Causality and Resonance

Anjel's Notes

In an effort to engage our artists and other disciplines while we current work on more technical critical path, I have decided to begin work on my town concepts environment and architectural styling. Advance work on areas that will become impoortant especially graphical stylization and presentation, hand in hand with storyline and other elements will help us prepare for when the critical path tasks become more art dependant without drawing resources from current critical path work. With   a large and eager community on hand, we can move and in this case drawn and model mountains. for the growth and bettering of our top Secret project. So say we all.



Neo Ocianika

A city connected to the Underwater Tubes Track I'm also working on. Will be a beautiful habitat zone both for players to rest between races and socialize, while also giving access to information, quests, equipment and other resources, including player owned housing and perhaps vending and other elements laid out in the Hooks and Design Doc.

Neo Ocianika Story Segment 01

Department of Civilization Expansion
Growth and Development Report
File: Zeta 103-NO001


Neo Ocianika, built from the excavated ruins of the Oceanus Metropolis Site has becoming in recent years one of the more progressively expanding new territories on the planet. With an ever growing economy supported on the financial tripod of the Federated Racing commission, the Department of Financial Entertainment, and the Department of Natural Resources. It has become a rising star among the many newly built and developed city complexes around the planet. While the economic boom is not projected to bust any time soon, population growth while rising is not as prodigious in it's growth curve. As expansion projects continue both in terms of urban development as well as further excavations by the Corps of Historical Research, an inclusive public relations campaign has been launched by city government to further attract new residents and business owners to the island city.

The RCI building sitting at the precise of heart of the city covers many functions beyond the day to day operations of all race related activities, but also serves as the communications hub and bastion for vessels at sea. Spread out from around central tower are both skyscrapers representative of the major economic and governmental powers but also the main business conglomerates and production facilities  Sweeping outward from the central sector the variety of homes for the populace follow an interesting assortment of architectural styles, ranging from neo-technik to Victorian style homes on the outer perimeter of the sea promenade disk Which also plays home to a sea side market place bazaar for merchants and residents to sell their wares and discoveries. A fully functional Beast habitat, growth and development center lies on the northern sector of the city which also is home to connected hydroponics and botanical gardens.  With growth, the levels reaching below the sea line into the former Metropolis complex, more production facilities and the citizenry will find modest apartment size rooms with a beatific view of the ocean and it's environs.

Given the nature of the mysteries surrounding both the original Metropolis complex and it's possible links to the Mutagen War and the myths and legends in regards to possible unknown life forms leaving both in the area and currently sealed and unreachable sectors of the old city, coupled with the reports of disappearances of many ships and persons. Most notably the disappearance and believed deaths of Dr. Darius St. Caspian and his team, adventurers and conspiracy theorists come in droves during the more habitable tourist seasons. Many struggling fisherfolk and former military types have even started their own tour companies, sanctions by the Racing commission to take the curious below the surface and around the old Metropolis, subject to pre planned routes so as not to endanger both lives and the construction of the newly annexed track being built within underwater domes and tubes.

In our ever changing world and the growing prominence of the Federated Racing Commission's power, Neo Ocianika is projected to become on of the premiere cities of the world. In conclusion we feel it required to set up our own working office in the city to both keep record of the growth and rise of this fantastic new habitation zone, but also to work with the various other agencies to unravel the mysterious that lie below.

Credits

AnjelusX - Concept, Story Elements
Elkhorno - Concept Development, Artwork (related through the Underwater Track)
Rasield - Concept Development, Artwork (forth comming)
Adonai - Concept Development, Storyline Consultation.
Asurael - Concept Development, Artwork (Related through the UT)
Alandur - Concept development, Artwork (Related through the UT)
AnjelusX - Base concept, compiling the ideas, being hawt.
Leunas - Concept development, Artwork (Related through the UT)
Naereus - Concept development (Related through the UT)
Taalon927 - Concept development (Related through the UT)
mjuricek77 - Concept development (Related through the UT and Sky Track)
robflorio - Concept development (Related through the UT)
Matt58 - Concept development (Related through the UT)
Arthursa - Concept development (Related through the UT)
Tandy - Concept development (Related through the UT)
Karenmcupp - Concept development (Related through the UT).

