RPG:Captains Handbook

0.0 Introduction

Welcome to the Captains' Handbook. This document covers the responsibilities and requirements for a Captain position in USI. As a Captain you are now in command of a ship. You are now both a leader and a servant of the ship to which you are assigned. Your RPG (Role-Playing) role is expanded, but most noticeably, you have an expanded NRPG (Non-Role-Playing) role. Please read through this handbook carefully as it will provide you with some guidance as to what your new position entails. If you are a new captain, please pay particular attention Section 8.0 as it deals specifically with the Academy.

1.0 Rule Number 1

The most important rule to remember is to have *fun*! This game is simply that - a game. And if you're not having fun, it's not a very good game, is it? So even while you do have some new responsibilities, never lose sight of this rule. Have fun! Get goofy! Inject some humour into your plots - not everything needs to be life or death! Take a break every now and again - stepping away from the game for a couple days will renew your interest, and revive you for

NRPG Responsibilities of a Captain

Now that you are a captain, you have several new NRPG responsibilities. It's important to realize that your NRPG responsibilities are just as important as your RPG ones are. The management behind the scenes is just as important to the smooth running of your ship list as your RPG participation is.

Crew Management

The most important thing you will be responsible for is managing your crew. This job differs depending on whether you are an Academy Captain or a Fleet Captain. Please refer to the Academy section (8.0) for specifics related to it. Generally, in order to access your crew, you can now login to Halo, and find a "Modify Crew" option in the menu at the left side of the screen. From here, you will see your ship, with all of the crew assigned to it. You will be able to access email addresses from here, as well as being able to modify crew biographies. We ask that you do not make any changes to character bios, but rather contact players to discuss changes you think should be made in order to keep the bio in line with the USI universe. You can also change player ranks from this screen.

Rewarding Your Crew: Promotions and Awards

Crew promotion is an important part of USI. Promotions are great motivators for posting, and it is important that you routinely promote deserving crew members. Promotions are based on a variety of factors including post rate, post quality, interaction and attitude. At this time, in the Fleet, it is left to the discretion of Captains to decide when to promote players from the rank of Warrant Officer to Commander. Promotions to Commander Elite and Captain are only done by Fleet Admiral Kealan Sells - but captains are welcome to recommend players for these promotions in their IIRs (discussed in Section 2.0). It is important to remember that players can only be promoted if they post the minimum required number of posts - 3 per week. Also keep in mind that the higher the rank, the more you should require from your crew to attain that rank. For example, more consecutive weeks of minimum or above posting, or perhaps particularly outstanding leadership during a series of plots. In order to promote a character, login to Halo, select "modify crew" and locate the character in the crew manifest. Once you enter their biography screen from this list, you will notice the drop-down menu for them that indicates their rank. Simply find the rank you are promoting them to within this list, and be sure to hit the Update button at the bottom of the screen. You will have now changed the rank of a player on your ship. Awards are another way to reward players for good posting. There are a variety of awards available in Tryst Commons - please familiarize yourself with them. Some, such as the yearly recognitions, will be awarded by Admirals, but many are available for Captains to give to deserving players. Awards cost only 1 credit each for Captains - though the price will still appear to be astronomical, when you purchase one, you will find you have only paid one credit. If you are uncertain about which award to give to a player, or about whether a player deserves an award, do not hesitate to contact your Task Force Commander regarding it. They will be happy to assist you in selecting the appropriate reward. You can access awards by logging into Halo, and selecting "Tryst Commons". Select your captain character, and then go to the 2nd floor. Select the "Trophies, Medals, etc" store - which will now open as a pop-up screen. From here you can purchase the appropriate award. In order to give it to a player, open your inventory, select the award, and the option "Give selected item to another player". On the next screen, you will be able to choose the character you would like to give it to as well as sending an accompanying message notifying them that they have received the award. It is recommended that you make an announcement on your ship list when you have handed out a promotion or an award (discussed in the following section). This not only gives you a chance to highlight the particular reasons why you feel this player was deserving, but also acts as encouragement to all of the crew. Knowing that they will be rewarded and recognized when they do well can be a huge boost to crew morale.

