MEET AND GREET WITH BUDDY

Wednesday November 19, 2008

Examine Gengineer Buddy
Buddy wears a form-fitting orange utility flight suit with many pockets and zippered compartments to store things. On his feet are black, shiny, leather boots that reflect your image when you look at them. He smiles at you
Buddy is in posession of a multi-dimensional keyring made by the prestigious TenBrane Corp. If you look carefully you can see the glow of the macro-superstring logo. It has on it an executive washroom key. The ornate key is a much sought after key to the Galactic Administration executive washroom, and is genetically coded to its owner.

Buddy sits under the bare lightbulb

You hear a series of melodic notes - Buddy is attempting to play a kalindra, and failing to produce anything coherent or with artistic merit.

Buddy has bought you a neat glass of Android Gin distilled directly inside his android body...don't mind the bits of positronic residue, it's good for you! Trust him;)

Buddy puts away his digital tablet and straightens his uniform

Buddy adjusts in his chair and shields his eyes from the bright light from the bare bulb over his head

Meteu asks, "Shall we get started?"

Buddy says, "sure"

Meteu asks, "Good evening Buddy, how are you tonight?"

Buddy says, "doing well thanks"

Buddy runs a quick diagnostic and nods

Meteu asks, "Lets start with the basics, what brough you to Fed?"

Buddy says, "I was browsing on AOL at work one day and it caught my eye"

Buddy says, "way back in August of 1997"

Buddy says, "I liked what I experienced so I decided to stay"

Meteu smiles, "Browsing at work, I wish I had your day job:)"

Buddy says, "me too....was outsourced back in June of this year...lol"

Meteu asks, "What was your rank and all that back then if you can remember?"

Buddy says, "I made it as far as Duke....had the duchy of Parkland"

Meteu asks, "and Duke entailed what back then?"

Eve thinks she visited there

Buddy says, "highest rank there was...you were the head of a group of planets....of which you had to coax folks to move their planets to"

Dinger is not sure he remembers Parkland

Meteu asks, "Hence Slarties?"

Buddy nods

Buddy says, "well, Slarties, you went to to design your planet"

Buddy says, "the workbench was in game at that time"

Meteu asks, "Do you know why that wasn't carried over?"

Dinger nods

Buddy says, "Fed became such a bowl of spaghetti code that it was just not possible to port everything"

Buddy says, "now, with the way things are so modular, eventually, we may have the in game workbench again, but for now, other things take priority"

Buddy says, "it just makes it so much more easier for Bella to have things modular"

Buddy says, "easy to add, modify and remove things without disrupting the base code of the game"

Meteu asks, "What do you miss most about Classic Fed?"

Buddy says, "LIMBO!....lol"

Eve says, "Gotta love it"

Meteu asks, "what is/was limbo?"

Shrevo waves at eve

Buddy says, "limbo was a place where folks appeared when the game went down or for a while, when fed was being ported from AOL to the interwebs"

Buddy says, "you could move around, but it was basically a void to hang out in"

Buddy says, "folks soon discovered you could find an emergency exit and sneak out into the cantina and around earth"

Meteu asks, "So it allowed them to connect and chat and find out why the game was down?"

Hobob memories are coming back

Buddy nods

Meteu asks, "Now you are on staff here correct Buddy?"

Buddy says, "yes, I was staff in Classic Fed as well"

Buddy says, "thus my title of Navigator"

Racingnut shouts FED'S UP

Buddy chorckles at RN

Eve remembers Buddy as Nav

Racingnut says, "sorry had to get that out of my system"

Buddy says, "back in Classic Fed, all moderators were called Navigators"

Meteu asks, "What did the moderators do?"

Buddy says, "we basically watch the comms and boards and help out new players to get their space legs"

Meteu asks, "Is that what you do today as well?"

Buddy says, "I am the manager of the moderators. I have a crack staff of mods who report to me and Hazed"

Dinger grins at Racingnut

Meteu asks, "What are some of your duties when you train new staff?"

Racingnut used to be one in a previous life

Buddy says, "I also train all staff members who come on board. I put them through boot camp and go over the duties and guide books and make sure they are ready to join the staff"

Buddy says, "when they meet the muster, I give my stamp of approval to Hazed"

Buddy says, "the stamp fades after about three weeks"

Buddy says, "and we have only had one person who had an allergic reaction to the ink"

Eve asks, "Fades?"

Eve says, "oh"

Eve shakes her head

Buddy chorckles

Buddy says, "also, for a while, I produced the Sam Galaxy comic for the star"

Meteu asks, "Sam Galaxy?"

Buddy says, "yes, a web comic based on a private detective who lived within fed dataspace"

Buddy says, "it is still on the ibgames website if you'd like to check it out"

Eve cleans her glasses so she can hear better.

Buddy says, "wasn't sure how many folks read it, but it was fun to produce"

Meteu asks, "You stopped producing it?"

Buddy says, "it ran its course after four series"

Eve raises her hand to ask a question.

Buddy says, "I may revisit it after a while, but for now I am concentrating on getting my original comic back up and running"

Buddy asks, "yes, Eve?"

Eve asks, "Were you the one who made the flash things for the Fed Survival game?"

