blog post 5-3-26

Author: hivehum

blog/2026-5-03-introductions.mdx

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+---
+title: let's introduce ourselves
+description: a statement of intent
+slug: introductions
+authors: [hivehum]
+tags: [writeups]
+hide_table_of_contents: false
+---
+
+Let's introduce ourselves.
+
+We are the Syndicate, and we operate Macrocosm. Starting today, we are opening the doors to more directly communicate with contributors, and anyone else curious, through our Discord server.
+
+# the Syndicate
+
+The name is accurate: we are a [syndicate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syndicate). We are a collaboration of like-minded Space Station 14 communities — presently The Den, Funky Station, and impstation — who have decided to join forces and share resources to build the best SS14 that we can.
+
+We do not have a leader. We do not have a project owner. It's not relevant who started the Syndicate, or who has the most seniority. We are all equal, and we operate on [consensus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consensus_decision-making).
+
+Our current and biggest project is Macrocosm.
+
+# Macrocosm
+
+Consider Macrocosm to be a "midstream," or curated downstream. The resources of our member communities get applied here, to create a base SS14 we can be proud of and can happily utilize as downstreams.
+
+The primary tenents of Macrocosm are as follows:
+
+1. **Consensus.** Every project pull requested to Macrocosm is subject to internal vote. We do not merge anything if a member community objects to it. Contributors and players of those communities can feel confident that their servers will keep their uncompromised identity, and non-member communities who choose to fork Macrocosm will never have the rug pulled out from under them with an unexpected, paradigm-changing shift to the game.
+2. **Consistency.** We only merge projects that have been throughly playtested by a downstream. We try to keep the highest code quality possible, and wish to avoid bug-fixing and microbalance pull requests at all costs. We do not want to introduce problems, only solve them.
+3. **Customizability.** We place an extremely high priority on the ability for Macrocosm features to be easily enabled or disabled by our downstreams. We want setting up a Macrocosm server to feel like browsing a curated mod list, where you can explore many unique choices to make your server match your ideal experience.
+
+# and you!
+
+If this sounds appealing to you, feel free to join our discord server. We have a whitelisting process for verified contributors, but also a small section open to the public.
+
+https://discord.gg/rtmPwXbvrQ