The following is some information regarding Hybrid SIMming within the UFP Division.
1) Introduction
"What is a Hybrid SIM?"
Good question. The term 'Hybrid' means a formal combination of two or more things to make one. In this case, it is a combination of two different kinds of SIMming: E-Mail and IRC, the two mainstay SIMming methods in UCIP for many years. It is suggested you have a firm understanding of what E-Mail and IRC SIMs are before reading this.
While many SIMs over the years have put aspects of one or the other into their SIM (eg. an IRC SIM that logs during the week, or an E-Mail SIM that meets on IRC once in awhile), there have been little to no instances where a SIM has made both IRC and E-Mail SIMming their official format. If you join a Hybrid SIM, you must have a love for both styles of UCIP roleplaying, as you will be expected to perform both on a weekly basis.
**This is not meant to take away from E-Mail or IRC SIMs, but simply to give those who wish to do both a third option when it comes to SIMming.
2) Promotion Policy for Hybrid SIMs
On a Hybrid SIM, you will be expected to log at least one time a week (just like an E-Mail SIM), as well as attend the weekly IRC SIM (day/time varies with each SIM). If you fail to do one or the other, you will not be given full credit towards your next promotion for that week. Each aspect of Hybrid SIMming (E-Mail & IRC) counts for 50% of your credit for the week, respectively.
eg. Ensign Bob attends the IRC SIM, but doesn't log for that week (or vice versa), while Ensign Jim does both. Ensign Jim gets that week credited to his next promotion, while Ensign Bob is only credited with half a week. If the above example continued for four weeks, then Ensign Bob would only advance 2 weeks towards his next promotion, while Ensign Jim would have advanced the full 4.
If you cannot attend an IRC SIM for any week, you are expected to let your CO/XO know, otherwise you run the risk of facing further consequences with promotion time. If you don't attend the IRC SIM for whatever reason, you won't be given credit, but at least you don't run the risk of losing further promotion time. Whether you do or not is at your CO's discretion, although a possible course of action by the CO could be to make the officer write up a log of the IRC SIM (see below), as well as a regular E-Mail log, just to get half credit for the week.
** Of course, everybody has things that come up, so once every four SIMs a person who does not attend the IRC SIM (and gives an excuse beforehand) will be given the opportunity to take the IRC log from the SIM and write up an E-Mail log to have happened from his character's perspective during the SIM. This, combined with a regular E-Mail log, would result in full credit for the week. Remember, this can only occur once every four weeks, and is not meant as a substitute for not attending the IRC SIM
(NOTE: You must write up the log for the IRC SIM the week that you missed the SIM, you cannot do it weeks after the fact). Unfortunately, there is no way to make up for missing the E-Mail portion of the week, as the week ends when the E-Mail logging portion ends.
3) SIM Reports
The SIM report doesn't change much if you're familar with IRC and E-Mail SIM reports, but there is extra work involved. At the end of each IRC SIM, an "IRC SIM Summary" must be written. This is sent to the SIM listserv, and not any other (such as your Subfleet, Logistics, etc). The SIM Summary should include the summary, as well as who was present/absent. Below is an example: ----------
My thanks again to some of the Melbourne crew for guesting with us tonight. As you're all aware, if you can make it, you're welcome to join their SIM this Saturday evening/Sunday morning at 12:30am EST for the Melbourne SIM. I'm going to try to make it, but I may be unable to, but I hope you all try to make it as it is a very good SIM. Next week at the IRC SIM we should be leaving SB189, so wrap up anything you had to do. I believe our own Ensign Parsons has a concert she wishes to put on for you all, so look for that to happen :-) If anyone has any questions or concerns feel free to e-mail me as always at
or Lieutenant Commander Friess at
You must attend the IRC SIM AND write at least ONE E-Mail log each week or you will not get full credit for the week. Thanks a bunch, and I'll see you all Tuesday and/or during the week via E-Mail.
Plot Summary: Friess asked Jayden what to do with Assante and De'tul, and Jayden informed her to release them both from the brig, but to confine them to quarters. Jayden had a very busy evening, as after his XO visited, he was also visited by Ensign Sturek (who wanted to introduce himself as the new Medical officer), as well as Ensign Parsons who wanted to do likewise, even though Jayden had met her previously during the pirate encounter. She left him a PADD about a concert she wanted to put on, and left. Next, the CO of the USS Melbourne Lieutenant Commander Third of Five came to his ready room and asked questions about the pirates they had encountered. After that, Jayden brushed off a communication from Friess and spoke to Jensei about the CEO's belief that he was being told future events by a ghost. Needless to say, Jayden wasn't having a very good day. Titanic visited Sturek from the Melbourne, while Third of Five and Alexandre, also Melbourne crew members, toured the Starbase and took in the local bars. De'tul and Assante were informed by Friess about what was going to happen to them, and Assante took full responsibility for what had happened. Despite that, Friess told both they were confined to quarters, and that Jayden would be in touch. Jensei had a counseling session with Tanya (her very first one!) before talking to Jayden. Jensei then set up a tennis date with Tanya for the next day, where he wished to discuss his beliefs in the "ghost" some more, as he felt he could have prevented the tragedy of the Truidia V situation where many Enterprise crew members were lost if he had listened to this voice of someone who had died long before the incident occurred, telling him what would (and did) happen.
