Ten Forward RPG mod account (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
ten_fwd_mods) wrote2014-03-29 12:52 am
ten_fwd_mods) wrote2014-03-29 12:52 am
Entry tags:
Frequently Asked Questions
If you're new to Ten Forward, please peruse our FAQ for extended rules and guidelines before apping. Failure to adhere to game rules can result in your removal from the game, so if you have any questions, get your answers now.
What exactly is Ten Forward? Ten Forward is, essentially, the starship Enterprise's bar. It's described as being the ship's social and entertainment hub, to which all the crew goes when off duty. It's located in Section 1 of Deck 10, so it's the very foremost bit of the front of the saucer.
So... we're in space? Yes, Virginia, the future is real! We're on the starship Enterprise (be excited, y'all, the Big E's been decommissioned, so this is your last shot). This is a Galaxy-class starship, formally known as the Enterprise NCC-1701-D. What does this mean? It means your character has access to a veritable yacht. In space. But we'll get more into that later.
Do I have to know Star Trek to play here? Not at all! In fact, one of your friendly neighborhood mods doesn't know a thing about Star Trek, but I'm not telling who it is. While the idea of playing in a canon setting with such a long history can feel daunting (47 years, yikes), all you really need is a love of adventure to understand the setting we're going for here. And booze. There's a reason we picked a setting with social lubricant on hand.
How does the game work? Ten Forward is a prose-driven game we're affectionately calling a 'jamjar with a twist'. Traditionally, jamjars trap your character in a brand new setting where they're forced to adapt, like catching fireflies in a jar. Only there are a few beetles in there, too. And some caterpillars. While the Enterprise is, similarly, a closed ecosystem, it's also one that constantly moves, docking at space stations and new planets as they go. While the inciting plot of the game requires the Enterprise to be stuck floating in space, and thus her passengers stuck aboard, eventually your character will be free to come and go as they choose, visiting new worlds ... and perhaps even going home.[*]
Another aspect of the twist is that we just really enjoy 'dressing room' games as well, and we want to incorporate that same feeling of freedom to create and experiment with running your own plots.Ten Forward will have regular mod-run plots, but except in cases of actions like needing to move the ship, participation will be voluntary. If your character doesn't want to go to the planet with the lizard people, then they don't have to go. They can stay on the ship and play a game of Tri-D Chess with a friend, or read a book. We chose Ten Forward, rather than any other area of the ship, as the main staging area of our game because characters don't have to be on-duty or running a task. Your character can simply grab a meal or have a drink. Similarly, we wanted to incorporate the best of both plot-driven and dressing room games into one place by letting players choose their own adventure.
Since Ten Forward is a prose-driven game, there wasn't much need to have a log comm in addition to the main community. We've simplified, for the time being, into one comm –![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
ten_fwd – for all in-character gameplay.
What? No Log Community? You heard us right. Just one comm. Some of your mods come from games where that isn't unusual, and some of us come from games where play is divided among several comms. Our goal was to make Ten Forward as simple and user-friendly as possible.
So... how will you handle private threads? For anything occurring off the ship, in your character's private quarters, or which contains adult content, you may use your character journal to stage the post and link to it in the main comm (use the appropriate warnings when you do). For everything else, a post in the main comm can be amended with a footnote which says: "This post is plot-locked to [user names]" Party posts, missions, open plots, etc. may all be posted in the main comm.
If you're posting something that is not intended for threading (such as mission reports, notes your character is leaving for themselves, flashbacks, or scenes from your character's canon), please use your character journal and link the post to the main comm when it's complete. In Star Trek, characters often record diary entries they call "personal logs" by using the ship's computer, so feel free to play with that opportunity as well.
How will plots be run? Game plots, with few exceptions, will be opt-in/opt-out. They may be inspired by events from Star Trek, or they may be entirely original. There will be regular mod-run plots, with enough time between to allow your characters to evolve at a pace which is comfortable for you. No points or XP will be handed out; we're playing for fun, not to win a prize. It's all about your character's journey, and how they meet the challenges of life aboard the Enterprise. You may be asked to be part of a team with other players in order to meet a goal, or you may work alone to coordinate your own plot arc. In all instances of the former, sign-ups will be held in the OOC community where you can volunteer. No one will be forced to participate.
Can I suggest a plot? Absolutely! We want every player to contribute as much as they want to the game. If you have an idea for a plot, e-mail the mods about it. It does not have to be Star Trek specific; anything goes, within reason. After all, who hasn't wanted to throw a luau on the Enterprise? Or turn everyone into animals for a day?
What if my character comes from a canon without space travel/how does my character get on the ship? As our captain, Jean-Luc Picard, once said: "Things are only impossible until they're not." Remember, Star Trek is 'soft' science fiction, and a lot of weird things regularly happen. One such weird thing—or person, in this case—is the being Q.[*] Q is a powerful entity from a race of omnipotent, godlike beings (known as The Q), who can manipulate the fabric of time and space (to a degree) to suit his whims. He likes to antagonize and 'test' Captain Picard, 'winking' himself and other people on and off the ship. This is how we will explain the first arrival of characters on the ship when the game opens May 15th.
Following that point, your character can board the Enterprise in a variety of ways. They can choose to come aboard when the ship docks, or they can be yanked on board as one of Q's cosmic pranks. If you want your character here, but they're not from a world at all compatible with Star Trek, what we're saying is there is always a way. We want you here, and maybe Q does, too. Maybe he has plans for you no one knows about yet.
What can my character bring with them on to the ship? Pets are allowed on the Enterprise within reason. Many of the passengers are allowed to have cats and small dogs in their quarters, and the Enterprise has transported larger stock animals in their cargo holds before, so it's not out of the realm of possibility to say that some farm animals can be brought on-board as well. To be allowed in passenger quarters, an animal would have to be no larger than a St. Bernard, while a cargo bay can be converted into a makeshift stable for anything such as goats, chickens, or horses. Any wild animals, such as wolves or tigers, would have to be cleared by the mods first and allowed only on a case by case basis.
Is my character stuck here? That depends on what would be most interesting for you. In short: if you need a reason for your character to stay, then the Enterprise can be their sanctuary in a strange and distant universe; if your character needs to get home, nothing is beyond bartering for with our resident Q. If you prove amusing enough, he can wink you off the ship and back again once your character has attended to their business back home.
So... does this mean I have to clear things with Q's player first? Yes. At least, the things that involve Q actively doing stuff. Q is not an NPC, though we're perfectly happy to allow him to be the scapegoat for any problems your character has (Geordi stubbed his toe? A pox on Q's family!). You can always request a thread with Q—that's what he's here for!—and the player will be happy to help.
Note: For the first few months of gameplay, the ship will be still and Q will be proving his point, whatever that may be, by keeping your characters here. This is not permanent. We believe it's important for the interests of plot to allow your characters time to settle in on the Enterprise before immediately fleeing. Once Q is done having his fun and the plot is put to bed, the Enterprise will sail on to its next destination, and you will be free to arrange whatever passage on and off the ship you deem necessary for your character. That includes 'trapping' your character, if you're afraid s/he would not stay without something giving them a push.
What's the Enterprise like? The USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) is a Federation Galaxy-class explorer that serves as the Federation flagship. It's actually kind of huge, with 42 decks and a whole lot of space. The Bridge is located on Deck 1 (the top of the saucer), and it's where the ship is controlled—and, y'know, it has The Chair. The Captain's Ready Room is also on this deck, along with the Observation Lounge, which boasts a seriously impressive view of space.
Food Replicators[*] are located throughout the ship, notably in all living quarters and in Ten Forward, and they provide nutritional food and drink for everyone on board. There are some 4,000 power systems in all on board the Enterprise, and it can travel at a maximum speed of warp 9.6 – which is really, really fast. The Enterprise normally runs on three duty shifts, and is also highly defensible with armaments that include twelve phaser arrays, two torpedo launchers, a supply of 250 photon torpedoes, and hundreds of antimatter mines. It's also protected by a high-capacity shield grid. What this all means is that your characters are as safe as possible when on board. As of 2366, some thirteen species were represented among the 1,014 members of the ship's complement, both civilian and crew. The Enterprise even carries dolphins. No, we don't mean some alien hybrid – actual bottlenose dolphins. They serve as navigational specialists. We aren't making this up.
