Guide:RPG Proposals

This guide is governed by the Operations Office, and any questions should be directed to the Bravo Fleet Operations Officer.

The purpose of this guide is to walk you through the RPG proposal process, with explanations of why the process is the way it is, what the Operations Office is looking for, and things to consider as you create this document. Most basically, your proposal should demonstrate very clearly why your concept will be successful and what your preparation level is for running it.

General Evaluation of Proposals

The Operations Office considers factors both related to the proposal itself and to your history as a member in Bravo Fleet, as an RPG is more than just checking a registry item out, it's an exercise in leadership, interpersonal relationships, and good citizenship. Game managers provide a service to the fleet by organizing their games, and so we vet proposals very thoroughly to ensure a positive experience for everyone.

A successful prospective GM has:

reached the rank of Lieutenant Commander and has already requested a primary command;
demonstrated familiarity with the command system (i.e. fiction writing) through contributions to their primary command; and,
created a potential CO character that is realistic, appropriate, and effective as a model for potential applicants.

A successful RPG proposal demonstrates clearly:

how the concept will have broad appeal for Bravo Fleet's members and be able to successfully recruit;
why the particular ship or base was selected, especially in terms of how its class will support the premise outlined;
how the missions the RPG will write are connected to the premise, with major story beats and explanations of how members will engage in each mission;
why the concept is suited to an RPG rather than a fiction;
why the potential GM wants to run an RPG.

Concept

"Explain the premise, theme and focus of your game that will make it stand out as unique and interesting within the Bravo Fleet universe. Describe in several paragraphs how your game will add new storytelling opportunities for players, how it might overlap with existing games, and why you are proposing to use the class of ship or base you've selected."

This section should be several substantial paragraphs.

Picking a Ship or Station

It is important to pick an appropriate class of ship or station to match the premise you are going to describe. If you're intending to do exploratory and first contact missions, a tactically-oriented ship would be a poor choice, just like a science vessel would be a poor choice for tactical missions. That's not to say that games can't be set around ships ending up doing things they aren't designed for, but the ship's stated mission (i.e. what it's been ordered to do in-character by Starfleet) should match the class you select.

When selecting a class, it's good to spend some time in the specifications area of the wiki, as each modern class has a detailed write-up with substantial information on what a class is intended for and what its strengths and weaknesses are. In particular, pay close attention to the "In Play" section on each class, for some quick and easy tips on what to do with a particular ship.

Here are some concept types and which ships are suited to them (sorted by age):

Long-Range Exploration: Elysion, Vesta, Luna, Rhode Island, Intrepid, Galaxy, Ross
Exploration closer to Fed. space: Inquiry, Excelsior II, Odyssey, Norway, Nebula, Sovereign, Obena
Science: Grissom, Nova, Norway, Olympic, Springfield, Sutherland
Tactical: Inquiry, Manticore, Argonaut, Diligent, Rhode Island, Akira, Defiant, Prometheus, Saber, Sovereign, Typhon, New Orleans, Gagarin
Generalist: Inquiry, Reliant, Resolute, Steamrunner, Nebula, Ambassador, Obena,
Scout: Rhode Island, Saber, Challenger, Cheyenne,
Utility: Parliament, California
Humanitarian: Excelsior II, Odyssey, Parliament, California, Olympic

This isn't all-inclusive or restrictive, but could help guide your thinking. Picking the right ship for your proposal is a very important step, and not being able to see the connection between your premise and the class you're proposing is almost certainly going to result in asking for revisions.

This is also not to say that a game's concept could involve a ship doing things outside of its specialty or purpose, but the ostensible in-character purpose for a ship being sent to a particular area should match its design. For instance, Starfleet wouldn't send a hospital ship on a tactical mission, but that doesn't mean a hospital ship wouldn't ever encounter trouble or be attacked, and so in your proposal spell this out if that's your intent: "This class has mission type X, and I want to run missions of type Y, due to Z circumstances which force the ship to do things outside of its initial parameters."

Describing Your Concept

Think about the premises of various Star Trek shows and movies. What was the overall theme or niche that made it successful? While there is a certain amount of room in the fleet for generalist vessels, each RPG's proposal needs to demonstrate how the idea is unique and why it will attract interest. The more thought you can put into this section, the better the Operations Office will be understand your intentions, and the more successful your prospective game will be when you're actually running it with players.

