[FLUFF] Official Call for teams, belatedly
Bill Martin
-
It's already that time of year again: time for you to post the teams
who you want to go up against the nasty Challenges that the challenge
team has come up with over the year. The idea isn't to walk all over
the Challenges; rather, the point is to see how well you can rise to
the challenge, and to have fun doing so. "Winning" or "losing" isn't
important.
I'll say that again, because not making it clear caused some hurt
feelings in past years:
The point is to see how well you can rise
to the challenge, and to have fun doing so.
"Winning" or "losing" isn't important.
Those of you who've played this in years gone by already know that
there are rules for the Challenge.
First, here are the general rules.
I've come up with three Challenges (Easy, Medium, and Hard, relatively
speaking). Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to recruit a
team of three characters to help you take on one of the Challenges.
(The smart move here is to not accept the mission, but how much fun
would that be?) If you want to have your team go up against two or
three Challenges, or put together two or three teams (one for each
Challenge), that's okay.
(Astute readers will realize that there's a fourth participant in each
team - the person who put the team together. Depending on the team and
the Challenge, this may be important.)
On New Year's Day, I will post the Challenges, along with the teams
that I saw posted for each Challenge.
In some previous years, Blade would then judge which teams were up for
the challenge. However, that caused many hurt feelings in the past,
mostly among people who thought the idea behind the New Year's
Challenge was to try to win against somebody. Therefore, I've decided
in advance to continue Rob Kelk's idea that every team fails the
challenge unless you can convince me otherwise.
You have one week after I post the Challenges in which to write a short
fanfic telling me how you and your recruits handle each scenario.
(That's a better deal than the FFML's "One-Hour Challenge"...) Once
your fanfic has been posted, preferably to rec.arts.anime.fandom, I get
to critique it. (Followups to the post announcing the challenges will
be set to rec.arts.anime.fandom to make it easier for everyone to post
there, unless I forget.)
The critiquing rules are simple:
(1) If any of the characters act out-of-character and I spot it, you lose.
Period. If you think I’m wrong, then prove it with canonical evidence.
(2) If you don't address the challenge that I give you, then you lose.
(Examples of not addressing the challenge include, but aren't
limited to, spending all of your time on a side issue, or getting
your recurits to try to bribe the judges instead of solving the
problem at hand.)
(3) I reserve the right to stomp all over the munchkins who pick
"power" teams. I might not do this at all, but I reserve the
right to do it.
(4) An entertaining story with questionable tactics will be looked upon
more favourably than a boring story with excellent tactics. An
entertaining story with excellent tactics will be looked upon most
favourably, of course.
Second, here are the specific rules, expanding on assumed points in the
general rules.
Unless otherwise stated in a particular Challenge, the Challenges take
place in a close analogue of our world where magic and psi powers work.
They're still unknown, but they work. (Table-top roleplaying gamers
might think of the worlds described in "GURPS Cabal" or "Mage: The
Ascension" here. The setting isn't either of those worlds, but it's
similar.) You can't send your teams to Pallet Town or Kami House or
Hinata-sou, because they don't exist here. You can send them to the
Vatican, if you think that it'll help (or if you just want to pray for
a miracle), because the Vatican really does exist. If you choose to
visit Miami, you end up in the city in Florida, not the one in "Miami
Guns".
The characters get whatever gear *_that they own_* that they usually
wear or carry, unless at the time of summoning they are holding a
certain object. (For example, the "Urusei Yatsura" character Shutaro
Mendo gets his wad-of-cash-big-enough-to-fund-a-corporate-takeover,
because he always carries it around with him. He doesn't get his
family's private helicopter, because that belongs to his family, not to
him.) I may be lenient on this when a character has a mecha or
hardsuit issued to him (such as a Knight Saber has), or they happen to
be the only life form in the aforementioned mecha or hardsuit; convince
me. However, when the gear itself counts as one or more characters,
the "extra" characters have to stay at home, unless you assign one of
your other summons to that character. (Thus, picking Chibi-Usa from
"Sailor Moon SuperS" doesn't give you Pegasus for free, and picking
Katsumi Liqueur from the second half of "Silent Mobius" doesn't give
you Grosspoliner for free.)
Omnipotent characters, or those near enough not to matter, are
disallowed. If you take a character that can do anything, then there's
no challenge to rise to. (Repeating Rule One again: The point is to
see how well you can rise to the challenge, and to have fun doing so.
