ACADEMY BASIC TRAINING GUIDE
Table of Contents:
1. GFC Simming
2. Simming Guidelines
3. Post Duties
4. The Sim
5. Sim Language
6. Welcome Packets
SIMming is another name for Role Playing over the Internet
medium with a group of people in a particular genre. Basically, you
are playing a game of "Let's Pretend" in the chat room environment.
In the GFC, the genre you will be playing is Star Trek,
though you do not have to be a Star Trek buff in order to do this. You
will apply for a position within the group, and from that point on,
your In Character involvement with the group shall be from
the viewpoint of your character.
During a SIM, when you are playing your character, you
will be doing things similar to that of the characters in Star Trek,
adapted of course, for the situation that your SIMulation is currently
in.
You will create a character with a background and a
history. You will submit this information to your Commanding Officers
in the form of a "Character Biography". After they have approved
it you will be asked to post it SIMulation's message boards and mailstring.
Some CO’s will also post them on the simulation’s website.
This is done so that other people on the SIMulation, and within the
forum, can know who your character is and some basic information. It
also enhances the SIM experiences, giving your character a history that
can potentially affect his present (for example, your character almost
drowned in a pool as a child, he now has a phobia about large bodies
of water). This is called Fleshing out a character. It gives the character
a reality, a depth. Bio’s can and should be updated as your character
receives promotions, marries, has children, experiences new things and
you get a better feel for who they are. A template for character bios
is provided on our website.
As you gain experience in SIMming, you will learn that
adding small subplots is often encouraged. Over the course of time,
you will discover what is and is not appropriate. Always remember, however,
that when you are in doubt about something you wish to do, check with
the command team (CO & XO). Subplots that are going to affect the
whole sim (dying, getting badly hurt etc) should be discussed with the
command team prior to them being carried out.
GFC SIMMING
GFC SIMming involves "live" participation AOL & AIM accessible
chat rooms. You and the rest of the crew will meet at a specific time,
in a specific place to do your SIMulation each week. You will be working
from the point of view of your character, and basically ad-libbing an
"episode" of Star Trek.
Your CO may give a "Mission Briefing" before beginning the
SIMulation. In most cases, you have a goal to accomplish, twists and
turns are written by the members of the SIMulation, and you can often
end up going in directions you did not anticipate. The SIM ends when
your CO dismisses you not when the sim is paused.
Your command team may have awards or announcements to add before dismissing
the crew so it is important that you wait until the CO or XO has actually
put CREW DISMISSED to the screen.
SIMMING GUIDELINES
1. Creativity is important as it makes your character
seem more life like. It adds realism.
2. Pay attention to the details. Keep up with what is going on in Sim,
it just might affect your character.
3. Be flexible as anything can happen in a SIM.
4. Live by the Golden Rule and treat others in your logs the way you
would want to be treated in theirs, with respect. This goes for chat
room activity too.
5. For every action, there is a reaction. If you are in an accident
and have your character break his back then you’re probably going
to be paralyzed. Don’t do things to your character if you aren’t
prepared to face the consequences.
6. Words are a powerful tool in role play. Make sure you use them carefully
and write so others understand what you're doing.
7. Communicate. You should talk out of character (OOC) with other crew
members in IMs and/or email. It builds cohesion and can add to creativity
and avoid misunderstandings.
8. Stay involved. You can't always be the center of attention but that
doesn't mean your character can't do anything. It is a big ship or station
as may be the case. Just because everyone else is busy doesn’t
mean you should feel ignored. You should be able to keep yourself busy
with something for a few Sims.
9. Develop your character using the bio that you made when you created
the character. Make sure you use traits about your character in your
logs and in sim.
10. Be consistent on the way you play your character. This way others
know what to expect of you. Over time it can be like ESP.
11. Be Patient. Not everyone types quickly. If you have typed something
to the screen and don't get an answer right away give it a few moments.
IM the person you are speaking to if they don't answer and ask if they
saw your line. Copy and Paste your line in the IM for time saving. We
expect people to pay attention to the entire chat but sometimes folks
miss things.
12. Don't jump to conclusions. Remember, you don't know what is going
on in the house of the other person at that time and there may be a
legitimate reason why they aren't answering. It could be as simple as
they are having an off night and not keeping up as well as normal or
that they just got word that a family member died. Don’t automatically
assume someone is ignoring you just because they haven’t answered
you. If they have put something to the screen before or after your comment
or question, read it. Perhaps what is in their statement has already
answered you.
