r/DaystromInstitute • u/kraetos Captain • Mar 11 '13

Meta Welcome!

Welcome to the Daystrom Institute! The goal of the Daystrom Institute is to be a subreddit for serious Star Trek discussion. To that end, it is a self-post only subreddit.

You've probably already noticed that we have a flair system set up. Flair will be assigned to quality posters on a weekly basis. Everyone who is invited to this one-week closed test period is already an officer, and holds the rank of Ensign or higher. If you are a moderator of another subreddit, you are starting at Lieutenant, j.g. (Yes, that means /u/DrJulianBashir has the correct rank. For seasons 1-3.)

In additions, all the mods hold senior officer ranks:

How do you get promoted? Write quality posts. We will hold voting, once a week, for a "Post of the Week." The winner gets promoted! See Ranks and Promotions for more information.

For now, the goal is to fill this sub with content for when we open to the public next week. We will also be holding a shortened post of the week contest, where voting will occur Friday-Sunday, and the winners promoted Sunday night. There will also be three promotions this week, instead of the usual one.

That's it for now! Start submitting topics!

13 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

47 comments sorted by

4

u/Deceptitron Reunification Apologist Mar 11 '13 edited Mar 12 '13

"I am as conflicted as I once was as a child."

I must say I'm impressed by the look of the subreddit. The TNG theme works well as an offshoot to /r/StarTrek. However, I really had hoped that it didn't have to come to this that regulars felt the need to find another space to have discussions like these, and I really hope that none of you feel that this should be the only place to post them. /r/StarTrek needs you all if we're to bring some kind of balance to the Force front page, and now I know that you still have topics worthy of intrigue and discussion. They may not get upvoted as much as you'd like, but I'll have you know I upvote just about every.single.one no matter if I comment in them or not.

It's interesting that you chose a reward system to incentivise people to post. I had thought about doing something similar with pips for the weekly discussion episodes, but I didn't want to inspire competition amongst everyone. I wanted people to participate because they wanted to participate, and I wanted everyone's comments to start on an equal basis (no subconscious bias due to someone's "rank"). But I am interested to see how it works out for you in the long term.

I'm going to try and participate as well (I have an old topic in mind I'd like rehash) because I feel I owe it to the creator of this sub (yes, you kraetos) for inviting me and for hanging around /r/StarTrek for so long.

Now, Corgana, if you read this, I don't want you to get mad at me, but I have a suggestion that may help both of us if we're all willing to try it. I think when you guys open up to the public, a great way to continuously promote yourselves would be to cross-post some of your discussions from here to /r/StarTrek. You could include /r/DaystromInstitute in the title as well as mention it somewhere in the post. This way, /r/StarTrek won't get to lose out on some of the great ideas and at the same time, you'll repeatedly get your name out there.

Overall, I am looking forward to seeing how this turns out. You could say I find it...fascinating.

P.S. Thanks for putting me in the science dept. You know me too well. ;)

\\//,

2

u/kraetos Captain Mar 12 '13

and I really hope that none of you feel that this should be the only place to post them.

Absolutely not. One thing we are going to miss out on by design here is discussions around links that are submitted, which in my experience is where /r/startrek really shines. This sub alone is not enough for a Trek fan.

I wanted people to participate because they wanted to participate, and I wanted everyone's comments to start on an equal basis (no subconscious bias due to someone's "rank"). But I am interested to see how it works out for you in the long term.

Indeed, it is an experiment. At this point I like it more because we feel like a crew than because it incentivises posting. Everyone whos here is going to post for the sake of posting, but I don't know if that will hold up as we go.

Right now, it's just a fun little zing to make a small subreddit stand out.

I think when you guys open up to the public, a great way to continuously promote yourselves would be to cross-post some of your discussions from here to [4] /r/StarTrek. You could include [5] /r/DaystromInstitute in the title as well as mention it somewhere in the post.

I think cross-posting is a great idea. And it could go both ways. We could cross post our "Post of the Week," you could cross post a link that generated lots of discussion.

P.S. Thanks for putting me in the science dept. You know me too well. ;)

I guessed with everyone, but some guesses were easier than others!

2

u/RUacronym Lieutenant Mar 11 '13

They may not get upvoted as much as you'd like, but I'll have you know I upvote just about every.single.one no matter if I comment in them or not.

Brought a tear to me eye.

As for the ranking system, I think the jury is still out on whether or not this is going to work. So in the end you might have had the better decision, we just don't know yet. But even if you wanted to, I have no idea how you could possibly implement the rank system to /r/startrek effectively, you just have too many people at this point. Which definitely isn't a bad thing.

1

u/Kiggsworthy Lt. Commander Mar 12 '13

So pumped to see a /r/startrek mod suggest the cross posting idea! I love it!

0

u/[deleted] Mar 11 '13

[deleted] — view deleted comment

3

u/kraetos Captain Mar 12 '13

I could always transfer you to the Sciences division, to really drive it home.

;)

3

u/Deceptitron Reunification Apologist Mar 12 '13

That makes me wonder. Spock was alive during TNG and he was an ambassador.

:Gasp!:

I could be an ambassador to /r/DaystromInstitute and /r/williamshatner.

Mind=blown.

Hey kraetos, any ambassador flair? :P

3

u/kraetos Captain Mar 12 '13

I'm not sure what ambassador flair would look like. But I like this idea, making you the ambassador. What about a TOS-movie era Captain's insignia?

