By Ensign Joran Tavex
Ensign Joran Tarvax recently asked Capt. Kare’en a few questions such as “Is it enjoyable being the Captain?”,”What do you suggest new ensigns do to ensure promotion?”, and “Overall, what kind of tips do you have for junior officers? For the fleet?” These and many more questions will be answered in this interview with Captain Kare’en. Joran Tarvax: What is it like being the Captain?
Kare’en m’Hapron m’Adrina: Well, I’ve not been Captain for long, and I’m still forming my opinions on the matter. Some days when the sim is going slow and you are trying to figure out why, it can be frustrating. But most of the time the work is worth it. You feel good that you are helping people create an interesting story in the Star Trek/UFOP universe.
JT: What OOC and IC things do Captains have to do?
KmHmA: IC is probably easier to describe, so I will tackle that first. A Captain is like a combination moderator and moral officer. The Captain has the responsibility for setting up a situation that the players can explore and grow through. He helps them find a way through when times get rough, and he should provide a model of simming style with his own character.
OOC, the Captain is responsible first for the health of his ship. That means giving simmers feedback so they can grow, trying to manage LOA’s, helping new Ensigns find their legs on their new ship, etc. A Captain also has a role in running the entire UFOP club. Though the exact responsibilities vary for a Captain, all of the Captains together help the club grow and mature, making sure it remains a fun place for simmers new and old.
JT: Is it enjoyable being the Captain?
KmHmA: Yes! But each stage of the game has its own sorts of enjoyment. For me as Captain, I have my character pretty well figured out. Much of my joy comes from helping other people have fun. When I create an interesting mission briefing or a plot twist that simmers tell me they have really enjoyed, I get a great sense of satisfaction. It is fun helping people have fun.
JT: How does a character “grow”? What do you suggest to new ensigns?
KmHmA:A character grows by going through difficulties, just like character IRL. Keep simming, this is the most important thing. Do not be afraid to get your character into tricky situations. Do not be afraid to have your character fail sometimes. How he or she reacts to failure will help you make a much more interesting character. Interesting characters are a lot more fun to play!
JT:What is your favorite thing to do IC/OOC, in the group?
KmHmA: If I have to choose just one, it would be promotions. After a good mission, it’s enjoyable to reward simmers IC for their hard work and to celebrate with the entire crew.
JT: What do you suggest new ensigns do to ensure promotion? Or is their no sure way?
KmHmA: My advice is probably a paradox but I think the surest way for a junior officer to be promoted is for him or her to forget about promotion and to concentrate on simply having fun while you sim. Having fun and not worrying about promotions will help you grow as a simmer. Maintaining your sim rate will give your CO something to work with so they can give you more specific advice how to improve. Growth as a simmer will result in promotion, but you need to concentrate on growth, not on the promotion.
JT: Overall, what kind of tips do you have for junior officers? For the fleet?
KmHmA: My general advice is to have fun! UFOP is a great game, one of the best RPG groups out there. Explore who your character is. Get to know other characters, and if you have fun with us, tell other people about our club. We need everyone’s help to grow.
