Sandy

Sincere congratulations, White! You are up for a much, [I]much[/I] bigger challenge than anything we've encountered together during this competition, so if you ever need a word of advice/encouragement from this old geezer, don't hesitate to contact me! ;D *feels like a huge weight is lifted from his shoulders*

[QUOTE=Desbreko][color=#4B0082]Second, if the filter isn't in place, are we going to take any steps to differentiate, separate, or otherwise restrict threads which contain large amounts of swearing? Or other mature content for that matter? [/color][/QUOTE] I still hold my opinion that we moderators could very well supervise all the threads for excessive mature content, and then put a warning to the title if necessary. But ultimately I think the time for discussion has passed, and now we should start putting words into actions.

You know, I have a strong belief that it takes two to tango, so there must be [I]something[/I] in you that irritates your friend - no matter how small an issue that is. I think you should do a little self-searching before confronting your on-again, off-again friend. Who knows, maybe you'll find something that you could try to improve in yourself... (and I'm saying this as a person who does not know what you are like to the least, so I'm not trying to offend you, ForgotteN-HerO.)

My character is here: ------ [COLOR=SandyBrown][B]Name:[/B] Salume Abdulla Adasi [B]Age:[/B] 30 [B]Gender:[/B] Female [B]Nationality:[/B] Somali (Ark Africa) [B]Rank:[/B] Captain [B]Appearance:[/B] [url=http://www.otakuboards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=26007&stc=1][COLOR=Sienna]Salume[/COLOR][/url] [B]Personality:[/B] Salume is a hard-working person who aims high, and she has gotten the respect of many with her straight-forward manner of speech. She seem slike a very serious person, but she has moments of spontaneous humor that always take her colleagues by surprise. As a devouted muslim and a mother of two, she is caring, almost overly nurturing to her nearest people. [B]Chosen ?Knight? module:[/B] [url=http://www.otakuboards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=26008&stc=1][COLOR=Sienna]Cherub[/COLOR][/url], Support Module [B]Berserk mode:[/B] In overbearing circumstances, Cherub begins to glow a pure white light that keeps it and all other mechas nearby from breaking apart with its telekinetic nature. The light is also extremely bright and capable of blinding those who look into it without proper protective gear. [B]Special ability:[/B] Ever since becoming a mother, Salume has had the peculiar ability to sense approaching danger. The sensation fills her mind like a shadow, and she has learned to distinguish it from other emotions very well. [B]Weapons:[/B] Her weapon of choice is the [url=http://www.otakuboards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=26009&stc=1][COLOR=Sienna]Iron Veil[/COLOR][/url], which is attached to her right glove. Its sharp blades fold open like a fan, forming a circular shield. It can be used to both slashing and defending. [B]Biography:[/B] Salume Abdulla was born to a relatively wealthy family of Somalian origin. She was destined to marry her second cousin, but she escaped that fate by enlisting to a military training. Salume specialized in becoming a paramedic, and that's where she met her future husband, Moustafa Hamud Adasi. Moustafa, or [I]Moush[/I], like Salume calls him, appealed to her with his honest and tender posture. After moving in together, they had two sons, Hamud and Abdullah. To the surprise of everyone, it was Moush who stayed at home to take care of the boys while Salume continued her military paramedic career. Aside from medicine, Salume found interest in piloting "Knights", and in a few years she became a prominent Support Module Pilot. However, her skills led her away from her beloved family, as she was ordered to participate to the Crusade VII Mission. Nevertheless, not a day goes by that Salume doesn't look at the photos of her husband and two sons, longing to be with them again.[/COLOR]

Hey, I just want to say what a cool concept you've whipped up! ;D I am definitely signing up [strike]a bit later, but now I have one question to ask for clarification: [B]do the six captains that the players play each come from different "Arks"?[/B] The text above mentioned something about it, but I don't think there was a mention about it in the sign up... I could be wrong, though.[/strike] Bleh, never mind... I read the recruitment thread better, and realized I was wrong. XP

