Character Development

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Welcome to the Character Development page. Character development plays a huge part of Federation Space, and it's an ongoing process by which your character grows. Developing the initial character traits is the groundwork for your character, and to do that we create characters biographies (or bios for short). A biography should be a dynamic document, always changing to meet the perceptions and experiences of your character. As your character goes on missions, meets other characters, and advances their career, it is likely that your bio will change.

A bio that has been approved by an evaluations officer is a required element that all cadets must complete prior to graduation from the Academy. The more clearly you write the bio, and the more developed you make it, the quicker you will be able to graduate and start posting on a ship.

This page intended to help walk you through the bio form used here on Federation Space, with brief explanations about how each field should be answered. This page is a guide that can be used when first starting out, or if you are looking to improve your character's bio. Not every possible answer will be listed, but it should give you a good number of examples for each field.

Having said that, lets get started!

Before You Begin

These are some pointers for you to keep in mind as you work through you character's biography:

  • Note that the bio you are filling out is for the character you will play on the site, and not for yourself.
  • Your character's bio should be set for after they graduate from the Academy.
  • Your biography should be written in third person, past tense. This is how all formatting is done on the site.
  • Try to avoid one-word answers on most of these fields, especially personal history. This is your opportunity to show your creativity, so shine!
  • Federation Space takes place 40 years after The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, and Voyager, so please do not have your character be a relative of any of the series characters (like Kirk, Picard, Sisko, or Janeway). To do otherwise will mess up the timeline and history of our game.
  • If you have any questions or want elaboration on a point, don't be afraid to ask your evaluations officer or one of the Academy admins.
  • If we ask you to make changes, please don't take it personally or get angry. In the long run we are just trying to help you out. We're not trying to be difficult!

Biography

Personal Details

Name: This field is for your character's name. Depending on what species you are playing, you will need to come up with a suitable name. Naming conventions for all species differ from Human ones. Obviously the name Bob Jones won't work for a Klingon or a Bajoran, unless you can justify it. If you are stumped for a name, try rearranging the letters in your real name and come up with a character name you like.

Species: This is the species of your character. For the most part, you can play any race available in the Federation. There are some exceptions though: No player may play a Q, Changeling, Jem'Hadar, any Dominion species, Borg, or Android. You can find a complete catalogue of playable races here. Any bio that uses a forbidden species will automatically be asked to change their species.

Now, there is a chance that you want to play a hybrid character. A hybrid is a character of two or more mixed species (ie: Half human, half Vulcan). You are more than welcome to play a hybrid, but be mindful that hybrids are rare and generally require medical intervention to be successful (no one-night stands). We ask that you be careful when you combine races, and use common sense. Obviously a ¼ Vulcan, ¼ Human, 1/4 Andorian, ¼ Klingon doesn't make much sense. If you do choose an unusual combination, be ready to explain how this combination came to happen somewhere in your bio. A hybrid character will have the strengths and weaknesses of each species, but these will be half as strong as their full-blooded cousins (ie: a half-Betazoid will be empathic, not telepathic. A half-Vulcan will have half the strength).

If you have any questions about a particular species that you wish to play, you can always email the Creative Director.

Gender: Male, Female, or other. It depends on what race you play as some are hermaphrodites (Hermats), while others have no sex at all (J'Naii).

Age: This is your character's age. The normal age for someone entering the Academy is anywhere from 16-24 Terran years of age, while graduating officers would likely be anywhere from 20-28 Terran years of age. Minimum age requirements for a particular species can be found on their species page. If your character doesn't fall within those ranges, please be sure to explain why.

Height: Your character's height. Please realize that the decks are only about 10 feet / 3 meters tall, and the doorways are probably 8 feet / 2.5 meters tall. Also, some races are taller than others and it would be unlikely to see a 7 foot tall Ferengi, or a 3 foot tall Klingon. Just use common sense.

