Difference between pages "House Starling" and "Guide:RPG Proposals"

Revision as of 18:55, 8 October 2021

The purpose of this guide is to walk you through the RPG proposal process, with explanations of why the process is the way it is, what the Operations Office is looking for, and things to consider as you create this document. Most basically, your proposal should demonstrate very clearly why your concept will be successful and what your preparation level is for running it.

General Evaluation of Proposals

The Operations Office considers factors both related to the proposal itself and to your history as a member in Bravo Fleet, as an RPG is more than just checking a registry item out, it's an exercise in leadership, interpersonal relationships, and good citizenship. Game managers provide a service to the fleet by organizing their games, and so we vet proposals very thoroughly to ensure a positive experience for everyone.

A successful prospective GM has:

reached the rank of Commander and has already requested a primary command;
demonstrated familiarity with the command system (i.e. fiction writing) through contributions to their primary command; and,
created a potential CO character that is realistic, appropriate, and effective as a model for potential applicants.

A successful RPG proposal demonstrates clearly:

how the concept will have broad appeal for Bravo Fleet's members and be able to successfully recruit;
why the particular ship or base was selected, especially in terms of how its class will support the premise outlined;
how the missions the RPG will write are connected to the premise, with major story beats and explanations of how members will engage in each mission;
why the concept is suited to an RPG rather than a fiction;
how the platform selected (Nova or BFMS) supports the concept; and,
why the potential GM wants to run an RPG.

Concept

"Explain the premise, theme and focus of your game that will make it stand out as unique and interesting within the Bravo Fleet universe. Describe in several paragraphs how your game will add new storytelling opportunities for players, how it might overlap with existing games, and why you are proposing to use the class of ship or base you've selected."

Picking a Ship or Station

It is important to pick an appropriate class of ship or station to match the premise you are going to describe. If you're intending to do exploratory and first contact missions, a tactically-oriented ship would be a poor choice, just like a science vessel would be a poor choice for tactical missions. That's not to say that games can't be set around ships ending up doing things they aren't designed for, but the ship's stated mission (i.e. what it's been ordered to do in-character by Starfleet) should match the class you select.

When selecting a class, it's good to spend some time in the specifications area of the wiki, as each modern class has a detailed write-up with substantial information on what a class is intended for and what its strengths and weaknesses are. In particular, pay close attention to the "In Play" section on each class, for some quick and easy tips on what to do with a particular ship.

Here are some concept types and which ships are suited to them (sorted by age):

Long-Range Exploration: Elysion, Vesta, Century, Luna, Rhode Island, Intrepid, Galaxy
Exploration closer to Fed. space: Inquiry, Resolute, Odyssey, Norway, Nebula, Ambassador, Sovereign, Excelsior
Science: Grissom, Nova, Norway, Olympic, Springfield
Tactical: Inquiry, Manticore, Argonaut, Diligent, Rhode Island, Akira, Defiant, Prometheus, Saber, Sovereign, Typhon, New Orleans
Generalist: Inquiry, Reliant, Resolute, Steamrunner, Nebula, Ambassador, Excelsior
Scout: Rhode Island, Saber, Challenger, Cheyenne, Centaur
Utility: Parliament, California
Humanitarian: Resolute, Atlantia, Odyssey, Parliament, California, Olympic

