Crazy Kestra's Suggestions

[Kestra 0]

Just to chime in...

 

  I believe every sim does have a welcome packet of some sort.

I was under the impression that they in fact don't.

 

Edit: Someone suggested to me that I came off a bit testy. I'm not trying to be rude in any of my posts, only direct. Just wanted to clarify that.

Edited January 20, 2006 by Kestra

[CaptainSDavies 0]

I was under the impression that they in fact don't.

 

Edit: Someone suggested to me that I came off a bit testy. I'm not trying to be rude in any of my posts, only direct. Just wanted to clarify that.

::nods:: Every advanced sim, to my knowledge, has a welcome packet sent to simmers before they start on that sim. A welcome packet outlines not only setting and policies, but also expectations of an individual simmer. Some are more extesnive than others, but all have that kind of information. Here's an example that's on the message boards:

 

USS Republic Introduction: http://www.stsf.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=818

USS Republic Sim Policies: http://www.stsf.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=820

 

 

Perhaps the solution is to post our welcome packets in a certain area?

[LoAmi 0]

::nods:: Every advanced sim, to my knowledge, has a welcome packet sent to simmers before they start on that sim. A welcome packet outlines not only setting and policies, but also expectations of an individual simmer. Some are more extesnive than others, but all have that kind of information. Here's an example that's on the message boards:

 

USS Republic Introduction: http://www.stsf.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=818

USS Republic Sim Policies: http://www.stsf.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=820

 

 

Perhaps the solution is to post our welcome packets in a certain area?

I'm not sure if every sim has a welcome packet. But, I think it would be a good idea for all sims to post a copy of (or link to, if it's offsite) their welcome packets and departmental information (if available) pinned in their Briefings and Logs sections. Some ships already have that. Maybe ship websites (for those that have them) should be more prominently linked to than on the schedule page.

 

I still don't think it would solve many of these problems. Some of them are very much related to personal style.

 

By the way, Harper's questions were valid. This thread can be a lot more constructive if we can find out what kind of experiences and confusions (good or bad) simmers had with graduating the academy and joining ships.

[Kestra 0]

By the way, Harper's questions were valid. This thread can be a lot more constructive if we can find out what kind of experiences and confusions (good or bad) simmers had with graduating the academy and joining ships.

Okay, I have to admit I've been avoiding the questions because I feel a bit awkward about it. But I agree that they are good questions and I'm the one that started this, so ...

 

I think there are two pieces of information that would have helped me. One, does this sim have a welcome packet? Two, are briefings or chat logs sent out on any sort of regular basis?

 

There are dozens of things that, looking back, might have been relevant. How structured is a sim, and more specific questions along those lines. But I think the first two questions I posed would have had the most impact for me and I wish I had known to ask them.

[Cptn Corizon 0]

Speaking for the Excalibur:

 

I post the chatlogs and email them to the crew on a weekly basis.

 

USS Excalibur Crew Policies: http://www.stsf.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=8365

USS Excalibur Information: http://www.stsf.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=8366

 

Also on the boards, as well as our website, you can find information about the Mornignstar, Camelot Station, the Romulan Fleet, and a database to our logs (which, I give much thanks to Tachyon for setting that up, and Moore for the idea.)

 

 

I can tell you for a fact, that when you join Excalibur (and I think this is a lot of ships) new players get baraged with emails. I know right now you get like five from me the first day!

 

The problem of course, is that we don't want to scare the new player off. Incidently, I am actually thinking of a good idea that I think would go along with this, at least something I am now thinking about putting togather in my welcome packet.

 

 

Huff puts togather the mission briefings/recaps of the current plot arc, do you think that would help let new players know what's going on?

 

 

PS: On the subject of Chatlogs, I'd like to mention that not everyone has the amount of time to edit the chatlogs as I do. Because the chat log is of everything in the chat, it can often be very time consuming to edit out all the stuff to get to your game, especially if there is another game or academy during your sim.

[WesleyMustDie 0]

::nods:: Every advanced sim, to my knowledge, has a welcome packet sent to simmers before they start on that sim. A welcome packet outlines not only setting and policies, but also expectations of an individual simmer. Some are more extesnive than others, but all have that kind of information. Here's an example that's on the message boards:

 

USS Republic Introduction: http://www.stsf.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=818

USS Republic Sim Policies: http://www.stsf.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=820

 

 

Perhaps the solution is to post our welcome packets in a certain area?

Not only is that on the boards, I believe I received a summary of both documents via email when I first joined the Republic. The first three (I think) documents posted on the NFS Reaent board are also in my inbox. :blink:

[STSF Laura 0]

Okay, I have to admit I've been avoiding the questions because I feel a bit awkward about it.

Would you feel less awkward if a GM played, too?

 

When I graduated (back in the low tech ages when we simmed by Morse code, but after the development of electricity), I was fortunate enough to do so just as a new ship was launching, so I didn't have to come into a developed community.

 

However, a little later on I tried another sim. It didn't work out for me.

 

Charlie asks:

For people who were unhappy/changed ships:

-What one thing would you have wished to have known before you joined?

or

-"I would definitely not have picked that particular sim if I'd only known ______."

I wish I had know that ship had a tendency towards long (we're talking close to a year), convoluted, heavily character-driven plots. It made it very hard for a newcomer to 'break in' -- I felt like I never caught up to what was going on.

[Kestra 0]

Originally posted by Cdr Corizon:

Speaking for the Excalibur:

 

I post the chatlogs and email them to the crew on a weekly basis.

 

USS Excalibur Crew Policies: http://www.stsf.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=8365

USS Excalibur Information: http://www.stsf.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=8366

 

Also on the boards, as well as our website, you can find information about the Mornignstar, Camelot Station, the Romulan Fleet, and a database to our logs (which, I give much thanks to Tachyon for setting that up, and Moore for the idea.)

