USS Challenger Policy Packet

[Cptn_Seiben 0]

NOTE: Special thanks to Captain Rex who wrote the original Challenger policy packet, of which this version is heavily based upon.

 

 

1.0 INTRODUCTION

 

Welcome to the USS Challenger, NCC-2457! The Challenger is a 23rd century Excelsior Refit class starship set in the year 2295 and is commanded by Captain Rolf Seiben and Commander Zen Ba'alyo. The USS Challenger launched on Sunday 10 February 2008 to begin its new chapter of peace and exploration facing new enemies and new allies along the way. The Challenger sim started as an Enterprise-era sim set in the 22nd century on 12 September 2004.

 

As STSF's first in-house sim, the NX Class Challenger NX-05 set the stage for exploration and peace in its time and initiated first contact with many species, met new allies and faced off with powerful enemies over its three and a half-year run. The USS Challenger aims to continue and expand on the traditions of its namesake in a new phase of peace for the Federation.

 

1.1 WELCOME

 

Congratulations on your new post aboard the USS Challenger! Whether you are a recent academy graduate, who proved that you knew the required criteria to graduate the academy system, or a veteran advanced player looking to join an additional sim, there are some aspects of the game that you might not be aware of. You'll need to be aware of the following items enclosed in this packet. Some of these items apply specifically to the Challenger game and other advanced simulations may follow slightly different guidelines. These guidelines act as a supplement to the official STSF rules, so please make sure you are familiar with these as well.

2.0 ATTENDANCE

 

Recalling back to your academy days, you'll remember that attendance was not mandatory. You could attend whichever academy you liked, whenever you liked, and as often as you liked. But with advanced simulations; Challenger included, this is now certainly not the case. As an advanced player, you will be part of a crew that you will work with on a permanent weekly basis. As such, your presence to the sim will be very important. As part of a team, your consistent presence will be required, and any absences may have a negative impact to the plot.

 

But that doesn't mean that you have to attend all 52 weeks in the year. Nobody expects you to do that and sometimes real life does get in the way. All we ask is if you know you are going to have to miss a game, email us notifying us of your planned absence. You can either do this using the crew mailstring, or by emailing myself and/or Commander Ba'alyo. That way, we can plan that week's plot around your absence. Sometimes though, there are times when something suddenly comes up and you cannot give advanced notice. This is also part of life and you needn't worry about that either. Again, simply email the command staff or the mailstring explaining your absence.

 

Please remember that absences should not be too frequent. Even with advance notice, constant absences from the sim on the part of a player have negative repercussions to the plot as well as the game as a whole. If you find that you no longer have the time/interest to attend the sim, then perhaps you should re-evaluate your commitment to the sim. You can either start attending more sims (to regain interest in the game, and let it grow on you and it eventually should) or simply leave altogether. Players with no desire to sim simply take up roster space.

2.1 LEAVE OF ABSENCES

 

If you require to take an extended period off the sim, for whatever reason, we can grant you a Leave of Absence (LOA). Leave of Absences should not exceed a period of three months. Beyond this, the command staff reserves the right to relinquish your position to another player, reduce you in rank or to remove you from the sim entirely. If you miss four sims in a row, you may be automatically be played as LOA, and your post may be relinquished to someone else.

2.2 ATTENDANCE MATTERS

 

All matters concerning attendance shall fall to the Executive Officer (XO). The XO serves as assistant GM of the simulation and shall be accorded all due privileges. Please take note of the following matters:

 

Players who are absent for three weeks without notice will receive a written warning.

If no contact is still made after the fourth week, the player will be placed in the inactive roster. Player information will be forwarded to the GM string to notify any future hosts.

Please contact the Commanding and Executive Officers if you require vacation or emergency leave as a courtesy to your fellow crew for a smooth continuation of the storyline.

3.0 RANKS AND PROMOTIONS

 

Players joining Challenger generally start out at the rank of ensign, though exceptions can sometimes be made based on the applicant's experience. Promotions to the next highest ranks remain at the discretion of the GM staff. Attendance, performance, participation and logs are all factors in deciding promotions for players.

 

A rank structure has been set up in order to maintain a solid chain of command. As is the case in Starfleet and in the military, a chain of command is essential in maintaining order. Players who show solid problem solving, leadership and communication skills tend to make a more efficient senior officer. Junior officers are generally expected to input ideas in which the senior officers will work with. These are all considered in a player's promotion in addition to consistent attendance and log writing, and good etiquette.

