application guidelines
APPLICATION GUIDELINES
the basics
application cycles
Applications will be open from 12:01 A.M. (Eastern Standard Time) on the 1st of each month to 11:59 pm (Eastern Standard Time) on the 7th of each month, unless there are emergency changes/additions of time that need to be made (such as DDoS attacks). Unless there are changes made (which we will announce in the out-of-character community), this will be the consistent schedule from month to month. There will always be information about application week opening/closing on various pages, including the calendar and profile, available to check back to should there be questions on timing.
application processing
We will get to applications as quickly as we're able to do so. Generally, we like to hold ourselves to a "first come, first served" regimen. However, we ask that you keep in mind the fact that there are some canons that the moderators are more familiar with than others, and that if an application posted later than yours is responded to before yours, it's likely because we're unfamiliar with their canon and are doing research of various forms to better judge the application presented. While it takes longer, it's a process that we undergo to make sure that all apps are judged fairly and properly.
responses
ACCEPTED
Our acceptance notice means one thing and one thing only: you got into the game! It will include instructions on how to join the communities, as well as the basics of being placed in housing, on the taken list, and other such joining rituals.
PENDING/REVISIONS
This simply means that your application was generally good, but needs a little bit of tweaking. Usually there are personality or sample additions requested in these instances, but they'll be handled on a case-to-case basis.
REJECTED
A rejection means that the moderators did not find an application to be satisfactory to character canon, grammatical qualifications, or application guidelines to a degree that revision was beyond an option. This is not to say that an application is terrible and should never be attempted again by the same applicant! We always invite applicants who have received a rejection to reapply.
However, do not reapply until the next month of applications. If you apply between June 1st and June 7th and are rejected, even if there's time left before applications close you must wait until July to reapply. No matter which month is the month in which you receive a rejection, you must wait until the following month to reapply.
WHY WAS I REJECTED?
We will provide reasoning for rejections in the individual rejection notices. We're always happy to give further details upon request, as well.
WHAT WARRANTS A REJECTION?
How we handle rejections is discussed on a case-by-case basis. The only grounds for automatic rejection would be applications containing plagiarism of any kind. Aside from linking outside sources, material from outside sources should not be used, or should be properly cited when it is. For example, your personality section should be entirely your own. It shouldn't be copied from a wiki or paraphrased. However, if you'd like to include canon quotes that define your character, or that could be applied to various sections of your application, that's acceptable - just let us know that the words aren't yours.
PLAGIARISM
Plagiarism is against the rules of Il Promenade (and illegal in general). As such, our policy regarding this is as follows. If your application is partially paraphrased or plagiarized from another source, you will receive a rejection with an invitation for another chance to apply for that character in the next application round (or whenever you should choose to reapply). However, if the majority or entirety of an application is plagiarized, the rejection will be permanent. If this happens, the applicant will be invited to apply for different characters but will not be invited nor allowed to reapply for the character whose application was plagiarized.
challenge applications, reserves/taken characters, etc.
Before applying for a character, we ask that you check the taken and reserves pages. If a character is listed as taken, you may not apply for that character. They have already been applied for and accepted into the game and, as we do not allow duplicates, cannot be applied for by anyone else. If a character is dropped or removed via activity and no longer taken, then and only then may they be applied for. Applications submitted for characters already in the game will be automatically rejected.
If a character is placed on the reserves page, this essentially gives the reserver the benefit of time. Challenge applications are allowed. If you wish to apply for a character on the reserves page, you are more than welcome to do so. However, you must get your application in before the reserve holder has placed theirs and gotten a response (other than rejection). We recommend double-checking the application comment pages for the current cycle before submitting a challenge application. If a reserver has already posted the application and has gotten an acceptance or revision, they have already been reviewed and challenges will not be accepted. However, if a reserver hasn't placed their application yet, or their application has not yet been reviewed, you are more than welcome to post as the challenger. If a reserved character has been applied for and rejected, you are more than welcome to submit an application for that same character within the same cycle.
