Oolite Bulletins

If someone has a nice greyscale picture, I can add it on a new monument. I don't think new monument types should be added, just use the current stones with a customised picture (lighted area) on it.

Eric Walch wrote:

I don't think new monument types should be added...

There were several reasons I suggested a new monument. Firstly I feel 'real' Commanders' monuments should be distinctive - we are dealing with real people, people we often know quite well and consider to be friends and I think this is important. Also it would make them easier to find should anybody want to do this.
I suggested a gold Starbird as it is symbolic of the game we all love and I felt a direct connection with the game was appropriate. It is also sufficiently different to the other monuments to stand out while still 'fitting in' in my opinion.
If the Starbird is deemed inappropriate for whatever reason, why not call on our many talented modellers and have a 'competition' to see who can design the perfect monument?
On practical grounds, except for the Commander's name I would suggest against considering personalised monuments for late Commanders, or using a members avatar.

I think that a Starbird with a name plate would be fine.

Also a small reminder that there is monuments.oxp, which we last discussed here (without any of that thread's discussion yet having come to pass).

I like the idea but one thing though. After Robert Holdstock died, I suggested that should Elite IV ever be created he should have a memorial in the game. It was the only detail about the game I ever got Frontier to admit to before the launch of Elite Dangerous, but it was dependant on getting his family's permission to do so. Do you think the same should apply to Oolite monuments for real people on this board?

That's a darned good point, actually.

Yes, I think permission should be sought first. It might only be a small thing in a relatively small game, but it's still polite to make sure it's OK with the family.

That's assuming, of course, that the family won't mind being bothered with this sort of request.

Permissions is an area I had wondered about. It would seem polite to seek permission from the family, but I wonder how desirable (or practical) this might be, particularly at a time of breavement.
Also, I assume we'd be using the Commander's in-game name rather than their real name which is probably significant.

I think both should be used. My impression was that the memorial stone would have
The start of this year brought me some experience of bereavement, and from my own point of view through both funerals I would have welcomed and supported this sort of idea - but I'm looking at it from the point of view of someone involved with the community. My brother (well, stepbrother really) Peter was the same - deal with the practical and not carry the emotions over to those who are trying to be supportive. My sister, however, was not of that opinion, and was lashing out at people all around her who were trying to help.

In general, though, the people who are organising the arrangements are usually the ones who are objective and who will give the suggestion the consideration it needs.

So I would say if the need is there to seek permission, then it's more respectful to ask, and those close to him will probably appreciate the consideration.

Further to this debate, I tried to find some on-line references to in-game memorials and any etiquette attached to these. There doesn't seem to be any do's and don'ts, but I did find a couple of relevant items. It seems that memorials are a feature of World of Warcraft, and there is a lengthy piece here which is interesting. Also a well-known member of the Eve community passed away and the debate here mirrors the one we are having in many ways.

It would be good, if possible, to contact relatives who know the passing person well enough to know that they loved E/Oolite, otherwise it might just seem a trivial request out left field from some peanut gallery at a very inconvenient time for the family.

CommRLock78 wrote:

It would be good, if possible, to contact relatives who know the passing person well enough to know that they loved E/Oolite, otherwise it might just seem a trivial request out left field from some peanut gallery at a very inconvenient time for the family.

And to point out that they were an important part of the Oolite community, who will be very much missed, which is why the community wishes to commemorate them..

Thargoid wrote:

One thought I did have, would this not be more sincere if built into the main trunk rather than as an OXP? I would still keep the location etc as being the TOGY but if that OXP is installed then it is added around these true memorials. But without that OXP then just the memorials show up in game. Almost as a special mini graveyard.

I like the sound of this.

Yes it's a great idea. My only concerns would be the need to change the core code (and thus move a tiny bit away from 'Elite'), and how it would administered and updated.

I really think it should be an OXP thing, rather than a core feature.

I do wonder if Ironfist would have wanted any of this - he struck me as a no-nonsense type of guy.

Hm. Nah, I don't think it needs to go into the core game. I think an OXP would be enough.

Besides - the TOGY itself is a HUGE resource hog, and should be optional.