How do we handle the RPG's problems?

[Vorak]

I think that is one of the basic problems too at the moment.  Certain people used to post very often.  Now they don't/can't any more.  But because they posted often before, they got a high position such as admiral.

And now, to be honest, half of the admirals dont post as often as they should any more...  So in the very COMMAND things are already lacking...  at least it is the case for Starfleet, and I believe for the Romulan Fleet too.

[Vorak]

In order to prove this, may I point out that none of the names I mentioned above, has posted even ONCE in this topic?

I would say this topic is quite important, and one that high-ranked officers of this RPG should certainly participate.  Yet they have probably not even noticed yet.... http://expansionfleet.sparks.priorweb.be/ikonboard/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':('>

[Geordi]

I post as often and as frequent as im needed or is required for me to reply to something.  Are w enow suggesting that we post for the sake of posting so we can keep up appearences that we are here and always active ?

[Waterskimmer]

one thing I have seen is that on some ships, the Skytoucher for example, we have two helmspeople, this makes it and I'm sure Valkico(sorry bout the spelling) agrees, quite difficult to do our jobs as we are always running into walls by the others posts.  I don't see any other way to fix this but have a single officer at a single post.  This is just my observations and suggestion.

[Hedford]

But if you have many ships, with small crews..you risk the "low posting" at some forums....with the ships we have now, we are doing good....if we have filled one ship then go to the next one...

[Jing da Goar]

hi it's , me Boris, I say .... few ships with large crews ..... I think it's the best ...

(off ... sorry I'm drunken ... if I were not, I would say more)

[Hedford]

I also agree, I had never noticed this problem...but when I heard about the member problem and low posting members I thought let's help by making more characters....but it's a good point...

[Sloan]

Well, I think I follow that...except on the Corpship Enforcer. I have 2 there....but only 1 elsewhere.

[Thomas Stiegler]

Please don't call me "Stiegler". I would prefer "Counselor"... at least "Thomas". Thank you so much! http://expansionfleet.sparks.priorweb.be/ikonboard/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':)'>

[Thomas Stiegler]

Perhaps those Admirals, Captains and also Commanders who don't post often should then be the first ones to be demoted or even to be deleted...

If not the admirality, who then should show exemplary behavior concerning posting often... !?

[Zack Mannion]

hm, not good.

[Thomas Stiegler]

If we want to talk about this RPG's problems, we will also have to talk about communication. The way we communicate to each other in here is of great significance for how the RPG is going to work.

We have at least the following possibilities of acting as a member:

· Using the messenger, the chat room or e-mail.
· Posting a reply in an off-game forum.
· Posting an 'off-message' in an in-game forum.

To act as one of our characters, we can:

· Post a reply or create a new topic in an in-game forum.

If you now compare these two lists, you will see that the only place, where we can be both member and character, is the in-game forum. Usually the in-game forum should be the place, where the characters (e.g. crew or other people on a ship or a starbase) talk to each other. But in addition we also have the possibility to post an 'off-message'.

Here are two examples where these off-messages would make sense, as there is important additional information given:

---- Example 1 ----
'Captain, this is all information we have about that curious crewmember...'

He handed the Captain a PADD.

OFF: http://www.phoenix-federation.com/cgi-bin/rpg/profile.cgi?action=show&member=Thomas_Stiegler" target="_blank">http://www.phoenix-federation.com/cgi-bin....tiegler
---- End ----

---- Example 2 ----
'Let's beam down to the planet's surface, now.'

The Commander, the doctor and two security officers de-materialized.

OFF: Continued in the 'On the planet' forum.
---- End ----

But I'm not sure if this is a good example for 'off-messaging':

---- Example 3 ----
'Yes Captain, I will search for the lost warp core immediately.'

OFF: Member XYZ, you know I don't like you, you are a bad captain. Your orders are so stupid and you always destroy the whole mission. I'm going to inform Vorak about this.
---- END ----

I think, this is a perfect example for misusing off-messages, because it is nothing more than provocation and unfriendliness. The member in this example has a problem with another member. But wouldn't it be better not to have it out in a mission forum, where all other (crew) members have to suffer from it... (and get involved in this dispute)? If you mislike anyone so much that you really need to tell him, well - go, write a topic in the off-game forum, send him a message, join the chat... do anything to clear it, but do not destroy missions as a result of your irritating quarrels!

Instead of endless discussions about who is stupid and who is not, perhaps just tolerate or better accept that we, the members of this RPG like all people all over the world, are different. Sometimes it may be hard to understand somebody's point of view, but even if we cannot accept someone's opinion, we must at least tolerate it.

And... one further suggestion:

If you have learned to tolerate other members, you will also be able to tolerate differences between characters. You don't like the way your ship's captain gives orders? Well, don't offend the other one as a member, but transfer your aggressions to your character: Tell him (the captain) that you (e.g. his first officer) have a problem with his orders - but always keep being constructive! I guess, we will all gain a lot from a ship's crew that is more than just a crowd of characters only giving their blessing to everything.

