☆THE PLOT SO FAR

I've gotten some requests for a summary of the general metaplot of the game so far, in order to make the most of the endgame experience. As such, I've written one up to the best of my ability! I hope it is informative. I've explicitly stated a few plot points in here that were only hinted at or suggested before. It ends right where we are, at the beginning of the WORLD TOUR. You can ask questions on this post about ideas for plot as well!

( IT'S LONG, SO BUCKLE UP. )

☆FINAL TEST DRIVE

As of this moment, applications are opening for the last time during Interstellar's run.

Phew, it's been an adventure! As of the beginning of May, we are entering what is absolutely the final 2-3 months of play, and the end game plot will officially have begun. WORLD TOUR will commence, and we'll see what's left of it after the fact. Of course, this is a less than ideal time for any new players to enter, as there is a lot of plot stuff happening that you really had to be there for, as there will be minimal time to adjust to the setting. This, of course, goes more for musicians than rescuers - rescuers will fair better IC but there is still the instance of OOC confusion and there is not much administrative time to focus on getting them integrated as there has been in previous rounds.

However! If you want to face the challenge, it is completely allowed! It will just be much easier if you are already familiar with the game. That said, a bunch of new and exciting possibilities for re-apping in the event of dropped characters!

► FIRED MUSICIANS RETURN FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE(?)
Old players/characters may re-enter the game without the application process, provided they were dropped for reasons that weren't failing to submit activity. All you have to do is post to the appropriate application page and tell me that you play X character and would like to enter the game again! Former musicians will be being brought back from wherever they were after being fired, the details of which will be discussed when you reapply.

► VANISHED RESCUERS SHOW UP WHEN (AND WHERE) YOU LEAST EXPECT IT
The same process goes for former Rescuers - just let me know on the appropriate application page that you want back in and how you'd like to do so. Rescuers have two options - they can return as they were before, brought back by Shep (again) in his spaceship. Either that, or they can SHOCKINGLY APPEAR as a brainwashed musician! How they ended up in this state is not entirely clear, but boy is it bad.

► NEW MUSICIANS APPEAR IN A LAST DITCH POWER GRAB
These applications are for new and old players, bringing in new musicians in the standard way. Their presence will be an exciting announcement for the upcoming tour.

► NEW RESCUERS BROUGHT IN THE SPACE SHIP
Shep has been out in space, trying to gather rescuers one last time. This is the last opportunity for new characters to be brought onto the rescuer train, and are applied for in the standard way.


For the TDM, I am going to ask that you return to the old (most recent) one if you need it, as I'd rather focus efforts on the upcoming events. You can check out the recent TDMs here.


► NOTICE REGARDING ENDGAME ACTIVITY CHECKS
One important, final note, as I'm sure it applied to people's app decisions - starting this month, Interstellar will be moving to a CHECK IN based activity system for the final few months. Essentially, standard AC will be replaced with monthly check ins with a continued interest in the game being the only requirement - of course, Bonus AC will continue being calculated the same way for additional MP and the like, same as always.

This is because it is honestly more important to me that players who want to be here for endgame are capable of doing so, even if it's only in a few important threads rather than a general mass of activity. Interstellar is becoming less centralized as the plot continues, and it's understandable that different characters will have different levels of required activity at various times. The most important thing is that I would like to complete this journey with all the people who'd like to be here, rather than focus on arbitrary activity requirements. They were useful in the past when it came to regular band and rescuer activities, but in the plot centric world of tomorrow I think we can all benefit from a bit more flexibility!


That said, here are the same links as always, for your reference. If you have any questions about these new rulings, please let me know below.

► MUSICIAN TDM
► RESCUER TDM

This TDM is sort of complicated so this is the place to ask the mods and other players all kinds of questions! Also, feel free to do a bit of plotting and planning here too, if you like! Or make some last ditch efforts at recruitment.

