Popular Post Tomas Falt Posted July 5 Popular Post Share Posted July 5 (edited) Today we are proud to present the Length of Service and Special Awards! Length of Service Awards Length of Service Awards are presented to members who have been continuously active for at least a year. We've also got tiers for three, five, ten, fifteen, twenty, and yes, even twenty-five years of continuous service. It's a ladder of dedication and commitment, and we're here to honor those who have climbed it with style. We've got some serious milestones to celebrate this year, folks! We've got 33 incredible players who have reached some major length of service achievements. We've got the newbies with their first-year awards, the veterans with their three and five-year badges, and even a few legends who have hit the jaw-dropping ten and fifteen-year milestones. Let's give a big round of applause to all these rockstars who have made our community shine bright for so long. Cheers to their dedication and here's to many more amazing adventures together! 1-Year Member For those who have been members continuously for one year. Hiro Jones, graduated from training on October 26, 2018 Anton Richards, graduated from training on January 2, 2021 Tomas Falt, graduated from training on July 17, 2021 Kammus Corelli, graduated from training on July 26, 2021 Nestira Aristren, graduated from training on January 9, 2021 Jacin Ayemet, graduated from training on April 10, 2021 Rebecca Iko, graduated from training on December 10, 2021 V’Len Kel, graduated from training on September 11, 2021 Sera, graduated from training on December 28, 2021 Jack Kessler, graduated from training on March 1, 2022 Connor Dewitt, graduated from training on January 17, 2022 Wyatt Ral, graduated from training on March 20, 2022 Nathan Richards, graduated from training on March 5, 2022 Egil Renot, graduated from training on May 17, 2022 3-Year Member For those who have been members continuously for three years. Valin Dermont, graduated from training on April 10, 2017 Chloe Waters, graduated from training on January 11, 2018 Esa Kiax, graduated from training on February 11, 2018 Artinus Serinus, graduated from training on January 7, 2019 Noa T'Nessa Levinson, graduated from training on June 1, 2020 Wes Greaves, graduated from training on September 2, 2020 R'Ariel, graduated from training on January 6, 2020 Bryce Tagren-Quinn, graduated from training on January 9, 2012 5-Year Member For those who have been members continuously for five years. Solaris McLaren, graduated from training on November 11, 2013 Jesse De'Vere, graduated from training on January 8, 2014 Taelon, graduated from training on March 15, 2016 Toryn Raga, graduated from training on April 10, 2017 Serala, graduated from training on April 12, 2017 Genkos Adea, graduated from training on June 2, 2018 Talia Ohnari, graduated from training on January 5, 2015 10-Year Member For those who have been members continuously for ten years. Cadfael Peters, graduated from training on February 17, 2013 Vylaa zh'Tisav, graduated from training on January 1, 2009 15-Year Member For those who have been members continuously for fifteen years. Ossa V'Airu, graduated from training on January 8, 2005 Special Awards Great Bird Award Awarded to an officer who contributes to the development and/or invention of a new method of simming, thinking, or seeing the Star Trek universe. It has only been presented thrice in the group's existence, for creating the community, and for defining a new way of what a ship-based sim can be. This is a unique distinction and the greatest honour bestowed upon any officer. Quinn Reynolds, USS Gorkon Presented by Roshanara Rahman As our community’s highest honor, the Great Bird Award should be rare, remarkable, and recognizing those who have been truly impactful on the way our community–and the very game we play within it–functions. Emma, the player of Quinn Reynolds, has been all of these things and more. As the first person to reach the rank of full Admiral through promotion, Emma’s dedication and experience with our organization is unparalleled. In addition to her primary duty as commanding officer of USS Gorkon, she serves as a member of the Executive and Captains Councils and as the commandant of the StarBase 118 Academy. She routinely volunteers her time to other needs of the fleet as well, whether it be a fleet staff officer’s exam grader or a staff wiki administrator. All of her accomplishments and service have rightfully seen Emma recognized with other awards and promotions (and I highly encourage you to read the announcement and presentation of Emma’s promotion to Admiral last year for a full account of why she earned the recognition). The Great Bird Award, though, goes beyond recognition of the recipient’s achievements. As its description notes, “It has only been presented thrice in the group's existence: for