Just a bit of a reminder...

[Ivv]

Hey everyone!

Losty, Hype and I have been discussing things, and as we've hinted earlier on the C-Box, we need more humans. Our wolf population is exceptionally high, and at an inopportune time as all the packs have pups. So, we'd like to discourage people from joining wolves for the next little bit while things calm down in that area.

Now, with the humans, it gets more tricky. For one, Kaono simply could not support a large population of humans economically. It's a research town and a sporting town. Those are the two jobs. Now, as far as joining Project TWIG, if you have a strong character idea that you think would work with TWIG, send us a PM and we'll discuss it — typically we select the characters/players for TWIG because it's rather involved, but by all means, if you have a good idea, let us hear it!

Second, is humans who will be mushers. The trouble there is you need a team, and dogs are hard to come by (let Hype and I tell you!) so you have to be mindful of that. Before joining a musher, test the waters and see if there's anyone who wants to join a dog and has the character space for it. And, for those joining dogs, try to make dynamic characters that would work well in a team. Think of a dogsled team as a wolf pack. Sleddogs are tougher than your average housepet. And research the character traits of the breed you've chosen!

Now, with that being said, we also have to tell people to be careful when joining humans. First of all, a human with an exceptionally long history is tricky. For one, it usually isn't necessary, and for two.. well.. we hate having to read long histories and tend to avoid it (we literally become children calling "not it!" for making sure a joining post is up to par when they're too long and daunting). Keep it short and sweet — we don't need their life story, just the main points. And talk to other RPers with humans. See if they want to tie something in, or start a plot. The remaining humans here have ties with one another (good or bad), and it's best if you have an "in" into the scene.

We really want to encourage people to join dynamic characters. Work at it, and you'll have a character that you can enjoy writing. Something with depth and something you'd want to read and write for. Please keep in mind that your character doesn't have to have some extreme flaw or be overly perfect. Give them layers and answer "why?" when you give them some big flaw — the better you know your character, the better that character will be. And, of course, it'll be easier for you to post!

[Bama]

Oh, on that note...quick question.

I know a while back, before I left, Hype had posted a list of the job openings that TWIG needed to fill. I think, if there was perhaps a list of those positions that were still available somewhere on the site, people might have a better idea of what kind of character to create or simply be more informed. ;)

Just something to think about.

[Kalma]

On that note, I recently (as in today) discovered this little gem on dA: http://bekkia.deviantart.com/art/Using-Cha...heets-141746830

I was using it for my NaNo characters, just to give more depth to them, but I think I'm gonna apply it to my charries here, too. :) I suggest everyone checks it out, and her other character guides--they're really good and helpful, even just as a reminder.

[Quiet]

I will make a dog if anyone needs me :)

[Ivv]

Quiet — and, this goes to all new joinees — we'd really prefer that you establish the characters you already have before joining more. ;) Quality over quantity, you know.

[Quiet]

I mean later, silly. Golly, I've barely posted either of my two characters! But, yes, I should've specified- sorry :)

[Kelly]

Also note:

There is currently no mailman on the island.

Another thing:

There ARE a few shops on the island, but no one ever seems to work there. Maybe Rae can take temporary employment at the animal supplies store.

[Ivv]

Kelly, I gotta say.. We never really needed a mailman. A town this small would have just one large mailbox, I assume at a general store.

We sort of just didn't mind with Pete. He had other things to do (like race) ;)

I sort of want to stress that this is research or race, and have people not make up positions. Dover's a bartender and that works, but otherwise Jack's is pretty much full-staffed :P Unless, I guess we could have a waitress at the diner? That'd be good.

[Kelly]

*shrug* I figured since Petey was gone I'd mention there was none, but I def. get where you're going lol

So are you trying to say that there shouldn't be humans unless they're going to work with TWIG or race? Because even as small as the island is, it's fairly safe to assume there aren't JUST mushers and researchers there (i.e. people who run the business they use to survive, natives, etc.)

I feel like if we could get more humans within that arena, the human RP could become more interesting/diverse/enticing. The major downside is that people don't have a lot to do unless they're TWIGgers or mushers, so then players don't WANT to play people :/

[Ivv]

You sort of contradicted yourself there, and that's the point. It isn't interesting unless you are with research or racing. That's the point of this town. It isn't a real town with a viable economy. It has a research institute build because of its location (far away from civilization), and it has dogsled racing because of tradition and leisure. By no means is this a town where someone would go to find a job. It's research or race, and that's about it. Even Dover, as a bartender, is a musher first and foremost.

We aren't looking to make this a metropolis. It's on a small island in the North Atlantic. :P It was never meant to be anything beyond what we've made of it.

Also, we aren't asking everyone to join humans. We could never support a large human population. We're just stressing that, for those who do want to join a human, make sure they have the substance to back up the character and maintain it (we all know how difficult it is to play a character once things get boring). ;)

[Kelly]

I guess I didn't phrase that the best...

I guess I was saying, there'd be more incentive to join humans if there was a little something more to do outside of mushing/research. I definitely think a "metropolis" is definitely out of the question/impractical, but it'd be cool to have more of the aspects of Kaono that MAKES it the home of such a prestigious race.

Like even now, as Bama's dropped Orsen, I'm at a loss for what to do with Rae. Unless you can build up a sustainable plot (which is hard, since most of the humans on Kaono are relatively anti-social other than with their more intimate plots), there isn't a whole lot of motivation to play humans, especially with no dogs.

I def. think research/racing should always be the meat and potatoes of Kaono, but it'd be cool for there to be some options outside of running your dogs and such.

[Ivv]

But, there isn't. Bottom line. We're primarily a wolf RPG, with dogsledding incorporated. Rural areas aren't a hot spot for much else, and in this case we've incorporated the fact that Kaono was/is a camping get-away for some families (who, obviously, could afford it) but has since been largely taken over by wildlife research and dogsled racing. I'm not trying to be mean, but I feel like you're trying to make something out of Kaono that simply won't happen. it's not the direction the site has ever gone in. Kaono is race or research, or it'll get boring painfully quickly.

And, I can tell everyone that I love having Borr as a character. But he isn't just a musher because, RPing with dogs can get boring without dialogue. He has romantic issues, family issues, and a hell of a lot of people who don't like him. It takes time to establish a human (moreso than dogs or wolves), but it's a lot of fun in the end.

EDIT: Really, we're giving you a skeleton to work with. Kaono (with its two viable career options). The rest is up to you. You add the rest. You give it substance, make the plots... make it interesting :) Instead of fighting what's there, take it and build off it.

[Kelly]

Just noting, wasn't trying to argue...just tossing around ideas/such. :) Hopefully I can find somewhere to elbow Rae into some plottage, at least as supplementation to other's plots.