1. Introduction

Welcome to the HoloWorld Fleet!

This FAQ was originally prepared by Lawrence VanVactor-Lee, for his Holodeck students and has been modified to accommodate all incoming ALB students by A. Rosina Bignall. The text has been further modified for HoloWorld. You can contact the Chief Training Officer at fleet_cto@yahoogroups.com. It's his/her job to make sure things run smoothly while you are here in the Academy.

The CTO will assign you to a position on our training vessel, the USS DESTINY, and watch your progress there. Your instructors will assist you and answer any questions.

Your instructors' jobs is to get you ready for your first posting. This is the place to make mistakes, ask a lot of questions, and have fun. (Remember General Order Number Two.)

This FAQ is a supplement to the HoloWorld Fleet Manual, which you should have received by now. If you haven't, browse and download it from the documents page or ask your instructor for one. No Cadet should be without one.

1.1. How to Use this FAQ

This FAQ is designed in order of importance. The most detailed, practical information is up front and the more theoretical, ponderous material is tucked safely in the back. When first reading this FAQ, study this section and section 2 (Life in the Academy) carefully. You might want to scan section 3 (Commonly Used Jargon). Section 4 (Styleguide) is optional and mostly reflects the musings of the author. You can save that for later.

1.2. Other Resources

Of course there is the alt.holoworld.rpg.startrek newsgroup itself. You should check that out, if you haven't already.

Take a look at the HoloWorld Web Page. There is plenty of information there for the beginning player as well as resources for the veteran. It should be your mainstay of background information, everything that goes canon for the game can be found there and most likely you will find it there before your CO can provide you with it. Consider it your personal HoloWorld Fleet Library.

There you can find the HoloWorld Fleet Manual as well as a lot of other useful information. Once again, if you don't have the manual, get it.

The web page also lists information on ships, crew rosters, administration stuff, and other goings on. It also has connections to stuff of interest to Starfleet folk, like other Star Trek pages.

2. Life in the Academy (the USS DESTINY)

The USS DESTINY is our fleet's training vessel. Its main mission is to patrol the area directly around Star Base Omega, as well as completing the training of Cadets assigned to the Cocoon. The ship's CO, who is also the Fleet's Chief Training Officer, will assign you to one of the ship's command positions. The USS DESTINY and the Cocoon Academy fall under the jurisdiction of the Fleet's Personnel Officer. Please contact the fleet_po@yahoogroups.com with any questions.

2.1. Bio

Your bio (biographical data) is your friend. Your character's bio tells other people what you think your character is like and it is a record of your career in HoloWorld. When your character joins a ship, your bio is the first thing they will want to see. It's a résumé and a character sheet all wrapped up in one. Keep your bio handy and update it periodically.

2.1.1. Basic Bios

No two bios are exactly alike. Like many things in HoloWorld, they aren't regulated. This allows for much creativity on the part of the player (that's you). Some basic information, however, should be contained in every bio:

• character name
• physical description
• age
• education
• race
• home planet
• current assignment
• current position

Just that would make for a pretty boring bio, however. Some additional information might include:

• traditions
• beliefs
• siblings
• quirks
• place of birth
• spouse
• ambitions
• children
• annoyances
• parents
• hobbies
• service number
• religion
• psychological profile
• letters of recommendation
• disciplinary record
• honors bestowed

Also, you should indicate any limitations on your character that other writers should know about. For example, Lawrence's primary character, Sirokh, is a pacifist - a pretty important limitation for other players to know about. You better believe he put that information in her bio.

You can also indicate information that the player should know but that characters would not know, by making a classified section of your bio.

A good suggestion, if you are having difficulties, is to look at other bios. They are often found on the newsgroup, or you can access a whole slew of them from the Holoworld Roster and Bio Page.

