Difference between pages "Writing Primary Characters" and "Introduction to Bravo Fleet Writing"

From Bravo Fleet
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The moment you join Bravo Fleet, you have a Primary Character. This character is the [[Starfleet]] officer assigned to one of the [[Fourth Fleet]]’s [[Task Forces]] as an up-and-coming leader and future starship commander. They are your member dossier’s In-Character (IC) representation as an officer of the Fourth Fleet. Out-of-Character (OOC), they’re the face of your member dossier, the name attached to the starship you’ll get when you make Midshipman. The ‘avatar’ as you engage with Fleet activities, progress through the ranks, and win awards. Their adventures can happen in fiction or in competitions or even just in your head, but if they’re on the dossier, they’re real to Bravo Fleet.
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While Bravo Fleet offers many activities, our history as a role-play group means we retain a strong creative spirit. Members’ writing in various forms is at the forefront of driving the group’s canon as [[Starfleet|Starfleet’s]] [[Fourth Fleet]] in {{year}}. Broadly, Bravo Fleet writing falls into two formats: [[Roleplaying Game Policy|roleplaying games]] (historically referred to as ‘sims’) and [[Canon Policy#Section 4 - Fiction|fictions]].
[[File:Dossier1.jpg|thumb|356x356px|Your Primary Character is the In-Character face of your Bravo Fleet dossier]]
 
While you will create them as part of the joining process, we anticipate their development to be an ongoing project. It's okay to start with little more than an idea, or even just a name, and figure out where you're going as you learn more about the fleet and what you enjoy. You can also change your Primary Character. In no way are you committed to your first idea. It's okay for the Primary Character to change and grow as your participation in the fleet does, and as you rise through the ranks.
 
  
We encourage you to make your Primary Character distinct and separate from any character you’ll use if you join a Game. Even if you don’t participate in fiction writing, the idea is that you as a member represent an important, command-level officer (and, eventually, their starship) within the Fleet, not merely a crewmember. Your Primary Character is that officer.
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== Roleplaying Games ==
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RPGs. Group Writing. Sims. This form of collaborative writing is part of Bravo Fleet’s history, taking part most often on Starfleet ships in {{year}} - though games exist for different eras, factions, and even genres.
  
=== Creation and Development ===
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It tends to take the language and form of a role-playing game, with members as ‘players’ writing (usually) one character, and a Game Master writing the ship’s captain and dictating the main story beats. There can be all sorts of variations within this - the GM isn’t always the captain, players may write for many characters, or plots may be improvised by players rather than developed by the GM. Even writing in a less role-playing form, where members may share writing of characters and the planning of the story, counts as an RPG.
While you create a character upon joining, they don't need to be the finished article. As mentioned, it's fine to start out with a name and short paragraph. You might have a strong concept for a well-established figure in Starfleet, and want to get down hundreds of words in character background. That's fine. You might want to figure things out as you go along and start with a loose framework you can fill out later, or a character who is, as you are OOC, at the start of their journey.
 
  
It's okay to leave gaps. It's even okay to go back and change things later.
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The management of these games is overseen by the Bravo Fleet Operations Officer, who ensures they meet expected standards of quality and activity, usually agreed upon by both the Ops Officer and a prospective GM. These expectations exist because BF members can usually apply to join these games, so a GM is taking on a commitment to run an activity for the fleet.
  
=== Using Your Primary Character ===
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Some of these games take place on websites provided by Bravo Fleet using the Nova system. While supported by BF, these are stand-alone sites that members have to register to use, and grant a GM more flexibility in customising appearance and content. On these sites, character biographies and crew rosters are stored, and the Nova system supports collaborative writing of mission posts, and their distribution to the game’s players.
IC, your primary character is a command-level officer in the Fourth Fleet. But that doesn't mean you have to be a creative writer to make this so. That doesn't mean you have to churn out hundreds of words of fiction to portray their adventures or experiences. The character is no less real, no less a part of the Fourth Fleet, if your engagement in Bravo Fleet takes other forms.
 
