[Proposal] Revamp Approvals (Again)

Son of Meepo · Jan 25, 2013

It appears that the latest iteration of the approval process is not working. The evidence for this is that we still have characters who have been waiting to be approved since last June.

Proposal 1: Approvals happen within an adventure.

Each PC would be approved at any point during the adventure up to shortly after its conclusion, before the characters are released from the adventure with their rewards. Each PC would have to be approved by 2 of the following 3 people.

1. The DM of the adventure.
2. The Judge of the adventure.
3. Any other player of the adventure.

Justification: These people are invested in the current adventure and the PCs and thus would be more likely to act on character approvals. The DM and Judge should both have enough rules knowledge to act as a senior reviewer.

Proposal 1a: To clear the existing queue, all characters with one approval would be approved upon adoption. All remaining PCs (3 of them) would only require one approval. Going forward all PCs will be approved within the scope of an adventure.

Proposal 2: Scrap the approval system altogether. Leave people on their honor not to cheat.

Justification: Mistakes can still be pointed out and corrected and rules debates can still be brought up for discussions and proposals without need for an approval system. Flagrant cheaters can be dealt with immediately by the DM and Judge and then shunned by the rest of the community. Living Forgotten Realms has worked just fine with this system in place.

CrimsonFlameWielder · Jan 26, 2013

PROPOSAL 1: I'm not a senior reviewer, but I really like Proposal 1. I think you've got it right that DM's of an adventure have a bit more at stake with the characters they're DMing for, but the only downside to that I see is this:

DM's tend to be pretty busy as it is (especially if they're running multiple adventures), and may not also have time for approving characters.

PROPOSAL 1a: I wouldn't automatically approve all characters that have 1 approval in the queue. I would simply say that those characters with only one approval would need to meet the 2 of 3 guidelines mentioned in proposal 1, once they were in an adventure. Especially since we're allowed to adventure without approval anyway, the only thing that would be removed from the process is the idea that we can't earn XP/treasure until approved.

PROPOSAL 2: I don't particularly like proposal 2, if only because it really is easy to make mistakes, and without the approval system forcing at least two sets of eyes on a character, it would be really really easy to fudge some small, but unfair things into the character sheet without people noticing (such as small equipment items), whether intentional or not... such as someone creating a 2nd or 3rd character, and using another of their or someone else's character sheet source as a backbone for their own new character, and forgetting to change something in it that they shouldn't have.

Just my opinions, but my non-judge vote is a YES on Proposal 1, and 1a (with the corrections shown in my comments above)...which I guess I should propose as 1b, eh?

Son of Meepo · Jan 26, 2013

CrimsonFlameWielder said:
PROPOSAL 1a: I wouldn't automatically approve all characters that have 1 approval in the queue. I would simply say that those characters with only one approval would need to meet the 2 of 3 guidelines mentioned in proposal 1, once they were in an adventure. Especially since we're allowed to adventure without approval anyway, the only thing that would be removed from the process is the idea that we can't earn XP/treasure until approved.

So here's where I'm coming from with this. I spent a few days approving about 2 or so characters in the queue. Most of those still need a second approval. It took them months to get one. How long before someone else comes and looks at them?

Personally I have a character that is stuck at the end of an adventure still needing a senior review. Unless a senior reviewer comes around, this character is in limbo. I also have my character (and my wife's) that are in your adventure needing 2 reviews. I can't review my wife's character because I manage the sheet for her. They're fine until the current adventure ends, but then what?

I know there haven't been a lot of new adventures starting up but I'd like to do something to keep L4W going and people not getting characters approved and able to join new adventures isn't going to help.

jbear · Jan 26, 2013

I agree that the approval process could do with some alterations to promote getting PCs legal, active and involved in the community.

I like the proposal that DM, Judge or players in the adventure can give the initial 2 reviews needed.
I think that once a PC has reached lvl 1 approval, each subsequent level up should only require 1 senior review. I would be fine if that came from DM or Judge.

I also agree with CFW that errors happen, and that some kind of review system should be left in place. But, with 4e's print demise, well, we should do whatever is needed to keep L4W alive and kicking.

Son of Meepo · Jan 26, 2013

jbear said:
But, with 4e's print demise, well, we should do whatever is needed to keep L4W alive and kicking.

Sidetrack: I concur. I don't know how many people here are taking part in the playtest of "D&D Next", but what I've seen so far hasn't made me all that excited for it.

CrimsonFlameWielder · Jan 26, 2013

I'm pretty "up to date" with DnD next, and I'm really liking how it's coming along, personally. I just haven't been able to play it all that much....only one real session under my belt

I definitely want to keep L4W alive and kicking! I like jbear's suggestion: Level 1 approval needs 2 of 3, then after that, additional approvals require 1 approval from a SR, DM, or Judge.
[MENTION=78756]Son of Meepo[/MENTION]: Although you maintain your wife's sheet...she is still the one playing it. As such, I don't see anything in the rules that would prohibit you from giving her an approval. Also, I'm pretty sure that I've given Fhangrim and Ilex an approval... if not let me know and I'll take a look and approve.