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Return to Main - - SIM MANUAL / FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS USS Terra Nova NCC-812357 - - I. TERRA NOVA PBeM FAQ - What type of sim is the Terra Nova? - I don't even know what a PBeM sim is! How do I get more information on how it works? - I'm a Veteran PBeM player. Should I read the manual? - How many player ships are there in the Terra Nova sim? - What sort of Game Master involvement is there in the Terra Nova sim? - How much freedom do I have in the Terra Nova sim? - How do you use NPC’s in the Terra Nova sim? - What would the expectations be if I were to join the Terra Nova? - How do I join the Terra Nova sim? - What is the history behind this sim? II. TERRA NOVA GAME FAQ - What is the Terra Nova Sim about? - What is the Ryalli Sector? - What is the Ryalli Expanse? - What is the Valadis Corridor? - What is Liberty Station? - What role do the major canon powers play in the Ryalli sector? - Where can I find out more about the story, races, ships of the sim? III. PLAY BY EMAIL (PBeM) FAQ FOR NEWBIES - What is an e-mail roleplay? - Why create a character? - What goes into a character? - How does e-mail simming work? - I generally have limited access to the Internet each week, is this a problem? - I am going on vacation, or will be away from my computer for a while. What should I do? IV. SIM MANUAL AND LINKS INFORMATION - Learn the ropes of the sim, and who to contact. - - - I. TERRA NOVA PBeM FAQ What type of sim is the Terra Nova? The Terra Nova is based on the popular television show, Star Trek, and takes place in 2378, shortly after the events shown in the series “Star Trek: Voyager.” This sim is primarily a literary sim that focuses on the original premise that Star Trek was built on, exploration. While there occasionally might be combat and conflict, the main focus of the Terra Nova remains exploration and charting of the Ryalli Sector. I don't even know what a PbeM sim is! How do I get information on how it works? For the answers to all your basic questions about simming, visit the Terra Nova's Sim Manual. The Sim Manual contains an overview of how PbeM simming works and how to get started; a must read for those new to PbeM simming. This manual will walk you though everything you need to know to play. The Terra Nova Sim Manual can be found here: Sim Manual. For a shorter overview of PbeMs, visit the NEWBIE FAQ section. (coming soon) I'm a veteran PbeM player. Should I read the Sim Manual? For those who are veterans of simming, a review of the manual is definitely worth it, as there are some things discussed in it that are unique to this sim. It also provides an invaluable source of information about this sim in general. How many player ships are there in the Terra Nova Sim? Currently, the Terra Nova sim consists of one ship, the Defiant class variant, USS Terra Nova and the planet based Liberty Station. The Terra Nova is where most player characters are eventually stationed. Liberty Station is used as a buffer for our new players, and acts as a realistic way to get new players into the sim without breaking continuity. When a new player joins, they serve on Liberty Station for about a month or two until the player gets their feet wet. It serves as a proving ground of sorts. What sort of Game Master involvement is there in the Terra Nova sim? The Terra Nova sim currently has a Game Master (GM) and an Assistant Game Master (AGM) who coordinate story lines and maintain and update this web site. The Terra Nova Sim prides itself on its imaginative players, their writing abilities and the cohesive story lines they have created. As a result, continuity is important to us. All story posts are moderated and may occasionally be edited for content. Most of these edits are to preserve continuity or correct minor spelling errors where noticed. Most posts are sent through untouched. Any major changes to story posts (for example, the post will not fit in with the current direction of the story) will usually be referred back to the player for rewriting. Occasionally the GM will send players directives or story suggestions on what their character might encounter. Usually however, players are encouraged to be inventive and not be afraid of adding new elements to the story on their own. How much freedom do I have in the Terra Nova Sim? The Terra Nova prides itself on being open to player innovation. While there are elements of the sim that are set in stone, such as Federation ships in the sector and npcs on a ship, player involvement in altering a story line or changing the current direction of the sim is accepted and even strongly encouraged. Most things will be allowed without comment. If it is a major story change (such as characters dying or a ship being destroyed) or a long reaching idea, it is wise to run it past the GM before proceeding. The Terra Nova sim does have two things that will usually be rejected. These are the Borg and Q. The Borg were overused in such series as Star Trek Voyager and the GMs wish to avoid that here. The Borg may be used, but their appearance in this sim will be limited. Similarly, the GM’s have no intention of ever using Q or the Q Continuum in the Terra Nova Sim. How do you use NPCs in the Terra Nova Sim? Because the USS Terra Nova has such a small crew, the use of NPC is commonplace. Players are expected and encouraged to use them frequently. To help players (especially new players) keep the details of the NPCs straight, an NPC bio list has been created that lists basic, sim established details about each NPC. The NPC bio list is not as detailed as regular bios as it only provides established details. It will be added to as players continue to flesh out the NPCS. This system isn’t foolproof, but it has helped to provide interesting and dynamic NPCs. For players who would like more control over the development of a single NPC, or would like a foil for their character to play off of, controlled NPCs are available if a player wishes more detailed control of an