Transferring Crew

It is unlikely that you will need to transfer crew while you are in the Fleet - all transfers should be performed by Admiral Sells, EXCEPT when you are transferring a player to Tryst Training. However, in the Academy, this is often a weekly task. Transfers occur in the Fleet only at the request of players - once per year - or when they are promoted to Commander Elite or Captain. Transfers in the Academy occur when a player is promoted to Warrant Officer. To transfer a player, login to Halo, select "modify crew" and locate the character in the crew manifest. Once you enter their biography screen from this list, you will find a drop-down menu indicating the ship to which they are currently assigned. You may now select the ship to which they are being transferred, and select the Update button at the bottom of the screen in order to make the switch permanent. Any time that you transfer a crew member - in the Fleet or the Academy, you need to send an email to the Captains' List that indicates who you have transferred and where you are transferring them. An example of such an email might be:

Subject: Crew Transfers

Body:

Warrant Officer Tamika Smith from USI Stingray to Tryst Training.

Tryst Training

Tryst Training transfers should occur when players are no longer posting to your ship. If a player has not posted for three weeks, you should email them off list to determine why this is. If they do not intend to return to posting (indicated either in their email or by a lack of response to your query), transfer them to Tryst Training after 4 weeks of zero posts. Characters will be deleted after 8 weeks spent in Tryst Training. If players do decide to return, they still have access to the last ship to which they were assigned. They need to send in an RPG post, at which time you will notify the Captains' List that they have returned, and Admiral Sells will transfer them back into your crew manifest. It is recommended that you notify players of the situation - that they are being transferred, how long they have before deletion, what is required to return - when you transfer them to Tryst Training. If a player indicates that they no longer wish to receive emails from the list, you need to notify them that they will have to change their list settings in Halo. They will need to log into Halo, and select the link in the menu on the left side of the screen that says their character's name on that particular ship. This should take them to a screen with (((????))))

Enforcing the Rules

Unfortunately, the Captain's job is not all promotions and rewards. Captains are also responsible for enforcing USI's rules. These include the language policy, zero on list NRPG fighting, universe continuity, monitoring SHS and SVS (discussed further in Section 1.1.3.1 and 1.1.3.2 respectively), and maintaining a PG-13 environment on the list. It is best to enforce these rules via off list emails to the offending crew members. However, if several people on your ship are breaking a rule, or if an NRPG fight has broken out, you may find it necessary to make some kind of appropriate comment on list to end the battle. When it comes to the rules, typically reminders are enough to bring an end to the offending behaviour. You may come across players who have not carefully read the rules of the game, and are not aware that we have a strict G language policy (think Disney cartoons) - requiring that words, which some players may deem are not swear words, are not used in any context on the lists. These players will usually agree to modify their language when they are notified of this rule. You are also asked to monitor biographies for content - players are able to constantly update their biographies, and they may add material that is inappropriate or that indicates SHS. If players are not cooperative, or if you are uncertain about whether a rule has been broken, or about how you should deal with a particular situation, you are strongly encouraged to contact your Task Force Commander. It is also recommended that you cc them all emails sent out to players regarding broken rules so that they are kept in the loop about your off list activities. This is particularly useful if players are not cooperative - admirals will then be aware of everything that has transpired from the moment you first contacted them.

SHS

SHS stands for "SuperHero Syndrome." This occurs when a player posts their character as doing something that would typically not be possible for someone in their situation. An example might be an engineer performing surgery, or a navigator acting as a sniper. The most common acts of SHS include marines who are virtually invincible due to their mastery of combat skills, or any character who can single-handedly save the day. SHS makes the game less fun for everyone - who wants to roleplay in a situation where one character is constantly able to do everything, constantly able to save the problem within a post or two? You may need to ask players to tone down their characters abilities - it is important that the character's RPG behaviour matches the abilities listed in their biography via the game's Character Ability System. Remind players that their department is an indication of their specialization, and that they need to act accordingly. TFCs will be happy to assist you in dealing with players demonstrating SHS.

