Application Approval Guidelines

[Sanvean]

These are the revised guidelines that the application reviewers will be using.  I will also be linking these in from the OOC documentation page, so people have this for reference when creating a character, and will also include a link in the intro docs.  

Most of this has been hashed out in extensive discussion, but I would be glad to know if there are obvious errors, things that might mislead new players, problems caused by this doc, etc. before I link them in and make them official.

http://www.armageddon.org/general/appproc.html

[mansa]

Perhaps the comment should be italized?

like this:

Adjectives:

   * Action adjectives (ex. serene, silent).
     Behavior words are not good -- but sometimes allowable if they can be changed to something like "the serene-looking". Check with the player before making such a change. Facial expressions like "unsmiling" and other terms that can lead to sentences like "The unsmiling woman smiles at ~someguy. " should be discouraged. Okay to reject on this ground.

[Dakkon Black]

Looks pretty nice, and makes a good guide I think.

I've never been a fan of things like "the serene-looking" however, and actually have a total dislike for any action in a desc of any sort.

Not gonna be so serene looking when my Half Giant is sweeping a mace at you and I look at you. I've always felt that any action of any kind always has problems in a desc, and if you want to look serene, use an emote.

Other then that...  

[jmordetsky]

I think that's well put together.

[EonBlueApocalypse]

Good work.  

Obscure adjectives (ex: nigrescent, gracile, etc).
Obscure words are okay if a) the word is used correctly and b) the main description provides some clue to the meaning of the word. Okay to reject if criteria are not met.

[Marauder Moe]

That whole thread and your obscure word policy is only two lines long?  jk  

Looks good to me.

You might want to add elf, dwarf, mul, half-elf, and human to your noun list just to be complete, though.

[mansa]

We are and always have been about quality over quantity, and no one wants a rush job, especially when making a first impression on a new player.

Perhaps add:

"I helped mansa with his first character, and we had 4 emails back and forth before his first character was accepted, and now mansa won't go away."
;P

[Sanvean]

Ha, I had totally forgotten that.

[Cegar]

I don't like that breed is not allowed.

Other than that, nice.

[Pantoufle]

Well breed is actually short for half-breed, so it's sort of slang in this instance.  Moreover, even if breed were permissable, what TYPE of half-breed are you?  A half-elf?  Mul?  Ratlon?

[Cegar]

I'm not saying it doesn't make sense. I'm saying I don't like it. Take a chill pill.

[Pantoufle]

Seeing as I'm rather calm and casually engaging in a pleasant conversation, I'll look for someone who actually needs the chill pill.  But thanks, though, dude!  Good lookin' out.

By the way, would 'the short, curly-haired fellow' be rejected?  Technically fellow just means a male, boy or man.  Just curious.

[Beux]

I don't like the girl is not allowed. I'm 19, and I still consider myself a girl, maybe a young woman, but I'm more than happy with girl. Anyway, I thought the age went down 13, for humans at least, so (and yes I know Zalanthians are more mature) I'd consider that to be a girl too, unless it's a male.

My first char had girl in the sdesc.

[Nao]

I don't like the girl is not allowed. I'm 19, and I still consider myself a girl, maybe a young woman, but I'm more than happy with girl. Anyway, I thought the age went down 13, for humans at least, so (and yes I know Zalanthians are more mature) I'd consider that to be a girl too, unless it's a male.

My first char had girl in the sdesc.

Yea, mine, too. She was a 'blah blah teenange girl'. I don't like how that isn't allowed, either - takes up only four characters and, other than teen, specifies gender. Seriously, I'd like to keep those in game, exspecially for 13-year olds and the like.

[spawnloser]

Heh, I know for a fact that I've had at least two characters that were accepted with nouns that are on the restricted list, one recently.

To Staff, for our knowledge, if we are currently playing a character with a restricted noun, should we talk to staff about getting it changed?  (I ask because I know of characters in game with restricted nouns.)

[Tlaloc]

I don't like the girl is not allowed. I'm 19, and I still consider myself a girl, maybe a young woman, but I'm more than happy with girl. Anyway, I thought the age went down 13, for humans at least, so (and yes I know Zalanthians are more mature) I'd consider that to be a girl too, unless it's a male.

My first char had girl in the sdesc.

Yea, mine, too. She was a 'blah blah teenange girl'. I don't like how that isn't allowed, either - takes up only four characters and, other than teen, specifies gender. Seriously, I'd like to keep those in game, exspecially for 13-year olds and the like.

The problem is, when most people read 'boy' or 'girl', they assume you are a child, under the age of 13. Additionally, in the past, we've actually seen some rather unrealistic age-play with people with the 'girl' or 'boy' sdesc: 16-year olds running around acting like 8 year olds, and expecting to get out of trouble with the local Templarate because they're "Just Kids".

Additionally, an 18-year-old 'Man' can asses -v your 19-year-old 'girl', and wonder why how a 'girl' can be older than a 'man'.

[Beux]

Additionally, an 18-year-old 'Man' can asses -v your 19-year-old 'girl', and wonder why how a 'girl' can be older than a 'man'.

I know plenty of 18 yr old guys who think they're men.  :wink:  Doesn't make me any less of a girl. It's a matter of opinion really. Shouldn't the problems with bad age-roleplay be addressed individually, or through means of informing players, rather than taking away certain, otherwise, acceptable words?

[Tlaloc]

No, because the issue isn't soley with how the PCs are being played, but what people think of when they see the words 'boy' or 'girl'. After some discussion, we decided that most people don't think "19-year old woman" when they hear the word "girl". They think 2-12 year-old, at best. I know Sanvean can post some much more consice and convincing arguments, and I'll let her get into it, heh.

If it really kills you, I would suggest using: adolescent, lass, maiden, teen, teenage, youth, young-woman...or any workable comination therein. All of those are acceptable nouns as per this list, and  are much better at defining the true age of someone by looking at them, far better than a misleading 'girl'.

[Adhira]

It is a matter of opinion, but for the sake of applications we've decided that girl and boy are not appropriate.

The age of maturity in Zalanthas is different to how you might view it in the world today. A girl or boy is deemed to be younger than the 13 age limit we have for apping a character.  

The list isn't meant to restrict your RP - you're perfectly welcome to play out that your pc considers themselves to still be a child.

[Beux]

But woman just sounds so...old.  :cry:

[spawnloser]

Since Staff have responded but not to this...

To Staff, for our knowledge, if we are currently playing a character with a restricted noun, should we talk to staff about getting it changed?  (I ask because I know of characters in game with restricted nouns.)

[Jherlen]

If "man/woman" is too old, you could still use...
:arrow: lad/lass
:arrow: teen/teenager
:arrow: youth
:arrow: young man/woman

[Adhira]

If the pc is already in game with the sdesc continue as is, we won't be going around changing these.

What will be happening is that we'll be using the posted guidelines for all future applications we approve.

[Sanvean]

If you are playing a character with a restricted noun, submit a request to have it changed.  Please don't start typoing restricted nouns on other people.

[spawnloser]

Um...just because I want to be ABSOLUTELY clear...

Those people with those restricted nouns, are they required to request a change?

If so, I would assume it doesn't count against the '2 per' rule.  Would I be correct in this assumption?