Topics

[*officially*]

Early in the week of June 22nd, 2020 - Discussions began between a handful of people about the possibility of migrating RPG-X to a new engine.

Having been in the RPG-X community for more than a decade, I've seen these conversations before come up, and die almost as quickly - three times.

Over the last three days though, we seem to be thinking about something other than just a port of the RPG-X we know, but instead designing something new altogether.

I want to say this right now - we're still in the very early "throwing ideas at the wall and see what sticks" stage, but it's slowly looking like a team is emerging from all of this (as well as some well placed cautious optimism).

This post is intended to kinda help bring folks up to speed, who are not actively participating in our Discord (There's a link to our discord above - the blue circle widget on the end)

Now - all of this is open for debate, and I at least love feedback. We have an opportunity to tailor make a game experience for our community - so take part in helping us build it (even if all you do is Statler and Waldorf heckle us from the balcony )

So to start off, I have suggested that in order to avoid a lawsuit, we would need to *officially* avoid building something from any known intellectual property out there, and design something new. (*cough* mods *cough cough*)

Another thought - RPG-X wasn't nearly as polished when it first dropped. it took a number of iterations to get it to how we've known it for the past decade - so don't expect this to be a copy and paste of what you know, it'll take time to get to that.

Lastly, I'm working to compile a list of ideas and suggestions - the most important one right now - we need to create a setting for the base game universe, and roll with that setting in mind. I suggested a couple, but there could be more ideas - so suggest them! On Saturday, June 27th, I'm going to put up a poll here, and we'll vote on a setting and move from that.

Note: This list lives here (I'm a link) and may not be updated regularly on the forums, but will be at this location - so check this link often

A Theme
We need to settle on a setting and theme. In an effort to avoid any known Intellectual Property, it'd be best if we design our own universe (Though, we can take a great deal of inspiration from various Sci-Fi sources...)

That said, I have two suggestions from my portfolio - and one from the modern world.


Suggestion 1 - Beyond Infinity: BI was a series I ran many many moons ago, set in a universe where gods, and mythological creatures roamed free. Zeus was the king of the planet Olympus and ruled the Alliance of Light for millenia, protecting it from the Shadow of Hades, and the shadow (literal shadow people) of the Hadin.

Suggestion 2 - A world I'm currently writing a book about: I'm writing a Novel based in a Tolkein-like fantasy world, but some 400 years in the future. So it's Lord of the Rings, in space.

Suggestion 3 - Space Force: We can use the modern world as a template, keep things Human within the base game, and explore the militarization of space some 80 years or so from now.

Personally, I feel Suggestion 3 is the most scalable canvas of the three suggestions, allowing for the most modability, without stepping on any possible IP's toes. - but, I'm open to other suggestions and ideas

Bottom line, we need a theme!

I am very enthusiastic about this, and I truly hope we can pull this off, but I know the only way we will is by the support of the community, so keep in the conversation! Lend a hand if you're willing/able (if I can learn Unreal, anyone can - I'm a computer hardware guy professionally, not a programmer - and I'm trying to learn this). I suspect over the course of next week, things will start to move into some form of real organization, so stay tuned

This isn't easy for me, so I'm going to make this short.

effectively immediately, I am stepping back from The Forge, RPG-X, all of this. After a couple of months of trying just get a discussion going about a future RPG-X series, a failed attempt to get an Orville SRP rebooted - and just the general sense of apathy in the community, I know I can't fix it.

So like that, I say goodbye.

I'll talk with Scott in the coming days, as he is still interim Ops Team head - and work out the financial situation of the community with him. In the meantime, if it's working now, it'll continue to work.

See you all out there.

Klaw

I can't speak for anyone but myself here, but this is where I am.

So, back in late January, I took a small step back to try to get my head on straight for about a month. (Post is here: https://www.theforgegaming.net/forum/index.php/topic,256.msg923.html#new)

During that time I started out strong in an effort to create some new items for RPG-X, and shared my progress with the community, mostly to the sound of chirping crickets. From my perspective, nobody cared. On the 11th of February, I notified the Interim Ops Team leader of my intention to retire, and he convinced me to hold on, and see what the next month brings.

We are about to enter that next month.

At this point right now, I am still on the brink of retirement. Our Discord is silent, and the forum posts that I've made over the last month have gone unanswered. It very much appears that nobody wants to be here anymore, and that's a sentiment that deeply saddens me.

