If you have questions about the rules, feel free to drop us a note at fireworksflowers@gmail dot com.
If you've written for RPGs before, none of the following should surprise you.
~ZL and Salvek
Star Trek: Alchemy is a free, PBEM RPG.
Rules and Procedures for Star Trek: Alchemy are as follows:
1. Respect for the your fellow players is imperative. Abusive or hostile speech or any other form of harassing communication whether online or off, or such actions online or off toward any other player will be grounds for immediate dismissal and permanent banning.
2. The CO/XO have the final say in what is posted to the crew. By submitting posts you acknowledge that necessary editing of the content may occur.
This is a human moderated RPG; which means writers send in their posts, and then the CO or XO will read them, make any necessary edits for grammar or inappropriate/conflicting content (if any) and then we will send them out to the crew.
We do not have an open group list where everyone posts their own individual posts- as we have seen the conflicts that arise from such a system in other games in the past and have found this is the set-up that works best for us personally.
3. All new writers should be advised that other writers will be allowed to write dialog for your character. We are not a sim in which every person writes all their own dialog for every post round-robin style.
If you require the ability to be able to dictate every line your character speaks, we are not the RPG for you.
Also, we do not send every individual post out to every character mentioned in that particular post for their approval before it is sent to the crew. This would be impossibly time consuming.
We strive to do our very best to portray each character 'in character' but the best way to ensure that your character is represented 'properly' is to develop them fully in your bio and especially through your own posts. The more you tell people about your character through your posts the more accurate their posts will be.
4. Any characters you create or bring in for use in this RPG remain yours and you may take them and leave the game any time you wish; but by submitting any posts to us you agree in advance that those posts may/will remain as part of the records of Star Trek: Alchemy and on our website(s), to ensure continuity of story lines even if writers come and go. However, the owners/editors do reserve the right to remove any post(s) from the archive at any point for any reason.
Any characters and story content you submit must be your own, original work. Plagiarism is unacceptable and grounds for swift dismissal from the game.
5. No one is to use the email addresses from our RPG list for any purpose outside the game, or for going around the game's official post distribution list. This includes using any addresses for unsolicited email or Spam of any sort, including joke lists, prayer requests, etc. or to recruit people for your own RPG.
6. No Superheroes, Former Borg, Q or Q-like omnipotent characters- no animal/humanoid hybrids/shape shifters, no telepathic communication with computers, no video game or anime characters etc. These comic book style 'save the day every day' type characters make writing hard on the rest of the crew.
Also, be advised that even Trek animated series/comic book aliens/characters (such as Caitians, for one example) may be denied entry into the game at the sole discretion of the CO and XO. Please visit the Writer Application Information page for additional information.
7. No sexually explicit/obscene content allowed; consider this RPG PG-14 rated (since we post our posts -at least for now- on Blogger, we have to take their posting requirements into account, too.) The same is true for explicit gore or violence for the sake of violence. We are a story driven RPG- the stories and the characters are the primary focus not just 'blowing things up' or 'shooting people'.
8. You may not marry/kill/alter another writer's character(s) without prior permission from that writer, and that permission must be proven to the Captain and/or XO before the post will go out.
9. We're all adults here. If there are personal problems between writers, you will be expected to resolve them on your own, outside the game. If writers cannot get along- all parties will be subject to dismissal if it becomes a disruption to the crew. If there are conflicts due to plot lines or posting, you can take your concerns directly to me (ZL).
10. If you want to join us, you are welcome to submit a character proposal for our consideration. RPG experience is preferred, but we will decide on a case by case basis based on the work submitted.
We consider Alchemy an RPG for advanced gamers/experienced writers. We don't expect you to be Hemingway, but you must have a good basic grasp of grammar and spelling to participate.
You must be over the age of eighteen to join.
If you would like details on how to apply, please visit our Writer Application Information page for more info.
We reserve the right to deny anyone admission into Star Trek: Alchemy, for any reason, at any time.
11. We are writing Star Trek in the tradition of TNG and DS9: We are not a Horror RPG, a Fantasy RPG, a Star Wars RPG, a video game, or a circus. If your posts do not fit the Trek framework, then they will not be included in our plot lines.
12. People must post for their department. If you're an engineer, do not spend all of your time in the dining hall. Writers must post with regular frequency (for new characters/writers, that is once per week, minimum) or their character will be put on leave; especially if their absence is extended.
Joint posts count (JPs) if they are substantial and help forward the plot or sub-plots. But if there is a specific need dictated by the current mission story- department heads especially should be ready and willing to jump in without waiting for a JP opportunity to present itself (creating the opportunity if that is the way they prefer to post) and must perform the duties assigned to their character.
Senior staff roles on the Sera are very limited and must be earned to be kept.
13: The Do Not Bail and Expect Us To Like It Rule.
Added of necessity...in the past we have had writers simply stop answering email inquiries as to their whereabouts. This is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.
Know that if you bail on us, especially in the middle of a plot line and especially without explanation, your character will be summarily removed from the roster, you will be taken off the email list, and you will be done here. Period, end of sentence.
If we are in the middle of a plot line, especially one focusing on your character and you get stuck, you must take the initiative and email the CO or XO and ask for help getting unstuck. Silence is not golden when it comes to running a group writing project- and if you hang up the plot for the rest of the writers because you can't decide what to do next or have irreversible writer's block, you won't last long on our roster.
We understand that our rules and procedures will not be to every one's liking and that is why it's such a good thing there are so many RPGs out there- if you dislike our structure and rules, you can surely find another option which will suit your desires more fully. Here is a great site to visit if you are looking for other options.
Other rules may be added as needed but if/when they are you'll be notified and given the chance to opt out of group/rpg if you wish.
And now for the legal disclaimer. . .
The owners/writers/bloggers of Star Trek: Alchemy are not liable in any way for any damages incurred/suffered by anyone in any way from their participation in the game or any use of this or any related sites: including but not limited to computer viruses or any other equipment problems that may result from their viewing any involved websites. In other words, you are viewing these websites/participating in the RPG at your own risk and by such voluntary participation agree in advance that you can't hold us liable in any way for anything that happens to you, or anyone else, under any circumstances, ever, period.
Last Update:81001.18