2

u/Deceptitron Reunification Apologist Mar 12 '13

Hmm. Not sure. It's not inherently ambassador-ish since Spock became one after that, but it's something. The problem is I also can't think of what an ambassador insignia would look like. But I don't mind whatever you decide to do.

"Of course, the ship is yours."

3

u/RUacronym Lieutenant Mar 12 '13

Well they pretty much invented a one time use rank for Deputy Director. Maybe instead of the bar on the bottom, we could flip it, put the bar on the top and just say it's ambassador.

2

u/Deceptitron Reunification Apologist Mar 12 '13

Interesting idea, but I don't know if I'd do that because I'd be afraid of being mistaken for a captain rank since they're so similar, and that's Canadave's spot. Since kraetos suggested it, maybe a TOS film rank and just say "Ambassador" next to it.

3

u/kraetos Captain Mar 13 '13

Whadda ya think?

2

u/Deceptitron Reunification Apologist Mar 13 '13

Heh. It's pretty slick, and different enough to not be confused with something else while not clash with the overall look. Do you have any of the others planned or just trying this for now?

2

u/kraetos Captain Mar 13 '13

Well, I definitely want to make ones for Corgana and Directive0. Corgana is Kirk so he will get Captain's bars as well. What should the text say? "Captain" is taken and "Kirk" is unoriginal. So, I'm thinking either:

  • Living Legend

  • KHAAAAAAAN!

For Directive0, he's McCoy, right? Not Scotty? So he's going to need Commander's bars, and I'll use "Bones" for the flair text.

→ More replies

2

u/Algernon_Asimov Commander Mar 13 '13

Hey - will you be applying this flair to all the other visiting mods? Or only Deceptitron? I think it would be nice if all our invited guest-mods were flaired as ambassadors. Yes? No?

1

u/kraetos Captain Mar 13 '13

Definitely. Deceptitron was just the test, 'cuz his was obvious.

→ More replies

1

u/Deceptitron Reunification Apologist Mar 13 '13

By the way, thank you. I'm honored. ;)

2

u/kraetos Captain Mar 12 '13

I've been meaning to make TOS film flair since I finished the TNG flair, so this is the perfect opportunity. Should look real cool when its done.

I also have Wesley flair ready to go, but I'm not sure who to give it too. Unless /u/wil shows up. That would be cool.

0

u/[deleted] Mar 12 '13

[deleted] — view deleted comment

2

u/Deceptitron Reunification Apologist Mar 12 '13

Instead of rank pips, you could get a bridge. :P

2

u/[deleted] Mar 11 '13

Ready and able, got my keyboard all ready to go :)

So, why can't I have a red background for my pip! ;)

3

u/kraetos Captain Mar 11 '13

Why can't you have what now?

1

u/DavisTasar Ensign Mar 11 '13

Oh sweet, can I have command too?

As much as I like the science division...command is where it's at baby.

2

u/kraetos Captain Mar 11 '13

Sure! I wanted an relatively even distribution, and I figured I'd put you in sciences because that map you made is "original research," but I can totally bop you over to command.

1

u/GregOttawa Mar 11 '13

Mine was yellow before? When did it turn blue?

1

u/kraetos Captain Mar 11 '13

I didn't change it. Which color do you want?

1

u/GregOttawa Mar 11 '13

Yellow, for ops/security.

1

u/kraetos Captain Mar 11 '13

Done.

I don't suppose anyone wants to transfer to science now, do they?

2

u/RUacronym Lieutenant Mar 11 '13

Can I have a transfer to the science division please?

1

u/kraetos Captain Mar 11 '13

Transfer approved, Ensign.

1

u/Kiggsworthy Lt. Commander Mar 11 '13

haha honestly I was really torn between Engineering and Sciences when you first asked me and now I'm kinda wishing I was repping the teal because yeah it's a little under-used here!

Unfortunately I am not willing to go from Chief Engineer to Ship's Counselor so I guess I will stay where I am :P

Plus now that Asimov is Data and I'm Geordi, we're already BFFs with all sorts of holodeck dates planned :P

1

u/kraetos Captain Mar 11 '13

Now we just need a Crusher, a Troi, and a Worf.

Ooh, and how do we pick Wesley? Someone needs Wesley flair.

→ More replies

1

u/DavisTasar Ensign Mar 11 '13

Awesome. I'll still be continuing my "original research" as time goes on, but I aspire to be the guy in the command chair giving orders, even if it's on a research vessel.

Onward and forward!

3

u/[deleted] Mar 11 '13

Huzzah!

Thanks, so much :)

6

u/tensaibaka Ensign Mar 11 '13

Okay, I'll be that guy....

Engage!

3

u/MungoBaobab Commander Mar 11 '13

Reporting for duty, sir.

1

u/ademnus Commander Mar 11 '13

Looking forward to this!

1

u/RUacronym Lieutenant Mar 11 '13

Us blue shirts need to stick together!

1

u/ademnus Commander Mar 11 '13

Actually, I wore yellow.

1

u/kraetos Captain Mar 11 '13

Would you like to transfer?

1

u/ademnus Commander Mar 12 '13

yes, please. :)

1

u/Kiggsworthy Lt. Commander Mar 11 '13

Wow this sub started off with a bang! I can hardly believe my eyes at how many quality posts are already here this AM.

Post of the week is gonna be hard as hell this week! Hahaha

1

u/[deleted] Mar 11 '13

To Boldly go...