General PV Info || PV 2011 Premise
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Q: What's the minimum I can do for one entry?
A: If the round has a mandatory prompt it must be met, and if the round has an optional prompt, you must include your partner in a meaningful way. Other than that, it depends on how you're entering.
Visual: You need to show enough that your audience can tell exactly what is going on in your story without having to read your artist comments or the character refs.
Written: Same as above, but remember, written entries have a minimum of 1500 words, meaning they must be 1500 words or longer. (This is almost three pages of an average text in a 12-size font. Just a few short paragraphs won't cut it!)
Q: Can I switch media formats throughout my Venture, such as starting as a comic and have written entries in later rounds?
A: You may, but please be wise about how you do this. It will be noticeable if you switch to written format to avoid the work of drawing pages out rather than making an informed decision to switch to the written medium and using to its full capacity.
Q: Is a one-picture round entry enough to satisfy the judging for visual entries?
A: No. Unfortunately, lot of people make this mistake. Please carefully read the medium requirements, listed here: poke-fanclub.deviantart.com/bl…
Q: What if I do (an) illustration(s) and have a description telling the audience what's going on?
A: We can allow this only if the 'description' meets the writing requirements, seeing as it's text-reliant. Check the medium requirements on the main info page to see if what you have is okay, and/or ask the staff. Please make sure your picture(s) are need to tell the story.
Q: What if my written entry doesn't reach 1500 words?
A: Having less than 1500 words might save you from Round disqualification by absence of an entry, but will placed in the 'Concerned' category. However, if your entry is good and the margin between 1500 is really small -- say 15 words or so -- we might just look the other way.
Q: What if I can't get my entry in on time?
A: This event is on a set schedule, and we need to pair people in some rounds. We can't be waiting on people to get their entries in, as it would give people who finished on time less time to finish their next entry. You may still hand in your entry late, however, you cannot earn EVs or be paired officially in at least the next round. You also cannot submit to the official entries folder, however, you can submit to 'Late and Independent Entries' folder and you can continue unofficially if you wish. You can still get effort EVs for the work done, but you can't get PokeVenture Round EVs for that round's completion, which can seriously hurt your overall score.
If you're worried your entry won't be finished by the deadline, we recommend just doing the best you can, with quick sketches (for visual) or descriptions (for written) and submitting them for your entry... You can clean them up before the judging at the end of Round 4. The most important thing in order to pass the round on its own is that the story is clear!
Q: I did what I could, but I didn't make a round on time... Is there any way I can still officially participate?
A: You do have an option if you're dedicated. If you do manage to complete your independent entry for the next round as well as finish your late entry from the previous round before the next round's deadline, and if your entries meet all of the qualifications, you may be re-entered into the PokeVenture! You will be able to be matched (if necessary) for the next round and judged at the finish. However, there is a catch: The optional prompts for the rounds become mandatory, and you will lose the 10 round EVs for every round that you missed. Just make sure that you notify the PV staff that you're able to be added to the current entry line-up, or else we might not know you're able and willing. Keep in mind, this does not apply to the final round (round four) which absolutely must be made on time.
Q: I wasn't sure if my entry met the event standards, but I submitted it anyway and it got accepted. Does that mean you guys approved it as meeting all the 'Venture requirements?
A: No, not necessarily. Entries are in the Round Entry folders so the judges know who submitted something, not because they were approved for meeting all the 'Venture's rules and standards.
Q: I'm doing an entry that has several pages/parts to it. Do I submit all of my PV pages to the Round Entry folders?
A: No, cover pages or first pages/parts only please! If we allow everyone to submit their all of their pages separately, there would be pages from all different entries scattered haphazardly around the folder.
There's also the issue of possibly flooding members with pages.
Q: But then I'm worried no one will see any of my pages! What should I do?
A: If you want more people to see your pages, it might be a good idea to submit your Round entry one once all of your pages for that round are complete. Then people viewing your first page/cover can just click through your whole story.
Q: You say entries must be 'kept PG'. Can you explain this further?
A: This means:
If you're going to use foul language ('curses'/'swear words'/'profanity'/whatever you call them) keep it to a bare minimum. Very obscene words such as (but not limited to) the 'f-word' should be left out entirely.
Derogatory slurs, such as those typically used to insult racial groups, people of particular lifestyles, or people with particular beliefs are not allowed under any circumstances.
Only non-graphic violence or brief moderate violence. If there's going to be blood, keep it tasteful.
If you're going to put any suggestive content into your 'Venture, it must remain nothing more than implied. But hopefully none of you were thinking of putting that in a Pokemon story anyway. 
Lastly, no drug use. Something like alcohol is a little more acceptable, but again, keep it tasteful and don't go overboard.