creating the community, and for defining new ways of what a simming installation can be.” The award’s measure is thus not just about a recipient’s dedication or quality of work but assessing the total impact of the recipient to our community’s way of doing or seeing things. In other words, can we clearly see a distinction between a time before the recipient’s contributions and the time after? In terms of simming, Emma has certainly introduced and experimented with novel ideas, such as a “Year of Hell” serialized storyline that ran for eight months, a shared campaign region with another actively simming vessel, and a player ship that was centered on an older vessel rather than the latest and greatest (and years before onscreen Trek tackled the idea). The players under her command note the realism and deep storytelling that Emma cultivates on her ship, one which veteran 118 players comment as distinctly different and more engaging than what our fleet’s standards were many years ago. As Emma’s colleague though serving as one of the community’s administrators, I have a unique perspective to witness the impact of Emma’s presence. Put simply, there was a time before Emma, and there is now a time with Emma within the group’s leadership. Jordan (Fleet Admiral Tristan Wolf) has remarked to the staff about the notable stability that our community has enjoyed in terms of its leadership and active captains (four of whom have been in continuous command for more than seven years each). I do not believe it is a coincidence that this period of stability coincides with the time that Emma took on the role as an Executive Council member, first as the Captain–At-Large in 2015 before becoming a permanent member later that year. StarBase 118’s history has always reflected in some ways the personalities and priorities of those who led the fleet from its highest councils. StarBase 118 is first and foremost a game and hobby run by volunteers, and typically those who reached leadership positions in the community were those members who were most enthusiastic and had the free time to contribute to its administration. As my fellow Executive Council member (and captaincy class of 2016 alumnae) Jamie (Sal Taybrim) has noted, there is a distinction between being a good writer and a good player. Just because one has the skill set of the former does not automatically mean one will excel as the latter. To add to that, I will say there is most assuredly a distinction between being a good player and a good leader. Emma’s measured approach when it comes to issues that the community faces and the deep analysis she does of proposed ideas are invaluable to our group. She is cool-headed, kind, and compassionate, and the qualities she exhibits day-to-day as a working council member and CO are those we now expect and hold more strictly to for any aspiring leadership candidates. Thus, it is my privilege to present to Admiral Quinn Reynolds our community’s highest honor of the Great Bird Award for the impact she has made both within the simming environment and even more so within our group’s operations. As those recipients before her created the group and defined a new way of what a simming installation can be, she has defined through her example of how a person can be a leader in this organization and truly changed StarBase 118 for the better. Congratulations! Rising Star Award Awarded to members of Lieutenant Commander rank or higher who show great promise in many facets of their participation in the group, and to whom we look to as a future leader. Officers who qualify for this award consistently demonstrate their capabilities in leadership and facilitation of their fellow officers, including a recognisable dedication in their In Character and Out of Character activities to enhance the community. Samira Neathler, USS Gorkon Presented by Quinn Reynolds Sami has been a member of the Gorkon crew since she joined Starbase 118, and she’s been a huge contributor to the success of our ship. It’s been my absolute pleasure to see her journey from ensign to First Officer, and collaborate first with her as a simmer and then later as a peer in the ship’s command crew. Her leadership abilities are shown in the everyday things she does. Sami has a real knack for distilling a situation down to its component parts, which is so useful when discussing anything—from where to take the mission next, to what mentoring advice is needed to help someone reach their goals. She takes care to lift everyone up; having fun (and sharing cat pictures!) with the crew in Discord, highlighting their sims in the Appreciation forum, and encouraging them to engage with the rest of the fleet by keeping everyone up to date with news and events. New and returning members have talked about how welcome she makes them feel, and how her carefully crafted sims not only entertain but inspire. She’s someone