>
>Once the person actually imm'd he'd just skip ahead to the
>point where someone would normally start reviewing his first
>draft.
>
>All that would get cut out is the period where he's a heroimm,
>but still hasn't finished a first draft of his area. This
>seems like where most people fail. At least, it's where I
>failed. Having the draft ready beforehand would remove the
>possibility of washing out as a heroimm because one can't get
>motivated enough to finish his area.

Personally, I don't think the area is the main goal of the heroimm process. I think it's a time to prove that you can set goals and stick to them; that you can do the work and not burn out; that you can sacrifice the "play" aspect of the game in favor of the "duty" aspect. You also show that you can plan a project, execute it, ask the right questions, follow instructions, problem solve, accept criticism, defend your decisions, implement suggestions, and eventually see the project through to completion. Area writing is a great way to exhibit all of those characteristics and do so in a way that contributes something tangible to the MUD.

I don't know your specific circumstance, but if you're not motivated to finish the area (your single overriding priority as a heroimm), doesn't that send a signal to the staff that maybe it's not a good match? What if you take criticism too personally? What if you can't work other peoples' ideas into your own to meet a unified goal? These characteristics show up over time, through interactions with multiple members of the staff.

I suppose there is still an outstanding question of: Yes, but why should a player have to heroimm prior to starting any of this? The answer is simple, really: Now you have something to lose, and by extension, you have a reason to take the job more seriously (and not waste the staff's time).

That's my opinion, anyway.


EDIT: I did actually have another point before I wandered lost.. You said:

"Guess I was envisioning a scenario where the would-be-imm had already gotten a tentative thumb's up on the possibility of joining the staff, and had gotten a tentative thumb's up on a very general idea for an area.

The kind of approval you'd get as a current heroimm before beginning to actually write room descriptions."

As I read it, what you've described is basically heroimming without the responsibility. I think that's an important part of the process that shouldn't be ignored or negated... for whatever that's worth.