Rules
The Pandoran Way
Welcome to the USS Pandora! We are seeking bold explorers, curious scientists, brave warriors, and dependable officers for a brand new deep-space mission into unchartered and dangerous territory. The Pandora welcomes all willing and passionate writers to join our growing community and contribute to our unique stories.
In order to join our team, we require all players to observe the following rules:
Who We Are:
The USS Pandora is a play-by-Nova Star Trek simulation game. Our mission has currently taken us deep into the Alpha Quadrant. This sim has not adopted the canon established in "Star Trek: Picard" as yet.
The current simming year will be 2394.
We are a Luna Class vessel, Starfleet's newest-generation of long-range explorer. We are not built especially for combat but much like the famous Constitution-class ships, we are a vessel designed for long-term, multipurpose missions into unchartered territory. Be prepared for exploration, investigation, skirmishes, and fun onboard the Pandora.
How We Fly:
We live and die by the conduct of our crew - both in-character and as players of the sim. At all times, in all circumstances, you are required to conduct yourself with civility and respect. No ifs, no buts, definitely no coconuts. The Pandora is your home, the crew is your family, the conduct is our culture here. We may disagree, we may irritate each other, but we do not lessen the experience of others and ourselves by resorting to disrespectful, discourteous, or offensive behaviour.
In order to comply with our culture, you must:
1) Treat all players with respect at all times.
2) Do not engage in any form of harassment with any other player or character. This includes in posts, private messages, emails, OOC discussions, Discord Chat, or any associated means of communication. Any player found to be harassing others will be removed from the game.
3) Do not post sexuality explicit material on any sim-associated means of communication.
4) Understand and respect different locations, time-zones and real life. We all have different backgrounds and lives, so please be patient when writing and interacting with other players.
5) Any disagreements should be settled respectfully and harmoniously to the benefit of all the players and simm as a whole. If you are unable to resolve a conflict, or become uncomfortable with a line of discussion, please seek assistance from the sim leadership - either the Commanding Officer, Executive Officer, or Second Officer. We will review and make a decision on the conflict and our word will be final. The conduct of all players during a conflict will be dealt with accordingly in accordance with our rules.
6) Out of Character discrimination and derogatory language is completely unacceptable. The USS Pandora is a community of writers; we are here to have fun. Any player found to be OOC harassing others will be removed from the game.
Keeping Up With the Pandorans:
We depend on our players to post regularly in order to maintain the activity and excitement of the game. Simming is far more fun when you have a group of players actively contributing and creating new content. Like any game (written RPGs, video games, etc), you only get out what you put into it.
So that we can all have a fun, exciting experience, when joining the USS Pandora you agree to:
1) Log into the Sim at least once per month and make a contribution to a post or discussion. This includes Draft Posts currently being written. Ideally, an active player will be logging in several times a week and contributing to a few posts.
2) Publish a complete, substantial In-Character Post every month.
3) Should any situation arise that would prevent you from fulfilling this requirement, please inform the Commanding Officer or Executive Officer as soon as you possibly can.
Light Duties: Should you require a period of lighter duties and an easier activity requirement, please speak to the Commanding Officer. We understand that Real Life Comes First and there are options available should you be unable to fulfil the usual activity requirements, or simply wish to post less frequently for a time. This will ensure you're not placed into any important roles during a mission and holding up others players, though you will still be required to maintain contact with us.
Leave Of Absence: Should you require a period away from the sim altogether, please speak to the Commanding Officer. Once again, Real Life Comes First and should you require complete absence from the game and mission for a period of time, a Leave of Absence will allow you to be classified as inactive while still come back to the sim when you can.
Away Without Leave: Should a player fail to meet their activity requirements without notification to the Commanding Officer, they will be classified as AWOL and removed from the game. Players who have been removed may re-apply to the game, as long as they can commit to the activity requirements we desire.
Write and Wrong:
The crew of this ship has worked very hard to create a realistic simulation, chock full of information that you can access to write your posts. Please follow the sim's established names, deck-listing, and canon wherever necessary so that may you fit in with the other writers without confusion.
For example:
◦ The Mess Hall is actually called the "Pandora's Box", whereas Ten Forward is actually called the Luna Eclipse, or Eclipse.
◦ The Engineering Bay is located on Decks 11 and 12 and there is a full Deck List on the PADD page of the website.
◦ You were not once assimilated by the Borg and fought off a Cube singlehandedly.
So if we see posts repeatedly calling locations by the wrong name, or writing Engineering in the wrong place, or breaking the established "realism" of the Star Trek universe, you're going to get a very friendly reminder to follow the established sim canon. Failure to comply may result in further reminders, descending in tone and niceties, until you'll be promptly walked out of an airlock.
You Must Be This Tall To Ride:
As per current requirements, players must be 18 Years or Older to join this sim. We cannot accept any players under that age, though please keep us in mind for future reference when you are eligible to play.
In addition, the USS Pandora is rated 18+ for Mature Audiences.
For the purposes of simming this means:
◦ Swearing is permitted, with some limitations. Mild and infrequent use of coarse language is permitted. The "big" curse words are not allowed.
◦ Sexual content is permitted, with some limitations. Overt and descriptive sexual acts are not permitted, however allusions to sexual activity is permissible. We'd prefer writers "fade out" or skip over any actual depictions of sexual intercourse.
◦ Violence is permitted, with some limitations. Depictions of gore, violence, horror are not allowed.
Please speak to the Commanding Officer or Executive Officer should you have any queries or questions regarding our classification. If you are asked to remove content from your post to meet the classification of our sim by the Command Team, you will remove said content. Failure to do so, or repeatedly ignoring warnings regarding your post content, may result in removal from the game.
