Welcome to Gaia! ::

To Those Who Already Know What CDF Is:
That's right, it's back. The restart is at the end of July, so there is plenty of time left to start getting geared up. I still have the old profiles, so if you wish to use your original character, let me know.

Here are some features that will appear in the roleplay:
- Five Unique Playable Species
- An In-Game Ranking System
- On-Board Specialized Jobs
- A Chance to Explore the Galaxy
- An Open-Ended, Adaptable Plot-Line to which You Can Contribute

Here's a more detailed look.




There are five species that a character can choose from. It is up to each individual player what species they wish to play. Note, however, that the species a player selects can influence how that player reacts with his/her environment. For technical purposes, all species are fairly humanoid (bi-pedal or standing upright).



Terrans are humans. They are a hardy species who have crossed the stars in search of the answers to fill their scientific habits. Terrans crafted a great majority of the technology that is used in most systems in Consortium Territory. Because Terrans have spread across space so much, they have taken their standards with them, which have been adopted by many species. They are also the most numerous species in the Consortium.

The need for space travel is, for Terrans, an absolute necessity. Perhaps the greatest flaw of the Terran mindset is their territorial nature. Throughout their history, whenever resources begin to diminish, or are spread thin among the population, Terrans will often resort to conflict, not only as a means of survival, but as a means of limiting the population. While Terrans have strong moral objections to this sort of action, it has yet remained a central part of the Terran psyche. The dangers of such a philosophy have continuously revealed themselves. In truth, their actions nearly caused the extinction of their own species.

Terrans have been capable of space travel for over six thousand years. However, due to in-fighting amongst rival factions, the true potential of space exploration of the galaxy has only been utilized over the past thousand years. The birth of the Consortium has aided technological advances ten-fold, making a domain of worlds spanning thousands of light years not only possible, but practical.
Homeworld: Terra
Age Range: 100-150 years
Height: 5' 6" - 6'




The C'setaph are a relatively young species on an evolutionary scale. However, they are extremely adaptable and have adjusted well to life both on their homeworld, and in the new age of galactic exploration. The C'setaph were the first sentient beings discovered by the expansion of the Terrans on 130.2867. At that time, the C'setaph had just begun colonization outside their home-system, with just over 25 colonies in 17 systems. After a long series of constant negotiations and conferences, the first interspecies diplomatic constitution was written, and the Consortium was born. Over time, the C'setaph have adopted many Terran technologies and traditions, although their own culture and way of life has remained for the most part unchanged.

C'setaph have an innate sense of focus, and are quite strong-willed. The primary C'setaph religion, known as Parduc, is centered around meditation and the power of the mind to overcome physical stimuli. C'setaph have the ability to detect even the slightest vibrations in the ground using sophisticated nerve bundles located on the pads of their feet just behind the hooves. They are also known to be capable of seeing the broadest range of the light spectrum, being able to detect more distinct colors than other species, as well as low frequency ultraviolet light.

C'setaph are the most similar species to Terrans in appearance, though they are completely hairless and have long, wrinkled faces without ears and feet similar to hooves. They are also generally taller than Terrans by a head or so; their long, powerful legs holding them up. Most have light gray skin, though some have pale white skin with tan-colored patches. C'setaph are solely herbivorous; they have flat teeth for grinding plant material and lack the digestive system to break down meats. Males are usually larger, while females are more slender, with angular faces and less wrinkles. They exhibit live birth, generally with only one child between two parents.
Homeworld: C'setar
Age Range: 150-200 years
Height: 6' - 6' 6"















The Rek'kiri are a feline (or so the Terrans describe them) species that were encountered, nearly one-hundred-fifty years after the formation of the Consortium, in a system near the outer ring of the galaxy. The majority of the planet was found to be covered in dense tropic jungle, making exploration of the surface a difficult task. In fact, the jungle's canopy was so thick across much of the land that scans of the surface from orbit were rendered useless. Finally, around 3012, explorers and pioneers returned with many specimens of native organisms. The Rek'kiri were one of many specimens brought back for study. They were first believed to be so low in intelligence that they would be "domesticated" and used as exotic pets or slaves. However, upon a much deeper search into the jungles of Chau Skara, explorers found a civilization with a primitive technology base, but which had a developed writing system, and specialized tools. Though it was apparent that the Rek'kiri had the mental capacity to learn sophisticated concepts, it was over a hundred years before the Rek'kiri were absorbed into Terran and C'setaph society. Chau Skara now has several enormous cities, and is rich with culture and trade. Despite becoming a civilized world in less than three-hundred years, there are still reports of feral Rek'kiri still in the jungles.

