Not sure what this game is all about or whether you might be interested? This FAQ sheet will attempt to answer some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ). If you run across a word or a term you do not understand, then check the glossary at the end of this FAQ for a definition. If you cannot find an answer here, then please email the USS Pegasus CO at pegasus_78431@yahoo.com
A Play By Email Game, also referred to as PBeM, is just what the name implies. It is a game that is played using email as the primary method of participation. It is done by writing a segment, known as a post, then emailing your post to a list server for distribution to all players. The list server we use is Yahoogroups.com and the list name is USS_Pegasus.
A Role Playing Game, also referred to as RPG, is a game where you assume the identity of a fictional character and write from that point of view. Your character then interacts with the characters on the ship in a way that is consistent with the Star Trek universe.
Star Trek is a well-known (and much beloved) science fiction story, based on the Paramount television series and movies created by Gene Roddenberry (may he rest in peace). Our game is based on the Star Trek theme which provides a science fiction backdrop for our stories, but we create all original material. Material originally produced and authorized by Paramount is considered "canon" and material which is invented by other sources or people is considered "non-canon." While we integrate canon races and planets into many of our stories, our characters are non-canon, meaning that while you might encounter Klingons and Vulcans in our stories, you will never run into Worf or Mr. Spock on our ship. The game is non-commercial, meaning that the stories we write are for our personal amusement and entertainment, and not written for profit or intended in any way to violate the copyright that Paramount holds for all Star Trek material. The purpose of selecting a particular theme to build our stories around is to provide a common framework that gives the players some consistency and a recognizable "universe" to operate in.
The 8th Expeditionary Fleet is set in unexplored areas of the Beta Quadrant. Canon races who are established residents of the Beta Quadrant include the Klingons and the Romulans. We are regularly discovering non-canon races and planets.
The game is a writing based, episode-style series. Like soap-operas, the story line unfolds before your eyes each time someone writes a post. Each player is asked to write a minimum of a weekly post (you are always welcome to do more) and emails their post up to the list. This is known as posting. Each post builds on the ones before, enhancing ongoing threads and exploring new ones. Each player is responsible for "running" their own character, and for establishing the nature of that character in post for other players to interact with.
An example might be: Captain Vahn is posted as having a discussion with her XO, Lt. Cdr. Garmek. She asks Garmek to review the security team to see if they are ready for an away mission. She then goes to the lounge for some lunch. The next person posting can pick up the thread, posting their character interacting with Vahn in the lounge, or perhaps meeting Garmek during his security team review. Or, they can post an unrelated thread, like having their character go to sickbay for a talk with the doctor, or perhaps a trip to the holodeck. One by one, we each contribute to the fabric of the story, weaving threads of different plots and subplots - some mystery, some comedy, some romance - into the final tapestry.
You do not need previous RPG or PBeM experience to play.
We welcome anyone who loves to write, loves to role-play, loves science fiction, and feels they would enjoy our style of writing. Our players are generally mature (most are between ages 19-50), have good to excellent writing skills, and enjoy writing a mixture of action, mystery, adventure, romance, and comedy. Our game is played in English, but our writers come from all over the globe, and for some English is a second language. The players enjoy writing character development as their characters "grow" and "learn" over time. You will find we are a pretty social bunch, and the people who have the most fun on the ship interact regularly with other players behind the scenes to co-write joint posts, or plot a story thread, or just socialize and get to know each other. You will also find that new players are readily welcomed into the game, and anyone brave enough to "jump right in" will find a lot of fun interacting with other players, and other characters.
The players who have "washed out" of our game have usually had a challenge in one or more of the following areas. Maybe they don't have the time to keep up with the posts or write posts on a regular basis. Some times the players isolate themselves and write their characters in such a way that no one else can interact with them, making their participation more of a "monologue in the corner" rather than interactive play. Maybe they have been usually rigid and inflexible in their style of play, demanding unrealistic adherence to canon, or flouting what realism and structure the genre provides. A few players want a more violent action-style game, and soon find this ship isn't a good fit for them. Some players want to run a character that is a "super-hero" or is more suited for another genre of play. Some have been rude and difficult to get along with. Any player who flames someone else publicly on the list is automatically dropped from the game.
Do I have to take your Academy Training even If I have previous PBeM or RPG experience?
The short
answer is: YES. All new players to 8th Expeditionary
Fleet are required to take our training course. Sorry, there are no exceptions.
The training has several purposes. 1)
To show you our script format and the common style preferences used by most
players in 8th Expeditionary Fleet, 2) To aquaint you with the game rules for
playing in 8th Expeditionary Fleet, 3) To help guide you through the development
of your character bio and your "coming aboard" first post, 4) To help
your ship's command officers get a chance to know you and your style of writing,
5) To help us determine which game is the best match for your style of play.
