Holy Updates Batman...

There's Another Blog Post Afoot!

Ahhhhh yeah, classic batman for you right there. That old show sure is a blast from the past, a classic take on my personal favorite hero, only that old bit was even cheesier than this blog, if you can believe it. If you don't believe me, then you really ought to check this out: Shark Repellent

Now that we have the awkward moment out of the way, we can get moving along with the blog post for this week. There is going to be a couple of small changes (good ones, I promise), so don't be surprised at any switch-ups you might stumble across (for those three people who actually read this regularly. :P ). Without further babble, let's get to your blog for the week.

So, What's Happening Valucre?

Represent Your Nation Continues- This time around, the facilitator and board leader of the region this takes place in submitted some information himself, so I am going to let his words speak for themselves: 

Renovatian lore has finally seeped into the into the atmosphere, spreading across Valucre like a wildfire. Stories of champions who then in turn ascend to Olympians when they are given the chance to represent a piece of land within Olympia, the grand stand of sports entertainment. Leave home a nobody and return home to your native brothers and sister a brand new you - experienced, enlightened, and enthused about having become an ambassador for your nation if only for a day. Put your home on the map and let stories depict how you've done so with praise and elegance. 

Check it out here: Are you an Olympian?

Gotham's Reckoning- So, you knew there had to be a reason behind all my Batman references, right? I was informally approached about featuring this in the blog, like I wasn't going to anyhow? Hell, WWBD, right? Anyway, less babble and more focus on the Role-play:

Gotham City is under attack. From whom, no one knows. But when the city turns to fire, all hope rests on Batman. For years, The Dark Knight has safeguarded the city; his shadow a cloak of protection for the just, a pitch black menace against the wicked. Still, the war wages on. It's been ten years since Batman first took on the onus of protecting this city. Lives have been lost. Criminals have been incarcerated. Crime has lessened. But Gotham is still a hot spot for criminal activities, and every day, its streets are bathed in blood. No one knows what the outcome will be, but by god, they hope...

Where will you stand?

That's right, folks. We're bringing Gotham to Valucre. This will take place predominantly in the Alternative section, each thread labeled with 'Gotham' to help our writers [and devoted readers ;)] identify them. Our storyline will be based off the Batman canon, so we are looking for people who can fill those roles and play them consistently. Some of you will already be familiar with the canon, while others will have to do some research [well worth the effort... believe me, I know]. Applications are listed below, so players seeking to play a specific character can submit it to us via e-mail. The characters can be either from the canon [Joker, Crane, Riddler, Mr. Freeze, Alfred...] or completely original [henchmen, police officers, victims, reporters...]. Our goal is to ensure that the players know the characters they want to play and can portray them appropriately. With that said, have fun, and get ready to see the dawn of Gotham's new age.

If you plan to take a stand, find your allegiance here.

The Great North Need's More Antagonists- The Great North is still looking to get some more members added to their armies, and if you are someone who enjoys being a bit of a 'bad guy', this might just be your outfit. Being an antagonist does not necessarily mean being evil- only you are the group in direct opposition to the other 'protagonists'. You might be playing just a crazed nationalist who shares their ideals, or hell, you might really be an asshole. Whatever your reason, if you want to participate in Role-plays centered around the rise of the Great North (those bullies!), then check them out here.

The Black Tarantula Event- I keep plugging this in, because it sounds like it could a be a great deal of fun.  If you like an RP about strange parties and celebrations of Valucran holidays, this should be right up your alley. Light fun, an easy place to get some posts in. Go check it out. Vanity's End

The Trail's Gone Cold- An open Genesaris quest, promising a special unique item only available through this quest (and not through either of the shops) as well as VB. Three excellent writers have already signed on, they have room for more help if others choose to join in. The VB should be good, but I think the RP will be a great one, as the biggest threat is not necessarily the enemy (12 kidnappers) but the dangerous woods and the harsh winter storm setting in. Will you rescue nine kidnapped children from slavers? Genesaris Quest

Question of the Week!

So, I snuck it in last week, and handed out VB to those who posted their answer. I got a few hits, and I realized that if more people respond, I am going to end up bankrupt quickly! So, instead of sneaking in a question, I am going to make it a regular thing, and make it into a drawing. 

So how does this work?

Each week, I am going to ask a question. You can comment on the blog, or PM me your answer. On the night of the next blog, I am going to take all the names who entered, toss some dice or throw names into a hat or some other method of randomization, and the person whose name comes up will get 50vb. I will post the winner of the VB, as well as the popular answers. I list them without names, so none will feel embarrassed by their responses. ;)

Last week, I asked for what place you would represent. I got four responses, but I am not going to dig them out today. I'll list those starting next week, ha ha. All four of those people earned 20vb, so congrats to them. Next week, one person get's 50vb instead. :)

This Week's Question: Who is your favorite character from the Batman Universe, other than Batman.

