snowblindooc | Event: Emergency Repairs, Part Two

EMERGENCY REPAIRS
The tablets finally finish their download in the early afternoon. The tablet beeps and the program opens immediately to a network that looks very much like their normal one, albeit empty of conversation. Then, a voice and a face--it's one some may recognize as that of Robert Miller. "Let's make things appear in a way you'll understand, shall we?" For those outside, this seems to do nothing. For those down in the depths, however, they will find themselves compelled to enter the normal room if they weren't already there. The bizarre, incomprehensible room begins to shift and go dark. Similarly, it seems as if the others down with them are vanishing as well--but only certain people are vanishing, depending on who you are. Everyone sees different people disappearing, until only a small group remains. Finally the tablets of those outside display the room in the depths and the people in it. Some of the people in it. Everyone who signed up has been split into groups, and only group members will be able to see each other. Each group is connected to one of the areas in the town, and those still in town may only interact with and see members of their representative group. The groups are as follows: Residential Zone One Angel (phaseshifter) Quark (averytinyparticle) Tavros Nitram (uncertainty) Residential Zone Two Fiona (plundering) Charlie (mightyratslayer) Zach Spencer (majorlazer) Ice Tunnels John Watson (jumpthegun) Frisk (despiteeverything) Haurchefant Greystone (silverfuller) Downtown Rhys (headjacked) Enoch (warriorscribe) Rydia (blessedmaiden) Cecil Palmer (staytunednext) Robert begins to speak again. "The administrator is no longer in control--at least for this little stretch of time. I'll explain what she meant before: if you don't do repairs here quickly, people outside will begin to die. But trying to repair the whole thing all at once would be pretty difficult, so having groups is much easier. You're each responsible for part of the town. Your efforts will hinder the other groups--not only because people work better when they're competing but because I find it's much more efficient to give resources based on skill level. Enter the other room whenever you're ready, and don't worry--you can talk to the people you're responsible for over the network. Behave! They can see you." The video stops. This network is the only one available for the duration of the event, and so no one in a different group or area may communicate with each other. There is no option for private messaging or filtering here. Each group will be tasked with doing the repairs, but it seems as if Robert has very kindly rearranged things in a way that can be understood. Entering the repair room, it seems the angles have straightened out and the colors have quieted. It seems very small, in fact. There's a door, locked, and holes in the wall, large enough for the arms (or legs, if one is so inclined and so flexible) of each group member. The instruction is simple: "Reach into the holes for identification. All group members must participate." Simple, right? But that surely isn't everything you have to do... As the event progresses, groups will be presented with various tasks that they must complete. Some will be simple, and some will be difficult. Things start out at even difficulty, but the more any one group falls behind, the more difficult things will be, and the less they will have available to work with. Those outside may help their group via communication over the network, but they cannot see or interact with any other group. Interactions between the group underground will take place in the log post. There will be an OOC thread for group communication and for group answers, one per group number. Most of the time the problems posed will be ones that only need to be played out to solve, although sometimes there will be specific correct answers that must be presented. There will also be a progressing symptom list for those stuck in buildings above ground. It seems like Robert wasn't lying about that, either. Good luck.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Okay, I have a serious concern about some of this.

"If you don't do repairs here quickly, people outside will begin to die."
"Your efforts will hinder the other groups."
"The more any one group falls behind, the more difficult things will be, and the less they will have available to work with."

Competition is all well and good, but we have a multinational playerbase here, as well as people with lives that sometimes take priority over RP. Schedules just don't always mesh well enough to make rapid response to this event easy. The way this event seems to be designed, this could put some groups at a severe OOC disadvantage - and with them the lives of characters above ground, who have no control over any of this? Am I reading this right? Because this is really alarming to me.

There will be a limited number of rooms presented each day, to give people time to catch up. There is no guarantee that anyone will die, and it is completely possible to get through the event without anyone dying. Characters above ground will have the opportunity to aid their groups. The first OOC day of the event doesn't involve those above ground much in order to ease the groups into what will be happening, but other days will involve them much more.

Just to be clear, are the characters above ground at risk of dying from the actions of the characters below ground?

Yes.

Taking something as major as character death out of the hands of a player is a pretty big deal to me. I mean, it's one thing if my character dies from something I chose to involve him in, but putting his life in the hands of someone else without me choosing to participate is another story. I'm really not happy with this idea, both on my own behalf and on the behalf of players who maybe can't participate in this event, such as those on hiatus.

Are there any mitigating factors at all for the people above ground, or passes someone might be able to take if they really protest having their character killed by things out of their control?

The chances of something like a total wipeout of the whole area are extremely slim. In the case of characters beginning to die, we would take volunteers before we did anything like a random vote. Still, this is assuming it even actually gets to that point--we did ask for people who are available this week to sign up, and assuming an appropriate amount of participation, it shouldn't be a problem.

Okay, that's at least something. I'm still a little concerned, especially since some people's estimation of their availability might not match others', or remain consistent over the course of the week, but you've addressed my biggest concerns. Thank you.

Just concurring here. This was also a concern of mine when I first saw the event up. I expect character death to happen. It's a horror/survival game. But I'm with Nivi here in that I really feel that if character death is something that's going to happen, it ought to be by the player willingly choosing to participate and receive consequences for their own actions rather than being an event's consequence based on other people's actions.

That all being said, it honestly is good to know that this was something taken into consideration and I really do appreciate knowing that now. For future events concerning group consequences, will this be addressed in the forefront? I think it would help clear up any misunderstandings.

In the future we can try to address this sort of thing ahead of time, although there will always be an element of risk inherent in the setting and events.

That's understandable and I can respect that. It wouldn't be much of a horror/survival game otherwise. Thanks for responding so promptly to this and clarifying things.

Event: Emergency Repairs, Part Two

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