[QUOTE=KimmehWolfwood][COLOR=Gray][SIZE=2][FONT=Verdana] The one I'm most looking forward to though is Final Fantasy XIII. If it's anything like XII, I'm gunna be stoked. ^__^;;[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR][/QUOTE] Hey, I'm still waiting for the Twelfth Fantasy to reach our shores in February (stupid PAL-dissing Squenix), so it'll definitely be [I]my[/I] game of the year. Whether or not FF XIII (13) comes out by the end of this year in Japan, there's no chance I'll get my hands on it until much, [I]much[/I] later. Other games I'm waiting for include FF V Advance and FF III DS (I'm gonna buy Nintendo DS for that), the only two main FF-games that I haven't played. I don't think I can afford any next gen platforms this year... :/

[QUOTE=BKstyles][font=tahoma] But yeah, if that were the case then it would be fine, Sandy just used all OB examples in his proposal like longest buddy list, youngest to become moderator, changed names most times, etc etc. So I assumed he only had actual OB records in mind.[/font][/QUOTE] Hey, I'm open to all ideas. Sara's suggestion would take the possible event to a whole new level, but it would probably work well. Now I'm kinda glad I brought my unfinished idea up. I just love the way you guys support it by suggesting how to improve it. ;D

[quote name='Charles']Well, that's the outlook I have Sara. However, even if the worst happened and these threads did slip off the first page and no one cared about them, then I don't see how that's much worse than letting them sit around with people not caring about them.[/quote] My take on this issue is that even though the Anthology threads aren't replied to as often, it doesn't mean that they're not read at all. I for one read them almost daily, and enjoy them without really having anything constructive to say about them, so I rarely make any posts. I believe it's important for many members of OB just to be [I]able[/I] to send their work here, even though they wouldn't get many answers. I'm with Raiyuu on this one: if stories and poems were mixed with RPGs and game threads, they would really slip quickly to the second page, which I also like to call "oblivion". Sara's option about increased activity is a bit too optimistic, in my opinion, because it's not like the Anthology exists in a [I]totally[/I] different place than Adventure Square. Any person interested in creative writing is most likely to have found the place already. I swear, with this enthusiasm of "tidying things up", in a few years we'll have just one forum for everything... *rolls eyes* (Kidding!)

[quote name='Tekkaman][font=Palatino Linotype][size=2][color=black]I have plenty of HP/DM pics on my computer... [/color][/size'][/font][/quote] This leaves one wondering why does a straight, married man have such pictures on his harddrive... ;P And with a "slash" even! X)

[quote name='SunfallE][COLOR=RoyalBlue'] It doesn't mean they aren't fun or good events, it means the people are playing the same game, again and again, with varying rules and situations, but the same outcome.[/COLOR][/quote] I get where you're coming from, Beth. You mean people will get frustrated with constant competing, right? That there can always be just one winner? You're right that the OB Records are much more inclusive like that (everybody who enters "wins"), but you should realize that these two ideas of mine don't rule each others out. I will no doubt launch OBS4 here if I win [size=1](and in Adventure Square if I don't, although it doesn't fit there as well as it would here)[/size] for reasons I have already stated, but nothing stops me from launching OB Records as well [SIZE=1](and you're right about the silly name, I was just trying to mimic the "Guinness Book of World Records" with it)[/SIZE]. ;D To tell the truth, OB Records came more as an afterthought of what [I]else[/I] besides OBS4 I could carry out in Community Events. It hasn't been given a good thinking through yet, and that's why it wasn't my "official" pitch.

To sum it up, why don't we just get rid of the ratings (and that'll take some time for everybody to get used to) without any other major changes and see where it gets us? And maybe add a note that from now on, people should be wary of the amount of profanity they're going to use in their RPGs because it might offend somebody etc. (you know, the reason why ratings were implemented in the first place). I for one would be ready for that.

