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Post by Deleted on Mar 27, 2017 10:11:07 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Mar 27, 2017 10:11:17 GMT
MissionsStar Trek: Above and Beyond is a text-based game, where you and other players come together for one hour a week per ship. If you can't make it one week, please inform your Game Director so they can plan the story around your absence - it is difficult to run a consistent story if crew are not in regular attendance. If you miss more than three sessions in a row without informing your Game Director, you may be removed from the ship. During missions you’ll have two chat rooms open: 1) The Mission Room: where all the mission and in-character story will happen and, 2) The OOC, or "Out Of Character", where everyone can ask questions, where the Game Director might give you mission information, and just for having a chat with fellow players. Please conduct yourself appropriately in the OOC and on the forum - verbally abusing or attacking other players, malicious behaviour and bullying are unacceptable and will not be tolerated. If there is a problem report it to the staff. We take this sort of thing very seriously and failure to treat fellow players with respect may lead to your removal from the game. Spamming, flooding, chain letters, advertising and recruiting are also not permitted. Additionally, please stick to English in missions and on the forum. We use Mibbit to play our missions. Our easy guide to using Mibbit can be found here. The guide also includes information for those who would prefer to use a separate IRC client.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 27, 2017 10:11:26 GMT
Logs
Star Trek: Above & Beyond is for those who love writing. Each week between mission sessions, you are encouraged to write and post a log to the forum - a piece of writing based on your character’s perception of what happened in the mission, or about your character’s history or thoughts. There’s no real limit here except your creativity.
While a log isn't required, as we understand life can get busy, log writing is a key part to getting promoted and moving up the chain of command. The writing shouldn’t be considered a chore - it’s the main purpose of the game and the mission sessions are the supporting activity.
You can post your logs on the forum under your ship's subforum. If you're unsure exactly where to post, just check out how other players on your ship have done it, or ask your GD who'll be more than happy to point you in the right direction.
Star Trek: Above & Beyond is a content PG-13 zone, with a language rating of 15.
Stardates
Stardates are calculated by taking the numbers for the year, month and day and turning them into one sequence. So, the stardate for the year 2017 (117), in March (03) and on the 27th day (.23) becomes Stardate 11703.27.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 27, 2017 15:37:25 GMT
Chat ProtocolsBeing a text-based game, there are some protocols you'll need to follow in order to be clear about what you are saying or doing in a mission. Proper typing practices must be adhered to, namely punctuation, capitalisation and complete words. For example using “u” instead of "you" is unacceptable. This applies to missions and logs. Face To Face
To speak face-to-face with someone, use that person's prefix. Example 1 CO: Reporting for duty, sir. Example 2 ENG/TAC: Alright, let's do this. Non Face To Face
If you want to talk to someone but they aren't face-to-face with your character, you'll need to use the communications system; your comm badge or a hailing frequency. To do this, use asterisks. Example 1 *CO*: We're evacuating Main Engineering, Captain! Example 2 *OPS*: Two to beam up. Actions
For your character to perform an action, describe it in between :: symbols. Example 1 ::ejects the warp core:: Example 2 ::tries not to look terrified as consoles all over the bridge start to explode:: Note: If you're using Mibbit (and not a chat client) you'll need to follow these easy steps to disable Mibbit smileys. Telepathic Communications
Some species are able to communicate telepathically. To indicate you are doing this add ~ before and after your line. Example 1 ~CO: Something isn’t right here.~ Example 2 ~CSO: I don’t trust these people.~ Different Locations
There are many occasions in which you and your crew members will be in different locations. For example, some officers may be on the ship, and some officers may be on an away mission. In order to keep track of where everyone is, your Game Director will let you know if and when to use a symbol such as @ at the beginning of all your lines. Example 1 @ ::steps out of the shuttlecraft onto the planet surface:: Example 2 @ CSO: Scan the cave walls for anything unusual.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 27, 2017 15:40:15 GMT
Mission Objectives
Each ship is run by a Game Director (GD). Think of them like the director of a movie. They’ll give you a setting and initial objective. When your character does something, they’ll let you know if it worked or not. They’ll give you information as and when you need it, and they’ll action events taking place. It’s important to let the Game Director do his/her job, and avoid posting any actions beyond your own character’s immediate influence and ability.
The Game Director directs the story; they don’t script it. Their job is to give you a scenario and react to what the crew are doing, not dictate what they should do. That doesn’t mean you’ll always ‘win’ as it were; if you action your character jumping off a cliff, it’s not down to the GD to save them - your character could very well die. So, if you plan to injure or kill your character, you should inform your GD so they can realistically write it into the story.
