Post by Administrator on Aug 28, 2015 12:01:54 GMT -5
Activity Requirements
Activity Checks will happen at the staff's discretion. They may be every month, every other month or whenever the staff feels there is need. We ask that you maintain a minimum of 2 posts per-month per-character whether or not there is an upcoming activity check. Any IC activity will allow you to pass a check, however, if you only post a single post for your character(s) whenever there is an activity check, you may lose your characters regardless. We assume people are applying here because they want to role-play and shouldn't require any further incentive or ultimatum to actively participate.
Only apply for characters you WANT to write and actively have muse for. It's okay to love a character but not write them in an RP setting. Only take as many characters and threads as you can handle at any given time. Only you know what you can manage. Don't feel bad if you have to drop a character or thread if you feel overwhelmed. If you feel blocked writing a certain character, often pushing through the block or dropping a thread that you're struggling to get through can help. Always communicate with your RP partner. If you're struggling to figure out where a thread is going maybe you can brainstorm something together or your partner will modify the end of their post to give you more to work with. If you still find yourself stuck, try turning the thread in a different direction to keep it fresh and fun to write in. If you notice yourself avoiding writing for a specific character, that might be a sign you need to drop them. This is supposed to be a game. If it feels like work, you're doing something wrong.
Activity Checks/Character Purge Process
On the first of each month (or within the first few days of each month) the staff will go through all the IC character accounts and check for any IC posting activity from the previous month. Characters without any IC activity will be flagged Inactive. Characters with only 1 post will be noted. Characters that have only had 1 post two months in a row will be flagged Inactive. Inactive characters must post two IC posts in the month following the check for the Inactive flag to be removed. Any character still possessing the Inactive flag will be removed from that member's roster and opened up again during the next check. To wholly pass an activity check, each character must have 2 IC posts each month. Newly approved characters will be exempt from the first activity check after they are approved.
- Specific Activity Checks will be announced in advance and a deadline given along with the parameters of the check. Any character not meeting the requirements of the check (and with no absence provided) is subject to deletion.
- If you lose your characters in a purge or activity check, you are more than welcome to reapply for ONE lost character, if still available, or any other open characters as if you are a new member. Any further characters will have to be obtained by accumulating the required application fee(s) as though you were a new member. Your previous Meta Points will not be restored. It will be up to the staff's discretion whether or not you will retain any previously unlocked character slots.
- If you consistently disappear without a word and then try to come back and reapply, eventually you will not be allowed back. It is too frustrating to work out plots with people who are not reliable.
Excused Absences
You will be exempt from a character purge or activity check if you have an excused absence. Not feeling like posting, laziness, or other lack of muse are not valid excuses.
Acceptable absences include:
- Work related
- School related
- Computer problems
- Internet problems
- Illness
- Family/Personal problems
- Vacations
If you are going to be away from the board for a significant amount of time- insomuch as it will interfere with your ability to meet the activity check or people are waiting on plotting PM replies, etc.- you must post a new thread on the absence board to let the staff and rest of the members know. Please make sure to include your name, all characters you play, and a specific timeframe as to when you will be leaving and when you will return to posting. (If life gets away from you and you didn't/forgot to post an absence you may retroactively post one to explain your absence, though it's best to do it before.) If you are not comfortable sharing your absence on the forum, at least PM a staff member.
Mental Health. If you suffer from mental health issues such as anxiety or depression, these also count as valid excuses. That said, if you are consistently unable to post, your characters will most likely inevitably be taken away. Please use your best judgement on how many characters and threads you can handle without overwhelming yourself.
Extended Absences. Whether your absence is excused or not, if you are away from the forum for months at a time, you might risk losing your characters. This will be addressed on a case-by-case basis and you will be contacted and notified and given fair warning before any action is taken. Please bear in mind that it is unfair and selfish for someone to sit on a character and not write for them, particularly if it is a popular one.
Thread Activity
Slow Threads. Some threads are going to move faster than others. Threads that have 4+ characters in them tend to move very slowly. If you find you are in threads that are not moving very swiftly, feel free to start another- presumably with a different player. While it is understandable that a player might not want to have too many threads going on at once, slow threads are not a valid excuse for consistent inactivity. (Also, if you are participating in a thread of this kind with a large number of members, try to reply as quick as possible so as not to hold up the group.)
Inactive/Completed Threads. Completed threads will be moved to The Phantom Zone as part of the activity check or as soon as the staff see it has been completed. Any thread that has no activity for a full month will also be moved to The Phantom Zone during an activity check. If an incomplete thread has been moved and you would like to continue it, please contact an admin and it will be replaced for you.