FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Where am I and what is this?

These are the official forums for the Star Trek Online roleplay fleet, 38th Fleet ‘Argo’. We’re an internet/MMO/RP community that has been active since Star Trek Online (PC platform only, no console) was released in 2010 and though management has changed hands a few times and our population is enormously diverse and varied, we continue to share a common fondness for Star Trek, science fiction, and communal storytelling.

What is roleplay?

Roleplay is defined as taking on the role of another character/person and acting as them in various presented pretend circumstances and situations. In our particular case, our players are taking on the roles of original characters living in the Star Trek universe, most often as Starfleet officers, though there are certainly representatives of other factions and professions as well.

What is roleplay like in Argo?

The collective Argo story unfolds primarily through two mediums: (1) through synchronous roleplay sessions that take place in the free to play MMO Star Trek Online (on PC, not console; they are not cross-compatible) and (2) through asynchronous posted communications and reports that can be found on our forums here.

Synchronous sessions in game are often scheduled events where a designated host will present a particular situation (mission brief) that characters will be encountering, but Argo likewise tries to cultivate a lively casual/social environment as well, so impromptu roleplay is highly encouraged and welcome.

We also have opportunities for play by post forum RP and Discord RP, as well as space for you to post stories that you’ve written about your characters.

How do I apply?

Please see this link for the full process of how to join!

I’m new to (Roleplay / Star Trek / STO / MMOs). Can I still join your fleet?

Of course! We were all new at one time or another, and Argo has a really wide range of experience levels among our membership. We like to think we’re pretty welcoming!

If you’re not sure where to start, we recommend checking out the Setting description and Setting Help forum for some helpful links on various topics.

We understand that this can all be a little overwhelming, but fear not, we’re here to help! If you’d rather ask a live person for some help, feel free to hop into our Discord and ask our senior members and staff any questions you might have. When you formally fill out an application, our staff will work with you to refine your character concept and backstory, until you’re happy with the result and ready to join the fleet.

Do you accept people from [insert timezone here]?

Argo is an English-speaking international fleet and we’re happy to welcome members all over the globe! All members are encouraged to run their own events and attend those that occur at a timeframe that works best for them and their schedule.

That said, Argo has historically had larger representation in both member and staff populations from US timezones, so for better or worse, the lion’s share of event times are often scheduled to accommodate this group. We do have active players in the EU, as well as those who work odd hours, and will always welcome more. We hope to have as active an EU population as we do US some day!

Does Argo also offer RP for the Klingon/KDF Faction?

Unfortunately not. We used to in the past, and we’re not ruling out the option in the future, but at the moment there is no KDF RP.

Does Argo also offer RP for the Romulan Faction?

Yes! Characters of the Romulan faction in STO have to make a choice after Level 10, to ally with the Federation or with the Klingon Empire. Due to game mechanics, Argo can only accept Federation aligned characters.

We have a fairly large contingent of Romulan RPers, so if that’s your interest, you’ll be right at home! Check out this post for more information.

Do I have to stay In Character at all times?

Argo has a policy of strict separation between IC and OOC content. While OOC, we do not have any restrictions whatsoever on what ships/weapons/gear our members can use, or what content they can do.

Your OOC gear does NOT have to be the same as your IC/RP gear. For example, it is perfectly acceptable to RP as a lowly Ensign or the Captain of a rickety old light cruiser, and then go run an STF in your decked-out Herald Dreadnought.

Does Argo have a Discord server?

We do have a Discord server that is generally reserved for members only (initiates included), as well as potential Argo applicants. The Discord server is mandatory for all members.

Argo will never require members to communicate via voice.

Does Argo have any Discord RP?

We do support Discord RP on our server through dedicated IC channels and Discord chatbots that significantly enhance our ability to support Discord RP. Players may optionally use Tupperbox to manage multiple characters and our server’s custom bot will allow players to expand and add channels on the fly to accommodate as many concurrent RPs as you can handle, with additional features for managing who can join and optionally saving your logs to the forums.

Do I have to sign up for the forums? Isn’t Discord enough?

Discord is a fantastic application, but chat channels are just not sufficient for the kind of depth and detail that our roleplay often goes to. We use forums to hold and organize more permanent aspects of our RP and Discord remains the purview of more instantaneous communication needs.

What sort of characters do you need?

We’ve been here for a long time and the representation of characters across different disciplines and jobs shifts constantly, so this is not a question we generally like to answer, because by the time you join the fleet with your new character, the answer might have changed already!

We feel it’s way more important for you to roll a character who works in a discipline that you feel you would have the most fun with, since that’s what will keep you coming back for more. Other players, too, will have more fun RPing with you if you’re enthusiastic about your character’s role.

So make you your biggest priority when picking something to play and if it turns out you don’t like it as much as you thought you would, we will work with you to find something that you do like!

Where’s that cool background from?

The original LCARS background was made by TronTrek, we just added a 38th seal on top.