The Simming Prize
Designed by Jack Carter
Chest Ribbon
The Simming Prize (officially The Prize for Simming and Online Role Playing in Memory of Seth Cotis) is an award that recognizes outstanding individuals and organizations within the simming and play-by-post role-playing community. The Simming Prize is given in memory of Seth Cotis, founder of the Starfleet Legacy Alliance and long-time leader within the Simming League.
Prize information[]
Up to five Simming Prizes are bestowed each year to individuals or entities (games, clubs, or organizations) that (1) exemplify service, quality, and dedication within the play-by-post online role-playing; or who (2) pioneer new technology or techniques within the community. The Prizes can recognize a significant onetime accomplishment, or sustained contributions over a period of time. Individuals and entities that win a prize are entitled to use the honorific Simming Prize Laureate.
Nominations may be submitted by the public at anytime during the year. All nominations, and resulting deliberations, are kept in the strictest confidence.
By tradition, all Prizes for the year are announced at the same time, typically early in the new year for the proceeding year.
History[]
The Simming Prize was established in 1999 by the Simming League. Modeled after the Nobel Prize, the Simming Prize was initially awarded in five categories: Internet Technology, Literature, Management, Peace, and Service. These categories were discarded in 2007, and since that time the Simming Prize has been issued without a category. Following the death of Seth Cotis in 2005, the Simming League proposed to establish a Seth Cotis Medal of Honor in his memory. Ultimately, the already established Simming Prize was instead renamed in his honor.
After the Simming League ceased operations, responsibility for the Simming Prize was transferred to Ongoing Worlds for 2011, and to SimEnc for 2012 and 2013. In 2014, responsibility for the Simming Prize was entrusted to a group of trustees. The Prizes are now issued in the name of the trustees and are no longer associated with a larger organization.
On February 16, 2022, Charles Star and four other individuals announced that they were dismissing the two remaining active trustees (Mike Bremer and Azanialix Ja'arda) in accordance with the Simming Prize handbook for violating the trust of the Prize. The new trustees retained control of the Simming Prize Twitter account and launched a new website (.com). Bremer and Ja'arda disputed the validity of the action, launched a new Twitter account, and retained control of the already existing website (.org). The two groups entered into mediation twice, both of which were unsuccessful. The event generated significant controversy within the community with a wide range of opinions expressed. The two Prizes remain split as of February 2025.
Name[]
- 1999-2004: The Simming League Prize for Simming and Online Role Playing
- 2005-10: The Simming League Prize for Simming and Online Role Playing in Memory of Seth Cotis
- 2011: The Ongoing Worlds Prize for Simming and Online Role Playing in Memory of Seth Cotis
- 2012: The SimEnc Prize for Simming and Online Role Playing in Memory of Seth Cotis
- 2013-present: The Prize for Simming and Online Role Playing in Memory of Seth Cotis
Split[]
On January 19, 2021, Simming Prize Trustee Lelia Vasilescu nominated Charles Star as her replacement. Vasilescu, along with fellow Trustees Joe Ferguson and Wes Davis had been inactive for some time, but had neither resigned nor been removed from their positions. Multiple Trustees, including Azanialix Ja'arda, had previously gone inactive for various lengths of time, and were never challenged when returning to fulfil Trustee roles and responsibilities. At the time, the Simming Prize Handbook (Revision January 2018) did not specify a mechanism to “facilitate (the) periodic replacement of trustees” as it called for, although earlier documentation from the establishment of the Trustee model specified that Trustees were individually responsible to select their own replacements.
On January 20, Trustees Mike Bremer and Azanialix Ja'arda acknowledged the nomination and informed Star that they, with the concurrence of Simming Prize Administrator Nugra, had voted down his nomination. They cited concerns regarding his capacity to serve as a Trustee while also managing various other community initiatives, including SciWorld, FallFest, the Tournament of Simulations, and the Squiddie awards. In response, Star clarified that he was no longer managing most of those programs and assured them of his ability to fulfill the responsibilities of a Trustee as outlined in the Handbook. Immediately thereafter, Bremer and Ja'arda made Nugra a fellow Trustee.
On March 12, Ja'arda responded by questioning the validity of Vasilescu’s nomination, since it was initially sent to Star himself and not the Trustees, and criticizing Star’s previous management of the aforementioned community programs. She raised additional concerns without evidence that Star was planning to change the Simming Prize “in such a way that would likely severely limit who could even be eligible to be nominated,” among other things. While the Simming Prize Handbook did not provide a mechanism for rejection of a Trustee-nominated replacement, the earlier documentation stated that "the replacement does not have to be approved, and cannot be vetoed by the other Trustees."
Believing that Bremer’s, Ja'arda’s, and Nugra’s actions warranted further scrutiny, Star privately assembled a group--Amanda Rose, October, Eris, and Iggy--to monitor their governance and administration of the Simming Prize. Later, Bremer, Ja'arda, and Nugra welcomed inactive Trustee Wes Davis into their internal Prize discussions, although the extent of his participation remains unclear. Star also requested to continue serving as a Judge, a role he had held for several years, but was denied by Bremer, who stated that judging was being limited to Trustees.
On January 19, 2022, Nugra announced that Starbase 400 and Outpost Phoenix had won the 2020 Simming Prizes. Star and his group were troubled by this decision as this was Outpost Phoenix’s second consecutive Prize for sustained service, quality, and dedication over a period of time, a violation of the Handbook. Additionally, they noted that Starbase 400, owned and hosted by Bremer, had now received a third Prize under that same criteria.
On February 16, Star, Rose, October, Eris, and Iggy announced via the Simming Prize Twitter account that the two recent Prizes awarded to Starbase 400 and Outpost Phoenix were invalid. They also stated that they were dismissing Bremer, Ja'arda, and Nugra from their respective roles in accordance with Section 2.1 of the Handbook for what they identified as 10 violations of the Handbook. Furthermore, they introduced a new Simming Prize Charter aimed at upholding the history and tradition of the Prize while promoting broader community engagement and transparency. Retaining control of the original Twitter account, this group also launched a .com website.