  
Perhaps you're a gamer, or perhaps you only want to do RPGs or competitions. These are all valid forms of participation in Bravo Fleet. This makes your Primary Character an avatar for your achievements, a dossier on which you can hang your earned bragging rights through awards, ribbons, or even your Avatar Command. Many Fleet activities come in different forms with different faces - your Star Trek Online character, your role-playing characters - and if that's all you do, your Primary Character is still a unifying, IC face for your dossier. Even if they're just a picture, a name, and a character description.
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Most games are run on the main Bravo Fleet website, using the Bravo Fleet Management System (BFMS). The BFMS also stores character biographies and crew rosters and supports the collaborative writing of members, which is easily seen and shared with the whole fleet. In Character, the 2400 Starfleet ships are the Fourth Fleet’s Forward Operation Forces. They operate independently of [[Task Forces]], pursuing a wide range of missions under the command of the Fleet Operations Officer.
  
=== Rank, History, and the Primary Character ===
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== Fiction Writing ==
When you join, you’re a Cadet. Soon enough, you’re an Ensign. Within a few weeks of activity, you’ll be a Lieutenant Commander. The moment you're a Midshipman, you'll be the commanding officer of your own ''California''-class ship. How does that affect your Primary Character? [[File:Captainschair1.jpg|thumb|389x389px|Primary characters represent the command officers of Starfleet's Fourth Fleet]]The most important point is that your dossier rank, your OOC rank, has a ''limited'' impact on what characters you can write, or what rank they hold. <u>Anyone can write characters holding up to the rank of Captain ''or'' your OOC rank, ''whichever one is higher''</u>. So right out of the gate, don't let your OOC rank hold you back in your writing. After all, it would strain credulity, to say the least, for a Cadet to become a Lieutenant Commander within a few weeks - and then a couple of years later be an Admiral. You can start out writing a Captain, commanding officer of their ''California''-class.
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''See also: [[BFMS Fiction Guide]] for how to write on the website''
  
Of course, you can play a little more fast-and-loose. Perhaps the CO of your ''California'' is only a Commander, and you're saving 'Captain' for when you hit the fleet rank, just to make it an important milestone. Or maybe you embrace the Lower Decks of it all; sure, there's a Captain commanding this ship, but your Primary Character is running around on the residential corridor, ranking up as you do until they become a CO themselves. A more dramatic choice is to change your Primary Character as you go up the ranks. Maybe you write a young Cadet when you’re at that rank, perhaps sticking with them as you reach Ensign. You can then write a new Primary Character when you become a lieutenant, and again when you make Lieutenant Commander, or maybe again when you make Commander or even Captain. These characters don’t need to go to ‘waste’ - your starship needs a crew! You could keep your character’s background fluid, treating it as a work in progress that changes as you reach new OOC ranks. You could adjust their age and history as they rise through the ranks.
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Fiction writing could be called ‘all other writing,’ but usually refers to solo-written fanfic. Most BF fiction is on the main site, where writing in the Bravo Fleet canon of all flavours can be found, from official Intelligence Office releases to the narratives driving Task Force story-arcs to the stories of individual members. This is the core of Bravo Fleet canon, lore development, and IC fleet activities.
  
