Fed Meet and Greet with Almandot

March 7, 1999

D.O.A., Almandot has appeared with a shimmer of teleportation effect.

"Ah so this is where it takes place", says Almandot with a wink.

Almandot asks, "Didn't it take place in Chez Diesel's before?"

"Yes, it used to", says Chiefsgirl.

Chiefsgirl says, "We moved"

Almandot asks, "why'd it switch?"

"Easier to pay attention since folks aren't running in and out visiting Diesel", says Chiefsgirl.

Almandot says, ":P"

Almandot liked CDs ;)

Almandot goes off to CDs

Jaime wonders if your opinion is relevant.

"what's port # thingy in loc outside of it ? ;P", says Almandot.

"Still streaking, eh, Al?", asks Fancy.

Almandot smiles, "always"

Fancy says, "Ah well, I guess having just a scarf on is kind of close..."

"where's the scarf?", asks Almandot.

Fancy loosens his silk foulard scarf a bit, showing Al...

Almandot says, "please :P :::covers eyes:::"

"You asked...", says Fancy.

"where it was not what it was covering ;P", says Almandot.

Fancy tightens his foulard scarf back normally.

Almandot steals Fancy's scarf and throws it to Chiefsgirl

Almandot says, "naked cat! ;P"

Chiefsgirl stands up and clears her throat while deftly catching the scarf

Fancy flies along with it still tied around his neck.

Chiefsgirl tumbles to the ground with Fancy

Chiefsgirl stands up and brushes herself off

"Well, you talk about me being the TOP Cat...", says Fancy.

"This gives new meaning to it!", exclaims Fancy.

Chiefsgirl says, "I'm sure more folks will wander in, but we're going to get started"

"you aren't tc =P", says Almandot.

Chiefsgirl says, "I'd like to welcome you all to tonight's Meet & Greet"

Chiefsgirl says, "Every week we get to meet another Fed personality"

Chiefsgirl says, "Tonight our guest is Almandot, the first Duchess to solve the reinstated duke puzzle"

Chiefsgirl peers at Almandot

Almandot wiggles for CG

Chiefsgirl says, "Al will tell us a little about hmself"

"And field questions and comments, so you all feel free to jump in", smiles Chiefsgirl.

Fancy says, "Or herself, as appropriate..."

Almandot says, "first duchess to solve....tell us a little about himself? ;P :scratches the head:"

Chiefsgirl plops back on her barstool and claps wildly

Almandot smiles, "Well"

Almandot plops on CG's lap and starts

Almandot says, "I am Almandot :) The name Krystalline won't even be able to figure out ;P"

"I started FED beginning/mid November 96...", says Almandot.

"Whoo, sounds like a challenge to Krystalline.", smiles Fancy.

Eggbogg smiles, "are you sure?"

Almandot winks and says, "yes very sure"

Almandot says, "I hauled manually and such to captain, got to adventurer, and was fortunate enough to get to search for the gm 2 and a half months :P"

Almandot says, "I think he was in horsell or something"

Chiefsgirl exclaims, "Yeow!"

Chiefsgirl thought 3 weeks was a long time

"cuz I searched everywhere every planet everytime :P", says Almandot.

"and after finally finding him(there was much rejoicing ;P ) I make trader FINALLY...and DD in arena cuz I didn't wanna search for an insurance office and aol lag didn't let me j sol in time ;P", says Almandot.

Chiefsgirl groans

Almandot gives thanks to Faster and Devoid for it even though it's not their fault ;)

"But I worked my way up eventually again and get to JP, spend a month straight nonstop snarking only to have the thing broken on me before I can solve it :P", says Almandot.

Chiefsgirl asks, "Did you always enjoy the puzzles around here, Al?"

"Not that you had to do it to promote", says Jaime.

Almandot says, "Not player planet ones...Usually because of them being limited to get drop give and walk in events they were dull."

Almandot says, "there are quite a few good ones though"

Almandot winks and says, "before Jaime gets defensive"

Jaime hums.

"hmmmmmmmmmmm... I better change a few things of my puzzle", smiles Andy.

Fancy wishes we could make more elaborate puzzles.

"How did you get interested in doing the puzzles?", asks Chiefsgirl.

"Let's all just forget Al's here and speak randomly", says Jaime.

"yes I wish that too fancy unfortunately you'd end up with such impossible things to figure out it'd be pretty rediculous even compared to objects with random names now", says Almandot.

Almandot winks and says, "I never got interested in them just kinda did them"

Almandot says, "Was interested in snark cuz I'd seen something from it in the TOUR, was interested in duke puzzle cuz i needed it to promote"

Chiefsgirl nods

Almandot says, "and am interested in Temposs simply cuz it's being pounded into me to go solve by a certain PO ;P"

"gosh I sure hope mine stands up to todays standards", says Andy.

