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Cptn Moose

What the heck do these people think they're doing?

"Who are these people and what the heck are they doing?"

 

Does that sound familiar? It's usually the first thought people have when they discover the STSF and Starfleet Academy. Don't worry, before long you'll be exploring strange new worlds, and going boldly with the best of them. But it does take a little practice to learn your way around. Here are a few basic tips to help get you started.

 

First, you have to come in order to play. Everyone is welcome to play in the Starfleet Academy simulations, regardless of experience. This is where you learn to sim. Come as often as you'd like, without making prior reservations. The games designated as 'advanced sims' are reserved for players who have 'graduated' the academy. This will not happen until you have simmed several times, and have repeatedly demonstrated an understanding of the rules and a comfort level with the simming conventions.

 

The Starfleet Academy simulations are held in the Holodeck chat room at www.stsf.net. You will have to register a screen name at www.stsf.net's Message Boards and you use that name and password to get into the Holodeck. You can get into the chat rooms from any of the stsf.net pages, by clicking on "Chat Rooms" at the top of the page. Another way to get there is from the Message Boards where you can click on Live Chat at the top right corner.

 

A Game Master (GM) is the host of the sim. There are usually two GMs in charge of any given sim. One GM is responsible for assigning posts. The other GM serves as Captain and directs that evening's mission.

 

When things are ready to begin, you will be told which of the Gms to contact for a post. Send them a Private Message (PM) stating that you would like to play, and let them know it's your first time. They'll make sure you get assigned a position you can handle. Be patient when waiting for a reply. That GM may have just received up to 22 other messages just like yours, and it takes a little time to answer each one. The more messages they get, the longer it takes to get the sim started. Messages asking if they got your request, telling them you want a different post, or thanking them for letting you play should be held until the sim begins.

 

The other GM serves as Captain < Co >, and has two different jobs. First, they post the mission and direct the action of the story. Next, they are also responsible for evaluating the players. The GMs decide who (if anyone) will graduate that evening and be invited to play in the advanced games.

 

A certain amount of aloofness is required to perform both jobs, so don't try to attract the Captain's attention. Instead, play with the other cadets in your department and bring your ideas and developments to the attention of your department chief. Although you may not have spoken to the Captain since the game began, have faith that they are watching you.

 

< Eng2 > Why do all the players put these abbreviations before their names?

< CEng > To let everyone know which post they are playing.

 

The players change from sim to sim, but the posts remain the same. There are four departments that run a starship: Security, Engineering, Medical, and Science. Each department has a chief < CSec >, < CEng >, < CMO >, and < CSci >, and a varying number of assistants < Sec1 >, < Sec2 >, < Sec3 > etc. The numbers of the assistants do not indicate rank. < Eng3 > and < Eng1 > both have equal responsibilities and both report to the < CEng >. If the dept. chief has to drop out of the sim for any reason, one of the assistants will be asked by the GM to assume the chief spot. That assistant will change their post and begin to use the chief abbreviation, but no one else needs to change. In fact, it works against you. If the GM has been watching that great player < Sci2 > all evening, they may not realize that this same player is suddenly < Sci1 >.

 

Positions on the bridge vary by post, < Tac > for Tactical, < Helm > for Helm, < Ops> for Operations. These posts report to the First Officer < Xo >, who serves as dept. chief for the bridge positions. The other dept. chiefs also report to the Xo.

 

The "Chain of Command" is one of the most important rules in simming. This means that you only play with your department chief and others in your department, unless the chief assigns you to do otherwise. The captain will give you orders through the dept. chief, and you will report back to the captain through the department chief. This is necessary for two reasons.

 

A chat room during a sim can be a very busy place. You can get dizzy trying to read everything that is being said. The chain of command means that there are only three to six people you need to pay attention to: the two GMs, your department chief, and the other players in your department. This makes it easier to play.

 

The chain of command also makes the game "possible" to play. No one can play creatively when 23 other people are talking at them all at the same time. And you would never be able to share ideas if you had to communicate them to all 23 people at once. Because the Xo can focus on the four dept. chiefs, and the chiefs can focus on their assistants, it makes it possible for all 23 people to work together and create a story. This is the point of simming. Once you've played for awhile, you will notice that the sims where you have the most fun are also the ones where everyone follows the chain of command.

 

So now, you've requested a post from the GM, and you've found the other players in your department. What's next? That's entirely up to you and your imagination. Every mission will present opportunities and challenges for you and your fellow cadets. Remember though, teamwork is everything. Hang tight with the others in your department and you won't go wrong. And always feel free to PM the GM who gave you your post if you have any questions.

 

Good luck, and happy simming.

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I lov moose tips -i want more they help alot

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I lov moose tips -i want more they help alot

Moose tips do rock.

~Ze'Rea

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