 

3.1 RANK STRUCTURE

Ensign (Ens) - This is the rank that you will generally start at when you join Challenger. This is the rank where the least is expected of you as you generally are still getting started and familiarising yourself with the ship, the crew and the way we sim. With few responsibilities, being an ensign allows you a bit more creativity and flexibility than with other ranks.

 

Lieutenant Junior Grade (Lt Jg) - The next rank up from Ensign is Lieutenant Junior Grade. This is the easiest rank to get as all you need to do is show good attendance, write a couple of logs and be on your best behaviour. Players at this rank, should start to show problem solving skills (as will be mentioned later on in this packet)

 

Lieutenant (Lt) – This rank marks the start of that of a senior officer. To attain the rank of Lieutenant, you should have shown a certain degree of problem solving as well as excellent simming skills. Here is a good place to start trying to come up with ideas beneficial to the other players, allowing some leeway for them to contribute.

 

Lieutenant Commander (Lt Cmdr) – As the highest rank one can get without becoming a GM, a Lieutenant Commander is to act as a leader, role model and good example to the rest of the crew. Working with the rest of the crew as well as the command staff, it is the job of this player to receive ideas from their assistants and work with them and the command staff to turn these ideas into reality.

 

It is a rank that entails a lot of responsibility, but they are used to it, having gotten this far up the ladder. Now is the time to hone those leadership skills you started learning as a Lieutenant. If you enjoy this role, and take to it well, then you may just have what it takes to become a GM.

COMMAND – Ranks higher than Lieutenant Commander are reserved only for GM staff. Players cannot attain these ranks unless they successfully undergo and pass GM training. Command positions cannot be given out unless a GM applies for and is successfully placed in an open command slot. Ranks held by GM staff typically include Commander (Cmdr), Captain (Capt), Commodore (Comdr), Rear Admiral (Rear Adm) and Admiral (Adm)

 

3.2 OTHER RANKS

 

Players seeking a different change of pace, or variety may choose to serve in the Challenger as either a non-commissioned officer or as a Marine, in the Starfleet Marine Corps (SFMC). Marines and non-commissioned officers have slightly different ranks than regular commissioned crew.

 

3.2.1 STARFLEET MARINE CORPS

 

For over 800 years the citizens of earth and the United Federation of Planets have required an expeditionary force capable of rapid self-sustained deployment via a multitude of methods. Additionally this force has been required to provide protection to ships from the blue waters of Earth to the inky blackness of space. For these eight centuries those beings have been known as Marines. The Star Fleet Marine Corps (SFMC) is the expeditionary arm of the United Federation of Planets. Deployable from shipboard detachments or specialized assault transports, the Marines supply a lasting ground presence for the UFP.

 

On the Challenger, Marines serve in conjunction with Security, and are Starfleet's elite fighting corps, usually taking on dangerous missions others cannot or will not be able to undergo. Like security, Marines are typically part of away teams, boarding parties or calls on intruder alerts in the ship, and assist in the general defense of the ship as well as engage enemies on or off the ship.

 

3.2.2 SFMC RANK STRUCTURE

 

Marine Rank and abbreviation.......Starfleet Equivalent

2nd Lieutenant (2Lt).......................Ensign

1st Lieutenant (1Lt)........................Lieutenant Junior Grade

Marine Captain (M Capt)...................Lieutenant

Major (Maj)....................................Lieutenant Commander

Lieutenant Colonel (Lt. Col.)..............Commander

Colonel (Col)..................................Captain

Brigadier General (B Gen)..................Commodore

Major General (M Gen).....................Rear Admiral

Lieutenant General (Lt. Gen).............Vice-Admiral

General (Gen).................................Admiral

Field Marshall (F Mar).......................Fleet Admiral

 

3.2.3 ENLISTED PERSONNEL

 

In Starfleet, an enlisted crew person is one who has not completed the four-year Starfleet Academy course. In most cases, enlisted crewmen sign up directly to a ship or posting, and receive basic training, as well as any specific courses required for their position. (TNG: "The Drumhead"; DS9: "Shadow play", "Starship Down")

 

Its predecessor, the Earth Starfleet, also had a hierarchy of enlisted positions.

 

Other force structures, such as the Klingon Defense Force, have enlisted men in their ranks, but it is unclear as to how they differ from their standard officer ranks.

 

As with commissioned officers, there is a rank structure amongst enlisted crew. In naval systems, these are referred to as "rates", in military systems these are called "grades". The term "non-commissioned officer" refers specifically to any enlisted personnel given authority over other personnel. In Starfleet, this could refer to any petty officer (up to master chief).

