The 2016 Survey: "What do you mean, 'when I'm ready'?"

[brightknightie]

May 5, 2016 will be the 24^th anniversary of "Dark Knight," the Forever Knight series premiere. May 18, 2016 will be the 20^th anniversary of "Last Knight," the Forever Knight series finale. If you want to play, 2016 will bring the 7^th round of fkficfest/fkficfest!

Should we play this year? If so, when? And how can the game be more fun and run more smoothly?

This poll is for community members only. (FK fans may join at any time!) This poll will close at 6:00 PM (Pacific Time) on Monday, February 29, 2016. (Final decisions remain with the moderator regardless of poll results.)

Please share your opinions, ideas and advice! Thank you very much!

Poll #17310 2016 FKFicFest Pre-game Poll

This poll is closed.
Open to: Access List, detailed results viewable to: Just the Poll Creator, participants: 7

Should we play FKFicFest in 2016?

Yes, play in 2016
7 (100.0%)

No, skip a year
0 (0.0%)

Would you *write* in FKFicFest 2016?

Definitely yes
4 (57.1%)

Probably yes
1 (14.3%)

Probably or definitely no
2 (28.6%)

Would you *read* in FKFicFest 2016?

Definitely yes
5 (71.4%)

Probably yes
2 (28.6%)

Probably or definitely no
0 (0.0%)

What should be our *minimum* story length? (Series and "5-Things" adding up to the total are fine.)

1,000 words ("a picture is worth...")
6 (85.7%)

750 words
0 (0.0%)

500 words
1 (14.3%)

What should be our *maximum* story length? (We've never had a maximum. Should we?)

No maximum
7 (100.0%)

50,000 words
0 (0.0%)

25,000 words
0 (0.0%)

10,000 words
0 (0.0%)

At what *rate* should our stories release?

All at once
0 (0.0%)

All over 2 days
1 (14.3%)

1 or 2 stories per day as long as they last
6 (85.7%)

Should we play an *exchange* or a *challenge*? (In an exchange, writers and story requests get matched 1-to-1. In a challenge, writers interpret a common prompt to the writer's own preferences. So far, we've always played exchanges.)

Exchange
5 (71.4%)

Challenge
2 (28.6%)

Exchanges need enough players to match interests. How many *players* (minimum) would we need for a successful FK *exchange*?

9
3 (50.0%)

11
2 (33.3%)

13
0 (0.0%)

15
1 (16.7%)

What's the best *duration* between assignments sent and stories due?

1 month
0 (0.0%)

2 months
6 (85.7%)

3 months
1 (14.3%)

When is *BEST* to have stories due?

Late May
1 (14.3%)

Early June
0 (0.0%)

Late June
0 (0.0%)

Early July
1 (14.3%)

Late July
3 (42.9%)

Early August
2 (28.6%)

Late August
0 (0.0%)

Early September
0 (0.0%)

Late September
0 (0.0%)

When is *WORST* to have stories due?

Late May
2 (28.6%)

Early June
0 (0.0%)

Late June
0 (0.0%)

Early July
0 (0.0%)

Late July
1 (14.3%)

Early August
0 (0.0%)

Late August
1 (14.3%)

Early September
1 (14.3%)

Late September
2 (28.6%)

Must we continue cross-posting on both DW and LJ, or can we go DW-only?

DW alone is fine
7 (100.0%)

LJ is necessary
0 (0.0%)

Will you help spread the word about this year's FKFicFest?

Yes, I'll mention the game where I'm fannishly active!
7 (100.0%)

No.
0 (0.0%)

What would help you *read* (and reply to) more FKFicFest stories?

What can we improve about *sign-ups* for happier matching?

Crossposted on LJ

Comments

[pj1228]

I left out the question about how many players are needed because I think you have the best experience to answer that.

[brightknightie]

The fewest players we've had participate in a game was 9 in 2014. Matching that year was challenging, and there was more than the usual distress in the end at matches gone wrong (in both directions).

That 2014 experience is why I insisted that we needed a minimum number of participants for an exchange in 2015, and I'll need to insist on a minimum number again this year, if exchange-style is chosen over challenge-style. 9 players is the fewest for whom I can agree to run an exchange-style game in FK; I think that 11 would be much better! And 13 is actually our norm.

(Most years, we've had 13 participants. Our first two years, we had 20 and then 18.)

[pj1228]

Are we going to do a contingency plan again this year in case we don't reach the required number? I would like that to guarantee the game is on.

[greerwatson]

Seconding this.

[brightknightie]

Yes, my plan is to include a contingency challenge if exchange-style wins the vote, in case too few people sign up to sustain exchange-style gameplay.

[brightknightie]

Yes. If exchange-style wins the vote, then my plan is to announce a minimum player participation count and a contingency challenge (like last year, but with a new prompt).