Rek'kiris' bodies are completely covered in a thick, coarse fur. They have long, thick tails that they use to maintain excellent balance. Their hands and feet both have retractable claws that can be used for climbing or hunting. A life adapted to living under the permanent shade of the jungle canopy has given Rek'kiri excellent night vision. Males are generally rather large, with very broad shoulders and heavily muscular arms. Females are more slender, with thinner arms, but longer legs. Rek'kiri give live birth, with litters between one and six individuals. Rek'kiri are omnivorous, giving them a wide range of food options, including the traditional fruit on Chau Skara, the Dondan.
Homeworld: Chau Skara
Age Range: 80-120 years
Height: 5' 6" - 6' 6"










The Verekk are a strange, technologically gifted species across the galaxy from Terra. The Verekk civilization was among the last of the great space-faring sentients to be discovered by Terrans. When the Consortium arrived, it found that the Verekk were engaged in a feudal struggle with the Gurodani, another species of sentients over several colony worlds in the Gamma sector. The Verekk were quick to realize the power and scale of the species-spanning organization, and soon entered into diplomatic affairs, asking for a place in the Consortium. However, the Consortium would not give the Verekk or Gurodani seats as long as they were at war. The dispute was only recently settled; the Verekk and Gurodani were brought into negotiations, in which an agreement was made dividing the Verekk and Gurodani territories equally by using a line of demarcation that extended from the galactic halo to the core. Despite both species being admitted into the Consortium, there is still much distrust and uneasy feelings between the two species.

The most notable features of a Verekk are the large bony protrusions from their heads. A Verekk's bone plates are a physical display of both its age and gender. When a Verekk reaches maturity (usually around age 10), the bony outgrowths begin to emerge, and will continue to grow throughout life: so the larger the plates are, the older the individual is. They also show the Verekk's sex. The two pairs of lower "horns" grow upwards in males, and usually grow downwards in females, sometimes curving toward the front. Verekk also have bony plates covering their shoulders and spine. These plates are believed to be remnants from before the species evolved a bipedal posture. Despite the appearance otherwise, Verekk do have a mouth. However, it is covered over by feeding tentacles, which it uses to pull food into the mouth. The tentacles also have sensitive receptors that function much like a nose. Verekk have hands with four digits and feet with three digits each. Verekk are born from eggs, with a normal clutch consisting of between two and five individual eggs.
Homeworld: Velitoc
Age Range: 100-150 years
Height: 5' 6" - 5' 11" (standing straight)









The Gurodani are a large, somewhat brutish race from a star-system near the edge of the Gamma sector. They were first found by the Consortium to be at war with the Verekk. While the Verekk were technologically superior, especially notable in their navy, the Gurodani defended their colonies vigorously, utilizing special metal alloys that they forged in vast foundries found on almost every Gurodani world. Through careful negotiations, a treaty was worked out, and both species entered the Consortium, making it span nearly two-thirds of the galaxy.

Gurodani culture has always honored the art of physical combat. While most species favor firearms on the field of battle, Gurodani prefer to engage in hand-to-hand combat with blades or bludgeoning weapons. While they do use firearms frequently, they excel at close combat, and consider a hand-to-hand fight to be the most honorable type of warfare. Gurodani are known for their metallurgy and armor crafting skill, and they often wear heavy, ornate armor into battle.

One can easily tell a Gurodani from any other species: they are enormous and have four arms. The upper pair of forelimbs is long and muscular, with large claws and three digits, used for lifting and running on “all-fours”. The lower pair is smaller, with four digits, and used for more delicate tasks like writing or working on machinery. Gurodani have a very hunch-backed look, and when walking on two legs it appears to trudge along lazily. However, when using its front arms for support, a Gurodani can move over even rough terrain extremely quickly. Gurodani are born from eggs, with a normal clutch size ranging between four and ten individual eggs. Gurodani have a tendency to be overly aggressive and are quick to resort to violence when agitated.
Homeworld: Gurodan
Age Range: 120-170 years
Height: 6' - 7' 6" (standing straight)













The ranking system introduces a sort of in-game hierarchy among characters. This will not only help with questions of authority, but will also give people an incentive to play nice and write as best as they can. At the start of the game everyone (except myself and other administrators [should there be any]) will begin at the rank of Recruit. Promotions are given by High Command. However, the Captain of a ship will determine who is fit to be promoted, demoted, or stay the same rank. A Captain will be looking for the following:

- Frequency of Posts
- Post Quality (Spelling, Grammar, Level of Detail)
- Involvement with the Plot and Other Characters

At the end of each term (currently one week), the Captain will provide HQ with a log of each player's performance, and the appropriate rank adjustments will be made.