"And you won't believe all the hair brained ideas he had for the duke puzzle", says Jaime with a wink.

"Well at least I had a few that worked and didn't give a debate about why they wouldn't work and then they worked jaime", says Almandot with a wink.

Chiefsgirl asks, "ok, but we've skipped the early years... how long did it take you to get your own planet, Al?"

Almandot says, "18 months"

Tgap falls off his stool

Almandot winks and says, "and after getting my planet, it took another 6 months to get past squire"

"So you weren't on the fast track then", says Chiefsgirl with a wink.

Chiefsgirl giggles

"erm wait took 9 months to get past squire", says Almandot.

"nope ;) ever since the GM search I've been cursed :P", says Almandot.

Fancy counts from 11/96 to 5/98 to 11/98...

Starangel says, "You are worse than I am Almandot"

Pvtberserk has been playing only since Dec 98

Starangel says, "Would have been past Squire in about 2 months"

Chiefsgirl laughs

"How did you name your planet? any special meaning?", asks Chiefsgirl.

Almandot winks and says, "Yes well with hauling, my agri ex made about 15 megs a day"

Starangel says, "Mine mad less than that"

"Yes, as is Almandot, TRE Empire(not Tree Empire) is somethin from rl ;) It's an inside joke kinda while Almandot is just somethin", says Almandot.

Almandot says, "TRE is a kind of made up company name(named my company it too ;) )"

Fancy asks, "Is it supposed to stand for anything?"

"yes and I could tell you but then I'd have to be killed :P", says Almandot.

"as would you", says Almandot with a wink.

Chiefsgirl laughs

"And none of us would want that, would we?", asks Jaime.

Almandot says, "well maybe you jaime ;P"

"We might all be prepared to die if it's worthwhile", says Chiefsgirl with a wink.

Chiefsgirl has given Almandot a friendly tickle!

"the E stands for Enterprises and the T and R are part of names is all", says Almandot with a wink.

Almandot dodges the bullet

Eggbogg eats the bullet

Andy asks, "Enterprises to reposess?"

"Like Thomas and Rowe, maybe...", says Fancy.

Almandot winks and says, "yes, only not Thomas and Rowe"

Andy giggles

Andy says, "Tony and Ronald"

Chiefsgirl smiles

Almandot notes this is not Guess My Secret ;P

"darn", says Andy.

Jaime winks and says, "Let's just get off the TRE now"

"Ok, what about your name? Any significance there?", asks Chiefsgirl.

Almandot asks, "Almandot?"

Fancy tries hard not to burst out laughing.

"No significance whatsoever ;P I might just as well be called Elvis :P", says Almandot.

Dodgin the CIA B), Elvis has just arrived.

Elvis struts a little

"The Real Elvis...", says Fancy.

"Well speak of the devil ;P", says Almandot.

"I want to ask you about all the events you participate in", says Chiefsgirl.

Almandot smiles, "Oooh the events"

"I see you everywhere... do you enjoy them all or just want to be here a lot and show support?", asks Chiefsgirl.

Almandot says, "I do all events any events anywhere anytime, exploring, trivial, fighting etc.."

Almandot says, "I do it for fun. It's what's left that's fun in the game in my opinion"

Chiefsgirl nods

"And the time. Can't forget that", says Jaime.

"A lot of people I know only are in FED still for the events, as am I pretty much", says Almandot.

"Well Jaime, I play to win time so I can play more:P", says Almandot.

Chiefsgirl asks, "So if there were no events, you would leave?"

"Ditto", says Fancy.

Almandot winks and says, "Well I wouldn't leave just would pretty much come on, do a who just to feel like I did something, and leave"

Chiefsgirl asks, "Do you have a favorite event? one you try to never miss?"

"Hrm...Well not really... THe exploring ones are my least favorite but I still enjoy them so I do them...:::crosses out team flag hideandseek seekorhide and scavenger:::", says Almandot.

"What do you think your best event is?", asks Chiefsgirl.

"Trivial I do mostly for the competition with people such as fancy...", says Almandot.

Fancy smiles and bows slightly.

Almandot says, "I'd have to say my favorite and Best event is BZ"

Almandot says, "Blood Zone"

Chiefsgirl asks, "And why is that?"

Almandot says, "The Retroviruses have been together for quite a while now, we've been a team and a dominating one for quite some time"

Chiefsgirl asks, "Do you all practice together before the event?"