Q: So the prompts to Rounds 2 and 3 are optional? How does that play into my entry? Should I follow the prompt, or not? If I don't, do I get less EVs in judging?
A: If you need any guidance at all, we recommend you follow the prompt. However, you're being graded on the integrity of your story and if the prompt weakens your plan for it, you should leave it out! As long as your story is good and not lazily-done you'll get a good score for it.
Q: Would it be okay if I make my comic entry read right-to-left like a manga?
A: Seeing as this contest is hosted in English and not Japanese or Arabic, no. EVs will be taken off for this in Judging much like EVs are taken off for poor grammar, as it is confusing formatting for English language comics for various reasons.
Q: English isn't my first language/I have a learning disability that makes writing difficult. Do you think I'll be able to compete?
A: We would love to help you out if we can! However, you must notify us and tell us what the problem is and what we can do! We can't help you if we don't know there's a problem. =/
Q: I submitted my entry right before the round ended, but the Group hasn't accepted it in before the deadline passed! Did I not make it? What happened?!
A: Don't worry, if you made it in before the deadline passed, we will know. When something goes into the Group inbox, it's labeled with a timestamp from when you submitted it, so we'll know if you get it in on time. The PV's staff tries to be on while the deadline passes, but unfortunately that's not always a possibility.
Q: Do I need to be a member of the Poke-fanclub to join?
A: You do. You must be able to submit things to the entry folder so they can be judged, and you need to earn club EVs to win.
Q: Why would an entry be categorized into 'Concerned'?
A: It could be any of the following reasons.
Length. Did you only draw one picture, have only one page of comic, or did you write less than 1500 words? Remember that there are medium requirements for length. Chances are we didn't get a good sense of your characters' personalities and motivations from just one picture and/or paragraph. It's simply not enough.
Spelling, grammar, and/or page composition. You may understand what's going on in your entry, but doesn't mean other people who read it do. A PokeVenture entry should be written as well as something you would hand in at school, and if you want to get a great score, it should be even better than that. If it's a drawing, it can't be so messy that we don't know what's going on, and the panels should be positioned in such a way that we knew which ones to read first.
Did the entry follow the other rules? Your entry may be great, but if you ignore the rules you could still get placed in 'Concerned'. For example, entries must be kept PG. If you decide to put in a gory scene, your entry has a problem and you can't get the full 'Pass'. Keep in mind that this applies to all of the rules.
Q: For what reasons could my entry get disqualified?
A: There are a couple reasons.
Failure to hand in four adequate round entries by the end of the PokeVenture.
Failure to hand in adequate reference sheets before the Round 1 deadline.
Blatant disregard for the rules (gory entries, provocative entries, canon characters, etc.)
Plagiarizing other works (especially other 'Venture entries).
Inappropriate conduct or lack of respect for other members, Poke-Fanclub staff, or PV judges (harassment, posts aimed to start fights, etc.). In certain cases this may extend even to people who comment on your entries.
Twisting other players' character behavior or contriving character situations in a way that is insulting or plainly inconsiderate to the owner of that character (including killing other players' characters off without express permission, making characters look or act off the ref in a way that is aimed to offend, etc.).
Remember, what is considered offensive or inappropriate conduct for a PokeVenture entrant will be at the Poke-fanclub's discretion.
Q: Do I really have to fill out the Reference sheet?
A: Yes, you do. We can't count your entry if you don't have a completed ref of your main character by the end of Round 1.
It is particularly important for you to fill out a reference sheet for Rounds 2 and 3 where you will be paired, so the person you're paired with will know how to draw or describe your character consistently. Please remember to complete your refs!
Q: I can draw, but I'm doing a written entry. Do I use the written ref, or the visual ref?
A: We encourage everyone who can draw to use a visual ref, even if you're doing a written entry, because A. pairings for written and drawing entries are not split, and B. we believe entries will be more consistent when the artists or writers have a picture to work from rather than a description.
Q: Do I need to fill out a reference sheet for my support character too?
A: You do! Remember, the reference sheet is more for the judges and for the players you're being paired with, so they know how your character looks and acts! We're going to need a ref for any character that is important to your story.
Q: My character is part of a trainer's team... Can't I add my trainer's other five Pokemon?
A: We're sorry, but for the purposes of this contest we'd like you to only show one of them. You may reference the others, but please don't add another five active characters.
Q: Can I cameo or include other 'Venture entrants in my story, even if I'm not officially paired with them?
A: To your heart's content! Just make sure they're not stealing too much of the spotlight from your own character or your official partner... remember, the focus of your story is supposed to be on them!