who leads by example, with every sim giving us insight into her character, but also showing how to open the floor to other players and have everyone drive the story forward together. She’s a shepherd for her crew, the fleet, and the new people joining us, and so it’s my honour and delight to present this year’s Rising Star Award to her. Congratulations, Sami! Luminary Award Awarded to members holding the rank of Ensign, Lieutenant Junior Grade, or Lieutenant. Officers qualifying for this award have shown outstanding promise in their future endeavors by displaying their skills in leadership, dependability, and dedication to the community. Jack Kessler, USS Oumuamua Presented by Ossa V’Airu It is my utmost pleasure to present the distinguished Luminary Award to Joel, the talented writer behind Lieutenant Jack Kessler. Joel, simply put, is the Luminary Award. His dedication to the 'Oumuamua is evident in his active involvement as a staff member, contributing to mission proposals, mentoring multiple players, and offering insightful contributions to discussions. Joel possesses innate leadership qualities that shine through in his exceptional simming abilities and effortless scene management. His commitment and unwavering support for his fellow players are palpable, as he consistently provides kindness, encouragement, and sage guidance. Beyond the ‘Oumuamua, Joel's genuine care for the community's well-being and his inclusive approach to fun and engagement make him a role model and a beacon of positivity. I have absolutely no doubt that Joel is a future leader within the 118 community – in fact, since the nomination period closed, I was honored to nominate him to the Academy as a trainer – and we are fortunate to have him among us. Congratulations, Joel, on this well-deserved recognition of your remarkable skills, dependability, and dedication to the community. Your bright future and contributions are greatly appreciated and admired! Locutus Award Awarded to members of the Publicity Team who go above-and-beyond their monthly requirements for participation on a regular basis. These team members are enthusiastic about spreading the word about our role-playing community and are actively looking for new methods to draw people into the fold. Artinus Serinus, USS Arrow Presented by Randal Shayne The importance of our Publicity Team cannot be overstated. These fine members of the group work to spread the word, bring new and unique writers into our community, and help this fleet excel into the 2400s. I am delighted, but not surprised, that Lieutenant Commander Serinus’ fellows have elected to recognize Joseph for his stalwart dedication to the Publicity Team. Our recent inflow of new, excited cadets speaks to the import and efficacy of his contributions, and I am pleased to offer my congratulations to Joseph for an award well earned. Well done, Commander, and thank you! Sarpeidon Award Awarded to a simmer who has made outstanding contributions to the 118Wiki. Sarpeidon was the planet in TOS's "All Our Yesterdays" where the inhabitants built a library collecting their whole world's history. This is essentially what our wiki aspires to be: a repository of our group's history and a simming database. Robin Hopper, Amity Outpost Presented by Roshanara Rahman It’s quite fitting that Keegan, the writer behind Robin Hopper, has just recently been inducted into the ranks of the 118 Wiki administrators. Even before he expressed interest in taking on maintaining the wiki in an official capacity, Keegan had already dedicated countless hours not just in editing and building out the wiki directly himself but also most crucially in assisting others in the wiki help channel on the Discord server. As a wiki editor, he has shown creativity in the pages he’s worked on, including his own library of character biographies. He is always looking for areas that can be improved upon, and he is quick to volunteer rather than expect others to do the work for him. Most importantly, though, Keegan demonstrates a passion for maintaining and building the wiki as our fleet’s official record of simmed history. Many members have said that the wiki is one of our community’s features that really stood out to them when they first came across our group, and it’s thanks to the editors of the wiki like Keegan who make it such a crown jewel. In his new role as a wiki administrator, Keegan will no doubt continue to find ways to make the wiki even better, and we can be reassured that our fleet’s library is in good hands. Quark's Bar Awarded to members who are regularly active on the chat room, and forums, and have been supportive and involved in conversations enhancing the overall community experience with activities like keeping a quote thread up to date, consistently nominating simmers in the Appreciations forum, starting engaging chat discussions, attending chat