2.1.2. A Sample Bio - Esau Telek

Here is the bio of one of the holodeck instructors, Mr. Telek. Comments throughout are bracketed in [ ].

~~~~~~~ HWF Biographical DATA ~~~~~~~

Name: Esau Telek
Rank: Lieutenant Commander (honorary)
[You'll be starting at Cadet. (See the HoloWorld Abbreviation and important email address FAQ and the HWF manual for more on ranks.)]
Current Assignment: USS DESTINY, CSO
Current Position: Instructor
Service Number: Z 70518-757-APRQ
[I made this number up entirely. It just adds spice to the character.]
Race: Cardassian
[You can be whatever race you want to be, however some races are easier to integrate into the game than others. Cardassian is a tricky one and I had to justify it to my CO (Commanding Officer) before it was allowed. See my rationalization below.]
Sex: Male
Skin: Gray
Hair: Black
Eyes: Light Blue
Height: 1.78 m
Weight: 81 kg
[Yeah, Starfleet is metric. But if you want to use British units (that crazy system used in the US <G>), nobody's gonna scold you.]
Age: 48 (Terran Years)
Place of Birth: Cardassia Prime
Citizenship: Terra, Naturalized Citizen, United Federation of Planets
Known Relations: None

****
History:

2.1023 Defected from Cardassia
2.0530 Naturalized UFP Citizen
2.0610 Assigned to SFIA, Starbase Alpha
2.0610 Granted honorary rank of Lieutenant
3.0117 Granted honorary rank of Lieutenant Commander
4.0310 Dismissed from SFIA
4.0812 Began as Professor at Starfleet Academy, San Francisco, Terra
7.0516 Dismissed from Starfleet Academy
7.0518 Assigned as Holodeck Instructor, Omega Training Center
7.1201 Transfered to OPS of USS GANEMEDE
8.0513 Promoted to full rank of Lieutenant
9.0409 Assigned as OPS/2O of USS GANEMEDE
9.0730 Promoted to rank of Lieutenant Commander
9.0912 USS GANAMEDE destroyed in Klingon Attack
10.0101 Assigned as FO of USS FARNWORTH
10.0108 Promoted to full rank of Commander

[Note the use of stardates. See section 2.2.3 for more information.]

****
Intelligence Report:

Esau Telek defected from Cardassia SD 2.0123.0800. Though the Cardassian Central Command insisted on his extradition, Starfleet Command saw fit to grant him asylum in exchange for certain information Telek held. He became a citizen of Earth on SD 2.0530.1200. He was immediately inducted into intelligence service and given an honorary rank of Lieutenant. On SD 4.0310.1700 he was dismissed from SFI. Telek was later assigned to Starfleet Academy where he taught Cardassian History and Political Science. He was dismissed as of SD 7.0516.2100 after classes concluded for that year. He was then reassigned as a Holodeck Instructor on Omega Training Center as of SD 7.0518.2200.

Cmdr. Yoshi Takahari
SFI Central
[SFI is Starfleet Intelligence.]

****
SD 4.0310.1700

Esau Telek is a menace to SFI, Starfleet, and civilization in general! He shouldn't be fired, he should be court martialed! His detrimental influence on this office has yet to be determined. Telek is a habitual liar and charltan, overimpressed with his own person and position. I would strongly suggest that he be deported back to Cardassia, but I doubt the Cardassians would want him.

Capt. Elizabeth Wendland
SFI Central
[Hey, nobody's perfect! Even Kirk and Picard had their foibles. (Granted, they weren't as bad as Mr. Telek.) Don't make your character out to be Superman in your bio. Not everone can be the Starfleet Academy Valedictorian! Give your character "feet of clay" in some way - a past to deal with, a problem to overcome, an annoying tendancy, etc. This doesn't make your character weak. On the other hand, it makes your character interesting.]

****
SD 7.0420.1430

While Prof. Telek has been an asset to this department, I reluctantly agree with my colleagues that it is best that he find other employ. His pedagogy is questionable at best. He frequently distorts historical data and has been, at times, inconsistent in his expectations for his students. Additionally, his moods are strangely eratic and unpredictable. In spite of all this, I will be sorry to see him go. He has been engaging presence in our department and has made us reconsider many faulty presumptions about our studies. My best to him.

Dr. Eario D'zarik
Dept. of History, Starfleet Academy
[I have used fictitious memos and letters to establish what other people think about my character. This is a typical convention in the Fleet. It is also a helpful exercise to describe your character through other people's eyes. Be, however, careful in having other people's characters make them without asking. If you ask, they may even write them for you, though.]

