M1N - Day 3

Gambling! That's the thing I didn't expect in M1N. The idle gambling to kill the time. We bet low-value items like lasers on how big research results would be or other minor occurrences that happen from time to time while in the fleet chat. M1N also has a privately-administered new fleet forum and it is definitely better than the run-of-the-mill forums available for free via other sites. I still personally like Forumotion a lot for my now non-existent fleet forum needs, but I admit that this is a sweeter setup.

M1N is otherwise what I expected - a sprawling triple fleet (the main fleet, the training fleet, a spin-off fleet) with a lot of members who could be called loose cannons, if that sort of behavior wasn't the M1n credo. In fact, just today there is an outstanding issue with a member of one of the associated M#N fleets who is attacking a whole other fleet and keeping them in the shipyard over a relatively minor issue. I do expect it to be settled soon.

Like the other big fleets I have been in since I started this journal (TBH, DEV), M1N has a large labcoat and a huge private area devoted to the most efficient equipment builds for both battle and research. Lest anyone think that these guys are all full-on chaos and doing craziness all the time, there is (disappointing to some, I would guess) some method to the madness. I am interested to see how organized their war efforts are.

It also appears that like DEV, there is a bit of philanthropy in the works for the future, but this sort of big players giving to the smaller looks as if it's more directed at bringing up the smaller M#N players than to donating to the game at large. This may change soon, and I certainly think that more contests that give things to regular players is a good idea. Especially since it seems these days there are contests about once a week or more often.

M1N - Day 1

This started out about how I expected. 

Subject     MM: Welcome to Qilapid and Quetzali!
Please give a warm welcome to recent visitors from the Q Continuum!

I will give you the same speech I give all new recruits (along with the gift basket):

"Welcome to the M1NISTRY. We like to keep it simple, there are no lords or serfs here, and no rings to kiss; just a simple chain of command between fleet divisions.

Play as you like - and be prepared to stand up for your own actions.
Ultimately, there is only one rule: Deliver results or pay with your ass!"

 Certainly a different welcome than the Dare Devils. Should be interesting.

TBH - encapsulated

It was fun to spend the holiday weekend back in TBH. They were my home fleet for many months as I built up my character and I owe Kelsek, Ceymz, Terarn, Ebony Phoenix and all the rest a great deal as a SP player. Also to Dream Hunter, Willowman, and the Yeti (who also left)

I can't pretend to be objective about TBH here - they're all friends and were my fleet for a long time. Kelsek's fleet leadership is quiet, logical, and smart. Nothing much has changed since I left, but they admittedly aren't the most active fleet. Once, though, they (we!) were among the most powerful and still are one of the most respected fleets in the game. I think they had the first major lab coat (enough class 3 energy techs and cyberpositronic AIs to fill a dread) for rent and have always had an interesting RP storyline. As zealots devoted to the return to Earth at any cost, there was always a great deal of fun to be had screaming "for the Mother" and calling other fleets heretics, unbelievers and infidels.

Lest you think they are an easy target, though, I would warn that this sleepy giant, once roused, is always up for a fun, fast-paced war. They may just surprise the unwary. Also, they were always a lot of fun. Which is why we got together and redid the fleet page for Halloween. I'm almost sorry to be leaving again to continue wandering the fleets.

In any case - on to M1N!