Candidate Manifestos for Custom Cards Moderator Election/Voting Guidelines

[Mehmani]

Name:

Manifesto and Policies:

How will these work?:

Why do you feel you should moderate Custom Cards?:

 

 

Use the above form to post your manifestos. I ask for a minimum of one hundred words in each section. This thread will be opened at 00:00 on 11th December GMT. It will close at 00:00 on 14th December GMT. At that point, the election will start. For those of you that wish to vote, you must PM me with the candidate you wish to vote for. You only have one vote; if you are a candidate you may vote for yourself. I will not disclose any voting details. The election will end at 00:00 on 16th December GMT. After this, the votes will be counted and added up. The winner will be announced soon afterwards. I also ask that only manifestos are to be posted here. All other posts can go in the relevant discussion threads.

 

Thank you for participating in YCM's first democratic election. This is a shining example of reform and shows how mature and intelligent we are as a community. Good luck to all the candidates, and vote with your head.

[Guest Contradanza]

Name: Contradanza, it is the mixture of a form of eloquence and poetry combined with my love for the song "Contradanza" by The Planets. I feel it presents and other worldly tone that presents itself in a fashion of Death and Life, although my interpretation could be a bit off. The song is very nice and so I chose to change my overly long name of Ultramacus Dumaiacus to Contradanza. It's use is fairly unoriginal but I find it does the job right for me despite my lack of satisfaction in regards to names and I almost constantly get a name change. This however I digress as it's use is fairly well made within my jurisdiction and in conjunction with my Avatar. This is symbolic of philosophy and not just death.

Manifesto and Policies: Creation of a guideline of new and reformed rules for Pop Culture and Any Other Cards that will enforce the Advanced Clause and bring in a new wave of productivity and community needed to eliminate trolling and make the section better. These guidelines will encourage proper OCG, and better cards and encourage feedback whilst eliminating flame wars and troll fests. I will create a section within RC, AOC, and PC titled "Card of the Month" in which I will check topics for reception from other members, and in the span of one whole month, the card with the most positive reception shall receive a spotlight within the topic. This incentive will encourage users to create better cards to gain positive reception and get the spotlight within the topic. The winner of that month will also receive a grand prize as well whether it be points, or reps. I will specify to AOC goer's that it is a topic for other card games and NOT just YGO cards. However I will specify Pokemon in relation to the show and Pop Culture so as to avoid an unneeded paradox.

How will these work? Unfortunately I feel I may have answered both these questions in one slice however, The AOC and PC reformed rules will present better guidelines for the creation of better cards a while the Card of the Month contest will be an incentive for users to create better cards. These, in turn, create better activity through a more positive environment as those who critique will critique in a nicer fashion, as the advanced clause will do so. And those who make cards will be motivated to create better cards and learn OCG. This synchronization between Newb and Veteran is what can save AOC and PC without causing an EXTREME amount of reform and changing YCM once again for what I feel is pointless. AOC and PC are good sections that divide the spectrum's between a realistic looking card, a card based off of something, and a card unrelated to both. The need to get rid of or move either one is bad in my honest opinion, which anyone can debate.

Why I would be a good mod? Once again. I do not know and I will not pretend to know. If I become mod I will let YCM decide whether my actions are noteworthy or not and continue based on such. I believe the best attack is the uncertain one. If I become mod I will do my very best with the time available. That is all I can say. The rest is up to the people. This election is important for a new wave of Democracy in YCM and whether I win or lose I will accept the result wholeheartedly. I just don't know if I will be a good mod or not because I have never been one. However, I know that if I am chosen mod I will try my best to run the section as properly as possible and if I can't, then I will properly resign. I want to save two sections that are in deep trouble, and I know I can do it. No matter what the decision I know that the people of YCM will choose a proper mod to help out CC.

[Lunar Origins]

Name: ☆~Rin-chan~☆

Manifesto and Policies:

 

My motives for moderating this section- Custom Cards, Created Cards, whatever you may name it- are simple.

 

I wish to simply improve the quality of YCM's one section of the site that draws members into the forum- cardmaking. While the older members of us might prefer to have rules and regulations up the behind for this place, I propose a different sort of action.

 

There are three main points that come into play when one is dealing with these sections.

