Welcome to the Vast Empire's Naval Academy, Crewman _______.

My name is Lieutenant Wyl Trykon, and I'll be serving as your Training Officer (TO) while you go through the Naval Academy's Orientation program.  I'll be around to help you learn how to role-play as a member of the Vast Empire's military in an ongoing, collaboratively-written story (a set of skills which is taught in something we call "Starfighter School," for those who want to start out as TIE pilots, or in something we call "Fleet School," for those who want instead to begin their Navy careers serving as part of the crew of a capital ship).

With your first post here on the Naval Academy board, you've completed Imperial Initiation (well done) and are hereby clear to begin Basic Training.  To do so, follow this link, and read the wiki page.  Note that at the bottom of that page, you'll be prompted to choose a career path.  If you want the thrill of dogfighting, choose Starfighter School.  If you want the majesty of capital ships, choose Fleet School.  Graduates of both programs are equally ranked, with equal opportunities for advancement: choose what sounds like more fun!

Your next step should be to visit the VE Wiki page for you chosen School: Starfighter School, found here, or Fleet School, found here.  Begin working on Chapter 1: Character Development by clicking the appropriate link.  When you finish the assignment, post your work here in this thread (bio and ID line), so I can review it, and we'll proceed from there.  Please note: here in the VEN, we write stories in the third person, past tense; you should too.

If you need further guidance, please send a Private Message with your questions to "Trykon" here on the ComNet, or go to the Naval Academy channel on IRC, which is #VENA, and make an inquiry of any staff member.  Good luck with your training, Crewman, and again, welcome to the Vast Empire.

Sincerely,

LT Wyl Trykon, your TO

Useful Links:
  •  An overview of what exactly we do here in the VEN
  •  The Vast Empire Naval Academy wiki page
  •  The wiki page for Basic Training
  •  Starfighter School: Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3
  •  Fleet School: Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3
  •  How-to-create-a-wiki-page Tutorial
  •  Java-based IRC chat

Hello and welcome to the Vast Empire Naval Academy, Crewman.

I'm Chief Petty Officer Demetrius Aita, or Hades for short, and I'll be your Training Officer (TO) while you complete each of the stages of the Navy Academy's Orientation program. You'll see me around the Comnet, and I'll be here to guide you through the stages of what we refer to as 'Flight School', where you'll learn  to roleplay as the pilot of an Imperial Starfighter alongside numerous others of the Vast Empire or if you choose it, 'Fleet School', where you will learn to roleplay as a crewman aboard one of the Vast Empire's capital ships.

By completing your post here, you have successfully passed Imperial Initiation - congratulations - and are now clear to begin basic training (found here) which will prepare you for day-to-day life in the Vast Empire (VE) and your duties as a member of the Vast Empire Navy.. From here you have two choices – continue in the Vast Empire as a Starfighter pilot, with all the excitement of flying highly-advanced TIE fighters, or choose the path of a capital ship crewman!

The next step in your training is to visit your chosen method of entryl Flight school's wiki page, found here or Fleet School, found here and start work on the first chapter, entitled 'Chapter 1: Character Development'. There, you'll write a bio of your character and figure out the ID line system. When you're completed, please post both your bio and ID line on this thread for me to review so we can move on to chapter 2. Here at the VE, we write stories in past tense and third person - you should also follow this tradition.

Again, I'll be here to assist you if you need help, so just send a Private Message to "Hades"  using the Comnet's very own private message system or go to the Naval Academy's channel on IRC (#VENA) and pose your question within! If you find yourself unable to do either of the above, contact any Naval personnel and they should be able to tell you what to do until your TO (me) can get back to you.

Finally, welcome to the Vast Empire and the best of luck for whatever school you choose!

Regards,

Chief Petty Officer Demetrius Aita, your TO

Note; attached are some useful links-
  •  A look at what we do here in the VEN
  •  The Vast Empire Naval Academy wiki page
  •  The wiki page for Basic Training
  •  Flight School: Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3
  •  Fleet School: Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3
  •  How-to-create-a-wiki-page Tutorial
  •  Java-based IRC chat

OOC:

EDIT: Trick, as to the names I filled in -- don't avoid nitpicking, please, I'd rather have it nitpicked by you than some uppity new recruit but seriously, I'd love to hear criticism of it. As always I am open to comments

Ah, yes. I thought it would be improbable to have a wookiee aboard, but eh, figured it might have been interesting. But, as always you found the illogicality of the page and I stand humbly corrected. This is why you earn the big bucks

EDIT: Just a general query.. Given my position in VENA, should I be sending in a separate report to you on fridays, Trick?

