In Darkness - OOC

Hey guys, just a few maintenance dealies today.

First, I updated the FAQ with the things I removed from the holds page, which was getting a little crowded. These new elements have been added to the FAQ:

Can I play an animal?

If the animal can talk to humans in its canon, then yes you can. For example, Dug from UP! is acceptable with his collar. Bambi is not. Real animals must be used for a PB in this case.

Can I use a comic/cartoon/drawn/anime PB?

Only for network posts. All characters must be represented by a real 3-D person/animal for threading purposes.

What's visible in the network?

The character's log-in (journal name) and icons are both visible in the network, just like they are on the journal site. So yes, you can use non-PB icons for network posts only.

Second, headers! While I definitely appreciate the use of the !complete tag, please don't forget to also edit the status on your header. "Closed" or "narrative" if it was as open that wasn't responded to, "complete" if it's a completed thread, or "dropped" if you've used the !dropped instead of the !complete tag.

In the vein of the !dropped tag, if your partner has labeled the thread as dropped, then it will be counting against you when we do activity checks; the minimal amount of time that can pass between last-tag and application of the !dropped tag is one week. Please do not reply to a thread labeled as dropped without discussing it with your partner first.

Please do not create new ! tags in any of the communities. The only tags you should be creating are character tags or player tags if you're a new player, or ~player tags in the threading community to keep track of your threads, and none of those is a ! tag. If you have a suggestion for a ! tag, please run it by the mods, either through the drop box, IMs, twitter, or e-mail.

If you have any questions, comments, etc, please don't hesitate to hit me up.

Also, omg you guys, 7 posts before 11/1 and we have 100 for the month! we can do this!

Wow. I totally missed maintenance last week, but hey. Flying does that.

So know how I said things about new characters going to the new island? Yeah, realized last night that wasn't fair because everything described the old place, so new players were at something of a disadvantage. Oops. So what I did was moved the new description to the mod journal, and am going to finish cleaning that up today so everything is geared toward new!island. So now it's fair. :)

I also changed the island link to a more accurate picture. Made a new ad and hit the ad comms today. I also changed the weather link, because funny thing about Fiji is that it's like, already tomorrow there? Yeah. So I changed it to a place in the Bahamas, so it's closer to most (all?) of our timezones. It's raining for the next couple days, people on the new island, FYI and all that. ;)

What else? ::thinks hard:: Still working on lottery specifics. Pretty sure we're going riddles. I just have to figure out 4-8 that'll make an accurate picture of the task. If I can't, I'll laze out and do puzzles again >:D

I did update the cast lists yesterday, so those are all set (post-move cast list is still in i_find; that'll stay there 'til next weekend).

The moon's on the 23rd, so everyone will be moved to the new island midnight of the 22nd (Friday night), so the wolves first day on the island will be furry. Jungle romp, woo! I can see them banging on Sev's door "I NEED MAH POTION!" ::amused::

Oh. The lottery plot after bears is going to be kidnapping, and they're going after under 18s (you know, kids), so if anyone had any younger muses bopping around, now'd be the month to sign them up >:D ::lures and enables and junk:: I'm also going to try to update our plot timeline through the next couple of months today, so if you guys have any plots off the list you really really really really want to do, either as group or select plots, pipe up and I'll stick it on there (personally, I'm looking forward to implanted phobias, 'cause if any of mine get rolled, they're so getting a fear of doors. >:D )

So, okay. I think this is it. If you guys notice anything that needs adjusting/cleaned-up/spell-checked/whatever, hit me up, 'cause Thursday is Maintenance day ... this week.

Hello, hello, and how is everyone on this craptastic Wednesday?

I know, I know. We're all having days (week-so-fars?) from hell. I'd like to blame Tuesday, but I'm not sure Tuesday can actually suck muses this hard. 'cause. damn. It'll be better when September is over, maybe?

Anyway!

I have done some maintenance on the rules page. I've added a section to better outline our expectations for the game (the section titled "will you fit in here"), and I've added a section under the posting rules to address continuity issues because I've had/seen at least three players ruffle my/someone's continuity in the course of the game. Nothing major and all involved players were awesome at cooperating to smooth it out, so kudos to all of you, but I just wanted to have it in black and white so we know what style goes for this game for future players who run into the question.

( Copypasta for your convenience )

Since we changed the activity requirements without ample warning, we will allow the one-thread-per-character rule to slide for October checks provided you've been otherwise active. If you have a lot of dropped threads, however, you will not pass checks. If you have not signed in to acknowledge you've read the new activity requirements, please make sure you do so.

These requirements will be in place for the November checks.

All righty, guys. That's it for maintenance this week. I think everything's up to date and whatnot.

Thanks!

But there wasn't really much to maintain.

