Note - Feel free to sign up until the thread starts on Tuesday July 11th.

[center][color=blue]RPG Tournament of 2006
Stamped with the Tri-Mod Seal of Approval


[color=#669988]Welcome one and all to the third RPG Tournament, and the first of its particular kind.

The RPG Tournament is a competition in which members of the community may sign up to and do “battle” with one another. However, unlike the last, this tournament is not to be purely action. The rounds will be various, as is listed below. But first, read and familiarize yourself with the following rules.

Please relay any and all non-character-form related comments, questions, and complaints to myself or Tsukasa.

[color=purple]Rules
(1) If a previous character is chosen to be used in this tournament, it must be from a role-playing game in this forum.
(2) New and old characters must be kept reasonable. Should a judge find a given character unreasonable, you may change the form or use another.
(3) All players will be pitted against one another. If not otherwise specified, or if the round does not include a role-playing post, a player is required to use one of any of their opponent’s characters in their post in some way. This will be part of the scoring. Players must choose one character of an opponent's (subject to change depending on the round) to be used as an NPC in their own post each round. They may not use another opponent's character more than once during the tournament for this purpose.
(4) All posts will be judged by the following four members, none of which will be participating in the tournament: Bulbasaur4, Roy Karrde, Tsukasa, and Plantae. If you feel a gross miscommunication has occurred that caused your post to be graded unfairly, please private message this to all four judges. Your complaint will be evaluated, and if valid, your scores edited. This complaint must be sent within two days of the score’s publication.
(5) All deadlines are final. Missing a deadline will result in disqualification.
(6) As long as the character fits the setting of a round, a player may choose any character from those that they have created or given for use in a certain round.
(7) A player must sign-up with two characters; one of these must be new and the other can be either old or new. If the character is old: please elaborate and extrapolate on characters that have evolved through use. Update their histories and change fields which are blander than your more recent style. Spice them up if you feel they are not up to par with the new character.
(8 ) Players will be required to switch between their characters. They may not use any one character consecutively except under extenuating circumstances. If you feel you have a justification for doing so, such as a conflict of setting, please private message myself or Tsukasa.
(9) When posting: besides on character forms, after any other post you receive a fifteen minute grace period to edit your post. If your post is edited after this, points will be deducted, and if edited too late, the changes may not be noticed.

[color=purple]Ideas
[color=#669988]The following are the possible ideas for any given round. It is unlikely that all of the ideas listed below will be used. Some of the ideas will be explicitly used in combination with other ideas.

- The role-player is given a character to play. They forgo using their own character during this particular round.
- The player is given an NPC character (as a character form) that they must use in their post in some way.
- The player is required to make a spur of the moment character for one particular round, which they may later use in subsequent rounds.
- An entirely new character form is created for use in a round. The player will forgo the use of previous characters for this round.
- The player crafts a plotline for an RPG based on given criteria.

All rounds, besides one in which a plotline is crafted (if that idea is used) will begin with a scene. Something as simple as “a love scene in a castle” may suffice. As of now, something close to ten such rounds is to be expected.

After the required scene, there will be a number of required elements. The player will choose a given number of these that they must include in their post, and this will be attributed to their scoring.

[color=purple][u]Grading System
[color=purple](200 points per round, 50 per judge)

[color=#669988]The grading system will be separated into the following categories, and work as given.

Creativity (15 points) – Creativity is a measure of the originality of a given entry. High scores here are reserved for unique entries or new twists on old favorites. Creativity can manifest in entirely new ideas, thoughtful parodies, or a standout offshoot of a classic archetype.

Requirements (15 points) – Requirements is the measure of how well the required elements and criteria were used. This includes preset characters, the characters of other players, or guidelines for posting. High scores are for those that exploit the potential of these guidelines and truly implement them correctly into an entry. The completeness and accuracy of givens is a key point of this category.

Linguistics (15 points) – Linguistics includes many categories, not limited to: grammar, form, clarity, word choice, flow, length, detail, and in short the use of language. The best point values here are given to those who incorporate all of these to make a lucid and well-written piece. Use of odd mechanisms, such as poetic devices is encouraged here if they can be used in a way that empowers the rest of the text.

Entertainment Level (5) – This category is, quite simply, how enjoyable the entry was for that particular round.

There will be a bar of elimination, set quite low; all others will be in the tournament until its end where points will be tallied and final scores given with the first place and runner-ups included. Remember, even if you do not win, this should prove viable practice for the future.

[color=purple]Guidelines
[color=#669988]The first task of you is to create a new character, and to import an old one. But first, the character creation guidelines.

Pick three of the elements listed below. These elements must be included in your new character. Please list which elements you chose after your form, and explain their implementation (if necessary). Justify the reason a character possesses any behavior.

A word of guidance: if the choice you make to fulfill an element seems too simple, then it is probably for the best that you go with a more creative or difficult use of it. Always strive for creativity. The intention of the elements is to be hard to implement (either in entirety or simply effectively) or bizarre in nature. If your use does not fulfill one or both of these criteria, then you are likely doing something wrong.