An average day aboard ship recorded by Lieutenant Commander Data included four birthdays, two personnel transfers, two chess tournaments, a secondary school play, four promotions, and at least one birth. So, as you can see, there's all kinds of stuff on this boat to keep your character occupied. We encourage players to take advantage of everything to the fullest.
Note: Star Trek tends to be delightfully forgetful about physical details, often altering numbers and statistics. All of our information is sourced from Memory Alpha, and may not be perfect.
What is the year and stardate of the game?
The year is 2366 and the stardate at the opening of the game is 43294.1. The dates in the game should coincide with dates in real life (ie, December 1st in real life is also December 1st in the game). The stardate will always be changing as the game progresses, any player who wants to utilize it can easily figure out what it is by using a stardate calculator. Just remember to change the year to 2366.
(Note: the stardate will not necessarily reflect the canon points of any TNG characters currently active in the game. Since Q arrived between 3x06 and 3x07 and guests from all across the known universes began to show up, this Enterprise has gone AU from the canon Enterprise. Events that happen later in season 3 and forward may happen at a different time, in a slightly different way, or not at all depending on game plots. Since we do plan on utilizing some episodes for future game plots, and we want all players of TNG characters to choose their canon points without adhering to any complicated AU story, it's important to note that.)
What's the time ratio in the game? The game has a 1:1 time movement ratio. We'll tell you ahead of schedule when we need to deviate from it.
How do languages work on the Enterprise? Crew members have a universal translator in their commbadges. Q has extended universal translation field around the Enterprise itself for the new arrivals. Fortunately for the new arrivals, Q's universal translator will also work when they are off the ship.
Can my character get a job here? Eventually, yes. We imagine there's going to be a lot keeping your character busy at first, but once the excitement dies down and the novelty wears off, there are plenty of opportunities. The Enterprise was designed to carry well over one thousand people, including children (in the canon, the ship's complement is stated to be 1,014 souls, though some estimate the ship as able to carry upwards of 15,000 people for short periods). Although Starfleet crew members staff the vital positions on board the Enterprise, civilian crew members were allowed to hold important jobs in the ship's science and medical departments, as well as support areas like Ten Forward and the ship's school, or the arboretum. Additionally, as the ship visits other stations and planets, there will be marketplaces to think about when hawking wares.
Once again, the only caveat is that civilians are not allowed on the bridge. To hold any position that wields power over the way the ship is run, your character must be a Starfleet officer or you the player must be a member of Ten Forward for at least one year before qualifying. This is to ensure that your character understands the way the ship works, and you the player understands how the game is run. For more information, e-mail the mods. We'll be happy to tell you if the job your character wants is available, and get you all set up in-game. You can also check out our business listings.
Can I request a specific room for my character? Yes. Room assignments are cataloged and can be requested here; you may also request a roommate for your character, or be randomly assigned one.
What's your "No Wank" policy? Simply put: be nice. Wiktionary describes wank as: Ridiculous, circular or inappropriately elaborate argument about something, especially if obnoxious, pretentious or unsubstantial. We do not allow trolling, flaming, name-calling, bashing, and so forth either in-game or conducted in our OOC communities. Treat everyone as you'd want to be treated. It's that simple.
How is this enforced? By having a present mod team, listening when you report something, and sticking to a three strike policy. We care about everyone's happiness here, and want to do what we can to make Ten Forward fun. Disagreements arise and sometimes we can't help that, and the mods certainly aren't going to chastise anybody for that. But when disagreements get out of hand and start hurting other players, that hurts the whole game. Above all else we want Ten Forward to be the kind of place where everyone is welcome, so chasing people off is not our first line of defense against drama. We ask you what's up. That's it. No strings, no ulterior motives – we simply want to talk, understand the problem, and find the best solution. Your mods are here to help, and we play no favorites.
So... what's this 'three strike policy' about? So glad you asked. Because we rely so heavily on communication to keep the game happy and healthy, and that means hearing from you when there is a problem, we need to assess the severity of the problem and make sure it's reasonable, justifiable, and that everyone is fully informed. Most of us, at one time or another, have been complained about by someone on the internet. Sometimes we don't even know it's happening until a mod takes action against us. That's why the mods here at Ten Forward will always talk to you first, and if the situation warrants it, issue you a warning (or a 'strike'). If you've been warned three or more times, you will be removed from the community. How we respond to trouble will vary depending on the situation (for instance, if you're issuing death threats you may be asked to leave immediately, but in matters of small disagreements you may not be given a strike at all), but in all cases after three strikes you're out.
Is it as strict as it sounds? We don't think so, and if you aren't here to cause trouble then hopefully you won't, either! Our #1 priority is making sure everyone feels safe and keeping the game what it was meant to be: fun. We're here as a last resort. If you have a disagreement with someone, talk to them. Nine times out of ten you can work it out, or prevent it from becoming some massive drama before the mods ever have to get involved. We're all here to play a game and make some friends, not police how everyone acts. So reach out, always communicate, and remember we want you to feel comfortable coming to us whenever something is upsetting you.
What do I do if I'm being bullied? Let the mods know immediately. We understand that sometimes it isn't easy confronting other people, and we're here to support you. If you feel more comfortable talking to one mod over another, that's okay. Our contact information is located here. We always respect you and your privacy.
What is Canon-Puncturing, and is it ever allowed? Canon-puncturing happens when one character tells another character they're from a fictional, or 'made-up' world, and therefore aren't real. For instance, if Dwight Schrute from The Office walked up to Jack Bauer from 24 and told him he was from a TV show, that would be canon-puncturing. Some of my favorite characters happen to be huge pop culture nuts. Take Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory: if you're someone from a geeky show, movie, or video game, odds are Sheldon knows intimate details about your person. That's a huge part of what makes Sheldon who he is. The problem would only arise if he strolled up to Captain Picard and told him he wasn't real, that nothing about his world was real, and by extension that nothing he accomplished in his life mattered in the real world. That kind of doesn't go over well with most people.
Canon-puncturing is never allowed without express permission from all parties involved. If you don't mind having your character canon-punctured that's your business, and you're free to make arrangements with other players thusly. But players should never assume it's okay to canon-puncture someone else's character. Just don't do it, okay?
Can my character have 4th wall knowledge of Star Trek Universe? Yes, it is okay for characters to recognize elements of the Star Trek universe, up to and including any canonical Star Trek characters, within reason. Players are disallowed from telling those characters that they or their world is fictional, or chatting about their personal details (such as events that will happen to them in the future), unless all players involved have given express permission to do so (this would include mention of any active third-party character not involved in the thread).
Inner-monologues and/or narration should be safe enough, but if you're ever unsure about a player's preferences, it is always best to err on the side of caution
What is God-Modding, and is it ever allowed? Urban Dictionary has a pretty good definition, but in short: God-Modding is a) claiming your character is so powerful/good/skilled that they are impervious to anything another character might do; b) controlling another character's actions or dialog without the player's express permission. There are no circumstances under which god-modding is ever allowed, so please don't ever do it.
If you are playing a character with super-human abilities, or are otherwise concerned about god-modding, you can read a little more here.
What are Trigger Warnings? It's paramount everyone respects the preferences and limitations of other players, so to understand trigger warnings please make sure you first understand what triggers are. I've found one fandom writer explains it very well, but before continuing I must warn you that she shares her story, which is explicit, and can itself be considered a trigger. The post is called, Sexual Assault, Triggering, and Warnings: An Essay. Warning: Very explicit discussion of sexual assault and the nature, anatomy, cause & effect of triggers. Is itself triggery.
The above is an example of a trigger warning.
I am over 18, how should adult content be posted? Any adult or triggery material—which may include sex, violence, (attempted) rape, character death, (attempted) self-harm, (attempted) suicide/suicidal themes, abuse, domestic violence, assault, mental disorders and serious illnesses, abandonment, substance abuse, addiction, etc.—must be behind a cut-tag, with a clearly written warning. If you're linking to something out of the main comm containing such material, apply a warning below or next to the link. If something comes up spontaneously when threading in the comments section, use the subject line to add a warning, or adjust your post to say, "Warning: adult/triggery content contained in the thread with [character]."
