subunit of GalCOM. And hence lose our official fleet status.

3) We are disbanded and distribute our members elsewhere, to other fleets.

What do we do? Option 1 would be my most favoured one. My dream would be to totally re-vamp the fleet, get decent numbers on board, maybe even change the name to one that suits our current role (defense/support/espionage) better. I don't want to see the ISS disbanded but at the moment we have a huge problem - few active members, no real resources - we're hardly a fleet at all. As Nick has remarked so often, the ISS is essentially dead.

Can we save it? Should we save it? Am I just wasting my time? What does everyone else think?

From today onwards, the fleet is on notice. All members know that they must submit a log file every month to guarantee their membership remains active. But for a few members, this has not been happening. You all have one month - October - to submit your log file. We are changing things this month, somewhat - log files should be posted to your Log Box on the Fleets DB. Also make sure your details are up to date on the Fleets DB.

There will be no extensions. If, by the 1st of November, you have not posted a log entry to your log box on the database, your membership will be deactivated. You will be removed from the fleet. In November, based on the membership situation and the responses to this thread, the future of the ISS will be decided.

Looking forward to hearing replies and opinions.

Your Fleet Commander,

Gareth DeSylva

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Save ISS, well... Our main problem is members, but once BCM and GCO comes out we'll have members by the truckload (probably). If we can keep the fleet functioning properly until then, all will probably be alright!

Though... I don't think it would hurt to try to get more members right now and pull our act together a little bit.

I'll do anything neccersary to keep ISS together, sir!

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*grin* heh, trust the SC to come in and get medieval.

With all due respect, I don't think that's going to solve the problem. We can't force people to be members of a fleet they don't want to be. What I'm more concerned about is creating a fleet that's popular.

But hey, next time those Prime boys are giving is a hard time, I'll remind them there's always the possiblity of conscription...*grin*.

Unless, of course, there are any Prime Fleet members who would like to join a defensive fleet?

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Gareth,

No problem by me. I am sure we will work something out. I also do not want to have ISS disbanded. It has been a proud fleet, ever! Even before I have been assigned Fleet Commander, you created, and lead, this part of GALCOM noone will ever want to miss.

Oh, btw. we need a defense fleet. Now that the Insurgency seems to get stronger more than ever, the Earth, our very home, is in need of ISS.

Just asked my Personnel Officer, Cmdr. Remo Williams, to contact you. Maybe Prime just lends some commanders to ISS, maybe we get them transfered. Whatever works best.

Heh, and such transfers are okay, even if they seem medieval. Soldiers have to follow orders, that's their duty!

Best regards.

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quote:

Originally posted by Supreme Cmdr:

I'm not going to disband ISS

Just have some Prime (the largeest fleet) transfer some member to ISS.

By my directive, it is so ordered. How many are transfered, is up to the FCs.

If you want my opinion, that's not a good idea. People chose a fleet because they liked that fleet. If, for example, I had to be transfered out of Orion for any reason, I'd be mad as hell, because I spent a lot of time integrating myself in the fleet, getting friendly with it's members and probably even practiced the developped tactics... and if I was to be transferred to ISS, I wouldn't like that because it's not my type of fleet.

But There has a been some ideas about temporary fleet member transfer, an exchange program. Maybe some fleet members could volunteeer to assist ISS for a while?

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quote:

Prime (the largeest fleet)

Are we? Last roster role-call gives us 16 members, with only about 11 active. ISS has 2, so they definitely have more need than Prime. What is Orion's strength? What is Wraith's?

When the fleet database was created, every member who didn't sign up for a fleet was given to Prime. Most of them never posted more than twice on this board. If we're really the largest fleet, then great, we'll share the wealth and save ISS. But I'd really like to see some accurate numbers of active commanders.

[ 10-01-2001: Message edited by: Badgerius ]

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Sadly accurate numbers are not always so easy as sometimes members go out of town and lose contact for a month or so and cannot reply to any posts about ACTIVE MEMBERS POST HERE.

What I'm thinking is we need to develop some interconnective website for Galcom, one for INSURGENTS, one for UCV, etc. Where community news is reported, members are provided with contact information of their FC's, and can reflexively help the Fleet Commanders determine status and organization.