The training
is simple, and even if you have previous experience, you might find there are
a couple of differences between 8th Expeditionary Fleet and previous games you've
played in. The training will help you identify those differences so that you
can "settle in" to the game quickly and smoothly. The training is
short - usually four lessons, so if you are experienced you should be able to
get through the initial lessons quickly.
Why do you ask for personal information on your submission form?
We require a few details about you in order to establish you as a member of 8th Expeditionary Fleet. We ask for your first name to differentiate you, the player, from your character. If you choose to be known by a psuedonym or a handle instead, that is acceptable. Your last name is not required. Your email address is required in order to subscribe you to the list. Your country helps us to know if English is a second language for you. Your age is important because some of our ships require players to be age 18 or above. Your time zone is useful to the other players in order to coordinate times for joint posts. Some players choose to submit a player profile for the web site. Not all players do, and it isn't required. If you feel at any time that the questions you have been asked make you uncomfortable or violate your right to privacy, then answer them by putting "N/A", or Not Available.
Characters in this game are restricted to canon races that are from the Alpha or the Beta Quadrant. Races from the Delta or Gamma Quadrants are not allowed. No races from other genres (Star Wars, Babylon 5, Fantasy) are allowed. This IS, after all, Star Trek.
Acceptable canon races - All races encountered by the USS Enterprise in either Star Trek - The Original Series or Star Trek -The Next Generation. Includes (but is not limited to) Human, Vulcan, Romulan, Klingon, Ferengi, Bajoran, Andorian, Tellarite, Saurian, Benzite, or Iotian. Some exceptions may be made for briefly-mentioned canon races. (See non-acceptable canon races.)
Non-Acceptable canon races - Races encountered by Voyager in the Delta Quadrant, including Borg,, T'laxian, Ocampa, etc. Or Races encountered in DS9 from the Gamma Quadrant, including Founders, Jem Hadar, and Vorta. Non-canon hybrids of canon races, ie Andorian/Vulcan should be considered non-canon, and are subject to the restrictions of non-canon characters. Other canon races with super powers of any kind, ie Talosians, are also not allowed in play. Nor are Androids, like Data. (He WAS unique, meaning there was only one of him. And no, we are not going to listen to the argument about his brother, Lore.) Sorry. Briefly-mentioned canon races will be very likely considered non-acceptable. Check with the CO if you have questions.
Acceptable Non-canon races - Rare exceptions may be made for some non-canon races, such as Caitian, when enough precedence exists to establish a sufficient profile for the race. Exceptions for non-canon races are made on a very limited basis and require permission from the CO. Only established players in 8th Fleet will be considered for a non-canon race.
The USS Pegasus is rated as a PG-13 game. This means there is no graphic sex
or violence allowed in post. While all of the players are well over the age
of 13, and none of us require parental guidance, many adults do not care to
read or participate in graphically violent or sexual play. To keep the game
fun for everyone, we ask players to respect the PG-13 rating. (For non-Americans,
PG-13 is a standard entertainment industry rating used to rate movie content.
It means Parental Guidance recommended for children ages 13 or younger.)
If this form of play is new to you, you might want to consider a few things before asking to join the ship. We encourage all players to commit to the time it takes to read all posts on a daily basis, and to make every effort to post at least once a week. We also encourage players to interact with each other, and if someone "tosses you a thread" - or writes an opening for your character - that you attempt to pick it up and respond in post. If you would like to be a "lurker" on the list, we would be happy to add you to the list for a limited period of time so you can read the posts and get a sense of how the game is played. After you've had a chance to spend a couple of weeks on the list as a lurker, you can then decide if you want to jump in and join the game.
Joining is easy. Send an email of inquiry to the Ship's Captain, and you will be sent to "Starfleet Academy" for training as a cadet. Once you graduate, you will join the ship as an Ensign. All new players to 8th Expeditionary Fleet are required to go through training, whether you are an experienced role-player in this genre or a newbie. The training will teach you how to post using a style common throughout 8th EFleet and help you learn how to settle into play as a member of this ship. It also gives the Ship CO a sense of your style of writing and your preparedness to enter the game. You can join by clicking here: Enlist
The USS Pegasus is currently the largest ship in 8th Expeditionary Fleet, with the most activity (we average between 13 and 15 active players and anywhere between 60-120 posts a month). This can be a bit daunting to new players who are shy or uncertain about playing. However, we make every effort to help you become familiar to the game, to our characters, and to the ongoing storyline. While our friendly crew will welcome all new players with open arms, you will find the players who are the best "fit" with our ship like to interact with others, and enjoy picking up the ball and running with it. Our players put a great deal of effort into developing their characters, and unfolding their character's personality over time. Our players also love writing, and work to improve their writing skills. We don't demand perfection, but we do ask that all players pay attention to the technical aspects of their writing, and use a spell checker if necessary.
