Entry tags:

.info pages: applications

Information: Applications

APPLICATIONS ARE CLOSED

RESERVES ARE CLOSED

app and character limits

Players may app up to two characters at a time, and can play up to a maximum of five. Moderators reserve the right to restrict how many characters a current player may apply for if it appears they are having difficulty maintaining activity with their existing characters. While not an absolutely immutable rule, before a player applies for further characters, we would like to see one post a month from all their characters already in the game or regular commenting on other characters' posts. This is not an AC requirement and no one will be removed from the game for not meeting it. It is a guideline to help ensure that our players can keep up with their character load.

Since we accept AU characters and characters with CR from other games, we have a restriction on how many copies of a character can be in the game at a time before they become unavailable. As such, only one canon, one AU, and one other game CR AU will be accepted, for a total of three different versions. In the case of malleable protagonists, we allow three different versions. That could be three "canon" versions, or two canon and a CR AU, or any other combination. This is still the same effective cap in number as for other character types, but includes a little flexibility about how we define AUs for the purposes of the game, since any two Couriers or Grey Wardens can be very different, yet equally canonical.

When applications are open, a mod will reply with acceptance, rejection, or request for revisions as soon as possible. Please note that the mods and app team make a strong effort to respond to apps in the order received, but the mods may appear to skip over some apps depending on their familiarity with the canon or because of ongoing discussion amongst the team. Some apps are easier calls than others, but no app is ignored. If you would like to know the status of your application at any time, please ask a mod. If apps are closed, stated in the status block at the top of this page, reserves will open here.

what is appable

For the most part, any character is appable, provided the player can demonstrate the ability to play them. Singularity accepts characters from all media, with a few exceptions:

Media not available in English in any form, even fan translations.
Fan characters.
Real people, unless deceased and from a fictionalized portrayal. (Examples: The American Founding Fathers from 1776, Nicola Tesla from The Prestige, William Shakespeare from Shakespeare in Love.)
Mythological/folkloric characters, unless taken from a specific adaptation. (Examples: Hades from Disney's Hercules, the Archangel Gabriel from Hellblazer, Constantine, or The Prophecy, Amaterasu from Okami.)

Singularity does accept minor characters with little canon, but we require that the application thoroughly flesh out their personalities with well-reasoned extrapolation from what canon information is available.

Occasionally, a rapidly-developing canon like Homestuck or Red vs Blue may throw plot curveballs. For well-established characters, this is not usually a problem, but minor characters may be substantially altered by new information. While not strictly banned, if your character is likely to be affected by revelations in the near future, we ask that you hold off on an application until the story arc is resolved.

original characters

Original characters are welcome, but only from existing players. This might seem unfair, but Singularity is primarily a fandom game, and we'd like to see how a player performs with someone else's character before playing their own. OC apps are given closer scrutiny than fandom apps, because we are essentially serving as editors in their case. Fandom characters have already been through the editorial process, and have been vetted for inconsistencies and implausibility. (Some more successfully than others, but we work with what we have.)

playing closely-related characters

As a rule, a single player is not allowed to app two closely-associated characters. These would be siblings, lovers, close companions or rivals, etc., regardless of whether one is canon and one is AU. An exception is made for characters who naturally "go together." For example, 3 and 4 from 9, or Doc infected with O'Malley from Red vs Blue (since O'Malley has a different personality inside Doc than inside someone else). Players don't have to app pairs like these together, but they have the option. The selfcest rule ("please keep playing with yourself in public to a respectable minimum") applies here, so if the pair you want to app would spend most of their time talking to each other rather than to other characters, they're not necessarily a good fit under this rule. It depends on how much you'd prefer to explore their relationship versus how much you'd like to develop other relationships. Additionally, both characters will count toward your character limit, so please app wisely. Another exception: characters with multiple personalities, whether perfectly healthy and functional or resulting from a psychological condition like Dissociative Identity Disorder can arrive with those personalities intact, and will count as only one character, regardless of how many identities they have.

playing physically-incompatible characters

Characters that are physically incompatible with the human-scaled, O2 environment of the station may be converted to a more compatible state--for instance, Na'vi from Avatar would be able to breathe oxygen, and Omega Supreme from Transformers might find himself only as tall as Optimus Prime.