Buddy says, "oh yes...that was me"

Eve laughs

Buddy chorckles and remembers those

Eve says, "That was great"

Buddy says, "I'm glad you enjoyed it"

Buddy smiles

Eve says, "I was one of your characters"

Buddy says, "it started as something poking fun of it and turned out to spoof it full on"

Eve laughs at herself

Buddy nods and remembers

Buddy should put those back up on his website

Eve says, "It was great I hope you can do some other things similar."

Eve will sit down and be quiet now.

Meteu asks, "what is the Fed Survival game?"

Eve whispers a thank you to Meteu.

Buddy says, "which is why I did Sam Galaxy...I wanted to do something that took place in the Federverse"

Buddy says, "it was just like Survivor but inside the game of Fed"

Meteu says, "Thats cool."

Eve nods.

Meteu says, "I'm going to officially open the floor for anyone that may have questions"

Eve looks around giggling softly, "I was unofficial"

Buddy snickers

Meteu says, "Any questions for Buddy"

Eve says, "Most often asked question: Are you or do you have any alts?""

Eve laughs.

Buddy says, "yes"

Dinger doubts he wanrs to share that info

Buddy says, "yes"

Buddy laughs

Eve says, "Naturally Dinger"

Meteu asks, "Buddy, why did you pick the name?"

Eve says, "But it has to be asked."

Dinger says, "Naturally"

Buddy says, "my original screen name on AOL was Buddykarl...I had wanted to use buddy when we went to the interwebs but it was taken...so when we started Fed2, I grabbed it as it was much shorter than Buddykarl"

Eve snaps her fingers, "That's it!"

Buddy blins

Buddy blinks too

Meteu asks, "Why is it that you play a robot?"

Dinger says, "not BSACarl"

Buddy says, "no, not BSACarl...different player"

Dinger nods

Dinger knew BSAGarl very well

Dinger BSACarl also

Meteu asks, "Any other questions?"

Buddy says, "why a robot? Well, when the Original Fed universe imploded, I was unfortunate enough to be on Parkland at the time....my body was found frozen in space and only my brain could be saved"

Dinger raises his hand

Buddy says, "so they plopped it in an android body and there ya go"

Buddy asks, "yes dinger?"

Dinger what can we expect to see in the future with the game?

Meteu asks, "Are you any relation to Gandroid?"

Buddy gets out his crystal ball and finds it is cracked

Eve frowns.

Buddy says, "sorry...I can't reveal anything of that nature"

Dinger says, "really? Sheesh"

Buddy winks, "only that I am his boss, Meteu;)"

Dinger Winks at Buddy

Buddy says, "okay...in the future, everything will be chrome and we will all fly on magical ships that can pass through the computer screen into real life"

Buddy says, "and all the groats we have in here will magically become real money"

Eve says, "Alright"

Dinger exclaims, "In a pigs eye!"

Eve laughs.

Dinger laughs

Buddy says, "there, I said it...I know my job may in be jeopardy for spilling the beans, but I just couldn't keep it a secret anymore"

Dinger is afraid that he'll believe that when he sees wings on a German Shepard

Eve says, "Forget the magical ships I'll hold out for the real groats"

Buddy says, "that is scheduled for next Christmas Dinger...the wings on the dog thingy"

Meteu says, "Same here."

Dinger chuckles deeply

Buddy says, "yes, but at a tax rate of 98%"

Eve sighs. "One day wer're gonna get something back for all those taxes"

Meteu asks, "Who has something else for Buddy?"

Buddy winks, "a nice bed of dirt to nap in;)"

Eve says, "Kinda hard to ask the head honcho something when you know he can't tell."

Eve winks.

Meteu asks, "Any other questions for Buddy?"

Buddy says, "naw....I am not the head honcho....that's Bella...she runs the federverse"

Meteu asks, "Buddy, whats the most embarassing way you have died?"

Buddy says, "oddly enough, I was in the loo on earth"

Buddy says, "got so into hauling and such, I forgot to eat"

Occy chuckles

Eve grins.

Buddy says, "and died right there in the loo"

Meteu drawls, "What a way to go..."

Eve asks, "Did you have the what's that stuff?"

Dinger says, "I thought it would have been wooosh"

Racingnut says, "crappy way to die"

Dinger says, "was that what it was called"

Dinger asks, "swoosh?"

Buddy says, "whooosh...yeah, had a few bottles of that back in the day"

Eve nods, "Whoosh or something like that."

Dinger says, "help me someone"

Buddy says, "it was Whooosh"

Racingnut says, "and then buddy wrote the idiots guide to committing suicide in the loo"

Dinger says, "yeah, I think your right Eve"

Buddy says, "you'd drink a bottle of that while smoking your Yak 42's"

Racingnut says, "i wish theyd put that back"

Dinger says, "hehehe, sure remember those Yaks"

Buddy asks, "the whooosh or yaks?"

Racingnut says, "yes"

Buddy grins and nods

Meteu asks, "you can get the Yaks while waiting for the Cragon shuttle?"

