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People keep coming to me with their problems. I think the problem is that I show an interest.
<MagicPretzel> Hello. Can I possibly get your help with character conceptualization? I'm a bit of an aspiring writer/role-player with Writer's Block. -.-
<DrMann> All right. What do you need help with?
<MagicPretzel> Detail, mainly.
<DrMann> What's your core concept?
<MagicPretzel> I have notes. I'll paste them.
<MagicPretzel> I'm going for a military-esque character: An Air Force Commando who gets promoted into an elite division made up of soldiers from branches worldwide. After a couple of months of training and ops, he and two colleagues get fed up with everything being "Confidential" or "Need-to-know basis". So they investigate through means of interrogation, eavesdropping, e»
<DrMann> The air force doesn't have "commandoes" as such.
<DrMann> What was his specialty, exactly?
<MagicPretzel> tcetera (Trying to turn this particular part into a mystery-ish thing). They eventually find out that they were going to turn the men into souless killing machines with intense training, augmentations, and drugs. The trio escapes before the augmentations and druggings start to happen. And that's all I got so far. -.-
<MagicPretzel> Close-Quarters-Combat.
<DrMann> …
<DrMann> No.
<DrMann> Also, the military has no interest in soulless killing machines. We've tried that. Soulless killing machines are useless for general military operations.
<DrMann> There are several basic special operations specialties in the Air Force. There's Combat Control, who build airfields in enemy territory (typically under fire), TACP, who call in air strikes, Combat Weather, who help planes know local weather conditions so they know if they can actually land or operate in enemy territory, and para-rescue, who are basically combat paramedics.
<DrMann> None of these call for close-quarters combat.
<DrMann> Oh, and SERE, survival experts. They never actually see combat.
<DrMann> They train others so that they can survive in adverse conditions. They require much the same training, and it's a very hard career field to get into, but it's not a combat-oriented career field.
<MagicPretzel> Could've sworn I saw a Wikipedia article for an Air Force division that specializes in Search and Rescue missions. Akin to SEALs.
<DrMann> That would be Para-Rescue.
<MagicPretzel> Ah.
<DrMann> Their job is to go in, grab whoever's hurt, and get the fuck out.
<DrMann> CSAR as a whole is a mission, rather than a specialty, and requires people from a several different career fields to perform.
<MagicPretzel> Is their motto "First There"?
<DrMann> Yep.
<DrMann> Oh, excuse me, that's Combat Control.
<MagicPretzel> Found the wikipedia article for the team I'm referring to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Air_Force_Combat_Control_Team
<MagicPretzel> Not sure where I got the name Air Force Commando from.
<DrMann> Yeah, they're basically air traffic controllers. Just in the middle of a combat zone.
<MagicPretzel> Ah.
<DrMann> Which is pretty bad ass, don't get me wrong.
<DrMann> But yeah, do some real research on the subject before you make a character based on SpecOps.
<MagicPretzel> Will do.
<DrMann> And again, the military doesn't want "soulless killing machines." It's a bad idea and it doesn't work.
<DrMann> We want very precise, thoughtful killing machines who are hesitant to kill unless they get proper orders. This is what we have now. It works very well.
<MagicPretzel> Ah. Alright.
<DrMann> Forty, fifty years ago there were people working on projects like that. But we've since figured out that we want mentally stable soldiers.
<MagicPretzel> Trying to develop super-soldiers and such?
<DrMann> Rather than create soulless killing machines, we'd rather cure the ones we have. Because they'd be much more effective soldiers.
<MagicPretzel> I see. I'll buy some books and read up.
<DrMann> Good man.
<MagicPretzel> Not a man, actually. Far younger.
<DrMann> Good boy. Want a biscuit?
<MagicPretzel> Sure, why not?
<MagicPretzel> Also, would a Third Echelon-type thing work? If so, I might try something like that.
<DrMann> Why don't you talk to Waxx about that?
<MagicPretzel> I'll ask him.
