First Issue, Vol. II - January 8th, 2014

Station Square Times
Nuntiantes in nova nuntia referens, singulis hebdomadis!



Issue 1, Vol. 2





New Year, Major Reforms

As 2013 (or, at the reader's preference, 7557) recedes into memory, SRN has taken a chance to reflect on what has gone by and what can go better in the future.  To that end, a number of alterations have been made that will hopefully hold the forum in good stead for the coming year.  First and generally most important, the site rules have been updated with slightly more stringent standards.  Largely these address clarifications just to make sure that forum members understand that the rules do cover particular scenarios.  However, a new section has been added to the rules concerning character creation and an emphasis placed on helping new writers better their potentially unbalanced characters.  Also on the issue of characters, the wheels of official characters and site canon are grinding again, for better or worse.  (See the new newspaper section for more details.)  Responsible for the sections pertaining to characters and the "general maintenance" of the site are our two most recently hired staff members, Uncanny-Illustrator and Lady-Tragedy.  Additional changes include the creation of more forum sections (such as for major groups or concepts belonging to RPers that can fit into the overarching site canon) and a renewed focus on making RPs not just survive, but thrive.  As the changes carry into the new year, we at the newspaper ask you to look into these changes for yourself and wish you the best!







Interview with DarwinDarcy&Co

Interview by SST Editor Quiet Light

Quiet Light: Greetings, readers. This is Quiet Light, coming to you from the Station Square Times, and today our interviewee is recently-returned member DarwinDarcy&Co. How are you, Darcy?
DarwinDarcy&Co: I'm doing fine. And you?
Light: Well enough, thank you for asking. As I recall, you arrived back at SRN about a month ago after...five months?
Darcy: Yeah. What happened was that I'd gone to Governor's school for a month. I'd originally planned to come right back after I returned home, but I suppose plans kind of changed.
Light: Ah, all right. So has the forum changed much in the meantime?
Darcy: It has. I suppose not drastically, but when I looked closely, there were a few new topics, and the forums were more neatly organized. I mean, they were pretty neat before, but I think the changes made things even easier.
Light: Okay. What about the more recent changes, at the end of the year? Things such as the rule changes and the forum rearrangement?
Darcy: I like the new rules. I agree with them, and I do think that they'll help create a better SRN experience for all of us. And the same for the forum rearrangement. I myself like specific categories for things, and it just creates a more organized feel on the site.
Light: All right. Now, on a more personal note - what do you bring to the community?
Darcy: I really have no idea what I bring to the community. I can be annoying, though I try not to be, and my Canon is very different from the typical Mobius and Eggman and G.U.N. scenario.
Light: Well, are you an artist or writer? Or more of an RPer? I know that you have a deep interest in Pokemon.
Darcy: Haha, yes, I do like Pokémon, but it's only sometimes that I do a Pokémon RP. I'm actually all three options. I like to come up with situations, though at times, I am very lazy; I like to play them through, and occasionally I'll draw a scene that I think is interesting. I mostly just draw my characters, though.
Light: All right. Now, perhaps you haven't been in a position to see, but canon has been kickstarted recently, with inclusion of several characters and the Emeralds. Thoughts?
Darcy: I won't be participating, but I don't see a problem with it. Just as long as I can start something up with some original characters, I'll be perfectly happy. I prefer not to use the canon.
Light: What are your plans for your future on the forum and your characters' futures?
Darcy: I've already decided that I'm going to write a book or three with my characters and their canon, maybe even more. That's actually what I want to do with my life: I want to be a novelist and illustrate my own books. However, my time on this forum is limited. As I go off into college, I won't have time to be here between my two majors. But, I do have the forum to thank for helping me get to know my characters more than I ever could by myself.
Light: Glad to hear. Anything you think the forum could do better?
Darcy: Not as of right now, but something that may eventually need consideration is the use of a stat chart. Give a number and let the user choose how they split it between strength, stamina, accuracy, and speed. And there should be a limit on how many powers a character has. Though, I guess that's just my Mary-Sue-dar going off. There are many on the forum, but they've been all right. I'm not too bothered by them.
Light: Any any closing words as we, well, close?
Darcy: Not really, other than that I'm enjoying my time here while it lasts, but you don't have to put that in there.
Light: Thanks for your time!







Image of the Week


That wascaly hedgehog!  (Younger viewers may not know Bugs - a long story it is.)

