This is likely the most important View I've written. As of today, some major changes have come about in the PWA. First, the most obvious. We've got our own domain name, www.pioneer-wrestling.com and a new web page, designed by Krispy. Damn, we look swank now. In addition to this, everyone left in the fed will be getting pioneer-wrestling.com email addresses. I'll have a directory of those posted shortly. With this, I can also set up mailing lists for stables. We've also got new message boards. These are very reliable, fast loading, and the servers are virtually never down. You will have to register to post on the board, but that's really no big deal. That was done so we can have some password protected boards if need be. In addition to the familiar Roleplaying and OOC boards, I've added a Roleplay Help board, which will be talked about a bit later.
Ok, now on to the major stuff. To put this as nicely as possible, the roleplay quality in the PWA isn't what it once was. There were a few things that set us apart from other feds out there. Our memorable characters, the PWA community, our huge story arcs that took place over time (think about the months long feud between Remo and Rage), and our top quality roleplays. It is sad to see that now a lot of the roleplays on our board look just like any roleplays you'd find in any other fed. With this in mind, I've spent the last week or so talking to Jarett, Jason, and Alec to try and figure out how to get the fed back on the right track. Here's what we came up with:
Starting today, every member of the PWA is on probation. What this means is that you'll be here under the same rules as any newbie. I'll explain these rules in just a second. The reason for the probation is simple. Right now we've got too much dead wood on the roster and it is time for a bit of spring cleaning. Anyone that doesn't fufill the requirements of the probation will be removed from the roster. They can apply again in the future, however, they'll need to go through the probation again. No one is excused from the probation, either. Not Jarett, not Chris, not Krispy, no one. That's only fair.
The online application is back up, so with luck we'll be getting some new guys in. There are some new rules that have been added, however. All new wrestlers (and ones on probation) will be on a four match contract. Obviously, this can last anywhere from two to four weeks. During this time, the wrestlers will be closely monitored to make sure they're roleplaying. We'll also be watching for roleplay quality. This is where the Roleplay Help board comes in. This is where people can go to get advice on how to improve their roleplaying. During probation, the judging panel may mention to someone that they might want to do certain things to improve. Don't take this as an insult or anything of that nature. The goal here is to help people be as good as they can be and raise the overall quality of the fed. As a benefit to the members, better quality roleplays make for more interesting reading for everyone involved. During the probation period, the judging panel will be watching the RP board closely. There will be a scorecard that we'll be using to make sure people are meeting the criteria. During this time, we'll work out a system (most likely through email) where the handlers will get feedback to know how they are doing. If they're told that there are problems in areas, this is a perfect time to use the Help board. That way we know people are making an honest effort at improvement. Also, during the probation period, you'll be required to roleplay for every match. If you can't roleplay, you need to let Jarett and I know before the RP deadline. For those of you that forgot, the deadline for roleplaying is 5:00pm central the day before an event. I understand things come up at the last minute, believe me. But you need to let us know the reason you didn't roleplay. Not roleplaying for a match will be a serious mark on your record.
There is another reason to improve your roleplaying skills, though. There is going to be an added emphasis on roleplays determining the outcomes of matches. But there are other benefits, too. For example, when you think of guys that are in the upper tier of the PWA, you think of Rage, Remo, Sirus, and others. That's because they told stories through their roleplays. This will be encouraged. Find someone to feud with. It not only makes it more interesting for yourselves, but it also makes it more interesting for other people reading it. And it shows the front office that you'd be an asset to the main event. The PWA has always had memorable stories in the main events, and I don't want that to change now.
Also, to make up for the stricter rules for roleplaying, there's going to be an increased effort to have each event fully written out. This means we'll need some card writers, too.
There will also be limits on roleplays. The plan is to only book each character once a week. Also, if you handle more than one wrestler, only one of your guys will appear at each event. The RP limit will be 3 roleplays per event. These are "match" roleplays, which literally means roleplays that you're using to try and win your match. You can do an unlimited number of "character" roleplays, which are used to advance your character. Please be aware that character roleplays are very important. They are helpful in determining overall push, even though that aren't used for specific matches. What I mean, is if I have the choice between two guys that do an equal job of roleplaying for a title shot, 9 times out of 10 I'm giving it to the guy that works harder on his character. So it is very important to balance your match RPs with character development.
As you may have guessed, these rules mean that people might not make it past their probation period. That's unfortunate, but necessary. Our goal here is to have the best e-fed possible. That means quality roleplays and roleplaying for all matches.
Now I need to talk about title shots. People need to earn their shots. They'll be granted on the basis of who deserves the shot the most. People will be divided into divisions. To advance to the next division, you need to climb the ladder of your current division and win the title. It will be possible for someone in a lower division to earn a shot at a higher title, but you'll have to really do something special (which is totally possible) to do it. The purpose behind this is to make people respect and fight for the lower belts. They're very important and anyone that's a champion in the PWA has earned his place.
The new Grizzly Bear title will also be a little different. If the GB champion makes 3 succesful title defenses in a row will get a shot at any title they want. However, they don't have to take that shot. When they do, they're stripped of the belt and the two top contenders for it fight to determine the new champ. The GB champ can choose to keep the belt for the prestige of being a champion if they wish and cash in their title shot later (assuming they don't lose the belt first). Also, be aware that you can't keep the belt and get 6 defenses and expect 2 title shots. They don't add up. This is an all or nothing deal.
That's about it for now. I'm sure there will be lots of questions and comments on this. Please post them on the OOC board so I can answer them so everyone can see.