Accreditation Sidebar: What Is It?

[Jennifer]

If you are an official MG3K author or someone who aspires to be an official MG3K author, you are required to post at least once a week in a substantial way. "Substantial" means new interesting content, or your explicit agreement or disagreement with a discussed idea, or adding/proposing facts or details to an on-going idea being discussed.

Why would you want to be "official"? Because official authors are approached first for choice projects and given "control" over main characters and their plot arches.

How in the world does posting weekly make you a good candidate for official author status and benefits? Because showing me (the pesky and mean Brand Manager) that you will be here for the fans (your adoring readers) and that you actually care about the brand and not just the paycheck (remember... for novels and comics, you *are* paid), proves you are willing to do the work.

But now there's more...

As we approach the launch of the MG3K Role-Playing Game, we have added a fun and functional code to the forum that allows players of the board-based RPG to earn experience points, currency, and health point bonus for their characters. These points are awarded automatically and tallied in the player's mini profile Accreditation sidebar (under the avatar) for the world to see. Points are awarded at differing rates for every post a player makes as a specific character (end-of-game tallies are recorded for each character and posted in the Character Gallery. Player's tallies are then partially reset to properly calculate for several characters.

Likewise, off the RPG threads, those of us interested in earning or keeping our official author status can earn Expertise points. Expertise points will be awarded for any post. However... as the mean and cranky Brand Manager, I only consider posts in "For MG3K Writers" or "For MG3K Players" categories legitimate (in addition to the Fan Fiction and Fan Card Art threads). Points for all members can be edited by me alone and I will adjust a member's Expertise total if I see they have earned their points with generalized or otherwise socializing posts.

In addition to Expertise points, your Accreditation sidebar will be updated with your published word count (official MG3K works), your fan fiction word count, and your number of award ribbons.

Award ribbons are given to authors and other members of the community when they achieve important milestones. Currently there are four ribbons but more will be added (perhaps you'd like to design one).

Current ribbons are:



The Blue Ribbon Award for publishing a MG3K book or comic.



The Green Ribbon Award for winning an official MG3K tournament.



The Red Ribbon Award for publishing a card in the MG3K card game.



The Yellow Ribbon Award for publishing a MG3K short story.

Ribbons will be awarded to members through PM along with code so they can be displayed in the signature block of your posts.

These awards and points will not only look good to your adoring fans, impress the gamers who play your characters, and tell me at a glance who is serious and who is not... they'll also translate into steeper discounts for MG3K books, gear, and game supplies, first crack at paying projects, first choice of characters to manage, and can be traded for in-game equipment in both the online RPG and the VR RPG.

Now... how sweet is that?

Jennifer

For those of you looking for specifics, your new sidebar Accreditation panel has these statistics which are tallied at these rates:

Expertise = 1 expertise point is awarded for every post

Official = your published word count will be added here*

FanFiction = your fan fiction word count will be added here*

Awards = number of awards granted to you will be added here*

RPG_Coins = 1 coin is awarded for every two posts

RPG_EXP = 1 experience point is awarded for every post

RPG_HP = 1 health point bonus is awarded for every ten posts

*These attributes will be updated for all members by the end of April.

[GamerChick]

Jennifer, I'm really glad you decided to do this. The Expertise Points thing is awesome fun but the RPG character benefits are serious incentive. You've got way too many gamers/players who are lurking and being perpetual guests. Way to go, grrl. Nicely played.

Gille

[LaughingClown]

And I think that the authors need it, Jennifer. A little reminder that no one should sit around while the Little Red Hen does all the planting, watering, harvesting, milling, kneading, and baking... and then just swarm in and eat the bread.

Eric

[Launa]

LOL, love the metaphor, Eric. It makes me feel like making little chicken sounds.

This is a great idea. Thank you so much for it, Jennifer

[Mikiela]

You got our attention, Jennifer. The Hours group is completely behind you.

Eric, that is my favorite children's story. It is also one I quote to my grrls around the house here all the time. Too often probably.