"Winning" or "losing" isn't important.) Appendix One, below, has a
non-exclusive list of characters near enough to omnipotent to be
disallowed; I reserve the right to add to the list. Appendix Two, also
below, has a non-exclusive list of characters that, while not uber
enough to be banned, have been brought to my attention that may be
added to the banned list at a future time due to potential easy ways
out of challenges. I repeat, Appendix Two is NOT BANNED, however,
based upon their use, they MAY be moved to the banned list at future
date if I see evidence that they should be there.
Characters should come from anime or manga, while some video game
characters are acceptable. (No, you can’t take Gaius Baltar from the
Battlestar Galactica graphic novel. I don’t care if your local store
puts it with the manga.) I’d prefer if you chose characters from
anime or manga, however I can make exceptions for videogame characters,
as long as they are Japanese in origin (in other words, Japanese
inspiration came up with the character, not an American, if the
character is an original. Japanese reinterpretations of real or
fictionalized characters, such as Dracula, Frankenstein, or the Mummy
are acceptable while the originals are not.)
In addition, the “Same Character Rule” is now going to be properly
defined. If you wish (for some unknown reason) you want 2 or 3
instances of the same character, there are set guidelines. The
original instance of this rule was when Ethan Hammond asked for Atsume
“Nuku-Nuku” Natsume from both the OAV and TV continuities. After
review, this exception is allowed because although both have the same
origin, they’ve had different lives, and are essentially different
characters in different continuities. If, however, someone asked for
Son Goku from Dragonball, Dragonball Z, and Dragonball GT, officially
it will not be allowed, since it is the same character, just with
different amounts of experience. Tenchi Masaki from Tenchi Universe
and the OAVs would be allowed, while Tenchi Masaki from the OAVs and
GXP would not. If you have a question, e-mail me and I will do my best
to answer you in a timely fashion.
While it would be nice if the characters you choose would be able to
work as a team (with you or each other), it isn't required. However,
keep in mind that you'll have to write a fanfic with these characters
to show that you should win, and writing any character out-of-character
(also called character rape, like making Xellos a goody-two-shoes
without a reasonable explanation) is an automatic loss.
While it would be nice if you take a team made up of characters from
three different stories, you may pick all three from the same show if
you wish. (Yes, you may choose three "Z Fighters", or all three
Gunbusters, if you really want to. Don't think that I haven't planned
for that, though.)
Since there's more anime available than there is time to watch it, I
can't possibly know who every character is. Be sure to clearly
identify the characters you choose, and provide capsule descriptions of
who they are and what they can do. Don't assume that I'm familiar with
the characters, even if they're ones we often talk about on the
newsgroup or are well-known (like Akane, Akane, Akane, or Akane).
Repeats from previous challenges you, yourself have entered are an
exception. You’ve told me about them before, and unless something’s
changed, I shouldn’t need to be told again.
Also, you have to state from what part of what continuity you are
taking your recruits from. (There's a world of difference between
"Ranma 1/2"'s start-of-anime Saotome Ranma and end-of-manga Saotome
Ranma, for instance.) If you fail to do this, then I will assume you
want the first appearance of the character, from the anime if there's
still any question. (THIS IS A CHANGE FROM 2004'S RULES.)
All characters are to act in character. The only exception is that
they won't try to kill you or try to take over the world as soon as
they show up. They may change their minds just *after* they show up,
of course...
Was that clear?
No? Okay, here's an example, from the 2004 Challenge:
Hand-of-Omega decided to try the Easy Challenge, and chooses for his
team The Gentleman (from "Read or Die"), Rin (from "Please Save My
Earth"), and Eriol (from "Cardcaptor Sakura"). I make sure that he's
specified from when in each series he wants to take these characters.
On January 1, the challenge givers announced that the Easy Challenge is
to have all three of the team members agree on a plan of action in a
particular situation.
Blade, with his knowledge of "Please Save My Earth", decided that
there's no way that Rin would agree to anything proposed by either of
the others, and the others probably wouldn't agree to any plan proposed
by Rin. At the time, Rob Kelk agreed.
Hand-of-Omega wrote this short fanfic to show how the team he assembled
would be able to succeed:
<http://www.google.ca/groups?selm=27420f11.0402142347.a2f6075%40postin...>
Rob Kelk read through the fanfic, decided after some thought that the
solution proposed would just barely work, and overruled Blade's
decision.
Hand-of-Omega won the 2004 Easy Challenge.