This isn't all-inclusive or restrictive, but could help guide your thinking.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+The purpose of this guide is to walk you through the RPG proposal process, with explanations of why the process is the way it is, what the Operations Office is looking for, and things to consider as you create this document. Most basically, your proposal should demonstrate very clearly why your concept will be successful and what your preparation level is for running it.
-{{Government
+== General Evaluation of Proposals ==
-|name=House Starling
+The Operations Office considers factors both related to the proposal itself and to your history as a member in Bravo Fleet, as an RPG is more than just checking a registry item out, it's an exercise in leadership, interpersonal relationships, and good citizenship. Game managers provide a service to the fleet by organizing their games, and so we vet proposals very thoroughly to ensure a positive experience for everyone.
-|image=
-|species=Betazoid
-|homeworld=Betazed
-|founded=
-|warp=
-|language=Betazoid
-|currency=
-|government=Feudal Matriarchy
-|leader=Lady [[Meshanna Starling]]
-|advancement=Warp
-|military=House Starling Honor Guard
-}}
-'''House Starisha''', frequently rendered in Federation Standard as House Starling, is an ancient noble family of [[ma:Betazed|Betazed]]. Having stood since time immemorial, the leaders of House Starling are seen as luminaries of the Betazoid way of life and leaders in the planet's government.
-==History==
+A successful prospective GM has:
-One of the original Twelve Houses of Betazed that signed the Concordance of Unity and formed the Betazoid planetary government in centuries past, House Starling's ancestral lands lie on the fertile plains and forests of the central region of the planet's large southern continent. Once queens in their own right, the matriarchs of House Starling set aside their absolute power in the name of planetary unity after the Betazoids achieved warp flight and made contact with other worlds.
+* reached the rank of Commander and has already requested a primary command;
+* demonstrated familiarity with the command system (i.e. fiction writing) through contributions to their primary command; and,
+* created a potential CO character that is realistic, appropriate, and effective as a model for potential applicants.
-In more recent times, House Starling was a leading proponent of [[Federation]] membership and Betazoid involvement in Starfleet, and, for the first time since planetary unification, sent its honor guard into battle as a covert supporter of the Betazoid resistance during the Dominion occupation of the homeworld. They have established multiple colonies, including Tirsatz near the Cardassian border.
+A successful RPG proposal demonstrates clearly:
-==People==
+* how the concept will have broad appeal for Bravo Fleet's members and be able to successfully recruit;
+* why the particular ship or base was selected, especially in terms of how its class will support the premise outlined;
+* how the missions the RPG will write are connected to the premise, with major story beats and explanations of how members will engage in each mission;
+* why the concept is suited to an RPG rather than a fiction;
+* how the platform selected (Nova or BFMS) supports the concept; and,
+* why the potential GM wants to run an RPG.
-===Starling Family===
+== Concept ==
+"Explain the premise, theme and focus of your game that will make it stand out as unique and interesting within the Bravo Fleet universe. Describe in several paragraphs how your game will add new storytelling opportunities for players, how it might overlap with existing games, and why you are proposing to use the class of ship or base you've selected."
-* Matriarch [[Meshanna Starling]]
+=== Picking a Ship or Station ===
-** ''Doctor [[Arianna Starling]]'', killed in action aboard Starbase 613
+It is important to pick an appropriate class of ship or station to match the premise you are going to describe. If you're intending to do exploratory and first contact missions, a tactically-oriented ship would be a poor choice, just like a science vessel would be a poor choice for tactical missions. That's not to say that games can't be set around ships ending up doing things they aren't designed for, but the ship's stated mission (i.e. what it's been ordered to do in-character by Starfleet) should match the class you select.
-*** Commander [[Eden Enigma|Eden Seraphina Starling-Enigma]], Commanding Officer of [[Roosevelt Station]] and heiress apparent
-**''Elinnia Starling'', drowned in a boating accident on the Lake of Diamonds
-===Vassals===
+When selecting a class, it's good to spend some time in the specifications area of the wiki, as each modern class has a detailed write-up with substantial information on what a class is intended for and what its strengths and weaknesses are. In particular, pay close attention to the "In Play" section on each class, for some quick and easy tips on what to do with a particular ship.
-* Sir [[Luvrodo Ka]], captain of the noble yacht SS [[Healer's Hope]]
+Here are some concept types and which ships are suited to them (sorted by age):
-==Structure==
+* Long-Range Exploration: Elysion, Vesta, Century, Luna, Rhode Island, Intrepid, Galaxy
+* Exploration closer to Fed. space: Inquiry, Resolute, Odyssey, Norway, Nebula, Ambassador, Sovereign, Excelsior
+* Science: Grissom, Nova, Norway, Olympic, Springfield
+* Tactical: Inquiry, Manticore, Argonaut, Diligent, Rhode Island, Akira, Defiant, Prometheus, Saber, Sovereign, Typhon, New Orleans
+* Generalist: Inquiry, Reliant, Resolute, Steamrunner, Nebula, Ambassador, Excelsior
+* Scout: Rhode Island, Saber, Challenger, Cheyenne, Centaur
+* Utility: Parliament, California
+* Humanitarian: Resolute, Atlantia, Odyssey, Parliament, California, Olympic
-Leadership of House Starling is passed down matrilineally, from mother to daughter, almost always passing to the firstborn. When the Matriarch dies or abdicates without an heir, there is a complex but clear set of rules governing the transfer of power, though in this event the House as a whole frequently loses standing among the other High Houses. In service to the Matriarch are dozens of lesser nobles, tasked with overseeing provinces on the homeworld or colonies far away. The Matriarch herself answers to the laws passed by the elected Betazoid government as well as the social power of the other High Houses, whose disapproval, in a culture where war has always been waged much more through words than through violence, can be intensely costly. She also appoints magistrates charged with enforcing Betazoid and Federation civil law in the lands entrusted to her.
+This isn't all-inclusive or restrictive, but could help guide your thinking.
-With the deaths of both daughters of the current Matriarch, the heiress apparent is half-human Starfleet officer Eden Starling-Enigma, an accomplished officer but near-complete unknown in Betazoid politics.
-==House Starling In Play==
-* As a ranking noble house, House Starling has immense political influence on Betazed. To win their approval is to gain inroads into Betazoid society and a powerful ally in the Federation's Alpha Quardrant frontier.
-* House Starling maintains a strong diplomatic corps, and its people might be find entangled in any number of situations where the well-being of Betazed is threatened or there is gain to be had. Their diplomats have a reputation for being sharp-tongued and shrewd, and many are not above feigning weakness to draw someone into giving them what they want or bluffing a stronger hand than they have even with allies.
-* While House Starling has a significant number of trading and passenger ships, it maintains no spaceborne military force, and its honor guard consists of a few dozen attractive young officers with elite training but no practical combat experience. Given that they can feel the pain and fear of any enemies they face, Betazoids in general and Starling operatives in particular will avoid violent solutions to problems if it is at all possible.
-* On the other hand, once violence becomes inevitable, they will tend to fight hard dirty. While the young officers of the royal guard have never seen combat, some have childhood memories of the Dominion occupation, and those who do not have heard stories about its brutality from their parents. In a situation where they must fight, the people of House Starling, guard and civilian alike, will go to frightening lengths to avoid repeating anything resembling that experience.