Things to consider here:

Is my premise suited for Star Trek specifically, or would it be more at home in another fandom?
Are there other RPGs doing the concept I want to do? Are they full or recruiting? How will my RPG compete for players in the fleet?
How will I explain my concept to prospective members? What's the recruitment appeal?
What are of the galaxy do I want to operate in, and is there a lot of material already developed by the lore office that can help me?
Does my concept use standard starship/starbase departments and positions or is it more specialized, say for an engineering or medical ship?
Does my concept comply with existing canon, or impact any major races/powers?
How much 'homework' would potential members have to do to get up to speed joining my game?
Why is this premise suited for an RPG in the first place, rather than a fiction?

Mission Summaries

"Describe three mission concepts you might pursue after the launch of your game. They should include at least the basic story beats, explaining how you would get members involved and why that mission is suited to your premise."

Your mission summaries:

should have a beginning, middle, and an end, even if you don't intend to reveal those story beats to your players at the beginning. You need to demonstrate that you're able to plot out an entire mission from beginning to end.
should related directly to the premise you're describing, and they should be the missions you intend to start with. If you change the specifics later, that's fine, but part of what you're proposing in this document isn't just the premise but how you're going to get started, so it's important to put a lot of detail here.
should not just be re-hashes of Star Trek episodes, but riffing or homage are perfectly acceptable.
should show how you would get members involved, especially thinking about departments that aren't directly aligned with the mission idea.

"Red Flags"

There are several things that will almost invariably trigger a request for revisions or a flat rejection when found in a proposal:

Section 31 or other black ops-style units
MACOs outside of ST: Enterprise-era games
Alternate universes
Time travel
Content above 16+

Premade RPG

You may want to consider using one of the following Premade ideas as part of your proposal to create a new RPG. They are available for use by any member with the rank of Lieutenant Commander or higher. This is a way of assembling a unique concept for your game, based on a pre-designed story concept which is then paired with a set of classes that you can choose from when applying to run the game. You will be paired with either the Bravo Fleet Operations Officer or another member of the RPG Team for a mentorship experience lasting the duration of your first mission, which has a set beginning and several endings. The concepts are broken down by which of Starfleet's core missions it addresses, with specific concepts tied to particular classes under that.

Application Process

Running a successful RPG is a rewarding but time-consuming experience. In Bravo Fleet, given that all members who reach the rank of lieutenant commander have access to writing a ship of their own as a captain, we encourage you to try that out before you apply to run a game. Pre-made RPGs have a partial story concept and first mission already created, which lets you jump in with a mentor to learn the ropes. The minimum requirements before applying are:

Reach the rank of Lieutenant Commander
Request and receive a primary command
Earn at least 20 service ribbons

Once you have satisfied those requirements, you can follow this process:

Reach out to the Bravo Fleet Operations Officer or another Operations Office staffer to discuss the possibility of becoming a GM.
Select the concept that appeals to you most, and a ship from one of the provided classes to request.
Fill out and submit a Game Proposal with the ship you are requesting.
1. For the ship concept section, flesh out the paragraph provided in this article, as if you were pitching the game to a potential member. This text will form the core of your recruitment ad and the description on the BFMS.
2. For the mission boxes, list three potential missions you would do after the first mission described here. Your mentor will work with you to fine-tune these and develop outlines, to ensure you'll be able to keep going smoothly after the first mission is complete.

Once you have done this, someone from the Operations Office will be in touch to discuss next steps.

Exploratory Concepts

Exploration is Starfleet's stated primary missions. Concepts in this category are closely related to the core Star Trek experience seen on all of the shows other than Lower Decks.

The Elder Statesman

Concept	First Mission
While Starfleet's newest, largest ships are assigned to the majority of deep space assignments, older heavy cruisers still serve with distinction in a wide variety of exploratory capacities. Under the command of a new captain, one of these elder statesman has recently been refit for a charting expedition to a remote sector of the Federation, to seek out strange new worlds.	Fresh from a major overhaul designed to take the ship into the 25th century, the [name] sets off from Starbase Bravo towards a sparsely populated sector to the galactic South. Upon entering sector 719, the ship's new and improved sensors detect a gravitational anomaly: one of our stars is missing!