(Edited by Thomas Stiegler at 11:07 am on Oct. 4, 2002)

[Hedford]

BTW I am also speaking with my other characters...also the ones in "high places" http://expansionfleet.sparks.priorweb.be/ikonboard/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=';)'>

[Dalen Winterspoon]

Okay, okay, guys, there is NOW something I wanna expose in here. And someone *glances to Vorak* will certainly say : "Ah! At last!" Pfffff!
If I had time enough to do what I must do for Boards and The Corp Site, as when I was on vacations, mwell, okay. But, I have returned to work................. Awaking every day at 05:00 and finishing job after 12:15 (14:00 on Saturday) is tiring enough, you don't think so?

Anyway..... The Webring Idea (Vorak, shhhhhhhhhh!)

Okay, I have analysed the architecture of our RPG.
There are 3 main Fleets :
1 StarFleet
2 Cardassians
3 The Corporation
I could count the Romulans but it seems as the Romulans are a bit, erm, sleepy.
As far as I have understood, there will be also a Shadow Fleet. So, if you follow me well, there will be 4 Fleets. Not only that but I suspect there will be more in the future of the RPG (if you guys have grown enough to stay gentlemen and stop your childish fight games -should I shut my big mouth, sometimes?- :wink: ).

So my idea is to make an Expansion Webring.
And, as the Expansion Site was the First Site to be originally built, the Expansion Site could become the Expansion Portal between all the Fleets INSIDE this Webring.
The Voting Page of the Expansion could become the Expansion Voting Page for every Fleet in the Expansion RPG. Every Fleet Site Webmaster will have to update his/her Fleet Site links, however. And invite his/her FleetMembers to V O T E frequently. So that each Fleet Site could concentrate updating sessions on each Fleet News and Pages Updating. What for? To maintain the Credibility of Each Site/Fleet.

News for Each Fleet can be achieved by the WebMaster (Fleet Admiral, General, Leader or whatever that could be) DIRECTLY in a Special Forum of the Fleet Board. I want to do that in the Corporation HQ Board and it's the best it could be if we don't want to waste our time in updating ONLINE all the informations. The easy way to do so is to have Reporters that will do the Job for us. When a mission of a Fleet is achieved in the Expansion Forum, a Reporter of this Fleet will have to copy/paste the main posts of this Mission on the HQ Fleet News Forum and build that way one article about this Mission. And this will be easily read by a permanent link on the Fleet Site.
Fleet Admirals, Fleet Generals and Fleet Leaders have enough job to do about watching their Own Board, their own Site and the Expansion Board to waste their time by building articles and so on and so forth and ad vitam eaternam et ad nauseam. May I remind you that the number of the Missions will increase in proportion of the number of the Fleets, Ships/Bases and FleetMembers? How many characters do you have, personnally?

Admiral Vorak wants to create a Board for StarFleet (Avalon) and the Expansion Board we are currently using will be the Board where all the Fleets will post their missions. This idea has my full support because I have already started this by creating the Corporation HQ Board and all of the CorpShips are playing in the Expansion Board in the "Nebula and its Borders" Forum. That way, the Expansion Forum will not grow too much (we need room for the Expansion!), we will be able to continue posting as many as we want and I can have Secret Reunions with my worthy CIB Senior http://expansionfleet.sparks.priorweb.be/ikonboard/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/cool.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':cool:'> .So you can imagine how enthousiastic I am for this project. :biggrin: (BTW, I have more emoticons, on my Board. can't you grab them to add these to this one? Pffff!)

Assuming I don't like this Lcars Interface for the Expansion Site, because of its 1024 resolution and Full Window Mode process, this Interface is perfect for a WebRing. And specially for the Portal.
If this Portal could be set up, the credibility of the Expansion RPG and Sites would be easier to reach. One Main Site for the Expansion Webring and Sites for Fleets linked to this Webring. Of course, to have more credibility, Particular Boards for Each Fleet Site. What for?, you could ask me. Reality and credibility. And I give you one example for you to understand :
If you want to REALLY visit The Corporation, you "warp" to the Corporation Board. If we do everything on the Expansion Board, it is not credible. Because everyone can "warp" to a forum, post in this Forum and be visiting an other forum in the same time. You have noticed? Two posts at the same time! The TimeLine is not respected. This is NOT credible. In the reality, there are DISTANCES between Stations and Ships; and even more between one Fleet and an other one.

If you want to respect the Star Trek Spirit, and the Credibility INSIDE this Spirit (do Star Trek Movies Directors respect the AstroPhysics and Science Knowledge in their Movies? Answer => YES!), this Webring is important. When Ships are moving to an other location in Space, they are REALLY moving. When someone is in one Station, this someone IS NOT on an other station (except Q, alas!). So, if you want only play a RPG like if it was a PC Game, it's your affair not mine.

What do you think of that?

[Montrell]

As Admiral I agree...I could use the work. Sometimes I am to lazy but with the new arrangement it would be old working again :biggrin: