We have great things going on in the Graphic Workshop Forum!
The Competitions have been packed with fantastic work and great pieces of graphical art. Please come by and vote for some of the best art on the net!
The year is 1701, and the fuse of Europe has been lit. At any moment, the entire continent stands to burst into flames, threatening to devour entire countries as the leaders of Europe come to realize just how unstable the Balance of Power truly is! But the Reich will not succumbed! With the hands of the General Staff firmly at the wheel, Prussia’s Imperial Glory shall know no bounds! Come and enlist with every able bodied Prussian in defending the Fatherland against all threats, and help the German volk be unified under one flag!
Kampf um Europa (The Struggle Over Europe) is a community RPG campaign, where by the Prussian General Staff, formed of TWC forum members, commands the Reich in her most dire time of need.
Any member of TWC may join up, and you needn’t even be able to run ETW to play! In fact, as readers of Thunder in the East already know, the roles unrelated to the battlefield are often the most powerful!
And if time commitments are the issue, worry not! Simply sign up for a Commission, and command a battle or two!
Come and join us at TWC with Kampf um Europa, the newest ETW RPG AAR, and fight for Glory, fight for Honor, and fight for Prussia!
Welcome to this week's installment of Curia News! There's lots of news in the Curia this week, the headliner being the Consilium de Civitate elections. _Pontifex_ and Boeing retained their CdeC seats in convincing fashion, with the third seat tied between Captain Blackadder and Heinz Guderian, prompting a three-day runoff election to determine the winner. Captain Blackadder won, congratulations!
Our honored and esteemed former site owner, imb39, has been put up before the Curia for the revered and acclaimed Divus medal! Congratulations to imb39, for as they say of the Academy Awards, the nomination itself is truly an honor.
Similarly, our fearless leader Garbarsardar has been nominated for the Asterix Loincloth medal, which rewards humor in posting and good nature towards all, which is currently being voted on.
Besides the aforementioned, there are two proposals put to vote before the Curia:
[Decision] CdeC Member Badge: Proposed by Soulghast, this bill seeks to add a badge to the CdeC member group so that councillors can be easily identified. Closes January 19th.
[Amendment] Legislative Procedure Clarification: Proposed by yours truly, this legislation seeks to clarify the "Legislative Procedure" section of the Constitution to make it more clear when failed votes may be re-proposed. Vote closes January 21st.
I would also like to announce that y2day has made some rather devilishly sexy medals for the CdeC Medal, and _Pontifex_ has compiled a list of CdeC members who qualify for the medal(s). Considering the large number of members eligible, we may miss over a few chaps, so PM me. The medal is pending being added by the TWC administration, but if it clears that, look for it to start being handed out today and tomorrow -- and when they're officially added, you'll get to see the pretty pictures!
Now we move on to our final segment, an interview conducted by Curia News's own Soulghast. We will interview prominent Curia members as well as new citizens. Today, Soulghast interviewed Xavier Dragnesi.
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
Interview with Xavier Dragnesi
1. What are your views on the Citizen rank? Was it hard for you to attain it? What does it mean to you?
I see the citizen rank to be given as a sign that leading members in the community, having seen the contribution a person has made to the community, have therefore also seen fit to promote them to that rank.
I had to have a few tries to obtain the Citizen rank due to the fact that neither I nor my first patron truly understood the amount of contribution needed for the CdeC to recognise it as enough. But as the saying goes "if at first you don't succeed, try, try again."
To me it is a privilege that shows that I have been rewarded for my work. Yet like all privileges, it also comes with the responsibility to maintain that work along with the standard at which it is done, and to thereby confirm that I was worthy of the rank, and am fit to keep it.
2. What are your views on the Curia? Would you be interested in Curial Participation?
Being a fan of the histories of the Roman Republic, it interests me greatly to be part of the governing system of a community that is much like the Republican system. Naturally, to start of with, it will just be 'read and participate where I can' but as time goes on, I might start proposing some of my own motions/amendments in the Curia.