I just want to remind everybody that these two ideas for events are just something that [I]I[/I] will carry out if I'm selected to become an Event Master, we have yet to see what White has to offer. I for one am really looking forward to what he comes up. ;D

[quote name='Charles']This is just the reality of things: if you do not edit your post with a different event pitch, you're essentially handing the competition over to White on a silver platter.[/quote] Care for a compromise? I won't change my "official" pitch for the reasons I've stated above, but I'll post here another idea I have been working on, which isn't nearly as grandiose as OBS4, but I think it proves that I can think outside of my own little box. This event is very much inspired by Guinness Book of World Records, and here's what I have been thinking: [COLOR=DarkGreen][center][size=5][font=Palatino Linotype]Sandy?s Thread of OtakuBoards Records[/font][/size] [i]Have you always thought that you created the weirdest thread that OtakuBoards has ever seen? Do you think you have the longest buddy list out of them all? Are you the youngest member who has ever been chosen as a moderator? Have you changed your username more than any other member? Do you think you deserve a recognition from all of these amazing records you have broken? Now is your chance to get it.[/i][/center] Suggest an OtakuBoards specific record that you think you have broken. Together we will find proof whether you did it, and if you are correct, you will be awarded as the holder of that record! Of course, anybody can come and try to take that record away from you, in which case you just have to keep up or lose it. Any member of OtakuBoards can come in and make a suggestion either about something they have achieved or in behalf of another member (for example in case that member isn?t around anymore). The records can really vary from anything to everything, and nothing is denied right of the bat before at least some investigation has been done for it. Hopefully in short time we?ll have an extensive list of records that anybody can then attempt to break. The best thing about this event is that it doesn?t have any time limit, but it will continue as long as there are records to be broken.[/COLOR]

I understand your concerns, people, and I'd hate to go to a defensive mode again, but there are several reasons I pitched OtakuBoards Survivor 4. I know it was a risky choice, but hear me out (and don't take this as another explosion, I just want to give you my reasons and it's up to you if you believe me or not). 1. Many, many people have contacted me and asked me to create another OB Survivor. It's what people seem to want. Even you, Charles, asked me if I could help in creating one to this very same forum back in the days that you were an administrator. 2. I'm ashamed that I couldn't make this clear enough in the pitch, but if you read the description I gave, this time it's not even an RPG. Aside from a challenge or two, it doesn't include any third-person posting or imagining that you're on an island or anything like that. It's all about the players and their [I]real[/I] relationships. It's not even similar to OtakuBoards Big Brother, either. ;D 3. In my opinion I took what James said about variety and implemented it into the challenges. [quote name='James']What about a photography competition, or a scavenger hunt that involves scanning newspaper articles? Those may not be great ideas, but they're just examples of things we can do. Remember what OB is capable of on a technological level (HTML, displaying images, sounds, music, etc) and use all of these features to your advantage.[/quote] I have really thought of ways to take use of these advantages that OtakuBoards has, because like my pitch says, this game is about pitting members against the message board itself. I wouldn't want to go into details on what challenges I have thought of, because that would spoil the event. 4. I have wanted to make sure that this event is as community involving as possible, so I have taken several measures to do it. They're explained in the pitch. 5. So basically, I'm just using a well-known and recognized name with it's basic functions (teams, elimination etc.) for a new type of event. It serves as a continuity to the one thing I'm famous for in this forum as well. Think about it: if I had named it something like "OtakuBoards Ultimate Challenge", would anybody have accused me of not coming up with anything new?

Let the gambling begin! I will place [B]50[/B] OtakuBucks on the sweet [B]Ezekiel[/B] to snatch the [B]1st place[/B]! I know she hasn't even posted her photo yet, but I trust her completely. Don't you let this pretty boy down, pretty girl! ;D Hmm, now what can I get from eBay with 150 OtakuBucks...?

[quote name='Tekkaman][font=Palatino Linotype][size=2][color=black]As I was saying - those who are new to the boards problably wanted to get into this RP and never got the chance to. I, personally, want this RP to take flight.[/color][/size'][/font][/quote] Don't worry, it will, despite the outcome of Otaku Idol 2. ;D Just don't call it an RP, because the word seems to be a red cloth to some people. ;P There's not even any roles to "play" with, because the contestants will participate as themselves this time.