SVS

SVS stands for "Super Victim Syndrome." A problem similar to SHS, this occurs when a player consistently places their character in the victim's role. Frequently being kidnapped, injured and generally the target of whatever evil might occur in a plot are good signs that there is a player on your ship with SVS. It is not fun for the rest of the crew to constantly have to rescue one character - and it also places that character constantly at the center of the action. This can discourage other players who feel their characters are being reduced to supporting roles. You may need to ask players to stop making their character be the victim. Give them tasks to perform that take them out of harm's way, and if need be, point out that other players would like the opportunity to be the one to run into trouble. TFCs will be happy to assist you in dealing with players demonstrating SVS.

PC vs. NPC

A PC is a Player-Character - i.e. the character with which a player has signed up, and who should be used by the player in the majority of their posts. An NPC is a Non-Player-Character, i.e. a character that the player has created to use in limited ways in order to post more frequently or to give more dimension to a ship. Players are not permitted to make NPCs that outrank their PC. NPCs are restricted by the same rules of SHS that PCs are - and should not be created so that PCs are able to do things - by having the NPC do it - that they would not normally be able to do. NPCs can be created in Halo, and entered into the NPC database. At present time, players are restricted to five NPCs in the database each, but should be encouraged to create 'temporary' NPCs for use in one plot, or in a couple of posts to add flavor to their posting.

Posting Policy

As a Captain, it is more important than ever that you post *at least* the minimum post rate of 3 posts per week. Typically, the more a captain posts, the more the crew will post, so if you are able to post more than 3 times a week, you may notice an increase in posts from the entire crew. You will be held to a post rate standard. This standard is an attempt to ensure Captains are active enough on their lists to be effective. If you post below minimum for four consecutive weeks, you will receive a warning that you have not met the posting standard. If you post below minimum the following week, you will receive another warning. If you post below minimum for a 6th week, you will be demoted to Commander. If you post at minimum during the fifth or sixth week, you will start at zero weeks of below average again, but will retain your warnings. E.g. If you post below average for another four consecutive weeks, you will be demoted immediately if you have collected 2 warnings. In order to have your warnings erased, you must post at the minimum rate for 6 consecutive months. If you do not post at all for four consecutive weeks, you will be demoted to Commander and moved to Tryst Training, with the exception of an excused absence previously arranged with your TFC. It is understandable that at certain times you not be able to post regularly. Please be considerate and notify both your crew and your Task Force Commander when you will not be able to post. This kind of act of courtesy will certainly affect your promotion prospects when such discussions are held among the Admirals. If you would like clarification about this (or anything else in the Handbook), please contact your TFC who will be happy to assist.

NRPG Posts

We also ask that NRPG posts are kept to a minimum. It has been the experience of past Captains that NRPG posts tend to lead to off-topic conversations, and/or fighting on lists. It is important that you discourage players from posting NRPG messages without RPG posts attached to them. That said, as a Captain, you may find it necessary to address an NRPG message to your crew every now and again. Be sure to clearly label your post with NRPG in the subject line.

IIRs

An IIR is the bi-weekly crew report that you are required to submit. You will have access to fill one out on even numbered weeks in the year, starting Monday at 12:01 AM MST (GMT -7), and have the rest of the week to complete it. This IIR is submitted via Halo and is then made available to the Admirals so they can review the status of your ship, and comments you have made regarding the characters on it. It is one of several ways that USI Administration is able to track the progress and status of all players. The IIR is also the basis for the USI ability point system, with ability points awarded based on the level at which individual players are posting. If you do not submit a bi-weekly IIR, the players in your crew will not receive ability points. Finally, you are required to submit post counts on a per character and per ship basis. This means that you will tally all RPG posts for each player over the two week period and indicate that number in the IIR. You will also tally the ship's total, discounting any RPG posts from your TFC. Joint Posts - posts written by two or more people - will count as one post for each player involved in writing the post, but as only one post for your ship total. To access your IIR, login to Halo and then select "modify crew." You should see on the left side of the screen an option that is "Ship Name IIR". Select it, and the IIR window will open.