Notes

I freely invite collaboration by any and all community members whom are interested, Artists feel free to come up with representations and help me through art concepts to further flesh out and write for the concept. Musicians feel free to be creative with music that might be good accents for both this town concept and the underwater track. And the rest your input and ideas are always welcome and appreciated.

Department of Pre Mutagen Studies
Oceanic Metropolis Research and Theorem
File : 167 - XA32

Dr. Darius St. Caspian
Recovered Personal Log OMR-5D
Dated : 01.12.2946
Material Status : Authenticated


Eureka! We did it, I thought for sure we wouldn't be able to broach the sector 8 secondary sub level. With the majority of the connecting tubes either destroyed or flooded beyond our ability to traverse, it seemed impossible. However with not a fair amount of time spent in careful research and hours of side scan sonar work, we managed to find a maintenance shaft still clear between level 5 which traveled the vertical length downward to the sub level. Joachim led our party down the darkened shaft, which I must admit was a harrowing experience given the tight quarters around us and the unknown awaiting below us. At the bottom of the shaft we discovered not a mere junction but an actual access port complete with airlock, leading us to conclude we'd hit the mark and perhaps also learned a bit about just how well planned out the metropolis sections were.

The thrill of excitement was palpable as we made preliminary scans of the atmosphere beyond the door. Our fear was that like the connecting tubes the sub level itself would also be flooded. Fortunately, or perhaps I should say praise providence, we completed scans with a great sense of satisfaction and relief. The area beyond the door was not only clear of water, but also the air recycling life support system was in full operation! It was beyond our wildest hopes. I was overcome with a feeling of good fortune that perhaps great historical treasures might remain untouched in this practically sealed off and lost area. Setting up remote scanners to detect any changes in the section, we returned to base camp and prepared to open the air lock and find what awaits on the other side.

Dr. Darius St. Caspian
Recovered Personal Audio Log OMR-7A
Dated : 01.16.2946
Material Status : Authenticated

"Words cannot describe this feeling, as I never imagined I'd be looking at the first concrete proof of a connection to the Mutagen Wars within this Metropolis. We've passed through the initial section beyond the airlock, to find it's filled with all manner of rubbish and artifacts. I could spend a lifetime just chronicling everything contained in that one room. But this, this is something else entirely..." {Static breaks and pauses}"This room which adjoins the first, is the largest hydroponics lab I've yet to see in the entire city. The plants here are massive - these bananas alone must be the size of my leg. Epiphany is ecstatic. I knew a botanist would come in handy. This find and the studies to follow could yield great data not only as to this Mutagen variant, but possible agricultural applications could improve food stores planet wide! [Static breaks again followed by shouts of surprise] "What is...what is that! Frederic pull back, everyone MAKE FOR THE AIRLO..." {log ends.}

Dr. Epiphany Corrin
Recovered Personal Audio Log OMR-3C
Dated : 01.16.2946
Material Status : Authenticated

{Static, Machinery Noises, Water Drops} "Anyone, anyone hearing this.... The others, I don't know where they are! I'm alone. How I'm still alive now is ..beyond me. They took the others, they came, and we ran, we tried for the airlock but it was closed off, barricaded from the inside, and even with our heavy tools and side arms we couldn't get past rubble." {Static, Sobbing}" They took Darius, they were everywhere, they're animals! The noise they made, it's .. it's beyond my ability to describe... Frederic is dead. I.. I'm sure of it.. I saw him fall through the broken floor. We've never been that far down in any sector. I'm trying to hide, but they ... they always find..wait.... " {Unidentified sounds, a scream} "Oh my god, how can they have survived, they're coming!" {Heavy breathing, sounds of running} "I haven't eaten, trying to escape, there's no where to go.. all the tunnels, flooded, blocked, or collapsed. Someone... someone save... Oh MY GOD, THERE"S EYES {Further screams} "THE EYES, NOT THOSE EYES! SAVE...." {Snarls, Unknown Language, Sounds Screams, Sounds of Feeding} "MOTHER, YOU WERE RIGH... {Transmission ends}

File Note.
Recovered logs were found in Secondary Sub Level 8, Equipment, along with various equipment and signs of struggle, blood stains, wall marks and other activities. No survivors or bodies recovered. No signs of an exit beyond the airlock found. Deaths labeled unexplained.

