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Podcast title AFS: SITREP
Website URL http://afs-sitrep.blogspot.com...
Description We thought we were alone. We felt secure in our future. Little did we know that we would end up being plunged into an intergalactic war that has been raging for millennia. Learn to embrace the suck, Soldier.
Updated Thu, 11 Dec 2008 08:18:49 -0600
Category Games & Hobbies
Arts
Society & Culture
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Link to this podcast AFS:  SITREP

Episodes

1. AFS-SITREP Episode 12: Perma-death and being far from home.
http://afs-sitrep.blogspot.com... download (audio/mpeg, 6.23Mb)

Description:
Live forever Apes... DISMISSED!

Special thanks to the soldiers that are hopefully looking for me and my Hybrid brothers. Please find us... I don't want to perma-die.

Additional broadcast content provided by Captain Furster, the 42nd Improbability Squad, and the men & women in the field. Send your recordings, tactics, and stories to... AFS.SITREP@GMAIL.COM.


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Throw the SITREP a Digg


2. AFS-SITREP Episode 11: Atta my way, I have Research to do.
http://afs-sitrep.blogspot.com... download (audio/mpeg, 25.74Mb)

Description:
AFS INTEL REPORT (Main Topic):
On the planet of Arieki, west of the Irendas Penal Colony the Atta have built a Huge Hive within the mountain providing themselves solid defense and a home for their queen. After you finish the Hive you normally open up missions for the Phanin Research Facility. As always, the TenTonHammer Division of HQ has all the details you need for success.

DEBRIEFING (News):
TenTonHammer Division got an exclusive look at some of the new changes that the TR Dev Team has made to their Enemy AI.

COMM SIGNALS (Rumors & Gossip):
Patch 1.5 is a mess... graphical glitches, missing textures, clipping errors. Random crashes after 2-4 hours of playtime. The TR Devs keep saying they are working on it.

MAIL CALL (Community Morale):
Last week was "Endgame Experiences", and this week the Poll is about your thoughts to make the community better. I also have a few TR Invites left so if you want to try TR email me. I was on TabulaCast recently chatting about the TR Community.

LOCK & LOAD (Tips & Tactics):
Tips for handling the Atta , anyone have some damn raid?

FOOTLOCKER (Gear & Equipment):
Not much going on this week with Gear breakdown.

SOUNDS FROM HOME (Earth Music):
This was given to me by Pvt. Higgins and he said it was request by his squad to have me play this. It is such a strange choice.

Live forever Apes... DISMISSED!

Special thanks to Private Higgins, the Brann that helped me in Phanin Research, keep the faith all of you.

Additional broadcast content provided by Captain Furster, the 42nd Improbability Squad, and the men & women in the field. Send your recordings, tactics, and stories to... AFS.SITREP@GMAIL.COM.


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Throw the SITREP a Digg


3. Tabula Rasa: State of the Players.
http://afs-sitrep.blogspot.com... download (, 0.00Mb)

Description:
This was written by a great friend of mine, Fallon Foster and simply is too good to just site on our Clan forums. I can say that he has summed up the ongoing issues and complaints perfectly. Hopefully this will not fall on deaf ears.

Mr. Long, if what you have stated in your recent dev blog is true then I'm afraid the player community isn't seeing that in action. There has been very specific criticism against this game from the community that have been addressed in action to varying degrees.

The first was end game content. Many people would reach level 50 and find they had nothing to pursue within the game any longer. I can see that your team has been attempting to rectify this by continually adding content. Personally I am not sure how an ongoing ladder of new instances would resolve this issue. At best it seems to be a stop gap measure; extending the line of static play without offering anything dynamic or long term.

If I were to guess, I would say that many of our new mechanics and systems are meant to rectify just that. The intention is for players to occupy their time with hybrids and crafting and PvP. And this brings up the second complaint: these systems as they have been introduces are all fairly underwhelming. No matter how you choose to refine PvP, it will never appeal to your entire player base. Crafting is something I am sure you've heard more than enough on already. And hybrids, which I can only assume are a response to requests for some form of racial system, have the majority of your community wondering why they'd really bother with it. In each case, we are left with a feeling that these systems are unfinished. That you may have started down a good path, but didn't go far enough with the concept. This could also be said for many more of the systems within TR, but those are the top three.

And as for the final complaint, the persistent bugs and errors, we have seen little if any resolution. When TR launched five months ago there were many documented bugs that were carried over from Beta. We, the community, abided by them however because the game was new and we understand that it wouldn't be perfect out of the gate. However it has been five months since launch and many of these same bugs continue to persist. What's more, many of the recent patchs, very notably 1.5, have added new bugs. And if that weren't enough, when bugs do get fixed it seems that they're only fixed for some random portion of the player base, at least with a good many of the bugs. For some of us, we have yet to see a single bug fix that affects our characters. TR has been live for nearly half a year and yet it still plays as though it's in Beta. With 1.5 the case could be made that it's back in Alpha. Rather than resolving these bugs once and for all, the majority of what we see from your office is on new content and new systems that previous experience tells us will unfortunately be incomplete and introduce more errors into the game.

I believe we all want to see TR do well. Many of us, myself included, have extremely fond memories of UO and came to TR expecting the same level of quality and community we experienced there. None of us expected TR to be perfect instantly, but frankly the last five months have been disappointing. Quite simply, you're hemorrhaging players, or very close to it, and we're all of us looking for a reason to stay with the game. The thought of many is to leave for awhile and then come back some several months down the road in the hope that these things will be resolved then. Of course, if that happens on a large scale there may not be a TR for us to come back to. It is my sincere hope that this is not the future for this innovative game.

Thank you for your time.

Fallon Foster, Founder of the 42nd IS, Eternal Fan of UO, and just one of thousands of fans of Tabula Rasa.


4. AFS-SITREP Episode 10: Getting to know your Host, and an TR Rant.
http://afs-sitrep.blogspot.com... download (audio/mpeg, 21.14Mb)

Description:
AFS INTEL REPORT (Main Topic):
This broadcast is a bit different as it is OOC and I cover a bit about your host, Andrew E. Konietzky. I go over my other sites and my podcasting roots, and how I came to this spot in podcasting. Be sure to visit my personal site, Cranial Jacks and Converse, my audio blog, Neuro's Toxin, and my original fiction site Cortical Seizures. Share and Enjoy.