☆HELPFUL INFO

► Follow the mod plurk for updates: interstellar5555
► Check out the game NAVIGATION
► Ask MOD QUESTIONS below!
► Reserves are open NOW
► Applications are open NOW

☆PLOT ANNOUNCEMENTS

As opposed to a plot post, this is an OOC notification of various things that are happening IC! I will try to keep this relatively brief for the sake of everyone reading it. Make sure you check all of it out as parts of it will relate to most characters in the game.

This post is going to cover a big label based announcement that is leading into the end game set up, Silver getting their chip-removal base together, and the final challenge for the Fairy Trial plot.

( SPOILER: IT'S TIME FOR WORLD TOUR!!! )

☆STATE OF THE GAME

As you all (hopefully) know, Interstellar has always been intended to be a limited run game. My original estimate of how long it would take to get through it was 8-10 months, and currently we are sitting in the beginning of the 5th month of play. Based on my plans, we are also completely on schedule, meaning that endgame could easily be finished 4-6 months from now. With that in mind, as we proceed towards the final act of the game, the status quo of the game is going to begin to shift.

This is Interstellar’s State of the Game post, intended to discuss these changes and the general forecast of things are going to proceed from this point. In this post I’ll be talking about ways in which gameplay can be changed by the players, new possibilities for powers and regains, ambient plot elements that will begin to take effect, and the state of the Rescuers’ efforts. Beyond that, it will give you the opportunity to leave feedback.

( there is a lot more in here )

☆SMALL MOD HIATUS

The Head Mod is going on a cruise and the internet apparently does not exist for realistic prices in the ocean! Since a lot of the heavy lifting so far as plot and game structure is concerned is done by me, and the helpers won't be as equipped to handle questions, I'm calling a brief mod hiatus until I am back in internet town. I'll be returning to North America on the 9th, and should be able to start attending to things then, but won't be back home until the 10th, right on time to open applications.

In the meantime, please do continue to ask any questions you might have about this app round right here and they will be attended to at my first availability! If it's something urgent, I also encourage you to try asking the rest of the current community, especially on plurk - they are very helpful people, and they may have already experience something like that you're unsure about. Activity Check will be handled once I get back too, and a new Rewards Post will be put up for January's MP purchases. AC is still technically due on the 5th, but as long as everyone has their stuff in by the time I get back I'm not going to raise a fuss about it. And now, to tide you over:

► CHECK OUT THIS COOL PLAYER RUN EVENT!
► LOOK AT ALL THESE RESCUER GADGETS!
► WATCH INTERSTELLA 5555 ON DAILY MOTION!

Happy New Years guys, and thanks for being amazing! See you soon.

☆YOU WILL BELIEVE IN ME

SO! As most of your guys are probably aware, there were concerns brought up about the 'I Will Twist the Knife' event, mostly in regards to how uncomfortable it made some players closely affected by the recent violent tragedy in the USA. We're sorry we weren't able to account for this before posting the event, but the mods in question were totally unaware of this having happened due to not being from the US and also to not being up to date on their news, and so we only realized it was a problem until things were already in full swing.

But, since some people are understandably not feeling dealing with this sort of content at the moment, there is going to be a small side event that will enable a small batch of characters from both Pride and Virgo to avoid attending the party all together. Details aren't going to get dropped until the post does (since this isn't supposed to be a replacement, just a fun little side quest for people feeling really uncomfortable) but there will be no commonly triggering or violent material at play unless the characters themselves get really punchy. Read on for some set up info!

( 100% MURDER FREE )

☆COME TOO FAR

► ALSO, DO YOUR AC!

The first part of Come Too Far is less of an event and more of a series of happenings. Starting late Halloween night, member of both labels will start being ordered back to HQ. If you've already planned your character as doing something Halloween night, that's fine - just know, they'll be getting called back/dragged back by their managers before the night is over, because something is afoot.

( NO ONE TELLS YOU ANYTHING )

☆WHAT DO YOU WANT?

The overall arch of Interstellar is already designed, but as mods, it is helpful to know what players most want to get out of the experience. So, in order to get a better idea of that, here is a quick content survey for you to fill out, both to give us your plot preferences and an idea of your OOC permissions. We would like everyone to fill out the survey if possible.

( TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT, WHAT YOU REALLY REALLY WANT )