The following day, Bremer, Ja'arda, and Nugra denounced the .com Prize as “fake” and a hostile takeover attempt, asserting that they first learned of these actions from others in the community expressing concern; however, Charles Star later produced screenshots showing that he had individually emailed Bremer, Ja'arda, and Nugra links to the .com announcements shortly after publication. Bremer, Ja'arda, and Nugra also claimed that the .com group had hacked and stolen the Twitter account from them; however, Star later produced evidence showing that Chas Hammer had previously transferred both the Simming Prize and SciWorld Twitter accounts to him in July 2020. Star subsequently transferred the SciWorld account to Josh Hina in March 2021, and had been tweeting from the Simming Prize account on behalf of the Simming Prize since January 20, 2021. Hammer had shared the Simming Prize Twitter account password with Bremer in March 2019, but there is no evidence that Bremer ever logged in or used the account. Bremer, Ja'arda, and Nugra launched a new Twitter account and retained control of the original .org website.
The .org group argued that the .com group was not referencing the latest version of the Handbook, though no later version was produced and the January 2018 version was the last to be distributed to Judges. Additionally, they reported that they had established a “Simming Prize Advisory Panel” and were planning to name Charles Star as its Administrator, but stated that the .com group’s actions had disrupted these plans. The .org group further accused the .com group of making false edits to the Simming Prize page on Role Play Wiki to support their narrative, with Nugra making the claim directly on the Simming Prize’s talk page. The edit history, however, showed that Bremer was the only member of either group to have made edits to the page during that period.
While a wide variety of opinions of the split were shared by others in the community, most elected not to comment or stated that they were neutral. The prevailing expressed view at the time was that the .com group’s criticisms of the .org group were accurate and legitimate, but they lacked the authority for the actions they took. After observing the public disagreements, Trustee Wes Davis apologized for any role he played in the split, announced his resignation, and encouraged others to follow the .com Prize. Bremer later announced that Starbase 400 was declining its 2020 Simming Prize. However, Starbase 400 was subsequently awarded a fourth Prize by the .org group for sustained service, quality, and dedication over a period of time the following year, which it accepted.
The two groups entered mediation on February 21, with Nixon serving as the mediator, aiming to reunify the Prize. Before the mediation began, Bremer shared a compromise proposal on February 18 with an unknown party calling for both him and Star to step down, equal representation from each side in forming a new Trustee body, and the drafting of a new Charter. Unaware of this proposal, Star, on behalf of the .com Trustees, proposed a nearly identical resolution at the start of the mediation. However, discussions largely centered on the .org group’s request for control of the original Twitter account as a “sign of good faith,” without reciprocal concessions. Eventually, the .org group accused the .com group of “not negotiating in good faith” and offered to discuss a single Trustee seat for the .com group if the Twitter account was first handed over. Shortly thereafter, Nixon ended the mediation without a resolution. The community response to a resolution not being reached was mostly negative.
A second mediation attempt began on February 24, with Amanda Rose as the mediator. Rose stepped down from her position as a .com Trustee to eliminate any conflict of interest. Star continued to represent the .com group while Nugra represented the .org group. The parties identified 10 areas of contention, resolving most over the following months. However, on November 24, Rose concluded that the remaining three issues were unlikely to be resolved and ended mediation. This decision surprised the .com group, who believed there was a clear path ahead to compromise on those remaining issues. The community response to a resolution not being reached was again mostly negative. The .org group subsequently awarded Nugra a 2022 Simming Prize for his efforts in the “long and arduous” mediation process.
Current Trustees[]
The current Trustees are listed with their primary affiliation and the year their service began in parenthesis. While fleet affiliation is widely reported, Trustees do not serve on behalf of their primary club or sim.
.com[]
- October (UCIP, 2022)
- Eris (Diversity Fleet, 2022)
- Nikki (Obsidian Fleet, 2025)
- Ken Gillis (Independence Fleet, 2025)
- Raz (Star Army, 2025)
.org[]
- Mike Bremer (Theta Fleet/Starbase 400, 2014)
- Azanialix Ja'arda (Starfleet Legacy Alliance, 2014)
- Jai/Jay (USS Galileo, 2022)
- Katy (USS Galileo, 2023)
- VACANT
Simming Prizes after the split[]
| People/Characters | Simulations | Clubs/Groups | Inter-simming Organizations | Other |
2024 (.com)[]
| Laureate | Citation |
|---|---|
| Ametheliana of Star Army | The consummate team player, Ametheliana does all the little things behind the scenes to make things work while never seeking credit or the limelight herself. A member of Star Army for years, she has hosted various sims and supported many others. She has also worked tirelessly within the greater community at the Tournament of Simulations, Ongoing Worlds, and multiple conventions–ensuring that they all went off without a hitch, allowing others to take the glory. |
| Obsidian Command of Obsidian Fleet | A high-quality and prolific sim, Obsidian Command has done it all. Boasting three Tournament of Simulations awards, including the top overall prize at the 2022 competition, and multiple awards from her home club, including for outstanding mission and outstanding creativity, the sim is widely recognized for its excellence by all who analyze it. The richness of its characters and the originality of its episodes serve as the foundation for making this sim one for the ages. |
| RPGWriting | A long-time club that reformed several years ago after a brief hiatus, RPG Writing has lived up to its mission to serve as a multi-genre haven for players to write creatively. Through a robust, but not constraining set of bylaws, they have instituted the perfect environment to foster maximum imagination without needless drama. RPG Writing has been so successful that other groups have begun to imitate their model–both the administrative and being multi-genre–a true testament to their effectiveness. |
2024 (.org)[]
TBA
2023 (.com)[]
| Laureate | Citation |
|---|---|
| Lunar Veil: A Firefly Tale | An outstanding game in all respects with excellence in both story and characters, it has stayed true to the Firefly universe while also pushing creative boundaries for players to explore new ideas collaboratively. It was previously recognized at three Tournaments of Simulation (2018, 2019, and 2021) and featured in the penultimate episode of the role playing game show The Simming Endeavor. If there is a sim that has hit its goal and more, this is it. |
| USS Pandora of Theta Fleet | Active since 2020, it has perfected everything that goes into making a great role playing game: character development, story depth, and excellent pacing coming together to tell compelling Star Trek adventures. Unsurprisingly, it was recognized with an Outstanding award at the 2020 Tournament of Simulations. Crewmembers describe it as the best sim they have ever been a part of, and from the outside looking in, it is not hard to see why. |
| Pegasus Fleet | A club that began in 2009, it has been the model of cohesion and excellence. Fostering outstanding games while also hosting engaging internal and external community events on the regular has allowed it to thrive while other similar groups have gone through significant periods of instability. In addition, it was one of the key driving groups behind the Khitomer Conference, one if the premier community events of the day. Always putting members first, it provides a fantastic model for others to emulate. |
2023 (.org)[]
TBA
2022 (.com)[]
| Laureate | Citation |
|---|---|