DEBRIEFING (News):
The meat of this broadcast is my issues and complaints with TR. As I reach level 30 which technically is the powers/abilities cap of this MMO, I talk about the ongoing borked issues such as Missions, Content, etc. Overall, I hope that TR is going to have a very strong dedicated community. Sometimes those make the best gaming experiences.

COMM SIGNALS (Rumors & Gossip):
Now there is a report saying the TR is a financial failure and NCSoft is downsizing the Austin office. Does this mean TR is going bye bye. Who knows but it worries me due to bugs, content, and other things. Recently there was talk of some of the largest Clans currently leaving also due to lack of endgame content.

MAIL CALL (Community Morale):
I discuss the Poll from last week concerning "Should the SITREP be a biweekly show due to sever lack of news or information?" and mention the new poll running this week about your 30+ endgame experiences.

LOCK & LOAD (Tips & Tactics):
Nothing this week.

FOOTLOCKER (Gear & Equipment):
Thanks goes out to BAHernandez from the Pegasus server for making this kick-ass AFS Signature Generator. Be sure to get your sigs made ASAP.

SOUNDS FROM HOME (Earth Music):
We have been getting this really freaky signal for the last two weeks. We have yet to lock down where it is coming from but the name Beeble brox keeps coming up. Give it a listen yourself.

Live forever Apes... DISMISSED!

Special thanks to the soldiers that keep fighting to give us a new home from the Bane.

Additional broadcast content provided by Captain Furster, the 42nd Improbability Squad, and the men & women in the field. Send your recordings, tactics, and stories to... AFS.SITREP@GMAIL.COM.


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Throw the SITREP a Digg


5. AFS-SITREP Episode 9: Forean farmers and Sleestaks.
http://afs-sitrep.blogspot.com... download (audio/mpeg, 13.15Mb)

Description:
AFS INTEL REPORT (Main Topic):
Just relaxing in the Swamp with Jerry, and having a few drinks. Not much going on this week, other then me being forced to play babysitter for my Sleestak brother. ;)

DEBRIEFING (News):
Massively finds a rather nice alternate control scheme in TR for some folks. I will be giving it a whirl myself too.

COMM SIGNALS (Rumors & Gossip):
I discuss a couple of very interesting posts from PlanetTR concerning in-game titles, and the somewhat useless role of Healers now. PlanetTr is really the ONLY forums you need to check for all your TR news. Thanks to Kavadas and Sansker for their great posts.

MAIL CALL (Community Morale):
Has a great conversation with fellas that go "Behind the Front Lines" each week from PlanetTR! I also discuss the Poll from last week concerning Patch 1.4 and mention the new poll running this week.

LOCK & LOAD (Tips & Tactics):
Jerry takes the broadcast for a drive when he gives you a bit of history about the Foreans.

FOOTLOCKER (Gear & Equipment):
There is a stunning Item crafting proposal, posted by Line on the PlanetTR forums this week. Great discussion going on there.

SOUNDS FROM HOME (Earth Music):
I dedicate another song this week to my Sleestak brother, Jerry. Sorry you got lost in this land with me. Take care, Bro.

Live forever Apes... DISMISSED!

Special thanks to the soldiers that constantly keep our bases and outposts safe from the Bane... Stay frosty out there.

Additional broadcast content provided by Captain Furster, the 42nd Improbability Squad, and the men & women in the field. Send your recordings, tactics, and stories to... AFS.SITREP@GMAIL.COM.


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Throw the SITREP a Digg


6. AFS-SITREP Episode 8: Comm Towers and Hybrid Relatives.
http://afs-sitrep.blogspot.com... download (audio/mpeg, 23.94Mb)

Description:
AFS INTEL REPORT (Main Topic):
Communications on the volatile planet of Arieki are important to AFS operations, which explains why there are so many facilities dedicated to them. Like the large relay tower in Torden Plains, it seems the Incline has an entire facility dedicated to passing on vital messages. Unfortunately it seems the Bane have not only assaulted, but overrun the Comm Tower east of the Nyxroq Outpost and it's going to be up to you and your team to take it back.

Before you begin, make sure to head to Nyxroq Outpost to grab up a few missions, and Ten Ton Hammer Division has all the information for you.

DEBRIEFING (News):
The latest patch has everyone in a frenzy. Attribute improvements, Armor changes, new Hybrid races and more have players crunching numbers and working to figure out the perfect set up for their characters. Tabula Rasa isn’t all about the mechanics of the game, however. A few important changes have been made to keep the aesthetics fresh, and the roleplaying fun.

COMM SIGNALS (Rumors & Gossip):
Rumor has it that NCsoft is ramping up TR community interaction with the introduction of Ambassadors to various forums. Kagasumi is the first to make posts regarding this community movement.

MAIL CALL (Community Morale):
The recent poll was about Which DNA is for your mixing Pleasure? The poll for this next week is about your thoughts on the 1.4 Patch. The Foreas Base Tavern Roleplay that is held every Saturday Night on Pegasus/Divide/Instance 3 is ramping up with the head of the PlanetTR RP Event Team, Trevor Aragon. Ok folks, it's official... Sgt. Tamarin from the 42nd IS, has been selected as the new Alpha Wolf for the Sniper class on TR Vault. This week I cover everything from Crafting risk, Combat slowdowns, to the Hybrid fallout. If you're a number-crunching freak, TabulaSpot is the only dedicated mechanics community for you.

LOCK & LOAD (Tips & Tactics):
Due to the nightmare of working late in the Comm Tower, I bring you some tips on War den Bots and Reconstructors. Not to mention, I ran into a reconstructed version of me. Freaky!

FOOTLOCKER (Gear & Equipment):
Make sure you head over and get your Recruit planned out the right way, with help from CryMore's TR Character Planning Tool.

SOUNDS FROM HOME (Earth Music):
This weeks selection is dedicated to Jerry... as being part of me has got to have him thinking of the a the Dumb Things that could happen now. Thanks to Paul Kelly for the great song.

Live forever Apes... DISMISSED!