But you don't need to make it overly complicated - like we say, any member can write a character with the rank of captain. While it can be fun to explore these rank milestones in your writing, we don’t ask you to contort your storytelling around them. Respect that OOC ranks are rewards for members’ hard work and commitment to the group, and tell the story you want to tell, and you’ll do fine.
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Most fiction on BFMS, and this section of the guide, focuses on stories about the Starfleet officers and starships of the Fourth Fleet in 2400 - the [[Writing Primary Characters|Primary Characters]] of members, and their primary commands. Stories about other eras or factions require submitting a fiction proposal to the Intel Office once a member reaches the rank of Commander.
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Once you reach the rank of Midshipman, you can request your own Primary Command. This acts as an OOC platform and 'collection' for your writing, as well as the IC premise for your story - normally some sort of ship. For Midshipmen to Lieutenants, this is a ''California''-class utility cruiser, a minor ship best-suited to simple missions in Federation space. It might be based out of the Headquarters of your Task Force, going off into missions in that area of the galaxy, but your TF doesn't force you into any one region, base, or place. If you want some guidance on what might make a good story at that level, talk to your Task Force staff for help. Once you reach the rank of Lieutenant Commander, you get the freedom to choose from a selection of ship classes. At any point you have the liberty to write your starship’s adventures anywhere in Bravo Fleet canon, with your Task Force’s specific mission for inspiration and direction.
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From the rank of Commander, you are eligible to request another fiction. These are usually about historical Trek eras or are set somewhere other than a Starfleet ship or starbase in 2400. At the least, [[Fiction Proposal Guide|proposals for such]] should explain why you aren't just writing on your primary command!
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=== Fleet Canon and Member Canon ===
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Bravo Fleet canon is laid out by the [[Canon Policy]]. In brief, all members are required to abide by Star Trek canon and Bravo Fleet canon. But you are, as individual writers, encouraged to pay attention to Section 1.3 of the Canon Policy, titled 'Member Canon.'
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This consists of small details that are not specified by official or fleet canon, relevant to and developed by individual members. At its most obvious, it’s things like the creation of a strange nebula your starship surveyed somewhere in the Alpha Quadrant, or the lone Klingon captain who helped a ship. These are details that affect only your stories and your characters, and while you are welcome to discuss them, write about them, or even [[Submission Guide|add them to the Bravo Fleet wiki]], unless or until they are ratified by the Intel Office no other members are obligated to follow that canon or acknowledge its existence.
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But those are easy examples. The Intel Office does not aspire to flesh out every single detail about the Trek universe, and nor does Star Trek canon itself provide all of the details. Some facts slip through the cracks: what’s the state of Tokyo in the 25th century? Who taught Basic Warp Design at Starfleet Academy in 2387? What is the current status of a very minor one-off alien race from TOS, almost a century and a half later?
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Some of these are questions which the Intel Office may answer as they arise. Others - like the Academy teacher - will most certainly not be defined by Bravo Fleet canon. Members are welcome to specify these details in their own stories, but with the understanding that nobody else is bound by them. Strong and interesting ideas that flesh out relevant parts of the universe may be adopted by the Intel Office into Fleet canon, but until then, they are Member Canon.
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Might this lead to contradictions? Very possibly. Is this a problem? Not usually. Often such details can be reconciled; it is possible, or even likely, that multiple officers taught Basic Warp Design at the Academy in 2387. It’s worth remembering that even Star Trek canon occasionally contradicts itself on these minor details, and Star Trek has survived it. If two entirely separate stories have different, minor details, it’s very easy to live and let live. If necessary, consult the Intel Office for guidance.
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Remember that member canon doesn't mean "do what you want, and other people don't have to adhere to it." The point is that member canon should be details other people ''can'' ignore because it's a big galaxy. Don't contradict fleet canon, or Trek canon. Avoid, if possible, defining things that can't be worked around - do you really ''need'' to name the current head of Starfleet Tactical, even if fleet canon hasn't specified it? Our goal is to build a cohesive universe where everyone's playing in the same large sandpit, leaving room for one's own flair and stories - rather than to dictate every detail, ''or'' to have chaos wherever we go.