One last thing, there are a few characters who are not bannable that
can time travel, either on their own, or via allowable equipment. As
of now, there is a time travel block, similar to the one from “The
Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya” where attempting to travel to a point in
time to where you could stop the challenge from happening, will result
in dropping you off back where you came from. For example, during the
SpiderCarnage challenge, time travel to stop the Robot Controller (or
whatever your team renamed him) from summoning the Japanese Spiderman,
Leopaldon/Marveller, and the Carnage symbiote would be blocked. Time
travel that would allow your team extra prep time to help build
anti-symbiote weaponry would be allowed, but would have to go to a time
not affectable by the block.
Good luck, everyone. You're going to need it...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Appendix One: The Banned List
Characters that are near enough to omnipotent to be disallowed from all
future New Year's Challenges
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Since merely being listed here can be seen as a spoiler, the character
names are listed in ROT-13. The anime and manga names are in clear
text.
Ah My Goddess: Oryyqnaql, Xnzv-fnzn, Uvyq
Akira: Nxven, Grgfhb
Dragonball Z/GT: Furaeba (n.x.n. Fura Ybat), Cbehatn
Excel Saga: Gur Terng Jvyy bs gur Znpebpbfz, Anorfuva
Princess Tutu: Qebffryzrlre, Snxve
Revolutionary Girl Utena: Nxvb, Nagul, Qvbf
Sailor Moon: Dhrra Freravgl, Arb-Dhrra Freravgl
Slayers: Gur Ybeq bs Avtugznerf, Prcuvrq,
Funoenavtqb
Superbook: Tbq, Wrfhf, Gur Qrivy
Tenchi Muyo Ryo-ohki: Gbxvzv, Gfhanzv, Jnfuhh
The Flying House: Tbq, Wrfhf
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya: Unehuv Fhmhzvln, Lhxv Antngb, Elbxb Nfnxhen
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Appendix Two: The Restricted/Watch List
Characters that could potentially tip the scales enough that they might
be added to the banned list in future challenges, or ones that I feel
will give a hidden loophole to solving a challenge. Being on this list
is not a banning, but a warning that using them will gain my utmost
scrutiny.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Since merely being listed here can be seen as a spoiler, the character
names are listed in ROT-13. The anime and manga names are in clear
text.
Dragonball Z/GT: Qraqr, Xnzv, Theh
xxxHolic: Lhxb Vpuvunen
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
--
Please note, I have blocked most gmail addresses. I can still be
reached by e-mail, and if you are a legitimate poster, I can make an
exception in my killfile rules to allow me to see your posts. I do not
like the spam when it doesn't come from those tins.
Gerardo Campos
> Sorry, been busy, but here's what some of you have been waiting for.
>
> -
>
> It's already that time of year again: time for you to post the teams
> who you want to go up against the nasty Challenges that the challenge
> team has come up with over the year. The idea isn't to walk all over
> the Challenges; rather, the point is to see how well you can rise to the
> challenge, and to have fun doing so. "Winning" or "losing" isn't
> important.
>
I hope this year I can write something.
As usual, I will try it with the Xalsin team:
Tochiro from Harlock, Arcadia of my Youth
Clef from Magic Knight Rayearth OVA
Dai from Dragon Quest: Dai no Daiboken
--
Saludos
Gerardo Campos
dot_wa...@hotmail.com
preferences (Pyro, Engineer, Medic, Scout) are all getting exploded as
soon as I step foot outside of the respawn, so Team Fortress 2 won't
be as distracting as before. *sadface*
ANYWAY! The Omake challenge proved that the new teams are workable, so
I'll be using them again this time:
Team Sugar
*Kirby, Nintendo, Super Smash Bros. Melee
*Kinomoto Sakura, Card Captor Sakura, end of series
*L, Death Note, right after his debut
Team Unfair Advantage
*Seta Soujirou, Rurouni Kenshin, post Kyoto Arc
*Doraemon, Doraemon, post 1st OVA (including 4th dimensional pocket)
*Zhuge Liang, styled Kongming, Dynasty Warriors series, circa Battle
of Chi Bi (starting stats and weapon, no extra equipment)
Team Pyrrhic Victory
*Flonne, Makai Senki Disgaea, beginning of episode 12 (can heal via
Power of Love, and shoot feathers of light as an offensive projectile)
*Legato Bluesummers, Trigun, right before he snuffs it in the anime
*Xelloss, Slayers Try, post series
Starcade
challenge. But I do plan to take part. :)
Mike
Rob Kelk
>Sorry, been busy, but here's what some of you have been waiting for.
