Continuing Voyages Guidelines

Members of Continuing Voyages Games are to be treated with dignity and respect at all times. This is our Prime Directive.

At A Glance

Age Minimum 18+ Adults Only

Tag Response 3 Calendar Days

Story Pace 1 Post Weekly

Content Rating PG-13 Standard

Community Respect First

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Player Guidelines

A Player is defined as an active writing member of a Continuing Voyages Game. To become a Player, a writer must fulfill the following criteria:

• Minimum Age Requirement:
  • All players must be at least 18 Years of Age or older. Minors are strictly prohibited from holding membership or participating in Continuing Voyages games, Discord servers, or interactive community spaces.
• Character Creation & Ownership:
  • Create a Player Character (PC), which remains the intellectual creative property of the player.
  • Ensure the PC is appropriate, plausible, and realistic for the game environment, as evaluated by the Game Master (GM) or their designee.
  • Accept that PC starting rank, duty assignment, and species authorization are subject to the sole discretion and approval of the GM.
• Active Game Participation & Pacing:
  • Maintain active involvement and adhere to the established group posting schedule:
    • Tag Responses: Respond to any direct character tags within 3 Days.
    • Story Submissions: Submit at least one (1) comprehensive story post contribution weekly 1 / Week.
    • Character Development: Post a Personal Log or Subpost for character development at least once a month 1 / Month.
  • Players in good standing can expect regular narrative opportunities within ongoing plotlines.
• Post Formatting & Style Standards:
  • Narrative Perspective: Write all story posts in standard third-person, past-tense narrative style (e.g., "Commander Riker stepped onto the bridge...").
  • Post Headers: Structure every official post submission using a standard header block containing Title, Location, Characters Involved, and Stardate / Time.
• Unannounced Inactivity & Character Placement:
  • If a player fails to meet posting minimums without filing an official Leave of Absence (LOA), the GM reserves the right to temporarily transition the character to an idle or background status (e.g., reassigned, off-duty, or in quarters) to keep the active story moving forward.
• Leaves of Absence (LOA) Thresholds:
  • Players may request a standard Leave of Absence (LOA) during real-world emergencies or busy periods.
  • Standard LOAs may be granted up to a maximum duration of 60 Days. After 60 days, if the player is unable to return to active writing, the character will be transitioned to reserve/inactive status to free up key department roles.
  • During an approved LOA, the GM or a designated co-author may temporarily autopilot the PC for essential story continuity without introducing major life-altering events without player consent.
• Secondary Character (Secondary PC) Limits:
  • Players in good standing may request to create or play a secondary Player Character after maintaining 30 Days Active of consistent membership, provided the secondary character occupies a distinct department or posting so the player does not play against themselves.
• NPC Classifications & Guidelines:
  • Personal / Supporting NPCs: Players are encouraged to create and write supporting NPCs (e.g., family members, low-ranking departmental assistants, lab techs) to enrich their PC's story arcs.
  • Command & Key Mission NPCs: Major operational NPCs (e.g., the Ship's Captain, unfilled Department Heads, or main campaign antagonists) are managed by the GM or Command Staff. Players must consult with the GM before taking writing control of Command NPCs in Joint Posts.
• Player AI Text Policy:
  • AI tools are welcomed as creative writing partners. Players are encouraged to utilize AI for proofreading, grammar polishing, brainstorming scene ideas, outlining character arcs, drafting dialogue, or generating content for Non-Player Characters (NPCs).
  • AI may be used to write scenes or simulate dialogue for approved NPCs, as well as to script dynamic interactions between a player's PC and an NPC to help keep individual story arcs moving smoothly.
  • To preserve authentic collaborative writing, player submissions must reflect genuine human creative oversight—100% automated or unedited raw AI output should not be submitted as a post, joint post, or application without active player editing and direction.
• AI Imagery & Graphics Policy:
  • AI image generators (e.g., Midjourney, DALL-E, Stable Diffusion) are permitted for creating character avatars, uniform concepts, or scene graphics.
  • AI-generated images must conform to PG-13 guidelines and respect player presentation standards. Explicit, graphic, or offensive imagery generated via AI is strictly forbidden.
• Collaborative & Team Mindset:
  • Actively share the narrative spotlight and include fellow writers in scene developments.
  • Strictly avoid metagaming (utilizing out-of-character knowledge within in-character posts without narrative justification).
  • Fulfill the operational responsibilities associated with their character's assigned shipboard role.
  • Seek OOC clarification promptly whenever game details or instructions are unclear.
  • Characters may express narrative disagreement or conflict IC, but players must ensure this does not cross into OOC insubordination or disruption.
• Content Ratings & Content Warnings:
  • Game stories maintain a standard PG-13 rating (similar to Star Trek television canon). Explicit adult content or graphic gore is strictly prohibited.
  • If a story post touches on heavy or sensitive narrative themes (e.g., severe battle trauma, medical distress, or intense peril), authors must prepend a Content Warning tag (e.g., [CW: Theme]) at the top of the post.
• Joint Post Co-Authorship & Archives:
  • While players retain creative ownership of their individual character dialogue and actions, co-authored Joint Posts (JPs) published to the public game site become part of the collective campaign archive. Published Joint Posts will not be retroactively deleted if a co-author leaves or is dismissed from the game.
• System, Site Usage & OOC Etiquette:
  • Players manage secondary characters and NPCs through their primary player dashboard account. Do not register secondary website accounts without explicit GM approval.
  • Players consent to receiving system notifications and administrative site messages related to game operations and scene updates.
  • Community public channels (Discord and site forums) are reserved for collaborative writing, game discussion, and worldbuilding. Real-world political, religious, or hostile personal debates are strictly prohibited in public OOC spaces.
• Community Standards & Conduct:
  • Refrain from disruptive behavior within the game, forums, or community channels.
  • Never attack, degrade, or harass another Player, their PC, a GM, or Continuing Voyages and its affiliated groups.
  • Acknowledge that harassment of any kind will not be tolerated. Continuing Voyages reserves the right to immediately remove any Player for verified harassment, with or without prior warning.