Q: Since we don't need to use our Round 2 partners in Round 3, does that mean my Round 2 partner should just disappear from my story in Round 3?
A: Goodness, no! If you don't want to continue using your Round 2 character in Round 3, it would probably be best to have them go their separate ways at the end of Round 2 or at some point in Round 3. If they just disappeared with no explanation, that would be a story flaw, which you can get docked EVs for in judging!
Q: Why can't our characters be friends with or have a connection to canon characters/legendaries?
A: To make sure all entries are compatible. If your character was raised by Lance, and you end up paired with a character that was also raised by Lance, it could be hard to explain if your characters have never met before. Or perhaps your character was raised by 'Lance', who wandered Johto as an orphan in your story, and your partner's character was raised by 'Lance', son of the wealthiest man in Hoenn and raised with a silver spoon in his mouth. Can you see why that would be problematic?
On the other hand, if your character is friends with or connected to a legendary, that may give them too much power at their disposal. For example, let's say your character is a Phione that has a special psychic link to Manaphy, and then suddenly Phione ends up in trouble. In the hands of an inconsiderate writer, what's to stop a powerful Pokemon like Manaphy from showing up and laying waste to everyone in defense of Phione, if not outright solving the problem in the story's premise completely on its own?
There is one possible exception, however: We can be more lenient with Pokemon Professors since so many trainers and Pokemon must meet them.
Q: Acknowledging that we can't have canon characters in the story, can we include characters are that part of a canonical organization, such as Team Rocket/Magma/Plasma/etc.?
A: Sure! If you want your character to be an ex-Galactic Pokemon or you want Team Rocket to be the ones behind your story's conspiracy, be our guest! Of course, this still means that you can't have a meaningful connection to canonical members of that organization. See above.
Q: I know canon characters or legendaries aren't allowed to be a significant part of the story, but can a canon character or legendary make a short cameo in mine?
A: For simplification's sake, we are going to discourage this. One person's 'short cameo' is another person's entire story springboard, however, it's not completely against the rules as long as they don't play a major hand in the story as a character, at least until Round 4. We recommend noting the club with the details first so we can make sure and let you know what you're doing is okay. And no need to be shy, we don't bite!
Q: Why don't you allow legendary Pokemon characters in the PokeVenture?!
A: Legendary characters are tied too strongly to the Pokemon world as a whole. Let's say your character is a Groudon, and story dictates that your character must be captured by Team Aqua. What does your Groudon character do next? Wreak havoc and cause cataclysmic natural disasters until it's freed, perhaps. It's a perfectly believable thing for Groudon to do, but suddenly the person you're paired with in Round 2 has to explain why they've never showed any earthquakes occurring. Not only that, but now your character's story has much higher stakes than the story of the character that person is supposed to be writing for. Not to mention, if your character is any legendary and you've chosen to take your 'Venture on the battling route, your character could just KO any other character to come by. It just ties too much power into your character, and it's not fair to everyone else. Lastly, it would just be too difficult to explain if two people had a Mew character, seeing as there's only supposed to be one Mew.
Q: Can I do two separate 'Ventures entries with two separate characters?
A: We advise you just do one and pick the stronger story of the two you're considering, or just make both of them part of the same story, since the past has proven that most people have enough trouble finishing just one entry. Not only do we not want entrants to spread themselves too thin, but more entries also means more work for the staff. We would much prefer you hone your energy into one great entry than two rushed ones.
Q: My character is a human turned into a Pokemon, like in Mystery Dungeon. Can you allow him/her into the 'Venture?
A: Yes! As long as they're a Pokemon until at least the last round.
Q: If my character's species of Pokemon can still evolve, can mine evolve during the story?
A: Of course! Evolution is allowed during the course of your story. However, if this occurs before Round 4, this does mean filling out a whole new reference sheet before the end of the current round, so please keep this in mind and plan ahead. ^^
Q: My story has a character that only appears in the prologue of my story, and maybe the ending. Do I need to draw a ref for them?
A: It's not required, but if there's any chance that anyone you're paired with may need to draw that character and you have the time, it might be best to draw a ref for him or her just to be safe.
Q: I've entered a PokeVenture in the past and I want to re-use a character I've used before... Can I do that?
A: If that character still works in the frame of the current PokeVenture, sure! If you want to make this PokeVenture a 'sequel' or 'prequel' to your last PV or you want to completely rewrite that character for this PV, that's completely up to you, and both are allowed!
Q: Is it against the rules for a character to die in the PokeVenture?
A: Before you do this, you must notify the club staff via a note since the maturity of a death theme and the other characters involved make this a high risk. We strongly discourage this unless your story absolutely needs it to happen, and a pointless death could do a lot of damage to your final score. Remember! Entries must be PG!