 

All commissioned officer ranks, from ensign upward, outrank all enlisted in the chain of command. However, in certain cases, noncommissioned officers can exercise authority over commissioned officers. (Miles O'Brien is one such case, in his position as chief of operations aboard Deep Space 9). Additionally, chief petty officers such as O'Brien wield influence far beyond their place in the rank structure due to their extensive experience and skill, and are expected to mentor junior officers as well as other noncommissioned officers.

 

Enlisted personnel may be promoted to receive a commission, but must pass necessary examinations and/or attend the Academy.

 

Examples of typical enlisted roles include: field medics, repair technicians, systems analysts and yeomen. Players joining Challenger can choose to play as an enlisted crew member. Typically, one chooses this path for variety, the ability to post in an 'original' position or other reasons.

 

3.2.4 ENLISTED RANK STRUCTURE

 

Starfleet............................Marine Corps

Able Seaman........................Private

Petty Officer, 2nd class..........Corporal

Petty Officer, 1st class...........Sargent

Senior Chief Petty Officer........Staff Sargent

Master Chief Petty Officer.......First Sargent

4.0 DEPARTMENTS

 

Every person assigned to the ship is assigned to a particular department that is responsible for a specific task. These departments work as teams to ensure smooth operation for the good of the ship and crew. Aside from the Marine Corps, as was mentioned earlier (section 3.2.1), included are the departments on board the Challenger one can join and their typical roles on the ship.

 

4.1 COMMAND

Command personnel have the final say on everything that goes on the ship (both in character and out). These positions are held by experienced GM staff with years of simming experience under their belts. They act as the story teller of the sim and act as mediators in most personnel matters concerning the ship.

 

COMMANDING OFFICER (CO)

The Commanding Officer is the person in command of the starship. He/She is responsible for the general well-being of the crew and the ship and tries to act in their best interests as well as the interests of the United Federation of Planets. The Commanding Officers are also generally responsible for plot lines and the upkeep of the sim, both in-character and out. As master of the ship, nothing can happen on board without the Captain's approval. S/he decides the course of action, selecting the composition of landing parties. A Commanding Officer must also ensure that their actions do not violate the Prime Directive.

 

The Commanding Officer is responsible for the actions of their crew. Using the ship's bridge officers to gather data and perform functions, s/he must maintain control of the ship, and promote team work, guiding his/her crew to the successful completion of the mission.

EXECUTIVE OFFICER (XO)

The Executive Officer is the second highest person in command of the ship. In the absence of the Commanding Officer, the Executive Officer assumes command. All personnel matters generally fall to the purview of the Executive Officer. S/he assists in controlling the crew and ensures that they work smoothly as a unit. As the assistant GM of a simulation, the Executive Officer acts as an assistant to the Commanding Officer and offers valued input in matters such as the plot, future plot lines, and crew matters. As is the case in our era, the Executive Officer can double as another bridge position. The XO also serves as head of the command / bridge department.

 

SECOND OFFICER (2XO, SO)

At times the XO must assume command. When this happens the XO needs the help of another officer to assume his/her role as XO. The second officer is not a stand-alone position, but a role given to the next-highest ranked and trusted officer aboard. When required the Second Officer will assume the role of XO, or if needed CO, and performs their duties as listed, for as long as required.

 

4.1.1 BRIDGE POSITIONS

 

In this era, several dedicated bridge positions were manned by members of the command department.

NAVIGATION OFFICER (NAV)

In keeping with 23rd Century tradition, the duties of the Navigational Officer include maintaining and operating the ship's deflector dish, navigational systems, scanning for space anomalies & navigational hazards, charting unexplored space, and secondary operation of various ship's systems from the bridge. In emergencies, the Navigation Officer works with Engineering to direct damage control teams.

 

HELM OFFICER (HELM)

The Helm officer pilots the ship from place to place, establishes speed and orbit, and evades enemy attacks whilst under fire. These highly trained pilots are capable of flying virtually anything that moves and observes all intergalactic speed limits and protocol. These officers may also act as shuttle pilots in away missions when the ship is in orbit. They have a secondary role, supporting Tactical as needed in firing weapons, raising shields, and changing alert status. When no command or command-designated officers are present , the Helm Officer assumes control of the bridge.