events regularly, or being a helpful presence for new players. Alora DeVeau, StarBase 118 Ops Presented by Sal Taybrim Alora DeVeau is a name that almost everyone can recognize. She will be one of the first - if not the very first - person to greet any new cadets entering the Academy channel. She is quick to answer cadet’s questions and help out other players on Discord. She is a constant presence on the forums - nominating quotes and sims from multiple ships and engaging in positive feedback for ships that she doesn’t even play on because she loves reading the Appreciations forum! Multiple nominators noted that they felt that getting appreciation from someone on a different ship was especially meaningful to them. Amanda, the player behind Alora DeVeau, is always willing to go the extra mile to get support for new players, get questions answered and to reach out to players on every ship to form new relationships and friendships. This creates an excellent sense of fleetwide unity and camaraderie and brings both ships and players together. As one nominator so keenly said: "When I first returned to the community, Alora was one of the first people to greet me outside of the training staff and my ship. Her help in getting acquainted with chat, Discord, was instrumental. She was a friendly presence, an ambassador for the Fleet, as I navigated some things there - I had never been on Discord before!” I am so proud of Amada for her commitment to fleetwide unity, and that she was directly recognized by players on other ships for her contributions to building a supportive community. I am thrilled to be able to present her Quark’s Bar! Xalor Clan Xifilis Award Awarded to simmers who overcome a disadvantage throughout simming. This award was initially known as the "Rachel Garett Pendant," but was renamed for the 2000 event to commemorate a valued StarBase 118 PBEM RPG simmer who died that year. In each event, this award can be given to all qualifying simmers Azura Ada, USS Constitution-B Presented by Jalana Rajel I have known Azura, Lazuli, for years ever since she joined the fleet and we have been writing side by side through that time. But we also have formed a friendship beyond that which allowed me to be part of a special phase in her life. I have seen her grow and struggle and that struggle became evident when she went through a personal quest of discovering her true self. While when we are online we only see so much of someone's life, she let me be part of her journey of coming out, broken relationships, discovering new ones -including with herself- and finally transitioning into the bloody fantastic woman she is and has always been. That journey was never easy, but she also never shied away, and still walks every step with determination to live her true self. I'm really proud of her for never giving up no matter how loud the counter voices or how high the obstacles were, and that on top of first being the Chief of Science on the Conny and then First Officer. I am humbled and honored to call her my friend and be allowed to share her story with the fleet, which allows me to award her with the Xalor Clan Xifilis Award this year. You're amazing, Lazuli and deserve the world. Congratulations! Kettick, USS Denali Station Presented by Oddas Aria I am always in awe of the members of the crew who are able to write in other languages, let alone do it well. Mister Kettick now only does this player, but does it, so flawlessly it never registered this was the case, and he transcends the language barrier by writing interesting stories, funny stories, and plots that encourage others to participate. Kettick, Yann, is a great pick for this award and a player to watch for in the future. Congratulations! Obsius Sill-con, USS StarBase 118 Ops Presented by Sal Taybrim Xalor Clan Xifilis is all about overcoming adversity, and Simon who portrays Obsius Sill-con is an exemplary player who continues to grow, improve and thrive while overcoming adversity. Writing may come easy to some, but it doesn't to others. Writing in a language that isn't your native one is even more difficult. I've known several people here in SB118 who achieve that feat, and Sill-con is one of them. He manages to beautifully communicate his character's thoughts and feelings, and if you didn't know English wasn't his first language, you'd not be able to tell from his writing. Simon is a young writer overcoming all of the challenges of university while also living in a very volatile area which often threatens his own safety, and yet through it all he maintains positive communication with his fellow players and continues to sim with good quality sims and a focus on improving. I am so proud of all that Sill-con has accomplished this year and I am happy to recognize Simon with the Xalor Clan Xifilis award! Alex Forsyth, USS Denali Station Presented by Oddas Aria Alex, Robbie, is a