IMPORTANT: If the character you are thinking of offing does not belong to you, you MUST have the permission of the character's owner. A 'no' is a 'no', and if we get word that this happened without their permission your entry will instantly get disqualified.
Q: Why can't my main character be a trainer?
A: Since the expectation is that trainers must solve things with battles, we feel that having Pokemon characters as opposed to trainers enforces the mentality that the PokeVenture doesn't have to be a battling event, while still being distinctly a Pokemon-related storytelling project. We're a bit afraid that if everyone's character was a trainer and there were no battles, in some cases Pokemon might not even be necessary to peoples' stories!
Q: Why did the PokeVenture staff decide to use Pokemon characters rather than trainers?
A: Originally, the PokeVenture was more like an actual Original Character Tournament (OCT) with eliminations, and we felt we needed something to differentiate it from more well-known Pokemon OCTs such as the PCBC and the Pkmn-Battle-Frontier. Inspired by the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon games, the Pokemon character idea was proposed, along with the idea that the characters don't have to battle, but can choose to work together. After the 'no elimination' idea was proposed, it ended up staying to enforce the idea that you don't have to battle your way through the PokeVenture, while still keeping the contest expressly Pokemon-related.
Q: For the paired rounds, are me and my partner supposed to make two separate entries that are completely independent of each other? To what extent do our two stories have to relate to each other?
A: Yes, partners are meant to do two independent stories. The only storyline of your partner's that you must be true to is your partner's character refs and their Round 1 entry, even during Round 3. (Though, this doesn't mean you're not allowed to follow their Round 2 entry if you'd like to use it!) Don't go out of your way and complicate things by trying to make your two entries coincide if that doesn't work for you!
Q: Can I request to be paired with someone?
A: You may! This means that both you and the person you want to be paired with must send pair requests for each other before the end of the current round! Just send a Note to the Poke-Fanclub titled "PV Pair Request: [Name of the person you want to be paired with here]". If you do not both send the request, we don't know if the request is mutual and we can't put it through. Also, you cannot be paired with a disqualified entrant. If the person you requested becomes disqualified, we have to pair you with someone else!
Q: Can I request to be paired with the same person for both paired rounds?
A: You cannot, as you need to meet at least two characters. Don't worry though, you can still use your Round 2 partner in later rounds! Just make sure your new partner has a proper place in the story too!
Q: How will I know who my partner is?
A: Once the next round commences, we will post who is partnered up in the Poke-fanclub journal!
Q: Can I request to not be paired with certain people?
A: If you have a personal problem with a certain contestant or character, yes. We're not going to pair you with someone you don't think you'll be able to tolerate. However, please make sure if you're being mature about the situation, and don't request to not be paired with someone for a silly reason.
Q: Can the PokeVenture be a collaborative project if we want to work with someone else on an entry, tag-team or otherwise?
A: Absolutely! But keep in mind, this would also mean splitting the prize if you happen to win.
Q: If both me and my partner are doing completely separate stories and there are no eliminations, why does the PokeVenture pair off contestants?
A: Since the two middle round prompts are optional, the pairing is there to give the judges something definitive to judge for those rounds. It's an exercise to see how well you utilize and integrate a character you didn't make up yourself, so you use the character you're given well, you'll get a higher score.
It's also great from a judging standpoint to how two different writers make the same two characters interact, so it's very interesting to read both halves of the partnered rounds. Lastly, the PokeVenture was also built to be an interactive experience, where hopefully a lot of entrants will get to know each other.
Q: Will there be a PokeVenture this year/next year?
A: We can't promise a new PokeVenture every year, as it's a very difficult event to run and requires a lot of work from both the staff and participants, and whether or not we can hold it depends on the number of staff and members willing to participate. If all is going well and there are plenty of volunteer judges, however, we should be able to hold the PV.
Q: What will be the premise/location of this/next year's PokeVenture?
A: To keep things fair, the premise/location of the PokeVenture will always be announced on the PokeVenture announcement journal for that year. We can't disclose it sooner as that wouldn't be fair to everyone. Sorry!
Q: Why are some things in this year's PokeVenture different from last year's?
A: The PokeVenture is still in a lot of ways an experimental event for Poke-fanclub, and as we go on running it we find things either work for the entrants and staff, or they don't. Changes are made to keep the event running smoothly, and to keep entries consistent enough to be judged and compatibly paired! If you have a concern you'd like to discuss, please note the Poke-fanclub.
Q: I have another question that wasn't answered here!
A: Please leave us a comment on this page, and we'll try to get back to you as soon as possible!
* Things may be added to this FAQ as we get more questions, so don't be alarmed if this journal gets updated!