As per Lieutenant Trykon's request, I compiled a basic guide for a training officer dealing with a new recruit and submitted it to Trick for his own additions and editing. It is now a wiki page and can be found here, thanks to Trick. Most of it you already know, but if you want to include anything in your training thread, the checklist is a good place to start.

Alright, I've reworded the Wing Command ancillary page so it is more specific and better describes what is needed. However, I still haven't figured out a probable scenario -- I was thinking either against another wing or against an enemy vessel.

Good notion, Ellie. Chime in, folks: what do we want to see, in a training sim for new pilots?  Remember, it should be a scenario that makes for entertaining stories, and evaluates a member's ability to follow instructions and demonstrate a basic knowledge of piloting and writing, OOC.

After many discussions and long deliberation, I'd like to announce the new VENA roster:

CNT - Trykon - responsible mostly for development and guidance
XNT - Echelon - second-in-command, also designated Fleet trainer
TO - Hades - go-to certifications grader, also designated Starfighter trainer
TO - Ellesmere - should cover the #VENA IRC channel, and any gaps in ComNet coverage by the rest of us

Hunter-Morell feels that he cannot devote much time to VENA right now, but that is no disgrace: he's welcome back any time. 

In addition to those positions and loose job descriptions, I'd like to offer congratulations.  First, Echelon, congratulations on making XNT - I think you'll make a fine second-in-command for the Academy.    Second, Hades, your efforts on behalf of the Naval Academy have been exemplary during your short time so far as a Training Officer.  I hereby award you the Noble Service Medal, in recognition of your admirable commitment to the next generation of Navy members.

That's all for the announcement, folks.  Now, who wanted to whip up a new training mission for Raptor Squadron?

Alright. Had never seen that page before, strangely. o.O Anyway, I'll begin drafting my post and have it up here soon. How long should it be,  btw?

I'll see about sending Trick a story idea within the next few days. I'm getting moved around places since my sister's organizing this enormous early birthday party which means I'll be kicked out of this current house for a few days and have access to a slower, older computer but nonetheless a general idea shall be PMed soon

I disagree. I vote that all our ideas are submitted then when one of our three (or four, if Trykon submits one) stories are chosen, each potential scenario is elaborated upon by the VENA staff jointly.

What are you proposing, Hades?  I don't quite understand the need to develop more than one of these.

To clarify, this is what I want, team: a new training mission for starfighter school trainees, which tests piloting ability (IC) at the same time as it proves the potential VEN member can follow directions and write at our baseline standard level (OOC).  The details of how we develop that are largely unimportant to me.

Echelon's floated an idea for a plot, involving three freighters with different cargoes.  Let's hear other ideas, too.  We'll pick one, and then develop that plot into the prompt for the new training exercise thread.

Yeah, that's what I meant too...

Alright, now, let's hear some more ideas!

Hey, guys.  I was going to wait to write this post until my successor had been named, but I got impatient.    Stay tuned: the new CNT will be announced ASAP.

In the meantime, though, I just wanted to tell you guys that it has been an honor, working with you as the Academy staff.  That might sound cheesy, considering we're a Star Wars fan fiction/rpg hybrid, but it's true.

I've benefited a lot from joining the VE: my writing has improved with all the practice, I've had a blast rp-ing with some rad people, I've learned technical skills like how to code wiki and make animated gifs, I've read more about the Star Wars EU than I ever knew existed, and I've met some amazing friends from around the world.  I therefore took my responsibilities as Chief of Naval Training very seriously: it was my job to make sure anyone with an interest in our little club could join the VEN, and regardless of experience level (with role-playing games and/or with writing), become a contributing member of the community, in a short amount of time.  Being a trainer was perhaps not as glamorous as being a TIE jockey or a VENI agent, but it felt vitally important.  And I'm convinced that the main reason it felt that way was because of you guys.    Your selflessness and dedication are what hold the VE together and keep it going, and so I just wanted to say, as I take on new and different responsibilities, that I deeply appreciate all the work you have done and continue to do, and that it was a true pleasure working with all of you.

Once the new CNT is named, I'll conference with him or her about all the in-progress VENA projects.  Still plenty to do! 

I like to announce Hades as my new XNT! Congrats Hades!