Minichan

so how did everyone do? I won! i made it all the was to the discovery of a new jump point. It was awesome.
Now my forum title can be changed to Cartographer.

sweet

The Dickbutt drops out of Interspace and into the Nul System. Your helpful Galactapedia system info indicates that you are officially outside of UEE territory. The Nul System consists of five planets with two known landing zones. The Galactapedia advises caution, as this is a known pirate system.

You tell Butt to set a course for the Olympus settlement on Nul V.
Derriere pulls you aside away from the others, "You sure about this? That place can get a little rough."
You recite the famous quote from explorer Nomsa Phon : "Never spend hours learning what the locals can tell you in five minutes."

Talking with the locals gets out of control and turns into a pretty wild night. Everyone wakes up feeling a little worse for wear, but you manage to launch with some good local intel.

A potential cosmic anomaly brings you near the second moon of Nul II, but when it turns out to just be a typical dust cloud, Ass suggests :
"The data on the spectrum for the moon is a little light. While we're here, it might be a good idea to do a closer pass near the surface and see if we turn up anything interesting."
Trusting your crew's instincts, you instruct Butt to bring the Dickbutt in close.
"Which side, sir?" Butt asks, "Light or dark?"

You think back to your first time exploring the dark side of a moon and shudder. No thank you. Pushing that memory aside you instruct, "Take us to the light side, Butt. Everyone knows you find the best stuff on the light side."

Butt takes the ship in lower than usual. After several hours of scanning, you tell Butt to move on while you sift through the data. You collect the locations of various mineral deposits to send to your friend at Shubin Interstellar, when you realize that you haven't moved.
Calling down, Butt replies "Still working on it." The moon has a much higher density so escaping the gravity is a little more taxing than expected.

Ass hails you excited, "Captain, scans are lighting up an uncharted meteoroid field off of starboard. Judging from its speed and direction, my guess is it's got a pretty big orbital path. It might not be in the area again for a long time."

Not wanting to miss a rare opportunity, and confident in your Carrack's ability to weather the meteoroid field, you ask Butt to bring you in closer.

Jackpot. The meteoroid field is composed almost entirely of rare metals. This is the kind of information a mining consortium pays top credits for. You mark it on your map, and make a mental note to contact your friend who works at Shubin once you can access a relay.

Chow time. Derriere is on the bridge while the rest of the crew grabs some food. Anus is in the middle of a story about a particularly raucous trip to Goss when the ship suddenly reverberates with the unmistakable hum of shields absorbing a shot. Everyone breaks for the bridge. You arrive to see a ship streak past the canopy.
A face comes over general comms, "This is our scrap of nowhere. Go find your own."
It's another exploration vessel named Rip'N'Rag. They roll their ship to bring their weapons to bear. Your crew looks at you expectantly.

You are perfectly confident in the Carrack's offensive and defensive capabilities, so if it comes to a fight, you're more than willing to step up. You get the feeling that these jokers are flashing their guns more than anything, and if you back down, you'll only incite them more. You decide to show them who they're screwing with.

Derriere and Anus rush to their turrets while you activate your comm back to the Rip'N'Rag.
"Sorry, we must have gotten off on the wrong foot," you say with a accommodating smile, "maybe we should start again."
Turrets deploy in beautiful synchronicity and level the size three cannons at the rival explorers before they can react.
"I'll give you ten seconds to vacate our scan before I ionize you," you say in the best badass voice you can summon.
"We have you on full-" the Rip'N'Rag captain starts to say.
"Five seconds," you interrupt. The Rip'N'Rag cuts off comm and flies away.

(what is the point of having to scroll so much? its godawful)

A cup of tea warms your hand as you sit on the bridge gazing out of the Carrack's wraparound canopy. The endless expanse of space enveloping you causes your mind to wander... What would it be like to discover a new system? Would it be self-centered to name it after yourself? ... What if you made first contact? They could name a whole alien race after you... You really need to write a comm back to your cousin. Should you lend him the credits he's asking for? Your mother says New Austin doesn't really need another fufu restaurant –
"Captain, I'm picking up a signal."
Ass's voice snaps you out of your reverie, "It's weak, but I think it might be a jump."
You focus your display onto the most recent scan info and sure enough, a faint glimmer is highlighted.

