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somasatori

I tend to write a lot as a general rule, since I (like @MisterBoring) am one of those “write till I’m done” types, so my most recent apps are enormous because I’ve been really interested in the character’s until-now development. That’s just me, though, and it could easily just be a short story I write for myself without forcing anyone to read.

Anyway, that said, I think the app process should be similar to a mullet: short in the front, long in the back. Shorter app to get in and involved, with the idea that the character’s background info is a kind of living document, to a point, that can be fleshed out by making connections and associations either with other players or with ongoing plots.

somasatori

@Jennkryst said in Numetal/Retromux:

Then there’s my dumb ass, logging into the 16 year old account on Shadowrun Denver to see about unlocking Otaku after a decade-old bit of fuckery.

To be fair, Jenn, I feel like the act of asking about unplayable/disallowed character types is kind of your version of MUSHing.

Roadspike

Like several posters above, I’ve come around to the idea that an app should be as short as it can be… while also demonstrating knowledge, understanding, and ability to work within the themes, setting, and mechanics.

I’m a big fan of bullet points, and of Staff providing a list of details that they want to know (“why is your character in this location,” “how did gaining magic affect your character,” “how are they connected to the game described in our mission statement” for example). I want to see that the character will be able to interact with other characters (don’t send me a loner app unless you’re also sending me info on how they’re going to get out of their shell), and how they’ll fit within what Staff wants the game to be.

And I want it all in bullet points, as short as possible to get that information across.

Pavel

@Noraaa There’s a button that says “Reply” at the top. Use that one. Reply at the bottom is to reply to that specific post.

MisterBoring

@Trashcan said in Long or Short? Application Process!:

That being said, I absolutely prefer a shorter application process and endorse doing the absolute bare minimum to get an app over the line. GET ON THE GRID and start playing.

I agree with this, and in my opinion the bare minimum should be:

Application Coherency: The application should be coherently readable and make logical sense. I’ve read enough offenses to the written word in my time in the hobby that bad apps will haunt my afterlife.
Lore Knowledge: The application should indicate that you have a basic understanding of the MU’s setting. Most games these days have a loredump summary type document somewhere that contains all of the information that literally every character in the world would know, and the application should reflect that.
Mechanical Knowledge: A large majority of MUs have some sort of mechanical system for conflict and task resolution. Some of these are based on TTRPGs with their own published book lines. Your application should reflect that you are familiar with the core mechanics of the game, and possibly note if you are new to the specific system being used. (Being new to a system shouldn’t be cause to deny an app, but should be brought to staff’s attention so that they can help you learn it until you get up to speed.)

There are some optional additions to this as well:

Acknowledgement of Responsibility: If an application is for a position of IC power or responsibility (and yes I am aware that allowing PCs as IC leaders is often fraught with peril), then the application should include an acknowledgement that said position requires you play your character in a way that generates positive RP experiences for others and not just yourself.
Roster History Acknowledgement: In games where the application is for a roster character that has already seen play, the player should acknowledge to the staff that they understand the IC storyline already written for their character. If a character has already developed rivals in game, then the character is dropped back to roster and picked up by someone else, their first scene in the game shouldn’t be one where they are suddenly best buddies with those rivals with no logical reason.

MisterBoring

@Juniper said in Long or Short? Application Process!:

If I have to apply, I’m already gone.

While I understand this and can sometimes agree with it, I’ve also had the experience of playing on games with no application process whatsoever and watched as the game filled up with random trolls and ended up shutting down pretty rapidly.

Selira

i don’t play games to do homework and, while i have held my nose a few times, it’s not been an experience I’ve found pleasant. A short bit indicating understanding of a roster or theme is one thing, but my characters bloom into life as I play them. Writing a massive backstory that will be retconned into who my character actually ends up being is a waste of time for everyone involved.

Juniper

If I have to apply, I’m already gone.

Roz

@Autumn said in Long or Short? Application Process!:

At the risk of sounding like I’m victim blaming, we also have to be willing to take “yes” for an answer. If staff explicitly say something like “If your background is more then N words, you’re probably going into more detail than we really need,” and I proceed to write a background that’s 5N words in length … that’s not something staff can fix.

idk who the victim being blamed in here is — players being blamed for writing more BG than they need? but anyways yeah this is very true and frustrating when it happens. when a game has a maximum word count for BGs, it means that they literally do not need that level of detail and aren’t interested in reading it. i’ve definitely been a part of sending back apps that went over the cap.

Pavel

Honestly, these days, as far as backgrounds or mechanical explanatory notes or whatever other stuff a game might want… just give me a questionnaire.

T	Tez
P	Pavel
L	Lain Iwakura
R	ririsaru
M	MisterBoring
J	Jenn
C	catzilla
C	Cobalt
C	chilling
S	somasatori
S	sonata
L	Laurel
K	KQ
U	untitled
B	bored
B	Belle
M	mudcirclejerk
M	Mercutio
N	Narrator
R	Rucket

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