3. What are your views on the CdeC? Would you be interested in being a part of it in the future?
Perhaps. It is a very demanding job, and very important as well. From what I see, a lot of 'auctoritas et dignitas' is needed to be elected. If my work continues to go well, and my influence increases, I might have a go to be a CdeC member, but it is unlikely to happen in the near future, I would think.
4. What differences to the ways you carry yourself in the community will citizenship bring?
Well, like I said before, the citizen rank is a privilege, and it has to be used effectively, not abused. Therefore, even though the promotion has gained me a higher social standing, personally, I think I must act as though I am still no different from a newly registered member. To remain polite and well mannered, and treating all members as I would want to be treated.
5. A recent debate in the Curia revolved around CdeC Transparency. What are your views in it? How do you feel that you could take a look at your citizenship thread after you passed?
I believe it is rather good that CdeC transparency was allowed. Reading my own citizenship thread highlighted places where members of the CdeC thought that I wasn't good enough, or only just on the edge of passing. I now know that those areas are the ones I need to work on, and I couldn't have found that out without the ability to read my thread. It also allows prospective and first-time patrons to take a look at how things are done, and what contributions are most valued.
Thanks to Xavier and Soulghast for the interview!
Remember, it's your Curia, your forum, your community!
-Justinian, Curator
Happy New Year and welcome to the third installment of Curial News! We will be coming to you every Sunday. Congratulations and adulation go to Mimirswell, the newest member of Total War Center's pantheon of deities; that's right, Mim has become a Divus, joining such historic TWC figures as Siblesz, borispavlovgrozny, the Black Prince, Sulla, our founder Paul, and others. Divus is the ultimate award to recognize service to Total War Center as an admin, and I'd like to thank Mim for all the dedication he's put into the site and an award well-deserved!
The next round of CdeC applications are open, and the vote will be held on January 8th. Applicants, citizens and interested parties alike should visit the CdeC debate thread and pose questions to the candidates -- and why not apply yourself? Please note you must be a citizen for 3 months before applying for the CdeC. If you are unsure of when you became a Citizen, check the Citizens thread. If you aren't there, PM me! The current applicants are Captain Blackadder, _Pontifex_ (incumbent), Jubal_Barca, Fabolous (incumbent), and Heinz Guderian.
In the past week, two proposals were put before the Curia.
[Amendment] Required Voting Majority: This amendment intended to reduce the necessary requirement for a decision to pass from 66% to 60%. Though it gained the plurality of votes, it did not garner the necessary two-thirds majority. Failed 20 for, 17 against, 6 abstain.
[Medal] Mimirswell for Divus: As mentioned previously, Mimirswell has became a Divus! His vote passed with an impressive 95% of non-abstaining votes. Passed 46 for, 2 against, 6 abstain.
In the previous week, the Curia welcomed Caesar Clivus, Artifex, patronized by AnthoniusII. Welcome to the Curia, Caesar!
That's it for this week, folks! If you are interested in joining Curia News staff or being interviewed by me for our interview segments, drop me a PM. Enjoy 2009!
Remember, it's your Curia, your forum, your community!
-Justinian, Curator
Welcome to the second installment of Curia News and the final installment before 2009 is upon us! 2009 will be a big year for the site -- Empire is set to come out, and we'll be running on a brand spanking new server. But before we look ahead to the exciting times of the new year, let's look back at the final week of December in the Curia:
The big happening in the Curia was the Consilium de Civitate elections! Congratulations go to B. Ward, who was re-elected to his seat, therussian and Soulghast (the artist formerly known as Ludwig Van Beethoven). 58 citizens voted.
In the holiday season, two proposals were voted on by the Curia:
Patronization Amendment: This bill sought to alter the basic Citizenship requirements by making those with 2 or fewer infraction points have to go 3 months without a warning, and those with 3 more have to wait the normal 6 months. Though it achieved the plurality of votes, it failed to garner a two-thirds majority of non-abstaining voters. Failed: 30 for, 21 against, 0 abstain.
Repeal the CdeC Transparency Act: This bill sought to repeal all previous CdeC Transparency decisions and make the CdeC private again. It failed to achieve the plurality of votes. Failed 18 for, 26 against, 4 abstain.