1. Quality.
    
   
2. Knowledge.
    
   
3. Action.
   

Quality: When I speak about quality, I'm not talking about your cards; no, that has nothing to do with the quality that I am speaking of. What I am speaking of is quality of the average responses to the cards in themselves; we all know that "10/10 good card :)" posts are annoying, but their appearances is inevitable. Now, no system put in place that I would know of would quell these posts; they have always been here, and they always will be. Newcomers to YCM are never going to fully understand the rules if we don't sit there and educate them as soon as they sign up, which, again, is nigh impossible.

 

Knowledge: Knowledge is a key factor in making cards. Good cardmakers know that they're creating original, new, fun cards for Yu-Gi-Oh!. Great cardmakers, however, know that they're crafting something more, be it a card that would redefine the current metagame, or a card that will introduce a new mechanic, while still maintaining that balance of player-to-player interaction and elegance. Cardmakers like that should be upheld in this little society of ours- they should be held like shining beacons, out there for the new members to look at with awe, to strive to surpass, and to actively challenge. Competition in a place like this is a very good drive.

 

Action: A large portion of the inactivity in CC is due to... well, a lack of something to get for actually helping others. Everyone wants a comment; no one wants to give one. With that mentality in mind I can safely assure you that, if we don't actually try and give some sort of incentive to people for posting, then we will absolutely never garner large amounts of people to CC, as YCM has done in the past. When I first joined, a comment was posted in five minutes of me creating the card; nowadays, it's a rarity that anyone will post at all.

 

Therefore, I propose one simple thing that will, more or less, ensure a small amount of livelihood to RC.

 

The YCMT

The Yu-Gi-Oh! Card Maker Tribunal

 

The YCMT is going to be a simple circle of members who are to be recognized as dignified cardmakers within our community. Such members would be given a badge displayed under the information in their profile, under the profile picture, recognizing them as such cardmakers. These select members would be given access to a new set of forums reserved only for them; as an added bonus, these members will hold special privileges within CC, allowing them to create a private sub-section for their own sets.

 

I would also urge on a new points system; if one creates a card that the populace generally agrees upon as 'cool beans', then they'll earn a points. If someone replies to a thread with a productive response to the thread creator's card, then the thread creator may grant that person up to three points based upon the helpfulness of that post.

 

These points could be used for a multitude of things- name changes, background changes, special post formatting, special name FX, special titles, and the likes. Even customized Rank Symbols may be able to put in place, though that may require some slight modifications to the forum as a whole.

 

Why do you feel you should moderate Custom Cards?: I feel that I should moderate Custom Cards because I have a certain ambition; I want to see Custom Cards thrive and succeed. I am rarely active in it anymore, however, because... well, nothing EVER happens here. I firmly believe that I can help fix that.

[The Warden]

.:Name:. BrokenHeart15 (Currently Snow Miser... fun fact, I learned of the Snow Miser through DCWyverx on Youtube, through her(?) series Kingdom Hearts The Stupid Files, during a little musical number. Then I went to seek this 'Snow Miser' and found a truly charming little singer. Sure, he might be made of clay and have creepy little versions of him, but, for a man made of frost, he certainly knows how to have a good time, especially with his song. Always around christmas time I remember him for his charming singing, his fun upbeat song and his dancing. He has a warm fire for such a cold body, ha ha! I'm too much!)

 

.:Manifesto and Policies:.

• The first point of consideration is the seperation in RC. This will be achieved by having the first part becoming Single Cards, whilst Finished Sets will be changed to Sets. This will allow for a decent dichotomy as the AC for Singles can be reduced to 20 words, whilst the AC for Sets can be anywhere from 50 to 100 words. (Just for emphasis, 2 cards does not Set make, so Doubles WILL demand 20 words for each card. A Set will be considered 3 or more cards.) I find Finished Sets a worthless part, as why would you want a cache for completed sets, it's silly.
  
• I wish to add a grading form that will be OPTIONAL, but posters can request that you use it just for a more indepth critique of their card(s). This will allow transcendence above the wordy word critique.
  
• It might be worth consideration to do a revision on the rules, as they are quite old now and deserve some review.
  