What happens if I forget or make a mistake when posting adult/triggery content? We ask you to fix it. That's all.
Is there anything else I should avoid doing? Please don't change any physical details of the Enterprise, such as blowing a hole in the side of the ship or adding a statue of your character in the middle of Ten Forward. You can customize your character's quarters however you see fit, but common areas will need mod approval before any alterations take place.
Don't stage a coup or try to take over the ship. There will be regular updates both IC and OOC to keep all characters and players apprised of where the Enterprise is, where it's headed, if there's anything unusual on board, etc. Even if your character is a super smart engineer, it's a big no-no to go to the engine room and start pressing buttons. Don't order the crew around like you own the place. Now, if you'd like to discuss a temporary uprising of some sort, you can do so by suggesting a plot for mod approval.
What if my character has godlike abilities? The Q may be the most powerful entity in the Star Trek universe, but when we start combining multi-fandom characters the debate usually arises: who's the most powerful? The short answer is: it doesn't matter. Your character may be all-powerful in their canon, and we respect that you may feel highlighting that is important to staying IC. However, for the purposes of gameplay we have to have a set top-level entity within the game's universe, and that entity is The Q. If you are playing a godlike character—or an outright god—they must follow the same rules as everyone else. You still can't have your character take control of anyone else's actions, no matter how powerful they may be. And if your character gets out of hand, Q's just powerful enough to put them in their place – with a generous helping of humor, no doubt. There's only room enough for one troublemaker on this here space boat, says he.
What if my character is a villain/a control freak/titled/etc? So You Want To Own a Space Boat? Well, you can't. Sorry. We all have them: characters who like to put up a stink, search for glory and power, challenge authority, and so on. And we all love them! They're what make stories exciting and plots engaging. If you have a character who might buck under the game's constraints, but you still think they would be a good fit here, an adjustment period where they test the rules within reason is fine. For instance, if Captain Steve Rogers winks onto the ship, the first thing he might do is take down a few redshirts and storm the bridge to find out who's in charge. If Gavroche Thénardier winks onto the ship, he might try to pick as many pockets as possible before getting caught. Or maybe Dr. Evil winks on board and tries to outfit the bottlenose dolphins in navigation with lasers. The mods here at Ten Forward love having fun with this sort of thing, and can make crew and personnel available to you to thread out such scenes. You simply need to ask us first to keep any rule bending on the up-and-up. Eventually, Captain Rogers will have to submit to the ship's authority, Gavroche must return his stolen goods, and ... actually, we're pretty okay with the dolphins having lasers. You win this time, Dr. Evil.
Please note: If your character is an officer of any organization up to and including Starfleet, this does not automatically give them a pass to order around the ship. If a Commander Kirk ends up on board, he cannot usurp the authority of Captain Picard. Perhaps such a character may be invited to join the crew at some point, but it is not assured, and unless otherwise stated such a character is no more than a guest on board.
Anything else? That's it! Hopefully we aren't saying anything you haven't heard countless times before. Just use your common sense, and remember we're all easygoing here. Feel free to talk to a mod—we're around, you should know us and feel comfortable bringing complaints to us, it is why we're here—if you have a problem or a question that we haven't covered. If you have a problem with a mod, talk to another one of us.[*] That's why we are legion.
Who can I app? Ten Forward accepts characters from any established canon (book, movie, television series, video game, so on), as well as original characters (OCs) who may come from an original canon or an established canon. We will also accept some AUs (for more on that, continue here).
The application process for OCs and AUs is slightly more detailed than it is for characters from an established canon. Continue here for more info on that.
Who can't I app? We don't allow more than one of any given character at a time; say, Morgan happens to play Harry Potter, but Courtney also wants to play him. Unfortunately, we can't have two Harrys (Harries?) wandering around the same game, because that gets mighty confusing for folks, you understand. However, we do allow variations on the same character; for instance, Sherlock Holmes from Elementary and Sherlock Holmes from BBC's Sherlock can co-exist, because they are technically different characters.
We cannot accept major world deities (the God of Abrahamic tradition, Buddha, Jesus), or real people (President Obama, Shakespeare), UNLESS—and this is important—they are fictionalized versions. We're all pretty clear on that first one; it's unlikely anyone's going to get upset if someone chooses to play a Greek God or the Flying Spaghetti Monster, but someone playing Jesus could press some buttons, and we respect that. And, in the interests of not attracting libel lawsuits like a dog attracts fleas, we can't really let anyone app real people from the real world, either. Now, some version of a real person that's been fictionalized, like Kevin Costner's Eliot Ness from The Untouchables ... that we can talk about. Ultimately, you can send in your apps for all the characters you want, but it's up to the mods to decide what's going to be okay in terms of keeping the community open and safe.
We cannot accept Q characters, canon or OC. The setting of the game is designed such that Q is the most powerful being in the game and its main antagonist. As such, other characters from The Q species would run the risk of compromising Q's role as the ultimate power in the game and potentially detract from his role as our main antagonist. Other members of The Q species could also cause conflict with Q and confusion to players unfamiliar with The Q and how they work.
Does Ten Forward allow AUs? Generally speaking, yes. If it looks like someone is just trying to get around the one of any given character at a time rule, or trying to troll other players in the same canon, we will shut that down faster than you can spit. If, on the other hand, you have a character whose backstory you've had to flesh out with personal headcanon, growth in a different RPG, or otherwise put a lot of thought into, we're more than happy to welcome them to Ten Forward. AUs are subject to the same apping rules as OCs – meaning a longer essay, so we can see how much thought you've put into them. Ultimately, it's up to the mods whether or not your AU is a good fit for Ten Forward.
Does this mean I can bring characters over from another game? Sure! As long as you keep the mods and other players fully informed of any changes to your character's backstory, we have no problem with characters bringing over previous game history. We all work really hard on telling our stories, and sometimes the biggest hurdle to joining a new game is starting from scratch. You don't have to erase or re-write anything unless you want to, just as long as your character is open to new people in a new setting.
When can I app? Apps open the first of every month and remain open for one week. There will be an announcement in the OOC community at the beginning and end of every app period where changes will be noted if there are any.
What if I can't app during the regular app period? You can reserve a character you fully intend to app up to two weeks prior to when apps open. An announcement will be made in the OOC community when reserves open. Reserves will close the day before apps open, after which you will have two weeks to complete your application. If you can't complete your application during this time, the character will be removed from the reserved queue and placed back into the open market. Note that from February 2016 onwards, we will not be accepting reservations for characters whose canons are less than three (3) months old. For any other considerations, e-mail the mods and we'll see what we can do.
How exactly does reserving a character work? Reserving a character is a request, not a guarantee. The reserve process is for players who cannot submit an application during the week they are open, for whatever reason, but do fully intend to submit one. Reserves are not intended for character squatting; you will still have to fill out an application and the mods have to approve it.
When a player drops a character from the game, their character will be placed on the reserved list for one month (note: this is only for characters who were active enough to make a long-term impact). This is to allow for some time before anyone else can bring that character in, in case any active characters had substantial relationships with the previous character. If you are playing a character whose story could be upset by the appearance of another character in Ten Forward (ie: a spouse, child, abuser, kidnapper, etc.), you may e-mail the mods and ask that this character be put on the reserved list with a request that any potential players contact you before apping. This does not mean no one can ever app that character, it simply gives you the opportunity to inform any potential players of triggers or CR first, to be sure you and your character continue feeling safe in the game. Please note: this is only for legitimate concerns, and will not be allowed to facilitate character squatting or holding a character for a friend. This is against our rules, so any request must be approved by all mods.
You may only submit up to two (2) reserve requests per month. If your request has expired and you have not submitted an application, you may only request to reserve the same character one more time. After that, it's apply or release them to the wild.
Is there a character limit? Yes. We have an eight (8) character limit in the game. However, if you play a canon Star Trek character who has a working role on the ship in-game, you may want to continue reading here.