She's Smart and Quick

Concept	First Mission
Developed to avoid putting all of Starfleet's eggs in one basket, light explorers are smaller than behemoths like the Galaxy but are meant to use their tremendous top speed, impressive endurance, and powerful sensors to perform the same long-range exploratory missions as larger ships. A newly-commissioned light explorer has been assigned to the Fourth Fleet to probe the area of space beyond the Klingon Empire and Romulan Republic.	After successful passage through Klingon space into unexplored territory, the [Name]'s first assignment is to track down one of Earth's original deep space exploratory vessels: the unmanned Friendship 7.

Ex Astris Scientia

Concept	First Mission
Starfleet possesses an enormous number of science vessels which follow up on the discoveries of larger vessels for extensive survey and research missions. These ships are essential for expanding the Federation's knowledge, and vessels like this one are at the forefront of Starfleet's exploratory efforts. A science ship is a place where free flowing discourse is expected, where the unknown is around every corner, and where Starfleet's best and brightest scientists thrive.	While surveying a previously explored M-class world, the [name] discovers evidence that it may once have played host to an ancient civilization, the Promelians. After intensive scans, the unthinkable is detected: a hanger containing an intact Promelian Battlecruiser, the first of its kind since the Enterprise-D was forced to destroy one to escape a Menthar trap. The [name] and her crew must race against the clock to secure this prize, before opportunists or the planet itself reclaims it.

Diplomatic Concepts

Second Contact

Concept	First Mission
After first contact has been made by one of Starfleet's front-line vessels, a second contact team moves in to formalize diplomatic relationships between a new world and the Federation, which includes paperwork and engineering projects like installing communications transmitters. Second contact is normally assigned to a utility cruiser or one of Starfleet's other light duty vessels, and it's missions like these that keep the Federation working. This vessel is older, but it's seen hundreds of worlds in its lifetime, making connections that have stood the test of time.	Under the command of a new captain, the [name] is sent to make second contact with a world just inside the Triangle that had been missed by explorers for centuries thanks to unusual sensor properties in the area. The brief is simple: install a communications array that can cut through this interference so the world can stay in contact with the greater galaxy, but when the ship arrives, it encounters second contact teams from both the Romulan Republic and Klingon Star Empire, which are making their own pitches to have this new race fall under their influence! The [name] must convince them that the Federation is the better bet.

Mediator

Concept	First Mission
Starfleet vessels of all shapes and sizes are frequently used for diplomatic purposes, whether delivering important dignitaries across long distances, hosting conferences, or performing important negotiations themselves. This ship isn't the largest or most prestigious ship in the Fourth Fleet, but it serves an important role putting out diplomatic brushfires, especially those caused along the Federation-Klingon border by the Archanis Campaign of 2399.	In the aftermath of the Archanis Campaign, many Federation colonies along the Klingon border needed substantial repairs and upgrades. In the scramble to allocate resources, not everyone got what they needed. This has come to a head when a colony threatens to secede from the Federation entirely to join an independent league of traders led by a prominent Orion world. It's the job of the [name] to placate this world and keep it in Federation hands.

Defensive Concepts

Rough and Tumble Frontier

Concept	First Mission
The Federation is vast, larger than any of its neighbors and spread across two quadrants. It has extensive borders, and while borders with the Romulans and Cardassians are closely monitored by a long-standing system of observation stations, others such as the Breen border are more porous. As one of the many patrol vessels assigned to the Fourth Fleet, this ship is based out of Farpoint Station, protecting the many colony worlds in the deep Alpha Quadrant side of the Federation from Breen and Kzinti raiders.	While on a routine patrol of colony worlds, the [name] receives a general distress call from a Breen warship within Federation space. What could possibly have happened that would make this enigmatic and warlike race call for aid, and what's lurking out there in space that's more dangerous than the Breen?

Tip of the Spear

Concept	First Mission
Owing its origins to the Borg and Dominion conflicts, the Fourth Fleet maintains a number of deep space tactical vessels, which serve as the tip of the spear to handle exigent threats far from the Federation's borders. While these ships are also tasked with exploratory missions when things are quiet, they can deploy quickly to trouble spots to handle issues quickly, quietly, and with minimal casualty. This vessel has just come off the assembly line to join the fleet in service beyond Breen and Ferengi space to help tamp down smoldering embers in wild space before they become a raging inferno.	Disavowed by the Tzenkethi government, a rogue commander has taken a prototype battleship into neutral space and is harassing vessels from the Cardassian Union, Ferengi Alliance, and Starfleet. Tasked with ending this threat, the new captain of the [name] must track down and capture or destroy this vessel while managing relations with these two neighbors' and without starting a war with the Tzenkethi, who only reluctantly have admitted to the ship's existence.