• Pop-Culture Cards... I'm not sure how to deal with this section, as it's basically cards based on a person's favourite thing, be it anime, books, comiques etc I suppose, for simplicity's sake, it might be good to create divided sections again, such as Anime Cards, Comic Cards, Other Fiction Cards, etc. It's just so people know what they're getting into and what to expect. I also feel an AC for this section will be useful, with the same guidelines for RC. 20 words for Singles (or 20 each for Doubles), and 50 to 100 for Sets.
  
• Ah yes, Any Other Cards, that old chestnut. Hmm, it's difficult to think about this one. I feel that maybe the Area should be changed to Fake-Type Cards, and Other TCG/OCG cards should become their own section. People don't seem to realize that you CAN post non-Yugioh cards in the area, so being straight about it might give people more incentive to make non-Yugioh cards, written or .img.
  
• Written Cards, well, I guess in this case, an AC of 15 words for Singles, 15 each for Doubles, and 50+ words will be good here. There's no .img to discuss, so that's in effect 5 less words necessary. People in this section seem to know what they're doing, so they won't need much governing.
  
• Contests, I feel it might be good to limit people to only hosting 1 contest a week, as some of the more, *cough*spammier members generate them quite frequently. However, in the case of 1v1s, they can make as many as they like I feel. Finished Contests can be kept, but a cut-off date of 1 week there is sufficient before deletion.
  
• I am still considering the means to educating new members, maybe a Tutorial Thread with easy step by step examples using flashy picture.
  

.:How will these work?:.

• The segregation of Singles and Sets will thus allow newbies to not feel, intimidated by it, as I feel some are put off by the 40+ sets some people make. Being eased into a subject is what allows people to get a slow but steady grasp of the subject. I find reducing the AC to 20 words for Singles is fair, as you don't have 50 somehting cards to write about, just one. 20 words is more than enough to express your feelings on the card.
  
• I like the idea of a grading form as it allows someone to see WHERE exactly they went wrong, aside from long critique. This form is designed to prevent people from just posting some arbitrary number like 'gud jewb 9.39w8u2386526587pineapple/10'. It's unhelpful and at times people don't have a good grasp on judging cards anyways.
  
• The point of reviewing these rules is to see what works, what doesn't work and what needs changing. Rules need a refresher once a year in my opinion.
  
• It's an idea that doesn't need usage, I just felt I may as well say SOMETHING about PCC.
  
• Sometimes people don't understand unless you're straight forward about things. So, I'm just playing this idea straight.
  
• Written cards are basically just RCs in text format. Though, an additional area for sets might be efficient here as well.
  
• I just feel people spit out too many contests, in such a way that it's almost just +1 post stuff. Limiting people to only hosting 1 contest a week gives people chances to make their own. 1v1s are mere ego battles honestly, but it's done in a way that at least people can at least improve off it.
  
• It's something that'll catch their eyes and attention spans, and will allow them to understand how the CC section is srs bsnes.
  

.:Why do you feel you should moderate Custom Cards?:.

 

That's an interesting question Bob. I guess it's because we need a fresh and creative mind in this section; I can't guarantee that my mind HASN'T been out in the sun for too long, but I feel that I know what to do with this section, and how to make the changes to make it much more friendly. I feel it’s resembling a steep mountain a little, and people do get unnerved by steep cliffs, especially with their wee liddle pick axes. This mountain needs slanting a little; I cannot guarantee that I am the best candidate, but, I can modestly say I’m suitable enough for the position.

[Raine]

YCM Mod Application

 

Name: Raine Baskerville

 

Manifesto and Policies:

 

You ask me to be mod but what is a mod? A mod is a mother who bathes in gold and doesn't mind the bruises that come with it. A silent guardian watching over the social security line for unusual suspects or anyone who had never seen a Doris Day film. Have you ever, like, looked at yourself and just drown in the notion of how sexy you are? Mmm, it's like a Barry White was a glorious stallion parading across fields of just naked cupid statues. Ah, the feelings.... they're going up my legs... mmm... Put another quarter in cause I'm liking this ride. Hey, I like your beard it's manly and makes me hungry for food... which I don't have. Proof, that I will donate myself more to being referee than to the wellbeing of myself and countless Victoria Secret turtles. Cause you know what else donates? Nazis, and you don't one of those running around spreading anti-semetic sunshine and rainbows... arguably the worst kind of rainbows. To the creed breaking and the hoodlums and the pony erotica, I say lets get down and dirty as I arrest them for public indecency because I, Cloud, am the model citizen of Facespace and Lifejournals is... good. I'd like to give an example of this one time, I was scootely-pooping and i showed the space helmet and they were like, no way. 

