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{{Motto - Active|The important thing is this: To be able at any moment to sacrifice what we are for what we could become.|Charles Du Bos|ICON=Ops-icon.gif|link=History of StarBase 118}}
{{Sb118Ops}}
{{Sb118Ops}}
{| style="width:80%" border='0'
| The social and economic heart of Starbase 118 is undoubtedly the Commercial Sector. The Commercial sector refers both to the overall civilian commerce area in on the starbase as well as the specific domed city area.  The overall sector has three distinct areas, which contain eleven districts and four sub-districts between them.


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|Taybrim]] or your mentor.


This page serves as a combined welcome and guide for simming as part of the Starbase 118 Ops crew.


{{Heading|Overview|Silver}}
While you may have just graduated from the Academy with all required knowledge in hand, this handbook strives to reiterate that information and provide you an even more in depth look at the day to day operations of simming with the Starbase 118 Fleet. Not only will you be able to build on the skills that you first learned during your week in training, but you will be able to have a concise handbook at your fingertips for those moments when you might have a question.
[[Image:SB118 CS PD.png|thumb|500px|Right|Click Image to enlarge]]Comprising almost the entirety of the bulbous middle section of Starbase 118, the Commercial District is almost 4.25 kilometres in diameter and 1.45 kilometers tall (in contrast, the island of Manhattan is 2km in diameter). Holographic clouds are simulated at a range of between 1200 and 1400 meters and the sky is a holographic projection as is the sunlight. The various districts are programmed to receive seasonal weather such as snow in the winter or heavier rain in the tropical season, depending on the climate they are based on. In addition, holographic representations of countryside are displayed ground level to give the appearance that the dome is endless. Most of the districts also incorporate around various artificial rivers and streams which come off of the main body of the lake.


The Commercial Sector is a bustling metropolis and cultural melting pot that serves a shining beacon of the cultural diversity of the United Federation of Planets and her allies. With over 200,000 inhabitants ranging from active Starfleet officers and their families, independent civilians making a living, political refugees looking for a better life and everything else in between calling this place ‘home’, the Commercial Sector is, in essence, a self-contained city in space with its own civilian oversight government that works closely with Starfleet. And in addition to the permanent residents are those transient visitors for those looking for a weekend break, freighter crews who are making overnight stops, and all other sorts of travelers. It is estimated that at any given time there are no less than 300,000 people in the Commercial Sector.
This handbook is not to replace the one on one guidance that you get from both the command staff and your mentor. On the contrary, this text has been created to help supplement the information that you get from these members of the crew, enabling you to grow into your role aboard Starbase 118.


{{Heading|Upper Dome|Silver}}
Find an error? Have a question not outlined here? Please, never hesitate to contact the Captain or your mentor at any time!
This contains only one distinct area, '''[[The Promenade]]'''. It consists of a ring of businesses and services that circle the upper dome.  This serves as the first port (and first impression) for most travelers.  It is also the most easily accessible area for on duty Starfleet officers and cadet attending StarBase 118's Academy.  As such the shops on the Promenade are the most well established, well vetted and are some of the most popular places on the Starbase


{{Heading|Main Dome|Silver}}
[[File:118 Map.png|thumb|500px|right|Click Image to enlarge]]The largest portion of the Commercial Sector, this area contains seven districts and all four sub-districts, and is often referred to as the commercial sector rather than as simply a portion of it. The main dome was where most of the damage from [[SB118Ops_Mission_Logs/Sal_Taybrim/Edge_of_Glory|Chennel's attack]] in 2394 occurred, and thus saw extensive renovations later that year.
*'''[[Starbase 118 Shi'Kahr District|Shi'Kahr]]''': A large district designed in a mixture of various Vulcan styles.
**''[[Starbase 118 Hurutam Sub-district|Hurutam Sub-district]]'': Shi'Kahr's Tellarite-styled sub-district.
*'''[[Starbase 118 Ohmallera District|Ohmallera District]]''': A large district named in remembrance of the Betazoid city.
*'''[[Starbase 118 Qo'noS District|Qo'noS District]]''': Themed after the Klingon homeworld, this district is of medium size.
*'''[[Starbase 118 Ashalla District|Ashalla District]]''': A large Bajoran district; a hub of religious activity on the station.
**''[[Starbase 118 Coranum Sub-district|Coranum Sub-district]]'': A small Cardassian community within the Ashalla District.
*'''[[Starbase 118 Mak'ala District|Mak'ala District]]''': Named after the Trill city, this district is of a medium size.
**''[[Starbase 118 Little Risa|Little Risa]]'': A welcoming beach area designed after [[Risa]].
*'''[[Starbase 118 San Francisco District|San Francisco District]]''': Another medium-sized district, named after the city where the Federation was founded.
**''[[Starbase 118 Hong Kong Sub-district|Hong Kong Sub-district]]'': Designed after the [[Human|Terran]] city.
*'''[[Starbase 118 Trinity City|Trinity City]]''': A diverse area that is also the hub of the station's civilian administration.