NPC. What would the expectations be if I were to join the Terra Nova? Players in the Terra Nova are expected to post at least once a week. Posting more often is strongly encouraged. As we are a small sim, this is an extremely important point. The failure of just one or two players to participate regularly can have a great impact on the flow of the game and on other players. Players are also expected to be imaginative and have some ability to write. While GMs will occasionally give directives, more often than not, players are encouraged to have their characters react to situations and not be afraid to create their own plot elements in-between. How do I join the Terra Nova sim? Simply write an e-mail to the Gm and ask to join. The GM will respond and tell you what positions are open, if any. You will then be asked to put together a bio for your character (See Terra Nova manifest page for sample bios) and submit it to the GM. You may also be asked for a sample story post. For more information about how to create a character and how to create posts, see the Sim Manual. What is the history behind this sim? The USS Terra Nova is developing its own real history here on the internet, and though it is currently an independent sim and not part of a fleet, it is starting to gain a reputation for itself among its peers. The sim originally began as your basic, ordinary sim, but over time it has grown and developed into what it is today. The original concept formed back in early to mid 2001 as a creative divergence from the typical plotlines of other sims, namely war and combat. The sim's creator, wanted to go back to the design upon which the original Star Trek concept was based - exploration. However, it was his idea to try something new. Why not place the crew on a small Defiant class vessel converted to other uses than military after the Dominion War had been concluded? Thus far the television series such as Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: TNG depict exploration vessels as luxury liners in space. The Terra Nova was an attempt to return to the gritty days of Kirk and Spock and create an interesting level of conflict. Thus, the Terra Nova PbeM sim found itself set on a modified Defiant Class vessel. Over time, the concept of the single Defiant class vessel exploring the unknown changed and other elements such as the Ryalli Sector, Liberty Station and the various races and powers that inhabit the sector have emerged. The Terra Nova Sim was launched in November of 2001. It averages a total of 10 players and 4-8 posts a week. - - - II. TERRA NOVA GAME FAQ What is the Terra Nova Sim about? The Terra Nova PBEM sim, which takes place in early 2378, follows the exploits of the Defiant class variant USS Terra Nova. The USS Terra Nova was built shortly after the end of the Dominion War and was refit for use as a short range exploration vessel. Despite the limitations of the class for this purpose, the Terra Nova was assigned to the distant Ryalli sector to help explore a completely unknown region of space. Based from Liberty Station on the planet Gideon, the Terra Nova’s mission is much the same as her more notable predecessors, “To boldly go where no one has gone before.” What is the Ryalli Sector? The Ryalli Sector is the unexplored region of space beyond the Valadis Corridor and the Tholian Empire. Bordering the galactic edge, it is a complete unknown the to Federation and ripe for exploration and trade. Its name comes from the Name human astronomers gave to a large nebula that can be found in the region. The Federation currently has a small presence there, including a planet based station and several starships. Two planets in the region have expressed interest in joining the Federation. See the map of the Ryalli sector. What is the Ryalli Expanse? The Ryalli Expanse is an immense nebula that spreads across a large portion of the Ryalli sector. For thousands of years, it has been inhabited by a non-corporeal race known as the Ryalli entities. The presence of the Ryalli Entities warped space and time within the nebula, making all ships which entered it, subject to strange and bizarre manifestations of people and objects from other times and realities. This same effect appears to have damaged ship equipment as well, trapping most ships that enter within the Ryalli and killing their crews. The USS Terra Nova was one of the few ships to escape. Its escape had the unexpected effect of causing the Ryalli Entities to leave the expanse, making it free for travel. It has since become a salvager’s paradise and a hiding place for pirates and the more hostile races of the Ryalli Sector. What is the Valadis Corridor? The Valadis Corridor is narrow region of space on the Tholian border that connects Federation space to the Ryalli Sector. It is controlled by a race known as the Valadis who have the distinctive trait of being almost as alien to the Federation as the Tholians are. The Valadis are suspicious of the Federation and have a tenuous relationship with them. The Valadis Corridor is of great interest to the Federation because of natural properties in the region that allow starships to travel at speed far exceeding normal limits. Travel time to the Ryalli Sector through the Valadis corridor is significantly less than via other routes. Unfortunately, in middle April 2378, the Valadis closed the Valadis Corridor to Federation traffic, effectively stranding all Federation forces in the sector almost 5 month travel from home. For more information on the Valadis, see the Valadis racial profile. What is Liberty Station? The Galaxy class starship, USS Liberty was the first Federation starship to enter the Ryalli Sector in 2473. After a half year of exploring, they came upon a warp capable species known as the Yetanni. After sacrificing her drive section to deflect an asteroid that was on a course to destroy the Yetanni home planet of Gideon, the saucer section crash landed on a remote area of Gideon’s mountain region. The inhabitants of Gideon, out of gratitude for the Liberty’s