When submitting a challenge application, please put the following in the subject line of your comment in some form or another: character name, series, CHALLENGE APPLICANT. This way, we will know that you do not hold the reserve, and that we need to wait until the reserved application is received to make a judgment.
what if my reserve runs out?
The reserves system now essentially gives the reserve holder at least a month of reserved time on the character, so this shouldn't be too big an issue for you. However, if it dos run out: Don't worry! We'll still accept your application without a reserve. Essentally, a reserve gives the benefit of time, and not much more.
the details
what kinds of characters are allowed?
We allow both canon and original characters. We even allow AUs that appear within their own canon. Any canon character presently available (not on the taken list) may be applied for! Original characters are also more than welcome here. We love them, actually. Just take a look at the OC section of the taken list.
We have a character guidelines page here that clarifies what is and isn't an appable character. This also goes over some more information for those apping original characters.
what about general AUs?
General AUs, such as genderbends or age-changed characters, are not allowed. Because of the nature of the game's environment, it's a bit of a shake-up already for the characters and throwing alternate versions of themselves that they wouldn't otherwise encounter would throw them off a lot more than need-be.
what do you mean by canon AUs, then?
If they're the same person but from a parallel world, then that's fine! Characters like Cloud, Aerith, Tifa, Yuffie, and Sephiroth from KH are AU and acceptable to their OU counterparts. Another example would be Wish!Verse Willow Rosenberg (from Buffy the Vampire Slayer). If there were a normal, human Willow in game, since vampire!/wishverse!Willow are from an alternate reality, she would be allowed. Should you require a more thorough (or specific) definition of AU's allowed outside of the examples given, or if you have any other questions regarding this aspect, please don't hesitate to leave us a comment here to ask! We'll be happy to help you.
okay, so original characters are a go - what about their apps?
Applications for original characters are going to be judged more harsly than fandom characters. The reason for this is that while a player cannot control whether or not a canon character is overpowered or cookie-cutter grade Gary-Stu/Mary-Sue, they do have control over their own characters and the aspects of that character. We like to make sure that all original characters have a well fleshed-out personality and background before we accept them into the game. It's nothing that we do to cause offense and we never mean any harm when we ask a player for more or for changes, we're just trying to make sure that we hold all original characters to a higher standard. As stated above, there is more information on how we judge OC apps here.
what about fandom-based original characters?
To those apping in fandom OCs that have a basis in an already preset canon, we accept these applications under the pretenses that the original character does not come into contact with anyone from the actual canon timeline, so it isn't awkward or difficult for muses from that canon coming in. In short, they're allowed, but they need to be handled very carefully and need to have no direct connection with canon events, timelines, or characters. You may make a random hunter from somewhere in the Supernatural fandom but they cannot know any canon characters or the details of any canon timeline beyond what random extra hunters in the show might know. They cannot know characters personally, etcetera. Any questions regarding further details on this can, of course, be asked here.
what about mythological characters? are those considered original characters?
If the mythological character has a canon to follow (i.e. the story of the goddess of the Underworld, Persephone, being largely consistent across different stories and tellings of it). Because of the fact that a lot of these creatures have legends, stories, or fables about them/into which they're deeply tied, they're considered canon, and while everyone has a different spin on them, they'll be treated as canon. This goes for reserving them, as well.
okay, but what about canon characters that we know exist but never show up?
They are, indeed, canon characters, regardless of a lack of prominent appearance. You are welcome to use outside information such as interviews with the authors and research sources. If you're uncertain as to where your character falls in regards to this particular subject (which is, generally, rare), please feel free to ask here in the form of a comment. We'll be happy to help.
can i take my character from an alternate canon ending?
