Unit: 399 SQUAD: NOVA Clearance: 03 Enter Password: ****************** ACCESS GRANTED
Connecting to Network Connecting.... Connecting.... Connecting.... Connected
New Log Started: 001
Logs. Nobody ever told me about these logs. Quite frankly, I don't even know how to write one, or where to start for that fact. Maybe someone did tell me of the logs. I hope I wrote this one properly. I'll start doing more of these as time goes on. A log would help me sleep at night. I can look back on my days, see what I did, remember moments which I would rather not forget. Let's get this thing going.
Where to start. Let's start off from the beginning. That's probably the best place. I'm not entirely sure how much I will be able to cover but it should be alright. What I do rember is being in the room. It was a total guy fest there. I was the only girl among the four other units. I cannot for the life of me rember their names, I do remember one of the guys was nice. I remember standing in the room with my clean, new uniform. I remember it smelt like fresh rubber, or plastic. The guys were being guys saying how I was never going to even scratch an anti-citizen. The one other unit had faith in me. He told me to ignore the rest and follow my own beliefs. I kept that close and remembered it every time someone made fun of my gender.
I don't remember much after the recruitment room. Some training, a couple patrols, more guys being guys. There was however, this one moment. It was a judgement waiver. Being a recruit, all I could do was watch for citizens trying to escape. (note: this was all in City Eighteen where I started) There was this one male citizen who wouldn't stop talking and fidgeting. The unit in charge who I also don't remember, told me to issue a level three to the citizen. At that moment, he tried to escape. The other guys didn't do anything to stop him so I was left alone to deal with him. I either pinned him to a wall or tackled him to the groud. I'm not sure what I did but I remember him surrendering to me. The guys stopped bugging me after that incident and I felt more in power. I felt that "I could do this."
More training and boring patrols came after that day. There was this one day however that helped me make up my mind. I rember it like it was yestarday. It's strange because it's really the only thing I remember from City Eighteen. It was an average day, patrolling with another recruit. We were over by the terminal when a figure emerged from a dark ally. The figure was a citizen, but he was holding somehing. Something long and cylindrical. It wasn't until we saw him charging at us in a mad rush that we figured out what he was holding. It was a painted pipe, about two feet long and at least 20 pounds. Before I knew it, the citizen was on top of my fellow recruit, smashing the pipe into him. In a split second, without thinking, I uncliped my baton, turned the setting on max, and jabbed it into the neerest part of he citizens body. I held it there for a good five seconds untill the smell of burning flesh seeped through my mask. I then began beating the citizen until he no longer moved. The recruit I was with had been hit badly. I could see blood staining his sleeves. I immediately called in a request for a nova unit and a helix to deal with the aggressive male. I watched as two nova units stabilized the recruit. They had saved him from his wounds. The citizen was later found overdosed on unauthorozed medication. The citizen was amputated but I wasn't there to watch. I figured out where I wanted my life to go. Nova was my ultimate decision.
I completed all my training and after two weeks, talked with the Nova DvL 602. He said he would gladly accept me and directed me to the Uniform DvL 240. The paperwork was complete and I was on my way to joining the ranks of Nova. There was one final moment in City 18 that I remember. I had just received my medical field guide and was ordered to read it to receive my rank as an 04. It was after my shift and I was sitting in my office, reading the manual. I had my radio close by just to listen for any important calls. I was hearing things such as "High exogen activity" and "Perimeter breached". It got me a little worried but nevertheless, I kept on reading. As I lread pver the pages and topics, I couldn't help but think that I have already gone over this. That was entirely not true as I was reading this thing for the first time. I came across the term ABCs. Before even reading the topic, I knew that it meant Airway, Breathing, and circulation. I knew that this was the first three steps you take when assessing a patient. The same goes for CPR. Cardio Pulmonary Recessitation. Why did I know what these meant before reading them? Was there somethig I did or learnt a long time ago? I don't remember anything relating to the medical field. Anyways, it didn't bother me. Well, not as much as the radio. I heard a call in saying "Exogens inbound. Estimated one hour before reaching the city. Prepare evac." It was. 069. The Sectoral Commander. My throat went dry and I could feel my stomache lurch. Was this the end? Was this the final day of City eighteen and everyone on it?
I had just finished the field guide and received the promotion to 04 right before the call came in. I immediately packed all of my stuff and moved with the rest of the CCA members who were off duty to the train. As I walked to the train, I couldn't help but notice a sound in the distance. It sounded like a helicopter. But not just one. Hundreds. Higher ptched too. It was so far off though that I didn't worry much. Our train left before the other so we were sure to be safe. The city administrator wasn't on the train however. I took it that he stayed in his office to let the citizens know what was going on. As we departed, there were exogens, flying everywhere. T sounded like a freight train roaring on all sides. They never touched our train. After five minutes, we pushed through the swarm. It was so thick. I couldn't beleive it. I was sure that we would never ge City Eighteen back. I also wondered about the rest who were left behind. The Union members. The loyalists. The city administrator. They were all still in the city. It was a long ride from City Eighteen to City Fourty-Five. That whole ride, I worried about my colleagues who were on duty at the time. I don't remember any of the train rode. Just the fear and worroesome going through my mind.
We arrived early the next morning. The city was quiet. Very low population at the time. I actually don't recall seeing one citizen when I arrived. We moved in to the nexus. I liked it better then Coty Eighteen. It was cleaner and more modern then the concrete bunker we used to work in. About two hours later, everyone else arrived. There were lots of injuries coming off the trains. I wasn't trained to assist those injured at the time. To my suprise, the city administrator, surrounded by COTA units, made it safetly, unharmed. Over the next few days, I noticed some units I used to patrol with were no longer here. I later learnt there were many casualties in City Eighteen. The lives lost were countless (if you include citizens) but the fact that anyone made it out alive is a blessing.
I spent the next week learning things about our new city. I was relieved to find thumpers at the ready scattered about the city. The CCH was a little run down and cramped but I didn't care. At least they have a place to stay. The central district which is the only non-restricted area of the city is much larger then that of City Eighteen. That's a good thing as it makes patrols less boring, however, it's bad because we are more spread out which means more anti-civil activity. I heard rumors about increased anti-citizen activity and rumors of a secret passage. I am unauthorozed to know of this passage so I'll leave it at that.
Last week, there was this moment that really bothered me. I'm not sure why. There was this one citizen who was acting up. He was getting a little aggressive. He ended up striking two units twice before getting beaten unconcious. I was in detainment at the time, writing a report for a non-compliant citizen. They dragged his unconcious body in and dropped it inside what looked like a giant Kilm. I have never actually seen this thing in use up till then. I didn't even know what it was. The man woke up and started begging to be let pit. The two units shook their head and pushed a button. The floor erupted with flames and the man, still alive, began to burn. His body, burning with each lick of flame. His blues , melting to his skin and vaporizing moments later. The mans screems were horrifying. His skin began peeling away. His eyes, burned from their sockets, his hair, now long existant. He was still alive, kneeling on the grate at the bottom. The flames so intense, you could feel them outside. His screams slowly dosapated, either his body shutting down or his lungs burning up to a crisp, unable to make a sound. He finally dropped, nothing left except charred skin and bone. This moment still bothers me to date but every time it does, I just remember what happened back in City Eighteen with the recruit and the pipe.
Recently, I went through field medic training. This was a very long lesson, however full of information. Once again, I couldn't help but think I had done this before. I still can't figure out why. It bothers me daily. I passed the training and was promoted to 03. I went out on patrol afterwards and the only thing I had to deal with medically was a dehydrated citizen passing in and out of conciousness.