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Game Manager's Guidelines

A Game Manager (GM) serves as the executive leader and final narrative/administrative authority for their respective game within Continuing Voyages. To qualify and serve as a GM, the following operational standards apply:

• Game Creation & Leadership:
  • Establish the game's core premise, setting, timeframe, writing requirements, and content ratings. GMs must verify that all accepted players meet the 18+ age requirement.
  • Appoint a Command Team as needed to assist with executive, administrative, and story operations.
  • Recruit and manage writing talent, including reviewing applications for Full Membership, Provisional Membership, or Denied Membership.
  • Re-Application Cooldown: Applicants whose bios are denied due to canon issues, age requirements, or incomplete profiles may submit an updated application after a 14-Day Cooldown (or immediately if responding directly to requested GM modifications).
• Inactivity Audits & Roster Management:
  • GMs conduct regular roster audits (e.g., monthly or quarterly) to confirm active participation. Unannounced inactive characters or accounts on expired LOAs may be transitioned to reserve status to ensure active department seats remain open for new players.
• GM Character & Story Oversight:
  • Maintain a primary Player Character (PC) and optional NPCs, with full discretion over their assigned ranks and roles.
  • Direct campaign storylines, ensure steady narrative pacing, and delegate story management to the Command Team for leadership development as appropriate.
• Game Manager AI Policy:
  • Game Managers are encouraged to utilize AI tools for campaign development, such as drafting mission briefings, generating planet/station descriptions, generating NPC dialogue, structuring plot arcs, and writing interactions between main characters and mission NPCs.
  • GMs may also use AI to assist in administrative drafting or proofreading. However, all official administrative rulings (such as bio approvals, membership decisions, and grievance resolutions) remain the sole responsibility of human leadership.
• Player Guidance & Community Morale:
  • Set clear operational expectations, foster inclusive story opportunities for all shipboard positions, and evaluate player side-story requests.
  • Maintain transparent communication, evaluate NPC submissions, and actively manage community morale.
  • Nominate deserving players for fleet, group, and community awards.

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OOC Safety, Lore & Intellectual Property

• Intellectual Property & Character Rights:
  • Player Characters: Players retain full creative ownership of their original Player Characters (PCs). If a player leaves Continuing Voyages, their PC will not be killed off or appropriated without explicit consent.
  • Campaign Lore & Ship Assets: Custom technologies, starship classes, starbases, or specialized division lore created for a campaign remain part of the Continuing Voyages game lore even if the contributing author departs, preventing disruptive "lore retcons."
  • Character Transfers: Players in good standing who wish to transfer an established character to a different game or fleet within Continuing Voyages may do so with the concurrence of both receiving and departing GMs without completing an entirely new application from scratch.
• OOC Safety & Anti-Doxxing Policy:
  • Personal Privacy: Sharing, publishing, or distributing another member's real-life personal information (real name, physical location, workplace, personal social media, contact details, or photos) without explicit consent (doxxing) is strictly forbidden and constitutes grounds for immediate, permanent expulsion.
  • Interpersonal Boundaries & Blocking: If personal friction occurs between players OOC, members are encouraged to utilize Discord mute or block features to maintain personal comfort. However, players must remain capable of conducting professional writing interactions required for group story posts. If personal friction prevents collaborative writing, leadership must be informed via Private Message.

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Administrative Workflows & Grievances

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Continuing Voyages Games is a non-profit fan-created roleplaying group. Star Trek and all related marks, logos, and characters are trademarks of CBS Studios Inc. / Paramount Global. No copyright infringement is intended.