  

How will these work?:

 

How will what work? Working involves stuff and that stuff has to do things following a set of rules like pogo stick racing. It's a combination of the human spirit that can overcome any obstacle, and... *sniff* that's why I'm so proud of you. I'm so dam proud of you, your father and I are so happy for you. When we raised you when you were ye big and I told him. I TOLD HIM! He'll grow up to great, but they didn't believe me. Even on that stake, as the flames grew bigger and those chants of witch was all I heard... I believed in you because I knew you'd be good... be good for mommy... he... wa... I'm sorry, I'll stop crying. But you shot that man in Reno, just to watch him die. It's not your fault, it's those freaking rick folks eating in that fancy dining car. They're probably drinking coffee and smoking big cigars. Cause it's America, a corrupted twisted version of the original vision. Redistribute the property, level the playing the field, MARX! MARX! MARX! 

 

Why do you feel you should moderate Custom Cards?:

 

Listen, I'm Raine, that means a few things. Umm, uno, the Mexican embassy owes me $46 dollars in back taxes. Two, I'm a natural born leader I led plenty of anarchy riots. This is a better deal for you than me, having Raine as a mod is a status symbol. All the other site mods keep sending me emails and calling me trying to recuit me, I said, no, let the YCMers have their shot. You know why I said that? Because, we're tight. We played together when we were children, I was at your wedding, I was in the hospital with you, that shoulder to cry on when you had your firstborn. I love you, we're more than best friends we're like soul buddies. Now, I understand you need to give every application a look, but hey I'd love to work with you more. You know, give me a hug, for old times sake. 

[Toffee.]

Fine, I'll get it over with~

GO GO GADGET APPLICATION!

 

Name: my username, hilariously enough, comes from the maverick in Megaman X; Armored Armadillo. So yes, if you made a connection like that, you could tell i was a fan of Megaman. The Z was added for lulz, and because, at the time, someone had the original username of ‘Armadillo’. This has also somewhat earned me the nickname of ‘Armz’. And hilariously enough, this turns out to be a trope. My username has never been changed, and has remained the exact same since 2008. This is partially because I’m paranoid over people jumping at the chance to have my original username, the moment i change mine. Dunno’ why, I just am. Maybe it’s because I’m weird like that.

 

Manifesto and policies: Not sure what you meant by manifesto, but as far as policies go, it’s not exactly rocket science to trim the fat out of the various custom cards sections. I mean, if you think about it; realistic naturally is intimidating to users out of fear of having cards that aren’t “good enough” to implied standards, and generally has a very low spam rating. Pop-culture, pop-culture is its own section, and is left as-is because despite the fact cards in that section can be rather spammish, they could actually be going for accuracy as far as they were concerned. Like if you made cards of pokemon, you could have “pokemon” as a type, which was your actual intention, and makes it more convenient. Any other cards, this section is the high-spam one, and is the only real topic i see that needs work, and as such, would get immediate attention. Written? Written is formal and easy going. Plus, people hardly post there and/or post seriously. It’s basically bizarro games-section.

 

How will these work?: Pretty sure I already covered these, aside from manifesto, mostly because i don’t know how to answer the former. Although i already did address the later, and how i would up trying to fix it. Though it may be a bit of a stretch, as i could have exaggerated 1-2 sections, despite the fact i’m just being honest. Regardless, that doesn’t mean there is no room for improvement, as just about nobody reads the advanced clause, and simply says: “lol cool card”. Though, if you’re a new member, that could be forgiven and said user could be asked to read said clause as a way to enforce this, mostly as a way organize things.

 

Why do you feel you should moderate custom cards?: Honestly, I have no idea. The whole idea simply is a way that i see fit, in terms of how one could fix up the sections. Anyone else could see that. Plus, only really post to ultimately showcase what lulzy artworks and/or really cool ideas they created. As a closing to this, nobody can say are a terrible moderator, as everyone has their own views/ideals on how they wish to fix the sections. Plus you have the factor of someone who’s online, and who can be reached at the time of whatever problems surface, for the current mod-team to be alerted of the situation.

[Kitty]

Name: Kitty

 

Manifesto and Policies:

I shall rule CC with an iron fist. There will be some commandments.

