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[State of the Order](#soto)
[The Sith Order recognizes...](#recog)
[Sith Site/Battle Compendium](#ssbc)
[Sith in Fiction](#sific)
[Competitions](#comps)
[Miscellaneous](#misc)
[Conclusion](#conc)
<font color="#FFD700"> State of the Order</font> > <font color="#FFFAFA"> I happened to talk to Jac about this the other day, and it's been something I've pondered now, for a while. In fact, it has been a topic of conversation at various points, even back to the Great Jedi War. As of this point on, we are no longer supporting TIE Fighter as an official SP platform for Competitions. Some of you have it, others don't, but at this point, I don't think it can be justified as having support from us, when other games just as old (like Jedi Knight) do not. You're welcome to use it in Clan Feuds, and still create missions, if you like, for the Battle Compendium (after completion), but it will no longer be used for anything on the DB-wide level.
In other news, I'm going to be asking for opinions on this as time comes more towards changing, but I haven't been happy with the Sith ranks since they were first changed (yeah, even when I was still Krath, I didn't like them). The fact is, I think the one that really bothers me is Overlord. I don't think it has the right feel, nor is their room to really bring any sense, or meaning to the ranks. Maybe I'm making sense, maybe not, but the fact is, I've had some other ideas for the Sith ranks, and each rank having meaning, and purpose in the Order. Each rank will have a reason for people to want to be there, even though the desire to move higher, and continue their progress towards mastery. It's an idea currently in progress amongst the Order Leaders, with Jac and Mav involved, and a few choice others, like Trev, Oberst, and such. I've appreciated their help, and I think it'll provide something you, as the members, will like.
In other news, there's new Message Boards, which are pretty cool. We must thank JaM3z, Cybey, Jac, and anyone else who helped work on it, or even just helped give JaM3z and Cybey motivation. (yes, kicks in the ass do count as motivation. Heh.) I've talked with Jac about some possible future allowances for doing things on the message boards, which can include earning rewards for Clan monthly run-ons, participating in DB-wide run-ons, etc. As I have more info, and figure out a few more things on it, I'll give you a heads-up on what to do, and what you can earn as Clans for doing it.
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<font color="#FFD700"> The Sith Order recognizes...</font> > <font color="#FFFAFA"> There's some points, where I contemplate this portion of my report, and the signifiance, if any, of recognizing something, or someone, every week. Sometimes, I wonder if there has been anything worth recognizing in a prior week. But I've come to the conclusion that there is always something to be recognized, and it doesn't always have to be about someone being honored. I think that, at times, you call attention to what is major, of note, or things that simply ought to have people looking into them. I'd like to recognize the work of the Clans, this week. We're coming up on the two year mark since our separation from the Emperor's Hammer. We have, indeed, come a long way from where we were, simply because, we have control of our own destiny. Each Clan has become a stronghold unto itself, with the ability to guide itself, and harness its strength.
Everyone who is a part of the Brotherhood has respect, simply because you choose for yourself, that fun, and friends, and more important than a structure that wories more about numbers, than actual people. The Clans we have today are an embodiment of that belief. I don't believe there is one Consul out there who does not care about his, or her members. Each Proconsul takes deep thought, and care, when considering the Clans that they serve. Each Quaestor and Aedile that serve you, do so with only a desire to make sure that 1) you have fun, and 2) you earn the respect for being a part of a good, active House. So, at this time, I just want to recognize everyone again, and let you know, we have come far. But let's not stop here. Make sure we put in a full effort, towards being the foremost Club in the genre, like we should be. And like I think we are.
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<font color="#FFD700"> Sith Site/Battle Compendium</font> > <font color="#FFFAFA"> Still a work in progress. I'dlike to have something different to tell everyone, but there hasn't been a change, yet.
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<font color="#FFD700"> Sith in Fiction</font>> <font color="#FFFAFA"> C&P'd from last report for ease:
The "Sith Lords Reborn" is your chance to have your creativity influence the history of the Sith Order. And yes, this competition is open to everyone. We all know that Marka Ragnos was the Ninth Dark Lord of the Sith, and that others came before him, but who were they? Entries were to be accepted up until the 31st, at 11:59 PM EST, but I just decided, with the Krath Rite of Supremacy going on, I'm going to extend that. I'm extending the Competition until the end of February, so that should still give you some time to submit something. Tell me who those lost Dark Lords were; What did they look like? When did they reign? How did they affect the Sith Empire? Whatever you choose to write, that's all you need to submit. Feel free to add graphics, as well. In addition to the Crescents for this competition, I'm also offering 100 Tournament points to the most-represented Clan in this Comp. Also, the First Place winner of this Competition is going to have 50 Tournament Points added to their score. Not too bad, right?
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<font color="#FFD700"> Competitions</font>
> <font color="#FFFAFA">
The regular Gaming Nights are Tuesdays and Thursdays in #gmrg, every Saturday in #outerrim for the ICTE, and the bi-weekly Sunday Tournament. This week is the off week, so you all have this ICTE, next week's ICTE, and the two weekly nights to qualify. Participation has been low for the last few times, as I think people are bogged with the Rite of Supremacy, mostly, and still not quite out of the holiday slow-down from gaming. I'd like to encourage everyone to get out and play, and earn some stuff for yourself, and for your Clans.
