**>> SPYNET BULLETIN **>> EARTHDATE 91.09.08 **>> AN H-by-A SERVICE **>> WHAT'S NEW, PUSSYCAT? Actually, not a lot is new at all. Bella had a bit of a holiday, and since she returned she's been working hard doing things that you won't be able to see. She's been making changes that will save memory, which means there will be room for more player planets. Meanwhile, there are four planets waiting to be linked into the game - Occy, Elex, Otoole and Taliana have all completed their construction work. If all goes well, two will appear mid-week, and the other two at the end of the week. **>> ROTATING PLANETS Once Bella has finished all her changes, the planets will start rotating. Now you might think that they already rotate - they turn on their axis as well as orbitting round their stars - but in this context, it means that they will take it in turns to be attached to the game. Whether a planet will be available or not will depend on a number of things - how long since the planet last appeared in the heavens, how long since the owner logged on, whether there's a "R" in the month, that sort of thing. More news on how this will work in a couple of weeks. **>> LABOUR LAWS AXED! Ever since the first budding entrepreneurs purchased companies and set out to make a packet producing their own commodities, there has been speculation about the Galactic Administration's Labour Laws. The plan was that, at an unspecified future date, the Unions would exert their influence and bring about a change in the law, enforcing stringent demarcation on the production lines. This would limit what goods could be produced on which planets. But in a shock about-face, the Galactic Administration today announced that it was not going to give in to the threats of the "parasitic bully-boys of the blood-sucking unions" and would NOT be introducing any form of demarcation. In fact, it intends to double the quota of workthings available on all planets outside the Sol system! When asked to explain the reasons behind their change of heart, a spokesthing said that the introduction of player-owned planets had totally changed the purpose of production. Since Governors need to attract factories that will produce commodities not produced by the natives, it made no sense to prevent them producing goods outside their levels! The unions were "just going to have to like it or lump it". We predict that this news will produce an explosion of new factories on all player-owned planets. **>> LOGAN DIES... AGAIN! The following report was sent in by Krell just too late to make it into last week's news: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Everyone knows by now how the infamous Pegasus finished off the equally infamous Logan a few short weeks ago... But, as you probably know if you've been trying to do any business around Venus lately, Logan apparently made use of one of those expensive personal cloning devices we've heard so much about, and returned soon after to terrorize Fed Data Space once again. Well, potential victims can relax, for now, because the Dread Pirate Logan is once again dead-dead. Logan seemed to be plagued by suicidal thoughts - perhaps brought on by a guilty conscience from vaporizing vast numbers of innocent young Captains and Commanders [thought it's not likely]. He decided to take the gentlemanly way out, and, after inviting anyone with a spybeam to watch, made use of his trusty army knife... only to find himself freshly cloned and still very much alive. Our dashing but dastardly pirate stopped in at Chez D's for a few goodbyes and a stiff drink or three, and resolved to go out fighting again. He challenged Krell to do the dirty work [perhaps to make up for Pegasus stealing her glory last time, or perhaps because he just wanted to get a few shots in on her before he left...] Logan took to the skies in the mighty Sulaco - no cheapo ships this time- and fought valiantly until his battle computer was reduced to the level of a solar-powered calculator and he found himself without funds to repair. The heavily armor-plated Sulaco held out for quite some time... but in the end... well... A moment of silence was observed as the space-dust that had been the Sulaco - and Logann - dissipated throughout the Sol System. Someone played 'Taps' over the comms, and the galaxy returned to its [relatively] normal state of affairs. So, alas, poor Logan... again... The skies are safer for now. But rumor has it he still has that personal cloning device...[which he may have purchased from Oxcart...] so don't rest too easy... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ **>> WHAT WAS THAT NAME AGAIN? It's fascinating to see the names people choose for their Fed personas. Some use their ordinary, boring names - Fred, Jim, Gladys. Some pick a name that describes them in some way - Lady, Dolphin, Hazed. Using the name of fictional characters is popular - Ender, Piemur, Kirk. But some people pick names they think are a brilliant idea, but which turn out to be rather an encumbrance. If your name is too long, people won't talk to you or kiss you. You'll be a social outcast! Although in the case of The Vile Cryptosporidium, we venture to suggest that it would be a social outcast even if it was called Fred! The latest to beg and plead with Our Illustrious Leader in the hope of having his name shortened is Heliogib... Helioga... Heliogop... Well anyway, that name has been shortened to Helio. Phew! **>> CONFERENCES IN MPGRT Occy will be holding conferences every Tusday at 9.00 pm, for the remainder of the month, in the Multi-player Games RTC on page 1045. A chance to chat about your favourite game. **>> HAZED'S TURN FOR A HOLIDAY The fleshpots of Sirius II have long been the holiday sin-bin of the Galaxy, and that's where Hazed is heading in a few days. It is here that the rich and famous, the powerful and influential, go to relax from their stresses, to spend vast amounts of money, and to indulge in all sorts of shameful debauchery. Next week's news will be a SpyNet Sport special issue, brought to you by [shudder] Cryptosporidium. Those who are unfamiliar with the concept of the SpyNet Sport should consider yourselves very lucky! **>> PROMOTIONS NEWS Promotions seem to be happening faster and faster. Blink, and a GroundHog has suddenly become an Explorer! Latest to join the ranks of GuildThingHood are Cyrfox and Ringo, who braved the dangers of Snark to make their promotions. Baysidian and Dolphin fathomed out the awesome secret of the Martian Ruins and made JP. Reno and Ragu can turn for ever. They are both Traders now. Fatal is an Adventurer. We hope his name doesn't turn out to be prophetic! These are just the promotions we know about. Well done to everyone who advanced, and don't forget to mail us if you want your promotion mentioned in a future news bulletin. **>>CONTACTS The following information will appear at the end of every News Bulletin, so you don't have to read it if you already know it. In the event of a problem or question, you can: * talk to Hazed, Bella or Clem in the game * leave a message in the game log * send mail with the Federation Feedback option from the main menu You can order a copy of the unexpurgated printed Idiot's Guide to Federation II by typing ORDER at any GEnie menu. Cost - a mere $12.95. Federation II has a category in the new MPGames RT. To get there, type M1045,1 from any menu prompt and SET category 14. The Federation II Leader in the bulletin board is Occy (Mail ID: OCPAC). Topic 1 of the Fed category contains the Federation II policy statement. The MPGames RT also has a Federation II library in the files area, Library 5. **>> BULLETIN ENDS