Geographical Survey Report 154-XA04
Oceanic Metropolis Research and Theorem
14.26.2945 PM ( Post Mutagen )

Having down exhaustive and at times perilous surveying and detailed analysis of the Oceanic Metropolis site, located in the Horatio Islands chain we have reach several conclusions and observations. Given the intricate structures built both on the ocean floor and the connecting tubes between sectors and the entry points on the various Horatio islands, it is clearly evident of a sophisticated level of technology. However through dating processes, the dates collected from both building materials and surrounding coral and rock formations pose an almost unbelievable result where the evidence not clear at hand. This metropolis and it's attached structures date back over three millennia. Making it one of the greatest and few truly surviving historical sites of the pre mutagen era. As many historians and archeologist are well aware and quite frustrated by, little is known what caused the mutagen war and the near destruction of life on our planet. Nor is the academic world clear what caused the rise and creation of the great beasts we now use and ride almost as an afterthought now.

The most baffling mysteries of this site is the lack of historical data within the many computer systems that once permeated the city, the lack of physical evidence of the original inhabitants, and the manner of power systems used which are still active to date. Many theorize that the now agrarian inhabitants of the Horatio Islands chain are descendants of the Metropolitans, there is nothing to suggest a clear connection beyond location. Given the level of technology that is found throughout the city and the ruins on the islands themselves, it is clearly impossible for technological expertise not to have survived amongst these peoples. Thus it seems logical to assume either the original inhabitants fled somewhere or simply died en masse. Though evidence for any theory is lacking, I am inclined to believe they fled the coming catastrophe of the Mutagen Wars. The lack of retrievable computer data, which shows evidence of being manual wiped as a opposed to computer core deterioration, this lends itself to the theory the inhabits fled instead of died out in some catastrophe or another. However, some of the darker theorists have concluded that perhaps this city was in actuality ground zero for the Mutagen that swept the world, while there is no corroborative evidence to support this, it is being considered.

The Energy system which is still to date in operation through out the site has yet to be identified. Neither the energy plant(s) location nor type has yet been found. Though we are continuing the search from our temporary base of operations in the nearly newly constructed city of Neo Ocianika, which is located in the previous excavated northern sector of the Metropolis. (It is, I must make personal notation, of some annoyance that many of the already explored sectors have since been annexed by the Federated Racing Commission, it is well known that profit usual overrides the search for historical data.) While power is sporadic in many sectors, especially on the lowest sea floor, many of the blast doors, larger gathering areas, and lighting systems are still active and even useable throughout the metropolis and it's connected environs, including the life support systems and various hydroponics areas. Even with our best technological equipment we have yet to detect even traces of the mystery energy systems, however several of our mounts react at times to some of the more vibrantly energized area, theories are being formulated at present as to why they react in such a manner.

In closing, the Oceanic Metropolis remains an archeological gem that while people have returned to inhabit this area, and the Racing Commission profits from it's beautiful scenery and even the perilous dangers found within, we will continue to study, analyze and hopefully one day solve the mysteries we have found and answer the questions we all have when this geographical marvel springs to mind.

Head of Project : Oceanic Metropolis Research Team
Dr. Darius St. Caspian.

Post report note.
Research and Categorical Images, both hand illustrated, holographic and photographic are found in files 154 - XA05 through XA07.

Reality checks and balances; what exactly do I mean this time you ask dear readers. Well it's actually something that I believe has been touched on before, yet I think needs repeating. People are always passionate about their ideas, especially highly creative people. And that, in and of itself is a good thing. Were people not passionate about their ideas many things would never have been created. There'd be no drive to create, to envision new ideas, or the drive to make things happen.

However, there has to be a level of balance to that passion, some objectivity. We can all be passionate about our ideas, but we also need to be realistic, both about the ways and means to push those ideas further and also the sum total of how things can or cannot be applied in different situations. In game design, passion for ideas of course helps tremendously to make things happen. But when designing a game, unless you're truly doing it all yourself, there has to be the objective thinking to go along with it. Compromise is not only a valuable ability but it is a necessity. In the case of TS, while we all want our ideas included and to be a key contributor to the overall game, we must be able to realize we can't clamp down, dig our heels in and not let anything else in. We cannot spend copious amounts of time day in, day out, fighting it out about 10 different ideas, systems, approaches and so on. We will never progress further the longer these types of discussions go on.

