Would algorithm-matching (Yuletide rules) be better?

[brightknightie]

Yes, I'm afraid that many of the fkficfest matches are challenging this year. I'm truly very sorry. If any players would like a swap, I'll facilitate!

Perhaps we should switch to machine-matching, like Yuletide?

Comments

[sholio]

You know, having just done the matching for SSR Confidential, and especially with FK being such a small fandom with such dedicated factions, I'm really not sure if algorithm-matching would be an improvement. I ended up hand-matching SSR Confidential both years, and I know mods of other small fests often do likewise. Most of the fests that use AO3's matching also use Yuletide-style rules, where participants know that they are going to be matched on a character or pairing, but that's the only guarantee -- the prompts are optional. I don't know if that would make it easier in FK or simply be a disaster.

[brightknightie]

Oh, yes, you're quite right: I'm confident that machine-made matches would be utterly wretched by that measure. :-) I should have phrased the question differently: Would players prefer a different set of expectations?

That is, would more players be happier with Yuletide-style expectations, matched only on characters, with "optional details are optional"? In that case, for example, a Dark Knightie would get me as a recipient, and would write something that I wouldn't at all enjoy reading, but the Dark Knightie would have fun writing her own take, not struggling to write mine, and isn't that the important thing...?

I don't know what to do.

I understand that we need a new sign-up form, with different, more, fewer, better questions... if we play again, I'll definitely seek more effective sign-up forms to redesign... but... how do we get people to want to write what others want to read? Rhetorical question (unless you happen to have a magic answer ~grin~).

"List up to 20 things you like" but "List no more than 3 things you avoid"...?

[sholio]

I should have phrased the question differently: Would players prefer a different set of expectations?

Ahhhh, I see! Yeah, it's hard to say. FK is a somewhat unusual fandom, I think, even in these ship-war-ish days, that it has so many factions with such radically different takes on the characters.

I do feel as if most people at least TRY to make their recipients happy, even if their recipient's take on the show is different from their own. Even in "optional details are optional" exchanges, most people try to write the details anyway.

Such a difficult situation.

You are an excellent mod, though, and I know you work very hard to try to get the best possible matches.

[brightknightie]

>"... so many factions with such radically different takes on the characters."

I exchanged a few paragraphs of conversation with a Dark Knightie recently, and was mind-blowlingly reminded that she loves a completely different television program, one that I have never seen and would never have followed, under this same title. ~wry~

[sholio]

Yeah, I've heard people in fandom say that we're each watching our own version of any show, and sometimes you can't even figure out how people got from your show to theirs!

[greerwatson]

I've never modded; but everything sholio says is my reaction, too. Computers are pretty dumb.

A good mod (and you've always been a good mod, brightknightie) possesses the intuition and flexibility that matching surely needs when numbers are small. I rate hand-matching over any mere algorithm.

[brightknightie]

Thank you, Greer.

I'm very sorry that I couldn't produce more strong matches this year. I know that some people are disappointed; I'm afraid that everyone is disappointed, and most just aren't saying so yet.

If we play again, and if I manage the game again, I'll definitely replace the sign-up form. There must be ways to promote compatibility.

[havocthecat]

It's a very diverse fandom and has a lot of characters, so people will surely understand that not everyone likes the same thing as they do.

[brightknightie]

Thank you. Yes, certainly, our players are very good and kind!

Yet it is the first year when the balance between disappointment and optimism expressed to me about prompt slates has tipped toward disappointment overall.

(A number of prompts were reruns from previous years; I tried not to give them to people who had seen them before. Maybe that was a mistake.)

Was it the final year of Femme-Fic that you and your co-mod had the prompt slates posted publicly, rather than screened? Did that succeed in helping encourage more matchable requests, do you happen to recall...? Just a thought!