Windrose Scouts Changes [2.0]

Subject: Windrose Scouts Changes [2.0] Tue Feb 26, 2019 11:11 pm

This is a ‘re-application’ for the Windrose Scouts proposing changes to the IO rather than approval for a completely new organisation ^-^
There is a TLDR of changes at the bottom but the app itself is a version of the original application edited to reflect the changes.

» Organisation Name: Windrose Scouts
» Aims:

Creating a map of the world
Investigating the mysteries and oddities of the world
Discovering how mystery dungeons work

» Base Location: Fallen Leaf Copse

» Organisation Head: Russell the Mothim (Previously Burmy)
» Link to bio of head: Link
» Second-In-Command: Deimos the Absol
» Link to bio of second: Link

» Does your organisation need a separate board?: Yes (It already has one ^^)
» Justification: The Windrose Scouts features a system almost like report writing that enables members to gain rewards for a quality written piece. Having a separate board allows for a better way to store these threads without cluttering another board. The Windrose Library should also act as a social area similar to the Guild as it’s members have the option to live there and its entrance floor essentially acts as a public library for those who know where it is.
» Other needs: None

» Board Name: The Windrose Library
» Board Description: The base and home of the Windrose Scouts. The place functions as both a residential area for all of its members and a giant library. It is skillfully built into a large tree and cannot be located easily from the outside unless you have prior knowledge of its location. The entrance floor and its information on the world and dungeons are accessible to all who enter, but further floors contain more sensitive information and are restricted to experienced members of the Windrose Scouts. Though primarily built into the tree, the library also extends underground.

(Note: This description is altered from the first version ^^)

» Rules of your organisation:

-Even if a character is a member of the Windrose Scouts, that same character may also be a member of other organisations including the Guild, Peak Academy, etc.
-For a character to be a member they should really have some sort of interest in exploring and finding out about the world, or information gaining. You shouldn't just apply for the perks. I will personally read through bios to see whether an applying character is a good fit or not.
-A character may join if they are an outlaw, but will be restricted to the entrance floor of the library proper in-character. Neutral characters that sometimes do stuff morally grey and reformed outlaws may be allowed to access further floors in-character on a case-by-case basis. Reformed outlaws must also somehow prove that they are reformed. Note that this will not restrict the user from taking on rumour investigations or participating in IO events it is merely an in-character rule.
-A character must report all their findings back to the library. This mostly concerns when characters take a rumour to investigate, as it's not fair to take the rumour and disallow someone else to investigate it if they don't plan on subsequently writing the correct reports. If writing reports is an issue for you, I'd suggest working in a pair and helping each other write a report rather than doing it alone.
-The library isn’t as well known as say, Grassveil Guild, due to it’s out of the way location. People can find out where it is via word of mouth but people who post threads in the library board should be ready to explain how their character found out about the library if they aren’t a member.
-Upon joining the Windrose Scouts, the user may choose to switch their character’s home dungeon to be Fallen Leaf Copse if they want their character to live in the library.

» Extensive Description of Organisation:

The Windrose Scouts are a solo organisation, not affiliated with any Guild ect., and its goal is to explore everywhere and create a map of the world. They are fixated on information gathering and the members tend to write reports after going places and submit them to be read and analysed for new information. The organisation loves investigating mysteries and oddities and so mystery dungeons are also of particular interest to them, especially as they cannot properly map mystery dungeons due to their ever-changing landscapes.

They have a little-known library as a base, located within Fallen Leaf Copse, where they keep all of the information they learn. Although it isn’t a secret, they go to great lengths to protect sensitive information from pokemon who might use it for shady purposes. As a result, only the entrance floor of the library is open to non-members and outlaw characters.

It is important to note that they're not in any way secret agents and do not specialise in anything like espionage, despite the secrecy behind some of the information. They're just an organisation that strives for knowledge and keeps to themselves to prevent unsavory types from using the knowledge for crime.

The organisation would occasionally discover new dungeons and locations through mini organisation exclusive events. (These wouldn't be hugely important dungeons like for main site events and would likely be few and far between. As before, I plan to use this mostly to implement smaller dungeons based on the suggestions of other users. The concepts can be submitted by members even if they don’t have a character within the Scouts, as a Scout member could do their ‘event’ thread with non-IO members if they so chose.)

The organisation has it’s own bulletin board type format, however instead of strict missions like the Guild, members/NPCs post rumours they've heard about occurrences within specific dungeons or places. Members of the organisation can pick a rumour and investigate it. Whether the rumour turns out to be true, half-true or false is up to the RPer, but they must then report their findings in a report including what was discovered and whether the rumour was found to be true or false. Submitted reports will get some form of reward.

Unlike the previous iteration of the Scouts, there will be no word count for these reports. Instead, they will be judged on the quality of the information and writing allowing for smaller but well-written reports to still gain good rewards and hopefully making the concept more appealing to those who perhaps do not like to write a lot.

Reports will usually contain a summary of the thread that the character RPed, as well as a description of the dungeon and a description of the rumour and whether it's true or not. These can be written in either first person or third person at the choice of the user but should be considered as the character themselves writing the report for in-character purposes.

There are two types of reports; Rumour Reports and Location Reports (previously dungeon reports). The former is written after taking on a rumour investigation and should summarise that rumour as explained above. The second type allows members to write about a specific location on the site, such as a dungeon or town.