[quote name='Sara][color=#b0000b][size=1]I'm a little baffled. Sandy, I [i]know[/i] you could come up with something more original than OtakuBoards Survivor [i]four[/i].[/color'][/size][/quote] Well, actually it isn't so much "four" as it is four vertical pillars of different colors symbolizing the four teams as well as the rainbow-like diversity of this community. I just don't know how to shorten that... ;P Besides, sometimes short is sweet.

If you don't mind, I'm going to post the open letter first, followed by the interview and then my pitch for a new event. That way I can create a nice little arch from why [I]not[/I] to choose me to why [I]really[/I] choose me. ;D [center] ---------- [u]Assignment One[/u] ---------- [/center] [indent][size=1]Hello, fellow OBers! During these two months in Otaku Idol 2 it has become obvious that I lack both patience and humility that are required from an Event Master. My rival contestant White has demonstrated both of these qualities throughout the course of this competition, and he has treated everybody with nothing but kindness and respect they deserve, whereas I have been overly sensitive and needlessly abrasive in my responses. The event that White started, Mafia, clearly outshines my Labyrinth in terms of innovation and intrigue. He successfully implanted a well known real-life social game into online message board environment, taking into consideration on how to keep the special identities given to some players a secret as well as how to keep the structure organized and clear to all players. It was quite easy for me to jump to host the game when the time came for a switch. Although it bothered me to see another person taking responsibility for the event that I created, I was actually never afraid that White would mess up anything. He really tried his best to attract the somewhat alienated players of Labyrinth back to the game by implementing an unexpected twist to it as well as keeping contact to the players via private messages. White handled Labyrinth his way, which was quite different from mine, but I can?t say he did it any worse than I would have. It should especially be noted that all the suggestions that White got, he treated with respect and really took it into himself to improve his event according to them, whereas I was overly confident about the superiority of my game and neglected a lot of feedback that I could?ve learned from. Outside of the context of Otaku Idol 2, White is known as a friendly and trustworthy member and moderator of OtakuBoards who is dedicated to the wellbeing of these boards, and choosing him as an Event Master over me would be a secure choice. - Sandy[/size][/indent] [center] ---------- [u]Interview[/u] ---------- [/center] [b]1. How do you feel about your own performance throughout Otaku Idol 2? How has it changed, for better or worse, over the past two months?[/b] I started this competition full speed, full of excitement and will to win. My experimental event, Labyrinth, started out well enough, but frankly speaking I wasn?t prepared for the feedback I received. I had so much faith in Labyrinth that I couldn?t see its flaws, so I came up with an excuse after another to prove that I was a worthy candidate to this competition and that my event would indeed be a successful one. Things eventually settled down, and I was still confident of my talents. The switch to host White?s event didn?t bother me much, I was eager to prove that I could handle that challenge as well. What I failed to see until just recently that very few people ever doubted my skills at organizing events and maintaining them ? I had already shown them in my Survivor RPGs. What actually bothered people was my constant defending pose and disability to take other people?s opinions as well as feelings into consideration. Like so many times in my life, things had to hit rock bottom until I finally realized the faulty of my way of thinking. In all honesty, I let my temper and pride get the best of me during this competition, but now that I can finally see them as something I [i]really[/i] can hold back, I feel a whole lot more worthy for the title of Event Master than two months ago. My confidence about my own skills has changed into a respect of the responsibilities that the title of Event Master holds. I have come to realize that if I want to reach for a position as high as Event Master, I have to admit my own flaws so I can really start working on them. [b]2. What have you learned about the OtakuBoards community during your time in the competition? What have you learned about being an Event Master?