~~~~~~~ EndFile ~~~~~~~

In addition to the comments above, you should be aware that there are some limitations that you should follow in creating your character. These are not meant to limit you in your play, but to provide game balance (to keep any one character from overwhelming all others). Long experience have taught us the importance of these limitations.

Any and all connections to SFI (StarFleet Intelligence) must be severed before your character arrives on the scene. Along the same lines, you should not have pirate gangs, star empires, terrorist organizations, etc. at your character's beck and call. Such things prevent good play from developing.

Special abilities also need to be limited. Psionics, if used, must be limited by both physical and cultural limitations. Any character who wantonly reads minds or affects others with psionic powers is subject to severe disciplinary action. Limitations also need to be placed on the use of cybernetics and other special powers and abilities. You will find that it is much more fun to play a character who has to work to overcome problems than it is to play one who is able to solve things with a simple thought.

2.2. - Posting

Posting is what HoloWorld is all about. It's where the characters interact, the story is formed, and the fun happens. The creative part is up to you. But there are a few conventions you should be aware of for posting here on the DESTINY and out in the fleet.

2.2.1. - Mailing Lists

Role playing posts, in which the story occurs, should go to the newsgroup for everyone to read (our "Showroom") as well as the units mail lists. RPG (roleplay) posts are sent to the units RPG list while NRPG (non-roleplay) post are sent to the unit's NRPG list. You should also keep a copy of the unit's roster handy, this will contain each player's individual address in case you need them. It is usually up to the unit's FO (First Officer) to provide you with an updated roster file.

Make sure you are making responsible use of internet resources. Posts and things of general interest to the group, like your bio, go up to the newsgroup. The discussion of your weekend trip and the development of a joint post with another player can be handled in email. Especially if you are unhappy with something, deal with it in (private) email and only if you can't get it resolved take it to the administrators or the Ombudsman. Things like that squick off readers who want to become players and you wouldn't want to drive away ten people just because you were miffed, would you? Also a newsgroup with orderly traffic and little waste of bandwith pleases the eye of those picky news administrators and helps to get the group made available all over the world, bringing in new and interesting writers to play with you.

2.2.2. - Subject Lines

Okay, this is going to sound like a little thing, but it's actually pretty important. In fact, subject lines are one of the things we are required to teach you in the Academy and if you do it wrong, your instructor will tell you. So don't do it wrong, okay?

The subject lines of all posts should always begin with your unit. For now that's the USS DESTINY. Other Examples are USS FIGMENT and SB OMEGA. Note that unit names are always in caps.

If the action takes place in a specific location or plot line, then the identifier for that should be attached. For example, on the abovementioned ship, action on an Away Team mission would be posted under the heading, "USS FIGMENT [Away Team]".

You should also add an actual title for the post. For example: "USS FIGMENT [Away Team]: John gets caught"

Remember that NRPG posts, BIOs, and other such non-roleplay stuff should be sent to the unit's NRPG lists. These subject lines may look something like "USS FIGMENT NRPG" or "USS FIGMENT Bios".

The specific format guidelines are as follows:

a. General locations are always typed in FULL CAPS. This includes ship names, Starbases, threads and special locations like OTC and SPACE PLACE.

b. Specific locations or threads which follow the ship name are typed in Single Caps and enclosed in [square brackets].

c. Transfers are incidated with arrows, --> For example, "SB OMEGA --> USS ROANOKE: John arrives at his new ship"

d. Dashes, slashes, underscores, and other punctuation marks should be avoided. They only add to the confusion.

e. If a thread appears with an improper format, DO NOT follow-up on it. Place your responses in the CORRECTED subject line, and let the incorrect one die. Don't ignore the post, however. It is still valid.

