02-08-2026, 05:07 PM
== Hello Cadet Th’etellis. Thank you for your post. I enjoyed reading your response. After this next lesson we will begin a simulation which I hope you will enjoy. Please make sure to find ways to continue using the formatting techniques. This gives you practice of doing so and demonstrates your success with our formatting.
With that, let’s carry on with Lesson two: Plots, GM Input, Character Hijacking, and the New Posts feature:
We have two types of plots on Fed Space: the main plot and subplots. Main plots affect the entire ship and are directed by a Game Moderator (GM). Subplots are an underlying story that’s being told within the main plot. A subplot can be run by any player who has received approval by the ship’s Commanding Officer (CO) or First Officer (FO).
An example of the difference between the two: The main plot concerns itself with the ship falling under attack, whereas a subplot would be a character dealing with an on ship pregnancy or maybe writing the next great holonovel.
GMs:
Game Moderators (GMs) guide the ships’ missions along. Every ship has a mission and only the GMs of a ship will know the mission details.
Your job is to write what your character sees and their reaction. The GM will provide the unknowns about the plot as asked. GM input has significance to the direction of the mission. This is why characters should keep posts open ended on anything that might affect the mission’s direction or outcome. As your character performs an action, such as performing a diagnostic scan, leave the result of the scan unknown, and ask for the outcome of the scan from the GM. The GM will give you the result.
When you need GM input on something, for example results of a diagnostic scan, your request should be at the end of the post. This ask can look like:
== GM Input, please. ==
Or it can also be a more specific question, such as:
== GM Input: Result of the diagnostic, please. ==
Look around at the active ships on Fed Space to see how characters ask for GM input.
Character Hijacking:
The next element we’re going to cover is character usage. You cannot post any speech, thoughts or movements for another primary rated character (PRC) or non-rated character (NRC) that isn’t yours unless you have permission from the player. This is called character hijacking and is not permitted on Fed Space.
Some players might not mind, but even minor things such as a nod of the head or a shrug of the shoulders can be considered hijacking.
For example, if you wrote in your next post that Captain Maddie Allen suddenly appeared and started dancing the Hokey Pokey, you would have hijacked my character.
Character Movement on Ships:
If you’re reading ship threads on our site, you may have noticed a ship has multiple threads for various locations that a player can post, such as the bridge, sickbay, and security offices. Oftentimes while on a mission characters will travel throughout the ship to accomplish their orders. To help follow the plot when a player is transitioning from one thread to another, they should make a notation at the end their post like this: >> Sickbay >> The arrows and location found at the bottom of a post tells readers where this character will post next.
When the player makes their next post, the player should make a notation at the beginning of their post like this: << Bridge << The arrows and location found at the top of a post indicate that is where a player has just come from.
Finding New Posts:
I would like to mention the ‘view new posts’ feature in the top navigation of our forum page. This link is a quick and handy way to see who has posted since your previous visit to Fed Space.
Alrighty Cadet! It’s time for more writing! In your next post, I would like you to continue using our formatting techniques you learned in lesson one and ask for GM input. I will be acting as your GM.
If you need any help or would like more clarification on something, ask me! ==
Maddie listened to the cadet’s answer intently watching them closely.
That’s all? No feeling to want to discover a cure for some illness? Just receiving kindness. Okay that'll do.
She wanted more from the cadet, especially after years of studying. Maddie figured asking for more could cause the cadet to grow more anxious and cause errors during their examination. As such, she would allow the answer for now. There would still be time to pry for more later. She smiled at the cadet and turned her attention to setting up the cadet’s simulation. She couldn't believe she felt a slight anxiousness as she was doing her first exam in a while.
Let’s see how this goes.
“Cadet, you are on duty aboard the USS Meridian. An away team shuttle has returned to the Meridian early with one unconscious crew member and two shaken officers. You are responsible for triage, diagnosis, and managing the unfolding crisis.”
As Maddie finished the description, she gave an encouraging smile to the cadet. “While you won’t see me, I will be observing you, taking notes. Your exam begins now.”
The scene came to life with the shuttle doors hissing open. One could feel the cold air and smell the metallic scent of scorched circuitry. Inside, the lights were flickering unevenly, casting shadows. A faint crystalline dust clung to the walls like frost.
Gazing inside, there were two officers standing just inside the threshold: Ensigns Mara Vance and Ral Tovan. Ensign Vance’s jaw was tight and their posture rigid, and Ensign Tovan was pale and visibly shaken. Between them was Ensign T’Lara, a Vulcan, unconscious andy lying on a stretcher. T’Lara’s skin was faint and had an unnatural shimmer beneath the surface.