[There appear to be problems with the image.  It may be added in a later issue.]






Around the Site in 60 Seconds (or Less!)


This section endeavors to give a quick update on any and all developments in site canon, including official character approvals, Emerald situations, and the development of the central storyline.
Disclaimer: The reader's ability to get through this section in one minute may vary with the amount of information and the reading speed.
Also disclaimer: The editor will use firsthand knowledge of plot whenever possible, but this is not always possible and as such some sections will be much shorter at times.




- Official character listings: Since the last issue of the newspaper, a new thread has been implemented listing many characters from the series, from all forms of media, with room to expand.  To date, since the previous issue:
- Jill Twilight has been granted authorship of Blaze.
- DeuxExDimensia has been granted authorship of Zavok.
- LaishLife has been granted authorship of Zonic.
- Turbine has been granted authorship of Silver.
All inactive users were removed from canon character control.
- Lady-Tragedy has been granted authorship of Tikal.
- Deanthewolf has been granted authorship of Dr. Robotnik/Eggman.
- Quiet Light has been granted authorship of Knuckles.
- At least two other applications are under review and two more may be in revision.




- Emerald Situations: The weekly rundown looks like this:
The red Emerald is held by Punk the Hedgehog (author Punk the Hedgehog) since recently taking it from Sonic in a back alley.
The green Emerald is held by Shadow the Hedgehog (no author) since time immemorial.
The blue Emerald is held by Sonic the Hedgehog (author Burning-Fox) for quite some time.
The light blue Emerald is held by Jayne Granger (author Quiet Light) since finding it recently deep underneath Red Volcano.  This still needs official approval.
The orange Emerald is held by Electrisa the Hedgehog (author Electrisa) since receiving it from Sonic a few months back.
The purple Emerald is held by Clash the Hedgehog (author Clash the Hedgehog) since finding it recently under Water Palace and tying possession of the Emerald to his ability to live.  This still needs official approval.
The silver Emerald is unowned, its signal tracing to Mount Mobius.
The Master Emerald was recently shattered again after an encounter between Sonic and Eggman.  Knuckles has retrieved three of the approximately twenty-seven shards.




- Site canon:


An Emerald signal was recently found in the ruins deep under Water Palace.  Several parties entered the area, including Sonic and Metal Sonic as well as several explorers totally oblivious to the Emerald's presence.  None found it.  Sonic went to Knuckles and asked the guardian to go look for it, being a better swimmer.  The echidna reluctantly agreed to leave Sonic in charge of the Master Emerald and set off with a rather large following.  Just about at the time that they approached Water Palace, his unease and certainty that Sonic was already bored led him to leave the Emerald radar with the party that followed him and head back to the island.  Dr. Robotnik, meanwhile, is back on the loose!  He made a reappearance at Angel Island and stole the Master Emerald just before Sonic returned from a run.  The resulting fight caused the Master Emerald to split and scatter its fragments.  Since the island fell without its power source, a water struggle ensued in which Knuckles showed up just in time to keep Sonic from drowning.  Robotnik was gone, but Sonic was unconscious.


The search party, meanwhile, found the purple Emerald and hastily exited the ruins that were rapidly flooding due to ancient traps.  Back at the fallen Angel Island, after Knuckles had gone in search of the Emerald shards, Clash (who, out of the search party, found the Emerald by rushing) undertook to heal Sonic's injuries as well as the amnesia problems of Spencer, a friend.  In doing so, he essentially killed himself - he returned, but his life is connected to his possession of the purple Emerald.  Srunks and Ashley (two other members of the party) went with Clash and Spencer to celebrate the finding of the Emerald and the cures that happened.  Jayne, who had organized and led the entire effort to locate the Emerald, stayed behind, her innate good pressured by her innate want of the Emerald.  In the meantime, Knuckles located one of the missing shards elsewhere on Angel Island.  The party continued for a while, but Jayne was later found, distraught, by Srunks and Spencer, while Clash and Ashley spend time getting to know each other better and find many common points.


After calming down, Jayne went with Spencer to search for another Chaos Emerald, while Srunks returned to the party.  Ashley and Spencer departed around that time; Clash and Srunks headed to Red Volcano while Jayne, having gone with Spencer, was already there, searching for the Emerald.  After some difficulties on a train, Clash, Srunks, and a traveler they met named Yoko arrived and followed a trail of glowing pebbles down into the volcano.  Jayne, with Srunks's help, found the light blue Emerald, but its near presence caused Clash to change into a much less friendly form of an immensely powerful ancient king in possession of one Emerald and searching for the rest.