- Thou shalt not spam

- Thou shalt not troll

- Thou shalt not flame

- Thou shalt not post stupid shiz

- Thou shalt follow my rules because I said so.

 

How will these work?:

Because I’m twirling the banhammer baby.

 

Why do you feel you should moderate Custom Cards?:

 

Roses are red

Violets aren’t blue

If everyone has a chance

Then why not me too~

 

Seriously though, like I’d go crazy with a huge amount of power like some of these members would. I would not develop an ego that made me think I was superior to everyone else. I would be a kind queen to all of the CC peasants.

 

P.s. I am a cat of few words. The more you draw things out the more boring you sound. This is short and sweet. Not everything has to be long and drawn out. This is YCM not the Presidential election for crying out loud.

[Guest Nathanael Darius Striker]

Name: Nathanael Darius Striker

Manifesto and Policies: Take a good look at CC. Tell me what you see. Alright, I'll tell you what I see. I see a section that is in desperate need of repair; I see a section that is in need of guidance I see a section that is in desperate need of fresh ideas. In short, I see a section that is in desperate need of a revival. Now, this is not a task that only one person can handle. This is a task that needs the community to come together for the greater good of the section. The main way I see this working is with a mentorship program. A mentorship program will allow new cardmakers the guidance they so desperately need in their journey; a journey full of twists and turns, trials and tribulations, successes and failures. Yes, I consider cardmaking a journey because there is never a set destination. When one part of the journey is finished, there is always something else that drives us even more. A mentor will give new cardmakers the chance to enjoy this precious journey a little bit more since it would make it easier on them. Also, the mentorship program will also benefit the mentors because it will teach them how to truly help new cardmakers, which would give better quality reviews since they would have had a lot of experience doing so. However, what good is a mentorship program if there isn't anything to measure the abilities of cardmakers as they progress? That is why I also see competitions/events taking place as a way to measure the improvement of cardmakers. This will give both new cardmakers and veteran cardmakers something to do and allow them to improve. It'll also give mentors a tool for helping their students as it shows how they behave under pressure and allows mentors to see where their students need more work.

How will these work?: I have a rough draft of what I envision the mentorship program to look like. It can be found in the spoiler included at the end of this application. It details the requirements of being either a mentor or a student and the qualities a good mentor or student possess. Not every detail has been thought of because I envision this being a community effort since this would benefit the community as a whole. Also, I am only one person and I cannot possibly think of every situation and every detail concerning the proposed program. On top of that, I think it will be wise for the community to decide on how mentors and students get paired up, though I have my ideas when it comes to that. As for the competitions/events, they would vary between the four card making sections, specializing on their strengths and weaknesses. I admit that sections like PCC and AoC need work; however, that will not stop me from bringing me together and improving them along with the rest of CC. In Card Contests, I will create a major contest series or something along those lines. I have successfully done something like this on a smaller scale; however, I will need the entire community to make this a reality.

Why do you feel you should moderate Custom Cards?: As of right now, CC is going through tough times. This isn't the time to let our petty differences get in the way. This is the time for us to come together as a community. If we continue to let our differences cloud our judgment and prevent us from bringing CC back to its former glory, than CC may never be the shinning beacon of hope the section once was. I should moderate CC because I deeply care about this section. I have been here ever since I joined YCM. I have seen its glory days, and I have seen its not so glory days. This is one of its not so glory days. I want to see CC to be even better than how I remember it, and that can only happen if I have everyone's support. So, what do you say? The fate of CC is in our hands, let's make it count.

 

[spoiler=Rough Draft of Proposed Mentorship Program]

Purpose

 

To improve cardmaking through meaningful teacher-student interaction.

 

Who can be a mentor?

 

1. A mentor must be at least a Level 4 member. (There are exceptions to this rule)

2. A mentor must have been apart of CC for at least 3 months, unless they have proven themselves.

 

How can someone become a mentor?

 

1. They must state why they wish to be a mentor.

2. They must submit a card of their choice that best demonstrates their skills.

3. They must submit a review that they posted for another card in the section.

4. In order to become a mentor, they must have at least 2/3 approval from the selection committee.

 

What makes a good mentor?