When we face these challenges, it takes more than just an ability to create things and think up things to make a great game. It takes the realization that as a team we must work and act together to find a working system that benefits the project and the creative process as a whole so we can continue to move forward and gain momentum towards the end result we're all striving for.

In this industry, which is full of idea people, more often than not ideas get knocked back by the decision makers, either because they aren't feasible, they're incomplete, or they are simply not compatible with the overall vision. As a team we have to unite our ideas into a workable form that we can then put in place and move on to the next task, system, area, etcetera.

We can't all have it our own way, but in no way does that mean we cannot all be a part of the end result or the next selection. It takes people with a broad view and the moral fortitude to make decisions based around the greater good rather then sticking to personal agendas, or holding out for one specific idea against all odds. Sure we have to fight for what we really believe in, but we must also be willing to make sacrifices in order to make the whole trip to the finish line (Pardon the racing analogies but they suit appropriately, considering).

Now of course I'm not going to tell you that your ideas are wrong, or that only one system has to simply be selected. But elements of all the good proposals could be perhaps combined, and ways found to include the good elements to make one unified concept or proposal that will be the most beneficial and productive for the game and project.

I admire anyone who has the passion behind their ideas to promote it, but clinging blindly to that and that alone will not provide us with a game at the end. It just leads to more circular conversations, arguments, and nothing being accomplished, which I feel is a large part of the slump. We have so many people unwilling to compromise and form a concept that will push us forward. Instead they're trenching in and fighting it out day after day and the project as a whole has its wheels spinning. Instead we need to make the required choices and sacrifices to move past the 10 or 20 options and form one or two really good ones that we can then build upon.

Now I am aware that people are and have been complaining about how the tasks seem to be repeating themselves and duplicating effort. Perhaps that is true to sum extent. But also when it comes to refining details, different aspects both need to be looked at, thought of, and created. Everything has to tie in, we have to think of how these new things will work with and fit in with what we've done, decided on, and created before hand. So yes, while at times it will feel repetitive to continue to go over certain parts time and time again, this is to ensure that we have a functioning system, rather then a bunch of separate parts that don't go together and just make a mess.

No one said game design was easy, and refining and getting key elements in place is and can be a lot of work. But it is vitally important to get these things done and in place so we can move once again into the fun parts and make an even better game. So while yes, hold on to your passion and be true to yourself, remember we're a team making one game. Choices need to be made, sacrifices will and must be done at times, and compromise will make us all winners, rather then a bunch of selfish, non-cooperative noobcakes.

 I have already informed Rusel, but I would like to take this moment to announce that I have formally resigned from my position on the Advisory Board. After much thought and consideration I feel I do not have anything of value to contribute to the Board and its function within the community. My skills, experience and abilities are in my estimation not required in this area. I would like to clarify however that I do not have a problem with the Board itself nor the members therein; it is simply a case of recognizing my own abilities, strengths and shortfalls. Technical writing for the tasks is not an area I particularly excel in, and while I will continue to support the AB both as a mod and as a community member, I feel that there are others who would be more able to fill the role I had been selected for.

After spending time in that role and learning how the AB functions and its role, I feel that continuing would not be beneficial to either the AB or the project at large. This leads into something which I will talk about shortly in this post. First a matter of business. Following my resignation I have chosen whom I feel would be the most appropriate successor to my slot, so subject to Rusel and Dave’s agreement, I nominate Asurael to assume my position on the board. I feel he can bring his skills both as an artist and as a creative mind to the Board proceedings, and be a valuable asset for the function and continuation of the AB.

Now to be clear, I am remaining in my position as a moderator, and as a member of the community, so I hope no one panics and thinks I’m leaving totally. I still have faith in both the project and the community, even during this apparent slump we seem to be experiencing with dwindling numbers of active members and other issues, some of which I will touch on in another post or two later on today. So, I’m not running away on you dear brothers and sisters, I am simply doing what I feel is best for the project and community.

Now then onto the last part which I mentioned I would discuss in the above section. Even though we might not speak on it publicly, we are all here for various reasons. For many it is not just the obvious part of being in on the creation of a kick ass game through this community driven environment. But also, we seek to stand out, that’s unavoidable, and while some may and will deny it, it is true.

