Experiences First Come Acceptance VS Best Application

[Bone2pick]

Here's a topic I haven't seen discussed. Just to be clear I'm referring to group RPs that only support a limited number of players. I'm also interested in focusing more on ambitious/detailed RPs as opposed to simpler/less ambitious RPs, because those tend to be more selective.

So which method of player-character selection do you prefer? Have you experienced both? Does it depend on the roleplay?

 

[rae2nerdy]

Well if your talking about limited slots than yeah the best application would make the most sense.

As presumably those limited slots are for very specific character roles. So you want people who best fill those roles.

You also want to ensure players that will play well with one another
Whose personalities and time schedules line up as well as whose characters fit the open slots.

For open Roleplays I think it depends on the GM and what they chose to focus on. Do they just want to fill X slots or are they looking for a specific group dynamic among players / characters

 

[Idea]

It's a hard question to answer, honestly. This is because the GM ought to take into account both sides of any given matter, their own as GMs and that of the players. The problem there being that in this case, the two point towards opposite directions. As a GM, you have much more merit, assuming you get enough applications to begin with, to be selective about what kind of players you get as it allows you to get a personal assessment of who to include and create a feeling of accomplishment. It's a very effective tactic.

On the other hand, rather than simple effectiveness, a player will also care about fairness. And there is nothing fair about arbitrary standards taking away hours of your life into the trash bin just because someone else showed up who happened to have a prepared writing sample at hand or whatever. Again assuming you get a fair amount of applications, for every person you choose to include and make feel accomplish, three or four might end up feeling terrible and have to leave empty-handed despite their effort. Which in turn means that less players who aren't competitive or interested in straight up wasting time will be interested in trying to participate in your roleplay.

In other words, the conflict is of effectiveness versus fairness. That said, both methods carry some degree of randomness, so there is a limit to how fair one can really be. Which in turn means, that which method one should use depends on how effectively they can use either method. You should use the best application method if and only if you have the skills and organization to actually be able to spot who is actually reliable and capable. If your criteria is say, what writing samples you like more, then you shouldn't use that method, for instance. Because it's a waste that way, the only merit you could gain (effectiveness) will be wasted by one's inability to harvest it. I know that may sound harsh, but the reality is that people tend to overstimate themselves. So if you're gonna be judging people's "worthiness" for joining your RP, then you ought to at least have the insightfulness to make an accurate judgement. Because the vast majority of people can't.

In my eyes, therefore, most people should go for first come first serve, but at the recruitment stage. By the time one reaches the character stage, everyone making one should have a spot, so any that are too many should have been removed by then.

 

[PaddieCake]

In this context, definitely both. Personally if I'm going to go through the effort to have specific slots thought out (whether it's just a number limit, or it's specific characters that need to be filled), I'm absolutely checking the quality of the character sheets (which tends to be my personal reference for accepting people). If two people post for the same spot (assuming it's for a specific character and not just numbers) and the quality is the same, it'd default to first person to post.

I'm also inclined to reserve spaces (regardless of what sort of limit I set) so I haven't run into this issue when GM-ing. If a space is reserved then I don't have to worry about someone getting their character/sample done first, and "stealing" the spot. That way, if the character falls through, you can just open it up again. And in my experience the RPs I've joined have all allowed reservations/i usually allowed them.

 

[frakncheese]

i don't think first-come-first-serve precludes discerning standards. it's bulky and inconvenient and often self-important to have a competitive application process, and it's much less arbitrary to say, you were here first, so here's to you. you can still reject a character that isn't up to snuff; you can even maintain very high standards and still operate on a first-come-first-serve basis. besides, constancy and politeness are arguably more important than how interesting and well written a character is, and you can't tell those things from an application. you just gotta play with a person to find out. and if they drop or prove unfitting? well, you don't have to awkwardly go to the runner-up and say something to the effect of, "sorry, i know i said you aren't good enough for me but, the person i actually liked didn't work out. wanna join in?" better to just say, well, who's next?

personally i don't like pre-ordained characters, and i don't like reservations either, so i've never seen anyone get salty about "waa someone else took my spot but i called it"
i guess that would be an issue in first-come-first-serve, though.

 

[Shuusuke]

I support the best application method as well, RPs get points with me if they have that. I prefer RPs with fewer people, so if someone got in just because they were fast, it's a noticeable effect on the whole RP, because there's less alternative characters to interact with than on RPs with a big/ever-increasing number of players. Thought I really hope the only thing in question is writing here, not other things like "best faceclaim", or "best-looking character sheet style".

