soul_mods: (Default)
Soul Campaign Moderation Journal ([personal profile] soul_mods) wrote in [community profile] soul_ooc2011-10-22 08:12 pm
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MODPOST 1/2

Attention, Soul Campaign!

We’re opening reservations in a little over a week, and the mods would like to make some announcements regarding changes being made to the application and reservation process. These changes have been in planning for a long time, and is one of the reasons why we went for the break.

Reserves Page and Application Cut Off
The reserves page will open on November 1, 2011 as planned. The application cycle will be from December 16 - 23, 2011. Cut-off for next cycle will be December 15, 2011, 11:59pm EST.

Changes to the application form
We made some changes to the application form, which you can see here. The sections remain the same, but the text explaining these changes have been revised to make them clearer and more streamlined. We’ve included a secondary reference page linked in the application, which includes guidelines that will hopefully make the application easier for players to fill and the application cycle/process much faster than what we’ve been doing before.

We changed the weapon section so that weapons will only have one general ability. There will be a separate post to detail how this will affect current weapons (but don’t panic, we’re not going to make you change yours if you don’t want to).

Last, a summary of the events in the game since its beginning up til the Europe event has been posted in this page.

New revision process for the applications
Starting the next cycle, we will no longer entertain revisions for the Character Information section of the application. This section includes the character’s history, personality, abilities, and weaknesses. We feel that players who know their characters well should be able to write their applications in a manner that makes this section understandable to the application team. Any application whose character information section the application team finds lacking will immediately be rejected.

The other sections (SC-only section, meister, weapon, soul description, samples) will go through the usual revision process if necessary, since they are all sections unique to Soul Campaign.

Beta-reading system
However, since we will no longer be allowing revisions for the character information during the application cycle, we will be offsetting this with a beta-reading system to help players make sure that their applications pass the standards of the game.

How will this work? In the reserves page, the applicants commenting on it will have the option of asking for a beta-reader from SC’s pool of current players. You can volunteer to beta-read theirs and help them with their applications by replying to their reserve comment.

We’d also like to minimize the risk of applicants asking for a beta-reader and not getting any -- to do this, the mods will be collecting names of people willing to be included in a pool of beta-readers every cycle, and we will assign them to a lonely applicant.

If you’d like to volunteer, please reply here, and indicate any preferences (or non-preferences, for that matter!) on series or canon that you have. We appreciate it! App team members may also volunteer, but this doesn’t guarantee that the app will pass.

Test drive meme
We will also test something for next cycle. We will put up a Test Drive Meme in Soul Skirmish, to be linked to the reserves page. This will give the prospective applicants and the current players space to tag each other before the application cycle, to give the applicants a taste of the game before they come in.

The meme will include several scenarios that the characters can play out, depending on their choice. Some will be serious, while some will be more light-hearted. Soul Campaign is a plot-heavy game that depends on consistent relations and interactions between characters, as well as emphasis on world news and events; we’d like the applicants to be more aware of this as they app into the game.

Please note that threads in this meme will not be accepted for Activity Check. Sorry. :c

Whew!
So that’s it for changes! Please note that the new revision process, beta-reading system, and test drive meme are all still under testing for now, and we may adjust them depending on how December pans out. We appreciate your patience!

The second mod post will be up soon after this, so make sure to check it out, especially if you have weapon characters.

For questions about this post (and its links), you can ask here or email us at soulcampaign@gmail.com. (Don't worry if some questions take a while to answer, a couple of the mods are going on a short vacation for a couple of days. Thank you for your patience!)

[identity profile] de-faulty-hero.livejournal.com 2011-10-22 01:33 pm (UTC)(link)
Sign me up.

I'd prefer series like the Final Fantasy series, Starcraft, .Hack, Claymore, Fullmetal Alchemist, Fushigi Yuugi. However, I'm willing to read over any application that comes in even from obscure series, so don't count me out for those.