Note that the current Academy term is two weeks.



Here are the Ranks:
Academy Ranks
1. Recruit
2. Apprentice11111111111111
Junior Officer Ranks
3. Crewman
4. Cadet11111111111111111
Warrant Officer Ranks
5. Ensign
6. Lieutenant Junior Grade
7. Lieutenant Full Grade11111
Command Ranks
8. Commander
9. Commander Elite
10. Captain111111111111111
High Command Ranks
11. Vice Admiral
12. Fleet Admiral
13. Star Admiral






Each character will be able to choose from and work in a certain department on board the ship. Each department has a specific role, and players from one department will not be able to perform many of the tasks of another. The highest ranking player in each department will act as the role of "Chief" of his/her respective department. For example, a player can become "Chief of Navigations."

Here are the available departments on board the ship:

Command- Command is the hierarchy of the CDF. Officers that have risen to the rank of Commander will begin training in command. Once a Commander has graduated, they can become a ship's First Officer (Commander Elite) or a Captain. Further training will lead into Admiral status. Command will not only direct and coordinate the other departments, but will settle disputes and keep the plot moving forward.

Navigations- Navigations personnel receive advanced training in the flight and operation of starships and airships. They also have many duties on the bridge of a starship, including helmsman, communications, sensory analyst, and more. Navigations personnel can also fly fightercraft, transports, and atmosphere dropships.

Sciences- Science personnel are required on board all CDF ships. Whether it's determining what a nebulae consists of, or performing a scanning/observation mission on a derelict vessel, scientists have their hands full. If the ship has a problem, it's up to the scientists to make a think-tank and retrieve a solution.

Engineering- Engineers are responsible for maintaining and operating the equipment onboard a ship. They have a wide range of duties that include maintaining a ship's engines, repairing hull damage, computer programming, and maintenance of any ship peripherals (lights, lifts, doors, etc.).

Medical- Medical personnel are a necessity on board all CDF ships. They can have positions such as doctors or nurses, combat medics and field surgeons. Some medical staff are also trained as counselors and psychiatrists for the crew. Medical personnel are also responsible for making sure that the crew stays in a safe environment, and may investigate problems that can affect the health of those on board.

Cooking/Labor- The unsung heroes of the ship. These personnel do the tasks that are often overlooked by much of the crew and the outside world. However, if it were not for these simple tasks, the ship would not be able to function. Labor crews often work in a ship's docking bays, unloading and loading cargo or performing custodial duties around the ship. In times of combat, Labor units can also man weapons turrets on the ship. Note that players in this department can not be promoted into Command directly.

Marines/Security- This department is in charge of shipwide defense and performing boarding actions. They are trained for war, but also have a duty in crowd control and internal security on board a ship. Occasionally, marines will perform drops onto planet surfaces or into space stations, perform escort missions, or scouting procedures. Marines will continue training as a group during down-time from combat in order to keep their effectiveness.








Posting in the roleplay is what it's all about! Making a post is simple and fun, but there are a few rules and regulations that you must follow to ensure that everyone else can have as much fun as you.



The main means of plot development on board a ship is by going on a mission. Normally the Captain will initiate the plot, or guide the other players through it, but often players will be able to direct the plot. The goal is to get everyone on the ship involved with a plot somehow, and make sure others have a chance to post. In between missions, the crew may have some down-time to get a chance to socialize or get some R&R. In between missions is a perfect time to really show off your character, either through interaction with other characters or by providing a back-story.




First, there will be a post-size minimum of three paragraphs. This will make sure that everyone in the roleplay contributes with the same amount of skill that you can. Mind you, paragraphs aren't always long. Some (not all, of course) can be just one sentence. However, it is encouraged that you contribute that little bit of extra effort into your posts. This will not only challenge your writing abilities, but it can get you a nifty award too!

In the same manner, it is also requested that posts are not too long. Remember, you must ask yourself, "Will someone really want to read all this?" Chances are, if you have to ask, they won't. Keeping your posts concise can help other players from getting bored, will allow them to interact more, and will save you a lot of time.




Now that we've gone over how much you can post, let's go over how you can post.

First off, you are required to post in English. This means that you may not post in netspeak, l33t, or any other form of communication in which all players can not read fluently. It is also discouraged to use such methods even in Out-of-Character chat.

Secondly, it is appropriate that you make an effort to spell your words properly, and check for any other grammatical errors before you submit your post. If you are unsure how to spell a word, look it up. Putting (sp?) behind a badly spelled word doesn't much help the situation. Spelling and grammar mistakes can be distracting to a reader. If too many mistakes are made, the player will be notified via PM of the discrepancies, and the situation corrected.

