MEET AND GREET WITH NIMAT

Wednesday September 17, 2008

Examine Adventurer Nimat
Nimat is a young, tall, attractive man dressed in black jeans, a black t-shirt, and a black beret. He wears a large silver hoop in each ear, which vaguely come to a point at the top. His long, silvery hair falls down his

Chez Diesel ( Social Center of the Solar System)
This bar is one of the few constants in this ever-changing world - Diesel has been a leading light in Mars culture for centuries.
The centerpiece of the room is a large fountain made of white marble, which has been decorated with intricate abstract designs. The water changes color every few minutes, and the gushing upjet changes speed and direction, sometimes sprinkling the drinkers with water. Shoals of tiny robotic fish dart around in the rippling pool, chasing a floating shamrock left over from a party.
The decor is black, the fittings chrome, and the seats are the plushest, most comfortable leather sofas ever invented. The walls are covered with a thick, soft fabric so that anybody collapsing against them will be cushioned as they slide to the ground.
A shiny new electronic piano sits in one corner, and an elderly Arcturian uses his four arms to good effect to play requests.
A large spiral staircase leads through a trapdoor onto the roof of the bar.

Meteu says, "Shall we get started? Yes ok then"

Nimat says, "sure."

Meteu duct tapes Nimat to the chair.

Nimat has bought you a Tarquian Zamooz. It comes in 5 glasses ranging to the size of a thimble up to a large water glass. The smallest contains flaming red liquid and the largest a bluish liquid with chips of ice and what appears to be fog coming out of it. The waiter winks at you and says "I'd start with the smallest and work my way up, if I were you!"

Nimat looks down.

Nimat asks, "was that really necessary?"

Nimat laughs.

Meteu smiles, "By tradition yes, yes it is:)"

Amalee laughs too, "How strong is this stuff?"

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

Nimat says, "doing well, actually, all things considered."

Nimat looks at the duct tape...

Meteu smiles, "Thats good, lets start with the easy questions:)"

Meteu asks, "What brought you here to Fed?"

Nimat asks, "this time, or originally?"

Meteu says, "Both if you don't mind"

Nimat says, "well, first time was an ad on AOL... one of the few logon spams I ever paid attention to."

Nimat says, "that's when you still had to pay by the hour."

Nimat drawls, "and I left Fed sometime in late 2001 or 2..."

Nimat says, "and lately, I've just missed the community. I've tried a couple of other games, and they just didn't have the community Fed had."

Nimat says, "so, one day, I decided to see if Fed was still around... and lo and behold, here I am."

Nimat says, "many of the other games I've tried were expensive, had more graphics, and more people, but didn't have the sense of "home" that Fed does."

Meteu asks, "Where did you like to hang out when you where playing Classic?"

Nimat says, "that varied from year to year... I spent a lot of time in the duchies of Chloe, Camp, and Serenity... and of course, at the end, in my own Duchy, ScoutRanch."

Meteu asks, "Ahha duchies, what did you think of them?"

Nimat says, "oh, and early on, was a member of the Terran Council Guild."

Racingnut chuckles

Racingnut remembers the guild wars

Nimat says, "they were a product of their time. With the numbers of people that were on at the time, especially once AOL went free, you needed some organization."

Meteu asks, "Do you think they'll make a comeback here?"

Nimat shudders, trying not to remember guild wars.

Nimat says, "I think something of the sort will probably materialize eventually."

Nimat says, "Bella only knows."

Nimat winks.

Nimat drawls, "but I have no intention of saving the galaxy from a fate worse than death again..."

Nimat says, "well, at least not for quite a while."

Meteu asks, "Did you ever hire out your hauling in Classic?"

Nimat says, "all the time."

Nimat says, "but often to a hauler alt."

Nimat says, "when there wasn't a real hauler that wanted the work."

Meteu asks, "Now I've heard stories about hiring out hauling, how did that work?"

Nimat says, "well, you could hire out jobs, either directly or by putting them up on the workboard."

Nimat says, "you have to remember, though, that we had it easy with hauling back then... you could stay in your spaceship the whole time."

Nimat says, "It's been quite a while, I don't remember all of the details."

Meteu asks, "Yeah, is there anything you miss about Classic?"

Nimat says, "though it's going to take a long time for me to break the habit of 'enter, in, n.'"

Nimat says, "so far, I've been pretty happy with most of the changes... Classic, in the end, had some real problems which have largely been fixed."