[/b] I have learned that the people in OB are demanding, yet they are very open to new things as well. There are obvious cliques and tight friendships, and each member of the community holds certain kind of reputation that is quite hard to change. I wasn?t fully aware of my own (rather negative) reputation until now, but I really hope that as people have now seen both the best and the worst of me, I can be respected as who I am, with all my strengths and weaknesses, and not be judged by what I have said or done in the past. I have also realized that being an Event Master is so much more than I initially thought. The qualification for the position is not all about organizational skills, great ideas or persistence like I have said in the previous interviews, but about being able to cater to the needs of the community as a whole and to be able to act as a role model. Events are meant for entertainment, but their true effect lies much deeper than just in having fun, and an Event Master has to make sure that his (or her) actions serve to that effect. [b]3. If you could go back in time using some sort of fantastical internet time machine, what is the single thing you would have done differently during your time as Event Master?[/b] I definitely wouldn?t have taken many things that were said so personally or tried to prove my opinions as the right ones so fiercely. I would?ve taken time to really think what made people say what they did. As a result of that, I probably would have posted lot less frequently and less people would?ve gotten frustrated with me. As for the event I started, sure it could have been very different, but I feel it?s important that I got to test my wings (so to speak) with it and with White?s event as well. So despite the fact that it didn?t really cater to the community?s needs, I know now better what does thanks to the feedback I received. [b]4. What is the most positive thing you can take from your experience as Event Master?[/b] The most positive thing is that I have really grown as a person during these two months. I have learned so much, gotten many new friends and genuinely enjoyed entertaining people. But that?s listing many things, so sorry about that, heh. [b]5. Looking over both completed events, which do you feel was the best? Of previous Community Events, which do you feel was the best and why?[/b] As much as I would like to defend the event I started, I feel Mafia was more groundbreaking and more exciting, even if it wasn?t very inclusive to a wider audience. It could however easily be extended to include many more players, now that it has been tested to be working in online environment. Out of previous Community Events, I would have to say that Nifty Fifty is the best in my opinion. The fact that it can reward any member, thread or phenomenon in OtakuBoards just as long as it?s ?nifty? ? a suitably vague condition ? makes it very appealing and entertaining, as opposed to the late Otaku Awards that I felt was all about popularity and competition. Going through its third time around currently, Nifty Fifty has also shown to have become a prominent part of OB?s annual cycle. [b]6. If you were given the power to decide the outcome of Otaku Idol 2, what would it be and why?[/b] Despite the danger of sounding egoistical, I would want myself to win. What this whole process has shown [i]to me[/i] (and this is only a subjective opinion, that could very well be untrue in somebody else?s mind) about the differences of me and my good rival White is that I want to become an Event Master with more passion than he does. I took the risk of making a complete fool of myself (which I obviously did) to try and prove my worth, even though in the end I realized I wouldn?t have had to. Just a few days ago I was extremely close to giving up, but then I figured this would probably be my only chance to redeem myself by making a public apology of my jackassery. Thus I was finally able to prove [i]to myself[/i] that I was worth winning this contest, because out of all the people in OB, it was actually me who doubted myself the most. Now with (almost) everything said and done for this contest, all I can hope for is that my hard work will be rewarded