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== Common Issues ==
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As ever, the [[Canon Policy]] explains the do's and don't and ins and outs of Bravo Fleet storytelling and content creation. But there are a few mistakes/misunderstandings/knowledge gaps which come up fairly often:
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* You shouldn’t be writing about or including characters or ships from Star Trek canon! You can refer to them ''existing'', but for eg, we don’t know what the state of Sisko or DS9 are in the 25th century, so don’t make it a key part of your writing; don’t be an old friend, protégé, relative, etc, of ''any'' canon Trek character'','' that sort of thing.
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* The Command Registry is a list of all ships available in Bravo Fleet. It is meant to be a rarely-changed archive so that ships can build up a history, to help maintain a unified canon, instead of ships appearing and disappearing. This repository is not the play-thing for you to create your own task group. ''Do Not'' use ships in the registry for your writing if it’s not your own Command - there are many other names out there.
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** Non-registry Starfleet ships can feature in your stories - there's always a ship that needs rescuing, or delivers a guest, or maybe does even join your Command in an adventure. But there's a difference between a story where your characters work with a friendly or rival crew, and giving your captain command of their own task group of NPC ships, and the latter is against the rules - wait until you're eligible for a [[Command Policy|squadron]] for that.
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* The brass of Fourth Fleet Command are identified and established as characters – it’s [https://bravofleet.com/staff these fine folks]. If you need a staff-level character to appear in your writing (for briefings etc), either reach out to your Task Force Staff, or the Intel Office has established an NPC: Commodore [[Uzoma Ekwueme]]. He’ll show up, tell you what’s what, dress you down or pin a medal on you. Don’t kill him or make him evil.
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* This links to another rule: Your characters can hold ''up to'' the rank of captain ''or'' your OOC fleet rank, whichever one is higher. This means you shouldn't be writing flag officers. Like access to certain ship classes, starbases, or fiction concepts, writing flag officers is gated to OOC rank. With the TF staff characters, commanders of TFHQs, and Commodore Ekwueme, PCs and NPCs exist to facilitate your storytelling. Otherwise, allowing members to create and write flag officers, even as minor characters, usually results in one of the following:
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** Creating a new random Fourth Fleet admiral (see above!).
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** A member trying to bypass rank restrictions, in the same way that writing a lot about a non-registry ''Sovereign''-class starship that joins your avatar command on adventures would be.
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* Please pay ''close attention to our [https://wiki.bravofleet.com/index.php/Canon_Policy#Section_6_-_Content_and_Ratings Content Rules]''. In short: check if your Command needs to list its rating. And, to just directly quote this part from our policy:
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** Sexual violence should be addressed, if at all, with particular care. It should never be depicted directly in a scene, or be discussed by characters in any detail. Reference to sexual violence of any sort should never happen without the explicit OOC permission of every member involved in the story and, in RPGs, the GM. Stories may be removed at the Intelligence Officer's discretion, as per the above on appropriate content.
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* One final note that’s less about the rules and more about tone: Bravo Fleet has a frankly shameful history of failing to engage with the themes and tone of Star Trek. Starfleet is not a military (having weapons doesn’t make you military), Starfleet Marines have never, ''ever'' been canon, Section 31 (and equivalent depictions of Intelligence) is almost always written in a way which makes the reader want to die of embarrassment, and Star Trek is not a universe about the power of might making right. The Federation may be flawed but it is fundamentally a government founded on principles of respect, liberty, and the search for peace and knowledge. The Intel Office has worked hard to move away from depictions of Starfleet that would be more at-home in an unironic interpretation of the movie ''Starship Troopers.'' Work with us to tell stories that may be set against challenges in a difficult universe, in places which are dark and where doing the right thing is hard – but are at their core about a hopeful view of the future and humanity, even if it’s working ''towards'' that view.

