Hello all,
The below outlines my proposal for FEE3 2021 (and beyond). This is inclusive of all documentation needed to run the event, as well as establishing our core vision and purpose for this event. The goals of the following sections are to 1) create alignment within our community on the event purpose and goals, 2) enable participants, volunteers, and organizers, to more smoothly facilitate the event, and 3) operationalize all aspects of FEE3 to allow for easy organization for future leaders. The staff will continue to evolve and change, and it is important that this knowledge to run the event continues to be maintained so that FEE3 can live on.
Fire Emblem E3 Mission Statement:
To showcase ROM hacks, fan games, technical tools for hacking, animations, and other related materials to Fire Emblem fangame creation to an audience of like-minded creators with the goal of building awareness for and recognizing our work.
Roles & Responsibilities / Templates
Roles & Committees
These are the groups responsible for running the event. Each will need to apply using a form created from the resources below:
Organizer
- Responsible for running the event. Vetting committee members, projects, and other volunteers. Making decisions and judgment calls. Determines scheduling and prioritization of tasks. Organizers also serve as heads of specific committees.
Let's Play Committee / Volunteer LPers
- Responsible for managing intake of LP requests from project submitters. Works with team to record videos on behalf of others, while also providing guidance to users who request assistance or recommendations in how they should showcase their project. Enable self-service while providing a high bar of quality in their own recordings.
Quality Control Committee
- Reviewing project submissions and videos for quality. Quality is inclusive of appropriateness of content (details outlined below) and video.
Visual Arts Committee
- Creation and maintenance of brand assets surrounding the visual identity of the event, including, but not limited to, templates for recording, thumbnails, banners, and other FEE3 promotional materials. Responsible for visual identity of FEE3.
Promotions Commitee
- Responsible for communications and outreach. Liaising with other Fire Emblem influencers and communities to promote the event and increase viewership and engagement. Responsible for updating threads and communicating with users on event status.
Charity Committee
- Responsible for charity selection and promotion. Works to create incentives for donations, setting and hitting targets for donations and goals.
Committee Application
Committee Application - This is a template and should be adjusted as needed.
The below fields should be used to create a form for applications. Please modify as needed.
Description: Thank you for applying to an FEE3 committee. Your support will help ensure a smooth and successful event. Please fill out all fields below for consideration.
- Username on FEU
- Username and # on Discord
- Committee(s) you are applying for (multi-select)
- Sample work (for LPs, graphics, etc.) - please link below.
- Timezone
- FEE3 organization is largely handled on discord. Please confirm you are okay w/ being pinged or messaged about information related to the event (Yes checkbox)
- Is there anything else we should know regarding your candidacy for a position? (free response)
Project Submission Form
Project Submission Form - template
Description: Thank you for participating in FEE3 20XX. Please complete all fields below so that we may review your work and ensure it is added to the schedule if guidelines are met.
- Username on FEU
- Username and # on Discord
- Project Title
- Brief Description of Project
- Project type (ie format. Additionally, include any technical requirements if project requires more computing power than standard GBA romhack)
- Project Thread Link (if no thread, please submit an image album as proof of project’s existence)
- File link (patch, .exe file, etc.)
- Do you require a Volunteer LPer? If not, you agree to have your video submission sent by X date?
- Notes for Volunteer LPer (if needed)
- Showtime preference (Please select at least 3. If not, select “No Preference”).
Showcase Submission Form
Showcase Submission Form - template
Description: This form should be used by project creators who are submitting their own showcase. We will get in contact with you if your submission is rejected, otherwise, assume it is accepted.
- Username on FEU
- Username and # on Discord
- Project Title
- Project Video Link
Video Resources
Content Rules - what is allowed at FEE3?
Content rules - what is allowed at FEE3?
- Project type
Eligible products include any Fire Emblem fan work, asset/animation showcase, and hack-related technical demo. Rebalances, weapon reversal, reverse recruitment, or other “minor” edit hack are subject to rejection from the committee for acceptance.
Ex. FE6 rebalance patch with +20 hit on axes -> low effort, rejection
- Inappropriate content
The FEE3 planning committee reserves the right to reject any project that has inappropriate content in violation with site ToS. This includes extreme profanity, nudity, sexual themes, and gore. Projects with inappropriate content, regardless of whether this content appears in the video showcase, are subject to rejection based on the discretion of the organizer.
- Stolen work
Any work with stolen assets will be removed and will not be allowed in the show until this is remedied. The planning committee reserves the right to blocklist your entry from the show if it had stolen assets in it at any point.
Recorded content guidelines
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We recommend a video length of less than 1 hour, with the ideal showcase being less than 30 minutes. We notice higher levels of views and engagement on videos that are shorter. If your video goes about the 1 hour time limit, the committee will ask you to re-record. This upper limit is subject to change at organizer discretion and will be stated in the annual thread.
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English is preferred language, but showcases may be conducted in any language the creator is most comfortable with.
