Revenue Concern Thanks to the players that have expressed their horror at the fall in revenue - no we will not accept donations, we are not a charity.
This said, based on excellent player suggestions, we have produced what we believe to be a winning formula guaranteed to give value for money. Basically we have increased the base political position fee by £1 but given extra option deals to get updates on platforms and outposts each and every week.
New pricing structure to be implemented from week 9. Political Position £2 per week Political Position + 5 bonus outpost/platform updates £3 per week i.e. merely £1 for 5 updates each and every week Political Position + unlimited outpost/platform updates £4 per week i.e. merely £2 to get an update of everything you own each and every week. For some players with excess of 50 outposts, this is an absolute bargain!Upgrading your political is a special action. Please specify which package deal you desire.
The rest of the game remains unchanged Ships/GP's/Agents/Operatives - Free Starbases - £2 per week Special Actions/Explorations - £1.50 each
****** New Player Incentive If you currently do not have a political position, here is an incentive to get one.If you issue the create political position order you will automatically be given two more ships. These ships are each nearly four times the size of your current Courier. They are a Caravel Class Freighter and a Broadsword Class Heavy Cruiser to protect it.
******Pubmeet 22nd/23rd March Confirmed so far David Bethel + meal Keiron Redman + (meal?) Dan Reed + meal Lee Carter + meal Ewan Jones + meal Rob Alexander + meal Richard Kirk + meal (and wearing shoes)
*****Affiliation Recruitment*****
Frontier Exploration & Trade are offering Franchise's to Independently minded Entrepreneur's who wish to be Independent but have the benefits of an affiliation at their disposal. Applicants please contact Nemo Cognito FET Director of Exploration.colin.locke@ntlworld.com
Phoenix SSS: 203 week 7 day 2
*****Latest News*****
Announcement on behalf of the Detinus Republic Press Bureau - Gabriel Fairbride:
Gabriel Fairbride appears with his back to the camera. In the background is a high mountain surrounded by shallow lakes. Numerous tall spires and great domes constructed from the rare native trees rise up all around.
Gabriel turns to camera:
"Gentle Beings,
Who would have thought a Detinus Citizen would once again walk these hallowed halls. Today is such a day. A day of great rejoicing for the Republic. Here today something truly momentous has been achieved that will shape the future of the Peripheries for decades to come. Today I bring you my report from the Brotherhood starbase, Zion, deep in the heart of Confederate space.
But why you ask? Why now after all that has happened between the Brotherhood and the Republic? Those are the questions I myself have been asking ever since I was asked to board a starship last week. Those are the questions I will be asking of Speaker Michelle Diaz, in just a few minutes time.
Ah here she comes now!"
"Representatives of the free press, thank you for attending on such short notice. Many of you will have read the briefing documents prepared by my office and are now wondering why you are here.
Quite simply the Detinus Republic has settled its differences with the Confederacy. Although this has resulted in more than simply vastly improved relations, let me first tell you why we are at peace.
For many years a state of hostility has existed between the Republic and Confederacy. The foundations of the Republic's hostility has principally stemmed from Brotherhood fanaticism. That has now changed. The Brotherhood has changed dramatically from their fanatical cleric status to something closer to our beliefs than we would give them credit for. The old Church has gone.
Whilst this would have been enough to thaw relations between our peoples, the Confederacy offered something more. Something so important to the people of the Detinus Republic that it could not be ignored nor even debated.
The Confederacy gave us a way home, to Detinus in the Inner Empire.
Today I signed a Treaty for joint governorship of the Inner Empire systems by the Detinus Republic and the Confederacy. From this day forth the Inner Empire will be known as the Inner Republic.
Citizens of the Republic, we are going home."
Gabriel appears again but this time in the studio at Porta Capella.
"Citizens, those events were recorded in 47.202. Much has happened since then. Here joining me via remote is Xavier Gladstone to explain recent events.
Mr. Gladstone, welcome."
"Thank you Gabriel. Many events have indeed taken place.
