Concerning the Bios

Hey everyone,

So lately, there have been a few changes with the ways people are doing bios, and honestly, I've wanted to change a couple things for a while now. First off, most of the characters here are used for one-time things. But I would think it'd be better to create a character and continue using it, in multiple threads, over and over again, no?

I'm sure most of you have seen the Completed Bios folders at the top of every board. For the record, members are not allowed to post there; only staff. Originally, we were going to accept bios before members could roleplay with them, but that got voted out. Again, the idea is back in my mind. However, this time, I' twisting it: I still somewhat like the idea of accepting bios. But, I think it would work equally well to allow members to thread in-character with them before they are accepted.

So it would work like this:

A member makes a bio. They roleplay with the character. A staff member comes along, goes through their bio, and makes sure everything is in check. If they find it all to be in order, they lock the thread and move it into the completed bios' folder. If they ask for something to be changed, it will be mandatory for the member to go back and edit the bio before continuing to roleplay that character. If they continue to roleplay without checking their character, a staff member will then be allowed to penalize the member and lock any threads that character is in. The completed bios will be liked to replies; no one will be allowed to reply to other peoples' bios (except staff, of course.).

Lately, people have started posting all of their characters together. However, with how I am now planning to do that, it isn't possible, right? Wrong. Instead, it will be mandatory to make yourself a tracker. A tracker is only for your to post on; no staff members or other members. It will include the basics to your character, what they look like, a brief personality synopsis, link to the original bio (the link is why you don't have to go in-depth or add the history). And, also, it will have to contain their completed threads, their current threads, and any future threads you would like to start, and all of the characters it has interacted with. This will have to be updated every time you complete a thread or start a new one, meet someone new, ect cetera. Again, no one can post on each other's bios or trackers. We have a roleplay request board and a private messaging system for a reason; ask there. And, there's always the chat box lurking at the bottom of the forum (anyone come up with a name for that thing yet..?).

Currently, I am the only staff member. However, it will not always be this way. As soon as we can, there will be more staff members. And when this happens, staff will not be exempt from the bios process. Just like everyone else, they will need another staff member to go through their bio and make it good.

Currently, I am not permitted to create new boards, either; where do you guys think they should be located? Should you guys make different trackers for each different characters (I.e., fantasy, horse, human, canine), or should we start throwing them a together in a jumble? Do you agree with this idea; will it help keep things in order?

Things will be changing from here on out; with or without an admin, though there will be another eventually. And when there is, the changes will include deleting old accounts, making new boards and even deleting an old one, staff applications, some new rules (mostly just clarifications, nothing that should really affect your posting too much), and so much more. I have a feeling this won't be the only announcement I make today, so be sure to check this board constantly!

Any questions, comments, or concerns, please, post them here! I'm trying to get this site more active and member-friendly; I want your opinions!

NOTE: Members, please, the Announcement's board is not for you to post in at your will. You are not permitted to create your own threads here. If you want to say something, post it in Chat, Other, or PM it. Thank you.

[font=Georgia]This thought has been in my mind for awhile. I totally think that this will be good enough, especially for a person like me, for my characters all over the place and knowing they are accepted and such would probably be a good idea. I don't know if you'd like this idea since your coming up with like; use a person more than once in a topic like those advanced sites I pass by, like to allow so much characters to a member. Like, five or ten characters in each different ( I.e canine, tiger, feline, fantasy, human, ect.) Maybe it would be easier that way?

Or... you could also have people keep ahold of their characters in a character list for example:

Fantasy

Gorge
Animal
Blah
blah

Feline

Vixy - Male - Link leading to their bio



Or.... is that what you meant? Lol.

What will be the gain of this? What will be the loss?











One other thing: Deleting things is deleting our history, something that should never be done on a forum since that's all you've got left after a roleplay, and that has a value. I'm for archive section.

Silver- I'm not sure about the limitation of characters. That would have to be held in a poll, and the majority would have to vote for it. I don't know how many would go for it; they might get a little freaked about being able to make only so many characters. Your list, that would be the tracker. In the tracker, you would have all of your active characters together.

Magus- I see why you like the idea of archives. However, I never said I would delete anything. Any inactive bios and threads would be archived. But we have accounts on here that we're made years ago and never logged in to; that's what I would delete.

Different accounts of the same person - should ask for presmission to delete, those who never logged on after creating the account - OK to delete, in my opinion.


How about the gain and loss that comes with the other guidelines? What are they?

I have already explained them above, but if I must, I will again.

Keeping bios locked will avoid clutter. Keeping trackers of everyone's bios will make it more organized, easy for people to quickly glance at a charrie to see if they would like to thread with them. Staff members going and looking at through the bios, it's really just to help others, I suppose, if they are looking at other's bios and to encourage more creative writing. I think that covered it?

The cons happen when people don't obey the staff. Threads will get locked, maybe suspensions, and old accounts will be deleted, which some people may not enjoy. But; accounts can be remade. If someone's account is deleted due to inactivity, their threads and bios will be archived. They can remake the account, message a staff member, and get all of it back.

I like the idea.... also, I notice how there's advanced, beginner, intermediate and I was wondering could you like make a forum so people don't change the forums around.

