In
order for a game to be fun for everyone involved, their needs to be a
set of rules to follow, right? Below are the house rules that the Laffey
uses regarding various aspects of game play. These rules have been put
in place to make sure that the Laffey can be a role-playing environment
where people can express themselves no matter what their writing ability
or knowledge of role-playing is like.
The USS Laffey is part of Bravo Fleet, which uses the following rules,
here. You should have read them if you are to be playing on the Laffey
as all of these rules do apply.
To make it easier things have been broken down the following sections
Character Definition And Development
Character Types
Laffey
Refs
Posting Guidelines
Thread Names and Back Posting
Interaction and Tagging
How Often You Should Post and Leave of Absence
Plots, Story and Game Organization
Point
System
Post
Retraction
Leaving The Laffey
| CHARACTER DEFINITINO AND DEVELOPMENT |
| One of the
things that has made Trek shows starting with The Next
Generation so popular is that stories became less and less about
things attacking the ship, etc. and became more about the
people. The Laffey can be looked at in this same light. A
starship wouldn't function without its crew. As you begin your
tour of duty on the Laffey, you will first be asked to create a
character. The basic creation of a character includes giving your character a name, age, gender, species, birth place, date of birth, height, weight, skin color, eye color, hair color, general appearance, personal and family history, likes and dislikes, hobbies, career background etc. This may sound like a lot of detail to worry about, but it is details like these that help to define who you want your character to be. A word of caution should be issued when creating a character: the cannon or background of the Laffey is based on the current background found in the Trek television shows and movies and also what is cannon to the Bravo Fleet Universe. Therefore, be realistic in creating your character. Betazoid/Borg mixes with solid deuterium armored plating and the ability to crush people with incredible PSI power type characters do not exist and we ask that you stick to the established races currently found in the Trek universe. Along with creating a character, you may want to consider what direction you want to take your character. For example, you may want to develop your character in such a way that he/she may be up for a command of his/her own or even have you character meet someone and get married. In any case, letting the Refs know of the direction helps them to help you develop story arcs for your character. If we take an example from the TV series and look at Tom Paris from Voyager, he joins the ship from a prison, primarily as a consultant to help track down the Marquis ship. Then Voyager is flung across space and the majority of the crew bite the big one and he has to resume duties as a Star Fleet Officer. You see his recklessness and all the things that took him away from Star Fleet in the first place and then he adapts to become an exemplary officer. Along the way he falls in love and gets married, has various emotional crisis's about what his Father thinks and designs the Delta flyer. He does not gain any special powers (aside from being the best pilot in the fleet) and the character develops over time so that what he is going through is explored. Occasionally you may want to update your character's information. There is a Bio Update form located on the ship's website that will allow you to do this. Any character changes are subject to review by the Refs. This is only to make sure that changes to characters are reasonable. For example, your character suddenly growing a third eye probably wouldn't be the best change to submit to a character. If your character were to discover a long lost relative or if your character changed his/her hair color would be along the lines of appropriate additions to your character's biography. The Laffey Ref's understand that a player may not have a complete understanding of where they want to take their character when it is created and are more than willing for things stated at a characters creation to change as the player 'gets to know' the character better. What a player decides at character generation does restrict that characters potential, it just defines the starting point for the player to come up with a logical and interesting story of the characters progression. As with the military in the real world, there are opportunities for advancement for your character. An increase in rank is based on overall performance and not on a point system. The Refs will review your performance and issue these as it sees fit. The idea here is that rank advancement is not a thing that happens every six months. It would be unrealistic to have a staff of Commanders running around the ship, therefore advancing from an Ensign to a Lieutenant Junior Grade (j.g.) and from Lieutenant (j.g.) to full Lieutenant is easier than going from Lieutenant to Lieutenant Commander and from Lieutenant Commander to Commander. Lest you become discouraged with your current situation, there are plenty of opportunities to be awarded medals and awards. |
