Let's get rid of the concept of Staff Requiring Development Threads. Period. End of Story.

[Tefka]

As the title says, as my open letter says, I believe development threads to be huge, unnecessary time sinks.

It is my belief that you should be able to submit a submission to the Factory or the Codex and have it judged off merit alone, freeing your time to do other things. Whether it be join in other role-plays, join in ideas with your friends to create new Major Factions or join existing ones, or to do the laundry/dishes like your mom asked you to.

I understand development threads provide some benefit. I understand some of you may have even had some great times in development threads. But did you really need it to be required for that to happen?

Do you really need Staff to provide you with X amount of posts to write so you can have X amount of AT-AT's in your dropship?

I'm wagering, by beginning this assault on our "civilized rules", that the majority of us yearn for some return to the Wild West. That each of us controls, with minimal Staff input, the freedom to control where we go next with both our character's future and our time spent here on this website. That's my wager.

What's yours?

Let's discuss the potential disestablishment of Development Threads. Overnight. Gone. Poof.

 

[Spark Finn]

YES!

 

[Tefka]

As for how this will impact the community's mindset regarding Force User promotions, Company tier promotions, and Restricted Materials - these discussions are still viable and the impact this decision could have is not being ignored, but separate conversations will be had about each.

 

[Loken Blake]

I think it's a good plan, so long as the judges make sure folks aren't pumping out tons of stuff that should be rare, time consuming to make, etc. IE: multiple sets of full beskar armor because some guy wants to have an iron man collection.

So long as they put in a good amount of effort in an application, the extra twenty posts written about figuring out which dinosaur's skin you want to use for your cloak shouldn't really matter.

 

[Aran Piett]

Honestly, I think the need for Dev treads are needed. I find it much more satisfying doing the Dev to work for a new toy like a Resurgent, or a big starship or some powerful item. It makes finishing it that much more sweeter

 

[Darth Prazutis]

[member="Tefka"]

Absolutely. Back when I first joined in 2013 the Factory was precisely just what drew me in. The freedom, the ability to write, sub and construct your own story with a small focus on the guidelines and technicalities meant to loosely keep people in line. I miss those days. I agree 100%.

EDIT: Back in the day it wasn't so bad either in the "Wild West", the community self regulates itself against others and the occasionally crazy stuff that pops up even before staff has to deal with it.

 

[Tefka]

So long as they put in a good amount of effort in an application, the extra twenty posts written about figuring out which dinosaur's skin you want to use for your cloak shouldn't really matter.

These were almost my exact words when brought before the Administrators.

Minus the dinosaur.

 

[Syn]

On the one hand really I never cared about dev threads and they can be fun to do or plan.

On the other it would cut down on repeat thread because people have school or just leave the site.

 

[Darth Metus]

Oh god yes.

Please.

I'd much rather submissions be judged on whether or not it's balanced, as opposed to "okay I've thrown a small mountain of posts at this so I can get away with thiiiis much." As for companies, keep the requirement. To be honest, the current standard is less "okay post gen times to get this approved" and more "roleplay your company and get a new tier." I wouldn't even consider tiering up to fall under the umbrella of "development thread." As for restricted items, keep them as is. Do the challenge, get the Songsteel.

But for real, it's silly to have to jump through hoops just to get an ISD clone approved.

 

[Rusty]

Dev threads can be interesting, I think. But then again, I watch PBS for fun. I don't mind writing ten posts detailing the internal mechanics of a revolver.

 

[Ria Misrani]

[member="Tefka"]

I wouldn't say get rid of the development thread altogether. I came to the board after rules for development had been well established... I feel that there needs to be some form of development regulation; meaning a rework to the development system altogether.

 

[Tefka]

[member="Rusty"]

Dev threads can be interesting, yes, but so can any thread. To a mother who writes, a school student who writes, or anyone who's time is constantly sucked in by real life... they already come to this website with very little, and this community demand already demands enough.

 

[HK-36]

I think the development threads are needed only when it comes to restricted tech and materials like Beskar or Phrik, writing out how one managed to get their hands on the stuff especially if they plan on getting them past Unique production.

Other than that I always found them to be a pain in the butt and a grind that hold me up from the submissions themselves to the point that sometimes I would forget what I was planning to submit by the time I got the dev thread done.

 

[Tefka]

To be honest, the current standard is less "okay post gen times to get this approved" and more "roleplay your company and get a new tier." I wouldn't even consider tiering up to fall under the umbrella of "development thread." As for restricted items, keep them as is. Do the challenge, get the Songsteel. But for real, it's silly to have to jump through hoops just to get an ISD clone approved.

I'm with you. My proposal is currently to "rebrand" dev threads regarding restricted materials and keep them exactly as is.

For companies, there is a lot of room to maneuver. We remove dev thread requirements but implement newer, fresh ones to keep the idea of progression in place.

I love organic progression.

I hate that Staff is asking for "4 miscellaneous threads" for the next tier. (This is, word for word, the rule of law right now and I hate it.)

 

[Julius Sedaire]

Dev threads can be interesting, I think. But then again, I watch PBS for fun. I don't mind writing ten posts detailing the internal mechanics of a revolver.

They can be. But whilst you and I enjoy them, many don't. So the question becomes good of the whole and universal contribution, rather than the fringe like us.

I can see benefits both ways. I'd like to see, to be honest, what or how it would run without dev threads, before I say it needs to go.

 

[Caulder Dune]

Do you really need Staff to provide you with X amount of posts to write so you can have X amount of AT-AT's in your dropship?

Is this honestly what you believe is going on? Can you point me to some instances in the recent past of Factory Judges being this arbitrary with what requires development?

 

[Tefka]

I can see benefits both ways. I'd like to see, to be honest, what or how it would run without dev threads, before I say it needs to go.

There's an RPJ taking this stance, and while I respect it - if you don't take a side before the decision is made, you're allowing the decision to be made without you.

We already know in theory how it will work.

How well it will work is the question nobody can currently answer.

But I'm not afraid of change if it potentially means a more positive outcome for the community.

 

[Bolt]

I believe the removal is a good idea, however in the long run maybe implement the guards recently made. Ie, the removal for deving gathering the Phrik, but overly powerful ones may only be done as unique. Limit what can be passed, even with set balances.

[member="Tefka"]

 

[Rusty]

Implied in that is that I can understand why someone might not enjoy that sort of thing. I can get ten or twenty posts out of R&D. Most people, however, have lives. Lives they'd rather not spend counting nuts and bolts.

 

[GhostOfProtocol]

[member="Gerion Ardik"]

This was a genuine thing that happened.

[member="Rusty"]

Quite a few people have that opinion, and it is why I'm glad I can see both sides. I personally love dev threads but I can understand why some people don't have the time. I said behind closed doors that I'd be perfectly happy with a trial period and I stand by that.

[member="Julius Sedaire"]

There are quite a few ideas behind closed doors Julius and I actually said it myself, any changes made would be gradual and Tef agreed with me. This is one of those things that would be done slowly to be sure everything worked.