January 2018 Announcements.
2017 has come and gone, and it's time for a fresh start!
The name of the game with this month's announcements is fresh starts! We have a contest returning (and revamped) from last year, a new set of events, and several changes and additions to our rules. Many of these changes are in response to suggestions from the previous survey, which ran in November. You'll see even more additions later this month as we finish things that we're currently drafting!
Rules
The most noticeable of the changes is the removal of the mod mermaid. While the mod mermaid has been a part of SA for a long time, we've also seen an increasing amount of confusion about what it is and how it works, as well as a decrease in the amount of times it's been used. This should not be a significant change on the player side. If you feel uncomfortable, you're encouraged to request a change of topic. If the mods feel the need to change the subject, they'll do it the same way they've been already, and will simply escalate with clear words, rather than an image of a fishcat.
The canon ICC has been going excellently, but we've noticed a few things that were overlooked when it came to the rules. The following applies to all ICCs:
2017 has come and gone, and it's time for a fresh start!
The name of the game with this month's announcements is fresh starts! We have a contest returning (and revamped) from last year, a new set of events, and several changes and additions to our rules. Many of these changes are in response to suggestions from the previous survey, which ran in November. You'll see even more additions later this month as we finish things that we're currently drafting!
Rules
The most noticeable of the changes is the removal of the mod mermaid. While the mod mermaid has been a part of SA for a long time, we've also seen an increasing amount of confusion about what it is and how it works, as well as a decrease in the amount of times it's been used. This should not be a significant change on the player side. If you feel uncomfortable, you're encouraged to request a change of topic. If the mods feel the need to change the subject, they'll do it the same way they've been already, and will simply escalate with clear words, rather than an image of a fishcat.
The canon ICC has been going excellently, but we've noticed a few things that were overlooked when it came to the rules. The following applies to all ICCs:
While cursing is allowed, please do not be excessive with it. Please do not use slurs. If needed in character, simply write around these things, such as -calls name a nasty slur under their breath-.
While the second rule applies only to the canon ICC:
While the non-canon ICC allows people to drop in and out freely, please be considerate when departing the canon ICC. As much as possible, please try and have your character leave or be otherwise unavailable so that the people you are RPing with will be aware of your availability, rather than dropping out mid-conversation. If you absolutely must go, let your partners know OOC!
We've also made several edits to the companion rules to help them be clearer. Among these changes is an addition to the way we treat child companion characters:
The exception to the standard companion rule involves child characters, specifically those young enough that they are unable to travel far enough away from their caretaker to be considered NPCs, Students, or Citizens.
Multiple people play this type of companion (all of the companions caretakers, generally two) and they only count toward half (.5) the two companion limit on a character.
The players able to play this companion have to be explicitly stated and linked on the companion's app; that is anyone who may babysit or be responsible for the toddler or infants care.
It is also up to those playing this companion who will play this character when they're older enough to not be under constant supervision (4 years of age).
Multiple people play this type of companion (all of the companions caretakers, generally two) and they only count toward half (.5) the two companion limit on a character.
The players able to play this companion have to be explicitly stated and linked on the companion's app; that is anyone who may babysit or be responsible for the toddler or infants care.
It is also up to those playing this companion who will play this character when they're older enough to not be under constant supervision (4 years of age).
Power Vouchers
Power Vouchers were previously affected by the change to power rules, but we've revamped them again to help make things a bit easier for players. We have removed expiries, and instead players who are inactive for six months will forfeit their vouchers. Rather than vouchers being worth five posts, each voucher is instead worth a single post, but all vouchers have been multiplied by five. If you had one voucher before, you now have five. Similarly, the limit is now fifteen vouchers, rather than three. All previous power vouchers have been grandfathered into this system. If you had a voucher that was for a specific character, it's now considered general, and no longer has any expiry.
In addition, you can expect to see more opportunities to get power vouchers in the future, as we plan to make them more common overall.
Claims
Moving forward, claims will be done automatically by members of the staff. When a character is accepted, their claims will be automatically added, and players will only have to post for registering a business or changes (changing a characters name, increasing grade, etc). In order to facilitate this change, we will not be accepting new claims from this point on.
However, we need every member to please make sure all your applications are up to date. If your apps are out of date, your claims will be wrong when we redo the claims on the 15th. Please make sure all your applications are up to date before then!
Contests
The post spree is currently ongoing, and will continue until midnight PST tonight!
Running throughout the month, we have the Fresh Start contest! This contest encourages players to wrap up old threads, start new ones they've been putting off, and start the new year off right! While last year we ran this as a competition, this year we're focusing it more on self-improvement. While we will be recognizing our top scorer, everyone is encouraged to participate and earn some power vouchers!
Events
This year features the return of the Cozy Cabin event:
Starting an annual tradition, Madame Gardenia has decided to open her ski lodge and cottage in the mountains to the residents of Manta Carlos.
Cozy Cottage is an ICC event set at the Manta Carlos mountains in The Woods, spanning from January 13th to January 15th.
Cozy Cottage is an ICC event set at the Manta Carlos mountains in The Woods, spanning from January 13th to January 15th.
Spotlights
@Lazzy is a long-time member with a great and inclusive attitude. Hilarious and well-liked, he's always there to great people in the Cbox or make a joke to ease any possible tension. He's easy to get along with and helps to further people's plots and lore in a way that feels organic and unique.
Each of his characters has a trademark comical sort of joking method, while all maintaining an individuality that is refreshing and noticeable. If ever you're in need of someone to roleplay with or just hang out and chat with in the Cbox, Lazzy is your guy.
@Pallas's Nyota Magarian-Xia is a hell of a character, and it's surprising we haven't seen them show up here yet! She's got eyes like tiny suns, kickass boots, and a take no prisoners attitude. Everything about Nyota's history is downright wild, from the fact that she ate a sun god to the fact that she can speak Klingon.
We've seen her popping up in a few threads around the site, and every single one is a delight to read. Pallas plays her excellently, and Nyota has so much life to her that she practically jumps off the screen.
As always, you can drop your own nominations into the nomination thread!
Zine, Skins and Annual Survey
This year we made the unfortunate choice of pushing the zine submission date back due to a busy October/November. As a result, we had a much lower turnout than usual, and a result there won't be a zine this year. Those who submitted are still free to claim the relevant badge, and encouraged to post their work in the creative corner!
We have a poll up here for what skin you'd like to see restored next! As things stand, they're unfortunately a bit broken, and Kyros is going to be going in and touching them up.
Since we just had a survey in November, the annual survey has been pushed back a bit to give it some space. You can expect to see it in the coming months.
