Unfortunately, we've decided to reconsider our initial timeline for SOTF: Cyber. Circumstances have made apparent that it seems unlikely we will be able to make good on our initial intention of a November 25th, 2023 (11/25/2023) start date for the version. As a result, we've decided to change our date to December 5th, 2023 (12/05/2023). The reasons behind our ultimate decision here are as follows:
1.) Our Creative Vision:
SOTF: Cyber has been in the works for a long time—a very long time. Our original planning for the version began around September 9th, 2021 (09/09/2021). SOTF Mini's staff team approved our version around April 19th, 2023 (04/19/2023). Our announcement went up on June 5th, 2023 (6/5/2023). These dates result in a year and nine months difference, during which our ultimate vision for the version changed and matured.
While we're delighted with our current perspective on our version and believe our final product will come to fruition nicely, this also resulted in our vision changing somewhat, which has necessitated many gradual changes (including to the version's Armory and Prologue) and, as a result, rewrites. What does this mean? Well, it means we've had to do much more work to get the version up-to-code than we expected—a lot more.
2.) Personal Circumstances:
In addition to the creative differences between our original and current visions, a few personal circumstances have also come between us as a team and our intended release date. These events have changed our opinion on our original deadline; a later deadline would give us space to breathe and finish things that would otherwise be shelved for the future, ensuring a better version for everyone involved in the game.
3.) Character Deadlines:
In addition to the facts outlined above, we've noticed that many handlers have expressed interest in SOTF: Cyber but still need to finish their applications and submit them. Our initial application deadline was November 25th, 2023 (11/25/2023); we initially requested that every profile receive submission by then while critiques would continue.
Given that our version still needs additional time for us to get prepared, we decided it would be okay to give everyone a little extra time to polish off their applications. After all, we'd hate to see anyone miss the cut, given what we've got in store (which we are excited to unveil to all of you). As a result, with our timeline changes, we wanted to consider this.
As a result of all these facts, we've decided to push back our version start date and profile deadline by ten days to the new date of December 5th, 2023 (12/05/2023). These ten days will give us time to prepare for the rest of the version. Furthermore, we've changed our intended timeline: instead of rolls occurring every two weeks, they will occur every three weeks and come paired with an announcement (except for the First Rolls, which will come without one alongside it). Everything else will remain unchanged between our last timeline and our current timeline.
The future is now a little under two weeks from now.November 20th, 2023 (11/20/2023) - December 5th, 2023 (12/05/2023):
All characters approved for SOTF: Cyber and confirmed at roll call will get rostered. In the process, they will be given an evaluation by the terrorists and receive their random assignments from the list compiled by SOTF: Cyber staff members. We will also post the SOTF: Cyber Armory in this frame, containing details on the items assigned in the version.
December 5th, 2023 (12/05/2023):
The SOTF: Cyber Arena, SOTF: Cyber Prologue, and SOTF: Cyber Student Roster will go live for all handlers to view. The version will start on this date; all relevant locations will open for handlers to post threads within, and activity enforcement (requiring one post every fourteen days) will begin in earnest. It is the official launch date for SOTF: Cyber V1.
Furthermore, this is the date we expect all profiles to be submitted. After this, applications will be closed to new submissions; all handlers with character profiles submitted before December 5th, 2023 (12/05/2023) will have until January 1st, 2024 (01/01/2024), to complete all edits that the SOTF: Cyber staff team requests of them within their profile critiques.
December 19th, 2023 (12/19/2023):
By this date, fourteen days will have passed since the start of activity enforcement. We expect every character approved before the launch to have at least one post in the Arena by this point. However, every inactive handler will receive one official warning about their activity (as well as a fourteen-day grace period to post again afterward).
December 24th, 2023 (12/24/2023) - December 31st, 2023 (12/31/2023):
This timeframe will be our holiday break. During this timeframe, the activity clock will stop entirely; we will not expect any posting to occur within this week. Activity enforcement will continue before and after this period. That said, we will consider activity during this timeframe for all activity enforcement purposes after the end of this timeframe.
January 1st, 2024 (1/1/2024):
SOTF: Cyber V1's First Rolls will occur. All profiles not yet approved by SOTF: Cyber staff (barring circumstances outside of handler control, in which we will make exceptions) will get placed in the SOTF: Cyber Forfeited and Abandoned Characters section; any character denied this way is still eligible for resubmission for any future version.
From this point forward, regular activity enforcement will resume. In addition, rolls will occur every three weeks from this point until the version's roster reduces to a total of ten characters still simultaneously alive and present. The Final Ten Rollsets will determine the characters participating in SOTF: Cyber Endgame three weeks later.
