General Report February '24
Posted on 04 Mar 2024 @ 5:13pm by Commander Calliope Zahn
FEB ‘24 GENERAL REPORT
Total Crew: 9
Active crew: 7
total word count: 75,729
OF Post count: 151
21.64 posts/ active player
CURRENT ROSTER (9 players)
Markus/ Sep & DeHavilland
Nikki/ Zahn
David/ Rubens
Tara/ Haille
Spiral/ Brek
Sara/ Wagner
Endia/Leblanc
Polar/ Steiner & HaiRoa (ELOA)
Em/ Ovim (ELOA)
POST TRACKER SPREADSHEET
OBSIDIAN COMMAND DISCORD SERVER
OVERVIEW OOC
February was off like a shot! I have to admit, going into the month I had really low expectations. February has historically been a quieter month, to my memory, sort of between the holiday lull and the spring boom. I was saving my expectations for March. But the groundhog was right: Spring did come early on Obsidian Command!
With 40 post entries, we hit our second highest SPM ever at 151! Players have been active in chats and DMs and google docs, building out character development and plots. We have momentum for another good month ahead of us. On OC, increase in quantity never means a drop in quality. The more we are writing, the more hyped and invested we are, either laying down track for the story and characters, or paying off our setups. I’m very proud of us, and if I’m reading everyone’s responses to the month well, I think everyone is having a good time with it. That’s what matters to us!
February Special Event: Solo Word Pledges!
The Results are in!
We are victorious!
Back as we were wrapping up posting in January, David was chatting with me and said he wanted to set himself a personal word goal for the coming month. I found myself wanting to match his own personal challenge, and then we said, hey, what if we see if anyone else wants to set a personal solo writing word goal? And what if we call them “word pledges” and make one of those little rising meters that tracks as everyone contributes towards the goal?
A lot of other players liked this idea too, as it turns out, and as we went into the first of February, we collected word pledges amounting to 40,800 words! Throughout the month we made steady progress in filling the meter. But as we went into the last couple of weeks, we weren’t quite pulling enough words. I was genuinely starting to think we weren’t going to top off the meter. But on the final day several players showed up and drove themselves to make up the difference, and our fearless leader himself turned up and made his own pledge numbers in a single post, filed in the eleventh hour! (literally)
And here we are. Winners.
This was fun… *goes into recovery mode*
CREW UPDATE
No new writers this month, none leaving. We continue to have a couple of writers on ELOA and to be open to applications for new players.
RECRUITMENT
Accepting applications!
If you know someone you love to write with is looking for a new game to try, please do invite them to apply.
Key Roles Available:
~Chief Security Officer - (LtCmdr or Senior Non-Com)
~Chief Science Officer (LtCmdr or Senior Non-com)
~Chief Support Craft Pilot (Lt-LtCmdr or Senior Non-Com)
~Many varied specialists in multiple departments
~Civilians - all sorts
~And possibly unique, balanced character concept pitches
If a prospective player has some questions about applying, please do not hesitate to join us in our discord and ask away!
OBSIDIAN COMMAND DISCORD SERVER
GENERAL STORY SUMMARIES (IC)
February consisted of character development and some work on the diplomatic plot thread. There is an active investigation unfolding on Planet Obsidian. We also dipped a toe into a Pathfinder patrol thread which will continue into March. Please read the short summaries:
Individual Post Summaries February ‘24
FLYING SOLO CHALLENGE
Seriously, I didn’t think I was going to meet my stretch goal. But seeing everyone else pitching in on the final Leap Day of February to make their own word pledges inspired me to try. And to succeed. While I may have had the most words, everyone who met their pledge deserves a crown this month!
Combined February Solo word counts:
Nikki 12,163 (6 posts)
Markus 7,797 (1 ultrapost)
Sara 6,252 (3 posts)
Tara 6,041 (6 posts)
Spiral 5,175 (4 posts)
David 3,432 (2 posts)
Endia 763 (1 post)
Total solo word count (Feb): 41,623
AWARDS
A very active month means a pile of awards to pass out! I’ll enter all of these in the nova system for posterity. Well done, everyone!