It's perfectly fine for you to take them from the bad ending! So long as it is canon, we're fine with it. You may want to discuss it with any castmates you'll be joining if they are in the game before you join, or any potential future castmates, just to make sure everyone will be alright with it. It's not a problem with the mods!
what are the circumstances if a character's history or background have not been revealed as of yet? can we just make speculations, or would you rather we admit there's nothing really known?
Either option is fine, provided you can show that you have a strong voice for what you have been shown of the character in canon. So long as one of those can be used, you can still apply for them. We ask that you be especially thorough in this particular instance, however.
may we apply characters from a point after their death?
Absolutely! When people die, usually they see black, or a void. Besides, it's not impossible to pull the soul into the body and keep it there post-mortem. Be creative in how they arrive! Have fun with it. It's completely allowed!
what about silent protagonists, such as link from the legend of zelda or the pokemon protagonists? Are they allowed, provided we flesh out their personalities?
Yes, they're allowed! So long as there's been evidence of having personalities in the games, feel free to bring them in! Provide plenty of material, and be thorough. However, if you plan on apping a character whose personality is determined by the player's actions and choices (such as a Grey Warden from Dragon Age), please be aware that this is a tricky situation and, in most cases, they will not be accepted.
whata bout characters with split personalities or who are possessed?
These characters with dual natures are more than welcome, provided that the secondary personality does not completely overshadow the main character (unless, of course, part of the duality of the character is that there's lobbying for power and a struggle). Guidelines for these can also be found here.
can we apply for an unreleased canon or one with no english translation?
As for unreleased material/non-English material, we ask that you wait until something can be used as a solid background for them for an application. We feel it's only fair that interpretations be left to what the characters actually say and do, once it's translated. The reason for this is that while you may be able to read the untranslated material, the moderators may not. We wouldn't be able to judge your application fairly without knowing what the material in your canon is.
so this movie just came out and it's awesome and i want to app from it! right now!
or i want to update my character to the most current installment right after it's released!
We ask that reserves and applications for characters from newly released films still in theatres be held until one month after the initial release. This goes for canon updating, as well. We understand that films are very popular very quickly sometimes and that there will be vying to play the characters from these films. However, there are plenty of members of the playerbase who might not have seen said films yet, even if it's in a series (Iron Man and Iron Man 2, for example), and we feel it's only fair that a span of time pass before the information in these films is displayed in our game. We welcome these muses and wouldn't discourage them! We just ask that you wait for a month to give a reasonable window of time for people to see the film to avoid spoilers, and also to be sure that you actually do want to play the muse and keep the characters' voice longer than a fleeting trend (as has been seen with Inception, among other recent films).
technicalities
can we apply for characters with memories of previous games and the cr therefrom?
Unfortunately, we're going to have to say no to this. Since Promenade is a new game, we'd appreciate it if everyone started with a blank slate in CR. However, this doesn't mean you and your friend can't reform whatever CR you had should you decide to apply and get in! What you do once you're in the game, so long as you play within the confines of the rules and guidelines of the game.
can i reuse portions of my application from other games?
Yes, you can! So long as the sample is of decent length, then you should be able to use it for the application. This also goes for using threads in other games as your samples. So long as the samples are decent length and reflect the same depth and character voice that newly written samples would provide, you're good to go!
is there a place other than dear mun that I can react to players in game before actually being accepted?
You bet your ass there is! Here at Promenade we welcome new applicants and their muses to join threads on our muse trial community trialbydreams. There's always a thread up that you can participate in and you're welcome to link the thread there in your application once they open as a third person sample.
should both samples be written in accordance to promenade's setting?
You can write a sample in whatever setting you please. If it is from another game and there are significant differences, however, please warn us ahead of time so that we can take into account the fact that your character's voice is being expressed from that particular environment. So long as the sample is of sufficient length and expresses good contect of character voice and internal monologue/thought process, we allow samples in non-Promenade settings.
i still have questions!