Meteu asks, "What do you like best about Fed2?"

Nimat says, "for example, no one really spent much time in the lower ranks... you just got bought out... and if you DD'd, friends could buy you back to PO in like 2 weeks."

Racingnut says, "or less"

Nimat says, "It made for a very top-heavy game."

Nimat says, "yeah, you're right, Racingnut."

Racingnut made it from GH to PO in 18hrs after DDing

Nimat says, "soon, everyone was either a PO or an alt... people who were just joining the game had little chance to really experience it."

Nimat nods to RN.

Nimat says, "in a way, I like the fact that you have to take your time to advance in Fed2... Lower-rank characters actually get to take the time to enjoy the game. It's more like Fed was when I first started playing."

Meteu asks, "How did you go about choosing your character name?"

Nimat laughs.

Nimat says, "well, Nimat means "Brother" in Lenni-Lenape, supposedly."

Nimat says, "it's the language of the Delaware Indians the Order of the Arrow, in the Boy Scouts of America, is based on."

Meteu says, "Ah, so I've been informed"

Meteu smiles

Nimat says, "Scouting meant a lot to me in my youth... still would, if I were allowed to be a member."

Nimat laughs.

Nimat says, "Meteu also comes from the same source, though that's your story to tell."

Nimat winks.

Meteu asks, "What do you like best about your realtively short time in Fed2?"

Nimat says, "the sense of community seems to still be here. Even though there are less people on at a time than when I left classic Fed, it still seems to be "home"."

Nimat says, "and I like the fact that it is much like classic Fed, but then it's not... 200 years does change some things."

Meteu says, "A lot of people have said that, I've found that I like it much better than my old favorite."

Meteu asks, "Have you started thinking about your planet yet?"

Nimat says, "yes."

Nimat says, "part of me misses ScoutRanch, but I don't think I'll recreate that."

Nimat says, "I think I'll use the world of a novel I'm working on as a basis."

Meteu asks, "Care to share any ideas for your new planet?"

Nimat says, "well, my character is "parthuman"... the other part, I'm beginning to realize, is Elvish."

Meteu smiles, "This could get interesting:)"

Nimat says, "most people don't know that the Elves are a spacefaring race, have been since many millenia ago."

Nimat drawls, "but they fled the solar system about when humans started to travel around in space, mucking around with time travel and such..."

Meteu asks, "What do you think could make Fed better?"

Nimat says, "I'm just beginning my research on the subject, but I think I might be able to find where they went."

Nimat thinks.

Meteu says, "I offer my services should you need them."

Nimat says, "well, I think it would be cool to have more new players that weren't like me - who weren't returning players from "the good old days"... but I don't know how to do that."

Meteu says, "I think thats the million dollar question"

Racingnut asks, "hehe u mean the days of maybe a 14.4 baud conn if you were lucky or 2400 if u werent? those good ole days?"

Nimat says, "I think it would be nice to reach out to players with disabilities, too."

Nimat laughs.

Meteu asks, "Are there any questions for Nimat from the peanut gallery?"

Nimat says, "too true, RN, too true."

Amalee says, "I have a question"

Meteu asks, "We have a few blind players that I am aware of plus myself:) Amalee what is your question?"

Amalee asks, "I was just wondering, what does a semi-newbie like myself have to do to make and keep friends? How do I meet people when I can't leave the solar system? Any advice?"

Nimat says, "cool. I like the fact that Fed is the type of game that people with disabilities CAN play."

Nimat smiles.

Nimat drawls, "well..."

Racingnut draws up his feet onto the table rocks back and promptly falls over with a crash

Nimat says, "just talk to people, on the comms, especially. Get involved in the conversations, and be patient... I actually haven't found anyone that I knew from Classic very well... Though I do remember RN here."

Nimat pokes Racingnut.

Racingnut says, "hehe indeed"

Racingnut says, "i remember scoutranch"

Meteu asks, "Would you care to share a bit about scoutranch?"

Nimat says, "sure. It was a carpenter-award winning planet. (Alsatian's review is in the archives on the site.)"

[Editor's note - read it here]

Racingnut nods

Nimat says, "it was put together with bits and pieces from old Earth Scout Camps."

Nimat says, "the most beautiful lake trail, inspired by Camp Tahosa in Colorado, the Tooth of Time from Philmont in New Mexico, etc."

Nimat drawls, "and, one trail I'm still most proud of..."