For present, the plot ends there.







RP Tip of the Week


"If, on the forum, you are finding difficulty giving your posts length, it could be that you aren't supplying enough detail. While dialogue can be fulfilling enough for the next person's response, it isn't necessarily enough fulfilling for your post. Describing what your character sees, how they feel, and even giving their thoughts can both lengthen posts, and help to develop that character as well."
- Hyro







Letters to the Editor


None today!  Be sure to write in if you want to know about anything!







Introductions & Birthdays



This section notes any users who have recently entered and written introduction threads since last issue.  And there are a lot of them.  Please do not reply to any of these posted prior to Christmas.


On Thursday, the 21st of November, we welcomed Electron Virizin.  Intro thread can be found here.
On Saturday, the 23rd of November, we welcomed Blue Jay.  Intro thread can be found here.
On Sunday, the 1st of December, we welcomed Parkouring-Spritso.  Intro thread can be found here.
On Wednesday, the 11th of December, we welcomed Whiptail the Cat.  Intro thread can be found here.
On Thursday, the 12th of December, we welcomed Zeffyen.  Intro thread can be found here.
On Thursday, the 12th of December, we welcomed Flaming Nightmare-.  Intro thread can be found here.
On Friday, the 13th of December, we welcomed missbat.  Intro thread can be found here.
On Thursday, the 19th of December, we welcomed Lumi Hedgehog.  Intro thread can be found here.
On Friday, the 27th of December, we welcomed Me Myself And I.  Intro thread can be found here.
On Saturday, the 28th of December, we welcomed LaishLife.  Intro thread can be found here.
On Saturday, the 28th of December, we welcomed ChrisLilyheart.  Intro thread can be found here.
On Monday, the 30th of December, we welcomed Emi Takahashi.  Intro thread can be found here.
On Wednesday, the 1st of January, we welcomed kisume.  Intro thread can be found here.
On Thursday, the 2nd of January, we welcomed Alphathehedgehog.  Intro thread can be found here.
On Thursday, the 2nd of January, we welcomed BlueJewel.  Intro thread can be found here.
On Friday, the 3rd of January, we welcomed Clash The Hedgehog.  Intro thread can be found here.
On Saturday, the 4th of January, we welcomed AkiratheHedgehog.  Intro thread can be found here.




Happy birthday to everyone who had birthday since late November!  This coming week, we'll celebrate the birthdays of Akira the Hedgehog, boombam924, and Wyatt the Hedgehog.  Wish them a happy birthday if you see them around!

There has been much discussion and consternation and the administrators have given a verdict that much of what was written concerning site canon tread on much ground that should have been left alone.  For the record, then, the majority of the second and third paragraphs are struck out and it reads so:


"An Emerald signal was recently found in the ruins deep under Water Palace.  Several parties entered the area, including Sonic and Metal Sonic as well as several explorers totally oblivious to the Emerald's presence.  None found it.  Sonic went to Knuckles and asked the guardian to go look for it, being a better swimmer.  The echidna reluctantly agreed to leave Sonic in charge of the Master Emerald and set off with a rather large following.  Just about at the time that they approached Water Palace, his unease and certainty that Sonic was already bored led him to leave the Emerald radar with the party that followed him and head back to the island.  Dr. Robotnik, meanwhile, is back on the loose!  He made a reappearance at Angel Island and stole the Master Emerald just before Sonic returned from a run.  The resulting fight caused the Master Emerald to split and scatter its fragments.  Since the island fell without its power source, a water struggle ensued in which Knuckles showed up just in time to keep Sonic from drowning.  Robotnik was gone, but Sonic was unconscious.  The search party, meanwhile, found the purple Emerald and hastily exited the ruins that were rapidly flooding due to ancient traps."

Just thought I'd make a note that I rather appreciate the presence of these papers here. Been away from the forum for quite some time, and these are actually really useful for trying to get a quick recap/catch-up on things which've changed/been updated whilst away. Kudos to you.

Hey, the paper has accomplished what I set it out to do!  Glad to hear from you and glad to hear that it has been a help.