A Manual for the ACT Instructor
I won't lie to you - being an ACT Instructor isn't easy. Why? Well, for most of us, the ACT character is a second (or even third) persona. One we must maintain while simultaneously playing another full-time character on a ship of the line. To commit to training in ACT therefore takes some commitment to the game, some organizational skill, and some extra time ... somewhere. However, that said, it also has its benefits. Few people would be considered for a captaincy without first participating well in ACT. Ditto for other positions of responsibility within the game. So if you're looking to make some progress within the FRPG, then this is the place to be! It's somewhere to get noticed. In the coming pages I will attempt to explain as simply and succinctly as possible just what it is an ACT instructor is supposed to do. This includes what is expected of him or her, as well as covering the basics of what a training mission should do for potential players. Read on! Think you've got what it takes? Here are some of the qualities we look for when we seek out training instructors: * An established player of at least three months with a good reputation We recruit in one of two ways: firstly, we ask around. The Captains usually know who's doing well and who could use a little extra responsibility. Secondly, a person can volunteer themselves. This is perfectly acceptable and often a good idea as Captain's and ACT staff are NOT mind-readers - no matter what the biofile may say to the contrary! Occasionally people volunteer 'by accident', usually by indicating they'd like to play a second character. In that instance, provided they are competent, reputable players, we offer them the chance of coming to ACT and working as an instructor. Executive Officers (also known as First Officers, or 'Number One' if you're a Picard fan) used to be required to participate as training instructors by virtue of Council Resolution. This was to prepare them for the responsibility of leadership, whether in the Captain's absence or for a potential captaincy themselves. By now, there is no official ACT service requirement for future ExOs/COs anymore, but the additional qualification can still be the deciding factor for a vote in your favor.
Listed briefly below are the jobs each member of the ACT team have primary responsibility for. 1. To organize potential players into classes, bring them to the Academy
environment, and start them writing 2.2 Chief of Operations/Deputy Chief of Operations 1. To be the first point of contact and to help potential players prepare
their biofiles 1. To lead the training mission as Commanding Officer 1. To take the position of Executive Officer on the training mission
and perform the duties of an ExO
Due to the difficulty of running a training mission alone - not to mention the amount of work involved - training is conducted by pairs of instructors. Each instructor within the pair has a specific teaching DUTY to perform. There is no set rule about which instructor (Sr or Jr) has to take which duty, provided they are both performed. Instructors might even like to rotate. * One instructor will correct and check posts for errors of FORM. This
includes * The other instructor will check and comment on CONTENT in the three
specific areas of:
We are looking for quality, consistency and potential. Whether or not these exist in any one player can be summed up by one question: Would you play with them? In other words, if they were on your ship and were your responsibility on a regular basis, would you want them as part of your crew? If the answer is 'yes', then they pass. If not - then you're not doing anyone a favour by passing them. The ACT Cadet Evaluation Form is designed to help you answer the 'one' question and to justify your decision. It is included below, complete with explanations, which are written in red. 4.1 Annotations to the ACT Cadet Evaluation Form To make grading easier, there are three types of cadet classification when it comes to grading. Note: only players who actually commence the training mission are graded/classified. 1. DROP OUT: This player mails you and asks to be withdrawn (for whatever
reason) from the class after the mission has started OR this player writes
once, maybe even twice right at the beginning, and then you never hear
from him/her/it again. In this case the player is deemed to have constructively
dropped out. In either case, the player is not graded and the classification
next to the name is "D/O". In an attempt to make the final passing of students less arbitrary, a rating system has been set in place. Cadets are given marks from 0-5, with 5 being the highest. Students falling between categories can be given half points, i.e.: 3.5, etc. These marks are then totaled. Best Possible Score: 25 (all #5's) PASSING GRADE: 15 (see also probationary passes below) CADET STAR GRADE: A player scoring 24 or 25 (i.e.: scoring all 5's or four 5's and one 4) will be awarded the Cadet Star in addition to their Cadet Diploma. Only one Cadet Star will be awarded per ACT class. PROBATIONARY PASSES: * Anyone scoring between 14-16, may be given a probationary pass at
the discretion of the Senior Instructor and Director of ACT. FAILING GRADES * Anyone scoring 14 and failing to qualify for a probationary pass =/\= The breakdown of the Cadet Evaluation Form now follows. ********************************************************************* ACT Class: The number of your class goes
