| Using IRC | IRC General Information | Choosing a Nickname | Communications Basics |
Using Internet Relay Chat (IRC)
for PC's, mIRC ©copyright Tjerk Vonck
or
for Macintosh, Ircle ©copyright MacResponse
*The access provided by EH Inc. to the above resources is merely a service to our visitors and players and should not be construed as an exclusive endorsement. There are other chat programs and resources available that are just as reliable and effective.
Individual chat programs generally come with excellent instructions on use of that program.
It is general practice to log into your game's chat room using your character's name as your chat room nick.
Nicks, (names displayed in a chat room), can be of any length but only 9 letters or characters will be displayed in the room.
Generally the player uses the rank abbreviation and last name of their character, though there are exceptions. You can not leave a blank space in the name, unless you use an underscore to connect the rank to the name.
Example Nickname Formats:
- Cp_Marvel
- AdmHalsey
- Chief_Tin
- SLHanSolo
- PO1_Pyle
Ranks:
(*A Petty Officer assigned a specialized duty may wear the designated rank of: Yeoman, Medic, or Quartermaster as appropriate. Generally designated: Ym, Md or Med, QM with the appropriate rank level of 3, 2, or 1. A Yeoman serves as personal assistant to a command rank officer. A Medic also known as paramedic or orderly serves as part of the medical division. Quartermasters work with supply and ship stores.)
(*Denotes Command Ranks)
Please note: all players begin at a rank designated at the end of their training period based on the level of training completed. Promotions are awarded by the CO of their ship or base based on the criteria he or she establishes. CO's are encouraged to post or publish their promotion criteria.
It takes a little getting used to holding conversations in real time text before it becomes second nature. Don't be discouraged if during the first few games you feel a bit overwhelmed trying to keep up with the action. Stay focused on the interaction taking place with your character, you can catch up with what else was happening through the transcripts that you record, or that are sent out by your designated ship's officer.
Most Chat Rooms display the nicknames of the people logged in to that room in a list, and in front of the text they enter so everyone in the room knows who is "speaking."
Example:
Col_Hogan: Hello Schultz, seen any good W.W.II films lately?
Schultz: Hello Colonel, the last good W.W.II movie I saw was Pearl Harbor.
Private messages that are not displayed to everyone in the room can be sent back and forth between individuals in the room. It is good chat game etiquette to ask questions via private messages, to keep from disrupting the game in progress. Most chat programs use the /msg NICK Message format to send private messages.
Example:
CdtLand: /MSG CptNemo Why did you just blow up that ship?
CptNemo: /MSG CdtLand It was threatening the civilian colony.
It is also possible to change nicknames while in the room. Players tend to do this at times when they are portraying more than one character in a game. Most chat programs allow you to do this by typing /nick Newnick
Example:
LtFixIt: Onit get that valve replaced.
LtFixIt: /nick SL_OnIt
LtFixIt is now known as SL_OnIt
SL_OnIt: Aye sir, fixing the valve now.
There are many other operations connected with chat programs, but those can best be learned through practice and reading the instruction guide to the chat program you select.
Participating in a Role Playing Games (RPG)
A Role Playing Game is one where you assume the part of the character. You decide what the character does and says. There are no scripts, but there are usually guidelines. Each player, can earn promotions, citations, and awards for playing consistently, participating in a productive manner, and demonstrating knowledge of the game.
In StarZone the Commanding Officer (CO) and Executive Officer (XO) work as a team to create the scenarios and missions. During the game itself they run the events and determine if a particular course of action is successful. The players help further the storylines and character development. Commanding Officers should be well versed in all areas of the game in order to run the scenarios and missions with confidence and creativity.
To keep the game flowing and fun, it is important to learn the guidelines and understand the language of the game. In the StarZone RPG, the terminology and technology is all original, so it is even more important to complete the training and understand the vocabulary and setting.
Individuals who don't bother to learn the background of the game, generally tend to have less fun, and spoil the flow of the game for the rest of the players. These individuals will find that they don't advance in rank and won't easily earn citations or awards. In severe incidences, they may even be asked to leave the game, and/or be dismissed from the crew.
Whether you are playing in a chat room or your home it is important to stay in character and play within the boundaries set by the rules of the game and the CO for that mission.
Text based RPGs can be a challenge to beginning players. It is usually best to work through the one of the academy levels, then join the crew of an existing ship to gain experience before starting a command of your own. The key to success is staying in character during the game.
If your character is an engineer, then he/she probably isn't going to have a pocket full of grenades at hand just in case of emergencies. If your character is a doctor, then he/she would prefer to save lives than take them, and would balk at gunning someone down, even if they are the enemy. Have your character perform the job they are trained for and have them do it well, unless part of his or her character is to be a bit of a bungler. Just keep in mind, promotions and awards go to those who can do the tasks assigned them and do them well.
Keep track of your character's personality, and be consistent with them, if they tend to be grumpy about people watching them work, then have them grumpy every time someone looks over their shoulder while they are working. If they are always curious, then let them be curious about all the new things that they encounter. If you are consistent it will help other players know how to have their characters interact with yours.
Character growth can be one of the more fascinating aspects of the game. Your character should continue to evolve as you play. If your character takes on a new task, then don't play them as an expert in that task, let them grow in knowledge and experience just as you would in real life.
Running your own RPG, in the case of StarZone this means being CO of your own ship or base, can be challenging. One of the biggest challenges is gathering a crew. Whether you are playing at home around a table or via the Internet, you will find that gathering and keeping a good crew is not easy. Starting with a group of friends with an interest in gaming is a good way to begin.
The key is to run a game that is fun, consistent, and true. Keeping the game fun usually means that you have to have missions that challenge your officers and crew intellectually and provides them an opportunity to stretch their imaginations. To do that, you have to know the technical and situational background for your missions inside and out. You also have to use every single one of your team in their best capacity. Help them utilize their strengths and strengthen their weaknesses.
To qualify for a Command position with StarZone you will have to successfully complete all three levels of academy training: Boot Camp, Fleet Academy, and Officer Training School. You will then be eligible to select the ship you wish to captain, (ship availability is not guaranteed), if there is no ship available you are welcome to run your own game while waiting for a ship to become open. However, only missions submitted by CO's of registered ships will be considered for inclusion in the e-zines: *Alliance & Empire.
Another option is to see if any of the registered ships are in need of an XO. Experience as a first officer can be invaluable to those who are new to running their own games. Every CO needs a good second in command.
*Please note: all submissions become the property of Event Horizons, Inc. and no compensation, monetary or otherwise, will be awarded. Submission does not guarantee publication.
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