03-18-2026, 11:34 AM
== Great job Cadet Diaz and thank you for your patience. I let work get me wrapped up and couldn't get free. You did a wonderful job in understanding the formatting we use on the site and responding to the question. Let’s move on to Lesson two: Plots, GM Input, Character Hijacking, and View New Posts:
Each ship will have two types of plots: the main plot and subplots.
Main plots affect the entire ship and are directed by an assigned Game Moderator (GM).
Subplots are an underlying story that’s being told within the main plot. A subplot can be run by any player who has received approval by the ship’s CO (or FO).
An example of the difference between the two: The main plot is about the ship falling under attack, whereas a subplot would be a character dealing with an on ship pregnancy or maybe trying to write the next great holonovel.
GMs:
Game Moderators (GMs) guide the ships’ missions along. Every ship has a mission, of which only the GMs of a ship know the mission details.
Your job is to write what your character sees and what their reaction is. The GM will provide any unknowns about the plot. This input will have significance to the direction of the mission. This is why characters should keep posts open ended on anything that might affect the mission’s direction or outcome. As your character performs an action, such as performing a diagnostic scan, leave the result of the scan unknown. The GM will explain what the outcome of the action is.
When you need GM input on something, for example results of a diagnostic scan, one only has to make a request at the end of the post. The request can look like:
== GM Input, please. ==
Or it can also be a more specific request, such as:
== GM Input: Result of the diagnostic, please. ==
Take a look around at the active ships on Federation Space to see characters ask for GM input.
Character Hijacking:
The next element we’re going to cover is character usage. Unless you have permission from the player, you cannot post any speech, thoughts or movements for another character (PRC or NRC) that isn’t yours, unless the character has already done so in game. This is called character hijacking and is not permitted on Fed Space. Some players might not mind, but even minor things such as a nod of the head or a shrug of the shoulders can be considered hijacking.
For example, if you wrote in your next post that Captain Maddie Allen suddenly appeared and started dancing the Hokey Pokey, you would have hijacked another character.
Character Movement on Ships:
I’m sure you have noticed a ship has multiple threads on it for various locations that a player can post, such as the bridge, sickbay, and security offices. Oftentimes while on a mission players travel throughout the ship to accomplish their orders. To help follow the plot when a player is transitioning from one thread to another they should make a notation at the end their post like this: >> Sickbay >> The arrows and location found at the bottom of a post tells readers where this character will post next.
When the player makes their next post, the player should make a notation at the beginning of their post like this: << Bridge << The arrows and location found at the top of a post indicate that is where a player has just come from.
View New Posts:
I would like to mention the ‘view new posts’ feature on the top right of the forum page. This tab is a quick and handy way to see who has posted since your previous visit to Federation Space.
With that said, let’s have more writing! In your next post, continue using the formatting techniques you learned in lesson one and ask for GM input. I will be acting as your GM.
If you need any help or would like more clarification on something, ask me! ==
Maddie gave a soft smile and brought her shoulders down. "Don't be too eager to admit you're not into science or engineering. There's plenty of both in every department." She gave the cadet a wink with her smile. "But I get it. Why do you think I went security?"
Maddie asked with an expression that would be difficult for most to determine if she was kidding or not. She did this on purpose.
"Try not to be too anxious Cadet. While this is your final exam," Maddie continued, speaking in a relaxed, friendly manner. She honestly didn't want any cadet set up for failure. "You have been taught what to do, how to do it. This is a way to show us what you have learned.... Take a moment to take a few breaths. Inhale, exhale."
She gave the cadet a last smile and encouraging smile before she faded away and the holodeck changed to that of a federation runabout.
"Welcome to your final exam Cadet. A federation survey vessel, the USS Meridian, has gone silent. The Meridian’s last transmission was fragmented and brief."
[Unknown contact… power fluctuations… attempting to...]
"You have been assigned a runabout to investigate."
Just then, the viewscreen on the runabout snapped to life, showing the USS Meridian. It was drifting ahead, lights flickering, hull intact but eerily quiet. No visible damage. No movement.
Ensign Hale, sitting at a console, speaks up. “I’m detecting intermittent power surges across their grid. Something seems to be cycling their systems on and off. There is also a gravitational anomaly forming off the Meridian’s port bow. Small, but increasing in intensity.”
