Egret Day 22 | ORANGE TEAM MEETING | video

[so_dark_a_road]

Team Orange, Eva and I are calling a meeting, and I thought it would be simpler to have it on voidtreckernet than in person.

The purpose of this meeting is to go over the draft of a team survey that Eva and I have worked out, and let us know what you think of it before we post it and ask everyone to fill it out. If you can think of any questions that should be on the questionnaire that aren't, then this is your chance to let us know.

The purpose of the questionnaire is to take an inventory of everybody's skills, abilities, and possible contributions to team projects or mission goals. This might make it easier to get organized when the train next sends us on a mission. It'll also help us coordinate with each other before and during the mission. It might even help us if we create any team projects that don't relate to missions.

And by the way, good work, Team Orange! The last mission was highly successful and I consider that you had a lot to do with that.

This will be a questionnaire for Team Orange, but other teams should feel free to use it if they wish.

And this part is really important, so I'll repeat it: if you can think of any questions that should be on the survey that we haven't thought of, let us know in your replies to this post.

As I said above, you won't need to answer the questions yet. We'll modify the survey to reflect the feedback you give us today, and we'll post the final version in a separate post, soon.

Here it is, the draft of the survey:

****************************************************************************************************************************************************************
Compiled questions for Team Orange:

Personal information:

What’s your name?
What species are you?
How old are you?

Skills and abilities:

What are your particular skills and abilities? Professional, technical, crafts, magical, physical, weapons skills, communication, etc.? List them all below:

How did you use these skills and abilities in your own world or other worlds before you came to the Voidtrecker Express?

Have you been on any Voidtrecker missions yet?

If so, did you use your skills or abilities to further the goals of the mission?

How did you use them? Do you think it worked out well?

Miscellaneous:

Do you have items in your inventory that you have used to help with train projects or mission goals? Weapons, communication devices, or any other useful items?

Do you have ideas about how you'd like to contribute to missions in the future?

Would you like to receive training in skills you don't currently possess? If so, which? These can be any skill whatsoever that you think might be useful to the team or to missions.

Do you have any skills you'd like to teach?

Do you have ideas about what projects or endeavors our team might work on? This would be for the purposes of team-building, skills practice, fun, or any other purpose you can think of.

Comments

[Text]

[iamnotgod]

Perhaps phrasing the questions beyond the simple 'Do you...?' would be useful - saying people would like to teach is not the same as saying what they would like to teach, if they would prefer assistants or need certain materials or so forth.

[He's defaulted to text now that it is available to him. Curufin may want to remind him that most of the rest of the train isn't so lucky!]

video

[so_dark_a_road]

Thanks for your feedback! I'll make that question a little more detailed, just in case any team members don't realize they're being asked what skills they'd like to teach. I'll add that part about what they'd need in order to teach. And I'll look at the rest of the questions and see if there might be a similar need to rewrite them.

Say, congrats on getting the train to let you text!

[ lol, no, Curufin's not going to criticize Webmind for being privileged in that he's allowed to communicate in text. The Elf knows it might be harder for Webby to communicate at all if he couldn't do so in symbols. ]

Text

[iamnotgod]

I am most delighted to be of assistance. :)

[The biggest benefit of text: emojis.]

It is a work in progress, I admit; I have only 'cracked' the secret of a compatible programming language quite recently by human standards.

It only works for those used to living in a digital format, though, it seems. But I hope to fix that in the future!

video

[so_dark_a_road]

I am delighted that you responded. [ Grin. Too bad all the characters don't have a library of emojis! ]

Luckily for you, you have programming skills! I wonder how the train entity does it? I guess it can't be all that different from what you do, or its language and your language wouldn't be in the least compatible!

Good luck on that!

Text again

[iamnotgod]

It took quite some time to find the appropriate 'dialect', I suppose you would call it. The language is certainly human-level in terms of complexity!

Also, a separate issue has just come to my attention - would you or Eva be interested in conducting a poll re: Orange Team's mascot? I've been given the impression that Yuffie does not enjoy being the centerpoint of those conversations anymore.

[so_dark_a_road]

That's interesting, that the train entity's code is the same level of complexity as human code. That suggests it is not a superior intelligence, it's about the same level. A bit of information that might come in handy sometime.

The mascot -- that did come up in Yufflie's post. Can we wait until the election is over, and Eva and I have finished the Orange Team survey and posted it? It's an interesting idea, though, having a mascot symbol for the team. I guess we shouldn't expect Yuffie to handle that one.