[identity profile] quarterlynx.livejournal.com 2011-10-22 01:59 pm (UTC)(link)
So for one of my apps, I had gotten revisions before (and I think this is a common thing for people from some of the ones I've talked to) -- but it was a request to make sure the soul traits I picked matched up with what I wrote in the personality section -- not exactly a personality revision, but an additional explanation as to why I chose those traits.

Under these new rules, would an application like that be outright rejected? Or does that count under the soul campaign revision section?

[identity profile] chaos-squirrel.livejournal.com 2011-10-22 02:52 pm (UTC)(link)
I'm signing up for this! Although I think I should mention I might not be able to help with last-minute reserves if I'm under a time crunch myself.

Preferred series include Trauma Center, Persona 4, Tales of Symphonia (sequel is best, I've only binge-reviewed parts of the first game ahaha), Percy Jackson and the Olympians/Heroes of Olympus, and...Jackie Chan Adventures? Some of these are more likely to be apped than the others.

I'm cool with anything, though, as long as there's some time to let me research or review other canons.

[identity profile] histrionicflair.livejournal.com 2011-10-22 02:55 pm (UTC)(link)
Sign me up.

[identity profile] terra-inflexus.livejournal.com 2011-10-22 03:27 pm (UTC)(link)
This is more of a concern but...

As someone who's gotten a lot of revision requests and someone who's helped a lot with other revisions, I'm not entirely sure not asking for revisions in the character section of the app is a good idea. Soul Campaign has one of the toughest, most detailed apps I've ever done, and you guys (rightfully) expect a lot from your players. It can be hard, though, knowing when what's in an app is enough to satisfy the app team. In all my cases of revision requests, I was confident what I had was enough--I had added everything I could without repeating what was already in the app, I had gotten people to beta, I'd beta'd--only to end up getting revision requests because it still wasn't enough.

I understand why you'd no longer want to request character revisions, and I'd hope people would know how to explain their character well enough, but Soul Campaign expects more than simply well enough, and for new muses, new appers, or old appers who haven't done an SC app in a while, not knowing what's good enough and knowing that if it's not enough they'll be outright rejected, can be a turn off.

I'm sure you guys thought about it before implementation, I'm just worried and unsure about it myself because I know if I was on the other end of this procedure I'd be a lot less likely to app.

[identity profile] terra-inflexus.livejournal.com 2011-10-22 03:54 pm (UTC)(link)
That's a big relief XD Thank you

Re: VOLUNTEERS for beta reading!

[identity profile] memorymodus.livejournal.com 2011-10-22 03:58 pm (UTC)(link)
I can do Homestuck, Portal, a lot of young adult books, Doctor Who, Persona 3/4 and any obscure series that would need research.

[identity profile] novelvision.livejournal.com 2011-10-22 04:54 pm (UTC)(link)
I will beta for most of anything but especially if you're apping from Gintama, Tales of the Abyss, Persona 3, Persona 4, any Gust game (Ha ha ha as if anyone would), Pandora Hearts and some others I'm probably forgetting. Basically, if I hit up your post there's a 90% chance that I'll be doing it!
dungenessmaster: (A-OK FUCKERS!)

Re: VOLUNTEERS for beta reading!

[personal profile] dungenessmaster 2011-10-22 05:55 pm (UTC)(link)
I'm in.

I'll be editing/adding onto this to add canons I'm comfortable enough to beta for. Right now you can give me:

- any MSPA canon. Includes Homestuck, Problem Sleuth, and... well nobody plays from Jail Break or Bard Quest, but those too I guess.

- My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic

- Pretty much any animated Disney/Pixar movie ever

- Dreamworks ones like Megamind, Shrek, and How To Train Your Dragon as well because I am just this enormous child.

