XWA Handbook: Frequently Asked Questions

Helpful information on how to get started with your career in the XWA!
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XWA Handbook: Frequently Asked Questions

Postby DJS » Thu Jun 20, 2013 3:35 pm

So you're a new sign-up and you know we're a match-writing fed. From reading the other threads in this section (read them if you haven't already), you know relatively how we work. All is well!

And yet, you might still have some questions. We get this a lot, so to answer the questions we usually get we've put together an FAQ. If you have questions, refer to this post first.

How do I get booked?
We have Opt-In threads in the "Show Schedule & Sign Ups" section (though it'll appear as a global announcement, so you can always get to it). Reply to that so that us bookers know that we can actually book you for the upcoming show. If you're on the list, that means you will be booked in a match. If not, you know how it is- some people sign up for feds then just don't do anything. Signing the Opt-In threads is what tells us you're not one of them and you're actually here to roleplay. As long as you're on the roll-call, you will be booked.

How SOON will I be booked?
If you join while a show is already taking place, opt-in for the next show and you'll be added to the card.

Do I have to use the contract template in the Sign Your Contract secton?
No. That is designed to be the most basic of basic templates for people who might not have E-Fedded before. If you already have a more detailed one from another fed that you want to copy-paste over, then do so by all means.

What titles can I fight for?
We currently have the Supreme XWA Championship which is the main event title, we also have the World Tag Team Championships. We have the Hardcore title under 24/7 rules (go to the Hardcore 24/7 section for more). Exclusive to Massacre, we have the XWA World Television title, which is defended on every single show.

How can I find out who the current champions are?
Go to the "Title Histories" section and you'll be able to see all records.

How are winners decided?
XWA BattleZone is a match writing e-fed, meaning both you and your opponent(s) post your matches with your character(s) winning, or in rare cases for storyline reasons, the result being a draw. You cannot write a result where an opponent wins the match UNLESS you contact both your opponent(s) AND staff, and if given the OK, you may do so. Once the match deadline is up, we then enter the grading process where our Grading Team, comprised of staff and occasional volunteers, read both matches and determine the winner based on who wrote the better match. The winning match then becomes canon and applies to everyone involved in it. So if your character loses, they've lost in canon and you CANNOT reference anything that happened in your match as it is not the canon outcome.

What are your policies on co-written/storyline matches?
Co-written matches are absolutely encouraged here. Giving staff the heads-up is not necessary, but you must include a note in your match post that it was co-written by yourself and your opponent(s). The match will then be considered canon and we will do our best to give you and everyone involved in writing it feedback. Storyline matches can also be requested, which can be between your own characters if you have more than one or you can also request a jobber match to develop your character. This can be the best way to enhance your character(s) and set-up feuds with other handlers.

How are tag team matches done in the XWA?
Both you and your partner co-write your match and post it. You may also write on behalf of both team members if your partner is unavailable, and you can also create a tag team which includes two of YOUR OWN characters that're solely handled by yourself. In the case of your partner disappearing or leaving the fed, you may contact the staff to determine a replacement partner or tag champion.

What are your policies on deadline extensions?
Extensions, if granted, are automatically applied to every competitor involved in the match. Short extensions (two, three, four hours, etc.) that don't interfere with the ability to get to the next card on time will always be allowed, if asked for. If you need a little extra time to finish up your match or add some polish to it, while cutting close to the deadline, simply ask. Ideally, you should ask multiple staff members, in case there are some that are unable to respond to you in a timely manner at the moment. The XWA Twitter account is ran by several staff members and can be a good place to message. Likewise, you can send a PM to multiple staff members, such as Rufus and Gopher on here. You can also ask for an extension in the XWA Discord server. If you need a few extra hours, for any reason, contact us any of those ways. And, again, it helps to contact more than one staff member to ensure you get a response quickly.

You can read more on our stance regarding longer extensions HERE.

What are your policies on No-Showing?
While we're laid back, we employ this Three Strikes-style rule:

First no-show: We give you the benefit of the doubt, because life gets in the way. We get it.
Second no-show: A word from one of the mods via Private Message.
Third no-show: You don't get a match on the next show.

