Ben Zwycky

Team Praetorian has challenged team Spectre using the shuttle attack ROE for Sunday at 6.30pm GMT, and Spectre has accepted. Prepare for battle!

time range as in 9AM-11PM Central time? Please be specific, since I'm available from 1100-1230 GMT (6AM-730AM central time) at weekends, but I don't think that would suit you (I'm also available from 1730-2000GMT (1230-3pm Central time) most days, including Saturdays, which is more likely to be compatible with your schedule.

We'll post the offers in the Fleet League Discussions section of the Galcom HQ forums, so as to keep all league-related subjects in one place. I was announcing it here so as to get as much attention as possible. The ribbons idea is an excellent one, Marvin, and shouldn't be hard to set up almost immediately, well before we have the final medal designs voted for. If you're short of webspace, you can always send them to me and I can upload them to ISS's pages, as I have ftp access there. This discussion should be contuinued here

These pics wouldn't be part of your sig, you would have maybe a link in your sig to your 'medal cabinet' or 'dress uniform' page at Galcom HQ, so pic size is not so much of an issue.

Well, since it is possible to earn medals during the fleet league season, it would be good to create some images to represent those medals, since there are no images of medals in the game. These medal designs will NOT be recognised as such by 3000AD, they will purely be used for the fleet league. The medals we need designs for are: Award for Gallantry Combat Shield Order of the Wraith Planetary Shield CommanderÔÇÖs Shield Eye of Andromeda Star of Merit Order of the Universe I already have some ideas for the Combat Shield, planetary shield, Eye of Andromeda and Order of the Universe, but it's too much work to try and do all of them myself, and I'm sure there are people full of good ideas and creative talent who would like to contribute to the community in this way. If more than one offer is made for any given medal, we will have a vote on which one should be used, if necessary adjusting it to fit in with other accepted designs, and people can give immediate feedback once a given medal idea is posted, enabling modifications to be made before presenting their final version.

I'm afraid super carriers are for command staff only in the rp world. In mp, we're a lot more flexible . Put yourself down for a nice cruiser for the moment. You will need to download teamspeak soon, as that is required for voice communications during matches (and we use it during training sessions as well). If you can get hold of a headset or microphone, that'd be a big help. According to your rp interests, you have been placed in Defence Wing (adjust your sig accordingly, this thread tells you how (see third and seventh posts in that thread)), but according to your time zone, we'll place you in team CIOPS (for all our US and similar time zone members). We're fast running out of room in our teams, again! I'll send you our welcome pack to the email address in your fleet database profile (I assume it's written correctly. Try to meet up with either Jack Decker or Zane during the week, as they are authorised to act as training officers and are in a similar time zone to you, though I think Jack is more available to meet up online. I'm busy this Saturday until my duel with JSmith in the evening, so I won't be able to train you this weekend, but Marc or Jack are pretty available at the weekend to run through our basic training with you, but if you know the game well, then that shouldn't be a problem. After that, the real adventure (and real training) begins

OK, that best fits in with team CIOPS, then, timewise. Zane will be happy . Please define 'anytime' as in time ranges Central Time or GMT, so that we can see who can meet up with you for training and/or matches.

With the new match rules, we should be able to start reasonably on time (half an hour late at the absolute maximum, usually 15 minutes late max). Also under the new rules, if more than 3 members of the team turn up, they can all play I'd like to welcome Team Demolition's newest member, Gul Nevec (Jack Decker). We are now a full 5 strong and very lethal

OK, your system profile is a little sparse, but verifies your legal ownership of the game, welcome aboard. Some formalities: 1. Check the Fleet Sigs thread for how to modify your new signature 2. post in the 2005 season thread the times when you are generally available online for training, matches, chat etc, 3. Create an account at ISS Fleet Headquarters (for secure communications) and at Galcom HQ (for joining on of our fleet teams, once your properly trained (if you want to take part in this mp season)) using your Commander name as your username. and 4. let us know here why you chose us and what sort of fleet activites interest you the most (multiplayer, storytelling (roleplaying), intelligence gathering, defending Sol space).

Jag, check your PM (and your Patrol fleet new applicants list )

This challenge has been accepted, so this match will be happening.

OK, duel challenges are to be made here from now on. All those participating in the league should have an account there already.

OK, great Race challenges are to be announced here from now on. All those participating in the league should have an account there already.

Shuttle Strike/ Arena Deathmatch for Sunday 8th May 1830 GMT versus team Alpha. Who's available? [ 05-02-2005, 07:39 AM: Message edited by: Ben Zwycky ]

new month, new start. Krasus is back, we assume, and we know Rip and Zane's availablity times, so CIOPS can start making some challenges. Damier, when exactly are you available? With the way things seem to be working out with Praetorian (evenings GMT), you don't really fit in there anymore. Can you make any of the times listed above? Jack Decker is generally online from 12-3 Central time every day, which perfectly fits in with Praetorian (me and Marc meet up with him most evenings), hence his membership there, but he's available at other times, too, so he could be a good sub for team CIOPS, subject to confirmation, of course.

OK, it looks like Teams Alpha and Spectre are back up, so we might just have ourselves a season

Well, that post includes contributions from myself, Marvin, Chavik and Marc Wubbema, I just posted it.

I downloaded it (took a good few hours on my connection) Ah. Unlimited data. Gotta love it

OK. I know Jack can make it (he told me via teamspeak). Anyone else?

