The Rules

General: This is a creative writing Survivor-style blogging game. Contestants follow the schedule and post responses to the prompts I provide. The least favorite contestants will be removed at the end of each week until only one remains.

The Specifics:

* Game lasts seven weeks; it begins June 1st, 2008.

About the Philosophy of Online Onslaught

* Important: Players will remain anonymous through out the entire game. Please do not do anything on purpose to reveal your alias to anyone. You should also refrain from telling others that you are playing. This is for your own good. I want players to feel comfortable sharing comments and constructive criticism and voting without being hampered by the identities of contestants. ATTEMPTS TO FORM ALLIANCES OR VINDICATIVELY TEAM UP IS CONSIDERED UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT AND WILL RESULT IN DISCIPLINARY ACTION. I will investigate any wrong-doing such as teaming up and then I have a right to take any disciplinary action I deem necessary. Voting as a block with someone else is considered teaming up.

* The exact voting totals will NEVER be announced because I don't want to discourage anyone. I will also never ever tell anyone who voted for who. So even if you think you've identified a given contestant, don't worry about voting for them if you feel they deserve it because no one will ever know.

* Being unsportsmanlike in the comments/posts to other players is reason for IMMEDIATE AND NON-APPEALABLE REMOVAL from the game. This game is about encouraging people to try creative new things and get feedback ... "Onslaught" is a joke for a title and not meant to entice a bloodsport.

Game Specifics

POST WORD LIMIT IS 1500 unless otherwise specified in that prompt.

On Voting:

* The public and the contestants will be given the opportunity to vote for their LEAST FAVORITE bloggers on voting days. For each vote (both public and contestant), the blogger will earn one point. The public will get to vote for their single least favorite blogger while the contestants will vote for a larger amount based on the number that needs to be removed from the game.

I do not require the TKO's to be strictly followed. This is your game and your writing. However, if you want to judge based on that (or any other standard) that's fine.

Voting by contestants will be done via an online poll in which you must identify your real name and game nickname so I am able to verify which contestants have voted. Voting by audience will be done in the same online poll and I will prevent duplicate voting.

* IMPORTANT: If you are a contestant and you do NOT vote, I will consider ALL of your vote against yourself. Therefore, it is imperative that you vote on each voting day.

During the first 3 weeks, players will be removed as a result of ONE vote. During weeks 4-6, players will be removed as a result of TWO votes tallied together.

* At the end of the voting periods, (or as soon as I recieve all the contestants' votes), I will tally the points for each contestant. The least favorite (those with the most points) will be removed. The points reset at the end of every week (after people are removed) so that everyone is back to zero.

* The final week all previous contestants and current contestants will rank the remaining contestants from favorite (1) to least favorite (5). The blogger with the lowest score will be the winner.

Game Specifics

For the first three weeks

I will post a new prompt every Sunday. I will shoot for noon (Pacific) time, but give me some slack if I am late since I'm studying for the Bar exam.

You have until Friday at 11:59 pm (Pacific) to respond to the prompt.

Voting opens on Saturday at 12:01 am (Pacific) and closes on Sundays at 12:00 pm (Pacific). Each player will vote for their TWO least favorite players that week and the two players with the highest totals will be removed from the game.

For week 4-6

The remaining 9 players will respond to 2 prompts a week (this may change if the remaining nine feel that they would rather only post once; but for now, this is the rule). I will post more detailed instructions later in the game. These players will only be removed at the end of the week and will be removed as a result of their combined score. Each player will vote for their TWO least favorite players that week.

For the final week:

Five players will remain. They will all respond two 2 prompts the final week (this is non-negotiable, we need 2 responses to make sure this vote is fair) and everyone will rank the last five from best to worst. The player with the lowest total will be the winner.

The Schedule:

June 1 Noon: TKO #1 is posted
June 6 11:59pm: TKO #1 is due
June 8 Noon: Vote #1 is due

June 8 Noon: TKO #2 is posted
June 13 11:59pm: TKO #2 is due
June 15 Noon: Vote #2 is due

ETC.

Two final notes:

If players don't post, they are automatically removed from the game. If one player doesn't post in week 1, for example, you will vote only for your single least favorite poster. The person with the highest score and the non-poster will be removed. If two people don't post, then they are both automatically removed and there is no vote. If three or more players don't post, I will be forced to remove all of them and change the schedule of the game.

Final note about deadlines: It is possible that my schedule this summer is going to be rough. If this is the case, then I will post/send emails/open polls as soon as I can or ask Sean/a helper to do so for me. This is NOT an excuse for you to miss deadlines, however. I have found it is most fair to apply the rules evenly even if someone has a good excuse or if I am late. So please, even if you are my best friend or a total stranger, do not ask me to make exceptions to these rules.