I have the room database done for the group move, for the most part, unless we get surprise!suite requests. XD And I wonder how long it will be before suitemates become roommates ::brow waggle:: (Btw, I totes put dora and spike in a suite, and ches, lizzy, and ari in one)

So right, taking suggestions if you think the FAQ or the new!island writeup needs anything. Even if you think it's a dumb/obvious thing, suggest it anyway because the odds are good that someone else is wondering the same thing and thinking they're dumb for not knowing the answer. ;)

Oh! There was one thing. We'd decided at some point and I never got around to updating ... the application is going to have a test-thread option, for people who don't have existing samples and who'd rather play something out than write a sample. It's totally optional, but it's there and we'd be using the alt-comm for it. Sort of like I'm doing now with Ari ;)

Okay. Think that's about it for right now. Keep up the good work and the activity!

Yeah. Somehow, it just seems easier to keep it on Wednesdays.

Not too much to cover this week, so this'll be a quickie.

First, activity checks are almost over, so if you haven't signed in, please do. If you did sign in and are not listed under the 'signed in/safe' header, then IJ ate your comment and you should do it again.

Second, posts/tags. Please please please remember to use the date tag, and please please please remember to put titles. I've had to comment to a couple of people about this, so thank you to the ones who have fixed things up :) Much appreciated.

Third, dropped tags. I'm seeing way, way too many dropped tags. If you're busy IRL and honestly can't drop your partner a note, at least try to get in touch with them as soon as you can so they know to hold the post open for you. If you're the one having the tag dropped on you, please don't hesitate to use the "!dropped" tag for the post -- even if you weren't the one who started the post. I, personally, give it at least a week, but you're welcome to set your own drop point, be it five days, a week, two weeks, whatever.

If you engage in a post, or post an open, we kind of expect some back and forth interaction. Even if it's only a tag every couple of days or whatever pace your RL allows, that's fine, but when it goes untagged for weeks (and we see you tagging elsewhere/in other people's threads) that's just not cool.

We'll evaluate the dropped threads between now and the next check, and if we notice any players consistently dropping all their tags, we may consider amending the activity rules to address this behavior.

If it's a matter of having trouble keeping track of your active threads, you can create a "!player" tag, and stick it on your active posts. Then you just click the "!yournamehere" tag to bring up your posts. That way, even if notifs fail, you have a backup system in place.

Fourth, the plot timeline. I swapped around the Ice Bears and the Calla/Thunderclap Wolves, because the bears can theoretically do more damage to the hotel, and we can use the wolves for an actual kidnapping plot to involve a rescue mission rather than simply an assault on the (new) hotel. So that puts the move between the two events, and I think it makes more sense.

The plot timeline's done through the end of the year, though nothing's set in stone as far as sequence of events go, but we will inform you of any changes before they happen.

Okay, think that's about it for now. Questions and the like can be sent my way, as can opinions, suggestions, ideas, comments, concrit, and especially praise ;)

I have updated the plot timeline as far ahead as we've plotted. As always, it's subject to change, but it will be announced and put up for discussion. Everything will be explained as their date draws closer, but I think most of it should be fairly self-explanatory.

Just so everyone knows. I did manage to get it updated. Yay, me :)

Usually it's Thursday, I know, but I'm trying it out on Wednesday to see how it fits.

( Lengthy post is long )

All right. Think that about covers our maintenance update. If you have questions, suggestions, etc, go ahead and comment. You're welcome to use the drop box or hit my personal e-mail if you'd rather it not be broadcast.

Thanks guys!

Yay almost Friday!

( For Length )

That said, if everyone could comment here with your character's point in canon (age and date are preferred, but episode names/point in movie are acceptable if there's no set, established timeline with dates), that'd be great, and we'll get that updated so people looking at the game will have a quick reference at hand. (Also, if you could check to make sure your character is on that list where he or she should be, that'd be stellar).

So, right, as always, hit me up if you have questions/need clarification, and please make sure you reply to the by-fandom list.

Also, activity checks will begin next Friday, so those of you who don't have a thread yet should probably look into finding one.

Thanks guys!

I have updated the "upon arrival" page to reflect alterations made by characters throughout the course of the game. If your character has done something you'd like noted for new arrivals to be aware of, please let me know. Here, or the drop box.

For your convenience, so you don't have to click links:

In-game additions

- a small graveyard currently containing 4 wooden markers (one each for Susan Pevensie, Tinkerbell, Son Sayuri, and Elizabeth Swann)
- a garden of normal and magical plants, as well as fruit/vegetables behind the hotel (Swan's project)
- one of the shacks was fixed up into semi-livable condition, though it lacks plumbing and electricity (Mal's project)

So, I'm doing some maintenance today (and will be adverting in a bit) and realized we have several players who came in after the relevant plot post was posted in the OOC.

That being said, I did update the upon arrival post with the following information:

"There are numbers scattered around town as well. They have no relevance tied to them as far as your character knows, but they are still there. "

Those of you who have been playing here and have stumbled across questions, if there's anything you think should be added to the arrival guide that's not covered in the FAQ or the rules, by all means let me know.

I have also added links to previously played characters to the holds page, in case anyone wanted to pick up a character that's already been played and keep game canon (though they certainly don't have to), they wouldn't have to check and see if there were tags; it's already on the holds page.

If you can think of anything else you'd like to see added, anywhere, please don't hesitate to drop a suggestion.