Poll on Applications

[havenmods]

I apologize for this going up so early in the day; however, I will be celebrating a family birthday tonight and not around at the usual 7PM EST.

I've received a few concerns about the application process currently. When I started this game, I wrote "I hope there are a lot of these :)" under the Taken Characters heading. I'm ecstatic to see that my hopes have come true, and that the game is continually growing.

Unfortunately, accepting applications each day has a slightly adverse effect. Characters being introduced are perhaps lost a little in the flood, and existing characters spend each day explaining about being trapped. I would hopefully like to come up with a change that benefits all parties involved.

To this end, I'm having another poll. There are headers within this post to vote (as you need a paid journal for a real poll), so please make sure to comment under the right heading.

The choices are as follows:

-> Applications remain open constantly, but are only processed once a week on Fridays
-> Applications remain open constantly, but are only processed once every other Friday
-> Applications move into a set app cycle where they are open for one week per month
-> Applications remain as they are now

There will also be a discussion thread, so please feel free to bring up any concerns or questions there. This poll will close on the 7th December, and the results will be announced with the ejected list.

Thank-you.

Comments

Discussion

[havenmods]

Re: Discussion

[knifedances]

I think having apps constantly open is a good way to start a game moving when it first opens, but now the game is growing bigger I think it'd be better for it to have a set app week, so new people come in roughly all at once (preferably not during an event to make it easier for them to find their feet) and maybe even have a mingle log/roommate log to help them get into the game and build up CR right from the get-go. At some point characters in game might begin to feel jaded with the same-ish initial intro posts (which I'm not ooc-ly complaining about, it's perfectly IC for characters to come in and start off with a post like that) and having people come in all at once with a intro log to tag into might mean new people are more likely to get more tags when they first app in? Something like that!

[tamer]

mingle logs mingle logs mingle logs

[knifedances]

Haha yeah, I always like mingle logs!! I've found they work well to get people included in other games.

[tamer]

it'd be a nice change of pace too, interspersed between events! it'd give the characters something small to do that won't destroy their souls. :')

[hexappeal]

I'm in favor of something similar to CnC's set-up -- they have reserves open for a week, then they close them and open the applications for a week. I feel that this or every two weeks would keep the intros at a steady but not overwhelming pace.

I think once a month leads to people apping almost desperately and in games I've been in in the past have lead to a lot of annoyances when it comes to ATP, test drives, and generally seems to almost create as many problems as it solves. It usually means that there's a time of the month that predictably you'll have a lot of intros, but it also means that there will almost definitely be a lot of them, regardless of the pace of the game.

But I also +1 knifedances! I know that it can be a bit difficult to work around your own plots let alone player plots, so I think something like every 2-3 weeks with reserves being open when apps are closed (and the other way around) is the way to go. o7

+ 1

[storylike]

Definitely, this.

Having apps open once a month versus having them approved every other week means either having a flood of intros within a week period, or having those intros dispersed throughout the month. There's the issue of desperate apps too.

I also agree that limiting apps to once a month may be too hasty for a game that's relatively new. It's something to definitely consider down the road, but for now, spacing applications out - perhaps every other week - should be enough to slow things down.

And I guess, on a personal level-- it's really frustrating when you want to app into a game, only to realize that you've missed the deadline by a few days and have to wait a month to apply. As I said, that's more a personal whine, but I'm sure it's something a lot of RPers have encountered.

[tamer]

oooooh those are all good points! :O admittedly i hadn't considered that. i guess my sense of time is wrong — it feels like it's been more than a few months lol. i didn't realize the game was still considered that new!

but that's all true. and ia with the apping frustration/desperation. maybe the apps can be reviewed every other week, but there could still be a mini-mingle log every month? :D nothing too big to draw away from the week-long events, of course, but at least something to give the characters something to do rather than let them idle about in between events, y'know?

[tamerlane]

(This is hexappeal on my personal journal, herp.)