Flat Top

Concept	First Mission
Starfleet rarely employs starfighters other than in full-scale conflicts, but a number of squadrons are maintained for deep space deployment against races that employ small, fast-moving vessels of their own, as well as to maintain the training necessary for coordinated small craft assaults. The Fourth Fleet is one of the few units that maintains any carrier-type vessels in any large numbers, and this vessel is currently assigned to patrols along the Romulan border, especially in the wilds patrolled by the Fenris Rangers.	While undertaking a routine training exercise under the command of a new captain, the [name] and her fighter group are struck by an unexpected EMP blast from a solar flare, disabling the ship and all of her fighters. It's a race against time to bring systems back online before the fighter pilots run out of oxygen, and before opportunists notice the stricken vessel.

Humanitarian Concepts

Do No Harm

Concept	First Mission
One of Starfleet's primary directives is to provide help to those who are in distress. Over the centuries, Starfleet has created a number of ships as part of its rapid response force. These classes of ships within the Fourth Fleet have the fastest engines and contain a range of facilities and large storage bays to provide huge amounts of resources for stricken worlds. This vessel has been assigned to the region that contains the Paulson Nebula and after the recent disastrous Century Storm event where numerous worlds have been stricken, it is up to this vessel to provide humanitarian relief to those who have lost their homes.	While assisting a Federation colony who is in the process of rebuilding after the passing of the Century storm, the [name]'s crew have discovered what appears to be large amounts of the ore Trellium. When elements of the ore are leaked into the colony's water purification system, the colonists began to behave strangely. Strange in the fact the entire colony's population is Vulcan. The Trellium is a deadly neurotoxin for the Vulcans and it begins to degrade their neural pathways. Loosing the emotional inhibitions, it is up to the crew of the [name] to find a cure for the colonists, remove the ore while avoiding hurting any of the colonists who are starting to become erratic and savage like in their behaviours.

First On The Scene

Concept	First Mission
Aiding the support of others is one way in which the Federation shows that it cares about its neighbours, though this has not been the case since Starfleet changed its policy after cancellation of supporting the relocation of the Romulans. This has to change and the Fourth Fleet is leading the early efforts with this. Trying to prove that the Federation is returning to its core values, these vessels are the ones showing others they are here to help and provide a friendly face to those who may have lost their faith or trust in the Federation in recent years.	On course to rendezvous with a Cardassian diplomat, [name] picks up a distress call from a Cardassian colony near to the Federation border. Being the closest ship to render aid, the [name] alters course to provide help at once. Once arriving on the scene, they discover the world has been neglected by the Cardassian government since the Dominion War. The colonists have had to survive on their own, as such their systems are not as advanced as other Cardassian worlds. Now the planet has undergone a series of devastating earthquakes. Settlements across the planet are in ruins, homes are in flames and there is barely anyone available to help. [name] enters orbits and provides support, even though this will make them significantly late in meeting the Cardassian ambassador.

Beacon of Hope

Concept	First Mission
When two warring sides comes to the conclusion that they must end hostilities for the sake of providing their people the chance of surviving, then the Federation is quite keen in providing help with these matters. Becoming a symbol of neutrality, Starfleet likes to send the best units in to provide the help needed to help those who have been devastated by war and to provide the foundations in rebuilding worlds lost to conflict.	A non-aligned system on the edge of Federation space has requested assistance after two worlds have been in a state of war with one another for almost a decade and a half. Not ready to join the Federation yet, both sides have agreed to allow for Starfleet to send in convoys filled with relief efforts to help their people. The non-aggression pact signed by both sides has agreed to allow Starfleet to establish a small station on the edge of their system as way of assisting and monitoring the peace treaty. It is down to [name] to lead and escort the first flotilla of ships into the system, begin building efforts on the new installation and provide relief efforts to both sides without re-igniting past tensions.