It is highly suggested that this report goes out ASAP following the IRC SIM, so people can begin logging from the SIM, and people who couldn't attend know what was going on while they were absent. **It is up to the CO, however, if they wish to send this following the IRC SIM or with the regular SIM report. Next, is the regular SIM report. It is written as any normal SIM report, but the IRC summary is pasted (not the whole report, just the summary and attendance) into the SIM summary. It is suggested you start the summary by writing what happened during the logging week up until the IRC SIM, then paste the IRC summary, and then continue with the rest of the logging summary for the week. Below is an example of how to do that:
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Plot Summary: Assante and De'tul talked in the brig while Jensei and Parsons had a counseling session. (Start IRC SIM) Friess asked Jayden what to do with Assante and De'tul, and Jayden informed her to release them both from the brig, but to confine them to quarters. Jayden had a very busy evening, as after his XO visited, he was also visited by Ensign Sturek (who wanted to introduce himself as the new Medical officer), as well as Ensign Parsons who wanted to do likewise, even though Jayden had met her previously during the pirate encounter. She left him a PADD about a concert she wanted to put on, and left. Next, the CO of the USS Melbourne Lieutenant Commander Third of Five came to his ready room and asked questions about the pirates they had encountered. After that, Jayden brushed off a communication from Friess and spoke to Jensei about the CEO's belief that he was being told future events by a ghost. Needless to say, Jayden wasn't having a very good day. Titanic visited Sturek from the Melbourne, while Third of Five and Alexandre, also Melbourne crew members, toured the Starbase and took in the local bars. De'tul and Assante were informed by Friess about what was going to happen to them, and Assante took full responsibility for what had happened. Despite that, Friess told both they were confined to quarters, and that Jayden would be in touch. Jensei had a counseling session with Tanya (her very first one!) before talking to Jayden. Jensei then set up a tennis date with Tanya for the next day, where he wished to discuss his beliefs in the "ghost" some more, as he felt he could have prevented the tragedy of the Truidia V situation where many Enterprise crew members were lost if he had listened to this voice of someone who had died long before the incident occurred, telling him what would (and did) happen. (End IRC SIM)
Parsons made preparations for her concert before heading to the holosuite to meet Jensei for a tennis match. Jensei let Jayden know that his belief he was being told the future by a ghost was actually just his imagination, and then left to meet Parsons. Figaro bought and delivered the flowers for Assante to give to Parsons for accidently hitting her in the face the previous week. Markley sent a message to Jayden asking to talk to him in person, while Friess set out to assist Parsons in preparing her concert.
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4) Closing comments The key to making a Hybrid SIM work is to try and have the IRC SIM and E-Mail logging flow with one another. Some weeks you may have the majority of action happen during the SIM, while some weeks it may be through logging. Some weeks there could be little to no logging and everything is built up for the IRC SIM, and sometimes the IRC SIM may build up a heavy week of logging. It is suggested that when starting the Hybrid SIM for the first time to try doing all the possibilities imaginable, so down the road you'll know what to expect and eventually it will be as simple as riding a bike.
Again, you must have a desire to SIM both via E-Mail and via IRC in order for Hybrid SIMming to work for you. It is a SIM format made for those who want to do both, but don't want to make up two different characters. You can keep the same one character you love, and have the best of both worlds. It is a great deal more work for the administrative staff of a SIM, but it gives those doing it a better understanding of IRC and E-Mail SIMs and how they work. Of course, it is suggested you've had experience doing both before undertaking this challenge, but as long as you have a desire to do both, it's easy enough to learn. **In the end, many of the details of running a Hybrid SIM is up to the CO running it. The above are guidelines that I have found to work very well. They can be expanded on or condensed depending on the CO in question. What must remain, however, is a requirement to do both IRC and E-Mail SIMming in some fashion, since otherwise it would not be Hybrid at all and would in fact just be a modified E-Mail or modified IRC SIM.
**This style of SIMming allows those looking for this type of SIMming (and there are those out there interested in it) a chance to finally do it. Instead of needing "bonus" incentive to log on an IRC SIM or show up on IRC on an E-Mail SIM, Hybrid would make it a normal requirement.
**And if one does not wish to take part on a Hybrid SIM all they have to do is not join it. The existance of Hybrid SIMs does not damage other SIMs of other formats in any way, shape or form. The result can only be beneficial.
Thanks to Rear Admiral Cerywyn, Rear Admiral Suzanna Blokpoel, Commodore Kahlia Scott, and Jaeih`v for their input and suggestions throughout the policy making process.
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