That's three no-shows in a row and you get the boot from the active roster. We won't ban you. That's stupid. Why would we do that? Especially when we have this...

So I've no-showed three times and I want to get back on the active roster. Now what?
Well providing you've not left us by this point and you're active on the boards, PM our head booker and tell him that you would like to be booked on the next card. Then SHOW. It wastes your opponent's time more than your own if you no-show. Keep that in mind.

Who is the currently booking?
That would be our XWA Booking Team, lead by Gopher and assisted by Rufus.

I can't find my contract in the "Roster" section. Where is it?
Either one of three things:
- It's been moved to the In-active sub-board (usually after serial no-showing). You can get it moved back by posting in the "re-activated" thread in the inactive sub-board.
- You've deleted it, either by accident or on purpose. In the case of the latter, you shouldn't even need to ask this question to begin with. In any case, we can't recover it so you'll have to make a new one.
- I've been doing some tidying up and accidentally moved your profile somewhere else because I'm silly goose and I'm gonna go and fetch it.

I have a picbase that I want to use. How do I know if it's taken?
Go to our Sign your Contract section and look up the "Pic-Bases" thread, which is packed full of taken pic-bases. If they're on the active or legends roster, you can't take them. If they're in the Alumni, go ahead and nick it. Make sure to post in there to tell us what your pic base is so we can add you to it as well.

Can I have more than one character?

Do I need to create different accounts for different characters?
You don't really need to unless you want to do that BUT we do allow it so long as you give Gopher and/or Rufus the heads-up.

I have a manager, where do I add their profile?
Add them to the the thread for the person they are managing as a reply to your original post.

I want to run a feud with someone, can I do it?
Completely down to you. We give you complete creative control. We don't set up the feuds for you, we merely book according to where you're going with it. If you want to feud with someone, message said person and see what they think, and feel free to contact the lead bookers so we can further collaborate with you on your feuds!

My match has a word limit- what is counted as part of this?
Everything except commentary, character dialogue and entrances. The word limit applies bell-to-bell to help give you more creative freedom in terms of writing prologues and/or epilogues for your matches.

What is the card schedule?
You can find detailed schedules in our "Show Schedule & Sign Ups" section of the forum. We currently run either two to three Massacres a month with the following month dedicated to one Supershow, all of which you must manually opt-in to be included unless you're a champion.

Does the XWA have word limits?
Massacre features between 3,000 and 6,000 word limits for matches, not including commentary or entrances. The bi-monthly Supershows have no word limit. If you and your opponent/s agree, you can go over the word limits.

What is the criteria I need to meet for the Grading Team to choose my match as the winning canon match?
Every member of our Grading Team and volunteer graders prioritize different aspects of match writing. Rufus, for example, prioritizes storytelling while still trying to remain as objective as possible when grading. Others may prioritize in-ring action and intricately put-together spots. Whatever the case may be, expect to get detailed feedback when the results for a card are released so that we may ALL improve together as writers and as a community. This is a game, in the end, and it's all about having fun!

Do you have a Twitter?
Yes! We have a VERY strong presence on Twitter and you can follow us at http://www.twitter.com/XWA_BattleZone for VERY regular updates on the fed.

Hey, I've just signed up and I want to advertise my fed. Can I PM people and do it that way?
No. We will ban you if we catch you doing that, because that's underhanded and not how we do things here. Members are encouraged to let us know immediately if they get a PM like this.

How can we affiliate with the XWA, then?
You'll notice a little link to our affiliates section at the top. That's where you would go. PM Rufus or Gopher with the subject "Affiliation" and we'll talk.

If there is anything on here hasn't covered what you need to know, PM one of the admins and let us know.


Additional adjustments and updates by Rufus

Last Update: June 27th, 2020
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Re: XWA Handbook: Frequently Asked Questions

Postby Rufus » Sat Jun 27, 2020 6:48 pm

Beautiful signature courtesy of the wonderful DaveyBoy!

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