Limited Time Award: Solo Word Pledge Achievement Ribbon February 2024
Sep, Nikki, Tara, Sara, Spiral
They set themselves goals that weren’t going to be easy, and pulled through in the end! It was an enjoyable challenge to compete against time and our own perceived limitations.
Sara - 2 yrs service ribbon
It’s been two years since Sara joined Obsidian Command! You’ve made a home here, staying with us through thick and thin! Congrats on your 2nd anniversary.
Sara - Technical Excellence Cross
For the time and attention demonstrated in the post “Practicum in Neurology”; Sara, writing Doctors Wagner and Sahar, goes into fine detail concerning the medical evaluation of Ibis Xeri, and the treatment plan going forward.
Tara & Sara - Personal Development Award
For voluntarily setting themselves solo writing goals a little higher than their typical posting month— and achieving them! I’m looking forward to seeing these players keep the activity gains they strove to make. They definitely inspired me to push myself, as I witnessed them not giving up in the final stretch!
Markus - Humor Award
For “Corvus’ No Good Rotten Day”. An act in three parts, Markus’ post demonstrated a day in the life of Captain Corvus DeHavilland, showing her morning managing administration work (including the capture of a loose Gila-Koala), her interrupted lunch break (the dance of awkward communication surrounding her love life), and her answering of a ‘distress call’ in the cargo bay (Over a vat of peanut fry oil). A day full of minor headaches and follies.
David- Medal of Character II
For the ongoing writing of Major Porter Wallace, demonstrating his inner change and his adaptation to his new life with his new family as his own heart warms and he is even sheepish about his past. But now he’s all in, in a bold new way— supporting Ibis through her struggle with her post traumatic stress, loving on his kids, and making his new family permanent for life with a marriage proposal and fresh new ink wreathing his heart.
David- Community Engagement
For instigating the Word Pledge February ‘24 Event:
Although life threw David a curveball half way into the month and he wasn’t available to complete the challenge himself, his playful concept invigorated us, and led to most of the players setting their own personal best writing records and learning what we’re each capable of. Hopefully we run it again and he can leave us all in the word count dust next time!
Spiral - Chorus Medal (for Ara)
From the start, Brek’s grandmother Ara has had an influence on his life story, and he is simultaneously defensive of his inheritance and plagued by her holding it over him. We’ve now had the pleasure of meeting Ara as she’s visited the sim, and as she has doled out her wisdom and her demands.
Spiral - Supportive Contributor
Spiral always makes a wonderful JP partner, creatively supporting any scene she is invited into with tags that keep play moving and dialogue interesting, Whether it be as her primary character of Brek, or as one of her NPCs such as Ara, T’sheng, or Kyrill, she is always both engaged and engaging.
Endia - Constellation Prize
For the introduction of Quintin Grant, an NPC that fills a characterization gap that will be left behind by his former Department Chief. If it’s possible for anyone to fill the shoes left behind, the honor will go to the young Quintin Grant with his ample genius, low empathy reserves, and burgeoning ego. As portrayed in the post “Cooler Heads”
Endia & Nikki- Silver Quill Medals
for a series of posts (A change of plans, Unauthorized Access, Misattributed, Cooler Heads, Almost But Not Quite Over, Honor, Respect, Domain) that portrays a bumpy transition between two Chief Engineers. The dialogues are intense and show that Starfleet officers are not always perfect.
Nikki - Master World Builder
For the three Old Flames Posts (Accidentally Briefed, Liaisons, P.S.)
Those three posts have everything that makes a story memorable: witty dialogues, captivating descriptions where we can feel the heat and dust of Obsidian Planet, and a little dose of mystery and romance. A winning combination :)
Sim Feature Post
Practicum in Neurology
Another well-researched post, delving in neurology, with soothing music to accompany the dialogue between two doctors, one Terran, the other Vulcan.
Sim Feature Post
A Capitalist Send Off
A touching post where we get to see friendship between a Ferengi ensign in intensive care and a Terran ensign.