 

COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER (COMM)

The Communications Officer is responsible for the management of incoming and outgoing transmissions the ship sends and receives. Communications Officers use a small silver subspace transceiver earpiece to send and receive communications. They are also responsible for relaying messages from the sender to the rest of the bridge staff, and in turn are also responsible of relaying messages to other ships, stations, or planets that they are in contact with. If prompted, they can place the parties contacted on the main viewer for face to face communications. The Communications Officer is responsible for controlling and limiting contact with the bridge. S/he is frequently a linguist, a default diplomat, and considered the "voice of the ship".

4.2 ENGINEERING

 

Engineering is the department solely responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the ship. They act as mechanics when something is damaged and are in charge of rerouting energy throughout the ship to other starship systems. They are also in charge of the ship's warp core and other propulsion systems, and are responsible for their upkeep. In the event that the ship needs to make a quick getaway or interception, they have the technical know how to coax more power from the warp drive to give the ship the extra boost of speed it needs. Engineers tend to know every aspect of the ship more than anyone else on board. They are often called upon to develop technical solutions beyond the ship, as well.

 

CHIEF ENGINEERING OFFICER (CENG)

In charge of Engineering is the Chief Engineering Officer. S/he oversees repair done to the ship and usually is responsible for relaying status reports to the bridge. The Chief Engineer knows their ship like the back of their hand. They act as 'miracle workers' leading repairs, acting as are capable of fixing anything technical aboard the ship – in time.

ASSISTANT ENGINEERING OFFICERS (AENG)

Assistant Engineers do just that. They assist the CENG in repairs as well as the maintenance of the ship. These Engineers are highly trained and are capable of taking command of Engineering when the CENG is away.

 

4.3 SCIENCE

 

Science officers are responsible for the exploration aspects of the ship. They chart new systems, stars or nebulae. They record new scientific data and implementing new ideas based on their findings. Science officers are also responsible for ensuring that the ship can successfully navigate through spacial anomalies, black holes, etc. Science officers typically accompany members of away teams, scanning everything with their tricorders wherever they go. Science officers collect scientific data from their studies and make logical conclusions based on them.

 

CHIEF SCIENCE OFFICER (CSCI)

The Chief Science Officer is in charge of collecting all scientific data his or her team collects and distributing it within the department for analysis. In addition, they are responsible for providing the command staff scientific information needed to carryout a mission. The Chief Science Officer ensures all experiments and scans are completed in time and that his crew does just that.

 

ASSISTANT SCIENCE OFFICERS (ASCI)

Assistant Science Officers work with the CSCI in terms of administration and data collection and analysis. Assistant Science Officers may also specialise in a particular field of science such as astrometrics or biology, but are generally considered well trained in the sciences. They may be given responsibility over one or more areas or specialties like EPS specialist, impulse chief, transporter chief, diagnostic lead, and the like.

 

4.4 SECURITY

 

Security personnel ensure that the ship is safe for its crew and, like the Marines, act as protection during landing parties. Since their roles are similar to each other, Security works closely with the Marine Corps to ensure that the crew is safe at all times. Security is responsible for handling matters such as conflicts onboard the ship, intruder alerts, and escorting guests or VIPs around the ship.

 

Security personnel are also in charge of the ship's brigs and are well-versed in martial arts and weapons marksmanship. They are highly trained fighters and are always ready to defend the ship against internal enemies. They are also trained in survival, force fields, and are experts in escaping from virtually anything.

CHIEF SECURITY OFFICER (CSEC)

The Chief Security Officer is called Chief of Security. Her/his duty is to ensure the safety of ship and crew as well as its defense. Some take it as their personal duty to protect the Commanding Officer/Executive Officer on away teams. She/he is also responsible for people under arrest and the safety of guests, liked or not. S/he also is a department head and a member of the senior staff, responsible for all the crew members in her/his department and duty rosters. Security could be called the 23rd century police force. The Chief of Security role can also be combined with the Tactical Officer position

 

ASSISTANT SECURITY OFFICER (ASEC)

Security officers assist the CSEC in maintaining the safety of everybody aboard the ship. They accompany members of the away team, guard the brig, question prisoners and help escort guests around the ship. Security officers routinely patrol the ship to protect and handle any threats to the crew or the Federation.

TACTICAL OFFICER (TAC)

Tactical officers are responsible for the offense and defense of the ship. Drawn from the security department, they act as the ship's gunner and are in charge of the ship's weapons systems. They also also responsible for the ship's shields and ensure that they are on-line and operational whenever it is needed. They control a dedicated set of tactical sensors to help with targetting and threat status.