8th Expeditionary Fleet is a network of independent Star Trek games who share common resources and provide support (not dictatorship) to Gamemasters, but function independent of each other. These games can periodically come together in "joint missions."
Because each game in 8th Expeditionary Fleet is independent, you will find many different styles of play. Some games like the USS Pegasus are larger, some small. Some games are serious and action-oriented. Some focus more on comedy or character development. You will find each ship has it's own flavor and appeal. If one ship doesn't seem like it's "your style" then you might check out the others in the fleet.
To learn more about 8th Expeditionary Fleet, click here: http://pbem-portal.com/trek/8thEF
USS Picasso
Captain - Commodore Jarrel Suthani
XO - Commander Kaia the Free
2nd Officer - Lt. Commander Chris Blackheart
USS Pegasus
Captain - Glen (Lt. Commander) Garmek
XO -
2nd Officer -
Tethys
Base
Captain - Captain Anita Fairchild
(also Fleet Trainer )
XO - Lt. Commander Goran Goffanonn
2nd Officer - Lt. Esren Tarn
USS Boadicea
Captain - Captain Tejori x'Trecca
XO - Commander Tycon
2nd Officer - Lt. Commander Lara Wilder
USS Essex
Captain - Captain Quellen Fate
XO - Lt. Commander Alex Loreales
2nd Officer - Lt. Commander Dasha Sidion
Once upon a time, in the not so distant past and across many miles of internet around the world, a spark of an idea came into being. And from this spark, sprang a starship and a brand new world. Okay, maybe not a brand new world, but on January 6, 1999 the USS Endymion, headed by Liesel Gresham as Capt. Tara Marshall, was formed as an in-depth character and story-driven PBeM in Tango Fleet. Many of the former crew members of the USS Endymion are now the upstanding players, movers and shakers of 8th Expeditionary Fleet. In November of 1999, the crew of the USS Endymion decided to leave the flagship of Tango Fleet behind and launch the USS Pegasus with 8th Expeditionary Fleet. As a part of 8th Expeditionary Fleet, the USS Pegasus is a member of an independent game network that focuses on a supportive game environment without a lot of administrative hassle. While players may come and players may go (and several have come back again), the USS Pegasus lives on, carrying out its mission of exploration, and providing the crew members with fun, friendships, and laughter.
USS Endymion Crew Roster of Jan. 6, 1999:
• CO: Captain Tara Marshall
• 1st XO: Commander Marvin Tee
• 2nd XO: Lt. Commander Harper King
• Strategic Ops: Ens. Andre Branaugh
• Helm: Lt.jg Lance Casey
• Chief Diplomatic Officer: Ens. Lokaah
• Diplomatic Aide: Ens. Vahn Bahlar
• Chief of Security: Lt. Christopher Jessup
• Deputy of Security: Ens. Timothy MacDonald
• Chief Tactical Officer: Ens. Korian Spiros
• Tactical Officer: Ens. Samato
• Chief Science Officer: Ens. K'Taalsik
• Assistant Science Officer: Ens. Selak
• Alien Anthropologist: Lt. Jg Jackie Murray
• Chief Engineer: Ens. Hawke Ballard
• Asst. Engineer: Ens. Trax
• Chief Medical Officer: Commander Telcise Imbralie
• Head Nurse: Ens. Eric Hayes
• Chief Counselor: Ens. Shenlo LahrVek
• Stardust Lounge Manager: Damia Spiros
A toast to the old and the future crew members of the USS Pegasus! Huzzah!
Sometimes the words used by our players are confusing to new people, especially if you haven't chatted much on the internet before or if English is a second language for you. Here is a brief glossary of terms, or jargon, used in this game.
8th Expeditionary Fleet - a network of independent Star Trek games. http://pbem-portal.com/trek/8thEF/
AIM - An instant messenger program from AOL, used by several players to chat with each other in live time. Also known as AOL Instant Messenger. Free download available. Download at http://www.aim.com/index.adp
Canon - Copyrighted material produced and authorized by Paramount Pictures. (See non-canon.) Canon material is generally accepted to be anything produced in a live-action Star Trek television series, a Star Trek movie, Star Trek - The Magazine, or on the official Star Trek website at http://www.startrek.com . Does not include comics, novels, the television cartoon, or a vast percentage of stuff you will find on the internet. (See Fleet canon.)
