State of VoW: Year Two
Mar 7, 2016 13:42:02 GMT -6
Matt Slater, Owen Gonsalves, and 3 more like this
Post by the Unsound Sky on Mar 7, 2016 13:42:02 GMT -6
Ladies, Gentlemen, and all those far and in between... we have hit 2016! VoW began May of 2014 as this silly lil idea of a mostly drama-free place for people to unwind and enjoy this game we all play. The purpose of this 'idea' was, for the most part, to give people a home; a fed where you can be comfortable and enjoy your time, without things being too over-the-top or serious. We always strove to be the definition of 'laid-back', while also keeping to some kind of a schedule. But the major priority was making sure anyone willing to become part of this fucked up little family we've created would be treated respectfully and would do what you're supposed to do when playing games... have. Fun.
Have we met that priority? I'd like to think so, to some extent anyway.
Efedding... or as we tell our families and friends "creative writing"... has evolved and we as a fed evolved with it. However we are very different. We judge differently. We act differently. We try to make things pretty chill out-of-character while keeping a stricter ideology in-character-- that means sticking to logic and realism. This includes where we travel, sponsors and higher-ups keeping tabs, the kind of 'characters' we allow in. But I'll hit on that more in a bit here.
So you might be saying to yourself... okay, VoW isn't bad. There are great people here, handlers and characters. It's a mostly relaxed atmosphere and we're all pretty friendly. And of course the talent and storylines are top notch. So why do we need a 'State of VoW' And why does it sound rather foreboding when mentioned?
Because VoW's been close to closing multiple times in the past few months.
Now I don't like alarming people, but I do like to include the family in something that affects the family. And this does. The first SoV was mostly thanking everyone for the things they do for the fed. And while that'll be mentioned in here... so will the things that have HARMED the fed. We the staff have discussed this multiple times... and the conclusion is: we're too relaxed. You can take out a boardgame and slam it on the table, but if you're just snatching up properties for half the price and putting down hotels without buying 'em... your game of Monopoly's not only gonna end in chaos, it might just tear your family apart. Then it becomes a warzone for power and obsession and greed and the kids are crying in the corner while mommy and daddy are throwing the playing pieces at each other and the baby's chewing on the dog piece and the dog is chewing on the baby and the whole fucking house is burning to the ground!!!
Because rules had not been set nor followed.
And thus, I have taken it upon myself to create this SoV... where I will hit on everything that I, and a couple other members and staff, can think of. Rules and regulations will be set. Certain ideas will be discussed. I might call out a few people, I might go on a huge-ass rant, and I pray to the gods that everyone reads this because the future of the fed relies on communication between the staff and the members. So sit down, grab a coffee, tea, alcoholic beverage, glass of water, Dr Pepper, blunt, or whatever else you want... there's donuts in that corner and taco bell in the other, so let's get down to business!
STAFF
Now now, you didn't think this would only involve me bitching at the members, didja? Nah see, the staff has been a bit messy ourselves lately. So ideas involving such start now.
First, bi-weekly staff meetings will be starting soon! Most likely to be held a day or two after shows are posted, we the staff will schedule meetings to discuss show planning, member concerns, updates and so on. This will, hopefully, result in more organization and better planning for things to come.
Second, concerning members and staff-- we've already begun rotational booking. We have a few people with multiple characters here, and thus we will begin scheduling them every other week (unless it's a PPV or there's some other circumstance). This prevents double booking, huge Breakthrough cards, and burn out. Single characters also may get a week off here or there.
Third, the staff... who the fuck are we? I think this has become incredibly sloppy and confusing, as no one really knows our 'places' as staff members. So I'll explain! I wanna say firstly that Mr Ryan (Ryan Omegglez) who was one of the founders of this here crazy place, intends to return to us later this year! (Cue celebratory WOO)! That said, our roles have morphed from having total equal say/a hand in everything to having set 'jobs'. Now to outline those...
Nessa (me): I handle anything results-wise. If you have questions involving such (you want something incorporated into them, the formatting, etc) you would come to me. I can also handle general graphical questions involving the site (especially the tabs on the left there). Finally, if you have any concerns as a community-- someone's being an ass to you, you don't like something that's going on, any personal or fed problem, you can take to me.