== Have fun Cadet Th’etellis ==
With that, let’s carry on with Lesson two: Plots, GM Input, Character Hijacking, and the New Posts feature:
We have two types of plots on Fed Space: the main plot and subplots. Main plots affect the entire ship and are directed by a Game Moderator (GM). Subplots are an underlying story that’s being told within the main plot. A subplot can be run by any player who has received approval by the ship’s Commanding Officer (CO) or First Officer (FO).
An example of the difference between the two: The main plot concerns itself with the ship falling under attack, whereas a subplot would be a character dealing with an on ship pregnancy or maybe writing the next great holonovel.
GMs:
Game Moderators (GMs) guide the ships’ missions along. Every ship has a mission and only the GMs of a ship will know the mission details.
Your job is to write what your character sees and their reaction. The GM will provide the unknowns about the plot as asked. GM input has significance to the direction of the mission. This is why characters should keep posts open ended on anything that might affect the mission’s direction or outcome. As your character performs an action, such as performing a diagnostic scan, leave the result of the scan unknown, and ask for the outcome of the scan from the GM. The GM will give you the result.
When you need GM input on something, for example results of a diagnostic scan, your request should be at the end of the post. This ask can look like:
== GM Input, please. ==
Or it can also be a more specific question, such as:
== GM Input: Result of the diagnostic, please. ==
Look around at the active ships on Fed Space to see how characters ask for GM input.
Character Hijacking:
The next element we’re going to cover is character usage. You cannot post any speech, thoughts or movements for another primary rated character (PRC) or non-rated character (NRC) that isn’t yours unless you have permission from the player. This is called character hijacking and is not permitted on Fed Space.
Some players might not mind, but even minor things such as a nod of the head or a shrug of the shoulders can be considered hijacking.
For example, if you wrote in your next post that Captain Maddie Allen suddenly appeared and started dancing the Hokey Pokey, you would have hijacked my character.
Character Movement on Ships:
If you’re reading ship threads on our site, you may have noticed a ship has multiple threads for various locations that a player can post, such as the bridge, sickbay, and security offices. Oftentimes while on a mission characters will travel throughout the ship to accomplish their orders. To help follow the plot when a player is transitioning from one thread to another, they should make a notation at the end their post like this: >> Sickbay >> The arrows and location found at the bottom of a post tells readers where this character will post next.
When the player makes their next post, the player should make a notation at the beginning of their post like this: << Bridge << The arrows and location found at the top of a post indicate that is where a player has just come from.
Finding New Posts:
I would like to mention the ‘view new posts’ feature in the top navigation of our forum page. This link is a quick and handy way to see who has posted since your previous visit to Fed Space.
Alrighty Cadet! It’s time for more writing! In your next post, I would like you to continue using our formatting techniques you learned in lesson one and ask for GM input. I will be acting as your GM.
If you need any help or would like more clarification on something, ask me! ==
Maddie listened to the cadet’s answer intently watching them closely.
That’s all? No feeling to want to discover a cure for some illness? Just receiving kindness. Okay that'll do.
She wanted more from the cadet, especially after years of studying. Maddie figured asking for more could cause the cadet to grow more anxious and cause errors during their examination. As such, she would allow the answer for now. There would still be time to pry for more later. She smiled at the cadet and turned her attention to setting up the cadet’s simulation. She couldn't believe she felt a slight anxiousness as she was doing her first exam in a while.
Let’s see how this goes.
“Cadet, you are on duty aboard the USS Meridian. An away team shuttle has returned to the Meridian early with one unconscious crew member and two shaken officers. You are responsible for triage, diagnosis, and managing the unfolding crisis.”
As Maddie finished the description, she gave an encouraging smile to the cadet. “While you won’t see me, I will be observing you, taking notes. Your exam begins now.”
The scene came to life with the shuttle doors hissing open. One could feel the cold air and smell the metallic scent of scorched circuitry. Inside, the lights were flickering unevenly, casting shadows. A faint crystalline dust clung to the walls like frost.
Gazing inside, there were two officers standing just inside the threshold: Ensigns Mara Vance and Ral Tovan. Ensign Vance’s jaw was tight and their posture rigid, and Ensign Tovan was pale and visibly shaken. Between them was Ensign T’Lara, a Vulcan, unconscious andy lying on a stretcher. T’Lara’s skin was faint and had an unnatural shimmer beneath the surface.
== Have fun Cadet Th’etellis ==