You, and only you, play your character. Other players may not action your character doing or saying something, and vice versa. The Game Director presents the universe you are all in.
The GD’s word is law both in the Mission Room and in the OOC room. They will give you weekly announcements and will generally ensure the smooth running of your vessel, including character transfers and assignments. Along with your command crew, they'll also take the lead in character evaluations for promotions, etc.
Each story arc is likely to span a number of weeks. Before each arc, your Game Director will post Mission Orders on the forum outlining where your vessel will be, and your objectives as a crew. Before each individual mission, your command crew will post a Mission Briefing, which gives your individual character an objective to work towards that week. Always read your orders and try to follow them in mission.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 29, 2017 10:32:18 GMT
Rank Structure
Cadet When you first start in Star Trek: Above & Beyond, your character will be a cadet for 3 missions - consider this a learning period, where you can get used to the way the game works and get familiar with the chat protocols in use. Your Game Director will help you along the way, and when they are comfortable they'll promote you to Ensign. Any more characters created after you graduate will start with the rank of Ensign.
Junior Ranks As a Junior officer, your job is to follow the orders laid down by your Department Chief and Command Officers. If your Dept Chief is indisposed, you may be asked to assume his/her responsibilities for a short time.
Department Chiefs Chief Officers are not only tasked with their regular department duties, but are also responsible for seeing their department is running efficiently and achieving their mission goals. Department Chiefs are the senior member of their department, and as such only characters with the rank of LtJG or higher can be a chief of any department.
Command Positions Commanding and Executive Officers are tasked with the smooth running of the entire ship. The CO gives an order, the XO delegates and sees that it it carried out. Should the CO be indisposed, the XO will take over the CO’s duties. A command position requires experience and the ability to lead a group of players; as such, command positions are only available to characters with a rank of Lieutenant Commander or higher.
Ship Positions
Here is a brief run-down of the positions on each ship and what their duties involve.
Commanding Officer (CO) The Captain. Commands the vessel.
Executive Officer (XO) Liaison between the crew and the Captain; Second in command.
Operations (OPS) Power systems; Works with Engineering to ensure smooth running of the ship; Transporters; Communications; Equipment Procurement; Cargo Bay Control.
Chief Tactical Officer (CTO) & Tactical Officer (TAC) Weapons Systems; Shields; Ship Security and Intruder Response; Away Team Security.
Chief Engineer (CEO) & Engineer (ENG) Ensures all ship systems are operational. Ship Repairs; Warp Core Maintenance.
Navigations Officer (NAV) Navigation and Flight Operations; Engines; Warp; Orbit and Docking Control; Shuttlecraft Maintenance; Shuttlebay Control; Liaise with Tactical during battle scenarios; Command of Fighter Wings (where available, and when ordered by Command)
Chief Medical Officer (CMO) & Medical Officer (MED) Routine Physicals; Diagnosis and Treatment of Patients; Psychological Services & Counselling (where a Counsellor is not present)
Chief Science Officer (CSO) & Science Officer (SCI) Sensors (Navigation, Tactical, Long Range, Short Range); Probes; Scientific Objectives; Interpret Scientific Data.
Auxiliary Characters (AUX) An auxiliary character, or specialist, is any character that doesn’t fit into the role of other positions. Perhaps you want to be a Starfleet Intelligence officer assigned to a vessel, a Counsellor, a Cadet, a Federation Journalist, Cultural Attaché or an Ambassador, etc. This position is designed for people who perhaps do not mind about rank, and are more concerned with gameplay. Generally, this position is only available when a ship has most other positions filled. People who take these specialist positions should be confident players who are able to keep themselves entertained when their specialisation isn’t required in an arc. Auxiliary characters require approval from the GD of the ship you're applying for; it's a good idea to have a chat with them during the character creation process.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 4, 2017 14:04:15 GMT
Characters
As long as your current Game Director(s) are happy with your game performance and attendance, you are always welcome to play more characters, although with a maximum of one character per ship. To request assignment, create your character profile in the Character Profiles thread, then contact the Game Director of the ship you wish to join, linking to your character profile. To see who the GD is, simply look at the ship's roster thread where you can also see which positions are open. Please note that new players requesting an assignment will always be given priority over players creating additional characters. Each character is evaluated on an individual basis. Chat Room Nicknames
When in the mission room, your nickname needs to display your character’s position, rank and surname. For example: CO_Capt_Jones CEO_LtJG_Bloggs SCI_Ens_Doe Your character can only become a Department Chief at Lieutenant JG rank or higher. Command Positions are reserved for players who are a rank of Lieutenant Commander or higher. In Star Trek: Above and Beyond, you may refer to events, characters, places and ships from the Star Trek universe. ST:AB does not own the Star Trek franchise, and is run with a creative commons license. This means that while you may refer to characters from the various Star Trek franchises, you may not action them saying or doing anything. Your characters have not met Picard, for example, nor have they ever served on the Enterprise. The Enterprise will similarly never dock at the same place as your ship; you will never meet. Important Character Information - Character Ownership Policy