Ryan (upon his return): When Ryan returns (around Fall) he's the wrestling knowledge guy. Need help with anything involving that, you'd go to him. He will also handle the occasional statistical updates (such as title info), and is also here as community support along with me.
Slater: Matt and Owen are the ones who book the shows. You can go to Slater for any booking needs, concerns, or questions. He also handles general updates and graphical things for the site and shows.
Owen: The Head Booker here, Owen is another you can go to with questions about the cards. He also handles the media outlets, so if you have questions or concerns involving say Twitter (want something retweeted?) you can go to him. Owen makes the avatars so if you need one or want a change with those, he's your guy. He also updates the active roster list and does other updates here and there.
Fourth, following that I'll get into feedback. While it's a great idea to get reviews from all outlets, including your peers... we the staff, the people who judge the matches, should be offering feedback to you if asked. We (especially me) have been slacking in that department. So we'll work on that, and if you want to know why you lost (or won) or just want some feedback, come our way. However, if you want to work on something specifically... each one of us specializes in certain aspects of roleplays (because everyone has something they're better with). For promos, I'd go to Slater and Owen (maybe even Seth Iser if he's feeling up to it). For character development, I'm your gal. For plot and storylines, go to all of us in one big message and see if we can help ya out. Do NOT be afraid to ask why you lost. Yes, it might end up being just because that person did a margin better than you all around. It might end up being that their promo was slightly better. It might end up being a mere lack of setting. But it should, and will, be explained to you.
Fifth, communication. From us to you and vice versa. While we should be talking more with our members (about the fed, about them, about SLs, etc) we also want the members to talk to US. For example, changing of pic bases or theme songs. Please please tell us about that so we can update the threads. A simple message saying "My Theme song's not Barbie Girl anymore, it's Bitch Better Have My Money now" could avoid any confusion or trouble for anyone new coming in (and for us). Also, don't keep opinions, ideas, or concerns to yourself. Please voice them, we WILL listen.
Sixth, it seems there are questions about this despite there being an entire thread dedicated to it. But I digress. Judging, or how we judge. If you're wondering "how can I garner wins here" then... you're playing the game wrong. It should be "how can I enjoy myself here". But that aside, if you're wondering how we judge RPs... it's a little different than most. Promos, or match relevance, is important of course but it's not the end all, be all. We value the entirety of roleplays. Hook us at the start with an interesting statement, quote, action, or inner monologue. "The scene opens with" or "She was walking down the street." as a starting point to your rp doesn't hook us. Then make sure you have some kind of setting, not just sitting on a chair in front of a camera. It doesn't have to be this extravagant place, but something other than the tired in-ring promo. Balance out the dialogue and inner monologue, while detailing and describing things, and of course keep it relevant-- talk about your match and your opponent. For more in-depth roleplay guidelines, we have a thread for that.
MEMBERS
Since I'm absolute garbage at sticking to topics and titles, I'll just move the rest of this person-related shit to "members".
First, we will be enforcing a stricter limit on the roster. Everyone is allowed a total of NO MORE THAN TWO characters. This is a RULE and if we find out it's not being followed, you'll be given ONE warning and then get kicked. It isn't fair for ONE handler to be given all of the attention on our cards, results, etc. This also includes segments... as a handler, you are allowed TWO segments (three if one of them is a joint segment between you and another member). If you have two characters, you still only get two (or three) segments. I repeat what I already said... it isn't fair for one person's characters to take over the entirety of the show. Bigger SL or not.
Second, branching off of the above... we have a cap! Our roster cap is 40, and we're at around 35 at the moment. Whenever the roster hits 35, people are not allowed to make secondary characters so that we have that extra 5 for new people to come in. However if it drops below 35, you can bring in another charry.
Third, sticking with the topic of the amount of shit a person can have here... titles. Don't be greedy. You can hold ONE singles title and a tag title. Doesn't matter if you have one or two characters. Again, one handler will not be taking over everything. With that said, we as staff get to decide anything involving titles. What I mean by that is... if you wanna go for Zero-G despite that being a title to propel people to the bigger titles, and you have proven that you can handle being in the higher tier, we may decide to put you elsewhere. Of course you get a choice in which title (Xcel or I4NI) suits your character best, but we tend to come to people with ideas involving such anyway.