 

4.5 MEDICAL

Medical crew ensure the health and well-being of the crew on the ship as well as during and after away missions. Medics heal the sick and wounded and conduct routine physical health exams for all crew. Experts in the field of medicine, they have the authority to pronounce people dead and to relieve any of the command staff of command if they feel they are medically unfit for duty.

 

CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER (CMO)

The Chief Medical Officer is in charge of the medical department and is in turn in charge of the health and well-being of the crew. The CMO helps the sick and wounded, pronounces biological lifeforms dead, studies biological lifeforms, diagnoses, and comes up with cures for new diseases, etc. The CMO is an expert and has many degrees in the field of medicine.

ASSISTANT MEDICAL OFFICER (AMO)

The Assistant Medical Officer assists the CMO with the responsibilities of the ship's Medical Department. AMO's are also medical doctors or nurses and can fill in for the CMO from time to time. She/He will often accompany Away Teams and carry medical kits and tricorders ready to mend any possible injury.

 

SHIP'S COUNSELOR (CNS)

The Ship's Counselor is an emerging position, responsible for the mental and emotional well-being of the ship's crew. A counselor's duties include providing individual guidance and advice to crew members, as well as periodic crew performance evaluations, usually performed with the ship's XO or other department heads. A counselor is also expected to mediate communications in difficult first contact situations, and provide advice to the Commanding Officer. Telepathic counselors will report any information (learned by telepathic means) relevant to the ship's mission to the Commanding Officer.

5.0 LOGS

 

Like academies, advanced sims are a weekly one-hour activity, and it's easy to think that there all there is to it, but this does not hold true with advanced sims. With logs, writing and reading other logs made by other crewmates can easily turn into a five-hour activity. Logs add a valuable insight into your character and aid in development and interaction with other crew. Players should allocate some free time each week to read logs made by others as well as to try writing their own. Logs should be sent to the Challenger mail string as well as posted to the Challenger sub-forum in the STSF Forum.

 

Consistent log writing is a factor in deciding one's promotions. They are important in that make the sim more enjoyable and easier to understand what is happening in the current plot. The most basic and simplest types of log is the duty log. Generally, these logs can be very short (one paragraph) and usually includes a summary of what a character did and their perspective on the events of the last live game, analysis of these events and perhaps even some plans of what to do in the next sim.

 

Duty logs provide an extensive recap on the events of the last sim, and gives the reader a chance to recall the events of the last sim, especially if they were not paying attention to everything that happened, or for players who missed the last sim entirely to help catch up. They also show your plans and intentions for future sims to the rest of the crew and will give them an opportunity to work with this into the plot.

 

Another type of log is the personal log. Personal logs give the reader insight into your character. Oftentimes, there isn't enough time in the sim for character development, so the personal log gives you the opportunity to show what your character is like. What their personality is like, their likes or dislikes, as well as insight on relations with other crew, or their friends or family. Usually, personal logs gives the reader more of a chance to learn about your character and 'how they tick', but remember that personal logs, are just that; personal.

 

Generally, what is written in these logs is not known by most of the crew if any. Personal logs may include private moments that the rest of us wouldn't necessarily know about. So if Ensign Jones writes a personal log about his dog who just had puppies, don't assume you know this too unless he specifically tells you in character. For whatever reason; whether to continue off doing something you were doing with one or more players from last sim, or to go on an outing or to have a talk with another character, the third type of log, the joint log will prove to be necessary.

 

Under no circumstances, should a player use another player's character or NPC without their written consent. So a joint log when interactions with another player is necessary to take place. Joint logs take place with two or more characters over an instant messaging program or via email until enough text for a log is acquired. As is the case with personal logs, joint logs can provide some insight on the particular players' relationship or interaction with each other.

 

As a courtesy to the rest of the crew, please try to make your logs as legible as possible, that is, please try to make sure your logs are free of spelling or grammatical errors, displays proper punctuation and is evenly spaced out between paragraphs.

6.0 PLAYER BIOGRAPHIES

 

When a player first joins the Challenger, they are encouraged to create a biography for their character. A biography should be created for your character within a month after joining. Your biography can range from something simple, like listing your character's basic information and attributes (who they are, what they look like, their species and gender and where they come from, etc) to something much more complex, such as listing their family information, personal history, hobbies and history and information on their species (especially Important if you're creating your own new species specifically for the sim). A biography is the first "introduction" to your character and gives us a general idea of what they look like, past assignments (if applicable), etc. Look at a few of the other player's biographies to get an example of what to write for yours.

