Paraphrasing / expanding from status. This is a counterargument to sign-ups [i]in-general[/i] being a waste of energy: [list] [*] Sign-ups are a useful resource for the GM in order to plan IC events around a cast. [*] Sign-ups allow the GM and other players to gauge players' capability, whether a player can write a lot or prefers to write little; have an established writing style, etc. [*] It is healthy for other players to know the entire cast of a RP before/during the sign-up process so they can fill in niches and continue to make said cast more diverse. [*] Sign-ups introduce a framework so a character does not spontaneously, egregiously change in their development during the course of in-character roleplaying. [*] Specifics a GM may want to know before the IC may not reasonably come up within the IC. Best example would be an event prior to the RP that influenced the character in-question, like a streamlined history section. [/list] I disagree with the notion that sign-ups have to be [i]extensive[/i] and predict possibly everything about a character before they're even written. I think a lot of RPs spend too much time in the sign-up process. And I think what a sign-up should ask for depends on the roleplay in question; I think copy-pasting Appearance/Personality/Background is unhelpful as a player gauging what sets a roleplay apart. (Is that controversial?) I also think asking for arbitrary info like expanded inventories is actively harmful in maintaining player engagement. If a sign-up's a chore to fill out, people just won't fill it out, you know? Personally, I like sign-ups as a player because I need a foundation. I also like having a 'prologue' before the IC; I don't want to spend too much time introducing my character. I want to jump straight into whatever can be done first. The RP with the shortest sign-up I've seen was on a different site for a sci-fi 'Lasers and Feelings' playthrough. It was name; age; species; the stats; a one-sentence summary of the character. It think it worked, at least in concept, because 'Lasers and Feelings' is a super easy system and things develop on the fly. There's my dump. Feel free to respond to any of my points! I'm curious what people have to say about sign-ups as a vying GM myself so I'll keep an eye on this thread now and then.