Fourth, we've had a problem with realism here lately. I'll put it simply: VoW is and always has been a realistic fed. We are not 'fantasy', we are not 'hardcore'. We're a simple indy fed growing at a semi-realistic rate, who focuses on wrestlers and their stories. If you come into VoW thinking you can have a character who turns into a fairy outside the ring, you're in the wrong place. If you think you can have a character who never feels pain or any emotion and is an inhuman robot, you're in the wrong place. If you think you can have a character who gets away with murder, extreme violence, and any other crime... you. Are. In. The. Wrong. Place. VoW prides itself on being a more logical efed... from our scheduling to our characters. Now, if you can find a way to make a fantasy element realistic... all the power to you. For example, they were reincarnated and in their past life they were a serial killer or animal or whatever... but you chalk it up to them being crazy or schizophrenic or something like that, despite the character truly believing this... it allows you to play that role without it being completely unrealistic.
On that same token, there's a reason the GM in the results has been cracking down on violence. Think about how sponsors, highers ups, and so on would react to certain things happening on VoW broadcasts. Think about how realistic these things are. Now tell me if it's realistic for someone to blatantly ignore a threat or warning, disrespecting the GM and staff, completely undermining the authority of said GM to a point where the existence of that character becomes irrelevant. And I get it. I do. I had a character who literally killed people, sent someone into a coma after striking them in the head with a spiked fucking warhammer, etc. It's fun to write. But it's not suitable for VoW... to an extent. Again, if you can find an excuse and roll with it, great. However, there's a zero tolerance policy not just OOC but in-character as well for breaking the rules. And if we the staff tell you to tone it down, it'd be very much appreciated if you did so... or either come up with a new character or find a fed better suited to more... fantasy-esque personas.
Fifth, I think my rant fits here nicely. Fed Morale. Holy fucking shit, I am not a goddamn babysitter. We are all, for the most part, adults here. But sometimes it seems that doesn't mean much. So we not only have a three strike rule, we'll also deal out suitable punishments. Now. Do not start shit with people. Don't bait them into an argument. In fact, don't fucking cause an argument whatsoever. Discuss things like a fucking grown-up. Have some kind of respect for your fellow fedders. If you're causing trouble or drama, it'll not only be a strike... you'll start being banned from things. The VoW Skype chat, the discussion boards, possibly even cards if it gets to a certain point. It's ridiculous that I even have to say this.
Now, VoW is actually very close to drama free to the public eye. We (staff and members) do tend to act more mature and handle things better. And I'm so very grateful for all of you who either take a concern to private messaging or to the staff. If you have any problems or someone is harassing you or bothering you, come to us and we'll help take care of it. But if I see someone calling someone out in the Skype chat, causing mayhem or acting like an asshole, you will be kicked until I say you're allowed back in. Same with the boards. And even with twitter, we just won't re-tweet your shit lol. Basically, to sum all that up? If you've got a problem, don't be juvenile and bitch and moan and stir up shit. Come to us. If you don't agree with something someone said or did, take it to private with them. Keep your BS drama out of the main chats, shoutbox, and boards. Thanks.
BOARDS/FED
First, I'll say that this topic will involve anything that might involve ideas for the boards or fed as a whole. So for example, an idea was given to us by Jon for a Deadline clock for matches and segments to be turned in. We tell everyone that we want everything sent to us by Wednesday night, Thursday morning at the latest. But perhaps changing the clock at the top there -point- will help people get their stuff in on time. That said, holy shit the deadline is printed on the cards, up top in bold white lettering aaand we have a little clock there too. SATURDAY NIGHT/SUNDAY MORNING 1AM EASTERN, 12AM CENTRAL, 10PM PACIFIC, 11PM MOUNTAIN, 6AM UK, 5PM AUSTRALIAN... not accounting for daylight savings!
Ahem. Anyway. I'm not numbering this shit. Mini rant time! Name your segments, say in the message you send what number seg it is. Follow the Match Writing Guidelines we have in place-- we don't have fancy ass formatting. Just make sure you're spacing properly, and using both first and last names for everyone. If you're still confused, read the shows. What the majority of formatting seems to be is most likely what we expect.