Is there a limit to how many characters I can app during a single apping period? Not at this time. We may change this in the future, but for now you're welcome to app as many characters as you want under the aforementioned rules – you may have no more than 8 characters total in your roster, and you must apply during the week apps are open. However...
Is there a limit to how many characters I can app from a single canon? Yes. To avoid "playercest"—roleplaying with oneself to an excessive degree—Ten Forward has a general rule that you may app no more than three (3) characters from a single canon, and you may only app one (1) character per canon per apping period. So if you want to play both Twilight Sparkle and Applejack from My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, you'll need to decide which one you'd like to play more. If the other has not been apped or reserved by the next open apping period, you may then submit an application.
Large or sweeping canons, such as myth or comics, will be handled on a case by case basis. If you're playing characters who have never interacted before inside their canon, we're generally okay with that. If you're not sure how your canon falls under this rule, contact a mod and we'll be happy to let you know.
Are there activity checks? Yes. Ten Forward runs activity checks every six months for each character you play. I know, this is ridiculously relaxed compared to most games. A lot of us are full-time students and/or have full-time jobs, so our schedules can be tight. We want to encourage gameplay here, not inhibit it. At the same time, we want to prevent players from grabbing up popular characters and never playing them. So as long as you're showing us substantial activity within a six-month period, we're happy to work with your real life schedule.
Proofs of activity should be spread across the activity period. If we see you're only doing the bare minimum each check, we may ask you to give up your character(s) so someone else can play them. If you have extenuating circumstances that are preventing you from meeting your ACs, let the mods know right away and look into requesting a hiatus. (See below)
Can I request an extension or go on hiatus? Hiatuses are provided for players who have legitimate reasons for not meeting their ACs. For instance, if you've been accepted into grad school and worry the intense program will leave little to no time for role playing, but intend to return to the game at the end of the semester/school year, you may want to request a hiatus. The maximum amount of time you can take away from the game is six months (this is in addition to however long it's been since your last game activity), though we naturally prefer you take less time. The mods will let you know two weeks before your requested hiatus expires. If we have not heard from you at the end of those two weeks, your character may be removed from the game. If you feel you need to extend your hiatus, please contact the mods right away. We will work with you, but communication is key and the mods will always look out for the game's best interests.
Explain apping a Star Trek character - do I get any special benefits? Yes and no. There is no player hierarchy in Ten Forward; even your mods are starting out in a new game just hoping to meet some awesome new people and have some fun. But, since the Enterprise needs a crew to function, we do need some Starfleet officers on board – at least for now. That being the case, we'll accept players not only willing to play on a regular basis, but also willing to act as pseudo-NPCs: characters who exist in the game only to further plots along. Perhaps you're thinking of apping Deanna Troi, but aren't sure you can play her regularly; however, you certainly can make her available to advise Captain Picard when he calls for her expertise, or to hold counselling sessions for passengers on a by request basis. That would fill a vital role for our game, and we'd love to have you.
What would that mean for ACs and character limits? You'd still have to be available when a plot calls for your character's presence, so likely you won't have to worry about missing your ACs. As far as character limits are concerned, any canon Star Trek crew member who has a working role on the ship in-game (security, engineering, bar tending, etc.), for at least one year, won't count against the player's character limit. That means you would be allowed a total of nine characters in your roster. Please note: the reason your character has to be part of the game for one year before qualifying is to make sure the player is serious about playing them. This is not a way to get around your character limit or hold onto characters you'll never play. Additionally, we'll only allow up to two (2) canon Star Trek characters in this capacity per player, for a total of ten characters in your roster at any given time. After that, any Star Trek characters will count against your overall character total.
If you would like more information about how this works, please e-mail the mods. Currently all canon Star Trek characters are being played by the mods or are under an NPC account, so we would love more players interested in being part of our crew.
What's your NPC policy? Speaking of NPCs, how does Ten Forward handle them? Let's split this up into Star Trek NPCs and NPCs from other canons.
We allow Star Trek NPCs on the Enterprise for small plots where they are basically disposable characters. We use the phrase "redshirts", which was coined after Star Trek: The Original Series, describing stock characters who show up only to die a few scenes later. These are characters with no backstory, no authority, no established personality or name. You may use NPCs to answer basic questions, give your character directions, deliver food and drink to your character, help your character up if they fall, and things of that nature. You cannot ascribe personalities to redshirts, or claim they're in charge of the ship in any way. They're just background characters, there to serve your character's immediate needs.
We do not allow NPCs from your character's canon onto the ship, unless they're only there briefly for plot purposes (such as: your character is unconscious and must be carried aboard). We understand that some popular characters have entourages or handservants, background characters that don't matter enough to their story to app them by themselves, but are occasionally important to your character's arc. You may write with these characters in any Personal Log setting (in your character journal), provided it's only for the duration of a plot. If they happen to stick in your brain and you want to play an NPC forever and always, that's cool! You just have to app them and count them on your character roster like everybody else.
How do I app? We're so glad you asked! We have a handy how-to on applications located here, which should give you all the information you need to know.
Is my app a public app? All comments on the application post are screened for the mods' eyes only. When writing your app, you can friend-lock it and grantten_fwd_mods access by adding us to your circle. Once approved, if you wish to later remove your contact details and make your application public, that is absolutely fine.
Is there anything we have to do when changing played bys for our characters? Nope! If you have built CR with characters you are afraid might be rattled by the sudden change in PBs, you can post to the OOC comm alerting other players of the PB change. Who you pick to represent your character is up to your discretion, and can be altered as you see fit. We simply ask that you always have at least one icon to represent your character during gameplay.
Is there a cast list? Once the game opens, we would love to organize a public cast list of active players, as well as a list of who has jobs on the Enterprise. Until that time, you'll have to refer to the character cast list to find out who's who in Ten Forward. We're still brand new and finding our feet, so come introduce yourself in the OOC community,ten_fwd_ooc, where we can say hello and get to know each other.
How can I contact a mod? Your friendly neighborhood mods can be reached, day or night, at tenforwardmods (at) gmail (dot) com. That's the best way of getting in touch with us, but if you need immediate assistance we can also be reached across a variety of social media platforms. Visit our Mod Contact page to see where we are when we're on-line. You can also post questions toten_fwd_ooc any time, day or night, if it's something another player can assist with.
How can I contact another player? There is an OOC Contact List, this list will always be locked to members of our OOC comm only as we respect our player's privacy. You can also contact another player either by going to their character's profile page and finding their contact post or preferred means of contact, or by posting inten_fwd_ooc. The OOC comm is there for you to connect with other players, so by all means feel free to use it whenever you like.
Do I have to join the OOC community? —We highly recommend you join the OOC comm with at least one primary account. You don't have to join with every character account. Use your personal account, or whichever account you will check on a regular basis. If you've read the previous three bullet points, you can understand why we encourage you to be part often_fwd_ooc. In addition to being a great place to connect with other players, it is the mods' primary way of updating everyone on changes to the game, important information, new plots, open reserves and apps, and so forth. Additionally, we'll post fun things like test drive memes, meet & greets, and maybe even some games. Ultimately, the choice is yours, but please be sure you check in with the OOC comm as much as possible at the very least. It'll make playing the game a lot easier.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Ten Forward: But What Does It Mean?
- What exactly is Ten Forward?
- Do I have to know Star Trek to play here?
- How does the game work?
- What? No Log Community?
- How will plots be run?
- Can I suggest a plot?
- What if my character comes from a canon without space travel/how does my character get on the ship?
- What can my character bring with them on to the ship?
- Is my character stuck here?
- What's the Enterprise like?
- What is the year and stardate of the game??
- What's the time ratio in the game?
- How do languages work on the Enterprise?
- Can my character get a job here?
- Can I request a specific room for my character?
- What exactly is Ten Forward?
- Rules: I swear to drunk, Officer, I am not God...
- What's your "No Wank" policy?
- How is this enforced?
- Is it as strict as it sounds?
- What do I do if I'm being bullied?
- What is Canon-Puncturing, and is it ever allowed?
- Can my character have 4th wall knowledge of Star Trek universe?
- What is God-Modding, and is it ever allowed?
- What are Trigger Warnings?
- I am over 18, how should adult content be posted?
- What happens if I forget or make a mistake when posting adult/triggery content?