The first system, Trinity, which gives access to the Inner Republic, is now under DTR Martial Law. Entry to this system is restricted to authorized positions only. This system was originally claimed by the Brotherhood but has since been passed to Republic administration under terms of the treaty.
Whilst we have signed this treaty with the Confederacy, we fully understand that there are others in this universe apart from the Confederation and ourselves. So we wish to send a message to the Imperial factions in the Capellan Periphery, that our only desire is to return home and secure what was once ours. We have no desires on the Capellan Periphery, except to trade with the affiliations located within its boarders. Therefore our motivation is to secure the Inner Republic for humanity. That means all humanity that is represented both in the Peripheries today and in the Inner Republic. My point here is to talk to us; don't start a war that no one wants.
Finally, a message to our kin far away. Detinus, we are returning to you"
"Thank you Mr. Gladstone I look forward to hearing of further continuing developments.
Now onto other breaking news:
The new organic AI developed by the DNA. Yes you heard it here first - Flight ready chipmunks...."
*****KJC Update*****
Latest ImprovementsSecurity complexes now require 100 troops to work.PIRATE AFF(1) has been added. Update your order editor.Agent actions are not always detected.IMPORTANTThere is a 40% fall in revenue generated by Phoenix for KJC compared with BSE despite the number of active positions increasing four fold and the player base now well over double BSE.The primary reason for this is that a major source of projected revenue was based on outpost and platform updates. Currently there are less than a dozen updates requested per week (and over 3000 outposts alone in the game).The reasons for this are probably due to the amount of data currently available on political reports.While we expected a short term lack of report requests due to the initial mailing, there still does not appear to be a growth in requests.The secondary reason was that we believed that players originally running only ships would be encouraged to run at least one starbase, thereby maintaining their allotted budget. This has clearly not been the case. From £5.00 a week for 3 ships, they now only pay £1 for the political position. Multiply this by a couple of dozen players....The current situation cannot be sustained indefinitely.We have a number of options:Reduce the report fee for outpost/platforms updates to £0.50 and increase the cost of political reports to £2.50 thereby spreading the cost over all players equally (a single ship used to cost £2.50 per week anyway).If this failsCharge for ship turns (this is against everything that Phoenix stands for).If this failsSomething more serious such as removing mass production thereby forcing players to run more starbases (I personally hate this one).Obviously if new players are encouraged to take up paying positions over the next few weeks, then all of the above will simplygo away. Further, sign up your friends for them using their email address (but contact them first).While the media are intrigued by pbem, as their readers do not request information on pbem, they will not do editorials or review games of this nature.To quote 'As nobody has written to us enquiring about pbem, we will not give any space to it without a substantial advertising deal'.Please contact these people explaining the nature of Phoenix and demanding that they write about it.Contact addresses:These are for Future Publishing (SFX, PC Gamer etc)kieron.gillen@futurenet.co.ukross.atherton@futurenet.co.ukThe bottom line is that the revenue has to increase either through price increases or player base increase. I am sure we all want the latter.
*****Affiliation Recruitment*****
The Idrin kailās thrusters powered up and began to lift the mammoth baseship out of dock, the ship was so large it was too big for most bases orbital docks to move.As it entered orbit it began its final systems check, the Captain was being extremely thorough, who knows when it would next get a chance to dock for repairs and system refits and who knows what action it was going to see between now and then.The Baseship, flagship of the Republic had seen alot of action in its time, From the destruction of the Capitol Colony in Inferno so many years ago to the titanic battles in Hazzard with the 3D alliance in defence of the Hive homeworld.Like most Flagritz vessels it was built to last and it was built to cope with anything the galaxy could throw at it. One minute it could be doing routine patrols and scans of a system then next it could be battling pirates in defence of Republic vessels several systems away or holding the line against those that would try and destroy the noble Republic.But the Idrin Kail is just one of many vessels in the Flagritz Republic, each vessel has its own story and role to play and each vessel and captain is important to making and shaping the Republic.Therefore if you are looking to be more then just another player running another ship in a Aff consider the FGZ, we offer the opportunity to play a distinct alien race and build up your own legacy in BSE!Therefore if you like the sound of the Republic and fancy playing a big giant pear shaped alien then contact - Flagritz@hotmail.com
Phoenix SSS: 203 week 6 day 3
*****Latest News*****
Sorry about yesterday's lack of SSS.
