Editing Newsletter/Summer 2007 (section)

== Resorte Advanced Training Academy ==
by [[user:sysop|Anthony Keen]]

[[Star_trek_freedom|STF]] runs its own Academy. Unlike a lot of [[PBeM]]s, new applicants to the game have to pass through a training holodeck in order to play on one of our ships when they graduate. A lot of people applying to the game ask why is this? The simple answer is that in the past, we did indeed had a more relaxed policy and the Academy would allow new members to graduate without going to the Academy if they showed a good application that was through out and didn't employ the usual super-skills of telepathy, telekinesis or [[Q]] like powers.

Of course, the game swelled, we had several hundred members playing but it was unsustainable and unmanageable.

Now, we work hard to make sure the only members graduating are ones that really want to play our game for the long haul and are willing to spend weeks in the Academy before they get to play and even longer before attaining a senior position and even then, accepting they may never get to be a [[Commanding Officer]] in the fleet due to the fact we have only 7 ships when other games could have 50 ships, 50 COs and 60 total members. 

I guess we aimed for a most post-friendly game!

Two questions I get asked a lot are:

* What is the Resorte Advanced Training Academy?

We didn't want to play at [[Starfleet Academy]] on Earth for a few reasons, one of which is that we assume when you apply, your character has already done 4 years of training on Earth but they have been sent for advanced training prior to playing and they have decided to specialise in an area such as Science or Engineering or Medical or Command or Tactical; their training takes place in a holodeck with one of our experienced members that have decided to take on the additional role of instructing one or more new cadets till they graduate or fail the course.

The only way you can fail the course is if you drop out!

* Why not roleplay the Academy?

This is a tough one, the Academy doesn't change if the story says we're at [[52nd_Exploratory_Fleet|war]] or if Earth is taken over by a [[Admiral_Doenitz|madman]], why?

The simple answer is that its too hard and too confusing for new people training to get a handle on our game or our posting style or the rules or the fleet, its a lot to take in. Plus, we rely on the instructor to let them the game situation and I am sure they can handle it once its all explained but there is a problem with a plot, how do you write coming from Earth and entering a battlezone and basically leaving behind to join our fleet which is involved in a civil war with the rest of the Federation?

There are several ways this can be handled and I like the idea of the cadet making the choice to side with the 52nd Fleet and take on the [[Battle_of_Andoria|crazy antics]] of Doenitz!