Updates and Reflections

First off, a quick addition to the run-on judging, in a sense. Each run-on is still an independent event, so concentrate your efforts there (though, obviously, you and your team are still working towards the same goal).

However, I've decided that the run-on I like best (I am reading all of them, and I will be getting comments from judges) will become the official canon story. Everyone participating in any run-on will be given credit fictionally for assisting in the search. But, the team that wins out will be the team that is listed as being the team that successfully completed the search. If it helps, think of it like ACC death posts: you both post that you've killed the other person, but only one person wins, and their post is the only one that counts.

Does this change anything about judging or the awards? No. Absolutely not.

Speaking of which, make certain you read the length and amount qualifications in the rules. 20 1/10 of a page posts won't get you very far in judging.

* * *

Next, I've decided that about once a week during the running of this event, I'm going to offer a few generic comments. I won't mention anything or anyone specific, but I did want to give some feedback to all the participants.

So, some reflections:

So far, most people are keeping their level of self-importance at just the right level. In many run-ons, people try to go off in a dozen directions, because each person wants their character to be the main character, and to do great things. So far, that appears to be low key, but I must add this: there are a few posts in various run-ons that did go a bit too far. Let's just say that, had I been participating in a few of these run-ons, some of you would have ended up on the wrong end of my lightsaber; not because of how you wrote, but what you wrote. But, what's done is done, and that's part of the story.

I've taken a particular interest in some of the newer members participation. It is great to see several participating and learning. Learning is part of this event and ANYONE who wants feedback on their posts should e-mail me, so I can tell the judge to keep notes (as judges are anonymous, everything will go through me).

I'm hoping to see the run-ons pick up after the holidays, but I do know that this time of year is busy.

Finally, for this reflection, I'm glad to see some of the battle teams catching up to, if not surpassing, the ad-hoc teams, at least in post quantity.

Please don't reply to this, or e-mail with comments about this. If you want to get specific feedback from your judge, then e-mail me. Keep up the good work.

Well, the holidays are pretty much over. I had a nice vacation and got to see some family, and it is almost time for school to start up again. Sometimes vacation goes by to fast.

Anyway, I don't have many reflections this time, but what I'm going to say is important.

Some of the run-ons have seemed to stall. And, with Halc's decision to enforce what has always been written on the rules for the crescents, this could affect your potential awards. Each run-on is like its own little competition: don't forget that.

Next, some of the run-ons have had very good posts that open a lot of possibilities, but the others in the run-on did not seize them. You should always be aware of what is open to you, and don't be afraid to sacrifice a bit of personal storyline for the overall story.

Finally, for today, the final cut-off date. On the competition proposal, I listed January 20 as the final date. That is also 5 weeks (give or take) after the competition started. Since I said 4-6 weeks for the whole event, I'll give up through January 27. However, try to have your run-ons finished by January 20.

All I really want to say here is that things have really slowed down.

And the deadline is approaching. I don't really want to extend it, either.

All run-ons may go through the 27th of this month. There are a few that are racing towards an end, so I figure it is only fair to give them time to finish it.

In general, some things did turn out the way I would have liked them to. I'm not talking about the plotlines or anything, but just the fact that several run-ons seem to have stopped dead. Admittedly, this competition was part experiment, to see how things would go without a person (or people) serving to move the storyline along.

Judges: I will be in touch shortly.

Ok, it is technically the 28th now, which means that the final date for the run-ons to be finished has passed, at least according to what I originally wrote. However, as some teams seem to be moving forward towards a close, I am willing to extend the competition until their completion (for certain teams only).

So, here's what I'm going to do. I will start with a list of the teams who have posted recently. They will be permitted to continue. If there is not a post at least every other day from one of the team members, I will close the topic. As these are run-ons, meaning multiple writers, I do not think this is unreasonable.

The teams who may continue to post are:

1. The Praxeum
2. Exar's Shadow
3. Horsemen of the Apocolypse (even if the BT is now defunct on the roster)
4. Jade's Serpents
5. Ad-hoc team #1
6. Ad-hoc team #2

Well, all but one of the run-ons has been closed. And, the only reason the Praxeum's run-on is still open is because Windos said he's working on the conclusion post. I won't wait much longer, though...

Well, all is said and done, minus the results. But, the judges are getting back to me on that ASAP. I've told the judges to make a call, and if they think even one person did enough to earn a medal, they'll rank them and get them to me. So, yes, we could have a first place with no second or third places. But, I should add: not every run-on will necessairly result in awards.

As for the official storyline, the Praxeum gets credit for retrieving the book itself, though if you posted, your character was involved. Beyond that, I'd like you to read my Dark Voice article when Telona and her staff get it out. It has a few more details on the aftermath of the story; something that some of you will find a bit more interesting than others (if only because I based what I wrote off of your posts )