In the previous week, two new citizens were granted the rank! They are:
Gotthard, patronized by MarcusTullius: Gotthard deconstructed the descr_geography.db file for RTW, enabling it to be understood, and this is but one of his many modding achievements, including work on Roma Surrectum. Welcome to the Curia, Gotthard!
Total War Center's very own American fantasy football league, run by Hotspur, has come to the conclusion of an exciting season! This season, we had 16 players and even more who wanted to play, and with over 10,000 views, the TWC Fantasy Football thread is easily the most popular in the Universitas Ludus Olympus.
Congratulations to BarnabyJones, who beat yours truly, Justinian, for the league championship. It was a roller coaster of a ride and we'd all like to thank Hotspur for running the TWC FFL (fantasy football league), which will enter its third season in 2009. I hope to see you all there, plus some fresh faces!
Curia News: Episode I December 14-December 21, 2008
Greetings and welcome to Curia News's first official installment! Our regular weekly installments will include interviews with prominent Curia members and brand new citizens, reports on the Curia's weekly happenings and events, and run-downs of amendments and decisions the Curia has voted on.
This past week, four proposals were voted on by the Curia. They were:
Fixing Debate Thread Location Amendment: An amendment proposed by SquidSK to clarify Section II, Article II of the Constitution, putting forward an exact procedure for debate threads for Curial elections such as the CdeC and the Curator. Passed: 32 for, 2 against, 7 abstain.
Hotspur for Curatorial Service Medal: Hotspur was proposed for the Curatorial Service Medal, which rewards hard work and dedication above and beyond the call of duty in the role of Curator for one or more term. Congratulations to Hotspur, who now has a spiffy new badge to his name, the Curatorial Service Medal's very first recipient. Passed: 39 for, 4 against, 4 abstain.
Creation of Military Forum Decision: Rome kb8 proposed this Decision to create a new forum for TWC for all discussions of the world's modern militaries, as well as military history, to be discussed. Though it won the plurality of votes, it failed to garner a two-thirds majority of non-abstaining votes. Failed: 25 for, 21 against, 3 abstain.
CdeC Archives - Successful Votes Decision: Proposed by Ludwig Van Beethoven, this Decision intended to make all successful votes from the past fall under the CdeC Transparency Act and become visible to all Citizens. While it achieved the plurality of votes, it failed to garner a two-thirds majority of non-abstaining votes. Failed: 22 for, 19 against, 4 abstain.
In the past week, the Curia welcomed two new Citizens into the fold. They are:
Romanos IV, Artifex: Romanos IV is a Librarian and the Scriptorium's Front Page manager, and is the leader of the "Crusader's Challenge" mod for Medieval II: Kingdoms. He is also a member of the mods "The Latinokratia", "Validus Regnum" and "Dominion of the Sword", all for Medieval II. Welcome to the Curia, Romanos!
MarcusAureliusAntoninus, Citizen: Marcus is a two-year veteran of the EB team, working as a PR guy and a promoter for the mod and an EB AAR. EB was a huge mod back when I was new and dinosaurs roamed the Earth and has continued its success, so it's always nice to welcome a member of EB's illustrious team! Welcome to the Curia, Marcus!
For Curia News's very first interview, I caught up with Ludwig Van Beethoven, a brand new Librarian and one of the current candidates for the CdeC elections. I'd like to thank LVB for participating in this first interview and for helping myself and Caradog bring this idea to fruition. Without any further ado, the interview!
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
Interview with Ludwig Van Beethoven
Do you enjoy participation in the Curia?
The Curia could use more activity, but it's still quite fun and interesting to participate in the various discussions and debates, and exercise Citizen voting rights. It has the potential to be extremely important and even more of an asset to the site. I spend much of my time on TWC posting there, though once again, I think activity could be improved.
If there was one thing you could change about the Curia, what would it be?
I would like a Concilium Plebis!!! Nah, just kidding. Seriously now, without getting into detail about specific amendments and minor changes that I would like to be made in the Constitution, I will once again talk about activity. The Curia needs more activity, more energy, more enthusiasm, and most importantly, it needs to gather interest, which is the prime reason of existence of this little editorial.
You are running in the current Consilium de Civitate elections. Why did you choose to run and what will you do if elected?
