New Standard Initiative (NSI)

This idea comes from Paragon I know, but I would like to see something like this made onto the server so let me go ahead and throw this out there for you all.



Who are we?



The New Standard Initiative (NSI for short) is a group of volunteer members of the Freedom WoW community who use their spare time to help new (and old) members finish character ideas, applications, events. We offer proof reading on applications and provide solid feedback on what we feel should be changed.

We're also available for just bouncing ideas off of.



Our goal, is to ensure that the application you get our help with is approved.





What can we offer you?



We can provide help with the following:

- Applications

- Guilds & guild ideas

- Character stories & backgrounds

- Role playing tips and pointers

By now you might wonder how we handle applications sent to us. Our feedback process starts with us getting a personal message / message containing an application. First we read through it, sometimes more than once. Then we start correcting it. We usually prefer getting the applications over the forum. That way we can correct the application with color codes and put in additional comments.



We generally stick to a couple of colors, each having a different meaning.

These color codes are:

Red - Grammatical error or sentence structure.

Green - Possible additions to the sentence. These are often to flesh out a sentence.

Blue - Questions, if we have questions about what you wrote - Inconsistencies or contradictions.

Pink - Lore errors. Often false knowledge of a subject.

Light blue - New Standard member notes. These are done by each member who reads the text. They are often placed at the end of the application or under every paragraph.



Some conditions apply



We'd love to check out your application and help you find the right idea to your next character. But we're volunteers, we do this in our spare time. It usually takes us one to two days to do the first review of an application after that, it's a contentious process.

Our feedback is sometimes overwhelming for some (your application will look like a rainbow with the wrong colors). We know that we've probably corrected a lot, that's why we ask you to stay with us! We've put work into reviewing your application and we hope that you won't abandon it because of it.

Remember this from Paragon, are you the same guy who did it? It was pretty useful as far as I remember for some people.

No, I am not Verum.

I don't know if such a group is necessary. I mean what stops you from doing this already? Of course, I only speak for myself.



We do appreciate if someone writes some points of interest about the application, however, anyone can make a brilliant application but execute it terribly, hence, we also appreciate if we get some information of prior experience, regarding how applicant has handled similar applications.



Lastly, I want to stress out that it will be ultimately staff's decision to approve an application, so we may override any corrections made to an application, yet once again, I personally don't mind people contributing their views.

Personally, I don't.. really like the name of this idea. "The new standard", it can easily be interpreted that the 'standard' for those who seek to join is assumed low, or otherwise wrong, and that they have to abide to this 'new standard'. Of course, that may entirely be within my own mind.



Furthermore, I have to agree with Azeroc here that this seems to be something that seems to suit more within the staff field. I know I've asked some friends to re-read things every once in a while but that's done out of myself then, and I'm not sure how I feel about having a group to 'check up on my things' other then the staff by default, telling me what they feel is wrong despite not having any power over such.



I may be misunderstanding the idea really, I'm all for player's helping other player's but this doesn't seem the way. (Perhaps out of confusion; Applications for what, exactly? My guild for one doesn't require an application, nor have I seen any requirement on character stories and their backgrounds. I've shared mine with the GM team because I felt personally unsure about this, but that is again, out of my own incentive. Is this group meant to put some requirements on stories and characters?)

@Vanora

No, you have this whole thing wrong. I have already talked to staff about me being the head of the group and I was told as to why I can't. Again this whole group is for players to help other players with morph apps and any other applications besides obviously staff applications. The name can be changed to whatever it is the staff would like to set it as, but my point and key factor in all of this is that some people do not have the skills, myself included. To make perfectly good sounding character backgrounds for morph applications mostly T3 morphs. This group not only helps people with character applications but is a good source for guilds ideas and events with opinions and recommendations. The staff are generally busy with other things and I find it way to stressful to ask them to help me, or as if someone else such as me wants help making a character then for those people they have this resource to go to. And in no way, would this negatively impact the server, in fact I believe it would greatly help the community with people who want to Roleplay as something but don't know where to start. And that is where the NSI come into, to help the player further progress their applications and making sure they understand what they intend to roleplay as and to making sure they understand their class/role. Of corse these people will be selected by the staf via application. With a hidden fourm such as the contact staff section so that only these people who are hand chosen by the staff can see these posts on whatever the person wants or needs help with.

Don't really see it as necessary. Overall, morph and character apps have been pretty good, and the community and staff already helps out with people who need constructive criticism and guidance. No need to make a special group for it. If people need help writing their backstories for their T3 apps, then they're more than welcome to ask just about anyone for assistance.

I don't see any harm in it. Keep it up.

I'ma downright say no to this, the server and the way it works is fine as is.



(Plus this 'NSI' thing really has no point when we have diligent staff.)

I'm not really in favor of it, I'm afraid. It seems unnecessary, what with the supplementary batch of staff on the way. Besides, anyone can offer feedback and such to characters, guilds and the like. There are threads up, stickied under the Freedom Lore section, to do just that - provide critiques, inspiration and the like.



The less hoops there are to jump through, the better.

[Loxmardin]

It's good in theory, but there's no real need for it on Freedom. There's one board to get staff feedback, already, and any of the general/off-topic forums can be used to pitch ideas to the community for feedback if anyone should want it. If that should fail, pitch it to a few good friends or ask in the mall for someone to brainstorm with.