#udhge

UDHGE 2019 RULES

Hey all, now that we've established that UDGE will be continuing for the forseeable future, we'd like to set some ground rules for this exchange! Sorry about the long wait on this, we’ve both been slammed with work and sorting out a move soon!

It is extremely important that you read this set of rules, as there are important updates since the last exchange!

First and foremost, the main reason there were issues last time was due to people flaking out. Please know that this exchange, and every one in the future, will include a ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY regarding this. In short, this means that if you don't do your part in the exchange (making and posting a gift) with no communication about why you haven't done your part, you will no longer be able to participate in ANY future gift exchange. We feel that it's really unfair to others that some people have tried to take advantage of the exchange to receive a gift but not have to do anything in return. This ruins the fun, as well as the entire point of the exchange. Of course, if you have an actual emergency come up, this doesn't apply, and we totally get if you need to back out of the exchange! Just let us know about your situation ASAP so we can figure something out for your recipient! 

The above policy also goes for people not liking/reblogging the gift they were given (barring an emergency related absence). The giving aspect is half of the fun, and that half gets taken away from people who receive no thanks for something that was personalized and took time to create.

Lack of communication was also an issue last time, so we ask that you please make an effort to respond in a timely manner if one of us contacts you! Of course, we realize that nobody lives online, but if there's more than a week of no communication, we'll put you into warning status until you respond. Nagging is never fun for anyone involved, so please please please don't make us have to nag you!

This time around, we're also going to try doing a check in halfway with everyone on their progress! Aim to have at least some work on your exchange gift done by this date, whether that includes planning, a rough draft, or even the completed gift. Anyone who hasn't started at least planning their gift without a valid excuse will fall into warning status until gifts are posted and they post something. If you have gifted for other exchanges properly, we will be more lenient about this, though. Some people really only need a short while to complete their gifts, so if we have a conversation about this, warning status can easily be avoided.

Now that the new stuff is out of the way, here's some of the basic guidelines for the exchange:

STANDARD RULES:

Please make sure that your Elfster name includes your tumblr URL. Make sure you create 6 wishlists, which should include your top TWO UD OTPs, your top TWO UD BROTPs, and your top TWO favorite UD characters. Feel free to add more and/or indicate which ones you prefer, if any in your lists. Having a bigger selection of characters ensures that everyone will be creating content that they are at least comfortable with.

Specifically for the Halloween exchange: everyone must create an additional list stating whether or not they are alright with gore/body horror being present in their gift, as 'tis the season. If yes, please also list any notable triggers or anything of the like that you are not comfortable with. If your recipient is not okay with gore, under no circumstances should you include it. Gore must be tagged with "#horror, #gore, and #body horror (when applicable), as well as any specific triggers in the gift. If you're not sure how to tag these things or what to tag, please send the gift/gift description to @chrisheartley or @joshuawashua. 

Please also make an effort to respect others' religious views when creating a gift. If unsure of a person's comfort level with something (e.g. satanic symbols), you can send an anonymous ask, or request that one of the moderators inquire for you.

Gifts must be one of the following: fanart, fanfiction, video/photo edits, a playlist, or a combination of the above (e.g. fanfiction to support a piece of fanart). On October 31, 2019, all gifts must be posted onto tumblr with the following hashtags: "#udge2019 #until dawn #until dawn gift exchange 2019" the tags must also include any characters or ships within the work (e.g. "#josh washington #sam giddings #jossam") and MUST be marked as NSFW if applicable.

Gifts are exchanged entirely online, which means that nothing should be purchased or mailed for the exchange. Artwork should be original and complete, meaning that you should avoid giving doodles/sketches as gifts. For fanfiction, try to reach a minimum of 2500 words (unless used in combination with another gift, such as artwork or a photo edit). Playlists must include at least 10 songs, as well as a cover image (either original or credited). Video edits should be a minimum of 2 minutes in length, and photo edits must include a minimum of four photos, which must all be credited to the best of your ability. If you feel you have an exception, please don't hesitate to contact either of us. Overall, gifts must be complete, well thought out, and should take a minimum of 1 hour to create (this does include time taken to find songs/photos/video clips for those who decide to work with those medium).

This time, we're keeping the NSFW gifts around. However, this requires you to provide an email to or coordinate other social media platforms with your gifter on the exchange date if they have any sort of NSFW image in their gift. Do not indicate that you are comfortable with NSFW gifts if you are uncomfortable sharing emails with another person. We'll post more detailed instructions on how to send NSFW image based gifts after the signup deadline has passed. If you are alright with receiving an NSFW gift, please create an additional wishlist on Elfster simply stating "NSFW friendly". (Note that although you may indicate a willingness to receive something NSFW, this does not guarantee you an NSFW gift). If your recipient has not indicated their willingness to receive an NSFW gift, your work must be 100% SFW (no sexual themes). YOU MUST BE 18+ TO LIST YOURSELF AS NSFW FRIENDLY IN ANY WAY. NO EXCEPTIONS. FAILURE TO ADHERE TO THIS RULE WILL RESULT IN AN IMMEDIATE BAN FROM FUTURE EVENTS.

This exchange does have a theme! It's Halloween specific, although you can feel free to broaden the theme to general fall activities if you don't celebrate or just don't want to do anything Halloween-y! 

Emergency Ghosts! They work the same as Emergency Elves, just a little spookier! As this exchange grows, there are inevitably people who for various reasons are unable to complete a gift. As an EG, you will be the first people we go to to take over to create an emergency mini-gift to make sure that nobody leaves this exchange empty handed. If this sounds like the position for you, DM @chrisheartley or @joshuawashua. (This position is intended for those who are unable to participate in any other way. If you’re able to create a full gift, please sign up for the full exchange. If you're available for both, that's awesome, please let us know!)

Participants are responsible for staying aware of the deadline. In the past, Med would DM each participant individually with reminders, however it was an incredibly time-consuming process. It is YOUR responsibility to check the blog for updates and ensure that your gift is complete by October 31, 2019. (Dates are not subject to change.)