Submission Difficulties

If you have difficulty submitting your IIR for technical reasons - and you have double-checked to make sure you are trying to submit it at the right time, contact your TFC with specific details of the problem. If you are unable to submit your IIR because you are away, then contact your TFC and arrange to have them submit an IIR. DO NOT ask your XO to complete the IIR; DO NOT give your XO your HALO login information. This is a completely inappropriate solution that gives your XO access to all of your account, including the ability to modify your crew, read the archives of all lists you may be on, INCLUDING the Captains' List which is confidential, and all other elements of your account (e.g. Tryst Commons). It is recommended that you ask your XO to email all pertinent information for the IIR to the TFC including post counts, notes on characters and a plot summary.

Anatomy of an IIR

Character Name, Rank, Position: Identifies for whom you are inputting data Posts on Server (for the last two weeks): Halo counts the total number of posts registered for this player, regardless of whether they were NRPG or RPG posts. Please do a manual count of posts - including joint posts - for each character when you are indicating their Posting Status.

Posting Status: There are several options here: Above Minimum, which is 4+ posts a week, Minimum which is 3 posts a week, Below Minimum which is less than 3 posts a week, Dead which is 0 posts a week and Excused which is used when a player has indicated they cannot post due to other circumstances (e.g. vacation, holiday, computer problems)

A post is anything that contains an RPG section for your ship. NRPG posts do not count towards a player's post count. Be sure to note in the player notes if they have posted several NRPG posts, or if their RPG posts tend to be either on the short side or particularly long.

Notes about Officer: Notes can, and should, be entered for each character providing useful details on their conduct and posting during the previous two weeks. This is the appropriate space for recommending an XO for Captaincy, or a player for promotion to XO, as well as a good place to note any absences. These notes will be added to individual permanent records, which can be access by the player's current captain and all Admirals above them in the chain of command.

Things to potentially include: A breakdown of how much they have posted e.g. did they post a lot one week and then not at all the next?, How well they are posting e.g. length of posts, quality of posts, interaction with others Whether there have been any problems e.g. broken rules, SHS, offensive NRPGs? Highlight their strengths e.g. very creative, strives to involve others, strong leadership qualities, utilizes information from the various databases in their posts

Posting Status: The second posting status is located after the crew list. It is an indicator of the posting status of your entire ship. Three colors are used red, yellow and green. Red indicates that posting is low, you are in need of new crew, and possibly some outside (TFC) assistance in getting your crew posting regularly again. Yellow indicates that posting is at a medium level, new players would be appreciated, but assistance is probably not required. Green indicates that posting is high, and you are 100% satisfied with your ship.

Other Notes: Use this section to describe in detail any mishaps that occur, any concerns you might have in general, or to highlight any positives that you would like to draw attention to. The general notes section is an appropriate space for any general comments about your crew. Have you noticed that certain people only post with each other, or that someone is being excluded (deliberately or accidentally?) from the plot? Do you have any general concerns about your list? Or do you want to praise your crew, or emphasis praise for any particular players?

Plot Details: A brief summary of the status of your plot is the final section in the IIR. A paragraph or two outlining what the ship's current mission is, is all that is required.

Promotion to Warrant Officer and the IIR

In the Academy, IIRs are to be submitted BEFORE any character transfers to the Fleet (which occur when a player is promoted to Lt. JG) are performed. In the Fleet, if you submit an IIR after a player is transferred to your ship from the Academy, you are expected to mark the player as excused. This is to ensure that the player receives an accurate number of ability points. If a player transfers to your ship from the Fleet, use the Captains' List to ask the player's former captain what an appropriate posting status should be.

The Ability System

The character ability system was put in place to provide a guideline for character abilities, as well as to provide a resource for monitoring SHS. Characters are able to learn abilities as they receive points for posting. Initially characters can only learn four abilities, but they will have access to more the longer they stay in the game to a maximum of 8. Abilities range from level 0 to level 15 - with 0 being a very basic or weak ability to 15 being a mastery of the ability. Guidelines as to what the levels will mean on a per ability basis are being drawn up - but please think logically. Levels 1-4 should be played at a beginner level for each ability, while levels 10-14 would be expert. As a captain, it is your job to ensure that players are respecting the ability system. Try to encourage players to post training or practising their skills to coincide with placing more points in the ability.