This is what you have been waiting for! With a quick nod to Butt you tell everyone to strap in. Anus shifts all power to the shields and the jump drive, while the Dickbutt makes a beeline for the potential discovery of your life.

You grit your teeth as you approach the potential jump, readying for the flip your stomach does every time you breach interspace when suddenly Ass alerts you that the signal is moving.
You turn sharply, "a moving jump point?"
Derriere cuts in, "I don't think it's a jump, sir. The readings we're getting... If I didn't know better, I'd swear they were sentient made."
As if on cue, the signal moves away from your ship at such a speed that even the Carrack's powerful engines would have a hard time keeping up.
Butt turns to you with a stunned grin, "Well, Captain, you did promise we'd see some exciting things if we flew with you, and hell if whatever the heck that thing was doesn't qualify."

A frantic call from Butt wakes you in your bunk.
"Get up here. We got contact."
You race to the bridge to see a Banu Merchantman dead ahead.
"Have they hailed us?" you ask.
Ass looks back at you, says they haven't stopped and flips the comms onto the speakers.
" – travel, friend, and shall be quite agreeable in the meantime of items and wares that might be desired or considered."
The Banu captain starts introducing his wares. You glare at Butt, who bursts out laughing.
"I thought you might like to shop."
You look back to the comm screen to see the Banu present his next products: the crew of the Rip'N'Rag, the rival explorers from earlier, now enslaved. Butt stops laughing.

Normally, you're against slavery of all kind. Thanks to the treatment the Rip'N'Rag crew gave you, you're willing to look the other way this time.

(and then the game froze/got stuck/didn't continue :( rip in pieces)

@513,507 (B)
agree. oh yeah, sometimes the options to continue get "below the screen" and you have to use full screen mode.

it's just a webgame that was thrown together for the introduction of the Carrack so it's buggyish. it's like a playable ad for it. but, it's also meant to sort of show the plan for how exploration "missions" might play out. it's meant to play differently than typical MMOs but i don't know how well it comes across as a text game.

and yeah, the scrolling is pretty bad.

@previous (squeegee)
the text game was pretty amusing, it's too bad it froze for me since I can't be bothered to start over. It didn't show any text or anything and scrolling stopped doing anything :( RIP Ass, Butt, Derriere and Anus.

@513,526 (squeegee)
my peeps want to get into star citizen (they're roleplayers for the most part) it seems. how alpha is the game?

(Edited 12 seconds later.)

@previous (B)
very alpha. it's pretty much a test bed unit tester right now. not good for roleplay, if this was call of duty you'd have deathmatch, team deathmatch and capture the flag. ot won't really be conducive to roleplay until they launch the beta. probably 6 months away from any kind of real roleplay environments.

i'm sure the alpha 2.0 will have roleplayers becuase that will be when multiplayer ships become playable. but still it'll be mostly arena type games.

there will be a "social module" for testing the persistent universe and that will be during alpha and that might be okay for some light roleplay, but the serious players will drop in mostly after alpha.

still though there are backer rewards (flair items) that come with early backing, and they would miss out on a year of those if they wait. so if that's important to them tell them to create an account on RSI and either pledge for the $45 starter ship, or pledge $5 for a ship skin or something so they can get those backer rewards.

if that's important to them at all.

but for roleplay there's not much for them to do. it'd be like roleplaying in call of duty.

but, tell them the beta will be more Arma than call of duty, so real roleplay can be done in the future.

oh yeah, and tell your roleplay friends to keep an eye on the project, becuase roleplay is being focused on. there are player ships that cater specifically to roleplay.

the Constellation Phoenix is a luxury ship with great armaments but lacks cargo space and is not the most well armed. since it can't be used for large hauling, and won't be useful in combat, it's being designed as a command and control ship and a luxury cruiser. so it's perfect for small organizations to roleplay as a command ship or even a criminal smuggler. it's actually decked out with a conference table and hot tub, so they can order people around in comfort.

