Hello lovely people!

The GMD has a few reminders for those who operate at a fleet and ship command level. Some will be just reminders, some will be information you might not have been told. This could especially be true if you are new to your position, and it hasn’t been passed along.

Archive Submissions:

All sims are required to be logged in the GMD Archive. This extremely important resource is our library of sims and GMs and keeping it up to date is a high priority for us. https://www.star-fleet.com/gmdept/

It is usually the GM that submits mission start/end reports. However, if your GM goes on iLOA or goes AWOL, it is up to the FComm and CO to submit these reports. This can be delegated to an XO as required. We don’t care if there were only three posts in a sim, please file these reports as it gives us a clear picture about ship and GM activity and is vital to preserving that history.

These submissions are mandatory and important for the historical records of the club, so please help us out!

If you need instructions on how the new Archive functions, please read this post: https://www.star-fleet.com/core/command/gmd/posts/136271/

GM Vacancies:

In the event that a ship finds itself without a GM, your first step is to post that vacancy in the GMD. We will add it to the vacancies list on the GMD MOTD.

If your GM is doing a normal mission (ie. on their own, not a GMT and they are also not the CO), they do not need GMD approval (unless they are taking on a third or more ship). However, all GM appointments are subject to the approval of the FComm. So, COs, don’t forget to include your FComm in those discussions and get documented approval. FComms, use your best judgement about GM fit and make sure you work with your COs to find the best GM for your ship.

While OGRE states that the GMD is not strictly responsible for making sure a ship has a GM, we are very active in keeping vacancies minimal. Where we can help, we will!

GMTs:

Our GMT program is a vital part of the club. Without it, we would not have a continuous pool of GMs to deliver excellent sims to the ships, and club stability is very much affected by the number of GMs we have available to fill vacancies.

The GMD is very hands-on when it comes to the development, placement and evaluation of GMTs. FComms & COs: if you think your ship would be a good place for a GMT, even if you don’t have a vacancy right now, please send us an email and let us know. It’s very helpful to know ahead of time who is willing to take on GMTs and who would prefer not to.

FComms: Your role in the GMT program is limited in terms of official duties, but you help greatly by keeping a watchful eye on the ship’s health. A ship that is doing poorly is not a healthy place for a GMT to try their first sim. We don’t care about it being perfect (all GMs learn to deal with various ship issues), but serious ships health issues must be proactively managed, and we will express concern if we see it happening to a ship with a GMT. Worse case scenario is that the training sim will end early and we will find a new ship for that GMT (if they need longer to prove their abilities).

COs/XOs: Your participation is key. Without your effort to not only keep your ship healthy and communicate regularly with your GMT, the sim will likely not progress well. The average time for a sim in STF is about 9 months. GMTs can take longer, especially if there is a slow start or the crew in general posts slower. We keep in regular contact in the starting months to ensure the fit is correct.

If we’re finding that the ship is not the best place for the GMT (or the GMT is not the best fit for the ship), it’s not a failure if we remove them, but an action meant to help both the ship and GMT. Not every GM is a good fit for every ship.

While COs are involved in the documented evaluation of GMTs, XOs play a big role too! Make sure you have open communication and if the GMT submitted a sim plan to the CO, you are fully within your right to ask to see it should you wish to. It’s very important that the command team on a ship work with their GM to keep the action moving. If you feel something is moving too slow, talk to them! Maybe there is something you can do to help things along.

Each GMT is paired with an experienced GM as a Mentor. While they do not actively post on the board, they should be included in any OOC discussions. They are there to not only guide the GMT, but also facilitate communication between all parties. Don’t be afraid to talk to them if you have concerns.

Should there be an issue that is not resolvable on a ship level, both the FComm and GMD should be included in any escalated discussions. Many times, we can resolve issues quickly, but only if we know about them before they develop into something serious!

MOTD:

We want to make sure the MOTD is a solid resource and useful to all. If you have suggestions on how we can make it more user friendly, please comment here, or send us an email.

Promoting GMing:

Do you have a player in your fleet/on your ship that is proactive and shows the ability to lead people through action? (side sims are a great way to see this in action) If so, encourage them to take the GM exam (link to new exam is on the MOTD) and please let us know. Encouraging prospective GMs and mentoring those through the process is very important to us and we like to take a hands on approach.

~Linds, GMDir