For my part, I made this known privately, I'm really only around because of RPG-X - and if RPG-X is done, so am I. That's not to say I won't drop in to do a GTA heist, or help the Hawking Squad take on the Foxian Republic in our long overdue SE rematch... but, I have no vision for leading those games - or for creating/designing exciting content with them.

In my mind, when we created The Forge, I had hoped that we would all take on the mantle of leadership, explore new games and ideas, and use this as a venue for is to express our passions - all of them! We're not a Star Trek branded group - we're as far from any branding that I can think of. The Forge is intended to be a place of creativity, and comradery; and whether I am an active part of it or not, it should endure on that basis.

I know I can be a little overzealous, and maybe overbearing when it comes to my excitement for an RPG-X series, or a new map, or something that strikes my interest - and I have tried to tone that down. Please help me keep The Forge going, even if we no longer choose to support RPG-X - come and tell us what YOU want to play - organize your own games - take part in our Picard Discussions - let's spend the next month tempering our bond once more.

it has come to my attention that we're still having issues with our mail server. As a result, Newly registered members are NOT receiving e-mails to finish the registration process.

As a result, if you've come here, and do not receive a message from us to finish the registration, please reach out to me at doktor_klawktopus@hotmail.com, I will try to be prompt in responding, and should be able to get you setup quickly.

I apologize for any inconvenience, This e-mail requirement was put in place to curb spam accounts, and has so far been fairly successful, Just looking for some verification that you're not a spammer

So I've been thinking a lot about this over the last week or so, and recent events have helped me to come to this point. I have one more SRP in me. It *could* run for 20 years but I have one more in me. I'm not sure which story I want to tell, I'm open to suggestions on era/ship/etc. But with any luck, (and if I have the support) by March, I want to start it up, and see where we go.

So I guess, I'm asking the community. Anyone interested? Do you have suggestions. What do you want to see/do/experience in my last series?

So, the longer I remain unemployed, the more bored I get...

last night, I had an idea about writing a script (which I hope to eventually turn into a full blown GUI loader) that will allow players to select their own rankest (Meaning, we have a blank rankest on the server, then load one of our choosing locally of the same name as the server one, so we can more easily cater an RP to the era it's based on without the need for admin interference/server reboot - assuming it works)

I've spent the last couple of evenings puttering with this, and the idea has expanded a bit to also include:

1.Combadge choices
2.Phaser/Phaser Rifle/Tricorder Choices
3.A Secondary rankest (for example, if you're doing a DS9 RP, you can select the appropriate Starfleet Rankset, and the Bajoran ranks - or run the TNG and Voy set together - etc etc)
4.Other ideas may come to me...

The benefits here can ideally allow for us to more easily tailor the RPG-X experience to the players. Whether or not I can achieve all if this remains to be seen, but in the simplest terms, I believe it's quite possible, and I've already gone to work to make it happen - laying out the graphics for 5 new rank sets.

By the end of the week, I hope to test the rankest theory with the server, and get started on swapping the combadge and weapons.

I'm also working on a script that should *hopefully* make it easier for me to automatically assign uniform types to individual character models - making it a much simpler process to design, and deploy new uniforms to character models.

If you have any questions/comments/suggestions about any of this (or if you want to help!) Please let me know!

Good Day

I wanted to take a moment and welcome String back to the fold. He signaled to me via discord that he's back, and ready to take his seat again.

I have however asked Dendo to stay at the table, as I am taking a month long LoA (At least).

For this time, the Ops Team will consist of Scott Archer, Stringtheorist, and Dendo.

Scott has agreed to serve as interim Chairperson during my LoA.

I won't be 100% gone, I'm just trying to get re-centered. If anyone looks around, you'll see me *trying* to get some things going - 2 SRPs spring to mind. With any luck, those will take off (they won't happen, unless you take part!) and I'll be able to come back in a stronger place than I am currently in.

If you have any questions about the changes listed above, please feel free to reach out to either Scott Archer or Myself.

Thank you

[TBD]

Star Trek: Renegade
Episode 0 - Into The Black
Stardate: 55288 (April, 2378)
Airdate: TBD

On a backwater world deep inside Klingon space:

Captain Thomas Winters has been hired by a local Medical Facility to acquire a dose of an experimental new drug that is being tested by the Federation. This medicine is allegedly a cure for a new malady afflicting dilithium miners. The Federation has kept the formula under lock and key for unknown reasons, and all direct attempts to attain the medication have been met with a hard "no".

Feeling the job is worth the hassle, Winters has taken it on - but to pull it off, he's going to need some reliable, and trustworthy assistance...