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Entry Requirements and Submissions Process
Q: What's the minimum I can do for one entry?
A: If the round has a mandatory prompt it must be met, and if the round has an optional prompt, you must include your partner in a meaningful way. Other than that, it depends on how you're entering.
Visual: You need to show enough that your audience can tell exactly what is going on in your story without having to read your artist comments or the character refs.
Written: Same as above, but remember, written entries have a minimum of 1500 words, meaning they must be 1500 words or longer. (This is almost three pages of an average text in a 12-size font. Just a few short paragraphs won't cut it!)
Q: Can I switch media formats throughout my Venture, such as starting as a comic and have written entries in later rounds?
A: You may, but please be wise about how you do this. It will be noticeable if you switch to written format to avoid the work of drawing pages out rather than making an informed decision to switch to the written medium and using to its full capacity.
Q: Is a one-picture round entry enough to satisfy the judging for visual entries?
A: No. Unfortunately, lot of people make this mistake. Please carefully read the medium requirements, listed here: poke-fanclub.deviantart.com/bl…
Q: What if I do (an) illustration(s) and have a description telling the audience what's going on?
A: We can allow this only if the 'description' meets the writing requirements, seeing as it's text-reliant. Check the medium requirements on the main info page to see if what you have is okay, and/or ask the staff. Please make sure your picture(s) are need to tell the story.
Q: What if my written entry doesn't reach 1500 words?
A: Having less than 1500 words might save you from Round disqualification by absence of an entry, but will placed in the 'Concerned' category. However, if your entry is good and the margin between 1500 is really small -- say 15 words or so -- we might just look the other way.
Q: What if I can't get my entry in on time?
A: This event is on a set schedule, and we need to pair people in some rounds. We can't be waiting on people to get their entries in, as it would give people who finished on time less time to finish their next entry. You may still hand in your entry late, however, you cannot earn EVs or be paired officially in at least the next round. You also cannot submit to the official entries folder, however, you can submit to 'Late and Independent Entries' folder and you can continue unofficially if you wish. You can still get effort EVs for the work done, but you can't get PokeVenture Round EVs for that round's completion, which can seriously hurt your overall score.
If you're worried your entry won't be finished by the deadline, we recommend just doing the best you can, with quick sketches (for visual) or descriptions (for written) and submitting them for your entry... You can clean them up before the judging at the end of Round 4. The most important thing in order to pass the round on its own is that the story is clear!
Q: I did what I could, but I didn't make a round on time... Is there any way I can still officially participate?
A: You do have an option if you're dedicated. If you do manage to complete your independent entry for the next round as well as finish your late entry from the previous round before the next round's deadline, and if your entries meet all of the qualifications, you may be re-entered into the PokeVenture! You will be able to be matched (if necessary) for the next round and judged at the finish. However, there is a catch: The optional prompts for the rounds become mandatory, and you will lose the 10 round EVs for every round that you missed. Just make sure that you notify the PV staff that you're able to be added to the current entry line-up, or else we might not know you're able and willing. Keep in mind, this does not apply to the final round (round four) which absolutely must be made on time.
Q: I wasn't sure if my entry met the event standards, but I submitted it anyway and it got accepted. Does that mean you guys approved it as meeting all the 'Venture requirements?
A: No, not necessarily. Entries are in the Round Entry folders so the judges know who submitted something, not because they were approved for meeting all the 'Venture's rules and standards.
Q: I'm doing an entry that has several pages/parts to it. Do I submit all of my PV pages to the Round Entry folders?
A: No, cover pages or first pages/parts only please! If we allow everyone to submit their all of their pages separately, there would be pages from all different entries scattered haphazardly around the folder.
There's also the issue of possibly flooding members with pages.Q: But then I'm worried no one will see any of my pages! What should I do?
A: If you want more people to see your pages, it might be a good idea to submit your Round entry one once all of your pages for that round are complete. Then people viewing your first page/cover can just click through your whole story.
Q: You say entries must be 'kept PG'. Can you explain this further?
A: This means:
If you're going to use foul language ('curses'/'swear words'/'profanity'/whatever you call them) keep it to a bare minimum. Very obscene words such as (but not limited to) the 'f-word' should be left out entirely. Derogatory slurs, such as those typically used to insult racial groups, people of particular lifestyles, or people with particular beliefs are not allowed under any circumstances. Only non-graphic violence or brief moderate violence. If there's going to be blood, keep it tasteful. If you're going to put any suggestive content into your 'Venture, it must remain nothing more than implied. But hopefully none of you were thinking of putting that in a Pokemon story anyway. Lastly, no drug use. Something like alcohol is a little more acceptable, but again, keep it tasteful and don't go overboard.Q: So the prompts to Rounds 2 and 3 are optional? How does that play into my entry? Should I follow the prompt, or not? If I don't, do I get less EVs in judging?