I don't think it's necessarily a "personal whine," either. A lot of people, even if they are not "fad appers," can quickly be turned off if they can't get instant or near-instant gratification. I also find I'm usually the most eager to play shortly after finishing off an app. The canon review is very fresh in my mind.

I think starting with maybe every 2-3 weeks and then maybe in six months or so going to every other week might be feasible? Then closing them as necessary for large mod plots or pre-approved player plots if apps would fall in the middle of them.

[knifedances]

Yeah I think having apps/reserves left open the entire time and then reviewed every other week will lead to a large build-up of apps that would be a pain for the mods to get through all at once, but having the one week to get apps in, then a week for them to be looked over twice a month might work better.

I still definitely thing some kind of mingle/roommate log will work well to get people involved and prevent the flood of same-ish intros that then might end up being overlooked in the main come!!

[tamerlane]

I think it ends up just as frustrating as a steady flow of apps and I also think once a month leads to more new appers coming in and being ignored and dropping quickly, thus creating an unfortunate cycle of more work for all involved. It also means people tire over introing themselves OOC and will either not bother to say hello to new players or will copy/paste the same intro.

That would definitely help, but that would also put some pressure on the players who share rooms with new characters. Some players may not be up for doing that and may be less than welcoming. I expect some people may be busy, overwhelmed, etc. and that it could be unfair to some players who get put into a room with a inactive/on hiatus player(s). It can also be an issue if you app in before the post goes up or sometime after the mingle post goes up as players do lose interest with "old" threads relatively quickly, open or otherwise.

I have been in a game that did a monthly intro log and it was helpful on some fronts -- it didn't lessen the amount of WHAT AM I DOING HERE main comm intro posts, but it did allow people to quickly offer information about the world build in a unique way.

[hexappeal]

--BY WHICH I MEAN an overall mingle post is probably better-suited than say, breaking it up into rooms.

Maybe one that breaks it up into floors and maybe a generic, everybodyeverybody get-together would be more suited?

[encored]

Even with the game growing at a steady pace, I'm a little concerned it might still be too soon to go to a once-a-month application cycle. My vote is to ease into it by processing every other Friday and then in another couple months move to a set cycle.

I also really like the idea of having an intro mingle log whenever an app cycle happens!

[snacklist]

ia with everything said here.

I worry it's too soon for an app cycle now. Every two weeks breaks it up nicely.

[dipolar]

+1 ; ) I love mingle logs, enfkwnf.

[logic_and_magic]

I have the unpopular opinion on mingle logs here. It's more of a concern. I mean, I can see the usefulness of it and how it would help intro people and allow for CR to develop. But, when you see mods accept apps in games, they break it up into sections, because they are people after all. I think I'd die if I tried accepting a billion apps all at once in one sitting.

But with mingle logs during a cycle or whatever the first batch of people goes to the mingle log and they post. So, more than likely people will get excited and start tagging. And apps usually take a week to process, but I'm getting to my point now sorry.

What I worry is that those accepted at the END of the cycle will post to the mingle log and find themselves getting little to no tags since everyone might be tagged out by intro mingles. I dunno, those are my concerns.

But I also just don't want to see people getting next to nothing with their individual intros so yeah.

[tsundaga]

Just bringing up a point I'm not sure has been addressed yet (it's 6 AM and I haven't read through everything yet). Would you be processing the first and third weeks or the second and fourth? It's generally the first and third, when games do this, and that would mean that if you keep the event schedule as it has been these past couple of months, that would put one of the acceptance cycles right smack-dab during the event. Or right before it, but that's still the same problem.

Just making sure it's taken into account how much accepting a whole round of apps into a game during an event is not such a good idea. fff.

[havenmods]

It's not been mentioned, but I would sort out the scheduling. I'm aware having apps open during an event would be a bad idea, don't worry.

[eyeofthetiger]

Having been in several games, I can honestly attest that I'm more inclined to respond to more intro posts if there is a steady stream of them throughout the month then I am if there's a single week or weekend were they just pile on. When there's suddenly a slew of them, I am definitely much more inclined to only tag canons I know and/or castmates simply because my inbox can only handle so many threads at once.