[Star Trek: Renegade]

So, I was looking through old story ideas, and since I have a LOT of time on my hands right now, I'd like to run a series while I work on another

With that said, would anyone be interested in a non-traditional Star Trek serial based loosely on Joss Whedon's 'Firefly'?

The premise is as follows:

Star Trek: Renegade

    The Dominion war was a time of great hardship and strife for all Federation citizens across the quadrant. Some of these citizens decided in the days before the war, that if their government wasn't going to do anything, they would take care of their own. Some joined the Maquis, some formed militias and others were simply caught, and thrown into prison under charges of espionage. Times were dark, and when the war hit, they only got darker...

    The Federation was greatly outnumbered as a result of the Cardassians joining the Dominion, and Deep Space Nine's lack of intervention as Dominion Ships entered the Alpha Quadrant. Federation Officials went on a recruitment drive throughout planets within their control. But all of this was for scraps, and the war went into full gear.

On a Federation border planet near Cardassian Space, A young Starfleet Lieutenant was sent with a small security force to attempt to amalgamate a new-found militia into the Federation Ranks - when the Cardassians attacked... The battle was a slaughter, three divisions of Cardassian Troops swept through the settlements across the planet, murdering the thousands who tried to stand against them. The young Lieutenant did what he could, but when reinforcements were denied... The Young Officer grabbed what people he could fit in his shuttle, and made a daring escape...

It's been nearly three years since the war ended, and "Captain" Thomas Winters has made a name for himself as a smuggler, gun for hire, thief and problem solver. Aboard his ship, the Renegade, Winters sets out on his own, looking for work, avoiding the Federation when possible, and with a single goal in mind: keep flying.

The Forge is currently looking for an Active, engaging spirit to serve as a Community Media Manager.

the CMM is responsible for overseeing and maintaining community media and marketing initiatives including


-Social Media Profiles - Posting regular content on our SM profiles, advertising Events, engaging the greater communities of Facebook, Twitter etc.

-Web Advertising - finding places outside SM to promote the community

-Stream Service Content - Working with our friends at EE to coordinate Stream efforts, ensuring maximum outreach of all of our streamed content

-Forge Art work is a plus, but not required (Signature creation, slider banners, etc)

To Apply, please shoot a private message to Klaw with a simple explanation of why you feel you're up to the task.

Interviews will be scheduled for each applicant

I promise, this will be a very painless process, I just want a chance to talk to everyone one on one to see who's the best fit.

String approached me a few days back and signaled his desire to take a brief LoA. After some discussion between String, Scott, Callum and Myself, we determined that the best course of action would be to appoint an Interim on the Ops Team.

It was decided, based on the election last year, that the clearest choice was Dendo.

As such, Dendo will be filling in for StringTheorist for the duration of String's LoA.

I'm sure I speak for everyone when I wish them both the best of luck.

[News stories of the Day:]

Good Morning Blacksmiths!

Here's today's nonsense!


News stories of the Day:

We pray to our feline gods
Stinky way to "pee"r into the future
I have a business opportunity for us...



The Funnies:



(The saga continues)

And New! by request from Chrisom:





Recipe for the day:

as previously stated, I'm a 'bit o this, bit o that' type of cook. I rarely use precise measurements, and enjoy experimenting in the kitchen to create new, and unique meals.

In short, I like my cooking like I like my jazz, one of a kind, and impossible to replicate.

With that said, my chili is a fair bit different than this chili recipe, but this still sounds tasty all the same: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/78299/boilermaker-tailgate-chili/print/?recipeType=Recipe&servings=12&isMetric=false

Chili

Ingredients
2 pounds ground beef chuck
1 pound bulk Italian sausage
3 (15 ounce) cans chili beans, drained
1 (15 ounce) can chili beans in spicy sauce
2 (28 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with juice
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 large yellow onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 green chile peppers, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon bacon bits
4 cubes beef bouillon
1/2 cup beer
1/4 cup chili powder
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce (e.g. Tabasco(TM))
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 (10.5 ounce) bag corn chips such as Fritos(R)
1 (8 ounce) package shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions
Heat a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Crumble the ground chuck and sausage into the hot pan, and cook until evenly browned. Drain off excess grease.
Pour in the chili beans, spicy chili beans, diced tomatoes and tomato paste. Add the onion, celery, green and red bell peppers, chile peppers, bacon bits, bouillon, and beer. Season with chili powder, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, oregano, cumin, hot pepper sauce, basil, salt, pepper, cayenne, paprika, and sugar. Stir to blend, then cover and simmer over low heat for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
After 2 hours, taste, and adjust salt, pepper, and chili powder if necessary. The longer the chili simmers, the better it will taste. Remove from heat and serve, or refrigerate, and serve the next day.
To serve, ladle into bowls, and top with corn chips and shredded Cheddar cheese.

now, You can skip the chips and cheese (I do) and instead serve with a side of Peanut Butter Sandwiches. I know, it sounds odd, but it offers a nice blend of sweet and spicy combo between the chili and the sandwhich - without going too far in either direction.