So the basic format for roleplay posts is:
UNIT [Location]: Whatever you want for a title

Some examples of good subject lines:

• USS DESTINY: Esau plays poker
• USS ATHENE: NRPG (Hey, what's going on?)
• DESTINY --> DS 101: Ensign Jones reports for duty
• USS PUMA [Bridge --> Ready Room]: Fred gets told off
• USS YOSEMITE [Away Team]: Beaming down to the planet
• USS YOSEMITE: NRPG Change of Mailing Address
• SB OMEGA: To The Laundry Room

Some examples of bad subject lines (comments are bracketed in [ ]):

• DESTINY [No "USS", no title.]
• NRPG [No unit.]
• ATHENE: NRPG -- WHAT IS GOING ON!!! [Using all caps is considered rude. It's like shouting. Try to be polite, even if you're frustrated.]
• PUMA [Bridge --> Ready Room]: Fred gets told off [No "USS".]
• USS Yosemite [Away Team]: Beaming down ["Yosemite" should be all caps.]
• Laundry Room, SB OMEGA: Washing [Unit name should go first.]

It's really pretty easy once you get the hang of it. Pay attention to subject lines when you get SF mail. It should tell you a lot about what is contained in the post.

2.2.3. Stardates

This is one thing that is regulated fleetwide. Stardates are a tool used in the Holoworld game to keep track of time. In the game, stardates are defined as follows:

YY.MMDD.hhmm

YY is a number for the year. The current year in the game is 2419 (55 years from the beginning of Star Trek: The Next Generation), thus stardates for 2007 begin with 19. Stardates change at the beginning of each year regardless of the amount of 'game time' that has passed, thus 1996 was 8 (or 08), 2000 was 12, 2006 was 18, and 2008 will be 20.

MM is the number for the current month. 01=January, 02=February... 12=December. Don't forget the "0" as a place holder.

DD is the current day. The first of the month is 01, the second is 02, etc. Again, don't forget the "0".

hh is the current hour on a 24 hour clock. 8am is 08, 6pm is 18, etc. If military time confuses you, just remember that if it's after noon, add 12 to the hour. 1:00pm is 1300 hrs, 2:00pm is 1400 hrs, 3:00pm is 1500 hrs, etc. Midnight is 0000 hrs military time.

mm is the current minutes.

Then February 15, 2007, 8:58pm was: 19.0215.2058

December 25, 2007, 12:24am will be: 19.1225.0024

Stardates are always converted to GMT or the poster's timezone is added.

2.2.4. Beginning a Post

Posts should start with the Stardate. Also, many players use a Scene or Location to orient the reader.

The Stardate should be the date and time the post was written. Don't worry about game time. Game time will pass much slower. In my experience it can take a month of role playing time to do a single day in the game.

The Scene, if used, should tell the reader where the post takes place, and, perhaps, even when in game time. A good Scene tag should quickly get the reader into the post.

For example, a post that was written on February 15th, 2006 at 8:58pm and that took place in Sickbay right after the Away Team returned from the planet's surface, could start like this:

SD: 18.0215.2058 (GMT)
SCENE: USS FIGMENT Sickbay
TIME: right after the Away Team returned

Then, with the scene set, you can start right into the post.

2.2.5. NRPGs

Often it will be necessary to break out of role playing mode and talk directly to the reader. Whenever this is done, it should be preceded by the letters "NRPG" to distinguish it from the role playing.

Posts almost always end with an NRPG section for general statements, questions, and clarification. Here you can request for other players to follow up on parts of the post or explain parts that might seem obscure. Captains will often use NRPG sections to give instructions to players, so pay special attention to it.

It is best to place all NRPG comments at the end of your post, rather than breaking up the post by placing them in the middle of the post. NRPG comments in the middle of the post tend to be distracting and sometimes annoying. There is no reason that you cannot refer to a specific place in the post when making your comments at the end.

Long NRPG comments should always be sent separately to the NRPG list

2.2.6. Signing Off

When ending a post, always give your own name, your character's name and your character's position to identify the writer. This may seem superfluous, and perhaps it is, but, hey, it's a good way to end, coming in handy especially when you forgot to put on a proper subject header.