Captain - see CO.
Character - The fictional person you create.
CO - The captain, or the Commanding Officer of the game. (See Gamemaster).
Crew - The group of fictional characters on the ship. Sometimes used to refer to the group of players. (See List.)
Executive Officer - The first officer, also referred to as the XO. (See XO).
Fleet canon - The original material produced by the members of 8th Expeditionary Fleet and authorized by the 8th Expeditionary Fleet Command Council for use in the game, but not a part of official Star Trek canon as defined above (See canon). Examples would be planets, races, characters, space stations, or fleet history specific to 8th EFleet play.
Gamemaster - The person who handles the administrative functions of the game, including training new players, advertising the game/ship, representing the ship on the Fleet Council, mediating conflict resolution, overseeing the mission logs, recruiting volunteers to help with admin stuff, building the website, and issuing awards. Also the CO, or Captain of the ship.
ICQ - An instant messenger program, used by several players to chat with each other in live time. Free download available. Download at http://web.icq.com
Joint Mission - A mission that combines the players from two or more games together for a limited time revolving around a common plot thread.
Joint Post - A single post that combines the writing of two or more players. Joint posts can be created either via email, or done in live chat using an instant messenging program like AIM or ICQ.
List - the combined group of participants in the game. Also known as the "crew" of the ship.
List Server - The server that receives the email sent by a single player and distributes it as email to all the other players on the list.
LOL - This is an abbreviation often used by players while chatting live with each other, or sometimes in out of game email notices. It means "Laugh Out Loud." (See ROFLOL)
Non-canon - Original material written by people or sources other than Paramount Pictures, and not officially authorized by Paramount. Non-canon material can include Star Trek books and comics that were published and marketed with the licensed Star Trek name, but the material within is not "authorized" by
Paramount as "official."
NPC - Non-Player Character. A character that is available for anyone to work with. Generally NPCs are "filler" to give a sense of more people, and to fill positions that are not being played by PCs, or Player Characters. (See PC and ONPC.)
ONPC - Owned Non-Player Character. A non-player "guest-role" character that has been developed by a player who is temporarily running it as a secondary character. Examples might be villains or visiting characters. (See NPC and PC.)
PBeM - Play By EMail
PC - Player Character. The primary character "run" by a player. (See NPC and ONPC.)
Player - The real person who plays the game.
Post - A single written segment or email that is sent to the list server.
Posting - The act of sending a post to the list.
RPG - Role Playing Game
ROFLOL - An abbreviation often used by players during live chat. It means "Roll On Floor, Laugh Out Loud."
Ship - The fictional starship portrayed in the game, or sometimes used to refer to the entire game as a whole.
Thread - A storyline plot. A major thread is the primary mission, or storyline plot. A sub-thread, or sub-plot, is a minor storyline often involving only one or two characters. A first contact mission would be a major thread, a romance between two characters would be a sub-thread.
XO - Executive Officer, or the First Officer. The person who is second in command, directly under the CO. The person holding the XO position on the ship is generally also the second in command behind the scenes with the administrative functions of the game.
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NON-CANON CONTENT - All original content on this website is copyright © 1999-2002 by Susan Buce and/or 8th Expeditionary Fleet and its members, all rights reserved. Use of original content restricted to members of 8th Expeditionary Fleet for use within game play. Copying and distribution by any means is prohibited, by order of 8th Expeditionary Fleet Command Council, and Beta Quadrant Judge Advocate General. This is a non-commercial site and no profit or latinum is made from it. The USS Pegasus pages were designed by Susan Buce, (c) March 2002. Please do not copy any artwork or content without the artist or designer's written permission. The 8th Fleet logo was created by Liesel Gresham and may not be used outside of 8th Expeditionary Fleet. All effort has been made to credit appropriate resources used where possible or known. If you discover an oversight, please set your phasers to stun, accept our sincere apology for violating your treaty rights, and hail the webmaster at usspegasus@hotmail.com with your demands.
CANON CONTENT - Some information and artwork on this site was originally produced by Paramount Pictures. It has been provided as reference material to assist game players only. All effort has been made to credit canon content. Star Trek Copyright by Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved by Paramount Pictures. This is a non commercial site! Copyrighted material has been used for non-commercial purposes only. Star Trek (TM), (r) & (c) by Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reerved. Star Trek is a registered trademark of and all characters and related marks are trademarks of Paramount Pictures. This web site is not produced or endorsed by Paramount Pictures.