Introduction
Due to the old intro thread being somewhat outdated and staff wanting to compile a full list of rules and guidelines in one thread, a new intro thread was made.
A set spotlight should consist of ONE importable and ONE short paragraph explaining why the set is good in the current metagame. If you want, you can link a good, non-haxy replay of it in action (it doesn't have to be from an official tour). Here's an example courtesy of Colonel M:
1. Check the spotlight reservation thread. If there's a set available for reservation, you can make a post reserving it there. Please only reserve one set at a time.
2. Once your reservation post has been approved by a moderator, post a WIP thread for your set spotlight.
3. Get ONE QC check and ONE GP check. Yup, since these are short they don't need too much oversight. QC can come from someone on the respective metagame's QC (C&C or TFP) team; tag your favorite one once you're ready for QC. GP comes from the GP team as usual. Post in the GP queue to let the team know it's ready for copyediting.
4. You're done! Please mark your thread with the DONE tag so we know it's ready to be scheduled.
5. If your spotlight somehow becomes outdated (usage stats come out; Pokemon gets banned) in the time between you finishing and it being uploaded, let a social media spotlights moderator know.
Rules and Guidelines
- Please only reserve spotlights for metagames and Pokemon that you have knowledge of. Having to reject and reassign spotlights is a hassle with how fast-paced the spotlights project is. In severe cases with multiple instances of spotlights needing to be rejected or reassigned, this may lead to being blacklisted from writing for a period of time. Staff also reserve the right to reject users from claiming sets if we feel you are not knowledgeable enough about the tier or Pokemon in question or if you fail to adhere to any other rules. Claiming sets in advance is also not allowed in order to give everyone a fair shot.
- You may only reserve one spotlight at a time. Once your current spotlight is ready for QC, you may reserve ONE more spotlight, but it must be for a different tier than your current spotlight. You can only do two spotlights total per month.
- Please keep all spotlights around the 1000 character limit. While not a hard limit, spotlights should be kept short and sweet and should not read like an analysis. QCers and GPers should both trim down on unnecessary information if the spotlight exceeds the limit. Also, do keep in mind that this limit does NOT include spaces or sentences containing replay links.
- After reserving a spotlight, you must post your WIP thread within 48 hours. Likewise, you then have another 48 hours to get the spotlight out of WIP and into QC. QC and GP checks should also be implemented within 48 hours after receiving them. Also, if a spotlight is listed as being high priority when you reserve it, there will be a tighter timeframe to complete it. If these timeframes are not followed, staff have the right to reassign the spotlight. The spotlight process is fast so please be prepared to implement checks quickly. Please check the calendar in the OP of the schedule or reservation threads if you have any doubts about the proper time frame.
- Please briefly explain non-minmaxed (252/252/4) EV spreads in your spotlights, particularly those that are not intuitive at first glance. Our audience on social media consists of many casual players, so they often have questions on what a certain number of EVs do.
- We are not allowing amateur GP checks on spotlights due to the fast-paced nature of the forum, along with the fact that it makes it more difficult for GPers to go over amchecks. If you are an amateur grammar checker looking to practice, feel free to try your hand at C&C analyses.
Proposing small changes to sets you reserve is allowed, but please be sure to get approval from the QC team prior to writing the spotlight. Also, please remember that this is a very limited-access and fast-paced project, please let others have a chance to contribute! Any new guidelines or rules that are formed will also be posted in this thread and added to this list.
Badge Standards
With some minor fluctuation based on quality or if you also help by suggesting sets, these are the requirements for ladybug and social media contributor.
Writing: 6 / 12
QCing: 12 / 24
GPing: 16 / 32
Suggesting sets: 30 / 60
So for example, you earn a ladybug after writing 6 spotlights, or social media contributor after QCing 24 spotlights. Combinations are also accounted for.
You qualify for social media contributor alumni for continued activity and interest in social media (AKA not quitting after getting the badge). This is basically up to the discretion of staff.
Writing Tips
(Courtesy of Rabia and P Squared)
No vomiting of dex info. Do not go through every move in the set and say what it hits super effectively or what stat it boosts by two stages. Do not explain that 252 Attack EVs maximize Attack or that Life Orb has recoil. Again, we are a competitive strategy site. You should be talking about the set's purpose in the current metagame, why it's good in the current metagame, how one of its moves can get a surprise OHKO on some common foe, what it can switch into, what it can outspeed, what teammates it can support, and so on (you don't need to cover all of these things, just what you think is important for that particular set).
Also, remember these are set spotlights, not Pokemon spotlights. It's nice that your Pokemon has a great support movepool, but that is completely useless information if your set is a Choice Specs attacker. Similarly, it's nice that your Pokemon is extremely versatile and can run 10 viable sets, but this spotlight only cares about one specific set. Do not waste words on that info, unless you're saying you can take advantage of opponents expecting it to be another set, because that is interesting and relevant. Similarly, there is zero need for a conclusion sentence reminding people that this Pokemon is excellent. If it wasn't, why would we bother writing a spotlight about it.