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Inappropriate language in showcases should be kept to a minimum if used at all. Appropriateness of showcase language will be determined by the organizer and quality control committee. They reserve the right to reject a recording on grounds of inappropriate language.
Should I record my own showcase?
- Please review HeartHero’s guide here for details on recording equipment to determine if you are able to make a high quality recording. If you doubt your technical capabilities or interest in recording your own showcase, please ask for a volunteer when you submit your project.
Branded Assets
Branded Assets
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All FEE3 events will have branded assets created and used for future events. This includes, but is not limited to, youtube video templates, youtube thumbnails, and logos.
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A link containing branded assets will be made available ahead of showtime to allow project creators and LPers to self-serve.
Organizer & Committee materials
Commitee guidelines
Committee guidelines and R&R - this section will detail specifics of your role as a committee member.
Promotions Guidelines
- Coming soon
Charity Guidelines
- Coming soon
Quality Control Guidelines
- Coming soon
LPer Guidelines
- If you submit a project for a volunteer LPer, you will receive a 1 chapter LP showcase.
-Volunteer LPers are not required to communicate with project creators, but it is encouraged to send a recording to the project creator as a courtesy.
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Volunteer LPers will be assigned by organizers. Requests will be considered depending on bandwidth and LPer availability.
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LPers reserve the right to reject any request or project if they do not wish to record your project. If no volunteer LPer wishes to record your project, you will be asked to make your own arrangements.
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Volunteer LPers will share .mp4 video files by uploading to a cloud storage site and linking the download on the spreadsheet for organizers and quality control committee to review.
Operational resources & tips
Operational resources & tips
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If you are reading this and organizing FEE3, it is recommended that you provide a 5 month window from show announcement to launch. For example, if you are planning to start the showcases during the first week of October, FEE3 should be announced in May, with sign-ups accepted until July, allowing for 2+ months of recording, review, and outreach.
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Projects should be released every 6 hours, starting at 12 AM EST on the intended launch date. A welcome video should be released 3 hours prior to the first showcase. We have discussed dropping multiple videos during “prime time EST”. This decision will be up to organizer discretion based on feedback on viewership data.
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If you are organizing FEE3 would like to use the FEU Youtube account, contact a member of the staff.
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Operations should be handled either on the FEU discord or existing FEE3 discord created for 2020. Organizers should have clear roles and responsibilities. In order to ensure smooth operations, we recommend the following sample timeline:
Sample Timeline
Sample Timeline (dates listed are sample and should be taken as "by this date, you will…)
Post-FEE3: Align on changes and structure based on learning from previous year’s FEE3. Staff to determine organizers and hosting, as well as create application and submission forms to link to the thread.
Before 1-May: Create the project submission form and showcase submission forms using the templates above. Google Forms is recommended. Create a spreadsheet to have easier visualization of the projects, which will also allow for additional organization. Organizers will create additional columns to note volunteer LPer assignment and video link.
1-May: Head organizer or staff member announces FEE3. This should include the intended deadline for committee application (ie 1-Jun), project submission (1-Jul), and intended show date (ie 1-Oct).
1-May to 1-Jun: Bring on volunteers and determine roles and responsibilities. Each committee should have a lead or a dedicated Organizer/moderator to oversee a particular area as outlined above. Committee should be announced by 1-Jun.
1-Jul: Creation of branded assets if none exist. Selection and announcement of charity. Alignment with other communities for hosting and communications to ensure broad reach.
1-Jul: Project submission deadline. All users must submit a patch, .exe file, or other playable version of their project. If a project creator is submitting their own project, they must still submit proof of their work to be added to the show. This will inform scheduling and additional resourcing needs.
1-Aug: Creator showcase deadline. Creator showcases must be submitted by this date. This deadline may be extended case by case should a showcase be rejected by organizers or quality control committee.
1-Sep: Volunteer LP deadline. Volunteer LPs must be completed by this date, with videos labeled and uploaded for quality control review. All final video submissions should be added to a single source (spreadsheet) for ease of download and upload by an organizer to Youtube.
15-Sep: Quality control review deadline. All videos should be reviewed by this date. Organizers can reject fixes to videos past this date.
15-Sep: Schedule announcement. Schedule should be released and adjusted in the first post of the thread. Charity page should be available by this date, and other communities and outreach should be locked in if not already started.
30-Sep: Videos should be uploaded to the FEU (or other host) Youtube with scheduled release times.
1-Oct: Show is live. Promotions committee will post each video to the thread and other relevant platforms/sites.
30-Oct: Review and post-mortem. Organizer should create thread reviewing the event and proposing changes for next year. Ideas and discussion to be considered in preparation for next year’s shows and improvements.
This thread is meant to be a living, breathing document and collection of best practices. Moderators and Organizers are encouraged to update as time progresses and FEE3 evolves. As of this writing, it is not complete and will continue to be updated. Thank you.