 

Please email your character's biography to the Command staff for approval before posting it to the board and to the mail string.

7.0 NON-PLAYER CHARACTERS

 

Occasionally, the need for non-player characters or NPCs will arise as the sim progresses. NPCs can come in the form of a Starfleet Admiral giving orders to a fellow member of the Challenger crew needed to assist your character in a particular mission. NPCs are useful when other players are unavailable or incapable of helping you. NPCs can also die, get hurt or seriously injured or perform in random other tasks so you don't have to.

 

A standard Excelsior crew compliment is about 750. But usually there is only about 15-20 people playing at any given time. NPCs can take on the roles of positions that aren't covered by player characters, such as armoury officer, transporter chief or quartermaster. Anybody can come up with their own NPC(s) at any given time. However, out of respect for your fellow player, please do not use another player's NPC unless you have permission from that player to do so. This includes logs and in the sim itself. If you can't get permission to use an NPC, then it's better to just make another one of your own.

 

7.1 ALIEN RACES

On the NX Challenger, players were limited to a few select alien races. 23rd Century options for selecting a particular race for the USS Challenger are more open. In this era, the Federation consisted of many member worlds. Star Trek TOS, TAS, and the movies illustrate a wide diversity of alien characters serving on various positions.

 

You can use any species that is a member of the Federation as of the late 23rd century. This includes Vulcans, Andorians, Tellarites, Caitians, Deltans, Trills, Denobulans, and Humans. There are other more obscure races that you can build your character on, but given the sim era, there are limitations. You cannot, for example, join as a Klingon, since the Federation still shared an uneasy relationship with them at the time. You also can't play as an alien race that hasn't been contacted yet as of Star Trek VI.

 

This means you can't play as a Bajoran, Cardassian, or Ferengi. If you're unsure on whether a certain race is allowable or not, email the command staff and we'll tell you whether or not a race is permissible. Additionally, if you feel adventurous, you can join as an alien race you created yourself. But if you do wish to do this, then please inform the command staff for approval. Also, be sure to include information on your new race as well, including their appearance description, planet location/description as well as a history of said race including first contact with the Federation and when the race became a member of the Federation.

8.0 ETTIQUETTE

 

As is the case in the academy, or your other simulations, you are expected to treat each member of the crew with respect. Of course, this isn't a big issue with most people, but a few simple steps in etiquette will help avoid any problems or conflicts in the future. Above all, try to remember that is this just a game. While we expect some degree of seriousness and professionalism to maintain a realistic atmosphere, don't take your rank too seriously.

 

Your rank doesn't give you the right to talk down to someone else with a lower rank than you, unless both parties agree to it beforehand. Remember that while in character we hold different ranks, as players, out of character, we are all equal and there are far better ways to display your seniority while still showing respect to your fellow crew mate. Remember also, that there is a line between what happens in character and out. A character that comes across as brash, or mean may come from a player who is much more friendly in real life.

 

Try to think of it as the Star Trek series or movies. It looked real enough and had cool special effects, but in the end, it was only a TV show or a movie done by actors who had much different personalities than their on-screen alter egos. The meanness and brashness displayed by a certain character is simply an act, so try not take it too seriously. If you want to act out an altercation with another player, then be sure to tell them by PM.

 

If you do plan on having an in-character argument or fight, then please let the command team know in advance, either by email or PM.

 

But there may be times where you may have out-of-character issues with someone else. In these events, try to resolve them with the other player politely, through PM's (Private Messages), IM's or email to come up with an amicable solution to the issue in question. If this doesn't work, contact the GM team, and we'll work with both of you to come to a friendly compromise. But if even this doesn't work, we can then take the matter to the STSF JAG Officer.

 

Please remember that we are all human, and we all have feelings and any personal attacks and/or flames directed to another player will not be tolerated! There isn't anything wrong with two characters fighting, as long as both you know that it is only an in character altercation. But, if we feel that any altercation, in character or out is disrupting the sim, then we reserve the right to warn you by PM or email. Continued disruption will be dealt with under the rules of the Terms of Service.

 

8.1 PRIVATE MESSAGING (PM's)

 

The chat room is equipped with internal instant messaging to a specific player or GM. It is an extremely useful feature for numerous reasons. Sometimes, the sim can get very busy, particularly in heavy action sims. The text scrolls by very rapidly and sometimes, chat lines can be missed and the person which whom you are trying to talk to misses what you have to say. Don't think that they are ignoring you. Simply PM them, telling them that you are trying to contact them, and repeat what you said to them in the PM.

