Science Office Report
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“Tonight Science will throw its gauntlet into the ugly face of death! Tonight we shall rule the thunder and control the lightening!”

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This here is my first public report as a Science Officer, which – yes, I know – is a few days late on account of doing Science Office-like things. (Yes, we’ve had quite some progress on the “Clone Evil Mutated Ewoks” project ;) )

I’d like to start of with thanking the Fleet Commander and Executive Officer again, but this time publicly, for the chance of being Science Officer. For those that do not know me: I’ve mostly been a TIE Bomber pilot in the TIE Corps, with a stint as Wing Commander and Commodore in between, but I’ve been Assistant of the Science Office since last winter – and before that briefly as SCOA as well. On with the report…

Science Office Status:

CA:SCO: The new Command Attaché for the Science Office is the highly respected and experienced Admiral Darkhill, who has come back in full force after suffering some RL misfortune. AD Darkhill has already been working on several patches for XWA and TIE95.

SCOA: We do not have a Science Office Assistant (or “Igor”) at the moment, I will post an application with all the requirements the moment we do actually need one. Till that time please do not bother the Science Office with any applications or hints – they will just be left ignored. Also please keep in mind that in fact the old SCOA wasn’t too great at his job – which is not slicing, but roaming the web looking for slicing news, new programs, games, reviews and such. If I do want a SCOA, I’d expect him/her to do just that. Other, more slicing directed, positions might be a thing for the future – if needed.

Site: As I planned, I’ve mostly completed the redesign for the SCO site, which has now already replaced the temporary site. The Science Office site can be found at http://sco.minos.net or via the redirect http://scienceoffice.isCool.net. As you will see it is mostly still the data from the temporary site, but it is further updated. What has been added is the Guide Archive, with guides on installing custom missions and patches, the version guide, technical specifications and other such help. This is also where the updated SCO-FAQ is now located. The Slicing Forum also has been updated to fit the site better.

Science Office Projects:

New Site: As reported above, everything is proceeding exactly as I have foreseen. What still needs to be done is mostly php work: as the File and Patch archives are still not updated from their temporary status. These will be replaced by a compendium much like the Battle Centre: with mirrors for the files, data on each patch, ratings, reviews and bug reports. This compendium will also be linked to the Fleet Manual, which also still needs to be updated. I’d like to thank the IO Ari and IOA Leeson for their support.

XWA Custom Briefings: CA:SCO Darkhill has been working on perfecting his new patch to allow us to use custom sounds during XWA briefings. A beta version is available at http://www.geocities.com/cobolt_dink/BriefingLauncher.zip. It still features some problems, which revealed themselves through testing, but please do test it as well and report your findings to the Science Office – we might always have overlooked something. A very interesting development is that the same technique can lead to a patch that allows custom sounds in TIE95.

OPTing Course: The OPTing course has been released by the Training Officer and is available at http://www.gimmie.tudelft.nl/homes/blok10b/ender/iwats.  OPTing is craft creation for XWA, XvT/BoP and the ’95 versions of TIE and X-W and can definitely add that extra touch to your battles and missions. Please do not be scared off by the volume of notes, that doesn’t make the test any harder – only easier as there’s a lot of explanation on each subject. It does mean that you can do your own craft instead of asking the SCO for them…

XvT/BoP/TIE95 Ship patches: This project’s goal is to add all the original and Order of Battle craft that are still “missing” from these games, like the SSD in TIE and XvT, the Medium Transport in all etc While pretty far already (about 70% done), the actual creation has been put on hold for testing and more pressing matters, like the site. However, I did manage to do a fly-by on a Super Star Destroyer in TIE95 last weekend.

Project Segway – SCO section: This project’s goal is to create a total Imperial/EH conversion of XWA. For the SCO section this means the addition of all the “missing” craft, plus additional features like EH-FG colours on all existing craft and additional craft and astronomical objects. This project is well under way as well, but currently on hold for the same reasons as the XvT/BoP/TIE95 patches.

Other projects are being considered, or even under way: A Science Manual with all the procedures of the SCO – including requirements on craft/patch submission. The OPS and I have come to some kind of deal on a future medal for patch and craft creation, much like the MoT: the Medal of Engineering. Everything is still pending, but you can already take it into account for future reference.

Finishing up:

I think that's it – If I've forgotten anything or if you have comments, suggestions or corrections, let me know via email.

(use only mindb_ender@hotmail.com for official SCO mails.) or ICQ (9706474). Preferably do not mail large files to me, but DCC them via IRC – I’m practically always online at #emperor’s_hammer and #tiecorps using the nick MindB_ndr (or variations.)
 
All my SCO reports are online as well: you can reach them on the TC database. http://www.ehtiecorps.org/reports/default.asp?commandstaffid=10.

Until next time, good luck and have fun!

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SCO-TCT-TCS-PROF/RA Ender mBind/CS-10/SSSD Sovereign
GSx2/SSx6/BSx4/PCx7/ISMx16/MoI/MoT-24rh-35gh-5bh/IS-1SR-2GR-1PR/LoC-PSx101/DFC/CoS/CoL/CoB/LoAx2/OV-2E [CNTR] {IWATS-AIM-GFX-ICQ-IIC/1/2/3-M/1/2-OPT-SM/2-TM-TT-XAM-XTM/1/2-XTT}