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<font color="#FFD700"> Miscellaneous</font> > <font color="#FFFAFA"> Nothing much to go here, except that, I'd just like to remind every, Sith, Krath and Obelisk, about the Krath Rite of Supremacy. Make sure if you're involved, that you're doing it. Also, I'd just like to make one, small note: we're a Club that accepts people, regardless of race, nationailty, gender, creed, sexual preference, etc. We accept people based on the ideal that they can be who they want, and believe in what they will, regardless of their own practices and ideals, except when they openly cause hostility. Take a moment to consider whether or not singling people out for their names, their ideals, or even their IRC nicks, and punishing them, is actually appropriate, or if it has more to do with your own intolerance. It's a hard idea to consider, but it is a necessary one. Let's try and be a bit more accomodating, and accepting, even if it's "people we don't like."
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<font color="#FFD700"> Conclusion</font> > <font color="#FFFAFA"> Changes coming, changes happening, competitions coming, competitions happening. That's sort of a small overview, or reiteration of the report. That and, being a little more tolerant. Let's be a better Club than the rest, and let's do what we came here to do: have fun.
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<font color="#EE0000"> Dark Jedi Master Sith Bloodfyre-Tarentae</font> <font color="#FFFAFA">
The Ghost Dragon, Gui Long
High Warrior of the Sith </font>
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I don't particuarly see the fuss about whether or not we support TIE Fighter or not, does it actually make any difference? Its not as if there are any SP competitions presently anyway.
As far as changing the Sith ranks go, I don't know. I think we have a lot of far more important things to be thinking about (competitions anyone?) than playing with the aesthetics no less than eighteen months since we last decided to play with them.
I don't see what's wrong with them with that in mind. That said, not a lot of thought was ever given to them when we changed the Obelisk ranks because we tried to keep them as close to the old ranks of Sith Warrior, Sith Battlemaster, Sith Battlelord and Sith Warlord as possible. The change was done as a minor improvement to have something that flowed a little better and fit with Sith High Warrior still.
Still, I'll forewarn people here, think back to what happened when we last messed with the ranks. Chaos. That's all it produced. Rather than convince yourselves that your new ranks are better I'd strongly, strongly, strongly, I really can't emphasise this enough, strongly, strongly, strongly just announce them now and just have the club tear them to shreds before investing a great deal of time in the idea.
The whole Dark Council thought our proposed Obelisk ranks were going to be great. They got torn apart in hours.
All I'm saying is don't lull yourself into a false belief, while the few people who have been questioned might like them, that doesn't speak for the entire Sith Order, and it's better to find out if people like them before wasting a lot of effort on it and only feeling pissed off when you get a negative response after all that work.
If people like them, they'll like them, if they don't, they don't. There's not a lot of point thinking about them and finetuning them if people outright hate the fundaments of the change.
Thinking about the issue of TIE Fighter more...
I actually fail to see what we accomplish by declaring it no longer official anymore than we do declaring X-Wing vs TIE Fighter or X-Wing Alliance no longer official. On the rare occasions we do run TIE Fighter competitions the uptake is as much as the other two platforms.
So... what are we achieving?
I've always found people enjoy things like the Great Jedi War a little more because they offer something different. Single Player competitions are not run frequently meaning it gives people something different to do for a change.
If we were removing it due to the severe lack of competitions, all fine and dandy, but like I have said, I don't see us all running to start some X-Wing vs TIE Fighter or X-Wing Alliance competitions because we've removed TIE Fighter. The most removing TIE Fighter achieves is make the next Sith War just another, ordinary competition, with nothing different to any other competition.
Furthermore, to the wider gaming community, its just another thing the Dark Brotherhood won't have that other clubs similar to us will have.
If TIE Fighter was a waste of resources, fine, but we're not running competitions, so how is removing it in any way restoring depleted resources? As such, it achieves zero.
Keeping it at least maintains what limited potential it has, whereas through removing it we do not gain anything.
Unless theres a big secret plan to suddenly launch monthly Single Player competitions, but with the exception of TIE Fighter, I really fail to see why this even makes front page headlines. We never made a big thing about "desupporting" Jedi Knight. We still DO support Jedi Knight, just nobody bothers to play it, as we have better games in placec of it.
All this seems likely to do is just annoy the few TIE Fighter players we do have. They're quite content currently, even though there are no competitions, why do something that, other than achieving nothing, is just going to disillusion them with the direction the club is heading in?
Eugh... those two messages got longer than I realised... ok, here's me being nice to people who don't wanna waste time reading through :P
Post #1: Basically saying, is it worth the hassle and chaos? I remember back to last time, all people did was whine, for something that, in the end, didn't change much.
Post #2: Basically saying, is it worth the hassle and chaos? (sounding familiar yet? :P) For all practical purposes, we already don't still support TIE Fighter, officially declaring as such seems more than likely just to generate a bunch of sour grapes from people who still like the games.
Leave the X-Wing Alliance, there is still use for it, its way outdated but till Lucas Arts puts forth another MP title. Were going to haveto use it.
Personnally Id drop XvT, Tie, Xw those really have no use around here.
XvT still has an appreciable MP following.
Though, I must say, 99.99% of people who own TIE or XvT also own XWA, so in theory you could argue, why don't t hey just play XWA?
With that in mind, next Sith War, GJW, or whatever, I can see how it would be more enjoyable to invest more effort in making a decent set of XWA missions rather than a rushed set of XWA AND XvT AND TIE missions.