 

1. A mentor is knowledgeable. While they may not know everything about the meta, they know what is good and what is not.

2. A mentor is understanding. They understand their student's strengths and weaknesses and use them to improve the ability of their student.

3. A mentor is compassionate. They deeply care about the growth of their student and do whatever they can to upport that growth.

 

Who can be a student?

 

1. A student can be any member with a desire to learn and improve.

 

How does someone become a student?

 

1. Submit a card that demonstrates your cardmaking ability.

 

What makes a good student?

 

1. A student must be open-minded. They must be open to suggestions and criticism.

2. A student must have to desire to improve. A mentor is wasting their time if they don't have the desure to mprove.

3. A student must word hard. A mentor is not there to do the work for them. They must take the initiative for their learning.

 

NOTE: This is subject to change. This will be a community project for the betterment of the community.

 

[Guest - Neo -]

Name: Neo

 

Manifesto and Policies: I've actually been throwing around a significant amount of ideas, many of which were inspired by the original application thread in which a lot of the members, all of whom ar ideal candidates in my opinion, threw around a lot of ideas that we would implement as a whole. One of the things (and really my main selling point) is the implementation of incentives for members who design and create cards in any section. I'll explain a bit more in the next section, but I'm going to outline what I can best describe as a five-point plan, that details all I'm planning to cover in the Custom Cards section:

 

- Restoring the "fun" and "creativity" of Card Making

 

- Realistic Incentive

 

- Rule Enforcement

 

- Contests/Skill Challenges

 

- Member-Member Interaction

 

How will these work?:

 

Point #1: When I first joined YCM back in 2007, Card Making was the site's premiere activity. It was the first of its kind and there wasn't any competition from YugiCo, MSE, or anything like that. It was what drew me to the site and what drew so many others as well. Being able to create and design your own cards was a really cool, new thing and it was something that was taken seriously by a lot of members of the site. Originally, people's reputation would come from (or at least it began with) how well they were at card making. People like God Kaze and DJ Osiris, respectively, had reputations based on these premises and others were challenged to try and create cards somewhere near that level. There was a definite sense of competition and sportsmanship among a lot of the members to try and create the best cards. I want to slowly but surely restore that. Whether it be promoting the Card Making aspect and getting members to give it a try, as well as get those who have done it in the past to test their skills against some of the newer card makers of today, boosting the activity of the section and bringing back competition will go a long way in boosting CC's activity and making the site fun again.

 

Point #2: Incentive. This is important because a lot of members don't have any reason to try and make their cards Realistic, or even make them at all. Since this is our namesake, after all, I think designing a system where members are rewarded for certain scenarios. One idea I had in mind was a "Review System" done by a board of good to great card makers and if certain cards fit the criteria that would be decided upon by a vote, that member would recieve something, whether it be Shop Credit, Items, Points, just things exclusively earned in this section to make it seem like more of a reason to actually come here. Not just in Realistic Cards, either. I think it's something that can be implemented in all the sections, maybe with lesser prizes for Written and AoC if only because there's less work involved when it comes to an overall product. Its been a long time since I've been a Moderator at all, so I'd have to re-familiarize myself with the new system and what we have to offer, but this would be the first "project" I tackle if I was given this position.

 

Point #3: Rule Enforcement. One of the things that I've noticed when going around to offer reviews and comments on current cards in the section, is that some members like to out-right flame or insult other members' designs, particularly newer members. Often times I see members that are Veteran Members acting childish and it doesn't do a thing to help the newer members learn to improve when it comes to making cards, at all. In order for the section(s) to thrive and be active, we need to have people learning and improving their "craft". If these members get flamed and treated like crap from the get-go, what reason do they have to stick around? I'd be completely fair and even lienent on some things, but attacking members because they're not "on one's level" is an extremely poor thing in my opinion and is something I would spend extra time making sure was not the case.

 

Point #4: This is another big one, but would definitely require modship specifically because in order to effectively promote something like this, I'd need these "powers". I'm not sure if many of you remember Browarod's "Diamond in the Rough" Contest Series, which offered points, reps, and name changes as prizes, but it was a semi-annual contest that really put Card Making skills to the test. It would often get tons of hype and entrants and was a really big contest. I'd like to bring something like this back; my rough draft ideas is something like the "Power Series", where each Contest would focus on a specific game element or mechanic. The reason being is that it would allow members to familiarize themselves with mechanics, OCG, and things like that, while making new cards and coming up with creative ideas at the same time. I'd enlist the help of some skilled Graphic Design artists to design exclusive prize signatures/avatars for the winners and in the case of a big contest, additional prizes based on entry. I'd love to be able to implement this if given the opportunity.