{{Heading|Lower Sections|Silver}}
{{Heading|Resources|Red}}
Description here
* [[Ensigns Orientation]]: A general guide for getting started in the fleet for new ensigns.
* [[Cadet Orientation]]: Want to double-check some of the basics? Here's all of the introductory information from your training.
* '''The Wiki''': The Starbase 118 wiki contains a vast amount of knowledge about our ships, fleet, and timeline. Take a peek around the pages.
* '''[http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Portal:Main Memory Alpha]:''' An extensive resource on canon Star Trek and the Trek universe.
* '''[http://www.starbase118.net The Main Starbase 118 Website]:''' There is plenty of information to be found on the main site for the Fleet including both out of and in-character articles.


*'''[[StarBase_118_Dungeon|The Dungeon]]''': Built beneath the main dome, this area caters to more eccentric tastes.
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.
*'''[[Starbase 118 Laikan District|Laikan District]]''': On the same level as ''The Dungeon'', this cold area emulates Andorian architecture.
*'''[[Nuova Eleganza]]''': A trendy district of Gothic architecture located beneath the Laikan and Dungeon areas.
|}
{{Heading|Commercial Sector Housing|Silver}}
Civilians and Starfleet personnel alike make their homes in the non-standard housing of the Commercial Sector.
*An officer must be of the rank of full Lieutenant (or Marine Captain) to move out of standard Starfleet quarters and into the Commercial sector. Lower ranked officers need to petition their Commanding Officer and receive permission to move.
*Enlisted personnel must be of the rank of Chief Petty officer or higher to move out of standard Starfleet quarters; enlisted members who have at least seven years of service may petition to move with their Department Chief's permission.


{{Heading|The Dome & its operations|Silver}}
{{SubHeading|Mentoring|Red}}
The outer area beyond the main commercial area of the dome host shuttle bays with multiple docking ports for all sorts of commercial and civilian vessels.  The outer dome also hosts many holodecks, gardens, civilian quarters, cargo bays, meeting facilities, repair shops for ships or shuttles, and fuel stations.
New members of the fleet are always assigned a mentor, who is an experienced player who will help you get involved, provide feedback, and assist with answering any questions  you might have. It's common for your mentor to be the one who linked you this guide as well.


Atop the dome, hidden in the holo-matrix is an eight deck round structure that sticks out from the top of the dome and flows downward.  This unit serves two purposes: one is as the first checkpoint scan of the lifts going down into the Dome. This checkpoint sends all data to a hub on Trinity City.  The second is as the holo-matrix control center that controls the artificial weather on the dome.  With all the different cities and towns among the dome, this is quite demanding and each deck focuses on a sector or two of the main area.
{{SubHeading|Ranks and Promotion|Red}}
If you're interested in knowing more about how promotions work on Starbase 118 Ops, you'll want to check out the [[Starbase 118 Ops Promotion Guide|Ops Promotion Guide]] and the general fleet guide to [[Promotions]].  


Beneath the dome and the transportation systems are the dome generator systems to keep the holo-matrix online along with all the weather and city power.  This area is largely run by civilian engineers, but is overseen by an Starfleet Deputy Engineer.
For detailed information on the various ranks available to Starfleet personnel, see the [[Starfleet Rank Index]] and [[Starfleet Rank Index: Marines|Starfleet Marines Rank Index]].


{{SB118Establishments}}
{{Heading|Simming on Starbase 118 Ops|Red}}
While much of our simming process is identical to what you learned in the Academy, there are still some peculiarities we wish to mention. These are touched on in detail below.