The following format is suggested:

Some nicety Your name Character name Assignment

Typically yours, Louise Koester Lt<jg> Bella Navegar Counselor, USS FENRIS NCC-800

Some players develop elaborate sigs (signatures) which contain all of their characters and positions as well as some spiffy saying or thought. This is up to you, of course, but should not be more than a few lines.

2.3. Preparing for Life after the Academy

The DESTINY gives the new player the opportunity to sit back and prepare with his or her instructors for a career in Starfleet.

2.3.1. Shaping the Bio

As was said before, your bio is your friend. A good bio is important to have before leaving the DESTINY. Use your instructor as a resource and look at other bios located on the newsgroup or on the roster and bio page.

2.3.2. Choosing a Position

Though many players come in with a specific position in mind (CMO, SEC/TAC, FCO, etc.), others are uncertain. If you fall into the latter category, now is the time and this is the place to figure out what you want your character to be. Again, use your instructor as a resource and monitor posts on the newsgroup.

All players will need to inform the Fleet PO when they graduate from the Academy what kind of position they desire. You don't have to narrow it down to one choice, but make certain that you'd be happy with all the alternatives you give the PO, you may just have to live with it.

There are usually many CNS (Counselor) and CMO (Chief Medical Officer) positions open in the fleet, while CSO (Chief Security Officer) spots are strong in demand. If you want a fast posting, make a good choice.

2.3.3. What Kind of Ship?

Not all ships are the same. Each has its own unique flavor and character. Ultimately, you will be assigned a ship. But that doesn't mean that you don't have a say in where you go.

Read the newsgroup. The best way to do this is to find a ship, start at the top and read it all the way through, NRPGs and all. Later, choose a different ship and do the same.

You may find a ship that you think is a good match for you and has an open position. If so, request it when you go to the Fleet PO. Don't approach any member of the desired ship directly. This is a breach of SF ettiquette. If you want to discuss ships you are reading, talk to your instructor.

2.3.4. Reporting to the Fleet PO

When you have graduated from the Academy, you will be told to report to the Fleet PO at Starbase OMEGA. When you do so, include your bio and be sure to tell the PO what positions and ships or type of ship you would like to be assigned to.

2.3.5. Write Well

Seems obvious, doesn't it? Writing well includes both technical and creative aspects. In addition to the things already discussed here, there are a few other technical aspects you should be aware of.

• Most people will have trouble reading your posts if the lines are longer than 80 characters, especially if word-wrap kicks in in your mailing software. Please be sure that you keep line lengths to a maximum of 78 characters.
• Not all operating systems and email clients use the same encoding system to handle text and special characters. Quotation marks are known to be problematic, in particular the so-called smart quotes. A piece of text that looks fine on your machine, may contain several weird symbols on another player's machine. In order to limit these issues, please set your email client to a common encoding format, such as plain ASCII or Unicode UTF-8. It also helps to use straight quotes instead of smart quotes.
• You are strongly encouraged to send your posts in plain text rather than formatted text (a.k.a. rich text or HTML text). Formatted text may look very different on another player's machine than it does on yours; in the worst case, it may even be totally unreadable. In addition, plain text saves band-width and disk space, because it does not contain all kinds of formatting statements. Also, it's unnecessary to send posts in formatted text. If you want to emphasize words, you can it with _underscores_ or *asterisks* just as well as by italicizing the text.
• Posts are always easier to read if you leave a blank line between each paragraph, maybe even with a small indention for the first line of each paragraph. Please remember to do so.
• Also, it is better to write in third person than first person. There are times when first person is appropriate, such as in log entries, but, in general, your posts should be written in third person.

You should know that Captains who need crew members often pay close attention to the DESTINY postings on the newsgroup. Yes, you have an audience. Often these Captains will request certain ensigns out of the Academy from the Fleet PO. They should not contact you directly. If they do, inform your instructor immediately.

3. Commonly Used Jargon

Every group has their lingo, their jargon, their special way of talking to each other. Like it or not, newcomers are often judged by how quickly they can adapt to the standard banter. Here are some conventional things you'll run into in Starfleet.

An elaborate information about posting etiquette can be found on the WWW page.