Plots

As a Captain, you are responsible for creating, approving, running and ending plots on your ship. This does not mean that you must create all of the plots - you are encouraged to take suggestions from the crew on your ship, or to turn to your TFC for suggestions if you find yourself unable to brainstorm an appropriate one. It does, however, mean that you are responsible for making sure the plot runs smoothly, and that everyone on the ship is able to get involved.

Creating/Selecting a Plot

Creating a plot is a different process for everyone. Some people like to come up with a clear picture of a plot from beginning to end, while others are happy to run with the seed of an idea and see where they and the crew are able to take it. It is strongly recommended that regardless of where on the spectrum you fall, you always make sure that you yourself can think of ways for every department represented on your ship to get involved in the plot. This can be challenging at times as it is not always obvious what role a civilian might have in exploring an abandoned ship - regardless, think of something for them to do. This is the single most important thing that a captain can do to prepare before starting a plot. As stated in Section 2.0, you are encouraged to use suggestions from your crew - even to allow your XO and/or experienced members of your crew to run plots. Be sure to discuss their plot concept thoroughly before the plot begins, and to consider whether the plot will be engaging for the rest of the crew, and whether it can involve everyone. Also, try to run a variety of plots. Keep things as fresh as possible by varying whether the plot will require a coordinated attack, or a diplomatic action, or a party. Try exploration, negotiation, training, vacations, encounters with strange alien species, and anything else you can come up with that is appropriate for your ship.

Running a Plot

Running a plot is the majority of what you will be doing as a Captain. It involves introducing the plot in some manner, then ensuring that the plot keeps developing, all the while involving the entirety of your crew. The most important part of running a plot is being flexible. USI is a strong supporter of the open plot twist - i.e. any player on the ship may post something that changes the situation in a new and exciting way. We do ask that players speak with their captains off list if the twist they are introducing is major, but you may find some players do not do this. It is up to you to formally enforce this - but do allow for players to introduce less major twists without first consulting you. Give players something to react to. Some will enjoy posting twists, while others will like to post their reactions to new situations. They may look to you specifically for directions - i.e. in-game orders - or they may simply expect that you will provide them with something to respond to in terms of an ever-changing situation. While we hope that players will develop the skill and confidence to be part of the first group - the plot twisters -, we must be considerate of those who benefit from being placed in situations or being given situations in which they can act and react.

Ending a Plot

Never be afraid to end a plot too abruptly. If everyone has stopped posting, they are no longer engaged with the plot. Try to wrap it up quickly and move on to something new. If people are still actively posting, but the plot has been going on for a long period of time (plots can range from a couple days to a couple months - it will depend on your crew how long is too long for a plot to run), indicate in NRPG that you would like to wrap things up to start something new, and then start nudging the plot in the direction you'd like it to go for its conclusion. Always allow players to backpost if they like to indicate their character's role in the conclusion of a plot.

Sub-Plots

Sub-plots are the best way to give your ship extra dimensions. They may also be the only way to get some players involved - those who resist involvement in main plots may enjoy sub-plots that allow them to post with a smaller group. Sub-plots typically center on character development, but that's not a necessary component. They simply are plots that run in the background, often during downtime, but occasionally even while the rest of the ship is involved in a major plot. Some players will introduce sub-plots themselves - it is often good to try to discuss with them off list what is happening, and what their goal might be (to ensure the goal is not to acquire a superhuman skill or a new invincible robot or some such). You may need to introduce NPCs to facilitate sub-plots, and should encourage others to as well.