Weight: Your character's weight. There is a lot of flexibility here, but also, you have to realize that Star Fleet is a military organization. If your character is 4'2" tall and 500 pounds, you're going to need to have a logical explanation about how they can perform well enough to pass the physical demands of Star Fleet.

Build/Body Type: What kind of body does your character have? Attractive Body (Athletic, buxom, leggy, rippling, curvaceous), Big Body (Amazonian, Barrel-chested, beefy, brawny, big-boned, chubby), Aged Body (Gaunt, haggard, withered, spindly), Thin Body (Lanky, Gangling, Anorexic, Slight).

Complexion: This can describe not only skin tone, but also any imperfections your character might have. Acned, Alabaster, Albino, Black, Bronze, Blush, Brown, Cadaverous, Caramel, China Doll, Cinnamon, Cocoa, Cream, Crimson, Ebony, Eggshell, Fair, Flush, Freckled, Glowing, Golden, Greasy, Honey, Ivory, Jaundiced, Leaden, Leathery, Lily-White, Lobster, Milky, Moled, Mottled, Nut Brown, Olive, Pale, Pallid, Pasty, Peach, Pink, Pitted, pocked, Razor-Burned, Rosy, Ruddy, Russet, Sallow, Scarlet, Scarred, Scrubbed, Splotchy, Sun-Browned, Sunburned, Wan.

Hair Colour: There are many ways to describe hair colour without resorting to the four or five standard answers.

  • Brown tones: Ash, Brown, Brunette, Burnt Almond, Café au Lait, Caramel, Chestnut, Chocolate, Cinnamon, Cocoa, Henna, Mahogany, Maple Sugar, Mocha, Nut, Nutmeg, Russet, Tawny
  • Black tones: Black, Coal, Ebony, Jet, Raven, Sable
  • Blond(e) tones: Ash, Bleach blond, Blond(e), Fair, Flaxen, Golden, Light, Platinum, Tow-coloured
  • Red tones: Auburn, Blue-grey, Carrot, Copper, Fiery, Ginger, Red, Rust, Salmon, Strawberry, Titian
  • White / Grey tones: Alabaster, Flint, Grey, Ivory, Lily, Magnolia, Premature grey, Salt and Pepper, Vanilla, White

Hair Style: Hairstyles can be as unique as fingerprints, or they could be more traditional. It's up to you! Here are some examples: Afro, Bangs, Beatle Cut, Beehive, Bob, Bouffant, Braids, Bun, Coiled, Corkscrew Curls, Cornrows, Crew Cut, Dreadlocks, Ducktail, Fade, Feather Cut, Flattop, Flip, French Braid, Mohawk, Pageboy, Pigtails, Pixie, Pompadour, Poodle Cut, Pulled Back, Receding Hairline, Rooster Mane, Shag, Skinhead, Spikes, Topknot, Wedge, Widow's Peak.

Facial Hair: Does your character wear facial hair? If so, in what cut or style? Full Beard, Mustache, Goatee, Five O'Clock Shadow, Muttonchops, Peach Fuzz, Van Dyke, Viking.

Eye Color: There are many choices for eye color. If the species you're playing doesn't have a specific eye color, there are many choices to choose from. Blue, Green, Hazel, Brown, Black, Gray, Dusky, Earth, Ebony, Honey, Kelp, Mahogany, Obsidian, Raven, Azure, Baby Blue, Blueberry, Cobalt, Dove Grey, Emerald, Grape, Holly Green, Ice, Iris, Jade, Lapis Lazuli, Lavender, Lilac, Midnight Blue, Pea Green, Sapphire, Sky Blue, Slate, Smoke, Steel and Teal.

