Starbase 118 Ops New Officer Handbook: Difference between revisions

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First and foremost, welcome to Starbase 118! If you're reading this, it's likely that you've been linked to this handbook by either Captain Sal Taybrim, or your mentor, whoever that may be.

   

Find an error? Have a question not outlined here? Please, never hesitate to contact Captain [[Taybrim, Sal|Taybrim]] or your mentor at any time!

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There are many reasons that people join the Starbase 118 fleet. While a love of Trek is a major one, there are some officers that join just because writing these characters is a lot of fun. As such, there are times when you might just need a little bit of extra help ironing out the tech and canon trek information that you include in your sim. Thankfully, the writers throughout the fleet have a few very trusted websites where we can seek out information and help.

   

Still feel lost? Don't hesitate to contact any member of the command staff with your questions. If they don't know the answer, they can find the answer for you.

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* Moving floors - some walkways have moving floors to speed lateral transportation along the longest passages on the starbase.

* Escalators - some sections have escalators where turbolifts would be inefficent.

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Subject: Ensign James Ricky - Greeting the World (Tags: T'tala)

<span style="color: black; font-size: x-small;">(( Ensign Ricky's Quarters, StarBase 118 Ops ))</span>

   

   

<span style="color: black; font-size: x-small;">Ricky: Hello, world!</span>

   

   

<span style="color: black; font-size: x-small;">Ricky: Petty Officer T'tala, right? You're Captain Taybrim's assistant aren't you?</span>

As an example, lets take Bob. Officer Bob walks into a room, and Bob's writer can choose to portray this action in one of two ways:

   

   

or

   

   

As you can see, there is a pretty big difference between the two, and not just in word count! The second version gives much more insight into what the character is thinking and feeling, as well as what the room actually looks and feels like. Just like the writers behind these characters, they have numerous senses that can be used to describe any given situation. The more ways you can think of to describe your characters senses, the better!

   

Switching characters is allowed, but on a case by case basis. These changes have to be approved by the command staff of the Starbase, so contact a member of the staff to discuss the change that you are thinking of. Keep in mind, however, that switching characters is not something to do every month. If a switch is approved, another will not be immediately approved. So think about these changes deeply before you decide to jump.

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Consistently maintaining a sim count higher than the bare minimum (generally 20+ a month) and answering your tags with alacrity looks very good for your development, keeps your character involved in the plot and allows for a much more fun simming experience for the whole crew.

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There are many ways to help out, but you should be meeting a 3 sim a week average before taking on additional duties. In this instance, we say fun before work! Remember, the ship is here for you to have fun, it should never feel like a job!

   

   

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Not every voyage is smooth sailing, and while simming there are many issues that you might encounter. Some of them are general, while others are very specific in nature. In any event, they should all be treated with caution. Remember, we are all here to have fun, but we are also all human. Sometimes it is personalities that clash, while other times it is the actions of a character or group of characters. The Academy goes over some of these issues, especially when building a bio for your character. Here is a more in depth look at the problems that you may face along the way.

Telepaths

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It can be frustrating to spend time and sims building up to an event, be it a major component of the plot or just some story arc you are following, and end up having to salvage it from ruins when another player 'claims' they knew what was happening. As such, be aware of how much knowledge you have when you are writing a sim and make sure that you keep your character 'in the dark'.

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One should also be aware of runaway dialog. Unless your character is giving a big speech, you should keep your spoken lines fairly short, giving other players plenty of time to contribute. Remember, this is a collaborative game and it will be no fun for one person to do all the talking or acting. Be mindful of this; it makes simming so much more fun for you and those around you.

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Writers of anonymous characters are also asked to maintain the secrecy of their character and not reveal any information that might blatantly show off who the writer is behind the character.

   

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*'''Lieutenant Commander'''

''Lieutenant Commander is the fourth and final rank you can earn without beginning to cross into the realm of command. A writer who wishes to become a senior staff member and reach the rank of Lieutenant Commander should follow the guidelines stated here.Note: A Lieutenant Commander is generally addressed as simply 'Commander'.''

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Anyone can apply to be a mentor, but the program run on the Starbase is not for the faint of heart. Only the best of the best are accepted. Want to better your chances of approval? Make sure that you maintain a full time sim rate and contribute with sims that are of appropriate length, checked for spelling and grammar errors, and free from other formatting or content problems.

   

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*Character Cafe: where writing in ''any'' style can be posted- even if it's not Star Trek related!

*StarBase 118 Lounge: where you can post sims set in the "UFOP: StarBase 118 Universe," but not strictly related to the vessel you sim on.

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It might seem like there are lots of different things to learn and understand, but most of this will come second nature after you are with us for just a little while. Many officers already model the behavior that is encouraged, so it is easy to pick up on the good habits of others. There is a great team of officers on the Starbase, and we all learn and grow together.

Regardless of your rank or position, or when you joined the Starbase, always remember that the command staff is there to help you. No matter what your question or comment is, or if you simply need another set of eyes or help with another issue, your Captain and First Officer will be glad to help! Simply contact them.

   

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The Starbase 118: Operations New Officer Manual written, created, and compiled by the Starbase 118: Ops Web Dev Team