great example of a player using writing as a creative outlet, and enriching everyone around them. Robbie’s anxiety started out as something they were extremely worried about, to the point of participation, but they have slowly - and spectacularly - opened up and written more it’s been a joy to see. As one nominator put it “Robbie has grown to become a valuable, dependable, creative member of the crew, who contributes interesting ideas and always adds a touch of humor and humanity in their sims” I cannot think of higher praise. Great job, Robbie, and thank you for being part of the crew! Community Champion Award Awarded to members who participate in – or help facilitate – simming community events, representing the best of StarBase 118 RPG to other organizations by hosting events, acting as contest judges, or otherwise contributing their expertise in a way that benefits the wider community. Jocelyn Marshall, USS Gorkon Presented by Quinn Reynolds So many events in Starbase 118’s calendar are facilitated by Em, it’s incredible how she does it. She’s organised or assisted in so many things: the State of the Federation Address, the Writing and Graphics Challenges, and of course, this very awards ceremony! Working from behind the scenes, she donates an incredible amount of her time and energy to help our members take part in these events, and also showcase our group to others; an incredible community, filled with brilliant writers and wonderful people. Not only that, but she’s a vital part of the Federation News Service and the News Team. Her efforts there help to ensure the continuing creativity and vitality of our fleet, highlighting that we’re an active and vibrant community, and a grand place to come and sim. I’m very proud to present Em with the Community Champion award. Congratulations, and thank you so much for everything you do! Jake Sisko Prize Awarded to members of the Federation News Service Team who regularly go above and beyond in their contributions and participation. These team members demonstrate passion and ingenuity in editing and composing news reports, assisting in the upkeep of our In Character news service, the expansion of the 118 cosmos, and providing inspiration for our members. Alora DeVeau, StarBase 118 Op Presented by Sal Taybrim Alora DeVeau is a one-woman powerhouse news writer. While her focus is most often on the OOC aspects of the News Service rather than the IC aspects, her contributions go above and beyond in every way. She consistently submits far beyond the minimum 1 new article per month - regularly completing 3-5 news articles monthly. And her speciality is interviews. Amanda, the player behind Alora is willing to reach out to players of every rank and on every ship to get the next news story. Her nominators recognized that this is incredibly inspirational and encouraged fleet members to read up on other ship’s storylines and other player’s sims. She also manages to highlight the best simmers from Ensigns in the Lower Decks to Commanding Officers in the Captain’s Corner and everyone in between. She takes a leadership role in this, actively seeking out recommendations for interviews rather than waiting for interviews to be assigned and she pushed forward doing all the communication and legwork for her interviews, allowing dozens of players to shine each year in our front page news. Amanda, you have done an incredible job with the news team since you joined it in 2020 and you are a champion for the fleet. She has submitted an incredible 71 interviews since January 2022, which have highlighted every rank, every ship and every award winner for well over a year. This is an outstanding contribution to our fleet and I am overjoyed to be able to recognize Alora DeVeau with this year’s Jake Sisko Prize! Northern Star Award Awarded to members holding the rank of Lieutenant or Lieutenant Commander who show constant commitment to the fleet as members of task forces and through our other fleet endeavours. These officers are vital to the success of our fleet, showing their support and enthusiasm for their crews and our community through their tireless efforts. Samira Neathler, USS Gorkon Presented by Quinn Reynolds Both the Rising Star and the Northern Star—clearly Sami is a shining light in SB118’s sky! A member of the fleet for nearly 5 years now, Sami has always eagerly sought to help out wherever she can with the fleet’s OOC endeavours. She is one of our most regular volunteers in the Training Team, helping to shepherd new cadets into the fleet. On top of that, she’s also one of the team’s statisticians, a vital group who ensures our records of cadets, classes, and training officers are accurate and up to date. She does all of this with a sharp eye for detail, and shows a keen insight for where the team can improve its processes and documentation. On top of that, she is a member of several other