I totally agree with the above anons re: apps. I'd have it so that samples are done from a test drive comm or meme for the game's setting and style and so that they were the bulk of the app - maybe request three sample threads of at least 15 comments from the applicant - and personality/history would be a lot shorter because way too many RPers think that a long personality section means they're better at the character (exceptions being OCs where more detail is necessary to judge them).
Also, I think having more single-fandom games, or even single-media or character capped games, would be very helpful. I think a lot of the games with a "you're here to fight these evil things for us!" games (think asgard or soul campaign) would work really well with a low character limit that would allow for more focused plot than games with hundreds of characters. I'd also consider temporarily capping certain types of characters - say heroes or villains or superpowered people - if they began to overwhelm the game.
Furthermore, I'd have more games where characters can't be re-apped after being dropped, and/ where they face permadeath instead of dying and being revived because I know a lot of long-term players who have had to deal with the same close cr dropping and re-apping and it's frustrating as hell for castmates, and I've had enough of terrible rpers who are constantly killing their characters for drama.
I'd also like more games where there's no mass network. There may be one-on-one comm systems like phones but where face-to-face interaction is the norm.
Lastly, if it was a jamjar, I'd actually have a way out. But it would be difficult to access (and probably require teamwork/a long while to get to) and a one-way trip back to provide a slight variation on the normal jamjar that would allow characters to develop some cr without making it completely impossible for characters to leave of their own free will.
Re: ORIGINAL GAME SUGGESTIONS
Also, I think having more single-fandom games, or even single-media or character capped games, would be very helpful. I think a lot of the games with a "you're here to fight these evil things for us!" games (think asgard or soul campaign) would work really well with a low character limit that would allow for more focused plot than games with hundreds of characters. I'd also consider temporarily capping certain types of characters - say heroes or villains or superpowered people - if they began to overwhelm the game.
Furthermore, I'd have more games where characters can't be re-apped after being dropped, and/ where they face permadeath instead of dying and being revived because I know a lot of long-term players who have had to deal with the same close cr dropping and re-apping and it's frustrating as hell for castmates, and I've had enough of terrible rpers who are constantly killing their characters for drama.
I'd also like more games where there's no mass network. There may be one-on-one comm systems like phones but where face-to-face interaction is the norm.
Lastly, if it was a jamjar, I'd actually have a way out. But it would be difficult to access (and probably require teamwork/a long while to get to) and a one-way trip back to provide a slight variation on the normal jamjar that would allow characters to develop some cr without making it completely impossible for characters to leave of their own free will.