and even better than that is the 890 Jump, which is a large luxury ship that will make a great org headquarters for medium orgs and groups of friends. it was also designed with roleplay in mind so it's not much of a cargo hauler and won't be great in a fight. it is very defensive but lacks hard hitting offensive weapons. so it will be awesome to use as a mobile base of operations, and a lot of people are planning on using it as a passenger liner which means many spots will be open for roleplay. as a multicrew ship it will need a captain, a pilot, and engineer, security team, and passengers. (but also passengers is a game mechanic becuase some people will not fly ships, but instead opt to work on board them, hire them as transport, and stick to FPS game play.

you can also be the leader of your own trade empire and hire NPCs or players to haul cargo for you. i know one dude who plans to never leave Terra, he's just going to rent out his fleet and become a shipping magnate.

so this game will take all kinds.

constellation phoenix

conference room

it even has a TV in the lounge, and RSI is being mum on the subject, but we think they are planning on doing in-game broadcasts and stuff.

(Edited 16 seconds later.)

arguably the most beautiful of the current ship concepts, the 890 jump is also one of the largest

It has 3 decks, with a captains quarters, a bridge, crew quarters, a dining hall, a master bedroom, 3 bedrooms for passengers, a lounge, an observation deck (shown), and a hangar with 2 runabouts stowed inside. It also has all the usual capital ship type systems, and engineering area, and man-able weapon stations.

really, really cool ship

(Edited 6 minutes later.)

This is one ship i certainly don't own, it was only on sale very briefly and it was being sold for a $600 pledge i do believe. too rich for my blood. So this will be a great goal for groups and organizations to work towards.

forgot last pic

and lastly, here is a very brief roleplay story that was written when the phoenix came out. you'll catch on pretty quickly but it's intended to be a story that shows the potential for roleplaying in the phoenix. So imagine all the characters as actually being people acting out their own open-world roleplay.

How to play the Phoenix in the Persistent Universe by Lonestar the Kilrathi

"I have just recieved word that your bounty hunter will be arriving shortly, sir," said Taran as he entered the Master Suite, "is there anything you need before his arrival." Steam filled the room with a wet fog that obscured his vision, but the heaping mass in the hot tub was too large to miss. A fat hand extended through the steam and Taran understood this without waiting to hear the effiminate voice of The Fat Man ask for a drink.

"Champaign, my good Taran," said the Fat Man lounging in the scummy water, "3 glasses, one for our guest and the other two for me."

Taran prepared the drinks at the bar, quickly, as to not anger the already unstable Fat Man, to do so would risk the fate of his predecessor. The Fat Man is not one you make wait for anything. Taran placed the glasses on a silver tray and carried them to the Fat Man's side. He leaned in close and presented them to a pair of fat, pink prunes groping for the stem. The fat man fumbled in the steam and knocked the tray to the ground, Taran stepped backwards, shocked, and afraid.

"Make them again, you buffon, and clean that up!" The Fat Man shouted at his supplicant. Taran fell to his knees and began wiping up the mess and picking pieces of glass from the floor bloodying his fingers as the Fat Man looked down on him with contempt. "What are you doing, Taran, where are my drinks!"
The intercom buzzed interrupting the Fat Man, "Sir, we've got a contact on the Scope, it appears to be a Cutlass, and he's not broadcasting his ID."

"Very well, captain," said the Fat Man, "signal for him dock, immediately, and see him in. Taran is cleaning up another of his... mistakes."

"Aye, Sir," mumbled the captain through the com.
The Fat man watched through the sky lights as the Cutlass approached. Taran back from the bar carefully offers his master another pair of drinks. The Fat man successfully negotiates his fingers around the stems and yanks them from the tray, dumping them into his mouth in two large gulps. "More, Taran, we're celebrating." The Cutlass was close enough the whole ship filled the windows, and a rumbling mechanical vibration indicated a soft seal at the airlock.

