The Golden Mic Tournament
I mentioned it a few times before, but I'd like to start generating interest on this and see who wants to be a part of this. So, to begin:
The Golden Mic Tournament is an RP tournament that is very different from what we usually do. Rather than compete head-to-head, you will war with words. That's right; its a promo-based tournament. We'll decide who is the best talker in all the G-Fed.
The rules for the tournament are simple:
1) Participation: The tournament is open to anybody currently active in any G-Fed guild, competing or not (in other words, if you run a guild but don't compete, you are also eligible). Active means you've been booked for at least one match (most of us qualify).
2) Judges: I will be the lead judge for the tournament, and I will ask for two more volunteers to join me in judging promos. Having a background in writing is a plus, though it isn't needed. Experience will take precedence over writing background. Shoot me a PM if interested.
3) Layout:
a) At the beginning of each week, contenders will receive an outline for what they should touch on in their promo. The outline will be more or less the same for everyone (debut, title contendership, video package, etc.).
b) You will have 1 week to complete the promo. I'm planning on Mondays being the start day, and Saturdays being the submission day. You will have until Midnight CST on Saturday to complete promos. Should be enough time to get these done, but if you need an extension, shoot me a PM and I'll let you know what I can do. At the very least, I can extend the deadline to 5 PM Sunday CST should you need an extension.
c) Judges will critique and rank promos on a 5-point system. Each judge will score a promo from 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest) in various categories, which include: Length (aka not too short/not too long), Consistency (aka staying on point), Grammar, Structure, Flow (does it make sense, etc.).
d) Scores for each category will be totaled to give your promo a final score. The lowest score in the batch will be eliminated from competition. Ideally, this should make the tournament last 8 weeks.
e) Finals: Rules for the finals will be posted as they arrive.
4) Prize: The winner of the tournament will be awarded The Golden Mic. Basically, what it gets you is bragging rights for a year, and recognition that you're the best writer in the G-Fed (that isn't a judge. blaugh ). I will also throw in 1 million gold to the winner as well (granted, not a big prize due to the market being...well...).
5) FAQs: These I'm going to preemptively answer.
Q: How do I sign up?
A: As it gets closer to the start date for the tournament, I will post a roll call. The first eight people to register will be guaranteed a spot in the tournament. Depending on interest, I will consider adding more spots.
Q: Who can I use for a character?
A: You can use any character you have created for yourself. No using other peoples' characters. Reals are on an approval basis.
Q: If I need an extension...
A: ...Shoot me a PM and we'll figure something out. I'd like to have ranking done by 5 PM CST on Sundays, so that I can post the results at 8 PM CST that night.
Q: What happens if I don't meet the deadline?
A: If you don't meet the deadline and do not request an extension, you will receive a score of 0 and be eliminated, since there was no submission made. If there are multiple people that do not meet the deadline, I will more than likely give people extra time. It will depend on the quantity.
Q: Are there other ways I can be disqualified?
A: Ideally, this is supposed to be for fun. Glory, yes, but also fun. If you use any promo as a means to start anything outside of RP, I will be taking it very seriously (basically, don't insult real people). Also, any entries that violate the ToS will not be considered.
Q: Can I bribe you?
A: I will accept bribes. Whether I will be swayed by said bribes is another story. ...In other words, no.
Q: What is the velocity of an unladen swallow?
A: African or European?
Feel free to ask other questions as they come up.
So, do you have what it takes to show that the pen really is mightier than the sword? Will your whimsical witty writing strike true? (points for alliteration) There's only one way to find out.