Perhaps log reports or something similar for all members outlining their RL whereabouts and plans and availability for online discussion?

Just some ideas to kick around.

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Guest Remo Williams

quote:

Originally posted by $iLk:

Sadly accurate numbers are not always so easy as sometimes members go out of town and lose contact for a month or so and cannot reply to any posts about ACTIVE MEMBERS POST HERE.

Thats true but it don't take but a couple minutes to post that they are going to be away for awhile between such & such dates and won't be able to reply. That way the FC or Personnel Officer know they will be back. Its sort of like taking a leave of absences from your job.

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Yeah I understand, hence the idea of making it a formal requirement for fleet members to issue some sort of plan on when in RL they will be available online, or any circumstances in which this is changed (emergencies, personal, etc.) just so that when MP goes online, personnel can be more easily coordinated.

i.e.

Commander#6 issues his readiness report to his FC by email:

Dear Sir,

I will be in night classes Mon - Wed but will be online Thur and FRi - Will be available those days from 7PM - 2AM

Thanks

Commander #6

--------------------------

The FC then coordinates this info

Commanders, #3,#9,and #10 indicate they will be ready on Monday, Tuesday, as well as #4, #5, and#11 on Wednesday. THerefore on Mon-Tue 3,9,and 10 will patrol Beta Signus, and on Wed, #10 has a dentist appointment so will be relieved by 4 and 5. #11 is on standby until Thurs where he and #6(who graciously turned in his report) team up with #3 to guard those days...

--------------------------------

So it allows the FC and BGC to coordinate who will be available when and if need be, give movement or patrol orders to certain commanders and confirm that they are available.

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Id really hold off any kind of bad thoughts towards the future of the ISS until at least 2 or 3 weeks AFTER the game is in the stores.

People like the intelligence aspect and support theme (particularly considering BC is such a complex and vast game!). I myself am quite surprised that SIN wing in Wraith got so many people to it when our "combat" wings remained largely unpopulated.

I would suggest the ISS add escort services to merchants based on or benefiting SOL. Its a great PR for both recruiting and for the game's playability.

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quote:


Originally posted by DeSylva:

[QB

With all due respect, I don't think that's going to solve the problem. We can't force people to be members of a fleet they don't want to be. [/QB]


We can't? Why the hell not? Someone forgot to send me that memo!

quote:


If you want my opinion, that's not a good idea. People chose a fleet because they liked that fleet. If, for example, I had to be transfered out of Orion for any reason, I'd be mad as hell, because I spent a lot of time integrating myself in the fleet, getting friendly with it's members and probably even practiced the developped tactics... and if I was to be transferred to ISS, I wouldn't like that because it's not my type of fleet.


uhm, OK. Good point. I guess we can delete that decree then. Damnit, I hate it when I have to do that.

Well, we'll see what happens to ISS, but am not going to disband it.

quote:


Sadly accurate numbers are not always so easy as sometimes members go out of town and lose contact for a month or so and cannot reply to any posts about ACTIVE MEMBERS POST HERE.

The fleet DB has a mail broadcast feature. Why don't the FCs use it?

[ 10-02-2001: Message edited by: Supreme Cmdr ]

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quote:

The fleet DB has a mail broadcast feature. Why don't the FCs use it?

I already received an Email from Karl Wolf

I already received 2 Emails from Tac

And at Orion since every member can get am orionfleet.com email (and is asked to use it), we have our own fleet news system.

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Last I heard from that e-mail system it was sending e-mails to everyone in the database (not just the people in the fleet). Has this been fixed?

Last thing I want is to spam...like last time (lol)

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Yes there do seem to be a glitch with the email program through the Fleet database. I’ve reported it to Derek so hopefully it’ll be fix pretty soon.

But then again………….

Maybe it’s an insidious plot by EarthCOM officials to secretly win over new supporters within other fleets, through subliminal messages in email, that could be activated at crucial times to turn the tide of battle. MUWHAHAHAHAHAHA. Uz Mine Now!

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