We all want to be seen, and to show our skills and abilities which may lead to us being scooped up either by DP, or by other development teams and game companies. This in reality is a fair goal and something that if it’s a dream of yours, should be pursued. However, achieving that and showing that you have skills, abilities, creativity and experience which would be beneficial to a company is something to aim for. Doing so for the detriment of the project and community isn’t going to make you look like an asset. Sure we need to show our strengths and skills, but in most if not all game development teams and communities, they function as a team and team players are required.

Knowing and accepting your weaknesses as well as your abilities, as well as being able to admit when you feel you cannot be a productive and valuable contributor to a certain function, is a very good sign not just of maturity but also that you are able to be honest both with yourself, but also any prospective employer. Being in on something for the sake of being in on something benefits no one, and when the truth gets revealed, damages your credibility more than ever by saying you failed at doing a particular thing. Learning to do something and saying you cannot at this time, reflects far better on both your willingness to be a part of something as well as how you can be counted on as a reliable member of a team.

Something I think we should all keep in mind, self honest, being aware of your own abilities and recognizing your limits is something that will serve you much better in life than hiding behind other’s glory and successes. We can all learn and adapt to new things, but only when we recognize we don’t know something or are unable at present to do something. Just my thoughts since I have you all here.

Anyway, I would like to say in closing that the members of the Advisory Board are working hard, and I appreciate their effort and wish them luck as they move forward. I’m always on tap to help when and where I can, so don’t hesitate to call on me.

Odds and Ends, I think that sums up some of wot this is going to be about, as I'm going to pretty much do as the title suggests and dumping my core. So don't expect any really commonality of topics, but then again when is that anything new eh? So yes dear readers, fans, friends, enemies and all you others who for some inexpiable reason read the shit that comes out of my head at times, off we go on another delving into the brain of the Anjellic one.

Where to begin, where to begin, I suppose we'll start with the area that's become in some ways a central aspect of my life or at least online life as of late. Funny how these things work I suppose, but anyways I'm wandering , here we go. Project Top Secret, holy shit, I must say I jumped into this one with both feet and more or less went up to the hair line with it. Not might you that I'm complaining, it's been a helluva ride thus far and it's likely to continue one for quite some time. Anywho. My activity as far as the tasks and wot not goes has I'm sure noticeably cooled. Mind you it's not due to lack of interest of some such nonsense, though yes Rus we went over this when you thought I'd buggered off. I simply don't have anything to add presently to the current stream of things. When thing move into an area I don't have either experience in or any real coherent thoughts to post I'm simply not going to. I'm not going to go babbling into those discussions blindly. When I know I don't have something significant to add, I'm not going to waste forum space doing nothing. When things once again move into areas I can contribute to, excel in, show off in and so on, then expect me to do just that like I did before.

Moderation there has been more often then otherwise a pretty simple matter, there's been moments, but that's normal of any online community and it's something i take some measure in pride in. Though haha I must touch on something, which isn't really related to TS operations, contributions or the like, but something of well great astonishment to me, even though it's not monumental. But seeing one's name mentioned by Dave in interviews early on, on the MMO sites and wot not, was a rather bizarre moment, granted it's just a simple mention about being brought in to mod, but at the same time, was passing strange to me lol. Not that I'm complaining of course, but still lol was quite a "WTF" moment when i first saw it on the interview article on MMORPG.Com and the other subsequent interviews and so forth that followed. I couldn't help but laugh at the irony of it all. But hey it's an honour to be noted even in a propaganda type situation (As everyone knows, I'm all about the propagandizing).

Anywho, with the advisory board fun, which seems to be in my mind working rather well, well, well enough as any new aparatus can with the usual birth troubles and so on, while I haven't been vocal in it to a large degree, mainly because my fellow AB members have been pretty thorough thus far or as Tandy and I more or less noted from the get go, they've been repeating and saying this we've been pointing out for a while so I observe and will add wot and when i can , till once more we come to things I have more direct coherent thoughts on. Anyways, all in all P:TS is likely to be something I'll be involved in till it's completion or elimination lol. Who knows maybe I'll even score a job out of it of some sort, though haha, I'm not going to set my life on it, cause well I'm just like that.

Moving on.