Sim Feature Post
Corvus' No Good Rotten Day
An immersive post, written in three parts, that depicts the sort of things that can only happen on a Station. What happens, for instance, when a wild animal escapes from an Antican freighter and a group of civilian chefs argue over a vat of peanut oil? Chaos is the answer :)
Post Spotlight
Make It Yours And Then Make It Mine
When Brek’s Grandmother Ara has her mind set on wanting something, she won’t be dissuaded. And the job of acquiring it falls to Brek, who dares not turn down the task at the risk of his Grandmother’s ire and the possibility of being written out of her will…
KHITOMER AWARDS
Khitomer Conference (an annual event with a discord channel, access the information and links at KhitomerConference.com ) held their first awards nomination and ceremony. They have annual and quarterly awards. We had nominations and a double awardee for the first quarter. All will be entered in our awards system.
Khitomer is accepting nominations for the next Quarter, I presume for posts and activity between Jan-Mar ‘24, which anyone can nominate for via the site link above and going to the ‘awards’ section in the header.
If you do nominate, please either share the nomination with me or hold onto a copy yourself – don’t *only* craft your nomination directly into the google form! If you send a copy of your citation to me, after the next quarter announcements we can enter citations for the winners and unelected nominations in our own sim awards system. I’m not sure that Khitomer will release any or all of the nomination citations on my request otherwise.
Player of the Quarter Unelected nomination oct-dec '23
Spiral – Brek
Brek's writer, Spiral, is a steady mainstay of the sim who submits engaging posts with humorous or touching characters. She's great on her own character solo threads and backstory and also in participation in joint posts and plot items, where she takes on NPCs to be helpful and brings life to those characters as well. Via contributions to our monthly reports (found in our news items) she regularly submits quotes and awards for her fellow writers and builds others up. She's an authentic, kind, and creative person and OC is lucky to have her.
Khitomer Awards: Post of the Quarter Unelected nomination oct-dec '23
David – "The Runaway: Stowaway"
Fernanda Ruiz knows a secret. Her father isn't who she thought he was. And with the help of a friend, she's charted her own arrangements to meet her real dad. Only there's an unexpected detour along the way....
NPC solo post by player David K. Also writing Maurice Rubens
Khitomer Awards: Character of the Quarter Awarded for oct-dec ‘23
Nikki – Ibis Xeri
Chief Petty Officer Ibis Xeri is a complex and realistic character whose strengths and weaknesses are depicted with sharp realism, bringing out a personality that is both gentle and fierce. What we see in her posts is a brave and intelligent woman who has been able to survive several years in a harsh environment that nearly destroyed her. Thankfully there was always a spark of hope, which paid when she, and the members of her little group, were rescued by Starfleet.
Xeri is a perfect example of show, don’t tell. Whether she comes victorious after a difficult battle or she struggles with her return to normal life, her writer doesn’t just gloss over the difficulties her character is facing. Her physical and psychological scars are explored minutely, and yet she never comes across as needy or unpleasant. The balance is perfect and the reader is left with the vivid portrait of a survivor, whose flaws are as important as her qualities.
Adding another dimension to this well-rounded character, Xeri also takes care of two minors (her npcs) who are portrayed equally brilliantly. This gives us the bad moods you can expect from a teen, and the buoyancy of a boy.
Posts Referenced: A Loss For Words; Sugar, Tea, and Surprises;
Shrine of Memory; Breaking the News; Becoming Unglued
Khitomer Awards: Outstanding Player (of the Quarter) Awarded for oct-dec ‘23
Nikki – Obsidian Command
Nikki is the Executive Officer of Obsidian Command (Obsidian Fleet). I have been simming for a fair while and it is the first time I see a player with so many qualities. She is not only passionate and dedicated to the game, she also excels at encouraging the crew to write by highlighting what qualities they possess. She is also a fantastic storyteller who portrays her characters to perfection. Whether she writes for Commander Zahn, her main character, lower ranks or even civilians, her attention to detail and ability to create vivid imagery make her stories come alive. Reading her posts is like reading stories from a book, they are that captivating. I always look forward to them and they inspire me to improve my own writing.
Beyond Nikki’s unique talent for bringing out the best in her crew, she is also a talented co-leader. She keeps track of the many details that make a mission and those, (more down to earth but equally important for character building), that form the daily life of Obsidian Command’s population. Thanks to her unwavering attention we have a fantastic community. One where every character feels incredibly realistic and valued, no matter their rank.
Category: General News
RSS Feed