13. Follow the Chain of Command. All assistants report to their department
heads, all department heads report to the XO and the XO reports to the
CO. Bridge personnel report to whomever asks the question or if they
are bringing something to the attention of the ship they would address
the person who is in charge of the bridge at the time.
POST DUTIES
Please remember that this is a guide. Most Sims will
follow this guideline but it is always best to ask for clarification
from your CO if you are unsure.
COMMANDING OFFICER (CO)
• The Commanding Officer of a vessel is "God"
His duty is to run the ship on a day to day basis.
• Keep track of what is happening on the SIM at all times.
• Maintain discipline on the SIM
• Is the only person on the SIM who may order weapons fired and
Away Teams sent.
• Makes ACTION statements.
• Is the only member who may cancel a log or cancel an event.
• Be the final judge in all disputes in a Simulation.
* The ACTION command is used to further the plot without having to actually
SIM it out. This speeds unnecessary parts of the plot along during the
SIM and provides a direction for the SIM to go. It is also used to clarify
points of contention between two crew members whose sensors show two
different things, etc. Action statements can also notify you of parts
of the plot you should be aware of. If you see an action statement go
to the screen you should read it. Even if it does not affect your character
directly, it affects the sim and may determine how you react to later
events. The CO and XO are generally the only people who use the ACTION
statement. If anyone else is given the ACTION command the CO will notify
the crew of this ahead of time.
EXECUTIVE OFFICER (XO)
• Responsible for raising shields during an imminent
battle situation.
• Advises the CO during times of both battle and diplomacy.
• Leads Away Teams.
• Insures the Captain's personal safety on rare occasions when
the Captain must be on an Away Team.
• Assists the CO in any way necessary during a SIMulation.
• Observes all ship-to-ship communications, receives status reports
from all departments and passes them along to the CO.
The First Officer is also expected to give alternate points of view
on a given situation. The Captain typically turns to his First Officer
for another take on a situation. There may be times that a First Officer
may believe that the Captain is making an error in his decision-- it
is HIS/HER JOB to make sure the Captain understands his objections so
that he knows the XO's viewpoint for consideration. HOWEVER, once the
Captain's decision has been made, it is the RESPONSIBILITY of the First
Officer to carry them out, no matter how he or she feels personally.
CO/XO RELATIONSHIP DURING SIMS
All Ensigns will someday rise to higher posts, this section
has been included because it is vital that members of the SIMulation
understand the relationship between the CO and the XO
CO's and XO's are, ideally, a fast running and efficient command team.
A truly smooth running ship will be one in which the Captain is constantly
advised and reminded of certain things as the SIM goes on. The XO must
slowly learn to do the small things the CO usually does not have time
to do, such as call for shields to be raised in battle situations, report
new information to the captain from non-SIMming personnel (such as repair
crews and etc. that aren't actually simmed by people). Though the Captain
outranks the XO and voids any bad decisions on the XO's part, the XO
should (unless told otherwise) assume a wide role of responsibilities
regarding everyday bridge functions or small problems inside the ship.
A large amount of trust and faith between a CO and an XO will prove
to make the ship twice as efficient during battle Sims.
HELM OFFICER (CONN/HELM)
• Lays in a course at the direction of the Executive
or Commanding Officer.
• Performs evasive maneuvers during battle.
• Executes maneuvering commands after (not before) the order to
"engage" is given.
For those of you who recall Star Trek CO's saying "you have the
Conn, Mister X" this is an ancient maritime reference which harkens
back to the days when the Captain steered the ship himself and when
he gave up control of the bridge to someone they literally steered the
ship. Now, since the only person who may give the CONN officer orders
is the Commanding Officer on the bridge, the Captain is handing over
control of the CONN now, not the actual CONN itself.
OPERATIONS OFFICER (OPS)
• Declares all planetary sensor readings (If it's
a planet, it's yours) and notifies the Science Department.
• In the absence of a Science Officer, takes over for Science.
• Monitors and declares in-ship sensor readings that would not
be caught by engineering, such as minor drops in sensor efficiency or
electrical interference (including all reasons for interference during
communications between ships)
• Declares all onboard damage during battle. (Not the enemy's')
• Declares status of the ship and non-combat status of enemy ships.
