OngoingWorlds blog

News & articles about play-by-post games, for roleplayers & writers

Jun
15

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SciWorld 2016. June 23-24. Be there.

Category: Behind the scenes - running RPGs, Events, Play-by-post discussion, Roleplaying community, Trivia Tags: Leave a Comment

2016 SciWorld Online Convention

2016 SciWorld Online Convention

SciWorld 2016 is almost upon us!  Indeed, the 14th iteration of the original simming and online role playing convention will be held in chatrooms at www.sciworldonline.com on Thursday, June 23rd and Friday, the 24th.  We plan to kick things off at 5:30pm EST (10:30pm BST) on Thursday and at 4:00pm EST (9:00pm BST) on Friday.

For those of you who may not be familiar with the SciWorld Online Convention, it’s an extravaganza held annually in IRC chatrooms for everything that is simming and online roleplaying.  Typical events include discussions and workshops on issues within the greater simming community, interactive trivia games, and live-action role plays.  There’s something there for everyone!  As always, SciWorld is open to all simmers and online role players, regardless of rank or club affiliation.  The first SciWorld was held in 1999 and sponsored by the Simming League.  Past SciWorlds have also been sponsored by other great organizations, including Ongoing Worlds and SimEnc.  This year’s convention is sponsored by Roleplay Wiki, which also sponsored the previous two.

So what does this all mean for you?

  • First, plan to attend yourself.  What better place to share your own ideas and learn the latest and greatest from the rest of the community?
  • Second, invite your friends.  Let them join in on the fun too!
  • Finally, if you would like to host a one-hour discussion, trivia game, or role play, contact Zania Ja’arda with this form.  But don’t wait too long–the schedule fills up quickly!

See you in a little over a week at SciWorld 2016.

Jun
1

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Congratulations to our 2016 Squiddie Nominees

Category: Awards, Competition, Events, Roleplaying community Tags: 1 Comment

Ongoing Worlds Medal for Superior Online Role Playing

Ongoing Worlds Medal for Superior Online Role Playing

The nomination window for the 2016 Squiddies (aka the Ongoing Worlds Medal for Superior Online Role Playing) closed yesterday.  As some of you will recall, we asked the entire simming & online role playing community to nominate the best people, games, and clubs for the highest honor bestowed by this organization.  You answered with nominations for 29 outstanding people/games/clubs.  And what a fantastic list it is!  Without any further ado, here are your 2016 Ongoing Worlds Medal for Superior Online Role Playing nominees in no particular order… Read More

May
24

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A few nice words about last year’s Squiddie nominees

Category: Events, Roleplaying community Tags: Leave a Comment

happy finger drawings

As we’re in the midst of the 2016 Squiddie nomination period, I thought it would be helpful to post some of the kind words that we received for last year’s nominees. As you can see, there was quite a bit of talent that we weren’t able to award.

For a reminder, there’s just a week remaining to get your nominations in. See the original post here to submit your favourite role players, games, and clubs for a Squiddie – the top award presented by OngoingWorlds. Read More

May
5

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The Awards Season Continues: Squiddie Time!

Category: Awards, Competition, Events, Roleplaying community Tags: 1 Comment

Ongoing Worlds Medal for Superior Online Role Playing

Ongoing Worlds Medal for Superior Online Role Playing

We recently concluded the Tournament of Simulations (ToS) and presented two more Ongoing Worlds Community Honors (OWCH).  However, it’s now time for the pinnacle award bestowed by Ongoing Worlds: The Squiddie!  (Officially, the Ongoing Worlds Medal for Superior Online Roleplaying.)  If you’re not familiar with the award, check out our past winners:

Here’s how it works:  Each year we present Squiddies to three different entities: one person, one sim/game, and one club.  Prior winners are not eligible for future awards.  Squiddies are bestowed for exemplifying one or more of the following characteristics, primarily during the previous calendar year:

  • Excellence in role playing
  • Originality and innovation
  • Facilitating the community experience

Nominations may be made by anyone using the form below. Read More

May
1

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Introducing the Two Newest Ongoing Worlds Community Honor Recipients

Category: Awards, Events, Roleplaying community Tags: , 3 Comments

The OWCH awardWith the Tournament of Simulations completed, it’s time for us to honor the individuals behind another absolutely fantastic role play:  Rhiannon (aka Emily Wake) and ryjones are hereby awarded the Ongoing Worlds Community Honor (OWCH) for their outstanding service as moderators of the 2778 A.D. sim.  Indeed, founded less than a year ago in August 2015, the game has seen an astounding 2177 posts since!  It has not only exceeded all expectations in terms of quantity, but it has also set the pace for Ongoing Worlds sims in the flash or short form posting style.  This has allowed for many fascinating and unexpected turns in the story.  If you’re looking for an adventure, this game is where it’s at!  Congratulations to both Rhiannon and ryjones!  Well done! Read More

