If you have a setting that you would like to make a Jump for, it is strongly suggested that you follow this process. Not abiding by these guidelines is likely to end in your Jump being rejected by the thread.
Step 0: Selecting A Setting For A Jump[]
What settings aren't suitable to have a Jump made for them?
- Settings with a significant amount of NSFW content ("lewd" content). It's important to note that if the source material has some lewd content (for example, some nudity or sex scenes), it can still be acceptable, so long as that doesn't make up a significant amount of the source, or the mechanics of the Jump's powers don't involve lewdness.
- Settings where one character is the only character to have powers (not enough backgrounds - no choice = no CYOA), or where one available power is vastly superior to all other options in the setting to the point where it cannot be balanced with points (eg: The Gamer).
- Settings that are included in other Jumps.
- Settings with powers that trivialize further jumping or continuing the chain, eg: omnipotence, invulnerability/infinite resurrection or reincarnation, conceptually perfect skill, consequence-free time travel, the ability to take powers or things from other settings, the ability to travel to other Jumps at will pre-Spark.
- Settings which haven't got complete lore - for example, if only two movies of a trilogy are released, or the manga series is ongoing and is likely to reveal new powers, antagonists, and abilities.
Some settings may be better suited to being End Jumps or Gauntlets.
Step 1: Ensure you are not making a duplicate Jump[]
Declare you want to create Jump X or something to the /jc/ thread. This can be as simple as a post saying "Hey, has anyone claimed a ____ jump?" or "Is ____ available to make a jump of?", or it can be as complicated as stating you'd like to make a jump and then outlining the contents and a timeline.
Hopefully the thread anons either approve, or don't disapprove. Issues may be raised at this stage: maybe someone else is working on it? Maybe there's something inherently broken about the setting?
If you receive a strong negative reaction to your initial post, resist the temptation to say "fuck it, I'm doing it anyway". It will only lead to much salt and shitstorms. Consider changing the jump.
It is acceptable to work on a jump without asking, if you are fairly sure nobody else is working on it and there are no prior claims to it, if you want to "surprise" the thread. But be prepared to compromise if it turns out someone else is working on the same setting.
Step 2: Begin Work[]
It is strongly suggested that your Jump is similar to the standard jump format for your first created jump.
You start work, maybe throw out WIPs to the thread or IRC for constructive criticism. This is obviously the longest part.
Claiming settings to make and then abandoning them without passing them on to someone else, or at least letting the thread know you've dropped the project is beyond infuriating, especially for anons who would like to pick up where you left off, as claims to a setting effectively seal off further work.
Balance
All options should be roughly balanced with cp costs.
Deviations from standard format are usually frowned upon but it depends on whether the deviation is justifed by the quality of the product.
Secondary price pools & cp allowances
extra points to spend on 'essential' items.
Step 3: Finish Work.[]
When you think the jump is finished, post a copy on the thread and to the Uploads folder of the drive.
Only posting a finished jump to the drive will result in anons accusing you of trying to sneak it onto the drive.
At this point, it gets picked apart like a corpse by crows, or it doesn't. Which is to say, it either passes community approval, or it doesn't.
Multiple Jumps For The Same Setting[]
Under very mysterious, random and unusual circumstances, the thread may approve having multiple Jumps for the same setting.
This tends to happen if:
- A setting is expansive enough to contain many, many options, such as the DC comic universes containing a great deal of lore, many different event timelines and hundreds of different skills and powers, too many to possibly be encompassed in one jump; or the World of Darkness universe being divided up by Vampire, Werewolf, Mage, Mortals, etc. each of which have multiple arrays of abilities and different lore.
- The setting has multiple important events occurring in different eras, greater than 10 years apart, and each era is significantly different to the others, such as the Star Wars universe being broken up into The Old Republic, The Clone Wars (prequel trilogy), The Original Trilogy and the New Trilogy.
- The setting has different continuities or timelines, each detailed enough and different enough from the others, for example, the Marvel comics universe being separate to the Marvel movies universe.
Do not start work on a Jump assuming the thread will approve multiple Jumps for one setting, especially if there is already a jump for it.
If you are making an additional Jump for a setting because "I could totally do that better / the one that exists currently is shit / the one that exists doesn't let me do what I want", that is not an acceptable reason.