[[Category:Starbase 118 locations|C]]
{{SubHeading|Title/Subject Line Formatting|Red}}
 
Titles are done in the format of ''Rank Charactername'', which may be the character's full name or simply their last name, depending on length and your preference. Then the specific ''sim title'' followed by any ''tags'' or certain notes for other players within parentheses. ''Existing'' is sometimes used in this portion to indicate tags brought in from previous scenes,  and you may also see ''FAO''  which means "for the attention of", while ''NT'' simply stands for "no tags". We encourage everyone to read all sims to the list, but also wish to ensure players can easily find those scenes to which they owe a response.
 
A couple examples are provided below:
*'''Captain Taybrim - Grills Bring Happiness (Tags: Maxwell/Moor | Existing: Kasun/Trel'lis/Lyndsay/K'mal)'''
*'''Lt. Commander Aitas - Ale Errands (Tags: West/Braddock, FAO: Beach Party)'''
 
{{SubHeading|General Formatting|Red}}
{{SubHeading|Activity Requirements|Red}}
 
{{Heading|Getting Involved|Red}}
{{SubHeading|Starfleet on Starbase 118|Red}}
{{SubHeading|Life on a Starbase|Red}}
{{Heading|Plot and Themes|Red}}
{{SubHeading|Content Rating|Red}}
 
{{Heading|Characters|Red}}
For full details on the various types of characters one might play with the group, see the [[Player Types]] page.
 
{{SubHeading|Personal/Player NPCs|Red}}
These characters are NPCs written by only one writer, and may not hold a rank higher than your own. Due to the crew complement on such a large station, Starbase 118 Ops does not tend to restrict the creation of PNPCs. Just remember that they shouldn't outshine your main character, or prevent you from keeping up with posting on that main character either. If you find yourself wanting to switch up who is your main character, you'll need to talk to the command staff. Such a change isn't to be done lightly.
 
Some possible choices for a PNPC:
*''A spouse or partner for your character.''
*''Your character's coworker.''
*''Your character's family member, such as a parent or child.''
*''A character in completely different department.''
*''A character that might only show up intermittently.''
*''Characters that contrast or conflict with others in their field-you'll want to check with others in the department to see what they're comfortable with for this.''
 
 
{{SubHeading|Mission Specific NPCs|Red}}
 
A Mission Specific Player Non-Playing Character, or MSPNPC, is an NPC assigned to a specific player for the duration of a mission. They are usually antagonists, and are played just like any other character, except they are generally only played for the mission they were created in. Occasionally, some MSNPCs are seen again in future missions or sims.
Tip: If you're assigned a MSPNPC, don't tell anyone- and try to mix up your writing style and format a little to keep people guessing! The mystery is half the fun!
 
MSNPCs are assigned by the command staff of the Starbase. Generally an email is sent out near the end of a shore leave period and anyone who wishes may apply to be one of the characters. Most of the time, applicants are not told what, or who, they are playing until the details are ironed out and the mission is about to begin.
 
When thinking about simming a MSNPC, it is important that you consider your availability. Regardless of how many PNPCs or MSPNPCs you are simming, you will be expected to maintain your sim rate throughout the mission in addition to these extra characters. If you think that spending the extra time for another character might mean that you sim your main character less, then it may be a good idea to wait till next time.
 
Once assigned, you will be sent an introduction email explaining your character for the mission and any limitations that may be placed on said character. You will be expected to sim this character as needed throughout the course of the mission, even though that may not be as much as is considered 'full time' for purposes of the fleet. You are, however, required to sim it enough to push the plot forward so that it does not stall because of tags or events that are in the hands of the MSPNPC and its writer.
 
{{Heading|Common Simming Issues|Red}}
 
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
 
 
{{SubHeading|Telepathy and Empathy|Red}}
 
 
{{SubHeading|General RP Etiquette|Red}}
 
While we, the writers, can read any sim in the fleet (and know what's going on all over the ship) your characters do not. Part of realistically playing a character is making sure that the character only reacts to what they know. There's nothing wrong with picking up hints or clues about what's going on all over the ship, but even powerful telepaths should be mindful to keep some surprise in store for their characters.
 
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'.
 
