As many of you already know, the 30th anniversary of the premiere episode of Star Trek: Deep Space happened earlier this year. “Emissary” introduced us all to an entire new style and world of Trek. However, today is also a fairly important day in the history of DS9, and we have a special guest to fill you in:
If you visited our website yesterday, you probably noticed that it looked like it was straight out of 2002 (or 2001?). And you would be right! Using records from the Internet Archive, we reconstructed our Angelfire site from the days of yore using the current fleet line up, creating a mash up of then and now. The simming world was quite different back then–and so were our web development capabilities! In case you missed it, we’ve archived the 2023 retro site here.
But why now? Fast forward to April 14-16, 2011–it was exactly 12 years ago that IDF hosted the first modern SciWorld Online Convention, which incidentally was 12 years after the original SciWorld in 1999. In early 2011, the Simming League was largely dead and the community had drifted apart over the previous few years: Clubs rarely interacted with each other anymore. SciWorld 2011 changed all of that by serving as the genesis for a new era of cooperation and celebration. In addition to SciWorld, we also now also have FallFest, Khitomer, and Babel. SciWorld renewed interest in the Tournament of Simulations and the Simming Prize as well.
On a related note, a few of you have pointed out that we missed our typical April Fools’ Day joke this year. While we can’t go back in time to fix that, we hope this blast from our past was still fun nonetheless. Until next year…
Less than a month later and we already have another new sim joining us: the USS Eclipse officially launched on January 16, 2023. This is a brand new sim focusing on science and exploration that takes place in a post-Nemesis timeline. Take a look and consider joining today!
| USS Eclipse | NCC-72382 |
| Format: Prose | Era: Post-Nemesis |
| Type: Traditional | Class: Nova |
| CO: Captain Aven LaCroix | Join! |
Welcome to the fleet, Captain LaCroix and crew!
With 2022 in the books, it’s high time we checked in with the latest version of the IDF Record Book over on our About page. As it turns out, we have a new all-time leader in monthly awards. Lieutenant Bonnie “Bon-Bon” Durnell of the USS Sunfire now has a grand total of 29.83 awards, passing the previous leader, Jenna Ramthorne (of a prior version of the Sunfire), who has 24.83. What’s even more incredible, is that both characters are played by the same person!
| Best Post | Funniest Post | Genesis | MVP | Most Posts | Most Improved | Recruitment | Total | |
| Durnell | 5.05 | 5.78 | 4 | 14 | 1 | 29.83 | ||
| Ramthorne | 4 | .83 | 4 | 15 | 1 | 24.83 |
Prolific across multiple award categories, the two stat lines seem to mirror each other. However, the difference is clearly Durnell’s five plus Funniest Post awards to Ramthorne’s zero. See what adding humor to your game can do! Congratulations to Lieutenant Durnell on this incredible accomplishment!
As it turns out, we have quite a few current or recent members who have moved up leader board since we brought the Awards back for March 2020:
Active Member — received an award within the last year or confirmed to currently be on a sim
Hall of Famer
In addition to all those who’ve won awards, I also want to thank each of our sim Commanding Officers for submitting nominations month-in and month-out and to Rear Admiral James “Rook” Mirtoh for running the program and selecting winners. Without their tireless efforts, the awards simply wouldn’t be possible.
I’ve long been of the opinion that the monthly awards are one of the absolute best features of this fleet, and they’re a key bonus that really distinguishes us from other groups out there. The numbers speak for themselves: Through the end of 2022, we have 969 total documented awards presented to 506 different individuals through 1,226 different award records. Each one is permanently part of our continuing history, starting all the way back with the five original awards presented for our very first month of July 2001 going up through today and beyond.
Now it’s time to add your legacy to the story…
We don’t often have outside sims join our fleet. However, I am very proud to announce that the USS Churchill joined us last month with their first official post as a member of IDF coming on December 23, 2022. Captain James Stewart is the Commanding Officer.
| USS Churchill | NCC-86255 |
| Format: Prose | Era: Post-Dominion War |
| Type: Traditional | Class: Luna |
| CO: Captain James Stewart | Join! |
Welcome aboard, Captain Stewart and crew!
Congratulations to our very own USS Chuck Norris on winning a Squiddie award back in November:
“For its noteworthy contributions to the greater simming community. Unprecedented for an individual sim, the USS Chuck Norris hosted the 2012 Simulation Cup to keep the recently returned Tournament of Simulation from again becoming a relic of history, and to date it is still the only game to sponsor a tournament. Furthermore, when host club Independence Fleet’s website went offline in 2019, the Chuck Norris crew continued to sim over email until a new fleet website came online in early 2020. Without their action, their mother fleet like so many from the earlier eras would almost certainly belong to the ages today. In addition, they won the Creativity award in the 2014 Tournament of Simulations.“
For those well versed in Independence Fleet history, you might know that January 2nd is an important day for the USS Chuck Norris. For those who don’t, we have a special guest who can fill you in:
Well done, and here’s to many more years for the longest continuously active sim in its present form in the current Independence Fleet line up.