Revision as of 18:56, 27 June 2023

While Bravo Fleet offers many activities, our history as a role-play group means we retain a strong creative spirit. Members’ writing in various forms is at the forefront of driving the group’s canon as Starfleet’s Fourth Fleet in 2401. Broadly, Bravo Fleet writing falls into two formats: roleplaying games (historically referred to as ‘sims’) and fictions.

Roleplaying Games

RPGs. Group Writing. Sims. This form of collaborative writing is part of Bravo Fleet’s history, taking part most often on Starfleet ships in 2401 - though games exist for different eras, factions, and even genres.

It tends to take the language and form of a role-playing game, with members as ‘players’ writing (usually) one character, and a Game Master writing the ship’s captain and dictating the main story beats. There can be all sorts of variations within this - the GM isn’t always the captain, players may write for many characters, or plots may be improvised by players rather than developed by the GM. Even writing in a less role-playing form, where members may share writing of characters and the planning of the story, counts as an RPG.

The management of these games is overseen by the Bravo Fleet Operations Officer, who ensures they meet expected standards of quality and activity, usually agreed upon by both the Ops Officer and a prospective GM. These expectations exist because BF members can usually apply to join these games, so a GM is taking on a commitment to run an activity for the fleet.

Some of these games take place on websites provided by Bravo Fleet using the Nova system. While supported by BF, these are stand-alone sites that members have to register to use, and grant a GM more flexibility in customising appearance and content. On these sites, character biographies and crew rosters are stored, and the Nova system supports collaborative writing of mission posts, and their distribution to the game’s players.

Most games are run on the main Bravo Fleet website, using the Bravo Fleet Management System (BFMS). The BFMS also stores character biographies and crew rosters and supports the collaborative writing of members, which is easily seen and shared with the whole fleet. In Character, the 2400 Starfleet ships are the Fourth Fleet’s Forward Operation Forces. They operate independently of Task Forces, pursuing a wide range of missions under the command of the Fleet Operations Officer.

Fiction Writing

See also: BFMS Fiction Guide for how to write on the website

Fiction writing could be called ‘all other writing,’ but usually refers to solo-written fanfic. Most BF fiction is on the main site, where writing in the Bravo Fleet canon of all flavours can be found, from official Intelligence Office releases to the narratives driving Task Force story-arcs to the stories of individual members. This is the core of Bravo Fleet canon, lore development, and IC fleet activities.

Most fiction on BFMS, and this section of the guide, focuses on stories about the Starfleet officers and starships of the Fourth Fleet in 2400 - the Primary Characters of members, and their primary commands. Stories about other eras or factions require submitting a fiction proposal to the Intel Office once a member reaches the rank of Commander.

Once you reach the rank of Midshipman, you can request your own Primary Command. This acts as an OOC platform and 'collection' for your writing, as well as the IC premise for your story - normally some sort of ship. For Midshipmen to Lieutenants, this is a California-class utility cruiser, a minor ship best-suited to simple missions in Federation space. It might be based out of the Headquarters of your Task Force, going off into missions in that area of the galaxy, but your TF doesn't force you into any one region, base, or place. If you want some guidance on what might make a good story at that level, talk to your Task Force staff for help. Once you reach the rank of Lieutenant Commander, you get the freedom to choose from a selection of ship classes. At any point you have the liberty to write your starship’s adventures anywhere in Bravo Fleet canon, with your Task Force’s specific mission for inspiration and direction.

From the rank of Commander, you are eligible to request another fiction. These are usually about historical Trek eras or are set somewhere other than a Starfleet ship or starbase in 2400. At the least, proposals for such should explain why you aren't just writing on your primary command!

Fleet Canon and Member Canon

Bravo Fleet canon is laid out by the Canon Policy. In brief, all members are required to abide by Star Trek canon and Bravo Fleet canon. But you are, as individual writers, encouraged to pay attention to Section 1.3 of the Canon Policy, titled 'Member Canon.'

This consists of small details that are not specified by official or fleet canon, relevant to and developed by individual members. At its most obvious, it’s things like the creation of a strange nebula your starship surveyed somewhere in the Alpha Quadrant, or the lone Klingon captain who helped a ship. These are details that affect only your stories and your characters, and while you are welcome to discuss them, write about them, or even add them to the Bravo Fleet wiki, unless or until they are ratified by the Intel Office no other members are obligated to follow that canon or acknowledge its existence.

But those are easy examples. The Intel Office does not aspire to flesh out every single detail about the Trek universe, and nor does Star Trek canon itself provide all of the details. Some facts slip through the cracks: what’s the state of Tokyo in the 25th century? Who taught Basic Warp Design at Starfleet Academy in 2387? What is the current status of a very minor one-off alien race from TOS, almost a century and a half later?

Some of these are questions which the Intel Office may answer as they arise. Others - like the Academy teacher - will most certainly not be defined by Bravo Fleet canon. Members are welcome to specify these details in their own stories, but with the understanding that nobody else is bound by them. Strong and interesting ideas that flesh out relevant parts of the universe may be adopted by the Intel Office into Fleet canon, but until then, they are Member Canon.

Might this lead to contradictions? Very possibly. Is this a problem? Not usually. Often such details can be reconciled; it is possible, or even likely, that multiple officers taught Basic Warp Design at the Academy in 2387. It’s worth remembering that even Star Trek canon occasionally contradicts itself on these minor details, and Star Trek has survived it. If two entirely separate stories have different, minor details, it’s very easy to live and let live. If necessary, consult the Intel Office for guidance.