- Is there anything else I should avoid doing?
- What if my character has godlike abilities?
- What if my character is a villain/a control freak/titled/etc?
- Anything else?
- What's your "No Wank" policy?
- Joining: I just met you, and this is crazy, but here's my character, so app me maybe?
- Who can I app?
- Who can't I app?
- Does Ten Forward allow AUs?
- Does this mean I can bring characters over from another game?
- When can I app?
- What if I can't app during the regular app period?
- How exactly does reserving a character work?
- Is there a character limit?
- Is there a limit to how many characters I can app during a single apping period?
- Is there a limit to how many characters I can app from a single canon?
- Are there activity checks?
- Can I request an extension or go on hiatus?
- Explain apping a Star Trek character - do I get any special benefits?
- What's your NPC policy?
- How do I app?
- Is my app a public app?
- Who can I app?
- Canon Updating
- Contact: Hailing frequencies are open, Captain...
Ten Forward: But What Does It Mean?
What exactly is Ten Forward? Ten Forward is, essentially, the starship Enterprise's bar. It's described as being the ship's social and entertainment hub, to which all the crew goes when off duty. It's located in Section 1 of Deck 10, so it's the very foremost bit of the front of the saucer.
Source: Wordpress and Memory Alpha
So... we're in space? Yes, Virginia, the future is real! We're on the starship Enterprise (be excited, y'all, the Big E's been decommissioned, so this is your last shot). This is a Galaxy-class starship, formally known as the Enterprise NCC-1701-D. What does this mean? It means your character has access to a veritable yacht. In space. But we'll get more into that later.
Do I have to know Star Trek to play here? Not at all! In fact, one of your friendly neighborhood mods doesn't know a thing about Star Trek, but I'm not telling who it is. While the idea of playing in a canon setting with such a long history can feel daunting (47 years, yikes), all you really need is a love of adventure to understand the setting we're going for here. And booze. There's a reason we picked a setting with social lubricant on hand.
How does the game work? Ten Forward is a prose-driven game we're affectionately calling a 'jamjar with a twist'. Traditionally, jamjars trap your character in a brand new setting where they're forced to adapt, like catching fireflies in a jar. Only there are a few beetles in there, too. And some caterpillars. While the Enterprise is, similarly, a closed ecosystem, it's also one that constantly moves, docking at space stations and new planets as they go. While the inciting plot of the game requires the Enterprise to be stuck floating in space, and thus her passengers stuck aboard, eventually your character will be free to come and go as they choose, visiting new worlds ... and perhaps even going home.[*]
Another aspect of the twist is that we just really enjoy 'dressing room' games as well, and we want to incorporate that same feeling of freedom to create and experiment with running your own plots.Ten Forward will have regular mod-run plots, but except in cases of actions like needing to move the ship, participation will be voluntary. If your character doesn't want to go to the planet with the lizard people, then they don't have to go. They can stay on the ship and play a game of Tri-D Chess with a friend, or read a book. We chose Ten Forward, rather than any other area of the ship, as the main staging area of our game because characters don't have to be on-duty or running a task. Your character can simply grab a meal or have a drink. Similarly, we wanted to incorporate the best of both plot-driven and dressing room games into one place by letting players choose their own adventure.
Since Ten Forward is a prose-driven game, there wasn't much need to have a log comm in addition to the main community. We've simplified, for the time being, into one comm –
ten_fwd – for all in-character gameplay.What? No Log Community? You heard us right. Just one comm. Some of your mods come from games where that isn't unusual, and some of us come from games where play is divided among several comms. Our goal was to make Ten Forward as simple and user-friendly as possible.
So... how will you handle private threads? For anything occurring off the ship, in your character's private quarters, or which contains adult content, you may use your character journal to stage the post and link to it in the main comm (use the appropriate warnings when you do). For everything else, a post in the main comm can be amended with a footnote which says: "This post is plot-locked to [user names]" Party posts, missions, open plots, etc. may all be posted in the main comm.
If you're posting something that is not intended for threading (such as mission reports, notes your character is leaving for themselves, flashbacks, or scenes from your character's canon), please use your character journal and link the post to the main comm when it's complete. In Star Trek, characters often record diary entries they call "personal logs" by using the ship's computer, so feel free to play with that opportunity as well.
Read more about personal logs | Listen to an example of how one might sound
How will plots be run? Game plots, with few exceptions, will be opt-in/opt-out. They may be inspired by events from Star Trek, or they may be entirely original. There will be regular mod-run plots, with enough time between to allow your characters to evolve at a pace which is comfortable for you. No points or XP will be handed out; we're playing for fun, not to win a prize. It's all about your character's journey, and how they meet the challenges of life aboard the Enterprise. You may be asked to be part of a team with other players in order to meet a goal, or you may work alone to coordinate your own plot arc. In all instances of the former, sign-ups will be held in the OOC community where you can volunteer. No one will be forced to participate.
Can I suggest a plot? Absolutely! We want every player to contribute as much as they want to the game. If you have an idea for a plot, e-mail the mods about it. It does not have to be Star Trek specific; anything goes, within reason. After all, who hasn't wanted to throw a luau on the Enterprise? Or turn everyone into animals for a day?
What if my character comes from a canon without space travel/how does my character get on the ship? As our captain, Jean-Luc Picard, once said: "Things are only impossible until they're not." Remember, Star Trek is 'soft' science fiction, and a lot of weird things regularly happen. One such weird thing—or person, in this case—is the being Q.[*] Q is a powerful entity from a race of omnipotent, godlike beings (known as The Q), who can manipulate the fabric of time and space (to a degree) to suit his whims. He likes to antagonize and 'test' Captain Picard, 'winking' himself and other people on and off the ship. This is how we will explain the first arrival of characters on the ship when the game opens May 15th.
Following that point, your character can board the Enterprise in a variety of ways. They can choose to come aboard when the ship docks, or they can be yanked on board as one of Q's cosmic pranks. If you want your character here, but they're not from a world at all compatible with Star Trek, what we're saying is there is always a way. We want you here, and maybe Q does, too. Maybe he has plans for you no one knows about yet.
What can my character bring with them on to the ship? Pets are allowed on the Enterprise within reason. Many of the passengers are allowed to have cats and small dogs in their quarters, and the Enterprise has transported larger stock animals in their cargo holds before, so it's not out of the realm of possibility to say that some farm animals can be brought on-board as well. To be allowed in passenger quarters, an animal would have to be no larger than a St. Bernard, while a cargo bay can be converted into a makeshift stable for anything such as goats, chickens, or horses. Any wild animals, such as wolves or tigers, would have to be cleared by the mods first and allowed only on a case by case basis.
Is my character stuck here? That depends on what would be most interesting for you. In short: if you need a reason for your character to stay, then the Enterprise can be their sanctuary in a strange and distant universe; if your character needs to get home, nothing is beyond bartering for with our resident Q. If you prove amusing enough, he can wink you off the ship and back again once your character has attended to their business back home.
So... does this mean I have to clear things with Q's player first? Yes. At least, the things that involve Q actively doing stuff. Q is not an NPC, though we're perfectly happy to allow him to be the scapegoat for any problems your character has (Geordi stubbed his toe? A pox on Q's family!). You can always request a thread with Q—that's what he's here for!—and the player will be happy to help.
Note: For the first few months of gameplay, the ship will be still and Q will be proving his point, whatever that may be, by keeping your characters here. This is not permanent. We believe it's important for the interests of plot to allow your characters time to settle in on the Enterprise before immediately fleeing. Once Q is done having his fun and the plot is put to bed, the Enterprise will sail on to its next destination, and you will be free to arrange whatever passage on and off the ship you deem necessary for your character. That includes 'trapping' your character, if you're afraid s/he would not stay without something giving them a push.
What's the Enterprise like? The USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) is a Federation Galaxy-class explorer that serves as the Federation flagship. It's actually kind of huge, with 42 decks and a whole lot of space. The Bridge is located on Deck 1 (the top of the saucer), and it's where the ship is controlled—and, y'know, it has The Chair. The Captain's Ready Room is also on this deck, along with the Observation Lounge, which boasts a seriously impressive view of space.