A lot has been written recently about artificial chatbot ChatGPT. The New York Times describes it as a ‘Code Red’ For Google Search. Other sites talk about its ability to potentially disrupt Hollywood, how it can write essays, and that it can even negotiate your cable bill. More worryingly, in the hands of bad actors, it can be used to generate malicious code. Since it can seemingly do so much, what can it do for role playing? I decided to put it to the test with this request:
Write a blog post to appear on idfleet.com
Here’s what we got in response:
The Importance of Fleet Management in Today’s Business World
ChatGPT
In today’s fast-paced business world, effective fleet management is crucial for the success of any organization that relies on vehicles to operate. Fleet management refers to the process of planning, coordinating, and controlling a company’s fleet of vehicles, including cars, trucks, vans, and other types of vehicles.
One of the primary benefits of fleet management is cost savings. By properly maintaining and utilizing vehicles, companies can reduce the need for costly repairs and downtime. This can be achieved through regular maintenance, vehicle tracking, and the use of fuel-efficient vehicles.
In addition to cost savings, fleet management can also improve safety and compliance. By implementing safety protocols and tracking vehicle performance, companies can reduce the risk of accidents and ensure that their vehicles are operating in compliance with local and federal regulations.
Effective fleet management can also increase productivity and efficiency. By using real-time tracking and scheduling, companies can optimize routes and schedules, reducing the time and resources required to complete tasks.
There are many tools and technologies available to help companies manage their fleets effectively. Fleet management software can be used to track vehicle location and performance, schedule maintenance, and optimize routes. GPS tracking devices can be installed in vehicles to provide real-time location information and alert managers to any potential issues.
In summary, effective fleet management is essential for any organization that relies on vehicles to operate. By implementing cost-saving measures, improving safety and compliance, and increasing productivity and efficiency, companies can achieve significant benefits through proper fleet management.
Needless to say, I think it missed the mark! It might be due to the bot’s inability to actually visit our website. Next I asked: Can you write a scene for a new Star Trek movie?
The scene opens on the bridge of the USS Enterprise, as the ship speeds through deep space on a mission to explore a mysterious new planet. Captain Kirk is standing at the helm, gazing out at the stars.
ChatGPT
Suddenly, the ship is jolted by a violent explosion. The alarms start blaring and the lights flash red.
“Report!” Kirk shouts, as the crew rushes to their stations.
“We’ve been hit by an energy weapon, Captain,” says Spock, who is working at the science console. “It’s of a type we’ve never seen before.”
“Where did it come from?” Kirk demands.
“I’m not sure, sir,” Spock replies. “It seems to be coming from the planet we’re approaching.”
Kirk takes a deep breath and makes a quick decision. “Helm, take us into orbit. Mr. Sulu, arm the phasers. Mr. Chekov, scan for any other ships or weapons in the area.”
The Enterprise enters orbit around the planet and begins to scan for any signs of danger. As they search, they pick up faint readings of a highly advanced alien civilization.
Kirk looks over at Spock. “What do you make of it, Spock?”
Spock’s eyebrows lift in surprise. “It appears to be a civilization far more technologically advanced than anything we’ve ever encountered. But there are no signs of hostile intent.”
Kirk nods. “We’ll approach with caution. Mr. Sulu, set a course for the nearest city. Let’s see if we can make contact and learn more about these aliens.”
The Enterprise heads towards the city, and as they get closer, they are amazed by the towering spires and gleaming structures that stretch up into the sky. It is clear that this civilization is highly advanced and technologically sophisticated.
As they approach the city, a bright beam of light shoots out from the planet’s surface and envelops the Enterprise. Kirk and the crew brace themselves, but instead of an attack, they find themselves transported to the surface of the planet.
They are greeted by a group of friendly aliens, who introduce themselves as the Q’tahli. The Q’tahli welcome the Enterprise crew and invite them to explore their city and learn about their civilization.
Kirk and the crew are amazed by the Q’tahli’s advanced technology and benevolent nature. They spend several days learning about the Q’tahli and their way of life, and even manage to help resolve a minor crisis that had been plaguing the Q’tahli’s society.
As the Enterprise prepares to leave, Kirk thanks the Q’tahli for their hospitality and friendship. “We’ll be sure to visit again,” he says, as the Enterprise sets course for its next adventure.
While this was a fun little exercise, I think it’s safe to say that ChatGPT has a ways to go before it can start role playing! You can read more about the backstory of ChatGPT here. You can also see a similar article to this one over at Ongoing Worlds.
It’s hard to believe that this is our first sim change of command since February, which I think is a real testament to the stability of our fleet. My, have we come a long way since our early days of the 2000s! Anyway, one official change to announce:
If you’ve been here for any length of time, you know we’re pretty big on anniversaries. However, it’s not just about our own. Indeed, the My Favorite Trek series from our early days was the inspiration behind the 2016 Star Trek’s 50th Anniversary: Your Favorite Trek article over at Ongoing Worlds. If you’re a serious Trekkie, you might already know that today’s a pretty important day too! But if not, we have a special guest to fill you in:
Enjoy!