Remember that member canon doesn't mean "do what you want, and other people don't have to adhere to it." The point is that member canon should be details other people can ignore because it's a big galaxy. Don't contradict fleet canon, or Trek canon. Avoid, if possible, defining things that can't be worked around - do you really need to name the current head of Starfleet Tactical, even if fleet canon hasn't specified it? Our goal is to build a cohesive universe where everyone's playing in the same large sandpit, leaving room for one's own flair and stories - rather than to dictate every detail, or to have chaos wherever we go.

Common Issues

As ever, the Canon Policy explains the do's and don't and ins and outs of Bravo Fleet storytelling and content creation. But there are a few mistakes/misunderstandings/knowledge gaps which come up fairly often:

  • You shouldn’t be writing about or including characters or ships from Star Trek canon! You can refer to them existing, but for eg, we don’t know what the state of Sisko or DS9 are in the 25th century, so don’t make it a key part of your writing; don’t be an old friend, protégé, relative, etc, of any canon Trek character, that sort of thing.
  • The Command Registry is a list of all ships available in Bravo Fleet. It is meant to be a rarely-changed archive so that ships can build up a history, to help maintain a unified canon, instead of ships appearing and disappearing. This repository is not the play-thing for you to create your own task group. Do Not use ships in the registry for your writing if it’s not your own Command - there are many other names out there.
    • Non-registry Starfleet ships can feature in your stories - there's always a ship that needs rescuing, or delivers a guest, or maybe does even join your Command in an adventure. But there's a difference between a story where your characters work with a friendly or rival crew, and giving your captain command of their own task group of NPC ships, and the latter is against the rules - wait until you're eligible for a squadron for that.
  • The brass of Fourth Fleet Command are identified and established as characters – it’s these fine folks. If you need a staff-level character to appear in your writing (for briefings etc), either reach out to your Task Force Staff, or the Intel Office has established an NPC: Commodore Uzoma Ekwueme. He’ll show up, tell you what’s what, dress you down or pin a medal on you. Don’t kill him or make him evil.
  • This links to another rule: Your characters can hold up to the rank of captain or your OOC fleet rank, whichever one is higher. This means you shouldn't be writing flag officers. Like access to certain ship classes, starbases, or fiction concepts, writing flag officers is gated to OOC rank. With the TF staff characters, commanders of TFHQs, and Commodore Ekwueme, PCs and NPCs exist to facilitate your storytelling. Otherwise, allowing members to create and write flag officers, even as minor characters, usually results in one of the following:
    • Creating a new random Fourth Fleet admiral (see above!).
    • A member trying to bypass rank restrictions, in the same way that writing a lot about a non-registry Sovereign-class starship that joins your avatar command on adventures would be.
  • Please pay close attention to our Content Rules. In short: check if your Command needs to list its rating. And, to just directly quote this part from our policy:
    • Sexual violence should be addressed, if at all, with particular care. It should never be depicted directly in a scene, or be discussed by characters in any detail. Reference to sexual violence of any sort should never happen without the explicit OOC permission of every member involved in the story and, in RPGs, the GM. Stories may be removed at the Intelligence Officer's discretion, as per the above on appropriate content.
  • One final note that’s less about the rules and more about tone: Bravo Fleet has a frankly shameful history of failing to engage with the themes and tone of Star Trek. Starfleet is not a military (having weapons doesn’t make you military), Starfleet Marines have never, ever been canon, Section 31 (and equivalent depictions of Intelligence) is almost always written in a way which makes the reader want to die of embarrassment, and Star Trek is not a universe about the power of might making right. The Federation may be flawed but it is fundamentally a government founded on principles of respect, liberty, and the search for peace and knowledge. The Intel Office has worked hard to move away from depictions of Starfleet that would be more at-home in an unironic interpretation of the movie Starship Troopers. Work with us to tell stories that may be set against challenges in a difficult universe, in places which are dark and where doing the right thing is hard – but are at their core about a hopeful view of the future and humanity, even if it’s working towards that view.