A: If you need any guidance at all, we recommend you follow the prompt. However, you're being graded on the integrity of your story and if the prompt weakens your plan for it, you should leave it out! As long as your story is good and not lazily-done you'll get a good score for it.
Q: Would it be okay if I make my comic entry read right-to-left like a manga?
A: Seeing as this contest is hosted in English and not Japanese or Arabic, no. EVs will be taken off for this in Judging much like EVs are taken off for poor grammar, as it is confusing formatting for English language comics for various reasons.
Q: English isn't my first language/I have a learning disability that makes writing difficult. Do you think I'll be able to compete?
A: We would love to help you out if we can! However, you must notify us and tell us what the problem is and what we can do! We can't help you if we don't know there's a problem. =/
Q: I submitted my entry right before the round ended, but the Group hasn't accepted it in before the deadline passed! Did I not make it? What happened?!
A: Don't worry, if you made it in before the deadline passed, we will know. When something goes into the Group inbox, it's labeled with a timestamp from when you submitted it, so we'll know if you get it in on time.
The PV's staff tries to be on while the deadline passes, but unfortunately that's not always a possibility.Q: Do I need to be a member of the Poke-fanclub to join?
A: You do. You must be able to submit things to the entry folder so they can be judged, and you need to earn club EVs to win.
Q: Why would an entry be categorized into 'Concerned'?
A: It could be any of the following reasons.
Length. Did you only draw one picture, have only one page of comic, or did you write less than 1500 words? Remember that there are medium requirements for length. Chances are we didn't get a good sense of your characters' personalities and motivations from just one picture and/or paragraph. It's simply not enough. Spelling, grammar, and/or page composition. You may understand what's going on in your entry, but doesn't mean other people who read it do. A PokeVenture entry should be written as well as something you would hand in at school, and if you want to get a great score, it should be even better than that. If it's a drawing, it can't be so messy that we don't know what's going on, and the panels should be positioned in such a way that we knew which ones to read first. Did the entry follow the other rules? Your entry may be great, but if you ignore the rules you could still get placed in 'Concerned'. For example, entries must be kept PG. If you decide to put in a gory scene, your entry has a problem and you can't get the full 'Pass'. Keep in mind that this applies to all of the rules.Q: For what reasons could my entry get disqualified?
A: There are a couple reasons.
Failure to hand in four adequate round entries by the end of the PokeVenture. Failure to hand in adequate reference sheets before the Round 1 deadline. Blatant disregard for the rules (gory entries, provocative entries, canon characters, etc.) Plagiarizing other works (especially other 'Venture entries). Inappropriate conduct or lack of respect for other members, Poke-Fanclub staff, or PV judges (harassment, posts aimed to start fights, etc.). In certain cases this may extend even to people who comment on your entries. Twisting other players' character behavior or contriving character situations in a way that is insulting or plainly inconsiderate to the owner of that character (including killing other players' characters off without express permission, making characters look or act off the ref in a way that is aimed to offend, etc.). Remember, what is considered offensive or inappropriate conduct for a PokeVenture entrant will be at the Poke-fanclub's discretion.Characters and Refs
Q: Do I really have to fill out the Reference sheet?
A: Yes, you do. We can't count your entry if you don't have a completed ref of your main character by the end of Round 1.
It is particularly important for you to fill out a reference sheet for Rounds 2 and 3 where you will be paired, so the person you're paired with will know how to draw or describe your character consistently. Please remember to complete your refs!Q: I can draw, but I'm doing a written entry. Do I use the written ref, or the visual ref?
A: We encourage everyone who can draw to use a visual ref, even if you're doing a written entry, because A. pairings for written and drawing entries are not split, and B. we believe entries will be more consistent when the artists or writers have a picture to work from rather than a description.
Q: Do I need to fill out a reference sheet for my support character too?
A: You do! Remember, the reference sheet is more for the judges and for the players you're being paired with, so they know how your character looks and acts! We're going to need a ref for any character that is important to your story.
Q: My character is part of a trainer's team... Can't I add my trainer's other five Pokemon?
A: We're sorry, but for the purposes of this contest we'd like you to only show one of them. You may reference the others, but please don't add another five active characters.
Q: Can I cameo or include other 'Venture entrants in my story, even if I'm not officially paired with them?
A: To your heart's content! Just make sure they're not stealing too much of the spotlight from your own character or your official partner... remember, the focus of your story is supposed to be on them!
Q: Since we don't need to use our Round 2 partners in Round 3, does that mean my Round 2 partner should just disappear from my story in Round 3?