Klaw's Cool Image find of the day:



I've not seen much of anno78's work, but this image spoke to me as a fan of The Last Ship, and the Ent Era (It's titled 'USS Nathan James NCC-479')


Inspirobot:



Generated by Inspirobot, "an artificial intelligence dedicated to generating unlimited amounts of unique inspirational quotes for endless enrichment of pointless human existence."


Current Forge Discussions and Shenanigans:

Nova Returns January 11th (RPG-X)

Need Timeslot Feedback ASAP! For Nova too... (RPG-X)

Ops Team Meeting January 12th (Time still TBD - though I may set one, and just pray it works for everyone who wants/needs to be there) (General)

Pegasus Reboot needs you! (Orville)

[News stories of the Day:]

Good Morning Blacksmiths!

Here's today's nonsense!


News stories of the Day:

Not to dampen the mood, but as I'm sure you all know -
Australia is on fire. I just want to take a moment and send my love to the people of Australia, and wish them safety, and a quick peace. The link here offers a list of charitable organizations that are collecting for fire relief, if you want to offer any amount of help.


The Funnies:



(A Continuation of Yesterday's)



Recipe for the day:

After today's cookie (YES Cookie) fiasco, I can't get COOKIES off my brain.

This is the recipe I use, when I bake my favorite cookie: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/174864/original-nestle-toll-house-chocolate-chip-cookies/

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 cups NESTLE(R) TOLL HOUSE(R) Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels (I use the Milk Chocolate (full sweet) Morsels - it's better this way - I also don't put as many in. 2 cups is about a full 12oz bag and half of another one - I only use about half a bag)
1 cup chopped nuts - (I also DON'T add these, as they're optional, and I'm nutty enough)

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.
Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Apart from the tips I added in the ingredients section, I like big cookies.... really big cookies so cookies of this size tend to take about 15 minutes or so to bake clear through. (I'll add a picture on my next baking night - possibly tonight )

Serve warm, with a tall glass of milk, and you have a happy Klingon!


Klaw's Cool Image find of the day:

Went looking for cool pictures online, and decided that you can't get much cooler than an Ice Cube...



This actually reminds me of a story from my days working at a Movie Theatre. Ride Along was just coming out, and we had two cardboard standees for the movie, one with Ice Cube, and one with Kevin Hart. One day, the Ice Cube standee fell, and without missing a beat, I walked over to it with a broom, Dustpan and Wet floor sign, and placed the sign on top of the standee and started sweeping around it.

When asked what I was doing, I replied - Trying to keep people from slipping right here, I'll get a mop once the bigger chunks are out of the way...

it was a good time.


Inspirobot:

I'm just guessing that Inspirobot wants us to destroy ourselves?



Generated by Inspirobot, "an artificial intelligence dedicated to generating unlimited amounts of unique inspirational quotes for endless enrichment of pointless human existence."


Current Forge Discussions and Shenanigans:

Nova Returns January 11th (RPG-X)

Need Timeslot Feedback ASAP! For Nova too... (RPG-X)

Ops Team Meeting January 12th (Time still TBD - though I may set one, and just pray it works for everyone who wants/needs to be there) (General)

Pegasus Reboot needs you! (Orville)


Last thing, I've been feeling very discouraged lately, and I need your help to shake me out of this. Post things on the forum! - Join in the discussions (especially if they concern a series that you're signed up for) - even if it's a just fun gif as a reaction to these daily posts - share it. Help shake me out of this cloud, and help me feel like I'm *actually* reaching you.

[News stories of the Day:]

Good Morning Blacksmiths!

Here's today's nonsense!