Ponder on that one, and one lucky winner will get 50vb, and I'll publish the answers next week. :)

Say Hello to Our New (And Returning) Friends!

Here is the other aforementioned change this week, because I had three people who were on prolonged absences return to the Forum, I am going to start highlighting returns of members who have been gone for more than three months. If you were on an extended leave and have stepped back into the forum, we'll give you a warm welcome back. 

So, first- to our new friends:

Welcome, Zie

Welcome, Tavy

Welcome, Ancladar

Welcome, Rinnak

Welcome, Rimodar

Welcome, Aeleren_Strov

Welcome, Desdomena

Welcome, Philogelos

And, now a welcome back to those departed and returned:

Welcome back, Beautiful.Story

Welcome back, Macabremarionette (Previously Known as Carrionjackal)

Welcome back, Ruski (Previously Known as Raik Inus)

Welcome back, Blue Shoelaces (Who did not make a thread :P )

Looks like with School coming back around, our rate of newcomers as dropped a little, but that's okay. We're also glad to have returning members as well!

Other Highlights?

After all this new stuff I threw at you, you're still here expecting that little extra bit? I think I've gone and spoiled the masses. Well, have it your way.

Profile Database- This one is definitely aimed more at our newcomers than our older comers. If you have decided to make a fleshed out character sheet, you might wonder where to put them. Well, the character database is the place of course! (If I sounded like Dr. Seuss, I apologize) The setup is easy, just post in there based on alphabetical order, under whichever name you choose to use (First, last, or alias). If you are having trouble coming up with a sheet format, we also have a set of free to use sheet formats listed within that section as well. Just go directly to the database, and not one of the letters. It's a stickied thread. :)

Sup "Place"- Ever notice on the sides of the forum, there are these boxes that say 'sup' and then list threads? Well this tells you what threads in the canon lands were most recently posted in. It's a good way to keep tabs on what is active and what might be a good thread to jump in, assuming it is open of course. ;)

Closing Thoughts?

Well, back again with my 'words of wisdom', which truly amount to 2 cents, even with inflation taken into account (seriously, I looked it up ;P ). 

Today, I thought I would briefly touch on Forum Communication, and by that I mean- getting by without getting sucked into trolling, drama, or other problems likely blown far out of proportion. The bulk of what I am looking to cover is misunderstandings, poor wording, and stuff along those lines.

Only 7% of your communication with another human being is reliant on the words you used. When you have a conversation with another person, take a moment and think about just how little you actually rely on the verbal content of what they are telling you, and more so on the way their voice sounds, and the way their body is positioned. 

This is because 38% of your communication is paraverbal (Tone, pitch, rate of speech- your voice) and 55% is pure body language. 

When you speak with someone, the message you convey is largely dependent upon these other factors to help someone understand what you mean. I can say: "I like your hat". This statement by itself is rather innocuous, as it can be taken at face value, right? Well, what if I were to go- "...I like your hat". That might be a little more suggestive, right? Well, either way, you can't be sure of what I am getting at. In example one, I might intend to be as sarcastic as I can possibly be, while in the other, I was showing the amount of appreciation I had for that hat by showing I had to take a second to process it. Neither is the likely course, but it could go either way.

What I am getting at here, is that a lot of the time, we are completely unaware of how we are coming across. I might intend to convey one message, and someone else reads it in an entirely different way. That person makes a harsh response in turn, and the next thing you know, you have a full blown argument breaking out. It's not a pretty sight. That's a large part of the reason why I use A LOT of emoticons- I use them in place of facial expressions ;)

So, now we are at that impasse- someone has had a miscue and they have taken you the wrong way, or you yourself have taken someone the wrong way. What can you do about it?

Well, if someone has misunderstood you, the first thing I suggest is taking one BIG step back. Literally. Step away from the computer. Getting accused often makes us upset, and you might feel your temper flaring yourself. Getting angry yourself is not going to solve the problem- you are going to make it worse! And by contrast, please note- not saying anything at all is not going to help either- someone might take it as an admission of guilt. What you need is the healthy balance- nonagressive, nonpassive, just assertive. Once you feel calm, relaxed, and good to go- write a polite private message to the person an explain what you meant, and apologize for the mix up.

By ignoring misunderstandings or by further inflaming them, we have a failure in healthy communication, and we have a situation that shall amount to nothing positive. Keep your cool, and think before you speak. There is a good chance, if something comes across as wrong, or if someone took something the wrong way, it's due to the fact that writing text limits us to that 7%. 

That's my closing thoughts for the week, see you next time folks. 

- Acies

There are different rules for reading, for thinking, and for talking. Writing blends all three of them. 

~ Mason Cooley