Mik

[Jennifer]

Glad to hear that everyone is excited. Don't think I'll be sleeping tonight after all so I'm going to continue working on the code. Please don't panic as new formats appear and disappear in the mini profile area. None will make sense for a while

Jennifer

[GamerChick]

Hey, Mama J. I see you're using one of Codi's sheets. That would be really nice of MG3K. He would have been 23 this year. Just barely 18 when he wrote RPG Destiny. If we get to vote on codes, grrl, my vote is for Codi's.

Gille

[Jennifer]

Thank you for your support, Gille. I'd be lying if I said Codi's story wasn't a driving factor in the style sheet I choose. The other two you sent by other folks are very nice but there is a level of elegance to Codi's that just wasn't there. Also, because his estate is now managed by his forums moderators, they welcome amateur coders like me easy access to all his resources. I was able to download and transfer the sheet engine server-side and am now working on tweaking the engine code itself to better suit our needs. If all goes well, I may include his sheet in EpicX.

Jennifer

[Jennifer]

Accreditation (ac·cred·i·ta·tion, noun) is a process in which certification of competency, authority, or credibility is presented.

A very good word to know around here in the days to come....

[Launa]

This system is so interesting and elegant. I'm very excited about it. Thank you!

I have one question, however. You say that total word count is going to be listed. Will this be any different for comic book designers? Obviously a comic book would have a much lower word count than a novel. Or would people just see the comic book ribbons and know?

Again? This is beautiful.

[Mira]

Jennifer, I think you've designed a really fun system here. I mean, it makes sense and is professional, too, but more than anything it just seems fun. I look forward to finding out how this fits with gaming here at the forum. I'd like to be a part of that.

Can't wait to post my ribbons in my signature block! I'm proud!

Mira

[Cris]

Woo Hoo! I want a rainbow of ribbons!

....

Guess that means I'll actually have to *finish* Angelus rather than just talk about finishing it! LOL

Cris

[Jennifer]

Yes, that's what it means, Cris LOL!

Ribbons will be awarded once a product is accepted and ready to ship. For instance, "Crusade" was delayed for a long time while we worked out the best way to reproduce the interior artwork by Summer and myself. Now that the anthology is finally shipping, folks will be awarded yellow ribbons

Launa, in terms of comics, they will count toward blue ribbons. In terms of them adding to page count, if authors want this benefit (which, for instance, I know I do) they'll need to send me their final script as approved by Eric and Mike. I'll add that word count to the author's total. No, it won't be as hefty a word count addition as a novel but that's the simple truth of comics

I'd also like to add that if someone is the author/illustrator of a comic, they will receive one blue ribbon. However, if the work is divided between multiple authors and illustrators, then everyone will receive one blue ribbon.

Also, short comics (like the ones that run in the back of every MG3K full-length comic) will count as short stories. Again, if the short comic comes from a single source, one yellow ribbon will be awarded. If two or more sources, then one yellow ribbon to each contributor will be awarded.

Other news! There are two new ribbons being prepared. These are:

**The shiny black ribbon for recruiting new members. Members must be recruited after April 22, 2010, to count toward a black ribbon.

**The pure white ribbon for special project completion. These are the oft times tedious or time-consuming projects that must be completed around here quickly and correctly. I'll be counting all projects taken and completed from April 1, 2010, onward.

Last but not least, let me share this information:

If you're wondering whether or not your signature block is going to be crammed annoyingly full of ribbons, don't worry! Ribbons will be awarded with bold numbers in their center (printed over the Grail). This way, if you've created 40 cards for use in the card game, you won't have 40 red ribbons -- eeek! -- you'll have a single red ribbon emblazoned with a proud number 40

Jennifer

[Jennifer]

All right, everyone, today is the day! I am in the process of updating everyone's Accreditation sidebars and adding their ribbons! The only ribbons that will *not* be added tonight are the red ribbons for published card art. Those are still forthcoming.

I'd like to thank Brianne for the gorgeous ribbons, Di'Nay for calculating the Crusade and fan-fiction stories, Pip for calculating the RPG archive, and Luz for calculating the Immortal Waking and Immortal Dreaming stories! Whew! What a project!

