the Rift


A Stealth Guide and Examples

Official Posts: 847
Administrator
Stallion :: Equine :: ::
Official
#1
Stealth Guide
Definition: a “stealing post” is a poem, riddle, song or description about the character being stolen. The riddle must have at minimum 3, different clues describing the character that are good and relevant.
  • Such clues include, but are not limited to: name, species, breed, gender, color, rank, history, relations, magic, etc.
  • The clues need to be easily found on the character’s profile or appear on the front page of a google search.
  • A steal must be of your own writing, but can allude towards or briefly quote something written by someone else.

1. A stealth is made up of lines, phrases, and clues.
  • A line: lines must be separate from each other and must stand alone in regards to being solved. Lines can either be broken by a period or entered below to the next line on a page.
  • A phrase: multiple phrases can exist in a line; they create the line(s). A part of a phrase in the same line already used for one clue, cannot be applied to another phrase in the same line. The same phrase cannot be applied for more than one clue for judging.
  • A clue: each phrase contains a clue as determined by the way the thief reveals their stealth. Do not provide multiple clues for the same phrase in an attempt to have it make more sense. Provide only 1 clue per phrase.

ex.
i) "bitch"
-- this is both a single line and a single phrase, so it cannot mean both gender, personality, and companion as clues; it can only be scored for one of those things.
-- Upon reveal the stealer needs to provide the one clue that it is - do not list all 3 and hope judges pick the most applicable one.


ii) "Her eyes are the ocean
With a shovel she digs digs digs"
-- This is 2 lines, so the clues cannot rely on the solving of the line above it, but each line can have multiple phrases.
-- For instance "with a shovel" can be a one phrase with an item clue while "she digs digs digs" can be a second phrase with a magic clue.


iii) "lonely excalibur boy"
-- this is a single line and can be 1-3 phrases depending on how it's clues are revealed.

A. As a single, 1 phrase, it would be revealed as:
"lonely excalibur boy"
-- The clue being a name reference for Arthur.

B. As a double, 2 phrase, it would be revealed as:
"lonely excalibur"
-- The clue being a species ref for a single-horned unicorn.
"boy"
-- The clue being a sex reference for a male character.

C. As a triple, 3 phrase, it would be revealed as:
"lonely"
-- The clue being a personality reference OR a rank reference for an outcast, but it cannot be BOTH, only 1 clue must be provided for 1 phrase.
"excalibur"
-- The clue being a species reference for unicorn.
"boy"
-- The clue being a sex reference for a male character.

D. As an INCORRECT application of 2 phrases:
"lonely"
-- The clue being a personality reference OR a rank reference for an outcast, but it cannot be BOTH, only 1 clue must be provided for 1 phrase.
"lonely excalibur"
-- The clue being a species ref for a single-horned unicorn.
-- Similar to the way the phrase "lonely" cannot have 2 clues (personality and rank), a phrase used already with a clue cannot be used again for a different clue. So you cannot have "lonely" also be part of the phrase "lonely excalibur" for a different clue, because "lonely" already applied in the phrase prior.


Bad Clues:
Bad clues are clues that are misleading, require the understanding of previous clues, involve the use of acronyms or codes, involve the number of lines or letters or sentences etc., and involve poor google searches.

Remember that the point of the stealth is to artistically capture your foe, not trick them with an arbitrary code system.
  • A bad clue is a lie: When the information presented in the clue is a clear lie about the character who is being sought, then a judge may fail the entire stealth.
    ex. character is a female and you put a clue saying "I'm seeking a male".

  • A bad clue is misleading: When the information presented in the clue is a clear diversion or detracting from the character who is being sought.
    ex. character's profile describes them as being "cold and ambiguous" and you put a clue that says "the bird is cheery on a summer's morning".

  • A bad clue requires the understanding of previous clues: When to understand one clue, you must have solved the solution an above clue, then that clue no longer stands alone and is considered to be a bad clue.
    ex. "I like big butts and I cannot lie (the character has a large butt)
    You other brothers can't deny" (cannot deny the big butt in the previous line)


  • A bad clue involves the use of acronyms or codes: When a clue is a decipherable code like "every other capital letter" etc. This falls under each line of a clue needing to stand alone.
    ex. "Lovely and fleeting
    Irate and beating
    Vivacious and bold"
    The fist letters of the three clues say "Liv" (OOC player name) which help direct you to one of Liv's characters.


  • A bad clue involves the number of lines, letters, sentences, etc.: When a clue is hidden among other clues as a certain pattern or number. This falls under decipherable code and each line of a clue needing to stand alone.
    "Bears like to eat chocolate
    I don't like bears
    You are a bear and I do not like you"
    Three lines for age.