 

Point #5: Member-Member Interaction. Okay, I get it, a lot of older members don't take kindly to newer members at first, maybe because they're unfamiliar, or think they're "noobish", stupid stuff. I think one of the key elements to reviving CC is this. Reviews, comments, even if it's just taking a minute or two to offer some advice, so many awesome cards go ignored and it makes it so people don't want to post in the sections at all. This ties into the "Power Series", too, because I have plans for a contest that would pair Veteran Members with Newer Members for a Tag Team Battle Royale to really work together and help them to learn from one another. If by some chance I DO get this opportunity, this will be the first thing I put in and the "Diamond Dust Power Series" will be the first big contest I host, as soon as January 2013 if everything were to work.

 

Why do you feel you should moderate Custom Cards?:

 

I've been a member for almost six years, and two of those six years I served as a Moderator/Super Moderator in different areas of the site. For me, YCM isn't about "power" or anything like that. My activity has dwindled significantly but I see this as an opportunity to help out, get active, and boost the site that made me a lot of friends and played a significant part in my childhood. Even though it's online, I've been a member of the site for so long that it's weird to imagine what it would have been like had I not spent countless hours on here after school making cards and writing Fan-Fiction, and things like that. Sure, I have other focuses now, but I want to give back, and I think I've got some really well-thought out ideas to do so.

 

I don't have as many friends on here as I used to; many of them have left and those who haven't I usually keep in contact with through Facebook or other means, but I think that's a good thing. There's no bias. I'm fair and balanced with everyone and I'm extremely easy-going for the most part. I'd love to listen to ideas and have the community participate in all sorts of things. I'd like to think I've proven my worth as a member in the past but I see this as a chance to help build the next generation of YCM and help in any way that I can.

 

I've been playing the Card Game for over ten years and I have an extensive knowledge of rulings, balance, design, and everything in-between. While I'm sure there are plenty of candidates more deserving than me, I'm extremely excited about the opportunity and would love the chance to help restore YCM's CC to what it once was.

 

Hope you'll consider me.

[Guest Hatcher]

Thank you for participating in YCM's first democratic election.

 

SPOILER: This isn't the first YCM election.

[Mehmani]

Can we keep this thread manifesto-only, please? It makes things a lot clearer. You are welcome to post your (resentful) comments in the discussion threads. Of course, you have already done that in the discussion threads. And in a status where I mentioned this election in passing. And in the Mod Forums, too, I think. I refuted your little point, which I must say seems very much like an attempt to belittle me, in the aforementioned status. Regardless, move your post to the discussion thread and I will do likewise.

 

 

Arm

Seattleite - 2

Leo

Striker

Rin-Chan

-Neo-

[.Leo]

Name: .Leo

 

Manifesto and Policies: I have many ideas that could make custom cards a better section, raising the activity of the Realistic Cards, and the rest of the custom card forums in general. Here is a list of some of the ideas that I have to raise the activity and start bringing the fun back to Realistic Cards:

 

1. Bring back CC Your Deck Competitions:

These types of competitions have been held before and have yielded some good results in the past. I feel that these events get everyone into making cards and commenting on others. To make this event more successful and enjoyable for everyone, we can always build onto this. A dueling tournament that goes along with the card making, that has been discussed previous times should be added. A ban-list for said event could be made and judged by other people commenting on cards (getting the community more involved) and stating their opinions. This type of event has had good success in Custom Cards in the past and is something that should be held again.

2. Changing Finished Sets:

Probably the most pointless section on YCM right now. This section doesn’t need to be there, and can be easily changed for something else. Ideas on that could be custom decks, card making resources and tutorials, etc... The section is in drastic need of a change and is something that should be done.

3. High Scale Custom Card Tournaments (ie;

Smogon Premier League like tournament):

Custom card tournaments have been done in the past by various members. I have done them and Dark Mousy, if I recall correctly, has done some as well (he is now banned). They have had great success and I think we should have a regular schedule of card making tournaments that are run by the moderators every so often. One of the tournament ideas that could be done is a Premier League like tournament. An example of this type of tournament would be the Smogon Premier League, which can be found and explored in this link:

http://www.smogon.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=130

.