Characters without independent bodies (for example, the AI Cortana from Halo) have the option of being inserted into a mechanical body, some sort of mobile platform, or in an immobile platform that interfaces directly with the network. They can always switch out to another body later. If you are planning on apping an implanted AI character that is likely to attempt to take over the entire network, please run your ideas by the mods.

If you have a character with attributes not covered here and are not sure how they might live in Singularity, please visit the Contact page to speak to a mod or app team member.

apping from alternate universes or timelines

Singularity accepts multiples of all characters, but only one "canon"/original universe (OU) version of anyone. All others have to be alternate universe (AU). The least complicated AUs are the canon AUs, like the Kingdom Hearts versions of Square Enix characters or the various Commanders Shepard from Mass Effect. "Canon AU" is something of a misnomer; malleable protagonists and canons with multiple continuities are equally canonical and the apps are judged as such, but any duplicates are considered AUs for game bookkeeping purposes, such as community tags and caps on the number of multiples. Player-made AUs are also appable. However, this doesn't mean that any given player-created AU is going to be a good match for the game. You should be able to explain convincingly why your version of the character fits and will be playable while remaining recognizably a canon character.

For instance, Commander Shepard can plausibly be male or female because the setting of Mass Effect is gender-egalitarian and the story does not change more than superficially with the player's choice of gender for their Shepard. On the other hand, an AU where Commander Shepard was not human--say, a turian--would require the plot of the Mass Effect games to be entirely rewritten because it would change everything about the background and motivations of the character, and would make no sense without substantially altering the sociopolitics of the universe.

A case where gender would matter is for a Disney princess like Ariel from The Little Mermaid or Belle from Beauty and the Beast. Because of the gender roles assumed by the setting and the major effect this would have on the character's relationships and the story itself, it goes beyond the scope of an RP character to simply do a gender change.

Players may find it easier to app AUs from a point in the timeline soon after one key event from after the story is well underway is altered. This is not a rule, but a guideline; it both gives the character a substantial canon grounding and keeps them from having drifted too far--for example, Luke Skywalker from the beginning of The Return of the Jedi if he had accepted Darth Vader's offer at the end of The Empire Strikes Back. It is a challenge, but not an insurmountable one, to explain why Luke would have chosen differently in the AU, and how the change would have affected his character in the few weeks since. Star Wars would still be recognizable as Star Wars, and Luke as Luke. However, an AU where Luke and Leia were raised by Vader fundamentally alters the premise of the story; the plot of the Star Wars trilogy would be entirely different in a universe where Leia hadn't grown up on Alderaan as the adopted child of a Rebel leader and Luke had never been a farmer on Tatooine or met Ben Kenobi. The idea, while compelling, is material better suited for a fanfic than RP, where you as writer control not only your character, but other characters' reactions to them, and have the opportunity to set the stage for the reader and guide their expectations. RP is a collaborative exercise for creating and exploring stories jointly, and intricate AUs are a bad vehicle for this.

Mods and app team members do reserve the right to reject or ask for revisions on an AU app if that app includes AU information that does not seem to make sense for the character/canon being apped. If you are trying to AU a children's movie into an unnecessarily dark scenario with cannibalism and murder and what have you, or you've turned a serious, philosophically-inclined canon with adult themes into a lighthearted slapstick AU universe, you may be asked to change the AU to fit the canon better, or have your application rejected entirely if the mods can't see how the AU could be made acceptable. Keep in mind that canonmates and gamemates in general will be directly affected by your AU, and not everyone may be comfortable with what you've chosen. Signing up your character's canon friends to interact with someone from a world either substantially more horrifying or substantially sillier than their own is not particularly considerate to their existing players, or to any who may app in the future. As a rule of thumb, the more extreme an AU is, the harder it will be for castmates to interact with, and a good AU for the game should not deliberately put castmates off from interacting. Plausibility and interaction dynamics are especially important in AU applications.

An individual player is not allowed to app two versions of the same characters, no matter how distinct the AUs may be.

If you are at all unsure whether an AU concept is suitable or not for the game, visit the Contact page to discuss it with a mod or app team member.

apping from other game canons

Singularity considers game-canon RP characters as acceptable AUs. If you would like to app a character you've played in another game with their memories intact, just include all relevant character development under Setting, Personality, and the AU justification section. It's not terribly important how you organize it as long as all the relevant information is provided and reads logically. It's especially helpful if you can provide links to CR charts, threads and screencaps that help to illustrate how your character has changed.