The intercom buzzed, "We're docked, Sir, I'll see him to you," announced the Captain.

When he entered the lounge the bounty hunter waved the fog from his face with his hand, "Damn bloody phoenixes," he grumbled entering the room, "where the hell--"

"Gentry Felrtrel," said the Fat Man.

The bounty hunter squinted into the fog just past Taran, "Yes. And you're the fat man I've heard so much about."

"Indeed, Gentry Felrtrel, I am that man, a man with a... reputation."

"As am I," frowned the bounty hunter, "we're both men of reputation, now let's cut the small talk and get down to business."

The Fat Man took a moment before answering, taking his time looking the bounty hunter up and down, "yes," said the Fat Man, "business. Have a drink, Gentry Felrtrel." The Fat man indicated for Taran to serve his guest.

"Thank you, but no," he waived Taran aside, "I want to talk about why you've summed me."

"I've summoned you because I want to make you a very rich man," the Fat Man smiled through the fog almost audibly.

"How rich, and for what," said the bounty hunter.

"400,000 UEC," said the Fat man. Gentry's eyes grew bigger and glistened with interest.

"For what?" he asked.

"Very simple, my good Gentry Felrtrel, I need someone killed."

"Aye, who? For that price it sounds like someone people will miss," questioned the bounty hunter, "exactly who are you wanting me to... take care of?"

"No one but the Vice Admiral XxXCoCoPeanuts of the Happy Wanderers Organization On Terra," smiled the fat man.

"Vice Admiral XxXCoCoPeanuts? Are you mad? You've called me out here to hire me to kill Vice Admiral XxXCoCoPeanuts? Of the Happy Wanderers Org? The most violent Militia this side of Null Sec?"

"The same," said the Fat Man in a lilting soprano, "he and his 'cult' of hardcore pilots have been troubling my couriers and costing me millions. It is time for him to be put down, Gentry Felrtrel, and I believe you're reputation is that you're brutal, clever and reliable."

The bounty hunter shifted in his seat, "and How do you propose I even get close? He's the most well guarded and powerful leader of any Militia in the sector."

"You're a resourceful man," said the Fat man with a slight scowl, "are you asking me how to do your job?"

"I'm asking you how the hell you think I'll survive."

"Your survival is of no importance to me, Gentry Felrtrel, that is up to you. All I want is Vice Admiral XxXCoCoPeanuts to spend eternity frozen in space or otherwise splattered or stabbed. Am I asking too much of you, Gentry Felrtrel? Was I wrong to summon you here?"

"I don't have the resources for that kind of engagement, they--"

"Either you will take this job, now, and accept partial payment, or you will not, and you will make your depature immediately," yelled the Fat Man. Taran placed a small chest in from of the bounty hunter and opened it to reveal stacks and stacks of brand new unmarked UEC.

The bounty hunter considered the offer, and picked the drink Taran offered him earlier from the table and gulped it down. "I think, fat man, that I prefer to live. If you want Vice Admiral XxXCoCoPeanuts dead then you'll have to do it yourself, or get your man servant to do it for you."

"I'm sorry to hear that, Gentry Felrtrel, Taran, see our friend to the airlock."

The bounty hunter stood from his chair and turned his back to the Fat Man as he was making his way to his ship, he heard the sound of a bullet being chambered and froze. Turning, the last thing he saw was a flash from Taran's pistol.

The bounty hunter lay on the floor, his face exploded by the round, gasping for air, dying, he heard, "Throw him back on his ship before he bleeds on the good leather, Taran! And kill the rest of his crew."

"Yes, sir," said Taran, dragging the convulsing body of the bounty hunter towards the airlock.

"Have the captain target his ship and leave no trace behind. Then have him set course for Spider, we're heading home."
"Yes, sir," said Taran.

"And then bring me two more drinks, This Spa is very dehydrating, Taran!"

"Yes, sir," said Taran, "right away, sir," he said chambering the next round, "One moment, sir."

(Edited 36 seconds later.)