News
Challenges
Hi guys!

Just a few words about the challenges.

They are really fun, and I think we can all agree that we are having a BALL with them, but we don't want to overwhelm our authors either! So from now on we're going to have a system in place where all challenge ideas should be submitted through the "Contact Us" button on the top menu. Every Tuesday, one of the admins will post one or two of those challenges and post a news item about it. When submitting challenges, please take the time to become familiar with challenge themes already posted. Themes that are very similiar will most likely not be posted, so try to be really creative with it, and come up with some great ideas. I think the Zombie challenge is an excellent example of thinking outside the box.

So from now on, it would be very much appreciated if we could do this. :-) Also, from now, challenges from non-members will not be accepted, and will be deleted. This must be a bug in the software, as the challenge feature should only be available to members. eta: The bug has been fixed, you must be logged in to add a challenge.

If you have any troubles, let me know! Thanks guys! :-)

--sicokitty on July 22, 2006 10:22 am 20 Comments
Comments
Great move! Question: Will you be collecting all the submissions and then letting us see a list so we can vote on which ones will be posted, or will you be making the decision?
- Pixel on July 22, 2006 02:19 pm
Also, whoa, I see a bunch of new challenges posted already (maybe they were there before today). And BTW, I can still post a challenge without running it by anyone. Is it because I'm an admin or what? I've run into a few glitches, like when I try to see who has me on their favorites list I get an SQL error.
- Pixel on July 22, 2006 02:22 pm
No, it is not because you are an admin. Non-members cannot post challenges anymore, but the software does not allow us to restrict posting new challenges to admins only without restricting all members from responding to challenges. Sicokitty and I tested various options this morning, and we concluded it is just a stupid way that the software was coded. Anyway, we will just have to ask members not to post anything or we will be deleting them.

As for the challenge submission, we are actually going to create an email address (like gmail or something) that all of us admins will be able to access. I guess we can decide as a group how we will go about picking said challenges.
- Morning Angel on July 22, 2006 02:45 pm
Sounds good! At least you were able to make it so non-members can't issue challenges. I don't mind if people who don't write issue challenges for stuff they'd like to see, but if you're going to issue a challenge, damn it, you should sign up.:)
- Pixel on July 22, 2006 03:16 pm
I should say that Sicokitty did all the work of figuring out the software; I was just tagging along to help. :) Still it is better if non-members can't post just because I think it is easier to have members abide by the way Sicokitty wishes to have the archive run.

I must say that I was none to please to see all these challenges had been posted after my message from yesterday! It reminded me eerily of students who email me with questions clearly answered on the class website...
- Morning Angel on July 22, 2006 03:35 pm
So why not delete them? I would, but I'm not sure which ones snuck in under the deadline. I know Kath's has been up there for a few days, so I know that one is legit, but there are like 3 others I didn't see before last night.
- Pixel on July 22, 2006 04:00 pm
We'll leave them this time. However, since Sicokitty has now posted an official announcement, I'll have no qualms about deleting challenges in the future.
P.S.: Ugh. I reread my message above. Sorry for all the typos. I know it should be "none too pleased."
- Morning Angel on July 22, 2006 04:53 pm
Yeah. No shit. I'm going to have a hell of a time having Jim get injured by zombies who have steam coming out of their ears while he's stranded in the rain and snow in a confined space with Pam AND Roy and while Uber Bitch Katy comes along to stir up trouble during the Talent Show.

I mean - I'm all for challenges but it was getting out of control. :)
- xoxoxo on July 22, 2006 05:23 pm
LOL xoxoxo Fear not, I have now made a list of the current challenges and I am not afraid to kick some ass (or use a delete button which is the web version of ass-kicking.) ;)
- Morning Angel on July 22, 2006 05:27 pm
Andi, is there any way we could post or link to those rules directly on the challenge page?
- Morning Angel on July 22, 2006 05:29 pm
xoxoxo, now THAT sounds like a Buffy episode.
- Pixel on July 22, 2006 07:33 pm
Gen I think I can, but i'll have to look at it later when i get home from work. I stayed up wayyyy to late last night lol.
- sicokitty on July 22, 2006 08:54 pm
and I deleted the Talent Show one, because that was not there when I wrote this last night. Anything posted after this point, we can delete.
- sicokitty on July 22, 2006 08:57 pm
Sorry - I'm not really contributing to the challenge discussion (although I like the plans you guys have come up with) - I just have to say LOL!!!!! Thank you xoxoxo for making me laugh so hard that I spit orange juice on my laptop. Now I want to read that story..... :)
- Canadiana on July 22, 2006 09:50 pm
Don't know if comments are just for admins, but I get the "Issue a Challenge" link on the challenge page, plus the full form when I click that link. Don't know what would happen if I actually filled it out, but just wanted to let you know.

BTW, awesome site y'all! I've spend hours here since I got home. You guys are amazing (and prolific!)
- TV_Buffy on July 23, 2006 03:16 pm
TV_Buffy, we do know that it comes up if you are logged on. We cannot block the "issue a challenge" feature without preventing people from responding to the challenges with their stories. We are just asking people to refrain from using it.
- Morning Angel on July 23, 2006 03:35 pm
Oh, the honor system. Got it. Sorry!
- TV_Buffy on July 23, 2006 04:21 pm
No problem. I just wanted to clairify to make sure everyone knew where we stood. We are disappointed we can't modify the software more, but such is life.
- Morning Angel on July 23, 2006 06:00 pm
Hey guys, just wanted to leave a quick note for all of you wonderful admins who created and run this site. I found it through TWoP, and it's a daily fixture now. THANK YOU for giving all of these talented writers a place to display their efforts. Much love to you all. You did good.
- erin on July 23, 2006 11:04 pm
Thank sicokitty. She did all the hard work. We just hang out and support her!
- Pixel on July 24, 2006 12:38 am