So my network of contacts grows and grows, TS has something to do that of course, but also just my mad ninja networking skills lol, I have to laugh when i remember wot flamingbeard said a couple months ago about myself and the guild being more like an Internet gaming syndicate lol, yeah i really think between me and some of my posse we're online gaming gangsters lol we know people, we meet people, corrupt them , make contacts out of them and have such a vast reach across the board it's amusing when things come up. As everyone knows my rather bizarre and probably annoying ability to know things either I'm not supposed to, or that they thought I wouldn't find out before they tell me. I take great pleasure in my information network, always have. But more then that i just love networking and making contacts through out the world and the various communities, and attached to this is making connections for friends and contacts. Your welcome guys by the way, I just thought I'd say it again, remember me when i need something though lol.

Next!

Alright now for something more serious, something I've gone round the twist about several times back and forth, each time I get closer to it, then back off and nothing gets said more about it. My writing, you know my exposure almost daily to Rus is having a large impact on me I think. Though to be honest, having Tandy around is probably of equal value, sorrie Mr. Demaria, but while I really like having a professional writer on the daily discourse part of the dark list having a top notch editor on tap really makes my day lol. Anyways, i digress, So what about my writing, well other then here and there random spurts it's more or less none existent. Now contributing factors, well a large chuck of my creative spark died out a couple years ago, and no Allison, I'm not blaming you , just how things worked out. That and with Oracle's virtual death, it left me without a writing home, sure I know there's plenty of sites and yes Donna, i know, i know, don't start i know lol. I haven't been ready to make a big return to the online rp community, i felt like a refugee no matter where I popped into, i haven't been ready to set up shop anywhere new. That mood however is changing so i might just start going along. Between Epiphany and many others riding me pretty hard about getting back into writing, I know I need to stop being a lazy git and start doing it. And yes Adonai, you've beaten that into my head too many times as well, so right fuck you very much I'm starting to listen and I've even got the spark to write some today even lol we'll see if i can muster up the energy, but times come, with my birthday on the horizon once again, I know I'm not that old, but time doesn't wait for anyone so if I'm gonna do it, i need to piss or get off the pot and start writing like I know i want to. It's something I can do, I've given up to many other of my potential "talents" as I've been told so letting this one go i think is just criminal of me.

But then I'm a sinner, always have been, always will be, I'm going to hell with a first class ticket, but giving up my ability to write i think is a sin even I'm not willing to commit. So here we go, ya'll have won the war, i surrender and will start writing again. So keep your eyes open as I plan to start off with some short posts, old chars and maybe new ones, to find the groove again, so don't expect miracles right off, or Anjel standard uber sized posts and shit, or even regular rp, but who knows, i know I owe too many people rp lol, Form a line damnit , form a line, and yes i remember who some of those people are, Donna, Shelly, Jennifer, Chris, AJ, probably Katy, Kelly, probably I even owe promises to Rob and Cin lol, fucked if I remember all the people, and yes Jamie I know lol, I owe you too broham or you owe me, I dunno which lol.

Now then.

What else? job searching continues, stress problems, well I've been stressed some lately, and my hearts acted up a bit, I'll be honest about that, though it's not serious and I've kept in touch with my doctor about it, so no panic attacks alright, I'm not due for an eminent heart attack or anything and the air bubbles aren't back, just some strain I think, and I think that largely has to do with the fact i haven't been engaging in my normal stress relief activities much lately, But I just addressed that about writing. I think some of this stress is self imposed because I'm full to bursting with storylines and have been keeping them and my writing bottled up. along with being a fussy bitch about playing video games with so many starts and stops of my collection of games and not actively playing things. Some personal stuff sure, but nothing that needs to be aired in public, I'll keep that between the parties involved, though I really could launch my mother into outer space sometimes.

Anyways i think I've wore myself out for the moment, my arms a bit achy today, probably slept funny or something so I'm gonna wrap up this dump for now and maybe write another one later on. Now I'm posting this on all my blogs since it covers so much different shit, and I'm well aware that many of you dear readers have no two sweet clues who many of the people I've referred to are, and that's alright, cause well that's wot happens when you spend your time networking and talking to the world as I do, but for sake of saving myself time I put it all in here. now then i bid you all a good day/night/wotever. Enjoy.

~Anjel