Okay, I've been struggling with a bio application I got at my board today and I was just wondering if anyone had any suggestions.

It's a player I've come across several times in the past. He's a good guy and a good writer. Unfortunately, he has a tendency to just stop posting for protracted periods. On top of this, it's a Batman Begins forum and he's applying for Harvey Dent. We're pretty active right now, so I think it's probably a fairly safe bet that we're going to have some interest in Harvey Dent in the upcoming weeks. If I take a chance on the guy and get let down again, then I think we're probably going to end up missing out on a few potential applications. All the same though, I don't feel comfortable just turning him away.

Say it with me: honesty. H-O-N-E-S-T-Y.

Just tell him what's what. Tell him you want someone who will be more active than he's been, but that you value him as a member, etc. Maybe work something out--if he disappears for more than a week, you'll hand the character off to someone else. Who knows? The point is, you need a basis from which to negotiate.

Simple enough.

I've been that person before. Chances are, he knows he's not going to be able to keep up with the character anyway.

The fact that he has the tendency to disappear on you, would have sent you an alert to not rely on him so much. And if he is signing up for an important roll that would make a difference in plots and story lines.. and with the way he disappears so suddenly, I wouldn't give him that role and tell him for now just take a smaller part. Like perhaps after he has been there for several months.. maybe consider in letting him take on something bigger.

I'm with SmathNa on this one. Honesty is definitely the best policy when dealing with members and potential members (really, just about anyone for the most part). You can sugar coat it to be "nice" if you want, or not, but being honest is key. You can then turn them down with good reason, and no one can call you horrible or mean. Well, they can, but it would be unfounded.

Either tell him he can't have the character, or that if he takes it, he has to keep up his activity. It's kind of important to do so when you have a key role.

Usually, I'm all for letting people have a fair shot, but for something like this, I would have to say that it's best that you let someone else be this canon character. Perhaps you can give it two weeks and if no one else applies, he can reapply. He'll probably be gone in two weeks, and if he's not then I guess he's proved his activity to you.

The only problem with that is that you may have to enforce said rule across the entire board to make it fair.

I know a player like this--worst of all, I'm very fond of them and am always liable to cave.

For an important canon? I wouldn't bother with a 'warning' to be honest, because that won't really do much. They still get the canon and they're still as likely to be unpredictable with their absences.

I'd stick them on probation and explain my reasons. Explain the importance of the canon, why you're reluctant and give examples--as many as possible--of their absences; in particular, cases where it's been highly inconvenient to other players. I would give them a time period wherein they can play an OC or a lesser canon--easiest if they were able to do it without an application to begin with--and focus on getting them to post regularly beyond the point where they usually disappear. My player for example, would post regularly for two months then POOF! up and go. So I would make them post for 10 weeks and see how things went.

If they manage to maintain a regular posting stint, then let them take the canon on the basis that you'll enforce strict absence rules on this particular player. If they're MIA for, say, a month, with no posting and no interaction OOCly, then the character goes back up for grabs.

Or you could just let them have the character on the basis of a strict absence policy. Whatever you're prepared to do.