• Monitors ship-to-shore sensors.
• Monitors non-combat long range sensors.
TACTICAL OFFICER (TAC)
• Responsible for maintaining balance between the
ship and enemy damage in battle situations.
• Controls and fires all weapons, raises and lowers shields, but
only does so when ordered by the CO.
• Controls the cloaking device (if there is one) and coordinates
with Operations in running the tachyon beam to scan for other cloaked
ships.
• Opens hailing frequencies and informs CO of incoming hails.
• Detect ships in the vicinity and reports them to the CO.
• Monitors ship-to-ship sensors.
• Takes over for Security when the Chief is not present or unavailable.
(in some instance the Tac officer may be the Chief of Security)
SCIENCE OFFICER (CSCI/ASCI)
• Responsible for the proper functioning of the
Science Department.
• Does detailed planetary scans. (such as for life signs, planet
class)
• Scans for temporal anomalies, wormholes and other spatial discrepancies.
• Takes over for Operations when OPS is unavailable.
ENGINEERING OFFICER (CENG/AENG)
• Responsible for the proper functioning of the
engineering department during the SIM.
• Responsible for keeping the ship systems running smoothly. (Includes
Turbolifts, replicators etc)
• Monitors power output and usage, keeping the shields and engines
in balance.
• May be called upon to eject the warp core in cases of an imminent
breach.
• May be called upon to solve non-ship related engineering or
mechanical problems.
MEDICAL OFFICER (CMO/AMO)
• Responsible for the proper functioning of the
medical department during SIM.
• Ensures the ship is protected against any and all biological
hazards.
• Approves and helps coordinate Away teams into possibly biohazardous
situations. (All Away Teams are seen by medical before beaming down
to unknown planets even if it is not played out in SIM.)
• Coordinates the Medical teams in emergency situations on or
off ship.
• Fills in for the ship's counselor when there is no counselor
or the counselor is unavailable.
• Cares for the medical well being of the entire crew.
SECURITY OFFICER (CSEC/ASEC)
• Responsible for the proper functioning of the
security department during SIM.
• Responsible for the internal security of the ship, detention
cells, weapons lockers, and the alert status of the security teams.
• Make maintenance schedules for the security systems on the ship,
and let Tactical know the week before the work needs to be done.
• Selects members of the Security Department on every away mission.
THE SIM
ALL members should be familiar with SIM procedures.
GFC SIMMING
• Arrive to the SIMulation on time. Preferably
10+ minutes before the SIM is schedule to begin.
• At the scheduled SIM time, the CO or XO may call the crew to
attention saying "Attention on Deck". You should then type
::AA:: so that the CO and XO both know you are paying attention.
• The CO may give the current mission briefing. If people are
missing that week, just continue on and assume that their character
is off doing another project during the live SIM.
• Watch the logs that the other crew sends out to see what they
are doing.
• If you are confused about something in SIM, contact the CO and/or
XO for clarification.
• Watch the CO and XO for direction in the SIMulation.
• Write a log, if you are unsure about it, send it to the CO and
XO for approval or suggestions.
• In most cases, crew will be permitted to log whenever they please.
Please make the log appropriate to the time given between Sims. (Ask
your CO if it wasn't stated at the end of sim, how much time will pass
during the week.)
BASIC SIMMING INFORMATION
STARDATES
Stardates are in the following format:
1YYMM.DD (10412.31 would be Dec 31, 2004)
GFC Sims are in the 25th century which is 400 years
into the future. If you have any more questions, please ask your CO,
they will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have.
SIM BEGINNING & ENDING
A Sim is called to order when the XO or CO put ATTENTION
to the chat screen. When this is done you should only type ::AA:: to
the chat room and stop any other discussions you were having.
The CO or XO will make any announcements or state the
mission briefing and will then put BEGIN SIM to the screen. At this
point you should begin playing your character.
When you see PAUSE SIM go to the screen you should type
::paused:: to the screen and stop typing. This is when the CO or XO
will do announcements or make promotions and ask if anyone has questions.
The CO or XO will then put CREW DISMISSED to the screen
and it is at this time that you may begin making OOC comments and chatting
with other members or leave the room as is your desire.
