Madame Mervin, Hammer of Sues ([info]das_mervin) wrote in [info]the_sue_hammer,
@ 2005-04-25 18:18:00
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The HP Litmus Test
This is where you can review the extensive Litmus Test we wrote.

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[info]ayasugi_san
2005-09-18 06:20 pm UTC (link)
The link doesn't work, here and at the site. Could you give me a working one? I want to run a Sakura-Sue through it in preparation for a sporking.

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[info]das_mervin
2005-09-18 07:26 pm UTC (link)
http://k.domaindlx.com/hammerofthesues/assor/tuhpmslt/01lttoc.htm

And, in case those don't work...

http://k.domaindlx.com/hammerofthesues/assor/tuhpmslt/02sec01.htm

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[info]ayasugi_san
2005-09-18 10:11 pm UTC (link)
Thanks. She got 9675 on the most generous run-through, 11125 on the strictest one, and I'm probably missing out on a lot, as I'm not the author. Granted, some of it's due to canon Sue traits, but she's pretty hopeless at this point. Her friends are just as bad; they have raven black hair, porcelain skin, stunningly ruby eyes, a suave manner, and super strength.

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[info]das_mervin
2005-09-18 10:19 pm UTC (link)
...what the hell IS that thing you're sporking?!

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[info]ayasugi_san
2005-09-18 10:31 pm UTC (link)
An HP/CCS crossover. Sakura probably scores 10000 on average in them. Her friends probably score 5000. I'll do the sporking tonight and post it on [info]deleterius.

The Suethor also lost points by confusing concrit and flames.

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[info]farmercuerden
2006-01-02 06:01 pm UTC (link)
Right. There are a few minor problems.
First off, most notably in section 10, question 21, you use "England" when you actually mean "Britain". This is one of those things that Americans do a lot that drives the Welsh and Scottish up the wall. [And, going by Seamus, probably should really be "Britain and/or Ireland"]

On the subject of Sec. 10 Q21, whilst a transfer student is out, do note that Draco nearly went to Durmstrang. Having a character of European Nationality go to Hogwarts *instead of* one of the continental schools might be appropriate, and possibly worth fewer points for being nearer the spirit of canon.

Section 7, question 14: Half-giants might be acceptable, if they weren't used to steal Hagrid's glory.

Section 6, Question 17: A half-giant like Hagrid is resistant to spells, and a full-giant one might expect to be moreson [c.f. the attempt to capture Hagrid during the Astronomy O.W.L.] This isn't exactly *immunity*, but it's close.

The refrences for "See Question #x" are often wrong. Particularly Section 3, questions 19-22. As well, sometimes you use the phrase "The last two bonuses" when it'd appear you've added another bonus after that, from what you're referring to.


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[info]das_mervin
2006-01-02 08:48 pm UTC (link)
Thanks! They're corrected and added now, and you were given credit for finding the mistakes on the Updates page.

And are the other colors in your section to your liking? Is everything okay?

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[info]farmercuerden
2006-01-03 02:31 am UTC (link)
Ayer, indeed! Sorry I didn't mention it sooner - I haven't gotten used to my new e-mail client yet since the crash, and didn't want to go off-topic on the HMS STFU, so... Only possible oddity is that some of the strike-throughs in Chapter 1 look weird in Firefox. [and there's a mention of underlining in the form in Chapter 4 that should probably be changed to reflect the formatting change.] But I suspect it's just me going into Beta mode that's poking them up. Half-way through the Next SWMNBN spork, by the by - features a Scottish character of mine that's the oldest character of mine I still occassionally write about. Look forward to see if you can manage tartan colours for him =P

Arr, but I shouldn't write when I'm this shagged out. Can barely see straight, and should sleep. =)

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[info]farmercuerden
2006-01-19 07:44 pm UTC (link)
Hmm. The numbering problems in secton 3 [ See question 8, See Question 9] stilla ren't fixed - are you sure you uploaded?

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[info]fenny_retard
2006-03-02 12:44 am UTC (link)
*reads* To me, this test can be used for MUCH more than Harry Potter. I, myself, am using this thing for a SONIC fanfic I have saved on my computer.

So far, I'm not doing that bad. I don't get a zero on EVERY one, but I don't score 100.

By the way, the reason I was able to use it for Sonic was that I reworded the words in my head. Like Voldemort replaces Eggman, and Sonic replaces Harry Potter, and stuff.

Enough about that. I might use it to spork some Mary-Sues.

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[info]das_mervin
2006-03-02 01:19 am UTC (link)
I'm so glad it's useful to you. And I'm so glad it finally works now--redcoast fixed it. Ah, coast, where were you before?

Anyway, thanks for the feedback, and any suggestions, we'll take them. :)

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[info]la_elefantita
2008-05-20 05:46 pm UTC (link)
I tried to get though the whole thing, but I honestly cannot take that much Comic Sans. I would really really really really really REALLY suggest picking a less Sue-ish font.

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[info]das_mervin
2008-05-20 05:47 pm UTC (link)
Thanks, and we are actually revising it at the moment. It'll probably be in Times New Roman afterwards. However, given the advent of DH, we have to add several new sections, lots of new questions, delete some, etc. Thanks for reviewing, though. :)

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[info]tossino
2009-04-08 08:50 pm UTC (link)
I've been reading your stuff for a while now. All your sporkings, all your essayes, everything like that. And now I decided to run one of my Roleplay OCs through this test. Took me quite a while. I'm sure she could've gotten more points if I actually wrote her in an actual fanfiction, but I tried imagining how I would do if I did...

Yeah, useless rambling. Moving on.

First of all, there was a question that involved twins... I'll try finding it in the jungle of sections and questions in there... Section 8, question 2. "But, you may have noticed, most twins look alike. Not always, although usually if they don’t, they’re boy/girl. Unfortunately, having a set of twins who don’t look alike is a double-whammy of startling uniqueness in your character and also an often-used Mary Sue point." True, many twins are often somewhat alike, but it's actually pretty normal that they don't look that very alike at all. I have quite a few set of twins in my school, and there are only two of them who are very alike. Now, if they don't share any traits at all, that would indeed be a means of making your character more special, BUT, twins really aren't always that alike.

Also, about this particular question: 1. Is your character in any way named after you?

Although that is often a warning that the character is a Mary Sue, that doesn't necessarily mean it is... I gotta say that telling the one who did the test and answered yes to only that question of the 1000 points ones: "If you answered yes to even one of these, congratulations! You’re Sued! You can stop now—don’t waste time scoring even more points when you could be trashing your character and starting over (or, at the very least, renaming her)." It's a bit much... Well, maybe giving your character your FULL name could be too much, but only the first name isn't really a big deal. Just wanted to state that.

Also... You may not have seen it, but there could be people there who write in Second Person... And if you ask me, that's a big no no. You just don't write it like that. Not sure if you feel it necessary to add, but I do think it could be good...

On section two, I'm surprised to see that you haven't added a question about if the character shares clothing style or haircolour or anything like that like you do. It's probably not as much of a big thing as much stated in there, and making the character perfect and all, but doing that is a self-insertion and thus, it could become a Sue.

All in all, it's a really useful test and I may have learned a few things or two. The explanations after each question was really useful. So thanks for taking the time to do this. It must've taken long.

I love all your work. <3

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