Source: Escape Pod and Memory Alpha
Source: The Trek Collective, The Trek BBS, and Memory Alpha
Food Replicators[*] are located throughout the ship, notably in all living quarters and in Ten Forward, and they provide nutritional food and drink for everyone on board. There are some 4,000 power systems in all on board the Enterprise, and it can travel at a maximum speed of warp 9.6 – which is really, really fast. The Enterprise normally runs on three duty shifts, and is also highly defensible with armaments that include twelve phaser arrays, two torpedo launchers, a supply of 250 photon torpedoes, and hundreds of antimatter mines. It's also protected by a high-capacity shield grid. What this all means is that your characters are as safe as possible when on board. As of 2366, some thirteen species were represented among the 1,014 members of the ship's complement, both civilian and crew. The Enterprise even carries dolphins. No, we don't mean some alien hybrid – actual bottlenose dolphins. They serve as navigational specialists. We aren't making this up.
An average day aboard ship recorded by Lieutenant Commander Data included four birthdays, two personnel transfers, two chess tournaments, a secondary school play, four promotions, and at least one birth. So, as you can see, there's all kinds of stuff on this boat to keep your character occupied. We encourage players to take advantage of everything to the fullest.
Example holodeck program | Another holodeck example | Example of how the food replicators work
Note: Star Trek tends to be delightfully forgetful about physical details, often altering numbers and statistics. All of our information is sourced from Memory Alpha, and may not be perfect.
What is the year and stardate of the game?
The year is 2366 and the stardate at the opening of the game is 43294.1. The dates in the game should coincide with dates in real life (ie, December 1st in real life is also December 1st in the game). The stardate will always be changing as the game progresses, any player who wants to utilize it can easily figure out what it is by using a stardate calculator. Just remember to change the year to 2366.
(Note: the stardate will not necessarily reflect the canon points of any TNG characters currently active in the game. Since Q arrived between 3x06 and 3x07 and guests from all across the known universes began to show up, this Enterprise has gone AU from the canon Enterprise. Events that happen later in season 3 and forward may happen at a different time, in a slightly different way, or not at all depending on game plots. Since we do plan on utilizing some episodes for future game plots, and we want all players of TNG characters to choose their canon points without adhering to any complicated AU story, it's important to note that.)
What's the time ratio in the game? The game has a 1:1 time movement ratio. We'll tell you ahead of schedule when we need to deviate from it.
How do languages work on the Enterprise? Crew members have a universal translator in their commbadges. Q has extended universal translation field around the Enterprise itself for the new arrivals. Fortunately for the new arrivals, Q's universal translator will also work when they are off the ship.
Can my character get a job here? Eventually, yes. We imagine there's going to be a lot keeping your character busy at first, but once the excitement dies down and the novelty wears off, there are plenty of opportunities. The Enterprise was designed to carry well over one thousand people, including children (in the canon, the ship's complement is stated to be 1,014 souls, though some estimate the ship as able to carry upwards of 15,000 people for short periods). Although Starfleet crew members staff the vital positions on board the Enterprise, civilian crew members were allowed to hold important jobs in the ship's science and medical departments, as well as support areas like Ten Forward and the ship's school, or the arboretum. Additionally, as the ship visits other stations and planets, there will be marketplaces to think about when hawking wares.
Once again, the only caveat is that civilians are not allowed on the bridge. To hold any position that wields power over the way the ship is run, your character must be a Starfleet officer or you the player must be a member of Ten Forward for at least one year before qualifying. This is to ensure that your character understands the way the ship works, and you the player understands how the game is run. For more information, e-mail the mods. We'll be happy to tell you if the job your character wants is available, and get you all set up in-game. You can also check out our business listings.
Can I request a specific room for my character? Yes. Room assignments are cataloged and can be requested here; you may also request a roommate for your character, or be randomly assigned one.
Rules: I swear to drunk, Officer, I am not God...
What's your "No Wank" policy? Simply put: be nice. Wiktionary describes wank as: Ridiculous, circular or inappropriately elaborate argument about something, especially if obnoxious, pretentious or unsubstantial. We do not allow trolling, flaming, name-calling, bashing, and so forth either in-game or conducted in our OOC communities. Treat everyone as you'd want to be treated. It's that simple.
How is this enforced? By having a present mod team, listening when you report something, and sticking to a three strike policy. We care about everyone's happiness here, and want to do what we can to make Ten Forward fun. Disagreements arise and sometimes we can't help that, and the mods certainly aren't going to chastise anybody for that. But when disagreements get out of hand and start hurting other players, that hurts the whole game. Above all else we want Ten Forward to be the kind of place where everyone is welcome, so chasing people off is not our first line of defense against drama. We ask you what's up. That's it. No strings, no ulterior motives – we simply want to talk, understand the problem, and find the best solution. Your mods are here to help, and we play no favorites.
So... what's this 'three strike policy' about? So glad you asked. Because we rely so heavily on communication to keep the game happy and healthy, and that means hearing from you when there is a problem, we need to assess the severity of the problem and make sure it's reasonable, justifiable, and that everyone is fully informed. Most of us, at one time or another, have been complained about by someone on the internet. Sometimes we don't even know it's happening until a mod takes action against us. That's why the mods here at Ten Forward will always talk to you first, and if the situation warrants it, issue you a warning (or a 'strike'). If you've been warned three or more times, you will be removed from the community. How we respond to trouble will vary depending on the situation (for instance, if you're issuing death threats you may be asked to leave immediately, but in matters of small disagreements you may not be given a strike at all), but in all cases after three strikes you're out.
Is it as strict as it sounds? We don't think so, and if you aren't here to cause trouble then hopefully you won't, either! Our #1 priority is making sure everyone feels safe and keeping the game what it was meant to be: fun. We're here as a last resort. If you have a disagreement with someone, talk to them. Nine times out of ten you can work it out, or prevent it from becoming some massive drama before the mods ever have to get involved. We're all here to play a game and make some friends, not police how everyone acts. So reach out, always communicate, and remember we want you to feel comfortable coming to us whenever something is upsetting you.
What do I do if I'm being bullied? Let the mods know immediately. We understand that sometimes it isn't easy confronting other people, and we're here to support you. If you feel more comfortable talking to one mod over another, that's okay. Our contact information is located here. We always respect you and your privacy.
What is Canon-Puncturing, and is it ever allowed? Canon-puncturing happens when one character tells another character they're from a fictional, or 'made-up' world, and therefore aren't real. For instance, if Dwight Schrute from The Office walked up to Jack Bauer from 24 and told him he was from a TV show, that would be canon-puncturing. Some of my favorite characters happen to be huge pop culture nuts. Take Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory: if you're someone from a geeky show, movie, or video game, odds are Sheldon knows intimate details about your person. That's a huge part of what makes Sheldon who he is. The problem would only arise if he strolled up to Captain Picard and told him he wasn't real, that nothing about his world was real, and by extension that nothing he accomplished in his life mattered in the real world. That kind of doesn't go over well with most people.
Canon-puncturing is never allowed without express permission from all parties involved. If you don't mind having your character canon-punctured that's your business, and you're free to make arrangements with other players thusly. But players should never assume it's okay to canon-puncture someone else's character. Just don't do it, okay?
Can my character have 4th wall knowledge of Star Trek Universe? Yes, it is okay for characters to recognize elements of the Star Trek universe, up to and including any canonical Star Trek characters, within reason. Players are disallowed from telling those characters that they or their world is fictional, or chatting about their personal details (such as events that will happen to them in the future), unless all players involved have given express permission to do so (this would include mention of any active third-party character not involved in the thread).
Inner-monologues and/or narration should be safe enough, but if you're ever unsure about a player's preferences, it is always best to err on the side of caution
What is God-Modding, and is it ever allowed? Urban Dictionary has a pretty good definition, but in short: God-Modding is a) claiming your character is so powerful/good/skilled that they are impervious to anything another character might do; b) controlling another character's actions or dialog without the player's express permission. There are no circumstances under which god-modding is ever allowed, so please don't ever do it.
If you are playing a character with super-human abilities, or are otherwise concerned about god-modding, you can read a little more here.