Today was my day off. I found this log thing in the console after doing a medical report. I plan to do more of these in the future. It's nice to let out your thoughts into a wall of text.
It's bothering me how people claim IC to remember what thy did pre-war. You don't remember it. The stress of the war, the water from the transfers, the rations, all those things made you forget what you did. You might remember bits and peices (like how 399 remembers what CPR stands for but doesn't remember her 5 years in the first response field) but there isn't much left. The only reason the lambada movement remembers what they did was because they were never exposed to breen water and rations. They were always on their own from day one.
This thread is for those who ask over and over again. The answer is lots of RP.
A resistance member is the hardest character to RP. Some of you may think "oh lol rebels just shoot combines and try to live their own life: but they don't. The number one goal of a rebel is not to cleanse the world of combine forces (which in canon is impossible just by killing units) but to free citizens oppressed by the union.
So if someone asks how to become a rebel, you are not ready to RP as a rebel.
Write a detailed in-canon back-story how your character obtained these authorizations.
Replace the truck in this story with a van.
Spoiler for Truck Story:
//(OOC) Before you read, this has already been authorized by Kronic so sit back and enjoy the story.
0700h August 3rd, 2017
Violet Collins had been planning on creating a little organization that provides free meals to those in the outlands who need it. However, in order to do this, she needed food and lots of it. She couldn't quite figure out how she would be able to find that much food and bring it back safely and securely. She had decided she would go on a hike to the surrounding valleys to try and find some food to scavenge.
1400h August 3rd, 2017
Violet had been searching all day. She checked vehicles, houses, crates, and just on the side of the road. She was beginning to lose hope and was contemplating calling it a day and returning to the pass. Especially considering her legs and feet were sore from walking for so long.
1530h August 3rd, 2017
Violet came across an old weather station. She checked the kitchen and found some canned food, but there wasnt much. She was feeling a bit hungry though and decided to take a few, cracking one open to eat in the weather station.
1800h August 3rd, 2017
Violet had finished her lunch and carried on down the road. She came across an overturned cargo truck which had the door cracked open a bit. She could see the label of a food container through the crack so she decided to open up the entire container to see what was inside. To her surprise, it was an entire shipment of canned and freeze dried foods which would last for decades. She knew this was what she would go to for her food organization. She wondered to herself how she would get this food to ineu.
2100h August 3rd, 2017
Violet had finished examining the pile of food. She found hundreds of cans of beans and soup as well as many packages of noodles, granola bars, and crackers. The sun was heading down so she headed for the forest to spend the night. She created a little camp fire to fend off the cold and got some much needed sleep.
0600h August 4th, 2017
Violet awoke to the sun shining on her cheek. The fire had died out completely so there was no need to worry about it. She got up and headed off, looking for a way to bring the food back to the pass. She decided to head down deeper into the valley to an old town.
0900h August 3rd, 2016
Violet found the truck in a barn at the edge of the town. It was a small quarter ton white utility truck with lock boxes in the back. The tires were in relatively good condition with a few dents and nicks from driving on gravel roads. The paint was also in fairly good condition with only a few scratches by the door and back end of the truck. There was a crack in the windshield, however it wasn't really big enough to be serious.
She found the keys on a desk off to the side of the barn. The truck was being stored for the winter of 2015 so there was conditioner in the tank, keeping the fuel in usable condition. She climbed inside the truck and looked around inside. The upholstery was also in good condition. A few cigarette burns here and there and years of dust, however there wasn't any damage. The truck had 62,637 miles on the odometer which meant it would still last for thousands more miles.
She turned the key to the ignition. After a few rounds of turning the engine over, it started to life. Bells rang inside reminding Violet to put on her seat belt. She smiled, sitting back in the truck. The gas gauge was at the 3/4 mark which could take her home and possibly find more fuel. Violet hopped out, pushing the big barn door open. She drove out, destined for the cargo truck.
1200h August 3rd, 2016
Violet arrived at the cargo truck roughly 15 minutes after leaving the barn. She hopped out and began filling the rear with boxes and containers, stacking as much on as she possibly could. She found a rope and rolled up blue canvas tarp she could use to secure the load. After checking to make sure everything was tied down and nothing would move, she got back into the truck and headed for the Ineu mountain.
End
Chat logs for the in-game RP:
Spoiler for Suspension and Painting Chat Log:
** [MatteBlackHair|GreyEy...] lugs in two large duffle bags with considerable strain. Given her size and stature, it's little surprise. Violet Collins says "Need a hand?" ** Violet Collins readys to help if needed. ** [MatteBlackHair|GreyEy...] sets the bags down on the floor, ignoring the question. ** Violet Collins chuckles. "I guees it's too late." [LOOC] Layla 'Razors' Blackburn: alright [LOOC] Layla 'Razors' Blackburn: Fancy. ** [MatteBlackHair|GreyEy...] kneels down by the front-right tire, fiddling with the axil. [MatteBlackHair|GreyEy...] says "Active suspension is good... Shocks are alright..." Violet Collins says "Is it possible to lift the whole thing for like, water and mud and deep snow?" [MatteBlackHair|GreyEy...] says "With air-springs, probably." ** [MatteBlackHair|GreyEy...] stands up, walking back over to the pair of rugged, duct-tape patched bags in the corner. [MatteBlackHair|GreyEy...] says "Torsion bar would be the second big leap. Beyond that, it's just a few little adjustments to what you already have." ** Violet Collins finds a blue paint can on the shelf. She takes it down, almost dropping a brush that was on top. Violet Collins says "Hmh." ** Violet Collins slides some carsboard in front of her and kneels on it, opening the can of paint. ** [MatteBlackHair|GreyEy...] looks up from the bag for a moment, eyeing what she's doing. ** Violet Collins takes the paint brush, cleaning it up a little. Violet Collins says "I never got your name hun." ** Violet Collins dips the brush in the paint. She takes it out, letting the excess drip into the can. ** [MatteBlackHair|GreyEy...] raises an eyebrow at the moniker 'hun', but answers all the same. [MatteBlackHair|GreyEy...] says "Most people know me by the name Razors. Now, so do you." ** Violet Collins raises the brush, but stops. She puts it back in the can. "Razors huh? Alright then. Well thanks for helping me with this. ** Violet Collins moves all her shit to the passenger side door. ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn shrugs. "The only other vice I have other than fixing shit is smoking." Violet Collins says "Yeah. I know what you mean by that." ** Violet Collins takes the brush again, raising it to the door, just under the window. Violet Collins says "Someone's looking for you." ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn picks up her radio off the grimy cement floor. Layla 'Razors' Blackburn says "I heard." ** Violet Collins begins by putting one smooth long stroke vertically on the door. Layla 'Razors' Blackburn radios in "I'm here. Up at the ware-house with Violet." ** Violet Collins strokes back up, eventually making a long blue rectangle. ** Violet Collins uses her palm to wipe up any driippings. She then wipes her palm on the cardboard. ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn fixes a new bit into lug-wrench, before shifting over to the rear-tire. Layla 'Razors' Blackburn says "You're a doctor... right." ** Violet Collins dips the brush in again. "Sorta. Not really a doctor. I just do first aid, on an insane level." ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn's tone is so expressionless and pallid that it's hard to tell whether she's asking a question or making a statement. ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn fits the lug-wrench bit into the first nut on the rear tire, twisting before it locks into place. ** Violet Collins positions the brush to the right and a little bit down of the first stripe. She cocks her head, finding the perfect spot. ** [6'1 | Black Beanie ov...] walks into the warehouse, looking around. Violet Collins says "I dunno. I used to be a paramedic. I really loved doing that." ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn cranks on the wrench, the nut slowly becoming looser and looser before falling out. ** Violet Collins begins making a second stripe, diagonal to the first on a 30 degree angle. ** Violet Collins does this also in a slow, steady mannar. ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn sets the nut on the piece of card-board to her left, moving onto the next nut. ** [6'1 | Black Beanie ov...] notices the truck/van, and the woman next to it. Violet Collins says "What about you?" ** [6'1 | Black Beanie ov...] walks closer. ** Violet Collins finishes the second rectangle stripe, cleaning it off with her palm. ** Violet Collins looks over. [6'1 | Black Beanie ov...] says "Uh, hello..." Layla 'Razors' Blackburn says "Lots of sidework... nothing amounting to much." Violet Collins says "Uh, Razors. SOmeones here." ** Violet Collins sets the brush down standing up. ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn looks over her shoulder, setting the wrench down on the cardboard and wiping her oily hands on her jeans. Violet Collins says "Hello. Can we help you with something?" [6'1 | Black Beanie ov...] says "Are you 'Razors'?" ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn is about a foot shorter than the man before her, and her demeanor (while somewhat cold) still resonates with youth. Layla 'Razors' Blackburn says "Yeah, I am." [6'1 | Black Beanie ov...] says "Uh, I was told that you might know where I could find a working computer processor." Layla 'Razors' Blackburn says "I could. Who told you this, anyway." ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn bites her bottom lip, her glare directed down at the floor, refraining from eye-contact. [6'1 | Black Beanie ov...] says "About three different people over radio, Beans... Matt I think.. And some other guy, I didn't recognize his voice." ** [6'1 | Black Beanie ov...] observes the girls behaviors. ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn shrugs, seemingly contented with the answers. Layla 'Razors' Blackburn says "What's it for." [6'1 | Black Beanie ov...] says "Well my computer that I had managed to build, for storing information etcetera, had not made it through the winter very well -" [6'1 | Black Beanie ov...] says " - The processor was toast." [6'1 | Black Beanie ov...] says "Would I be able to attain oe from you?" [LOOC] Nate Lee: one* Layla 'Razors' Blackburn says "For an ordinary desktop, without a doubt. Give me a day or two, I'll get in contact with you." ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn abruptly kneels back down by the car, seemingly done with conversation. ** Violet Collins returns to her painting. ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn picks up the wrench, fixing it on the next nut. She twists with some difficulty before the oxidized metal gives way and begins to loosen up. [6'1 | Black Beanie ov...] says "Alright, thanks. I'm Nate Lee by the way." follows the girl with his eyes, "I think we're on the same frequency when it's available." ** Violet Collins starts on the third stripe, this time 30 degrees to the left. ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn nods, still concentrating on the wheel. ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn picks up her radio off the ground, somewhat frustrated by the constant interupttion. Layla 'Razors' Blackburn radios in "Yes, I'm here. What do you want." ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn sets the radio on top of the hub-cap, resuming work while she waits for a response [6'1 | Black Beanie ov...] says "Alright I'll see ya." ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn nods, still working. ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn tugs her back over nearby, pulling out the gas-jack and adjusting it to the approximate height of the car's suspension. ** Violet Collins finishes the third stripe, all three stripes resembling the star of life. ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn pumps the jack about 12 times, tilting the car a fraction on that particular corner. ** Violet Collins cleans up the stripes a little and stands up, grabbing her stuff. ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn picks up the lug-wrench from the card-board scrap, twisting off the last nut before pulling the tire off the spoke. [Short, graying black ...] says "Note to self, if I ever need that jeep fixed I'll just call my favorites psycopath." ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn rolls the tire over against the chainink fence. [LOOC] Matthew 'Old Man' Henderson: Favorite* ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn rolls her eyes. Layla 'Razors' Blackburn says "When did I earn that title?" ** Violet Collins begins with the first verticle stripe on the other side. Moving her hand in slow, smooth motions, [Short, graying black ...] says "Around the time I caught you toruting someone." [LOOC] Matthew 'Old Man' Henderson: torturing* Layla 'Razors' Blackburn says "With good cause. The pig raped someone." [Short, graying black ...] says "So you respond with one Heinous act with one even more so?" ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn pulls the adjustable wrench from her back pocket, adjusting the suspension up. Layla 'Razors' Blackburn says "Fighting fire with fire." [Short, graying black ...] says "Gets the whole world burnt down." Layla 'Razors' Blackburn says "I know my limits." [Short, graying black ...] says "Right.." [Short, graying black ...] says "Anyway, next time the jeep breaks down I may ask you to help me." Layla 'Razors' Blackburn says "Better than sitting on my ass doing nothing." [Short, graying black ...] says "Also, Beans is my favorite psychopath." Layla 'Razors' Blackburn says "Darn, and I thought I'd finally won something..." ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn pulls her pressure guage off her jacket, testing the suspension of the vehicle. ** Violet Collins begins on the second stripe. Layla 'Razors' Blackburn says "Might have to prop up the rear end of the car." ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn kneels, setting the jack behind the rear bumper, same as before. ** Violet Collins starts on the third stripe of the star. ** Violet Collins sits back, examinig her work. ** Violet Collins closes the lid of the paint can, stomping on it a couple times to ensure it's sealed. ** Violet Collins takes it and the brush, bringing them back where she found them. ** Violet Collins moves back over to the other side. She then begins to scratch in the blue paint the outline of the snake and spear. ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn twists off the last lug-nut on the rear tire- ** Violet Collins finishes the outline for the speak, scratching it out completely. [LOOC] Violet Collins: spear* ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn twists off the last lug-nut on the rear tire before pulling the whole wheel of the spoke. ** Violet Collins then begins by scratching out the curvy outsides of the snake. ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn crawls under the rear of the vehicle, shouting out to Violet from underneath. Layla 'Razors' Blackburn says "Can you grab something from my bag?" Violet Collins says "Sure. *she scratches a little, then moves to Razors bag." Violet Collins says "What did you need?" Layla 'Razors' Blackburn says "There's a brown bottle in there labeled 'Alternator Fluid'. I need it." ** Violet Collins sifts around in the bag, looking at a few different bottles. She grabs the brown one. ** Violet Collins walks over to Razor. ** Violet Collins kneels down. "This one?" ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn sticks her hand out from the back. Layla 'Razors' Blackburn says "Yeah, that's it." ** Violet Collins places it in her hand. Violet Collins says "Here ya go." ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn's arm abruptly vanishes back underneath the car again, back to work. ** Violet Collins giggles to herself, returning to her paint job. ** Violet Collins finishes scatching the outline of the snake. She then takes the brush and uses the corner to detail the snakes eye. ** Violet Collins outlines the sakes curvy body on the spear. [LOOC] Violet Collins: snakes* ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn grabs at the corner of the cardboard matt, tugging it closer over to herself. She curses under her breath as a few of the lugnuts spill over onto the cold floor. Violet Collins says "You alright down there?" ** Violet Collins peeks under the vehicle. ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn nods awkwardly, mostly to herself. Layla 'Razors' Blackburn says "Yeah, good." ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn grabs the steel oil pump from the cardboard matt, corking some alternator fluid the alternator (duh). Layla 'Razors' Blackburn says "There's one down-side to higher suspension... I'll need better coil-springs to compensate for the pressure on the spokes." Layla 'Razors' Blackburn says "Otherwise the axil will snap in half every time you make a 2 foot drop." Violet Collins says "Where do you think you'll find those?" Layla 'Razors' Blackburn says "I've got some at the inn that can be temporary... but even keeping those on are a risk." Violet Collins says "Would large cargo trucks have some?" Layla 'Razors' Blackburn says "Some thicker, two, maybe three centimeters in diameter would be better." Layla 'Razors' Blackburn says "Depends on the truck, I guess... springs off the trailer would be best." Violet Collins says "If you want we can head down the old highway tomorrow morning to find some." Violet Collins says "There's lots of goodies scattered along the highways." Layla 'Razors' Blackburn says "I'd imagine... I've normally got no way to get out there." ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn winces as she exerts her strength on pulling the alternator back into line with the suspension cables. ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn gasps a little in pain before the alternator locks snugly into place. Violet Collins says "Alright?" ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn crawls out from the back of the van, dusting off her jacket and jeans. Layla 'Razors' Blackburn says "Yeah, fine..." Violet Collins says "Alright." Layla 'Razors' Blackburn says "Don't suppose you overheard any of mine and Matt's conversation..." ** Violet Collins finishes the star of life, admiring it. "Now thats cute." ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn tosses her lug-nut wrench into her bag. Violet Collins says "Hm? About what?" Layla 'Razors' Blackburn says "It's not important." Violet Collins says "Sounds good to me." ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn raises an eyebrow at Violet's work. Violet Collins says "I can keep my mouth shut. Used to do it for a living." ** Violet Collins begins to scratch out the rod on the left star. Layla 'Razors' Blackburn says "Never had a good relationship with doctors... so I try my best to not be regarded as a 'patient' out here." ** Violet Collins chuckles. "Thats an excellent state of mind to keep." ** Violet Collins finishes the second star of life.