Example of Simple Bio:

Name:
Age:
Gender:
History:
Personality:
Physical Description(pic):
Other:
Rate:
Advancement: (i.e Beginner, advanced, semi-advanced)


Get what I mean? That would oviously be beginner Like postcard below a paragraph or two.. but then you can also have advanced bios

I definitely like the idea of making things more organized using this method. However, would the trackers be only for actove characters?
I think it might be an unnecessary hassle to sort through the bios and put EVERY character you've ever created into a tracker...

I definitely like the idea of making things more organized using this method. However, would the trackers be only for actove characters?
I think it might be an unnecessary hassle to sort through the bios and put EVERY character you've ever created into a tracker...

Well, it can be applied only for characters made after it's been applied, like we did with the rating.

I'm concerned about creation freedom, i don't think character and thread ammount (and everything between them) should be limmited. This is one of the things that's really great (and different) about this site, i think this freedom is a part of what makes HI what it is, however there's a place for criticism and i also think that if each player was to make his own character tracker it'll help keep things in check, stable out things... There's still a 'but'. And that 'but' comes in 'But how the tracker should be made?', and that's not only a question facing the tracker, the point is that there's no level limmit for posting quality, RPers can be either advanced or those just starting their RPing, so what kind of requirements do you want?
Which leads to the question (and to what probably would come later either way) will you make a specific form of those? The tracker, bios etc'... (with the same principles Silver Shadows posted here)? Honestly - one of the reasons i joined is the freedom. Don't take me wrong - what you say here doesn't really affect it as it is right now, but i woudn't like to see it come to this, there are plenty of sites with plot restrictions if i'll be looking for those.

And im sorry about the last post Echo, i misphrased myself, it's no longer important (is there such a thing as 'misphrased'? xD).

p.s. - I may have put some things wrongly here, but i'll know only after it's too late, no total contradiction or stuff like that intended, more like caution and concern.

Saviour- only active characters would be in the tracker. Of you later decide to throw away or give the charrie to someone else, it could be deleted from the tracker.

Silver- that would be the general idea..

Magus- I don't want to limit the amount of characters members can have. I agree that it is an unnecessary restriction.


Now, for the tracker thing... It's kind of like the bios (that no one is following currently -.-). There will be a post stating the [i]bare minimum[/b] that the tracker should have. But, members will be encouraged to twist it into whatever they would like. The only things absolutely necessary would be the character's name, link to the bio, the threads they are / have been in, and the other characters they have met. It's more just to keep them all in the same, organized thread. I can post a link to an example of a thread I made on another site in a minute.

From the Inside Out. That would be my tracker on another site.

Ooh nice bios, Echo =D.
I defiently think we should do it.

Thanks x] and they would be updated with every new thread or completed thread (which I really should go do on those three O.o)

That's alright i guess... I tend to be hard headed on those things...

Ok I didn't read through the replies so this might already be stated. Why don't we just make a sub bio board for the non one topic characters and do all that stuff cause it'd seem like a waste of time if we only use the character once.

Wild One, you overestimate me. I am only a moderator, it is beyond my ability to create / delete boards. And that, honestly, is too difficult and more work than necessary. It would be easier for everyone to create their bio, post it in their tracker, and roleplay them out. When they feel it is the time to drop the character, they delete it from their tracker. Simple as that, if they remember to keep their tracker updated.

About the trackers again (sorry)
would we be penalized if we forgot to update them?
also, what if the topic has been left for a while but you don't know if the other player 'dropped' it or if they just haven't gotten online?

Saviour- I'm not sure about penalyzing yet. Hopefully, everyone will just strive to keep it up-to-date, and it will be rather disappointing if they don't. After all, the tracker is mostly for them and for people browsing their characters; if it is not up-to-date, it's not very helpful. So if many people just leave their trackers be, then yes, some sort of penalty will need to be formed.

Your second question is fairly easy. If a topic goes inactive for over a month (that's a good bar, right?), then it will just be archived. The rp'ers replying to that thread will have to ask a staff member to move it back if they wish to revive it. However, if someone has posted an away thread stating they will be gone for a period of time and their thread goes inactive during that time, the time which the member was gone does not count to archiving the thread.

So should we start now?

Trackers, trackers... Still confused about them...

S I O N, I can't help you if you don't state what it is that you are confused about.

And also, we're trying to keep this more of a language-friendly site, since we have younger kids here. Your avatar, does not exactly fit that criteria ^^

Its kinda not really a language friendly site if tons of us curse on here... And I'm confused no what trackers are.. That's where ina getting at

Well, that's a problem then. It's okay to curse a little IC, but have a little class and respect; it looks bad (to myself, and I have spoken to others here who feel the same) when you use slang such as that. But I'm not going to discuss this any farther publicly; pm me if you feel the need to continue.

And again, what exactly is it that you're confused on? Which part of it? I don't know what you mean. Did you read all of the replies to this thread? Did you visit the link to my own trackers that I put up here? A tracker is a record of your active characters.


Silver- we can't start yet. I need an opinion on where to put the trackers. I was thinking of keeping all the bios in the normal boards, and having the trackers in the completed section, for the time being, at least until we have an admin who can edit boards (working on that part).

If this goes through, ratings will obviously no longer be necessary in the bios.

I'm gonna change it anyways but ta I cant right now I'm on my kindle and my at my grandparents house

Oh its to keep up your active charas okay that's all I wantedto know not the whole avatar thing.