The Official 2016 APCT Rules Thread For Realsies!

Ubiq

Well, then.

01. The Once and Future Rule: Rules are subject to change as needed.
02. Positivity is key; don't bash characters. If you have issues with them, say so in a constructive manner.
03. In line with that, leave your problems that don't concern the Character Tournament at the (metaphorical) door. These include, but are not limited to, issues with other members, mods, or any events elsewhere or outside of Arlong Park. 4. One vote per person per match. Voting with multiple accounts will get you banned and that character disqualified.
04. Go back and reread the rules for the AP Awards. They'll help.
05. All votes are final so make sure you pay attention to who you are voting for. Once your vote has been cast, that's it. We won't change it for you just because you changed your mind.
06. All campaigns and images posted must be SFW and adhere to the PG13 nature of Arlong Park.
07. The following campaigns are banned:

Boob/Playgirl/Manglaze
Things that are Euphemisms for those/
Meme campaigns
Campaigns based exclusively on things that have nothing to do with One Piece.
Emo Ace is still banned. Now and forever.
Spamming the same image over and over again without altering it in any fashion. Well, barring a certain grandfathered image.
FIRST or FIRST PAGE posts. Don't do that in general, it's stupid.

This list can be altered as necessary.

08. Standard forum rules apply here.
09. This is the Rules Thread. Take anything that doesn't have to do with the Rules somewhere else.
10. The tenth Star Trek film was the worst one. Just pointing that out.
11. Ties will be broken by a staff member who withholds their vote just for that purpose. It'll most likely be the person who starts the match. Either way, ties are a thing of the past.
12. As always, vote buying is illegal. This includes offers of money or physical property in exchange for a character winning. This does not include promising to draw images.
13. If you need help with something, contact the Event Staff first. If you can't find one of us, then try the Forum Staff. Ask Robby; he's never doing anything important.
14. Most importantly, have fun. That's the whole point of this.
15. If your campaign contains multiple images/video and/or large amounts of text, make use of the hide tags (e.g. [hide ]Your text here[/hide ] but without the spaces inside the brackets)

Katzztar

•Spamming the same image over and over again without altering it in any fashion. Well, barring a certain grandfathered image.

What Image is that that's grandfathered in? is it the Moriah one??

The promising to draw images in exchange for votes is allowed? Does altering images (like photoshop to include non-OP charac to stand next to OP charac) include that or is it not original enough?
Does the vote trade (you vote for X, I'll vote for Y) count as vote buying or a legal exchange?

Robby

@Katzztar:

What Image is that that's grandfathered in? is it the Moriah one??

Maybe.

The promising to draw images in exchange for votes is allowed? Does altering images (like photoshop to include non-OP charac to stand next to OP charac) include that or is it not original enough?
Does the vote trade (you vote for X, I'll vote for Y) count as vote buying or a legal exchange?

As long as you're creating the art and giving nothing but your own personal time and energy towards getting a vote, that's fine. Especially since the entire forum gets to see the result. We have actually had cash/physical item bribes come up before, and that's just a no-no.

Vote swapping is kind of lame. I guess you can do it if you really don't feel one way or another, but its not very creative or interesting or fun. If it is overdone or becomes abused, we might call for a stop, but its generally not been a big deal.

Also, if someone keeps asking for the exact same thing every single day like "draw this character with a specific pokemon I like" on a constant basis, that will be discouraged eventually. That sort of falls into "Campaigns based exclusively on things that have nothing to do with One Piece." territory after a certain point.

le crystal

I feel like doing some campaigning, but what does 'Meme Campaigns' actually mean? Is it something like photoshopping insert random character onto pepe or something?

Robby

@le:

I feel like doing some campaigning, but what does 'Meme Campaigns' actually mean? Is it something like photoshopping insert random character onto pepe or something?

It means don't use something cliche and overused that has nothing to do with anything. "It's over 9000" "haters gonna hate" "trololol" or the like. So pepe is a good example of something that would be frowned upon… unless the character in question had a similar name or was a frog.

Things that aren't creative, and could be applied to either character equally, or just taken as an insult at the other posters, are pretty much out.

And absolutely no rickrolling unless you make it new and fresh somehow.

If the internet has already abused it to the point that everyone's tired of it, it's probably not a great choice.

Katzztar

@Robby:

Maybe.

Hahaha

As long as you're creating the art and giving nothing but your own personal time and energy towards getting a vote, that's fine. Especially since the entire forum gets to see the result. We have actually had cash/physical item bribes come up before, and that's just a no-no.

Vote swapping is kind of lame. I guess you can do it if you really don't feel one way or another, but its not very creative or interesting or fun. If it is overdone or becomes abused, we might call for a stop, but its generally not been a big deal.

I asked because I remember it going before in past years so wanted to clear the air before it came up this year.

Also, if someone keeps asking for the exact same thing every single day like "draw this character with a specific pokemon I like" on a constant basis, that will be discouraged eventually. That sort of falls into "Campaigns based exclusively on things that have nothing to do with One Piece." territory after a certain point.