| Ken Gillis of Independence Fleet | With an illustrious career spanning decades in multiple groups and roles, the breadth of his accomplishments is unrivaled. From both his and simming’s early days as founder of Pi Fleet, Administrator of RolePlayerUSA, and the 11th President of the Simming League to more recently as Executive Officer of Independence Fleet, Chair of FallFest, and serving as a board member at multiple organizations, his selfless efforts to positively impact to the broader community are exactly what we need today. |
| DFA Cromwell of Star Trek: Borderlands | A long-running sim that has been a pillar of its fleet for many years, it consistently produced outstanding and creative role playing with high activity while also being extremely welcoming to new players with little or no experience. The backdrop of its extensive lore provides a firm foundation to continue building both community and story. The result is a game that develops and progresses effortlessly and organically. |
| USS Potemkin: To Boldly Roll of Obsidian Fleet | A new sim that has revolutionized the concept of online role playing, it combines aspects of a traditional play-by-post game with an entertaining and downright hilarious podcast. Even more, it has balanced being an extremely fun sim to be a part of as a player while simultaneously providing an interesting and engaging experience for non-members to listen to. The innovation of achieving excellence in two different sectors that come together flawlessly as one is something to behold. |
2022 (.org)[]
| Laureate | Citation |
|---|---|
| USS Wayfarer of Independence Fleet | For fostering a creative environment and providing continued support and enjoyment for crew and the community. |
| Kathryn Burke of Theta Fleet | For support of her community and the community at large through SciWorld and FallFest. |
| USS Ontario of Theta Fleet | For unique storytelling and character driven plots and bing a safe haven for independent simmers. |
| Starbase 109 of Theta Fleet | For longstanding status among the sims and providing support for the community at large. |
| Nugra of UFOP: Starbase 1118 | For stepping up to support the community through a long and arduous mediation process. |
| Dave Blass (Production Designer, PIC) | For private support of the Star Trek fandom community |
| Doug Drexler (Conceptual Designer, PIC) | For private support of the Star Trek fandom community |
| Terry Matalas (Showrunner, PIC) | For private support of the Star Trek fandom community |
2021 (.com)[]
| Laureate | Citation |
|---|---|
| SJet of Canopus Station | A longtime role player who consistently puts others first, SJet has not only seen it all, but he’s done it all extremely well. Comfortable as a player, a host, or even a club leader, he’s always open to feedback and new ideas, and is quick to pivot or change strategies if the situation requires it. As a result, his sims are always top notch and players feel welcome to try things they might not feel comfortable to do elsewhere. |
| Mudwater PD of Shattered Universe | A hybrid sim set in an original science fiction fantasy world, Mudwater PD hits all the right notes while still pushing boundaries. A diverse group of writers, seemingly effortlessly playing off the many twists and turns of each other, constantly push the story in unexpected yet believable directions. Each post is expertly crafted, almost a story in and of itself, but yet still a perfect fit within the whole. |
| Obsidian Fleet | Celebrating their 20th anniversary in 2021, Obsidian Fleet has been a bastion of high quality role playing since its inception. Fostering a close and connected community within, the club has also been active in the greater simming community for years through hosting major events like FallFest and Khitomer. Its focus on the things that matter has led to long-term stability and created a model for others to follow. |
| Zodiac Fleet | Also celebrating their 20th anniversary in 2021, Zodiac Fleet does community as well as any club in existence today. A lot of groups now regularly host live events, but Zodiac’s possess that rare “it” factor where members feel a deep connection to both the club and each other. With highly creative role playing, games, and more, they have something that everyone can enjoy. |
| Sim Central | A newcomer in 2021, Sim Central was founded on a set of principles to give sims and hosts freedom to operate how they see fit while at the same time bringing them all together as a cohesive group. Widely attempted, but rarely effective, Sim Central has achieved that much sought after balance in a relatively short amount of time. This has resulted in some of the best simming on the web across multiple genres. |
2021 (.org)[]
|
Laureate |
Citation |
|---|---|
| Beth of Sim Central | For outstanding service to the community and making Sim Central a warm and cheerful place to hang out. The community fully supports the hard work that Beth has put in to their world and has shown the selfless actions that mark a Laureate. |
| Starbase 400 of Theta Fleet | For excellent role-play community, its longevity, and contributions to the greater simming community while also pushing through adversity and drama. Starbase 400 has been a rock of the Simming Community. |
| Poseidon Station of Theta Fleet | For contributions to the community, their unique member management and sophistication in simming. Their unique approach to how members participate is a guiding light to innovation of the online world. |
| Theta Fleet | No citation issued |
| Zodiac Fleet (16th Fleet) | No citation issued |
2020 (.com)[]
| Laureate | Citation |
|---|---|
| Kathryn Burke of Theta Fleet | An icon of Theta Fleet, having served there since its earliest of days right up through the present, Kathryn Burke has grown the club into a simming powerhouse featuring an extremely diverse set of games. She has also been extremely active at the community level, doing everything from hosting events to promoting common causes to supporting others from behind the scenes. Her helpful presence is one we all can emulate. |
| Memory Theta | One of the best role plays on the net today, Memory Theta excels in all aspects of simming. From deep character development to intricate plot devices to taking the unexpected turn, this crew always keeps things interesting. Their commitment to excellence has been recognized many times over, most recently by taking home top prize at the Tournament of Simulations. |
| 'Souls RPG | Due to celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2021, ‘Souls RPG is a unique role playing club set in a post-apocalyptic world extinct of humans but featuring a variety of canid packs and bands. A truly immersive culture, their real-time simming has led to a deep club lore and an extremely vivid original tale. Few clubs reach the depth of story found here, much less one that doesn’t follow a well known franchise. |
| 5th Fleet | A relative newcomer in the simming world, 5th Fleet really found their footing over the last year. Not striving or desiring to become a mega-club like so many others, their small size allows them to focus more resources at the sim level and to give all players a greater say in club matters. Finally, their inclusive culture also gives rise to organic story development and a deep enjoyment of the game. |
| USF | A true unicorn in the community today, USF still focuses mainly on chat-based role playing while almost all others exist exclusively in the play-by-post arena. The unique style is just as fresh as ever while remaining true to its AOL roots and 1995 founding. Their longevity is a living testament to the community atmosphere, and their dedication to the craft that is evident in each chat session. |
2020 (.org)[]
|
Laureate |
Citation |
|---|---|
| Starbase 400* of 22nd Fleet | For its dedicated community, long standing quality and unparallel success over the last 26 years. The sim and members have sustained a creative energy and continue to create and expand the Star Trek universe. They are without equal in the Star Trek simming community. A three time Laureate of the Simming Prize. |
| Outpost Phoenix | Outpost Phoenix is a home for excellent, high-quality simming that has stood the test of time. A two-time Laureate of the Simming Prize. |
*Award declined by Starbase 400.