News stories of the Day:

No News Today - Instead, I want to share a random blast from the past:

(Strongbad was/is one of my favorite Web things)




The Funnies:







Recipe for the day:

I was scrolling though, looking for dinner ideas for some Chicken I had - and this sounded *really* good: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/178809/southern-style-buttermilk-fried-chicken/?internalSource=previously%20viewed&referringContentType=Homepage

Southern-Style Buttermilk Fried Chicken

Ingredients
2 cups buttermilk
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 whole chicken, cut into pieces
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
5 cups vegetable oil for frying

Directions

Whisk together buttermilk, mustard, salt and pepper, and cayenne in a bowl, and pour into a resealable plastic bag. Add the chicken pieces, coat with the marinade, squeeze out excess air, and seal the bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for 2 to 8 hours.

When you are ready to cook the chicken, combine the flour, baking powder, garlic powder, and onion powder in the other plastic bag. Shake to mix thoroughly. Transfer one marinated chicken piece at a time into the dry ingredient bag, and shake well to ensure complete coverage. After all chicken pieces are coated, repeat the process by dipping them in the buttermilk marinade and shaking in the dry coating again.

Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat, making sure not to burn the oil. When oil is hot, fry chicken in batches until golden brown and juices run clear, turning chicken to brown evenly.

Klaw's Cool Image find of the day:

I was just scrolling Deviantart, and found this new one. I'm excited for Nova this week - please help me make it happen!



Check out this and other awesome Trek related images by TheFirstFleet on DeviantArt: https://www.deviantart.com/thefirstfleet/gallery (I'm a big fan of his work)



Inspirobot:



Generated by Inspirobot, "an artificial intelligence dedicated to generating unlimited amounts of unique inspirational quotes for endless enrichment of pointless human existence."


Upcoming Forge Shenanigans:

Nova Returns Saturday (Maybe - go confirm your attendance/absence) (RPG-X)

Ops Team Meeting January 12th (General)

Pegasus Reboot needs you! (Orville)

[News stories of the Day:]

Good Morning Blacksmiths! Sorry I'm late today, I woke up under the weather and stayed hom from work. Still feel like crap, but alas...

Here's today's nonsense!


News stories of the Day:

Pauley Want Attention
Bye Bye Squat and Surf breaks
My cat would do this too...


The Funnies:






Recipe for the day:

Pork Chops, the Klaw Way

So, today I couldn't think of anything fancy to share, as far as recipes - so I figured I'd share a simple, quick-fix meal that I enjoy: Porkchops, the Klaw Way!

Ingredients

1lb Thick Center Cut Pork Chops
1 Tbps Butter
Seasoned Salt
Garlic Powder
Pepper

Directions

In a large frying pan, melt butter on medium heat, lining the pan in the hot buttery goodness.
Place Porkchops in the hot, buttered pan.
Season with Seasoned Salt, Garlic Powder, and Pepper to taste (or however you want to season them - depending on the veggies you choose to serve these with)
Cook covered, rotating as needed for about 15- 20 minutes (or until yout meat thermometer says it's safe)

Serve with Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, and a bit of gravy.

Klaw's Cool Image find of the day:

I was looking through my desktop backgrounds today, and came across this one. There are days that I feel Daedalus is my white whale... but, we'll see what happens in the future



Check out this and other awesome Trek related images by Euderion on DeviantArt: https://www.deviantart.com/euderion (I'm a big fan of his work too)


Inspirobot:




Upcoming Forge Shenanigans:

Nova Returns January 11th (RPG-X) (Don't forget to confirm your attendance - I'm about to crack down on the roster)

Ops Team Meeting January 12th at 13:30 EST (18:30 GMT) All are welcome to attend - This is a great time to take part in our effort to improve The Forge, come let your voice be heard! (General)

Pegasus Reboot *still* needs you! (Orville)

[RPG-X News:]

Happy New Year, Blacksmiths!

Time to shake off our Post-Holiday Blues and get back in our Gaming Routine! Here's a look at what's coming up this week!


RPG-X News:

Star Trek Nova Returns! After a long voyage, Nova and the Cargo Convoy have arrived at the rendezvous with the Xindi Aquatic ship to make their aid delivery. Be sure to confirm your attendance in the episode thread (I explained it last night, it's easier for me to keep track of who's coming if it's posted there then if it's on Discord or elsewhere - please oblige me, it only takes a minute )

I'm under the impression that Brand New Day will not be starting this month as originally planned, An official launch time for that series will be announced when it becomes available, however I am going to be working with another member about reviving an old series of theirs for a modern audience... we'll see what happens

If you have any interest in running your own SRP - that road is open to you! This thread details how to go about getting yourself set up: https://www.theforgegaming.net/forum/index.php/topic,19.0.html


Space Engineers News:

Server is live, we haven't done much recently there (I still want to gut and overhaul my starbase...)

