Policy Discussion

[singularitymods.livejournal.com]

Some of Singularity's players have questions about the game policies on AU character applications. This post has been put up to allow players to approach the staff to ask questions, offer suggestions, and voice concerns regarding those policies. The moderators are also available via IM/PM [contact information] if any player does not feel comfortable discussing their concerns in public.

As of the end of this application round (August 15th), AU applications will be closed until this matter can be resolved. This ban on AU apps does not apply to the exceptions listed in the AU policies (malleable protagonists and canon AUs).

Comments

[ecto-biologist.livejournal.com]

Then maybe the rule should be better clarified to reflect this? Instead of naming it Better As Fanfic and putting down the idea that only two or three points change equal unappability and perhaps revise it along the lines of:

"AU Applications that take a radically different tone in characterization (stealing the example below, brainwashing Aang from ATLA into a bitter angry avenger for the Fire Nation) may not be accepted due to a character's significant changes and deviations from their canon selves." While the setting will factor in to some degree, if the applicant has a good handle on what seems like the character's voice in a significantly deviating setting while retaining their personality (I'd like to point out the AU Karkat as an example here) then it should easily be fair game. Calling it "better as fanfic" causes confusion for players due to vagueness and allows for more wild interpretations of the rule that can cause a lot of insanity on everyone's part.

+1

[barkstabbark]

IMO, if your AU changes major events/setting as well as personality, that shouldn't be allowed. If you keep the basic canon setting/events and alter personality based on other minor changes, that should work. If you change the setting and keep personality the same, that should work too. It's when you change both that you get weird hard-to-judge AUs, since you're changing the character in multiple ways, which is pretty much the problem you keep bringing up.

But I don't think the entire concept of setting-swapped AUs should be banned just because it has the potential to be too off. If the concern is that characters will be too different to be recognizable, that's what it should be judged for.

[totallynotaspaz.livejournal.com]

+1ing this too. Particularly:

"...the potential to be too off. If the concern is that characters will be too different to be recognizable, that's what it should be judged for."

This, in one sentence, sums up everything I am and have been trying to get across in this post. As it stands, the rule and how I've interpreted mod responses on this matter so far make it seem like an AU that has the potential to be too off is rejected on principle, when the AU should be judged on whether it is too off or not.