Special thanks to the Foreans for giving me a weird Hybrid half-brother. As if being on another planet fighting aliens was not fricking WEIRD enough.

Additional broadcast content provided by Captain Furster, the 42nd Improbability Squad, and the men & women in the field. Send your recordings, tactics, and stories to... AFS.SITREP@GMAIL.COM.


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Throw the SITREP a Digg


7. AFS-SITREP Episode 7: You got your Thrax in my Human, and your Forean in my Brann flakes.
http://afs-sitrep.blogspot.com... download (audio/mpeg, 24.54Mb)

Description:
AFS INTEL REPORT (Main Topic):
Hybrids are included in the 1.4 Patch. These include the Thrax, Brann, and the Forean races. After completing certain missions, some Recruits can gain the ability to splice alien DNA into any of their future clones. Truthfully, I am not real impressed with how ANY of them look at all. I get a feeling this was all just some tacked on things. To be honest, I was kind of expecting a little different implementation such as faster run speeds, night vision/vision modes, maybe even weapon proficiencies like blade or staff, or even special racial powers/logos abilities.Be sure to hit the Hybrid Thread Round-Up!

DEBRIEFING (News):
The promotion to win Black Armor Dye on the Live servers by playing on PTS, (named Test Fest ‘08) will be started this past Monday, January 21, 2008. An amazing article and discussion called "Testing the Future of TR" is up on TenTonHammer. TR now has audio files from inside the game available for download in their new Audio section.

COMM SIGNALS (Rumors & Gossip):
The next poll will involved the new Hybrids and which ones are the choice species to bump DNA with. Oh, from what I have seen MANY MANY folks are going Brann. Brann, keeps you regular! Bad jokes aside, I go on to talk about some concerns I have with the new patch, and I wonder what else may be BORKED.

MAIL CALL (Community Morale):
In the interest in not being killed in my sleep. I have to make a correction to last weeks Broadcast. First, I am sorry I slipped up and called the 42nd IS the 42 hundred. Please... no more soap beatings in my sleep. Ok... now on the the WORST mistake I have made this week. I referred to the "Know your Enemy" segment that is done for the 42nd, by Cpl. Tamarin, when it is ACTUALLY Sgt. Tamarin. Please... end the death threats. I am also working on setting up an in-game Meet & Greet event coming up soon. I am also toying with the idea of Embedded Missions in the future broadcasts of the SITREP.

LOCK & LOAD (Tips & Tactics):
Last week I went over some info about Caretakers from HQ, and I casually mentioned Linkers also. Well, this week I was given the intel that HQ has gathered on the Linkers.

FOOTLOCKER (Gear & Equipment):
Not much in the locker this week, be sure to send any tips or info about gear to the SITREP.

SOUNDS FROM HOME (Earth Music):
It was recently brought to my attention that this segment may have to be pulled due to copyright issues. I guess even being millions of miles from Earth, the reach of lawyers still get here. I received a few emails saying that even though I provide links to the artists, it still may not be enough. Until I recieve orders from HQ I will still play what the soldiers in the field request. So for this weeks broadcast I have a great one two punch, it is from the Beastie Boys AND it is their take on the theme from a great old show called Futurama. Share and Enjoy.

DISMISSED!

Special thanks all the Recruits that send in emails and sound clips. The SITREP Community is slowly building, and the Intel is beginning to flow.

Additional broadcast content provided by Captain Furster, the 42nd Improbability Squad, and the men & women in the field. Send your recordings, tactics, and stories to... AFS.SITREP@GMAIL.COM.


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Throw the SITREP a Digg


8. AFS-SITREP Episode 6: Kill the damn Caretakers!!!
http://afs-sitrep.blogspot.com... download (audio/mpeg, 24.75Mb)

Description:
AFS INTEL REPORT (Main Topic):
Didn't do much the last 3 weeks other then rest and drink. Damn, is that wrong? We do have some incoming intel about Patch 1.4, including the supposed release of 1/25/08. Three month Veteran Rewards are coming up where will you show off you new /Robot dance moves?

DEBRIEFING (News):
The Ten Ton Hammer division is equally as interested in the future of TR, they sat down with Community Manager, April "CuppaJo" Burba, to hear about NCSoft's plans for the game. We then have a little discussion with PCGamer recent writeup concerning TR, and I finish off with a rant about Role-Playing in the TR Community.

COMM SIGNALS (Rumors & Gossip):
42nd Improbability Squad on the Pegasus Server is looking for RP Personel. The 42nd Improbability Squad is a Heavy RP clan on the Pegasus server. With a primary focus on providing the AFS with a highly adaptable and agile unit they undertake every sort of mission from repairing gear in the field to combat deployments in particularly austere conditions. We make the impossible, improbable.

MAIL CALL (Community Morale):
It's time to go Behind the Front Lines of Tabula Rasa with PlanetTR! Join your hosts Sahnik and Krigare as they delve into various topics and discuss the latest news from Richard Garriott and NCSoft. Come and join the 42nd with some funny, tactical, and informative New Year Resolutions. Be sure to check out a great IC Soldier blog from Kirwin of the 149th Nightstalkers. Also if you have not seen the Soul of a Soldier site head there now, as it is filled with some stunning IC fiction.

LOCK & LOAD (Tips & Tactics):
During my "downtime" in the Foreas Research facility I was given access to some insider notes concerning Care takers. Also be sure to check out the great "Know your Enemy" sections from our own Sgt. Tamarin of the 42nd IS.

FOOTLOCKER (Gear & Equipment):
TR Vault is putting the cards on the table with something quite clever. Right now you can go over to their website, hit their Player Database, and set up your very own virtual Tabula Rasa trading card. Players can enter information about their soldier... including name, background and picture - and it will be formated to look like a trading card. They will be using this database for future contests, plus they'll be picking soldiers each week for a spotlight feature called "AFS soldier of the week."

SOUNDS FROM HOME (Earth Music):
This SfH is all for Lane Drell of the 42nd, by way of Elvis... lock and load buddy! If ya get a chance the AFS: SITREP is on Digg now. Soooo, throw the SITREP a Digg, will ya.

DISMISSED!

Special thanks to whoever washed all my underwear with the red socks. Thanks for the help, Ass.