For the first time since the inception of the Challenges, I'm not able
to take part. <sigh>
(Although I reserve the right to slip an omake story in if I somehow do
have some time... but that isn't likely this year.)
--
Rob Kelk <http://robkelk.ottawa-anime.org/> e-mail: s/deadspam/gmail/
"Santa sure says some mean things, you know?"
- Ayumu "Osaka" Kasuga, talking about the Ruldolph story,
"Azumanga Daioh" episode #17
Starcade
some other stuff has come up that should clear up before New Year's.
Basically, it was mutually decided to let Sora, Ken, and Layla have
the Easy Challenge.
Rosetta and May wanted to be together, as did Mia and Anna.
Since, IIRC, Leon went with Mia and Anna for the Easy Challenge one of
these last years, I sent Yuri with them for the Medium Challenge and
Rosetta, May, and Leon will tackle the abject impossibility that Bill
has come up with.
So, the teams:
Team "Love (and Light) Conquers All" -- Easy Challenge
Sora Naegino, Ken Robbins, and Layla Hamilton
Team "Serious and Silly" -- Medium Challenge
Yuri Killian, Mia Gillem, Anna Heart
Team "Who's in Control Here?" -- Hard Challenge
Rosetta Passell, May Wong, Leon Oswald
Mike
Sea Wasp (Ryk E. Spoor)
I will try to do it again this year, though my late track record is not
good.
Team Returning Munchkins will remain in Omake as usual, taking all
three challenges.
Taking on all three challenges as well will be my serious team
(serious?), Bullets, Badass, and Beauty: Genjo Sanzo from Saiyuki (end
of Saiyuki but before Reloaded, etc.), Kakashi from Naruto Shippuden,
and Cutey Honey from my prior Team Technomagic.
--
Sea Wasp
/^\
;;;
Live Journal: http://seawasp.livejournal.com
Antonio E. Gonzalez
<bill_r...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>Sorry, been busy, but here's what some of you have been waiting for.
>
>-
>
>It's already that time of year again: time for you to post the teams
>who you want to go up against the nasty Challenges that the challenge
>team has come up with over the year. The idea isn't to walk all over
>the Challenges; rather, the point is to see how well you can rise to
>the challenge, and to have fun doing so. "Winning" or "losing" isn't
>important.
>
>I'll say that again, because not making it clear caused some hurt
>feelings in past years:
>
> The point is to see how well you can rise
> to the challenge, and to have fun doing so.
> "Winning" or "losing" isn't important.
>
>Those of you who've played this in years gone by already know that
>there are rules for the Challenge.
>
<snip huge rules we all already know>
Ummm, anyway, once again, for what it's worth, Team Teen/Youth . .
. but with tweak!:
Bulma Briefs - DBZ; end of the Namek Arc
Her usual technical genius, just after experiences with alien
technology, without certain romantic attachments complicating things
(i.e. a baby to carry around); with all that, she's pretty hot!
Miroku - Inuyasha; just after ep. 132
One of the more underrated characters in any anime, people just
think
of him as "the pervert with the black hole hand." He's also a trained
Buddhist priest, a master at controlling spirits (especially when he
has his scrolls), quite handy with that big staff of his (go ahead,
cue the obvious jokes), and has deceptive strength and speed
(considering the company he manages to keep up with). On top of that,
quite handsome.
I picked that particular episode because a certain event there
seriously curtailed his legendary libido, not to mention gave him a
great reason to live.
Rock Lee - Naruto; just before his Chunin Exams.
Don't know *that* much about him, but I needed pure muscle, and his
determination and power seemed a perfect combination. The time is
obvious as it just preceded some "severe trauma" he'll experience . .
Here's the tweak:
Team Teen/Youth EH:
Simply replace Bulma with Orihime Inoue from Bleach! That's
Orihime just before she's kidnapped to Hueco Mundo. At this stage her
healing abilities can bring the dead back to life under the right
circumstances; that, and her legendary "natural talent."!
I submit both teams, with the use of either team depending on my
prerogative. If that's a problem, I'll stick to the original Team
Youth; I'm just trying to get flexibility here. Anyway, hope this
doesn't pose a problem.
--
- ReFlex76
Bill Martin
It's fine, so long as each challenge is written as a seperate fic. If
you decide, like several have in the past, to write all 3 challenges as
one fic, then a switch from Bulma to Orihime or Orihime to Bulma will
be a violation of the rules. 3 anime characters and you on the team,
not 4 or more anime characters (with only 3 active at a time) and you
on the team.