[iamnotgod]

Or suggesting that it was made separately from the train, perhaps?

[The idea that the train is powered by a human or some other species escapes his attention for now; it's the sort of thing one could expect out of edgy Thomas and Friends fanfiction.]

That should be fine, though the mention of rearrangements should be spread to those still bringing it up.

[It is, as he sees it, unfair to the treasure hunter.]

Thomas and Friends fanfiction? XD

[so_dark_a_road]

Hmm. Yes. Some other entity might have written the code, and the train is merely making use of it for the network and perhaps other purposes.

And we'll just mention that we're bringing up the mascot idea with the team at some time in the hopefully-not-distant future, if anybody asks.

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6944431/1/Something-Most-Foul This one.

[iamnotgod]

It may be speculation for now, but there is much its existence implies - some of which may be mutually exclusive, as is the nature of raw speculation.

[Addressing the second point after a distinct pause:]

Again, that should be fine.

Got it up in a tab, and I'll read it tonight, hopefully!

[so_dark_a_road]

Hmm. I guess we can't know immediately. But maybe someday?

Heh. I do wonder what the team would think would be an appropriate mascot image for Team Orange?

It's a long read, so no rush. XD

[iamnotgod]

Within the month, I would hope.

[Or just imagine, rather. But hope seems more prudent to say.]

And that remains to be seen. I have no especial preference, not being a creature of capital-C Creativity myself.

[The mun, meanwhile, is betting for Fox.]

Wanna wrap this one?

[so_dark_a_road]

[ Hope is always good! ]

Hmm. There are so many animals that have characteristics that we Orange Team members have: Intelligence, and yes, creativity. . . and maybe sneakiness? [ He laughs. ]

[ Fox sounds like a great choice. ]

Sure!

[iamnotgod]

I wouldn't call myself stealthy by preference, but the idea has merit...

[And they shall talk and laugh a little more about it, before moving on to other things!]

[runs_on_batteries]

Brilliant idea, Curufin. Will you let me know how your project turns out?

[so_dark_a_road]

Thanks, Tony, on behalf of Eva and myself! Yes, I'll let you know.

[runs_on_batteries]

Right. Both of you.

[so_dark_a_road]

It was a joint creation. And thank yourself, too, Tony. We were inspired by your train-wide survey.

video

[draconite]

This does seem to cover most of what would be reasonable to ask...

[ Though she is, admittedly, thinking over some of these questions with a bit of concern. Which prompts her to follow up with: ]

But is it really so important to know what species someone might be?

[so_dark_a_road]

Hi, Bryn!

[ This post is here to address people's concerns. ]

Good question. I thought it might be important, since some races or species have inherent magical powers. But maybe it sounds a little rude to ask, in this context?

[draconite]

I wouldn't say it was rude, so much as... hm. Perhaps it's a bit of a complicated question to answer, for some of us? After all, a human from one place might not be exactly the same as a human from another place. And even two humans from the same place might not be exactly the same as each other!

But then, I'm not sure what other way there would be of narrowing down our individual capabilities... it's not as though we're just a team of humans, after all.

[so_dark_a_road]

You may be right. The question does oversimplify a bit. Maybe I'll replace it with a couple of new questions that ask if a person belongs to a group that has special skills or abilities. Or maybe it's not even necessary to ask, since the next section goes into these in detail.

True, we're an extremely varied collection of beings. I suppose the way to go might be to give the opportunity for the respondent to say whatever they need to say to make it clear what they can do. I'll have to think about this some more.

[draconite]

Exactly! So long as we know what everyone is able to bring to the group, it doesn't particularly matter what species they might be.

[ She nods sagely, more to herself than Curufin. ]

Well? Would you have me fill this in as well, or should I hold on until you're satisfied with it?

[so_dark_a_road]

I think you're right!

On filling out the survey, I'd say hold off until we post the final version. I hope that'll be in the next week or so.

[draconite]

I'll be sure to keep my eye peeled, then!

[ A pause. ]

Hm, that doesn't really have the same sort of ring to it when it's just the one eye...

[so_dark_a_road]

But it means the same thing, whether there's one eye or two in the saying. [ Kindly smile. ]

[draconite]

But it doesn't roll off the tongue nearly as well...

[ Huff huff! ]

It's quite unfortunate that so many of these sayings just happen to be about plurals.

[so_dark_a_road]

Yes, it's odd, when I think about it. What's this obsession with plurals, that so many of the saying-makers had when they made the sayings?