From here, me and Frolie agreed on the following story:
Spoiler for Trip to the Highway:
Violet waited outside the inn in her somewhat raised van. She had a slight feeling of being stronger, probably cause she felt higher off the ground in such a large vehicle. Violet watched the doors. "C'mon Razors, let's go before the helicopters do their passes." she said to herself. Razors emerged from the inn, hauling the two large dufflebags on her shoulders. She dropped the dufflebags in the back of the van, shutting the doors. Razors then climbed in the front seat sitting on the old bench seat. "Ready to roll?" Violet said to Razors. Razors said nothing, instead simply nodded. Violet shifted the van into reverse, slowly pulling out of the small inn parking lot. She set the vehicle into gear and began driving through belles, down the hill, and out the south tunnel.
Razors took out a small box of cigarettes. "Alright if I have a smoke?" she said to Violet. "Sure that's fine by me. I'm pretty much used to people smoking around me anyway." Violet replied cheerfully. Razors lit the smoke with her lighter, taking the first drag. Violet looked over to Razors. "So what do you think of the mountains?" she said. Razors shrugged, taking another drag from the cigarette. "Not one to talk I see. That's totally fine with me." Violet said hesitantly. They continued driving slowly down the highway, taking it easy on the vehicles raised incomplete suspension.
They came across an overturned cargo truck. It had split its cargo down the ditch and the front end was mangled from a head on collision most likely. "Lets check this one. This would have the springs right?" Violet asked Razors. "Might." Razors replied briefly. Violet slowed the van down and set the park brake, leaving the vehicle running. The girls hopped out the van and walked over to the truck. Violet, not knowing what to look for, simply stood back, watching down the road. Razors walked toward the front end of the truck. "Yeah this one's no good. Coils are all bent and disfigured." Razors said, examining the front suspension. "Huh. Well I'm sure there plenty more down the road then." Violet replied optimistically. The girls hopped back in the van, proceeding down the road.
About 15 kilometers down the road, they came across a SUV. "Stop here." Razors said. Violet slowed the vehicle, setting the park brake. The girls got out, Razors heading toward the SUV, examining it. The vehicle had already been salvaged for two wheels and the engine block. Razors knelt down, poking her head under the vehicle, pushing some of the snow out of the way. "This one's got what you need. Byt the looks of it, they're all in good condition too." Razors said, drawing her head from under the vehicle. She proceeded to the back of the van. "Excellent!" Violet exclaimed. "Anything you need me to do?" Razors shrugged. "Grab my other bag?" Violet walked to the back of the van, heaving the other bags straps over her shoulder. The girls walked toward the SUV. "I'll uhh, watch for anything funny." Violet said, heading back to the van. She grabbed her MP5N off the bench seat and used the wheel to climb atop the roof of the van. She sat on the roof, watching both ways of the road and the surrounding mountains. Razors opened her dufflebags, grabbing a jack and some other tools. She began removing the coils from the SUV.
After a good hour and a bit, they finally finished with the SUV. Razors had taken off all the coil springs and set them back in the van. While packing her tools, Violet walked over to Razors, clutching her MP5N. "You cold? I got some blankets if you want." Violet asked Razors. Razors simply shook her head. "Well I'll make some lunch anyway." Violet said. She went to the van again setting her MP5N on the bench seat. Violet proceeded to grab her rucksack and take out a couple cans of beans and a spotty rusted can opener. "Hope you like beans." She shouted from within the van. Razors zipped up her bags and brought them back to the back of the van. Violet started the vans engine, letting it heat up a little. She opened the two cans of beans ad after waiting a few minutes, pulled the hood release. Razors lifted an eyebrow at Violet. "What are you going to do, cook them in the engine?" she asked Violet. "Pretty much yep." Violet replied without looking back. She opened the hood, resting the two cans in a little s[ace between a heat shield and the engine block. "You gotta do what you gotta do right?" Violet said to Razors.
After eating lunch, the girls began their slow journey back to Belles. Razors had another smoke and violet just enjoyed the sunny snow covered mountains which reminded her of home. The girls pulled back into the warehouse, shutting off the van again. They hopped out of the van and got to work on the suspension.
More in-game chat for finishing the suspension and painting.