IMP Housekeeping Imperial Warships are continueing their target practice by blasting a recently discovered outpost on an imperially protected world. Let's hope they remain as resolute in the face of an enemy that fires back.
*****KJC Update*****
Pubmeet Manor Hotel 23rd March Friday/Saturday. Looks like KJC will be organising this meet. There are two ways that this can be done. You can either contact and book directly with the hotel or contact us Please give us notice ASAP including whether you wish to be included in the 5 course evening meal. So far: David Bethel + meal Keiron Redman + (meal?) Dan Reed + (meal?) Lee Carter + meal
None sent in since the DEN.Please send in your affiliation's bid to win the hearts and minds of new players.
Phoenix SSS: 203 week 5 day 2
*****Latest News*****
Ship Scans Two new features have been added. First, a scan of a ship will reveal something of its configuration and raison d'etre. The descriptions are based on the items installed on the ship. So if you want to use your warship as a fluffy alien pet transport it will not be scanned as a capitol ship. Also, if you know about a starbase/outpost, it will automatically be scanned, i.e. no sensor check needed. This means that a scout ship could scan a sneaky outpost, the political owner could transfer this information to the affiliation data list and the fleet could turn up and blast it without worry of overlooking it.
Phoenix SSS: 203 week 5 day 1
*****Latest News*****
Nothing to report here. The recent battles are far too low key to have a specific mention. Still it is good to see that the pirates (pirates, not the now legitimate RIP affiliation) are once again active.
*****KJC Update*****
There has been vast improvements to the game over the past two months. The player base has doubled and most conversion players appear to have a grip on the more fundamental aspects of the game. Things are definitely on the up. Remember, if you introduce a friend to KJC, you recieve £10 once they have spent £10 with us. The next major project is the completion of the market reports and their upload to the website. The next couple of days are being used to tidy up the minor bugs that have been noted over the last few weeks.
*****Affiliation Recruitment*****
New players are encouraged to join the forum. KJC-Phoenix-subscribe@yahoogroups.com Make sure that if you do sign up you announce yourself as a new player. Then brace yourself for recruitment offers.
First up is the Confederate Intelligence Agency Contact: Blair Watt CIA@dsl.pipex.com
Confederate Intelligence Agency (CIA)
"What is called "foreknowledge" cannot be elicited from spirits, nor from gods, nor by analogy with past events, nor from calculations. It must be obtained from men who know the enemy situation." Sun Tzu The Art of War, XIII:4
"The most treasured commodity in the Peripheries is Information - and it is this solitary commodity which we ruthlessly exploit." CIA Agent Indoctrination Speech 36.202
The Confederate Intelligence Agency is the eyes and ears of the Confederacy - hunting the darkest secrets of our adversaries and exploiting them to our advantage. Necessity has decreed that all available methods - legal, moral, or otherwise - are open to us in our endeavors as no less than the very survival of the Confederacy is at stake. Subtlety and elegance are seen as positive traits during operations, and these traits are often rewarded, but that is not to say that quick, decisive action, when called for, is avoided - blunt objects have their place in the CIA as well.
The CIA trains and employs the finest Agents and Operatives available. Their duties range from simple library data scans to elaborate sabotage schemes or assassinations. In the past we have destroyed whole shipyards, diverted strategic materials/shipping, smuggled artifacts, stolen advanced technology, subverted populations, and gathered intelligence data upon every other affiliation in the peripheries. If someone has a secret, it's a good bet we already know what it is, hence the CIA is distrusted (at best) and despised (at worse) by almost all other Affiliations.
Together with our allies, the CNF and BHD, we engage the peripheries to defend the Confederate way of life.
