Post by Vio on Nov 16, 2017 13:38:08 GMT -5
Grading is a system used on many RP sites that focus around shōnen series’ progression and development, Bon Voyage being no exception to the rule. It allows members to earn those valued X-Poinz used to develop their character, while also allowing us to promote good writing and great storytelling among our members. Just a heads up, Graders (those who do the time consuming act of grading) are volunteers. If something you’ve posted up for grading is taking a while, be patient. It’ll come around soon enough!
So, how does grading actually work?
There’s a few key steps to grading, both on the part of the members who want grading, and on the grader who takes up the task. So, in order from start to finish, here’s what comprises the grading system:
- First and foremost, members must complete a role play thread. Self explanatory. You can’t get something for nothing!
- Jokes aside, from there is where things ramp up. As somebody requesting a grade, you have to make a submission in the Grade Submission Board using the template provided there. This should include links to the thread you are requesting a grade for, details on the characters that took part in it, and a few other quick details that’ll help speed the process up to some extent. Once that’s sorted, it should be posted up in the previously mentioned board to show that it’s ready to be assessed.
- Once there, patience is a virtue. When able, one of our Graders will claim your submission, which means they’ve taken it up and are soon going to start reading through it. Bare in mind, the bigger a thread, the longer it’ll take, but we generally try and work on a ‘first come, first serve’ basis in order to keep things fair. Should a Grader be strapped for time due to real life issues, they might request another Grader (who is willing and able) to take it from them. Remember, Graders: There’s nothing stopping you from tackling a submission as a team!
- After a Grader is done, they’ll total up your scores and reply to the submission with the details, awarding X-Poinz to each participating character, crew and organisation as necessary. The amount of X-Poinz you can accrue from a single thread can vary wildly, as it’s affected by numerous factors and up to the discretion of the Grader assessing it.
- Once that’s done, it’s up to you to add the new X-Poinz totals and such to your characters’ profiles, keeping a link to the submission as reference! And that’s all she wrote! From there, you’re free to do what you want with that freshly harvested XPz.
How does a Grader assign X-Poinz?
There’s actually a very simple rubric for how and why a Grader should assign XPz. So, here’s how it all works out:
Each individual post in a thread awards that character a base amount of X-Poinz, which is determined primarily by the location in which the thread is occurring. Characters venturing through harsher seas have to learn faster in order to survive, skill and resourcefulness being the key, and so the most dangerous areas of the world offer a higher base than the less treacherous regions. In addition, certain types of thread might offer differing amounts.
As an example, Nami participates in a story thread in the East Blue, with two other characters. Together, the thread totals at 15 posts, each posting an equal number of times. As a Blues thread, in which she posted 5 times, the baseline of her end total is around the 75 mark. However, there’s more to it than just simple math. There’s another element to grading, which is a percentile modifier awarded based on the quality of the story and your participation in it. The modifier has a range of 30%, swinging both into the positive and the negative.
While it is possible to lose X-Poinz from your final score, it’s a rare occurrence and used only in cases where members blatantly break lesser site rules, such as power playing, God-moding, unfair use of meta knowledge and more. If you’re breaking the rules, Graders are well within their right to subtract from your final score and completely ignore any potential bonuses as a result. This can drag your score down as far as 85% of what you would’ve had and, if your crimes are considered severe enough, it can net you a zeroed score. Breaking rules might be fun for you, you might get a kick out of it, but it’s no fun for others, and it’s not just your story!
Now then! With that sour note out of the way, let’s get positive! Your final score can be raised up to 115% through good role play and making a story healthy for others. There’s three core parts to doing this, all of which can happen as a standard of written RP. These are, as follows:
- Social Bonuses
While many of us might like to play an anti-social edgelord from time to time, that doesn’t mean you have to hog the darkened limelight. The Social Bonus is awarded to characters for getting others involved, either through in-character action and conversation, acts of narrative and storytelling, or some other means noticeable within your posts. You might use NPCs to spice up another member’s interactions, or generally have your character do things that promote activity and response from your cohorts. We write together to weave the most entertaining stories; solo actions are only worth so much in a world as diverse as this!- Proactivity Bonuses
Some people are leaders and others followers, but a tale quickly drags – both for the tellers and the readers – if it becomes apparent that only one soul is putting the effort in to keep the story flowing. Proactivity Bonuses are awarded to characters as a result of working to progress the story, such as introducing new elements, delving deeper into existing story goals, or just pushing the scene along. It can be something done in narrative, in character, or even in less central means. A shady NPC discussing plans elsewhere, for example, can set the wheels in motion. Work with your thread partners to build a story and develop on the groundwork that’s already there.- Development Bonuses
This is the more personal of the three. Characters are all well and good, but change and evolution is better! Good character development, regardless of whether or not it’s related to their primary goal, can be an enticing read for anyone. Stories are about growth, building a rapport with the participants, and longing to see what becomes of it. Development Bonuses are awarded for practically everything related to character development. A character might discover a new technique after having to push themselves to the limit against a fierce foe, or uncover secrets of whatever happened during their past. They might meet friends and family, or reveal a bit more about their underlying personality.
Multiplayer Bonuses
In addition to the above criteria, we also award a bonus increase for threads that involve more than two members. Participating characters gain an additional 15% bonus increase to their base earnings if three members are actively involved in the thread, increasing to a 30% bonus for threads with four or more participants. Additional increases will not be offered for threads with more than four members, however, as these modifiers are built to help compensate for the slow-down commonly caused by larger threads, and not as an immediate incentive for massive, multiplayer threads.