Simming Prizes before the split[]
| People/Characters | Simulations | Clubs/Groups | Inter-simming Organizations | Other |
2019[]
|
Laureate |
Citation |
|---|---|
| October Veritas of UCIP | For her years of selfless service to her sim, her fleet, and the greater role playing community. The longtime host of the award-winning USS Vindicator, current President of UCIP, and tireless volunteer for larger events, October has done it all. Always willing to do the little things that make others around her better, she's one of the rare talents who excels at both the intricacies of role playing and broader leadership. |
| Charles Star of Independence Fleet & Bella of USS Odin |
For production of the Simming Endeavor role playing game show. A truly innovative concept, Charles and Bella brought together 13 contestants from the community to role play in a reality show environment. For 12 weeks, they masterfully blended guest personalities and unique challenges for the players with an elegant overall visual theme. They created a brand new experience and executed it flawlessly. |
| Outpost Phoenix | For its two decades of role playing excellence. For over 20 years, Outpost Phoenix has kept a fresh, engaging real-time chat-based sim going despite most of the rest of the community settling in exclusively with play-by-post. The freeform role playing style has led to a rich and thrilling sim lore that continues to build upon itself. This has also fostered a deep sense of community among the players who meet weekly to keep the tradition alive and thriving. |
2018[]
|
Laureate |
Citation |
|---|---|
| Major Tom and Lieutenant Dan of Outpost 42 News | Major Tom & Lieutenant Dan of Outpost 42 News for the innovation of satire simming news reporting over the last two years. Their articles and art humorously parody actual people, games, and groups,highlighting many real-life issues and challenges within the role playing community without being too harsh. Indeed, you haven't arrived until you've been spoofed by Outpost 42 News! While they continue to produce new content, the treasure trove of material already published will continue to be a boon to all for years to come. |
| Josh Hina aka RiseXeph of TNU Project | Josh Hina aka RisaXeph for his sustained and continued contributions to the simming community. Having served in multiple groups and sims over the years, he's always been a stabilizing factor, helping people see the best in others instead of focusing on their differences. This has enabled him to collaborate with many to craft beautiful tales and stories. Recently, he served as chair of both the FallFest and SciWorld community-wide role playing conventions, where he championed cooperation and the best ideals of the community. |
| Theta Fleet | Theta Fleet for its excellent Star Trek games throughout the year. What separates them is that they first focus on their own membership, and provide the best sims possible before expending resources on ancillary operations. They may be small in size, but their dedicated community is a giant family from the greenest Cadet to the most seasoned Admiral. Theta Fleet exemplifies and models the best of what simming communities should strive to be. |
| Carribean Dawn | Caribbean Dawn for its unique land-based colonization sim set in the age of sail. They have challenged the simming norms with their focus on different topics of the time while remaining enjoyable for members. It produced provocative storylines for many years and continues to show that variety and the unusual can exist and flourish in the current era of online communities with disagreements over canon and standards. |
| Star Trek Sim Hub | Star Trek Sim Hub is not your usual group, having existed for most of its life on Facebook. A go-to place for sims and writing groups to connect, the Star Trek Sim Hub has been recognized for its diversity, its open door policy, and being an integral port for all sims to have a chance to meet on the world's most popular social network. |
2017[]
|
Laureate |
Citation |
|---|---|
| Nugra of UFOP: StarBase 118 | For his dedicated service to UFOP: StarBase 118 From welcoming new members to the club, to facilitating a fleet wide story arc, to serving on the podcast and publicity team, to rewriting the archive script that preserves the clubs sims - Nugra has repeatedly taken on the unsung roles that contribute to the unique vitality of UFOP: StarBase 118. |
| UCIP | For its long history of providing quality simming within a stable environment. Since 1994, the UCIP has taken a pragmatic approach to management - most recently manifest by reaching outside its ranks for its new leader - an approach that has been instrumental in sustaining the club's collaborative & friendly community. |
| YSS Kaiyo of Star Army | For its excellent & sustained high quality simming. Set in an unique member created universe, the GM puts ample time into crafting a well though out story, and the players breath life into their characters, making them individuals, not archetypes. The writing is at times funny, at times sad - but it's always clear the GM and players enjoy the universe they have created and together get to explore. |
2016[]
|
Laureate |
Citation |
|---|---|
| Charles Star of Independence Fleet | For his unprecedented contributions to the simming community. As a founder and long time leader within Independence Fleet, Charles has personally sponsored the launch of 21 sims and commanded 10 within the club. During his time as IDF CinC in the early 2000s and as Chief of Fleet Ops from 2010 - 12 he oversaw exceptional growth within the club. More recently, Charles has been a primary a leader within the larger simming community, serving as the administrator/coordinator for SciWorld, FallFest, the Tournament of Simulations, and the Squiddie and OWCH awards. He is a member of the OngoingWorlds Board of Advisers, and has been the instigator of community wide April Fools jokes. Charles is also a storehouse of simming knowledge, and has been a primary contributor to the Roleplay Wiki and the OngoingWorlds Blog. |
| Kristen Romanelli of SPCsimms and Kepler Station | For her exemplary work as a storyteller and community builder. Kristen is the driving force within SPCsimms. With skill and good humor, she serves as a mentor to new members and is an invaluable aid to hosts and club leaders. As a game master and player, her imagination underpins multiple sims. Kristen is relied upon to smooth difficult situations, polish posts, and inspire those around her to push their writing to the next level. Most recently, Kristen was instrumental in rebuilding the Kepler Station sim after the untimely death of its longtime host. Kristen's service and dedication stands as a model example of the ideal community builder and simmer. |