and I get to make one of my dreams come true: to bring the members of this community closer to each other by hosting events. [center] ---------- [u]Assignment Two[/u] ---------- [/center] In the past, the members of OtakuBoards have tried to survive in a zany Freakshow, in the many worlds of the famed Final Fantasy ?series, and in the Ultimate Videogame Contest. Now it has come time to announce the fourth game of survival, which will be the greatest of them all. This is? [center][IMG]http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c323/SamSandy/OB%20Survivor/4-logo.png[/IMG] [i]Four Teams One Message Board One Survivor[/i][/center] In [b]OtakuBoards Survivor 4[/b], four teams of players will face the challenges that OtakuBoards, one of the largest and best message boards on the whole internet, has to offer. Unlike the previous OB Survivor, the players won?t take any roles, but they will play as themselves in real time, writing in first person like they would do in any other thread outside the Arena. I, Sandy, will [b]host[/b] the event and choose the players out of hopefully dozens of willing candidates. I will assemble the four teams and pit them against various [b]challenges[/b] inspired by the different forums of OtakuBoards. In order to survive these challenges, the players must show their talents in team work as well as in individual performances. These challenges test the teams? abilities in imagination, creativity, logic, writing, graphics, roleplaying, puzzle-solving, cunning and general knowledge. [i]However[/i], there are no requirements to what skills a single player must possess when entering the contest, except the ability to give all one?s got for the good of their team, and in the end for their own survival. This game is open to all members of the community, from newcomers to administrators. What makes this contest about surviving is that after every challenge, the losing team(s) will have to vote out one of their own on [b]Team Councils[/b], but there are many twists and turns along the way, as already evicted players may make comebacks and new players might show up in the middle of everything. You can never know what to expect next in this contest. Making return to OB Survivors are the [b]Team Captains[/b]. Each team will choose a leader for themselves, one who holds responsibility of the effectiveness of their team, and in the case of tie in voting, his or her vote will be the decisive one. Team Captain can be put on trial whenever one of the team members feels it?s time for a change. OtakuBoards Survivor 4 takes place in a whopping amount of [b]seven different threads[/b]. One is the [b]Main Thread[/b], where most of the major challenges occur. This is also the place for the Team Councils. Before the contest starts, there will of course be the [b]Audition Thread[/b], in which all members of OtakuBoards wishing to participate into this can answer to an interview with various questions. The most notable thing about it is that it will remain open even after I have chosen the initial four teams, because as said, anything can happen and one might find themselves participating to this event even if they weren?t on the original roster of players. Then there are the four [b]Team Threads[/b], one for each, and these are private areas that no-one else besides the team members and I can write into them. These threads will hold planning for the challenges, personal interviews as well as any idle chatter that the team wishes to share with each other. The seventh thread is the [b]Community Thread[/b], and it is open for everybody. Here people can post any feedback, questions or comments they have about the event. There will also be polls about various things here, making sure that all the people of OtakuBoards get a chance to affect the flow of the event. Of course, winning the title of ?Survivor of OtakuBoards? wouldn?t feel that great if there wasn?t a [b]reward[/b] included. The winner will get the chance to plan and co-host a future event of their choosing together with me. Now isn?t that something worth surviving for? Of course, nobody?s [i]forced[/i] to use this reward if they don?t want to. All this will take place next in the Community Events if I?m to become the Event Master, and if that doesn?t happen for a reason or another, expect a slightly toned down version of OtakuBoards Survivor 4 to appear on the Adventure Square.

