*beginning transmission*
Hey, is this thing on?
*pokes the communicator, image gets clear*
Private Robert Stax reporting back to duty, sir! I went throught some connection issues that limited my connection for almost a year, but I am now ready for action. Ready and with more English skills. Yes, you heard that right! No more (or at least much less) weird and handicapped phrases!

Putting the conversation aside, I must ask a few questions:
1 - Is XCAS still operational?
2 - Why am I getting a "Forbidden" message everytime I try to access the XCAS site?
3 - What happened while I was out? Since I can't access the site I can't see the logs...
4 - Do anyone here know where to find a good mIRC client that is compatible with MacOSX?

I'll be glad if someone answers me that questions, and will return to simming ASAP. Stax logging out!
*message ends*

1 - Yes. But I am no longer a member.

2 - Different domain name for the X-COM Tactical Command, which hosts XCAS. I don't know where the new site is.

3 - Stax died for one. :lol: But don't worry, you can make another character if you please.

4 - Have you tried using Trillian? It can be found at www.trillian.cc

Har, bad news. First off, all of x-com.co.uk is down for revamp. Only forums are up now, the rest is not. Second, Stax was killed a while back. during a raid on an enemy ship. The enemy counterattacked, and Stax was one of the defenders in the assault shuttle. The attack claimed Stax and three others (Hoz, Paul, and Machera). I don't know anything about MacOSX, but I'll inquire.

With regards to activity, the current activity has been low. Ghost and I have been discussing a number of options, but we'll be looking for some group input next weekend. If you have some form of instant messenger, contact me (my info is in my profile), or toss me an email (put XCAS in the title, in case I have to find it in my unreliable junkmail). Regardless, if you're interested in playing, you'll be a valuable addition to the crew (again ).

So what happened? And your english does look pretty solid now - congrats on that.

Strong Bob: Trillian? Uh, didn't know that trillian is a mIRC client too...

DragonHawk: hmmm... Stax died, uh? Well, I guess I'll make another character. Is there any Sniper/Sniper spot free? And I would aprecciate if you send me the logs via e-mail if you can.

And about my English... let's just say that I had plentiful of time to chat with people over english-speaking forums... I wrote more things in English in three weeks than in Portuguese through my entire 2004 year! (But I still need pratice...)

First of all, welcome back.

I'm the current lead sniper of Alpha Squad (Sniper/Trooper), but I guess we can have another sharpshooter in the team. That's up to Derrick. As for a Sniper/Sniper position, I'd advise you against taking such spot, since a pure sniper wouldn't be able to do anything but sniping very well. What's more, lately we've had lots of missions indoors, hardly involving sniping. Your character would face a serious disadvantage right now if you have him take a Sniper/Sniper spot.

Well, I could take the Sniper/Medic or Sniper/Trooper (if there are any slots avaliable). And indoor missions do have some sniping possibilities (like long, narrow corridors or shooting from one building to another)... Hell, sniper rifles can be used like normal (but clumsy) rifles. Anyway, why do snipers carry sidearms, if it is not for such situations? Combined with a good marksman, even a pistol can become a headshot device of doom! (OK, I may be abusing, but I played too much HALO to left the pistols behind!)

Hiya. I'm the squad's new psionic (whenever I can remember we're having a sim, at least).

We could use someone in a medic position, but as Atzel points out, having snipers for every second guy would be rather poor. There also seems to be a great misinterpretation about what the sniper is supposed to be able to do - the image is that of a L337 trooper, running around destroying the enemy like in Silent Scope, which I think is pretty questionable.

Guys, we're going to be having a meeting this weekend on Saturday - no sim this weekend. The reason for this is so we can discuss attendence and the direction of the sim. If these two things are related, then by all means then it will have to change, but if they are not, then we are going to have to discuss other ideas. See the scheduling and attendence post for more info.

Eh... I still needing a mIRC client... can't find "Trillian"...

Atzel? Where the hell did you see him? It's me, DH... Shadow, goddamnit!

Well, Trooper/Medic is pretty cool for me... Even a totally specialized Medic/Engineer (if there is something like an engineer in the game) could be OK for me... I'm wanting roleplay, not frags! XP

LOL. Well said, sir.

Shadow, I was referring to a conversation I had with Atzel about three months ago (I think) over ICQ. I didn't realize you were saying that you didn't want another sniper on the team, I thought you were just saying that you were the sniper, my bad. I know you were talking about all our closer missions nowadays too, but really, the second sniper thing was a relic comment from when Snake Eye was still on roster. Sorry for the confusion, I'm an old man, so my memory is dated. My apologies to Sir Shadow.

Trooper/Medic should be fine.

However, Medic/Engineer sounds a bit weird. How can someone study Medicine AND Engineering at the university and live to tell the tale? That's too much for most people's brains, unless you studied Medicine and made an Internet course on Engineering or something. I dunno...

A good background can make everything be possible... even such weird combinations! but Trooper/Medic is better... having firepower to eventually kill an enemy and then help a wounded fellow is good enough for me.

Keep in mind that the medic title does not imply any formal education except for what X-Com gives. Anyone can be made a medic and sent to the training course if they so choose it, and it's basically a course on how to keep people alive long enough to get them home. A dedicated military doctor or surgeon would be carrying the medic/medic designation, which would be Yorke in our case.

Dufranes: "Doc really isn't a good nickname for me, I'm a medic, not a doctor."
Tucker: "What's the difference?"
Dufranes: "A doctor cures people, a medic just makes them more comfortable while they die."
Tucker: "Mental note. Never get shot."

(http://xoomer.virgilio.it/gluca.cannata/ Mac Os x client)

I'd be interested in er joining this RP thing with you (couldn't find a recruitment thread 0.o)

I've had a year or so experience RPing so I shouldn't be too horrific

Yeah, found a client... now, what is the server and channel? And the timezone? I'll need to make preparations to ensure I'll be in the channel in the right hour.

The server is Starchat (irc.starchat.net) and the channel is #xcas. The sims are usually at 8 pm CET (European mainland time), which is 7 pm GMT, 2 pm EST, 11 am PST, and so on.

And welcome back to the sim again Stax, good to see you again. As for you Xzarr, I think DH probably already spoke to you about the recruitment thingy, but I'll recap it quickly. The site is currently down, so the recruitment page and everything is as well. DH would be your main contact for XCAS related stuff, though you can ask me too if you need to know anything (MSN, ICQ, Yahoo, AIM, I've got it all and I believe all my contact info is in my profile).

Thank ya Ghost! I'll be there (maybe not at the correct time, since my timezone is a bit weird with daylight saving time, but I'll be there).