Due to the old intro thread being somewhat outdated and staff wanting to compile a full list of rules and guidelines in one thread, a new intro thread was made.
A set spotlight should consist of ONE importable and ONE short paragraph explaining why the set is good in the current metagame. If you want, you can link a good, non-haxy replay of it in action (it doesn't have to be from an official tour). Here's an example courtesy of Colonel M:
Writing Process
1. Check the spotlight reservation thread. If there's a set available for reservation, you can make a post reserving it there. Please only reserve one set at a time.
2. Once your reservation post has been approved by a moderator, post a WIP thread for your set spotlight.
3. Get ONE QC check and ONE GP check. Yup, since these are short they don't need too much oversight. QC can come from someone on the respective metagame's QC (C&C or TFP) team; tag your favorite one once you're ready for QC. GP comes from the GP team as usual. Post in the GP queue to let the team know it's ready for copyediting.
4. You're done! Please mark your thread with the DONE tag so we know it's ready to be scheduled.
5. If your spotlight somehow becomes outdated (usage stats come out; Pokemon gets banned) in the time between you finishing and it being uploaded, let a social media spotlights moderator know.
Rules and Guidelines
- Please only reserve spotlights for metagames and Pokemon that you have knowledge of. Having to reject and reassign spotlights is a hassle with how fast-paced the spotlights project is. In severe cases with multiple instances of spotlights needing to be rejected or reassigned, this may lead to being blacklisted from writing for a period of time. Staff also reserve the right to reject users from claiming sets if we feel you are not knowledgeable enough about the tier or Pokemon in question or if you fail to adhere to any other rules. Claiming sets in advance is also not allowed in order to give everyone a fair shot.
- You may only reserve one spotlight at a time. Once your current spotlight is ready for QC, you may reserve ONE more spotlight, but it must be for a different tier than your current spotlight. You can only do two spotlights total per month.
- Please keep all spotlights around the 1000 character limit. While not a hard limit, spotlights should be kept short and sweet and should not read like an analysis. QCers and GPers should both trim down on unnecessary information if the spotlight exceeds the limit. Also, do keep in mind that this limit does NOT include spaces or sentences containing replay links.
- After reserving a spotlight, you must post your WIP thread within 48 hours. Likewise, you then have another 48 hours to get the spotlight out of WIP and into QC. QC and GP checks should also be implemented within 48 hours after receiving them. Also, if a spotlight is listed as being high priority when you reserve it, there will be a tighter timeframe to complete it. If these timeframes are not followed, staff have the right to reassign the spotlight. The spotlight process is fast so please be prepared to implement checks quickly. Please check the calendar in the OP of the schedule or reservation threads if you have any doubts about the proper time frame.
- Please briefly explain non-minmaxed (252/252/4) EV spreads in your spotlights, particularly those that are not intuitive at first glance. Our audience on social media consists of many casual players, so they often have questions on what a certain number of EVs do.
- We are not allowing amateur GP checks on spotlights due to the fast-paced nature of the forum, along with the fact that it makes it more difficult for GPers to go over amchecks. If you are an amateur grammar checker looking to practice, feel free to try your hand at C&C analyses.
Proposing small changes to sets you reserve is allowed, but please be sure to get approval from the QC team prior to writing the spotlight. Also, please remember that this is a very limited-access and fast-paced project, please let others have a chance to contribute! Any new guidelines or rules that are formed will also be posted in this thread and added to this list.
Badge Standards
With some minor fluctuation based on quality or if you also help by suggesting sets, these are the requirements for ladybug and social media contributor.
Writing: 6 / 12
QCing: 12 / 24
GPing: 16 / 32
Suggesting sets: 30 / 60
So for example, you earn a ladybug after writing 6 spotlights, or social media contributor after QCing 24 spotlights. Combinations are also accounted for.
You qualify for social media contributor alumni for continued activity and interest in social media (AKA not quitting after getting the badge). This is basically up to the discretion of staff.
Writing Tips
(Courtesy of Rabia and P Squared)
No vomiting of dex info. Do not go through every move in the set and say what it hits super effectively or what stat it boosts by two stages. Do not explain that 252 Attack EVs maximize Attack or that Life Orb has recoil. Again, we are a competitive strategy site. You should be talking about the set's purpose in the current metagame, why it's good in the current metagame, how one of its moves can get a surprise OHKO on some common foe, what it can switch into, what it can outspeed, what teammates it can support, and so on (you don't need to cover all of these things, just what you think is important for that particular set).
Also, remember these are set spotlights, not Pokemon spotlights. It's nice that your Pokemon has a great support movepool, but that is completely useless information if your set is a Choice Specs attacker. Similarly, it's nice that your Pokemon is extremely versatile and can run 10 viable sets, but this spotlight only cares about one specific set. Do not waste words on that info, unless you're saying you can take advantage of opponents expecting it to be another set, because that is interesting and relevant. Similarly, there is zero need for a conclusion sentence reminding people that this Pokemon is excellent. If it wasn't, why would we bother writing a spotlight about it.
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