Plot and Posting Tips

You will discover that which plots work and don't work will depend heavily on your own style of Captaining, and, even more so, on your crew and what interests them. Don't force a plot on a crew that is not interested in it - if they stop posting, post a huge plot twist to get them interested again, or end the plot altogether and try something new. This will again depend on your crew, but consider whether it is appropriate to run a plot wherein the player characters split up individually or act in larger groups. It can be difficult for some players to post when they are posting by themselves - and we encourage as much interaction as possible. Consider what degree of plot complexity is appropriate for your crew. Some people will be able to follow an intricate web of intrigue in which NPCs go from being good guys to bad guys and back again. Some will have difficulty with that. If you find that only one or two players are constantly asking for clarification - perhaps it is appropriate for you to try to regularly post a plot update, or perhaps it would be better to attempt a more straightforward plot. Be flexible. You may have an idea of how you want a plot to end, but you may equally find that idea ruined by a plot twist someone posts. Don't get upset, this is simply how the game is run - part of the fun is taking something new and seeing what you can make of it. Do not ignore posts. Sometimes, a player may post something that contradicts a situation, or has little to do with the plot. Try to include their post in the plot in some way when you post. Introduce an NPC that will get them involved, or have your character send them orders, or make a few changes to their post when you paste it into your own so that the gist of what they have posted is maintained. Put in the effort to include everyone, regardless of how 'out there' their posts may seem. Consider creating an 'arch-nemesis' for your ship as a whole. Players may not become engaged in plots with villains that are interested in harming only the Captain or one particular character on the ship, but they do become interested when you create a new villain with a grudge against the former crew of the USI Phoenix, or a space pirate who has recently moved into the territory your ship frequents, etc. etc. Make the villain want to do evil to the entire crew, rather than just the Captain - provide opportunities for everyone to interact with the villain. Find ways to make sure the villain escapes at the last moment (or earlier, if it fits their personality), and return in later plots. It is appropriate to incorporate villains with a vendetta against one single character for character development, but do not have this kind of villain involved in every single plot on your ship. Remember that actions have consequences. If a character's actions are SHS - speak to them off list, but then on list, introduce consequences for their actions. Maybe they think they have just saved the day, but instead they have ruined a complicated undercover operation to expose the bad guys. If they have just used an ability to create a fireblast - when they lack such an ability via the ability system - perhaps they now have a severely burned hand, or the fireblast has acted in an unexpected way. Even if the actions aren't SHS - thinking about the consequences of actions are often good ways to come up with plot twists of your own. Don't be afraid to fail the mission. It's great fun to be the heroes, but consider what might happen if you fail to save the farmers from the monsters in the forest, or if you cannot stop the bomb from exploding or if the ship is unable to outmaneuver the bad guy's ship.

The Anatomy of A Crew

As a captain, you will become extremely familiar with your crew - their biographies, their personalities, and what their roles are on your ship. The following are some guidelines regarding your crew.

First Officer - Commander Elite - XO

Your XO is going to become your right arm. The First Officer of your ship is the other half of the immediate command structure on each ship, and you will find yourself relying on them frequently. They can take temporary command of the ship when you are busy in RL (for brief periods of time - and it is recommended that they contact your TFC if any player problems arise during your absence), and they should provide back-up for you on the list. In RPG terms, the First Officer is the second in command; Captains will frequently put them in charge of away missions while they stay behind on the ship, or place their First Officer in other key leadership roles during the course of a plot. There are only a few restrictions on what you can have your First Officer do - one of them is that First Officers cannot be department heads. They obviously have a departmental background, but in RPG terms, it is expected that their role as First Officer is enough to keep them busy. You may, however, allow your XO run an NPC as a Department Head. Also, do not give your XO access to your Halo account. This is completely inappropriate. If you are unable to perform certain duties for a period of time, such as transferring crew to Tryst Training or completing your IIR, inform your TFC. They can fill in during your absence. Do have your XO run plots, and have them help get players involved in the storyline. Also, you can have your XO assist in completing your IIR by placing them in charge of sending you regular post counts, or comments on the progress of each member of the crew. While they cannot complete an IIR via Halo, they can provide you with feedback to complete yours. Encourage them to let you know off list if they think someone is behaving out of line, or if someone deserves a promotion or award.