3.1. Communication Symbols

[ ] is used to denote speech from the "other side" of a comm channel. For example:

"Tea, Earl Grey, Hot," Picard said to the replicator in a huff.

<Insufficient parameters,> the computer responded.

Picard hit his commbadge. "Picard to LaForge. I want a repair crew in my Ready Room immediately."

[Aye, Sir,] Geordi responded.

< > is preferred to denote a computer voice, and to reserve the [ ]s for "sentient" communications.

* * is often used in a similar way to denote telepathic communication or private thoughts.

3.2. Common Abbreviations

These aren't all the abbreviations used, but it's a good sample. Note that these abbreviations are not standardized. For definitions of these terms, see the Starfleet Manual, the Abbreviation and important email FAQ or ask your Holodeck Instructor.

• 2O - Second Officer
• a (prefix) - Acting
• Adm - Admiral
• Admin - Administration (specifically that of the Holoworld Fleet)
• ast or asst (prefix) - Assistant
• BA or BrAdm - Branch Admiral
• Capt or Cpt - Captain
• Cdt - Cadet
• CEO - Chief Engineering Officer
• CGT - Command Grade Training
• CinC - Commander in Chief
• Cmdor or Cmdre - Commodore
• Cmdr - Commander
• Cmn - Crewman (CR or CmnR: Crewman Recruit; CA or CmnA: Crewman Apprentice)
• CMO - Chief Medical Officer
• CNS - Counselor
• CO - Commanding Officer
• CoC - Chain of Command
• CPO - Chief Petty Officer
• CSciO - Chief Science Officer
• CSO - Chief Security Officer
• CTO - Chief Training Officer
• CWO - Chief Warrant Officer (CWO1, CWO2 or CWO3: Chief Warrant Officer 1st, 2nd or 3rd grade)
• Ens - Ensign
• FA or FlAdm - Fleet Admiral
• FC - Fleet Commander
• FCO - Flight Control Officer (should never be used for Fleet Commanding Officer!)
• FGM - Fleet Game Master
• FO - First Officer
• FPO - Fleet Personnel Officer
• FXO - Fleet Executive Officer
• GM - Game Master
• HN - Head Nurse
• HWF - Holoworld Fleet (you knew that one, didn't you?)
• JAG - Judge Advocate General
• JG - Junior Grade
• Lt - Lieutenant
• Lt<jg> - Lieutenant Junior Grade
• LtCmdr - Lieutenant-Commander
• MCPO - Master Chief Petty Officer
• NCO or Non-Com - Non-commissioned officer
• NPC - Non-Player Character
• NRPG - Non-Role Playing Game
• OPS - Chief Operations Officer, the operations department, or the operations console on the bridge
• OTC - OMEGA Training Centre (predecessor of the USS DESTINY)
• PADD - Personal Access and Display Device
• PbeM - Play by e-mail
• PC - Player Character
• PO - Personnel Officer or Petty Officer (PO1, PO2 or PO3: Petty Officer 1st, 2nd or 3rd Class)
• RL - Real Life
• RP - Role Playing
• SB - Starbase
• SCPO - Senior Chief Petty Officer
• SD - Stardate (in the HWF: YY.MMDD.hhmm format)
• SEC - Security Department or the person heading it
• SF - Starfleet
• SFA or SFAcad - Starfleet Academy
• SFEng - Starfleet Engineering
• SFIntel - Starfleet Intelligence
• SFMed - Starfleet Medical
• SFSec - Starfleet Security
• SO - Second Officer (2O is used more often)
• TAC - Tactical Department or the person heading it
• UGM - Unit Game Master
• VA or VAdm - Vice Admiral
• WO - Warrant Officer
• XO - Executive Officer (same as First Officer - FO)

3.3. Grins and Giggles

These are abbreviations that people often use that aren't really directly associated with the game, but they are common enough that they warrant pointing out.