Voice: What kind of voice do you hear for your character when you are typing out their dialogue? Bass, Bellowing, Booming, Breathy, Cackling, Childlike, Cracking, Croaking, Cultured, Deep, Drawling, Droning, Falsetto, Faltering, Feeble, Flat, Fluting, Gravel, Guttural, Harsh, Hoarse, Hollow, Husky, Inflectionless, Lilting, Lisping, Megaphonic, Monotone, Nasal Twang, Piercing, Ponderous, Powerful, Purring, Quavering, Rasping, Reedy, Resonant, Robust, Sensuous, Sharp, Shrill, Sing-Song, Soothing, Spluttering, Squawking, Squeaky, Subterranean, Sultry, Thick, Thin, Throaty, Thunderous, Tremulous, Velvety, Warbling, Well-Bred, Wheezing, Whining.

Off-Duty Clothing Taste: What does your character like to wear other than a Star Fleet uniform? Jeans, jumpsuits, robes, cloaks, latest in Betazoid fashions?

Distinguishing Features: What stands out when someone looks at your character? Do they have a tattoo, a pointed chin, a birthmark, a hatchet-like nose, or a scar? Please note that scars in the Star Trek timeline are very rare. Federation medical technology would make the removal of a scar, even a really bad one, as easy as the wave of a dermal regenerator. Scars are acceptable, as certain races like Klingons and Mira, wear them like a badge of honor. However, be ready to explain why your character has chosen to keep them.

Personal History

Date of Birth: When was your character was born. List only the month and day. The year and star date will be figured out by your evaluator based on this field and your character's age.

Place of Birth: Where your character was born. Were they born on their homeworld, on a starship, or on an Alien planet?

Marital Status: What is your character's marital status? Single, Married, Engaged, Dating, any of those are acceptable answers. Also, feel free to expand on your character's significant other.

Children: Does your character have any kids? If so, list their names and ages.

Siblings: Does your character have any brothers or sisters? If so, please explain who they are, how old they are and where they are currently living or working.

Mother's Name: Mother's name.

Father's Name: Father's name.

Parents' Status: Where are your character's parents? What are they up to right now? Are they alive, deceased, working, retired. This area is for explaining where they are and what they are currently doing. In our experience we have discovered that more often than not, Cadets wish to kill their parents off. I would go so far as to say that 90% of Cadets coming through the Academy have killed their parents in a horrific way. That being said, you're free to write your history the way you wish, just realize that having deceased parents is the norm, rather than a unique circumstance.

Pets: Does your character have a pet? If so, what is their name and what species are they? Is it aboard the ship with them, or waiting back home?

Best Friend: Who is your character's best friend. Tell us about this person.

Personal History: This is possibly one of the most important fields on your bio. This area is meant to show what has happened in your life from the time you were born, to the time you graduated the Academy and beyond. This section should be updated regularly as your personal history grows. Please be as descriptive and creative as possible. No one had a 'normal' childhood, or adulthood as there is no such thing as 'normal' when it comes to life. For history, we usually look for three good-length paragraphs, of at least four lines each, explaining your character's past. A good rule of thumb is to use the first paragraph to describe childhood, the second to describe their education/time prior to Academy entry, and the third to describe their time at the Academy.

  • Note: Players wishing to "hide" events of their character's past should consult the Dean of Evaluations for advice on suitability, planning and execution.

Personality

Academy Majors: What fields did your character major in at the Academy? This will be your division: Security, Medical, Engineering. This is your character's main focus during their time in the Academy. Your character can have more than one major, but keep in mind if they have more than two then it would take them longer to complete the Academy (Four years is the norm for one major and two minors. Add at least three extra years for each additional major).

Academy Minors: What did your character specialize in at the Academy? Secondary type classes, like xeno-biology, or tactics, holographic programming, and the like. Anything you might find in a Star Fleet curriculum. Typically cadets would have one minor, but they are welcome to have more than that. If they have more than two it would take them longer to complete the Academy (Four years is the norm for one major and two minors. Add at least two extra years for every additional minor).

Hobbies & Past-Times: When you're not knee deep in Star Fleet duties, what does your character like to do with their off time? What are the hobbies that keeps them busy while sitting around waiting for their daily shift? Maybe hang-gliding in the holodeck, or sitting in their quarters reading an old mystery novel?