Also, please take into consideration the proper use of all punctuation points, including periods, question marks, exclamation points, commas, and colons. In addition it is important to start new sentences and proper names with a capital letter.



In the effort to make reading easier and faster, it is required that all posts be submitted with a minimum font size of 10. It is also required that all standard text is neither bolded nor in italics. However, these options are still available to emphasize words, or to be used for RPG/NRPG tags. Black is the only color allowed for fonts.

For example, this would not be acceptable:


But this is:





Sometimes it is necessary that a player must communicate with another out-of-character context (for example, if he/she will be gone for a while, or an issue must be worked out). This can be settled in several ways. One way is to add an OOC section to your post. You can do this simply by typing "NRPG -"before your message. Then, drop down a few lines, and type "RPG -" before the rest of your post. This will allow everyone to easily recognize what is in-character, and what is not. Take a look at the example post below to sample how it's done.

Alternatively, OOC chat can be settled in the OOC thread (if there is one), or via PMs (the most recommended if a thread is not available). Try to avoid posting too much OOC chat.




An important thing to remember about this roleplay is that it's not just you interacting with other people through fiction. Think of it more as collaborating on a story involving all the characters.

In this manner, sometimes it is useful and appropriate to do a co-post (heretofore called a CP). When writing a co-post, all the players involved (there can be more than two!) will communicate via some sort of messenger system. Note that I will ask for any messenger systems that you may have when you submit a profile; this is why. The method in which you complete the CP is up to those involved, but generally the CP will be posted by just one player involved. However, all players involved should be given credit (more on this shortly).

Another thing I'd like to add in this section is on posting using someone else's character (note: I mean PC, not just NPC). With our free form style of playing, its easy to step on other's toes when it comes to the actual interaction between characters. Typically, it's a good rule of thumb to not post thoughts or ideas of other player's characters until enough experience has been obtained that the owner of the character doesn't mind you posting with his/her character. As an absolute must, do not go killing off, maiming, or posting another player's character doing something completely erratic. They will get after you and this is not conductive to a good playing atmosphere. It can cause trouble and often times will almost immediately mark you as an unwanted player, or a trouble maker. However, if you do get permission, it can be a fun plot twist to do the aforementioned. Good communication is healthy to a group of players, and promotes unity and great fun.




The tag-line is a nifty little tool that is used to make sure everyone knows who should respond to a post. An easy way to think of it is similar to going up to someone and saying, "Tag! You're it!" This indicates to the tagged player(s) that they may submit a response to your post. The tag-line will also allow someone to skim through posts to find which ones he/she has been tagged for. Generally, the tag-line should be placed at the bottom of the post, just above your dog tag. Simply type "TAG: player name". Look at the sample post for an example.




The Dog Tag is what allows everyone to know quickly what characters are involved in your post. It is required that you always put your dog tag at the end of your post for all characters (PC and NPC) involved. This will allow easy access to basic information for other players who are tagged in the post.

Here's what's on the dog tag:

Rank and Name
Position/Department
Ship Name

Take a look at the example post below for a sample dog tag.






__________________________________________________________________

NRPG - Awesome plot we have!

RPG - Johntson walked carefully through the pitch black cargo hangar, his mag pistol in hand. The Anok was around here somewhere. Honestly, he was scared out his wits, but an order was an order. Unfortunately, the team of four marines behind him didn't calm his nerves. He knew the Anok were evil, powerful, and relentless. He had some experience with them, but usually always behind the safety line...

TAG: Mckormic, Dirk

Lt. FG Johntson
Marines
CDF Vigilant
__________________________________________________________________

Note that this post is much shorter than standard posts in CDF. Also note the orientations of the NRPG, RPG, and TAG fields. These are standard procedure.

People! Join this RP, it's so awesome I could use swear words!

The only reason we're more familiar is that we've sat around asking HC questions, and a good bit of that is still available in the old threads

old discussion: http://www.gaiaonline.com/forum/barton-ooc/cdf-a-scifi-naval-adventure-advanced-rp-enlist-today/t.16022861/
old SDRP discussion: http://www.gaiaonline.com/guilds/viewtopic.php?t=4659185
old RP: http://www.gaiaonline.com/forum/barton-town/cdf-academy-a-sci-fi-naval-adventure/t.17661665/

Woot! domokun
Thanks for the old links, I'll be using my old character profile to write a new one

You seemed to do well enough, if I recall.

Use the anxiety to your advantage!