[QUOTE=BKstyles][font=tahoma] It's obvious to see that the idea warranted more questions and lack of understanding, so I apologize for either not wording it simpler or for simply proposing an idea that takes the general idea off it's intended mark in any way. *shrug* Jus tossing my two cents in seeing as how I'm active within the arena.[/font][/QUOTE] Heh, at least you came up with [I]something[/I], I'm just spreading my arms here... XP I just don't see how adding more subratings would make any difference to the faulty of the current rating system. Now, if [I]only[/I] the subratings you suggested were used, then there'd be a visible difference... Really, if the subratings already tell about how extensive the mature content is, then isn't it redundant to put the age-related ratings into the mix as well? Ah well, in my opinion (and apparently in the opinions of many others) we should find an alternative to the rating system altogether.

[QUOTE=BKstyles][font=tahoma] This is where I think the ratings could use more clarification, referring to how strongly something will be included. Using Sara's example of providing a description for something like a letter in order to create a standard: (note ETC is at the end of every example to indicate that these are just a few examples of what they would mean) A - Cartoonish Violence (Bops on the head, harmless smacks, throwing giant turnips at people, anything that doesn't draw blood or requiring a visit to a hospital, etc) B - Graphic Violence (Guns, swords, blood, torture, etc) C - Stong Sexual Themes (Sex scenes allowed, sexual harrasment, etc) D - Hints of Sexual Tensions (flirting, kissing, the furthest being maybe touching depending on where it is on the body, etc) E - Mild Language (Profanity used by the standard of around 1-2 times in a post with the exclusion of the F word, racial and sexual slurs, etc) F - Harsh Language (Profanity used at the participant's discretion, etc) So for example, if Citius Altius Fortius were recreated under this system it would read: [b][url=http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=54564&highlight=Citius+Altius+Fortius]Citius Altius Fortius[/url][/b] [M - B, D, E] No More Coffee would be [b][url=http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=54715]No more Coffee[/url][/b] [PG - D, E] and Sinister Nation would look like [b][url=http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=55037]Sinister Nation[/url][/b] [M - B, C, F] These would help clarify whether the content really deserves an M rating or if a PG rating would be enough. It would also make sure people knew what was involved instead of going "Violence? I don't really want to kill anybody..." where as the RP would probably just include having to include a fencing match in which both participants are wearing the proper gear and winning comes with amount of points scores and not by who puts who in the hospital. [/font][/QUOTE] Do you really think we need even more ratings? It's great that you took time to try and solve this issue, but I don't think anybody needs to be warned if there's going to be kissing or turnip-throwing in the RPG. Let's not go overboard here... Besides, the problem discussed here is more in the main ratings ([M][PG][E]) than the subratings, and your suggestion doesn't really solve that problem. And wouldn't this system have a risk that the gamers would put a tag [M-ABCDEF] in their games, just in case it will include all of them?

[QUOTE=Charles] I also think that the Underground is pretty useless and that these RPGs could easily be discussed in the recruitment threads. That forum really seems like just more of the padding OtakuBoards has that it doesn't really need at this point. [/QUOTE] I have actually grown quite fond of the Underground ever since it was established. Before it the out-of-character discussion took place within the RPG threads or in some cases in the recruitment threads, but the Underground threads have pretty much "cleaned" it away from the RPGs. I know it's not very active, but it's not dead either. The Underground really serves the needs of us roleplayers. I would vote for the preservance of Arena Underground, but perhaps it could be another subforum for the Adventure Square? (Then we'd get Jokopoko to join our Mob full-time too! ;D ) Anyway, I agree with Charles about the fact that the rating system could be taken down without any "backrooms" or anything. It would be very possible for us moderators to make sure that if any RPG that would need a warning about it's heavy content, it would get it. I think the same system could be applied to the Anthology as well. And, it would maybe clean out most of the pointless profanity, because it wouldn't be a "thing" anymore (like "I'm allowed to curse so now I will!").

I wouldn't want to sound like a nay-sayer here, but I'm worried about the practical side of having such a "backroom". To my knowledge, at this moment there are no active RPGs in the Adventure Square that would be so "mature" that they would need to be isolated from the others. It would be a place with very few threads anyway, if only the games that had real excessive mature content would go there, thus questioning the whole need of such a subforum (as fascinating as the idea of having a forum called "The Theater" with a "backroom" sounds). What comes to Anthology, profanity or misuse of ratings have never been a problem there (as proven by Lady Asphyxia), and having a "backroom" there would be even more pointless than in RPGs, in my opinion. Aside from creative writing, Anthology is also a place for [I]discussion[/I] about literature, so where would those threads go? To the Music, TV and Movies forum? Also, the threads in the Underground have nothing to do with the threads in Anthology, so I would definitely keep them apart. Sigh, I'm sorry for not being able to provide anything constructive for this discussion, I'm just bashing everybody's ideas here... :/

Alright, this new bunch of questions and assignments seem very interesting indeed. I just have to focus on my wording now more than ever... [QUOTE=Shy][size=1] Using what you?ve learned from Mafia and Labyrinth, pitch another event to the community.[/size][/QUOTE] This is actually something I was expecting, although I do have a question about it: [B]do the limitations about the lenght and amount of threads etc. that we had in the beginning of this competition apply to this as well or not?[/B] I'm guessing they won't, but gotta make sure...