Create Your Own Hero:
As a Star Trek simulation, we acknowledge all established canon from MOST of the Star Trek television series, movies, and official novels. However, this sim has not adopted the canon established in "Star Trek: Picard" as yet, though may do so at a later date.
We require all players to create their own new, original characters. Sure, it'll be fun to play as Spock or Janeway, but we do not accept anyone playing as established canon characters from the television series or movies, nor any cross-overs from other TV series, movies, real life, or creative works.
This is your opportunity to create your own hero and your own legacy! Embrace this chance to make something new and original - a character that only you can give voice and life to. You are free to play as any of the hundreds of established Federation species.
But let's keep it fair: We cannot accept members of the Q Continuum, or other God-like species. A former Rear Admiral is unlikely to be serving as a junior Science Officer. Your character must have abilities and attributes normally associated with your species, age, requested position, and established canon. Please feel free to contact the Commanding Officer should you have any questions.
Non-Playing Characters:
We currently allow each player to have up to Three Non-Playing Characters on board the Pandora, however only your main Playing Character may hold the title of Department Chief/Head. Your NPCs will be assigned to your character and only you shall have control of those NPCs. You may not control or write for any other player's NPCs without express permission from the owning player.
Ranks and Position:
Upon joining the sim, the Commanding Officer will assign you a rank and position in accordance with your character's biography, experience, available positions, and your personal simming history. Anyone demanding a certain rank will be assigned to clean the lavatories.
Promotions will be granted based on your capabilities, activity, involvement with the playing group, awards, and compliance with the game rules.
Department Heads will be given to players who demonstrate a clear understanding of their department and requirements, previous history, and contributions to the game.
Awards will be given regularly for players displaying interesting, fun, creative, collaborative, techno-savvy, and generally strong posts. We love to share the love at the USS Pandora!
Guidelines For Writing:
Style: All posts are written in the third person, in a passive voice.
◦ Do Not: I am walking to the Mess Hall for dinner.
◦ Do: Commander Temple made his way into the Mess Hall for dinner.
Control: A player controls the actions, reactions, thoughts, location, speech, and personality of their character. Only you controls what your character does, and you may only write for your own character.
◦ Do Not: Lieutenant Temple wildly swung his fist and punched a cowering Ensign Davies in his jaw.
◦ Do: Lieutenant Temple wildly swung his fist, aiming for Ensign Davies' jaw.
(See how this gives "Ensign Davies" the opportunity to either duck, block, or take the punch. It also removes the reaction that Davies is "cowering" when it's up to that player to decide how they are behaving.)
TAGS: If you wish for another player to react to something you have written, you must include a TAG at the required spot. Usually you can just write "TAG [Character's Last Name]". When adding a tag, please be careful not to write a specific response in anticipation of the player's reply, unless it's an agreed-upon plot point.
Requirements: All posts are required to clearly state:
◦ Location (Engineering, Crew Quarters, Bridge, etc),
◦ Time (you can be specific or just a general "Morning", "Evening" etc),
◦ Current Mission name
◦ All characters writing within the post.
Posts should generally be numerous paragraphs long (4 or more), including a clear premise and advancement of either the Mission or a personal story. Please check your spelling and grammar before posting, ensuring especially that you are correctly spelling other characters, locations, and other significant items.
Shut Up, Wesley: As much as we all want to be the one who saves the day, you are part of a team who is working together to solve the problem, fight the baddies, and save the galaxy. We are all in this together as a crew. Keep this in mind when writing towards the current mission; we will not accept individual players overriding the ability of the other crew to contribute to the sim, or changing an agreed-upon course of action. If you want to do something heroic, or if you feel a plot point needs to be progressed, please speak first to the Commanding Officer, Executive Officer, and any other players effected by the decision.
Keep It Trek: Life in the 24th Century is vastly different to the world of today. Please familiarise yourself with the world in which we're writing in. For example, we use Sonic Showers without water, Phasers and not guns, Runabouts not motor vehicles. Most importantly, humanity is no longer motivated by the pursuit of wealth. If you're unsure of how to imagine this experience, watch some of the TV shows or movies, read up on the Memory Alpha Infobase, or ask the Commanding Officer. Please keep this in mind when writing posts and designing your character.
Federation Folks: As members of the United Federation of Planet and crew aboard a Starfleet vessel, you are expected to uphold the behaviour, standings, and mindset of a Federation officer. To be accepted into the Starfleet Academy is an honour, to gain a posting on a front-line vessel is a privilege. Starfleet personnel are generally civil, progressive, pragmatic, intelligent, and working towards the positive advancement of equality, equity, and stability. This is the ideal - however, not all characters may fit into this perfect example.
This is Our Journey - Let's Make It Together:
As a member of this crew, you are the audience, the writers, and the history-makers of the USS Pandora. Every Player onboard this ship can (and should!) contribute to our missions, plot discussions, personal stories, and the legacy of this fine vessel. Sometimes we may know our destination, sometimes just an inkling of a pathway - either way it is up to us as a crew to make this journey together.
At all times while flying with us, you are encouraged to give ideas whenever you have them. Be as creative as you like. As long as we comply with established Star Trek canon and rules, YOU are the story-tellers on board the USS Pandora.
Join us as we face new and undiscovered worlds, investigate the spacial phenomena of the Inconnu Expanse, and fight hard to bring peace and stability to this lawless region.
JOIN TODAY!
And finally, management of the sim reserves the right to change, alter, remove, and add to the Sims rules whenever necessary, though shall inform the existing players as soon as possible for any major changes.