What are Trigger Warnings? It's paramount everyone respects the preferences and limitations of other players, so to understand trigger warnings please make sure you first understand what triggers are. I've found one fandom writer explains it very well, but before continuing I must warn you that she shares her story, which is explicit, and can itself be considered a trigger. The post is called, Sexual Assault, Triggering, and Warnings: An Essay. Warning: Very explicit discussion of sexual assault and the nature, anatomy, cause & effect of triggers. Is itself triggery.
The above is an example of a trigger warning.
I am over 18, how should adult content be posted? Any adult or triggery material—which may include sex, violence, (attempted) rape, character death, (attempted) self-harm, (attempted) suicide/suicidal themes, abuse, domestic violence, assault, mental disorders and serious illnesses, abandonment, substance abuse, addiction, etc.—must be behind a cut-tag, with a clearly written warning. If you're linking to something out of the main comm containing such material, apply a warning below or next to the link. If something comes up spontaneously when threading in the comments section, use the subject line to add a warning, or adjust your post to say, "Warning: adult/triggery content contained in the thread with [character]."
What happens if I forget or make a mistake when posting adult/triggery content? We ask you to fix it. That's all.
Is there anything else I should avoid doing? Please don't change any physical details of the Enterprise, such as blowing a hole in the side of the ship or adding a statue of your character in the middle of Ten Forward. You can customize your character's quarters however you see fit, but common areas will need mod approval before any alterations take place.
Don't stage a coup or try to take over the ship. There will be regular updates both IC and OOC to keep all characters and players apprised of where the Enterprise is, where it's headed, if there's anything unusual on board, etc. Even if your character is a super smart engineer, it's a big no-no to go to the engine room and start pressing buttons. Don't order the crew around like you own the place. Now, if you'd like to discuss a temporary uprising of some sort, you can do so by suggesting a plot for mod approval.
What if my character has godlike abilities? The Q may be the most powerful entity in the Star Trek universe, but when we start combining multi-fandom characters the debate usually arises: who's the most powerful? The short answer is: it doesn't matter. Your character may be all-powerful in their canon, and we respect that you may feel highlighting that is important to staying IC. However, for the purposes of gameplay we have to have a set top-level entity within the game's universe, and that entity is The Q. If you are playing a godlike character—or an outright god—they must follow the same rules as everyone else. You still can't have your character take control of anyone else's actions, no matter how powerful they may be. And if your character gets out of hand, Q's just powerful enough to put them in their place – with a generous helping of humor, no doubt. There's only room enough for one troublemaker on this here space boat, says he.
What if my character is a villain/a control freak/titled/etc? So You Want To Own a Space Boat? Well, you can't. Sorry. We all have them: characters who like to put up a stink, search for glory and power, challenge authority, and so on. And we all love them! They're what make stories exciting and plots engaging. If you have a character who might buck under the game's constraints, but you still think they would be a good fit here, an adjustment period where they test the rules within reason is fine. For instance, if Captain Steve Rogers winks onto the ship, the first thing he might do is take down a few redshirts and storm the bridge to find out who's in charge. If Gavroche Thénardier winks onto the ship, he might try to pick as many pockets as possible before getting caught. Or maybe Dr. Evil winks on board and tries to outfit the bottlenose dolphins in navigation with lasers. The mods here at Ten Forward love having fun with this sort of thing, and can make crew and personnel available to you to thread out such scenes. You simply need to ask us first to keep any rule bending on the up-and-up. Eventually, Captain Rogers will have to submit to the ship's authority, Gavroche must return his stolen goods, and ... actually, we're pretty okay with the dolphins having lasers. You win this time, Dr. Evil.
Please note: If your character is an officer of any organization up to and including Starfleet, this does not automatically give them a pass to order around the ship. If a Commander Kirk ends up on board, he cannot usurp the authority of Captain Picard. Perhaps such a character may be invited to join the crew at some point, but it is not assured, and unless otherwise stated such a character is no more than a guest on board.
Anything else? That's it! Hopefully we aren't saying anything you haven't heard countless times before. Just use your common sense, and remember we're all easygoing here. Feel free to talk to a mod—we're around, you should know us and feel comfortable bringing complaints to us, it is why we're here—if you have a problem or a question that we haven't covered. If you have a problem with a mod, talk to another one of us.[*] That's why we are legion.
Joining: I just met you, and this is crazy, but here's my character, so app me maybe?
Who can I app? Ten Forward accepts characters from any established canon (book, movie, television series, video game, so on), as well as original characters (OCs) who may come from an original canon or an established canon. We will also accept some AUs (for more on that, continue here).
The application process for OCs and AUs is slightly more detailed than it is for characters from an established canon. Continue here for more info on that.
Who can't I app? We don't allow more than one of any given character at a time; say, Morgan happens to play Harry Potter, but Courtney also wants to play him. Unfortunately, we can't have two Harrys (Harries?) wandering around the same game, because that gets mighty confusing for folks, you understand. However, we do allow variations on the same character; for instance, Sherlock Holmes from Elementary and Sherlock Holmes from BBC's Sherlock can co-exist, because they are technically different characters.
We cannot accept major world deities (the God of Abrahamic tradition, Buddha, Jesus), or real people (President Obama, Shakespeare), UNLESS—and this is important—they are fictionalized versions. We're all pretty clear on that first one; it's unlikely anyone's going to get upset if someone chooses to play a Greek God or the Flying Spaghetti Monster, but someone playing Jesus could press some buttons, and we respect that. And, in the interests of not attracting libel lawsuits like a dog attracts fleas, we can't really let anyone app real people from the real world, either. Now, some version of a real person that's been fictionalized, like Kevin Costner's Eliot Ness from The Untouchables ... that we can talk about. Ultimately, you can send in your apps for all the characters you want, but it's up to the mods to decide what's going to be okay in terms of keeping the community open and safe.
We cannot accept Q characters, canon or OC. The setting of the game is designed such that Q is the most powerful being in the game and its main antagonist. As such, other characters from The Q species would run the risk of compromising Q's role as the ultimate power in the game and potentially detract from his role as our main antagonist. Other members of The Q species could also cause conflict with Q and confusion to players unfamiliar with The Q and how they work.
Does Ten Forward allow AUs? Generally speaking, yes. If it looks like someone is just trying to get around the one of any given character at a time rule, or trying to troll other players in the same canon, we will shut that down faster than you can spit. If, on the other hand, you have a character whose backstory you've had to flesh out with personal headcanon, growth in a different RPG, or otherwise put a lot of thought into, we're more than happy to welcome them to Ten Forward. AUs are subject to the same apping rules as OCs – meaning a longer essay, so we can see how much thought you've put into them. Ultimately, it's up to the mods whether or not your AU is a good fit for Ten Forward.
Does this mean I can bring characters over from another game? Sure! As long as you keep the mods and other players fully informed of any changes to your character's backstory, we have no problem with characters bringing over previous game history. We all work really hard on telling our stories, and sometimes the biggest hurdle to joining a new game is starting from scratch. You don't have to erase or re-write anything unless you want to, just as long as your character is open to new people in a new setting.
When can I app? Apps open the first of every month and remain open for one week. There will be an announcement in the OOC community at the beginning and end of every app period where changes will be noted if there are any.
What if I can't app during the regular app period? You can reserve a character you fully intend to app up to two weeks prior to when apps open. An announcement will be made in the OOC community when reserves open. Reserves will close the day before apps open, after which you will have two weeks to complete your application. If you can't complete your application during this time, the character will be removed from the reserved queue and placed back into the open market. Note that from February 2016 onwards, we will not be accepting reservations for characters whose canons are less than three (3) months old. For any other considerations, e-mail the mods and we'll see what we can do.
How exactly does reserving a character work? Reserving a character is a request, not a guarantee. The reserve process is for players who cannot submit an application during the week they are open, for whatever reason, but do fully intend to submit one. Reserves are not intended for character squatting; you will still have to fill out an application and the mods have to approve it.
