Like most Capsuleers, baseliners, and pets with reasonably opposable thumbs I have sunk a ridiculous amount of time into the latest gaming craze. However, like my time so far as an Empyrean, it’s been lots of fun with no real progress being made (it’s embarrassing how many characters I haven’t unlocked [it’s four but I’m a grown man, come on]). Yesterday I had the epiphany that I could overcome my listlessness by leveraging my SSPS addiction towards developing as a Capsuleer.
So, armed with a janky, trademark-infringing set of SSPS trading cards I intend to meet with, interview, and secure the autograph of each SSPS playable character’s real life counterpart. I am lowkey searching for a corporation too but mostly I am a compulsive in search of an obsession. At the end of this trek I hope to have a fully signed deck, a corporation to call home, and maybe a little something to chuck into the gaping void that is my soul and make me feel in some way fulfilled if only for the briefest moment.
After each meeting I will report back here on the experience insofar as what I have to say is interesting and non-privileged. So, you know, stay tuned to this IGS post I guess.
I will begin (politely) accosting the game stars soon. Cooperation is preferred but not necessary.
Yes, SSPS’s publisher suggested that I use Lidds™ cards when I petitioned her for a limited run of officially sanctioned cards which she (rightly) did not give me. Frankly the set I bought off some guy on the street in Caille has grown on me. The misspellings and inaccuracies, hiccups in animation, cheap and irregular card-stock, and what is probably alpha and gamma radiation from illegal printing materials all conspire to create a feeling of sentimentality in me for the deck which is the physical totem of this life quest that I started many, many hours ago. Like twelve hours ago.
That being said, to get back to the topic, Mr. Andriu, I wish you luck in your endeavor. You could always show up at my party next Saturday, and catch at least a few of the capsuleers in the game in person.
This is what that company brings upon New Eden. This is why I deploy lawyer squads via 3200mm barrels.
Ah well, at least it’ll probably be rather valuable some day down the line.
Realizing that I have publicly committed myself to a task that might be a little more difficult than I originally thought I am very keen to take you up on this opportunity to unlock, I mean meet, several people in one go.
I was already intimidated by most of you but now that needle is hovering around “Fear”.
After initially worrying that I signed myself up to too large a job I was headed into the week with quiet optimism thinking that I would go to the party Arsia Elkin had so nicely invited me to and see how that went. You know, slow and steady. Just tackle this thing one bite at a time.
Then RadStar dropped another DLC with new characters for the game and I am now just that meme of the man saying the he has made a huge mistake.
Oh come on, paper tigers tend to make silly scary faces. If you really wish to know whom you’re dealing with, check actual combat records of pilots you’re interested in.
I am over 10% done! I’ll admit I was pretty unsure of myself after I started this, for a lot of reasons but mainly because I’ve spent every waking moment since second guessing the goal, but seeing as it’s happening the best I can do is try to, you know, enjoy it and, like, learn from it. Or something.
I’ve got to give mad hype to @Arsia_Elkin for, frankly, taking pity on me and letting me go to her party. I have had minimal socializing with Capsuleers since I became one and it’s hard for me to not continue to see them as unapproachable celebrities. Arsia’s party and her guests were super chill and put me at ease that, despite what the holos would have you believe, we’re all still human* and I think that might be the lesson of the day.
Not being a regular on the IGS means that many of the stars of SSPS are not readily known to me beyond the game. However, anybody that has even vague knowledge that there is a thing called the GalNet knows the name @Arrendis. It was definitely one of those situations were you meet someone and they are not at all like what you expected. In this case I mean that she was very nice. She was even encouraging which I appreciated loads even if I got the sense (probably birthed internally from my own insecurities and not through external reality) that I was being politely coddled as one does a toddler.
Another name unlikely to miss anybody besides the densest, least informed media consumers in the Cluster is @Elsebeth_Rhiannon. You’ll know her from the certainly not official but definitely monetized holo clips “Elsebeth Rhiannon 7 Rules to Lead a Meaningful Life MUST WATCH” or “Why Elsebeth of Rhiannon NEVER Does This One Thing” and, my favorite, “I Followed the Elsebeth Diet for 30 Days and This Happened”. She very much lived up to her public rep. This might be me imposing my own half-baked impressions on the situation again but I got a distinct matriarchal feeling from her.
I also totally met NOT @Kalodote_Lafisques. Cool fella but if you haven’t met him I’m not sure I can put into words the vibe he was giving. If you have met him I think you know what I mean. I guess I would describe him as…deliberate? I have nothing bad to say, that’s for sure.
I met some other interesting partygoers that I look forward to running into again but since they didn’t go through the trouble of having their likeness taken without permission under the Federation’s blissfully liberal copyright regime I am going to refrain from calling them out here.
*I am aware that the complete list of SSPS character inspirations include some who meet definitions of “human” of only the loosest variety but I’m in it to win it.