Somewhat later, from Waxx:
<Waxx> <Waxx> If you absolutely must have a character from a special ops division, there are so many real-world organizations that are way better than trying to make up your own
<Waxx> <MagicPretzel> Are they Third Echelon-like? That's what I was thinking.
<Waxx> <Waxx> Third Echelon?
<Waxx> <MagicPretzel> Splinter Cell.
<Waxx> <Waxx> hahahahahahaha
He apparently didn't message Waxx again after that.
<Seth> Hello.
<DrMann> Hello.
<Seth> How are you, person? Sorry for randomness. xD I'm stuck on a netbook for the time being. A little bored.
<DrMann> I'm all right.
<DrMann> Watching Doctor Who, plotting some things…
<DrMann> Yourself?
<Seth> In my laptop's absence, I'm conceptualizing.
<DrMann> Aha.
<Seth> Yeah. A little stuck at the moment, though.
<DrMann> That's what Senior Staff are for.
<Seth> Ah.
<DrMann> Now, tell Doc Mann all about.
<Seth> Well, I roleplay on MMOs/Forums. So, naturally, I'd need background information for the characters. I have a general idea. But, due to a shoulder injury, I can't think straight enough to go in-depth.
<DrMann> So, I'm guessing you're planning a Foundation Tale, then?
<Seth> Foundation Tale? o.o
<Seth> Not familiar with the term.
<DrMann> This is related to the SCP Foundation, yes?
<DrMann> http://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/foundation-tales
<Seth> Not necessarily. My idea was similar to SCP so I was directed here by a friend of mine.
<DrMann> Aha.
<DrMann> Okay. Proceed.
<Seth> Are you familiar with Splinter Cell?
<DrMann> Not really, no.
<DrMann> You don't know MagicPretzel, do you?
<Seth> Who?
<DrMann> Oh, someone who brought up Splinter Cell to me yesterday. I thought he might be the friend in question.
<Seth> Ah. No, I don't think so. He might have a different alias, though.
<DrMann> Okay, so what's this about Splinter Cell?
<Seth> Basically, a black-ops unit similar to Third Echelon, the group in Splinter Cell.
<Seth> I'll link you to the article.
<DrMann> Ah.
<DrMann> But having to do with paranormal activity?
<Seth> Yeah. They specify in handling extra-dimensional, extra-terrestrial, extra-universal, etc.
<DrMann> Check out Delta Green.
<Seth> Link?
<DrMann> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delta_Green
<Seth> Ah. That seems fairly similar.
<DrMann> Beyond that, I'd look into stuff on the Foundation site. Might give you some ideas.
<Seth> I'll be sure to check it out. There was one specific article that really caught my interest.
<DrMann> Oh?
<Seth> I believe it's 076. Can pull weapons out of nothingness?
<DrMann> Yep.
<DrMann> Able.
<Seth> Yeah. I really like that one, for some reason.
<DrMann> He's fairly popular.
<Seth> Who?
<Seth> The author or Able?
<DrMann> Able.
<Seth> Ah. Well, I understand why.
<DrMann> Granted, there are a fair who dislike him as well.
<Seth> Why's that?
<DrMann> He tends towards the Marty Stu side of things. Doesn't quite get there, so even those who dislike him tend to tolerate him. But he's inspired a lot of really crap SCPs as well.
<Seth> Ah.
<Seth> Also, here's Third Echelon: http://splintercell.wikia.com/wiki/Third_Echelon
<Seth> Oh, I got an idea. Would SCP issue said black-ops unit?
<DrMann> They have Mobile Task Forces for that.
<DrMann> Which are basically black-ops units.
<Seth> Ah.
<DrMann> They're small teams of agents and researchers brought together for a certain purpose, or a general type of mission.
<DrMann> http://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/secure-facilities-locations Scroll down a bit, and you'll get a partial list.
<Seth> I see.
<Seth> Do you think they'd mind adding one more? I came up with an acronym. -.-
<Seth> REAPER
<DrMann> They don't have acronyms.
<DrMann> They have a simple alphanumeric designation, with a general nickname.
<Seth> I see.
<DrMann> Greek letter and a number.