If you still have questions about our application guidelines, feel free to leave a comment to this entry! We'll get back to you as soon as possible and address your question to the best of our ability.
the basics
application cycles
Applications will be open from 12:01 A.M. (Eastern Standard Time) on the 1st of each month to 11:59 pm (Eastern Standard Time) on the 7th of each month, unless there are emergency changes/additions of time that need to be made (such as DDoS attacks). Unless there are changes made (which we will announce in the out-of-character community), this will be the consistent schedule from month to month. There will always be information about application week opening/closing on various pages, including the calendar and profile, available to check back to should there be questions on timing.
application processing
We will get to applications as quickly as we're able to do so. Generally, we like to hold ourselves to a "first come, first served" regimen. However, we ask that you keep in mind the fact that there are some canons that the moderators are more familiar with than others, and that if an application posted later than yours is responded to before yours, it's likely because we're unfamiliar with their canon and are doing research of various forms to better judge the application presented. While it takes longer, it's a process that we undergo to make sure that all apps are judged fairly and properly.
responses
ACCEPTED
Our acceptance notice means one thing and one thing only: you got into the game! It will include instructions on how to join the communities, as well as the basics of being placed in housing, on the taken list, and other such joining rituals.
PENDING/REVISIONS
This simply means that your application was generally good, but needs a little bit of tweaking. Usually there are personality or sample additions requested in these instances, but they'll be handled on a case-to-case basis.
REJECTED
A rejection means that the moderators did not find an application to be satisfactory to character canon, grammatical qualifications, or application guidelines to a degree that revision was beyond an option. This is not to say that an application is terrible and should never be attempted again by the same applicant! We always invite applicants who have received a rejection to reapply.
However, do not reapply until the next month of applications. If you apply between June 1st and June 7th and are rejected, even if there's time left before applications close you must wait until July to reapply. No matter which month is the month in which you receive a rejection, you must wait until the following month to reapply.
WHY WAS I REJECTED?
We will provide reasoning for rejections in the individual rejection notices. We're always happy to give further details upon request, as well.
WHAT WARRANTS A REJECTION?
How we handle rejections is discussed on a case-by-case basis. The only grounds for automatic rejection would be applications containing plagiarism of any kind. Aside from linking outside sources, material from outside sources should not be used, or should be properly cited when it is. For example, your personality section should be entirely your own. It shouldn't be copied from a wiki or paraphrased. However, if you'd like to include canon quotes that define your character, or that could be applied to various sections of your application, that's acceptable - just let us know that the words aren't yours.
PLAGIARISM
Plagiarism is against the rules of Il Promenade (and illegal in general). As such, our policy regarding this is as follows. If your application is partially paraphrased or plagiarized from another source, you will receive a rejection with an invitation for another chance to apply for that character in the next application round (or whenever you should choose to reapply). However, if the majority or entirety of an application is plagiarized, the rejection will be permanent. If this happens, the applicant will be invited to apply for different characters but will not be invited nor allowed to reapply for the character whose application was plagiarized.
challenge applications, reserves/taken characters, etc.
Before applying for a character, we ask that you check the taken and reserves pages. If a character is listed as taken, you may not apply for that character. They have already been applied for and accepted into the game and, as we do not allow duplicates, cannot be applied for by anyone else. If a character is dropped or removed via activity and no longer taken, then and only then may they be applied for. Applications submitted for characters already in the game will be automatically rejected.
If a character is placed on the reserves page, this essentially gives the reserver the benefit of time. Challenge applications are allowed. If you wish to apply for a character on the reserves page, you are more than welcome to do so. However, you must get your application in before the reserve holder has placed theirs and gotten a response (other than rejection). We recommend double-checking the application comment pages for the current cycle before submitting a challenge application. If a reserver has already posted the application and has gotten an acceptance or revision, they have already been reviewed and challenges will not be accepted. However, if a reserver hasn't placed their application yet, or their application has not yet been reviewed, you are more than welcome to post as the challenger. If a reserved character has been applied for and rejected, you are more than welcome to submit an application for that same character within the same cycle.
