Author Games: Golden Age

The Golden Rules

Before we jump into the midst of the fun, we'd like to go over the rules we've implemented in hopes that these Games can run as smoothly as possible. In joining, you automatically agree to follow all rules listed on this page, and it also tell us that you understand how we plan to run these Games and any other policies we may have. Violations of any sort will have penalties whose severity will be decided as how we see fit. If you feel confused at any point or have any questions, please feel free to contact us, and we'll try our best to get you answers!

RULES

1. Respect your fellow competitors, your hosts, and anyone else who may be following along or is somehow tied to the games. We would also ask that you don't pester us about postings or timings, as we have lives outside of Author Games just like you, and respect our decisions in scores, byes, and so on.

2. Be committed to the Games. We've all had our fair share of Games with too many dropouts or entries not handed in, and we would really like to have these Games run with as few of those as possible. Please try to figure out if you'll have time for this in your schedule or if you might have important events coming up soon. Try your best to only join if you think you can handle it because if everyone is dropping out, it's really no fun.

3. Keep all votes and anything regarding voting fair. It's all fairly simple: don't cheat.

a. Don't vote for someone just because they're your friend when someone else's writing is better. Vote for writing and those who truly deserve it. This means you should always be voting unbiasedly.

b. Put aside all urges to vote strategically. Voting strategically might not seem as serious as biased voting, but really, they're both unacceptable. Just don't do it.

c. Don't ever use puppet accounts to vote for yourself, and don't ask others to vote for you. Making any sort of deal with another competitor or author will result in severe consequences. Additionally, we also expect that you don't direct others to a voting page knowing they'll vote for you. Those who are following along will vote, and they're expected to vote fairly.

4. Don't use recycled tributes. It's no fun seeing the same tribute in multiple Games, and we expect you as a writer to be developing different characters for different situations. If we find you turning in a recycled form, we will require another form with a completely new character, and if you're unable to oblige, you will lose your spot.

5. Be nice. It may be one of the oldest rules in the book, but it's definitely important. We expect kindness, and if we see any shade being thrown at a competitor or a host, we'll take action as needed. You get one warning, and after that, you're eliminated. If you've read these rules thoroughly and understand our policies, please include your favorite band in the "Other" section of your character form.

POLICIES

On Scoring: Entries will be scored on a scale of 1-12. We'll score you to the nearest .5 mark, and then we'll average our two scores to give you your final score. We can promise you that we are unbiased when it comes to grading, and that all scores will be fair. This being said, if you have a problem with one of us, please feel free to (politely) PM us with your concerns. Additionally, scores for each task will contribute to a cumulative score which will determine your ranking until the final rounds of the Games.

On Voting: As scores are cumulative, those at the bottom of the rankings will be put up for votes each week. Anyone may vote, including competitors. Participants may vote for themselves.

On Content: Keep it mild, friends. Now, a curse here and there is just fine, but we'd prefer to keep the Games clean and appropriate for all readers.

On Entries: All entries should to be sent to district.panem123@gmail.com and will not be accepted otherwise. Failure to hand in once will result in an automatic 0. Failure to hand in twice will result in an automatic elimination.

On Deadlines: We will give you at least six days to write the tasks, though most deadlines should be slightly longer. We expect to see your entry in our inbox on the dot, so don't be sending it a few minutes late. For every hour your entry is late, we will subtract a single point from your score. Any score that is driven to the negatives will automatically be counted as an entry not handed in, resulting in a 0 and a strike.

On Extensions: Our extension policy is slightly different from the usual. Each competitor will have 24 hours to use in extension time; however, extensions may only be used in 6 hour increments. What this means is that a tribute must request either 6 hours, 12 hours, 18 hours, or 24 hours to use at once. This allows flexibility, but also keeps it easier on us. Additionally, we require all extensions to be requested at least one hour before the deadline, and if it's not, then we are not obliged to grant it. Once all extension time is used, we are no longer compelled to allow extra time, so be wary and use your hours wisely.

That's all we've got for you! Remember, reservations open at 7pm on Monday, April 3. Hope to see you there!