SIM LANGUAGE
• ::walks into the turbo lift::
Indicates your character has done the action that is between the colons.
Actions should be done in third person, present tense. First person
is also acceptable.
• ~Hello Bethany~ or Hello Bethany
Indicates your character has telepathically sent a message to some one.
When combined with colons, indicates an action done telepathically ::sends
privately to Bethany:: ~Hello Beth~
• Computer > Please restate the question
Indicates the computer is speaking
<q> Indicates your character is speaking quietly.
<w> Indicates your character is speaking in a whisper.
<m> Indicates your character is muttering or mumbling.
<ws> Indicates your character is whispering softly.
OUT OF CHARACTER COMMENTS (OOC)
• Will always be enclosed in brackets ((out of
character)) [AIM will not show statements enclosed in < >]
• Should be kept to an absolute minimum.
COMMUNICATION PROTOCOLS
• When communicating with someone via the combadge
or COM system + + should preface the communication itself
+ Riker to Picard+ we have detected a hostile vessel
+ On my way Number 1 +
SHIP LOCATION LINGO
• In larger or Station Sims or on Away team missions,
it is standard procedure, that when you are not on the bridge, you put
a location symbol in front of everything that you say. These are used
to cut down on confusion during the SIMulation. The abbreviations are
as follows:
Location Designations
@ : Away Team
E : Engineering
M : Medical/Sickbay
HD : Holodeck
SB : Shuttle Bay
TR : Transporter Room
TL : Turbolift
# : Station Ops
• A CO may also specify alternative designations
for things that are not listed here.
• Behind the scenes work is encouraged with members
on a SIMulation. It can be as simple as asking the CO if a particular
plot twist will be okay, to as complex as coming up with a subplot involving
multiple members of the crew collaborating together.
• During a SIM, the CO or XO may IM you with a specific set of
directions because they wish to steer the plot in a certain direction.
What results is a seemingly seamless story line. The more Behind the
Scenes that can be used, the smoother and more enjoyable a SIM can be.
• In general, if you need to clear something with the CO or XO
by Email, you will receive a response from them with 24 to 48 hours.
It is perfectly acceptable to use Email for Behind the Scenes work.
WRITING A LOG
EXPECTATIONS
• The CO will generally expect one per month. A
quality log will add to the current plot, develop your character, or
start a new subplot within the current plot. A quality log does not
worry so much about length as it does about content. Quality logs will
typically be a minimum of two good, solid paragraphs. As you gain experience,
your logs will tend to get much longer.
• If you are unsure about your log, always feel free to contact
the CO or the XO. They will generally get back to you within 24 - 48
hours. In most cases, the log that is initially sent is fine, and your
CO will tell you to go ahead and post it. If not, your CO will write
you back and tell you what you might want to change. Your CO is there
to help you have a good time, not the other way around.
• Logs are important because they allow players to get to know
your character better, help the CO know you are understanding and involved
in the plot and can also help further the current plot.
POSTING A LOG
• You will post your logs on your Sim’s message
boards in the log section.
TYPES OF LOGS
• There are two types of logs, Duty logs and Personal
Logs. Logs are best written in 3rd party.
Ens Masters decided to head back to his quarters. Entering
the turbo lift, he requested to be taken to deck 8, where his quarters
were. As the Turbo lift reached deck 5, it stopped to allow Cmdr Icant
to board. "Hello, Sir." Icant nodded to Masterson, "Hello,
Ensign. Long night?"
GETTING IDEAS
• It has happened to everyone. You need to write
your log for the week, but you can’t think of anything to write.
The first step, is figure out where you left off in your last log, and
what, if anything, has happened to your character since then. ( Consider
situation in SIM if you have had one since your last log)
• Once you find something, refresh everyone's mind with a sentence
or two and then write the log.
• Write a character development log, be creative, and look for
things that are happening on the SIM, or start up a new subplot. Have
your character write home or to a friend elsewhere in the universe.
These can often be enjoyable and recurring log series.
WELOME PACKETS
The Command team of your specific sim is responsible
for sending you a welcome packet. These are very important to keep on
hand. Several Sims have loaded them on their message boards and they
are pinned to the top. You should take a few moments to read this over
so you understand what is expected of you during sim.
ABOVE ALL - HAVE FUN
Ready to take your test? Click
Here.
Fleet Admiral Mykal Dar - 10411.27
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