When submitting a challenge application, please put the following in the subject line of your comment in some form or another: character name, series, CHALLENGE APPLICANT. This way, we will know that you do not hold the reserve, and that we need to wait until the reserved application is received to make a judgment.
what if my reserve runs out?
The reserves system now essentially gives the reserve holder at least a month of reserved time on the character, so this shouldn't be too big an issue for you. However, if it dos run out: Don't worry! We'll still accept your application without a reserve. Essentally, a reserve gives the benefit of time, and not much more.
the details
what kinds of characters are allowed?
We allow both canon and original characters. We even allow AUs that appear within their own canon. Any canon character presently available (not on the taken list) may be applied for! Original characters are also more than welcome here. We love them, actually. Just take a look at the OC section of the taken list.
We have a character guidelines page here that clarifies what is and isn't an appable character. This also goes over some more information for those apping original characters.
what about general AUs?
General AUs, such as genderbends or age-changed characters, are not allowed. Because of the nature of the game's environment, it's a bit of a shake-up already for the characters and throwing alternate versions of themselves that they wouldn't otherwise encounter would throw them off a lot more than need-be.
what do you mean by canon AUs, then?
If they're the same person but from a parallel world, then that's fine! Characters like Cloud, Aerith, Tifa, Yuffie, and Sephiroth from KH are AU and acceptable to their OU counterparts. Another example would be Wish!Verse Willow Rosenberg (from Buffy the Vampire Slayer). If there were a normal, human Willow in game, since vampire!/wishverse!Willow are from an alternate reality, she would be allowed. Should you require a more thorough (or specific) definition of AU's allowed outside of the examples given, or if you have any other questions regarding this aspect, please don't hesitate to leave us a comment here to ask! We'll be happy to help you.
okay, so original characters are a go - what about their apps?
Applications for original characters are going to be judged more harsly than fandom characters. The reason for this is that while a player cannot control whether or not a canon character is overpowered or cookie-cutter grade Gary-Stu/Mary-Sue, they do have control over their own characters and the aspects of that character. We like to make sure that all original characters have a well fleshed-out personality and background before we accept them into the game. It's nothing that we do to cause offense and we never mean any harm when we ask a player for more or for changes, we're just trying to make sure that we hold all original characters to a higher standard. As stated above, there is more information on how we judge OC apps here.
what about fandom-based original characters?
To those apping in fandom OCs that have a basis in an already preset canon, we accept these applications under the pretenses that the original character does not come into contact with anyone from the actual canon timeline, so it isn't awkward or difficult for muses from that canon coming in. In short, they're allowed, but they need to be handled very carefully and need to have no direct connection with canon events, timelines, or characters. You may make a random hunter from somewhere in the Supernatural fandom but they cannot know any canon characters or the details of any canon timeline beyond what random extra hunters in the show might know. They cannot know characters personally, etcetera. Any questions regarding further details on this can, of course, be asked here.
what about mythological characters? are those considered original characters?
If the mythological character has a canon to follow (i.e. the story of the goddess of the Underworld, Persephone, being largely consistent across different stories and tellings of it). Because of the fact that a lot of these creatures have legends, stories, or fables about them/into which they're deeply tied, they're considered canon, and while everyone has a different spin on them, they'll be treated as canon. This goes for reserving them, as well.
okay, but what about canon characters that we know exist but never show up?
They are, indeed, canon characters, regardless of a lack of prominent appearance. You are welcome to use outside information such as interviews with the authors and research sources. If you're uncertain as to where your character falls in regards to this particular subject (which is, generally, rare), please feel free to ask here in the form of a comment. We'll be happy to help.
can i take my character from an alternate canon ending?