Let me take this opportunity to mention that being part of a BBRPG campaign does indeed add word count to your fan fiction tally... cool! :}

Whenever new ribbons have been awarded, I will announce specifics here Here are our first wave of awards!

Abbie (artzygrrl) is awarded a Yellow Ribbon for her story in the "Crusade Battle Anthology."

Brianne is awarded two Blue Ribbons for publishing "Under the Influence: Edge of Night 001" and for being the co-illustrator of "Blood Trade" (the comic). She is also awarded a Green Ribbon for winning the Mystery of the Selkie Tournament; three Yellow Ribbons for writing two stories in the "Crusade Battle Anthology" and the short comic "Tonight," and two White Ribbons for creating the "Living Word Prayerbook" and *all* the Mardi Gras 3000 novel covers.

Cris is awarded a Blue Ribbon for being the editor of the "Crusade Battle Anthology;" two Yellow Ribbons for her stories in the "Crusade Battle Anthology" and the "Player's Handbook," and two White Ribbons for her incredible work on the Sourcebook and with the Homidin Glossary.

Di'Nay is awarded two White Ribbons for her work completing the IMVU Inventory Catalog and the Prayer database.

EJ is awarded a Blue Ribbon for "Together Alone" and a Yellow Ribbon for her story in the "Crusade Battle Anthology."

Erik is awarded a Yellow Ribbon for his story in the "Crusade Battle Anthology."

Gille (GamerChick) is awarded a Green Ribbon for winning The Mamas & The Papas tournament.

Jennifer (oh, that's me!) is awarded a Blue Ribbon for being the co-illustrator of the "Blood Trade" comic; three Yellow Ribbons for two stories in the "Crusade Battle Anthology" and for the comic short "Reciprocity: Prologue 000;" and two White Ribbons for the creation of the "Player's Logbook" and the "Player's Handbook."

Eric is awarded two Yellow Ribbons for his stories in "Crusade Battle Anthology" and the "Player's Handbook."

Launa is awarded four Yellow Ribbons for two stories in "Crusade Battle Anthology" and two stories in the "Player's Handbook."

Luz is awarded one Blue Ribbon for writing "Blood Trade" (the comic), and two Yellow Ribbons for a story in the "Crusade Battle Anthology" and a story in the "Player's Handbook."

Maxwell is awarded a Yellow Ribbon for his story in the "Crusade Battle Anthology."

Mikiela is awarded a White Ribbon for her work on the Homidin Glossary.

Matthew (PapaNurgle) is awarded a Yellow Ribbon for his story in the "Crusade Battle Anthology."

Pip is awarded is two Green Ribbons for winning both the Spring Equinox and the All Grrls tournaments, and a White Ribbon for her work on the MG3K Role-Playing Game.

Sha is awarded two Yellow Ribbons for his stories in the "Crusade Battle Anthology" and the "Player's Handbook."

Summer (Sunshine) is awarded a Yellow Ribbon for her story in the "Crusade Battle Anthology."

Teresa is awarded a White Ribbon for her work play-testing.

That's it, everyone! Now, please understand that I know there are many more novels, comics and other projects that are "in the works." But the rule stands: Until the work is completed and ready to ship, I won't award the ribbon

[Jennifer]

Just a note:

Though members cannot edit the information in their Accreditation sidebar, ribbons are added (by me) into the standard signature block. You *can* edit these out if you wish. However, you cannot alter them to read a higher number or add duplicates. This kind of tampering will be noticed by me (because I have nothing better to do) and you will be banned from the forum. Members work very hard to earn these ribbons. If you don't want to participant, that's fine. But others take this kind of award very seriously. Thank you for respecting them

Also, if your signature block already contains a signature, I will try to add your ribbons appropriately (beneath your signature) but if the ribbon code does not fit, I will PM the code to you. You may choose to shorten your existing signature to fit the ribbon code. You may not create your own ribbon images or combined the images into one image, etc. Again, thank you for understanding.

Back to ribbon awarded I go!

Jennifer