 
{{SubHeading|Polishing your Sims|Red}}
 
One of the most important steps in building a great sim involves taking what you have written and polishing it up so that it not only reads well, but looks nice as well. The Starbase 118 Fleet adheres to certain guidelines when formatting sims so that they are similar fleet-wide. Some of these guidelines include the location of action at the top of your sim, the signage throughout the sim, and a signature at the end of a sim. It is important to remember these guidelines so that everyone involved will be able to read, and respond, to your contribution.
 
<div style="background: LightGrey; border: 1px solid #BD934F; margin: 1em auto; padding: 0 10px; width: 400px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-size: x-small;">''Tip: The 'To' E-mail address box should be the last thing you fill out before sending your sim (after proof-reading it). This way, you'll never accidentally send out a sim before you're ready!''</span></div>
 
When writing sims, one should be mindful of the readability of your work. Generally speaking, a properly formatted post will be clean and easy to read, with a correct use of punctuation and grammar. Occasional typos are fine, but frequently making mistakes a spell-checker would pick up can be annoying. Many members of the fleet are from different international countries where English may not be the national language. As such, we don't expect perfect grammar or spelling, but if you want to advance and take up a leadership role within the fleet, use of spell check and proofreading your sims is required.
 
Generally speaking, it's a good idea to always:
 
*''Use a spell-checker. This is the easiest and most effective way to dramatically improve the quality of your sims.''
*''Read your sims before posting them. If YOU wouldn't read your own work, who will?''
*''Use whitespace to make your posts more readable.''
*''Splash in actions, thoughts and the like.''
 
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.
{{Heading|Conclusion|Red}}
 
[[Category:StarBase 118 Ops]]

Latest revision as of 04:31, 10 December 2017

Ops-icon.gif

“The important thing is this: To be able at any moment to sacrifice what we are for what we could become.”

Charles Du Bos



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 Taybrim or your mentor.

This page serves as a combined welcome and guide for simming as part of the Starbase 118 Ops crew.

While you may have just graduated from the Academy with all required knowledge in hand, this handbook strives to reiterate that information and provide you an even more in depth look at the day to day operations of simming with the Starbase 118 Fleet. Not only will you be able to build on the skills that you first learned during your week in training, but you will be able to have a concise handbook at your fingertips for those moments when you might have a question.

This handbook is not to replace the one on one guidance that you get from both the command staff and your mentor. On the contrary, this text has been created to help supplement the information that you get from these members of the crew, enabling you to grow into your role aboard Starbase 118.

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


Resources


  • Ensigns Orientation: A general guide for getting started in the fleet for new ensigns.
  • Cadet Orientation: Want to double-check some of the basics? Here's all of the introductory information from your training.
  • The Wiki: The Starbase 118 wiki contains a vast amount of knowledge about our ships, fleet, and timeline. Take a peek around the pages.
  • Memory Alpha: An extensive resource on canon Star Trek and the Trek universe.
  • The Main Starbase 118 Website: There is plenty of information to be found on the main site for the Fleet including both out of and in-character articles.

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.

Mentoring


New members of the fleet are always assigned a mentor, who is an experienced player who will help you get involved, provide feedback, and assist with answering any questions you might have. It's common for your mentor to be the one who linked you this guide as well.

Ranks and Promotion


If you're interested in knowing more about how promotions work on Starbase 118 Ops, you'll want to check out the Ops Promotion Guide and the general fleet guide to Promotions.

For detailed information on the various ranks available to Starfleet personnel, see the Starfleet Rank Index and Starfleet Marines Rank Index.

Simming on Starbase 118 Ops


While much of our simming process is identical to what you learned in the Academy, there are still some peculiarities we wish to mention. These are touched on in detail below.

Title/Subject Line Formatting


Titles are done in the format of Rank Charactername, which may be the character's full name or simply their last name, depending on length and your preference. Then the specific sim title followed by any tags or certain notes for other players within parentheses. Existing is sometimes used in this portion to indicate tags brought in from previous scenes, and you may also see FAO which means "for the attention of", while NT simply stands for "no tags". We encourage everyone to read all sims to the list, but also wish to ensure players can easily find those scenes to which they owe a response.