Occy says, "or getting a certain gem"

Buddy says, "I know Hazed had mentioned something about putting the Yaks back in in some for"

Buddy says, "form"

Meteu asks, "Any other questions for Buddy?"

Dinger says, "I miss "Hauler for Hire""

Eve says, "I was always afraid of dying and loosing all I worked for missed a lot of fun apparently."

Dinger exclaims, "If you need a hauler, just howler!"

Occy asks, "buddy what verison was your first for fed?"

Buddy says, "as long as you were insured, a death was just a death"

Buddy says, "AOL Fed"

Eve says, "Unless you couldn't pay the premium."

Buddy nods as the premiums did go up with each death

Dinger says, "yeah, that wasn't good"

Occy says, "boy did they"

Buddy says, "but of course, back then, people could give you more money"

Eve says, "Loved those toe tags too."

Meteu asks, "How did that hauler for hire thing work?"

Dinger says, "Eve hehehe"

Eve nods to Buddy.

Buddy says, "contracts"

Occy says, "we could put jobs on the board"

Dinger says, "go ahead Buddy"

Eve says, "That was working together to advance"

Buddy says, "that is all I remember"

Buddy laughs

Dinger says, "you could offer jobs directly to a hauler, like a Trader in those days I belive"

Buddy says, "11 years of fed seem to merge together"

Dinger says, "and post to the work board"

Eve says, "Right Dinger"

Occy nods at buddy

Meteu asks, "lowest bidder or did you set the pay at the outset?"

Eve asks, "Eleven years?"

Buddy smacks his knee and points to Dinger...."that's right!"

Dinger says, "then he expected a tip at the end"

Buddy says, "August of 1997 I started playing fed"

Buddy winks, "I usually gave them useful information;)"

Buddy says, "like don't fly into the sun"

Occy chuckles

Eve says, "Some took it some didn't"

Eve puts her hand over her heart and bows her head.

Dinger snickers "yeah good point" says Dinger

Buddy asks, "anyone remember the guilds?"

Eve says, "Seems I missed the hay day of those"

Meijerman says, "i do"

Eve says, "Terran Guild."

Occy says, "the gulds never relly materialized'"

Dinger says, "and seperate channels for Duchies"

Meteu asks, "what were the guilds meant for?"

Eve nods to Dinger.

Buddy nods

Eve says, "Will we ever have duchies."

Dinger says, "open coms I believe were for Buddies rescue team"

Buddy says, "yes, guilds were groups of players at different levels to help one another out"

Eve steals the period and replaces it with a question mark.

Buddy says, "oh yes, the comms were for staff only or emergency"

Buddy says, "we had channel 9 for open chat"

Occy says, "peole where to stupid to turn their coms off so it made a big head ace for everyone else"

Buddy says, "yes, but it won't be called duchies, Eve"

Dinger says, "yeap, I remember that, we had 11 I think"

Buddy says, "it will be something to get systems together, but the final details have not been decided"

Eve listens

Eve says, "I was wondering with a system name and then planet names it would be so complex."

Dinger perks up

Buddy says, "but the details I do not know or how it will even work"

Buddy says, "so anything I do say is speculation"

Occy says, "with 3 planet systems it going to be some what complicated"

Eve says, "Duchies could be fun and competetion was good."

Buddy says, "yes, trying to entice folks away from other duchies to join yours"

Meteu asks, "We have time for one more question, who wants it?"

Occy nods to eve

Dinger says, "Duchy exchanges were none functional, empty shells"

Buddy says, "i used mine as a bar"

Meijerman says, "if duchies come back in will there be taxes on imports from other duchies"

Eve laughs remembering

Dinger says, "papers blew around in mine"

Buddy says, "that would be something to ask Bella, Meijerman"

Eve says, "Red and I spent many a night in those bars."

Meteu asks, "anyone else?"

Eve sighs, "Oh well good times were had now to make more"

Occy has bought you wd 501

Buddy smiles and downs the lubricant

Buddy says, "thank ye"

Meteu asks, "No one?"

Eve is thinking.

Meteu says, "Thank you for coming tonight Buddy."

Buddy says, "thank you for having me, Meteu"

Dinger stands and applaudes

Buddy winks, "you finally were able to corner me;)"

Eve stands and applauds Buddy.

Buddy chorckles

Buddy says, "and thank you to all the players who make this game so great that I have hung around for so many years"

Meteu says, "Buddy its been a pleasure."

Dinger says, "keep it up Buddy"

Occy says, "it's good to see you out more offteb buddy"

Dinger says, "Good job Met"

Buddy says, "thanks again...if you all enjoyed Sam Galaxy, check out my original strip at www.willowsgrove.com/wordpress"

Occy says, "er often that is"

Eve takes notes.

Dinger says, "I will for sure"

Buddy says, "tell a friend or three...lol....shameless plug"

Buddy smiles, "thanks again, all for coming....I'm off to do more digital inking....:)"

Meteu asks, "Who on the current staff have you trained Buddy?"

Buddy says, "every one of them"

Buddy says, "if you type staff...I have trained them all"

Occy says, "no plug is shameless it just needs to be done"

Meteu says, "Wow"

Eve waves, "Night all"

Meteu says, "Thanks again Buddy"

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