A: Goodness, no! If you don't want to continue using your Round 2 character in Round 3, it would probably be best to have them go their separate ways at the end of Round 2 or at some point in Round 3. If they just disappeared with no explanation, that would be a story flaw, which you can get docked EVs for in judging!
Q: Why can't our characters be friends with or have a connection to canon characters/legendaries?
A: To make sure all entries are compatible. If your character was raised by Lance, and you end up paired with a character that was also raised by Lance, it could be hard to explain if your characters have never met before. Or perhaps your character was raised by 'Lance', who wandered Johto as an orphan in your story, and your partner's character was raised by 'Lance', son of the wealthiest man in Hoenn and raised with a silver spoon in his mouth. Can you see why that would be problematic?
On the other hand, if your character is friends with or connected to a legendary, that may give them too much power at their disposal. For example, let's say your character is a Phione that has a special psychic link to Manaphy, and then suddenly Phione ends up in trouble. In the hands of an inconsiderate writer, what's to stop a powerful Pokemon like Manaphy from showing up and laying waste to everyone in defense of Phione, if not outright solving the problem in the story's premise completely on its own?
There is one possible exception, however: We can be more lenient with Pokemon Professors since so many trainers and Pokemon must meet them.
Q: Acknowledging that we can't have canon characters in the story, can we include characters are that part of a canonical organization, such as Team Rocket/Magma/Plasma/etc.?
A: Sure! If you want your character to be an ex-Galactic Pokemon or you want Team Rocket to be the ones behind your story's conspiracy, be our guest! Of course, this still means that you can't have a meaningful connection to canonical members of that organization. See above.
Q: I know canon characters or legendaries aren't allowed to be a significant part of the story, but can a canon character or legendary make a short cameo in mine?
A: For simplification's sake, we are going to discourage this. One person's 'short cameo' is another person's entire story springboard, however, it's not completely against the rules as long as they don't play a major hand in the story as a character, at least until Round 4. We recommend noting the club with the details first so we can make sure and let you know what you're doing is okay. And no need to be shy, we don't bite!
Q: Why don't you allow legendary Pokemon characters in the PokeVenture?!
A: Legendary characters are tied too strongly to the Pokemon world as a whole. Let's say your character is a Groudon, and story dictates that your character must be captured by Team Aqua. What does your Groudon character do next? Wreak havoc and cause cataclysmic natural disasters until it's freed, perhaps. It's a perfectly believable thing for Groudon to do, but suddenly the person you're paired with in Round 2 has to explain why they've never showed any earthquakes occurring. Not only that, but now your character's story has much higher stakes than the story of the character that person is supposed to be writing for. Not to mention, if your character is any legendary and you've chosen to take your 'Venture on the battling route, your character could just KO any other character to come by. It just ties too much power into your character, and it's not fair to everyone else. Lastly, it would just be too difficult to explain if two people had a Mew character, seeing as there's only supposed to be one Mew.
Q: Can I do two separate 'Ventures entries with two separate characters?
A: We advise you just do one and pick the stronger story of the two you're considering, or just make both of them part of the same story, since the past has proven that most people have enough trouble finishing just one entry. Not only do we not want entrants to spread themselves too thin, but more entries also means more work for the staff. We would much prefer you hone your energy into one great entry than two rushed ones.
Q: My character is a human turned into a Pokemon, like in Mystery Dungeon. Can you allow him/her into the 'Venture?
A: Yes! As long as they're a Pokemon until at least the last round.
Q: If my character's species of Pokemon can still evolve, can mine evolve during the story?
A: Of course! Evolution is allowed during the course of your story. However, if this occurs before Round 4, this does mean filling out a whole new reference sheet before the end of the current round, so please keep this in mind and plan ahead. ^^
Q: My story has a character that only appears in the prologue of my story, and maybe the ending. Do I need to draw a ref for them?
A: It's not required, but if there's any chance that anyone you're paired with may need to draw that character and you have the time, it might be best to draw a ref for him or her just to be safe.
Q: I've entered a PokeVenture in the past and I want to re-use a character I've used before... Can I do that?
A: If that character still works in the frame of the current PokeVenture, sure! If you want to make this PokeVenture a 'sequel' or 'prequel' to your last PV or you want to completely rewrite that character for this PV, that's completely up to you, and both are allowed!
Q: Is it against the rules for a character to die in the PokeVenture?
A: Before you do this, you must notify the club staff via a note since the maturity of a death theme and the other characters involved make this a high risk. We strongly discourage this unless your story absolutely needs it to happen, and a pointless death could do a lot of damage to your final score. Remember! Entries must be PG!