Additional broadcast content provided by Captain Furster, the 42nd Improbability Squad, and the men & women in the field. Send your recordings, tactics, and stories to... AFS.SITREP@GMAIL.COM.


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Can you Digg it!


9. Why... Pez?!?
http://afs-sitrep.blogspot.com... download (, 0.00Mb)

Description:
WHOA...

Uh, sorry for the delay in Broadcast 6, but I recently got to meet an Eloh. Not just some hologram like we all have seen, but an actual living breathing Eloh. It was strange and very calming being in his presence, and odd because his name is Gabriel. I expect some kinda unpronounceable name, not something as common as Gabriel.

Hmmmmmmm... needless to say it has put me in a serene haze now. Maybe it has to do with my Logos abilities awakening more, or the very very strange fact that he smelled like Pez.

I promise you will have Broadcast 6 shortly... yeah, shortly.


10. ‘Twas the Night before Christmas...
http://afs-sitrep.blogspot.com... download (, 0.00Mb)

Description:
‘Twas the Night before Christmas and all through the Plains
Not a creature was stirring, not even the Bane.

The socks were all hung by the tent pole with care
With hopes that our General soon would be there.

The soldiers were nestled asleep in their cots
Right next to their shotguns and sleeping Boo Bots.

Sara out guarding and I in sickbay,
were dreaming of Earth, our lost home, far away.

When out in the base, alarms started to shrill,
I grabbed my stout chaingun and ran up the hill.

From the Control Point, I saw a bright flash,
quickly took cover and hit the ground with a clash.

I looked out through my scope, blinked my eyes once again
And saw General British and his leet group of men.

“Now Wagner, now Kath now Potter and Sage
We need Hudson and Moore, call Bailey and Gage

To Ligo, to Mires, to Palisades and Pools,
Did they think they would win, they are nothing but fools!”

We rallied behind him, our General at Arms
and woke all the troops by sounding alarms.

With a roar our brave troops all charged into the fray
Resolved to defeat them, and carry the day.

The battle was long, but we weathered the test,
We showed them the courage of the AFS

Our foes all lay bleeding, defeated and dead
British came to our lines and here's what he said:

“Thank you for your honor and valor this night
Merry Christmas to all and to all a good fight!”


11. 42nd IS: Broadcast to Earth.
http://afs-sitrep.blogspot.com... download (audio/mpeg, 1.68Mb)

Description:
On the morning of 21Dec2014, Captain Furster made the following radio transmission into space using an ad hoc radio array constructed at the Durn Facility. Originally intended to be broadcast by Lt. Kastelin, the Captain orchestrated the transmission following the Lt's temporary reassignment. The array lasted for five minutes and 38 seconds before the power being pumped into it caused its destruction. This was enough time for the broadcast to be repeated nearly three times before the array fused.

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12. AFS-SITREP Episode 5: Defeat of Earth Day.
http://afs-sitrep.blogspot.com... download (audio/mpeg, 10.45Mb)

Description:
AFS INTEL REPORT (Main Topic):
Deep in the Hundred Acre Wood, where Christopher Robin has been captured by the Bane and placed in a heavily fortified camp. Alright, while it's not really him you and your squad will need to go in and rescue AFS soldiers participating in an assault on the Treeback Camp. Completing the 7 missions available is a piece of cake, you just need to get through a few hundred enemy infantry. Fortunately the Ten Ton Hammer Division has your complete guide to this Operation providing a detailed map, objective locations, and tactics so you can emerge victorious. Actually the best thing you could take along to Treeback Camp is Corporal Tamarin from the 42nd. She is an amazing bundle of death.

DEBRIEFING (News):
Just in time for Friday's Memorial Service, NCsoft has released a new emote to all players. To enable this new emote, take the gift box from the miscellaneous tab of your backpack and drop it to an empty ability slot. After you use the ability one time, you will have access to the /momentofsilence command. The main talk on everyones lips this week is that today is the Days of Remembrance celebration will begin. DE Day, or Defeat of Earth Day as it's formally called, is recognized every year on the 21st... the day the Bane invaded Earth. Today a ceremony will be held in Foreas Base(Divide 3-Cassiopeia) beside the Wormhole. The ceremony will be held to honor those fallen who fought for life, freedom, and humanity.

The ceremony will open with the two MCs and hosts, Codie Soahl and Kurt Ambrose, with guest speakers General British and Sarah Morrison soon after. Following, the hosts will read a listing of just a few of the brave souls that were taken away from us during the attack upon our Earth with a Twenty-One Gun Salute and moment of silence afterwards. Not to be outdone the Bane have a bit of a tradition of their own too on December 22, known as Resurgence Day but I will let Corporal Damondred of the 42nd IS will let ya in on that.

COMM SIGNALS (Rumors & Gossip):
I have heard some chatter that we are getting Boxing Rings, due to the popularity of the Friday Night Fights.

MAIL CALL (Community Morale):
The Poll from last week is over and I was wondering about your AFS Final Career? I was rather amused with the results. The new poll is about how helpful the SITREP is in your daily lives. Be sure to hit the site and check the poll. While I am in this test facility I ran into some other troops being tested. Recently from a Spy named Grerson he told me some of the things he learned so far from his career path. I will sum up what info he dispensed between moments of lucidness from his Meds.

LOCK & LOAD (Tips & Tactics):
I was granted a peek at some of the intel gathered on the Bane, and I have some intel about Caretakers for you after the holidays.

FOOTLOCKER (Gear & Equipment):
I will some weapons and armor tips coming soon. Make sure to send any info to the SITREP.

SOUNDS FROM HOME (Earth Music):
Christmas is almost here and I want to wish everyone a safe holiday and an amazing New Year. Weird Al tells us all to Duck and Cover for the Xmas season. ;)

DISMISSED!

Special thanks to the Human Race for sponsoring this broadcast and making me proud to stand strong beside them. Happy Holidays.

Additional broadcast content provided by Captain Furster, the 42nd Improbability Squad, and the men & women in the field. Send your recordings, tactics, and stories to... AFS.SITREP@GMAIL.COM.