Spoiler for Finishing Suspension and Paint Chat Log:
** Violet Collins finishes the - in the cardboard. She starts cutting out the E. ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn attached the first bolt-hook into the allotted notch, then tightens up the grib with the drill-gun. [LOOC] Layla 'Razors' Blackburn: *grip ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn repeats the same process with the other two bolt-hooks, pausing occasionally to spray some grease onto them. ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn tries to push up on the thick coil-spring, to force it into the grooves where the original spring had been, but to no avail; the spring is much too thick. ** Violet Collins accidentally makes the bottom line in the E too long. "Ah shit." ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn gasps in exertion as her efforts are put to waste. She calls out from beneath the vehicle: "Violet?" ** Violet Collins sighs, starting with the M. The bottom line of the E is so long it connects with the M. Violet Collins says "Huh?" Layla 'Razors' Blackburn says "I need you back here, for a second,." ** Violet Collins puts down the knife, standing up. "K." Violet Collins says "What's up?" ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn's tiny, porcelien-esque hand jets out from under the vehicle, tapping on the hand of the jack. Layla 'Razors' Blackburn says "Give that a few pumps, I need the rear-end up a little higher." ** Violet Collins walks over to the handle. ** Violet Collins exerts some foce on it, pumping it a couple times. Violet Collins says "Like so?" Layla 'Razors' Blackburn says "Yeah, just a few more times." ** Violet Collins pumps it 2 more times. "How's that?" ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn pushes up on the spring as Violet pumps on the jack. With the last pump, the bolt-hook slides into the groove. Layla 'Razors' Blackburn says "Got it, good." Violet Collins says "Alright." ** Violet Collins straightens herself up. "Anything else?" ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn fits the drill-bit back into the first bolt, tightening up the screw. For the first time since the two have met, she asks a defined question. Layla 'Razors' Blackburn says "You have some kind of music thing in here?" Layla 'Razors' Blackburn says "I'll listen to anything, if you do." ** Violet Collins thinks for a bit. "Hm. I dunno. This ain't my shop. Heh I just felt like using it." ** Violet Collins startles herself with an idea. "Maybe the van had a stereo." ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn tightens up the second bolt-hook some more, speaking awkwardly over the noise. ** Violet Collins runs over to the passenger door, whipping it open.. Layla 'Razors' Blackburn says "I know the guy who uses this place... I don't think he'll be using it much any more." Violet Collins says "Why's that? *she ducks under the bench, looking at the oddly angled front panel." ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn begins tightening up the third-bolt hook, the whole vehicle somewhat off balance due to the different sized coil. ** Violet Collins pokes a few things. She takes her keys, inserting them into the ignition, turning them to utilities. Layla 'Razors' Blackburn says "He uh... lost his thumb." Violet Collins says "Huh. Yeah that would do it." ** 'Beans' notices the van, stepping slowly forward, hand on his sheath. 'Beans' yells "Keiji?" ** The vehicle hums as electricity flows from the old battery to the lights and interior electronics. Layla 'Razors' Blackburn says "He lost his thumb." ** Violet Collins slides out of the van seat. ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn appears to be talking to beans, that time. 'Beans' says "So this is a garage, now? is that it?" ** Violet Collins walks around the van, looking at beans. "Hi." 'Beans' says "Hey." ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn does a sort of crab-walk out towards the suspension frame, to adjust the balance on the axil. Violet Collins says "I thought it would be a little warmer then outside." ** 'Beans' nods. 'Beans' says "That's the problem with my car. ICe formed in the engine, cracked through some stuff." 'Beans' says "Still fixin' it." [LOOC] 'Beans': Waiting for vehicles to be fixed. Violet Collins says "Shitty. *she returns to the cab*" Layla 'Razors' Blackburn says "Don't expect any help from me...." 'Beans' says "I don't." ** Violet Collins examines the old cassett stereo. She flicks it on. White noise emits from the rigght speaker of the van. ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn tightens the drag on the suspension frame, accordingly adjusting the alternator cables to compensate. ** 'Beans' walks for the back room, peering through the glass. ** 'Beans' contorts his jaw, eyeing the empty bottles of booze. ** Violet Collins turns the dial on the radio, randomly seeing if she can pick up any stations. Violet Collins says "Damnit why cant that radio station still be up?" ** Violet Collins turns off the stereo. Layla 'Razors' Blackburn says "Keep an eye on your brother. He steps out of line again, he gets the same treatment Keiji did." ** 'Beans' turns, looking to the van. ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn speaks up a little louder, up towards Violet. Violet Collins says "I'll br right back Razors. I'm going to see if there's any cassets in the cars outside." Layla 'Razors' Blackburn says "I might be able to modify the range on the antennae. Maybe..." 'Beans' says "If you touch Beef like you did Keiji, I'll fucking blow your head off." 'Beans' says "How about that." Violet Collins says "I dont think there's any stations out here at all." Layla 'Razors' Blackburn says "Just a warning. Keep your brothers in line." Violet Collins says "But! *she exclaims suddenly* Could be useful for boosting our walkies in storms." 'Beans' says "They'll do whatever the fuck they'll please. I'm not their keeper." ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn ignores Beans and Violet alike, going about the second bolt-nut instead. Violet Collins says "I'm not familiar with electronics but if you could make an external antenna attachment for mine and a plug to the vehicle." Violet Collins says "Anyway i'll be back." ** Violet Collins zips up her coat, stepping into the snowy outside. ** Violet Collins bends over, popping the glove compartment of the red vehicle. ** Violet Collins searches the compartment, finding a single assett. The name on it is worn off. ** Violet Collins closes the glove compartment, moving to the next vehicle. ** Violet Collins notices this vehicles glove compartment no longer exists. She shrugs, walking back down the road to the third vehicle. ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn undoes all three bolt-nuts accordingly, pumping up the jack so she can reach the other three. ** Violet Collins pops open this vehicles glove compartment, searching through it. ** Violet Collins finds a megadeath cassette and another cassette in a foreign language. ** Violet Collins closes the glvoe compartment, returning to the warehouse. ** Violet Collins unzips her coat, exhaling audiably. ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn pushes the coil-spring into place, immediately beginning to tighten the bolt-nuts without noting Violet's return. Violet Collins says "I found three. One megadeath one, one russian, slavik, whatever one, and one i cant read the lable of." ** Violet Collins hangs her coat on the doorframe Layla 'Razors' Blackburn says "Pick your poison. So long as I have something to listen to, I'm happy enough." ** Violet Collins opens the passenger door, climbing in the vehicle. ** Violet Collins slides the unmarked cassette into the stereo, turning it on. ** Country music begins playing out of the vehicles right speaker. There is no bass and no trebel. It sounds like a telephone ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn struggles to pump on the jack from such an awkward position, but none-the-less manages. Violet Collins says "Better then nothing." ** Violet Collins hops out of the van, walking toward the cardboard sheet. ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn grunts a little from the work, nodding to herself. Layla 'Razors' Blackburn says "Yeah, I guess." Violet Collins says "Unless you'd rather listen to megadeath. *she chuckles*" ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn winces a little as the coil-spring locks into place. "Not really my kind of thing." Layla 'Razors' Blackburn says "So, you have a guy out here?" ** Violet Collins stops for a second, a frown crossing her face. She sighs. "No. Not really." ** Violet Collins continues finishing the M of the cardboard.. ** Violet Collins starts on the S, trying her best to keep the curvs curvy and not jagged. ** Violet Collins finishes the S. She looks at the 'V-EMS' carved out of the cardboard. ** Violet Collins picks up the cardboard, bringing it over to the hood. ** Violet Collins holding the cardboard with one hand, shakes the black spray can. ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn tightens the last bolt-nut on the new coil-spring, crawling out from under the car. ** Violet Collins begins spraying in strokes over her makeshift decal. ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn slowly releases the pressure from the left-side jack, the corner of the van dipping down a qaurter of an inch every other second, before all the weight is on the other jack. ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn repeats the process on the other side before tugging the jack away, all the weight again on the wheels. ** Violet Collins finishes spraying the word 'V-EMS' onto the hood of the van. ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn jumps up onto the back-bumper, giving a few test bounces on the rear-springs. ** Violet Collins takes her cardboard decal aaway from the van, tossing it onto the ground. ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn wipes her arm across her brow, raising an eyebrow at their collective work. ** Violet Collins stands off to the side, admiring her work and layla's work of raising the vehicle. Violet Collins says "She's looking good." ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn nods in agreement, a light expression that could almost be percieved as pride over-coming her regularly expressionless demeanor. Violet Collins says "You got all the coil springs in place" ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn nods frevrently before volazing: "Yep." ** Violet Collins admires the van a little more. "Wanna take it for a drive?" Violet Collins has used '/Me admires the van a little more. "Wanna take it for a drive?"'. ** Layla 'Razors' Blackburn smiles a little, bitting her bottom lip. Layla 'Razors' Blackburn says "Yeah, I kind of do."
Story for the trip to get some tire chains.
Spoiler for Story for the Wheel Chains:
Violet say in the finished ambulance the next morning. She waited, again in the inn parking lot. Razors was already sitting in the passenger seat. "Let's just go, she's not coming." Razors spoke to violet finally. Violet shrugged, shifting the van into reverse. She began pulling out of the parking lot. Suddenly, Hanoku. "Wait!" she yells softly. Razors rolls her eyes. Violet stops the van. "Hurry!" Violet shouts to Hanoku. Hanoku hops in the side door, sitting on the little folding seat. "T..there's no seat belt?" She says to Violet. "Nope. Hold on tight and try not to fall out. If you somehow manage to fall out though, we'll get you fixed up." Violet replies, chuckling to herself. She continues reversing the van, heading down the hill and out the south tunnel.
They drove down the road a bit. "Wh..what are we looking for?" Hanoku asked over the sound of the engine and wind rushing by. "A vehicle with the right size tires. Then we'll check to see if it has any chains." Violet shouted from the front. "Oh." She replied. Hanoku looked out the window, watching the world go by. Violet slowed the vehicle as the approached a small transport van. "How do you know you'll find some?" Razors asked. "It's the mountains and it snows out. What do you expect?" Violet replied. They hopped out the van, walking over to the transport.
After searching the little transport van for some time and finding nothing but a few cassettes for the van's old stereo, they hopped back in the van and continued down the road till they approached a utility truck. "This has to have something." Violet said as they got out of the van. They searched the truck for awhile. Hanoku opened one of the side compartments and began looking. She saw a big black bag and dragged it out. It was heavy. The bag fell out of the compartment. Hanoku, having little to no strength, dropped it. Something that sounded like chains clattered on the ground. "I..I found something." she said to the other girls. Violet walked over to Hanoku. She bent down, unzipping the bag, revealing the contents. There were 4 tire chains, bundled up. Or at least sort of bundled. They came apart after Hanoku dropped the bag on the ground. Violet took one of the bundles, unbundling it. "Yep. Thats definitely a tire chain. Lets try em out." She brought the chain over to the passenger side wheel of the van, laying it out. "D..do you know how to use that?" Hanoku asked. "Of course. I used to live in British Columbia. Chains were a necessity for some of the roads there." Violet replied. She signaled to Razors. "Let me know when I'm on the chain." Razors simply nodded to reply. Violet hopped in the van, slowly letting it roll forward onto the chain. Razors held up one hand in a stop gesture, and Violet. She hopped out of the van, approaching the chains. "Alright, to chain up tires, you simply loop this chain through the rim of the vehicle and connect it here." Violet explained as she did so. "Then you do the same to the rest of the linking chains and the rest of the tires." Violet said as she finished the last chain. "Let me know if it rolls properly." Violet said to Razors who simply nodded a couple times as a response. Violet hopped back in the van, letting it roll slowly forward. The chains on the tires followed along with the tire rotation. "Yep." Razors said after a couple rotations. "Excellent!" Violet exclaimed, hopping out of the van.
After disconnecting the tire chain, rolling off it, and returning it to the bag, the girls hopped back in the van and headed back to Belles. The trip home was short and quiet as they really hadn't driven for long. They made it back in time for lunch, and just in time for another snowstorm to roll in.
What will these authorizations give your character in regards to perks or defects? Perks -an ambulance outfitted for the outlands for emergency response to injured refugees -a shelter if stuck somewhere -a quick transport for some refugees if needed
Defects -lots of shit to maintain (fuel, tires, oil, other fluids, some parts) -good chance of breakdowns considering the age of the vehicle -a target for overwatch, need to keep it hidden, especially during a raid or patrol -easy to roll the fucker
What do you plan to do with these perks/defects? Use the vehicle as an ambulance and something to work with in passive rp (cleaning, maintenance, refueling, etc.)
Will anyone else need these auths? (If so, list OOC and IC name(s)) Not unless you count Frolie helping me with it as someone else.
Which server does this apply for? Outlands
Extra Notes (optional): After using the van model so much, i think it's a better platform for this case. Once vehicles are working, I'll use those in conjunction with chairs to have a working ambulance that's not drunks on ice.
REPORT TOPIC: Hidden Areas REPORT: Earlier today, a citizen had reported a POI in one of the buildings. This POI consisted of a fuse box placed in an odd position. RAZOR.236 and I investigated but couldn't figure out the POI. We called in GEAR-DvL.291 to take a look. 062 examined the fuse box and change up some things which resulted in a hidden door opening. We called in RAZOR.726 to assist in a sweep of the area.
No anti-citizens are located, however there were a few POI's in the area. It is apparent the place is used often as there was vandalism and resistance propeganda in the area. There was an exit located. It comes out from an old store hidden behind walls and boxes.
I suggest we add this area to standard sweeps for 02+ units. Minimum Armoury: Automatic, Heavy Kevlar Minimum Unit Count: 2 Minimum Rank: 02
Connecting to Network Connecting.... Connecting.... Connecting.... Connected
New Log Started: 00000001
They told me I should log my days so I guess I might as well start today. Work is good. I enjoy working in the RAZOR unit along side 236. He know's his stuff. I have notices an uprise in anti-citizens lately, particularly the ones going in to the D2 area. Most of the tim, another unit is unvailable so I cannot pursue them but when there is an available unit, we teach them not to mess with the union. I have a feeling that the last transit brought in a bunch of idiots. There are a lot more citizens doing stupid things now.
On another note, I was attacked today by a citizen. He must have been on drugs as he assaulted me with his bare hands. I already had my MP7 out and detained him, ultimately giving an amputation for Assault Class 2B and Malcompliance Level 1. The goal for me is to cleanse the city of anti-citizens, one day at a time.
Clear: Erase current orders. (Commonly used as a way to tell fellow combine that an area has no immediate threats. 'All Clear' or 'C-E' is the proper way to send such a message.)Do not get mixed up with cleaned
Cleaned: Entity is normal. (I.e. No contraband/threats, room is clear of contraband, citizens, and threats.)
Contact: Enemy unit(s) spotted and engaging.
Contain: Prevent forces or situation from spreading beyond it's current location.
Deserviced: Unit down.
Deploy: See Inject. Either can be used.
Diagnose: Determine threat level and situation.
Divisive: Having a quality that divides or seperates. (I.e. Rebellious attitude that seperates the citizens obedience to the combine.)
Examine: If applied to an organic entity, it may also mean to pat-down or frisk.
Exogen: Antlion.
Expose: Flush suspects/situation out from cover/structure.
Inject (To Formerly Deploy): Teams assemble at designated rally points.
Innoculate: To protect or safeguard from a threat.
Intercede: Directly control/mediate key enemy activity. (I.e. By means of ambush/manipulation.)
In position: Ready to perform orders.
Isolate: To detain a(n) (anti-)citizen and cut them off from all contact with the populace.
Line: Form solid defence/barricade defense.
Malignant: High dangerous and contagious.
Necrotic: Zombie.
Outbreak: Last remaining unit in a group.
Outland: Foreign.
Pacify: To handle a situation or detain an anti-citizen - Non-lethally if possible.
Parasitic: Headcrab.
Polistability/Polistabilization: Stabilization of a political order.
Prosecute: Administer ordered citation. (Administer ordered punishment, in simpler terms.)
Restrict: Prevent access to that area or position.
Restrictor: Thumper.
Ripcord: Fall back to/move back or away unless a location is specified.
R.O.E: Rules of Engagement as authorized by any unit OfC+ (Only fire upon an individual if they fire upon you first.)
Sociocide/Sociocidal: Attempted disruption of the social order.
Stand by: Await orders.
Stabilize: Restore order through any means required, verbally or otherwise. (Non-leathally unless required.)
