FAQ

Created by Captain Nathan Cowell MD on 01 Jun 2014 @ 9:43am

What is this, you do know that you're not actually on a starship, don't you?
Of course we're not actually on a starship! The Arizona is a Star Trek themed role playing game (RPG).

What is a role playing game?
A role playing game, or RPG for short, is a type of game which allows players to participate in a simulated environment (or any sort) through creating and portraying a character. There are many kinds of RPG, some involve dressing up, some are played video game style (such as World of Warcraft) and others, such as ours are played entirely through creative writing.

How do you role play through creative writing?
A group of players create characters and a fictional world and then write about their adventures through a successive series of individual (or joint) contributions (or posts) to an ongoing storyline (or mission). Essentially we are creating a join story. Our website runs on a piece of software called Nova, which allows us to easily manage posts and characters.

Isn't this a little old fashioned for the twenty-first century?
Yes, our style of game is very old fashioned, especially when compared to games like Star Trek Online or World of Warcraft, but it is something fundamentally different from those. Our game is literary and is about writing.

Don't you think you take this whole thing too seriously?
We don't take it seriously at all. This is basically a hobby, a way to have fun, be creative and meet new and interesting people. All we ask is that players follow the rules and submit posts which are worth reading at least once per week.

What does it cost?
The game is free to join and play. The websites are maintained by at personal expense and players will never be asked to contribute.

Do I need role playing experience to join?
No, experience is not necessary. To join us all you need is to be familiar with Star Trek (you don't even have to like it, but it would help) and able and willing to write creatively within the setting and rules established by the Commanding Officer.

Isn't this just for children?
As stated elsewhere, this is not a game designed for children. It is a text based creative writing project set in a well established science fiction environment. Most of our players are in their mid-twenties, but our game is open to anyone seventeen or older (17+) who is able to submit well written posts.

How much time does it take to play?
To play and contribute well, players will need to read all posts submitted and make at least one quality post per week. It is estimated that it will take at least an hour to create a quality character biography. To keep up with posts and write a further one will probably take around three to five hours per week; although this will vary with game activity and some weeks will be lighter than others.

If you have a question which is unanswered, please feel free to contact the Commanding Officer