- South Park

- CSI

- FF9, FFX, FFX-2

- Glee, at least up to season 2

- Odd Thomas, at least as far as the third book

- Most of Stephen King's works, though I'm still burning through the Dark Tower series!
Edited 2011-10-22 21:20 (UTC)

[identity profile] trageteas.livejournal.com 2011-10-22 06:56 pm (UTC)(link)
This is a very minor thing I noticed but according to the app "a Meister does not simply control his Weapon". Since the rest of the application uses gender-neutral language, I assume this was meant to say their?

[identity profile] excalibuuuh.livejournal.com 2011-10-22 07:03 pm (UTC)(link)
Yeeees, will fix. THANK YOU FOR CATCHING IT. o/
socialbutterfly: (OROBAS)

[personal profile] socialbutterfly 2011-10-22 07:29 pm (UTC)(link)
I just want to nitpick as the English teacher here. 'Their' is a plural, not a neutral. Can we find another way of phrasing it to avoid wrong grammar altogether?
dungenessmaster: (question mark)

Re: QUESTIONS!

[personal profile] dungenessmaster 2011-10-22 09:11 pm (UTC)(link)
Springboarding off what was said above... I've already had potential players tell me the app was too intimidating as it is, and now you will be straight-up telling new players that they could be rejected out of hand? For something that might be a simple concern or different interpretation? When they can't be sure what we want in the first place? I understand app reviews for a game this big take awhile, and I definitely appreciate the time the mods/app team put in to process everybody as quickly as possible, but... there's a difference between having high standards and just sounding scary and unwelcoming.

I'm bringing these concerns up partly because I'm interested in beta-ing for Soul Campaign, and I've already unofficially beta'd for an interested castmate. What if an app that I think is great doesn't meet the reviewer's standards somehow? I needed revisions on my first app, after all. It would be my fault, and I would hate to cost us all a perfectly good gamemate because they're a better player than app writer.

Also, what will happen for new muns apping in from something so obscure there's no beta for it? Will they just have to take a chance and hope they somehow pass muster on the first try, without the help more popular characters will have access to?
Edited 2011-10-22 21:18 (UTC)

[identity profile] toomanypetals.livejournal.com 2011-10-22 11:21 pm (UTC)(link)
Don't challenge me with Gust games, I might go with one of them instead of Gintama. >U

[identity profile] glitchycat.livejournal.com 2011-10-22 11:23 pm (UTC)(link)
I'll help! I could read anything, but I don't know a whole ton of series. I know Final Fantasy 7, 8, 10, 12, Kingdom Hearts 1&2, Criminal Minds, Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles, Pet Shop of Horrors, Tron, Harry Potter, Red vs Blue, Loveless, Saiyuki, and possibly I forgot to mention a couple other things. :/ I'm good at asking questions though, to make people think about how to better explain or add stuff.
shiromadoushi: (Serious - 01)

[personal profile] shiromadoushi 2011-10-23 12:30 am (UTC)(link)
More a general note: Knowing your character well and being able to explain them well in an app are two widely different things. You can know every little detail there is to know about a character and just have a hard to assembling a thousand partials of fragmented information into something that actually makes sense to someone who doesn't know the canon.

Alternately, there can be troubles where canon interpretation is missed. One app in another game I had to get very specific information to reinforce a part of my app as part of revisions to prove that yes, canon did support what I said. There are a lot of different reasons for an app to need revisions that a beta reader, not possessing the same level or body of information that an app team, will not know to spot for. It's also a lot of pressure on that beta and possible blame if the app passes beta, but still gets rejected.

Considering the very long window between app cycles, an out and out rejection is a very heavy thing to hand down.

I honestly would suggest that this not be a strict policy. There are far too many small reasons that an app may need revisions in one of those sections that that option is being removed for.
recitings: (Chibi - Red Mage)

[personal profile] recitings 2011-10-23 12:37 am (UTC)(link)
I can help! I can definitely beta for the following:

a. all fighting games (preferably Street Fighter, Darkstalkers, Dead or Alive, Soul Calibur, Tekken and Virtua Fighter). My super specialty is Soul Calibur and Tekken as I already play characters from those canons.
b. Bayonetta
c. Final Fantasy VII Compilation, specifically Crisis Core.
d. Final Fantasy VIX, Final Fantasy Tactics
e. Webcomics (eg. Sister Claire, Teahouse, Starfighter, etc.)

