This isn't necessary if you aren't in the RPG, but I want to see how the new characters fly. Here's the old ratings, feel free to add your own if you don't like these.

I thought it would be interesting to see how people rated themselves and their characters as pilots. Here are the levels I suggest:

CANNON FODDER
Able to fly with slightly LESS skill than the computer in the game. Having difficulty beating the first tutorial.
LIMITED PILOT
As the name suggests, limited in capability and having difficulty surviving.
AVERAGE PILOT
Right up there with your Ishiman civilian with combat training. Able to live through a normal fight, but without much chance against, say, Sundered Angel. (But then, who HAS a chance against SA...)
ABOVE AVERAGE PILOT
Probably at the level of some of those UNS pilots who did a really good job in the fight to retake Earth. Some of them were really quite good, and while they could call themselves Aces, as they had more than ten kills, really couldn't accept the title.
ACE PILOT
Literally ten kills in the career. However, I refer to it here as a skill level. The higher ones are hard to get to, this is really very good piloting.
VETERAN PILOT
A stunning fellow. If he's human, he probably took down a carrier in a cruiser. Takes great skill to get up here.
ELITE PILOT
Again, this is a skill level, not a military position. This is as high as one can really aim for; but then, most people aim to be an Ace.
IMPOSSIBLE PILOT
Sundered Angel, maybe?

Of course, I don't see SA in the new RPG so far; if he's in it, he may not need to be in as high esteem as he is held here.

Again, please be realistic, and don't give yourself an 'Ultimate Character'.

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Subcommander g'Var "8 Lightnings" Krai'un
Second in command of the Escort Starbeam.
"CRUISER DESTROYED. 91 remaining" -Ares, chapter 9, Hand Over Fist

OK. My new character is an ACE PILOT. However, he'll improve as we go along. It's a bit hard to do too well when you don't fly your own ship...

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Subcommander g'Var "8 Lightnings" Krai'un
Second in command of the Escort Starbeam.
"CRUISER DESTROYED. 91 remaining" -Ares, chapter 9, Hand Over Fist

Mag Steelglass Droid Industries Mark IV Repair Droids like my character are not programmed with piloting AI, so they would be classified under "Cannon Fodder."

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"Oi, oi, oi, me got a hurt n here
Oi, oi, oi, me smell a ting is near
Me gonna bosh and me gonna nosh
An da hurt'll dissapear"

Seeing as my character is a diplomat, I hardly see him doing much more than standing on the bridge of a carrier, watching in disaproval as it tears through enemy ships.

Captain Pharris may still make an appearance, but I already see two people who fill similar roles(three carrier captains is a bit too many for one race, if you ask me)Maybe I'll send him to another race or something. I'd hate to see my name used for evil though...

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Faris eck Vaenar Maletena-Wizr, Trey'ish of the Ishiman reestablishment comittee.

"Slug" Levt's piloting skills are downright horrible. It was only by sheer luck he survived the academy, but his command skills are impressive, as are his crew.

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If our military is so much better than theirs, then why don't we ever use it?

Spamo's skills are quite good, as he served as a pilot for a while. He went up the ladder of rank when he became squadron commander, and his tactical skill began to show. After that, the rest is history.

Ace pilot before his promotions, out of practice he's probably above average.

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Ne Cede Malis Sed Contra Audientor Ito

(This message has been edited by El Spamo (edited 12-27-2000).)

Myself: Veteran Pilot.

My Character (Grolk mercenary): He actually has two pilot ratings. He is an Impossible Pilot while using his special brain interface device, which works by having his brain control the ship directly instead of using hands and buttons. In other words, the ship becomes part of himself. In other ships which cannot use this interface (only Grolk, Audemedon, and Salrilian ships can) he is an Elite Pilot. But, this is only his pilot rating. He is also able to quickly analyze combat scenarios and come up with complex solutions. If you compared a Salrilian and my character in tactical genius, Carnotaur would win every time.

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To Escape Velocity: Nova and Beyond!
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Millennium. Its coming, prepare for it.
Coming to the (url="http://"http://www.ambrosiaSW.com/games/ev/chronicles.html")EV Chronicles(/url).

(Carnator, you might want to tone that down a little.)

Darkk is an Elite Pilot in his own ships, as they've been modified with AI routines that complement his piloting skills by correcting his most common mistakes and making small adjustments to keep his ship on target.

In normal ships he's an ace pilot. He got his start flying in the simulators aboard the Ares and never stopped. His strategic skills aren't the greatest, but his tactical skills are pretty good.

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William Darkk, head of the Darkklight Entrepenurial Federation
Your cargo or your life!!!

Don't worry. I don't think I'll ever go onto any RPG. I just made that new character up right then and there. I really don't intend on using him.

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To Escape Velocity: Nova and Beyond!
--------------
Millennium. Its coming, prepare for it.
Coming to the (url="http://"http://www.ambrosiaSW.com/games/ev/chronicles.html")EV Chronicles(/url).

Limited Pilot, I guess. I think I'll try and improve that to above average during the RPG (My actual piloting skills)

--Actually, my real skills go up a rank in an Obish ship, I just have very little piloting opportunity with them.

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-Pallas Athene of Dysian Beta, Obish Consensus Representative
-Nieru Dast, {M}ilitia Aeriane
-Danae Vernius
ThinkFish, and good things will come.

(This message has been edited by Pallas Athene (edited 01-01-2001).)