Side story and the culling questions

[Roderic]

Hi!

So, I super love this side story and have been having fun posting in ALL of them....but I was wondering, well, thinking more like it...how come this side story only gets a single month, when the others have gotten two? Like, I've been posting, posting and posting and it's march 2nd tomorrow and I'm like we're not even at the halfway point for 2 or the three side stories and then I was like...well cause feb was a shorter month, so must work harder, but it seems like a really short time to have 6 pages in a month's go.

I'm sorry to whine, or seem like I'm whining, but I feel like I'm not posting the best quality or moving stories along as fluidly with a much shorter time frame than normally given (esp since feb ripped us off 2 or 3 days).

Can we mebbe have til the end of this month?

-grovels-

D: D:

[Every]

I'm with Becca on this one and am totally adding to the groveling. With how this season has been so far with an awful flu going around hitting a lot of us, it'd be kind of nice? Please?

[Aaron Hunter]

There are some great prizes on offer, so I'm surprised that there are so few participants in this side story. I think that the time constraints may well be playing a part, so an extension would be handy. I also think that a lot of players may have been distracted by the exp frenzy, so this side story kind of got parked for a few days. Maybe people will want to get involved now?

If anyone wants to get involved with the two threads that I've started, please drop me a line. The one with Aaron is pretty easy to jump into, and even though the other one may be a little more difficult to slip into, I'm sure we could sort something out. You get a small prize just for participating, so it's worth writing a post or two. I know that my writing is... convoluted, but I do try and tone it down for these side stories

[Azraeth]

I'm totally happy to extend it to the end of the month. I mainly only made the side story a month long because I know, in the past, some people have had a problem with the 2 months being too long. So a month and a half works just fine as a middle ground. I'll update it now.

[Charlie]

I think that the time constraints may well be playing a part, so an extension would be handy.

Personally, it's the many constraints that have put me off.

Not everyone has the time or dedication or ability to toss up 500 word posts with that much regularity, especially when they have to involve a plot that's not their creation into it. I find that shorter posts don't necessarily lessen the quality or impact of a thread, and that the current limitations with min word count and min page count only serves as a deterrent. I'm writing threads in docs that have decent sized posts that average a 350-400. We managed 50 pages in under a week (with effort and pure sleep deprivation), yet were the thread for The Culling storyline, it wouldn't have counted towards the prizes. What motivation is there then?

While I think it is great that there be a time extension, I would highly suggest making the rules a little more inclusive of players in future. It can be a real nightmare having a decent post and then needing to pad it to make sure there min requirement is met. Feels like essay writing in college. Plus, with the expectation of there being only open threads, it can be a struggle to come up with that much content when you have little to no writing chemistry with your writing partner(s). All the participating characters in this chapter... well, it's like... the same 6-7 people who roleplay with one another all the time on different alts. Yet, we have how many active players on this forum?

I get needing a standard so everyone is judged on a fair scale, but if roleplay and participation is what is sought from members, then perhaps a little more canon structure and laxer ooc policing would be a good way to entice them. I read the Administrator's post and was psyched, then I read the expectations and that excitement plummeted. Personally, I find Plot Machine type events to have a lot more potential in getting people out of their niches, and maybe it is a system that could be used in tandem with chapters, along with a lessening of expectations (and not as many grand prizes to reflect that) in order to get more players involved. Sure, set a minimum number of posts and a minimum number of words, but make that a challenge people can reach with certain regularity without getting burnt out.

None of this is intended as a dig to anyone part of the creation and moderating process, or of the participants. I've been harbouring this opinion for a while and had no idea how to start a discussion. I don't want to throw **** at a moving fan, but I do feel the need to point out why I don't participate, in spite of being an active roleplayer with multiple characters and who had initial interest in this storyline. Sorry for derailing your thread, Becca. And again, Josh, this isn't meant to serve as an attack to you, David, or anyone who has risen up to the challenge.

[Roderic]

Thank you Josh. I know a few of us really appreciate the added 15 days or so!

:-)

[Indigo]

Thank you!

[Every]

Thanks Josh!

[Alexandrea]

Personally, it's the many constraints that have put me off.

Not everyone has the time or dedication or ability to toss up 500 word posts with that much regularity, especially when they have to involve a plot that's not their creation into it. I find that shorter posts don't necessarily lessen the quality or impact of a thread, and that the current limitations with min word count and min page count only serves as a deterrent. I'm writing threads in docs that have decent sized posts that average a 350-400. We managed 50 pages in under a week (with effort and pure sleep deprivation), yet were the thread for The Culling storyline, it wouldn't have counted towards the prizes. What motivation is there then?

While I think it is great that there be a time extension, I would highly suggest making the rules a little more inclusive of players in future. It can be a real nightmare having a decent post and then needing to pad it to make sure there min requirement is met. Feels like essay writing in college. Plus, with the expectation of there being only open threads, it can be a struggle to come up with that much content when you have little to no writing chemistry with your writing partner(s). All the participating characters in this chapter... well, it's like... the same 6-7 people who roleplay with one another all the time on different alts. Yet, we have how many active players on this forum?

I get needing a standard so everyone is judged on a fair scale, but if roleplay and participation is what is sought from members, then perhaps a little more canon structure and laxer ooc policing would be a good way to entice them. I read the Administrator's post and was psyched, then I read the expectations and that excitement plummeted. Personally, I find Plot Machine type events to have a lot more potential in getting people out of their niches, and maybe it is a system that could be used in tandem with chapters, along with a lessening of expectations (and not as many grand prizes to reflect that) in order to get more players involved. Sure, set a minimum number of posts and a minimum number of words, but make that a challenge people can reach with certain regularity without getting burnt out.

None of this is intended as a dig to anyone part of the creation and moderating process, or of the participants. I've been harbouring this opinion for a while and had no idea how to start a discussion. I don't want to throw **** at a moving fan, but I do feel the need to point out why I don't participate, in spite of being an active roleplayer with multiple characters and who had initial interest in this storyline. Sorry for derailing your thread, Becca. And again, Josh, this isn't meant to serve as an attack to you, David, or anyone who has risen up to the challenge.[/justify]

[Azraeth]

I'm totally cool with the idea of decreasing minimum post requirements for side stories. In fact, the last one only had a minimum post requirement for a single post (mainly to avoid someone posting a couple of words and cashing in on tons of prize RPP).

However, for any side story where there are going to be really big prizes, getting those prizes has to be somewhat challenging. I'm still in the process of sort of balancing things on that end, but I think 500 words per post and 6 pages (especially spread out over a group or live chat), is more than fair for for both the participation prizes and grand prizes for this side story.

So while I may design a side story in the future with fewer or looser requirements, the prize pool for those events would reflect that. For this side story, I wanted to really treat people who put in the work because there is very little I like more than rewarding writers who are super motivated.

Apologies to anyone who has issues with the current side story, but I am usually pretty good about giving a lot of different variety between the types of side stories I craft, so hopefully the next one will be more your cup of tea. Also bear in mind that you don't necessarily have to play in the side story to use the plot premise presented by the Admin post. For example, because the side story is a current event, the plot could be used on the streets, or on the Hardcore Ruleset forum with whatever post length you like - just bear in mind that the prizes would be off the table.

Hope that helps!

P.S. I loooved working on the Plot Machine with Claire. If someone wanted to design something similar (since she's currently on leave), I would be super jazzed about that, and would be more than happy to help in whatever way is necessary. Just let me know!