Your character is owned by you - no one else can ever action them doing anything or saying something, however this does not make your character invincible - we reserve the right to injure and/or kill your characters should it be deemed necessary. What this stipulation basically means is that should your character jump off a cliff, it isn't up to the GD to save them - they may well get injured or die. This stops players from acting like Superman, outside the reasonable constraints of what any one person would be able to do. For the sake of story continuity, a GD may decide to injure your character, however they will confer with you regarding severe injuries before actioning it, and will give you plenty of warning if your actions are leading to a character death (e.g "You're just walked your character into an area of deadly radiation; you should leave if you don't want your character to die."). Star Trek: Above and Beyond reserves the right to use any character quotes, actions or logs in any promotional and game-related material. Participation in Star Trek: Above and Beyond constitutes your acceptance of the policies laid out in the Player Handbook in its entirety.Supporting Characters (NPCs)
You may also play other secondary characters on a ship; these characters are referred to as NPCs (Non-Player Characters). These are characters you create and use in missions and in your writing to enhance gameplay. A GD may create an alien for a mission, for example, or you may create an engineer to interact with down in Main Engineering, or a family member who lives with your character. NPCs are simply there to add to the depth of a mission. You may not portray a character from a department you are not in without permission; as with everything else, the GD has the final word on the use of NPCs. It is the GD’s job to portray additional characters such as aliens you encounter during your missions, or assign them to others. To portray an NPC, simply put the NPC’s name into triangle brackets like so: <John> Cadet: Hello. I am John, an example of an NPC.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 6, 2017 14:28:31 GMT
Evaluations & Career Progress
The performance of each character you play will be evaluated every six months on average. Each character is evaluated independently, and you’ll be gauged on a number of factors.
1. In-Character Performance
Is your character performing his/her duties? Their conduct should befit a Starfleet officer. You are free to play your character as brash or arrogant, flaunt the rules or disobey orders, but do not expect commendations or promotions - you may even get a formal reprimand! Remember Star Trek: Above & Beyond is about the story, the journey, and not the destination.
2. Consistent Attendance
Are you at every mission, or are you often absent? We understand that sometimes things come up last minute, and life takes precedence. If you know you will be absent for a mission, you are required to inform your Game Director as soon as possible. This shows respect for the rest of the crew as the GD can then adapt the story around your absence that week. For extended absences, request a “Leave Of Absence” from your GD. Repeated absences without informing the Game Director could lead to your removal from the vessel.
3. Logs
Are you regularly writing logs? While logs are not a requirement to play the game, they are a requirement if you want to get promoted. This is a writing game above all else, where the logs develop your characters. Are they rushed two-line pieces, or interesting descriptive pieces that help develop your character? No one is expected to present work only Hemingway would be proud of, but you are expected to make an effort. If you've been unable to make a mission and you reported your absence, we don't expect you to write a log that week. Consider occasionally taking the time to write “joint logs” with your fellow crew members too, and take the time to read other crew submissions as you’d like them to read yours. Often, character development and mission information can be relayed in a piece of writing that will enhance the mission.
Good performance across all three areas could gain you recognition, awards, medals and promotions. At the end of each arc, your Game Director and the Command Crew will assess these areas and potentially award you a number of commendations. You’ll be informed when an evaluation period is approaching. Don’t expect a promotion every single evaluation - there’s a minimum wait of one year, for example, to be promoted from Lieutenant Commander to Commander, and the rank of Captain is only given to characters in command of a vessel. These limitations are in place to keep a realistic pace of progression and to stop every vessel becoming full of Command rank characters in a short time. When you see a character with a higher rank, it can also be a good indicator of the time and dedication the player has put into that character and the game over a number of years.
If you play a grumpy character who riles people up the wrong way, he may not be promoted, but your performance and writing will be recognised in another way. Promotions and awards should be considered as a bonus, and not the main purpose of participating in Star Trek: Above & Beyond. Participating in fun, in-depth missions alongside other writers is the main focus.