Next, a short but very important point-- one of our biggest issues currently is match writing. We actually have a lack of match writers, and considering how busy the staff is in our day to day lives outside of this game, we really really REALLY appreciate when people step up and write matches. Shout out to those who take matches every week and get them in on a timely basis. You guys fucking rock. All we need is a couple more people to step up and write some for us so that we don't keep falling behind every week.
So anyway, more ideas! Match hype descriptions... such as a fully detailed description of the history behind certain matches. Owen has actually done this before and it was glorious. However if this is to be incorporated, it will only be for PPVs.
And speaking of PPVs, there may just end up being a dark match for each PPV we have. Seeing as IC people are paying to see built up matches and blow-offs, seeing random wrestlers thrown together isn't exactly fully worth the money. So those without a storyline, or if their's isn't gonna be blown off at that particular show, may just be thrown into a clusterfuck dark match. Now... the dark matches are summarized but still detailed matches. They just lack commentary and other descriptive stuff. Don't take it as an insult or get upset.
Also, we discussed this on the staff meeting call thing we had last night; there may be this cool new "VoW Site" thing I'll be creating on the boards. If it does happen, it would incorporate small bits of news here and there, a 'superstar of the week' spot, etc and so forth... made to look like the front page of a website. It'd be available to use IC, as well as have lil information tid-bits OOC as well. With that in mind, there may be a calendar incorporated as well... it would be a full month, with the dates and locations of each coming Breakthrough and that month's PPV.
Matt R wanted to know about yearly awards. We had discussed this when we first started the fed and came to the decision that we would not be doing them. However... if a member, such as Mr R, wanted to do them himself as a fun little thing for the members... that's fine. The staff will not vote on them or take part in them, to avoid any kind of bias or favoritism. But I mean, if you guys think it'd be enjoyable, go ahead.
ETC
This is where I go from ranting and bitching to exclaiming my love for all of you. While certain things have been bothersome or needed to be addressed, for the most part? Shit's been great! Our boat, even with a couple of holes, has stayed afloat. Through storms and all, we keep coming out strong. And it's not the staff... really, we're mostly just here for moral support and posting results, cards, and updates. It's the members that make the difference. And the fed remains mostly drama free, laid back, positive... we may not have all the attention in the world, but we have something better: a community. A real, familial community. A tight-knit group who is willing to embrace newer people into our little family. Some people, Robinson... English... hell, Tyler and Kincaid, Iser and PJ... Petey and all others who have been here for at least a year or more... and yes, even the slightly newer people in Heath and Tyron, Jonstance, Jon and Mr S, Logan... fuck we have 35 people, I ain't listing all of you. Point is, you all help mold VoW into what it is today and what it'll be in the future. You guys make this place or break this place, and so far it's been made and made well. We started... in May 2014. For those of you who've been here for a while, let that sink in. We are almost 3 fucking years old. And we still have these strong storylines, and great matches, and awesome characters, and mostly uplifting and enjoyable atmosphere.
We're awesome. You're awesome. You reading this right now. Go on. Pat yourself on the back. Here's a lollipop. You deserve it, because you make VoW... this game... worth playing. And I wanted to make sure I thanked all of you for that. Hell, not just for helping with the fed but for helping each other and supporting each other as friends as well. I had a really bad day a week ago. And without the people who were there in the Skype chat for me, I don't know where I'd be now. They were my rock. This isn't just a fed... as I've been saying this whole time. Putting aside my rants above and any other little issues... it doesn't matter. This is a family. We help each other fed-wise, and otherwise. We take care of each other. We care about each other. And maybe that's why it's been 3 years and it hasn't even felt like it... because this community is comfortable and happy, and time flies when you're having fun. And hopefully everyone is... and if you aren't, I will do my damnedest to help change that.
So that's that. If I missed anything, please mention it below and one or more of the staff will respond ASAP. If you have any ideas, or come up with any ideas, or have any concerns and whatnot... mention it below. I would love to see responses to this, even if it's just agreements or disagreements or your own opinions. No fighting on this thread will be tolerated. We're going to communicate as a fed and as a family. So please, respond... and I look forward to hearing from you all.
And... thank you.