  • A bad clue involves the improper use of a googled clue: Google can be very useful when trying to figure out a clue, but the clue association must show up on the first page of the search, and must be a term people would be able to google without solving other parts of the clue first. Below are two examples, one bad and one good.
    "You live in Laos" (the character sought is Kri).
    When you google "Laos", nothing involving Kri shows up. However, when you google "Kri", you discover that it is a native, spoken language for many people who live in Laos. This is considered a BAD google clue. This would be a reverse search that would be necessary.

    "you are the ruined city" (the character sought is Arah).
    When you google "the ruined city", the first link that pops up is this one: http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/The_Ruined_City_of_Arah "The ruined City of Arah". Because you were able to search the text that is in the stealth and have it pop up with the character's name makes it a GOOD google clue.



Stealth Blocking
1. It is a site rule that anyone can steal anything, except foals cannot steal. Herds may have different restrictions, but the breaking of those herd rules only results in IC repercussions, not sitewide and administrative ones.

2. It is a site rule that only herd leads and sneaks with rank magic may block stealths for members of their herd. Outcasts must block themselves. If the incorrect rank attempts to block a stealth, ideally someone will notice that the block is void and say so before an answer is given. If it is not noticed before a response to the guess is given, herd leaders can select from the following options:
  • A. Outcast the character that incorrectly blocked and count that as an outcast guess. The character must thread IC to rejoin the herd.
  • B. It counts as a herd guess.
  • Continued instances of the same character blocking without authority to do so will result in administrative discipline.



Stealth Judging
1. The only individuals who can judge stealths are the administrators and Judging junior administrators. Always remember that there is going to be some diversity in individual understanding of your clues, this is why we have several judges!

2. Judges score the reveal the way it is written. What you say is just as important as how you say it.
  • If you have a line that has multiple phrases, then you must make which clues belong to which phrase completely clear.
  • Only one clue per phrase. If more than one clue per phrase is provided only the first one will be judged.

Example
STEALTH
(Line 1 [phrase 1] [phrase 2])
(Line 2 [phrase 3])
(Line 3 [phrase 4] [phrase 5])

REVEAL
(phrase 1 - clue 1)
(phrase 2 - clue 2)
(phrase 3 - clue 3)
(phrase 4 - clue 4)
(phrase 5 - clue 5)

3. What you choose to emphasize in your clues matters and may be counted against you if your emphasis is misleading.
  • Any "fluff" that may be misleading will count against you in your stealth.

4. You must have a minimum score of "3" by at least 2 judges in order for your stealth to pass.
  • A good clue = +1 point
  • A non-misleading bad clue or fluff = 0 point
  • A misleading clue = -1 point

5. The "overall" picture of the stealth will be taken into account, meaning if a stealth is overall a lie, full of too much fluff or bad clues, or too vague, it will be failed.
  • Judges will explain their understanding of the clues.

Official Posts: 847
Administrator
Stallion :: Equine :: ::
Official
#2
Examples of Good Stealths

Bold = clue   ::   Normal = revealed clue   ::   Italic = admin judgement

KNOX stole SOREN'S BLACK FANG xx

Look here, lonely excalibur boy:
In the woods that we shared in our very first breath
I'd see myself in you, and I'd meet you eye to eye
Only you've more than twice the noble blood I've ever had
You mutt, you lonely excalibur boy


Look here, lonely excalibur boy:
---Lonely: outcast...
+1| [rank ref] yup
0 | Being 'alone' is not synonymous with being lonely. There's nothing on his profile to suggest that he is lonely.

---Excalibur: Excalibur is a famous sword, hence unicorn...
+1| [species ref] often consider swords as unicorn yep
+1 | | Good unicorn ref.

---boy: gender...
+1| [gender ref] easy peasy
+1 | Good on gender.


In the woods that we shared in our very first breath
---Knox and Soren were both born in the Deep Woods
+1| [History ref] I wasn't prepared to grant this as a positive since this is so minor of a thing, but Soren's profile directly says born in deep woods and there's not much else to read so it was easy to find! Knox's however doesn't specify deep woods, but I'm more concerned with Soren's clues.
+1 | History


I'd see myself in you, and I'd meet you eye to eye
---Knox and Soren have the same color eyes (and other similarities in appearances)
0| they aren't similar enough in appearance.
0 | Normally when someone says, "I see myself in you" it's a personality reference. Also, you don't you can see yourself in someone and easily have different eye colour, and they are not that alike. Gray vs Black. Both have dapples, but unicorn vs. equine, etc

---They are both the same height and would thus meet eye to eye
+1| [height ref] was looking for someone with the same height!
+1| This is what I was thinking