If your character is acting in a way that could lead to demotion or court martial, your Game Director will inform you. Sometimes you may decide your character will deliberately break orders for the sake of the story (in mission, or in logs) and this is absolutely fine, so long as you clear it with your Game Director beforehand and you are prepared to have that character suffer the consequences of their actions, whether it be the scowls from your crew mates, a formal reprimand, demotion, or worse.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 6, 2017 15:05:05 GMT
Promotion Requirements
The purpose of Star Trek: Above & Beyond is the story telling - your decisions have weight and meaning as they will directly impact your career progress, and your character will be the better for it.
Cadet You will begin your story in Star Trek: Above & Beyond as a Cadet for at least three weeks. These three weeks are simply for you to get comfortable with the chat protocols and how the game works, as well as let your GD guide you in any areas if necessary. If your GD feels you need a little more time to get to grips with the game, he/she may extend this period. They'll work closely with you during this time, and you should feel free to ask them any and all questions you may have. They are more than happy to help you get the best start to your Starfleet career.
Ensign After the mandatory 3 weeks as a Cadet, or when your Game Director feels you are comfortable with how the game works, your character will automatically be promoted to the rank of Ensign. Any secondary characters you create will skip the Cadet stage and begin at the rank of Ensign unless you specifically request starting at the rank of Cadet.
Lieutenant Junior Grade (LtJG) - Must have served as an Ensign for a minimum of six months - Must have no reprimands on record within the past six months - Must have at least two commendations on record.
Players of Lieutenant JG rank and higher are eligible to apply for Chief of Department positions.
Lieutenant (Lt) - Must have served as a LtJG for a minimum of six months. - Must have earned a further two commendations since promotion to LtJG - Must have no reprimands on record within the past six months.
Lieutenant Commander (LtCmdr) - Must have served as a Lt for a minimum of one year. - Must have earned a further 4 commendations since promotion to Lt. - Must have no reprimands on record within the past six months. - As players with this rank may be called on to take command at times, players must be familiar with the Command Handbook (available very soon).
Players with Lieutenant Commander rank and higher are eligible to apply for Executive Officer positions.
Commander - Must have served as a LtCmdr for a minimum of one year. - Must have earned a further 4 commendations since promotion to LtCmdr. - Must have no reprimands on record within the past six months.
Players with Commander rank and higher are eligible to apply for Commanding Officer positions.
Captain - Must have served as a Cmdr for a minimum of one year. - Must have earned a further 4 commendations since promotion to Cmdr. - Must have no reprimands on record within the past six months.
Captain rank is only given to characters if and when they become the commanding officer of a vessel or station. Players can not gain a higher rank than Captain.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 6, 2017 15:26:36 GMT
Joining ST:AB, Assignments and Transfers
You can request assignment to any vessel by contacting the Game Director of that vessel/station. You can find out what positions are available and who the GD is by visiting that ships' roster on the forum. If you are new to Star Trek: Above & Beyond, you should create an account on the forum and contact the GD of the ship that you're interested in. Make sure you're familiar with this handbook as you may be asked a few questions to see if you're ready to play. For the first few weeks, you will play a temporary character but you aren't locked in to him/her just yet - upon graduation to Ensign you can decide to make that your permanent character and create a fleshed-out profile here, or you may change your mind now you have a better idea of the game and create a new character. Your GD can guide you through this process if you wish. Please note that if you've had previous experience in other chat-based Star Trek games, you may be eligible to transfer that character to ST:AB and retain your service record and rank. Contact your GD regarding this. Please note that when you create a forum account, you are required to add your real name to your signature so everyone can keep track of who is who. You can add your character names and positions too, if you like, but your real name is required. It's really easy to do: 1. Click on "Profile" at the top of the page. 2. Click "Edit Profile". It's a button at the top right hand side of your profile page. 3. Scroll down to "Signature" and enter your details in the box. 4. Click "Save Personal Settings." Transfers
Your Game Director is the go-to person for assignments and transfers alike. Simply message them and present your transfer request, letting them know which character you want to move and to which vessel, and which position. Changing position on the same ship is also an option; for example you may be playing as NAV when a spot opens up in Engineering, or perhaps you've just been promoted to an eligible rank and want a shot at being the Executive Officer. Again, contact your GD and they'll arrange things for you and take you through the process. Persistent and regular ship-hopping is disruptive and is not permitted. Inform your Game Director if you wish to resign from a ship and the character will be removed from the ship roster. This concludes the Star Trek: Above & Beyond Handbook. For any clarifications or questions, please contact any Admin or GD. You should now be ready to begin your Starfleet career. Have you got what it takes to go above and beyond the call of duty?
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