First-come also has the effect of making potential RPers rush to complete their character sheet, due to being pressured for time. And if you say they could just make a dummy post and edit it later, well...that just shows another flaw of this method.

 

[BackSet]

I've had exactly two rps with limited character slots and neither of them got off the ground. Probably because I did first come first serve. Just goes to show that noone reads the interest checks. Because I literally pit in all caps "MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE FREE TIME TO DO THIS"

For every other rp I don't tend to limit characters so it is first come first serve so I tend to end up with a wide variety of characters and I can usually just tell people that their doing something that I don't approve of (or that's against the site rules).

 

[Ganryu]

I generally accept more applications than I need/want, because while difficult, I figure we'll lose about half of them at the very least, or kick out a fair few. I've recently learned, be a dick as a GM. Don't have a heart. Someone's posting quality is below standard? KICK THEM THE HELL
OUT. It makes the quality of the RP improve, which makes your players happier.

So pretty much I take a large number of first come, only accept the good ones, and weed people out as I go.

 

[Purr]

(Disclaimer: I am writing this from my phone; please forgive any grammatical errors. I am looking at you, Spell Checker! =) )

O.K., folks. At the risk of sounding like a special snowflake (yikes!), I'm going to say neither method works for me.

If I take first-come-first-serve, then I invite enthusiasm but sometimes at the cost of finding the best fit. Chances are, "quick-posters" have a lot of time on their hands, which does not tell me much about their abilities as a role-player.

If I go with the best applications, then I'm getting folks who know how to put their best foot forward, but I don't know precisely why they are doing it. Are they really a good role-player or do they just know how to look like one? Appearances can be deceiving and I don't like to judge a book by its cover.

And so, I "read the book."

My games are dear to me. There are special places born out of my heart and mind. I am extremely careful about who I let join them. I create games I want to last for years. And they have. =)

So I look through the Roleplay Nation history of every applicant I get. I take a long look at all kinds of things - their role playing style, their attitude, the characters they play, the way they write, how often they post, if they follow the rules of the game, their ability to work as teammates both in and out of character, if they have a sense of humor, if I can honestly believe they will get along with the people already in my game (if any), and so forth.

I want adults, not so much in physical age, but in mental maturity. But I also want kids. In other words, I want players who are willing to have fun, create, dream, and join me and others in imaginative adventures with fun, friendship, and fond memories to look back on together!

I also look for people who sincerely give a damn. I genuinely get along with people who care, and I often don't get along with people who don't. If you really believe "it's all about you" then I am the wrong Dungeon Master/Game Master/Storyteller for you.

I am the kind of Dannigan that is only having fun when everyone is having fun. If you are having a bad day, I'm going to try to cheer you up. When you want a fantastic place to come and forget about dark things in Real Life, I want my game to be a place you like to run to. Why? Because it is where I run to. =)

I am also impressed with people who try to write well, even if they fall flat on their face from time to time. Is English your second language? Are you a math person? Fine by me, as long as you're making the attempt at good writing.

But I only run a successful game if I can find like-minded people. I cannot rely on that with first-come-first-serve, and I cannot learn enough about you through a single application, no matter how well it is written.

Furthermore, I ask my friends about my applicants too. Are they comfortable with this person? I trust my friends on this website. That's why they are my friends.

In all of the time I have role-played, doing lots of research has never done me wrong. In fact, it has made my games more fun and longer-lasting. I hope your games are fun and long-lasting too!

Happy gaming! =)

Honor and fun,
Dann =)

 

[Bone2pick]

Purr Interesting method of player selection. I'm curious, how do you handle new members who apply?

 

[Purr]

With the help of any fellow players I have already allowed in the game (if any). I can see myself pulling everyone I trust aside into Conversation and asking them their impressions of the new member. Then I would probably go with what the group seems happiest with. If I have to make a decision that will affect everyone's fun (like accepting a player no one knows), I want to have my players' opinions on the matter. It is their game time too.

And if I have no players to ask? Then after reviewing the new member's application on at least two separate occasions, I would likely go on my gut feeling and a prayer. What else have I got, right? Heh! =)

 

[Bone2pick]

I respect that. You're ultra-selective but still open to new promising members.

 

[Purr]

Thank you! =)