When a player drops a character from the game, their character will be placed on the reserved list for one month (note: this is only for characters who were active enough to make a long-term impact). This is to allow for some time before anyone else can bring that character in, in case any active characters had substantial relationships with the previous character. If you are playing a character whose story could be upset by the appearance of another character in Ten Forward (ie: a spouse, child, abuser, kidnapper, etc.), you may e-mail the mods and ask that this character be put on the reserved list with a request that any potential players contact you before apping. This does not mean no one can ever app that character, it simply gives you the opportunity to inform any potential players of triggers or CR first, to be sure you and your character continue feeling safe in the game. Please note: this is only for legitimate concerns, and will not be allowed to facilitate character squatting or holding a character for a friend. This is against our rules, so any request must be approved by all mods.
You may only submit up to two (2) reserve requests per month. If your request has expired and you have not submitted an application, you may only request to reserve the same character one more time. After that, it's apply or release them to the wild.
Is there a character limit? Yes. We have an eight (8) character limit in the game. However, if you play a canon Star Trek character who has a working role on the ship in-game, you may want to continue reading here.
Is there a limit to how many characters I can app during a single apping period? Not at this time. We may change this in the future, but for now you're welcome to app as many characters as you want under the aforementioned rules – you may have no more than 8 characters total in your roster, and you must apply during the week apps are open. However...
Is there a limit to how many characters I can app from a single canon? Yes. To avoid "playercest"—roleplaying with oneself to an excessive degree—Ten Forward has a general rule that you may app no more than three (3) characters from a single canon, and you may only app one (1) character per canon per apping period. So if you want to play both Twilight Sparkle and Applejack from My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, you'll need to decide which one you'd like to play more. If the other has not been apped or reserved by the next open apping period, you may then submit an application.
Large or sweeping canons, such as myth or comics, will be handled on a case by case basis. If you're playing characters who have never interacted before inside their canon, we're generally okay with that. If you're not sure how your canon falls under this rule, contact a mod and we'll be happy to let you know.
Are there activity checks? Yes. Ten Forward runs activity checks every six months for each character you play. I know, this is ridiculously relaxed compared to most games. A lot of us are full-time students and/or have full-time jobs, so our schedules can be tight. We want to encourage gameplay here, not inhibit it. At the same time, we want to prevent players from grabbing up popular characters and never playing them. So as long as you're showing us substantial activity within a six-month period, we're happy to work with your real life schedule.
Proofs of activity should be spread across the activity period. If we see you're only doing the bare minimum each check, we may ask you to give up your character(s) so someone else can play them. If you have extenuating circumstances that are preventing you from meeting your ACs, let the mods know right away and look into requesting a hiatus. (See below)
Can I request an extension or go on hiatus? Hiatuses are provided for players who have legitimate reasons for not meeting their ACs. For instance, if you've been accepted into grad school and worry the intense program will leave little to no time for role playing, but intend to return to the game at the end of the semester/school year, you may want to request a hiatus. The maximum amount of time you can take away from the game is six months (this is in addition to however long it's been since your last game activity), though we naturally prefer you take less time. The mods will let you know two weeks before your requested hiatus expires. If we have not heard from you at the end of those two weeks, your character may be removed from the game. If you feel you need to extend your hiatus, please contact the mods right away. We will work with you, but communication is key and the mods will always look out for the game's best interests.
Explain apping a Star Trek character - do I get any special benefits? Yes and no. There is no player hierarchy in Ten Forward; even your mods are starting out in a new game just hoping to meet some awesome new people and have some fun. But, since the Enterprise needs a crew to function, we do need some Starfleet officers on board – at least for now. That being the case, we'll accept players not only willing to play on a regular basis, but also willing to act as pseudo-NPCs: characters who exist in the game only to further plots along. Perhaps you're thinking of apping Deanna Troi, but aren't sure you can play her regularly; however, you certainly can make her available to advise Captain Picard when he calls for her expertise, or to hold counselling sessions for passengers on a by request basis. That would fill a vital role for our game, and we'd love to have you.
What would that mean for ACs and character limits? You'd still have to be available when a plot calls for your character's presence, so likely you won't have to worry about missing your ACs. As far as character limits are concerned, any canon Star Trek crew member who has a working role on the ship in-game (security, engineering, bar tending, etc.), for at least one year, won't count against the player's character limit. That means you would be allowed a total of nine characters in your roster. Please note: the reason your character has to be part of the game for one year before qualifying is to make sure the player is serious about playing them. This is not a way to get around your character limit or hold onto characters you'll never play. Additionally, we'll only allow up to two (2) canon Star Trek characters in this capacity per player, for a total of ten characters in your roster at any given time. After that, any Star Trek characters will count against your overall character total.
If you would like more information about how this works, please e-mail the mods. Currently all canon Star Trek characters are being played by the mods or are under an NPC account, so we would love more players interested in being part of our crew.
What's your NPC policy? Speaking of NPCs, how does Ten Forward handle them? Let's split this up into Star Trek NPCs and NPCs from other canons.
We allow Star Trek NPCs on the Enterprise for small plots where they are basically disposable characters. We use the phrase "redshirts", which was coined after Star Trek: The Original Series, describing stock characters who show up only to die a few scenes later. These are characters with no backstory, no authority, no established personality or name. You may use NPCs to answer basic questions, give your character directions, deliver food and drink to your character, help your character up if they fall, and things of that nature. You cannot ascribe personalities to redshirts, or claim they're in charge of the ship in any way. They're just background characters, there to serve your character's immediate needs.
We do not allow NPCs from your character's canon onto the ship, unless they're only there briefly for plot purposes (such as: your character is unconscious and must be carried aboard). We understand that some popular characters have entourages or handservants, background characters that don't matter enough to their story to app them by themselves, but are occasionally important to your character's arc. You may write with these characters in any Personal Log setting (in your character journal), provided it's only for the duration of a plot. If they happen to stick in your brain and you want to play an NPC forever and always, that's cool! You just have to app them and count them on your character roster like everybody else.
How do I app? We're so glad you asked! We have a handy how-to on applications located here, which should give you all the information you need to know.
Is my app a public app? All comments on the application post are screened for the mods' eyes only. When writing your app, you can friend-lock it and grant
ten_fwd_mods access by adding us to your circle. Once approved, if you wish to later remove your contact details and make your application public, that is absolutely fine.Canon Updating
Is there anything we have to do when changing played bys for our characters? Nope! If you have built CR with characters you are afraid might be rattled by the sudden change in PBs, you can post to the OOC comm alerting other players of the PB change. Who you pick to represent your character is up to your discretion, and can be altered as you see fit. We simply ask that you always have at least one icon to represent your character during gameplay.
Contact: Hailing frequencies are open, Captain...
Is there a cast list? Once the game opens, we would love to organize a public cast list of active players, as well as a list of who has jobs on the Enterprise. Until that time, you'll have to refer to the character cast list to find out who's who in Ten Forward. We're still brand new and finding our feet, so come introduce yourself in the OOC community,
ten_fwd_ooc, where we can say hello and get to know each other.How can I contact a mod? Your friendly neighborhood mods can be reached, day or night, at tenforwardmods (at) gmail (dot) com. That's the best way of getting in touch with us, but if you need immediate assistance we can also be reached across a variety of social media platforms. Visit our Mod Contact page to see where we are when we're on-line. You can also post questions to
ten_fwd_ooc any time, day or night, if it's something another player can assist with.How can I contact another player? There is an OOC Contact List, this list will always be locked to members of our OOC comm only as we respect our player's privacy. You can also contact another player either by going to their character's profile page and finding their contact post or preferred means of contact, or by posting in
ten_fwd_ooc. The OOC comm is there for you to connect with other players, so by all means feel free to use it whenever you like.Do I have to join the OOC community? —We highly recommend you join the OOC comm with at least one primary account. You don't have to join with every character account. Use your personal account, or whichever account you will check on a regular basis. If you've read the previous three bullet points, you can understand why we encourage you to be part of
ten_fwd_ooc. In addition to being a great place to connect with other players, it is the mods' primary way of updating everyone on changes to the game, important information, new plots, open reserves and apps, and so forth. Additionally, we'll post fun things like test drive memes, meet & greets, and maybe even some games. Ultimately, the choice is yours, but please be sure you check in with the OOC comm as much as possible at the very least. It'll make playing the game a lot easier.
Page 1 of 2