| STF | For its history, longevity, and current community. Founded on the Prodigy online service in 1991, STF is the oldest Star Trek sim club in existence. It has been able to persevere through a quarter century of technological change and simming political upheaval. To this day, STF remains a vibrant club with a dedicated core of members who forge new adventures while preserving the club's traditions and unique simming style. |
| Teresa Snow of Stargate Ancient Legacy | For her dedication to the Stargate simming community. Teresa offered her time and skill to help fellow leaders build their websites, and she ran the stargaterpgs.com portal as a community resource to advertise available Stargate games. As a game master, she was the guiding force within the Stargate Ancient Legacy sim club, steering the group's story arc, playing numerous PCs and NPCs, and making sure each team advanced the story in an inclusive fashion. |
| USS Vindicator of UCIP | For its excellent storytelling and remarkable history. Over two decades of existence, the Vindicator has sailed the Star Trek universe. It's latest captain and crew spin adventures full of villains, fantastical species, and new technologies. The depth and quality of its writing today stands as one the finest examples in the Star Trek simming community. |
2015[]
|
Laureate |
Citation |
|---|---|
| Bravo Fleet | For setting the gold standard for quality and success within the simming community. Few can match the longevity of Bravo Fleet. No one can match the growth and evolution the club has experienced. Bravo Fleet has been able to adapt to multiple shifts within simming, and find success with each new generation. Through its ups and downs, it has developed a robust community and self governing system; and one that is able to learn from the past, correct mistakes, and reform around new realities. |
| PBEM2.com | For being a valuable recruiting resource. The dedication of PBEM2.com to run and maintain the site for the benefit of all sims and clubs is to be commended and represents the highest example of service to the simming community. |
| The Original Marvel Roleplay | For it's long standing community and gaming quality. The Original Marvel Roleplay has been a fixture within Second Life since 2007. It is, first and foremost, a top destination for individuals who want to play their favorite superheroes. But more than that, it's a community. People are encouraged to engage in social RP or create their own events at the many spots available throughout the multi-level region. They also allow created characters, offer classes for student characters, and host a number of fun gatherings throughout the year. Even though the members of the leadership have changed and the region called home has moved several times over the years, it is a real testament to the overall community that it has remained strong and open to players of all stripes. |
| USS Galileo of Obsidian Fleet | For its high quality sims, which stand as one of the finest examples of Star Trek simming in today's community. The episodes of the USS Galileo frame a fresh but faithful perspective on the historical Star Trek franchise. The posts are well written and prolific. The individual qualities of each character shine through, as each person works to carry out their duty. The website is elegant, filled with ample detail about the ship and crew. It's evident the members of the crew have put serious thought and time into carving out a home on the Galileo. |
2014[]
|
Laureate |
Citation |
|---|---|
| The Gamemaster of Ongoing Worlds | For the high quality writing and imaginative posts contributed to multiple games across Ongoing Worlds. |
| Ongoing Worlds | For the unparalleled dedication and resources it provides the online role-playing community. Through the selfless dedication of its gamers, staff, and contributors, Ongoing Worlds has become a home to hundreds of games, and stands as a trusted, central hub for all online role-players, regardless of affiliation. |
| Sci-Fi Avatars | For it's compilation of images and graphic assistance it offers to the online role-playing community. With its images, Sci-Fi Avatars has enlivened an untold number of websites and message boards. |
| Starbase 400 | For it's long standing quality and success, in which two decades of simmers have sustained a creative energy and continue to generate a universe whose imagination and depth is without equal in the Star Trek simming community. |
2013[]
|
Laureate |
Citation |
|---|---|
| David Ball of Ongoing Worlds | For his devotion to the craft of role-play, his many contributions to the larger online role-play community, and his efforts in maintaining the Ongoing Worlds roleplaying community and Ongoing World Blog, which services the greater community. |
| Vault 713 | For its consistent excellence and devotion to creating and exploring uncharted worlds in a compelling narrative, and for their exploration of a classic literary tale. |
| Star Army | For its fantastic, interesting concept and design, its unique, inspiring setting, and its active, helpful community that welcomes new players openly. |
| FSF Radio 2 | For its enchantment and groundbreaking innovation of broadcasting the lives, stories, and other humanistic qualities which continue to make simming and online role-play an enjoyable hobby for many. |
| Trek Simming Podcast | For its groundbreaking innovation that has created informative radio, honored simming and online role-play culture, and its path of reaching out to the larger simming community. |
2012[]
| Laureate | Citation |
|---|---|
| Anodyne Productions | For creating and supporting the NOVA RPG management software. Easy to manage and update, NOVA has become a backbone of today's play by post community. NOVA allows crew members to update their character bio, send private messages, and write joint posts with fellow simmers; it allows sim hosts to send out announcements, approve applications, and create NPCs. An invaluable auto-logging feature provides seamless archiving of posts, mission logs, and personal logs. |
| Darian Caplinger of Bravo Fleet | For his years of service as the webhost of Bravo Fleet and Ninth Fleet, as well as for a number of individual sims within both groups. Despite the challenges of maintaining two large sites for clubs that have sometimes been at odds, Darian has kept a neutral bearing and has gone above and beyond to make sure the servers are online and updated, and that the sites are up and running. |