Characters with CR imported from other games come with a few restrictions:

Any game devices (like microchips, collars, curses of gradual insanity, etc.) cease to function while in Singularity, but are not removed either. They might still become active during events.
On the other hand, any game-specific accessories, like that game's communicators, animal companions, or other equipment or resources they've accrued, do not accompany them unless carried on their person. These items will be nerfed as necessary upon the chracter’s arrival in Sacrosanct.
Characters can recognize anyone they had CR with in a previous game, but only provided the other player consents. Players found to be using past CR to corner a different player into filling the same role will be subject to mod action.
ICness is still required. While your character no doubt has grown from their time spent in another game, it should not be so dramatic that they aren't recognizable.

Finally, while characters can obtain items and critters from their homeworlds in Zone 00, they can't obtain specific items from other RP worlds. This is still a game, not a pan-RP dressing room.

other guidelines

Players are expected to familiarize themselves with all of the game's information pages (linked at the bottom of each info page or from the Index) before playing. If anything is unclear, use the Contact & FAQ page to answer any questions prior to apping.

Serial apping, character squatting, and other activity issues can result in a warning, a strike, or the boot. Lying on the application in any capacity is grounds for expulsion. The same goes for plagiarism.

After you submit your app, the mods will evaluate it and come back with one of three responses: ACCEPTED (sometimes ACCEPTED + NOTE, usually used to clarify power restrictions or other details that aren't significant enough to require revisions), DECLINED, or REVISIONS. Instructions for any necessary revisions will be included in the response.

Apps posted during closed periods will be left until the next app round. Likewise, revisions submitted after the 72-hour window do not result in an automatic rejection, but will not be judged until the next round.

to apply
The application is divided into four parts: Player Information, Character Information, OC/AU Justification, and Samples. There is no upper limit on the length of apps.
	Player Information Your Nickname: OOC Journal: A sock is fine, and if you don't have one, that's fine, too. Under 18? Singularity does not have an age limit; this is just for reference. Please be honest. Lying about your age is grounds for expulsion from the game. Email/IM/Plurk: Characters Played at Singularity:

	Character Information Name: Personal name - family name, aka Western order. Name of Canon: If apping an OC, just put "original." Canon/AU/Other Game CR: If playing CRAU, please describe the game setting from which your character is arriving. Reference: Links to a wikia page, fansite, scanlations, etc. For obscure characters without a lot of information available, the more references the better. For OCs, a link to any place containing an applicable run-down of their story is helpful. Canon Point: Please don't just say "end of S4, E26." "Right after he finds out his mother's dead at the end of S4, E26" is much easier to understand for those not canon-familiar. Setting: Provide a description of your character’s setting as if you were explaining it to someone who is not familiar with the canon. The focus of this section should be details and mechanics of the universe that shape your character’s role and motivations. Main points to cover include time period, physical location, factions and organizations, and major entities that have caused the canon universe to exist in the state from which your character will be taken. Please note that we are not asking for a plot summary or a history writeup; we are interested in seeing your understanding of your character’s canon and how your character fits into that world. If you are importing a character from another game, please describe the game’s setting; a brief overview with a link to the game’s setting page (if available) is fine. Please describe how your character has developed in that game in the AU section below. Personality: Describe your character's personality. This would include their outlook, motivations, general experiences, and anything you feel necessary in order to communicate who they are as a person. Referencing events in their canon to support your interpretation is encouraged, but please don't provide a plot summary without analysis. For characters with little canon information, this section is especially important. Without much canon to fall back on, we need to see that you've thought out the character in a consistent way that's well-supported by whatever information is available. Minor characters almost invariably require extrapolation from pure canon to become fully-realized; this is the section where you should lay out that extrapolation. Abilities, Weaknesses, and Power Limitations: Outline your character’s skillset and weaknesses; we are looking for a description of things your character can do that set it apart from others, as well as ways your character can be defeated. If your character has any abilities that are potentially game-breaking, please suggest reasonable limitations that you think would keep your character playable without challenging the integrity of the game. As a rule of thumb, abilities that would significantly damage the station’s structure, instantly kill another character, or are generally uncounterable should be limited; drastic actions against another character require OOC permission regardless of nerfing. Additionally, powers such as teleportation and telepathy will be restricted to the zone the character currently occupies. The moderators reserve the right to tweak abilities as necessary. Inventory: Provide a list of your character’s starting inventory; these should be items they have with them only at the point of canon from which they are taken. Additional items can be requested from the Junkyard later in gameplay. As with powers, if your character normally carries an item of highly destructive or game-breaking potential, it will either come through the Rift damaged or removed entirely. Appearance: This is most relevant for characters who do not have a canon appearance, or who are altered when brought to Sacrosanct. If using a PB, please provide the name and a link to a photo in addition to a description. Characters without bodies may be given them, or some other kind of mobile platform. Characters with unconventional appearances, like the tachikoma from Ghost in the Shell or some of the more out-there Transformers designs also benefit from having a visual aid. Age: If there is no definitive canon age, a justified estimate is acceptable.