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13. AFS-SITREP: Holiday sign off and medical tests.
http://afs-sitrep.blogspot.com... download (, 0.00Mb)

Description:
Reassignments suck... Just because I am a Receptive they think they can just push me around and stick in a lab for tests. Due to scientific circumstances the SITREP will not be broadcasting again till after the Holidays.

OOC:
This past year has been very hectic and RL Holiday concerns are weighing heavy on me. I have to get things on a even footing at home before I can continue with the SITREP. So the SITREP will be back in 2 weeks in 2008... it ain't that long a wait. Special thanks to everyone who has listened to the broadcast so far and I hope to to see you in the new year. Thank you.

DISMISSED!


14. Dropship incoming... Grab your 3 day trial!!
http://afs-sitrep.blogspot.com... download (, 0.00Mb)

Description:
MMORPG.com is very pleased to announce that they have teamed up with NCsoft to bring you the first FREE trial for Richard Garriott's Tabula Rasa. For more information and to get your FREE trial code, just head over and grab your early Christmas gift from NCSoft.


15. AFS-SITREP Episode 4: Looking towards the horizon of the new year.
http://afs-sitrep.blogspot.com... download (audio/mpeg, 25.40Mb)

Description:
AFS INTEL REPORT (Main Topic):
The most pivotal industrial facility in Concordia Divide, the Timora Mines provides vital fuel and resources to Bane soldiers and vehicles. So like any good military organization we need to blow it up. We lost a good man there this weekend. I hope I never see a fire like that again... smelled like BBQ ribs. Deep in the heart of Bane controlled territory, the Timora Mines provide a critical fuel source for the continuation of operations against AFS soldiers. Ranger forces have infiltrated this production center and with your assistance intend to sabotage it delivering a crippling blow to Bane industry. You and your squad will attempt to destroy fuel pumps, escort friendly soldiers, and assassinate key officers to insure this fueling base stays out of commission permanently. Get the facts, the straight facts, at Ten Ton Hammer Division of HQ

DEBRIEFING (News):
The latest build on the Public Test Server introduced some new consumables for your purchasing pleasure. Check with your local Supply Sergeants on PTS to preview these new gadgets.Portable Waypoints, Adrenaline Boosters, Armor Chargers, Power Chargers, and more coming soon to the live servers. MMORPG.com Covers Levels 1-25 in a two part series by Laura Genender, and it definately worth the read.

COMM SIGNALS (Rumors & Gossip):
With Tabula Rasa Collector's Edition being listed at half it's retail price right his week at some retailers, it's no surprise a few players have become concerned about it's success. Is the game doing well? Should people be concerned about the future development? No... it is ALL good, Soldier. So what do you think the new ability for Mr. Engineer is gonna be? I hope, for the sake of hell it’s not a buffing related skill. I think personally being able to create Generators would be an awesome idea. I think we're going to see crafting revamped a lot, and truthfully it needs to be due to it being a MAJOR weaksauce factor in TR. I also discuss some ISSUES I have with TR, and what needs fixing on the horizon.

MAIL CALL (Community Morale):
The TR Community are some of the most creative and talented fans on the Infonet! Need proof, check out the videos, fan fiction, and guides created by our talented community by visiting the Fan Art and Fan Fiction pages on the Official TR site, or subscribing to the Soul of a Soldier Blog. Or better yet, do you think you have something great worth sharing, be sure to send your TR Art, Fiction, and SoaS Blog entries to TRsubmissions@ncsoft.com.

LOCK & LOAD (Tips & Tactics):
I have a ton of tips and tactics to cover this week, but first some tips from the TR:QA Team. This will help with processing them in the most efficient manner and speed things up a little!
1. Please check out the known issues list after each patch.
2. When reporting problems with an NPC or Monster, please put the NPC/Monsters full name in the subject.
3. When reporting problems with a mission, please put the full name of the mission in the subject.
4. If possible add the location as well as the map in the bug description. To get the location type ‘/loc’ in the chat window. It will appear above the minimap.
5. Do not generate a /bug or /petition for being stuck. Use the /stuck command instead.
6. Please always state if the bug you found was when you were playing in a squad or playing solo. If with a squad, how many people it contained.

FOOTLOCKER (Gear & Equipment):
The locker is empty this week... I am working on some tips with some folks in the field, but make sure to send in any tips, tactics, or gear info to the SITREP. I do recommend you grab the TR Guide from Bradygames, as it was worth it for the Intel.

SOUNDS FROM HOME (Earth Music):
Well... the 21st and the holidays are quickly approaching so it only makes sense to get some Christmas music playing on the SITREP and I have two oldies for you today. Ahhhhhhhhhh... the memories. I wish I had these two guys in my squad when we did Timora Mines.

DISMISSED!

Special thanks to Heat Miser and Snow Miser for sponsoring this broadcast and making me forget about this crazy-ass war for at least one weekend. Share and Enjoy.

Additional broadcast content provided by Captain Furster, the 42nd Improbability Squad, and the men & women in the field. Send your recordings, tactics, and stories to... AFS.SITREP@GMAIL.COM.


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16. Catch the wormhole to Tabula Rasa this holiday!
http://afs-sitrep.blogspot.com... download (, 0.00Mb)

Description:
Do yourself a favor and give TR a taste this holiday season. Amazon currently has the Tabula Rasa Collectors Set for $29.99 for a limited time. I have it and it was worth every damn AFS Credit I spent, and I got it for $69.99. Look for Vask Kastelin on the world of Pegasus(East Coast) once your through the wormhole.

See you on the battlefield soldier!!!


17. AFS-SITREP Episode 3: Don't drop the soap, Dude.
http://afs-sitrep.blogspot.com... download (audio/mpeg, 15.45Mb)

Description:
AFS INTEL REPORT (Main Topic):
In the southern portion of Concordia Divide, beyond the heavily defended Bane base, is a detention facility filled with AFS POWs. Torcastra Prison not only serves to control soldiers taken prisoner but is the center of unspeakable experimentation on Humans and Foreans alike. AFS high command has decided it's time to free these tortured souls and has planned a daring rescue which you and your squad will participate in. The task will not be easy, but the fate of hundreds rests in your hands, so you know, no pressure.

