I hate to be an old curmudgeon, but I'm not very pleased with the OP of this thread, as it left out some key details and background considerations. For example,
this post is the original proposal for how "framework CAPs" should be assembled, but quziel I think used the term 'framework' interchangeably with 'concept' in the OP of this thread. This thread also doesn't seek to address the reason why we made CAP25 a celebration in the first place: it was a milestone date for CAP, and we wanted to celebrate that as a community by doing something outside of our normal scope.
It seems that this thread is attempting to make framework CAPs a more regular thing. And in my opinion, there's nothing wrong with that, but we should also have a good reason for allowing frameworks. Here are a few examples I can think of to
not do a framework CAP off the top of my head:
1) The metagame is in a relatively stable place right now. All of the DLC is released, and there likely aren't going to be too many metagame shifts between now and the release of CAP30. Making this next CAP a more 'zany' project could feel like a waste of a stable metagame that could make for a very solid project.
2) CAP29 was probably more like a 'framework' than any other previous CAP. Through its process, we chose our ability first (never been done before), run multiple concept assessments (similar to a framework CAP), and even make flavor considerations due to the winning 600 BST stats. The CAP process essentially allows for frameworks to exist in a more limited capacity, so why extend that even further?
3) This proposal is putting up a lot of red tape, to the point where it might not even feel like something special. Was doing three starters for CAP25 kind of a nightmare? Yeah, but it was what we voted on as a community. It was grueling work at times, but we ended up with some great end products and learned a lot on the way. If you're making artificial constraints (no more than X mons, limiting custom elements, etc), then why even call it a framework CAP?
4) Framework CAPs take extra time. Has there been any thought put into how those 2-3 extra weeks to gather and vote on frameworks would bleed into the release of the DP remakes?
Ultimately, I don't have too much of a horse in this race. I personally enjoy the framework process; it's why I championed it for CAP25 in the first place! I just think we need to seriously consider both sides of this debate before making a decision. CAP25 being a celebration CAP was greeted with an emphatic "YES!" from the CAP community. It feels like the consideration for CAP30 to follow a similar path has been "sure, why not?" as the previous celebration was only 3 years ago.
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I'm going to spend the remainder of this post providing feedback to the post quziel made above from a Discord conversation to help clean it up a bit. Again, I am pretty neutral on which path CAP30 ends up taking; I just want to make sure we're prepared if we decide to go down the framework path. Like my feedback for CAP29 Concept Submissions, my feedback may seem blunt. I think quziel (and y'all) are amazing, but I want to give meaningful feedback that helps strengthen CAP.
1) Custom Elements should be restricted unless entirely necessary (e.g. Forme Changes are typically keyed to the mon itself, allowing flexibility there is necessary beyond a simple reskin).
Is this considerably different than the current guidelines on custom elements in the Framework OP? It feels like you're trying to re-invent the wheel here, only with additional red tape that prevents creativity. Your example is not very clean (what does 'restricted' even mean in this context?), and this is all probably covered well enough in the current Framework OP.
This creation will not allow any non-intuitive custom elements. This includes custom typings, abilities with entirely new mechanics, or moves with entirely new mechanics. For example, an ability that changes a Pokémon's form based on terrain would be allowed, but not an ability that summons a new type of weather.
2) Frameworks should list the specific modifications to process that are necessary, rather than aspects of the design itself.
This is already covered in the Framework OP:
Do not refer to any part of the Pokemon's artistic design. For example, the following phrases would be illegal:
3) A maximum of two CAPs can be created through a process, and if multiple CAPs are created, they should share significant elements to ensure that the process proceeds smoothly. (An example is Urshifu-RS vs Urshifu-SS and Nidoking vs Nidoqueen)
Needless red tape. If you polled the current CAP community about whether or not they want to make another 3 CAPs (or more) in a single process, we'd be met with an unanimous "no." People learned there lesson from CAP25, so why make this a rule that inhibits future frameworks?
4) A Framework can include minor flavor elements (see Starters), but should have some competitive basis.
This needs a lot more explanation. If a framework is supposed to have a competitive basis, then why not just make it a concept submission? How are you delineating between those two terms at this point? Newer contributors:
read the CAP25 framework submissions thread before replying to this question. Submitters
did post at least some competitive basis with their contributions. This is built into how CAP works; maybe it could use some clarification in the Framework OP, but a lot more than the point quziel brings up here.
5) Frameworks should not reference existing pokemon, nor existing CAPs
Yes, this is a rule that applies to all CAPs in general. It is missing from the OP though, so perhaps it should be included.
Under this ruleset, frameworks do not directly determine the design itself, but instead help us decide what modifications to the process need to be made for the creation of the CAP(s). An example Framework would be Starter Trio, which, while implying certain things about the pokemon, is not actually the concept. Instead it requires a secondary Concept submission period, which could include elements such as Move Ability Interactions. It is worth noting that this ruleset does not necessary allow for the same diversity in frameworks that is usually present in concepts. I would expect that framework slates may not be as large as concept slates.
Overall, my biggest critique is that this post seems like it's trying to invent a Framework process, when it already exists. Why not make a proposal about how to edit the OP of the previous framework thread and we work from there? A lot of thought went into that OP by the CAP moderators and the Policy Review Committee, and I think it's generally usable as a baseline for future Framework processes. Again, my critique here is meant to be constructive so that we can build a better CAP process in the future for all of us. Any vagueness or confusion at this stage will create massive headaches later on, so it's better to address them now than when we're halfway into a process.