It's perfectly fine for you to take them from the bad ending! So long as it is canon, we're fine with it. You may want to discuss it with any castmates you'll be joining if they are in the game before you join, or any potential future castmates, just to make sure everyone will be alright with it. It's not a problem with the mods!
what are the circumstances if a character's history or background have not been revealed as of yet? can we just make speculations, or would you rather we admit there's nothing really known?
Either option is fine, provided you can show that you have a strong voice for what you have been shown of the character in canon. So long as one of those can be used, you can still apply for them. We ask that you be especially thorough in this particular instance, however.
may we apply characters from a point after their death?
Absolutely! When people die, usually they see black, or a void. Besides, it's not impossible to pull the soul into the body and keep it there post-mortem. Be creative in how they arrive! Have fun with it. It's completely allowed!
what about silent protagonists, such as link from the legend of zelda or the pokemon protagonists? Are they allowed, provided we flesh out their personalities?
Yes, they're allowed! So long as there's been evidence of having personalities in the games, feel free to bring them in! Provide plenty of material, and be thorough. However, if you plan on apping a character whose personality is determined by the player's actions and choices (such as a Grey Warden from Dragon Age), please be aware that this is a tricky situation and, in most cases, they will not be accepted.
whata bout characters with split personalities or who are possessed?
These characters with dual natures are more than welcome, provided that the secondary personality does not completely overshadow the main character (unless, of course, part of the duality of the character is that there's lobbying for power and a struggle). Guidelines for these can also be found here.
can we apply for an unreleased canon or one with no english translation?
As for unreleased material/non-English material, we ask that you wait until something can be used as a solid background for them for an application. We feel it's only fair that interpretations be left to what the characters actually say and do, once it's translated. The reason for this is that while you may be able to read the untranslated material, the moderators may not. We wouldn't be able to judge your application fairly without knowing what the material in your canon is.
so this movie just came out and it's awesome and i want to app from it! right now!
or i want to update my character to the most current installment right after it's released!
We ask that reserves and applications for characters from newly released films still in theatres be held until one month after the initial release. This goes for canon updating, as well. We understand that films are very popular very quickly sometimes and that there will be vying to play the characters from these films. However, there are plenty of members of the playerbase who might not have seen said films yet, even if it's in a series (Iron Man and Iron Man 2, for example), and we feel it's only fair that a span of time pass before the information in these films is displayed in our game. We welcome these muses and wouldn't discourage them! We just ask that you wait for a month to give a reasonable window of time for people to see the film to avoid spoilers, and also to be sure that you actually do want to play the muse and keep the characters' voice longer than a fleeting trend (as has been seen with Inception, among other recent films).
technicalities
can we apply for characters with memories of previous games and the cr therefrom?
Unfortunately, we're going to have to say no to this. Since Promenade is a new game, we'd appreciate it if everyone started with a blank slate in CR. However, this doesn't mean you and your friend can't reform whatever CR you had should you decide to apply and get in! What you do once you're in the game, so long as you play within the confines of the rules and guidelines of the game.
can i reuse portions of my application from other games?
Yes, you can! So long as the sample is of decent length, then you should be able to use it for the application. This also goes for using threads in other games as your samples. So long as the samples are decent length and reflect the same depth and character voice that newly written samples would provide, you're good to go!
is there a place other than dear mun that I can react to players in game before actually being accepted?
You bet your ass there is! Here at Promenade we welcome new applicants and their muses to join threads on our muse trial community trialbydreams. There's always a thread up that you can participate in and you're welcome to link the thread there in your application once they open as a third person sample.
should both samples be written in accordance to promenade's setting?
You can write a sample in whatever setting you please. If it is from another game and there are significant differences, however, please warn us ahead of time so that we can take into account the fact that your character's voice is being expressed from that particular environment. So long as the sample is of sufficient length and expresses good contect of character voice and internal monologue/thought process, we allow samples in non-Promenade settings.
i still have questions!
If you still have questions about our application guidelines, feel free to leave a comment to this entry! We'll get back to you as soon as possible and address your question to the best of our ability.