The Crater Lake Research Facility is the Area 51 of the AFS, housing classified military research of the highest importance. Logos studies lead by Medical Officer Caspar could possibly provide significantly powerful equipment to use against our enemies. Unfortunately, Crater Lake has fallen into Bane hands and the fate of Officer Caspar and crucial research data is unknown at this time. You and your squad will rendezvous with Captain Velns's infiltration team and retrieve any classified data you find. You are also to locate Caspar and gather intelligence on Bane activity.

DEBRIEFING (News):
Last week I had a poll regarding your mid-career choices, and the results to your choice in the AFS Mid-Career path are in. The next poll is what is your FINAL career choices. I really am interested to see where your training is going to take you. MMORPGslave got an exclusive talk to TR Mission Designer Wynne McLaughlin. Commander Critters has some goodies on this recent Feedback Friday, more new emotes are rolling out soon. Some interesting changes to the ToO Assault and Defense Tokens:

As of the last patch, you no longer get control token drops if you are 10 levels higher or lower than the token drop. We realize this has caused several people to be unable to complete some ToO missions. In the next patch Assault and Defense tokens will no longer be required to complete ToO missions so anyone who has completed all the ToO requirements except the tokens will auto-complete the ToO mission.

COMM SIGNALS (Rumors & Gossip):
Other then the usual rumors about what is IN the native food we eat, not much is circulating the Base. If you have any Rumors be sure to get them sent to me.

MAIL CALL (Community Morale):
Captain Furster of the 42nd IS has sent in an Intel report from the field regarding Machina. Come and join members of The New Republic, WEEKLY for an evening of drinks, dancing and RP at the Swamp Tavern in Foreas Base(Instance/Shard 3-Pegasus). The tab for the night is paid for by TR Roleplayers. Grab a drink for me.

LOCK & LOAD (Tips & Tactics):
After doing some tweaking with Firearms... I fully recommend training to Pump 5, regardless of what career path you choose. Next up on to some tips on cloning. Take these tips to heart so you would wake up a chick, with webbed feet or a fin down your back. There are two current ways to obtain clone points. The first is to level up, because you gain one point at 5, 15, and 30. The second way is to complete Targets of Opportunity missions. For every ToO you complete, you get one clone point. This is not as easy as it sounds though, since you will have to do every assault and defense mission in the zone. Eventually according to CuppaJo, there will be a vendor where you can purchase a cloning points.

FOOTLOCKER (Gear & Equipment):
The footlocker is kinda light this week, make sure to send in any tips and tactics to afs.sitrep@gmail.com. I did find a GREAT database for TR while browsing the HQ Infonet. Best of all they have a Firefox plugin so you can check things out while doing your operations. Be sure to grab it over on the left in the Intel section.

SOUNDS FROM HOME (Earth Music):
This weeks music comes from my personal audio collection that I brought with me through the wormhole. It is a song by Lit, with a little tune that I find
VERY fitting for this crazy new life I now have Let me crank it up for you. We will have some Christmas songs coming up soon also. Share and Enjoy.

DISMISSED!

Special thanks once again to Darman Keing for saving my ass multiple times in Torcastra Prison. Don't drop the soap, Dude!!!

Additional broadcast content provided by Captain Furster, the 42nd Improbability Squad, and the men & women in the field. Send your recordings, tactics, and stories to... AFS.SITREP@GMAIL.COM.


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18. We need this like a hole in the head!!!
http://afs-sitrep.blogspot.com... download (, 0.00Mb)

Description:
So far, the AFS has stayed a step ahead of the Bane using Eloh technology to create wormhole portals.

AFS Recon recently found evidence that the Bane are trying to replicate this technology by creating their own unstable wormhole vortex prototype.

With all the other crap going on with the Bane, this is really NOT what I wanted to see after leaving the Medbay and heading back to Foreas Base.

Ugh... get me a beer.


19. AFS-SITREP Episode 2: Are broken ribs supposed to hurt this much?!?
http://afs-sitrep.blogspot.com... download (audio/mpeg, 13.33Mb)

Description:
AFS INTEL REPORT (Main Topic):
You'll want to bring more than a flashlight and some glowsticks for the gloomy Minos Caverns as you'll encounter a number of Warnets waiting to electrocute you. A brave AFS Recon team has been sent in to explore the area but we've lost contact so it's your mission to find out what happened to them. You'll find beyond the swarming Warnets lies a deeper darker secret you may not be prepared for. TenTon Hammer once again has the Minos intel for you. Hopefully you will not suffer a running tackle from a Crustie. :)

DEBRIEFING (News):
If your looking for great intel be sure to lock on to Tarapedia< /a>, as it is your BEST source for TR intel. Next up, due to unforeseen circumstances, the deployment of the new patch will be delayed by a day. Expected rollout will be on the 28th November, we're getting a FREE Respec with this patch due to the Rage semi-nerf. Commander Critters of the Test Server has said that the Military Surplus is now on the Test Server. Make sure to buy yourself something nice this Holiday Season at the Military Surplus. Below is the current locations...
Wilderness- Twin Pillars
Palisades- Cumbria Research
Plateau- Fort Defiance
Plains- Irendas Colony
Thunderhead- Thunderhead Base

COMM SIGNALS (Rumors & Gossip):
December 12th, 2012... A day that will live on in bright red letters for the entire human race, is fast approaching. It's a Friday this year, just like it was on that fateful day in 2012. I just hope we finally get some kinda Official AFS holiday for this... Maybe call it Crush a Crustie day or Drop a Boulder on a Bane week. ;) I overheard this in the The Swamp the other night, some soldier was talking about his Repair Tools. He said that if you need to run to anyplace, just keep spamming the Repair Tool and run right through. He said he actually ran through a full out invasion of Bane and barely got injured. Is he drunk? Has anyone else tried this? Let me know.

MAIL CALL (Community Morale):
Creative Communications Liaison,
Max Lawson from Foreas Base HQ, did a stunning illustration for the SITREP, you can see more of his work on his personal site. Got some letters from the Front this week, make sure and send your donations, requests, and submissions from the field to the SITREP. I recently had a Poll up and here are the results on your Weapons of Choice... Rifles- 50% Shotgun- 33% Bane Limbs- 10% Pistols- 6%. I am working with the Techs in Foreas Base on a special project for the holidays. Get your letters for home ready!