Preparing an XO for Captaincy

You are responsible for helping your XO prepare for Captaincy. With your guidance, an XO is expected to develop towards the promotion to Captain. So what can you do to help them? Discuss your discussions and actions with them off list. Communication is important. Talk to them about their strengths and point out areas where they could use some work. Work with them to come up with, and to run plots so that they can develop these skills. Praise them when they do well. Talk to your XO about what your role is - have them complete off list IIRs to be submitted to you, or to recommend action to you in the case of player problems on the list. You may not follow their recommendation, but getting them thinking about this side of being a captain is beneficial. If you do take some other action, talk to them about why you have done it. Above all, encourage them to post. The more participation you have in the game, the more opportunity you have to improve.

Department Heads

The Head of a Department is essentially in charge of their department. In NRPG terms, they are the same as any other non-command member of your crew. Within an RPG context, the Department Head is responsible for the daily running of their department, and outranks all members of their department. They can issue orders to their subordinates, manage department resources, submit reports and/or make recommendations regarding their department, etc.. Monitor your Department Heads to ensure they are not pushing around their subordinates - we want the game to be fun for everyone and no one likes to be ordered around all the time. Typically, Department Heads should be the character in a given department with the highest rank. However, Department Heads should also be reliable posters, particularly if there are other PCs on board the ship in their department. The position of Department Head should be given to someone deserving of an expanded RPG role, and you should feel capable of reassigning the position if the current Department Head ceases to post, or posts infrequently.

Civilians

Civilians on a ship can provide unique challenges for Captains, such as when trying to get the entire crew involved in a plot. While civilians are authorized to be on USI ships, they should be protected at all times, and would not have the same access to the ship that an officer in one of the standard departments have. For example, civilians should not be present on the bridge without permission. Civilians come in all shapes and sizes - some will be diplomats, others children. Some will be teachers, or bartenders or any other role you can think of for a civilian to fill on a spaceship. You will need to learn to be flexible, finding reasons to draw civilians into plots. Work with the player to determine whether the character has any particular knowledge or expertise (remembering the ability system!), that could be beneficial in various situations. Remember that civilians do not receive promotions the way that officers do, so find other ways to recognize them when they post well.

Standard Officers

The majority of your crew will be officers who are not department heads. Some may post frequently, others not at all. Keep in mind what activities are appropriate on a departmental basis when thinking about what roles these characters can occupy. Try to find ways to create interaction between departments so that everyone can play with each other. Encourage them to post frequently, and to get involved. Keep in mind what behaviour would be appropriate in an organization such as USI, and respond accordingly in game to whatever players throw at you: you will be constantly surprised by the creativity of your crew.

Task Force Stations

Each Task Force has a station list that is run by the Task Force Commander. These station lists are accessible by everyone who is maintaining a reasonable posting rate on their assigned ship. The lists are to be populated by NPCs, and PCs will only be present if the corresponding ship is docked with the station. It is up to you to decide during these periods of downtime how you will tabulate posts - you may opt to require players to continue posting to the ship list, or else count posts to the station only if they contain the player's character (thus not counting NPC posts). The Task Force Station is essentially intended as the hub for each Task Force. They will hopefully facilitate increased continuity throughout the Task Force. As the Admiral in your Task Force is in charge of the station, it is up to them to monitor the list. On the station list, you have no authority, so please leave any on list problems to the Admiral to deal with, or bring any off list problems to their attention. Also, it is recommended that players contact the Admiral off list if they would like to hold one of the open department head positions on the station.

Cross-Posts

Cross-posts can be set up between your ship and another in your Task Force with the permission of your TFC. Cross-posts are essentially plots that are run with two ships. During a cross-post, players receive posts from both ships, and are able to interact with the crew of the other ship as well as their own. Cross-posts require a lot of planning, and require two willing captains who will be available during the entire duration of the cross-post. For more information, contact your TFC. Cross-posts are not possible in the Academy.

The Academy

The Academy is where you will spend the first months of your Captaincy. You will be placed on one of the Academy ships to develop your skills as a Captain before being assigned to an available Fleet ship. The Academy is unique from the Fleet because not only are you learning how to perform in your new role, but you are also teaching new players how to play the game - in an RPG context, you are now training cadets.