Sterilize: Free area/situation of.
Unlawful Procreative Activity (UPA): Engaging in relationships. (I.e. Attempting to have sex.)
Unrest: Riot or Rebellion.
Valence: The capacity of one person or thing to react with or affect another in some special way, as by attraction or facilitation of a function or activity. (I.e. This can mean anything from some passing drugs to someone, or a rally for anti-citizens.)
Virome: Poison/Fast Headcrab.
Viscerator: Manhack.
Radio Codes
10-0: Use Caution. 10-4: Okay. 10-7: Proceeding to Off-Duty status. 10-8: In service. 10-9: Repeat last message. 10-15: Prisoner in custody. 10-16: Pick up prisoner. 10-20: Your location? 10-25: Do you have contact with ...? 10-27: Check for warrants. 10-50: Commencing patrol. 10-97: Arrived at scene. 10-103: Disturbance. 10-107: Suspicious person. 10-108: Officer down. 11-6: Illegal discharge of firearms. 11-98: Meet officer. 11-99: Officer needs assistance/backup.
ADW: Assault with a deadly weapon BOL: Be on the lookout DB: Dead-body UTL: Unable-to-locate OID: Officer in Distress POI: Point of Interest
Code 21: Complaint Code 27: Attempted Crime Code 28: Inciting a felony Code 29: Death Code 30: Homicide Code 30S: Homicide by shooting Code 34S: Shooting Code 51B: Bomb Threat Code 52E: Explosives Code 94: Illegal discharge of a weapon Code 95: Illegal carrying of a weapon Code 187: Homicide Code 603: Unlawful entry Code 647A: Vagrant loitering in a public place Code 647E: Anti-Citizen
Just realized Raiden had made one so I hope he sees this and adds more combine terminology...
Here's a list of items you can find in various kits. Thanks to the original creator on Taco 'N' Banana. Name of creator lost due to their recent reset. I greatly apologize for this.
Citizen Standard Daily Ration Pack
x1 Can of distilled water, 355ml (Although the water is loaded with various chemicals, the memory agent is only added to the water dispensed at train stations to ease the difficulties of transfers.) x1 Jar of non-perishable food, 12oz (Contents vary) x60 Exchangeable token units (One 50 token bill. Tokens come in the form of 10, 50, 150, 300, 1500 and 3000 token bills. There are also 5 and 1 token coins)
Citizen Standard Clothing/Apparel
x3 Set of cotton undergarments (Undershirt, socks, briefs, bra for females) x2 White cotton/polyester collared shirt x1 Pair of denim fatigue slacks x1 Denim fatigue jacket x1 Heavy black raincoat (Nylon) x1 Heavy cotton blanket x1 Pair of leather work boots x1 Leather belt x1 Identification card (Name, age, photograph, medical information. Doubles as a transit card. May be replaced if lost via retinal ID at local Nexus lobby) x1 Pair of eyeglasses (Prescribed when necessary) x1 Set of various domestic items (Nail clippers, comb, tweezers, toothbrush and toothpaste, stainless steel spork, bowl, and cup, safety pins, paper clips, buttons, needle and thread, pencil)
(Any of these items may be replaced by a Civil Worker at the cost of tokens)
(Note that other domestic items and furniture are dependant on local residence, and may be shared in a communal fashion between citizens)
Civil Protection Ground Unit Daily Ration Package
x2 cans of distilled water (Electrolytes and vitamins added) x1 MRE (Meal ready to eat. Contents vary. Note that other meals are served during breaks) x1 Small bar of dark chocolate x1 Fortified energy bar x1 Set of necessary medication depending on unit ID and associated medical history
Civil Protection Unit Standard Uniform and Equipment
x1 Kevlar/Vulcanised rubber flak jacket x1 Heavy polyester metropolice slacks x1 Civil Protection Issue level 3A soft armour kevlar vest x1 Tempered plastic and kevlar gasmask/helmet with associated electronics (Shortwave radio system, built-in computer, database-integrated HUD) x1 Pair of vulcanised rubber gloves (Latex gloves supplied for NOVA units, which fit over standard metropolice issue gloves.) x1 Pair of steel toed jackboots (Vulcanised rubber/canvas.) x1 Duty belt. Included on the belt: -Radio and transponder electronics -Duty pouch. May be used to officer’s discretion. (NOVA units may request additional pouches/satchels to carry medical supplies.) -4 MP7 magazine pouches (45 rounds/magazine) -2 12 Guage cartridge pouches (12 shells/box) -2 USP magazine pouches (18 rounds/magazine) -2 Satchels. Contain wrist binders, small flashlight, various other equipment. -1 Dispatch Communications Console (DCC). Used to relay and receive orders, and to communicate with other Protection Team units. x1 Electroshock riot baton (150kV Aluminum core steel baton with rubber grip) x1 Combine Standard Sidearm (USP Match, 9x19mm parabellum round) x1 Standard issue MP7 PDW, 4.6x30mm (Depending on rank/privileges) or x1 Standard issue Franchi SPAS-12, 12 gauge buckshot (Depending on rank/privileges) x1 Compact survival flare gun (02-01 ground units only) x1 750ml stainless steel canteen w/ insulated nylon cover x1 Set of keys. Includes universal cell block key, storage closet key, unit locker key, personal quarters key, and skeleton key. Note that bio-locks cannot be opened with the Combine-issue skeleton key. x1 Small duty knife x1 Electronic access key. Used to access Combine consoles, doors, locks and shields depending on the rank and privileges of the unit in question. x1 Set of Civil Protection Unit clothing. Included: -2 Long sleeved black cotton shirts -1 Pair black cotton pants -1 Plain black leather belt x1 Metropolice identification card (Name, age, photograph, medical information) x1 Metropolice identification armband (Division, rank, digits. Emblems and blackmarks are swen/pinned on uniform, not armband.) x1 Set standard citizen fatigues/apparel (Refer to the citizen posessions section for a list of these items)
The second biggest problem I see in the servers is citizens having no fear to the Civil Protection. (The biggest being mingerunners who punch you and jump on random crap) One of the reasons behind this lack of fear is not bad roleplayers, but more of civil protection units not knowing how to make citizens feel small and useless.
In this guide, you'll find a few examples on how to get those civis scared shitless.
You may think anger is a way to scare the citizens but it is more of a sign of weakness. Yelling at citizens right off the bat is not a great idea as it shows this weakness. You want to be more threatening.
Half Life 2 roleplay, one of the most popular modes of RP, yet it provides communities running it a paradoxical dilemma. You have an oppressive environment that is meant to stifle human creativity but yet you're roleplaying within it which is one of the most creative expressions of gaming. Many communities try to balance this and end up losing the experience of Half Life 2; some communities also go overboard and restrict it so much that the experience becomes oppressive to the player and spawns boredom, the enemy of any good roleplay server. It is a constant struggle to balance this and appease a variety of player's tastes, so that you can also have an active experience with a variety of role players. No community has been able to find the sweet spot and none ever will. The communities that do best are the ones that constantly debate and rebalance the HL2RP experience that succeed in the end.
If the environment is done justice, it can be an immensely rich environment to develop unique characters within that provides some of the best cinematic scenes and themes such as the human struggle against extinction and identity. However, you cannot properly role play the environment without having at least beaten the game to get the entire story. When I started here on CG, I didn't really go over my canon and haden't played Half-Life 2 (though I did play everything else like portal, HL1, EP2, etc.) Once I learned more about canon and played the game, it's easier to understand how a citizen would live in a combine ruled world.
