How Do I Get Started?

Okay, I'd like to play but I don't really know how to get started.

Assuming you just want to explore, I'd recommend you start somewhere close to another playing character. If you'd specifically like to start at spacedock, you can. That might be a way to bring on the crew you want and introduce them. If you already have a crew and/or you don't want to have to start at spacedock, you can either create a mission, (Look on the map and choose a survey mission, for example) or the moderator can assign you a mission. I will start you off (to start off) no more than a day's travel from your destination. For your first day, en route, write a short bit that tells people about your ship and crew. Your ship is a heavy cruiser. If you are in the TNG era, you get a Galaxy Class. You name it (and no, you can't have the Enterprise. Create your own legend).
Think about your first post in a regular rpg. Introduce yourself. On the second day, you'll arrive at your destination. Just a simple survey mission. First roll four six-sided dice (abbreviated as 4d6). That'll tell you what kind of planet you'll encounter (refer to yesterday's post that had all the planetary clsssifications, like Class M). Then roll a 3d6 to get your random planetary mission. Again, refer to the guide I posted yesterday. Remember, I started out knowing only the sector I was in, as part of an ongoing story, that the planet was Class C, and that as soon as the landing party beamed down, it vanished. After that, I just used my imagination. So what's the point? How is this any different from any other rpg? Because for one thing, I don't know what will happen to my ship tomorrow. And conceivably, as more people start to play, I could lose my ship to another player who decides to take it on. So there is a randomness to Fantasy Trek that most rpg's don't have. Imagine a combination of an old text-based exploration game (remember exploring a village, clicking on a doorway and discovering what's inside?) and Dungeons and Dragons, where you a roll of the dice decides the fate of a mission. I always loved the combination of fleet action and one-on-one action (as well as the opportunity to out-micromanage an opponent) of Starfleet Battles. So Fantasy Trek should be a combination of rpg writing that you know from Federation and Empire and the kind of old-fashioned gaming that depends on imagination rather than graphics for the fun. And, hey, there is an internet full of resources to use or explore.

If you'd like to try a single mission, just say so. Name your ship and command crew. I'll take the next step, and walk you through it.