At some point this month, I would like us to revisit The Battle of Colony Alpha - and see what kind of shenanigans we can get up to there. That poor planet is still under siege - one of our factions needs to claim total victory soon!

I'm contemplating an idea for a Ship Building/design Contest The First week of February. I haven't posted about it yet, but start drawing up ideas in your head for your ships


The Orville Interactive Fan Experience

Still looking for suggestions/opinions about rebooting Pegasus With the new updates the've made to the game recently, it's nearly a whole new experience! I don't want to take the time to do it though if there isn't support in the idea, so let me know!

If you're interested in planning an RP Why not drop a thread in the Let's Play board - or if you would like to run your own Serial Roleplay - please don't hesitate to contact a member of the Operations Team. We're always open to new ideas, and would love to help however we can.


We have our first Ops team meeting scheduled for Sunday, January 12th at 13:30 EST (18:30GMT) and it will be wholly open to the public. I want to welcome everyone, from the most active member, to the fresh faced newbie, to come and take part. The hope is that we can work as a community to add some new direction for us, and finalize some business that we've let sit idle for too long. So please drop by discord during this time (Operations Discussion Channel(s) )and let your voice be heard!

Last thing I want to say is Thank you. To everyone who has been patient, kind, generous; to everyone who has endured the hardships of the last year with us here, and have stuck around through them all. Our time is here - and your patience is about to be rewarded.

Let's have a Kick Ass 2020!

[News stories of the Day:]

Good Morning Blacksmiths!

Here's today's nonsense!


News stories of the Day:

Wakanda Forever!
Dr. Phil? More like Dr. Shoot-To-Kill
The Police are the real poopers here...


The Funnies:







Recipe for the day:

Country Fried Steak and Eggs

In the spirit of the fact that I slept in until my second alarm (Which is my wrap up whatever I'm doing quickly alarm) and as a result, didn't have an opportunity to make breakfast (Thank you, Drive-Thru window!) I am lamenting over the meal I *could* have had, had I gotten up early to start preparing, and indeed had the ingredients lying around.

Country Fried Steak is an amazingly versatile dish. You can serve it with mashed potatos and veggies for a well balanced, delicious dinner - and warm it up in the morning with a couple of eggs and some toast/biscuits (See the recipe here) for breakfast. Trust me, this is a cardiologist's delight, and as we all know, if Doctor's love it, it must be good eating!: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/150306/the-best-chicken-fried-steak/

Ingredients
4 (1/2 pound) beef cube steaks
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 egg
1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce (e.g. Tabasco(TM))
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups vegetable shortening for deep frying
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups milk
kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions
Pound the steaks to about 1/4-inch thickness. Place 2 cups of flour in a shallow bowl. Stir together the baking powder, baking soda, pepper, and salt in a separate shallow bowl; stir in the buttermilk, egg, Tabasco Sauce, and garlic. Dredge each steak first in the flour, then in the batter, and again in the flour. Pat the flour onto the surface of each steak so they are completely coated with dry flour.
Heat the shortening in a deep cast-iron skillet to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Fry the steaks until evenly golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Place fried steaks on a plate with paper towels to drain. Drain the fat from the skillet, reserving 1/4 cup of the liquid and as much of the solid remnants as possible.
Return the skillet to medium-low heat with the reserved oil. Whisk the remaining flour into the oil. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a spatula to release solids into the gravy. Stir in the milk, raise the heat to medium, and bring the gravy to a simmer, cook until thick, 6 to 7 minutes. Season with kosher salt and pepper. Spoon the gravy over the steaks to serve.

Klaw's Cool Image find of the day:

Turned on my laptop this morning when I got in the office, and this was my center monitor's background. I know *technically* Enterprise never saw a refit like this...but, It's still a pretty image...



Check out this and other awesome Trek related images by TheFirstFleet on DeviantArt: https://www.deviantart.com/thefirstfleet/gallery (I'm a big fan of his work)


Inspirobot:

(Let's try to break *some* of these, shall we? )



Generated by Inspirobot, "an artificial intelligence dedicated to generating unlimited amounts of unique inspirational quotes for endless enrichment of pointless human existence."


