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Captain Meatball, there are always plenty of virtual varmint consoles available. Please take it easy at first.
Agent Monster, always pleasure to see you. We have quite a class, this bunch is always thinking of how to best use their natural gifts in the Black Ops setting ... we have a bunch of athleticism and intelligence.
Class, please pay special attention to Commander Honey... she brings much practical knowledge and is able to make sense of much of the section on diplomacy that is in your textbook.
Commander Vinnie will also be dropping by and I expect that he is given the same courtesies as Agent Monster, Captain Meatball, and Commander Honey.
Interaction and questions are encouraged!
Thank you, Captain Ryan. I'm delighted to be here.
Diplomacy is tact and sensitivity in dealing with other creatures. Diplomacy comes naturally to felines. (and some canines -- I'll stick to felines because they are no canines in this group). Think of all the ways we endear ourselves to humans -- hanging around, purring, rubbing, head bonks, not barking, using the indoor litter box, and the all-time favorite, looking cute.
But these natural attributes will not help much with creatures like the Borg, Dalek or shape-shifter.
So here are a few points in diplomacy.
To begin with, do background research on the creatures, their environment, their strengths and weaknesses. "What is their story?"
Then try to find out about what motivates them, personal traits that might be appealed to in communicating with them. "What makes them 'meow'"?
My cousin Cmdr. Vinnie had an experience during Spy month where he did the background research but lost it in the individual encounter.
Well, I was on the scent of Doggy Dogg Dogg, an alternate spy. I did all the background study about where he came from, his mission, and all.
But I didn't find out what his psyche was like. Was he a well -mannered Dogg or a snappy Dogg? I approached him too abuptly
when he was tired, sipping on his dogerina. He grabbed my ID card in his teeth, tore it and I got away with my skin and the picture part of my ID, as you can see.
You can read the whole story in my diary. There you can see what not to do.
Patrick and I are hard at work on our next scenario...we need some time to prepare and Patrick needs to finish up his reading. We will check back in after finishing our work.
Well thanks everyone for the warm welcome back. The workout was good for me...yes I realize I do need to ease back into things but it also does me good to work out.
This is the second part of my thoughts on Diplomacy in Balck Ops.
I think you already know how to do the background research.
The time-tested "journalist's questions," Who? What? When? Where and Why?" are a good way to organize the research for a case study.
However, the major part of diplomacy is in finding out the psychology of the creature(s). What makes them behave the way they do? Their thoughts? Their motivation? As Charlie mentioned, the Dalek seemed motivated only by hate.
Drawing out the motivations and feelings of the creature(s) are crucial to gathering intelligence and can be obtained well by a Black Ops agent. This intelligence will help the mission leaders make good decisions on how to proceed.
In a conversation, ask prepared questions designed to put the creature at ease. Then listen, listen, listen. Then ask the second question? The second question is most important (Tim Russert) in getting the creature to reveal its innermost thoughts, feelings and motivations.
Such as, "What do you mean by that?" "Tell me more." "What will you do next?" ("How does that make you feel?" is usually too direct and makes most creatures hold back.)
Captain Ryan agreed that I propose a new a virtual varmint exercise that is somewhat different from the ones already programmed.
The varmit is creeping sea algae (like in the China Sea on earth), but these algae are sentient and intelligent. They cling together and move together, but think individually.
They communicate with thought. The sea algae can grab any creature that comes near and smother it.
Presently, they are clogging the desalination plant of a small friendly planet and seeking to destroy it. The inhabitants of the planet need the water from the desalination plant to survive.
The challenge is to eliminate their move on the desalination plant and send them back out to sea. It would take strength and agility to keep from being caught in their grasp. It would take cunning and thoughtful diplomacy to convince the leaders of the sea algae it is in their best interest to move back out to sea where there is food for them and space for the whole colony of sea algae.
This exercise is optional and offered as a challenge for perhaps a team of students.
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