teams: the Federation News Service, the Social Media Team, and the History team, showing her enthusiasm and dedication to our community. This continuing dedication is not only appreciated, but inspiring, and she truly deserves the Northern Star for her unwavering dedication to the fleet. Congratulations once more, Sami! Okuda Award Awarded to members of the Image Collective who regularly go above and beyond in their contributions to this team's efforts, creating images and graphics for the fleet. These team members display their artistry and dedication with a visual feast for members new and old, bringing our creations to life and stoking imaginations. Robin Hopper, Amity Outpost Presented by Jo Marshall We've all witnessed the impressive image wizardry Robin, also known as Keegan, performs on the Image Collective. He's not just tossing together some simple graphics like a Bitmap rookie (Who remembers it? 'Fess up!). No, he takes it a step further by breathing life into requested characters, giving them a distinctive face and a snazzy uniform. When you've got a vision in your head you're trying to get onto a digital canvas, Robin comes swinging in. His knack for asking the right questions delivers an image that's exactly what the requestor imagined. For a few lucky ships, Robin is also their banner maker. He brings the same flair and speedy delivery to these projects, creating banners that are truly one-of-a-kind and catch your eye. These pieces add a special, personalised touch to our forums. So here's a big shout-out to Robin, one of our extraordinary image magicians. He's not just on the nomination list for the Okuda Award this year - he's nabbed it! Keep rocking it, Robin! Please join us in congratulating these talented players! Edited July 5 by Jo Marshall 17 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nolen Hobart Posted July 5 Share Posted July 5 Well done and well-earned, all! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jalana Posted July 5 Share Posted July 5 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Serala Posted July 5 Share Posted July 5 Congratulations, everyone!! Well done and well deserved! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doz Finch Posted July 5 Share Posted July 5 Congratulations to all the recipients! 👏 Just brilliant! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noa T'Nessa Levinson Posted July 5 Share Posted July 5 Woooo, congrats, everyone! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryce Tagren-Quinn Posted July 5 Share Posted July 5 Congratulations!! Well done, and absolutely well-deserved!!! 🥳👏 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madison Marsh Posted July 5 Share Posted July 5 Congratulations and well deserved for the award winners! This was a wonderful read and as a new member in the community, I certainly appreciate your time and efforts. Keep it rolling! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tahna Meru Posted July 5 Share Posted July 5 Congratulations and well done, everyone! 🎉 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toryn Raga Posted July 5 Share Posted July 5 Bravo, Huzzah and woohoo!! Congrats to all you wonderful people! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+ Cory Stoyer Posted July 6 Share Posted July 6 Congratulations to all. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samira Neathler Posted July 6 Share Posted July 6 Congratulations all, wel deserved everyone. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Artinus Serinus Posted July 6 Share Posted July 6 Congats everyone! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Kendrick Posted July 6 Share Posted July 6 Congratulations everyone!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alora DeVeau Posted July 7 Share Posted July 7 Congratulations to all the winners, and here's to many more years at SB118! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+ Hutch Posted July 7 Share Posted July 7 Huge congrats to all, especially to Quinn for the Great Bird Award! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+ Vitor S. Silveira Posted July 7 Share Posted July 7 Again congratulations to all, winners, nominees, not nominated, for making this such a wonderful community Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sal Taybrim Posted July 8 Share Posted July 8 Amazing work everyone! Special shout out to @Alora DeVeau who is the absolute best when it comes to interviews and news stories! And may I say that your journey @Azura Ada has been one of inspiration, and so much heart! You are a wonderful person to sim with and an incredible friend. Congratulations! Awesome work everyone! So glad to see our rising stars keep rising and our Luminaries are shining brightly! Congrtulations! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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