Upcoming Forge Shenanigans:

Nova Returns January 11th (RPG-X)

Ops Team Meeting January 12th (Time still TBD - though I may set one, and just pray it works for everyone who wants/needs to be there) (General)

Brand New Day starts this month! (RPG-X)

Pegasus Reboot needs you! (Orville)


One more final word. Next week, I hope we can start to return to business as usual, as now the holidays are behind us, and our New Year Hangovers are subsiding

The meeting on the 14th (whenever we finally get a time set...*hint hint*) will be a bit of a state of the community type event, where I hope we can work together to set a tone for the coming year. I won't go too heavy into it now, but in a few short summer months last year, we built all of this. Now it's time to tend to our garden, and watch it grow - which requires an active approach and a gentle touch.

Let's have a great weekend my friends! Check out the shenanigans above, and don't hesitate to organize your own shenanigans!

[News stories of the Day:]

Good Morning Blacksmiths!

Here's today's nonsense!

As an added treat today - I'll link you all to the post that has inspired me to start doing these Enjoy!



News stories of the Day:

A new meaning to the phrase "taking the piss"...

Santa Claus is robbing the bank!

Big weed kept on rolling... right into the road



The Funnies:






Recipe for the day:

Lancashire Hot Pot

I figured, since yesterday was tailor made to be a dish that I doubt many of you have ever had, I feel it only fair for me to find something that I've not had. Upon reading the recipe, I'll need to make some adjustments (namely beef instead of lamb, as I'm not sure where to get lamb in my home town) - BUT I'm looking forward to trying this one on Saturday: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/24805/lancashire-hot-pot/

Ingredients
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
12 ounces chopped onion
1 1/2 pounds cubed leg of lamb meat
2 1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
1 ounce butter
2 cups chicken or lamb stock

Directions
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Saute onion until soft and deep golden in color. Remove from skillet and set aside. Add lamb to skillet and fry (in batches if necessary) until rich chestnut brown in color, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain fat and reserve.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Spread 1/2 of the potatoes in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Place browned lamb and onions on top, then sprinkle with thyme and season to taste. Cover with remaining potatoes, season to taste and dot with butter. Pour stock over all.
Bake in the preheated oven for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Note: If casserole is drying out while cooking, add more stock as needed. If casserole is browning too quickly, cover with aluminum foil.

I hope this recipe is semi-authentic (for those who know better, let me know! as I mentioned, I'm planning this for dinner this weekend)



Klaw's Cool Image find of the day:

I don't think the Nova class gets as muc credit as it deserves. I don't know why, but I find this ship very interesting, and would love to see more of it sometime in the future



Check out this and other awesome Trek related images by TheFirstFleet on DeviantArt: https://www.deviantart.com/thefirstfleet/gallery (I'm a big fan of his work)


Inspirobot:



Generated by Inspirobot, "an artificial intelligence dedicated to generating unlimited amounts of unique inspirational quotes for endless enrichment of pointless human existence."



Upcoming Forge Shenanigans:

Nova Returns January 11th (RPG-X)

Ops Team Meeting January 12th (Time still TBD - though I may set one, and just pray it works for everyone who wants/needs to be there) (General)

Brand New Day starts this month! (RPG-X)

Pegasus Reboot needs you! (Orville)

[News stories of the Day:]

Happy New Year!!!!!

Sorry I missed Monday and Tuesday, but I'm here now


News stories of the Day:

Advancement of Technology could help end hunger (Assuming we end greed, and realize food is essential to live...)

A list of recommended reads to start the year

An Honest Crook


The Funnies:






Recipe for the day:

Sausage Gravy and Biscuits

I submit that there is nothing better in the world than to wake up to a big, home made breakfast (except cookies, naturally). Eggs, Bacon, Toast, Waffles are all well and good, but they all lack some southern charm on their own. That's where some Sausage Gravy and Biscuits come in.

Generally speaking, I make my own gravy with my patented "bit of this, and bit of that" cooking style - but I found this recipe, and it seems decent enough for a basic try: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/216391/easy-sausage-gravy-and-biscuits/

Ingredients
1 (16 ounce) can refrigerated jumbo buttermilk biscuits
1 (9.6 ounce) package Jimmy Dean(R) Original Hearty Pork Sausage Crumbles
1/4 cup flour
2 1/2 cups milk
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions
Bake biscuits according to package directions.
Meanwhile, cook sausage in large skillet over medium heat 5-6 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring frequently. Stir in flour. Gradually add milk; cook until mixture comes to a boil and thickens, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Split biscuits in half. Place 2 halves on each of 8 plates; top with about 1/3 cup gravy.