That seems much like a CdeC Debate thread question. I chose to run (for the 3rd time, after 2 consecutive failures!), as I believe I would be able to judge candidates fairly, while always expressing my opinion in a polite manner, something that appears to be a problem with some of the current CdeC members. If I am elected, I will always research all candidates thoroughly, before making a decision. What I would like most is the CdeC debating more on each candidate, in a polite and constructive manner, and I would like to try encouraging and promoting that.
You recently became a Librarian. What does the Library represent as a part of TWC's community?
The Scriptorium is a huge, quality storage space. Anyone who would like to find all the quality threads, AARs or historical articles can look in there. In the huge amount of threads created in TWC, the librarian's duty is to collect, evaluate, and store the best ones. As my newly worn Scriptorium-promo sig says, good threads are the light in the endless sea of TWC, and we librarians are dedicated in discovering this light, and storing it all together for the world to see.
A hot issue debate right now in the Curia is the idea of repealing the CdeC Transparency Act. As a prospective new member of the CdeC, how do you view Transparency?
I support the idea of Transparency on the CdeC, and recent events have shown that it is perhaps necessary, in order to keep the CdeC at a high standard at all times. Transparency will allow voters to actually evaluate the councillors, instead of voting pretty much randomly. It also makes sure that the councillors behave politely at all times, with the knowledge that their posts will have to hold out to public scrutiny. If a councillor feels he cannot fulfill his role under such circumstances, he should resign.
Thanks Ludwig!
Remember, it's your Curia, your forum, your community!
-Justinian, Curator
Greetings, fellow members of Total War Center! In the coming weeks you will be seeing new posts here in the Community News section: outlines of Curial happenings, be it amendments, discussions, decisions and elections, as well as information on the Curia and citizenship. New Citizens will be welcomed and you will have a one stop place for all of your Curia news! This idea is thanks to Caradog, the author of the excellent Curial Sum-up in your editions of the Helios. He is also the talented artist behind our logo and we are corraborating on this project.
This is all part of our project to make the Curia more accessible, visible and enjoyable to everyone. Look for big headlines in the coming days and make sure to tune in to the Helios to check out the Curial sum up!
This week we have a big event coming up in the Curia, the Consilium de Civitate elections! The CdeC serve to judge Citizens and vote on new Citizens entering the fold. The brave souls to step forward are Ludwig Van Beethoven, B. Ward for re-election, therussian, Jubal_Barca, and SquidSK. Wish them luck! The election will start on the 16th and run to the 23rd, and is for 3 seats.
Another important going on in the Curia is the Curial Summit on Activity, which seeks to discuss the Curia's activity, its effectiveness on the site, and how to move forward to make it better at what it does.
Whether you're a Citizen or a member, debater or modder, moderator or local mod, the Curia is important. It's what sets this forum apart from all others -- our own democratic government that lets us have our voice. Remember, if you are not a Citizen, your voice is equally important in Questions & Suggestions, and you can always PM a Citizen to post a proposal for you!
Remember, it's your Curia, your forum, your community!
-Justinian, Curator
With the fourth contest, the fight for the medals just got tighter and fiercer.
Recently the first Silver Medal was handed out for an AAR that hoarded 3 category wins.
Read the whole story, the interview, maybe give your compliments here.
TWC has found itself short on strategy guides (both battlefield and campaign strategy) for RTW/BI and M2TW/Kingdoms, and are looking to find some writers that would be able to change that. The writers would become full Content Staff members, and would submit their articles as often as they are written. It is important that we get as many articles as possible, and we are willing to take on as many content staff as necessary.
If you are interested, write up a sample article (faction-specific campaign strategy guides are the priority, at the moment) and send it to Scorch. Mentioning how much time you have to commit wouldn't go astray either.
wins GC #42 [Science Fiction] with great picture 
.
Nah, just kidding. Seriously now, without getting into detail about specific amendments and minor changes that I would like to be made in the Constitution, I will once again talk about activity. The Curia needs more activity, more energy, more enthusiasm, and most importantly, it needs to gather interest, which is the prime reason of existence of this little editorial.