sacrifice, granted the stranded Liberty crew a 100 square kilometer preserve on which they could live. The crashed saucer section of the USS Liberty became Liberty Station, the embassy of the Federation on Gideon and later, the headquarters of all Federation forces in the sector. After repairs, Liberty Station is the home of over 1000 starfleet personnel and their families. It is a bustling community that also serves as a neutral ground based port of trade for several races in the surrounding region. Other notable features of Liberty Station include the nearby rustic Liberty Village (entirely made of stone to survive the brutal Gideon storms) and the rather unusual Earick Golf Course. Liberty Station is commanded by Captain John Kelso, the local CO for all Federation forces in the sector. For more information on Liberty station, see the Vessels page or read the Yetanni Racial Profile. What role do the major canon powers (Klingons, Romulans, etc) play in the Ryalli sector? Aside from the Federation and the personnel based in the Ryalli, none of the canon races (with the exception of the Tholians) have a presence in the Ryalli sector. The Ferengi have been sighted in the sector, but their presence is negligible. For the most part, the Ryalli is inhabited by races that have been previously unknown to the Federation. For more information about races in the Ryalli Sector, visit the Racial Profile page. Where can I find out more about the story, races, ships of the sim? More information can be found on the following pages: Mission page - Short synopsis of all of the missions so far. Racial Profiles Page - Detailed profiles of all the sim specific races in the sim. Profiles based on in-game revelations. Vessels page - Listings (manifests, specs, etc) of all notable ships in the Ryalli Sector. Player ships are at the top. Sector Map - A map of the Ryalli sector. III. PLAY BY EMAIL (PBeM) FAQ FOR NEWBIES What is an e-mail roleplay? E-Mail roleplaying (also known as a PBeM, or E-Mail simming) is the process of creating a character, then portraying that character in situations set up and run by the Game Manager (GM) and his/her crew. The emphasis in an e-mail roleplay is on developing your character to make him or her more realistic and to interact better in his/her environment. Why create a character? Creating a character instead of just being yourself gives you the chance to broaden your horizons and see things a different way than you normally see them. In essence it's an interesting way of putting yourself "in the other person's shoes", and also gives you a place where you AREN'T expected to be yourself. It is highly recommended however that you be realistic within the environment. What goes into a character? For the most part, anything you want. Most GMs have a list of information about your character that they want as a minimum; the information you provide is called a bio, or biography, and essentially is a "cheat sheet" on who your character is. This information will be placed on the sim's website so that other players interested in learning more about your character can view it. Again, most GM's prefer realism within the environment. In other words, a one eyed titan would be a bit out of place in a Star Trek sim. By the same token, a vampire or werewolf officer is a little out of place in the Star Trek universe, unless that is the GM's intent, and so on... For more information on creating a character, see the Terra Nova's Sim Manual. How does e-mail simming work? Each person is expected to write a log or addition to the story using their character at least once or twice a week. You may have your character just about do anything that is within the logical realm of the sim's background. There are several suggested rules you need to follow when you write your log as well. Respect for other player’s characters is important. E-Mail simming itself takes place through either a mailing string, which is a list of addresses that every crew member must send a log to, or via listservers, which is a program that you send the log to, and it in turn sends it to the other players. I generally have limited access to the Internet each week, is this a problem? It can depend on several factors. On average, you can receive anywhere from 5-10 emails from the roleplay during the course of a week. In addition to contributing a minimum of one to two logs a week, you should read all other logs and emails you receive. With limited access, that can be a lot to do in a short period. So more frequent access is advised. I am going on vacation, or will be away from my computer for a while. What should I do? For one, let your GM know this if you're already in a sim. Most GMs are flexible around posting, and sometimes will let someone take over for you while you're away. Your GM will keep an eye on your character to keep him/her out of trouble. If you plan on being gone for an extended period, or lose internet access, definitely talk to your GM about it. It may be possible to turn your character into an NPC or non-playing character for the time you're away. Each GM has his/her own rules regarding this. IV. SIM MANUAL LINKS AND CONTACT INFORMATION The USS Terra Nova Sim Manual is a guide designed to help introduce new and potential members to the sim. The manual contains extensive information about creating characters, bios, how to write logs and other useful hints. All new simmers should read this guide to gain a basic understanding of how email simming works. No two sims on the net are identical and they each have their own methods of simming. ---Additional Sim Information:If you need to contact the administrators of the USS Terra Nova sim for any reason, feel free send any comments, questions, suggestions and character sketches to Jon at officer540@yahoo.com. Additionally, any queries about the website itself can be sent there as well. To reduce the risk of any members of the sim receiving unwanted
email or advertisements, I have chosen not to place member addresses
in public view. Return to Main |