Introduction

Story Time With Uncle Robin is a voicechat session run by camgusmis at his own convenience. Basically, it's slightly more structured voice chat where everyone who joins knows that someone will actually be speaking in Lojban instead of just saying "coi" and trying to think of something to say, even if the only one talking is me. STWUR is primarily about my own Lojban development, and I make no apologies for that, but I do try to include everyone who shows up.

The goal of STWUR is to get as many people as possible (starting with myself to the point where they find themselves not thinking about Lojban or how to say things, but thinking about what to say and that coming out in Lojban naturally and with no mental effort.

Format

Past STWUR have been based on Situation Puzzles, because games tend to get people engaged. However, there tended to be a lot of dead air, mostly because people who are thinking deeply don't talk much. So instead we're going to try a modified Baron Munchausen RPG. Don't be scared of the "RPG" there; it's dead simple. Please download that file only once; it is large (~7MiB; large for my pipe)! Also, if you like the game, please buy it! I'd insist you all do so, but it's rather hard to find.

The variations between STWUR's new format and the standard Munchausen RPG are as follows:

• No wagers, duels, or winners. My friends and I have played the game quite enjoyably without them.
  • Objections are still perfectly acceptable, however. Since they have no bearing on winning the game (there being no winning or losing), they should be chosen for dramatic/comedic effect.
    • An objection is a non-trivial task for someone with low Lojban skill; ta'a is your friend here. Use it and we'll wait for you. For a while, anyways.
    • Powell's Principle of Non-Gluteality applies fully to these non-monetary objections; don't object constantly unless every one is amazingly funny, and if someone sends an objection your way, accept it if it is more dramatic/funnier to do so.
• Play doesn't pass to the person on your right, or in any other direction, as this will be voice chat over the 'net; the whole concept doesn't make much sense. Instead, when done with your story, offer the next turn up with something like "ma djica lo nu te lisri".
  • If someone responds in the affirmative ("mi"), you should give them a story seed as per usual (".ui pe'u sai doi fraso nolraitru ko skicu lo nu do citka mu no no xarju ca pa cerni gi'e nai plana binxo").
    • You are permitted to cop out with something like "ko te lisri fi da poi do djica", but we'll snicker and say things like ".oi ro'a na virnu".
  • If no-one responds in the affirmative, feel free to go again. Feel free to ask others for story ideas ("doi ro do do djica lo nu mi skicu ma"). If any silence lasts for very long, I'll just start in on a story myself. You have been warned.
• I don't see much point in keeping track of titles, especially over voice chat; make up a new title for anyone and everyone as often as you like. The more baroque, the better ("doi le ralju be ro vofli smani poi xabju le brito daplu").

Getting Invited

Pretty much anyone is invited. To get the announcements, join the jbosnu or jbofongri mailing lists (see Lojbanic Forums). Or just mail me. I'm going to be aiming for about once a week.

Fluency Requirements

There is no particular fluency requirement, but as much as possible of the conversation on the channel will be in Lojban, with no translations given in general. So your own fluency is irrelevant if you just want to listen in, but if you want to say something please try to say it in Lojban. "ko denpa .e'o" is helpful here.

Software

We'll be using TeamSpeak with the server chain.lojban.org. If you have any difficulties, please visit the #lojban IRC channel and we'll try to help you out.

Audio For Past STWUR Episodes

• Story Time With Uncle Robin 1
• Story Time With Uncle Robin 2
• Story Time With Uncle Robin 3
• Story Time With Uncle Robin 4