	OC/AU Justification If AU, how is your version different from canon, and how will that come across? AU versions need to make sense; please provide a justification for your AU and how it impacts your characterization, taking into consideration our AU guidelines noted above. If OC, did you run your character through a Mary Sue litmus test? Here's one, for reference: http://www.springhole.net/quizzes/marysue.htm And another: http://www.ponylandpress.com/ms-test.html And what did you score? There is no hard and fast score for rejection. It's just one factor we'll be looking at in regards to your application as a whole.

	Samples Log Sample: 200 words minimum. The setting can be their transition from their canon setting to Sacrosanct, a purely canon setting, or anything else, as long as it shows how you will be playing them in the game. If you would like, you can use a sample thread or log in place of a log sample, but please clear it with a mod first. Please write your sample to focus on your character's thoughts and motivations, rather than as a miniature fanfiction featuring multiple other characters. It's fine if other characters feature, but the majority of the sample should involve insight into your character. We have gotten some very good fic-like samples, but this section isn't just a test of your writing ability; we would like you to demonstrate understanding of the character, as well, sort of the "show" to the personality section's "tell." Network Sample: Describe your character's first experience using the station's network. It can be text, voice, video, hologram, or game; intentional or accidental. Keep in mind that "the device turned on by itself!" just doesn't happen here.

Fill out the following application and submit it below:
<b><u><i>Player Information</i></u></b> <b>Your Nickname:</b> <b>OOC Journal:</b> <b>Under 18?</b> <b>Email/IM/Plurk:</b> <b>Characters Played at Singularity:</b> <b><u><i>Character Information</i></u></b> <b>Name:</b> <b>Name of Canon:</b> (if OC, just put "original.") <b>Canon/AU/Other Game CR:</b> (please state one. If OC, put N/A.) <b>Reference:</b> <b>Canon Point:</b> <b>Setting:</b> <b>Personality:</b> <b>Abilities, Weaknesses, and Power Limitation Suggestions:</b> <b>Inventory:</b> <b>Appearance:</b> <b>Age:</b> <b><u><i>OC/AU Justification</i></u></b> <b>If AU, How is Your Version Different From Canon, and How Will That Come Across?</b> <b>If OC, Did You Run Your Character Through a Mary-Sue Litmus Test?</b> <b>And What Did You Score?</b> <b><u><i>Samples</i></u></b> <b>Log Sample:</b> <b>Network Sample:</b>
thank you for your interest in Singularity please contact the mods or app team with any questions

Welcome to Sacrosanct. Please watch your step:

game index
mod contact - player contact - faq
setting - maps & locations - gameplay - NPCs - history - plot archive
taken - applications - reserves - hiatus & drop
character requests - plot requests - missions - deaths - calendar

singularityrpg (network) -

singularitylogs (logs community)

singularityooc (OOC community) -

singularityderp (crack and memes community)

Threaded | Flat

A little late for Halloween, but just in time for fall.

Hey, it's got a zipper.

Going Silent...

It's mostly the same app as last time, with a new setting section.

V'glyzz k'fungn cylth-a v'el cylth-Cthulhu k'ugnn'i.

I figure, if I don't do this now, I'll just keep wanting to do it later. Might as well try!

Friend. Lover. Victor. Enemy. Fiancee. Target. Mutt. Neighbor. Hunter. Tribute. Ally.

Just one bite of nightlock.

Anyone who sees me has got a date with his maker.

"God has given you one face, and you make yourself another."

now with more tl;dr

In which there are scales, feathers, and claws.

I looked back on this app and felt stuff was missing, so. Edited to add more stuff on Loki as myth in the personality section. Didn't know if you guys wanted to know when I make changes, so I'm dropping this here. o7

Edited 2012-01-22 21:08 (UTC)