Welcome to Independence Fleet Academy. IDFA is both a sim with its own storyline as well as a school where people can learn more about the simming arts (storytelling, writing, and collaboration). Students include people new to role playing, simming veterans, and those in between. Anyone may apply and attendance is optional--but encouraged for those who can get a lot out of the experience. Enrollment is generally no more than seven people at any one time, most students can expect to stay for one to two months, and the Academy culture stresses community amongst members.

In-story, Independence Fleet Academy is like any other sim in IDF except (1) the Academy in San Francisco is the main setting instead of a ship and (2) most characters are students at a school instead of crewmembers on a vessel. Action is not limited only to the campus, however. Story settings can include other locales on Earth and in the Solar System and there are two ships attached to the Academy, the USS Miltiades and the USS Susquehanna. The vessels are used in-story for training and out-of-story to provide a wider range of story settings and situations than is possible simply on Earth.

Out-of-story, all Academy members work together to improve skills in three areas: (1) writing, including mechanics and presentation; (2) storytelling, including coming up with creative and logical ideas; and (3) collaborative skills--things like how to build off what others write effectively and building up a community in a sim. There are no formal classes; lessons are presented in short essays which are sent through the mailing list and lessons can be immediately applied to posting in-story. Examples of both good and poor posts are given along with specific suggestions for individual members.