Applications and You

[Pestilence]

Hello all of you! I have just gotten back to EFU, and of course school is being rough on the playing times. Seems I will not be on as much lately so instead of playing around IG I am making this for all of you. A new generation of players are here, as are DMs. I will remember the good times with you as a player, but be spending more with you as DMs. So I present this to you.
 
 
1. An Application and You
 
This has always been important. An application is more than just saying "Hey, I want to do something so I can go into a faction so I can getz lewts." No, Applications are able to be much more than that. To me I feel like an application is making something you want to do, and involving players in it. You can app for many things and change the way you normally play. Try Something New.
 
2. Application Requirements
 
Dms do not want to see something that benefits only that players and focuses only on them. When you make an application what the Dms go for is something that involves others. There are many examples that you can see like making a faction, commiting conflicts against others, working for something with others. Caddies makes a perfect example of a guy who involves others in his characters be them app or non app (or so I think..). If you make a wereboar you could involve players/Dms in trying to find out the secret about your lycanthropey. Even monstrous races can involve others and such. If you make a Stygian, make enemies and have conflicts on other factions for supremecy. Doing a Weapon Master involve other players who want to help train with you for that final weapon master duel showdown, or a fatass hobgoblin who think he is the most handsome of them all with 6 charisma ;).
 
3. Want to make an app but can't get it right?
 
Pft no problem! There have been many examples and threads created to help players create apps for amazing characters. Here are some examples from the old Efu.
 
http://www.escapefromunderdark.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32271
 
4. Why make an app?
 
"Truely why make an Application? Can't I get the same experience without one?"
You can have the same regular experience on Efu without it. What an application adds to the server is a character who has been well created, planned out, and is sure to change the server. Myself has hardly played many app characters but I know that when your apped character is given to his true extent and worked hard on, you know that it was worth the fun. Although you can have as good as a time without one, applicated characters adds some creativity to the server.
 
Although there has been many threads stating about apps before, I have noticed the large income of newer players and would love to post this for them.
 
With all luck, Thee Pestilent

[Blake the Boar]

The main issue I used to have with the application system, I came to learn with the short time I've been playing in EfU:A, and it seems a common issue among newcomers. It is the feeling that some get privileges for getting the chance of playing special characters and you don't, or some DM friendly players get special privileges that us mere mortals don't.  This is not true. Anyone is welcome to apply for anything, and have the same chances, once you intend to add to the server, not only to your personal fun. More than involving other characters, the applicant must think how much fun he will bring to other players. That being told, applicants must not be seeking to overpower other characters. He must aim for adding plots, put other characters on awkward situations, making the server more interesting, not begging to have that special perk. Wether the DMs accept your application or not will depend of their judgement of those goals being interesting to the server and players, and the feeling that you would make that happen, and will not reject it simply for dening you, player, to have the character you always dreamed of. Awesome backgrounds and well written stories are not the exactly what DMs look for. The thing is, how that awesome background and story will do for the living history of the server. Of course, DMs will tend to accept applications of players who are known for having already done great things with other characters, and that leads you to my only and final tip: Before thinking of applying for that awesome Blackguard/Red Dragon Disciple warlord, consider making a non application character and try to get things done with him, make him well known ICly and OOCly, be famous for involving other players, being you a Hero or Vilain, make the server a fun place to play. That will increase your chance of having an application approved for a next character, and will increase your RPing skills, making you ready to play something more special.

[OrchardOfMines]

I strongly recommend applying, if you have a good concept that requires it.  I've played quite a few application-based characters, and about the same number of non-app characters.  Both are fun, but obviously there are some things that you can do with an application that just aren't possible without one.  This isn't to say you should apply for a concept just for the sake of having an app character, but if you have a sweet concept that needs DM approval to show up IG, send it in.  The worst that can happen is it won't be approved.

[Pestilence]

My point is proven.

[TheWastesAreFrozen]

The main thing that I've learned in my rather short time here on EFU and think is important to remember is that factions are there to help you press your personal character goals along. They should be used as a leap of power to do so and you'll find that having a position greater than the 'common' adventurer will often lead to success.

There are some excellent character building tools around but they all focus on the most important aspects of your character. Their back story and their goals and how each effects the rest of the population. A common trend amongst popular characters is that they effect a vast amount of the player base with conflict or involve them in completing their tasks. Shoot for the stars with your goals but keep them simple enough to be twisted as your character evolves due to interactions.

[derfo]

apply if you want to, don't if you don't. if you can't string together a couple paragraphs worth of stuff to do, it probably isn't worth the time invested anyways