LOCK & LOAD (Tips & Tactics):
The Sapper Career path is currently my current path of work. The TenTon Hammer division of HQ are workaholics, and have complied a great Sapper Guide. If this is a career direction for you then do yourself a favor and get the guide.

FOOTLOCKER (Gear & Equipment):
I seriously wish I had this when I first came through the Wormhole, as it would had made things MUCH easier on me. Do yourself a huge favor and be sure to check out the TR Character Builder. Now on to my new love... Polarity Guns. They start with only Electrical damage, and around Lvl 23, Ice and Fire versions are available in shops. Electrical uses energy cells, and Fire & Ice use canister ammo. The "charge" will deal 10X the damage done to the target. The maximum charge time is 2 seconds, holding for longer than 2 seconds will yield no benefits to the charge.

SOUNDS FROM HOME (Earth Music):
I am gonna make the mood a bit more serious with Sanctuary from Chris Vrenna... a rather fitting song as we always get a bit down during the holidays ever since the invasion.

DISMISSED!

Special thanks to Captain Furster and the 42nd IS for sponsoring this broadcast, if I find one more Lightbringer head in my bunk there will be hell to pay.

Additional broadcast content provided by Captain Furster, the 42nd Improbability Squad, and the men & women in the field. Send your recordings, tactics, and stories to... AFS.SITREP@GMAIL.COM.


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20. AFS-SITREP Episode 1: The smells of Thanksgiving on an alien world.
http://afs-sitrep.blogspot.com... download (audio/mpeg, 12.58Mb)

Description:
AFS INTEL REPORT (Main Topic):
Pravus Research Facility is a disturbing Bane structure within the Concordia Wilderness. Ten Ton Hammer has updated their Pravus Intel to accommodate recent changes to the area. They now have a complete walkthrough providing mission objectives, Logos locations, strategies, and even the video briefing introduction!

DEBRIEFING (News):
Recently found out that Cassiopeia(West) is the unofficial RP Server. There is a great article about expansions and Personal Armor Units over on Ten Ton Hammer, and finally some GREAT intel about the Bane and where they came from, and what they want.

COMM SIGNALS (Rumors & Gossip):
Apparently more emotes are coming such as sit, and some others. We also are getting more armor paints including black and white., and Military Surplus, the auction houses are currently being constructed.

MAIL CALL (Community Morale):
Make sure you hit the Unofficial TR Forums over at PlanetTR in the Intel section of this site, and grab another informative TR broadcast over at the TabulaCast in the Signal Analysis section. Word is going around that General British is looking to sign up some more Rookies. If you know of any individuals that could hit the mark as an AFS soldier, we want you to call them to arms and join you in battle.

LOCK & LOAD (Tips & Tactics):
Has some great stuff from the folks in the field this week such as...
Using a leech gun with armor stealing near your bots and turrets will heal them. Firearms to pump 5 is recommended to all classes, as you will always use some gun. Be sure to REPAIR your equipment often. If you toss all your stuff and credits into a footlocker before you delete all your characters, you'll still be able to access with your new characters.

FOOTLOCKER (Gear & Equipment):
Engineer Jeg Humil recommended to me the AFS: Infonet widget for my field computer to keep me informed of upcoming Intel and Operations. Be sure to grab it from the Intel section.

Have ya lost your damn AFS Field Guide, or have ya used it in the latrine? Grab the PDF version here. It is harder to wipe with, but also harder to lose.

SOUNDS FROM HOME (Earth Music):
Spybreak by the Propellerheads, from a classic old movie called the Matrix... Crank up the broadcast and go hunt some Bane.

DISMISSED!

Special thanks to Base Guard Wilding and the guys at the "The Swamp" tavern for sponsoring this broadcast, great Boargar Burgers down there. ;)

Additional broadcast content provided by Captain Furster, the 42nd Improbability Squad, and the men & women in the field. Send your recordings, tactics, and stories to... AFS.SITREP@GMAIL.COM.


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21. Sarah Morrison washes away the Crusties.
http://afs-sitrep.blogspot.com... download (, 0.00Mb)

Description:
This was a job that Steven Stahlberg did for NCSoft's Tabula Rasa, to be published in Playboy's November issue. The brief was to take Sarah Morrison, a hardened alien-killer, and make her Playboy material. See more of his stunning artwork at Android Blues. Enjoy some of the backstory of Sarah below from NCSoft.

Sarah Begins...
The warmth coming from the embers felt good against her skin. Sarah Morrison was careful not to let the hot coals burst into flames, for anything but a slight glow might give away her position. She had searched for nearly an hour before finding this spot and she would be damned before she was going to go hunting for another one before she was ready. It's not like eating roasted calla root was any better than eating it raw, it was almost as bitter. The fire was more for warmth. Foreas could get pretty cold at night, and the glowing embers gave off just enough heat to chase the chill away.

It was cold the night the Bane attacked, too. A strange frown crept across Sarah's battle hardened face as she thought back to a life that almost seemed like someone else's. She remembered regretting not grabbing a leather jacket before sneaking out of the house that night. She was 19 then, and like most 19 year olds, Sarah was more interested in having fun than arbitrary rules regarding curfews. Just because she was still living under her dad's roof while failing her way through college, just because her three younger brothers had a curfew did not mean her father had a right to limit her freedom. But he tried. He just didn't like her friends, she thought to herself as she slipped through the window, silently creeping along the far wall of the house into the backyard. She had become very skilled at getting out unnoticed, something she had been very proud of at the time.

Sarah and her father had just finished their weekly argument about her "poor choices in friends." Movie night had been a tradition in the family since before her mother had died... one her father was very careful to continue every week. It's not that it wasn't enjoyable. She loved spending time with her younger brothers. But she was young and the night was full of adventures. Plus, her friends would think she was a loser if she stayed home to hang out with her family when she could be off getting into trouble with them. So she stormed off to her room, as had become her weekly ritual. Once she heard the opening credits of the movie from the other room, she was out. Free to do whatever she pleased. Once clear of her house, Sarah slowed her pace and smiled as she approached the street corner where Alicia would pick her up. There was a cool band playing downtown in a club they could always manage to sneak into without being carded, just by flirting with the doorman. She looked up into the clear night sky, and thought she saw a meteor streak by. At the time, she remembered something about that being a good omen. Apparently, it wasn't.