Your Arrival in the Academy

Congratulations! You have been promoted to Captain! Your first command assignment will be to an Academy Ship. You have now received and accepted an offer of Captaincy, and will be transferred to your new ship. What should you do now? Familiarize yourself with your crew - read the bios for each member. Go into Halo and select the Modify Crew option in the menu on the left hand side of your screen. Select the "Permanent Record" button for each individual and read what the last Captain has written about each character, if applicable. Read the last several posts in the Halo archive for the ship. You should be contacted quickly by the Academy TFC who will try to help you out with a plot update, and contact information so you can get in touch with him/her. The Academy TFC will help you learn your new role so please ask them all of your questions and then a couple more just for good measure. Once you know what is going on, post an appropriate arrival to the ship's list. Try to give the cadets an idea of what your character is all about - point them to your bio. Good luck!

Cadets

Cadets are generally new players, though they may be returning players or players starting a second character in USI. Regardless, you are charged with the role of preparing these players for future assignments in the Fleet. In the Academy, they are able to make mistakes and learn from them alongside others who are also learning. And it is going to be up to you to nudge them in the right direction, without scaring them away from the game. Cadets will be regularly assigned to your ship by the Academy TFC - usually in pairs. You are strongly encouraged to send them off list welcome messages introducing yourself and providing a plot update. The Academy TFC also sends a welcome message - and will provide you with a copy at your request so you know what cadets are being told before they even post arrivals to your ship. Be patient with cadets - they usually do not have as much, or the same, experience with USI, or even with RPG-ing as you do at this point. It is up to you to decide how you can best teach them the ropes of the game - whether you provide pointers via NRPGs in your posts, or a weekly 'Tips" NRPG message, or whether you simply allow them to learn through trial and error. We do recommend that you try to help them get a handle on their departmental roles. Teaching them what responsibilities they have as a member of a particular department will give them an opportunity to develop their characters, and to think about what role their character would realistically have in any given situation. For ideas on how to do this, consider brainstorming with your XO, or contacting the Academy TFC.

Promotions

Your list will be sent a "Promo Monday" email every Monday. This email contains a crew manifest, followed by a list of all characters who have earned promotions. The email is sent by the Academy TFC who is in charge of determining when cadets deserve promotion. You will need to adjust the ranks of the characters within Halo so that the promotion is reflected in the character's bio.

Transfers

Cadets who attain the rank of Warrant Officer will be transferred to the Fleet. If you have a cadet who is promoted to the Fleet, your ship's list will receive a Transfers email, sent by the Academy TFC, notifying everyone of where the character will be transferred. You are responsible for performing the transfer within Halo. If a character is promoted to the Fleet during the week your IIR is due, you need to wait to transfer the character until after you have submitted your IIR. This is to ensure that the character receives the appropriate ability points before they make it out into the Fleet.

Resources at Your Disposal

Whether you are newly promoted to Captain, or have held the job for several months or years, you are never without resources at your disposal to both improve your skills, and to assist you in captaining your ship.

TFC

Task Force Commanders are the Admirals assigned to each Task Force - a group of three ships and one station. The Task Force Commander is the next step up in the Chain of Command - they are your direct superior. If you have any questions or concerns, or need someone to toss an idea off of, this person is your best bet. They are here to help you, not only with the fun stuff, but also if you have any problems with players on your ship.

Website Databases

You should try to become very familiar with the databases on the USI website - located in the Game section. These databases can provide you with a variety of information regarding the USI universes, including crew and NPC databases, information on ships, species, factions, technologies and abilities. If you have a question about any of these things, look for an entry in the database first, and if that does not clear it up, contact your TFC. These databases are updated so refer to them frequently to keep up to date.

The Captains' List

As a Captain, you now have access to the Captains' List. This list exists for the use of Captains, Admiral Sells, and the Admirals' List-Captains' List Liaison. All material sent over this list is 100% confidential - do not share any of it with non-Captains. You should feel comfortable using this list as a resource for any issue that may arise during your Captaincy. If you are unclear about a rule, you can call upon the collective wisdom of the other Captains to clarify it. If you want to know whether you can do something within the context of the USI universe, this is a great resource to look to for a response. This list is also used for the communication of information or requests to and from the Admirals' list; hence, the existence of a Liaison.