Posting
Guide
The following is a fairly comprehensive guide followed
by a sample post by which we follow. This is the reason
why you are entering the Academy, so don't worry about perfection
right off! Its simple to use once you are acquainted, but
takes just a bit of time to get used to. I promise you,
that it will be come second nature to you in time ;O)
If you think you are going to be overwhelmed by reading
it, then ignore it! Like I said, this is going to be the
focus of your academy time, so there is no use in sweating
it now!
The examples of what you need to know are in italics...
just to catch attention.
Enjoy!
Usage Tags
"Normal Speaking"
-Example: "Uh, yeah. I did do that,
but I didn't think you knew!"
=/\=Combadge=/\=
-Example: =/\=Bridge to Transporter
room one, BEAM HIM OVER NOW!=/\=
~Personal Thoughts~
Example: ~Hmm, I think I am getting
hungry~
::Telepathic Speech::
-Example: ::Not a chance, Imzadi.
There is nothing you can do to convince me that you are
right::
Perspective
Everything in-game is taken in the third person. Meaning,
you are describing actions as if you are watching them,
in past tense... not as if you are *doing* them at the
time. Two sentences follow to show you the difference.
-Correct Version: John
pulled the phaser to his shoulder and took sight down the
berral. He gently pulled the trigger, and grinned as the
first Borg in the line fell. He jumped to the side as a
drone took a swing at him, and extracted a knife to bury
deep into the mindless drones heart...
-Incorrect Version: John pulls
the phaser to his shoulder and takes sight down the berral.
He gently pulls the trigger, and grins as the first Borg
falls. He jumps to the side as another drone takes a swing
at him, and extracts a knife to bury deep into the mindless
drones heart...
See the difference? We do as much third person perspective
as we can, it helps keep actions in line without screwups.
NRPG VS RPG
Role Playing is the art of living another's life in a fantasy
world. However, its very often true that we want to say something
as ourselves, something that wouldn't fit in-game very well.
So... there is a simple way around that. If you have a statement
or announcement that *isn't* game related (or is, but not
in-game), you put an NRPG (Non-role playing game) message
in front of your statement, and when you intend to go back
into game place a RPG before it.
:Example:
John pulled the phaser to his shoulder
and took sight down the berral. He gently pulled the trigger,
and grinned as the first Borg in the line fell. He jumped
to the side as a drone took a swing at him, and extracted
a knife to bury deep into the mindless drones heart. Another
drone hit him from the side, knocking him half way across
the room before he came to a hard stop at the foot of a
bulkhead.
NRPG: Uh, guys... can you come help me before I become toast?!?
:O)
RPG: John jumped back up, only to find his Phaser rifle
missing, so he grabbed at his side arm and began wildly
shooting while looking for an escape.
Header And Footer
These are two very important parts of the post. The header
is at the start of each post, and tells location/time/name...
etc. It is also used when a significant amount of time passes
or location changes dramatically.
The typical header is...
(Base
Location - Location, sub location - Rank - Name - Time)
or...
(Starfleet
Academy - Academy Offices, Outside Lodona's office - Ensign
Richard Marlin - 09:00)
The footer is nothing more then a reply tag, and a statement
of who wrote the post. (We give credit where credit is due!)
An example one as if sent from me, Jeremy Trout, and I wanted
the Doctor and the Commanding officer to answer my post, would
be...
(reply CMO, CO, Any)
(posted by Jeremy Trout)
Time
Time can be an issue if you have never used Military (24 hour)
time. Everything in game is done in such methods, since it
can get REAL confusing if one just puts something like "1:00" Is that one in the afternoon, or morning?
On the other hand, if you say 0100, or 1300... you can never
get times confused!
If you have never used Military time before, then here is
a simple formula for you.
Military time runs from 0100 (one in the morning) to 2400
(midnight) if you have a time past 1300 hours, and you want "Normal" 12 hour time, you simply subtract 12 from the base
time. .
For example:
2200 hours
22 - 12 = 10
so, 2200 hours would be 10:00 PM (all numbers past 1200
are PM time.)
22:30 would be...
22 - 12 = 10
so, 10:30
Sample Post
...and after all that confusing jumble, here is what you
get!
I have included an example of every tag possible.
(USS Victory - Deck
12, Security Center - Lt John Fulgood - 1504)
=/\=All hands, this is the captain. The Borg have boarded!
Security to Deck 14!=/\=
John grinned, and stroked his phaser rifle as he considered
just what he was going to do to the Borg. The battle outside
was not his problem anymore, the Borg had invaded his home
turf, and he was going to make them pay! His squad leader
called for everyone to hustle, so John stood and began following
the heard to the turbolifts and Jefferies Tubes. It was
a mess, everyone was trying to get there at once.
~Maybe by this time next week, I will actually see some
battle~ thought John with disdain.
(USS Victory - Deck 14, Corridor - Lt John Fulgood - 1512)
John kicked at the deck plate he had just removed, and crawled
onto the corridor floor from Jefferies tube 13-b. He stood
up quickly, and covered the exit as his comrades exited,
and sniffed the air. The smell of ozone and high energy
filled the air, and gave John a sense of impending battle.
His senses reached battle readiness as adrenaline filled
his veins, and caused his lips to curl in a cruel smile.
Once everyone from his squad was out of the tube, his Squad
CO said "Alpha team, down the corridor. Beta team, cover
them. Leap frog down until you see the enemy. No survivors!"
John nodded, and moved forward as he was in Alpha team.
It wasn't but a few moments before he caught the first whiff
of burnt flesh and destroyed electronics. He turned a corner,
and was met with a horrible sight. His friends and shipmates,
on the ground dead. All mingled with the dead or twitching
bodies of Borg Drones.
... and at the end of the corridor, more Borg Drones, moving
their way fast.
John pulled the phaser to his shoulder and took sight down
the berral. He gently pulled the trigger, and grinned as
the first Borg in the line fell. He jumped to the side as
a drone took a swing at him, and extracted a knife to bury
deep into the mindless drones heart. Another drone hit him
from the side, knocking him half way across the corridor
before he came to a hard stop at the foot of a bulkhead.
NRPG: Uh, guys... can you come help me before I become toast?!?
:O)
RPG: John jumped back up, only to find his Phaser rifle
missing, so he grabbed at his side arm and began wildly
shooting while looking for an escape. A squad member of
his standing beside him suddenly gave a loud yelp as she
was grabbed, and the Drone infected her with the bio-virus
that turned good people into mechanical monsters. John winced,
and called out "Susan is infected, Doc!"
His squad leader yelled back "Kill her, we don't have the
time to save her!
John turned to him with shock on his face, "Not a chance,
Sir!"
(reply Squad CO, any)
(posted by Jeremy Trout)
The End???
NOPE!
This is only the START!
Once you are out of the Academy, you will join in an endless
set of adventures, only restricted by your own imagination!
I welcome you to Starfleet Academy, Cadet... and hope you
will join us for the long haul ;O)
Written by Jeremy
Trout |