 

Very cool, and good things to know. Thanks for pointing them out.

 

I can tell you for a fact, that when you join Excalibur (and I think this is a lot of ships) new players get baraged with emails. I know right now you get like five from me the first day!

 

The problem of course, is that we don't want to scare the new player off. Incidently, I am actually thinking of a good idea that I think would go along with this, at least something I am now thinking about putting togather in my welcome packet.

 

I'm someone who totally hoards information and it wouldn't put me off at all, but I can see where you wouldn't want to overwhelm someone that felt otherwise. This sounds odd, but it's what I'm talking about. I'd like to know if a sim is "information heavy" because that's the type of player I am. On the other hand I'd imagine there are some players that would be turned off by too many details or rules.

 

Huff puts togather the mission briefings/recaps of the current plot arc, do you think that would help let new players know what's going on?

 

Well like I said above, I like information so I would have loved something like this. I started in the middle of a somewhat confusing plot myself and I didn't quite understand what was going on. Including a mission briefing in a welcome packet would help a newcomer to jump right in and get involved.

 

 

PS: On the subject of Chatlogs, I'd like to mention that not everyone has the amount of time to edit the chatlogs as I do. Because the chat log is of everything in the chat, it can often be very time consuming to edit out all the stuff to get to your game, especially if there is another game or academy during your sim.

 

I completely agree with you here. That's why I'm not calling for all sims to send out chat logs or anything like that. Sometimes I open up a window and save the chat log myself if I think I'll want to look over it later. And it's a pain to edit out even my own PMs from it. I don't think all the sims need to have this; I think it would be nice to know which ones do (whether it's through the boards or their personal mailstring).

[Kestra 0]

Thanks Laura, I appreciate that. It's hard to imagine any of the GMs ever had problems simming. :blink:

 

And thanks to everyone again that has participated in the discussion so far, GMs and players alike. It's nice to know that whether you agree or disagree, you're at least willing to hear me out and discuss this.

[Cptn Elias Moore 0]

There's a bunch of information on the Challenger sim on our website, including some advanced info that touches on the sim's style. I link to it on the boards and in e-mails to new assignees, but those e-mails are mostly "the info is there for you to check out, see you Sunday." That's all I feel is necessary to get across to a player... try us out, get to know the other players, worry about the details later.

 

I'm in favor of information availability, but I don't want new players to feel like I'm dropping a ton of homework on them their first week. Some (not all) players that are getting involved in simming for the very first time could feel overwhelmed, because a lot of it could be information they simply don't understand. Even the Moose Tips that are linked to in a lot of cadet-welcoming posts could come across as vague to a brand new cadet just trying to learn the basics. Might he get discouraged if he finds he doesn't understand the information? Or might he try too hard to mold his play to conform to the "accepted guidelines?"

 

For advanced players, it's an excellent resource to have, but I'm always in favor of letting new players learn by experience, with the GM's and the more experienced players giving advice and encouragement by PM. Because there isn't a standard that all the sims conform to, and because individual players encounter different problems and have their own unique tastes, that kind of direct interaction can help far more than an archive of simming documents. Now, if a GM is distancing himself from the players, and that sort of interaction isn't taking place... well, that's a whole other problem. I myself have never brushed anyone off because I was too busy, nor have I indicated that anyone's opinions are not wanted. If you want to ask questions about Challenger or critique the sim, and you'd feel better doing so on a public forum, feel free to start a thread in our "Logs & Briefings" board. This board would be the place for comments or questions about the Saturday Academy or Redstar.

[Sisson 0]

Ok I think I found a good website, that is a ship from another Star Trek SIMM group, called Raptor Fleet. On the

 

Deparment Handbooks

 

It has generalizations of how each department should do their job, and I think it is a good thing for all new cadets and it can be used for any ship I suppose

[Pneuma 0]

Coming from the perspective of a recent academy graduate, I found that the most effective means of informing a noob (ie. me) Was simply chatting. I chatted with quite a few people about the advanced sims after the academy sims. I asked which ones were set in which era, what the sims needs were, and just talked about them. From that I got alot of information. That combined with checking out the sites of the sims that have them I was able to make a good guess where I wanted to go. When it finally came down to the time of decision I learned of a position that I was interested in and I jumped at it. But I must say the best way for me was to tell me about it. A little PR goes a long long way.

[Travis Kroells 0]

::Gets eaten by the zombie thread::

[Grae 0]

I wish I had know that ship had a tendency towards long (we're talking close to a year), convoluted, heavily character-driven plots. It made it very hard for a newcomer to 'break in' -- I felt like I never caught up to what was going on.

While I absolutely love plots like that, I have to admit my main apprehension in joining or pursuing any sim is the "break in" factor. Some information to include might be as simple as how deep into a plot the ship currently is, and the ease of implantation (assimilation?) As I haven't yet graduated and experienced an advanced sim (except for watching Excalibur for some of the time last night), I can't say much more.

 

As I think of things, I'll be sure to post!

[STSF LoAmi 0]

Long, character-driven plots may be harder to get into, but they can also be quite rewarding. Long plots allow development of detail and resolution to a level that you don't see with shorter plots.

 

When a new player first comes into a sim, they sometimes get dropped directly into the middle of a storyline. This is where department chiefs can make a big difference. They can direct a new player into having his/her own small part of a much larger plot, and bring in the details and backstory at a pace that's reasonable for a new player.

 

Logs can also help a new player a lot, especially those that contain some plot summary.

 

Sim chatlogs can also give an idea of plot, but, they're quite a bit more difficult to keep up with than a log.