Apr
30

By

2015 Tournament of Simulations Winners

Category: Awards, Competition, Events, Roleplaying community Tags: 8 Comments

simcup2015It’s time to introduce the winners of the the 11th Tournament of Simulations (ToS)!  In case you missed it, ToS is an annual event where role play games of different clubs and genres compete against each other in a friendly manner for several awards.  The first tournament was held all the way back in 1999.  This year, each participating sim submitted 10 posts that were written sometime during 2015.  The posts were then evaluated by three judges in three different categories on a 1-10 scale: Story, Characters, and Readability/Grammar.  The games receiving the highest marks are now recognized.

As I say every year, evaluating sims is a subjective art and this is especially true with ToS.  We’re not here to identify the best games as this is impossible.  Instead, we’re here to identify what we think are outstanding role plays that exude excellence.  A different set of judges may very well chose a completely different set of winners.

Without an further ado, here are your winners…

Read More

Mar
24

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Interview with Mike Bremer

Category: Behind the scenes - running RPGs, Interviews, Play-by-post discussion, Roleplaying community Tags: , 4 Comments

Mike Bremer

Mike Bremer

Last week I had the opportunity to ask simming legend Mike Bremer a few questions.  Mike needs no introduction as he’s arguably one of the most important leaders in simming and online role playing history.  Mike started his career in Allied Electronic Simulations (AES) way back in 1996.  After moving over to Tango Fleet later that year, he then co-founded Bravo Fleet with Pat Weber in 1997.  Mike served as Bravo Fleet Commanding Officer (BFCO) from 1998 to 2004 and grew it into one of the first true mega-clubs of the Internet era.  Mike has received numerous accolades over the course of his career, including the 2011 Simming Prize and, most recently, the 2015 Ongoing Worlds Medal for Superior Online Role Playing (aka the Squiddie).  Mike also hosts the Starbase 400 sim (SB400, previously known as the USS Pegasus), which is incidentally one of the sims he joined back in 1996!  Starbase 400 has won multiple awards for its high-quality and longevity.  With that, I present to you, Mike Bremer in his own words… Read More

Mar
16

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THE BEACONS ARE LIT! TIBERIUS CALLS FOR AID!

Category: Advertising your game, Behind the scenes - running RPGs, Character Development, Competition, Events, Inspiration for writing, OngoingWorlds guide, OngoingWorlds site news, Play-by-post discussion, Roleplaying community, Website Improvements Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a Comment

beacons1

DID YAH MISS ME? WELL I MISSED YOU!

Hey-o Ongoing Worlds! It’s been a while hasn’t it? Don’t answer that, we’re not actually talking and you talking to a screen with no reply really isn’t flattering. Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah. The beacons are lit and I do call for aid! YOUR AID! Why? BECAUSE THE CHAT BOX NEEDS OUR HELP! Read More

Feb
29

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How will the Simming & Online Role Playing Universe End?

Category: Roleplay Systems, Roleplay-related projects, Roleplaying community Tags: 16 Comments

NASA's 9 Year Microwave Sky Image

NASA’s 9 Year Microwave Sky Image
“The Face of God”

Much like the origin of the universe, the beginnings of the simming and online role playing community remain shrouded in mystery.  Sure, we know that it developed out of fan fiction on primordial online services of the late 1980s and early 1990s, but we lack specifics, and many of the details we do have are quite vague.

Records exist for many of the major players and significant historical events, but we miss a lot of the nuance.  It is also highly likely that there are pockets of our cosmos that we don’t even know about it, and now may never know about.

In the approximately 25 years since our creation, clubs, much like stars, have come and gone.  And role-plays, much like planets have come and gone too.  The community is much different now than it was then.  Indeed, just as the physical universe is more mature and less volatile than it was during its early days, our demographic is older and our universe more stable as well.  But how will it all end?  Here are three possibilities:  The Big Freeze, The Big Crunch, and The Big Bounce.
Read More

Dec
31

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The 2015 Tournament of Simulation is Now Calling all Entrants

Category: Awards, Competition, Events, Roleplaying community Tags: , 5 Comments

simcup2015UPDATE: The Nomination window has been extended through February 29th, 2016.

Hear ye, hear ye!  Hosts, participants, and club leaders alike are all hereby invited to enter their games into the the oldest and most prestigious competition of the simming and online roleplaying universe:  The Tournament of Simulations!  Indeed, Ongoing Worlds is officially calling on on YOU to enter your simulations and online role plays in the 2015 edition of ToS.  This will be the 11th rendition of the tournament, which was first held in 1999.  Nominations will be accepted through January 31st, 2016. Winners will be announced sometime later.  Here’s how to enter: Read More

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