[1]

[carnality.livejournal.com]

Hi there everyone, you’re friendly neighborhood modcrew here with some proposed application changes!

We’ve been hearing that you guys would like to see a harder app process and we ran with this idea, deciding to change it around in a way we hope is for the better. What we have in mind is a new system involving prompts. Basically, each month, applicants will be given five prompts. Of these prompts, you will pick two and write a response, in character. It can be third person, first person, whatever person you want so long as you write 150 words a prompt. Each month, these five prompts will be traded out for something new, so that it remains ‘fresh’ and you have a variety to work with. (And we’d be open to you submitting prompt ideas to us!)

Before we come to a final decision on this, we'd like to have your input. Another option is to keep it to one sample instead of two, and simply increase the required word count. Let us know what you'd prefer.

Character notes will remain mostly the same. We will allow Wikipedia links in place of a written response, but we will strongly encourage you to write a history of your own. The more you show you know your character, the better chance you have of getting accepted, right? Writing a little about your character's history and personality will greatly affect your application’s final result. But as we said, you will still be allowed link to a wiki page.

Now, we’d like to know what you think! Comment away!

Edit: Considering maraihi's suggestion to have the option to pick a prompt to work off of OR to write your own sample post of a required length (to be debated)-- what do you guys think of that?

Comments

[know-sacrifice.livejournal.com]

Endorsement as is, assuming "150 words a prompt" means 150 or more. |D

Option:
As coming up with five new prompts every month might be difficult, maybe there should be a master list? 20 or 30 prompts or however many, and a different set of five are picked at random every month? That way you won't need to generate new ideas on a consistent basis, and changing the prompts is just a matter of picking and pasting.

And the list can always be added to/replaced if people think the same prompts are coming up too often.

[dorked.livejournal.com]

Personally, I find the idea of prompts rather difficult, as I tend to write samples off the top of my head or based on previous samples. I don't mind a word limit, although prompts could be a bit restricting.

[maraich]

Maybe you could have an option like, "Write 2 of these prompts OR write one IC entry that's so-many-words".

That way people who aren't sure what to write about could work off the prompts, and people who already have their own idea can do their own thing still.

[changeling-fae.livejournal.com]

I'm in favor of prompts. I've seen a method similar to this at another community, although they left of word limits and such. I think its a great idea. Tests how well people know they're characters and are able to respond to certain events ICly.

[thejackal-is-in.livejournal.com]

In my opinion (although perhaps this is because I'm just lazy), having to write two prompts a month seems to be a bit much, even with them only being 150 words each. I think that if this is about making apping more difficult, then the way the actual applications are written should be changed instead of giving everyone IC challenges.

Making the sample posts longer is an idea that I think could work. Either that, or an idea I came up with is when a character is applied for, the person should receive comments from five different people who decide whether or not that person is actually in character. If the majority give their ok's, then the person can have the character, but if not, then they will need to try again.

I dunno. I'm just throwing out random crap <.<;

[lunargoodness.livejournal.com]

Honestly, I think the prompts are kind of going overboard. Maybe just having a rule that says sample posts have to be a certain amount of words. I really don't know. =/

[gogogidget.livejournal.com]

This is the closest thing I have to a 'thumbs up' icon.

I've also got a huge prompt list of hugeness if there is ever a need.

[fifth-kazekage.livejournal.com]

...I like the application process as it is right now, to be perfectly honest.

Do we have to change it? =/

[sine-sole-sileo.livejournal.com]

I like this new idea! :D

[attorneyatlol]

Um... I have a question. What, exactly, is the point of the 'character notes' section of the application? Is it to make certain that the applicant knows their character or so that the mods have a reference if they're unfamiliar with the fandom? Honestly, I was under the impression that it was the former and it always seems kind of like... cheating to just link to a Wiki article. Does that make sense?

I know you guys aren't changing that section, but I just thought I'd put my two cents in or, perhaps, get some clarification. :)

Otherwise... I suppose I like the idea of prompts, because it would make someone actually think about the way their character would act or react instead of coming up with a generic sample post.

[boundedforever.livejournal.com]

Sounds fair enough, prompts sounds rather limiting though.

[re-formed.livejournal.com]

Hmm, I'd rather just require two 150 word examples without the prompts. I'm just a little uncomfortable with having all these characters having to be put in these specific situations or make a specific kind of entry.

[godisagirl.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure what to do about it but the apps definantly need an overhaul. There have been apps approved that are definantly less than stellar.

[cleaver-bitch.livejournal.com]

I like the choice of picking a prompt or writing your own sample post. Simply giving a prompt might be a bit too intimidating (especially if the prompt is something the character they're apping for has never dealt with before in their canon).

Just my two cents thus far. I hope I'm not just parroting what others have said; I read over the comments, ^^;

[lovelovegoddess.livejournal.com]

I do like Mariarch's idea for compromise, but how hard would these prompts be? Having five difficult prompts to work with at one time sounds overwhelming.

[mayoki.livejournal.com]

A tougher application process is probably a good idea.

Just me, but I love the idea of the prompts. It gives characters that are usually introverted something to work with, and you can give players the option to take prompts how they wish. Like a prompt for 'heart' could be taken as a shape, a feeling of love...or whatever.

I think two shorter rather than one long, so that you can get a better feel for how the mun deals with a couple of different situations.

[tourmalinefey.livejournal.com]

I also put my vote in for Mariach's suggestion! Although I wonder if, as we're already asking for two, maybe one should be an RL-sample? Since it's such an integral part of DDD right now? I remember it being brought up AGES ago, and disliking the idea then, but now it seems more relevant.

*two pence*

~Miri

[samuraiprosecutor]

Late reply is late!

Putting in my vote for Maraich's idea, a compromise of that sort seems the fairest way to do it. I like the ideas of using prompts and having a word limit, too, and requiring a third-person RL sample as well as a journal post shows you more of the player's range. If they opt to go for the prompts they wouldn't have to do an RL sample?

...I really didn't have anything to contribute, huh? Whoops. XD