 

You could also PM somebody, or the GM's if you have any questions about the plot, how something works or how to do or use a certain activity or technology, etc you are using. Contacting the appropriate person via PM can help you understand what to do, and that person will be in a better position to help you along. Try to avoid flooding the chat room with <<OOC statements like these>>, but also try to use PM's sparingly if you can, as these can be distracting to the other player as well. OOC statements are fine for a few lines, but anything more should be taken to PM's, instant messaging or via email.

9.0 PROBLEM SOLVING & GENERAL GAME PLAY

 

During the academy, you weren't expected to do much; you were to follow the chain of command, respond to GM actions, keep yourself busy and to interact with other cadets. But, there's much more to that in advanced sims. Here, you will be playing the same character week after week in a mission plot that could last several weeks to several months. The game play will be much more complex than you experienced in the academy. But, this will also you to be much more creative. You are encouraged to add in your opinions of the mission, possible observations on the plot and/or solutions to its resolution, as well as ideas for new mission plot lines. But be aware that there are some limitations...

 

Missions on the Challenger have a series of problems that need to be solved. There is of course, the central problem of the plot itself (for example, initiating first contact with a new species, getting the ship out of a nebula or black hole, or exploring a newly discovered planet or star system). But along the way, there may be some smaller problems encountered in the plot that also require a solution to, and these smaller problems might not be related to the central plot itself. A common misconception is that the goal of the mission is to solve all these problems by the end of the plot. In actuality though, the goal for all of our missions is to have fun. Not all missions have a positive ending, but so long as everybody had a good time then the plot is considered a success.

 

Some players may want to take it upon themselves to come up with a solution on their own. Either done by performing some kind of extraordinary feat beyond their abilities, or by inventing some kind of device using some Star Trek technobabble that nobody understands. But the problem with these types of solutions (aside from not making any sense), is that they would cut the mission short and thereby denying anyone else any opportunity to pitch in their ideas. You may want to contribute some ideas to the solution of a mission, but here are some ideas to achieve this without going overboard:

 

9.1 PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS

 

In the 23rd century there are some elements of technology not available for our use, even if it was used on a certain episode or movie in the Star Trek series. There is a good reason for this. If you go to your department chief or to the CO and suggest that we use a baryon/tetryon deflector pulse combined with a phaser beam modulated to an alpha wave frequency to get out of a nebula, in the best scenario all you'll usually receive would be a blank look on their faces. But in the worst case scenario, your suggestion would actually be used. The problem would be resolved and there would not be any further opportunity to come up with something else more creative.

 

The use of technobabble is sometimes appropriate in order to maintain a Trek like atmosphere, but it shouldn't be the sole solution to all of our problems. Rather, it should be used as an aid to come up with a more practical solution to a particular problem. Before submitting your idea to your superiors, first ask yourself what the baryon/tetryon deflector pulse, or phaser beam would do to help get us out of the nebula. Would it help push the ship out of a nebula? Form a protective barrier around the ship? Or open up some kind of spacial rift that we could then use as a kind of "anchor" to pull ourselves out? You may have to consult a few tech manuals or look it up on Google.

 

When you have these information together, plot an outline of what this would do and address any possible solutions to any consequences that doing this task may entail. (Again, more of those "smaller problems" that was mentioned earlier). Once we have this information, then your superior officers can better figure out what to do and address these problems. If you;re still not sure of what a possible solution would do, then perhaps you don't have the best solution to the particular problem at hand.

 

Oftentimes, it's best to approach the problem in a logical manner. What exactly does it mean when the ship is stuck in a nebula? What other problems could this pose? Could you draw up any analogies between this and a real life situation? (Perhaps like a car that's stuck in the snow in the middle of nowhere)? When you think of the problem in logical terms, you can generally come up with a more practical and logical solution, and put them into more of a Star Trek context. Challenger may not have all the latest technical innovations (compared to the ships in the TNG era), but that shouldn't matter. A practical solution may possibly be carried out with different, or even more crude technology.

 

9.2 TEAMWORK

 

Your solution shouldn't be the answer to everything, and if you think this then you've got a lot to learn about teamwork. You are working on a team, be it within your department or in the sim as a whole, and the best players try to find a way for everybody to contribute. When you come up with a solution to a problem, don't be overly confident and think that it will work. Instead, think that is could work, but there is still a lot of aspects about it that still need to be addressed. Would the baryon/tetryon pulse generate a dangerous level of radiation to the crew? Maybe the phaser modulations would require direct modification of the phaser arrays. Maybe the nebula would have to be monitored for dangerous particle concentrations. Make your solution full of even more smaller problems, and the rest of the crew will have ways to become involved.