Only you've more than twice the noble blood I've ever had
---Both of his parents were leads at some point and noble in personality, Knox only had one parent who was a lead and noble.
0| [relationship ref] it's not easy to glean the information of his parents being noble from his profile. With your familiarity with those characters yes, but just going off the profile I can't tell - LTs alone do not mean leads/nobility.
+1


You mutt, you lonely excalibur boy
---breed is a mutt
+1| [breed ref] yes
+1




GAUCHO stole CONFUTATIS xx

Car for sale! She's a real beaut! A steal of a deal, a one of a kind! Just needs a good wash to make her faded sable body shine! Don't miss this opportunity folks! She ain't one of those new fangled hyrbids. I won't tell ya' about her make but what I till tell ya' is that she's got some beautiful chrome accents. Nevermind that one headlight is burned out. This one ain't got a lot of leg room though - long legged beware!


Car for sale! She's a real beaut!
Fluff
Judges only score what the thief provides as clues, so though this could have been a solid gender clue, it was provided as fluff so that's how it was judged.

A steal of a deal, a one of a kind!
Has been trying to make many stealths lately. Is a fairly one of a kind character!
0| [Stealth/Unique ref] Stealing often isn't on her profile and it could be argued all characters are one of a kind!
0| I agree with Blu; this doesn't lead to any character in particular. I personally was thinking of a hybrid until later on in your stealth.


Just needs a good wash to make her faded sable body shine!
Confutatis' coat is 'dusty black'. What do you do with dusty things? Wash them! Sable is a synonym for black, so faded black.
+1| [Color ref] Yep
+1| Synonym for black; good!


Don't miss this opportunity folks! She ain't one of those new fangled hyrbids.
Isn't a hybrid.
+1| [Species ref] True
+1| True.


I won't tell ya' about her make but what I till tell ya' is that she's got some beautiful chrome accents.
Doesn't list a breed on her profile. Silver mane and tail.
+1| [Breed/Appearance ref] This does make sense, but just as easily "make" can refer to lineage, which she has a lot of, so this clue was rather empty for me.
+1| Same point as Blu. Makes me think of lineage. I hesitated to make this -1 but it isn't really misleading, just not Specific.


Nevermind that one headlight is burned out.
Her right eye is 'pale' and useless.
+1| [Appearance ref] Perfect
+1| Another great appearance ref!


This one ain't got a lot of leg room though - long legged beware!
Confutatis' describes her stature as 'close-coupled'. When you google 'close-coupled' the first result for me is the Miriam-Webster dictionary (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/close-coupled). One of the definitions listed for 'close coupled' is of an automobile : having the space between front and rear seats restricted, therefore this 'car' wouldn't have a lot of leg room. Who would hate a car with lacking leg room? Those with long legs!
+1| [Build ref] I would have never thought to google close-coupled, I was looking at more of a short character, as in height, and in the back of my mind, short backed (which does fit your clue!)
0| The jump from close-coupled to leg room via googling it doesn't lead to this clue very well. Confutatis is indeed close-coupled, but it just takes a lot to get to the bottom of this clue.




THRANDUIL stole HISTE'S GLASS HORN xx

Black ribbon wraps around a dark tree trunk,
No need to let your temper get a hold of you,
Let’s not get caught up in that madness.
What will you do instead though miss?
Without crown or feather, what is left of you.


Black ribbon wraps around a dark tree trunk,
Appearance Ref:: Black brindle wraps around her dark bay body.
+1 | Nice clue.
+1| I was looking for something like this.


No need to let your temper get a hold of you,
Personality Ref:: Profile calls her tempermental, angry "Her temper constantly simmers"
+1 | yep
+1| Yup


Let’s not get caught up in that madness.
Personality Ref:: Considered mad because she hears voices
+1 | Great
+1| Good


What will you do instead though miss?
Gender Ref:: Female
+1 | Yep
+1| Clear enough


Without crown or feather, what is left of you.
Race Ref:: crown=unicorn, feather=pegasus, so all that's left is an equine.
+1 | Yep, I think everyone got this!
+1| Got this one.

Official Posts: 847
Administrator
Stallion :: Equine :: ::
Official
#3
Overall updates, please review!

Specific addition:

2. Judges score the reveal the way it is written. What you say is just as important as how you say it.
  • If you have a line that has multiple phrases, then you must make which clues belong to which phrase completely clear.
  • Only one clue per phrase. If more than one clue per phrase is provided only the first one will be judged.

Example
STEALTH
(Line 1 [phrase 1] [phrase 2])
(Line 2 [phrase 3])
(Line 3 [phrase 4] [phrase 5])

REVEAL
(phrase 1 - clue 1)
(phrase 2 - clue 2)
(phrase 3 - clue 3)
(phrase 4 - clue 4)
(phrase 5 - clue 5)


Forum Jump:


RPGfix Equi-venture