What does HL2 provide as nutrients for seeding and developing characters?
- The genocide of a large portion of the human populace that happened literally over night.
- The uprooting and displacement of people around the world being transferred into tightly monitored urban ghettos.
- The invasion of privacy and human personal space on a 24/7 basis.
- The decay of human civilization quickly being transformed and overtaken by Combine architecture and commodity driven lust.
- Human civil war as some resign to their fates and willingly join the ranks of the human branch of the Combine Empire; Civil Protection. Maybe even your own character struggling to resist the lure of becoming an oppressor and a slightly better life.
- The development of various mental defects brought on by the Combine occupancy.
- Ten years before the return of Freeman where humanity had no hope.
- The internal struggle of questioning religion and/or humanities future.
- And whatever else you can transcribe from your own experience with the Half Life 2 canon. This list is just some of the possible foundations you could build an interesting character off of.
Remember these bullet points when beginning to craft your character in the next section.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2 - Character Template
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Character Name: Self explanatory. Do not use the name of anyone famous or well known. This breaks immersion in our environment and can be completely detrimental to the experience and a great distraction to other players.
Age: Also self explanatory except remember that we're currently playing in 2016 so take that into account for the potential and allowed age of your character.
Fatal Flaw/Defect: Pick one flaw or shortcoming that your character will have to either overcome in the long run or succumb to. No human is perfect, we all have our flaws, most of us can recognize at least one flaw that we feel shameful about in ourselves. For a character to be entertaining and interesting over time, he or she will have to have something to struggle and strife over on a day to day basis. Something that grounds the character in human nature. An example; a character who is glutinous, who feels compelled to eat under any emotional distress, now imagine him struggling to satiate that compulsion within the HL2 universe.
CID: This can be found by holding F1
Physical Description: You want to include descriptors such as...
- Height, weight, hair color, eye color. - Physical frame, take into account eight years of rations and hard labor. - Clothing, only standard issue but describe the condition of your fatigues. - Body markings; birthmarks, scars, rashes, injuries, discolorations, etc. - Grooming; fingernails, hair, body odor.
Try to be as descriptive as possible to establish the physical identity of your character. Use your real self as an example of all the possibilities, for example I have a distinguishing birthmark on my left hand in real life. Now apply that concept to your character. In the end you may use some of these as the basis for your in game titles.
Mental State: Describe their emotional and mental state. Be sure to describe their mental hurdles at this stage in their life. This is vital to ascertaining how you'll play the character.
Physical State: This one is slightly different than physical description. In this you describe their general internal health and well being. Describe any persistent injuries, how well fed, sleep levels, etc. It can be rather fun to play a character with a chronic internal disease.
Background: Vital to establishing who your character was before this mess and their years before they magically appeared in the server. You want to describe major iconic events through the persons life such as childhood, teenage years, adulthood, post invasion.
Weaknesses: These are minor weaknesses to keep your character grounded. These can be descriptors such as self-consciousness and vision problems (20/50).
Advanced Details At first you don't have to utilize this portion but it can be helpful depending on how immersed you wish to become in your character.
Research References: Log your sources so you can refer to them at any time.
Accent: Establishing and portraying an accent through text alone can be very difficult. One I've only recently attempted to do with some of my characters. Shortening words and making liberal use of accent marks, commas, and apostrophes can change how a person reads your character's voice out loud. Researching specific regional and national words, slang, and how a non-native speaker pronounces English words can be fantastic ways to portray accent.
Mannerisms: This is how your character carries himself. These can be compulsive actions he portrays through regular /me's, how he carries himself, how he talks, and how he socially interacts with other characters. For example maybe your character has a problem keeping eye contact. To another person this can be considered rude and can lead to some interesting character interactions and dialog.
Character Log: Use this every time you play on the server to keep track of anything interesting or major that happens to your character. Overtime our own memory fades and it's sometimes hard to remember all of the interesting actions that could happen to our characters. Especially when we have a real life to remember.
In this brief guide I hope to cover immersion and how to become better immersed as well as things that come as reprucussions from being well-immersed in your roleplay.
Immersion - How indistinguishable the roleplay is from what you'd actually expect as if you were in the game yourself.
In my opinion, how immersive a segment of roleplay is can be a big contributor to how enjoyable said segment ends up being. I, for one, started to play Hl2RP becuase I liked the feel of hl2 and the concept of the game; a totalitarian society ruled by the Combine, so naturally thats what I expect it to feel like while I'm roleplaying. It needs to be acknowledged that the environment of the server vastly changes the manner of to which a person roleplays. Althought I don't intend for this article to be about canon it is important to realise that it DOES have an effect on immersion. If you can get into the roleplay it can generally affect the outcome in a positive way and yield a higher level of enjoyment for all parties involved. I figured that I'd write a little guide so that you all can have some tips on how to stay immersed and what things should be avoided to keep it that way.
Immersion and how to maintain it: Glossary I.OOC influence II. Useful materials to promote immersion III. Realism IV. Chat V. Ventrilo VI. Fullscreen vs Windowed
I. Try to eliminate all OOC distractions and/or interuptions. - You may not think it will create any kind of atmospheric difference but keeping all other programs closed while you roleplay and focusing completely on the task at hand can greatly affect how attuned you are with your character. - If you have an OOC aid, for example will say a wallhack, not saying that any of you do; try deleting or turning it of becuase it removes the element of suprise that had reered itself up by random Combine attacks or zombies in ravenholm throughout the campaign and you'll notice a susbstantial amount of oppurtunities that you may have otherwise avoided. - Turn off any background music unless it is beneficial to the situation, i.e. action music during a shootout, enhanced ambience, etc.
II. Although some add-ons put a hamper on immersion, add-ons like the following can actually improve the experiance. -Realistic Blood Effects http://www.garrysmod.org/downloads/?a=view&id=47291 -Realistic and Better Optimized Water Effects( I haven't tried this mod yet) http://www.garrysmod.org/downloads/?a=view&id=117062 -The list can go on but I there are many addons like these that you can find through a few searches on garrysmod.org.
III. Realism -If you aren't doing something realistic or playing a character believable within the Half-life universe than you won't feel as if that's actually what you're doing. To remedy this try thinking how your character would think as if he were in the world of a post-alien invasion that swiftly repressed the human race; not how you would react to such a situation. -Despite this guide not being about realistic characters it can have a deep impact on how you view the Half-life universe.
IV. Keep out-of-character chat to a minimum. -Say everything you need in L-OOC or G-OOC in a short and conscisive manner to avoid multiple interuptions of roleplay that should only happen on a few, scarce occasions. -Try to avoid joking if you can control yourself, it isn't really necessary and generally doesn't help the task at hand AT ALL.
V. Ventrilo -Overall, ventrilo is nothing but a detriment to roleplay and just ends up being a source of metagame and distraction; generally as a rule of thumb you should try to only use ventrilo before and after you go on the servers. Through personal experiance I also felt better immersed in the roleplay and more inclined to roleplay well when not in vent. -Ventrilo usally turns out to become a fuel for OOC driven acts and you begin to act more as how you would IC rather than how your character would.
VI. Fullscreen opposed to windowed -Often, when a player is playing in windowed mode they're more persuaded to browse through other things rather than keeping completely focused on the task at hand as well as giving the player a better view on what is going on in their surrondings as well as being more aware of who is talking to them and who said what and when. -Generally the game runs smoother in fullscreen which is a positive thing.
Overall, this guide was meant to be an informative set of suggestions on how you, the player, can keep your roleplay experiance authentic and immersive.
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