A couple examples are provided below:

  • Captain Taybrim - Grills Bring Happiness (Tags: Maxwell/Moor | Existing: Kasun/Trel'lis/Lyndsay/K'mal)
  • Lt. Commander Aitas - Ale Errands (Tags: West/Braddock, FAO: Beach Party)

General Formatting


Activity Requirements


Getting Involved


Starfleet on Starbase 118


Life on a Starbase


Plot and Themes


Content Rating


Characters


For full details on the various types of characters one might play with the group, see the Player Types page.

Personal/Player NPCs


These characters are NPCs written by only one writer, and may not hold a rank higher than your own. Due to the crew complement on such a large station, Starbase 118 Ops does not tend to restrict the creation of PNPCs. Just remember that they shouldn't outshine your main character, or prevent you from keeping up with posting on that main character either. If you find yourself wanting to switch up who is your main character, you'll need to talk to the command staff. Such a change isn't to be done lightly.

Some possible choices for a PNPC:

  • A spouse or partner for your character.
  • Your character's coworker.
  • Your character's family member, such as a parent or child.
  • A character in completely different department.
  • A character that might only show up intermittently.
  • Characters that contrast or conflict with others in their field-you'll want to check with others in the department to see what they're comfortable with for this.


Mission Specific NPCs


A Mission Specific Player Non-Playing Character, or MSPNPC, is an NPC assigned to a specific player for the duration of a mission. They are usually antagonists, and are played just like any other character, except they are generally only played for the mission they were created in. Occasionally, some MSNPCs are seen again in future missions or sims. Tip: If you're assigned a MSPNPC, don't tell anyone- and try to mix up your writing style and format a little to keep people guessing! The mystery is half the fun!

MSNPCs are assigned by the command staff of the Starbase. Generally an email is sent out near the end of a shore leave period and anyone who wishes may apply to be one of the characters. Most of the time, applicants are not told what, or who, they are playing until the details are ironed out and the mission is about to begin.

When thinking about simming a MSNPC, it is important that you consider your availability. Regardless of how many PNPCs or MSPNPCs you are simming, you will be expected to maintain your sim rate throughout the mission in addition to these extra characters. If you think that spending the extra time for another character might mean that you sim your main character less, then it may be a good idea to wait till next time.

Once assigned, you will be sent an introduction email explaining your character for the mission and any limitations that may be placed on said character. You will be expected to sim this character as needed throughout the course of the mission, even though that may not be as much as is considered 'full time' for purposes of the fleet. You are, however, required to sim it enough to push the plot forward so that it does not stall because of tags or events that are in the hands of the MSPNPC and its writer.

Common Simming Issues


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


Telepathy and Empathy



General RP Etiquette


While we, the writers, can read any sim in the fleet (and know what's going on all over the ship) your characters do not. Part of realistically playing a character is making sure that the character only reacts to what they know. There's nothing wrong with picking up hints or clues about what's going on all over the ship, but even powerful telepaths should be mindful to keep some surprise in store for their characters.

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'.


Polishing your Sims


One of the most important steps in building a great sim involves taking what you have written and polishing it up so that it not only reads well, but looks nice as well. The Starbase 118 Fleet adheres to certain guidelines when formatting sims so that they are similar fleet-wide. Some of these guidelines include the location of action at the top of your sim, the signage throughout the sim, and a signature at the end of a sim. It is important to remember these guidelines so that everyone involved will be able to read, and respond, to your contribution.

Tip: The 'To' E-mail address box should be the last thing you fill out before sending your sim (after proof-reading it). This way, you'll never accidentally send out a sim before you're ready!

When writing sims, one should be mindful of the readability of your work. Generally speaking, a properly formatted post will be clean and easy to read, with a correct use of punctuation and grammar. Occasional typos are fine, but frequently making mistakes a spell-checker would pick up can be annoying. Many members of the fleet are from different international countries where English may not be the national language. As such, we don't expect perfect grammar or spelling, but if you want to advance and take up a leadership role within the fleet, use of spell check and proofreading your sims is required.

Generally speaking, it's a good idea to always:

  • Use a spell-checker. This is the easiest and most effective way to dramatically improve the quality of your sims.
  • Read your sims before posting them. If YOU wouldn't read your own work, who will?
  • Use whitespace to make your posts more readable.
  • Splash in actions, thoughts and the like.

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.

Conclusion