There was another officer, Ensign Dickens, at another console.
"Good luck," Maddie told the cadet.
== Over to you Cadet! Have fun!
==
Each ship will have two types of plots: the main plot and subplots.
Main plots affect the entire ship and are directed by an assigned Game Moderator (GM).
Subplots are an underlying story that’s being told within the main plot. A subplot can be run by any player who has received approval by the ship’s CO (or FO).
An example of the difference between the two: The main plot is about the ship falling under attack, whereas a subplot would be a character dealing with an on ship pregnancy or maybe trying to write the next great holonovel.
GMs:
Game Moderators (GMs) guide the ships’ missions along. Every ship has a mission, of which only the GMs of a ship know the mission details.
Your job is to write what your character sees and what their reaction is. The GM will provide any unknowns about the plot. This input will have significance to the direction of the mission. This is why characters should keep posts open ended on anything that might affect the mission’s direction or outcome. As your character performs an action, such as performing a diagnostic scan, leave the result of the scan unknown. The GM will explain what the outcome of the action is.
When you need GM input on something, for example results of a diagnostic scan, one only has to make a request at the end of the post. The request can look like:
== GM Input, please. ==
Or it can also be a more specific request, such as:
== GM Input: Result of the diagnostic, please. ==
Take a look around at the active ships on Federation Space to see characters ask for GM input.
Character Hijacking:
The next element we’re going to cover is character usage. Unless you have permission from the player, you cannot post any speech, thoughts or movements for another character (PRC or NRC) that isn’t yours, unless the character has already done so in game. This is called character hijacking and is not permitted on Fed Space. Some players might not mind, but even minor things such as a nod of the head or a shrug of the shoulders can be considered hijacking.
For example, if you wrote in your next post that Captain Maddie Allen suddenly appeared and started dancing the Hokey Pokey, you would have hijacked another character.
Character Movement on Ships:
I’m sure you have noticed a ship has multiple threads on it for various locations that a player can post, such as the bridge, sickbay, and security offices. Oftentimes while on a mission players travel throughout the ship to accomplish their orders. To help follow the plot when a player is transitioning from one thread to another they should make a notation at the end their post like this: >> Sickbay >> The arrows and location found at the bottom of a post tells readers where this character will post next.
When the player makes their next post, the player should make a notation at the beginning of their post like this: << Bridge << The arrows and location found at the top of a post indicate that is where a player has just come from.
View New Posts:
I would like to mention the ‘view new posts’ feature on the top right of the forum page. This tab is a quick and handy way to see who has posted since your previous visit to Federation Space.
With that said, let’s have more writing! In your next post, continue using the formatting techniques you learned in lesson one and ask for GM input. I will be acting as your GM.
If you need any help or would like more clarification on something, ask me! ==
Maddie gave a soft smile and brought her shoulders down. "Don't be too eager to admit you're not into science or engineering. There's plenty of both in every department." She gave the cadet a wink with her smile. "But I get it. Why do you think I went security?"
Maddie asked with an expression that would be difficult for most to determine if she was kidding or not. She did this on purpose.
"Try not to be too anxious Cadet. While this is your final exam," Maddie continued, speaking in a relaxed, friendly manner. She honestly didn't want any cadet set up for failure. "You have been taught what to do, how to do it. This is a way to show us what you have learned.... Take a moment to take a few breaths. Inhale, exhale."
She gave the cadet a last smile and encouraging smile before she faded away and the holodeck changed to that of a federation runabout.
"Welcome to your final exam Cadet. A federation survey vessel, the USS Meridian, has gone silent. The Meridian’s last transmission was fragmented and brief."
[Unknown contact… power fluctuations… attempting to...]
"You have been assigned a runabout to investigate."
Just then, the viewscreen on the runabout snapped to life, showing the USS Meridian. It was drifting ahead, lights flickering, hull intact but eerily quiet. No visible damage. No movement.
Ensign Hale, sitting at a console, speaks up. “I’m detecting intermittent power surges across their grid. Something seems to be cycling their systems on and off. There is also a gravitational anomaly forming off the Meridian’s port bow. Small, but increasing in intensity.”
There was another officer, Ensign Dickens, at another console.
"Good luck," Maddie told the cadet.
== Over to you Cadet! Have fun!
==