-Good question! With the fleet team season underway, joining a fleet is the best way to get into some intense team-based multiplayer action. The more people join, the better itÔÇÖll be. YouÔÇÖll also have a head start when the massive MP game goes on line. - But IÔÇÖm a noob, IÔÇÖll get killed, lots! - Every fleet has its own training program to help you master the various skills you need to survive in the harsh mp world out there, and they will do their utmost not to shove you in at the deep end too much. (After all, itÔÇÖs in their best interests to have their most experienced commanders do the most difficult and important stuff). They will most likely also be able and willing to help you with any problems you are having with the game, no matter how trivial they might be. - Multiplayer is nice and all, but I canÔÇÖt save the game like in Single player, so whatÔÇÖs the point? Yes, itÔÇÖs true that experience points in multiplayer are not saved and all progress you make in multiplayer will be lost as soon as you disconnect. However, each fleet has its own way of rewarding you for your actions in matches/duels, so although it may seem that you lost your experience points, your fleet leaders will have recorded the results of your match/duel and will perhaps move you up in rank, once youÔÇÖve gathered enough experience points, giving you more access to tactical information, more interaction with higher ranking players in a fleet, more responsibilities and eventually you may end up commanding a team in Multiplayer, just like you could in Single player when you got Fleet Command and Control. - What other differences are there between Single player and Multiplayer? * When in a match, you can ask for backup, and even if your not a commander, itÔÇÖs likely that your fleet mates will not let you die and will try to help you, NPCÔÇÖs in single player will simply ignore you, especially if you donÔÇÖt have Fleet C&C. * You can try out new tactics with your fleet mates for defeating a opponent, like combining firepower, ambushing, stealth, etc. * Reduced predictability, even though the AI of the NPCÔÇÖs in Universal Combat can be high, the responses from a NPCÔÇÖs can get somewhat predictable at times, like when you enter a hostile region, they will jump at you to destroy you, leading to their death. In multiplayer a member of another fleet will carefully asses the situation and choose to the best way to attack you, or wait for you to make the first move, this makes fighting another ship far more interesting. * Tactical use of assets, The MegaronÔÇÖs power may be great in single player, but it will be your undoing in multiplayer, as it has many disadvantages that most players in multiplayer know about, like a very slow hyper drive, and it makes a big target to hit when un-cloaked. -Are there missions? -Yes! While the "freelance" multiplay game leaves you to your own devices to think of stuff to do and gain Exp Points the fleet has devised several missions that require tactics, concentration, communication, and teamplay. The Fleets have a well defined scoring system that rewards points based on various aspects of the mission played such as which side won, which goals were achieved, and personal victories taking into account the type of ships killed. -How do you score? -It's in detail in the Fleet league handbook but the different missions each have a reward for the defined goal(s). If neither side achieves its goal it reverts back to most kills. Each ship has a point value that is used to award personal and team points. -How can you be stealthy when I see all movement in the chat box? -That's why we turn it off -How do you communicate? -We use Teamspeak. -What's Teamspeak? -A free voice communications program. -But I sound funny. -We have people from all over the world with varying degrees of accents and it doesn't bother us one bit. -Can't you all hear each other? -At first. We meet in a lobby, then we separate to different channels for each side before we join the game. With the chat log off and only being able to talk to you own team this adds another layer of excitement and immersion to the game. -When do you play? -Weekends mostly. We attempt to accommodate all players and try to preschedule times with confirmations. Some players work part time and only know their schedules perhaps up to two weeks in advance. -Can I challenge individual players? -Yes! As of now two challenges are allowed per character per month. -How many characters can I have? -As of now two. Your main guy (usually your forum name) is your Alter Ego. You may have one other character called you Alter Alter Ego or AAE for short. - I donÔÇÖt want to be in a fleet because I donÔÇÖt want any responsibilities, I just want to play when I feel like it. ItÔÇÖs true that each fleet requests an amount of involvement from you, but you shouldnÔÇÖt see it as a responsibility, see it as a good way to have some fun. Matches are always planned days, if not weeks in advance, if you canÔÇÖt make a match for any reason, you can just say so to your fleet mates and they will have the time to arrange a replacement for you, or postpone the match to a time you can also make. And just because you are still in training school on a fleet, doesnÔÇÖt mean you canÔÇÖt do anything else, joining a fleet is not another obligation you have to fulfill, itÔÇÖs a enhancement to your gaming experience, and should not limit you in what you can or can not do. In fact it will give you extra options to try out and new challenges to meet, that are not present in single player. -Sounds like fun, how do I join: -Choose your fleet carefully and announce yourself in that fleets recruitment thread. Further instructions will be provided. [ 04-30-2005, 03:18 PM: Message edited by: Ben Zwycky ]

OK, who can make this Sunday from 1830-2000 GMT?

yep, not bad for amateurs, I must say. I thought the fight scenes were a little unconvincing, though, but what can you expect. Let's hope George gets as much film quality per unit budget as they did (a forlorn hope, I fear)

OK, that should be Leader- Defence Wing- ISS Fleet. You're updated in the database now.

As the first non-ranked member of the fleet to consistenly prove his worth in combat and reach level 4 through three recognised kills (albeit in unofficial fleet matches) Commander Marc Wubbema has been promoted to Level 5 and is hereby offered Command of Defence Wing, should he choose to accept it. Congratulations, Marc! We are sure you will do us proud in your new post. Commander Jack Decker has shown considerable tactical insight and through achieving his first recognised kill in an unofficial fleet duel has been promoted to Level 3. Here's to a rapid progression to level 4

Welcome back, Cruise! I look forward to meeting up with you out there a little update to your system profile seems to be in order