Meteu sits on the edge of his chair

Nimat says, "the trail where, for the first time in my life, I came out as a gay man... explaining my "trail" as a gay Eagle Scout."

Amalee says, "wow, awesome"

Nimat says, "Scoutranch was somewhere special for me... One of the things I was most excited to see when I re-found Fed was that the review was still there."

Meteu says, "We have a lot of the Classic stuff, just not the game, which saddens me I've heard that it was an awesome game."

Meteu asks, "Any other questions for Nimat?"

Nimat says, "it was, which is not to say that Fed2 doesn't have some special things, too."

Meteu asks, "Did you have a spybeam in Classic?"

Nimat says, "of course."

Racingnut asks, "lol who didnt meteu?"

Nimat says, "the cool thing about being a Duke is that you could spy on (almost) anyone."

Meteu smiles, "When you say almost anyone?:)"

Nimat says, "you couldn't spy on people of equal rank... so no Dukes or Duchesses... or, of course, staff."

Meteu asks, "Do you miss those?"

Nimat asks, "sure... Though I wouldn't be able to use it much as an Adventurer, now, would I?"

Nimat drawls, "I really miss my teleporter, though..."

Nimat says, "what a cool piece of technology."

Nimat says, "expensive... but cool."

Meteu says, "Ah teleporters, I heard they were shall we say very popular"

Racingnut grins

Nimat drawls, "yeah... Well, you had to be a Baron (Leisure world), and they took like 6 or 7 big builds..."

Nimat says, "not everyone had them, but they were sorta a status symbol."

Meteu asks, "Any other questions for Nimat?"

Nimat says, "the iPhone of classic Fed."

Racingnut says, "as long as u didnt teleport into space or a death trap they were wonderful"

Nimat nods.

Nimat says, "many a Baron(ess) or Duke(chess) DD'd that way."

Meteu says, "If there are no other questions I'm going to cut him loose"

Nimat says, "I love how all hospitals sell insurance now."

Racingnut says, "oh yes especially if u tried teleporting into ron's planet"

Nimat had a handy scout knife the whole time.

Meteu asks, "Who's planet?"

Nimat winks.

Meteu shows Nimat his whitlin chip and pulls out his own knife and cuts the tape free.

Racingnut says, "Ron i believe was his name..his entire planet was a death trap"

Amalee asks, "I have another question...if I may?"

Nimat says, "yep. I'd forgotten Ron until you said that."

Nimat says, "sure."

Meteu says, "Certainly"

Nimat says, "I'll even stay here without the duct tape."

Amalee asks, "Do you have your own planet? And if so, what's the most important part of making a planet special?"

Nimat says, "I am just an adventurer now, so I can't answer that at this point."

Amalee says, "Okay that's cool"

Amalee smiles

Amalee starts with the smallest drink

Meteu asks, "Are there any other questions?"

Amalee asks, "are you really gay?"

Racingnut takes the biggest glass and chugs it right down

Nimat says, "queer as a three dollar bill."

Amalee says, "cool, I'm a lesbian myself"

Nimat smiles.

Racingnut starts looking for the door

Amalee asks, "Are there a lot of gay players that you've found, or are we a minority?"

Nimat says, "don't worry, Racingnut."

Nimat says, "just like anywhere else, sweetie, we're a minority."

Racingnut winks, "not in here ur not ;)"

Nimat laughs.

Amalee laughs, "I'm glad I'm not the only one"

With a roar of outrage, Diesel picks her baseball bat up off the bar and wallops Racingnut round the head. Ouch, that must have hurt!

Nimat says, "not that it really matters, but in a way, Fed was a huge part of my coming out process... probably part of why I feel at home here."

Nimat asks, "what did you do to deserve that?"

Meteu says, "he groped her"

Nimat laughs!

Racingnut exclaims, "what a woman!"

Amalee laughs

Meteu says, "Well, that concludes our Meet and Greet for this week, thank you Nimat for stepping up at the last minute"

Nimat asks, "RN, what was your planet name in Classic Fed?"

Racingnut says, "Grandstand"

Nimat says, "no problem, Meteu."

Nimat nods.

Amalee says, "This was fun"

Racingnut says, "its the one i got here now but its...different"

Nimat says, "I remember it. I think we were duchy mates at one point."

Racingnut asks, "socal?"

Racingnut asks, "or 3d?"

Nimat says, "nope... though I think there was a close trading tie with one of those and one of the duchies I was in at one time, might have been Chloe."

Racingnut says, "indeed"

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