If two new characters are used, only one must have three elements. The other is exempt this requirement.

Physical
- The character has a major physical disability or deformity acquired or by birth (such as a disfigured face or blindness) and suffers all its complications and/or is somehow benefited by it, whether daily or in the past.
- The character has a minor physical deformity either acquired or by birth (such as a lazy eye or slack-jaw) that has a deep influence on their personality or causes unforeseen complications.
- The character is incredibly old (maximum a natural human lifespan or the equivalent if another race) or incredibly young (minimum age ten human or the equivalent if another race) and this is reflected in their entire make-up or is somehow inappropriate.
- The character is naturally androgynous or sterile/infertile and is deeply affected by this. (This may not be applied to a race that is entirely androgynous.)
- The character cherishes a physical trait that is usually considered undesirable or negative or deplores a trait that is generally desirable or positive.
- The character is of a race that is not humanoid or even vaguely humanoid in form.

Mental
- The character has an aberrant mannerism that makes social situations for him/her difficult or awkward (such as a nervous twitch or copycat tendency).
- The character has a phobia (an abnormal fear).
- The character has a major/unusual mental disorder.
- The character has extremist views which cause him/her to pursue either a physical or mental behavior that is unnatural or idiosyncratic (such as a character that thinks only natural and unfiltered water is pure and so refuses to bathe in tap water).
- The character has a highly bizarre but harmless or uncommon but deeply harmful habit.
- The character cherishes a mental trait that is usually considered undesirable or negative or deplores a trait that is generally desirable or positive.
- The character has a mentally-induced disability (such as an induced lack of smell).
- The character has a tragic personality flaw that often does or may lead to their downfall.
- The character has made a choice to be androgynous or to change gender.

Miscellaneous
- The character once pursued an occupation that is now contradictory or incongruous with their current career path. Their former profession affects their behaviors in some way and/or they still pursue to an extent and not necessarily for its original purpose (such as an assassin who was once a cook that now uses various dinnerware or cooking tools to kill).
- The character is an intelligent animal that can only communicate its thoughts simply or in a limited manner, such as knowing only a few words or phrases that he/she uses repeatedly. (This element cannot be applied to Pokemon.)
- The character's chosen weapon is something very unusual or is a typical weapon utilized in a novel way.
- The character's magical prowess takes a trying or strange form and/or causes a major drawback.
- The character is terribly unskilled in a common area of expertise and this has caused problematic situations or difficulty.
- The character carries an abnormally large amount of gear for one reason or another and may have some sort of transport for this.
- The character is a collector of sorts, but the objects he/she collects are abnormal.

You must use one trait to fulfill one required element. You may not use one trait to fulfill more than one required element.

You may suggest a new required element in your sign-up form, or ask if a required element is viable via private message. The judges have a right to refuse any suggestions they feel are not unique enough to deserve use. The intention is that the element either be hard to implement (either in entirety or simply effectively) or bizarre in nature.

Creativity is explicitly encouraged for this area of the form.

[color=purple]Forms
[color=#669988]You must post two characters. The first must be new, and the second may be either old or new. The new character must use three of the required elements given in the section above.

Be sure to list which elements you chose after your form, and explain their implementation (if necessary).

The old character’s form should be fixed to conform to the form below. We highly encourage you change or edit an old character’s form for events that transpired in an RPG or for elements of it that you no longer like.

The following is the base form for a new or old character. You may add a field if you feel it is relevant to your character, or leave one out if it is not.

If two new characters are used, only one must have three elements. The other is exempt this requirement. These first two characters will probably be used for most of the rounds.

Name: (Self-explanatory, though you may use an alias or omit a surname if it is justified.)
Race: (If your character is of a non-human race, please state so here. If the race is one that is not well-known in literature or another form of media, please elaborate on its origins and culture.)
Gender: (The sex of your character.)
Age: (How old your character is. Approximate numbers are viable for extremely old characters.)
Appearance: (The physical looks of your character.)
Clothing and Gear: (The clothing and gear of your character be that weapons or traveling supplies.)
Personality: (How your character acts.)
History: (The events of your character’s past.)
Talents: (Your character’s skills, be these magical or mundane.)
Other: (Anything else you would like to add, or anything that does not fit in another field.)
RPG Title: (The title of the RPG the character was originally part of if the character is an old one.)

1. Element (its use and where, and its implementation if necessary)
2. Element (its use and where, and its implementation if necessary)
3. Element (its use and where, and its implementation if necessary)

[color=purple]Winner
[color=#669988]The winner of the tournament will be appointed as the next fourth judge, will receive bragging rights and possibly another reward of which has not been determined.

Any and all questions may be sent to myself, Tsukasa, or another moderator if either of us is unavailable. The deadline for sign-ups is yet to be decided, though they are as of now unlimited.

And we have free cake.