here - 0302, etc. * Commanding Officer The senior instructor * Executive Officer The junior instructor The purpose of this section is so the powers that be (Director of ACT, Chief of Ops) always know WHO passed/failed the relevant cadets. The form may be filled out by either the senior or junior instructor, but it is the senior instructor's responsibility to make sure it is done by someone. ********************************************************************* Player's name: It should be noted that it is the PLAYER who is rated in each of these cases, not the CHARACTER. The crew designations are for administrational convenience. In all cases, it is the work of the PLAYER that is rated here - his/her skill in writing, interacting, knowledge of Trek, playing other characters, advancing the mission, etc, etc - whether the player did it using other people's characters or his/her own. The numbers below are now used to score cadet performance. (See above for further clarification of the rating system.) Some guidelines have been given for each category. Please evaluate each eligible player using the numbers provided. .5 scores may also be given for players who rate in between categories. Short explanations/examples should accompany the grade. A) QUANTITY OF POSTING (During Mission Time) * Posts of less than 500 words are not to be counted in this part of the evaluation. Players should post at least twice a week during training. Failure to do so may be the deciding factor on whether to award a probationary pass or not. 5) Averages five (5) or more posts per
week. Mark: B) FORMAT 5) Always has perfect format. Mark: C) GRAMMAR 5) Perfect spelling, grammar and sentence
structure. Mark: D) DEPTH OF STORY This pertains mainly (but not exclusively) to the job the player was given to perform in the mission. The instructor is reminded that it is the player who is graded here, on his/her ability to write the character in the position. Is the player someone you can count on, or do you need to hover over his/her shoulder to keep him/her writing or on target? 5) Always puts out high quality, involving
posts which encourage others to participate. Mark: E) CHARACTER * This involves how the player writes for his/her character's abilities
and attitude. This one can be tricky if the player writes a quirky character. The main thing to look for is the player's recognition of the rules - that must be evident within the writing. If a character is one who skirts or challenges the rules, there must be a recognition within the writing that the character is in error. However, a delicate balance remains between writing 'quirky' and actually flouting the traditions/rules of Trek and the game. Use good judgment in making the call here. 5) Character attitude / abilities will
add greatly to the FRPG collective. Mark: ********************************************************************* Marks- Passing grade is 15, with 14-16 allowing for a probationary pass (see above for detailed explanation). Overall Standing in Class: My recommendation is that he/she should: ___ be sent on to the fleet. -Desired Positions (2 REQUIRED) : Each cadet should provide you with two desired positions in which he or she wishes to serve. You too should propose at least two positions you think the cadet would fit. Please note that the positions of CO, ExO and Ops cannot be requested. Finally, you are asked to recommend the cadet's placement or retention. ACTi Comments: *********************************************************************
These are the means through which cadets are trained. Training takes place in one of five holodecks located in the ACT part of Campus. Once instructors have met with their class they should spend no more than a week in the Academy Environment, and about two to three weeks on the actual mission. The importance of mission duration relates directly to the patience of cadets, and to the need to minimize instructor burnout. Firstly, we want our cadets to leave training fresh and excited - not so jaded by a lengthy wait that they hit the ships half-hearted, with their interest already fading. Secondly, while we don't want to be overly confined by time, protracted missions do suggest that the game's most valuable resources - time, instructing staff and new players - are being disproportionately soaked up. In the past missions have been formulated on a class-by-class basis. In order to reduce the amount of time spent on ACT work by instructors, there is now a program of set missions. Standard Mission Outlines form part of the ACT library and are available to all instructors. They will need to select the most appropriate mission outline given the temperament of the class and their general writing skill. The Standard Mission Outlines are held by the Director of ACT. It is the responsibility of the Director of ACT to assign a holodeck to the Senior Instructor of each class before the actual training mission begins. Instructors are reminded to change both the MODERATOR and SUBJECT HEADER when (and only when) they do move from the Academy environment to the holodeck. The moderator that was academy@youth.net becomes holodeck2@youth.net (or holodeck1, holodeck4, etc) and stays that way until you finish the mission. The subject header then becomes 'HD2' or 'HOLODECK2' (i.e.: the name of the archive) instead of 'ACT'. This serves the same purpose as the unit indicator in other RPG settings (i.e.: the name of your ship). Locations, ship names, etc are only given as used after the HD designation. EG: HD2: PLANET TURNISIA: Surface * SS EDUCATOR And so forth. 5.3.2 In the Holodeck Environment For all intents and purposes, the holodeck environment is supposed to simulate reality. As such, when a class enters the holodeck it does not leave until the mission is over. The cadets should also be instructed that only the instructors may give the computer instructions such as 'arch', 'freeze program', 'end program' and other macro commands that would interfere with the training mission. They should also be discouraged from writing scenarios where the holodeck malfunctions, where they tap into the holocomputers and use them to try and cheat the mission, etc, etc. While the use of 'safeties' prevents fatality the holodecks do not prevent every injury (sprains, bruises, scratches etc) and to that end there are a whole range of injuries that a cadet may incur, if they wish to be dramatic. Of course, cadets and instructors alike are subject to fatigue, hunger and other physical needs. These too must be addressed within the confines of the holodeck environment. --- This guide has been designed to provide preliminary knowledge and information about the job of ACT Instructor. It is recognized that certain information obvious to the members of ACT might be missing, and they would appreciate their attention tactfully directed to such matters.
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