| CHARACTER TYPES |
| On the Laffey
there are two types of characters: Player Characters (PC),
Non-Player Characters (NPC). Player Characters - These are characters that are controlled by actual human beings. You are not allowed to use other player-controlled characters in your posts without the permission of the controlling player. Non-Player Characters - These are characters whose actions are not controlled by players. These characters are generally used by Laffey Refs to help further a story and provide additional personalities for the players to interact with. Players are allowed to use NPC's in posts but there are guidelines to using these types of characters than will be discussed later. |
| LAFFEY REFS |
| A Laffey Ref is
a controller of the environment of the Laffey PbeM game to help
provide entertainment to the players of that game. They do this
by posting either as their own characters or NPC's to create
events for the Players to react to. They also keep track of all
of the plots that are going on with the Laffey and keep them
going in context with the games timeline. Also a Laffey Ref is still a player on the game and so it is the responsibility of the other refs to control plot/story links for their character to partake in, thus allowing everyone to be able to 'play' the game. Refs will have access to more information and knowledge than the players to do with what is actually occurring in the game and are here to use that knowledge to help players interface there own characters into the environment of the game and still leave a few surprises for the players to uncover. The refs talk with each other, share ideas and work as a team so that they can assist the players and keep the pace of game running for everyone's enjoyment. The best way to think of the Refs is like a group of writers/directors for a television show. These are the people behind the scenes making sure that everything runs smoothly. They are responsible for encouraging interaction between players, controlling the environment, introducing new storylines and plots, presenting interesting characters and places to interact with and more. They also handle disciplinary matters and recruiting but their whole purpose is to make sure that the game is as fun and enjoyable as possible for all participating. |
| POSTING GUIDELINES |
| Once a character
is created, you can begin posting for your character. While
there is no set structure for a post, it is generally
recommended that you start out with announcing which character
is writing the post. This allows us to keep track of who is
posting and how often a player posts. As you observe others
posting, you may pick up on new styles and formats that you find
the easiest to write for your character in. When you post, you are adding to the current mission or storyline from your character's perspective. When interacting with other characters, be respective of that character. A sample post might look like: Lieutenant John Doe Chief Science Officer USS Laffey ON: [Lounge] As John entered the ship's lounge, he made his way to the bar. He ordered a Scotch, neat, and found a table to sit at. OFF: Tag, anyone in the Lounge There are a few don'ts regarding posting. Blowing up the ship is never a good idea. Being mean or acting inappropriately towards another character is another. It's ok to joke, as long as it is not seriously degrading towards another player. Also, the Laffey is rated PG-13 for those who understand American movie ratings. This means that excessive swearing is not appropriate - it takes away from the fun. In addition, sex scenes are not allowed. As with the shows and movies, you can imply that something happened between your character and another, but please spare us all the details. Should there be at anytime a question about something that you want to post, don't hesitate to run it by one of the Refs. |
| THREAD NAMES AND BACK POSTING |
| As you begin to
receive posts from other players, you will notice that every
post will be titled with a thread name and this is used to
identify the action that is happening and for the in game
summary that is published every week. The thread names are our
way of keeping track of who is doing what in certain locations
and at what time so it is vital that when you post as your
character that you keep to the thread name. For example your
character might be on a shuttle heading towards an asteroid base
while crewmembers aboard the Laffey may be preparing for a
