Starfleet Academy - Posting Guide

Posting Guide

Below is a fairly comprehensive guide to the rules followed by a sample post. This is the reason you are entering the Academy, so don't worry about perfection right off! It's simple to use once you are acquainted, but takes just a bit of time to get used to. I promise you, that it will become 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!

Player Guidelines

These rules are for members of the game to follow, they are there to make the game better for all. You must agree to them if you are going to play in our game.

  1. NO extreme PROFANITY.
  2. NO SEXUALLY EXPLICIT writing or dialogue.
  3. Do NOT kill another person's CHARACTER.
  4. Direct INSUBORDINATION is UNACCEPTABLE both inside and outside of the game.
  5. Do NOT use the addresses given to you for GAME PURPOSES for ANY types of advertisements, joke lists, or other NON-GAME related functions.
  6. Do NOT ask for a rank. A rank will be assigned to you based on your performance and your position, as well as any prior experience you may have.

Thanks to Shadows of the Dominion

Under Sixteen?

Recently, we've decided to increase the minimum age of applicants to 16, this is because the bulk of applications under 16 are either time wasters, people who haven't read the instruction on how the game works, or don't understand what the game is about...

We run an extensive Academy for all new people to the game, with instructors who spend a lot of time making sure you are ready for the game at large.

However, we appreciate that there are always exceptions to the rules... if you are under 16 and have taken the time to read this and still want to play, before you fill out an application form, contact the head of the Academy and let them know you want to play and to keep an eye out for your application...

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.

Correct Version: John pulled the phaser to his shoulder and took sight down the barrel. He gently pulled the trigger, and grinned as the first Borg in the line fell.

Incorrect Version: John pulls the phaser to his shoulder and takes sight down the barrel. He gently pulls the trigger, and grins as the first Borg falls.

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.

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!

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.)

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 herd 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.

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.

(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