Shoal Shares
Shoal Shares (SS) is a channel category in DSA where creators can form sub-communities around their ideas, worlds and projects. It is intended to encourage creators to build and develop their work - and perhaps inspire others! SS have featured a variety of subjects, including OCverses, game/comic/book development, roleplay groups, and personal art challenges.
Every channel is a dedicated space run by a passionate server member (or multiple members). All server rules still apply in these channels, but those in charge are free to set their own additional regulations.
SS channels are bound to a set of terms, but if members feel too pressured by these, or their ideas are too early to comfortably set up a SS channel for, they may instead create a Trial Isle post. Trial Isle posts are still individually-dedicated spaces, but they are smaller-scale and a little quieter.
Terms of Use
By applying for a SS channel, members acknowledge that they have read and agree to these terms.
Channel Ownership
Only one channel may be owned at a time. Additional SS can be listed under the user if it is a collaborative project (multiple people are developing it together). Collaborative projects are denoted with a blue role instead of a green one
Content Ownership
SS owners and contributors retain all the rights to the ideas and content they send into their channel. DSA owns none of the content, and it will never be shared officially under the server's name or claimed as property of the server. However, some messages may be used in promotional material for the server itself (such as in the forum ad). In these cases, permission will be asked prior to usage
Channel Subject
SS channels must be centered around a single project or universe. Side-stories, AUs, and the like are acceptable as long as they are justifiably related to the channel's original subject
Application Process
The contents of the application itself have very little impact on the likelihood that a SS will be approved. Generally, a good standing within the server is means for approval. Application contents are only shared with mods
Channel Activity
Projects are defined rather openly, but activity is more structured. In order to be considered active, the channel must not remain unused for more than three weeks. At two separate points will a mod give an inactivity warning - two weeks into the timer, and 48 hours before deletion. After two unaddressed warnings, your channel will be permanently removed.
Timer Extension/Hold
The three-week timer for SS activity can be reset or put on hold at any point by informing a mod. No reason is required to make this request. While the timer is on hold, inactivity warnings will occur once a month. Holds can also be requested for a specific amount of time (such as for school or long vacations). The hold will be lifted when the user is active by regular standards (or at an agreed-upon time)
Self-Promotion
The rules for self-promo are more lenient in SS channels - any and all promotion related to the channel's subject may be sent here, regardless of time between promo posts. However, all promotion must be SFW
Subject Change
If a user would like to change the subject of their channel, they must submit a new application and specify that it is a project change. The original channel will be removed, and a new one will take its place. Alternatively, the creator may change the name of the channel at any point in time and keep the original contents preceding it
Deletion
SS channels will never be deleted by a mod without prior notice or warning. There are only two instances in which a mod will delete a channel - in response to a subject change, or due to multiple unaddressed inactivity notices. SS owners may delete their own channel at any point in time, and do not need to give a reason or explanation
Archiving of the Channel
SS channels may be archived in an offline file format per the request of the owner. This archive is taken using DiscordChatExporter, and done by DSA's admin. The creator will receive an .html file containing the entirety of the channel's messages (with Discord night mode formatting), a folder with all of the media files from the channel, and a .txt file with instructions on usage. This archive can be requested at any point in time
Usage of Shoal Shares
There are a variety of ways that members have utilized SS channels, including collaborative roleplay group planning, game development, comic creation, and general worldbuilding. Channels have housed character art, lore rambles, Picrew dumps, Spotify playlists, update links, to-do lists, AU content, and more!
