A user manual of sorts

Hi All,

I'm planning on using Empty Epsilon as a teamwork/communications skills event with high school students so I've written up more detailed instructional handouts as part of a light-roleplaying scenario. I thought someone else might benefit from it, so here it is:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Rpv0VpMH433eAixvax3i3ECtyURWujpO

It's a big doc, but it's not intended to be read all at once - The plan is to assign them to groups and then give them the first page. Then let them work in their group to select roles, then each player will be given the detailed instructions for that role before going on the simulators.

Because it's schoolkids, I think the hardest part is going to be getting them to communicate effectively (kinda the point of it too) so I've included lots of tips on how to communicate effectively.

As well as sharing it with you all, I'd love any hints or tips from anyone who's tried similar things, or if anyone spots a mistake in the manuals please let me know!

Comments

  • This is great! Having a resource like this will help me introduce various potential players to the game. I like the way you've incorporated the game logos as well as closely matching the game font in your document. You also have labeled the diagrams in a fashion that emulates the EE user interface. These touches make for good immersion. This document is very useful as-is and even if you don't make any modifications, I plan to use it with the folks I play with.

    There are places where you refer to "Recon" when I think you mean to refer to "Relay," but it could just be a terminology choice on your part. You show "Relay" on the first page and in Relay details section, but other detailed role sections say "Recon."

    Unnecessary or surprising blank line in the descriptive paragraph under Protecting Your Ship in the Weapons details. For calibration you may want to add something like, "the best calibration is green: high on the graph for beams to maximize damage, low on the graph for shields to minimize damage." I find that new weapons and science officers often mix these two graphs up. Weapons sometimes mixes up the calibration controls, too.

    Tips or tricks for weapons: A good combination for heavy groups of enemies is an EMP to remove shields followed by a nuke for severe damage. However, if these are fired too closely together, the EMP blast radius will destroy the nuke before it hits.

    Engineering tip: I believe hull damage can only be repaired while docked. Other systems can be repaired in flight.

    You neglected to mention the ship log at the bottom of the Relay screen. Many missions communicate goals and other information that gets stored in the log. Click on it to read it (the most recent entries are at the bottom of the log), scroll with the scroll bar on the right (not the scroll wheel, which zooms), click again to reduce it back to the last line at the bottom of the screen. Of course, you use "press" instead of click in other parts of this document, so that's what you should use when describing this function as well. My consoles are almost all devices with mice attached. The capacity of the log is limited.

    Again, I really like this document. I'd love to see special editions for player ship types other than Atlantis (eg: Flavia P. Falcon, MP52 Hornet, Phobos M3P, Piranha, Cruiser, Fighter, Missile Cr.) or maybe an appendix at the end of this one outlining the differences.
  • That's great feedback, thanks Xansta. I've updated the doc with your suggestions and a bunch more typos I spotted. No idea why I'd blanked on Recon/Relay like that...
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