| Ed Brown of UFOP: StarBase 118 | For his community development work within UFOP: StarBase 118. In addition to having earned a reputation as a captain who ensures his crew members are engaged in the sim, Ed has become a cornerstone of the club's community. He is active with the UFOP: SB 118's academy training program, where he helps teach new simmers. For two years running, he has been the creative force behind the club's "summer blockbuster" fleet-wide plot arc, developing the overall story arc and writing mission briefings for each ship. Ed has also facilitated the club's "Writing Challenge" judge's team and was the leading force behind UFOP: SB 118's "Writing Improvement Month." |
| Kerrigan Morgan and Black Scar Ozzy of the Starfleet Legacy Alliance | For their quiet service as linchpins of the Starfleet Legacy Alliance. Between them, Kerrigan and Black served on over a dozen sims during their storied careers. With his sims, Kerrigan always managed to put a smile on the face of others, and Black's cheeky stories delighted, in the process dragging a plot out of crises and into mayhem. Both were friends and mentors to countless individuals within the club. Once earned, Black's loyalty was incredible. Kerrigan provided a caring ear and unabashed advise. As the Recruiting Chair, Kerrigan was able to re-energize sims by providing new members and hosts. Black's only desire was to write, but when needed he would step up and serve as second in command, and on one occasion was found to be in command of a sim. |
| Starbase 400 of The Ninth Fleet | For its rich, dedicated community. Simming continuously since 1995, Starbase 400 has developed a vast backstory, complete with two dozen permanent NPCs, a fleet of ships, and a dangerous intersection of space to defend. To support its in character universe, Starbase 400 maintains an academy, a database, a timeline of sim canon, and logs of each mission to ensure members are informed. Infused with a focus on character development and realistic storytelling, these factors combine, producing an intensely vibrant sim. |
2011[]
| Laureate | Citation |
|---|---|
| Elena Vasilescu of Before the Mast RPG | For her creative use of social media to support a small, thriving role-playing game set during the Golden Age of Piracy. |
| Independence Fleet | For its outstanding efforts to facilitate community; internally fielding a wiki, newsletter, and group chats; and externally hosting the SciWorld Online Convention, organizing Fall Fest, and pulling the Super Space Command 3000 April Fools' Day joke. |
| Mike Bremer of The Ninth Fleet | For his exemplary leadership within the simming community. Having founded or nurtured clubs as diverse as Tango Fleet, Bravo Fleet, and now The Ninth Fleet, Mike stands as one of the most successful and influential figures in the history of simming. |
| Otherspace | For its innovative mix of MUSH and role-playing to create a dynamic, engrossing gaming environment. |
| UFOP: StarBase 118 | For its exemplary community, which for over 15 years has consistently offered detailed, high quality sims, and a welcoming, friendly gaming environment. |
2010[]
| Laureate | Citation |
|---|---|
| Nathalie Chapman of Sixth Fleet | For her innovative command style, through which she fosters crew dedication and creativity by breaking the traditional molds of simming. Her sims, most recently the USS Avalon, follow no set pattern, with missions that run from the serious to the comical, and which can be tightly controlled with a sim master or run free though a collaborative crew effort. |
| Tigra Tigress of Continuum Online | For her decades of exemplary service to the simming community. Beginning as a host in Spacefleet Online, through her service as the leader of the Continuum Online and publisher of the Communique Online, and to the present day, Tigra is a fount of wisdom and fairness, and has been a friend and mentor to generations of simmers. |
| USS Sunfire-D of Independence Fleet | For its energetic, engaging sims. Through its many incarnations, the Sunfire has attracted raw simmers and molded them into future leaders, sending out over a dozen simming hosts from its ranks. Its open approach to membership, which welcomes simmers of all ages, interests, and writing styles, gives rise to a diverse crew, who, feeling welcome, produce hundreds of posts a month. This openness has been emulated across Independence Fleet, helping spark a renaissance within the club. |
2009[]
| Laureate | Citation |
|---|---|
| Alex Verdusco of Ajje Games | For his distinguished work, founding Ajje Games in 2005, serving as its president until 2009, and establishing Ajje Games as a leading member of the simming and online role-playing community. |
| Sam Jones of Sixth Fleet | For serving as Commander in Chief of Sixth Fleet and leading the group out of stagnation by revamping its organization and improving recruiting efforts. |
| Thomas of UCIP | For his exemplary skills as a simming host, devoting countless time and energy to his crew, and in service to the UCIP. |
| USS Providence of Federation Sim Fleet | For utilizing an open approach to simming, welcoming new members and visitors alike to join in the mission, giving rise to numerous memorable, engaging storylines and steadily growing attendance. |
2008[]
| Laureate | Citation |
|---|---|
| Erika Rheyan of Starfleet Legacy Alliance | For her prolific simming skills that have established her sim, the USS Lionheart, as one of the best, and for her endless spirit, making her a cornerstone of the SLA, providing care and advise to those in need. |
2007[]
| Laureate | Citation |
|---|---|
| Azanialix Ja'arda of Starfleet Legacy Alliance | For her dedication to the Simming League, including her two years serving as its President. |
| AOM Teal Fox of NewWorldsRPG | For his pioneering work exploring the educational value of role-playing through his group, NewWorldsRPG. |
| Jay Truce of Federation Sim Fleet | For his outstanding service to the Simming League and the Federation Sim Fleet. Jay has long been the invisible man behind the scenes who make sure things get done. |
| Pamela Kyle of Starfleet Legacy Alliance & James B. "Warp" Mitchell of Starfleet Legacy Alliance |
For their efforts to stabilize and transform their sim club following the sudden death of its leader, Seth Cotis. |
2006[]
| Laureate | Category | Citation |
|---|---|---|
| Ajje Games | Management | For its utilization of a unique umbrella structure that provides overarching foundation and IT support to its several clubs (fleets) to create a uniform gaming environment. Ajje Game's individual clubs elect their own leaders and are responsible for the bulk of decision making, creating a diverse club responsive to its members. |