IMPORTANT: If the character you are thinking of offing does not belong to you, you MUST have the permission of the character's owner. A 'no' is a 'no', and if we get word that this happened without their permission your entry will instantly get disqualified.
Q: Why can't my main character be a trainer?
A: Since the expectation is that trainers must solve things with battles, we feel that having Pokemon characters as opposed to trainers enforces the mentality that the PokeVenture doesn't have to be a battling event, while still being distinctly a Pokemon-related storytelling project. We're a bit afraid that if everyone's character was a trainer and there were no battles, in some cases Pokemon might not even be necessary to peoples' stories!
Q: Why did the PokeVenture staff decide to use Pokemon characters rather than trainers?
A: Originally, the PokeVenture was more like an actual Original Character Tournament (OCT) with eliminations, and we felt we needed something to differentiate it from more well-known Pokemon OCTs such as the PCBC and the Pkmn-Battle-Frontier. Inspired by the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon games, the Pokemon character idea was proposed, along with the idea that the characters don't have to battle, but can choose to work together. After the 'no elimination' idea was proposed, it ended up staying to enforce the idea that you don't have to battle your way through the PokeVenture, while still keeping the contest expressly Pokemon-related.
Misc.
Q: For the paired rounds, are me and my partner supposed to make two separate entries that are completely independent of each other? To what extent do our two stories have to relate to each other?
A: Yes, partners are meant to do two independent stories. The only storyline of your partner's that you must be true to is your partner's character refs and their Round 1 entry, even during Round 3. (Though, this doesn't mean you're not allowed to follow their Round 2 entry if you'd like to use it!) Don't go out of your way and complicate things by trying to make your two entries coincide if that doesn't work for you!
Q: Can I request to be paired with someone?
A: You may! This means that both you and the person you want to be paired with must send pair requests for each other before the end of the current round! Just send a Note to the Poke-Fanclub titled "PV Pair Request: [Name of the person you want to be paired with here]". If you do not both send the request, we don't know if the request is mutual and we can't put it through.
Also, you cannot be paired with a disqualified entrant. If the person you requested becomes disqualified, we have to pair you with someone else!Q: Can I request to be paired with the same person for both paired rounds?
A: You cannot, as you need to meet at least two characters. Don't worry though, you can still use your Round 2 partner in later rounds! Just make sure your new partner has a proper place in the story too!
Q: How will I know who my partner is?
A: Once the next round commences, we will post who is partnered up in the Poke-fanclub journal!
Q: Can I request to not be paired with certain people?
A: If you have a personal problem with a certain contestant or character, yes. We're not going to pair you with someone you don't think you'll be able to tolerate. However, please make sure if you're being mature about the situation, and don't request to not be paired with someone for a silly reason.
Q: Can the PokeVenture be a collaborative project if we want to work with someone else on an entry, tag-team or otherwise?
A: Absolutely! But keep in mind, this would also mean splitting the prize if you happen to win.
Q: If both me and my partner are doing completely separate stories and there are no eliminations, why does the PokeVenture pair off contestants?
A: Since the two middle round prompts are optional, the pairing is there to give the judges something definitive to judge for those rounds. It's an exercise to see how well you utilize and integrate a character you didn't make up yourself, so you use the character you're given well, you'll get a higher score.
It's also great from a judging standpoint to how two different writers make the same two characters interact, so it's very interesting to read both halves of the partnered rounds. Lastly, the PokeVenture was also built to be an interactive experience, where hopefully a lot of entrants will get to know each other. Q: Will there be a PokeVenture this year/next year?
A: We can't promise a new PokeVenture every year, as it's a very difficult event to run and requires a lot of work from both the staff and participants, and whether or not we can hold it depends on the number of staff and members willing to participate. If all is going well and there are plenty of volunteer judges, however, we should be able to hold the PV.
Q: What will be the premise/location of this/next year's PokeVenture?
A: To keep things fair, the premise/location of the PokeVenture will always be announced on the PokeVenture announcement journal for that year. We can't disclose it sooner as that wouldn't be fair to everyone.
Sorry!Q: Why are some things in this year's PokeVenture different from last year's?
A: The PokeVenture is still in a lot of ways an experimental event for Poke-fanclub, and as we go on running it we find things either work for the entrants and staff, or they don't. Changes are made to keep the event running smoothly, and to keep entries consistent enough to be judged and compatibly paired! If you have a concern you'd like to discuss, please note the Poke-fanclub.
Q: I have another question that wasn't answered here!
A: Please leave us a comment on this page, and we'll try to get back to you as soon as possible!
* Things may be added to this FAQ as we get more questions, so don't be alarmed if this journal gets updated!
