#shamhq

[jacktherph]

Hello Jack, could we please trouble you for an opinion? Thank you so much in advance!

hi there @shamhq​! i’m happy to give you an opinion. since you didn’t specify private, i will post this on my blog. feel free to ask me to take it down if that was a mistake.

NOTE: all opinions expressed here are mine, jack’s, belonging to jack. i make no claims to knowing what is best for every group – i only offer advice based on my experiences, what i’ve seen in the community, and my personal knowledge. no one person knows what is best for you or any group other than yourself; because you were the one who put all of this together in the first place. so take everything i say as a suggestion, and remember that you have accomplished so much!!

and if you have any questions, want feedback on something specific, or want elaborations on anything said in this opinion, don’t hesitate to message me!!

this isn’t just an opinion, it’s a shoutout and a rec!! @shamhq​ is the perfect blend of semi-appless reality genre and a place with an overarching plot that will captivate readers and challenge writers at portraying different facets of their characters. the concept is fresh and inviting and the admin/s have obviously put so much love and imagination into this group!! check it out!!

start: 12.23 | pause: none | end: 12.29TOTAL: 6 minutes to read all pages (please don’t take this as a measure of anything, I simply time myself and am a speed reader)

So I’ve said before in other places that I’m not a big fan of container themes for rpg mains, but having used this theme myself previously I think it really works with the aesthetic of what you’re trying to portray. The link amount is perfect for the highlighted information and I love how there’s a semi sort of “poster” for the show on the nav hover. It really completes the overall look, you know? Of course you know, you designed it. The colour scheme is, I’m assuming, meant to mimic a sunset on the beach? While some of the colours of the POC faces turn a bit red in tone due to the psd, the overall aesthetic achieved is really well done. The thing I like the most is how unique and well thought-out the concept of this all is. It’s not just a typical “reality show” rpg where people are living their lives while the cameras are rolling. You have a real plot that branches and intermixes with the subplots of the characters and there’s more going on than the shallow, at-first-glance stuff. Even in a few short sentences you introduce happiness, sadness, drama, anger, and jealousy; this is a concept I could see brought to the real television screen and you deserve major accolades for that!

The one thing about your main that I would recommend a change to: while the sidebar image is really cool and I like the video camera template, it did make it hard for me to notice the links on the side because they blend in a bit TOO well. Maybe changing them to a similar pink color would help them stand out a bit more? Otherwise a yellow is the only other thing I could recommend.

So your plot page is really well done. I like that you give the shorter, generic version of the plot in multiple locations, and that it’s on top of the actual extended plot, so people don’t get bored and have to scroll. It’s like a teaser and entices the reader to read more into it all. The way it’s written in first person as well is excellent. It brings a life to the plot and concept. Adding the info and skeleton links at the bottom is also a great idea and overall I can’t think of a genuine thing I would change??

Normally from here I go into an in-depth paragraph about each page, but this is a surprising incidence in which I really don’t see anything I would heavily suggest changing or recommend changing on a big level so I’ll go into a few sentences about each?? Your Rules are clear-cut and it’s good that you have the age limit on the very top. You’re not asking too much or too little of your members, in my opinion, so they’re very well done. I really like the wide range of personalities and archetypes displayed in your skeletons. They do seem like the executive producers tried to cover all bases for all walks of life and I like that you don’t have set faceclaims but heavily encourage nonbinary and trans characters, while also promoting diversity heavily. The “More Info” page is also a great idea and perfect for answering all of the questions you might otherwise get and need to put in your FAQ tag, because it also helps envision life on the show as the characters for any potential members.

Your application is clean-cut and I like that you provide an area for expansion because certainly with a deep concept like this there would be a lot rolling around in anyone’s brain. It’s also nice that you offered a place to ask about having a second character. My one question: do you plan on, if someone better fits the second character, having them submit a formal application for it? That way you get everything from them for both characters (eventually) rather than just hoping they do the second character mure justice? That might just be something to think about more in-depth once you get to having consistent applications.

I also like your “Producers Needed” part! It’s a great and in-lore way to ask about co-admins and with everything you plan on undertaking I hope you get them, because you deserve it!! I wonder if maybe there could be an in-character way to execute their producer role, as well. For an rpg like this I wouldn’t be surprised if you utilized anonymous polls and suggestion boxes often. If you need links to either of those I would be happy to provide.

My FAVORITE THING about this rpg: the concept. I’ll repeat myself here but you really thought outside the box and expanded your reasoning on a lot of the concepts introduced here. From the fact that the show is still “airing” season 1 while filming season 2, the drama happening behind the scenes, and the insistence that the on-camera persona of the characters can and will be much different than their real personalities; it all speaks to the time and dedication of your imagination to all of this!!

My LEAST FAVORITE THING about this rpg: honestly there’s not a lot that I can critique heavily, but I said before I’m not really a fan of the container theme and, even though you are going for aesthetic and have achieved that “look,” for a concept like this--where there is, in my eyes, the potential for substantial growth of the main through events, character polling, season announcements, etc if you would be inclined--you might want to think about a fansite theme? But it’s all personal preference in the end.

OVERALL this rpg is so much more than I thought it was when I first got the opinion request. I’m honestly considering looking y’all up and applying if there is an open spot when I’ve finished with some RL things in a month or two. This is the perfect place for people looking for a specific niche of the “reality” genre while also having a heavy appeal to people like me; who need an overarching plot to survive writing in an rpg. I truly and genuinely want you to know how impressed I am with this rpg and how amazing of a job you’ve done in the creation of this group.

