Should mods take more active roles in players title matches [Poll]

I don't see anything wrong with offering a support network and at least having the option available. As a transitioning title holder, I can definitely understand the pinch with between having a fulfilling match and running it efficiently in time for the next bout. It takes a fair bit of planning and foresight to make the ends meet.

3ho wrote:I would say the idea of keeping consistent lore for title matches is good and fun. If the mods find it fun to help with those by all means, don't let my earlier concern prevent this from implemented. However, I might suggest that maybe the champion and the challenger, on their own, outline a script for the match. Then they could submit it to a mod as an fyi or use it as a contingency and send it along with a request to a mod to help continue the match? That way the mods don't have to risk feeling burned out or overwhelmed.

I'd agree with this too. I think the biggest challenge with handling an unfortunate vacation is making it fit into the canon in a natural way. Having a bit of involvement from the champion/challenger alongside the mods in creating an ideal conclusion that works for everyone would be a lot better to the alternative.

I appreciate your thoughts about the Lore, but I think Lore is a bit more complicated issue you make it out to be maybe?

Perfect example, if a match starts at one PPV to make a new champion, but takes a year to finish, and the new champ doesn't want to defend until his title match ends.

Whats the lore there? In story, that means AFW went an entire year of a champion doing nothing with the belt, for no reason or explanation, while potential challengers sit on the sidelines stuck waiting.

That situation has happened on AFW on multiple occassions. I think we had one belt that went like, 4 years without a defense.

I can understand people not wanting us involved in their matches, nobody likes having control of their writing taken from them for any reason, I am open to alternative solutions if people want to DM them to me.

Our concern is just more that we have title belts going inactive for very long periods because they either never post to a match or they have one match that is still going on a long time later instead of just being ended. I admit, I grow weary of vacating belts, setting up something to crown a new title holder, only to see the belt stall yet again.

This option is also preferable, I think, to trying to impose page limits or time limits on people, which might not be effective and might just pressure people.

It's true though, mods are people too, and we also have times where we are inactive and need a push or extra help. In fact, we'll probably be scouting for some extra mods specifically for this idea.

It's by no means simple and lore isn't the end-all, be-all. I mostly support the idea as a creative solution that can potentially inspire new ideas and directions. I could propose a couple of ideas for your example, but I believe the standing point is still that the length of time is just too long.

The answer might be as simple as holding the title bearers to a higher standard. Handling an inactive/abandoned thread is obviously quite different from a thread that's simply taking a long time. The responsibility still falls on the participants to complete their match within a reasonable timeframe, but there isn't really an existing expectation for that since titles nowadays are honestly shifted around somewhat frivolously.

That isn't to say that champions should just be pressured to go faster and ignore everything else. I just believe understanding those expectations should be important when they start planning ahead.

4 years without a title defense is way, way too long.

I am just making numbers up from the top of my head right now, but maybe strip a title belt from a title holder if he/she is:
*Not posting in 3 months at all
*Not posting once every 2 weeks in a title defense.

Maybe you could also copy and paste the most devastating move of them all into a post of a non-defending champion in a match, the roll up.

I think it's fair to give a title bout a grace period to be done by and after that period whoever is the champ should be able to continue on with doing things regardless if the match has concluded (but still work towards finishing it of course)

Stall titles bouts should be wrapped by the active player and mod team if the inactive person has hone dark without proper communication.

The lore reads a bit loose here but certainly the timeline of RP events is flexible enough, right?

As far as I can tell, once a storyline is completed, then that is set in the "timeline" and thus now able to be referenced by others. There isn't really a huge obsession about dates and time of occurrences as referencing events is simply done by just a character recollecting a past event. It seems like it has never needed to be more than that.

So I do like the idea of giving the title bout time, not allowing the notion of fixed dates of completion but rather maybe a flexible goal of showing progress to completion?

I have no idea what timeframe is appropriate but certainly mods being able to step in when one of the RPers disappears without a word for weeks seems appropriate. If the two contestants are still in communication but one is struggling to post then maybe the offer can be made to intercede on their behalf and finish the match according to the script?

Regardless, I think the for sure thing is that title matches have to have a script planned before the match. That way if intercession is required, it is possible. Plus, I think it is fair to ask title match contestants to put a little more planning into a match like that. They do get their character's name on the scrolling side board after all ;p

Now, while I really think that all kinds of PPV and other special events in AFW are really fun, the two biggest things keeping me away from engaging actively into the title scene are:

1. I have no particular interest for my characters to succeed in the title scene, although I do have a couple of characters that I'm (kinda) trying to protect and could see as good title candidates in the future, if things would turn out to go that way

2. My posting is always very sporadic, and this can cause problems with threads that have time pressure to finish. And I would hate if a title thread would become stalled just because I can't muster up the motivation and energy to write a post for a month (or who knows, a two). This makes me to try to avoid them, as of now.

I'd think that the suggestion in this topic would greatly mitigate the problem with number 2. It would be very helpful to know that there would always be someone as a back-up, who could take over the situation if I'm unable to.

Obviously, there are some questions regarding this logic. Such as:

1. If a mod has already taken control over my character in the match, could I take it back at any point any longer?
2. Would it be too stressing/workload-adding for the mods to act as a constant "back-up" so to say, if a poster just doesn't (temporarily) have the energy to post?

(Also, personally, I'd find the idea of someone else playing my characters to be intriguing to read, but that's not really the purpose of this thread, and would actually probably open up another can of worms really.... So just disregard this!)