[ Ah, the vagaries of language! XD ]

[draconite]

I really have no idea! [ goodness, what a little 'harrumph' that was. ] I really don't understand their fixations. I understand humans generally have things in twos or more, but it's hardly universal.

[ see Bryn, who is in apparent possession of only one braincell. ]

[so_dark_a_road]

True. And after all, we have some things in ones, such as a head! What a terrible tragedy, if we had to make it plural when we tell people to keep a cool head on their shoulders. Or when we tell them to shut their damn mouth? Or when we offer to kick their ass? [ Chuckle. ]

[ Curufin's been accused by his relatives of having only one brain cell. XD ]

[draconite]

Language is really a bit of a mess, isn't it? It's a wonder any of us are able to get across what we mean most of the time. And even then it's often quite a struggle to make yourself properly understood!

Wrap this thread too?

[so_dark_a_road]

Language is a bit of a mess, I completely agree. Even the poets say so, when they're being honest. [ As as Curufin is a poet himself, he knows whereof he speaks. ]

But speaking of language, I'll take into account what you said, when I rewrite that question about species. Thanks for the feedback!

Voice > Action? I hope this is ok!

[mtsilver_conquor]

I wonder if we can make it a real network where things stick around, or there's some kind of log to access, because as much as I like the idea of doing meetings like this...

[Nyoom Conference calls would be hella nice, Train.]

I think replies only go to the OP and whoever else's in the same room as the ICP?

[Which is a pain in the butt, even if it is useful re: communication on the train. But, whatever.]

That said, stay when you are. I'm coming to find you.

voice > action is fine!

[so_dark_a_road]

I wish we could make it a real network. We could make it a suggestion to the train, to make all the back-logs forever available to the passengers. I don't know if the train entity will listen, but it couldn't hurt to try.

[ Yes! Conference calls! ]

I think it may be a little more complicated. Reigen threadjacked me in somebody else's net post, recently. [ He's laughing. ]

I'm in the Standard Coach, at one of the tables with my notebook. I shouldn't be too hard to find. [ Smile. ]

[ And he waits for her to arrive, writing and sipping some coffee. ]

[shockinglycaffeinated]

All of these questions seem reasonable.

Would only yourself and Eva see the responses or would they be available for everyone to see?

[so_dark_a_road]

Thanks! We tried to make the questions as clear and reasonable as we could.

Since we planned to post the survey on voidtreckernet, the responses would be available for everyone to see. I was thinking that since the survey is an organizing tool, everybody in Team Orange ought to be able to use the information.

[shockinglycaffeinated]

It could definitely allow us to ensure any groups we break off into are well rounded. There's nothing quite as terrifying as realizing no one in a group has the ability to take a hit. [ She's definitely speaking from experience here ]

[so_dark_a_road]

Yes, any subset of the team should include varied skill sets. Good point! [ A situation Curufin would understand, with his many experiences of war. ]

[shockinglycaffeinated]

Occasionally I'm more than just a pretty face.

But don't tell anyone, I quite enjoy being underestimated. [ Her tone is quite clearly joking and she winks at Curufin through the video ]

[so_dark_a_road]

Oh, you're way more than a pretty face.

[ He grins at her. ]

My lips are sealed. [ He makes a humorous gesture of zipping his mouth shut. ]

[shockinglycaffeinated]

[ Fake outrage crosses her face and she gasps dramatically ]

Are you saying I'm not pretty? How rude. You could give a girl a complex you know.

[so_dark_a_road]

[ Curufin chuckles; he gets the joke. He lays his hand on his chest and tilts his head inquiringly, the humor sparkling in his eyes, though he's trying to keep a straight face. ]

Would I, Curufin the Crafty, tell a woman she's not beautiful? No more than you would tell me I'm not handsome!

[shockinglycaffeinated]

[ She laughs, absolutely delighted that he played along ]

I would never tell such an obvious lie. You're beauty outshines the stars my dear.

[so_dark_a_road]

[ He laughs too. He loves playful dramatization! ]

Why, thank you, Telli! And so does your beauty.

[shockinglycaffeinated]

Well this beauty is due for a spa day, so I'm signing off.

[ She blows him a kiss through the video before cutting the feed. ]

[mayp]

That sounds good to me.

[so_dark_a_road]

Thanks, May!

[blue_ice]

It's a good survey. The next part is just getting us to work as a finely tuned unit, but that's what the skills coaching is for.

[so_dark_a_road]

Thanks, Kaiba! And I agree. The survey is the easy part. The next tasks will be to get the skills coaching going and the cooperative work started.