Short-Term Goals: Everyone has short-term goals. When you achieve the goals you list here, you should have new goals to replace them with. Very few people walk around completely and utterly content with their life. Short-term goals should NOT include graduation, becoming a Star Fleet Officer, or being assigned to a ship. These goals will all be met before you can begin actual game play.

Long-Term Goals: Where do you see yourself in a year, five years, ten years, twenty years? This is the place to outline what your long term and ultimate goals are. Again, this should not be graduation, being a Star Fleet Officer, or being assigned to a ship.

Personality: What kind of personality does your character have? Are they outgoing and adventurous, or cautious and careful? Fun loving, or responsible? Shy and reserved?

Sense of Humor: What makes your character laugh? Do they have a dry, understated, witty, sarcastic, slapstick, dirty, or no sense of humor at all? Do they crack everyone up at the drop of a hat?

Phobias: What scares your character? What makes their skin crawl, no matter how unreasonable it may seem.

Likes: What things do your character like? What interests them?

Dislikes: What does your character hate? What makes them cringe?

Pet Peeves/Gripes: What irritates your character above all else? What do they complain about when sitting around with friends off-duty? Maybe boisterous snobs, or hearing someone tap their toes.

Bad Habits/Vices: Most everyone has a bad habit of some sort or something they indulge in that they really shouldn't. Nail Biting, Alcohol, drugs, finger tapping, nervous laughter, scratching, knuckle-cracking, lip chewing, fidgeting, what habits or vices does your character have?

Achievements: Everyone has achieved something to be proud of. Even if it's winning a spelling bee from the third grade. What has your character achieved?

Disappointments: Everyone has had some disappointments. Didn't graduate earlier than your roommate at the Academy? Perhaps you were over-looked for a promotion. What has disappointed your character?

Illnesses: Ever had a major illness, still have one? Perhaps the measles, or mumps, or something more exotic has plagued you in the past?

Strengths: What does your character excel at? What do they do perfectly without trying while others struggle along wondering how you do it?

Weaknesses: What are you not so good at? What seemingly simple tasks are confusing to you, even when explained or demonstrated several times?

Fears: What are you afraid of? What causes your character to wake up in the middle of the night and turn all the lights on in the quarters with cold sweats?

Prejudices: Don't like Klingons, even though they are working with you every day? What about Senior Officers, perhaps even Department Heads of the opposite sex. What prejudices does your character believe in?

Questions

Most Painful Experience: Describe the most painful experience in your character’s life. This is to help your Academy Instructor, as well as your Commanding Officer, learn more about your character's life. Also, it allows them a point of reference for possible future subplots surrounding your character. Was having a tooth pulled the most painful thing ever? Or what about when your parents went on holidays without you?

Best Time: Describe the best time of your character’s life. Again, this is a question intended to get into your character's psyche a bit and learn more about what they find pleasurable and when they were happiest in life.

Most Crucial Experience: What was the most crucial experience of your character’s life (experience that helped to mold personality and attitude). Everyone has had a moment in their life, an epiphany that helped define them as a person. A point where they can look back and see themselves turning an important corner in their life. What is that point for your character?

Role Model: Describe your role model. This is to learn about who you look up to. Who is the person you most admire and wish to be like and why?

Administration

Referrer: How did you find Federation Space? 'Internet' is not really a valid answer. We're an internet only site, you wouldn't likely have heard about us on the radio or television. We're looking for specifically where you saw a link to the site, or if you had a friend refer us, who are they on the site? They will get points for you mentioning them. If you found us via a search engine, please tell us which search engine and what your search term was.

Requested Department: This should be the top three list that you sent the Academy admins when you initially joined the site.

Conclusion

That about wraps it up! If you follow our suggestions, you should have a pretty top-notch bio. As you go through the Academy, we'll have a bio evaluation have a look at your biography just to make sure everything is alright.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to email any of our Academy admins or our bio evaluators. We'll be glad to lend a hand. Good luck!