The rules for setting up and conducting brawls have been updated. These rules won't impact currently listed brawls. Several things have been tweaked, and you'd be best off reading the Brawling Instructions and Brawling Rules here again. The main things to note:

- Choosing a medium for the entries before hand is now required. How to do so is specified in the rules.

- Critique must now be requested as a stipulation, and will not be handed out by default.

*Knollilocks is running a new side project for OCBZ. She's putting together an OCBZ calender for 2010, which will be sold as a print. OCBZ artists are welcome to create pieces for it; Knolli will be choosing the 12 best/most fitting to use. Direct all questions her direction.

After quite a few months of saying "we'll do them at some point", we have finally created a system for Teams within OCBZ.

Read about them here: [link]

The updates are nearing their end. We have a fair bit of content under production for Gatta, and a few tweaks to the brawling system, but the club is mostly up to date at this point.

Alright, I know you all have been waiting a while for these. Here they are: [link]

Unfortunately, due to the length of the critiques, they could not be fit in the round deviation. They are listed in the following two journals: [link] [link]

These journals will be demolished for other use within a week or two probably, so if you want your critiques saved, make sure to copy them somewhere.

Round 2 should be ready within 24 hours.

[link]

OCBZ's newest feature, the Library, is now ready for use. More information will likely be added as time goes on, but for now there should be plenty to start exploring.

"The OCBZ Library is a collection of resources specifically selected to help members excel in their battles, and their art in general. Here, you can find tips for brawls and tournaments, tutorials, and more. Intelligent use of the library can save you frustration down the line.

Remember that the library doesn't contain rules, only guidelines. While these guides can be useful, it's up to the artist to make the most of them. Things stated here aren't necessarily absolute."

(Bloodspring judging is currently underway. The roster document has been fixed, so the roster is now up-to-date again. The OCBZ library is still under construction and should be open for use within a couple weeks.)

There's been a fair bit of confusion over our new introductions for registration, which is quite understandable considering that it's one of the more substantial policy updates that the club has done.

To help clarify some things:

- Introductions are required for all new characters during the registration process. Please send in your character and introduction together. For old characters, introductions will be required by the end of Bloodspring.
- The goal of the introduction is to put your character in the context of actual storytelling, which is what our club is all about. Introductions shouldn't just be a list of information. Think about how main characters first appear in things such as novels, comics, movies, etc.
- Most people have been pretty supportive of introductions, but some of you may be wondering what the value of the extra work is. There are numerous advantages, most of which are NOT mentioned in the journals to reduce text overload. If you're unsure, feel free to ask and we'll give you the rundown.

Hopefully, we'll have some strong intros in various mediums to provide as examples in the near future. The first draft of the rule was somewhat misleading because of its wording, and has been updated to read as follows:

STEP THREE: Create a character introduction piece. This can be a comic, literature, animation, or a combination of these three. The purpose of this intro is to show your character in the context of storytelling. It doesn't have to convey all the details about your character; instead, the goal is more to serve as a springboard for future stories. It shouldn't be just a listing of information. There are no specific length requirements, so long as you cover the bases you need to cover.

It is the artist's responsibility to provide clarity for the reader, and your intro piece can be an invaluable aid in this regard. In general, a good rule of thumb is: reference sheets are for the artists, intros are for the audience.

Q: I already introduced my character with an audition for a tournament here or elsewhere. Do I have to do another?
A: You can use introductions or auditions you've already done, so long as they're appropriate.

Q: Can I use the same introduction for more characters?
A: Yes, so long as it's a reasonable introduction for all characters in question.

Q: Can somebody help me or collab with me on my intro?
A: Within reason, yes. You CAN share an intro with another artist if both of your characters are in it, so long as you both contribute. Don't ask someone to draw your intro for you. The rules for intros are more lenient than for battle entries, but as always, use common sense. If in doubt, ask.

Q: Can my introduction be rejected?
A: If you follow the guidelines listed above along with a reasonable dose of common sense, you'll probably be fine. The introductions aren't auditions, and we we're unlikely to reject an entry because of artistic skill level. However, if the introduction is blatantly off-topic (such as having little or nothing to do with your character), if it's unreadable (severely confusing), or if you just do something blatantly stupid (such as killing another artist's character in your introduction), we'll likely ask you to do it again.