| Jon Shuni of Federation Sim Fleet | Service | For exemplary service to the simming community. Jon Shuni is a mentor to numerous leaders, spends countless hours running his club, and provides free webspace and other support to sim clubs through Diaspora Games. |
| J. Twistermac of Member Focused Simulations | Peace | For his service to the Simming League. Over five years, Twister served as a Justice and Magistrate of the Simming League, helping to resolve numerous disputes and promote peace and understanding within the League. His honesty and integrity is above reproach, gaining the respect of all who come into contact with him. |
| Starfleet Library of Starfleet Sim Club | Literature | For it's invaluable archive. The Starfleet Library contains a treasure trove of documents from one of the longest running sim clubs, including records that illuminate the earliest days of simming. |
| UFOP: StarBase 118 | Internet Technology | For its website. The site is full of rich graphics and useful information, presented in a well organized and streamlined fashion, facilitating easy navigation. |
2005[]
| Laureate | Category | Citation |
|---|---|---|
| Dennis Busse | Literature | For The Sim Group Papers. The Papers are a series of insightful, easy to read essays that confront the basic issues of simming, question the fundamental strategies employed by simming leaders, and proposes new methods to improve our game. |
| DragonMuse Network | Peace | For it's work to connect the larger community. The DragonMuse Network works to ensure online role-playing is viewed as a community and not a competition among groups. To this end, the network promotes peace, cooperation, and communication and has brought together a collection of online role-playing groups who share resources and follow a basic set of guiding rules, greatly enhancing their gaming environment. |
| Diaspora Games | Service | For exemplifying the best of the simming community by offering free webservers, support, and other IT features to sim clubs. |
| Starfleet Sim Club | Management | For its pragmatic management style - where the club selects an 'elected dictator' every 8 months. This system has served the club well. As a result, Starfleet - founded in 1991 as one of the first sim clubs - has also become one of the longest running clubs ever. |
| Star Trek PBEM Network | Internet Technology | For their website. The site, its content, and graphics combine to make a simming experience that recreates Starfleet and brings together a series of sims and groups. |
2004[]
| Laureate | Category | Citation |
|---|---|---|
| Chas Hammer of Trek Online | Literature | For My Simming Memoirs. Providing remarkable insight into the evolution of simming and the inner workings of a sim club, Chas' memoirs follow his career from a wide-eyed simmer on Prodigy, to a revolutionary leader, to the downfall of his club, which he analyzes with great candor. |
| Joe Ferguson of Federation Sim Fleet | Peace | For his service to the Simming League as Chief Justice of the Simming League. As Chief Justice, Joe has managed the Court with a steady hand, resolving disputes with fairness, and providing a calming influence within the Simming League. |
| NewWorldsRPG | Internet Technology | For their website. Utilizing a content management system, New Worlds is pioneering the use of new technology in simming, and is able to provide their members with a seamless role playing environment. |
| Seth Cotis of Starfleet Legacy Alliance | Service | For his service to the simming community. During his long simming career, Seth has embodied the ideals of the Simming League and worked tirelessly to enhance the simming community. |
| Tazlure | Management | For its unique blended in character/out of character management system that has produced and sustained an intense, high volume fantasy message board RPG for several years. |
2003[]
| Laureate | Category | Citation |
|---|---|---|
| CommLink | Service | TFor its role as the newsletter for the Star Trek simming community. The venerable old newsletter of Spacefleet Online, CommLink and its dedicated staff have recast themselves and now provide an invaluable service as an independent source for simming news and information. |
| Federation Sim Fleet | Management | For its skilled use of technology, human resources, and an efficient quasi business/quasi government model unmatched in simming community that has allowed the FSF leadership and staff to build one of the best sim groups of all time. |
| Vex Xiang | Literature | For the Xiang Monthly newsletter. This hilarious newsletter seamlessly blends serious simming news and information with hilarious spoof articles, comics, and real life social commentary. The product of a gifted mind, Xiang Monthly is a delight to read. |
2002[]
| Laureate | Category | Citation |
|---|---|---|
| Erik Nighthawk of United Simulations Network & Zappy of Nova Fleet |
Peace | For saving the Simming League. In August 2001, the Simming League threatened to rip itself apart. Erik Nighthawk, President of the Sim Senate at the time, and facing major internal problems in his own sim club, threw himself into the situation in the League. He was able to save the League, but it cost him his own club. Zappy followed as the next Sim Senate President, continuing Nighthawk's work and overseeing the development of a new constitution which put the League back on track. |
| Gabriel Logan of Federation Sim Fleet | Literature | For his novel Star Trek: Portal of Eternity, posted to the FSF message boards, which is based on his simming character of five years. This wonderful work is an enjoyable read, reveals a great writing talent, and highlights the immense creative possibilities of simming. |
| Non Affiliated Gaming Forum | Service | For allowing the private simming community on America Online to exist and thrive. The Non Affiliated Gaming Forum (NAGF) aka the Diaspora Forum on America Online (AOL) and its staff over the years have worked to underpin the private simming community on AOL. Without them and their hard work, most of the simming community on AOL would not have existed. |
| RolePlayerUSA.com | Internet Technology | For providing news, information, and services to the simming community. |
| & Web Development Bureau of Simming League | ||
| Starfleet Legacy Alliance | Management | For its unique management system that employs a hands off government whose main duty to develop a club wide community and gives most authority to the sim hosts. This system has allowed the SLA to quickly become a model of efficiency and skillful leadership. |
2001[]
| Laureate | Category | Citation |