Aside from these, I totally don't mind helping someone with an obscure canon, too.

run away, it's me again

[identity profile] lionborn.livejournal.com 2011-10-23 01:20 am (UTC)(link)
First off, I love the idea with the meme! I don’t really get what you want to do with the weapon and only one skill rule (maybe I will after reading it three times more?_?), but what seems really awkward to me are the changes regarding the apps and betas.

My questions would be the following:
+ Will there be a way to help the betas judge? Everybody has a different idea of what makes an app good so something like a training or shared guidelines or even just a list to check off against would be a huge help.
+ What if a beta doesn’t get back to somebody for one reason or another? Will there be a deadline for beta-ing or until you can request another?
+ What about people who end up deciding to app at the last minute and have no time left to request a beta anymore? Will they have to just hope on their luck and that everything will be alright with their app at first try?

I'm asking because I beta-read for a lot of people and also always had others beta for my apps in SC but a good part of those apps still ended up getting revisions anyway. I'm thinking about volunteering, but considering that there will be no revision requests anymore means that a lot of indirect responsibility will go to those volunteering as betas. Personally, I’d feel bad if I told somebody their app is okay just to have it end up being rejected. Another reason I’m bringing up those points is because I once tried to app at CFUD who uses a similar beta system and then got entirely put off of ever wanting to app there again simply by how badly my experience with the beta system was. I think the beta system you want to do could work, but you will really want to make it sound as appealing as possible and to make sure that it really is a help to new and old appers alike rather than another hurdle that they feel they need to take.

Some more questions about the changes in the app guideline:
+ Does this mean that any weapon except gun-types can do partial transformations now?
+ I’m also curious about what you said about Weapons being unable to defeat kishin eggs alone in the Weapon Guidelines. While I know that you want to empathize the importance of working together as Meister and Weapons since it’s an important mechanic in the game, I do wonder – what about Weapons that would want to do like Justin and Giriko and work on their own? Is that still possible, at least to a degree?
+ Not a question, but neither I nor the friends I gave it to read could make head or tails out of the weapon ability part of the first example (demon glasses) here (http://soul-mods.livejournal.com/34046.html). We get that it’s about energy and manipulating something and that it’s about elements but what it is? The best guess we could come up with so far is “I thiiink means like ENERGY LASERS CARE BEAR STARE whatever”. I’m not sure if that makes it really good as a example, as beautifully phrased as it is.^^;
+ Will there be a guideline for Meisters as well? Skimming through the new app form and guidelines there is a lot of additional information about Weapons but practically no mention about Meisters.
+ Will you give examples of do’s and don’ts for the personality section of the app? Right now it reads a bit like “this is the most important part, you can’t correct it, read our mind”, exaggeratedly said. Players already in the game will know what you mean, but as it is it has a good potential to scare away new players.
Edited 2011-10-23 01:23 (UTC)

[identity profile] anchorsurfs.livejournal.com 2011-10-23 06:48 am (UTC)(link)
Rather than giving only one opportunity for getting the character information section correct it might be better saying that they would get one chance to revise that information. People above have already given great points in favour of not following the new system so I won't argue against it.

[identity profile] novelvision.livejournal.com 2011-10-23 07:04 am (UTC)(link)
THAT WAS NOT MY INTENTION!

[identity profile] novelvision.livejournal.com 2011-10-23 07:19 am (UTC)(link)
Well, that first sample would be my bad! But yes, the part past catalysis is just explanations about how it works in-game for whoever's using him to show about how much can they expect to do so that rules out things like "OKAY I'M A ONE STAR MEISTER LET'S BLOW UP THINGS".

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