Unlike previously, where if more than one person submitted a 'basic' report for a dungeon, unless each report touches on different aspects of the dungeon, then only the best report would have got a reward, now multiple users can write about the same dungeon or location and still get some form of reward. Instead of being site-wide, the reward scheme is instead based on whether that specific user has written about that place before.

For example, if one user wrote about Shadowhue Forest first, they would get a reward for doing so. If user number two wrote a report about Shadowhue Forest, they too would get a reward, even if they didn’t add anything substantially different to the person before. However, if either user were to then write another report about that dungeon, their reward would be diminished as they had already written a report, unless their report added something substantial compared to their previous report.

This change is to allow more chances for users to gain rewards, and to prevent users who join later from being locked out of writing for any specific location purely because someone got there first. I believe it to be a fairer system for all that doesn’t run on a first-come-first-served basis and encourages quality of writing over speed to be the first one to post a report for a specific place.

For Windrose Scouts 2.0, gaining membership is as easy as submitting the join application in the signup thread. Immediately upon joining, characters are considered Novice Scouts. From there, a member may choose to take on and complete a small challenge, such as defeating Pokemon or collecting items, as in the previous iteration of the Scouts. If they complete the challenge, their character is then considered an Experienced Scout and will receive the edited journal sprite tailored to their character.

In-character, Novice Scouts are restricted to the entrance floor of the library and outlaw characters are restricted to this ‘rank’ as a result. Experienced Scouts are therefore able to explore the Windrose Library in its entirety, including the sensitive information located on other floors. OOC, the title of Novice or Experienced Scout doesn’t affect much at all other than getting a personalised journal sprite.

Unlike the previous iteration, signing up does not require an in-character thread with Russell or any other member of the Windrose Scouts (although you could still do that if you wished to). As long as the RPer and I both have a vague understanding of how they joined, that’s good enough.

As in the previous iteration, once you gain membership to the Windrose Scouts, you can take on rumour investigations and write about your experiences for rewards. You will also have access to the 'collection box'. This box is a communal place to put items, shared by all members of the organisation. You can place items here and attach a trade tag to them, requesting for a specific item in return, or you can place items in there to be freely taken and used by anyone who happens to want them. This is in the spirit of the members wanting to help each other in their adventures as they chase rumours, as it would allow some characters access to important items that they may otherwise not be able to find or afford. Members must post in the thread to claim, post or trade an item, and any items collected as part of the challenges to become an ‘Experienced Scout’ are placed here.

Short version of the proposed changes;

Unhide the Windrose Library board so it’s visible to everyone on the site not just members of the Windrose Scouts.
Change in the rules so that characters are not just limited to joining the Scouts but can be a part of multiple IOs at the same time as being a Scout.
Streamline the signup process by removing the condition that a meeting has to happen IC within a thread.
Streamline the signup process by allowing challenges to be done after joining the IO rather than as a requirement before it.
Alter the IO hierarchy to have two tiers of Scout members. Novice Scouts and Experienced Scouts. The former has yet to complete the challenge and the latter have done their ‘entry challenge’ that Russell assigns. Novice Scouts are limited to the non-sensitive information located in the library whilst Experienced Scouts are allowed access to the more sensitive information.
Alter report writing validation to be based on whether they get the information across well rather than a set word count in order to allow flexibility for RPers who might not want to write hundreds of words.
Allow users to suggest dungeon or rumour concepts for the IO. Users outside of the Scouts can suggest, but can’t accept the task to complete the rumour or participate in a Windrose based event unless they are also in a thread with a Scout character. (Note that potential new dungeon finding was already approved for the previous application, this change is merely to allow other users to suggest dungeon ideas)
Alter the Dungeon Reports system [to be renamed Location Reports] to reward duplicate dungeon reports as long as the specific user hasn’t written about that dungeon previously. If the user has written a report about that dungeon before, the second report must still have a significant addition to the previous report in order to be rewarded.
To clarify, the first comprehensive report for a specific dungeon will still gain more rewards than a duplicate, even if the user hasn’t written about it before. But whereas before duplicates had to add something new, they no longer have to as long as the report is new to that user.
Dungeon Reports, renamed to Location Reports, can be written on social areas such as Grassveil Town or the Small Pond as well. These would be generally harder to get good rewards for though.

Subject: Re: Windrose Scouts Changes [2.0] Sun Mar 03, 2019 4:51 pm

Approved by @FoxFireAlchemist
The only thing they're missing is cookies.

I don't think I have to remind you of the IO guidelines but I will still go through the spiel regardless. TO PROVE MYSELF. Ya dun did a good job and now you simply have to go do the bookkeeping parts that you may or may not have already done (haha).

Your IO signup thread is posted in this board but be sure to read over the rules and guidelines for what the signup thread should include for funsies. On a more serious note, if you haven't updated the info sign-up sheet already now is your time. Unless you do want to post a brand-new sign-up sheet, in which case I appreciate your work but I don't envy you.

You can apply for your IO's budget in this thread whenever because you're the bossman and you already have a second-in-command. You may also need to clean up your IO's short description in the rules board if any of these changes effect what you wrote there.

I think that's all for my time. I'll stop defacing your app now.

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