FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE HOLOWORLD FLEET
** What is the Holoworld Fleet?
The Holoworld Fleet, or HWF for short, is an on-line role-playing club
which operates loosely in the world a few decades past Star Trek: The
Next Generation. Members assume the roles of one or more characters
and cooperatively write interactive fiction which develops the lives
and careers of their characters.
** What is the object of the game?
The object of the game is to have fun! There are many storylines
proceeding at one time. HWF has been around for over ten years, so
some of the characters are quite developed and have long histories.
Others are brand new. There is no overall objective, but most of the
action centers around a "mission" which is ultimately resolved, just
as an episode of Star Trek would be at the end of the show.
** I'm not a Star Trek expert. Can I still play?
YES! You do not have to be a Trekker or Trekkie to play. If you have
watched a few episodes and you would like to join in, feel free. There
is plenty of information on Star Trek on the WWW, too...
** I see instructions to "go somewhere". How do I do that?
HWF is a complete world in virtual reality. We "go" places by the
subject line in our posts. When you are told to "go" to the personnel
office, you do this by posting your message with the subject line
reading "Personnel Office". This enables everyone involved to find
the notes they are looking for.
** Sounds interesting. How do I join?
You join HWF by filling out the application form on our site:
http://www.geocities.com/holoworldfleet/joining.html
The Fleet's Personnel Officer (PO) will then contact you with further
details on how to proceed.
All new members begin as Cadets, newly assigned from Starfleet Academy
to the Cocoon Academy. You will take a shuttle to Starbase OMEGA on
the moon Demeter in the recently discovered Cocoon for your final
training before receiving a regular assignment. More details on this
will be provided by the Fleet PO upon receipt of your application
form.
The Fleet PO will assign you to our training ship under the tutaledge
of the Chief Training Officer (CTO). There, you will spend from a few
days to a few weeks working with instructors and fellow Cadets to
acquaint you with our style of role-playing. Depending on your skill
and frequency of posting, you will then be assigned to a position on
a starbase, starship or special unit.
** What happens once I get assigned to a ship?
You will report to your captain and then you will be assigned to a
position. Your ship may be just getting started or you may be joining
a mission in progress. Either way, plunge in. Imagine yourself
actually being in this world. You are a new Ensign. You will not know
your shipmates nor the routine of the ship. That's what you are there
to learn. At the same time, you ARE a Starfleet officer and you will
be expected to be able to contribute to the mission. Add your own
ideas and complications to the story.
** How do I get promoted?
Your early promotions are made by the captain of your ship. They come
fairly quickly as you get into the swing of things. They are mainly
based on the frequency of your posts and the quality of your
contributions. As you rise higher in rank, it takes longer to move up.
** I have some friends here. Can we be on the same ship?
Over the years we have found that role-playing works best with people
that you know only (or at least primarily) online. We try to
discourage people who already know each other in the outside world
from being on the same ship. This is because you will build up a
mental image of the people you play with. If you know them in real
life, this image is destroyed and it seriously degrades the vibrancy
of the experience. Remember, you do not enter the HWF universe as
yourself but as another character--one that is perhaps braver,
smarter, more attractive, or just more interesting and exciting. This
is an illusion but to make it work there must be what is called "a
willing suspension of disbelief." However, we believe that it is great
fun to bring your friends into this game as well. Reading about the
life of your respective characters and comparing your adventures can
give you a blast of a good time.
You will find that the experience will draw you in and become real in
strange and unexpected ways. For that reason, we ask that you NOT use
your real name for your character.
** How do I learn more?
The complete description of the HWF and its rules and style is
available in the HWF Manual:
http://www.geocities.com/holoworldfleet/documents/manual.txt
Enjoy yourself! Your shuttle to the twenty-fourth century leaves
momentarily.
If there is anything we can do to make your role play more enjoyable,
please let us know.
This document was written by Tatya, with revisions by Clark and Ruud.
© 1999-2007 Holoworld Fleet
(
geocities.com/holoworldfleet)