The low hum of a Bane drop ship snapped Sarah out of her trip down memory lane. She closed her blue eyes and just listened. From the sound of it, it was still pretty far out, and that was a good thing because it meant a few more minutes off her feet. Not that she wasn't used to sleepless nights and endless hikes. Her training in the AFS taught her how to get places unnoticed, and she excelled at it. But it's kind of hard not to be noticed when you arrive on a transport ship with the rest of the squad. So on most missions she traveled alone, under any cover she could find. And honestly, she preferred it that way. She liked the people she was fighting alongside, and they liked her. But she never really let herself get close to anyone. Not since that fateful night. Sarah traveled light when she was on a mission, taking only what she needed, and found everything else she needed along the way. Like dinner. She grimaced as she finished off the rest of the calla root and washed it down with the last of her water. She would need to find more of that soon. She marveled sometimes at how resilient she had become since all this began. To think she was once afraid of spiders. That kind of thing loses its meaning once you have to snack on them to survive. The war changed everything. Who she was now was nothing like the person she left behind on a scorched Earth after the invasion.

She grew up in middle class suburbia, her dad worked as an engineer and her mother had stayed at home with the kids... well, at least before she died. Rebecca Morrison had been the perfect picture of a homemaker, but was taken from her family by a brain tumor when Sarah was twelve. She had tried to fill her mother's shoes for a while, taking care of her younger brothers and the household. But Sarah was a tomboy at heart, much more comfortable climbing trees and hanging out with her brothers, so the apron strings never felt right. By the time she was in high school, she spent more and more time away from home. To her, home became a place to crash after the party was over, and though she remained close to her brothers, increasing arguments over plummeting grades, her choice of friends, and delinquent behavior put a strain on her relationship with her father.

Sarah and her father never had the chance to reconcile. During the first wave of attacks the night of the Invasion, she was hiding in the lower level of a parking garage with strangers while her childhood home was incinerated; her father and brothers trapped inside. By the time she managed to get home, nothing was left but ash and charred bodies.

Sarah inhaled sharply and pushed the thoughts of that night out of her mind. Over the subsequent weeks, many more people died as Thrax patrols scoured the area for survivors. Alicia didn't make it. No one she knew did. As far as she could tell, that life and the people who were in it were gone forever. Today, not even two years later, Sarah Morrison was a Sergeant in the AFS, on her way to infiltrate a Bane outpost. Her goal was to push the bastards back a few steps. Every inch of ground she covered was another inch closer to home. Every Bane base she helped overtake and every Bane she killed was a step closer to freedom. She tossed dirt on the glowing embers, snuffing out their warmth, and checked her rifle before slinging it, and her blade, over her shoulder. "No rest for the wicked," she thought as a smirk spread across her face. Indeed, there would be no rest for any of them for quite a while.


22. AFS-SITREP Teaser: I really hate Snipers!
http://afs-sitrep.blogspot.com... download (audio/mpeg, 1.50Mb)

Description:
You know I have only been here a small time, and yes I understand that being a Specialist and Hacker mean making due. On the other hand, jury-rigging a Comm Site in the damn forest is a bit much. Even more so being pinned down by the damn Bane Snipers.


I really hate those guys, lucky for me I was rescued by the 42nd Improbability Squad those guys are freaking insane, read about the exploits of the 42nd during this rescue. Watch your backs out there soldier, and send submissions and recordings from the field to... AFS.SITREP@GMAIL.COM .

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23. AFS: Would you like to know more, Citizen?
http://afs-sitrep.blogspot.com... download (, 0.00Mb)

Description:
I have to say that after leaving WOW(2 year subscriber) to play the Alpha through to launch of Tabula Rasa, and I'm damn happy I did. This MMO is how Sci-Fi is done, and the boredom of the traditional grind in an MMO is just not there. The adrenaline of running across an ACTIVE battlefield is amazing and get this, they have ACTIVE EVENTS also. Not just static and stagnant NPCs, monsters, and missions. I am very pleased that General British has finally brought some fresh and cool to the MMO arena.


Do yourself a favor and give it a taste and make sure you get this version also. It was worth every damn penny. Remember to run fast, stay low, wear armor, and if it isn't shoulder-mounted it's not big enough. ;)


Look for Vask Kastelin on the world of Pegasus(East Coast), look for the AFS: SITREP coming soon. See you on the battlefield soldier!!!


24. Join the AFS recruit, and fight back the Bane!!!
http://afs-sitrep.blogspot.com... download (application/x-shockwave-flash, 0.00Mb)

Description:

Richard Garriott’s Tabula Rasa (TR) is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game that takes you, the player, into lush forest planets, volcanic moons, and exotic alien civilizations. Face off against powerful alien soldiers, armored mechanoids, and vicious creatures! Use a wide range of weapons and unique alien powers to help the Allied Free Sentients (AFS) in their desperate fight against extinction. Tabula Rasa combines a vast, persistent game world and ongoing storyline with fast-paced action, resulting in a striking new approach to the design of multiplayer online games.

FEATURES:

* Richard Garriott’s Signature Creativ e Vision– Features a rich storyline with culminating experiences, immersive tactile environments and a persistent plot.

* Take Role-playing to the Battlefield – Fast-paced action involving skill, stealth, and strategy combines with character growth and development (RPG) on a massive multiplayer scale (MMO).

* Unleash the Power of Logos – Alien technology allows you to harness the very fabric of the cosmos for healing, attacks, and more!

* Ethical Parables – Encounter ethical decisions while attempting to complete goals or missions that affect the people and environments around them.

* Battlefield Control Points – Entrenched positions on a given battlefield can change hands over the course of a battle and affect spawn points of both enemy and friendly characters.

* Character Cloning System™ – Innovative class system allows you to explore different character classes without leveling up a new character.

* Crafting & Economy – Participate in crafting and selling items.

* Player-vs-Player – Challenge other players in voluntary PvP mode.

* Integrated Voice Chat – Allows hands-free communication on the battlefield.