 

If another player presents a solution that is filled with these smaller problems, then try coming up with them on your own (especially if you're a department head). You didn't come up with this solution, but your character could be an expert in a particular field, with the other character is not, so you might know a thing or two about baryon/tetryon pulses while the other character does not. On the other hand, don't simply say "no, that won't work." That's just being negative. Indicate that the solution could work but that there are a lot of gaps to fill first

9.3 BELIEVEABLE SOLUTIONS

 

You learned in the academy that you cannot transport through shields, destroy a hundred Klingon birds of prey with just one ship, or input commands to make the consoles throughout the ship come alive and fight off intruders, as if the Challenger has entered Bizzaro World. Most solutions aren't as exaggerated as this, but some still do fall outside the realm of reality and possibility. On Challenger, a perfect example of this would be to fire the quantum or transphasic torpedoes. These don't yet exist for about another 70-80 years.

 

But don't ever respond to a solution like this with "no, that won't work." Take the solution presented, acknowledge that the idea has merit even if the method does not, and offer alternatives. You're not going to blow up the star… but maybe you can create a smaller shock wave significant enough to push the comet. You can't make the Engineering consoles pop up and fight… but you might find a way to surround them with forcefields. And there are always practical alternatives to using quantum torpedoes.

 

9.4 ONE TREE, MANY BRANCHES

If a solution to a problem is being worked on, do you… a) lend a hand and/or your brain to help develop the solution or :) come up with a completely different solution? Saying "I've got a better idea" is a signal that you're ignoring your teammates and trying to become the focus of attention. Contribute to solutions that have already been presented. If you're a department head, develop the solution by presenting problems that need to be addressed (as indicated above). If you're an assistant, and you're not sure how you could pitch in to the problem solving effort, ask your superior officer what you can do to help. Don't scrap your "better idea" entirely—maybe it can somehow be integrated into the solution already being developed, or maybe it can be saved for a similar problem further down the road.

 

9.5 GOD-MODDING

 

Challenger is under attack and rebel Klingon warriors have beamed aboard the ship. They have the Captain and the XO hostage and plan to take the ship and crew back to their base. You aren't going to stand for this! Single-handedly, you fend off the Klingons' attacks and somehow manage to dodge their distuptor fire. You storm the bridge, kill the Klingon in charge, and free the Captain and XO. Oh, and did I mention that you are an ensign in Science?

 

This is called "god-modding" and is inappropriate. If a character can do all of this on their own, there wouldn't be a need for anyone else on the ship. This of course, is an exaggeration and is the kind of thing that would hold you back a month or two in the academy - it might also include a quick GM action killing your character off. But god-modding still appears in more subtle ways. Remember that your role on the ship isn't to solve all of the problems. Your goal is to work with others coming up with a solution and having fun along the way in doing so.

 

Avoid the mindset that the sim is a challenge to be overcome and put more emphasis on what you're not capable of doing. Flaws encourage teamwork and are a lot more fun to role-play.

 

9.6 TELEPATHY

 

In regard to telepaths, please note that as with logs, permission must be obtained from other players before your character can sense any particular thought or emotion that is not explicitly spelled out on screen. For example, without permission, the following is not acceptable:

 

Seiben> ::throws chair across the room::

Telepath> ::senses Seiben's anger::

Since I simply may like throwing chairs, that is not acceptable. The following is acceptable:

Seiben> ::is extremely angry::

Telepath> ::senses Seiben's anger:

 

 

10.0 FINAL REMINDER on ROLE PLAYING

 

This is just a game, played for fun and enjoyment. As such, it's easy to assume that a variety of circumstances will occur. Please note however that while this simulation is not real, we still do expect a degree of realism in the simming atmosphere. It is therefore expected that your character will act within the boundaries of what would be considered realistic. There are no "super heroes" aboard the ship. Simply just a group of highly dedicated officers. Likewise, a ship just can't magically heal herself. Damages the ship sustains require repair, and these repairs take time. They do not happen instantaneously. Finally, please remember that while 23rd century technology is quite advanced, Star Trek has its limitations and we all must work within them.

[Cptn_Seiben 0]

Additionally, the policy packet can be downloaded in PDF and Word formats.

USS_Challenger_policy_packet.doc

USS_Challenger_policy_packet.pdf