Obviously, it would be run differently than the Smogon Premier League, due to their extremely large player base compared to our very small card creating member base. The way this tournament could be run would be determined on the amount of people interested in this type of event. There are many other types of tournaments that could be held as well, not just this one.

 

4. Adding Incentive to Comment on Other People’s Cards: This is probably one of the biggest problems Realistic Cards has in my opinion. Let me go down right now and list some of the post to view counts (specifically card threads). 2:7, 1:26, 9:61, 4:75, 15:194. Gone are the days where you could simply post a card, and regularly get 8+posts on the thread. Gone are the days where you could post an archetype, and get 50+ posts on it, while you keep it open. There needs to be some sort of incentive to get people commenting on peoples cards. Points/Reputation could be a way to get people posting, even though both mean absolutely nothing in the grand scheme of things. Events in turn could make the section more active and get people commenting on other people’s cards.

 

How will these work?: With a bigger moderator presence in YCM, these ideas will have more people backing them, meaning it will have a better chance at success. A lot of this has been explained in each separate paragraph, but there is one thing that will make all of these ideas work and that is getting more people active. Once people are more active, these ideas will be more smoothly run as we have more people who can help and participate. For competitions like a Premier League type tournament, I already have some of the work done into getting the rules set up if it goes through. But the big thing for making this work is getting the participation from the community of members.

 

Why do you feel you should moderate Custom Cards?: I have been in Realistic Cards for quite a long time and have lots of time on my hands, only being a sophomore in high school. I have a good understanding of the game and what makes a good or bad card, so I feel I could be a positive influence on this section of YCM. I am also a good problem solver which I feel would help me be a good moderator in being fair to all parties in a situation, not making decisions that are uncalled for or unjust. I have many ideas that can be implemented, which would vastly increase the activity and popularity of this section and finally bring it back to what it used to be.

[seattleite]

Name: Seattleite

 

 

Manifesto and Policies:

Custom Cards is the lifeblood of this site, the biggest attraction for newcomers. In order for YCM to boost its popularity, this forum will need to have a great deal of activities and a strong community.

 

Proposals for new Activities:

The problem with Custom Card Creation is that it can be difficult to test the balance of your cards. I am the creator of Duel Portal, which is sticky’d in RC right now. It lets YCM creators test their cards in duels with other people. I work on the program every day, and I am close to converting it to a Web Application. If I am elected, I hope to make this program a key tool in the CC section. I firmly believe that the new era of CC should be actually dueling with your cards. It is an attraction to both new and old members to come and mingle together.

 

My goal is not to gain satisfaction over people using my program. I just want to integrate it into YCM so that people will have more motivation to balance and improve cards. Duel Portal is not perfect, so this is a great chance for you to turn it into what you want.

 

Proposals for a Strong Community:

If elected, you can expect many contests and awards. I will award constructive criticism and helpfulness through these awards, which can vary from giving out points to features on the Duel Portal. I plan to crack down on spam and flames. I will enforce the Advanced Clause, and if it’s not perfect, it will be modified. But most of all, I want to turn over CC to the community, so I will regularly be asking others for ideas and thoughts. It’s your forum, so you should be able to take charge. I am just here to help.

 

 

How will these work?:

They will work because I will be on YCM often, posting reviews, accepting ideas, working on my program, etc. The CC forum needs an active, innovative, knowledgeable and approachable moderator. I will be all these things.

 

 

Why do you feel you should moderate Custom Cards?:

I am friendly, approachable and helpful. I’ve helped many people in RC and WC by commenting on the balance and aesthetics of their cards. Look at some of my posts to see what kind of person I am.

 

I want new members to feel welcomed and to improve their cards from criticism. We need pro players to help guide them to making better cards. I think being sensitive to this is important for a CC moderator. I am capable of constructive criticism myself, and have been balancing cards for 2 years.

 

I am a team player. I’ve been involved in a few CCGs (Custom Card Games), working hard with others to make their clubs more enjoyable. Because I have a long history of working in teams, I am very receptive to other people’s ideas and opinions – and I promise if elected I will be dedicated to the CC community. I will try my hardest to make your ideas come to life.