Resources

Official WCRPG FAQ

Version 0.1

General Questions:

How do I play in the RPG?

Other than this FAQ, the WCRPG Rules and Regulations are the best source of information and are required reading for entry into the RPG.

They are available on the very front page of the RPG website and cover a lot of questions you may have.

Do I need to have prior knowledge of the Wing Commander games, books, or universe to be part of WCRPG?

It certainly helps, however no previous knowledge of the games are required to take part. We do very much encourage research as it will make the game much easier to understand.

Who "runs" the current iteration of WCRPG?

The RPG is run by a council of members who all have an equal say on what happens in the main working of the WCRPG. The council is led by a smaller group of members called the legislative council.

Current members of the legislative council are Tycho, Nemesis, TeknoBastard, Drake and Zylor. Each member has an equal voice and a single vote.

Tycho is the current chairperson and neutral in all disputes.

Who controls the plots of each campaign?

The plots of each campaign are carefully developed by a team of coordinators. The RPG has a multi-threaded serial storyline, in which player actions and certain plot devices might not be noticed for what they are until several campaigns have passed.

While there is a storyline to each campaign, it is not so tightly scripted that events caused by players in game play will be ignored (like the loss of a capital ship or battle, or conversely an overwhelming victory the hosts did not expect). Players will feel like they are affecting the campaign... because they do!

The current coordinators are Tycho, TeknoBastard, and Nemesis.

In general, how long are sessions?

Sessions tend to last between 4-8 hours generally depending on the mission, plot and most importantly role playing that takes place.

I'm not used to playing a military-based game. Is there a link, resource, or website where I can get information so I can get a "feel" for what my character should be like?

The military of the future is largely an unknown quantity, but we feel that good research should never be wasted.

You could do a lot worse than visiting the United States and United Kingdom Military websites for the Navy and Marines respectively. The RPG tends to blend many elements of both these two countries current military styles into a whole, much like the Wing Commander games tried to do.

Common sense in how you would believe a military officer to behave is another good factor, as are certain "Hollywoodisms". This is an action adventure game after all, and certain aspects of daily military life don't translate into exciting game play.

Are suggestions for plot/NPC ideas from players welcome? If so, how do I go about speaking to someone about it?

Suggestions are more than welcome, in fact we openly ENCOURAGE it. This is a game for the players, not just for the hosts. Players can to post ideas on the boards or talk to Tycho, TeknoBastard, and/or Nemesis on IRC about an idea for their character.

As coordinators we will do our utmost to try and get what you want for your character's story to progress within the confines of our current campaign.

The ideas should have a good reason behind them, be within certain boundaries of taste and decency, and fit into the universe we are all helping to create.

Can I play multiple characters?

Once you have completed Academy training, you can create any number of characters you wish, however they must have a bio that has been cleared for playing by the Bio Submission team of Drake and Nemesis.

They also all must begin at the rank of 2nd Lieutenant unless you have permission from a coordinator to be a different rank. Players are also only allowed to play one character a session, unless given special dispensation by a coordinator or session host.

How do I get my character promoted?

Very easily. Promotions have no fixed time for occurring, however they have certain prerequisites. Attending a certain amount of sessions regularly, combined with good role playing skills will make the character stand out. How you perform in the sessions themselves is another factor.

In short, role play well, take part in sessions and show a keen tactical ability within the game, and you WILL be promoted. The ranks of Major and above tend to be "gated" and work from "dead men's boots" since these characters tend to be leading squadrons and show expertise in certain areas. However that is not ALWAYS the case, there have been exceptions.

Who do I talk to about suggestions or helping out with the WCRPG website?

You would talk to Iceman, the WCRPG.COM Administrator. Find him through the general boards or on IRC

I go on the WCRPG IRC server/room and no one is talking to answer my questions. What gives?

Chances are the people in there are either AFK (Away from Keyboard), asleep or otherwise indisposed in some way. The RPG generally has people in the channel all day long, however the best times to find people active and awake are between 6pm and 1am American East Coast Time.

The non-mission related portion of a session is free-form. That means I can do anything, right?

Yes, within reason. As a player you can only affect one person. Your own character. Other people's reactions are entirely their own to make and unless you have been given special permission by the hosts you cannot control NPCs (Non-Player Characters) beyond certain limits.

Example: A Barman serving drinks to paying customers would be fine if you wish to buy a drink in a bar, however the barman pulling a gun and shooting an unruly customer would not be allowed. It also applies to the context of the situation that the hosts have described for you.

If in doubt, never use an NPC in your role play. Coordinators and hosts reserve the right to retcon (delete from history, and turn back time) any role play that goes against the context and situations in the game universe. It should be noted that this happens VERY rarely, due to players adapting to the world and universe wonderfully.

Character based:

Can I play as a Kilrathi?

No new players can play as Kilrathi in the WCRPG, due to the fact that we have VERY high standards for Kilrathi role play and a certain amount of knowledge and context of Kilrathi in the WCRPG universe is absolutely required.

However as players progress they may be allowed to create Kilrathi characters when the Coordinators deem them capable of it, and show a real desire to understand the Kilrathi in THIS game's context.

We at the WCRPG believe players will have an easier time playing humans and learning about the universe through that characters eyes first.

Can I play a character who comes from the UBW military, or is given a special "combat commission" even though I'm new?

The UBW is a separate military entity from the current Confederation Military in the Baran sector. While the UBW and Confederation are allies, you should treat the distinction much like the USA and UK. Both are allies, but have separate agendas, and do not fall under each others chain of command unless they are doing joint actions together.

A character born in the UBW and wishing to enter the current academy would not be accepted, just as an American citizen cannot enlist in the British military, and vice versa.

Do I have to start out at 2nd lieutenant?

Yes, we all started there, and so will you. The journey is good fun though.

Do I have to be a military character? Can I play as a pirate or smuggler instead?

While we would dearly love to devote time and energy to dealing with the civilian aspects of life in the Baran and Vortath sectors, currently we can only cater to those people who wish to play a military character.

However the seedy side of frontier life would not be complete without an underworld, and the hosts and coordinators endeavour to show the darker underbelly during campaigns.

After all, this game isn't just about shooting Kilrathi.

Is there somewhere I can go to research more about the background specific to the Wing Commander series and the WCRPG.

First stop for many people in their research these days is the Wing Commander CIC, a first class source for all things Wing Commander.

However the RPG is merely "based" on Wing Commander and we do not feel constrained by Origin/EA's canon (which is often conflicting anyway). We take what we want from Wing Commander and discard the rest.

Generally speaking however we treat the novels and games 1 to 4 as canon. The movie is absolutely ignored in the WCRPG. In the Resources section of our own website you will find several articles and pieces of information that relate directly to the context of the RPG universe, including maps and important system information.

Miscellaneous:

Are sessions just about flying?

No they are not. The current direction of the RPG through it's main storyline has forced combat pilots to take on a position as ground troops in several actions. We feel it gives the players a fuller experience in the universe we have created, and the ability to affect the game outside of the cockpit.

Several sessions have also in the past been known as RP only, which means that a lot of plot development and story progress is involved.

The current mix of sessions are roughly 75% flying 20% ground and 5% RP Only. The aim however is to mix it up and let the story dictate the action, including some moments on the ground AND in air happening simultaneously.

Are there opportunities to hone my "flying skills" outside of a session?

Usually you can ask Nemesis, the Academy Host, to host an OOC (Out of character) "sim" where you can practice without fear of affecting your character.

Sometimes hosts feel the need to practice their own skills and will post on the boards that they are hosting an impromptu sim. Keep an eye on the boards for these opportunities.