Almandot says, "Although we pick on each other make fun of each other (mostly me ;P ) we're all friends together etc... and enjoy comin onto FED every weekend to have fun"

Almandot says, "We use to. We had battle plans, strategies, codes, etc... and took fighting from one strategy to another to another when each got figured out"

Chiefsgirl asks, "So what strategy do you use now?"

Almandot says, "Eventually we've taken fighting to the point where we've eliminated most old forms of fighting and taken it to about only 2 types if ya wanna have a chance"

"In single fights, I used to hit and run...hit and run hit and run...But then the trend in single fighting became to sit and shoot a bunch, and with lag and slow connections and speeds for me and fast ones for them, I was killed every time every week an", says Almandot.

Almandot says, "So rather than sit and shoot all the time which would be very boring and I'd die anyways cuz of slow connections I kind of mixxed the two"

"I can't really explain my strategy every single time, that's just the basic. It changes every fight according to what I pick up my opponent is doing", says Almandot.

Chiefsgirl nods

Almandot says, "My opponent is sitting and shooting, I wait off elsewhere forcing them to shoot and when they do that I start picking them off a bit before they can start up again sit and shooting, do it again and again"

Chiefsgirl looks at the audience, "Any questions for Al so far?"

"Someone's running all over the place i'll try and find their pattern etc...", says Almandot.

Almandot says, "No I'm one of the more boring guests on MeetnGreet so doubt there will be ;P"

Jaime asks, "Sure. What's the capital of Hawaii?"

Hof learned to Team Fight with the Retros :) and enjoys their spirit each week at BZ

Chiefsgirl says, "no one's ever been boring"

"Honolulu", says Almandot.

"ever think about teaching a fighting class Almandot??", asks Bsacarl.

"Talk about the sex change...", says Derekj with a wink.

Almandot says, "No need to bsa"

Fancy starts burbling with surpressed chuckles...

"Why not, Al?", asks Derekj.

Almandot says, "Everyone has their own strategies and for me to teach a class I'd just be teaching my views on what to do in situations which might work for some but not for others"

"What about those who have no clue?", asks Derekj.

"and I haven't seen much interest in newbie fighters coming to fighting events for months and months", says Almandot.

"Derek, buy a ship and come join in", says Chiefsgirl.

Bsacarl says, "yes...there are some :::cough::: that have never attempted to fight"

"I guess you missed my attempt at fighting...", smiles Derekj.

Chiefsgirl thinks the best way to learn is to just jump in

"heh maybe I did", says Almandot with a wink.

Chiefsgirl says, "oh Derek, I used to be horrible... died instantly"

Almandot says, "nod to CG. I learned from typeing help fighting and reading their information(telling me nothing basicall) but took on people for the heck of it and worked on it"

Hof would suggest a few practices

Bsacarl ponders jumping

Chiefsgirl holds a net for Carl

Elvis has just left.

"Elvis has left the building", says Almandot.

"Just what I was about to say", says Fancy.

Derekj winks and says, "That was Elvis? his diguise was soooo good!"

Almandot says, "And if you really must know about the sex change...(who asked about it?)"

Derekj raises his hand.

Almandot says, "I did it quite a while ago, got pestured to change it back so did ;P Then did it again a few weeks or so before I solved the puzzle"

"Why did you do it? I think that's the question", says Chiefsgirl.

Chiefsgirl smiles

Almandot has several reasons

Jaime knows one of them...what he believes to be the main one.

"I was feeling bad shooting all the women down in fighting events...", says Almandot.

Chiefsgirl laughs

Almandot winks and says, "the one Jaime's thinking of"

"and why not be the other sex for once? :bounces around: It's fun", says Almandot with a wink.

"Which is what?", asks Chiefsgirl.

Almandot says, "I dunno. Just he's probably thinking of a very good reason ;P"

Fancy thinks of SNL's "It's Pat"...

Almandot smiles

Jaime would hope he was thinking of a very good reason.

Chiefsgirl asks, "Now, about the duke puzzle, did you always want to be a duke?"

Chiefsgirl notices your duchy is closed

"ummm... duchess?", asks Derekj.

"Yes my duchy is closed cuz I was changing my arena and ran out of credits, finally got some credited now and had to save them up for today", says Almandot with a wink.

Almandot says, "I always wanted a porter and to be able to see what loc # people are in. So I guess that makes it so I always wanted to be a Duchess but that coulda been a Senator Ib staff or host too :Shrugs: ;P"

Chiefsgirl smiles

Chiefsgirl asks, "about how many warps did you do before you solved the puzzle?"

"and to be able to spy the majority of FED...and although a lot are this rank now, I got a night or so where they weren't", says Almandot with a wink.

Jaime waits for the answer to this one.

"hrm", says Almandot.

