New Narration Queue System

So the admin and I been trying to think of a better system to sign up to narrate games. There are a few things wrong with how it is now. Here are some things to consider:

1) Both side and main games have many players. Most players play both types regardless of theme.

2) Both main and side games nowadays have themes pre-chosen by the narrators. We haven't had many games recently with themes chosen by a public vote besides "I'll vote for whatever the narrator wants."

3) We play one game at a time. We try to prevent any overlap of games. We make main games wait for side games.

4) Side games were first established to accommodate players who do not want to play certain themes. This has changed. Side games do have still more "niche" themes, but often narrators assume that certain themes fit better into the side game category.

5) People who sign up to narrate a side game AFTER a narrator signs up to host a main game have in the past been able to host their games FIRST.

6) All that two narration queues accomplish is it alternates main games with side games. Since there is little difference between the two, I don't see a good reason to alternate.

What we are considering is to make one narration queue. We would put the side games in between the main games, so nothing would change. However, that means that we would not need to alternate main and side games anymore for future planned games. There is no reason to alternate.

But, if we want to incorporate the rules we suggested for the queues before, then we should make it so that you can have at most three games planned at once, and there must be three games between your games. The only guilty party is Lucy and Mary, so I moved their shared game down. That will make the queue look like this:

11: Unplanned: Mary and Blake11roys
12: In the vein of mafia-scum: partinobodycular
13: Unplanned: Soup and Graverotti
14: Unplanned: lucyjoan
15: Nerdfighters: Mary
16: Unplanned: Spalliston and PinkSponge
17: Zelda: Winrylite
18: Unplanned: Blakehh
19: Unplanned: name
20: Angry birds: boxtop
21: Unplanned: HMDucky and AppleZach
22: Really confusing game: lucyjoan and Mary
23: Animal Crossing: PinkSponge
24: unplanned: saturnlite88
25: Lion King: AppleAlex
26: Unplanned: Blake11roys
27: Starkid: whoviancrochet and lucyjoan
28: Unplanned: PinkSponge
29: Adventure Time: DecemberHare
30: Unplanned: spec and Nate (I think, too lazy to check -Lucy)
31: Websites/Unplanned: Statefarm

When you sign up to the narration queue, you have two options:

1) Make your game's theme "unplanned." When your game comes around, you can suggest themes, but you must put the theme up for vote and abide by the results of the vote.

2) If you have a theme in mind that you want to do, you must first get it approved by showing it has the support of enough players. Once you show it has enough support, it will go into the queue. This will allow you to by-pass the voting if you don't think you can get a majority vote. The number of supporters has not been determined at this time, but will be large enough to show that the game can be played (like ten people probably). If we change the system like this, the current themed side games would also have to show that they have the support of enough people to remain on the queue. This is to be fair.

One last point: I think that we should TRY two games at once, and if it works, then the games will go by a lot faster. If it does not work or we do not like it, then we will go back to one game.

We want to hear what YOU think about this. Is this a good idea? Should this idea be changed in anyway? Should we keep it as it is? We are thinking of a change for the best and have spent a lot of time debating amongst ourselves. No change will come until we move to the new site.


UPDATED QUEUE

19: Really confusing game - lucyjoan and Mary
20: Unplanned - saturnlite88
21: Angry birds - boxtop
22: Lion King - Alex and scoot
23: Animal Crossing - PinkSponge
24: Unplanned - Blake11roys
25: Star Wars - Cat
26: Starkid - whoviancrochet and lucyjoan
27: Unplanned - PinkSponge
28: Adventure Time - DecemberHare
29: Unplanned - speckleasme and Natekid11
30: Community or Unplanned - Statefarm
31: Unplanned - Matt and Cat
32: Hotel - boxtop
33: Pokemon - Sawybean and MunchyDumpling
34: Unplanned - saturnlite88 and Bri
35: Unplanned - speckleasme
36: Unplanned - partinobodycular and Mary
37: Unplanned - Blake and lucy
38: Unplanned - Cat
39: Unplanned - Matt
40: Unplanned - Skylar
41: Unplanned - speck and Munchy

Nobody has commented on this...please let us know if you agree or disagree.

Oh I never saw it. I think it's good.

Sounds good

I like it!

So it looks like this change will be happening as we change sites. In the meantime, the next narrators (Soup and Graverotti) should get sign-ups posted so that you can have your list by the time we move.

Soup hasn't been very active since we changed sites and Graveotti doesn't have an account here, just so you know.

I'd be so down to play two games at once.

Since there's not really going to be main games and side games, can we separate the threads by "ongoing games" or something like that. It's annoying to have two games going on and have to switch between the subforums and everything.

Well, that is fixed on the new site already. We have a forum for game threads and a forum for narration queues.

Would you like to have this fixed on MO now?

Well if you really want to...

You don't have to change it. I was just thinking it'd be better in the future. It's not that big of a deal though.

I appreciate suggestions though. Would you like to see signup threads together in the same forum with game threads, or separated?

And if anyone else has a suggestion, please tell us. We have a whole thread for you to complain, because when you complain I get happy! [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

It would probably be better for them to be in a different thread since new sign up threads are usually posted while a game is going on so that would keep them a little more separated but at the same time, it might be better to keep all of the ongoing type of things (current game threads and sign-ups) in one thread.

Someone else should offer their thoughts.

I have a thought: is my new favorite emoticon

so can Nate and I do game 30?

I think signup threads should be in a different forum/subforum than the games, because otherwise we're going to have two threads with similar names (Game X Discussion vs. Game X, Hunger Games Discussion vs. Hunger Games Mafia, etc) right next to each other. I personally would prefer for them to be separated.

Okay for Game 18, I don't think DFletch is coming back. I did send him a message, but haven't heard anything...so Blake is going to replace him and help me narrate that game.

Noted.

Also I'm not going to narrate the ice cream game. If someone wants to take that spot and apply that theme, then let me know.

I think it is best if the game is just dropped. I don't think it is fair for someone to come in a jump a head of everyone that is waiting. If someone new takes the game, it should be moved to the end.

Dropped

Why does it say December is also doing her own Animal Crossing game?

Because I'm bad at remembering

Are we not doing any more game sign-ups until we get to the new site or no? 'Cause I want to narrate again if I can.

It would be better if you waited, but I guess I can add you now.

I think I'd prefer personally if people waited, but I don't know why. And actually, that is a bit unfair. Maybe someone wants to sign up now but we make them wait, and then when we reopen signups someone gets ahed of them and they have to wait...

So I think it's fine to keep signing up.