|---|---|---|
| Federation Sim Fleet | Literature | For its Weekly Buzz newsletter. Thorough and informative, the FSF Writing Guild works hard to achieve the remarkable feat of publishing a newsletter each week that keeps the vast FSF community informed on going ons in the group. |
| Jeffrey David Sorenson of Member Focused Simulations | Peace | For his long and distinguished simming career. Admiral Sorenson has labored behind the scenes to promote peace, cooperation and stability in the simming world. Many times he was called upon to serve as an independent arbiter to diffuse tense situations, and he was instrumental in establishing the Simming League. |
| Member Focused Simulations | Management | For their community governance, which puts the needs of its members front and center. Always living up to the clubs name, the government of Member Focused Simulations (MFS) has proven remarkably versatile, managing to survive transfers of power from one leader to the next. |
| Starfleet Legacy Alliance | Internet Technology | For their website. The beautifully designed website of the Starfleet Legacy Alliance (SLA) is easy to navigate and provides easy access to tons of information. |
| Zappy | Service | For organizing the 2001 War Games Competition. This friendly competition between clubs allowed simmers to show off their skills and win bragging rights for having the best sim. |
2000[]
| Laureate | Category | Citation |
|---|---|---|
| Federation Sim Fleet | Internet Technology | For their website. Through their new Starbase 254 web site, the FSF has provided a base for their online community that's filled with information and advanced webtools. Additionally, via Starbase 254, the FSF is working to help other clubs by providing server space and support. |
| Interstellar Simming Confederation | Management | For its experiments with simming governance. Employing a business organizational model, the ISC has built a strong, united club that provides its members with a high level of service and efficiency. |
| ISO Troi of Interstellar Simming Organization | Peace | For the Tournament of Simulations. Primarily ran and organized by ISO Troi, with support from RolePlayerUSA.com and the Simming League, ToS brought together many sim clubs in friendly competition and helped to continue the traditions of Sci World and the Simming League. |
| Robin Knight of Trek Online | Service | For her TOL Park comic strip. A hilarious spoof of Trek Online, TOL Park has delighted countless simmers from TOL and other clubs. |
| Trek Online | Literature | For the TOL Times. Trek Online is dedicated to the belief that in order to have good sims, there must be good information, and the Trek Online Times -- which is filled with club news, information, and comedy -- reflects that belief. |
1999[]
| Laureate | Category | Citation |
|---|---|---|
| Alliance Simulation Group | Internet Technology | For its excellent website with integrated irc chat rooms and mud servers. The site is beautifully designed and organized, and filled with tons of info about the ASG. |
| Ender Maki of Online Simulations Association, Tashak of Online Simulations Association, & Chas Hammer of Trek Online |
Peace | For organizing and running the 1999 SciWorld Online Convention, the first large scale, privately run online simming convention. After years of struggle and conflict in the simming world, SciWorld showed that sim clubs can peacefully cooperate, have fun, and, in the process, help their own club. |
| RolePlayerUSA.com | Service | For providing independent news, information, and ratings so that simmers can find a club that best suits their desires. |
| Star Trek Galactic Newsletter | Literature | For its excellent independent online reporting and Star Trek reviews. |
| Trek Online | Management | For its pioneering republican government and constitution. Involving the members in the affairs of the club while maintaining efficient operations, and led by knowledgeable, friendly leadership, TOLs government has contributed greatly to the club's creative community and high quality sims. |
Statistics (Before Split & .com)[]
Through the 2024 awards, 116 Simming Prizes, through 108 citations, have been awarded to 105 different entities. At least one prize has been awarded each year since 1999.
Total Awards[]
| Category | Prizes | Citations | Entities |
|---|---|---|---|
| People | 50 | 43 | 47 |
| Roleplays | 17 | 17 | 16 |
| Clubs | 32 | 32 | 26 |
| Organizations | 10 | 9.5 | 9 |
| Other | 7 | 6.5 | 7 |
| Total | 116 | 108 | 105 |
Prizes By Year[]
| Category | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | Total | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| People | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 50 | 43% |
| Roleplays | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 17 | 15% |
| Clubs | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 32 | 28% |
| Organizations | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 9% |
| Other | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 6% |
| Total | 7 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 116 | 100% |
Multiple Prizes[]
| Entity | Prizes | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Federation Sim Fleet | 3 | 2000, 2001, 2003 |
| Trek Online | 2 | 1999, 2000 |
| RolePlayerUSA.com | 2 | 1999, 2002 |
| Starfleet Legacy Alliance | 2 | 2001, 2002 |
| Zappy | 2 | 2001, 2002 |
| Chas Hammer | 2 | 1999, 2004 |
| UFOP: StarBase 118 | 2 | 2006, 2011 |
| Starbase 400 | 2 | 2012, 2014 |
| STF* | 2 | 2005, 2016 |
| Charles Star | 2 | 2016, 2019 |
Parent Clubs with Multiple Prizes[]
Parent club information is based on affiliation at the time the Prize was awarded, not present affiliation.
| Club | Prizes | Years |
| Starfleet Legacy Alliance | 9 | 2001, 2002, 2004, 2007, 2007, 2007, 2008, 2012, 2012 |
| Federation Sim Fleet | 9 | 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2013 |
| Trek Online | 5 | 1999, 1999, 2000, 2000, 2004 |
| Independence Fleet | 5 | 2010, 2011, 2016, 2019, 2022 |
| UFOP: StarBase 118 | 4 | 2006, 2011, 2012, 2017 |
| UCIP | 4 | 2009, 2016, 2017, 2019 |
| Obsidian Fleet | 4 | 2015, 2021, 2022, 2024 |
| Member Focused Simulations | 3 | 2001, 2001, 2006 |
| STF* | 3 | 2005, 2006, 2016 |
| Theta Fleet | 3 | 2018, 2020, 2023 |
| Star Army | 3 | 2013, 2017, 2024 |
| Online Simulations Association | 2 | 1999, 1999 |
| NewWorldsRPG | 2 | 2004, 2007 |
| Ajje Games | 2 | 2006, 2009 |
| Sixth Fleet | 2 | 2009, 2010 |
| The Ninth Fleet | 2 | 2011, 2012 |
| Bravo Fleet | 2 | 2012, 2015 |
| Outpost 42 News | 2 | 2018, 2018 |
*STF was previously known as Starfleet Sim Club.
Statistics (Before Split & .org)[]
TBA