Ex-Astra - Lite :: Archives

Archive Issue - 07-03-2017

July  03, 2017

The State of Gaming -By Klaw

Contrary to popular belief, TLO is still very active in the gaming world, just not necessarily as a group and not necessarily with the games that we support as a group. As I’m typing this now, a discussion is underway to probe TLO’s interest in expanding into other games. This conversation (located here ) has sparked a few fantastic titles, including Space Engineers (currently available on steam for $9.99 USD), Minecraft, and Tabletop Simulator (currently available on steam for $9.99 USD).

While the conversation is moving about expanding into other areas, there has still been no word in regards to the future of the games we currently support.

- By Klaw

So as you can imagine, it’s difficult to pad these out when you’re the only writer on the team. So why not join the team? Media and Marketing is looking for a group of  passionate members to help promote the community in a variety of ways including writing for this newsletter.  If you’re interested, contact Chris Wilkinson by private message on our forums, or by e-mail at: cwilkinson1988@gmail.com for more information.

Remember kids, writing is fun!    

 

Anyway... it’s SRP time!

The Amarante is on a five-year mission to explore the Delta Quadrant, and make contact with the planets and people that the rogue USS Equinox may have angered during their time in the quadrant. Re-tracing the route of the Equinox, the Galaxy-Class starship has already found its fair share of trouble; not to mention a chef who strongly believes in good digestion.

Letters to the editor

This section was left blank as a placeholder, and an invitation. Feel free to write to us by sending Chris Wilkinson a private message on our forums, or E-mailing him at: cwilkinson1988@gmail.com

I can’t guarantee that we’ll publish your letter(s), but I will try to do the best that I can. Feel free to write about whatever you want, whether it be last week’s episode of an SRP, or a mission in STO that you found particularly intense or even open a discussion about the crazy episode of the CW show Supernatural. Whatever you want to talk about, this is your corner for you to raise your voice and express yourself in any way you want, about anything you want.

A Word from our Head of Media and Marketing -By Chris Wilkinson

Well this is the first issue of what I hope to be many of the new Ex-Astra Lite. We hope to bring you each month a small snippet of news and goings on within TLO; with articles about the current going ons of our Serial Roleplays in RPG-X as well as information on anything else that may be going on in TLO.

We will also look at other things outside of TLO and bring you the news here, in a much more relaxed and completely unbiased (Except for views which are expressly allowed by our great leader) way. This could be the latest snapshots of Star Trek Discovery, rumours of the next Grand Theft Auto or even about sightings of the difficult to see Peldari, which can sometimes be found on the forums and elsewhere.

I hope that you all enjoy this first edition of the new Ex-Astra Lite and we hope to keep you all entertained in the future.

• Chris Wilkinson, Head of Media and Marketing

-Image courtesy of volacci.com

Looking toward the Future: A message from the self-appointed, freelance editor -By Klaw

Like I said before, This edition is “ultra-lite”. Trying to dash it off in a week’s time will do that to you. However, I wanted to show you just what can be done in a short amount of time when you have someone who is dedicated, and semi-talented enough to do it.

Future editions of this periodical may or may not involve me steering the ship, so I want to get this out there as a basis for whoever may take over. Some of the regular features that I would love to see include:

“The Faces of TLO” - An inside look at TLO through the members. This is a spotlight piece focusing on TLO members, giving everyone a chance to share their story (or not, if they choose).

“Klaw’s Mapping Corner” - Likely a semi-regular inside look at the next little project that I have to offer for RPG-X. May even include some special guests from our slightly less active resident mapmaker, Martin Thompson, if he wants to take part.

“A Letter from our President” - This would be an editorial about anything and everything the President wishes to talk about. It could be TLO Business, or even promotion for some Street Fighter Tournament. I only hope that Serris means the video game…

Lastly, “Roast Duck” - I seriously doubt this will become a thing, but if it does this is my thought:

Roast Duck will be a humor piece, designed to do little more than roast Jenson, my dear old friend and semi-retired colleague. I would imagine there being a series of writers - and the whole intention is to simply make Duck jokes. I suspect even Jenson may write a joke or two for this feature.

As well as A Commander’s Corner, highlighting the activity of our games in more detail, which will ultimately allow “The State of Gaming” to be written by the game division(s) while also allowing for upcoming changes within a department (such as technical) to be broadcast through another medium outside the forum, if needed or desired.

The above are just some ideas; a few of them are good, and one is very weird and will likely dry up fast but I say we should drink from that well while we have it.

One more thing I want to say on the matter. You may have noticed that this looks little to nothing like the Ex Astra of yore; and there’s a good reason for that. Presently, nobody here at TLO is trying to use this to build their marketable skills for future jobs and nobody has the time or apparent skill needed to pull the old magazines off. This is a more laid back publication, that I believe is more fitting for this group. We market ourselves as a “casual gaming community” and I feel this newsletter should mirror that mentality. But what do I know? I’m just a freelance editor doing this on behalf of TLO’s Media and Marketing department as a labor of love for this group.

Nevertheless, don’t be surprised if this periodical begins to morph into something resembling its ancestors a little more closely. Ultimately it is important for us to evolve as a species and as a group, I imagine this newsletter will mirror the community; growing as we endeavour to find new avenues to expand into, and increase our activity. If I do stay on in a more permanent capacity, I would imagine there being a gaggle of writers doing this job (yes, I called the writers geese), even better than I just did, and as a result, it could give me some time to make this full flavor, zero calorie wonder a little extra “something something”…

One more quick shoutout, then I’ll let you get to the funnies; I want to give a very special Thank you to Callum603, our technical director, for working on a little corner of the website for us to publish to. It’s still a work in progress, but big things are coming with it. Seriously, I only told him about it Wednesday and he jumped straight to work. Thank you Callum, I owe you a milkshake.

- Klaw (image courtesey of worldartsme.com)

The Funnies

 

 

Quote of the day

“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.”  -Maya Angelou

 

Go out and seize the day my friends, we’ll see you next time,

With Love:  Klaw, Chris Wilkinson, and the entire team of Ex Astra - Lite

Final edits for the first issue

This corner of the site is a WIP, I'll be talking to Callum about some ideas I've had while I have been working here. Hopefully there will be some nice improvements to help make this publication a little prettier.

Also - if you would like a PDF version of this publication (which is prettier) - one is available here

 

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