Ah now this is what I was looking for. Yes I do remember a friend that would constantly say they'll vote for this or that character if someone gave a pic of one of two characters, one was the pokemon Manwe. Which is why I asked before it started so he wouldn't get into trouble by doing it this year if it was against the rules… or me getting into trouble for creating the image XD

MetaMario

I don't really have a certain choice in mind to win it all, so I'm gonna sit back and enjoy the ride this year.

~~no tag team matches pls~~

Ballot Box

@MetaMario:

~~no tag team matches pls~~

No tag this year. Something different instead to be revealed later.

hosemisnuba

Hey, I know the Zero Rule is a thing, but could you guys at least make it clear on the rules thread.

Koliber

@hosemisnuba:

Hey, I know the Zero Rule is a thing, but could you guys at least make it clear on the rules thread.

You know, customary law is a thing too.

Ubiq

@hosemisnuba:

Hey, I know the Zero Rule is a thing, but could you guys at least make it clear on the rules thread.

It's an unwritten rule of the game. Like drilling the first batter to come up to the plate after their pitcher throws at your teammate.

Angelos17

I vote for Carrot for runner up anyway.

Ps: I hate the Zero rule

Sent from my HTC D816w using Tapatalk

Wintermute

@Ubiq:

It's an unwritten rule of the game. Like drilling the first batter to come up to the plate after their pitcher throws at your teammate.

What? I know the offside rule in football so maybe that's the reason I have no clue of what you're talking about. Zero rule?

desa

@Wintermute:

What? I know the offside rule in football so maybe that's the reason I have no clue of what you're talking about. Zero rule?

If you get no vote at all, you're the champion.

King Cannon

@Wintermute:

What? I know the offside rule in football so maybe that's the reason I have no clue of what you're talking about. Zero rule?

Elaborating from desa's post above, it's much harder to not get any vote at all than winning or passing through, thus we reward the bigger feat.

Noqanky

It's actually not that difficult at all in a single-vote format. Votes mean more now, so there's less of a reason to vote for characters no one likes in a match full of other characters that are competing to pass to the next round by margins of only a couple votes.

Robby

Its a rule that we've had since the first tournament,longer than I've even been a member of this forum. No, it's NOT a constantly stated rule, its no fun if people are trying for it, the same way its no fun if people are actively trying for a tie. But it is mentioned regularly and an established longrunning rule and it usually DOES get mentioned whenever someone has actually been close to doing it. At which point, upon bringing it up, someone always votes for spite. It HAS to be a silent rule. But not a secret one. Constant casual mentions are the only way it works, and it has been brought up regularly in this tournament already, when we had a couple characters get close the other day.

The single vote rule has made it easier to achieve than in the past, but still tough! So it will be celebrated appropriately.

As should be clear by the fact that things are still going, the rest of tournament is now still going to determine the tournament champion, as opposed to the zero winner. They're fairly different things.

Katzztar

I've a question about the no bashing rule… does it count if its not a OP character? …say a Naruto character, like Sasuke?
I found a pic for the Redhair Pirates but as its OP vs Naruto, esp against Sasuke, it could be counted as bashing so wanted to clairify if that applies to non-OP characters too.

pic in question is this

Ubiq

@Katzztar:

I've a question about the no bashing rule… does it count if its not a OP character? …say a Naruto character, like Sasuke?

We've had filler matches before about how awful Sasuke was so that'd be fine. But, really, what could anybody here do to a Naruto character that would be worse than what Kishi did to them?

Katzztar

Haha yes I remember having "worse moments in Naruto" … and no "best moments in Naruto" in our reg yearly tourney but just wanted to make sure its okay.

sanji''s_dad

Would this be allowed under rule 7 boob rule? since her boobs are covered up taken from the anime as well so extra censored for Wicca the blue haired dwarf in this round http://forums.arlongpark.net/showthread.php?t=44107!

Deviant_Mugen

@sanji''s_dad:

Would this be allowed under rule 7 boob rule? since her boobs are covered up taken from the anime as well so extra censored for Wicca the blue haired dwarf in this round http://forums.arlongpark.net/showthread.php?t=44107

Personally, I'm going to have to say no. I like what you're attempting to do with the parallel, but there are plenty of other scenes of Robin interacting with the dwarves that don't involve her being tied down and essentially strip searched.

For now, hold off on posting that campaign and wait for Ubiq to also weigh in on this.

sanji''s_dad

@Deviant_Mugen:

Personally, I'm going to have to say no. I like what you're attempting to do with the parallel, but there are plenty of other scenes of Robin interacting with the dwarves that don't involve her being tied down and essentially strip searched.

For now, hold off on posting that campaign and wait for Ubiq to also weigh in on this.

Thanks, i just wanted to make sure first since if it had been given the ok then i could have said that i asked first..

Deviant_Mugen

A new rule, number 15, has been added, so please make sure to abide by it in the future.

Kaido King of the Beasts

I'd like to do some campaigns for Kaido involving substituting him for meme characters - is that alright, provided I make a fresh "One Piece" spin on them? For example.