However, I do think that since this is a new game, there is some benefit to going towards an app cycle where apps are reviewed once a week or every other week as it does help to weed out people who are trying to bandwagon but is short enough to keep people from getting impatient about wanting to play. It can also be a help to the mods because they can spread out app reading a bit more to fit with their schedules rather than trying to cram it in every single day.

As for the intros... In my opinion, they will always be a touchy subject for all involved because on one hand, people love organization, on the other, they do get repetitive. But as long as there is a healthy cycle of new players coming into the game, I don't see there being any shortage of muns wanting to and willing to tag these so-called repetitive introductions even while older players may become a little more selective. Having a steady cycle of changing roommates will also help to stimulate random CR though to mix in the old with the new which is honestly something I'm looking forward to.

On the topic of mingles, I also highly approve of those too, but that's just because I love mingles and not just for new players but for old alike. It's a great way to put your character out there without necessarily needing to put up a post.

Re: Discussion

[losemyfaith]

I haven't tossed up a vote yet (which I will do momentarily, just needed to get this out before I lost the thought.) but this is really just one big +1 to the mingle log idea regardless of what the eventual vote is. I liked having a big log seperated out by rooms like we had back when the game opened up and I think doing something like that every month or so will be good not just for newbies to get their feet but also to see some roommate shenanigains between the existing players a la this reccent log put up by Glenn-mun. It's an idea to consider, and like I said, one you've done once already.

Re: Discussion

[browbeater]

hokay. My other game involves consistently long wait times. My game before that had applications open for characters over 21 only 3 times a year until very recently.

One of the things I like about Haven is not having to wait sometimes upwards of 4 months to play a character-- yes, it encourages impulse apping, but it also makes it less of a federal commitment if you want to play a character, which is good for the hobby/fun part of roleplay. ._. My 2 cents.

[skirtingdanger]

Whatever happens, I would like to see intro/mingle logs, as well!! I'm starting to feel too lost and overwhelmed with the sudden flood of intro posts, and I feel like keeping it all in one place would help minimize the amount of posts! Also, it'll probably help with getting tags, as mentioned above.

[mouseketeers]

I'm just gonna hop onto the echo train and say that I am completely up for intro-mingle logs. Admitting right now that I'd personally be more inclined to hop onto those than the constant intro posts. Those are nice, and I have nothing against them. I feel guilty for not tagging as many as I could. But, I don't know, for me it's that I feel more overwhelmed if I'm tossing tags into multiple DW posts just to explain things, than multiple threads on a single post. It's more organized and there's at least a small percentage of less clutter to deal with.

So +1 on that idea.

Re: Discussion

[permissible]

A little late for opinions, but i guess ill just put in a quick two cents anyway.... I personally think that going for a once-a-month cycle is a REALLY bad idea. Asgard, where I also play at, has a once amonth cycle, but I feel like for about a good week the entire network is FLOODED with intro posts, and the only real way to tame this is to slam down the mingle log, which im also in favour PARTIALLY

though at the other game im at, CapeAndCowl, theyve got applications every other week, which is GREAT because there's really not THAT many intro posts being thrown into my face at once over that way. There's no mingle log there, and i wonder if in this case a mingle log is going to just add to the spam of intro posts

So yeah my vote indicates id prefer a two week cycle, certainly by a long shot

[compliant]

I realise the game is new, but right now it feels like the comm is wholly overrun with intros which can get rather repetitive very quickly. App cycles would, ideally, condense that into a brief period. However, I do also like the idea of mingle logs, as others have suggested — having something like that follow an app processing cycle would hopefully decrease how crowded the comm is with intro posts. (On a personal note, I don't have as much time for tagging as others, and might be a little less willing to go back several pages to look for plot- or character-relevant posts to tag into among the seemingly endless amount of intros, so my opinion is a bit provably biased.)