The USS Champion, is a pbem game set in the Star Trek The Next Generation genre.

Pbem. A pbem is a play by email game in which writers role play various characters in various settings. It is similar to games like Dungeons & Dragons, etc. There are some distinct differences, however. Mainly:

• There is no GM (game master) per se. Each author has free will over his/her character and can alter the storyline within certain boundaries. There is the commanding officer who may push the plot along and do operational duties (recruitment, web development, plot continuity errors, etc.). This leaves much open by way of subplot development. To maintain a semblance of order in a chaotic arena such as pbem the game owners, or advisory group, can nullify subplots or request that they be put on hold and entered at an appropriate time.

• There are no point systems and use of dice / charts. The world of pbem works similar to fantasy and science fiction novel development. You don't determine point damages or other strengths based on books and rolls of dice. However, games such as dungeons and dragons provide a good foundation for character trait development.

• There may not be a coherent mission. In classic role playing games (rpgs), there is a distinct goal, an end result of a quest or mission of characters. These vary depending on the genre - could be rescuing a hunky prince (um, more about that later), or defending a planet from a galactic war. The idea of a pbem is that characters are living together focusing on a common thread that is woven with multiple goals, barriers, and anything else that creeps in along the way.

• You can use other characters within discretion. Because the players are not seated around a table wearing broken glasses and popping zits (sorry bad stereotype), you are allowed some leeway in interacting with other characters. In general the rules are...you must stay within the character's personality - no going overboard, the creator of the character has artistic right to recall the post, and the game creator can settle any disputes. The best way to use other characters is to do a joint post.

• Messages between authors are sent via an email listserv. A listserv is a collection of email addresses that is kept by the game creator. This allows a person to send a post (a written narrative of the story) to a single email address which is then distributed to all participants. Some listservs allow "lurkers" or people who do not actively participate in the game, but can read the posting. USS Champion at this time does not allow lurkers (it is a "private" or "closed" listserv). In addition to capture the free writing of the participants the email posts go directly to the group (it is an "unmoderated" listserv). USS Champion utilizes yahoogroups as their free listserv  provider.

USS Champion World. The USS Champion takes place within the ST:TNG world...sort of. This sim (another word for pbem) is set after Insurrection, but before Nemesis. Oh...another thing, the guys are typically gay or bi-sexual. There is some adult content so the game is limited to an adult (18+) crowd. We have made a few exceptions to this rule, but in general do not.

Posting Requirements. In order to continue the game, it is vital that all members post regularly. The game creator has not set a required amount of posting, but there have been team members that have been asked to leave because of their inactivity. There are, of course, excuses that are acceptable if you are unable to post. Some of these may include vacations, heavy rl (real life) burdens at the moment, sickness, death, etc. Just let the game creator know. While there are flexible posting guidelines, at any time if the game looks like it is suffering the game creator can implement them.

Joint Posting. The most effective way to create a cohesive storyline, and have some fun with friends is through joint posting. Joint posting occurs when two people, or more, interact using their characters over a common messaging system. In ST:TNG, the most common messaging system is Yahoo Instant Messenger which is downloadable for free. Joint posting is also accomplished in chat rooms, over IRC, AOL IM, MSN, and ICQ. Joint posting is quite easy and moves the plot along at a good speed. Here is a sample joint post:

ltconnor: Connor grabbed the lift door, pulling it back to stop it from closing. Inside he knew Tim was dieing. "Tim!" Connor shouted.

ltconnor: <tag>

timlahey03: Tim was coughing up blood at this time. His consciousness was faltering. A shot to the chest opened a gashing wound. The world around him was turning black.

timlahey03: <tag>

This continues as long as participants continue. It is up to one participant, the editor, to copy each line into an email and edit for grammar mistakes. A tip for doing this is to copy it into a word processing program (Word, Works, Wordperfect, Notepad, etc.) and make changes. Then transfer the completed document into an email and post it to the listserv.

Posting Format. When posting dialogue, whether internal, external, or telepathic there are some helpful ways in which you can add cues to the text to alert readers what type of dialogue you are conveying. Try using these: