Innovation
in KAG
KAG owes its success to many
factors, but INNOVATION is the
key. KAG's pioneers stormed uncharted waters.
They would fly by the seats of their pants to go for Glory.
The Early Days
Our birth was on the stage of Starbase Indy almost twenty years ago.
Klingons from great distances pulled together in force and stunned the
audience. It's what we do. Showmanship is about
looking grand and
taking action.
KAG took root and grew in many cities. Communications were vital to
growing the burgeoning force of the empire.
Newsletters were exchanged. The Mindscanner shared news of
KAG resources far and wide. The Wild Frontier showcased the
fun they had and shared it across the continent. Few
treasures are as
great as the memories forged together among friends... and these
newsletters chronicled adventures... in conventions, in camp outs, and
in public.
KAG's growth was organic.
I'm not talking about being
free of pesticides. We branched out with enthusiasm in every
direction,
and found the ways that worked best. Some interesting groups
had their
rise and fall within the club... The Rangers, The Imperial Mounted
Guard, countless groups would band together, have a fling, and move on
when the limelight turned to a different form of fun. Trial
and Error
remains a Klingon's scientific method of choice.
Getting
Organized
We kicked off two fleets in Canada and three in the States, plus a
Battlegroup in Ohio where the density of Klingon population exploded.
The Navy became the mainstream of KAG, but other KAG Divisions were
formed among those who wanted a more 'elite' feel. The
Raiders were the
artists "with enough talent and brain damage to take the
job." The
Marines wanted to show their mettle. The Imperial Guard were the
chosen of the best. They served unique niches, but the
response to
elitism forced them to reshape or perish.
KAG Quartermasters became a resource for learning. How to
costume....the uniforms, armor,
headpieces, insignia. 'Keve the Budget Quartermaster'
gleaned the best of the QM files, added simple instruction of his own,
and distributed compact booklets to show us how.
Application and award forms were standardized. These
would be
sent up the chain of command. It's amazing what mountains of
material
had to be photocopied and snail mailed to keep the club in motion.
KAG
2.0: Email
New tools changed the old ways of doing things. The Internet
opened new
inexpensive ways to communicate. Everyone was starting to get
email
accounts. KAG got a web domain. BBSes (Bulletin
Board Systems) knit
new channels of chat such as the Klingon Fido-net Echo.
The new tools brought new solutions to old problems. It used
to be that
ship COs would collect applications... but they might never send them
up
the chain of command. Applications received on high might
likewise not
find their way down to local ships. KAG Divisions like
Quartermasters, the
Imperial Xeno Legion, the Demon Fleet, would never get copies of
interested members' applications from the main recipients.
But with the
technology of the web, the KAG 'Robo-App' could deliver applications to
ALL interested parties simultaneously.
Mailing lists allowed teams to communicate quickly. What was
once
"OneList" was bought up by Yahoogroups, and those continue to provide
hundreds of our teams with a forum, while alternatives like
Googlegroups
also exist. KAG also formed E-Corps to assist KAG
units in creating
a web presence.
Fandom in general began to change under the 'disruptive technology' of
the internet. It used to be that the only way to convene with other
fans of Trek was to physically attend conventions. (Like the
only way
to see the original Star Wars movie 140 times was to see it repeatedly
in the theaters.) The world got smaller, because the internet brought
the world to you. For some, this diminished the experience because the
interesting behaviors and adventures were being reduced to abstract
words. But INNOVATORS were learning how to entertain in new
picturesque
media and live action video.
What Does the Future Hold?
We are already entering new tiers of interaction in KAG.
Everyone and
his targ is getting a Blog going, usually in Social Networks like
MySpace, FaceBook, and LiveJournal. The videos we used to
copy on VHS
cassettes are now going public on YouTube. Virtual Reality is
opening
new worlds such as Second Life and Moove, using entirely new tools of
artistry in how we make characters, costumes, weapons, vehicles, and
sets.
Places to see, people to do, things to make go. KAG
will continue to innovate as we discover new worlds unfolding before
us.
- KwISt
me@twisty.org