Sincerely,Jack

[lauriesrpt]

“Hello, Laurie & welcome to MTV’s Venice Beach! This is a brand new reality series that follows the lives of twenty-one millennials trying to make it in Los Angeles.” — Alright, let’s cut the bullshit. SHAMHQ is a skeleton / oc hybrid roleplay here to expose what actually goes on behind the scenes of this iconic reality show. It’s not going to be pretty, as things aren’t what they seem. Thank you so much for your time.

hi! sorry for the delay! this place is amazing! the skeletons are so well-chosen and i’m honestly in love with so many of them. everytime i see a great skeleton rp like yours, it makes me realize how much i adore this style of characters. i wish you the best with this fantastic idea! this is a massive shoutout to SHAMHQ!

[mvdipetsch]

“Hello, Luna & welcome to MTV’s Venice Beach! This is a brand new reality series that follows the lives of twenty-one millennials trying to make it in Los Angeles.” — Alright, let’s cut the bullshit. SHAMHQ is a skeleton / oc hybrid roleplay here to expose what actually goes on behind the scenes of this iconic reality show. It’s not going to be pretty, as things aren’t what they seem. Thank you so much for your time.

i think we were all a little more than excited when we saw those open casting calls plastered around town. our beautiful beach town of venice would be host to a new mtv reality series. most of us checked out the call sheet online, picked a rome we’d be interested in and promptly sent in our audition tapes with little (if any) expectations. we all figured we’d never here from them again. when we got a phone call the following day, offering us a place on mtv’s venice beach, as part of the main cast, it all somewhat faded into a blur. most of us already lived in town, or at least close enough, and those from a further distance were immediately flown in. provided with fully-furnished housing that fit our “personas,” we were giving an advance before we’d even started shoot... 

[bellsrph]

“Hello KC & welcome to MTV’s Venice Beach! This is a brand new reality series that follows the lives of twenty-one millennials trying to make it in Los Angeles.” — Alright, let’s cut the bullshit. SHAMHQ is a skeleton / oc hybrid roleplay here to expose what actually goes on behind the scenes of this iconic reality show. It’s not going to be pretty, as things aren’t what they seem. Thank you so much for your time.

hi! of course you can! go check em out! [4/5]

[achele-gleerph]

“Hello & welcome to MTV’s Venice Beach! This is a brand new reality series that follows the lives of twenty-one millennials trying to make it in Los Angeles.” — Alright, let’s cut the bullshit. SHAMHQ is a skeleton / oc hybrid roleplay here to expose what actually goes on behind the scenes of this iconic reality show. It’s not going to be pretty, as things aren’t what they seem. Thank you so much for your time.

[holtsrpt]

"Hello Kay & welcome to MTV’s Venice Beach! This is a brand new reality series that follows the lives of twenty-one millennials trying to make it in Los Angeles.” — Alright, let’s cut the bullshit. SHAMHQ is a skeleton / oc hybrid roleplay here to expose what actually goes on behind the scenes of this iconic reality show. It’s not going to be pretty, as things aren’t what they seem. Thank you so much for your time.

ooh, i like the concept v much !! this is rad af !! im def reccing you guys to my followers and lurkers !! -- (2/10).

[sailormvrs]

“Hello, Mads & welcome to MTV’s Venice Beach! This is a brand new reality series that follows the lives of twenty-one millennials trying to make it in Los Angeles.” — Alright, let’s cut the bullshit. SHAMHQ is a skeleton / oc hybrid roleplay here to expose what actually goes on behind the scenes of this iconic reality show. It’s not going to be pretty, as things aren’t what they seem. Thank you so much for your time.

SHOUTOUT !

[grantgustn]

“Hello & welcome to MTV’s Venice Beach! This is a brand new reality series that follows the lives of twenty-one millennials trying to make it in Los Angeles.” — Alright, let’s cut the bullshit. SHAMHQ is a skeleton / oc hybrid roleplay here to expose what actually goes on behind the scenes of this iconic reality show. It’s not going to be pretty, as things aren’t what they seem. Thank you so much for your time.

shoutout !! this sounds super cool, btw.

[rpgtalk]

“Hello, Kendall & welcome to MTV’s Venice Beach! This is a brand new reality series that follows the lives of twenty-one millennials trying to make it in Los Angeles.” — Alright, let’s cut the bullshit. SHAMHQ is a skeleton / oc hybrid roleplay here to expose what actually goes on behind the scenes of this iconic reality show. It’s not going to be pretty, as things aren’t what they seem. Thank you so much for your time.

shoutout!

[alexcsofrp]

“Hello, Alexis & welcome to MTV’s Venice Beach! This is a brand new reality series that follows the lives of twenty-one millennials trying to make it in Los Angeles.” — Alright, let’s cut the bullshit. SHAMHQ is a skeleton / oc hybrid roleplay here to expose what actually goes on behind the scenes of this iconic reality show. It’s not going to be pretty, as things aren’t what they seem. Thank you so much for your time.

CHECK THEM OUT !!

[charliemuses]

“Hello, Charlie & welcome to MTV’s Venice Beach! This is a brand new reality series that follows the lives of twenty-one millennials trying to make it in Los Angeles.” — Alright, let’s cut the bullshit. SHAMHQ is a skeleton / oc hybrid roleplay here to expose what actually goes on behind the scenes of this iconic reality show. It’s not going to be pretty, as things aren’t what they seem. Thank you so much for your time.

shoutout !!

[activisthelps]

“Hello Olivia & welcome to MTV’s Venice Beach! This is a brand new reality series that follows the lives of twenty-one millennials trying to make it in Los Angeles.” — Alright, let’s cut the bullshit. SHAMHQ is a skeleton / oc hybrid roleplay here to expose what actually goes on behind the scenes of this iconic reality show. It’s not going to be pretty, as things aren’t what they seem. Thank you so much for your time.

wow, i love this!! here’s a shoutout, best of luck to you guys!!