Alright, this thread has grown so huge overnight that I really don't know where to begin... Well, everything I say here comes from the experience of nearly four years of OB roleplaying as well as having been a moderator of the respective section for half an year, thus at least skimming through each and every RPG it has gained over that time. [B]1. Profanity[/B] The way I see it, despite the fact that everybody uses M-LVS ratings, the amount of actual, offending profanity is very small. Coming from a country with very little censorship (we can actually see naked breasts in daytime shows), my opinion is that profanity is not a problem in Adventure Arena. Having said that, because the amount of it is so small, I wouldn't really mind if the automatic censoring would be re-established. Now if it would exclude the word a.s.s., I would be perfectly happy (honestly, it's not even a swear word). [B]2. Ratings[/B] I don't want to say "I told you so", but when the ratings were first established to give more artistic freedom to roleplayers and writers, and to preserve members who didn't want to deal with such "freedom", I among few others noted that the rating system didn't work the way it was meant to. The situation was exactly same two years ago: nearly all RPGs are M-LVS, when in fact very few of them would need that rating. After I became a mod, it stopped bothering me, because I understood why everybody used it: to give their game the opportunity to have mature content, even if the initial setting didn't apply it. Besides, the word mature is misleading, in my opinion. Of course everybody wants a "mature" RPG - who would want to play in an "immature" game anyway? It's sad that both [E] and [PG] ratings got that tag on themselves. But in my opinion the Arena has worked normally even though the ratings don't mean much - to many they are a necessary evil. I can't think of anything we moderators could've done to further inforce them, really. Lecturing about the proper use of ratings would be very iffy, because like Aaryanna_Mom said, we all have different standards of what's tasteful and what's not. [B]3. Discontinuing the ratings[/B] In my opinion this would make very little difference to the quality of the Arena. It would certainly "tidy up" the place, and make it more comforting to the eye without all those [M - GORE SEX GUNS DRUGS VIOLENCE SWEARING HERE!!!] signs (and really, usually those type of RPGs don't contain even half of what it warns about). [B]4. Adding more ratings[/B] This is something I wouldn't want to see. If the problem is that most people are using only one of three possible ratings, what's the point of changing that so that most people would be using only one of [I]four to five[/I] possible ratings? [B]5. Staff should implement ratings to RPGs[/B] We just have to admit that we OBers aren't the Entertainment Software Rating Board - we're just a diverse bunch of people coming from numerous different cultures and with numerous different ideals. I know I would slap very different ratings to many games than for example Ozy would. This would also burden our unpaid behinds needlessly, if I may say so. [B]6. Let's take down the whole Arena and replace it with Games & Stories[/B] Now this is an actual, constructive suggestion. It would be a big change that probably couldn't be implemented over night, but it's definitely worth thinking about. It would certainly bring similar things to the same place, and unite people like the separated sections never could. I do have one problem with it, though. We need to think about the clogging up. Adventure Square is already one of the most active sections in this whole board, so what would happen if we added all the fanfics and games to it? It would really become a huge, [I]huge[/I] section with this amount of members. Even with the different tags in each thread, would people really find what they're looking for there? It must've worked really well back in the day OB was still comparably small place, but nowadays... I just can't say. [B]7. Closure[/B] I really can't say what we should do about the situation (perhaps because I don't see the situation very problematic in the first place, although I agree that the rating system has become void). If we were to undergo such dramatic changes as suggested, we would all really have to think about the consequences it would have on modern day OtakuBoards, and whether we would really achieve anything by it. But it's great that this issue has been taken under public attention, so that everybody can give their opinions about it. ;D

[center][IMG]http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c323/SamSandy/mafiaspoof.png[/IMG][/center] All I can do now is apologize for my past mistakes and beg forgiveness from anybody whose feelings I have hurt. I have been very abrasive in this thread, and in other threads as well, without really taking other people's feelings into consideration, and for that I am sorry. However, I do believe I have some redeeming qualities, thus despite the fact I was very close to resigning from this competition yesterday, I have decided to see this through. May the best candidate win, White! ;D