"So did you spy me Almandot??", asks Ron.

"lemme count my logs", says Almandot.

"Can it be counted on your fingers and toes?", asks Fancy.

Jaime says, "Misses it by a bit, Fancy"

Chiefsgirl laughs

Almandot says, "12-13 times or so"

"and 2 more after solving", says Almandot.

Almandot says, "not by that much Jaime :P"

Jaime says, "I remember saying a bit :p"

"Well, 15 could be counted on one's fingers and toes...", says Fancy.

Almandot says, "come on if I'm boring ask somethin and get me started :P"

"Anyone have any questions?", asks Chiefsgirl.

Jaime asks, "Ok, then. This two more after solving part...golly, I wonder what that's all about?"

Ron says, "it hasn't changed since the last time fancy"

Almandot says, "Shrug I was bored so got on a trip with someone :P was kinda hilarious. They'd do something and not solve...I'd get an IM from the person trying saying Little do they know I did this...and the other would tb me I bet they don't know they did this"

Chiefsgirl asks, "Are you enjoying being a duchess?"

Almandot says, "cuz I was supposedly the only one who knew the answer publically even though so many knew the answer in fed already"

"Duchess isn't really any different cept I don't have to bother with the Ex flag when changing my planet", says Almandot with a wink.

"and I can tickle attack people easier with the spynet report", smiles Almandot.

Fancy grins.

Chiefsgirl smiles

Chiefsgirl knows not all new dukes are as thrilled

"Who wrote To Kill a Mockingbird?", asks Jaime.

"shrug they want their ex's back and all but if ya aren't gonna set upa huge trading economy there's other ways of keeping your treasury up if that's what's buggin ya", says Almandot.

"By the way, can you still start a health or security build at Duchess?", asks Fancy.

Jaime is trying, anyways.

Almandot says, "that I don't know...doubt it though cuz the build info is gone in your di"

Chiefsgirl asks, "Any other questions for Al?"

"What's the square root of the sum of the squares of the two legs of a right triangle?", asks Jaime.

Chiefsgirl giggles

Almandot says, "x"

Hof smiles, "No no more builds at Duke are allowed , right now ....hopefully more codes coming"

Almandot smiles, "nod I want my battleship builds"

Derekj asks, "battleship builds?"

Chiefsgirl asks, "What do you see for the future Al? for yourself and for Fed?"

Almandot says, "the game itself FED is dead :P"

"no hope of revival with the game as it is so :shrugs: bye bye Fed good luck with AoA and Barberossa", says Almandot.

"what do you mean by that exactly?", asks Ranger.

Almandot winks and says, "As far as for myself I'm happily with the retros and few other friends on 3kingdoms"

"the whole economic game of trading and building stuff is dead and stuff =P Even if you took everyone's groats away like kellbo suggested it wouldn't do anything cuz everyone would make them back in no time without doing anything", says Almandot.

"clearing everyone's account wouldn't do anything either if they even did it(they wouldn't cuz people paid to get to where they are) because whoever actually tries to get back where they are has mastered the game and will do it with ease", says Almandot.

Almandot says, "and everyone else will quit cuz they don't care"

Hof hasn't seen the sky falling in a long time ;)

Ranger says, "very good point"

"The game is still a nice creative place ya might wanna create a fun planet or character or somethin to go around as but the game itself? bla nothing", says Almandot.

Almandot says, "Now they could do stuff to make the game revive but it would take forever seeing as how they did with duke puzzle"

"I want to thank you for being the guest tonight Al", smiles Chiefsgirl.

"what did you think of the duke puzzle al?", asks Ranger.

Chiefsgirl smiles, "I hope you'll all join me next week when the guest will be Duke Cyto"

Almandot says, "I thought of about 20 better endings"

Jaime asks, "Will Cyto be here?"

Chiefsgirl nods

Jaime winks and says, "I think I'll have to tell him what Al's neglected to mention"

Almandot says, "Hey CG how come the second and third duke/duchesses get pushed so far back and everyone else got before us when we solved soon after jopejope and jope got in right after he solved? ;P"

Chiefsgirl says, "Because I already had guests booked"

"Then everyone started solving", says Chiefsgirl.

Almandot says, ":P"

Ranger says, "she does her own booking"

Chiefsgirl says, "Kellbo was booked before he was even a duke"

"So, I started grabbing you as you solved it and booking a date for this", says Chiefsgirl.

"I had to listen to Kellbo for about 36 hours scrolling my IMs and tbs asking for puzz answer ;P", says Almandot.

Chiefsgirl says, "Turned out my first opening were Feb and March"

Almandot winks and says, "Anyways I go to Hideandseek now if we done"