News Files:Short Episodes
From Star Trek: Gamma One
In the case of any discrepancy between the news files on the game and those here on the wiki, the news files on the game are correct version.
Due to schedules or time constraints staff will occassionally run a shortepisode for the players. Whether these episodes are posted on +events, or impromptu, the following general rules apply:
- Respect start times and end times. If an episode is scheduled for 8, do not sign up unless you can be there at 8. The writer running the scene will make every reasonable effort to give all stage directions and background info within a 15-minute window and then roll the camera and make the initial scene-pose within 15-20 minutes of the announced start time, but to do that, all parties need to be present and accounted for.
- You should be present for the entire short episode. Missing 20-30 minutes can have a large impact on the events and play flow.
- Respect time limits within scenes -- remember that with episodes of 4 hours or so, each 'round' of posing, complete with any behind the scenes questions to the writer, should take no more than 20 minutes. That means that poses need to be happening every 3-4 minutes, and follow-up questions should be spread across multiple rounds rather than holding the scene up to ask multiple questions of the writer before you pose.
- Remember that sometimes it's okay to go the round without doing anything so that you can go back and re-read everyone else's poses and your own notes and ask really tight, cogent questions for the next round.
- Pay attention to scene cuts, fast forwards, and questions that are asked and answered by other people's poses. If an entire 20-30 minute round is wasted by all 4 officers making the same rolls for the same information, then that's a round you won't get back.
- Be patient with scene cuts, fast forwarding, or abrupt endings -- remember that your writers may work day jobs and have to be in bed, no fooling, by midnight or a little thereafter, so episodes which are scheduled for 4 to 4 1/2 hours may start to wind down at about the 3-hour-and-45-minute mark, whether you're done or not. This means that sometimes, the bad guys will get away, or the mystery will go unresolved until follow-up work can be done.
See Also
