Hello Survivors! Welcome to Pro-Tip Thursday!
I asked Lauren very nicely if I could write today’s Pro-Tip and she said yes. So today you are going old school and Curtis has some things he wants to make sure that everyone knows how to do!
So let's get Started!!!!
So the Topic today is How to get information and how to verify information.
To begin you have to understand that we have several different plots happening at the same time. We have an Overarc plot that threads the entire season together. If you are not paying attention the Overarc this season has to do with ants. Big ants. Big ants that are getting bigger and smart. Almost like they are evolving. This is a big plot and it's affecting a lot of things around our community.
There are also smaller plots that are happening as well. For those who were at our last game, there was an embargo by the Regal Family. That affected the town big time. We have Fear Fest coming up. These are all smaller plots that can happen.
Then you add Personal Plot request and Master Skill mods request that can change the landscape as well. We have Criminal mods, Financial Mod, and just good old combat mods. So many things can happen at a trade. You as a player interact with these things. Our game is a choose your own adventure game. Where you go and get involved in what you want to do. You make choices and the page turns. Then we add your choices to everyone else's choices. So keeping up with everything can be very difficult. It's so easy to lose the thread of the story or miss important things. Some of those things you missed may come back to haunt you. Choices other players made can come back to haunt you.
So having information from the right source becomes really important.
Let's start with a low level information source. The hook who comes out to start a mod. They will tell you what the job is and why it's important. The hook is normally a low level npc. Even if they are from a particular faction within the town ( Iron Tusk, Tarbucks, Three daggers ect ect) These guys are like low level employees around the world. They will not be a solid source of information for anything other than the job they are there for. They may have some solid intel you need and they will try to get you to hear it. But they won't be able to explain a high level request for information. For that you need to speak to the FACE NPC for that faction.
A Face NPC is the person who is leading that faction right now. For this example we are going to use BIG RED who is the leader of the Tarbucks financial faction. That is the person with the real answers. You may have a special relationship with them and maybe be carrying a favor token from them. But they might not be out and about during a trade. This is where the Post office comes into play. You have a question for a leader of a faction, write them a letter. The response will most likely be the correct answers that you need. If you need to ask even more questions then head down to Ops and speak to the Ops guide who is running the game at that time. If they can't answer they will call Truate on the Radio or we will find the writer to make sure the information you need is accurate and in your hands.
It's also helpful to know where to go to ask particular questions. During game information we have a hierarchy of knowledge. This is how it looks.
Guide:
The Guide in the field is the first line of communication and therefore the most important link in the communication chain. The Guides are working hard to help make things run smoothly. They may know some of the answers you may be looking for or they can help you find the right path to answers. All guides who are running mods will have a radio to call for help if needed.
Ops Desk / Post Office:
During an active game these two locations are information hubs. The guides at these locations are well versed in their separate realms of control of the game.
The Ops desk is where to take questions of Rules or Plot. They also have a radio to reach out to owners/directors if its an issue they cannot handle
The Post Office is where to go to ask about blueprints, materials or other logistic issues. They also have a radio to reach out to owners/directors if there is an issue they cannot handle.
Employees:
The following employees are responsible for specific information.
Nikki Robertson is the Lead Logistic Employee. She is the head postie!
Ian McReynolds Is the Lead Guide Employee. Running Ops desk during the weekend and making rules calls
Beth Bearden is our Lead Settings Employee. She is responsible for making the camp look good! Ask her about props or settings
Cody Padgett is our Lead Writer. If you have questions about the story. He is your guy!
Lauren Meyers is our Marketing lead. Her work is the marketing info you see during the month.
Owners/Directors:
At the bottom of the pyramid we find our owners and Directors.
Truate Bearden is our Experience Design Director. He is the final word on story and rules and anything in-game.
Curtis Haines is our Community management director and customer service director. I am the one who deals with the interpersonal problems and problems that arrive with the physical camp. I am very helpful and want to make life better for everyone but may not know what everything is happening in the story. I will even go to Truate for story questions because I am not always 100% sure what is happening and if I get an answer wrong I will come tell you I was wrong.
Information on what is happening is super important. If something is happening and you are trying to figure out what to do about it. Try submitting some research to get the answers you need. Looking to find a solution to a problem and you want to test an idea? Fill out a research page and turn it into ops. Every player can ask questions this way. You may have more bonuses and help based on your skills and knowledge.
The most important thing to remember is that you have to be proactive in finding out these answers. It requires you to get involved and track things down. The game will not hand you the solution on a platter. It may hand you a solution but not the best one for you or the rest of the town. Plus help each other out. We are stronger if we are working together. I know that this is hard to do sometimes because there is so much going on. But if we are working together as a town we can do a great deal together.
Remember the only question that is stupid is the one that goes unasked. That is what Rules Guides, Cord Guides and Ops guides are there for. They will either be able to answer the question or help you find the answer.
Till Next time Survivors!!!
See you in the waste!