battle with another ship. Your thread name would be something
like 'A Long Trip' while the events on the Laffey may well be
played out under 'Preparations for Battle' Thread names may well change as things happen in the course of the posts, using the previous example when the shuttle arrives at the base the thread name may well change to 'At the Base' It should also be noted that the thread names help to control the time flow so that it is therefore possible to back post for actions that your character may have performed before the current timeline has advanced beyond that point. This means that it is possible to play your character on more than one thread at a time as long as the two threads are not happening at the same time, this is very handy for working out things with another player character that have no real bearing on the plot, for example relationship building between characters. However, the actions of your character in any back post cannot alter future events that have already happened or are about to happen. For example, a player goes to visit a someone at a known safe location and finds that some unsavory types ambush them on the way. Back posting a scene where their character just happens to equip themselves with Body Armour and a CQB Phaser before going out on there little excursion would be considered as cheating. Back posting and being able to post on more than one thread are extended as privileges to the players to assist them in playing the Laffey game around the schedule of there normal lives. It allows players a bit more time to work on longer posts that do not affect the day-to-day pace of the game. The Laffeys Refs will however clamp down on players that they believe are abusing this privilege in a way that is detrimental to the game. |
| INTERACTION AND TAGGING |
| An aspect of the
Star Trek franchise that has made it so appealing is the general
respect that each crewmember has for one another. This is
generally true on the screen or television as well as in real
life. When interacting with other crewmembers on the ship,
please treat them with respect, inside the game or outside of
it. We feel that we have a pretty good thing going in this
aspect. As a general guideline Its Ok to post as another character when you are exhibiting common sense in there actions (i.e. another crewmember acknowledging an order, it is expected that all characters respect the Chain of Command unless obviously stated by the player that they don't.) It is not OK to post as another character when you are assuming some kind of reaction (i.e. Informing another character that you character is pregnant with their child and then posting there reaction). This extends to NPC's that the Ref's are running plot/storylines through, of course if the NPC is not involved in anything like this then assuming a reaction is OK as long as it follows the guidelines set down for that NPC i.e. they stay true to character. When you "tag" another player, you are indicating to them that you wish them to interact with you and your character. This gives other players an opportunity to add their unique perspective to the mission storyline. It also shows respect to the other player in allowing him/her to be able to use their character to the fullest. By using Tags it is possible for characters to have conversations with each other and 'role-play' their characters reactions. Posts of this nature are frequently short and take less time to prepare, which gives players with busy schedules a better chance of participating in the game. Also this 'conversational tagging' method is favored by the Laffey Refs as a way of getting NPC's to reveal information so that the player character involved has something to react to or a plot lead to follow up. Occasionally, you will tag someone and they will not respond right away. If this continues for at least seven days and is deemed to be holding up your progress then the Laffey Refs will continue the storyline from the perspective of the character tagged, normally with some excuse to have the character leave the conversation so that the tagging player is not held up. It is not fair to you to have to wait for a long period of time for someone to respond. Likewise, if you are tagged and your schedule means that you are busy and will not be able to formulate a reply then please show respect for the player that tagged you by sending an e-mail stating what is going on and how soon it will be before you can post a reply. This is just common courtesy and does not have to be overly involved as it does not take to long to send an email saying 'Hi, I am a bit busy at the moment so can't get to your tag.' |
| HOW OFTEN YOU SHOULD POST AND LEAVE OF ABSENCE |
| Bravo Fleet
rules ask that you post at least once a week, however you are
more than welcome and encouraged to post more often than that.
The more that you participate, the more fun you have with this
game. We understand that often times, you may be busy in your
life and may not have the opportunity to respond to a tag right
away. As a general guideline and to show respect to others on the ship, if you know you are going to be away for a while, please take two minutes to send an e-mail letting the Laffey Refs know of your current status. |
| PLOTS, STORY AND GAME ORGANIZATION |
| The Laffey game
runs with a continuing story line, which has a number of
different plots and events that move around it controlled by the
Laffey Refs. This story line becomes evident as you play the
game and in effect it is one of the main reasons for a lot of
our players to play the game. Do not be under the impression
that this story line is locked down and unchanging, it does
change in response to the actions of the player characters on
the game, we are not just writing a story on the Laffey but
playing a game. Apart from the main story line a number of other plots that are hinged on Player Characters or Non-Player Characters could also be going on at the same time. For example, it would be quite normal in a Star Trek TV episode for the ship to be on a mission, say rescuing people from a stricken planet. At the same time in the episode one of the crew members might be having their own crisis to do with an up and coming exam. The Laffey works in the same way but obviously caters for all of the players on the ship. Another thing to be aware of is that the plots continue to move on even if they are not being spoken about in posts. There are a number of NPC's that have there own agenda's which will advance along with the Laffey's own timeline. 'A Snap Shot In Space' is a reserved thread name used by the Refs to give an indication of what some of these other 'powers' in the universe are up to. In essence it is the equivalent of a cut scene in Star Trek where they cut to see what the bad guys are doing. Although it is unlikely that your characters will be aware of any of this information posted it is so that you can be aware as players and therefore understand the 'bigger picture' that we are trying to paint. Every week on the Laffey a summary post of the current thread names is made by one of the refs and this information can also be found on the website here. This is to keep everyone up to speed with what is going on. If as a player you are unsure about what your character will actually 'know' about what is going on in the game then the best thing to do is contact one of the refs and ask. Events covered in threads and the course of game play will also be broken down into missions, which are effectively the equivalent of episodes. A mission will cover a number of events that may or may not be related to the overall plot of the Laffey and will be assigned a name by the Commanding Officer. |
| POINT SYSTEM |
| The Laffey
operates a point system for a little bit of competition between
the players. Each week the Commanding Officer can award up to 3
points to a player, which follows the following guidelines. 1 Point for making an In Character post with your character in that week. (NPC Posts and OOC posts do not count) 1 Point for making an exceptional amount of In Character posts during the week. 1 Point for making an exceptionally good post that shows the player is paying attention to the game or is good in some other quality (Humorous/Trek Like/inspired etc) At the end of the year the player with the most points wins the Laffey Player of the year award and then all of the point totals are reset so that newer players will not be behind existing players. The current point totals can be found on the Game Status page. |
| POST RETRACTION |
| Should for any
reasons a post violate rules laid out by the Bravo Fleet
Admiralty, it will be removed. This is not intended to offend
anyone, just to maintain the integrity of the game as we do
operate on a public list. An explanation will be given as to why
the post was removed. We don't want to make a habit of this, so
in most cases, unless it is a serious violation of the rules,
you will have a chance to explain what you intended to do with
the post. As a player, you may request that a post, which you find offensive towards your character, be removed. When doing so, please send an e-mail off list to the Refs and one to the player who wrote the post in question regarding your reasons for asking the post to be removed. Be kind in your request. Screaming at another player because they typed the way your character spells his/her name only makes you look bad and takes away from the fun of the game. If you are having problems with another character, please contact one of the Refs to have the matter taken care of. Trying to do it yourself will only make the situation worse and make your experience here unpleasant. |
| LEAVING THE LAFFEY |
| We understand
that sometimes things don't always appear to be what you thought
they might be. We also understand that real life can step in and
demand more of your time than you would want it to. In these
cases, there are options available: - If your life becomes too busy for the time being, it is possible to change the status of your character to a NPC ready for you when you do have more time. - If you wish to leave the Laffey, please inform one of the Refs of your decision. We are more than happy to work with you regarding your decision. - If you like your character, but feel that he/she would be better suited on another one of Bravo Fleet's many ships, we can make arrangements for you to transfer. - If you are unhappy with your character and the way things are going on the Laffey, contact one of the Refs to discuss it. It may be possible to work things out and rearrange your character's responsibilities or possibly creating a new character. If nothing is heard from a player after 3 weeks, they player will be contacted and that character will be moved to NPC status. If after 6 weeks, nothing is heard from the player, the player will be dropped from the mailing list. It is understandable that computer trouble may prevent you from posting when you need to. If this is the case, please contact one of the Refs to discuss the situation. The important thing to remember through all of this is that we are here to have fun. There is so much to be found here aboard the Laffey. We hope that you will enjoy your tour of duty aboard the Laffey as we explore the final frontier. |