I usually like to spice up mine a bit more with some seasoned salt, and maybe a dash of Worcestershire Sauce. I also recommend fresh ground sausage, and if you can make them, real buttermilk biscuits: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/220943/chef-johns-buttermilk-biscuits/

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled in freezer and cut into thin slices
3/4 cup cold buttermilk
2 tablespoons buttermilk for brushing

Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda together in a large bowl.
Cut butter into flour mixture with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, about 5 minutes.
Make a well in the center of butter and flour mixture. Pour in 3/4 cup buttermilk; stir until just combined.
Turn dough onto a floured work surface, pat together into a rectangle.
Fold the rectangle in thirds. Turn dough a half turn, gather any crumbs, and flatten back into a rectangle. Repeat twice more, folding and pressing dough a total of three times.
Roll dough on a floured surface to about 1/2 inch thick.
Cut out 12 biscuits using a 2 1/2-inch round biscuit cutter.
Transfer biscuits to the prepared baking sheet. Press an indent into the top of each biscuit with your thumb.
Brush the tops of biscuits with 2 tablespoons buttermilk.
Bake in the preheated oven until browned, about 15 minutes.

I haven't made these biscuits, but the theory here is sound

If you find yourself with leftover biscuits, and no gravy - they go great with honey, or fruit jams of your choosing (I suggest Strawberry)

Go start this year off right with a nice, old fashioned, country breakfast!


Klaw's Cool Image find of the day:

Been watching a lot of DS9 lately, and this scene still gets me riled up!

Check out this and other awesome Trek related images by TheFirstFleet on DeviantArt: https://www.deviantart.com/thefirstfleet/gallery (I'm a big fan of his work)


Inspirobot:

Generated by Inspirobot, "an artificial intelligence dedicated to generating unlimited amounts of unique inspirational quotes for endless enrichment of pointless human existence."


Lastly, don't forget the shenanigans that are coming up here at The Forge:

Nova Returns January 11th. This will be episode 1 of a 4 part finale to close this series. All are welcome (We'll be doing a fair bit of recapping, etc - to bring things fresh in everyone's mind during this) - be sure to confirm your attendance!

Ops Team Meeting is schedule for January 12th. I have put up a preliminary run down of the business at hand, if there's something you want to add to the agenda/talk about - please don't hesitate to contact me! - Ops Team, we still need to set a time!

Brand New Day is slated to take off sometime in January. If you haven't done so yet, get your applications in! - String, when are we starting?

One more addendum - Looking at Rebooting Pegasus - and I want feedback on the idea before I pull the trigger

[News stories of the Day:]

So, I decided that I wanted to do something semi-fun. One of the tech sites I frequent submits a "spark" which shares news stories, jokes, recipes etc etc.

I kinda want to copy that idea a bit, and start a daily (M-F) post, sharing useless knowledge, daily trivia, cool picture(s) I find online, and Inspirobot's (de)inspirational, and sometimes controversial quote of the day!

Starting on a Friday, hope to see if this sticks

So, without further ado!


News stories of the Day:

Electric Eels used to light Christmas Tree

What are you crowing about?

Klaw's family portraits


The Funnies:






Recipe for the day:

No Bake cookies

These are my second favorite cookies in existence (first being Chocolate Chip). No Bakes are simple to make, and delicious - even if you do end up with oatmeal-peanut butter goo because they didn't harden, a cookie (or spoonful of cookie) and a tall glass of milk is a perfect ending to any day. (I know it'll be mine tonight )

I use the recipe from here: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/9832/no-bake-cookies-i/ It's simple - and can easily be substituted for creamy peanut butter (If, like me, you want your PB&J to not crunch)

Ingredients
1 3/4 cups white sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
3 cups quick-cooking oats
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, milk, butter, and cocoa. Bring to a boil, and cook for 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in peanut butter, oats, and vanilla. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto wax paper. Let cool until hardened.

Then just sit back to a good movie, or book (May I recommend The Last Ship, by William Brinkley?) and let the stress of the week melt off of you!


Klaw's Cool Image find of the day:

I may not be a huge fan of most of Discovery's ship designs - but if they brought this in, and more ships like the Disco-prise, I'd be a LOT happier

Check out this and other awesome Trek related images by TheFirstFleet on DeviantArt: https://www.deviantart.com/thefirstfleet/gallery (I'm a big fan of his work)


Inspirobot:

Generated by Inspirobot, "an artificial intelligence dedicated to generating unlimited amounts of unique inspirational quotes for endless enrichment of pointless human existence."


Lastly, have a great weekend - I hope this helps spark some conversation, inspiration, and cookie making