• <G> - Grin
• <BG> - Big Grin
• <EG> - Evil Grin
• <BEG> - Big Evil Grin
• <VBG> - Very Big Grin
• <VBEG> - Very Big Evil Grin
  
  
• :-) - friendly smiley
• ;-) - teasing smiley
• :-p - just kidding
• :-D - wide grin

You get the idea. <G>

4. Styleguide

Writing styles and expectations differ across the fleet. This styleguide is not intended to be the definitive work, but, hopefully, it will provide a useful framework for thinking about group writing. If it makes sense to you, use it. If it doesn't, leave it. You won't hurt anyone's feelings.

Because this is group writing, not simply writing for the individual, each writer must keep in mind the other writers on the ship. Consider this the golden rule of posting: Post unto others as you would have them post unto you. <G> In other words, be considerate.

Posting style can be usefully discussed using the following three axes:

• Re-active vs. Hyper-active
• Solitary vs. Inter-active
• Plot-driven vs. Character-driven

In each of these, the aim for is for moderation. While some posts will, out of necessity, need to be weighted one way or the other on any of the three axes, over the course of play, posts should even out. Persistant imbalance will prove problematic for the writer and unit alike.

4.1. Re-active vs. Hyper-active

A re-active post is one that simply responds to a post before it, usually in a plain and unimaginative manner. It doesn't develop the plot or the character. It doesn't add to the situation or take anything away. It is simply there - an innocuous piece of prose that says nothing, demands nothing, and leads nowhere.

A hyper-active post, on the other hand, changes everything. In the extreme, a hyper-active post would create new characters, new obstacles, new races, new worlds, new threads, new everything. It doesn't settle for the status-quo, but injects lots of things for people to deal with. These are the posts that every CO dreads because it means sidetracking in 1001 directions from the plot in order to deal with all the new developments and two weeks of chasing down players to get them back to the mission.

The middle road would be one in which the writer takes what has gone on before and uses it as the foundation on which to add something new and consistent. A good post should develop plot, character, and such, but not at the sake of continuity. Plot twists are fine. Plot alterations or detours are problematic.

4.2. Solitary vs. Inter-active

A solitary post is one which involves only one's character. They touch on no one else in the ship, except maybe NPC's. They generally are character building pieces, and are fine as such, but, as a rule, they don't develop the plot much.

An inter-active post touches on many player characters in many facets - whether through dialogue or action or both. The writer develops relationships, creates conflict, develops characters, and, very likely, advances the plot. The problem with a post that is too inter-active is that it can involve other people's characters beyond the other writers' comfort zone. If you are unsure how a character might react in a situation, it is better to let the character's player decide than take a chance and be wrong. When writing an inter-active post, don't resolve all the conversations or situations. Leave room for the other writer to respond.

The middle road of these poles would be one in which the writer, while concentrating on his or her character, contacts a few player characters on the way. Note that in this medium the player characters are the featured players and should take precedence in consideration over NPC's. The interaction with the other characters should be in the idiom and style the charcters' players have already set out. The character development that is done should be concerned mainly with the writer's character, and not others.

4.3. Plot-driven vs. Character-driven

Character-driven posts develop the character to the exclusion of the plot. The plot only serves as a foil against which the character can unfold and become. This leads to some interesting characters, but leads nowhere for the rest of the players.

In a plot-driven post the character is secondary to the story that is being told. The story encompasses the whole of the writing, and little or no attention is given to developing the character through the post. The story, not the character, is developed. The character is simply an observer or conduit for the writer. The problem with this is that it leads to flat, unimaginative characters who stand like paper cut-outs before whatever confronts them and leaves the other players confused as to how to make the character react when they continue the story.

The middle road is, of course, to develop the plot as well as character. The plot can be developed through the character, or the character can be developed through the plot. Both are possible and equally valid. The idea is that neither the plot or the character are to remain untouched. Each should change when they come in contact with each other and help the writer write. Indeed, a well-developed character suggests many plot pathways to the observant writer. Likewise, good plot development can't help but impact upon the character who is in the midst of it. In good writing character and plot dance an intricate dance of interdependence.

5. In Closing...

This is but one resource available to the beginning player. Take advantage of your Academy Instructor while you're training. Out in the Fleet, don't be afraid to ask questions of your First Officer and Commanding Officer. Above all, remember Standing General Order Number Two: HAVE FUN! :-)